The Juke Box

TIME TO CELEBRATE!

GRAAFSCHAP HARDWARE IS 150 YEARS OLD.  THAT BRINGS US BACK TO 1860 WHEN THERE WERE NO AUTOMOBILES, NO TELEPHONES AND NEITHER THE HOLLAND FIRE NOR THE CIVIL WAR HAD HAPPENED.

UNTIL 1956 THE HARDWARE OCCUPIED THE BRICK STRUCTURE ACROSS THE STREET.  IT WAS HEATED BY A LARGE COAL BURNING STOVE, WHICH WAS A GATHERING SPOT FOR THE OLD TIMERS TO CATCH UP ON ALL THE EVENTS OF THE DAY.  CLARENCE MULDER, ONE OF THE OWNERS WAS ALSO A FUNERAL DIRECTOR.  THE HARDWARE PROBABLY HAD LITTLE COMPETITION BECAUSE OF THE DISTANCE TO HOLLAND.  A SHOPPING TRIP TO HOLLAND COULD TAKE THE BETTER PART OF A DAY.  MOST OF THE OLDER HARDWARE STORES ARE NO LONGER IN BUSINESS.  THERE WAS LAMPEN HARDWARE IN HAMILTON WHO COMBINED HARDWARE WITH THE SALE OF FARM IMPLEMENTS AS DID BOWMASTER HARDWARE IN HOLLAND.  

THE GRAAFSCHAP HARDWARE HAS BEEN IN THE SAME FAMILY ALL THESE YEARS SO ITS A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 4,2010.  STOP IN AND SAY HELLO.  

SEE YOU THERE!

ITS V-J DAY! 

V-J DAY WAS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DAYS IN HISTORY.  GENERAL YOSHIJIRO UMEZU SIGNED THE INSTRUMENT OF SURRENDER DURING A CEREMONY ABOARD THE U.S.S. MISSOURI IN TOKYO BAY.  GENERAL DOUGLAS MCARTHUR SIGNED FOR THE USA. THIS ENDED A CONFLICT OF THE WORLDS MOST FORMIDABLE POWERS AND THE MOST WIDESPREAD WAR IN HISTORY, INVOLVING MILLIONS OF MILITARY MEN AND WOMEN.  MILLIONS GAVE THEIR LIVES.

EVERY AMERICAN SACRIFICED IN A WAR ECONOMY. WOMEN WENT TO WORK IN FACTORIES TO REPLACE THE MEN WHO HAD GONE TO WAR.  RATIONING OF TIRES, SUGAR, MEAT, CHEESE AND GASOLINE WAS THE NORM.  NEARLY EVERY FACTORY SWITCHED TO THE MANUFACTURING OF WAR MATERIALS.

TODAY, LET US PAY SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO THE VETERANS OF ALL WARS, BUT ESPECIALLY THOSE OF WORLD WAR II.  THEY SAW US THROUGH THE BATTLES SO THAT WE CAN COMMEMORATE V.J. DAY - VICTORY OVER JAPAN 65 YEARS AGO.

I RECENTLY READ "THE FORDS, AN AMERICAN EPIC," BY PETER COLLIER AND DAVID HOROWITZ.  THE BOOK CHRONICLES THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY FROM HENRY'S FIRST RIDE TO 1987.  MOST OF THE DIFFICULTIES OF THE COMPANY WERE FAMILY--HENRY'S RELUCTANCE TO TURN RESPONSIBILITY OVER TO HIS SONS AND THE SONS PERSONAL LIFE.  DESPITE ALL OF THAT INTERACTION, THE COMPANY SUCCEEDED IN GROWING, TURNING OUT INEXPENSIVE  CARS.  DURING WWII FORD BUILT THE B-24 BOMBERS AT WILLOW RUN, ONE EVERY 59 MINUTES, A BIG FACTOR IN WINNING THE WAR.  

TODAY FORD IS BUILDING CARS THAT STAND UP TO ANY FOREIGN MAKE IN QUALITY AND DURABILITY, PROBABLY BECAUSE THE FAMILY IS ONLY A SMALL PART OF THE DAY TO DAY OPERATION.  TODAYS SUCCESS HOWEVER IS DUE TO THE SOLID FOUNDATION OF THE FORD FAMILY. 

IF YOU LIKE NON FICTION, CHECK THIS BOOK.

WHAT DO YOU DO IF SOMEONE BREAKS INTO YOUR HOUSE?  IF THE ADMINISTRATION HAS ITS WAY, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO THROW YOUR GUN AT THE INTRUDER. A NEW PROPOSAL WOULD MAKE AMMUNITION ILLEGAL.  UNDER THE TOXIC SUBSTANCE CONTROL ACT OF 1976, THE EPA CAN DECLARE ALL LEAD AMMUNITION ILLEGAL AND TAKE IT OFF THE MARKET.  YOUR GUNS WILL BE USELESS. 

CAN YOU IMAGINE, NO CONTROL OVER THE DEER HERD?  DEER AND OTHER GAME COULD TAKE MUCH OF OUR FOOD?  WOULD THAT BE AN EPA GENERATED FAMINE?

CAN YOU IMAGINE A HERD OF DEER CHOMPING ON THE ROSES IN THE ROSE GARDEN AT THE WHITE HOUSE?  WE COULD HAVE A NEW CROP OF ARCHERS.

