Friday, September 15, 2017

President Donald J. Trump Proclaims September 15, 2017, as National POW/MIA Recognition Day

The White House
Office of the Press Secretary

NATIONAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY, 2017
- - - - - - - 
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

Americans are blessed with many freedoms thanks to the hard-earned battle victories and tremendous sacrifices of our military men and women.  The members of our Armed Forces shine a light of freedom throughout the world, and as we celebrate our returning heroes, we also remember our heroes who never returned home.  On National POW/MIA Recognition Day, our Nation recognizes all American prisoners of war and service members missing in action who have valiantly honored their commitment to this great country.
It is our sacred obligation to pay tribute to the thousands of men and women of our Armed Forces who have been imprisoned while serving in conflicts and who have yet to return to American soil.  We reflect on the brave Americans who, while guarding our freedom and our way of life, spent years of their youth imprisoned in distant lands.  They paid an enormous price and remained dedicated to our sacred principles, even while under extreme duress.
We do not leave our fellow man or woman behind, and we do not rest until our mission is complete.  For more than three decades, our country has conducted investigation and recovery operations in Southeast Asia with the help of the governments of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.  Whether in Southeast Asia, or in South Korea, Europe, the South Pacific, and in all other corners of the globe, we are committed to this most honorable mission of fully accounting for our missing personnel.  We are encouraged by the progress made, but know our mission is ongoing until every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Coast Guardsman, and Marine missing in the line of duty is accounted for.
As Commander in Chief, it is my solemn duty to keep all Americans safe.  I will never forget our heroes held prisoner or who have gone missing in action while serving their country.  Today, we recognize not just the tremendous sacrifices of our service members, but also those of their families who still seek answers.  We are steadfastly committed to bringing solace to those who wait for the fullest possible accounting of their loved ones.
On September 15, 2017, the stark black and white banner symbolizing America's Missing in Action and Prisoners of War will be flown over the White House; the United States Capitol; the Departments of State, Defense, and Veterans Affairs; the Selective Service System Headquarters; the World War II Memorial; the Korean War Veterans Memorial; the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; United States post offices; national cemeteries; and other locations across our country.  We raise this flag as a solemn reminder of our obligation to always remember the sacrifices made to defend our Nation.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 15, 2017, as National POW/MIA Recognition Day.  I call upon the people of the United States to join me in saluting all American POWs and those missing in action who valiantly served our country.  I call upon Federal, State, and local government officials and private organizations to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand seventeen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-second.
DONALD J. TRUMP

