Remembering President Harry Truman

Sadly, President Harry Truman does not often receive the credit many people think he rightfully deserves. Below are some interesting facts about Harry Truman our 33rd President many people may not be aware of.

President Truman was a different kind of President for three primary reasons:

First - and foremost, he was not elected to his first term of office; he inherited the position of President after the death of President Franklin Roosevelt.

Second - While serving as President of the United States, he chose to pay all of his travel and living expenses such as the food his family ate out of his Presidential salary.

Third - he placed a sign on his desk in the Oval Office which read - ‘The Buck Stops Here’

Ironically, President Truman probably made as many, if not more, important decisions regarding our nation as any as the other 32 Presidents who preceded him. Most notably on August 6th, 1945 he, and he alone, ordered the dropping of the 5 ton Atomic Bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.

However, his true measure of greatness actually does not begin until after he left the White House in 1952.

After President - Elect Eisenhower was inaugurated into office as the new President of the United States, Harry and his wife Bess drove themselves back home to Independence Missouri in their personal automobile. There was no such thing as a Secret Service escort which followed them.

When they left Washington the only source of income they had was a small U.S. Army pension Harry earned and the only asset he and his wife Bess had to their name was a small house in Independence Missouri which Bess inherited from her parents. Other than the six years Harry and Bess spent in the White House, this was the only house the two of them ever knew during their entire married life.

Almost immediately upon returning to Missouri large corporations from across the county began to contact Harry Truman. They all wanted to offer his positions with huge salaries to come work for them. However Mr. Truman declined every offer he received saying "You don't want me, Gentlemen you want the office of the President, and that unfortunately doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the American people and I am sorry but that office is not for sale."

Several Congressmen soon noticed the former President was paying for all the stationary and the stamps he was using to respond to letters her received from US citizens and people around the world who wrote him. Not only that, President Truman personally licked every stamp he placed on an envelope. Congress voted to grant President Truman the very first 'Retired Presidential Allowance. The following year, Congress voted to give him a retroactive Presidential pension of $25,000 per year.

In May 1971, Congress was preparing a bill to award President Truman the Medal of Honor on his 87th birthday; however President Truman wrote a letter to Congress in which he stated he would refuse to accept any such medal. He said "I don't consider what I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise – all I did was my job."

The one Truman quote I will personally never forget was the one he gave during an interview with the New York Times. When asked why he had gotten into politics in the first place he said "My choices in life were simple, either become a piano player in a Missouri whore house or enter politics. And to tell the truth, the way I saw it there was hardly any difference – so I choose politics."

Many Presidents and numerous political figures that followed President Truman found new levels of success by cashing in on their time in Public Office. Many used creative ways to accumulate untold wealth as a result of their time serving in public office.

It might be wise for us to take a moment now and then to remember President Harry Truman.

What is Your Perspective as a Local Government Official?

Sometimes it takes only the perspective of a child to remind us of what’s really important. The quality of our lives is based solely on our individual perspectives.

One day a very wealthy businessman, who was the father of an eight year old boy, decided to take his son for a trip out into the country.   He thought by visiting a rural area he could help teach his son some basic facts about life and more importantly help him appreciate all the things he had living a "The Big City". 

The father wanted to show his son how life would be if they were poor. So through a friend - the father arranged to spend a few days out in the boondocks - on a small farm owned by a family that everyone in the local area considered to be very poor.  

The father took off a Thursday afternoon and all day Friday from work.  He and his son got in the car and drove for about four and a half hours to the middle of no where to reach the farm were they had planned to stay at.  Upon arriving they were warmly greeted by the farmer and his family and so they spent the entire weekend with them.  After three days and three nights on the far the father and his son got back in their car for the return trip home.

As they drove the father turned to his son and asked "Well Son how did you like our farm visit".  “It was great, Dad,” the son replied.

“I now see how poor people live?” the son said. The father couldn’t help but crack a broad smile - his plan worked. 

“So tell me Son, what did you learn from this trip we took?” asked the father. Without hesitation the little boy said, “I saw that we have one dog and but that family had four. I know we have a pool behind our house that reaches to the middle of our yard and they have a creek that has no end. 

Mom buys fancy us all those fancy imported lanterns that she hangs in the garden but this family has stars to look up at each night.

Our patio deck is almost as wide as our house but when that family sits on their small back porch they have the whole horizon to look at everyday. 

We have a very small piece of land to live on in our neighborhood and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but everyone in that family is always serving each other.

Mom buys all our food in the grocery stores, but they grow and raise most of what they eat themselves. 

