Can you remember your first fieldtrip in school? I can’t remember what grade it was—either first or second, I’m sure—but I clearly remember climbing on board the school bus and traveling twenty miles to Eastman and a Stuckey’s candy plant. For a little kid, seeing an amazing array of machinery, conveyors, and packaging was pretty neat. Getting free samples was even better. But after about fifty years of making candy, the plant is closing.
Eastman is a quiet town. 5,400 residents. A handful of traffic lights. A regular slice of Americana. But by the standards of many, there’s not much to do there. High school football, hunting, and local politics are highlights. But to many folks around the country, one Eastman icon was easily recognizable… the home of Stuckey’s Candy.
When I was a kid, Stuckey’s stores lined the freeways. It all started with a roadside pecan stand opened by Mr. W.S. Stuckey. But Mrs. Ethel Stuckey thought if folks would stop to buy pecans, they would buy pralines, divinity, souvenirs, and gasoline. Turns out she was right. Ultimately, around 350 stores were built, some as far away from Eastman as California and Oregon.
Stuckey’s Candy was ultimately purchased by Standard Candy, the maker of Goo Goo Clusters. But over the decades the plant where it all started stayed open. And there are not a lot of places to work in Eastman. With 250 jobs, Standard Candy was one of the biggest. But Standard is closing the plant and, to their credit, relocating those jobs to Nashville.
With luck, the good folks of Eastman will attract another industry to the town. But for now, I’m sure town leaders and plant employees are pretty sad. The little kid inside me that remembers a tour, some free candy, and a place I still call my hometown, is a little sad, too.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Obama's History Begins Tomorrow
So history will be made tomorrow. At 11:30 AM, Senator Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. I suppose I always assumed there would be a woman president before an African American was elected to the oval office. In September of 2007, Representative Jim Marshall all but guaranteed to me that Hillary Clinton would be the next president. Nonetheless, her new boss takes office tomorrow.
The Obama campaign and inauguration have been purposefully aligned with Abraham Lincoln. From the announcement of his campaign for president on the steps of the old state capitol building in Springfield, Illinois, the same spot where Lincoln announced his campaign, to the use of the bible from Lincoln’s inauguration, Obama has made an overt effort to tie himself to Lincoln. And certainly there are clear threads connecting the two men. Being elected the first black president from the same state as the man who issued the Emancipation Proclamation does give Obama better claim to comparisons with Old Abe than many who come before him.
But comparisons of Obama to a past president might be better directed at FDR. Based on his intentions to spend billions on stimulus pac
kages, infrastructure investments, and job creation programs, Obama certainly sees himself as brokering the next “New Deal” for Americans. Obama arrives on the scene at a critical time. Like every recession, America’s economy can and will recover on its own. But Democrats and the president elect are determined to spend billions that our nation doesn’t have in the name of economic recovery.
Perhaps nothing can foretell of how the new president and Democratic leadership will approach the country’s problems any better than the price tag of this inauguration. Four days of celebrating the coming of Obama , including the favorite foods of Abraham Lincoln, will costs all of us a significant chunk of $150 million, a new record by a considerable margin.
So unlike Clinton and McCain, Obama proved to be superior at campaigning. But promises made along the campaign trail, many to the masses expecting a democratic president and Congress to fix all of their problems, have now come due. Huge stimulus packages will create worse deficits that may well prevent the hundreds of billions needed to fulfill Obama’s campaign promises.
The St. Petersburg Times is counting Obama’s campaign promises, currently at 510, and tracking action on each at http://www.politifact.org/. Rather than leaning on memories of the sixteenth president, Barack Obama now gets to make history of his own.
The Obama campaign and inauguration have been purposefully aligned with Abraham Lincoln. From the announcement of his campaign for president on the steps of the old state capitol building in Springfield, Illinois, the same spot where Lincoln announced his campaign, to the use of the bible from Lincoln’s inauguration, Obama has made an overt effort to tie himself to Lincoln. And certainly there are clear threads connecting the two men. Being elected the first black president from the same state as the man who issued the Emancipation Proclamation does give Obama better claim to comparisons with Old Abe than many who come before him.
