Irish Time Line

Before we get too drunk to stand, I thought it proper to review Irish history with a little time line... and set the record for the longest post. Hopefully the length of it will really piss Pat off.

c100 BC Arrival of the Gaels
200 AD Beginnings of High Kingship at Tara, Co Meath
c 300 AD Ireland inhabited by tribes known as Scoti
377-405 Naill of the Nine Hostages, High King
428-463 AD King McNeill reigned
431 AD Pope Celestine 1 sent Palladius to the Irish, as their first Bishop. Palladius died soon after.
432 AD Arrival of St. Patrick to help convert pagan Gaelic Kings to Christianity.
550 AD onwards Irish monks re-Christianize Europe
Time of Written History...
461 St. Patrick dies, after having achieved his dream of introducing both Roman Civilisation, and the Christian Church to Ireland.
521 Columba or Colum Cille born at Gartan in Tyreconnell. He became a priest and became first Abbot of a church at Derry.
561 Battle of Culdremna.
563 Columcille sails to Iona, where he Christianised Scotland and much of England.
597 Columcille dies. his name and reputation was the greatest in the Irish Church. He had a great reputation as a missionary.
800 Ireland attacked by Viking Norsemen, on Lambay Island, off Dublin.
908 The Eoganachta were defeated, when they tried to subject Leinster to Cashel's rule.Their king, Cormac MacCullenan, was killed.
914 Vikings established settlements at Waterford.
915 Vikings established settlements at Dublin.
920 Vikings established settlements at Limerick.
940 Brian Boru was born. Son of a leader of one of the royal free tribes of Munster.
976 Brian succeeded his brother Mahon, as King of Munster until 1014.
999 Brian Boru defeated Vikings.
1002 Brian Boru wins recognition as king of all Ireland
1014 High King Brian Boru, killed at Battle of Clontarf.
1066 Normans defeat Saxons in England
1156 Turloch More O'Connor, a king of Connacht, who had become High King in 1119, and who was the greatest of Brian Boru's successors - died.
1167-69 Arrival of Normans at Baginbun, Co. Wexford, thus started 800 year struggle between English and Irish.
1170 Arrival of Richard de Clare, known as Strongbow.
1171 Strongbow becomes king of Leinster. Arrival of Henry II, end of the Milesian kings;thus began the political involvement of England in Ireland's affairs.
1166-1175 Reign of Rory O'Connor, Last native High King of Ireland
1235 Richard de Burgo conquered Connacht.
1258 Gallowglasses (mercenary soldiers) come to Ulster from Scotland
1264 Walter de Burgo was made Earl of Ulster.
1272 The English had now conquered Ulster, east of Lough Neagh, in Meath, as well as most of Connacht and of Munster.
1315 After Battle of Bannockburn, Edward Bruce of Scotland invaded Ireland but failed in his attempt to overthrow Norman Rule.
1318 Edward Bruce killed by the English, near Dundalk, after having failed to become the Ard Ri (High King in Irish), so long sought after by the Irish.
1361 An edict bans pure-blooded from becoming mayors, baillifs, officers of the king or clerygmen, serving the English.
1366 Statutes of Kilkenny forbade Irish/English marriages and preventing English to use Irish language, custom or laws.
1394 October. King Richard II, landed at Waterford, and marched up to Dublin.
1496 Line of "the Pale" at Clongowes. This was a small enclave around Dublin,which became the area of English rule.
1507 Accession of Henry VIII.
1515 Anarchy in Ireland.
1529-36 Henry VIII made his great breach with Rome, and set himself up as head of the Church in England.
1534 Kildare rebellion.
1541 Henry VIII declares himself king of Ireland.
1545-63 The Council of Trent gives Catholics a greater sense of purpose.
1547 Henry VIII dies, succeeded by the boy king Edward VI. England and Ireland were ruled by the senior nobility of England.
1553 Mary ascends the Throne. (One of the last Catholic Monarchs of England. She was later beheaded. The drink Bloody Mary is named after her. She is also known as Mary Queen of Scots)
1558 Accession of Elizabeth I.
1562 Elizabethan Wars in Ireland.
1588 Spanish Armada sent by Philip of Spain, to conquer England.
1594 August. Hugh O'Neill defeated a small English force at the Ford of Biscuits near Enniskillen.
1595 Rebellion of Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone.
1598 O'Neill's great victory at Yellow Ford in Ulster
1601 Defeat of O'Neill, O'Donnell and Spaniards by Mountjoy at Battle of Kinsale.
1603 Accession of James 1. Surrender of Hugh O'Neill. Enforecement of English Law in Ireland.
1606 Settlement of Scots in Ards Peninsula. Land in six counties of Ulster consficated by English.
1607 Flight of O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone,and O'Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnell. "The flight of the Earls" to Spain.
1608 Plantation of Derry and others confiscated counties planned.
1632-38 Compilation of the Annals of the Four Masters
1641 Great Catholic-Gaelic rebellion for return of lands, later joined by Old English Catholics in Ireland. Under leadership of Irish chieftain, Rory O'More, conspiracy was formed to seize Dublin and expel the English. English settlers were driven out of Ulster. Catholics hold 59% of land in Ireland.
1642 Confederation of Kilkenny met.
1647 Alliance between lords of Pale and native Irishmen came to an end
1649 English soldier & statesman, Oliver Cromwell, landed at Dublin. His troops killed 2,000 men. Agreat part of lands in Munster, Leinster and Ulster(Drogheda and Wexford) was confiscated and divided among the English soldiers
1650 Catholic landowners exiled to Connaught.
1656 Over 60,000 Irish Catholics had been sent slaves to Barbados, and other islands in the Caribbean.
1658 The population of Ireland,estimated at 1,500,000, before Cromwell, was reduced by two-thirds, to 500,000, at Cromwell's death in 1658.
1660 Accession of Charles II.
1661-68 The Duke of Ormond ruled Ireland as Viceroy.
1672 Over 6,000 Irish boys and women sold as slaves since England gained control of Jamaica.
1685 Accession of James II. (Last Catholic Monarch of England)
1688 English Revolution. James II deposed in England. Gates of Derry shut in face of James' troops. Catholics now hold 22% of land in Ireland.
1689 Siege and relief of Derry. James II's Parliment restored all lands confiscated since 1641
1690 William of Orange (William III) lands at Carrickfergus and defeats James II at Battle of the Boyne. 11,000 "WILD GEESE" soldiers sail for France.
1691 Catholic defeat at Aughrim and surrender at Limerick.
1692-1829 Exclusion of Catholics from Parliament and all professions.
1695 Anti-Catholic Penal Laws Introduced. Catholics hold 14% of land in Ireland.
1698 William Molyneaux pamphlet against England making laws for Ireland.
1714 Catholics hold 7% of land in Ireland.
1740 The Forgotten Famine
1775 Henry Gratten, becomes leader of "Patriot Party".
1775 Daniel O'Connell born at Derrynane,Co.Kerry. (I've saw where he was born.) Received early schooling from Parish Priest, then sent to France to receive further instruction at St. Omer and Douai.
1782 Legislative Independence won from Britain by Irish Parliament.
1791 Events leading up to the Revolution of 1798
1798 March: arrest of Leinster Directory of United Irishmen. May: arrest and death of Lord Edward Fitzgerald. Battle of Vinegar Hill. Battle of Antrim November: death of Wolfe Tone.
More about 1798 Rebellion
1798 Daniel O'Connell takes law degree at Trinity College, and is admitted to the Bar.
1800 Act of Union passed (effective 1 January 1801)
1803 Robert Emmett's rising, trial and execution.
1823 Daniel O'Connell's Catholic Association founded.
1828 O'Connell elected for Clare.
1829 Catholic emancipation passed. Tithe War began.
1837 Accession of Queen Victoria.
1839 January 6.. the Night of the BIG WIND
1840 O'Connell's Repeal Association founded.
1842 "The Nation" newspaper founded by Thomas Davis.
1843 O'Connell's "Monster Meetings" for Repeal of the Union.
1845 Blight in the Potato Harvest.
1845-49 Beginning of Famine. Charles Tteveleyan, permanent Head of Treasury. Sir Robert Peel, Prime Minister, imports Indian Corn. Many Irish from Southern Ireland begin to immigrate to Savannah, GA.
1846 April. Treveylan opens depots for sale of Indian corn, but closes them later in summer. Repeal of Corn Laws.
1846 July. Lord John Russell replaces Peel as Prime Minister.August: Total failure of potato harvest. October: First deaths from starvation.
1847 Fever spreading. Treveleyan winds up Soup Kitchen Act, and retires to write history of famine.
1848-49 Worst years of famine. By 1848 through emigration and deaths by famine, Ireland's population decreased by more than 2 million people (8.5 to 6.5).
1848 Smith O'Brien (Young Ireland Leader) arrested. James Stephens flees to France.
1856 Stephens returns from France.
1858 Stephens founds Irish Republican Brotherhood. Fenian Brotherhood founded in America.
1861Beginning of American Civil War.
1863 "Irish People" newspaper founded.
1865 End of American Civil War. Arrest of editorial board of "Irish People". James Stephens arrested, and escapes from Richmond Jail.
1867 February: Abortive raid on Chester Castle.March: Fenian rising in Ireland. December: Clerkenwell explosion.
1869 Gladstone, Prime Minister, dis-establishes Protestant Church in Ireland.
1870 Gladstone's first Land Act.
1875 Charles Stewart Parnell elected MP for Co Meath.
1879 Threat of famine. Evictions. Irish National League founded.
1879-82 Land War
1881 Gladstone's 2nd Land Act. Parnell imprisoned.
1882 Kilmainham "Treaty". Parnell's release. Phoenix Park murder.
1886 First home Rule Bill.
1891 Parnell loses three by-elections in Ireland. Parnell dies in October.
1893 Second Home Rule Bill. Gaelic League founded.
1903 Land Purchase Act (Wyndham Act).
1906 Liberals win General Election.
1909 Land Purchase Act.
1912 Third Home Rule Bill.
1914 Outbreak of First World War. IRB decides on Rising.
1916 Easter Rising in Dublin. May 3-12 executions.
1917 De Valera wins East Clare.
1918 November: end of First World War.
1919-21 Irish War of Independence against Britain.
1920 Burning of Cork by Auxiliaries.
1921 December. Anglo Irish Treaty.
1922 Civil War starts between Free State army and IRA.
1923 End of Civil war.
1926 De Valera founds Fianna Fail.
1927 General Elections in Ireland. De Valera and Fianna Fail enter Dail.
1932 General Election. Fianna Fail victory.
1937 Constitution of "Eire", claims 32 counties.
1939 Second World War.
1945 End of Second World War.
1948 General Election. Fianna Fail defeated.
1949 Repeal of External Relations Act. Ireland leaves Commonwealth. Republic of Ireland declared (26 counties)
1951-62 IRA campaign in North.
1955 Ireland joins the United Nations.
1965 O'Neill-Lemass Talks.
1967 Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association founded.
1968 August: First Civil Rights March. October: Derry Civil Rights March, banned by William Craig, Minister of home Affairs, held but broken up by brutality by police.
1969 January: People's Democracy Belfast to Derry Civil Rights March. January 4: Marchers attacked at Burntollet Bridge. April: O'Neill resigns. Chichester Clark Prime Minister. August 14: British troops sent to Derry. October: Protestant riot in Belfast.
1970 Dublin Arms Trial.
1971 First British soldier killed by IRA in Belfast. Chichester Clark resigns, Faulkner Prime Minister. Unionist government of NI introduces internment without trial for suspected Republicans.
1972Ireland joins the European Economic Community
1972 January 30: Bloody Sunday in Derry. British paratroopers shoot 13 civilians during civil-rights march. (I got to walk up and down the Bogside, where the murders took place. I stood where the British Troops fired from. An old IRA member gave me a British rubber bullet as a souvenir.) March: Stormont suspended.
1973 Sunningdale Agreement.
1974 Ulster Workers Strike brings down Faulkner and Assembly. Direct Rule re-imposed. Loyalits bomb Dublin and Monaghan, killing 30
1981-82 Ten Republicans die on hunger strike in Maze Prison, NI Dying hunger-striker Bobby Sands elected to British Parliament
1993 Downing Street Declaration; British Government accepts the right of the people of Irelalnd to self-determinination.
1994 IRA declares cease-fire
1996 Cease-fire breaks down after Britain's Conservative government refuses to allow Sinn Fein to join all-party talks on NI.
1997 IRA cease-fire resumes; talks begin in Belfast between governmentof Irish Republic, Britain's Labor government, and representatives of all NI's political parties.
1998 Initial peace-plan accepted by all parties.