Thursday, September 14, 2017

11 Skills Your Great-Grandparents Had That You Don’t

Our parents and grandparents may shake their heads every time we grab our smart phones to get turn-by-turn directions or calculate the tip. But when it comes to life skills, our great-grandparents have us all beat. Here are some skills our great-grandparents had 90 years ago that most of us don’t.
(Image courtesy Library of Congress)
(Image courtesy Library of Congress)
1. Courting
While your parents and grandparents didn’t have the option to ask someone out on a date via text message, it’s highly likely that your great-grandparents didn’t have the option of dating at all. Until well into the 1920s, modern dating didn’t really exist. A gentleman would court a young lady by asking her or her parents for permission to call on the family. The potential couple would have a formal visit — with at least one parent chaperone present — and the man would leave a calling card. If the parents and young lady were impressed, he’d be invited back again and that would be the start of their romance.
2. Hunting, Fishing, and Foraging
Even city dwellers in your great-grandparents’ generation had experience hunting, fishing, and foraging for food. If your great-grandparents never lived in a rural area or lived off the land, their parents probably did. Being able to kill, catch, or find your own food was considered an essential life skill no matter where one lived, especially during the Great Depression.
Postcard printed by V.O. Mammon Co. (Ancestry)
Postcard printed by V.O. Mammon Co. (Ancestry)
3. Butchering
In this age of the boneless, skinless chicken breast, it’s unusual to have to chop up a whole chicken at home, let alone a whole cow. Despite the availability of professionally butchered and packaged meats, knowing how to cut up a side of beef or butcher a rabbit from her husband’s hunting trip was an ordinary part of a housewife’s skill set in the early 20th century. This didn’t leave the men off the hook, though. After all, they were most likely the ones who would field dress any animals they killed.
4. Bartering
Before the era of shopping malls and convenience stores, it was more common to trade goods and services with neighbors and shop owners. Home-canned foods, hand-made furniture, and other DIY goods were currency your great-grandparents could use in lieu of cash.
5. Haggling
Though it’d be futile for you to argue with the barista at Starbucks about the price of a cup of coffee, your great-grandparents were expert hagglers. Back when corporate chains weren’t as ubiquitous, it was a lot easier to bargain with local shop owners and tradesmen. Chances are your great-grandparents bought very few things from a store anyway.
6. Darning and mending
Nowadays if a sock gets a hole in it, you buy a new pair. But your great-grandparents didn’t let anything go to waste, not even a beat-up, old sock. This went for every other article of clothing as well. Darning socks and mending clothes was just par for the course.
7. Corresponding by mail
Obviously, your great-grandparents didn’t text or email. However, even though the telephone existed, it wasn’t the preferred method of staying in touch either, especially long-distance. Hand-written letters were the way they communicated with loved ones and took care of business.
Celina Anzalone, 2264 First Ave. making lace for Cappallino's factory near by. (Library of Congress)
Celina Anzalone, 2264 First Ave. making lace for Cappallino’s factory near by. (Library of Congress)
8. Making Lace
Tatting, the art of making lace, was a widely popular activity for young women in your great-grandparents’ generation. Elaborate lace collars, doilies, and other decorative touches were signs of sophistication. However, fashion changed and technology made lace an easy and inexpensive to buy, so their children probably didn’t pick up the skill.
9. Lighting a Fire Without Matches
Sure, matches have been around since the 1600s. But they were dangerous and toxic — sparking wildly out of control and emitting hazardous fumes. A more controllable, non-poisonous match wasn’t invented until 1910. So Great-grandma and Great-grandpa had to know a thing or two about lighting a fire without matches.

Clothesline, Winton, Minnesota. Photograph by Russell Lee. (Library of Congress)
Clothesline, Winton, Minnesota. Photograph by Russell Lee. (Library of Congress)
10. Diapering With Cloth
Disposable diapers weren’t patented until 1948 and it was another decade or two before they became widely used. Until then, cloth diapers held with safety pins were where babies did their business. Great-grandma had a lot of unpleasant laundry on her hands.
11. Writing With a Fountain Pen
While it’s true that your grandparents were skilled in the lost art of writing in cursive, your grandparents probably were, too. However, the invention of the ballpoint pen in the late 1930s and other advances in pen technology mean that your great-grandparents were the last generation who had to refill their pens with ink.

Monday, September 11, 2017

After hurricanes, flood of storm-damaged cars heading for market

Vehicles in Houston sit flooded Aug. 29, 2017, after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas (David J. Phillip / AP)

Mary Wisniewski Contact Reporter
Chicago Tribune

Cars soaked by floodwaters from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma will soon start appearing in the Midwest used car market, so buyers should beware, according to vehicle experts.

"Even brick-and-mortar legitimate dealers can get burned buying flooded vehicles," said Frank Scafidi, spokesman for the National Insurance Crime Bureau, a Des Plaines-based nonprofit that fights insurance fraud and crime. "If a professional can get burned, you can too."

Flood damage is easier to conceal from an untrained eye than damage from a wreck, but it can be more devastating to the engine and other key components, said Christopher Basso, spokesman for the used car research firm Carfax. Flooding can destroy a car's electronic system, affecting safety features like air bags and anti-lock brakes, while rust can rot the vehicle from the inside, Basso said.

Scafidi expects the number of flood-damaged cars to be greater for Harvey than it was for Hurricane Katrina in 2005, both because of Harvey's bigger footprint and because in the last 12 years more vehicles rely on computer technology and electronics.

"Beneath the surface, water can permanently damage computers that control everything from the gas pedal to steering," said Cliff Wood, chief operating officer at CarMax, a leading used car dealer.

Katrina damaged about 600,000 vehicles, Basso said. Carfax is still working on an estimate for Harvey.

