Welcome 2018. Stream on in.

We're near halftime of the Orange Bowl, and I've had some things on my mind lately, mainly involving the evolution of entertainment.

I made the decision recently to no longer attend movies in the theater. It's just not the same. People used to act respectfully of others when they went to the movies. Now it's so easy to get a movie at home, people act like they are still at home when they go to the movies. The last straw on my last trip to the movies was when the guy in the row behind me and a few seats over put his feet up on the back of the seats at one point. I've decided to take advantage of being able to order a movie at home on DirecTV and I'm waiting for "The Last Jedi" to become available on DirecTV Cinema. I recently ordered "Victoria and Abdul" and it was tremendous.

I've also gotten more into the streaming revolution recently. My main resolution last year was to watch the entire "Blake's 7" series. For those that don't know, Blake's 7 is a British science fiction series that aired from 1977-1981. Sadly it has not been released on DVD here in region 1. My original plan last Christmas was to buy a multi-region Blu-ray player and purchase a Region 2 DVD set, but upon learning that it was available on YouTube, I changed the plan to getting an internet connected player. Several months ago, I connected a Google Chromecast to my TV and made that part of my Blu-ray player redundant, but the Blu-ray player still comes in useful.

Other than YouTube, I also have streamed some games on Watch ESPN, which happily DirecTV sorted out their rights issues a few years ago and it's available with my DirecTV subscription.

It wasn't until this spring that I made my foray into paid streaming services. My first was WWE Network. I had only previously used a free trial to watch my one appearance on the WWE Network. 1989 Clash of the Champions VIII in the old Carolina Collisium, during the match between Dr. Death Steve Williams and Mike Rotunda, the camera at one point is on the crowd and you can make out a young I think long at the time blond headed young man, who was a big celebrity at the next band practice because of it. After receiving a somewhat large inheritance this spring and getting a few raises over the years I decided I was tired of following the"Pay-per-view" events on Twitter. I have since also become a regular viewer of "205 Llive" and "NXT", but other than the current live or taped wrestling events, I don't really have any interest in past events or any of thier other programming.

My second streaming service was CBS all-access, and as you might have guessed the main reason was for "Star Trek: Discovery". I started, then backed out, then recommitted to (re) watching "Deep Space Nine". I don't recall being a regular viewer when it first aired and also I don't want to pay $5.99/month for just one show. And I do the $5.99 because I don't mind watching commercials if it saves me $4/month.

My lastest service is Britbox. $6.99/month and run by the BBC and iTV. I'm currently enjoying Rowan Attkinson's "Blackadder", of which I had previously only seen clips. Also with UNC-TV recently dropping some of my favorite Brit-coms, it's good to have a back-up. I recently ordered "Red Dwarf XII" (another British science fiction series...this is a comedy) on DVD but I ordered it with a pre-order of the uncompleted due to a stike "Doctor Who: Shada" and I neglected to chose "I want my items faster". So I will most likely stream that.

Well the Orange Bowl is back on and an exciting game so I will wrap things up.

No real resolutions this year. The usual suspects if clean my house, eat right, exercise..

Bowl possibilities

I thought about combining my bowl talk with a prediction of the USC Clemson game, but I'm going to hold off on that.

I'm currently watching Alabama and Mississippi State after Georgia lost to Auburn and wondering how it affects the Gamecocks Bowl possibilities, and I don't think it changes much.

We can rule out a return trip to Birmingham and the Independence Bowl as those two bowls are the bottom of the barrel so to speak.

After the playoffs and New Year's Six bowls make their selection, the Citrus Bowl has the next selection and then the Outback, Texas, Belk, Liberty, Music City and bowl formerly known as the Gator Bowl (I won't call it anything else) form a pool and decide between themselves and the SEC hanchos who goes where.

I think that whoever win the sec Championship between Georgia and either Alabama or Auburn goes to the playoffs and the other two get in the new years six.

If the Gamecocks can win out, beating Wofford and Clemson, I think a 9-3 Gamecock team is very attractive to the Citrus Bowl.

If not the Citrus, we will certainly be in the "pool of six".

I think the Belk Bowl in Charlotte is out because we started the season in Charlotte and it wouldn't be much of a reward for our players to go back, even if the Belk Bowl wants us. Our ties to Houston Texans owner Bob McNair might pull some strings, but I still think the Texas Bowl will chose an SEC West team. Jacksonville, Memphis and Nashville are good destinations, but I like the idea of playing on New Year's Day. So I'm setting my heart on a return to Tampa and the Outback Bowl and I'd like to play Michigan State as I've seen in one projection.

