Happy Birthday..........

Today's birthday of note.......

In 1906.........

Lon Chaney Jr. Star of numerous classic Universal Pictures horror films of the 1940's. Some of my fondest memories were watching those wonderful movies when I was growing up. Chaney was most famous for his portrayal of the cursed and haunted Lawrence Talbot in the movie The Wolf Man. I thought that movie was the best thing in the world, I even remember the old gypsy woman's poem about the curse of the werewolf,

"Even a man who is pure at heart, and says his prayers at night, may become a wolf when the wolf bane blooms and the moon is full and bright......."

But of course, a great movie like this couldn't be left alone. Hollywood just HAD to mess with it, a new version of this classic will be out around Christmas.

Today in History...............

In 1258......

The Mongols burned Baghdad to the ground. Not a bad idea then, and not too bad a idea today.......

In 1763......

The French as the result of losing the Seven Years War, (The French and Indian War to we Americans) ceded Canada over to the British. This led to a power shift between the French speakers and the English newcomers which still resonates in Quebec today. It also laid the foundations of our Revolutionary war a few years later.

Come to the Cabaret, Old Chum.............

There ARE a few downsides to my love and fascination for history. One of those is the "Aw CRAP!" moments when I get the overwhelming feeling that (at least in my opinion) we are heading down a path that we have gone down before.

This past weekend I got hit right between the eyes with one of those which left me shaking my head.

While sitting around tying some knots on a knife lanyard for my Civil War sailor's belt knife, I was watching the video "Cabaret" with Liza Minnelli. Not a video I would normally watch, but I had pretty much worked through my collection over the past week or so and was driven to desperate measures.

About halfway through the film, I was struck by how close America resembles the German Weimar Republic of the late 1920's / early 1930's. The majority of the people are so caught up in their own troubles and the hurting economy that they are willing to be led by anyone who will offer them a quick "painless" solution. People are more focused on their own narrow self interest and what makes them happy or feel good. The government is printing money that is being devalued almost as soon as it comes off the presses and is running the risk of inflation or even hyper-inflation. (I remember seeing pictures of Germans trying to buy loaves of bread with a wheelbarrow full of money as well as hearing about Germans rushing out to spend their pay as soon as they got it, before it's value was reduced even further due to hyper-inflation.) Granted, we don't have Brown Shirts running around beating up people, nor pitched battles in the street between the Nazi and Communist gangs. But there are enough similarities to make me feel very, very, uncomfortable.

Most folks forget that Hitler came to power by a more or less honest election. He promised the German people that he would rebuild both the country and the economy. He also told the people that he would restore their pride and honor. He said that he would protect them from all enemies and they could have wonderful lives if they just followed him without question. Well the German people accepted Herr Hitler's program hook, line and sinker. And once Hitler took power he gradually took what freedom and liberty the people did have away until he had created a true police state.

I was also reminded of how America also resembles Spain in the early 1930's. After years of a conservative government, a free election brought in a government that was extremely liberal, anti- religion, and pro-labor. There were a huge number of changes in the country in a very short time which caused a great deal of uncertainty and fear. The status quo was over turned and the people were left with nothing that they could hold on to. Again, there was someone sitting in the wings watching and waiting who promised the people stability and security that they were missing. This man was Francisco Franco, a officer in the Spanish Army. He led a military coup that promised to bring order and the rule of law back to Spain. After a bloody three year civil war he overthrew the elected government of Spain and took over the reins of power which led to a dictatorship that lasted until the 1970's. Did he give people the stability that they craved? Yes, but the cost was their individual liberty and freedom.

When a person is scared, worried or hungry, some times rational thought goes out the window. Again, quick and easy is what most people would rather have. Instant gratification is the universal desire of the modern man. Unfortunately I see a great deal of that going on today. I hope and pray that we have enough knowledge and wisdom to resist such "fuhrers or generalissimos" these days, but I have my serious doubts.

Absolutely Useless Information..............

