Fame and Fortune

In the early 90s, I was quite prolific in my use of the VCR for recording things off TV. One of my most watched tapes was my TBS Christmas collection, which consisted of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, A Christmas Carol (1938 colorized, because Ted Turner loved him some piss poor colorization), and Frosty the Snowman.

Rudolph was always my favorite, and I can sing along to every song on there just as good as Mellon Collie. Which is why I felt emotionally molested a few years ago when I discovered that starting in 1998, they removed one of the best songs, "Fame and Fortune," in favor of the THIRD rendition of the Misfit song. I assume the powers that be didn't like the ominous message of Hermie and Rudolph feeling empowered and optimistic for the first time in their lives, and striving for success despite what authoritative figures had always told them. Better to just encourage any misfit kids at home watching that it's easier to keep whining about being different than to try to make something of themselves despite the odds.

Spheres of Influence

No Letter Jacket Party For Young Professionals

The Letter Jacket Party needs to be an annual affair. I thought we had the winning formula last year, hosting it the night after Christmas. However, life has dictated that I will not be able to host said party this year. is there anyone in the BMBS/OIA/PPB community that is willing to step up to the plate and help get this tradition up and running?

Kudos to the Savannah City Council, for once.

The Savannah City Council has actually taken a few steps towards creating more freedoms for taxpayers, as opposed to taking away freedoms like the US Gov't.

Kudo #1 - Recently, the Georgia State Assembly lifted the ban on Sunday alcohol sales, although leaving the decision to enact it ultimately up to the local governments. The Savannah City Council, in their infinite wisdom, approved the sales and recently moved up the enactment date to December 18th (as Snuff Dog can probably attest to.) Thereby allowing the Savannah Irish Catholic community to continue their annual indulgence of Christmas Day alcohol without pesky blue laws getting in the way.

Kudo #2 - City Councilman, Tony Thomas, has gone on the offensive against the Darth Vader that is Comcast. As you may or may not know, Comcast has a legal monopoly in the form of a "contract" with the City to provide cable services. Other cable providers are not allowed in the city, which of course results in shitty service and high rates. I recently eliminated my Comcast service after my red headed roommate moved out. I'd rather not have the service at all and save $140 a month, than to deal with the crappy equipment and Comcast morons. Anyways, Tony Thomas opened up a flood gate of pissed off Savannahians. Tony has also called a review of it's contract with Comcast, and is open to the possibility of more competition. What a novel concept... competition has the possibility of magically improving Comcast's service and lower rates. Brilliant!

Will this advancement of Savannahian freedom persist? Probably not, especially with the recent election of another thug Mayor.

A Little Housecleaning

 

Some felt it was time for a Back to Basics approach here at BMBS and so that is what we have implemented.  For those of you who did not make the cut (most of you didn't) I am truly sorry.  Now that there's only four of us, I'm not really sure what we'll talk about.  Not worried.  It wasn't a problem in February of '05 nor will it be now.  Thanks and God Bless.

Patrick's Nomination: Danny Britt

For turning BC football around seemingly overnight.  For laying a strong foundation for success in the coming years.  For giving BC fans a sense of hope they haven't had in over a decade, Danny Britt is 2011's Man of the Year.

Don't get me wrong; BC has had a few decent seasons ('05, '07, '09) recently.  But these always felt like one-offs, at least to me.  For the first time in a long time, I think if you polled the Cadet faithful, more people would say the entire program is moving in the right direction instead of the other way.  That hasn't been the case since about 2002 and it's a clear sign that something has changed.

BC has a decent shot at dominating in its new sub-region the next couple of years.  I've never really been a fan of playing in the lower classifications, but if you look at the AA playoffs this year, both Blessed Trinity (who narrowly squeaked past BC) and Westminster (who lost to Blessed Trinity) made it to the second round.  Given the increased strength and experience of our underclassmen, there's no reason BC can't get as far in '12.

BC has not yet reclaimed its spot as the city's top team, and probably won't for at least a couple more years.  The public schools (namely Windsor) have stepped up their game.  Calvary and obviously Christian are still top-notch programs.  But with Britt's hire, his attitude, and the immediate success that has come with it, you get the feeling that we're still happy we're not those other programs.  Britt's presence always seems to exude a desire to do things the right way, no matter what.  This approach is what has always separated BC from everyone else and we are lucky to have someone at the helm that represents and advertises those values for the school.

