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Our Daily Thread 9-27-13

Good Morning!

It’s Friday! Yay! 🙂

On this day in 1779 John Adams was elected to negotiate with the British over the American Revolutionary War peace terms.

In 1825 George Stephenson operated the first locomotive that hauled a passenger train.

In 1942 Glenn Miller and his Orchestra performed together for the last time. Miller volunteered for the U.S. Army and disappeared December 15, 1944 over the English Channel. 😦

In 1954 The “Tonight!” show made its debut on NBC-TV with Steve Allen as host.

In 1970 “The Original Amateur Hour” aired for the last time on CBS.

And in 2008 a new one started, live from Washington. 😯 🙂

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Quote of the Day

“The individual who desires to have his sins forgiven, must seek for it through the blood of Jesus. The individual who desires to get power over sin, must likewise seek it through the blood of Jesus.”

George Muller

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Here’s Mr. Miller and his orchestra.

It’s this guy’s birthday.

It’s also Randy Bachman’s. He was with these guys first, then B.T.O.

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Anyone have a QoD?

65 thoughts on “Our Daily Thread 9-27-13”

  2. Glenn Miller’s death is thought to have been caused by returning Allied bombers emptying their unused cargo over the Channel. He wasn’t the only entertainment personality to die mysteriously in an airplane crash during World War II. Leslie Howard, a popular British actor, was in a civilian airliner that was shot down by German fighters over the Bay of Biscay – there is speculation that the fighters thought that the plane carried Prime Minister Churchill.

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  4. DG, there are about three theories regarding Miller’s disappearance, but the one that is backed by the most research was the emptying of Allied bombers over the channel.

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  5. The Anon. was I.

    Miller followed a tradition of musicians giving up their careers to serve their country in armed service. In World War I, the French composer Maurice Ravel drove a truck on the front (he tried to become a pilot, but was rejected for his ill health), while the great British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams served in the trenches. Two young British composers, George Butterworth – most famous for his By the Banks of Green Willow, and Ernest Farrar (his Variations in G for pianoforte and orchestra on an old British sea-song are well worth listening to) were killed in battle. Ravel died before the outbreak of World War II; but Vaughan Williams, too old to fight, composed soundtracks to patriotic films and documentaries, like ‘The 49th Parallel’.

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  7. Glenn Miller’s drummer didn’t have long hair that flew about as he played his drums.
    I didn’t care for the music, though. It wasn’t really a song. I thought they were going to play “Bugle Call Rag”
    That’s not the way I remember it.

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  8. QOD What is the best book you have read lately? (the Bible is a given)

    I have been working my way through the short stories in A Pioneer Christmas, althought I did stand in the book store and re-read Guess How Much I Love You. Sweet Baby Boy doesn’t have that book, but his Mommy didn’t get back to me in time for me to buy it there so I wil have to go back.

    I am having to introduce Grandpa to a whole lot of new to him books.

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  10. I know, Kim – I was just speculating about which of our current entertainers would help inspire soldiers in a time of war and came to the conclusion that none of them have big enough personalities for the job. Certainly none of Hollywood would sign up to fight, like Jimmy Stewart and David Niven did in WW II. Then again, the current conflicts are not as clearly defined as that war was.

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  11. Kim’s QoD: Thanks to my ereader, I can download and read books that have long since moved out of copyright domain (if they ever were copyrighted). So I have been reading a lot of classics.

    I found an author whom I first came across many years ago, Rafael Sabatini. His book Captain Blood is probably the second best pirate novel ever written (the first being Treasure Island) – it was very popular in its day, as the 1935 blockbuster movie with Olivia de Haviland and Errol Flynn attests, but it is a nearly forgotten minor classic today. I had read Sabatini’s French Revolutionary novel, Scaramouche as a young teen and it was fun to read it again – the 1952 Hollywood production of that book completely destroyed the story.

    I also discovered that I like Sir Walter Scott. I had only read Ivanhoe before, which I considered overdone, but Scott’s best novels are those set in Scotland or with Scottish characters. I was impressed with the meticulous research behind his historical novels. My favorites so far are Old Mortality, Guy Mannering, Quentin Durward , and The Talisman.