I've already requested and been granted January 1st off as well as December 29th and 30th, so I think I have all my bases covered. My prediction is we play on New year's Day, either in the Citrus or Outback Bowl.

Happy Birthday to me!!!!

I have notbblogged in a long time, and I decided to do a general birthday blog. If I do a political blog, you will fall into one of two categories......I'm either preaching to the choir or my words will fall on deaf ears. So I'll just stick to birthday stuff.

We had the Great eclipse here in the states yesterday. Mostly family plus a few guests in the field between my house and my parents. It was truly awe inspiring. Those who know me know that I am not religious. I consider myself a Christian in terms of "Do until others" and "Love they Neighbor"; the ones the Religious right conveniently forget or think only apply to other devout Christians. I do not, however, believe in a "creator". I believe in the Big bang theory, and evolution. I have, however, recently become more interested in of all things..... Astrology!

I never paid much attention to horoscopes. I was always told that I was a Leo. When I would read descriptions of Leo's, however, some qualities fit but others were kinda off the mark. Later in life, I investigated Virgo, and it was the same story. A while ago I became aquainted with the cusp horoscopes. The period between about August 19th- August 25th is known as the Cusp of Exposure. When I read a description of someone born during this time....it's like I'm reading an autobiography. I have also joined a Facebook group and it's amazing the experiences we share. I am more of a believer in Astrology that I was before.

Speaking of birthdays, I was very jealous of a young man whos mother was picking up his birthday supplies.

He had a pirate cake and a ton of pirate themed balloons and one balloon in the shape of the number 8. I immediately told the customer that I loved pirates and that "8" was my favorite number. It is also, in hindsight, my favorite age. I first became aware that I was attracted to boys when I was 8.

In elementary school at age 8 I had two friends in a sort of "gang". Paul was our leader, Brad was second in command and I was third. Considering I'm a bottom as an adult it makes sense. Paul, Brad and I would meet at the top of these huge monkey bars (I must have really liked these boys because I was and always have been terrified of heights).

Brad was not here on this particular day. Paul was a teller of tall tales and his favorite was to tell us that he was an East German spy. Those of you who are younger probably don't remember when there was an East and West Germany. Anyway Paul told me that he was getting a call......in his underwear. So he climbed down the monkey bars and went over to the corner of the play ground and unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. I was very titillated by this and also wanted to know what else was in his underpants.

Also there was a game show called "Whew!" when I was growing up. No one remembers this show but me. The bonus round was the "Gauntlet of Villians" and my favorite was #8-- Jeremy Swash the pirate.

An obscure note to end on, but that's where the story ends. Happy Birthday to me and my fellow cuspians!

General dilemma

I am a proud graduate of Wade Hampton High School. I am a marching General from one of the most successful eras in Wade Hampton's marching band history. When I first heard of the petition to change the name of MY school, I was upset. They're being overly sensitive. What's in a name. You'd have to change a lot more names of schools, roads, and places. Then I thought of my stance on similar issues and I realized, I am being hypocritical and selfish.

I was 100% in favor of taking the conferderate flag off State house grounds. If you want to fly the conferderate flag in your back yard, front porch; put bumper stickers on your car or fly it from the bed of your pickup truck; you have every right to do so and as much as I disagree with you I will be the first in line to defend your right to do so. Flying it on the statehouse​ grounds or before that on the State capital dome was different. Our statehouse repersents all South Carolinians. Some find the confederate flag offensive. If you don't, that's your opinion. Flying it at our statehouse, however, was a black eye on our state. It not only hurt us financially through boycotts, but also just looked bad. We saw the benefits of removing the flag by getting part of the NCAA basketball tournament here in Greenville.

I also applaud removing statues of so-called confederate "heroes". And while it's not exactly the same issue, I will not watch or record games played by the Washington NFL team because I find this mascot to be a racial epithet. When I finished my college degree at USC Upstate, we were transitioning from the USC Spartanburg Rifles to the USC Upstate Spartans; a move of which I approved.

So considering all this, how can I possibly object to changing the name of Wade Hampton High School? I can't. The fact that I graduated from Wade Hampton High School doesn't change. I will always be able to say that. The building I went to school in is long gone.

I will not actively campaign to change the name of my school. I cannot in good conscience, however, stand in the way or object to efforts to do so. My biggest political pet peeve is hypocracy, and I was committing it.