[MBM] - Thoughts on the SEC Championship Game

What Alabama is & what it has been for the better part of a decade is something that I, and several others of the DawgnNation variety (my age & older), have tasted.

It started with an extremely humid night in Knoxville, TN in 1980 with a kid from Johnson Co. & continued until another muggy night in 1984 in Columbia, SC.

For four years we were the ones that always had the answers; we were the ones that would always find a way to win, even when we had no business winning them. Or, as Kevin Butler famously put it - (paraphrasing) "when you had Vince on the sideline, you just always knew he had some plan or something up his sleeve where you knew we were gonna win."

Sounds like having Nick Saban as your coach, no?

A Commissioned Piece for me from Mike, circa 1999

For the better part of 3 & 1/2 decades since then, the Georgia fan base has been a neurotic one, bordering manically on the edge of malaise, and for good reason.

First off, we should've hired Erk; Knapp mishandled it.

And then, how in the hell did we hire Ray Goff, and why, in the name of all that is holy, did Dr. Wheeler have to write a song about it (Ray Goff & them Goff & them Dawgs)?

And the way we threw George Haffner, the ultimate "Company Man" & one helluva coach (and a super great guy), under the bus after the '90 season? Not cool. Then, later, McDuffie. Tragic. More bad mojo...

Then we had Donnan. We had the '97 season, but we also had Quincy Carter (and Columbia in 2000).

The horror...

And then Richt. Yesterday, on my Facebook memories thing, a post of mine came up the day after we cut him loose in '15. I was wrong on that one. It WAS time for a change.

And then Kirby. Folks, as some of you may remember, I was NOT sold on him in 2016. But, naturally, like many others, I quickly changed my tune.

