Veterans Day 2009

Veterans Day always means a lot to me.
Originally meant to remember the end of World War One and called Armistice Day, it has changed to honor all Military Veterans in times of War and times of Peace.
The Armistice ending that horrible useless war took effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.

Now it means even more with my son serving in Uniform as an officer of the United States Army.
He continues a tradition in my family of service, which skipped over me.
A sanguine personality and a lack of direction had a lot to do with that.
In retrospect, it would have done me good, as it has a lot of men throughout our history.

As far back as the American Revolution, Col Miles Harvey served with General Washington and the Continental Army.
My gggrandfather James S. Harvey, for whom my dad was named served in the famous Stonewall Brigade. He did wear the grey uniform on the opposite side, as most men in Virginia and what is now West Virginia did.
My mother also had two of my Grand Dad Cupps great Uncles who wore the grey.
My granddad himself served as a Sgt in an artillery company during WWI, but he never deployed overseas.

Pretty much everyone who was able served in WWII, the last so-called 'Just War'.
My dad was in the Army, seriously injured and discharged before deploying.
I would likely not have existed otherwise, many of the men he trained with did not make it back, serving with General Patton in N Africa, Sicily and France. Virtually all of the NCO's in his unit were KIA.
My Uncle Willard Mann Jr was a Sgt with the 77th Infantry Division, (Statue of Liberty) serving in the Pacific Theatre. That unit saw major action on Okinawa and in the Phillipines late in the War.
I didn't know until years after he died that he was seriously wounded, and that he was decorated with the Bronze Star with V for his service.
I have his combat infantry badge, and the ribbons for his medals.
I also have the patches from his duty uniform, which he no doubt wore in combat.
My mom's eldest brother Jack Cupp, and her younger brother Bill served in the Navy during that war.
I was privileged to talk to Bill when he was in Duke Medical Center, just before he passed away.
He was attached to a PT Squadron in the pacific, and was strafed and bombed more than once.
I did not know until then that he "re-upped" during the Korean War, and served on a cruiser off of the North Korean coast. He told me that my Aunt Libby was less than happy he did that!
When asked how it was he said "In some ways it was the best time of my life, young and full of vim, excepting that someone kept trying to kill me!" I still remember his laugh as he told me that.

Several of my cousins wore the blue Air Force uniform, my cousin Rob Hill retired after a 27 year career.

My nephew Don as I write this is with a field Artillery Unit in Kuwait, waiting to move over into Iraq.

By this time next year, our boy will be completing Ranger Training before joining his unit, wherever they are at the time.

Thank you, all of you who serve, and who have served!
We could not exist as a free people without you.

note on pictures, Ariel receiving his ceremonial "First Salute" from the Battalion Sgt Major, the entire clan, a very rare photo as most of us are smiling to some degree.
Ariel with his mentor and friend, Major Williams.
In Army terminology, he is a really 'Square' guy.
I like him a lot.

When did time go into Warp drive?

As a school boy who grew up watching the original Star Trek series, the term 'Warp Drive' is one old timers like me are familiar with.

The 'Science' in the original show was hazy sometimes, but much of it has become a reality.
Hand held communicators are now iPhones and a reality, powerful personal computers, advanced medical diagnostics, and like devices were only a script writers dream then.
Now they are a part of life.

But the concept of faster than light travel is still just that, a concept and a sci-fi writers dream.
If you want to stretch your brain to the breaking point, ponder the realities of quantum physics, Einstein's theory of Relativity, and is time really linear?

Warp Drive was better explained in later movies as follows;
the universe is folded, and light travels in waves much like sound does.
By finding a way to skip from the top of one wave to the other, great distances can be overcome, allowing travel to distant stars and even to the edge of our galaxy.
Minor matters like momentum, equilibrium, a tiny bit of matter at that speed punching through a Star Ship like a nuclear bomb were never discussed.
Neither was Einstein's and others thoughts on what would happen to the elapse of time if we could exceed the speed of light. Would it speed up, would it reverse or slow?
If a crew left today for Alpha Centauri, when they came back would everyone here be dead?

Personally, one has to suspend logic and just sit back and enjoy shows like Star Trek or Star Wars.
I enjoyed the latest movie that revisits the origins of the crew of the Enterprise.
It was well cast and a real hoot to watch.

But back to my original scatter brained thought from the title of this missive,
just when did the time in my life hit Warp Factor Seven?
I am not now older than my father was when he passed, and older than any of my Uncles were when I was a young adult!
My son is not fixing to be older than I was when I started working full time, and the professional athletes that I watch are now sometimes younger than he is!

Mr Scott, slow this puppy down and put Phasers on stun!

More empty chairs at the table.

Last week, I received and email from a woman who went to Hialeah High School when I did.
I never knew her then as we had almost 1,000 people in my class, with over 4,500 in the school.

She had placed a message on one of the networking sites I am listed on, to see if anyone had a yearbook from my sophomore year, 1968-69.
As it happened I did.

A man who was in my class had recently passed, and she was responsible for putting together a memorial service for him. It seems there weren't many pictures available.
When I scanned the page that had his picture, I remembered him.
We must have shared a couple of classes. Those years and those bright young faces have dimmed as time has elapsed. That Soph year is now 40 years in the past! Impossible!

I found out later when she emailed to thank me for sending the page that he passed away in a Nursing home. No idea as to what his malady was, but it was left unsaid that he had no family, and was pretty much alone.
She and her husband were kind, and stepped in to comfort and take care of him.
The fact that they raised six children of their own, and taught Special Ed told me the kind of people they were.

The occasion gave me pause to reflect, and a great deal of sadness as well.
I have known of several of my former classmates who have already passed on, some of them I knew well and called friends.
One knows there must be many more that I am not aware of.
As the years continue to fly by, more of us will cross the bridge as well.

I have been blessed with a wonderful wife, a son who has grown into manhood with honor and purpose, and a great extended family to support one another.
Most of us are similarly blessed, but not all.
It is true that we can't go 'home' again, but maybe looking up a schoolmate or childhood friend might shine the light on a need we can fulfill.

In the very least, it will give us pause to reflect, and to give thanks for what we have.

You are in a better place now, Mike and whatever trials and tribulations you had to undergo have now been taken care of by the Master.

Life is bubbling like vegetable soup.

I started a pot of vegetable soup this morning.
That truly teaches you patience, resisting the temptation of dipping into it before it is done.
The Queen is at the store getting a couple of missing ingredients, and I am signing my first two contracts for the new business.
Eventually I hope to have six to eight companies represented, but these first two are milestones.

Our lives are bubbling away like home made soup!
We're not 'done' until He says we are, and I hope we are both a long way from that point!

I've heard of many famous people who did not hit their stride until later in life.
Grandma Moses and Colonel Harlan Sanders immediately come to mind.
She was, by the standards of her day already 'old' when she started painting.
Col Sanders was in his sixties when he started the Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise.
Both Dwight David Eisenhower and George S. Patton were in the Westpoint class "The Stars Fell On" Many of that class became Generals, and found fame in World War II.
No one outside of the Army had heard of General Eisenhower before the war, indeed he was still a Colonel when it began.
Patton had a flamboyance that gained him some fame, but he did not become famous until our entry into the War.

Late bloomers all, and one is never to old to learn, or to start over!

Old rivalries, and you never really grow up.

Oh, but is was indeed sweet watching my old town Dolphins win a classic shootout with my most hated AFC East rival, the New Yawk Jets. Even though those Orange Jerseys looked more like the Miami Hurricanes than Dolphins.

After listening to the Sports media brag about the Jet defense all week, the Dolphin's physically took them apart. Their winning drive took five minutes, and left NY time for only one desperation play.
Second year QB Chad Henne came of age in only his second start.
As the term goes, he showed he can "go vertical", hitting Ginn for a 53 yard TD pass.
He also threw several perfect 'touch' passes in critical situations, and never turned the ball over.

Several questionable pass interference penalties went against the Dolphins.
They never let them get them down, and came back every time to retake the lead.

New York's coach Rex Ryan (His dad coached the great Bears defense in the eighties, and later was head coach of the Eagles) whined in the post game press conference.
Instead of giving credit where due, which made the win even better for old Dolfans like myself.

