WHAT WILL WE KNOW IN SEPTEMBER?
By R. A. Pearson

In January of this year President Bush announced a troop surge in Iraq in order to quell the massive insurgency in the nation, allowing the Iraqi government, led by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, time to meet political benchmarks needed to restore peace to the war torn nation. In mid September the U.S. Congress and the American people will receive a report on the impact of the surge, the progress of the Iraqi government, and the progress of important areas of reconstruction, especially in the areas of electricity and water services to the people of Iraq. These reports will come from important figures such as General David Petraeus, leading U. S. ground commander in Iraq, and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker.

There is some indication that the Petraeus strategy has worked in a few areas. In Al Anbar province, Gen. Petraeus cut a deal with the Sunni tribal leaders and armed the Sunni militias with American arms to use against al-Qaida, a move vehemently opposed by al-Maliki. The Sunni militias virtually destroyed al- Qaida in the area and now hold the area as a Sunni strong hold, much to the chagrin of al-Maliki and his Shiite dominated government. In Baghdad, the capital, there is evidence that violence, sectarian murder, and ethnic cleansing is down in certain neighborhoods; however, many of these neighborhoods have already been ethnically cleansed and are now neighborhoods based on Shiite or Sunni religious affiliation. It is also important to note the neighborhoods maintain their own militias, the most important being the Shiite Mahdi Army, now believed to be receiving arms and training from Iran. While Petraeus can point to certain neighborhoods and street corners and say violence is down here, it is still up elsewhere, and at a price. During the surge the U.S. had about 100 service personnel killed a month, with the exception of July when about 75 were lost.
However, during July the insurgency was turning. Until that point, the insurgency had been mostly a Sunni based insurgency; now reports indicate the insurgency has shifted to a Shiite insurgency backed with arms, training, and money from Iran. In mid August the Bush administration declared the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps a "terrorist" organization for its interference in Iraq. The Army estimated one-third of the causalities in July were the results of Iranian arms especially Iranian supplied Iranian-made roadside bombs, known as explosively formed penetrators (EFPs), strong enough to penetrate the armor of an Abrams tank, and 81 and 60 mm mortar bombs.
At the time of the last report in early July, the Iraqi government had met none of the benchmarks, according to Ambassador Ryan Crocker. The parliament went on vacation in August and, by the report in September the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is still not expected to have reached any of the major political goals of oil revenue sharing, debaathification, the holding of provincial elections, amending the Iraqi constitution, or contributions to economic reconstruction. In July, Crocker backed away from the benchmarks and went on to suggest that a 'realistic' image of the political picture will not be available until late fall or even maybe November. The same could be said for the physical reconstruction of the Iraqi infrastructure. Water service and electricity production is still where it was two years ago after the U.S. has spent billions of dollars foe infrastructure paid to contractors.

The point is that Nouri al-Maliki's government is made up of a coalition of Shiite militias. They do not want to make peace with the Sunnis, pass oil revenue sharing laws, let them back into government posts or help them out with economic or physical infrastructure improvements. On August 1st six Sunni cabinet members left the government over the al-Maliki government's failure to make any progress toward passing oil revenue sharing laws or disbanding the Shiite militias. Although al-Maliki's government is Arab, they rely closely on their religious brothers, the Persian Shiite Iranians to their west. Al-Maliki's government is playing a waiting game; they are waiting on the U.S. to leave and al-Maliki said so on July 14th. And now the Shiite militias are moving against the U.S. forces with Iranian supplied arms.

Basically, we will know in September what we know now, what we knew in July, and what we knew in January when the surge began.

1. Some progress on the military front has been made. Al- Qaida, which made up one or two percent of the insurrection can be and was defeated in Al Anbar by Sunni militia. Sunni militia, loyal to Sunni Sheiks and political leaders, which are now armed to a point that they can take on the Shiite militia when they need to and the Civil War comes. We also now realize our troops are the targets of the sixty percent Shiite Arab majority in Iraq, backed by Iran, instead of the twenty percent Sunni Arab minority.

2. We know there has been no progress on the political front and the al-Maliki government intends that there be no progress on the benchmarks. These are American benchmarks; al-Maliki wants America out of Iraq.

3. The reconstruction of Iraq's basic infrastructure has been a dismal failure. Billions of America's reconstruction dollars have disappeared in the nation as though it was poured down a black hole. What was built was shoddy, over budget, made with inferior materials, and now reports are indicating some U.S. contractors used virtual 'slave' labor imported into Iraq. Today in Baghdad and the country as a whole, water, gas, health care facilities, electricity, food, and basic consumer items are scarce. Unemployment is over 70%, and a flood of imports from China and other cheep producers will make it impossible for Iraqi entrepreneurs to rebuild any economy.

4. The U.S. Army and Marine troops and equipment in Iraq will simply be unable to sustain surge past spring due to simply being worn out. Many of the Army personnel are on their second, third, or even forth deployment and deployments have been extended from one year to fifteen and eighteen months. The Army is loosing its lieutenants, captains, and majors due to resignations because of the constant and extended deployments. The military has reported an increase in suicides, divorce rate, and family violence in its service personnel since the war entered a prolonged stage and the deployments increased. Along with the increased and prolonged deployments came shortened times of rest and recuperation at home. An amendment to a bill introduced earlier this year to increase this period, the Webb/Hagel amendment, introduced by Senators Jim Webb (D-Va.) and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) would have increased the time troops had at home before they return to war in Iraq or Afghanistan. This amendment was filibustered and defeated by Senate Republicans. However, both the Pentagon leadership and the generals in the field are indicating that the surge cannot be sustained past spring.

5. Last but not least, in a detail that has not dawned on Congress or the American public as of yet, Britain will leave Iraq in the spring of 2008. This modern day Dunkirk is partly due to the departure of Prime Minister Tony Blair and partly due to the failure of the British operation 'Sinbad.' 'Sinbad' was Britain's last push to clean out southern Iraq, and it ended in a dismal failure. Today the 6,000 some odd Brits are hunkered down in their bases hardly venturing outside, leaving the countryside, and the all-important oil fields, to the newly empowered, Iraqi backed Shiite militias. When they leave in the spring America will have to pick up this slack at the same time the steam runs out of the surge. America may find the back door to the sea slammed shut if we wait too long.

In conclusion, the troop surge has given the Iraqi government time to move, but al-Maliki's government stalled, and it stalled on purpose. No political benchmarks were met. Gen. Petraeus will point to the success of the 'quiet' areas, Ambassador Crocker will say, 'Yeah but…more time is needed,' and President Bush (the Decider) will decide to stay in Iraq and call for additional funds from a reluctant Congress. But if al-Maliki's government has no intention of meeting the benchmarks, why stay? As Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) indicated during his questioning of Ambassador Crocker in July, "In a way the goalposts are now moving a little bit."

