Retired NOW and Loving it!

I'm often asked now why I no longer write news type articles, and it's simply because I'm officially retired, and the fact that I've done that, been there and got the T-Shirt!

My focus now is on my hobby from my youth being the love of guitars and the creativity the good Lord gave us to create music, enjoy music, and to Praise Him With Strings, to take a line from Psalms 150.

I learned guitar as a teenager in the 70's long before all this internet information, so now I focus on how to teach my grandchildren, and to help adults get started to learn our craft.

I currently do NOT teach lessons although I'm asked why not often.  

I'd rather focus on sharing with parents and newcomers all the many resources available out there, how to not break the bank getting an instrument, and how to evaluate an online program and a one to one instructor, and of courser what to realistically expect.

I'm on Facebook and do allow following, where I regularly post tips, name that tune, and other information hopefully to help avoid the rabbit hole one can go down just trying to enjoy, learn, and create music.

I'm also on YouTube trying to share tips and resources for those interested in this gift God gave us with stringed instruments.  Praise Him With Strings - Psalms 150

Bama Guitar YouTube Channel:

http://www.youtube.com/@BamaGuitar/

Love to all and happy picking!

David

Long hair and glasses in the back left, playing in our church folk group as a teenager in 1975 with some very talented friends.

Kids and Sugary Cereal and Shame and Guilt, OH MY!

Photo source shown in photo.

LOTS of parents STRUGGLE with cereal for their kids. Many are not ignorant of the tons of sugar in many of them, but their kids love it, and it's easier to pour breakfast in a bowl than cook when you are simply trying to get out the door.

Maybe, just maybe, IF you are going to let your kids eat SUGARY loaded cereal, you could consider educating them to NOT eat it as a snack or AS a meal outside of breakfast, BECAUSE of the impact of sugar. Not eating it at all is better, but may not be practical for some families, sadly.

Let's not be so quick to jump on parents. Cereal IS expensive but many “value mart type stores” sell LOTS of cheap no brand, or “off brand” cereal only in a plastic bag at much cheaper prices. Some families are JUST trying to afford to feed their kids.

The counter argument will OFTEN try to justify how bad the parents are by the impact or showing how much doctors visits cost, etc., etc., BUT that holds VERY little weight with someone trying to feed a house full of kids and not enough money until pay day to buy a $10 pack of 1lb bacon as a better choice.

Yes, I know, I know, maybe they could have spent the money on the iPhone they bought on better food choices, and maybe they should have saved the world while they are at it too.

DON'T maybe be so DAMN snooty to people fighting things we aren't fighting. That is yet another reason I say the way I encourage diabetics to eat, can't be maintained by everyone.

David Hogan - Certified DEEP (Diabetes Education Empowerment Program) Community Educator - Limiting Excessive Carbs for Diabetes Health

The FIRST Shotgun Choice Debate Rages On

By David Hogan Moody, Alabama

HR 20 Gauge Single Shot

I got my first shotgun the Christmas of 1968 when I was 8 years old. It was a single shot Harrington Richardson Jr. Model 20 gauge with an improved cylinder choke.

Why did my dad choose this single shot instead of a semi-automatic shotgun, and why not a small caliber rifle?

Things were different back then.

If you had a US Steel Hunting Permit in 1968 you had an enormous amount of land in Alabama to hunt on for starters. Finding this land was not so hard either and many "General Stores" and hardware stores that sold hunting permits also had land maps showing US Steel Land. US Steel continues to have a lot of land in Alabama but they also have a Real Estate Division that has been very active in recent decades past.

I like many, had grandparents in rural areas that had property for farming, and uncles and in laws with adjacent property for their farms as well, and they knew me and as long as I let them know I was hunting and stayed away from the bull and other dangers, didn't shoot towards a structure and the like, I had literally hundreds of acres to hunt on.

It was nothing to be outside in the fall and hear a shotgun in the distance and we didn't give it much thought at all, unless it was too near the house or barn, and then a butt-chewing was guaranteed.