So, here we are. The Benz. Tomorrow. In the ATL. Just like ten months ago, but not for all the marbles this time, but...yeah, pretty much for all the marbles...

~~~~~~~

A lady I know, love & admire taught me something some years back. Usually I'm not working at the store when it comes to big UGA games, but something happened during that 2016 season when due to an illness coupled with someone being out of town, I was stuck at the store during a very important game.

She came in, listening to the radio we had on while she was there, and as she was checking out, I said something negative about the game & how we'd likely lose.

"Stop that! You're putting out bad energy," she said.

"When you put that out there - it goes out there in the universe."

~~if people get the government they deserve, a fan base will surely get the team they deserve~~

" [that] makes sense to me, I must confess," I replied, remembering my WP.

And that, folks, I think, is the rub.

I'm totally positive about us winning this thing & I'm putting out some pretty good vibrations, and I hope you are too!

Also, this:

Damn it! It's our time. To hell w/ Saban & to hell w/ 'BAMA! Fvck 'em!

We're gonna shock the world tomorrow. The spread might be about right, but it's gonna go the other way. I had this flash the other night - UGA's gonna get a safety. I just know it. And I'm thinking something along the lines of...33-16.

Sound good? Hell yes it does!

GO DAWGS!!!

G.A.T.A.!

- MBM 

Marshall's Music Minute, 11/30/18: The Professor @ Tubby Tom's; Elvis Lives @ Amici; PITBOSS returns to Five O'clock!

This Edition of Marshall's Music Minute brought to you by...

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Howdy, Music Lovers, and welcome back to The Minute. Speaking of minutes - it's been a minute since we've done one of these but as I mentioned a couple of posts back, either in this space or in Kayla's Corner - TPC will be Your Source for the REAL music! Check back often...

This weekend is shaping up to be a nice one! First off, we've got the highly heralded Raymond Pearce playing Friday night at TPC's favorite spot in town - Amici Italian Cafe.

Many in & around are familiar with Raymond, especially with his very proficient Elvis tribute act. However, not as many folks are aware of his wealth of talents as it pertains to Classic Country, 50's Golden Oldies & even a bit of good ole fashioned Rock 'n' Roll!

Ray'll be starting up at 7PM & this one always brings in a pretty good crowd. I'd recommend trying to get there early to get ya' a good spot!

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PITBOSS Live @ The 5!!!

There's nothing like it w/ the C-town Music Scene. Famed local supergroup, PITBOSS, playing both weekend nights at the best music venue in town - Five O'Clock Sports Bar & Grill!
Classic Rock? Check. Kick-ass 80's rock? Better believe it! 

PITBOSS is a high-energy explosion of sound and no-holds-barred fun! 

They are armed with a set list which includes hits by such artists as: Bon Jovi, AC/DC, Whitesnake, Poison, and Metallica that is sure to please all of Those About To Rock! But never fear! For those who like to get on the dance floor and shake your tail-feather these boys will also play your favorite dance hits!

This band has an impressive history. Each member of this rockin’ quartet is a seasoned and professional performer. This is apparent not only in their musicianship, but also in their showmanship.

A PITBOSS show is a must-see event complete with arena-quality lights and sound! They pride themselves on maintaining their reputation of being one of the No. 1 Party Bands in the Southeast. As one fan so eloquently put it, “Ain’t no party like a PITBOSS party!”

So, come on out and see if what you’ve heard was true because PITBOSS *is* the band your Mother warned you about.

These guys are legit, y'all. And remember - both Friday & Saturday night shows, so there's no excuse to miss it. Again, Greg & them at Five O'Clock have such a killer spot for a show! Great staff, always a ton of drink specials & some of the best food in Newton County! 

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And this week's CAN'T MISS show:

The Professor, David Leinweber & Friends live at Tubby Tom's! 

Hey everybody, Frank Epps, Paul Greenlee and I are playing tonight, November 30, at Tubby Tom's. We played the other night and we are really getting a good sound, if I do say so myself. We also have a good FM rock radio repertoire that's taking shape. Come on out for some of the best food in town (thus the name), along with some fun and music. Tip the waitresses!!! Music starts at 7.

And don't forget the other great spots for live music around town:

The River Tavern in Porterdale

Good Fellas in Social Circle

Mystic, Lucy's in Newborn & others...

So get out there & enjoy the tunes, my friends.

'Til next time.

- MBM 

If it's good to ya', sure gotta be good for ya'!

[Perrin Lovett] - Re-examining the Gun Control ‘Nuclear Option’ in Lieu of a New Nuclear Threat

Yes! Gun fans, we have, after too long a pause, another Second Amendment article. Today’s ramble was motivated by one of the most irresponsible and alarming comments heard, maybe ever, in the left’s long war on freedom in the New World. Today, we explore the hypothetical intersection of American gun enthusiasts and nuclear weapons. It’s an improbable discussion. Then again, we live in improbable times.

A while back I laid to rest (so I then thought) any concern over the “nuclear option” concerning private firearms ownership. Little did I know that the subject would charge back into the national discourse with deadly potential.

