Thursday

                          Musings and History

Quote of the day:

“Donald Trump is a blend of literary characters...Daddy Warbucks and Hannibal Lecter. ”

                                                Al Campbell

Trivia question of the day:

In the 1955 musical movie “Oklahoma” who played the male and female lead? Answer at the end of the blog

A while back over in Spartanburg, SC the county deputies were called to a domestic disturbance. It seems that a 36 year old woman was in her house with her new boyfriend and her old boyfriend showed up unannounced and started beating on the door. She finally opened the door and the old boyfriend hit her with a banana and spits at her. That’s right, I said a banana. This no class, y’all. He could have at least used a Granny Smith apple, a Ruby Red grapefruit or Jalapeno pepper. By the way, the old boyfriend and the woman had four children together over the years.

Again over in Spartanburg, SC a woman shopping at a Wal-Mart called and complained to the police about a flasher. She was in the check-out lane in the “garden section” when a man came in and there was nothing between him and the Lord but a pair of flip-flops, extra short shorts and a tank top. You will notice that I did not mention underwear. He went over to the lawn care section, stayed five minutes and went to the check-out line. The man kept bending over at the waist and pulling up his shorts as tight as he could get them and the security cameras confirmed it…I will leave the rest to your imagination. I wonder what bought…was it Miracle Gro...or Raid?

                          This Date in History July 12

1861 Earlier Bostonian Albert Pike left home in the 1830’s to seek his fortune in the Great American west. He joined with more than one trapping and hunting expeditions departing from the Saint Louis area. Albert and horses did not get along well and he spent a great deal of time walking. He finally settled in the area near what is now Fort Smith, Arkansas. He was a participant in the Mexican-American war in the mid 1840’s. The problem here was that he did not get along with his commanding officer and a point came where it was a matter of honor and a duel was in order. These two faced off and blazed away with pistols but not a scratch was suffered by either one and their “seconds” put and end to this foolishness. Pike became friendly with, and was well known by several of the Indian tribes from the Great Plains all the way back to the Cherokees. Pike was not an advocate of secession but when Arkansas seceded, Pike offered his services to the Confederacy. He was named as special envoy to the Native Americans and it was his job to gain treaties with as many as he could so the Confederacy would not have to deal with them during the Civil War. The Native Americans were not thrilled with the white Southerners moving in on their lands but that was not as bad as the US government demanding that the tribes leave their lands altogether to the white man. Pike did not disappoint and on this date he signed a treaty with the powerful Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes in Indian Territory not to mention treaties with the Creeks, Seminoles, Comanche and Caddo among others. One Cherokee named Stand Watie joined the Confederate army and rose to the rank of Brigadier General. If I am not mistaken he was present at Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House.

1963 On this date little Pauline Reade is walking to a dance from her home in Gorton, England. This is the last anyone had seen of her for years to come except for her abductors Ian Brady and Myra Hindley. Ian and Myra became known as the “Moor Murderers”. It was not until 1987 that Pauline’s body was recovered and then only after Ian had confessed to the murder while in an insane asylum and took the police to the burial site. Little Pauline was not the only one. Ian and Myra tortured and murdered two 12 year old boys and one 10 year old girl. Finally they captured a 17 year old boy and chopped him to pieces with a hatchet in front of Myra’s brother-in-law David Smith. Even though Smith was a “skinhead” or a neo-Nazi, this brutality was even too much for him and he blew the whistle on Ian and Myra. The police raided Ian and Myra’s apartment and found pornographic photos of Myra that Ian sold on the street. They also found photos of the 10 years old girl being tortured and recordings of her begging for her life. The police found other photos of Ian and Myra in a remote location and were able to identify it as Saddleworth Moor. By the way, a moor is an expanse of infertile land usually fairly swampy. The police found the remains of two more victims in this moor. Ian and Myra received the worst penalty available in Great Britain and that being life imprisonment. It is really peculiar that England has banished the death penalty when their history is full of inventive methods of torture and horrendous methods of execution. I guess they got it out of their system.

1861 Earlier James Butler Hickok moved to Nebraska from Homer, Illinois. He chose to be known as “Bill” as his father was named. Bill was well trained and adapted to the life of the gun and was considered a crack pistol shot with either hand even at the young age of 21. He settled in Rock Springs Station, Nebraska and took a job as a stock handler. Across the street was a blacksmith named Dave McCandles who, for reasons known only to Dave, hated Bill and would needle him whenever he had the chance. Bill got back at him secretly by having sex with Dave’s mistress Sarah Shull. One day Dave evidently found out about Bill and Sarah so he and two of his friends and Dave’s 12 year old son come storming over to the stock yard yelling that he was going to take Bill out into the yard and horsewhip him. Bill responded with “You try that and there will be one less son-of-a-bitch here.” Dave took a couple of steps toward Bill with gun drawn. Bill whipped out his pistol and drilled poor Dave in the middle of his chest. Dave staggered back out in the yard and died in the arms of his 12 year old. The other two came running into the station again with guns drawn and Bill dropped one of them hitting him twice and hit the other one in the side and dropped him but it was not a fatal wound. The others in the stock yard got fed up and finished off the two wounded attackers. It is from this episode that the legend of “Wild Bill” Hickok was born.

1943 The Russian army, having gathered all the artillery and tanks available, open up a defensive perimeter know as the “Kursk Salient” to try and put a stop to the German assault that was about to overcome the entire country. There were about 3,000 tanks available to each side. On this date near the city of Kursk 900 Soviet tanks engaged 900 German tanks in the largest tank engagement in history. About an equal number of tanks were destroyed on both sides but the German advance was stopped in its tracks and the invasion of Russia was beginning to turn around. After the Russians gained the initiative they were merciless and relentless in their slaughter of the Germans.

Born today:

1920 Canadian writer Pierre Berton. He said “A Canadian is someone that can make love in a canoe.” A US southerner is someone that can make love standing up in a Pawley’s Island hammock.

Died today:

1849 First Lady Dolley Madison. She said “I would rather fight with my hands rather than my tongue.” I am going to let that one alone.

Answer to the trivia question:

The male and female lead in the movie Oklahoma was Gordon McRae and Shirley Jones.

              Thanks for listening I can hardly wait until tomorrow