Showing posts with label WWI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WWI. Show all posts
The upper Midwest is still in the grips of heavy flooding from the Mississippi river. Twenty levees have been overrun this week according to the Army Corps of Engineers. Two levees broke in Illinois today, flooding the town
of Meyer. The flood waters have receded in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Behind them is a millions of dollars of damage to 10 square miles of the city.
Quincy, Illinois and Hannibal, Missouri, are two culturally significant towns in the area. Both are threatened by rising waters. I have experience in that area during the the Great Flood of 1993. During the summer that year, I volunteered to may sand bags to reinforce the levees. I urge anyone who reads this and lives near the area, please do what you can to help if you are not in the area affected.
Tiger Woods was able to secure victory at the US Open on Monday. He played 91 holes total to achieve this feat against Rocco Mediate, a 45-year-old golfer who has never won a major and hasn't won a tournament in six years. Prior to the tournament, Tiger Woods had undergone his third surgery on his left knee. He has overstressed his left knee over the years. When he wants more power, i.e. torque, he "snaps" his left knee to make his hips turn faster. This has enabled him to make those stunning drives that he his known for, particularly off the tee.
After the Herculean effort to win the 2008 US Open, which many were comparing to Francis Ouimet's 1913 win US Open (though this comparison was more apt for Rocco Mediate), Woods was found to have torn his ACL and incurred two stress fractures. This makes all those grimaces witnessed during Monday's initial 18 holes telling: Tiger was beating himself up.
Woods is likely going to be out for the remainder of the season. With a tear to the ACL it may be career ending. Love him, hate him or just apathetic, Woods affect on Golf is similar to Ouimet's. In fact, it is likely that Woods would never have played golf if not for that win 95 years ago in Massachusetts. Woods brought many spectators into golf's arena. The interest may linger but some see this as the end of golf's recent renaissance. I'm not willing to declare this. I think interest may continue past any career-ending injury.
But if this is the end, I have to thank Tiger Woods for being a champion in mind, body and spirit. And for bringing the sport to the level of popularity it currently enjoys. Thank You!
(But I think you'll be back)
The President of the United States honored the last living US born WWI veteran today. Frank Woodruff Buckles was born February 1, 1901 in Missouri. When the US entered the war in 1917, Buckles was only 16. He was rejected by the Marines for his weight. So, he signed up for the army and lied about his age claiming he was 21. He served as an ambulance driver in France and after Armistice, he escorted German POWs home. He was discharged in 1920.
His portrait will hang in the US World War I museum as a reminder of our last living link to the Great War. He was awarded the légion d'honneur from then President of France Jacque Chirac in 2003. He has also been after many requests, been accorded the honor of being buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
At the end of ABC's news at 5:30, they had the brains enough to show footage of a rainbow that had just happened during the broadcast. I have to say that is awesome! In the tough times we are going through with everything, it is nice to see something so beautiful. It reminds us all that the simplest things can be some of the most beautiful (not to mention, free). I also may not bea religious, but rainbows are symbolic of hope and remind us to do just that.
of Meyer. The flood waters have receded in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Behind them is a millions of dollars of damage to 10 square miles of the city.Quincy, Illinois and Hannibal, Missouri, are two culturally significant towns in the area. Both are threatened by rising waters. I have experience in that area during the the Great Flood of 1993. During the summer that year, I volunteered to may sand bags to reinforce the levees. I urge anyone who reads this and lives near the area, please do what you can to help if you are not in the area affected.
Tiger Woods was able to secure victory at the US Open on Monday. He played 91 holes total to achieve this feat against Rocco Mediate, a 45-year-old golfer who has never won a major and hasn't won a tournament in six years. Prior to the tournament, Tiger Woods had undergone his third surgery on his left knee. He has overstressed his left knee over the years. When he wants more power, i.e. torque, he "snaps" his left knee to make his hips turn faster. This has enabled him to make those stunning drives that he his known for, particularly off the tee.
After the Herculean effort to win the 2008 US Open, which many were comparing to Francis Ouimet's 1913 win US Open (though this comparison was more apt for Rocco Mediate), Woods was found to have torn his ACL and incurred two stress fractures. This makes all those grimaces witnessed during Monday's initial 18 holes telling: Tiger was beating himself up.Woods is likely going to be out for the remainder of the season. With a tear to the ACL it may be career ending. Love him, hate him or just apathetic, Woods affect on Golf is similar to Ouimet's. In fact, it is likely that Woods would never have played golf if not for that win 95 years ago in Massachusetts. Woods brought many spectators into golf's arena. The interest may linger but some see this as the end of golf's recent renaissance. I'm not willing to declare this. I think interest may continue past any career-ending injury.
But if this is the end, I have to thank Tiger Woods for being a champion in mind, body and spirit. And for bringing the sport to the level of popularity it currently enjoys. Thank You!
(But I think you'll be back)
The President of the United States honored the last living US born WWI veteran today. Frank Woodruff Buckles was born February 1, 1901 in Missouri. When the US entered the war in 1917, Buckles was only 16. He was rejected by the Marines for his weight. So, he signed up for the army and lied about his age claiming he was 21. He served as an ambulance driver in France and after Armistice, he escorted German POWs home. He was discharged in 1920.
After living from 1936 till 1938 in Germany, and seeing the beginnings of Shoa (Holocaust), he relocated to the Philippines. There, during World War II, he was captured by the Japanese and was a prisoner for three years.
