A Chinese lion dancer during the Chinese New Year Block Party on Alii Drive, Kona, Hawaii in 2005!

Chinese New Year events in West Hawaii:

- The Tong Wo Society will hold its traditional Chinese New Year celebration and potluck luncheon Feb. 18 at the society's building. The event starts at 11 a.m. with the traditional lion dance and firecrackers. The potluck lunch follows.

The Tong Wo Society building in Kohala, which was built in 1884, is the oldest Chinese-type structure in the state. It is about three miles from the King Kamehameha statue toward Pololu, just past the first horseshoe turn on the mauka side. The two-story Victorian structure can been seen from the highway.

Donations from the celebration will be used to pay for some of the repairs caused to the building by the Oct. 15 earthquakes.

- The Rotary Club of Kona Mauka will be holding a one-of-a-kind fundraising event on Chinese New Year. The cultural experience will take place at Dr. David Hiranaka and Dr. Joan Greco's residence, also known as the Glass House, in Kailua-Kona starting at 5:30 p.m.

The evening will showcase traditional Chinese activities such as calligraphy, basic tai chi instruction, Chinese music, Asian art, the Chinese horoscope, a lion dance and information about Chinese New Year. The menu will feature authentic Chinese cuisine. Tickets are $75 each and includes food, wine, entertainment and a silent auction. All proceeds will go toward activities and scholarships for the youth at Konawaena High School.


- Note: Kailua-Kona's annual Chinese New Year Block Party was canceled this year.

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West Hawaii Today : Local

Independence Day, 2006

On July 4, 1776, our Nation's Founders declared "That these United Colonies are, and of Right, ought to be free and Independent States." This declaration marked a great milestone in the history of human freedom. On the 230th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we pay tribute to the courage and dedication of those who created this country, and we celebrate the values of liberty and equality that make our country strong.

The patriots of the Revolutionary War acted on the beliefs that "all men are created equal" and "that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights." By advancing these ideals, generations of Americans have unleashed the hope of freedom for people in every corner of the world.

As we celebrate our independence, Americans can take pride in our history and look to the future with confidence. We offer our gratitude to all the American patriots, past and present, who have sought to advance freedom and lay the foundations of peace. Because of their sacrifice, this country remains a beacon of hope for all who dream of liberty and a shining example to the world of what a free people can achieve. May God continue to bless the United States of America.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim July 4, 2006, as Independence Day. I call upon the people of the United States to observe with all due ceremony our Independence Day as a time to honor our Founders and their legacy of freedom and remember with thankfulness the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirtieth.

GEORGE W. BUSH

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Independence Day, 2006

President Bush Honors Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, Virginia

11:26 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Laura and I are honored to join you today. Thank you for coming. Mr. Secretary, thank you for your kind words. Members of my Cabinet, General Pace, Members of Congress, members of the United States military, veterans, honored guests and the loved ones of the fallen: A few moments ago, I placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. I was honored to do so on behalf of the American people, as a sign of our solemn gratitude and our deep respect. The names of those buried there are known only to God, yet their souls have entered into the spirit of America, and they will never be forgotten by our nation. (Applause.)

In this place where valor sleeps, we acknowledge our responsibility as Americans to preserve the memory of the fallen. On this Memorial Day, we look out on quiet hills, and rows of white headstones -- and we know that we are in the presence of greatness. (Applause.) The markers here record the names of more than 296,000 men and women. Each of the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines buried here answered the call to serve, and stepped forward to protect the nation they loved.

All who are buried here understood their duty. They saw a dark shadow on the horizon, and went to meet it. They understood that tyranny must be met with resolve, and that liberty is always the achievement of courage. (Applause.) Here, in the presence of veterans they fought with and loved ones whose pictures they carried, the fallen give silent witness to the price of our liberty -- and our nation honors them, this day and every day. (Applause.)

