tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42873414560235908412023-11-15T05:42:57.418-08:00KEEPING UP WITH the JONESA New look at the Old South ... Musings from Mark R. Jones Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-58419574348844321322012-11-17T05:07:00.001-08:002012-11-17T05:07:33.691-08:001958: Tom Dooley Hits # 1 on Music Charts ... Based on a notorious North Carolina Murder <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
On November 17, 1958, the Kingston Trio hist #1 on the B<i>illboard</i> charts with the song "Tom Dooley." Bob Dylan and Joan Baez may have gotten their political and musical inspiration from folk music legends Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie, but their commercial appeal can be traced to the success of the Kingston Trio. With their clean-cut looks, smiling faces and winsome harmonies coupled with banjo strumming, the Trio put a non-threatening face on the folk music culture of the 1950s, and brought the music into mainstream America.<br />
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Their most popular song, "Tom Dooley" has one of the most interesting and sinister back stories of any American popular song. <br />
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; text-transform: uppercase;"><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tom
Dula: The Murder of Laura Foster, and the Birth of a Legend<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Victims: 1</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Happy Valley sits on the Yadkin River in
Wilkes County, North Carolina. Tom Dula was a happy-go-lucky man with many lady admirers,
in particular cousins Laura and Anne Foster.. Even though both girls were
sought after by several other men, they both had a special fondness for Tom. He
was so unlike all the other men. He was happy, and fun, always singing and
playing his banjo. He played for the local square dances and was a very popular
young man with the ladies around the community.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> But he also had a cruel side. Most men
remembered him as “quite a mean individual.” He was also considered a
“womanizer of a very low level.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Laura and Ann Foster were not genteel
southern bells from polite society. They were country farm girls. Ann's mother,
Lottie Foster, discovered Tom and Ann in bed together when they were just
fourteen years old. Both women had a reputation of being loose with their
bodies who would have sex with anyone. Ann was also considered “mean as hell”
by the locals. Today, they would be called white trash.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <b>March
1862. </b>Like most of the men in the south, Tom joined the Confederate cause
when he was seventeen years old. As a private, he served as regiment musician
and soldier. He served under Colonel Zebulon B. Vance, a former governor of
North Carolina, and saw action at Morehead City and the battle of Swift Creek
in February 1864.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <b>March
10,1864. </b>Tom was captured and taken to Point Lookout, Maryland as a
prisoner of war. He returned home after the Civil War, the survivior of many
brutal battles and harsh treatment, but his war heroism was second to his real
claim to fame - music. Just as he had entertained the people of Happy Valley with
his music, Tom had often entertained his Confederate comrades-in-arms around
the campfire with his banjo-playing and singing. It gave them a few moments of
joy between long marches and bloody battles.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <b>June
10, 1865. </b>Tom signed the oath of allegiance and returned to Happy Valley.
He discovered that during ihs absence Ann had married James Melton, so Tom
began to woo Laura, even though she had several other suitors. Bob Grayson, a local
school teacher, was totally smitten with Laura and wanted her for his wife.
Laura and Tom met secretly at night. However, Tom was also seeing the married
Ann Melton on the sly. Ann had discovered that, marriage or not, her passion
for Dula had not waned at all, so the two cousins, shared Dula as their lover. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Tom finally proposed to Laura and she
accepted. They planned an elopement.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> Friday, May
24, 1866. </span></b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">That evening, Laura packed
a few clothes and snuck out of her family's house, hopped on her old horse,
Belle, and rode off quietly into the night to rendezvous with Tom Dula. She was
never seen again. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Most locals initally suspected Laura had
eloped with Dula, but the family organize search parties were formed, but to no
avail. Three weeks after Laura's disappearance, Belle was discovered tied to a
tree in a hidden copse of thick brush. The soil
around was disturbed with horse tracks. By this time, most people thought
Laura's body had been dumped in
theYadkin River.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Months later, Ann's relationship with the third Foster sister, Perline, was on edge. Ann had always been critical of her younger
sister, but lately the criticism had become more pointed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Perline told Ann, “You better be careful, or
I'll tell what I know about Laura.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> “You wouldn't dare,” Ann retorted. “You're
as deep in the mud as I am in the mire.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Soon the authorities were suspicious of the
women's behavior, sure that the women had information about Laura's
disappearance. They were taken in for questioning. Perline broke down and
shouted, “Tom Dula killed Laura! And Ann has taken me to the grave!” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Perline told them where Laura's body was
buried. The search party, led by Bob Grayson, began their grim task of looking
for Laura's grave. When James Isbell's horse became nervous and shied away from
an area of loose dirt the men started digging and unearthed the body of
Laura Foster. Her legs had been
broken and there was large wound was found
in her breast. They also found a small bag of Laura's clothing and one
other thing - Bob Grayson found a lady's
handkerchief which he claimed <i>did not</i>
belong to Laura. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Laura's body was brought home and she was
buried on a high hill known ever since as "Laura Foster Hill". <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The handkerchief was identified as belonging
Ann Melton. She was arrested as an accomplice in the murder of Laura
Foster. As she was led away she shouted, “They'll never put a rope around <i>this</i> pretty neck!” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> However, Bob Grayson would not be satisfied
until he had the true murderer of his love - Tom Dula,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <b>July
1866. </b>A<b> </b>man walked onto the farm of Lt. Col. James W. M. Grayson near
Trade, Tennessee. He said his name was Tom Hall from Wilkes County and that he
wanted to work just long enough to earn money for a new pair of boots. His were
falling apart. Grayson put Tom to work as a hired hand and by July 10, Tom had
his new boots and was gone. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Later that afternoon the posse fromWilkes
County arrived at Colonel Grayson's farm, led by Bob Grayson, no relation. They told the colonel they werelooking for a
man named Tom Dula. From their description of the man, the colonel knew they
were looking for his hired man, Tom Hall. The colonel joined with the posse to search
for Dula. Nine miles west of Taylorsville (now Mountain City) a place called
Pandora they fuond Dula sitting on a rock in the creek soaking his feet. His
new boots had rubbed blisters. The colonel dismounted and told Tom he was under arrest, but when
members of the posse began to discuss hanging Tom then and there, the colonel pulled out his gun. He told the
posse that Tom was going to get a fair trial. Tom insisted that he was not
guilty. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Three weeks after Laura's body had been
found, the posse rode into town. Colonel Grayson was in the lead followed by
Tom Dula with his hands shackled behind his back. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> A crowd had gathered. Dula, unconcerned
as he always was, asked that he be un-shackeled and so he could play a little
tune on his banjo for the crowd. He was incarcerated by A. T. Ferguson
and quickly joined by Ann Foster Milton in an adjoining cell. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Colonel Zebulon Vance, Tom's former commander
and governor, agreed to defend Tom. He negotiated a change of venue because the
local people were so passionate against Tom and several continuances. It wasn't
until the spring of 1868 that tom went on trial for the murder of Laura
Foster. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The trial was held in Statesville, about
thirty miles from Wilksboro, Judge Ralph Burton presiding. Most of the evidence
was circumstantial. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Evidence was introduced that Tom Dula and
Ann Foster Milton were having an affair, “criminal intercourse” the court
record called it. Tom had contracted syphilis, possibly from either Laura or
Ann. Several locals testified that Tom was so outraged about the disease that several
times he threatened to “put through” whoever had given him the infection.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Bob Grayson brought Betsey Scott as a
witness and she testified that she had talked to Laura Foster the day
before she disappeared. Laura claimed she was going to “the Bates place” to
meet Dula. On Thursday Tom had borrowed a mattock - a shovel - from Ann's
mother . He was seen Thursday afternoon near the Bate's place. Ann was also
seen leaving town on Thursday and wasn't seen again until Friday morning. When
she arrived home her dress and shoes were wet and muddy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The prosecution claimed that Tom's motive
for murder was his anger at contracting a venereal disease; Ann's motive was
her jealously of Tom and Laura's impending marriage. Other's claimed that
Laura's murder was done out of mercy. There was no cure for syphilis in the
19th century and victims faced an agonizing death, so Tom killed her so she
would not have to endure the approaching suffering. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> During the defense Tom insisted he was
innocent, but Vance could not get Tom to testify against anyone else. He
refused to say anything about his relationship with Ann, or with Laura Foster.
He was pronounced guilty and sentenced to be hanged by the neck until
dead. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <b>May
1, 1868. </b>Tom Dula rode through the streets of Statesville in a wagon for
the last time. He sat on the top of his coffin with his banjo on his knee, joking with the throng of people walking along. He played his favorite
ballad and laughed as the wagon neared the gallows. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> As the rope was placed around his neck, he
joked with Sheriff W. E. Watson, "I would have washed my neck if I
had known you were using such a nice
clean new rope". <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Asked if he had any last words to say, Tom
Dula held up his right hand and replied,
"Gentlemen, do you see this hand? Do you see it
tremble? Do you see it shake? I never hurt a hair on the girl's head". <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The trap door was dropped.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The drop did not break his neck. He
performed “the dead man's dance” for more than five minutes, meaning he kicked
his feet in the air while he was being strangled to death. After ten minutes,
he still had a pulse. Thirteen minutes after he was dropped, Tom Dula was
pronounced dead by the attending physician.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Tom was buried in a cemetery in Happy Valley
on the side of the old North Wilkesboro
Road near Elksville, North Carolina, near where Big Elkin Creek meets the Yadkin River a few miles northeast
of Roaring River. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Vance also defended Ann Melton. People in
town thought she was a witch, and that evil lived within her, but she was found
not guilty. For the rest of her life the shadow of Laura's murder followed her,
but one day the shadow caught up with her. She was killed in a freak accident,
a wagon overturning crushed her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The graves of Laura and Ann are visited each year by
thousands of tourists. Tom Dula's grave is on private property and not open to the public. The
"Tom Dooley" museum is located in Ferguson, North Carolina at the
Whippoorwill Academy and Village. Tourists can also visit the Old Wilkes Jail
where Tom and Ann were held before their trials. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The famous 'Ballad of Tom Dooley' was
written by a local poet, Thomas C. Land,
at the time of Dula's hanging. It became very popular among the mountain
people. In 1958, the Kingston Trio had a #1 song with their version of the song
titled 'Tom Dooley'.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">HANG DOWN YOUR HEAD, TOM DOOLEY<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(traditional; as performed by the Kingston Trio)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hang down your head, Tom Dooley<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hang down your head and cry<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hang down your head, Tom
Dooley<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Poor boy, you're bound to die<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I met her on the mountain<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There I took her life<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Met her on the mountain<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stabbed her with my knife<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hang down your head, Tom Dooley<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hang down your head and cry<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hang down your head, Tom Dooley<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Poor boy, you're bound to die<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This time tomorrow<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reckon where I'll be<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hadn't a-been for Grayson<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd a-been in Tennessee<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hang down your head, Tom
Dooley<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hang down your head and cry<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hang down your head, Tom Dooley<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Poor boy, you're bound to die<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This time tomorrow<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reckon where I'll be<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Down in some lonesome valley<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hangin' from a white oak tree<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hang down your head,
Tom Dooley<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hang down your head and cry<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hang down your head, Tom
Dooley<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Poor boy, you're bound to
die<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hang down your head, Tom
Dooley<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hang down your head and cry<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hang down your head, Tom
Dooley<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Poor boy, you're bound to
die<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Poor boy, you're bound to
die<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Poor boy you're bound to
die<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Poor boy, you're bound to
die...</span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br /></div>
Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-38540143403223708202012-05-31T07:18:00.000-07:002012-05-31T07:19:17.040-07:00THANK YOU MR. WILSON .. for Repairman Jack and the-end-of-the-world<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today, with mixed emotions, I will begin to read the last Repairman Jack novel by F. Paul Wilson<i>, <b>Nightworld</b></i>. The odd thing is: I've already read this book before, but not really. For those of you who don't know Jack, continue reading!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MQaTPhyvvLM/T8dyvn31PFI/AAAAAAAABeg/kNGqQOEJjx0/s1600/nightworld1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MQaTPhyvvLM/T8dyvn31PFI/AAAAAAAABeg/kNGqQOEJjx0/s200/nightworld1.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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I first discovered Wilson when I read his classic horror novel,<b><i> The Keep</i></b>, in 1981. The book was later turned into a truly awful movie several years later - avoid! Then, in 1984, I read <b><i>The Tomb</i></b>, which introduced us to one of the coolest, baddest and most complex action heroes ever created, Repairman Jack. Jack is part Travis McGee, part Rambo, part Indiana Jones and pure entertainment. He is a mercenary who "lives off the grid" and "repairs" situations for people who hire him, often through violence, but just as often through clever scams Some of Jack's adventures have a mystical, supernatural element in them, but mostly, they are pure adventure. If you are looking for a great beach book this summer, look no further than <b><i>The Tomb.</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--PPJFiX7lro/T8d0GJsOwOI/AAAAAAAABeo/16mtgPjkNIc/s1600/tomb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--PPJFiX7lro/T8d0GJsOwOI/AAAAAAAABeo/16mtgPjkNIc/s200/tomb.jpg" width="122" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.repairmanjack.com/forum/content.php?4-published-fiction"><b>CLICK HERE to see a list of Wilson's novels.</b></a><br />
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Unfortunately, for the next fourteen years, Wilson did not write another Jack novel, even though he continued to write some of the best contemporary fiction of the 80s and 90s - medical thrillers, horror novels and science fiction. In the early 90s he published three connected novels titled <i style="font-weight: bold;">Reborn, Reprisal </i><b>and</b><b style="font-style: italic;"> Nightworld. </b>In those books, the evil entity called Rasalom, supposedly destroyed <b><i>The Keep</i></b>, manages to have its essence stored as the soul of a cloned human, Jim Stevens. When Jim marries and has a child, Rasalom transfers its essence into the soul of Jim's son, who is born preternaturally aware and feeds off human misery and fear. Rasalom has been reborn! The last book, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Nightworld, </i>is literally the end of the world, as Rasalom transforms earth into a world of a perpetual hellish night. Wilson himself has claimed that he will never write another novel that takes place after <i style="font-weight: bold;">Nightworld., </i>since in his fictional universe, nothing exists after that timeline<i style="font-weight: bold;">.</i><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8SXdj9Uq2AQ/T8d4GmshTlI/AAAAAAAABe8/XnlxnqdLAxk/s1600/adversary+cycle.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8SXdj9Uq2AQ/T8d4GmshTlI/AAAAAAAABe8/XnlxnqdLAxk/s320/adversary+cycle.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original editions of The Adversary Cycle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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In 1998, Wilson finally published <i><b>Legacies</b></i>, a full blown Repairman Jack novel. And he kept writing them, fifteen in all. He also managed to crank out three Repairman Jack Young Adult novels, letting us meet Jack as an adolescent, learning how and why Jack the kid became Jack the Repairman. And with each subsequent book, the story of Rasalom's emergence in the world creeps into Jack's world. Which leads us to the new edition of <b><i>Nightworld,</i></b> completely rewritten to incorporate the entire Jack storyline.<br />
<br />
I approach the reading of this novel with torn emotions. Like anyone who loves fiction, I cannot wait to SEE WHAT HAPPENS, but on the other hand, I also DO NOT WANT to see what happens to Jack, Gia, Vicki, Abe and the other characters who have become part of my life.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bPwrZsafbYc/T8d85RuZvEI/AAAAAAAABfI/5ZuaVrWnBnw/s1600/paul+wilson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bPwrZsafbYc/T8d85RuZvEI/AAAAAAAABfI/5ZuaVrWnBnw/s320/paul+wilson.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">F. Paul Wilson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So, thank you Mr. Wilson for making the reading of <b><i>Nightworld</i></b> such a bittersweet experience, and thank you for creating such an amazing story and character<b>. </b><b>LONG LIVE JACK!</b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<br />
\<br />
<br /></div>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-12764073122756563962012-03-12T13:18:00.000-07:002012-03-12T13:18:06.606-07:00R.I.P Robert Parker & "Spenser"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have just recently finished the 39<sup>th</sup> (and the
last) “Spenser” novel completed by Robert B. Parker before his death in 2010
and I’m sorry to report that Susan Silverman, Spenser’s “main squeeze,” is
still alive and well and annoying as ever. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2pvVR1V1Qaw/T15VyzxJ-3I/AAAAAAAABaM/wP7IWPE40Bc/s1600/sixkill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2pvVR1V1Qaw/T15VyzxJ-3I/AAAAAAAABaM/wP7IWPE40Bc/s200/sixkill.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I discovered Parker (and Spenser) in the late 70s after he
won the Edgar Award for the 4</span><sup style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Spenser novel, PROMISED LAND. It was
witty, sarcastic – funny!! - and introduced a character named Hawk who was a
stone-cold (but v-e-r-y cool) hired killer. So I went back and read the
previous books. Everything was fine until novel #12, A CATSKILL EAGLE. That
novel was so wrong … and the blame can be entirely placed on Susan Silverman.
She gets kidnapped and Spenser, with Hawk’s assistance, goes to extreme lengths
to rescue her. He even becomes an assassin for the Federal government! It was
the first hint of what was to become the ruin of a great mystery series –
Susan’s prediliction to over-analyze everything and bring the story to a
screeching halt!</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qQAfD7qIWSQ/T15WGFgdskI/AAAAAAAABaU/OJw2HNkgiUQ/s1600/promised+land.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qQAfD7qIWSQ/T15WGFgdskI/AAAAAAAABaU/OJw2HNkgiUQ/s200/promised+land.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the next 20+ novels, the Susan chapters became more
annoying and cloying and you begin to wonder what the hell Spenser sees in this high-maintenance woman. For someone supposedly so smart, she does stupid things. For
someone who claims to be so in touch with Spenser’s psyche, she’s constantly
badgering him to “look at himself.” Soon, their conversations became nothing
more than parodies of their earlier conversations. So, I just started skipped
the Susan chapters. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All this leads to the last Spenser novel (but maybe not, the
Parker estate has announced Ace Atkins will writer more Spenser novels …
uuGGG!. Ask Margaret Mitchell how well that has worked out.) which gives me
mixed emotions. In one way I am relieved that I will never have to read another
Spenser/Susan scene, but I am also sad that I will never again get those great
scenes between Spenser and Hawk. Like this scene when black Hawk and white Spenser discuss the name of black client they are going to see. To them, his name sounds suspiciously made up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">HAWK: "Name don't sound like no brother."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SPENSER: "Maybe he changed his name."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">HAWK: "What do you think his real name is?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SPENSER: "Old Black Joe?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">HAWK: "Mostly they ain't naming us that no more."</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_4m2I6qHn04/T15WnC1_lmI/AAAAAAAABac/DUuQRhbbsE0/s1600/parker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_4m2I6qHn04/T15WnC1_lmI/AAAAAAAABac/DUuQRhbbsE0/s200/parker.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robert B. Parker</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Spenser novels are filled with small little scenes like that. Great wry banter between the characters. As anyone who writes fiction can tell. Anyone can create a plot, but creating characters through dialogue is the mark of a master. And Parker was a master. It is his enduring legacy as a mystery writer.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #400080; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, rest in peace, Mr. Parker, you gave us about 15 great
Spenser novels, and the rest of them … well, they have Susan Silverman in them
waaay too much to be recommended. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-20036985411526536152011-06-29T04:23:00.001-07:002011-06-29T04:26:33.525-07:00Today In History: Edward Rutledge is a Reluctant Rebel<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; ">On this day in 1776, Edward Rutledge, one of South Carolina''s representatives to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, expresses his reluctance to declare independence from Britain in a letter to the like-minded John Jay of New York.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; ">Contrary to the majority of his Congressional colleagues, Rutledge advocated patience with regards to declaring independence. In a letter to Jay, one of New York's representatives who was similarly disinclined to rush a declaration, Rutledge worried whether moderates like himself and Jay could "effectually oppose" a resolution for independence. Jay had urgent business in New York and therefore was not able to be present for the debates. Thus, Rutledge wrote of his concerns.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; ">Rutledge was born in Charleston, to a physician who had emigrated from Ireland. Edward's elder brother John studied law at London's Middle Temple before returning to set up a lucrative practice in Charleston. Edward followed suit and studied first at Oxford University before being admitted to the English bar at the Middle Temple. He too returned to Charleston, where he married and began a family in a house across the street from his brother. As revolutionary politics roiled the colonies, first John, then Edward served as South Carolina's representative to the Continental Congress. Neither Rutledge brother was eager to sever ties with Great Britain, but it fell to Edward to sign the Declaration of Independence and create the appearance of unanimity to strengthen the Patriots' stand. At age 26, Edward Rutledge was the youngest American to literally risk his neck by signing the document.</p></span>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-46711218755866534272011-06-12T04:41:00.000-07:002011-06-12T04:44:04.038-07:00Today In History,1994: Nicole Brown Simpson & Ron Goldman Murdered by ...?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; ">Nicole Brown Simpson, famous football player O.J. Simpson's ex-wife, and her friend Ron Goldman are brutally stabbed to death outside Nicole's home in Brentwood, California, in what quickly becomes one of the most highly publicized trials of the century. With overwhelming evidence against him, including a prior record of domestic violence towards Brown, O.J. Simpson became the chief suspect.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; ">Although he had agreed to turn himself in, Simpson escaped with friend A.C. Cowlings in his white Ford Bronco on June 17. He was carrying his passport, a disguise, and $8,750 in cash. Simpson's car was spotted that afternoon, but he refused to surrender immediately. Threatening to kill himself, he led police in a low-speed chase through the freeways of Los Angeles as the entire nation watched on television. Eventually, Simpson gave himself up at his home in Brentwood.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; ">The evidence against Simpson was extensive: His blood was found at the murder scene; blood, hair, and fibers from Brown and Goldman were found in Simpson's car and at his home; one of his gloves was also found in Brown's home, the other outside his own house; and bloody shoeprints found at the scene matched those of shoes owned by Simpson.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; ">However, Simpson's so-called "Dream Team" of defense lawyers, including Johnnie Cochran and F. Lee Bailey, claimed before a national television audience that Simpson had been framed by racist police officers such as Detective Mark Fuhrman. After deliberating for three hours, the jury acquitted Simpson. He vowed to find the "real killers," but has yet to turn up any new leads.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; ">In a civil trial brought about by the families of the victims, Simpson was found responsible for causing Goldman's death and committing battery against Brown in February 1997, and was ordered to pay a total of $33.5 million, little of which he has paid.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; ">In 2007, Simpson ran into legal problems once again when he was arrested for breaking into a Las Vegas hotel room and taking sports memorabilia, which he claimed had been stolen from him, at gunpoint. On October 3, 2008, he was found guilty of 12 charges related to the incident, including armed robbery and kidnapping, and sentenced to 33 years in prison.</p></span>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-73548590865376830202011-06-09T04:29:00.000-07:002011-06-09T04:41:44.919-07:00TODAY IN HISTORY,1973: Secretariat wins Triple Crown<img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EDsyR9BG6xQ/TfCvyoGEZVI/AAAAAAAABH8/owJhPMScPXM/s320/secretariat-racing1.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 256px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616182019622200658" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "> With a spectacular victory at the Belmont Stakes, Secretariat becomes the first horse since Citation in 1948 to win America's coveted Triple Crown--the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes. In one of the finest performances in racing history, Secretariat, ridden by Ron Turcotte, completed the 1.5-mile race in 2 minutes and 24 seconds, a dirt-track record for that distance. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">Secretariat was born at Meadow Stables in Doswell, Virginia, on March 30, 1970. He was sired by Bold Ruler, the 1957 Preakness winner, and foaled by Somethingroyal, which came from a Thoroughbred line known for its stamina. An attractive chestnut colt, he grew to over 16 hands high and was at two years the size of a three-year-old. He ran his first race as a two-year-old on July 4, 1972, a 5 1/2-furlong race at Aqueduct in New York City. He came from behind to finish fourth; it was the only time in his career that he finished a race and did not place. Eleven days later, he won a six-furlong race at Saratoga in Saratoga Springs, New York, and soon after, another race. His trainer, Lucien Laurin, moved him up to class in August, entering him in the Sanford Stakes at Saratoga, which he won by three lengths. By the end of 1972, he had won seven of nine races. With easy victories in his first two starts of 1973, Secretariat seemed on his way to the Triple Crown. Just two weeks before the Kentucky Derby, however, he stumbled at the Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct, coming in third behind</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">Angle Light and Sham. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UTNrv6nhiic/TfCvzE9IZPI/AAAAAAAABIE/-Ic4nWj_5B4/s320/Secretariat%2BThe%2BPhoto.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 257px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616182027369342194" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">The amazing photo of Secretariat's 31 length victory in the Belmont Stakes, 1973. Jockey Ron Turcotte </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">claimed he did nothing during the race but hold on.</span></span></i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">On May 5, he met Sham and Angle Light again at the Churchill Downs track in Louisville for the Kentucky Derby. Secretariat, a 3-to-2 favorite, broke from near the back of the pack to win the 2 1/4-mile race in a record 1 minute and 59 seconds. He was the first to run the Derby in less than two minutes and his record still stands. Two weeks later, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, Secretariat won the second event of the Triple Crown: the Preakness Stakes. The official clock malfunctioned, but hand-recorded timers had him running the 1 1/16-mile race in record time. On June 9, 1973, almost 100,000 people came to Belmont Park near New York City to see if "Big Red" would become the first horse in 25 years to win the Triple Crown.<b> Secretariat gave the finest performance of his career in the Belmont Stakes, completing the 1.5-mile race in a record 2 minutes and 24 seconds, knocking nearly three seconds off the track record set by Gallant Man in 1957</b>. He also won by a record 31 lengths. <b>Ron Turcotte, who jockeyed Secretariat in all but three of his races, claimed that at Belmont he lost control of Secretariat and that the horse sprinted into history on his own accord. </b> Secretariat would race six more times, winning four and finishing second twice. