See Blackbeard's Stuff at Aycock's Place

From the March 26, 2014,  Goldsboro (NC) News-Argus "Shipwreck artifacts on display."

The Governor Charles B. Aycock Birthplace State Historic Site near Goldsboro will have a special exhibit from pirate Blackbeard's ship Queen Anne's Revenge from April 19 through May 24th.

Visitors will see cannonballs, platters, a gun flint and other onjects removed from the Queen Anne's Revenge.  (Hopefully a cannon will accompany the exhibit.)  The objects were on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean for almost 300 years after the ship was wrecked in 1718 during the Golden Age of Piracy.

In addition to being one of the oldest shipwrecks in North Carolina waters, it also offers insights into 18th century seafaring and the life of mariners (and Pirates, of course).

The artifacts are on loan from the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, NC, a repository for artifacts from the Queen Anne's Revenge.

Go See It.  Captain Jack Would Be So Proud If You Go.  --Cooter  Arrrhhh!!!

10 Forgotten Attempted Assassinations of U.S. Presidents

From the March 27, 2014, Listverse by Jake Vigliotti. //// Of course, the site has photos and a whole information about each one: 1. 10. John F. Kennedy Was Almost Shot Weeks Before His Assassination. //// 9. Harry Truman Received a Letter Bomb. //// 8. Osama bin Laden Almost Got Bill Clinton. //// Hoover's Term Almost Ended Before It Began. //// 6. George W. Bush Almost Caught a Grenade in Georgia (not the U.S. Georgia). //// 5. Lincoln's Hat Was Shot Months Before He Was. //// 4. Reagan's Would-Be Assassin Targeted Jimmy Carter. //// 3. Barack Obama, Ricin, And the Elvis Impersonator. //// 2. George Wallace's Would-Be Assassin Targeted Richard Nixon. //// 1. James Buchanan Was Poisoned On His Inauguration Day. //// --Cooter

Hampton Roads' Greatest Fires-- Part 2

BURNED AGAIN-- 33 stores and buildings burned April 9, 1884, but led to the creation of the first fire department.

SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION-- 1.5 million bushels of wheat fed the flames when a Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad grain elevator ignited Sept. 4, 1915, killing one and destroying numerous structures on the Newport News waterfront.

ICE AND SMOKE-- Norfolk's downtown business district lost two whole blocks in a Jan. 1, 1918 blaze during weather so cold that water from the hoses froze.

POSH PLAYGROUND IN ASHES-- Twenty thousand people watched at Old Point Comfort as a March 7, 1920, fire burned the five-story Hotel Chamberlin.

WATERFRONT INFERNO-- A late afternoon explosion and fire on Nov. 8, 1934, incinerated a C&O grain elevator, killing four and scorching the Newport News waterfront.

--DaCoot

Hampton Roads' Greatest Fires-- Part 1

From the March 20, 2014, Hampton Roads (Va.) Daily Press by Mark St. John Erickson. //// I'll write about the Civil War fires in my Running the Blockade Civil War Blog. I have read many of Mr. Erickson's articles and this guy really knows his local area history. //// The first big fire was in 1608 when the struggling Jamestown was staggered. //// NORFOLK IN FLAMES: Royal Navy guns and landing parties torched the waterfront on Jan. 1, 1776. Then, local patriots began burning Loyalist properties. The fires continued for three days. //// GREAT FIRE OF 1814: Flames consumed 30-odd houses and most of Yorktown's working waterfront on March 3, 1814. //// --Cooter

Santa An(n)a's Wooden Leg in Illinois

From Illinois Chronicles. //// Sgt. John Gill of Pekin, Illinois, and his squad fighting in 1847 during the Mexican War came upon a disabled coach wagon without a horse. Inside it they found a bag of gold, roasted chicken and a wooden leg. //// They later found that the wooden leg belonged to none other than Mexican leader Santa An(n)a who had left the coach after it broke down. Sgt. Gill brought the leg home with him as a souvenir and later presented it to the State of Illinois and it is now in the State Historical Society Museum. (I have heard it is in the State Military Museum. Personally, until a few years ago, I didn't even know he had a wooden leg.) //// You Just Wouldn't Expect to Find Santa Anna's Wooden Leg in Illinois. --Cooter

