Author Archives: Anthony Hamilton

Stax Museum…Telling the History of American Soul Music

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Anthony Hamilton

The iconic Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Memphis, Tn.

The iconic Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Memphis, Tn.

In the Soulsville neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee, there sits a building that has the appearance of an old movie theater from my childhood, however, this building is so much more, and does it ever have a story to tell.

The building I speak of is the Stax Museum of American Soul music history, and the museum is very rich with Soul music history and traditions from Stax’s humble beginnings as Satellite Records in 1957 all the way to Wattstax in 1973.

In the 15 minute movie that precedes the tour, there were the inevitable comparisons to Motown, which was broken down (I believe) by Isaac Hayes who noted that Motown’s artists had more of a sound of charm school, whereas Stax artists had a more gritty and not as clean sound which Hayes said illustrated the blood, sweat and tears of their work.

During the movie, everyone in the group I was with was dancing in their seats as the movie was playing. Songs such as Green Onions by Booker T. and the M.G.’s, Try a Little Tenderness by Otis Redding, I’ll Take You There by the Staple Singers, and of course the Theme from Shaft by Isaac Hayes were all recorded in that building.

Along with these hit records, one of the most legendary artists in the music business, Aretha Franklin was also born in the Soulsville neighborhood. By virtue of being signed to Atlantic Records, she also had dealings with Stax records, because of the distribution deal they had with Atlantic.

Upon entering the museum exhibits. The very first few exhibits concentrate on the beginnings of Soul music, as well as Gospel, as the two are very heavily intertwined.

As I continued on through, I started to see exhibits from acts, that I would call old school, such as Ray Charles, Sam and Dave to name a few.

The exhibits did an excellent job of bringing the movie to life. The movie, for example, pointed out how the popularity of Stax was an accident, and most of their musicians were people from the Soulsville neighborhood, and how early on, Stax was less like a business and more of a family atmosphere. The many pictures from the recording sessions back this statement up.

As I continued my tour, there was everything from vinyl records by the walls full, to outfits the artists wore on stage to instruments that were played during their shows. They also had a mock setup of their actual recording studio, both the booth and the lounge, and the autographed instruments that Booker T and the M.G.’s used. Then there was the customized Cadillac that Isaac Hayes drove, and a video of their performance from Wattstax which was performed at a Los Angeles area festival set up to commemorate the Watts riots in 1965. That show was performed before a packed house at the L.A. Coliseum, and the record sold 500,000 copies within a week.

My favorite exhibit by far was a tribute to Soul Train, the Saturday morning answer to American Bandstand which allowed many Stax artists their first real television exposure. The exhibit played Soul Train performances of Stax artists including the Staple Singers and Rufus Thomas.

Another one of Stax’s high points in pictures was Otis Redding and the Stax Revue performing in Europe. Despite all of the racial tension here, the Europeans embraced Stax in the same manner that America embraced the Beatles. All of their European shows were sold out in 1967.

The iconic Stax Museum movie theater entrance

The iconic Stax Museum movie theater entrance

Isaac Hayes' customized Cadillac Eldorado.

Isaac Hayes’ customized Cadillac Eldorado.

The Staple Singers Gold single "If You're Ready (Come Go With Me)

The Staple Singers Gold single “If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me)

The Soul Train exhibit featuring the Staple Singers.

The Soul Train exhibit featuring the Staple Singers.

Upon preparing to leave the Museum, there are several pictures of Dr. Martin Luther King, taken the day before he was murdered in Memphis. The Stax artists spoke on how his assassination was the beginning of the end for Stax. The musicians at Stax were various nationalities, but their concerns was the music, and the family atmosphere despite the racial tension in Memphis at the time. Once Dr. King was killed, they were no longer able to be colorblind, which in turn affected their musical output.

 

 

Ultimately Stax went from being a family oriented atmosphere to a rigid business atmosphere, and as a result they ended up going under in 1974.

Renewed interest in Soul music caused a renewed interest in Soul music. Concord Records purchased the Stax catalog and made it available once again in 2000. Shortly afterwards, in 2003 the Stax Museum opened in the same spot it was located in during their heyday.

