As we mark the 100th birthday of Ronald Reagan, it’s pretty easy for each of us who can remember that time when he lead America, and the impact he had on each of us.

I had not yet graduated high school and had had very little interest in politics, but I was comfortable listening to him on the TV during the evening news. I certainly didn’t know then what I know now, but I don’t think that the big 3 were as cantankerous then as they are now. My youngest brother was, as he is now, 2 years my junior and was actively doing his part for the nut farmer from GA.He even went to downtown Philly for an event. Nighttime on the train is still relatively safe on the Paoli Local/R5/Thorndale line of SEPTA.

My father, for reasons of his own, had disconnected himself from his entire family, and I turned to Mr.s Reagan as a man I could listen to. Over the course of his first 18 months in office, he hardly ever spoke ill of anyone or anything within the nation the America entrusted to him for at least four years. Sure there were problems, Energy, welfare, education, and a host of other things, things that have been on every Presidents list of things, “I’d like to fix.” He saw those things as roadblocks to American prosperity, things that kept Americans from fulfilling their God-given birthright to be great citizens of the City on the Hill.

I browsed a few YouTube videos and came across the one below. As I watched the images presented and listened The Duke, it occurred to me that every single image, idea, and concept portrayed in this video is exactly the way the Good Lord, with a little help from a few Americans, had envisioned America to be. Full of vibrant color, majestic mountains, endless possible combinations of God-inspired awesome beauty.

If you think about it, not much has changed in those images. Michigan winters and glaciers are still damned cold, the American Bald Eagles still soars across the skies in most parts of America, our great man-made icons are still great man-made icons.

What has changed however, is the citizenry of the City on the Hill. To many Americans don’t know or understand, or worse, have never experienced AMERICA. Far too many know only the confines and back roads within a 50 mile radius of where they grew up. For some, that distance has never exceeded 25 miles. A few people have told too many that there’s nothing out there for you. How many people and families in fly over country have never dipped their toes in the ocean? How many for the coastal metroplis’ have never chomped on an ear of corn right off the stalk?

Also, We the People has changed. Our politics have become almost poisonous. We have this demographic group pointing the fingers of responsibility for inaction ant that demographic group. We have this political faction blaming the other political faction for what ails someone we don’t even know. We have so sub-divided ourselves, that we are becoming more important to our group than to our responsibilitiesof being Americans. We have a vicious case of disharmony embedded in the very people we elect to represent us. We have ideas at our fingertips waiting to jump out and help America become more prosperous tomorrow than she was last week, but we have allowed people who work for us to tell us what we CAN”T do.

The very foundation of The Constition of the United States of America, was specifically drafted and taken up so as to tell the people who work for us what they CAN’Tdo to us. It is up to each of us to tell ourselves what we CAN AND MUST DO for ourselves. It is in our American DNA that we know that we must always be ready to lend a hand to those who need our help, the elderly, the infirmed, those down on their luck. Now it seems that OUR government has taken to turning the Constitution 180 degrees around. This is not the idea, dream and birthright of America, nor her citizens. At this juncture in our political history, we MUST take it upon ourselves to re-commit to the ideas, ideals, and principles that America runs on. America runs on US, and we are responsible for her well -being 7/24/365, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.

If you need a breath of America to re-invigorate you, pack up in the early summer, throw a dart at a map of America and go see it. More importantly, turn off the in-car entertainment system and look at the spectacular country that envelopes you at every turn.   And while you’re at it, support every small business that you can, instead of the big boys. You’ll never know how great America really is until you go out and taste her. She is DELICIOUS, and savorable. She will remind you of how great a country she is, and how much she has to offer you, if only you ask of yourself.

Get out and re-discover the Land of the Free and the Home of Brave. Have a great trip. Come back and reclaim your citizenship in that shining City on a Hill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQM1oLnMLNU&fmt=18

Tears filled my eyes @ 11:10p.m. EDT tonight as a nation rallied behind a NATIONAL rescue effort in Copiapo, Chile. Chilean President Sebastian Pinera put himself front and center of this mine collapse disaster, marshalling every possible resource to effect this rescue. National and international resources responded to the call for help without every having given the thought of not responding and giving their very best. Not withstanding the amazing contributions of each and every Chilean citizen who participated and contributed something, even if it was just a sweater for a family member in the chilly evening air. (As I write this 2 have been rescued)

President Sebastian Pinera was unabashed in his immediate international call for assistance and never refused the input from anyone who could potentially provide insight. He delegated that which needed to be delegated. He spoke to his citizens honestly, promising and delivering every resource that he could bring to bear to solve the problem, he stood before the cameras and took accountability for the actions of his subordinates. He marshalled the emotion of the country, so that the front line rescue team could work from that positive energy. His administration had only one priority once it was realized that 33 men were trapped 2472 feet below the Chilean desert – SAVE LIVES. Nothing else in Chile, that didn’t need Presidential intervention, mattered.