Man of year 2011: Gibson Hill

First off, Danny Britt will be the front runner for this great honor of being the Man of the Year, and rightfully so. All I want to do is ask for everyone to take a look at a man that is undeniably an ideal person for the things we believe in as members of BMBS.

During the last year, Gibson has become a member of the parade committee, and it is obvious after our conversations that he is going to be a fixture of the parade for many years to come. Gibson has already planted the seeds for his son being a cadet in the 2020's. Also, Gibson's own love for the cadets is only second to the likes of Will and Jack.

He is the main fact checker for a friend of ours that will not be mentioned due to competitive purposes. Most importantly, Gibson is just and humble and honest person. Earlier this weekend he said "Mike, I know that Danny Britt is definitely the front runner, but I am honored to be part of the history that is the BMBS man of the year"

I can not put it any better than that. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2.5 million new Democrats created since March 2010

It's never good when the number of dependents being created exceeds the number of jobs being created.  Unless you're the White House, of course, and your re-election numbers rely on it.

"North Dakota," Part II: The Maps, The Pictures, The People, The Lies

Right now, there are undoubtedly a thousand questions racing through your minds as to the validity of my theory that North Dakota does not exist. There is no coherent way to address all of your concerns in a typical BMBS format, so I will do so by answering a series of Frequently Asked Questions.

"Chris. I've seen maps of the United States. All of them include the Dakotas. Explain yourself."

The easiest way to defend against this argument is to attack the institution of Mapping itself. Most satellites orbit the Earth at an altitude of between 199 mi and 249 mi. You have never, ever seen the Earth from that altitude. Therefore, you have no firsthand evidence that the United States of America is not trapezoidal in shape. Hell, for all you know, it is shaped like a winking emoticon ;). The government is the gatekeeper of extra terrestrial imaging, and they have a compelling interest to maintain their ruse. They have successfully condiditioned you to accept their word as common knowledge, and you're just sitting there, licking your Kool-Aid moustache.


"Chris, what about all of the pictures that I've seen of these states?"

They were taken elsewhere. That's really all I have for this one. Name one distinguishing feature of either state? Oh, I'm glad you brought that up.

"Mt. Rushmore?"

By 1926, the government had a problem. People were asking questions.

"Why haven't I ever met anyone outside of Congress who is from the Dakotas?"
"Why have I never seen a single photograph of the Dakotas?"
"Why is there never any news, ever, out of the Dakotas?"

The people needed answers, and President Coolidge began to feel the heat. That's when he was approached by Montana Governor John E. Erickson. Erickson offered Coolidge a tract of land on which to build a national memorial that they would claim was in the Dakotas. The memorial would finally provide a distinguishing feature that would satisfy American curiosity as to the existence of the Dakotas.

In exchange, Erickson proposed that he would resign as Governor of Montana, and requested that Coolidge use his campaign apparatus to get his political ally Frank Henry Coone elected to the post. Once that happened, Coone would appoint Erickson to the U.S. Senate. Coolidge agreed in principle to the plan, but needed to see the project at least halfway completed before he would enact his support for Coone. The Memorial was projected to take 14 years, so, in 1933, as a civilian, Former President Coolidge visited the site. Satisfied with the progress, he stayed true to his word.

Erickson became a U.S. Senator. Coone became the Governor of Montana. Coolidge cemented his legacy among the fraternity of elitists as the man who saved The Great Lie. And the American people would not question the existence of the Dakotas again for 72 years (you're welcome).

As for "your experience" at Mt. Rushmore: the surrounding 20 miles are simply part of an elaborate staging area.

"But, Chris, your maternal grandparents and all of your ancestors are from the Dakotas. You are literally of Dakota stock."

Says who? Says the government (in the form of my grandfather). Both my grandmother and grandfather are from "the Dakotas." Immediately upon graduating from what I was told was "North Dakota State," (shocking revelation...more to come in Part 3) my grandfather joined the United States Army. He made a career of it, and served honorably for decades. He ultimately attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and was based out of the Pentagon. He was probably in intelligence, and was more than likely in on The Great Lie.