1964 Boomer TV

**BEWITCHED-- "A not-so-average housewife could solve most any problem she encountered in her quiet suburban life with a wiggle of her nose." I really liked neighbors Gladys and Abner. "ABNER!!!" And, poor Dr. Bombay. //// **GOMER PYLE, U.S.M.C.-- "A naive Marine from Mayberry often gets in trouble with his commanding officer. Well, Goll-ee!" No wonder Sgt. Carter had high blood pressure. ///// **GILLIGAN'S ISLAND-- "Seven mismatched personalities were ingenious enough to build most of their furnishings from bamboo but not clever enough to figure out how to leave it all behind." "Little Buddy." //// THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.-- "In this series, charm offensive and a bevy of gadgets were used to battle baddies from (Do you Know?). //// **THE ADDAMS FAMILY-- "Adapted from a series of New Yorker cartoons, this macabre sitcom featured Wednesday, Lurch, Thing and Cousin Itt." //// "You Rand?" --DaCoot

Boomer 1964 TV: 50 Years Ago-- Part 1

From March 2014 AARP Bulletin "Power of 50: Boomer TV" by Carol Kaufmann. //// "Fifty years ago this month "Jeopardy!" came on the air. 1964 became a landmark year for other TV show debuts. Here are some favorites from that year." Well, I'm not sure of some of them being "landmarks," but I did watch some of them. Just remember this was back in the time when most families only had one TV and the parents got the choice on what to watch. //// (Also a problem when traveling by car back then when there was only one radio and guess who sat in the front seat.) ** Means I watched it. //// FLIPPER-- "Dubbed 'the Aquatic Lassie,' the show depicted the adventures of two Florida lads and their pet bottlenose dolphin. //// PEYTON PLACE-- "Based on a 1956 novel by Grace Metallious, the first prime-time soap opera featured an idyllic town and its harrowing secrets." //// What Timmy Fell Into the Surf and a Shark Bit Him? --Cooter

Laugh-In Co-Creator Digby Wolfe Died in 2012

DIGBY WOLFE died May 8, 2013. He was the one who named the show "Laugh-In" in reference to the Sit-Ins, Be-Ins, etc., that were happening at the time. He recruited popular stars of the show Arte Johnson and Judy Carne.

Drinking Wine Spo-De-Doh in NC

From the May 20, 2012, WRAL (Raliegh, NC) "Grape Expectations. //// I sure didn't know that at one time North Carolina was the top wine producing state. However, the Civil War and Prohibition (both national and state) wiped it out. //// However, wine is making a comeback. In 2002 there were 25 wineries and there are more than 100 today. In 2009, the wineries did $1.3 billion in sales. //// Good Grapes in the Old North State. --Cooter

Top Ten Fascinating Facts About Castles-- Part 2

5. CASTLES GALORE-- There are about 1500 castle sites in England. //// 4. UNCOMFORTABLE-- Castles were always damp, poorly lit and tended to smell like horse manure. (Something that Disney didn't talk much about.) //// 3. EATING-- Was the primary means of entertainment. //// 2. PERSONAL SERVANTS-- received some of the luxury. //// 1. The WELL-- was the weak spot. //// --DaCoot

Top Ten Fascinating Facts About Castles-- Part 1

From the May 12, 2012, Listverse. //// 10. TOILETS-- called "garderobes"-- Ultinately ended up in the moat. //// 9. CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS-- First ones built of wood. //// 8. OLDEST INHABITABLE CASTLE-- Windsor Castle about 900 years old. //// 7. DEFENSE-- Built to keep enemies out (No Duh!) //// 6. STAIRWELLS-- Built turning clockwise so that attackers ascending them had problems swinging swords if right handed. Righthanded defenders did not. (A real method to their madness.) //// Five More. --Cooter