What an amazing round of smiles, hugs, tears. President Pinera is absolutely BEAMING. He is the epitome of the pride of the Red White and Blue of Chilean pride. You can’t blame him. How can you not cheer for him?

In another month of the same year, from half a word away, another drilling disaster claimed the lives of 11 men in mere minutes. The American President Barack Obama failed to address the calamity of the event for 5 days. He managed to dispatch lawyers alongside of departmental secretaries, none of which had a clue about anything other than how to put a boot on the neck of the drilling company. Looking to find fault before a solution to the problem has been the modus operandi of the administration in the Northern Hemisphere, and would be on full display during the duration of the continuing spill for 3 months.

Adding insult to already seriously wounded economy, He truned down offers of assistance from countries with shoreline oil recovery experience; Unsaid, unions needed to be placated by shipping operations and waved the Jones Act under his nose and wagged their fingers. He rebuffed a small New England businessman who stopped his income producing operations to manufacture miles of oils soaking boom; Since it wasn’t up to federal specifications, none was purchased and the oil bombarded the TX, LA, MS, AL, and FL shorelines.

When BP finally declared the well in the Gulf dead, President Obama exhibited the same scowl on his face that he wore for the 57 days of that disaster. He was angry at the eventual success of BP. I think he would have been content for it to leak for another month just so he could extract more money from them and make BP a weaker company.

Chile will be a better country for this disaster. Who could challenge President Pinera for reelection? Why?

America had been injured both politically in the preceding 15 months with unpopular actions from the Executive and Legislative Branches of our government. The Gulf Coast was then injured geophysically by the spill, and then more Administration injury with the moratorium of drilling.

The only enthusiasm that can be generated around Presidnet Obama is that which is drawn into his assemblies and appearances in front of die-hard politically friendly groups who absolutley refuse to admit to the overall damage the he is doing to the country. He has certainly lost his luster, his mojo, and worst of all, the faith of the country that he ran to lead.

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or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee3mMZ1mIbE

I still get that amazing feeling EVERYTIME I raise my hand to Old Glory

And then there’s this:

Flag Day  

When : Always June 14th

(paragraph rearranged for dated relevance)

Did you Know? There is a very special ceremony for retiring the flag by burning it. It is a ceremony everyone should see.Your local Boy Scout group knows the proper ceremony and performs it on a regular basis. If you have an old flag, give it to them. And, attend the ceremony.

Flag Day, is a day for all Americans to celebrate and show respect for our flag, its designers and makers. Our flag is representative of our independence and our unity as a nation…..one nation, under God, indivisible. Our flag has a proud and glorious history. It was at the lead of every battle fought by Americans. Many people have died protecting it. It even stands proudly on the surface of the moon.

As Americans, we have every right to be proud of our culture, our nation, and our flag. So raise the flag today and every day with pride!

Properly Display Our Flag

There is a right way and a wrong way to display the flag.  The American flag should be held in the highest of regards. It represents our nation and the many people who gave their lives for our country and our flag. Here are the basics on displaying  the American flag:

• The flag is normally flown from sunrise to sunset.
• In the morning, raise the flag briskly. At sunset, lower it slowly. Always, raise and lower it ceremoniously.
• The flag should not be flown at night without a light on it.
• The flag should not be flown in the rain or inclement weather.
• After a tragedy or death, the flag is flown at half staff for 30 days. It’s  called “half staff” on land ,and “half mast” on a ship.
• When flown vertically on a pole, the stars and blue field , or “union”, is at the top and at the end of the pole (away from your house).
• The American flag is always flown at the top of the pole. Your state flag and other flags fly below it.
• The union is always on top. When displayed in print, the stars and blue field are always on the left.
• Never let your flag touch the ground, never…period.
• Fold your flag when storing. Don’t just stuff it in a drawer or box.
• When your flag is old and has seen  better days, it is time to retire it. Old flags should be burned or buried. Please do not throw it in the trash.

