What it is all about….

A friend of S&B just posted this on FB-

DM-was in walmart getting liquor, had a gentlemen approach me and say I was drinking on him tonight, I was modest and said thank you but were set, he put $40 in the cart and said thank you...to that gentlemen, thank you for the support sir. fight for my country and get money for booze and beer. cool.

I really doubt that that individual reads S&B, but if he does….well played sir, well played.

Every time I see a Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine out and about, I go out of my way to say Thank You.  There have been several times I have bought a drink at an airport bar and told the waitress to put it on my tab without telling the recipient.  I hope all my readers do the same…..if you see a military member tonight (or any time)….tell them thanks.  A little recognition and appreciation goes a long way.

Cheers to all of you guys and Happy New Year.

Remembering the Battle of the Bulge- On Christmas

- Christmas 1944 – 66 years ago -- was a difficult time for U.S. troops holding Bastogne, Belgium.

It came in the midst of the famous Battle of the Bulge, the last-ditch major German offensive in which the German High Command threw thousands of tanks and troops into what was perceived to be the weak point in the Allied lines, deep in the Ardennes region of northeastern France.

It turned out to be one of our finest moments.

Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, in an attempt to hold the critical road intersection at Bastogne, Belgium, had rushed in the famous "Screaming Eagles" of the 101st Airborne Division to reinforce previously ploaced armored units.

The tanks and soldiers of the German Army, however, completely surrounded the U.S. forces in Bastogne and laid siege to the town. It was one of the coldest winters on record.

On Dec. 22, three days before Christmas, the Germans sent a party of four -- a major, a captain and two enlisted men -- up the road to Bastogne carrying a large white flag, bringing a demand from the Nazi commander for the Allied troops to surrender. They were met on the road by U.S. troops, were blindfolded, and taken to one of the U.S. command posts.

The acting U.S. commander, Gen. Anthony McAuliffe, replied to the demand with just one word: “Nuts.” 

Two days later, on Christmas Eve, McAuliffe issued this message to his men:

“Headquarters 101st Airborne Division

“Office of the Division Commander

“24 December 1944

“What’s merry about all this, you ask? We’re fighting, it’s cold, we aren’t home. All true, but what has the proud Eagle Division accomplished with its worthy comrades of the 10th Armored Division, the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion and all the rest? Just this: We have stopped cold everything that has been thrown at us from the North, East, South and West. We have identifications from four German Panzer Divisions, two German Infantry Divisions and one German Parachute Division. These units, spearheading the last desperate German lunge, were headed straight west for key points when the Eagle Division was hurriedly ordered to stem the advance. How effectively this was done will be written in history; not alone in our Division’s glorious history but in World history. The Germans actually did surround us. Their radios blared our doom. Their Commander demanded our surrender in the following impudent arrogance:

‘December 22nd 1944
To the U.S. A. Commander of the encircled town of Bastogne.

‘The fortune of war is changing. This time the U.S.A. forces in and near Bastogne have been encircled by strong German armored units. More German armored units have crossed the river Ourthe near Ortheuville, have taken Marche and reached St. Hubert by passing through Hombres Sibret-Tillet. Libramont is in German hands.

There is only one possibility to save the encircled U.S.A. troops from total annihilation: that is the honorable surrender of the encircled town. In order to think it over a term of two hours will be granted beginning with the presentation of this note.

‘If this proposal should be rejected one German Artillery Corps and six heavy A.A. Battalions are ready to annihilate the U.S.A. Troops in and near Bastogne. The order for firing will be given immediately after this two hours term.

‘All the serious civilian losses caused by this Artillery fire would not correspond with the well known American humanity.

(signed) ‘The German Commander’

“The German Commander received the following reply:

‘22 December 1944
’To the German Commander:

‘NUTS!

(signed) ‘The American Commander’

McAuliffe continued:

“Allied Troops are counterattacking in force. We continue to hold Bastogne. By holding Bastogne we assure the success of the Allied Armies. We know that our Division Commander, General Taylor, will say: Well Done!

“We are giving our country and our loved ones at home a worthy Christmas present and being privileged to take part in this gallant feat of arms are truly making for ourselves a Merry Christmas. A.C. McAuliffe”

*  *  *

“The United States Army in World War II,” the official history published by the U.S. Army Center of Military History on the U.S. Army Heritage Web site, reports what happened at Bastogne on Dec. 22 this way: 

“Major Alvin Jones took the terms to General McAuliffe and Lieutenant Colonel Ned D. Moore, who was acting Chief of Staff. The paper called for the surrender of the Bastogne garrison and threatened its complete destruction otherwise.