Back in the hunt after losing the first three games, football sure is a funny game sometimes!

legality, young adulthood and playoff baseball

I heard back from the NC Secretary of State that my company name was cleared, and my application was accepted and filed for the LLC.
I also have my taxpayer ID number, have to pay Caesar!

We're now legal, I will sign the contracts for our first two represented lines next week.
It will be a long, hard struggle until we are profitable, but for the first time in my long working life I'm working for us!
Many people in my industry who lost their jobs in the current Obameconomy are also starting their own businesses.

In the long run, our economy and the Republic will be stronger than ever, as long as we keep our free spending career politicians in check.
We do that at the ballot box.
They must be held accountable, regardless of party.
Remember that next November in the 2010 mid term elections.

Item two, we called our son the LT at his office today.
It was a hoot hearing "2LT Harvey, may I help you?"
As Paul put it and I paraphrase "Leaving our childish ways behind us"
He has been impressing the daylights out of me of late with the maturity of his decisions.
The Army provides excellent counseling for their new officers, and between them and what I have been preaching he already has the framework in order for eventual financial independence.

Light years ahead of me, even now in the (early) Autumn of my working life!

Item three, the baseball playoffs are here!
Of all the team sports, none can be so dramatic as baseball.

Last night the Twins and the Detroit Tigers played a one game playoff for the division title and final post season playoff spot.
They finished dead even after playing 162 regular season games.
This is the second year in a row that Minnesota has done so, losing a similar game last year to the White Sox.

This game met and exceeded the hype.
Dramatic home runs, clutch catches and double plays, and two incredible plays at the plate sent the game into extra innings.

Finally in the bottom of the twelfth with one out, the Twins won on a clutch single.
Baseball although a team sport is in reality a man on man series of individual battles.
Batter against pitcher, fielder against base runner, and sometimes catcher against a charging bull of a runner.
With the game and the season on the line, each out is critical, and every play can signify disaster and heartbreak or jubilation.

I love post season baseball! Should be a great Division and League championship set, leading up to what should be a fantastic World Series.

Baseball is still our National Pastime, part of our culture from generation to generation.

Am I old or what!

My sister certainly thinks so.
My silly comment on Fbook that I hide all the mirrors brought a rejoinder from her
"No, they broke of their own free will!"
What is a sister good for except being the occasional smart aleck?

When asked where I wanted to go for my bday dinner, I told the Queen "The back deck"
"Home made spaghetti and meatballs, not the stuff in a jar"
A nice bottle of Fetzer's cabernet (a great value and a really nice wine) and it was heaven.
Lit the Chimenea for the first time this fall, listened to the late NFL game through the open window, and it was a really nice time at home with my Queen.

Who is now Madam Vice President as well.
I filed the paperwork for the LLC for our new rep firm with the State this Thursday last.
I heard back today that the name passed the first clearance and appears to be available.
Carolina ITS Solutions, the ITS stands for Information Transport Systems, which people in my niche of Telecommunications will understand. It will identify what we are involved in.

I was a bit concerned when a name popped up that did not in my initial domain and net search,
Carolina IT Solutions, which stands for Information Technologies, kind of an all encompassing description of an entire segment of communications and network hardware.

It doesn't appear to be a problem, not even sure if they are still around, last entry was 2008.

We are in the process of jokingly defining my new VP's specific duties.

"Well, you go to funerals overseas for boring old toots that the president doesn't want to bother with.
You sit next to the Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader during joint sessions and pretend you can stand either one of them.
You hide when the president is around, and if you are the current VP you make occasional Bozo the Clown statements in public and embarrass the Pres"

She will add, "well I cleared the table, that's one of my duties. I walked the dog washed the clothes and looked darn good all day long! Fulfilled my obligations and made you look good!"

Right on, Madame VP!

The Lone Ranger rides again!

I was right, my partner backed out yesterday.
A family situation involving a late in life divorce for his parents made it tough on him.
He felt he couldn't put 100% into this venture at this point.
I told him spending time with his mom while she is under such duress and heartbreak is more important.

Totally amicable, and completely understandable.

I am going solo, with the Lord's and the Queen's help.
Shoot, I always work alone anyhow in this business!
We will just keep all of the proceeds for six months to a year, and then decide whether to add an associate or two to better cover the territory and grow the business.

One manufacturer has already told me it doesn't matter.
I'm pretty sure it won't to the others either.

We should be up and running with two or three lines by Nov 1st.

Let's get this party started!

Fall is finally here, and working while sick

Hooray, Fall is finally here in the Old North State!

Temps in the seventies, around fifty at night.

Soon the leaves will be turning. We are going to Boone in three weeks, they should be at their peak then.

I am meeting with my prospective partner this afternoon. I have been getting intimations that he is going to back out.
We'll find our for sure today.

I have had two companies get back to me that I met with in Vegas, asking me to represent them.
One is a German test equipment mfg, their web site is in German, although they do have a domestic sales office and warehouse here in the States.
That should be fun!

I already had one located here in Raleigh that I will firm up tomorrow, and another that I have previously spoken to before going to the conference.
That one is a low % line, but I will probably take them on anyway.

If I go solo, it will be a lot of windshield time and long hours for awhile.
But it will be ours!
I will eventually add associates, but not a partner if this is my path.
The Queen is my partner, and the Lord my backer!
Wow, but developing day to day faith is not for the faint at heart though!

Ariel has a raging case of the flu, and cannot stay home and sleep until he gets over it.
Their fall FTX (Field Training Exercise) starts tomorrow at Ft Jackson SC, and since he is part of the officers cadre now he can't miss it.

Such is the life of an adult! Y0u're sick and need to stay home, but your employer, be it the Army or a company won't allow it.
So you are miserable, work sick and make certain that everyone around you gets your affliction.

Is it my imagination, or do bosses somehow seem immune?
In my experience the rascals seem to never get sick.

Such is life fellow Pilgrims!

Rock on Lt Harvey, and feel better soon!

Freak Show!

Las Vegas!
How can I even begin to describe it?
Suffice it to say that we two rubes from Mayberry NC felt like Salmon swimming the wrong way in the wrong stream when we first arrived late Saturday night!

The conference/expo we attended was in the MGM Grand complex, the newest and most ornate of the "New Vegas" Casinos.

We got in around 11:00 PM.
First off, the shuttle driver backed completely over the sidewalk at the airport, nearly running over a young man who was waiting as we were for his ride. His friends yelled and pulled him out of harms way in the nick of time.

When we pulled into the massive driveway at the Grand, we were caught in a traffic jam consisting mostly of stretch limos.
I had forgotten that there was a championship prize fight in the arena at the Grand that night.
The fight had just ended, welterweight champ Floyd Mayweather had come out of retirement to win back his title.

Our 'driver' and I use the term loosely dropped us off in the middle of that vortex of traffic and left us to pull our suitcases and run for our lives to the lobby!

We had a hard time even spotting the check in area, the mob of people was so massive.
I think every thug, ner'do' well, hooker and celebrity wanna be in North America was there.
The rest of the country was safe that night I think, all of the low life types were at the Grand!

We were exhausted and just wanted to get into our room and crash.
When I opened the door, I could see that the room had not been cleaned from it's previous occupant.
After calling the front desk I was told to wait there and a concierge would bring up keys to another room for us. He finally arrived, and said "You did want a smoking room, right?"
Absolutely not I replied.
He apologized profusely and said "Wait here, I'll be right back with the key to an appropriate room for you"
Due to all of the hassles, they upgraded us to a beautiful suite!
It was most certainly a room normally given to high rollers, by far the nicest hotel room I have stayed in during all of my travels.

The Lord does work in mysterious ways, and in the heart of Sin City to boot!

More on our journey to 'Oz later, with pictures that the Queen took.

Off to Vegas

Finally at the age of almost 56 I will experience Las Vegas.
We are heading out to the fall BICSI conference, where I am meeting with one manufacturer and hope to get the interest of others in getting this business off the ground.
The aviation term is "rotate speed".
That is the speed at which you become airborne and slip the bonds of gravity and soar off into the deep blue sky.

I'm itching for this venture to hit rotate speed!

