Disclaimer

If you do not know me (I mean, really know me) then there is something you need to understand before you read this blog: I value the truth above everything else... except a good laugh. A good laugh will almost always beat the truth as far as I’m concerned. Everything you read on this blog will be true, somewhat true, or something I made up in an effort to get a laugh. Sometimes I will go on a rant that I don’t really mean (or only kind of mean). Sometimes I will mean what I write only to completely change my mind a year, month, or day later. Such is life. By reading this blog you agree not to get offended by anything I write (or, at the very least, you agree not to tell me or anyone else that you are offended). It is worth noting that my employer does not endorse my blog (or even read it, to tell you the truth). The Wife also does not endorse my blog (though she will read it from time to time). I am not paid to write this... it’s just my way of giving back to the community. I have, and will, touch on a wide range of subjects and will give my opinion on these subjects. Again, most of what I say is for laughs but every now and then I will say what I really think and feel (see my views on Westboro Baptist Cult). How will you know when I’m serious and when I’m trying to get a laugh? You’ll know. And if you don’t know, well... maybe this isn’t the best thing for you to be reading. So, sit back, read and enjoy. Leave comments if you want and don’t be afraid to publicly follow me.



Saturday, March 31, 2012

Congrats VO

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Private Willis H. Downs (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on May 13, 1899 at San Miguel de Mayumo, Luzon, Philippine Islands. His citation reads:

With 11 other scouts, without waiting for the supporting battalion to aid them or to get into a position to do so, charged over a distance of about 150 yards and completely routed about 300 of the enemy who were in line and in a position that could only be carried by a frontal attack.

Post Guide James B. Dozier aka James Doshier (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on October 5, 1870 at Holliday Creek, Texas. His citation reads:

Gallantry in action and on the march. (In 1916, the general review of all Medals of Honor deemed 900 unwarranted. This recipient was one of them. In June 1989, the U.S. Army Board of Correction of Records restored the medal to this recipient.)

First Lieutenant James C. Dozier (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on October 8, 1918 near Montbrehain, France. His citation reads:

In command of 2 platoons, 1st. Lt. Dozier was painfully wounded in the shoulder early in the attack, but he continued to lead his men displaying the highest bravery and skill. When his command was held up by heavy machinegun fire, he disposed his men in the best cover available and with a soldier continued forward to attack a machinegun nest. Creeping up to the position in the face of intense fire, he killed the entire crew with handgrenades and his pistol and a little later captured a number of Germans who had taken refuge in a dugout nearby.


Congrats to my good friend and former college roommate Chris Van Ooteghem on his wedding today.  I admit I didn't think this day would come.  So congrats VO and Kira.
The I’m just sayin… Kid Show of the Week

Leave It to Beaver is a situation comedy about an inquisitive but often naïve boy named Theodore "The Beaver" Cleaver (Jerry Mathers) and his adventures at home, in school, and around his suburban neighborhood. The show also starred Barbara Billingsley and Hugh Beaumont as Beaver's parents, June and Ward Cleaver, and Tony Dow as Beaver's brother Wally. Like several television dramas and sitcoms of the late 1950s and early 1960s (Lassie and My Three Sons, for example), Leave It to Beaver is a glimpse at middle-class, white American boyhood. In a typical episode Beaver got into some sort of trouble, then faced his parents for reprimand and correction. However, neither parent was omniscient; indeed, the series often showed the parents debating their approach to child rearing, and some episodes were built around parental gaffes. The show ran from 1957 to 1963. The still popular show was canceled in 1963 because the stars wanted to move on. In that year Jerry Mathers was entering his freshman year in high school and actor Tony Dow was about to graduate from high school. Episodes were budgeted at $30,000 to $40,000 each, making the show one of the most expensive of its kind during its years of production.

Recurring characters included Eddie Haskell (played by Ken Osmond), Larry Mondello (Rusty Stevens), Hubert "Whitey" Whitney (Stanley Fafara), Gilbert Bates (Stephen Talbot), Judy Hensler (Jeri Weil), Clarence "Lumpy" Rutherford (Frank Bank), Violet Rutherford (Veronica Cartwright) and Mary Ellen Rogers (Pamela Beaird). Burt Mustin played elderly fireman Gus, Richard Deacon played Ward's co-worker Fred Rutherford, and Sue Randall played schoolteacher Miss Landers.

I’m pretty sure re-runs of this show are still being shown. You can also find it on DVD. It’s a great show that can be watched with sons or daughters.

Friday, March 30, 2012

Congrats Pat Kelsey

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Corporal James Dowling (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions from August to October 1868 in Arizona. His citation reads:

Bravery in scouts and actions against Indians.

Private William Downey (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on May 24, 1864 at Ashepoo River, South Carolina. His citation reads:

Volunteered as a member of a boatcrew which went to the rescue of a large number of Union soldiers on board the stranded steamer Boston, and with great gallantry assisted in conveying them to shore, being exposed during the entire time to a heavy fire from a Confederate battery.

Sergeant Henry W. Downs (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on September 19, 1864 at Winchester, Virginia. His citation reads:

With one comrade, voluntarily crossed an open field, exposed to a raking fire, and returned with a supply of ammunition, successfully repeating the attempt a short time thereafter.


Congrats to new Winthrop Men’s Basketball Head Coach Pat Kelsey. Here is a copy of the press release:

ROCK HILL, SC—Winthrop Athletic Director Tom Hickman announced on Thursday that 36-year-old Pat Kelsey, a former assistant coach at Wake Forest and an associate head coach at Xavier University in Cincinnati, has been hired as the sixth men's basketball head coach in school history. He will be formally introduced to the media and Winthrop supporters sometime next week.

Kelsey, a former Xavier team captain spent eight seasons at Wake Forest (2001-09) under the late Skip Prosser and Dino Gaudio and two years on the staff at Xavier (2009-11) under Chris Mack.

“We were fortunate to have a large group of highly qualified and successful coaches in the candidate pool for our head men's basketball coach,” said Hickman. “Our vacancy created a lot of interest in the basketball coaching community. Pat Kelsey emerged as a dynamic and energetic leader who has had a rich background in working for and learning from highly successful coaches. President DiGiorgio and I were highly impressed with all of our final candidates, but Pat really stood out during the interview process. We look forward to having him join the Winthrop family as our next head men's basketball coach and know that he will excite our fan base.”

Kelsey says he is thrilled and honored to be the head coach at Winthrop and part of such a traditionally rich program that has made nine NCAA tournament appearances over the past 14 years. “Winthrop has a powerful name with its' history in the NCAA tournament and the successful program it has built. I am not only looking forward to continuing the winning tradition, but hopefully helping the program to rise to levels never seen before.”

“Winthrop has hit a grand slam with Pat Kelsey as its head coach,” said Mack. “Pat is really good at what he does and he's as hard a working and dedicated coach as there is in college basketball. Kids will love playing for him.”

Mike Bobinski, the Xavier athletic director and vice chairman for the 2012 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Selection Committee, also has high words of praise for Kelsey. “Pat is a very dynamic coach who has been around nothing but success as a player and a coach at both Wake Forest and Xavier. He knows what it takes to win. He's a high energy, high integrity person who leaves no stone untouched to get the job done right. Winthrop has made a great choice and he's a guy that will represent the university in an absolute first class manner every day. I look forward to following his success,” he said.

Winthrop fans can look for their new coach to feature a fast paced offense, but they can also expect Kelsey to place a strong emphasis on defense.

“My mentor, Coach Prosser who I played and worked under for more than a decade was famous for saying 'the older I get the faster I want to play '. I think that applies to me a little bit. Our brand offensively will be one that emphasizes playing with 'pace'. “We will be a tough, defensive-minded team that will play with a fast, 'downhill' offensive mentality. That is who we will be” said Kelsey. “We will push the ball, give our players freedom, but also execute in the half court.

“The thing that I think is most important in winning championships, however, is a team that can defend with great toughness, with great intensity and great resolve,” he says. “The combination of these things is what defines me as a coach.”

College Bound Hoops ranked Kelsey eighth in the nation among college basketball assistants. In addition to his recruiting prowess, Kelsey is also recognized as an excellent teacher and tactician in terms of player development, scouting and game preparation.