The Doughnut Burger

Hardee's is no longer the champion of monstrous and ridiculous hamburgers.

Behold, The Doughnut Burger:

These babies will make their debut this year at some minor league baseball team's stadium. From espn.com: "The ballpark sandwich will include a hamburger topped with sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon -- all between a "bun" made of a sliced Krispy Kreme Original Glazed doughnut. If you can find a (loop)hole in your cardiologist's advice, calorie counters predict the monster will set you back about 1,000 calories and 45 grams of fat. "

Great Day For a Parade

I've checked the extended forecasts on both weather.com and accuweather.com and it looks like the high for Friday will be in the upper 60's. Sunshine will be abundant and a slight breeze will ruffle the flags. Both sites also predict a possibility of rain earlier this week which should cause the azaelas to explode with color. This may be the best St. Patrick's Day yet! Keep praying for nice weather and remember not to eat any meat today.

You Might Be a Cracker On St. Patrick's Day (Vol. 2)

If you drink too much the night before and throw up all morning...you might be a cracker on St. Patrick's Day.

If you have sex in a bathroom stall at State Line Cabaret...you might be a cracker on St. Patrick's Day.

If you have sex at the bottom of the stairwell at the Marriott Courtyard...you might be a cracker on St. Patrick's Day.

If you pay for a room at the Marriott Courtyard and don't stay there...you might be a cracker on St. Patrick's Day.

If you make girls cry...you might be a cracker on St. Patrick's Day.

St. Patrick's Day Itinerary

What are yall doing?

Thanks, Guys

The text messages really made my night. I was disappointed, however, that I did not see TP at Kevin Barry's. Lately I've been building up my liquor tolerance for St. Patrick's Day and I think I'm good to go. I had six Jameson & gingers last night and wasn't hung over at all this morning. That's all I have for now. Thanks, again. Ya'll are dismissed.

It's COKE

Many of you know that one thing I'm obsessed with is finding out, in a geographic sense, just how many people in this country are still normal (the ones who share our blog's values), versus the radical, bet-wetting communists. The 2004 electoral map helped us out a bit, but this map I recently came across ends the debate once and for all.

Back to Normal

To contribute something for St. Patrick's Day 2006, I found this from www.accuweather.com:

Friday, March 17:


Sunshine. Winds from the NNW at 10 mph.

High: 68° F

RealFeel: 67° F

What's the Deal?

Why do we have the South Carolina state flag on our blog? How 'bout a kelly green Erin Go Bragh flag instead.















TWO MORE WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dublin in Flames!

If you haven't been keeping up with Irish news (I can not imagine why you wouldn't be), Dublin was in chaos this past weekend.

The violence started when Unionists/Protestants decided to have a "Love Ulster Day" parade right down O'Connell Street (The main drag of Dublin.) As many of you know, O'Connell street was the battle ground for Ireland's dozen or so wars of independence from Great Britain.

Sinn Fein was having their usual protests with banners and such. No big deal, I've seen these protests every time I've walked down O'Connell. They're a small group of communists wannabes. They're the ones wearing Che shirts.

As the parade began, homemade gas can bombs and paving bricks went hurling at the Orange men. Mayhem ensued. Police were badly hurt (no wonder since these potato heads have outlawed guns!) The pubs began to poor out onto the street. Windows were smashed, cars burned, looting was everywhere, and people were being carried off. The Irish still won't say who started it. The papers speculate drunk "hooligans" looking for adventure jumped into the riot just for the hell of it. Who knows, I wish I were there though.

Anyways, Michael Collins was resurrected from the dead to lead the boys to victory!

Tony's Our Man

Hail Tony Ryan!
You'll be the best and grandest marshall of all.
Hail Tony Ryan!
On March the Seventeen you'll be walkin' tall.

Wearing his sash,
And heading up the big parade.
Hail Tony Ryan!
The grandest marshall ever made.

Tony's our man.
He'll ably represent the whole Irish clan.


We salute Tony, our man!



If you ever had Mrs. Bernadette Winters as a music teacher, then you know this song. I have forgotten a few lines, but you get the point. Ryan's election is no surprise, considering he ran unopposed. He is the fourth in his family (behind his uncle, father, and brother) to be elected Grand Marshall.

BREAKING NEWS!!

According to the Worldwide Sports Leader, the Naval Academy has accused BC's own Lamar Owens of rape.

Nonsense...

I just read this on Savannahnow.com:
"Bars will close at 1 a.m. March 18, or the morning following the parade, but open to 3 a.m. on every other day."

Has it always been this way? I guess it won't matter, I plan on being too drunk to function at that point.

Sherman Had the Right Idea

The inspiration for this post came from a Facebook group at UGA named All Those in Favor of Burning Atlanta a Second Time. I usually do not hold yankees in high esteem, mainly because most of the yankees I associate with are tourists.

General William T. Sherman, on the other hand, is one yankee that I can raise my glass to. He had the foresight to burn Atlanta and preserve the city of Savannah, offering it to President Lincoln as a Christmas gift. I propose that we, at BMBS, adopt General Sherman as our Spiritual Founder. This blog was founded on the same principle on which Sherman based his march to the sea; keep Savannah and screw everone else. Also, Sherman's birthday is February 9, only two days removed from the anniversary of BMBS.

Community Service Project

Part of being an Irish Hurricane and/or BMBS blogger is a strong commitment to the community and, more broadly, society. So tonight I invite y'all to participate with me in the granddaddy of all projects. Many of you may be familiar with Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia that really comes in handy the night before the due date for that 30-page paper you've had all semester to write and haven't bothered to read a single book yet. Anyway, Wikipedia is a self-editing resource, meaning it allows pretty much anyone to write on/edit any topic, but is constantly reviewed by the site's administrators, others who have edited the same article, and by the online community at large.

Anyway, I happened to search for Benedictine Military School the other day, and I was surprised to discover that someone has already done a little work for us. We're one of the few high schools in Georgia that has our own article, and that's damn impressive. But it's only a start. We need much more. The Fight Song, pictures, traditions, general history. To get an idea of what I mean, look at this article on the History of the United States, or this one on Ancient Rome. This is how long and extensive I want BC's article to be. It should cover everything from Bull Street to the Matt Baumann/John Hyche fight to the four square tournament to the time Kevin Leonard broke our lunch table freshman year, all the way up to the Herndon era. Regardless of how tempting it becomes to make up stuff, I would encourage us all to keep it half way respectable, because the people who run the site have a way of keeping tabs on who has written what through their IP address (whatever that is), and preventing people who go on there just to simply make up fake stuff. That having been said, this still shouldn't stop us from having whole entire sections dedicated to Hank or Harry Deal.