(From: http://www.holidayinsights.com/other/flagday.htm)

It would seem that The Won has actually taken the time, and briefed his Tele-Promp-Ter on the application of that law. Fitting, in view of Thursdays attack in Texas, the President has ordered flags to half-staff until sunset on Veterans Day, 11/11. For once, good proper use of presidential authority:

Flag Code of the United States

By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory. In the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law. In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff.

http://legion.org/node/905

The captain of a ship sets a DESTINATION. In order to achieve his goal of a long voyage, (S)He must plot a course. key landmarks, known hazards, potential storms and condition of the crew must all be taken into account. As the ship departs, depending on the berth from which it it received its cargo, it may not be pointing in the direction of the destination. The course plot takes that into consideration and makes the necessary turns until she is out in the open sea and ready to run FULL SPEED AHEAD. Course corrections will always be necessary, but the destination never changes. The Libs and Dems have got this SOCIALIST takeover all mapped out in much the same way. The Libs destination has ALWAYS been government control of the individual, and the usurpation of the Constitution of The United States. Years of preparation brought them to the Jan 20 departure date. Obama came onboard as the new captain, straight from the corporate office, fully expecting his crew to bare hand in making the destination a reality, so that the ships owners, Soros, Huffington, Gore, GE, Dean, et al., would profit substantially from the safe arrival of the cargo ship fully laden will all of the Libs dreams. Enter the laws of physics Murphy . As he ship of state departs, the captain has run afoul of thousands of acres of seaweed that are choking his seawater intakes, propellers, and rudder, all making the ship hard to control and keep cool. Seaweed is the grass of the sea. it will grow wherever it wants, will not always be visible from such a narrow angle of vision as from the bridge, and can be very damaging to a campaign of deliverance.

Let’s all make sure that grassroots continue to plague the progress of this ship of chaos. We the tugboats, can be sent out to recover her, bring her back to port and repair her. And while we’re at it, we can replace the crew.

Estimated repair completion date, November, 2010.

For many years, and certainly with the benefit of hindsight, we have seen what the HAVENOTS have wrought upon our country and our economy. The HAVENOTS have been led by the community organizers across the country. They have had their way, starting back with Carter (D-GA) and the original Community Reinvestment Act, and the subsequent establishment of Fannie and Freddie MAC. Once the HAVENOTS got a taste of the power they wielded over commerce and congress, they became emboldened and brasher in their tactics. Rules for Radicals was the official title of what Rush calls the “Democratic Playbook.” The law book of the secularists who could give a damn abound a fair and democratic process. Intimidation and coercion were the rules to play by. The HAVENOTS continued to draw more and more from the national teat and their appetite for more has never been sated.

In the summer of 2009, there awoke a sleeping giant, the likes of which has NEVER been seen on the field of play that the HAVENOTS have ever witnessed. We The People are the WANTNOTS in this debate over HR3200, The Health Care Reform Act. The WANTNOTS are not by definition AGAINST health care reform in general, we recognize that there are substantial flaws in the way parts of our healthcare system works and the care that it delivers. The WANTNOTS do not want this bad legislation to get passed and condemn our great-grandchildren to years of healthcare debt, tied with the burden our Congress rammed down our throats a few short months ago. We are sick of it and we don’t want it. We don’t need an insurance company to tell us that this is a bad piece of legislation; we are not going to these town hall meetings from outside of our district, denying constituents a seat and a voice. We answer to no one, we honor the Constitution of the United States, and we take great offense to being called a “mob,” or accused of carrying, “swastika’s,” and having our integrity impugned by the most unethical Administration ever to occupy the Oval Office.

There is no debate of the skill and dedication of the professionals who work in the profession of their choosing. There is great concern over how the dollars that move around the healthcare system are earned and spent, invested and profited, etc. The administration of healthcare is burdened with overregulation and financial challenges of all measure.

The WANTNOTS at this time are plain old, hard working Americans who love this country so much that in this time of economic upheaval, many are taking person, vacation or comp time from their usually productive lives in order to participate and have their voices heard by their elected representative(s) from Washington D.C. There are so many informed and now participating Americans in this healthcare debate that the usual roster of HAVENOTS strong arms have had to be called in in an attempt to stifle our voice.

Union thug presence is prevalent in the many videos now on-line, they are not even trying to hide. SEIU isn’t hiding their linebacker sized goon squad from the cameras. They want to be seen!

The HAVENOTS have turned our country into a weak, debt-ridden, uninspiring place to live, where most peoples’ most important activity is leering at celebrities at the grocery checkout or texting their BFF about what Suzie Q did with Johnnie D last night.

Well, “No more,” I say. The HAVENOTS have done enough damage to this country. The WANTNOTS aren’t going to sit around any more and be force fed crap sandwiches by this administration.

We will engage in the arena of ideas.

We will engage when legislation that we deem inappropriate use of our hard earned tax dollars is a bad idea.

We will expose bad behavior, on both sides of the debate.

We will get loud enough so that eventually OUR ideas for legislation will be heard, and discussed in the open without being summarily dismissed because our opposition says, “We Won.”

The WANTNOTS will continue to exist for the purpose of making AMERICA a better place to live for all, not just propping up those who choose to do nothing, or receive billions of political kickback dollars to pose as an interested party.

