Casey Jones you better watch your speed

April 30
On this day in 1900 fabled railroad engineer Casey Jones lost his life when his train crashed into the back of another train while trying to make up time on the "Cannonball Run" in Mississippi. He was famous for never being late. Sometimes he would have to speed through towns faster than safety would dictate. But he would blow his whistle warning everyone that he was coming. But his luck would run out on this day. Jones lost control of his passenger train and through his heroic efforts was able to slow down the train from 75 mph to about 35 mph on impact resulting in only one death, his own.

On this day in 1976 Keith Moon paid 9 New York City cab drivers to block off the street below his hotel so he could throw the entire contents of his room out the window. Oh man! They don't make them like Keith anymore!

In 1970, Twiggs Lyon, the road manager of the Allman brothers band, stabbed a club manager to death in an argument over a contract. During his trial he pleaded temporary insanity. He claimed that touring with the Allman Brothers would drive anyone insane. He was acquitted.
Oh yeah, Hitler committed suicide on this day. I would have rather seen the Russians get their hands on him. That would have been pretty funny.

Can't we all just, get along?

April 29
On this day in 1992 Los Angeles erupted in violence after the verdict of the trial of Rodney King was read to an eagerly awaiting nation. The four officers that were at the scene were acquitted and rioting commenced throughout the city. I was 11 years old when this occurred and the video evidence along was more than enough for me to believe that this was a crock of shit. Justice was served in the civil court when Rodney King was awarded over 3 million dollars and two of the officers were sentenced to two years in prison. Remarkably there were no riots anywhere when that decision went down. I firmly believe that this incident had a little to do with the verdict in the OJ Simpson trial. Like it or not both of these trials had a lot to do with race, and I'm sure the jurors of the Rodney King trial feel somewhat guilty for what transpired after. Maybe a hung jury, but to be acquitted? That's messed up.

But hey, the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Los Angeles Lakers in Las Vegas when the game was moved because of the riots. Suck on that Lakers!

Set adrift

April 28
On this day in 1945 yet another leader of WWII beat Hitler to the grave when Benito Mussolini was captured while trying to escape to Switzerland and killed along with his wife. He was then famously hung upside down in Milan for everyone to see that the dictator was dead.

Also on this day in 1789 was the famous mutiny on the Bounty. The Bounty was a British ship that worked primarily in the West Indies. It was on this day that captain William Bligh and 18 other crew members were set adrift and Fletcher Christian and the rest of the mutineers set sail in search of an island of their own. You see, the Bounty had arrived in Tahiti in search of breadfruit and while in harbor, Mr. Christian fell in love with the place and didn't want to leave back to England. So he started the mutiny and set up a colony in the south Pacific that still has inhabitants that are descendants of his mutineers! What about poor captain Bligh? Well, after been adrift for over 3000 miles he navigated his 21 foot boat to East Timor and was rescued. He was even able to make a return voyage to Tahiti for his breadfruit. Persistence, it pays off!

Time is never on time

April 27
Johanness Kepler believed that the Universe was created on this day in 4977 B.C. Modern scientists believe in the big band theory, saying it was created some 13 billion years ago. I'll give Kepler the benefit of the doubt, seeing as the research had only begun to prove that the earth was not at the center of the universe. His work was highly influential to Sir Issac Newton, but his theory of the creation of the universe was flawed a bit. In my opinion, even if the math could be done to show the exact date and time the big bang theory occurred, I would say that was wrong also. I firmly believe that both time and space are infinite in both directions. There's a theory out there that states the Universe is expanding and at some point it will begin to collapse upon itself. Perhaps this has happened in the past. Who's to say that beyond the borders of our know universe that there isn't another universe, some day are we going to find a glass ceiling and proclaim "we have gone to the edge of the universe and it's a waterfall!".

Also on this day in 1865 the steamship Sultana, exploded on the Mississippi river, killing 1,547 people. Most of them were Civil War veterans and POW's returning home. When it left on its fateful journey the boat was overloaded with nearly 2,700 persons. The incredible part is that it was only built to hold about 350 people. Once again greed takes precidents over safety. Having men on board who wanted nothing more than to put the war behind them should also be taken into consideration, but at what point did the captain of the ship begin to think that enough is enough?

