These Pages are in PDF file format. They require Adobe Reader, you may need to download Adobe Reader (or update your current version) here. The Reader is a Free Download
The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father’s; but he has never collected unemployment either.
He’s a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away. He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and 155mm howitzer. He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk.
He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must. He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional. He can march until he is told to stop or stop until he is told to march.
He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient. He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry. He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts. If you’re thirsty, he’ll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food.
He’ll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low. He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands. He can save your life – or take it, because that is his job. He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay and still find ironic humor in it all. He has seen more suffering and death then he should have in his short lifetime.
He has stood atop mountains of dead bodies, and helped to create them.He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed. He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to ’square-away’ those around him who haven’t bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking.
In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful. Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the American Fighting Man and Woman that has kept this country free for over 200 years. They have asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding.
Remember them, always, for they have earned our respect and admiration with their blood. And now we even have women over there in danger, doing their part in this tradition of going to War when our nation calls us to do so.
And if according to your will I lose my life, please bless with your protective hand my children and my wife.
All of the dives were beautiful; we explored dive spots such as, WHITE HOLE, which is called that because of the round patch of white sand that you see first at 35ft of water. But then you swim to the wall where it drops off and down to the sand slope at 100ft and beyond. It was this dive that the waves were making the boat rock up and down and I lost my motion sickness patch. Needless to say I jumped into the water really quick so I wouldn’t get sick. It was on this dive that I went to a depth of 74ft.
MELISSA’S REEF was another dive where there were walls, reefs and some canyons in the shallows. I spotted a rockfish and a trumpet fish. It was an amazing place to see all kinds of sea life. I dove to a depth of 50ft.
The director was faculty member Tori Truss and the playwright is Neil LaBute. The production runs April 3-11, at the Evert B. Person Theatre at Sonoma State University. Brenda is the daughter of Jimmy and Terri Weaver and has performed in theatre productions every semester at SSU and even produced, acted and directed three one act plays last spring. Brenda is a junior at SSU and is majoring in Drama Theatre.
Summer James, a University of Oklahoma sophomore from Boise City,was honored with the President’s Award for Outstanding Sophomores at a recent campus awards ceremony. Presenting the plaque to her are OU President David L. Boren (left) and OU Board of Regents Chairman Max Weitzenhoffer.
Chub and Susie Tooley would like to announce the arrival of their newest granddaughter, Harmony Faith Hughes, born on Feb. 27. She is the daughter of Mahayla and Chet Hughes, of Mesa, Ariz. Great-grandparents are Wayne and Doe Tooley, and Sally Parker. There will be a come and go baby shower on Thursday, April 30 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the John and Carman Dadisman residence.
LESSONS OF A BIG BROTHER AND MENTOROne of the clichés about volunteerism is the fact that you often get more than you give. In my case, it was in ways and means I least expected. I’ve just become a Big Brother, again, to a 7-year-old boy and a Mentor to a 22-year-old young man. As these relationships are new, I don’t yet know what lessons I will learn. But, I know well the lessons I learned the first time around.
I became a Big Brother, long before I was married or a parent. My life, at that time, was pretty heady. In my early 30’s, I had a successful showbiz career in which I was paid way too much for having so much fun, I lived in a lovely home in a chic part of town, had two cars, and no one to worry about other than myself.
Is it OK to speed to pass???
A common statement people stopped for speeding make is “But I was passing” or that they just did “over the hill”. It seems I may have discussed this before but it came up a couple of times these past few days.
It is never “legal” to speed but many people do for many reasons. If you exceed the speed limit to pass you simply risk a citation. While officer discretion is always a possibility in minor cases running high speeds to pass a vehicle traveling at or near the speed limit implies you are simply speeding before and after the officer first sees you. While there may be times you may have needed to “step on it” such as when the vehicle you are passing speeds up, you see the end of your passing zone approaching fast or perhaps an oncoming vehicle seems to be approaching faster than you thought the bottom line is you were speeding and that is illegal.
