Monday

                        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