Transgenders In The Foxholes

This poet because of his ears during the Vietnam War was classified 1-Y

Only in the case of a declaration of national emergency would he be at risk to be sent off to die

Never had the chance to share a foxhole or charge with a Band of Brothers near death

To watch comrades shot to pieces yet to somehow, someway survive to take another breath

In the 60’s the concept of transgenders did not in the military macho world exist

Gays if not totally closet most likely could not be drafted and could not enlist

Today Ash Carter the Secretary of Defense

When it comes to transgenders no longer stayed on the fence

If you have been in your new identity for 18 months confirmed

Welcome to the Armed Forces for your patriotism to be affirmed

Regardless of chromosomes, regardless of sex or identity ponder or have a changing wish

You can serve this country when the dogs of war are released to chow down at the Martian dish

The world for the baby boomers growing up in Father Knows Best  are now exposed to change at hyper speed

Aging, baptized by the disrespect for authority in the Vietnam War, the old voices of order no longer to heed

In the days when rifles and full ammo loads weighed 60 plus pounds

You might want to be surrounded by strong young men who would hold their ground

Today, when brute strength and endurance may not be the key

But rather the idealism to stand and die when the forces of terror are on a killing spree

Welcome to the foxhole, Bruce or Caitlin who to protect the civilians will give up dearly his or her life

All hands on deck whatever the gender may be with thoughts to win against the forces of evil that are running rife

© June 30, 2016, Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet 
Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
The Perfecsert Gift, All Recipients to Receive a Lasting Lift

Lynch Meets With Bill Clinton Privately for 30 Minutes

Maybe we have become so numb to the political bias of the former AG hack

Whose goal was not to oversee justice but always, always protect Obama’s back

The president has vowed the FBI in investigating HRC will have free rein

What little credibility of that vow just went down the drain

Pretty basic that as a lawyer during an investigation you don’t have with a suspect’s hubby a private tête-à-tête

The appearance of impropriety or bias is something a top prosecutor must in the pursuit of justice reject

Loretta Lynch to whom the FBI will after finishing with Hillary report

Her decision then made to see if Hillary will be facing her day in court

Met for 30 minutes with Bill Clinton on her plane after it had landed in Sky Harbor

Optics are everything, was this “chance” encounter to support for his wife garner?

Should we believe Ms. Lynch just a harmless chit chat over grandchildren and his golf game?

In this highly charged election year with so much at stake her actions merit condemnation and blame

Obama has already prejudged her innocence and supposedly without talking to the FBI

With a solemn vow like you can keep your plan any interference by him he of course denies

He soon will be with her on the campaign trail

Brought to us by the same team that brought us the it’s a video lying tale

Even some Blues are now shaking their heads

While Reds rightfully so want an independent prosecutor instead

No wonder Americans in their government have had their faith lost

Politicians like Hillary and Obama are driven to always stay in power, to win at any cost

© June 30, 2016, Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive Lasting Lift

June 30, 2016 Ridley's Believe It Or Not National Social Media Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not For June 30, 2016. Unfortunately still 204 days to go in President Obama’s pathetic lame duck term as the financial markets slowly are recovering from the meltdown after Brexit; any doubt that radical Islam is a worldwide existential threat to civilization notwithstanding Obama’s silence on Istanbul and Kerry’s ludicrous assertion while taking a break from climate change rants that ISIS is desperate, news today is that the three fanatic misguided martyrs were linked to Russia, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan; today marks the beginning of the first day of the third year of this caliphate cancer and Obama is still clueless and as a commander in chief without any strategy to defeat, much less contain, this perversion of the Muslim faith; if you thought our DOJ would impartially examine the evidence of Hillary’s criminal conduct over her server and the quid pro quo of Bill Clinton’s speeches and donations to the Clinton Foundation, dream on as in a shocking display of the appearance of corruption our AG met privately with Bill Clinton for 30 minutes while her airplane was parked on the tarmac in Arizona to chit chat about “his golf game and grandchildren”—she has fatally compromised her integrity and forfeited what little integrity the DOJ had left after the hack Holder ran it into the political swamps.