About half of flood-damaged cars are resold. Some sellers do not have insurance and clean the cars up to try to get what they can from them, Basso said.

It is not illegal to sell or buy a flood-damaged car, as long as both parties are aware, Scafidi said. But some sellers conceal the damage and offer a nice-looking car at a suspiciously low price.

"With flood vehicles, it creates an opportunity for people in that business to scam innocent buyers who may have been researching used car purchases for some time and looking at a make and model and suddenly, there's that make and model that's just terrifically priced — it was $25,000 and now it's $12,000," said Scafidi.

"With vehicles from down south, you can't be too careful right now," said Larry Doll, legal counsel for the Illinois Automobile Dealers Association, a trade group. Besides the ongoing damage from Harvey, Hurricane Irma was hitting Florida on Sunday.

Since Hurricane Katrina, the National Insurance Crime Bureau has offered a free vehicle identification number, or VIN, check service to see if a car has been in a flood. The service is available at www.nicb.org/vincheck. A VIN also can be entered into the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System database at www.vehiclehistory.gov.

Carfax, which charges $39.99 for a report, is offering its flood-damage database for free post-Harvey. Buyers can check if a car is flood-damaged at carfax.com/flood.

A database check is not always enough. Some flood-damaged cars are missed by title and VIN checks, because a car can be bought cheap, cleaned and then taken out of state where a VIN is switched and the car is retitled with no indication that it has been damaged, Scafidi said.

Basso recommends taking a vehicle to a trusted mechanic and going for a test drive. He said buyers should look for water lines and signs of debris or salt in the trunk and engine compartment.

"The biggest giveaway on the inside of the car is you see rust build-up on the seat rails, on the nuts and bolts, and the seat belts," Basso said.

Flooded vehicles also can pose health risks because they sat in water that was not clean, which can penetrate the seats and carpet, causing a build-up of bacteria, Basso said.

Doll recommends giving used cars a "smell test." "Close the windows for a few hours to see if there's a rusty, mildew smell," he said.

Buyers also can protect themselves by buying from a reputable dealer rather than off some ad site like Craigslist, Scafidi said. Even though dealers can get fooled by damaged cars, too, they are more likely to refund your money.

"If it's a fly-by-night and a 'meet me under the shade tree' deal, that money is never coming back," Scafidi said.

If you suspect your own car has been damaged by a storm, don't try to drive it, and be especially careful if the water went above the door opening, said CarMax's Wood. Have the car towed and inspected by a professional, he said.

mwisniewski@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @marywizchicago


Week 2 state-wide Texas high school football scores


  • HIGH SCHOOLS 
  • FOOTBALL


  • Brandon Wade/Special Contributor
    TXHSFB Mansfield senior wide receiver Jackson Gleeson (8) lines up during the first half of a high school football game against Cedar Hill at R.L. Anderson Stadium in Mansfield, Friday, September 8, 2017. (Brandon Wade/Special Contributor)

    By Associated Press 

    CLASS 6A

    Ald. Eisenhower39Montgomery6
    Aus. Westlake66Niceville (Fla.)7
    BV Hanna35BV Porter7
    Del Valle47Pfl. Connally14
    Eagle Pass35Laredo Cigarroa7
    Edin. Economedes13La Joya Palmview9
    EP El Dorado55Wolf. Frenship48
    Waco Midway34RR Cedar Ridge19
    Hou. Clear Lake28Texas City21
    LJ Juarez-Lincoln36Rio Hondo33
    Lake Travis34Cibolo Steele31
    Leander Rouse35RR Westwood21
    Longview41Marshall7
    Lufkin45Nacogdoches28
    Manor59Bastrop26
    McAllen Memorial28Weslaco East14
    Midland Lee49Abilene14
    New Braunfels69Seguin42
    Odessa Permian42EP Franklin14
    Pear. Dawson17Deer Park14
    Pfl. Hendrickson20Belton17
    RR Stony Point42Kil. Ellison23
    SA NS Brandeis39SA Alamo Hts29
    SA Reagan21Laredo United3
    SA S. San Antonio44SA Harlandale10
    SA Southwest28SA NS Jay16
    SA Wagner40SA NS Taft24
    San Benito44SA East Central18
    San Marcos39NB Canyon20
    Schertz Clemens37SA MacArthur21
    Smithson Valley56Aus. Anderson0

