A bad day for me...also the first anniversary of my fathers passing.

Thoughts with you as well, Jim.

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and - among many others - :

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----

Heinrich Heine, German journalist, literary critic, and poet (13 December 1797 – 17 February 1856):

"I had once a beautiful fatherland.
The oak tree
Grew so high there, violets nodded softly.
It was a dream. It kissed me in German and spoke in German
(You would hardly believe
How good it sounded) the words: "I love you!"
It was a dream."


"Mark this well, you proud men of action: You are nothing but the unwitting agents of the men of thought who often, in quiet self-effacement, mark out most exactly all your doings in advance."

"Wild, dark times are rumbling toward us, and the prophet who wishes to write a new apocalypse will have to invent entirely new beasts, and beasts so terrible that the ancient animal symbols of St. John will seem like cooing doves and cupids in comparison."

"Where they burn books, at the end they also burn people."



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Immanuel Kant, German philosopher (22 April 1724 – 12 February 1804):

"Enlightenment is man's emergence from his self-imposed immaturity. Immaturity is the inability to use one's understanding without guidance from another. This immaturity is self-imposed when its cause lies not in lack of understanding, but in lack of resolve and courage to use it without guidance from another. Sapere Aude! [dare to know] "Have courage to use your own understanding!"--that is the motto of enlightenment."

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< God Bless >

Heartc, I had no idea where you were going with this until the end. Now I see. Thank you on behalf of all your American friends.

My sympathies.

Thank you.

I know what you mean, jim. Lost my mother about three weeks ago, so I totally get you.

My thoughts are with you and yours, mate.

Indeed; Heartc, your post is honorable and moving - as one of those American friends (of Deutsches descent) I do thank you.

Took me a little while to get it...but yes...good post Heartc, good post. :salute:

heartc, thanks for all the effort, thought and emotion that went into making that. I had a cousin that was there on the day of the attack; I can't begin to imagine the pain and suffering he went though with his ship being bombed and then falling into a pool of burning oil. It's warming to know that there are people out there that understand that Freedom isn't free. For those who can't stand behind our soldiers, please stand in front of them instead.

I've been fortunate enough to be able to go visit the Arizona memorial twice in my lifetime so far, there are no words that can describe what it is like when you get off the boat and onto the memorial. To look at the wall with all those who perished is quite hard for me, seeing part of my family's names written on that wall. It is a place that I believe everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime, no war movie/documentary/news reporting can deliver the same impact as when you're standing there looking down at the remains of the hull and the oil that is still leaking out, almost like its crying.

Much appreciated guys :up:

Very sorry to learn of this my friend...I've actually got my old lady in hospital right now (second time in a month) :-?

Many thoughts and hopes with you and the family, Jim.

It's three weeks today, and I must confess to still being somewhat numb and a little overwhelmed. Mom was young - 64 - and this happened quick.

Sorry to hear this. My sympathies to you as well, friend.