Kelsey also earned a reputation as an innovative marketer during his time in Winston-Salem. He worked with current XU head coach and former Wake assistant Chris Mack and Wake marketing to produce the "Tie-Dye Nation" campaign, which still thrives today as the heartbeat of the Wake Forest fan base.

Kelsey began his coaching career at his prep alma mater, Cincinnati's Elder High School, from 1998-2001 as an assistant coach. Kelsey went to Wake Forest in 2001 as director of basketball operations under Prosser. After three years that position, Prosser promoted Kelsey to assistant coach prior to the 2004-05 season.

During his time in Winston-Salem, Wake averaged nearly 21 wins per year in eight seasons, earning five NCAA Tournament berths, an NIT berth, a No. 1 national ranking in two different seasons and an ACC regular season championship.

Last May, Kelsey stepped away from the coaching profession as he was still dealing with the loss of Coach Prosser and he wanted to spend more time with his family. “The death of Coach Prosser had a profound effect on me and it took stepping away to come to grips with it,” he says. “I'm a teacher, a motivator and a coach and I feel like I do those things at a very high level. Coach Prosser's legacy will live on in people like me who will instill in young men the same core values that he conveyed every day. The pillars of his program were based on his 'ABCs.' That was academics, basketball and character. These three letters were the fabric of what he taught and what he believed in.”

He was first associated with Prosser as a leader in the Xavier backcourt for three seasons (1996 to 1998), helping the Musketeers reach two NCAA Tournaments. The former point guard served as team co-captain during the 1997-98 season and was voted the team's Most Inspirational Player in 1996 and 1998. Kelsey began his college playing career at Wyoming in 1993-94, starting 22 games as a freshman, before transferring back to his hometown to play at Xavier. Prior to college, he earned All-City honors while leading Elder to a 25-4 record and the 1993 Div. I State Championship.

Kelsey, who was born May 15, 1975 in Cincinnati, is a 1998 graduate of Xavier with a degree in business administration and marketing. Kelsey and wife, Lisa, have two daughters, four-year-old Ruthie and three-year old Caroline.


The I’m just sayin… Know Your South Carolina Athlete

Our SC athlete this week is former MLB player Drew Meyer. I have previously shared on here my now famous story on how I once defended Drew in a game by fighting a whole team of punks on my own inspiring him to strive to do great things, so I won’t bother repeating it now. Drew played high school baseball for Bishop England High School where he never beat James Island High School (at least not while I played... might not have ever beaten them, but I know it didn’t happen while I was there). A few short stories about when we played against each other in American Legion. During a pre-season scrimmage, I was playing second base when Drew (a left-handed batter) came up to the plate. He crushed a ground ball to my left that I, with cat-like reflexes, was able to get in front of… only to have it take a bad hop at the last second and hit me in my chest (right over my heart). I had the stitches from the baseball imprinted on my chest for a month after that. In that same game, Drew was pitching when I came up to bat. He threw a slider-like pitch that I fouled off my right shin. It hurt a little (but not as much as I thought it would)… so I didn’t think much about it. I don’t remember exactly what happened after that, but later in the scrimmage when I (along with most of the other starters) was taken out of the game, I was sitting and watching the game when I looked down and noticed that I had 3 knees. After a minute of trying to figure this out, I realized that I had a knee-sized knot on my shin. I put ice on it but that didn’t make it go away. Truth is it didn’t completely go away (bruise and all) until the second semester of my Freshman year at Winthrop.

Anyway, after high school Drew was drafted in the second round of the 1999 draft. Against my advice (which he didn’t ask for), he didn’t sign with the Dodgers and instead went to USC to play for the Revolutionary War Heroes. He did pretty good there. He was an All-American his last season at USC (2002)… the same year USC made it to the National Championship game (which they lost on June 22, 2002). He played in 209 games in a three-year career for the Revolutionary War Heroes only missing one game. I’m not 100% sure if he still does, but at one point Meyer held single-season records at Carolina from 2002 for at bats (334), hits (120) and singles (86) as well as tied for the record in games played (75) with three other teammates from the 2002 squad. He is (or at least was… not sure if he still is) the only player in Carolina history to start 75 games in a season. In addition to his single-season records, Meyer is the school’s career record holder for singles with 209 and he totaled 285 career hits in three seasons, which is third highest in school history. Meyer also is third all-time in runs scored (212) and tied for fifth in triples (9). There’s a chance my info is a little old… so someone last season might have broken these records, but I don’t think so. Anyway, after college Meyer was selected in the first round of the ’02 MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers as the 10th overall pick, the highest drafted player in South Carolina history. Meyer made his MLB debut on April 21, 2006. He didn’t last long in MLB, but he made it longer than I did… so he’s got that going for him. Which is nice. Last I heard, I believe he is at USC as an assistant coach while working to finish his degree.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Spell Check

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Blacksmith William Dougherty (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions from August to October 1868 in Arizona. His citation reads:

Bravery in scouts and actions against Indians.

Sergeant George P. Dow (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions in October 1864 near Richmond, Virginia. His citation reads:

Gallantry while in command of his company during a reconnaissance toward Richmond.

Boatswain’s Mate Henry Dow (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on May 27, 1863 on board the USS Cincinnati. His citation reads:

Served on board the U.S.S. Cincinnati during the attack on the Vicksburg batteries and at the time of her sinking, 27 May 1863. Engaging the enemy in a fierce battle, the Cincinnati, amidst an incessant fire of shot and shell, continued to fire her guns to the last, though so penetrated by enemy shellfire that her fate was sealed. Serving courageously throughout this action, Dow carried out his duties to the end on this proud ship that went down with "her colors nailed to the mast."


Thankful Thursday

This Thursday I am thankful for Spell Check. Oh how little I would write if not for spell check. As it is, I still need help from The Wife when it comes to spelling (since you have to at least be close for spell check to help). Friends, I have as much trouble with spelling as I do with geography (which I believe I talked about on here before). This is one weakness I can directly trace to my Dad. He can’t spell… at all. And it seems he was able to pass this lack of spelling ability on to me. How bad is it? When thinking of names for our kids, the first thing I’d do is spell the name. If I had trouble spelling the name, we scratched it from the list (we aren’t one of those hippy families who wanted to purposely spell names in a funky way). Spell check REALLY helps me when it comes to sending emails at work. If not for that nice little feature on my email machine, I’d spend half my day looking up how to spell words for one email. In many ways, I could probably include the online dictionary in this segment. When was the last time you used an honest to goodness actual dictionary? If you have done so recently, my next question is why? So today (and really every day) I am thankful for spell check. I am also thankful for The Wife always being a good sport and helping me out when I ask her how to spell a word (even when I ask by shouting from one end of the house to the other). And to all of you kids out there, be happy you are in school during the computer era. I do remember having to handwrite my papers in school… spending most of my time trying to re-work a sentence so that I could avoid using a word I didn’t know how to spell. Ah, the good ol’ days…

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Quote of the week...

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Private James Dougherty (US Marine Corps) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on board the USS Carondelet. His citation reads:

On board the U.S.S. Carondelet in various actions of that vessel. Wounded several times, Dougherty invariably returned to duty, presenting an example of constancy and devotion to the flag.

Private Michael Dougherty (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on October 12, 1863 at Jefferson, Virginia. His citation reads:

At the head of a detachment of his company dashed across an open field, exposed to a deadly fire from the enemy, and succeeded in dislodging them from an unoccupied house, which he and his comrades defended for several hours against repeated attacks, thus preventing the enemy from flanking the position of the Union forces.

Landsman Patrick Dougherty (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on board the USS Lackawanna. His citation reads:

As a landsman on board the U.S.S. Lackawanna, Dougherty acted gallantly without orders when the powder box at his gun was disabled under the heavy enemy fire, and maintained a supply of powder throughout the prolonged action. Dougherty also aided in the attacks on Fort Morgan and in the capture of the prize ram Tennessee.


The I’m just sayin… Quote of the Week

He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire. - Winston Churchill

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Birthday Pics

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Sergeant Decatur Dorsey (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on July 30, 1864 at Petersburg, Virginia. His citation reads:

Planted his colors on the Confederate works in advance of his regiment, and when the regiment was driven back to the Union works he carried the colors there and bravely rallied the men.