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  13. I just finished re-reading God’s War on Terror by Walid Shoebat. I skimmed lots of it. Before that, I read Captive in Iran by two women who were in prison for distributing Bibles. The last fiction was Locked On by Clancy. It’s an interesting book with a scary scenario. The book has terrorists making a synchronized attack on commercial planes leaving five designated airports in the US. I’ve forgotten which ones, but I remember Phoenix, LA and San Diego were part of it.

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  14. Friday again!, though too many of these are not really funny.

    “The Original Amateur Hour”- predecessor of the American Idol and other not-so-interesting to me over-done talent shows. I appreciate the fact that they are trying to find fresh talent off the streets, but I don’t like the shows, mainly because of how modern concert shows have too many cameras. I like to see the singer/performer form the front, not from every imaginable angle. And I really don’t like how they change the camera every five seconds. That doesn’t give me time to appreciate the view.

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  15. QoD: I am currently working my way through Les Miserables, the English version, of course. The storyline is enjoyable, but I get bored with the long passages describing historical events. I am sure those were put in because in the old days, people had more time to read.

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  16. Husband and I are enjoying reading I,Saul by Jerry Jenkins. Worship Walk by Gareth Goossen is excellent for spiritual insight. I am looking forward to reading the new book by Chris Fabrey. It sounds like it may be a book that would appeal more to women than men. I have several books I need to read and review. Chasing Christmas by Steven Hunt is a great quick read for the upcoming season or before.

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  17. Peter – When we are in the city, we get some television programming. Most of it comes out of the Middle East and there is a show called “Arabs got Talent”. It is fun seeing what interests the judges and what doesn’t. Of course, we don’t understand a word of the dialogue, except for “Yes” (Naam), which is used here to reply to someone calling your name, but that allows us to know whether the judges approved or disapproved the act. The stations also broadcast all the American talent shows – it seems that the display of raw talent and the element of personal risk of humiliation catches the international fancy. I agree about the many camera angles, and I would add that the glitzy production look is also annoying.

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  18. Peter – I am sure those were put in because in the old days, people had more time to read.
    Or in a country where media access is limited. I am sure that is why I enjoyed reading those novels so much more here. When there are no computer games to play, no Youtube clips to view, no movies to watch, and no TV channels to flip through, the reason why the three-volume novel was so popular in its day becomes very apparent. We have amused our attention spans to the point of non-existence with our high-speed, high-definition media.

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  20. Phos- It’s not the need to do something else that makes it a hard read, it’s the fact that when I read I am usually tired, so the long historical put me to sleep.

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  21. Public Service Announcement: I have training next week in Mequon Wisconsin so for everyone who is following along at Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth with the Living by the Book Series, I will wait until the 5th of October to post the 3 session on Observation.

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  22. So, in between the last post and this one, I found a snake in my house and killed it. Ah, the routine of life in Africa. I had a horrible sense of deja vue as this was the same type and size of snake as the last. How do they get in?!?

    Peter – I understand the tired mind part – I read in order to relax myself enough to go to sleep. But books have always been more interesting than movies for me and I love history.

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  23. Phos just reminded me why I was not called to the mission field.

    Peter, I understand what you are saying about Les Mis–I listened to it on Books on Tape, I have tried and tried to read All the King’s Men but I just can’t get past all the redundant, discriptive language. It is sort of like those truck commercials that are running on TV right now about the rancher looking for his lost calf or the dad taking the son camping. I am sure it is effective because I remember the commercial but not the brand of truck because I walk into the kitchen to get ANYTHING while it is running.

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  24. There has been more to do on my writing list than reading these days–which is also why I have been on here so infrequently–but I did manage to read Khaled Hosseini’s “And the Mountains Echoed.” Excellent!

    I also read “The Divine Conspiracy” by Dallas Willard. I know I am late to the party on that one. So good!

    Now I am rereading for the umpteenth time, “To Kill A Mockingbird.” Every once in awhile it just must be done.

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  25. If Elvera ever found a snake in the house, she would never enter it again.
    I’ve seen one snake since I’ve been here. A black snake tried to enter the garage. I chased it away. I haven’t told Elvera about this.

