Sack Lunches: A Human Interest Story
Posted on December 5, 2010. Filed under: Blogroll | Edit This
Sack Lunches
I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned
seat. It was going to be a long flight.
Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and
filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation.
“We’re being deployed to Afghanistan,” they said.
After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached our destination. I decided a lunch would help pass the time.
As I reached for my wallet, I overheard a soldier ask his buddy if
he planned to buy lunch. “No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch.
It probably wouldn’t be worth five bucks. I’ll wait until we get to base.”
His friend agreed. I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked
to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. “Take a lunch to all of those soldiers.” She grabbed my arm and squeezed tightly, her eyes wet with tears. “My son was a soldier in Iraq and it’s almost like you are doing this for him.”
Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, “Which do you like best – beef or chicken?”
“Chicken,” I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class.
“This is your thanks.”
After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. “I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.” He handed me twenty-five dollars.
Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the seat numbers. When he got to my row, he stopped, smiled, and held out his hand. ”I
want to shake your hand.” Quickly unfastening my seatbelt, I stood and took the Captain’s hand.
With a booming voice he said, “I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.” I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.
Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He
left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.
When we landed, I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!
Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them, handed them seventy-five dollars and said “It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You.”
Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers.
As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little.
A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to ‘The United States of America’ for an amount of up to and including my life.’
Honor Our Soldiers!
As a retired U.S. Army veteran I found this story particularly touching in view of my return from Viet Nam experience.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
The Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment
The Hometown Democracy Amendment is a big straw man. It is probably the most useful example of how an inattentive, mostly politically ignorant, society will swallow the hook, the line, the pole and the person(s) holding the pole--w/out seasonings. Given that each city has the authority to make, and place on referendum, the tenets that govern a municipality, it makes little sense to hamstring municipal/city initiative. In other words,
if a municipality should decide that over/under development needs addressing, what is (currently) stopping them from placing the issue on the ballot as an amendment to its charter in the form of a referendum item that citizens of that particular municipality can vote on it in an a straight "up or down" election.
That said, constitutional amendment or not, the decision to do or not do something at the local levels of governance is seriously dependent on the electorate and their willingness to get engaged in the politics and the political process as well as become knowledgeable enough to make a coherent decision on their own and stop waiting for some smooth talking person to sell them the best of a number of bags of horse manure. The amendment is a total waste of tax payer $, not to mention the time taken to get this nonsense on the ballot. Wake up Flori--duh, please do not provide America an additional example of why this country's Founding Fathers right on target in their assessment of "duh people" and the notion of democratic governance. Remember the Bullet Train? How about "cleaning up the Everglades?
Flori--duh, you should ask yourselves two simple questions. What is the source of this amendment? Who initiated it? Whichever side of this issue you come down on presently, the answer to these two questions should assist you in determining whether or not this should a part of the State Constitution.
if a municipality should decide that over/under development needs addressing, what is (currently) stopping them from placing the issue on the ballot as an amendment to its charter in the form of a referendum item that citizens of that particular municipality can vote on it in an a straight "up or down" election.
That said, constitutional amendment or not, the decision to do or not do something at the local levels of governance is seriously dependent on the electorate and their willingness to get engaged in the politics and the political process as well as become knowledgeable enough to make a coherent decision on their own and stop waiting for some smooth talking person to sell them the best of a number of bags of horse manure. The amendment is a total waste of tax payer $, not to mention the time taken to get this nonsense on the ballot. Wake up Flori--duh, please do not provide America an additional example of why this country's Founding Fathers right on target in their assessment of "duh people" and the notion of democratic governance. Remember the Bullet Train? How about "cleaning up the Everglades?
Flori--duh, you should ask yourselves two simple questions. What is the source of this amendment? Who initiated it? Whichever side of this issue you come down on presently, the answer to these two questions should assist you in determining whether or not this should a part of the State Constitution.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Teleprompter Anyone?
And then there was the right wing’s idol, and impersonator of "Poppin Fresh,"Rush Limbaugh who, during a long, self-laudatory speech before the recent meeting of CPAC demonstrated why he is so popular with the “ditto heads.”
First understand “ditto head.” The ditto symbol is short for repetition. Ditto heads, then and as is often demonstrated, are nothing short of a bunch of empty headed ijots who are bereft of abilities to generate an original thought of their own. Further, one only has to conjure up the image of a human body with, instead of the normal head, find a ditto mark. Notice what exists between the two marks that constitute the “ditto” yep, you’ve got it, empty space.
