This week's Tarheel Tavern is going to be featured at Nothing Could Be Finer this weekend.

That blog is operated by Stephen Burr of Charlotte (I think). Now that name sounds very familiar. I wonder if he ran for elected office in Charlotte some time in the past...

Yes, there it is. He ran on the Libertarian ticket for NC House district 103 in 2004. 1,087 votes. The Republican in that won got 18,195; while the token Democrat got 12,463. And Stephen thought that was a "good showing." I don't know -- it was a huge loss, Stephen. I guess it's a good start, but the Libertarians need a lot more than a "start" now.

I do commend you for trying, Stephen, and being willing to fight the cesspool that is the North Carolina Legislature. Please do try again, even if you have to run as a Republican to get elected and then switch your affiliation once you're in!

But the point of this post is that Stephen's 6th wedding anniversary. Congratulations, Stephen! Everyone head over to his blog and wish him a happy day! Therefore, he's made the "theme" (optional) of this week's Tarheel Tavern "Special Days." For my special day, I'll mention the first time I saw North Carolina that I remember. I know as a child we drove through North Carolina once or twice -- normally only seeing the signs that told us how far it was to "South of the Border" where we could get fireworks.

The first time I came to North Carolina to stay for an extended period was in the late 1980s. I had spent 12 weeks in South Carolina at the surprisingly unpopular tourist destination of Parris Island. After that time, I was sent to Millington, TN (next to Memphis) for some training on how engines worked for a few months.

After that I went to an "advanced" school in Jacksonville, FL for a couple more months to REALLY learn about engines. However, our instructor was a Navy boy who was a short-timer, so we didn't do much but go to the beach.

Finally I was sent to my "permanent" duty station at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, NC. For those who don't know that area, it's a part of North Carolina near the coast that no one wanted. It is overgrown forest and swampland. Since no one else wanted that land, they gave it to the Marine Corps.

Upon arrival at the air station, as a new Marine, fully trained, of course I was excited. I arrived in the late fall, November, as I recall. The state looked beautiful. Of course, at the time, I hadn't been reading the doom and gloom that the daily newspapers now print...well, daily.

I had personally visited with President Ronald Reagan at boot camp, who inspired us more than you can imagine. I knew little about politics, but I knew when I was in the presence of greatness.

North Carolina in the fall is beautiful. The weather's not extreme -- cold or hot. There's almost never snow in that area of North Carolina, so it was a nice, mild winter. The weather was great. The people were...well, Marines, so you knew they were great.

So that was my first impression of North Carolina, from 20 years ago. I've come and gone from North Carolina in the last 20 years, but I've yet to find another reason to like the state -- the weather is nice. The politics are horrible, there is very little freedom, but hey, the weather's nice -- and that's the biggest thing that keeps North Carolina from returning to being an overgrown forest and swamp.

Stephen, thanks for hosting!

Posted by: Ogre at 11:04 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
Post contains 622 words, total size 4 kb.

1 Thank you very much for the kind words, and for mentioning my blogsite. Now, as for whether 3.4% of the vote in 2004 was a good showing or not, look even further back to 2000, in the District 6 Co. Commission race. I only got 2.7% of the vote there. So, over 4 years, my vote percentage went up 26%! If I get the same increases in vote percentages and run for office every 4 years, why, I'll break the 40% mark (enough to win in a 3-way race, theoretically) around 2048. And I'll only be 76 years old! Woo hoo!!!!! ;-) Later, Cicero (aka Stephen Burr)

Posted by: Cicero at October 07, 2005 04:56 PM (S35wq)

2 I certainly don't think you should give up, I just want to find some way for you to WIN on that ticket!

Posted by: Ogre at October 08, 2005 07:49 AM (iJFc9)

3 LOL! South of the Border signs, huh? And South of the Border was actually in South Carolina. We were only home to the signs, not even privileged to claim the place! I laugh because one of my dirty secrets is that I worked there one summer in the late 70s. I love the politics in N.C. - so wonderfully weird and strangely balanced, most years! I remember my daddy voted for Mondale and Jesse Helms in the same election. That's North Carolina politics for ya. Purple state.

Posted by: Laurie at October 10, 2005 04:37 PM (hT4+I)

4 Mondale and Jesse Helms? Laurie, was your Daddy a moonshiner? Thanks for stopping by!

Posted by: Ogre at October 10, 2005 05:06 PM (iJFc9)

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