Olson on Ethics

The Political Science Junior Fellows brought in James Olson, the CIA’s former Director of Counterintelligence, to discuss the “Ethics of Espionage” to an audience of some 300  students, staff, faculty, and local citizens on Thursday, November 17, 2011.  Olson’s spirited lecture proved a hit with town and gown alike.

Olson’s ethics lecture involved extensive participation by students, who voted on the ethics of specific scenarios, ranging from the use of blackmail over sexual orientation to the use drugs to prompt suspects to divulge information relating to national security.

“It was a great discussion,” noted Political Science major Dana Baker.  “This was so interesting, it made me really think about things.”  Business major Joshua Smith agreed, noting that “the Ethics speaker was AMAZING!”

Students Engaged in the Discussion

The program was part of a larger speaker series spearheaded by Marketing Professor John Newbold.  Seeking to expose students to ethical scenarios that they were likely to face in the “real world,” Newbold partnered with colleagues Juliana Lilly and Mike Yawn to provide a multi-disciplinary look at ethics.  With the support of Dean Muehsam and the College of Business Administration (COBA)and the Political Science Junior Fellows, things began to fall into place.

Newbold and COBA sponsored the speeches of Gordon Massie, formerly of AIG, and Michael Young of Anadarko, while the Political Science Junior Fellows brought in Professor Olson.

Ethics Speaker Series

Olson was extraordinarily accommodating in his willingness to come to SHSU, with one provision: “Can I meet the famous Jim Olson of SHSU?”  “Yes,” replied the Junior Fellows, who quickly arranged an “Olson Meets Olson” meeting in the LSC Art Gallery (thanks Gayle Bullard!) following the ethics presentation.

Sam’s own Jim Olson provided a signed copy of his book, “John Wayne: American,” while TAMU’s Olson provided “our” Olson with a copy of his book: “Fair Play: The Moral Dilemmas of Spying,” which addresses 50 scenarios that Olson personally witnessed during his 25 year career in the CIA.

Olson Meets Olson--And Exchange Books!

Invited to the post-reception gathering were various Political Science students, Business students, and Criminal Justice students, making this an engaging interdisciplinary event.

COBA, CJ, CHSS, and Arts and Science Students with Professor Olson

At the reception, Junior Fellows’ officer Robert Loughran extended the interdisciplinary nature of the event to the fields of literature and popular culture, giving TAMU’s Jim Olson a signed book by Jeff Lindsay, “Double Dexter.”  Dexter, a popular television series, involves a serial killer who sublimates his killer tendencies by solving crimes for law-enforcement agencies.  Lindsay signed the book directly to Olson, writing, “Consider Dexter your 51st scenario!”

Dexter, Signed to Olson

“We were really happy with this event,” noted Junior Fellows’ President Christian Bionat.  “The students were very engaged, and the speaker was immensely interesting.  It was also really nice to have Sam Houston’s Jim Olson on hand, and we were very appreciative of the support by the Business and Criminal Justice faculty.  They did a great job of supporting this event, which is important, because it shows that a cross section of the University is concerned about ethics.”

The Political Science Junior Fellows are a multi-disciplinary organization that promotes professional development, education, and public service.

Olson’s lecture was part of a multi-disciplinary lecture series spearheaded by the College of Business Administration and involving the Junior Fellows, the World Affairs Council, and The College of Criminal Justice.

Melva Gomez Blog: Day 5

With today being our last day of the trip, I am going to reflect on some of our favorite stops along the way.

The restaurants that I was able to go were amazing. The way I choose my top three was based on my experience, service, food, and cleanliness.

Third: Constantine‘s in Mobile, Alabama. Though their hummus and pita chips were tasty, their charma chicken was messy–in a good way.  I would highly recommended if you by happen to be around Mobile, Alabama.

Second: Cafe Du Monde is right beside the Mississippi Port in New Orleans, Louisiana. From the seating area, you can see Jackson Square, Market Street, and the heart of the French Quarter.  The Beignets are the reason people come here!