Private First Class Desmond T. Doss (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions from April 29 – May 21, 1945 near Urasoe Mura, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands. His citation reads:

He was a company aid man when the 1st Battalion assaulted a jagged escarpment 400 feet high As our troops gained the summit, a heavy concentration of artillery, mortar and machinegun fire crashed into them, inflicting approximately 75 casualties and driving the others back. Pfc. Doss refused to seek cover and remained in the fire-swept area with the many stricken, carrying them 1 by 1 to the edge of the escarpment and there lowering them on a rope-supported litter down the face of a cliff to friendly hands. On 2 May, he exposed himself to heavy rifle and mortar fire in rescuing a wounded man 200 yards forward of the lines on the same escarpment; and 2 days later he treated 4 men who had been cut down while assaulting a strongly defended cave, advancing through a shower of grenades to within 8 yards of enemy forces in a cave's mouth, where he dressed his comrades' wounds before making 4 separate trips under fire to evacuate them to safety. On 5 May, he unhesitatingly braved enemy shelling and small arms fire to assist an artillery officer. He applied bandages, moved his patient to a spot that offered protection from small arms fire and, while artillery and mortar shells fell close by, painstakingly administered plasma. Later that day, when an American was severely wounded by fire from a cave, Pfc. Doss crawled to him where he had fallen 25 feet from the enemy position, rendered aid, and carried him 100 yards to safety while continually exposed to enemy fire. On 21 May, in a night attack on high ground near Shuri, he remained in exposed territory while the rest of his company took cover, fearlessly risking the chance that he would be mistaken for an infiltrating Japanese and giving aid to the injured until he was himself seriously wounded in the legs by the explosion of a grenade. Rather than call another aid man from cover, he cared for his own injuries and waited 5 hours before litter bearers reached him and started carrying him to cover. The trio was caught in an enemy tank attack and Pfc. Doss, seeing a more critically wounded man nearby, crawled off the litter; and directed the bearers to give their first attention to the other man. Awaiting the litter bearers' return, he was again struck, this time suffering a compound fracture of 1 arm. With magnificent fortitude he bound a rifle stock to his shattered arm as a splint and then crawled 300 yards over rough terrain to the aid station. Through his outstanding bravery and unflinching determination in the face of desperately dangerous conditions Pfc. Doss saved the lives of many soldiers. His name became a symbol throughout the 77th Infantry Division for outstanding gallantry far above and beyond the call of duty.

First Lieutenant/Adjutant Allan H. Dougall (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for the following actions:

In the face of a galling fire from the enemy he voluntarily returned to where the color bearer had fallen wounded and saved the flag of his regiment from capture.


Picture Tuesday
Here are some pics and a video from Daniel's birthday party.









Mary Ruth with our new puppy!  Haha... just kidding.  We DON'T have a new puppy.  The Wife's parents were puppy-sitting and we went to see them (this one had a sister who was a real bitch).

Monday, March 26, 2012

Thanks...

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Private August Dorley (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on April 11, 1865 at Mount Pleasant, Alabama. His citation reads:

Capture of flag.

Seaman John Dorman (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on board the USS Carondelet. His citation reads:

Served on board the U.S.S. Carondelet in various actions of that vessel. Carrying out his duties courageously throughout the actions of the Carondelet, Dorman, although wounded several times invariably returned to duty and constantly presented an example of devotion to the flag.

Corporal Daniel A. Dorsey (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions during April 1862 in Georgia. His citation reads:

One of the 19 of 22 men (including 2 civilians) who, by direction of Gen. Mitchell (or Buell), penetrated nearly 200 miles south into enemy territory and captured a railroad train at Big Shanty, Ga., in an attempt to destroy the bridges and track between Chattanooga and Atlanta.


Thanks to everyone who was able to make it to Daniel’s first birthday party. It was a lot of fun and it was great to have so many people able to make it. We got lucky… it rained early Saturday morning and then a big storm hit later in the afternoon. But the weather was great for the party. And I think I saw Susie’s first kiss. The good news is the young man’s father is loaded (L-O-A-D-E-D)… so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that things work out between them.


The I’m just sayin… Weekly Weigh-In

Greg 226

Mary Ruth 46

Susie 26

Daniel 23

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Ephesians 4:2

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Brigadier General James H. Doolittle (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions over Japan. His citation reads:

For conspicuous leadership above the call of duty, involving personal valor and intrepidity at an extreme hazard to life. With the apparent certainty of being forced to land in enemy territory or to perish at sea, Gen. Doolittle personally led a squadron of Army bombers, manned by volunteer crews, in a highly destructive raid on the Japanese mainland.

Boatswain’s Mate Second Class John J. Doran (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on May 11, 1898 on board the USS Marblehead. His citation reads:

On board the U.S.S. Marblehead during the operation of cutting the cable leading from Cienfuegos, Cuba, 11 May 1898. Facing the heavy fire of the enemy, Doran set an example of extraordinary bravery and coolness throughout this action.

Sergeant George H. Dore (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on July 3, 1863 at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. His citation reads:

The colors being struck down by a shell as the enemy were charging, this soldier rushed out and seized it, exposing himself to the fire of both sides.


The I’m just sayin… Bible Verse of the Week
Ephesians 4:2 (NIV)

2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANIEL!!!!!

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Lieutenant Colonel William Joseph Donovan (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on October 14-15, 1918 near Landres-et-St. Georges, France. His citation reads:

Lt. Col. Donovan personally led the assaulting wave in an attack upon a very strongly organized position, and when our troops were suffering heavy casualties he encouraged all near him by his example, moving among his men in exposed positions, reorganizing decimated platoons, and accompanying them forward in attacks. When he was wounded in the leg by machine-gun bullets, he refused to be evacuated and continued with his unit until it withdrew to a less exposed position.

Corporal Patrick Doody (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on June 7, 1864 at Cold Harbor, Virginia. His citation reads:

After making a successful personal reconnaissance, he gallantly led the skirmishers in a night attack, charging the enemy, and thus enabling the pioneers to put up works.

Coal Heaver William Doolen (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on August 5, 1864 on board the USS Richmond. His citation reads:

On board the U.S.S. Richmond during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Although knocked down and seriously wounded in the head, Doolen refused to leave his station as shot and shell passed. Calm and courageous, he rendered gallant service throughout the prolonged battle which resulted in the surrender of the rebel ram Tennessee and in the successful attacks carried out on Fort Morgan despite the enemy's heavy return fire.


Happy Birthday to my little boy Daniel!!!!! I love you buddy!


The I’m just sayin… Kid Show of the Week

Star Trek is a science fiction franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise. The franchise also includes eleven feature films and a bunch of other stuff. The interesting thing (to me, at least) is that the original series was for all intents and purposes a failure (at first). It only lasted three seasons before having its plug pulled. It was much bigger in reruns than it was the first time around. I remember watching reruns of the original series and watching a decent amount of the Next Generation. I’ve seen all of the movies, but I haven’t seen any of the other Star Trek TV shows. So this is mainly focused on the original series and the Next Generation.

The original Star Trek followed the interstellar adventures of James T. Kirk and the crew of an exploration vessel of a 23rd century galactic "United Federation of Planets"—the Starship Enterprise. This series debuted in 1966 and ran for three seasons on NBC, after the network rejected an initial pilot film "The Cage" with a mostly different cast, though this pilot is now routinely packaged with the original series. Following the release of other series in the franchise, the Kirk-led series was retroactively referred to as "Star Trek: The Original Series". These adventures were continued by the short-lived Star Trek: The Animated Series and six feature films. As I mentioned before, four more television series were eventually produced, based in the same universe but following other characters: Star Trek: The Next Generation, following the crew of a new Starship Enterprise set a century after the original series; Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager, set contemporaneously with The Next Generation; and Star Trek: Enterprise, set before the original series, in the early days of human interstellar travel. Four additional feature films were produced, following the crew of The Next Generation, and, most recently, a 2009 movie reboot of the franchise featuring a young crew of the original Enterprise set in an alternate timeline. I wasn’t sure I would like this movie at first, but it has kinda grown on me.

