Memorial Day weekend has become the one time of the year where it can said that the whole nation is united in the gratitude that’s shown to those that have fallen and those who still bear the pain of wars that are being fought now and in the past.
The toll that’s taken of the soldier can be overwhelming and the loss of a comrade only further shows the alarming severity of the task they must endure.
All the emotion shown during this time gives evidence to the pain suffered by veterans & family members alike.
I know I’ve talked about the difference between Veteran’s Day & Memorial Day, but I’d like to take the time to remind everyone that the men and women of our armed services deserve our gratitude and a great deal more. The depth of that gratitude though celebrated once a year can be repaid in so many different & simple ways year round. From a random act of kindness to just saying “thank you for your service” to a soldier or veteran. The appreciation that it brings is immeasurable for the person concerned.
If nothing else, it shows the respect and esteem we have for these fine individuals who gave so much and those we remember this weekend that gave allto ensure we have the freedoms this great land offers us.
There are only two words to describe this day -- THANK YOU!
They do jobs that others won’t do or are afraid to do.
They live in crowded conditions among a people who speak a different language.
They rarely see their families, and they face adversity all day ~ every day.
I’m not talking about illegal aliens ~ I’m talking about our troops! Doesn’t it seem strange that many Democrats and Republicans are willing to lavish all kinds of social benefits on illegals, but don’t support our troops, and are even threatening to defund them?
Today would have been Senator Ted Stevens’ 87th birthday. Still miss the man (read what I wrote here) and will always appreciated what he did for his beloved state.
Please recall what a relatively young state Alaska was when Stevens went to DC – and he was able to work both side of the aisle to bring home the things Alaska needed to keep up with the other states. Say what you want, but thanks to the effort of Senators Stevens & Inouye (D Hawaii) we have roads, infrastructure, etc. that is here because of their efforts.
If you were not able to watch it, I suggest you do. My favorite quotes from the interview:
“Obama and the country might be even better off in the next two years. Because, at least the Republicans will have one entity of government – that is the House of Representatives – for which they will be responsible to the American people, so they can’t be totally irresponsible the two years, as they have been the first two years”
“[President Obama] may well find a new elememt of freedom after the election is over when he has the ability to put forward a proporal that’s well-considered and say, ‘Will you choose bertween me or the ill-advised members of the House of Representatives who are under Republican leadership?”
It’s why he is considered one of our best ex-presidents!
Hey everybody, its Pay Attention to Breasts Month!
Now before I go and wear my “free breast exams” t-shirt, I want to state for the record that I am not FOR Breast Cancer, anti-cure, anti-treatment, etc. I help maintain sites like the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation (http://www.ibcresearch.org) and know that the advances with medical technologies have done great things.
However, I have issues with the whole breast cancer pink everything awareness campaign.
It started for me when speaking with the guys in the ibcRF about it. I asked if the site should be pink. I received a resounding “hell no” from it’s founder & was taught why the pink campaign is essentially hogwash.
What I learned was that most of these “pink for the cure” campaigns are tokenism to promote their products. How much money is actually donated to breast cancer research from all the walks/ribbons/pink products we’re all urged to buy or buy into? It’s absolutely hard to find out. There are some products that state specifics, but VERY few do. Most say that a portion of the proceeds goes to breast-cancer research. In most cases, they fail to declare which organization(s) receives the donation or how much.
Then there’s my favorite: the maximum amount to be donated! Some companies cap the amount they will donate. So if you buy the product after the cap is reached, none of your purchase price benefits the cause!
Of course, in exchange for this, these companies receive a huge publicity boost. In the same way, concerned citizens buy ribbons, rubber bracelets, jewelry, cereal, clothing, etc.
As the advocacy group Think Before You Pink points out, there is no national database or oversight to make sure that any of the donation claims are upheld.
Let’s stop for a second & think about that statement again…there is no national database or oversight to make sure that any of the donation claims are upheld. How does one know it’s been done? For large corporations, it would be a publicity nightmare if it was found to have failed to donate…the AMOUNT donated however would probably be considered minuscule to the increased profits for being “pink” in the first place.
So, how does any of the campaigns cure disease? For those who are personally motivated to help solve breast cancer (or any ailment for that matter) advocacy, volunteering or direct donation are the obvious ways to actually make a difference. Buying a necklace with a ribbon made out of garnets, a phone cover or a t-shirt seems, on the other hand, like a way to salve an uneasy conscience by pretending to make a difference.
