Musings of the Chronologically Challenged™ Fourth Generation

 
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
-- John F. Kennedy



WHAT ELSE IS NEW?

Silent on Iraq-al Qaeda Ties

The front-page of Friday's New York Times recounted how Saddam Hussein hoped to strike a partnership with terrorist Osama bin Laden, but CBS, NBC and CNN didn't breathe a word about that on their Friday evening newscasts. Only ABC's World News Tonight and FNC's Special Report with Brit Hume let viewers know about captured documents showing how Iraqi agents approached bin Laden in the 1990s.
Spiked by CBS, CNN and NBC again. Exactly a week after the CBS
Evening News, CNN's NewsNight and the NBC Nightly News ignored
Russian President Vladimir Putin's disclosure that Russian
intelligence warned the Bush administration after 9-11 that Saddam
Hussein planned to attack inside the U.S., the very same newscasts
managed to skip over a Friday front page New York Times story
about how top operatives in Hussein's regime approached bin Laden
in the mid-1990s about working together against the Saudi ruling
family and foreigners in Saudi Arabia. Friday's CBS Evening News,
however, had time for hyperventilation about how "partisan
bickering in Washington" supposedly reached "a new low as the Vice
President lets loose with...'the' four-letter word" and for a
story blaming the war in Iraq for a polio outbreak in Nigeria.


PUSSYFOOTIN'™

>^..^< Baldilocks suggests June 28 be celebrated as Iraqi Independence Day each year, as we celebrate July 4th. And the two celebrations would be close together too!

>^..^< Rabbit hunting, anyone? And if you get that far down South, take a look at my famous fishing daughter and her latest trophy. (Not to brag, but she also won a blue marlin fishing contest off the NC coast a while back. Chuck doesn't have a picture of that, tho.)

>^..^< While Rambling, Mike King discovered a new prevarication attributable to Michael Moore. Before he died, dear Ray Charles said that even he could see through Michael Moore! (NOT -- a prevarication, a la Indigo.)

>^..^< Exercise workout

>^..^< Identity Theft Info


SARDONIC PONDERABLES>

People who live in glass houses should make love in the basement.

Never read the fine print. There ain't no way you're going to like it.

If you let a smile be your umbrella, then most likely your ass will get soaking wet.

The only two things we do with greater frequency in middle age are urinate and attend funerals.

The trouble with bucket seats is that not everybody has the same size bucket.

To err is human, to forgive - highly unlikely

Do you realize that in about 40 years, we'll have millions of old ladies running around with tattoos?

Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than in a Hyundai.

Drinking makes some husbands see double and feel single.

Living in a nudist colony takes all the fun out of Halloween.

After a certain age, if you don't wake up aching in every joint, you are probably dead.


MARRIAGE SEMINAR

While attending a Marriage Seminar dealing with communication, Tom and his wife Grace listened to the instructor, "It is essential that husbands and wives know the things that are important to each other."

He addressed the man, "Can you describe your wife's favorite flower?"

Tom leaned over, touched his wife's arm gently and whispered, "It's Pillsbury, isn't it?"

The rest of the story gets rather ugly so I'll stop right here.











posted by HCL at 3:43 PM

 
WARNING TO READERS WHO ARE NOT OF NC HERITAGE!!

Today I received two e-mails of North Carolina Humor. These stories and observations may be amusing to SOME North State Bloggers, and perhaps ONLY North State Bloggers. Personally, I disavow collegiate allegiance to any of the schools named. -- Indigo

****************************************************************************************************************************************************
Recently, a Tar Heel football player was almost killed in a tragic horseback riding accident. He fell from the horse and was nearly trampled to death.
Fortunately for him, the manager of the K-Mart came out and unplugged it.

**************************************************************************************************************************************************
Why are they planning to resurface Kenan Stadium with cardboard?
Because the Tarheels always play better on paper.

**************************************************************************************************************************
A Raleigh building contractor, (who happened to be an NCSU graduate), discussing paint schemes with a couple, asked which color they had picked for their kitchen. The lady responded with "vanilla white". "No problem," the NCSU grad replied as he opened the window and screamed out, "GREEN SIDE UP."

The couple didn't think much of it and proceeded to the living room. The NCSU grad then asked which color they had decided on for the living room and they replied with "hazelnut beige". At that point, the NCSU grad opened the window and yelled, "GREEN SIDE UP." The couple gave each other a puzzled look but quietly followed the contractor into the master bedroom.

The contractor asked what color they wanted the bedroom painted, and the couple indicated that pure white was their favorite. Once again, the contractor opened the window and blasted, "GREEN SIDE UP." That's when the lady spoke, "Sir, we've been in three rooms, each a different color, but you scream 'green side up' after we tell you a color for the room. What's up?" "I'm sorry," the contractor said, "I should have told you before we started -- I've got a couple of UNC grads laying sod outside."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What do you get when you cross a Tar Heel with a groundhog?
Six more weeks of bad football.

***************************************************************************************************************************
Why is Chapel Hill changing their mascot to the possum?
Because they play dead at home and get killed on the road.

****************************************************************************************************************************
My Aunt died this past January. CitiBank billed her for February and March for their monthly service charge on her credit card, and then added late fees and interest on the monthly charge. The balance had been $0.00. Now it was somewhere around $60.00. I placed the following phone call to CitiBank:

Me: "I am calling to tell you that she died in January."
CitiBank: "The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply."
Me: "Maybe, you should turn it over to collections."
CitiBank: "Since it is 2 months past due, it already has been turned over to collections."
Me: "So, what will they do when they find out she is dead?"
CitiBank: "Either report her account to the frauds division, or report her to the credit bureau . . maybe both!"
Me: "Do you think God will be mad at her?"
CitiBank :". . . excuse me ?"
Me: "Did you just get what I was telling you . . . the part about her being dead?"
CitiBank: "Sir, you'll have to speak to my supervisor!" (Supervisor gets on the phone).
Me: ''I'm calling to tell you she is dead"
CitiBank: "Could you fax us a certificate of death?"
Me: "Sure." ( Fax number is given )
CitiBank: (After they get the fax.) "Our system just isn't setup for death."
Me: "Oh."
CitiBank: "I don't know what more I can do to help. . ."
Me: "Well, if you figure it out, great! If not, you could just keep billing her . . . I suppose . . . I don't really think she will care."
CitiBank: "Well, the late fees and charges do still apply."
Me: "'Would you like her new billing address?"
CitiBank: "That might help."
Me: "Odessa Memorial Cemetery #### Hwy 129. (Plot number given)
CitiBank: "Sir, that's a cemetery!"
Me: "What do you do with dead people on your planet?!!"

