He created that profile yesterday but had a different nic. Today he changed it to CultureThrives.

Thanks for confirming that Remoh. I thought i was the only one that noticed it. And, well, you know how senile im getting!!  Lol

Can we please stop with the social justice warrior BS?  Yes, someone can say "happy memorial day" if they want.  Not everyone treats the day, or loss, the same.

A irish wake is a damn party, the celebrate and have fun with family and friends.  They do this to honor the dead.  They have a good time.  It isn't disrespectful, it is just their way.

Same goes with Memorial Day.  It isn't a bad thing to feel good about the day, it isn't disrespectful to be content or happy. You can remember their sacrifice while still having a fun time during the day.  The two aren't mutually exclusive.  I've really had enough of this moral superiority about the word happy.

Roam, what branch did you serve in?

Sorry, I meant my post in a good way, I’m just saying there has been blood spilled and I thank our vets for it, I’m happy and appreciative at the same time. I just love and appreciate our military and have a special place in my heart for our fallen soldiers. It’s a great day!

I wasn't commenting on you Southern, at all.  Just saying people celebrate the day in different ways, no need to call people out for how they greet you or go about it.

Tsuga, I did not serve...  I'm not going to say I did (like other posters) on here just to win points.  I will say I was brought up in a military family:  My father and grandfather were in the Army, and my grandfather was given the silver star for his bravery in Africa and Southern Europe during WWII.  My other grandfather served in the Pacific on a destroyer during WWII. He was buried in a ceremony by the tin can sailors.

Needless to say while not serving myself, I know and respect all that did. I have visited my grandfather in Arlington numerous times, and each time looked around at those headstones ...and while I'm not usually an emotional guy, each time I did have an emotional response.  Like a gut punch seeing all of those graves of men who died in service or after serving.  It's pretty moving to be there.  Only other time I had that feeling was visiting the Arizona at Pearl Harbor.  Looking down at that ship, it's jarring and moving at the same time.  IMO every US citizen should go to these places at least once in their life. Just being there, seeing it for yourself, it makes it more real.  To me it just meant a bit more than reading about it in a book.

All I was saying is I don't think people saying Happy Memorial Day mean any disrespect.  I usually just respond with something like "yes, it is amazing what soldiers have sacrificed in service of this country" and move on.  I probably say it myself sometimes, but I know how much I respect those who sacrificed for this great nation.

Lotta wind there roam. What you missed is most was pointed at Suzie who reappeared today. No need for lectures.

Meh, it is mainly about my Facebook wall that is littered with people trying to shame people for saying Happy Memorial Day.  Not really about you, we all good

Wish I could remember the name he was using , maybe I'm the senile one.

Yep. He should have stopped at "I didnt serve".  The rest was irrelevant.

That's a sad take Tsuga, no soldier I knew or know discounts the opinions of others just because they didn't serve.

They are smarter than that.

Roam,  you opened yourself up for that when you played the "my dad and grandfathers all served" card. No civilian i know would stand on the shoulders of someone else that served and try to tell me how Memorial day should be observed. They're smarter than that.

That's wonderful that you come from a military family and I applaud your Dad and grandfathers for their service. I have shiny medals and friends in Arlington too so dont think for a minute im impressed by anything you have to say about that. My kids and grandkids would never use my service as a means to try to impress a vet.......they're smarter than that.

The reason i asked you if you served or not was to get your take on how you view Memorial Day. Nothing more, nothing less. You've never seen a brother in arms killed. You've never had his brains spewed in your face or had to place your hands over a gut shot wound to keep a buddie's intestines from spilling out on the ground. Have you evrr loaded a mortally wounded pal on a chopper and said  "cya later" and you both knew he wasnt going to make it?  So yeah, excuse me for thinking saying "Happy Memorial Day" is a slap in the face to all those who paid the ultimate price. You should be damn thankful you havent seen what i did and relived it over and over again for 50 years.

You're a good man Roam. I'm done discussing this topic.

Why would you be impressed?  It's called context, no one asked for you adulation or respect.  I simply gave you my background and how it has shaped my viewpoint. I didn't stand on their shoulders, I told you where I came from.

And one last thing, don't you ever act like you've "seen more" because you have served and I haven't.  Cause guess what, I HAVE seen someone's legs blown off by an IED. I HAVE seen someone's head blown off by a sniper. Damnit I don't like bringing it up, but when someone plays that damn card with me, it makes me infuriated. I didn't say I've never been in a forward area, I said I never SERVED in the military.  So yeah, I say this with respect...  Don't ever think you know me and what I've seen based on whether I've served in the military.