Geet down!!!

April 26
Today is the 25th wedding anniversary for Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Thus linking the Kennedy dynasty to the Nazi 3rd Reich once again!

 Hey, speaking of Nazis, on this day in 1976 David Bowie was detained when he tried to cross the Polish border with Nazi paraphernalia, including books and mementos. You gotta put that in the suitcase of your entourage. They go to jail for you, no big deal.

This is also the 25th anniversary of Chernobyl.  If something can be fucked up, then the Russians can fuck it up better than anyone. The Japanese nuclear disasters that are ongoing at least occurred because of natural disaster. The Russians just plain screwed up, at least after a day they decided to evacuate. Minimal birth defects! Oh wait, no, eastern Europe will be glowing for 10,000 years because of that, no biggie.

...like Robinson Crusoe, as primitive as can be.

April 25
Slim pickings again, I'm going Robinson Crusoe being published in 1719 as the highlight of this day in history. Why? Because I chose this book for a book report in high school and there really isn't much else that happened on this day. Guy gets shipwrecked, quotes the bible, rescues a random dude from cannibals, calls him Friday, they get found., the end. Bored. To. Tears. That's my synopsis.
The Hubble space telescope was also launched on this day in 1990. Lots of cool images from space because of that thing. Go humanity!

Yet another highlight was Courtney Love turning down $1,000,000 to pose nude in playboy. We are all better off because of it. Who would want naked pictures of Courtney Love anyway?

Blarney!

April 24

On this day in 1945 president Harry Truman was informed about the Manhattan Project. There were three bombs made, Trinity was the first test bomb that was set off a few days before Truman was told of the existence of a weapon that could wipe out an entire city. He used to other two, Fat man and Little Boy on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Interesting that Roosevelt didn't let Truman in on any of the information dealing with the Manhattan Project. Maybe he thought he would have survived long enough to see the war through, after all FDR was in tip-top shape.
Also on this date in 1916 was the Easter Rebellion in Ireland. As a result the Republic of Ireland was created and has been fighting the United Kingdom ever since. The British presence on the emerald isle still exists with the northern counties, or Northern Ireland, and has caused much bloodshed in the last century.

Is that Bill Shakespeare over there? I can't tell.

April 23

William Shakespeare 1564-1616, way to die on your birthday! Yeah! His actual birthday is lost to history, all they know is he was baptized on the 26th of April, and it was customary to live your first 3 days on earth in sin, so it's assumed he was born on the 23rd. Fitting, for a guy who has been scrutinized over whether or not he wrote some of his greatest works. I think the Francis Bacon conspiracy is bunk, but you never know. Other than this joyous nugget there wasn't much else that happened on this day. Some guy named King Brian of Ireland was killed by Vikings in 1014. As a rule of thumb I do not often associate myself with Vikings. They are harbingers of death, have ghastly table manners, and generally smell really bad. They believe in this Valhalla thing and this Thor guy, I don't really get it. So it is clear to me that this King Brian guy should have chosen who he was hanging out with more wisely.

Earth Day! It's not just a guy on a pizza box!

April 22
Today marks the 41st anniversary of Earth Day! I think we, as a nation, and planet, have come along way since the 70's in making this a better place to live for us all. But, thanks to China, businesses like BP, those awesome folks down in the Amazon burning down the forests, and many other factors we have a long way to go. Something has to give. It probably won't be in my lifetime, or in my next lifetime, but there comes a point when demand exceeds the resources needed to sustain a population. Earth Day is not only about conservation, reduction, and recycling, but also awareness. When it comes to global warming I'm more of a big picture kind of guy. I know that humans are a speck on a speck in the history of the planet, and all it's going to take is one volcano, something a little bigger than Mt. St. Helens. Maybe not Krakatoa, but around that size to change the climate. Humans have had an impact, but nature has it's own set of checks and balances. Life will find a way, with us, or without us. But if humans wish to live a comfortable life for generations to come, then big changes need to happen now. A monumental task to say the least.

I hope the guy/gal who designed this logo realizes the polar ice caps are gone.

The Blues Brothers performed for the first time in 1978 on Saturday Night Live. I'm a big fan. Somehow the Russian overdub adds something to this scene that has been lacking for years...

The Red Barron, he's not just a guy on a pizza box.

April 21

On this day in 1918, Manfred von Richthofen, also known as the Red Baron, was shot down while chasing an allied plane behind enemy lines. This guy was clearly the best pilot during WWI, shooting down 80 planes before his error in judgement cost him his life. He was only 25 years old. I did a report on him in the seventh grade, so that's why I moved this event to the top of the heap. If he would have survived the war, who knows if history would have a little different. As a national hero he might have moved up the political ladder in post war Germany. Or if he would have gone through the military route, perhaps in his mid 40's, he might have made different decisions than those of the men who were actually in charge. This thought crossed my mind when I realized that one of the men who would go on to be in charge was Herman Goring.  He was a fighter pilot in WWI as well. In fact, he was a subordinate of the Red Baron.
This day is also the traditional date of the founding of Rome. Romulus and Remus, twin brothers, built a town together where they were raised by wolves. They started the fussin and the fuedin and Romulus killed his brother. Would it be called Reme if Remus killed Romulus?

Are you cool, man?

April 20
So first of all I'm going to list the Columbine massacre as the event of the day. School shootings are a tragic event and this was the most ghastly until the Virginia Tech shooting. This came a year after I graduated high school, so I was removed a bit from the experience and fear of going to school and thinking about what those students in Colorado must have went through, but I remember watching the events unfold on television and thinking "not again!". My last day of high school was the day of the Thurston shooting. I had the same thought in my head, but having it happen in my home state brought it closer to home. But once again I didn't have to go to class and wonder if it could happen to me. I have since become friends with people who went the Thurston and survived the shooting there and have a great deal of respect for them.
 Also, way to go BP. How's that last year been for you? Hope you got your life back.
Next I have a bit of a rant to go on. I must start by saying I don't have a bone to pick with people who smoke pot. That is within their rights to do what they want. It's a social drug and typically those under its influence aren't violent and don't cause much of a stir. But why 420? Here is the link to the origins. Yawn! Not exactly a cool reason to have a day to smoke weed. What's that? You smoke weed every day? Then why have a day/time to celebrate it? Why have some stupid day that's Hitler's birthday. Why not have it on Bob Marley's birthday, or Jerry Garcia's? I guess I just don't "get it". My answer to the question "Are you cool, man?" would be "No." Instead of "Like, how?"

Cult of personality

April 19
The History Channel website dropped the ball today I must say. They put as the headline event of this day was the first Boston Marathon in 1897. Ok? It's not like there wasn't anything else that happened on this day, right? Oh yeah, that whole Waco thing. In 1993 the Branch Davidian compound was burned to the ground when FBI agents decided to raid the main building after a seven week standoff. 80 people were killed, including 22 children. Not exactly a smooth operation. I believe cults are stupid. They're just an excuse for some weirdo to have sex with children and be treated like a god. People are stupid, but I think the US government really screwed that one up.

This lead directly to the event that transpired on this day in 1995. The Oklahoma City bombing. Timothy McVeigh parked a Ryder truck full of explosives underneath the Alfred P Murrah federal building and blew it up, killing 168 people, including 18 children. He said he chose this target because of the way the government handled the Branch Davidian incident.
Maybe the History Channel wanted a more positive spin on the days events. Perhaps they really like marathons. I feel as though it pales in comparison to these events. But that's just my opinion.

The British are coming! One if by land, two if by sea!

April 18

Paul Revere had his famous ride on this day in 1785. He knew the British were leaving their positions in Boston to investigate the rumors of stores of weapons in Concord and to try and capture patriot leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock, thought to be hidden in Lexington. Along with Revere, William Dawes also rode his horse through the countryside sounding the alarm. The instructions were to put on lantern in the steeple of Boston's Old North Church if the British were advancing their troops over land and to put two lanterns if they were going by boat over the Charles river to Cambridge. For the record their were two lanterns that night. This would be the first night of the American Revolution, which would end up going on for 8 more years.