In addition to having never visited my supposed "homeland," none of my relatives who are allegedly from the Dakotas have ever discussed life in those states. When I was a kid we went on trips every summer to visit this branch of the family. However, mysteriously, the entire family had moved to Kansas City at some undetermined point in time.

That's right.

"Oh, we all lived in North- and South Dakota, but we all, and I would like to emphasize, ALL - as in every one of us, moved to Kansas City. Mysteriously. For no reason."

That is how that conversation would have gone, but it never happened, because they have never discussed the Dakotas. Not one of these people supposedly born and raised in these states ever mentions the Dakotas...ever. No childhood stories. No quirky anecdotes. No, "Hey! Ha, remember the time in Blank, ND when that thing happened?" HOW is this possible?!

How could this never have just naturally been brought up as a topic of conversation??? The short answer: they hate lying to their family, and a little part of their soul dies when they stir the Government Red Cherry Kool-Aid. Because the Dakotas don't exist.

Tomorrow, Part III: Where My Eagles At?: Where, and Who, the Eagles Will Actually Be Playing

"North Dakota": The Great American Lie

The following is Part 1 of a 2 or 3 Part series (I haven’t decided yet):

Bigfoot. Pictures of Carrie Underwood that don’t give me a semi. The Tooth Fairy. North Dakota. What do all of these things have in common? They don’t exist. Especially not North Dakota.

“Why make up a state, Chris?” you ask, in all of your gullible glory.

"Political cronyism" is the short answer, but I'm too long-winded to just leave it at that.
So, here we go:


Part 1: Cleveland Rocks? A History of Corruption in a Mythical Realm

The year was 1888, and the incumbent President of the United States of America, Grover Cleveland, found himself in a heated campaign with the Republican challenger, Benjamin Harrison. It was a long, hot summer of intense campaigning that year, but as October rolled around, the President found himself ahead of his opponent by 13 percentage points in a Rasmussen Poll. With a comfortable lead, the incumbency advantage, and the security of an 8 point lead in his home state - the traditionally Republican New York, Cleveland rested on his laurels.

Harrison’s campaign manager, James Dakota, did not sleep much after Labor Day of 1888. He knew that with 4 years of peace and prosperity during the Cleveland administration, it would be difficult to defeat the president in the popular vote. Dakota frequently told aides that if he could just win Cleveland’s native New York with her precious 36 electoral votes, victory could be possible even without the popular vote. He just needed to find that magical corruption-carrot to dangle in front of the horse that WAS the the New York Electoral College.

Dakota knew that several members of the New York State Legislature had national political ambitions, but the oligarchical hierarchy in New York politics at the close of the Gilded Age created a virtually impenetrable ceiling. In order to realize these ambitions, such men would have to move to another state…or would they?..?...Jim Dakota had his carrot of corruption.

A desperate man, with a desperate plan, but without a desperate canal, the embattled Dakota reached across the aisle to then-Speaker of the House, Democrat John Griffin Carlisle (Kentucky-6), and the two concocted a devious plan.

When Dakota initially pitched the idea of a fake state to Carlisle, it was met with fierce resistance. However, in the corrupt culture of 19th century government, such schemes did not seem as far-fetched as they may today, and, in the words of their contemporaries, the Australian philosophers Alternating Current/Direct Current (AC/DC), “Money talks.”

The men hashed out the details:

“I mean, what the hell do I call this made up state, Dakota?” asked the Speaker.

“Yes,” replied Dakota, always quick to take advantage of linguistic ambiguity.

Portions of the Minnesota and Montana territories that were unsettled save for nomadic native tribes would be the lands that the men claimed were the Dakotas. The difficulty of travel in those times made this an easy lie to pull off; politicians in the nation’s capital were unlikely to ever make the arduous trip to the region. It would be an easy sell to the public for the same reason.
The “settlers” who would petition Congress for statehood were actually ambitious New York politicians, who, in exchange for increased influence and political opportunity, would ensure that all 36 electoral votes from their state would be cast for Harrison.



In exchange for Carlisle’s efforts in pushing the statehood proposal through Congress, he would receive an annual stipend from federally funded “projects” budgeted for the “state.” Also, the electoral votes allocated to the state in the next election (that of 1892) would be cast for the Democratic candidate. Carlisle found the plan so ingenious and beneficial to himself and his party that he decided to double his take by creating TWO states, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

New York politicians had their outlet to expand their influence. Carlisle was paid out millions. Harrison became President of the United States of America without winning the popular vote. “North Dakota” was born.