Along with the Museum, Stax is major players in the education of the Soulsville community with the Stax Music Academy and the Soulsville Charter School which both operated to provide opportunities for at risk youth in Memphis.

There are too many exhibits to fit in one story, however, if you’re ever in the Memphis area, I suggest you find your way to the Stax Museum. If you like Soul music, I can tell you, you won’t want to leave. If you would just like to learn more about them, check out their website.

Too Much Zach Randolph Dooms Bulls

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Anthony Hamilton

It was a festive atmosphere inside the Fed Ex Forum, as the Chicago Bulls and Memphis Grizzlies prepared to square off. The Grizzlies came in having lost 6 straight games. The Bulls were 2 games out of the 8th and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls were severely short-handed, missing starting  power forward Taj Gibson, and key reserve E’twaun Moore. It wouldn’t take the Grizzlies long to exploit the absence of Taj Gibson, as Zach Randolph would have his way with Bulls rookie Bobby Portis. Derrick Rose returned from his elbow injury, but his shot wasn’t falling, and all-star shooting guard Jimmy Butler was held to 5 points, all in the 4th quarter after the game was out of reach.

The game appeared as if it would be competitive as the Bulls trailed 23-21 at the end of the first quarter. Then the wheels fell off. Over the course of the next 2 quarters, turnovers and missed shots led to the Bulls being out scored 60-44. Down 16 points at the start of the 4th quarter, the Bull trimmed the Grizzlies lead to 11, but that was as close as they would get, as the Grizzlies, led by Zach Randolph with 27 points and 10 rebounds, and Vince Carter with 17 points, would go on to defeat the Bulls 108-92. The Bulls were led by Nikola Mirotic with 20 points, and Pau Gasol with 17 points and 10 rebounds. For Grizzlies fans, this night was festive indeed.

Derrick Rose looks for a cutter

Derrick Rose looks for a cutter

Derrick Rose brings the ball up as Jimmy Butler and Bobby Portis look on.

Derrick Rose brings the ball up as Jimmy Butler and Bobby Portis look on.

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The Woes of the Veterans’ Administration

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Anthony Hamilton

It is very difficult in recent years to have paid any attention to any news outlet, and not realize that there are major problems as well as challenges facing the veteran’s administration here in the United States. Speaking for myself, as a disabled veteran, I feel the way that we are treated in many cases in downright disgraceful.

We are sent away for months at a time to “protect our freedoms” while in many cases our very family relationships suffer, due to missing births, graduations and every other family function that anyone can think of. There are also the injuries and casualties of war that ultimately can make life exceedingly difficult.

If we were to take a look at the average person (lawmakers) that have a say so about going to war, etc. they generally have no ties to the military, and not only would they not consider going in harm’s way to protect the country, but you hardly see any of their family members on the battlefield either, so why are these same people allowed to block funding to those who come home changed mentally or physically?

In most instances it’s like you go to war, give the best you have to give, then you come back home battle-scarred only to realize that the government has cast you aside, and no longer view you as their problem. It’s almost criminal, the fighting you have to go through with the government in order to get disability when you don’t come back home whole. If it doesn’t flat out take forever, you end up having to file twice and get what you have coming the second time around.

With all the missteps that the VA has recently encountered, some might wonder what type of people they’re hiring, or just how diligent these people might be. While these are fair questions, one thing we all must keep in mind is the budget cuts that the VA has been sustaining. Anytime you have the same amount of work to do with fewer employees, there will definitely be some hiccups along the way.

According to www.blogs.va.gov , there were 1.4 billion dollars in budget cuts in 2015. These cuts will have an adverse effect in Medical care, where they will lose $690 million dollars, meaning 70,000 less vets will have access to VA health care, there will be reduced staffing, and there will be delays in research. There will also be $592 million lost in new facilities, meaning the St. Louis rehab facility, outpatient clinic in Alameda, California and the French Camp CBOC in Livemore, California will either be delayed or not built at all. There will also be 18,000 less military families having the ability to seek a military funeral for loved ones who served.

