Archive for May, 2021

AP Hill is a safe target

Posted: May 25, 2021 by datechguy in Uncategorized

Saw this story at The Gateway Pundit

In one of the most disturbing tales to come from Richmond, Virginia’s moves to erase history, they are now planning to dig up the grave of Confederate General Ambrose Powell Hill, according to a new report.

To make the matter even more ghoulish, the city has not actually come up with a plan yet on what to do with his remains that have been in the location since 1892.

Now one might wonder why they would bother targeting AP Hill rather than tackling some of the actual problems facing the black community but I don’t wonder at all.

You see it’s a lot easier to fight a battle against a dead general then it is to handle low test scores

  • or unsafe neighborhoods
  • or drugs
  • or black unemployment
  • or shootings
  • or fatherlessness

All of these things are actual problems in the black community that are having a horrible impact in the cities. But each of those problems requires time, effort and the use of political capital against those who can fight back and have an interest in doing so.

When you see people fighting battles against dead generals rather than current problems you know that they’re not interested.

The true meaning of Memorial Day

Posted: May 25, 2021 by chrisharper in special events
Tags: ,

By Christopher Harper

In many small towns throughout America, Memorial Day is special.

Almost everyone knows someone who served in the military; most know someone who died.

Here in Muncy, Pennsylvania, two memorials stand out.

A few years ago, the town and the state recognized two fallen soldiers by naming bridges after them.

Army Pvt. Walter L. Smith, who served in the Spanish-American War, and U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. William F. Merrill, a Vietnam War veteran, died in service to their country.

The war against Spain was declared in April 1898 after the sinking of the battleship Maine in Havana Harbor. On May 12, 1898, Smith enlisted at Williamsport and was mustered into service as a private in Co. D, 12th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, According to historical documents found by his family, Smith met his fate while on a supply patrol with a small detachment in the Philippines on July 28, 1901. “[He] bravely and selflessly defended men in his company against an overwhelming attack by some 60 native insurgents. During the battle, Smith’s sergeant, the only other armed man, was shot and killed. Fighting alone, Smith saved the lives of two unarmed soldiers but was overpowered, captured, and taken prisoner,” according to the local newspaper.

While his remains never were recovered, in 2006, family members honored his service by placing a government-issued memorial headstone in the Smith family plot at Muncy Cemetery.

Merrill was with the 1st Marines during Operation Oklahoma Hills, an operation to clear out the enemy from their base camps and infiltration routes southwest of Da Nang, Vietnam.

On Nov. 26, 1969, Merrill and nine fellow Marines came to a ravine. The first to cross hit a wire attached to a booby trap, and he called out for Merrill, who guarded the device as the rest of the Marines went around it. As Merrill and his sergeant were standing at the device, the explosive detonated, killing Merrill and fatally wounding the other man. Merrill’s body was returned home to his family for interment at Boalsburg Cemetery.

“These were two sons of Muncy who went off to do their duties – like many sons of Muncy – but were unfortunately never able to come home.”State Rep. Garth Everett, R-Muncy, a former U.S. Air Force member, said at the bridge dedication ceremony.

The service of Smith and Merrill in two distant wars underlines the true meaning of Memorial Day.

Report from Louisiana: My last four days of working for a living!

Posted: May 24, 2021 by Pat Austin in Uncategorized
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If you Google “What to do when I retire,” you’ll get lots of lists that include things like teach, garden, visit family, spend time with friends, mentor, buy a motorhome, and join a fitness group.

Excuse me, but I’m retiring, not moving into an assisted living facility.

My list looks a little different.

When my retirement from the classroom begins next week, literally the first thing I’m going to do is drive three hours to south Louisiana and sit in an historically restored Cajun cottage along Bayou Teche. My husband and I go there five times a year and it is our home away from home. I’m going to walk across the street to the grocery store, buy some fancy cheeses, some fresh veggies, and I’m going to spend seven days decompressing and uncoiling from twenty-five years of teaching tenth grade English.

More immediate things on my list include cleaning out closets, drawers, cabinets, and eliminating a whole lot of clutter. Get rid of those work clothes! Why do I have six Pyrex casserole dishes? Do I really need this antique waffle iron with the fraying cord? Those size three jeans in my closet? Yeah, they haven’t fit in fifteen years so it is time for them to go.

