About Ira

Here is a little history about the beginnings of Ira Paine, and the idea that led to the Daily Paine, Coffee Percs and a few other things.

It was not long after my daughter Kimberly was married that I decided I would write an email to her on a regular basis. With that in mind I also started sending it to a few friends and family members.  It was on September 11, 2001 that it became a daily occurrence.  Since that date it has appeared almost every day except for a few vacations, and being sporadic in the summer.

The second part of this is how the name came about.  I had been teaching about Tom Paine in my history class, and one day I went across the hall and blurted out to my buddy, “I need a name!”  He replied, “Well, You Are A Pain.”  I modified it and since that time it has been “I Are A Pain(e)”  or Ira Paine.  It sounded good so it has been there since 2001.

One other little incident occurred when I visited an old friend in Baton Rouge.  He told me about the original “Ira Paine.”  I had no clue that there was actually a famous person named Ira Paine.  He was one of the greatest sharpshooters in history, especially with a pistol.  He toured throughout the world in the latter half of the 19th century.