My point is there were not the massive numbers of private hunting clubs there are today and one could hunt in public places without fear of many safety and access issue today. In regard to choosing what type of gun to get your child you also knew they may have an opportunity to not only hunt more often, but even hunt by themselves at younger ages than often allowed now.

The Single Shot Forced Me To Become a Good Shot

This was especially true of bird hunting where unlike ground mammals, grounded birds, or tree sitting squirrels you had to learn to get on site with something up and moving. There was also the impact of making a shot count with target practice because you didn't have three or more shots before you had to reload, and wanted every shell to count.

You could make the argument that a good old .22 rifle would accomplish the same, but I'd argue that for bird hunting weighing a bullet against shots. I do acknowledge the .22 can and does force you to become accurate on a non-moving target such as a squirrel or rabbit and does teach you about when to get off the shot.

When, Where, and What You Are Hunting, with Your Child, Matters.

Are you just going to to go to the range and pull clays? Will you be bird hunting, exclusively. Do you want something your child can do multiple types of hunting with? All of those questions and more matters to the choice of a first gun and it is not always a single shot shotgun.

When I was hunting you shared hunting technical tactics and such with of course other hunters you met and we did not have social media on the internet that allowed us to talk shop while not hunting either. What I offered as to why my dad wanted me to concentrate on a good shot, delivered to a flying target, worked for me.

AF Expert Marksman Ribbon

That training also served me well in basic training in the Air Force as only two airmen in my basic training flight shot at Expert Marksman level and I was one of them along with one other Airman in my flight that shared being born in Alabama with me. The drill sergeant had plenty to say about those of us that came out of Alabama I can't mention in public writing, but he did tip the brim of his scary Smoky Bear hat to our shooting skills from Alabama. Research what you buy your child for their first gun, and do your best to train them well in all aspects of firearms, safety and ethics.

Most of Us Saw His Back BECAUSE of His KINDNESS

By David Hogan

Moody, AL

Following DD to great memories!

Daniel Webb, known affectionally by so many as DD, is moving away from Birmingham due to his railroad career and that's about all I know, other than I will miss him greatly. 

Many of us easily recognize DD from his back, because we've seen him leading group bicycle rides for years.

Why, do I not have details? 

DD behind me with that SMILE!

Because I know this gentle giant and if I called him to do a story he'd try to talk me out of it. He was never looking for the spotlight as he literally led thousands of cyclists on group rides in Birmingham.

DD gave so many cyclist and motorist wonderful memories with his Tuesday Night, Le Tour de Ham rides, along with his Saturday Stroll ride, and helping others as a "corker" with the Thursday Night Non-Profit Redemptive Cycle Trample Ride.

DD far left front, eating with friends
after a group ride.  His wife Betsy is across
from him.

DD is literally a "Legend in His Own Time".  Most anyone that cycles in Birmingham, AL from the pro riders to those of us just trying to have the childhood joy of a good old bike ride again as an adult, know the contagious smile of DD, Daniel Webb.

DD, center with friends Phil and Egla
on his side.

I'm not going to trouble my dear friend for details on his move, as the reason I'm writing this is for awareness to the few that may not know he is moving, so they can wish him and Betsy all the best, and possibly thank him for all the smiles, leadership, devotion to others, and hills, oh those hills we made it to the other side with this gentle giant of a man, I will never forget.  God Bless you and Betsy, always and literally, thanks for the memories!

Since when has America not taught about the evils of its past?

My 4th Grade History Book

By David Hogan
Moody, AL

I'm growing sick of hearing the justification for CRT (Critical Race Theory) that we shouldn't have a problem teaching that America had slavery in its past.

WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

I was born in 1960 so I have actually lived through things getting better, but even before they got better, we were talking and learning about this atrocity that goes back to antiquity, being slavery.

I DID learn about slavery and the evils of it, even using the often criticized "Know Alabama" textbook in the 4th grade.  You know why?  Because even in the 4th grade we had discussions about what was in the book and how it was presented.

