Daily history

Good morning,







Quote of the day:


“Politicians are like diapers. They need to be changed often and for the same reason.”


                                      Harold Wilson






A couple of weeks ago an oriental man flew into Sydney, Australia from Beijing to visit his girlfriend that he had broken up with a year ago. She met him at the airport and took him to her apartment for a bite to eat. As you might suspect, she made some soup. Orientals are big on soups. Without his knowledge, she loaded four sleeping pills into his soup and very soon he was taking a nap that was close to a coma. She took off all of his and her clothes and sat down straddle of his chest facing his head. She produced a butcher knife and stabbed him in the jaw just nicking the aorta and again in the upper arm. She then turned around facing his feet and exorcized any and all appendages below his crotch. She was not done yet. She remained seated until this young man bled to death. I have heard that “hell hath no fury” statement before but “Geeez” girl, lighten up, it has been a year for crying out loud. Now you are going to spend 20 to life in the joint for murder.






84 year old Carol Knight was opening up her restaurant in Johnston, South Carolina(farming community) when a 55 year old man that was a convicted sex offender walked into the restaurant and told Carol that this was a hold up. Carol made the mistake of not believing him and laughed. This enraged the intruder and he began beating the shit out of Carol yelling “give me the money”. Carol knew that she did not have a chance but she began fighting back the best she could. She took several blows that cost her black eyes and cut lips. I am sure she will heal physically, but not mentally. She still says that she has nightmares about the intruder. Eventually an employee came to work and saw the blood and called 911. The intruder was arrested and is spending time in the Saluda County Jail with no bail available. I want all of you to close your eyes and imagine your mother or grandmother trying to scratch out a living with her small restaurant is a small town in central South Carolina and this happening to them. What would you do if you got to this animal first? I don’t want to think about it….yes I do.






It does not look good for the 2nd ugliest mammal in existence. He is losing his grip on his country of Algeria. That’s right; I am talking about Moamar Quadhafi. Those serene and peace loving Arab Muslims have decided that Allah may not be right after all and have taken control of the second largest city in Algeria because they are sick and tired of the despotism of their ruler. Algeria and other Muslim dominated countries are in a riotous state. They also are sick and tired of being sick and tired. I normally would say “stand back and let those towel heads kick each other’s ass” but they have ½ of the world’s oil reserves…so far. I say “so far” because a pool of oil has been discovered in Russia that dwarfs the rest of the world’s supplies.






This date in history February 23






1778 On this date the Prussian Baron Frederich von Steuben joins General George Washington at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The Baron had been recommended by the French minister of war to Benjamin Franklin. Franklin, in turn recommends him to George Washington. Baron von Steuben was the son of a famous Prussian General and became an officer in the Prussian army himself at the age of 17. Frederich proved to be an able officer and distinguished himself in combat more than once and was promoted rapidly from the infantry to the general staff of the King of Prussia, Frederich the Great. For reasons unknown, after reaching the rank of captain he was discharged from the army. I might be able to shed some light on this event. Frederich the Great was a flaming homosexual albeit a brilliant military commander. Frederich the Great would hold staff meeting on a regular basis that was attended by all the younger officers. Toward the end of the meeting the King would walk by and drop a handkerchief in one of his younger officer’s lap. This officer had the duty to stay an extra hour with the King after the meeting was ended. We can guess for what reason. Perhaps Frederich von Steuben finally resisted the advances of the King, who knows. Anyway, almost immediately after arriving at Valley Forge he began intensive training of the troops emphasizing rock-hard discipline. He also educated the troops on simple hygiene. The American troops knew nothing about this and therefore many troops were lost to disease. He insisted that the latrines be on the opposite side of the camp than the eating facility. But in fact, the troops had no latrines at all; they just took care of business wherever they felt like it. Frederich also insisted that the latrines be on a down slope away form the camp. Eventually the American troops departed Valley Forge a proud and competent fighting machine. Frederich did not speak English but did speak French so Alexander Hamilton and Nathaniel Greene interpreted his French into English. He authored a handbook for the American military parts of which are still in use to this day. The arrival of this man into the America army was none too soon. The American army had been having its ass handed to it for two years and the morale was very low. But now the pendulum began to swing the other way and our independence was finally on the horizon.






1885 A few months earlier a rich older woman was found dead in her mansion in Exeter, England. She had been severely beaten and throat cut just outside the bedroom of her 19 year old housekeeper John Lee. The police deduced that John Lee must have been the culprit even though Lee proclaimed his innocence and did not flee the scene of the crime. Lee was tried and convicted on circumstantial evidence alone and was sentenced to hang. On this day the hangman put a weight equal to John Lee on the trapdoor and released it a couple of time to see if all was in working order and it apparently was. Then they brought John Lee to the platform to be executed. Lee stood on the trapdoor and the hangman pulled the release but nothing happened. The hangman jerked on the release a couple of time more and the trapdoor did not open. They took Lee off the platform and went through the procedure again with the weights and everything worked perfectly. They brought Lee back and again the trapdoor refused to open when Lee was aboard. They tried the deal with the weights once more time with the same results and tried it with Lee again with the same result. The officials were stunned and took Lee back to the prison whence he came and declared that it was an act of God that had prevented his hanging so they sentenced him to life in prison. Lee spent 20 years in prison and was released and he immigrated to America. There had never been an explanation as to what was up with the trapdoor. There ain’t any commutation of an execution because of “an act of God” anymore. When the time comes, you are going down y’all, come hell or high water.






1940 After years on the back roads and railroads of America during the grinding depression of the 1930’s, on this date Woody Guthrie writes the song “This Land is Your Land”. Woody was born in Okemah, Oklahoma in 1912. When the depression came in 1929, Woody and millions of others hit the road looking for work and whatever they could find to stay alive. It was during this time that Woody wrote many, many songs about the poor and downtrodden during this trying time. In 1937 he went to California to try to become a country/western singing star. He appeared on a few radio programs singing traditional folk songs. But eventually he was able to do some of his own songs and that put him on the charts. He became the chronicler of the people that had been through the depression and his words and music showed that he had been there and done that. His success took him to New York City but WWII broke out and his career was put on hold while he was in the Merchant Marine. After the war he returned to NYC and tried to resurrect his career and again he was on his way up when in 1954 he was struck down with Huntington’s disease. This was the same illness that took his mother’s life. While bedridden he was visited by many musicians among which was Bob Dylan. Woody died in 1967 in New York City and was cremated with his ashes being spread across New York City. His home town of Okemah, Oklahoma put up a headstone with his name on it anyway. Many have tried to copy Woody’s style and music, few if any have succeeded.






Born today:






1824 US writer George William Curtis. He said about one of his rivals “He is so old his blood type has been discontinued.” I am A + and don’t ya’ll forget it.






1914 US actor Zachary Scott. He said “As you grow older the only things you regret is the things you didn’t do.” This is why I am burning the candle at both ends, y’all.






1928 US writer Michael Harrington. He said “Clothes make the poor invisible. America has the best dressed poverty the world has ever known.” I have never thought of that. Get picture in your mind of the people in poverty in India and how they dress.






Died today:






1998 US comic Henny Youngman. He said “I read where drinking shortens your life, so I gave up reading.” I miss Henny...George Burns too.






1976 US writer H. Allen Smith. He said “On Monday mornings I am dedicated to the proposition that all men are jerks.” I think we all feel that way at times.






Thanks for listening I can hardly wait until tomorrow