This will obviously be a work in progress, but every little bit helps. I know everyone will do their part, and I know "everyone" will basically end up meaning just me and Will. Either way, let's get to it.

One Month Left...

Again, self-explanatory.

More Bush Bashing

Except this time it's coming from the Right, and I'm all for it. Make no mistake, when it comes to domestic policy, Bush has been an absolute failure to the conservative movement and the Reagan vision. I hope this Mike Pence guy runs in '08. In many respects, I want a new president just as bad as the libs do.

Bryant Gumbel is a douche....

I'm not the biggest fan of the winter olympics, but this is rediculous. Somebody is bitter: "Finally, tonight, the Winter Games. Count me among those who don’t care about them and won’t watch them ... Because they’re so trying ... Like, try not to be incredulous when someone attempts to link these games to those of the ancient Greeks who never heard of skating or skiing. So try not to laugh when someone says these are the world’s greatest athletes, despite a paucity of blacks that makes the Winter Games look like a GOP convention. Try not to point out that something’s not really a sport if a pseudo-athlete waits in what’s called a kiss-and-cry area, while some panel of subjective judges decides who won ... So if only to hasten the arrival of the day they’re done, when we can move on to March Madness — for God’s sake, let the games begin."

You'd think these remarks would have received more attention than they have. (Well, maybe not.) It's just hard to imagine a Bill O'Reilly or Sean Hannity getting a pass on something like this. It reminds me of when Rush Limbaugh got fired for saying that stuff about Donovan McNabb a couple of years ago.

Thanks for the Memories

Many are happy to see Brackett go, but I wanted to take this opportunity to say thanks coach, for giving us October of 1997. In conjunction with the previous season, this was the high water mark of BC football post-1983. After coming off huge wins against Bradwell and Glynn, the Cadets looked unstoppable. Like the Spice Girls and beanie babies, this short-lived era of regularly being ranked in the AJC was over before we knew it. Still, it made for one hell of a freshman year. So without further adeiu, here are the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Class AAAA rankings from October 26, 1997:

1. Brookwood (8-0-0)
2. Lowndes (8-0-0)
3. Benedictine (7-0-0)
4. McEachern (7-1-0)
5. Clarke Central (6-2-0)
6. Parkview (5-2-0)
7. Valdosta (6-2-0)
8. North Cobb (7-0-0)
9. Bradwell Institute (6-1-0)
10. LaGrange (6-1-0)
11. Mays (6-1-0)
12. Shaw (7-1-0)
13. Fayette County (6-2-0)
14. Northside (Warner Robins) (5-2-0)
15. Wheeler (6-1-0)

And the weekly rankings below chronicle the Cadets' dramatic rise and fall that season:

#15 (0-0-0) 8/24/1997 Preseason
#15 (0-0-0) 9/1/1997 Week 1
#14 (1-0-0) 9/8/1997 Week 2
#13 (2-0-0) 9/15/1997 Week 3
#12 (3-0-0) 9/22/1997 Week 4
#10 (4-0-0) 9/29/1997 Week 5
#7 (5-0-0) 10/6/1997 Week 6
#7 (5-0-0) 10/13/1997 Week 7
#3 (6-0-0) 10/20/1997 Week 8
#3 (7-0-0) 10/27/1997 Week 9
#10 (7-1-0) 11/3/1997 Week 10

Courtesy of www.ghsfha.org

Greek Socialism Returns

According to the Red and Black, a handful of students met last night at the request of President Adams to discuss the "party culture" at the school and what to do about it. (First of all, I've been up here for 4 and a half years. I wasn't aware there was a problem, so I'm not sure why anything has to be done about anything, but apparently that decision has already been made for me.) Anyway, the forum consisted of about 30 students, mostly student group representatives and leaders (AKA, losers), where apparently a wide range of topics and "solutions" were discussed concerning this "problem", ranging from providing better communication between alcohol awareness groups and fraternities and sororities, to providing more funds for awareness education across the board. I could spend countless paragraphs on just how fruitless these efforts would be, but there was one quote by the president of the Panhellenic Council that really set me off:

This is beyond education. We need to fund alternatives to going downtown.

When I read this sentence it was like hearing fingernails screeching down a chalkboard.

Why more public funding? Everything has costs, and there's no free lunch, so why take more of people's tuition and put it towards something that obviously isn't in demand? The alternatives are already there. Bowling alleys, movie theaters, putt-putt, concerts, all provided thanks to the free market. What other alternatives do you want?

The reason why downtown Athens has so many bars is because people demand them. College kids are willing and able to go to them and drink because that's what college kids do. I, for example, regularly "fund" Bourbon Street and Allgood, whereas Walker Persons the Third may decide to fund Beauregard's or Gus's, and we're both happy at the end of the night. In addition, Blake the Baptist, who doesn't drink, may decide to fund Coldstone Creamery instead. We all get what we want.

But now Miss Panhellenic wants to take me, Walker, and Blake's money and put it toward something that none of us need or want, all in the name of her ardent crusade of fighting alcohol abuse, which will fail miserably anyway because it's completely out of touch with reality. Kids are going to drink. There will always be irresponsible toolbags who will take it too far. That's not my problem, nor is it my fault. Please stop trying to throw more of our dollars at problems that don't exist. The money will be much more efficiently spent when it's in our own hands anyway. Finally, stop knee-jerkingly turning to government, the most inefficient thing ever created, to plan, create, build, and fulfill your utopian dream where everyone drinks Sprite and plays free pinball at the Tate Center on Friday nights.

Welcome home, Bob.

Now go win us some games!

You Heard it Here First

Herndon will be the next head coach. Looks like I'll be paying for my own prize.

Free Advice

The Red and Black reports that $2 million will be donated for an "Alcohol Education Center," to be built next year, in response to the rise in drinking-related deaths on campus. UGA is also considering implementing alcohol education and awareness classes for undergraduates.

Well I've been doing some research, and I've decided to go ahead and save the community this $2 million dollars by educating everyone right here, right now. This might take a while to read through, but I really want everyone to be thoroughly educated. Ok, here goes:

Don't drink too much, it's not good for you. Use common sense and take responsibility for your actions.

Actually, that's it. There's nothing else. Cutting-edge research has statistically shown that one of the best ways to avoid drinking too much is by...not drinking too much. Anyway, next week I'll cover how to avoid using illegal drugs. I'm researching this stuff right now as we speak. Should be interesting. Class dismissed.

Waste of a Human Being

Sorry, I'm gonna pull a Dixie Chicks here and let everyone know that I'm ashamed that our 39th president is from Georgia.

The other day, I was watching clips of the Coretta Scott King funeral, and minutes after Bush spoke, good old Jimmy gets up there and takes a political cheapshot, at a funeral of all places, saying he felt sorry for Mrs. King and her husband because they were subject to government wiretapping in the early 1960s. He then criticized the administration's response to Katrina. The AJC, along with countless other news outlets praised Carter for his "brave" remarks. Keep in the mind this is all at someone's funeral.

For the past 3 days I've sat back and waited for someone to actually disagree with this viewpoint. Finally, I watched O'Reilly tonight. I usually agree with about 75% of everything he says, but he hit this one on the head. He asked a simple question: what if Bush said, during his speech, that it was a shame government wiretapping was used on people like Mr. and Mrs. King by the Democratic Kennedy Administration, but that today we should be thankful to have organizations like the NSA, which only gives the government the legal authority under the constitution to wiretap those who are a direct threat to our security, like suspected terrorists? Can you imagine how the Atlanta Journal would have responded then? They'd have called it political exploitation of worst degree. But no, not when Jimmy talks. He builds houses for poor people so they won't feel the need to work for them. He teaches Sunday school. He sits next to Michael Moore at political conventions. He meets with Fidel Castro, a mass-murderer, and talks about how he envies Cuba's healthcare system. He's our Jimmy, he's fighting the good fight.

Add that to the fact that he sat back and let the Soviet Union invade Afghanistan. Or gave in to the Iranians when they took American hostages. Or signed a million arms limitations agreements that meant absolutely nothing because the Russians never followed them. The press always talks about how Jimmy may not be remembered as the best president, but they praise him for his greatest, centerpiece achievement: the initiation of the Middle East Peace Process at Camp David. Yeah, that really worked out well.

In 1979, everybody was convinced that it was just a matter of time before the Soviets took over the world. You had to wait 3 hours in line to get gas because of price controls, and the federal reserve was printing more and more money, keeping inflation as high as 15%, all in attempt to achieve "full employment," whatever that means. All Jimmy would tell the people is to wear cardigans, turn down their thermostats, and start conserving, because America's best days were behind her. I don't think this country could have taken another day of this man in the White House. Thank God communism's worst nightmare succeeded him.

Finally, to be fair, I will say that Clinton's speech was good. No cheapshots and no political swipes, even though he had plenty of opportunity because he was in front of his favorite audience: black people. But no, just a solemn speech about Mrs. King and her contributions. As much as I hate Clinton, I'd still vote for him any day of the week and twice on Sunday over sorry-ass, out-of-touch Jimmy Carter.

Plan B

A confirmed source at GAVSV has reported that BC offered the job to Paul Standard of St. Pius on Monday, who subsequently turned it down. According to the source, the committee had no contingency plan and is now up Shit's Creek without a paddle.

