MEMORIAL DAY AND WARS

I just completed serializing my Chapter 1 on Crimes and Wars from SIMPLE SOLUTIONS for Humanity. Memorial Day remembers those who have given their lives for freedom. To quote Roxana Saberi, recently released by Iran:

"…it may sound corny, but I'm so happy to be home in the land of the free."

There are 43 wars/conflicts today, the top five according to length (with deaths) and significance being:

1. Arab-Israeli (100,000)


2. Somali Civil War (300,000)


3. Afghanistan (31,000)


4. Darfur (450,000)


5. Iraq (100,000)

As many as 75% of those killed these days are not combatants but civilians. A good example is the Second Congo War, which started in 1998, ending in 2003, killing 5.4 million, mostly through disease and starvation. World War II had a death toll of 72 million. The Mongol Conquests could have done away with 60 million from 1207 to 1472, while a rebellion in China way back from 756 to 763 resulted in 30 million deaths.

Memorial Day began as Decoration Day just following the American Civil War to honor Union soldiers. Today, observances are held at cemeteries and a national moment of remembrance is asked at 3PM (any local time). Some memories include John McCrae’s poem, “In Flanders Fields,” which evoked the sale of artificial red poppies by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

Memorial Day was once on May 30, but was adjusted in 1971 to the last Monday of May by Congress as part of their 3-day weekend package. The VFW has fought this change and Senator Daniel Inouye repeatedly has introduced measures to return this day to the 30^th.

As the unofficial first day of summer, there are family barbecues, plus the sporting event said to have the most spectators with up to half a million, the Indianapolis 500 race, which was held yesterday, when New Hampshire also unleashed their rubber ducks. Soon we’ll have the Disneyland Gumball Rally and then the Maine lobster roll. David Holzel remarks on the ten facts of this day.

Hawaii is the final state to honor Memorial Day, occurring just now within the Punchbowl National Cemetery of the Pacific, shown in a photo below taken as I sit by my computer completing this blog.

It all ends with a lantern floating ceremony. (A video from last year.)  The World comes to this growing event.  I don't want to be a killjoy, but the sponsors are required to make an attempt to recover the floats.  That act detracts from the expectation, as unreal at it might be.

Well, you can CLICK on Taps, from the Civil War, or end on a happier note, with Susan Boyle (when you get there, go to the right box and CLICK on #8 Susan Boyle), her second performance, which occurred on Saturday, solidifying her chances of winning next week.

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Cyclone Aila, packing 100 MPH winds, struck Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta) today, killing more than 20.

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MEMORIAL DAY 2015

At the top of the Honolulu Star Advertiser today, General George Patton is quoted:

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died.  Rather we should thank God that such men lived.

Nearly six years ago just after my wife (below, Pearl at the Hiroshima Peace Park Museum next to a Hydrogen Bomb) passed away, I published in The Huffington Post:

Gratitude...Not Grief

Patton and I have closely similar views.

Two years ago I reported on:

MONDAY, MAY 27, 2013

WHAT TO DO ON MEMORIAL DAY

I've posted on the meaning of Memorial Day on several occasions, and today will again walk up to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP) inside Punchbowl (looks like Diamond Head, and is close to my apartment):

Thus, you can find out what this day is all about by clicking on the meaning above.  I start my Memorial Day weekend by watching on the eve the concert on the Mall:

For the tenth year, Gary Sinise and Joe Montagna moderated, with General Colin Powell providing a patriotic message.

Nick Fradiani, recent American Idol winner, sang our National Anthem.  I was totally impressed with Stefanie Scott, a product of the Disney Channel.

Clearly, someone will re-make Oklahoma and Carousel, where she will reprise the role of Shirley Jones.  The Voice season 5 winner, Tessane Chin, did a stirring I Will Always Love You.  Watch it!  Gloria Estefan was the headliner:

At the Arlington Memorial Cemetery Tomb of the Unknown Soldier today, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey joined 5000 spectators watch President Barack Obama lay a wreath and salute our fallen heroes for their ultimate sacrifice, indicating that this was the  first Memorial Day in 14 years without U.S. forces in a major ground war.  However, there are still 10,000 American troops in Afghanistan.