You built that big fence around all our property to protect us; but this family has good friends and neighbors who watch out and protect them.”

The father was numb and speechless as he tried to catch his breath.  Just then his son added, “Dad I really do want to thank you for showing me just how poor we really are.”

THE LAST CAB RIDE ... A Powerful Life Lesson Shared by a Cab Driver

I arrived at the address and honked the horn.  After waiting a few minutes, I honked again.  Since this was my last fare for this shift I thought about just driving away, but instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked hard. "Just a minute," answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor; after a long pause, the door opened. A small woman who must have been in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and an old fashioned pillbox hat with a veil, like somebody out of a 1940's movie.    By her side was a small suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks on the shelves or utensils on the counters.  In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.    "Would you carry my bag out to the car young man?" she asked. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to help the woman walk to the cab.  She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb; all the while she kept thanking me for my kindness.  "It's nothing," I told her. "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated."  "Oh, you're such a good boy," she said.     When we got in the cab, she gave me the address she wanted and asked if I could drive through downtown before we got there?  "Ma’am, it's not the shortest way," I answered.  "Oh, I don't mind," she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice center."  I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening.     "I don't have any family left," she continued in a soft voice. "The doctor says I don't have very long with all this cancer."  (I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.)    "What route would you like me to take?" I asked. "Any one you want," she replied. For the next two hours, we just drove through the city. She pointed out a building where she once worked as an elevator operator.  Then we drove through a neighborhood where she said she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds.     She had me pull up and stop in front of an old furniture warehouse that she said had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a young girl when she was in high school.  As we drove, she would often ask me to drive slow in front of a particular building or around a corner;  sometimes she would ask me to just park and then she would stare into the darkness and say nothing.    At the first hint of sunlight she suddenly said, "I'm tired; can we go to the Hospice Center now?"  We drove in silence to the address she had given me. When we arrived it was a low building, kind of like a small convalescent home with a long driveway that passed under a portico.  As soon as I pulled in, two orderlies came running out. They were solicitous and very intent; they watched her every move.  They obviously were expecting her. I hopped out and opened the trunk and took her small suitcase to the door.  The orderlies had already seated her in a wheelchair. "How much do I owe you young man?" she asked reaching into her purse.  "Nothing," I answered.  "That’s not fair; you have to make a living," she said.  "There are plenty if other passengers," I responded.    Almost without thinking, I bent forward and gave her a hug and kissed her on the cheek. She held onto me tightly. "Young man, you gave an old woman a lot of joy tonight," she said. "Thank you," I said as I squeezed her hand and walked back to my cab. Behind me, I heard a center door shut; it sounded like the closing of a life.  For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. I thought what if that woman had gotten an angry cabbie or a driver who was impatient and wanted to end his shift quickly?  What if a driver would had refused to take that late night run, or had honked only once, then driven off?    Looking back on last night, I don't think that I have ever done anything more important in my entire life.   Many of us think our lives revolve around great moments; but the truly great moments in our lives often catch us when we least expect them – they are often hidden in what others consider to be small things.    Remember; people may not always remember what you did for them or what you said to them but I no one ever forgets how you made them feel.   I am not going to ask you to share this story.  All I want you to do is think about The Last Cab Ride  and remember try to always remember that even though life is not always the party we had always hoped for while we are living it, we might as well dance every chance we get.

The Beauty of a White Rose

I was killing time walking through a Big Bazaar type store, when I overheard a cashier tell a young boy who couldn't have been more than 6 or 7 years old, “Son, I'm sorry, but you don't have enough money to buy this doll.”

The little boy looked at the cashier and asked, “Are you sure?''

 The cashier politely took time to count the boy's money again and replied, ''You know that you don't have enough money to buy the doll, dear.''

The little boy stood silent while still holding the doll in his arms. I walked over and asked him who he wished to buy the doll for. “My sister.  It is the doll she loved and wanted so much. I wanted to give it to her for her birthday on Friday.”

He went on to say; “I have to have the doll today so I can give the doll to my Mommy tonight so that she can give it to my sister when she goes to live with her tonight.  My sister has gone to live with God and Daddy says that Mommy will be going to live with God soon too so I thought Mommy could take the doll with her to give it to my sister on Friday.''

My heart nearly stopped. The little boy looked up at me and said, "I asked my Daddy to tell Mommy to wait until I come back with the doll.” Then the little boy reached in his pocket and pulled out a picture of him laughing with a little girl and said, “I want Mommy to take my picture with her so my sister won't forget me. I don’t want Mommy to leave me, but Daddy says that she has to go to be with my sister." Then he squeezed the doll against his chest as tears fell from his eyes.

