Wednesday

Good morning,

Quote of the day:

“If you are playing tennis against a woman with big boobs bring her to the net and make her hit backhand volleys.”

                                    Billie Jean King

Amusing images come to mind.

The four teams that will play for the 2014-15 NCAA national football championship has been determined. They are Alabama, Oregon, Florida State and Ohio State. The first three was expected, the fourth was unexpected to say the least. Last week the fourth ranked team in the nation was Texas Christian University. Even after winning this Saturday's game by 50 points, they dropped to number 6 taking them out of contention. TCU and their supporters are raising hell and I don't blame them. The rankings are determined by a NCAA “commission”. Ohio State will meet the Crimson Tide in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Oregon and the Seminoles will meet in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The winners of those two games will meet for the national championship. I feel sorry for the Buckeyes (Ohio State). I think the Tide will send them back to Columbus asses in hand.

On the stock market there is a company named “Fortune Brands”. They own Jim Beam bourbon, Titlist golf equipment and Master Lock security equipment. Fortune has decided to sell Titlist, which includes Footjoy shoes and gloves and Master Lock. They will retain their “spirits” business which includes Jim Beam, Canadian Club and Maker’s Mark. Fortune says that this business generates $2.5 billion annually. That is hell of a lot of booze, y’all. My head hurts just thinking about it.

The university of Florida Head football coach Urban Meyer resigned after five years and two national championships. He cited the reason is that he wants to spend more time with his family...but he suddenly signed as head coach for Ohio State...Urban, just tell us the truth.

A while back the South Carolina Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier had been voted the Southeast Conference Coach of the Year. Running back Marcus Lattimore was voted SEC Freshman of the Year with 1,189 Yards gained and 19 touchdowns.

The South Carolina legislature is assembling an immigration law very similar to the Arizona Law. It is common knowledge of what parts of the Arizona Law that were struck down in court so it is relatively simple to design a law that bypasses those flaws. This undertaking was strenuously objected to by two state senators that said construction helpers are in short supply in their districts. Speaker McConnell rebutted those arguments by saying we are a nation of laws not convenience.

This Date in History December 10

1974 On this date the Washington, DC police stopped a car near the Jefferson Memorial moving very slowly with the lights out. The police look into the window and who should appear but the 65 year old Senator Wilbur Mills of Arkansas drunker than Cooter Brown. In addition to being hammered the good Senator had a few substantial scratches on his face. But that ain’t all; the Senator had a traveling companion. It was the 38 year old Annabell Battistella. Annabell was obviously well endowed top to bottom and suddenly she leaped out of the car and jumped into the close by tidal basin. The police grab her and pull her to safety by her.....Well, they pull her to safety. The police determine that Annabell had a few scratches of her own plus a black eye. That is not all, they determined that Annabell is an exotic dancer (stripper) using the alias of Fanne Foxe. Keep in mind that good old Wilbur is the chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee and this kind of exposure ain’t good for him. Anyway, some of Senator Mills’ assistants come to his aid and he is taken to a hotel room to sober up promising the police that he will be back to pay his fine, if any. This episode was so sordid and widespread that it cost Wilbur his chairmanship and eventually he decided that he would not run for office again. By the way, the nosy news reporters determined that Wilbur and Annabell had been having this relationship for several years but it finally caught up with him and cost him his career. This is fair warning to you married guys out there. But for all of us older single guys, WAY TO GO WILBUR!!!

1864 On this date the Union army under the command of US General William T. Sherman arrived in front of Savannah, Georgia after sweeping a 60 mile wide swath of destruction through central Georgia. The Confederates had flooded all the fields around Savannah leaving only a few roads on high ground to be defended. Sherman realized that he had outrun his supply line and tasked US General O.O. Howard to find the supply ships that were supposed to be awaiting their arrival. Howard sent one of his lieutenants and two enlisted men on the hunt. The lieutenant finally flagged down a Union warship and got them to take him to the supply ships which are riding at anchor in an inlet near Hilton Head Island. The lieutenant ordered the supply ships to Savannah. The 10,000 man Confederate army defending Savannah were commanded by General William Hardee. Sherman’s army was 60,000 strong. Hardee was able to hold out until December 20 then he realized that there was no way he could continue against the siege and he led his army up the coast to fight again another day.

1963 On this date the 19 year old Frank Sinatra, Jr. is kidnapped from Harrah’s Casino at Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Very soon thereafter Frank Sinatra, Sr. is offered help from Attorney General Robert Kennedy and even crime boss Sam Giancana. Frank Sr. refused help except from the FBI and they arranged a series of phone calls and a drop area for the money. The kidnappers accepted the terms, took the money and told the FBI where they could find Frank, Jr. The FBI picked up Frank, Jr. and took him to safety. A few weeks later a man named Frank Ryan turned himself in to the San Diego police as being one of the kidnap conspirators. Very soon after that all the conspirators were captured with the leader being Barry Keenan. Keenan did 4 ½ years hard time and was released. Today he is a multi-millionaire real estate mogul in the Los Angeles area. There ain’t no justice, is there?

1967 On this date a plane carrying soul singer Otis Redding and members of the band the Bar-Kays crashes into a lake near Madison, Wisconsin. All of the occupants were not killed and one of the survivors said that he had been asleep and woke up, looked across the aisle at one of the band members who suddenly raised his arms and yelled “Oh no!” and then they hit the water. There was a snow storm in Madison that day but it should have had no effect on that flight. The exact reason for the crash was never determined.

Here is a list and year that famous music stars died in plane crashes:

1959 Buddy Holley, J.P “The Big Bopper” Richardson, Ritchie Valens.

1963 Patsy Cline

1973 Jim Croce

1977 Several members of the Lynyrd Skynyrd band.

And finally...1997 John Denver.

Born today:

1911 TV journalist Chet Huntley. When speaking of former Vice-President Spiro Agnew he said “I hesitate to get into the gutter with this man.” Agnew had to resign in disgrace as Vice-President because it was proven that he took bribes while Governor of Maryland.

1805 US writer William Lloyd Garrison. He said “That which is not just is not law.” Hey William, who the hell determines what is just and what isn’t? I’ll tell you what, let’s just allow every person to determine what is just in their eyes and then anarchy will prevail. Then it is simply a case of who is the strongest, meanest or has the most efficient weapons. That would take care of the problem...right?

Thanks for listening I can hardly wait until tomorrow