A new war-spending bill is due to be introduced and debated in September. The Democrats are sure to oppose the current 'blank check' policy heretofor demanded by the administration and demand restrictions and timelines. To implement these restrictions they will need support from Republicans, especially in the nearly divided Senate. It is here where Senate Republican leaders and 45 some odd Republican Senators will play a major part. If they vote to 'stay the course' and continue to stay in the same war waiting on the Iraqi government to move it is apparent they are just giving the President political cover; cover at the expense of our service personnel and a cover that cost the American tax payers $12 billion a month.

.

LOOKING AT THE 'SECOND TIER'
WHY BILL RICHARDSON IS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S BEST HOPE
By Hampton Blount

Many Democrats view the Republican Party's recent troubles and they feel positively giddy. They consider George Bush's anemic approval rating (24 percent) and contemplate how America will be a different place after the Democrats regain the executive office. However, there are many factors that make this sense of excitement seem a little premature.

Lack of Goodwill and Good Candidates
While Democrats seem to be convinced that the anti-Republican sentiment necessarily means Democratic support, recent polls indicate a high level of distrust and low levels of confidence on the part of voters towards Democrats. In fact, the approval rating of the congress is roughly the same as the president's dismal rating.
Hillary Clinton cannot help the Democratic Party. While she does appeal to "Hard Core" Democrats, she scores low on favorability and likeability with the all-important swing voters. Clinton polarizes individuals and seems to scare many moderate-centrist voters.
Barack Obama is just a few years away from the Illinois State Senate. His lack of experience would be laughable if it were not for the fact that he could potentially be nominated as the Leader of the Free World. Democrats are so desperate for an eloquent, charismatic leader that they've accepted as a candidate a man with inadequate credentials.
Hope?
There is a Democratic candidate that has every trait necessary to win the White House.
The Democrats have a candidate with a wealth of experience both at the national and international levels. He is a candidate that has dealt with rouge leaders and regimes.
He has been dispatched to secure the release of hostages and on international fact-finding missions. Additionally, he has successfully managed the budget of a large state while striving for equal rights for all citizens regardless of race, sex, or orientation.
The best candidate, the only candidate for the Democratic Party is Bill Richardson.
Who is Bill Richardson?
Bill Richardson was born in 1947 in California. He attended Tufts University in Boston.
While only 35 years old he successfully ran for the US Congress. This began a fourteen-year congressional career that saw Richardson hold a number of important and influential posts. Richardson was on the Interior Committee and the House Select Committee on Intelligence. Additionally, Richardson was eventually picked as Chief Deputy Whip.
Bill Richardson is also an accomplished and skilled diplomat. As both a member of congress and then later as the United States Ambassador to the UN, Bill Richardson has worked with world leaders and governments to build consensus towards common objectives. Richardson has productively and successfully engaged rouge leaders, pulling them into compliance with the world.
While the whole world now seems to have accepted the idea of going green, Bill Richardson has been fighting on the frontlines of protecting our resources for years.
In 1998 Richardson became Secretary of the Energy Department. In this role he was known as a tireless advocate of renewable resources as he strove to break our dependence on foreign oil. He also was instrumental in pressing for cleaner burning gasoline.
In recent years Bill Richardson has been the very successful Governor of New Mexico.
During Richardson's tenure, the New Mexico economy has improved so significantly that the turnaround is know as the "New Mexico Turnaround." His common sense and fiscally responsible policies deserve much of the credit.
Bill Richardson is the only Democrat in the field with the combination of skills, abilities and experiences to make a successful run at the White House. Now if only the Democrats knew it.

THE CHINESE RECALL CRISIS
By R. A. Pearson

Late last year, Americans were shocked to learn their pet's food may have been contaminated with wheat gluten containing melamine, a chemical used as a fertilizer in Asia but not allowed in food in the United States. The offending nation was the Peoples Republic of China. The recall of pet foods and products went on and on into the spring of 2007, finally impressing upon many Americans how much the U. S. economy was reliant upon the Chinese economic system. Since then America has seen children's toys contaminated with lead paint, unreliable tires placed on America's highways, and unsafe fish and other foods sent to America's dinner tables thanks to the corporate communist leadership of the world's most populous nation.

The latest recall, children's toys, is a prime example of the lack of adequate control, at all levels, of international trade between the two nations. Today China's factories are producing over 75 percent of the world's toys. They operate in an environment of lax regulation, cheap labor, and intense competition. And they understand that there's little direct U.S. regulation of product-safety standards. The Chinese company which was responsible for the lead paint in the Big Bird, Elmo, and Dora the Explorer toys was subcontracted in China; however, it fell on Mattel, the American company, to issue the recall and face the angry American public's concern over the unsafe products produced and distributed under its brand.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the government commission established to protect the American consumer from unsafe products, relies almost entirely on the toy industry's ability to police itself. Governmental cutbacks in staff and financial resources have forced fewer government inspections of toys and placed more responsibility on the toy manufacturers.

However, big name retail names such as Wal-Mart and Target are pushing for lower and lower prices. While this means low prices and low inflation for U.S. consumers, manufacturers are squeezed to the point where they are not making a profit anymore unless they contract oversees. U.S. toy imports from China were valued at $14.8 billion in 2002 but rose to $22.2 billion last year.

Mattel indicated the contractor that had been given lead-free paint to use on the toys but did not use it. It did not offer proof.

Mattel also had problems with magnets in toys including Mattel Polly Pocket dolls and Mega Brands' popular Magnetix, both of which were made in China; however, these recalls were due to design flaws, not Chinese manufacturing problems.

But just when China and big American manufacturing and retailers needed a break, Wal-Mart announced on August 21, 2007, it was quietly pulling two Chinese dog treats, Chicken Jerky Strips from Import-Pingyang Pet Product Co. and Chicken Jerky from Shanghai Bestro Trading Co. from its shelves due to customer complaints about the products making their dogs sick. At the time the Clarion Issue went to press no dogs had died from these tainted products.

Basically, the problem with all the Chinese recalls, from pet food to toys, is several fold. U. S. manufacturers in search for higher profits have gone over seas to seek lower labor and production costs at the cost of product safety. Americans, in searching for and demanding a lower price, are finally realizing the ultimate price for these lower prices can be and is a risk to public health. For Americans naïve enough to believe the government is going to protect them, there is little the government is willing to do in this day of Free Trade, NAFTA, and the World Trade Organization. Furthermore, if Americans believe an industry can self-regulate itself, take a look at the history of industry (say the coal industry) and then draw the same conclusion.

Meanwhile, China has its own problems to contend with. As the Beijing government tries to clean up its act before the world comes calling for the 2008 Olympic games, it will have to do more than ban crispy duck treats (pancakes made with duck skin) and other foods from being sold outside its revamped toilets in the Olympic city.

Beijing is trying to find a way to clean up its polluted air which has been deemed so dirty as to be harmful to distance runners in the Olympic events. China has experimented with restricting traffic into and around the capital city which may help the situation; however, the real problem is the coal burning factories in the massive industrial belt from Harbin in the north to Tianyian in the south.