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">In November 1973, the "horse of the century" was retired and put to stud at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. Among his notable offspring is the 1988 Preakness and Belmont winner, Risen Star. Secretariat was euthanized in 1989 after falling ill. <b>An autopsy showed that his heart was two and a half times larger than that of the average horse, which may have contributed to his extraordinary racing abilities</b>. In 1999, ESPN ranked Secretariat No. 35 in its list of the Top 50 North American athletes of the 20th century, <b>the only non-human on the list</b>. </span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><br /></span></div></div>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-72793775374448547652011-06-01T16:51:00.000-07:002011-06-01T19:39:55.904-07:00The REAL History of the Holy City - Merriment!<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span">In Charleston, change is often a four letter word. More than any American city, Charleston guards its heritage with a passion. A few </span><span class="Apple-style-span">notable examples include:</span></span></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" >1902 - the Powder Magazine (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">17 Magazine St</i>) was preserved.</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" >1911 - Susan Pringle Frost began purchasing the slums along eastern Tradd Street for renovation. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-font-kerning:18.0pt;mso-fareast-language:EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">1913 - </span>Congress authorized the<span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri"> transfer </span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-font-kerning:18.0pt; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">of the</span> <span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri">Old Exchange Building<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"> (</b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">122 East Bay St.) </i>to the Daughters of the American Revolution</span>.</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri">1920<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"> </b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">- </b><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri">The Society for the </span>Preservation of Old Dwellings was<span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri"> established.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" >1924 - Joseph Manigault House opened as the first house museum, and the Heyward-Washington House was purchased by the Charleston Museum.</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" >1931 – Charleston established the Board of Architectural Review and established the Old and Historic District.</span></li></ul><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level:1"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span">These are only a few of the official acts the city has tak</span><span class="Apple-style-span">en to protect its buildings. But when it comes to protecting the social and cultural heritage of t</span><span class="Apple-style-span">he Holy City it’s not as easy as just passing a city ordinance. After all, the state dance </span><span class="Apple-style-span">is the </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Shag</b>, a watered down caucasian version of the muc</span><span class="Apple-style-span">h more challenging African-inspired <b>the Charleston</b>. But worse of all is the gradual deterioration of one of Charleston’s longest traditions – <b>merrime</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>nt!</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nv9YjqH_RvE/Teb2tXT-DlI/AAAAAAAABHw/FZB7lMuZGMA/s320/congressman%2Bts%2Bmcmillian%2Bdancing%2Bthe%2Bcharleston.gif" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 120px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613445244776222290" /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level:1"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span">No more street parties on St. Patrick’s D</span><span class="Apple-style-span">ay. No </span><span class="Apple-style-span">smoking in ANY building in Charleston. No tailga</span><span class="Apple-style-span">ting at Citadel football games (I guess fireworks at 11 pm after a baseball game in a park named after the current mayor is less disruptive). The only approved street “parties” these days are politically correct cultural events like the Art Walk (</span><span class="Apple-style-span">even then you can’t carry your topless plastic cup fr</span><span class="Apple-style-span">om s</span><span class="Apple-style-span">ite-to-site, the MOJO Arts Fesitval and var</span><span class="Apple-style-span">ious SPOLETO and Piccolo Spoleto happenings.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level:1"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f76hRT3i9XU/TebV6YjVkkI/AAAAAAAABHY/4pyUnoiMPVw/s320/retro%2B-%2Bgirls%2Band%2Bsailors.gif" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 142px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613409184563696194" /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level:1"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span">By the 1980s all of the “adult clubs” and “mass</span><span class="Apple-style-span">age parlors” that used to be located around the Market area were pushed to the extreme norther</span><span class="Apple-style-span">n end of the city. During the 1990s as the price of real estate began to rise in the downtown area, a new crop of self-important persnickety puritans arrived and slowly strangled the real social character of Charleston. After all, we can’t allow blu</span><span class="Apple-style-span">e collar drunks on the streets of the Holy City having fun, can we?</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level:1"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7dAuK88LyYM/TebV6AnndeI/AAAAAAAABHQ/wQAfc_Mv370/s320/BROTHELPOLICEGAZETTE480-blog480.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 238px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613409178139194850" /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level:1"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span">Well, yes we can. Charleston is called the Holy Cit</span><span class="Apple-style-span">y due to its number of churches, not due to the be</span><span class="Apple-style-span">havior of the locals. Maybe if these persnickety puritans had taken the time to learn the “real” heritage of their new city BEFORE they decided to purchase that million dollar home, things might </span><span class="Apple-style-span">be different. A quick primer on Charleston social </span><span class="Apple-style-span">behavior:</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level:1"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-phVUgY_mME0/TebV52qQqhI/AAAAAAAABHI/YBPGKhoR-BE/s320/chiccobldg.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 196px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613409175465929234" /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level:1"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span">The city’s namesake, King Charles II was called the Merry Monarch. English historian Samuel Pepys described Charles’ court <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">“</i>as there being so </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">much . . . swearing, drinking and whoring that I do not know what will be the end of it.” </b>Charles admitted to fathering <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">“more than 35 bastards.”</b></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level:1"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span">One of the most important men in the establishm</span><span class="Apple-style-span">ent of Carolina was Lord Anthony Ashl</span><span class="Apple-style-span">ey Cooper. John Dryden noted that Cooper was a man who <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">“loves fumbling with a Wench, with all his heart.” </b>Charles II referred to Cooper as <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">“the greatest whoremaster in England.”</b></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level:1"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span">When the first settlers arrived in April 1670, the ca</span><span class="Apple-style-span">rgo included 12 tons of beer and 50 barrels of brandy. Seven months later, Captain Joseph West complained that many of the settlers <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">“were so addicted to the Rum, that they will do little whilst the bottle is at their nose.”</b></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level:1"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span">In 1768, one hundred and thirty-two taverns </span><span class="Apple-style-span">w</span><span class="Apple-style-span">ere licensed in Charles Town - one for every five adult males. Rev. Charles Woodmason complained that each Saturday so many people in Charleston became so <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">“drunk and stupid, as to be utterly unfit to attend Public Wors</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">hip on Sunday.” </b>Francis Asbury preached at Old Bethel Church in 1789 and called Charleston the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">“Sodom and Gomorrah of the South.”</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.5in 58.5pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri">The </span>upper floors of the former <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri">Planters Hotel (present location </span>of the Dock Street Theatre) <span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri">were reserved for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">“gentlemen and their private </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">guests.” </b>Richard Hofstadter noted: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">“</b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">The Charleston hedonistic life</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri"> put the other seaboard towns in the shade.”</span> </b>John C. Calhoun became one of Charleston’s most treasured citizens despite the fact that he loathed the city.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He called Charleston <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-style:italic">“inte</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style:italic">mperate and full of debauchery.”</span></b></span></span></p><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mb9vCXJu-8E/TebV66xl4uI/AAAAAAAABHg/GJ8dU-ATkFY/s320/palmetto%2Bbrewery2.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 249px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613409193750291170" /> <p class="Normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span">The Reverend Arthur Crain wrote in 1900: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">“T</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">he city is wide open. No liquor law is being enforced. Drunkenness greets us on every hand. I can meet more drunken men in a 15-minute walk in Charleston than I could in New York, Chicago or any other city</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">.” </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></b>Six years later the state of South Carolina granted 297 liquor licenses - two hundred and thirteen of them were issued in Charleston. Fifteen bars were located around City Hall and nineteen operated within a block of St. Philip’s Church. During Prohibition, more th</span><span class="Apple-style-span">an 20,000 South Carolinians made a living as a bootlegger.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level:1"><span class="Apple-style-span" >In October 1942<span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri">, Charleston police raided Market Street and arrested 626 prostitutes – 346 white and 280 black. Nearly half were found to be infected with venereal disease.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level:1"><span class="Apple-style-span" >So, welcome to the REAL Charleston, named after the Merry Monarch who fathered more than 35 bastards. The city’s two main rivers are named after <b>“the greatest whoremaster in England,"</b>and until recently we were renowned to be full of debauchery and loose and idle women.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level:1"><span class="Apple-style-span" >As we approach another summer tourism season I urge everyone to help preserve one of Charleston’s most important heritages: eat drink and be merry, as often as possible. Or, if you’re feeling particularly inspired, eat, drink and be <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">with </b>Mary! And for you cross-dressers – go ahead and eat, drink and BE Mary. After this is the former Sodom and Gomorrah of the South. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level:1"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zo8Q2GHr5Y8/Teb0jOKVhOI/AAAAAAAABHo/FKfZTeCLiTs/s320/cross%2Bdressers%2B012.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613442871497950434" /></span></p>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-17020424539112998112011-05-28T05:03:00.000-07:002011-06-01T11:55:50.359-07:00FIRST MEMORIAL DAY CELEBRATION: Charleston 1865.<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; ">A number of towns around the nation claim holding the first Memorial Day, although the distinction generally goes to the town of Waterloo, in upstate New York. Not so fast.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span"><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WDkx66KMMK4/TeDpZdFfy3I/AAAAAAAABGM/LQhSmDjmSGU/s320/memorial%2Bmarker.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611741759217322866" />MAY 1, 1865</b>. More than 10,000 people gathered for a parade, to hear speeches and dedicate the graves of Union dead in what is now Hampton Park in Charleston, SC.The group consisted of several thousand black freedmen, northern missionaries and teachers who had arrived in Charleston to teach in freedmen schools post-War.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">Hampton Park was originally the Planters Race Course and, during the final months of the Civil War, it was a hellish open-air Confederate prison. A total of 267 Union troops died at the camp, some of whom had been moved from infamous Andersonville in Georgia before it was liberated. The dead were originally buried in a mass gra</span><span class="Apple-style-span">ve by the Confederates, but after the war, members of black churc</span><span class="Apple-style-span">hes buried them in individual graves at the site of the camp.An arch over the graveyard entrance identified those buried there as "The Martyrs of the Race Course." The Union dead were later moved to national cemeteries.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6qLC7szlAwI/TeDpZbSQLyI/AAAAAAAABGU/hHvA3QWHFDM/s320/RaceCourse_t600.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 295px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611741758733954850" /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Union cemetery, 1865 @ Planters Race Course</i></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">The Charleston commemoration was referred to at the tim</span><span class="Apple-style-span">e as Decoration Day, as were other early Memorial Day observances.The northern troops went home and the memory remained generally with blacks. Memory of the event was suppressed when white Democrats took back control of the state in 1876 and Southern states held their own Confederate Memorial Days.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ganf_kryF_o/TeDpZFwfKwI/AAAAAAAABGE/0oxNKulfHoM/s320/hampton%2Bpark.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 229px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611741752955185922" /></span></span></span></span></p><div style="line-height: 10px; text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Hampton Park, 1902</i></span></span></div><p style="line-height: 10px; "></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; ">David Blight, a history professor at Yale, has researched the event. </span>"As the Lost Cause tradition set in — the Confederate version of the meaning </span><span class="Apple-style-span">and memory of the war — no one in white Charleston or the state was interested in remembering the war through this event. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium; ">At the end of the day you have to ask does it really matter who is first. But if the issue is what is the first event, Charleston occurred a full year earlier."</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">Memorial Day through the years was generally celebr</span><span class="Apple-style-span">ated May 30. Beginning in 1971, the federal holiday was designated as the last Monday in May.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-to_roKYDlRo/TeDrJfHfGzI/AAAAAAAABGc/41FhEoS2Zds/s320/HamptonPark_opt.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611743683907885874" /></span></p><p style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 8px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Hampton Park, today</i></span></p></span>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-86270699138121253942011-05-25T10:53:00.000-07:002011-06-01T11:56:34.786-07:00Oprah Book Club: Hits & Misses<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; ">The best thing about Oprah going off the air is that she will stop recommending bad novels to people too lazy to decide what they want to read.