****************************************************************************************************************************************************
Why is it so windy in Durham?
Because Chapel Hill sucks.

****************************************************************************************************************************
What do you get when you drive quickly through the UNC campus?
An undergraduate degree.

****************************************************************************************************************************************************

Want more UNC bashing? See here.

posted by HCL at 7:43 PM

 
"You don't have to fool all the people all of the time; you just have to fool enough to get elected."--- Gerald Barzan


JUST WOW!!!!

Baldilocks is impressed and encouraged by this young man's patriotic energy -- as am I. (see her June 22 post) "My name is Bryan Henderson and I am an 18 year old senior attending Princeton Senior High School. Better known as Templar_Crusader on the PW forum, I am the proud leader of the small but growing PHS chapter of ProtestWarrior." Read all of Bryan's post here.

You may want to email Principal Browning here: tdbrowni@access.k12.wv.us

Or if you prefer snail mail:

Todd Browning, Principal
Princeton Senior High School
1321 Stafford Drive
Princeton, WV 24740

Possibly Principal Browning is not familiar with the Power of the Blogosphere! And obviously he doesn't recognize the patriotic leadership of Bryan Henderson.



PUSSYFOOTIN'™

>^..^< If you were thinking of sending Rivrdog a get well card, better try in the middle of the night. Hallmark is totally jammed - maybe with July 4th orders.

>^..^< The Cajun says he's ripped off another one from CSP Gun Talk. Do, please, keep ripping them off, Cajun. I'm not in that neighborhood often and the CSP material grabs my attention on your blog. Thanks for ripping!

>^..^< If the "Holy Warrior" video linked at LGF is any indication, June 30 ain't gonna cut it! At least not June 30, 04.

>^..^< Just noticed Mike King is covering "Holy Warrior" too. Mike also comments on Kim Sun-il's death: "I'm completely speechless. When you think they have committed the most heinous atrocity one can commit to a single human being, they sink even lower. And all in the name of their 'god.' "

>^..^< Jennifer Martinez comments on Kim Sun-il on her page too, giving credit where credit is due to "the religion of decapitation". Jennifer, if you coined that phrase, I suggest you post it thusly: Religion of Decapitation™ and if it didn't originate with you, someone needs to trademark it and use the ™ in lieu of "Islam".

>^..^< Redundant to bloggers, but imperative to some Indigo readers: Donnie's Back!!!

>^..^< Never say never! I swore to myself I'd never mention "that person's name" on my blog. And I'm not going to now. But if snorts and giggles is what you're looking for, just go here and "spit, stir, and read" - then thank Wizbang for a real LOL-fest.

>^..^< More LOLing: Yellow Dog has pulled all his stops now in the full body press against Bush. He's (Yellow Dog) still funny as heck, but I'm thankful Jesus didn't ride into Jerusalem on an elephant. Think about it. What would we do on Sundays?

>^..^< In a post on media bias, La Shawn Barber says: - - - Better yet, go read it for yourself.



NEW EVENING CLASSES FOR MEN!!!
ALL ARE WELCOME!
OPEN TO MEN ONLY!

Evening classes for men. Starting this month! Note: due to the complexity and level of difficulty of their contents, each course will accept a maximum of eight participants each.

Topic 1 How to fill ice-cube trays. Step by step with slide presentation.

Topic 2 Lavatory paper rolls: do they grow on the holders? Round-table discussion.

Topic 3 Differences between the laundry basket and the floor. Pictures and explanatory graphics.

Topic 4 The after-dinner dishes and silverware: can they levitate and fly into the kitchen sink? Examples on video.

Topic 5 Loss of identity: losing the remote to your significant other. Helpline and support groups.

Topic 6 Learning how to find things, starting with looking in the right place instead of turning the house upside down while screaming. Open forum.

Topic 7 Health watch: bringing her flowers is not harmful to your health. Graphics and audio tape.

Topic 8 Real men ask for directions when lost. Real-life testimonials.

Topic 9 Is it genetically impossible to sit quietly as she parallel parks? Driving simulation.

Topic 10 Learning to live: basic differences between mother and wife. Online class and role playing.

Topic 11 How to be the ideal shopping companion. Relaxation exercises, meditation and breathing techniques.

Topic 12 How to fight cerebral atrophy: remembering Birthdays, anniversaries, other important dates and calling when you're going to be late. Cerebral shock therapy sessions and full lobotomies offered.

[from a good sport: Clark, Raleigh, NC]



MAIL BOX -- Tom, SLC

English Is a Screwy Language

We'll begin with a box, and the plural is boxes;
But the plural of ox became oxen not oxes.

One fowl is a goose, but two are called geese;
Yet the plural of moose should never be meese.

You may find a lone mouse or a nest full of mice;
Yet the plural of house is houses, not hice.

If the plural of man is always called men,
Why shouldn't the plural of pan be called pen?

If I spoke of my foot and show you my feet,
And I give you a boot, would a pair be called beet?

If one is a tooth and a whole set are teeth,
Why shouldn't the plural of booth be called beeth?