China must also work on its world image which has suffered in the very recent past. The death of 181 coal miners in Huayuan mine in Shandong province occurred when a dam broke and flooded the mine. Mine officials could have closed the mine; other mines in the area were shut down due to flooding. In China three coal miners die a day.

A bridge under construction across the Tuo River in the southern province of Hunan was near completion when it collapsed killing 64 people on August 14. The bridge was being made with rocks and concrete rather than steel.

China usually deals with these violations by show trials and quick executions of the offending officials or factory owners or somehow the offending officials or factory owners commit 'suicide.' It is done so quickly, the offending official or factory owner never has the opportunity to implicate any higher ups in any scandal. One thing is for certain, the peasant farmer, the backbone of Mao's revolution, has been forgotten by the corporate communist leadership of China.

If China wants to really play in the real world economy, there are rules. The world is starting to take a deep look at the corporate communists' violation of these rules.

THE FOURTH, FIRST ANNUAL THATHLOTHLAGUPHKA AWARD ANNOUNCED BY THE CLARION ISSUE
By R. A. Pearson

Each year the Clarion Issue presents the Annual Thathlothlaguphka Award. The Thathlothlaguphka Award is a local award for abject stupidity, general idiocy, or total incompetence, given to a local official, body politic, or politically connected contractor or company whose actions have negatively affected the people in the area. The name Thathlothlaguphka comes from the Native American name for the St. Marys River and means "smells like rotten fish." The Jefferson Muzzle Awards, presented by the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression, and the Ig Nobel Prizes, presented by the Harvard Computer Society, the Harvard-Radcliffe Science Fiction Association, and the Harvard-Radcliffe Society of Physics Students, and the Darwin Awards have served as the models for the Clarion Issue's Thathlothlaguphka Award.

This year's Thathlothlaguphka Award winner is the tax assessor (appraiser) for Camden County. The tax assessor's office blatantly raised property assessments, sometimes as much as one third of the value, for no apparent reason. Many homes that had made no tangible improvements found their values, and later will see their ad valorem taxes, raised for no apparent reason. Of course, one way to raise taxes without raising the millage rate is to raise the property appraisal. The government of Camden County is doing both. Many long-term residents of Camden County remember being told that additional taxes like increasing the sales tax, adding the special local option sales tax (SPLOST), and the increase in growth in the area would keep taxes down. However, there is nothing as permanent as a temporary tax and nothing as certain as existing taxes going up.

Honorable mention for this august award goes to the city fathers (or city persons to be politically correct) of St. Marys, Georgia, both of their support of the highly unpopular tax allocation district resolution (TAD) forced on the voters of Camden County and the outrageous city budget and tax increase rammed down the citizens throats.

Camden County's Tax Assessor can pick up the Thathlothlaguphka Award by contacting the editor at apearson@ClarionIsh.com . The winner receives a Thathlothlaguphka Award certificate, a Clarion Issue bar stick, an I HATE THE CLARION ISSUE tee shirt, a $25 bar tab from The Island Bar and Grill on Hwy 40, and a $25 lunch from Jimmy Jim's Restaurant on Point Peter Rd. We thank our sponsors for their support in the presentation of this prestigious award.

A quick check on a few past winners and honorable mentions shows LandMar, the 2006 winner, lost its bid to have a tax allocation district created in St. Marys by a whopping four to one vote in Camden County. Honorable mention for 2006 was the company trying to build Marsh Arbors on Dilworth St. in St. Marys. They advertised a "Gated community featuring stunning water view 2,900+ sq. feet condominiums with oversized wrap-around terraces," starting at around $400,000. They promise a neighborhood offering a marsh view of gorgeous sunsets, a pool & spa, immaculately landscaped grounds and a 390 ft. marsh walk with exquisite nighttime lighting. However, it seems the enterprise is stuck in the sand, but at least that is a few acres of marshland that will not be over developed for a while. Meanwhile building is proceeding at the 2005 winner, Cumberland Palms (a.k.a. Fiddler Flats), off North River Causeway in St. Marys, the 'marsh front' (that is gum-palmetto swamp front) property that idiots are paying $500,000 to 850,000 a home for. Keep an eye on this property. After the first hurricane, the residents should sell out cheep, and it will make a great site for an alligator farm.

FARTS AND FLORALS

FARTS TO Comcast, the cable TV company in St. Marys. On May 29, 2007 workers on Point Peter knocked off the cable and it remained off the entire night. The problem is reporting a problem with service after hours to these people. With all the money they collect in the St. Marys area, it would stand to reason that they could be reached after hours and provide better service. When the company was asked to prorate the cable bill for the month according to service missed they sent said consumer an eight-page "Arbitration Notice" pamphlet, in the next month's bill. The pamphlet was written in legalize and threatened the consumer with heavy court costs for pressing a claim for a service the consumer paid for but was never delivered and termination of cable service. Service was also interrupted on May 31, June 3, and on July 1. And now they are 'expanding' their channels and raising their rates! We'll get the Callahan, Florida, government channel and a lot of other channels no one wants, but not History International channel and channels customers desire. They are even axing Tunner Classic Movies (TCM). This means I've got to sell my black and white TV I bought to watch those blacl and white movies Ted Tunner colorized in the 1980s. What about a survey? Who needs 27 Home Shopping channels? It must be nice to have a monopoly on a service in an area!

FARTS TO the idiots who designed the three-way stop, one way free for all intersections at the service road of Winn Dixie/Lowe's (Haddock Rd.) and Hwy. 40 and Ruby Tuesdays (Lakes Blvd.) and Hwy. 40 intersections. These intersections along with the intersection at Hwy. 40 and Kings Bay Rd.(Hwy. 40 at Wal-mart) plus the lack of red lights between Wal-mart and Winn Dixie are disasters waiting to happen. (Try turning left out of the Publix parking lot during a rush hour.) Sometimes the Clarion Issue believes the Camden County transportation and roads department resurrected Hieronymus Bosch or let Robert Goulet loose at 3:00 in the office without adequate peanuts when the highway plans for lower Camden County were being designed. A few more red lights and a little more organized traffic flow would add a lot to the traffic mess along Hwy 40, its service roads, and its arteries.

FLORALS TO the young Navy Petty Officer who helped me change a flat tire outside the Green Cedar store off Point Peter. It's good to see these young men lending a helping hand to the community and helping total strangers. A tip of the hat to you young man, and may fair winds and good fortune be with you in your journey through life.

FARTS TO the Camden County Sheriff's Department. The Cumberland Island prisoner work controversy has once again cast the Camden County Sheriff's Department into the news in a story that 'could have legs.' In addition to the Cumberland Island prisoner work problem, there seems to be other problems in the department coming to the attention of the citizens of Camden County. There is a well-qualified and possibly well-funded opposition candidate out there to oppose the incumbent; this may be a race to watch in the next election.

FLORALS TO the ministers and members of King of Peace Episcopal Church, and all the people of the area who participated in the candlelight service for the murder victim at the Pines Apartments. Actions such as this create a strong sense of positive cause that can unite a community and help prevent such crimes in the future. A special thanks to Rev. Gene Dawson for the coverage he gave the service on his local TV program.