The only two viable candidates left are Bob Herndon and John Pate, former GSU assistant. Herndon is an alum and will probably be called on next, but one must wonder if he will accept the job after being overlooked in the first round. My personal choice would be Pate. He is an excellent motivator; it has been said that players would run through a brick wall for him. He has turned down head coaching offers in the college ranks to stay at GSU. And he obviously has a lot of respect for BC's program since, out of all the vacancies in the area, this was the only job in which he expressed interest. I hope that we get one of these two guys.

Hang it up, Mic

That freight train of a rock band know as the Rolling Stones are amongst controversy once again. Supposedly, during their performance at the Super Bowl on Sunday, Mic Jagger's microphone volume was lowered when he came to lyrics involving sex. This has "outraged" the Rolling Stones and their overrated shriveled up frontman. I mean come on Mic, this isn't the Ed Sullivan show in the late sixties when it was cool for you and Jim Morrison to be badasses by disobeying the censors and saying what you wanted. You were informed of this way in advance and now are attempting to get any type of publicity for your career that wore out its welcome about 25 years ago. How about you worry less about the censors and worry more about putting on a good half time show. I mean seriously, I was offended by that sorry excuse for a performance. Towards the end, I was praying for a Salt-N-Peppa medley. The Rolling Stones are a band that needs to put themselves out of their misery. They have enough money, and they have not made a decent album in years. Just don't put me through that shit again.

Happy Birthday, BMBS

It's been a good year. We've ignited an intellectual firestorm of ideas in the blogosphere. Many are now beginning to question the validity of socialism, Hollister, energy drinks, and "Date My Mom." The Truman Parkway, for all intents and purposes, is finished. Two new conservative justices have joined the Supreme Court. State Line Cabaret's prices are lower today than they were a year ago. BC is about to hire its new head coach. The Bojangles on DeRenne Avenue is pretty much done. Unemployment is down to 4.7%. For six consecutive months, Chris Connolly has managed to not get kicked out of a bar.

But we still have work to do. Carey Hilliard's continues to raise its prices. More and more parents are sending their kids to Savannah Christian. There are no longer any oldies stations in Savannah. There remains a culture of corruption in our government and at our public universities. Kids are still using hair gel, even in the South. Cargo shorts are ubiquitous. I saw a kid yesterday in front of the library with a mesh "Vote for Pedro" hat turned to the side, talking in his usual fast-paced, high-pitched cadence to a hot girl. This has to come to an end. I have no idea who Pedro is, and neither does he. Yet another one of those tongue-in-cheek jokes that nobody even gets.

One of the most popular songs of the past year was "Golddigger" by Kanye West. Listen to the song and you'll soon realize that just about anybody in America, at least any black man, can do what Kanye does: talk. Actually, mumble is probably the better word. Somehow, he gets paid millions of dollars for doing it. Kanye makes it look so easy, because it is so easy. Yesterday while listening to the radio I heard Ray Charles' classic "Georgia on my Mind" start playing. Well hot damn, I thought, they're actually going to play an entertaining song by somebody who can sing good and play piano, someone with actual talent. Wrong. Within 5 seconds of Charles' melodic intro, rapper Ludacris breaks in and starts talking really fast about stuff I don't even understand, and have no desire to understand. I can hear all of you now: "oh come on Patrick, you're such an old man. Ludacris is talented. It's the 90's, wake up." How is Ludacris talented though? Does he sing, does he dance, does he play anything? I just don't understand how having a mouth makes someone talented. Yet millions of college/high school kids love this stuff, love to buy/download this music, and they have every God-given right to. But I have a God-given right to make fun of these people, too.

Anyway, we've only just begun. We've layed the foundation for what I hope will result in a political and social revolution among the disillusioned masses, i.e. people not from Savannah. We must never lose our optimism. May God bless us, and may God continue to bless Beach Music and Boat Shoes.

From Boortz

I hope everyone here watches FNC instead of CNN

A STUDY IN MEDIA HYPOCRISY
Would you think that any major American media outlet would be more willing to offend the world's Catholics than those practitioners of the wonderful, peaceful religion of Islam? Naw ... not in this country, right? Well, you're wrong. Let's take CNN as an example. For the first part of this lesson in hypocrisy I'll direct you to a story that appeared on CNN.com on September 28, 1999. The headline reads "Exhibit controversy makes coffee-table book a hot item." This is a story about an eight-pound coffee table book that was flying off the shelves of New York City bookstores. Why? Because of a controversy over one picture in the book .. a picture of a work of "art" in the book titled "The Holy Virgin Mary." The piece was done with elephant dung. Catholics were less than amused. So, what did CNN do? It published the story complete with a picture of the offending piece. Here's your link to check it out. Now .. we move to February 6, 2006 and another CNN.com story titled "Danes feel threatened in cartoon row." This story, of course, is about all of those peaceful Muslims rioting and threatening death and mayhem because someone drew a cartoon of their pedophile-prophet Mohammed. Here's your link for the story about these peaceful Muslims. Now ... scroll down to the bottom of the story. You'll see the notation "CNN has chosen not to show the cartoons out of respect for Islam." Well, isn't that special. Go ahead and show a painting of the Virgin Mary created out of elephant poo, but withhold the pictures of these cartoons that are causing carnage around the world. We don't want to insult Muslims, do we? Catholics? Well, apparently they're on their own.

Ohhh Billary...

Doesn't she know to keep your friends close, and your enemies closer?

Courtesy of Dennis B. Leonard

A Leonard Saved is a Leonard Earned

23 years ago today, the world's best and brightest future accountant was born in Savannah, Georgia. One of the original loyal contributors here, Stephen is a Catholic with a Protestant work ethic. He has always taken a no holds barred approach, fighting the good fight against frat guys, bible-beaters, laziness, bouncers at bars (after they discover the hidden flask), fat girls, extravagance, the Second Vatican Council, prodigality, restaurant tabs, sleep, overzealous cops, and people that don't believe the water in Augusta is cherry-flavored. You really have to have a lot of respect for a guy that, within the next 5 years, is going to be either killing Muslims or doing their taxes. Here's to 23 more years of running, pimento cheese, theft, Catholicism, Church's Chicken, frugality, industry, and intolerance.

'Preciate It, Tommy

These are Coach Cannon's words to me after I officiated BC's JV game against South Effingham last night:

Come back by the school sometime. Maybe we can get you in a PE class and teach you how to ref basketball.

Thanks for caring, Coach.

Are Justices Alito and Roberts Liberal?...

NO! I found a good case as to why.

From andrewcusack.com

The media claimed Roberts was breaking with conservatives because he refused to strike down a lower court's ruling that an Oregon physician-assisted suicide laws were constitutional. The Associated Press, meanwhile, judged Alito as "splitting with conservatives" for "refusing to let Missouri execute a death-row inmate contesting lethal injection". Because the media are generally in the same liberal camp as the judicial activism proponents they think like judicial activists and a judicial activist would think "Gee, Alito's conservative so he opposes physician-assisted suicide so he'll rule against it." But that's the point, you ninnies! The job of a Supreme Court justice is to interpret the Constitution not to usurp the legislative authority of Congress by deciding to follow our own whims, fancies, and personal beliefs. The Supreme Court justice must not say whether a law was right or wrong, or whether he would've voted for it, he must ask "Does this law contravene the Constitution of the United States" and if it does not then he is obligated to rule as such and to let the law stand regardless of his personal opinion of the law. Legislative power is appropriately invested in Congress, not the Supreme Court nor the President, and the seperation of powers is fundamental to the continued success of our Constitution.

Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito have ruled according to the law rather than to their own respective whims. This is to be commended, and could set the tone for the Roberts court as a return to normalcy after the white squall of Holmesian jurisprudence and spark a concurrent deemphasis of federal power. We can only hope and pray it will be so.

Just Get Out of the Way

Larry Kudlow has yet another great post on his blog today. Read here.

A Sign From God?

Today I was rummaging through the bookbag I take every day to work, when I found this at the bottom:

In case you have Mr. Magoo eyes like TC, it's a woman (possibly Mary) holding some roses and a crucifix with Jesus on it. There's also a rosary dangling from one arm.

How did this little statue end up in my bookbag? Did a stranger attempt a good deed by placing Mary and Jesus on my person, so that I may dwell upon the uncleanliness of my life? Or did God put it there? Either way, mission accomplished. I'm spooked. I think I may start believing what the Bible says. No, wait, God didn't write that. It was just some guys, same as the Qur'an or any other religious text. Nevermind.

More Updates

For whatever reason, we've just been in a hot news cycle lately.

1. The Search Continues. Coach Walsh's lips remain sealed on who he's leaning towards hiring in a town that cares even more about BC's head coach than Mark Richt himself. Read here.

2. Goodbye Greenspan. Today marks the end of the chairman's prosperous 18-year tenure at the Fed. Greenspan did an outstanding job of keeping the money supply sound during the good times and providing excess liquidity during the rough ones (namely, the Asian financial crisis in 1997). While we didn't go back to the gold standard, the Greenspan standard was almost as good as gold. My only criticism is when he kept rates artificially low well after the crisis was resolved, fueling the "irrational exuberance" of the late 90's, which ultimately caused the 2000-2001 recession.

3. State of Our Union. Tonight, the president is expected to "push" for ethanol fuel and other alternative energy sources. What does that mean? Did Harry Truman "push" for the invention of the television in the late 1940s? No, the market did that. Did George Bush Sr. "push" for the invention of CDs in the late 80s? No, the market did. Leave things alone, let the price system do its job. Please stop getting in the way of things.

