Long Time No Blog

I lost internet connection last May and am finally back on.

Right now trying to figure out how to do these blogs and e-mail and all sorts of stuff.  Should keep me busy for awhile.

--RoadDog

This Blog Passed Its 8000th Post

This post is # 8,020.  I started it on May 9, 2007, one year after I retired.

This was the second blog that I started and actually, the reason I started it was that I was unable to get onto my RoadDog's RoadLog Blog.  Shortly after I started this,I was able to get on my first blog, but kept this one to write about what I was doing and especially music.

Lots and lots of music posts.

Every week, I do the WLS top songs from 50 years ago.

Way Too Many Blogs.  --RoadDog

81st Anniversary of Pearl Harbor: Herbert Jacobson-- Part 4: The USS Oklahoma Rolled Over

Seven of my blogs today will be about Pearl Harbor and this story which started in my RoadDog's RoadLog blog.

During the attack, the Japanese hit the USS Oklahoma with numerous torpedoes and the ship rapidly rolled over and sank.  Many of the men, including Herbert Jacobson, were trapped in the upturned hull and a few were cut free through intense efforts of sailors and civilian Navy Yard employees.

But the attack resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen aboard the USS Oklahoma, including Herbert Jacobson.  In all, 2,402 Americans were killed that day, when Japanese forces attacked much of the U.S. Pacific fleet.

It took several years before the remains of the 429 deceased USS Oklahoma sailors entombed in the ship to be recovered.  Many of the remains were commingled because there was so little left of the bodies.

Continued in my Not So Forgotten:  War of 1812 blog.

The Drive's A to Z Rock Countdown, Dec. 28, 2020, the Letter 'G'-- Part 1: 'Godzilla'

This is Day 5 of the countdown and we're in the letter "G."  Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM, the Drive.  It streams.

I have done some of the letter 'G' on my RoadDog's RoadLog blog from today, so it you want to see them, go to My Blogs on the right of this and click on that blog.

GIVE IT TO ME--  J. Geils Band

GIVE ME LOVE--  George Harrison

GLAD--  Traffic

GLASS ONION--  Beatles

GLORIA--  Them

GLORY DAYS--  Bruce Springsteen

GO ALL THE WAY--  Raspberries

GO NOW--  Moody Blues

GO YOUR OWN WAY--  Fleetwood Mac

GODZILLA--  Blue Oyster Cult

GOING MOBILE--  Who

GOING TO CALIFORNIA--  Led Zeppelin

GOING UP THE COUNTRY--  Canned Heat

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Like To Tell Ya About My Baby You Know She Comes Around."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Gloria"

Really, Now 6,793 Posts and 14 Years To This Blog

Today marks the 6,793rd post to this blog, which started as my second blog, 14 years ago in 2007.

My original blog was RoadDog's RoadLog blog, but after I started it with the help of my niece Andrea in Tennessee, I couldn't get into it back home in Illinois where I was just looking out my back door.

While trying to get back into it, I accidentally started this one and let it continue even after I was able to get back into the original.  I figured this one could cover anything besides traveling on those old roads and trips.  All my other blogs, all six of them, started from this blog as I found more and more posts were about the Civil War, World War II and history in general.

This one came to mostly being current stuff, what we're doing and music, which is another one of my big loves.

Called Down Da Road I Go because it is me going down da road.  RoadDog as a signoff is a carry over from RoadDog's RoadLog blog.

--RoadDog

Setting Up the New Computer Went Better Than I Could Have Hoped For

As I sit here typing away with my two little fingers on the new personal computer in front of me, I must admit that yesterday went much better than I believed it would.

Now, however, I just need to learn how to get sound on it and how to turn it off.

But today, all of the eight blogs have been done on the new one.

So Proud, So very Proud.

Maybe I'm Not As technologically Challenged As I Thought.   But, I Probably Am.  --RoadDog

CROSS PURPOSES:  Who delivered the "Cross of Gold" speech at the Democratic National Convention on July 9, 1896?      


William Jennings Bryan

Every Blooming THing: Early July

The yard is approaching max color as lots of things blooming right now and lots more getting ready to bloom.

The spirea are blooming as are the Missouri primrose, a spreading plant with yellow flowers, a yellow upright perennial, daisies, wild daisies, some mums and marguerettes.

The purple coneflowers, black-eyed Susans and hostas are getting ready to bloom.