The Queen is looking forward to "Bright Light City" as Elvis put it.
I'm sure that we will see him.
Maybe he'll buy us a Caddy!

I'm just hoping that it is profitable business wise, and that maybe a few days in the dry desert air will improve both of our allergies.
They have been miserable the last few weeks here.

Oddly, I have not flown for three years, almost to the week.

Should be fun!

Vegas, Baby! The Queen will be in her element!

Missing Persons Report.

Has anyone seen Code Pink, Grannies Against War, Veterans Against War, etc etc.?
Since George W. Bush left office and the Democrats assumed total power they have been absent without leave.
Press Conferences and Congressional Speeches have not been interrupted, camp ins in front of the White House or the Presidents vacation home have vanished, and (Believe me I am not complaining about this!) Cindy Sheahan has all but disappeared from view.

Are they all on Holiday together, dancing around the camp fire singing Kumba Ya?
Have Aliens abducted them?
Or is it true that they are only against the military when a Republican sits in the Oval Office?

I make it a point to read the names of all of our young men who have lost their lives in Afghanistan.
I note their age, their home towns, their families.
Sadly there are lists almost daily now.
And it is not just our young men.
Their are combat aviators from Canada, the U.K. and our other true allies losing their sons all too frequently now.

The President has talked about increasing our troop levels by 35-40,000 men.
To what purpose?

Are we willing to ignore the Pakistani border and pursue the Taliban and Al Queda wherever they may flee? Just think of Laos, Cambodia and the Ho Chi Minh trail here, circa 1966-1973.
Are we willing to use any and all conventional weapons to destroy their mountain sanctuaries?
Are we willing to give them a deadline on their evil trade in Opium Poppies, and to utilize our incredible Agricultural knowledge to teach them how to grow cash crops to feed themselves and advance their economy?
Are we willing to tell them that further suppression of their women and the few non-muslim amongst their population will no longer be tolerated?
Do we have the political backbone to do all of these things and more?
As yet I have seen no evidence of that.

My son will be joining them in theatre all too soon.
I resent the fact that he will most probably be risking his life for nothing, just as too many of my friends and neighbors did during the Vietnam era.

Are we willing to do whatever it takes to secure Afghanistan?
Are we willing to ask the Obama Administration and the Democrat Congress the hard questions?
Is there a realistic chance that we can drag Afghanistan out of the Stone Age and create a viable, reasonably free nation?
Are we willing to militarily untie the hands of our soldiers and Marines to get the job done?
Are we willing?

If the answer to any of these questions is No, then we need to secure what towns there are, make Pakistan understand in no uncertain terms that we will tolerate no incursion from their side into Afghanistan, and get the heck out of there.

Now Mr. President!

We want answers!

Post script to the main stream media.
I've seen absolutely no critism from you or questioning on our deepening involvement here.

Cat Got Your Tongue?

Random bits and Pieces

Great football game last night, and it restored the Miami/Fla State rivalry to its place amongst the best in college football.
After watching bits of several games this weekend past involving ranked teams that were sloppy and poorly played it was nice to see two teams who were ready.
A hard hitting but clean football game, even though there is normally no love lost between the two arch rivals.
I am going to miss Coach Bobby Bowden when he finally retires.
Or should I have said "Dadgummit, I'm gonna miss the old coach!"
He is one of the most naturally funny people in sports, and a fine old Southern Christian Gentleman to boot.
During a pre-game interview he said and repeated "Football is not my God. Probably not even third or fourth on my priority list"
I like that.
Our newly minted 2LT and his friend Nathan made the road trip of their lives and were at the game.
One text he sent on the way down "South GA is so Poor!" spoke volumes of his maturation.
I sent him on that route from Brunswick GA through Valdosta and Thomasville to Tallahassee because it seemed to be the most direct.
Old Dad also had the ulterior motive of showing him that not everyone is as fortunate as he has been.
There is still a lot of poverty and struggle for survival in this country.
The current ruling party in my opinion is making it far more likely more will join that group, but that is for another discussion in another venue.

I am not looking forward to my cell bill, the texts flew back and forth during the game.
"Was he in?" referring to my ability to watch replays during the several officially reviewed plays. All of them went Miami's way, not the usual outcome of our encounters with the officials.
Several times it seemed that both teams were making mistakes that would cost them the game, but then they came storming back to tie or take a slim lead.

With just over a minute and a half left, Miami took a four point lead.
One of the few poor coaching decisions gave the Noles the ball at mid-field after a squib (Short) kick off.
Oh no, I thought, they only have to go 50 yards to pull this one off!

And they pretty near did, after a 20 yard QB draw and a questionable interference call in the end zone gave them the ball at our two yard line.
Two tipped passes by Cane defensive backs who were several inches shorter than FSU receivers brought the game to one final play, double or nothing winner take all.

One last official review after their receiver apparently trapped the ball in the end zone had 81,000 people in Doak Campbell Stadium and millions watching on TV on pins and needles.
Would the call on the field stand and Canes win, or will it be reversed and Florida State reign supreme?
Hollywood could not have written a more suspenseful ending.

"The call on the field stands, the game is over!"
WOW, CANES WIN!

What a way to start the season!

Once again no one can dispute that Florida football is the most competitive in the nation.
Favored to win their third National Title in four years, the Gators have yet to play anyone good.
But Miami and FSU proved last night they can play and hold their own against anyone.

Look for all three schools to finish in the top ten and play in BCS bowls in January.

"Inch by inch, step by step...."

No, not Niagara Falls, like in the Three Stooges. "Slowly I turned, " etc etc.

Walking by faith, taking each day as it comes, following the path, entering the open door, etc.
We've all heard these maxims before, and we may have thought we were living them at times.

Typically unless there is serious illness or loss, we are not in the position to actually do so.
While we are young our parents shield us from the bad things in life.
We should not have to worry about jobs, politics or the economy.

And even though we do spend too much time doing so as adults, for the most part we are in that amorphous state of doing our jobs, maintaining our families, and living from paycheck to paycheck.

We live to please our bosses, and to keep our jobs.
It was not until the industrial age was in full swing that people started to work for someone else.
Most Americans worked for themselves, a majority at least in part were involved in agriculture.
Since all of my ancestors were farmers first and craftsmen second, I know how much faith their lives contained.
There is no controlling the weather.
Everything depends on it.
Crops carefully planted and cultivated, livestock raised from infancy, water for drinking and cleaning could all be wiped out with a bad turn of the elements.
Imagine working from springtime throughout the summer to have a severe early fall snow destroy most of the food and feed crops you have toiled to produce.
It made for a sparse Winter.

Both of my grandfathers worked away from the farm to earn extra money.
One as a carpenter for the coal mines, one as a master mason and Ice Man.
The women ran the farm in their absence.

Well, we find ourselves in that situation now.
It became obvious to me soon after I was 'downsized' (quaint term!) that I did not want to go to work for yet another company.
I've worked for all sorts. Small family run businesses, large businesses that started humbly, and most recently I went the Fortune 500 route, working for one of the oldest companies in American industry for twelve years.
A common thread amongst them all is that when it was to their benefit to cast me adrift, they did so without much personal concern. I even had one man tell me "Well, it was my boat or you." The boat was more important than my young family.

So we are starting our own business. The doors started to open for me in that direction, and it continues to be obvious to us we are pursuing the right objective.
My business partner and I hope to have the legals done by labor day.
We have a strong prospect that we will meet with next week to become our first company represented. They are local, their HQ is in RTP right here in Raleigh.
We will be manufacturers representatives. Instead of working for a company directly we act as third party sales, receiving a commission on everything we sell.
No benefits, or salaries as such. But also no boss, no vacation time, and no depending on one companies whim for our financial existence.
We hope to have six to eight such companies by the first of the year, including one Flagship line to lead our efforts..

Each day is an act of faith, there are no regular paychecks, and monthly commissions can be estimated, but may also vary wildly from month to month.

The odd thing is, my stress has greatly ebbed since I left the corporate rat race.
Everyone has noticed it, and my health has actually improved!
The nagging arthritis is still there and probably always will be, but the frequency and severity has most definitely reduced.
I'm more or less my old crazy self again as well.