The tradition of the Speaker of the House controlling “the Dakotas” has continued to this day. Incumbent politicians (those in on The Great Lie) use political offices in “the Dakotas” to lure donors and federally budgeted funds to “bring home the goods” for members of their party and ensure incumbency advantage.

Tomorrow, Part 2: The Dakotas Today: The Maps, The Pictures, The People, The Lie

That Time of Year

Man of the Year nominations may be submitted between now and midnight next Sunday night, December 18.

Past Winners:


2006 - Tom Powers
2007 - Michael Reardon
2008 - Jack Holland
2009 - Coach Curley
2010 - ***Results still under investigation***
2011 - ????

Fifteen Years Ago On This Night

http://archives.savannahnow.com/sav_pdf_archive/text/fr202/B_2334509.pdf

http://archives.savannahnow.com/sav_pdf_archive/text/fr203/B_2334576.pdf

Reclassification

Here are the numbers released last week. Is BC officially dropping down?  Are the city schools playing up with Groves, Bradwell, and Richmond Hill in 5A, or will they all join Camden, Effingham, and Brunswick in the new 6A?

I don't care about this as much as I used to (if we can dominate in 2A, fine, let's just make sure we keep plenty of Savannah public schools on our non-region schedule); just wanted to see if Snuffy or JJBA could confirm something either way.

Happy Birthday Little Will!

William Hunter Fleming, II
Born today at 12:59 p.m., 7lb 8oz. 21in.

We look forward to many years of indoctrinations by Snuffy, to enlighten little William on the higher moral ground held by BC, St. Patrick's Day in Savannah, college sports, and compulsive shopping.

Welcome William!

Fifteen years ago this weekend.

Who do you know that wants to attend an all-male, Catholic, military school in Savannah?

McEachern

Better days are in store for the Cadets. Still not sure how you can be ranked 5th in the state with a student enrollment of over 2,600 and only bring the attendance shown in the above pic to a home playoff game. The GHSA will release the latest enrollment figures for re-classification in the next few days, which will put BC in AA (along with SCPS). I just hope we know what we're doing.

Change You Can Believe In

PLAYOFFS!!!!!

We are going to be unstoppable in 2 years.

Westside Story

In talking with JJBA, it was revealed that BC has not won a "big game" since 2005 - a 6-0 upset of South Effingham, undefeated and ranked 5th in the state in AAA at the time. That can change tonight with a win over Groves, the "Pride of the Westside."

Savannah Marathon

BMBS seems to be well represented in the marathon this Saturday. If anyone wants to wake up early enough to stand outside of the Knights and hand me a cold PBR as I pass by, I will gladly take it. And if you have to ask, I'm only running the half. I'm not that stupid.

Big game tonight.

Quote of the Month

Patrick Lowe, on Georgia going 3-18 against Florida:

I do not know why God has allowed Florida to dominate the series the last 20 years. Even though the Big Man and I have not been on speaking terms for a while, I did ask him why the other night. I have come to the conclusion that he feels bad for all the hurricanes he allows to hit their state, or the influx of illegals that come through Miami.

These people vote too

A bunch of these flyers were dropped on the Occutards in Chicago. If this is too hard to read, go to this link, it might be easier:

These People Vote

Mecklenburg Monday Mugshots

Happy Monday!

5 MORE MONTHS!!!

Save Pinkie's.

Bye Week Beatles Block

Both of today's selections come from the Fab Four's fourth (and most underrated) album, Beatles for Sale:

Dwarf Tossing!

I'm sitting in the office, about to pee in my pants laughing at this FoxNews article.
Apparently, dwarf tossing advocates have a friend in the FL state legislature; which is badass!

I can see this Australian pass time being quickly and enthusiastically adopted at Benny's Tybee Tavern, at Butler Ave. and 16th St. To top it off, Spinal Tap could perform a show or two at Benny's during a good tossing session.

Is Reardon looking for a weekend job?

Wednesday Beatle Block

If I Fell / You Can't Do That

Who wants to go to Kingsland?

The train is leaving the station at approx. 4:00 PM.