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><br /></span></div>Since 1996, Oprah has chosen 65 selections for her book club that have engaged, enlightened, entertained, bored and baffled readers. Other than an overabundance of "I'm-a-victim-poor-poor-me" type of stories, there is the out-and-out fraudulent travesty of <b><i>A Million Little Pieces</i></b> by James Frey. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; ">Unfortunately, Oprah has bought completely the elite literary sham that for a book to be "taken seriously" it must be overwrought, self-indulgent and mainly ... boring. However, she did occasionally choose a great book, probably by accident.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><b>H I T S</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">_________________________</span><span class="Apple-style-span">__</span></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><b>A LESSON BEFORE DYING by Ernest K. Gaines.</b> A legitimate classic. Should be read as a companion with<i> To Kill A Mockingbird.</i> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><b>TARA ROAD by Maeve Binchy</b>. Finally, a fun, uplifting book. Oprah should have chosen more than one Binchy novel, instead of the 4 by Toni Morrison, 2 by Wally Lamb, Jane Hamilton, and Kaye Gibbons. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><b>THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER by Carson McCullers.</b> One of the first "adult" novels I read as a teenager that blew me away. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><b>AS I LAY DYING by William Faulkner</b>. Classic Faulkner weirdness.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><b>NIGHT by Elie Weisel</b>. A genuinely great book.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><b>THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett</b>. Possible the best book Oprah chose. Follett's masterpiece.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><b>EAST OF EDEN by John Steinbeck</b>. One of Steinbeck's books (not my first choice) that could have been chosen. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><b>A TALE OF TWO CITIES BY Charles Dickens</b>. The best Dickens book that Oprah could have chosen.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><b>M I S S E S</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span">__________________________</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><b>THE BOOK OF RUTH by Jane Hamilton.</b> A depressing mess. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><b>SONG OF SOLOMON by Toni Morrison</b>. Like everything Morrison writes, it's messy, often unintelligible and perfectly worthy of a Nobel Prize. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><b>THE DEEP END OF THE OCEAN by Jacquelyn Mitchard</b>. A TV Movie-of-the-Week idea that somehow caught Oprah's attention. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><b>ELLEN FOSTER by Kaye Gibbons. </b>A short novel (144 pages) that seems longer than <i>Gone With The Wind</i>.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><b>SHE'S COME UNDONE by Wally Lamb</b>. Here's a two word review: IT SUCKS!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><b>THE POISONWOOD BIBLE by Barbara Kingsolver</b>. An absolutely incoherent mess.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><b>THE ROAD by Cormac MacCarthy</b>. An awful mess. An example of a literary snob thinking he's being clever when he's really just re-cycling ideas that have been done before. <i>The Road</i> is f</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; ">illed with cliques stolen from (much better) end-of-the-world novels by science fiction writers (gasp!) </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span">A L T E R N A T E S U G G E S T I O N S </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span">_______________________________________</span><span class="Apple-style-span">___________</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>CANNERY ROW and SWEET THURSDAY by John Steinbeck</b> over EAST OF EDEN.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>ZOMBIE by Joyce Carol Oates</b> over WE WERE THE MULVANEYS. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><b>CAT'S CRADLE by Kurt Vonnegut.</b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><b>CATCH-22 by Joseph Heller.</b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><b>ENDER'S GAME by Orson Scott Card.</b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></span></div>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-80928804148842513712011-05-25T05:28:00.000-07:002011-06-01T11:57:18.550-07:00TODAY IN CHARLESTON HISTORY, 1660: Restoration of the English Throne<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; "><b>May 24: 1660</b>: Under invitation by leaders of the English Commonwealth, Charles II, the exiled king of England, lands at Dover, England, to assume the throne, ending 11 years of military rule.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; "><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; ">The Prince of Wales at the time of the English Civil War, Charles fled to France after Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentarians defeated his father, King Charles I in 1646. In 1649, Charles vainly attempted to save his father's life by presenting Parliament a signed blank sheet of paper, thereby granting whatever terms were required. However, the Puritan, Oliver Cromwell, was determined to execute Charles I, and on January 30, 1649, the king was beheaded in London.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; ">After his father's death, Charles was proclaimed king of England by the Scots and by supporters in parts of Ireland and England, and he traveled to Scotland to raise an army. In 1651, Charles invaded England but was defeated by Cromwell at the Battle of Worcester. Charles escaped to France and later lived in exile in Germany and then in the Spanish Netherlands. During Cromwell's rule, the Puritan faction of the English government outlawed anything remotely fun! Taverns, theaters and brothels were closed. Public whistling was banned because we all know that whistling means you're happy, and if you're happy you're having fun, and if you're having fun you must be committing a sin - so you're going straight to hell. <b>It was NOT jolly ole England.</b> After Cromwell's death in 1658, the English Puritan republican experiment faltered.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MyejumUbiDQ/Tdz_rwGFpgI/AAAAAAAABF8/Xdu3vAS_2d8/s320/200px-Charles_II_of_England.png" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610640362906691074" />In 1660, in what is known as the <b>English Restoration</b>, General George Monck met with Charles and arranged to restore him in exchange for a promise of amnesty and religious toleration for his former enemies. On May 25, 1660, Charles landed at Dover and four days later entered London in triumph. It was his 30th birthday, and London rejoiced at his arrival. In the first year of the Restoration, Oliver Cromwell was posthumously convicted of treason and his body disinterred from its tomb in Westminster Abbey, beheaded and hanged from the gallows at Tyburn. It was referred to as the<b> "twice dead body of Cromwell."</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; ">Charles II went on to become known as <b>the Merry Monarch</b>, leadingEngland into the era of<b> Eat, Drink and be Merry</b>. He became legendary for his sexual prowess and debauchery. He died in 1685 after fathering more than 30 bastard children, but no legitimate heir to the English throne, which passed to his brother, James II.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; ">Princess Diana was a direct descendant of one of Charles II's illegitimate heirs. When her son, Prince William, becomes the King of England sometime in the future, he will be the first direct heir of Charles II to sit on the throne. Below is a photo taken during the celebration of Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, proving, beyond a doubt, that William is<b> most definitely a direct heir of the Merry Monarch. </b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; "><b><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MjJC08BXgJ0/Tdz_Em1zipI/AAAAAAAABF0/4KXHmApNSxk/s320/royal%2Bscepter.jpeg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 194px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610639690407578258" /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.25em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; "><b><br /></b></p></span>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-73212414733977067652011-05-07T11:54:00.000-07:002011-05-07T11:56:32.688-07:00April Reading List<ol start="1"><span class="text"><li style="line-height:0px;color:#000000;font-size:12px;font-family:Arial;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;"> CHARLESTON IS BURNING / Daniel J. Crooks, Jr. *** </span></span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">Slight volume covering the history of Charleston's major<br /></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">fires and fire fighting.</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;"><br /></span></span></li><li style="line-height:0px;color:#000000;font-size:12px;font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;"> </span></span><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">JOHN C. CALHOUN . Margaret L. Coit</span></span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;"> *** Pretty good (but dated) bio of Calhoun. </span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;"><br /></span></span></li><li style="line-height:0px;color:#000000;font-size:12px;font-family:Arial;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;"> PIED PIPER / Nevil Shute *** </span></span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">The only Shute novel I had never read. Good, but not great.</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;"><br /></span></span></li><li style="line-height:0px;color:#000000;font-size:12px;font-family:Arial;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">THE PEACH KEEPER / Sarah Addison Allen </span></span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">*** Charming, but v-e-r-y- slight novel. Allen has a great way of<br /></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">creating characters and making magic seem normal, but she is in danger of becoming a parody of herself.</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;"><br /></span></span></li><li style="line-height:0px;color:#000000;font-size:12px;font-family:Arial;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">GIDEON'S SWORD / Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child ** </span></span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">Very poor thriller. Almost as slight as a James<br /></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">Patterson book.<br /></span></span></li><li style="line-height:0px;color:#000000;font-size:12px;font-family:Arial;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">WHAT THE NIGHT KNOWS / Dean Koontz * </span></span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">Awful. Koontz has gotten progressively worse. I guess some<br /></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">people only have 30 good books in them! I miss the classic (good) Koontz.<br /></span></span></li><li style="line-height:0px;color:#000000;font-size:12px;font-family:Arial;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">LITTLE BEE / Chris Cleave * </span></span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">Virtually unreadable.<br /></span></span></li><li style="line-height:0px;color:#000000;font-size:12px;font-family:Arial;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">JOHANNES CABAL THE NECROMANCER / Jonathon L Howard. *** </span></span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">Entertaining but way too much cleverness.<br /></span></span></li><li style="line-height:0px;color:#000000;font-size:12px;font-family:Arial;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">LIES MY TEACHER TOLD ME: EVERYTHING YOUR AMERICAN HISTORY TEXTBOOK GOT WRONG / James W.<br /></span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">Loewen. *** </span></span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">Excellent review of stories American history textbooks don't teach, but I'm sorry, Mr. Loewen,<br /></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">everything is NOT about race. Maybe in your mind, but not in most people's.<br /></span></span></li><li style="line-height:0px;color:#000000;font-size:12px;font-family:Arial;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">FOOL: A NOVEL / Christopher Moore ** </span></span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">Docked one star for working too hard to be funny and clever.<br /></span></span></li><li style="line-height:0px;color:#000000;font-size:12px;font-family:Arial;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">ON THE BEACH / Nevil Shute ***</span></span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;"> Shute's most famous novel, but not his best by any stretch.<br /></span></span></li><li style="line-height:0px;color:#000000;font-size:12px;font-family:Arial;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">FREEDOM / Jonathon Franzen *</span></span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">* It's good to see that Franzen's famous novel THE CORRECTIONS was not an<br /></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15px;">aberation. This book is quite boring also. </span></span></li></span></ol>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-24624152225083455872011-05-06T13:35:00.000-07:002011-05-07T11:47:48.947-07:00FREE THINGS to do in CHARLESTON, SC<span style="font-size:85%;">Charleston is the #1 travel destination on the East Coast of the United States according to Conde Nast. Commonly called "America's Most Historic C</span><span style="font-size:85%;">i</span><span style="font-size:85%;">t</span><span style="font-size:85%;">y" </span><span style="font-size:85%;">and "the most charming city in America", Charleston has great history, architecture, beaches</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> a</span><span style="font-size:85%;">n</span><span style="font-size:85%;">d</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> culture. It is internationally known for it's restaurants, art galleries and upscale sho</span><span style="font-size:85%;">pping. A trip to Charleston can be ... expensive ... </span><span style="font-size:85%;">especially in an economy that shows little sign of reb</span><span style="font-size:85%;">ou</span><span style="font-size:85%;">n</span><span style="font-size:85%;">ding. So, here are a few things for travelers to do in the Holy City with the best price t</span><span style="font-size:85%;">ag possible ... FREE! <span style="font-style: italic;">Listed alphabetically.</span><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">------------------------------------------------------</span><br /></div><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.angeloaktree.org/">ANGE</a></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.angeloaktree.org/">L </a></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.angeloaktree.org/">O</a></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.angeloaktree.org/">AK</a></span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x-oy3ceqLDM/TcWSBvKlfcI/AAAAAAAABEY/fJ34qhUDEJw/s1600/angel_oak.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x-oy3ceqLDM/TcWSBvKlfcI/AAAAAAAABEY/fJ34qhUDEJw/s200/angel_oak.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604045869870841282" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span>The oldest tree east of the Mississippi River, this is a 1300 year old live oak tree on Johns Island, between Charleston and Kiawah Island Resort. When you stand beneath the Angel Oak you realize how insignificant we are in the grand scheme of life. Open 10-4 pm.<br /></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.blackcattours.com/">BLACK CAT</a></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.blackcattours.com/"> TOURS</a> </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nlAvytc2gC4/TcWTlI62dFI/AAAAAAAABEg/Z0l75DsJBgE/s1600/black%2Bcat%2Bzerve%2Bpage.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 128px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nlAvytc2gC4/TcWTlI62dFI/AAAAAAAABEg/Z0l75DsJBgE/s200/black%2Bcat%2Bzerve%2Bpage.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604047577591215186" border="0" /></a><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div>Black Cat offers two free <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">daytime walking tou</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">r</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">s</span> every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A 10 am Confederate history tour and a 1 pm Battery Tour. Space is limited to 12 people per tour so <a href="http://www.blackcattours.com/daytime-tours.html">Reservations Required. </a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.circularchurch.org/content.cfm?id=2003">CIRCULAR CHURCH GRAVEYARD</a> </span></span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SJo-X8nK1As/TcWRgIw_uqI/AAAAAAAABD4/gxHVq2j9I1Q/s1600/circular.