One Man's Opinion

Kent's Superburgers

2010-11-17T17:13:00.000-08:00

Scanned Pictures

2010-10-15T06:56:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures I've posted on Facebook.
To save the pictures full sized:
1. Right click the picture and select "Open in New Window."
2. Right click the picture again and select "Save Picture As."
3. Choose a place to put the picture. Rename it if you want to.
4. Click "Save."
5. Close the window.
6. To save another picture, repeat steps 1-5.

Bradford High School, Class of 1947

Dyer 3rd Grade, 1948-49

(Teacher was Miss Onelle Griffin

who was the sister to Miss Laverne Griffin)

Bradford High School, Class of 1976

Bradford High School, Class of 1976 Magazine Sales Picture

Bradford High School, Class of 1978

Bradford High School, Class of 1981

David Roberson - Right Foot Range of Motion Exercises

2010-09-15T18:35:00.000-07:00

Look, my right foot moves. My left foot has about 1/3 of that movement.

Time Lapse Video of the Snow

2010-02-08T12:43:00.000-08:00

Time Lapse of the snow.

Sands Theater Works "BUS STOP" 1991

2009-12-30T11:56:00.000-08:00

Car or Driver?

2009-08-29T19:55:00.001-07:00

The picture says it all.

(Click picture to enlarge)

Civil War Head Stones – Part II

2009-07-22T08:37:00.001-07:00

I missed one that should have been on the last post.

This headstone was found in Gibson County in a cemetery on Hwy 185 between Hwy 54 (Bradford-Trenton section) and Dyer. Click on the map below for more detail.

This is the final resting place of Thomas J. Vickers of Company F, 7th Tennessee Cavalry. I know many locals like to think that all men in this area fought for the C.S.A., but research shows that this unit was a Union cavalry outfit. The roster of members for the entire outfit is posted here.

This proves what a personal type of war this was that pitted brother against brother and neighbor against neighbor.

(Click for full size)

Adventures in Waymarking – Civil War Headstones

2009-07-21T20:36:00.001-07:00

Along the left side of this blog you may notice a section called Waymarking with some statistics. Waymarking is going out with your GPS and finding interesting things (that fit into a category), getting the coordinates, taking a few pictures of it, and then posting it at www.waymarking.com. You can visit the website and check out the categories.

I’ve always liked looking in cemeteries and exploring them. You can tell a lot about an area just from headstones. Two categories I’ve found interesting are Woodmen of the World Grave Markers and Homemade Tombstones. But that is not about those, but it has led me to find many cemeteries around the area.

In looking for headstones that fit into those two categories I’ve also ran into several headstones from the Civil War or The War Between the States or Mr. Lincoln’s War or The War for Southern Independence, ect.. It was that war fought between 1861 and 1865 between the United States and the Confederate States.

Here are a few of the different ones that I have found.

This is actually a memorial placed to honor 17 unknown Confederate dead buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Brunswick, Tn.

The text of this memorial reads:

“This Plot Contains the Remains of 17 Confederate Soldiers of Prices Army Names Unknown. Removed from Hospital in Memphis in 1862 and Died
in a Church that was converted to a hospital near this spot.
Erected by Russell Jones 1905.”

Russell Jones is also buried here.

There is a Tennessee Historical Marker at this cemetery that states:

“This cemetery, founded in 1853, grew up around the Brunswick Cumberland Presbyterian Church, which has since moved. During the Confederate War, the church building was used as a hospital, and 17 unknown Confederate soldiers who died there are buried in a nearby plot. Also buried there are many of the region’s pioneers."

This can be seen at Morning Sun Cemetery on Morning Sun Road in Cordova, Tn. There are 12 unknown Union dead killed in the Battle of Morning Sun. There is a possible discrepancy as far as the date on the markers goes. The headstones give a date of June 6, 1862, but all research puts the date of the Battle of Morning Sun as July 1, 1862. I don’t know.