His portrait will hang in the US World War I museum as a reminder of our last living link to the Great War. He was awarded the légion d'honneur from then President of France Jacque Chirac in 2003. He has also been after many requests, been accorded the honor of being buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
At the end of ABC's news at 5:30, they had the brains enough to show footage of a rainbow that had just happened during the broadcast. I have to say that is awesome! In the tough times we are going through with everything, it is nice to see something so beautiful. It reminds us all that the simplest things can be some of the most beautiful (not to mention, free). I also may not bea religious, but rainbows are symbolic of hope and remind us to do just that.
Today is Armistice Day. In the US, we call it Veterans Day. At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11the month, the war was over on the Western Front. That was 1918, 89 years ago.At two minutes to 11 on that fateful day, the last casualty of the war was killed. Canadian Private George Lawrence Price, a conscript of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, was killed in the French town of Havre by a German sniper. He is buried in a cemetery in Belgium that contains both the first and last casualties of the First World War.
It is somewhat interesting that the last to die for the allies was killed in Havre. You may recognize it better if I called it Le Havre. The landing of D-Day and H-Hour was very near Le Havre some 26 years later during the Second World War.
On this day we honor those who fought to protect that which we hold dear: our home. Its a very exclusive club of men and women who put their lives on the line to defend our land, our liberties and our lives. Sometimes these selfless people were honored and celebrated and sometimes they were not. Regardless of how anyone may feel about a current war or situation... these people still deserve respect. They are doing the job so few of us would. When I say job, I do not refer to those who hold a rifle, stand a post and go on patrol. This means the guy who cooks the chow, swabs the deck and keeps the log. Everyone who puts on a uniform in the service of his or her country, in peace or in war, is a veteren and should be honored. Lets remember everyone.
And now, there are other things that happened today. In 1620, the Mayflower Compact was signed.
In 1778, Seneca Indians kill 40 people in what is called the Cherry Valley Massacre.
In 1831, Nat Turner is hung for starting a slave rebellion, in Jerusalem, Virginia.
In 1864, Genereal William Tecumseh Sherman begins to burn Atlanta during his march to the sea.
In 1889, Washingon became the 49th state.
In 1911, there was a record cold front that broke the records for many midwestern towns. It not only broke the highs and lows for the day but also the temperature difference itself. In Springfield, IL, for example, the high was recorded as 80°F. Two hours later it was 40° less with gusts of 40mph. By midnight the temperature was 13°F. The difference was 67°F. It is known as the Great Blue Norther. There was a similar incident of freakish temperature change in February 1999. Changes like this do happen in November, February and March.
In 1926, Route 66 was established.
Another freak weather incident occurred in 1940, in the midwest. s if the dust bowl of the last decade weren't already enough, a blizzard plowed through that left 144 dead.
In 1992, the Church of England voted to allow women to become priests.
And just three years ago in 2004, Yasser Arafat was confirmed dead.
מזל טוב
That is, if you don't count the developments in the JonBenet Ramsey case. The DNA results have come back and they do not match. I'm so glad I didn't get hyped over this. Some others on the other hand. The Media interviewed family and friends and they were all overjoyed that the perpetrator was found. A scrawny little fraction of a man confesses to a crime with little evidence even placing him in the state and they're happy. It was not open and shut and there was still procedures to follow not to mention a TRIAL! So, I blame the media for causing a lot of ballyhoo over something that turned out to be nothing. Keep waiting, Patsy. They haven't found him yet.World's oldest person died today at 116. Maria Esther de Capovilla, of Equador, passed away on Sunday and leaves Tennesee woman Elizabeth Bolden as the oldest living person. Capovilla was born the same year as Hitler, Charlie Chaplin and Jean Cocteau.
Bush toured the Gulf States today to jabber on about a "sense of renewal". Who wants a sense of it? Just do it! He travelled to Biloxi where he spoke aobut continued progress. Does he know that poll released earlier this month found that 2/3 of the American people still disapprove of his handling of the catastrophe. Guess he uses the showman's advice after all: Never read your own press (or quote it). Later I watched a report on Fox News (I know, I know...) about the place where Hurricane Katrina made landfall. You'd think from all the focus that is was New Orleans but it wasn't. Plaquemines parish saw the brunt of the storm and then saw it levees fail. But its getting nothing to help rebuild its levees. It has been forgotten. Kudos to Fox News, normally the lap dog of the Republican Party and President Bush, for reporting on this terrible "oversight".
Neat Link: New Oleans, before and after the Hurricane.
In Canada, a man was told he couldn't throw candy from his float in a parade. It might injure the miniature adults, aka children. He bought $8 worth of penny candy to throw. Kids might get hurt by the flying candy or by stepping into the road to get said candy. Oh Good God.
Three people are reported dead after bombs rock the Turkish seaside town of Antalya. Twenty-one are reported injured as well. Earlier there were explosions in Marmaris and Istanbul. Twenty-one people were also injured in Marmaris while 6 people were killed in Istanbul. The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a lilitant group, has claimed resposibility for the Marmaris and Istanbul bombings.
There was a small plane that went down in a lake in Indianapolis. All 5 passengers survived. Question: Why was this Breaking News on CNN, MSNBC, Fox, the Today Show, etc.? It was so minor as to be laughbale.
Update: The pilot died.
On this day back in 1916, Germany declared war on Romania whilst Italy declared war on Germany.
On this day in 1850, Wagner's Lohengrin opera premiered in Weimar, Germany (My middle name is the French version of that name so its kind of meaningful to me.)
Also on this day 10 years ago, Prince Charles and Princess Diana were formally divorced after 15 years together.
A year ago: New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin ordered a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans. If only he knew then what he knows now.
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