Hi, everyone.
November is upon us. In Nebraska, that usually means an anticipation of upcoming holidays combined with an expectation that chilly (or worse) weather will soon (sometimes too soon) follow. Although … I was just looking through the family history chapter that we keep and discovered that in February Lincoln recorded an all -time high temperature of 81 degrees. Who’d have thought? You just can’t tell where climate change is going to lead us. Maybe by December the place will be sub-tropical and we’ll be going to the grocery store in speedos (or maybe not … especially the speedos part).
We had a very interesting October. I will not bore you with a travelogue or tourist chatter, other than to say that we filled a marvelous sort of informal “bucket list” item that my daughter Karen and I first talked about several years ago. We had both run across descriptions of Banff National Park in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The photos and comments about Lake Louise and other locations made it sound especially appealing. So, Nita and I met Karen in Detroit and the three of us flew to Calgary – Karen had arranged a BnB near the park, rental car, and all the other essentials. (That is one of the unforeseen benefits of senior citizenry, by the way – Karen did all the driving (and essentially all the work) while Nita and I simply savored the moments.) Several million pictures were taken and a great time was had by all. You will be pleased to note that when we got back, all three of us were speaking fluent Canadian. Beauty, eh?
One last item to pass along. Karen is developing a personal “I Thought It Would Be Bigger” Top Ten list of famous attractions. Here is her list so far: the Mona Lisa, the Statue of Liberty, the Alamo, Plymouth Rock, and the Mayflower. To that existing list, we added Lake Louise. Please don’t misunderstand: it is a spectacularly beautiful place, surrounded by some of the world’s most majestic and picturesque snow-capped peaks. You can, though, stand at one end of it and see the lake in its entirety. If you would like to suggest additions to the list, please let us know.
A couple of brief book-related updates: It has been good to see The YouTube Candidate begin to percolate outward and make some modest inroads in the outside world. The book is printed in Britain and there is sometimes a delay of a few days in getting the books to buyers. The major U.S. bookstores are pleased to accept orders from customers but thus far have been reluctant to carry quantities in stock in part because of the British publisher’s policy on returns (none accepted). So … if you buy the book and don’t like it, please consider using it to line the bottom of your bird cage or some other worthwhile purpose. Please let me know if you find the story beyond redemption and feel it necessary to employ it as bird cage material (or some similar use). I’ll commiserate with your hurt feelings and treat for coffee. We are hoping that if the book continues to do well that the book stores may adjust their policies and keep stocks of it on their shelves. Amazon seems to be filling orders fairly quickly as is the local Barnes & Noble.
In the meantime, the publishers of the forthcoming military history book continue to make preparations for next year’s (June 17) release. The company recently sent a copy of their announcement regarding the book. I think it is the best one of its kind of any of the books I have written. The announcement follows below. I will probably pester you with it again in the days before the official release.
“Military history is often seen through the lens of a small group of military commanders who have become enshrined in the collective consciousness of the American people, leaders like Eisenhower, Patton, MacArthur, and Nimitz who became the faces of their wars. But, many influential, innovative, and successful commanders have shaped the course of American conflicts in the decades since World War II – but they remain in the shadows cast by the pantheon of military giants. Taking Command celebrates some of these soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines, and through them crafts a compelling military history of the United States from the Cold War through the War on Terror.
“Among those covered are one Air Force general, known as “Tonnage Tunner,” who led the Berlin Airlift, which landed 1.8 million tons of supplies and logged 92 million flight miles in a span of 15 months, and another who oversaw the development of Atlas, Thor, Titan, and Minuteman missile programs. O.P. Smith commanded the Marines at the frigid battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War, where he famously uttered, “Retreat hell we’re just attacking in another direction.” Notching aerial kills in both World War II and Vietnam, fighter ace Robin Olds pioneered tactics for the jet age. In Vietnam, Marine general Brute Krulak pushed for the tactics he believed would win the war, costing him his chance at commandant. Also covered is the Army general who came up with the “Be All You Can Be” recruiting slogan and went on to lead Operation Just Cause in Panama. In 1989, David Petreaus, graduate of West Point and Princeton, developed the counterinsurgency strategy that changed the Iraq War in 2007. As Special Operations commander, Admiral William McRaven oversaw the raid that killed Osama bin Laden (and later went viral on YouTube for his “make your bed” motivational talk).
“In all, Phillips tells the story of two dozen military leaders who innovated and made a difference on the new battlefields of the post-World War II world. Taking Command is not only stirring reading about the difference one commander can make, but also a primer on what makes a great leader.”
Wow, they did a good job with that. I may even buy a copy myself 😊.
And now, for your reading pleasure (or displeasure): TRULY AWFUL PUNS.
My doctor said told me my sugar was too high.
So when I went home, I moved it to a lower shelf.
The student asked his teacher to marry him as soon as he got out of jail.
She refused.
Apparently, you can’t end a sentence with a proposition.
Have a great Thanksgiving.