More Stickers

Happy Homecoming!

Monday Mugshots

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend. These guys sure did.







Happy Monday!

"Jack"ass Status Update on Facebook

The title is a pun on the status update author's name, which was posted just 30 minutes ago. Many of the BMBS Nation knows this "Jack" ( and I'm not talking about a Holland) and would not be surprised by it. This goes into the many ways why Facebook could ruin a potential employee's chances for a professional career. Here we go...

" Jack V...... got the worst beer shits today. gonna go get some drinks at toppers, heard they've got semi-private bathrooms there. who's wants to go? text me."

On a second thought, this could be a hilarious prank by one of his friends who gained access to Jack's "smart" phone.

Is Casey Anthony Worth Dating? Pros and Cons

So it's been months since the controversial trial ended, yet I still can't get online without being updated on what this chick is up to. We're not even Facebook friends! Since she's not going away anytime soon, I decided to look at her situation though a different scope.

Check the comments section of any story about her and you will always find a few comments about how hot she is. Of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but by all tangible criteria, she is a physically attractive woman. There are a few Facebook pages dedicated to this fact.

She was found not guilty in her sensationalized murder trial, so once this probation for check fraud clears up, she'll essentially just be another female in the world, except for the whole alleged child murder thing. She'll likely try and date, but would she be worth dating? That's what I've tried to figure out, so I've compiled some pros and cons.

Pros:
Nice Rack
Slim Figure
DSLs
Not to much junk in the tr... I mean she has a nice butt
Likes to Party
Knows how to keep kids quiet
Slutty friends
Can probably hold her liquor
May not be a murderer

Cons:
Ohio State fan
Probably an annoying drunk (e.g. Shouts "Woooo!" a lot.)
Long-term commitment questionable.
She gets around.
Pesky legal trouble
Bad with money
Questionable morals/integrity
May be a murderer

There you have it. If this were fantasy football, Casey might go in the last round or you might be able to get her on waivers, but you'd still be a little excited about picking her up. Her ideal man would be an older man who could pay for things, but definitely no kids. This is all moot though because apparently she's dating her attorney. Who wouldn't? The guy's a miracle worker!

R.E.M- R.I.P

Rapid eye movement no more.

Trouble On the Farm

Pinkie's is in trouble. They are making no money and getting noise complaints thanks to the smoking ban.

Ninth.

Halfway There

7:30 BC vs. High School

10:30 Trinity

Blind Melon, closet Catholics?

Check out this jam out from School House Rocks featuring my favorite band, Blind Melon. Although best known for the singer's drug induced performances, this song makes a few hidden references to Catholicism... if you want to stretch it. In reality, it's just a bunch of hippie druggies playing a children's song from the 70s.

Hate Week

Join us along with Dawgs and B Street as we celebrate hate week. The oldest rivalry in the state resumes on Saturday and the Cadets look to be the favorite.  This matchup used to be the main event in all of Southeast Georgia and the Coastal Empire.  Thanks to federally-mandated busing in the 1970's, it now means nothing.  The bright side:  we get to hear SHS's band during all 48 minutes of play.

A Real Jobs Plan for the US

So supposedly the President is going to give another big "jobs speech" tonight, emphasizing the need for businesses to create employment for people so that the economy won't be so bad three years into his term. Obviously this is a ploy to keep voters reminded that the White House remains intensely "focused" on the economy and how bad it remains, that he feels people's pain, and that he wants to do all he can to salvage re-election in 14 months.

This near-sighted focus on "jobs" at any cost is misplaced (and, let's be fair, some in the GOP are just as guilty:  "jobs, jobs, jobs" has been the rallying cry for both parties during the past year).  The fact is that jobs are the means, not the ends, of economic activity.  The goal of the capitalistic economy is to produce goods and services that people can use, not just to feel good because you have "somewhere to go" for 8 hours per day.