The final resting place of Peter H. Cole, Jr. can be found at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Hickory Withe, Tn. Mount Pleasant Cemetery can be found at the junctions of Ivy Road and Norse Road in Fayette County. It says on the head stone that he was born on March 15, 1837 and killed at the Battle of Murfreesboro on December 31, 1862.

I ran across this one at the Tabernacle Cemetery in Piperton, Tn. It is located on Hwy 57 just west of where Hwy 385 starts in southern Fayette County.

John F. Reed was born July 17, 1832 and killed at the Battle of Perryville, Ky. That battle was fought October 8, 1862 and was the largest battle of the war in Kentucky.

Here we have the grave marker of a fellow who actually survived the war and by a good number of years.

1st Sgt J.W. Mewborn was born on October 25, 1843 and died February 24, 1930 at the age of 86.

He was a member of Company B of the 13th Tennessee Infantry.

Sgt Mewborn is buried in the Macon Cemetery in Macon, Tn. It is .3 miles north of Hwy 193 on Macon Cemetery Road.

Last but not least is the grave of Pvt R. Alexander Carroll. It gives the year of birth at 1843 and year of death of 1862.

It states his unit as Eldridge’s Tennessee Light Artillery. A little research shows it was part of Captain J. W. Phillips' Light Artillery Company. In 1862 this unit was in Corinth, Chattanooga, and Tullahoma.

Without more details on the gravestone it would be hard to know how he died – was it in battle or was it by disease?

If you would like to find any of these grave markers and you have a GPS, I may not have the exact coordinates of the grave stone, but I can get you to the cemetery. Just leave a comment asking for the coordinates.

Supreme Royal Circle of the Friends of the World

2009-06-09T18:51:00.001-07:00

In my Waymarking adventures I’ve come across this on tombstones at predominantly African-American cemeteries.

According to one website (http://www.herroncenter.org/stones.htm):

The Supreme Royal Circle of Friends of the World was founded in 1909 in Forest City Arkansas by Dr. Richard A. Williams. This fraternal organization for black men had as its primary goal promoting the moral, physical, intellectual, and material welfare of its members.

The success of the Royal Circle was partly due to blacks' mistrust of government and white owned banks. The Royal Circle of Friends offered great returns for small investments, with the support of friends, neighbors, churches, and respected black business leaders.
The fee for joining the Royal Circle, including a medical examination, was $2.50. Members then paid $1 per quarter, which paid $300 to the beneficiary after the member's death.
For years to come, in rural black cemeteries loyalty to the Royal Circle of Friends was indicated by the distinctive headstones that displayed the organization's symbol of the majestic lion and letters RCF.

It’s neat the things you find when you have adventures.

God Bless Our Troops……….

2009-05-20T19:25:00.001-07:00

Sometimes you see a sticker and just have to take a picture.

And it reminds me of this:

While interviewing a US Army Special Forces soldier in Afghanistan, a Reuters News reporter asked the soldier what he felt when killing Al Qaeda with a sniper rifle.
The soldier thought for a moment and replied, "Recoil."

I hope the dog is inside.

A Trip to Houston & Salutes

2009-04-20T19:58:00.001-07:00

Sandy and I took a vacation and went to The Woodlands, Tx last week to visit her Aunt Ethel. I know it says Houston, but when you travel it’s like telling folks you live in Memphis when we actually live in Cordova.

It was about a 600 miles, two tanks of gas, nine hours, and that one just one-way. We got to see a lot of scenery throughout Arkansas and Texas. Most of it looked like Tennessee.

Driving across Texas we went traversed through many small towns with populations under 1,000 and I couldn’t help but be reminded of Hee-Haw and the salutes they used to do on that show to all the small towns. All at once as we were coming up to one of these hamlets and saw the town name with the number, I said the town name and “SSSSAAAAAAALLLUUUUTTTTE!!!!!

Sandy immediately know where I was coming from and joined right in. So here’s a salute to a few of those small towns:

Seven Oaks population 131

Burke population 315

Appleby population 444

Garrison population 844

SALUTE!