Then one may be that, and three would be those,
Yet hat in the plural would never be hose,
And the plural of cat is cats, not cose.

We speak of a brother and also of brethren,
But though we say mother, we never say methren.

Then the masculine pronouns are he, his, and him,
But imagine the feminine as being she, shis, and shim.

Some other reasons to be grateful if you grew up speaking English:
1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture.
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8) At the Army base, a bass was painted on the head of a bass drum.
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13) They were too close to the door to close it.
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18) After a number of Novocain injections, my jaw got number.
19) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
20) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
21) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
22) I spent last evening evening out a pile of dirt.

-- AUTHOR UNKNOWN -- or is it KNOT KNOWN?









posted by HCL at 7:09 PM

 
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
-- John F. Kennedy

A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.
-- James Dent



~~ MAIL BOX ~~
Courtesy of The Sailor In the Desert, here is the Patrick Henry speech in its entirety. (following up on the June 16 Patrick Henry reference)


Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death
Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775.

No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism,
as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who
have just addressed the House. But different men often
see the same subject in different lights; and,
therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful
to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do opinions
of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak
forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. This
is no time for ceremony. The questing before the House
is one of awful moment to this country. For my own
part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of
freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude
of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate.
It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at
truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we
hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my
opinions at such a time, through fear of giving
offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason
towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward
the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all
earthly kings.

Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the
illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against
a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren
till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part
of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle
for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of
those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears,
hear not, the things which so nearly concern their
temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of
spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole
truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.

I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and
that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of
judging of the future but by the past. And judging by
the past, I wish to know what there has been in the
conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years
to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been
pleased to solace themselves and the House. Is it that
insidious smile with which our petition has been
lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a
snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be
betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious
reception of our petition comports with those warlike
preparations which cover our waters and darken our
land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of
love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so
unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called
in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves,
sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation;
the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask
gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its
purpose be not to force us to submission? Can
gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has
Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world,
to call for all this accumulation of navies and
armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us:
they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to
bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British
ministry have been so long forging. And what have we
to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have
been trying that for the last ten years. Have we
anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We
have held the subject up in every light of which it is
capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort
to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall
we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us
not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we
have done everything that could be done to avert the
storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we
have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have
prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have
implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical
hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions
have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced
additional violence and insult; our supplications have
been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with
contempt, from the foot of the throne! In vain, after
these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace
and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for
hope. If we wish to be free-- if we mean to preserve
inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we
have been so long contending--if we mean not basely to
abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so
long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves
never to abandon until the glorious object of our
contest shall be obtained--we must fight! I repeat it,
sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God
of hosts is all that is left us!

They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope
with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be
stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year?
Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a
British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall
we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall
we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying
supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom
of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand
and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use
of those means which the God of nature hath placed in
our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy
cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which
we possess, are invincible by any force which our
enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not
fight our battles alone. There is a just God who
presides over the destinies of nations, and who will
raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The
battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the
vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have
no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it
is now too late to retire from the contest. There is
no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains
are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains
of Boston! The war is inevitable--and let it come! I
repeat it, sir, let it come.

It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen
may cry, Peace, Peace-- but there is no peace. The war
is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the
north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding
arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand
we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What
would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet,
as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?
Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others
may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me
death!

That is one researching and pasting Sailor!
Thanks, matey.


posted by HCL at 8:53 PM

 

Chaplain's letter from Curmudgeonly & Skeptical, via Serenity, in its entirety for those who will not follow links

June 19, 2004
Poignancy
A reader posted the following letter as a comment ... LCDR Unger is from the America I know, love, and will fight to maintain. I'm not kidding.

One of the old troopers who came was a 52 year-old Sgt. who had already done his 20+ years and had retired. But his son was in the 39th, and when the father found out they were coming over here, he re-enlisted. On their first week in country, Camp Cooke was attacked by rockets and the first rocket that landed killed the father. I was born in 1958 and came of age when the Vietnam War and the anti-war movement were both in full swing. It has taken me years to put this into words, but I believe that as bad as that war was, the legacy of the anti-war movement was worse. The anti-war movement gave rise to the moral superiority of non-involvement and non-commitment.


30 May 2004

Dear Friends,

This is my third letter from Iraq. I have been working myself into the right mood to do this. Today is the day. In my last two letters I have leaned toward being as upbeat as possible. This time will be different; today I want to talk about Memorial Day, but I will start off by giving my perspective on the Abu Ghraib prison problem.

First off, the investigation into the abuses at Abu Ghraib began back in January. That is why the first court martial was ready for trial in May. The senior people here knew about the investigation; the rest of us didn't. By the time the media "broke" the story, the investigation was almost done and the soldiers who had committed the abuses had already been rotated home.

Second, I (we) don't see all the news coverage that you in the states see. I do see some Fox News and CNN. Fox editorializes toward the right wing; CNN is the voice of the anti-war movement. I wonder that if CNN had been around in 1942 we might all be speaking German and Japanese. I can tell you this, everything I have heard on CNN is so biased, negative, and out-of-touch that I will never watch CNN for the rest of my life. That being said, when the rest of us found out about the abuses we were shocked and sickened. I think maybe more so than people back home because we are here; these are the people I see every day.

The people I see every day who are going out to fix: schools, hospitals, reservoirs, power plants, and sewer systems. They do these things risking sniper fire and hidden explosives. These soldiers are not a handful of bad apples like those at Abu Ghraib, these soldiers number into the thousands. Now think for a second, how much have you seen about that on the news? I believe Abu Ghraib should have been reported, but when I see the fixation of the media on the actions of a few, when the courage shown in reconstruction and the restraint shown in combat by thousands of our people is never shown, I believe this is inexcusable. For the real story of what our people are doing here, go to w.cjtf7.com/index.htm. Click on Coalition News and then Humanitarian Efforts.

