Episode 36 For Our Fallen

This week's episode R.J. and Fred start things off as normal. They go over their time away and bring us up to speed in their lives. We got a reminder that primaries are coming up! Don't forget to vote! Next the guys get into the main topic. They are covering Memorial Day this week. They discuss our nation's fallen heroes, why we celebrate, service in their family, and facts about Memorial Day. Fred and R.J. wrap things up with an introspective Wildcard. From our show we want to thank our soldiers who willingly chose to sacrifice it all for us. Hopefully we live so their sacrifice won't be in vain.

Resources:

The Star Spangled Banner by Carrie Underwood

Taps by the United States Navy Band

https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/american-service-members-died-iran-war

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Memorial-Day

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/many-americans-died-u-s-wars

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/civil-war-casualties

https://www.today.com/life/holidays/memorial-day-trivia-rcna141659

Don't forget, This Is The Day to STAND.

R.J. and Fred both thank you for listening!

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Thanks for our intro/outro Music by Audionautix.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:15

Hello, welcome to This Is Today's Show. I'm your host, RJ Cole, and I'm Fred Graham. Thank you for tuning in to another episode. It feels like we've had like a vacation, bud. It's been a while. Our show is also on video. You can find our videos on Rumble and on YouTube. Our podcasts can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and also iHeartRadio. If you like our show, we would ask that you subscribe, follow, and also write us a wonderful five-star review. We do have a few ways for you to interact with us. You can email our show at thisistheday show at gmail.com. We can also be found on X at This Is The Day Show without the W and on Facebook by searching for us at This IsThe Day Show. Our podcast providers have given us some new features. If you'd like, you can text our show. Select the episode that you're about to listen to, look on the top left of the episode, and it will say send us fan mail. Click on that link to send us a message, and now you can also send us a voicemail. We can also reply to your messages. Feel free to send us any questions, feedback, or interest that you may have for us. Thank you for the continued promotion and support for our show. And here we go.

SPEAKER_00 1:44

How's your week, buddy? Uh it was pretty good. Um we did the camping trip on last Friday, which had storms and tornado watches and all that stuff. So we were in some gymnasium.

SPEAKER_01 2:05

So man, I'm trying to think about that. I know we had storms, but it was on that night.

SPEAKER_00 2:10

Yeah, and then so we were in a gym, and the last time we went camping, and we were in this gym, it's when like tornadoes actually touch down and oh nice, yeah. Yeah, well, not so so it's a lucky gym. Yeah, yeah. So uh all the kids reminisced about how they were, you know, in the bathrooms because that was the structurally sound safest spot, and all the moms, and meanwhile, all of our the dads are just outside talking about the NFL draft. That's just the worst place to congregate, though, man. It is, it is, and then like one of the kids say that I turned off the light, but I don't remember that. So um, anyway, so we did that Friday night, slept on a gymnasium floor, and then Saturday woke up, kind of packed everything up, um, and then the camping thing was over, drove up north to go run in the gladiator challenge, did a 5k 47 minutes, I think is what it was. So and did you find out how much that was in miles? 3.1. Okay. So it's like 3.11. Well, I don't know, some other but my brother he did a 10k that morning. Of course, James. And uh it was funny because like he sent me a picture and I was like, is this before or after? So I was like, have you already read? And he goes, Yeah, it took me this long. And I mean, I was like, Oh, don't worry, it'll take me about that long to do my 5k. So, but uh we were running, twisted my ankle pretty good, like maybe half a mile in. I was like, Oh boy, this is gonna be bad. Um, and then work-wise, everything's kind of wrapping up, so starting to downsize a little bit with the crew, um mode, doing yard work, um, gardening, like got all the seeds planted. We gotta do some sunflowers, so I have to move all the retaining wall bricks from the side of my house over more to where the retaining wall will go, and then good weekend for it. Lot of projects going on this weekend. Made myself a schedule that is probably too tight, but yeah, yeah. But um, yeah, I mean, kids and stuff have been a little bit rowdy, um, but it today was a lot better. Um, so everything's going pretty good. Um a lot of late nights, no real reason. Like, I mean, we're not just like sitting around watching TV or anything, but it's just like I think it's like the calm, and then you're just kind of like like it's just me and my wife, and we just kind of want to sit there. And sometimes we're talking, and other times we're just kind of quiet, you know, enjoying that.

SPEAKER_01 5:19

When I texted you on Wednesday night, I turned to Nancy and I said, Are they asleep yet? Because I know you get up early for work, right? She's like, No, Sarah stays up late. I'm like, Okay, well, hopefully I don't wake him up.

SPEAKER_00 5:32

No, yeah, I was like, Oh, he did it on a Wednesday. So that it my week got thrown off, yeah.

unknown 5:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:40

So how was your week since it was thrown off?

