Nicknames

We all at some point in life, especially guys, pick up a nickname or two. My good friend Tom is a farmer and it seems like forever he has been referred to as Sod or Sodbuster. The thing is that nicknames normally make some kind of sense. Michael become Mike. Edward becomes Ed. Recently we were in South Dakota and went to see Mt. Rushmore. It is an impressive monument to four of our greatest presidents. Our granddaughters chose to refer to it as "Going to see the heads" rather than Mt. Rushmore.

In a way their nickname for the place makes sense.

This is a view of how the monument was created.

So you have workers hanging off the sides of a mountain with air drills carving out faces. Every worker deserved a nickname of some sort. The good news for us is that some have been preserved for us at the site.

It has the usual. Alfred T. "Al" Johnson. Robert "Bob" McNally. You expect nicknames like "Shorty" for a fellow of small stature. Perhaps "Pops" for the old guy on the job. Rickard "Dick" Jatko. I offer the following closer view and ask you to look at the nickname for H.V. Huntimer.
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I completely understand you being nicknamed "Big Dick" if your first or middle name is Richard and you are 7 feet tall. I can't get the nickname "Big Dick" from the initials H or V. Nor does his last name "Huntimer" lend itself to that moniker. Where does that leave us? I look back at the picture of those guys hanging off the mountain and my thought is that every one of them earned the nickname "Big Balls" for what they did. Of course no job site could ever function if every worker shared the same nickname. Back to "Big Dick" Huntimer. Generations of visitors to Mt. Rushmore will visit the monument and look at the names inscribed on this wall of granite. They will ponder the reason Mr. Huntimer was nicknamed "Big Dick". Since, to the best of my knowledge, the reason for the nickname has been lost in the mists of time. Each of us is free to create our own rationale. I suspect that if your name is going to be carved in a slab of granite there are few things a man would want placed next to his more than "Big Dick".

Interesting Developments

We are close to returning to Tybee Island for the month of July. Our youngest son John and his family are coming out for a vacation, my Mom is going back with us for a visit and honestly we miss our island home. Recently I wrote about being happy where you are. It is easier advice to give than to take. While we have been taking care of our Illinois home and visiting with friends and family here there have been things going on in Georgia that have my interest. Here is one of them.

This big lady came up on Tybee beach near the pier a couple of weeks ago. She is a Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) a member of the largest species of all sea turtle. Tybee had not seen a visit from a Leatherback for several years. The more common visitors to Tybee are the Loggerhead Sea Turtles. The Leatherback is different from all other sea turtles in that it lacks a bony shell. Leatherbacks adults are about six to seven feet long and weigh between 550 and 1540 pounds. It is clearly unwieldy on land but in water they are incredible. They have been recorded diving to depths of 4,200 feet. Typical dives last from 3 to 8 minutes but they are capable of dives lasting from 30 to 70 minutes. They are also the fastest moving of all reptiles capable of moving almost 22 miles per hour in water. The picture below gives you some better idea of her size.

The recent shooting in Charleston has given rise to increased interest in the Confederate battle flag and the Civil War in general. The next development in the Savannah area has to do with the Civil War. The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers is currently working to recover wreckage and artifacts from the CSS Georgia which lies in the Savannah River near old Fort Jackson. The CSS Georgia was a Confederate Navy ironclad warship constructed in 1862, launched in 1863 and deliberately sunk by Confederates on December 21, 1864 as General Sherman's march to the sea ended at Savannah. The channel of the Savannah River is being deepened and widened to allow larger ships to access the port of Savannah. If the wreck is not recovered now it will be destroyed by the dredging operations. A team of U.S. Navy divers are on site working to recover artillery rounds which were on board when the CSS Georgia was scuttled. It was originally believed there were five to ten rounds. Divers have continued to find more and now believe there are around thirty. If you wonder about the work they are doing it is difficult and dangerous. These artillery rounds are still capable of exploding. The river current is swift and the visibility is near zero. The divers are able to work only about an hour a day during the brief period between the change from low to high tide. There are four cannons remaining on the CSS Georgia which will also be raised. Below is a picture of one of the cannons recovered in operations several years ago. It is displayed at Fort Jackson.

So, as you can see, we are not talking about small items here. The work is difficult, heavy and dangerous. Below is a picture of a section of the boats casement recovered in 2013. It is about 64 square feet in size.

So there you have it. Leatherback turtle and Confederate Ironclad. What new happenings await us back on Tybee? Maybe just sand, surf and great seafood. Whatever it is we will enjoy it while we are there, most likely while we wonder about what is happening here.

Tidbits from South Dakota

When you travel you have the opportunity to see things that you don't usually see at home. It is important to take advantage of those opportunities. One of the things that entertains me is art. What people consider art. How they make art. Where they place art. We spent part of one day in Hill City, South Dakota. I enjoy the creative use of recycled materials and these two pieces of art on the main street impressed me.