There have also been recent incidents of veterans being infected at military hospitals because protocol wasn’t properly followed: www.cnn.com broke the story about 1,800 veterans of a VA Hospital in Missouri being infected with HIV due to technicians handwashing instruments before using the cleaning machines, when correct protocol is to only use the cleaning machine. Also the 3,400 vets infected at the Palomar Hospital in San Diego, California during colonoscopies performed with dirty endoscopes.

Another recent misstep was reported by www.foxnews.com regarding the 26.5 million veterans whose social security numbers and birthdates stolen when a VA laptop was stolen from an employee who took this information to his home without authorization.

Despite these discrepancies, there are many VA employees who are very diligent, and who also happen to love their jobs, and as a disabled vet, I have plenty of dealings with these workers. Ambulatory Care Dietician Karrie Cole, at the Texarkana CBOC has worked with me since 2010 trying to help me to take control of my diabetic ills. She has worked for the VA since 2009 and says she loves the job. “It’s very rewarding to know that you’ve helped people become healthier through diet” Cole said. She sees 8-10 patients a day, and she follows up with each patient and documents their progress.

Doctor of Physical Therapy Blair Culbreath at the Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in Shreveport says she also loves her job. “It’s very rewarding to work with someone who may have been injured, and be a major part of helping them regain their strength,” Culbreath said. She sees 5-8 patients in a day depending on whether the patient is new or returning. “I like to spend more time with a new patient to find out about their medical background.” Culbreath also pointed out that the wound care physical therapist sees more patients because they don’t have to spend as much time with each patient.

According to www.thehill.com, the Democrats blocked a VA funding bill from the Republicans in hopes of brokering what they feel would be a better deal for veterans and their families. In my opinion, as long as those in congress continue to play with VA funding like little kids fighting over toys, the VA is going to continue to have their missteps, and unfortunately, the veteran will continue to ultimately pay the price.

Love After Valentine’s

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Anthony Hamilton

The highly anticipated Love After Valentines concert made its way to the Perot theater on Friday night, February 19th. Thanks to KTOY 104.7 and Soul Man Billy Bland, I was able to attend the show, and I must say it was a very good concert that any lover of R&B and Soul music would have enjoyed.

The performers were Vaughn Willis, Maad Moiselle, 2-time Grammy award winner Timothy Bloom and the Headliner, platinum recording artist, R&B diva KeKe Wyatt.

Up and coming R&B artist Vaughn Willis opened the show, and he proved to be a very talented 1 man band on this occasion. Willis performed a mixture of socially-charged and relationship original songs along with cover songs, namely Let’s Get it On, a Marvin Gaye classic, and Change is Gonna Come, which is a Sam Cooke classic. The highlight of Willis’ performance found him playing his guitar and harmonica at the same time. Willis also has a very strong vocal presence. He is not a household name, but I believe he will be at some point, as he’s a very talented artist with a strong stage presence. To find out more about Vaughn Willis, check out swifmusic.com.

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Maad Moiselle followed Willis. She is also multi-talented and what some would consider a jack of all trades. Not only did she perform her own material, but she was the DJ, and she provided the music for KeKe Wyatt. Her performance although short, was very high-energy and entertaining. At one point of her performance, she performed out in the audience. The highlight of her performance was the performance of her funk-tinged new single Sweet & Low, which is available on iTunes.

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Next was 2-time Grammy award winner Timothy Bloom. His performance was as soulful as it gets. Not only is he a very accomplished singer but also a guitarist as well as a pianist, and he put all of these talents on display. Bloom appeared to really enjoy himself, as there was a lot of playful interaction with the audience during the course of his show. It was amazing to see and hear him switch from guitar to piano and back to guitar flawlessly for the highlight of his performance which was the performance of his hit song ‘Til the End of Time, which is also available on iTunes.