Third, what happened on that cell block of Abu Ghraib is what happens when leadership is not out walking around. That is true in the military or in college dorms. I haven't seen it reported in the news, but other soldiers turned in the soldiers who did this. If the dirt bags that committed those abuses had been turned loose among the troops here it would've been ugly. I haven't heard any comments about them coming from soldiers that didn't express a hope that they would get the maximum punishment. A few leaders need to get demoted too.

As per the "outrage", if you were "outraged" by this, good. I was. However, I would like to ask Arab governments and our own media elites, "Were you just as outraged by what happened under Saddam? If so, you didn't show it."

Here is what people need to understand: the interrogation of prisoners of war is a little tougher than what the typical thug gets by the local police. I went to Survival, Evasion, Rescue, and Escape (SERE) School back in 1995. I am more proud of completing that course than anything I have ever done. Also, I would never do it again. After playing hide and seek with "bad guys" in California in March, we all got caught, knocked around, froze, went hungry, sleep deprived, threatened with worse, and then interrogated. Here's the deal: when interrogation is done correctly, people don't break so much as they leak. (The purpose of SERE is to teach you how not to leak. That is the classified part of the school.) The interrogator wants them to leak in a way so that the prisoner doesn't even know he is leaking. When someone breaks, as opposed to leaking, they usually give out a data dump of gibberish and then physiologically shuts down. A good interrogator avoids that. If you hurt them or scare them too badly, they quit leaking. Interrogators ask the same question about ten times, ten different ways. Disoriented people leak and they don't even know it.

What most Americans think of when they think of POWs being interrogated is what they remember of our pilots in North Vietnam. The abuse our people went through in Vietnam wasn't to get intelligence; it was to exploit them for propaganda purposes. I mention this to put the term "abuse" in context. When a terrorist here in Iraq or jaywalkers back in the states report jailhouse "abuse," what does it mean? When we catch a guy red-handed restocking his weapons stock and question him, withholding his TV privileges isn't enough. He won't be happy, but neither will he be destroyed or scared for life. He will tell his buddies, "I didn't tell them anything." In fact he will have told us a lot.

As I said, I had to work myself into a mindset to talk about this. To work around horror without out letting the horror seep into your soul is a spiritual battle. This week I worked with a National Guard soldier who had to clean up after a convoy of civilian aid workers were killed when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) went off on the road into Baghdad. He is a carpenter in civilian life, but this week he was out on a highway picking up arms and legs while watching out for snipers. He was cleaning up after monsters. Some other young Americans were put in charge of guarding monsters and then became monsters.

Care of the soul is serious business. That is part of the reason why I became a Navy Chaplain. The other reason is the people. The folks I have known in the military are more interesting to be around than anybody else I know. This leads me to Memorial Day. Earlier this month I went to Camp Cooke at Taji. (To lend perspective, Taji is really north Baghdad; I am in west Baghdad.) The 39th Brigade (Arkansas National Guard) is stationed there. I didn't know any of them, but I wanted to see my home-state Guard here in Iraq. So I badgered my way into flying up there for two days. They are stationed in the old Iraqi army air defense school. Unlike downtowhdan Bagd, the old air defense school was turned into rubble. It is getting better, but it was like living in a junkyard. Their first month in Iraq was tough. These soldiers patrol the roughest part of Baghdad. While I was there, the Chaplain of the 39th told me this story: One of the old troopers who came was a 52 year-old Sgt. who had already done his 20+ years and had retired. But his son was in the 39th, and when the father found out they were coming over here, he re-enlisted. On their first week in country, Camp Cooke was attacked by rockets and the first rocket that landed killed the father. I was born in 1958 and came of age when the Vietnam War and the anti-war movement were both in full swing. It has taken me years to put this into words, but I believe that as bad as that war was, the legacy of the anti-war movement was worse. The anti-war movement gave rise to the moral superiority of non-involvement and non-commitment.

While that may have worked to help draft-dodgers sleep at night, it's not much of a strategy of how to go through life. Taken to its logical conclusion the message is: don't commit to your county, don't commit to your spouse, and don't commit to your kids, church, or community. Don't commit to cleaning up your own mess or any cause that demands any more from you than rhetoric. This was the mindset in which our country was firmly stuck. Until 9/11, some woke up. Kids came down and joined the service. To the dismay of some of their teachers, parents, and the media elites, they came down here and raised their hand in front of the flag. And they are still coming to the shock of the non-committers. The Marines have more enlisting than their two boot camps can handle. [emphasis Indigo] And we are all here together for Memorial Day 2004. Old National Guardsmen, grandfathers, and single moms, Texans and Mexicans, Surfers and Rednecks. A few weeks ago an Illinois National Guardsman, mother of three, was hit six times, saved by her body armor, but lost part of her nose. She stayed on her 50 caliber, firing on the bad guys, protecting the convoy. She said she was thinking of her kids and the guys she was with. Commitment is love acted out. It is sad that the non-committers missed that. They and their moral high-ground haven't been near a mass grave. The kids I see and eat with every day still want to help this country, in spite of getting shot at while doing it That is love acted out. You either get it, or you don't.

During my time in Iraq I won't be able to see any of the Biblical sites that are here. But a few weeks ago in Taji I got to stand on some holy ground, where a father died when he went to war just to be with his son.

Sincerely yours,
Steven P. Unger
LCDR, CHC, USN
Multi National Corps-Iraq

(Read comments here)


posted by HCL at 11:56 PM

 
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
-- John F. Kennedy

Do not condemn the judgement of another because it differs from your own. You may both be wrong.
-- Dandemis



PUSSYFOOTIN'™

>^..^< Yes, I know everybody in blogworld has heard about Michelle Malkin's arrival. But just in case there's a hermit surviving on possum in the woods of Pitt County, North Carolina, who may be reading this in a library, SEE IT HERE. Yesterday's postings were especially interesting.

