My Commission

Daughters cushion the blow of growing up. It's been years since I've come to terms with the fact that the adults in my life aren't the heroes that I had imagined. Not that they aren't heroes anymore, but they simply become human. Now I realize that it's my turn to be that hero. One day Noelle will grow up and realize (hopefully later than sooner) that I am not the hero she imagined me to be, but in the mean time it's essential for her development to have complete, unwavering trust in her daddy. This "circle of life" kinda gives me a new perspective and brings me joy. It's an incredible responsibility, but also an amazing opportunity. I just pray that I'll live up to it. I want to be my daughters hero, protector, and counselor. I guess I want to model Christ to her. That's what it's all about.

Our New Home

You Should See the Other Baby

(excuse the poor picture quality, I was under duress)





Noelle's first fat lip. It was a rather traumatic experience. Maybe more so for me than for her. There was blood everywhere! Well, all over her face anyway. But luckily cool-headed, experienced grandma was there. I probably would have had rescue crews there along with the evening news if it wasn't for her. Noelle is fine, just the fat lip, but I'll be seeing a shrink for my guilty conscience. j/k

My Wife is too sweet to resist

My wife wanted me to change our template back to the original style so I did. I guess I'm whipped. It's not so bad. =)

ALMANAC: North Carolina

ALMANAC: North Carolina
Tar Heel State, Old North State

People. Population (2003 est.): 8,407,248; rank: 11; net change (2002-2003): 1.2%. Pop. density: 172.6 per sq mi. Racial distribution (2000): 72.10% white; 21.6% black; 1.4% Asian; 1.2% Native American/Nat. AK; 0.1% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander; 2.3% other race; 2 or more races, 1.3%. Hispanic pop. (any race): 4.7%.

Geography. Total area: 53,819 sq mi; rank: 28. Land area: 48,711 sq mi; rank: 29. Acres forested: 19.3 mil. Location: South Atlantic state bounded by Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Atlantic Ocean. Climate: sub-tropical in SE, medium-continental in mountain region; tempered by the Gulf Stream and the mountains in W. Topography: coastal plain and tidewater, two-fifths of state, extending to the fall line of the rivers; piedmont plateau, another two-fifths, of gentle to rugged hills; southern Appalachian Mts. contains the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mts. Capital: Raleigh.

Economy. Chief industries: manufacturing, agriculture, tourism. Chief manuf. goods: food products, textiles, industrial machinery and equipment, electrical and electronic equipment, furniture, tobacco products, apparel. Chief crops: tobacco, cotton, soybeans, corn, food grains, wheat, peanuts, sweet potatoes. Livestock (Jan. 2004) 880,000 cattle/calves; (Jan. 2003): 9.9 mil. hogs/pigs; (Dec. 2003): 17.5 mil. chickens (excl. broilers). 708.2 mil. broilers. Timber/lumber (est. 2002): 2.5 bil bd. ft.; yellow pine, oak, hickory, poplar, maple. Principal internat. airports at: Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh/Durham, Wilmington. Nonfuel minerals (est. 2003): $676 mil.; stone (crushed), phosphate rock, sand and gravel (construction), sand and gravel (industrial), feldspar. Commercial fishing (2002): $98.7 mil. Chief ports: Morehead City, Wilmington. New private housing (2003): 77,982 units/$10.0 bil. Gross state product (2001): $275.6 bil. Employment distrib. (May 2004): 17.3% govt.; 18.7% trade/trans./util.; 15.1% mfg/; 11.4% ed./health serv.; 11.4% prof./bus serv.; 9.1% leisure/hosp.; 5.1% finance; 5.6% constr.; 2% info. Per cap. pers. income (2003): $28,235. Sales tax (2004): 4.5%. Unemployment (2003): 6.5%. Tourism expends. (2002): $12.9 bil.

Finance. FDIC-insured commercial banks (2003): 68. Deposits: $742.5 bil. FDIC-insured savings institutions (2003): 36. Assets: $6.4 bil.

