COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Monday, November 12, 2007

the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month




Armistice Day


In June of 1914 Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo, Serbia. The Austro-Hungarian empire wanted to extradite the killer, but Serbia refused.
  • 28 July 1914: Austria declared war on Serbia.
  • 1 August 1914: Germany declared war on Russsia.
  • 3 August 1914: Germany declared war on France. WWI had begun.
  • 4 August 1914: Britain declares war on Germany.
  • 11 November 1918: It ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
*****

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

3071

Whereas it has long been our customs to commemorate November 11, the anniversary of the ending of World War I, by paying tribute to the heroes of that tragic struggle and by rededicating ourselves to the cause of peace; and Whereas in the intervening years, the United States has been involved in two other great military conflicts, which have added millions of veterans living and dead to the honor rolls of this Nation; and

Whereas the Congress passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926 (44 Stat. 1982), calling for the observance of November 11 with appropriate ceremonies, and later provided in an act approved May 13, 1938 (52 Stat. 351) , that the eleventh of November should be a legal holiday and should be known as Armistice Day; and

Whereas, in order to expand the significance of that commemoration and in order that a grateful Nation might pay appropriate homage to the veterans of all its wars who have contributed so much to the preservation of this Nation, the Congress, by an act approved June 1, 1954 (68 Stat. 168), changed the name of the holiday to Veterans Day:

Now, Therefore, I, Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the United States of America , do hereby call upon all of our citizens to observe Thursday, November 11, 1954 , as Veterans Day. On that day let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.

I also direct the appropriate officials of the Government to arrange for the display of the flag of the United States on all public buildings on Veterans Day.

In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose.

Toward this end, I am designating the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include such other persons as the Chairman may select, and which will coordinate at the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way possible.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and cause the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington this eighth day of October in the Year of our Lord nineteen hundred and fifty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and seventy-ninth.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER


50 comments:

  1. This year has been the deadliest for U.S. troops in Iraq, with more than 850 killed in 2007. And many more will die before Allawi puts together a true coalition government because his government is almost totally Shi'ite and they are even doing ethnic cleansing in Baghdad under the radar.

    Bush defines victory as a stable government in Iraq. He always attacks the Democrats for being "armchair generals" and not letting our real generals run the war, but waiting for Allawi to make a move means the lives of our troops depends on what Iraqi politicians may or may not do. This is a terrible way to honor our once and future veterans.

    It is a canard of the Vietnam era that we lost because our politicans meddled too much in the prosecution of the war (actually it was the indignation of the American people that got us out of there). When we look back at the Iraq era, people will say we lost because we let the Iraqi politicians meddle too much in the prosecution of the war.

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  2. DEVASTATING Dissection of Romney
    ---
    Just what we need:
    ANOTHER Pious, hypocritical Jive-Ass.
    (as if he could win, even tho he may buy the nomination)

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  3. "It is a canard of the Vietnam era that we lost because our politicans meddled too much in the prosecution of the war (actually it was the indignation of the American people that got us out of there). "
    ---
    The indignation of the American people got us out of Vietnam because our politicans meddled too much in the prosecution of the war.
    ---
    Somehow that got turned upside down like a Hillary voter's "values."

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  4. Hillary is a Canard:
    Ass-First.

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  5. Honor the troops!
    Elect a Co-Presidency that despises the troops!

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  6. I think the only veterans running for president are Chris Dodd, John McCain and Ron Paul with McCain being the only one with combat experience. So is being a veteran means anything, these are your guys.

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  7. Doug, all I get on 'dissecting Romney' is a mortgage ad. Am interested in how he is drawn and quartered.

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  9. Thanks, AlBob:
    I HATE That blinking, moving, POS Webdesign!
    Great content, shitty design.
    ---
    Romney Secrets

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  10. I liked your first post better :)

    Great Vet's Day to all.

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  11. If pragmatic means "what works," then what is it about Mitt that works?

    OR

    If pragmatic means "what works," then what is it about the GOP that works?

    Yep, rufus the liberal Republican, to the left of Hubert Humphrey.

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  12. 2164th: I think the only veterans running for president are Chris Dodd, John McCain and Ron Paul with McCain being the only one with combat experience. So is being a veteran means anything, these are your guys.

    And by coincidence, all three of those guys oppose conducting torture under the cognizance of the United States. The chickenhawks are all for causing helpless captives to suffer to prove their manhood.

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  13. "Questiongate" is now the talk of FOX News.

    Why is Ms Clinton losing her mojo?

    A Swiftboating by John Edwards ...

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  14. Whut? Whut'd I say?

    Put down the Ron Paul Koolaid, Rat;

    Back away from the table.

    Attaboy; Nap-time now. It'll be alright.