In this place where valor sleeps, we are reminded why America has always gone to war reluctantly, because we know the costs of war. We have seen those costs in the war on terror we fight today. These grounds are the final resting place for more than 270 men and women who have given their lives in freedom's cause since the attacks of September the 11th, 2001. With us here are veterans who fought alongside them -- and who have come today to pay their respects. They are joined by veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and other conflicts across the globe, whose friends and comrades also lie in this sacred ground. As we pray for their fallen friends, we also remember those who went to war and are still missing, and we are determined to account for them all. (Applause.)

In this place where valor sleeps, we find strength in knowing that those serving freedom's cause have acted with principle and steadfast faith. Second Lieutenant Jack Lundberg was killed two weeks after D-Day, at the end of World War II. He wrote his Mom and Dad a letter to be opened in the event he did not come home. He wrote, "I am sorry to add to your grief ... but we of the United States have something to fight for -- never more fully have I realized that. The United States of America is worth the sacrifice."

That same feeling moves those who are now fighting the war on terror. First Lieutenant Mark Dooley was killed by a terrorist bomb last September in the Iraqi city of Ramadi. Before he left for his tour, he gave his parents a last letter, just in case. He wrote: "Remember that my leaving was in the service of something that we loved, and be proud. The best way to pay respect is to value why a sacrifice was made." (Applause.)

Last week, the family of Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Fenty, Junior, gathered here at Arlington to pay their last respects to the husband, son, and father they loved. Colonel Fenty was killed with nine of his fellow soldiers in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan earlier this month. Hours before that crash, he had spoken to his wife Kristen about their newborn daughter he was waiting to meet. Some day she will learn about her dad from the men with whom she served -- he served. And one of them said this about her father: "We all wanted to be more like Joe Fenty. We were all in awe of him." I am in awe of the men and women who sacrifice for the freedom of the United States of America. (Applause.)

Our nation is free because of brave Americans like these, who volunteer to confront our adversaries abroad so we do not have to face them here at home. Our nation mourns the loss of our men and women in uniform; we will honor them by completing the mission for which they gave their lives -- by defeating the terrorists, by advancing the cause of liberty, and by laying the foundation of peace for a generation of young Americans. (Applause.) Today we pray that those who lie here have found peace with their Creator, and we resolve that their sacrifice will always be remembered by a grateful nation.

May God Bless the Untied States of America. (Applause.)

END 11:34 A.M. EDT

Return to this article at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/05/20060529-1.html 

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President Bush Honors Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery

Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day, 2006
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

Throughout our history, the men and women who have worn the uniform of the United States have placed the security of our Nation before their own safety. America will be forever grateful for their service and sacrifice. On Memorial Day, we honor those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

Defending the ideals of our Nation has required the service and sacrifice of those from every generation. From Valley Forge, across Europe and Asia, and in Afghanistan and Iraq, courageous Americans have given their lives so that others could live in freedom. These Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen took an oath to defend America, and they upheld that oath with bravery and decency. They have liberated the oppressed, spread freedom and peace, and set a standard of courage and compassion for our Nation. All who enjoy the blessings of liberty live in their debt.

This debt of gratitude extends also to the families who stood by our servicemen and women in times of war and times of peace. Each of the fallen has left behind loved ones who carry a burden of grief, and all Americans are inspired by the strength of these families.

At this important time in the history of freedom, a new generation of Americans is defending our flag and our liberty. These men and women carry on the legacy of our Nation's fallen heroes and demonstrate that the United States Armed Forces remain the greatest force for freedom in human history.

Those who lost their lives in the defense of freedom helped protect our citizens and lay the foundation of peace for people everywhere. On Memorial Day, a grateful Nation pays tribute to their personal courage, love of country, and dedication to duty.

In respect for their devotion to America, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved on May 11, 1950, as amended (64 Stat. 158), has requested the President to issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the people of the United States might unite in prayer. The Congress, by Public Law 106-579, has also designated the minute beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on that day as a time for all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 29, 2006, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time to unite in prayer. I also ask all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3 p.m., local time, on Memorial Day. I encourage the media to participate in these observances. I also request the Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half staff until noon on this Memorial Day on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States, and in all areas under its jurisdiction and control. I also request the people of the United States to display the flag at half staff from their homes for the customary forenoon period.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirtieth.

