Reposted from 2006...

It's Derby Day, and that means it's time for Mint Juleps. Here's our quick and easy sure-fire guaranteed to please and/or anesthetize recipe...

By Lee Muller:

After spending $2,000,000 on consultants to gather input from 40,000 citizens of Knox County, Mayor Jacobs sent an angry letter to the County Commission on Wednesday, threatening to veto any amendments to his version of Advance Knox changes to the Growth Plan and General Plan. In other words, the public process was just window dressing and democracy faking. The proposed amendments are advisory; they have no legal force to guide development.

Mayor Jacobs pays lip service to the free market, and rights of (some) property owners to do as they wish, to promote "affordable housing".

Springtime is here! Redbuds are beautiful and Dogwoods are starting to blossom. Dogwood Trails open tomorrow.

Here are some pics (click image for more...):

We've always wanted to visit Reelfoot Lake, so earlier in the week we decided to go to the Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge to see the eagles. Apparently, January and February are the best months, so that worked out and we were lucky to have perfect weather. They have guided and self-guided tours. We opted for the self-guided tour.

We stopped by the visitor center and talked with the ranger and a volunteer. They were very friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. They went over the route and told us what to look for and where. (The volunteer is a nice retired lady who travels with her husband in a camper trailer, volunteering at US Fisheries and Wildlife sites all over the country, spending three to six months at each site.)

Along the approx. 30-40 mile route we saw 20+ eagles, hawks (including several harrier hawks), a few kestrel falcons, herons, a bunch of small unidentified birds, vultures, an otter, and about a million ducks and snow geese (and they were loud!). The highlight was driving atop a levee along the Mississippi River where we had great views of three nesting pairs of eagles.

We stayed in Union City, which is the closest town with newer hotels. There aren't many restaurants there, though. Mostly fast food and an Applebee's. There was a local place downtown that sounded decent, but it was closed for the week.

The Reelfoot State Park is on the south side of Reelfoot Lake in Tiptonville. There are picnic areas, boat launches and a few cabins. There are also some "fish camp" type places. If you want to see birds and wildlife, though, my advice is to visit the National Wildlife Refuge.

Anyway, here are some photos. Click the image for the gallery, and click the gallery thumbnails for larger images...

Tuscaloosa News: Saban is retiring, sources tell The Tuscaloosa News. Saban informed the team Wednesday.

Congratulations on a great career to one of the smartest and most successful college football coaches of the modern era.

(The guy in this photo was sentenced to three years in federal prison. The guy who sent him to the Capitol is still at large, flying around the country in his private jet campaigning for president.)

Some photos of Christmas lights from last week. Click image for gallery. The last few are from Alcoa at the intersection of Hall Rd. and E. Stephenson St. Worth a drive by if you're in the vicinity.

In case you haven't heard, AARP is an official sponsor of the Rolling Stones 2024 Hackney Diamonds tour. A special AARP member's only presale launched today. It lasts from 10 am local time from Nov 29 through 10 pm local time Nov 30.

Out of curiosity, I checked at 10AM this morning to see how much tickets would be for the June 7th Atlanta date. It took almost ten minutes to get logged in, requiring a Ticketmaster password reset, two-step authentication text message, and another verification text message. How are old people supposed to do that?

Anyway, once I got in I was sent to a queue. There were more than 7400 people ahead of me. After a 15 minute wait, my number came up. Of course most of the good seats were already sold.

I picked two aisle seats that looked pretty good. While we were looking at them, one of them sold. I selected the next one over and checked the price: $2923.50 for two "platinum" seats. And that didn't even include the VIP package!

I declined.

(Click image for bigger...)

This Veterans Day, we honor the generations of women and men who have served and sacrificed — not for a person, a place, or a President — but for an idea unlike any other: the idea of the United States of America. For nearly 250 years, our veterans have defended the values that make us strong so that our Nation could stand as a citadel of liberty, a beacon of freedom, and a wellspring of possibilities.

A proclimation by President Joe Biden

Took a drive up to the Cherohala Skyway on Friday. Nice fall colors on the North Carolina side around 4000 to 4500 feet elevation. Click image below for some photos...

(On the way up there, the Mrs. noticed some interesting sculptures in a yard just past downtown Tellico Plains on the right. We turned around and went back for a look. Turns out it is the work of Topiary Joe. There are some photos in the gallery.)

So, Trump's lawers in his NY civil court fraud case asked for summary judgment to have all the complaints dismissed.

If I read the ruling correctly, the judged said sure, here's my summary judgement. I rule that that not only will the case not be dismissed, but I further find that Trump is liable for one count of fraud, the other complaints will proceed to trial, all Trump companies are to be dissolved and placed into receivership, and oh yeah, all his lawyers are sanctioned and fined.

Lesson: Be careful what you wish for.

Repost from Sept. 11, 2011...