Please take some time and zoom in on these if you can. There are lots of little pieces of rusted machinery in both and the construction fascinated me.

The weather in South Dakota can be pretty intense. We saw this on the way home. It was one of at least 10 that had been damaged the night before by a storm. Sorry for the picture quality but John took this while he was driving.

Now we take a minute to move backward in time a couple of days. This vehicle was parked at the motel where we were staying. Again the picture is by John. When you have storms that do the above to a semi tractor and trailer you need a storm chasing vehicle like this one.

More from South Dakota in future days. If you have never been there I encourage you to go. My favorite thing about South Dakota was the message we got from my buddy Nate who used to live up there. He found out from Facebook that we were near his old hometown and he said: "I sure miss seeing a lot of nothing." Well Nate, even a lot of nothing has plenty of somethings.

And Again

I have from time to time stood on my soapbox and called for sensible gun control. We have had another mass shooting. Charleston, South Carolina at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church with 9 killed during an evening Bible study on Wednesday. I have no hope left that any meaningful action on gun control will happen due to this latest mass murder by firearm. Folks in a church studying the Bible just doesn't reach as deep in our hearts as 20 school children at Newtown. If those kids couldn't get us any action on gun control I would be a fool to suppose that Wednesday's mass murder would spur us to move. So all I have this time is sadness and anger. You could throw in a healthy dose of frustration. A sprinkling of disappointment. What will it take for us to act? How may more Charlestons, or Newtowns, or Auroras? Another Columbine or perhaps Jonesboro, Arkansas? Maybe you had forgotten that one. If you have the time watch President Obama when he spoke to the nation on Thursday. He is clearly effected. It was the 14th time during his presidency he has had to make this kind of address to the nation following a mass shooting. Fourteen times. Fourteen. If the trend continues he has at least 4 more to go before he leaves office.

So, what is the answer? According to a representative of the National Rifle Association the answer is more guns. Rev. Clementa Pinckney, one of the shooting victims, was pastor of the church, a state senator, and did not allow guns in his church. Some have blamed him for the deaths. If he would have allowed guns in the church someone could have returned fire and maybe fewer lives would have been lost. Maybe the shooter could have been stopped. So, there is the answer from one side. More guns. The way they talk it sounds like we should all be armed all the time. Never know when something might go down. Some nut with a gun. We all should be packing heat. More guns. It is always their answer. We don't need any reasonable measures to control access to firearms. No need for crazy racist bastards to have mental health treatment. Although in this case I don't think he was legally insane. His actions were crazy but not insane. He was full of hate but not full of nuts. I thought Chuck Norris took it to a whole new level with this comment. "If Obama really wants to reduce firearm power, he should consider stepping out of office, because his presidency has increased gun sales more than any other." How do you respond to something like that? I don't dispute that gun sales have increased during President Obama's time in office. Idiots continue to buy guns because they believe that his administration is going to confiscate guns. There has been no legislation introduced to do so. There have been no actions by the administration to confiscate any legally held firearms from anyone. The fact is that you cannot convince stupid people with facts. They believe it will happen before President Obama leaves office. If it doesn't and another Democrat is elected they will believe that person wants to take their guns. Stupid assholes.

So, there you have it. No hope for change. Grab your gun whenever you go out. More guns is the only answer just ask Chuck Norris. So when I go out and I get to the front door of my house I will be carrying. I will be loaded down with frustration, sadness, hopelessness but no gun. Sorry Chuck, I'm with Susie Jackson. If that is the United States I have to live in I would rather be shot.

Does it Matter?

As Americans we seem to spend way too much time worrying about things that really aren't all that important in the big scheme of life. One of the things we seem overly concerned about is gay marriage. Gay and lesbian couples want to get married. They want the legal rights that are accorded to married couples under our laws. Does their ability to marry in any way impact my marriage? Are clergy required to open their churches to these ceremonies and act as the officiant? There seems to be a lot of concern about bakers having to make cakes for same sex couples. That seems like a good place to begin.

Some bakers feel that making a cake for a same sex couples wedding makes them a participant in an act that offends their "Christian" morals. I understand that as an individual. However, when you open a business your personal morals have to take a step back from your business responsibilities. Jeff, the baker, may have issues with baking a cake for a same sex couple. Jeff's bakery is a business and has no standing for those issues. Now folks want to make all kinds of inappropriate comparisons. What if I went to a Muslim butcher shop and ordered bacon? Or a Muslim restaurant and ordered a ham sandwich? Not an apt comparison. If the shop does not carry bacon there is no requirement they go out and buy some to sell to you. If a ham sandwich is not on the menu and they don't stock the supplies to make one, they are not required to go out and buy them because you want a sandwich. If a bakery makes wedding cakes they don't get to decide which couples get to buy one. The same way a bakery owner wouldn't be able to refuse to sell me one because I am fat. Comparisons from those on the other side have been equally unfair. The false example is one of a gun shop owner selling a gun and a murderer killing someone with it. Does that make the gun store owner a participant in the murder? No one would argue that issue. All the shop owner did was sell a gun. He has no responsibility for what is done with it after it leaves his possession.

