Memorial Day 2014

[Dio]

Today is Memorial Day in the United States of America. Please remember to honor the people that died protecting this country.

[Buster's Uncle]

When that fighter pilot who was shot down in Yugoslavia about twenty years ago was rescued, he said in his speech something like "People are calling me a hero.  Don't thank me; thank the veteran next to you."

So I turned to my dad sitting next to me and said "Daddy, thank you for serving in Korea; people laugh at the domino theory, but Stalin and Mao believed in it, and it was necessary to oppose them.  Thank you, and it did matter."

...The day before Buster's Daddy's wedding, Buster's Other Grampa was taking a bunch of the groomsmen on a tour of the Marine base where he taught law.  I had a thought, and shook his hand and said the same thing about his (traumatic) service in Vietnam.

I heard later that Buster's Momma cried when she found out I did that.  Apparently I, in 2003, was the first person to ever thank the man.  Huh.

[BlaneckW]

Huh.

[Green1]

Nothing against veterans and such, but does anyone else hate holidays?

Everything here except Wal-Mart and a few convenience stores stay closed and I can not get anything done. Public busses run on a Sunday schedule, if at all. Can't go to the YMCA, can't go wash clothes (laundry is closed), can't go to handle this internet dropping issue (Cox Cable is closed), Can't go looking for better apartments like I wanted to do (all offices are closed), can't do much of anything except sleep a lot and lay under my too-small air conditioning unit which is struggling to keep up with the 90 degree weather.

Well, at least I get holiday pay for sleeping late today and tomorrow will be a half day.

Bah... humbug...

[Rusty Edge]

When that fighter pilot who was shot down in Yugoslavia about twenty years ago was rescued, he said in his speech something like "People are calling me a hero.  Don't thank me; thank the veteran next to you."

So I turned to my dad sitting next to me and said "Daddy, thank you for serving in Korea; people laugh at the domino theory, but Stalin and Mao believed in it, and it was necessary to oppose them.  Thank you, and it did matter."

...The day before Buster's Daddy's wedding, Buster's Other Grampa was taking a bunch of the groomsmen on a tour of the Marine base where he taught law.  I had a thought, and shook his hand and said the same thing about his (traumatic) service in Vietnam.

I heard later that Buster's Momma cried when she found out I did that.  Apparently I, in 2003, was the first person to ever thank the man.  Huh.

Great story, Buncle. I interrupted my Mosquito book to read about American sailors in the Viet Nam Era. They may have joined the Navy, thinking they would be safe, but 1967 was a bad summer, with the notorious incidents aboard the USS Liberty in June, and the USS Forrestal in July.
____________________________________________________________

I'm sorry for going off on a tangent.


 

[ariete]

 

[Valka]

The only day we have similar to this is Remembrance Day, on November 11. In most communities, the stores have the decency to stay closed until noon (except the big chain stores, of course). The ceremonies are conducted at 11 am, and it would never occur to me to go shopping at that time. I'm always watching the Parliament Hill ceremonies (the one time during the year I don't mind public prayer on government property, especially since last year when atheists were finally acknowledged).

[Green1]

The only day we have similar to this is Remembrance Day, on November 11. In most communities, the stores have the decency to stay closed until noon (except the big chain stores, of course). The ceremonies are conducted at 11 am, and it would never occur to me to go shopping at that time. I'm always watching the Parliament Hill ceremonies (the one time during the year I don't mind public prayer on government property, especially since last year when atheists were finally acknowledged).

I live and breathe the big city. From the time I left in a beat up car and 300 dollars in the 90s to go to New Orleans to even now. My new city closes everything do not like it.

Kudos to them acknowledging atheists. Without the Unitarian Universalists here and the atheist "resistance" groups like the CAAA here, I would be completely overwhelm and out numbered in hostile territory. It gets worse the further into the Bible belt you go. Crazy people.

[Buster's Uncle]

I would have thought you understood them better than that.

[Green1]

I would have thought you understood them better than that.

I understand perfectly. I still maintain there should be less holidays when everything shuts down.

[Geo]

How many holidays sre wd talkin' here?

[Green1]

How many holidays sre wd talkin' here?

Breaking it down. US Holidays.

Presidents Day -WTF!!!!
Martin Luther King Day - good guy, but WTF!!!!!
Memorial day - grrrrr
Labor day - everybody except actual - ahem- laborers off. Just make it "middle class desk jockey day"
veterans Day - Didn't we do this Memorial day?
Columbus day - WTF x 5

Independence Day. Have the fireworks, but bankers get your ass in there.

Thanksgiving. This is okay.
Christmas. This is Okay

Easter - WTF, but keep the Cadbury eggs.

Holiday to MAKE a double pay holiday - Mothers Day. Currently a "hallmark holiday" but eliminate useless holidays and replace it with this one.

[Buster's Uncle]

King Day I disagree on, as it's really important to the people it's for, and we ought to give them that one and not complain.

Christmas is (technically) a religious holiday.  Not religious enough for my mom or Bill O'Riley, but too religious for Yitzi.  That's a real and thorny problem.

Easter is worse but not diluted.

You left out Father's day.

[Dio]

How many holidays sre wd talkin' here?

Breaking it down. US Holidays.

Presidents Day -WTF!!!!
Martin Luther King Day - good guy, but WTF!!!!!
Memorial day - grrrrr
Labor day - everybody except actual - ahem- laborers off. Just make it "middle class desk jockey day"
veterans Day - Didn't we do this Memorial day?
Columbus day - WTF x 5

Independence Day. Have the fireworks, but bankers get your ass in there.

Thanksgiving. This is okay.
Christmas. This is Okay

Easter - WTF, but keep the Cadbury eggs.

Holiday to MAKE a double pay holiday - Mothers Day. Currently a "hallmark holiday" but eliminate useless holidays and replace it with this one.

I do not get Columbus Day off...

[JarlWolf]

For over here, May 9th is Victory day, October 24th is a soldiers respect holiday, and November 7th celebrate the October Revolution. (We used the Gregorian calendar back then, which explains why it is displaced.)