>^..^< It's worth the trip over to blogoSFERICS just to hear the "evil, maniacal cackle" - even if you don't share Kevin's sense of humor!

>^..^< Sailor In the Desert took on the ACLU through Doc Farmer and also featured an article from Deborah Orin, Washington Post Bureau Chief, on torture in Iraq. I've been out of the loop recently and had not heard anything about the torture videos. Perhaps they were mentioned in the media and I missed it. YR.

>^..^< And the beat goes on over at Greene Thoughts, where only Republicans are "contentious." Go visit and let RC take his best shot at getting you to the Dem side of the aisle before November! RC, RC. He's our man. If he can't do it, Bubba can!!!

>^..^< Spudlets is blogging about blogging. See Joe Blog.

>^..^< Nice follow-up to Spudlets from J.D. Mays at Army of One.

>^..^< See UPDATE on Deliberate Omission from yesterday. I've been had!!!!

>^..^< REMINDER: Please don't miss Random Fate's Commentary and think about it while you read. (from 6/14/04)

>^..^< And let's listen to this again. It'll do you good.



OLD GEEZERS

"Geezers" (slang for an old man) are easy to spot:

At sporting events, during the playing of the National Anthem, Old Geezers hold their caps over their hearts and sing without embarrassment. They know the words and believe in them. Old Geezers remember World War I, the Depression, World War II, Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Normandy and Hitler. They remember the Atomic Age, the Korean War, The Cold War, the Jet Age and the Moon Landing, not to mention Vietnam.

If you bump into an Old Geezer on the sidewalk, he will apologize. If you pass an Old Geezer on the street, he will nod or tip his cap to a lady. Old Geezers trust strangers and are courtly to women. Old Geezers hold the door for the next person and always, when walking, make certain the lady is on the inside for protection.

Old Geezers get embarrassed if someone curses in front of women and children and they don't like any filth on TV or in movies. Old Geezers have moral courage. They seldom brag unless it's about their grandchildren.

It's the Old Geezers who know our great country is protected, not by politicians or police, but by the young men and women in the military serving their country.

This country needs Old Geezers with their decent values. We need them now more than ever. Thank God for Old Geezers!

Pass this on to all the Old Geezers you know.

[Thanks to Jimmy, an Old Geezer from Ayden, NC]


We don't become better or worse as we age. We just become more of ourselves.
-- Gertrude Stein



~~ MAIL BOX ~~

ANONYMOUS WISDOM

You cannot make someone love you. All you can do is stalk them and hope they panic and give in.

No matter how much you care, some people are just jackasses.

It takes years to build up trust, and it only takes suspicion, not proof, to destroy it.

Whatever hits the fan will not be evenly distributed.

You shouldn't compare yourself to others - they are more screwed up than you think.

Learn to not sweat the petty things, and not pet the sweaty things.

Exes are like fungus; they keep coming back.

Age is a very high price to pay for maturity.

We are responsible for what we do, unless we are celebrities.

Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.

99% of the time when something isn't working in your house, one of your kids did it.

The people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon. All the less important ones just never go away. And the real pains in the ass are permanent.

[thanks to Kirsten, Greenville, NC]









posted by HCL at 12:15 AM

 
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
-- John F. Kennedy

The ultimate test of a man's conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard.
--Gaylord Nelson



RETURNING TO BLOGWORLD
(By popular request: one reader. Thanks, Pet.)

Last night I read a certain blog for the first time and the writer was throwing such a pity party – you wouldn’t believe. Obviously, I made the right decision NOT to pour my probs out on my weblog. When and if Indigo Insights gets a few hits, please let it be because someone is interested, or has curiosity in what may be happening over at Indigo’s place today, rather than “Oh man! It’s a shame she gets no visitors. Think I’ll pop over and give her meter a sympathy number.” PU – LEEZE!!

On the other hand, some old and dear blog brothers and sisters deserve an explanation for my haphazard posting; ergo, a brief outline of the year to date follows.

** Jan., Feb., March: Health probs -- – couple of “bugs”, in addition to the ubiquitous back pain, cardiac malfunctions, and edema worsening as the result of sitting at the computer too much.

** April: Epiphany! A laptop may alleviate the edema, and since computer-stuff is my main connection to the outside world, I can justify the expenditure! It was another one of those “it seemed like a good idea at the time” moments.

** June: Two months later and the desktop and laptop still are not correctly connected. It's such a trial to try to make something work, that I’ve just about given up.. My daughter (warmly referred to by Chuck as The Venomous Miss E.) says she’s going to visit The Computer Place that has led me down this garden path of horrors and try to get them to DO SOMETHING for the $1500 + that is already invested in this abortion from cyberspace! Updates to follow.


And while I’m here, let me clear out my mail box - - - - -

~~ MAIL BOX ~~

DELIBERATE OMISSION

Lest there be any doubt: our core values are under constant attack in places we would least expect.

Today I went to visit the new World War II Memorial in Washington, DC. I got an unexpected history lesson. Since I'm a baby boomer, I was one of the youngest in the crowd. Most were the age of my parents, veterans of "the greatest war" with their families. It was a beautiful day, and people were smiling and happy to be there. Hundreds of us milled around the memorial, reading the inspiring words of Ike and Truman that are engraved there.

On the Pacific side of the memorial, a group of us gathered to read the words President Roosevelt used to announce the attack on Pearl Harbor. One woman red the words aloud:

"Yesterday, December 7, 1941-- a date which will live in infamy-- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked. . . With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph."

But as she read, she was suddenly angry "Wait a minute," she said. "They left out the end of the quote. They left out the most important part. Roosevelt said 'so help us God.'"

"You're probably right," her husband said. "We're not supposed to say things like that now."

"I know I'm right," she insisted. "I remember the speech." The two shook their heads sadly and walked away.

Listening to their conversation, I thought to myself, "Well, it has been 50 years. She's probably forgotten."

