Monday Musings...
This was one of those "better" weekends...as weekends go around here.
It wasn't as bad as it's capable of being...always a good thing (for me).
You could actually hear yourself think for a change. And that in itself is a rarity.
Managed to get both the side AND front lawns mowed (damn nicely, too...I'd hire the guy that did that).
And I had the aches and pains to prove it.
Yeah, doesn't look like I'm still 30-ish anymore.
Doesn't FEEL like it either...!
Almost forgot...I "rewarded" myself with a breakfast yesterday of eggs, bacon, sausage , english muffin w/ jelly and coffee...I figured I deserved it...lol.
Today, I get to do the backyard lawn...nice LEVEL (for the most part) ground. It doesn't take long to get that done.
The secret is getting out EARLY - before the locals have a chance to sleep off last night's drunk or high.
So, you have until around 1100 hours to get it all accomplished. Then the "dead" come back to "life", sucking whatever contentment you've managed to get so far from your soul. How "enervating" of them.
-- Only had to call the police ONCE on some loudasses down the block (they like to use their tax-payer-funded Caddy as their "home-stereo" out front...how ghetto of them).
A visit from a black UNMARKED Impala set them straight.
And to think this was only HOURS after TWO FWPD marked cars "visited" their taxpayer-funded abode (for a *46* - domestic...whatta laugh. Nothing "domesticated" about these animals).
I do know that many times around here, people (read taxpayer-funded RENTERS) will MOVE when the police come a'callin' with increasing frequency.
(they like to think they're staying AHEAD of the law that way...how misinformed they all are)
It's worked in the past, as the revolving door of real estate turnovers and lowering property values will attest.
-- Let's shift gears for a bit (pun unintentionally intended)...
ANN HATHAWAY's blog recently featured a very nice 1957 Thunderbird she came across in her travels, and since I am a devout car-lover, I always appreciate those of you who post pictures of whatever classics you find in your travels.
Last year, THE OBSERVER's blog had some great MOPAR pictures as well, and I look forward to more this year.
I mean, I DO drive a 26 year old Firebird (R.I.P. Pontiac) myself, so I think that still keeps me in the game.
One guy who frequents the house across our street has a 1986 Cutlass Supreme...and it's in pretty nice condition and seems to run well.
That is...until THIS happened.
That's right - this once NICE vehicle has been GHETTOIZED...!
((* ROLLS EYES* ))
If this isn't a lesson on how to take a good car and turn it into a "slum-sled", I don''t know what is.
I suppose it's true what my Dad used to say all those years ago...
"Some people have a sweet taste for sh*t!"
Yeah...sounds about right.
I'm sorry, but this is NOT something I want on a residential street, and certainly NOT on any highway I'm traveling.
If he rear-ends you, it's goodbye trunk area, and if he stops short, you're sliding UNDER his ass-end.
Either way, not good for YOU.
It's called a SAFETY-ISSUE...and with good reason.
You've mucked up the geometry of the vehicle..made it unstable and unsafe.
You've placed more wear and tear on the suspension and braking systems...and for what reason?
To compensate for your lack of male virility and penile size?
(would seem that way - ditto for the stereos)
The air almost drips with vehicular testosterone...and still looks like a clown car on steroids...LOL.
Take all that WASTED money on rims and tires and instead INVEST it something called BOOKS...and then these throwbacks might actually LEARN something...something they could USE in their later lives when driving a donk all but abandons them to the curbs of age.
We can but hope that reason will prevail...someday soon.
-- Lastly today, it's the 67th anniversary of the invasion of France by the allies when OPERATION OVERLORD commenced.
And it's still pretty significant, as there has NEVER been such a HUGE invasion before or since in history.












Here are some links regarding the event:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy_landings
http://www.history.army.mil/documents/WWII/g4-OL/g4-ol.htm
http://www.kansasheritage.org/abilene/ikedday.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Normandy
http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/no.php
(the last link includes some videos of the area)
It's interesting to note that JUST on 6 June 1944, the USA lost (conservatively) close to 4700 men...ONE DAY!
But the REAL eye-opener is the total casualty lists for the ENTIRE operation from both sides.
Germany - 320,000 (killed, wounded, or missing)
USA - 135,000 (killed, wounded, or missing)
UK - 65,000 (killed, wounded, or missing)
Canada - 18,000 (killed, wounded, or missing)
France - 12,200 (killed, wounded, or missing)
That comes to a grand total of 550,200.
Over HALF A MILLION souls lost...incredible.
And that was just ONE operation...not anywhere close to the entire war.
Many survivors still wonder why THEY survived when so many of their comrades never survived the opening shots or even the first day of the invasion.
I would say it's because those that DID make it through such carnage were tasked with being the best ones to chronicle this event...to be that part of history that reminds us that (as Sherman said) WAR IS HELL.
Still, we never quite seem to learn this lesson.
Granted, in some ways, today's political climates in certain parts of the world all but dictate that we respond with force, so that whatever evils raise their ugly heads in tyranny can be severed by those standing for freedom and liberty.
The goals for both sides in such a war are usually the same.
World dominance for one - world peace for the other.
And we always need to make sure we're on the right side...the one standing for peace.
But many times, that peace comes with a price, for it's often been said that FREEDOM IS NEVER FREE.
It costs everyone something, and to many, it costs everything.
That's what was at stake 67 years ago along the beaches of Normandy, France.
And if we all listen closely enough...we can hear the voices of those who died there remind us of that.
That's one reminder we should NEVER tire of hearing.
Our ears should never become do deaf as to drown out those who fought there and died so that we might enjoy all which we do today.
it might seem so long ago, and so very distant.
But in many ways, when we look to those serving today around the globe, we should still hear those cries of liberty.
When we see the faces of those who sacrificed, we should also see our fathers and grandfathers...calling to us from those French beaches 67 years ago today.
It's important that we all NEVER forget.
Just a little something to think about today.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.