Finding America a great blog by Jane Devin

http://www.findingmyamerica.com/

Jane Devin is one of my friends on Twitter. Last year she set out on a plan to visit all parts of America. She tells stories of her experiences .  I think she is a great read !

Catch her on twitter

http://twitter.com/janedevin

Missed Twitter happy New Year to all of ya !.

It has been a very bad year and a half for me, I am very glad to have friends on Twitter as well as Blip FM. Thanks all of you for your kindness as well as friendship ! Have a great Year !

Nasty Vindictive Idiots beat it !

I posted a article on Peter Schiff months ago and still receive a bunch of stupid ass responses from idiots. I used to like to blog, however ,what I have seen these past years is a certain type of internet troll who in their brain feel the need to respond to observations that I made about this guy who is running for the United States Senate seat in Connecticut to unseat Chris Dodd.
Freaking morons who have freaking zero clue that they make comments about the guy they support and sound like barn Yard Palooka’s . Here is the skinny, I do not care what the freak you think. you are a mope ! I look at these comments and think this freaking bird brain moron is reading some other bird brain morons blog with run on sentences and a horrible spelling and is writing some crap like I am a political Icon writing for Huffington Post. I am a idiot, some loser with a free account from WordPress. If I was anything else I would not even be blogging on this site dumbasses.

just kidding !

Teddy Kennedy laid to Rest at Arlington

Teddy Kennedy passes on..

Senator Edward Kennedy, the elder statesman of America’s most famous political family, is dead at the age of 77 after a battle with brain cancer. He was the youngest brother of slain President John Kennedy. The life of the Massachusetts’ Democrat was one that many admired. For me I am just able to state that this guy was larger than life.  I has the opportunity to toss a few back with him years back. I was just at Eunice Shrivers wake as stated in my earlier posts. Very sad !

Congressional Medal of Honor

This is my great-great grand uncle, buried at Arlington National.He received the Congressional medal of honor at the age of 16 years old from Lincoln.

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http://www.alpinehistory.org/captain_harry_jeremiah_parks.html

Captain Harry Jeremiah Parks
Photographs

captain harry jeremiah parks

Civil War Congressional Medalist

February 14, 1848 – October 19, 1927

by Vic Head

The Congressional Medal of Honor is the highest military honor awarded by the United States for “uncommon valor” in action above and beyond the call of duty in combat against an armed enemy.  As of the end of the Vietnam War, a total of 3,418 such medals had been awarded, nearly half of them during the Civil War.  So what makes Captain Parks so special?  First, few indeed were personally awarded in a face-to-face ceremony by President Lincoln; second, he was only sixteen years of age when the award was made.

I was privileged to be befriended by Captain Parks when I first moved to Alpine, California in January 1926, when I had just turned eight years old and the Captain was a month shy of seventy-eight.  He was living in a tiny cottage some called the “Doll House” down the hill and across a creek from old Highway 80 and behind the famous Log Cabin Café owned by the Foster Family.  Captain Parks told me how proud he was that throughout an illustrious army career spanning more than four decades he had never killed a man.  As a child I was intrigued by his curved sword, which would slide just as easily into and out of its curved scabbard as would a straight sword with a straight scabbard.  He called it a saber.  He had a guitar leaning in a corner that he said sometimes gave out spontaneous music in the wee small hours.

My parents were divorced when I was a baby (1918).  In 1926 my mother was the third librarian in the new Alpine Library, and Captain Parks befriended her, sometimes driving her around 30 miles each way into San Diego.  She never tired of telling what an expert driver he was.  Once when a child dashed into the street, he avoided catastrophe by driving onto the sidewalk.  Though he was twice her age he, perhaps in fun, proposed marriage.

Note: Vic Head has shared many of his memories of Alpine with the Alpine Historical Society’s Barbara Cater.  The preceding article is among these memories.   Barbara met Vic through Patty Heyser when Patty asked the Historical Society to provide assistance to Vic in his research of Captain Parks.  Since that time Barbara and Vic have kept in touch.  He continues to send her his wonderful articles about Alpine.

