Today is Memorial Day, a day on which every American should be grateful for the sacrifices of members of our military, both past and present. We enjoy our current freedoms only because, over the history of our Republic, members of the armed forces have been willing to fight and die for the United States of America and its citizens.
One of the finest places to reflect upon the sacrifices of our soldiers, sailors, and airmen is Arlington National Cemetery, that peaceful resting place on a hill within view of Washington, D.C. The changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a particularly stirring reminder of those sacrifices. Silent, somber, and simple, the ceremony of the changing of the guard does great honor to the remains of the unknown soldiers from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War that are entombed in the white marble vault.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has been continuously guarded since 1937 by soldiers who call themselves Sentinels. The changing of the guard ceremony is about ten minutes long and is full of symbolism, where every step and second are scripted and have special meaning. Some of the frequently asked questions about the ceremony are answered here. The inscription on the tomb also is moving: “Here Rests In Honored Glory An American Soldier Known But To God.”
Happy Memorial Day to all, and heartfelt thanks to all veterans and active members of our armed forces.
Hopper was excellent as the photographer in Apocalypse Now, as the sympathetic alcoholic basketball-obsessed assistant coach in Hoosiers, as the mad bomber in Speed, and as Kevin Costner’s one-eyed nemesis in Waterworld. He never seemed to play an average guy with a desk job, a mortgage, and a wife and kids.
What is strange about this story is that the White House thought that Sestak would ditch his chance to run against a weakened, mush-mouthed, party-changing hack for a chance to get a coveted seat in the U.S. Senate in exchange for a seat on the 36-member Federal Advisory Board on Widget Construction, or something similar. Did they really think even a master arm-twister like Bill Clinton could sell such an empty and one-sided bargain? And it is weird that Sestak would trumpet his decision and make it out to be some incredible act of intestinal fortitude, when the actual offer was about as tempting as 2010 season tickets to the Cleveland Indians at a five percent discount off face value. If the White House account is true, both sides look pretty stupid.
It really seemed like not much happened during the two hours. Sure, Jack got shot by Chloe, bit off the ear of Logan’s suckboy, whispered his dialogue, and resisted assassinating the Russian president, and his recorded message of lukewarm platitudes somehow convinced President Taylor to walk away from the “peace agreement” — but to my mind the “will she, won’t she” plot about President Taylor really didn’t create much tension or, for that matter, interest. The scenes with the Russian President, the UN Secretary General, and Dalia Hassan came across as a lot of background noise and filler; it seemed clear all along that President Taylor would eventually return to her principles, and that Charles Logan would be foiled again. You almost expected him to say, “Curses!”
It is now clear that the United States is facing an environmental disaster of the first magnitude. We have seen the pictures of the massive oil slick and the oil-soaked birds, we know about the fragile wetlands and environmentally sensitive areas on the Gulf Coast and the Florida coastline that will be devastated if they are reached by the oil slick, and we understand that entire industries — like the fishing and tourism industries along the Gulf Coast — are likely to be ravaged by the catastrophic spill.
