<WBR>We work for some very honorable people. <br> <br> <div style="CLEAR: both">Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT<br> Piano Tuner/Technician<br> Mililani, Oahu, HI<br> 808-349-2943<br> Author of: <br> The Business of Piano Tuning<br> available from Potter Press<br> www.pianotuning.com</div> <br> <br> -----Original Message-----<br> From: Phkitty2@aol.com<br> To: Wimblees@aol.com; slomotion@charter.net; Myjan55@aol.com; Gearyhts@aol.com; kdguy@sbcglobal.net; MUSICA4U@aol.com; mabace@bama.ua.edu; Rasammy@cox.net; smokeyman3301@hotmail.com; Tazman4406@aol.com; wels@citlink.net<br> Sent: Mon, 6 Oct 2008 5:58 pm<br> Subject: Good Old Harry Truman<br> <br> <div id=AOLMsgPart_2_223090a5-ec28-4dc5-aab0-a9476dc77ef3><FONT id=role_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <div><br> <div><FONT face=Arial color=#008000 size=3> <div><FONT color=#000080 size=4><B>Harry Truman -- Extraordinary Man</B></FONT> <div><br> </div> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD vAlign=top><br> <div><B><FONT color=#000080>The Buck Stops Here...... In Honor of the Last REAL Straight-talking <br> </FONT></B></div> <div><B><FONT color=#000080>Political Leader, Harry Truman ---<br> <br> </FONT></B></div> <div><B><FONT color=#000080>'It doesn't matter how big a ranch ya' own or how many<br> cows ya' brand, the size of your funeral is still gonna depend on the weather.'<br> <br> After President Truman retired from office in 1952, he was left with<br> an income consisting of basically just a US Army pension, reported to<br> have  been only $13,507.72 a year.  Congress, noting that he was paying for<br> his  stamps and personally licking them, granted him an'allowance' and,  </FONT></B></div> <div><B><FONT color=#000080>later, a retroactive pension of $25,000 per year.</FONT></B></div> <div><B><FONT color=#000080></FONT></B> </div> <div><B><FONT color=#000080>When offered corporate positions at large salaries, he declined,<br> stating,  'You don't want me.  You want the office of the president,<br> and that  doesn't belong to me.  It belongs to the American people, and<br> it's not for sale.'<br> <br> Even later, on May 6, 1971, when Congress was preparing to award him<br> the Medal of Honor on his 87th birthday, he refused to accept it, writing,<br> 'I don't consider that I have done anything which should be the<br> reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise.'<br> <br> We now see that other past presidents, have found a new level of<br> success  in cashing in on the presidency, resulting in untold wealth.  Today,<br> many  in Congress also have found a way to become quite wealthy while<br> enjoying the fruits of their offices.  Obviously, political offices are now for<br> sale.<br>  </FONT></B></div> <div><B><FONT color=#000080>Good old Harry Truman could have been correct when he observed,<br> 'My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse<br> or a  politician.  And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference.<br> I, for one, believe the piano player job to be much more honorable than <br> current politicians.'</FONT></B></div> <div><B></B><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </div> <div><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </div> <div><br> </div> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></div> <div> </div> <div><B><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#800080><br> </FONT></B></div> </FONT></div> </div> </FONT><br> <br> <br> <div><FONT style="FONT: 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF; COLOR: black"> <HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px"> New <B>MapQuest Local</B> shows what's happening at your destination. Dining, Movies, Events, News & more. <A title=http://local.mapquest.com/?ncid=emlcntnew00000001 href="http://local.mapquest.com/?ncid=emlcntnew00000001" target=_blank>Try it out</A>!</FONT></div> </div> <div id='MAILCIADB041-90bf48eb0afd1be' class='aol_ad_footer'><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">McCain or Obama? Stay updated on coverage of the Presidential race while you browse - <A title="http://toolbar.aol.com/elections/download.html?ncid=emlweusdown00000001" href="http://toolbar.aol.com/elections/download.html?ncid=emlweusdown00000001" target="_blank">Download Now</A>!</FONT> </div>