seasons greetings

Though there will be no long snow-bound, winter’s nap for H and I, we will be busy with Christmas celebrations over the next few days and we’ll be taking a pause for station identification. Thank you one and all for visiting (we cannot say it often enough) and we hope for a bright and happy holidays for everyone and we’ll see you again real soon.

it’s very gold

The tradition of the unit coin or the challenge coin is as old as the US military itself and they represent a token of appreciation exchanged amongst different commands for service-members and civilians for assistance and have become popular as trophies and keepsakes—the challenge being that every member of a gathered group ought to be able to produce his or her last coin on being presented with a new one (and if this was the first or the honouree was not carrying one, they treated the rest of his or her cadre to drinks).
Every presidential coin minted has borne the motto that speaks to the central tenant of the United States of America—E pluribus unum, that the nation draws its strength from its diversity—that is until now. Replacing the de facto official maxim with a divisive and dumb campaign slogan probably also means a soldier cannot be made to suffer such a souvenir, no matter his political leanings. There’s no time for false modesty in this administration, which I suppose would also include refinement of speech, taste and a sense of basic decorum.