Personal

Happy Birthday Ronald Reagan

by
Ronald Reagan

Today is the 100th Anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s birth.  It’s been interesting to see both Republicans and Democrats try to lay claim to Reagan’s legacy.  Willie L. Brown appeared on Meet the Press today giving his take on how much Barack Obama is like Ronald Reagan.  To paraphrase Mr. Brown, President Obama was held back from showing us this in the first two years of his presidency by the progressive left that controlled the Congress and Senate.  Really!?!  Wow!

Ronald Reagan accomplished many things in his two terms as President.  It seems both sides now look back on him positively with nostalgia.  Here are a few of Ronald Reagan’s best quotes from The Quotation Page as a reminder of what he stood for and why he was called “The Great Communicator”.

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.“
 
“Freedom is one of the deepest and noblest aspirations of the human spirit.“

“I don’t believe in a government that protects us from ourselves.”

 
“If you’re afraid of the future, then get out of the way, stand aside. The people of this country are ready to move again.”

“Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed there are many rewards, if you disgrace yourself you can always write a book.”

“Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.”

“The government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it. ”

The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’

 

“To sit back hoping that someday, someway, someone will make things right is to go on feeding the crocodile, hoping he will eat you last–but eat you he will.”

To learn more about Ronald Reagan visit the Ronald Reagan Library website here.

Pioneer Award

by

Hey, I’ve received the Pioneer Award from Andrea Cook at iHEARTgreenmedia.  All right, all right, hold down the Oooo’s and Ahhh’s…  It is always nice to get noticed.

Andrea is a friend with whom I’ve been working on several projects, not to mention the fact that we continually cross paths in our volunteer lives.  We just recently debated Lurkers on her LinkedIn Social Media page.  I had previously discussed my thoughts on Lurkers here. 

Andrea is very active in the community and is doing good things for Culver and Plymouth through her iHEARTculver and iHEARTplymouth sites.  Check her out.

Happy New Year 2011!

by

Here’s hoping everyone in the Easterday Construction Co., Inc. family, those we have met, those that we have affected and those that have affected us, have a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!  Let your hair down and Bang Your Head!  It’s a new year with all its promise of better things to come. 

Happy New Year!

December 7th, 2010

by

Yesterday was December 7th.  As always there were rememberances of Pearl Harbor, though it seems that these are less every year.  I even heard a disturbing historical report about how we knew about the proposed attack ahead of time, but through a series of bureaucratic mistakes, the warning got there late. (Wikipedia version)

Philip Frederick Rising

The rememberance was a little more poignant for me due to attending a memorial service for a retired naval officer last week.  My mother-in-law (Sara) married Philip Frederick Rising last January.  I honestly did not know him well as they lived in Texas.  (His obituary and additional pictures can be found here.)  Becky and I attended the memorial service to support her mother.

Towards the end of the service, three naval officers displayed a U.S. Flag, ceremonially unfolding and folding it.  Taps was played.  The flag was presented to Sara by a naval officer in a formal dress white uniform.  After presenting the flag, he removed his glove and quietly gave his condolences while holding her hand.  I don’t know that anyone can observe the reverence with which this ceremony is performed without feeling the weight of the generations that have served and often died in the task of defending our Country.  After completing their duty, they slipped quietly from the Church.  I specifically went looking for them to thank them, but they had already left before the family was out of the Sanctuary.

I did not know Phil well, but he will be missed.  Hearing his family and friends share remembrances reinforced my impression that he was a good man.  But as with all things in life, there are constant new beginnings to counter the endings.  I have a new great nephew, Charles Eli Marquis, who was born yesterday weighing in at 9lb, 11oz!  Life goes on with all its highs and lows.