Grrr! Memorial Day; Paris Hilton Ad

People Who Fly Old Glory Only on Memorial Day Weekend

Come on folks, the American flag should be displayed with pride every day of the year, complete with proper flag etiquette.

Too many Oblivions view Memorial Day as just a good excuse to have a day off from work and a barbecue in the backyard, but the holiday is so much more than that.

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It's a time to reflect on the people who gave up their lives for our country.

It's a time to think about and appreciate the people who are currently fighting the battles that will ensure our freedom and the freedom of our children and our children's children -- the men and women stationed around the world and the country who make their living protecting you and me.

God bless the Coast Guard, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the Marines whom we honor on Memorial Day. You deserve and have earned our respect.

Keep up the fight. And thank you.

Carl's Jr. CEO Says 'Get a Life.' Grrr!

So, fast food chain Carl's Jr. wants the Parents Television Council to lighten up. The PTC is mobilizing a million people to voice their displeasure at the restaurant's racy ad featuring Paris Hilton.

The chain's CEO Andy Puzder says they should "get a life."

To that I say, Amen, brother.

Enough is enough, isn't it? Look, people can find most anything offensive these days, and they have every right to. But the same rule applies for the people who don't find things offensive, doesn't it?

So don't buy a burger from Carl's Jr. -- big deal.

Let me ask you this question: Have you ever heard of Carl's Jr. before now? Exactly. The company used some shock value to get some attention, and boy, did it work. Everyone who is screaming about this needs to lighten up.

The commercial is sexy in a trashy sort of way, but it's also funny. In the end though, if the burger's good, the burger's good. Paris or no Paris.

You know, many of us think Hilton is dumber than a box of rocks. But she's not, folks. She's manipulating the system as good as any con artist. She's the new millennium's Madonna, and the more we protest her shenanigans, the longer she'll last, and the richer she'll get.

Get a life, and then Paris will go away once and for all.

Bo Bice Loses ... Grrr!

I was pulling for Bo Bice, because the guy can rock, and he brought out Lynyrd Skynyrd on the season finale. Any guy who could get hardcore Southern rock legends to appear on a pop show like "American Idol" must be doing something right.

One Grrr! reader, Sarah Robertson, is devastated by Bo's loss. But not to fear, Sarah: Bo will be fine, as he's going to be produced by none other than music legend Clive Davis. I suspect he'll be as ubiquitous as Season Two runner-up Clay Aiken.

As for Carrie Underwood, she is wonderful. Her duet with Rascal Flatts (search) was awesome and should be released as is. She is definitely a great singer and a good role model for young girls everywhere.

Congratulations, Carrie.

Hey, Grrr! readers might remember my prediction from the March 22 Grrr!, after Mario Vazquez quit the competition: "I think when it came down to the Top 12, Vazquez looked around at people like Bo Bice and Carrie Underwood and thought, 'I might not win this thing.' So he did the next best thing: He quit."

Look out Simon, here comes the Grrr! Guy.

Burt Reynolds: Slap Happy Celebrity ... Grrr!

Last week at the premiere for "The Longest Yard," which stars Adam Sandler and Chris Rock in a remake of the Burt Reynolds 1974 hit, Reynolds slapped a CBS News associate producer in the face after the guy admitted to Reynolds that he knew nothing about the movies.

Now, before you Grrr! Reynolds, the slap wasn't hard at all, and even though it didn't appear from the video that Reynolds was kidding, I think that if I were in the same situation, I would have reacted with laughter and given a little back to Reynolds -- maybe ask him who did his pancake makeup or where he gets the toupee?

I think he really was just kidding.

And besides, it wasn't much of a slap. Baby Maxine hits harder.

The real Grrr! in all of this is how typical it is of a celebrity to think the world revolves around him, and that everybody should know everything about him.

First of all, reporters don't get invited in to actually see the movie. Normally we're only "allowed" on the red carpet -- where the stars Grrr! the whole process, but it's in their contracts to show up. So it's no wonder the CBS producer hadn't seen the new film yet.

