Thanksgiving Parade Memories

This morning we had the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade tuned in as they went through the star studded lineup about to be seen. Spiderman was floating in all his splendor, held by several ropes, the workers grateful for a calm day. Various famous actors, actresses and performers would eventually make their way to the cameras; but of all them, Santa was the one the children would be waiting to see. Santa coming into town signals the beginning of the Christmas Season.

Years ago, I’m talking thirty plus years ago when I was assigned to the Point Control Division of the Houston Police Department, Thanksgiving morning meant working the parade. It started with 5am Roll Call, and you’d better not be late; don’t even think of staying home unless you already had a toe tag. There would be intersection assignments for crowd control, “go-fer” duties and then a rare few got to escort Santa at the end of the parade.

The three wheeled motorcycle, a cross between the worst parts of a two wheeled motorcycle and the worst parts of a standard automobile, was the vehicle of choice for Point Control. These interesting police vehicles did have some redeeming social value, couldn’t think of how to put that seeing as how this might be read by folks with tender ears; where was I, the three wheeler could operate downtown, either on the normal street surface or even the sidewalk depending on the need.

You could usually tell if the motor was at operating temperature, it would melt the inboard cuff of your dark blue police issued trousers. A brittle bead of crystalline substance, which at one time had been a blend of wool and polyester fabric would form a gentle arch along the bottom of the pants.

The actual parade wouldn’t start for hours so my partner and I would drive over to my folk’s house, at the edge of downtown in the Montrose area, and invite ourselves in for breakfast. We didn’t have to be on post for a couple of hours so it was a leisurely breakfast with my folks.

I remember driving back towards our assigned area, the sun was just up as we neared the old YMCA building. On the sidewalk was a young fellow with a boom box crouched on his shoulder oblivious to the rest of the world as he jammed methodically northward. An evil thought entered my mind and without speaking, a wry smile crossed my lips and alerted my partner of the planned attack on the unwary victim.

I should explain that three wheelers didn’t have a siren, or much of a horn for that matter. We’d learned a trick or two on how to get the attention of folks, either to pull them over for a traffic violation or to have them get out of the way when we were trying to get some place in a hurry. The most effective noise we’d been able to come up with involved locking up the front disc brake and simultaneously pulling the handlebars as hard as would permit, as if to make a turn, all the while giving the motor full acceleration. The combination of efforts ground the front tire along the pavement as if in a horrendous accident; folks gladly got out of your way, often times you could see their shoulders come together in one giant flinch, their heads bowing on pulled in necks waiting for the imminent collision.

Back to the happy go lucky fellow with the boom box; my partner and I both locked up the front end and gunned the engines, a horrifying air busting cacophony of sounds echoed off the nearby buildings. I failed to mention that there was a retaining wall of sorts next to the sidewalk in front of the YMCA building. The young man bounced off the retaining wall on his first attempt to avoid the accident which was happening off to his blind side, the boom box bounced along the sidewalk as he made it over on his second try.

Partner and I waved and laughed as we drove off, the sun at our backs, “your police department at your service”. The City actually paid us to perform these modest and useful acts of public service. Did I mention how to make a three wheeler’s muffler crack from repeatedly using it to detonate unburned gas fumes, intentional backfires? I guess I should leave well enough alone.

I started out to write about the thrill brought about when Santa was escorted, by a handful of exceptionally skilled three wheeled motorcycle officers, officers who’d distinguished themselves throughout the year by their professionalism. Yup, I got to escort Santa Claus at the end of the Thanksgiving Parade, more than a couple of times.

That reminded me; my first recollection of ever meeting a police officer was the time my brother and I had been hiding behind a hedge of low bushes one winter. We were surprising passing motorists with a cache of snowballs on a dreary afternoon in Levittown. We jumped up, threw our snow balls at the next passing car and made a direct hit on the open window of our local police unit.

Our legs refused to work or we’d have made our get away; instead we stood there, frozen in our place until the officer walked over and explained how he wasn’t all that happy with our actions. He took us home and handed us over to my mother; never needing instructions from the officer on how to appropriately correct our character growth. Ironic, isn’t it, how some folks follow a path through life which leads to who knows where.

All this time the Macy’s parade has moved along and here I am going on about the past; hope I didn’t miss the Rockettes. Several years ago Lucy and I flew up to New York to experience the sights and sounds of that great city during the Christmas Season. It was the same year our troops found Saddam Hussein hiding in his spider hole over in Iraq, an interesting way to remember dates; a picture on the cover of the New York Daily News of that scoundrel getting hauled off was an early present that year.

Lucy and I had tickets to see the Rocketts perform at the Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular that year. It was plenty cold as we waited in line, the shadows from the building along with the sounds of the city engrained as fine memories to this day.

I’m rambling again; have a great Thanksgiving, hope you’re surrounded by those you love and appreciate. Most of all give thanks to our Father in Heaven for the many blessings we’ve been given and pray for an extension of those blessings in spite of our many short comings.