      This news is so frightening and chilling that it has to stand alone; the FEC voted 3-3 to punish Fox News over its format changes to the first Republican debate with the undercard and prime time card. Talk about an assault on the free press which every American regardless of party should be totally outraged and demanding that the Blues who attempted this censorship should be impeached. Instead, just like in the case of the IRS waging war on the Tea Party, from the main stream media only the sounds of silence.

       On the compassion front, Los Angeles struggling with a homeless population of over 27,000 voted to put a 1.2 billion dollar bond measure on the ballot to create shelters and drug and rehab services for the homeless—at around $80 a year per property owner seems like a human response. On the athletic front Michal Phelps, assuming he does not pick up any more DUIs will be the first athlete in history to participate in five Olympics. Tragic news and proof positive that notwithstanding their size grizzly bears are really fast sprinters as a mountain biker discovered as he was caught and killed by a grizzly in Montana’s Glacier National Park. www.lyingcrookedhillary.com is a great way to start your day along of course with www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com

       As always, I hope  you enjoy today’s holidays and observances,  a music link to Whitney Houston, factoids of interest, a  relevant quote from Amy Jo Martin while looking forward to enjoying an ice cream soda (killer recipes below), 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. Asteroid Day—with all the concern over radical Islam except in the White House, global warming and the fact that the San Andreas fault is “locked and loaded” not sure if we need another observance to galvanize our awareness of another potential existential disaster, but we do and this observance to create awareness of the danger to this planet from a collision with an asteroid was created on this day in 2015. When you retire this evening and look up into the skies pray to your god that there is not hiding in the far reaches of the heavens a huge, huge piece of rock weighing many tons that is heading in our direction at 20,000 plus miles an hour.     

2. National Social Media Day—celebrating since 2010 the contribution of social media to our interaction as human beings and the dissemination of knowledge and opportunities for discussion.                     

3. 1987 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1987 on a run of two weeks in that position by a singer, Whitney Houston, who had one of the best voices in the business “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”. Here is a link to a vibrant, full of life Whitney Houston performing that song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH3giaIzONA

4. National Ice Cream Soda Day—celebrating a really great way to beat the summer heat as we all know “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.” Here are some great ice cream soda recipes to try today:  http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/ice-cream/ice-cream-soda.asp          

5. Talk About A Stiff And Sore Neck—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1985 of the only athlete to compete in 5 Olympics and who has won more medals, 22, than any athlete in Olympic history and will be on the U.S. Swim Team in Rio this summer for his fifth Olympiad, looking to add to his medal total.  

On this day in:

a. 1906 In response to Upton Sinclair’s book The Jungle which exposed the practices of the Chicago meat packing industry, Congress passed the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act.

b. 1936 Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia appealed to no avail to the League of Nations for help against Italy’s invasion of his country. 

c. 1953 that iconic sports car the Chevrolet Corvette first rolled of the assembly line.

d. 1966 the National Organization for Women was founded.

e. 2015 in a chilling reminder of how firefighters risk their lives, 19 firefighters were killed in Yarnell, Arizona fighting a raging wildfire—being burned to death is definitely not a favored exit from this planet.  

Reflections on social media: “Just as we teach our children how to ride a bike, we need to teach them how to navigate social media and make the right moves that will help them. The physical world is similar to the virtual world in many cases. It's about being aware. We can prevent many debacles if we're educated.” Amy Jo Martin, noted American author and entrepreneur—wise words
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.