    CLASS 5A

    Alice19Kings. King14
    Ama. Caprock52Bushland49
    Angleton31El Campo0
    Austin High35Austin Akins19
    Aus. McCallum55Kyle Lehman17
    Boerne-Champion33SA NS Stevens14
    Brenham48Elgin7
    Canutillo30EP Coronado21
    Can. Randall22Lub. Cooper17
    CC Calallen53SA Johnson35
    CC Ray40CC Carroll14
    CC Tuloso-Midway35Robstown14
    Cedar Park38Aus. Vandegrift7
    College Station49Kil. Shoemaker10
    Con. Caney Creek41Livingston14
    CC Veterans Mem.56PSJA Southwest7
    Crosby42Houston Heights36
    Crosby42Jasper36
    Donna24PSJA North20
    Dripping Springs47CP Vista Ridge21
    EP Austin35Clint Mtn View12
    EP Bowie40Silver (N.M.)19
    EP Burges47Deming (N.M.)26
    EP Hanks36El Paso28
    EP Parkland55EP Socorro21
    EP Riverside28EP Jefferson10
    Floresville42SA Edison7
    Galv. Ball34La Marque13
    Geo. East View38Waco University13
    Hereford42Borger7
    Huntsville17China Spring14
    Hutto45Bryan Rudder7
    Kerr. Tivy21Del Rio7
    Lar. Martin35Donna North14
    Lindale30Forney17
    Lumberton44Hamshire-Fannett31
    Mercedes37McAllen Rowe20
    Mission Memorial18Mission14
    Mission Sharyland
    24Edinburg North20
    Mount Pleasant21Par. N. Lamar17
    Nederland26Dayton14
    Pharr Valley View34Hidalgo10
    PL Calhoun19Stafford7
    PN-Groves55Bayt. Sterling31
    Rio Grande City14Zapata3
    SA Southside31Crystal City20
    Temple48Round Rock14
    Tomball49TW College Pk14
    Tom. Memorial58New Caney46
    Uvalde36SA Kennedy14
    Waco52Killeen20

    CLASS 4A

    Abi. Wylie42Lub. Monterey17
    Andrews59Lubbock28
    Atlanta34Daingerfield19
    Bay City35Bellville34 (OT)
    Beeville Jones32Orange Grove13
    Boerne28Cas. Medina Vly7
    Carthage48Tex. Lib.-Eylau38
    Burkburnett21Bridgeport20
    Burnet27Marble Falls13
    Caddo Mills34Edgewood20
    Caldwell57Franklin42
    Carrizo Springs14Jourdanton7
    CC West Oso34Taft8
    Clint34S. Teresa (N.M.)13
    Cuero41Yoakum13
    Dalhart36Spearman20
    Decatur28Alvarado21
    Denver City41Littlefield24
    Diboll54Crockett16
    Fabens13Clint Horizon0
    Fairfield27Athens24
    Brazosport41NC Porter37
    Gainesville45Iowa Park41
    Gatesville31Cameron Yoe29
    Ger. Navarro49Marion35
    Gilmer56Center17
    Glen Rose30Waco Connally16
    Graham54Brownwood49
    Henderson21Tatum20
    Kilgore33Gladewater21
    La Feria42Falfurrias0
    Lampasas67Robinson62
    Liberty16Cleveland13
    Liberty Hill56La Vernia13
    Long. Spring Hill49Brownsboro20
    Madisonville30Woodville22
    Mid. Greenwood49Brownfield14
    Mineral Wells41Breckenridge20
    Monahans23Canyon21
    Needville62Brookshire Royal15
    Palestine31Jacksonville26
    Pampa35Perryton0
    Pearsall20SA Memorial14
    Pecos23Kermit21
    Pittsburg27Long. Pine Tree23
    Pleasanton32SA Lanier21
    Raymondville10RGC La Grulla7
    Salado41Comfort0
    Seminole36Idalou10
    Sinton25Rockport-Fulton6
    Smithville29Bas. Cedar Creek26
    Snyder37Muleshoe34
    Stephenville41Springtown13
    Sweetwater56Big Spring20
    Tex. Pleasant Grv45Paris13
    Van48Princeton34
    Waco La Vega34Lorena0
    Wimberley45Giddings28

