(Tony Auth via GoComics.com)
Here’s to more picnics and fewer wars.
But since this is a political blog, Adam Weinstein at Mother Jones has a list of “9 Progressive Vets to Watch in the Battle for Congress” — anybody here from any of these districts want to give us the local viewpoint? Should we be setting up ActBlue page for one or more of these candidates?
And what else is on the agenda for this (American) holiday Monday?
Whatsleft
Listening to Beryl howl and thrash outside, dumping much-needed moisture. Grateful for only one (so far) hour-long power-outage. Loving that Robitussin DM has put a sizable dent in my miserable upper-respiratory attack.
Hope everyone else experiences a positive, relaxing day :-)
Raven
It’s stunning that this is a holiday at all in Georgia.
Raven
@Whatsleft: We sure could use some of it in Athens but it looks bad. Rain, not rowboat!
Phylllis
Hubby has the day off; I’m off to work. It’s the first day of summer hours though, so my three-day weekends start this week on Friday. We’re expected to get some rain from Beryl, and see some cooler temps by the end of the week.
Whatsleft
@Raven – actually i’m kinda worried about my school – we already had sandbags lining some walkways due to extremely poor drainage. Afraid to think what it will look like by tomorrow – if schools are open tomorrow.
Lojasmo
My congresscritter, Tim Walz, is the highest ranking vet in the house…a staunch liberal, and al franken has a picture of Tim and my son on his desk…or used to.
ETA his name.
Randy P
I didn’t know anything about Manan Trivedi in the PA 6th till going to that page. I live in the 7th, south of there. We had Joe Sestak for awhile, another vet. He ousted crazy Curt Weldon, and probably could have held that seat for a while but decided to make a go for Senate.
That was the Senate race where Arlen Specter got primaried, but Sestak lost in the general to Pat Meehan, who ignores Democratic constituents.
So should Trivedi get your support? Yes. We lost ground in 2010 like many states, and we need more Dems. And Democratic vets help defeat the “everybody knows the military supports Republicans” meme.
Steve in DC
As a former service member, I hate this day.
I can see Arlington Cem and the Iwo Jima from my window. And the horde of fat, ball cap, fanny pack, and jean short wearing morons. I’ll get free drinks and free food today, as will all of us who are out and about. But it’s wrong.
It’s not those of us you can see that need help, we are fine. It’s those who’s care you refused to pay for. Those who’s families are ruined without permanent care. Those who begged for money on the side of the road and you turned down. And nobody will talk about this, we will pretend this doesn’t happen and they do not exist.
As such, I hate this day. It’s a slap in the face and a punch in the balls. I’d rather most shut up about it. If you care, have your taxes raised to pay for us. If you care, donate to a charity. If you care, give a couple dollars to the bum begging for it. If you care, don’t vote for people that promise to wage these wars. Sans that, because I get that it’s “hard” for some to do it, send porno, video games, booze (in a listerene bottle it will get through) and smokes to “the troops!”, it’s what they want.
Randy P
BTW for those grilling today, I’d like to suggest more folks do what I do: build a wood fire. This started from a company picnic where nobody remembered to bring lighter fluid.
I build a small campfire of bits of newspaper and tiny sticks, perhaps pine needles if you have some. As with building a campfire, you gradually add larger and larger sticks and keep it fed with the fast-burning fuel. You don’t need much of a fire, you probably won’t need more than a couple of sticks 1/4″ in diameter. Those will burn long enough to start your coals. Build the coal stack around this fire once it’s going.
I haven’t owned lighter fluid in 20 years.
Steve in DC
@Randy P
While wood is good for food in some cases it’s a gamble. Wood has a flavor, and unless you know what you are doing it’s easy to screw it all up.
Mustang Bobby
I’m remembering Memorial Day when I was a kid 50 years ago.
Then, this being my first day arising from my sick-bed (cold? sinuses? allergies?), I went shopping as soon as Publix opened, bought provisions for the week, and replaced the A/C filter. Now I’m honoring the day by watching “Band of Brothers” for the umpteenth time.
