I am in a state of deep confusion and conflict. Now, the confusion part is not new ground for me but this whole thing is interesting and so typical of my (right now) home of Louisiana, I thought I would post this just for ##i## and grins. The Legislature of Louisiana is mad at the newspapers. Not a unique situation, the Lege is usually mad at someone or something but right now it is newspapers in general and the Baton Rouge and Lake Charles papers in particular.

The Netherland Inn House Museum and Boatyard Complex in Kingsport opens Its Season Saturday May 3. The Netherland Inn is open May through October. The Nation's only registered historical site which was both a stage stop and a boatyard. For details see the Netherland Inn page on Art Museum Touring.com. (Link...)

Opening Day May 3! Come and celebrate! Free Admission.

• Fun and Games
• Cake walk
• Bake sale
• Blue grass music
• Col. Hubert Gilliam will give a talk about the Battle of King Mountain
• antiques

Sounds like a day of family fun!

Support your local galleries and museums! They are economic engines for your community.

Sherrie

"Hometown Tennessee" Exhibition Closes Today, May 1, at the Tennessee State Museum. An exhibition, organized by the Tennessee State Museum, celebrating the history, industry, and community spirit of towns throughout the state opens April 7, at Legislative Plaza in the War Memorial Building.

Visitors can examine the past through everyday artifacts such as postcards, patent medicine bottles, and white oak baskets associated with great Tennessee towns. The exhibit will showcase the history of local communities, as well as the museum’s vast collections which document the state’s storied past. It is free and open to the public through May 1, 2008. (Link...)

Support your local galleries and museums! The are economic engines for your community.

Sherrie

Civil War Living History Weekend at Ramsey House Plantation, April 19-20. Experience exciting battles as well as life in Civil War encampments. More photos from Ramsey House Plantation on their page on Art Museum Touring.com (Link...).

Civil War battle Reenactment

Civil War mock battleThere will also be demonstrations of weaponry, Civil War medicine, leather goods, and artwork; book signing by authors such as Ron Jones, Dr. Charles Faulkner and Robert Pelton; and a period fashion show by United Daughters of the Confederacy at 1:00 on Saturday. Hours are Saturday 10:00 to 5:00; Sunday 10:00 to 3:00. Skirmishes at 2:00 each day. Admission $5 per person; family rate of $12. Historic home tours discounted during event.

Support your local galleries and museums! They are economic engines for your community.

Sherrie

The Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action calls Rep. Jimmy Naifeh out on opposing guns in restaurants, saying "he believes that 'regular people' neither deserve, nor need, the God-given right to self-defense in restaurants."

Yes, that's just what we need. More yahoos with more guns in more places. And come on, admit it. Self-defense is first and foremost on your mind when dining at restaurants.

UPDATE: 2nd Amendment blogger and gun enthusiast SayUncle, who takes exception to the use of the term "yahoo" (because he would never call people names), seems conflicted about guns in public places. It's OK to carry loaded weapons in restaurants and other public places... except gun shops and shooting ranges. Go figure.

The people who think the public schools should indoctrinate children in whatever the local majority believes about God (as long as it's Christian, of course), may think that allowing public schools to teach about the Bible is a huge victory. You'll find some of them in the comments at the link. They should read the story again.

(Cross-Posted from Silence Isn't Golden)

Although this Vandy fan loves to trash-talk the Volunteers, I've always held an immense amount of respect for UT men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl. I picked up the Washington Post during my layover in DC en route back to Ithaca back today, and I was amazed to see this article in the sports section.

More than 100 guest workers carrying signs that said "I Am a Man" and "Dignity" walked off the job at a Mississippi shipyard last week to protest conditions they liken to slavery.

Shipyard workers from India have filed a lawsuit that says,

"in the wake of Hurricane Katrina more than 500 Indian men were trafficked into the United States through the federal H2B guest worker program to work for Signal at shipyards in Pascagoula and Orange, Texas. Lured by promises of permanent work and a chance at legal immigration, the men gave up their jobs in India and went into debt to finance fees as high as $20,000 each. They then allegedly had their passports and visas held by recruiters who told them that changing their minds about working for Signal could bring legal action and even physical harm."

Katrina? Gulfcoast? Disenfranchised workers? Does anybody know what year it is? Does anybody care?