© June 30, 2016, Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive Lasting Lift

June 29, 2016 Ridley's Believe It Or Not National Camera Day,

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not For June 29, 2016. Unfortunately still 205 days to go in President Obama’s pathetic lame duck term as the financial markets recovered somewhat yesterday but Turkey took it on the chin yesterday with yet three more ISIS suicide bombings at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul killing over 40 and wounding over 230 (terrible loss of life but maybe Turkey will finally get its act together, close its border and bring its armed forces to bear on crushing the ISIS caliphate that is celebrating its two year anniversary today); the Benghazi Committee Report was released which shows a complete failure of Obama and Clinton leadership and indecision while 4 Americans died—Hillary in typical Clinton fashion hypocritically slammed the $7 million spent in taxpayer funds and intoned that it is time to “move on” (to some extent she is right as it is time to move on for we as a people to move on and leave this felon in the trash heap of history on the outside of the White House, never to step her unfit feet through its doors); Trump and Hillary responded to the Istanbul tragedy but only sounds of silence from Obama, Kerry touting the ridiculous idea that ISIS is desperate and Lynch winning the prize more the most ludicrous statement of all delivered before the attack that we should fight ISIS with “love.” www.lyingcrookedhillary.com is a great way to start your day along of course with www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com

       As always, I hope  you enjoy today’s holidays and observances,  a music link to Billy Ocean, factoids of interest, a  relevant quote from John Grisham while looking forward to enjoying almond butterscotch, 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. National Camera Day—celebrating that great device that has brought memories to life and still growing strong in now a digital format.  

2. Feasts of St. Paul and St. Peter—honoring the martyrdom of these two Apostles and patron saints of Rome and observed in Rome as a public holiday.                     

3. 1986 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1986 on a run of one week in that position “There Will Be Sad Songs” by Billy Ocean. Here is a link to Billy Ocean performing “There Will Be Sad Songs.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLjpJZbxkAU

4. National Almond Buttercrunch Day—celebrating a tasty candy which in the case of Almond Roca has been around in the U.S. since 1923.

5. The Little Prince Has Legs—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1900 of noted aviator and author of The Little Prince  Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who was lost on a reconnaissance flight over France during World War II; his works live on and The Little Prince has been made into a movie scheduled for release in 2016.  

On this day in:

a. 1888 George Edward Gouraud recorded Handel’s "Israel in Egypt” on a phonograph cylinder; it is believed to be the oldest musical recording.

b. 1927 The Bird of Paradise, a U.S. Army Air Corps Fokker Tri-Motor completed the first Transpacific slight from the United States to Hawaii. 

c. 1956 the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 was signed into law by President Eisenhower creating our Interstate highway system.

d. 1972 SCOTUS in the case of Furman v. Georgia ruled that arbitrary and inconsistent application of the death penalty violated the 8^th and 14^th Amendments and constituted cruel and unusual punishment.

e. 2014 ISIS declared its caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria; the JV team as Obama foolishly called them is still there and as the attack in Istanbul showed yesterday it is still very lethal, totally mocking Obama’s assertions that it has been contained.  

Reflections on the death penalty: “I'm not in favor of the death penalty. But I'm in favor of locking these people away in maximum security units where they can never get out. They can never escape. They can never be paroled. Lock the bad ones away. But you gotta rethink everybody else." John Grisham, noted American author.

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.

© June 29, 2016, Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive Lasting Lift

Starbucks Service At Wilson and Harbor

Starbucks is the office and Mecca of the future where the internet and coffee combines

To bring together the best of all ideas, the best of all minds

Even if not doing business on the internet a chance to unwind

Get here early or be forever standing in a long coffee line

Plugs are the currency more valued than diamonds or gold

Only linked can your access unlimited to the internet be in a winning mold

But though we always live in hyper internet space

A magnet to why we caffeine internet addicts flock in a never ending race

Still we have to take a breath and look back

To the pre internet days when the most important thing was not a connect but trash to attack

Another day in the epitome of the technology internet technology caffeine place

Watching a young Barista the trash remove and an empty bag to it replace

Only on the Alaskanpoet blog this foundation to service always be preserved

And why at a Starbucks on Wilson and Harbor you always get the service you deserve 

Without a name tag but it would not matter for at this Starbucks the service is always to a high standard the same