First, the atmosphere at the Oceana Grill was lively and friendly. The food was the best I have ever had. It was here were I became a risk taker and had my first Oyster, ate Alligator sausage, tried Turtle soup and crème Brule. I was definitely stepping out of my comfort zone but the experience was worth it.

We went to three state Capitols: Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.  My favorite was the capitol in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, home of the tallest one in the United States. Aside from the height of the building, it also has attractive decorations, down even to the unique illustrations on the doors.

Louisiana State Capitol

Ironically, the Governor of Louisiana, Huey Long, was murdered here in 1935, the capitol that he had built.  The Capitol is 450 Feet Tall and has an amazing view from the 27^th floor. You can see the Mississippi Port and the bridge to your right and the beautiful downtown to your left.

Favorite States

Third: Louisiana. It is known for its Cajun food, it’s rich culture, and being the home of the LSU Tigers.  The weather was amazing and I really didn’t want our stay to end. I tired out several foods and expanded my horizons by visiting the World War II Museum and the state capitol.

Second: Mississippi. The state of Mississippi offered soul food, an interesting culture, and gorgeous views of nature. One of our more interesting stops was the Vicksburg National Military Park. This park has 1,800 acres filled with 1,300 monuments and is the largest National Military Cemetery of Union dead in the U.S., (17,000 graves). The park offered beautiful views of the sunset and the weather was perfect.

Junior Fellows at Vicksburg Battlefield

My favorite state was Georgia–particularly Savannah, which was filled with live oak trees branching together to make beautiful walking paths. Savannah has 21 unique squares and beautiful architecture.  it also has a beach about 15 minutes away, where we witnessed one of the most beautiful sunsets and picked up seashells.

The Beach at Tybee Island

Favorite Heights:

During this trip I challenged myself by facing my fear of heights.  We went to several high places during the trip, and these were my favorite:

Third: The Biloxi Lighthouse is an important icon and one of the most photographed structures in the southern United States. The staircase of the lighthouse was scary to climb because they were small, narrow, grated steps. But the view at the top was pretty, and it’s a photogenic structure.

Biloxi Lighthouse

Second: The Vulcan Statue’s view was breath taking and worth it, even though I had to walk around the grated top with 3-inch heels. I was on a structure that was more than 100 feet tall, overlooking the City of Birmingham, and I felt like a rock star!

Melva on the Vulcan Observatory Deck

First, Tybee Lighthouse was by far my favorite height. It was more than 150 feet tall with 178 stairs steps. The saving grace was that there is a resting platform every 25 steps.  But once you are at the top, you have an endless view of the Atlantic Ocean that is breathtaking.  It’s tough to describe just how gorgeous the view is, but it was sufficient to be my number-one height on the trip.

Melva on the Tybee Lighthouse Observation Deck

Will Phillips Blog: Day 5

Will Phillips
Sunday, November 13, 2011

What a trip!  Our last day began at 9:00 am in Jackson, Mississippi, where we spent some time at the Mississippi State Capitol…

Junior Fellows on the Capitol Steps, in Jackson, MS

and then to a statue of Medgar Evers, afamous black civil rights activist in the 1960’s.  From Jackson we went west for about an hour and a half and came into Vicksburg, Mississippi, where we spent a couple of hours exploring the LARGE Vicksburg Civil War Battlefield.

Junior Fellows at Texas Monument in the Vicksburg Battlefield

We finally came into Huntsville a tad before midnight.

Jackson, Mississippi stands in stark difference to Savannah, Georgia.   Where a lot of homes in Savannah have been renovated, Jackson has a bunch of old houses that appear to be uninhabitable.  Where Savannah seems to carry a lot of wealth, Jackson looks to be poverty stricken.   Where Savannah’s shops all looked beautiful and unique, Jackson’s stores had boarded windows and doors, and, in many cases, high fences with razor wire across the top.

Before we visited the Capitol we ate at Collins Dream Kitchen- Down Home Cookin’.  This was some of the best soul food I have ever had.  Along with my fried chicken I had a fluffy roll, corn, mac n’ cheese, and sweet tea, all of it home made.