    CLASS 3A

    Alba-Golden27Mount Enterprise8
    Alpine60Van Horn0
    Ballinger44S. Ang. Grape Crk6
    BL Reagan Cty58Mertzon Irion Cty8
    Bishop26Riviera Kaufer7
    Blooming Grove24Hubbard6
    Bowie37Howe14
    Buffalo48Normangee20
    Canadian56Ama. River Road14
    CC London30CC John Paul6
    Childress44Panhandle26
    Clifton21Crawford20
    Colorado City8Crane2
    Comanche38Coleman0
    Commerce50Leonard48 (OT)
    Cors. Mildred29Italy21
    Cotulla31Karnes City13
    East Bernard15Hitchcock6
    East Chambers28Kirbyville0
    Eastland35Clyde6
    Edna21Ingleside7
    EM Tidehaven45Altair Rice26
    Eustace56Quitman7
    George West36Dilley7
    Glade. Sabine44Frankston21
    Grandview49Hillsboro17
    Groesbeck24Bullard21
    Gunter26Pottsboro0
    Hallettsville49Shiner12
    Henrietta27Paradise12
    Holliday49Boyd7
    Hooks20Redwater19
    Jacksboro36Windthorst28
    Jefferson42Omaha Pewitt16
    Lago Vista28Brady12
    Lexington52Thorndale7
    Lone Oak57Scurry-Rosser21
    Luling13Schulenburg0
    Malakoff29Rusk27
    Mathis13Odem6
    McGregor15Sunnyvale7
    Merkel20Hamlin0
    Mount Vernon21Bul. Brook Hill6
    Natalia30Lytle3
    New Diana47Grand Saline16
    New Waverly22Somerville10
    Newton41Silsbee17
    Nixon-Smiley30Three Rivers14
    Nocona56Archer City0
    Palmer39Valley Mills0
    Paris Chisum42Honey Grove12
    Ponder36WF City View28 (OT)
    Poth33Falls City24
    Rice42Itasca14
    Rockdale21Taylor14
    Rogers36Bosqueville8
    SA Cole31Poteet0
    San Diego35Hebbronville16
    Santa Gertrudis Ac.21Vic. St. Joseph6
    Santa Rosa34La Villa14
    Shallowater35Levelland20
    Slaton60Lub. Roosevelt6
    Stockdale32Bloomington12
    Teague40Mexia33
    Tolar48Hico11
    Troy19Marlin14
    Tus. Jim Ned33Goldthwaite18
    UC Randolph19Yorktown6
    Wall21Cisco3

    CLASS 2A

    Abernathy54Tulia7
    Agua Dulce27Charlotte14
    Albany61Dublin21
    Anson47Haskell24
    Axtell32Bruceville-Eddy27
    Bovina54Shamrock14
    Bremond17Iola6
    Bruni48Kenedy16
    Burton55Wallis Brazos27
    Center Point36SA Brooks24
    Centerville21Corrigan-Camden6
    Clarendon32Springlake-Earth6
    Cross Plains40Perrin-Whitt0
    Cushing22Hawkins20
    Dawson40Bartlett14
    De Leon53Winters6
    Deweyville63Burkeville0
    Farwell42Crosbyton26
    Flatonia17Hall. Sac. Heart14
    Freer25Runge19
    Frost53Ranger8
    Gorman52Throckmorton12
    Gruver29Sunray20
    Hale Center41Dimmitt19
    Hamilton14Millsap7
    Harper56San Saba7
    Hawley33Bangs6
    Holland26Granger21
    Junction47Christoval12
    La Pryor19Brackett6
    Lovelady36Anderson-Shiro8
    Mart43West12
    Mason35Johnson City0
    Menard54Baird14
    Milano7Thrall6
    New Deal54Lamesa13
    Petrolia57Olney0
    Pettus56SA St. Gerard28
    Plains27Smyer0
    Refugio35Goliad28
    Riesel36Meridian17
    Sabinal21Leakey7
    San Augustine28Garrison0
    Sanford-Fritch50Ama. Highland Pk0
    Santa Maria14Monte Alto7
    Seymour24Quanah14
    Simms Bowie46Overton22
    Stamford20Munday14
    Sundown69Morton0
    Tenaha28Kerens9
    Vega40Boys Ranch30
    Wink44Stanton14
    Woodsboro44Skidmore-Tynan22
    Wortham40Cayuga28