Really for me what does it matter? The problem all too often is that folks allow their beliefs and emotions to influence their financial decisions. You see it all the time at auctions. It becomes a battle of wills to win the bid on an item. Sometimes folks pay as much for something used as it would cost for the item brand new. It makes no sense to me. You have to look at something and determine its worth. Make a decision not to over pay. Keep your emotions and religious beliefs out of the transaction. You bake cakes. The same sex couple wants a cake. A smart business person would not turn them away. Maybe it is one cake to them but it may mean several cakes to your business. They tell their friends or other couples at the ceremony like the cake and you get more business. You refuse and act like an ignorant bigot and word gets around. It may cost you way more than that one cake.

So Bodine DILLIGAF says be a business person don't be a dumb asshole.

Junk Mail

We all get junk mail. It is unfortunate that companies can get a better rate than we do to send us envelopes of crap we don't want. I think the ones that bother me the most are credit cards offers. Well, that and religious organizations who think that I have some interest in sending them money. Never have and never will. What brings on this complaining. It has been on my mind for a while and today I got the piece of junk mail that sent me over the edge.

Big banks, like the idiots at Citibank, send out offers trying to get you to sign up for one of their credit cards. The interesting thing is that for months the Federal Reserve system has been loaning the big banks money at basically zero interest. Citibank is willing to offer me the opportunity to apply to for one of their credit cards and will offer me the fine interest rate of 14.99%. Seems like a really sweet deal for them. Borrow at zero percent and loan to me at 15%.  It is little wonder that they don't seem too concerned about fraud, identity theft and bankruptcy. They just let the other borrowers cover those costs. That isn't the thing that bothers me the most.

My aggravation is with the following line on their letter. "You've been pre-selected to apply." What the fuck does that mean? If I wasn't pre-selected I couldn't apply? I don't think so. It appears to be a very weak attempt to make me feel special. You are such a wonderful person we are going to select you to apply for one of our overpriced products so we can pad our bottom line. Would you please borrow some of our money so we can have the opportunity to ruin your life. Credit cards can be a dangerous thing and encourage you to spend money on things you could live without because it would be nice to have them. Pretty soon that stuff you really could have lived without is causing you to struggle to pay for the things you must have like food and shelter to pay your credit card bill. I have gotten kinder in my old age but it may be time to revisit my past practice. Credit card offers always come with a postage paid return envelope. In the past I would stuff all my other junk mail, coupons, religious literature and newspaper ads in the envelope and send them back. It was my opportunity to get rid of some of my clutter and keep so trash out of the local landfill.

Pre-selected to apply? Dear Citibank, I have pre-determined to decline.

Flashback

Today is our son Jeremy's birthday. I'm not going to share his age. It isn't because it will make him feel old. It's because it makes me feel old. The pictures below are of his second birthday party. We lived in Abingdon, Illinois at the time. Let's just say it was a few years ago.

The birthday boy with his panda bear cake.

He clearly enjoyed his cake and actually appears to have gotten some in his mouth.

We know who the little guy on the left is, but who is that young fella on the right? Looks like some hippie in need of a haircut.

Happy birthday, Jeremy. May your birthdays always make you as happy as that one.

Dollar?

Perhaps you have heard of Pastor Creflo Dollar. A few months ago his church's website briefly posted a request for donations so that the fine pastor could get a new Gulfstream G650. The pastor wanted each of his 200,000 followers to each donate $300.00 so he could have a 65 million dollar private jet. The request was quickly removed after a huge media backlash. The good news for the fine pastor is that the board of his church World Changers International which also operates as Creflo Dollar Ministries has announced it is ready to purchase the jet for him. The G650 has a top speed of 610 miles per hour and a range of over 8,000 miles. It is a top of the line model. Pastor wants to go in style.

Now for a little background on the fine pastor. His "church" is in Atlanta, Georgia. He owns 2 Rolls Royce cars, a private jet, a million dollar home in Atlanta, a 2.5 million dollar home in Demarest, New Jersey and a 2.5 million dollar home in Manhattan which he sold in 2012 for 3.75 million. The "church" meets at the 8,500 seat World Dome which they built with no bank financing. In 2006 the "church" reported gross revenues of 69 million dollars.