Murphy's Laws of Combat

2009-03-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

Murphy's Laws of Combat

Today at work I was helping a contractor install one of the multitude of new systems at our new base. The installation was going easier than expected and somewhere along the way Murphy's Laws of Combat came to mind, especially the one, "If your attack is going well, then it's an ambush." Paraphrased to the communications world, "if the install is going too good, there's an option the contractor won't mention until you contact the help desk - after the system blows up."

Enjoy the laws.

Dave

If the enemy is in range, so are you.
Incoming fire has the right of way.
Don't look conspicuous, it draws fire.
There is always a way, and it usually doesn't work.
The problem with the easy way out is that it has already been mined.
Try to look unimportant, they may be low on ammo.
Professionals are predictable, it's the amateurs that are dangerous.
The enemy invariably attacks on two occasions:
a. when you're ready for them.
b. when you're not ready for them.
Teamwork is essential, it gives them someone else to shoot at.
If you can't remember, then the claymore IS pointed at you.
The enemy diversion you have been ignoring will be the main attack.
A "sucking chest wound" is nature's way of telling you to slow down.
If your attack is going well, then it's an ambush.
Never draw fire, it irritates everyone around you.
Anything you do can get you shot, including nothing.
If you build yourself a bunker that's tough for the enemy to get into quickly, then you won't be able to get out of it quickly either.
Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than yourself.
If you're short of everything but the enemy, you're in a combat zone.
When you've secured the area, don't forget to tell the enemy.
Never forget that your weapon is made by the lowest bidder.
Friendly fire isn't.
If the sergeant can see you, so can the enemy.
Never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, never stay awake when you can sleep.
The most dangerous thing in the world is a second lieutenant with a map and a compass.
There is no such thing as an atheist in a foxhole.
A grenade with a seven second fuse will always burn down in four seconds.
Remember, a retreating enemy is probably just falling back and regrouping.
If at first you don't succeed call in an air-strike.
Exceptions prove the rule, and destroy the battle plan.
Everything always works in your HQ, everything always fails in the colonel's HQ.
The enemy never watches until you make a mistake.
One enemy soldier is never enough, but two is entirely too many.
A clean (and dry) set of BDU's is a magnet for mud and rain.
Whenever you have plenty of ammo, you never miss. Whenever you are low on ammo, you can't hit the broad side of a barn.
The more a weapon costs, the farther you will have to send it away to be repaired.
Field experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
Interchangeable parts aren't.
No matter which way you have to march, its always uphill.
If enough data is collected, a board of inquiry can prove ANYTHING.
For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism. (in boot camp)
The one item you need is always in short supply.
The worse the weather, the more you are required to be out in it.
The complexity of a weapon is inversely proportional to the IQ of the weapon's operator.
Airstrikes always overshoot the target, artillery always falls short.
When reviewing the radio frequencies that you just wrote down, the most important ones are always illegible.
Those who hesitate under fire usually do not end up KIA or WIA.
The tough part about being an officer is that the troops don't know what they want, but they know for certain what they DON'T want.
To steal information from a person is called plagiarism. To steal information from the enemy is called gathering intelligence.
The weapon that usually jams when you need it the most is the M60.
The perfect officer for the job will transfer in the day after that billet is filled by someone else.
When you have sufficient supplies & ammo, the enemy takes 2 weeks to attack. When you are low on supplies & ammo the enemy decides to attack that night.
The newest and least experienced soldier will usually win the Congressional Medal Of Honor.
A Purple Heart just goes to prove that were you smart enough to think of a plan, stupid enough to try it, and lucky enough to survive.
Murphy was a grunt.

Ministry of Silly Walks

2009-02-25T17:08:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite Monty Python skits.

My favorite line "With government backing I could make it very silly."