Proclamation of National Thanksgiving

In case you were wondering why you had a paid holiday off for Thanksgiving, maybe putting things in perspective would be useful. I was driving down the road on the way to a locksmith job when I heard Rush Limbaugh read George Washington’s Thanksgiving Day Proclamation on his program, that along with some of the associated history.

A couple of years ago I’d expressed my thoughts on Thanksgiving and was roaming around the blogosphere for other articles of a similar nature. What I found repulsed me to a certain degree as I read about everything except gratitude to God for the many blessings we have been given. I found folks patting themselves on the back for a job well done, the greatness of their individual accomplishments and hardly a mention of the hand of the Lord in protecting our nation or the miracle that is America. Thank Heaven for men like George Washington who captured, in a fairly short proclamation, the essence of our gratitude and the humility we should continue to exhibit on a daily basis to our Creator.

I should give credit to Rediscovering George Washington , the source where I found this document even though it may be found elsewhere. The photograph, slightly cropped, is from Meridian Magazine’s fund drive article wondering if folks who received their free internet publication were thankful enough to send a donation; thought it was beautiful and didn’t think they’d mind sharing their artwork.

Proclamation of National Thanksgiving

George Washington

City of New York, October 3, 1789

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks, for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation, for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war, for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed, for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually, to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed, to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord. To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and Us, and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

Updated

Steve Farrell has a good article over at his site, Thanksgiving for the Divine Source of our Claims – De Tocqueville.

http://networkedblogs.com/p18974228

Retired Teacher Bonus?

I read where the Texas State Comptroller’s office turned down the legislature’s request to pay retired teachers a five hundred dollar bonus .

“Attorney General Greg Abbott on Monday issued an opinion that says normal procedures for distributing the $155 million were not followed by the 2009 Legislature.”

Please don’t read anything into this that isn’t there; I have the highest regard for teachers. In an economy that is less than robust; what kind of idiot legislature contemplates handing out bonus money? Did that money grow on a money tree or is this more wealth redistribution?

My locksmith business is directly tied in with the automotive industry; and our figures have been pretty ugly for this past year. You won’t hear about belt tightening because I’m not in the unemployment line; but our business is off around 40%. I’m not complaining and I’m able to keep my head above water, pay those I owe and even have a little left over.

The economy is “on the rebound”, at least that’s what I’m hearing from mass media sources. According to them the recession is over and we should all enjoy a very good “holiday season”; heaven forbid they mention Christmas. I should be thrilled for retired teachers who are able to enjoy part of my hard earned money.

Shucky Dern, I know where the money came from, or at least part of it. Each year the State of Texas STEALS about five hundred dollars from my account so I can renew my locksmith license . I want to thank the legislature for explaining, at least in part, why being in being in business is so rewarding.

Screen Savers - Getting Spoiled

I was remembering a screen saver program that I enjoyed many years ago when the Personal Computer was in its infancy. It was part of a package of screen savers made for computers that did silly things like green monsters that bounced around for awhile making gross noises until it would explode and start all over; but the one I was thinking of had a forest scene. On Thanksgiving the internal clock of the program triggered a magic button and all the little fir trees in the forest somehow were trimmed with Christmas lights that lighted up and stayed that way until Christmas or some extended time thereafter; been a while so I could be off on the ending time.

I thought about looking for that old time screen saver program; but couldn’t figure out where to start, there being so many new screen savers now. I found one that made me smile, a 3-D Four Seasons image that has a changing landscape with mountains, trees, a lake and birds flying all around. When it kicked in the leaves changed from summer to fall, leaves dropped and then the snows came to make the lake freeze over and the mountains were covered with snow. A few minutes later the ice melted, birds returned along with new green leaves; quite a production for a free program.

If anyone remembers the program I was referring to, it had a toaster with wings on the original package; probably made for Windows 3 or some other ancient Windows platform, see if that is still available. I’d love to have some of those older screen savers from an age when simple graphics were accepted and revered as something of a miracle; these newer ones are spoiling me.

Thankful for Hobo Kitties

We’re finding quite a bit of joy in watching the personalities of the Hobo Kitties as they grow individually. This morning we captured Brother hiding in what at one time was our tomato garden; now covered in Wandering Jew until such time as we replant.

Lucy happened to look out the door and saw Princess up on the protective fence around the tomato garden, one that never did all that much protecting; but it looked impressive. Princess was curious about the wind chimes; except when someone appears at the back door they know “good things happen”, dinner, treats or a scratch behind the ear.

We also got a good snap shot of Head Buttr’, also known as Cousin 1. Her sister, Cousin 2, stays out of reach until the Giants, that’s us, go back inside. At that time Cousin 2 darts back and forth looking for a chance to grab a treat only to find there are none left. Head Buttr’ likes to coral Princess or Brother; but has to keep a safe distance from the other Hobo Kitties as they tend to have short tempers.