It will be a long and sometimes difficult road ahead, but it is much easier to see who is in charge again.

And that dear family and friends is indeed comforting!

2LT Ariel James Harvey, Hooah!

After years of hard work, the big weekend finally came and went!
After graduating from Appalachian State University Magna Cum Laude, Ariel took the oath last Saturday and is now a Commissioned Officer.

We are honored that all in the family who could make it were in Boone to help us celebrate this milestone in his life!
You can see from the following pix that we all had a great time.

My sister hosted a fun picnic for him on Thursday night, we had a wonderful dinner at the beautiful Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock on Friday night, and lunch at the campus Broyhill Inn after the ceremony on Saturday.

In between of course, the women had plenty of opportunity to shop till they dropped.
Poor Grandma Irene was exhausted, the Queen, my sister Lily and my Aunt Kitty could and probably will shop until their last breath.

We guys just hung out.

The ceremony itself was brief, but very moving and inspirational.
The LT Col who delivered the address is an App grad himself, and he gave the young men and women some valuable advice on leadership.

His aunt and Uncle, Bev and Don Biesterfeld came, on the way to see our nephew Don at Ft Benning. Don also wears the uniform of the U.S. Army, we are proud of him!
My sister Lily, my mother's youngest sister Kitty (She and Irene are three months apart in age), Grandma Irene, Uncle Ken Wheeler all made it a special weekend!

The pictures are all over the map, but include the picnic, dinner and fun on the grounds afterwards, the ceremony itself, and the lunch after that.
I tried to include at least one picture of everyone in the family with Ariel, and a couple of happy group shots. The man who took the picture at Chetola was himself an Army vet, and his wife said "It's nice to see a family who enjoys each other!"

Ariel's ceremonial first salute was from the Battalion Sgt Major, a Green Beret with many years experience.
He told me " I was glad to see your son get infantry, he has a fine career in front of him and will be a great officer!"

Hooah, son, and Godspeed!

When the kids are quiet....

it isn't necessarily a good thing!

My Super Niece Ellie must be on vacation. Kim hasn't written about any of her exploits for some time now.
Where does a particularly rambunctious 3 1/2 year old go to unwind?
My guess is Vegas. What happens there, etc etc.

Speaking of which, the Queen and I will be making our first trip there in September.
BICSI, the professional organization I belong to has their fall conference there.
Since my former masters were too cheap to send me to Orlando in Jan per normal, I need my CEU's.
Also, we will be scheduling meetings with prospective vendors to add to our lines of representation.

Things are moving along on that front, I continue to get affirmation that this is indeed our path.
Just yesterday I was researching some companies that looked like a good fit.
One in particular is HQ'd right here in RTP in our area.
I had a friend who worked there whom I had lost contact with.
Guess who called me that afternoon after hearing what had happened to me?
You got it, that same friend.
He reminded me (I had forgotten) that when he lost his contract at UNC and was looking for work, I helped him find that position.
"It's my time to scratch your back now!" he told me.
He will get me in touch with the higher ups there to help me land that line.

The I AM doesn't usually speak to us verbally, or make the Sun go backwards.
He just makes things happen to move us where he wants us.

This is family week, Grandma Irene is already here.
I say here figuratively, she and the Queen are constantly out looking for trouble and having fun.
My Aunt Kitty and Ken are coming in tomorrow.
We will drive to Boone Thurs AM, where my sister will meet us.
Bev and Don will be there for dinner Friday and the ceremony Sat am before heading to Ft Benning to see Don before he deploys to Iraq.

Busy week!

Weekend update.

I enjoyed the Weekend Update spoof on the original SNL with Chevy Chase.
"Flea erections, I don't think we should be talking about the little buggers personal life!"
"Emily, that's Free Elections, not flea erections!"
"Oh, never mind!"

The late great Gilda Radner was Emily Latella, the perpetually confused old maid who always misunderstood everything Chevy reported.

Our update is that we have decided to be the Captain of our own ship, business wise.
Not like the Captain in Invictus, we are aware of who is really in charge.

I am simply not going to place my fate and that of my family in the hands of corporate bean counters, ever again!
I've also gotten constant affirmation from all of my former business contacts to go out on my own.
All of them told me the business they have done was because of me, not my former employers.
And a friend of mine who quit a similar position years ago to strike out on his own told me
"A.J., my average income since then has doubled over what I ever made working for someone else. And I never have to ask permission to take time off, or for anything else for that matter."

Up until the late nineteenth century, most people worked for themselves, whether they farmed, or were tradesmen, merchants, or professional types.

The scriptures tell us "To enjoy the fruits of our labors, and sit under our own vine and fig tree"
Why not enjoy them to our fullest, and keep most of those fruits?

I'll let you know how things progress.
I am meeting with a potential partner this week, and I have already gotten a couple of offers to perform some consulting work utilizing my RCDD credentials.

On that note, if you are not familiar with LinkedIn.com, please go there and register for a free networking profile of your own.

Think of it as Facebook for Adults, a true professional tool which will not only link you with people in your field that you don't know, it will also reestablish contact with people from your professional past who you may benefit from contacting.

I found it funny that my former boss was on the network, and he had never told any of us about it's existence!

Have a great week, Y'all!

Happy Fourth of July!

Make sure you grill, drink some homemade lemonade, watch some baseball and go to a fireworks display today!

If you see anyone in uniform, or know of a neighbor who served our great country, shake their hand, or give them a hug.

They never get enough of the thanks and respect they deserve for risking their all for our own right to "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."

Read the Declaration of Indepdendence, the Preamble to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, out loud to your children and grandchildren.

If they don't know what they have and how it came about, how can they revere and preserve it when they are in charge?

Happy Birthday to the greatest country on Earth!

Weekend update, and all that Jazz!

Most of you no doubt know, but I was RIF'd this week after 12 years with the company.
RIF stands for Reduction in Force, I've since come up with a better acronym that I will not share on my PG blog.
I have seen the inevitability of that happening for some time now.
The lousy Obam-economy most certainly was a driving factor, but not the sole reason.

My former boss, visibly upset and tortured by what he was told to do said to me "your position has been eliminated" I will not be replaced, nor will the others that have lost their jobs.
Two day later another bloodletting in the HQ in CT resulted in the woman who handled my territory in inside sales let go after 42 years with the company.
Basically the only job she had for her entire adult life.
The product engineering manager, who started the same month I did was also given the heave-ho, as well as the young man who started as an intern while at UConn and had risen to manage the quotes department.

Several other veteran, well respected and productive people nationwide were axed in this third so called RIF.

We appreciate all of the prayers and concern, we're alright for a few months whilst I decide which direction I want to lead us.
A lot of that depends on what is available, and in this miserable economy only the Good Lord knows.

I am not alone, two close friends of mine in the industry who recently experienced the same thing called to lend advice, and to offer support.
One just found work after three months, a much more lowly job than he had but work, nevertheless. The other is still looking after six months.

I have received nothing but good will and support from all of my business contacts, their initial reaction has all been "What the 'fill in the blank' were they thinking?"
One Christian brother who I dealt with at UNC told me "If we took the top 15 reps in the industry, regardless of product you were at the top of the list!"

That means more to me than money, everyone has also told me "We did business with your company because of you, not because of them"
Many also said good luck with them keeping our business.
Corporate bean counters do not understand where the business really comes from, it comes from people dealing with people that they trust, respect and like.
They will find out the hard way, well deserved and good riddance to them!

I plan on taking a few courses at JCC while I am exploring, and after this week when I wrap up the initial tasks like transferring my cell phone, having the fleet car picked up, COBRA, preparing a resume (It's been almost fifteen years since I last had to do that!) etc. I plan on taking a few days to unwind and vent a bit.

That primal scream you hear in the either will most likely be me!

Don't be afraid to call us, I'm over my initial snit and am moving on.

Ode to Dad's everywhere.

Another Father's Day is upon us.
My own Dad left us over 33 years ago.
I am now almost a year older than he was when he slipped out of our lives and into the promised life to come.