As ridiculous as it sounds, the highest level of gun control hysteria the commies and globos can mount is the utterly irrational fear that, given an unrestricted right to keep and bear arms, American citizens will resort to the ownership and use of nuclear weapons. Yes, really. I’ve actually encountered that grade-A brand of stupidity live and in person - on a college campus if you’ll believe it. I heard it again, via this video:

[Here, I count on the embedding prowess of M.B. and Blogger…]

(ed.note: I'm on it, bubba!)

If the link is out of order, the video features an interview with anti-freedom activists, likely paid for by George Soros and called up by Hogg the Younger. My March 2018 take:

… one of the alarmed Mad Marxist Marchers asks, “If I can get an AR-15 what’s to stop me from getting a nuclear weapon?” Okay, I haven’t heard that one in a while. But I have heard it. I was asked the same thing about five years ago when I participated in a 2A panel at a college event.

The answers are several but, most simply, it’s: “price.” Price, you idiot. Nukes are too damned expensive for just about anyone this side of a nation-state to afford. My sources tell me that a single nuclear bomb, not including delivery system, prices out at around $200 Million. And that’s for an entity that already has a production system in place. A freelance warhead would range into the Billion$$.

I know these people are somewhat poor in the math skills department. So here’s the juxtaposition: AR-15: $500-$1,000-ish; Nuclear bomb: $200,000,000 – $5,000,000,000-ish. You see, if the Soros Fund or some similar riotous inciter pays you $15 per hour to show up for a protest, then after a few protests you could afford the AR. At that rate, it would take over 13 million hours to buy the cheapest nuke. That’s over 6,000 working years, just a few more than most people can expect to live. Sorry that I couldn’t find a cartoon or pictorial or something.

And that price structure assumes a totally free market with no legal restrictions on WMDs. We kind of have the opposite of that. Given those who could potentially afford such weapons, that might actually be a good thing. All of this assumes one of extraordinary wealth could assemble a willing team of those experts required to build the bomb. It assumes one could locate the rather rare and pricey materials. It assumes a lot. Too much. It’s a non-starter.

Maybe, instead of chasing phantoms of utter ridiculous mania, these people could concentrate on the smaller and simpler aspects of life – like NOT trashing the areas where they protest. Their rights, not yours. Your responsibilities, not theirs.

All things being equal, no American, no private citizen anywhere, is going to possess atomic weaponry any time soon, if ever. And, in hindsight, maybe that’s not such a good thing. Back then I noted that the current owners and operators of the ultimate WMD’s are nation-states. Specifically, the US, Russia, Britain, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea have nukes. (South Africa joined the club in the ’60s but wisely bowed out prior to turning power over to the bloody-red ANC). Only America has ever used nukes for their intended purpose.

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Who, really, is less trustworthy with multi-megaton cobalt bombs than a government, least of all one with a history of actually using them???

That question and this whole near-ludicrous line of thought took on new meaning thanks to the recent ranting insanity of one Eric Swalwell:

Image from Twitter.

That “Rep.” in front of Eric’s name denotes that he is actually an elected representative. The people of California’s 15th Congressional District saw fit to add this 21st Century Major Kong to the criminal cabal in Washington. He’s a Democrat if you can fathom that. A Democrat threatening to nuke Americans in America. Representing for the bluest of the blue-haired SJW’s, with all the dramatic Khrushchev style he can muster.

Find common ground, deplorables, or we’ll vaporize you! Nice. I assume his Twitter account is still active.

“Buuuuuut, he’s wasn’t serious,” the liars of the left seeth. Maybe. We know a thing or two about hyperbole here at TPC. Or, maybe it was a Freudian slip.

Whatever the case may be, the man is overflowing with shit. D.C. doesn’t do short wars. Nearly two decades in Afghanistan and they cannot defeat, with or without their H-bombs, a handful of lightly-armed, scattered goat herds. I like their chances much less against 100 million armed men and women in a nation where the dreaded nukes cannot be used (for risk of frying the users, their beloved Antifa swarms, and everyone else). Also, America no longer wins wars; they don’t even try. The “they’re” in “But they’re legit” (love dat dope rappa-speak from a politi-rat) is slightly unclear. If he meant the weapons themselves, then yes, they are 100% legit. The legitimacy of the government wielding them is about 100% off of a full 100%, however. Whatever he meant, he has no intention of finding anything resembling common ground unless that means the total disarmament of and submission by the populace.

Eff this madman. But, we can appreciate his honesty, regardless of whether he regrets revealing it. The cost factor still renders a nuclear NRA moot. And, within the same country, so long as geographic boundaries remain unchanged, proximity negates the need for mutually assured destruction. Still, this errant comment is something to think about.

