Musings
and History
Quote
of the day:
“Experience
is the name we give to our mistakes.”
Oscar Wilde
Trivia
question of the day:
What
was Cleopatra's nationality? Answer at the end of the blog.
Every
day we see where groups of politicians oppose or try to slow down any
and all legislation not because it is good or bad for the nation as a
whole but because of who was/or was not the author. How can these jackasses be
considered “Patriots”? They can't, they are vultures and hyenas
attempting to gain for themselves at our expense...and I think Trey
Gowdy saw this and is dropping out...Swamp indeed.
This
Date in History April 30
1945
On this date one of the most depraved beasts to ever walk the
earth committed suicide. Adolph Hitler spent the last few days of
his life in his underground bunker 30 feet under the German
Chancellery in Berlin. He could easily hear the thunderous approach
of the Russian army coming from the east and southeast. He had
already instructed his staff to gather up 40 liters of gasoline to
incinerate his corpse when the time came. Earlier this bastard had
came out of his bunker and met with his “last line of defense”
and that being untrained boys at the age of 15 and younger and old
men over the age of 70. Even trained German paratroopers would be no
match for the relentless Russians but this son-of-a-bitch wanted
children and old men to sacrifice their lives for him with him
knowing that all was lost. All the other important members of his
private staff had already committed suicide by biting into a cyanide
capsule. Early in the day Hitler had married his mistress Eva Braun
and it was she and Hitler that were left in his private bunker when
he died much to the free world’s relief. Eva had taken cyanide and
Hitler had taken cyanide also but before the poison had time to work,
he put a 9mm bullet in his brain also. Oh, I almost forgot. In
order to test the cyanide poison, he gave a dose of it to his German
shepherd named Blondi. She died also. There was no end to the depth
of Hitler’s evilness. As instructed, his staff dug a small trench
in the garden of the Chancellery, put Hitler’s corpse and 40 liters
of gasoline into it and lit it off. Finally, the world was rid of
Adolph Hitler. But there will be another; history has proven it time
and again.
1803
On this date the Louisiana Purchase was officially offered to the
United States which doubled its land area. President Thomas
Jefferson had gotten wind that Spain was secretly going to cede its
lands in America to France. Jefferson sent Robert Livingston and
others to France to see if they could broker a deal to gain the port
of New Orleans, as the United States had no dependable port in that
area. Livingston met with the Prime Minister of France who was
acting in behalf of Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon knew that he could
not fight a war on two fronts against the British, in Europe and
North America, and Napoleon needed money to finance the war in
Europe. So when Livingston had the meeting with the Prime Minister
and asked him what he wanted for New Orleans, the Prime Minister
asked “What will you give me for all of it?” meaning all of the
French possessions in North America, Livingston and the others were
so astounded that they asked for a couple of days to come up with a
figure. They really wanted time to go change their pants. The
figure that Livingston came up with was $15 million. $11.5 million
for the land (3 cents and acre) and $3.5 million for unpaid debts the
United States owed to France. Ya’ll have to keep in mind that
there was no instant communications available and Livingston had to
make this unexpected decision on his own. He did good, ya’ll. The
actual deal was signed on May 2 but the date on the document was May
30. What enormously talented men and women we had on our side at
this point in time.
1776
One of the most fire blooded Patriots in American history, Samuel
Adams, writes letter to his pastor, saying that he wished there was
another battle suggesting that that would make the “Declaration of
Independence” more readily accepted. Our greatest General George
Washington had already run the redcoats out of Boston with the
brilliant Battle of Dorchester Heights and the British had already
headed to Nova Scotia with their tails between their legs. Fifteen
days after Samuel Adam’s letter the British were not beaten by
bloodshed but by words alone. Thomas Paine issued “Common
Sense”
a pamphlet that was a sequence of words that were some of the most
inspiring ever written. It was these few words that inspired out
forefathers decided to stay at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania rather that
hold the US government to the contract that would expire on December
31, 1777 and our most experienced soldiers would go home. Instead
they went to Trenton, New Jersey and kicked the shit out the Hessians
(mercenaries) there. The war was by no means over and our
independence was not assured, but there was light at the end of the
tunnel.
1864
Earlier Union General Nathaniel Banks had tried to go from New
Orleans to the intersection of the Mississippi and the Red River and
then follow the Red River on into Texas. To pin the Confederates
onto the river, and follow Banks on into Texas via the east bank of
the Red River, US General Frederick Steele and an army of 2,500 left
Little Rock headed to the river. Then Nathaniel Banks had his ass
handed to him by CSA General Richard Taylor at the Battle of
Mansfield, Louisiana and Banks headed back to New Orleans leaving
Steele stranded and short on supplies. Not only that, after CSA
General Kirby Smith found out about Steele’s condition he closed in
for the kill. Smith attacked Steele near Jenkins Ferry, Arkansas
finding Steele’s troops in mid stream trying to cross the rain
swollen Saline River. General Smith was not able to finish the job
because of muddy roads and river crossings but he was able to capture
over 400 of Steele’s supply wagons before Steele reached the safety
of Little Rock.
Born today:
1771
US theologian Hosea Ballou. He said “Real happiness is cheap
enough, but how dearly we pay for its counterfeit.” True words,
ya’ll.
1834
English naturalist Sir John Lubbock. He said “Reading, writing,
arithmetic and grammar do not make an education any more than a
knife, fork and spoon make a dinner.”
1933
US songwriter/singer Willie Nelson. When asked why he smokes
marijuana he said “It keeps me from killing people.” Willie is a
hoot.
Died today:
1879
US writer Sarah Hale. She said “I have no riches except my
thoughts, yet this is enough wealth for me.” Me too.
1983
US blues legend Muddy Waters. When speaking of Mick Jagger he
said “He took my music but gave me fame.”
Answer
to the trivia question:
Cleopatra
and 7 of the previous rulers of Egypt were Greek. They were
ancestors of Ptolemy, a Greek general under Alexander the Great who
he left ruling Egypt while he continued his campaign into Persia and
on eastward.
Thanks
for listening I can hardly wait until tomorrow