After eating some soul food and visiting the Mississippi State Capitol, we trekked westward to Vicksburg, Mississippi where we not only toured the Civil War Battlefield, but we also saw the Vicksburg Old Courthouse and explored the Riverfront Murals.   The Vicksburg battlefield (AKA- Vicksburg National Military Park) was impressive in its beauty, size (16 mile private road), and (of course) its history.   The museum sits on 1700 acres and allows tourists to get a firsthand look at the vast field where the battle for Vicksburg took place.

The Illinois Monument at Vicksburg

The steep hills made it clear why it is tactically beneficial to gain higher ground when engaging the enemy.  Ryan Brim attempted to traverse one of these hills and in the process managed to lose his shoes.    There are hundreds of statues and monuments commemorating the different states and the people that fought in the 47-day battle; this makes the Vicksburg National Military Park one of the most heavily “monumented” parks in the world.

Sadly, the trip has ended, and I have been tasked to calculate my top three of everything:

Favorite Cities:

Third: Montgomery, Alabama; Alabama architecturally was a wonderful city, every building seems to have a unique look that is pleasing, but is also complementary to the whole cityscape.  And if anybody is interested in seeing some of the greatest ironies in the U.S., look no further than Montgomery, where on the same street you have a museum preserving the Confederate Whitehouse; yet no further than a ¼ mile, you have an impressive Civil Rights Museum and Memorial.

Alabam State Capitol

Second: New, Orleans; New Orleans, is just different, and that makes it interesting to see.   Oddly the city’s dirty look is actually its hidden beauty.   The old buildings contrast nicely with the homeless person talking to himself on a bench.  The City has character.  Now I haven’t been to all major cities in the US, but I would be surprised to hear a city that literally takes on a life of its own.   Not only is there a coalescing of races, but you are in a city where religious symbols are omnipresent…right next to fortune tellers, street entertainers, and Bourbon Street. What I am getting at is that New Orleans allows polar opposites to coexist.

First: Savannah, Georgia; I would have loved to have spent more time in Savannah exploring and walking the different parks, but I did get just enough of a taste of Savannah that I can say with confidence that Savannah offers beauty, intrigue, and history that makes it a must for anyone and everyone to come and see.

Favorite Cautionary Tales

Second: When visiting the F. Scott Fitzgerald home (at night), we almost decided to enter the front door, which was unlocked.  Of course, we were also looking in the windows of the home/museum.  It was only later that we saw that two cars were parked in the garage, along with other signs of life (e.g., BBQ Pit).  Apparently, the museum is also a home to someone.

First:While walking through the Louisiana State Museum, Christian Bionat and I came across a display for the LSU Tigers.  LSU the weekend prior had just come off that loss from Alabama Crimson Tide.  Christian, upon seeing the display, mistakenly confused “Roll Tide!” as LSU’s chant. Thankfully, he did not repeat the chant around any of LSU’s more rabid fans, and we were able to escape unharmed.

Ryan Brim Blog: Day 5

Ryan Brim
Sunday, November 13, 2011

Day 5 of our Deep South Trip was mostly driving, although we did go to the Vicksburg Battlefield in Vicksburg, MS, the Capitol Building in Jackson, MS, and the Medgar Evers’ statue, also in Jackson, MS.

Medgar Evers Statue

Some of my favorites throughout the trip have been:

Top 3 Cities:

3) Baton Rouge, LA– It is the capitol of Louisiana and has the coolest capital that I have visited yet. (I’ve been to six.)

2) Savannah, GA– Savannah is home to many famous people, movies, books, history, and very cool houses.

1) New Orleans, LA-I love Cajun food and I love the city in general.

 

Top 3 Restaurants:

3) Collins Dream Kitchen (Jackson, MS)–I had the ribs, Green Beans, and Corn.  The ham hock was also interesting:

Ham Hock, Sausage and Rice, Greens, and Candied Yams

2) Oceana (New Orleans, LA)–Oysters, Alligator Sausage, Turtle Soup, and Crab CakeFettucine.

