At 5 a.m. on the morning of the 11th of November
1918, an armistice—a cessation of hostilities as a prelude to peace
negotiations—was signed between Germany
and the Allied Powers, effectively putting an end to The Great Was (World War I). The hostilities were to cease six
hours later, at 11:00 a.m.—the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the
eleventh month of 1918.
For 35 years November 11th was known and
celebrated as Armistice Day. Then the designation was changed to Veterans Day
to celebrate all veterans of all America’s many wars.
I have a theory that other folks may share: if you want
facts to put in your head, read a book, attend a lecture, watch a documentary
film, etc. If you want to touch your heart, read a poem or listen to a song (or,
better still, sing a song). So, in honor of today, I am sharing songs of American's many wars. The Revolutionary War
The War of 1812
The Mexican War
The Civil War: Union
The Civil War: Confederacy
Indian Wars (2nd half 19th Century)
Spanish-American War
The Great War (WWI)
World War II
Korean War
Vietnam
Gulf War
Iraq
I have spent quite a bit
of time researching and writing this post. Still, it is far from complete.
There are many more songs that I have not listed. There are many wars, too.
After all, since 1776 the United States
has been at war 91% of the time, making us the most warlike nation since
ancient Rome.
Let me put this in perspective:
* Pick any year since 1776 and
there is about a 91% chance that America was involved in some war
during that calendar year.
* No U.S. president truly qualifies as a
peacetime president. Instead, all U.S. presidents can technically be
considered “war presidents.”
* The U.S. has never gone a decade
without war.
* Theonlytime
the U.S.
went five years without war (1935-40) was during the isolationist period of the
Great Depression.
Before the jokes, let us celebrate and remember veterans of all wars, of all nations.
At the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day of November, in 1918, Allied nations and Germany signed an armistice ending the hostilities of World War I. Exactly one year later, then-President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the day Armistice Day. A History of Veterans Day
The following video, although Canadian in origin, I have posted on Nick's Bytes every year since I first became aware of it. The message is better than anything that I could ever write.
Fred was saying his prayers as his father passed by his bedroom door. "God bless Mommy, and God bless Daddy, and please make Hamburg the capital of Germany."
"Fred," said his father, "Why do you want Hamburg to be the capital of Germany?"
"Because that's what I wrote in my geography test!"
When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that ballpoint pens would not work in zero gravity. To combat the problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 billion to develop a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside down, underwater, on almost any surface including glass and at temperatures ranging from below freezing to 300 C.
The Russians used a pencil.
One day the librarian was lonely for someone to help. Then two chickens came through the door screeching, "bouk bouk." The librarian quickly got up and gave them each 5 books. The two chickens left, satisfied.
A few minutes later the same two chickens come through the door with no books, screeching, "bouk bouk." The librarian once again jumps up and gives each chicken 15 books this time. The chickens leave satisfied once again.
Then for the third time the chickens return screeching. "bouk bouk" By now the suspicions the librarian are aroused, so she gives each chicken only one book, As the chickens leave the building, the librarian slowly follows to see where all the books are going.
The chickens come to a stop outside of the library and begin throwing the books into a pond, where some frogs grab the books and throw them back croaking, "red-it red-it"
An old joke, but anyway...
One day God came to Adam for a brief discussion. "I've got some good news and some bad news." God said. Adam looked thoughtfully at his maker and replied, "Please give me the good news first." Smiling, God explained, "I've created two new organs for you. One is called a brain. This organ will allow you to be very intelligent, create new things, and carry on productive conversations with Eve. The other organ is called a penis. It will allow you to reproduce your intelligent life form and begin populating the planet. Eve will be very pleased that you are now equipped with this organ as she will be able to conceive children." Adam, very excited, exclaimed, "These are great and wonderful gifts you have given me. What could possibly be bad news after such great tidings?" God then looked upon Adam, and said with great sorrow, "The bad news is I only gave you enough blood to operate only one of these organs at a time."
One day a woman was driving on the Highway. She checked her speed gauge frequently to make sure she stayed within the speed limit. However, at one point she looked into her rear mirror, and much to her dismay, she saw a police car not far behind! And, to make matters worse, the police car turned on his flashing lights. She thought to herself, "Uh-oh, what have I done now? I'm not speeding. I'm not drinking. I have my seat belt on! I have kept up my license dues and everything!"
So, she pulled over and the police car pulled over to the side right behind her car. She slowly rolled down the window, and prepared for a ticket when she knew she didn't deserve it.
A policeman walked up to her window, and spoke to her. The lady pointed to her ear and shook her head, meaning she was deaf.
The policeman smiled slightly, and knowing sign language, signed, "I know. I'm here to tell you that your horn is stuck."
The Procrastinator's creed
1. I believe that if anything is worth doing, it would have been done already.
2. I shall never move quickly, except to avoid more work or find excuses.
3. I will never rush into a job without a lifetime of consideration.
4. I shall meet all of my deadlines directly in proportion to the amount of bodily injury I could expect to receive from missing them.
5. I firmly believe that tomorrow holds the possibility for new technologies, astounding discoveries, and a reprieve from my obligations.