Ryan's Superbowl Report

Like all of you, I will be watching the Superbowl this Sunday. It'll be a nice send-off for me, because personally, I have had my year's fill of football. So I'll be watching with some beer, pizza, and lots of fervor.

I'm going with Pittsburgh to win by 10. I like their offense matched up against Seattle's defense, which, let's be honest, has shown some holes over the course of this season. Also overlooked is Pittsburgh's special teams, which have really been clutch in pressure situations these past few games. The Seahawks are a good match, no doubt about that, but their run game won't have as much of its late season success against Pittsburgh's formidable line.

That whole last paragraph was made up. I know nothing about these two teams, but you probably believed me since football is an inferior sport to baseball, henceforth, dumber fans. But I will actually be watching since they show funny commercials and brand new movie trailers. I guess I'll root for Seattle since grunge came from there.

Good Job, Exxon

Exxon Mobile reported earnings of $10.7 billion last quarter, the largest of any company in history.

Awesome. They deserve it.

Kerry is at it again...

By Zach Brissett

Will Somebody Please Tell Me

...just what the hell is going on in this article.

Amazing what you can find when you google BC.

In Praise of Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart is bad for America, right? 25,000 people in Illinois don't seem to think so. That's how many people lined up to apply for 325 openings at a new store in Evergreen Park, Illinois. Apparently 25,000 people think they will be made better off working at Wal-Mart than at whatever job, if any, they currently hold.

It's amazing how the largest retailer in America, which continues to provide opportunity for hundreds of thousands of low-skilled workers whom otherwise would have lower-paying jobs or no jobs at all, gets bashed on a daily basis by countless politicians, interest groups, and "journalists" in the mainstream media, all of whom have never picked up an economics book in their lives and never think to ask the all-important question: "what's the alternative?"

Canada's Right Face

I know, I can't believe it either. Our friends to the north have elected a conservative. Prime minister-elect Stephen Harper, a free-market economist, is pro-America, pro-gun rights, pro-Iraq invasion, anti-Kyoto protocol, anti-socialist healthcare, and anti-abortion. Sorry Kelly.

Harper stupified the Canadian press during the final months of the campaign when he openly admitted that:
1) He thinks there might be a God
2) He thinks Canada should have its own military.

Shocking.

The Interview Proccess Begins

Unconfirmed reports from the AAA message board at GAVSV have Paul Standard, head coach at St. Pius X in Atlanta, interviewing today for the Benedictine job. You can find his resume here.

In five seasons at St. Pius, Standard has compiled a record of 35-20, with three state playoff births. His 2003 squad advanced to the state quartefinals. The Golden Lions finished the 2005 season with a 5-5 mark.

Standard is a St. Pius alum ('80) and attended The Citadel. The experiences of attending a Catholic school and a military school make him a natural fit for BC. He is also a young guy who could commit several years to the job. I am suspicious, though, of why he would want to leave his alma mater.

I would be content if BC went with Standard. He is not my first choice, but he does have an awesome mustache.


The same unconfirmed source reports that former Statesboro coach, Buzz Busby, will interview later this week. Busby's tenure with the Blue Devils ended prematurely and on bad terms after the 2003 season. This article explains what happened. Busby was 55-11-1 in five seasons at Statesboro. His 2001 team won the state championship, his 2000 and 2003 squads finished as runners-up.

Busby has the most impressive resume of the alleged applicant pool. He is a little old, though. Can he give BC a 7-10 year committment? Will his hardnosed style attract more kids to the team or drive them away? Will he be able to recruit the public schools? Those are my concerns.

Not so fast my friend.....

It seems that Valdosta has hired themselves a new football coach, and quite a successful one at that. Rick Tomberlin was named head coach of the 'Cats on Monday. He has been at Washington County since 1991, playing in 5 state championship games, winning 3. The interesting part is that he was at Lowndes for 3 years before being fired and heading upstate to WC. But this quote in the AJC aricle kind of got to me: "This is about getting an invitation to go to the winningest high school football program in the United States. It's the Notre Dame of high school football," Tomberlin said Monday night. That's like saying Stephen A. Smith is the Howard Cossell of broadcasting. Not quite.....

Wallace Rulz!!

Skimming the headlines on Savannahnow.com yesterday, I found this gem:

Benedictine LB Wallace Pooling His Options.

The article is about Anthony Wallace, brother to one our own BMBS bloggers, and his conundrum. Anthony was receiving interest from major D1 programs as a junior, before tearing his ACL. To expedite the rehab process, Anthony turned to swimming, a sport he participated in competitively as youngster but abandoned to focus on football. One year later, Anthony is being recruited as one of the top swimmers in the area, in addition to receiving offers to play football at Air Force, Columbia, Harvard, and Yale.

What really makes this article stand out, though, is the accompanying photograph of a bare-chested Wallace fresh out of the pool.




















To get the point across, the editor felt the need to post the picture not once...



















...but twice!

I'm disappointed that it took a day and a half for someone to comment about this. Our blog is getting lazy. St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner. We need to step it up.

Inaugurated on this date in 1981...

Read his speech here.

Read today's WSJ editorial here (no subscription required).

Born on this date in 1807....

Robert Edward Lee. Southerners used to celebrate this as a holiday before MLK came along.
Educate yourself here
"If you rely on the mainstream media for your news, you probably do not know that January 19, is the 199th anniversary of the birth of Robert E. Lee. Nor would you know that numerous celebrations will be held to honor the General on that day. I am not sure why the mainstream media ignores Lee. It is certainly not because he isn’t newsworthy. Lee is immensely popular not only throughout America but also in Europe. And when any organization compiles a listing of famous Americans, General Lee is always ranked near the top. ."

Two Months Left

Self-explanatory.

Statesboro Blues

STATESBORO, Ga. — A lawyer was taken hostage in his office near City Hall on Monday, and police cordoned off part of downtown as they tried to negotiate for the man's release.

The two suspects, a man and a woman, told police they were armed with a homemade explosive device, authorities said.

More than 11 hours into the standoff, police were still negotiating with the pair, said Trooper Larry Schnall, a spokesman for the Georgia State Patrol, which was sending a SWAT team to the scene.

A woman who answered the phone Monday at the office where the lawyer works said the office was closed and hung up.

Three people were initially taken hostage, but two were released unharmed, said Maggie Fitzgerald, a city spokeswoman. She said the remaining hostage had also not been harmed.

The suspects were "upset with some legal issues within the recent past and want to get those issues resolved," she said.

The man and woman said they were armed with an improvised explosive device, Fitzgerald said.

Statesboro, a city of 22,000 that is home to Georgia Southern University, is 225 miles southeast of Atlanta. The community's Martin Luther King Day parade, which was to pass by the county courthouse near the scene, was canceled because of the standoff.

5,000 and Counting

It's official. Since October, we've had over 5,000 visitors. Sure, most of this is due to recurring visits by people like us who go on a few times a day, but still, you have to remember we started this thing back in winter of last year, and I didn't put the counter on until October, so I think it's a fair assumption that we've had over 10,000 visits. Also, according to these people, the site itself is valued at over $2k. This means nothing, because 1. Google owns the webspace and 2. the valuation is probably fake anyway, because it's based on a "fantasy blog stock market" thing, whatever that means. But still, we've come a long way since that cold, blustery February day on the 3rd floor of the Student Learning Center when I didn't feel like studying.

Next month we'll celebrate 1 year. Good work ya'll.

Disappointing

This weekend, Officers found 34 grams of marijuana, 2.1 grams of powdered cocaine, prescription pills and drug paraphernalia at 124 ½ W. Perry Lane, according to a Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police report.

The discovery resulted in the arrest of Tony Brian Aliotta, 19 ( a former BC student; but not sure if he graduated from BC.) Police are now questioning Aliotta's roommate, Brannen C. Miles, along with two friends at the residence.

Officers also found a Savannah College of Art Design bookbag containing marijuana, a digital scale and Ziploc bags, the report says. Aliotta told officers the drugs belonged to him. He had the scale "to make sure (he) doesn't get ripped off," he told officers.

This arrest shouldn't be asurprisee for those who knew about Tony's circle friends. But this story has another plot to it. You see, Brannen C. Miles was with Jennifer Ross when she was shot be armed robbers, Christmas Eve night on Orleans Square. Miles and Ross were on their way to Aliotta's Perry Lane apartment, adjacent to Orleans Square, when the robbery and shooting took place.

Police are still searching for suspects in the Ross case, no arrests have yet been made. Police have said Tony's arrest was a result of an increase of patrol officers started after the Dec. 24th shooting of Jennifer Ross. Aliotta is being held at the Chatham County jail on charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana more than an ounce and possession of drug-related objects.

Happy Birthday Pat!

Today is the birthday of all birthdays. One John Patrick Holland was born today, 23 years ago in a little town north, north-west of Savannah.

This man would grow up to be one of the most feared UGA Law School Students of all time. Why? BECAUSE HE'S NOT LIBERAL!

We solute you John Patrick, for all the smart ass sarcastic puns that very few outside of BC understand. May the Beatles and 60's beach music echo in eternity.

Below is a picture of Pat starting his first day of Law School. Courtesy of Mrs. Holland, Pat's loving mother.

I'm sure everyone has read this before...

but i figure yall might want to read this again.