3000th Post

That's a lot. This blog grew out of my Down Da Road I Go which was just about things I am interested in. Well, I am really interested in history, so that got to be a big part of that blog, so I made this one from it. //// Later, I was posting so much about World War II in this one, I started my "Tattooed On Your Soul: World War II" blog. And later, "Not So Forgotten: War of 1812" blog. //// Why the name Cooter? You can't take anything named Cooter too seriously. //// --Cooter

A Day Late, But In Case You Were Wondering About All Those Shamrocks

From the March 16, 2014 Parade Magazine Walter Scott's Personality Parade. Michael G. or Reno asked "Why are shamrocks linked to St. Patrick's Day? ANSWER: "Faith and begorrah, 'tis a reflection of the March 17 holiday's religious roots. Legend has it that fifth-century missionary St. Patrick, agent of Christianity in Ireland, used clover leaves to explain the concept of the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit." So, it had nothing to do with Shamrock Shakes. Right, McDonald's? -- O-Cooter

FL/GT Historical Society-- Part 3: More Old Stuff-- TB Tested

Still Show and Tell. A person from Duck Lake brought in a bottle they found in the front yard of their 1902 house. It was a Scott's Dairy bottle from Antioch, Illinois. Touting itself as guernsey milk and TB tested. //// Another person brought in old campaign buttons from Fox Lake and Grant Township. They also had old original Dog 'N Suds mugs. They had been going through some old drawers in their basement to find these items. Our local Dog 'N Suds just opened for another season this past Thursday, March 13th. Love those Charcoburgers and Coney Dogs!!! //// Another person brought in an old carpenter's level that had belonged to Fred Hamlin who had built the local Lehman (owners of the Fair Department Stores) mansions in the Lake Villa area. He had come into possession of it while working for Hamlin's grandson, Jim Hamlin. He figured he would fix it up, but everyone told him not to. //// All Sorts of Interesting Stuff at the Meetings. Today, We Learn About Abraham Lincoln's Watch. --DaCoot

FL/GT Historical Society Meeting, Jan. 2014: Black Hawk War Cannonball

January was Show and tell where folks brought in stuff to show. //// A person from Round Lake Park brought in a small cannonball he had found while digging a garden at his home close to the American Legion on Il-134. How a two-inch diameter iron cannonball got in his yard was a puzzling thing. First thought was that it might be from the Civil War. But, there were no battles fought in Lake County, Illinois. He contacted museums and was told the cannonball pre-dated the Civil War. Maybe someone had dropped it there? //// A good clue came from the Round Lake 75th Anniversary pamphlet which mentioned that Chief Black Hawk passed through what became the Round Lake area when he was forced to retreat from Big Hollow (by where Il-134 and US-12 intersect) Illinois militia pursued him and had small howitzer cannons which likely fired shots at the retreating Indians. //// Most People Don't Know That Chief Black Hawk Was in the Area. --RoadDog

FL/GT Historical Society January Meeting 2014-- Part 1: General Information

The Fox Lake/Grant Township Historical Society had their monthly meeting January 18, 2014 at the museum on Washington Street in Ingleside, Illinois. //// A total of 970 people visited the museum in 2013. Not a huge number, but not bad considering it is closed for two months and only open the 1st and 3rd Sundays the other ten months for three hours. //// The museum purchased a power point projector and are changing displays. //// The third grade classes from the local schools visited. //// This winter has been rough on our 125-year-old building with several additions. The vortex froze the pipes causing some damage. //// A presentation was to be made at the Fox Lake Library on the old Dollar Lake at Rollins Road and Grand Avenue which was filled and the present Lakeland Plaza built (that is why it floods so badly when it rains). //// History At It's Most Local. --Cooter