FARTS TO the City of St. Marys Water Department and the entire mercantilist policies of the city. It was with great excitement that citizens long denied city water watched as the pipes were laid down Wright St. off New Point Peter Rd. However, the same residents were shocked and awed to find out the cost of hook up to the water was $1955.00. Of course the city would allow the citizen to make a down payment of about $450 and pay the rest of the cost off in monthly installments of $140. This is just more of the extreme usury prices for public utilities and services charged by public officials at St. Marys City Hall; officials who are always trying to make a buck at the expense of the citizens they are suppose to serve. I really hate to see the cost to hook to the sewer service once they run it down the street.

FARTS TO WAL-MART. Remember when Wal-Mart would replace a battery in a watch as long as the watch was purchased from their store? This is no longer the policy of the store. Now they will only replace the battery if they have a comparable watch in the store. At the rate stock and styles turn over it is now hard to get a simple battery replaced in a watch at 'Wally-world' these days. Roll back prices; roll back service on the goods you buy!

FARTS TO the Camden County mosquito spraying truck and machine. Could it be any louder? And why does it have to run at 4:30 in the morning, wake up the dog, and all of God's creation? It may be worth it if it actually killed the mosquitoes!

AND ANNOUNCING THE CLARION ISSUE BLOG found at www.clarionish.com or www.clarionissue.blogspot.com which ever you prefer. Now you, the Clarion Issue readers, will be able to comment in real time on articles and blogs posted in the Clarion Issue and on our blog site. Local, national, state, and world news articles will be discussed. We ask you keep it clean and be willing to post your name along with your comments. So we'll see ya at another spot on the web.

COMMENT ON CURRENT CLARION ISSUE ARTICLES AT
www.clarionissue.blogspot.com or www.clarionish.com

"BRING 'EM ON" A CLARION ISSUE WAR UPDATE

CASUALTIES AS OF AUGUST 25, 2007

US SERVICE PERSONNEL KILLED IN IRAQ ………. 3,724
US SERVICE PERSONNEL WOUNDED IN IRAQ ……….. 27,506
US SERVICE PERSONNEL KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN…….. 428
US SERVICE PERSONNEL WOUNDED IN AFGHANISTAN……. 1,472

TOTAL KILLED IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN …………. 4,152
TOTAL CASUALTIES ……………………………….. 33,130
TOTAL COST ……………………. $475,500,000,000

The US military reports suicides are at highest rate in 16 years. There have been 100 military suicides in 2007 as of late August 2007.

"Nothing more than a comma in the history books."
President George W. Bush

WHICH ONE ARE YOU?

One morning on the way to work a man carelessly rear-ended a car at a red light. Anyway the guy who was driving got out.

He was a dwarf, and he angrily said, "I'm not happy!"

The man replied, "Then you must be Grumpy."

A BAD DAY AT WORK

When you have an "I Hate My Job" day, try this: On your way home from work, stop at your pharmacy, go to the thermometer section, and purchase a rectal thermometer made by Johnson & Johnson. Be very sure you get this brand.

When you get home, lock your doors, draw the curtains and disconnect the phone so you will not be disturbed. Change into very comfortable clothing and sit in your favorite chair. Open the package and remove the thermometer. Now, carefully place it on a table or a surface so that it will not become chipped or broken.

Now the fun part begins. Take out the literature from the box and read it carefully. You will notice that in small print there is a statement: "Every Rectal Thermometer made by Johnson & Johnson is personally tested."

Now, close your eyes and repeat out loud five times, "I am so glad I do not work in the thermometer quality control at Johnson & Johnson."

HAVE A NICE DAY AND REMEMBER, THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEONE ELSE WITH A JOB THAT IS MORE OF A PAIN IN THE BUTT THAN YOURS!

LOST IN THE DARNDEST PLACES

An elderly Floridian called 911 on her cell phone to report that her car has been broken into. She is hysterical as she explains her situation to the dispatcher: "They've stolen the stereo, the steering wheel, the brake pedal, and even the accelerator!" she cried.

The dispatcher said, "Stay calm. An officer is on the way."

A few minutes later, the officer radios in. "Disregard," he says. "She got in the back-seat by mistake."

SPEAKIN’ SOUTHERN

SPEAKIN' SOUTHERN
ADDITIONS TO YOUR SOUTHERN VOCABULARY
A LOOK AT DICK CHENEY

DE/FIB/U/LATER (defibrillator) - 1) A device to keep your heart beat on track. 2) A lie detector test.
THE FO'TH BRANCH OF GOV/MENT- The Vice Pres/dent and his cronies.
'SHOOTER'- The Southern name for the Vice Pres/dent after he shot that lawyer feller.
'SCOOTER' LIBBY- The Vice Pres/dent's former chief of staff who should'of (should have) gone to jail.

USAGE:

Charlene: "Hey Bubba. It says here in the paper that Vice Pres/dent Cheney is going to the hospital to get a new de/fib/u/later. Did ya know that?"
Bubba: "Gee, I thought they gave those at the FBI. Talk about special treatment. I hope they ask him about all them lies he told about Iraq."

Skeeter: "I seen in the news where 'Shooter Cheney' done declared he ain't in the ex/ekc/qu/tive branch. He said he's in a whole new branch."
Billy Ray: "I recon it's the fo'th branch of gov/ment. Guess they gotta rewrite the textbooks."
Skeeter: "I heard dat."
Billy Ray: "Well, What's ol' 'Shooter' doing this week?
Skeeter: "He ain't chairing the Senate like he's a supposed to. He's off speakin' on an aircraft carrier about the War in Iraq, the War on Terror, and patriotism."
Billy Ray: "Yeah, I seen him on CBS News with that Kathy Curry, and he had on a Navy Air Jacket with all them patches. He didn't have on a VFW hat though."
Skeeter: "He didn't serve in Nam. He got five de/fer/munts. Said he had better thin's to do."
Billy Ray: "So, while he's off a speech-a-fyin' on aircraft carriers and such, what does his wife do when he ain't around?"
Skeeter: "Oh. she writes books for younguns about patriotism."

Elvira: "It says here on the Clartion (Clarion) Issue Blog that Pres/dunt Bush done give that Scooter Libby feller a kind'a pardon and he ain't going to prison.
Clovis: "That's a shame. I heard that 'Shooter Cheney' done got him a going away present and a card."
Elvira: "What was the present and wha'd the card say?"
Clovis: "The present was soap on a rope, and the card said to drop the "Scooter" nickname when he met Tyrone."

DID HE REALLY SAY THAT?

"We do not use the content of communications to decide which communications we want to study the content of."
Gen. Michael Hayden

May 18. 2006

GEORGIA VOTERS TO SHOW PHOTO ID

On July 31, 2007, Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel announced the 2006 lawsuit concerning the law requiring Georgia voters showing photo identification had been ruled on and decided. The Georgia Supreme Court decided the plaintiff in the case 'lacked legal standing to challenge the law;' therefore, Peach State voters must show a photo ID at the polls to cast a vote.

