Happy Veteran’s Day 2009

I dedicate this post to my father who is a Korean war vet and 2 of my uncle’s who are Vietnam vets and my father in-law who’s a Vietnam vet.

Thank you guys and to all who are or have worn the uniform of the American soldier.

We owe our freedom and very lives to you!

• Veterans Day from Military.com
• Wikipedia Entry for Veterans Day
• History of Veterans day from Va.gov

Independence Day 2009

After the Obama administration has run it's course who knows what kind of socialist hell hole we'll be left with but right here and right now this is still the best country on earth. Thank god for it.

Between fireworks and cookouts please take a moment to read our founding documents and you'll see what the fathers of the country intended is nothing like what we have and where we are headed.

American Founding Documents

Memorial Day 2009

Been so busy with life in general it's my 1st post in awhile but I couldn't let Memorial day pass without saying something.

I chose the photos and links of the Korean War because my dad is veteran of Korea and right now he's in the ICU at the VA hospital with a very bad case of pneumonia. He's holding his own but the outcome is still uncertain.

Been spending a lot of time at the hospital and doing a lot of praying. Unfortunately don't think either of those will change anytime soon.

This weekend between the picnic's and barbeques please take the time to thank a veteran and say a prayer for all of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in keeping the US safe. I sure know I will.

• Korean War from Wikipedia
• Korean War
• Korean War Project
• Korean War.Info

Holocaust Martyrs and Heroes Remembrance Day 2009

 

Yeah, sure. It didn’t happen. Right…right.

Well screw the Holocaust deniers, there’s a place in hell for those feces flinging asshat’s. We must never forget this happened and always make sure the truth is taught to our children.

Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Day (Yom Hashoah in Hebrew) is a national day of commemoration in Israel, on which the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust are memorialized. It is a solemn day, beginning at sunset on the 27th of the month of Nisan and ending the following evening, according to the traditional Jewish custom of marking a day. Places of entertainment are closed and memorial ceremonies are held throughout the country. The central ceremonies, in the evening and the following morning, are held at Yad Vashem and are broadcast on the television. Marking the start of the day-in the presence of the President of the State of Israel and the Prime Minister, dignitaries, survivors, children of survivors and their families, gather together with the general public to take part in the memorial ceremony at Yad Vashem in which six torches, representing the six million murdered Jews, are lit. The following morning, the ceremony at Yad Vashem begins with the sounding of a siren for two minutes throughout the entire country. For the duration of the sounding, work is halted, people walking in the streets stop, cars pull off to the side of the road and everybody stands at silent attention in reverence to the victims of the Holocaust. Afterward, the focus of the ceremony at Yad Vashem is the laying of wreaths at the foot of the six torches, by dignitaries and the representatives of survivor groups and institutions. Other sites of remembrance in Israel, such as the Ghetto Fighters' Kibbutz and Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, also host memorial ceremonies, as do schools, military bases, municipalities and places of work. Throughout the day, both the television and radio broadcast programs about the Holocaust. In recent years, other countries and Jewish communities have adopted Yom Hashoah, the 27th of Nisan, to mark their own day of memorial for the victims of the Holocaust.

Yad Vashem Holocaust Martyrs and Heroes Remembrance Day 2009

Torchlighters 2009

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Another of the greatest generation marches into the mist of history

They die by the hundreds perhaps thousands everyday and with them go many stories of their heroic deeds in WWII that saved this country and the entire world from Nazism and Japanese imperialism. If anyone truly deserved to never grow old and feeble it is that generation who sacrificed so much to save the world in the twilight of their youth.

Below is a outstanding tribute to a ball gunner on a B-24J Liberator bomber in the South Pacific from his son.

If this doesn't bring a tear to your eye then check your pulse.

My father asks for nothing

Very cool, I should have been a Archeologist

Couple pic's and nice story on Meresamum the mummy here
Images of 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummy revealed by scanner - Telegraph

Wow, talk about serendipity, I just did some research and Meresamum is here in the USA right now! Going to be in the Oriental Institute Museum in Chicago from February 10 - October 18, 2009. After I get laid off I just might have to drive up there.

Check it out here: The Life of Meresamun - A Temple Singer in Ancient Egypt

The real history of Israel

Good historical piece from a guy I think should run for president Larry Elder. It's a brief history of the land that Israel and Palestinians now live on and who really has 'dibs' on it and guess what, it's not Muslims. If we had proper schools in Amerika then most everyone would know this already but anyway, that's another subject altogether.

Israel lies in the ancient Fertile Crescent's southwest corner, with some of the oldest archeological evidence of primitive towns and agriculture. Historians and archeologists believe the Hebrews probably arrived in the area in the second millennium B.C. The nation itself was formed as the Israelites left Egypt during the Exodus, believed to be in the late 13th century B.C.

The 12 tribes of Israel united in about 1050 B.C., forming the Kingdom of Israel. David, the second king of Israel, established Jerusalem as Israel's national capital 3,000 years ago. Jewish kingdoms and states existed intermittently in the region for a millennium.