Concerts

2009-01-30T17:06:00.000-08:00

I decided I wanted to make a list of all the bands I've seen in concert. The basis for the list was that they at least had to have put out an album. Otherwise, there would be too many to remember or name. I'm quite sure that I've left some out. I just can't remember some of the opening bands. Several of these artists I've seen multiple times.

Here's the list:

____________________________________________
Aaron Tippin
AC/DC
Aerosmith
Big Ass Truck
Billy Squire
Black Crowes
Bon Jovi
Bryan Adams
Cheap Trick
Clint Black
Dwight Yoakam
Europe
Fastway
Garth Brooks
George Strait
Hank Williams, Jr
Iron Maiden
Journey
Judas Priest
Keith Whitley
Little Texas
Metallica
Mic Harrison
Motley Crue
Oak Ridge Boys
Patty Loveless
Poison
Queensryche
Quireboys
Randy Travis
Ratt
Saxon
Scorpions
Skid Row
Superdrag
Ted Nugent
The Police
Thunder
Twisted Sister
Van Halen
Vixen
V-Roys
Whitesnake

BHS Homecoming - 16 Jan 09

2009-01-20T19:21:00.000-08:00

Here are just a few picture to preview.

Washington Post Reporters Traveling to Inauguration

2009-01-15T16:16:00.000-08:00

Can you say: "In the Tank?"

A Christmas Memory

2008-12-25T12:12:00.001-08:00

In 1986 I was at my first duty station after technical training. It was at San Vito AS, Italy. For those that may not know where that is, if you think of Italy as a boot, then San Vito is where th heel of the boot ends. We had a saying there - "San Vito, it's not the end of the world, but you can see it from here."

While waiting to get my top secret clearance I was working as an augumentee at the base post office. We were told by the postmaster that Christmas Eve was going to be a busy day. The Italians couldn't guarantee that all our mail was going to get to us on time. The Air Force dispatched some C-130s to make sure that all mail available made it from Rome to us.

On that Christmas Eve, the first of the mail pallets arrived at about 1300 (that's 1pm for civilians) and they continued through out the day. We had volunteers from every unit on base helping us to sort the packages, stage them, writing out the notices, and posting them in the boxes for pickup.

We received the last pallets at about 1600 and commenced to sorting them with all the volunteers scurrying about. At 1630 retreat sounded for the base. It was an impressive site to see everyone stop instantly, put down whatever they had in hand, face the music, salute, and render the honors for the end of the official duty day and the lowering of the flag.

As the last note of the Star Spangled Banner echoed, salutes were smartly dropped, packages picked up, and the work commenced once again. It was a moment and memory frozen it time.

Separated at Birth? You Decide

2008-12-22T17:48:00.000-08:00

Josh & Sarah - Reception & Wedding

2008-07-28T10:10:00.000-07:00

This is a collection of mine and Sandy's pictures. To see the pictures bigger just click on them. Use your "Back" button to come back to the collection. To save the picture to your computer, right click and choose "Save Picture As" and remember where you saved it.

OBITUARY OF THE LATE MR. COMMON SENSE

2008-07-13T03:44:00.000-07:00

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
Why the early bird gets the worm;
Life isn't always fair;
Maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple sound financial policies: Don't spend more than you can earn.

And reliable strategies: Adults, not children, are in charge.

His health began to deteriorate when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Tylenol, sun lotion or a band-aid to a student but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when it became punishable for you to defend yourself from a burglar in your own home but the burglar could sue you for assault. He began to lose ground rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his Daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 3 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else Is To blame, and I'm A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

The Latest Josh & Sarah Slideshow

2008-06-29T18:13:00.000-07:00

Done. Again, let me know what you think.

In Honor of Maw

2008-06-08T16:25:00.000-07:00

Maw would have been 69 today. We miss her.

Donis Murene Fisher

1939-2007

In Honor of Mom

2008-06-02T09:18:00.000-07:00

Mom would have been 76 today. We all miss her.

