How I remember the Twin Towers

Remembering the New York City Twin Towers

2001 was quite a year that started a series of events that has changed the world and how we Americans tend to view it.

Besides 911, it was the year my eldest daughters Kristin graduated from the Unted States Military Academy at West Point and Karen graduated High School.

It was also the time of a most cowardly act.

For me, the “Twin Towers” holds some fun memories. Of course, the viewing area on top of the building and the touristy ‘Windows on the World’  restaurant were fun destinations… but what I remember best is the old Shearson-American Express office up in the 100’s level floors somewhere. I remember making ‘calls’ ( we called it ‘dialing for dollars’) and watching the planes fly below us. As a stock broker, it was exhilarating.

The view was uniquely spectacular!

I remember my daughter Karen had a ’email pal’ with one of the commodity brokers who was a sports enthusiast… he perished along with thousands on 9-11.

September 11th changed how we view the world. It was the ‘Pearl Harbor’ for our generation. The Twin Towers celebrated America’s economic might, but also our innocence. We are only beginning to awaken now.

The world may not have changed, but we have. Let’s hope our leaders haven’t forgotten… we need to remind them.

Roger Freberg

remembering those who serve and those who have fallen

Soda Cracker Recipe from the 1800’s

1800 Era Soda Crackers

I know, we ALL think we know what Soda Crackers are! If fact there is possibly no one in America that can’t describe in excruciating detail the proper composition of a soda cracker. Unfortunately, they’d be a little off.

Now, I am not a fan of all old recipes, because many recipes have been improved over the years, decades and centuries… however, there is value in seeing how things were once made because we often can learn from them.

Besides, it became obvious to me that I needed to learn how soda crackers were made in America if I was ever going to be able to put together one of the oldest recipes I have found for Macaroni and Cheese. Soda Crackers are a major ingredient in this recipe.

Here’s the basic ingredients:

4 cups flour + 1 teaspoon of soda (sifted together)
1/2 tablespoon of lard + 1/2 tablespoon of butter (mixed together)

1 egg

salt to taste

1 1/2 – 2 cups buttermilk

Process:

Make a stiff dough with buttermilk

roll out on a greased cookie sheet

prick with holes to allow the steam to vent ( score dough in a grid )

and bake 400 degrees for 13-15 minutes until brown

set out to cool.

My Comments:

Obviously, some of the original directions were very general… such as the addition of buttermilk was a ‘guideline’ left for you to determine the amount… the temperature was a ‘guesstimate’ in those days… but this is approximately correct by today’s standards.

Generally, a nice snack, not much by those who crave sugar, frosting and chocolate… but a remembrance of by-gone days… plus I need it for my yea ol Macaroni and cheese recipe.

Besides, it was fun … and yummy!

Roger Freberg

Sarah Palin is Real

Pistol packin Ma MaOnetime speech writer for Ronald Reagan and syndicated columnist Peggy Noonan had an interesting quote in  today’s column  that seems to encapsulate the media’s frustration with their irrelevance:

“The mainstream media, which has been holding endless symposia here on the future of media in the 21st century, is in danger of missing a central fact of that future: If they appear, once again, as they have in the past, to be people not reporting the battle but engaged in the battle, if they allow themselves to be tagged by that old tag, which so tarnished them in the past, they will do more to imperil their own future than the Internet has.” 

Once again the clerics of the media like to snipe at a candidate for Vice President that offends their senses. I was asked once by someone in the media if I thought they were ‘biased’? I simply said, “How would you know you were not?” FDR, knowing that he lived in a world unconnected with the rest of America, would travel up to northern New York to meet an old friend who would give it to him straight. I suspect that Governor Palin’s appeal is certainly broader than the media’s worst fears… but time will tell.

Governor Sarah Palin represents the emergence of a once forgotten woman: mother, professional, married and holding many conservative values. I say ‘holding conservative values’ because although not all mothers are conservative, they all share certain common desires, wishes and dreams for their lives and for the lives of their children…. which almost by definition put them on the side with so-called ‘conservatives’ on issues described as ‘family values.’ Nothing makes a woman think about the future and experience a personal change in her perspectives than becoming an involved mother. Motherhood seems to make all the difference.

Gloria Steinem  ( not to be confused with being a ‘mutha’) recently was quoted as saying that all Governor Sarah Palin and Senator Hillary Clinton shared was an ‘X Chromosome.” The truth is that Sarah and Hillary just represent different point of view, one perpetuates the battle of the sexes, the other will work with anyone…. even men.

Yes, as a man, I prefer to ‘hang with’ women like Sarah Palin. They just seem more ‘real’ to me. Ask any man if they prefer a professional woman who likes sports, technology, real friendship, commitment and children… and few thinking men would walk away from that. Sarah Palin is real.

So, again, congratulations to  Governor Sarah Palin and especially to Senator John McCain  for the willingness to protect what is good about our country and yet have the courage to make those decisions for positive change and inclusion.

Roger Freberg

Laura Freberg, Ph.D. aka

‘nothin finer than a fine lady with a gun!’ — adapted from the Bruce Willis movie “The Whole 9 yards”

The First Woman to become a Four Star General?

will she be the first women who becomes a four star general?

Lt. General Anne E. Dunwoody of the Army has been nominated to become the first female four star general. General Dunwoody has 33 years of service ( 1975) and has had a number of command positions.

If confirmed by the Senate, she will be the first woman to gain a fourth star ( the first female 3 star general was in 1970). In the armed forces of the United States there are currently 57 active duty female general officers.

Good Luck and hopefully congratulations to General Dunwoody.

Roger Freberg

Desktop Psychology

Laura and I at the Ronald Reagan Ranch!

I always have found it a window into someone’s world to see what they place on their desktop. I am sure there is an entire Psychology surrounding the choices people make from the simple to the complex and the impersonal to the very intimate.

For me, what I place on my desktop has got to make me smile.

My desktop has had pictures of family, our travels, family events of significance, and great cuisine we’ve made. The common variable in all of this…is… family.

The picture above is of Laura and I at the ranch of Ronald and Nancy Reagan.

It makes me smile.

Reagan Foundation
Schoolhouse for Reaganism
Rancho Del Cielo

Roger Freberg

Yes, you can see if they are into “WOW” and what they feel are important quick links.