Last year was a tough year for me, even though I swore to myself that I would not focus on that.
My 55th came and went anyway.
We all have our appointed time, and nothing we do will change that.
I also had to face the fact that I was no longer a young buck.
Nothing major, but in general I simply have not felt great for almost a year now.
Other than the Arthritis I am dealing with, everything else seems to be fine, including my cardiovascular health.

So I am fortunate. Simply getting older.
Adjusting to that fact is something all Dad's have to face up to.
I can't work in the yard all day like I used to without paying the price.
So I now spend money on something I vowed I would never do.
Someone else mows my yard and trims every two weeks.
I've also learned that I can live with it looking a bit shaggy every other weekend.
That would have driven me to break out the mower just a couple of years ago and waste most of my Saturday in the Southern summer heat.
Now I sit on the front porch and have a nice cold drink, or share a glass of wine with the Queen.
Perhaps I am getting a bit smarter after all!
To be a wise Grandpa someday, I have to develop some smarts!
Although when they are old enough I will insist my grandkids (girls too, I'm all for true feminism!) to get their heinies out there and mow the yard for their Dad without being fussed at. And to help Mom around the house.
Something that he never did, actually.
Most of our head butting contests revolved around him doing the little bit around the place we asked him to.
The same strength of character and drive that makes him the fine young man he is today, also made him a stubborn pain in the neck at times in his teen years.
He would purposely wait until almost dark before finally caving and doing the yard.
Many interesting mowing patterns resulted.
I think he would have had a great career in mowing ball parks, it would have been easy to adapt to mowing the team logos onto the field.

Of course, I had many memorable moments driving my own father to the brink of insanity.
One that still sticks in my mind is him 'teaching' me how to put a new brake master cylinder on my car, and then how to 'bleed' the air out of the brake system.
I was in the car, my only duty to pump the brake pedal when he told me to, while he was under the car with a wrench on the nipple, which bled excess air out of each wheel in turn.
Timing is critical on this, and given my propensity to daydream when I was bored, disaster was sure to happen.
I must have responded with less alacrity than he wanted, and when he screamed at me to "wake up, and pump the d*** pedal" I did so, vigorously.
The result was a face full of brake fluid for the old man, who had let the wrench slip off the nipple while yelling at me.
He came rolling out from under the car, temporarily blind, and regaling me with his impressive country boy/WWII vet command of profanity.
While thrashing around the carport, trying to find a rag to wipe the fluid from his face, he kicked the tray from the toolbox, scattering small fittings and tools all over the yard.

At this point, I was trying not to laugh. Not very successfully at that.
He finally got most of it wiped away, and after going inside to wash his face, returned, somewhat sheepishly.
"Don't just sit there like a knot on a log, come out here and help me find all of these Cotton'Pickin' tools!"

I know all of us who were fortunate enough to have Dad's who actually raised us have similar stories.
And all of us repeat phrases and actions to our own kids we swore we would never use.
The President has recently been talking a lot about Fatherhood.
Sadly, it is needed in this day and time.
Half of all homes are second marriages, and many women raise their children without the fathers. These 'men' care more about themselves than the children they help bring into the world.

But there is no substitute for being there, 24/7 for your own children.
It is a sacrifice for both parents.
That's what being a Father is.
Dependability. Not flash, not Cliff Huxtable or Pa Walton.
Just being there for them.
Sometimes you cannot be their friends when they need a good swift kick in the Gluteous.
But ultimately, you will be.

I now simply 'hang out' with my son.
We have conversations about just about everything. He listens to me again, without rolling his eyes with expressions of bewilderment.
I admire and respect him too.

It was worth all of the time, money and sometimes grief that being a Dad brings.

Thank you to my Dad, to his Dad, and to my nephews Luke, Martin and Brandon, who are fine fathers in their own right. They had good Dad's who were there for them.

And I know my own boy will also be a fine Father when his time comes.

Grill them a steak today, and then just leave them alone to watch golf, read that book they never have time to read, or better yet sit there and ask them about their father.

Happy Father's Day!

"We are SO non-biased!"

Somtimes real events are far more bizarre than fiction.

Whether you call it "The Drive-by Media" "The State Run Media" (not original terms, credit Rush for both)
or "The Old Dead Media" (one I did come up with during the last two year election cycle)
their bias slip has been showing for many years now.

Their latest escapade will be tomorrow night.
The ABC Evening News will be broadcast from the Obama White House.
Not on the lawn outside, but from within the White House!

I half expect the President Of The United States (Or POTUS, in Secret Service parlance)
to wander by the anchor desk, wearing FDR's Cardigan sweater, holding a cup of Joe.
With his two adorable daughters and his new puppie in tow.
Perhaps we will be treated to the pup piddling on the carpet (one can only hope!), and the kids will pull the John-John trick and crawl under the desk, giggling.

His immaculately turned out wife will then come on the set to retrieve her young'uns and dog, dressed to the nines as usual.
"Why, this old thing! It's just something I threw on to knock around the house!
Later on we're going to build a campfire on the East Lawn, roast weenies and have Smores!"

The All American family to be sure.

The Anchor will feign surprise "Why, Mr President, we had no idea you were at home!"

Recipes will no doubt be shared, and we will all be assured in heart warming fashion that everything is AOK on the home front.

Unemployment at 10%, the national budget doubled, and the deficit approaching two trillion dollars already. In just five months.

Oh, and the NutBar sandwich who runs a now nuclear armed North Korea in a particularly feisty mood.
And black leather, helmeted storm troopers on motor cycles rampaging through the streets of Tehran, clubbing and sweeping away people protesting their recent "election".

They may get to those stories.

That depends on how many recipes The First Lady has to share with us.

I'm waiting for them to share the one for Humble Pie.

Summer Reading suggestions

Revisit (for many it will be a first look) our founding documents.

The Declaration of Independence;

The Constitution Of The United States Of America;

The Federalist Papers

The Writings of Jefferson

Common Sense by Thomas Paine

Then compare what you read against what our Government is now doing.

Your opinions may change. (hopefully!)

Update from Boone

Last Friday, Ariel passed the last of three CLEP tests he needed to fulfill all graduation requirements.
He's now finished with the undergraduate phase of his academic life.

The Army will pay for grad school someday, several years down the road.
Full Time Active Duty status for two years while in grad school.
Not a bad deal!

Magna Cum Laude, quite an accomplishment!

He will commission on 7 August, and will start his active duty career on 14 November as a Gold Bar Recruiter at App.
Two more semesters in the college atmosphere without the rigors of classwork!
Great Duty, only one other newly commissioned 2LT will serve with him.
They will also share an apartment until next April when they report for their intensive training as a platoon leader/Infantry officer.
This will include Ranger School, one of the toughest training regimens in the U.S. Military.
Only Special Forces training, Seal or Air Force Para training is more demanding.

He now has a rare gift.
Several months to travel and see the world without the encumbrances of job and family!
He plans on seeing as much family as he can here in the States, and is just starting the planning for a potential trip to Europe in September with two of his cousins on my side of the family.
My cousin Rob has lived in Germany for many years, and has offered to squire the boys around.
Dave and Robert are his nephews, and as a retired Air Force Master Sgt he has keenly followed Ariel's training and military career.

Wow! His old man is jealous!

The Queen and I could threaten to tag along, but we don't want to cramp his style.

Some of the family will be able to attend his commissioning rites in August.
Rest assured there will be a lot of pictures posted for those who cannot.

6 June, 1944, D-Day remembered.

65 years.
Until recently, that was the expected life span of the average male in this country.
One of my Grandfathers made it exactly, the other lived another 12 years past that mark.

When I was a school boy in the sixties, D-Day and the end of WWII was only twenty years past.
Now the 'end' of the Vietnam war is 34 years in my rear view mirror.

Most of the men who saw action on June 6th, 1944 are gone now.
Only a relative handful of the hundreds of thousands that were involved are still living, both Allied and German alike.
All of them are old men in their eighties and nineties.

By the time June 6th 2014 is upon us, virtually all of them will be gone.
My sister told me recently that the last of the "Bedford Boys" had passed away.
Bedford VA is still a small All-American town halfway between Roanoke and Lynchburg.
A disproportionately high number of their boys, who were Reservists by the way were killed and wounded on D Day.
That is why the National D-Day Memorial is located there.
Dedicated by President George W. Bush during his first term, it is a stirring and somber reminder to us of the sacrifice that millions of young men made during that awful war.