But she was right. I went home and pulled out the book my book club is reading. It's "Flags of Our Fathers" by James Bradley. It's all about Iwo Jima. I haven't gotten too far in the book. It's tough to read because it's a graphic description of the battles in the Pacific. But right there it was on page 58. Roosevelt's speech to the nation. It ends with "so help us God."

The people who edited out that part of the speech when they engraved it on the memorial could have fooled me. I was born after the war. But they couldn't fool the people who were there. Roosevelt's words are engraved on their hearts.

Send this around to your friends. People need to know before everyone forgets.

-- I received this from Don, in the mountains of Virginia --
and it is absolutely true! Unlike Ronald Reagan, I didn't know Thomas Jefferson, but I DID hear the Roosevelt speech as it was being delivered and many times during the ensuing years in film clips. HE SAID IT! And he said it very emphatically. And now it's being erased in yet another history revision. Makes me wonder if some of our nation's other historical quotations which have become Politically Incorrect may be doomed to history's trash can. Quickly to mind: Nathan "I regret that I have but one life to lose for my country" Hale, and Patrick "Give me liberty or give me death" Henry. It's not as far-fetched as you may think. Some Americans already seem to frown on patriotism as being "uncool", don't they?
- Indigo

UPDATE: Well, not exactly.


THE ATHEIST AND THE LOCH NESS MONSTER

An atheist was spending a quiet day fishing when suddenly his boat was attacked by the Loch Ness monster. In one easy flip, the beast tossed him and his boat high into the air. Then it opened its mouth to swallow both.

As the man sailed head over heels, he cried out, "Oh, my God! Help me!"

At once, the ferocious attack scene froze in place, and as the atheist hung in mid-air, a booming voice came down from the clouds, "I thought you didn't believe in Me!"

"Come on God, give me a break!!" the man pleaded. "Two minutes ago I didn't believe in the Loch Ness monster either!"

[from Kristi, Greenville, NC]


'GENDER DIFFERENCES'

1. NAMES
If Laurie, Linda, Elizabeth and Barbara go out for lunch, they will call each other Laurie, Linda, Elizabeth and Barbara. If Mark, Chris, Eric and Tom go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Godzilla, Peanut-Head and Scrappy.

2. EATING OUT
When the bill arrives, Mark, Chris, Eric and Tom will each throw in $20, even though it's only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back. When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.

3. MONEY
A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs. A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need - but it's on sale.

4. BATHROOMS
A man has five items in his bathroom: a toothbrush, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel from the Marriott. The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify most of these items.

5. ARGUMENTS
A woman has the last word in any argument. Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

6. CATS
Women love cats. Men say they love cats, but when women aren't looking, Men kick cats.

7. FUTURE
A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband. A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

8. SUCCESS
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

9. MARRIAGE
A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't. A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change and she does.

10. DRESSING UP
A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the garbage, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail. A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

11. NATURAL
Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed. Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

12. OFFSPRING
Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and
hopes and dreams. A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

13. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Any married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing.

AND FINALLY....
A couple drove down a country road for several miles, not saying a word. An earlier discussion had led to an argument and neither of them wanted to concede their position. As they passed a barnyard of mules, jack asses, and pigs, the husband asked sarcastically, "Relatives of yours?" "Yep," the wife replied, "In-laws."

[from John, New Jersey]



>^..^<™

>^..^< Please go read Random Fate's Commentary "Leading By Example" from yesterday, and think about it while you read.








posted by HCL at 11:08 AM

 
CONDOLENCE BOOK
posted by HCL at 4:50 PM

 
REST IN PEACE, PRESIDENT REAGAN

President Reagan was diagnosed with Alzheimer's the same week as my husband, but lived three years longer. My family and the Reagan family walked similar paths for many years. The following sites have published appropriate words, which I can not muster tonight.
~ Indigo

An outstanding tribute from the United Kingdom can be found here.

Outside the Beltway features pictures and links here.
Thanks to Accidental Verbosity for the heads-up.

In Memoriams also can be found at these sites:

Smoke on the Water

Alphecca

Ramblings'Journal

Mike the Marine links to this

Serenity's Journal

The Donovan

UPDATE ADDENDUM:

Kevin McGehee

Sailor in the Desert

Federal Review

LaShawn Barber has this meaningful comment from Elizabeth:


I'll be showing my age, here, La Shawn, but here goes....

I had the great privilege of serving in the Navy during President Reagan's tenure. While I was in Recruit Training, the Iranian Islamic extremists took our embassy and held our hostages. Jimmy Carter spent the rest of his presidency seemingly immobilized when it came to getting our people back. Then President Reagan was elected and the Islamic fanatics decided that this might NOT be such an easy mark. Thirty three minutes after Ronald Reagan spoke his inaugural oath of office came the word that our hostages were being returned to us. And it was all uphill, from there.

He got those of us in the military off of food stamps. I was an E3 Air Controlman and I got an 18.5% pay raise. My E6 husband got about a 14% raise. Our airplanes suddenly had parts. Our squadrons suddenly had fuel for training flights. We had many structural improvements made to our air station. Work spaces modernized, facilities and operational equipment updated, barracks renovated, new housing built. After many dark years in which it was very nearly a shameful thing to be a member of our military, it became a thing of pride to wear the uniform of our country.

He saw our country as a shining city on the hill, and no matter how difficult and dark his first two years were, he asked us to give him a little time. He stayed the course until we saw "his" America. He pushed us with sheer force of personal will and his own optimism and enthusiasm into being the great country that he envisioned.

We were once again a beacon of hope for people around the world who lived in tyranny and oppression. Our economy flourished after a slow start. The "trickle-down" economics that everyone scoffed at began to work. Unemployment went from double-digits to just about what it is now. He bowed to no other country. He built our military strength and skill and capability.

