The Juke Box

HOLLAND IS A HAPPY TOWN.  COMMIT THIS LITTLE POEM TO MEMORY AND SPREAD THE WORD AROUND AND SMILE.

THREE SIMPLE THINGS, NO MORE, NO LESS

COMBINE TO MAKE MAN'S HAPPINESS

SOMEONE TO LOVE, SOMETHING TO DO

AND SOMETHING ALWAYS TO LOOK FORWARD TO. 

LAST WEEK ON TALK OF THE TOWN WE DISCUSSED THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH AND A BOOK "TEARS IN THE DARKNESS" BY MICHAEL AND ELIZABETH NORMAN. FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE THIS HORRIBLE PART OF HISTORY. OTHER BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT ARE "WE BAND OF ANGELS"  THE STORY OF THE NURSES ON BATAAN, WRITTEN BY ELIZABETH NORMAN, AND ""DEATH MARCH" BY DONALD KNOX, THE STORY TOLD BY THE MEN WHO ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED THE SAVAGE MISTREATMENT. 

SINCE THESE PRISONERS WERE TAKEN IN THE VERY EARLY PART OF WWII, THOSE THAT SURVIVED, HAD TO ENDURE YEARS OF MISTREATMENT, AT THE HANDS OF THE JAPANESE.  THERE WAS AN EFFORT TO SEEK REPARATIONS FROM THE JAPANESE AFTER THE WAR, BUT OUR OWN GOVERNMENT DID NOT PURSUE IT.

PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST GRUESOME STORIES, IS THAT RELATED IN "FLYBOYS" BY JAMES BRADLEY. OUR AIRMEN WERE SHOT DOWN WHILE ATTACKING THE ISLAND OF CHICHI JIMA, THE JAPANESE COMMUNICATIONS CENTER FOR THE ENTIRE PACIFIC. THEY WERE CAPTURED, AND BEHEADED AND OFTEN PARTS OF THEIR BODIES WERE EATEN BY JAPANESE OFFICERS.  

I KNOW OF ONLY ONE LOCAL MAN WHO LIVED OUT THE WAR AS A JAPANESE PRISONER, THAT WAS JAY NEVENZEL, A MARINE WHO WAS TAKEN PRISONER ON WAKE ISLAND, AND WORKED IN THE JAPANESE COAL MINES. 

DOES ANYONE KNOW OF ANY OTHER PRISONERS OF WWII?  THEIR STORIES SHOULD BE TOLD.   

THE WAR WAS OVER. THE SIXTH INFANTRY DIVISION WAS ABOARD SHIPS IN LINGAYEN GULF AWAITING OUR TRIP TO KOREA IN OCTOBER 1945.  AFTER THREE DAYS, WE LEARNED THAT WE WERE AWAITING THE MODERATION OF THE OKINAWA TYPHOON.  WHEN WE FINALLY GOT UNDERWAY, WE EXPERIENCED SOME REALLY ROUGH SEAS AND THREE DAYS OF MISERY BEGAN FOR ME.  I HAD A BAD CASE OF NAUSEA MARA (SEA SICKNESS), AS DID MANY OTHERS.  AT THAT TIME WE DID NOT HAVE DRUGS THAT WOULD GIVE US RELIEF, SO WE SUFFERED.  WE DID NOT EAT, IN FACT THE VERY THOUGHT OF FOOD ONLY WORSENED THE CONDITION.  AT THE END OF THREE DAYS, A BUDDY BROUGHT ME A SANDWICH FROM THE MESS, AND I TASTED GOOD AND I KEPT IT DOWN.  THE MISERY WAS OVER AND I WAS ABLE TO ENJOY THE REST OF THE TRIP TO KUNSAN, KOREA, WHILE REPLENISHING MY BODY FLUIDS.

NAPOLEON ONCE USED CAMELS AS TRANSPORTATION FOR TROOPS AND FOUND THE MOTION OF THE CAMELS MADE THE TROOPS SICK.  SEA SICKNESS HAD SLOWED MANY MILITARY ACTIONS EVER SINCE. SURELY THE EFFICIENCY OF THE TROOPS THAT WENT ASHORE IN THE D-DAY INVASION WAS CUT A LOT, BY THIS MALADY.  FOR MOST SEAGOING PEOPLE TODAY, DRAMIMINE IS THE ANSWER, PROVIDED IT IS ADMINISTERED IN THE PROPER DOSAGE. BUT I HAVE NOT YET CONSIDERED A CRUISE AS A FUN THING TO DO.  

HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED NAUSEA MARA?

A RECENT SENTINEL ARTICLE TOLD OF MEXICAN DRUG TRAFFICKERS FARMING ON U. S. PUBLIC LANDS.  THEY ARE TAKING A PAGE FROM THE FOREIGN CAR MANUFACTURERS AND TAKING THE PRODUCT HOME TO THE CONSUMERS, VASTLY INCREASING THEIR MARIIJUANA MARKET WITHOUT THE BORDER CROSSING HASSLE.  THEIR "FARMS" ARE IN NATIONAL FORESTS AND GUARDED WITH ARMED GUARDS.  