I slowly put my hand in my pocket and grabbed a few bills I had and said, "Son, suppose we count your money one more time just in case you do have enough money for the doll?''

"Okay he said. I sure hope I do have enough." As we counted his money, I discreetly added several of my dollar bills to his pile. When we were done counting, low and behold there was enough for the doll and even some money to spare.

The boy looked up and quietly said, "Thank you God for giving me enough money!" Then he looked at me and added, "Last night before I went to sleep I asked God to make sure I had enough money to buy this doll for my sister.” I also wanted to ask him for some money to buy a white rose for my Mommy, but I didn't dare to ask God for that because I thought I would be asking too much. But look what God did. He gave me enough to buy the doll and also enough to buy a white rose for Mommy because she loves white roses."

I finished my shopping with a totally different state of mind from when I started. I couldn't get that little kid out of my mind. As I was checking out, I suddenly remembered a newspaper article from a few days earlier which mentioned a drunken driver hit a car occupied by a young woman and her little girl. The girl died at the scene but the mother was taken to the hospital and was in a critical condition. The family, I recall, was asked to make a decision whether to pull the plug on the life support machine because the woman would not be able to recover from her coma. I wondered if that was the family of the little boy who wanted to buy his sister a doll.

The next day on my way to work I bought a paper.  A story featured on the front page was about a young woman who passed late last night because her family had instructed her doctors to pull the plug. I don’t know why but during my lunch break - I went to a nearby florist and bought a dozen white roses and drove to the funeral home that was listed in the paper. The room was full and up front was a casket for family and friends to make their last visit before the burial would occur.

I walked towards the casket and as I neared it I saw a young lady holding a beautiful a white rose in her hand. Next to the rose was a photo of a little boy and a girl laughing and over her chest was placed a doll – a doll I had seen the night before. I immediately turned around and left the funeral home as my eyes filled with tears. On that day I learned the simple beauty of a while rose and a little toy doll.

Who Was That Man

A nurse on the intensive care ward took the tired and anxious looking serviceman to the bedside. "Your son is here," she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened.

Heavily sedated because of the pain he was experiencing, he dimly saw a young man in uniform standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The young man wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's limp hand and squeezed a message of love and encouragement.

The nurse brought a chair so the young military man could sit beside the bed. All through the night the young man sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man's hand and offering him words of love and strength. 

Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the young man take a break and go for a walk; however he refused.

Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the uniformed man was oblivious to her and all the other night noises of the hospital - the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients. 

Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words to the dying man who said nothing, all he did was hold on tightly to his son's hand all through the night.

Along towards dawn, the old man died. The young man released the now lifeless man's hand he had been holding all night and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, the young man patiently waited.

Finally, she turned to the young man and started to offer words of sympathy, but the man in uniform interrupted her and asked "Who was that man?"  

The nurse was startled, "Why he was your father," she answered. 

"No Ma' am', he wasn't my father, "I never saw this man before in my life. My dad is doing fine I just saw him yesterday."

"Then why didn't you say something when I took you into his room?" asked the nurse. 

The young man replied "I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew that man needed his son at his side and his son wasn't here.

When I realized he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son and knowing how much he needed someone to be at his side, I just stayed." 

“I came here tonight to find a Mr. William Grey; his son was killed in Iraq today, and I was sent to inform him. What was this gentleman's name?

The nurse, with tears in her eyes, answered, "Son, that was Mr. Grey."

One of The Worse Stories We Have To Tell

Many of us, especially those close to my age, can easily remember that terrible disease polio. Several of us saw family members, relatives, neighbors and colleagues afflicted by this terrible illness.  

Rotary International, an Organization which I am active in and proud to be a member, has been trying to eradicate this disease from the planet for years.  Please take a moment and review the poster below. 

Hopefully you will see that there may be a light at the end of this long tunnel and the tragic story may have a happy ending.  I know today is Veteran's Day and we should all focus on thanking the Vets we know who served.  But maybe tomorrow or the next day, if you see a Rotarian in your community, you might just want to say thanks as well.

Gabe Gabrielsen

Seven Mentors Who Changed My Life

Warning: Read this story with care. The thoughts I share are not intended for everyone. They are meant for public officials, organizational leaders and career-focused professionals who truly want to make a difference.

I would not have accomplished much in my life had I not followed the advice of seven great mentors. Their insights allowed me to understand my role and overcome the obstacles I confronted. 