GEORGE W. BUSH

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Honoring Our Veterans

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KPUA.net - KPUA Hawaii News - Giant sea-based radar arrives in Hawaii

 

 

 

HURRICANE WILMA: TUESDAY #2

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Photo: Tracy Boulian / Naples Daily News

Larry Chesebro carries pieces of aluminum roofing from a home in Spring Creek Village in Bonita Springs on Tuesday October 25, 2005. Chesebro and numerous others from the mobile home park got together to help their neighbors clean up the debris left from Hurricane Wilma.

Damage from Wilma could top $6 billion

By Gina Edwards

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Hurricane Wilma's damages could top $6 billion to $8 billion in insured losses, making it almost as costly as Hurricane Charley and more expensive than each of the three other storms that punished Florida last season, insurance officials said today.

Collier County emergency management officials received damage estimate information from Florida insurers this morning, while local assessment teams worked to tally their own figures.

Florida Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher and a group of top insurance executives surveyed damage in coastal Collier and on Marco Island on a Black Hawk helicopter on Tuesday. This morning they flew to Florida's east coast, where they saw extensive condominium window damage from Wilma's punishing backside winds.

Insurance officials believe the bulk of Wilma's damage to be on the east coast.

"They got slammed from the backside," said Sam Miller, executive vice president of the Florida Insurance Council. "They had lots of windows blown out."

In some areas of Broward County near Plantation, 20 to 30 percent of homes had roof damage, Miller said.

Flying over coastal Naples and Marco Island on Tuesday, Gallagher said he was amazed the area didn't have more damage. He didn't see catastrophic damage. "What we see is a lot of damage in a lot of places," Gallagher said.

Away from the coast, the executives didn't tour some of Collier's most hard hit areas - Chokoloskee, Everglades City and Immokalee.

In Collier, emergency management responders on the ground worked to get those damage estimates up close. More than 20 teams from the county's Community Development and Environmental Services Office worked to survey the damage.

"We got lucky, but it's expensive damage," said Collier Emergency Management spokeswoman Jaime Sarbaugh. "We had more damage than we thought in the city of Naples and East Naples."

The size of Collier County makes getting damage estimates here slower than perhaps in some other counties, she said. "It's just so spread out," Sarbaugh said. "Everything just takes time."

Find additional coverage in Thursday's edition of the Naples Daily News.

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Damage from Wilma could top $6 billion | BonitaNews.com

Photo: Ellyn Angelotti

The Naples pier at sunset on Monday Oct. 24.

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The pier survived | BonitaNews.com

HURRICANE WILMA: MONDAY

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Photo: Rene Clement

During hurricane Wilma, strong winds batter the statue in front of the Alico Arena hurricane shelter at Florida Gulf Coast University.

 

 

Photo: Rene Clement

During hurricane Wilma people watch the strong winds through the glass facade of the hurricane shelter Alico Arena at Florida Gulf Coast University.

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HURRICANE WILMA: MONDAY

Hello, We want to send out our Thanks to the newspaper for your complete coverage of Hurricane Wilma. You all do a remarkable job! We appreciate all of your work and effort keeping us informed, during times like these. We are artists - we live in Cape Coral, FL... we have been in Wilma's path for over a week. We boarded up our home and at the last minute, we decided to paint a Hurricane Wilma mural on the plywood that is securing the front window of our house. We thought you might enjoy the pictures... Hopefully, they might bring a smile during this stressful time. WIPE OUT WILMA !!!! We wish everyone safe and well through this storm. Kat Davis & Phil Custer The Kat's Meow Studio 1325 SE 23rd Terrace Cape Coral, FL 33990 Phone: (239) 573-4333 TheKatsMeow@comcast.net (2 additional photos will follow this in seperate submissions) Photos were taken of us at the above location on October 23rd, 2005 at 5PM. Wilma is forecast to hit the SW coast of Florida during the night tonight.