Star Trek stories usually depict the adventures of humans and aliens who serve in Starfleet, the space-borne humanitarian and peacekeeping armada of the United Federation of Planets. The protagonists are essentially altruists, whose ideals are sometimes imperfectly applied to the dilemmas presented in the series. The conflicts and political dimensions of Star Trek sometimes represent allegories for contemporary cultural realities: Star Trek: The Original Series addressed issues of the 1960s, just as later spin-offs have reflected issues of their respective decades. Issues depicted in the various series include war and peace, the value of personal loyalty, authoritarianism, imperialism, class warfare, economics, racism, religion, human rights, sexism, feminism, and the role of technology.

After Star Trek's cancellation, Paramount Studios, the company that bought the show's original production company Desilu, sold the syndication rights to Star Trek to help recoup the original series' production losses. Reruns began in the fall of 1969 and by the late 1970s the series aired in over 150 domestic and 60 international markets. This helped Star Trek develop a cult following greater than its popularity during its original run. The series' newfound success led to rumors of reviving the franchise. Development began on a new Star Trek: Phase II series in May 1975 in response to the franchise's newfound popularity. However, work on the series ended when the proposed Paramount Television Service folded.

Following the success of the science fiction movies Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Paramount adapted the planned pilot episode of Phase II into the feature film, Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The film opened in North America on December 7, 1979, with mixed reviews from critics. The film earned $139 million worldwide, below expectations but enough for Paramount to create a sequel. The studio forced Roddenberry to relinquish creative control of future sequels. The success of the critically acclaimed sequel, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan reversed the fortunes of the franchise. While the sequel grossed less than the first movie, The Wrath of Khan's lower production costs made it more profitable. Paramount produced Six Star Trek feature films between 1979 and 1991. In response to Star Trek's movie theater popularity, the franchise returned to television with Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) in 1987. Paramount choose to distribute it as a first-run syndication show rather than a network show.

As I said before, The Original Series tells the tale of the crew of the starship Enterprise and its five-year mission "to boldly go where no man has gone before." The original 1966–1969 television series featured William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk, Leonard Nimoy as Spock, DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy, James Doohan as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, Nichelle Nichols as Uhura, George Takei as Hikaru Sulu, and Walter Koenig as Pavel Chekov. While the show had low Nielsen ratings, it was highly popular with science fiction fans and engineering students. The series later became popular in reruns and found a cult following.

Star Trek: The Next Generation, also known as "TNG", takes place about a century after The Original Series (2364–2370). It features a new starship, the Enterprise-D, and a new crew led by Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes). The series introduced alien races new to the Federation as crewmembers, including Deanna Troi, a half-Betazoid counselor played by Marina Sirtis and Worf as the first Klingon officer in Starfleet, played by Michael Dorn. It also featured Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher, LeVar Burton as chief engineer Geordi La Forge, the android Data portrayed by Brent Spiner, and Dr. Crusher's son Wesley Crusher played by Wil Wheaton. The show premiered on September 28, 1987, and ran for seven seasons, ending on May 23, 1994. It had the highest ratings of any of the Star Trek series and became the #1 syndicated show during the last few years of its original run, allowing it to act as a springboard for ideas in other series. Many relationships and races introduced in TNG became the basis of episodes in Deep Space 9 and Voyager. It earned an Emmy nomination for Best Dramatic Series during its final season. It also received a Peabody Award for Outstanding Television Programming for the episode "The Big Goodbye".

The show's cultural impact goes far beyond its longevity and profitability. Star Trek conventions have become popular among its fans, who call themselves "trekkies" or "trekkers". An entire subculture has grown up around the show earning Star Trek the honor of being the highest-ranked cult show according to TV Guide. The Star Trek franchise inspired some designers of technologies, such as the Palm PDA and the handheld mobile phone. Michael Jones, Chief technologist of Google Earth, has cited the tricorder's mapping capability as one inspiration in the development of Keyhole/Google Earth. It also brought teleportation to popular attention with its depiction of "matter-energy transport", with phrases such as "Beam me up, Scotty" entering the vernacular. In 1976, following a letter-writing campaign, NASA named its prototype space shuttle Enterprise, after the fictional starship.

Beyond Star Trek's fictional innovations, one of its greatest and most significant contributions to TV history is its creation of a cast of different races and cultures in the sets. This became common in television shows in the 1980s such as L.A. Law but was controversial and daring in the 1960s. On the bridge of the Enterprise were a Japanese helmsman, a Russian navigator, a black female communications officer, and a Vulcan-Earthling first officer — among other members. Also, controversial at its time (in the episode Plato's Stepchildren), was Captain Kirk's kiss with Lt. Uhura which became a defining moment in television history as it was believed to be American TV's first scripted interracial kiss.

Honestly, the show is probably more political than most kids shows I recommend on here, but it’s still great to watch. If I had to choose, I’d go with one of the first two (the original or the next generation). You can give the others a chance if you want… I just never have. The movies are great but since this is more about TV, I decided not to put much about them on here. As always, you can find this information and more on Wikipedia. There are also some shows on the History Channel (I think) that talk about the show and the impact it had on technology. Let’s face it… the nerds who work for NASA and design computers and phones are the same people who love Star Trek. So it’s not hard to see how the show could inspire these people. You can find all of the shows on DVD.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Anthony Johnson

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Captain Roger Hugh C. Donlon (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on July 6, 1964 near Nam Dong, Republic of Vietnam. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while defending a U.S. military installation against a fierce attack by hostile forces. Capt. Donlon was serving as the commanding officer of the U.S. Army Special Forces Detachment A-726 at Camp Nam Dong when a reinforced Viet Cong battalion suddenly launched a full-scale, predawn attack on the camp. During the violent battle that ensued, lasting 5 hours and resulting in heavy casualties on both sides, Capt. Donlon directed the defense operations in the midst of an enemy barrage of mortar shells, falling grenades, and extremely heavy gunfire. Upon the initial onslaught, he swiftly marshaled his forces and ordered the removal of the needed ammunition from a blazing building. He then dashed through a hail of small arms and exploding hand grenades to abort a breach of the main gate. En route to this position he detected an enemy demolition team of 3 in the proximity of the main gate and quickly annihilated them. Although exposed to the intense grenade attack, he then succeeded in reaching a 60mm mortar position despite sustaining a severe stomach wound as he was within 5 yards of the gun pit. When he discovered that most of the men in this gunpit were also wounded, he completely disregarded his own injury, directed their withdrawal to a location 30 meters away, and again risked his life by remaining behind and covering the movement with the utmost effectiveness. Noticing that his team sergeant was unable to evacuate the gun pit he crawled toward him and, while dragging the fallen soldier out of the gunpit, an enemy mortar exploded and inflicted a wound in Capt. Donlon's left shoulder. Although suffering from multiple wounds, he carried the abandoned 60mm mortar weapon to a new location 30 meters away where he found 3 wounded defenders. After administering first aid and encouragement to these men, he left the weapon with them, headed toward another position, and retrieved a 57mm recoilless rifle. Then with great courage and coolness under fire, he returned to the abandoned gun pit, evacuated ammunition for the 2 weapons, and while crawling and dragging the urgently needed ammunition, received a third wound on his leg by an enemy hand grenade. Despite his critical physical condition, he again crawled 175 meters to an 81mm mortar position and directed firing operations which protected the seriously threatened east sector of the camp. He then moved to an eastern 60mm mortar position and upon determining that the vicious enemy assault had weakened, crawled back to the gun pit with the 60mm mortar, set it up for defensive operations, and turned it over to 2 defenders with minor wounds. Without hesitation, he left this sheltered position, and moved from position to position around the beleaguered perimeter while hurling hand grenades at the enemy and inspiring his men to superhuman effort. As he bravely continued to move around the perimeter, a mortar shell exploded, wounding him in the face and body. As the long awaited daylight brought defeat to the enemy forces and their retreat back to the jungle leaving behind 54 of their dead, many weapons, and grenades, Capt. Donlon immediately reorganized his defenses and administered first aid to the wounded. His dynamic leadership, fortitude, and valiant efforts inspired not only the American personnel but the friendly Vietnamese defenders as well and resulted in the successful defense of the camp. Capt. Donlon's extraordinary heroism, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.