In The New York Times:

The birds’ touchdown in Middle Tennessee was all the more surprising because the area is the 11th fastest-growing region in the United States, according to a study by the Natural Resources Defense Council, with subdivisions sprouting like weeds in every direction.

...

Tennessee is losing 42,000 acres of farmland each year, much of it to development. The United States Forest Service says one quarter of the state’s 14.4 million acres of forests will be gone in 30 years.

...

“We don’t have suburban sprawl here,” said Barry Sulkin, who lives nearby. “Just farms, forest and open space, and I’m hopeful most people would want to keep it that way.”

Good luck to Mr. West, Mr. Sulkin, and all the other individuals owning large amounts of land in Tennessee and elsewhere.

I frequently travel the blue highways of the South and have many times stopped to just ponder the open land, farms, and forests. I can easily remember the first time we pulled off to pick a branch (stem?) off of a cotton plant. Nearly everyone I showed it to was quite fascinated. I can easily remember the first time I saw a field of sugarcane in rural Louisiana. I had to ask what it was. They laughed and said it was money.

There is still a lot of empty land (farms, forests, and open spaces) in this great country, from New Jersey and New York to Arizona and New Mexico to the big sky country of Montana. I hope and wish this to be one cause we can all work on together to preserve.

I have been passing this story along since it is such a hoot! It has gotten such a reaction that we thought we would share it with everyone. It comes from the book The Girl Scouts Triumph,

I picked it up several years ago. As a fiction story, it is totally implausible. It just turned out to be true and has a direct connection to Knoxville's Girl Scout Museum of the Tanasi Council. For those of you that haven't read it yet, the story gives you a snapshot of the WWI era. It could never happen now. Everyone would be locked up! Childrens Protective Services would put all the kids in foster care!

This link, Link..., will take you directly to the page on Art Museum Touring.com (Link...) where the story is located.

Sherrie

Looks like the NIU shooting and the Va. Tech shooting share something more in common: the same gun dealership...

The online gun dealer who sold a weapon to the Virginia Tech shooter said it was an unnerving coincidence that he also sold handgun accessories to the man who killed five students at Northern Illinois University.

Eric Thompson said his Web site, Link..., sold two empty 9 mm Glock magazines and a Glock holster to Steven Kazmierczak on Feb. 4, just 10 days before the 27-year-old opened fire in a classroom and killed five before committing suicide.

In this heated election season, it's important not to lose sight of what's really important--college basketball.

This season is shaping up to be a huge one for our state. There could be as many as FIVE Tennessee teams in the conference. Memphis is playing for a #1 seed, and UTK and Vanderbilt should be locks at this point (barring a complete and utter collapse, which is never outside the realm of possibility for either team). In addition, Belmont and Austin Peay are both winning their respective conferences.

So, I would like to propose a Tennessee bloggers' bracket tournament. I just wanted to post this to a) gauge interest and b) see if yall think we should just keep this among ourselves or throw it open to our Elephant friends as well.

Finally, my first-round shocker pick--#13 Cornell over whoever the #4 seed is. I'm not biased, I swear...

Check it out.

The "don't stand on 16 when the dealer's showing an ace" edition of the TennViews weekly liberal blog roundup of what the best and brightest bloggers in Tennessee are talking about...

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: LV Democratic Debate: The winners tonight were all the Democrats out here who want to unite to beat the Republicans.

• Andy Axel (at TennViews): "...When First We Practice To Deceive": Note the use of the word "legal." No word regarding whether or not this conduct is "ethical."

• BlountViews: Meeting of the media: A reporter's request for anonymous bloggers to reveal their identity for a story leads to some interesting discussion. More discussion here.

• The Crone Speaks: Increasing the Pool of Slave Labor: The very ugly fact is that if one doesn't work at the big-box stores at half the wages one used to make, with little to no chance of union protection, I might add, one is relegated to slave labor, with little chance of regaining the way of life one used to have.

• Cup of Joe Powell: Why Make It Illegal to Own A Dog??: Whatever made Tennessee Senator Tommy Kilby (D) think that a state law banning ownership of one particular breed of dog, a pit bull, a good idea, I do not know.

• The Donkey's Mouth: GOP leader stands against Ramsey, Mumpower: The GOP leader’s attack is the latest move that highlights demarcated lines between Republicans that voted for and against the FY 2007-2008 budget.