Mic Harrison & The High Score

2008-06-01T17:02:00.000-07:00

WHO: Mic Harrison & The High Score
WHAT: Album Release
TITLE: On The Right Side Of The Grass
WHEN: June 3, 2008
URL: http://www.micharrison.com/

I haven't heard any of the songs yet, but I know that Mike will live up to the excellence he has exhibited on all his albums thus far. Of course, I could be biased, he's family.

Citizenship Flash Card - United Nations

2008-04-18T20:51:00.000-07:00

That about sums it up.

Today's Protesters Transported to 1944

2008-04-15T19:05:00.000-07:00

Just imagine if the anti-war protesters of 2008 were magically transported back to 1944.

Two questions:

1. What would have happened to them?

2. Would the police have been as nice to them as they are today?

You tell me.

16 comments taken from police car videos:

2008-04-13T10:38:00.000-07:00

16. 'You know, stop lights don't come any redder than the one you just went through.'
15. 'Relax, the handcuffs are tight because they're new. They'll stretch after you wear them a awhile.'
14. 'If you take your hands off the car, I'll make your birth certificate a worthless document.'
13. 'If you run, you'll only go to jail tired.'
12. 'Can you run faster than 1200 feet per second? Because that's the speed of the bullet that'll be chasing you.'
11. 'You don't know how fast you were going? I guess that means I can write anything I want to on the ticket, huh?'
10. 'Yes, sir, you can talk to the shift supervisor, but I don't think it will help. Oh, did I mention that I'm the shift supervisor?'
9. 'Warning! You want a warning? O.K., I'm warning you not to do that again or I'll give you another ticket.'
8. 'The answer to this last question will determine whether you are drunk or not. Was Mickey Mouse a cat or a dog?'
7. 'Fair? You want me to be fair? Listen, fair is a place where you go to ride on rides, eat cotton candy and corn dogs and step in monkey poop.'
6. 'Yeah, we have a quota. Two more tickets and my wife gets a toaster oven.'
5. 'In God we trust, all others we run through NCIC.'
4. 'How big were those 'two beers' you say you had ?'
3. 'No sir, we don't have quotas anymore. We used to, but now we're allowed to write as many tickets as we can.'
2. 'I'm glad to hear that the Chief (of Police) is a personal friend of yours. So you know someone who can post your bail.'
AND THE WINNER IS....
1. 'You didn't think we give pretty women tickets? You're right , we don't. Sign.'

St. Stupid Day in San Francisco

2008-04-02T16:37:00.000-07:00

I saw a story on the news that some folks in San Francisco celebrated St. Stupids Day on April 1st. They dressed in funny and strange costumes, shouted silly and stupid slogans, and marched and paraded around town.
Consider some of the other celebrations, events, and people in the San Francisco area:
1. Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration

2. Protests at the Berkley Marine Corps Recruiting Center by Code Pink
3. the "hunky" Jesus contest
4. the City Council
That leaves the question - what makes St. Stupid Day any different from a normal San Francisco day?

Hillary Surprised People Live In Europe

2008-03-26T20:09:00.000-07:00

In this video shot, when Hillary was asked about the Tuzla incident, she acted surprised that people even live in Europe.

Photoshopped picture on Michelle Malkin's site

2008-03-26T15:37:00.000-07:00

Michelle Malkin was having a photoshop contest on her website. The subject was Hillary Clinton and her tale of (non)adventure of landing in a hail of gunfire in Tuzla (circa 1996). I got my idea, composed the picture, and sent it in. Follow the link below and scroll down. My picture is the one "Inside Hillary Force."
I'm getting better at having fun with pictures.
Alright, who's next?