Our enemies are ready, at least rhetorically, to destroy us in the event they cannot control us. That’s a notion not to be taken lightly. Even without actual martial deployment, the smoking gun here is a mushroom cloud.

Perrin Lovett

Where in the World is Kayla's Corner?

Where, oh where, has Kayla been? 

Kayla's Corner

You folks really enjoy her stuff, don't you? I mean, I get it - so do I. I get a lot of comments, especially if she goes a few weeks without a piece, but Kayla is a pretty busy girl. Not unlike your semi-esteemed editor, she always has multiple irons in the fire; but fear not, fearless readers, she will be back very soon & will hopefully get back on her regular bi-weekly schedule.

Kayla Leasure

In the meantime, check out one of the projects she's working on. Her fella makes gun holsters as well as phone, dip & business card holders, and they are awesome! I'm a proud owner one of their business card holders.

North GA Holster Co.

I just love mine!

Check out the link to their FB page to get more information. They are very reasonably priced & people just love their products! 

As I understand it, Kayla will definitely be doing a Corner next week. If you see her around town or on the ole Facebook, make a point to mention to her how much you enjoy her column.

Okay for now, gang, we'll see you next time.

- MBM 

A Happy Wednesday Morning Memo from MB: What's the Word Around Town? What's Coming Down the Track? How many Apartments Does Covington Really Need?

Oh...hey, didn't see you there. How's everything? Good, I hope. It's always a pleasure to see you.

So, what's the good word? Hell if I know. I'm just out here going with the flow, trying to let the high times carry the low & hoping to keep the bills paid while doing my best to keep it all from unraveling. It's never easy. It seems as if many of us, no matter how much we work & make, are just barely putting it together. And at what cost? We're all so busy, aren't we? As many have written about over the years, that's exactly how they like it. And who is they? Well...look, if you got to ask, then don't even worry about it...

I oftentimes think about that time Bill Clinton was addressing a ballroom full of prominent bankers, hedge fund managers & the usual assorted cast of influence peddlers, power elite types, et al a few years back. I don't know if Slick Willy was off his meds that day, or if his "Give-a-F#ck-a-meter" was broken or whatever, but he basically told this assembled group something along the lines of how the people (We The People) would have the flames & pitchforks out preparing for the mass hangings if they really knew what was going on in America (This is America!). He's right, you know. What was the dollar amount each & every taxpayer in America would have gotten if they'd spent the money from the bailouts, TARP I & II on a tax refund to us instead? I want to say it was right around $250,000 per taxpayer. You think that could have "fundamentally transformed" our society? Prolly.

Slick Willy, better than Bush 43, Obama...and Trump?

The Great Bamboozle, as Carl Sagan would have said. My word...

But hey, that's just crazy talk, right? Ole MB at it again! Y'all know me!

So let's get serious, shall we?

A rare spotting of WTC in the wild

I'm investigating two new Wm Thomas Craig stories. One of these could really, really be big & paint Craig in a very bad light. But, I repeat myself. And just in the nick of time, I'd say. It looks like the old fella is getting back on top, just like you knew that he would! I suppose with those Ezell NCSO dollars, Tommy's finally been able to get some work done to the ole law office there on College Ave. Repairs to & replacement of the falling & rotten pieces. Sanded. Repainted. It's looking real nice. And that's good, because I mean, seriously, it was looking like crap. It was getting so bad that I was wondering if the city might condemn it. Maybe move the historical house & put a parking deck there. I wonder is he still owes the IRS approx a million dollars? But what about those Corinthian columns on the place, though? Just glorious!

The place doesn't look like a dump anymore!

I'm also still working on a 2nd report on the JC Henderson/Nelson Heights thing that I wrote about some time back.

And! Within the next few weeks - look for a report on the Covington Stormwater bills. This is a scam possibly on par with fractional reserve banking, my friends. Look for it soon! 

In terms of the rest of this particular week, you'll definitely be seeing Perrin's usual weekly CF Floyd Feature Writer of National Affairs contribution as well as Ms. Bess's "Memoirs of Surviving Children." Also, for the first time in a pretty good while, you'll be getting a "Marshall's Music Minute" at the end of the week. I'm pretty pumped about that. And moving forward, whether it's in the Minute or "Kayla's Corner," you can pretty much count on getting that 411 on live music on a weekly basis from here on out. Huzzah! But hey, speaking of Kayla - where she at? Look for a post later today about that, friends.

C-town Representin': All.The.Apartments. Edition

Per a report I received from a source from a communique they purportedly received from a Clark's Grove homeowner, the city has yet another apartment complex on its hands. This one right across the street from the aforementioned subdivision. Apparently in the realm of 200 units.

