A boy

A boy

The country is now afire with emotions over the current economic crisis. From afar such as where you stand, I am sure that things look bleak back home. They are on the financial security side of things, but there is still hope that the resilience of America will shine through again. There is also hope that you will make it safe for our kids to grow up without the threat of attacks from those you now engage.

The children of today still have the privilege of being allowed to experience childhood. Generations just a short time ago did not allow for such, as kids were slaves in the industrial revolution and had to work to feed the family. They were at work at an early age in factories, manufacturers of clothing, and even in dangerous jobs that had poor safety records. The sad fact was, after this life of hard work as a child, a large number of them grew up and had to live, or die, in war; just like you see everyday over there. The 50s brought prosperity, and thus the ability of our children to be just that ... children. Some worked for college, play or toy money, mowing lawns or shoveling snow; this was not a full family support necessity as it was before.

The current financial situation threatens our children's ability to be a child, and the current war threatens our children's life as they are next in line to serve. We back here are working on the financial crisis as a country, and you are sacrificing over there to save our children from doing what you are doing all over again. Let not the naysayers discourage you. Most Americans who love our country have your back, I have your back. Together we can assure our country that a boy can be just that, a boy!

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Sports update:

STEELERS WIN, STEELERS WIN! 23 to 20 in overtime over the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football...

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Keep your head down,

Henry Hill, Plum Pennsylvania

THE LAST DAY OF SUMMER

The riding season is fading away!

The riding was great this year!

Summer is a very special time back home, here in Western Pennsylvania. It is a time when the hardships of winter are replaced by the free spirited attitudes that bask in the weather enhanced opportunities. The outdoors becomes your inspiration and the sunshine your muse. Romance blooms in this highly charged atmosphere of target opportunity and acquisition. Sails fill with warm air, wings are lifted into the sky, and places far away become the next stop. The unusual becomes the usual. The days become longer, and the nights evermore so. Dreams become reality, whilst boundaries expand, and the world shrinks.

These wonders of summer are now the past. The season has slipped away once again, like that beautiful woman on your last leave. Summer will now live in your dreams of home and of summers past. Dreams are but a compass pointing to your future, and away from your past. Remember your past, live in the moment, and look forward to your future.

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Sports Update:
The Steelers scored less points than the Eagles today.

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Keep your head down,
Henry Hill, Plum Pennsylvania

FLIGHT 93

Every year on September 11TH the Flight 93 Memorial located near the town of Shanksville Pennsylvania is where the family members of those on that flight, and others, meet to pay their respects. This year there were four times the folks filling the park than the National Park Service expected. The visit by Presidential hopeful John McCain played a part in the number of visitors I am sure. Most politicians would be greeted with dubious eyes, but his service to his country provided the right mix of agenda and personal interest that permitted his presence in a welcome light. The mission of this column is to inform you over there of what is going on back home here in Western Pennsylvania ... politics aside, so enough of that...

The attack on our country on September 11, 2001 did involve Flight 93, which was part of a larger attack that is historical fact. This attack, like the one on the territory of Hawaii at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 was similar in a few ways. The number of casualties are similar, as well as the use of surprise attack. The point of the attack had differences in the hoped for result, but in both cases the attackers strongly underestimated the resolve and tenacity of Americans. On both occasions they expected us to be weak and used to a soft life style, which they thought would provide them the edge that they needed to bring us down ... they were absolutely wrong in 1941, and they were wrong in 2001!

We as a people may fight among each other, but like two brothers fighting, let an outsider get involved and we stick together like family. We are family, we are one, and we support you as a whole. Again, like family there always is a dysfunctional one in the family tree...

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Sports Update:

The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cleveland Browns 10-6!

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Keep your head down,

Henry Hill, Plum Pennsylvania
More photos below (Click on image to enlarge):

This is the actual memorial where Flight 93 went in. The flag in the center of the picture marks the location of the crash site. This is across the road from the visitor's center.

Left to right: Frank Szezech, a friend of Eric Bay, and Eric Bay. Mr. Bay is the husband of Lorraine G. Bay, Flight Attendant, Flight 93.

A family member folds the official Flight 93 Flag.

The list of names of the crew and passengers of Flight 93.

Flight 93 Memorial from the front. The actual site where the aircraft went down is across the road from this area.

Mrs. Elsie Homer (she is on the left) and her daughter , she is the wife of the co-pilot of Flight 93 ... First Officer LeRoy Homer.

911

First let me say that since I am a former 'First Responder' my opinion on this subject may be strong and myopic, due to my personal experiences. That said, let me continue.

Victims do not choose to be a victim; they are thrust into a situation by outside forces ... so choice is not a factor for them. Then the first responder comes into the fray. They have a choice. They are not victims, and they can if they so choose, walk away from the danger. No one can force them to go into a burning building, or engage in a firefight on the streets. They choose to walk forward, while all others walk backwards. They choose to go into Hell, and bring back the victims, sometimes at a very heavy cost--knowingly. Most of them had a job when they got this one; the exceptions are you, the military service members, you are compelled to do so in your duties.

First Responders' all feel connected by being part of those who Attack the threat, instead of acquiescing, thus avoiding hard conflict. This attitude brings the humanity into the choices rather than the outside view of those not at risk. This anti-media action versus act-when-politically-viable brings down the sanitized-statistical-score keeping-numerical media-geeks, who say things like, "2700 people were killed at Ground Zero today." Those are 2700 people, each with their own story to tell, but only those who survive tell the tales. This same vulture blood counting view happens in our military operations as well, within the periphery and scope of the story being told. Again, a great example of, “If you don’t have a pony in the race, you ain’t got an opinion!”