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The last performance of the night came from headliner KeKe Wyatt, and you could tell from the reception she received from the crowd that her performance was highly anticipated. She also seemed to really enjoy the intimate setting that the Perot offers, as she interacted with the crowd while performing her hit songs including Nothing In This World, and her cover of Patti LaBelle’s classic If Only You Knew and the song that put her on the map in the late 90’s, the duet with Avant, a cover of the Renee’ and Angela classic My First Love. The highlight of her performance for me was when she revealed that her father had just passed, and she performed a tribute song titled Tears In Heaven during which she was overcome with emotion. Many celebrities won’t share vulnerability the way she did, and for those who have lost a parent who was indeed their world, it was very touching and emotional to us all. Her new album is available for pre-order as well on iTunes.

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All the performers pointed out how happy they were to put on this show for Texarkana, and each expressed a desire to return at some point in the future. If opportunity presents itself to see any of these artists in concert, I suggest taking advantage. It would be well worth an investment of time and money spent to see them perform. If you are a fan of good R&B music, these artists, in my opinion, are bucket list material. I would love to see each of them in concert again.

This was a very enjoyable as well as entertaining night for the lover of good soul music. I’m very happy to have been a part of it.

The Crisis in Flint…Coincidence or Environmental Racism?

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Anthony Hamilton

By now we are all aware of the ongoing water crisis in Flint, Michigan. There are an unacceptable amount of people in the city who are living below the poverty level and also over 60% of them happen to be African Americans. Whole families have been poisoned by drinking water that was never fit to drink, yet they’ve been fed this water for a period of time, and now there are many health problems beginning to show up because of this.

This story is actually not as new as one might think. It was first broken in 2014 that there was potential contamination in Flint’s water system. Al Jazeera America was first to break the story. The story was then largely ignored until recently when Flint became news again with residents showing the news samples of the brown water they are expected to drink, cook and bathe with, and it doesn’t appear to be fit for any type of human consumption.

The homes of Flint residents have been tested and their homes show there are 10 times the amount of lead that is considered the norm. As a result of this, members of the community who would wish to leave will not be able to sell their homes in any move, because it’s illegal to sell a home that has lead issues.

In all of this, it’s amazing that the Governor of Michigan isn’t indeed facing criminal charges over this situation. According to an article in archive.freep.com, Michigan has a 500 plus million dollar surplus, as well as a rainy day fund, yet the governor has said that removing the lead containing pipes is not even a priority to him. There is also strong evidence that he knew about the contamination as early as 2014 when he began shipping cases of bottled water to state employees but not everyday citizens.

When the first attempts to gather clean water for the residents of Flint, an amazing thing happened. Cher revealed, during an interview on CNN that she attempted to gather water for the citizens of Flint, and no American bottled water company was willing to donate any water to the poverty stricken, predominantly black community of Flint. Cher had to go outside of the United States to get water for them.

The Michigan National Guard was called in to distribute the water, but they declined taking it to the so-called worst areas of Flint, saying it would be too dangerous. This from people we would count on to help protect the U.S. during times of war.

The Flint police have also been using this situation to their advantage. According to articles on Bing.com/news and Trofire.com, under the guise of delivering water filters to the residents, they are in fact taking advantage of the opportunity to arrest those residents who have warrants. As an ex-law enforcement person, I do not agree with their actions at all.

According to westsidegazette.com as well as newpittsburgcourier.com, this disaster has indeed been labeled as a man-made disaster caused by the emergency manager that the state installed, in a cost-cutting measure that went horrible wrong, which again leads me to wonder why they are focused strictly on the emergency manager when he is simply a scapegoat meant to do the governor’s bidding.

When the change was made from the Detroit water system to the Flint River in 2014, the residents immediately began to complain about the smell and taste of their tap water, but they were largely ignored according to nytimes.com. Now they can no longer be ignored because they’re too black or too poor to have a voice. The entire world is now aware of what has been done.

Judge Greg Mathis, in an interview with journalist Roland Martin on Newsone Now likened this ordeal to a terrorist attack. “Every day, our homeland security’s biggest fear is terrorists poisoning the water,” Mathis said. “The Secretary of Defense talks nervously about it.” Mathis continues, “In this case, the government has poisoned the water, causing permanent loss of health.”

Mathis also speaks on the possibility of criminal charges in what he calls the poisoning of an American city.