His second inaugural address caused tears of joy and hope and pride across the country. His second term brought the Iron Curtain crashing down. Seemingly overnight, the insane threat under which we had lived for so long - the threat of Mutually Assured Destruction - was gone. Our children would not know the fear of growing up in the Cold War.

He was the greatest President of my lifetime and his wife has set a shining example of spousal devotion. My heart has broken for her many times in the last ten years, after Nancy Reagan let it be known that Ronnie didn't know her any more. But, she stayed in there, taking care of him herself, when she could easily have hired it done.

I loved them. I've cried all day today, as if I've lost a family member.

God bless his family.

God hold this precious man and let him have a look at how much he is loved and how much he has been missed. Let him see the appreciation for him from all over the earth.

Protect and comfort his family.
Elizabeth | Email | Homepage | 06.06.04 - 3:12 am |









posted by HCL at 12:12 AM

 
You and I do not see things as they are. We see things as we are. - Herb Cohen


I have two very special Democrat friends. "T" was perhaps my first cyber pal and over the years I have come to think the very world of both him and his lovely family. My relationship with "J" began in the 1980s through our profession, but developed into a personal friendship that continued after my retirement. He is a dear buddy and a true gentleman, for whom I have always had the utmost admiration and respect. The only fly in the friendship ointment with these two nice guys of late has been political candidates. Today I received the following e-mails from them, the latest of many.

Exchange: T & Indigo
T: I would like to know what you think of our president these days.
Indigo: I don't think as badly of him as you do, but I have a long list of disagreements with him.
T: I know you stop by the blog once in a while, but are you still leaning for W?
Indigo: I could vote Dem if the DNC would come up with an acceptable candidate. John Kerry is not that for me.
T: I know you will say you hate all pols
Indigo: ('hate' too strong a word -- but definitely 'disillusioned')
T: but you still have to admit that W is a buffoon and should go.
Indigo: Probably where we differ the most is that I can see "buffoons" on both sides of the aisle. Republicans did not corner the market on buffoonery. Democrats are well represented - historically and currently.

From "J"
Ref: "that pro-Bush stuff you and your friends cycle about"
Every passing day another revelation about what a pack of lying bastards we have in the White House...don't know how an honest woman like you can accept them as they are. I simply don't get it.

E-mail to "T" from Indigo later in the day: As a follow-up to email earlier today [exchange above], here's one from a REGISTERED DEMOCRAT friend of mine!! Brace yourself, because I'm probably going to break tradition (for me) and post this on my blog, just because it's a funny joke. If you have a similar funny story about Bush - not mean-spirited or malicious - send it to me and I'll post that too. Poking fun at either candidate is fun for me!! You know what they say about "if you don't have a sense of humor - - -" (Or is that "if you can't take a joke - - -" ? I forget. Having a SM™)

GETTING THROUGH CUSTOMS

A guy was traveling through Mexico on vacation when, lo and behold, he lost his wallet and all identification. Cutting his trip short, he attempts to make his way home but is stopped by the Customs Agent at the border.

"May I see your identification, please?" asks the agent.
"I'm sorry, but I lost my wallet," replies the guy.
"Sure, buddy, I hear that every day. No ID, no crossing the border," says the agent.
"But I can prove that I'm an American!" he exclaims. "I have a picture of Ronald Reagan tattooed on one butt cheek and a picture of George Bush on the other."

"This I gotta see," replies the agent. With that, Joe drops his pants and bends over in front of the agent.
"By golly, you're right!" exclaims the agent. "Go on home to Boston."
"Thanks!" he says. "But how did you know I was from Boston?"
The agent replies, "I recognized the picture of John Kerry in the middle."

(To Be Continued . . . . Any constructive input regarding the political "fly" may be e-mailed to indigoinsights[at]hotmail[dot]com.)



MY KIND OF MARINE!

As the crowded airliner was about to take off, the peace was shattered by a five-year-old boy who picked that moment to throw a wild temper tantrum. No matter what his frustrated, embarrassed mother did or said to try to calm him down, the boy continued to scream furiously and kick the seats around him.

Suddenly, from the rear of the plane, a man in a U.S. Marine Corps uniform is seen slowly walking forward up the aisle. Stopping the flustered mother with an upraised hand, the courtly, soft-spoken Marine leaned down and, motioning toward his chest, whispered something into the boy's ear.

Instantly, the boy calmed down, gently took his mother's hand, and quietly fastened his seat belt. All the other passengers burst into spontaneous applause.

As the Marine slowly made his way back to his seat, one of the cabin attendants touched his sleeve. "Excuse me, sir," she asked quietly,
"but could I ask you what magic words you used on that little boy?"

The Marine smiled serenely and gently confided, "I showed him my pilot's wings, service stars, and battle ribbons, and explained that they entitle me to throw one passenger out the plane door on any flight I choose, and that I was just about to make my selection for this flight."



MOTHER'S MILK

Students in an advanced biology class were taking a mid term. The last question was "Name seven advantages of mothers milk," -worth 70 points or none
at all. One student who had also partied the night before, was hard put to think of seven advantages.

He finally wrote:
1. It is a perfect formula for the child.
2. It provides immunity against several diseases.
3. It is always available as needed.
4. It is always at the right temperature.
5. It is inexpensive.
6. It bonds the child to the mother, and vice versa.

And then, the student was stuck. Finally, just before the bell indicating the end of the test rang, he wrote...........................
7. It comes in such cute containers.

He got an "A."















posted by HCL at 10:19 PM

 
Be who you are and say what you feel. Those who mind don't matter, and those that matter don't mind. -- Dr. Seuss



MAIL BOX
From Brenda, Winterville, NC

It used to tick me off when the Muslim detractors in the Middle East, or detractors in Europe and others, called our President a cowboy, but the more I think about it, the more glad I am that he is,

When I was a kid, cowboys were my heroes. Well, I mean the ones in the white hats, not the black hats, who were usually the bad guys.

