Thursday, November 6, 2014

Thursday


Good morning,



Quote of the day:

When men pass the age of 65 they should always know the location of the nearest lavatory (toilet).”

                                                    King George VI


We all know about the bloodbath suffered by the Democrats Tuesday but there was a couple of referendums that were significant here in the buckle of the bible belt. The issue on some ballots nearby was whether alcohol could be served on Sunday or not. Two or three of the surrounding counties voted to allow it. As far as I can tell Greenville County does NOT allow it but there has been a separate vote by several cities and towns including Greenville that does allow it. What does this mean? It means that before you go out to eat on Sunday and you want to have a martini before dinner you should call before hand to make sure that the restaurant you choose is within the boundaries of a municipality that allows it. I looked at a map of where alcohol is allowed on Sunday in northwestern South Carolina. It looks like a quilt, y'all. There are some cases where one restaurant is in Greenville county and not in the city and alcohol is NOT allowed on Sunday but across the street is another restaurant that is also in Greenville county but is inside the city limits and alcohol on Sunday IS allowed. The “blue” laws are discriminatory against the Mormon religion. Their weekly day of worship is Saturday but I have never heard them complain because everyone does not have the same belief or behave as they see fit like our local bible-thumpers. Like I said, buckle of the bible belt.



Crazy as Hell

Chapter 8

Essex ended up on the balcony of a room on the 8th floor facing Loyola Street and began firing at anything that moved. He saw a fire ladder against the building leading up to the 9th floor. The top person on the ladder was a fireman loaded down with air tanks and a fire hose and two cops with shotguns right behind him. Essex shot the fireman in the left arm and the cops unloaded their shotguns at Essex but he had already ducked back inside. They took the fireman back down the ladder to safety. He lost his left arm but survived. In those days the New Orleans police only had their .38 caliber service revolvers and after the news got out about what was happening the police went home and came back with hunting rifles and shotguns and even a few elephant guns and went up onto several nearby buildings hopefully to get a shot at this maniac. 



During WWII US Marine Generals Holland M. “Howling Mad” Smith and James Vandergriff went ashore for an inspection after the US Marines had captured the Pacific island of Tarawa which is one of the bloodiest battles ever documented. When they saw what the Marines had to overcome Smith turned to Vandergriff and said “Jim, where do we find such men?



Here is a Medal of Honor recipient that is a hero like Smith was talking about.

                                                Medal of Honor

EVANS, DONALD W., JR.


  • Rank and Organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company A, 2d Battalion, 12th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division
  • Place and date: Tri Tam, Republic of Vietnam, 27 January 1967

Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. He left his position of relative safety with his platoon which had not yet been committed to the battle to answer the calls for medical aid from the wounded men of another platoon which was heavily engaged with the enemy force. Dashing across 100 meters of open area through a withering hail of enemy fire and exploding grenades, he administered lifesaving treatment to 1 individual and continued to expose himself to the deadly enemy fire as he moved to treat each of the other wounded men and to offer them encouragement. Realizing that the wounds of 1 man required immediate attention, Sp4c. Evans dragged the injured soldier back across the dangerous fire-swept area, to a secure position from which he could be further evacuated Miraculously escaping the enemy fusillade, Sp4c. Evans returned to the forward location. As he continued the treatment of the wounded, he was struck by fragments from an enemy grenade. Despite his serious and painful injury he succeeded in evacuating another wounded comrade, rejoined his platoon as it was committed to battle and was soon treating other wounded soldiers. As he evacuated another wounded man across the fire covered field, he was severely wounded. Continuing to refuse medical attention and ignoring advice to remain behind, he managed with his waning strength to move yet another wounded comrade across the dangerous open area to safety. Disregarding his painful wounds and seriously weakened from profuse bleeding, he continued his lifesaving medical aid and was killed while treating another wounded comrade. Sp4c. Evan's extraordinary valor, dedication and indomitable spirit saved the lives of several of his fellow soldiers, served as an inspiration to the men of his company, were instrumental in the success of their mission, and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.

Sp4c Evans was born in Covina, California.