A prime example:  many on the left like to claim that World War II "got us out" of the Great Depression.  And if you looked only at GDP and the unemployment statistics, that's true.  The problem, however, is that GDP and unemployment are macroeconomic figures invented by Keynsians that don't tell the whole story.  So while it's true that spending rose and lots of jobs were created after Pearl Harbor, all the jobs and spending were on tanks, bullets, and battleships.  We can't eat any of those things.  We can't use them for anything that makes our lives easier.  They don't make us any better off than we were before, and with all of the brutal rationing rules that were imposed on families and the private sector because of the war effort, I would even argue the economy was worse off during the war, not better.  Keynsian stats don't capture this though; they simply confirm their own bias towards government spending.  I like the line from the recent Hayek-Keynes video, where Hayek claims we could easily solve unemployment tomorrow by drafting everybody into the army or the peace corpse, but that we'd also starve to death because there would be no food.       

The truth is that the US has steadily gotten wealthier over the past 200 years by producing more stuff with less jobs, not more.  So the goal of public policy should be to allow for the creation of productive, private sector jobs that create more value than what they cost.  Taxing consumption instead of investment and income would be a start.  Reforming entitlements and reducing public sector spending would boost private sector spending.  With youth unemployment near all-time highs, lowering the minimum wage would finally help teens and college kids get their feet in the door.  Stopping the printing presses and ending quantitative easing programs would end inflation, allow interest rates rise to where they ought to be, and encourage true savings and investment in the economy.

Unfortunately we won't hear anything remotely resembling these proposals tonight.  Instead it will just be more federal spending, more temporary quick-fixes and suspensions, exemptions, write-offs provisions, and other tax code tweaks that in no way incentivize long-term planning and growth or inspire confidence for businesses, more tax cuts for people that don't even really pay taxes in the first place so that they will go out and hopefully consume more stuff, etc.  If Obama will not come to his senses, it is incumbent on the GOP to fill the void.  Romney and Perry talk a good game but I'm still not convinced either truly gets it.

The Moment

It is part of the human experience to be forced to endure hardships. Occasionally, a society will encounter one such common event that is powerful enough to change our entire outlook on the world. It is how we choose to remember these events, and the lessons that we learn from them, that ultimately define not only the experience itself, but ourselves as a people. This weekend, most of us will reflect on the events of 9/11/01.

We will undoubtedly be bombarded by television coverage that will touch a nerve deep within all of us. The old saying claims that time heals all wounds, but the vast range of emotions experienced by most Americans in September of 2001 have made it such that a short decade of reflection is not enough.

Many will grieve the thousands of lives lost on that morning. Others will ponder their own mortality. Some will re-hash the anger, pain, and frustration they felt that day, while still others will focus positively on the patriotic fervor that began on 9/12/01.

While individuals will focus on different aspects of the events of that dark day, every single one of us will relive The Moment…that instant that we realized the depth of what was happening…The Moment that we lost our (relative) innocence as a society…The Moment that we lost our naivety …The Moment that drastically altered the course of world events for the foreseeable decades.

So, what is the legacy of 9/11? Is it that loss of innocence which will define it? Perhaps the individual lives lost? Or is it the policy decisions and wars that have followed?

When I think about the legacy of the worst day in American history, I think about the passengers of Flight 93, who were essentially forced into a suicide mission to save lives on the ground. I think of the Ports Authority workers and firemen who ran up the stairs of the World Trade Center into a hopeless inferno in order to help their fellow man. I think about the men who worked tirelessly at Ground Zero for months, many of whom are now suffering through cancer from the exposure to toxic fumes. I think about the firemen, new and old, who still pause for a moment to reflect on photos in makeshift memorials in firehouses throughout New York City, and then jump on their rig and speed off into harm’s way. I think about my countless friends that have enlisted and served in the Armed Forces, knowing full well the inevitable sacrifices and dangers of their service. I think of all of those who have served, and continue to serve, honorably. I think of God, and then thank Him for the heroes of that day, and those that have emerged as heroes since.

I think of the way that we banded together as one people, united in a cause, and I see that as hope for the future of what truly is “The Last, Best Hope of Mankind”: the United States of America. We suffer hardships, we make mistakes, and there are times when we find ourselves in such a state of disunion over political issues that we wonder if the American Dream is fading into the annals of history. But, when circumstances are at their worst, that which makes America so great is at its best: the intrinsic goodness in each of us, regardless of race, sex, or political affiliation. In fact, the very attacks conjured up and perpetrated to weaken the American resolve serve only to strengthen it, and no bombs or terrorists will ever weaken that steel.