And as for the original, so what if the guy didn't see it?

The other Grrr! about this silly episode is the way CBS News reported the story, at least here in New York. They teased it and reported it as if Burt Reynolds knocked the guy's teeth out. Grrr! to them for sensationalizing the story.

To the producer's credit, he hasn't said anything about it, and he's not running to hire a lawyer.

No Grrr! there.

Stupid Lit'l Dreamer (by Anne Grappone, FOX News Intern)

Memorial Day tributes were held honoring those fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan across the country over the weekend, but one organized by Massachusetts Vietnam veteran Bobby Blair got our attention for the SLD mention of the week.

Two years ago, Blair, a Holliston, Mass., resident, hung 147 signs bearing the names, ages and home states of each fallen veteran -- accompanied by an American flag -- on telephone poles throughout the town on Memorial Day.

After receiving an overwhelming response from residents, Blair decided to continue the tradition. This year, with the help of volunteers, Blair hung over 1,800 signs and flags, running through six towns and covering close to 35 miles of highway and town roads.

All the signs are handmade by Blair, who works steadily during the year to make sure they are ready for the Memorial Day weekend.

Traffic through Holliston and neighboring towns slowed to a crawl this weekend as drivers took in the memorial and reflected on the lives lost.

Mary Zambuto, an Ashland, Mass., resident, said that the ages of the soldiers are what made her stop her car to read the signs.

“This memorial is a great tribute to all the troops around the globe who've lost their lives in this war,” she said. "And I hope that next year we won’t need to hang many more.”

A Memorial to a Fallen Marine

Major Ricardo A. Crocker, USMC, 39, and a 10-year veteran of the Santa Monica Police Department, was killed on May 26 in Al-Anbar, Iraq, by an RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade) attack.

Officer Crocker held the rank of captain in the U.S. Marines when he was hired on July 21, 1995, and had since been promoted to the rank of Major.

Rick is survived by his mother, Jeanette; father, Curtis; sisters Marisa and Maria; and brother Carlos.

Through their own words, Major Crocker’s fellow Marines and friends at home have honored him and have reflected on his impact on their lives.

FOX News obtained these letters and e-mails through Ricardo's sister Maria, a friend of one of our New York bureau producers.

LtCol PatRick J. Carroll, USMC: Rick and I met in August 1985. Rick had been accepted into the NROTC Program and had every intention of becoming an officer in the U.S. Navy. However, Rick quickly became friends with six Marine Corps “Options." Rick thought the Marines were by far the most motivated, and that was his style. All motivation.

Colonel Steve McKinley, Commanding Officer, 5th Civil Affairs Group: I was Rick’s CO here in Iraq. Last Thursday was a lonely day for me. Bringing everyone home was my promise to all. Going to war is an ugly business and all of us knew the risks. In Camp Lejeune in January of this year, he asked me if he could take a few extra days off to see his Dad in Charlottesville, Va. He left and I am grateful that he spent that time with his Dad. I’m sure it’s a memory his father will hold close to his heart forever.

Mark Kessler: I first had the honor of meeting Rick about eight years ago as our paths crossed as he performed his duties as a Santa Monica police officer. I will always remember the hard work and effort he gave to see his kids at P.A.L. expand their education. He pushed them to have dreams and then pursue them. The highest compliment I can give to Rick is he was the type of man I would want my own son to be like.

Mónica Muñoz: Rick really taught me the true meaning of patriotism. He felt very strongly about his responsibility to serve this country. He used to tell me that he had a great life and he had no complaints. The last time I saw him, we hugged and he started to walk away ... I grabbed him and said "Don't go ..." but I guess that was too much emotion for him. He just laughed and said, "I'll see you in September.”

Rick Crocker (1966-2005)

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Mike Straka is the director of operations and special projects for FOXNews.com, and covers entertainment and features on the Sunday program "FOX Magazine." He also writes the weekly Grrr! Column and hosts "The Real Deal" video segments on FOXNews.com.