But comparisons of Obama to a past president might be better directed at FDR. Based on his intentions to spend billions on stimulus pac
kages, infrastructure investments, and job creation programs, Obama certainly sees himself as brokering the next “New Deal” for Americans. Obama arrives on the scene at a critical time. Like every recession, America’s economy can and will recover on its own. But Democrats and the president elect are determined to spend billions that our nation doesn’t have in the name of economic recovery.Perhaps nothing can foretell of how the new president and Democratic leadership will approach the country’s problems any better than the price tag of this inauguration. Four days of celebrating the coming of Obama , including the favorite foods of Abraham Lincoln, will costs all of us a significant chunk of $150 million, a new record by a considerable margin.
So unlike Clinton and McCain, Obama proved to be superior at campaigning. But promises made along the campaign trail, many to the masses expecting a democratic president and Congress to fix all of their problems, have now come due. Huge stimulus packages will create worse deficits that may well prevent the hundreds of billions needed to fulfill Obama’s campaign promises.
The St. Petersburg Times is counting Obama’s campaign promises, currently at 510, and tracking action on each at http://www.politifact.org/. Rather than leaning on memories of the sixteenth president, Barack Obama now gets to make history of his own.
Corinthian Leather in Heaven?
On Wednesday, I got an email from a friend that simply read, “I hope there’s fine Corinthian leather in heaven.” Having seen no news during the day, I was at a complete loss as to what this meant. Only later did I learn that Ricardo Montalban—Mr. Rourke—Khan—had died at his home in Los Angeles. He was 88.
It is virtually impossible to think about Montalban without hearing Tattoo, his diminutive sidekick on ABC’s Fantasy Island, shouting “Zee plane, zee plane.”
I suppose that every generation remembers iconic cultural standouts. What we wanted to be, how we played, and even the dialogue and common vernacular of our everyday lives was driven by what our favorite characters did and said. Just how many kids went on to be firemen after seeing their first episode of Emergency? And by today’s standards, it probably would bomb, but to an elementary school kid in 1974, the Fonz’s “Ehhhh,” was the height of cool.
I distinctly recall my parents sending me to bed at 9:00 PM on Friday nights, right before Hawaii Five-O”. I think I still hold a grudge over having to see Dan-O “book ‘em” in syndication rather than live.
Without a doubt, the television programs of our youth were much better in our memory that on the small screen. Don’t believe me? Then try sitting through an episode or two of the Dukes of Hazzard or the A-Team. Yeah, I pity the fool, too. But like that song you still remember playing on the car radio on your first real date, the television programs of our formative years are forever ingrained in us. Hill Street Blues, Black Sheep Squadron, Gunsmoke, The Rockford Files, The Andy Griffith Show, and M*A*S*H come to mind.
So Mr. Rourke is gone. Somehow I can’t help but wonder if that island and Tattoo are still out there. If you don’t remember Fantasy Island—it was bad art at best, and I’m sure most don’t—Mr. Rourke always found a way to fulfill the fantasies of his guests, although often not the way the guests expected. That Pacific Island might be a good escape for the winter blues—and I wonder how my fantasies would work out in Mr. Rourke’s world.
It is virtually impossible to think about Montalban without hearing Tattoo, his diminutive sidekick on ABC’s Fantasy Island, shouting “Zee plane, zee plane.”
I suppose that every generation remembers iconic cultural standouts. What we wanted to be, how we played, and even the dialogue and common vernacular of our everyday lives was driven by what our favorite characters did and said. Just how many kids went on to be firemen after seeing their first episode of Emergency? And by today’s standards, it probably would bomb, but to an elementary school kid in 1974, the Fonz’s “Ehhhh,” was the height of cool.
I distinctly recall my parents sending me to bed at 9:00 PM on Friday nights, right before Hawaii Five-O”. I think I still hold a grudge over having to see Dan-O “book ‘em” in syndication rather than live.