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Recent We Submissions

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AccuWeather.com Southeast Radar

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The Brooks Beach CLub - Web Cam

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Marco Island Beach Cam - The current view of Marco Island's beach

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WFOR: Weather

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 30, 2005

President Commemorates Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, Virginia

11:27 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Mr. Secretary, thank you. Secretary Nicholson, General Myers, members of Congress, members of the United States military, veterans, honored guests, fellow Americans, especially those loved ones of the fallen: Every year on this day, we pause to remember Americans fallen by placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. I'm honored to do that this morning on behalf of the American people. The names of the men buried there are known only to God, but their courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten by our nation.

The soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines we remember today answered the call of service in their nation's hour of need. They stood to fight for America's highest ideals. And when the sun came up this morning the flag flew at half-staff in solemn gratitude and in deep respect.

At our National Cemetery, we receive the fallen in sorrow, and we take them to an honored place to rest. Looking across this field, we see the scale of heroism and sacrifice. All who are buried here understood their duty. All stood to protect America. And all carried with them memories of a family that they hoped to keep safe by their sacrifice.

At a distance, their headstones look alike. Yet every son or daughter, mom or dad who visits will always look first at one. General Eisenhower put it well in 1944, when he wrote his wife, Mamie, about "the homes that must sacrifice their best." The families who come here have sacrificed someone precious and irreplaceable in their lives -- and our nation will always honor them.

At our National Cemetery, we're reminded why America has always been a reluctant warrior. This year we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, a victory for which more than 400,000 Americans gave their lives. Their courage crossed two oceans, and it conquered tyrants. Some of you here today fought in that war as young men, and we make this pledge to you: America will always honor the character and the achievements of your brave generation. (Applause.)

Today we also remember the Americans who are still missing. We honor them. And our nation is determined to account for all of them. (Applause.)

Another generation is fighting a new war against an enemy that threatens the peace and stability of the world. Across the globe, our military is standing directly between our people and the worst dangers in the world, and Americans are grateful to have such brave defenders. (Applause.) The war on terror has brought great costs. For those who have lost loved ones in Afghanistan and Iraq, today is a day of last letters and fresh tears. Because of the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform, two terror regimes are gone forever, freedom is on the march, and America is more secure. (Applause.)

At our National Cemetery, we take comfort from knowing that the men and women who are serving freedom's cause understand their purpose -- and its price. Marine Captain Ryan Beaupre of St. Anne, Illinois, was killed in the first hours of the war. He wrote his mom and dad a letter that was to be opened only in the event he didn't come home. He wrote: "Realize that I died doing something that I truly love, and for a purpose greater than myself."

Army Sergeant Michael Evans of Marrero, Louisiana, felt the same way. He was killed on January 28th while on patrol in Western Baghdad. In his own farewell letter to his family, the 22-year-old reminded those he left behind to stay strong. He said: "My death will mean nothing if you stop now. I know it will be hard, but I gave my life so you could live. Not just live, but live free." (Applause.)

For some of our young heroes, courage and service was a family tradition. Lance Corporal Darrell Schumann of Hampton, Virginia, was a machine gunner for the Marines, but his parents were Air Force. He liked to say, "Air Force by birth, Marine by choice, and American by the grace of God." (Applause.) Corporal Schumann was among the first to enter the battle against insurgents in Fallujah, and he was proud of what he -- what we are achieving. He later died in a helicopter crash. In his last letter from Iraq, he wrote, "I do wish America could see how awesome a job we're doing."

These are the men and women who wear our uniform. These are the men and women who defend our freedom. And these are the men and women who are buried here. As we look across these acres, we begin to tally the cost of our freedom, and we count it a privilege to be citizens of the country served by so many brave men and women. (Applause.) And we must honor them by completing the mission for which they gave their lives, by defeating the terrorists, advancing the cause of liberty, and building a safer world. (Applause.)

