The FReeper Canteen - Scuttlebutt - 24 Feb 11

A respite place for our Troops, Vets, Military Families & those who support them! | The Canteen Crew

[AZamericonnie]

 

 

At the FReeper Canteen!

C'mon and take a break ! Walk on over to the water cooler and lets chat. Post your thoughts, opinions, news of the day, rantings, ravings, pontificates, hypothesis, hyperboles, your soap box cause, your mantra, your baggage, your garbage, your blogging, your secrets, whatever you feel would make talk around the water cooler real interesting!

Please remember that The Canteen is here to support
and entertain our troops and veterans and their families,
and is family friendly.  

 

 

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*KTLA's new employee feedback program goes horribly wrong*

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As a bagpiper, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the Sonoma County back country. As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost and, being a typical man, I didn't stop for directions. I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch. I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn't know what else to do, so I started to play.

The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. I played like I've never played before for this homeless man. And as I played 'Amazing Grace,' the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though my head hung low, my heart was full. As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, "I never seen nothin' like that before and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."

Apparently I'm still lost....

 

February 24, 1991 Operation Desert Storm Ground Campaign Begins

Operation Desert Sabre

After a 38-day air campaign, Operation Desert Sabre, a massive ground attack, was launched by Americans and the coalition into both Iraq and Kuwait.

Day One ground attack. On February 24th at 4 a.m., Allied troops led by U.S. Marines crossed the border into Iraq. During the days before the attack, Iraqi troops had been subjected to merciless air attacks; every imaginable target was destroyed with accuracy.

The Allied offensive targeted three major offensive venues: the first aimed at Kuwait City, the second to the west aimed at the Iraqi flank, and the final one far to the west, beyond the major Iraqi lines that would totally outflank Iraqi lines. In the first day of the war the marines advanced halfway to Kuwait City and the western advances proceeded without difficulty — while capturing thousands of Iraqi deserters. The first day of ground fighting resulted in minimal American casualties.

Day Two ground attack. As Day Two approached, an Iraqi Scud missile destroyed the U.S. barracks in Dhahran, killing 28 U.S. soldiers. With morale nevertheless high, American troops advanced on all fronts. The marines approached Kuwait City, while the western flank began to cut off the Iraqi Army's retreat route. Coalition casualties for Day Two were, once again, light.

Day Three ground attack Day Three dawned on the largest tank battle in history. The American armored forces engaged the tank forces of the Iraqi Republican guard. Like shooting fish in a barrel, the American tanks destroyed the Iraqi heavy armor without losing a single tank.

On February 26th, Iraqi troops began to retreat from Kuwait while setting fire to an estimated 700 Kuwaiti oil wells. A long convoy of Iraqi troops, as well as Iraqi and Palestinian civilians, formed along the main Iraq-Kuwait highway. That convoy was bombed so relentlessly by the Allies that it came to be known as the "Highway of Death." One hundred hours after the ground campaign began, President Bush declared a cease-fire — declaring the liberation of Kuwait on February 27, 1991.

 

How to Make Preserved Lemons

Ingredients
8-10 Meyer (or regular) lemons*, scrubbed very clean
1/2 cup kosher salt, more if needed
Extra fresh squeezed lemon juice, if needed


Sterilized quart canning jar

* You don't need to use Meyer lemons, regular lemons will do, it's just that the milder Meyer lemons work very well for preserving in this way.

Method
1 Place 2 Tbsp of salt in the bottom of a sterilized jar.

2 One by one, prepare the lemons in the following way. Cut off any protruding stems from the lemons, and cut 1/4 inch off the tip of each lemon. Cut the lemons as if you were going to cut them in half lengthwize, starting from the tip, but do not cut all the way. Keep the lemon attached at the base. Make another cut in a similar manner, so now the lemon is quartered, but again, attached at the base.

3 Pry the lemons open and generously sprinkle salt all over the insides and outsides of the lemons.

4 Pack the lemons in the jar, squishing them down so that juice is extracted and the lemon juice rises to the top of the jar. Fill up the jar with lemons, make sure the top is covered with lemon juice. Add more fresh squeezed lemon juice if necessary. Top with a couple tablespoons of salt.

5 Seal the jar and let sit at room temperature for a couple days. Turn the jar upside down ocassionally. Put in refrigerator and let sit, again turning upside down ocassionally, for at least 3 weeks, until lemon rinds soften.

6 To use, remove a lemon from the jar and rinse thoroughly in water to remove salt. Discard seeds before using. Discard the pulp before using, if desired.

7 Store in refrigerator for up to 6 months.

Note:
You can add spices to the lemons for preserving - cloves, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, bay leaf.