Now there are children experiencing symptoms of lead poisoning, including headaches, anemia, dental problems and their internal organs not functioning properly. Adults are experiencing hair loss, skin disorders, and seizures as well as weakening of teeth and bones along with many potentially fatal cases of Legionnaires’ disease.

This whole situation is remarkably similar to the response to hurricane Katrina where the upscale areas of New Orleans immediately received aid, but those who, like the majority of Flint residents were poor, and less fortunate were left to fend for themselves and die. The same can be said for the residents of Flint.

I read an article on www.mlive.com about the General Motors plant in Flint having ceased using it for fear that it will corrode the metal, yet residents are expected to drink, cook and bathe in that water, and continue to receive water bills for water they can’t use.

I wonder how long this would have been allowed to go on and how quick it would be fixed were Flint an upscale community. Here’s to the hope that they receive justice, and those who perpetrated this tragedy upon the get what they deserve.

The Bayou Classic

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Anthony Hamilton

It has been dubbed the granddaddy of all black-college football games. It’s for bragging rights in Louisiana. It’s complete with a battle of the bands and all the pageantry that is the Bayou Classic.

For my family, it’s the highlight of the Thanksgiving weekend. The trip to the Crescent City…New Orleans, Louisiana. The roadtrip in anticipation of the game is the beginning of the festivities for us. Music, and family fun.

The Bayou Classic weekend is nothing short of eventful. The Battle of the Bands, held in the Superdome between the Southern University Marching Band, known as the Human Juke Box, and the World renowned Grambling Tiger Marching Band is always an entertaining event. From the precision marching routines, to the music itself, this event for me is always unforgettable.

On Saturday, it’s time for the big game, pitting the Southern Jaguars against the Grambling Tigers. Anticipation is high for this on, after last year’s game, won by Southern 52-45, with Grambling being stopped on Sothern’s one-yard line as time expired.

Grambling is favored coming into the Classic this year. With an 8-0 mark in the SWAC conference coming in, if they win this one, they would run the tables. Southern comes in with a 6-2 mark in conference, however, due to the nature of the rivalry, this is one of those games where you throw out the records, due to the intensity of the rivalry.

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So to the tune of approximately 70,000 fans, we have Saturday afternoon football kicking off, in an arena where it was so loud I couldn’t hear myself think. The statement about throwing out the records looked like a very prophetic statement early in the game, as Grambling started slow, and Southern led 20-3 through the second quarter, but then Grambling came to life. After scoring 2 quick touchdowns, Grambling went in the locker room only trailing by a field goal…20-17.

After a spirited halftime show featuring the bands again, Grambling came out and proceeded to take the lead after scoring another touchdown in the third quarter while holding Southern scoreless. In the fourth quarter, Grambling scored another touchdown to lead 31-20. After exchanging late field-goals, Grambling State was victorious 34-23. They will be moving on to the SWAC Championship game in Houston this Saturday. Final exams ensure that I won’t make that one, however, I wish the G-men well in their rematch with Alcorn State.

The trip back was safe, and without incident. My family and I are all looking forward to the game next year which we call the annual Bayou Classic road trip.

The Need For History

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Anthony L. Hamilton

I have been paying really close attention to the things that are going on, not just in the United States, but all over the world recently, and in my eyes, the 1960s are repeating right now.

In the 1960s we were involved in a war we couldn’t win called Vietnam. This war ruined the lives of countless American military personnel, and frankly it was a war that we should have never become involved in.

Fast forward to the present, President Obama has his own Vietnam to deal with, and we are involved some missions that we shouldn’t be involved in.

We are dealing with people who have no conscience, and will do almost anything for the sake of trying to dispel Democracy.

The sad thing is that a lot of these terrorists were actually trained by our military supposedly enabling them to fight other groups in their regions, yet they continue to turn on us, and people seem to have no idea why we have trouble defeating them on the battlefield.

My problem with the whole thing is that those people have been fighting since Biblical times, so how does anyone think they’re going to react when we go on their soil and try to force our way of life on them? I don’t by any means condone what they do, but how does any person feel when someone else tries to force their way of living on them? You will constantly get rebellion.