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SJo-X8nK1As/TcWRgIw_uqI/AAAAAAAABD4/gxHVq2j9I1Q/s200/circular.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604045292627278498" border="0" /></a><br /></div>150 Meeting Street. The oldest graveyard in South Carolina, the unique Circular Church has more than 1oo pre-Revolutionary headstones. Usually open from 10-5 pm.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/charleston/cch.htm">CHARLESTON</a></span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/charleston/cch.htm"> CI</a></span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/charleston/cch.htm">T</a></span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/charleston/cch.htm">Y HALL</a></span></span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J_nqNSf1FSo/TcWQnIK9RvI/AAAAAAAABDo/rFZG3dVeWdQ/s1600/city%2Bhall.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 152px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J_nqNSf1FSo/TcWQnIK9RvI/AAAAAAAABDo/rFZG3dVeWdQ/s200/city%2Bhall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604044313215190770" border="0" /></a></span><br /></div>80 Broad Street. Built in 1807 and located at the Four Corners of Law (four corners, four laws: God, Federal, State & City), City Hall is open to the public during the day. The infamous John Trumbull portrait of George Washington hangs inside the building. It is infamous because it features Washington's horse preparing to dump a load of manure on the city.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.follybeach.com/pier.php"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">FOLLY BEACH & EDWIN T</span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">AYLOR FISHING PIER</span></span></a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67K4ZlDDzO8/TcWQnaOsJiI/AAAAAAAABDw/pbD3F49Lm0k/s1600/pier.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67K4ZlDDzO8/TcWQnaOsJiI/AAAAAAAABDw/pbD3F49Lm0k/s200/pier.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604044318062683682" border="0" /></a></span><br /></div>Folly Beach, the Edge of America, is a charming beach community 20 miles south of Charleston. The small downtown area features eclectic restaurants and shops. The Edwin S. Taylor Pier is 24 feet wide, extends more than 1,045 feet into the Atlantic Ocean. The beaches are wide and gorgeous and it is considered the best surfing in the Charleston area.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=Karpeles+Manuscript+Library+Museum&fb=1&gl=us&hq=Karpeles+Manuscript+Library+Museum&hnear=Charleston,+SC&cid=0,0,8919598045340788231&ei=FmLETeiGB8S10QGVr9j_Bw&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=image&resnum=4&ved=0CEEQnwIwAw">KARPELES MANUSCRIPT MUSEUM</a></span></span><br /></div><span style="font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e7fBTpKl3Og/TcWPVxRdL0I/AAAAAAAABDY/NNJayu9zxm8/s1600/Karpeles-Manuscript-Museum-Charleston.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 167px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e7fBTpKl3Og/TcWPVxRdL0I/AAAAAAAABDY/NNJayu9zxm8/s200/Karpeles-Manuscript-Museum-Charleston.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604042915499028290" border="0" /></a></span><br /></div>68 Spring St. The world's largest private collection of documents and manuscripts. Historically fascinating. Tuesday-Friday 10-4 pm.<br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);" class="" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" alt="Link" class="gl_link" border="0" /></span></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=magnolia+cemetery,+charleston&fb=1&gl=us&hq=magnolia+cemetery,&hnear=Charleston,+SC&cid=5023469075125359096">MAGNOLIA C</a></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=magnolia+cemetery,+charleston&fb=1&gl=us&hq=magnolia+cemetery,&hnear=Charleston,+SC&cid=5023469075125359096">EME</a></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=magnolia+cemetery,+charleston&fb=1&gl=us&hq=magnolia+cemetery,&hnear=Charleston,+SC&cid=5023469075125359096">TERY</a></span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-baWguCwFHvk/TcWPWHBCinI/AAAAAAAABDg/dhVGUdBmcoQ/s1600/magnolia.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-baWguCwFHvk/TcWPWHBCinI/AAAAAAAABDg/dhVGUdBmcoQ/s200/magnolia.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604042921335753330" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Steeped in American history<a href="http://southerngraves.i-found-it.net/cemeteries/magnoliacemetery.html" target="blank"><strong></strong></a> on the bank of the Cooper River, Magnolia Cemetery is a 128-acre former rice plantation with more 35,000 graves; among them are 2,200 Civil War veterans, 5 South Carolina governors, 3 U.S. senators, and 2 cabinet members. Not to mention several Charleston scoundrels, gangsters, and madams. Open 10-5 pm.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><a href="http://pinkhousegallery.tripod.com/"><strong>THE PINK </strong></a></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><a href="http://pinkhousegallery.tripod.com/"><strong>HOUSE</strong></a></span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jtAzAO-EKcc/TcWNaDg-3PI/AAAAAAAABDQ/8NvfJMbat8k/s1600/pink%2Bhouse.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jtAzAO-EKcc/TcWNaDg-3PI/AAAAAAAABDQ/8NvfJMbat8k/s200/pink%2Bhouse.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604040790092209394" border="0" /></a></span><br /></div> <span style="font-weight: bold;">17 Chalmers Street.</span> Built in 1695 and located on a charming cobblestone street, this is Charleston's second oldest structure. It initially housed John Breton's tavern and brothel and is now an art gallery. Open 10-5 pm.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.stmichaelschurch.net/about-us/history/"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCH & GRAVEYARD</span></a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LT7uzKeVDEQ/TcWNaN11hGI/AAAAAAAABDI/eqQu9rT8sII/s1600/st%2Bmichales.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LT7uzKeVDEQ/TcWNaN11hGI/AAAAAAAABDI/eqQu9rT8sII/s200/st%2Bmichales.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604040792864031842" border="0" /></a></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">71 Broad Street.</span> St. Michael's is the oldest church structure in Charleston. The graveyard features two signers of the U.S. Constitution (John Rutledge & Charles Cotesworth Pinckney). George Washington attended services here on May 8, 1791. The steeple was struck several times during the Civil War by Union artillery. The stained glass windows were designed by Tiffany's of New York in 1905 and the steeple still retains its original eight bells, from 1764.<br />Church and graveyard usually open to the public daily until 4 pm.<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=the+tavern,+charleston&fb=1&gl=us&hq=the+tavern,&hnear=Charleston,+SC&cid=0,0,4250686494085051476&ei=84PFTb3ODce_tgfuiJG6BA&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=image&resnum=4&ved=0CCwQnwIwAw"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE TA</span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">VERN</span></span></a><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l_t4cZroAnE/TcWKoBoIfrI/AAAAAAAABC4/4GDV0teeaaA/s1600/the%2Btavern.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 196px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l_t4cZroAnE/TcWKoBoIfrI/AAAAAAAABC4/4GDV0teeaaA/s200/the%2Btavern.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604037731568615090" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;">120 East Bay Street.</span> The oldest building in Charleston, circa 1686. Originally built as a tavern on the Charleston harbor it has been known as Harris' Tavern, Coates Tavern on the Bay, The Tavern on the Bay. During Prohibition (1920s) the building was turned into a barber shop with a free half pint of "hair tonic) to each paying customer. How often do you get to browse in a liquor store that has been selling booze for more than 325 years?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.scgreatoutdoors.com/park-whitepointgardens.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >WHITE POINT GARDE</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >N & THE BATTE</span></a><a href="http://www.scgreatoutdoors.com/park-whitepointgardens.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >RY</span></a><br /></div><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gr3kKPzqaOw/TcWJ9WMXYFI/AAAAAAAABCw/ow0mZ1dcrFk/s1600/battery.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 156px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gr3kKPzqaOw/TcWJ9WMXYFI/AAAAAAAABCw/ow0mZ1dcrFk/s200/battery.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604036998354919506" border="0" /></a></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Corner of East Battery & South Battery Streets.</span> The Battery was constructed in the early 1800s as a seawall and later was used for military use during the War of 1812 and the Civil War. White Point Garden is a charming public park filled with 150-year old live oaks and many statues and historical monuments. Along the Battery wall there are spectacular views of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, Charleston harbor, James Island, Sullivan's Island and Ft. Sumter.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">---------------------------------------<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Enjoy your trip to Charleston!<br /><br /></div></div></div></div>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-55459418509213231592011-04-12T05:48:00.000-07:002011-04-12T06:03:41.997-07:00April 12, 2011 ... 150th Anniversary of The War Between the States<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3WfcQUkltIY/TaRLk0ZZKzI/AAAAAAAABCI/mcHNR5a5oP4/s1600/Bombardment_of_Fort_Sumter%252C_1861.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 116px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3WfcQUkltIY/TaRLk0ZZKzI/AAAAAAAABCI/mcHNR5a5oP4/s200/Bombardment_of_Fort_Sumter%252C_1861.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594679733013523250" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Ft. Sumter - Charleston harbor</span></span><br /></div><p><strong><span>Letter from Brig. Gen. P.G. T. Beauregard</span></strong><strong><span> (C</span></strong><strong><span>harleston) to Maj. Robert Anderson (Ft. S</span></strong><strong></strong><strong><span>umter) - APRIL 11, 1861.</span></strong></p><p><strong></strong><strong></strong></p><p><strong></strong></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I am so ordered by my govt. - the Confederate <strong></strong>S<strong></strong><strong></strong><strong></strong>tates of America - to demand the immediate evacuation of Ft. Sumter. I await your reply.</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><strong><span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4c2L0Klza0c/TaRLk6bqqBI/AAAAAAAABCA/saSJcPsNUbU/s1600/Beauregard.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 149px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4c2L0Klza0c/TaRLk6bqqBI/AAAAAAAABCA/saSJcPsNUbU/s200/Beauregard.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594679734633670674" border="0" /></a></span></strong></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-size:85%;" >P.G.T. Beauregard</span><br /></div><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><strong></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><span>Anderson’s reply</span></strong></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I regret that my sense of honor, and of my obligations to MY govt., prevent my compliance of your request. I shall await your first shot, and if you do not batter us to pieces, we shall be starved out in a few days. </p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vut_WfACKek/TaRLkvu5PJI/AAAAAAAABB4/Jb53DKgMEnE/s1600/anderson.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 136px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vut_WfACKek/TaRLkvu5PJI/AAAAAAAABB4/Jb53DKgMEnE/s200/anderson.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594679731761527954" border="0" /></a></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms; text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-size:85%;" >Robert Anderson</span><br /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>3:30 a.m. APRIL 12, 1861, Col. James Chesn</strong><strong></strong><strong>ut </strong><strong>delivers this message to Major Anderso</strong><strong></strong><strong>n </strong></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">By authority of Brig. Gen. Beauregard, comma<strong></strong>nding the provisional forces of the Confederate States, we have the honor to notify you that we will open fire our Batteries on Ft. Sumter i<strong></strong>n one hour of this time.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I5Kio4Jaw4c/TaRNatDYeQI/AAAAAAAABCQ/aijyScaKBRM/s1600/attack-fort-sumter.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 142px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I5Kio4Jaw4c/TaRNatDYeQI/AAAAAAAABCQ/aijyScaKBRM/s200/attack-fort-sumter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594681758266718466" border="0" /></a></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Ft. Johnson</span><br /></p> <p> </p><p><strong>4:30 am. </strong><strong></strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: bold;">1st SHOT:</span> fired from Ft. Johnson by Lt. James S. Farley – a signal shot. </p> <p><span style="font-weight: bold;">2nd SHOT</span>: from Ft. Johnson by Lt. W.H. Gib<strong></strong>b<strong></strong>es.</p><p><strong><span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pNCnU04U8a4/TaRLj8xjLQI/AAAAAAAABBo/PS2Cl_qWofs/s1600/Edmund-Ruffin.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pNCnU04U8a4/TaRLj8xjLQI/AAAAAAAABBo/PS2Cl_qWofs/s200/Edmund-Ruffin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594679718082456834" border="0" /></a></span></strong></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-size:85%;" >Edmund Ruffin</span><br /></div><p><strong></strong></p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">3rd SHOT</span>: from Cummings Point fired by Virg<strong></strong>inian Edmund Ruffin.<br /></p>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-6519447582651805682011-04-10T05:13:00.000-07:002011-04-10T05:15:57.713-07:00Today In History, 1843: FIRE UNCOVERS SECRET TORTURE CHAMBER IN NEW ORLEANS<div class="article copy four-under-grey"> <p>A fire at the LaLaurie mansion in New Orleans, Louisiana, leads to the discovery of a torture chamber where slaves are routinely brutalized by Delphine LaLaurie. Rescuers found a 70-year-old black woman trapped in the kitchen during the fire because she was chained up while LaLaurie was busy saving her furniture. The woman later revealed that she had set the fire in an attempt to escape LaLaurie's torture. She led authorities up to the attic, where seven slaves were tied with spiked iron collars.</p> <p>After Delphine LaLaurie married her third husband, Louis LaLaurie, and moved into his estate on Royal Street, she immediately took control of the large number of slaves used as servants. LaLaurie was a well-known sadist, but the mistreatment of slaves by the wealthy and socially connected was not a matter for the police at the time.</p> <p>However, in 1833, Delphine chased a small slave girl with a whip until the girl fell off the roof of the house and died. LaLaurie tried to cover up the incident, but police found the body hidden in a well. Authorities decided to fine LaLaurie and force the sale of the other slaves on the estate.</p> <p>LaLaurie foiled this plan by secretly arranging for her relatives and friends to buy the slaves. She then sneaked them back into the mansion, where she continued to torture them until the night of the fire in April 1834.</p> <p>Apparently her Southern neighbors had some standards when it came to the treatment of slaves, because a mob gathered in protest after learning about LaLaurie's torture chamber. She and her husband fled by boat, leaving the butler (who had also participated in the torture) to face the wrath of the crowd.</p> <p>Although charges were never filed against LaLaurie, her reputation in upper-class society was destroyed. It is believed that she died in Paris in December 1842.</p> </div>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-19658377595620085352011-04-06T04:37:00.000-07:002011-04-06T04:52:09.268-07:00Today in History: 1895: Oscar Wilde Arrested.Writer Oscar Wilde is arrested after losing a libel case against the Marquess of Queensberry.<div class="article copy four-under-grey"> <p>Wilde had been engaged in an affair with the marquess's son since 1891, but when the outraged marquess denounced him as a homosexual, Wilde sued the man for libel. However, he lost his case when evidence strongly supported the marquess's observations. Homosexuality (often called buggery) was classified as a crime in England at the time, and Wilde was arrested, found guilty, and sentenced to two years of hard labor.