Move on down the timeline to my High School years in the 70's, and I will never forget the great discussions encouraged by Mr. Ippolito, my history teacher at Ensley High School, where we discussed the details of the parts in the constitution about slavery and how there was wording to minimize it and keep it from spreading by the founders, that carried forward to the ultimate end of such, through war and further constitutional amendments and legislation.

Further on up the road in my UAB History class we discussed it as well and in further detail, and like all the previous discussions through my formative years, we did discuss the utter evil of slavery.

So, many other discussions will come and go on CRT, but don't tell me we have a problem with discussing slavery in America, or having done something about it, because I know better, and lived to see it.

John the Greedy Prick Potato Farmer

John the Greedy Prick Potato Farmer.

If John sells potatoes from his farm during a crisis, does that make John a greedy prick?

Do we say the delivery drivers, and the shelf stockers at the grocery store saved us, WHILE we continue to call John a greedy prick?

If John takes his machinery no one else has and unloads needed medical supplies with it and asks the government to pay for the gas he used to help, does that STILL make John a greedy prick.

If John gives a portion of his potato crop to the local food bank is he STILL a greedy prick because he still has a house and has a salary?

Does John have to automatically cut his prices even though he knows he can't sustain doing so, because other people are suffering and if he doesn't is John STILL a greedy prick?

If John goes bankrupt and his 100 employees all lose their job is John STILL a greedy prick because he didn't figure out a way to continue to pay them for picking the potatoes remotely?

WAS JOHN JUST DESTINED TO BE A GREEDY PRICK OR WAS IT BECAUSE WHAT HE NEEDED TO RUN HIS BUSINESS COST MORE THAN WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN A HOUSEHOLD OR IS IT BECAUSE HE MADE THE MOST MONEY HE COULD FOR HIS FAMILY AND EMPLOYEES?

There is ALWAYS someone driving a better car than us, making more money than us, eating a better meal than us, and wearing better clothes than us that is absolutely struggling with decisions that SOMETIMES go well beyond any stress we can imagine, AND it is OK to criticize obvious flaunts of wealth especially during a crisis, but we are often mean and not the least bit understanding of people that do work hard to provide a lot of paychecks and drive economies whether they are a potato farmer or computer chip maker.

WHAT IS AN ONLINE TROLL?

David Hogan
Leeds, AL

Photo from Wampler Pedals Website

OK lots of people have different takes on what an online troll is, but think about someone that comes into a discussion to STIR UP DISCORD. Emphasis on "comes into". If they were stating what others consider discord on their "own" timeline that's NOT trolling. The "trolling" aspect is about doing it where not invited, just like a troll in old tales sneaks into camp.

Most of the time trolls WILL NOT like your other posts you make about life in general, they will not celebrate anything positive in your life, they'll seldom take the time out of their superior and uppity life to like a post of you celebrating a birthday, wedding, graduation, or mourning illness or death.

But if you post ANYTHING they have a strong opinion of, they are MORE than happy to use your platform, or your post on your timeline to set the world straight and show all the error of your ways.

I don't consider someone on their own timeline to be a troll as they aren't trolling there, as it's their own original thought. Many TROLLS not only do this on your timeline they'll do it in groups too. It doesn't matter what the group is about, they'll find a way to throw in their diatribe or trigger.

A common group example is to come into a group that is absolutely biased on something and stir up crap. I'm not talking about a neutral or even supposed neutral place like a news page, even though most are biased but there is the assumption they should be fair, I'm talking about being a hater of a particular candidate for example and stirring discord and hate on their page. They know the majority will come down on them like white on rice, but they don't care, it's what they do.

Trolls exist politically on ALL sides. Many trolls head straight to their opponents pages to SHOW THEM THE TRUTH, and they believe that too. What they ignore is that unless they are making a peaceful post they haven't changed one mind, and what they have most likely done is HARDEN them up against both them and their cause.

Trolls often think they are harbingers of the TRUTH when in fact they are just SHIT STIRRERS because they're not being realistic about influencing people, they're being self-righteous dicks, EVEN if their cause is a worthy one.

That's a troll and they are a special kind of pond scum too.