“It appealed to the ‘Well known American humanity’ to save the people of Bastogne from further suffering. The Americans were to have two hours in which to consider. The two enemy officers would have to be released by 1400 but another hour would pass before the Germans would resume their attack.

“Colonel Harper, commanding the 327th, went with Jones to Division Headquarters. The two German officers were left with Captain Adams. Members of the staff were grouped around General McAuliffe when Harper and Jones arrived. McAuliffe asked someone what the paper contained and was told that it requested a surrender.

“He laughed and said, ‘Aw, nuts!’ It really seemed funny to him at the time. He figured he was giving the Germans ‘one hell of a beating’ and that all of his men knew it. The demand was all out of line with the existing situation.

“But McAuliffe realized that some kind of reply had to be made and he sat down to think it over. Pencil in hand, he sat there pondering for a few minutes and then he remarked, ‘Well, I don't know what to tell them.’ He asked the staff what they thought and Colonel Kinnard, his G-3 [third in command] replied, "That first remark of yours would be hard to beat."

“General McAuliffe didn't understand immediately what Kinnard was referring to. Kinnard reminded him, ‘You said 'Nuts!’ That drew applause all around. All members of the staff agreed with much enthusiasm and because of their approval McAuliffe decided to send that message back to the Germans.

“Then he called Colonel Harper in and asked him how he would reply to the message. Harper thought for a minute but before he could compose anything General McAuliffe gave him the paper on which he had written his one-word reply and asked, ‘Will you see that it's delivered?’ ‘I will deliver it myself,’ answered Harper. ‘It will be a lot of fun.’ McAuliffe told him not to go into the German lines.

“Colonel Harper returned to the command post of Company F. The two Germans were standing in the wood blindfolded and under guard. Harper said, ‘I have the American commander's reply.’

“The German captain asked, ‘Is it written or verbal?’

“‘It is written,’ said Harper. And then he said to the German major, ‘I will stick it in your hand.’

“The German captain translated the message. The major then asked, ‘Is the reply negative or affirmative? If it is the latter I will negotiate further.’

“All of this time the Germans were acting in an upstage and patronizing manner. Colonel Harper was beginning to lose his temper. He said, ‘The reply is decidedly not affirmative.’ Then he added, "If you continue this foolish attack your losses will be tremendous." The major nodded his head.

“Harper put the two officers in the jeep and took them back to the main road where the German privates were waiting with the white flag.

“He then removed the blindfold and said to them, speaking through the German captain, ‘If you don't understand what “Nuts” means, in plain English it is the same as “Go to hell.” And I will tell you something else -- if you continue to attack we will kill every goddam German that tries to break into this city.’

“The German major and captain saluted very stiffly. The captain said, ‘We will kill many Americans. This is war.’ It was then 1350.10

“‘On your way, Bud,’ said Colonel Harper, ‘and good luck to you.’

“The four Germans walked on down the road. Harper returned to the house, regretting that his tongue had slipped and that he had wished them good luck.”

RIP Bill Millin

It’s my blog….I will put here what I want to.  This has nothing to do with Smokes and Booze….but it is something I think is newsworthy.

Bill Millin, Scottish D-Day Piper dies at 88.

LONDON — Bill Millin, a Scottish bagpiper who played highland tunes as his fellow commandos landed on a Normandy beach on D-Day and lived to see his bravado immortalized in the 1962 film “The Longest Day,” died on Wednesday in a hospital in the western England county of Devon. He was 88.

Second World War piper Bill Millin at his home in 2004.

The cause was complications from a stroke, his family said.

Mr. Millin was a 21-year-old private in Britain’s First Special Service Brigade when his unit landed on the strip of coast the Allies code-named Sword Beach, near the French city of Caen at the eastern end of the invasion front chosen by the Allies for the landings on June 6, 1944.

By one estimate, about 4,400 Allied troops died in the first 24 hours of the landings, about two-thirds of them Americans.

The young piper was approached shortly before the landings by the brigade’s commanding officer, Brig. Simon Fraser, who as the 15th Lord Lovat was the hereditary chief of the Clan Fraser and one of Scotland’s most celebrated aristocrats. Against orders from World War I that forbade playing bagpipes on the battlefield because of the high risk of attracting enemy fire, Lord Lovat, then 32, asked Private Millin to play on the beachhead to raise morale.

When Private Millin demurred, citing the regulations, he recalled later, Lord Lovat replied: “Ah, but that’s the English War Office. You and I are both Scottish, and that doesn’t apply.”

After wading ashore in waist-high water that he said caused his kilt to float, Private Millin reached the beach, then marched up and down, unarmed, playing the tunes Lord Lovat had requested, including “Highland Laddie” and “Road to the Isles.”