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  15. BTW, the Westexas Export Land Model informs us that Oil "Exports" from the 16 largest oil exporting countries have "Fallen" 2 Million barrels/day from the same five month period in 05'.

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  16. Mr Paul holds positions I have long advocated, over thirty years, but I doubt he could possibily win.

    But you said just yesterday you support "what works". Thusly support the current course of the GOP. Which is liberal and government centric.

    The thousands points of Federally funded compassionate light exemplifies that as well as any thing. As does paying for my parents perscription drugs.

    Helps me, as it'll keep more assets in the estate. Federal subsidies to those that do not need them ...

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  17. Aw, Rat, "Civilized" Societies have Always taken care of the old folk. Besides, it's not that expensive. If they take their medications they'll spend less time in the hospital.

    Look at it this way; It's a lot cheaper to help a poor person buy his/her generic zocor than it is to pay for a quadruple bypass.

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  18. Again, rufus, you're looking at the wrong number, from the exporters view.

    Chart dollar sales, not volume of exports, that's what the exporters are concerned with.

    Oct 05 oil was $65 per barrel chart. Today it's $95.

    If the producers upped production, the price falls. No advantage to that. Sell more, make the same. Bad business policy, that.

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  19. Another Example:

    A lot of "Conservatives" gave Dubya hell for pushing through the tax credits for ethanol.

    The "Smart" ones were shilling for the oil companies. The "Dumb" ones were just . . . .Dumb.

    We spent, total, probably 8 or 9 Billion dollars. We got it all back in sales/income/etc taxes, plus we saved $11 Billion, last year alone, on Crop Subsidies.

    NOW, where are we? We're 2 Million Barres/day upside down on oil production, and Dubya's starting to look like a genius.

    The rest of the world is milling around the starting line, and we're halfway around the track.

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  20. Then their insurance companies should buy those perscriptions, not the Federal Government, as the Federals have no basis in the Constitution for paying for the bypass surgery.
    Unless the US have become socialist or ultra-liberal, to the left of positions held by that consumate 60's center-left politician, Hubert Humphrey.

    Which is where we are, in the post modern United States. Well to the left of the old center.

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  21. Rat, it's a difference without a distinction. It doesn't matter "Why" they're not exporting. They're NOT EXPORTING!

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  22. BTW, the reason they're not exporting is they don't have it to export.

    Saudi Arabia has some heavy, sour crude that they're getting to as fast as they can; but, it's hard to dredge up. Meanwhile, their Big Fields are either "rolling over," or in out-right Decline.

    The rest of the world is in flat-out decline.

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  23. Okay, Rat; You and the Paulman are going to do away with Medicare. Good luck, to ye.

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  24. First the "seniors", then the "children".

    Because with out Federal help, they'd all die without ever seeing a doctor.

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  25. Will that be "before," or "after" you do away with the Federal Reserve and Return us to the Gold Standard?

    chuckle, chuckle

    heh, heh

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  26. No, no one is going to do away with it, that's not how the World works.

    The Federals are expanding the subsidies exponentially. To buy your vote.

    It's all good.

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  27. We're on the "Oil Standard" now, gettin' our ass kicked.

    It's all good.

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  28. Bread and circuses, those are all that matters.

    Cause it "works"

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  29. Rat, Doctors are Always going to treat "Poor" Kids, And "You're," always going to pay for it.

    That's just the way it is.

    BTW, I thought Dubya "Vetoed" that last SCHIP Bill, because it expanded the program too much.

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  30. Yep, the NFL is a Liberal Republican Conspiracy.

    So's eating bread, I suppose.

    Them eeevil liberal republicans. What will they come up with, next?

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  33. Not the NFL, though the stadiums are all locally subsidized, now a days, aren't they.

    Another example of the socialist trends in the country. You're right, but not at the Federal level.

    Excepting exemption from the law, in the case of baseball and anti-trust legislation. Because the way baseball operates would be illegal if the Federals did not exempt that circus from the equal application of the law.

    Baseball, being the US's primary circus. America's pass time.

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  34. A man's son lost his leg in an accident at work. The people of the town came round to offer their condolences to the man, saying how tragic it was. But the man said: "It might be good, it might be bad, who's to say?" The townspeople could not believe he wasn't sure it was a tragedy, and called him a madman. A few years later, George Bush attacked Iran's suspected nuclear enrichment sites by air, and Iran retaliated by sending two hundred thousand armed men across the frontier in a counter-attack, resulting in a third major US war in the Middle East. But despite sign-up bonuses of $50,000 cash, there was not enough heterosexual volunteers to fight in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran. So all the young men in the town were drafted into the army, except for the man's son because he had no leg. The townspeople said nothing, but the man was revered as a sage from then on.