THE STATE PARTY CONVENTIONS WERE HELD LAST WEEKEND TO CHOOSE THE STATE OFFICER CANDIDATES FOR SECRETARY OF STATE AND ATTORNEY GENERAL.  NORMALLY THIS IS ROUTINE FOR THE MEETINGS OF THE PARTY FAITHFUL. THIS TIME THERE WAS SOME SPIRITED DEBATE IN THE REPUBLICAN MEETING,  THE DEMOCRATS APPARENTLY WERE MORE AGREEABLE. 

THE VOTERS, OTHER THAN THOSE PRESENT IN THE CONVENTIONS DO NOT HAVE A VOICE IN WHICH CANDIDATES WILL BE ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER.  DO YOU THINK THIS IS THE BEST PROCESS FOR NAMING THEM?

4,407 NUMBER OF US MILITARY KILLED IN IRAQ SINCE 2001

1,125 NUMBER OF US MILITARY KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN SINCE 2001

33,192 FAMILY MEMBERS AFFECTED BY MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.

FOR MANY AMERICANS, EVERY DAY IS MEMORIAL DAY.  

A FEWS MONTHS AGO, A FRIEND DIED.  MOST PEOPLE DID NOT KNOW MUCH ABOUT HIS PAST, EXCEPT THAT HE CAME OVER FROM THE NETHERLANDS. AFTER WWII.  HE RARELY SPOKE ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE WAS A PART OF THE DUTCH UNDERGROUND AND CARRIED THE MARK OF A GERMAN CONCENTRATION CAMP TO PROVE IT.  MANY OF THE DUTCH UNDERGROUND MEMBERS AIDED THE AMERICAN PILOTS TO GET BACK, WHILE EXISTING ON MEAGER FOOD SUPPLIES AND EVER IN DANGER OF THE DREADED GERMAN SS.  

I WONDER HOW MANY AMERICANS WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO FIGHT FOR THEIR COUNTRY, IF GERMANS OR THE JAPANESE HAD INVADED OUR SHORES.  DOES AMERICA STILL HAVE HEROES AMONG US?

SLEEP TIGHT, DON'T LET THE BED BUGS BITE!

THIS WARNING USUALLY REPEATED IN JEST MAY NOW BE MORE SERIOUS WITH THE INVASION OF THE LITTLE CRITTERS.  THE CIMEX LECTULARIS DON'T CONFINE THEMSELVES TO BEDS ANYMORE, THEY COULD BE IN YOUR LUGGAGE, YOUR FURNITURE, YOUR CLOTHES OR EVEN YOUR CAR.  THEY LEAVE A WELT WHERE THEY BITE, BUT APPARENTLY THEY DO NOT TRANSMIT DISEASE. CALL PEST CONTROL IF YOU SEE THEM IN YOUR HOUSE. 

DO YOU THINK GEORGE BUSH OR GLOBAL WARMING IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS INVASION?

FOUR STATES WILL BE HAVING PRIMARIES TODAY.  FLORIDA AND ARIZONA WILL BE CLOSELY WATCHED.  SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN IS EXPECTED TO WIN ON HIS LATEST STANCE ON IMMIGRATION AND JAN BREWER IS EXPECTED TO BE THE REPUBLICAN CHOICE FOR GOVERNOR AGAIN IN ARIZONA BECAUSE OF HER STRONG STAND ON IMMIGRATION.

ALL THE RACES WILL BE UNDER SCRUTINY FOR AN ANTI-OBAMA TREND.  

WILL YOU BE WATCHING FOR THE RESULTS?

CHINA LAST WEEK BECAME THE SECOND LARGEST ECONOMY, SURPASSING JAPAN.  AMERICA STILL LEADS, BUT CHINA WITH ITS DRIVE AND LACK OF REGULATION MAY WELL OVERTAKE US.  WILL AMERICANS VOTE WITH THEIR DOLLARS AND BUY DOMESTIC PRODUCTS?  SEVEN MILLION UNEMPLOYED AMERICANS HOPE SO.  HOW LONG CAN AMERICANS WITH JOBS SUPPORT THEM?

THE MOSQUE DEBATE IS HEATING UP.  DOES IT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHAT BUILDING IS WHERE?  IF I OWNED THE PROPERTY, COULD I PUT UP AN OUTHOUSE? ITS THE PURPOSE OF THE BUILDING THAT ALARMS THE MAJORITY OF THE NAY SAYERS.  A "CULTURAL CENTER" IS ALARMING.  DO THEY TEACH "HOW TO STONE PEOPLE," FOR A CIVIL INFRACTION?   DOES SHARIA LAW TRUMP THE U. S. CONSTITUTION?

GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN WHO ADVOCATED "BUYING AMERICAN" WHEN HE SWITCHED FROM SHIPPING TOBACCO TO ENGLAND FOR FINISHED ENGLISH PRODUCTS, TO SELLING PRODUCTS HERE AND BUYING THE GOODS PRODUCED BY AMERICAN CRAFTSMEN.  OUR PRESENT DAY POLITICIANS AND CITIZENS, COULD LEARN SOMETHING FROM GEORGE, WHO SAID IN HIS FAREWELL ADDRESS, "THERE CAN BE NO GREATER ERROR THAN TO EXPECT OR CALCULATE UPON REAL FAVORS FROM FOREIGN NATIONS."  

LETS VOTE EVERYDAY WITH OUR DOLLARS BY BUYING AMERICAN!