Thoughts

June 1, 1010: The best things in life aren't things.

July 4, 2009: Wear pride on your sleeve. US Army General and President Dwight D. Eisenhower

April 12, 2009: Democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who will not. Thomas Jefferson

July 30, 2008: A friend is someone you can count on....and can count on you.

July 6, 2008: Freedom--no word was ever spoken that has held out greater hope, demanded greater sacrifice, needed more to be nurtured, blessed more the giver, or come closer to being God's will on earth. WWII General Omar N. Bradley

November 23, 2007: There was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break one of the French engineers came back into the room saying, "Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done?" He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intended to do, bomb them?"

A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: "Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck.. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?" Once again, dead silence. Author unknown

November 2, 2007: A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S., English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies. At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of Officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that, 'whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English.' He then asked, 'Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?' Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied, "Maybe it s because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German." You could have heard a pin drop! Author unknown.

September 28, 2003: "Experience is a hard teacher because she give the test first and the lesson afterward" Vernon Law

March 2003: When in England at a fairly large conference, Retired U.S. General Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if the U.S. plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building by U.S. President George Bush. General Powell answered by saying, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those who did not return." It became very quiet in the room.

July 9, 2002: There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. - General Colin Powell.

May 18, 2002: Believe in who you are, use wisely what you have, and each day will bring you a smile.

May 3, 2002: No one stands taller than those who are willing to stand corrected.

Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime." Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr.

Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy