Veterans Day - NOVA This Week (November 12, 2016)

Observations from my weekly wanderings, usually in Northern Virginia (NOVA).

Back in May, for Memorial Day, I posted NOVA This Week about the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day – because, we often think about them as very similar, yet there are distinct.

(Once again a disclaimer: This applies to the U.S. holidays. It is a bit different in the Commonwealth of Nations. If you are interested in THAT difference, please click here.)

In the U.S. Memorial Day is a National Holiday to honor those who have DIED while serving in the Armed Forces. Veterans Day is a National Holiday to honor those who SERVED in the Armed Forces. It of course includes all those we honor on Memorial Day, but it also includes those who served without making the supreme sacrifice.

Occasionally, people thank me for my service on Memorial Day, and although – that’s nice – it isn’t truly appropriate, because I’m still alive.

But Veterans Day – Yeah that’s me. I took full advantage. free breakfast at Denny’s, free lunch at Applebee’s, and free dinner at Olive Garden. Thank you to these corporations for the gesture, which is MUCH more meaningful to me than the free meal.

Olive Garden went a little above and beyond though, and I know there are others that do this same thing. Near the entrance of Olive Garden there was an empty table, set for one. This table is a military tradition. It is always displayed at certain military ceremonies: service birthdays, balls, Veterans and Memorial Day services, and other dining ceremonies. It is also often a permanent display in many dining halls. There are certain specific items always present at this setting.

Table Ceremony Script - Read during modern military remembrance events paying honors to POW/MIA. Generally the table is being set while the script is read.

The table that stands before you is a place of honor. In setting this table, we acknowledge those missing from our celebration today. And we remember them. (ring bell) The table is small, and set for one -- Symbolizing the vulnerability of a lone prisoner against his captors. Remember! (ring bell) The tablecloth is white -- Symbolizing purity of intention in responding to the nation's call to arms. Remember! (ring bell) The chair is empty, for they are not here. Remember! (ring bell) The wine glass is inverted -- They cannot toast with us this night. Remember! (ring bell) The slices of lemon -- Reminding us of their bitter suffering. Remember! (ring bell) The grains of salt -- Representing the countless tears of the families. Remember! (ring bell) The single red rose -- Reminding us of loved ones who keep the faith awaiting their return. Remember! (ring bell) The burning candle and yellow ribbon -- Symbolizing everlasting hope of a reunion with the missing. Remember! (ring bell) Remember! -- All who have served alongside them; we who have donned the same proud uniform, being sworn to the same faith and allegiance -- We will never forget their sacrifice. Remember! (ring bell) Remember! -- Until the day they return home, or find eternal peace, we will remember. (ring bell)

The Bible is not always present, and not part of the official script. It is usually present though.

There is a similar table sometimes displayed with SIX empty chairs, to represent the fallen, but not POW/MIA, from all six services: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Civilian.

Finally, a quotation: Honor also to those who daring to die, survived

From the Devil’s Brigade Memorial. 

The Devil’s Brigade, officially designated the 1st Special Service Force, was a Combined American-Canadian commando unit from WWII. All American and Canadian Special Operations Forces trace their heritage to this unit.

(There's a pretty decent movie titled The Devil's Brigade. You should check it out.)

Best and Worst film adaptations of Classic Novels

I'm very late with this post. This was supposed to be in October. I drafted it back when, and just forgot to post. You will receive a refund of your October subscription to The Once Lost Wanderer.

The good folks at The Classics Club posed this meme reboot from August 2014:  What are your thoughts on adaptions of classics? Say mini-series or movies? Or maybe modern approaches? Are there any good ones? Is it better to read the book first? Or maybe just compare the book and an adaptation?

Good question. After each classic I read, I try to watch a film version. Most often, the film is not nearly as good. That’s not surprising, since trying to condense even a short 400 page novel into a two hour movie, will almost certainly have to cut out many details and even portions of the plot or subplot. Mini-series are often better, but honestly, I don’t usually like to commit that much time to watching, when I could be reading.

Some of the worst film adaptations I’ve seen:

Animal Farm (any version)

Lord of the Flies (any version)

Frankenstein (IMO no one has done a faithful rendition yet.)

Dune (1984, maybe the worst of all of these. I’m told the 2000 mini-series is pretty good)

The Scarlet Letter (1995)

Some of the best film adaptations I’ve seen:

The Grapes of Wrath

The Lord of the Rings

To Kill a Mockingbird

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Gone with the Wind

I, Claudius

Beloved

A few that have not yet been adapted to film that I’d like to see:

Catcher in the Rye (sorta hard to believe this hasn’t been done, huh?)

Invisible Man

100 Years of Solitude

Nostromo

Death Comes for the Archbishop

And a double adaptation: Heart of Darkness Adapted from print to the film Apocalypse Now, where the setting is adapted from late 19^th Century British Imperial Africa to 1970s Southeast Asia/Vietnam War. This is one of those rare instances when the film is better than the book. This just hit me – this could be perceived as quite a testimony to Marlon Brando who also stars in perhaps the best example of the movie better than the book: The Godfather.