Also on this day the great San Francisco earthquake of 1908 happened. Although a very powerful earthquake, that caused large amounts of damage to buildings, the vast majority of the carnage associated with this earthquake was caused by the fires in the aftermath. San Francisco was one of the first cities to install natural gas lighting in much of the metropolitan area. These lines burst into flame, destroying much of the city and contributing to  many of the 3,000 deaths. Before the earthquake, San Francisco was known as the Paris of the west coast of the United States. Although still a remarkable city, this event set the city back in its development.
Lastly, journalist Ernie Pyle was killed by the Japanese while covering the battle of the Pacific while on the island of Ie Shima. If you haven't read any of Pyle's work I highly recommend it. He did a great job of getting primary sources for his stories. Meaning he would interview the soldiers on the front lines of battles while they were still going on. He never hesitated to put himself in harms way in order to report the day to day goings on of the war. He risked his life to cover the beach landings at Normandy and even flew in bombing raids over Europe. When the war in Europe was winding down he requested to go to the Pacific to cover the war there. Here's his book.

Every night was like the Bay of Pigs!

April 17

Once again the crusade against communism takes center stage! We really had it in for that Castro guy, plus Cuba was just another playground for rich Americans. And we wanted it back dammit! We didn't steal it away from Spain 60 years earlier just to have it taken from us! So, on this day in 1961 the CIA, along with the blessings of the JFK, tried to invade Cuba with an army of Cuban nationalist. What happened was one of the biggest disasters in US history. The "army" was slaughtered when promised air support was dropped at the last moment. Because of this failure, Fidel Castro was able to gain even more support in not only Cuba, but around the world. This event also lead directly to the missile crisis. How we didn't blow up the world is a freakin miracle.
Also, on this day in 1960, Eddie Cochran died in a car accident while on tour of the UK. Although he's just a blip on the rock and roll radar, he probably had a bright future ahead of him as most teen idols from the 50's and 60's were given more leeway than their modern counterparts.

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

April 16

It is my aim today to put that piece of sh...garbage that I called a blog post yesterday behind me. On this day in 2007 we had the Virginia Tech massacre. Seung Hui Cho killed 27 students and five faculty on the campus before taking his own life. Two days later NBC news received his taped manifesto explaining his actions. I remember getting a phone call telling me that there was a shooting in Virginia and couldn't believe the amount of casualties. I thought that it was a mistake. A truly sad day for America.

On this day in 1947 the Grandcamp was literally blown to bits in a fertilizer explosion while it was docked in Texas City, Texas. 581 people were killed. That's huge! I've never heard of this before looking at my sources. With the amount of people that died I would have thought I would have heard about this before today!
In 1942 the hallucinogenic effects of LSD were discovered by Dr. Albert Hoffman. The music of the many of my favorite bands were influenced by this drug, amongst them the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Tool, and the Doors. So in honor of this event I'm going to drop acid for the first time. Let's hope it's not a bad trip. I'll keep you informed.

In 1965 the Rolling Stones debuted with their self titled first album. Mick, you ignorant slut! Overall I like these guys and I truly believe they're going places. I could do without a few of their songs, but overall the Street Fighting Man and the Gimme Shelter will keep me firmly behind this band.

Also, in 1917 V.I. Lenin returned to Russia and became a dictator to the worlds first marxist state. If you look at his history, Lenin was a trouble maker his entire life, he was forced into exile numerous times and was all about starting revolutions everywhere he went. So it's surprising that a country famous for killing their own, that they let this most dangerous of men live to fight another day.

Another Blockbuster day, part 2

April 15

Ok, so the events that transpired for my blog yesterday conclude on this day, so it's just a continuation. Yeah a bit of a cop out, but I'm running late today! Lincoln dies of his gunshot wound and the Titanic sinks to the bottom of the north Atlantic.

The other event that can't be missed happened in 1947 when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in major league baseball. Even if you don't like sports it has to be admitted that this was a significant thing for race relations in this country. Mr. Robinson wasn't the best player in the negro league, but he was chosen because he was mentally tough enough to handle everything that went with breaking the color barrier.

