Here's a question.

I also heard the reference to the bleachers by Clifton Webb as Waldo Lydecker in the film Laura (1944) so its not a new word: the bleachers are the cheaper seats high in the stadium where average Joe watches the game with his wife/girlfriend and their children if any. But why bleachers?

Because they're out in the sun, as apposed to the covered "good" seats and you get bleached white in the sun...

At least that's what my dad told me a long time ago.

That's the Southern Cross,the battle flag of the Confederacy,it was introduced because the "Stars and Bars" looked too much like The Stars and stripes,http://thumbnails.imagebam.com/6023/b26b9060229106.gif

Sorry, you took a breath of air that was once Confederate air at some point in your life, so someone will be insulted by that. :rolleyes:

Well, the short answer is ...yes. I was trying to be kind in my post, but yes, racism is still deeply rooted in these people's attitudes. Unfortunately. Of course the rebel flag is still used by the KKK, it's their main backdrop. My mother was from West Virginia, and she used to tell me about how she saw the crosses burning. My grandfather used to carry a shotgun broke over his arm in the street, and if a black man didn't say, "Good morning, Mr. Baker, sir", he might catch something he wasn't chasing. My Uncle Bernard went to prison for shooting a black man in the head outside of town, then he beat another one to death in the prison there. He died in prison, I was the one who took the call when it happened. They weren't playing, this was their reality and belief. Unfortunately, it still is today for some people I know down here. I myself voted for Barack Obama in the last election, and I have to say, that don't make me the most popular person in town. The streets were covered in McCain signs. A lot of the rant and raves in the local paper still refer to Obama as a Muslim, and all that nonsense. No, racism is still alive and well down yonder.

Well, it was a little different in Jersey. A "Coke" was a brand name, if you said give me a coke", you'd get a Coca Cola. A soda could mean coke, or root beer, ot Dr. Pepper, or whatever..they were all sodas. But I don't hold it against you, after all, you were just from Pennsylvania. :D:D:D

Hoping to avoid flames here, but if you read the motions for secession and the speeches made to pass them, they all almost universally say that the issue of slavery is the reason. Any mention of "States Rights" was in the form of "the State's Right to keep slaves".

(My apologies to the staff if that was too political.)

It's consistent with what little I know (mainly from a biography of President Lincoln called Lincoln The Unknown). The history of the CSA obviously has a bearing on the discussion. Originalsman's point is addressed, and with reasonable politeness as is only right. But let's be mindful of the emotiveness of this subject.

Ah, the great "Soda-Pop-Coke" debate! From what I've always been told, it's a regionality issue. What you call it more or less depends on where you're from. Here's a terrific map that was done a couple years ago:

http://strangemaps.files.wordpress.c...pvssodamap.gif

Sorry I couldn't post it here, it needs to be viewed full-screen to read the details.

Great thread, Gentleman. Thanks for allowing me in!

Stars and Bars
 

Thanks koo for your truthful information. As a southerner (not a racist as is too commonly perceived ) I both love that flag and acknowledge its bad side as far as being used by anti-black groups. There are two sides to this story that maybe only southerners and well traveled people get. For me, the freedom of speech issue weighs in heavily.