Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier + VIDEO: Changing of the Guard During Hurricane Sandy

I recently became aware of a very good blog called "The Political Commentator". It turns out that the guy who runs TPC, Michael Haltman, is a fan of my main blog, Dumbass News. Why a smart guy and Big Time Blogger would like the silly stuff I write about on Dumbass News is beyond me, but there is no accounting for taste (or lack thereof) I suppose. :)

I subscribe to The Political Commentator so I get an email alert whenever Michael publishes a new post. Today, I got the usual notification telling me of a new article at TPC. I clicked on over and what was posted touched my heart and ignited my feelings of pride, gratitude and unwavering respect for those who selflessly serve our country in the United States military.

Fellow Americans, The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier


Sentinels

Michael wrote, If you ever wondered about the men and women who serve as Tomb Guards at the Tomb of the Unknowns, here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions (FAQ)!

After receiving an email that went through a laundry list describing the Tomb Guards who march at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier located within Arlington National Cemetery, I began to wonder.

Some of the answers sounded a little farfetched so I decided to go to the source. From Tombguard.org, here are the answers to some frequently asked questions: FAQ at The Political Commentator.


                           Changing of the Guard During the Storm



Monday, February 18, 2013

Presidents Day & Presidential Trivia


It's Presidents Day!

Rather than take a historical look at Presidents Day, I thought it would be kinda cool to explore some Presidential trivia as provided by a new book called The Smithsonian Book on Presidential Trivia. 

Presidential Trivia From the Book via WaPo

  • The first lawyer to win the White House? John Adams, who would be succeeded by 24 other men possessed of legal training, heaven help us. Moreover, at just 5’4″, Adams remains our shortest president. 
  • The only commander-in-chief never to wed? James Buchanan, whose fiancĂ©e broke their engagement after a quarrel, and then broke his heart when she apparently took her life. Buchanan also penned the first presidential memoir, although “Mr. Buchanan’s Administration on the Eve of Rebellion” was hardly a Civil War-era blockbuster.
  • The first president with fulltime Secret Service protection? Teddy Roosevelt, whose other distinctions include being saved from an assassin’s bullet by an eyeglass case and 50-page stump speech in his pocket; inspiring thousands of adorable toy “Teddy Bears;” creating the first White House press room for reporters and being one of the Mount Rushmore Four.
Pretty neat stuff, huh?


From George Washington to Barack Obama and 42 other Presidents in between, you can discover more Presidential Potpourri and facts about First Ladies on the Washington Post's website.  

***If you'd like to order The Smithsonian Book on Presidential Trivia, you can do so here.***