Without the service of baristas this dark, dingy coffee shop near the waterfront in Seattle would never have risen to such great fame

        © June 27, 2016, Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet 
        Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

        Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
       The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive a Lasting Lift

Ketchikan and Starbucks

One of the great joys to be a poet, a child of the Midnight Sun

Is to meet members of the Golden State on their first Alaskan run

Too many have already done the plunge and the Wrangell Narrows have missed

Too tethered to the cruise ships’ intense caloric abyss

But today this poet whose father’s bones overlook the Narrows as the seine boats  north and south ply

Met a mother and son whose spirit of adventure to go north to the Land of the Midnight Sun could not be defied

Unlike the prospectors of 98 they came north to south heading back to the lower 48

Most likely with their seafood appetites totally in cholesterol lowering to totally sate

This woman with a Ketchikan tee shirt and sons hopefully to the Great Land will return

To with a husband more halibut cheeks and fiddleheads to earn

Bathed in the spirit of the Northern Lights

And the spirit of Alaskans to always when it comes to those in need to do what is right!

        © June 27, 2016, Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet 
        Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

        Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
       The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive a Lasting Lift

We Are At War And Lynch Protect Us With Diversity Training

As we face a determined enemy theology of radical Islam, a martyrying adversity

Lynch in her wisdom sacrifices our first line of defense to have classes in diversity

We are at war with radical Islam that requires all Muslims to jihad support

No ifs ands or buts no possible but we are peaceful Muslim retorts

Lynch is following lockstep the ideas of a complete MIA CinC fool

Who will not face reality that this caliphate must die, blown away by all our military tools

From the time he took office on radical Islam he went into delusional mode and head in sand ignore

Look around to see the PC victims, the body bags filled with blood and gore

The Israelis do it surrounded by millions dedicated to kill them and feed their bodies to the fish in the sea

Obama and now Lynch think we and radical Islam can live in peace and harmony

Read Defense of Muslim Nations by Azzam and you will quickly learn

We Americans are infidels and must convert so our way of life will never return

The Jews failed to read Mein Kampf and the West never chose to act and 6 million were in the ovens burned

We are at war and bias training will not help against an army of martyrs who the rules of decency and tolerance spurn

Ms. Lynch in your idea of love and PC that will add to the Islamist butchers’ bill

How about more secretive profiling that will make it easier for Islamists to quickly find and kill?

        © June 27, 2016, Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet 
        Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

        Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
       The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive a Lasting Lift

ISIS Wants To Kill Us Lynch Orders Diversity Training

As we face a determined enemy theology of radical Islam, a martyrying adversity

Lynch in her wisdom sacrifices our first line of defense to have classes in diversity

We are at war with radical Islam that requires all Muslims to jihad support

No ifs ands or buts no possible but we are peaceful Muslim retorts

Lynch is following lockstep the ideas of a complete MIA CinC fool

Who will not face reality that this caliphate must die, blown away by all our military tools

From the time he took office on radical Islam he went into delusional mode and head in sand ignore

Look around to see the PC victims, the body bags filled with blood and gore

The Israelis do it surrounded by millions dedicated to kill them and feed their bodies to the fish in the sea

Obama and now Lynch think we and radical Islam can live in peace and harmony

Read Defense of Muslim Nations by Azzam and you will quickly learn

We Americans are infidels and must convert so our way of life will never return

The Jews failed to read Mein Kampf and the West never chose to act and 6 million were in the ovens burned

We are at war and bias training will not help against an army of martyrs who the rules of decency and tolerance spurn

Ms. Lynch in your idea of love and PC that will add to the Islamist butchers’ bill

How about more secretive profiling that will make it easier for Islamists to quickly find and kill?