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  35. Wait! There's More!

    All the cowardly, liberal young queers in the town cut their legs off, also, so They wouldn't have to serve their country.

    A few years later the brave young men came home from defending their country, and spat upon the young liberal queers, and ran them out of town. They all died in the Desert in disgrace, and their fathers committed suicide.

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  36. Oh, and the young man whose leg was lost in the catastrophic accident?

    He got a "prosthetic," enlisted in the Marines, killed a lot of Muzzies, earned the Silver Star, came home a "Hero," married the hottest young "Fox" in town, had three brave, and handsome young children, and got rich in the Ethanol Business.

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  37. rufus said...
    Rat, Doctors are Always going to treat "Poor" Kids, And "You're," always going to pay for it.

    That's just the way it is.

    BTW, I thought Dubya "Vetoed" that last SCHIP Bill, because it expanded the program too much.


    Because the democrats wanted to expand it by $30+ billion.

    The Compassionate One felt that a $5B expansion was enough.

    A Spending Hawk that Bush 43.

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  38. You can't understand the oil market unless you understand the Export Land Model.

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  39. The United States had 4.7 million men under arms in the First World War (out of a population of only 92 million!) and 116 thousand were either killed or died. Canada lost about 65 thousand men, but there were only about 7.2 million people in Canada at the time, which is the current population of Israel.

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  40. The Flags make their position known regarding the Hillarybeast.

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  41. Hey, it's demographics! Older I get, some of these programs lookin' better:)

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  42. A country that doesn't coddle its aged, has no business being a country at all.

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  43. But, then, I could always join the Mormon Church--they have a reputation for propping each other up, at least.

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  44. bobalharb: The Flags make their position known regarding the Hillarybeast.

    As Pastor Fred Phelps always says, "God Hates Flags."

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  45. I knew a non-descript type guy once who joined the Masons so he would have someone come to his funeral. No Rib; I'm not making this up. His girlfriend told me.

    Don't ask :)

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  46. Gotta think ahead, Rufus:)

    Jesus didn't mention fags or flags in the gospels. Or in any of the'gnostic gospels' either, far as I know. Pastor Phelps to the contrary. Have a good vets day. Gotta go.

    Did you attend the funeral, Rufus? :)

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  47. Speaking of flags and funerals:
    It seems that the Department of Veterans Affairs has made some recent rules about the flag ceremony at Vet funerals.

    One organization we wouldn’t expect to follow in Obama’s footsteps is the Department of Veterans Affairs. Yet recently they made a decision regarding the flag and the flag-folding ceremony at the funerals of veterans that was just as contemptuous of the flag and what it stands for for the majority of Americans as anything Barack Hussein Obama did.

    A single complaint by an atheist protested a few words in the Flag Folding ceremony that has been used at veterans’ funerals for decades. These words referred to “God”. How awful! One presumes that this is the same God Whose Name is used in our national motto, “In God We Trust.” But the Department of Veterans Affairs decided to bow to the pressure of one atheist and deprive millions of Americans of the comfort of the ceremony. The National Cemetary Administration (part of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs) banned the ceremony in all 125 National Cemetaries because of the one complaint.

    Bill Densmore, Riverside County’s veterans services officer, defended the federal decision. He called the flag-folding ritual “poorly written” and a “hokey and sentimental version of one person's vision of America.” If it reflects “one person’s vision of America,” Billy, why has it been read at hundreds of thousands of burial ceremonies?

    The Department claimed that because government employees perform the ceremonies, it would look like the government was endorsing religion, and in the process offending atheists who hate God.

    There are just a few problems with this:

    1. No family (atheist or otherwise) is ever required to have the ceremony at the funeral of their loved one. All they have to do is say, “We don’t want the flag-folding ceremony at Uncle Joe’s funeral,” and that’s the end of it.
    2. Almost every one of the people who perform as honor guards at funerals and read the recitation as the flag is being folded to give to the family are volunteers! They are NOT government employees. They are mostly retired veterans who are members of the VFW. The Department uses the tortured “logic” that since it pays for the insurance at the ceremonies, that somehow makes these dedicated veterans “government employees.”
    3. If the government doesn’t want to endorse religion, it will have to get rid of the thousands of Armed Forces chaplains who ARE paid government employees. (If they try that, the uproar will be heard around the world!)

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  48. Re: The Mitt Romney dissection- That was ugly...

    I have been assured by a Democrat relative (a New Yorker who travels in high circles) that the dirt on Rudy will soon be revealed....

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  49. Whit, keep us informed on that, promise. I've thought there must be a lot lurking around Rudy that is not generally known. Out here, we might as well be on the moon, to know what the skinny is in NYC.

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