While addressing CPAC, the bloviating Vicar of Conservatism, in a sarcastic jab at the President, noted that he didn’t need/use a teleprompter during his exhaustive oration. This, of course, drew laughter and thunderous applause from his audience empty heads*.
Perhaps Mr. Limbaugh might want to start using a teleprompter if he is going to quote from this country’s founding documents.
Citing the Preamble to the Constitution in an attempt at convincing “his audience of conservatives and the conservative movement of its deference for multicultural equality, Poppin Fresh summoned up his best patriotic voice wherein he noted that the Preamble to the Constitution informs us that “all men are created equal, [loud applause] that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life [loud applause] liberty [more applause] freedom and the pursuit of Happiness [standing ovation]. “
(FYI) Mr. Limbaugh and your army of “space pilots,” please find immediately below the text of the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution—in its entirety.
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Further and FYI: The great bloviator’s quotation is to be found in paragraph two of the Declaration of Independence. Please note that the word "freedom" does not appear between "liberty" and the "pursuit of happiness."
One may appear to be ignorant and stupid; The he/she opens the mouth and proves it.
Ditto Heads? Get it???
Teleprompter anyone?
_______________________
*I use the terms ditto head(s), empty head(s) and space pilots, synonymously.
First understand “ditto head.” The ditto symbol is short for repetition. Ditto heads, then and as is often demonstrated, are nothing short of a bunch of empty headed ijots who are bereft of abilities to generate an original thought of their own. Further, one only has to conjure up the image of a human body with, instead of the normal head, find a ditto mark. Notice what exists between the two marks that constitute the “ditto” yep, you’ve got it, empty space.
While addressing CPAC, the bloviating Vicar of Conservatism, in a sarcastic jab at the President, noted that he didn’t need/use a teleprompter during his exhaustive oration. This, of course, drew laughter and thunderous applause from his audience empty heads*.
Perhaps Mr. Limbaugh might want to start using a teleprompter if he is going to quote from this country’s founding documents.
Citing the Preamble to the Constitution in an attempt at convincing “his audience of conservatives and the conservative movement of its deference for multicultural equality, Poppin Fresh summoned up his best patriotic voice wherein he noted that the Preamble to the Constitution informs us that “all men are created equal, [loud applause] that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life [loud applause] liberty [more applause] freedom and the pursuit of Happiness [standing ovation]. “
(FYI) Mr. Limbaugh and your army of “space pilots,” please find immediately below the text of the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution—in its entirety.
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Further and FYI: The great bloviator’s quotation is to be found in paragraph two of the Declaration of Independence. Please note that the word "freedom" does not appear between "liberty" and the "pursuit of happiness."
One may appear to be ignorant and stupid; The he/she opens the mouth and proves it.
Ditto Heads? Get it???
Teleprompter anyone?
_______________________
*I use the terms ditto head(s), empty head(s) and space pilots, synonymously.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
The New Face of the Republican Party?
Going before the nation, Governor Jindal seems not to understand how the media game is played. Touted as the “new” face of the Republican Party, Jindal may be getting public exposure to early in the game if he plans a run for President in 2012.
But notice how future Republican Presidential candidate Haley Barbour, the South’s Great White (political) Shark , and other Republican hopefuls sit quietly on the sidelines while this self-absorbed political novice tests the political waters possibly committing himself to death by a thousand cuts.
Is he the rabbit in the marathon run up to the next presidential elections?
His response to President Obama’s address to the nation was pitiful. Much of the content of his presentation parroted what was said by Mr. Obama or it was much of the same old “less government, low taxes rhetoric that was rejected by the electorate in the last presidential elections. Should this guy, as governor, not be engaged in trying to do what it takes to end the effects of this recession on the citizens of his state?
One might ask, “why Jindal?” Where is the 2007 anointed Republican star Sara ‘you betcha’ Palin. Is Jindal in over his head? Louisiana resident bigeasygeezy asserts that “BobbyJ [should] ask Sarah Palin what happens when you get out of you league….”
While loudly proclaiming that he will not accept the unemployment insurance portion of President Obama’s stimulus package, it is reported that Governor Jindal will be laying off some 100 state workers in June; an op-ed piece in the Times-Picayune notes that “Fear is running through state government and universities among employees who don't know if they will have jobs when projected budget cuts are made. Hospital administrators and college presidents have been directed to prepare worst- to best-case scenarios, though none of them are good.” This, of course, will add to Louisiana’s overburdened social services sector.