This weekend, expect political posturing and retrospective finger-pointing to devour some portion of the dialogue, but remember the true legacy of September 11th, 2001:
When we were presented with The Moment, we made it Our Moment!

Ridiculous Baby Names

I'll have to congratulate Snuffy and TC on giving thier sons normal names.
The local "Southern" trend aims to give children aristocratic last names for first names, to bolster the child's air of importance in this "hey-look-at-my-son-isn't-he-great!" era.

Such ridiculousness includes names as "Jackson or Jaxson, Brayden, Anderson, Cooper, Sutton, Madison, Graydon, Talmadge, Finley, Bay, etc." The list goes on. My favorite excuse for the ridiculous name from new mom is "I thought it was cute!"

But, this "Southern" trend isn't near as bad as in Hollywood. I thought this FoxNews piece was pretty funny.

The Quotable Curley

"When they first came out, I thougt 'Holy Cow'..."

Triple Play X 2

Football!!!

Woooooooooooo!!!!!

Are You In or Out?

I know you want this sticker.
But the only way to get it is to pay your dues.
http://www.benedictinealumni.com/

Look out, Ellen! Look out, Rosie!

America has a new favorite lesbian.

Monday Mugshots

Everyone hates Mondays, but at least you can say your week is off to a better start than theirs.









Happy Monday!

A New Era

A newly-energized BC faithful watch as Britt consoles/congratulates his squad following the 17-14 overtime loss to Blessed Trinity.

After last night, a lot to be optimistic about in both weeks and years ahead. 

BCTV

With all the hoopla surrounding the Longhorn Network, I think it's time for Br. Tim to lead the charge to create a subscription-based BCTV network.

The main content would, of course, be live athletic events. Other content could include:

• Other live events, such as Commissioning, Pep Rallies, Gannam Day, RFI, Ring Day, St. Patrick's Day, Senior Review, Graduation, etc.
• "The World According to Walsh" - a reality show featuring Coach Walsh.
• "Mrs. Youngblood's Storytime" - a children's show that features Mrs. Youngblood reading classic American literature.
• "The Cadre" - a sitcom based on the wacky antics of the JROTC Cadre.
• "Osorio is On" - a late-night talk show hosted by MSG Osorio.
• "BC and Friends" - a morning roundtable discussion of the day's top stories, featuring Coach Cannon, Coach Yeckley, Coach Curley and Chief Carl.
• "BC Blood" - a fictional vampire show portraying the monks as real-life vampires.

Fifteen Years Ago

Hold On!

I'm sending this message to all of the members of The Devil Wears Prado.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi9w_aaF34U&feature=youtube_gdata_player

We've got to beat Pinkie Masters! Hold on for one more day!

Gameday!

Well, actually it's Scrimmage Day. The Cadets will take on Calvary at 7:30 at M.C. Anderson Field, aka the Cracker Box. BC "won" last year's scrimmage 14-13.

Pregame Tailgate party at Leonard's house, which is two blocks away from the stadium.

BC vs. Calvary Scrimmage Haiku
Pregame at Leonard's
Catholics versus Crackers
Postgame at the Knights'

I will leave you with a few images that come to mind when I think of Calvary...

Britain:  a modern-day case study of what happens when you don't have a Second Amendment.

And congrats to TC Madison, by the way, who had a kid yesterday.

Hope and Change!

An Open Letter To Our Government

U.S. Credit Rating Downgraded for First Time.

To: President Obama

Cc: Senate, House of Representatives

Dear Sirs and Madams,

Good job, turds.  After months of wrangling over the debt ceiling, you finally got a deal done to raise it one more time.  Give yourself a pat of on the back for actually getting some sort of work done....

Now you might be saying, "But wait a minute!  They lowered our credit rating anyway!  No fair!".  I realize that as government officials, your concept of fair is juvenile at best but I assure you, this is totally fair.  This same thing happens to consumers all the time: you get some credit cards, max them out, and your credit score goes down.  It's maddening to think that our government can manage its finances no better than a 19 year old sorority girl.

So, think of this credit downgrade as the big talk with Dad.  You're in deep shit.  How are you going to fix this?  What can you even do at this point?

Enjoy your weekend, asswipes.  I wouldn't want to be strolling into your jobs on Monday.

Best regards,

Joe

"Take your pinko commie hands off my nuts!"

