Once in a while, a cartoon comes around that absolutely hits the nail on the head.
Friday, August 9, 2013
Al and Jesse ... Thx Denny G and Sarah R!
WOW ! Sgt Looney of the US Marines ... Thx John Bob L!
Dick Klitch and I meet for breakfast, Bob. Your name nearly always comes up. He and I believe that you are the Angel of the WW II era Mound Park Urchins in Portsmouth, Ohio. Dick becomes eighty Aug. 15. Ronnie Walters and I have Nov 13 birthdays and he joins Mr. Klitch while I become eighty-one. Yours is a lofty perch, Sarge!
SamKat
WOW
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> I DO BELIEVE
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> If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. - Matthew 21:22
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> Angels Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference. I sent an angel to watch over you last night, but it came back. I asked "why?"...The angel said: "Angels don't watch over angels! "Please read.... not joking.....God has seen you struggling with something. God says it's over. A blessing is coming your way. If you believe, send this message on. Please don't ignore it. God is going to fix two BIG things tonight in your favor. If you believe in God, drop everything and pass it on. Tomorrow will be the best day ever. Send this to ten friends, including me. If I don't get it back, I guess I'm not one of them. As soon as you get five replies, someone you love will quietly surprise you.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Just a "mum" ... Mum's the word ... Thx Clay and Carol V!
Just
a Mum,,,JUST
EXCELLENT.
JUST A MUM?
JUST A MUM?
A woman, renewing her driver's licence ,
was asked by the woman at Registry to state her occupation.
She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
'What I mean is, ' explained the woman at Registry,
'do you have a job or are you just a ...?'
'Of course I have a job,' snapped the woman.
'I'm a Mum.'
'We don't list 'Mum' as an occupation, 'housewife' covers it,'
Said the recorder emphatically.
I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation.
The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised,
efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like,
'Official Interrogator' or 'City Registrar.'
'What is your occupation?' she probed.
What made me say it? I do not know.
The words simply popped out.
'I'm a Research Associate in the field of
Child Development and Human Relations.'
The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in mid-air and
looked up as though she had not heard right.
I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words.
Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written,
in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
'Might I ask,' said the clerk with new interest,
'just what you do in your field?'
Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice,
I heard myself reply,
'I have a continuing program of research,
(what mother doesn't)
In the laboratory and in the field,
(normally I would have said indoors and out).
I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family)
and already have four credits (all daughters).
Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities,
(any mother care to disagree?)
and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it).
But the job is more challenging than most run-of- the -mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.'
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she
completed the form, stood up and personally ushered me to the door
As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career,
I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3.
Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model,
(a 6 month old baby) in the child development program,
testing out a new vocal pattern.
I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy!
And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than 'just another Mum.' Motherhood!
What a glorious career!
Especially when there's a title on the door.
Does this make grandmothers
'Senior Research associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations'
And great grandmothers
'Executive Senior Research Associates?
I think so!
I also think it makes Aunts. Associate Research Assistants.'
Please send this to another Mum,
Grandmother,
Aunt, And other
friends you
know.
May your
troubles be
less,
Your blessing
be more,
And nothing but
happiness come
through your
door!
Be kinder than necessary. Everyone
you meet is
fighting some
kind of
battle.
You never know when a moment and a few sincere words
can have an
impact on a
life.
Passing Air force Heroes ... Thanks Col. Ted Davis, Jr from Sciotoville and his pilot friend, Ramey H!
To the Airmen
of the United States Air Force,
I am the very proud son of an American fighter pilot, one of that treasured
group who served in three wars, built an Air Force, and gave it an enduring
example of courage and mission success. My dad was a hero. As a young man,
I asked him who his combat heroes were; he gave me only two names. One was
Major General Frederick "Boots" Blesse and the other was Colonel George E.
"Bud" Day. My dad was not easily impressed, so I knew that if they were his
heroes, they were very, very special men. I was right.