Opponents of the law claimed the photo ID law disfranchised minorities, the poor, and the elderly who did not have driver's licenses or other valid government-issued photo IDs. Supporters say the law is needed to prevent voter fraud. Government agencies, such as the Sheriff's office, will issue a photo ID, and when a person is turned down for a drivers license for vision or a similar reason, the person can request a photo ID at that time and one will be issued.

Sec. Handel said, "I feel a deep personal responsibility to launch the most comprehensive education effort that we can." But first, she said, the state will launch an education effort to let voters know about the new requirement. Most Georgia voters have gotten used to showing a photo ID at the polls since the law passed in 2006. Those voters who did not show an ID for whatever reason had to fill out extra paperwork at the polling site before voting.

Some Georgia voters will face the new law in the Sept. 18 special election. Georgia has four set times for special elections to fill vacancies in federal, state, and local offices and to vote on special issues such as SPLOST or TAD referendums. There is no special election scheduled in Sept. for Camden, Glynn, Decatur, or any Georgia county where the paper copy of the Clarion Issue is widely distributed. Some Camden County voters, especially those in St. Marys, will need photo IDs for the city elections on November 6. All Georgia voters will face the new voter photo ID requirement in the upcoming presidential primary in 2008.

The Nation           Back to Top

"GUERRILLA DRIVE-INS" SPRINGING UP IN CITIES ACROSS AMERICA

Cities across America are witnessing a new phenomenon, a new type of movie theater that is outdoors, under the stars, not hampered by venders selling thirty-two ounce Cherry Coke, giant pickles, Gummy Bears or Junior Mints and it is free. People simply park their bikes or cars, and walk in with their blankets, chairs, coolers, and an FM radio and share with the people around them.
The movement began a few years ago when moviegoers began to sneak onto parking lots or fields to watch obscure films beneath the stars. The movies were projected onto warehouses or bridge pillars and the audience tuned their FM radios to a designated FM frequency to hear the movie. Today the movement has grown across America.
In a day when most people sit at home and watch the latest animated movie on an up-to-date DVD player and have very little social interaction, the setting and technology for "guerrilla drive-ins" poses challenges and rewards for movie goers and the hosts of the movie.
In cities like Tampa, Florida, West Chester, Pennsylvania, and Santa Cruz, California, people are using old projectors that they buy at bargain prices. "The one I used last week was unbelievable," Mr. Krzysik, a guerrilla drive-in projectionist said of the latest liquid-crystal-display projector he set up in Oakland. "And it's cheap, too. I think it cost $1,200, whereas in the old days it would have cost $30,000."
Even $1,000 was too steep for John Young, a technophile in West Chester who became infatuated with guerrilla drive-ins after reading about them in a hobbyist magazine. So Young decided to build his own projector and found step-by-step instructions after just a few minutes of Web research. "There's a community out there for some serious home theater geeks," he said. "They're using parts from old rear-projection video systems, from sports bar televisions from back in the day." Within a few weeks, Mr. Young had assembled his 'Commando Projector,' a mass of circuit board and liquid crystal encased in an old heating duct mounted on the handlebars of his motorcycle. A visit to Young's Web site, www .tikaro.com/gdi, is emblazoned with an image of Che Guevara wearing 3-D glasses. "There's no novelty in watching a movie by yourself anymore," Mr. Young wrote in a recent e-mail. "It's way more fun to watch 'The Bad News Bears Go to Japan' on the back of the old Y.M.C.A. building than it is to watch reruns of 'Jerry Maguire' on cable by yourself."
Part of the problem in the "guerrilla drive-in" movement is finding the public space to show a movie to three hundred moviegoers in an urban or suburban area. Early "guerrilla drive-ins" were done underground, but as the movement grew the need for cooperation between organizers and local officials grew also, taking a little of the underground or "guerrilla" out of the drive-in. Many "guerrilla drive-in" organizers have found that empty lots and public parks can be found. The moviegoers now can sit through a movie, without being disturbed by law enforcement, and enjoy the movie. The movies usually have a long intermission where people meet and greet, swap handbills, and share food items brought along for that purpose.
Many community "guerrilla drive-ins" have a web site where they post information about past and future events and shows. Most of the movies shown are of a political nature or similar 'statement' type. A visit to the Santa Cruz "Guerrilla Drive-In" web site indicated movies such as 'Whale Rider,' 'The Truman Show,' 'Syriana,' 'The Battle of Algiers,' '12 Monkeys,' 'Dead Man, 'Yes Men,' and 'The Take' had been shown. Other "Guerrilla Drive-Ins" have featured such classics as 'Dr. Strangelove' and the original 'Manchurian Candidate.'
"Guerrilla Drive-In" goers are attracted to the atmosphere, film topics, and the low cost of a new type of 'counter culture' experience. According to Wes Modes, a film equipment specialist for the guerrilla drive-in at Santa Cruz, "We wanted to give people a way to interact with each other outdoors without having to spend any money."

DID ANYONE SAY CALAMARI? JUMBO SQUIDS INVADE CALIFORNIA

It's not a recently discovered Frank Zappa song or a commercial for an iphone, but scientists along the California coasts are reporting the invasion of jumbo squids into the waters where they never existed before.

A type of jumbo squid that can grow up to 7 feet long and weigh more than 110 pounds, the Humboldt squid, is invading central California waters. It is preying on local anchovy, hake and other commercial fish populations. The aggressive predator, whose scientific name is Dosidicus gigas, is changing its eating habits to consume the food supply favored by tuna and sharks, its closest competitors. Research on the invasion of the Humboldt squid was published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal.

The Humboldt squid used to be found only in the Pacific Ocean's warmest stretches near the equator. In the last 16 years, however, it has expanded its territory throughout California's waters and has even been found in the icy waters off Alaska, according to Stanford University researcher Louis Zeidberg, one of the authors of the study in the National Academy of Sciences journal.

Zeidberg observed, "Having a new, voracious predator set up shop here in California may be yet another thing for fishermen to compete with." However he also noted, "If a squid saw a human they would jet the other way."

Zeidberg's co-author, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute senior scientist Bruce Robison, first spotted the jumbo squid in California waters in 1997, when one swam past the lens of a camera mounted on a submersible thousands of feet below the ocean's surface. More were observed through 1999, but the squid weren't seen again in the area until the fall of 2002. Since their return, scientists have noted a corresponding drop in the population of Pacific hake, a whitefish the squid feeds on that is often used in fish sticks.

"As the Humboldt squid has come and gone, the hake have dropped off," Zeidberg said. "We're just beginning to figure out how the pieces fit together, but this is most likely going to shake things up."

Zeidberg explained that prior to the 1970s, the giant squid were typically found in the Eastern Pacific, and in coastal waters spanning from Peru to Costa Rica. But as the populations of its natural predators, such as the large tuna, sharks, and swordfish declined due to over fishing, the squids moved northward and started eating different species that thrive in colder waters. Local marine mammals needn't worry about the squid's arrival since they're higher up on the food chain, but lanternfish, krill, anchovies and rockfish are all fair game.

