oldsoldier's Blog

Years ago, I accompanied my Mother to the Social Security office to sign her up for benefits. Now my mom was one of those people who prepared for things, and she had all her documents with her, and was well prepared. Still, I remember waiting for a very long time before she was called to the interviewer's cubicle, and after we got there, neverending questions. In all, we spent the better part of a day there, before getting her signed up. So it was with a certain amount of hesitation that I went to the office, and there was wall to wall people. Then I saw a sign that said I could sign up online, so I went home. Still a little nervous about such  an important move trusted to unseen people on the internet, I logged on. In about twenty minutes, I hit the final "send" button, then printed out the list of documents I needed to show the clerk at the office. Two days later, still waiting for my DD214, from the army, I called to make an appointment. I gave the lady on the phone the information she needed to look up my records, and after holding a few seconds, she came back and said " Mr Oldsoldier, you are done! You don't need to come in, you will recieve a letter telling when you will get your first payment." I could not believe what I heard, and asked  her to repeat what she had said. Sure enough, that was it. Finally the government has got sometning right. So why am I writing this? First, I want to commend all those unseen people at Social Security, for doing a great job. Thanks to each and every one of them. And second, I would encouarge everyone, who needs to sign up for S.S. benefits, to try the online service. Some of us oldtimers are slow to accept new things, but when it works as well as this, we need to try it.

If you know someone who works at Social Security, or know someone who needs to sign up for benefits, please show them this blog or tell them about it. I'm sure they will appreciate it. Bye now.

For sometime, now, I have wanted to go to the D Day Memorial, In Bedford, VA, but the demands of my wife's job kept us at home. This past weekend we made the trip, and I want to tell you this is a place everyone should see. The D Day Memorial is funded by private donations and entry fees ($5.00 for adults), and is a magnificent tribute to the men and women who planned and executed the Allied Invasion of Normandy on June 6th, 1944. We were lucky enough to go on Family Day, when more than a hundred volunteers were on hand to show cars and trucks from that era, both military and civilian, as well as clothing, weapons, and other memorabilia. But everyday you will find volunteers to guide you around the area and make the memorial come alive. We took the golf cart tour, and our guide, a Korean War veteran, really knew his history. During the tour, I felt  the comradery that I had not felt since I left the service. As I left the golf cart, he actually saluted me, and for the first time in 40 years, I returned it, and felt perfectly at ease doing so. It's a veteran's thing, a bond some might not understand, but in this setting, feelings come back to you that you thought were long forgotten. This monument pays homage to an event that changed the world, and it should be seen by all people who love freedom. I should also add that my wife loved it as well, the flowers, the statues, recreating on a small scale, the landing, and the beauty of the entire site.

All this is just a little more than two hours away in Bedford, VA. Just get on HWY 29, North, through Danville, when you get to Lynchburg, take 460 West to Bedford, and watch for the signs. When you exit onto 122, turn right at the top of the ramp, there you will find the Welcome Center, and a few yards past that, the driveway to the D Day Memorial. You can do it in a day, but why not take the weekend, you won't regret it. While at the Welcome Center, you might ask how to get to Olde Lberty Station, for an excellent meal. And in closing, I should add that we found BP regular gas for $3.82, that might help.

I hope some of you will take the trip, I really hope our old friend Roy will take his cameraman up there and give these volunteers that work so hard at the Memorial some help in getting the word out about a site that every American should see. I might add, Roy, that the British and Canadian Forces are well represented.

T. Boone Pickens, an old time oilman has come up with a positive plan to help fight the energy crisis. It may not be a cure-all, but it is a start, and Pickens credentials are solid, he knows what he's talking about. Go to pickensplan.com, and see what he has to say. It may just be another piece of the puzzle to solving our energy problems. Please check it out, we need to leave no stone unturned in the hunt for energy solutions.