        © June 18, 2016, Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet 
        Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

        Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
       The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive a Lasting Lift

June 27, 2016 Ridley's Believe It Or Not National HIV Testing Day

 Ridley’s Believe It Or Not For June 27, 2016. Unfortunately still 207 days to go in President Obama’s pathetic lame duck term as the financial markets are being slammed in the aftermath of the Brexit vote with the Dow down over 300 points in early trading on Monday (some improvement over Friday’s 600 plus point plunge); Hillary and Warren made a joint campaign appearance today with Hillary praising the firebrand as “a person who tells it like it is,” which coming from someone who throughout her career tells it like it’s not seems very strange and the both of them in matching blue pant suits looking like a duo of smurfs with one Warren energetic and the other Clinton looking old and tired; SCOTUS struck down Texas’ restrictions on access to abortion clinics that did not meet standards of surgicare center standards 5-3; West Virginia is facing more flooding and on the West Coast California is fighting desperately raging out of control wildfires; Reds are still committing political suicide with the latest bickering requiring Cruz and Kasich to support Trump if they are allowed to speak at the convention in Cleveland; more red flags being raised that the Trump fund raising campaign is like a true JV or Freshman team in total shambles. www.lyingcrookedhillary.com is a great way to start your day along of course with www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com

       As always, I hope  you enjoy today’s holidays and observances,  a music link to Patti LeBelle and Michael McDonald, factoids of interest, a  relevant quote from Michael Templet while looking forward to enjoying a drink of orange blossom water (killer and simple recipe below for café blanc), 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 recipicient. You need only contact me for details.

1. National HIV Testing Day—created to by the Association of People with AIDS in 1995 to create awareness of the need to test to determine if one has been infected with the HIV virus—an estimated 1. 2 million Americans have been infected and one in eight is not aware of that infection.   

2. National PTSD (Post Trauma Stress Disorder) Day—created in 2010 to create awareness of the problems and issues facing Americans with PTSD, many of whom are combat veterans from the Vietnam War, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the wars on terror but in many cases have had the VA turn its back on them in terms of delay in receiving care.                     

3. 1986 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1985 on a run of three weeks in that position “On My Own” by Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald. Here is a link to Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald performing “On My Own.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsH63qJlIMM

4. National Orange Blossom Day—celebrating a tasty elixir produced as a byproduct of distilling orange blossoms for perfume oil all by itself or in gin fizzes and café blanc. Treat yourself to a café blanc with this easy, simple recipe: http://blog.thenibble.com/2014/06/27/tip-of-the-day-orange-blossom-water/ 

5. Why We Need Term Limits—bemoaning the birthday on this day in 1940 of Barbara Boxer, a true leftist ideologue who for the last 33 years has been in the House and Senate representing California but finally is retiring. Unfortunately under California primary law the top two finishers are on the ballot which means a real leftist Kamila Harris will be facing Loretta Sanchez—tough to be a Republican in this very Blue state hell bent to tax us and spend us to death and doing an effective job of that.    

On this day in:

a. 1556 in a sad day for religious tolerance and understanding that is the bedrock of Christianity, 11 men and 2 women were burned at the stake for not recanting their Protestant beliefs

b. 1844 almost three hundred years later and even with a First Amendment, religious intolerance was still alive and well as Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of the Latter Day Saints and his brother Hyrum were killed by a mob who broke into the jail at Carthage, Illinois where they were being held.  

c. 1971 after only three years in business to the dismay of fans of rock and roll, rock promoter Bill Graham closed Filmore East, also known as the “Church of Rock and Roll.”

d. 1985 on a sad day for nostalgia fans, Route 66 was officially removed from the U.S, National Highway System—no more getting one’s kicks on Route 66.

e. 2007 Prime Minister Tony Blair resigned after ten years in office.  

Reflections on PTSD: “Always remember, if you have been diagnosed with PTSD, it is not a sign of weakness; rather, it is proof of your strength, because you have survived!” Michael Templet author of “White Rose”

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.