Fishermen along the left coast indicated they were monitoring the Humboldt squid's impact on commercial fisheries. "In years of high upwellings, when the ocean is just bountiful, it probably wouldn't do anything," said Zeke Grader, the executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations. "But in bad years it could be a problem to have a new predator competing at the top of the food chain."

Scoutmasters around the nation have also expressed concern. As the Humboldt squid devours Pacific hake, a whitefish used in fish sticks, they are afraid Boy Scouts will be forced to double their consumption of hot dogs and cans of beanie weenies on camping trips and not get a balanced diet out in the woods.

In an unrelated story in California, archaeologists in Ventura are enduring the lingering smell in the dirt to uncover some 19th Century artifacts the scientists believe have been there for over 100 years. Items found in an the area are believed to be from the site of 130 year old outhouses and are yielding important information about life in the California town around 1880.

Archaeologists were called into a 3.5-acre downtown construction site where a pair of outhouses stood about 130 years ago near a saloon and brothel when workers stumbled upon artifacts. Archaeologists have always known the importance of exploring people's trash; however, their privies were a little different. "The further you go down, the stronger the smell," archaeologist Marisa Solorzano said. "But it's not that bad. These privies are archaeological gold mines."

The site is proving to be a treasure trove for the archaeologists who brave the smell to work in the site. They have uncovered a pistol, a knife, various whisky flasks, a set of false teeth, two dog skulls and a blade from a set of sheep shears.

"It might be an early crime scene," project archaeologist John Foster said. "It looks like the two dogs were decapitated. Then whoever did it dumped the skulls and the blade, thinking the women probably wouldn't be looking too hard into the bottom of the privy."

American Indians, Spanish missionaries, Mexican soldiers and American settlers used the site. The area housed Ventura's first courthouse, jail, and a hospital during the late 1800s. The artifacts found at the site along with photographs and other documentation eventually will go to the Museum of Ventura County.

ROMNEY TAKES IOWA STRAW POLL

In a beauty contest designed to raise funds for the Iowa State Republican Party and more a test of campaign organization than actual electability, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won an easy victory in the Iowa Republican Party Straw Poll on Saturday August 11 with nearly two times as many votes as his nearest competitor.

Romney had been expected to win the test because he spent millions of dollars and months of effort on an event that was skipped by two of his major rivals. Romney scored 4,516 votes, or 31.5 percent. Second place went to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee who had 2,587 votes, or 18.1 percent. Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback came in third with third with 2,192 votes, 15.3 percent. Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo who made illegal immigration his signature issue scored a fourth place showing with 1,961 votes. Texas Rep. Ron Paul, a Libertarian with a keen sense for the enforcement of the U.S. Constitution, and who has developed an Internet-driven following, came in fifth with 1,305 votes. Representative Duncan Hunter got 174 votes, and Chicago businessman John Cox got 41 votes.

The missing big name "top tier candidates," who elected to skip the Iowa Straw Poll, got only a handful of votes. Former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee got 203 votes. He was on the ballot, although not an officially declared candidate. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani received 183 votes and Sen. John McCain of Arizona got 101.

The biggest loser of the evening likely was former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, who finished in 6th place with 1,039 votes. He dropped out of the race soon after the event.

Romney was quick to claim the prize he had spent so much effort to win. Romney said, "The people of this great state have sent a message to the rest of the country. Change starts in Iowa." Romney has put millions of his own money into his campaign, a good bit of it spent in the early states such as Iowa and New Hampshire.

Huckabee said his showing was impressive because he had little money to spend. Huckabee told his backers, "You have taken a minimum amount of resources and made a maximum amount of gain."

There were 14,302 ballots cast, nearly 10,000 less than the straw poll held in 1999. George W. Bush won that straw poll with roughly 7,400 votes, and went on to win the caucuses and the White House. State Republican officials had predicted as many as 40,000 activists would attend the event, but said 33,000 eventually showed up. Many of those were from out of the state and not eligible to vote in the straw poll. Many political observers are pointing to the under turnout as evidence that Republicans are not happy with their field of candidates.

However, as states move primary dates up closer and closer to January 2008, time to enter the primary race for a party's nomination is drawing to a close. There is some talk of December 2007 caucuses and primaries if the trend continues and the desire to be first continues to drive states such as New Hampshire and South Carolina to move up their primaries. Let's hope the madness to be first stops, so the true will and political feelings of the American people can be heard instead of the childish argument of "I wanna be first."

The World

CHINA BUILDS ROAD TO EVEREST

The government of the People's Republic of China plans to build a highway to Mount Everest and part of the way up the side of the world's tallest mountain in order to ease the Olympic torch's journey to the peak on its way to the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Games.
The road would run 67 miles along what is now a rough path from the village of Tingri near the foot of the mountain to a base camp at 17,060 feet. It would be a blacktop highway fenced by undulating guardrails. The project is expected to take about four months and cost around $20 million. The new highway would become a major route for tourists and mountaineers, according to Chinese officials.
Organizers for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics have announced plans for the longest torch relay in Olympic history; an 85,000-mile, 130-day route that would cross five continents includes crossing the 29,035-foot summit of Everest. A special high-altitude torch will carry the Olympic flame to the summit of Everest next year.
Taking the Olympic torch to the top of the mountain, seen by many as a way for Beijing to emphasize its claims to Tibet, is expected to be one of the relay's highlights. China says it has ruled Tibet for centuries, although many Tibetans say their homeland was essentially an independent state for most of that time. Chinese Communist troops occupied Tibet in 1951, and Beijing continues to rule the region.
But many overseas Tibetan groups and independence activists oppose the torch relay passing through the disputed region, arguing that China will use it for political purposes. It was after the Communist take over of Tibet that the current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, and a small group of followers, escaped from Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, and walked over the Himalayan Mountains into exile in India.
Other critics of the road contend it will bring more tourist pressure on the area. The valleys, which are home to farmers, herders, and Buddhist monasteries, are already under enough environmental pressure from outside forces due to improvements in vehicles, dirt roads, and the hotels in the area.

DRACULA'S CASTLE FOR SALE IN RUMANIA

A Habsburg heir is hoping someone will take a bite at his offer to sell the infamous "Dracula's Castle" in Transylvania, a province of Romania in Eastern Europe. The medieval Bran Castle is perched on a cliff near Brasov in the Carpathian mountains and is a top tourist attraction due to its ties to Prince Vlad the Impaler, the warlord whose cruelty inspired Bram Stoker's 1897 novel, Dracula.