It is difficult to understand how one can be so far out of touch with reality as to be unable to imagine being out of a job, struggling to feed a family and keeping a roof over their heads.
With all that is going on with the economy, and if the Louisiana Governor represents the face of the Republican Party, Jindal’s ideological rhetoric reinforces the conclusion that the Republican Party is more interested in ideological warfare vis-a-vis addressing and resolving the problems facing this country.
Suffering with a case of severe public speaking ineptitude, how did this person become Louisiana’s governor?
But notice how future Republican Presidential candidate Haley Barbour, the South’s Great White (political) Shark , and other Republican hopefuls sit quietly on the sidelines while this self-absorbed political novice tests the political waters possibly committing himself to death by a thousand cuts.
Is he the rabbit in the marathon run up to the next presidential elections?
His response to President Obama’s address to the nation was pitiful. Much of the content of his presentation parroted what was said by Mr. Obama or it was much of the same old “less government, low taxes rhetoric that was rejected by the electorate in the last presidential elections. Should this guy, as governor, not be engaged in trying to do what it takes to end the effects of this recession on the citizens of his state?
One might ask, “why Jindal?” Where is the 2007 anointed Republican star Sara ‘you betcha’ Palin. Is Jindal in over his head? Louisiana resident bigeasygeezy asserts that “BobbyJ [should] ask Sarah Palin what happens when you get out of you league….”
While loudly proclaiming that he will not accept the unemployment insurance portion of President Obama’s stimulus package, it is reported that Governor Jindal will be laying off some 100 state workers in June; an op-ed piece in the Times-Picayune notes that “Fear is running through state government and universities among employees who don't know if they will have jobs when projected budget cuts are made. Hospital administrators and college presidents have been directed to prepare worst- to best-case scenarios, though none of them are good.” This, of course, will add to Louisiana’s overburdened social services sector.
It is difficult to understand how one can be so far out of touch with reality as to be unable to imagine being out of a job, struggling to feed a family and keeping a roof over their heads.
With all that is going on with the economy, and if the Louisiana Governor represents the face of the Republican Party, Jindal’s ideological rhetoric reinforces the conclusion that the Republican Party is more interested in ideological warfare vis-a-vis addressing and resolving the problems facing this country.
Suffering with a case of severe public speaking ineptitude, how did this person become Louisiana’s governor?
Monday, February 16, 2009
Kudos for Florida's Governor Charlie Christ
It is rare that I agree with Florida's Governor, but there are exceptions to every rule and it is unwise to say never.
Hats off to Governor Charlie Christ. In the wake of last week's State Farm decision to pack up its home owner's insurance section and leave Florida. This will leave an astronomical number of homeowners scrambling for insurance.
Fair? no but neither is life. My hat is off to Governor Christ for publicly bidding State Farm a not so fond farewell-as well he should have. And while it will cause much hardship in a time of economic downturn, the fact that this member of the insurance racket decides to run out on millions of its Florida clients seems to provide ample evidence that State Farm has little feel for the problems associated with current economic conditions; and while they whine that they are losing money in Florida, nothing could be further from the truth. It is time that the entire insurance industry be investigated and brought up on Rico charges.
Claiming to provide a security net for their insured, this scummy industry cries foul and cuts and runs when faced with its responsibilities, e.g. you are in a hurricane prone area; you have a moving vehicle accident, you are dropped by your insurer; and please do not have a serious health problem, they find a way to inform you that you are not covered; should you have a health condition prior to applying for health insurance, good luck.
Sure they may find themselves in debt to those they insure to the point where they may find themselves cash flow poor. Well that is too bad. Is this not one of the opportunity costs of doing business?
Personally, I have been doing business with State Farm Insurance, in one capacity or another, for better than 35 years. That said, it is my view that Governor Christ did not go far enough. He should have added that IF STATE FARM WILL NOT INSURE FORIDA HOMEOWNERS, THEY CANNOT INSURE FLORIDA'S MOTORISTS. Run the bastards out of the state completely; let's see how such an attack on State Farm's pocket book will effect this business' decisions regarding insurance in the State of Florida.
