Monday

                        Musings and History

Quote of the day:

My youngest daughter is a tennis nut and is known as “The Beast” because of her fiery competitive nature and “take no prisoners” attitude when she is on the court. We were discussing Serena Williams winning Wimbledon by destroying her opponent in straight sets and she said “There is the true beast.”

                                        Jennifer the Beast

A word about Dallas:

I have not been totally successful in my relationship with law enforcement but I certainly want them out there rather than not. I could not do their job, I would get emotionally involved and lose my objectivity like some of the law enforcement officers I have encountered. To ambush officers that were protecting a peaceful protest is the act of a coward...no, it is the act of a rabid dog and he deserved no mercy. The pound of C4 that was detonated in close proximity turned the shooter into spaghetti sauce but a flame thrower would have been more gratifying.

I think we must be aware that this and any other violent act will be used by the media as fodder for their reporting. Violence sell air time, magazines and newspapers especially if there is a racial overtone, real or manufactured...peace doesn't.

             This Date in History July 11

1804 Earlier Alexander Hamilton had immigrated to the United States after being born in the Island of Nevis in the Bahamas. Hamilton’s brilliance was unmistakable and obvious and he was soon recognized for it by those in the high end of the body politic. He eventually was recognized by George Washington and was made one of Washington’s aides. Almost at the same time another brilliant man named Aaron Burr began to surface. Burr was American born and Princeton (then the College of New Jersey) educated graduating at the age of 17. Burr was intensely interested in American politics but Hamilton saw him as an opportunist and fought against him at every step. Hamilton became the first Secretary of the Treasury and through skillful maneuvering was able to forestall a financial disaster in the fledgling United States. Burr had not been sitting still either and worked his way up to Vice President with Thomas Jefferson as President. After being elected as Vice President, Hamilton bore down even more with his criticism of Burr. Burr finally got fed up and challenged Hamilton to “an affair of honor” meaning a duel. Dueling was illegal in New York (Washington was not yet the capitol) so the duel was set for Weehawken, New Jersey. The weapons of choice were pistols at twenty paces (ten each). On this date Hamilton and Burr faced each other pistols in hand. At this point things get a little bit hazy. Hamilton’s “second” said that Hamilton suddenly realized that this was not the way to settle a beef and pointed his pistol up in the air and fired. Burr’s “second” said that Hamilton fired and missed Burr. Burr was not that bad of a shot and put a round in Hamilton stomach and he died the next day. Later history proved that Burr was indeed an opportunist when he approached the commander of the American forces General James Wilkinson and tried to get him to take his forces over and capture the recently acquired Louisiana Purchase and make it a separate nation with Burr as president. They had the same thing in mind for the Spanish owned area of Florida which was in dispute. Burr was found out and discredited and his political ambitions went down the toilet. In 1807 he was arrested in Louisiana and sent back to face charges of treason. He was acquitted on a technicality but public opinion had convicted him of treason and he fled to Europe. He returned to the US a few years before his death in 1836.

1861 On this date the Battle of Rich Mountain in western Virginia occurs. It was the Union army commanded by General George McClellan and General William Rosecrans as second in command. The Confederates were commanded by CSA General Richard Garnett and Colonel John Pegram as second. This area eventually became the state of West Virginia and at the time of the Civil War there were more people not in favor of secession as there was in favor. Not only that the Baltimore and Ohio railroad ran through this area and would prove to be a vital artery for supplies to the Union army in the western theatre. The battle was fought during a raging downpour and Rosecrans was able to flank Pegram’s troops and block their retreat at the same time and the 565 man unit were forced to surrender. This proved to be a victory for the Union army and George McClellan but most experts give the credit to Rosecrans. In any event McClellan eventually became the commander of the gigantic Army of the Potomac, 100,000 strong. The small victories that McClellan gained in western Virginia in no way prepared him for the carnage he witnessed in the Peninsular Campaign and his first encounter with CSA General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia where McClellan’s troops were slaughtered right before his eyes. When he witnessed this massacre McClellan lost his nerve and Lee sensed it and pushed the timid McClellan right off the James River Peninsula and back onto his boats and back north.

1937 Earlier the gifted Welch poet Dylan Thomas had met Caitlin MacNamara in a London pub. She did not like him at first but afterward she fell for his charms and on this date they were married. It was no rose garden right from the start. Dylan believed that Caitlin was cheating on him and it they squabbled often about it. Not only that, they both were heavy drinkers. Caitlin was acknowledged to be able to hang with anyone at a bar. In spite of this turmoil, they had issue of three sons and Dylan turned out three best selling books of poetry. He was also invited to the United States to join the speaking circuit to recite his poetry for a hell of a lot of money. His poetry was not what one would expect. His poetry was hard-hitting and violent but it was in great demand. In 1953 after a poetry reading session, Dylan went into the White Horse Pub on Hudson Street in New York City and knocked back several shots of scotch and promptly walked out onto the sidewalk and dropped dead. Caitlin re-married and this husband helped her stop drinking and they had issue of one son. She wrote two books about her experiences with him. She was forever bitter toward Dylan until her death at the age of 80.

Born today:

1767 US President John Quincy Adams. He said “Old minds are like old horses, you must exercise them to keep them in good working order.” My sentiments exactly.

1838 US merchant John Wannamaker. He said “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted. The trouble is that I don’t know which half.”

1849 Canadian physician Sir William Osler. He said “One finger in the throat and one finger in the rectum makes a good diagnostician.” What if I come in with a broke leg, Doc?

1854 US inventor George Eastman. His suicide note read “My work is done, why wait?” George was 88 at the time of his demise.

1920 US actor Yul Brynner. He said “Girls have an advantage over men. If they can’t get what they want by being smart, they can get it by being dumb.” I think I know several of both.

Died today:

1937 US composer George Gershwin. He said “Music should reflect the people and times. My people are Americans and my time is now.” The Gershwin brothers left us with a legacy of music that has yet to be equaled. George was 39 when he passed.

             Thanks for listening I can hardly wait until tomorrow