There was Tex Ritter, Tom Mix, Buck Jones,

Hopalong Cassidy, the Lone Ranger.....
There was Red Ryder, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers......
Then later, there was Marshall Matt Dillon, Hoss & Li'l Joe Cartwright,
Paladin, Maverick and others....
Rawhide's Rowdy Yates.

What were common attributes of these legendary cowboys? Here are a few:

They were never looking for trouble.

But when trouble came, they faced it with courage.

They were always on the side of right.

They defended good people against bad people.

They had high morals.

They had good manners.

They were honest.

They spoke their minds and they spoke the truth, regardless of what people thought or "political correctness," which no one had ever heard of back then.

They were a beacon of integrity in the wild, wild West.

They were respected. When they walked into a saloon (where they usually drank only sarsaparilla), the place became quiet, and the bad guys kept their distance.

If in a gunfight, they could outdraw anyone. If in a fist fight, they could beat up anyone.

They always won. They always got their man. In victory, they rode off into the sunset.

Those were the days when there was such a thing as right and wrong, something blurred in our modern world, and denied by many.

Now, as an older citizen, I still like cowboys...

They represent something good -- something pure that America has been missing.

Ronald Reagan was a cowboy. Ronald Reagan was brave, positive, and gave us hope. He wore a white hat. To the consternation of his critics, he had the courage to call a spade a spade and call the former Soviet Union what it was -- the evil empire.

President Bush distinguishes between good and evil. He calls a spade a spade, and after 9-11 called evil "evil," without mincing any words. That's what cowboys do, you know. He also told the French to "put their cards on the table" (old West talk).

In the old West, might did not make right.

Right made might.

Cowboys in white hats were always on the side of right, and that was their might.

I am glad my President is a cowboy.

He got his man!

Cowboys do, you know.

God Bless America!



PUSSYFOOTIN'™

>^..^< Baldilockshas covered every aspect of this societal problem with clarity and honesty -- except that it pervades color lines. Like Juliette, I don't intend to cut any slack to irresponsible parents; I just see the abomination as endemic to the last several generations of children in this country. Yes, I vote for reinstitution of stigma - to parents, as she says.

>^..^< Chuck has posted a nice pic of my daughter's "Koi pond in progress" over at redneckin. He also has some tips for the wannabee plumber! LOL

>^..^< The Grouchy Old Cripple is kind enough to toss out an advance threat/warning when a bad moon (rant) will soon be rising on his blog. I'm issuing a similar alert. Nevermind that such a post will demolish the Indigo image according to a recent comment: "I'm really thinking about turning this blog into something more like Indigo Insights. Indigo always has links, articles and good jokes she finds, rarely posts about politics and never rants. It's always nice and peaceful over at Indigo's."

>^..^< Give a lost kitty a home?



WISDOM OF PETS

If a dog was the teacher you would learn stuff like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.
Let others know when they've invaded your territory.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting, when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout...run right back and make friends.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.
Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you're not.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

[Thanks to Melva, Swansboro, NC]




posted by HCL at 10:45 PM

 
Only those who dare to fail greatly can achieve greatly. - Robert F. Kennedy




MEMORIAL DAY REFLECTIONS

Thanks to all the wonderful bloggers who shared their beautiful, inspiring Memorial Day posts. Hours of reading your posts, suppressing tears, and searching my heart became a catharsis for some doubts I've had concerning the Iraq debacle. We are all Americans and we are in this trial together, for better or worse. It becomes clearer and clearer to me that United We Stand or Divided We Fall. It really isn't going to matter who is Democrat or who is Republican if our nation comes under total terrorist attack. Do we really care how many Marines on Iwo Jima were Dems and how many were Repubs? How many of Patton's soldiers were Dems and how many were Repubs? Are you thankful that we can type our blogs in English? I am. Over the Memorial Day weekend, The History Channel televised programs that all Americans should have seen. For many of us, it was memories. For too many others, who probably didn't have time to watch due to picnics, etc., it could have been enlightenment and a wake-up call. History truly does repeat itself, if people let it. I pray that political pettiness will be by-passed in the upcoming election and voters will decide for whom they vote based on whether they think it's in the country's best interests to facilitate or to fight Terrorism. Republican and Democrat warts can be examined and dissected later.

So here I am, pondering it all with my menagerie, comfortable in a safe environment, while our military in the Middle East continues to suffer danger and discomfort. Just in case any military web-surfers come across this, I say again from the depths of my being, "I am mindful of your sacrifices. Thank you for your service."



LIGHTENING UP
And thanks to our military, I can.

Should there be any GI rednecks reading this, here's the 2004 Edition of
YOU MIGHT BE A REDNECK IF...

Your standard of living improves when you go camping.

Your prenuptial agreement mentions chickens.

You have jacked up your home to look for a dog.

You have a relative living in your garage.

Your neighbor has ever asked to borrow a quart of beer.

There is a belch on your answering machine greeting.

You have rebuilt a carburetor while sitting on the commode.

None of the tires on your van are the same size.

You hold the hood of your car with your head while you work on it.

Your idea of getting lucky is passing the emissions test.

Your town put the new garbage truck in the Christmas parade.

Your local beauty salon also fixes cars.

Your doghouse and your living room have the same shag carpet.

You've ever slow danced in the Waffle House.

Starting your car involves popping the hood.

Your garbage man is confused about what goes and what stays.

You whistle at women in church.

You actually wear shoes your dog brought home.

You've been in a fistfight at a yard sale.

You carry a fly swatter in the front seat of the car so you can reach the kids in the backseat.



AND FOR OLD VETS: A SENIOR MOMENT™

HOW TO STAY YOUNG

Remember, there is no way you can look as bad as that person on your drivers license.

Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. " An idle mind is the devil's workshop."

Enjoy the simple things.

Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it's unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Humpty Dumpty was pushed!




posted by HCL at 4:13 PM