Chicago Lost Eateries-- Part 3

Buffalo's Ice Cream Parlor // Burger Chef // Cal's Roast Beef // Tad's Steakhouse ($1.19 steak meal located in Chicago, New York, Cincinnati and Philadelphia where even a poor boy on a date like me could take Liz and afford a steak meal.) //// Hans' Bavarian Lodge in Wheeling // Ignatz and Mary's Grove Inn in Northbrook // Sky-Hi Drive-In in Chicago (I don't remember it, but it had a full-size plane on its roof.) //// Roy Rogers' Roast Beef // Rustic Manor in Gurnee // I'm adding Mers in Wauconda for fresh-flown-in cod for Friday Fish Fry.) // The Magic Pan (crepes anyone?) //// Ponderosa Steak House //// Bonanza Sirloin Pit //// These last two had Hoss involved with them. There are some of both places still around elsewhere in the country. Recommending the Bonanza in Lincoln, Illinois, on Route 66, Home of the Rolls That Are So Good They Don't Need to Be Throwed and those hot, straight-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookies. //// Mr. Donut (which became part of Dunkin' Donuts) and, Cock Robin with those great Million Dollar Burgers and milk shakes!! //// Sure Brought Back Some Memories. --Cooter

Chicagoland Lost Eateries-- Part 2

Ground Round // Chi-Chis // Pickle Barrel (Dill pickles and peanuts at your table!! Who needs more?) //// Howard Johnson's // Henry's (hamburgers) //// Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips // JoJos // (I'm adding Sambo's, a hopelessly pi place, especially their mascots, 24-hour place. We had one in DeKalb where Pizza Pros is located now.) //// Chicken Unlimited // Millionaire's Club (Liz's dad belonged to the one in Des Plaines by Golf Mill for awhile. Loved to go there where you got treated like royalty and, even better, free alcoholic drinks. Bring on those Lime Rickeys.) //// Jack in the Box (I really miss these in the Chicagoland area. Believe me, when on the road, it is a definite stop for some of those delicious greasy tacos. Nearest one now is at Litchfield, Illinois, half way betweem St. Louis and Springfield, Illinois. We always stop there, even if full from our stop at Cozy Dog. We often see folks heading northward on US-66/I-55 ordering large numbers of tacos for friends. Lots of Jacks, as they're now called, around St. Louis and as far west as Sullivan, Mo. on 66.) //// More to Come. --DaCoot

Chicagoland Lost Eateries-- Part 1

From Craigs List "Chicago's Lost Eateries." I'm just listing the ones I remember, the list had considerably more places plus pictures. Check it out. Some are no longer in the Chicago area. Many of the names are national, so even if you didn't grow up in Chicagoland, you will remember them. //// Bessler's 33 Flavors // Wag's // Chateau Louise in Dundee // Shakey's Pizza Parlor // Boston Sea Party // Mr. Steak (Liz is sure Fatty's in DeKalb, Illinois, was an old Mr. Steak restaurant.) //// Winchell's (donuts) // Yankee Doodle Dandy // Carlos Murphys // Ron Santo Pizzeria (Yep, Ron Santo of the Cubs) // Steak and Ale. //// More to Come. --RoadDog

A Follow Up on the 33rd Illinois National Guard Division in World War I

From Wikipedia.

Elements of this division deployed to Afghanistan in 2008 and 2009.

WORLD WAR I SERVICE

ACTIVATED: July 1917 (National Guard Division from Illinois) at Camp Logan, Chicago. Sent overseas May 1918.

MAJOR OPERATIONS: Le Hamel (4 companies), Meuse-Argonne Offensive, Somme Offensive and St. Mihiel.

CASUALTIES: 6,864 (KIA 691, WIA 6,173) COMMANDERS: Brig. Gen. H.D. Todd, Jr. (19 September 1917) and Maj. Gen. George Bell, Jr. (7 December 1917)

RETURNED TO UNITED STATES: Inactivated at Camp Grant, Illinois, May 1919

MEDAL OF HONOR: Sgt. Willie Sandlin of Kentucky. --DaCoot

Illinois' World War I 33rd Division

From the Illinois Chronicle.

This past Saturday, on my way home from the Richmond-Spring Grove Business Expo at Nippersink Middle School in Richmond, I stopped at the Nippersing Library and did some research and located this very interesting book.

In the World War I section, I found that Illinois was one of only three states to send a complete National Guard division to the war. It was officially known as the 33rd Division, but nicknamed the Prairie Division and saw action at some major battles like St. Mihiel, Verdun, Chateau Thierry and Meuse-Argonne.