With German troops raking the beach with artillery and machine-gun fire, the young piper played on as his fellow soldiers advanced through smoke and flame on the German positions, or fell on the beach. The scene provided an emotional high point in “The Longest Day.”

In later years Mr. Millin told the BBC he did not regard what he had done as heroic. When Lord Lovat insisted that he play, he said, “I just said ‘O.K.,’ and got on with it.” He added: “I didn’t notice I was being shot at. When you’re young, you do things you wouldn’t dream of doing when you’re older.”

He said he found out later, after meeting Germans who had manned guns above the beach, that they didn’t shoot him “because they thought I was crazy.”

Other British commandos cheered and waved, Mr. Millin recalled, though he said he felt bad as he marched among ranks of wounded soldiers needing medical help. But those who survived the landings offered no reproach.

“I shall never forget hearing the skirl of Bill Millin’s pipes,” one of the commandos, Tom Duncan, said years later. “As well as the pride we felt, it reminded us of home, and why we were fighting there for our lives and those of our loved ones.”

From the beach, Private Millin moved inland with the commandos to relieve British paratroopers who had seized a bridge near the village of Ouistreham that was vital to German attempts to move reinforcements toward the beaches. As the commandos crossed the bridge under German fire, Lord Lovat again asked Private Millin to play his pipes.

In 2008, French bagpipers started a fund to erect a statue of Mr. Millin near the landing site, but the fund remains far short of its $125,000 goal.

Bill Millin was born in Glasgow on July 14, 1922, the son of a policeman, and lived with his family in Canada as a child before returning to Scotland.

After the war, he worked on Lord Lovat’s estate near Inverness, but found the life too quiet and took a job as a piper with a traveling theater company. In the late 1950s, he trained in Glasgow as a psychiatric nurse and eventually settled in Devon, retiring in 1988. He visited the United States several times, lecturing on his D-Day experiences.

In 1954 he married Margaret Mary Dowdel. A widower, he is survived by their son, John.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/20/world/europe/20millin.html?_r=1

Happy Hiroshima Day

 

Tonight I raise a B-52 to all the brave Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines that died in WW2.

The release at 08:15 8/6/1945 (6:15PM on 8/5/1945 ) went as planned, and the gravity bomb known as "Little Boy", a gun-type fission weapon with 60 kilograms (130 lb) of uranium-235, took 57[dubious – discuss] seconds to fall from the aircraft to the predetermined detonation height about 600 meters (2,000 ft) above the city.

While this may seem insensitive, one must also consider the effects of war. It happens and bad things ...happen.
The U.S. side anticipated losing many soldiers in the planned invasion of Japan, although the actual number of expected fatalities and wounded is subject to some debate. U.S. President Truman stated after the war that he had been advised that U.S. casualties could range from 250,000 to one million men. In a study done by the Joint Chiefs of Staff in April 1945, the figures of 7.45 casualties per 1,000 man-days and 1.78 fatalities per 1,000 man-days were developed. This implied that the two planned campaigns to conquer Japan would cost 1.6 million U.S. casualties, including 370,000 dead
In addition, millions of Japanese military and civilian casualties were expected An Air Force Association history says, "Millions of women, old men, and boys and girls had been trained to resist by such means as attacking with bamboo spears and strapping explosives to their bodies and throwing themselves under advancing tanks," and also that "t]he Japanese cabinet had approved a measure extending the draft to include men from ages fifteen to sixty and women from seventeen to forty-five (an additional 28 million people).

Supporters also point to an order given by the Japanese War Ministry on 1 August 1944, ordering the disposal and execution of all Allied prisoners of war, numbering over 100,000, if an invasion of the Japanese mainland took place.

Nearly 500,000 Purple Heart medals were manufactured in anticipation of the casualties resulting from the invasion of Japan. To the present date, all the American military casualties of the sixty years following the end of World War II—including the Korean and Vietnam Wars—have not exceeded that number. In 2003, there were still 120,000 of these Purple Heart medals in stock. There are so many in surplus that combat units in Iraq and Afghanistan are able to keep Purple Hearts on-hand for immediate award to wounded soldiers on the field.

A man you don’t meet everyday

Facebook is one of those things, where every day something new/unusual pops up.

Recently, I came across someone I knew way back in the day….when I was young and in Germany.  He was a fellow 33 named Pete Ferrari.

I will be honest, Pete and I never saw eye to eye (Pete would say that is being kind), and I don’t know if it was generational or just me being an ass…but needless to say, I always respected what he did as a 33 with the Alpha Co. systems.

Anyway, I found Pete and reached out to him, and I hope he can see that (even) I have matured a little bit since those crazy days back in Katterbach.