SPEAKER_01 5:43

Um, well. Okay, so I will go back to last week where we were supposed to go to Chicago. Yes. And um, so last week on Tuesday, we took my wife's vehicle in because it had a check engine light. We looked up the light and it was just a simple O2 sensor. I probably could have fixed it maybe, but uh, I have a bumper-to-bumper warranty, so I'm gonna use it, I'm gonna take advantage of it. So we took it in, and of course, it they have to diagnose it themselves, right? They can't just take my word for it, and then it takes a day for them to hear back from the insurance, so then on Wednesday they're ready to go to work on it, and they fixed it. So then late night Wednesday to pick it up after work. I know that that wouldn't have been no, um, so that would have been Monday. I knew anyways, so we picked up the car Wednesday. My wife got groceries and was gonna do some stuff Thursday morning on her way back from Walmart. Check engine light came on. Like, great. So I called him up and I let him know, and he said just to bring it back in. That way they could take a look at it and hopefully get us taken care of swingle on her trip Friday morning early. Um, and I told my wife, like, just be upfront and honest with them, let them know you don't you have two kids and you don't need to be sitting in a lobby. So if you need need to go, like he needs to let you know if this is gonna be quick or a long time. Right. She was there for four and a half hours in the lobby with two toddlers in a car place, so there's nothing for them really to do. Um, they're going bananas, she was going bonkers, and um, yeah, just not not really good communication on their part with my wife. Um, they'd update whatever they found, but they didn't find anything. Um, and uh finally at like 4 30, she's like, I'm done. And I had him get her shuttle, and it was it wasn't there, it wasn't ready for her, nothing. She's like a half hour later, so she's like, I'm done. She called my dad up, my dad picked her up. So then when I spoke to Honda Valtuna, they're like, Yeah, we don't like we can release the car, you can take it if you want, but like with it being check engine light, we haven't figured out what it is, like it might not be the best thing, like that's true, because it's a check engine light, and I don't want to get stranded out of state in my wife's car. Um, the nice car we have, and uh so then the conversation changed to oh, I wish I could give you a rental car, but since you're going out of state, I can't give you a rental car through us, which would have only been like 35 bucks a day, which would have been very kind of them, since this isn't my fault to begin with, right? It's not the dude's fault either, but it's not my fault either. Right. But they have special rates that they can use if they go through um a rental car company. I'm like, alright, let me call them and see if I can get something figured out. So I called them. They were totally booked, them and like three other local locations were totally booked up, so that means I was gonna get no special pricing, so I was at least looking at $85 a day for a car. On top of the hotel stay, which come to find out was non-refundable, um, and then gas eating out over there when we went on our trip. Um we were thinking about possibly making it work with the Camry for the trip, but then we're like, this just seems really rushed, seems like a really bad idea to take the Camry. It's my point A to point B car. I'm sure she can probably make it, but I'm not confident. So we um we broke the news to her sister, and I felt terrible because I know my wife and I wanted to go, especially my wife, she really wanted to go for a nephew, and uh they had worked at getting us tickets because that's also another dumb thing they do now for graduations. It's buy tickets, it's not just everybody can come, but you have to have a ticket. So um she went out of her way and got us tickets so we can go to that. So, um, no deal, got no workaround with my car place. So then I he he updates me, which is really good. I like this guy that I work with there, he's the only reason why I do anything with that place. But um, he texted me Friday, he said that they're gonna look at more diagnostic stuff, see what they can figure out. Later in the afternoon, he said, I really think it's because the O2 sensor we put in. The what the warranty company only approves aftermarket parts, they don't do original, was it OEM parts? So he's like, I have I have that part, we'll we'll test it out and see. So they got that plugged in Friday, it seemed to work well, and he said he's gonna get a test drive in Saturday morning and uh see how she goes. Well, I get a text Saturday night that he wasn't able to because people had called in, so he was short staffed, so he didn't even get a ticket for a test drive. Finally took out for a test drive on Monday, and she worked beautifully with the new O2 sensor, and that was the only reason why we couldn't go. Um so I was I was kind of ticked at that whole situation, but I guess more or less at the insurance company, but also on their part for not getting us a rental. That's pretty beat up.

SPEAKER_00 11:18

Yeah, you think your insurance company would have done something?

SPEAKER_01 11:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:24

Or them. So yeah, something. Well, yeah, yeah. I got tires for my truck. That was uh a lot more than what I wanted. Yeah, yeah. And uh the guy calls me and he's like, Yeah, your sensor? Like, I don't even know how the tire sensors work, but I guarantee you they don't work the way he was explaining to me. So I was just like, Look, man, like I'm really the only one who really drives the truck. I'll check all my tires. Like, yeah, just I don't need it, just bypass it. So he did.

SPEAKER_01 12:06

Was he trying to offer you sensors?

SPEAKER_00 12:08

Yeah, he's like, You got you got one sensor, it's not coming off. You got one that's just like the battery's dead, and I'm like, I'm pretty sure that's not how that works. It was pretty funny. I can always check it out with a gauge, man. Yeah, and that's why I was just like, I'll just know the lights on. Like, cause I had uh I had a nail in my back tire for like way too long. Right. Uh it's our vehicles compared to our wife's incriminating myself since like November, like November, December, somewhere in there, dude. And uh it was a pan head, I don't or like it's a self-tap screw, it's like that long, but the head of it is like really wide. Yeah, I had that thing in my tire so long it rubbed that pan head off. So but yes, because I I did explain this to my wife where she's just like, You're not taking care of the vehicles, and I'm like, No, like I was gonna get two because I had cord showing, so on one tire, just one. So, and that one had like a ever since I got it, like it had a slow leak, like the valve I think is bad. So, um, but she didn't know what that meant, so then I explained to her. I was like, and she's like, That's dangerous, like, why didn't you replace it? And I was like, Well, I was waiting trying to you know get you tires because you're always driving our kids, and you know, I'm not driving reckless or anything, you know, I'm literally going right up the road most of the time, but so but she's like, Yeah, but you have the kids sometimes too, and I was like, but not always. And when I when I discovered the problem, that's when I was like, let's let's pump the brakes on the kids because on them, yeah. So, but yeah, and then she did point out the fact that there was a couple times when she drove the truck, and I was like, Yeah, I was really nervous, but um, so yeah, that cost a lot. You don't know, just take her slow, hit the brakes early. Uh but yeah, and I was like, I don't think I don't think those sensors take batteries, like have individual batteries.

SPEAKER_01 14:22

I think I mean I wouldn't think so. I would think it'd be an electronic, like electrical plug-in type thing, but I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 14:30

So the guy was trying to summon that. I was like, nah, I'm good, we'll bypass it. Like, I'm already spending a ridiculous amount of money on these tires.

SPEAKER_01 14:37

So I had to do my wife's car and my car at the beginning of this year, and I had to fix her stuff in the front end too, or rear end, wherever it was. Yeah. We're getting hit this year.

SPEAKER_00 14:49

Yeah, I gotta do yeah, yep. If I was smart, I would plan it, you know, and then I would not do my drug and her van at the same time. It's kind of silly of me.