1) Café du Monde (New Orleans, LA)–Beignets & Hot Chocolate. Yum!

Top 3 “Heights”:

3) Baton Rouge Capitol (Baton Rouge, LA)

2) Vulcan Statue (Birmingham, AL)

1) Tybee Beach Lighthouse (Tybee Island, GA)

Favorite State Capitol:

The Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge has been my favorite state capitol so far this trip. It is the tallest state capital in the U.S.It has 34 floors and is 450 feet tall!

Thanks for following us on our Deep South Trip! We really appreciate your support.

Christian Bionat Blog: Day 5

Christian Bionat
November 13, 2011

It’s our fifth and last day of the Savannah trip, which has been a fantastic adventure through the Deep South of the United States.  Today, I’ll list my favorites of the trip.

Favorite Food/Restaurants

Honorable Mention: For honorable mention, I awarded this to City Market Cafe in Macon, Georgia for their onion rings. These were the best onion rings I have ever had. There were not any particular seasonings or spices added it was I believe, the way in which they were cooked that made them so good: simply crispy, crunchy, and delicious.

Third: Placing third was Tomatino’s Pizza and Bake Shop located in Montgomery, Alabama for their Bianca Pizza. The Bianca pizza was a Mediterranean styled pizza with Canadian bacon and feta cheese. The design of the restaurant offered a nice cozy feel to go along with the surprisingly tasty pizza.
Second: The second place award in the food category belongs to Collin’s Deam Kitchen in Jackson, MS for their Turkey Legs. They were slow cooked and topped with country gravy and seasoned with home-styled ingredients. I had this meal with corn, green beans, and a side of corn bread. The sweet iced tea topped the delicious home-styled southern meal.

Collins Dream Kitchen: Turkey Wings, Corn, and Green Beans

And don’t forget the art work at this soul food restaurant!

Christ on the Cross in Collins Dream Kitchen

First: And first place in the food category belongs to…Oceana Grill in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana for their Cajun Jambalaya Pasta and the Alligator Sausage. These dishes highlighted the Cajun style we all expected, with a splash of spice.

Favorite Capitol Building

We only went to three state capitols (Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi), so I am going to simply list my favorite.

First:  The Louisiana State Capitol easily won this award. We visited the Louisiana State Capitol the first day, which set the bar for state capitols high (literally). The Art Deco styled building was beautiful and was complemented with the observation deck feature that the other capitols lacked. In addition, a monument for Huey Long was within the capitol grounds adding to the historic nature of the building.

Favorite City

I evaluated the cities on building design, history, and overall tourist experience.

Third: Taking third place for my favorite city was Vicksburg in Mississippi. We toured Vicksburg on the fifth day of our journey and visited the Civil War Battlefield Museum and the murals on the levee. This historic city was the site of a major battle during the civil war which gave the Union complete control of the Mississippi River. The designs of many of the homes were classical and aesthetically pleasing while enhancing the overall historic theme of the city.

Second: Montgomery, Alabama took second place. This city was beautiful and historically amazing to visit. There were many civil rights monuments and ironically confederate historical markers as well throughout the city.

Capitol at Night

First: Savannah, Georgia earns the first place finish boasting the historical architecture of city as well as its history. I instantly fell in love with the Spanish Mossy Oak that surrounds the Savannah region as well. The statues at each square, the famous Mercer-Williams house, Forrest Gump, The Waving Girl, and Forsyth Park put Savannah on top. Not to mention having access to Tybee Island only 15 minutes away. If I was not in Texas, I would be in Savannah. This city has made me feel at home more than any other place I have visited. I would recommend everyone to visit Savannah, Georgia.

Favorite Statues/Memorials

The following are my top three picks of statues and memorials from our trip.

Third: The Civil War Battle of Vicksburg earns third place honors. We visited the battlefield on day five of our trip and the 16 mile national park created a wondrous memorial to the lives lost during the Vicksburg campaign both on the confederate and union sides.