A day will come when there will be no one left who knew the men and women buried here. Yet Americans will still come to visit, to pay tribute to the many who gave their lives for freedom, who liberated the oppressed, and who left the world a safer and better place. Today we pray that they have found peace with their Creator, and we resolve that their sacrifice will always be remembered by a grateful nation.

May God continue to bless America. (Applause.)

END 11:36 A.M. EDT

Return to this article at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/05/20050530.html

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President Commemorates Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery

USS Arizona Memorial

Oil droplets bubble to the surface of Pearl Harbor above the USS Arizona, creating a vivid link to the past. On a quiet Sunday morning December 7, 1941 a Japanese surprise air attack left the Pacific Fleet in smoldering heaps of broken, twisted steel. Here, peace was interrupted and paradise lost. In hours, 2,390 futures were stolen, half of these casualties from the battleship Arizona.

Behind the shadows of destroyed airfields, aircraft, and ships, America fought fear, and a determined enemy responding with an unrivaled war effort. An epic battle for democratic ideals and world freedom would bloody the fields of Europe and the islands of the Pacific over the next four years.

Today, visitors come from around the world to see the USS Arizona Memorial, which spans the mid-portion of the sunken battleship. The national memorial is designed to encourage quiet contemplation, and to appeal to our memory and sense of sacrifice.

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U S S Arizona Memorial (National Park Service)

Memorial Day ceremonies to be plentiful

From staff reports

PARKERSBURG - Memorial Day will be celebrated throughout the Mid-Ohio Valley Monday with a series of parades and ceremonies honoring military veterans in the various communities.

The early services are at Evergreen South by the flag pole at 7 a.m. and at the post headquarters at 2505 Ohio Ave. at 9 a.m. The full services will be at 10 a.m. in City Park. The post members will be finishing the day at 11 a.m. in various nursing homes.

In Marietta, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion will be sponsoring parades Monday to honor the military veterans who have died in service.

Each parade will feature local high school bands, local veterans groups and community organizations and local politicians. A memorial service, with 21-gun salutes and other honors will be given at the end of each event.

VFW Post 5108 will hold the first program beginning at Harmar Elementary School. Senior vice commander Bob Jenkins said the parade will start at 8 a.m. from the school and end at the Harmar Cemetery, where a 20-minute program will be held in honor of fallen soldiers.

From the cemetery, the crowd will walk to the Putnam Street Bridge. Another 21-gun salute will be given for fallen Navy personnel and a flower wreath will be thrown into the Muskingum River.

The parade organized by AL Post 64 in Marietta will begin lining up at 9:30 a.m. Monday on Front Street next to East Muskingum Park. The parade will start at 10 a.m. and follow a route along Putnam Street, Fifth Street, Wooster Street and Eighth Street.

During the parade, the units will stop at Mound Cemetery for a brief dedication of a tree that has been planted there in honor of all veterans, said AL Post 64 Commander John Amrine.

There will be a ceremony in Oak Grove Cemetery at Eighth and Wooster streets to commemorate those who have passed since the last Memorial Day. During the program, the names of soldiers who have died since Memorial Day 2004 will be read aloud. The program will include a 21-gun salute and the reading of the Gettysburg Address and General Logan's orders, which were given during the Civil War and proclaimed Memorial Day, Amrine said.

There will be a flag retirement ceremony at AL Post 64 Home, also at Eighth and Wooster streets, following the ceremony. Anyone with old or worn American flags can bring them to the post for proper disposal. Lunch will be served at the post following the ceremony and the flag retirement ceremony.

The city of Marietta and the Citizens Armory Preservation Society will hold a special dedication at 1:30 p.m. Monday on the front lawn of the former Ohio National Guard Armory on Front Street in downtown Marietta.