© June 27, 2016, Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive Lasting Lift

June 26, 2016 Ridley's Believe It Or Not International Day In Support Of Victims Of Torture4

 Ridley’s Believe It Or Not For June 26, 2016. Unfortunately still 208 days to go in President Obama’s pathetic lame duck term as the financial markets brace for tomorrow’s opening and potential fallout from the Brexit vote; Hillary proves once again that she has experience in one area fund raising by offering tickets to Hamilton for $10,000 and the ability to be totally nonassessable to the press by not having a press conference for 204 days; Sanders and his failed socialist ideas that have decimated Venezuela may be exiting from the national political scene but news indicates that thousands of his supporters may be running for state and local offices; events in Somalia proving once again that radical Islam, the threat Obama and Hillary refuse to name or strategize on how to defeat, is alive and well by a hotel attack there killing 14 innocents; the Reds continue in disunity mode with the latest defection George Will announcing he is no longer a Red due to Trump (who cares what he thinks http://alaskanpoet.blogspot.com/2016/06/george-will-mr-irrelevant.html); fires still raging in California but at least flooding has ceased in West Virginia after racking up a tragic body count; going to www.lyingcrookedhillary.com is a great way to start your day along of course with www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com

       As always, I hope  you enjoy today’s holidays and observances,  a music link to Bryan Adams, factoids of interest, a  relevant quote from Edgar Allen Poe while looking forward to enjoying a bowl of chocolate pudding (killer recipe below), 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. International Day Against Drug Abuse And Illicit Trafficking —created to by the UN in 1988 to mobilize measures to combat illegal drug use; sadly at least in the U.S. with its porous border with Mexico, this is another one of those UN observances that has had little if any success. 

2. International Day In Support Of Victims Of Torture--another UN observance created in 1997 to raise awareness of torture and to speak out against it in whatever form it is found; as radical Islam continues to grow and ISIS continues to chop off heads, throw people off buildings and burn them alive, another observance that has had little success.  

3. 1985 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1985 on a run of two weeks in that position “Heaven” by Bryan Adams. Here is a link to Bryan Adams performing “Heaven.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eT464L1YRA

4. National Chocolate Pudding Day—celebrating a tasty desert that it easy to make; here is a cool recipe for chocolate pudding with a strawberry rose. http://blog.thenibble.com/2014/06/26/recipe-chocolate-pudding-with-strawberry-rose/   Bon appétit! 

5. The Good Earth Day—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1892 of Pearl S. Buck who grew up in China with her missionary parents and won the Pulitzer Prize for The Good Earth was very instrumental in creating a favorable impression of China and its people in the United States.   

On this day in:

a. 1843 the Treaty of Nanking which ceded Hong Kong to the British went into effect.  

b. 1870 to the joy of retailers throughout the country, Christmas was declared a federal holiday in the U.S.

c. 1934 President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Federal Credit Union Act which created credit unions.  

d. 1945 the UN Charter was signed in San Francisco by 50 of the original 51 members creating the United Nations effective  October 24, 1945; this time history did not repeat itself and unlike the League of Nations, the U.S. was a member.       

e. 1997 SCOTUS ruled that the Communications Decency Act violated the First Amendment of the Constitution.     

Reflections on drug use and abuse from the mind of a raven never more: “I have absolutely no pleasure in the stimulants in which I sometimes so madly indulge. It has not been in the pursuit of pleasure that I have periled life and reputation and reason. It has been the desperate attempt to escape from torturing memories, from a sense of insupportable loneliness and a dread of some strange impending doom.”  Edgar Allen Poe.
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.                                                                                                                                                 

© June 26, 2016, Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive Lasting Lift

                                     

George Will Mr. Irrelevant

 In Newport Beach each year after the NFL draft there is a great event
It honors the last man chosen, known as "Mr. Irrelevant."
Showered with gifts and honored to pursue a dream that most likely has not a chance
A certain sense of the cheering for the true underdog, a Don Quixote with a broken lance
Today in the political arena we see almost the sense of the same
George Will, a conservative "talking head", no longer will bear a Republican name
George Will, here is for you a cold reality news flash
A growing tide of angry voters have thrown Beltway bandits like you into the trash
Good riddance, time for you like Romney to fade away
 So removed from the anger over the far distant elite of the governing Beltway
You are now the political equivalent of Mr. Irrelevant
But sadly making it more likely that to the White House a felon will be sent
Trump may have his warts but on illegal immigration and radical Islam he hits the nail squarely on its head
While Hillary too concerned with personal enrichment is clueless on what we need to pull this country ahead
© June 26, 2016, Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet 
Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire
Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive Lasting Lift

