"It's a world of laughter, a world of tears. It's a world of hopes, and a world of fears. There's so much that we share, that it's time we're aware. It's a small world after all." - written by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman & made famous by Walt Disney

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Happy Birthday Gen. Patton!

One of the most well know and controversial American Generals of all time is Gen. George Patton.  I find it very appropriate that Veteran's Day is also his birthday.  He was your quintessential soldier's soldier, and is even buried among his men that died fighting at the Battle of the Bulge in Luxembourg.  From chasing Pancho Villa to fighting under Blackjack Pershing in WWI to pushing for the creation of the first US tank force to his most famous successful leadership in WWII Patton was a soldier from birth and never was bashful in proclaiming his desire to be a 20th century American hero.   His prayer below is very appropriate to take in as we remember our Veteran's.

"God of our fathers, who by land and sea have ever led us to victory, please continue your inspiring guidance in this the greatest of all conflicts. Strengthen my soul so that the weakening instinct of self-preservation, which besets all of us in battle, shall not blind me of my duty to my own manhood, to the glory of my calling, and to my responsibility to my fellow soldiers. Grant to our armed forces that disciplined valor and mutual confidence which insures success in war. Let me not mourn for the men who have died fighting, but rather let me be glad that such heroes have lived. If it be my lot to die, let me do so with courage and honor in a manner which will bring the greatest harm to the enemy, and please, oh Lord, protect and guide those I shall leave behind. Give us the victory, Lord."

General George Patton

 


Sunday, November 9, 2014

How Springsteen "Cracked" the Berlin Wall

Again NPR revealed another unknown to me story that shows how small the world really is.  With the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall stories of life in East Germany and of this turning point in history have flooded the news, but the one that stuck out the most to me was the role the musician best known for his song "Born in the USA" had in the decline of communist Europe.   In July 1988 the GDP gave its youth wing permission to host a concert with a western singer to ease tensions.  It completely backfired.  "It was gradually dawning on everyone between about 20 and 30 years old that things couldn't just continue in East Germany the way they had been going. Something had to change. And when Springsteen came, his concert fitted right into all that."  Said Berliner Andrea Dubois (the guardian.com)

Just over a year later the wall fell.  Yes Reagan demanded, "Tear down this wall."  However, to 160,000 Springsteen said, “It’s great to be in East Berlin,” he said. “I’m not for or against any government. I came here to play rock & roll for you, in the hope that one day all barriers will be torn down.”