http://michellemalkin.com/2008/03/26/tuzla-and-truth-deprivation/

A Tanker - The Needs of the Air Force Comes First

2008-03-20T19:57:00.000-07:00

The Air Force is buying a new refueling tanker aircraft. By now, most have heard that they chose the Northrop Grumman/EADS Airbus model over the Boeing model. There has been controversy. For a moment forget where each plane would be built, assembled and who is providing the parts. The question comes down to this: What are the needs of the Air Force?
All members of the military are probably asked that sort of question at one time or another when they query why they got a certain assignment (posting), job, or task. The initial answers vary from “that’s where you’re needed” to “someone has to do it.” The final answer always boils down to “the needs of the military come first.”
The Air Force tries to be accommodating when they can. Leadership knows that when airmen are where they want to be and doing what they want to do they are more liable to be happy and productive. But again, at times things just cannot work out that way and the needs of the Air Force are first and foremost the most important aspect of a decision. Sometimes airmen end up where they don’t want to be doing what they don’t want to do.
This brings us back to the tanker. Companies were solicited for designs and pricing. They were given minimum specifications that had to be met. Two proposals were considered and evaluated. One plane could carry more fuel and cargo, fly further, and based on those factors was cheaper.
The Air Force took all things into consideration including their “needs” and chose what they thought would best accomplish the mission. That choice was the Northrop Grumman/EADS submission to the competition – the KC-45.
The decision to go with the KC-45 has generated a storm of controversy in Congress, the states involved, industry, bloggers, and the general public. This controversy is not arising over the plane or its capabilities, but rather where it’s going to be made and where the parts are coming from.
I will not get into that argument on either side. Neither (I think) will the pilots who fly them, the pilots who receive fuel from them, or all the support people whose job it is to keep them in the air. All will be focused on one overall aspect – successful completion of the mission.
Meanwhile, back in the hall of justice, congress is calling for hearings, Boeing is filing a protest, and the Air Force is defending their decision. All the first tow things can do is delay production of a vital aircraft that the Air Force needs to replace its aging fleet of KC-135 Stratotankers.
The KC-135 has been an extremely valuable asset that has contributed to many successful operations. However, this plane designed and built 50 years ago is getting long in the tooth and expensive to maintain. Unlike people, we can’t enroll aircraft into AARP and get a reduction in health care.
Not much can be done about Boeing lodging a complaint. It’s their right. They missed out on a large contract that would have sustained them for years. It would have kept large amounts of people gainfully employed.
I understand why some lawmakers in Congress from Washington and Kansas are upset that Boeing didn’t get the contract. The feel jobs are being taken from their constituents. They need to get over it.
I can understand why some lawmakers from Alabama and I imagine Florida and Mississippi are jubilant. Having the plane assembled in Mobile will be an infusion of jobs and money (both building the plane and in support jobs) into their economy. I think the good people of that area will build some of the best planes ever to serve the military. I congratulate them on their luck.
Members of Congress always talk loudly that the military have the best equipment to do the job. It is time to make them stick to their words and not to treat this as a campaign promise that flutters in the wind. There are enough breezes created by Mother Nature without any help from them.
It is also time to welcome the KC-45 into the inventory so that the needs of the Air Force come first.

How to know if you're from a small Southern town!

2008-03-15T18:12:00.000-07:00

How to know if you’re from a small Southern town

1. The next small town over is always meaner.
2. Pillars of the community in your town are considered “uppity snobs” by the next town.
3. Any town north of you is full of Yankees; any town south of you is full of red necks.
4. If you live in the country, all others are “city folk” and vise-versa.
5. Homecoming (football or basketball) is the social and cultural event of the winter.
6. The town festival (Doodle Soup, Mosquito Pie, or Cow Chip Flinging) is the same thing in
the summer.
7. On the weekend you cruise between the two convenience stores on opposites sides of town.
8. You do it 50 times and only burn 1/8 of a tank of gas.
9. You are at a field party busted by the cops, you are the first one to leave, and the whole
town knows about it before you get to town (pre-cell phone days).
10. The reason given by the cops for busting the party up-there’s no bathroom facilities.

The First Blog

2008-03-15T14:02:00.000-07:00

This is my first blog. A range of subjects will be covered and anything that happens to interest me. Expect to see stuff about politics, NASCAR, the news, and maybe some funny pictures and jokes from time to time.