All this talk about global warming, which, by the way is real, is just that talk. We need for industry to take the lead, and get things started. First we need hybrid vehicles that are affordable, and the more they make, the cheaper they will be. Auto makers are patting themselves on the pack because they have a few out there, but how many of us can buy them? Next, E-85 is not the answer, unless of course you have 10,000 acres of corn growing out back. E-85 is expensive to make, gives poor mileage, and will make any thing related to corn go up in price. Cattle farmers will pay higher prices for corn to feed their herds because the corn farmer can get a better price at the refinery, so your hamburger will cost more, and your milk. The wheat farmer can make more money raising corn, so the cost of a loaf of bread will go up, whoops, it already has. But you get the picture, let your imagination run wild, you won't like it. And why do we not have affordable electric cars? In my case, an electric would be the perfect second car, as it probably would for a lot of two car families. Where are the windmills that can generate electricity? I read recently about a power company in New England that wanted to put some along the coast to make use of the winds there, but the elite residents said it would spoil their view. Hey, Duke Power, I've got a big field out behind my place, and there is always a strong breeze and often pretty strong winds. Let's talk. The recent decision not to reopen the White Street Landfill to make use of available capacity and avoid the 140 mile round trip to Montgomery County made by our garbage trucks. I grew up in northeast Greensboro, and lived there most of my life. The smell is not that bad, folks, and it would save a ton of money. The county had no problem with putting an asphalt plant next to those folks over on Liberty Rd, and that is a bad smell, to say nothing of possible health effects down the road. I won't go into possible reasons for one over the other, but if you look into it, you can figure it out. And while I'm on my soap box, and talking about the landfill, this new deal about HD TV next year, how many old tv sets will be discarded because of this unneeded piece of legislation? Somebody has a really good lobbiest working there . Even Lorraine Ahearn, not my favorite columnist, wrote about the use of those cheap plastic bags at the gocery store, that can't stay together long enough to get your groceries into the house, but will linger forever in the dump down in Montgomery County. What do we have against Montgoery County, by the way?Anyway, thats enough to get us started,give us some decent alternatives to what is messing with the ozone, and show us how with a sacrifice here and there we can save our planet, yes our planet, not the planet, we will screw up Mars when we get there, but for now, we have work to do here. And one more thing, be careful with those new light bulbs, they can be hazardous to our health.

The recent controversy at PTI shows how little regard companies have for their customers and their employees. Alot of people's plans are affected, and lives disrupted by the sudden closing of the Skybus airline, leaving people without jobs, and some without flights home, to say nothing of tickets bought for flights later on. But their was a warning of sorts, when two executives of the airline resigned suddenly earlier last week, most likely with healthy severance packages, like rats leaving a sinking ship. It's too bad that the funds these two will get, are probably protected from lawsuits.

On another note

Fox 8 did a story about a young woman who had planned to take her young son to Disney World today, and knew nothing of Skybus's troubles till she got to PTI, on Monday. I feel for this lady and her son, but really, is she living in a vaccuum? How could she not know about this since it's been all over the newepapers, and tv since Friday evening? If she had turned on the news, she might have had time to make other travel arrangments, and not had her plans totally ruined, and her son disappointed. We need to keep ourselves aware of what is happening around us.

 

The News & Record is running an ad for a Bicentennial keepsake book that boasts about important people who have been to Greensboro over the years. Under inspired leaders, it lists George Washington, Mikail Gobachev, and Martin luther King Jr. Nothing wrong there, but next it mentions heroic women, Amelia Earhart, yes, Eleanor Roosevelt, yes, and Oprah Winfrey, HUH? O.W., heroic? For what? True she has been very generous, and should be commended for her charity, but what has she done that can be construed as heroic? When we toss accolades around without discretion, they lose their meaning, they become just adjectives, as in the case of the much over used "awesome". Oprah Winfrey is a very fine lady, who has accomplished a lot, and has helped many just causes, but she has not risked her life to do these things. Mostly she writes checks or lends her name to a cause, and that's all it takes to make things happen, and I applaud that, but the lady, as great as she may be, is not heroic.

Recently, the ACLU, has been in the local news, that of course stands for American Civil Liberties Union. A more apt name would be the Busybodies 0f America, for they can't keep their noses out of everyone elses business. We must not pray to individual dieties at government meetings, they say, but what they really mean is not to pray to Jesus Christ. This nation was founded on religious principles, and if we continue to deny them, we may not be around much longer, as a nation. It's time to send the ACLU packing, they  are just a bunch of left wing lawyers, who have a lot of time and money, and want to push this nation around. They think they can hold us hostage in the courts, and impose their will on us. It is time for our leaders to stand up to them, and for us to support those leaders who do. Let your city council, and county comissioners know how you feel on this. Encourage our judges to throw out these cases, with the Supreme Court we have now, the ACLU might not want to go before them. But most of all, continue to pray to God, Jesus, Allah, or whomever you worship. in this country, you have that right.