Joeseph Angelini, Sr., 63, Firefighter, FDNY Rescue Co. 1 and son Joseph Angelini, Jr., 38, Firefighter, FDNY Ladder Co. 4 died at the World Trade Center working to rescue people trapped in the towers on Sept. 11, 2001. The Fire Department of New York City lost 343 members that day.

Here are some audio recordings of heroic firefighters at work. The calm among the chaos is surreal.

• Manhattan Fire Dispatch gets the first alarm.

• Dispatch receives report that a second plane has struck.

• Dispatch responds to first tower collapse.

• A civilian takes refuge in a fire truck and calls for help.

• Dispatch responds to second tower collapse.

• Captain Al Fuentes, FDNY Marine Division Battalion Chief, was crushed by a falling steel girder while helping rescue firefighters from the collapsed North Tower. He survived, but suffered serious injuries and was in a coma for weeks. Here is his call for help. Note that the dispatcher is unable to raise several command units to assist.

• Captain Orio Palmer, Battalion 7 Chief, age 45, was one of the last FDNY heroes heard from at the WTC. On learning that the operating elevators only went to the 40th floor, he is heard in one transmission saying "We'll have to hoof it." He was leading a team up the stairs, reporting back to command what he saw. He had made it to the 78th floor alone when the South Tower collapsed. Recordings of firefighter mobile radios from a Port Authority radio repeater were found in the rubble. Here are some of Captain Palmer's final transmissions.

On the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, we pay tribute to the first responders who gave their lives and salute first responders everywhere who risk their own lives to save others.

From Gloria...

I’m a teacher, a Tennessee state legislator, and a proud member of the Tennessee Three. Today, I’m announcing my run for the U.S. Senate. I need your support in this fight — contribute any amount right now to become a Day One Donor.

I’m in this race because Tennesseans deserve better.

That was made crystal clear earlier this year, in the wake of the horrific Nashville school shooting. Thousands of Tennesseans descended on the state Capitol to demand action on gun violence prevention, but the GOP majority refused to give them a voice.

So two of my colleagues and I stood up to join their historic protest.

I knew it was against the rules. I knew it’d piss the GOP leadership off. But I couldn’t let the Covenant families, young people, and parents from across the state stand alone.

The Republican majority took quick action, but not on gun violence. Both my colleagues, Representatives Justin J. Pearson and Justin Jones, were expelled. I was spared by a single vote. Then the GOP majority passed a new law to increase access to guns.

MAGA Republicans in Nashville and Washington don’t give a damn about us. They don’t give a damn about using power to save lives or help the people who elected them into office. They only care about their big campaign donors and special interest lobbyists.

But one thing has changed – the people are on our side, and they are standing up to demand action and make the change we need. There’s a movement afoot in Tennessee.

I’m standing up to take on Senator Marsha Blackburn now because Tennessee deserves better. Period.

Marsha has failed us in her five years in office. She’s voted against everything from pandemic relief to ensuring equal pay for women. She’s supported tax breaks for corporations while opposing laws to keep life-saving drug prices down. She’s a danger to reproductive rights, cruel to LGBTQ+ folks, and she refuses to fight for our right to vote.

She’s also taken over a million dollars from the NRA while refusing to take action on the most basic, commonsense legislation to protect our children from the threat of gun violence. We have a senator who stands with bullies, and I have a reputation for standing up to bullies.

Marsha Blackburn has shown us who she works for, and it’s not us. She’s had five years and nothing is getting done. Tennesseans deserve someone who will stand up to corrupt special interests and fight for lower costs so that every family can build a good life. It’s time we do something about it.

From day one, I’ve been fighting for Tennesseans. Now I need you to have my back on Day One of this campaign. We have a long hard road ahead, and our movement can only succeed with your help.

Donate at Act Blue...

Campaign website...

Singer, songwriter, poet, storyteller, and guide to living life on your own terms. Gone too soon...

City Council candidate Cameron Brooks has passed away. WATE, WBIR, WVLT, KNS.

Cameron was a participant here for many years. Our condolences to his family.

Taken from the back patio last night (click for bigger)...

A Blount County landowner plants a large field of sunflowers every year and invites the public to stop by for a look. The property is on Sevierville Pike at the intersection of Nina Delozier Road.

(Click image for bigger and a few more...)

Hummingbirds are coming through on their way south. We hadn't had feeders out since May, but noticed a few around flower gardens this weekend. We put out a feeder and had customers in the first five or ten minutes, and they've been visiting regularly throughout the day.

Here's a great publication from the UT Extension about Hummingbird Gardening. There's info about habitat, migration, plants they like, feeders, making nectar and more.

(Click image below for bigger and a few more...)

Thorough coverage here...

(link...)

Politico reports that Gloria Johnson "is eyeing a mid-August launch for a Senate campaign, according to two people familiar with her plans who were not authorized to confirm them. Johnson has already spoken with officials from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and EMILY’s List, a pro-abortion rights group, and has begun to assemble a campaign team."

The article has some great quotes from Gloria about her campaign strategy and how it will differ from Bredesen's.

She has my vote!