I know this is a little late, but I thought this was worth it. Near the end of The Grand Alliance by WSC, Churchill gives a great Christmas address from the White House balcony in 1941. Here is the end of it:
"Let the children have their night of fun and laughter. Let the gifts or Father Christmas delight their play. Let us grown-ups share to the fill in their unstinted pleasures before we turn again to the stern task and the formidable years that lie before us, resolved that, by our sacrifice and daring, there same children shall not be robbed of their inheritance or denied their right to live in a free and decent world.
And so, in God's mercy, a happy Christmas to you all."
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
Michael
Friday, December 28, 2007
Friday, December 7, 2007
Pearl Harbour Day
I just finished reading The Grand Alliance - third of Churchill's six volume work called "The Second World War." I thought his recording of his thoughts on Dec. 7, 1941 after he heard the news of Pear Harbour was fitting for today:
"No American will think it wrong of me if I proclaim that to have the United States on our side was to me the greatest joy. I could not foretell the course of events. I do not pretend to have measured accurately the martial might of Japan, but now at this very moment I knew the United States was in the war, up to the neck and in to the death. So we had won after all! Yes, after Dunkirk; after the fall of France; after the horrible episode of Oran; after the threat of invasion, when, apart from the Air and the Navy, we were an almost unarmed people; after the deadly struggle of the U-boat war - the first Battle of the Atlantic, gained by a hand's-breadth; after seventeen months of lonely fighting and nineteen months of my responsibility in dire distress, we had won the war. England would live; Britain would live; the Commonwealth of Nations and the Empire would live. How long the war would last or in what fashion it would end, no man could tell, nor did I at this moment care. Once again in our ling Island history we should emerge safe and victorious. We should not be wiped out. Our history would not come to an end. We might not even have to die as individuals. Hitler's fate was sealed. Mussolini's fate was sealed. As for the Japanese, they would be ground to powder. All the rest was merely the proper application of overwhelming force. The British Empire, the Soviet Union, and now the United States, bound together with every scrap of their life and strength, were, according to my lights, twice or even thrice the force of their antagonists. No doubt it would take a long time. I expected terrible forfeits in the East; but all this would be merely a passing phase. United we could subdue everybody else in the world. Many disasters, immeasurable cost and tribulation lay ahead, but there was no more doubt about the end.
Silly people - and there were many, not only in enemy countries - might discount the force of the United States. Some said they were soft, others that they would never be united. They would fool around at a distance. They would never come to grips. They would never stand blood-letting. Their democracy and system of recurrent elections would paralyze their war effort. They would be a vague blur on the horizon to friend or foe. New we should see the weakness of this numerous but remote, wealthy, and talkative people. But I had studied the American Civil War, fought out to the last desperate inch. American blood flowed in my veins. I thought of a remark which Edward Grey had made to me more than thirty years before - that the United States is like 'a gigantic boiler. Once the fire is lighted under it there is no limit to the power it can generate.' Being saturated and satiated with emotion and sensation, I went to bed and slept the sleep of the saved and thankful."
Forever grateful for those who died so we could be free, I remain sincerely yours,
Michael
"No American will think it wrong of me if I proclaim that to have the United States on our side was to me the greatest joy. I could not foretell the course of events. I do not pretend to have measured accurately the martial might of Japan, but now at this very moment I knew the United States was in the war, up to the neck and in to the death. So we had won after all! Yes, after Dunkirk; after the fall of France; after the horrible episode of Oran; after the threat of invasion, when, apart from the Air and the Navy, we were an almost unarmed people; after the deadly struggle of the U-boat war - the first Battle of the Atlantic, gained by a hand's-breadth; after seventeen months of lonely fighting and nineteen months of my responsibility in dire distress, we had won the war. England would live; Britain would live; the Commonwealth of Nations and the Empire would live. How long the war would last or in what fashion it would end, no man could tell, nor did I at this moment care. Once again in our ling Island history we should emerge safe and victorious. We should not be wiped out. Our history would not come to an end. We might not even have to die as individuals. Hitler's fate was sealed. Mussolini's fate was sealed. As for the Japanese, they would be ground to powder. All the rest was merely the proper application of overwhelming force. The British Empire, the Soviet Union, and now the United States, bound together with every scrap of their life and strength, were, according to my lights, twice or even thrice the force of their antagonists. No doubt it would take a long time. I expected terrible forfeits in the East; but all this would be merely a passing phase. United we could subdue everybody else in the world. Many disasters, immeasurable cost and tribulation lay ahead, but there was no more doubt about the end.