The Virginia Tech tragedy is on everyones mind these days, as it should be. The young man had attracted attention to himself earlier, but how do you recognize the possibility of actions like his? One of my favorite cousins, Steve Noonkester, and his lovely wife, graduated from VT, and I feel for them as well as all others connected to the school. Cindy Farmer, as we all know, went to VT, but everyone in the country is affected by this, and we should support each other as best we can.  I hope polititians and tv commentators will resist the temptation to make this campaign fodder, and not start pointing fingers, but it's too late for some. Let's help each other through this, and then sit down, and try to figure out what can be done to prevent this from happening again. For now I'll just say, May God bless Virginia Tech, and all who care about this great school, and tonight ,let us all pray for one another.

Well, the Democrats are snipping at each other, just as I hoped they would. Now the Republicans need to avoid this same thing. I would hope they  will get together and consider how the public sees what is going on. I look at the possible candidates for the GOP, and there are two, maybe three, that actually have a chance. None of those 3 suit me exactly, but no one can be all things to all people, if they make that claim, eye them suspiciously.  Flip-flops are not the sign of a good leader, only a crafty candidate. "I was for the war before I was against it ", may work for the Democrats, but it ain't the way to run a country. As for the war, I want our troops out of there as much as anyone, but we must have some kind of working government in place before we leave. In the old days we would put a warlord in power, supply him with arms, and tell him as long as he supports us, we will back him, but if he lifts a hand against us, he is toast. Not  the most politically correct solution, but it worked before, and our image is already tarnished in most of the Islamic countries anyway. At this point, almost any solution should be concidered. Pray for our boys and girls over there, that they may all come home well, and soon.

On July 31 I wrote a blog about people running stop signs, and how I was concerned that someone was going to be hurt or killed because of this. Then on October 21, I was the victim of a stop sign runner. The driver has not been identified, and the other victim and I have recieved no compensation from anywhere, as uninsured motorist insurance requires the culprit to be caught to prove he is uninsured, I bet most of you did not know that, I sure didn't. This should be changed, there should be some recourse for people who are the innocent victims of thugs who drive like there's no one else on the road. It's too late for me, but who's to say they won't get me again, or you. Talk to your legislator about this. Insurance companies should at least inform us of what we are not covered for.

Anyone who may have seen accident at Hwy 150 and Doggett Rd, Saturday, Oct 21, 2006, between 5 and 6 PM. Silver suv ran stop sign, on Doggett, hitting blue pickup on 150, knocking it into red Toyota pickup, also on 150. Suv kept going south on Doggett, both pickup drivers taken to hospital, with multiple injuries. Any info on silver, late model suv needed, please notify NC Highway Patrol. Old soldier, driver of Toyota, sustained chest injuries, if you saw or know anything, please help him out.

The Sept.4 issue of Autoweek magazine had several articles about teenagers and driving. They have had so many requests for reprints it is now available online at autoweek.com/teen This is really good information for parents of teens, who are driving or about to start. I hope FOX8 will check this out and push this free download. I'm saving my copy of the magazine for my sons and their children, as two of them will be ready to drive in a couple of years. Just wanted to put the word out, thanks, an old soldier.

I have been reading about this Coalition Against Intolerable Racism, and I would like to know what kind of racism is tolerable? It is well past the time to put race behind us. For forty years I worked with both blacks and whites, and I did my best to get along with all of them. For the most part, it worked, but there were some who did not like me because I was white, and were even upset that I got along so well with some blacks. Take a look at the world today, there is half a world of people who hate us because we are Americans, and we need to put color aside, and stand united against them. Boyccotting businesses because of the race of the owner is stupid. Shopping where you get the best service, and or price, is smart. Racism is racism, and racism, no matter what kind or who it is directed to is stupid. We need each other, to stand against the real enemy, so lets put our differences and our colors aside, and do what needs to be done!

Once again a "star" puts his foot in his mouth, and everyone is so shocked! Come on people, just because someone is famous, doesn't mean that they are good, or kind, or smart. We have always equated fame with credibility, and it just ain't so. Take these people as they are, people who entertain us, and nothing more. They don't know any more than the rest of us, it's just that when they open their mouth, someone sticks a microphone in front of them. If they were really smart they would keep their mouth shut, take the money, and run! I enjoy most of Mel Gibson's movies, that doesn't mean I have to like him, and if I don't agree with his politics, or his morals, I can choose not to go see his movies. In the end, he will apoligize to the Jewish people and anyone else he has offended, and a few weeks or months at the most, this will have blown over, and Mel will have lost just a little of his fortune, but hopefully will have learnd to think before speaking, and stay sober.