Happy Father's Day, D-Man!

My father served his country in the Air Force at the height of the Cold War in the 1960s. He worked in aviation, was involved in amateur radio, and then became a father and helped to raise an amazing family. My love of aviation was born early through countless stories, frequent trips to air shows and military weekends. I spent many weekends parked beside him in our basement trying to learn everything I could about any project he was working on. Soon thereafter, I too became an amateur radio operator. Soon too, I would serve my country, work in aviation, and raise my own family--entirely because of the example he set for us. I couldn't be more proud.

Flag Day 2013

The Christmas dinner table feels empty

The Christmas dinner table feels empty without Andrew. He would have eaten turkey and ham until he felt sick, and then some. Tracy would have bought shrimp for Andrew and me, and between the two of us, we would have eaten the entire container. Then, at about 2AM, Andrew would have trekked up to the kitchen (in the middle of a video game marathon) and had another run at the leftovers. It would have been entirely expected that there would be no leftover desserts come morning! I miss him more than ever, but especially on days like today. I feel blessed that I was able to be his father for the time he spent on this earth, and know in my heart that he is spending his time in a better place.

Merry Christmas!

Home!

Finally. I made it home by Christmas Eve. I was able to spend last night and today with my family and finally get to hold our baby. Give me a few days to adjust and then I'll update you on the last few days of travel and our welcome home.

No school

In many districts across Pennsylvania, schools are closed on the Monday after Thanksgiving. No, this isn't an extension of the holiday. It's the first day of deer season, and an estimated one million Pennsylvanians were out in the woods today hunting for deer. Tracy and I took a long afternoon drive and encountered quite a few hunters in the Black Moshannon State Park area.

Pennsylvania is known for two issues: pro-life, and pro-gun. While these are typically Republican positions, even many Pennsylvania Democrats are pro-life and pro-gun. Pennsylvania is also among the states with the most hunters. None of this is a surprise to those of us that live in Pennsylvania, of course!

Americans on Veterans Day and the military

From Rasmussen Reports:

Seventy-eight percent (78%) of Americans have a favorable opinion of the U.S. military. That figure is unchanged from last year’s Veterans Day survey conducted by Rasmussen Reports.

Just 11% report an unfavorable opinion of the U.S. military.

The survey was conducted in anticipation of Veterans’ Day which will be celebrated this Saturday. Forty-three percent (43%) rate Veterans’ Day as one of the nation’s most important holidays. Just 6% say it is one of our least important, while 43% say it falls somewhere in between.

One out of three Americans (36%) have close friends or relatives who have given their life while serving in the military. That figure includes 42% of men and 30% of women. It cuts across all age, racial, and income groups among the population.

Half of American adults (48%) plan to do something special to commemorate Veterans Day. Thirty-three percent (33%) report no special plans. Americans under 30 are less likely to do so than their elders.

The day we recognize as Veterans Day was originally known as Armistice Day. The holiday was named to commemorate the signing of the armistice that marked the end of fighting between the Allies and Germany during World War I. Armistice Day became a national holiday in 1938; its name was changed to Veterans Day in 1954 to recognize all American veterans.

Veterans Day

From Wikipedia.com:

Veterans Day is the American name for the international day called Armistice Day. It falls on November 11, the anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended World War I. It is both a federal holiday and a state holiday in all states. The same day is observed elsewhere as Remembrance Day or Armistice Day. All major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice. Armistice Day was first commemorated in the United States by President Woodrow Wilson in 1919, and many states made it a legal holiday. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 inviting all Americans to observe the day and made it a legal holiday nationwide in 1938.

Take a moment today to say "Thank You" to a veteran for the sacrifices they have made on your behalf!

ELECTION DAY!

Today, November 7th, is Election Day. It is not really a holiday, as most people work and most schools will be open, but it is perhaps one of the most important days of the year because it defines who we are as a people. Do not take for granted that the balance of power from one party to the other (and back again) comes about in our country by a free and open process, not by a preordained succession, military coup, or other violent means.

I always encourage people to vote Republican, but really I just want people to go out and vote, period. One of my biggest pet peeves are people who constantly complain about our government, but never bother to actually get out and vote. As far as I am concerned, your decision to vote convinces me that you care enough about the direction of our country for me to listen to your opinion.

If you aren't sure where to vote, check your local newspaper, the Internet, or your local elections office. We have a system in Centre County where we can type in our personal information and it gives you the location of your polling place (although I do have some privacy concerns about it). Other areas undoubtedly have similar types of systems.

You might see a new voting system, too. Centre County has moved to touch-screen voting (there's even a demo here). I've asked Tracy to check it out for me so I expect to have more on that later today or tomorrow. Of course, having been registered in Pennsylvania since I was 18 and being outside of the state (and country) since 1999, I have probably voted by absentee ballot more times than I've actually been in a voting booth!

In Pennsylvania, the polls are open from 7 am until 8 pm. Again, check your newspaper for poll hours in your state.

Get out and VOTE!