I am a retired military member, and there are two blatant mistakes being made that are going to make war increasingly difficult to win. The first is the fact that the media has too much access to military operations. Every time a news anchor on location signs on and tells where they are, not only are they telling the American people, but they are also tipping off the enemy. This began towards the end of my career, and at that point, the writing was on the wall.

America has also shifted too much towards relying on technology instead of manpower to try and win wars. In the process, military numbers have shrunk to the point that soon it will be impossible to protect home, and fight war abroad, and as far as using technological warfare, the Chinese have shown they are superior in this area. Should we ever enter a war against them (as I personally believe), not only will we be outnumbered, but most technology comes from China, so they know just how to “run interference” and make sure your weaponry is not functioning properly.

I believe (and this is strictly my opinion) that China is watching and waiting for that time when our enemies get our military forces spread too thin to protect our borders, and they will do what they’re going to do. (Those of us who are Christians, if you read Revelations, it speaks to this happening.)

Back in the 1980s a treaty was signed that was meant to cut down on the nuclear arsenal of Russia, and the United States. Now China has ballistic missile submarines, and Russia is building a new class of that type of submarines, and both have the capability of dropping a nuclear warhead on the United States.

I had a young man on Facebook during a discussion ask how knowing history would help us move forward. To him, I replied that knowing history helps to keep history from repeating itself. So I close with this question: when history is allowed to repeat itself, you have old problems rearing their (sometimes) ugly head, and then you have to solve them. At that point, are you really moving forward?

Black Friday

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Anthony Hamilton

Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching, and with it, Black Friday, is approaching as well. For those of us in retail, it’s a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing in the fact that stores generally make more money on this day than any other shopping day of the year, however, it’s a VERY long workday for employees. On my job, at least 12 hours is guaranteed, however I have put in as many as 16 hours on Black Friday in my previous job as Mall Security supervisor.

A lot of people camp out in cold weather for hours, hoping for the chance to get their hands on greatly discounted items either for themselves or Christmas gifts. The whole experience can go bad courtesy of one person not getting what they came early for. It can turn quickly into a mob mentality, and I’ve seen many people hauled off to jail early on that day because they were too late to get what they wanted.

Many participate in the bargain shopping on Black Friday, but are totally unaware of the history behind it. It’s been said that it goes all the way back to slavery, and there is strong documentation that proves it’s true, however, I will concentrate on more recent history in my discussion of Black Friday.

According to blackfridayhistory.com:
The term “Black Friday” was coined in the 1960s to mark the kickoff to the Christmas shopping season. “Black” refers to stores moving from the “red” to the “black,” back when accounting records were kept by hand, and red ink indicated a loss, and black a profit. Ever since the start of the modern Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1924, the Friday after Thanksgiving has been known as the unofficial start to a bustling holiday shopping season.
In the 1960s, police in Philadelphia griped about the congested streets, clogged with motorists and pedestrians, calling it “Black Friday.” In a non-retail sense, it also describes a financial crisis of 1869: a stock market catastrophe set off by gold spectators who tried and failed to corner the gold market, causing the market to collapse and stocks to plummet.
As retailers began to realize they could draw big crowds by discounting prices, Black Friday became the day to shop, even better than those last minute Christmas sales. Some retailers put their items up for sale on the morning of Thanksgiving, or email online specials to consumers days or weeks before the actual event. The most shopped for items are electronics and popular toys, as these may be the most drastically discounted. However, prices are slashed on everything from home furnishings to apparel.

Yes, the holidays are upon us once again, and 2016 is right around the corner.
Remember, also, during the Christmas season, safety becomes paramount. When shopping, make sure that any purchases are stored in the trunk, rather than in view of a potential thief. Attempt to shop in numbers so you don’t appear to be an easy victim. During walks from a store to a vehicle, always stay diligent, a potential criminal is not as likely to attack someone who appears vigilant. Hopefully everyone will be safe, and have a great shopping experience on Black Friday and beyond.

Personally, I am not really looking forward to dealing with the shopping mob. We will be open beginning on Thanksgiving Day, and right back to work early Black Friday morning. If we can have another day with customers on their best behavior like last year that will be great.