Read all here: Israelis and Palestinians: Who's David, Who's Goliath?

Stop the post! Right before I hit publish, ran into this nice companion piece: Palestinians Are Getting What They Voted For

It points out the obvious to those of use who pay attention to current events but should be informative to most.

December 7th 1941

Take a moment from your busy day to remember all those brave souls who died this day 67 years and also remember the greatest generation who fought and won world war II. I'm afraid people of that ilk we'll never see on this earth again and sadly they die by the thousands every day.

Excellent tribute and remembrance here

45 Years ago today 11/23/1963....JFK Assassination

45 years ago today John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas Texas. No need to further elaborate on the rest as most everyone in the free world knows the story.

Anyway me being a history nut thought I just had to post something. JFK's presidency always intrigued me as a what could have moment in time. If he had lived would Vietnam as we know it every have happened? and if Vietnam didn't happen would the hippie counterculture movement have occurred? How about the civil rights & race riots across the country? MLK...RFK assassinations?

I mean the questions are endless aren't they? Totally pointless because the past is what it is and can't be changed but just for a moment imagine what if?

Here are some links worth checking out:

History Channel

45 years later, eyewitnesses to JFK assassination part of a dwindling, but significant, club

45 years after Kennedy assassination, detective handcuffed to Oswald still telling famous tale

Dallas Remembers Kennedy Assassination 45 Years Later

JFK Conspiracy Theories

Dustbowl

Watched a show on the history channel the other day about the dustbowl in America's heartland called Black Blizzard and holy shit that was vicious!

I actually did a book report on that dark period in American history back in the 6th or 7th grade (don't remember which) but guess at the time I was too young to really get what those people went through.

The show was really well done and talked to several survivors of it and their stories are amazing. It's hard to believe that people lived through that for 10 years. Going to work and school everyday in dust blowing sometimes up to 80mph! Being indoors was not much better because most structures were wood framed and not very well insulated. So no matter where you went you where exposed to it and many people especially little kids died of what was called black pneumonia.

Also it killed most all the livestock and crops. Then the lack of vegetation caused the temp to increase in the summer upwards of 120 degree's and that in turned caused all the water to dry up! Just a vicious cycle that's amazing anyone lived through.

Anyway if your a history buff like moi it's definitely worth reading up on.

History Channel show here 

Further reading & research here & here

Happy Veterans Day

Happy Veterans day or Armistice day as it used to be called!

Just wanted to say a thank you to all the folks who have served this great nation and kept this republic a free country.

The 233rd anniversary of the Marines was yesterday so quick congratulations to those guys. Simper Fi! oooo-rah!

The closest I ever came to joining the military was signing up for selective service when I turned 18 in 1986. The military was just never my thing. Sure, I thought about it but was too busy getting drunk, high and chasing girls to actually commit myself to a higher calling like that. Now I'm too old and decrepit to make it through basic training!

Looking back with 20 years hindsight my generation got really lucky. We grew up between wars, no draft and for the most part a economy that was doing far better than now. Other than the Jimmah Carter years the rest were pretty good times.

During a lot of my teen years I knew several guys who were in the military, active and retired. The retired never talked about it. Well I take that back, one older fella name Danny used to regal me with tails of hookers he picked up in Korea and the various STD's that were prevalent. Hell I was 16 and it sounded like good times to me!  I knew another guy named Riggs who was active Air Force. He was gone most of the time to EAB but came into town on leave about every 3 months and we'd hang out, guzzle some beers and shoot the shit. About all he did was dress nice everyday, take orders, give a few and shuffle papers. Remember this was during peacetime so that's what a lot of service guys were doing back then. 911, Iraq & Afganistan hadn't happened yet.

My family has a few service members I'd like to mention. My uncle Tan was a Army helicopter mechanic in Vietnam. My uncle Huck was a Marine fighter pilot in Vietnam and was one of the only members of his squadron to not be shot down. Very lucky man indeed. My cousin Timmy followed his dad Huck into the Marines and did about 8 years. Also he worked down at cape Canaveral on shuttle launches for a bit. He invited me down to watch several launches but I never made it. I still regret that. My father in law was in Vietnam but like most prefers not to talk about it.

Then there's my dad. He was drafted into the Army right out of high school in 1951 and sent to Korea. He's one of those guys who doesn't talk about it. The only things he's told me is that he worked in supply & it was a lot like the TV show MASH. I have feeling he did a lot more than that but just doesn't want to relive it and I understand. Don't think I would want to either.

Like Forrest Gump would say, that's all I have to say about that. In conclusion I impart a hearty thank you & god bless to them all.

Further reading here

Update: Ran across this: 10 Celebrities Who Served Our Country

The striking thing about this piece is how the celebs of yesteryear stood up and fought for their country and quasi-celebutards of today piss, moan and flash peace signs. Oh in between bout's of calling Bush Hitler and geuflecting to their new messiah that is. Sorry to interject politics into a Veterans day salute but sometimes I can't help myself.