So, why is this here on Smokes and Booze?  First, Pete has written a book about his later life and his struggles with Parkinson’s Disease.  While, I haven’t read it yet…I know Pete, and I also know the struggles of my own niece, so it’s on order and I can’t wait to get it.  

Secondly, Pete’s wife Anne is a musician and she did a cover of one of my favorite songs- Jock Stewart (A man you don’t meet every day).  She even did it in the fashion of the Pogues, with a woman singing the man’s part.  It IS really good, and you can hear the song via this YouTube Clip that also outlines (somewhat) Pete’s Story.  Pete even mixed the music himself.

If you are looking for some Irish/Celtic Music, check out the rest of her album HERE and if you are so inclined to throw some support to an aging vet, check out the book too.

Also, if you are a musician (Steve) or writer (Kevin or Chris), these guys sure could use some help/suggestions in marketing or distribution.  Look Pete up on FB (HERE) if you can help.

Happy July 4th.

I normally try to stay out of politics on this blog, although I have taken some shots at the current administration (see State of the Union Drinking Game), and likewise do I seldom support one of the Big Three Brewers either (although you SHOULD check out THANK YOU MILLER).

But today is the 4th of July, and I found two videos I wanted to share with everyone.

The first is by comedian Red Skeleton – It’s pretty self explanitory.

One word debscribes this – Beautiful.

Second is a pretty good commercial for Coors Lite from back in the day.  R. Lee Ermey (a great American) teams up the “The Duke”.  Since Coors and Miller have teamed up to go against InBev, I thought I would throw this out there…as a way to say Thanks to all the Sailors, Airmen, Soldiers and Marines that help keep this country free….if you show up at my place, drinks are on me.

Happy July 4th everyone.

Cheers.

Thank you Miller

Not often do I change my drinking habits on a whim or support a product that I am not particularly fond of……..but for once, I am making an exception.

As many of you know, I prefer to stay away from the big three in the beer market, if for no other reason than the Monopoly that they have that makes it hard for smaller breweries to establish themselves.

That all changed last night when I saw the following commercial

For Miller to support the IAVA in such a way is testament to their support of our great Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines….and while I get this is also marketing program,  $.10 for every bottle cap is actually a considerable amount of money and great gesture on Miller’s part….especially in this economy where companies are watching every penny they make.

So, for now….I am a Miller drinker and will be saving my caps to mail in. 

Winston Churchill

 

Sir Winston has been in the news a bit lately.

First was the Auction in London of one his Cigars, fetching $3,126.  A funny side story of which was whether or not UK Customs was going to let it in (without a tax band) the country when it was being brought to auction.

The next mention was in an ESPN Article re: the great John Wooden being in Hospital (and later passing).

“In what might end up being one of his final sit-down interviews, Wooden, at the December 2009 Wooden Classic, answered Los Angeles Times columnist T.J. Simers when asked how he has managed to live such a long life:

But how does one live so long, he's asked, and he points to the whiskey Winston Churchill drank, the cigars George Burns had, and says, "How long did they live?
"There's no answer," he says, "but if I had to give one, I'd say life needs balance. And love." “

Neither of these compare to the latest story breaking in the UK though.

It appears that “Someone” has airbrushed and removed the cigar from one of Sir Winston’s most famous pictures, and then used said picture for the banner at the “Winston Churchill's Britain At War Experience” Museum.

Not only is this taking political correctness to the nth degree….but it also rewrites history in one of the most iconic figures in History.

HERE is the article and I post the pictures below for your perusal

I go to London at least once a year, I now know that I will not be visiting a museum that supports the altering of facts. 

Please join me in emailing the museum to show your displeasure   info@britainatwar.org.uk and if you want to see a great Winston Churchill museum, then visit the Winston Churchill Memorial and Library in Fulton MO.  There they do not sugar coat history and cigars are prominently displayed on his desk and throughout.

Sausage King….Dead :(

Of late, we have had quite a few leave us to pass over to the other side, but few have had the impact of Jimmy Dean.

Not to be confused with James Dean (hated his movies…but loved his car), Jimmy Dean was more than just the Sausage King.

One wonders where to start in his great career, but since this blog is about Smokes and Booze….why not here….

Jimmy Dean got start in the music business as an accordionist at a tavern near Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C., where he was stationed in the 1940s.

In the early 1950s, Dean's band had its first national hit in "Bummin' Around", but it was his next hit that set him apart in the music industry….”Big Bad John”, a song that won him a Grammy.

He later went on to play Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl and  became the first country star on the Vegas Strip. He was also the first guest host on "The Tonight Show," and an actor in Diamonds Are Forever.

