In Memoriam

The annual tradition of a Memorial Day Parade continued in Burlington, WI over the weekend.

Before we get around to saluting Veterans who have passed away, chocolate bars are tossed to the waiting masses. The parade is also combined with the one for Chocolate Fest. Not only is Burlington home to Tony Romo, it's Chocolate City USA. In the above photo, kids scramble to pick up the tiny Nestle Crunch bars. Mind the wheels of the truck, kids.

Wheels make it easier to complete the parade route. This guy takes a page out of yesteryear.

Mr. Show-off unicycles with one leg!

and it wouldn't be a Burlington parade without Shriners.



Click to watch the Harley riders do figure 8's and play chicken on the streets.

Then they do it in VW convertible bug go-carts.



Here's video of them doing the same tricks. My favorite is the guy with his legs straight up in the air.



This giant mob of bagpipes sound great on "Amazing Grace"

In Echo Park lies the true reason for Memorial Day, a tribute to our war heroes who have passed on. Each cross represents a son or daughter from Burlington. How many crosses were added across American for lives lost in Iraq? We're told it's for our freedom and security here at home, but I can't quite make that connection, given the fact that the Bush administration can't even tell us what the mission is in Iraq. Wasn't it to stop Saddam from using WMD's? Wasn't it free elections in Iraq? Or was it to reduce the violence (which all the right wing talkers point to as accomplished by "The Surge." The only real "mission accomplished" will be getting George W. Bush out of office later this year, and getting our troops out of harms way. That's a military maneuver worthy of a parade, too.