        This Date in History   November 6



1528    Earlier Spanish conquistador Alva Nunez Cabeza de Vaca and his army of 300 had been exploring north Florida but insects, disease and persistent attacks by the Indians drove them into the sea with only 80 to 90 men left. They built five flimsy boats and set sail westward. They suffered from the lack of food and water and when they tried to land to acquire fresh water and food they were driven back into the sea because the ubiquitous Indians were watching them all the while. On this date, they crashed on a beach in what is now Texas, probably near Galveston. These were most likely the first white men to see Texas. They were immediately captured by the Indians and made virtual slaves. But with Cabeza’s rudimentary knowledge of medicine, he was able to attain the title of medicine man and he and his survivors were released after two years. By now they were down to only Cabeza and three others left out of the 300. Cabeza and the others set out traveling west across New Mexico and Arizona heading for Mexico City that was by now under the control of the men left by the Spanish Conquistador Hernan Cortez. After a torturous trek, they ran across a Spanish unit out hunting for slaves. This meeting took place near Sinaloa, Mexico. With help of these men, Cabeza finally arrived in Mexico City and told his tale of survival that enthralled all that heard it. The unbelievable story of Cabeza and his men made its way to Europe and the rest of the world. But his story of the inhospitable lands and hostile Indians did not deter anyone and soon a flood of honkies began arriving in the America. Now this flood of honkies is accompanied a deluge of the progeny of the Spanish conquistadors. Their ancestry goes back to the Maya, Inca, Olmecs and Aztecs but they do not speak Quechua or any other language of their ancestors, they speak the language of their conquerors, Spanish. It is kind of funny that at no time was there ever more than 600 Spanish soldiers in one place at one time but the Natives could not kick them out. The Spanish had a few things that made a difference. They had shoulder fired weapons, war dogs, armor and horses. The natives had never seen a horse before the arrival of the Spanish. The Spanish also had natural immunity to measles, small pox, tuberculosis, etc. that he natives did not. It was disease that conquered them; it was not the military expertise of the Spaniards.



1906    On this date United States President Theodore Roosevelt departed on a diplomatic mission to Panama and Puerto Rico. This is the first time that a sitting United States president had departed the contiguous United States on a diplomatic mission. He really went to Panama to visit the Panama Canal that was still under construction and to Puerto Rico it being a United States possession. Remember that citizens of Puerto Rico can vote in elections and have representatives in Congress. I have a friend of mine that lives in eastern Pennsylvania that says the local Puerto Ricans are the one complaining the loudest about the flood of illegals into their “hood” and have “discouraged” them on more than one occasion. Anyway, Teddy Roosevelt as far as I am concerned, is the best president we have had since A. Lincoln. I have some “unreconstructed” friends out there that are breathing smoke out their ears upon hearing this, but had it not been for Lincoln we would be two, maybe four, nations rather than one. We are better off united. Everyone knew where Teddy stood on any issue and all had respect and confidence in him. He was what I call “a stand up guy”. You knew where he was coming from all the time and you could believe anything he said as being the truth. Those virtues are few and far between since him. I might have said the Dwight Eisenhower would have been except he lied about the Francis Gary Powers spy flight that he later recanted. Harry Truman was close but he was a politician first and a patriot second. We need more like Teddy. Teddy contracted Malaria while on the trip to Panama and it contributed to his demise at relatively early age. Whatever happened to “stand up guys”?



1861    Jefferson Davis is elected president of the Confederate States of America in Montgomery, Alabama. Like A. Lincoln he was born in Kentucky but in the year of 1808. He attended West Point and graduated in1828 and fought in the Black Hawk War. In 1832 he married Sarah Taylor who was the daughter of General (and future President) Zachary Taylor. Davis and Taylor remained close friends though out the rest of their lives. Soon after Davis and his new bride Sarah settled on Brierwood Plantation in Mississippi. Just a short time Sarah came down with malaria and died from it. In 1845 he married Varina Howells. After the southern states began seceding Davis thought that they may come to him for the Presidency. After his election Davis made this statement “Upon my weary heart was showered smiles, plaudits and flowers. But beyond this I see troubles and thorns innumerable.” Indeed Jeff, indeed.



1887    Land near Toccoa, Georgia was bought for the purpose of building a Christian and Missionary College. An earthen damn was built across Toccoa Creek creating a small but deep lake with the college downstream of the dam. On this date in 1997 an examination of the dam was made and declared safe. Just hours later, the dam failed and a wall of water moving at 120 MPH arrives at the College. There were 38 students and teachers drowned and many injured. One teacher grabbed hold of a passing roof truss and held on and was washed a mile downstream. Her two children were not so lucky and were included in the 38 victims. Two days later First Lady Rosalyn Carter showed up and offered any assistance she could. I do not know what happened to the dam inspector.



Births and deaths:



1943 US humorist Jon Carroll is born. He said “Everyone should live to be 92 years old, have an orgasm and drop dead.” That is cold, y’all.



1955 US royalty Maria Shriver is born. When introducing her husband Arnold Schwarzenegger to her uncle Ted Kennedy she said “Think of him as a Republican and the man I love, if that doesn’t work think of him as a man that can crush your ribs.”



1836 French King Charles X dies. He said “It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory.” What can you do with that rock hard logic?



     Thanks for listening    I can hardly wait until tomorrow













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