Earlier this year, my wife Betty and I had the distinct honor of attending
Boots Blesse's funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. And earlier this
week, I heard that Col "Bud" Day had also "flown west." Our Air Force is in
mourning. We know we can never replace him, but today, as he is laid to
rest, we can honor him.
Many of you know his story. He fought in the South Pacific as a United
States Marine in WWII and later became the Air Force's most highly decorated
warrior. He was a Medal of Honor recipient with nearly 70 decorations,
which span three wars and four decades.
The medals say a lot about Bud Day, but they cannot capture his unbreakable
spirit, the life-saving impact he had on his fellow prisoners during his
time in captivity, and the inspiration he has been to countless Americans
who've been fortunate enough to have heard his story or shaken his hand.
In Vietnam in 1967, Major Day commanded a squadron of F-100s, the "Misty"
FACs (Forward Air Controllers). Theirs was one of the most dangerous combat
missions of the war, and they suffered high casualties.
On August 26 Day was shot down and captured. Seven days later, despite
having a dislocated knee and a badly broken arm, he escaped captivity and
evaded the Viet Cong for 10 days. He was recaptured just two miles from a
US Marine Corps camp at Con Thien. Getting so close to freedom only to be
recaptured would have broken the will of most men. Not Bud Day.
He was eventually moved to a prison camp known as The Plantation, where he
was tortured daily, and was later moved to the Hanoi Hilton. Due to his
resistance and toughness, Day became an inspiration to other POWs. His
roommate at The Plantation, Senator John McCain, wrote, "He was a hard man
to kill, and he expected the same from his subordinates. They (his
roommates) saved my life--a big debt to repay, obviously. But more than
that, Bud showed me how to save my self-respect and my honor, and that is a
debt I can never repay."
In 1973, after more than five and a half years in captivity, he was
released. The damage by the enemy permanently scarred his body, but his
spirit emerged unbroken. A year later he was back on flight status, he
became vice commander of the 33th Tactical Fighter Wing, and retired from
active service in 1976.
Col. Bud Day spent a great amount of his remaining years sharing his story
with our Airmen, young and old. Over the past 22 years, many of those
Airmen have experienced multiple combat deployments themselves, leaning on
the lessons Col Day passed on to all of us, including his two sons, who
proudly serve.
He deeply understood the challenges we face as a military service, "trying
to keep America aware of the fact that Airpower has been a substantial
reason that we exist as a free nation."
I spoke with Col Day on the phone a couple of months ago, simply to
introduce myself and thank him, on behalf of our entire Air Force, for his
remarkable lifetime of service. I hung up feeling incredibly proud to be an
Airman, and grateful that my real-life hero was even more impressive than I
had imagined.
Future Airmen will honor his name and treasure his story, not because of the
awards and buildings named in his honor, but for the legendary character,
the unbreakable spirit and the values he demonstrated each and every day.
Airmen today strive to embody the same honor, courage, and integrity shown
by Col Day and those who fought beside him. And we honor the sacrifices
they made in the spirit of airpower and freedom.
"Push it up" Sir.we're still following your lead.
I am the very proud son of an American fighter pilot, one of that treasured
group who served in three wars, built an Air Force, and gave it an enduring
example of courage and mission success. My dad was a hero. As a young man,
I asked him who his combat heroes were; he gave me only two names. One was
Major General Frederick "Boots" Blesse and the other was Colonel George E.
"Bud" Day. My dad was not easily impressed, so I knew that if they were his
heroes, they were very, very special men. I was right.
Earlier this year, my wife Betty and I had the distinct honor of attending
Boots Blesse's funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. And earlier this
week, I heard that Col "Bud" Day had also "flown west." Our Air Force is in
mourning. We know we can never replace him, but today, as he is laid to
rest, we can honor him.