Currently residing in Pennsylvania, Mr. Head reports the following regarding his research projects and the photo shown below:  “Photo courtesy of Patty Heyser, formerly Patty Foster, whom I worshiped all unbeknownst to her in fifth grade in the one-room schoolhouse in Alpine.  Now that we are both 88 years old, Patty and I are in frequent communication and she and her family have been very helpful in tracing Captain Parks’ later life.  Another invaluable source has been a search of the National Census records to learn where Harry J. Parks was to be found every ten years.  This was conducted by one of Alpine’s younger residents, Barbara Cater, who is active in Alpine’s Historical Society.

I am also particularly grateful to Roy Williams who provided 16 pages of backhand script in his mother’s writing, which Captain Parks had allowed her to copy from his diary and correspondence.  Roy was second cousin once removed to our beloved teacher Hazel Hohanshelt and took care of her correspondence in her old age.  Hazel died on August 20, 2004, at the age of 98.”

WAR EXPERIENCES OF CAPTAIN PARKS

Mrs. Lena Williams copied the following from Captain Park’s diary and correspondence.  Mrs. Williams was Lena Angeline Stephenson, daughter of William and Ida Stephenson.  William was the nephew of Louisa Alcott Snow Willett, who came to Alpine in the 1880’s and homesteaded 160 acres which she named Mt. Pisgah.  She is buried there, one of 14.

Harry J. Parks was born February 24, 1848, near Orangeville, New York.  He enlisted in Company A, 9th New York Cavalry and served until the close of the war.  He is one of the very few who had the honor of having his medal placed upon his breast by the President himself, and when Lincoln did so he embraced the young soldier, then but sixteen years of age, and said, “God bless my boy hero of the Shenandoah,” and directed that he should have twenty days’ furlough.  Which of us would not glory in having a memory like that, of Abraham Lincoln, the greatest American since Washington.  The circumstance that gave young Parks the opportunity of thus meeting the President was, that after capturing the flag for which he gained his medal, General Sheridan ordered him to take it to Washington and present it in person to the War Department.  The manner in which the boy captured the flag was one of those acts that shows the dash and utter want of fear exhibited by the young boys who formed so large a part of our army.  On the evening of October 19th, when the last charge was made by our troops and the enemy driven back, broken and routed, our cavalry started in pursuit and Parks, rushing ahead, got far in advance of any of his comrades.  Finding himself among many Confederates, he singled out one who carried a flag over his shoulder.  Riding up to him he said, in a voice of authority, “Give me that flag.”  The man wheeled and fired at him instead.  Parks promptly returned the compliment and the color bearer answered, “I surrender,” handed over the “Bonnie Blue Flag” and was marched to the rear.  Meeting some of his comrades, Companion Parks turned his prisoner over to them and galloped to the front again.  Encountering three teams trying to get away, he rode up to the leading driver and ordered him to turn quietly and follow him.  Mistaking young Parks in the darkness for one of their own people, he did so, and the three teams and their drivers, including four soldiers, were conducted in to our lines.  The wagons were found loaded with cigars and luxuries for headquarters and were very acceptable.  I quote from a letter of Capt. A. C. Robertson, who commanded Co. A, 9th New York Calvary during the war:

“H. J. Parks served in my Co. A., 9th New York Cavalry and was under my immediate command on October 19th, 1864, and I was personally known to him.  I am pleased to state that his conduct on that day was not unlike that of the more than a year and a half in which he served under me.  Had there been a flag at the end of each of his soldierly actions, the return of them to the states whose troops bore them in 61-65, the number would have been greater than they are now.  At the breaking out of our Spanish War, Companion Parks organized a Light Battery, a Colorado Artillery, was commissioned captain and served until the end of the war, and while at Fort Hancock in command of this battery, he served as Judge of the Military Court.  When the battery was mustered out, the members presented him with a diamond-set medal.  Previous to the Spanish War he commanded a Light Artillery Battery of the Colorado Guards, and the members presented him with a gold mounted sword of honor.  The state of Colorado also presented him with a medal for valor and patriotism.  Companion Parks has willed his medal to his nephew, Prof. Charles A. Wheeler, on Connecticut, having neither wife nor children.”

The Congressional Medal of Honor

by Harry J. Parks

By request of the War Department for a statement of how I won my Medal, I herein make a sworn statement of the same.