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  26. I did a lot of reading when I as in the AF, especially when I was flying. I usually had a short message to send every hour. Otherwise, I hust had to have my headsets on to hear if someone called me.
    I read lots of Mickey Spillane, but some serious stuff too.

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  27. Kim, I’m not the stuff snake killers are made of, which you would have known if you could have seen me whispering prayers and trembling from head to toe as I did what I had to do. But I had no intention of leaving that snake at large for me to step on when I get up at night to use the washroom and I couldn’t risk it trying to bite me if I simply transferred it outside again. It is either a green bush snake or a young green mamba – the former is harmless, and the latter is deadly – and they are extremely difficult to tell apart. I think it may be the latter, because the mouth shows black inside.

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  28. Adios, Every Spring they hold a reenactment of To Kill A Mockingbird in the Monroeville, AL courthouse. You should make plans to come go with me. I have never been because no one ever wanted to go.

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  30. Snakes? Snakes? I haven’t seen one here in the redwoods…now about raccoons! They keep pulling out Mary Anne’s newly planted flowers. “Off with their heads!”

    Phos, I read Sabatini as a teen. I liked them. There are a couple of other authors/books I can recommend. “Men of Iron” and “The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood” by Howard Pyle were among my favorites.

    Kenneth Roberts’ “Rabble in Arms” and “Arundel” might be of interest to a Canadian. (or is that Canadienne?)

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  31. There are celebrities and entertainers who do still do on some level what was done in previous wars. The difference now is that the media rarely mentions their efforts since it’s become fashionable for famous people to be like the media, anti-war and military.

    Pat Tillman comes to mind. He left behind an NFL career to join the military, and died fighting (friendly fire?) in Afghanistan.

    There is this gentleman who I had on this news thread a little while back who was named an honorary Marine for all he has done for our military.

    http://www.usatoday.com/story/nation/2013/09/03/sinise-dempsey-marines-/2759929/

    “Most men and women earn the title Marine only after emerging from the crucible of boot camp.

    But a select few have been awarded an honorary Marine title. (The Marine Corps has awarded the honorary title to only 76 people over its more than 200-plus year history. Yale University, by contrast, has awarded 2,786 honorary degrees though the school is almost 75 years older.)

    At a private dinner last week at the historic home of the Marine Corps commandant, Gen. James Amos pinned the eagle, globe and anchor on actor Gary Sinise for the work he has done assisting veterans of all services.

    A self-effacing actor who surged to prominence playing “Lt. Dan” in Forrest Gump, Sinise has devoted nearly all his free time to celebrating servicemen and helping wounded warriors.”
    ——————————————————————————

    Mr. Sinise and his band are currently touring the US to raise money for wounded warriors. They say it’s an outstanding show, so if you have the chance, you should see them, plus it’s a worthwhile cause.

    http://www.ltdanband.com/
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    Also, the USO continues to do the work they’ve always done. But again, it’s just not talked about by the media so few are even aware of it.

    http://www.uso.org/
    ——————————————————————————

    Another band you’ve probably never heard of, 5 Finger Death Punch, has been to both Iraq and Afghanistan to visit and perform for the troops. They did a remake of Bad Company’s song “Bad Company” and filmed the video while they were in Iraq.

    I understand this music isn’t popular among most of you, but it’s shows their efforts, and demonstrates my point, so here it is.

    There are a lot more. Just because the media ignore them and what they do, doesn’t mean it’s not being done. They do it for reasons beside fame and praise. They do it for the troops.

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  32. Bob, I think Pyle’s ‘Robin Hood’ was one of the first books with chapters that I read (around the age of six or so) and ‘Men of Iron’ was one of the hidden treasures that I discovered while combing my father’s bookshelves. I will have to look up Robert’s work – I think I saw a copy of Arundel on the shelf in our little compound library (it is amazing what books I have found washed up in this place). And it is Canadian or Canadienne, depending on the language 🙂

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  33. I saw this and thought of you all:
    YOU MIGHT BE FROM IDAHO IF…. (MADE ME LAUGH) #FUNNY
    FORGET REDNECKS; THIS IS WHAT JEFF FOXWORTHY HAD TO SAY ABOUT IDAHOANS !

