More on the Marines

Hey….I’ve said it several times before- “It’s MY blog, and I will post want I want too”.  So to further celebrate the birthday of the USMC, here is a video and a news story-

First a Birthday Message -

Secondly, a story-

Marine who pulled local Marine's body from ambush may be first living Marine in a generation to receive medal of honor

 

VIRGINIA BEACH —

Dakota Meyer may be the first living Marine to receive the Medal of Honor in a generation.
In September last year, while in Afghanistan, Corporal Meyer went into a kill-zone to pull out the bodies of four soldiers to bring their bodies back to their families.
One of those fallen Marines was Michael Johnson of Virginia Beach. His father, Robert, found out last night.

He says, "I feel like Dakota deserves this and I felt like it's been a long time coming."
The Marine Corps has recommended Meyer for the Medal of Honor.
He and his fellow Marines were greatly outnumbered with 150 insurgents firing on them. But Meyer selflessly went into the storm of enemy bullets raining down so the Johnson family would get to properly bury their son.
"We owe him a tremendous debt. He brought our boys back. He brought his brothers back," Robert says.
Meyer was interviewed by the Marine Times, showing he's as humble as he is courageous.
He said, "I feel like the furthest thing from a hero. I feel like I let my guys down because I didn't bring them home alive."
However, Robert says, "They're all like that you know? They're just platoons and platoons like that will lay down their lives for one another.
Seven other military members have been awarded the Medal of Honor since the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq began. But Meyer would be the first to live to receive the honor.

From 1 Year Ago–Happy Birthday USMC

Here is a blast from the past....but on an appropriate day.

Happy Birthday to the United States Marine Corp.

Sadly though, the Tinderbox has closed here in CoMo and no one has heard from Kevin in a long time.  If you have any info on him, please pass it along….I’d love to drop him a line.

On a positive note, this past year we have had one Marine added to the family with Brian C.  He has done us proud as one of the latest additions to the Military from the S&B extended family.

Also, someone I served in the Army with was also a Marine as well….so a shout out to Marika (and Marika….isn’t your daughter MCJRROTC?).

If you know of other Marines, post their names in comments below.

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.

Beer and Turkey

With Thanksgiving on the horizon, here is a pretty good article on pairing beer with Turkey.  It outlines the different styles of beer and how they mesh with various methods of cooking our Thanksgiving Bird.  Give it a gander (oh wait, that is for geese) and let me know how it works for everyone.

Brooks on Beer: Pairing your Thanksgiving turkey with beer

Jay R. Brooks
for the Bay Area News Group

Posted: 11/10/2010 01:00:00 AM PST

My 6-year-old daughter asked me to guess her favorite holiday recently and naturally, I expected her answer to be Christmas or her birthday. So I was surprised when she announced it was Thanksgiving -- because, she said, of the turkey. I couldn't agree more.

Of course, part of the reason I love turkey so much is because it pairs so well with beer. Beer really brings out the flavors of that main course, but it also complements the many side dishes that make up the Thanksgiving feast.

Most Thanksgiving turkeys are roasted, which brings out caramel and even smoky flavors. If you glaze or brine the bird, that adds additional flavor components, and stuffing brings herbal and spicy notes to mix. That's a tough melange of tastes to pair with just one quaff. Happily, many beers are up to the task.

The barley in beer is roasted, so it also produces caramelized flavors. Several traditional styles lean toward the malty side, and a delicate hop spicing or alcoholic strength can yield an ideal match.

The beer served at Munich's annual Oktoberfest -- an Oktoberfest beer or märzen -- is one such beer. Most are made year round now, so a German or craft märzen should be easy to find even though Munich's festivities ended weeks ago.

Some darker beer styles are also great choices, because their malt lends a more roasty character. A German-style dunkel, for example, brings out chocolate, nutty, toffee and bread-y flavors. Belgian-style dubbels -- which are also very malty, although slightly stronger -- are also some of my favorites, especially Westmalle Dubbel or red label Chimay Premiere.

If you smoke or grill your turkey, a scotch ale, porter or brown ale -- I'm particularly loving Sierra Nevada's new Tumbler Brown Ale -- will complement the bird better because of the increased caramelized flavors found in those beer styles.

If you prefer your beer spicy, a Bière de garde may be your best bet. They can be difficult to find, but well worth the effort. These beers are typically sweet and malty, delicately spiced, and great with food. A few to look for include Avante Garde from Lost Abbey, Perdition from Russian River Brewing and Oro De Calabaza from Jolly Pumpkin.

My personal favorite Thanksgiving beer is Anchor's Our Special Ale -- also known as their Christmas Ale -- which is a different beer each year. The spices are a closely guarded secret, but this is usually a brown ale with delicate to strong spicing, depending on the vintage. As a result, I've found it matches the whole meal just perfectly.

If, on the other hand, your turkey is spicy -- perhaps cooked in a Cajun or Southwestern style -- you may need something hoppier to match the heat, but it should also have a good malt backbone. An English-style IPA would be ideal for that, although the rye in Bear Republic's Hop Rod Rye makes it complex and sturdy enough to work, too. If you don't like hoppy beer, a dubbel or a doppelbock would also work well.