Most people would be happy with that type of career, but Jimmy also founded Jimmy Dean Sausage…..and for that….he earns our eternal thanks.

RIP Jimmy

The Doolittle Raid

I recently saw the below video and it brought me back to my youth.  You see, my father was a big airplane buff.  He grew up during WWII and as a child, he would watch the airplanes training and then flying off to war.  He grew up loving (and instilling in me a love for) history, and I don’t think there was an Air show within 200 miles of us in Indiana we ever missed.  At least once a year, we would go over to the Wright Patterson Air force Museum to see what they added….and this story in particular brings back further memories.

Anyone who even remotely pays attention to US History in High School knows of this raid (if not, read HERE), but what started me searching was seeing those 17 B-25s on the tarmac.  I wanted to know how that compared to the actual raid itself.

 

 

The video is of the recent 68th Reunion of the Doolittle Raiders and consisted of 17 B-25’s, and to my surprise….this was actually one MORE than participated in the raid itself (15 designated and one added at the last minute).  That is just amazing.

I’m sure many of you are wondering why this is on a blog called Smokes and Booze?  I retort….it’s my blog and WHY NOT?

But there is an additional part to the story.

 

In honor of the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo, the citizens of Tucson, Arizona presented a set of 80 sterling goblets to the Raiders following WW II. In turn, they were presented to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs by General Doolittle on behalf of the surviving members of the Raiders for safekeeping and display between reunions.  On 19 April 2006, the memorabilia were transferred to the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

The silver goblets themselves are housed in a special glass-enclosed trophy case.  Each of the goblets has the Airman’s name printed twice, one right side up and the other is upside down, this allows a the names to be read even if the goblet is symbolically turned down at the death of one of the team.  Currently there are only 8 surviving men from the raid. 

The case also contains a bottle of 1896 Hennessy Brandy (the date selected to represent the year of Jimmy Doolittle’s Birth) to be used by the last two remaining Raiders at the last reunion to toast their departed comrades.

These men went through “IT” together….and what a beautiful tribute as they slowly fly off into the sunset.

I know this would have made a great Memorial Day post, but then again….perhaps it isn’t right to only remember our Veterans a few times a year.  I think we should be thinking of them every time we see the flag, hug our children….or in the case of Doolittle’s Raiders, when a plane passes overhead.  These men are true heroes….and I pray that that bottle of brandy stays unopened for many more years.

Raise a glass tonight and think about how 16 Aircraft changed the world, I know I will.

Cheers.

42 Below just went out the window

There are some crass things in this world.  I should know, I’ve done a lot of them…..but that is irrelevant.  Of all the things I’ve done, I’ve never disrespected a Veteran’s Memorial.

Now there is a product that has done just THAT, 42 Below Vodka.

During the recent finals for the 42 Below Cocktail Worldcup in New Zealand, the 42 logo was shone on the National War Memorial . 

While appalling and in poor taste, what I think is even worse are the following comments and actions:

“42 Below chief executive Paul Dibbayawan apologized last night but blamed independent organizers.

"The final of the 42 Below Cocktail World Cup ... was organized by an independent events company and the decision to project the 42 Below logo on the carillon was theirs. However, it was our event and we take full responsibility for this action.

"In light of this oversight we would like to offer the RNZRSA a donation of $420 and a case of 42 Below vodka." “

$420???? Give me a break.  What a nice tongue-in-cheek way to get the number 42 out there more.  Plus a case of Vodka.  Who do these guys think runs the memorial……Madonna?  Throw in the coy “It’s not our fault answer” and you really get a clear picture of the type of company 42 Below Vodka is.

Vodka has really gotten some bad publicity lately.  With Madonna, P-Diddy and now this, if I were a distiller, I know how I would succeed….just do the opposite of these idiots.

Oh well.  I know what my next vodka purchase will NOT be, and considering how many veterans troll this blog, I can almost assume what theirs won’t be as well.

Cheers 42 Below…..you make my selection process easier.

P-Diddy Endorsement, is it worth it?

 

While in South Beach this last week, I had a chance to sample some great drinks (we really mixed it up this time) and party with some friends.

While at the club MANGOS, I saw everyone drinking  a vodka named  Ciroc.  Now, when I say EVERYONE, I mean everyone.  Aside from me ordering Bushmills 16 and my friend Rick eventually buying a bottle of Tequila (I don’t even want to know what SoBe prices were on that), I honestly believe that vodka was the only thing being poured at this place. 

Always the adventurous type, I thought I would try a few.

As a mixer, it seemed to work well in the three local cocktails I had.  No, I didn't drink a Cosmo…..and really the local drink names didn’t stick with me.  Most were very fruity and all seemed to focus on the bartenders ability to use a shaker……vs the drink itself.

