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Letter to the Editor 9-14
Burning is proper for flag retirement
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TO THE EDITOR:
This letter is in response to the letter in the Wednesday, Aug. 31 edition titled "Burning flags not proper disposal."
In accordance with Title 4, Chapter 1, U.S. code, as adopted by the National Flag Conference, Washington D.C., June 14-15, 1923 and with all amendments and revisions to date, there are no stipulations as to the origin and/ or material for the manufacturing of the U.S. flag.
All flags are to be honored and retired properly. If a flag becomes unserviceable and no longer suited for display, it is to be retired by a proper ceremony and burning.
American Legion Post 173 is honored to continue with our retirement ceremony annually and will be accepting unserviceable flags for this purpose.
John A. Davis
Adjutant
America Legion Post 173

Where Did that Come From? - No earthly idea
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My good friend, Delores Green asked me about this one a few weeks ago. There are several ways “No earthly” is used in speech (idea, means, purpose or reason).

This simply means ‘no conceivable…’ as it is derived from relating to earthly means of thinking.

It is impos-

sible to tell exactly who first used this expression.

The earliest known citation to a form of this is in the Dissertation in The Lusiad; Or, The Discovery of India: An Epic Poem by Luís de Camões, translated into English by William Julius Mickle, published in London, 1778:

“In the first book, Jove summons a council of the Gods, which is described at great length, for no earthly purpose but to shew that he favoured the Portuguese.”

Here it could be said that ‘no earthly purpose’ was used because the council was said to have taken place in the heavens, thus it may be a literal application. But in 1832, a clearly figurative example showed up in Trials of the Persons Concerned in the Late Riots, Before Chief Justice of Great Britain, page 10:

“…where he (the Mayor) could have no earthly idea whether the military assistance was required at that precise time or not…”