Posted on 05/30/2005 2:35:37 PM PDT by snugs
Today is Memorial Day President Bush commemorated this solemn event by taking part in the ceremonies at Arlington Cemetery along with the Secretary of Denfense Donald Rumsfeld.
For further details of this event and Arlington Cemetery in general visit http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/
Yesterday 29th May 2005, Secretary of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld addressed a Memorial Day Rolling Thunder veterans rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, May 29, 2005. Earlier in the day, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Richard Myers had led thousands of the Rolling Thunder motorcycle riders into Washington for their 18th annual 'Ride for Freedom' and rally for veterans
The history of Memorial Day
Each year, on the last Monday in May, the USA celebrates Memorial Day. For many, this day carries no special meaning except perhaps an extra day off from work, a beach barbecue, the start of the summer travel season, or for merchants, the opportunity to hold their annual Memorial Day Weekend sale.
In reality, the holiday is observed in honor of the nation's armed service personnel who were killed in wartime (in the UK this is the 11th November – Remembrance Day at which on the 11th hour of the 11th month we have a minutes silence all over the Britain).
The custom of honoring the graves of the war dead began prior to the end of the Civil War, but the national Memorial Day holiday (or "Decoration Day," as it was originally named) was first observed on May 30, 1868, on the order of General John Alexander Logan for the purpose of decorating the graves of the American Civil War dead. With the passage of time, Memorial Day was extended to honor all those who died in service, from the Revolutionary War to the present. It continued to be observed on May 30th until 1971, when most states changed to a newly established federal schedule of holiday observance.
Confederate Memorial Day, once a legal holiday in many southern states, is still observed on the fourth Monday in April in Alabama, and the last Monday in April in Mississippi and Georgia. A National Moment of Remembrance
May of 1997 saw the start of what is becoming an American tradition recognized by the President and Members of Congress -- to put the "memorial" back in Memorial Day. The idea of a National Moment of Remembrance was born a year earlier when children touring Lafayette Park in Washington, DC were asked what Memorial Day meant and they responded, "That's the day the pools open!"
The "Moment" was initiated by No Greater Love, a Washington, DC-based national humanitarian organization. For the first time in U.S. history, on Memorial Day 1997 "Taps" was played at 3 p.m. in many locations and at events throughout America. This effort was repeated again in subsequent years.
The objective of the "Moment" is to raise Americans' awareness of the honorable contributions made by those who died while defending our nation and to encourage all Americans to honor those who died as a result of service to this nation by pausing for one minute at 3:00 p.m. (local time) on Memorial Day.
This History of Taps
http://www.west-point.org/taps/Taps.html
Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island which today a tribute to Memorial Day
Thank you
Okay, will do.
LOL! You sure you don't like him? : )
I have to laugh when the media puts up his name for president - I always assume he's running as a Dim.
I think it was Sean Casey, a local talk show host along with Frank Luber, who dismissed Gov. Jeb Bush as not being eleigble to run in '08 as "His goose is cooked"
I felr like calling in and disagreeing with that statement strongly. I should have!
Good night Deb sleep well thanks for your contributions
Good night Sara sleep well my friend
Thank you can I consider myself an honorary one then LOL
God bless all of you!
What a surprise I don't think they even voted in different states so that tells how much time they actually spent together
Thanks for the FANTASTIC Dose, snugs!
Good night Pippin sleep well my friend
Thank you for those kind words of encouragement always great to get them from a fellow dose poster
What a surprise I don't think they even voted in different states
A typical democrat marriage LOL
g'day Pippin! Long time no see - I am still here mostly in spirit! How are you?
God Bless you all and many thanks for your kind words and support this evening.
God Bless your wonderful President and Vice President and their families
I will indulge myself and finish with some photos of the VP. 
Good night all
Love Eleanor 
mystery and ohio and everyone else who is in the military, or has a family memeber who is,
First of all, a heartfelt "THANK YOU" to every serviceman and woman reading this, and to their families who support them in their career. Words cannot describe my gratitude. We are so blessed to live in the USA, and also blessed to have a President who realizes the value of freedom and the importance of a strong military--AND . . . he appreciates the military people and their families!
snugs--THANKS for a great Dose!
Next, Gen. Franks looks good in jeans! Also saw him and his wife on a motorcycle on the way to speaking -- certainly a different side of him!
I love how Rummy recognized Laura in his speech. She looked honored. And he certainly loves the President--did you see how enthusiastically he was clapping after he introduced the Pres.?
Speaking of the Pres. he looked very emotional today. He sure meant every single word he said.
Lastly, good night all; my family will be home any second and I'm going to greet them at the door!
Sweet dreams! God bless the USA!
Here in USA we have a restaurant chain names Chili's. Their signature drink is the Presidente Margarita.. tonight after family "whatevers" we assembled there & I ordered the Margarita & suggested the Vice=Margarita for my friend. He quickly scanned the menu looking for it.. I laughed & told him it was the regular presidente with Vice included free.. He laughed &ordered three.. But when I said it, I immediately thought of you & our beloved VP, DC, who you like "a little".
I wanted to post a lot here & at "my thread" the Finest today... but with major family problems (Mom's health) and commitments with family in town, my time, energy was very thin..and missing..
Luv W posted this at the FR thread today.. I thought it was awesome
Hi, Dolly! Thanks for sharing that graphic with the Dose crew! Hasn't snugs done a magnificent job with her new job here? She chooses the pictures so carefully and puts them together in a wonderful story-like series. Well, all the hostesses and hosts here are so deserving of praise--to keep us in "W" and Cheney and Rummy pictures--can't get better than this!
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