• Enclave: Why a President Mattered to the Civil Rights Movement: The whole debate on race and civil rights during this 2008 campaign was unnecessary and ugly and it was spurred on by the mainstream media.

• Fletch: Everywhere a Sign: Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?. Also: Exposure

• KnoxViews: GM: We need to talk (R. Neal): GM is (for now) the world's largest auto manufacturer with 246 models and $207 billion in revenues last year. They should be able to do better than this. Plus, One good thing Fred Thompson did (Elrod): I salute Fred Thompson for one thing and one thing only. He managed to waste millions of dollars from Tennessee Republican donors on an idiotic campaign.

• Lean Left: That "liberal media" at work again: Now, this is not just an obvious example of putting the worst possible spin on things - it isn't even reasonably representative of what happened in political terms.

• Left of the Dial: Fred: exit stage right: C’mon, Fred. Hurry up. Just quit the race already.

• Left Wing Cracker: This is yet another reason to support our Congressman: Today, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) announced that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded grants of more than $36,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and $73,000 to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Also: If you're not a Country Music fan, then skip this post.

• Loose TN Canon: Huckabee the Theo-con... one of the most dangerous men in America: Mike Huckabee is the embodiment of the American version of the Taliban.

• NewsComa: I Write Letters: But I would rather vote for an iguana on crack than vote for you after all the stuff you've said this week. Also, We Give What We Can

• Pesky Fly: Feed the chickens: Sure, they know how much a gallon of milk costs. But only because an intern did the research and sent a memo.

• Progressive Nashville: Ay!: Lamar is introducing another bill to "protect English," this time in the workplace, where apparently we're all at risk of sudden spontaneous Spanish-speaking that will leave us unable to otherwise perform our jobs. Also: Michigan: Speed Bump or Brick Wall?

• Resonance: How Will The Right-Wing Noise Machine Spin South Carolina?: Today the GOP destroyers finished 1-2 in South Carolina. What gives? Also: Vote For the Chameleon: One of Romney's talents seems to be his ability cast his image differently depending on which audience he's playing to.

• RoaneViews: GOP control of the State Legislature: The TN GOP campaigns on the hot button issues to energize particular constituencies. That's why they oppose a woman's right to control her own medical care, wave rifles in the air, have their picture taken beside a fence in New Mexico.

• Russ McBee: White House email: my dog ate it: Destruction of federal records is a criminal offense... Also, Huckabee shows his theocratic urge: No person so breathtakingly ignorant of this country's founding should ever be considered a serious candidate to run the show.

• Sean Braisted: "Beer, Soda, Chips and Fred Thompson": His message was text-book "conservatism" and most of his speeches seemed to be an amalgamation of conservative bumperstickers. Also, Prospective Voters

• Sharon Cobb: Congressman Steve Cohen Remembers Dr. Martin Luther King On The Floor: Tuesday evening, Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday, Congressman Steve Cohen went to the floor to deliver an eloquent speech about Dr. Martin Luther King. Also, One Year From Today

• Silence Isn't Golden: Obama Wins Nevada: You may be confused by that title. After all, Hillary won Nevada, 50-45, didn't she? Also, Forward This To The Obama Haters: Now understand, you normally can't even get Jews from the different branches to agree on what kind of bagels to serve at the Hillel brunch, let alone agree on major political policy. So this is truly a coup, and proof of just how bad it's gotten.

• Southern Beale: Bye, Bye Fred?: Indeed, this was the huge flaw in the Fred Thompson candidacy that gave liberals so much comedy gold from the beginning. Folks, when picking future GOP stars, make sure the candidate likes politics.

• Tennessee Guerilla Women: Chris Matthews' Lame Apology for Being a Sexist Creep (Video): Oh, and Matthews made the point that he has a really great show and he is a really really great guy. Also, Nevada Debate: Democrats Win. Moderators Lose.: Democrats looked good last night. The 'we're family' debate was sorely needed after the recent squabbles.

• TennViews State GOP seeks to limit medical malpractice victim's rights | TennViews: Where's the bill to protect patients from incompetent doctors and negligent hospitals? Where are the bills to improve patient safety and outcomes? Where's the bill to make all malpractice and regulatory actions public and easily accessible so consumers can make informed choices about their health care and providers? Also, Civics 101: Take your kids with you when you vote!

