Al's
Most Recent
Quote
of the day:
“OK,
we'll go.”
These
immortal words were uttered by US General Dwight D. Eisenhower. The
D-Day invasion was scheduled for June 5, 1944 but the weather was
prohibitive and the invasion was delayed one day. It positively
could not be delayed any longer for several reasons. The invasion
forces were already aboard ships ready and eager to go. If the
invasion was delayed another day the ships would have be refueled and
they could not be refueled with all those troops aboard meaning they
would have to disembark greatly increasing the chance of a breach of
secrecy. Not only that there had to be a full moon for the
paratroopers and gliders and there had to be a low tide at dawn so
all the obstructions could be seen. All of these conditions would
not be available for another month. It all depended on the weather
report and one English weatherman in particular. On the evening of
June 5 Eisenhower called in the English weatherman and his staff for
a briefing. The weatherman predicted that there would be about 40
hours of favorable weather including all day June 6 and most of June
7. After the briefing by the weatherman Eisenhower asked the
opinions of the members of his staff and all of the pros and cons
were discussed. British General Bernard L. Montgomery was the last
person to give an opinion and he said “We cannot take those troops
off and wait. They have been trained to a razors edge and are ready
to go.” Everybody in the room looked at Eisenhower waiting for a
decision. It was then that he uttered those immortal words and the
room was empty in 30 seconds...except for Ike. There were a lot of
things to get done and not a lot of time to do it. The most
ambitious military operation to date was under way.
Several
years ago I was in Gene's restaurant here in downtown Greenville
having breakfast. Gene's was close to a gathering place of the
homeless. While I was there a man came in sat down at the counter
and asked the price of a cup of coffee. The server told him $.25,
it was really $1.00 all you could drink but the server was
sympathetic. The man gave her $.50 and hugged his coffee mug. It
was really cold and the man had on a heavy coat that had dead twigs
and leaves stuck on the back, he obviously had been sleeping outside.
When I checked out I whispered to the server to add $10.00 to my tab
and give that man something to eat but don't give him any cash and
don't tell him where it came from. I am not trying to appear noble
but I just felt the need.
A
few weeks ago I was in a sushi house here in Greenville having
dinner. I sat down beside two ladies and we got into an extended
pleasant conversation and they left before me. When I asked for my
tab the server said that those two ladies had covered it.
I
don't think I looked homeless but now I believe that you reap what
you sow...God works in mysterious ways.
Several
years ago football great Eric Dickerson was playing high school
football in Sealy, Texas as a running back. He was one of the best
running back in the nation along with Craig James and both were
heavily recruited by several universities. When Eric was a senior it
boiled down to between Texas A & M and SMU. Eric verbally
committed to A & M and all of a sudden he was driving a
PontiacTrans-Am around the campus. Eventually he changed his mind
and signed with SMU. Suddenly he was not driving the Trans-Am any
more...wonder why?
This
Date in History January 29
1936 On this date
the first baseball players were selected for the newly opened
Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. They were Ty Cobb,
Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson. Ty
Cobb, to this day, is the most productive hitter to ever play the
game. Babe Ruth was both an ace pitcher and a devastating home run
hitter, Honus Wagner was a versatile infielder and a dependable
clutch hitter, Christy Mathewson had the most wins in National League
history up until that time and Walter “Big Train” Johnson is
considered to be one of the most powerful pitchers in history. The
Hall of Fame was supposed to have opened in 1935 but money was at a
premium because of the Depression so the opening was delayed. The
rumor was spread that Civil War General Abner Doubleday was the
inventor of baseball in Cooperstown but that was bullshit. The local
businesses fostered that idea to pump up business and they made
contributions toward the building of the Hall. The Hall of Fame has
about 350,000 visitors a year.
1820 After 10 years
of a debilitating disease that lead to total insanity, King George
III of England died. King George was the chief antagonist of the
American colonists that resulted in the American Revolutionary War.
King George knew that he was not well and was desperately seeking
someone that he could trust to take care of business in his behalf.
He found one in Lord North and King George was very relieved. The
problem was that England lost its most profitable colony in America
and the English people were furious. In 1784 William Pitt the elder
gained enough power in Parliament to take control. After this the
King retired from active participation in government except for an
occasional interference with major issues such as “Catholic
Emancipation” which was defeated in 1801. I have not researched
this issue but I will soon. King George had a long history of
illness beginning in 1765 when he had a nervous breakdown and in the
winter of 1788-89 he had a severe bout with mental illness. By 1810
he was permanently insane but he was cared for tenderly by his wife
Charlotte Sophia. His son, the Prince of Wales, was named regent and
assumed throne as King George IV when his father died in 1820. It
was later speculated that King George III had lead poisoning. He
used pewter plates and utensils which contains a modicum of lead.
Born
today:
1737 Super American
Patriot Thomas Paine. He said “When we are planning for posterity,
we must remember that virtue is not hereditary.” Paine was one of
the greatest wordsmiths this country ever produced.
1862 English composer
Fredrick Delius. He said “Music is an outburst of the soul”.
Indeed Fred, indeed.
1874 US
industrialist John D. Rockefeller, Jr. He said “A friendship based
on business is better that a business based on friendship.” The
Rockefeller dynasty began with the establishment of Standard Oil
which eventually became Esso and then Exxon.
1880 US comedian
W.C. Fields. He said “My illness is due to my doctor insisting
that I drink milk. It is a whitish fluid that they force down
helpless babies.” Fields was a famous imbiber.
1939
Australian feminist Germaine Greer. She said “Freud is the
father of psychoanalysis, it has no mother.” I agree, Germaine.
Thanks
for listening I can hardly wait until tomorrow
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