Hump Day Report: What Matters, 11/11/12

ALOHA, ALL!!  This is my first blogpost since the election.  While I’m still processing, assessing and cogitating on the future, one thing rings true:  we are free today because of our fighting men and women.  We celebrate them on November 11, but they deserve our respect and gratitude all year long.  They dedicate their lives to God, service and country.  To wit (Shaka to Adrienne):

I recently attended a showing of ‘Superman 3’ here at LSA Anaconda. We have a large auditorium that we use for movies as well as memorial services and other large gatherings.  As is the custom at all military bases, we stood to attention when The National Anthem began before the main feature.  All was going well until three-quarters of the way through The National Anthem, the music stopped.

Now, what would happen if this occurred with 1,000 18-to-22-year-olds back in the States? I imagine that there would be hoots, catcalls, laughter, a few rude comments, and everyone would sit down and yell for the movie to begin. Of course, that is, only if they had stood for The National Anthem in the first place.

Here in Iraq 1,000 soldiers continued to stand at attention, eyes fixed forward. The music started again, and the soldiers continued to quietly stand at attention. Again, though, at the same point, the music stopped. What would you expect 1,000 soldiers standing at attention to do?? Frankly, I expected some laughter, and everyone would eventually sit down and wait for the movie to start.

No!!. . . You could have heard a pin drop while every soldier continued to stand at attention.

Suddenly, there was a lone voice from the front of the auditorium, then a dozen voices, and soon the room was filled with the voices of a thousand soldiers, finishing where the recording left off:

“And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Oh, say, does that Star Spangled Banner yet wave,

O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave.”

 It was the most inspiring moment I have had in Iraq , and I wanted you to know what kind of U.S. soldiers are serving you! Remember them as they fight for us!

Pass this along as a reminder to others to be ever in prayer for all our soldiers serving us here at home and abroad. Many have already paid the ultimate price.

Written by Chaplain Jim Higgins, LSA Anaconda is at the Ballad Airport in Iraq , north of Baghdad.

And check out this blog post/tribute from my blogging friend, Nebraska Energy Observer:  Music of Freedom  It’s a trip down memory lane with lots of inspirational music dedicated to the military.  NEO includes words from General MacArthur in his post, including these:

“…I do not know the dignity of their birth, but I do know the glory of their death. They died unquestioning, uncomplaining, with faith in their hearts, and on their lips the hope that we would go on to victory. Always for them: Duty, Honor, Country. Always their blood, and sweat, and tears, as they saw the way and the light.

…Their resolute and determined defense, their swift and sure attack, their indomitable purpose, their complete and decisive victory – always victory, always through the bloody haze of their last reverberating shot, the vision of gaunt, ghastly men, reverently following your password of Duty, Honor, Country.”

GOD BLESS OUR VETERANS – GOD BLESS AMERICA!

 

 

HDR 108(1): Let’s Talk Turkey

I hear the lame ones are especially juicy!

ALOHA, ALL! I’m taking a different approach with this week’s HDR.  Sure, there’s a lot of crazy/bad stuff going on around the world:  North Korea bombed South Korea, the economy is still in the tank, the cost of living is on the rise, and it looks like 0bama is trying to control not only the food supply but the internet as well.  But it’s Thanksgiving and we have much to be thankful for.  So this edition of the HDR is filled with things to make you feel good, laugh and appreciate what we have.

That First Thanksgiving. We’ve heard the story before, but it doesn’t hurt to be reminded of how and why the holiday was created.  Did you know the first recording of a “thanks giving” in America was in 1541 in what is now Texas? Read more about this most American of all holidays:  Account of the First Harvest Feast and Thanksgiving

Thank a Cop.  You know those people who put their lives on the line for us everyday?  I’m proud to say I have one on my own family.  My cousin, Ryan, recently helped put a really bad guy away:  an illegal immigrant named “Carlos” who was selling black tar heroin in the Columbus area:  Major Supplier of Black Tar Heroin Pleads Guilty Thank you, Ryan, for making Ohio a safer place – We are so proud of you!

Thank a Soldier. They also put their lives on the line for us!  It’s because of the Soldiers, Seamen, Airmen and Marines that we’re able to stuff ourselves with turkey and pumpkin pie and watch football all day. Here’s a great song &  video that will give you chicken skin:  Thank You Soldier

Honor a Soldier. My friend Steve sent me this story about a small town in Oklahoma that recently buried one of its own, Sgt. Jason McCluskey. True to form, the idiots from Westboro Baptist Church showed up to spew their venomous hatred. Ah….but this time the story has a happy ending! It turns out there is such a thing as karma after all: McAlester Oklahoma Honors Its Fallen Hero

Steve’s brother and his wife were at the funeral and had this to report:

Steve–We were in McAlester for the funeral. Ghislaine wanted to go. Her patriotism for this country should make all Democrats ashamed. It was a very interesting experience. The police protected the protesters, but they hated them. There were at least a hundred Harleys and probably two thousand people.  The protesters decided to leave 30 mins before the funeral. Walking back I said to a cop that it was a beautiful day and it had been a great morning. He said: yes sir, it has been a great morning for everyone, except a few.

American Ingenuity At Its Best! Did you travel by plane this Thanksgiving? If so, did you have to go through the dreaded naked scanner? Too bad you didn’t have some X-RAY PROOF UNDERWEAR! That’s right….some guy has invented tungsten-lined underwear to hide your “junk” from the prying eyes of those pesky TSA agents: God Bless Capitalism The inventor is an engineer from Colorado, Jeff Buske. “You shouldn’t have to be digitally strip-searched or doused with radiation to visit your grandmother,” Buske, a 52-year-old electrical engineer said by phone Monday from New Jersey, where he was trying to find facilities to manufacture more of his undergarments. Tungsten underwear: $35. Look on TSA agent’s face: priceless. Bring on the fig leaves!

