In life, we strive to "make something of ourselves".
In the professional world, that often moves us up the proverbial food chain.
Too many climbers, WAY too many, forget to stop and thank those who helped them up that ladder.
They don't even recognize those who took pride in doing a good job.
The job of packing parachutes.
This is good. And, it's worth taking a few minutes to review. Music is good, the words are great. The thoughts are priceless.
http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=5dc8bc4895&view=att&th=12df7eaf02cdbcb9&attid=0.1&disp=attd&zw
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Southern Confidence
This one is, for the most part, non-political.
It's just downright funny.
I got it in one of the dozens of e-mails making the rounds each day. I like all of them, but some are those laugh-out-loud kind.
This is one.
And, it's worth sharing.
President Barack Obama was in the Oval Office when his telephone rang.
"Hello, President Obama” a heavily accented southern voice said. "This is Archie, down here at Joe's Catfish Shack, in Charleston, and I am callin' to tell ya’ll that we are officially declaring war on ya!"
"Well Archie," Barack replied, "This is indeed important news!
How big is your army?"
"Right now," said Archie, after a moments calculation "there is myself, my cousin Harold, my next-door-neighbor Randy, and the whole dart team from Hooters. That makes eight!"
Barack paused. "I must tell you, Archie, that I have one million men in my army waiting to move on my command."
"Wow," said Archie. "I'll have to call ya back!"
Sure enough, the next day, Archie called again. “Mr. Obama, the war is still on! We have managed to acquire some infantry equipment!"
"And what equipment would that be Archie?" Barack asked.
"Well sir, we have two combines, a bulldozer, and Harry’s farm tractor."
President Obama sighed. "I must tell you, Archie, that I have 16,000 tanks and 14,000 armored personnel carriers. Also I've increased my army to two million since we last spoke."
"Lord above", said Archie, "I'll be getting back to ya."
Sure enough, Archie called again the next day.
“President Obama! I am sorry to have to tell you that we have had to call off this here war."
"I'm sorry to hear that" said Barack. "Why the sudden change of heart?"
Well, sir," said Archie, "we've all sat ourselves down and had a long chat over sweet tea, and come to realize that there's just no way we can feed two million prisoners."
SOUTHERN CONFIDENCE CANNOT BE SHAKEN
Ya'll have a good Super Bowl Sunday. I guess it's this weekend. I am not much of a TV sports fan. Saw the first Super Bowl way back then. And, I likely have seen only one since then in it's entirety. No, I am not un-American. I would rather watch a game in person than on the little screen.
I'm not even sure who's playing, but I am glad it's not Chicago. That'll save all of us a lot of money because the President won't be taking his relatives and friends to the big event.
It's just downright funny.
I got it in one of the dozens of e-mails making the rounds each day. I like all of them, but some are those laugh-out-loud kind.
This is one.
And, it's worth sharing.
President Barack Obama was in the Oval Office when his telephone rang.
"Hello, President Obama” a heavily accented southern voice said. "This is Archie, down here at Joe's Catfish Shack, in Charleston, and I am callin' to tell ya’ll that we are officially declaring war on ya!"
"Well Archie," Barack replied, "This is indeed important news!
How big is your army?"
"Right now," said Archie, after a moments calculation "there is myself, my cousin Harold, my next-door-neighbor Randy, and the whole dart team from Hooters. That makes eight!"
Barack paused. "I must tell you, Archie, that I have one million men in my army waiting to move on my command."
"Wow," said Archie. "I'll have to call ya back!"
Sure enough, the next day, Archie called again. “Mr. Obama, the war is still on! We have managed to acquire some infantry equipment!"
"And what equipment would that be Archie?" Barack asked.
"Well sir, we have two combines, a bulldozer, and Harry’s farm tractor."
President Obama sighed. "I must tell you, Archie, that I have 16,000 tanks and 14,000 armored personnel carriers. Also I've increased my army to two million since we last spoke."
"Lord above", said Archie, "I'll be getting back to ya."
Sure enough, Archie called again the next day.
“President Obama! I am sorry to have to tell you that we have had to call off this here war."
"I'm sorry to hear that" said Barack. "Why the sudden change of heart?"
Well, sir," said Archie, "we've all sat ourselves down and had a long chat over sweet tea, and come to realize that there's just no way we can feed two million prisoners."
