AMERICAN PATRIOT NATIONAL PARKS KEN BURNS ON AMERICA’S BEST IDEA
LIONS OF THE SENATE HANDLE WITH CARE SENDING PACKAGES TO THE TROOPS
AMERICAN PATRIOT
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MARINE MOM HONORED
NATIONAL PARKS KEN BURNS ON AMERICA’S BEST IDEA
6 THE LIONS OF THE SENATE
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LES PAUL AMERICAN MUSICIAN AND INNOVATOR
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Contents TOP 10
AMERICAN VACATIONS
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16 QUOTE OF THE WEEK
THIS WEEK IN AMERICAN HISTORY
NATIONAL PARKS KEN BURNS ON AMERICA’S BEST IDEA What Ken Burns did for baseball, the Civil War and Jazz — making documentaries that are fun, fascinating and make history accessible to millions — he has now done for the national parks system. The National Parks: America’s Best Idea is a six-episode, 12-hour series debuted on PBS last month, and its initial success is generating enthusiastic sales of a DVD version as well as plans to bring it back to television soon.
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Filmed over the course of more than six years at some of nature's most spectacular locales — covering 53 national parks from Acadia to Yosemite, Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, the Everglades of Florida to the Gates of the Arctic in Alaska — the documentary manages to focus on people as well as natural beauty. It is essentially the story of people from every conceivable background who believed in and fought to save some portion of the land they loved for their fellow citizens and for the future. The film, which is done with Burns’ patented combination of an authoritative voice, pan-and-zoom camera work over sepiatoned photographs, period music and deep historical research into original documents, has been ten years in the making. It has been described as “an elaborate love letter” to the American heartland. SEE A PREVIEW OF THE DOCUMENTARY >
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THE LIONS OF THE
TED KENNEDY First Senate Campaign, 1962
S E N AT E With the untimely death of Ted Kennedy, often eulogized as “The Lion of the Senate,” there has been increased attention on the great and long-serving members of the United States Senate. Any “best of” list is, of course, subjective. But here are five men who exerted tremendous influence in the Capitol during their time.
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HENRY CLAY This Kentucky Senator served for roughly 15 years. He is reputed to have been the best orator the Congress has ever seen. Clay spent much of his career brokering compromises – hence his nickname as “The Great Compromiser” – and he almost single-handedly delayed the Civil War for 40 years. After this death, no one else had the influence to keep all sides talking.
DANIEL WEBSTER Webster served for nearly two decades as Senator from Massachusetts. An eloquent lawyer who often argued before the Supreme Court, Webster was a powerful voice for compromise in the years leading up to the Civil War. Teamed with Henry Clay and their Southern colleague, John C. Calhoun, Webster was a key part of the triumvirate which dominated the Senate for decades. CONTINUED > AMERICAN PATRIOT 7
THE LIONS OF THE
SENATE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7
ARTHUR VANDENBERG
ROBERT LAFOLLETTE
This Michigan Senator served for more than 20 years. Initially appointed to fill a vacancy, Vandenberg quickly rose through the ranks, becoming Minority Leader of the Republican Party. Initially an isolationist, after Pearl Harbor he became more of an internationalist. Then in the post-war years, he came to fully recognize America’s role as a world leader. He championed the founding of the United Nations, NATO, and the Marshall Plan, none of which would have happened without his ability to forge a truly bipartisan foreign policy.
For 18 years, the Wisconsin Senator pioneered many then-revolutionary ideas for a progressive government. As governor, he had introduced primary elections, passed a civil service law, regulated the powerful railroads, supported a minimum wage, and taxed corporations. Once in the Senate, he sought to implement many of these same ideas on a national scale, as well as fighting for women's suffrage, racial equality, child labor laws, civil liberties, and breaking up industrial monopolies.