SPEAKER_01 15:05

It's hard though, man.

SPEAKER_00 15:06

Spread it out.

SPEAKER_01 15:07

I I wish I could have spread mine out, but I couldn't. No, I well, and it that's how it seems to work. Because I like you, my tires on the outside walls were cracking because they're just so old. Yeah, but that's how that's how mine work. So it was like, yeah, once we got our tax returns, I need to get mine done. And then we found out with hers through her um oil change that she got, her first one, it's like, yeah, you guys probably need to replace it. I'm like, okay. Yeah, we'll get them for her. So, um, but then also this week, the reason why my schedule got changed, I donate plasma. Everybody knows that. But uh Tuesdays were usually my days, and this week I've been working late. So Tuesday, without my extra run, I think I still got off at like eight or shortly after. Wednesday I was really hoping I could go, right? I don't like I don't like when it moves my days, it just throws off my week. So then Wednesday, nope, I got off eight or a little after eight. So then Thursday, I was finally able to donate, and that's usually maybe when I'd share notes with you, just to double check on things. So that got thrown off, and then like today, I was able to get off after like 10, same with like yesterday, you know. Um yeah, so and then today to top everything all off after my second delivery. I had quite a few today, after my second one, the cable snapped on my door, on the back of my trailer door. For those of you that don't know, my trailer has like a garage overhead door they have to pull up and down manually, and it's not that bad when both cables are on it, but the doors are a lot heavier than you realize. Yeah, so mine snapped, and I was having to pull it up myself most of the day because I wasn't at dock stops, they were off the back or residential, yeah. Um yeah, so um that sucked. That that just sucked. So yeah, that was that was about it. I mean, I with us canceling a trip last week, which stunk, God use for good because I was able to get a really good day in with my family Friday. Perfect day Friday with my family. So I am thankful I got that one day last week, and then hopefully this weekend get a day or two, hopefully, with them. And uh do you have to worry about Monday? No. Okay. Yeah. So that's good. It's always last minute finding out if we're working or not because they don't post it or anything. And then uh before I left, my boss was like, Yeah, just make sure you get back, get done, and uh have a long weekend. So I'm like, okay, I must get the day off. So they never said, Where do you bit?

SPEAKER_00 18:12

You missed all Monday.

SPEAKER_01 18:14

Yeah, that happened to me the first holiday. It was like, if I how did it go? Everybody gets a day off unless if you I can't remember if it was like if you don't get a call, don't come in. If you get a call, come in or something. And something got mixed up, so I didn't show up. And they call me at like 10:30, and they're like, You coming in or what? And I'm like, I was told to have to come in unless I got a call. Like, I was told I had the day off, and they're like, No, you don't, and I'm like, Great, so then I get to start my route at 11, so I'm like two and a half hours late. Yeah, but enough about us though, enough about us. Alright. Let's segue to a very important topic. So for Iowa, we have primaries coming June the 2nd. So we got like two weeks, right? Yep. Um, Texas has a very important primary coming up Tuesday.

SPEAKER_00 19:15

Did you see this Tuesday? Did you see what Virginia did? We were talking about that, and they they went with that, I believe. Where it was basically Richmond, DC, I don't remember the other one, but the three most liberal they redistrict. So yeah, it doesn't surprise me.

SPEAKER_01 19:35

It's midterms, man. Yeah. So Texas get out there and vote. Ken Paxton over Cornyn.

unknown 19:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:45

And then um Chip Roy. Yeah, I should go with Chip Roy for your um attorney general. Just throwing that out there. It'd be really wise. Good old chip. Yeah. Yeah, so. And then um, yeah, like I said, we have ours the second. So make sure you guys are doing your research looking at people.

SPEAKER_00 20:09

I don't have anybody. I'm with Steen.

SPEAKER_01 20:11

So just throwing that out there.

SPEAKER_00 20:12

I got the yard sign, so I'm with Steen. I I thought I was with somebody, and then they did some goofy stuff, and I I just don't I just don't even know. So uh the fortunate, unfortunate thing is we won't be here. Um which gives me more time, but also I'm not gonna be part of that.

SPEAKER_01 20:36

So Fred's gonna be gone for the next two weeks, so he's he won't be here. Yeah. So it'll be me and a special guest for two weeks. Special.

unknown 20:45

Special.

SPEAKER_01 20:45

Dude, I gotta edit all of that.

SPEAKER_00 20:48

You haven't edit that, dude. That's that's genuine.

SPEAKER_01 20:51

Special, you know? For the evergreen, yeah, I had to.

SPEAKER_00 20:55

I did see that, yeah. I was like, it's awesome. Yeah, I'm glad he did that.

SPEAKER_01 20:59

I wish I wish it could have been more like of a sparkle on the back of your hand, but I without I'm sure I have to buy something.

SPEAKER_00 21:05

It was the closest to Bob Ross I've ever seen, not Bob Ross. Thank you. So I liked it. I'm an artiste. So Bob Bob Ross, Bob Ross. Yeah, yeah, I like Bob Ross.

SPEAKER_01 21:17

Anyways. Yeah, don't forget to vote. Yes, it's it's gonna be important. And it's the least you can do. So let's jump into the main topic, shall we? Alright. So very solemn um retrospective, maybe. Take some time to think um about Memorial Day that's coming up.

SPEAKER_00 21:42

Which is by and large not celebrated appropriately. Correct. For the real meaning of it. It's just another day off. Which kind of follows with how most holidays are. Like it's reason A is why we celebrate, but We throw reason B, and somehow commercialism gets in that B.