I have a real lot of every one of these plants thanks mostly to transplanting.

This has been a strange year as far as cutting the grass which has been growing like it does in spring ever since I started cutting it in April.  Usually by mid June I can raise the mower to 3 inches and even miss a week of cutting every so often.

I am still trimming the boxwoods which took a big hit in the polar vortex earlier this year.  Same with the burning bushes.

By the way, in June we took a trip along Route 66 through Illinois and Missouri and drove by the old gas station in Waynesville, Missouri, that is now a flower shop called Every Blooming Thing, where I got the name for these yard and flower blog entries.

Strange Year in the Yard So Far.  --RoadDog

Remembering the Fallen, Memorial Day 2019

This blog entry started in my Cooter's History Thing blog and continued in my Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog and finishes here in this blog.  All blogs are for this date.

That humorous story was the last one that Tom Dier had with Jerry Corp.  That's because Jerry Corp was killed the next day.  While his platoon was trying to flush out a sniper there was confusion, and in it, Jerry Corp tripped a boobytrap and he was killed.  The date was April 21, 1970, one week after his 20th birthday.

After he came home, one thing Tom Dier felt he had to do was visit Jerry Corp's family, and especially his mother, Irene, who lived in Ozark County, Missouri.  She said, "We never got used to Jerry not coming home."

But, Irene, now 92, said something else to him.  "Irene has mentioned that she lost her son, but at the same time, she gained many sons --- Corp's former comrades who call, write, visit, keep tabs."

Memorial Day.  What It's All About.  --RoadDog

Old Friends, a Procession and the Legion-- Part 1

We actually are having spring-like weather these days.

FRIDAY, APRIL 5

Met my old buddies, Magee teachers at the Bristol 45 Diner in Bristol, Wisconsin.  I sure enjoy these monthly meetings and all the memories and where are they now?  Also, some really fine omelets here, especially their Mediterranean omelet.

On the way back, I saw the funeral procession of Illinois State Trooper Gerald Ellis who was killed last week in the line of duty.  We had several hundred people gathered at the place I was at.  There had to have been 300 police cars from all over Illinois and even as far away as Louisiana and Texas.  I had my Blue Line U.S. flag with me.

The police still have a lot of support and respect from us, even if some people don't like them.  There was not one single BLM person out there.  Well, Blue Lives Matter to us.

For more on the funeral procession for Officer Ellis, go to my RoadDog's RoadLog blog.

Met friends Barb and Glenn, and Kevin and Kelly at the Legion that night.

--Ro

No More Pleasure Riding on Sundays During World War I

These last two entries should actually have been in my Cooter's History Thing, but I didn't know how to move them nor did I care to retype them.  So, here they are.

From the September 26, 2018, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1918, 100 Years Ago.

"Much interest has been taken locally, as well as all-over the country, in the new gasoline rules which go into effect Sunday, by which owners of  automobiles are requested not to use their machines for pleasure riding on Sunday."

--RoadDog

I Sure Miss the Oldies Music News Website

Sad to see an old friend and stand-by go, but evidently Oldies Music News is no longer on the internet.

This site is where I got my oldies music news, especially deaths.  What made it even better was that they gave information on the person who died.

I am now using Rock and Roll Birthdays and Deaths  "I Hope I Die Before I Get Old."  Unfortunately, they don't give much information on the person.

More Work For Me, I Reckon.  --RoadDog

Speaking English in the Steel Plants in 1918

From the October 10, 2018, MidWeek  (DeKalb County, Illinois)  "Looking Back."

1918, 100 Years Ago.

This would normally be in my Cooter's History Thing blog, but I accidentally put it in this blog and am too lazy to go back and rewrite it, so I will post it here.

During World War I there was a major shortage of labor in the American war industries and agriculture, resulting in people from a lot of other countries working in them.  One problem was their inability ro speak English.

"Speak English, write English and tell your family to speak and write English, is the slogan now among the steel plants here, and is but another  follow-up plan of the recent Americanization meeting held here some time ago.

"On the occasion of the last payday at the American Steel & Wire  company, every check going to a worker of a foreign nationality, was stamped, 'Speak English.'"

Today This Might Be Considered Politically Incorrect.  --RoadEnglish

Changes Coming To This Blog This Year

I spend too much time researching and writing these blogs.  Most people find it hard to do one blog, but I have seven.

My choices are to drop most of the blogs or cut back on how many entries I make.

