Good morning,







Quote of the day:


“Come on boys, we have caught them napping!”


Col. George A. Custer just before launching the attack, and his subsequent annihilation, at Little Big Horn.






This past Wednesday afternoon up in the Asheville, North Carolina area, 27 year old Steven Wike was kicked out of the Side Pocket bar. He returned later on that night even more hammered than he was earlier. He went out back onto the patio and stabbed Harold McHone and William Warren. Then he went around to the front and encountered William Davis and stabbed him too. He then ran away and was chased by two bar patrons who easily caught the inebriated Wike and stabbed him. McHone died on the scene, Wilson died at the hospital, William Davis is in critical condition and Wike died at the scene. The two bar patrons that killed Wike were charged with first degree murder. I have mixed emotions about all of this. Wike deserved what he got, as far as I am concerned. After all, he could have returned and killed everbody.






LAST YEAR this past Sunday was the busiest day I have ever seen on Pensacola Beach. There is a gigantic parking lot in the center of the beach area and each and every parking place was taken. The same was true of another gigantic parking lot adjacent to the Quiet Water Beach entertainment center. I needed some Advil so I drove to the Tom Thumb about 200 yards from my condo. I would have to turn left to get into that parking lot but the oncoming traffic was bumper to bumper as far as the eye could see so I decided to go another mile to the Circle K located in the middle of the beach area. That was a mistake. The traffic, both foot and vehicle was so thick that I was down to a crawl for at least 10 minutes. After retrieving the Advil I had to fight my way back home. 32 minutes later and covering about 2.2 miles, I got back to the condo. It was easy for me to decide to stay in for the day. The closest bar is Peg Leg Pete's located about 130 yards east but the parking lot and all the roadside parking areas were full to overflow. There were people standing in line at the door that trailed down the steps and out into the parking lot. That meant that if I walked from my condo to that place it would be standing room only at the bar. I refuse to stand up to have a cocktail. I stood in line to eat every meal while I was in the Air Force and I swore to myself that I would never stand in line to eat or drink ever again. I drove by there Monday afternoon and there was plenty of parking available but I didn't stop, I need to take break from all this sin and debauchery, it is affecting my health. But on second thought, I think I must weigh how much fun I want to have against how much longer I will live. I know, it is a gamble, but what the hell.






While waiting at the condo for all the hoards to get there young butts off my beach, I watched the Armed Services Committee questioning Secretary of Defense Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mullen about our involvement in Libya. One of the questioners read the War Powers Act which says in part that no American military personnel may be put in harm's way without approval of Congress. There were few exceptions like America or it's possessions being attacked, etc. There is no question that members of the American military are clearly in harm's way in Libya without a consultation with Congress. They are flying high altitude cover while members of the Allied air forces enforce a no fly zone below and they are providing in-flight refueling for the Allied aircraft. All of these aircraft are in range of many different ground-to-air missiles in the possession of the Libyan military. Secretary Gates said that the world needs to support America and its allies in this effort to stop Gaddafi from slaughtering his own people. That sounds very noble but then he said that the oil reserves of Libya exceed those of Saudi Arabia and “we cannot ensure success without troops on the ground.” What is that jackass suggesting? We are in debt up to our eyeballs and engaged in two different wars already and he wants to open another military front? Hey Bill R, maybe you are right, perhaps a few Marine combat brigades are in the Mediterranean aboard assault aircraft carriers just waiting for the word. What have we gotten ourselves into with this administration? Huh, Bill?






This date in history April 6






1862 Yesterday CSA General Albert Sidney Johnston and his army based in Corinth, Mississippi detect a US army led by US General Ulysses Grant headed his way from Tennessee. He also found out that Grant has the army of US General Don Carlos Buell moving down the Tennessee River by boat to provide reinforcements. Johnston decided that now is the time to strike before both armies are joined. On this date the CSA army slams into the Union right flank and the battle is joined near a church named Shiloh Baptist Church which is close to Pittsburgh (not Pennsylvania) Landing on the Tennessee River. The howling Confederates are well arrayed and well led and begin a push forcing the Union forces back closer and closer to the river. As the battle reaches a critical point, Grant knows that if the Confederates are not slowed or delayed, the Union army would be annihilated or forced to surrender with their back against the river. So he ordered an infantry unit to stop the Confederate advance at all costs to allow Grant to organize a defense. So this particular Union infantry unit dug in and would not budge. The Confederate advance was indeed slowed and when CSA General Johnston rode forward to encourage his troops to advance he was killed by a shot through the thigh and he bled out in a matter of minutes. There was a brief time of confusion before Johnston was replaced by CSA General Beauregard but the delay provided by the stubbornness of that US infantry unit at a place that became known as “The Hornets Nest”. This gave Grant enough time to set up a defense and for a few Union warships to arrive and provide naval gunfire to turn back the Confederates. Beauregard called a halt to the attack after dark then US General Don Carlos Buell’s army arrived during the night and the next morning Grant launched a counter-attack that drove the Confederates from the field. This first day of this battle is the bloodiest single day in United States military history. Had not that US infantry unit held their ground at the Hornet’s Nest and General Johnston had not been killed, the war probably been over that day and we would have been two nations...maybe three.