Callie Lyons, community development specialist with the city of Marietta, said the city recently re-acquired a naval mine from the Spanish American War and a howitzer from World War I which were on display for decades in front of the armory. After being restored through the efforts of CAPS, the artifacts are back on display and Monday's ceremony is being held to re-dedicate them, she said.

In Williamstown, American Legion Post 159 will hold a parade from Tomlinson Park to Riverview Cemetery Monday. Units will begin lining up at 9 a.m. and the parade will begin at 9:30 a.m.

A ceremony honoring deceased veterans will be held at the cemetery with speakers including Post 159 Commander Doug Meeks and army veteran Jim Waybright.

Following the memorial ceremony, everyone is invited to return to the post building at 100 Central Ave. to honor recently deceased post members and for a flag disposal ceremony. A lunch and open house will then be held at the post for everyone in attendance.

In Belpre, the annual Memorial Day program will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Rockland Cemetery on Washington Boulevard.

The event is organized by American Legion Post 495 and the Ladies Auxiliary in Belpre and will feature several speakers. World War II veteran Hal Moore, a retired minister, will be the speaker at this year's event.

There will be a 21-gun salute, the laying of a wreath and the playing of Taps during the ceremony, said organizer Bob McDonald.

Following the ceremony, lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m. in the post at 100 Washington Boulevard, below the Parkersburg-Belpre Bridge.

In Beverly and Waterford, the annual Memorial Day Parade will begin at 9 a.m. Monday at Fort Frye High School with the lineup beginning at 8:30 a.m. The parade will proceed along Ohio 60 to the Beverly Cemetery where a memorial ceremony will be held for the veterans buried in the cemetery.

The parade will then move toward Waterford on the other side of the Muskingum River. The parade units will stop for a few minutes on the Beverly-Waterford Bridge while a wreath and flowers are thrown in the river to honor naval veterans. The parade will end at the Waterford Cemetery with another ceremony for veterans.

In Lowell, the Memorial Day activities will begin early with a ceremony and Mass at 7:45 a.m. Monday at the Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery near Lowell, said John Paul, commander of American Legion Post 750 in Lowell. The Mass will be followed by a breakfast at the post hall in Lowell.

Units will begin lining up at 9:30 a.m. at Lowell Elementary School for the annual Lowell Memorial Parade, which begins at 10 a.m. The parade will go from the school to the Lowell Veterans Monument at the post hall.

The parade route will continue on McClain Street, Fourth Street and Fifth Street to the German Cemetery where a brief ceremony will be held. The parade will then proceed to the Greenlawn Cemetery on Cats Creek Road, with a stop on the Cats Creek Bridge for a brief salute to naval veterans. The parade and ceremonies will conclude at Greenlawn Cemetery.

The speakers are expected to be Father Tim Huffman of Our Lady of Mercy and the Rev. Jim Fernihough of St. John's Church in Lowell, said Paul.

In New Matamoras, members of American Legion Post 378 and VFW Post 6387 will hold ceremonies at Ferguson Memorial Park, at the World War I Memorial and at the Ferry Landing on the Ohio River beginning at 10 a.m. Monday.

Beginning at 1 p.m. and lasting throughout the afternoon, veterans will visit 12 small cemeteries located throughout Grandview Township and a portion of neighboring Monroe County to celebrate Memorial Day.

In Ravenswood, the Ladies Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6669 will hold its annual ceremony in honor of the naval dead at 1 p.m. Monday at the old ferry landing in Ravenswood. As part of the ceremony, Boy Scout troop 43 will advance the colors to begin the event and the Rev. Carl Mann, of the Ravenswood Church of God, will offer the invocation and the benediction with Michelle Skeens Shamblin slated to sing the National Anthem. Members of the VFW 6669 will offer the 21-gun salute and Ravenswood band members will offer "Taps" and echoes to close the ceremony.

Another ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. at the Ravenswood Cemetery, with Jim Fletcher, former Ravenswood High School graduate and retired Air Force lieutenant, as the guest speaker.