June 25, 2016 Ridley's Believe It Or Not World Vitiligo Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not For June 25, 2016. Unfortunately still 209 days to go in President Obama’s pathetic lame duck term as Biden joins the lambasting of the Brexit vote claiming it was racist—just another example of how disconnected our career politicians are with a very angry population; news that really is unbelievable and demonstrates how out of touch D.C. is Carroll B. Correll, a co-chair for Ted Cruz in Virginia has just filed a class action lawsuit claiming Virginia law which requires delegates to vote for the winner on the first ballot; pundits are now weighing in on whether the dominoes of exit from the EU will be soon falling; HRC’s scandals will not go away as her official calendar has not recorded some 75 meetings of lobbyists, corporate executives and others with business before the State Department for the obvious reason of not creating the quid pro quo corruption paper trail; in another case of corruption which is really troubling, Arizona Democratic State Representative Velasquez who voted against legislation that would have made it easier to detect food stamp fraud has just been indicted for food stamp fraud-no wonder we mere mortals think politicians are crooks; going to www.lyingcrookedhillay.com is a great way to start your day along of course with www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com

       On the gun control front, breaking news is that 26 of the Blues who participated in the pathetic fund raising publicity sit in stunt on the floor of the House own guns—nice double standard as usual; on a really sad and tragic note, 23 people have lost their lives in the flooding in West Virginia.

      As always, I hope  you enjoy today’s holidays and observances,  a music link to Duran Duran, factoids of interest, a  relevant quote from George Orwell while looking forward to enjoying some grilled catfish (killer recipe below), 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. World Vitiligo Day—created to create awareness for a skin disease that creates depigmentation in some 100 million people around the globe and observed on this day which is the day in 2009 that perhaps the most famous person suffering from the disease, Michael Jackson, died.  

2. Leon (Noel Spelled Backward) Day—another whimsical observance that demonstrates one must never underestimate the ability of retailers to devise new ways to separate shoppers from their money; today is the halfway point to Christmas Eve, meaning it is time to start shopping for those on your Christmas gift list.                     

3. 1984 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1984 on a run of two weeks in that position “The Reflex” by Duran Duran. Here is a link to Duran Duran performing “The Reflex.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDnNF5cHCdo

4. National Catfish Day—celebrating a tasty sustainable fish millions of pounds of which are raised in fish farms; here is a recipe from the chef of the famous Grand Central Oyster Bar in New York City: http://blog.thenibble.com/2012/06/25/food-holiday-national-catfish-day-grilled-catfish-recipe/Bon appétit! 

5. All Animals Are Not Equal—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1903 of Eric Arthur Blair better know to us as George Orwell, noted English author of such classics as 1984 and Animal Farm who died way too early from tuberculosis at the age of 47.  

On this day in:

a. 1876 George Armstrong Custer and his 7^th Cavalry were defeated by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

b. 1910 Congress passed the Mann Act which prohibited the transportation of females across state lines for “immoral purposes.”

c. 1948 in response to a blockade of all land and water routes into and out of Berlin by the Soviet Union, the U.S. authorized the launch of Operation Vittles, the Berlin Airlift, to bring in supplies to the people of Berlin. The operation was successful and on May 12, 1949 the Soviets came to their senses and lifted the blockade.  

d. 1950 the Korean War began with the invasion of South Korea by North Korea.      

e. 1998 SCOTUS ruled in Clinton v. The City of New York that the Line Item Veto Act of 1996 was unconstitutional thereby gutting the ability of the President to control spending on a line item basis. .    