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XjK4tfLzTPA/TZxTyUb1JOI/AAAAAAAABBg/EA90r6fnwlw/s1600/wilde.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XjK4tfLzTPA/TZxTyUb1JOI/AAAAAAAABBg/EA90r6fnwlw/s200/wilde.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592436961231316194" border="0" /></a></p> <p>Wilde was a well-known author by this time, having produced several brilliant and popular plays, including <i>The Importance of Being Ernest </i> (1895). Born and educated in Ireland, he came to England to attend Oxford, where he graduated with honors in 1878. A popular society figure known for his wit and flamboyant style, he published his own book of poems in 1881. He spent a year lecturing on poetry in the U.S., where his dapper wardrobe and excessive devotion to art drew ridicule from some quarters.<br /></p><p>His reception in Charleston, SC was decidedly cool. His penchant for ridiculing pomposity and upper class society met with negative reaction among the Charleston aristocracy. He described his interaction with an old Southern woman as ... "While strolling the Battery I remarked on how lovely the moon looked over the water, my elderly companion turned to me and said, "Sir, you should have seen it <span style="font-style: italic;">before</span> the war."<br /></p> <p>After returning to Britain, Wilde married and had two children, for whom he wrote delightful fairy tales, which were published in 1888. Meanwhile, he wrote reviews and edited <i>Women's World</i>. In 1890, his only novel, <i>The Picture of Dorian Gray, </i>was published serially, appearing in book form the following year. He wrote his first play, <i>The Duchess of Padua,</i> in 1891 and wrote five more before his arrest. Wilde was released from prison in 1897 and fled to Paris, where his many loyal friends visited him. He started writing again, producing <i>The Ballad of Reading Gaol,</i> based on his experiences in prison. He died of acute meningitis in 1900.</p><p>In 1903, a group of Charleston madams published the 8-page pamphlet titled THE BLUE BOOK, which contained advertisements for local brothels. One local Charleston wit could not resist poking fun of Wilde's former legal predicament - notably his arrest on buggery charges - by writing this ditty:</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms; text-align: center;">The boy stood on the burning deck with his back up against the mast.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"I will not stir one step," he said, "Until Oscar Wilde has passed."</span><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p> </div>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-15184428882560375402011-04-04T10:53:00.000-07:002011-04-04T11:01:12.604-07:00MARCH READING LIST<span style="font-weight: bold;">UNDUE INFLUENCE / Steve Martini </span>** VERY predictable legal thriller. Had it figured out by page 130 and thought: "surely, it can't be that simple." But ... it was. Also, Martini has a choppy prose style which makes his dialogue a chore to get through. Needs to simple it up.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE WORLD / Mark Booth </span>*** Exhaustively researched book about world history as told from the viewpoint of the Freemasons.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP / John Irving </span>**** A 12th time re-read. Still great!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE HUNGER GAMES / Suzanne Collins </span>*** I would have rated this 5 stars except for that fact it is written in present tense, which does nothing to improve the book, and distracts from the narrative. But, it is an excellent YA novel about a futuristic America.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE REVERSAL / Michael Connelly</span> **** Connelly is the best current crime writer - period. This is an ingenious legal thriller that is really about character reversals.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">MINDING FRANKIE / Maeve Binchy </span>**** This is vintage Binchy; full of flawed, flaky characters rallying around one another for support - mainly to support a single father who is suddenly thrust into the care of a infant daughter he did not know he had fathered.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">KEEP THE CHANGE / Steve Dublanicia</span> ** Very weak social history of gratuities. Avoid.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE ALIENIST / Caleb Carr</span> **** Excellent historical thriller.Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-57775950260683728892011-03-28T06:24:00.000-07:002011-03-28T07:01:32.810-07:00TODAY IN HISTORY, 1818: Wade Hampton born in Charleston<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.markjonesbooks.com">MarkJonesBooks.com</a><br />----------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /></span><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto;" id="toc" class="toc"><tbody><tr><td><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;">Hampton was born in Charleston, SC and grew up in one of the wealthy families in the South, receiving private instruction. When his father died in 1858 his son inherited a vast fortune, the plantations, and one of the largest collections of slaves in the South.</p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;" class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 222px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:WadeHamptonp274crop.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ac/WadeHamptonp274crop.jpg/220px-WadeHamptonp274crop.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="220" height="290" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><br /></div> </div> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;">Although his views were conservative concerning the issues of secession and slavery, and he had opposed the division of the Union as a legislator, at the start of the Civil War, Hampton was loyal to his home state. He resigned from the Senate and enlisted as a private in the South Carolina Militia; however, the governor of South Carolina insisted that Hampton accept a colonel's commission, even though he had no military experience at all. Hampton organized and partially financed the unit known as "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampton%27s_Legion">Hampton's Legion</a>", which consisted of six companies of infantry, four companies of cavalry, and one battery of artillery. He personally financed all of the weapons for the Legion.</p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;">Despite his lack of military experience and his relatively advanced age of 42, Hampton was a natural cavalryman—brave, audacious, and a superb horseman. He was one of only two officers without previous military experience (the other being Nathan Bedford Forrest) to achieve the rank of lieutenant general in the Confederate service. On May 23, 1862, Hampton was promoted to brigadier general while commanding a brigade in Stonewall Jackson's division in the Army of Northern Virginia. </p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 222px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wade_Hampton_III_-_Brady-Handy.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Wade_Hampton_III_-_Brady-Handy.jpg/220px-Wade_Hampton_III_-_Brady-Handy.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="220" height="258" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><br /></div> </div> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;">Post War, Hampton was offered the nomination for governor in 1865, but refused because he felt that those in the North would be suspicious of a former Confederate general seeking political office only months after the end of the Civil War. However, he did become a leading fighter against Radical Republican Reconstruction policies in the South, and re-entered South Carolina politics in 1876 as the first southern gubernatorial candidate to run on a platform in opposition to Reconstruction. Hampton, a Democrat, ran against Radical Republican incumbent governor Daniel Chamberlain in Charleston. Supporters of Hampton were called the Red Shirts and were known to practice violence. Due to their crude reputation and hopes of alleviating Union suspicion, Hampton used Grace Piexotto's "The Big Brick House", a prominent brothel located at 11 Fulton Street, to assure complete privacy for the Red Shirts' meeting ground, which was mainly served as campaign headquarters.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">The 1876 South Carolina gubernatorial election was <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>one of the bloodiest (and closest) in the history of the state. Both parties claimed victory. For over six months, there were two legislatures in the state, both claiming to be authentic. Eventually, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled Hampton was the winner of the election. President Rutherford B. Hayes stated that "the whole Army of the United States would be inadequate to enforce the authority of Gov. Chamberlain." Hayes then ordered the evacuation of Federal troops in South Carolina. Thus the election of the first Democrat in South Carolina since the end of the Civil War signified the end of Reconstruction in the South.</p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;">In 1890, Hampton's niece Caroline, an operating room nurse, married the father of American surgery, William Halsted. It was because of her skin reaction to surgical sterilization chemicals that Halsted invented the surgical glove the previous year.</p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;">Hampton died in Columbia in 1902 and is buried there in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_Episcopal_Church_%28Columbia,_South_Carolina%29" title="Trinity Episcopal Church (Columbia, South Carolina)" class="mw-redirect">Trinity Cathedral Churchyard</a>.<br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 222px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wade_Hampton_statue.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Wade_Hampton_statue.jpg/220px-Wade_Hampton_statue.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="220" height="165" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wade_Hampton_statue.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><br /></a></div> <span style="font-size:78%;">Statue of Wade Hampton at South Carolina State House</span></div> </div> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;">In Margaret Mitchell's novel,<span style="font-style: italic;"> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Gone With The Wind,</span></span> Scarlet O'Hara's first husband, Charles Hamilton, served in Hampton's regiment, dying of measles only seven weeks later. As it was fashionable (according to Mitchell) to name baby boys after their fathers' commanding officers, Scarlett's son by Charles is therefore named Wade Hampton Hamilton.</p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;">In the <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">North and South</span> trilogy by John Jakes, the character Charles Main serves with Hampton's cavalry throughout the Civil War.</p></div>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-39806471953234362762011-03-26T05:31:00.000-07:002012-03-26T08:06:15.063-07:00Today In History: May 26, 1776: South Carolina Declares Its Independence.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Provincial Congress of South Carolina approved a new constitution and government on this day in 1776. The legislature renamed itself the General Assembly of South Carolina and elected John Rutledge as president, Henry Laurens as vice president and William Henry Drayton as chief justice. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nTA604txWxk/TY3eQD1-NqI/AAAAAAAABAg/CVJ-eypVUjM/s1600/jrutledge.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588367080127608482" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nTA604txWxk/TY3eQD1-NqI/AAAAAAAABAg/CVJ-eypVUjM/s200/jrutledge.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 142px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: #996633; font-size: 85%;"><span style="color: #999999;">John Rutledge</span></span></div>
South Carolina took this action towards independence from Great Britain four months before the Continental Congress declared independence and five months before South Carolina learned of the declaration. Rutledge possessed quasi-dictatorial powers as president and commander in chief of the new state. In 1778, he resigned the post in protest over proposed changes to the state constitution. Rawlins Lowndes took over the presidency and instituted the changes Rutledge found objectionable. The executive power changed from a presidency to a governorship and veto power was taken away from the executive. The Senate became a popularly elected body, and the Church of England no longer held status as the state church. However, after the changes had been made, Rutledge was elected governor in 1779, a post he held until 1782. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2krTKkRK74U/TY3eQEnm4nI/AAAAAAAABAo/CNXz8rHaov0/s1600/drayton.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588367080335794802" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2krTKkRK74U/TY3eQEnm4nI/AAAAAAAABAo/CNXz8rHaov0/s200/drayton.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 164px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: #996633; font-size: 85%;"><span style="color: #999999;">William Henry Drayton</span></span></div>
William Henry Drayton drafted the 1778 constitution that was opposed by Rutledge. The ardent Whig died while serving Congress in Philadelphia on September 3, 1779, at age 37. Rutledge lost much of his personal wealth during the British siege of Charleston, but survived to see the new century dawn before his death in 1800. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nnIMM_2EJBM/TY3eQlVhIgI/AAAAAAAABAw/Vy3miUvAFh0/s1600/laurens.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588367089118290434" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nnIMM_2EJBM/TY3eQlVhIgI/AAAAAAAABAw/Vy3miUvAFh0/s200/laurens.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 195px;" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uCcooRSd4bo/T2dN2M8snTI/AAAAAAAABas/iQKJpAqhGTE/s1600/tower,+laurens.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="309" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uCcooRSd4bo/T2dN2M8snTI/AAAAAAAABas/iQKJpAqhGTE/s320/tower,+laurens.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laurens marker @ The Tower of London</td></tr>
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Henry Laurens only served as vice president of South Carolina until June 1777. He was elected to the Continental Congress in January of that year and became the president of Congress under the Articles of Confederation on November 1, 1777, a position he held until December 9, 1778. Beginning in 1780, Laurens served 15 months of imprisonment in the Tower of London after being taken captive on a Congressional mission to Holland. He was the first American to be imprisoned in the Tower.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_hqjN7AvT6E/T2dMxUi6ZoI/AAAAAAAABak/VRKVOiAGPhg/s1600/tower+of+london+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_hqjN7AvT6E/T2dMxUi6ZoI/AAAAAAAABak/VRKVOiAGPhg/s320/tower+of+london+(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tower of London</td></tr>
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He spent the last years of his life in retirement on his plantation, where he lived until his death in 1792.<br />
