Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Thursday OYSTERS

Al's Most Recent

Quote of the day:
During the American Civil War US General John Sedgwick rode up to a high point to observe the progress of the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Va. Upon arrival his staff told him that he ought to take cover. Sedgwick scoffed and said “They couldn't hit an elephant at this dis…..”

A comment about Donald and Megyn:
Back in during a Republican debate in August Megyn Kelly of Fox asked Trump about his comments about a woman's looks. There are two things amiss here from the git-go. The question has nothing to do with the issues facing this country and is similar to saying “Do you still beat your wife?” Megyn Kelly only asked that question to put pressure on Trump and she was not interested in the real issues...I am not freaking interested in Trump's comments about something like that and this country has much larger fish to fry. I think Kelly is a shallow thinker and Trump shoots from the hip...not a good combination. Does these names mean anything to you: John Chancellor, Lowell Thomas, Chet Huntley, David Brinkley, Frank McGee, Tom Brokaw, Roger Mudd and first and foremost Walter Cronkite? These people were journalists and not interested in the almighty ratings like they are today. To gain in the ratings and keep their jobs the newscasters and their producers have crossed over the line from journalism to show business. Truth in what really happened takes a back seat to how much advertising time can be sold during their newscasts...that, my friends, is show business and that includes Donald and Megyn. The media resorts to sensationalism and even yellow journalism to make it happen. Can you imagine any of the above mentioned journalists asking such a question during a debate as to how a candidate described a woman? Megyn obviously was angry at Donald because she feels he is a chauvinist and leaned on him because of it...I don't give a damn about Megyn Kelly's feelings. She has become subjective rather than objective. Which is more important for discussion: The possibility that Trump is a chauvinist or the possibility that Red China has ballistic missile submarines that may stop in Havana from time to time? The media, Megyn Kelly in particular, seems to find their personal issues are more important.


Here is a little known fact about slavery in the the British Empire. They were involved in the west African slave trade from day one. Then there came a time that it was not financially viable to continue so James II authorized the capture of those pesky “semi-human” Irishmen and selling them into slavery to the sugar plantation owners in the Caribbean and Barbados in particular. They kidnapped and sold about 1.1 million Irish into slavery. They were without a doubt racists...not against the blacks but racists none the less.

             This Date in History January 28

1777 On this date British General John Burgoyne submitted a battle plan to British General Sir Henry Clinton. Burgoyne suggested that he head a large force of 8,000 troops out of Canada and go down Lake Champlain, the Mohawk River and eventually the Hudson River and isolate New England from the rest of the colonies. Burgoyne felt that if he could accomplish this it would make Philadelphia ripe for the picking by British General Howe. The plan was approved and Burgoyne achieved a modicum of success when he captured Fort Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain. What Burgoyne did not plan on was the over extension of his supply lines the further south he moved. Eventually the Patriots simply swung around and cut his supply line. Soon after this Burgoyne lost the Battle of Bennington, Vermont and engaged in a bloody draw at Bemis Heights, New York. After these battles he was unable to re-supply his troops so he retreated 16 miles north to Saratoga, New York and surrendered his remaining 6,000 troops to US General Horatio Gates. When the government of France saw this victory they officially recognized the United States as an independent nation which, of course, meant war with England. France had been covertly sending America money and the tools of war now they did it openly and with much more supplies. This decision by France assured an American victory because it meant that England would have to fight a war on both sides of the Atlantic.


1958 On this date a 19 year old high school dropout from Lincoln, Nebraska named Charles Starkweather and his 14 year old girlfriend Carol Fugate murdered a Lincoln business man, his wife and their maid. This was the last in a string of 10 murder committed by the duo. This murder spree began at the home of Carol and an argument broke out between Charles and Carol’s parents. Charles chose to shoot Carol’s parent and strangle Carol’s two year old sister. Carol and Charles stayed holed up in the house for a few days before leaving in Charles’ car. Their next victims was a farmer and two teens and after that it was the previously mention Lincoln businessman, wife and maid. They were not done yet. They shot and killed a traveling shoe salesman to get his car. They were surrounded and captured near Douglas, Wyoming. Both Charles and Carol were convicted of murder and Charles got the death penalty and Carol got life. In 1959 Charles Starkweather went to meet his maker medium rare after a visit with the Nebraska version of “Old Sparky”. Carol was paroled after 18 years. How could that girl sit in the house with her dead parents and sister for several days? They paroled her because she was so young at the time of the murders. I will have to call baloney on that.

1986 On this day the space shuttle Challenger was set to launch for the 10th time. All previous missions with this vessel had been flawless. The shuttle had been scheduled to launch on January 22 but there were weather issues so the launch date was pushed back to January 28. Aboard with the regular astronauts was a school teacher name Christa McAuliffe from New Hampshire. The outside air temperature was below freezing and the rocket booster manufacturer warned the launch officials that some of the parts of the rocket booster do not operate well in cold weather, especially the O-ring seals. They warned that they became brittle in the cold and would not hold. The launch officials blew it off and at 11:39a the Challenger blasted off. Seventy-three seconds into the flight the shuttle exploded into a spectacular three armed display and fell into the Atlantic killing all aboard. An investigation later proved that an O-ring seal had indeed failed and the flame from the rocket boosters had not been contained inside the cylinder causing an explosion. The arrogance of the launch officials in allowing the launch in spite of being warned set space exploration back several years.

      Thanks for listening   I can hardly wait until tomorrow



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