The 39 grams of high fructose corn syrup in regular Coca Cola is equal to about 9.2 teaspoons of granulated sugar per can. A teaspoon of sugar weighs about 4.2 grams.
Pertussis: To help bolster waning pertussis immunity (i.e. whooping cough) among Americans, a federal vaccine advisory committee expanded recommendations for the Tdap immunization to include all adults 65 and older.		  In a 2007 report on Veterans in state and federal prison—the most current report of its kind—researchers at the Bureau of Justice Statistics worked to demystify the vagaries surrounding Veterans and crime. As it turned out, during the past three decades, the number of Veterans in state and federal prison had actually declined. And when the mental health of Veterans in prison was compared to that of their civilian counterparts, there seemed to be a trend: Civilians reported a higher rate of “any mental health problems” than Veterans—both in state and federal prison

     
What’s more effective and cheaper than sleeping pills? Changing your habits. Here’s how…
1. Get comfy. . A room that’s dark, a temperature you like, blankets and pillows that feel nice. 
2. Minimize stimuli- no TV no computers, no books
3. A consistent sleep schedule.
4. Create a wind-down routine, hot bath, reading, milk.
5. The Sleep Foundation says beds are only for sex and sleep.
6. Exercise, no smoking, and keep stay slim.
7. If this doesn't work visit a sleep expert at SleepCenters.org 
It’s common in these highly politicized times to paste warm, fuzzy names on even the most obnoxious proposals. An initiative to whack Social Security benefits might be called the “Saving Social Security Act,” for example. A few years ago, when the Pentagon proposed big health care fee hikes, it was labeled the “Sustaining the Benefit” plan. Such euphemistic spin campaigns bring to mind the old quote, “We had to burn the village to save it.” One common phrase that’s cropped up repeatedly in speeches, press releases, and testimony by defense and service leaders is the importance of “keeping faith” with currently serving personnel in planning deep defense budget cuts. If only it were so. The fact is there’s far more breaking faith in those plans than keeping faith. That rhetoric first appeared in the wake of a Defense Business Board plan that envisioned changing the military retirement system and included an option to change retirement rules in midstream for servicemembers currently on active duty. 		Army Twilight Tattoo: The history of Twilight Tattoo began more than 300 years ago as British troops were summoned from the warmth and hospitality of local pubs by a bugle and drum call to return to the barracks. The familiar tune told tavern owners “doe den tap toe,” or “time to turn off the taps.” The troops knew the call to mean “taps off,” and minutes later they were back in their tents. The modern-day call is known as “Tattoo” and during basic training the call signals the time to quiet down and hit the bunks. For the U.S. Army Military District of Washington (MDW), the call serves as a tribute dedicated to the vitality of our nation and to the sacrifices of those who forged America into the land of the free and the home of the brave. It is for our forefathers and fellow Americans that MDW proudly presents “Twilight Tattoo.” If you live near Washington, D.C., or plan on visiting the nation’s capital this summer you might want to take advantage of the free Army Twilight Tattoo.
Twilight Tattoo is an hour-long military pageant featuring Soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)
Observations On Growing Older
The things you used to care to do, you no longer care to do, but you really do care that you don't care to do them anymore.
You miss the days when everything worked with just an ¡§ON¡¨ and ¡§OFF¡¨ Switch..
You tend to use more 4 letter words ..... what? ¨... ¨when? ¨... ???
Everybody Whispers
 

 

Operation Shingle (January 22, 1944), during the Italian Campaign of World War II, was an Allied amphibious landing against Axis forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno, Italy. The operation was commanded by Major General John P. Lucas and was intended to outflank German forces of the Winter Line and enable an attack on Rome. The resulting combat is commonly called the Battle of Anzio.
     The success of an amphibious landing at that location, in a basin substantially comprising reclaimed marshland and surrounded by mountains, depended completely on the element of surprise and the swiftness with which the invaders could move relative to the reaction time of the defenders. Any delay would result in the occupation of the mountains by the defenders and the entrapment of the invaders. Lieutenant General Mark Clark, commander of the U.S. Fifth Army, and his superiors understood the risk but Clark did not pass on their appreciation of the situation to his subordinate Lucas but as an experienced general he no doubt should have understood. The initial landing succeeded without opposition and a jeep patrol which went as far as the outskirts of Rome reported no resistance. Despite that report, Lucas, who had little confidence in the operation as planned, failed to capitalise on the element of surprise by delaying his advance a few days until he judged his position was sufficiently consolidated and his troops ready.
    While Lucas consolidated, Field Marshal Albert Kesselring, the German Italian theatre commander, moved every spare unit to be found into a ring around the beachhead and on the flanks of the mountains, where his gunners had a clear view of every target. The Germans stopped the drainage pumps and flooded the reclaimed marsh with salt water. They planned to entrap the allies and destroy them by epidemic. Meanwhile, for weeks a rain of shells fell on the beach, the marsh, the harbour, and on anything else observable from the hills.
    After a month of heavy but inconclusive fighting Lucas was relieved and sent home, replaced by Major General Lucian Truscott. The Allies finally broke out in May but instead of striking inland to cut lines of communication of the German Tenth Army's units at Cassino, Truscott on Clark's orders reluctantly turned his forces north-west towards the prize of Rome which was captured on 4 June. As a result, the forces of the German Tenth Army at Cassino were able to withdraw and rejoin the rest of Kesselring's forces north of Rome, regroup and make a fighting withdrawal to his next major prepared defensive position on the Gothic Line.

Aftermath
    Although controversy continues regarding what might have happened had Lucas been more aggressive from the start, most commentators agree that the initial Anzio plan was flawed, questioning whether the initial landing of just over two infantry divisions with no supporting armour had had the strength to achieve the objective of cutting Route 6 and then holding off the inevitable counterattacks which would come as Kesselring re-deployed his forces.
     Kesselring after the war was to opine it would have been the Anglo-American doom to over-extend themselves. The landing force was initially weak, only a division or so of infantry, and without armour. It was a half-way measure of an offensive that was your basic error.
    Churchill defended the Anzio operation. In his view, sufficient forces were available. He had clearly made great political efforts to procure certain resources, especially the extra LSTs needed to deliver a second division to shore, but also specific units useful to the attack such as U.S. 504th Parachute Regiment. He argued that even regardless of the tactical outcome of the operation, there was immediate strategic benefit with regard to the wider war. Following the landings, the German High Command dropped plans to transfer five of Kesselring's best divisions to North West Europe. This gave obvious benefit with regard to the upcoming Operation Overlord. Churchill also had to ensure the British dominated forces in Italy were contributing to the war at a time when the Russians were suffering tremendous losses on the Eastern Front..... Wikipedia