SOUTHERN CONFIDENCE CANNOT BE SHAKEN
Ya'll have a good Super Bowl Sunday. I guess it's this weekend. I am not much of a TV sports fan. Saw the first Super Bowl way back then. And, I likely have seen only one since then in it's entirety. No, I am not un-American. I would rather watch a game in person than on the little screen.
I'm not even sure who's playing, but I am glad it's not Chicago. That'll save all of us a lot of money because the President won't be taking his relatives and friends to the big event.
Friday, February 4, 2011
An Irish Wish, The Weather, Cantore, POTUS
All sorts of stuff makes the internet rounds.
I hope you read it all, believe almost nothing you read, and laugh at what you want.
Ok. That's about as deep as I choose to get on this rainy, gloom-filled evening in February.
How-so-ever.
Regardless of what the weather geeks predict, the groundhog and I agree.
Spring is gonna show up early.
He said "early".
I said, even before he "announced" the early arrival of spring, that it would actually arrive TWO WEEKS early in 2011.
History...at least the history I choose to remember...has shown that it is "unseasonably" warm (that's a weather guy's thing) for several days near Valentine's Day (hey, guys...that's the 14th of February. Do NOT be stupid and forget it until the last minute and grab a silk rose from a convenience store on the way home...you have been warned!).
Well, we got that warm-up a bit early. About two weeks early. And, for those of us in the sunny south, in Jacksonville NC, where it almost nevah snows, we had SLEET and freezing rain (yes, there is a difference, but they're both cold) on the evening of 4 December (I was on my boat in the Jacksonville Flotilla and can attest to that, whether Cantore believes it, or not...and, yes, I know him...did you see him in the thunder snowstorm?), plus two...count them...TWO snowfalls in December and January. It has been a rather miserable winter.
But, using my math (Mrs. Hardison would be proud), spring WILL arrive two weeks early.
For those of us who like to fish, that means we will be catching spanish mackerel in mid April. The water temperature must hit 68 degrees before the little buggers come close to shore.
Mark my word. It will happen. Not long after April Fool's Day. Around the anniversary of my birth. This year. Bet a buck on it.
Now, back to the Irish Fiendship Wish...bet you thought I had forgotten, right?
Nope.
I hope you read it all, believe almost nothing you read, and laugh at what you want.
Ok. That's about as deep as I choose to get on this rainy, gloom-filled evening in February.
How-so-ever.
Regardless of what the weather geeks predict, the groundhog and I agree.
Spring is gonna show up early.
He said "early".
I said, even before he "announced" the early arrival of spring, that it would actually arrive TWO WEEKS early in 2011.
History...at least the history I choose to remember...has shown that it is "unseasonably" warm (that's a weather guy's thing) for several days near Valentine's Day (hey, guys...that's the 14th of February. Do NOT be stupid and forget it until the last minute and grab a silk rose from a convenience store on the way home...you have been warned!).
Well, we got that warm-up a bit early. About two weeks early. And, for those of us in the sunny south, in Jacksonville NC, where it almost nevah snows, we had SLEET and freezing rain (yes, there is a difference, but they're both cold) on the evening of 4 December (I was on my boat in the Jacksonville Flotilla and can attest to that, whether Cantore believes it, or not...and, yes, I know him...did you see him in the thunder snowstorm?), plus two...count them...TWO snowfalls in December and January. It has been a rather miserable winter.
But, using my math (Mrs. Hardison would be proud), spring WILL arrive two weeks early.
For those of us who like to fish, that means we will be catching spanish mackerel in mid April. The water temperature must hit 68 degrees before the little buggers come close to shore.
Mark my word. It will happen. Not long after April Fool's Day. Around the anniversary of my birth. This year. Bet a buck on it.
Now, back to the Irish Fiendship Wish...bet you thought I had forgotten, right?
Nope.
An Irish Friendship Wish
May there always be work for your hands to do;
May your purse always hold a coin or two;
May the sun always shine on your windowpane;
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;
May the hand of a friend be always near you;
May God fill your heart with kindness to cheer you;
And may you be in Heaven a half hour before the devil knows you’re dead!
Best to all for the Superbowl weekend. And, just be as glad as I that Chicago is not there. It means that POTUS will stay home (his home for a little while, anyway), and save us a LOT of tax dollars. Several MILLION dollars, in fact. Doubt that? I can do the math, if you wish.