• Vibinc: Vibinc: Something to Consider...: We have an opportunity to vote for REAL change in the coming days. Real change doesn't come in a race or a gender, it comes in a conviction to make America all it can be.

• Whites Creek Journal: INC...Mark of the Beast: You and I have to obey the law...Not the President... Not Corporations...Just You and I.

• Women's Health News: Health Disparities A-Go-Go: Rural residents were also less likely to be added to waiting lists for organs in the first place.

Jan. 15th was Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday. On Monday, America celebrates a national holiday in honor of his sacrifice for civil rights and equality.

The Tennessee Republican Party has chosen this occasion to diminish Dr. King's message of peace, hope, and equality and instead use it to score political points.

From their weekly message:

It was the Democrats who fought to keep blacks in slavery and passed the discriminatory Black Codes and Jim Crow laws. The Democrats started the Ku Klux Klan to lynch and terrorize blacks. The Democrats fought to prevent the passage of every civil rights law beginning with the civil rights laws of the 1860's, and continuing with the civil rights laws of the 1950's and 1960's.

[..]

Today, Democrats, in pursuit of their socialist agenda, are fighting to keep blacks poor, angry and voting for Democrats. Examples of how egregiously Democrats act to keep blacks in poverty are numerous.

Instead of exploiting the occasion to advance a divisive agenda, let's embrace Dr. King's message of unity. Let's reach out to each other, and remember what we have in common in our shared struggle for liberty and justice for all. In the words of Dr. King:

Was not Thomas Jefferson an extremist -- "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." So the question is not whether we will be extremist but what kind of extremist will we be? Will we be extremists for hate or will we be extremists for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice--or will we be extremists for the cause of justice? In that dramatic scene on Calvary's hill, three men were crucified. We must not forget that all three were crucified for the same crime--the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thusly fell below their environment. The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment. So, after all, maybe the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists.

A big (secular) Amen to that.

Katie Allison Granju has pretty solid evidence at Knoxville Talks that a recent Shelbyville Times-Gazette series on Somali refugees in Bedford Co. is, to say the least, somewhat biased.

According to the state of New Jersey, a 17-month old child is "deprived" of religious freedom when adopted by atheists.

...Judge Camarata denied the Burkes' right to the child because of their lack of belief in a Supreme Being. Despite the Burkes' "high moral and ethical standards," he said, the New Jersey state constitution declares that "no person shall be deprived of the inestimable privilege of worshiping Almighty God in a manner agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience." Despite Eleanor Katherine's tender years, he continued, "the child should have the freedom to worship as she sees fit, and not be influenced by prospective parents who do not believe in a Supreme Being."

The Burkes are now living in Carterville, Ill., near Southern Illinois University, where John Burke has worked for the past year as a speech pathologist. Nevertheless, Judge Camarata ordered the parents to send David's sister back to the New Jersey adoption agency.

("Focus on the family," or "Inexcusable and unwarranted exercise of state power?")

What I eat on days like today says loud and clear that I came from rural and small town roots in West Tennessee even before growing up in Memphis and Knoxville. Today, I'm eating black-eyed peas, and damn they taste good. How about y'all and you-uns?

Come visit at my home.

A "Jingle Bells" edition of our weekly sampling from some of Tennessee's best and brightest bloggers:

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: Democrats fail to show up on SCHIP, bonus: Wordless Wednesday

• Andy Axel: Brr!

• BlountViews: Gemeinschaft to Gesellschaft, also BlountViews in the news, bonus: Best Christmas music video ever

• The Crone Speaks: Bad Santa

• Cup of Joe Powell: Without restraint, totally beyond the pale, bonus: Sophie spins some Christmas soul music

• Enclave: NOLA housing crisis roundup, plus The David Bowie/Bing Crosby Christmas duet classic

• Fletch: New coal plant on fast track, plus Wordless Wednesday, bonus: 'Tis the Season

• KnoxViews: Energy bill gets 50MPG on way to White House. plus UT launches tobacco research center - anything for a buck

• Lean Left: Obama and Alter's faulty memory, plus: Huckabee's video Christmas card

• Left Wing Cracker: Larry King impersonation ramble, plus: Nat King Cole for Christmas

• Loose TN Canon: Conservative climate science ignorance on parade, bonus: Fried Cheesecake

• NewsComa: The rural factor in presidential politics, bonus: Christopher Walken's Night Before Christmas (warning: children should leave the room)

• Pesky Fly: Separated at birth, plus: McCain beneficiary of Chucklebee fallout but Romney by a nose?