The regiment suffered approximately 5,000 killed in action. --Cooter

Ten Things You Might Not Know About Mascots-- Part 6: "The Tree Got Trunk"

Earlier today, I was at the Barnes & Noble bookstore in DeKalb, Illinois, and I saw that Mad Magazine, you know, Alfred E. Neuman, is still being published. Wow, after all these years. //// 9. The Census Bureau uses a FERRET mascot to promote a data-crunching tool called DataFerrett. That "FERRETT" is an acronym for Federated Electronic Research Review Extraction and Tabulation Tool. //// 10. Stanford University's marching band has a mascot called the TREE. which may be inspired by the trees on the school's seal and/or its home city of Palo Alto, California. // At a 2006 basketball game, police said they saw the Tree drinking from a flask and measured her blood alcohol level at 0.157. She was evicted from courtside and the tree and later fired. Sorry, this is bad, but Jacob and Benskofer said, "You might say the Tree got trunk and was asked to leaf." //// "Never Send a Ferret To Do a Lizard's Work." --Budweiser Lizard. --Cooter

Ten Things You Might Not Know About Mascots-- Part 5

7. The Hamburger Helper "HELPING HAND" used in TV commercials and on packaging has only a thumb and three fingers. Go ahead, count 'em. Cartoon characters only have that also. //// 8. Should a symphony have a mascot? The Utah Symphony once featured a SEYMOUT THE SEAGULL mascot to get kids interested in classical music in 1997, but later phased it out. //// --Dacoot

Ten Things You Might Not Know About Mascots-- Part 4: Mad's Alfred E. Neuman

From Wikipedia. //// Growing up in my early teenage years, I was a huge fan of Mad Magazine, just the right medium for a young boy's early years. I have since looked at the magazine and was amazed at how sophomoric it was. But, I will still pick one up and go through it any chance I get. Visiting my childhood you know. //// Mad's mascot, picture-boy Alfred E. Neuman, was created by the first Mad Editor Harvey Kurtzmand and named by Mad's second editor, Al Feldstein. //// Kurtzmand first saw him on a postcard pinned to the bulletin board of Ballantine Books editor Bernard Shir-Clift and remembers, "It's a face that didn't have a care in the world except mischief." //// Rarely seen in progile, Alfred has jug ears, a missing front tooth and one eye lower than the other. He was featured on nearly every cover but a few of the magazine's 500 issues. //// Spy vs. Spy and the Folding Back Page in Back. --Cooter

Ten Things You Might Not Know About Mascots-- Part 3.

#5. While most people like most mascots, here's one that people didn't like. And, that would be the Microsft Office "helper" CLIPPIT or CLIPPY. Remember it popping up on your screen starting in the late 90s and saying such remarkable things as: "It looks like you're writing a letter. Would you like help?" // Most folk didn't like it and it was quietly phased out. //// In 2010, Time Magazine listed it as one of the 50 worst inventions of all time. // Microsoft has offered other office assistants like an Einstein look-alike called the Genius and a cat named Scribble. //// #6. ALFRED E. NEUMAN, the coverboy and mascot of Mad Magazine, has a girlfriend named Moxie Cowznofski who has only rarely ever been shown on the cover. //// You Won't Have CLIPPY to Kick Around Anymore. --Cooter

The Titanic's Bandmaster's Fiancee, Maria Robinson

The Titanic's bandmaster Wallace Hartley and Maria Robinson were engaged in 1910 and had a 1912 date set for their wedding. In February 2012, researcher Jill Pengelly found a photo of her in the huge crowd gathered for her fiancee's funeral in Colne, England. //// She died in 1939 and is buried in an unmarked grave in a cemetery near Leeds. There is currently an effort being made to raise funds to mark her grave. (Perhaps even a monument?). She also had a lot to do with the authentication of the violin Hartley was playing as the Titanic sank. ////

