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. This jackass would lead you to believe he is clever and funny, he is nether but he is a clown. 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