On October 19th, 1864, during General Sheridan’s famous battle in Shenandoah Valley when a great defeat of the Union forces was turned into a grand victory for us in one day, the Confederate forces were stampeded and while retreating, my company [Company A, 9th New York Cavalry] was ordered to follow the enemy and capture all we could of them and their wagon train.

During our hasty charge we reached Strasburg and had just about reached the rear of the enemy’s wagon train when darkness came on.  Quick work had to be done, it being only three miles to Fisher’s Hill.  This being the enemy’s old breastworks, they were sure to rally on this hill which they had left in the morning.

My Captain, knowing I had a lively horse, said to me, “Harry, you are brave.  Make a dash ahead, stop all you can of the train.”  At once I was on the jump.  Leaving the road, I took to the valley, pushed forward rapidly.  Darkness favored me.  While passing many straggling soldiers, I ran into a color-bearer.  Halting him I ordered him to hand me the flag and coat.  At once he fired, ticking my ear.  Then he sprang behind my horse and ran for the river near by.  Returning my saber to its scabbard and drawing my revolver I dashed after him, firing at him whereupon he threw down the flag and said, “I surrender,” handing me the flag and coat.  I marched him back to our men, then galloped forward again until I was near the Stone Bridge at the foot of Fisher’s Hill.  Here I stopped and slipped on the coat; then halted the train, taking charge of three of the wagons, ordered them to turn about and go back into camp.  Taking me to be an officer of their army the drivers obeyed.  There were rebels all around us so I let them think I was one of them.

Starting back I saw two soldiers sitting by the roadside.  I said, “Boys, you’re tired.  Put your guns in the rear of the wagon and get up in front and ride.”  They seemed glad of this chance.  Going a short distance further I met two more men, served them the same way, placing two in each wagon.  Soon I informed them they were all prisoners.  One of them said, “Who in hell are you anyhow?”  I said, “You’ll find out if you try to leave the wagon.”

Arriving at our Army Camp and the wagons parked, I gave the men my hand and said, “Well, boys, you are on the right side now, so be good and you’ll be happy.”  They all seemed pleased.  One said his wagon contained groceries, cigars and other things for the officers, I think he said of Kershaw’s Headquarters.  This was good news to me.  At once I planned to get part of those stores.  I called out “Is there anyone here from Co. A, 9th NY Cavalry?”  From out in the darkness an answer came, “Yes.”  Well, we got busy and quickly filled two foraging racks and strapped the same on our horses.  Soon the guard came taking charge, and we hurried off to our Regiment which we found in about an hour in camp, sleeping.  We turned in, not having had anything to eat for twenty-four hours.  The next morning I informed the Captain of my good luck.  He sent for Colonel Nichols.  Then we all sat down for a feast from my goods captured and finished on the cigars that were passed around.  So far I had said nothing about the flag.  When I uncovered it, holding it up, the boys cheered.  Taking me by the hand, the Colonel congratulated me and told me to keep the flag while he reported the same.

Early that morning General Torbert started me up the valley with our Division to learn the location of the enemy.  Meanwhile he had sent an order for me to report to him with the flag.  When he saw it he inquired where the staff of the flag was.  I told him I had stripped it from the staff when captured.  He told me to find something to fly it on.  At a farmhouse I found an old rake handle.  Tying the flag to it, I hastened to the head of the marching column, cheered by the men along the line.  The General was pleased with my success and had me take lunch with him at noon.  That evening we returned to the Army.  Soon an order came from General Sheridan for me to report to him with the flag, prepared to go to Washington.

When I reported, the General said he had learned of what I had accomplished and spoke in praise of my act.  Said he would send me with General Custer to Washington to report to the War Department.  With an escort of Cavalry we traveled all night, reaching Martinsburg the next morning, and took a train for Washington, arriving there in the afternoon, too late to report.

The General requested me to meet him at 10:00 a.m. Monday.  This was done.  We started for the War Department.  The people all around us wished to carry us on their shoulders.  Many followed to Secretary Stanton’s office.  Here we were kindly received and after the greeting of General Custer, I was introduced with the flag.  Stanton’s first words were, “Well, the boy has the Bonnie Blue Flag, the first to enter this department.”  It was all blue field with two rows crossing of large white stars.

