Tuesday

Good morning,

Quote of the day:

“No matter how preposterous the proposition some people will believe it because it agrees with their preconceived prejudices and will ridicule what is left...the truth be damned.”

                                         Anonymous

Back between the 5^th and 9^th centuries the Vikings spent several centuries raping and pillaging their way across the whole of Europe. Christianity began in the middle east and eventually ended up with its capitol in Rome where it stayed for several centuries. In spite of this the majority of the population of Europe during this time period were pagans primarily due to the Vikings having a host of pagan gods. One of these gods was Tyr who was one of the Norse gods of war along with Odin and Thor. Tyr later was identified with Ares the Greek god of War who was also Mars the Roman god of war. It was pronounced “tear” but was spelled Tiw in old English and pronounced “tiew”. The third day of the week is named in his honor...Tuesday. Lets see, we have week days honoring celestial objects, religious leaders but most of all it is pagan gods. They are Sunday (Sunsday), Monday (Moonsday), Tuesday (Tiewsday), Wednesday (Wodensday), Thursday (Thorsday), Friday (Friarsday), Saturday (Saturnsday). Saturn was the Roman god of wealth and agriculture among other things. Perhaps we are pagans at heart after all...I said perhaps.

         This Date in History   April 21

1836   After a couple of years of intimidation by Mexican dictator Santa Anna when he murdered over 400 Texans at Goliad that had surrendered not to mention the 226 at the Alamo, Santa Anna considered parts of Texas as part of Mexico and he was not about to part with it without a fight. The Texans were not going to settle for anything else other than total independence. During these losses for the Texans, Sam Houston had been training a small but fierce army. On this date, Sam unleashed his army against 2,000 of Santa Anna’s army southwest of what is now Houston, Texas near the San Jacinto River. The howling Texans came boiling out a forest onto the encamped Mexicans screaming “Remember Goliad” and “Remember the Alamo”. The Mexicans fought briefly and then ran like rabbits into the waist deep San Jacinto River where they were picked off unmercifully by the Texans. The battle took 18 minutes. Among those Mexicans that surrendered and were not killed anyway was Santa Anna himself. He was brought before a malaria ridden Sam Houston and Sam said “I don’t want Santa Anna, I want Texas.” He then told Santa Anna to get his young ass back to Mexico and never come back and recognize Texas as an independent nation. Santa Anna agreed and went back to Mexico. The Texans drew up a constitution and elected Sam Houston as the President of Texas. They then petitioned the United States to become a state. The United States initially refused because Texas was a “slave holding” state and the acceptance of Texas into the Union would upset the balance of “slave” and “free” states. Texas remained essentially an independent nation until Santa Anna began to show his ass again and the Mexican War broke out in 1848. It took the American army crossing into Mexico and kicked Santa Anna’s ass in his own country to put an end to it. An official treaty was signed by Mexico and the US giving the US the contested part of Texas. Shortly after this Texas became a welcome addition to these great United States....but only after Maine became a member of the United States as a “free” state.

1838   On this date John Muir was born in Dunbar, Scotland. He and his family moved to a farm in central Wisconsin when he was just a child. At the time Wisconsin was on the American western frontier. He stayed with his family on the farm until he was 23 years old. He traveled the Midwest for several years. Muir had a mechanical and inventive mind. He was working in a wagon factory when he slipped and scratched his left cornea with a file he was holding. His right eye dimmed in sympathy and he was temporarily blinded. During this period of retrieving his sight, Muir re-thought his mission in life. After getting his sight back, he departed on a 1,000 mile hike to the American West. During his travels he came upon the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California and he was deeply moved. He knew then what his mission was the preservation of this pristine wilderness. He began studying transcendentalism as taught by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau saying that the wilderness is “a window open into heaven, a mirror reflecting the image of God”. He and several others formed the Sierra Club dedicated to preservation of wildernesses. He had his biggest fight when the issue of damming the river in the Hetch Hetchy canyon in Yosemite to provide water for San Francisco. In spite of Muir’s fight, the dam was built and exists to this day. Muir died in 1914 disappointed that he was unable to stop the dam but he lit a fire of wilderness stewardship that burns to this day.

Born today:

1828   French historian Hippolyte Taine. He said “I have made a study of philosophers and cats. Cats have wisdom that is infinitely superior.” They are also delicious, just joking.

1838   Scottish naturalist John Muir. He said “And surely God’s people, no matter how savage or serious, great or small, like to play. Elephants and whales, dancing, humming gnats, and invisibly small microbes, all are warm with divine radium and must have lots of fun in them.” Muir was one in million, y'all.

1958   US actress Andie McDowell. She said “In my next life I want to come back five foot, two inches with the finest ass and tits you have ever seen.” Andie is from Gaffney, SC and married her high school boyfriend a few years ago. As far as I know they are still together.

Died today:

1910  US writer Mark Twain. He said “Sometimes too much drink is barely enough”. Mark Twain is the hero of the most cynical of writers.

        Thanks for listening   I can hardly wait until tomorrow