• April 14, 1865: President Abraham Lincoln is shotby John Wilkes Booth at Ford’s Theater in Washington. He died nine hours later, on April 15, 1865.
• April 15, 2012: Five people were killed by a tornado in Woodward, Oklahoma
• April 16, 1947: Most of Texas City, Tex., destroyed when French ship Grandcamp exploded.
• April 16, 2007: Virginia Tech Massacre- Cho Seung-Hui, killed two in a Virginia Tech dorm, then killed 30 more 2 hours later in a classroom building. His suicide brought the death toll to 33, making the shooting rampage the most deadly in U.S. history. Fifteen others were wounded.
• Apr 18, 1906: The Great San Francisco Earthquake
• April 19, 1775: The “shot heard around the world” was fired. Colonial Minute Men took on British Army regulars at Lexington and Concord, Mass., starting the American Revolution.
• April 19, 1993: The siege at Waco, Texas, ended when FBI moved into the Branch Davidian compound with tear gas and cult members set fire to the compound killing over 80 people.
• April 19, 1995: The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Okla., was destroyed by a car bomb. 168 people, including 19 children were killed in the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history up to that time.
• April 20, 1999: Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold went on a shooting spree at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo. 14 students (including the shooters) and 1 teacher were killed; 23 others were wounded.
• April 20, 2010: An explosion on a BP oil drilling rig off the coast of Louisiana kills 11 people and injures 17. Experts estimate that 13,000 gallons of crude oil per hour are pouring into the Gulf of Mexico.
• April 21, 1836: Texan army under Sam Houston defeated Mexicans in the Battle of San Jacinto.

The Inspiration channel, which ranks among the fastest growing basic cable networks in America with a broadcast reach of up to 73 million viewers, recently announced it will broadcast “Courage, New Hampshire” nationally on Memorial Day 2013.

See the ISPN trailer:

http://youtu.be/GmQ3aqRZbqE

“We are very excited to make this announcement,” said INSP Senior VP of programming, Doug Butts. “Original scripted dramas are going to play a significant role in INSP’s future programming strategy. Courage, New Hampshire is an outstanding addition to our already strong programming line-up.”

“With the overwhelming success of period shows like Downton Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, North & South, etc., audiences will find Courage, New Hampshire equally compelling,” Butts said. “Courage, New Hampshire fits perfectly with the INSP brand.”

Visionary, screenplay writer, director, actor and co-producer James Patrick Riley noted, “I am looking forward to seeing INSP deliver a large audience.  I am hoping that we will eventually go into regular production, with many more seasons to come.  Likewise, it would be great to establish ourselves in mainstream media, because we have done something really special here.  To have created an American 18th century serial episodic period drama is something really phenomenal.  Not even any of the major networks have attempted that.”

When asked about the future of Courage, Colony Bay Entertainment executive and Courage co-producer Jonathan Wilson replied, “Currently, we are in the pre-planning stages for a season two, so stay tuned.   We can’t say a whole lot about the number of episodes, but we’re pretty sure about one thing…There will be more romance.”

In episode one-“The Travail of Sarah Pine”- The viewer visits the frontier township of Courage, located in western New Hampshire.  When British soldiers arrive in search of deserters their quarry escapes, but one of them catches the eye of Justice of the Peace Silas Rhodes and a dramatic, gripping trail ensues.

Dramatic, believable acting by an outstanding cast of talented actors (featuring Alexandra Oliver as Sarah Pine, Nathan Kershaw as British deserter Bob Wheedle, James Patrick Riley as tavern keeper and Justice of the Peace Silas Rhodes  and Basil Hoffman as royal solicitor Simeon Trapp) propel the show.

In episode two-“The Sons of Liberty”- Justice Rhodes travels to Portsmouth for the execution of two notorious criminals.  Royal Governor Wentworth details how ruling New England will require a “light hand”, and the Township of Courage greets the arrival of a new pastor.

Performances by Donal Thomas-Cappello as the deceptively sinister Reverend Silence Laud, Isabelle Gardo as the desirable Abby Lamb, Greg Martin as the burglar and Joe Massingill as the counterfeiter make this episode delightful and compelling.  Mike Gallagher appears as a jovial barkeep and Andrew Breitbart plays the part of the High Sherriff.

In episode three-“A Snake in the Garden”- Governor Wentworth begins enforcement of the unwelcomed, unpopular white pine act.  The “Reverend” Silence Laud makes romantic advances on the lovely Miss Lamb, and the sons of liberty are the only one who stands between royal imprisonment and a farmer’s freedom.