In Ripley, several local veterans groups will participate in a ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Monday to be held at the Jackson County War Memorial on the courthouse lawn.

Members of the American Legion Posts 107 and 118, VFW Posts 5501, 6669 and 3488 and the Marine Corps League Detachment 1065, will be responsible for various parts of the ceremony. The event will include a reading of the names of the war dead, a prisoner-of-war and missing-in-action ceremony, a tribute to and introduction of veterans, a flag folding ceremony, a 21-gun salute and Taps. Retired Lt. Col. Robert Ferguson will be the guest speaker.

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NewsandSentinel.com: Memorial Day ceremonies to be plentiful - - The Parkersburg News & Sentinel

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Welcome to NASA.gov

U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen celebrate graduation in Annapolis, Md., Friday, May 27, 2005. President George W. Bush addressed the Naval Academy graduates during the ceremony. White House photo by Paul Morse

For Immediate Release
May 28, 2005

President's Radio Address

     Audio

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This Memorial Day weekend, Americans pay tribute to those who have given their lives in the service of our nation. As we honor the members of our Armed Forces who have died for our freedom, we also honor those who are defending our liberties today.

On Friday, I met with some of the courageous men and women who will soon take their place in the defense of our freedom: the graduating class of the United State s Naval Academy. These new officers will soon be serving on ships, flying combat missions, and leading our troops into battle against dangerous enemies. They are prepared for the challenges ahead -- morally, mentally, and physically. The American people can be confident that their freedom is in good hands.

In their hometowns, these soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines are more than names on a roll of honor. They were friends and neighbors, teachers and coaches, classmates and colleagues. Each was the most important person in someone's life; each had hopes for the future, and each left a place that can never be filled.

We mourn their loss, and we honor their sacrifice. We pray for their families. And we take heart in knowing that these men and women believed deeply in what they were fighting for. Christopher Swisher was a staff sergeant from Lincoln, Nebraska, who joined the Army a year after graduating from high school. He was killed in an ambush while on patrol in Baghdad. Sergeant Swisher told his loved ones: "If anything happens to me, I'm doing what I want to be doing -- I'm protecting my family and my home."

Rafael Peralta also understood that America faces dangerous enemies, and he knew the sacrifices required to defeat them. An immigrant from Mexico, he enlisted in the Marine Corps the day after he got his green card. Just before the battle of Fallujah, he wrote his 14-year-old brother, "We are going to defeat the insurgents. Be proud of me, I'm going to make history and do something that I always wanted to do." A few days later, Sergeant Peralta gave his life to save his fellow Marines.

This Memorial Day, we remember Sergeant Peralta, Sergeant Swisher, and all who have given their lives for our nation. And we honor them as we continue to wage the war on terror and spread freedom across the world. The people of Iraq and Afghanistan are determined to secure their freedom, and we will help them. We're training Iraqi and Afghan forces so they can take the fight to the enemy and defend their own countries, and then our troops will return home with the honor they have earned.

Throughout our history, America has fought not to conquer but to liberate. We go to war reluctantly, because we understand the high cost of war. Those who have given their lives to defend America have the respect and gratitude of our entire nation.

Thank you for listening.

 Radio Address

• 2005
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Return to this article at:
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President's Radio Address

To all those who have served our
country and thereby you and I,
I'd like to say thanks!

Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day 2005 Message From the Secretary of Defense

I am pleased to join millions of Americans in honoring the brave men and women in uniform -- those who serve today, those who have fallen in battle, and those veterans who proudly served in the past.

My father volunteered to serve in the Navy after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Millions enlisted to battle against the tide of tyranny then threatening the world. And I was privileged to serve in the Navy some 50 years ago. Now, more than 50 years later, I count my time in uniform as a most important period in my life. Thousands, if not millions, of others who have served undoubtedly feel the same way.

Military service has always been one of our country's most noble callings. America has long been the defender of liberty -- the country that has stepped forward to defend those who could not defend themselves. This was true from our country's early days at Lexington and Concord, where the earliest citizen soldiers defended their farms and homes, their new country, and the cause of freedom.