• Progress Nashville: Starving the poor, plus Corker wading into 2010 minefield, and Top 10 Progressive New Year's Wishes, Day 1

• Resonance: Pelosi surprised by Republican resolve

• RoaneViews: State Sen.Tommy Kilby on Tennessee's sunshine law, plus Alvin C. York and the origin of turkey shoots

• Russ McBee: State Sen. Randy McNally having second thoughts on changing Tennessee's sunshine law plus, A Christmas story

• Sean Braisted: (back at home) A law firm divided

• Sharon Cobb: Gov. Bredesen should follow Gov. Corzine's lead on death penalty, plus Expect to see Republican politicians, country artists and Ted Nugent on late-nite TV

• Silence Isn't Golden: Reporting in from the Obama Nashville HQ opening, bonus: possibly the stupidest letter to the editor ever, plus (sorry, missed from last week): Happy Hanukkah

• Southern Beale: Ron Paul's true Republican credentials, plus Gift idea for the person who has everything except health insurance, plus 12 Days of Christmas

• Tennessee Guerilla Women: Coverage denied, girl dies and a follow up, plus You're so lame - let the party begin!

• TennViews: Bush to California: Drop dead, plus State Rep. Beth Harwell's toxic toys, and Tennessee election study recommends paper audit trail and other reforms, and 1968

• Whites Creek Journal: Tilt and the gift of the mysterious, plus This technology must be stopped!

• Women's Health News: Spermicide in your hair dye?

Elrod has a scholarly look at the competing socio-political forces at work as communities transition from "good old boy" local government to a more bureaucratic, money-driven government, and the obstacles to progressive local government each represents. Check it out at BlountViews.

Can similar observations be made regarding state government? The Tennessee Congressional delegation?

Forty years later, 1968 is revisited as a time of historic change. Tom Brokaw's new book, BOOM!, offers pages of insight into the 60s, specifically 1968. As described in the Amazon book review, "Boom! One minute it was Ike and the man in the grey flannel suit, and the next minute it was time to “turn on, tune in, drop out.” While Americans were walking on the moon, Americans were dying in Vietnam. Nothing was beyond question, and there were far fewer answers than before."

Newsweek has a section called "The Boomer Files". There are various articles by various authors regarding the turmoil of the 60s, RFK and MLK assassinations, segregation, space travel, Vietnam, and the Beatles.

What will they say forty years from now? What is the historic change? A disturbance in the universe? Fear was allowed to overcome sanity? The erosion of the Constitution? Billions spent on a war based on a lie? iPods and Britney Spears as the main concern of American citizens?

A weekly sampling from some of Tennessee's best and brightest bloggers:

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: The Myth of "Curing" Homosexuality, bonus: excellent Friday creature

• Andy Axel: The view is exhausting

• BlountViews: Mayor attacks local paper, again, also doesn't like Russian student/cultural exchange program

• Cup of Joe Powell: More on the AT&T statewide cable franchise bill

• Enclave: Tennessee should ban pre-payment penalties, plus Asterisks

• Fletch: Friday bird blogging, plus CNBC's Mr. Drysdale

• KnoxViews: Homeschooling for religious reasons. plus Anatomy of a toxic radioactive plume (at Facing South by way of KnoxViews)

• Lean Left: Financial incentives that discourage pharmaceutical research, plus: Good argument against FISA immunity

• Left Wing Cracker: Dems in Congress: Dance with who brung'ya

• Loose TN Canon: Why pop music sucks

• NewsComa: Savage political season

• Pesky Fly: Harry on hold, plus: Remembering Ike

• Progress Nashville: If the Tennessee Lottery ran elections, plus The failure of privatization

• Resonance: Shared sacrifice, plus House protects Christmas

• RoaneViews: Tax exemptions, good and bad

• Russ McBee: ORNL data theft and me plus, Theme of the day: contempt

• Sean Braisted: (at TennViews) Sumner Dem v. Diane Black

• Sharon Cobb: The only thing the Democrat Iowa caucus will predict is who won't be president, plus Obama's Nashville HQ opening

• Silence Isn't Golden: Bye bye Freddie

• Southern Beale: Dr. Frist's new spots, plus Talking Jesus Action Figure

• Tennessee Guerilla Women: New Jersey abolishes death penalty, plus Huckabee on the Canadian National Igloo

• TennViews: What reporters should be asking candidates (Pam Strickland), plus UT McNair Scholars program in jeopardy (an update)

• Whites Creek Journal: What rule of law?