If your from Atlanta, you'll like this:



ATLANTA, GEORGIA



This is for anyone who lives in Atlanta, Georgia, has ever lived in

Atlanta, has ever visited Atlanta, ever plans to visit Atlanta,

knows anyone who already lives in Atlanta, or knows anyone who has

ever heard of Atlanta. Atlanta is composed mostly of one-way

streets. The only way to get out of downtown Atlanta is to turn

around and start over when you reach Greenville, South Carolina.



All directions start with, "Go down Peachtree" and include the

phrase, "When you see the Waffle House." Except that in Cobb County,

where all directions begin with, "Go to the Big Chicken."



Peachtree Street has no beginning and no end and is not to be

confused with:



Peachtree Circle
Peachtree Battle
Peachtree Place
Peachtree Corners
Peachtree Lane
New Peachtree
Peachtree Road
Old Peachtree
Peachtree Parkway
West Peachtree
Peachtree Run
Peachtree-Dunwoody
Peachtree Terrace
Peachtree-Chamblee
Peachtree Avenue
Peachtree Industrial Boulevard
Peachtree Commons



Atlantan's only know their way to work and their way home. If you

ask anyone for directions, they will always send you down Peachtree.



Atlanta is the home of Coca-Cola. Coke's all they drink there, so

don't ask for any other soft drink unless it's made by Coca-Cola.



The gates at Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport are about 32

miles away from the Main Concourse, so wear sneakers and pack a

lunch.



The 8a.m. rush hour is from 6:30 to 10:30 AM. The 5pm rush hour is

from 3:00 to 7:30 PM. Friday's rush hour starts Thursday afternoon

and lasts through 2am Saturday.



Only a native can pronounce Ponce De Leon Avenue, so do not attempt

the Spanish pronunciation. People will simply tilt their heads to

the right and stare at you. The Atlanta pronunciation is "pawntz duh

LEE-awn."



And yes, they have a street named simply, "Boulevard."



The falling of one raindrop causes all drivers to immediately

forget all traffic rules. If a single snowflake falls, the city is

paralyzed for three days and it's on all the channels as a news

flash every 15 minutes for a week. Overnight, all grocery stores

will be sold out of milk, bread, bottled water, toilet paper, and

beer.



I-285, the loop that encircles Atlanta, which has a posted speed

limit of 55 mph (but you have to maintain 80 mph just to keep from

getting run over), is known to truckers as "The Watermelon 500."



Don't believe the directional markers on highways. I-285 is marked



"East" and "West" but you may be going North or South. The

locals identify the direction by referring to the "Inner Loop" and

the "Outer Loop." If you travel on Hwy 92 North, you will actually

be going southeast.



Never buy a ladder or mattress in Atlanta. Just go to one of the

interstates and you will soon find one in the middle of the road.



The last thing you want to do is give another driver the finger,

unless your car is armored, your trigger finger is itchy and your

AK-47 has a full clip.



Possums sleep in the middle of the road with their feet in the air.



There are 5,000 types of snakes and 4,998 live in Georgia.



There are 10,000 types of spiders. All 10,000 live in Georgia, plus

a couple no one has seen before.



If it grows, it sticks. If it crawls, it bites. If you notice a vine

trying to wrap itself around your leg, you have about 20 seconds to

escape, before you are completely captured and covered with Kudzu,



another ill-advised "import," like the carp, starling, English sparrow,



and other "exotic wonders."



It's not a shopping cart, it's a buggy. "Fixinto" is one word (I'm

fixinto go to the store).



Sweet Tea is appropriate for all meals and you start drinking it

when you're 2 years old.



"Jeet?" is actually a phrase meaning "Did you eat?"



If you understand these jokes, forward them to your friends from

Atlanta, Georgia and those who just wish they were.



Lordy, I love Jawja.

It's Time...

...to play America's new fastest-growing game show: "Who Will BC Hire?"

Here's how it works: everyone submits who they think will be hired as the Cadets' new head football coach. Winner gets a free trip to Summer Waves in Valdosta, a gift certificate for a free order of Wing-Zings at Carey Hilliards, and an autographed picture of O.C. Welch.

Since this is my idea, I have the luxury of making the first pick. Drum roll please....

I think BC will hire Bob Herndon, currently head coach at South Effingham. He's a BC grad, and was sitting next to Coach Walsh at the last home basketball game.

Somehow I have the feeling I'm the only person who will be playing this game. Whatever, more wing-zings for me.

Brackett resigns as Benedictine coach

Jim Thomas
SavannahNow.com

Benedictine football coach Tommy Brackett unexpectedly announced his resignation Sunday night at the school's fall sports banquet, saying he felt it was "just time to move on'' after 11 years.

Brackett, who posted a 79-39 overall record with the Cadets, said he informed Benedictine athletic director Jim Walsh, Sr., and principal Kelly Burke of his decision on Wednesday.

"I've been thinking about it since the end of the season,'' Brackett said. "It was a tough decision. I've been blessed to have been given the opportunity to have the best job in the city, if not in southeast Georgia. Right now, I just felt it was the best thing for me and the best thing for the school.''

He said Walsh and Burke were the only two people who knew he had decided to step down until he made the announcement. Even his coaching staff didn't know.

"We kind of kept it quiet until (Sunday),'' he said. "I thought it was important for the players to hear it from me. I didn't want any kind of false rumors circulating.

"I think they were kind of shocked. But they were all gentlemen about it. They came back and wished me the best and thanked me for all of our time together. I was really touched by the kids.''

Benedictine, traditionally one of the city's strongest programs, has been down the last three years. The Cadets have gone only 11-19 during that span, including 5-5 this season. But Brackett said that had nothing to do with his decision to step down.

"That wasn't a factor at all,'' he said. "If you look at the season this year, we played six teams with winning records and five went to the playoffs. We went 2-3 against those teams. We battled injuries toward the end. I was really proud of the team. We have a pretty good sophomore class waiting to step up next year.''
There had been speculation that Brackett would be fired after BC suffered back-to-back losing seasons in going 4-6 in 2003 and 2-8 in 2004. But he said he was not under any pressure to resign.

"Those kinds of rumors always happen when you're losing,'' Brackett said. "I just think the program needs a little jolt, some new blood. I go back to when Coach Walsh stepped down and I took over. There was some excitement and some enthusiasm. I'd like to see that for the school again.''

Prior to coming to BC in 1995, Brackett had a 40-16 record in five years as head coach at Southeast Bulloch from 1990-1994. His overall career record was 119-55 in 16 years.

Brackett, 49, said he plans to stay on at the school until the end of the year and fulfill his teaching duties. But he said he wasn't thought about coaching anywhere else.

"I haven't talked to anyone,'' Brackett said. "I'm not seeking a job and nobody's talked to me about a job.''

Walsh, who coached BC for 25 years before retiring in 1994, said Brackett's decision didn't surprise him.

"I thought he was getting restless,'' Walsh said. "His leaving didn't have anything to do with the last couple of years. That's going to happen. He was very successful here. I just think it was kind of a family thing. He has some things he wants to accomplish.''

Walsh said he had no timetable as to when Benedictine would hire a new coach.
"We know of a couple of people who might be interested,'' he said. "But we haven't really talked to anybody about it because it was so recent that (Brackett) said he wasn't coming back.''

Pass in Review: 2005

A new pope, a new chief justice, a new soft drink, a new fed chairman, a new James Bond, a new presidential term....where do we begin?

POLITICS:
Rough times for W. After being reinaugurated, he fails to get anything from his second-term agenda passed. Partially his fault, but mostly a corrupt congress headed by RINOs. His approval rating bottomed in late November, due to Katrina and the Scooter Libby mess, but I think things are beginning to turn around. Troop withdrawals and a robust economy should help him this year.

MUSIC:
Two words: Kelly Clarkson. She had 3 hit songs, all which hit #1.

MOVIES:
Most would put "Wedding Crashers" here, but I just can't. Got too serious towards the end. I'm sticking with Episode III.

SPORTS:
Georgia, picked to finish 3rd in the SEC East, suprises everyone with a conference championship.
BC improves to a 5-5 season, but most fans remain disappointed. As I type this post, reliable sources confirm that Brackett has resigned. More to come.

Additional thoughts? Please post.

We're Number Nine!

The 2006 Economic Freedom Index was released earlier this week by the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal. Here's the top ten:

1. Hong Kong
2. Singapore
3. Ireland
4. Luxembourg
5. United Kingdom
6. Iceland
7. Estonia
8. Denmark
9. United States
10. Australia

We're not doing too bad, but we can do better. How can we move up the chart? Five simple steps: 1) cut taxes, 2) cut spending, 3) keep the money supply sound, 4) deregulate, 5) support free trade.

Congress, unfortunately, is more concerned with regulating major league baseball (still trying to find out where this is allowed in the Constitution) than expanding liberty. This is a problem, in a time when voters constantly ask "what is government going to do for me?" instead of "what is government going to do to get out of my way?"

"Why should I worry about one tyrant 3,000 miles away, when I should be more worried about 3,000 tyrants one mile away? A legislature can trample a man's rights as easily as a king can." -- Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) in The Patriot

Signs of Georgia

There's a barn about midway between Savannah and Athens on Highway 15 that has this painted on its side:

WE DON'T REBUILD
WE RELOAD

A reference to the terrorist attacks of September 11th? Nah. It just means the UGA football team. The big G gives that away. Anyway, you would figure these people to be huge Georgia fans, full of knowledge and devotion. Well, on my trip back on Monday, I saw their new display of informed fandom:

Ho-ho-Who's 10 - 1?
#1 UGA, that's who! Beat WVU!

