Comments by Bobby Tony | Eastern NC Now

Challenge accepted: In my best Paul Harvey channeling, here is The Rest of the Story.

Just finished reading the letter. It was good to know that they had inflated body counts during the civil war as well. 35-40 Thousand Yankees killed seems a bit steep to me. I think this was the battle of Cold Harbor which lasted for 12 days and did cost Grant many good men. While is is not funny but tragic, I know that incoming lead always inflates the numbers. Almost as much as stepping in a hornet's nest inflates the number of hornets after you.

I do find the matter of fact recitation somewhat realistic from a soldiers point of view. In the crucible of the situation, he describes it like another day at the office. To do otherwise would drive him crazy. I would love to hear JM's memory of that battle a few years after 1864 when the embers are still smoldering.

en.wikipedia.org

Commented: Monday, June 26th, 2017 @ 6:29 pm By: Bobby Tony

Thanks for the reposting of this article. As one who was firmly planted between the "Working Folk" and "Rich," I too took some umbrage with the HOV and HOT lane. In the final analysis, I however succumbed to the lure of hobnobbing with the "Rich."

I signed up for the Peach Pass (Georgia's version of HOT) and dutifully use it whenever I am on the highway. My way of getting even with the "Rich" is to enter the designated lane and drive at 55 MPH. Since it is, only one lane and it is against the law to cross the double lines it serves the purpose of really making "Rich" people angry as they thought it was solely set up for their benefit to pass the "Common People"

I have thought of ordering a bumper sticker just to rub it in.

Commented: Monday, June 26th, 2017 @ 7:10 am By: Bobby Tony

Stan, you know this much better than anything I can imagine.

If you feel that everything is okay because you have a warm feeling, look around you may be in a pile of $h!t. (my old man)

Commented: Friday, June 23rd, 2017 @ 8:45 am By: Bobby Tony

What can I say? Apparently, in 1933 they had no problem with identifying the assailant by his origin, twice no less. "AN ITALIAN & THE ITALIAN", Have they no shame. I note that they did not designate Roosevelt as "THE DUTCHMAN" or "THE YANKEE." Not even a mention as "THE SAVIOR."

To paraphrase George Carlin's Seven words you can't say. Today there are Six countries you can't "EXTREME VET" because it offends them or others.

Of course, today old Giuseppe may be praised as a defender of the Poor, or maybe even run for President. Wait, he was not born in America. Sorry Joe.

“I don’t hate Mr. Roosevelt personally!” Zangara told the cops. “I hate all officials and anyone who is rich.”

www.thehistoryreader.com

Today we would not call Joe an anarchist, or even a terrorist. He would simply be just another Democrat. (Just kidding Gene)

Commented: Monday, June 19th, 2017 @ 7:51 am By: Bobby Tony

I apologize for this lame continuation of the metaphor, it is the best I can do on short notice.

In the two years or so since I wrote this, we have had an election and what started out as barely glowing ember has turned in to a movement. A president has been selected by the rules of the game, as they existed at the time. In that respect, the sparks turned into a flame.

Now we are in the midst of a few glowing embers (unattributed leaks) in search of fuel (evidence) to start a raging fire built with collusion, obstruction of justice, and or perjury. Carrying the fire analogy a bit further; There is no doubt that we have oxygen/media and heat/ passion of a dedicated group fanning the embers trying to build a fire. But we seem to lack a growing audience or fuel. With enough oxygen and heat we can build a small matchstick fire, but without additional fuel, it too will burn out.

It is almost like going to a pep rally for your favorite team and watching the big pile of kindling smoke but never bursting into a fire because of the rain. I know that is a stretch, but no more so than my original article.

We may get a fire started eventually but getting back to basics, we still need the three ingredients to build that barn burner pep rally for impeachment. If there is no fuel or heat, there will not be a barn fire pep rally. But stay tuned, It is going to be a good show watching the cheerleaders pray for the rain to stop so they can keep the heat up.

RAIN DROPS KEEP FALLING ON MY HEAD

Commented: Friday, June 16th, 2017 @ 5:55 pm By: Bobby Tony

I Still have not reviewed the entire testimony and probably will not, but I have saved it on my TIVO for later reference should something come up other than a biased analysis from either side.

I may be going out on a limb here, or perhaps a better swamp analysis would be like James Bond in Live and Let Die. Could it be that James Comey realizes that he may be on an island in the swamp surrounded by alligators from both the Republican and Democratic establishment and his only option is to throw some raw meat in hopes that to keep from being eaten? To the best of my knowledge, Alligators do not have a political party, but politicians will eat their own for the greater cause.

The obvious inference here is that he mentioned the Loretta Lynch incident as an example of how incestuous the whole Washington swamp is regardless of political parties. My read of his demeanor is that he has a strong dislike for both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. He would have been fired by Hillary if she had won. Am I the only one who thinks that?

It is obvious to me that both parties have ideological polarities whose sole purpose is to eliminate their polar opposites. I will be glad to offer my apologies for my naivety if facts prove that James Comey is nothing more than just another Alligator in the swamp. Until then, I remain convinced he is a thin-skinned Dudley Do Right who has the right basic principles but has succumbed to a mild case of swamp fever.
It may take another election before we can remove some of the alligators from the swamp or at least turn a few into a nice set of boots and belts as an example to the others.

When you have both sides trying to eat you, it can't be all wrong.