When introduced an officer stepped forward speaking in my behalf words of praise at a request from my Colonel.  It was a surprise to me.  Then Stanton took me by the hand saying I was deserving of great credit, and wished if the war lasted I would rise to the rank of my superior officer standing beside me (meaning Custer).  He then informed me that a medal of honor would be given me with a furlough for twenty days and a hundred dollars and transportation home.  I was also informed that I should remain in the city for four days obtaining a pass to see the city while the medal was being made.

Strolling around seeing the city I wandered into the White House.  The guard noticed me and my worn out clothing, inquiring if I was from the front.  I handed him my pass.  He seemed surprised and said, “Stand here a minute.”  He left, and returned shortly saying, “The President wishes to see you.”  My heart bounded with joy.  When I saw Lincoln both hands were extended to meet and greet me.  He said many kind words and requested me to come in when I received the medal as he wished to see it.  Upon receiving the medal I went at once to see the President.  Again he received me kindly, with a smile on his manly face.  He took the medal from the case and pinned it on my breast over my throbbing heart.  Then placing his arm around me he said, “God bless my hero boy of the Shenandoah.”

I was then only sixteen years old. The President Abraham Lincoln had won my love and admiration.  He was more to me than the Medal of Honor.

HARRY JEREMIAH PARKS

Death certificate #1728 – San Diego, CA

Died:   Naval Hospital, San Diego
Date of death:  October 19, 1927
Was in the hospital October 1st – 19th
Cause of death:  Carcinoma of esophagus
Widowed
Occupation:  Retired Rancher
Birth Date:  February 24, 1848
Birthplace:  New York
Father:  James Parks – Pennsylvania
Mother: Rachel White – New York
19 months in Alpine
14 years in California
Place of burial:  Arlington Cemetery
Washington, DC
Section ES Site 1200
Buried:  October 23, 1927
Undertaker:  Davis-Bonham Mortuary
1752 4th Street, San Diego
Embalmment Lic. #1796

The Lincoln Inaugural Bible, Chapter and Verse

Posted on: January 14th, 2009 by Matt Raymond

The Library of Congress often provides Bibles from its vast collections for the use of Members of Congress during their swearing-in ceremonies. But it is not every day that a president-elect makes the same request for his inauguration. It is rarer still when that Bible is the same one upon which Abraham Lincoln first took the oath of office in 1861. (In fact, as far as we can tell, that Bible has not been used by a president since Honest Abe himself.)

But that’s exactly what Barack Obama is doing, in keeping with the very Lincolnesque theme of his inauguration.

The historic meeting between past and present, symbolized by a single book, has caught the public’s attention. (A quick search in Google News reveals at least 600 articles.)

Because there are few high-resolution images of the Lincoln Inaugural Bible available on our Web site, I wanted to provide several of them here.

The Lincoln Bible, by the way, will be among the items on display in “With Malice Toward None,” our exhibit opening Feb. 12 that honors the 200th birthday of our 16th president.

The images follow the jump. (Warning: The images that are linked to by the thumbnails are pretty large, each in the 5 to 6MB region.)

(All photos credit “Michaela McNichol”)

Title page of the 1861 Lincoln Inaugural Bible

The balance of the images follow the jump …

Mark Dimunation, chief of the Library of Congress’ Rare Books and Special Collections Division, holds open the 1861 Lincoln Inaugural Bible to the page signed by the clerk of the Supreme Court, William Thomas Carroll

Mark Dimunation, chief of the Library of Congress’ Rare Books and Special Collections Division, in the Library’s Main Reading Room, holds open the 1861 Lincoln Inaugural Bible to the page signed by the clerk of the Supreme Court, William Thomas Carroll

The front cover of the 1861 Lincoln Inaugural Bible

Alternate view of the front cover of the 1861 Lincoln Inaugural Bible

The 1861 Lincoln Inaugural Bible against the backdrop of the Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress

The 1861 Lincoln Inaugural Bible, opened to the page signed by the clerk of the Supreme Court, William Thomas Carroll, attesting that the book was used for Lincoln’s oath of office

Alternate view of the 1861 Lincoln Inaugural Bible, opened to the page signed by the clerk of the Supreme Court, William Thomas Carroll, attesting that the book was used for Lincoln’s oath of office

40 years woodstock Carlos Santana

Michael Shrieve is best-known as the drummer in an early lineup of Carlos Santana’s band, Santana, and for his performance at the 1969 Woodstock festival, when he was just 20 years old (he turned 20 on July 6 of that year, making him the youngest musician to perform at the festival).

Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s wake

Yesterday I paid my respects to Eunice Shriver at Centerville.below is a picture of Maria Shriver and

@Chrissyisms my friend from Twitter.

Eunice Shriver’s casket was surrounded by Kennedy family photos – many featuring family members with world leaders – and pictures of Shriver from the Special Olympics. But what struck me the most was exactly what is carried on within Maria in the above photo.. A constant smile.

The photo’s that lined up and down the aisles all recorded a human being that loved life, and reflected joy, Mere words cannot measure how all those moments were added up to measure this woman’s great life.

Maria Shriver displayed the same warmth as well as graceful nature as her mother.

KENNEDY: President Kennedy’s ancestors include Fitzgerald, Hannon, Hassett, Hickey, Kennedy, Linnehan,  Cox, Field,Murphy, Noonan, Sheehy, Wilmouth. many Americans of Irish ancestry are related to the Kennedy’s .

Peter Schiff take 4..post from a reader !

From Jekyll  stated :

‘Thanks for the discussion JFK Fan. Let me try to explain where I stand on taxes overall. The only tax reform needed is to lower or abolish existing taxes. When reform proposals seem complicated, the reason is simple… they obscure their true nature as schemes to shift the tax burden around. It’s not who pays or how we pay…but rather it’s how much we pay.

The real enemy of tax reform is the spending culture in Washington. Let me repeat: we will never have tax reform in this country until Congress changes its spending habits. The reform rhetoric, regardless of which party it comes from, never changes the reality that federal spending grows every year. Congress spent $2.4 trillion in the 2008 Bush budget; this year’s budget proposes to spend $3.6 trillion. The same unconstitutional agencies are funded, the same unwise programs are perpetuated, but at higher levels than the previous year. The previous budget serves merely as a baseline; the only question in any given year is how much spending will increase. Once created, no spending program is ever eliminated. The cycle goes on and on, with different administrations and different people in Congress.

But could America exist without an income tax? The idea seems radical, yet in truth America did just fine without a federal income tax for the first 126 years of her history. Prior to 1913, the government operated with revenues raised through tariffs, excise taxes, and property taxes, without ever touching a worker’s paycheck. Even today, individual income taxes account for only approximately one-third of federal revenue. Eliminating one-third of the proposed 2007 budget would still leave federal spending at roughly $1.8 trillion – a sum greater than the budget just 9 years ago in 2000! Does anyone seriously believe we could not find ways to cut spending back to 2000 levels? Perhaps the idea of an America without an income tax is not so radical after all. It’s something to think about.

Dear Mr Jekyll

Thank you very much for responding.The only problem I see is that we need to run the government, sewer water, fire, police schools. Your response was awesome. Personally I get called a socialist, commie , Nazi however I am a libertarian liberal  that believes in helping other Nations but nor sending garbage dumpsters of money to other nations when we need it here.I am disabled and eat Ramon noodles and thank God I paid into SS because I would be up shits creek without a paddle.

You are a gentleman and a scholar ! And sound like you may even be Mr. Peter Schiff himself ! I could be wrong !

God Bless  your friend  JFK Fan !

Dear Morons..Peter Schiff take three..

I am getting some feed back on the Peter Schiff blogs I posted. Let me explain something, read my blog. There seems to be a real disconnect with some people. I have gotten some comments and the freaking morons are not reading the whole commentary on Mr. Peter Schiff, whom if he is depending on some of the idiots that are responding my sophomoric commentary he is in trouble.

Let me again go over this but in a different way. Mr Schiff goes on TV, he then knows that he is going to face Lawrence O’Donnell who is known to be a crazy liberal rabid dog. He is substituting for another liberal, bull dog Ed Shultz who is off fishing somewhere.

Mr. Schiff knew what he was facing when he wandered into that studio.

Now I wrote now three posts on this stupidity. But I have half baked morons who are making comments alleging that I am bashing Schiff, who in my opinion needs to hire someone who can tell him with all his money he is a idiot for playing Custer by walking into this mess in the first place.

