Credo
"Sign on, young man, and sail with me. The stature of our homeland is no more than the measure of ourselves. Our job is to keep her free. Our will is to keep the torch of freedom burning for all. To this solemn purpose we call on the young, the brave, the strong, and the free. Heed my call, Come to the sea. Come Sail with me." -- John Paul Jones
"Pardon him, Theodotus; he is a barbarian, and thinks that the customs of his tribe and island are the laws of nature" --George Bernard Shaw, "Caesar and Cleopatra"
"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music."--Friedrich Nietzsche
"A kind Providence has placed in our breasts a hatred of the unjust and cruel, in order that we may preserve ourselves from cruelty and injustice. They who bear cruelty, are accomplices in it. The pretended gentleness which excludes that charitable rancour, produces an indifference which is half an approbation. They never will love where they ought to love, who do not hate where they ought to hate."--Edmund Burke
“You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours.”--General Sir Charles Napier
"Μολὼν λαβέ" -- Leonidas
"Blogito Ergo Sum" -- Neptunus Lex
Is that a lampshade on your jet up there?? Good grief! It’s not even dark over there yet!
Nice job with the decorations but the glass is full – what gives?
It’s kind of a timeline, Steve. You read it from left to right
Happy new year to all, and hope you hoist a few Black & Tans tonight, Lex – in timeline order, of course….
Happy New Year, Y’all!
Re: your Update, Lex – my neighbor ladies should have joined in the strike. All around my house sounds like dynamite, the occasional whistle, and with a loud little snap, crackle & pop thrown in. I may have to get drunk just to get some sleep tonight.
Well,
Good times to you all. A Happy and Prosperous New Year for all of us. My friend Evan Williams and I have a conversation to start, and since it’s bedtime for the young’n, I suspect we’ll get to talking rather sooner than later.
For those of an interest, I have finally set up a place on MySpace. You can visit here:
http://profile.myspace.com/gwedd
Be warned: Language Alert! For those with a less-than-Navy appreciation for salty language, there are some rather rough comments on my blog posts. I say what I feel about a certain NY football team and it’s now ex-coach. I make no apologies. You can also click through to the other family members if interested.
Cheers!
Happy New Year to all here,
wish you and yours much health, happiness and may all your wishes for the new year get fulfilled.
Claudio
I’ve had my dram (or three) and now it’s off to bed (hey, I woke up at 0400!) and an early start to the New Year.
Happy New Year to all my fellow Lex-ites! May your New Year bring joy and love to you and your family…after all, nothing else really matters.
What they said.
Happy New Year to one and all.
We’ll be looking at interesting times, I reckon, in the coming one.
Ditto all of the Happy New Year Best Wishes, from the Pacific Northwest.
Auguri! Speaking as a psuedo-Neopolitan (actually, a Casalesi, bonus points to anyone who recognizes the significance of that), I am pleased to report no noted reduction in bangs of any variety last night.
For the uninitiated, the illicit fireworks aren’t bottle rockets and snappers. Bimbi light off in the streets around here what are essentially small artillery charges. The kind of stuff seen only in major shows in the states is sold on our street corners, and since Naples is the largest point of import from China to Europe, we get it all here.
Happy New Year to all!
We had our annual shrimp/clams/lobster food debauchery last evening with our closest friends. They left at 11:00pm – the latest they have stayed in years. We managed to remain somewhat awake until the ball dropped. A late nite dram of Limoncello helped.
Went to bed with 6″ inches of new snow and a -10 wind chill; have woken up to the same -10 wind chill. But it is a big blue sky kind of day.
Which augers well for my own personal 2009. I face major surgery in the next 2 months and a 2-4 month recovery. It will lead to a pain free life – something I haven’t had since 1991.
Peace, prosperity and joy for everyone’s New Year!
I looked up the Casalesi as it rang a bell. Zane is from the Caserta area. The city is almost due north of Naples where I was homeported when on the Courtney. Wikipedia places Caserta between Naples and Salerno, which is about their speed, alas. They do get the location of Casal di Principe right, however.
Auguri Zane! I wouldn’t have expected any reduction of artillery fire based upon my time in the area.
This year promises to be a rocky ride. May all you have a great year.
Tanti auguri, Zane! I remember the bombe dell’Italia on New Year’s. Scared the hell out of me. ..when they said they’d be lighting them I didn’t know they were referring to actual bombs. I’m curious how many lose their limbs annually from those things.
Wonder how long the Lysistrata strike will continue? Knowing the Italians, it’s already forgotten….
HNY to all. May it be a happy, healthy and safe one.
Apologies in advance to those that may have seen this a hundred times before. I got it last night and had not ever seen it. It seems like a perfectly good prayer, not just for today but for any old time.
A New Year’s Prayer:
Dear Lord, please give me…
A few friends who understand me and remain my friends;
A work to do which has real value,
without which the world would be the poorer;
A mind unafraid to travel, even though the trail be not blazed;
An understanding heart;
A sense of humor;
Time for quiet, silent meditation;
A feeling of the presence of God;
The patience to wait for the coming of these things, With the wisdom to recognize them when they come.
Love the banner graphic at the top. Too funny.
Happy New Year.
I missed the graphic somehow.One goes to Home, One does…Happy New Year to one and all! Ditto all expressed above.
We’ll keep you in our prayers, Kris. Please do keep us posted along the way.
Best…
Things have changed in Naples.
What I remember about New Years in Napoli (I spent 2 there) is that on New Years day they throw all old stuff out the windows into the street. All Sailors were instructed to stay outboard on the sidewalks..Some of the stuff wasn’t small or light- It would be embarrassing to be killed by a busted toaster! Literally out with the old and in with the new.
Kris- It’ll come true for ya. 2009 will be a great year for you!
b2
Mongo and B2: thank you for the kind words. Progress can be tracked on a new blog to document my experience: My German Shepard Project.
I’m facing a hip replacement to correct Congenital Hip Dysplasia (hence the “german shepard” commentary). It’s going to be a long first 6 months of 2009.
b2 – We were strongly advised to stay home! Since I lived on the ship it was easy.
Kris,
We’ll light a candle for you and keep you in our thoughts. It’ll work out well, though, I am certain.
And Naples had the finest oranges, and most frighting taxi rides I have ever known. Good-looking women, too…
Kris,
Like to add my best wishes for a successful and speedy recovery. Prayers your way.
BTW, having worked with the Alpini up in the Dolomites a time or two I recall they, the Italians from the northern part of Italy, saying that Africa started just below Rome. Not having been that far south, I wouldn’t know.
Best,
GEO6
Kris, my dear … the very best of wishes on the operation you have to undergo. I’ll pray for you to have a safe procedure and a speedy recovery.
Affectionately, Marianne
Kris:
Let me add my wishes for a speedy recovery. May the anticipation of the effort prove worse than that actually required.
Prayers will be offered.
T6