HAVENOTS, your days are numbered. They may not end soon enough, but they will end soon.

on Wednesday, April 29 during the President’s third prime time news conference. Use you cable/antenea/sat TV system to tune in to Fox BROADCASTING. Use you computer to watch the conference.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090427/ap_on_en_tv/us_tv_obama_1

Let’s get the word out to all in our circle of influence. After all, it is a ratings sweep period!

Granted that the PIG flu is a HOT TOPIC, but that doesn’t mean that commerce and information can’t combine.

In view of the lacking, and still being filled Cabinet of the new Administration, administration officials have announced the establishment of a new Secretary of the Cabinet.

The Secretary of the Cabinet will be responsible for ensuring that all of the members necessary to constitute a strong body that will fit together and maintain their intended function for the duration of the Administration.

Secretary of the Cabinet Designee Norm Abrams has promised to carefully trim around all the edges to minimize waste. He is bring with him, long time associate Rich Trethewey, who job it will be to make sure that nothing leaks without proper controls in place.  For those sure to be heated sessions of compromise and measure of character, a special relief program, called by Trethewey, “my Professional Relief Valve Program, where people get step out and let off some steam, without injuring anyone else’s reputation.” is being considered.

Abrams, long hailed as a folksy kind of guy, will have to reinvent himself for the new position. He has opened a new account at Brooks Brothers, replacing his nearly 20 year relationship with Lands End, in order to dress the part. “Flannel will be too hot to handle in Washington.” Abrams is looking forward to bring a vast array to tools to the new job. However, his most important tool, his safety glasses, never leave his face. “I don’t want to be blind-sided by something I didn’t see coming,” he said

Administration officials have admitted to being somewhat envious of some of the tools at Abrams has learned to master, but “We’re open to learning,” quipped an official close to the plan, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

By the time Abrams finishes crafting the new cabinet, the only stains on his reputation is likely to be Cherry

http://www.newyankee.com/getproduct.php?0013

While I was driving in Delaware’s second busiest shooping corridor yesterday, a nearby SUV was displaying a license plate that, I had not previously seen,caught my eye. The letters GSM were arranged vertically and then the serial number of the plate. Immediately next to the plate, was a Red bordered white decal with a Gold Star atop a Blue Star. As I drew closer, I was able to read the botom of the license plate GOLD STAR FAMILY. It was plainly obvious that this man honors the service of his two children.

As I drove alongside this father of two American Heroes, I matched his speed, torned to look as him, and when our eyes met, I presented him with a SHARP hand salute, he nodded and I continued on. In my rearview mirror, I saw him falsh his headlights at me as he caught my Retired Navy stickers on my rear window. They will soon be joined by my Retired Military (Navy) plate.

A sign of respect and thanks is so easy. Pass it on

Merry Christmas

If you can read this, thank a teacher; If you can still read it in English, you’re welcome.

Deskpilot, AM(H)1 (AW), USN(Ret)

What to be thankful for this Thanksgiving:
(A look around my little world for people and matters that I am thankful for everyday)

1) The love and support of my family as I have endured a rough personal spring and fall. My economic and marital matters suffered severe hits, yet I still stand tall thanks to them.

2) A much maligned President, who to this day, has kept his promie to keep terrorists from attackiing America again. NOT ON MY WATCH has probably part of his evening prayer.

3) Our all volunteer military that chooses to STAND THE WATCH around the world, around the clock, around the year. A special salute to all of you. My continued prayers to all of you and your families, wherever you and they may be.

3a) For all of Americas Veterans, for without you, Thanksgiving, and all that America is, would (have) cease(d) to exist.

4) All of the men and women who wear the uniform of their state, county, city, town, and municipality. Whose sole mission in life is To Serve and Protect, whether Police Officer, Fire Fighter, paramedic, nurse.

4a) A special salute to the Men and Women of the Philadelphia Police Department as you grieve again this year. No city should have to endure what you have gone through. (live video 11/24 11:30a.m. EST)

5) All Americans who chose to exercise their most sacred civil LIBERTY, voting in the recent election, even if it wasn’t for my candidate. You voted, and that counts for something.

6) the people who still have the ability to participate in our economy as it struggles. A dinner out a week keeps fifteen people employed, even at McDonalds.

7) Turkey, cranberry, pumpkin, and all farmers, without whose yearly dedication to their calling allows us to continue, and pass on to our posterity, the tradition of Thanksgiving. PeTA (People eating Tasty Animals) are alive and well.

Prayers around to all of you for a safe and healthy celebration of Thanksgiving. Travel safely on the highways and byways of our great country.

If you are driving this weekend and forever in the future, try the tips in this video. I do it every day, and it’s amazingly accurate. I seldom use my brakes in rush hour and have NEVER been hit or done the hitting.

If you can read this, thank a teacher; If you can still read it in English, you’re welcome.

Deskpilot, AM(H)1 (AW), USN(Ret).

Merry Christmas to All