In the wake of the most recent tornado disasters in Oklahoma will State Farm declare losses in its homeowner's insurance division. Will they repeat their scurrilous behavior there also? What state's homeowners will be next?
In closing, if State Farm cannot ensure my home, State Farm cannot insure my life, my automobile, my dog, my cat (etc.) The time has long since come when America ends its lazy, apathetic, comfortable existance. It is time for America to get off its collective a... and demand justice.
Wake up America!!!!!!
Hats off to Governor Charlie Christ. In the wake of last week's State Farm decision to pack up its home owner's insurance section and leave Florida. This will leave an astronomical number of homeowners scrambling for insurance.
Fair? no but neither is life. My hat is off to Governor Christ for publicly bidding State Farm a not so fond farewell-as well he should have. And while it will cause much hardship in a time of economic downturn, the fact that this member of the insurance racket decides to run out on millions of its Florida clients seems to provide ample evidence that State Farm has little feel for the problems associated with current economic conditions; and while they whine that they are losing money in Florida, nothing could be further from the truth. It is time that the entire insurance industry be investigated and brought up on Rico charges.
Claiming to provide a security net for their insured, this scummy industry cries foul and cuts and runs when faced with its responsibilities, e.g. you are in a hurricane prone area; you have a moving vehicle accident, you are dropped by your insurer; and please do not have a serious health problem, they find a way to inform you that you are not covered; should you have a health condition prior to applying for health insurance, good luck.
Sure they may find themselves in debt to those they insure to the point where they may find themselves cash flow poor. Well that is too bad. Is this not one of the opportunity costs of doing business?
Personally, I have been doing business with State Farm Insurance, in one capacity or another, for better than 35 years. That said, it is my view that Governor Christ did not go far enough. He should have added that IF STATE FARM WILL NOT INSURE FORIDA HOMEOWNERS, THEY CANNOT INSURE FLORIDA'S MOTORISTS. Run the bastards out of the state completely; let's see how such an attack on State Farm's pocket book will effect this business' decisions regarding insurance in the State of Florida.
In the wake of the most recent tornado disasters in Oklahoma will State Farm declare losses in its homeowner's insurance division. Will they repeat their scurrilous behavior there also? What state's homeowners will be next?
In closing, if State Farm cannot ensure my home, State Farm cannot insure my life, my automobile, my dog, my cat (etc.) The time has long since come when America ends its lazy, apathetic, comfortable existance. It is time for America to get off its collective a... and demand justice.
Wake up America!!!!!!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Delusional Losers
As we watched the George W. Bush administration slog to a close, statements about the "Bush Legacy" were delusional. The delusive propagation of former President Bush and his minions are so far from reality that Mr. Bush has to be painted as one of the contemporary world's biggest political losers.
Mr. Bush ranks a distant second to the exiled leader of the Islamist Hamas movement,
Khaled Meshal, who resides in exile (and comfort) in Damascus, Syria. ADN Kronos
International (http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Security/?id=3.0.2962791894) reports that during a meeting of Arab countries in the Qatari capital Doha late on Wednesday, called "Celebrating the Gaza victory," in an act of supreme delusiveness, Meshal claimed victory after an Israeli three week long offensive in Gaza, that resulted in the anihilation of hundreds of homes, the infrastructure and the death of 1,330 Palestinians and injured 5,000 others. The so-called victory derives from the Meshal claim that "the Jewish state did not meet its goals."
Now the denial of Israeli goals begs the question of the goals of indiscriminate rocket launchings into Israeli settlelments. One can only speculate that Meshal and his faction, given the disturbing conditions in Gaza may have found support for him and his lot going south.
Using the end of the tenuous cease-fire agreement, the Hamas leadership may have seen this as an opportunity to provoke the Israeli government into an excessive use of force that will generate renewed support for him and his cause. In a tragic form of the self-fulfilling prophecy, the Israeli government did as expected. If this was the goal of Hamas, then it succeeded. But to say that this was a victory scales the heights of delusion equal to that reached by Adolph Hitler as his Third Reich was being destroyed.
Mr. Bush ranks a distant second to the exiled leader of the Islamist Hamas movement,
Khaled Meshal, who resides in exile (and comfort) in Damascus, Syria. ADN Kronos
International (http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Security/?id=3.0.2962791894) reports that during a meeting of Arab countries in the Qatari capital Doha late on Wednesday, called "Celebrating the Gaza victory," in an act of supreme delusiveness, Meshal claimed victory after an Israeli three week long offensive in Gaza, that resulted in the anihilation of hundreds of homes, the infrastructure and the death of 1,330 Palestinians and injured 5,000 others. The so-called victory derives from the Meshal claim that "the Jewish state did not meet its goals."