I am going to listen to podcasts. Got any suggestions? I listened to S-Town and loved that. So well done. I don’t really listen to podcasts, but I think I might try that while I start a walking regimen. My son listens to some podcast that sound far too much like Beavis and Butthead; I don’t want that. Something good. Help a girl out.

I am going to read that huge stack of books taking over my house; then, I’m going to put them in the Little Free Library on the corner.

Day drink. Why not have a cold beer at noon while I pull some weeds out of the flower bed? Why the hell not?

Stay up as late as I want to.

Finish my second book. I’m close. I need to get it off to my publisher so I can start on my third book.

Narrow down topic for third book.

Learn how to cook alligator. Not everyone can do this well.

Go to Monroeville, Alabama, home of my idol Harper Lee. See the inside of that courthouse.

Re-tile my bathroom. I have no idea how to do this and I think I need tools which I don’t currently own. Saws and things. I can do this. Right?

Spend days and days in the archives at the library doing research. I love this. This was the best part of writing my first book — the research! Love it!

Write. Write. Write.

Drive as much of the original alignment of Route 66 from east to west as possible.

Attend as many minor league baseball games in as many ballparks as I possibly can.

Find some way to move permanently to south Louisiana, to Cajun country, which has my heart and soul.

Brush up my French.

While this little list isn’t exhaustive, I think it is a lot more interesting than some of the suggestions for retirees that I’ve seen. Retirement has proven “boring” for my husband; when he retired six years ago he went back to school and got his BA and then his Masters degree, which was fabulous! But now he’s bored.

I can’t see myself ever getting bored. Maybe this is because I’m technically still working and the reality of retirement has not yet hit me. Maybe after a period of time, I will be restless and aimless.

I doubt it.

Pat Austin blogs at And So it Goes in Shreveport and at Medium; she is the author of Cane River Bohemia: Cammie Henry and her Circle at Melrose Plantation. Follow her on Instagram @patbecker25 and Twitter @paustin110.ing

Very Quick Thoughts, A Marian Feast, A Chosen Scare, the No Hitter Glut, Restaurants and a Prediction under the Fedora

Posted: May 24, 2021 by datechguy in Uncategorized

Today at daily mass we celebrated the Feast of Mary Mother of the Church. Our Pastor informed us this is a very new feast that Pope Francis only instituted three years ago for the day after Pentecost. Given Her connection with the Holy Spirit it a good fit for the day after that celebration.

Just goes to show you that for all his shortcomings, on some thing Pope Francis gets it. Hey even the 62 Mets won 40 games.

Watched the latest episode of The Chosen that was released last night around (S2 EP 6). Other than the 1st episode of the series and episode 3 of season one it had the smallest direct biblical foundation of any of episodes I’ve seen.

I was very surprised that at the 2nd appearance of the possessed man all the hair of my arms stood up. There was no special makeup or special effect to make him seem possessed but something about that scene at that time really hit me.

I’ve recommended the show to others and recommend it to you but I’m holding back on financial backing until I see how they handle John Chapter 6.

While I haven’t been watching any baseball on the radio sports folks were talking about the glut of no hitters this year blaming it on batters swinging for the fences and MLB deciding what they want to do about it.

I don’t understand why they have to do anything about it, I’d worry more about long term fan retention from being woke than this type of thing. The only people who should be panicking are the insurance companies who backed the “throw a no hitter win free furniture” deals

On and for the record that seven inning no hitter should count, if it’s an official game it should be an official no-hitter

Is it just me or has a welcome side effect of the last year been some chain restaurants improving the quality of their food?

It seems to me A lot of such restaurants shrunk their menus during this time and seemed to focus more on quality. It’s been very noticeable.

Let’s hope that quality uptick is maintained as we open up.

Finally as you remember I’ve been predicting that in the end the fact that election 2020 was stolen in several states (and plenty of votes in others too) will come out before the next national election (2024) and likely even before then. I’d like to make a 2nd prediction.

When it does come out the same people who insisted that this was all bunk with change their narrative to say it was justified to stop Donald Trump and the media and even regular democrat voters will embrace this meme.

I’m hoping I’m wrong here but I don’t think so.

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