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LONGEST SERVING
SENATORS Many Senators have served for more than three decades. Here are the 20 longest serving men thus far. Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) Strom Thurmond (R-SC) Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) Daniel Inouye (D-HI) Carl Hayden (D-AZ) John Stennis (D-MS)
ROBERT TAFT Known as “Mr. Republican” while in the Senate, this Ohioan articulated traditional conservative values and saw it as his mission to repeal FDR’s New Deal. His achievement was the Taft-Hartley Act, which restricts the power of labor unions; President Truman vetoed it but the Republican Congress overrode his veto. It is still in force and invoked to stop strikes they deem against the national interest. Taft was an outspoken isolationist, opposing U.S. entry into World War Two and the draft, and a failed Presidential candidate.
Ted Stevens (R-AK) Ernest F. Hollings (D-SC) Richard B. Russell ( D-GA) Russell Long (D-LA) Francis E. Warren (R-WY) James Eastland (D-MS Warren Magnuson (D-WA) Joseph Biden, Jr. (D-DE) Pete Domenici (R-NM) Clairborne Pell (D-RI) Kenneth D. McKellar (D-TN) Milton R. Young (D-ND) Ellison D. Smith (D-SC) Allen Joseph Ellender (D-LA) LEARN MORE ABOUT THE U.S. SENATE > AMERICAN PATRIOT 9
Our troops sacrifice so much for this country, and it is more important than ever that they are remembered. This is so, regardless of your position with regard to any particular military action. Do you know someone serving in Iraq, Afghanistan or another overseas location who would benefit from a gift from home? If you're like most people, you probably know at least one person currently serving in military that you'd like to do something nice for.
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SHOW YOU CARE You can purchase a cheap plastic box from Wal-Mart (shoebox size) to mail these in. The soldier who receives your gift can then use the box for storage when he/she is done enjoying your gift. The recipient will be reminded of your generosity every time he or she uses the container. The U.S. Postal Service is the best way to mail your care packages for soldiers overseas because many commercial shippers don't deliver to APO addresses. A few do, however, so be careful to check.
FINDING A SOLDIER Even if you don't know anyone serving overseas, you can still send a care package to a soldier. The Adopt a Soldier program allows volunteers to send packages to wounded soldiers at the Walter Reed Medical Center. You can also adopt a soldier from a site called Soldier Angels, started by one soldier's mom. Or make a donation to the USO, and they will put together a care package and send it on your behalf.
WHAT TO INCLUDE SMALL BOTTLES OF SHAMPOO + CONDITIONER PHONE CARDS BEEF JERKY HAND WIPES COOKIES OR CHIPS (NOTHING THAT WILL MELT) DRIED FRUIT NUTS HARD CANDY GUM MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS BATTERIES PLAYING CARDS HANDHELD GAMES
MARINE MOM HONORED Dee Mills faced the unthinkable when her Marine son, Lea, was killed in action in Iraq. Out of the tragedy, and in honor of her son’s heroism, she established Lea’s Prayer & Postage, which helps fund postage for care packages shipped to the troops. Says “Mama Dee,” as she is affectionately known to many: “Once a Marine Mom, always a Marine Mom.” She has found many creative ways to fund her program and thousands of packages have been shipped to loved ones serving our country. For her dedication, Dee Mills was recently inducted into the Energizer Keep Going ® Hall of Fame. Out of ten finalists, Dee was selected by a public online vote for the award, established by Carl Ripkin, Jr. in honor of his father and intended to recognize everyday people who best embody the characteristics of endurance and perseverance. The fund is supported by Energizer, the battery company, and each online vote triggered a donation to the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. As the winner, Mills received a $10,000 cash award and a $5,000 donation to help her program. READ ALL THE FINALIST STORIES > AMERICAN PATRIOT 11
AMERICAN LEGEND
LES PAUL
The music world suffered a major loss recently with the death of Les Paul, an American icon who was equal parts musician, innovator, and visionary.