I did do an iced shot of Ciroc, and this is where it caught me a little off-guard.  The taste took me back to Katterbach Kaserne. 

Allow me to explain.

Way back in my Army days, we used to have things called “Alerts”.  These were exercises to test our readiness to deploy anywhere (although usually just to our border area) in the world.  It usually involved everyone being awoken at 3:00AM, grabbing all gear and weapons, heading to the motor pool and getting our vehicles deployed.

It was a huge pain in the ass, and intended to be a surprise to catch everyone of guard…..so naturally every knew of them in advance.

Anyway, a typical evening prior to Alerts would be spent at the Enlisted Club, where we would see who could drink the most and still perform the next morning.  The two most popular drinks were shots of tequila and POPOV Vodka.   Yes POPOV, the plastic bottle elixir of death.   A Vodka so horrible, that you can smell it seeping from your pours the next day (as any Soldier who has done an Alert or Friday PT).

Needless to say, the next mornings were rough……with a ghastly aftertaste left in your mouth, and THIS was the first memory invoked by Ciroc.

The taste was similar to a cross between gasoline and rubbing alcohol.  If I hadn’t seen the bartender pour it with my own eyes, I would have sworn he did a bait and switch.

The nose was rough and unfiltered, again taking me back to those days where you could smell people sweating booze during a PT Run.

Without strong overlying mixes to cover it up, this stuff was a train wreck.

Interestingly, I just found a quote from Sean “P-Diddy” Combs, the main spokesman for Ciroc…….

"If you're not drinking Ciroc vodka, then you're drinking pee pee."

Combs has a multiyear strategic partnership worth up to $100 million with Ciroc and receives a 50 percent share of profits, while I don’t get anything from them what-so-ever. 

I don’t know who’s opinion you trust, but if P-Diddy’s Opinion is what counts, I would rather drink THIS.

Patriotism and Drinking on a Budget

Hey, the economy is down and you can’t always afford to hit the top shelf liquors every time.

In fact, there are days that you just go out and buy a 6-pack of Stag and let it go at that. 

But what about when you are in the mood for some hard liquor and your wallet is a little light?  Well, I might have the answer.

I had seen FRÏS Vodka several times at my local store out here in the sticks.  I kinda passed over it on my way to the bourbons, especially since Vodka is not my thing and I have to be careful what I pour for Debi, or else she gets headaches from the impurities.

Anyway, for Christmas I had gotten her a Vodka Infuser so she could make her own flavored vodkas (That is her own story and maybe she will write about it someday).  After I had bought it, I spoke with Randy from MySideofthebar and found he does vodka infusions…in fact, he wrote about it HERE. 

If you notice in that blog, you can see a bottle of  FRÏS (and Skull Head as well…which I introduced him to).  When I queried him as to whether it was a quality vodka…he replied it is great.  The wheels were moving for me to try some.

A few weeks later, I am back at my local Moser’s and I see FRÏS on the rack again….and it was only $11 a bottle?  What the hell, I grabbed one, only to find out when I got it home…..it was Grape flavored. 

I know what you are saying….wasted money.  But in reality, it was REALLY REALLY GOOD.  This 40% bombshell tasted exactly like grape KoolAid and could be drank straight or on ice (I preferred it cold).  You don’t even realize you are drinking Vodka.  The company is owned by Absolute, and the name FRÏS (pronounced "freeze") comes from Danish words for "frost" and "Ice". Fris Vodka is the only vodka in the world produced with a patented Freeze Distilled process and this is the reason (according to them ) for it’s smooth velvety taste.  In fact, this vodka is so good…it was Awarded a Gold Medal in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2 years in a row, 2000 and 2001.

Overall….A C+/B- : A great every-so-often drink.

Now I needed a mixer.

Again I was back at Moser’s (you have no idea how much time I spend there), when I was drawn to a can with an American Flag paint scheme and the words Ol’ Glory on it.

WHAT???

Ol’Glory claims to be “America’s Energy Drink” and comes in 16oz cans……for ONLY $.99 ea, how bad could this be? Of course, vigilant readers of this blog might recall moving day with TommyG and THIS ENTRY. 

But anyway, the can also has the Pledge of Allegiance and Army National Guard Toll Free Number on it……there is no way I could pass this up.

I was almost giddy going home, wondering how well this would mix with my FRÏS Grape Vodka.

Before I mixed it, I took a taste just to see how it was.  Surprisingly, it was comparable with Red bull….although not as heavy on the Taurine.  It was actually a workable substitute.

Here is the drink -

Red, White and WOW

2oz FRÏS Grape Vodka

4oz Ol’ Glory

Grenadine

Pour the FRÏS and the Ol’ Glory in a shaker with ice and mix well.