Before this, I always tried for a minimum of 365 posts a year, one for every day, but now I will shoot for a minimum of 20 posts per month, or 240 posts a year.

This blog, though, will probably continue with 30-40 entries.

Almost All Blogged Out.  --RoadDog

My Second Blog Starts Its 12th Year

Today marks the beginning of my 12th year of doing this blog.  It started when I couldn't get back into my first blog, RoadDog's RoadLog Blog and I was testing to see if I could find a way.  Turned out to be a good move as the first one was nothing buy old roads, I have many more interests than that.

This one became one for music, history and what I was doing.  I have since spun the history aspect into other blogs (too many of them, though).

Last year I posted 508 times to this blog and this is the 5,880th article since 2007.

Must Find Something Else to Do With My Time.  --RoadDog

It Was 2007 When I Started This Blog

This post marks the 5365th as I begin year number eleven of this blog.

It started back in 2007 as a result of me not being able to get back on my RoadDog's RoadLog blog which I had started a month earlier.  I eventually did get back on it, but decided to make this blog so I could go into other things I am interested in besides old roads, Route 66 and so forth.

And, that would be music and things that I am doing in these days of retirement (since 2006).

Keep the Music Playing.  --RoadDog

Happy New Year, 3546th Post: "Mother of All My Blogs"

This blog just finished seven years and now starting the eighth. It was my secind blog and grew out of when I was unable to get the original blog, RoadDog's RoadLog Blog up on the home computer after I got home from Nashville.

This one was to be about anything and everything I found of interest outside of old roads.

I post more entries on this one (now 3546) than any of the others and it is mostly about what I'm up to and music.

This one is the mother of all of my blogs other than the first one. As I found myself writing a lot about certain items, I spun those out as new blogs: Cooter's History Thing, Saw the Elephant, Running the Blockade, Tattooed On Your Soul and Not So Forgotten.

I Need to Find a Better Use for My Time, But I Sure Enjoy It. --RoadDog

Happy New Year!!!

First off, I'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

This being my 300th post after starting this blog in May, 2007. This one was only started because I couldn't get to RoadDog's Roadlog blog and I was testing blogspot to see what I should do.

I currently have four blogs on blogspot and will add another one this month.

This one, is more about me and stuff I'm up to. The other three are about roads, history, and the Civil War. The new one will be about historic preservation. I tried one on Illinois preservation on Yahoo, but can't get it and like the choices we have on blogspot a lot better.

Other blogs:

http://roaddogsroadlog.blogspot.com about roads and my travels. Also preservation right now. Preservation is an important word for us roadologists.

http://sawtheelephant.blogspot.com about the Civil War.

http://cootershistorything.blogspot.com about, what else, but you-know-what. This is my newest one, only starting last month.

Too Much Bloggin', Not Enough Action. --RoadDog

New Blog: Cooter's History Thing

Last Friday, I started my fourth blog here at Blogspot. This one will be devoted to history. I've been trying to clear stuff out of RoadDog's Roadlog and keep that devoted to roads and travel.

This one will be called Cooter's History Thing blog.  It will cover anything history not related to my other blogs.  Why Cooter?  Why not?

I've established one on the Civil War as well as this one.

http://cootershistorything.blogspot.com -- HOMI- History of My Interest--the new one.
http://roaddogsroadlog.blogspot.com
http://sawtheelephant.blogspot.com --Civil War

Definitely Blogging Way Too Much. --RoadDog

Guess Who Figured Out How to Use Bold?

You'd probably never figure out who accidentally learned how to use bold in these entries. I'm so proud of myself.

Who says you can't teach a very old dog new tricks?

I am, however, having a problem figuring out how to turn it off.

Learning New Stuff All the Time. --RoadDog

New Blog: Saw the Elephant: Civil War

This morning I established a new blog, this one to cover my Civil War musings. Before, I was doing them at my RoadDog's Roadlog Blog, but am trying to narrow its focus. I'll probably start another one on historical matters as well, but at a later time.

Today, I made three entries regarding Fort Fisher, the place that got me interested in the Civil War.

I named it "Saw the Elephant"-- Civil War Musings. In Civil War times, seeing the elephant meant that a soldier had seen actual warfare with the bullets and cannonballs flying.

You can check it out at http://sawtheelephant.blogspot.com

Just One More Thing to Spend Too Much Time On. --RoadDog