Mascot, Tennessee or Is It Meek, Tennessee

From Wikipedia. //// I mentioned Mascot, Tennessee, in the last post. It is near Knoxville and I've been through there many times but never saw any signs for Mascot. //// It is in Knox County and in 2010 had a population of 2,411. It is the site of an underground lome and zinc mine and the Midway Quarry. //// Settlement in the early 19th century may have centered on Saylor's Ford across the Holston River. When a post office was opened, it had the name Meek, believed to be the name of a local family. //// Today's Mascot was formed in the early 20th century as a company town centered on the mine. There are two explanations for the name of the town. One holds that it is an acronym for "Mining and Smelting Company of Tennessee." Another version holds that mascot is named for a lady's lost cat. /// You Decide. --DaCoot

Ten Things You Might Not Know About Mascots-- Part 2: Batboys and Mascot, Tennessee

3. Professional baseball's early mascots were often BATBOYS-- and more than one was a hunchback. It was not uncommon for the ballplayers to rub the boys' humps for luck at critical times during the game. Possibly the luckiest batboy ever (non-hunchback) was Eddie Bennett. He was with the White Sox in 1919, the Brooklyn Robins (soon to be Dodgers) in 1920 and the New York Yankees from 1921 to 1932. He went six seasons before his team failed to win a pennant. At the end of his career, he had been batboy in nine league pennants and four World Series victories.

 4. Students at East Knox County Elementary call themselves the Cougars. What is really interesting is that they live in the tiny Knoxville, Tennessee suburb of Mascot.

--Cooter the Mascot

Ten Things You Might Not Know About Mascots-- Part 1

From the Jan. 26, 2014, Chicago Tribune by Mark Jacob and Steve Benzkofer. //// With all the controversy over Cark the Cub, the new Chicago Cubs mascot, here's a list of some mascot stuff you might not know. //// #1. Mascots are supposed to bring luck and can be traced to the comedic French opera "LA MASCOTTE" which opened in 1880. The term "mascot" had become a part of the English lexicon by 1881. I wonder if the Titanic's White Star Line had a mascot? //// The COACHELLA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL in California, sports teams have long been called the Arabs and has come under fire for itshook-nosed, snarling mascot despote complaints from the Arabs. Another Arab mascot ios dressed as a belly dancer. //// More to Come. --Cooter

Titanic Bandmaster Wallace Hartley-- Part 3: The Fateful Voyage

The Titanic's band was divided into two ensambles: a five-piece orchestra and a trio string section. //// The five-piece section was led by Hartley and included violinist John Low Hume, cellist John Wesley Woodward, bassist John Frederick Clarke and pianist Percy Cornellus Taylor. They played in the first-class reception room. //// The trio played in the B Deck reception room and included pianist William Theodore Ronald Brailey, cellist Roger Bricoux and violinist George Krins. /// After the collision with the iceberg, shortly before midnight 14 April, the band (I'm figuring both sections) gathered in the Promenade Deck First Class Lounge and then moved out onto the Boat Deck and played popular ragtime tunes. //// All eight band members died (average age 26). //// Wallace left a young fiance, Maria Robinson. His body and those of Clarke and Hume were recovered. The others were never found. //// After being taken to Halifax, Hartley's body was returned to England on the White Star liner Arabic and interred in the Colne Cemetery. ////

Titanic Bandmaster Wallace Hartley Memorial-- Part 2: a Liverpool Connection

In 1895, the family moved to Huddersfield, Yorkshore, where Wallace joined the local Huddersfield Philhamonic Orchestra. In 1901, his father, Albion, finally allowed him to purue his dream of becoming a professional musician and he joined the municipal orchestra of the Yorkshire seaside town of Bridlington. //// In 1909, Hartley played 2nd Violin aboard the new Cunard Line vessel Mauretania under the employ of Messrs. C.W. & F.N. Black of Liverpool. In 1912, they transferred him to the post of bandmaster on the new White Line RMS Titanic. //// --Cooter