That's on top of the city's apparent F-up from a couple  years back that enabled Harry Kitchens to get 350 units in over at the Alcovy Rd development before any commercial, freehold residential, or office space gets built. And that's on top of the supposed 55+ apartments that were just approved by the city council (by a 6 to 0 vote, mind you; the Covington Planning Commission voted unanimously to DENY it.)

Based on a conversation I had some time back, there were a total of SIX multifamily developments that had either started the permitting process, or were preparing to. I guess this would be three of those six...

For a city that is as out of whack, in terms of tax base, as any city of its size in Georgia, and for a city that already has a 60% tenant-to-homeowner ratio (well above the state & national average), it seems as if the city is going - All In - on multifamily.

So, what is the why here? 

If you listen to those who are on the front line of this phenomenon, folks like our Mayor, Mr. Ronnie Johnston, and others, they seem to truly believe that with the Three Ring Studios, the Stanton Springs development (Baxter, Baxalta Shire; the 100 jobs that will come online with the reported $42 billion dollar FB project - making it the most expensive building ever built in the history of Earth), and other developments, that the city will need to increase the number of residents of our fair town by upwards of 20% while pushing us more towards a 75% tenant-to-homeowner ratio, because, well...the millennials! They don't want the American Dream anymore, apparently. They just want to rent, or something. But remember this, friends: it's all about what the market will bear. And basic economics - supply & demand. Obviously there are developers out there who think they will get good absorption rates & future rates of return on these developments. So, there's your demand. And with the current zoning & master plan, there's a lot of supply when it comes to this sort of thing apparently. Maybe the time has come for the city to limit the supply. And what about the supply & demand relationship as it pertains to the actual units? Is the demand out there to add upwards of a thousand rental units in the home city? Personally, I think we should do what Porterdale is doing, and have the planning commission go through all of the zoning ordinances with a fine tooth comb & look at making some major changes.

It seems to be a pretty big gamble by some. Maybe it's all going to come together, but I can see things completely falling apart. There are so many factors. The national economy, for starters. Are we right on the precipice of another recession? With Kemp's victory, will Georgia continue, in the same manner, to be the "Hollywood of the South?" With Facebook's growing public relations issues, ever-decreasing users & advertisers, and continuing loss of profitability, is this data center really going to be this big, huge thing? This huge thing that will provide 100 jobs? But some will tell you that there's this data out there that will show how these 100 jobs will lead to X number of other jobs. Meh...

We've got some big elections coming up in less that 12 months here in the home city. It WILL be a referendum on how all the things previously mentioned, and then several others, turn out. And hey, it may very well go either way. Who knows? We shall see...

Make no mistake about it - the 2019 municipal elections WILL be a referendum on Mr. Mayor

Alright, then. As always, thanks for reading. Until next time.

Your friend,

MBM

A Guest Column by Ryan Graham, former Libertarian candidate for the Georgia Public Service Commission

Not endorsing either candidate in the Dec. 4th runoff but will be voting for Lindy Miller  

*ed note: Mr. Graham, a software development Project Manager, was the Libertarian candidate for Georgia's 3rd District seat of the Public Service Commission. He garnered over 100,000 votes and forced a runoff between the Republican incumbent & Democratic challenger. 

Ryan Graham

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As a candidate for state office in Georgia this fall, I heard from thousands of voters feeling left behind by Georgia politics. Those voices of dissent and discontent voted for libertarian candidates, confounding outright wins by same-old Republicans and Democrats. They rejected the status quo and corrupt bureaucrats. Many of those voters, myself included, will be faced with that status quo again in December 4 run-offs.

I campaigned against the outrageously disingenuous incumbent failing to represent District 3 on the Public Service Commission(PSC). His campaign was overwhelmingly funded by companies he is elected to regulate, most notably Georgia Power, Southern Company. Donations are disguised through lobbyists and law firms who represent those special interests.

During his campaign and when I questioned him in debate, the incumbent claimed Georgian’s power bills had gone up “not one dime in over six years.” Confronted with objective evidence that working families pay more to Georgia Power year after year (EIA study) he confessed his statistics and talking points were provided by…Georgia Power.

The PSC’s duty is to advocate for consumers against state-appointed monopolies. When competition is illegal, prices rise and quality falls, as anyone who has interacted with power companies can verify.

Monopoly power companies are not only charging Georgians higher prices and special fees, they’ve successfully convinced incumbent politicians to allow them to profit from power they haven’t produced.

