I saw a sign on Sepulveda Boulevard...

last night as I was going to the Olive Garden in Manhattan Beach.  I tried calling the one at the Fox Hill Mall but their phone just stayed busy for more than 30 minutes.  I finally gave up, called the location in MB and made sure they would accept my VA medical ID card as proof of service for their Veteran's special.  The manager told me he would happily honor that ID card and give me a free meal and I was off.

My enjoyment of my free meal was reduced a little bit by the conduct of other veterans I encountered enjoying their own free meals where I was dining.  They told me they were ordering food from locations offering free meals, taking a bite or two and then having the food packaged to go before heading to another establishment to repeat the process.  "I'll have ten days worth of food in my refrigerator before I'm done."  I think that's unethical.  These places are willing to feed us to thank us for our service, on the day that we are honored.  Not to feed us for a week or more.  I see nothing wrong with eating three meals in one day at such places, breakfast, lunch and dinner.  But using this to stockpile food for an extended period just feels wrong.

The sign I saw read "Los Angeles County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway".  It's the only such sign I've ever seen on that road.  I wonder if there are more of them.  I think its pretty cool to name a highway that way, but what's the point if there is only one sign on a street that supposedly runs more than 40 miles in length from the North end of L.A. County to the South end??

Supposedly today there are free meals for Veterans available at Denny's and Sizzler, as well as free wings at Hooters which I will be passing up.  I don't even know if I can make it to both of the aforementioned freebies, although I will give it the old college try.  Nothing wrong with taking advantage of offers as long as one isn't being greedy or abusive.   I have a few errands to run.  Especially since I have appointments at the VA in the morning on both Tuesday and Wednesday, and then we're having an "election" meeting at the facility on Wednesday afternoon.  I wonder if I'm expected to make a campaign speech.  Kind of hard to make promises when there's almost nothing in your power to promise.

But is it abusive to visit one chain twice in one day, or two chains, offering freebies?  If Denny's were still having its free birthday meal, would it be wrong to stop in at one location for a free lunch and another for a free dinner?  I leave that ethical question in your hands.

Fun with Classified Ads:

"Thank you and I look forward to working my next Personal Assistant!"  Working?  Freudian slip?

"Feels comfortable with keeping unwanted customers away from business."  The translation of this phrase means you have to be okay with chasing homeless people who wash their clothes in your laundromat while they stand there naked waiting for their wash to finish.

Today in History - November 12th

On this date 100 years ago today, the bodies of Robert Scott and his men were found frozen to death in Antarctica.

On this date in 1927, Leon Trotsky is expelled from the Soviet Communist Party, cementing the control of Joseph Stalin.

On this date in 1948, a war crimes tribunal sentences seven Japanese officers and government officials to death for their roles in World War II war crimes.

On this date in 1969, the My Lai Massacre story was 'broken' by journalist Seymour Hersh.

On this date in 1979, in response to the seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, President Carter orders a halt to all imports of petroleum from Iran.

And on this date in 1996 two planes had a mid-air collision near New Dehli resulting in 349 deaths.  It remains the deadliest mid-air collision on record.