What they shared allowed me to gain success beyond my wildest dreams.  The only regret I have is that I never had the opportunity to personally meet these mentors and thank them for the impact they made on my life.

My first mentor was Nicolaus Copernicus. Copernicus, a Polish monk born in the late 1400’s, stood on the shore to watch a sunset. As the sun set, he realized the earth could not be the center of the universe and he openly challenged the common belief that the earth was the center of the universe. He was ridiculed by his colleagues and chastised by the Church; however, Copernicus remained firm in his convictions. He challenged the status quo and in doing so, he re-shaped the concept of how we view the universe today.

My second mentor was Frederick Taylor. Taylor, a mechanical engineer, always looked for ways to improve organizational efficiencies. Taylor was approached by a coal company that wanted to increase their output of coal. For several days, Taylor sat and observed coal miners; he studied how they dug out the coal and loaded it on the rail cars. Much to the coal mine’s surprise, Taylor recommended every miner be issued smaller shovels with long handles. The coal mine's management laughed - they insisted larger shovels resulted in more coal. Taylor countered saying 25 lb. shovel scoops tire workers out quickly and by mid-morning most were exhausted; however, 15 lb. shovel scoops would not fatigue the miners and they would be able to easily lift 15 lb. shovels full all day - at a brisk pace. His point was give employees the proper tools and they can accomplish more.

Next was my mentor Dale Carnegie. Carnegie, a simple Missouri farm boy, noticed successful leaders share two things in common. First, they know a lot of people and second they feel at ease speaking in public. Carnegie believed “career success” could be accelerated if people would just reach out and meet new people and speak clearly in public.

The fourth mentor who accelerated my career was Evelyn Wood. Evelyn, a high school English teacher, had the wisdom to foresee that more and more of what Americans learned came from books - what they read. She noticed successful people read quickly and retain most of what they read. Her contribution to my career growth was that she created the Evelyn Wood’s Speed Reading Dynamics Course. Her simple course taught people (including myself) how to increase reading speed and improve retention of what was read.

Though not impressed at first, I came to revere Arthur Murray as one of my most influential mentors. Arthur, a draftsman by trade, noticed that successful people had great social skills; none were "wall flowers". He believed careers were limited when people lack social graces – especially dancing skills – yes dancing. 

 

Murray was so passionate about the correlation between good dancing and career success he created a worldwide franchise of dance schools - places where everyday business men and women could learn to dance. People who attended Arthur Murray’s dance schools were able to broadcast their social talent at civic functions. His students included Eleanor Roosevelt, John D. Rockefeller, the Duke of Windsor, prize fighter Jack Dempsey and of course yours truly Gabe Gabrielsen.

My sixth mentor was Elmer Wheeler. Wheeler, an advertising and marketing professional, believed knowledge and experience meant very little if no one bought into your ideas. Elmer coined a phrase "Sell the sizzle – not the steak." He suggested people never wave raw meat in front of a person; show the completed meal - salad, potatoes, dessert and wine.

When a small tire manufacturer in Ohio wanted to go after a share of the global tire market, Mr. Wheeler advised him not to sell tires in their ads. He believed the only way consumers would leave Goodyear and Goodrich and buy his tires was if he would sell the benefits of this new tire. Benefits like "peace of mind", "dependability", and most important, "family safety". 

That small tire manufacturer took Elmer’s advice and today people around the world know that, “Wherever wheels are turning – no matter what the load – the name that’s known is Firestone … when the rubber meets the road, drive a Firestone."

Finally, the mentor with the greatest impact on my career was Dr. David Schwartz. Schwartz, a professor at Georgia State University, sadly realized not all his students would accomplish amazing things. In fact, the vast majority, after graduating, just blended in even though they had stellar academic records and a prestigious degree. 

Schwartz concluded only the students who believed they could accomplish big things were the ones who did. Schwartz convinced me to believe in the magic of thinking big. Schwartz never saw the problem as too many chiefs; he saw the problem as too many Indians.

Well, there you have Gabe’s seven mentors and the powerful insights they shared:

1) Challenge the status quo.

2) Give your employees the right tools so they can succeed and accomplish more.

3) Win friends and influence people.

4) Learn to read fast and retain what you read.

5) Exhibit social graces and learn to be a great dancer.

6) Sell the sizzle – not the steak; never dangle unfinished products in front of someone.

7) Think big – and remember, “If you think it can’t be done” … you are right. “If you think it can be done”… you are right.

My hope is that some of you can adopt a few of these sage principals.

Her Name Was Rose ... She Taught Me A Lot

On the first day of class our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone in the room we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my side. I turned around to find a wrinkled old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being. 