1776 On this date the Continental Congress opened all its ports to international trade. Earlier the British has been trying to control the colonies by restricting trade. First the British ruled that the colonies could only trade with Great Britain and then when that didn’t work, the put an embargo of any trade with the colonies. Then they tried to seal off all the American ports and that didn’t work either. We won anyway.






1895 On this date the famous Scottish writer Oscar Wilde is sentenced to prison. A few years earlier Oscar, a flaming homosexual, had been having a relationship with the son of the Marquis of Queensbury much to the Marquis’ chagrin. The Marquis finally called Oscar a homosexual in the press and Oscar sued for slander. The Marquis had no problem with providing a ton of evidence showing that Oscar was indeed aflame which was a crime in those days in England. So Oscar lost his law suit and went to the joint. The strange thing was that after he was released his writings became even better. I guess he got an attitude adjustment, or some kind of adjustment, while in the joint.






1832 In 1767 the future chief of the Sauk Indians Black Hawk was born in the village of Saukenuk in present day Illinois. From the very beginning of his life he and his tribe had to deal with the encroachment of the honkie settlers coming in from the east. Eventually one of the Sauk chiefs met with a group of honkies. The honkies fed this chief a bunch of whiskey and then persuaded him to cede all their lands west of the Mississippi. Finally the honkies began moving in on Black Hawk’s village which eventually became Rock Island, Illinois. Black Hawk got fed up and on this date, began a war against these white devils. He was successful at first but units of the United States Army came in and put a stop to it. Eventually Black Hawk was forced to surrender and the Native Americans took yet another step toward oblivion.






1830 It is on this day that Joseph Smith organized the first Church of God of Latter Day Saints in Fayette County, New York. This was the first Mormon Church in America. I guess y'all know the history of Joseph Smith. A thumbnail sketch is that he claimed that he was visited by a Christian angel name Moroni who led him to a buried golden book with indecipherable writings. Maroni empowered Smith with the power to read the book and he deciphered it to different people, including his wife, who translated it into English. The book was supposedly the history of an ancient Hebrew sect that made it to North America. This book was known as the Book of Mormon and is the basis for the Mormon religion. The actual book (if it really exists) has never been found. Joseph Smith and his followers were kicked out of several states primarily because of their polygamy. Joseph Smith and his son were hanged outside Carthage, Illinois but the people of the church, led by Brigham Young, moved on and finally settled in the Great Salt Lake Valley, Utah. A few years ago a couple of very clean cut young men that arrived on bicycles knocked on my front door. They were Mormons. Their intent was to tell me what they were all about. I asked them if they had a bible and they said they did. I told them to leave one with me and come back in a week. It was the Book of Mormon. That was the most fantastic book of fiction I had ever read. There were many events that were supernatural and very hard to believe. But the Christian bible is also full of supernatural events; parting of the Red Sea, Enoch going to heaven while still alive in a “Fiery Chariot”, etc. We are expected to believe this version and not any other? I don't know. It is for every person to make that choice.






Born today:






1892 US newscaster/explorer Lowell Thomas. He said “After you reach the age of 80 everything you see reminds you of something else.” Say, that reminds me.....






1725 Italian writer Giovanni de Seingalt. He said “Every man is free, but not if he does not believe it”. I believe it Gio, just test me.






1882 Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. He said “Music is better understood by children and animals.” Igor did not include Rap and Hip-Hop in this generalization.






Died today:






1996 US actress Greer Garson. She said of Marlon Brando “He is a good actor on the whole but I do not enjoy those who try to commune with their armpits, so to speak.” Marlon is no longer with us. I think that “On the Waterfront” and “A Streetcar Named Desire” are the two greatest acting performances I have ever seen. I miss him.






1998 US country singer Tammy Wynette. She said “I never said I was the best singer in the world, just the loudest.” Stand by your man, Tammy.










Thanks for listening I can hardly wait until tomorrow.