Best always,
Tom Phillips
November is upon us. In Nebraska, that usually means an anticipation of upcoming holidays combined with an expectation that chilly (or worse) weather will soon (sometimes too soon) follow. Although … I was just looking through the family history chapter that we keep and discovered that in February Lincoln recorded an all -time high temperature of 81 degrees. Who’d have thought? You just can’t tell where climate change is going to lead us. Maybe by December the place will be sub-tropical and we’ll be going to the grocery store in speedos (or maybe not … especially the speedos part).
We had a very interesting October. I will not bore you with a travelogue or tourist chatter, other than to say that we filled a marvelous sort of informal “bucket list” item that my daughter Karen and I first talked about several years ago. We had both run across descriptions of Banff National Park in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The photos and comments about Lake Louise and other locations made it sound especially appealing. So, Nita and I met Karen in Detroit and the three of us flew to Calgary – Karen had arranged a BnB near the park, rental car, and all the other essentials. (That is one of the unforeseen benefits of senior citizenry, by the way – Karen did all the driving (and essentially all the work) while Nita and I simply savored the moments.) Several million pictures were taken and a great time was had by all. You will be pleased to note that when we got back, all three of us were speaking fluent Canadian. Beauty, eh?
One last item to pass along. Karen is developing a personal “I Thought It Would Be Bigger” Top Ten list of famous attractions. Here is her list so far: the Mona Lisa, the Statue of Liberty, the Alamo, Plymouth Rock, and the Mayflower. To that existing list, we added Lake Louise. Please don’t misunderstand: it is a spectacularly beautiful place, surrounded by some of the world’s most majestic and picturesque snow-capped peaks. You can, though, stand at one end of it and see the lake in its entirety. If you would like to suggest additions to the list, please let us know.
A couple of brief book-related updates: It has been good to see The YouTube Candidate begin to percolate outward and make some modest inroads in the outside world. The book is printed in Britain and there is sometimes a delay of a few days in getting the books to buyers. The major U.S. bookstores are pleased to accept orders from customers but thus far have been reluctant to carry quantities in stock in part because of the British publisher’s policy on returns (none accepted). So … if you buy the book and don’t like it, please consider using it to line the bottom of your bird cage or some other worthwhile purpose. Please let me know if you find the story beyond redemption and feel it necessary to employ it as bird cage material (or some similar use). I’ll commiserate with your hurt feelings and treat for coffee. We are hoping that if the book continues to do well that the book stores may adjust their policies and keep stocks of it on their shelves. Amazon seems to be filling orders fairly quickly as is the local Barnes & Noble.
In the meantime, the publishers of the forthcoming military history book continue to make preparations for next year’s (June 17) release. The company recently sent a copy of their announcement regarding the book. I think it is the best one of its kind of any of the books I have written. The announcement follows below. I will probably pester you with it again in the days before the official release.
“Military history is often seen through the lens of a small group of military commanders who have become enshrined in the collective consciousness of the American people, leaders like Eisenhower, Patton, MacArthur, and Nimitz who became the faces of their wars. But, many influential, innovative, and successful commanders have shaped the course of American conflicts in the decades since World War II – but they remain in the shadows cast by the pantheon of military giants. Taking Command celebrates some of these soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines, and through them crafts a compelling military history of the United States from the Cold War through the War on Terror.
“Among those covered are one Air Force general, known as “Tonnage Tunner,” who led the Berlin Airlift, which landed 1.8 million tons of supplies and logged 92 million flight miles in a span of 15 months, and another who oversaw the development of Atlas, Thor, Titan, and Minuteman missile programs. O.P. Smith commanded the Marines at the frigid battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War, where he famously uttered, “Retreat hell we’re just attacking in another direction.” Notching aerial kills in both World War II and Vietnam, fighter ace Robin Olds pioneered tactics for the jet age. In Vietnam, Marine general Brute Krulak pushed for the tactics he believed would win the war, costing him his chance at commandant. Also covered is the Army general who came up with the “Be All You Can Be” recruiting slogan and went on to lead Operation Just Cause in Panama. In 1989, David Petreaus, graduate of West Point and Princeton, developed the counterinsurgency strategy that changed the Iraq War in 2007. As Special Operations commander, Admiral William McRaven oversaw the raid that killed Osama bin Laden (and later went viral on YouTube for his “make your bed” motivational talk).
“In all, Phillips tells the story of two dozen military leaders who innovated and made a difference on the new battlefields of the post-World War II world. Taking Command is not only stirring reading about the difference one commander can make, but also a primer on what makes a great leader.”
Wow, they did a good job with that. I may even buy a copy myself 😊.
And now, for your reading pleasure (or displeasure): TRULY AWFUL PUNS.
My doctor said told me my sugar was too high.
So when I went home, I moved it to a lower shelf.
The student asked his teacher to marry him as soon as he got out of jail.
She refused.
Apparently, you can’t end a sentence with a proposition.
Have a great Thanksgiving.
Best always,
Tom Phillips
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