Donal Thomas-Cappello reprises his role as Reverend Laud, and Isabelle Gardo returns as Abby Lamb.  Jonathan Salisbury as Noah Pine, Allen Marsh as Abraham Fox and Patrick Finerty as William Bramley further drive the drama of this episode.

In episode four-“Ambition”- Reverend Laud becomes ensnared in his own deceit while Governor Wentworth takes steps towards enforcement of royal justice upon Courage.  While at a training day in Portsmouth the neighboring towns’ gathered militias are pushed by Courage townsmen to ponder the question: “are you with us?”

The circle of drama continues as the Sons of Liberty stand against corrupt British rule.

The production quality is top notch, featuring crisp photography and well-paced editing that tells the story while avoiding the pitfalls of encryption or dragging scenes.  The beautiful music is consistently appropriate.  The compelling screenplay employs clever, time appropriate dialogue which evokes a wide range of emotions while conveying time tested morals.

James Patrick Riley and Jonathan Wilson, co-founders of Colony Bay and the driving force behind the success of Courage are to be congratulated for their fine production.  It is highly recommended and can be enjoyed by children of all ages.

To obtain a four DVD copy of Courage, go here:

http://mjfellright.wordpress.com/2013/03/28/courage-is-no-longer-just-a-word/

Starting with 1923, with the biography of President Calvin Coolidge, all but one Presidential Profile on the official government website has been re-written to add Obama’s “place in history” alongside that particular president.

Evidently history cannot stand without Obama’s agenda, so a new footnote section has been added on each of the revised biographies, entitled, “Did You Know?”

This discovery was made by the Heritage Foundation’s Rory Cooper, who said he originally found it “funny”, until he realized how many biographies had been changed. Mr. Cooper hit the twittersphere with the hashtag #ObamaInHistory, mocking Obama’s narcissism.

When asked about the additions to the Presidential Biographies, which were written by historian Michael Beschloss and journalist Hugh Sidey, a White House official, who spoke to the press on the condition of anonymity said:

“We simply added links at the bottom of each page to related whitehouse.govcontent, which is a commonly used best practice to encourage people to browse more pages on a site.”

Here are some examples of our new, re-written, Obama-agenda history:

• On Feb. 22, 1924 Calvin Coolidge became the first president to make a public radio address to the American people. President Coolidge later helped create the Federal Radio Commission, which has now evolved to become the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).   President Obama became the first president to hold virtual gatherings and town halls using Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, etc.
• President Herbert Hoover signed the bill founding the Department of Veterans Affairs July 21, 1930. President Obama is committed to making sure that the VA, the second-largest cabinet department, serves the needs of all veterans and provides a seamless transition from active duty to civilian life, and has directed his Administration to modernize the way health care is delivered and benefits are administered for our nation’s veterans.  First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden launched Joining Forces to mobilize all sectors of society to give our service members and their families the opportunities and support they have earned.
• On August 14, 1935, President Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act. Today the Obama Administration continues to protect seniors and ensure Social Security will be there for future generations.
• In a 1946 letter to the National Urban League, President Truman wrote that the government has “an obligation to see that the civil rights of every citizen are fully and equally protected.” He ended racial segregation in civil service and the armed forces in 1948. Today the Obama Administration continues to strive toward upholding the civil rights of its citizens,repealing  Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, allowing people of all sexual orientations to serve openly in our armed forces. Source: Harry S. Truman Library and Museum
• President John F. Kennedy famously suggested the American people: “Ask what you can do for your country.” In 1961, the Peace Corps was created, facilitating service among citizens working toward peace in developing countries. In 2011, President Obama celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps with a Presidential Proclamation.
• President Reagan designated Martin Luther King Jr. Day a national holiday; today the Obama Administration honors this tradition, with the First and Second Families participating in service projects on this day.
• In a June 28, 1985 speech Reagan called for a fairer tax code, one where a multi-millionaire did not have a lower tax rate than his secretary. Today, President Obama is calling for the same with the Buffett Rule.

Last but not least, the man that Obama loves to blame the most, George W. Bush:

• In 2002, President George W. Bush’s State of the Union was the first to be live broadcast on the Internet. In 2011 and 2012, President Obama’s State of the Union speeches were available in an enhanced live stream versionthat featured infographics, charts and data side-by-side in real time with the President’s speech.
• In 2009, former President Bush partnered with 42nd President Clinton tohelp rebuild Haiti, after the country was devastated by an earthquake.

One thing is for certain: there doesn’t seem to be any other president in history that loved himself more than Barack Obama.