Wilmington, NC, Celebrates 275th Anniversary

From the Feb. 20, 2014, Port City Daily "275 years: Wilmington marks big birthday, lots of history" by Ben Brown. //// The city marked February 20th as its official 275th birthday. On that date, Col. William Bartram filed a bill with the North Carolina General Assembly (while still a colony of England) to establish the city. //// It was signed into law by Royal Governor Gabriel Johnston five days later. Johnston named the city after his patron, Spencer Compton, the Earl of Wilmington. //// The city also had had the names Watson, New Town and New Carghage before this date. //// The Mitchell-Anderson House at 102 Orange Street dates to back then, 1732. //// Some other Wilmington dates: 1663: William Hilton and company entered the Cape Fear River. 1748: Spanish ships came into the Cape Fear River and invaded Brunswick Town. 1754: Jeremy Vail's city plan was accepted and still in use today. //// Mighty Old City. --Cooter

Mardi Gras Music-- Part 2

WE MAKE GOOD GUMBO-- Tab Benoit // CARNIVAL TIME--Bo Dollis & the Wild Magnolias // BIG BRASS DRUM-- Chris Barber and Dr. John // MARDI GRAS DAY-- Dr. John // I GOT LOADED-- Tab Benoit // THE SECOND LINE-- Beau Jacques & the Zydecon Hi-Rollers //// THEY ALL ASKED FOR YOU-- Jo-El Sonnier // PEANUT VENDOR-- Alvin "Red" Tyler & the Gyros // HEY NAA-- Kermit Ruffin //// INDIANS-- Flaming Arrows Mardi Gras // MARDI GRAS MAMBO-- Jo-El Sonnier // HEY POCKY WAY-- Grateful Dead // BIG CHIEF-- Zachary Richard // THEY ALL ASKED FOR YOU-- Meters // SLOW DOWN-- Neville Brothers // NEW ORLEANS SHOUT-- Panorama Jazz Band. //// Needs Some Jambalaya. --Cooter

Mardi Gras Music-- Part 1

Listening to Mardi Gras Music Radio on Live 365 right now. //// Some more music to drink those Hurricanes and Hand Grenades: ALL ON A MARDI GRAS DAY-- Wild Magnolias // LILLIE MAE-- Smiley Lewis // NEW SECOND LINE-- Olympia Brass Band // STREET PARADE (PARTS 1 AND 2)--Earl King // WHISKEY PAYCHECK-- The Gommorrah Social Club //// FRENCH ROCKIN' BOOGIE-- Geno Delafose // LET'S GET FIRED UP-- Zigaboo Modeliste // LOUISIANA RAIN-- Anders Osborne // KING CAKE-- Big Al Carson // SECOND LINE-- Jo-El Sonnier //// JAMBALAYA-- Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown and Jo-El Sonnier // KIDD JORDAN'S SECOND LINE-- Dirty Dozen Brass Band // LITENIN'-- Dr. John // HERE COME THE SAINTS-- Chief Howard & the Uptown Warriors. //// Now, Where's That King Cake?-- DaCoot

Titanic Bandmaster Wallace Hartley Memorial-- Part 1

From the maritime.elletra.co.uk website. //// Located in Colne, Lancaster, England. Consists of a bronze statue flanked by two smaller bronze female figurines: one holding a lyre representing music and the other a wreath representing valor. The main statue stands atop a tall, splayed stone plinth. //// The statue was funded by voluntary contributions and stands on Albert Road, west of the Providence Independent Methodist Church and the Colne World War Memorial dedicated to Colne men killed in both wars. //// Wallace Hartley was born 2 June 1878 at 92 Greenfield Road in Colne, Lancashire. He was the eldest son and second child of Albion and Elizabeth Hartley. Albion was the mill manager and involved with Bethel Independent Methodist Chapel in Colne. This is where Wallace was introduced to music, joining the choir and later playing the violin. //// More to Come. --Cooter

Getting In the Mood for Mardi Gras: The Music-- Part 2

When i was deejaying, I played several Mardi Gras parties and always played a lot of that kind of music. Believe it or not, I have been to other Mardi Gras parties where the deejay never played any Mardi Gras music at all. That was ridiculous. //// We have seen sevral Mardi Gras parades in Mobile and Panama City and had a ball. We also have gone to Mardi Gras parties in the area. A good one was the Dekalb Footstompers at P.J.'s Courthouse in Sycamore, Illinois, and Hat Trick at Hogs & Kisses in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Some more Mardi Gras-style music. ZULU STREET--Jon Cleary // I KNOW YOU MARDI GRAS-- Eddie Bo // I WENT TO THE MARDI GRAS-- Snooks Eaglin // WILD INJUNS-- Neville Brothers //// RED HOT CHICKEN-- Wet Willie // LITTLE LIZA JANE-- Preservation Hall Jazz Band //// LE CHINA DE HAVANA-- gomorrans. //// Lookin' for Some Jambalaya Now. --Cooter