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</div>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-34456268938939826592011-03-17T05:11:00.000-07:002011-03-17T06:01:30.374-07:00Happy 100th Frank Gilbreth, Jr.<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://www.markjonesbooks.com/">MarkJonesBooks.com</a><br /></span></div><div class="story_body"><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">----------------------------------------------------------------<br /></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8srWb67znnQ/TYH_NI2EkKI/AAAAAAAABAY/sEW0ZW0wb54/s1600/gilbreth.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 144px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8srWb67znnQ/TYH_NI2EkKI/AAAAAAAABAY/sEW0ZW0wb54/s200/gilbreth.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585025614093783202" border="0" /></a><p>On this St. Patrick's Day, everyone in Charleston should take a moment to remember one this city's most beloved adopted citizens, Frank Gilbreth, Jr. Gilbreth was born on March 17, 1911 and died in Charleston in 2001. He had a successful career as an author and newspaper executive but for more than 40 years he was more well known to Charleston readers of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Post and Courier</span> as Lord Ashley Cooper, the author of the most popular column in Charleston history, "Doing the Charleston." During the 1960s-90s when most Charlestonians would open the paper often the first thing they turned to was not the funny papers, or the sports page ... it was Lord Ashley Cooper.<br /></p><p>Before he became a Charleston icon, Gilbreth authored a family memoir with his sister Elizabeth Gilbreth Carey, <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Cheaper by the Dozen</span>. The book is an American humor classic, and still one of the funniest books I have ever read. It details their life growing up as two of 12 children of "motion and efficiency expert" Frank Gilbreth. Frank, Sr preferred a large family because he claimed that children were "cheaper by the dozen." More than 60 years after its publication, the book is still in print. The Charleston County library system has several copies available.<br /></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MUKiAPYnLKg/TYH_M5o5yhI/AAAAAAAABAI/KXYWG9QCiSk/s1600/CheaperByTheDozen.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 135px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MUKiAPYnLKg/TYH_M5o5yhI/AAAAAAAABAI/KXYWG9QCiSk/s200/CheaperByTheDozen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585025610012019218" border="0" /></a></p><p>The book was turned into a classic 1950 movie starring Clifton Webb and Myrna Loy. If you have never seen it, please put it on your NetFlix list.<span style="font-style: italic;"> (Forget the more recent Steve Martin / Bonnie Hunt films of the same title. The title is all they share with </span><span style="font-style: italic;">the original.)</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rrsPmYIx1dE/TYH_M-xpL7I/AAAAAAAABAQ/ujcBit0k0eI/s1600/cheaper%2Bfilm.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rrsPmYIx1dE/TYH_M-xpL7I/AAAAAAAABAQ/ujcBit0k0eI/s200/cheaper%2Bfilm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585025611390857138" border="0" /></a></p> <p>"Doing the Charleston" was Gilbreth's long-running column under the Lord Ashley moniker. Readers provided much of the content with their contributions, usually humorous, about the local scene. As such it was a repository of local lore, custom and history, often irreverent. </p> <p>Some of the best Lord Ashley Cooper quips:<br /></p> <ul><li>"In aristocratic Charleston, money won't buy you friends, but it can make you a more socially acceptable bunch of enemies."<br /></li><li>"It takes a Charleston gentleman of the old school to make his company feel at home when he wishes that's where they were."</li></ul><p>The centennial of his birth seems to be a good time to reflect on the wit and wisdom of an adopted Charleston curmudgeon. </p> </div>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-6680175954675289102011-03-07T07:00:00.000-08:002011-03-07T07:05:30.275-08:00FEBRUARY 2011 READING LIST<span style="font-weight: bold;">THE GIVEN DAY / Dennis Lehane ****</span> Outstanding historical fiction, dealing with the Boston Police strike, WWI, and the Spanish flue epidemic.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE SUMMONS / John Grisham</span> * Awful. Poor plotting, zero character development. <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Avoid at all costs!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE DUMBEST GENERATION / Mark Bauerlein</span> *** So-so book about how modern technology is NOT making future generations most educated or informed.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE CLINIC / Jonathon Kellerman</span> *** Good, not great, Alex Delaware novel.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LIES THE GOVERNMENT TOLD YOU / Andrew Napolitano</span> ** V-e-r-y dry book about ways in which the federal govt. has over reached it's authority. Nothing I didn't already know. Disappointing.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE HUNT CLUB / John Lescroart</span> **** Very good P.I./legal/police thriller.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">EMPIRE OF ILLUSION: THE END OF LITERACY AND THE TRIUMPH OF SPECTACLE / Chris Hedges</span> **** Often brilliant examination of how American culture has deteriorated by several colluding factors.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">OLD CITY HALL / Robert Rotenberg</span> **** Outstanding crime novel!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">CHINABERRY SIDEWALKS / Rodney Crowe</span>ll *** Good but overly-folksy memoir of the early life of one of America's greatest songwriters. As much as I love Crowell and his music, this book was slow-going in some sections. Here's hoping Crowell will, at some time, write a memoir of his creative life, writing and recording some of the greatest song of the past 30 years.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE LOST GATE / Orson Scott Card </span>*** Excellent modern day fantasy. Docked at least one star because the middle 1/3 is s-l-o-w going. Card is a writer always worth the time and effort, but here's hoping Vol. 2 of this trilogy picks up steam.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">TREASURE HUNT / John Lecroart</span> *** Decent sequel to The Hunt Club.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">FAB: AN INTIMATE LIFE OF PAUL MCCARTNEY / Howard Sounes </span>*** Pretty good bio of Sir Paul. Learned a few tidbits I didn't know. Biggest drawback: book was published in a font that made it difficult to read. The publisher should know better.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">PAINTED LADIES / Robert B. Parker</span> ** Another painful Spenser novel. And you wonder why I keep reading these books? Well, the first 15 Spenser books were brilliant, but the next 20 have been scattershot. Since Parker died last year, I decided I should go ahead and read every Spenser book, no matter how bad. Again, the scenes with Susan Silverman (the most annoying character ever invented) are painful. Reading those scenes is like being hooked up to The Machine from <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">The Princess Bride</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">HELL'S BAY / James Hall</span> **** Excellent Florida-based crime novel featuring Thorn.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE SUSPECT / John Lescroart</span> *** Lescroart's crime books are fairly lightweight, but they are well-written and peopled with great characters.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE TRILLION DOLLAR CONSPIRACY / Jim Marrs</span> *** Another well-researched book of behind-the-scenes history by Marrs.Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-54317416754873659042011-03-03T18:18:00.001-08:002011-03-03T18:57:22.866-08:00TODAY IN HISTORY, 1861: Beauregard Takes Command of Charleston<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SYIjOHrqbew/TXBQ5fU4k_I/AAAAAAAAA_4/2MV1yFTSLAE/s1600/Beauregard.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 149px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SYIjOHrqbew/TXBQ5fU4k_I/AAAAAAAAA_4/2MV1yFTSLAE/s200/Beauregard.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580048886903903218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard</span> became the first Confederate general officer, appointed a brigadier general in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States on March 1, 1861. Two days later, March 3, Beauregard arrived in Charleston and inspected the city's defenses with Gov. Andrew Pickens and found them "in disarray." Beauregard's main job was to secure Ft. Sumter in Charleston harbor, which was manned by the 1st U.S. Artillery regiment commanded by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Major Robert Anderson.</span> Ironically, Major Anderson had been Beauregard's artillery instructor at West Point; the two had become close friends, and Beauregard had become Anderson's assistant after graduation<br /><br />Beauregard sent several cases of fine brandy and whiskey and boxes of cigars to Anderson and his officers at Ft. Sumter. Anderson ordered that the gifts be returned. By April the Union troops had positioned 60 guns, but they had insufficient men to operate them all. Of the three levels of fort, the second tier of casemated gun positions was unoccupied.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ew8IC1H7-MQ/TXBQd90-9qI/AAAAAAAAA_g/fZ6-J0I_Smo/s1600/220px-Sumter1.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 152px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ew8IC1H7-MQ/TXBQd90-9qI/AAAAAAAAA_g/fZ6-J0I_Smo/s200/220px-Sumter1.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580048414055265954" border="0" /></a></span>Beauregard made repeated demands that the Union force either surrender or withdraw and took steps to ensure that no supplies from the city were available to the defenders, whose food was running low. A trained military engineer, he built-up overwhelming strength to challenge Fort Sumter. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fort Moultrie</span> had three 8-inch Columbiads. two 8-inch howitzers, five 32-pound smoothbores, and four 24-pounders. Outside of Moultrie were five 10-inch mortars, two 32-pounders, two 24-pounders, and a 9-inch Dahlgren smoothbore. </li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">The floating battery </span>next to Fort Moultrie had two 42-pounders and two 32-pounders on a raft protected by iron shielding. </li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fort Johnson</span> on James Island had one 24-pounder and four 10-inch mortars. </li><li>At<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Cummings Point</span> on Morris Island were stationed seven 10-inch mortars, two 42-pounders, an English Blakely rifled cannon, and three 8-inch Columbiads, the latter in the so-called Iron Battery, protected by a wooden shield faced with iron bars.</li></ul>At 4:30 a.m. on April 12, Lt. Henry S. Farley, acting upon the command of Capt. George S. James, fired a single 10-inch mortar round from Fort Johnson. The shell exploded over Fort Sumter as a signal to open the general bombardment from 43 guns and mortars at Fort Moultrie, Fort Johnson, the floating battery, and Cummings Point. Under orders from Beauregard, the guns fired in a counterclockwise sequence around the harbor, with 2 minutes between each shot; Beauregard wanted to conserve ammunition, which he calculated would last for only 48 hours.<br /><br />The Union garrison surrendered the fort to Confederate personnel at 2:30 p.m., April 14. No one from either side was killed during the bombardment.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UNo20jMgH3c/TXBU3lIgxtI/AAAAAAAABAA/XYVUBTqtv6Q/s1600/Battle_flag_of_the_US_Confederacy.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UNo20jMgH3c/TXBU3lIgxtI/AAAAAAAABAA/XYVUBTqtv6Q/s200/Battle_flag_of_the_US_Confederacy.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580053252149397202" border="0" /></a>Beauregard became the Confederacy's first national hero for his resounding victory of the Union troops. He was called to Richmond and on July 21, 1861, he was also victorious at the Bull's Run (First Manassas.) After that battle he advocated the use of a new battle flag, he had designed, the famous "Stars and Bars." It became the most famous flag of the South.Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-90154656339757691962011-02-22T10:28:00.000-08:002011-02-22T11:17:10.816-08:00CHINABERRY SIDEWALKS: A Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b_1YalDzDDQ/TWQDzoZlh6I/AAAAAAAAA_I/gRgjlWoaqGM/s1600/chinaberry1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b_1YalDzDDQ/TWQDzoZlh6I/AAAAAAAAA_I/gRgjlWoaqGM/s200/chinaberry1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576586424144463778" border="0" /></a>I've been a Rodney Crowell fan since 1978. He is, to be blunt, one of the great American songwriters of the last 40 years and I have listened to his music for 1000s of hours. What little guitar playing I learned, I learned so I could play Crowell's songs. During the 70s and 80s Nashville artists waited for new Rodney songs to record. He has also recorded thirteen LPs (or CDs) since 1978, charting eight Top Ten Country songs, including five consecutive #1 hits, in 1988-89. Here is one of the all time great Crowell songs.<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tjbqMy3g46E" frameborder="0"></iframe><br /><br />And now Crowell has written a memoir about his early life growing up in hardscrabble Houston, Texas in the 1950s. Crowell's former wife, Rosanne Cash, published an amazing memoir last year, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Composed, </span>which was less a memoir of her public life, than an intense meditation on how her life influenced her artistically. I was hoping for something like that from Crowell, but not this time out. It is a study of his life as a child, and tells the story of his parent's life more than his own.<br /><br />Most reviews are giving the book a home run ... I have to differ. First of all, it is written in too much of a folksy, aw shucks style, peppered with down home expressions that most of us heard while growing up, but left behind as we moved out into the world. Crowell and his editor obviously had never read the old adage, "a little bit goes a long way." It also is a bit clunky at times jumping from chapter to chapter, back and forth in time. There is an endless chapter about attending pentecostal church meetings that wears out its welcome after the first 2000 words, but goes on and on and on.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-02XkBOrCcGU/TWQDzfOtBKI/AAAAAAAAA_A/GucQu3-NH1o/s1600/rodney%2BCrowell%2B22.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 138px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-02XkBOrCcGU/TWQDzfOtBKI/AAAAAAAAA_A/GucQu3-NH1o/s200/rodney%2BCrowell%2B22.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576586421682898082" border="0" /></a>Here's hoping Crowell has another memoir in the works that will illuminate his professional career as a songwriter and musician. Until then, I recommend you pull out your copies of <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Diamonds & Dirt</span> or <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Fate's Right Hand</span> and enjoy the music!Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-4289316502730199122011-02-08T11:50:00.000-08:002011-02-08T12:33:51.363-08:00TOP TEN SONGS ABOUT MASTURBATION<span class="Apple-style-span"><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Note to the reader:</b> Before anyone argues that THE STROKE by Billy Squier should be on this list, go listen to the song again. The lyrics are about psychological manipulation. </span></div><div style="font-weight: bold; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></div><b>DARLING NIKKI by Prince</b></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span"></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">These dirty lyrics inspired Tiper Gore to force the record companies to play WARNING: EXPLICIT LYRICS stickers on their CDs. Thanks Tipper. By the way, when's the last time you gave Al a massage? That's what I thought</span>. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>ROSIE by Jackson Brown </b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><b></b><span class="Apple-style-span">My personal favorite, and maybe the most clever.</span></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Rosie you're all right -- you wear my ring</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">When you hold me tight -- baby, that's my thing</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">When I turn out the light -- I've got to hand it to me</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Looks like it's me and you again tonight, Rosie.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>SMUT by Skyhooks </b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><b></b><span class="Apple-style-span">So much for subtle lyrics.</span></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span">Slip into a cinema and give yourself a treat,<br />Better take a raincoat could be sticky on the seat,<br />Open up you Twisties and open up your fly,<br />Pictures start to flicker as your hand moves down your thigh.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span">TURNING JAPANESE by The Vapors</span></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>A song that needs no explanation.</i></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b>WHEN I THINK ABOUT YOU I TOUCH MYSELF by The Divinyls</b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><i>An obvious choice.</i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span">VIBRATOR INDEPENDENT by Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper</span></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span">The funniest song on this list, hands down. :-) Poor Mojo's girlfriend has become addicted to her battery operated device, much to his frustration and consternation</span>.</i></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span">DANCING WITH MYSELF by Billy Idol</span></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>No explanation neede</i>d.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span">IMAGINARY LOVER by The Atlanta Rhythm Section</span></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Imaginary lovers, never turn you down</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">When all the others turn you away, they're around</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">It's my private pleasure, midnight fantasy</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span">PICTURES OF LILY by The Who</span></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Lily must have been smokin!</i></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span">SHE BOP by Cyndi Lauper</span></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span">"I wanna go south and get me some more."