Confederate Monument in Montgomery

Two: The Flame of Freedom in Montgomery, Alabama marked the memorial for all the Alabama war veterans. Although a relatively small memorial compared to other sites we visited, the eternal flame was sentimentally special to me. The Flame of Freedom takes home second place.

First: I awarded the Vulcan Statue from Birmingham, Alabama first place in the statue and memorial category. The Vulcan Statue represented the Birmingham industry and was built on a hill that overlooks the city. The monument evoked signs of power, strength, and industry. The shear height and design put this statue as one of my favorite places and the symbolism launches it to first place.

The Vulcan

Favorite Musician Memorials

During our trip we had visited several musician memorials such as the Johnny Mercer statue, Hank Williams statue, Jimmie Rodgers’ home, and Otis Redding memorial. However, I will only name my top choice.

First: The Otis Redding memorial in Macon, Georgia takes home the top honor. Redding’s number one hit, “Sitting at the Dock by the Bay” is a classic that my father introduced to me. His memorial was near the entrance of a park with his songs playing from an in-ground speaker. Macon, Georgia has really memorialized Redding and his music.

Otis Redding and the Junior Fellows

Favorite Height Sites:

It seemed that a lot of the sites we saw reached to the sky.  In fact, we did see a lot of sky-scraping sites.  Below are my favorite:

Third: Biloxi Lighthouse in Biloxi, Mississippi takes home third place. The lighthouse illumined the night sky for sea dwellers as well and stood as a symbol of hope after Hurricane Katrina.

Second: The Vulcan Statue placed second in my favorite heights category. The monument stood 123 feet tall including its pedestal. The view overlooked the city of Birmingham and its observation deck, made of grated steel, provided some excitement to the height.

First: Tybee Lighthouse finished first overall in the heights category. The lighthouse, located on Tybee Island near Savannah, was the site of a military fortification. However, the lighthouse, standing 154 feet tall, allowed for tourist and visitors to see for miles around. The height and view of Tybee Lighthouse was just breath-taking. I would love to have vacationed at Tybee and the lighthouse adds to the beauty of the island.

Favorite Blooper

This category depicts my favorite mishap during our Deep South tour.

1. My favorite blooper of the trip took place in Birmingham, Alabama. After pulling out from a parking lot following our dinner, we came to the intersection where our vehicle could jump onto the main road. And at this 4-way intersection, there was a stop sign. Now the odd part of the stop sign was that there was also a traffic light to tell us when to go. We all found this quite interesting to have a stop sign and a traffic light at the same intersection.

We're So Confused! An Intersection with a green light and stop sign.

Thanks to all our readers and we hope you stay tuned for our next adventure from the Sam Houston State University Political Science Junior Fellows! Until next time….

Christian Bionat Blog: Day 4

Christian Bionat
Saturday, November 12, 2011

Day four. This trip has been going by a lot quicker than I thought it would, and I can contribute that to the amount of fun we are having and the chemistry our group has. We are lucky to have such a group that has been flexible and compatible with each other.

We began day four noticeably slower than most days (at least Will and I did); we did not need to be packed and ready to go until about 10:25 am, so most of our morning consisted of getting dressed, packing, and watching ESPN highlights from Veterans Day. At about 10:25 we left the hotel and were on our way to the Georgia Political Science Association convention at the Double Tree Hotel near E. Bay St. We arrived just in the nick of time for the start of our sessions. The topic I chose to attend was “The US role in the 21^st Century”.

There were two panelists, the panel chair, and a discussant who evaluated each of the presented papers.  The first panelist came from Georgia Ginnwest College, and he presented his research on our nuclear proliferation policy with regard to Iran and North Korea.  His presentation was intriguing, and the audience was engaged throughout.  The second panelist discussed his research on NATO-Russial relationships.  He did a particularly good job presenting, but both papers were informative and interesting.