Commented: Monday, June 12th, 2017 @ 9:44 am By: Bobby Tony

I did not see the testimony and have not reviewed my TIVO copy yet, but after eight years of hearing all about HOPE AND CHANGE we are now subjected to the actual analysis of what those words mean, both individually and or together.

HOPE - to cherish a desire with anticipation.
CHANGE - to make different in some particular way

Context:
"I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is good guy. I hope you can let this go." James Comey's quote of President Trump conversation.

Trump is used to being the boss. I think his son put it best in a tweet.

Commented: Friday, June 9th, 2017 @ 6:32 pm By: Bobby Tony

As one who spent most of his life somewhat detached and auditing the emotional roller coaster rather than riding it, I gained a new perspective looking back at the ride with a somewhat melancholy muse. Now that I have found the time to evaluate the ups and downs of my ride, I have found that when it coast into the last few hills with maybe one loop go before that long straightaway toward the braking station, all the baggage starts to fall apart and unload I am somewhat perplexed that the ride is almost over. All I can say is was a great ride, I survived and enjoyed most of it. I have few regrets. I could perhaps wish for a longer deceleration leg into the station, but wouldn't we all.

Now that I have time on my hands, It is my habit to immerse myself in research about musicians and their life history, I was happy to find this poor quality video of Gordon singing his trademark song in 2015 at 77 years old. Two things stood out to me.

1: He is still a pretty good guitar player.
2: He has lost all the emotion associated with that past love and sings this song now for the 10,000th time with a rote rendition to please those still stuck in the throes of his pathos. Like so many musicians who are blessed to live long enough to experience their own version of Groundhog Day, I think he does the song justice nonetheless.

beaufortcountynow.com

And the saga continues.

Commented: Wednesday, June 7th, 2017 @ 7:23 pm By: Bobby Tony

What a strange coincidence, I wrote an article about Gordon back in 2013, which I have not submitted to BCN. Just last week I was reminded of him by a flashback prompted by an incident at the Old Folks softball championship in the neighborhood. I updated the article for my Grandpa's Diaries.

He was and still is at 78 a troubadour of lost love as well as the story of the "Edmund Fitzgerald"

Here is his tour schedule for 2017

www.lightfoot.ca

Commented: Monday, June 5th, 2017 @ 11:58 am By: Bobby Tony

Fortunately, there are numerous camp followers who have documented almost every bathroom break of the evolution of the Allman Brothers under various names and venues. Here is another site:

southerngaragebands.com

Commented: Monday, May 29th, 2017 @ 11:27 pm By: Bobby Tony

Here is a link to a short four minute video about the 9000 Project from the year 2013.

beaufortcountynow.com.

Commented: Monday, May 29th, 2017 @ 8:10 am By: Bobby Tony

Chuck Leavell is another name that I need to get up to date on. I am glad that I survived long enough revisit some of the individuals that slipped by me early on. Here is another 'Allman Joys' promo that shows the early Duane blasting away on his Gibson Les Paul, hair and all.

Commented: Sunday, May 28th, 2017 @ 2:34 pm By: Bobby Tony

Commented: Sunday, May 28th, 2017 @ 10:12 am By: Bobby Tony

Thanks Alex, I look forward to the story. I'll bet you have some great stories about your childhood in good old New Orleans. Share a few for us Red Clay munchkins.

Commented: Thursday, May 25th, 2017 @ 8:22 am By: Bobby Tony

Commented: Thursday, May 25th, 2017 @ 7:42 am By: Bobby Tony

You have hit the nail right on the head, but I don't think the problem is limited to just the 1 through 45th guy, it has been a problem ever since Alexander Bell and Thomas Edison found out about converting sound to electronic waves.

My son works for a company that has developed a software program that can actually phonetically index an audio file without first transcribing it to text. It can search audio files for specific phrases by using phonetic indexing of each sound. That is why most large companies offer the recorded 'this conversation may be recorded for quality assurance' disclaimer in every phone interaction. Once indexed the algorithm can search for a series of phrases used in conversations to identify specific problems or trends.

www.nice.com

First you have to gather the recorded conversations. Gathering the information is where the privacy issues come into the mix. Actually there is no "Right to privacy" in the constitution, it is inferred, which is within the purview of a Diane Rufino article ( search on BCN 'Does The United States Still Exist? by Paul Craig Roberts'). As alluded to in my overly long and convoluted article, I have more concern for the abuse of the information than the actual gathering of it. If it can prevent acts of terrorism, I think most people are comfortable with the concept, but the old saying goes. "if you are good with a hammer, everything looks like a nail" holds doubly true for our elected leaders who never saw a right they were not prepared to trample on.

Commented: Wednesday, May 24th, 2017 @ 8:23 am By: Bobby Tony

Thanks for an alternative perspective, which illustrates the remaining divide that still exist in this country. Since both Tuskegee University and Morehouse College are private schools with ample endowments, I think they are safe for the moment. But Morehouse better watch its back as it is one of the few remaining all MEN schools left. It may help that Spelman College, the all WOMEN school, is close by. There may be something to learn from this PRIVATE school vs PUBLICALLY funded colleges and universities.

If we could just agree that there is a place for all in the arena we would all be better off in the long run. Nevertheless, I have some empathy for the changing of names and removal of monuments of former oppressors. As the old saying goes, "What goes around comes around."

I like you comment. Is that the Lizzy Borden Orphan Defense?

Commented: Friday, May 19th, 2017 @ 9:25 am By: Bobby Tony