As we get close to the anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, all of this comes back to my mind like a hurricane of emotions riding an adrenaline rush from the past. Those who know the pain, the love, and the loss from doing service for others … will understand that side of such events as we remember our brethren on the streets and around the world at risk. Remember this day, that past, and use it as a lesson for tomorrow.

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Photo:
I shot this photo of the Cross of the World Trade Center on location years ago. It is a result of the real beams of the tower that broke off into a cross…

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The Pittsburgh Steelers won their first game of the year! Score: 38 for us, 17 for the Texans.

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Keep your head down,

Henry Hill, Plum Pennsylvania

SEPTEMBER

Havin' Fun!

Custom glass maker

Foot powered pottery

Country Singer at the festival

September is the beginning of the end of summer for me, and for western Pennsylvania. This last holiday or hooray of the summer … if you will, has been a very nice one. Saturday found me at the Greensboro Pennsylvania Art Blast on the Mon. This almost to West Virginia small-town-USA community puts on this gathering of art fans and those who just like the social event that is reminiscent of the old days when mountain men did their rendezvous’. The usual spattering of purveyors selling their wares filled the confines of the event. Everything from custom handmade marbles to portraits by hand was available to those with a few shillings in their pockets. After walking the grounds in the hot and humid conditions, a short stop at the food vendors found satisfactory outdoor-cooked-country-cuisine. The lack of Five-Star menu items notwithstanding, the dogs, pulled pork, and burgers hit the mark when so far off the beaten path of the city dwelling remote control obsessed couch potato. It was a fun and informative time to say the least.

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I would also like to advise you over there that a major hurricane, Gustav, is presenting approaching the New Orleans area. This is a major threat to the life and welfare of the residents in the area. I wish to extend my best wishes to all so affected, especially those who are overseas putting their lives in harm's way for their country, who have family members who are now in harm’s way back home.

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Photos:

1. A young girl having fun with an Alpaca.
2. A custom glass maker with handmade marbles in the foreground.
3. A foot operated pottery device in operation.
4. A country western song bird doing her thing.

(Note: I am not at my office yet, so I do not have my photo program to provide the properly sized images just yet).

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Keep your head down,

Henry Hill, Plum Pennsylvania

BACK IN THE USA...

Nomad, my key to freedom on this day.

The buffeting from the prop wash made the aircraft shake in rhythm with the fast moving air. The opacity properties of the bubble canopy let the super bright and hot California sun rays penetrate the comfort zone within it, whilst opaque to ultraviolet. The shaking became worse just as the instructor gave the order, "Pull the release knob," I did, the tow line disengaged and the whole world changed. The ride went totally smooth with a silence that brought peace to a once violent world above. Our sailplane was now free to ride the wind; such a feeling of freedom is beyond the imagination of those without personal experience … one must do it. This was back in my Navy days (circa 1970) when I was single and in a pre-marriage lifestyle, not much different than on this day, Sunday, August 24, 2008.

Today, I finally got to get my Harley Low-rider out and on the American roads again after a long six weeks in Peru. I was on the Historical National Highway... Hwy 40, between Brownsville and Washington Pa. When I was riding the crest of Scenery Hill, I saw a sailplane in tow working the rising currents in the rare cobalt blue sky. I watched it until it released itself from the tow confines of the powered plane ahead of it. To honor the now free flying aviator above, I saluted he or she as we were now brothers in the wind; this was one of the most defining moments of my summer, of a boy a of summer. To feel and to appreciate the American roads, especially western Pennsylvania roads, is totally enhanced when returning from out of country from anywhere else in the world. The light traffic on this clear-blue-sky and sunny day made for the perfect ride. It was a break out day for one who has been in a country where traffic is a buzz saw without an off switch.

I was happy to be home and happy to soar like an eagle once again. The old cliché, America the Beautiful, rings with truth only when one sees her from the outside. It is easy to love the only thing that you have ever known, but to love her after seeing other places is a whole new level of love; this you will discover when you first walk again within the scope of her freedom. Come home safely and see for yourself.

This column will now start to get back on track with information, events and news for all of you over there. Believe me when I tell you ... you will appreciate the ride when you return like no one who never leaves, ever could! It is wonderful!!!

Keep your head down,

Henry Hill, Plum Pennsylvania

Still out for overseas travels

I am still on the road. This column will be back in order in a week or so... Please check back for the normal weekly column soon!!!!

On the road column ... a few notes:

I am still on extended travels, but have a few notes to pass on.

Vets returning to or have done so recently may want to attend the annual “Welcome Home” Celebration for Operation Enduring Freedom/Operational Iraqi Freedom military vets. It is being put on by VA Butler Healthcare and Pennsylvania Careerlink on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. … the location at Belmont Complex, 415 Butler Road, Kittanning Pa.
Veterans can contact Bill Cress at 724-285-2493 or Tod Conner at 724-282-5583 for any questions or information that you may require.

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Vets running for congress:

There are twice the number of vets from the Iraq and Afghan wars running for office this year than in 2006. It seems that both parties are seeking out vets for their own agendas, and the vets have a lot to say from both sides of the isle.

The big race locally is retired Lt. Col. William Russell trying to unseat U.S. Rep. John Murtha, a very powerful politician seeking his 19th term in office; he is a former vet himself of the Vietnam War.

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I am still on the road, but will do my best to get a column out every week unless I am out in the field without contact.

Keep your head down,

Henry Hill, Plum Pennsylvania