Environmental Whacko Approved Day the Earth Stood Still

Sunday afternoon was relaxed as I flipped through the channels looking for a movie; unfortunately I found the new “green” version of The Day the Earth Stood Still . Humans are to blame for all the problems on planet Earth and aliens come to save the planet and all the other species, not the human race; fits right in with the environmental whacko hysteria machine.

I never thought I’d say it; but I actually asked to watch HGTV, that stupid house hunting, fixer upper, tear it out channel as part of the repentance process for having subjected our lives to one of the worst films in quite a while. Watching folks blow insulation into a newly renovated house was more satisfying than the “green” version of The Day the Earth Stood Still. Thank you very much; but I’ll stick with the original black and white version .

I found a trailer for this wasted effort along with two actors pleading for “change”; gosh, their message is so important I had to share it with all of you. You better watch this film before the ocean levels rise and flood all the coastal cities. I only have two thumbs or it would get a “three thumbs down” rating.

The Past Through Tomorrow Explains Today

I never claimed to be the sharpest pencil in the box; but having observed the White House with its stacked deck of misfits, the idea occurred to me that I’d read about a similar scenario once before. Robert Heinlein wrote a collection of short stories called, Future History Stories – The Past Through Tomorrow . If you’re not familiar with Heilein’s style of writing this would be a good place to start.

The story I was thinking of was called, The Roads Must Roll , about an intricate road system which society relies upon. A malcontent figured out that he could make drastic things happen by putting together a staff of like minded malcontents and attacking society from within.

There's a plot to through a monkey wrench into the works, so to speak, but it's detected prior to its full implementation. The man “at the switch” is confronted by one who has figured out who each of the conspirators are, their having been hand picked for key positions in the administration, along with how they planned to carry out their overthrow.

“…You start a functionalist revolution, and the only function you can think of to perform is to blow up is the road which justifies your title…”

If this doesn’t paint a duplicate portrait of the Obama administration with its radical leftist advisors, their hatred for the free market system which had provided America with the most efficient goods and services for roughly two hundred years; then maybe my comprehension skills are faulty.

I hear about theoretical transformation processes, a means of destroying democracy and the “old America” in favor of some new Utopian society; you might call it the ultimate “hope and change” promised every American in the last presidential election. The problem which has become more apparent with each passing day is that the hope and change promised included some interesting prerequisites; destroying the foundations of the “old America”, the one which provided safe guards for individual rights, a fertile environment in which industry flourished and contained limits on the powers of government.

There’s a solution known as the Cloward/Piven Strategy which would bring about pure unadulterated chaos and I see Heilein’s warnings about to reach fruition.

“Their goal is to overthrow capitalism by overwhelming the government bureaucracy with entitlement demands. The created crisis provides the impetus to bring about radical political change.”

Now if you complete the thought, Obama has brought his team of radical Marxists together, has this Cloward/Piven Strategy whereby the destruction of capitalism can be implemented and add to that, the willful deceptions practiced in passing legislation which contains thousands of pages of hidden mandates, mandates which violate the very concepts of individual agency and liberty (the old America); and you have a recipe for disaster.

How’s that hope and change working for ya’? When folks tell you they’re just as American as you; don’t you have to ask, “Yea, but which America are ya’ talkin’ about; the old America or that new fangled Marxist America?”

Angels Snoring ?

I had a rare treat this morning to help out in the Primary when one of the regular teachers couldn’t make it. Actually I was a backup for the other teacher, one of those rules where there needs to be two adults in a class so I didn’t have to come up with a last minute lesson.

Primary is broken down into three parts, Sharing time where all the children are in one room for opening exercises, the lesson time where they break off into small groups by age and then back to Sharing time; except this time the group is halved, I was with the older kids this time as they were supposed to learn something they will do for the Christmas program.

I wasn’t familiar with the song, Stars Were Gleaming , as the music instructor, Sister Antezana, had gestures that were supposed to remind the children of the various words as she presented the song. She held both hands above her head and let her fingers point down, as if dancing.

Stars were gleaming…

She rested her head on her flattened hands…

Shepherds dreaming…

Here arms pulled together like she was hugging…

And the night was dark and chill.

Here’s were my ears let me down. I may have mentioned in previous writings, I’m hard of hearing; even with hearing aids certain sounds are beyond my ability to hear. My brain attempts to fill in the blanks with words that might fit, could fit on an outside bet or that make for a fun sentence with no chance in a million of being correct.

She held her hands in front of her as if opening a book; but my ears heard…

Angels snoring.

Come on now, shepherds were dreaming, angels could have been snoring; what do you want, Pavarotti? They sang the song several times and I chimed in, doing my best to learn the new song. Brother Mangrum, the fellow I was supposed to be helping, was next to me. He couldn’t keep from laughing as he heard me singing, Angels snoring where it should have been Angel’s story.

Hearken, he is laughing still.