MSNBC is about as fair and balanced as Faux News. If Schiff had the political savvy he would have went on the Joe Bag of Donuts in the morning show. Or Carlos Watson, instead of the buzz saw. Why am I giving this guy advise anyway? Even Sarah Palin gave a speech about this for crying out loud !

During this exchange Mr. Schiff who is running (maybe) for the United States Senate, gets ripped into by O’ Donnell, and looked like a puppy that just got caught peeing on the carpet.

Who is responsible for Mr. Schiff;s campaign ? He is..and that is why one hires someone like a Ed Rollins, or David Axelrod, to consult. And if I were consulting Mr. Schiff I would have advised him not to go on this show, and pick another one. But Mr. Schiff does not have the political savvy to do such and even admits this on his own website. So when some half baked no account blogger rips him apart, what will the big bloggers do ?

Now granted, people have passion and conviction and want to support Mr. Schiff. However, if you read my post I am headbanging Dodd  also !

I leave the comments section open for people who are not mutants .

Here is Peter the political genius :

THe reason peter said he wants to lower the income tax and tax health care benefits, is so that people have more of a choice of what to do with their money. Inflation, the thing the government does best, is what hurts people on fixed incomes the most. THe FED has TRIPLED the amount of money in the economy ofver the last 18 years. That is wait is going to hurt you the most. Inflation is gonna push health care benefits higher, and everthing else you need to buy. AND i am sorry to you for this. IF you listened to anything by peter schiff, you would know he is anything but a wall street guy! GO watch his videos on youtube, Learn something. Listen before you speak. LEARN WHO PETER SCHIFF IS BEFORE YOU GO CALLING HIM WALL STREET GUY, OR ANY OTHER LIE LIKE THAT>

Dear Andrew,

Before you speak learn to use spell check. And read what I said about idiots both Democrats and Republicans in Congress. You state :

LEARN WHO PETER SCHIFF IS BEFORE YOU GO CALLING HIM WALL STREET GUY, OR ANY OTHER LIE LIKE THAT>

About Peter Schiff

Peter Schiff is a successful businessman, bestselling author, and economic expert widely credited with foretelling the US economic crisis years before it occurred.

Peter is not a politician and has never held elected office, instead dedicating his entire adult life to economics and finance.  A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, Peter studied finance and accounting before joining a prominent brokerage firm. In 1996 he joined Euro Pacific Capital, a small brokerage with no clients or revenues, building it into an industry leader in international investment strategies with thousands of clients and six offices nationwide.

SO HE IS NOT A WALL STREET GUY AND I AM THE IDIOT BEING CALLED A LIAR ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Schiff

Read his bio off his own website and stay off my blog if you are a freaking moron !

With all due respect to Mr. Schiff without prejudice I wish him well on his campaign. Again for the morons who cannot read, I am sure he is a fine as well as decent man, he should have been given more respect than Lawrence O’Donnel gave him !

Here is Mr. Schiff’s  website for anyone who wants to read or support him for Senate :

http://www.schiffforsenate.com/index.php/site/about/

My advise to Mr, Schiff is get a glove get in or out of the game this is not about managing portfolio’s or running a company, that was a real stupid mistake going on that show in the first place and expecting some sort of outcome other than a disaster.

BTW the State of Connecticut has a State income tax, as well as property tax issue, once again let me state for the record that one could conceivably make all the tax cuts at the federal level, however at the State and local level due to wherever you live in the State of Connecticut , which is where Mr, Schiff is from, and should know, any Federal tax break offset for medical could be wiped out by a local board of Aldermen or raise in mill rate. To even further this to the people commenting, I have not seen one of you from the State of Connecticut making comments, So in fact Mr Schiff who states he is a neophyte, never ran, nor held office before seems to have zero understanding of property tax increases, nor state income tax issues in his home state. The two Casino’s which added to the states income are sucking wind and not providing the revenue to the state as in past years due to the ecomony, state employees have taken furloughs , cut backs , early retirements have been instituted . Mr, Schiff may be more persuadable to run for Governor as a third party candidate and use his abilities as a business owner to solve that states dire economic problems. and maybe propose a cut to the state income tax so people of that state can buy health insurance .