Halloween History

Just a quick post today with a couple links to some Halloween History. This one is the History channel and they always have great stuff. This one is halloweenhistory.org   Enjoy!

Cuban missle crisis today in 1962

Always been a huge history buff and JFK's presidency is intriguing to as a what could have been scenario. This doesn't really fall under that but it meets 2 of the criteria! Anyway credit the history channel for this.  

October 22 1962 - Cuban Missile Crisis

In a televised speech of extraordinary gravity, President John F. Kennedy announces that U.S. spy planes have discovered Soviet missile bases in Cuba. These missile sites--under construction but nearing completion--housed medium-range missiles capable of striking a number of major cities in the United States, including Washington, D.C.
Kennedy announced that he was ordering a naval "quarantine" of Cuba to prevent Soviet ships from transporting any more offensive weapons to the island and explained that the United States would not tolerate the existence of the missile sites currently in place. The president made it clear that America would not stop short of military action to end
what he called a "clandestine, reckless, and provocative threat to world peace."

What is known as the Cuban Missile Crisis actually began on October 15, 1962--the day that U.S. intelligence personnel analyzing U-2 spy plane data discovered that the Soviets were building medium-range missile sites in Cuba. The next day, President Kennedy secretly convened an emergency meeting of his senior military, political, and
diplomatic advisers to discuss the ominous development. The group became known as ExCom, short for Executive Committee. After rejecting a surgical air strike against the missile sites, ExCom decided on a naval quarantine and a demand that the bases be dismantled and missiles removed. On the night of October 22, Kennedy went on national
television to announce his decision. During the next six days, the crisis escalated to a breaking point as the world tottered on the brink of nuclear war between the two superpowers.

On October 23, the quarantine of Cuba began, but Kennedy decided to give Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev more time to consider the U.S. action by pulling the quarantine line back 500 miles. By October 24, Soviet ships en route to Cuba capable of carrying military cargoes appeared to have slowed down, altered, or reversed their course as they approached the quarantine, with the exception of one ship--the tanker Bucharest. At the request of more than 40 nonaligned nations, U.N. Secretary-General U Thant sent private appeals to Kennedy and Khrushchev, urging that their governments "refrain from any action that may aggravate the situation and bring with it the risk of war."
At the direction of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. military forces went to DEFCON 2, the highest military alert ever reached in the postwar era, as military commanders prepared for full-scale war with the Soviet Union.

On October 25, the aircraft carrier USS Essex and the destroyer USS Gearing attempted to intercept the Soviet tanker Bucharest as it crossed over the U.S. quarantine of Cuba. The Soviet ship failed to cooperate, but the U.S. Navy restrained itself from forcibly seizing the ship, deeming it unlikely that the tanker was carrying offensive weapons. On October 26, Kennedy learned that work on the missile bases was proceeding without interruption, and ExCom considered authorizing a U.S. invasion of Cuba. The same day, the Soviets transmitted a proposal for ending the crisis: The missile bases would be removed in exchange for a U.S. pledge not to invade Cuba.

The next day, however, Khrushchev upped the ante by publicly calling for the dismantling of U.S. missile bases in Turkey under pressure from Soviet military commanders. While Kennedy and his crisis advisers debated this dangerous turn in negotiations, a U-2 spy plane was shot down over Cuba, and its pilot, Major Rudolf Anderson, was killed. To
the dismay of the Pentagon, Kennedy forbid a military retaliation unless any more surveillance planes were fired upon over Cuba. To defuse the worsening crisis, Kennedy and his advisers agreed to dismantle the U.S. missile sites in Turkey but at a later date, in order to prevent the protest of Turkey, a key NATO member.

On October 28, Khrushchev announced his government's intent to dismantle and remove all offensive Soviet weapons in Cuba. With the airing of the public message on Radio Moscow, the USSR confirmed its willingness to proceed with the solution secretly proposed by the Americans the day before. In the afternoon, Soviet technicians began
dismantling the missile sites, and the world stepped back from the brink of nuclear war. The Cuban Missile Crisis was effectively over. In November, Kennedy called off the blockade, and by the end of the year all the offensive missiles had left Cuba. Soon after, the United States quietly removed its missiles from Turkey.

The Cuban Missile Crisis seemed at the time a clear victory for the United States, but Cuba emerged from the episode with a much greater sense of security. A succession of U.S. administrations have honored Kennedy's pledge not to invade Cuba, and the communist island nation situated just 80 miles from Florida remains a thorn in the side of
U.S. foreign policy. The removal of antiquated Jupiter missiles from Turkey had no detrimental effect on U.S. nuclear strategy, but the Cuban Missile Crisis convinced a humiliated USSR to commence a massive nuclear buildup. In the 1970s, the Soviet Union reached nuclear parity with the United States and built intercontinental ballistic missiles
capable of striking any city in the United States.