SPEAKER_01 22:07

But we even talked about was it Mother's Day with that one lady and and yeah, I can't remember last name. Yeah, just to go from a simple day and then she tried fighting it and got so into it that she ended up dying in a psychword, wasn't it? Yeah. Yeah. So but with Memorial Day coming up, I just I really thought it appropriate that we would mention the 13 that have died in the conflict with Iran that we currently are in. So we have Major John A. Clinner, 33 of Auburn, Alabama. Captain Ariana G. Sabino, 31 of Covington, Washington. Tech Sergeant Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, Bardstown, Kentucky. Captain Curtis J. Angst, 30, Wilmington, Ohio. Tech Sergeant Tyler H. Simmons, 28, Columbus, Ohio. Sergeant Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, Glendale, Kentucky. Chief War Officer 3 Robert Marzin, 54, Sacramento, California. Major Jeffrey O'Brien, 45, Rocky, Iowa. Sergeant Declan Cody. Tony, what's the morning? Iowa. Sergeant First Class Nicole Moore. 39 White Bear Lake. Minnesota. Sergeant First Class number teachings. 42 Melville number. Campton Comedy Court. 35 Winter Haven. Campton 7. 38. Mooresville in the So in our household, I plan on Bringing that up to the family. Like I feel like they're the ones that we're gonna honor this year for Memorial Day. Um let's just let's just jump off nice and easy. Why do you think we should celebrate Memorial Day?

SPEAKER_00 24:53

I think um I don't know how the quote goes, but basically if uh people forget their past, they like lose who they are. And um I don't know who said it or how the um intellectual nice and smooth that they said it, but um, you know, you look at the those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. There's that, and then it was that other one. Yeah, there's another one that like I don't know, basically like your past kind of it's it's part of who you are, and um you can't really change it, you gotta you gotta learn from it and then do better, like you know, make the make the appropriate changes, and that's how life is too. But you know, you think of um just the sacrifice and and most cases the willing sacrifice that people in America, the Americans willingly gave their lives for our freedom to preserve that. Um and my my thinking is is like Memorial Day is a time, I mean, we like very few people work, and it's it's a time that we set aside as a nation and we think of that sacrifice, we think of um just remembering what they've done for us, um and in our home, we we even take it a little bit, I guess we dumb it down because we'll remember. I think a lot of people do this where you just kind of remember those that like family members that have passed and stuff like that. So um that's kind of what we do is kind of tell stories and bust out family albums and um I think this year is gonna take at least the three older ones and visit um some gravesites and stuff. Um my my wife actually likes to to walk and just look at the tombstones and stuff and um I never really liked that. I thought it was kind of creepy, but it is it's honoring, you know, it's it's remembering and and honoring that. Um and I think if we as Americans can look back and realize that these people died and and obviously our freedom was preserved through that. Um it's not just like you know, Call of Duty or whatever. Like they it's real life, you know, it's not just something that they did for entertainment, like there was a real threat, and even the ones that that made it back home um you know, just appreciating them. It's not Veterans Day, but still appreciate that sacrifice and everything that a volunteer-based military had did to preserve preserve America's freedom. Um that's I feel like if we we truly celebrated Memorial Day correctly, then our country would be in a different it'd be more appreciative, less self-centered, I think. Um Yeah. But it doesn't help whenever um you know the term boots on the ground. It it very much removes the human nature or the human l uh aspect of it. Like these are people's lives, these are people who are moms or dads or you know, brothers and sisters, um, sons and daughters. And the politicians, the ones who are making these decisions flippantly do that historically. Um I think if they had, you know, almost like a top-down aspect you'd like to see, and I I think Trump has a pretty good mindset that they're they're human beings. Um but sometimes the best way to create the change is in the home, you know. Um we don't have this massive you know, Joe Rogan podcast or anything like that. But if we, everybody who's listening, decide to take this Memorial Day and honor and remember the sacrifices that were made to preserve our freedoms, then it's gonna change our attitude and hopefully it'll affect more people around us and then create that change that hopefully becomes hard to ignore. So I hope that answers your question, man, of why we need Memorial Day. I mean, I I think it's it's one of those things that's just you take it for granted if you don't remember it. You know, we have a uh holiday for Thanksgiving. Yeah, I feel like I should answer these before you. Yeah, that was long, dude. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_01 30:34

I'm very, and we know this about me. I'm very um, I'd say with answers, I'm more simplistic, you're more like philosophical. I just yeah, I mean maybe I go too deep. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You're good because then I'm gonna come up and say, yeah, and then we're jumping off.

SPEAKER_00 30:51

Yeah, I was just I was just gonna say uh it's just it's just who we are, right?

SPEAKER_01 30:57

Yeah, but yeah, I I just I think we should celebrate it because just like you said, it's it's our history. It's these soldiers willingly fought and died, and if we're not gonna take the time, even a minute's time, if we can't, then I mean was there death in vain? Uh if we're not willing to be the simple servants or civil servants or just being citizens on a daily basis, is their death in vain. So um it's definitely something we could be doing each and every day. Um we played that clip earlier in the year. Granted, he wasn't from the United States, but that 102-year-old World War was Tuvette.

SPEAKER_00 31:49

I think so, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:50

And um they asked him if his his sacrifice was like worth it, and he said no, more or less. Um just looking at stuff now and how freedoms are just not being taken, they're just be given away freely. There's no fight for them. And um I think if we forget about that sacrifice, then we'd be more likely to just give up the freedom because we didn't fight for it. Um, they did, and they lost everything. So I think it's super important that we take some time out. And I have some pretty cool things I didn't know about. We'll we'll find out in the trivia. Yes. But um that I I plan on doing myself personally. So um according to PBS.org and battlefields.org, approximately 1.3 US sorry, 1.3 million US soldiers have died in battle since the Revolutionary War. The American Civil War alone accounted for nearly 500,000 of these deaths, making it the deadliest conflict in US history.

SPEAKER_00 33:04

Dude, civil wars blow my mind. They really do. Like, they kind of hurt my heart.

SPEAKER_01 33:11

Yeah, but I mean it's be just like you and your sibling going at it. Yeah. That's exactly what it'd be like. Um which makes me jump into my next question I have for you. You ready for this? Yeah. Do you have anybody that is serving or has currently served? Um I'm sorry, that has served.