It pays homage to all of our allied troops as well, even though our American boys suffered the worst casualties simply by the luck of the draw on landing beaches.

Omaha Beach. The name still stirs vivid emotions for me.

Watch the opening sequence of "Saving Private Ryan" Not with young children under any circumstance.
Then watch the D-Day episode of the excellent series "Band of Brothers", which gives perspective to what our Airborne troops went through.
My son is now one of them.

Then lastly, watch the excellent epic "The Longest Day", and read the book by Cornelious Ryan on which it is based.

Then you may gain a small inkling of the sheer terror and horror those young guys went through on the day that literally saved civilization from a tyranny no one can imagine.

A footnote, my thanks and regards to the citizens of Normandy, France.
Even though most of them who were alive on D-Day have passed, their children and grand children carry on a wonderful tradition of thanks and respect for our lost sons.

Each local family adopted the grave of one of our boys in the American Cemetary at Normandy, almost 10,000 of them.

They lovingly care for it year round, often bringing flowers, and having picnics there, which is a great sign of respect and thanks in their culture.

This is perpetual, passing on through the generations.
When a veteran visits who was there, he is lauded by the local citizens.

We should all pause and thank them as well, if we did not notice the significance of this Saturday past.

Footnotes

Some of the narrative was from first hand accounts I have read.

Others are from real life veterans I knew, or family history.

The "Doughboy" in the WWI remembrance is my Grand Dad Cupp.
He did not finish his training before Armistice Day and did not go to France,
but men from his family and my Grandmother's did, and saw action.

The account of WWII is my Uncle Bill Cupp, who did serve in both WWII and Korea.
My Aunt Katherine "Kitty" told Phyllis and I the story about the troop trains.
It is her personal memory.

The soldier in Korea was my HS Math teacher, Mr. Calvin Hall.
He was actually in Korea for two winters.
The story related is true, and he told us of many other combat encounters.

The 'Nam Vet is a composite of guys I knew.
The POW mentioned is the elder brother of one of my best friends from Hialeah.
He was the youngest F4 pilot in the Navy, only an Ensign flying from the U.S.S. Independence when a SAM missle shot him down over Hanoi in 1964.
He spent over eight years in captivity, never knowing until his release that his "Back Seat" EWO also survived the crash and made it home.
He is one of the most amazing men I have had the privilege of meeting, and a solid Christian Gentleman who did not let the appalling treatment he received make him bitter.

The present day Vet is a composite from young men I know, including my son.
Volunteers all.

Memorial Day, "I did what I had to do."

"I was happy on my farm. I had a wife and four young'uns and crops to git in.
But when the call to arms came, I went.
Never heard of Gettysburg before. Never thought I'd never leave there either.
Neither did some of those ol' Johnny Rebs who we fought with.
They were pretty brave boys, most of them left farmin' too.
A lot of us are still there.
Walk the field between Seminary Ridge and Cemetary Ridge and you may hear us, rustlin up some firewood to boil coffee, or just carryin' on like young men always do.
President Lincoln gave a purty good speech later on that year.
People still remember him, don't forget us.
We did what we felt we had to do"

"Never much cared what went on over in the old countries.
Ol' Kaiser Bill was a raisin' Hell over there, didn't see how that meant a whole heap to us.
But in the Winter of '18 when I got drafted, I went.
Saw some pretty bad things with the old First Division, "The Big Red One"
Something called a Salient near a place called Meuse Argonne got a lot of us killed and hurt bad.
I was lucky, came home pretty much healthy.
Still can't look at a Poppie flower without thinkin' of some of my buddies who weren't so lucky.
We all did what we had to do."

"We saw Hitler and the Japanese start to get uppity as early as '33.
Had problems of our own then, millions out of work.
Ma used to feed the Hobos that came through the farm from the rail yards where Pa was lucky enough to have a job.
If we got food we are supposed to share it, she'd say.
In '42, my sister Kitty would stand next to the rail trestle for the N&W and watch the troop trains heading to Norfolk, loaded full of boys.
They'd wave and yell at her, full of themselves.
A lot of them are still in France, North Africa, and all over the Pacific.
I went to the Solomons with a P.T. boat squadron, later to Korea on a cruiser.
Never hurt, but was fearful homesick a lot.
We all did what we felt was our duty.
Didn't hate the Germans or the Japanese, but had to stop them for the folks back home."

"I haven't always taught Geometry to you knuckleheads.
Back when I was young in 1952, I spent the Winter in Korea.
Freezing, frostbitten toes, months without a hot meal or a bath or a decent place to sleep.
Once when I knelt by a stream full of melting mountain snow trying to shave in the springtime, a North Korean mortar round landed nearby.
We learned to ignore the first one. The second one got me to runnin'.
The third one landed right where I'd been kneeling!
We hated Korea, and still aren't real fond of communists or Red Chinese.
But we all did what we had to do."

"Nam? Where the Hell is Viet Nam? I sure didn't want to be there!
Just wanted to finish College and get a job.
But my "Uncle" sent me greetings and said Welcome to the Army, son!
So I went.
Bugs, heat that made Miami seem like a mountain resort, and little people in black outfits trying to kill us was my life for the next 13 months.
Some of my brothers were Marines, some in the Air Force and Navy, some never saw the bush.
One spent over eight years as a POW, courtesy of the North Vietnamese.
To this day he doesn't hate them, says "Hate just eats you up, doesn't change a thing"
He's a better man than I am, for certain.
Almost sixty thousand of us never got home, and almost three thousand more are MIA.
Walk next to our wall next time you're in D.C.
Remember us. You'll probably see several of we lucky ones who made it home there, leaning against a particular spot with a buddies name on it. Weeping like a baby.
Thank one of us when you get a chance.
We didn't run to Canada, we did what honor and love of country led us to do."

"We don't have to serve. No draft since dad was a young pup in '72.
But we feel it is important.
This country still stands for something in this lousy, selfish Me First World of 2009.
Less than two percent of we Americans do serve.
Seems like only our families care.
People don't hate us like they did my Uncles who went to The 'Nam.
Pretty much respected for the most part.
But no one gives us much thought on a given day.
The grunt from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Force on his third deployment has a wife at home. Probably appreciate it if someone mowed the yard for her while I'm gone.
The three Guardsman from North Carolina who hit the IED over the weekend won't be coming home.
Don 't forget them, and if you know their families, just go over and sit with them or bring some food.
We are always out there, sitting in the cold and desert heat, fighting bugs, boredom and people that hate us and our way of life. People who would kill all of us if I wasn't here, with thousands of my brothers and sisters who volunteer to lay it on the line.
We all do what we have to do."

Escapism

As a young Junior high boy in the mid-sixties (that's 1960's, not 1860's!) I and my fellows watched the original "Star Trek" T.V. series.

Set in the 23rd Century, we liked it because of the characters, the 'Space Western' Plots, and the portrayal of a humanity that survived the Atomic Cold war era we were living in.

And perhaps the short skirt uniforms that the female crew members of the Enterprise and the Alien races wore had something to do with it.

The cheesey special effects, complete with plastic space ship models hanging by sometimes visable wires and the hammy over acting of Bill Shatner did not dull our devotion.

The movies which revived the franchise and subsequent sequel/prequel T.V. series never quite captured the original intent, movie two "The Wrath of Kahn" being the only exception.

All attempts in recent years of going back to the sixties, "Mission Impossible" "Bourne" "Wild Wild West" etc have been major failures for the most part.

Last weekend we saw the much anticipated "Star Trek" which takes the original crew back to their academy days and their first mission together on the brand spanking new NCC-1701 Starship Enterprise.

And Wow, what a great summer blockbuster ride at warp speed it is!

Even if one has no familiarity with the genre', this is a great Sci-Fi action adventure flick!

From the opening sequence where the Evil rogue Romulan Nero attacks and destroys the Starship Kelvin, briefly and heroically commanded by James T. Kirk's father George, to the final confrontation between Jim Kirk and the Enterprise and Nero, the pace never slackens.