Without a doubt, the television programs of our youth were much better in our memory that on the small screen. Don’t believe me? Then try sitting through an episode or two of the Dukes of Hazzard or the A-Team. Yeah, I pity the fool, too. But like that song you still remember playing on the car radio on your first real date, the television programs of our formative years are forever ingrained in us. Hill Street Blues, Black Sheep Squadron, Gunsmoke, The Rockford Files, The Andy Griffith Show, and M*A*S*H come to mind.
So Mr. Rourke is gone. Somehow I can’t help but wonder if that island and Tattoo are still out there. If you don’t remember Fantasy Island—it was bad art at best, and I’m sure most don’t—Mr. Rourke always found a way to fulfill the fantasies of his guests, although often not the way the guests expected. That Pacific Island might be a good escape for the winter blues—and I wonder how my fantasies would work out in Mr. Rourke’s world.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
An Era Ended
Like hundreds of thousands of Atlanta Braves fans across the Southeast, I was shocked to learn this morning that John Smoltz was gone—suddenly and unexpectedly the newest member of the Boston Red Sox. For me and for so many, it’s the end of an era.
I grew up in a home where sports weren’t that big of a deal. And it was a home where we got only three television channels for most of my childhood. I was a sophomore at Mercer University the first time I could get cable television. And very quickly, I became hooked on Atlanta Braves baseball, night after night on TBS.
I remember Smoltz’s first year, 1988. He seemingly threw more wild pitches than strikes. But when he did get one across the plate, it was nearly impossible to hit. But just a couple of years later, Smoltz and the likes of Glavine, Avery, Pendleton, and Bream—undoubtedly the slowest man to ever captivate millions with a run—had gone from worst to first.
And so now, after twenty seasons, 210 wins, 154 saves, and 3011 strikeouts, Smoltz’s days as a Brave are apparently done. My first reaction was shock, then a bit of anger at Smoltz. But after a quick bit of analysis, I quickly realized that John Smoltz may have been a good guy, taken for granted, seeking to find one more chance at a dream.
It certainly was no surprise to the Braves that Smoltz’s contract was up. And instead of locking in their most tenured player, a fan favorite and absolute lock for the Hall of Fame, the Braves’ front office bumbled and stumbled their way through a winter of embarrassing rejections, ugly agent incidents, and general frustration of players and fans alike. Surrounded by dwindling talent and facing the prospect of playing what could be his last season on a very mediocre team, Smoltz traded his dream of retiring a Brave for one more chance at hope and glory.
Over his career, John Smoltz has pitched through pain and passed up opportunities for bigger money and bigger stages to remain a Brave—unquestionable loyalty. But perhaps taken for granted, given no promise of future success, Smoltz took a gutsy chance. How many of us have endured tough situations, devoid of hope, griped in fear of change or even misplaced loyalty? Right now, Braves fans are shocked and mourning the loss of a superstar who seemed like a close friend. But chances are pretty good that come next fall, when the Braves are working on their golf games for yet another fall, more than a few southerners may be pulling for Smoltz once again, in a Red Sox uniform.
I grew up in a home where sports weren’t that big of a deal. And it was a home where we got only three television channels for most of my childhood. I was a sophomore at Mercer University the first time I could get cable television. And very quickly, I became hooked on Atlanta Braves baseball, night after night on TBS.
I remember Smoltz’s first year, 1988. He seemingly threw more wild pitches than strikes. But when he did get one across the plate, it was nearly impossible to hit. But just a couple of years later, Smoltz and the likes of Glavine, Avery, Pendleton, and Bream—undoubtedly the slowest man to ever captivate millions with a run—had gone from worst to first.
And so now, after twenty seasons, 210 wins, 154 saves, and 3011 strikeouts, Smoltz’s days as a Brave are apparently done. My first reaction was shock, then a bit of anger at Smoltz. But after a quick bit of analysis, I quickly realized that John Smoltz may have been a good guy, taken for granted, seeking to find one more chance at a dream.