Nevermind the fact that Georgia was ranked #7 and had a record of 10-2 before they, in fact, did not beat WVU.

While I was driving through that town with the railroad tracks that make your car fly like a DeLorean and the big Wal-Mart that you know everyone goes to on Sunday, I saw a billboard that wanted you to know:

Abstinence.

It's not easy...and neither are you.

Vegas Baby......Vegas

This is an open invitation to all BMBS bloggers to join me and a few of my ATLiens on a trip to beautiful Las Vegas. We would be leaving late Thursday, March 9th, returning Sunday, March 12. The conference basketball tournaments are that weekend, so there will be plenty of basketball to lose money on. If you've never been, I highly recommend you make the trip while you're still single and young. Inquire with me for further details.

It Was 83 Years Ago Today...

On December 30, 1922 the USSR was established

In post-revolutionary Russia, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) is established, comprising a confederation of Russia, Belorussia, Ukraine, and the Transcaucasian Federation (divided in 1936 into the Georgian, Azerbaijan, and Armenian republics). Also known as the Soviet Union, the new communist state was the successor to the Russian Empire and the first country in the world to be based on Marxist socialism.

During the Russian Revolution of 1917 and subsequent three-year Russian Civil War, the Bolshevik Party under Vladimir Lenin dominated the soviet forces, a coalition of workers' and soldiers' committees that called for the establishment of a socialist state in the former Russian Empire. In the USSR, all levels of government were controlled by the Communist Party, and the party's politburo, with its increasingly powerful general secretary, effectively ruled the country. Soviet industry was owned and managed by the state, and agricultural land was divided into state-run collective farms.

In the decades after it was established, the Russian-dominated Soviet Union grew into one of the world's most powerful and influential states and eventually encompassed 15 republics--Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Belorussia, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. In 1991, the Soviet Union was dissolved following the collapse of its communist government.

It Was Forty Years Ago Today...

...when the Beatles released the greatest album of all time. Before things got weird, but after all the poppy stuff, there was Rubber Soul.

How Sweet It Is

The Cadets beat Country Day 61-53 infront of a highly partisan crowd at Armstrong yesterday.

Maybe I didn't get a 1400 on my SAT, and maybe I didn't get a scholarship to Washington and Lee, but I went to BC, where the students actually show up at basketball games and raise hell. Today's article doesn't talk much about it (although last year's went into great detail), and I wasn't there (had to work) but supposedly after each Country Day's player name was announced before tipoff yesterday, the 200+ Cadet student section would yell in unison: "hey (name), YOU SUCK!" as the player walked across the court to shake hands with Coach Cannon.

Country Day's students, as usual, did not show up at the game. They were too busy growing out their hair, studying for their SATs, reading Maya Angelou books for AP English, watching Laguna Beach, and trying to act "laid back."

Thank you so much BC, for being the only school in Savannah that still gives a sh*t about anything. This is why, despite Kelly Burke, rising tuition, and other administrative missteps, you remain by far the best high school in Savannah, and America.

Bush is Drunk

No, this is not a political posting. Lord knows that I'd rather be watching The OC (Happy Chrismukkuh, on that note) than the news. This is a link to a video that slows down a press conference video to make Bush appear like he's been reliving the glory days in the Memorial Stadium parking lot.

http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2685392?htv=12

Serious question, though: Are presidents allowed to get drunk? What if Bush picked a random day next month to drink himself to sleep at the White House and that night a major terrorist attack happened? Honestly, I'd like to know the course of action from that moment.

A Festivus for the rest of us.

I would like to be the very first to wish you all a very happy Festivus. Festivus is celebrated every year on December 23rd. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this holiday, I'll explain.
On the TV show, Seinfeld, Frank Costanza (George's father) created this holiday to combat the commercialization of Christmas. It's origin is explained in this conversation between Frank and Kramer.

Frank Costanza: Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way.
Cosmo Kramer: What happened to the doll?
Frank Costanza: It was destroyed. But out of that a new holiday was born . . . a Festivus for the rest of us!
Cosmo Kramer: That must've been some kind of doll.
Frank Costanza: She was.

There are four main elements to the Festivus celebration:
The Festivus Pole: The Costanzas' tradition begins with a bare aluminum pole, which Frank praises for its "very high strength-to-weight ratio." During Festivus, an unadorned aluminum pole is displayed. The pole was chosen apparently in opposition to the commercialization of highly decorated Christmas trees, because it is "very low-maintenance," and also because the holiday's patron, Frank Costanza, "find[s] tinsel distracting."
Festivus Dinner: The Festivus dinner menu is flexible, but it should consist of filling, non-holiday comfort food (no turkey, duck, goose, or ham).
The Airing of Grievances: At the Festivus dinner, each participant tells friends and family of all the instances where they disappointed him or her that year.
The Feats of Strength: The head of the family tests his or her strength against one participant of the head's choosing. Festivus is not considered over until the head of the family has been pinned to the ground. A participant is allowed to decline to attempt to pin the head of the family only if they have something better to do instead.

Happy Festivus, everyone.

Savannah

I apologize for not posting anything yet, I've not even had a chance to read anything posted, much less write anything.

I now have the latest reason for my reassurance in the greatness of Savannah: IKEA is building a 1.7 million square foot distribution warehouse on 115 acres at the Savannah River International Trade Park. This is going to bring 15,000 more 20 foot containers through the Port. Keith Keller, IKEA North America's Distribution Services president, had this to say: "As one of the fastest growing ports in the country, Savannah offers the long-term capacity, infrastructure and geography that we were seeking to complement our distribution presence in North America. A Savannah-based distribution center will help IKEA ensure our stores continue to offer well designed and functional home furnishings at affordable prices." (source- Atlanta Business Chronicle) IKEA is following Target and Walmart with putting a distribution facility at the Port.

"With Katrina aftermath, many meetings will be relocated to Savannah and the Golden Isles, and that hurricane will also boost container traffic at the already-booming Port of Savannah," said UGA economist Jeff Humphreys, director of the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the Terry College of Business. (source- Atlanta Business Chronicle)

Compare home prices as well: Charlestown's average home price in 2004 was $307,400. In Atlanta, the average price in 2004 was $303,000. In Jacksonville, the average was $290,778. Savannah's average home price last year was $247,375. (source- Savannah Chamber of Commerce)

Oh and for silver lining, since the above is so horrible, Savannah's employment is forcasted to rise 2.5% in 2006.

Liberal Buzz Words.

Liberals are like frat dudes; they say certain words to feel apart of the gang. Here is a sample of liberal buzz words that I've noticed in UGA's paper daily newspaper The Red and Black.

Progressive
Disenfranchisement
Multicultural
Inclusive
Disadvantaged
Diversity
Acceptance
Tolerance
Transgender (What the hell is that?)
Discrimination
Equality
Solidarity
Awareness
Offensive
Empowerment

Disclaimer: The list is not exhaustive by any means.

Braves Update

If you have any self-respect, you are curious as to what has been happening with your Atlanta Braves since the season ended. Never fear, for I am here for you.

Rafael "Fookie" Furcal = gone. The Dodgers got a new GM who is spending the big bucks, and in the case of the ol' Buckhead Booze Bandit, he shat out a wee too much. Catfish Face wanted to stay where he has been his first five years of his career, but the Dodgers are getting serious about building a good team this year.

Edgar Renteria - our new shortstop. We completely ripped off the Red Sox by getting this All Star in exchange for a prospect. This prospect, Andy Marte, has been hyped up a lot, but he could only play third base, and Chipper isn't going anywhere. In fact, Chipper volunteered, for the second year in a row, to reduce his salary so that we could spend more money elsewhere. Renteria didn't have a great year for Boston, but they gave up on him too easily. They just lost Johnny Damon to the Yankees, so next year they will be as worthless as TC trying to get muscle definition from his workouts.

Dan Kolb, the worthless sack who ruined many games and John Smoltz's 2005 win count, got his ass shipped back to Milwaukee. To further prove how bad we wanted to get rid of him: the pitcher we got in exchange wasn't even offered a contract by the Braves.

The Braves are up for sale. Hopefully we will get a human owner; anything would be better than being owned by some faceless corporation who could care less about winning as long as there is profit being made. A bigger budget would be great, but the White Sox won this year with $70 million - 10 million less than what we have now.

Now our biggest issue is getting a closer. They are seriously considering trying Reitsma as the full-time guy, but if you're like me, you'd rather see Ms. Dolan up on the mound. Beware the Jane Train.

Thank you, friends.

Today is truly a proud day for me. I could not have asked for a better Christmas gift. I'd like to thank my new collegues here at BMBS for giving me the opportunity to contribute my thoughts to this fine blog. You will not be disappointed.

Hey Joe

Joseph Wood attended St. James Catholic School, where he graduated in 1997. He then went on to attend the best high school in America (surprise, surprise) Benedictine Military School. While at BC, he coined what would become one of the most popular phrases used at high school parties when girls showed up - "Put out, or get out." He was also on the 2000 region championship football team his senior year. In 2001, rumors circulated connecting Wood's identity with The Sixth Man. These allegations remain unconfirmed.

Upon graduation, Wood joined TC at Play-it Again/Pro-Play sports. He also played bass for Arm the Bears, a progressive art rock trio. Joe then went on to attend Georgia Southern University in Statesboro Georgia, where the only "Happy Hour" left is the 60-minute drive on I-16 to Savannah Friday after class.

It's Spelled "Doggy" Style

I really hate me some UGA fans, but this is actually pretty funny. Well played. Kudos the the girls that played along.