Reflections on a revolution that Hillary Clinton has absolutely refused to join:“In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” George Orwell Watching the Clintons weave and deceive, very astute and appropriate comments by George Orwell on his birthday.
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.                                                                                                                                                 

© June 25, 2016, Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
The Perfect Gift, All Recipients

June 24, 2016 Ridley's Believe It Or Not World UFO Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not For June 24, 2016. Unfortunately still 210 days to go in President Obama’s pathetic lame duck term as Blue members ended their fund raising sit-in stunt on the floor of the House and got out of Dodge; unlike Pelosi whose tyranny in 2008 over Red House members was evidenced by her turning off the lights, Ryan showed class and a sense of frustration; Great Britain’s voters, still upset with our president lecturing them on how to vote and probably as disappointed with their ruling elite like we are here, voted to leave the EU throwing world markets into turmoil, hopefully only on a short term basis; the HRC dishonesty and deception beat just never ends with this woman as news of over 75 meetings with advisers, corporate officers, Clinton Foundation donors, and lobbyists while as Secretary of State that were never recorded in her official calendar raising the obvious question what was she hiding; and last but not least Trump unveiled a new website www.lyingcrookedHillary.com  Brace yourself for a really nasty campaign.           

       On the gun control front, Top Gun co-star Kelly McGinnis after being subject to a home invasion and assault is applying for a concealed gun permit; in a monkey see monkey do moment numerous cities are looking at imitating Philadelphia’s soda tax; Marilyn Mosby is now 0-3 in her politically motivated prosecution of the six Baltimore police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray and New Haven in the shadow of Yale University is experiencing a wave of overdoses of contaminated heroin.

      As always, I hope  you enjoy today’s holidays and observances,  a music link to Irene Cara that will make you want to go disco dancing, factoids of interest, a  relevant quote from Stephen Hawking while looking forward to enjoying some pralines, 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. World UFO Day—highly appropriate time to be looking up in the sky for UFO as Earth prepares to battle alien forces once again in Independence Day: Resurgence.

2. Swim A Lap Day—another whimsical observance best celebrated at the end of a hot day by swimming a lap or two in the family pool to cool off and shed the stress of work.          

3. 1983 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1983 on a run of six weeks in that position “Flashdance What A Feeling” by Irene Cara. Here is a link to Irene Cara performing “Flashdance What A Feeling.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gX-CyHrKq64

4. National Pecan Sandy Day—celebrating a tasty French confection named after the French soldier and diplomat César, duc de Choiseul, comte du Plessis-Praslin (his military title was marshal), who lived in the town of Montargis from 1598 to 1675. According to the story, the duc’s cook, Clément Lassagne, invented pralines in 1636 by dropping almonds into a cauldron of boiling sugar. In the U.S. pecans are often substituted for almonds or hazelnuts.  Bon appétit! 

5. Don’t Forget To Duck—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1885 of heavy weight champion Jack Dempsey, the Manassas Mauler, best known for his line to his wife after Gene Tunney took the title away from him and that Reagan used after being shot, “Honey, I forgot to duck.” and the long count rematch against Tunney which he lost.  

On this day in:

a. 1880 the first performance of “O Canada” which would become Canada’s national anthem occurred at the Congrès national des Canadiens-Français.

b. 1916 Mary Pickford became the first female star to sign a million dollar contract (worth almost 23,000,000 in today’s dollars).  

c. 1947 pilot Kenneth Arnold made the first widely reported sighting of a UFO near Mt. Rainier.     

d. 1957 SCOTUS ruled in Roth v. U.S. that obscenity was not protected by the First Amendment.

e. 2004 capital punishment in New York was declared unconstitutional by the state’s Supreme Court.    

Reflections on UFOs: “ If aliens visit us the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America which did not turn out well for Native Americans.” Stephen Hawkins noted English cosmetologist and physicist
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.                                                                                                                                                 

© June 24, 2016, Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
The Perfect Gift, All Recipients