Another blockbuster day!

April 14

Ok, I'm a little slow on the upload today, gimme a break! Two events of note today. First and foremost, Abraham Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth on this day in 1865. This was the first of four presidential assassinations. The timing of this was key. The civil war was winding down. Lincoln had his mind set on reconstruction. Booth believed by cutting off the head of the Union, he might rally his cause and turn the tide of war. But his actions were condemned by both sides. He was not the hero that he thought he was. Lincoln became a martyr, and booth a villain for all time.

The second event was the HMS Titanic hit an iceberg on this day in 1912. It didn't officially sink until the early morning hours of the next day. The twentieth century was a fast paced time. The people of the Titanic were victims of the times. Style over substance has been a cause for concern throughout history. But it was this occurrence that sticks in most peoples' minds.

Houston we have a problem

April 13

On this day in 1970, Apollo 13 had there run in with fate and one of their oxygen tanks exploded causing them to abort their mission to the moon. You've seen the movie.

Also on this day in 1941 the Soviet Union and Japan signed a non-aggression pact. I was always wondering why the Soviets didn't attempt to help the Americans in the Pacific theater of WWII. This explains why. Unlike the pact signed between Germany and the Soviet Union, this 5 year pact was not broken in the first two years, this one lasted 4 years, right up to the dropping of the atomic bombs. The breaking of this pact was why Japan surrendered, not the bombs like everyone is lead to believe. Japan knew it was beat, but we know they didn't like to back down and were willing to fight to the death. However, they didn't want to be occupied by a communist state. They loved their emperor, and he'd of been forced to step down if the Soviets helped to occupy Japan. Because they were solely occupied by the United States, they were able to rebuild their economy and fall in love with baseball.

FDR couldn't even walk 3 steps

April 12

Many things happened on this day that I think were of note. For starters, FDR died in 1945. Interestingly enough he died while on vacation with his mistress. Some say he died while having sex. Yeah buddy! He beat Hitler to the grave, but he certainly died a happier man! I'm not the biggest FDR fan, the whole marrying your cousin thing, having Huey Long killed (look him up if you don't know who he is), and putting our country into its current financial debt, are all reasons I don't worship this guy. Oh, but he pulled us out of the depression, some might say. FTS. WWII pulled us out of the depression. He created the Civilian Conservation Corps, which helped build dams (great for fish and surrounding ecosystems!), and trails. Mixed results there. As much as Hoover was the right guy, wrong time, I feel FDR was just in the right place and the right time. He let Stalin push him around at Yalta, thus drawing the "iron curtain" over Europe.

Next we have the first man in space in 1961 when Russian Yuri Gagarin orbited the earth for 89 mins and returned safely. Now this was a brave man. Somehow, despite shotty Soviet engineering he was able to board a rocket, enter orbit and return safely. Hard to believe we as humans were to walk on the moon only 8 years later. Or did we?
In 1633 Galileo was convicted of heresy by Pope Urban VIII. He argued that the Earth was not the center of the universe. For this he was put under house arrest for the remainder of his life and was banned from teaching his theories. It took the Catholic church 300 years to reverse their decision and say the Earth is not the center of the universe. Did you know the Pope can talk to god?

On this day in 1954 Bill Haley and the Comets recorded "Rock around the Clock". Many believe this to be the first Rock and Roll song. More saxamaphone! This song got a revival in the 70's as the theme for "Happy Days".

What are you going to do today Napolean?

April 11

On this day in 1815 Napoleon Bonaparte was banished to the island of Elba in the Mediterranean Sea. Was this his idea? Did the leaders of Europe not know what was going to happen? If you don't know about the 100 days that were to follow I don't blame you. History is boring! What happened was Napoleon got to thinking while exiled on his little island that his work was not yet done. He did well for almost 10 years. He had an unbeatable army, controlled almost all of Europe, stabilized revolutionary France, and ended serfdom where ever he went.  So he escaped soon after arriving, marched straight to Paris, picking up an army along the way and restarted his dictatorship. It only lasted 100 days, but hey, at least this time the powers that be put him on an island in the south Atlantic.

