Savannah Trip-- Part 4: Trains and History and Kittens

MONDAY, APRIL 8

Trip to Savannah today.  We took a tour of the Savannah Railroad Museum which features a round house and had a nice talk with some people refurbishing an old engine.

Then we walked over to the nearby Savannah Historical Museum which has  a lot of stuff from all ages of the city's past.  Also on the grounds are some of the recreated American Revolution Battle of Savannah where the Polish officer/American General Pulaski was killed.

Today was also the much hyped Day of the Eclipse.  Ed and I didn't have the special glasses so didn't get too see it.  Julie was more fortunate and was with someone who had the glasses so she got to see it.

My sister Julie has established a cat rescue house and was involved with that most of the time I was there.  And, she did her best to get me to adopt one of those kittens and was sorely tempted, I must admit.  She brought two kittens home for me to play with:  Olaf and Daisy, but Daisy looked like one of those Star War Ewoks so that got to be her name.

Still Catless.  --RoadCat

What Exactly Is a Tarheel?-- Part 2: A Revolutionary Story

According to the UNC Athletic Department, there are two explanations to how the term Tarheel came into usage.

The first one takes us back to the American Revolution.  The story goes that British troops under General Lord Cornwallis were fording a river in eastern North Carolina on their march to Yorktown.  They discovered that their feet were covered with tar, a product of the state's abundant pine trees.

Some say that North Carolinians had dumped tar in the river to slow down the British advance.

The British were said to have observed that if you wade into a North Carolina river you'd get tar on your heels.

Hence, Tarheels.  Get It!!  --RoadDog

What Exactly is a Tarheel?-- Part 1: And What About their Mascot

From Al.com.

Just last Monday, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tarheels beat Villanova in a close game to win the NCAA Nation basketball Championship for 2017.  Of all the "Big Guys" in college basketball, the Tarheels are my favorite, so i was happy.

But, inquiring minds in Alabama wanted to know what a Tarheel is.  And what about that ram mascot?

Of course, I would like to know what a Crimson Tide and elephant have to do with the University of Alabama myself?

According to the UNC-Chapel Hill athletic department, there are two stories as to how the name came to be.  One dates to the American Revolution and a dastardly deed committed by Americans on the unsuspecting British soldiers.

The other explanation deals with soldiers razzing one another during the Civil War.

More On This Later.  --RoadDog

Tom Grosvenor Memorial Marine Corps Birthday Breakfast-- Part 1: Happy 240th Birthday to the USMC

Saturday, November 14th, I attended the annual breakfast at the American Legion Post 703 in Fox Lake, Illinois.

This was to celebrate the 240th anniversary of the USMC and to raise money for the Marine Corps' Toys for Tots.

This year, they had tables for the World War II and Korean War veterans, but I was happy to see several tables set aside for Vietnam War veterans for the first time.

A Resolution of Congress created two battalions of the Corps of Marines on November 10, 1775.  In the 240 years since then, Marines have been action for 90 years.  Also, Marine Corps training facility at Parris Island, S.C., opened 100 years ago in 1915.  Today, Marines also receive basic training at San Diego and Quantico, Virginia.

--RoadDog


NEWSPAPER ERRORS:  It was incorrectly reported last Friday that today is T-shirt Appreciation Day.  In fact, it is actually Teacher Appreciation Day.

Ronnie Rice at "It's Thursday" in Antioch, Illinois.

I'm sitting here at the old keyboard on Saturday listening to 'Fessa John Hook's Beach Music Countdown on the Endless Summer radio network. I sure love getting my Beach Music fix over the internet when I'm not down that way.

This past Thursday. I drove over to Antioch to their "It's Thursday" free concert series. This one featured Ronnie Rice, or the Human Juke Box as he is called.

Ronnie was the lead singer and wrote many of the songs for the seminal Chicago 60s rock group, the New Colony Six, one of my favorites from that era. Other Chicago groups were the Shadows of Knight, Buckinghams, Ides of March, and Cryan' Shames.

They first hit the charts in 1965, and charted 21 singles on the Billboard charts, mostly not in the Top 40. But, they were in the Top 40 all the time on the two major radio stations in Chicago, WLS and WCFL. Both of these were AM stations, but this was before FM.

They had hits with: "Love You So Much,"  "I Confess,"  "Cadillac" (a great way to learn how to spell the word as they kept spelling it out-probably my favorite NC6 song), "I Will Always Think About You" (one of Liz and my "songs"), "Can't You See Me Cry," "Love You So Much," and another favorite of mine, "Mr. You're a Better Man Than I."

You can get info at http://www.ronnierice.com/

Also, www.newcolonysix.com but this one isn't kept up very well.

The New Colony 6 was inducted into Iowa's Rock N Roll Music Association's Hall of Fame in 2002. We don't have a Chicago Rock Hall of Fame that I know of.

They were noted for wearing Revolutionary War uniforms as part of their gimmick. Of course, all things English were in the vogue back in 1965, what with the British Invasion. Get it, colony. Even the Buckinghams were named after Buckingham Fountain in Chicago, but then there's that Buckingham Castle in London.

The group reformed in the the 1980s, but Ronnie doesn't perform with them.

I wish that Bob Stroud would have one of his Rock and Roll Roots compilation CDs on those great Chicago 60s groups. Hear that, Bob!!!

I have two greatest hits New Colony 6 compilations.

The 60s, a Pretty Good Time to Grow Up...Overall. --RoadDog

It Was 231 Years Ago Today

No, Sgt. Pepper did not teach the band to play. And no, it didn't have to do anything with THAT British group, but definitely it had to do with another British group.

This document called the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress and it declared that the 13 colonies were henceforth free and independent of Great Britain. It was written mostly by Thomas Jefferson and borrowed heavily from other writings and political thought of the time. It was not signed on this date as most Americans believe.

"When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another...."

And, of course, "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator, with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness."

I am not sure I would have signed the document or even approved it. These men, mostly wealthy, were putting everything, including their lives on the line. Failure would have meant the hangman's noose and there was no real reason to believe they could beat the strongest country in the world. Mighty brave men.

A few misconceptions of the event:

1. The famous John Trumball painting is not actually the signing of the document, but rather the presentation of it by the drafting committee. This gathering never took place.

2. The Liberty Bell was not rung as its tower was in disrepair. It's name "Liberty" was more from the abolition movement.

Even with all the problems, I's definitely rather live here than anywhere else.

Happy Birthday USA!!! --RoadDog