Thursday

                        Musing and History

Quote of the day:

“Scientists have found that the drug Prozac is effective in combating the adverse effects of PMS in women, but it is not in the form of a pill. To be safe the husband injects his wife from a distance of 50 feet using a dart gun.”

                                              Dave Barry

As y’all may or may not know late night “comedian” Stephen Colbert testified before a Congressional committee advocating the possibilities of alien migrant farm workers finding a way to become an American citizen rather than the usual route. I will venture to say that he set back that campaign several years with his inane ramblings trying to be funny. The committee was not amused nor was I. I was incensed because this jackass was born in Washington, DC but spent the majority of his formative years on James Island (near Charleston), South Carolina. I certainly do not claim him. He wears his ego like a tiara. By the way, how do we tell a Latino farm worker from a soldier in the Guadalajara drug cartel?

A little over a week ago three men in their early twenties chose to do something daring as men that age will do. They chose to jump off the Highway 17 bridge into the Ashley River west of Charleston, South Carolina. It is a drop of at least 50 feet. Two of the jumpers were able to swim to a nearby marina but the third one never showed up. It was 22 year old Jackie Washington that was missing. He apparently got caught in the current and drowned. A search was begun that evening and two days later Jackie’s corpse was located. They never said where these men were from but the famous military academy known as The Citadel is about 2 miles away.

      This Date in History September 29

1908 Gene Autry is born in Tioga, Texas. At a young age his family moved to Oklahoma where Gene became a railroad telegrapher. One day while sitting in the train station strumming his guitar and singing, a stranger walked up and listened for a while and suggested that he should try singing on the radio. The stranger was the world famous Will Rogers and Will told Gene he should go to New York and who to contact. Gene did not succeed in The Big Apple and came back to Oklahoma and started a radio show that ran for many years. He started a successful TV show also along with making many B Grade movies. Gene was a wise investor and became one of the wealthiest men in America. Gene went to that great ranch in the sky in 1998. Bye the way, his horse’s name was Champion.

1964 The Republic of North Vietnam declared that any pilot captured would be considered as a war criminal rather than prisoners of war thereby bypassing the laws of the Geneva Convention for the treatment of POW’s. Hell ensued. The first American pilot captured was Navy Lieutenant Everett Alvarez. He was captured August 5, 1964. The person spending the longest time was Green Beret Captain Floyd Thompson who was captured March 26, 1964. The American POW’s accounted for 766. The Paris Peace Accord allowed for the release of 565 military and 26 civilians. There are to this day more than 2,500 missing in action. What a freaking nightmare that was/is.

1864 In an attempt to break the stalemate at Petersburg, US Gen. U.S. Grant ordered US Gen. Benjamin Butler to attack the Confederate lines at a place called New Market Heights. Butler scouted the lines personally and decided on a two pronged attack led by US Gens. Ord and Birney. Both attacks failed only because the Confederates had built several trenches one behind the other so that if one trench was overrun the defenders would just move back to the next trench. The Confederate lines were bent but not broken. The US had 3,300 casualties out of 20,000 engaged and the Confederates had 2000 out of 11,000 engaged.

1862 In Louisville Ky. US Gen. Jefferson Davis (not the President of CSA) and US Gen. William Nelson got into a screaming argument in the lobby of a hotel. Nelson losses it and slapped Gen. Davis and headed upstairs. Davis followed him, pulled out a pistol and capped Nelson. Davis was never taken to trial for two reasons and that being Davis was a recognized as a superior military leader and the Governor of Indiana intervened in Davis’ behalf. The Governor was with Davis when the shot was fired. Davis went on to serve with distinction in the Chickamauga/Chattanooga campaign among others.

1748 The legendary British hero Horatio Nelson is born in Burnham Thorpe, England. If there was a military leader that needed to be canonized it was Nelson. Nelson joined the British Navy and went to sea as a midshipman at the age of 12 and became a Captain at the age of 20. In their seemingly unending battles with Spain and France Britain gave Nelson command of the 64 gun frigate HMS Agamemnon to beef up the naval forces. He immediately showed his peers his bravery and skill in naval warfare and I could spend an entire lesson on the adventures of Nelson. His life was one that would make a great novel. But briefly he won several important naval engagements that prevented Spain or France from invading England. During these battles he lost and eye and his right arm but kept his command. He had a lover who was the wife of a British diplomat along with a wife of his own. His lover’s husband Lord Hamilton allowed the tryst because of Nelson’s importance in his country. Finally he was in command of the frigate HMS Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar where his navy crushed the French navy that was in support of Napoleon stopping him from invading England. During this battle Nelson was shot in the shoulder and chest by a French sharpshooter. Knowing he was close to death Nelson uttered the famous phrase “Thank God I have done my duty.” After he died, his body was put into a barrel of rum to preserve it while reroute back to England for a heroes burial. He was buried at the famous St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. I have been to St. Paul’s and have seen the statue of Nelson at; you guessed it, Trafalgar Square. From that time on the rum kept aboard ships was known as “Nelson’s blood”

Born today:

1547 Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes. He said “Where there is music there can be no evil.” Miguel is the author of “The Man of La Mancha” better known as Don Quixote, one of the most read and beloved creations of literature in history.

1903 US actress Greer Garson. When speaking about Marlon Brando she said “Actors like him are good but I do not like people that try to communicate with their armpits.” Marlon was one of my favorites but he has gone to that great sound stage in the sky.

1935 US rock and roll pianist Jerry Lee Lewis. He said “If I go to hell, I will go playing a piano.” Jerry Lee married his 14 year old cousin at one time. A lot of people remember Jerry Lee for the song “Great Balls of Fire” but I think his rendition of Hank Williams’ “Born to Lose” is his best. It really gets to me.

1943 Polish leader Lech Welesa. He said “I must tell you that the supply of words worldwide is increasing, but it appears the demand is falling.” I agree with you, Lech.

             Thanks for listening  I can hardly wait until tomorrow