For those of you who have never been to North Carolina, it is a wonderful, gorgeous state to live in. From our Great Smokey and Blue Ridge Mountains, to the white beaches of the Outer Banks, there is something for everybody. North Carolina is also noted for being one of the most friendly state to the military in the United States. N.C. is home to Camp Lejeune Marine Corps base, Cherry Point MCAS, Seymour Johnson AFB and Ft. Bragg as well as other smaller bases. Having little else to think about for the past week or so, I wondered why we were lucky enough to end up with so many bases. I ran across this story which may explain it.

In 1941 Frankin D. Roosevelt started preparing the country for war and was looking into places to build military bases. At the time North Carolina's governor was Joseph Melville Broughton who Roosevelt owed more than a few political favors to. F.D.R. came to NC and asked Broughton if he would like a military base here and Broughton told Roosevelt to "bring 'em all, he would take them." When Roosevelt asked Broughton if there would be any problems with getting them built, Broughton was alleged to have said, "Mr. President, I can't think of any place where falling shrapnel would have less of a effect than in eastern North Carolina"

Or so it's said.........

Happy Birthday.........

Today's Birthdays of Note:

In 1788....

Sir Robert Peel, English prime minister and founder of the London Police Department. Sir Robert was the father of modern police movement and all police agencies are in a great degree following the model of the London Police. The nick-names for London police "Bobbie" and "Peeler" are a hat tip to Sir Robert and his efforts.

In 1840....

Sir Hiram S. Maxim, scientist, firearms inventor. Maxim was one of the first to develop the fully automatic portable machine gun. Maxim was born and spent most of his early life in America was working on several various scientific projects in Europe when he was allegedly told by a fellow American, " 'Hang your chemistry and electricity! If you want to make a pile of money, invent something that will enable these Europeans to cut each others' throats with greater facility" Maxim moved to England and began development of the Maxim belt-fed machine gun. This basic design was manufactured and used by the military forces of Great Britain, Germany, and Imperial Russia in the First World War. It would seem that Maxim accomplished what his friend had recommended.

Today In History...........

I thought I would ease back into blogging by pointing out a interesting (at least to me) thing or two that happened on this date.

In 1922.....

The Reader's Digest was first published. From that point on, bathrooms around America were never the same.

In 1958.....

As the result of a mid-air collision between two aircraft,the U.S. Air Force "lost" a 7600 lb. Hydrogen bomb in the Atlantic Ocean off Tybee Island near Savannah Ga. Well, maybe lost is too hard a term. Let's just say it's "misplaced" since it has never been recovered. There have been more than a few of these types of incidents, which the government has code named "Broken Arrows" to include one at Goldsboro NC (only a few hours from my home) in 1961. Again, in that case, another Hydrogen bomb was "lost" in a bean field after the aircraft carrying it broke apart in mid-air.

I can't get my mind around the fact that a bomb that size could not be recovered, but what do I know?

Zero Hour Nine A.M., And I'm Gonna Be High As A Kite By Then...........

Without a doubt, this has been one of the slackest weeks I have ever spent in recent memory. I have been absolutely useless and didn't accomplish spit.

Well, I take that back. I had more surgery on my left knee Friday before last, got to take a good bit of pain medicine, (Doc told me that the second time in the same knee would be worse. Fine fellow that he is, he didn't lie.) got my stitches pulled out and got scheduled for P.T. But other than that, I have been doing my Long John Silver impression stumping around the casa on crutches being churlish. I didn't even feel like writing much. I must have started several blog entries then thought better of them and hit the delete button. Count your blessings that I did that. Vicodin and percocet do not even come close to turning me into a Hemingway, or even a Hunter Thompson.

So for the most part, it's been a "Blockbuster" week. Been watching a lot of classics, Captain Blood, The Sea Hawk, The Charge of the Light Brigade, and so on. Nothing but brain candy, but it's fun.

I SHOULD be back to my normal effervescent self by week's end, so beware.......-grin-