The little tramp

April 10

On this day in 1972, Charlie Chaplin accepted a lifetime achievement academy award. This is significant in that he was nearly blacklisted in the United States after being accused of having communist ties during the 1950's. Upon leaving this country he was quoted as saying, "I wouldn't go back there if Jesus Christ were president,". However, the times had changed during the early 70's and perhaps needing some closure to his career, and Chaplin returned to accept this award. Very much an icon for all times, some don't know that along with others such as Douglass Fairbanks, Chaplin helped start United Artists Studios.













On  the very same day that Chaplin walked on stage to accept his award, the United States Airforce started bombing North Vietnam with their B52. Might equals right!
Oh yeah, and the Beatles broke up on this day in 1970. The news was broken (no pun intended) with an interview of Paul McCartney by....Paul McCartney. Ego? Nah!

A civil ending

April 9

This is the date that marks the unofficial ending to the American civil war. Gen Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse with his army of Northern Virginia, thus ending most of the war of northern aggression. Ironic that the general who offered the fair terms for surrender would end up being in charge of the nation when its reconstruction would turn into an epic fail. Rather than trying to punish Lee and his men, Grant allowed them to keep their horses and all personal property, weapons included. Seems like a nice gesture towards an enemy which killed thousands or your comrades. When Grant was president he was in charge of reconstructing the south, both politically and economically. It was his job to have blacks integrated into society as best he could, and although he made it his personal crusade to pursue the Ku Klux Klan, Grant failed in his primary objectives. The south still hasn't recovered fully, and racism is still abundant. Good general, bad president.

Aphrodite=Venus

April 8

On this day in 1820 the Venus de Milo statue was discovered on the island of Melos. Known worldwide as the statue of the topless chick without arms, it's interesting that it survived for as long as it did without anything worse happening to it. It is believed to have been sculpted around 130 bc. The Greeks called her Aphrodite, the Romans called her Venus. One's a planet, one's a haircut.

In 1904 they changed the name of Longacre square to Times square in New York City. They named it after the New York Times newspaper. Wonder if the naming rights are going to be up for sale again. Oprah and Donald Trump would be all over that if it were the case.

Have a nice tall glass of fail.

April 7
Today is the internet's symbolic birth date. Happy 42nd big guy! You don't look a day over 20! Thanks Al Gore! Eisenhower came up with his "Domino theory" in 1954. Keep fighting those commie bastards. Team America, fuck yeah! How'd that Vietnam thing work out? How bout Korea? Seems to me like the problems of the 50's (Cuba, Korea, nuclear weapons, communism) never got solved. Yet those are always regarded as  "simpler" time. A time of prosperous ideals and other nonsense. A time before the hippies and blacks decided to screw the country up. I'll take my 2011 United States over your 1950's United States any day. I saw Back to the Future. This is also a day of mixed emotions for one George Michael. On the one hand, Wham! was the first western pop performers in China back in 1986. Good choice guys! But on the other hand 12 years later he was busted in a public restroom for a "lewd" act. You're George frickin Michael. Use your money to sword fight random people at a gay night club or something. Not at a memorial park named after Will Rogers.

Team America, world police

April 6

The United States has had a neutral stance towards the ongoing conflict in Europe. However, the diplomatic relations have gone better with Great Britain and France than those with Germany and the rest of the Central powers. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Boring stuff, right? The Lusitania is sunk with over 100 American citizens on board, so in order to avenge this atrocity, Congress demands we go to war. Despite winning the 1916 election on the stance of "he kept us out of war", Woodrow Wilson brings the US into the conflict on this day in 1917. The Spanish-American war of 1898 proved we could push around the antiquated armies of Europe. The presence of our army in Europe tipped the stalemate that was ongoing and Germany was humiliated. But a couple of lessons were learned here. If the US wants to stick its nose into anyone's business, there isn't a hell of a lot anyone is going to do about it. See WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Cuba, Berlin, Panama, Libya, Bosnia, and Waco. Mess with the best, die like the rest.