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AMERICAN MUSICIAN AND INNOVATOR Paul, born 1915, was best known for the development of the mass-produced solid body electric guitar, a landmark innovation that helped usher in the era of Rock n Roll. The Gibson Les Paul, first manufactured in 1952 and made famous by legends such as Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, and Keith Richards, remains ubiquitous on stages and recording studios around the world. Paul designed his first electric guitar in 1929, eventually gravitating to a solid body design as the demands of volume and tone became too much for standard, hollow-body designs. His first attempt, dubbed “the log,” was a simple piece of 4x4 lumber fitted with strings and electronics. Evolving his design and aggressively marketing his idea, The Gibson Guitar Company agreed to the manufacture of a Les Paul designed guitar, a classic design that remains essentially unchanged today. Paul was a seasoned performer and an accomplished studio musician, recording and playing hits with Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, the Andrews Sisters, and his wife, Mary Ford. His professional career
began at 13, playing and singing country-western music. In the 1930’s, Paul became a jazz guitar virtuoso, traveled extensively with trios and big bands, and was featured on radio broadcasts. His style was fast, precise, sometimes frenetic, yet always smooth and beautiful. His renown as a player allowed him freedom in the recording studio, which lead to innovations including tape echo and delay, multitracking, and overdubbing. These advances shaped the art of music recording. An inductee in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, the Grammy Hall of Fame, and the National Inventors Hall of Fame. In 1948, Paul was involved in a near-fatal car accident, crushing his right elbow. Physicans couldn’t reconstruct his elbow, so Paul convinced his doctors to set his arm at a 90 degree angle, allowing him to cradle and play his guitar. A dedicated and humble man, he played weekly with his trio in New York City, and continued inventing until his death at 94. WATCH CHASING SOUND A LES PAUL DOCUMENTARY > AMERICAN PATRIOT 13
TOP 10 U.S.VACATIONS It used to be difficult to find destinations that could please the whole family. But that has emphatically changed. From sea to shining sea, there are great vacation getaways for the entire family that show off the beauty, the breadth and the history of America. Regardless of why you're getting away, finding the right spots can make your trip perfect. Here are the top ten chosen by Americans in a recent newspaper poll.
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1 Orlando, Florida Often called the “Vacation Spot of the World”, this is home to Disney World and all the excitement that means.
3 Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin The Water Park Capital of the World, featuring the Great Wolf Lodge family fun dream spot, over 100,000 square feet of outdoor and indoor water parks, and regular play areas.
4 Grand Canyon, Arizona Looking at, hiking down or flying over the Canyon, your kids will gain a new appreciation of the power and glory of nature. And so will you.
5 Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
2 Hershey, Pennsylvania Home to Hershey Park or “Chocolate Town USA,” a quaint amusement park and one that smells sweetly of chocolate all day long.
It’s all about sun, sand and surf with 60 miles of affordable, kid-friendly beaches, water parks, amusement parks and tons of other family friendly entertainment.
6 Williamsburg, Virginia This perfect site for education and fun matches Colonial Williamsburg with the Busch Gardens theme park.
8 Boston, Massachusetts It’s the gateway to New England, the birthplace of the American colonial era and the revolution, with national parks, historic monuments, and battefields.
9 Anaheim, California Portal to a range of Southern California vacation spots, including Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom, Universal Studios Hollywood and even LegoLand.
CHECK OUT DISNEY VACATION PACKAGES >
10 Oahu, Hawaii 600 square miles of stunning coast, beaches, boat trips, wild dolphins, surf lessons, submarine outings, Pearl Harbor and luaus.
7 Washington, DC Our nation’s capital is the perfect place for the children to learn about America's government while visiting monuments, statues, amazing museums and the White House itself. AMERICAN PATRIOT 15
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
WATCH AN FDR TRIBUTE VIDEO >
"The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people, and a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over the government." — PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT 16 AMERICAN PATRIOT
THIS WEEK IN
AMERICAN HISTORY
1944. The largest naval battle of World War II, and some say in the history of the world, concluded with the U.S. Navy crushing the Japanese Navy. The battle involved nearly 300 ships and led to the American reconquest of the Philippines and was a tipping point in the ultimate defeat of Japan. Major General J.F.C. Fuller, in his book, “The Decisive Battles of the Western World,” wrote of the outcome: “The Japanese fleet had [effectively] ceased to exist and, except by land-based aircraft, their opponents had won undisputed command of the seas.” AMERICAN PATRIOT 17