Shiloh Military Park

More than 3,500 Americans died on these grounds. There were so many that many of the soldiers were buried without identifying them. Many of the graves have only a number to identify them. As we drove through Park Bruce Springsteen came on my Ipod playing through the car stero singing "My Beautiful Reward." It was a moment I'm not likely to forget soon.

Pickwick State Park and Dam

This was a beautiful area, right off the Tennessee River.

The Mayor of Mandeville

This is local news, so I doubt many of you have heard of it. Mandeville is a city on the northshore of New Orleans. A state audit revealed that the Mayor of the city has made thousands of dollars in personal charges on the city's credit cards. He accepted golf trips to other cities from companies that do business with the city.

Earlier this year the Mayor was driving home across the Causeway, the bridge that connects the Northshore to the Southshore, crashed through a toll booth barrier after having too much to drink. The police officers that stopped him let him go with only a warning. Later these four police officers were fired for giving him special treatment. Did anything happen to him? No.

And than at Christmas he accepted Wal Mart gift cards and presents paid for by a Christmas Toy Fund.

So I have a simple question: why is this man still in office?

Shame on John Edwards

This is somewhat old news now, but John Edwards has admitted to an affair. I used to have a lot of respect for John Edwards and was hoping he had a shot at the VP slot with Obama. Besides his lying there's this.

I'm at a loss to what these politicians are thinking. Yes, I know it's partly the power, they think they can get away with it. But really how many of them do? I don't think having an affair quite ranks up there with sending young men and women to die in order to support your lies, but it doesn't rank too high in the honesty meter.

New Book On Obama

A new book on Barack Obama recently came out. It's called "Obama Nation" and is by the same writer that wrote the book that smeared John Kerry four years ago. The writer throws charges out there that are patently untrue. The most telling thing I can say about this writer is that he writes for the World Net Daily, which recently had this headline:

Bigfoot hunters claim others of species live

Yep, they're the ones that claim that some guy has a Bigfoot in his refrigerator. I think that kind of says everything about the journalistic integrity of this writer.

Jerry Wexler Dies

Jerry Wexler, famed producer of such greats as Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin, died at the age of 91. He coined the term "rhythm and blues" and was one of the founders of Atlantic Records. One of the many records he produced was Dusty Springfield's "Dusty In Memphis."

We Interrupt For An Important Message

John McCain has been making fun of Barrack Obama's comment about saving energy by keeping your tires inflated. Funny I was told that by my Dad years ago. Of course that wasn't the sum total of Obama's energy plan, as much as McCain tries to make it look like it was.

But what I find interesting, in this ad that aired in Ohio the McCain camp uses Jackson Browne's "Running on Empty" in the background. Now Mr. Browne, a lifelong liberal and Democrat didn't take too kindly to that. He's suing McCain. And McCain's camp is claiming that they had nothing to do with the ad, it was made by the Republican party in the state. Doesn't Mr. McCain make a comment at the end of all his ads about endorsing this ad? So how can he play dumb now?

Can't Forget The Dogs

Sadie and of course Buffy.

Wild Animals at the Zoo

My Mom (Ignoring me as usual)
My Aunt and Mom
My Sister and Mom
My Aunt, Mom and Uncle

My Sister and Aunt

At the Zoo

Polar Bears

I don't think I've seen Polar Bears before.

Penguins

From the Zoo. I just really like penguins.

My Dad's Grave

Of course I had to visit My Dad's grave. They've added the tombstone since I was there last.

Church Next to Cemetery

This is the church next to Raimer Cemetery. Mom says it's not used today, but it's still part of the cemetery. This was where they used to go to church. Now they use it for things like Mother's Day where everyone comes to visit the graves and they have a big outdoor lunch. My Mom has spent a lot of time cleaning and working on this building in the last year.

Raimer Cemetery

This was the cemetery my Dad is buried at. Lots of Dixons are buried here, which is my Mom's family. And those that aren't Dixon are related to her in some way or another. I saw the grave of this man I remember from when I was a kid and visiting my Grandparents. He ran a little general store and was in a wheelchair. He had a tractor fall over on him and he lost his legs. He was always a nice man and I always remember stopping to see him, he was an Uncle to my Mom. It's not a big cemetery and there are some tombstones that date back at least a hundred years there.