The plot depends on a time travel basis, convoluted at best.
Many of the givens you old timers are familiar with are different, from Captain Christopher Pike's first command of the Enterprise to Kirk losing his father at birth.

Even one of the old cast reprises his role as a very old man who travels back in time to aid his old friends (and himself, according to Einstein an impossibility)

The special effects are quite spectacular, but what makes this movie so enjoyable are the characterizations of all too familiar figures.
Casting is superb, from Winona Ryder and Ben Cross's portrayal of Spock's parents, to Simon Pegg's hysterical Montgomery Scott, "Scotty", always my favorite character.

Chris Pine is perfectly cast as a young, bitter impetuous James Tiberious Kirk (the origin of that awful middle name is revealed in the first sequence) Zach Quinto is excellent as the young Spock, and Leonard "Bones" McCoy quickly became my favorite in this movie.

After delivering a diatribe about all of the horrible things that can happen to a person who travels through space (a recurrent theme for McCoy in the original) to Kirk, Kirk replies "But we're joining Star Fleet. They kind of operate in space!"
McCoy reveals a great deal about his cranky nature "My ex-wife took the whole D*** planet in the divorce. Space is as far from her as I can get!"

And we finally learn Uhura's first name. I won't spoil it here.

Nods are given to the old school Trekkers.
On a beautiful hi-tech bridge, the "throttle" for the Warp Drive looks like a stick shift from a 1968 Mustang.
The engineering section could be a boiler plant in present day Iowa, and the ship was built on Earth in a traditional looking ship yard.

Realism is more apparent, shuttle craft actually have visable chipped paint from heat, and ships must calculate and "pop out" of warp drive at a planned destination, flying blind for the most part in route.

This tries to address to some degree knowledge gained about Quantum Physics since the original.

But this is after all, Science Fiction, and escapist entertainment at it's best.

Spend the eight bucks and sit back and enjoy the ride!

"Maybe you have a Spectre looking over your shoulder."

So said James Bond to the evil Emilio Largo in Thunderball.

Largo was the Eye-patched, sophisticated villain and number two for the criminal organization Spectre that Bond fought in all of the Sean Connery 007 flicks.

Now our own modern day Specter (Arlin, of course) has given me great amusement over the last week or so.

Always a Republican of convenience, he switched parties last week and 'joined' the Dems.
After promising as recently as April 16th that he was elected as a Republican, and would stay one.

In his rambling public pronouncement he first stated his reason for switching to be Republican Economic policy.
Then a few lines later, he admitted that he had little chance of winning the Republican primary next Spring.
It was a classic example of self serving politcal double speak.

Now this week he expressed surprise that he would be a Junior member in the Dem majority.
I guess he expected to take over Harry "Cryptkeeper" Reids job as Senate Majority Leader.

In an interview the other day he also stuck his foot in his mouth when he stated that he hoped Norm Coleman (R) would win out over Al "Stuart Smalley" Franken in the ongoing, stomach churning endless recount in Minn-E-Soda.

Forgetting that he is now a Dem.
"Oops, I guess for a moment I forgot what team I'm on!"

Just look in the mirror, Senator and you will remember.

For all of you voters in The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, cradle of Liberty, a word of advice.

You can do better in the Democrat Primary next spring with virtually any other candidate.
Skippy the Wonderdog would be more loyal to you.

It would be nice to see this selfish old fossil shown the door, once and for all.

Dining Out

We were privileged to attend Ariel's ROTC Dining Out Military Ball last Friday.
They used to be called Dress Mess.

As Battalion S3 (operations officer) this semester he planned the entire event.
They started working on it at the start of the semester.

The Army is big on tradition and history, and this evening was no exception.

There was a table in a prominent place set for one.
A single Red Rose and a Red Ribbon signifies remembrance of Fallen Comrades.
Felllow soldiers who have given their all in every war that America has fought.
App State has already lost two ROTC alumni in our current War on Terror.

Several proscribed toasts follow, starting with "We Toast the President of the United States" and ending with "We toast the Ladies!"
Then the Colonel started the dinner, while a slide show of each of the MS4 (Senior) Cadets played.
All of us submitted pictures, and it was interesting to see which ones Ariel chose.
It was funny, and very touching as well to see these young soldiers as cute little Young'uns.

Afterwards the Colonel made a few brief remarks, and introduced the guest speaker, a young Captain who graduated in '05.
He has already seen two combat tours in Iraq.
He gave very good advice about cultivating a relationship with your NCO's, (Go out and have a beer or two with them. The Army runs because of it's Senior NCO's) and looking after your young enlisted men.
"They will be looking up to you for guidance and discipline. Their Body Armor will most likely be too small, and their Kevlar (helmet) too big. Their ACU's seldom fit as well.
Take care of them"
He also advised them to learn to think on their feet, and to study the art of War Craft.
Keep your boys alive and bring them home!

We then took part in pinning his branch insignia on his uniform.
Ariel will be infantry, attached to the Big Red One, First ID based in Ft Knox KN

It was a proud moment pinning those crossed rifles on his Class A uniform.
He has diligently been working out for two years, and the uniform that hung rather loosely after BCT grad now fits like he is fixing to explode out of the tunic.
My son is a stud!

Proud Momma and Daddy to be sure!

The last picture shows that Queen Felica is adept at making friends wherever she goes.
We spent a glorious spring day in Blowing Rock, one of our favorite NC Towns.

There's Gold in them thar hills!

Some of you know that we have been on pins and needles waiting for Ariel's orders to post.
He was the last senior in the Battalion to find out which unit he would be assigned to, and where his home garrison would be.

Well, the wait is over.
He will be part of the famous First Infantry Division, "The Big Red One" based at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Which unit within the First I.D. is not yet known.
The Combat Battalion is deployed overseas right now.

Their distinctive shoulder patch with the large 1 on a shield, all in bright Red has seen combat in every major war since World War One.

His mother's first comment was "Fort Knox, tell him to get me some gold!"

His commissioning ceremony will be on August 7th.

He then has several months before starting his active duty training next April at Fort Benning.

We're looking for a good job he can start in June through next February to fill in the gaps and keep his bank account full.

We are of course very proud of him in every way.

He will graduate with honors on time before starting his career as an officer.

Hooah! Son!

This Easter weekend, listen to the Pope!

As all of you know, I am not Roman Catholic.

But sometimes it is patently obvious when The I Am speaks through someone else.

In his Easter Sunday address, the Pope warned those of us in Western Society that we are drifting into a "Desert of Godlessness".

Well said, and timely words.

We must heed them, if we have not been already doing so.

"Be still, and know that I am God." we are commanded.

Religion and Godliness has been virtually eliminated from public life in Europe.
That movement has gained speed in our own Republic over the last twenty years.

The Queen and I were discussing that very thing this Easter weekend past.

"When and how did it start?" she asked.

In my opinion it started when we were in early gradeschool, when one woman was able to remove prayer from our Public schools.
That's right, one woman whose name I will not dignify here filed suit and was eventually heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The common practice of reading The Lord's Prayer, giving students a moment to pray and posting The Ten Commandments in each classroom abruptly ceased forever.
I remember my Godly second grade teacher Mrs. Cayton reading from the scriptures every morning, and then praying for us.

And this was in Meadowlane Elementary School, Dade County Florida public schools.
I also well remember my 10th grade biology teacher stating his opinion on Darwinian Theory, saying
"I have to teach it, but I do not have to accept it!"
No one got up and walked out, and no parent objected and tried to have him fired.

Yes, this was in good old Hialeah High School, public schools of Dade County.
The year was 1969, exactly forty years ago. (Yes, I am old, thanks for reminding me!)

Easter is a time to reflect, and refocus on the importance of Christ in our lives.
We went to First Baptist Church in our home town yesterday.

It was a very traditional, formal Southern service.
The pastor's message from Luke 24:1-12 was simple and direct.
The service ended with a very stirring, excellent singing of G.F. Handel's "Hallelujah" Chorus from "Messiah"

There indeed are many important things to be concerned about in our modern world.

I needed to be reminded who is really in charge of it all.

Thank You, and thank you for your Easter gift of life Eternal to us all!

Do Southerners and college kids need a reason?

To celebrate?