MikeJ
@Randy P: A chimney is the way to go.
the fugutive uterus
oh NOW all people care about is the economy! when just a few years ago everybody was still masturbating their fear spooge all over the place 24/7 while two chickenhawk, draft dodgers were running the show and it didn’t matter whether you had served or not, just that you were a LIBuRuL, which apparently is an excuse to trap and murder a defenseless animal.
anyway, i think Aden will be getting some money from me.
i fucking hate “conservatives”. there, i said it. they can suck a bag of salted dicks till the end of time.
Maude
The town is having a Memorial Day parade that ends at The Monument. The Monument is in honor of those who served in all the wars.
It is a solemn event and very emotional.
There is a Purple Heart memorial. Sometimes, when I walk by, there is a veteran there reading the words on the stone.
the fugutive uterus
“trap and murder a defenseless family pet and make sure the kids come home to see its mutiliated carcass” – forgot that part
– nice touch
this is the kind of respect vets get from the right, if they “liburruls” – how well i remember, it meant nothing to them
geg6
A bit of a rest for me today (well, gotta do laundry). We had the big family gathering yesterday–BBQ ribs and chicken, twice-baked potatoes, roasted corn and carrots, grilled asparagus, stuffed grape leaves, and grilled fruit skewers, all topped off with my marble “Obama/Biden 2012” cake that caused such a controversy with the cake decorator at the grocery store. It was nice since every person there was a Democrat, loud and proud. Five of us are currently volunteering and donating to the president’s campaign. Much family love and solidarity. The only sibling missing was one of my older sisters, who was busy getting married to a rabid Republican off the west coast of Florida (she’s a Dem but not very political like the rest of us). Am I bad for hoping that they got soaked at their destination wedding (it’s her fourth and his second) that they planned and then got pissed at the rest of us for refusing to shell out $3000 per person for three days in order to attend? If so, tough shit!
Ron
@Randy P: This is why I love our grill. It’s charcoal, but you hook up a small propane canister to it. You use the propane to start the charcoal burning. Once the charcoal is going, you shut off the propane and let the charcoal get hot.
jeffreyw
I’ll be mowing this morning. Getting a little behind with that…
Chris
@Steve in DC:
Word.
@the fugutive uterus:
Also word.
Keith G
Getting ready to shove off to my reg Monday shift at a hospice that provides charity care for Houston’s AIDS community. In addition to my regular duties, I will be finishing off cooking some links and brisket plus fixins.
A.L I have a set of messed up comments in moderation. Can you please delete them? Sorry.
Whatever happened to our delete comment option?
Chris
@Steve in DC:
Oh by the way, you might enjoy this. It’s about 4th of July, not Memorial Day, it’s not specifically about the troops and it’s a couple years old, but worth the read just the same, also makes the point that patriotism is about actually taking care of people rather than wearing flag pins.
NancyDarling
Aden is a REALLY good guy and has an up-hill battle in this very red part of Arkansas (except UofA environs). I have no idea how much $ he is getting from the Congressional Democrats, but he could use help. He’s a fighter. He says he’s not putting “2012” on any of his campaign stuff, because if he loses, he will be back in 2014.
I really like him based on the few times I’ve met him. He’s a little rough around the edges as a speaker, but that’s not necessarily a negative.
Ash Can
@jeffreyw: Holy moly, if I had a lawn like that I’d seed 9/10 of it with indigenous wild flowers and say “to hell with it.” And is that a hawk going after the purple martins? Eek! Great photography!
gaz
@Chris: Come on man. Don’t you know that wearing a flag pin makes you the most patriotic, troop supporting, america loving person evah? That’s why I wear 50 of them. We don’t need no stinking works, that’d be complicated and gets in the way of hitting all of the lovely sales, and BBQing, dontcha know?
Flag pins are the best way to show that you are a real ‘murkin
This post was Made in China.
Villago Delenda Est
@gaz:
You know, the last line of the post is what tells us the most.
