Clueless in La Mesa

This post was originally created to feature a film we viewed prior to Thanksgiving. I added the Thanksgiving photos later.














































Five stars for intent. Three for delivery of message. One for technical aspects and editing.

Does anyone besides me think Guillermo Iván looks like Seth?

This video shows the winner of 2009’s " Ukraine ’s Got Talent", Kseniya Simonova, 24, drawing a series of pictures on an illuminated sand table showing how ordinary people were affected by the German invasion during World War II. Her talent, which admittedly is a strange one, is mesmeric to watch.

The images, projected onto a large screen, moved many in the audience to tears and she won the top prize of about $75,000.

The Great Patriotic War, as it is called in Ukraine, resulted in one in four of the population being killed, with eight to 11 million deaths out of a population of 42 million.


Kseniya Simonova says:

"I find it difficult enough to create art using paper and pencils or paintbrushes, but using sand and fingers is beyond me. The art, especially when the war is used as the subject matter, even brings some audience members to tears. And there’s surely no bigger compliment."

Captain William Wallace Haws, Utah Militia. Served in scouting and harassment operations against Johnston's Army (1857-1858). Later participated in Utah's "Black Hawk War" (1864-1865).




















Scout Heaton Lunt, U.S. Army "Mexico Expedition", also known as "Pancho Villa Expedition" (1916-1917).



Simon Diaz, Peruvian Army. Served for approximately a year in the early 1940's.



Sergeant Clovis Hill, chaplain's assistant, U. S. Army. Served State-side during World War II (1942-1946). His brothers, Roy and Hollis (Army Air Corps), also served.



Heaton Lunt's sons from left to right: Bill, in U. S. Navy uniform, Heaton himself, Virl, Bert (served in U.S. Army), and Wilbur (served in U. S. Army). Mc Hanchett, Molly's husband, was in the Navy, as was Mel Romney, Eula's husband. Sally's husband, Bill Fuller was a Lieutenant in the Marines during World War II and the Korean War. Donna's husband, Rulon Craven served two years in the Merchant Marine during World War II (pictured below aboard ship). He crossed the Atlantic seven times, the Pacific seven times, and circumnavigated the world on one occasion.












Aunt Donna provided me with the following biographical information on a nephew of Chloe Haws (first cousin, once-removed, with respect to my generation):
PM3C John Ellis Hardy - Awarded the Silver Star posthumously for action on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll 20 November 1943.

Hardy was attached to the 2nd Marine Division during the landing on Tarawa, November 20, 1943. Injured severely in the right arm while he was disembarking from an amphibious tractor, Hardy nonetheless administered first aid to the wounded on the beach and rescued four others from the water. Under intense enemy fire, he continued to care for his comrades and carried on for more than five hours in spite of his own wounds, until he was killed by a Japanese hand grenade. (The Doctor at Guadalcanal and Tarawa Capt. French R. Moore, p. 236.)

Serving from my generation were: Marvin Lunt, Army; Dale Lunt, Navy; Malcolm MacLay, Nedra's husband, Navy; Commander Rick Romney, who retired as a dentist, U. S. Navy; David Mehr, RaDawn Craven's husband, who served as a medical officer in the U. S. Navy, and; Bradley Hill, Specialist Five social work/psychology assistant, U. S. Army, Fort Ord, California (1975-1978). Later served as intelligence specialist, reaching rank of senior chief in U. S. Navy Reserve, San Diego, California (1985-2006).










Whom have I forgotten? (Thanks, Aunt Donna!) Anyone else want to send photos or details?