Do Re Mi - Nirvana

All filler, no killer

April 5

John Rolfe married Pocahontas on this day. Big whoop. George Washington became the first president to utilize his veto in 1792. Was bound to happen sooner or later. Did you know there was a battle of Yorktown during the civil war too? I didn't, therefore it probably wasn't important. Gandhi did some shit to piss the British off in 1930. But he was more of a big picture guy anyway. (edit) No, the highlight of the day is once again someone being killed. Let's go with Kurt Cobain committing suicide on this day in 1994. Although his body wasn't discovered until the 8th, it was on this day where he took his own life. This is one of those events of such cultural significance that it in one way or another it affected millions. I realize I'm extremely biased, but I believe this to be true. It raised suicide awareness at the very least. My obsession with Nirvana started nearly a year later. I was embarrassed to say this early on. Right now I don't have a problem with that.

The Legacy

April 4

On this day in 1968 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot in Memphis, TN. Once again, other than our friends in Arizona, this event was one that will be talked about as long as there is racial strain within this country. I can't even begin to go into the conspiracy theories around this killing, but although the man may have been killed on this day, his legacy lived on, despite the actions of Jesse Jackson afterward. Yes, good ol Jesse thought he would not let an opportunity slip by, he allegedly went to where King was killed, smeared blood on his clothes and claimed that King died in his arms, which was a lie. He was in the hotel parking lot at the time of the killing.  I hope I have friends like that! U2 memorialized King in their song "Pride" with the lyric "Early morning, April 4, shot rings out in the Memphis sky." Next time I hope Bono does a little better job researching, because King was killed a little after 6 p.m. Perhaps Bono was thinking it was early morning for himself?
On a side note, on this day in 1964 the Beatles held the top 5 positions of the singles chart. Then as it is now, teenagers drive the record industry. So anyone who complains about the crappy pop songs on the radio needs to 1. Ask themselves how old they are. 2. If they are older than a teenager turn off said station and shut up 3. If they are a teenager or younger they should realize they've already bucked the trend and listen to Arcade Fire or The Shins quick! For Damn near 60 years it has been the youth who set the trends. I'm 30 and I hate what the kids listen to. That's the way it's supposed to be. My dad hated my music. I'm sure his dad hated his music. I hate my wife's music. But that's a different story all together

A slow day indeed

I was out of the office yesterday enjoying a bit of a break, so sorry for the lack of a blog yesterday. The good news: I was with probably the only two people who read the damn thing!

 April 3

The first cell phone and laptop computer debuted today in 1973 and 1986 respectively. Although neither reached their peak until the late 90's, I believe both of these achievements are significant. The mobile world is a reality, especially in the last 5 years or so. I was watching an episode of Third Rock From the Sun where the character Sally is sitting by the phone waiting for a call from a date for nearly 2 days, all the while yelling at her family to not make any phone calls until her man calls. Once again, how the times have changed. Until the advent of the internet laptops used to be for business people only. On a side note the IPAD also debuted last year on this day. "What the fuck is the internet?"  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2LpJAD5AqQ

I chose this over the execution of the killer of the Lindbergh baby, the fall of Richmond during the civil war, and the death of Jesse James. And as far as music is concerned the only thing worth mentioning happened in 2007 when Keith Richards denied snorting the ashes of his father during a drug binge. ROCK AND ROLL, YEAH!

Clearly the best thing since...

April 1

I feel that the most important event to have occurred on this date was the invention of sliced bread. Some say that Otto Frederick Rohwedder invented it in 1928. This is stupid. Didn't anyone slice bread before this? Was there just a loaf of bread in the middle of the table and everyone just ripped off hunks of it at their leisure? No, of course not. So let's not give this guy false praise. He merely invented a machine to slice an entire loaf of bread at one time. This is extremely unproductive unless you have a means to preserve the bread and are trying to mass produce bread for sandwiches. No, sliced bread was invented by Sir Simon Ritchie on this date in 1957. If you don't believe me, type in his name and 1957 and it'll prove that I'm right. Anyway, Simon was tired of his sandwiches having to be made from two entire loaves of bread, so he was quote as saying "Nevermind the Bollocks, here is a more efficient sandwich!" He pulled out his trusty collector's knife and proceeded to slice his loaf of bread. From this vicious sandwich forward, the world has been a better place.