    CLASS A

    Ackerly Sands36Westbrook20
    Amherst34Southland0
    Aquilla55Walnut Springs6
    Aspermont44Jayton42
    Borden County60Austin Veritas0
    Calvert74Coolidge38
    Chillicothe40Higgins16
    Crowell46Gordon0
    Evant70Cranfills Gap20
    Garden City74Santa Anna0
    Hermleigh48Roscoe Highland42
    Iredell77Kopperl26
    Knox City66Rule6
    Lam. Klondike67Water Valley22
    Lefors48Hedley0
    Lometa42Cherokee20
    Loop52Aft. Patton Spgs6
    Mat. Motley Cty58Spur13
    May48Eden0
    McLean48Groom0
    Meadow51Petersburg40
    Medina70Rochelle0
    Moran52Bowie Gold-Burg7
    Mullin56Rising Star50 (OT)
    O'Donnell61Whiteface14
    Oakwood51Covington0
    Paducah68WF Christian22
    Richland Springs52Waco Methodist6
    Robert Lee50Lenorah Grady34
    Silverton38Kress7
    Strawn48Forestburg0
    Turkey Valley44Follett20
    Valera Panther Crk58Trent0
    Vernon Northside74Woodson50
    Wellman-Union45Cotton Center0
    White Deer61Hart0

    PRIVATE SCHOOLS

    Aus. Hyde Park28Ingram Moore13
    Aus. St. Michael13Weimar0
    BV St. Joseph58Lyford8
    Fred. Heritage64Aus. Hill Country52
    Hou. St. John's54Hou. Second Bapt.35
    Long. Trinity62Tyler Kings Acad.6
    Mid. Christian26Brock9
    Muen. Sac. Heart45Alvord0
    SA Antonian49Hondo20
    SA Christian10Bandera3
    SA Cornerstone23Aus. St. Dominic7
    Shiner St. Paul57Bryan St. Joseph14
    Temple Holy Trinity38Buckholts22
    Tom.l Concordia41Hempstead14
    Tyler Gorman39White Oak29
    Waco Vanguard62Giddings St. Sch.6

    OTHER

    Altus (Okla.)40Vernon18
    Westlake Academy30Haslet Heritage26

    POSTPONEMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS

    Alief Elsik vs. Hou Stratford ccd.
    Beau. Leg'y Chr. vs. Hou. Luth. N.ppd. to Sept. 23rd
    Beau.Ozen vs. Beau.West Brook ccd.
    Cy. Lakes vs. Katy Mayde Creek ccd.
    East Chambers vs. Clev. Tarkington ccd.
    Galena Park vs. Pas. S. Houston ccd.
    High Island vs. Katy Faith West ccd.
    Hou. Bellaire vs. Clear Falls ccd.
    Hou. Memorial vs. Pearland ccd.
    Hou. Milby vs. Hou. Northbrook ccd.
    Hou. N. Forest vs. Bridge City ccd.
    Hou. Westside vs. PA Memorial ccd.
    Jasper vs. Alvin Shadow Creek ccd.
    Katy Cinco Ranch vs. Hou. Jersey Village ccd.
    Katy Tompkins vs. Beau. Central ccd.
    Klein Collins vs. Katy ccd.
    Magnolia vs. Aldine Davis ccd.
    Orange Comm. Chr. vs. Apple Springs ccd.
    Orangefield vs. Kirbyville ccd.
    Pas. Dobie vs. LC Clear Spgs ccd.
    Richm. Foster vs. A&M Consolidated ccd.
    Sabine Pass vs. Galv. O'Connell ccd.
    SL Hardin-Jefferson vs. Buna ccd.
    Vidor vs. Pasadena Memorial ccd.
    West Orange-Stark vs. LC-Mauriceville ccd.