• Women's Health News: Fetal mortality rates by race/ethnicity, plus Good grooming

A weekly sampling from some of Tennessee's best and brightest bloggers:

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: Huckabee stumbles, Clinton needs better friends

• Andy Axel: Fall Heron, plus Good little lapblogs

• BlountViews: Hometown poll not kind to Lamar Alexander

• Cup of Joe Powell: Christmas TV season preview, plus Joe has the incredible Sidewalk Politics video that's been making the rounds

• Enclave: Tennessee in another Top 20

• Fletch: Two men and a truck

• KnoxViews: KnoxViews 2007 Year in Review, plus W settles an old score, and Holiday shopping humor

• Lean Left: Weak-minded Huckabee

• Left of the Dial: Geek-o-rama, plus Bad boss

• Left Wing Cracker: TN Supremes should decide open meetings law

• NewsComa: No solar eclipse in government

• Pesky Fly: Impeach Hillary

• Progress Nashville: The blog business model and TV Guide, plus Missing Bill (no, not that one)

• Resonance: Expert advice on not getting shot in random mall shootings, plus "Serious" Primaries

• RoaneViews: 20,000 tons of nuclear waste

• Russ McBee: Carbon dioxide reduction not as expensive as we're being told, plus Candidates: Speak to the working people

• Sean Braisted: (at TennViews) The obstructionist Senate

• Sharon Cobb: Is Pelosi hurting Clinton?, plus I know what you did in nursery school

• Silence Isn't Golden: Mitch McConnell's unfortunate remarks, plus Regent Law School needs a better recruiter (this is hilarious, keeping in mind that Regent is the law school supplying the Neocon cabal with legal foot soldiers who come up with crap like it's ok to lie to Congress)

• Southern Beale: TN GOP bunker mentality

• Tennessee Guerilla Women: Harriet Miers knew

• TennViews, by Persimmon: Corridor K

• Whites Creek Journal: CIA: American heroes

• Women's Health News: Make your holiday donations count for women

Once again everyone is buzzing about the "whacko" who raced into Hillary Clinton's campaign office in N.H. and once again we are all feeling scared to death of people with mental illnesses. But how dangerous are the mentally ill really?

In actuality (with certain exceptions, e.g., substance-induced psychoses), individuals with mental disorders are not more likely to commit violent crimes than is the general population.” (5) The fact is, according to the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, statistically, people with mental illness are more often the victims of crime than its perpetrators and are no more violent than people who do not have mental illness. People “diagnosed with mental illnesses are, by far, not the most violent group in American society, and, in fact, according to the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, are responsible for no more than 3% of the violence in the United States.” (6)

Link...

Though many sensational crimes are committed by the mentally ill. A whole lot more are committed by "normal" people every day. People who have never seen a shrink or gotten treatment fo any of their mental problems. The media is partly responsible for our fear of people with mental illnesses.

No kidding. Seriously? Gosh, WSM has only been around since about 1925, so this will be big news to WSM's septuagenarian listeners.

I especially like this part:

By all rights, Atlanta or Dallas should have become the center of country music, due to their early recording activity. But once Nashville had WSM and its birth child Grand Ole Opry running successfully, and after Nashville became the music publishing center with Acuff-Rose leading the way, the recording studios and record labels followed and Music Row was born out of that.

Atlanta? Dallas? Perhaps the author is a twenty-something newcomer and doesn't know the real history of country music, or where Roy Acuff hails from. Or Chet Atkins, the architect of the "Nashville Sound".

For a different take, see this feature article which ironically appeared just this week in Knoxville's Metro Pulse. And it doesn't even mention Cas Walker or Dolly Parton.

