May 31, 2004
Quantico National Cemetery
About 35 miles south of
Arlington National Cemetery is another
National Cemetery, at Quantico, Virginia. Quantico is the headquarters of the US Marine Corps, and is located on the other side of the interstate from the cemetery itself. There actually is a town called Quantico that is completely within the base perimeter, you have to go through the front gate of the base in order to get there. It's a nice enough little town, mostly small apartment buildings and businesses like laundromats for military personnel and featuring an honest-to-Landry Dallas Cowboys bar, smack dab in the middle of Redskins country.
At the main gate of Quantico base is a slightly smaller replica of the monument depicting the second raising of the US flag at Iwo Jima, just like the one in Washington, DC.
But if you go west on the interstate exit, heading away from the base, you'll come to a turnoff for the National Cemetery. Neither as celebrated nor as large as Arlington, Quantico is nevertheless a beautiful and peaceful place. Naturally, being in the heart of Marine country, many of the monuments and markers are dedicated to the Corps. Unlike Arlington, most of the grave markers are horizontal, facing up to the sky, leaving long stretches of perfectly-maintained grass divided by gently curving roads. There are also many wooded areas, and some decent walking trails through the woods, complete with benches and 'reflection stops' that have been built and maintained by Eagle Scout candidates over the years.
It's far from a sterile place because that area of Virginia still maintains huge tracts of undeveloped land. Sit quietly for a while and you'll see multitudes of birds and squirrels, rabbits, deer and the occasional red fox. In fact, one of the problems the staff has is hunters coming onto the grounds at night and poaching deer.
Four times a year, Quantico National Cemetery dresses up. The Avenue of Flags is an impressive thing to see. Hundreds of donated veteran's flags are raised along the roads on Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day and Flag Day.
I went to Quantico National Cemetary early yesterday morning and spent a quiet hour walking around, taking pictures and talking to a few other folks who were there. I added my own silent thanks to those who've served this country that I love.
(pictures are in the extended entry, click the links to open in their own window for the bandwidth-impaired)
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Posted by: Ted at
11:29 PM | category: History
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Posted by: Susie at May 31, 2004 01:09 PM (5WQI4)
2
Thanks for putting the monuments and memories photo in the post and not as a link. I might have missed it.
Posted by: Tuning Spork at May 31, 2004 07:39 PM (v/S3n)
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May 08, 2004
Hockey History - Expansion
The National Hockey League had survived many years with teams being created and fading away, but the "original six" always survived. They were:
Boston Bruins
Chicago Blackhawks
Detroit Red Wings
Montreal Canadiens
New York Rangers
Toronto Maple Leafs
In 1967, the NHL gambled on a major expansion and doubled their size to 12 teams. In the extended entry is a list of those teams, along with pictures of their original sweaters.
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Posted by: Ted at
12:12 AM | category: History
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Post contains 360 words, total size 4 kb.
1
Didn't Charles Schultz do some of the artwork for the Seals? I remember seeing a logo on souvenirs that looked more like a seal from Peanuts and less like that crazy stylized thing (which always looked like a fish to me.)
Posted by: Nic at May 08, 2004 03:48 PM (16A49)
2
I don't remember that, but it's entirely possible. He was from just north of the Bay Area, in Santa Rosa. My folks lived there for years, it's a beautiful area.
Posted by: Ted at May 08, 2004 05:44 PM (ZjSa7)
3
A minor thing...
If I am not mistaken, Los Angeles changed its colors in 1988, but to silver and black only. The purple was retired altogether. Then, the year before they moved into Staples (1999?), the purple came back, but the silver and black stayed.
Posted by: Scott at May 10, 2004 10:29 AM (zL4bg)
4
1998 saw a new wave of expansion of the NHL. Nashville was selected as one of the new cities. Native Tennesseans don't grow up with hockey (period). We learn the basics of Basketball, baseball, and Football. We tend to tolerate basketball/baseball until football comes back. Hockey vocabulary isn't taught/supported in the home.
I have been a Predator fan since I saw the inagural game back in 1998. I have looked at hockey as outsider for the last six years and have come to understand a few things. I understand that Hockey suffers from a lack of funding that might see a lockout/strike next year. Hockey needs an increase in Television revenue and that will only happen when the networks increase the "newbie" factor in the broadcast commentary. Hockey rules/strategy is not basic to most of American Culture like it is around the "orginal six" cities.
Along those same line, Hockey vocabulary needs to be explained to those who don't know what biscit, top shelf, five hole, or a blue line is. Somethings aren't as aparent like the difference between a wrist or slap shot. Then there are the more obscured, but vital words like a checking line. In this age of instant information the "orgianal six" tend to ignore the obvious that they have developed a language all of their own.
The second thing that the broadcasters need to improve upon is the number of cameras covering the game. How many times durring an NFL or NASCAR event that there wasn't a camera angle avilable to show fowl/accident/excitment? Why is it extreamely better to go see a live hockey game than a Televised game? There are disparities between the two that need to be adressed before the NHL will compete effectively with the NHL.
I would have thought that the fans of the "original six" would seek to convert anyone into a fan instead of this elitist mentality that only they should have hockey. I will be bitterly disappointed if there isn't hockey next season because the elitist have propagated the phrase "watered down hockey" to the point that not even the die-hard fans watch anymore.
Posted by: Mark at May 10, 2004 08:25 PM (bzVXr)
5
Scott, that makes sense. I was trying to figure out when the purple came in, because I remembered the Kings as being black, white and silver only.
Mark, excellent points! I'm going to use them as the basis of a new post, because I think it might get too long for the comments.
Posted by: Ted at May 10, 2004 08:43 PM (ZjSa7)
6
Thank you. I would like to add one more point: Hockey (the game) isn't about compromise. It's about giving everything you have to decimate your opposition. The "orginal six" debate follows the classical lines of the game; brutal honest contests between skill, and force.
Posted by: Mark at May 11, 2004 05:10 PM (bzVXr)
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May 05, 2004
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