    1. If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don’t work there, you live in Idaho.

    2. If you’ve worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you live in Idaho.

    3. If you’ve had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed the wrong number, you live in Idaho.

    4. If ‘vacation’ means going anywhere …south of Salt Lake City for the weekend, you live in Idaho.

    5. If you measure distance in hours, you live in Idaho.

    6. If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you live in Idaho.

    7. If you have switched from ‘heat’ to ‘A/C’ and back again in the same day, you live in Idaho.

    8. If you install security lights on your house and garage but leave both unlocked, you live in Idaho.

    9. If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in Idaho.

    10. If you design your kid’s Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you live in Idaho.

    11. If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph –you’re going 80, and everyone is still passing you, you live in Idaho.

    12. If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you live in Idaho.

    13. If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction, you live in Idaho.

    14. If you find 10 degrees ‘a little chilly’ you live in Idaho.

    15. If you actually understand these jokes and forward them to all your IDAHO friends, you live in Idaho.

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  34. A snake? In the house? With the cat I’ve just gotten used to a stray lizard here and there which, though harmless, are creepy enough. And she brought in a mouse again last week that died and had to be bagged. But a potentially poisonous snake would undo me. Completely. Shudder.

    Re-reading “Living by the Book” (thanks drivesguy for reminding me of that) and about to re-read the updated edition of “Prodigal Press” by Olasky.

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  37. The Real – I remember seeing Sinise (whom I recognised from his role in CSI: NY) host a Memorial Day ceremony on television. He was assisted by his Criminal Minds counterpart, Joe Mantegna. Both are underrated actors who seem to nail their roles every time.

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  38. No, apparently some villagers cooked up the rock python we killed on the compound last week (it ate two of our chickens) but I don’t really find the idea of snake appetising.

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  39. Not appetizing in theory or in look but, like Mt Everest, it had to be done. And turned out to be tasty but next time we will need a bigger snake. I hope there is never a next time.

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  40. I have time on my hands, most folk are off to the fair. Along with the three steers: Sir Patrick Ruffles and Pascal and the other guy, and two pigs, and a rabbit.

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  41. I was thinking of Sinise, he’s teamed up with Laura Hillenbrand (author of unbroken) on patriotic/charity work.

    Back to animals, today I’m going to try to do a story on local sightings of the Blue-footed booby.

    🙂

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  42. Sir Patrick Ruffles? Now, what literary work inspired that name?

    I have time on my hands too, if you haven’t noticed. Today is a Friday, and I was so frazzled by yesterday’s insanity (a busy day at work while working in temperatures and humidity at sauna levels, and then an emergency case in the evening, caused by a scythe) that I decided to take it easy today. I only made yogurt and did one tub’s worth of laundry today.

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  43. Actually, I was walking past the steer pen with a bunch of children and dogs when a certain fourteen year old boy asked if I knew the name of his steer. I said of course I did. He told me its name was Ruffles, I told him no, it was Patrick. So he settled on Sir Patrick Ruffles. We are so able to compromise around here.

    I learned that a friend of daughter is off to Africa to be a nurse. She will be in Togo. She has been there twice for short durations but is now going for a year and a half.

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  45. Black mamba baby! I’m cringing in safe northern California!

    Posted earlier, but it did not take, noting Sinise and thanking Kim for reading Pioneer Christmas. I’ll send a bookplate. It was on a USA Today list of good reads for the holidays yesterday, which was exciting.

    We’re not in a popular war–remember how Clark Gable sat up all night trying to memorize whatever test he had to take, he was that desperate to be in uniform for WW2. Many actors just sold war bonds; you don’t see that happening anymore either.

    I recently finished a book that’s not for sale yet, Sinners in the Sea by Rebecca Kanner. Like The Red Tent, it’s a familiar biblical story told from a Jewish tradition perspective. In this case, Noah’s wife. It’s not going to be for everything, but I found very interesting and my skin crawled at the description of the war coming up to greet the ark. She does a convincing portrayal of the truly nasty murderous people in which Noah lived. Unfortunately, it reminded me of . . . . well, you can guess.