Legend has it that the ruthless Vlad III (Vlad Tepes), who earned his nickname, "the Impaler," because of the way he tortured his enemies, spent one night in the 1400s at the castle. Bran Castle was built in the 13th century by the Teutonic Knights to serve as a fortress to protect against the invading Ottoman Turks. Prince Vlad, or as he was called even in his own time, Dracula, which means "Son of the Dragon," ruled his military kingdom of Wallachia, southern Romania, with a heavy and blood-soaked fist. To not only the Turks, but also to many of his own countrymen, he was "Vlad the Impaler." In a time when it paid to trust no one, he killed by the droves, impaling on a forest of spikes around his castle thousands of subjects who he saw as traitors, would-be traitors, or enemies to the security of Romania and the Roman Catholic Church. Sometimes, he killed merely to show other possible insurgents and criminals just what their fate would be if they became troublesome. Vlad III lived between 1431-1476.

The Hapsburg royal family moved into the castle in the 1920s, and lived there until the communist regime confiscated it from Princess Ileana in 1948. It was restored in the late 1980s and following the end of communist rule in Romania and soon gained popularity as a major tourist attraction known as "Dracula's Castle." In May 2006, the castle was returned to Princess Ileana's son, New York architect Archduke Dominic Habsburg. He pledged to keep it open as a museum until 2009.

The Habsburgs formally put the Bran Castle on the market on July 2 according to a U.S.-based investment company. No selling price was announced, but the family offered to sell the castle to local authorities for $80 million last year. The offer was rejected. Some experts predict the castle will sell for more than $135 million.

The castle is closely associated with the Bram Stoker novel Dracula, one of the most famous novels ever written. The novel was adapted into several movies; the 1931 version starring Bela Lugosi and the 1992 starring Gary Oldman are the most popular. The castle has also been the setting for numerous other vampire movies, stories, and myths. Aside from the castle's connection to the novel Dracula and other vampire stories, myths, and movies, Bran Castle is steeped in the history of Eastern European history dating from the 14th century to the fall of communism.

NEW 7 WONDERS OF THE WORLD CHOSEN

On July 7, 2007, Swiss adventurer Bernard Weber and his allies named the new Seven Wonders of the World. The campaign to name new wonders was launched in 1999, and the final choice among 21 worldwide selections was done by Internet voting. About 100 million votes were cast by the Internet and cell phone text messages, said 'New7Wonders,' the nonprofit organization that conducted the poll.

The winners were Great Wall of China, Rome's Coliseum, India's Taj Mahal, Peru's Machu Picchu, Brazil's Statue of Christ Redeemer, and Mexico's Chichen Itza pyramid. The pyramids of Giza, the only surviving structures from the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, were assured of retaining their status after indignant Egyptian officials said it was a disgrace they had to compete.

The seven beat out 14 other nominated landmarks, including France's Eiffel Tower, Easter Island's statues in the Pacific, the Statue of Liberty in New York's harbor, the Acropolis in Greece, Russia's Kremlin and St. Basil's Cathedral, Cambodia's Angkor Wat temples, and Australia's Sydney Opera House.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) keeps a list of World Heritage Sites, which now totals 851 monument. But the agency was not involved in Weber's project.

The traditional Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were concentrated in the Mediterranean and Middle East. That list was derived from lists of marvels compiled by ancient Greek observers, the best-known being Antipater of Sidon, a writer in the second century B.C. The wonders included: The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes and the Pharos lighthouse off Alexandria, and the pyramids at Giza. All but the pyramids have vanished.

The new Seven Wonders may also be in danger. According to reports, one of the four minarets at the Taj Mahal is leaning due to the drying out of the Yamuna River, the river behind the monument. The river is drying due to over use by India's cities, industries and for irrigation purposes.

RUSSIAN SUB PLANTS FLAG UNDERWATER AT NORTH POLE

On August 2, 2007, a Russian atomic icebreaker plowed a path to the North Pole and cleared the way for the Akademik Fedorov research ship to follow. The ship then launched two manned mini-submarines to a depth of more than 13,200 feet, and drop a metal capsule carrying the Russian flag onto the seabed. Each submarine carried three people.
The symbolic gesture, along with geologic data being gathered by expedition scientists, is intended to prop up Russia's claims to more than 460,000 square miles of the Arctic shelf, estimated by many to contain 10 billion tons of oil and gas deposits.
The action has called world attention to rival national claims in the Artic. Russia, the United States, Norway, Denmark, and Canada all have territory bordering the Artic Ocean. "This isn't the 15th century. You can't go around the world and just plant flags" to claim territory, Canada's minister of foreign affairs, Peter MacKay, told reporters.

A 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea gives each of the five Arctic nations 10 years after their ratification of the treaty to map out the Arctic seabed. These maps, along with sediment samples and other scientific information, can be used to claim parts of the seabed that are extensions of the continental shelf of each nation. The claim would apply to the buried resources, but not to the water above. For years, progress under the international treaty was slow. The United States has not ratified the convention, though observers expect that to happen soon under the Democratic-controlled Congress. Global warming has added a sudden urgency to the process by thinning the Arctic ice cap, making drilling and shipping more feasible. The potential rewards are expected to be great and now Russia has upped the ante in the North.

Clarion Issue Trivia

What is lepidoptery? (Pronounced lep·i·dop·ter·y and also called lep·i·dop·ter·ol·o·gy.)
A. The art of making goat cheese
B. The casting of sand art by a Hopi Shaman
C. The study of butterflies and moths
D. A veterinarian that specializes in leopards and big cats
E. The study of Aztec, Toltec, and Mayan artifacts made from leopard hides
F. The ability to see things 50% better in the dark due to having cat like eyes

Answer C. Lepidoptery is the branch of entomology that deals with lepidopterans, butterflies and moths. (From the Greek words for scale (lepdos) and wing (petron) or I fly.)

Charles Lee Remington a famous lepidopterist died in May at the age of 85. Dr. Remington was known for his long-term service as curator at the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale and his friendship with novelist Vladimir Nabokov, a serious amateur lepidopterist.

THE CIVIL WAR QUIZ:
CONFEDERATE GENERALS' NICKNAMES
By Dave Lovett

About as many Confederate as Union Generals earned nicknames, many from respect, some derisive. Can you identify the following?

1) One of the best generals ever produced, in any war or country, he was uniformly loved by his troops, who gave him the affectionate nickname "Marse Bobby." "Marse Bobby" was ________.

2) During the 1st Battle of Manassas, no one is sure if Confederate general Barnard Bee was being complimentary or derisive in saying, "There stands ________ like a stone wall."

3) At the (non) battle of Yorktown, this general, known for his gaudy personal attire, thoroughly confused, and seriously delayed, McClellan's advance on Richmond during the Peninsular Campaign. He was "Prince John" ________ .

4) If Jackson was Lee's "right arm," this sometimes controversial figure from Gettysburg was surely his left. Who was "Old Pete?" ______

5) Surely one of the best of several renowned Confederate cavalry commanders, he was arguably the most flamboyant. Name "Beauty" this horseman was _______.

6) This Episcopal churchman was the Missionary Bishop of the Southwest, and was killed during Sherman's Atlanta campaign. Known as "The Fighting Bishop," he was ___________.

7) With the baptismal names of Pierre Gustave Toutant, he was known as "Frenchie" ________.

