Friday OYSTERS

Good morning,

Quote of the day:

“You know you are in love when you can't go to sleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”
                                               Dr. Seuss

I watched an interview of Vladimir Putin on the Charlie Rose show on Tuesday night. I had to be a fairly current one because they were talking about the increase of Russian fighter-bombers in Syria and the increase of bombing ISIS in the Homs, Syria area. I tried to listen to Putin with an open mind keeping in mind that after all he is a a politician in addition to being a kick-ass Russian. He admittedly is in support of President Assad of Syria at this point. He maintained that if the Assad government collapsed ISIS would just walk in and take over the entire country. Keep in mind that in the recent past our government was deeply involved in creating a military coup to oust Assad. He brought up something that never occurred to me. When the coalition led by the US kicked the Iraqi army out of Kuwait and followed that up with the invasion of Iraq and took over militarily, what happened to the defeated Iraqi troops, especially the Republican Guard which are professional soldiers? Putin said that many of them are now with ISIS hoping to get their country back through them. Putin ain't kidding, in addition to the fighter-bombers he is sending in tanks, artillery and infantry. We all know that the United States people would not sit still for that. Rose asked him his opinion of Barack Obama. Putin said that his opinion of Obama is of no consequence, that is up to the American people...and indeed it is.

          This Date in History October 2

1967 On this date United States Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren swore in Thurgood Marshall as an associate Supreme Court justice replacing retiring Justice Tom Clark. Marshall was the first black person to be selected the high court. He was born in Baltimore in 1908. When he graduated from high school he applied to go the University of Maryland Law School and was accepted but the acceptance was withdrawn once it was found that he was black. He then applied to and was accepted into the Howard University Law School in Washington, DC and graduated first in his class. He became a lawyer for the NAACP and eventually became Chief Council. In his capacity with the NAACP he argued several cases before the Supreme Court including his most important victory in the Brown vs. The Board Of Education decision which was the first giant step in the elimination of segregation in public facilities in America. He was nominated for the United States Court of Appeals by President John Kennedy but his confirmation was delayed for almost a year by southern Senators. He was then selected by President Lyndon Johnson to be Solicitor General. Finally, it was Lyndon Johnson that nominated him to the Supreme Court. I took some time but he was eventually confirmed. He served on the high court for 24 years, retired in 1991 and died the next year.

1780    Earlier British officer John Andre had been captured by a group of highwaymen (robbers) that were sympathetic to the Patriot cause. They found a document in Andre’s boot that described a deal with Patriot General Benedict Arnold whereby Arnold would turn over control of the Patriot fortress at West Point, NY to the British for 20,000 pounds Sterling. They then turned Andre over to the Patriot army including the document. Andre was not in uniform making him a spy. Andre was tried as a spy, convicted and was sentenced to death. On this date, Andre was hanged. When Arnold found out about the capture of Andre he and his wife Peggy ran like hell to the British warship HMS Vulture and surrendered to them. The British did not waste Arnold’s considerable military talents and made him an officer in the British Army and gave him command of a division of infantry in America. Arnold did not disappoint. He proved to be a very capable commander against his own countrymen. After the war was won by the Patriots, he had no choice but to go to Canada and then England. He died penniless and unknown in London in 1801 with his American wife Peggy at his side. Peggy was the daughter of one of the founders of the state of Pennsylvania Edward Shippen. Shippensburg, Pa. Is named for him. The word on the street back then was that Peggy was a stone fox...her portraits confirm it. By the way, both John Andre and Benedict Arnold hit hard on Peggy but she chose Benedict Arnold...bad choice...but so was John Andre.

1836 After exploring Argentina, Peru and the Galapagos Islands, the HMS Beagle with British naturalist Charles Darwin aboard arrived back in England. Darwin has made many observations in his travels the most important of which was what he called “natural selection” and evidence as he saw it, of homo-sapien evolving from a lower form. Darwin was embarrassed at what he had found and delayed publishing his findings for several years because he knew what hell would be raised about it. He finally published The Origin of Species and sure enough, hell was raised and plenty of it and it is still ebbing and flowing to this day. I don’t have a dog in that fight because it eventually gets to the use of the bible as the final authority which requires a leap of faith...that ain't science. As I have said before, you cannot successfully mix science and religion.

Births and deaths:

1851 French General Ferdinand Foch is born. He said “Airplanes are interesting toys, but of no military value.” This should give you some insight into French military expertise.

1869 Indian religious leader Mahatma Gandhi is born. When he was asked what he thought of Western Civilization Gandhi said “I think it would be a good idea.” Gandhi was a very wise man.

1938 US critic Rex Reed is born. He said “If a swamp alligator could talk it would sound like Tennessee Williams.”

1803 US super-patriot and brewer Samuel Adams was born. He said “Mankind is governed more by their feelings than by reason.” I will tack onto that “especially if there are women involved.”

1892 French philosopher and historian Ernest Renan died. He said “Oh Lord, if there is a Lord, save my soul, if I have a soul.” Hey Ernie, make up your mind, if you have a mind.

         Thanks for listening I can hardly wait until tomorrow