She said, "Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?"

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze. 

"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked.

She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids..." 

"No seriously," I asked. "I am curious to know what motivated you to be taking on this challenge at your age."

"Well I always dreamed of having a college education and now I am going to get one!" she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months she and I would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this 'time machine' share her wisdom and experiences with me.

Over the course of that semester, Rose became a campus icon as she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students when she was living it up.

At the end of the semester I invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget the powerful message she taught us. After she was introduced she stepped up to the podium and suddenly dropped all her neatly arranged three by five cards on the floor.

Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, "I'm sorry; I'm just jittery - I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never be able to get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I think you should know."

As we all laughed she cleared her throat and began -

"We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.
 

There are only two secrets to staying young, being happy and achieving success.
 

1) You have to laugh and find humor every day.
 

2) You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. There are so many people walking around this world who are dead and don't even know it!

There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. For example, if you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I, at eighty-seven years old,  stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight.

Anybody can grow older - that doesn't take talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding new opportunities in the changes that confront us and to have no regrets.

Most elderly people I know don't have regrets for the things they did; they only have regrets for things they did not do. The only people who fear death are those who have regrets.' 

She then concluded her speech by courageously singing "The Rose." 

She challenged each of us in that banquet hall to study the lyrics of that song and live them out in our daily lives. At the year's end Rose finished all her requirements for a college degree and graduated with her class. She finally received her college diploma. 

Unfortunately, one week after graduation, Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand college students, faculty members and friends attended her funeral to pay tribute to a wonderful woman who taught by example and showed us it's never too late to be all you can possibly be. 

I learned three powerful things from Rose:

1) Growing older is mandatory - growing up is optional.

2) We make our living by what we get - we make our life by what we give.

3)The only thing God promises us is a safe landing; he never promised a calm voyage. 

Please share with your friends.  Gabe

How heavy is a glass of water?

Most people would agree the weight of a glass of water doesn't really matter ... what does matter is how long one has to hold a glass of water. 

If one has to hold a glass of water for 30 seconds, its weight would not be a problem; however, if one has to hold a glass of water for an hour, the arm would begin to ache. And finally, if one had to hold a glass of water all day long, that person would probably have to see a doctor the following day.

Since the weight of water in the glass - in the above three examples - remained the same it was actually the length of time one had to hold the glass of water that made the difference.

The same is true for difficult decisions we have to make at work. It's not the level of difficulty that causes us problems - it's the length of time we carry around the thought of ... waiting for the "right time" to make our difficult decisions.

Learn to "make all difficult decisions as soon as you can."  Don't carry around the burden of having to make a difficult decision any longer than you have to.  Make your difficult and tough decisions quickly. 

And don't forget - when you leave a board or council meeting or a public hearing that didn't go as expected, learn to leave your disappointments, dissatisfactions and frustrations at the town hall, village center, city hall, courthouse or school administration building.  You can always pick them up tomorrow when you return to the office.  There's no need to bring them home and burden your family with the weight of the problems you experience on your job. 

The Secret to Professional Success

Over three hundred people made reservations to attend the Chamber of Commerce annual awards meeting. Many brought friends and family members because the keynote speaker scheduled for this event was a wealthy executive who promised to share “The Secret to Professional Success”.   

Even though the luncheon started at noon, by 11:45 a.m. all the chairs and tables in the large banquet room at the Hyatt Hotel were full. As it neared 12:00 p.m., the attendees noticed the featured speaker had not entered the room and was not yet seated at the head table. 

Lunch was promptly served at noon and still there was no speaker at the head table. As the dessert was served many wondered where the speaker could be? Conversations soon began to take place at the various tables. All of a sudden a voice from somewhere in the back of the room yelled out, "Shut up!"

The crowd immediately drew quiet.  Everyone looked around but saw no one so they went back to their desserts and their table conversations.  Soon the same voice shouted,  “SHUT UP!”

Stunned, the entire room became dead silent and everyone sat quietly and sipped on their coffee.  However after a few minutes, again the din of their conversations filled the room.  "SHUT UP," the voice barked again; however this time a diminutive well-dressed man entered the room from a back door and walked slowly to the front of the room and stood behind the podium.

Once behind the podium, he leaned into the microphone and said, “Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen.  I am your speaker.  I understand many of you are here this afternoon to learn the most 'powerful' secret to professional success.

I assure you the secret I will share with you this afternoon will help you tremendously in becoming a great success in your profession whether it be in business or government. 

The secret is simple and every great person understands; however most people find it difficult to employ. For the record, I have already shared this secret with you and I have shared it with you three times.  The secret I am referring to is to Shut Up.