Knoxville has missed a couple of opportunities along the way. It could have been the country music capital of the world, but let it slip away to Nashville. It could also have been the Delta Airlines hub, but let that slip away to Atlanta. At least we still have Volunteer Football. And rural electrification courtesy of TVA in the 1930s.

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: Seeing the devil wherever you look

• Andy Axel: Discards, plus I'm just a Bill unless I'm a Bill

• BlountViews: Blount Trivia: Alcoa Street Names (more interesting than it sounds)

• The Crone Speaks: Universal health coverage or universal health care?

• Cup of Joe Powell: Weirdest movie ever made?

• Enclave: Academic shock troops, plus: Pilgrims were communists?

• Fletch: Twin Creeks Science and Education Center dedication (warning: Fletch is not a happy camper!) plus: All Led Zepplin, All the Time

• KnoxViews: Knox County Convenience Voting pilot program, plus: Should Jackie Walker, UT's first black All-American, be included into Knoxville's Sports Hall of Fame? (background here, must read)

• Lean Left: Imaginary terrorism

• Left of the Dial: What people are shopping for online

• Loose TN Canon: TN Senate Candidate: women in leadership roles contrary to God's design

• NewsComa: Zombies v. Pilgrims

• Pesky Fly: Beware

• Progress Nashville: From the "you can't make this stuff up" category, Hookers for Ron Paul

• Resonance: World's most efficient transportation

• RoaneViews: Danger sports

• Russ McBee: A stunningly bad idea

• Sean Braisted (at TennViews): Marsha, Marsha, Marsha - Factchecking GOP spin on sales tax deduction

• Sharon Cobb: Ted Turner: Women should run the world

• Silence Isn't Golden: No recess appointments for you!, bonus: Interesting poll in the South

• Tennessee Guerilla Women: Kucinich: 'Will the Real John Edwards Stand Up?'

• Whites Creek Journal: Thanksgiving for Peace Kids

• Women's Health News: Women's Health News Roundup

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: Paul supporters busted for minting coins

• Andy Axel: Fall Color, plus Wherefore art thou Red Pickup?

• BlountViews: TVA Green Power presentation at the library

• The Crone Speaks: Vote the issues

• Cup of Joe Powell: Send the Open Government Committee home

• Enclave: Cooper votes against linking war funding to withdrawal timetable

• Fletch: Sunset on the Beach

• KnoxViews: CNN the big loser in debate

• Lean Left: Dem leadership takes sides on telecom immunity

• Left of the Dial: NYT profiles TN Lottery CEO

• Left Wing Cracker: How many black eyes can Memphis take?

• Loose TN Canon: the Fox News culture of porn

• NewsComa: Sunshine law rendered meaningless

• Pesky Fly: Dodd blogging

• Progress Nashville: Warning Sign$

• Resonance: Fox News: Speaker Pelosi responsible for high gas prices (Check out the graph. Heh.)

• RoaneViews: Good Job, Lincoln!, plus: Numbers craze school daze

• Russ McBee: You have no privacy. Get over it.

• Sharon Cobb: Biggest trainwreck in American history occurred in Nashville (with some interesting social and political background)

• Silence Isn't Golden: It's not symbolic, it's what they were elected to do!, bonus, Sen. Clinton, there is only one correct answer to that question.

• Southern Beale: No one could have anticipated this., bonus: Get back in the kitchen!

• Tennessee Guerilla Women: Rove's first column for Newsweek, bonus: And the swiftboating begins

• Whites Creek Journal: Al Gore will be in the White House, bonus: Fred explains electoral and economic theory

• Women's Health News: Ballot initiative to define fertilized eggs as persons, part 1, and Part 2

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: Dobson Hearts Huckabee

• Andy Axel: Southern Mockingbird, plus Tennessee Democrats Move Bush Agenda Forward

• BlountViews: Local paper retracts article involving controversial judge

• The Crone Speaks: Local Bank Robberies Increase: It’s the Economy!

• Cup of Joe Powell: Poll: Torture Is Bad, But Using It Is Fine , bonus: Worst Blog Post Ever

• Enclave: "Mr. Mom Duty" is So 1980s, bonus: Security at Bicentennial Mall

• Fletch: Christian Allaire's Sailing Life, bonus: Wordless Wednesday