Ordinary Seaman John Donnelly (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on August 5, 1864 on board the USS Metacomet. His citation reads:

Served on board the U.S.S. Metacomet. As a member of the boat's crew which went to the rescue of the U.S. Monitor Tecumseh when that vessel was struck by a torpedo in passing the enemy forts in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864, Donnelly braved the enemy fire which was said by the admiral to be "one of the most galling" he had ever seen and aided in rescuing from death 10 of the crew of the Tecumseh, eliciting the admiration of both friend and foe.

Private Timothy Donoghue (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on December 13, 1862 at Fredericksburg, Virginia. His citation reads:

Voluntarily carried a wounded officer off the field from between the lines; while doing this he was himself wounded.


The I’m just sayin… Know Your South Carolina Athlete

As always, thank you Wikipedia!

Our South Carolina athlete this week is former College of Charleston basketball star Anthony Johnson. Anthony Mark Johnson (born October 2, 1974) was a 6’3” point guard for the College of Charleston and later in the NBA. He was the first NBA D-League player to participate in a NBA Finals. Johnson was born in Charleston where he was a start basketball player at Stall High School. During his senior year, he helped lead the College of Charleston to an NCAA basketball tournament first round victory over the University of Maryland at the Memphis regional. Johnson finished that game with 17 points, nine assists and four rebounds.

He was the first player in College of Charleston history selected in the NBA Draft, picked by the Sacramento Kings in the late second round. In the 1997-98 season, he started 62 games, averaging 7.5 points per game. Over the next several seasons, he played with the Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New Jersey Nets. On December 7, 2001, Johnson signed with the NBDL team Mobile Revelers and played there for 15 games, averaging 11.9 points per game.

In the 2003-2004 season, he was signed by the Indiana Pacers, where he had a career resurgence, averaging nearly 22 minutes per game and scoring 6.5 points per game. Prior to the 2004-2005 season, the longtime NBA journeyman earned his first long term contract, a four-year deal with the Indiana Pacers.

He drew a five-game suspension from the NBA as a result of his actions in the Pacers–Pistons brawl which broke out at The Palace of Auburn Hills near the end of a November 19, 2004 game between the two teams.

In the 2006 NBA Playoffs, Johnson scored a career-high 40 points against the New Jersey Nets in Game 6 of the series. Despite his heroics, the Pacers lost the game 96-90, and the series 4-2 to the Nets. In the 2006 off-season, Johnson was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. On February 22, 2007, Johnson was traded back to the Atlanta Hawks for his third stint with the team. On February 16, 2008 the Sacramento Kings acquired Johnson. On July 15, 2008, Johnson signed a two year contract worth $3.8 million with the Orlando Magic. It was his second stint in Orlando. In two seasons with the Magic, he played in 111 games, starting 12, and participated in the 2009 NBA Finals. His contract expired at the conclusion of the 2009-10 NBA season, making him a free agent. Johnson played 793 regular season NBA games, starting 249 of them. He averaged 2.9 assists per game and 5.6 points per game. He played in 100 playoff games, starting 11 of them. He averaged 2.2 assists per playoff game and 4.8 points per game. Perhaps his best playoff season came in 2005-2006 when he played for Indiana. He started all 6 of the playoff games he played in that season averaging 5.2 assists per game and 20 points per game.

Anthony Johnson is a great South Carolina athlete you should know.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Thankful Thursday...

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Sergeant Michael A. Donaldson (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on October 14, 1918 at Sommerance-Landres-et St. Georges Road, France. His citation reads:

The advance of his regiment having been checked by intense machinegun fire of the enemy, who were entrenched on the crest of a hill before Landres-et St. Georges, his company retired to a sunken road to reorganize their position, leaving several of their number wounded near the enemy lines. Of his own volition, in broad daylight and under direct observation of the enemy and with utter disregard for his own safety, he advanced to the crest of the hill, rescued one of his wounded comrades, and returned under withering fire to his own lines, repeating his splendidly heroic act until he had brought in all the men, 6 in number.

Sergeant Cornelius Donavan (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on August 25, 1869 at Agua Fria River, Arizona. His citation reads:

Gallantry in action.

Private John S. Donelly (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions from October 1876 to January 1877 at Cedar Creek, etc., Montana. His citation reads:

Gallantry in action.


Goodbye Hines Ward. As I told you sometime ago, the Steelers decided to release Hines Ward. At the time, it looked like he would try to play with another team for a few years. It seems he had a change of heart and I have to say I’m happy. I know it’s not uncommon for great players to play for a different team at the end of their career… but it’s still nice when a guy ends his career with the team he’s always played for. If you missed it, here’s his retirement press conference.




Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for Daniel this Thursday. As I’m sure you remember, this Saturday will be his first birthday. Which means it was a year ago tomorrow when The Wife and I headed off to the place I won’t name to welcome him into the world. I know I give the little guy a hard time, but the truth is he’s fun to have around. He’s probably the happiest of our children (especially when his mommy is around). He sucks his thumb and twists his hair… which was my go-to move when I was little like him. It’s a little hard for him having two big sisters who love him so much… but he manages. The fact is, when I look at him I can’t help but think of all that my friend Chuck went through (and is still going through) after they found out his son Chase had cancer (if I’m not mistaken, Chase is now cancer free). So I’m thankful everyday that I haven’t had to go through that with any of my children. And since this is a special week for Daniel, I’m thankful for him.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Poor Scooby...

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Corporal Charles W. Dolloff (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on April 2, 1865 at Petersburg, Virginia. His citation reads:

Capture of flag.

Private John L. Donahue (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on October 20, 1869 at Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona. His citation reads:

Gallantry in action.

Sergeant John Donaldson (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on April 9, 1865 at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia. His citation reads:

Capture of flag of 4th Virginia Cavalry (C.S.A.).


Scooby has epilepsy. The Wife is worried about him. Me? Not so much. Dach had epilepsy and he lived a long great life and was a far better dog than Scooby will ever be… so I’m not too worried.

Winthrop is now looking for a head coach for the men’s basketball team and a president for the school. They need to hire the head coach pretty soon. They have until the end of the next school year to find the next president. While I feel I’m probably over qualified for both positions, I’m will to take on both jobs on an interim basis so the school can take its time looking for the best people to take these jobs. But don’t worry friends, even if I get both of these jobs I’ll still make time for my time with you on this blog.


The I’m just sayin… Quote of the Week

United we stand, divided we fall, Let us not split into factions which must destroy that union upon which our existence hangs. - Patrick Henry

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Beach Pics…

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Captain Francis S. Dodge (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on September 29, 1879 near White River Agency, Colorado. His citation reads:

With a force of 40 men rode all night to the relief of a command that had been defeated and was besieged by an overwhelming force of Indians, reached the field at daylight, joined in the action and fought for 3 days.

Corporal Thomas M. Doherty (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on July 1, 1898 at Santiago, Cuba. His citation reads:

Gallantly assisted in the rescue of the wounded from in front of the lines and while under heavy fire from the enemy.

Sergeant David Charles Dolby (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on May 21, 1966 in the Republic of Vietnam. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, when his platoon, while advancing tactically, suddenly came under intense fire from the enemy located on a ridge immediately to the front. Six members of the platoon were killed instantly and a number were wounded, including the platoon leader. Sgt. Dolby's every move brought fire from the enemy. However, aware that the platoon leader was critically wounded, and that the platoon was in a precarious situation, Sgt. Dolby moved the wounded men to safety and deployed the remainder of the platoon to engage the enemy. Subsequently, his dying platoon leader ordered Sgt. Dolby to withdraw the forward elements to rejoin the platoon. Despite the continuing intense enemy fire and with utter disregard for his own safety, Sgt. Dolby positioned able-bodied men to cover the withdrawal of the forward elements, assisted the wounded to the new position, and he, alone, attacked enemy positions until his ammunition was expended. Replenishing his ammunition, he returned to the area of most intense action, single-handedly killed 3 enemy machine gunners and neutralized the enemy fire, thus enabling friendly elements on the flank to advance on the enemy redoubt. He defied the enemy fire to personally carry a seriously wounded soldier to safety where he could be treated and, returning to the forward area, he crawled through withering fire to within 50 meters of the enemy bunkers and threw smoke grenades to mark them for air strikes. Although repeatedly under fire at close range from enemy snipers and automatic weapons, Sgt. Dolby directed artillery fire on the enemy and succeeded in silencing several enemy weapons. He remained in his exposed location until his comrades had displaced to more secure positions. His actions of unsurpassed valor during 4 hours of intense combat were a source of inspiration to his entire company, contributed significantly to the success of the overall assault on the enemy position, and were directly responsible for saving the lives of a number of his fellow soldiers. Sgt. Dolby's heroism was in the highest tradition of the U.S. Army.