Many of you know his story. He fought in the South Pacific as a United
States Marine in WWII and later became the Air Force's most highly decorated
warrior. He was a Medal of Honor recipient with nearly 70 decorations,
which span three wars and four decades.
The medals say a lot about Bud Day, but they cannot capture his unbreakable
spirit, the life-saving impact he had on his fellow prisoners during his
time in captivity, and the inspiration he has been to countless Americans
who've been fortunate enough to have heard his story or shaken his hand.
In Vietnam in 1967, Major Day commanded a squadron of F-100s, the "Misty"
FACs (Forward Air Controllers). Theirs was one of the most dangerous combat
missions of the war, and they suffered high casualties.
On August 26 Day was shot down and captured. Seven days later, despite
having a dislocated knee and a badly broken arm, he escaped captivity and
evaded the Viet Cong for 10 days. He was recaptured just two miles from a
US Marine Corps camp at Con Thien. Getting so close to freedom only to be
recaptured would have broken the will of most men. Not Bud Day.
He was eventually moved to a prison camp known as The Plantation, where he
was tortured daily, and was later moved to the Hanoi Hilton. Due to his
resistance and toughness, Day became an inspiration to other POWs. His
roommate at The Plantation, Senator John McCain, wrote, "He was a hard man
to kill, and he expected the same from his subordinates. They (his
roommates) saved my life--a big debt to repay, obviously. But more than
that, Bud showed me how to save my self-respect and my honor, and that is a
debt I can never repay."
In 1973, after more than five and a half years in captivity, he was
released. The damage by the enemy permanently scarred his body, but his
spirit emerged unbroken. A year later he was back on flight status, he
became vice commander of the 33th Tactical Fighter Wing, and retired from
active service in 1976.
Col. Bud Day spent a great amount of his remaining years sharing his story
with our Airmen, young and old. Over the past 22 years, many of those
Airmen have experienced multiple combat deployments themselves, leaning on
the lessons Col Day passed on to all of us, including his two sons, who
proudly serve.
He deeply understood the challenges we face as a military service, "trying
to keep America aware of the fact that Airpower has been a substantial
reason that we exist as a free nation."
I spoke with Col Day on the phone a couple of months ago, simply to
introduce myself and thank him, on behalf of our entire Air Force, for his
remarkable lifetime of service. I hung up feeling incredibly proud to be an
Airman, and grateful that my real-life hero was even more impressive than I
had imagined.
Future Airmen will honor his name and treasure his story, not because of the
awards and buildings named in his honor, but for the legendary character,
the unbreakable spirit and the values he demonstrated each and every day.
Airmen today strive to embody the same honor, courage, and integrity shown
by Col Day and those who fought beside him. And we honor the sacrifices
they made in the spirit of airpower and freedom.
"Push it up" Sir.we're still following your lead.
A touching story- John and Annie Glenn ... thx Ramey H!
A touching
story
For half a century, the world has
applauded John Glenn as a
heart-stirring American hero. He
lifted the nation's spirits when, as one of
the original Mercury 7 astronauts, he
was blasted alone into orbit around
the Earth; the enduring affection for
him is so powerful that even now
people find themselves misting up at
the sight of his face or the sound of
his voice.
But for all these years,
Glenn has had a hero of his own, someone who
he has seen display endless courage
of a different kind:
Annie
Glenn.
They have
been married for 68 years.
He is 90;
she turned 92 on Friday.
This weekend
there has been news coverage of the 50th anniversary of
Glenn's flight into orbit. We are
being reminded that, half a century down
the line, he remains America 's
unforgettable hero.
He has never
really bought that.
Because the
heroism he most cherishes is of a sort that is seldom
cheered. It belongs to the person he
has known longer than he has known
anyone else in the world.
John Glenn
and Annie Castor first knew each other when -- literally --
they shared a playpen.
In New
Concord, Ohio, his parents and hers were friends. When the
families got together, their children
played.