8) One of seven of the same surname, he was distinguished by the sobriquet of "Tige." He was ___________ .

9) Born in Columbia County, Georgia, he gave his name to one of the largest and most important Army bases in the country. He was "Old Rock" ___________.

10) A self-educated soldier, he rose from Private to Lieutenant-General during the course of the war. He was known to his Union counterparts as "That Devil" _______ .

11) Reputed to have been the Confederate officer who hauled down the Stars and Stripes when Fort Sumter surrendered, he was "Neighbor" _________.

12) The Confederacy's "Fighting Joe" counterpart to the Union's Hooker ended his career as a US Army Major General in the Spanish-American War. He was _______ .

13) Said to be among the three best Corps commanders (with Jackson and Longstreet), this Camden County native, who served almost the whole war in the West, was known as "Old Reliable," ________ .

14) Born in St. Augustine, Florida, at West Point he was known as "Seminole" ______.

15) Although not a general, he may be the best known colonel of the Confederacy. His "Partisan Rangers" were either Confederate soldiers, guerillas, or just a well armed criminal gang. The "Gray Ghost of the Confederacy" was ______.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND INFORMATION ON A CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA

The Civil War Round Table of Coastal Georgia is one of a network of hundreds of such clubs which meet throughout the United States, and even overseas. They exist to promote study of the War Between the States, to preserve the memory of those who served, and, of course, to give opportunity to socialize with people of common interests. Many of the members have Civil War ancestors, although that is not a requirement for membership.

The local club meets in Brunswick the fourth Tuesday of every month, September through May, except December. The program starts at 7:00 PM, and includes a brief business session, followed by a presentation by a noted historian or author. Recent programs have included "Vicksburg, Grant's Masterpiece," by Ed Bearss, former Chief Historian of the National Park Service; "The Richmond Bread Riots of 1863," by Dr. Michael Chesson, of the University of Massachusetts; "Collecting Civil War Artifacts," by The Honorable Brad Brown, former Mayor of Brunswick; and "The General Nathan B. Forrest Controversy." by Dr. Walter Blanton, of Jacksonville University. There is an optional dinner beforehand, and frequent displays of memorabilia.

For more information, and a ride to the meeting, contact Dave Lovett, phone 882-6213. (Dave is a great-grandson of Pvt. Benjamin Franklin Sayles, of the 20th New York Cavalry.)

ANSWERS TO CONFEDERATE GENERALS: 1) Robert E. Lee 2) Thomas J. Jackson 3) Magruder 4) James Longstreet 5) J.E.B. Stuart 6) Leonidas Polk 7) Beauregard 8) George Thomas Anderson 9) Henry Benning 10) Nathan B. Forrest 11) David Jones 12) Joseph Wheeler 13) William J. Hardee 14) Edmund Kirby Smith 15) John Mosby

THE NORTHERN GENERALS (REPRINTED FROM THE SPECIAL TAD ELECTION EDITION ISSUE, MAY 2007)

Many Union Generals acquired nicknames, some before the war, many during it, and not all complimentary. They were based, variously, on physical characteristics, performance in battle, and sometimes, just on age. How many can you name?

Physical characteristics were a common source of nicknames.

1) A perfect example of the "Peter Principle," he gave a variation of his name to a style of facial hair. __________

2) Small in stature, but a giant in accomplishments, he was "Little Phil" __________

3) He lost his left arm, but not his fighting spirit, in the Mexican War. He once joked with another general who lost his right arm that they could still "buy their gloves in pairs." The "One armed Devil" was __________

4) Best known for his service in the West after the Civil War, the "boy general" was variously known as "Autie, Fanny, or Curly" __________

5) Arguably one of the worst officers ever to command a corps of the Army of the Potomac, he had a problem with his eyes, which gave him the sobriquet "Old Blinky" __________

Among a raw, young army, age and experience frequently earned generals a mostly fond name from their men:

6) Based on his pre-war calling as a physician, he was known as "Old Pills" __________

7) Almost the oldest Union general, he was so obese he could no longer take the field, or even mount a horse. The author of the "Anaconda Plan" was "Old Fuss and Feathers" __________

8) The author of several military texts, he once was Grant's superior, later his subordinate. He was "Old Brains" __________

9) More famous by the titles earned in battle, this general of the "old Army" was one of a very few to completely annihilate an opposing army. He was "Pap" __________

10) The title "Uncle" was perhaps the fondest reference given to a commander beloved by his soldiers. Name "Uncle John" __________ and "Uncle Dick" __________

11) Commanders of at least a corps, these two were simply very senior and rather old, by the standards of the time. Name "Old Bull" __________ and "Old Rosy" __________

Fighting was the name of the game, and many generals earned nicknames based on their success (or lack of it) in battle.

12) "Fighting Joe" __________ (He probably should have lost the name after the battle of Chancelorsville.)

13) "Fighting Dick" or "Greasy Dick" __________

14) Earned at First Manassas, he was long after known as __________ "the Superb."

15) Renowned for losing his supply bases to marauding Confederates, and thereby supplying them their war needs, he was "Commissary" __________

16) A cavalry commander who little valued his troopers' lives, in defiance of the derogatory reference "Who ever saw a dead cavalryman?" he was "Kill cavalry" __________

17) In reference to his slowness to make tactical decisions, this supposed inventor of the game of baseball was known as "Forty-eight hours" __________

18) Although not a sobriquet, it was a watchword among German-American soldiers: "I fights mit" __________

19) For his heavy-handed rule of captured New Orleans, including a famous directive to treat as "women of the street" southern belles who disrespected Union officers, he was known as "Beast" __________

Not readily included in any of these categories, several generals earned notice:

20) Composer of the bugle call "Taps" _________

21) The "Modern Napoleon" __________

22) Still reviled in Georgia, and Grant's successor as General-in-Chief, "Cump" __________

23) Based on his pre-war explorations of the West, he was "Pathfinder" __________

24) Continuing a long history of anti-Irish sentiment, he was known as "Paddy" __________

25) This Indian fighter resigned his commission in 1864, and retired to Huntsville, Alabama (then still in rebellion,) where he was accepted and respected by his Southern neighbors. He was "Bully" __________

ANSWERS

1) Ambrose Burnside 2) Phil Sheridan 3) Phil Kearney 4) George Custer 5) William French 6) Samuel Crawford 7) Winfield Scott 8) Harvey Halleck 9) George Thomas 10) John Sedgwick & Dick Oglesby 11) Edwin Sumner & William Rosecrans 12) Joe Hooker 13) Dick Richardson 14) Winfield Scott Haddock 15) Nathaniel Banks 16) Judson Kilpatrick 17) Abner Doubleday 18) Franz Sigel 19) Ben Butler 20) Daniel Butterfield 21) George McClellan 22) William T. Sherman 23) John Fremont 24) Joshua Owen 25) William Brooks

OUR ON LINE SPONSORS

TO PLACE YOUR TOWN’S EVENT ON THE SOUTHERN CALENDAR
Email the information to: apearson@ClarionIsh.com

Back to Top