This post ran on November 25, 2019. I thought it would be fun to reread it since this is Thanksgiving week here in the US.
* * *
George Washington proclaimed November 25 as a day of Thanksgiving in honor of the new constitution. This day has been used to set Thanksgiving as the last Thursday in November. Although the first Thanksgiving might have been held with the pilgrims and native Americans much earlier, George established the date. As a side note of interest, it wasn’t until 1863 that a national day of Thanksgiving was held. I’m sure you would like to go to George’s house and help him and Martha celebrate the day. Here is a list of things not to do to keep history intact.
Top Ten Things Not to Do at the George Washington Proclamation of Thanksgiving in 1789.
10 If you go to George’s place, do not bring a box of stovetop stuffing as your contribution to the dinner. If you do, at best, no one will know what it is. At worst, someone may feed it to the horses. (Now you have a problem, Josephe. George wants to know who brought the stuff that gave his horses the colic)
9 If you go to George’s place, do not hand Tiny the WWF champ a dollar for holding the door for you. If you do, at best, Tiny will need the money. At worst, Tiny just left his self-esteem discussion group and believes he is a close friend of George Washington. (So now you have made Tiny feel like the help, Josue. Don’t worry that step over toe hold never works to take off the toe. Of course, there is always the first time.)
8 If you go to George’s place, do not suggest a game of Monopoly after dinner. If you do, at best, you’ll get some stares. At worst, George will think it a fun idea. (Now ymust to construct the whole game out of paper and a quill pen, Jourdan. Good luck making the tokens.)
7 If you go to George’s place, do not bring up politics as a dinner discussion item. If you do, at best, everyone will ignore you. At worst, you’ll pick a fight with Aaron Burr. (The instructions are correct, Jovan. You walk 25 paces, turn and fire. Yes, I think Aaron has done this before.)
6 If you go to George’s place, do not tell George the turkey is tough when he asks. If you do, at best, he won’t hear you. At worst, he’ll hand you a musket. (He politely suggests you go out and shoot your turkey, Jozsef. Maybe next time, you’ll just say it is excellent.)
5 If you go to George’s place, do not suggest to Martha that the sweet potatoes would be better with marshmallow bits. If you do, at best, Martha will be too busy to hear you. At worst, Martha will think your suggestion is a good one and hand you a ten-pound bag of sweet potatoes. (Well, now you are in a pickle, Judd. You must figure out how to make sweet potatoes and marshmallow bits.)
4 If you go to George’s house, do not ask for jelly-cranberry sauce. If you do, at best, you have created a discussion topic. At worst, the chef had just reached the end of his rope. It seems there have been several menu changes, Julito. Yours is the straw that broke the camel’s back. That knife looks pretty big from here. I think a good before-dinner run is in order.)
3 If you go to George’s house, do not decide to give a toast to the new constitution. If you do, at best, there will be too many in line before you. At worst, George will ask you about one of the articles. (So as a product of public education, Jullien, have you ever read the constitution, let alone know what is in the section? I thought not. Just say you need the outhouse and be gone.)
2 If you go to George’s house, do not stare at George’s teeth. If you do, at best, he’ll think you are looking at something else. At worst, he will catch on. (So now that you have made your host uncomfortable, Junien. I think you better cut your losses by saying something like, “Are those mahogany?” Or I guess you could say you were looking at his nose. Either way, I hope you have a horse standing by.)
1 If you go to George’s house, do not ask if you can try on a powdered wig. If you do, at best, you’ll be told no. At worst, someone will plop a wig on your head. (Lucky you, Jurgen. You are now wearing the lice and bedbug infected wig that remained after the last redcoat left Washington. Maybe setting your hair on fire will save you. In any case, you have got to find some alcohol fast.)
Today, we are on a quest to find any Thanksgiving decorations available in the neighborhood. Traditionally, Thanksgiving is somewhat ignored in terms of decorating, so we are off to see if we can find any. We are catered by Caroline of Austin. Our entertainment is Nat King Cole.
The black machine just sits, waiting for a command. The touchpad offers selections to please every coffee lover’s taste. The conundrum is which to select. There’s the Americano, flat white, cappuccino, Latte, espresso, single cup, and double cup. My finger follows its muscle memory and selects the double cup. The icon lights up to let me know the order has been received. The grinding, groaning, and sputtering precede the slow delivery of fluid that makes life worth living again.
One sip and the clock comes to mind. It is set for November 23, 1924, in New York City, and the duration is an hour. The plunger is pulled, and we find ourselves at a newsstand on Lexington Avenue. We grab a newspaper and read.
The article states that Edwin Hubble announced his discovery that Andromeda, previously believed to be a nebula, is another galaxy and that the Milky Way is only one of many such galaxies in the universe. Hubble disclosed his discovery to The New York Times, and they broke the story. Hubble went on to publish a paper on December 30 after peer review and was presented by him at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society on January 1. The idea that our Earth and galaxy were unique has been turned over as a result.