Hawaii now has a special way of celebrating Memorial Day.  Begun 15 years ago by Her Holiness Shinso Ito, (below in orange) head of Shinnyo-en Buddhism, founded by her father, the mostly religious service has become a multicultural event at Magic Island featuring Pacific-Asian entertainment and the launching of floating lanterns:

The free program began at 6:15PM, with KGMB TV coverage from 6PM.   It was a beautiful night, and 50,000 could well have been in attendance.

My 15 Craigside Monday night table featured Mint Julep and patriotic music:

We had three kinds of Kentucky Bourbon and poke, before our Okinawan pork meal:

Next week, Mojitos.

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MEMORIAL DAY 2022

Every few years I delve into the meaning of Memorial Day.  I did that last year.  Our Freedom was not free.  We are what we are today because of those who died protecting us.

Ever wonder what the difference is between Memorial Day and Veterans Day?  Read my posting of 2016.

What should you do on Memorial Day?  You already missed the PBS telecast of the Concert on the Mall.  But click on this for a You Tube recast.  This was a different kind of show, for it was lacking in stars, but more than made up for it with stories of patriotism.

In Hawaii, I sometimes went to the Shinnyo Lantern Floating ceremony at Ala Moana Beach  That has changed, and today will occur on their temple grounds.  However, you need reservations, and there are none anymore.  There will be a live broadcast from 6:30 to 7PM on KHON2.

I could again walk up to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific inside Punchbowl, but will not.

This the 60th anniversary of the official opening of the USS Arizona Memorial (left). There will be Taps Across America Tribute at the Battleship Missouri Memorial.  This Moment of Remembrance is an annual event for Americans, wherever they, at 3 PM local time on Memorial Day, to pause for a minute to remember those who have sacrificed their lives in military service to the country.  It does cost $35/person to board of ship, half price for 4-12.  Every 15 minutes from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center at 1 Arizona Memorial Place, you can catch a free shuttle to get you to the Aviation Museum, where the historic Ford Island Control Tower (red and white tower above, and below) just opened.

Otherwise, can report on two events happening on Thursday this week, June 2:  

• The nearly century old Scripps National Spelling Bee, will not be on ESPN, but on Ion, Bounce, Laff and TrueReal.

• 
  Here is how to get the program on Ion.  In Honolulu:
• I looked it up for Spectrum for my zip code, and was led to Channel 27 and 1027, KPXOHD.
• Semifinals at 7PM on Wednesday, with Finals at 7PM on Thursday.

Also on June 2 will be first game of the 2022 NBA Finals, with the Golden State Warriors hosting the Boston Celtics.  On ABC or fubo TV at 9PM EDT.  The odds are Warriors -160, Celtics +140.  

• A minus means the team is favored, or plus is the underdog.
• Go to the right column of this blog to out what these numbers mean.
• This site says that if you bet $100 on the Warriors, you will get a total of $162.50 back.  
• Or the implied probability is that the Warriors have a 61.54% chance of winning.
• If you bet $100 on the Celtics, you win a total of $240.
• Or the implied probability is that the Celtics have a 41.67% change of winning.

Tom Cruise is back.  

• His sequel, Top Gun: Maverick. will probably earn $156 million this 4-day weekend in the USA, and $280 million worldwide, even though the movie is not yet playing in China and Russia.  

• 
  The original came out in 1986.  Rotten Tomatoes reviewers did not think much of this production, giving a 57% rating.  However, the audience said 83%.  That was 36 years ago, with Take My Breath Away by Berlin going on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
• TG2 was completed two years ago but this release was delayed because of the pandemic.  Rotten Tomatoes bestowed 96/99 ratings.  The song this time is Hold My Hand by Lady Gaga.

Hurricane Agnes is a Category 2 storm, and poised to strike Oaxaca, Mexico over the cities of Puerto Angel and La Crucecita.  While earlier today she was up to 110 MPH, there is a weakening trend.  One potential danger is that, after moving on to Tabasco, Agnes could enter the Gulf Mexico and threaten the Yucatan.  Being an A means this is the first hurricane of 2022 in the East Pacific.  Next will be Blas.  In the Atlantic, the first will be named Alex.