After the presentations, the discussant began his critique of the research, offering suggestions for improvements.  Following the panel discussion, I was able to pose questions to both presenters.  Both papers interested me, and they both related to the lectures of my International Relations class (taught by Dr. Jason Enia).

I had a great experience at the GPSA and it made me interested in creating my own research paper and presenting it for professional feedback.

After the conference, we left Savannah to begin our return voyage home. Our first stop came at Macon, GA. We stopped in to eat lunch at the Market City Café, where I ordered a club sandwich and their self-proclaimed “world’s best onion rings”. That’s a lofty self claim, but after eating the onion rings, I agree with their assessment.

The town itself was beautiful and peaceful (think Austin without the hippies). The buildings all seemed to have their own personality or that the city felt like it had its own personality and was shared through the architecture of the buildings. I had never seen so many greek-revival styled homes in the same area, but all were amazing to see. We had also visited “The Cannonball House” so named when it was struck by cannonballs with futility during the Civil War.  One hundred fifty years later, it is still standing.

After Macon, Georgia, we traveled to Birmingham, Alabama. Some of you know that I had went to school in Alabama for my first year in college, so Birmingham was no stranger to me. However, I had never visited the tall and mighty symbol of the industrial town–The Vulcan Statue. The massive statue was placed on top of a hill that overlooked the greater Birmingham area.

We had arrived there around 8:00 pm so from the statue all we could see were the city lights.

Birmingham at Night

To get to the observation deck of the statue, we had to ride in a glass elevator, a ride that scared our acrophobic brethren. When we arrived at the top, the first thing I noticed was the steel grated floor that made up the observation deck. The ground could be seen through the floor of the observation deck. I was not pleased with this situation so I moved myself to brace the wall, hoping that staying close to the statue’s mantle would prevent me from falling.

Christian the Ninja

The view can be compared to what we saw at the Tybee Lighthouse at Tybee Island in Georgia. We could see for miles; however the Vulcan statue was a lot more windy and challenged us as we took photographs.

 

After a few more hours of driving we are now in Jackson, Mississippi and we are all excited to see what tomorrow has in store for us. Until tomorrow…

 

Will Phillips Blog: Day 4

Will Phillips
Saturday, November 12, 2011:

Following the conference presentations, our time was spent mostly on the road, with us making stops in Macon, Georgia; Birmingham, Alabama; and Meridian, Mississippi.  Having these stops helps make the road trip go by quicker, even though it doesn’t actually change the time in the car.

We spent much our previous night discussing sports, which meant that we didn’t finish our blogs until about 4:00 am.  Consequently, we slept in a bit, and prepared for our conference.

The Georgia Political Science Association conference was being held at the Double Tree Hotel, in Savannah’s historic district.  They offered panels covering multiple and diverse topics, allowing each of the students to pursue their own interests.  This being my first conference, I wasn’t particularly sure how these things worked. I was under the impression that scholars would be presenting final products of their research; but it is actually an opportunity for the researchers to be critiqued by not only the panelists and discussant, but also the audience as well, with the hope of improving their work.

For example, in one of the panels, “Implementing Policy at the Local Levels of Government,” each reader (four in this case) had 10-15 minutes to explain the outlines of their research, share their results, and explain the significance of their project.  Once this was done, the discussant offered a critique and suggestions to each panelist.

When I discussed this with Professor Yawn, he pointed out that the criticism may at times sound harsh, but it is only offered to help the researcher improve their research prior to submitting it for publication.  It is preferable, he noted, to be criticized for mistakes that can be fixed now, than to be rejected for publications because of mistakes that weren’t considered.

Of course, many of the mistakes aren’t “mistakes” at all.  Much of the panel criticism involves brainstorming ways to expand or refine the research.  For example, one paper by Saundra J. Reinke, “Ready, Willing, and Able? Evaluating the Preparation and Training of Nonprofit Managers,” was a strong descriptive study of the challenges faced by non-profit managers in staying current on all aspects of their job.  One idea floated for expanding the study, however, was to interview/survey members of non-profits’ boards of directors to get another perspective on training needs and constraints.