Just as an order was placed with the hot dog vendor, the alarm went off, and we were back on the couch, having a strange craving for sauerkraut. A text has come in, and it is from Linda Hill. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “use ‘just’ in your first sentence.” Use the word “just” any way you’d like in your first sentence, then just write to your heart’s content. Enjoy!
“A 1978 Mercedes Turbodiesel Wagon. That puppy is a classic.”
“I thought you would like it.”
“That model was the first Mercedes wagon to be powered by a diesel engine. It was part of the W123 series, which was known for its reliability and durability. The 300TD was a luxury station wagon with a 3.0-liter, five-cylinder diesel engine that produced 123 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque”
“And who cares?”
“Well Dan Antion would and me of course.”
“You are putting the rest of us to sleep. Let’s get in.”
United Pilot Scott Wardle buys pizza for passengers – By Tanya Stamos via FB.
Today’s good news comes from the Good News Network. You may have seen this story, but I think Captain Wardle’s action is worth another look. Today is also the anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas Sixty years ago. I think he would like this story as well.
United Pilot Orders 30 Pizzas to Feed Passengers After Emergency Landing for Medical Care
A United Airlines pilot has become a social media sensation after personally overseeing the order and distribution of 30 pizzas to 155 passengers on his flight.
Now monikered the “Pizza Pilot,” Scott Wardle says that after 30 years of piloting for the Air Force and as a civilian, he knows what it feels like to be stuck at the airport and that he just “had to do something to show we care.”
United Pilot Scott Wardle serving dinner he bought for passengers – Tanya Stamos via FB.
Well, that care took off, with posts and photos of Wardle handing out pizzas using the check-in counter at the gate as a kitchen counter going viral.
The story began when the Boise-based Wardle was all set for a flight to Phoenix via Houston. About 45 minutes into the trip, the flight crew called to inform him that a patient had fallen unconscious.
Though two nurses and a medic were on board, Wardle felt he couldn’t take any chances, so he came in for an emergency landing at Albuquerque.
Hoping to get the passengers back underway as soon as possible, he suddenly received word that his cabin crew had maxed out their hours, meaning he had to wait for a new set of attendants.
“I made sure to confirm they were on the way with the company, and then I thought, I got to do something with all these people,” Wardle told KTVB 7. “So, I started exploring some options at that point for what I want to do. I came up with the idea of doing pizza for everyone. It’s an easy thing. Most people like pizza.”
Wardle says he loves his job, and the only burden he felt during the whole ordeal was compassion and sympathy for the passengers. He picked up the phone and started ordering dozens of pizzas.
As he began passing them around with plates and napkins, the passengers took notice.
The viral photos and videos reached virtually every corner of Wardle’s social life, with old Air Force buddies and even his graduation class of 1984 and phoning him to say they saw him serving pizza in his pilot uniform.
Pilot Scott Wardle ‘recharges with pizza for free’ – Tanya Stamos via FB
“I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. I just did my thing,” Wardle said. “Many pilots in our company do this sort of thing; I just happened to get my picture taken.”
United Airlines insisted on reimbursing him for the pizzas. They applauded a hero of the friendly skies who waited until every passenger had a slice before sitting down for a pie.
The good news in this story is one person cared about the care and comfort of others. Today’s JohnKu talks about caring. I hope you have a peaceful weekend.
This post ran on October 6th, 2014. Since we all need to decide what to watch on TV, it still might be helpful.
* * *
Top Ten things not to do when trying to decide what to watch on TV
This list was inspired by a recent visit to a friend’s house and observing how the friend decided which shows to watch.
10 If you are trying to decide which TV show to watch, do not take a suggestion from anyone ages fourteen to eighteen. If you do, at best, you will be lost in the translation. At worst, you will see and hear things that will keep you up at night.
9 If you are trying to decide which TV show to watch, do not use the newspaper reviews as a guide to good programming. If you do, at best, you will be asleep earlier than usual. At worst, you might wonder if you should discontinue your cable service.
8 If you are trying to decide which TV show to watch, don’t ask someone else what they want. If you do, at best, you will get an icy stare when you ignore the suggestion. At worst, you may end up watching this and other shows in the privacy of the garage.
7 If you are trying to decide which TV show to watch, do not scroll through the guide, hoping something good will jump at you. If you do, at best, you will have to review one hundred and sixty channels that are basically the same. At worst, those in the room may call an audible, and you will lose your remote privileges for heaven knows how long.
6 If you are trying to decide which TV show to watch, do not call a friend for a suggestion. If you do, at best, the friend will want a report on the show. At worst, you will hate the show, and you can lie to your friend or turn a friend into an enemy.
5 If you are trying to decide which TV show to watch and your in-laws are there, simply hand over the remote. If you don’t, at best, they’ll miss their favorite show and hate you forever. At worst, they might like your selection and decide to return on the nights that it is on since they can’t remember which channel to tune.
4 If you are trying to decide which TV show to watch and your significant other wants to do something else, turn the set off. If you don’t, at best, you will be watching the show alone. At worst, you might be watching the show, which will be your only company for the long, cold winter.
