Bryan July 31st, 2008
For some time, the Cumberland Trail State Park and the Cumberland Trail Conference have been battling commercial rock harvesting along the trail, which is a state park. It seems the state did not acquire the mineral rights when acquring the property for the park (a very dumb idea if you ask me). But corporate interests have intepreted mineral rights as
- right to remove the rock (mainly limestone), laying on the ground as well as under it
- right to not restore what they tear up
At the very least, these companies should be required to rehab the area. Miles of the Cumberland Trail have been closed due to these companies operations in the state park. This really torks me, as most of the Cumberland Trail has been built by volunteers. I’ve even participated in building the trail, though not as frequently as I’d like.
The Tennessee Court of Appeals has reverse a lower court’s ruling in the first bright spot in a very bizarre saga.
HT: The Tennessean: Rock Harvesting in park dealt a blow
Tags: Cumberland Trail, Rock Harvesting
Bryan July 28th, 2008
Saturday, I spent my afternoon at Hilton Park and the Walk of Fame (located between the downtown Nashville Hilton and the Country Music Hall of Fame) for the 7th annual Music City Brewer’s Festival. There were around 40 different breweries there, and while due to the oppressive heat I was unable to be quite the connoisseur I’d like to be, I did make some notable discoveries.
Heck, even the newly Belgian Anheuser-Busch was there. 
I did generally have a good time, but I’ll make a few suggestions for the organizers
- The heat at the end of July in downtown Nashville is just horrendous. How about a cooler date?
- Musical entertainment was okay at best. How about an upgrade?
- Ticket taking. How difficult is it to check an ID and scan a barcode? An hour wait to get in just isn’t acceptable.
In spite of that, I’ll go again. I hung out with old friends and made some new ones (including Will, Vonnie and their friend Beth who I discovered I dated while in Ms. Cain’s 2nd grade class… LOL)
Bryan July 26th, 2008
June was a busy travel month for me. As I blogged then, I got to see the space shuttle launch and hang with friends in Central FL before Microsoft TechEd for Developers in Orlando. In mid June, I went to Chicago for a semi-vacation because I’d never been there before. I also attended eBay Live, a conference for eBay sellers. I stayed near Michigan Avenue and got to sample a bit of urban living. I enjoyed the convenience of having lots to do within walking distance: Sears Tower, Lake Michigan, Art Institute of Chicago. I didn’t have enough time really. A highlight for me was hearing Seth Godin speak live and challenging us live out our passion and let everything else flow from there.
For Independence Day, a friend invited me to watch the Nashville Fireworks from the roof of his place which turned out to be quite impressive and a wonderful view of the festivities. I suppose I’m becoming a bit of an enigma, enjoying the rugged backcountry, peaceful and quiet country living, and finer urban living (I still hate the burbs).
And I’m preparing the house to do more of what I intended, entertaining small groups of friends.
Look for more detail on these activities forthcoming in a new blog, dedicated to more personal pursuits, coming soon.
I’m rambling, but all of that to say, I haven’t exactly spent a lot of time in the backcountry lately. But I’m needing a fix. Any suggestions about where to go in Middle Tennessee?
Bryan July 25th, 2008
In a surprise defense in federal court in Asheville, TVA admits it blankets Middle Tennessee with air pollution from its inadequately abated smoke stacks in Alabama and Kentucky. The landmark case was filed in federal court to seek relief from TVA pollution wafting across the Great Smoky Mountains into western North Carolina.
Read more about the pollution lawsuit at the Tennessean.
Bryan July 4th, 2008
I’m flying this one instead
That’s right. Today, Independence Day, I took down the American flag known as the Stars and Stripes or Old Glory and instead I’m flying the Gadsden flag
. Yes, I still love my country. You see the Gadsden flag is one of the first flags of our nation, having been designed by Colonel Christoper Gadsden and presented to Commodore Esek Hopkins, commander-in-chief of the newly formed Navy, in 1775. It is certain this flag flew above this nation’s Navy before the one crafted by Betsy Ross.
It is also the spirit of that slogan, “Don’t Tread on Me,” that drew me to it. In 1775, this nation was fighting for freedom from a tyrannical, overtaxing government. The overtaxing, wealth-redistributing, tyrannical, anti-Christian, welfare state that the United States has become has much in common with King George. The line spoken by my friend recently rings true with me: I love my country. I hate my government.
Barrack Obama and the Democratic Party won’t change this. John McCain and the Republican Party won’t change this. Nobody will change this until the people change their hearts and stop demanding favor and benefit at the expense of their brothers and sisters here and around the world. And then they must stand up and demand that their leaders return this nation to one that promotes life, liberty, and the pursuit of happeness instead of death, tyranny, and the pursuit of mediocrity.
So, to all current and future leaders and office holders, I say to you: Don’t Tread on Me.
Gadsden Flag website
Gadsden Flag wiki
Tags: freedom, Gadsden flag
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