If you want to keep things simple, an amber ale or lager has just enough malt to work. Similarly, a strong golden ale, such as Duvel, North Coast Pranqster or Russian River Damnation, is a great choice too.

No matter which brew you choose, your guests will be thankful. Beer really is for the bird.

http://www.mercurynews.com/libations/ci_16566059?nclick_check=1

Veteran’s Day is approaching….

…so to lead up to it, I have a few Veteran’s Stories to share.

The first is Ed Trey, a WW2 and Korean War Vet who played football against a President (Ford) in highschool, met Patton, received a Bronze Star (with V) and retired as a Lt. Colonel.

The last line in the story still brings a smile to my face.  Here’s to you Col Trey…Cheers- Smokes and Booze salutes you

 

Scotch helped decorated soldier survive war

A decorated U.S. Army veteran of two wars, Edward L. Trey, 94, has enjoyed a full life.

He can thank British soldiers -- and Scotch whisky -- at least in part for that. During World War II, off the coast of Anzio, they saved him from a watery grave.

Trey said he was perched on the back of a landing craft in the Mediterranean Sea when his ship hit a mine. It was loaded with members of the 83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion based at Camp Gordon, Ga.

"It blew the center of the ship out. I spent five hours in the water and nearly froze to death.

"At one point, I looked up to the sky, and I said, 'Goodbye, world!'"

He re-enacted the moment, glancing above as he threw his arms up in the air.

But the British ship came along and delivered him to a British hospital, where he received five days of medical care.

"They sent down a ladder for me, fed me scotch by pouring it down my throat and thankfully I recovered," he recalled one afternoon last week at his Frederick home.

His worst fear? "Being captured by the Germans," he said.

Trey took part in five amphibious launches while serving in WWII from 1942 to 1945 and retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

He endured 541 combat days while in Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Austria and Germany.

"Wherever they needed mortar fire, we went," Trey said. "We were a portable unit" responsible for transporting high-explosive mortar shells.

His unit started with 1,010 men and lost 800 to 900 in action, he said.

Honored with a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for Valor, Trey's military service didn't end with WWII.

He later was recalled to duty during the Korean War.

Last Thursday was a particularly busy day for Trey, who enjoyed a visit from historian Terry Lowry, author of "Bastard Battalion: A History of the 83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion in World War II."

A neighbor stopped by later as well, to bring him a container of homemade spaghetti and a bag of cookies still warm from the oven.

Trey welcomed the stream of company, as the sounds of "Bonanza" played on the television.

Trey moved his wife and growing family to Frederick in 1955. They raised four sons and a daughter while he worked for 16 years as a packaging engineer in the biolabs at Fort Detrick.

Trey's military service began at an inopportune time, he said. He was only two semesters into his college career when he was drafted.

"They pulled me out," he said. "They called. You came."

He boasted of two men he encountered in vastly different kinds of combat. Both men's achievements would have chapters devoted to them in history books.

He met Gen. George S. Patton while serving in WWII. "He was a rough customer, all stars and bars and his pearl-handled pistols," Trey said.

He met former President Gerald R. Ford in Michigan, many years before Trey was drafted into the Army.

"I played football against him in high school," he laughed. "I played football with a future president."

Reminiscing once again about his frigid time in the sea, Trey said the whisky revived him -- and still does today.

"I just got me a big jug to keep me going over the weekend," he said, pulling out a bottle of Clan MacGregor. "Can I pour you a glass?"

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=598&sid=2111079

World’s Most Expensive Beer (brewed in Modern Times)

Most Expensive Beer - Antarctic Nail Ale sets world record
  PERTH, Australia--The Nail Brewing Co. sold a bottle of limited edition Antarctic Nail Ale, created with melted Antarctic ice, for $800 at an auction benefiting the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society - setting the new world record for the Most Expensive Beer Produced in Modern Times.
  (enlarge photo)
The World's Most Expensive Beer, of which only 30 were bottled, was created at the Nail Brewing headquarters at Edith Cowan University in Perth with melted Antarctic ice that the anti-whaling org brought back with them from an earlier campaign.
"Over 90% of beer is water, so the Antarctic Nail Ale could possibly be the world's oldest and purest beer," brewer John Stallwood said.

Previously, the Guinness World Record for the most expensive beer was held by Scottish brewery BrewDogs, for their $765 high-alcohol beer, a 12-bottle run of 55% ABV beer, served in a bottle wrapped in roadkill - a choice between a taxidermied grey squirrel or stoat. (#@&%*)
"It is great to sell the most expensive bottle of beer in the world but it is all about a good cause," added Stallwood.
   "It is also good that a beer about saving the whales is now most expensive beer in the world rather than high alcohol beer sold in animal carcasses. I think future beers that sell for over $800 won't just be unique but will also be for good causes."
Antarctic Nail Ale was brewed by Nail Brewing Australia at Edith Cowan University. Thanks to Captain Paul Watson, The Sea Shepherd, Kevin McGinty, Jeff Hanson, Kim Frost, Brendan O'Sullivan (ECU student and Gage Road Brewer), Hugh Dunn, Clay Millar, Jon Luff (ECU staff), Justin Fox (The Monk Brewery), David Brain (video) , Andrew Burton (Expocopy Graphic designer), Cindy Butcher, John Stallwood (Nail Brewing Australia).
  The Guinness world record for the Bitterest beer was set by Peter Fowler, 58, who created the eight per cent beer The Hop, rated for its bitterness at 323 International Bittering Units.

