Whither Memphis...

Check out this essay by Wanda Rushing brought to you by the good folks over at Southern Spaces. It's a piece drawn from her recent book from UNC Press, and examines economic development and persistent inequality. Worth a read...

And, while we're at it...

Somebody tell me why Ole Miss is ranked number 4 in the nation??? We're through the looking glass...

Wooooo!!! Back at it!

Well, I won't make excuses to both of you who are reading this. I have no real excuse for the long hiatus. Laziness is not an excuse. But, if anything would bring me back to the blog, the Nature Boy would! That's right, with a powerful blow to the solar plexus that is the North Carolina State Educational Lottery (with apologies to the late, great Gordon Solie), Ric Flair emerged this week as the pitchman for a new scratch-off ticket. Wooooooo! Makes me want to cash out what retirement I have left and run to the nearest Hot Spot with a quarter in my hand. Next up, Harley Race??? Tommy "Wildfire" Rich?? Inquiring minds want to know.

And, today I ran across an initiative that combines two of my great interests: taking care of soldiers and beer.
In April 2008, the Cropton Brewery and New Inn (that's in the village of Cropton) began selling a beer called "Yorkshire Warrior" to benefit the soldiers of the Yorkshire Regiment of the British Army ("Fortes fortuna adiuvat" or for the math majors, "Fortune Favors the Brave"). Brits are top notch soldiers and I speak from experience. Honoring the Green Howards, the Prince of Wales' Own, and the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (get me to to explain amalgamation and the loss of British Army traditions sometime), these publicans in North Yorkshire are doing a great thing. All proceeds from sales go to, in the words of the landlords, "the Yorkshire Regiment Benevolent Fund to help those who give so much and ask for so little." Good for them! I'm ordering a case and will let you know.

I'm back!! Woooo!