Pour into a tall glass over crushed ice and drizzle with grenadine.

Give it a try and let me know your opinions……I’m biased since I invented it :) 

I know after drinking 3 of these……I was singing this song…

 

Finally, all joking aside….Ol’ Glory was a great mixer (IMO) and when I was researching for this post, I found out that a portion of every purchase goes towards Operation Homefront, a great cause.  You can read about that on their website HERE.  For the price, it blows the doors off of Red bull and you get 16oz per can vs the 8.4oz in Red Bull.  When you are drinking on a budget, it’s those little things that really count….and for that, I salute you Ol’ Glory.

Until next time ….Cheers.

Armistice Day (also known as Remembrance Day) is on November 11 and commemorates the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning — the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" 1918. While this official date to mark the end of the war reflects the cease fire on the Western Front, hostilities continued in other regions, especially across the former Russian Empire and in parts of the old Ottoman Empire.

The date was declared a national holiday in many allied nations, to commemorate those members of the armed forces who were killed during war. An exception is Italy, where the end of the war is commemorated on 4 November, the day of the Armistice of Villa Giusti. Called Armistice Day in many countries, it was known as National Day in Poland (also a public holiday) called Polish Independence Day. After World War II, the name of the holiday was changed to Veterans Day in the United States and to Remembrance Day in countries of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Armistice Day remains an official holiday in France. It is also an official holiday in Belgium, known also as the Day of Peace in the Flanders Fields.

In many parts of the world people take a two-minute moment of silence at 11:00 a.m. as a sign of respect for the roughly 20 million people who died in the war, as suggested by Edward George Honey in a letter to a British newspaper although Wellesley Tudor Pole established two ceremonial periods of remembrance based on events in 1917.[1][2]

In the UK, beginning in 1939, the two-minute silence was moved to the Sunday nearest to 11 November in order not to interfere with wartime production should 11 November fall on a weekday. Both Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday are commemorated formally in the UK.

Tonight, we will be going to Grand Cru for a Scotch Tasting and also to raise a toast to the Fallen Hero's of a Forgotten War.

We'll be tasting four different scotches -

Balvenie 12 year old double wood
Glenfiddich 15 year old
Glenfiddich 18 year old
Balvenie 17 year old madeira finish

I know Alby and Jason will be there, but would love to lift a pint (or Dram) with any other Blog Followers.

The evening starts with a social at 5:30 p.m., the tasting will begin at 6 p.m. and is listed to the right if you need directions.

CYA there

Veteran's Day

I was originally gonna post something cute and funny about today, that is until I got an Email from my friend Gordy.

Gordy and I have been friends for a long time, 22 years to be exact. We met in Basic Training, went through Security Clearance Processing together and then Advanced Individual Training (AIT)....we even had the same MOS (33T).

Throughout the years he and I have stayed in contact, he stayed in the Army (they call him "Chief" now, but to me he is still a NUG) while I got out and started a career. He has been deployed several times, and is so currently.

I remember the last time he was in Columbia, we sat outside and didn't have to say anything for a long time....that is a sign of a true friend. When we talk, we both speak the same language.

Today, he forwarded over a speech his daughter wrote.....so instead of something cute, I decided to post it.

Thanks Gordy for serving and sharing.

Veteran’s Day Speech

For as long as I can remember, Veteran’s Day has been celebrated at my school by everyone meeting in the gym to hear some people speak about the importance of the day. We salute the former soldiers and the current ones that come to our school to commemorate the day. But when I was little, it started out as just another assembly, just another day. It wasn’t until I was in early middle school that I learned what Veteran’s Day really means.
It dawned on me when I was talking to my father, who has been a soldier in our military for twenty years. I only get to see him in the summer sometimes, and other times we talk over the phone. I had called him one day just to talk to him and it was shortly after Veteran’s Day in sixth grade. After we talked about what he was doing for a while, we moved on to what I had been doing.
“Well,” I said slowly. “We went to a Veteran’s Day assembly not too long ago.”
“That’s cool.” replied my dad. “So, who was there?”
“Just some old dudes that had retired from the military, all our teachers, and all the other students.” I replied thinking back. It was at that moment, which a question popped into my mind. “Dad, are you a veteran?”
“Yeah sweetheart,” he told me plainly. “Veterans can be anyone that has fought for our country.”
“Even if they’re still fighting?” I ask.
“Yeah.” he replied back. It was then that I realized how Veteran’s Day really affected my life. It wasn’t just about an assembly anymore where my school met to observe the day of veterans. It more than that now; it was about my family, especially my father.