Patriotism: something you buy at Wal-Mart.
danielx
@Randy P:
Use a charcoal chimney and a couple of fatwood pieces plus one newspaper sheet for kindling. Works like a charm, plus – as noted – you avoid the charcoal lighter fluid. I always noted a kind of a funny taste to the food cooked on coals started with that stuff, no matter how long the coals had burned.
As to today…trying to stay cool on the third days of 90+ temperatures. Fixed Italian sausage* on the grill last night for dinner and I was near to expiring as it was still 94 at 7 o’clock last evening – but it was worth it. So today shall be spent doing stuff inside and having something cool for dinner; I’m thinking salad with sliced chicken on top.
*Italian sausage the easy way
9 x 13 aluminum pan
4 Italian sausages, could also be bratwurst or whatever. More as needed per number of guests.
2 Vidalia onions – (for 4) – add 1 for each two additional guests
1 large green pepper – add 1 for each two additional guests
1 large red pepper – add 1 for each two additional guests
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 six pack of beer – in this case Leinenkugel’s Classic Amber Lager. 2 at room temperature, 4 cold. More cold if people other than the cook are drinking beer.
4 sausage buns/rolls; more as needed for guests
1. Start coals in grill; they should be mostly gray on the outside but still plenty hot when you spread them out.
2. Slice peppers lengthwise after washing and cleaning and removing seeds/core.
3. Slice Vidalia onions in thin rings.
4. Heat oil over low heat in nonstick skillet; place peppers and one of the sliced onions in skillet. Toss occasionally while sausages are cooking.
5. Place aluminum pan on grill. Pour one beer (room temperature) in pan. Add the other sliced onion. Add sausages with tongs. Sausages should be about 1/3 to 1/2 submerged. Beer should be bubbling around sausages; steaming elsewhere.
6. Simmer for 45 minutes, turning sausages occasionally. Add coals/more beer as necessary. Cook may consume two cold beers during this period as necessary.
7. Remove sausages from pan with tongs, serve on rolls with peppers/onions and spicy mustard. Nirvana.
Zagloba
Every Memorial Day, I share around this video. Trigger warning if you’ve been in combat.
gaz
@Villago Delenda Est: I love the irony of them selling shirts with the american flag on it as well.
gaz
This is so full of win:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-fWN0FmcIU
douchebag vs tank
rachel
Today is also Buddha’s Birthday.
ETA: In Korea, there are lotus lanterns everywhere you go.
Villago Delenda Est
@rachel:
There will be parades all over the place, too.
rachel
@Villago Delenda Est: One went up my street a while after sunset banging on those wooden fish and carrying lanterns. I wish I had taken pictures.
JoyfulA
@Randy P: I’m not in Trivedi’s district either, but in 2010 I heard about him, first, Who? and then, Wow!
Pennsylvania lost everything in 2010, from schoolboards to governor and senator.
Mudge
Memorial Day (nee Decoration Day) is a commemoration of the fallen, the dead, specifically those who died in wars. It is not a flag waving tribute to either living veterans or current soldiers. The living veterans have their day.
What we owe the current soldiers is not flag waving transmissions of baseball and football games to Afghanistan, rather we should bring them home, so that we will never have to visit their graves on Memorial Day.
Today should be a day to sadly honor those who have lost their lives in the service of this country (and one could argue that excludes Confederate soldiers). It is not another one of those days to indulge in mindless patriotic kabuki. Every flag in this country should be at half mast.
the fugutive uterus
well, i haven’t quite de-soured yet
Happy Effing Memorial Day to the chickenhawks and draft-dodgers who have done nothing but exploit our troops from day one
did i meant how much i despise them?
oh, and Happy Effing Memorial Day Ted Nugent, he who crapped his pants and walked around in his own filth to avoid service in Nam
Now that’s a REAL American!
Villago Delenda Est
@Raven:
Given aspects of it’s origins…(from wikipedia):
…you have a point.