Lastly, why is it still an awareness campaign? Also seemingly only for women? Men have a higher risk with breast cancer as there are fewer campaigns for men, so detection is at the later stage with a lesser chance of survival. It’s worked for women, so much so that there is now a government recommendation that women in the 40′s skip regular mammograms altogether!
Is it a tragedy for a woman to suffer from breast cancer? Of course it is, but are pink campaigns really doing anything?
So I hope you will join me in not buying anything pink this October or any other October. Buy the best product at the best price and use the savings to make a donation to the charity of your choice. That way you’ll know that the charity is getting all your money, and you get the tax deduction (not some large corporation).
If you want to buy pink because it makes you feel good, go ahead, but give to make a difference…..
You’re not making a difference by buying a yogurt or a box of cereal.
Originally I had planned on ranting about all the negative things being said at the passing of Ted Stevens yesterday.
However after some deep reflection I decided to talk about the good things that I will always hold in my heart for the gentlemen I had the privilege of knowing.
The thing that I had been best known for was calling Ted a “caring gentleman” during a press conference. It still rings true for me now.
Ted was always a delightful host…whether at his office in Alaska, D.C. and especially when I had the privilege of being invited into his home.
Ted was always a dynamo…being half his age I was always impressed that I had to rush to keep up with him wherever he went. He was also always quick on the upkeep of current events too.
It was both fun and challenging to shoo out the bats in his home, then sharing cigars afterwards.
I remember when Ted and Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii held a panel for veterans issues and I was able to sit & listen to two longtime friends talk about their experiences as soldiers in World War II.
I remember being honored when I was contacted by Williams and Connolly LLP to be a witness in Ted’s defense. I was also humbled when someone bumped me out of the witness list…Gen. Colin Powell. His testimony was incredible and much better than I could have spoken to.
I remember the election, good friends, lots of laughs and celebrations in campaign headquarters on Fireweed as well as the Snow Goose and Egan Center downtown.
In my dealings with Ted, he always showed an unmatched level of courtesy and respect to myself and my friends…something I rarely from other politicians men.
To Catherine, Lily, Ben, Walter, Ted, Susan, and Beth my heart goes out to you all…he was a great man.
Two patients limp into two different medical clinics with the same complaint. Both have trouble walking and appear to require a hip replacement.
The FIRST patient is examined within the hour, x-rayed the same day and has a time booked for surgery the following week.
The SECOND sees his family doctor after waiting 3 weeks for an appointment, then waits 8 weeks to see a specialist, gets an x-ray, which isn’t reviewed for another week and finally has his surgery scheduled for a month Later.
Memorial Day weekend has become the one time of the year where it can said that the whole nation is united in the gratitude that’s shown to those that have fallen and those who still bear the pain of wars that are being fought now and in the past.
The toll that’s taken of the soldier can be overwhelming and the loss of a comrade only further shows the alarming severity of the task they must endure.
All the emotion shown during this time gives evidence to the pain suffered by veterans & family members alike.
I know I’ve talked about the difference between Veteran’s Day & Memorial Day, but I’d like to take the time to remind everyone that the men and women of our armed services deserve our gratitude and a great deal more. The depth of that gratitude though celebrated once a year can be repaid in so many different & simple ways year round. From a random act of kindness to just saying “thank you for your service” to a soldier or veteran. The appreciation that it brings is immeasurable for the person concerned.
If nothing else, it shows the respect and esteem we have for these fine individuals who gave so much and those we remember this weekend that gave allto ensure we have the freedoms this great land offers us.
There are only two words to describe this day -- THANK YOU!
I can truly say that there are a very few people I call intelligent, concise and well spoken in the same sentence.
For Dave, his insights in many areas are always a breath of fresh air in a sea of people with self importance issues.
I am looking forward to his continued musings which in his own words say it best: ”I don’t bother to blog often, but when I do, it tends to raise an eyebrow or two…”
So hopefully you’ll enjoy his words as much as I do (say…that rhymed!).
Posting from Twitter...Correct date for Karl's Celebration of Life is June 23, not July. All times previously posted are correct. http://twitter.com/hogbiker2011/06/21
Karl was not actually around a corner from anyone at time of death, according to an eyewitness. http://twitter.com/hogbiker2011/06/20
Karl was on foot in Haines, went around the side of a building for some privacy and never came back. He was found on the ground. http://twitter.com/hogbiker2011/06/16
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