May 30, 2016 Ridley's Believe It Or Not Memorial Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not For May 30, 2016 Finally only 235 days to endure President Obama’s pathetic lame duck term. The Balkanization of politics continues with the Libertarian Party nominating the duo of Larson and Weld and rumors flying of another independent candidate floating about; hopefully Sanders will run also as an independent which would guarantee with five candidates  the election would most likely be decided by the House which has not occurred since 1824 when it selected John Quincy Adams over Andrew Jackson—what a nightmare but it might block a real disaster of four years of the most nontransparent, dishonest and as Trump would say crooked president we have ever had. The Reds continue to self destruct as prominent political figures are skipping the Red Convention and the schism in the Blues gets larger and larger. Not wonder this is the year of the outsider as many feel our government no longer works. As always, I hope your Memorial Day is proving to be a great one and that  you enjoy today’s holidays and observances, a music link to Wilbert Harrison, factoids of interest, a relevant quote from Thomas William Parsons with a poetic footnote by the Alaskanpoet,  while  looking forward to enjoying  a mint julep, blessed with a positive attitude and  secure in  the knowledge that, if you want to find a gift for any memorable events like birthdays, weddings, or  anniversaries, you know that the Alaskanpoet can provide you with a unique customized poem  at a great price  tailored to the event and the recipient. You need only contact me for details.

1. Memorial Day—once the barbecue grills are cleaned, the beer and wine bottles tossed into the trash, the volleyball nets taken down, the picnic gear stowed and notes of taps and all the patriotic speeches have faded away, a fervent wish that sacrifices of vets not be forgotten and the outrage over the abysmal treatment by the VA sweep this country to force the solving of the long wait times causing deaths and suicides and the firing of incompetent administrators. 

2. Water A Flower Day—even though Trump is stating there is no drought in California, only the diversion of water to fish as opposed to farms, today might be the day as the summer season is now officially upon us.   

3. 1959 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1959 on a run of two weeks in that position Kansas City by Wilbert Harrison.  Here’s a link to Wilbert Harrison performing the song on a very young looking Dick Clark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UonBS_mvW-E      

4. National Mint Julep Day—celebrating the cocktail that is synonymous with the running of the Kentucky Derby; why celebrated today defies logic until one realizes that mint juleps were being consumed on plantations long before the Kentucky Derby was run and the drink did not become the signature drink at the Kentucky Derby until 1938.  

5. If You Drink Like A Fish Swim Don’t Drive Day—celebrating or bemoaning depending on whether you are a probable DUI candidate and all the risk to others and yourself that implies, the birthday on this day in 1946 of Cindy Lightner who after her daughter Cari was killed by a drunk driver in 1980 founded Mothers Against Drunk Drivers; sadly despite all the efforts of MADD drunk driving still claims far too many deaths and carnage on our streets and highways.

On this day in:

a. 1806 future president Andrew Jackson at a border town in Kentucky (dueling in Kentucky was permitted but outlawed in Tennessee where both duelists resided) killed Charles Dickinson in a duel despite being hit in the chest.  

b. 1911 Ray Haroun won the first Indy 500 with a blistering at that time speed of 74.59 miles per hour. 

c. 1922 the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C.                        

d. 1958 the remains of two unidentified servicemen, one from WWII and the other from the Korean War, are buried at the tomb of the unknown soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.      

e. 2013 Nigeria banned same sex marriage; not a place a same sex couple would want to be with penalties for homosexuality of 14 years but if in Sharia controlled areas the penalty is death. 

Reflections on Memorial Day “On thy grave the rain shall fall from the eyes of a mighty nation!" — Thomas William Parsons, noted 19^th Century American dentist and poet Thanks to all veterans who have served/For their patriotism to our way of life preserve/ Tell Obama and Congress they are not getting the care they deserve/ Those warriors who stepped into harm’s way without reserve  

 Please enjoy the poems on events of interest on my twitter account below (if you like them, retweet and follow me) and follow my blogs. Always good, incisive and entertaining poems on my blogs—click on the links below. Go to www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com for Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—This Day In History, poems to inspire, touch, emote, elate and enjoy and poems on breaking news items of importance or go to Ridley's Believe It Or Not for just This Day In History.

© May 30, 2016, Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet 
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