6. I truly believe that all deadlines are unreasonable regardless of the amount of time given.
7. I shall never forget that the probability of a miracle, though infinitesmally small, is not exactly zero.
8. If at first I don't succeed, there is always next year.
9. I shall always decide not to decide, unless of course I decide to change my mind.
10. I shall always begin, start, initiate, take the first step, and/or write the first word, when I get around to it.
11. I obey the law of inverse excuses which demands that the greater the task to be done, the more insignificant the work that must be done prior to beginning the greater task.
12. I know that the work cycle is not plan-start-finish, but is wait-plan-plan.
13. I will never put off until tomorrow, what I can forget about forever.
14. I will become a member of the ancient Order of Two-Headed Turtles (the Procrastinator's Society) if they ever get it organized.
A blonde goes to the local restaurant, buys a small drink for herself, and sits down to drink it. She notices a peel-off prize sticker on the side of her cup while she is drinking. After pulling off the tab, she begins screaming, "I won a motor home! I won a motor home!"
The waitress runs over and argues, "That's impossible. The biggest prize given away was a stero system!"
The blonde replies, "No. I won a motor home!"
By this time, the manager makes his way over to the table, and he too argues, "You couldn't possibly have won a motor home because we didn't have that as one of our prizes."
Again the blonde says, "There is no mistake! I won a motor home!"
The blonde hands the prize ticket to the manager and he reads, "WIN A BAGEL."
A WOMAN'S GUIDE TO WHAT A MAN IS REALLY SAYING:
I'M HUNGRY.
I'm hungry.
I'M SLEEPY.
I'm sleepy.
I'M TIRED.
I'm tired.
I'VE GOTTA GO.
Get out of the way and stay away until it clears.
WHAT'S WRONG?
I don't see why you're making such a big deal out of this.
WHAT'S WRONG?
What meaningless self-inflicted psychological trauma are you going through now?
YES, I LIKE THE WAY YOU CUT YOUR HAIR.
I liked it better before.
YES, I LIKE THE WAY YOU CUT YOUR HAIR.
$50 and it doesn't look that much different!
YES, I LIKE THE WAY YOU CUT YOUR HAIR.
For $50 they should have GIVEN YOU hair!
LET'S TALK, HONEY.
I'm trying to impress you by showing you that I am a deep person, and maybe then you'd like to have sex with me.
WILL YOU MARRY ME?
I want to make it illegal for you to have sex with other guys.
WILL YOU MARRY ME?
I might as well get tax benefits for going through these talks.
Since I first heard Canadian Terry Kelly's song, A Pittance of Time, I have incorporated it into several blog posts. Please. take a moment-- a pittance of time-- to watch it. OK?
A Soldier’s Prayer (Dedicated To All Who Serve)
The soldier stood and faced his God Which must always come to pass...
He hoped his shoes were shining Just as brightly as his brass.
"Step forward now, you soldier, How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek? To My Church have you been true?"
The soldier squared his shoulders and Said, "No, Lord, I guess I ain't...
Because those of us who carry guns Can't always be a saint.
I've had to work most Sundays And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent, Because the streets are awfully tough.
But, I never took a penny That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime When the bills got just too steep,
And I never passed a cry for help, Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me, I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place Among the people here...
They never wanted me around Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here, Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much, But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was a silence all around the throne Where the saints had often trod...
As the soldier waited quietly, For the judgment of his God,
"Step forward now you soldier,
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
(Author Unknown)
Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream words and music by Ed McCurdy
Last night I had the strangest dream
I'd ever dreamed before
I dreamed the world had all agreed
To put an end to war
I dreamed I saw a mighty room
Filled with women and men
And the paper they were signing said
They'd never fight again
And when the paper was all signed
And a million copies made
They all joined hands and bowed their heads
And grateful pray'rs were prayed
And the people in the streets below
Were dancing 'round and 'round
While swords and guns and uniforms
Were scattered on the ground
Last night I had the strangest dream
I'd never dreamed before
I dreamed the world had all agreed
To put an end to war.
When I first saw the print below, I stood before it gazing and remembering my friends who have died in military service. It took me a while to save the money to purchase it, but I did and it has been on the wall of four living rooms since then. I still stand at gaze at it--and remember.
A Gift
This little bear was given to me by the staff of Home Instead, who the Veterans Administration contracts to provide my 9-hours-per-week caregiver.
A Tradition
Since I first heard Canadian Terry Kelly's song, A Pittance of Time, I have incorporated it into several blog posts. Please. take a moment-- a pittance of time-- to watch it. OK?
A Soldier’s Prayer (Dedicated To All Who Serve)
The soldier stood and faced his God Which must always come to pass... He hoped his shoes were shining Just as brightly as his brass. "Step forward now, you soldier, How shall I deal with you? Have you always turned the other cheek? To My Church have you been true?" The soldier squared his shoulders and Said, "No, Lord, I guess I ain't... Because those of us who carry guns Can't always be a saint. I've had to work most Sundays And at times my talk was tough, And sometimes I've been violent, Because the streets are awfully tough. But, I never took a penny That wasn't mine to keep... Though I worked a lot of overtime When the bills got just too steep, And I never passed a cry for help, Though at times I shook with fear, And sometimes, God forgive me, I've wept unmanly tears. I know I don't deserve a place Among the people here... They never wanted me around Except to calm their fears. If you've a place for me here, Lord, It needn't be so grand, I never expected or had too much, But if you don't, I'll understand." There was a silence all around the throne Where the saints had often trod... As the soldier waited quietly, For the judgment of his God, "Step forward now you soldier, Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets, You've done your time in Hell."
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