Veteran’s Day Rewards

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Anthony Hamilton

Once a year, in early November, there is a holiday set aside for America to honor those of us who basically “wrote a blank check, payable to the United States of America for an amount up to, (in some cases) our lives.”

Fact is, even though you may agree with the President’s views, as a servicemember, you have still taken an oath to defend the country whether you agree or not with what the country is trying to accomplish, courtesy of your service, at any given time.

Veteran’s day is a wonderful time to be a Veteran. Here in Texarkana, if you are a vet, you will have every opportunity to eat well, as most of the restaurants basically roll out the red carpet for us on Veteran’s day.

The benefits reaped vary by restaurant; some like Outback, Longhorn and Buffalo Wild Wings offered a free snack. Hooters offered a free entrée, yet others, such as Applebee’s and Texas Roadhouse offered veteran’s menus that consisted of full-meals. Golden Corral offered vets a buffet.

Yes, personally I love to eat, and for the first time in over 10 years, I celebrated Veteran’s day by making the rounds. I visited Hooters early for some chicken wings, Texas Roadhouse in the afternoon for a steak dinner, and a nightcap courtesy of Golden Corral where I happened to run into our veteran’s representative Robert Hernandez. It was definitely a welcome break from having to cook.

Another great thing about these meals is running into people that you may have served with and for whatever reason, you haven’t seen for years. It’s always fun to reminisce a little, as there are fun times in the military along with hard work.

As someone who spent almost 24 years in the United States Navy, I don’t always feel as though my service is appreciated. I’ve been homeless on more than one occasion for long periods of time, and despite having been healthy when I arrived at MEPS Shreveport back on March 9, 1985. I have a slew of medical problems now, and it’s always a stomp down, drag out affair when a claim is put in for disability. However I applaud them for giving me this opportunity to get (educationally) rehabilitated.

Despite all of the negative things I endure, the Veteran’s Day rewards are a reminder that there are those who appreciate all the family events missed, marital strains that many of us endured, all the way to not being at the bedside of a dying relative, also the nonsense bureaucracy that a wounded vet is guaranteed to go through upon returning home. To REALLY understand the commitment of America’s veterans you must wear the boots, or be a wife or child of a vet to understand the toll that it can take on them.

I am personally thankful for the Veteran’s Day rewards, because that’s the one time of the year when I realize that many really do appreciate our service.

NBA Opening Night 2015-16

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Anthony Hamilton

When I was younger, basketball was life for me, and despite playing in high school and college, the NBA season was, and still is my favorite time of year as far as sports are concerned; that’s when I get to watch my lifelong favorites; The Chicago Bulls as they begin their quest for the championship against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

I have also been a big fan of sports bars since my active duty Navy days, when we had the Super 8 Sports Bars on many of our bases. Opening Night was always a major draw for them. This time, my opening night would be spent at Buffalo Wild Wings, with an old friend from Rayville, Louisiana, who happened to be in town doing some contract work at the Texas Walmart Super center.

I was surprised that there weren’t more people at Buffalo Wild Wings on opening night, but for me, the lure of watching the game on the huge televisions while working on a plate of wings and fries was, as the old saying goes, an offer I couldn’t refuse.

The major story lines pregame were that LeBron James had missed a major portion of the preseason to rest a back injury, and hometown hero Derrick Rose, was also injured, having suffered a fractured eye socket in the Bulls’ first practice, courtesy of an accidental elbow from a teammate, however, both vowed to be ready, and both played. There was also a very distinguished visitor at courtside, as President Obama returned to Chicago to watch the game.

The game was a normal opening night game. The teams are usually not sharp, and in the Bulls case, a new head-coach and coaching staff, and a new philosophy of playing the game is a recipe for sloppy play. For those of us who follow the Bulls, it was very evident that they are still learning the new offense. They weren’t very good offensively  at all.

The game did end up being very competitive, and in the end, the trademark defense saved the day as Pau Gasol blocked a layup attempt by James to preserve a 97-95 win over the defending Eastern Conference Champions. It’s only one game, but there is a sense of excitement about the forthcoming season. Here’s to hoping that the tradition of good, entertaining basketball continues this season.