I think that is enough background on this douche bag and his silly followers. The reasonable question any Christian should ask at this point about this "pastor" is a simple one. If Jesus were alive now "What would Jesus do?"  Million dollar homes, new jet, Rolls Royce automobiles. Don't see Jesus doing that. While I'm at it isn't Atlanta home to the busiest airport in the entire world? Couldn't the fine "pastor" get a flight to anywhere in the world on a moments notice? Seems to me that 65 million dollars would buy a whole bunch of first class tickets and a super big bunch of coach tickets. Don't imagine the "pastor " knows much about the cattle car seating back in coach. So, once again, DILLIGAF. If there are 200,000 idiots willing to give this jackass 65 million dollars so he can have a brand new jet plane the only hope I have is that none of them are registered voters. They are clearly to ignorant to vote. However, given how recent elections have gone I'm sure they have been voting. It is clear. We are doomed.

Don't Care, Really, Really Don't CARE

It seems like it has been forever since I wrote anything. I needed a few days off to do some work around the homestead here in Illinois and to think about some issues. Sometimes I worry that I'm just ranting away and it is like pissing your pants. You get that warm happy feeling for a few minutes and then realize you pissed yourself and life turns cold and wet. Well there are a few issues I'm going to weigh in on and they are issues that have dominated the news that I don't think are especially newsworthy.

Let's start with Bruce Jenner or Caitlyn Jenner or whoever he/she wants to be. Bruce Jenner won the Olympic gold medal for the decathlon. There is no question based on his performance in those games that he was, at that time, the greatest athlete in the world. So Bruce/Caitlyn jumps off the deep end of the pool later in life and says he is actually (and has always been) in her mind a woman. Really, who gives two shits? If you win the gold medal in the Olympic decathlon and you want to run down the street screaming you are a horse then I think you have earned the right to do so. The only thing that confuses me is the sex part. Caitlyn says she is not gay. By not gay I took that to mean that Bruce was not attracted to men. If you have your man bits removed and girlie parts carved into your body and you love men now I guess it's no longer gay. If you are still attracted to women does that now make you a lesbian? I'm confused so maybe that's why I don't care. Bruce/Caitlyn just go out and get a group of unrelated men and women and just have a dog pile orgy for all I care. It's not news. You had a sex change. I'm not interested in sex with you so I don't care.

Josh Duggar. Some stupid ass TV show that I have never watched called 19 Kids and Counting. When he was a minor he apparently touched some girls (as I understand his female siblings) over and under their clothing for his sexual gratification. I have never seen the show and find the name of the show a turnoff. Really 19 kids? Why? We had three. I have no idea how you take care of or parent 19 kids. The world has a population problem and your choice to have 19 is not helping. They are fundamentalist Christians so the argument likely would be that if "God" did not intend for them to have 19 children it wouldn't have happened. I suppose that logic could make any action you would ever take okay. If "God" didn't want it to happen "He" would have prevented it.  Here's why I don't see any of this as news. First his dad is named "Jim Bob Duggar." Yes, dear reader we are headed there. Sit tight and hold on for the ride. Big Daddy Jim Bob and Momma to 19 Michelle Duggar live in Arkansas. Now the only thing for me that is news here is that someone thought it was news when a brother in Arkansas touched his sister's breasts and vagina. I would have guessed, based on my numerous visits to Arkansas that it wasn't illegal to do so. Apparently Jim Bob and Michelle didn't think it was illegal either since they were aware of his conduct and refused to report it to the authorities. He was sent for some "Christian" counseling. It would seem to me that if you have a problem touching children you should seek the counsel of a Catholic priest. Wait, that's wrong, Josh touched girls.

On to politics. John Dennis "Denny" Hastert former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. As a matter of fact the longest serving Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives in United States history. Denny became Speaker in an interesting turn of events. Newt Gingrich stood down from his seat and Speakership in 1998. He has since been identified as a serial philanderer. Robert L. Livingston of Louisiana was designated to replace Gingrich but when Livingston's extramarital affairs came to light he announced he would not become speaker. All of this was taking place while the House was investigating the actions of President Bill Clinton and his conduct with one Monica Lewinski. So dear Denny takes over as the Speaker. Now we learn that he was guilty of prior inappropriate conduct with young men during his tenure as a high school teacher and wrestling coach. Why is this news? Denny was well known for his stand against LGBT folks. It has always been my position that if you want to make a law to make something illegal it is because it is something you are doing or would like to do. Write a bill in Congress to make goat fucking illegal. My immediate thought is that you are a secretive goat fucker. So Hastert tried to make things tough for homosexuals. Well, now we know the rest of the story. It isn't news any more than some kid in Arkansas touching his sister is.

So there you go. I'll take Bruce/Caitlyn over the other two. At least he's out front with what he is doing.  I miss real news. We seem distracted by the actions of celebrities. War, famine, crumbling infrastructure, poor treatment of our veterans, homeless men, women and children and we are worried about the sex organs of a few conceited individuals who aren't worth our time or concern. So Denny, Josh and Bruce/Caitlyn go fuck yourselves or each other. I don't care.