That’s What I’m Talkin’ About! Tired of all those “recording stars” singing the national anthem, and getting the notes wrong?  Here’s how the National Anthem should be sung.  It’s from the Super Bowl a few years ago:  National Anthem by the Academy Choirs If this doesn’t put a lump in your throat, and fill your heart with PRIDE, you need to check for a pulse or move to another country!!!  (Thanks to Jessie for the link.)

Cats Like Pumpkins, Too! Big cats….Big pumpkins:  Big Cat Halloween

Finally – It’s OK To Make Fun of 0bama! HotAir has collected some great jokes about 0bama and his circle of friends.  Once upon a time there was widespread concern that America’s late-night TV comedians, who fuel and reflect so much of popular culture’s chatter, would shy away from making fun of the Smoker-in-Chief because, well, you know.  As someone who collects these passing smiles, we can report that is not the case. Here are a few recent offerings:

Letterman: Vice President Joe Biden’s birthday party was over the weekend. President Obama was so excited he asked Biden to attend in his place.

Leno: Happy Birthday to Joe Biden. President Obama got him a gag gift. No, not a funny gift. A real gag.

Conan: President Obama scheduled to grant a turkey the traditional pardon on Wednesday. But a spokesman for the turkey now says it doesn’t need a pardon. It needs a job.

Fallon: What is going on these days? George W. Bush writes a 500-page memoir and Obama publishes a kids coloring book.

Leno: Tough decision for President Obama this week: Pardon the turkey or Democrat Rep. Charlie Rangel.

Fallon: Today, President Obama is going down to Kokomo, Ind. That makes sense. No one knows better how to get there fast and then take it slow.

Fallon: Experts announce a new plan to slash the federal debt by $6 trillion. All we have to do is switch from regular light bulbs to not having a federal government.

Leno: House Democrats just elected Nancy Pelosi as their minority leader for the new Congress. Why mess with success, right?

Conan: Congressional Democrats push for $12 billion in additional unemployment benefits. They say they can’t turn their backs on those who until two weeks ago were House Democrats.

Conan: Donald Trump wants to know if people think he should run for president. So his folks launched a website called shouldtrumprun.com. Americans have responded with their own website, no.com

Leno: Michelle Obama announces her plan to install 6,000 salad bars at schools across the nation. They expect as many as three students to use them.

Fallon: President Obama over in Portugal last week pointed out to his hosts that his dog, Bo, is a Portuguese Water Dog. Yeah, that’s a good way to make friends: ‘Hey, you know who’s just like you people? My DOG.’

Fallon: GM wants to thank all who made its recovery possible: Toyota’s brakes, Toyota’s steering and Toyota’s accelerators.

Letterman: A new wrinkle this year for Wal-Mart’s midnight store openings on Thanksgiving Friday: They’ve added bulls to the run.

Leno: A rough week for President Obama. He’s gotta pardon a turkey, deal with a lame duck Congress, eat crow and China flipped him the bird over currency.

Letterman: In these times you know you’re having a bad day when your body scan at the airport gets the guards laughing.

Leno: Facebook launches the next-generation messaging system — a combination of IM, text and e-mail designed to ensure that nothing gets done at any workplace ever again.

Fallon: New plan out to cover $6 trillion of the nation’s debt. First, look at all the spending for the past five years. Then, ask China for $6 trillion more.

And In Case You Wondered….Origins of the Presidential Turkey Pardon (It turns out this year’s pardoned birds escaped the Governator’s and soon-to-be Moonbeam Jerry Brown’s California for a better life in the Red State of Virginia:  National Turkeys Flee California for a Red State)

0bama’s Approval Rating Hits New Low:  39%.  (OK – I told you this HDR was full of good news!)

On A Related Note:  The Postal Services created a stamp with a picture of President Obama on it. The Postal Service noticed that the stamp was not sticking to envelopes. This enraged the President, who demanded a full investigation.  After a month of testing and $1.73 million in congressional spending, a special Presidential commission presented the following findings:

1.The stamp is in perfect order.

2.There is nothing wrong with the glue.

3.People are spitting on the wrong side.  (That one was from my hubby!)

Final Thought: “Two hundred years ago, the Congress of the United States issued a Thanksgiving Proclamation stating that it was ‘the indispensable duty of all nations’ to offer both praise and supplication to God. Above all other nations of the world, America has been especially blessed and should give special thanks. We have bountiful harvests, abundant freedoms, and a strong, compassionate people. I have always believed that this anointed land was set apart in an uncommon way, that a divine plan placed this great continent here between the oceans to be found by people from every corner of the Earth who had a special love of faith and freedom. Our pioneers asked that He would work His will in our daily lives so America would be a land of morality, fairness, and freedom. Today we have more to be thankful for than our pilgrim mothers and fathers who huddled on the edge of the New World that first Thanksgiving Day could ever dream. We should be grateful not only for our blessings, but for the courage and strength of our ancestors which enable us to enjoy the lives we do today. Let us reaffirm through prayers and actions our thankfulness for America’s bounty and heritage.” —Ronald Reagan

“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”–Benjamin Franklin, written shortly before Feb. 17, 1775, as part of his notes for a proposition at the Pennsylvania Assembly

GOD BLESS AMERICA – PASS THIS ON – REMEMBER IN 2012!

AND A BLESSED AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL HDR READERS…THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!