[prairiebreeze]

A little factoid or two while we are waiting:

All U.S. Army installations with troops and guns join in a salute that began Monday with the firing of one gun every half-hour at each base, from reveille to retreat. On Friday, each installation will participate in a 21-gun salute at noon, firing once a minute. The day will end with a 50-gun salute at each base, fired every five seconds, immediately following the lowering of the flag.

In Washington, two 105mm howitzers will sound their booming 21-gun salute when Reagan's casket arrives at the Capitol on Wednesday evening.

Prairie

[prairiebreeze]

Factoid ---Gunfire over the grave:

Three volleys are fired over the grave at burial, a custom carried over from the battlefield, when warriors periodically paused from fighting to tend to the dead. The volleys signaled that the burial party was ready to resume battle.

The custom of threes is believed to have been adapted from ancient Rome, when mourners cast dirt on the coffin three times, thrice called the name of the dead and thrice declared "vale," meaning farewell, as they left the tomb.

[onyx]

Thanks prairie.
I'm fixing to leave computer
now to watch on big screen.

[cgk]

(FNC is making me really uptight... they're showing their correspondents and not the scene.)

[lainie]

Sorry to crack jokes but all I can think is how Dianne Feinstein will be hiding under her desk.