It certainly was no surprise to the Braves that Smoltz’s contract was up. And instead of locking in their most tenured player, a fan favorite and absolute lock for the Hall of Fame, the Braves’ front office bumbled and stumbled their way through a winter of embarrassing rejections, ugly agent incidents, and general frustration of players and fans alike. Surrounded by dwindling talent and facing the prospect of playing what could be his last season on a very mediocre team, Smoltz traded his dream of retiring a Brave for one more chance at hope and glory.
Over his career, John Smoltz has pitched through pain and passed up opportunities for bigger money and bigger stages to remain a Brave—unquestionable loyalty. But perhaps taken for granted, given no promise of future success, Smoltz took a gutsy chance. How many of us have endured tough situations, devoid of hope, griped in fear of change or even misplaced loyalty? Right now, Braves fans are shocked and mourning the loss of a superstar who seemed like a close friend. But chances are pretty good that come next fall, when the Braves are working on their golf games for yet another fall, more than a few southerners may be pulling for Smoltz once again, in a Red Sox uniform.
Monday, January 5, 2009
My 2009 Outlook
Everyone has probably wished for a crystal ball, especially when important decisions are at hand. It’s probably true that if you aren’t continually making decisions—putting things at risk—that you aren’t capable of growing. That certainly must be the case in business. In downturns—times of need—those making bold risks often gain the most. Does this carry over into other parts of our lives? I suppose time answers those questions, too.
It’s the very first New Year for Through My Eyes. Somehow, it seems appropriate for some predictions. So here are ten views into my crystal ball for what may come to pass in 2009:
It’s the very first New Year for Through My Eyes. Somehow, it seems appropriate for some predictions. So here are ten views into my crystal ball for what may come to pass in 2009:
- At least one of the “double-wide divas”—Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, and Lindsey Lohan—will be arrested in 2009. I know, it’s a slam dunk, but I needed to ensure that at least one prediction would come true.
- General Motors will be back in front of Congress asking for more money by July 4, and bankruptcy will likely be right around the corner. And the UAW will probably sit idly by and smugly fiddle while the remaining shell of Detroit smolders.
- The New York Yankees have spent somewhere near the GDP of Central America this offseason. Assembling a Who’s Who of superstars has rarely equated to success on the field. Likewise, the 2009 edition of the pin-striped wonders will not win their division and will struggle once again to reach the playoffs.
- Many Americans will be surprised at the “moderate” positioning of President Barack Obama during the first one-hundred days in office. But he will be overshadowed by the near lunacy of Pelosi and Reid, who will trip all over each other fighting to prove who is more “liberal” in an intoxicated atmosphere of new democratic dynasty.
- Free from conservative resistance, a Democratic Congress will make life harder for American businesses, introducing an array of new legislation. Worst of all will be the failure of Congress to repeal “Mark to Market” rules, keeping undue pressure on slow-to-recover credit markets.
- Despite the support of President Obama, the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) format will remain unchanged for 2009, irritating more American’s than any fiscal policy.
- Assuming the Dallas Cowboys cut Terrell Owens,
some NFL franchise will decide he’s the one missing piece of the puzzle to complete their team, sign him for an unbelievable amount of money, and then act completely surprised to find that he is a toxic, selfish jerk. (see disclaimer on #1) - Between the efforts of very leftist leadership in Congress and Henry Waxman as House Energy Committee Chairman, the country’s dramatic need for new electric generation will not see much improvement in 2009. In fact, it’s likely that not a single coal plant will get permitted in the next twelve months. Environmental groups will hail this as a victory, but ratepayers will ultimately pay as costs per kilowatt-hour will continue to rise.
- Al Franken will apparently be the newest Senator of Minnesota. Amazing. The American press, pundits, and late-night talk show hosts will all struggle with how to treat him before finally giving in and reporting him as the complete kook that he really is.
- I will find a way to grow in 2009, taking on risks unlike any before. I hope that by taking control of my destiny in new ways, these risks can be rewarded with profound personal growth.
Well, there you have them—ten absolute locks for 2009. Take it to the bank, assuming your bank is still open. In fact, I’m so confident, should any of these predictions turn out to be wrong, I’ll gladly refund the entire price of your subscription, of course minus the costs of shipping and handling. Happy New Year.
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