Picture Tuesday

Susie sleeping with her headphones down over her eyes on the way to Folly Beach.





Susie, The Wife, Daniel and Mary Ruth watching the waves.

A look out into the ocean from the edge of America.

Daniel, Susie and Mary Ruth playing in the sand.

Me with my Princess Mary Ruth.

The Wife and the girls walking into the water.

Me and my little Susie.

Me with my happy little boy Daniel.

The Wife played in the sand...

Daniel played in the sand too.... here he is trying to figure out how he's the only one who ended up with sand on his face.

On the way home, we found out that Daniel LOVES Melvin's BBQ... much like his Daddy.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Weigh-In

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

First Lieutenant Carl H. Dodd (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on January 30-31, 1951 near Subuk, Korea. His citation reads:

1st Lt. Dodd, Company E, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. First Lt. Dodd, given the responsibility of spearheading an attack to capture Hill 256, a key terrain feature defended by a well-armed, crafty foe who had withstood several previous assaults, led his platoon forward over hazardous terrain under hostile small-arms, mortar, and artillery fire from well-camouflaged enemy emplacements which reached such intensity that his men faltered. With utter disregard for his safety, 1st Lt. Dodd moved among his men, reorganized and encouraged them, and then single-handedly charged the first hostile machine gun nest, killing or wounding all its occupants. Inspired by his incredible courage, his platoon responded magnificently and, fixing bayonets and throwing grenades, closed on the enemy and wiped out every hostile position as it moved relentlessly onward to its initial objective. Securing the first series of enemy positions, 1st Lt. Dodd again reorganized his platoon and led them across a narrow ridge and onto Hill 256. Firing his rifle and throwing grenades, he advanced at the head of his platoon despite the intense concentrated hostile fire which was brought to bear on their narrow avenue of approach. When his platoon was still 200 yards from the objective he moved ahead and with his last grenade destroyed an enemy mortar killing the crew. Darkness then halted the advance but at daybreak 1st Lt. Dodd, again boldly advancing ahead of his unit, led the platoon through a dense fog against the remaining hostile positions. With bayonet and grenades he continued to set pace without regard for the danger to his life, until he and his troops had eliminated the last of the defenders and had secured the final objective. First Lt. Dodd's superb leadership and extraordinary heroism inspired his men to overcome this strong enemy defense reflecting the highest credit upon himself and upholding the esteemed traditions of the military service.

Private Robert F. Dodd (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on July 30, 1864 at Petersburg, Virginia. His citation reads:

While acting as orderly, voluntarily assisted to carry off the wounded from the ground in front of the crater while exposed to a heavy fire.

Sergeant Edward E. Dodds (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on July 19, 1864 at Ashbys Gap, Virginia. His citation reads:

At great personal risk rescued his wounded captain and carried him from the field to a place of safety.


The I’m just sayin… Weekly Weigh-In

Greg 227

Mary Ruth 45

Susie 25

Daniel 21

Sunday, March 18, 2012

II Corinthians 13:8

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Scout William Dixon (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on September 12, 1874 at Wichita River, Texas. His citation reads:

Gallantry in action. (In 1916, the general review of all Medals of Honor deemed 900 unwarranted. This recipient was one of them. In June 1989, the U.S. Army Board of Correction of Records restored the medal to this recipient.)

First Lieutenant Stephen Holden Doane (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on March 25, 1969 at Hau Nghia Province, Republic of Vietnam. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. First Lt. Doane was serving as a platoon leader when his company, engaged in a tactical operation, abruptly contacted an enemy force concealed in protected bunkers and trenches. Three of the leading soldiers were pinned down by enemy crossfire. One was seriously wounded. After efforts of 1 platoon to rescue these men had failed, it became obvious that only a small group could successfully move close enough to destroy the enemy position and rescue or relieve the trapped soldiers, 1st Lt. Doane, although fully aware of the danger of such an action, crawled to the nearest enemy bunker and silenced it. He was wounded but continued to advance to a second enemy bunker. As he prepared to throw a grenade, he was again wounded. Undaunted, he deliberately pulled the pin on the grenade and lunged with it into the enemy bunker, destroying this final obstacle. 1st Lt. Doane's supreme act enabled his company to rescue the trapped men without further casualties. The extraordinary courage and selflessness displayed by this officer were an inspiration to his men and are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.

Private Warren C. Dockum (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on April 6, 1865 at Sailors Creek, Virginia. His citation reads:

Capture of flag of Savannah Guards (C.S.A.), after 2 other men had been killed in the effort.


The I’m just sayin… Bible Verse of the Week
II Corinthians 13:8

8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Private Michael A. Dillon (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on May 5, 1862 at Williamsburg, Virginia and June 25, 1862 at Oak Grove, Virginia. His citation reads:

Bravery in repulsing the enemy's charge on a battery, at Williamsburg, Va. At Oak Grove, Va., crawled outside the lines and brought in important information.

Quartermaster John Ditzenback (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on December 6, 1864 on board the US Monitor Neosho. His citation reads:

Served on board the U.S. Monitor Neosho during the engagement with enemy batteries at Bells Mills, Cumberland River, near Nashville, Tenn., 6 December 1864. Carrying out his duties courageously during the engagement, Ditzenback gallantly left the pilot house after the flag and signal staffs of that vessel had been shot away and, taking the flag which was drooping over the wheelhouse, made it fast to the stump of the highest mast remaining, although the ship was still under a heavy fire from the enemy.

Staff Sergeant Drew Dennis Dix (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on January 31 and February 1, 1968 in the Chau Doc Province, Republic of Vietnam. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Dix distinguished himself by exceptional heroism while serving as a unit adviser. Two heavily armed Viet Cong battalions attacked the Province capital city of Chau Phu resulting in the complete breakdown and fragmentation of the defenses of the city. S/Sgt. Dix, with a patrol of Vietnamese soldiers, was recalled to assist in the defense of Chau Phu. Learning that a nurse was trapped in a house near the center of the city, S/Sgt. Dix organized a relief force, successfully rescued the nurse, and returned her to the safety of the Tactical Operations Center. Being informed of other trapped civilians within the city, S/Sgt. Dix voluntarily led another force to rescue 8 civilian employees located in a building which was under heavy mortar and small-arms fire. S/Sgt. Dix then returned to the center of the city. Upon approaching a building, he was subjected to intense automatic rifle and machine gun fire from an unknown number of Viet Cong. He personally assaulted the building, killing 6 Viet Cong, and rescuing 2 Filipinos. The following day S/Sgt. Dix, still on his own volition, assembled a 20-man force and though under intense enemy fire cleared the Viet Cong out of the hotel, theater, and other adjacent buildings within the city. During this portion of the attack, Army Republic of Vietnam soldiers inspired by the heroism and success of S/Sgt. Dix, rallied and commenced firing upon the Viet Cong. S/Sgt. Dix captured 20 prisoners, including a high ranking Viet Cong official. He then attacked enemy troops who had entered the residence of the Deputy Province Chief and was successful in rescuing the official's wife and children. S/Sgt. Dix's personal heroic actions resulted in 14 confirmed Viet Cong killed in action and possibly 25 more, the capture of 20 prisoners, 15 weapons, and the rescue of the 14 United States and free world civilians. The heroism of S/Sgt. Dix was in the highest tradition and reflects great credit upon the U.S. Army.


Congrats to Lehigh (a 15 seed) for their win over Duke (a 2 seed) last night. I know there were other upsets last night, but that’s the only one I’ll remember after the tournament.


The I’m just sayin… Kid Show of the Week

Thanks again to Wikipedia for the info…

Our kid show of the week this week is PSYCH. Psych is comedy series that is broadcast on USA Network. It stars James Roday as Shawn Spencer, a young crime consultant for the Santa Barbara Police Department whose "heightened observational skills" and impressive detective instincts allow him to convince people that he solves cases with psychic abilities. The program also stars Dulé Hill as Shawn's best friend and reluctant partner Burton "Gus" Guster, as well as Corbin Bernsen as Shawn's father, Henry (a former police detective).