    Otherwise I’ve been reading miserable manuscripts. 😦

    Over on my blog today, I wrote about Unsung Heroes but it posted just as I went to add one more line: people who put together websites to keep a community going. Thanks, AJ.

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  47. You all laugh, but the Great Snake Eating Adventure at The Nest happened the week before I went. The Yellow Cat caught a snake while I was there and I was just glad I was in charge of food.

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  48. Mumsee – Well, it would make a good name for literary character – I may have to credit you and your fourteen year old someday 😉
    I hear in Togo they have air conditioning.

    The Real – 😆

    Michelle – Not a black mamba, but a green mamba. The difference is, essentially, the green mamba is shyer and less aggressive and its toxin kills in about 2-4 hours, as opposed to the 1-2 hours of the black mamba.

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  50. Yesterday when I commented on Michelle’s blog regarding book hoarding, I was thinking in the sense that our family has such a large collection of books even though most of them would be available at a local public, college or church library. So why do we need to hang on to them? Just for the convenience of having them available at any time we wish to see them? I agree about the signed copies, but I have been known to donate even those because I think the other readers may delight in seeing the autograph on the copy they are reading. And I always delight in finding a signed copy of a book in the library friends sales.

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  52. Mumsee, you could do some of those things and be in NC or Va
    e.g. If the speed limit is 55 and you’re doing 70 and cars are passing you on left and right, you’re probably on the Washingon Beltway. (I-495)

    If you’re handing out candy on Haloween and a bunch of kids come at one time and a car is waiting at the curb for them, you’re probably in the DC suburbs.

    If you’ve bought an expensive security system and don’t thinkt to set it, you probably live in Hendersonville, NC.

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  53. Also, if you’r late for something, and the traffic is stopped and you don’t know why, you’re probably on the Beltway, but you could also be on I-95.
    Lifeis uncertain, like that.

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  54. Good Afternoon, Y’all!

    Haven’t been on much lately. Seems to be more to do at school this year. And this has been Homecoming week….so very crazy! Peter L. can testify, I’m sure…

    My youngest son made the Homecoming Court so I’m off to the game in a little bit to see the fun…

    Speaking of Peter L….no Friday Funnies? 😦

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  57. Good news story of the day
    http://www.beautyexists.net/humanity/family-invites-200-homeless-people-for-dinner-after-daughters-wedding-is-called-off/

    Support your postal office and annoy the banks at the same time.
    http://www.occupy.com/article/going-postal-we-can-save-americas-mail-service-while-bleeding-banks-dry

    Mumsee — I’ve seen the same list but substitute Canadian for Idahoan. As for speed the limit is 62 mph but I usually drive about 85mph and someone is always passing me.

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  59. Several of those “You Might Be from Idaho” things have also been on one for “You Might Be from New England.” 🙂 (I don’t know if Jeff Foxworthy really wrote either one.)

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  60. I found a snake in my laundry room this summer. I carried it outside and put it in a safe (for it) place. It was cute. A baby garter snake. At least I can know it’s not dangerous.

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  62. I don’t even want to tell you how the “California” version reads. 😉

    Inbutnotof, how exciting — something about the ‘homecoming’ game, he must be very popular.

    So I had a crazy day, got the booby bird story done + a story about a brush fire and a power outage. Stupidly, I left work today to go to the grocery store near the beach and, without thinking, headed right into the area where I’d just written that the power was out. It was. Signals were out, long line of brake lights ahead of me. Oy.

    The cat’s whirling around tonight in a big cardboard box where I sprinkled some cat nip. What fun she’s having.

    It’s very windy here tonight — I love wind. And I can hear someone in the neighborhood practicing on a horn instrument. And my open bedroom window is banging in and out (and making a creaking noise), making me think … BOO! … Halloween is coming …

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  65. Book:
    They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti
    She mentioned a Michelle in her foreword, wondering if that is our Michelle?

    Great Book
    I’ve learned how to get free kindle books from David C. cook and Tyndale as well as on Amazon

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