In the years that followed, the U.S. armed forces have become freedom's champion -- at Gettysburg; in the forest of the Argonne; on the beaches of Normandy and Iwo Jima; in the air during the Berlin blockade; and today in places like Kabul and Baghdad.

This new war we face has required our military to adapt its thinking, and challenged us to prepare in new ways. Yet whatever the mission, whatever the challenge that lies before us, each of you who are serving our country are confronting it with grit and courage. I thank each of you and your families for your service to our country.

When my father passed away some 30 years ago, I found a letter in his papers that he had received from then secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal -- who later became the first secretary of defense. Secretary Forrestal apparently sent this letter to all those who served to arrive after they had returned to civilian life. Noting the historic achievements made by the U.S. military, he wrote: "You have served in the greatest Navy in the world. ... It crushed two enemy fleets at once, receiving their surrenders only four months apart. It brought our land-based air power within bombing range of the enemy and set our ground armies on the beachheads of final victory. ... For your part in these achievements you deserve to be proud as long as you live. The nation you served at a time of crisis will remember you with gratitude."

That letter to my father now hangs on my office wall in the Pentagon. It is a reminder to me of our country's fighting spirit. And I see that same spirit in the actions of the men and women in uniform every day. It is that spirit that we honor on this holiday: the selfless duty and devotion passed down from generations who served before, and the courage of those who sacrificed their lives in service to our country.

Our country is proud of every member of our armed forces -- volunteers all -- and we are deeply grateful to those who have sacrificed for the cause of liberty. May God bless each of you, may God bless your families, and may God bless our wonderful country.

Donald H. Rumsfeld

Source: Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day 2005 Message From the Secretary of Defense

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For Those Who Served

High Schools Are 1.0 in a 5.0 World, Gates Says

WASHINGTON — Addressing the nation's governors, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates (news - web sites) delivered a scathing critique of U.S. high schools Saturday, calling them obsolete and saying that elected officials should be ashamed of a system that leaves millions of students unprepared for college and for technical jobs.

Gates was speaking as the invited guest of some of the nation's most powerful elected officials, at a National Governors Assn. meeting devoted to improving high school education across the country.

"Training the workforce of tomorrow with today's high schools is like trying to teach kids about today's computers on a 50-year-old mainframe," said Gates, whose $27-billion Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (news - web sites) has made education one of its priorities.

"Everyone who understands the importance of education, everyone who believes in equal opportunity, everyone who has been elected to uphold the obligations of public office should be ashamed that we are breaking our promises of a free education for millions of students," added Gates, to strong applause...

...Politicians, Listen!

...Aloha!

I Must Say That, I Try To Look At EveryOnes' "Space" That, Visits My "Space", Via My "Statistics".

 

The Most Notable "Recurring" Theme That, I Notice, From Todays "High School" Students Issssssssss...

 

"I'm Bored!" 

 

...Which, Statement, I Look On With Quite a Bit of "Puzzlement"!?

 

I Mean, There The Person Is Sitting In Front of a Machine (...A Computer!) That, Can Deliver, At Their Fingertips, ALL The Accumulated Knowledge of Mankind In Human History, The Past, The Present & Ideas About The Future...

 

...& On Many, Many, MANY of  These High School Students "Spaces" The ONLY Entry In Their Blog Issssssssss...

 

"I'm Bored!"

 

How Can This Be?

 

In The Wordz of Another Famous Machine, From Another Time,...

 

"This Does Not Compute!"

 

Todays High School Students MUST NOT Have Enough Homework To Do & That Is Why They Are "Bored"!

 

...Maybe If Todays High School Students HAD MORE HOMEWORK TO DO, THEY WOULDN'T BE "BORED"!!!

 

I Think That, Is Where We Are Headed...

More Homework For High School Students!!!

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Yahoo! News - High Schools Are 1.0 in a 5.0 World, Gates Says