The series airs new episodes on Wednesdays at 10PM. It is currently USA Network's longest-running original series on air. USA has renewed the series for a seventh season, to include 16 episodes.

Most episodes begin with a cold open in the form of a flashback. These flashbacks show that Henry Spencer (Corbin Bernsen) wished that his son would follow in his footsteps and become a law enforcement officer. In preparation, Henry helps Shawn hone his powers of observation and deduction, often using games and challenges to test him. Each flashback also sets the theme for the episode, based on the challenge Shawn's father presents him.

Shawn originally becomes known as a psychic when, after calling in tips on dozens of crime covered on the news, which help the police to close the case, the police become suspicious of his knowledge. The police theorize that such knowledge could only come from the "inside" and they decide to arrest him as a suspect. To avoid being sent to jail, Shawn uses his observational skills to convince the police that he is psychic. The interim police chief warns Shawn that if his "powers" are fake, he will be prosecuted. With no choice but to keep up the act, and having proven himself an effective aid to the police in solving crimes, he establishes a psychic detective agency, Psych, and becomes a consultant to the police. Pretending to have psychic powers allows him to engage in strange and comic behavior as he turns real clues into hunches and otherworldly visitations. He enjoys teasing lifelong friend Gus, a pharmaceutical representative, about Gus's eclectic interests.

Head detective Carlton Lassiter (Timothy Omundson), playfully named "Lassie" by Shawn and Gus, quietly respects Shawn's crime-solving skills but doubts his psychic abilities and is constantly exasperated by his antics. On the contrary, junior detective Juliet O'Hara (Maggie Lawson) and Chief Vick (Kirsten Nelson) are far less antagonistic – with O'Hara expressing belief in Shawn's abilities, while Vick is mum on the subject – and usually willing to give Shawn the leeway he needs to solve cases. Henry and Shawn have a difficult relationship, but despite this, Henry reluctantly helps Shawn on various occasions.

Here’s a quick look at the main characters of the show:

• Shawn Spencer (James Roday) is a freelance consultant with the Santa Barbara Police Department, pretending to be a psychic. However, it is really his exceptional observational skills and eidetic memory that allow him to obtain his "visions". He refuses to take anything seriously, though has matured slowly throughout the seasons. He has had romantic tension with Juliet since they met, which led them to start dating in the middle of season 5.

• Burton "Gus" Guster (Dulé Hill) is Shawn's best friend and business partner. He also is a pharmaceuticals salesman. Unlike Shawn, he takes his work very seriously, and usually tries to act professionally, yet usually ends up as invested in jokes and snacks as Shawn is. He is famous for his many aliases (usually given to him by Shawn), including "Magic Head," "Lavender Gooms," "Ghee Buttersnaps", and "Control Alt Delete". He is known for being attracted to all types of females, who usually end up as the prime suspect. One running joke in the show is people thinking Gus played “Bud” on The Cosby Show (for the record, Dule Hill didn’t play Bud… yes, I checked).

• Carlton "Lassie" Lassiter (Timothy Omundson) is the head detective for the Santa Barbara Police Department. He is skeptical of Shawn's psychic abilities, and is extremely annoyed by Shawn's comic antics. However, he occasionally must come to Psych for help with his more difficult cases.

• Juliet "Jules" O'Hara (Maggie Lawson) is a junior detective for the Santa Barbara Police Department, and is Lassiter's partner. She joined the SBPD after Lassiter's old partner got transferred in season 1, and was originally a cop in Miami. Throughout the series she and Shawn share constant romantic tension, and the two start dating in season 5.

• Chief Karen Vick (Kirsten Nelson) is the SBPD Chief. She is tough but fair, usually reluctant to hire Shawn and Gus for cases, but almost always gives in. She respects Shawn's help and input but firmly keeps him in check (as much as she can) when he pushes the limits of the law or her patience.

• Henry Spencer (Corbin Bernsen) is Shawn's uptight and precise father and a former police sergeant. He is usually visited by Shawn with questions about various cases, but is usually reluctant to help. He has been rehired to the SBPD to be in charge of the department's consultants, much to Shawn's chagrin.

Some of the recurring characters in the show include:

• Buzz McNab (Sage Brocklebank) is a naive but lovable cop who often provides Shawn and Gus with clues. Shawn gives him a "little boy cat" (who is actually a girl cat) that once helped him solve a case in season one. In "Shawn Gets the Yips" (4.05), McNab is severely injured when a bomb went off in his mailbox while he was getting his mail. Later in the episode, he returns to work with a severe concussion and on crutches, but alive; he remarks to Shawn and Gus that he had lost part of three toes, though. In the fourth season finale episode, "Mr. Yin Presents..." (4.16), McNab is attacked and knocked unconscious by the unseen killer, otherwise known as Yin, but survives. He returns in season 5.

• Madeleine Spencer (Cybill Shepherd) is a police psychologist who is Shawn's mother and Henry's ex-wife. In the episode "Ghosts" (3.01), she tells Lassiter that she has eidetic tonal memory, which is like Shawn's photographic memory but with sound. She appears in "Ghosts" (3.01), "Murder? ... Anyone? ... Anyone? ... Bueller?" (3.02), "An Evening with Mr. Yang" (3.16), and "Yang 3 in 2D" (5.16). She was portrayed over-the-shoulder by a different actress in "Shawn (and Gus) of the Dead" (2.16).

• Winnie Guster (Phylicia Rashad) is Gus' mother. She appears in the first two of the series' Christmas episodes, "Gus's Dad May Have Killed an Old Guy" (2.10) and "Christmas Joy" (3.09).

• Woody the Coroner (Kurt Fuller) is a police coroner that Shawn shares a mutual respect with. His wife cheats on him with multiple men, some of which he has approved. He is also apparently wanted in the Philippines. He first appeared in "High Top Fade Out" (4.07), and his most recent appearance was in "Heeeeere's Lassie" (6.11).

The show has also had a number of famous guest stars including Ralph Macchio, C. Thomas Howell, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Carl Weathers, Molly Ringwald, Jason Priestley and William Shatner.

The show uses White Rock, British Columbia, Canada for its Santa Barbara, California setting (making it one of the few good things to come out of Canada). Psych also incorporates Vancouver and various locations around the Lower Mainland of British Columbia as a backdrop. Santa Barbara is on a mountainous coastline without bays and just has the few Channel Islands miles offshore. Many of the overlooking helicopter shots and set up shots (in which the exterior of the Santa Barbara Courthouse is shown) are actually filmed in Santa Barbara.

Since the series first aired, a pineapple has been a recurring theme, with one visible or with an implied presence in every episode. The pineapple is a major marketing point for items related to the show on the USA website.

Friday, March 16, 2012

You should know...

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Ordinary Seaman Bartholomew Diggins (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on August 5, 1864 on board the USS Hartford. His citation reads:

On board the flagship, U.S.S. Hartford, during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Despite damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks, Diggins, as loader of a gun, remained steadfast at his post throughout the furious 2-hour battle which resulted in the surrender of the rebel ram Tennessee and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan.

Private First Class George Dilboy (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on July 18, 1918 near Belleau, France. His citation reads:

After his platoon had gained its objective along a railroad embankment, Pfc. Dilboy, accompanying his platoon leader to reconnoiter the ground beyond, was suddenly fired upon by an enemy machinegun from 100 yards. From a standing position on the railroad track, fully exposed to view, he opened fire at once, but failing to silence the gun, rushed forward with his bayonet fixed, through a wheat field toward the gun emplacement, falling within 25 yards of the gun with his right leg nearly severed above the knee and with several bullet holes in his body. With undaunted courage he continued to fire into the emplacement from a prone position, killing 2 of the enemy and dispersing the rest of the crew.

Captain Hubert Dilger (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on May 2, 1863 at Chancellorsville, Virginia. His citation reads:

Fought his guns until the enemy were upon him, then with one gun hauled in the road by hand he formed the rear guard and kept the enemy at bay by the rapidity of his fire and was the last man in the retreat.