What about Wood?

I received the following message from Joe Wood via facebook earlier today:

It's time.

I'm going to present my case to become a BMBS contributor. Please post the following.
Since December of 2005, I have been a devout follower of BMBS. I fell I would make an exemplary contributor to this fine blog. I recall now the second post of BMBS:

"Qualifications for membership in this elite club will probably include but may not be limited to: graduating from BC, being Irish (except Arvind Raman), liking Savannah, thinking it is better than Charleston, not using the words "dude" and "like" more than necessary (which means never), and not being from the metro Atlanta area."

I meet most of not all these criteria. I graduated from BC, my mother's maiden name is Murray, I love Savannah as my home, Charleston sucks, I have impeccable grammar and syntax, and I would rather be homeless than live in Atlanta.

True, there are some skeletons and, possibly even worse, not a single pair of boat shoes in my closet. Here they are:
1. Yes. I dated a girl from Savannah Christian in high school. She was nice though, y'all met her.
2. I did not remain in JROTC for my senior year. I was too busy getting paid to play football.
3. I left the St. Patrick's Day parade early. My girlfriend at the time was with me and the weather was miserable. I did stay to see the Cadets march, and that's the real reason there's a parade in the first place.

That is all I have to say. Merry Christmas to all.
-Joe Wood '01

Please let me know what ya'll think, either through email or comments. While I have never listened to 311 and I think soccer is gayer than Ricky Martin wearing Hollister drinking a Smirnoff Ice in Buckhead, I think Wood would (haha) still make a fine addition. He has been our most avid follower since day one, and I think he's made a decent case. That having been said, I still don't want BMBS to eventually go the way of "Who's Who Among American High School Seniors" either. If we let Joe in, we need to limit things after that. So let me know what we should do. Thanks.

Sound Adjudant's Call

BMBS would like to welcome its newest contributor, Thomas Clouse Madison III.

TC graduated from St. Peter the Apostle in 1997, where he led the football team to an undefeated record. He hung out with Pat Maher and Chris Murray as well. He then attended Benedictine Military School as a third generation cadet. There he served as Student Senate Vice President, shotput superstar, outstanding senior, National Honor Society treasurer, and Brigade S-1. He bought beer for us when we were 16, because he looked 24.

Upon receiving his diploma from Benedictine in May of 2001, Madison was awarded a special internship/fellowship opportunity at Play it Again Sports, later Pro-Play Sports. He housesat for the Hjortsbergs during the summer of '01 as well. He then attended Georgia State University, where he received a degree in real estate. He is currently the only person I know in our class besides Brooks that holds a real job.

Madison currently resides in Atlanta with his girlfriend and Arvind. They have 1 dog, Budweiser.

Thank you

I feel so honored to be invited to be a part of your wonderful blog. Arvind told me last night that he read the past four months of the bmbs blog while he was at work, and he wanted to start posting again. Pat: I don't know if you want him to do this. See, I was thinking he could be more of our Computer Technition (because I haven't talked to Doan in a while. We can settle with an Indian, right?)

What do you want me to bring to this blog, pat, stephen, tim, will, ryan, michael, and whoever i missed? Arvind? did you kick him off or something?

Reincarnation

It's my first day back at the SAGIS office and, as usual, I have nothing to work on. Googling my own name, I stumbled upon the homepage for William Fleming High School in Roanoke, VA. Check out their mascot. The Colonels! Weird, huh? The school is named after a Scots immigrant who served as a surgeon in George Washington's regiment during the French and Indian War and later as a Colonel in Dunmore's War. He would later become a member of the General Assembly, a state senator, and even served as governor of Virginia for a brief period.

If anyone is contemplating what to get me for Christmas, visit the Colonel's Corner and order me a hoodie.

VanGorder in at GSU

I laughed when I first heard VanGorder's name in the mix to replace Mike Sewak at Georgia Southern. VanGorder left UGA to become a position coach in the NFL, with the hopes of becoming a defensive coordinator and then landing a top-notch head coaching job at the 1-A level. Taking the GSU job seemed like a step sideways, if not a step backwards, but certainly not a step forward. There are rumors that part of the deal was for GSU to make the transition to 1-A within the next five years. I don't think it will happen that quickly, but this hire is a strong signal that the administration is ready to take the next step.

Van Gorder has not hired an offensive coordinator yet, but he has already made it clear that the days of the spread option are gone. Installng a "more multiple" look, as he put it, is essential to recruiting the offensive talent necessary to compete at the next level. The transition will be tough these next few years. The administration will have to exercise patience, as it will take time to get the right personnel for whatever offense VanGorder plans to use. The house-cleaning at Nebraska is a good indication of what will probably happen.

Is this a good hire? It depends. If Georgia Southern is committed to making the leap to 1-A, then yes, they made an excellent choice. If they are content to stay at the 1-AA level, then I don't see any reason to scrap what has been the trademard of Georgia Southern football.

For Pat. A follow up.

As of Thursday, president Bush received a report from a committee he created on reforming our current tax system. From his previous speeches and debates, all believe President Bush's intended result fromt the committee would be a total scrapping of our current Federal Income Tax Code. The Committee was intended to suggested either a simple flat tax system or national sales tax system. Either choice would effectively lower taxes for all Americans yet still increase income tax revenue for the nation. No so. In the spirit of "diversity", the President appointed an eclectic array of Senators to man the committee. Not only were RINOs present, but Demes from all walks of life were also invited. The result is shameful. I don't not believe the results were W's intentions, and God knows these suggestions will not pass in Congress. But here's a synopsis of the Committee's findings. If we keep electing politicians only concerned with keeping their jobs, this is the result.

(I've copied a lot of this stuff from website I forgot to hyperlink.)
Neither flat nor fair, the panel's two plans propose income-based systems with three and four income-tax brackets, with top tax rates of 30- and 33-percent, respectively. That's a modest decrease from today's top bracket of 35 percent, but even that niggardly flattening of the tax schedule came to the panel as an afterthought. The President's directive had been to keep both plans revenue neutral---drawing no more or no less tax revenue than the current system---and this, they eventually realized, necessitated a lowering of the rates. (Even John Maynard Keynes, father of that child demand-side economics, maintained that 25 percent was the highest tolerable rate for income taxation.) Where did the panel find the savings for this act of benevolence? By ending federal deductions for state and local taxes paid, stripping tax-free provisions on employer-provided medical insurance, and chopping off home-mortgage deductions at the knees. Proposals of this sort can only be interpreted as tax increases on the middle class. The primary reason for the panel's failure is its composition.

Clearly, the President's plans for dynamic change in the tax code have been sabotaged, but why would an administration that purported to be so serious about tax reform entrust the job to a panel of pantywaists? Was it really nothing more than a hollow exercise?

But there is a glimmer of hope. A far more legitimate effort comes from Jim DeMint and Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Senators who---in the best tradition of the Palmetto State---are willing to put their money where their mouths are. In response to the President's Adivisory Panel debacle, Senators DeMint and Graham have offered a plan to eliminate the personal-income tax completely, replacing it with the afore mentioned national consumption tax. Unlike most fair tax plans, however, the tax burden is equally distributed between businesses as a value added tax (VAT) and consumers as a national sales tax. Both the sales tax and the VAT would be a comfortable 8.5 percent, eliminating not only the income tax, but capital-gains taxes, the death tax, and taxes on Social Security benefits---not to mention the awful association we Americans have long had with April 15th. Sen. Graham came on board with the junior senator's plan because it would place U.S. and Chinese goods on a level playing field. "Now the Chinese goods would have to be charged the consumption tax just as American-made products would be," says Graham. Sen. DeMint, meanwhile, points out that the VAT would be "very visible to the final end-use consumer."

If Bush Lied...

...then Clinton lied.

For Pat.

From Southernappeal;

The House voted Thursday to preserve tax cuts for investors through the rest of the decade, safeguarding the centerpiece of the Republican tax agenda in a $56 billion package of tax breaks.

The bill, passed 234-197 along mostly party lines, would keep the 15 percent top tax rate for capital gains and dividends in place in 2009 and 2010, two years after their scheduled disappearance at the end of 2008.

The Republicans are still weak. Initially, the RINOs boulstered elimination of the capital gains tax... but we'll take all the breaks we can get. Right Pat?

The good thing about keeping some capital gain tax alive is to ensure that old Yankees from the Landings will keep paying Hancock Askew & Co. to plug in their menial capital gains into a computer every Spring.

RECOGNITION OF STAFF SERGEANT GEORGE K. GANNAM FOR BEING AWARDED A PURPLE HEART FOR HIS SERVICE IN WORLD WAR II -- HON. JACK KINGSTON

HON. JACK KINGSTON OF GEORGIA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Tuesday, November 14, 2000

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, today I recognize a great American hero, from my district Savannah, GA, George K. Gannam, for being awarded a purple heart for his service in World War II. We should all stand up and applaud Mr. Gannam for his dedication and service to our country. He was a brave and heroic man and deserves to be recognized as such.
Mr. Gannam was killed in the Japanese attack on Hickam Field on December 7, 1941. He was the first person from Chatham County to die in World War II. An eye witness reports that Mr. Gannam received mortal wounds while assisting other airmen to remove airplanes from a burning hangar during the height of the attack. Medical records indicate that Mr. Gannam died of multiple shrapnel and machine gun bullet wounds. As a result of his heroic actions he was awarded a purple heart.
The American Legion Post #184 in Thunderbolt, GA was named after him. This is a great recognition and will help keep his name alive for years to come.