SPEAKER_00 33:36

We have a few that have served. Um, I don't think we have anybody currently. I might have a cousin. I know I had a cousin that was in, but I don't know if they're out. Um, and that sounds really bad. Like you can interchange that with like yeah, he was in jail. No, he might be out now. Like um, so I have my brother uh was in the Air Force. Um I had like my great-grandpa was in the Navy during World War II. So I gotta hear a lot of stories about that. I know he I don't think he told me a I gotta hear a lot of stories to where um I guess I increased in the level of respect I had for my great-grandpa. My grandpa was in the army. Um I think he was in nom. I can't remember. He was in one of the conflicts over there because we don't go to war, we just have conflicts, so um but and then I had a lot of a lot of my family was in the navy, um, which that's what my great-grandpa was in, so I think I think a lot of his stories is why that influence was there. Um then I think I have like an uncle-in-law that was in the military, but I'm not really sure what branch or anything. So but yeah, I believe everybody that served in our family has if they went to war or conflict, they made it home. So nobody nobody was lost there.

SPEAKER_01 35:32

So I know in my family, it seems like um a lot of our family had been in. Um I believe I don't want to tell the story unless I get the details right, but I believe that there's somebody, maybe a brother of my great-grandfather that died in war. Um, and it might have been a brother situation. Um not for him, but his brother. Um, and then so my grandpa Cole, he was in the US Navy. My dad was in the US Navy. He uh famously came home one day and asked his wife, hey, what'd I do? And she's like, What? And he's like, I joined the military. Um and then my uncle Chuck, he uh he was in the military, he was in the Navy as well, and uh my cousin Daniel, he was in the military too. He was in the navy, so very rich family history in the Navy, and then also it seems like we had quite a bit of our family go. Um without going any further into the family tree. I believe that's everybody, so um, so Fred. You may ask me, hey, did we start how do we start Memorial Day? Is that how we sound? Do I sound like that? No. Hey, no. Well, guess what? I'm glad you asked me. I yeah, how did we start Memorial Day? Well, according to Britannica.com, this is what they say the origin is for Memorial Day. Which I was kind of confused because I feel like they had three different stories here, but I digress. More than a half dozen places have claimed to be the birthplace of the holiday. In October 1864, for instance, three women in Bullsburg, Pennsylvania, are said to have decorated the graves of loved ones who died during the Civil War. They then returned in July 1865, accompanied by many of their fellow citizens for a more general commemoration. A large observance, primarily involving African Americans, took place in May of 1865 in Charleston, South Carolina. Columbus, Mississippi held a formal observance for both the Union and Confederate dead in 1866. By congressional proclamation in 1966, Waterloo, New York, was cited as the birthplace also in 1866 of the observance. In 1868, John A. Logan, the commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Union veterans, promoted a national holiday on May 30th for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion. After World War I, as the day came to be observed in honor of those who had died in all U.S. wards, its name changed from Decoration Day to Memorial Day. So since 1971, Memorial Day has been observed on the last Monday in May. A number of southern states also observe a separate day to honor the Confederate dead. A tradition, alright, that we have according to Britannica, Memorial Day is observed with the laying of a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. Have you ever seen a video of that?

SPEAKER_00 39:36

Of Arlington?

SPEAKER_01 39:37

Of the Tomb of the Unknowns, like the guards. That's that's some pretty intense stuff.

SPEAKER_00 39:43

Yeah, I want to go there. Yeah. I've never been which is crazy because I've been to Virginia. I've never been to DC. Sarah's been to DC, and like she wants to take me take me. She wants me to go with her one day. Um, and I want to take the kids to Arlington to the Vietnam Memorial Mall. Um stuff like that. Um just because it's it's like very sobering.

SPEAKER_01 40:17

So yeah. If you guys ever get the chance, I'd say I I'm not 100% sure if they have a life feed on it or not, all the time. But there's videos out there, and it's just there's a lot of respect and quorum that goes on with that. So not only does that happen with the Tomb of the Unknowns, but and by religious services, parades, and speeches nationwide. Flags and insignia and flowers are placed on the graves of veterans in local cemeteries. The day has also come to signal the beginning of summer in the United States, and the weekend of Memorial Day is noted for barbecues and picnics. Kind of like we were talking earlier. I feel in many lives it's become more about the day off or barbecues than what it was originally intended. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 41:11

Because well, and and I've heard it said this way that like it's a day for family, is what I was told. Like the the men and women that that have sacrificed their life did it for a cause and and they should be honored. Um and somebody was saying one of the ways that we can honor those who died for our freedom is to live a life that that um how'd they say it? Like that's worth honoring. Yeah, like with your family, you're you're spending time with loved ones realizing that that what you have is frail and that you like soak it all in because there's those who who died to preserve that and cannot do that.

SPEAKER_01 42:09

Right, like what you're doing now is because of their death.

SPEAKER_00 42:12

Right, right. Yes. Now, do I think people think about that while they're throwing football and barbecue and probably not, you know, and um I don't know. That's why like I want to. I mean, and going to like Arlington doesn't have to be Memorial Day, although I think that's probably one of the busiest days, but like just being able to like you can go there anytime, you know, and that like even for us, we have a place out here in like what West Des Moines, right?

SPEAKER_01 42:42

Yeah, the are probably technically a little bit west of that, but yeah, that's where the veteran cemetery is here in Iowa.

SPEAKER_00 42:50

Yep. So and that's I mean, just going and and I guess my biggest thing now is teaching that next generation. Um because that's how that's how freedom's gonna be preserved. You know, it's I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 43:10

I don't I don't mean I mean in your history. I mean um I haven't always been the best at even celebrating these things like I should. Um given given the memory of people who've died for us on Memorial Day, I don't I don't know how many times I've actually done that, you know, and uh it's very disrespectful just looking back on it and not not even giving them the time of day, and that's who gave me my day today. Yeah. Um always go back to you know, my dad served in the military, and like I possibly couldn't have been here at all because he could have died before I even came around, you know. Um just that's that's a sobering moment that I I have in the back of my mind is God has been very gracious to the Kohl's and it didn't have to be that way.