Getting In the Mood for Mardi Gras: The Music-- Part 1

As much fun as all the floats, pomp and all for Mardi Gras, what I really like is the music. I have been listening to several sites online most of this morning and they are playing Mardi Gras/Louisiana music.

Some of those songs:

 SOME COLD RAINY DAY-- Preservation Hall Jazz Band
JOSEPH! JOSEPH!-- Meschiya Lake
WILD PINK IN SUPER 8-- Rotary Downs

LOUISIANA FAIRYTALE-- Preservation Hall Jazz Band
MONTEZ VOUS-- Rotary Downs
CARNIVAL TIME-- Rebirth Brass Band

IT AIN'T MY FAULT-- Charmaine Neville Band
INDIAN PRINCESS-- J. Monque'd
CITY OF NEW ORLEANS-- John Boutte

INDIAN RED-- Wild Tchoupitoulas
JAMBALAYA (ON THE BAYOU)-- Johnny Copeland
BIG CHIEF-- Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

--RoadDog

Wallace Hartley's Father, Albion Hartley

From Find-A-Grave.

Continued from last week's posts. This all started with the recreation of Wallace Hartley's funeral in Colne, England on the 100th anniversary of it. Wallace Hartley was the bandmaster on the R.M.S. Titanic, whose body was recovered after the sinking and buried a month later.

His father was Albion Henry Hartley who was born in 1851 in Colne and died Jan. 9, 1934. He married Elizabeth G. Foulds in September 1874 and was choirmaster of Bethel Chapel in Colne.

He held a succession of jobs and in 1881 was the manager of Cotton Mill and in 1901, an insurance agent.

The couple had two sons, Conrad Robert Hartley and Ughred Harold Hartley who died in early childhood. Albion and his wife are both buried at Colne Cemetery, as if Wallace Hartley.

--Cooter

Four Decades of Best Picture-- Part 3

1997-- Titanic
1998-- Shakespeare in Love
1999-- American Beauty

2000-- Gladiator
2001-- A Beautiful Mind
2002-- Chicago

2003-- Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
2004-- Million Dollar Baby
2005-- Crash

2006-- Departed
2007-- No Country for Old Men
2008-- Slumdog Millionaire

2009-- The Hurt Locker
2010-- The King's Speech
2011-- The Artist
2012-- Argo.

I Saw Most of Them. --Cooter

Four Decades of Best Picture-- Part 2

1981-- Chariots of Fire
1982-- Gandhi
1983-- Terms of Endearment

1984-- Amadeus
1985-- Out of Africa
1986-- Platoon

1987-- The Last Emperor
1988-- Rain Man
1989-- Driving Miss Daisy

1990-- Dances With Wolves
1991-- The Silence of the Lambs
1992-- Unforgiven

1993-- Schindler's List
1994-- Forest Gump
1995-- Braveheart

1996-- The English Patient. ////

Had You Forgotten Some? --DaCoot

Four Decades of Best Pictures-- Part 1

From the March 3, 2014, Time Magazine "And the Winning Formula Is...:Four Decades of Best Picture, decoded" by Chris Wilson and Heather Jones.

They went through and analyzed every movie in 30 categories in theme, character, sex, violence, storytelling and setting. Quite interesting, but I am just going to list them:

1970-- Patton
1971-- The French Connection
1972-- The Godfather

1973-- The Sting
1974-- The Godfather Pt. 2
1975-- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

1976-- Rocky
1977-- Annie Hall
1978-- The Deer Hunter

1979-- Kramer Vs. Kramer
1980-- Ordinary People.

More to Come. --Cooter