Silly people - and there were many, not only in enemy countries - might discount the force of the United States. Some said they were soft, others that they would never be united. They would fool around at a distance. They would never come to grips. They would never stand blood-letting. Their democracy and system of recurrent elections would paralyze their war effort. They would be a vague blur on the horizon to friend or foe. New we should see the weakness of this numerous but remote, wealthy, and talkative people. But I had studied the American Civil War, fought out to the last desperate inch. American blood flowed in my veins. I thought of a remark which Edward Grey had made to me more than thirty years before - that the United States is like 'a gigantic boiler. Once the fire is lighted under it there is no limit to the power it can generate.' Being saturated and satiated with emotion and sensation, I went to bed and slept the sleep of the saved and thankful."
Forever grateful for those who died so we could be free, I remain sincerely yours,
Michael
Monday, December 3, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Thursday, November 1, 2007
H2O
You know, I was thinking as I was drinking water like a camel....what does water taste like? Because, have ever noticed that when you are very tired, that water is the best tasting thing on this earth? But if you're rested and relaxed it doesn't taste like...anything? Why is that?
Okay, so here's the point of this post: What do you think water tastes like? Secondly: Why does does it taste better sometimes than other times?
toodles.
Okay, so here's the point of this post: What do you think water tastes like? Secondly: Why does does it taste better sometimes than other times?
toodles.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Commentator Goof-Ups!
In honor of the World Series, I want to post on "Commentator Goof-Ups." The thing is, if you're a major league announcer, you need to be able to demonstate verbally the amazing diving catches and the split-second decision making of a plate umpire. But....then again, if you are Jerry Coleman...you don't have to do any of those. You can speak without thinking. Jerry Coleman has been the San Diego Padres radio announcer since 1972. They call his miscues, a "Classic Colemanism." Here are some of his goof-ups:
"Winfield goes back to the wall. He hits his head on the wall and it rolls off! It's rolling all the way back to second base! This is a terrible thing for the Padres!"
"Johnny Grubb slides into second with a standup double."
"That's the fourth extra base hit for the Padres...two doubles and a triple."
"Last night's homer was Willie Stargell's 399th career home run, leaving him on shy of 500."
"The first pitch to Tucker Ashford is grounded into left field. No, wait a minute. It's ball one. Low and outside."
"That's Hendrick's 19th home run. One more and he reaches double figures."
"Reggie Smith of the Dodgers and Gary Matthews of the homers hit Braves in that game."
"They throw Winfield out at second, but he's safe."
And some more just for kicks. These are by Ralph Kiner, the New York Met's announcer:
"The Hall of Fame ceremonies are on the 31st and 32nd of July."
"On Father's Day, we again wish you all a happy birthday."
"If Casey Stengel were alive today, he'd be rolling in his grave."
And I'll leave you with the good ol' Yogi Berra.
"You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I'm not hungry enough to eat six."
"Winfield goes back to the wall. He hits his head on the wall and it rolls off! It's rolling all the way back to second base! This is a terrible thing for the Padres!"
"Johnny Grubb slides into second with a standup double."
"That's the fourth extra base hit for the Padres...two doubles and a triple."
"Last night's homer was Willie Stargell's 399th career home run, leaving him on shy of 500."
"The first pitch to Tucker Ashford is grounded into left field. No, wait a minute. It's ball one. Low and outside."
"That's Hendrick's 19th home run. One more and he reaches double figures."
"Reggie Smith of the Dodgers and Gary Matthews of the homers hit Braves in that game."
"They throw Winfield out at second, but he's safe."
And some more just for kicks. These are by Ralph Kiner, the New York Met's announcer:
"The Hall of Fame ceremonies are on the 31st and 32nd of July."
"On Father's Day, we again wish you all a happy birthday."
"If Casey Stengel were alive today, he'd be rolling in his grave."
And I'll leave you with the good ol' Yogi Berra.
"You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I'm not hungry enough to eat six."
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Gmail passes 4GB of free space
I think our first family computer had 32MB.
Question: Do they really have that much space for each account filed, or are they betting you will not use all of it?
Question: Do they really have that much space for each account filed, or are they betting you will not use all of it?
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