3 If you are trying to decide which TV show to watch, do not rely on the network hype about the “best new show of the season.” If you do, you do, at best, you might waste a half hour. At worst, you might waste a whole night, depending on how many network hypes you follow.
2 If you are trying to decide which show to watch on TV, do not think the DVR will help. If you do, at best, you may end up with a bunch of shows and no disk space. At worst, you may have recorded all the clinkers of the season and, while reviewing them, miss the best.
1 If you are trying to decide which show to watch on TV, do not use any kind of gambling prop to help with the decision. If you do, at best, the odds of getting something you want to watch are the same as the odds against you. At worst, your prop will be no more favorable to you in selecting an excellent show to watch than it has been in delivering sure-thing winners.
Yes, the headline says it all. We are headed to the Lakeway Municipal Court, where they are holding an open house. No, you don’t need a speeding ticket to attend. We are catered by Launderette of Austin, and our entertainment is The Bobby Fuller Four.
‘I got my life back.’ Veterans with PTSD making progress thanks to service dog program
JIM SALTER AP News
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — After working at a crowded and dangerous internment camp in Iraq, Air Force Staff Sgt. Heather O’Brien was brought home with her anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Airforce s/sgt Heather O’Brian and Albus – Photo by Nick Ingram
A bouncy labradoodle and a Kansas City-area program helped her get back on her feet.
Dogs 4 Valor, operated through the Olathe, Kansas-based organization The Battle Within, helps retired veterans and first responders work with their service dogs to manage depression, anxiety, and other challenges.
“A lot of times, the veteran with severe PTSD is homebound,” said Sandra Sindeldecker, program manager for Dogs 4 Valor. “They’re isolated. They’re very nervous. They won’t make eye contact. Some won’t leave the house at all.
The veterans and dogs graduate in six to nine months, but group gatherings continue.
There is growing evidence of the value of service dogs for veterans with PTSD. A small study published in JAMA Network Open in June looked at a program operated by K9s For Warriors. Service dogs in the program are taught to pick up a veteran’s physical signs of distress and can interrupt panic attacks and nightmares with a loving nudge.
Researchers compared 81 veterans who received service dogs with 75 veterans on the waiting list for a trained dog. After three months, PTSD symptoms improved in both groups, but the veterans with dogs saw a bigger improvement on average.
O’Brien, 40, recalled that the camp where she worked in Iraq sometimes had over 20,000 detainees. Violence and rioting were common, and it left her with severe anxiety.
“When I got out of the military, I just assumed that you’re supposed to be on edge all the time as a veteran,” O’Brien said.
O’Brien’s mother spotted the frisky lab-poodle mix on Facebook and convinced her daughter to adopt the dog she named Albus. Months later, O’Brien learned about Dogs 4 Valor, and the pair joined the program in October 2023.
O’Brien says she can now go out in public again — she even went on vacation to Branson, Missouri, “things that I never would have thought I would do really, probably ever again.”
Mark Atkinson, 38, served in Afghanistan as a corporal in the Marine Corps. He returned home with PTSD and major depressive disorder, causing sleeplessness and anxiety. He adopted Lexi, now 5, in 2020.
Lexi, a muscular cane corso breed, needed Atkinson as much as he needed her. Her previous owner had kept Lexi in chains before surrendering her. Since joining Dogs 4 Valor, the two can get out together and enjoy life.
“I don’t really like leaving the house because I’m safe there, you know?” Atkinson said. “And having Lexi has just made me get out to be more social.”
Having a group of fellow veterans facing the same challenges has also helped, Atkinson said.
“We come from the same backgrounds, different branches,” Atkinson said. “Same issues. You know, PTSD or traumatic brain injuries. And they’re all very welcoming, as well. There’s no judgment.”
O’Brien compared living with Albus to a relationship with a sometimes pushy best friend who often wants to go out.
“The best friend constantly wants to make you do things that make you nervous,” O’Brien laughed, acknowledging that it is ultimately up to her.
“I have to decide to walk out and just deal with life,” O’Brien said. “And so that has been hard. And it still is hard from time to time, but it’s it’s getting manageable.”
Some veterans said their family relationships have improved since they started the program.
“I’m able to talk, not fly off the handle and just get along with people and not be as stressed, not have as much anxiety,” Atkinson said. “Or even if I do, she (Lexi) is right there with me.”
Timothy Siebenmorgen, 61, said his relationships also are better with help from his 1-year-old American bulldog, Rosie, and Dogs 4 Valor, which he joined in July. He served in both the Marines and the Army, deploying 18 times.
Tim Siebenmorgan (left) and Rosie. Mark Atkinson and Lexi – Photo by Mark Ingram
“You’re in the military, kind of taught not to show weakness,” Siebenmorgen said. “So you figure you can tackle everything yourself, and you honestly believe that. And then you realize you can’t do it on your own.”
Veterans said the dogs and the program have given them new hope and a renewed ability to move forward.
“I got my life back,” O’Brien said.
The good news in this article is that these heroes are getting the help they need. Today’s JohnKu talks about the need for help. I hope you have a super weekend.