Or as Three Dog Night and The Doors put it,
"Celebrate, Celebrate, Dance to the Music!" and "Light My Fire" as in Bonfire.

Last night our local Cagers, the UNC Chapel Hill Tarheels won their fifth National Men's Basketball Championship in convincing fashion.

This places them in rarified air with the UCLA Bruins, (11), the Kentucky Wildcats (5) and Indiana Hoosiers as the most storied programs in the last fifty years of the NCAA tourament.
Alumni Coach Roy Williams won his second in six years since coming 'home' from Kansas.

Our son, in his last semester at sister campus App State, themselves winners of three of the last four NCAA Division 1AA football championships watched with his roomies and ROTC buddies at a favorite sports hangout, MacAdoos on King Street.
I asked him how ROTC class and training meeting went today.
"Not too good. No one wanted to be there after last night"
"Good time?" I queried. "Oh, yeah Dad!"
No further elucidation was neceassary, I was young and in college once.

The game was never in doubt.
The Tarheels actually played poorly in the second half after scoring 55 in a flawless first half, and still easily won by 17 points.

Even though, being raised in Florida and having 'No dog in this hunt' as far as local ACC teams go, it was refreshing seeing a team with senior players who would normally have bolted for the NBA and big bucks come back to win one for their school.

Last years meltdown against William's former team the Kansas Jayhawks in the semi's left a bad taste in their mouths.

This year was a vindication and a mission of redemption from the first game on.

No Tournament game was closer than 12 points, and the Championship last night was a 17 point fanny kicking, with a coaching lesson given by Coach Williams to the very likable and talented C0ach Tom Izzo and his young Spartan team.

Their time will come, but facing a talented, experienced, well coached and driven group of boys in Tarheel Blue was just too much to ask this year.

Sometimes the best team does indeed triumph.

This is for my niece and nephew Heather and Luke and their kids, now in route to their new home in Sunny Seattle.

"TAR..............HEELS!"

GO BLUE, GO HEELS!

P.S. If you want a championship banner, or T-shirts let us know.

"Fired by the President"

We learned over the weekend that the CEO of General Motors (A.K.A. Government Motors)
was 'fired' by the President of the United States.
I was somewhat confused, in my naivete' I thought only the board of directors or the shareholders could fire anyone.

I stand corrected.

The old saying "When you take the King's shilling....." comes to mind here.

Having no sympathy for an executive who runs a corporation that has been so inept and poorly run that it should by all rights be undergoing chapter 11 bankruptcy, I am still chilled to the bone by this further incursion of our Constitutional Rights.

All of us should re-read the Declaration of Independence, and the Preamble to the Constitution of The United States, and the Bill of Rights.

Otherwise you may pick up the phone and hear "This is the White House calling. I see you have missed your sales quota two months running now. You're Fired!"

It would no doubt create yet another "reality" T.V. show, "Fired by the President"

How far will this intrusion go?

Only as far as We the People let it.

Chilling, isn't it?

Spring Fever

It is 70 here today.

Glorious!

We are due for one more (I hope!) cold snap through the weekend, with yet more rain.

Then we hope Spring will really be here!

Our plants are as eager to get out of my garage as I am for them to vamoose.

The winter rye grass in my yard has never looked thicker or more luxurious.
So much so that the Queen has convinced me of the wisdom of paying someone else to do the first mowing of the year.
We found a local lawn service last year that does good work for a fair price.

I'll then do our annual weed-n-feed spring maintenance, and she will start chopping, digging clearing and mulching prior to putting out seeds and young plants.

A fence for Csonk is in the plans around part of the back yard.
Maybe I'll get started on that patio down below the deck as well.

As long as my Fred G. Sanford Arthur-itis doesn't hit me too hard, I look forward to getting dirty.

I am sure that the Queen of the Manor will post some in progress pictures

Stop Yo'ing me and other random stuff.

Yo as in Yo Yo, as in our weather of late.

Two weekends ago, we had lows in the mid-teens, and snow.
Last weekend while we were in Wilmington, it was sunny and around 80 all weekend.
Yesterday in VA I arose to a 33 degree morning, and our highs here are not going to be above 40 today.
Rain and temps in the forties are predicted through Monday at least.
The corny old saying "If you don't like the weather, wait thirty minutes!" holds true.

Random thought one;

I am amazed at how many older adults (older than myself, one almost has to be in the Yoda range to exceed that) are into Facebook.
Yesterday I received an email from a cousin inviting me to 'join' and be his friend.
He has obviously had my email for years, and phone and address.
This is the only communication I've had in at least 8 years.
On the same email it mentioned that another person has invited me to be her friend.
This is a neighbor friend of my wife's, in her mid sixties at least.
All of the ladies were commenting about how addicted this woman is to Facebook, spending hours each week devoted to it.
I won't be joining, and if I ever do it should become apparent to all who know me that I have probably slipped into some sort of dementia.

Call me, Dang it!

Random thought for the day two;

I in general loathe so called self help books.
While wondering through a book store the other night in Old Virginnie I chanced upon a cover that grabbed my attention.
"People Are Idiots, and I Can Prove It!"
The picture of the author, Larry Wingett also grabbed my attention.
Picture a bald, gooteed middle aged guy with earrings and a loud Western Shirt.

The first page I flipped to, he explained that when someone in Oklahoma where he was raised messed up, the expression was "He peed in his Chili!"

I have to read this guy, I thought.

What old boomers like me call common sense, mixed with a lot of humor and self deprecation
should make this workbook a good practical read.
That's right, each point he makes has a self evaluating work sheet.

You're never too old to learn, right?

Unless, that is you are a politician.

Bohemian Rapsody.

Today children, the topic is dancing.

We will discuss the total lack of any discernable skill on the dance floor that I exhibit,
the innate talent that the Queen shares with our graceful niece the Mistress of Wazoo,
the apparent magical abilities of a certain purple hat endowing a certain professorial nephew with Travolta like happy feet, etc etc.

"Why, it's our Finnish Kirellian heritage!" my lovely wife intoned.
I might buy that, but I've seen most of the rest of the clan try to dance.
Only yours truly is more dance-ically disadvantaged.

Besides, though I often thought some of the Familia were from other worlds,
I suspected Alpha Centauri, not the Kirellian empire.

My people, being heavily invested in a German and English heritage are obviously Klingon.
We are a riot at parties if you don't mind breakage, and great in a fight.
That's about it for our graceful abilities.

Now for story time, kiddies!
Gather your Kool-aid and cookies and listen up!

Once upon a time, there was a mother, a daugther and an Auntie.
Lovely ladies all, and usually quite sane.
On this particular occassion whilst browsing in a thrift store the daughter had a muse.

"Why don't we all pick out something really, really hideous for one another, and then we will wear said outfits to supper when our Knights (pronounced, Kin-Igits) Gallant pick us up in their steel chariot."

"Huzzah! shouted the girls in unison"
And they proceeded to shop.
Several outfits too hideous for even their state of silliness were rejected.
Then, success, in a manner of speaking.
Not only did they purchase these monstrosities, they changed into them afterwards.
(See picture for exculpatory evidence)
The daughter is actually wearing sleep wear, the mother, impossible to identify the genre' of her frock, and the auntie a blouse made for Miss Fabersham right out of Great Expectations.

Upon re-viewing this picture, the Queen said
"It looks like we were on our way to interview for a job at a girlie-club!"

Imagine the surprise and wonder when Sir Meredith the brave, and Sir Arthur the stunned picked them up in front of the store.
Pole-axed might be a better description of our reaction.

The happy party then proceeded to Bahama Breeze, a Island themed eatery in yonder Raleigh towne.
Mojitos were imbibed by all but the chariot driver, (a sublime mixture of mint, sugar cane juice, and allegedly some Mount Gay Barbados Rum)
and wonderous looks were constantly given our way by our fellow diners.

Their looks said "No, we are not laughing with you, we ARE laughing at you!"

Afterwards, the ladies all took naps. What a fabulous day for them!

If you want to exercise your imagination, picture any men you know ever engaging in like shenanigans.

"No Vern, that yellow evening gown don't do you justice! You're a winter, Bro, remember?"
"Try the midnight blue ensemble'."

Ah, but Vive La Difference, ladies!