Beech Tree News Network

Thoughts of things and other stuff:

I’m told one-third of the people on Earth celebrate Christmas, that’s good.

I once heard a fellow say he knew everything worth knowing, I’m not there yet.

            After Christmas, we’ll start hearing about dieting on TV, as always. I read of a leader, named Vinoba Bhave. His diet consisted of: small cups of curds and molasses, taken every three hours, a total of 1,100 calories a day. Yet, his body was all muscle. His skin had a healthy glow, his gestures were vigorous, and on the march, he could authenticate any of his younger disciples.

            On a personal note, my grandad Locke ate very sparingly, yet, he was one of the shortest men I ever knew.

            Were I an investor, 30 years or so ago, I would have invested in black: trousers, slacks, pants, and skirts.

            A few days ago, while flipping TV channels, on less than 5 channels I counted between 12 and 15 people of both sexes wearing black pants… no black skirts. On one channel four people were having a discussion, there out of the four were wearing black pants: The Big reason? Black hides plump bodies. I don’t own a pair of black pants. Maybe I should.

            What price liberty? Let’s look at the fifty-six men who laid it on the line; the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Nine died during the Revolutionary War. Five were captured and tortured by the British. Twelve lost their homes; seventeen lost their fortunes; two lost their sons. Not a single one defected or failed to honor his pledge. As stated in the final sentence of the Declaration of Independence: “For the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." They stuck to their task and triumphed.

            In writing about U.S presidents a notch or two ago, I said little of Dwight Eisenhower’s life before his presidency. I’ll correct some of that now.

            Ike graduated West Paint near the end of World War I.

            Between World War I and World War II all army ranks were frozen. However, Ike stuck it out. He stayed a first lieutenant for 18 years!

            There is an Old Chinese proverb that says: “How do you move a mountain?” The answer: “You start by carrying away small stones.”

Lt. Eisenhower carried away his share of smalls tones… from U.S. Army post to Army post… Commanding training outfits.

            In the meantime, he married a girl by the name of Mamie Dovd.

            Their first child died. Then a son was born, John, who like his father, became a professional soldier. John later served in the Korean War as a major and a battalion Commander.

            Later, Ike served as an aside to General Douglas MacArthur in the Philippines. He came back to the U.S. to take part in the Army war games in Louisiana – After which he was promoted to the rank of major.

            When World War II came, President Franklin Roosevelt, who knew of Ike’s outstanding part in the Louisiana war games made him Allied Supreme Commander in Europe, eventually him to the rank of five-star general.

             After World War II, Ike came home to be elected our 34^th president.

            Eisenhower’s hobbies – golf and Western novels. He particularly liked Louis Lamour.

Kindest regards…