SPEAKER_03 44:07

Right.

SPEAKER_01 44:07

I mean, something could have happened to my grandpa, you know. Um so yeah, truly, truly just honor their sacrifice. I I'm sure maybe if they're here today, there'd probably be some who'd be like me, be like, yeah, honor the whole day. Honor me the entire day, you know, but I'm sure most of them would be like, just think, just think about us, just give us a moment of time. Um you want to jump over to trivia now?

SPEAKER_00 44:38

Yeah, let's do that. I think uh yeah, that'd be good.

SPEAKER_01 44:41

Let's do that. Alright, so I'm gonna question you on all of these. Ready? Alright. Aside from Memorial Day, how many other federal holidays are observed annually? I think it's 12. I could be wrong. I'm probably wrong. Um, it says according to today.com. So take that the grand channel.

SPEAKER_00 45:04

Oh, we take him bank hour, like bankers, federal bank.

SPEAKER_01 45:10

Can I phone a friend? Well, the answer is 10, so I think they're saying altogether there are 11.

SPEAKER_00 45:16

I know we lost a couple because like we lumped all the presidents in the one day instead of like Washington and Lincoln. I know those made the charts. I can't say I know all the holidays. It was like February was like apparently if you were born in February, you were good odds on becoming a president, so go Cole.

SPEAKER_01 45:43

No pressure. What high military honor is awarded to individuals who have been wounded or lost their lives in service to the country? Wounded's the purple heart. And yeah, yeah, yeah. Same thing, yeah. So if Memorial Day is unofficially the start of summer, then which federal holiday marks the summer's official ending?

SPEAKER_03 46:17

I was staying fair.

SPEAKER_01 46:20

That's right. Because like here in Iowa, you have it and like you know it's coming here, and then like you dread it because you know when it's the end, like summer is gone, like school, man. When you're in school, you're like, it's gone. Is it Labor Day? It's gone. It is Labor Day. It is, yeah. That's the only holiday I get paid.

SPEAKER_00 46:38

Union Strong.

SPEAKER_01 46:41

Wait, you get paid? Are you getting paid for this? Which esteemed medal for Valor was first created during the Civil War? Is that the Medal of Honor? Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Who is the only woman to ever be awarded the Medal of Honor? I didn't know this. I didn't even know that there was only one.

SPEAKER_00 47:07

What what era? Can you give me that? Like Civil War?

SPEAKER_01 47:12

Man, I thought it was like 1850s.

unknown 47:16

I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 47:17

Her name was Dr. Mary Walker.

SPEAKER_00 47:20

Yeah, I would never. I don't know. What's her story?

SPEAKER_01 47:23

Do you have any idea? I looked at it and then just I'm sure being a doctor. There's other stuff I wish I would have planned into here.

SPEAKER_00 47:31

She probably was like a medic or something, I'm gonna guess. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 47:36

I'm not gonna come either way, I don't wanna.

SPEAKER_00 47:38

Oh, and you know what? I'm gonna do some research on it. Okay. I'll look it up.

SPEAKER_01 47:42

Yeah. Memorial Day is officially recognized on what day each year?

SPEAKER_00 47:47

The last Monday of May.

SPEAKER_01 47:49

That's right. I said that earlier, too.

SPEAKER_00 47:51

I read the show dots.

SPEAKER_01 47:53

A couple of these are in there. According to AAA, and for you youngsters, what is triple A, Fred?

SPEAKER_00 48:02

I don't know what the acronym stands for, but it's like uh roadside assistance, tow trucks.

SPEAKER_01 48:09

Yep. Yeah. My dad has had AAA for as long as I can remember. He gets like, I think three free toes a year or something. But roughly how many Americans are planning to travel over Memorial Day weekend this year?

SPEAKER_00 48:24

1.2 million. 45 million. That was well, that was gas prices are pretty high, so I'm sure it's gonna pump the brakes. No pun intended. Can I ask a question here?

SPEAKER_02 48:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 48:39

Not that I want to take a start show. You can do whatever you want. Not that I want to take away from Memorial Day. But like. Maybe it's a hot take. Maybe I'm just not seeing it. Maybe this is I don't know. But like, why are all these people complaining? Man, my gas prices are really high. And it's just like I feel like disarming Iran was pretty important not to have nuclear weapons, and but we want to complain about gas prices, you know. Like, hey, it should be is it because we expect it to be the Burger King way? Like it had needs to happen now and not Iraq 20 years, you know.

SPEAKER_00 49:23

Yeah, I think I think the here and now is these gas prices hurt. But you know, my grandkids could be the ones that suffer the consequences of Iran, and nobody's gonna say it, but like they would rather them not suffer. What was that king's name?

SPEAKER_01 49:41

Oh, out of the Bible. Oh, uh I was gonna do I have a lesson about that. Oh man, I forget his name. Hezekiah, right?

SPEAKER_00 49:51

Was that Hezekiah?

SPEAKER_01 49:52

I'd have to look at what he's like.

SPEAKER_00 49:53

He's the one that's like good is the word though. Correct.

SPEAKER_01 49:56

There was there's a king, he was he was supposed to die. And then God healed him and gave him 15 more years. But then in that, um, something happened. He did something he wasn't supposed to do. He was really bad those last years, too. And because of what he did, he was told that more or less bad stuff was gonna happen to them. And his response was more or less, is it gonna happen in my day? Like, is it gonna happen to me? And it's like, no, it's gonna be your kids' day.

SPEAKER_00 50:27

The throne is gonna be ripped from your kids, and he's like, Good is the word of the Lord. Yeah, so it's like it's okay, not my time.