When you Shut Up and let other people talk, you learn.  You hear their problems, you learn their dreams and you understand their concerns. When you Shut Up, you discover ways you can be of value to others and when you Shut Up you can learn ways to help others.  When you Shut Up, you begin to have professional success no matter what endeavor you pursue or what role you play in your organization.

So my advice to all of you if you want to be a success - Shut Up and Listen."

A Flight To Remember

The picture of the C-130A Hercules below was the 126th C-130 aircraft built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation of Marietta, Georgia. It was accepted into the Air Force inventory on August 23, 1957. 

On November 2, 1972, this aircraft was given to the South Vietnamese Government (Air Force) as part of the US Military Assistance Program.

On April 29, 1975, this C-130 was the last aircraft to fly out of South Vietnam before Saigon fell. As over 100 aircraft laid destroyed on the flight line at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, some of them still burning, this was the last flyable C-130 remaining on the Air Base. In a very panicked state, hundreds of people rushed to get aboard it, as this aircraft represented their only option to freedom.

People hurriedly crowded into this aircraft, packing in it tighter and tighter. Eventually, the load master informed the pilot, Major Phuong, a South Vietnamese instructor pilot, that he could not get the rear ramp doors closed due to the number of people who were standing on it. In a moment of inspiration, Major Phuong began to taxi the aircraft forward, slow at first - then faster.  All of a suddenly he slammed on the brakes. The load master immediately called forward stating he had just successfully closed the rear ramp doors.

In all, 452 people were able to get on board this aircraft, 32 of them had to crowd in the cockpit. US Air Force officials, using a conservative estimate of 100 pounds per person, believe this aircraft was overloaded by at least 10,000 pounds. Consequently, this C-130 had to use every bit of the runway and even the entire overrun before it was able to get lift and go airborne.

It's destination was Bangkok, Thailand, which should have been an easy 1 hour and 20 minute flight, but after an hour and a half, the aircraft was still lumbering over the Gulf of Slam and running low on fuel. A map on the aircraft was located and the crew was able to identify some terrain features and were thus able to navigate by sight and land the plane at Utapao, Air Base, Thailand, after a three and a half hour flight.

Ground personnel on Utapao Air Base were shocked at what "fell out" when they opened the aircraft doors. It was clear to everyone observing that a longer flight would have resulted in significant loss of life for many of the passengers. In the end, however, all 452 evacuees on this plane made it to freedom aboard this historic C-130.

The aircraft was reclaimed by the United States Air Force over the next 14 years and assigned to two different Air National Guard units. 

On June 28, 1989, this aircraft made its final flight. It flew to Arkansas where it sits today placed on permanent display for all to see. 

THE NEXT TIME YOU DRIVE THROUGH ARKANSAS, YOU MAY WANT TO DRIVE PAST THE FRONT GATE OF LITTLE ROCK AFB, (ARKANSAS) AND STOP FOR A MOMENT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS HISTORIC AIRCRAFT.

What’s the Difference between Rich and Poor?

One day, the father of a very wealthy family decided to teach his son a valuable lesson about life. His plan was to take his son on a weekend trip to visit an old friend who lived with his family out in the country. The father wanted his son to see firsthand how poor people actually live in America. 

 

On their ride home on Sunday evening the father looked over at his son and asked, “Well son, how was the trip? Did you learn anything this weekend?” 

“The trip was great Dad.  I loved it and all the people we met were so nice,” replied the son. 

“Well did you see how those people in the country live?” asked the father?

“Oh yes,” said the son.


“So tell me, what did you learn from the trip?” the father asked. 

The son replied, “I saw that we have one dog and they have four. I saw that we have a swimming pool that reaches to the middle of our backyard and they have a creek that has no end. When we sit on our patio at night we look at the light flickering from those imported brass lanterns Mom bought, but when they sit on their porch at night they look up at the stars and study them.

We live on a small lot of land, but they have fields that go beyond sight. When we look out across our lawn we see green grass and other houses; when they look out their windows they can see the whole horizon. We have servants who serve us, but they enjoy serving each other. We buy our food at the grocery store, but they grow their own.  You built a large metal fence around out property to protect us, but they have all kind of friends who protect them.” 

The boy’s father was speechless.

Then adding insult to his father’s injury the son added, “Thanks Dad so much for showing me how poor we really are.  I really learned a lot today."  

Not a fascinating story - but a fascinating thought.