The $28 Billion boondoggle in Waynesboro guarantees Georgia Power a minimum profit. Tasked with “overseeing” its own use of public money, the company put taxpayer funds at risk and protected shareholder returns.  Cost projections have doubled, but the PSC approved increases guaranteeing Georgia Power $5 Billion in profits without a single kilowatt generated. Dutiful PSC cronies, their campaign coffers stuffed with power company dollars vote to reward failure again and again. An elected official cannot demand accountability or transparency from a monopoly when he is dependent on its donations.

I’ve fielded many calls and emails this month asking if my campaign – 100,000+ voters strong – would endorse either the sitting Republican or the challenging Democrat. I will not. Were either candidate on the right side of enough issues to earn my endorsement, my own campaign would not have been necessary.

But I will cast a vote in this run-off: I will vote for Lindy Miller. I hope the 100,000+ courageous voters who challenged the system will also find Miller a superior choice.

Democrats usually count on the support of unions and ‘organized labor’ in exchange for make-work projects at public expense. Miller has not received those endorsements, and that’s a good sign. Unions see she’ll question cost overruns and wasted dollars – exactly what the PSC should be doing but hasn’t. She’s demanding proof that Plant Vogtle and the (hypothetical) jobs created there will be a wise investment for taxpayers, not unexamined kick-backs for campaign donors.

The PSC, designated to represent your interests and stand up to its own crony donors, has 5 commissioners all of whom are big government, tax-and-spend Republicans. Lindy Miller will challenge discussions that routinely end in 5-0 or 0-5 decisions. The strength of Miller’s campaign is her fierce advocacy for consumers and apparent willingness to fight the status quo.

Customers forced to do business with just one power provider need a champion bulldog, not a corporate lapdog. We need someone on the PSC asking the hard questions. I genuinely hoped it could be me, and I thank the tens of thousands of you who joined me in voting for that vision. AT least one candidate has endorsed consumer choice, because your concerns tipped an election.

So while I won’t endorse my former opponent Lindy Miller for PSC 3,  I will be voting for her. I hope you’ll consider it, too.

[Bess Tuggle] - Memoirs of Surviving Children: Getting Up the Christmas Tree

T’is the season to be jolly, Fa la la la la la, ha ha HA! 

I’m not a “Bah, humbug” sort of person.  As much as I love the holidays, I dread ‘em too. 

            We haven’t even had turkey yet, with my mother’s –wonderful- stuffing (though it’s coming up soon).  It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without it – and a shout out and thanks ‘cause she always hides some leftovers for me; siblings can kiss my rear, I have first dibs.  Seniority has its privileges.    

The Christmas tree kicks it off for me.  This is the part I dread.  We’ve always had real trees, I always put ‘em up two weeks before Christmas, and they’re always down before New Years Eve.  There’s a reason for that.

            When my boys’ were little we had BIG Christmas trees.  I mean –really- big.  Eighteen to twenty two foot tall trees.  Bringing it in and standing it up was an all day event, and it took all of us to do it.

            The old living room had an open ceiling to the loft, so a huge tree wasn’t a problem.  Getting it into the house and standing it up was.  It really, really, REALLY was.

            Thing 3 and Thing 4 learned to be the anchors after we dragged our current behemoth tree into the house.  BOTH of them had to hold down the base of the trunk while the rest of us tried to pull it up.  Ropes, pulleys, muscle and stubbornness were all employed.  I almost launched myself over the railing one year, all my fault, because I thought it would be a good idea to tie a rope around my waist to pull the tree up.  That was a really bad idea. 

            Once the tree was standing we had to tie it off to the stairs going up to the loft, lift it into the tree stand, and the boys would disappear.  Sometimes they are much smarter than I give them credit for.

            Tree up, kids’ gone hiding, and Mama’s gonna decorate.  Then comes the next fiasco.

            I’d get the ladder out, kitchen chairs and everything else I could think of to climb on.  The hook to the sky-light was a bonus.  We had a sky-light in the master bathroom and it took an extendable hook to crank it open and closed.  That hook worked good hanging ornaments on the tree until I lost the grip on a tree limb. Then the d*&m ornaments got launched!  They didn’t just hit the floor.  They hit the walls, the ceiling…  It was with luck when they actually got hung on the tree.  Glass ornaments had a special place on the tree, within my reach from the floor and above child and pet access.

            Cats and dogs didn’t help.  If you’ve ever had a cat and a big tree you’ll understand this one.  The cats liked to climb into the tree.  The dogs, for whatever reason, wouldn’t chase the cats until they got into the tree.  The kids chased the dogs that chased the cats…  Let the chaos continue!

            The tree has always been down by New Years, with a reason.  The cats and dogs learned to drink out of the tree stand, so by New Years it was a major fire hazard.  I don’t know –why- the water in the tree stand tasted so much better than the water in the pet’s bowls, or the toilet when someone forgot to close the lid, but it apparently did. 