SPEAKER_01 50:35

I'm gonna be so as soon as you said that, that's what that reminds me of, and I think that is the very mentality that we have today.

SPEAKER_00 50:42

And here's the thing like everybody would be like, Yeah, I'd rather have lower gas prices, and they'll come short of saying, at the expense of my grandkids having war. Like, I don't know, but it's also like some of that stuff, it takes a while before it's actually hit the tank, like the the gas state pumps, like because that straight, which moved a lot of oil, that that really got bottlenecked with all that going on. So you know that thing's been going on for a while, so it's like I think it was like I don't know, it's not it's going to just now start hitting to where we see those I I don't want to I don't the physical cost of like yeah of the conflict, whatever I don't yeah.

SPEAKER_01 51:39

Yeah, I've been hearing that and I've been hearing that constantly from people and like big names and stuff, and I'm like, why are we complaining?

SPEAKER_00 51:47

Like Because, dude, if we didn't complain, could you imagine what we could get done? That's what we say at work all the time. Alright, alright. Complaining's like a rocket chair, dude. Gives you something to do, but it doesn't get you anywhere.

SPEAKER_01 52:01

Where is Arlington National Cemetery located? In Arlington, Virginia. That is right, sir. What does the Latin term Semper Fidelis mean? Always favorite. I didn't know that. I like it. I like it. Um, how should the American flag? This is this is something cool, alright? I want to do this this year. How is the American flag to be flown on Memorial Day? I never knew this.

SPEAKER_00 52:26

Half staff, right?

SPEAKER_01 52:28

So it should be raised to half staff from sunrise until noon, then displayed at full staff from noon to sunset.

SPEAKER_00 52:36

If we're in war, it's supposed to be upside down. That's what they say. I don't know. Hmm. More than do more research on etiquette. I took RLTC in high school, marine core RLTC. So like I learned a lot. Dude, I even learned how to eat like fancy. Like which fork is like you have a salad fork, you have a dessert fork, you have a main course fork, like how to set a table. Like, I learned that in RLTC. But it's like you think marines, you think jar heads and just a bunch of like meathead, you know, right? And the guys that eat crayons, right? Yeah, you here's your box of crayons, this is what we're gonna do. But it's like it's it's actually a very prestige, like you can you can work the ranks and get up there, and it's very prestige and classy. Like, you're eating with political people, you know, it's it's yeah, they're not gonna send just anybody to go represent American military, you know.

SPEAKER_01 53:43

Yeah, but um in 2000, Congress passed a law requiring Americans to pause on Memorial Day to honor fallen servicemen and women. At what time should this remembrance occur? I'm gonna say noon. This is another one I need to do. It's at 3 p.m. We're gonna we're gonna do that. Yeah. What flower is worn in honor of Memorial Day? I'm gonna go on a limb.

SPEAKER_00 54:18

Like, don't crucify me. The poppy.

SPEAKER_01 54:21

That's right. Alright. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 54:22

Do you know the story behind this?

SPEAKER_01 54:23

No, but this is also like this is the third thing I want to do research with, but I feel like I have a little kid book if you want.

SPEAKER_00 54:29

It's not a little kid book, but it's like I'm here with the little kid book. We read it to our little kids, like our children. But so World War, I want to say it's one and two, Canadians were huge on the poppy. Like they wear them. Their Veterans Day is different than ours.

SPEAKER_01 54:45

Is that where they get the narcotics from?

SPEAKER_00 54:48

Poppy seeds, yeah. If you eat too many, it can show up, but I don't think I don't think they make you I don't know. It's very low dosage, but you have to eat a lot for it to show up. But um this woman who is an American, she kind of just started using the poppy. Um, man, I my wife knows this story far better than I do, but and then it caught fire, not caught fire, it it caught on in Canada, kind of, because if you ask most, especially Canadians, because y'all are crazy, they will say they started the poppy poppy flower, like for a symbol of memorial of a vet, or and it's like, no, it actually started by an American, you know. Um man, I wish I could remember her story, but basically. Yeah, well, I think she had a group and it was kind of like maybe American Canadian, and then it it just caught wind over there, and obviously Canada and Britain are pretty close to England, you know, and not like physically, but like they were a colony or whatever under the control. But yeah, I I'll have to get that book to you or something. Yeah, because it's it's a great story, it really is like it's amazing in American history how many women set up a lot of things for honor and like remembrance. Um, and I think a lot of that might how we were talking on Mother's Day, because it's the mother's heart. Um and and I'm you know, praise the Lord for that, because um I think most guys would just kind of overlook it, you know. And uh yeah, so it's it's I'm very thankful. I'm learning more of these stories and um being the more I get aware of it, the more I'm I'm thankful for women like that that make I guess small gestures. I mean, in grand scheme of things, what that person did for me, and just putting a poppy on my lapel is next to nothing, you know.

SPEAKER_01 57:06

But yeah. And the last one I have for trivia is according to a you gov poll, what's the most popular barbecue side dish? Uh you gov.

SPEAKER_00 57:19

Let's say I'm gonna say mac and cheese. Potato salad. Oh, that's disgusting. That's like the worst one. Like I don't need it. I would have taken mac and cheese or coleslaw. And I know you don't like coleslaw, but yeah. Yeah. We got a local place that does really good mac and cheese. I'm not a mac and cheese fan, it's uh Smokies. Yep. Yeah, they have they do it pretty good over there. Yeah, so that's a nice kick to it. You want to jump in the wild card? Let's do it. I get asked the first question. Yes, sir. So alright. But this week's wild card is Did you ever think of serving in the military? If you did, what branch would you have served in, and do you have a job that you think you'd choose?

