Today is Memorial Day, and, although they are similar, Memorial Day is not Veterans Day.
On Memorial Day, we remember those who have died in the service of their country, either in battle or as a result of battle.
On Veterans Day, we honor former military personnel, wether they served in war or in peace. In general, Veterans Day is supposed to recognize living veterans for their courage and sacrifice; it is on this day we assure our veterans that they are not forgotten.
Memorial Day: A Brief History
Memorial Day was first observed on May 28, 1868. At that time it was called Decoration Day, and was set aside to specifically honor those who served on both sides of the American Civil War. This tradition continued until World War I, when it expanded to include all those killed in American wars.
Veterans Day: A Brief History
Veterans Day, originally called Armistice Day, was first observed in 1919. World War I had ended at 11:00 AM on November 11,1918. One year later, President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11 the first Armistice Day:
To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…
Twenty years later, an act of Congress made November 11 a federal holiday called Armistice Day. Just as Decoration Day was to honor Civil War veterans, Armistice Day was to honor World War I veterans. This tradition continued until 1954, when the word Armistice was changed to Veterans in order to include all American veterans.
So remember: Memorial Day honors the dead; Veterans Day honors the living. And never forget to thank a vet.
While Twitter has become a wildly popular new means of communication, it has not been without its critics. Questions like, “What can we say that is meaningful in 140 characters?” and “What are we losing by keeping our social interactions so brief?” have abounded since Twitter’s inception. The value of brevity, however, is not a new concept. In the late 19th and early 20th century, one of the most efficient ways to transmit important information rapidly over great distances was the telegram.
Telegram authors had an incentive to be brief – most telegram companies charged per word. As a result, authors took some common shortcuts used in the Twitterverse such as dropping pronouns and articles and using abbreviations and code words to maximize information and minimize characters. So forced brevity in communications isn’t really a new concept at all. In fact, telegrams were often used to convey life-changing news-births, deaths…
My daily runs are normally used to relieve stress. Sometimes I recite poetry (in my head) or reflect on a particular quote. Other times I ruminate on something I heard or read. And sometimes all those things go out the window and I end up focusing on something I regret. Today was one of those days.
I took violin lessons for ten years. For an entire decade, my mother drove me half an hour every week for an half-hour lesson, paying in both time and money for a musical education that I didn’t always appreciate. I wish now that I had practiced more, and done more.
College called and I didn’t make time for practice. My status as a history major meant that I was second fiddle to the music majors and had to receive special permission to use the practice rooms. Therefore, I did what any self-respecting college freshman on his own for the first time would do: nothing. I never pursued the forms needed in order to keep up my talent. I wish now that I had.
It has now been nine years since I last devoted any serious time to the violin. I have tried to play on several occasions: special music for church, accompanying our school choir on some chorale pieces, and a short-lived attempt what folks here in N.C. call a “gospel sing” (they wanted country fiddle, I played classical violin, and that was that).
But now I wish I had done more. My wife finally has her piano in our house, and she’s picking up right where she left off. My cousin – who could be a legitimate contender for a Julliard scholarship – has been spending quite a bit of time putting together arrangements for 4 hands and violin. They want to play Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera and Lord of the Rings. But I can’t play like I used to, and I know it.
Ignoring the problem won’t solve anything. I haven’t even opened my violin case in two years; part of me doesn’t even want to know what condition that poor instrument is in. But there comes a time when a decision must be made, and for me that time is know. Another school year is passed, summer break is starting, and I’ll have a few hours each day that I could – if I so choose – devote to getting back in musical shape.
And so I resolve the following:
I will go home and open my violin case.
I will assess the damage (if any) and have it professionally cleaned/repaired/restored
I will try to play something at least five times a week for the next three months.
I will appreciate the music more the second time around.
Author’s Note: I opened the case and the violin is fine. The bow, however, will need to be either restrung or replaced. Until that is done, resolution no. 3 will have to wait.
In this installment, I cover the top three misconceptions as we enter exam week.
1. Orville Redenbacher vs.Eddie Rickenbacker
Orville Redenbacher was an American businessman best known for shilling popcorn. He was born in 1905 and died in 1995 when he suffered a heart attack and drowned in his jacuzzi.
Eddie Rickenbacker was a WWI flying ace with 26 confirmed kills. He was born in 1890 and died in 1973 due to complications from a stroke.
2. The Berlin Wall vs. The Great Wall of China
The Berlin Wall was constructed in August 1961 by the DDR to prevent mass defection from the Eastern Germany during the Cold War. It stood until November 1989, when it was destroyed by both the people and governments of East and West Berlin.
The Great Wall of China is actually a series of smaller walls that have been built, rebuilt, and joined together over the centuries. Originally designed to keep foreign invaders out of China, specifically the Mongols. Purportedly, the Great Wall is the only man-made object that can be seen from space.
3. The Stock Market vs Stock Yards
The Stock Market is a system of exchanges for publicly trading stock, a unit of ownership in a business.
Stock Yards are factory farms that raise cattle for their meat, normally beef.