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DEATH AND HEAVEN

To continue my Heaven series, my breakfast today featured Japanese Wagyu Beef:

Then I looked down from my lanai table and saw another bloom of Pearl's Sunburst.  This is really unusual, for the flowers normally all come out at the same time.  It was exactly three weeks ago that two of them welcomed me home (left) from my 44-day Global Adventure. 

This is Memorial Day, and a glance to the left from where I was sitting is Punchbowl, where I'll later today trek to honor our fallen heroes, and my view of the National Memorial Cemetery from my computer where I'm now creating this posting:

Today, of course, is more than eating, parades, sporting events and mattress sales.  Hawaii does more to pay tribute to the dead than any state in the Union.  In addition to Memorial Day, throughout the summer we have Obon, a Japanese festival featuring family reunions, ancestral graves and dances.  In Japan, the Tokyo to Tohoku area focuses on mid July for three-days, but elsewhere, the lunar calendar is followed, and mid-August is when celebrations occur.  Hawaii extends these Bon-Odoris (people dance in a circle, surrounded by a fair-like atmosphere) from now through August.  

But on Memorial Day, we go even further by having the the largest Toro nagashi, a festival featuring the floating of 7,000 paper lanterns out to sea at Ala Moana Beach.  Traditional Japanese beliefs state that we come from the ocean, so these lanterns, representing individuals who passed away the past year,  are like bodies returning to the sea. 

Called Shinnyo-en Lantern Floating Hawaii Memorial Day, this is an inter-faith service first held in 1999.  Today beginning at 10 AM, those who wish to honor someone can go to Magic Island to sign up for a float, first come, first served:

• You can write something or draw on the paper lantern.
• Also tape photographs or images.
• No leis.

There will be up to 50,000 observers by 6PM.  You might as well watch the event on TV (6-7:30PM) on KGMB (there is also live streaming), for parking will be a problem, there will be a swarm of people to prevent you from taking the ideal photo and another 10,000 ahead of you in-line for the bathroom.

So my sermon for the day:  what happens when you die?  Your physical body eventually becomes "dust."  What about your soul or spirit or thoughts?  My take is that there are only two paths:  nothingness or something, like Heaven or Hell.

At the beginning of humanity, it made sense for  society to invent a Supreme Being to watch over all so that the community could be more moral and secure.  Religion could well be why Homo sapiens survived so well.

But there is no compelling evidence for Heaven or Hell, or even Purgatory.  Watch Richard Dawkins on Heaven and Hell.  Or read his quotes.

Although, we are here too late, someday, it is possible that scientists will find the aging gene and  disable it.  Thus, people will die only from accidents, murders and similar consequences.  No need to worry about ailments, for they, too, will be eliminated.  Plus, people like Elon Musk are seeking ways to in real time store your memory onto a computer so that, with cloning into a new body, you can essentially live forever even if the aging gene is not checked.  Thus, you won't need to cogitate over the presence of Heaven or not.

So what is next?  I'm still stuck in an eternal gloom mode, hoping something happens so that I can soon look forward to a more promising ultimate termination.  Or, I can become Hobbes:

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MEMORIAL DAY 2011

Our summer season is bookended by Memorial Day and Labor Day.  First commemorated in honor of those Union soldiers who gave their lives in the Civil War, after World War I, the day was extended to Americans who died in all wars.  Memorial Day was once called Decorations Day on May 30, and became a three day weekend in 1971 by the action of the U.S. Congress.  Senators Dan Inouye and Dan Akaka have repeatedly introduced measures to return the event to May 30.

President Barack Obama of course paid honor to the fallen at the Arlington National Cemetery and there was that traditional concert on the Mall last night.  The Indianapolis 500 was yesterday and the Coca-Cola 600 stock car race occurs today in North Carolina.

Yesterday began my fourth year with the Huffington Post, and my peace articles have a special kind of relationship to this day.  As Senator Spark Matsunaga dedicated his life to peace, I, too, will continue my almost Man from Mancha-esque efforts to convince Barack Obama, Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping that they have a higher calling.

So pay your respects, in Hawaii with a lei (here Punchbowl, photo by Barry Vukkanuk), have a barbeque and appreciate freedom.  Peace need not necessarily come with the lost of lives.  There is a better way.