I ASSUME THEY DON'T BOTHER TO OBTAIN CITIZENSHIP CREDENTIALS. THESE "HOMESTEADERS" KNOW WE WILL NOT USE DEFOLIANTS ON THEIR CROPS, BECAUSE WE WANT TO PRESERVE THE SURROUNDING TREES SO WE KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING, BUT WE APPARENTLY ARE UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

ANY SUGGESTIONS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM??

A NEWS STORY THIS MORNING TELLS US THAT WE ARE SPENDING 152 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR ON THE RESULTS OF UNSAFE FOOD.  CONGRESS IS LOOKING INTO MORE INSPECTION AS A WAY TO SOLVE AT LEAST PART OF THE PROBLEM.  VARIOUS TYPES OF FOOD POISONING ARE REAL  WE DON'T GET THE BENEFIT OF THOROUGH INSPECTIONS, PARTICULARLY OF MEAT AND VEGETABLES.  WHERE DO OUR VEGETABLES AND FRUIT COME FROM, MEXICO, BRAZIL, ARGENTINA OR SOME OTHER PLACE WHERE THEY MAY NOT HAVE SUPERVISION OVER THE SAFETY OF WHAT WE EAT?  OUR INSPECTION PROCESS IN THIS COUNTRY IS LESS THAN PERFECT. AT LEAST IN THE SUMMER TIME, WE HAVE THE FARMERS MARKET, AND THERE ARE LOCAL MEAT MARKETS THAT CAN TRACE THE SOURCE OF THE MEAT WE PUT ON OUR TABLE.  THE 152 BILLION COULD BEST BE SPENT ON INSURING THE SAFETY OF OUR FOOD, RATHER THAT VISITS TO THE ER AND TIME OFF FROM WORK. 

WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THE PROBLEM?

FREQUENTLY I SEE A MAN WALKING ON RIVER AVE, WHO IS WEARING RED, WHITE AND BLUE ATTIRE, AND CARRYING AN AMERICAN FLAG.  I ASSUME HE IS A VETERAN. I SALUTE HIM FOR HIS PATRIOTISM. I READ ABOUT VETERANS WHO ARE HAVING A TOUGH TIME GETTING BACK INTO CIVILIAN LIFE, PERHAPS FINDING A JOB OR JUST NOT BEING UNDERSTOOD BY THOSE HE DEALS WITH EVERYDAY.  NO VETERAN WHO WANTS A JOB SHOULD BE OUT OF WORK, BUT MANY ARE UNEMPLOYED TODAY, DUE TO THE ECONOMY.  THIS IS A NATIONAL SHAME.  

I THINK MOST VETS HAVE PROBLEMS GETTING BACK INTO SOCIETY--MAKING THE TRANSITION FROM COMBAT TO THE WORKADAY WORLD.  I RECALL COMING TO THE SUDDEN REALIZATION THAT I WOULD HAVE TO GET A JOB, WHEN I RETURNED, AND I HAD TO PAY FOR ANYTHING I WANTED, RATHER THAN HAVE IT AUTOMATICALLY ISSUED TO ME.  

A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS ARE WILLING TO HELP VETERANS.  MOST HAVE SERVICE OFFICERS.  CONTACT THEM OR ALLEGAN COUNTY HAS A DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN SERVICES WHERE TAMMY GRIGG CAN HELP WITH VETERANS SERVICES.  THE NUMBER IS 269-673-0501.  I HOPE THIS HELPS SOME VET.-

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL PARK--THE 2010 BASEBALL SEASON IS ABOUT TO BEGIN. MARCH 4 IS THE FIRST GRAPEFRUIT LEAGUE GAME FOR THE TIGERS.

I RECALL THE FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE GAME I ATTENDED.  OF COURSE IT WAS THE DETROIT TIGERS.  IT WAS A SUMMER NIGHT IN 1946 AND IT TOOK PLACE AT COMISKEY PARK IN CHICAGO.  I TOOK MY YOUNGER BROTHER TO SEE THE GAME FOR HIS BIRTHDAY.  IT WAS QUITE A THRILL FOR BOTH OF US, BUT THE REAL TOPPER OF THE EVENING WAS WHEN BABE RUTH MADE AN APPEARANCE.  THE NEXT DAY WAS "BABE RUTH DAY" IN CHICAGO.  THE BABE TOOK A STANCE AT HOME PLATE WITH A BAT AND ALL THE NEWSPAPER PHOTOGRAPHERS WITH THEIR PRESS CAMERAS GATHERED AROUND FOR SOME SHOTS OF THE "SULTAN OF SWAT." NEXT THE BABE GOT IN A CONVERTIBLE AND WAVED AS THEY DROVE HIM AROUND THE PARK.  THAT NIGHT HE WAS ALREADY SUFFERING FROM THE THROAT CANCER THAT WOULD END HIS LIFE, BUT MANY FANS WILL REMEMBER IT WELL.  IT WAS VERY SPECIAL FOR ME AND MY BROTHER.  THE TIGERS LOST THE GAME, BUT WE TOOK AWAY SOME LIFETIME MEMORIES.  