History of the Car Radio

For most people today it seems like cars have always had a radios, but let’s face it, they didn't. Here is a short history of the car radio along with a few other tidbits you might enjoy.










Back in 1929, two young men named William Lear and Elmer Wavering drove their girlfriends to a lookout point near the  Mississippi River in the town of Quincy, Illinois, to watch the sunset. It was a romantic night; however, one of the girls commented that it sure would be nicer if they could listen to music in the car. 

Lear and his buddy, Wavering, thought about that idea. Both men had tinkered with radios (Lear served as a radio operator in the U.S. Navy during World War I). That week the two buddies took apart a home radio and tried to get it to work in a car.

It wasn't easy; automobiles have ignition switches, generators, spark plugs, and other electrical equipment that generate static interference, making it nearly impossible to listen to a radio while the engine is running. One by one, Lear and Wavering were able to identify and eliminate each source of the electrical interference they encountered. When they finally got their radio to work, they took it to a radio convention in Chicago.

There they met Paul Galvin, owner of Galvin Manufacturing Corporation. Galvin made a product called a "battery eliminator", a device that allowed battery-powered radios to
run on household AC current. But as more homes were being wired for electricity, more radio manufacturers were making AC-powered radios so Galvin needed to find a new product to manufacture. 

When Galvin met Lear and Wavering at the radio convention, he found his new product. He believed that "mass-produced" affordable car radios had the potential to become a huge business. He convinced Lear and Wavering to set up shop in his factory, and that is where they perfected their first fully functioning car radio which they installed in Galvin’s personal Studebaker.

A few months later, Galvin drove his Studebaker 800 miles to Atlantic City to the 1930 Radio Manufacturers Association Convention. He wanted to show off his new radio that was installed in his car. Upon arriving at the convention, Galvin didn't have enough money to rent a booth at the convention so he parked his Studebaker outside the convention hall and cranked up the radio real loud so every passing conventioneer could hear it playing. That idea worked and Galvin got enough orders to go ahead and put the radio into full production.

His first production model was officially called the 5T71; however, he needed to come up with a name that was a little catchier. Back in those days, companies in the phonograph and radio businesses like to use the suffix "ola" in their names – Radiola, Columbiola, and Victrola – those were the big three. Galvin decided to do the same thing with his product.  Since his radio was intended for only use in a motor vehicle, he decided to call it the Motorola.

When the Motorola went on sale in 1930, it cost about $110 uninstalled. A brand-new car back then cost around $650 and the country was sliding into the Great Depression. (By that measure, a radio for a new car today would cost about $3,000.)

The kicker was it took two men working several days to install the car radio. The dashboard had to be taken apart so that the receiver and speaker could be installed, and the roof had to be cut open to install the antenna. Since those early Motorola's ran on their own batteries, not the car’s battery,  holes had to be cut into the floorboard to accommodate the new batteries.

Galvin lost money in 1930 and then struggled for a couple of years. But things picked up dramatically in 1933 when Henry Ford was so impressed with the car radio he became the first auto manufacturer to begin offering the Motorola pre-installed at the factory. In 1934 Galvin got another major boost when he struck a deal with the B.F. Goodrich Tire Company to sell and install his radios in its national wide chain of tire stores across the country. 

Soon the price of the Motorola, installed, dropped to $55. The Motorola car radio was now off and running. Galvin decided to officially change the name of his company from the Galvin Manufacturing Company to "Motorola" in 1947.

In the meantime, Galvin continued to develop new uses for car radios. In 1936, he introduced push-button tuning so a driver could preset channels. Then he introduced the Motorola "Police Cruiser’, a standard car radio that was factory preset to a single frequency to only pick up police broadcasts. In 1940, he developed the first handheld two-way radio -- The Handy-Talkie -- for the U.S. Army. 

Consequently a lot of the communication technologies we take for granted today were created by Galvin's Motorola labs in the years following World War II.  For example, in 1947, Motorola came out with the first television set for under $200. In 1956, the company introduced the world's first telephone pager; in 1969, Motorola designed the radio and television equipment that was used to televise Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon. In 1973, Motorola invented the world's first handheld cellular phone. 

Today Motorola is one of the largest cell phone manufacturers in the world. And it all started with the idea of a car radio.

So here is the $64,000 question: whatever happened to the two men who built and installed the first radio in Paul Galvin’s Studebaker - Elmer Wavering and William Lear? Well, sad to say they ended up going their separate ways and taking very different paths in life. Wavering decided to stay with Motorola and during the 1950's, he helped change the automobile again when he developed the first automotive alternator, replacing the inefficient and unreliable generator. His invention of the alternator lead to such automobile luxuries as power windows, power seats and eventually air-conditioning.

