Sign of the Times

You do not even have to make this stuff up!  The sign of our times...

I'm sure these attorneys are right next door to Dewey, Cheatem & Howe!

"If I wanted America to fail"

This is a very powerful video and worth the few minutes it takes to watch.

Paul Revere's 21st Century Message

Listen my children and you shall hear

   of the midnight ride of Paul Revere.

His message is different than in seventy five

    instead of a horse he may drive.

The President is running, so you better draw near.

    Hang onto your hat and everything you hold dear.

Well, OK... or something like that. Here is what I think Paul Revere's message would be today.

   

World War II gun barrels arrive in Arizona

A train carrying gun barrels from the USS Arizona and USS Missouri as seen near the Arizona Capitol on Friday. The barrels will be incorporated into a complete World War II memorial to be built in Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza.

by Alex Ferri - Apr. 20, 2012 02:43 PM
The Republic | azcentral.com

A freight train on Friday morning brought Arizona two big pieces of history -- gun barrels from World War II battleships the state will soon add to Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza in Phoenix.

Received through negotiations with the federal government, the gun barrels once belonged to the U.S.S. Arizona and the U.S.S. Missouri.
The Arizona sank Dec. 7, 1941, during the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The Missouri fought in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa and was the site of Japan's official surrender on Sept. 2, 1945.
Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett, who hosted a ceremony for the arrival of the gun barrels, said the artifacts "represent bookends of the war," with the Arizona signifying the beginning, and the Missouri standing for the end.
Plans for the memorial include the construction of nine metal "ribs" between the gun barrels in the plaza, which would represent the hull of the ship, Bennett said. The nine structures also would represent the nine minutes it took the Arizona to sink, and each rib would feature a nameplate for the more than 1,900 Arizonans who died in the war.
Joey Strickland, director of the Arizona Department of Veterans' Services, said the guns "helped defeat perhaps the greatest evil to threaten the world."
The project's estimated cost is $500,000, and Bennett said half that has been raised already through donations. No tax dollars will go towards the memorial.
The installation of the barrels is planned for Dec. 7, the 71st anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
For more information or to donate to the memorial, visit www.gunstosalutethefallen.com.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/2012/04/20/20120420world-war-ii-gun-barrels-arrive-arizona.html#ixzz1sdEA50zF

Future AZ Governor?

Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett

(Sun City) - Arizona does not have a Lt. Governor, so the second in line to the Governor of Arizona is Secretary of State Ken Bennett.  Bennett addressed Republicans in Sun City on Monday evening with his easy to understand description of the State's Budget.  Then he "wooed" the crowd of about 60 attendees, with his singing tribute to Arizona's 100th Anniversary, his lyrics set to Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire."

At this meeting, Bennett announced that he has established an exploratory committee for Arizona Governor in 2014.  Current Governor Jan Brewer is term limited and can not seek another term as Governor.  Secretary Bennett is a Republican politician and businessman.  He started his political careet on the Prescott City Council, serving a term as Mayor Pro-Tem, then was appointed to the Arizona State Board of Education serving as the President of the Board and was elected to the Arizona Senate in 1998 and served as president of the Arizona Senate from 2003 to 2007.  He was appointed to Secretary of State in 2009 by Governor Jan Brewer. 

Another project that Bennett has been working on is the WWII Memorial in Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza in front of the State Capitol Building.  He has recently procured the last remaining gun barrel from the USS Arizona and a gun barrel from the USS Missouri.  Both of these battleships were the flagships of the fleet during WWII, the Arizona at the beginning of the war and the Missouri at the end of the war.  An artist depiction shows steel uprights to resemble the superstructure of the ship with the gun barrels mounted on concrete bollards flanking each side of the steel uprights.  Brass plates will be engraved on the steel with the names of those serving from Arizona who lost their lives fighting for freedom in WWII.  That number is believed to be nearly 1800 names.

The new memorial is expected to be completed later this year.  The two gun barrels have just arrived this week on rail cars from the US Retired Shipyard in Virgina.  They need to be sandblasted and repainted before installing into the memorial.  The memorial is being built entirely with private donations and no tax dollars.

We are excited about Ken Bennett and will follow his activity.
  

R.I.P. Jack O. Dvorak

To one of the world's greatest gentleman, mentor and Father.
Honorable Mayor Jack O. Dvorak
January 19, 1923 to April 3, 2012
Your love, patience and strength has helped to make me what I am today! I could not have done it without you.
Thank you for the lifetime of memories.
Rest in Peace Dad!