John -- the
future Marine fighter pilot, the future test-pilot ace,
the future astronaut -- was pure gold
from the start. He would end up having
what it took to rise to the absolute
pinnacle of American regard during the
space race; imagine what it meant to
be the young John Glenn in the small
confines of New Concord.
Three-sport
varsity athlete, most admired boy in town, Mr. Everything.
Annie Castor
was bright, was caring, was talented, was generous of
spirit. But she could talk only with
the most excruciating of difficulty. It
haunted her.
Her
stuttering was so severe that it was categorized as an "85%"
disability -- 85% of the time, she
could not manage to make words come out.
When she
tried to recite a poem in elementary school, she was laughed
at. She was not able to speak on the
telephone. She could not have a regular
conversation with a
friend.
And John
Glenn loved her.
Even as a
boy he was wise enough to understand that people who could
not see past her stutter were missing
out on knowing a rare and wonderful
girl.
They married
on April 6, 1943. As a military wife, she found that life
as she and John moved around the
country could be quite hurtful. She has
written: "I can remember some very
painful experiences -- especially the
ridicule."
In
department stores, she would wander unfamiliar aisles trying to
find the right section, embarrassed
to attempt to ask the salesclerks for
help. In taxis, she would have to
write requests to the driver, because she
couldn't speak the destination out
loud. In restaurants, she would point to
the items on the menu.
A fine
musician, Annie, in every community where she and John moved,
would play the organ in church as a
way to make new friends. She and John
had two children; she has written:
"Can you imagine living in the modern
world and being afraid to use the
telephone? 'Hello' used to be so hard for
me to say. I worried that my children
would be injured and need a doctor.
Could I somehow find the words to get
the information across on the phone?"
John, as a
Marine aviator, flew 59 combat missions in World War II and
90 during the Korean War. Every time
he was deployed, he and Annie said
goodbye the same way. His last words
to her before leaving were:
"I'm just
going down to the corner store to get a pack of gum."
And, with
just the two of them there, she was able to always reply:
"Don't be
long."
On that
February day in 1962 when the world held its breath and the
Atlas rocket was about to propel him
toward space, those were their words,
once again. And in 1998, when, at 77,
he went back to space aboard the
shuttle Discovery, it was an
understandably tense time for them. What if
something happened to end their life
together?
She knew
what he would say to her before boarding the shuttle. He
did -- and this time he gave her a
present to hold onto:
A pack of
gum.
She carried
it in a pocket next to her heart until he was safely home.
Many times
in her life she attempted various treatments to cure her
stutter. None worked.
But in 1973,
she found a doctor in Virginia who ran an intensive
program she and John hoped would help
her. She traveled there to enroll and
to give it her best effort. The
miracle she and John had always waited for
at last, as miracles will do,
arrived. At age 53, she was able to talk
fluidly, and not in brief,
anxiety-ridden, agonizing bursts.
John has
said that on the first day he heard her speak to him with
confidence and clarity, he dropped to
his knees to offer a prayer of
gratitude.
He has
written: "I saw Annie's perseverance and strength through the
years and it just made me admire her
and love her even more." He has heard
roaring ovations in countries around
the globe for his own valor, but his
awe is reserved for Annie, and what
she accomplished: "I don't know if I
would have had the
courage."
Her voice is
so clear and steady now that she regularly gives public
talks. If you are lucky enough to
know the Glenns, the sight and sound of
them bantering and joking with each
other and playfully finishing each
others' sentences is something that
warms you and makes you thankful just to
be in the same room.
Monday will
be the anniversary of the Mercury space shot, and once
again people will remember, and will
speak of the heroism of Glenn the
astronaut.
But if you
ever find yourself at an event where the Glenn's are
appearing, and you want to see
someone so brimming with pride and love that
you may feel your own tears start to
well up, wait until the moment that
Annie stands to say a few words to
the audience.
And as she
begins, take a look at her husband's eyes.
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