Federal govt. Fed. civ. employees (Mar. 2003): 32,178. Avg. salary: $50,271. Notable fed. facilities: Ft. Bragg; Camp LeJeune Marine Base; U.S. EPA R &D Labs, Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station; Natl. Humanities Ctr.; Natl. Inst. of Environmental Health Science; Natl. Ctr. for Health Statistics Lab, Research Triangle Park.

Energy. Electricity production (est. 2003, kWh by source): Coal: 70.6 bil; Petroleum: 442 mil; Gas: 1.3 bil; Hydroelectric: 5.2 bil; Nuclear: 40.9 bil.

State data. Motto: Esse Quam Videri (To be rather than to seem). Flower: Dogwood. Bird: Cardinal. Tree: Pine. Song: The Old North State. Twelfth of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution, Nov. 21, 1789. State fair at Raleigh; mid-Oct.

History. Algonquian, Siouan, and Iroquoian peoples lived in the region at the time of European contact. The first English colony in America was the first of 2 established by Sir Walter Raleigh on Roanoke Island, 1585 and 1587. The first group returned to England; the second, the “Lost Colony,” disappeared without a trace. Permanent settlers came from Virginia, c 1660. Roused by British repression, the colonists drove out the royal governor, 1775. The province's congress was the first to vote for independence; ten regiments were furnished to the Continental Army. Cornwallis's forces were defeated at Kings Mountain, 1780, and forced out after Guilford Courthouse, 1781. The state seceded in 1861, and provided more troops to the Confederacy than any other state; readmitted in 1868.

Tourist attractions. Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout natl. seashores; Great Smoky Mts.; Guilford Courthouse and Moore's Creek parks; 66 American Revolution battle sites; Bennett Place, near Durham, where Gen. Joseph Johnston surrendered the last Confederate army to Gen. William Sherman; Ft. Raleigh, Roanoke Island, where Virginia Dare, first child of English parents in the New World, was born Aug. 18, 1587; Wright Brothers Natl. Memorial, Kitty Hawk; Battleship North Carolina, Wilmington; NC Zoo, Asheboro; NC Symphony, NC Museum, Raleigh; Carl Sandburg Home, Hendersonville, Biltmore House & Gardens, Asheville.

Famous North Carolinians. David Brinkley, Robert Byrd, Shirley Caesar, John Coltrane, Rick Dees, Elizabeth Hanford Dole, John Edwards, Ava Gardner, Richard J. Gatling, Billy Graham, Andy Griffith, O. Henry, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, Michael Jordan, Wm. Rufus King, Charles Kuralt, Meadowlark Lemon, Dolley Madison, Thelonious Monk, Edward R. Murrow, Arnold Palmer, Richard Petty, James K. Polk, Charlie Rose, Carl Sandburg, Enos Slaughter, Dean Smith, James Taylor, Thomas Wolfe.

Tourist information. North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film & Sports Development, 301 N. Wilmington St., Raleigh, NC 27601; 1-800-VISITNC. Website: www.visitnc.com

Website. www.nc.gov

An article from The World Almanac and Book of Facts. © 2005 World Almanac Education Group. A WRC Media Company. All rights reserved. Except as otherwise permitted by written agreement, uses of the work inconsistent with U.S. and applicable foreign copyright and related laws are prohibited.

Kirby Puckett, 44, dies day after suffering stroke

ESPN.com news services

Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett died Monday, a day after suffering a stroke at his Arizona home, a spokeswoman for St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Scottsdale, Ariz., said.

The 44-year-old Puckett, who led the Twins to two World Series titles before his career was cut short by glaucoma, was stricken Sunday morning at his Arizona home.

"This is a sad day for the Minnesota Twins, Major League Baseball and baseball fans everywhere," Twins owner Carl Pohland said. "Kirby's impact on the Twins organization, state of Minnesota and the Upper Midwest is significant and goes well beyond his role in helping the Twins win two world championships."

Information from The Associated Press and SportsTicker was used in this report.