Another example of this process is illustrated by a panelist’s research on “urban sprawl” in Gwinnett County.  She explored various possibilities for Gwinnett County’s unprecedented growth, but purposefully excluded the impact of the interstate.  She had her reasons for doing this, but the other panelists and discussant felt strongly that it had to be included. This was the interesting part of the panel session, and I liked it a lot.

Afterward, we stopped in Macon, Georgia, where we ate at the Market Square Cafe and saw a statue of one of Macon’s own, Otis Redding.

Otis Redding

We finished our evening with stops at the Vulcan, in Birmingham, Alabama

The Vulcan, Birmingham, AL

and Jimmie Rodgers‘ hometown of Meridian, MS.

Jimmie Rodgers Marker

From Johnny Mercer to Otis Redding to Jimmie Rodgers, it was a long day.

Melva Gomez Blog, Day 4

Melva Gomez
Saturday, November 12, 2011

Today was my first Political Science conference in Savannah, Georgia. The weather was beautiful and nothing or no one was about to change that. Stephanie, Ryan and I enjoyed some sweet fellowship at “Goose Feather café “. I would highly recommend visiting it if you ever visit Savannah, Georgia. Their Turkey and cheese croissants are yummy as are their pumpkin spice coffee and their bread pudding.

As we were making our way over to the Double tree Hotel I started to feel butterflies in my tummy! The excitement of the conference was getting to me, and I wanted to learn more about how professional conferences are run, and what the presentations are like.

As I stepped inside, I saw people dressed in suits, and talking in pairs, enjoying conversation and, often, a coffee.  In the “Executive Boardroom” the audience was faced with a panel of four students and a couple of teachers. Each individual was from Mercer University and presented their perspective stance on the 20^th century political thought. Once they were done, the discussion chair and the audience asked them questions about their presentation.  Some of the exchanges became heated, while others were simple exchanges of ideas.  The experience really motivated me to expand my horizons and challenge myself to do some more research focusing on our government. When was the last time that you looked up the most recent bills? Have you looked up who your local officials or state-wide elected officials are?  I challenge you: Once you are done reading my blog, go to your local library or teacher and ask them questions over your local and federal government.

After the conference presentations, we had a long drive to Mississippi, where we were planning to spend the night en route to Texas.  To pass the time, we enjoyed several games of catch phrase, exchanged thoughts on the conference, and watched “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.”

We also took time to visit the Vulcan Statue in Birmingham, Alabama.  The Vulcan is the world’s largest cast-iron statue and is one of the most memorable works of civic art.  The statue is 50 tons, stands atop Red Mountain, and was designed by Giuseppe Moretti.  To look from the observation deck, you take a nerve-wracking trip up a glass elevator.  The deck is more than 100 feet above the mountain, but the views are worth it.

Melva Overlooking Birmingham

I should add: Ladies, this is not a statue where you want to use high heels—unless you want to walk around on your tiptoes, that is.  The deck is grated, making it difficult for those in heels and those afraid of heights.  You really cannot beat those views, however.

Tomorrow is our last day, and it’s back to school.  It’s been exhausting, but it’s also been very educational, enormously interesting, and a lot of fun.

Ryan Brim, Day 4

Ryan Brim
Saturday, November 12, 2011

Today we (Mom and I) went to the City Market in Savannah.  We had dessert (bread pudding) for breakfast at Goosefeathers Café, and then we walked around an art fair sponsored by the Telfair Museum.  We picked out some interesting homemade pottery and jewelry for early Christmas gifts and looked at several art and photography booths.

Marilyn Monroe, Savannah City Market

Then, we got back on the road.  We (everyone) ate at a small restaurant in Macon, Georgia by the name of Market City Café. I had a grilled two-cheese sandwich.  It was good and I would recommend it to everyone who is in the area or is close by.

It’s also worth noting that Otis Redding, who sang Sitting on the Dock of the Bay,  is from Macon, Georgia.  They have a statue of him near the river, with a dock nearby.