More often than not the person is somewhat irate and confrontational to the officer who stops them even if the act of passing happened “over the hill”. We cannot see over a hill, around the curve etc. any more than any other human.
“Swimming with the Dolphin”
My physical body is sitting at the computer table. My eyes are looking at a blank page on the monitor. Shiloh’s furry head is resting upon my left foot. And sitting on the table is a cup of green tea which is rapidly cooling with each sip. The wash machine just finished its rinse cycle and there are almost muted voices radiating from the television.
And yet, my mind has taken me far away from this table, this monitor, the tepid tea and Shiloh’s warmth upon my foot. The past has bumped against the present, and I can not only see but also feel with such clarity that which once meant so much to not only me, but my entire family – the sadness and then the joy of Easter. And my remembrance comes with the sensation of once again being that little chubby girl with long brown hair and eyes to match who embraced the story with such innocent faith, wonder and gladness. (Note: the gladness came only after we got Jesus off the cross and resurrected!)
Noah and Shelley Robinson of Norman, Oklahoma, are proud to announce the birth of their son, Cash Abbott. He was born on February 22, 2009, weighing in at 9 lb 6 oz. Grandparents are Dan and Melinda Robinson of Boise City, Oklahoma, and Peter and Sally Pearne of San Jose, California. Great-grandparents include Granny-Great Jean Copeland of Boise City.
Ariana Roberts, the daughter of proud parents Silvester and Amy Gonzalez, attended a piano contest at OPSU this past Saturday, April 4, 2009. She has been taught by Erwin Elms and with his guidance received a score of 1+, the highest possible score, for her 2 pieces; “III” and “ Witches, Bats, and Howling Cats” both by Walter and Carol Noona.
At left, Rep. Frank Lucas, holds a tea bag handed to him by a Girl Scout, as he speaks to a large crowd at the PTCI Building in Boise City Monday afternoon. Below, nearly 40 people turned out to express their frustration in what is happening in the nation.
by C.F.David
On Monday afternoon, Rep. Frank Lucas found himself the proud owner of several tea bags; some brought by Girl Scouts.
“People handing you tea bags is very important. King George didn’t listen and that’s why we aren’t British,” Lucas grinned at the Scouts. “I have 690,000 constitutes in the Third District. If they are handing me tea bags, I’d better listen. If I don’t pay attention, I could wind up in one of these tea bags.” Lucas began with the economy and the various stimulus plans enacted by both the Bush and Obama administrations.
Total Eclipses of the Sun in our Future
Of all astronomical phenomena, probably none are as captivating as total eclipses of the Sun, and with good reason. What could be more dramatic than having the Sun briefly disappear during a clear, cloudless day, or more alarming?
Until they figured out what was going on, our ancestors came up with many different explanations, and most didn’t view eclipses as good things. Some thought an animal was eating the Sun and had to be frightened off with noise. Others saw eclipses as portends of bad events to come.
By C.F. David
Gideon Cowan, CEO of Worldwide Energy, found his past coming back to haunt him on April 1. Cowan, 60, was arrested by Cimarron County Sheriff’s Officers on a misdemeanor warrant from Major County, Oklahoma, (Fairview).
He was transferred to Fairview, by a Major County Sheriff’s Officer on April 2, and bonded out that evening on a $1,000 bond. He will face arraignment on May 1 on charges of driving under suspension and obstruction of an officer.
A HAMSTER AND SOME DEAD BIRDSOne of parenting’s biggest challenges is when to protect your kids from “Life” and when to let them learn the truth about it. I experienced this twice, in the past couple of years, in interesting and similar ways…one when it “wasn’t time” and one when it was!
My younger son, when he was 7-years-old, wanted a hamster, after playing at a friend’s house that had several. Their “Mommy” hamster had just given birth to several baby hamsters and they graciously gave a darling one to my son. Since it was around his birthday, we went to the pet store and bought a nice hamster cage and all the trimmings. I made him promise to clean the cage, once a week, and he agreed.