The battle rages on in the Great State of South Carolina, over whether freedom loving citizens can proudly dangle oversized truck nuts in front of innocent bystanders.

"Freeeedddooommm!"

Drive ol' High School off the sod...

Turn Back the Clock

It must be BC Weekend at the SMN, as they have published back-to-back articles that showcase what makes BC special. They still can't get the name of the school correct, but we are making progress.

Caption Contest

David Greene was the guest speaker at the inaugural Vic Mell/Jim Walsh Sports Banquet last night.

In the comments section, provide a caption for the picture above. The winner, as judged by me, will receive a BC t-shirt.

Cadets March North

This and That

- The Debt Ceiling: the GOP is on a roll and should keep up the fight. Insiders claim they are conceding the political center to Obama, virtually guaranteeing him re-election. This may be true, but the long-term trend remains on our side, and sticking to our guns only helps accelerate the process. From Forbes.com:

Obama is not the new FDR, but the new Gorbachev. Beneath the tattered, fading banner of reactionary liberalism, Obama struggles to sustain a doomed system. Democrats’ dependency agenda — swelling the ranks of government employees, multiplying government-subsidized industries, enveloping ever-more individuals in the entitlement culture — is buckling under an intractable contradiction: It is incompatible with economic growth sufficient to create enough wealth to feed the multiplying tax eaters.

- You will likewise continue to hear talks this week about how our politicians are acting childish (and this charge will almost always be directed towards Republicans, never the other guys) and how Washington is now fundamentally "broken." Again, if "childish" or "broken" means "having a serious discussion for the first time in 16 years about the role of the federal government and how much money it spends", then broken government is clearly the way to go. My only regret is that we didn't have broken government during Bush's 8 years and Obama's first two. If that were the case we'd probably be running huge surpluses right now.

- Prices everywhere are going up. Gas, Chipotle, McDonald's, Miller Lite's at Churchills (now $5), Hilliard's, rent. Even Netflix. "Mainstream", "respected", and "reasonable" economists (i.e., those in bed with the administration) will blame the inflation on things like "rising demand" or "higher fuel costs", but those of us who aren't on CNN's or the DNC's payroll understand the true cause of rising prices: an increase in the money supply.

When unemployment's at 9% and prices are increasing, you have the same problem Jimmy Carter couldn't solve or explain away. Keynsian pump-priming, stimulus quick-fixes, and endless deficit spending don't lead to prosperity, but only to more dollars chasing the same amount of goods. Believe it or not, printing more pieces of paper with dead presidents on them doesn't create additional resources for the economy, nor expand its productive capacity.

Anyway, that's it. I don't really have a good way to conclude this post, so I'm ending it here. Oh yea, and we need Rick Perry to run for president.

There's a new Bishop in town, and his name is Hartmayer.

New Bishop named to lead Savannah diocese.

Two good things about Bishop-Elect Hartmayer:
1. He spent over a decade in Catholic high school administration. Savnnah's Catholic school system, or lack thereof, needs a boost.
2. He claims 3/4 Irish ancestry.

His work in parishes with large immigrant populations is also an asset that should benefit our Diocese.

8 MORE MONTHS!

Moocher Stampede!!

This was the scene yesterday in Dallas for people signing up for government "assistance"

The definition of insanity (each word represents a different link).

Maybe it's time to try something different.

What I Learned During the Weekend of July 4th, 2011

-There are women who get paid to go around and get lots of pap smears by students.

-According to the Final Destination-ish picture, I am next to die from the B3 Homeroom.

-There are no more Saturday detentions.

-Will and TC are egomaniacal baby namers.

-Picky Patrick Holland has a lady caller in Atlanta.

Blasts From the Past

Courtesy of Brooks.

Commissioning.  Sept 23, 2000.

BC down 7-6 against Camden County with 2 minutes left.  Sept. 29, 2000.

Mark the Calendars Now

September 16th, 2011: BC plays Savannah High in Grayson Stadium for the first time in 52 years.

Not sure what's prompted the city to do this but we should all be very thankful for the decision. Grayson's capacity isn't near what it used to be; that plus all of the hype and nostalgia could make this a sellout crowd.

Georgia doesn't play anybody important the next day so there is no reason for a BC alum to miss this game (other than not being able to find a ticket).

Good things are happening.