Junior Fellows with Otis Redding

The second Place and the last place that we went to is the Vulcan Statue in Birmingham, Alabama. It was chilly and a little bit windy, but not as bad as last January. It did not seem as bad except when you look over the rails (which I didn’t). The Vulcan is 56 feet tall, and on top of the 124-foot base, he’s over 180 feet in the air.

For the rest of the evening, on our way to the different towns, we watched the movie “In the Garden of Good and Evil” which Will had the foresight to bring along.   I really enjoyed it but I thought it is probably an even better book.

It is late now so I bid you farewell.  Goodnight.  Or, goodnight.  Or, goodnight.

Christian Bionat Blog, Day 3

Day three of our adventurous trip to Savannah began after Will and I got to do what we call “sleeping in,” and what others call “oversleeping.”  After a bit of scolding after we finally awoke, Will, Melva, Ryan, and I went on an Old Town Trolley tour that visited the sites in the historical districts of Savannah. The trolley tour took a little over two hours to complete and was detoured many times due to the ongoing Veterans Day Parade.  However, we were still able to view the sites listed on their map. My favorite location was Chippewa Square where part of Forrest Gump was shot. I also found the grid square system that was developed fascinating. This particular method was used to tactically divide the area to allow the troops to fight at a square and then retreat to another square not more than 150 yards away.

I was amazed at the beauty of the buildings and homes in Savannah, some dating back to the late 18^th century. All of the styles varied and were decorated by the overcast shadows from the Spanish Mossy Oak trees (also beautifully majestic) that populated the city. Another part that I enjoyed was the fact that we had the opportunity to see the Mercer-Williams house, which was featured in the movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, starring Kevin Spacey and John Cusack. The trolley tour also took us by the 5-star hotel called The Mansion, adjacent to Forsyth Park. The Mansion, an 18,000 square-foot home, used to belong to a single family but has now been transformed into a famous hotel visited by many.

The desire for lunch quickly attacked the four of us as the trolley tour came to an end, so we decided to hop onto another one and get off near River Street, a prime restaurant location. The four of us chose to eat at a tavern called The Cotton Exchange that overlooks the Savannah River. After settling in at The Cotton Exchange, the one dish that seemed to be continuously ordered was the Onion Soup, so after jumping on the bandwagon, I ordered the French Onion Soup, too. It was one of the best soups I have ever tasted. For my entrée, I had blackened bleu burger which was just as delicious. I would have no problem recommending The Cotton Exchange to anyone looking for a nice lunch overlooking the river in a tavern-styled building.

Along East River Street is a statue of the Waving Girl. The Waving Girl has been a landmark to many sailors, welcoming any inward voyaging vessels or bidding ships good luck as they exit the port. The statue measured 12 feet tall with a 5-foot tall dog at its side. This was really pleasant to see.

Around 3:50pm we took a short car ride to nearby Tybee Island, the home of the Tybee Lighthouse. The 154-foot tall beacon was erected in 1736 and has been a means of guidance ever since. We were also able to tour the lighthouse, traveling up the six flights of stairs to the top (178 steps). The observation deck was open and tourists were able to step outside and enjoy the beautiful view of Tybee Island.

Lighthouse on Tybee island

In comparison to Biloxi’s 65-foot lighthouse, Tybee’s won without contest, but I preferred the Biloxi Lighthouse’s story of perseverance and resiliency as it has weathered Hurricane Katrina’s storm and remains a symbol of hope to Mississippians.

The beach on Tybee, however, was prettier.

Junior Fellows Tybee Island

We completed the evening at the sister restaurant to The Cotton Exchange, One-Eyed Lizzy’s. We ordered a dozen oysters on the half shell and I ordered chopped sirloin as my entrée. I received a rather uncooked sirloin and after eating most of the sides, the restaurant was more than happy to fix my meal and comped us with a delicious warm bourbon pecan pie.

And we are now one day closer to the GPSA’s convention. We should be getting up fairly early tomorrow, so until then!