With the end of another school year upon us and graduation just passed, it is fitting that I post about change. Normally I’m resistant to change. Those of you that have had the privilege to know me understand this. However, I’ve come to realize that some change is a good thing; usually, stagnation brings death. So, what’s changing?
1. I’ve changed the layout of this blog.
If you haven’t noticed, things look different. I’ve taken advantage of the last few Community Pool posts to sound out some unbiased advice. The most profitable piece of advice was to make the blog more readable in terms of its color scheme. Most visitors found it dark and and “Halloween-ey”, so the theme is now a bit lighter.
Other visitors commented on the lack of sharing options and social network links. In response, I’ve created a new Facebook page and added more sharing options to the bottom of each post – now you can print, email or share my words of wisdom with the rest of the world! I’m also working on formatting a twitter feed, so you won’t have to miss a single post!
Another crucial bit of critique was to clean up the homepage. I’ve chosen a template that displays excerpts on the blog page and limited the number of posts displayed. What does this mean to you? You only see newer posts! If you want to read an old post, simply use the Category Menu on the left, the Recent Posts links on the right, or the “older posts” navigation on the bottom of the page.
2. The schedule will change.
In the past, I posted whatever I felt like whenever I felt like it. I now realize that my writing improves when I have a chance to think before I post. What sounds good at 1 AM might not be so good later on. Therefore, I’m going to try to stick to a schedule: new posts on Wednesday and Saturdays (or thereabouts). My goal is to provide two good-quality posts a week. I might break this rule if something important comes up, or if a Daily Post catches my attention, but I’m going to slow it down a bit to focus on quality rather than quantity.
Hopefully I’ve managed to correct some of the issues other bloggers saw, but I know there’s still work to be done. If you have a suggestion about anything, drop me a line! Letting me know if you like the new layout or not would be great, too.
As I was grading research papers for my Geography class, I noticed a recurring theme: other countries have some strange laws (strange to Americans, that is). And so, for your reading pleasure, I present to you unique laws from around the world, courtesy of my ninth grade Geography class and researched for authenticity by me.
France
You can’t name a pig Napoleon.Technically this isn’t true. The law in question seems to state that it is illegal to insult the Head of State. As my French is non-existent, I’ve had to rely on that most inaccurate of sources, Wikipedia, as well as the forum section of Snopes. According to some sources, the law is not regularly enforced, with recent French presidents not using it at all. So, feel free to name your pig Napoleon, so long as he hasn’t risen from the dead and reclaimed the defunct throne of France.
My name is Napoleon. I’ve just declared myself Emperor. I’ve also declared war on all of Europe. See what happens when you let standards slip?
You can’t take pictures of police (or police vehicles). This law may or may not be accurate. Privacy laws in France are in flux; what is considered public and what is considered private is unclear. From what I have been able to gather, anyone included in a photograph has the right to give or deny permission for the photograph to be taken – this includes anyone in the frame, not just those at the focus. Generally, the French police force has frowned upon photographs including police personnel; therefore, if anyone seeks to press charges, the outcome will ultimately depend on the particular judge holding court.
Just posting this picture probably put me on some sort of watch list…
Germany
A pillow can be considered an passive weapon. I could not find any verification for this law, only other lists of “stupid laws” without any sources. That said, I don’t see how the law would make sense: a passive weapon is one used to defend oneself from another – usually more violent – weapon. Pillows can’t really protect you from anything except other pillows and bogeymen.
Soon to be reclassified as an assault weapon banned in 16 countries.
It’s illegal to tune a piano at midnight. Again, I could not find verification for this law. However, this law makes sense for two reasons. First, tuning a piano at midnight would most likely break several noise ordinances. Second, it keeps piano tuners out of your house at midnight. Need I say more?
Piano tuners are like gremlins: let them tune after midnight and they become homicidal…
Egypt and Australia
It’s illegal not to vote.
In Australia, it would be more accurate to say that it is illegal to not cast a ballot. Australians who are eligible to vote must go to a voting station, receive a ballot, and then cast it. Failure to do so may result in fines up to $50 (Australian) plus court costs. However, given the secrecy of the Australian Ballot, there is no sure way to guarantee that the voter actually voted for someone.
In Egypt, the law is generally unenforced, and members of the military and police force cannot vote.
Vote…or else!
Greece
It’s illegal to wear stilettos. This law is upheld only in certain parts of Greece, namely a key archaeological and historic sites. In addition, the law applies to all forms of high heels, not just stilettos. The reason for the ban? The pressure exerted downwards by the wearer can cause damage to the “skin” of the ancient Greek masonry. When all the tourists to Greece are taken into account, this law makes pretty good sense.
You must wear underwear. Not just a good idea, it’s the law! This law appears to be related to Thailand’s main religion, Buddhism. Buddhists hold that the lower body is an area of loathsomeness or revulsion. Therefore, it is necessary to cover one’s nether regions to avoid contaminating holy sites and other people (in more ways than one!).
Don’t step on the money, either – it holds the sacred image of the Thai emperor.
Running In My Head 