I did manage to get a lil’ smarter when it came to taking down the tree though, after years of practice.  I used a chainsaw in my living room, cut the tree into sections, and out the door it went.  The ornaments went back in their boxes (I’ve got some that are older than me), safely stored away and the tree went in the fire-pit.  I managed to get my house back together without killing anyone – pets or children – so I could do it again in twelve months.

            Happy Holidays, ya’ll!     

- Bess Tuggle 

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The Piedmont Chronicles

Your Source for the REAL Story

Happy Thanksgiving from TPC: The History of Thanksgiving

*ed. note: originally appeared in About Covington to Madison magazine. 2010

Many people consider Thanksgiving their favorite holiday—myself included. It's all about the gratitude we feel for the things we have and the people we love. Also, the traditional feast of turkey, dressing, and the rest of the fixins is pretty darned good. Some would also argue that while Thanksgiving has the food, family, and fellowship of Christmas, it doesn't have the stress and hustle and bustle that sometimes leads up to the December holiday. Of course, I think the people who say that usually aren't the ones doing the cooking! But what about the history of this wonderful holiday?

We all remember the story we learned in elementary school about the Pilgrims and Indians coming together for the first Thanksgiving at Plymouth Rock. And while it wasn't quite so simple (and maybe not quite completely accurate either), that basic story is pretty much true. In 1621, the Pilgrims, led by William Bradford, had a three day feast to give thanks for their first successful harvest and invited several of the local Wampanoag Indians including their leader Massasoit. Also in attendance was Squanto--the Indian who translated for the Pilgrims and who also taught them how to fish the local rivers and to grow and harvest the corn and other crops that they were celebrating. It was quite a feast and included turkey, deer, lobster, fish, fowl, corn, squash, and cranberries. This type of celebration as well as its Autumnal timing was similar to the harvest festivals that many parts of Europe had been celebrating for centuries.

Going back to the line about the first Thanksgiving not being completely accurate, I say that because most historians agree that it wasn't truly the first one in the new continent. In 1619, English settlers in Berkley Hundred, near Jamestown in the Virginia colony, had a “day of thanksgiving” which was actually more or less a religious ceremony but did not include a feast. However, that still might not truly be the first one either as it has been documented that the Spanish had a thanksgiving celebration starting in the mid 1500's in modern day Florida. Also, in modern day Canada, settlers there started celebrating a “thanksgiving” in the late 16^th century. So while the basic story behind the Pilgrims is true, it would be inaccurate to label it as the very first Thanksgiving in what is now America. As an aside, Canada also celebrates Thanksgiving but does so in September.

Another inaccuracy with this holiday is the popular misconception that it disappeared for over two centuries and was brought back to life by Lincoln during the Civil War. While Lincoln did issue a proclamation to make the final Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving in 1863, several earlier presidents had done the exact same thing including George Washington and John Adams. Also, many states, particularly in the North, had officially been celebrating the holiday decades before Lincoln.

Thanksgiving did not become an official national holiday until FDR and Congress did so in 1941. They specifically made the fourth Thursday in November (rather than the last) as the date for the holiday. A couple of years earlier, FDR had tried to move the holiday up a week to help spur Christmas sales during the lean times of the Depression. His idea flopped and many people, especially in the South, still celebrated on the last Thursday and jokingly referred to the earlier celebration as “Franksgiving” while some parts of the country simply celebrated both holidays. So after two years and “four” Thanksgivings, FDR and Congress made the change and it has been that way ever since.

There have been some recent trends with Thanksgiving particularly relating to the preparation of the turkey. The big thing lately has been deep frying the bird in peanut oil. Unfortunately, this has also led to Thanksgiving day becoming the number one day of the year for home cooking fires in our country. The experts stress three things. Make sure you're outside. Make sure the turkey is completely thawed out. And make sure you slowly submerse it—don't just drop it in there.

And finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention one other thing...just in case there is anyone out there who hasn't heard about it yet. In Louisiana, they eat what they call a “turducken”, in which a chicken is stuffed into a duck which is then stuffed into a turkey and then cooked. That's just crazy! Although, I must admit, I really want to try it sometime. There is also a variation called a “gooducken” in which a goose is substituted for the turkey. Strange but true...

Well folks...that's all I got for this one. Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and maybe some of us will be dining on turducken this year!

MB McCart