Now the denial of Israeli goals begs the question of the goals of indiscriminate rocket launchings into Israeli settlelments. One can only speculate that Meshal and his faction, given the disturbing conditions in Gaza may have found support for him and his lot going south.
Using the end of the tenuous cease-fire agreement, the Hamas leadership may have seen this as an opportunity to provoke the Israeli government into an excessive use of force that will generate renewed support for him and his cause. In a tragic form of the self-fulfilling prophecy, the Israeli government did as expected. If this was the goal of Hamas, then it succeeded. But to say that this was a victory scales the heights of delusion equal to that reached by Adolph Hitler as his Third Reich was being destroyed.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Tax Cuts--Again???????
Well, it has been some time since I have felt inspired enough to write to this blog, and of course it goes without saying that the election of Barack Obama to the U.S. Presidency is behind this posting.
With things as bad as they are, and getting worse by the hour, we see the likes of U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader "Boner" [I choose to misuse his name, it is soothing :-)] continuing to behave as though he and his won something--they didn't. This guy continues to rail at the incoming president's economic initiatives. In doing so, we hear the mantra, "too much spending," and not enough "tax cuts."
House minority leader Boner is crying “tax cuts, tax cuts, tax cuts” Now it is claimed, in some circles, that tax cuts, are an essential ingredient in propping up a sagging economy. Problem here is that it is also held, in most circles, that tax cuts lag economic reality (and recovery) by anywhere from 12 months to two years. The President's stimulus calls for federal spending that will "jolt" the economy by providing work for the unemployed millions of Americans; the idea being that working people are spending people and spending people create demands for goods and services and the providers of goods and services must hire workers to produce the goods and services demanded, and yada, yada, yada - economics 101.
That said, how do the tax cuts called for by Representative Boner equate to an instant stimulus of the economy. And what makes this guy think that those businesses receiving the tax cuts will not simply pay off their bills and try to stave of bankruptcy? I guess the examples provided by U.S. Banks flies right by this august legislator.
Here is a self-righteous clown whining about the money being proposed to by the Obama administration; this, mind you, after Representative Boner and his group fought the Democratic majority while borrowing close to one trillion dollars in support of the Iraqi fiasco.
And the Republican party is scratching its collective head in terms of where it is and what must it do to restore credibility to the brand. Someone needs to inform Congressman Boner that what he is doing smacks of "I don't know" and will keep the party "wandering in the (political) wilderness until the likes of Representative Boner and his ilk are shunted to the rear.
With things as bad as they are, and getting worse by the hour, we see the likes of U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader "Boner" [I choose to misuse his name, it is soothing :-)] continuing to behave as though he and his won something--they didn't. This guy continues to rail at the incoming president's economic initiatives. In doing so, we hear the mantra, "too much spending," and not enough "tax cuts."
House minority leader Boner is crying “tax cuts, tax cuts, tax cuts” Now it is claimed, in some circles, that tax cuts, are an essential ingredient in propping up a sagging economy. Problem here is that it is also held, in most circles, that tax cuts lag economic reality (and recovery) by anywhere from 12 months to two years. The President's stimulus calls for federal spending that will "jolt" the economy by providing work for the unemployed millions of Americans; the idea being that working people are spending people and spending people create demands for goods and services and the providers of goods and services must hire workers to produce the goods and services demanded, and yada, yada, yada - economics 101.
That said, how do the tax cuts called for by Representative Boner equate to an instant stimulus of the economy. And what makes this guy think that those businesses receiving the tax cuts will not simply pay off their bills and try to stave of bankruptcy? I guess the examples provided by U.S. Banks flies right by this august legislator.
Here is a self-righteous clown whining about the money being proposed to by the Obama administration; this, mind you, after Representative Boner and his group fought the Democratic majority while borrowing close to one trillion dollars in support of the Iraqi fiasco.
And the Republican party is scratching its collective head in terms of where it is and what must it do to restore credibility to the brand. Someone needs to inform Congressman Boner that what he is doing smacks of "I don't know" and will keep the party "wandering in the (political) wilderness until the likes of Representative Boner and his ilk are shunted to the rear.
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