As a child, I was narrow-minded; I never looked at the big picture. I never paid attention to what we were going through as a country, which was of course until the September 11th attacks. I remember everyone turning on their TVs and watching the news. I didn’t care at first; the news bored me at the time. What got my attention was when some of the teachers started to cry. I was confused and when I got home I asked my mom about it. She told me that the Twin Towers in New York had been attacked by terrorists. Terrorists, it was a new word for me. I was in third grade at the time, and “terrorists” wasn’t something they taught you back then. However, I still understood the word “Terror”. Then she told me how the attacks had killed a lot of people. Death was something else I was familiar with. I live by a country road and a few of our family dogs had already been killed by speeders. When I imagined the death of the attacks that day, I imagined the feeling of losing one of the pets that had loved deeply. But it wasn’t dogs that had died, it was people. People like you would meet everyday. When I asked why the attacks happened, my mother just told me it was because some people were angry with the U.S. When I asked what we had done wrong she told me that we were just living freely. We had freedom that most others didn’t have.
Then I remembered something my dad told me once. Soldiers protect our nation, and something just as important; the freedom we live by everyday. In the years to come, I learned just what he meant by freedom.
The origin of our freedom lies with the birth of our country. As our country started, I learned that we broke away from England and became independent. Our forefathers created the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, each stood for the freedom that we as a country stand for today. After that we fought England for our freedom and won, making independence official. But it didn’t get any easier after that.
We fought with ourselves in the Civil War and continued to fight other countries. Finally, the entire civilized world went to war. World War 1 took place from 1917 to 1918. After this war, in 1919, President Wilson proclaimed that November 11th would be celebrated as Armistice Day. This day was originally made to honor the veterans of World War I. But after World War II took place from 1941 to 1945, and the Korean War took place from 1950 to 1953, Congress decided to change the name of the day to Veteran’s Day. This is so that all veterans that have served can be honored. This was approved in the year 1954 and has been so ever since.
Since then, we have fought in the Vietnam War, Desert Storm, and even now continue to fight in the Iraqi War. Men and women of our country have fought and died to protect our country and its beliefs. We’ve also fought to aid others who share our values of a better way of life. We may not have won every time, but we’ve stood our ground.
Veteran’s Day is especially important to me because I get to thank my dad. He’s not just my father; he’s a man that is risking his life for me almost everyday. Why? So I can have the freedom to be a Christian. So I can speak out on what I believe. So everyone can assemble to honor veterans on Veteran’s Day. Without our veterans, we wouldn’t be the country we are today. We would be just some other country who is suffering under the tyranny of a dictating government. I for one would not like that life. Where I would have no voice, where what I feel and think doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter who you are, everyone has an opinion and no one’s opinion is greater than anyone else’s. Some might think another’s opinions are incorrect or unjust, but everyone has a right to express themselves by their voice, to express their opinion.

I would like to end by thanking our veterans who have fought and others who have died for our beloved country. The men and women who have taken on the task of taking up arms and fighting for their freedom; but not just their freedom, for everyone’s freedom. The freedom that we are given at birth; what we deserve in order to live a fulfilling and purposeful life. So, thank you veterans. I hope my words have encouraged everyone that has listened and I hope that we’ll keep fighting no matter what. Thank you.

Happy Birthday US Marine Corp

On this day in history, 10 Nov 1775, the Continental Congress formed the Continental Marines,planning to draw them from among Washington's army in Boston and send them to capture supplies from Halifax, Nova Scotia.

However, Washington was unenthusiastic about the plan and suggested the Marines be recruited in New York or Philadelphia instead. Captain Samuel Nicholas was commissioned as the Continental Marines' first officer on 28 November 1775.

What does this have to do with Smokes and Booze? EVERYTHING!

When Cpt.Samuel Nicholas enacted a decision of the Continental Congress to form the Continental Marines,he based recruitment at a tavern. Not just any tavern, but Tun Tavern, famous as a meeting place for prominent organizations and people, such as -

-St. George's Society
-the firt meetings of St. John's No. 1 Lodge of the Grand Lodge of the Masonic Temple
-St. Andrews Society
-Benjamin Franklin
-George Washington
-Thomas Jefferson
-The Continental Congress

So much history, in one Bar. Amazing.

Sadly, Tun Tavern burned down in 1781, but there is a historical marker near the location and a themed restaurant at Quantico.



Often, Taverns are overlooked at their significance in early American History....a place where people could meet, discuss, rest threir weary bones. A gathering point of the community. So much of Americana as we know it started in pubs, bars and taverns across the country....and today is a great example.

If you happen to stop by the Tinderbox today, say something to Kevin....our resident Marine. I'm sure it would make his day.

Cheers and Happy Birthday to the Corp.