Thursday, December 28, 2006

Updating the Old as the New Year Approaches, Part 1



What ever happened to. . . LaRon Dendy?

[See June 7, 2006: "Forward to Pickens" for previous details about this Clemson recruit.]

After some confusion about his credits and whether he would attend another diploma mill this school year, LaRon is back at Greer High School, where he started. He's also taking another year to graduate. He may not think it so, but this is probably the best outcome available!

Friday, December 22, 2006

Christmas Tree in a School! What Will They Think of Next?



It turns out that Goose Creek, or should I say, Boulder Bluff Elementary School, is so far behind the times that it has a Christmas tree! At least that is the reaction of a new fifth-grade teacher Jessica Monroe, fresh from Michigan (Ann Arbor, probably, not some little farming town) reported in the Newsless Courier this morning. Furthermore, she hears many people, staff and students, one presumes, frequently saying "Merry Christmas." Bill O'Riley should get notice of this one! This article, headlined, "Holiday Lessons Teach Kids about Cultures and Traditions," should be renamed "THE WAR AGAINST CHRISTMAS HAS YET TO REACH GOOSE CREEK!"

Don't get me wrong. Her idea to expose 10 year olds to other holidays is an excellent one, although celebration of Las Posadas seems to have confused Jamie McGee, the reporter. Mexican-Americans certainly celebrate Christmas the same way as everyone else, as anyone who has driven at night around Corpus Christi, Texas, the week before Christmas can attest. Many do, however, wait until January 6th for presents.

"If you teach one holiday, you should teach them all" is the statement that is somewhat questionable. Is having a Christmas tree in a school "teaching"? Are Christmas, Hanukkah, Las Posadas, and Kwanzaa ALL the holidays? Aren't the Dutch going to say, What happened to St. Nicholas' Day? What happened to the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe? What about Boxing Day?

Inquiring minds want to know!

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Traffic Report: Mark Clark "Speed" Zone


Today--no halt on the Don Holt at 7:35 am, but the causeway was bopping along at 35 miles per hour--that's in a 65 mph zone. Don't expect to see the Mt. Pleasant police complaining about speeding there!

Same reason--HEAVY TRAFFIC, no accidents or rubber-necking delays. Surely someone besides yours truly thinks 526 has hit the saturation point.

I suppose it will (sigh) take the pols another 20 years to notice. Meanwhile, they build another interstate (I-73) to Myrtle Beach through the hinterlands.

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Traffic Report--Don Halt Bridge


On a sunny day, no accidents, at 7:35 a.m., headed east towards Mt. Pleasant--today we stopped again at the top of the Don Holt Bridge. No reason. EXCEPT HEAVY TRAFFIC. It should be called the Don Halt Bridge.

When will the local pols & media get wise to the idea that another highway is needed? Or are they still lamenting the opening of the last one?