Burnspbesq
Apparently, fact-free verbal abuse from Governor
Le PetomaneChristie is on the agenda.http://www.northjersey.com/news/politics/nj_politics/052812_Stile_Christie_buries_his_critics_in_bluster.html?scpromo=1
The Sailor
It’s Memorial Day and the unnecessary deaths from friendly fire, bad political decisions, poor equipment … have nothing to do with the soldiers who died. Those conditions have been inherent in war since war began. And especially so in the wars that started with lies. Just in my lifetime: ‘Gulf Of Tonkin Incident’; ‘Grenada Was Taken Over By Communists’; ‘Iraq Has WMDs and We Know Where They Are’ were all lies.
But the people who died because of these lies did not die for these lies. They died for their fellows, they died for their country, they died for us.
This is why we should remember them every day, not just between brats (edible and sired) on this day, but because regardless of the lies, the coverups, the sheer incompetence that put them in harm’s way to begin with, they were doing it for us.
SiubhanDuinne
I’m still on the road — last day of my 4000+ mile road trip — and am deliberately hanging out in my motel room in order to watch POTUS and FLOTUS lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington, and POTUS’s address. Should be starting any.minute.now.
KoolEarl
I am regular reader/infrequent commentor who would like to pay respect to Raven, Steve in DC and any other veterans reading Balloon Juice
SiubhanDuinne
@Mudge:
Beautifully said.
A number of Southern states observe Confederate Memorial Day, although the dates aren’t consistent. Regardless, it seems even the old Confederacy might agree with your argument.
Mudge
@SiubhanDuinne: My great-great grandfather was a Confederate soldier who died a prisoner at Camp Chase, OH and is buried in its cemetery in Columbus. Once, while visiting my son at Ohio State, I visited the cemetery, coincidentally on Memorial Day. Every grave of over 2000 Confederate soldiers had a two US flags crossed in front of it. Someone seems to have forgiven them..
StonyPillow
Tammy Duckworth (IL-08) is no more a Progressive than her patron, Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Big oopsie on dear Mother Jones’ part. Wonder what got into them.
However, she is the Democratic nominee, and it’s either her or Deadbeat Dad/raving lunatic Joe Walsh(R-Bedlam). So there it is.
But the reconstituted IL-08 is a solidly Democratic district. We could have done a lot better.
Both Sides Do It
There are a great couple posts at New APPS about redefining Memorial Day celebrations.
The first suggests focusing on the sense of moral community and the impulse to band together to fight injustice which undergirds a lot of the rhetoric of current views on Memorial Day but none of the substance. (Bonus: the post uses an open letter from a Montreal protestor to make the point).
The second would like to recognize all the people who fight against slavery, everywhere, be they part of a military or organized state institution or just a couple of kids trying to help people stuck in bondage escape.
Well worth the quick read.
Emma Anne
I know Brandon Shaffer! I’d love to see an ActBlue page for him.
Pros – he is a terrific guy, was a great leader in the Colorado Senate, and is a progressive all the way down.
Cons – this would be a “fifty states strategy” pick rather than a likely pick-up. Very Republican district, although slightly less so since redistricting.
catpal
@Randy P: Manan Trivedi in PA-6 is a great candidate and a really nice guy.
2012 Redistricted PA map is a little more Republican, but Dems can win if they have a lot of advertising that A*hole Gerlach voted for the Ryan Budget plan, aka “Get-Rid-of-Medicare.” Medicare as-it-is-now is well-used and popular across PA.
in 2008, Dems lost PA-6 by only 4.2% with a a Bad Dem candidate.
Trivedi has a great chance to win in 2012, but Repubs have a lot of money to protect these districts.
Mnemosyne
TCM is doing its usual “war movies on Memorial Day” marathon. While they have some quite good ones today, the only two that I think actually fit Memorial Day are The Bridge on the River Kwai and The Great Escape.
Maybe today I’ll finally sit down and watch the original version of All Quiet on the Western Front, one of the pioneering “futility of war” movies.
Commish
Re: the cartoon…
Chris Hayes shouldn’t have said what he did, and I hope the blowback has caused him to rethink his position on Memorial Day. But the guilt-tripping on Memorial Day BBQs is being overdone, too.
My grandfather, uncle, and great uncle were all combat veterans. They BBQ’d their asses off on Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and Veterans Day too if the weather was good, and thought their family should too.