</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>HONORABLE MENTIONS:</b></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><em style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></em></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span">PRAYING HANDS by Devo</span></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Possible the oddest song here, but it's DEVO!</i></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 48, 81); line-height: 19px; "><em style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span">you got your left hand /you got your right hand<br />the left hand's diddling while the right hand goes to work<br />you got both hands you got praying hands</span><br /><br /></span></em></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span">MY DING-A-LING by Chuck Berry</span></b></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Poor Chuck. He wrote dozens of classic songs but his only #1 hit was this </i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>clunky ode to his manjunk</i>.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 15px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></span></div>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-29858584181271403372011-02-05T03:58:00.000-08:002011-02-06T05:56:32.289-08:00TODAY IN BLACK HISTORY: Small's Paradise<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RL5aKTp2Pn4/TU0-CYfGaKI/AAAAAAAAA-o/mwvw901b2Xo/s200/smalls-paradise.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 194px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570176524780726434" /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:.1in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.4pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:14.4pt"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language: EN-US"><b>Small’s Paradise</b> (2294½ Seventh Avenue </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">near 135th Street, New York) was owned and operated by <b>Edwin Smalls</b> and was one of the premier nightspots in Harlem </span><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language: EN-US">during the late 1920s. Smalls, a former el</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">evator operator, was a descendant of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; "><i>Captain Robert Smalls</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">, a former slave who became a captain in the Union navy and later a congressman from South C</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">arolina.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:.1in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.4pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:14.4pt"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language: EN-US">Small’s Paradise was one of the most suc</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">cessful and best-known nightclubs in the history of Harlem, and the most prestigious club owned by an African American. Its reputation for first-class musical acts, elaborate floor shows, an</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">d dancing waiters attracted thousands of patrons who were eager to participate i</span><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language: EN-US">n the exciting nightlife of Harlem during th</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">e Roaring Twenties.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0.1in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 8.4pt; margin-left: 0in; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; line-height: 14.4pt;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RL5aKTp2Pn4/TU0-CXa70sI/AAAAAAAAA-w/OitKaFgRF3I/s200/smalls.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 170px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570176524494820034" /></span></span></span></p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:.1in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.4pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:14.4pt"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language: EN-US">By </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">the time he opened the Paradise in th</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">e autumn of 1925, Ed Smalls was already an experienced nightclub owner</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">Since 1917 he had been running a popular joint in Harlem called the <b>Sugar Cane Club</b>, which catered primarily to an African American clientele. But Small’s Par</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">adise was a much more elaborate venture, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">and one designed to attract not just local Harlemites but also moneyed white revelers from downtown. When the Paradise opened its doors on 26 October 1925, Smalls marked the occasion by throwing a spectacular gala. . Of course, national Prohibition was in full force at the time, but patrons at Small’s could either drink discreetly from their own bottl</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">e or flask of hooch, or else buy bootleg liqu</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">or from the waiters (at an exorbitant price).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:.1in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.4pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:14.4pt"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language: EN-US">Nearly 1,500 guests jammed themselves into the brand-new basement club and danced to the tunes of Charlie Johnson’s Paradise Orchestra, which would serve as the house band for the next ten years. Johnson's Orchestra through the years featured several South Carolina musicians, including <b>Gus Aiken</b> and <b>Jabbo Smith</b> from the <b>Jenkins Orphanage</b> in Charleston. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0.1in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 8.4pt; margin-left: 0in; "><span style="line-height: 19px;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XHVb8L-JZFQ" frameborder="0"></iframe></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:.1in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.4pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:14.4pt"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language: EN-US">In 1929, the entertainment magazine <i>Variet</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; "><i>y </i>listed eleven major nightclubs in Harlem that catered to a predominantly white crowd. The four most popular were Small’s Paradise, the Cotton Club, Barron Wilkins’s Exclusive Club, and Connie’s Inn. Many wealthy white curiosity seekers actually preferred some of the other big-name clubs—especially the Cotton </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">Club and Connie’s Inn—to Small’s Paradise, because these other clubs were owned by whites and admitted only white patrons. Whi</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">le the entertainers and the waiters at these establishments were almost exclusively black, African American customers were firmly turned away unless they were true celebrities, such as the dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:.1in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.4pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:14.4pt"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language: EN-US">Small’s Paradise, in contrast, appealed to whites who wanted to attend a club where African Americans made up a sizab</span><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language: EN-US">le portion of the audience. But despite the racially integrated nature of Small’s Paradise, all its patrons were financially well-off; the high prices for both food and liquor were enough to force most working-class Harlemites to seek out a more </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">affordable speakeasy. Although Small’s was not as expensive as Connie’s Inn, for example, an average tab at Small’s was about $4 per person in 1929, when the average domestic laborer in Harlem earned between $6 and $12 a week.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:.1in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.4pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:14.4pt"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language: EN-US">One of the signature features of Small’s Paradise was its dancing waiters, who would balance heavy trays full of bootleg </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">liquor while dancing the Charleston, sometimes on roller skates, as they moved among the tables. Small’s also carved out a niche for itself in the competitive n</span><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language: EN-US">ightclub business by staying open much later than most other clubs, including the aristocratic Cotton Club. After other cabarets closed down at three or four o’clock in the morning, black and white patrons alik</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">e would descend on Small’s Paradise for one of its famous early-morning “breakfast dances.”</span></p><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RL5aKTp2Pn4/TU0-C6KneUI/AAAAAAAAA-4/mhxNLWWW8T0/s200/smalls%2Bdancers.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 146px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570176533821618498" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:.1in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.4pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:14.4pt"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language: EN-US">The floor show, complete with twenty-fi</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">ve or thirty dancers and showgirls and two dozen musicians, would go on at six o’clock in the morning, and the dancing might last until noon or even later. The entertainment at Small’s was always first-rate, and some of the most famous musicians of the Harlem Renaissance played there, including Willie “the Lion” Smith and Duke Ellington. And in the early-morning hours, many of the finest musicians in Harlem who were engaged by other clubs met at Small’s for impromptu jam sessions.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:.1in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.4pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:14.4pt"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language: EN-US">More than most nightclubs in Harlem, Sm</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">all’s Paradise figured prominently in the lives of many important artists and writers of the Harlem Renaissance, including Alain Locke, Harold Jackman, Countee Cullen, and Langston Hughes. Even William Faulkner is said to have attended a party at Small’s during a visit to New York. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:.1in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.4pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:14.4pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">One of the club’s most loyal customers was <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Carl Van Vechten,</b> the wealthy white writer who helped launch the careers of many famous figures of the renaissance. In fact, some critics claim that Van Vechten based his description of the Black Venus, a nightclub prominently featured in h</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">is controversial novel <i>Nigger Heaven</i>, on his experiences at Small’s Paradise. After <i>Nigger Heaven</i> was published in 1926, the managers of Small’s were so offended by its portrayal of Harlem th</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">at they permanently banned Van Vechten from his favorite watering hole, much to his dismay.</span></p><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RL5aKTp2Pn4/TU0-Ce650HI/AAAAAAAAA-g/dpEZ9xfgnQw/s200/smalls%252C%2B1940.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 132px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570176526507954290" /> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:.1in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.4pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:14.4pt"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language: EN-US">Small’s Paradise holds the distinction of b</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">eing the longest-operating nightclub in Harle</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">m, witnessing the rise of not just jazz but rock and roll and even disco before it finally closed its doors in 1986. After Ed Smalls sold the business, the Paradise changed hands a number of times. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:.1in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.4pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:14.4pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">Basketball star Wilt Chamberlain owned the club briefly in the 1960s, renamed it Big Wilt’s Small’s Par</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">adise, and featured Ray Charles as his star performer. Although the doors have now closed on Small’s Paradise, the frequent references to the club in newspapers, essays, autobiographies, and fiction from the 1920s testify to its enduring legacy as one of the most popular </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; ">racially integrated nightclubs of the Harlem Renaissance.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:.1in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.4pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:14.4pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; "><br /></span></p>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287341456023590841.post-80030709346114409732011-02-04T13:04:00.000-08:002011-02-04T13:06:59.801-08:00JANUARY 2011 READING LIST<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.markjonesbooks.com">MarkJonesBooks.com</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>PATHFINDER / Orson Scott Card **** Outstanding science fiction! Forget that this is marketed as a YA novel. This novel is filled with complex time-travel plot lines and fully developed characters. Oddly enough, as I was writing this mini-review, Card was having a mini-stroke at home in Greensboro, NC. Be well, Orson!<div><br /></div><div>VERNON AND IRENE CASTLE'S RAGTIME REVOLUTION/ Eve Golden *** Informative, but rather dry history of the famous dance team. </div><div><br /></div><div>OUTLANDER / Diane Gabaldon ** Ms. Gabaldon, it's okay for your book to end!!! Waaaay too long.</div><div><br /></div><div>THE BRASS VERDICT / Michael Connelly **** Connelly is not just one of the best thriller / mystery writers working today, I will argue he is one of the best writers, period. You can have your Michael Chabons and Jonathon Frazens. I'll take Connelly. At least his books make sense, are entertaining and the author is not constantly trying to prove to the reader how clever he is.</div><div><br /></div><div>LAST CALL: THE RISE AND FALL OF PROHIBITION / Daniel Okrent. ***** The BEST history of Prohibition and the 1920s I've ever read. Highly recommended.</div><div><br /></div><div>PARANOIA / Joseph Finder ** Sub-par thriller. The main problem is the main character - a slacker at a high tech firm who is blackmailed into becoming a spy for a rival company. The suspension of disbelief quote is too high. Second problem, by page 150 I had already guessed the entire plot and was not surprised by the ending.</div><div><br /></div><div>TO SPEAK FOR THE DEAD / Paul Levine *** Entertaining lawyer thriller featuring second-rate lawyer Jake Lassiter.</div><div><br /></div><div>MOONLIGHT MILE / Dennis Lehane *** Pretty good mystery novel featuring married private detectives Kenzie and Gennaro.</div><div><br /></div><div>SHUTTER ISLAND / Dennis Lehane **** Another excellent psychological mystery with a killer twist at the end. I'm very hesitant about watching the movie based on this novel due to the fact that it stars Leo and is directed by the most over-rated director in cinema history, Scorsese.</div><div><br /></div><div>NIGHT VISION / Paul Levine *** Second novel featuring Miami lawyer, Jake Lassiter. Entertaining, but Lassiter who is NOT the new Travis McGee, not matter what some idiot reviewer from LA Times claims.</div><div><br /></div><div>STOMP AND SWERVE: AMERICAN MUSIC GETS HOT, 1843-1924. **** Excellent and very readable history of American music, from minstrel to jazz.</div><div><br /></div><div>GONE BABY GONE / Dennis Lehane. **** Excellent Kenzie and Gennaro mystery novel.</div><div><br /></div><div>BLACK BOTTOM STOMP / David A. Jasen & Gene Jones. *** Profiles of eight early jazz musicians.</div><div><br /></div><div>JAZZ AND BLUES MUSICIANS OF SOUTH CAROLINA / Benjamin Franklin V. *** Hit and miss interviews with 19 South Carolina musicians. Notable due to the last interview of the forgotten, but brilliant early jazz master, Jabbo Smith.</div><div><br /></div><div>DEJA DEAD / Kathy Reichs. *** Not sure why I've never read this series. Similar to Patricia Cornwell's series. Here's hoping Reichs doesn't make the same mistake. Cornwell's books have become unreadable and silly.</div><div><br /></div>Mark R. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11316986249429130041noreply@blogger.com0