Lear left Motorola but continued inventing as well. He received more than 150 patents. Remember eight-track tape players? Yep, Lear invented that. But what Lear is really famous for are his contributions to the field of aviation. He invented the first radio direction finder for aircraft and aided in the invention of the autopilot.  He then designed the first fully automatic aircraft landing system. In 1963 Lear introduced his most famous invention of all, the Lear Jet, the world's first mass-produced, affordable business jet. Now this is what blew my mind – Lear did it all with an eighth grade education.

Gabe's Fascinating Stories are Back

 As many long-time readers of this blog know, I generally post two fascinating stories per month. With the move to Green Bay, Wisconsin, last fall, somehow I got out of the habit of posting my fascinating stories. Well that ends now! Beginning this week with the delightful story of "The History of Car Radio", I will be posting two stories each month.

Remember the purpose of these stories is to give local government officials, business owners and career professionals a competitive advantage. I sincerely believe that knowledge is power.  The more facts and trivia you know, the more successful you can be.

Every story I post on this blog is a story I heard, read or observed. Some of the stories I share are fact; some are legend, while still others ... well I am just not sure. Many will warm your hearts, but all are designed to stimulate your mind.

Sign up to personally to receive an email for each story I post.

Stay knowledgeable my friends,

Gabe Gabrielsen

Most Initiatives Fail Without Committment

One day a chicken awoke and ran over to the pen where the pig was still fast asleep.  “Mr. Pig, Mr. Pig,” cried the chicken. “Wake up, wake up.”

The pig yawned and quietly said, “Why did you wake me up so early?” 

The chicken replied “Today is a special day. Today is the farmer’s birthday.” Then the pig said, “What does that have to do with us?” “What does this have to do with us!" said the chicken?  I think we need to do something special for the farmer, like give him a present.”           

“A present! Why should we give the farmer a present?” the pig asked. "Look." the chicken replied.  “The farmer feeds us, shelters us, and takes care of us when we are sick. I think we owe it to him to give him a wonderful present.”

“And what exactly do you think we should give the farmer for his birthday present?” asked the pig. The chicken responded “I thought we could make him breakfast.” “Breakfast?” said the pig. “Yes,” the chicken replied. 

The pig timidly asked the chicken “What is it that you recommend we make the farmer for breakfast?” The chicken answered, “bacon and eggs.”

The pig slowly turned away and said, “Count me out, Mrs. Chicken.” “Why?” asked the chicken. “Well for you making breakfast will be easy; it will only require a very little amount of effort on your part -  just a little personal involvement.  However for me madam, it will require total commitment and quite frankly, I’m not ready to commit that much for the farmer.”

The Marine Came In Last and Lost the Race

Lance Corporal Miles Kerr decided to enter a 5K (kilometer) race held during the 2013 Venetian Festival in Charlevoix, Michigan. A young 19 year old Marine, Miles decided not to wear typical running shorts and shoes like everyone else in the race.  Instead Kerr opted to run in his combat boots while wearing his utes (utility uniform pants which most of us would know as camouflage fatigue pants).  He was so confident he could run the race, he decided to wear a fully loaded ruck sack on his back during the race.

After several of his Marines buddies had crossed the finish line, Kerr was no where in sight. After all the other runners had finished the race, his buddies feared something might have happened to Miles along the way.  Maybe he was injured or maybe he had to drop out of the race due to fatigue. Just moments before they assembled to run back through the course to search for their fellow Marine, here came Kerr came around the last turn.

Moving ever so slowly at his side was a small boy; a boy who had become separated from the other kids in his group that he started the race with.  Nervous and scared, the young boy turned to Corporal Kerr midway through the course and asked, “Sir? Will you please run with me?". Kerr smiled, and slowed down his pace.  He decided to run at the boys side during the entire race. 

While at the boy's side throughout the race, Kerr kept urging the young boy who wanted to give up - to keep on going - do not stop running.  Kerr stayed with the boy and ensured he finished the entire course.  When they arrived at the finish line, the young boy was immediately reunited with his parents and his party.

Its interesting to note that Lance Corporal Kerr was actually the last runner to cross the finish line.  Not only that, he had the worse time of all the runners in this race ever recorded.  When asked why he ruined his chance to win this prestigious 5k race, he replied  "I was just doing what I thought any man would do!"

According to the Seals of Honor Face Book Page ... "Lance Corporal Kerr's unwavering commitment to help someone in need reflects great credit upon himself and reflects the highest traditions of the United States Marine Corps."