Guinness World Records also recognized the largest house made entirely out of beer mats: Sven Goebel used over 300,000 coasters to create walls and furniture for the house.

http://www.worldrecordsacademy.org/drinks/most_expensive_beer_Antarctic_Nail_Ale_sets_world_record_101958.html

This Day in History–Nov 9th 1997

Michael Paul Lookinland (Bobby Brady from the Brady Bunch) is charged with Drunk Drinving in St George Utah.  Blowing a .258, the 36 yr old former child star looks like he is trying to revive his career by being cast as a live action Ned Flanders.

3rd sign of the Apocalypse

I never thought I would come to say this, but today I am defending Miley Cyrus.

I know I know…everyone is asking themselves two questions-

1. How do I know about Miley Cyrus?

2. Why would I defend her?

Both are relatively easy to answer.  The first is due to James.  Being eight, I have been teasing him that he either has a crush on her or is getting Hanna Montana toys for Christmas/Birthday for almost 5 years (since he was old enough to know better).  That’s what Dad’s do….we find something to give our kids crap about

The second is just as easy to answer….because I am defending her right to have a drink. 

You see, Miley is 17.  While a hearty debate could be had if she should or shouldn’t be allowed to drink in the US, this is not the issue.  Instead, she had her picture taken drinking a Corona in Spain…a country that basically has no drinking age.  Since she is a celebrity, entire the International Institute of Alcohol Awareness.

As reported on TMZ -The International Institute of Alcohol Awareness is complaining that Miley Cyrus put herself and others at risk this week by indulging in that ice cold Corona at a nightclub in Spain.

Even though officials in Spain told us 17-year-old Miley didn't break any laws ... the head of the International Institute for Alcohol Awareness, James E. Copple, is concerned other young people will follow her lead and engage in "risky behavior associated with underage alcohol consumption."
Copple tells us, "The young people that see her as a role model could mimic the same behavior and as a consequence will go out and become intoxicated, putting their safety at risk."
Copple noted ... according to his organization, "85% of young people who drink, drink to get intoxicated."

So basically, the IIoAA wants to mandate their form or morality, utilize Miley’s “slip-up” to promote their own personal agenda and to finally use publicity to force her into a very public apology (wait for it) that they can trump out in front to show they were “Right”.

I don’t use profanity that much on my blog….but in this case FUCK THEM.

First, she broke no law.  She was legally drinking I a country that finds it ok to socialize and drink.  Having lived my impressionable years in Germany…..I know I drank quite a bit before I was 21, and that didn’t affect me (wait, I write a blog about Smoking and Drinking…scratch that).

Secondly, Celebrities are NOT role-models.  They are people like you and me, who have been thrust into positions/jobs that they make tons of money.  Are you telling me that if you were made that kinda payolla you wouldn’t indulge too?  Get real.  If this is such a big deal, then why are they not going after P-Diddy for Ciroc?  As an entertainer who has an influence on the Black Youth of America (and Youth of the world), shouldn’t he be targeted too?  Long time readers here know that I don’t like his vodka (Here), his marketing (HERE) or his videos (HERE)….but at no point have I stated he was a role-model and should be targeted for his business or personal life. 

Finally the way the IIoAA operates.  Kids do not go to Mr. James E. Copple’s website (apparently the only person that works for the IIoAA) and check the latest news on Alcohol Awareness.  Instead, these sites are visited by Teachers or Clergy who want to trump out stories in front of kids from an authentic sounding source.  Personally, after checking Mr. Copple’s credentials…..I don’t think he is qualified to find his way out of a wet paper bag, let alone providing any advice on drinking.  Instead, he wants to hide behind the title of his organization and use it as a soapbox for morality.  In fact, 2,500+ site are quoting this guy on this case alone.

To me, the hypocrisy is that “Mr. Diddy” sold between $100-$200 Million in records in 4 years (93-97).  He is one of the more influential hip-hop stars in Music and he has become a successful businessman to boot.  So why is it, there are no stories about him on the IIoAA site?  Why are they not screaming that he drop his product line or to stop promoting it with his image?  I’ll tell you why, because Mr. Puff Daddy has an established clientele and they could care less about the IIoAA.  Puff would lavish in the additional publicity and probably make a video jab at the IIoAA.   Meanwhile, Miley is in her swansong years.  Her popularity is starting to wane.  Therefore she will make at some point a public apology (thus giving credit to the IIoAA) in an attempt to maintain good publicity just a little bit longer.  Personally, I think she should do what she wants, cut ties with Disney and enjoy life.  She could learn a lot from Emma Watson (who also liked Corona, but has really got her life on track to succeed)

In the end, as long as the media needs a source to sensationalize a story (and make sales), organizations like the IIoAA will be right there to provide for them. 

Nice strong-arm tactic there bud.