And, for you, my Secret Service friend...stay safe.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
President Bush. A guy you could sit down and talk to.
Your political persuasion is of no imprtance to me. I don't support any political party (except my own, of course...yet to be named), and I don't vote along party lines.
And, that's all I'm gonna say about politics in this brief post. The attached video clip was sent to me today. Kinda neat, and in watching it, I decided that George W. Bush is a guy that I would feel comfortable with just sitting by the pool and talking to. And, from the video, it seems that, even if he's a southern white guy, he has rhythm. ("OMG! He didn't just say that, did he?").
Speakers up, and enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1d4opG2s0o
And, that's all I'm gonna say about politics in this brief post. The attached video clip was sent to me today. Kinda neat, and in watching it, I decided that George W. Bush is a guy that I would feel comfortable with just sitting by the pool and talking to. And, from the video, it seems that, even if he's a southern white guy, he has rhythm. ("OMG! He didn't just say that, did he?").
Speakers up, and enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1d4opG2s0o
Are Burkas Illegal? Might be, at least in North Carolina
Bet you didn't know that you could not wear a mask in North Carolina, except under certain circumstances. Like when it's cold and you need a ski mask. Or, when you're going to a masquerade ball. Or, on halloween. Or, if you're under 16.
Yep, it's illegal to walk around with anything that conceals your face. There's a good reason that the state legislature adopted this law back in 1953. A guy wearing a ski mask standing outside a liquor store, up until 1953, could not be dealt with. But, today, when police find a man outside a convenience store, wearing a mask, they don't have to wait until he robs the store to grab him. Makes sense.
Of course, the legislature, as is all too often the case, had to add exceptions. The original statute was simple. That means short and to the point:
§ 14‑12.8. Wearing of masks, hoods, etc., on public property.
No person or persons shall in this State, while wearing any mask, hood or device whereby the person, face or voice is disguised so as to conceal the identity of the wearer, enter, or appear upon or within the public property of any municipality or county of the State, or of the State of North Carolina. (1953, c. 1193, s. 7.)
Then, they had to come up with revisions. This is one. Note number (5):
§ 14‑12.11. Exemptions from provisions of Article.
The following are exempted from the provisions of G.S. 14‑12.7, 14‑12.8, 14‑12.9, 14‑12.10 and 14‑12.14:
(1) Any person or persons wearing traditional holiday costumes in season;
(2) Any person or persons engaged in trades and employment where a mask is worn for the purpose of ensuring the physical safety of the wearer, or because of the nature of the occupation, trade or profession;
(3) Any person or persons using masks in theatrical productions including use in Mardi Gras celebrations and masquerade balls;
(4) Persons wearing gas masks prescribed in civil defense drills and exercises or emergencies; and
(5) Any person or persons, as members or members elect of a society, order or organization, engaged in any parade, ritual, initiation, ceremony, celebration or requirement of such society, order or organization, and wearing or using any manner of costume, paraphernalia, disguise, facial makeup, hood, implement or device, whether the identity of such person or persons is concealed or not, on any public or private street, road, way or property, or in any public or private building, provided permission shall have been first obtained therefor by a representative of such society, order or organization from the governing body of the municipality in which the same takes place, or, if not in a municipality, from the board of county commissioners of the county in which the same takes place.
Provided, that the provisions of this Article shall not apply to any preliminary meetings held in good faith for the purpose of organizing, promoting or forming a labor union or a local organization or subdivision of any labor union nor shall the provisions of this Article apply to any meetings held by a labor union or organization already organized, operating and functioning and holding meetings for the purpose of transacting and carrying out functions, pursuits and affairs expressly pertaining to such labor union. (1953, c. 1193, s. 10.)
Not being a lawyer, I cannot find an exception for the traditional Muslim burka.
Looks like a mask to me. And, according to North Carolina law, unless their "leader" was granted permission by municipalities for these masks to be worn on a public street, roadway or property, or in a public or private building, wearing such an outfit is illegal.
Of course, they can be worn, legally, on halloween.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Some Stories Will Bring Tears To The Most Hard-Hearted People Out There
Oh, so many stories make it to the evening news every day of the week. Most are quickly forgotten. And that's a good thing, in many cases.
I spent many years in journalism, and I can tell you that most of the stuff we produced was a daily grind. From the morning meetings, to meetings with producers, the assignment desk, the reporters throughout each day, we prepared them. But, there truly are not a lot of stories that made much of an impact.