SPEAKER_01 58:11

So this would have been number four. I wish I would have looked up the jobs in the military. But yes, um, I have regrets in my life, and this is one of my regrets that I have is that I did not serve. Um, there was a point, early 20s, I had gotten into some just bad stuff, and uh I was getting out of it. I had some help from some people, and um, I thought one of the things that might straighten me out a little bit more, get me more independent, get me to stand on my own two feet by joining the military. Um and I talked to somebody, and I think it was wise advice for me at that time in my life, but they said, Have you considered like the military promotes drinking quite a bit? And me had been a drinker and other stuff that I chose, I decided not to go that path. But that is that is one of my biggest regrets was not serving. Um, I feel like I would have joined the Navy along with my other family members. Um I just felt like I carry traditions, hence my son, right? Right, yeah. Um so I think I would have been in the Navy, and then that's what I wish I would have researched for number four was looking up the different jobs that they would have offered when you went in. Um, because and I might sound very dumb in this, but I would assume, like, if I really wanted to be a sniper, I would have gone in to the Marines and probably would have went it through that way. But with the Navy, I guess I'm not even a hundred percent sure what I would do. Is it just ship jobs? Everybody, of course, also says the SEALs, you can do the SEALs, yeah, right. You know, that's that's a elite very small percentage, yeah. It's it's like playing pro sports, yeah. Um so and no, I'm not saying that's one to one ratio, that's that is not the same comparison, but um, so I mean my dad was a boiler tech. Maybe that's something I would have jumped into. I mean, I guess I'm not really all that mechanically inclined, but if I learn it, I got it. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:33

Well, and if that becomes your your job, that's your one task, and you they make sure you're good at it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:40

So yeah, a lot of rinse and repeat. Um so yeah, throw it back to you. Did you ever think of serving?

SPEAKER_00 1:00:47

I actually did. Uh like I said, I was in uh JROTC for Marine Corps, so that was on my radar to do marine. Um but the first thing I wanted to do is like Air Force be a fighter jet pilot, like because I watched Top Gun, so I thought I would be Tom Cruise and Maverick. Yeah, I just wanted to break the sound barrier, like that. I still want to do that, but I was a taller guy, so I found out most pilots are shorter. Um I think I had pretty good eyesight, so I was like, uh, good with that. Reaction time I feel like is pretty decent. But so I found out I wouldn't be the guy flying. At best, I'd be the guy behind him, and because I watched Top Gun, I didn't want to go out like goosted, so I was like, no. Um, and then I was like, I'll go in the Marines because maybe it was the ROTC brainwash, but I was like, gonna be the best of the best, you know. Um, so that yeah, like I I knew like I still when I was in ROTC, I can tell you the commandant of the Marine Corps was General Haggy, like stuff that like people don't know, you know. Um so then like I I know the ranks and stuff. If I would have gone into the Marine Corps, I would have came out, I would have skipped a rank because I had three years of ROTC. So I was like, man, that's fast track right there. And then I found out if I would have joined any other branch, then I would have came out like E3, you know, would have jumped up a lot of ranks because I had three years of ROTC and all that jazz. But as far as the job, dude, I was so brainwashed by ROTC that I was just like, I don't I don't even care, I'll be infantry. Like, but then I found out there's other things that you could do. Like as a kid and stuff, I was like, yeah, I'll be a sniper, but then I found out the like you have to really be a good shot to be a Marine Corps sniper, like yeah, like really good, you know. One of the things that set people back in boot camp is our archery day, like our target shooting day, whatever, qualifying. Um, they give you you go through, you fail, they let you repeat with the next group, and then after that, like you're done. So it's yeah. I was like, man, that's like and then like I knew guys that I was in the class with that went and joined, enlisted in the Marine Corps, came back and they would talk to us about it, and then they're just like, dude, the hardest thing was the shooting, and I was like, Okay, well how'd you do, you know, and they would tell us and stuff, and like these are guys that they did like the ROTC shooting competitions and stuff, and we're actually really good, and they they said it was hard, but I didn't I didn't really have a job. I never wanted to be an in like a drill instructor, like that was something I never wanted to do. I don't like yelling. So but I don't see that being your temperament or mine. I was actually advised not to uh to join. Um and I mean I heard the stories like you were saying, like I I knew a gunnery sergeant that was like, yeah, I was stationed over in Japan, and I don't remember much about it because every night we were just throwing them back. And it, I mean, a lot of you get a lot of opportunities to see the world, and you can learn a lot and do a lot. Like there's a lot of good things in the military, but there are a lot of people that full advantage of the fact that they are on foreign soil and they just party it up, and yeah. Um knowing me at that age, it was it was good advice because that was that was not gonna be a good deal for me. So but um yeah, yeah, so I I thought about it and ironically, I don't think you even knew this, but like there was a time, there's a time when things were really tight, and I was probably 20, I was like 28, 29, and I like seriously thought about joining because I was just like, dude, we can't make it financially. Like, I was like, we're so broke, dude. I might as well just join the military, and um, but I I don't know. I uh I did not just join, I I talked to my wife and um we we made a financial plan, but she was just like, aren't you too old? And I was like, uh, I'm good up there. But I don't know how old I was, I can't remember, but I was working at a warehouse that's really cold up in Angony, so yeah. That wouldn't hire me two or three times, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:03

So for no reason. Because they're crazy. Well, I mean, yeah, I worked that the other way out. Yeah. Anyhow.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:10

Do you have prior warehouse experiences?

SPEAKER_01 1:06:12

Yes. Too bad. We saw the footage of you driving the stand up forklift.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:18

I didn't even get a drive forklift when I was there. Like, this is all sidebar, sorry. It was a pallage act. Yeah. All you drove, like a double pallage act. Like silly. So. Well, to everybody who has family members that did serve and uh gave that sacrifice on behalf of my family, I just want to say thank you. And um I hope that you have a good memorial day.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:51

Yes, and uh thank you for your family sacrifice. Um hopefully I can live up to it and it not be in vain. So, do you have anything else you want to add, sir? Okay. This is this is the day show, and don't forget to stand. Thank you. In the US Navy, take us out.