ONE OF THE MOST AWE INSPIRING SIGHTS IN OUR COUNTRY, IS THE GRAND CANYON. IF YOU HAVE SEEN IT, I THINK YOU WILL AGREE.  IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN IT, I HOPE YOU WILL PUT IT HIGH ON YOUR LIST OF THINGS TO DO.  I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SEEING THE CANYON ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, AND EVERY TIME, I WALK UP TO THE RIM, I MARVEL AT THE NATURAL VISTA OF CREATION THAT OPENS BEFORE ME.  PEOPLE COME FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO SPEND A FEW HOURS AT THIS NATURAL WONDER.  FOR THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME, HELICOPTER RIDES ARE AVAILABLE--FOR THOSE WHO ARE MORE ADVENTURESOME, A BURRO RIDE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CANYON IS AVAILABLE.  IF YOU ARE A SENIOR, GET A GOLDEN AGE PASSPORT FROM THE PARK SERVICE IN ANY NATIONAL PARK. IT WILL ALLOW FREE ACCESS TO ALL NATIONAL PARKS.

IF YOU HAVE VISITED THE CANYON, WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION OF IT??

THE BUSHIDO CODE "WIN OR DIE," WAS PREVALENT DURING WWII, AMONG THE JAPANESE TROOPS.  TOYOTA, IN ITS ZEAL TO BE THE LARGEST AUTO MAKER IN THE WORLD, MAY HAVE HAD THAT IN MIND WHEN QUANTITY BECAME MORE IMPORTANT THAN QUALITY.  WE ARE HEARING THE USUAL APOLOGIES IN THE CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS.  WHAT TOYOTA HAS ACCOMPLISHED, IS PUTTING MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ON THE UNEMPLOYMENT ROLLS.  IS FOREIGN BETTER?  MAYBE NOT.

YOUR LOCAL FORD AND GM DEALER INVITE YOU TO COME IN AND HAVE A LOOK AT THEIR AWARD WINNING OFFERINGS.  I FOUGHT FOR AMERICA AND I CONSIDER IT WORTH SAVING. LETS PUT AMERICANS BACK TO WORK.

IF YOU FLY AN AMERICAN FLAG, DRIVE AN AMERICAN CAR.

FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA HAS ADOPTED A PROJECT THAT CAN HAVE A LASTING EFFECT ON THE COUNTRY.  THE PROJECT IS OBESITY, PARTICULARLY IN CHILDREN, BUT IT IS APPLICABLE TO ALL.  A POLL SHOWED THAT ABOUT 50% OF CHILDREN ARE  ARE OBESE, PROBABLY A RESULT OF TV WATCHING AND FAST FOOD.  PARENTS WILL HAVE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN CHANGING HABITS THAT HAVE BECOME ESTABLISHED SINCE THE 50'S--TV IS A HANDY "BABY SITTER," AND THE KIDS LIKE IT.  ADULTS HAVE FALLEN INTO THE "COUCH POTATO" MODE QUITE EASILY.  I EXPECT THE FIRST LADY WILL PROMOTE EXERCISE, SMALLER PORTIONS AND PERHAPS SMALLER PLATES. RESTAURANTS COULD HELP BY CUTTING BACK ON PORTION SIZE.  WE CAN HELP AT HOME WITH HEALTHY MEAL PLANNING, AND WHEN WE GO OUT, BE CALORIE CONSCIOUS.  

THE FIRST LADY HAS A GOOD IDEA AND YOU CAN PARTICIPATE, REGARDLESS OF YOUR PARTY.  FOOD IS NOT POLITICAL, NOR IS OBESITY.  

IS CHOCOLATE A HEALTH FOOD?  A NEW ANALYSIS SUGGESTS EATING A BAR OF CHOCOLATE A WEEK CAN HELP CUT THE RISK OF STROKE AND LOWER THE RISK DEATH AFTER A STROKE.  ONE STUDY FOUND THAT 44,489 PEOPLE WHO ATE ONE SERVING OF CHOCOLATE PER WEEK, WERE 22% LESS LIKELY TO HAVE A STROKE THAN THOSE WHO ATE NO CHOCOLATE. ANOTHER STUDY FOUND1,169 PEOPLE WHO ATE 50 GRAMS OF CHOCOLATE PER WEEK, WERE 46% LESS LIKELY TO DIE OF A STROKE.  NEW CHOCOLATE -STROKE STUDIES SHOULD ALSO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT AGE AND GENDER SAYS ITALO MOCCHETTI, A PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF NEUROSCIENCE AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER.  MOCCHETTI WHO HAS ALSO STUDIED  FLAVONOIDS SAYS THIS CHEMICAL FOUND IN COCOA, IS LINKED TO ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND ANTI-CANCER PROPERTIES.

PASS ME A SNICKERS BAR. WHATS YOUR FAVORITE?

THIS BLOG IS ON VACATION TODAY LIKE THE POST OFFICE.  I MAY EAT A CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY, IN HONOR OF GEORGE WASHINGTON.  WHAT ARE YOU DOING?