The I’m just sayin… Know Your South Carolina Athlete

Billy Baker: For the second week in a row, I don’t have a lot of stats or stuff like that for this section. I did try a little harder to find the stats this week, but I guess the internet doesn’t have everything. Or maybe I just didn’t look hard enough. Anyway, our athlete for this week is former James Island High School pitcher Billy Baker. Baker is a couple of years older than Sonny and, thus, was a teammate of his in high school. He could have also been a teammate after high school, but one of them decided not to go play for a school that would make it to the College World Series. Anyway, if you were to ask some of the better baseball minds in the area they will tell you that Billy was the best pitcher they ever had play for them. I believe it. He was the kind of pitcher that could carry a team to a win. Baker was on the 1990 Citadel team that made it to the College World Series. He was the MVP of the Southern Conference Tournament that same season. In addition to pitching, I believe he was also an outfielder and a DH. He was a senior on the 1986 James Island team that Coach Hatley at one time considered the best JI team he had coached. That team won the Region title and ended up making it to the Lower State Championship game. The 1990 Citadel team ended the season with a 45-12 overall record (13-1 conference record)… a record number of wins for the school. So now you know that Billy Baker is a South Carolina Athlete you should know.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

That's where?

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Captain William D. Dickey (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on June 17, 1864 at Petersburg, Virginia. His citation reads:

Refused to leave the field, remaining in command after being wounded by a piece of shell, and led his command in the assault on the enemy's works on the following day.

Sergeant David Dickie (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on May 22, 1863 at Vicksburg, Mississippi. His citation reads:

Gallantry in the charge of the "volunteer storming party."

Staff Sergeant Robert H. Dietz (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on March 29, 1945 at Kirchain, Germany. His citation reads:

He was a squad leader when the task force to which his unit was attached encountered resistance in its advance on Kirchain, Germany. Between the town's outlying buildings 300 yards distant, and the stalled armored column were a minefield and 2 bridges defended by German rocket-launching teams and riflemen. From the town itself came heavy small-arms fire. Moving forward with his men to protect engineers while they removed the minefield and the demolition charges attached to the bridges, S/Sgt. Dietz came under intense fire. On his own initiative he advanced alone, scorning the bullets which struck all around him, until he was able to kill the bazooka team defending the first bridge. He continued ahead and had killed another bazooka team, bayoneted an enemy soldier armed with a panzerfaust and shot 2 Germans when he was knocked to the ground by another blast of another panzerfaust. He quickly recovered, killed the man who had fired at him and then jumped into waist-deep water under the second bridge to disconnect the demolition charges. His work was completed; but as he stood up to signal that the route was clear, he was killed by another enemy volley from the left flank. S/Sgt. Dietz by his intrepidity and valiant effort on his self-imposed mission, single-handedly opened the road for the capture of Kirchain and left with his comrades an inspiring example of gallantry in the face of formidable odds.


Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for being able to laugh at myself… specifically when it comes to my, how shall I say, shortcomings when it comes to geography. I think it’s good when people can admit when something just isn’t there thing… and geography just isn’t mine. Still, there are times when I amaze even myself. My troubles go back many years to when I was in middle school. I remember it like it was yesterday. My friend DG was going on a run one Labor Day weekend and I decided to go with him (on my bike). He pointed out a place he wanted to run to and I told him no problem, I could get him there. I almost got him there… I think we only ended up about a mile from where he wanted to go. Not bad if you overlook the fact that we probably started a half a mile from where he wanted to go… and if you overlook the fact that we only ended up a mile from our target because we hit the harbor. Thank God we were on an island or we may have ended up 5 miles off target. So that was the first time I knew I had a problem. Later in life I would realize my problem when I noticed I was never able to drive to my Uncle Keith’s house without driving by the State House. While he does live in the Columbia area… he doesn’t really live that close to the State House. Oh, and it wasn’t like I was trying to drive by there… I just always ended up going by there. Lastly, when I was in college I would sometimes drive to visit Sonny. I never went the same way. I wanted to… I was just never able to. The Wife would say, “Well, does any of this look familiar?” To which I would reply, “YES! It all looks familiar! I’ve been lost so much I’ve seen EVERYTHING between Rock Hill and Sonny’s house!”

So it came as no shock to me the other day when I looked at a map of the good ol’ US of A. I have to admit, Detroit is closer to the east coast than I thought. I always pictured it due north of Texas. I didn’t realize San Diego was that close to Mexico or that San Francisco and Los Angeles aren’t right next to each other (ok, I found that one out while talking to Jeremy one night on the ride back from Rock Hill). For some reason, I pictured Vermont being on the left of New York. I had absolutely no clue that Boston is north of New York City. I also thought they were closer to each other than they are. And even though I’ve been to The Lake House multiple times, it wasn’t until sometime last year that I realized it isn’t near the cost of Georgia.

So geography isn’t really my thing. But that’s ok. I’m thankful I can laugh about it. I’m also thankful that maps have words on them and I’m able to read. Besides, I do know some things about geography… I know how to get to James Island and I know how to get to Rock Hill. I know that Columbia is the capital of South Carolina, Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina, Atlanta is the capitol of Georgia and that Cuba is the capital of Florida. And really, that’s all I need to know about US (or World) geography.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

One more year! One more year!

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Private First Class Ralph E. Dias (US Marine Corps) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on November 12, 1969 in Que Son Mountains, Republic of Vietnam. His citation reads:

As a member of a reaction force which was pinned down by enemy fire while assisting a platoon in the same circumstance, Pfc. Dias, observing that both units were sustaining casualties, initiated an aggressive assault against an enemy machine gun bunker which was the principal source of hostile fire. Severely wounded by enemy snipers while charging across the open area, he pulled himself to the shelter of a nearby rock. Braving enemy fire for a second time, Pfc. Dias was again wounded. Unable to walk, he crawled 15 meters to the protection of a rock located near his objective and, repeatedly exposing himself to intense hostile fire, unsuccessfully threw several hand grenades at the machine gun emplacement. Still determined to destroy the emplacement, Pfc. Dias again moved into the open and was wounded a third time by sniper fire. As he threw a last grenade which destroyed the enemy position, he was mortally wounded by another enemy round. Pfc. Dias' indomitable courage, dynamic initiative, and selfless devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service to his country.

Corporal Charles H. Dickens (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on October 20, 1869 at Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona. His citation reads:

Gallantry in action.

Private First Class Douglas E. Dickey (US Marine Corps) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on March 26, 1967 in the Republic of Vietnam. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. While participating in Operation Beacon Hill 1, the 2d Platoon was engaged in a fierce battle with the Viet Cong at close range in dense jungle foliage. Pfc. Dickey had come forward to replace a radio operator who had been wounded in this intense action and was being treated by a medical corpsman. Suddenly an enemy grenade landed in the midst of a group of marines, which included the wounded radio operator who was immobilized. Fully realizing the inevitable result of his actions, Pfc. Dickey, in a final valiant act, quickly and unhesitatingly threw himself upon the deadly grenade, absorbing with his body the full and complete force of the explosion. Pfc. Dickey's personal heroism, extraordinary valor and selfless courage saved a number of his comrades from certain injury and possible death at the cost of his life. His actions reflected great credit upon himself, the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.


As you can tell from the title of this post, I’m ready for the ACC to add a year of probation to the University of North Carolina football team. The high and mighty Tar Heels got caught by the NCAA cheating. If you think back to the early 1980’s when Clemson was in a little trouble with the NCAA, it was then UNC AD (now ACC Commissioner) John Swofford who lead the charge to have the ACC add an extra year of probation to the Tigers punishment (just based on what the NCAA found out in their investigation). It seems the holier than thou North Carolina (and other schools, not named Maryland or Wake Forest, too gutless to say no to UNC) didn’t want Clemson hurting their great academic reputation just to win some silly football games. Well, well, freaking well… look who is in trouble now (for a number of things… including, GASP, academic fraud)! Friends, like you I was shocked (SHOCKED) when Sonny emailed me this link the other night letting me know about the probation UNC now faces. So now I would like to call on John Swofford to step up and add an extra year of probation to what the NCAA handed down. If he is too pathetic to do this, then I must insist he fall on his sword. If he does not own a sword, one will be provided for him. Or he can just resign as the commissioner of the ACC (a job he should have never had anyway).


The I’m just sayin… Quote of the Week

Many forms of government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time. – Winston Churchill