 

 

 

[HopeandGlory]

Good morning Troops, Veterans and Canteeners.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Our Flag Flying Proudly One Nation Under God

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Lord, Please Bless Our Troops, They're fighting for our Freedom.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

God Bless Our Republic

I pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic, for which it stands;
one nation UNDER GOD,
indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.

Prayers going up

[PROCON]

Woo-Hoo!!

Proudly Supporting Our

U.S. Armed Forces!

[The Mayor]

Freep mail me to be on or off the Daily Bread ping list

What Really Matters
February 24, 2011

Several years ago a friend of mine visited an exhibit of relics from the infamous Titanic voyage. Exhibit visitors were given a replica ticket with the name of an actual passenger or crew member who, decades earlier, had embarked on the trip of a lifetime. After the tour group walked through the exhibit viewing pieces of silver dinnerware and other artifacts, the tour ended with an unforgettable twist.

A large board listed the names of all the passengers, including their status—first class, second class, crew. As my friend looked for the name of the person whose ticket he was holding, he noticed a line across the board dividing the names. Above the line were the names of those who were “saved” and below the line all those who were “lost.”

The parallel to our life on earth is profound. It really doesn’t make any difference how the world ranks your status. The only thing that ultimately matters is whether you are “saved” or “lost.” As Jesus said, “What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matt. 16:26). Perhaps you’ve already trusted in Christ for your salvation. But what about your fellow passengers? Instead of sizing them up by the externals, talk to them about their ultimate destination.

It’s not what I achieve that qualifies,
It matters not if I gain wealth or fame;
The only thing I must be certain of
Is “Have I put my trust in Jesus’ name?” —Hess

In light of eternity, what one believes is far more important than what one achieves.

Read: Matthew 16:21-28

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? —Matthew 16:26

Bible in a year:
Numbers 9-11; Mark 5:1-20

[AZamericonnie]

Supporting our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen
at more than 1,000 places across the U. S. and around the world.

~Tribute to Our Troops~

[SevenofNine]

Hey Kathy did you hear one of deckhead from Deadliest Catch was found DEAD in his hotel room
\
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-deadliest-catch-time-bandit-crewmember-found-dead,0,5632937.story

[AZamericonnie]

Good evening dear Hope & thank you for our pledge! *hugs*

Hand over heart & prayers up!

a 1

[SevenofNine]

Hey Kathy did you hear one of deckhead from Deadliest Catch was found DEAD in his hotel room
\
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-deadliest-catch-time-bandit-crewmember-found-dead,0,5632937.story

[PROCON]

Evening Connie and thanks for Scuttlebutt!

That bagpipe story is priceless...ROFLOL!!

[AZamericonnie]

WooHoo! Good evening Pro & hope your week is going well! *hugs*

a 2

[Kathy in Alaska]

~ It’s Scuttlebutt Time! ~

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT
Showing support and boosting the morale of
our military and our allies’ military
and the family members of the above.
Honoring those who have served before.

CLICK HERE TO FIND LATEST THREAD

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To every service man or woman reading this thread.
Thank You for your service to our country.
No matter where you are stationed,
No matter what your job description
Know that we are are proud of each and everyone of you.
To our military readers, we remain steadfast
in keeping the Canteen doors open.

The FR Canteen is Free Republic's longest running daily thread
specifically designed to provide entertainment and moral support for the military.
The doors have been open since Oct 7 2001,
the day of the start of the war in Afghanistan.

We are indebted to you for your sacrifices for our Freedom.

NOTE: CANTEEN MUSIC
Posted daily and on the Music Thread
for the enjoyment of our troops and visitors.

[AZamericonnie]

Gooed evening Mayor & thank you for our Daily Bread! *hugs*

Thanks to your son for his service!

a 3

[BIGLOOK]

Aloha Connie!

Well it's time for the four o'clock follies.....and my pc is taking a break as usual.

Time to reboot......I think I need a bigger boot!

[AZamericonnie]

Good evening News Diva, too bad about this young man.

[PROCON]

Evening Kathy!

Hey, did you hit me with a snowball, making fun of the teeny-weeny amount of snow we're getting..:=)

[AZamericonnie]

I got a chuckle out of it too Pro!:)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Connie, for today's Scuttlebutt.

[AZamericonnie]

Good evening Ma & thanks for the ping.

I hope your day went much better today & homework all dones! *hugs*

[ConorMacNessa]

REQUEST PERMISSION TO COME ABOARD!

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!!!

OUR TROOPS ROCK!!!!!!!

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[SevenofNine]

Look like Chia Pet might be in trouble with his own people

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2678971/posts

Maybe they hear about Egyptian uprising