We enjoyed doing them, don't get me wrong. It was our job in our chosen profession. And, for the most part, the stories were actually important. To someone, to everyone. But, as it is with the daily paper, the headlines quckly faded.
There have been a few stories, like the one in the attachment below, that I will remember, hopefully forever. The remarkable video of a firefighter doing mouth to mouth on a dead cat. Remarkable was the effort. Even more remarkable was when the cat came back to life. One of my videographers shot that.
Death is a part of daily news. It's unfortunate. But, it's a fact. I don't mean the natural act of dying. That starts happening the day we're born. Tragic deaths, untimely deaths, early deaths. You know, the ones you see on TV at night, and read about in the paper. Tragic, untimely, and early. Yep. They are. But, all too often, they're forgotten just as quickly. The stories we told about those deaths and the families they left behind don't stay around long.
But, watch and listen. This is a story that moved me. One that I won't forget.
http://www.militarytimes.com/hancock
I spent many years in journalism, and I can tell you that most of the stuff we produced was a daily grind. From the morning meetings, to meetings with producers, the assignment desk, the reporters throughout each day, we prepared them. But, there truly are not a lot of stories that made much of an impact.
We enjoyed doing them, don't get me wrong. It was our job in our chosen profession. And, for the most part, the stories were actually important. To someone, to everyone. But, as it is with the daily paper, the headlines quckly faded.
There have been a few stories, like the one in the attachment below, that I will remember, hopefully forever. The remarkable video of a firefighter doing mouth to mouth on a dead cat. Remarkable was the effort. Even more remarkable was when the cat came back to life. One of my videographers shot that.
Death is a part of daily news. It's unfortunate. But, it's a fact. I don't mean the natural act of dying. That starts happening the day we're born. Tragic deaths, untimely deaths, early deaths. You know, the ones you see on TV at night, and read about in the paper. Tragic, untimely, and early. Yep. They are. But, all too often, they're forgotten just as quickly. The stories we told about those deaths and the families they left behind don't stay around long.
But, watch and listen. This is a story that moved me. One that I won't forget.
http://www.militarytimes.com/hancock
-30-
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Senate Votes on ObamaCare-less
A federal judge relates it to the Boston Tea Party.
The US House has voted to repeal it.
The US Senate is taking it up Wednesday.
47 Repbulicans have said they will vote for the repeal.
It's up to the Senate democrats, now, to do the right thing.
My note to NC Senator Kay Hagan, one of those democrats.
As a longtime, forever resident of the Great State of North Carolina, I am encouraging you to do the right thing and vote to repeal this mess misnamed "ObamaCare".
I cannot, for the life of me, understand how our government can mandate that we, as free men and women, purchase anything.
Put yourself, Senator, in the shoes of those great Americans, more than 200 years ago, when they decided to take a stand against such actions. It was aptly called a revolution, our effort to rid ourselves of a government that failed to represent us.
It happened then. Not likely to happen again. At least, not in the same way. These days, our memories...thanks to the internet...last a long time. At least six years, the term of a US senator.
You, too, can reach out to Senator Hagan.
http://hagan.senate.gov/contact/
Fill out the form, type in your comments (keep them respectful, please), and hit "Submit".
It's just that simple.
The US House has voted to repeal it.
The US Senate is taking it up Wednesday.
47 Repbulicans have said they will vote for the repeal.
It's up to the Senate democrats, now, to do the right thing.
My note to NC Senator Kay Hagan, one of those democrats.
As a longtime, forever resident of the Great State of North Carolina, I am encouraging you to do the right thing and vote to repeal this mess misnamed "ObamaCare".
I cannot, for the life of me, understand how our government can mandate that we, as free men and women, purchase anything.
Put yourself, Senator, in the shoes of those great Americans, more than 200 years ago, when they decided to take a stand against such actions. It was aptly called a revolution, our effort to rid ourselves of a government that failed to represent us.
It happened then. Not likely to happen again. At least, not in the same way. These days, our memories...thanks to the internet...last a long time. At least six years, the term of a US senator.
You, too, can reach out to Senator Hagan.
http://hagan.senate.gov/contact/
Fill out the form, type in your comments (keep them respectful, please), and hit "Submit".
It's just that simple.
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