We all good though, I know you're a cool guy. However, I would have lead with that stuff if I wanted to "impress" you.  Though I don't think it's all that impressive, it really #@$#& sucks. Not something I talk about lightly. I really respect the hell out of servicemen, without them by our sides our humanitarian efforts would have died, as we would have too.  Those guys were awesome, every one of them.

ALL THAT SAID, YOU'RE A GOOD GUY TSUGA. AS IS BILL, AND SOUTHERN, AND MANY OTHERS ON HERE.  I know my posts can be abrasive at times, I really wish we could all just shoot the breeze at a bar to be honest.  Throw back some cold ones and talk football.  We'd all get along, and in person it wouldn't sound so personal or offensive.  Just like BS banter with buds, if you know what I mean.

That was a solid and appropriate response Roam. In yours (or anyone’s ) defense, the written word is no substitute for a 2 foot conversation where instant response and body language clearly communicate intent. This is a wonderful forum albeit too lightly populated that keeps us connected in areas we are deeply engaged.

So for all that , I agree that I like and respect all contributors, consider you my friends, and would love to continue the conversations over adult beverages of our personal choice.

Mr. Roam, a little bit of humility is good for the soul.

Nobody really cares if your experience with death goes all the way back to seeing Cain kill Abel. All that matters here is that a fellow Penn Stater is in pain. He explained why. To ease his pain, all you have to do is respect his wishes. Certainly, you shouldn't attack him for expressing his sensitivity to this issue and why he is so sensitive.

As far as using the word "happy" with Memorial Day, many Christians would be offended by using the word "happy" before Holy Thursday or Good Friday. It just isn't right. For many, Memorial Day has a similar context, especially many who have served.

The irony here is that you are trying to defend the insensitive comments of our village idiot. Comments that have already been expunged. You jumped into the middle of a conversation without even knowing what the conversation was about. When someone tried to explain that to you, you ignored them.

As someone who is also abrasive and sometimes insenstitive, it's not the abrasiveness that tends to get me in the most trouble, it is not knowing when to stop. But if you don't understand any of this, at least show some empathy for a fellow human being (Mr. Hemlock). It's okay to agree to disagree and be silent.

I am also in favor of face-to-face conversations with or without beverages, as long as they stay civil.

Thank you. Now let's get back to PSU sports, as I believe Cave set this site up for.

PSUWVUNCSU - If nobody cared, then nobody should have brought up whether or not I've seen any.  Period.

So PSUWVUNCSU, but I did not bring death into this.  But sure enough if someone tries to tell me what I have or haven't seen then I am going to correct them. So you say "humility" is a good thing...  I agree.  But humility isn't allowing someone to tell you that you've never seen your friends dies in front of you, when you have.  So get out of here with that BS.

Humility is knowing my experience doesn't make me any better or worse than anyone else.  I've already stated that I like Tsuga, don't think he meant anything by it, and also said it to others...

Tsuga, Thank you Sir. While I will not sit here and try to pretend that I  know what you experienced or continue to deal with, I do know the pain of carrying my friend, my brother who I ate with, lived with and trained with in a flag draped coffin because they died in service to our country. I do know the pain of saying talk to you when you get back only to have them die performing the mission and never getting to finish that conversation! I do know that and have experienced it way to many times during my career. Only those that serve in the brotherhood can relate to that God awful feeling.

Roam, thank you for your humanitarian service in trying to treat and save those who were wounded in battle/service to our country.

THANK YOU BOTH!!!

Thank you Navylion, and thank you Tsuga... I believe, and hope, you know I meant no disrespect. I don't believe you meant any either.

Things don't always come across as intended on here...  Damn, I really do wish I could share a beer with you guys.  All of you, I know you are all good people...  Thanks for dealing with my virtual $&#+ sometimes. 😂

You could’ve shared a beer with me and navylion had you flown your butt out to Florida in 2015 for the tax slayer bowl. There will be other bowls for all of us to get together and have a beer 🍺 lol

Yep, it may be in black and white, but it's still subject to interpretation by the reader. Then we have a chance to stew on it while we compose a response. Correct, face to face, is usually much better....unless my ex is involved.

Yes Southern! Looking forward till we can hang again and hopefully with others!!

You guys should have come to the Fiesta Bowl!