Sarah Palin knows how old the Chinese gymnasts are.
Sunday - August 15, 2004
Weekend Pinup Gals (and Guys)
It's time for the weekly pinup gal and since this week saw the opening of the Olympics in Athens we decided to honor the summer games with a couple of cuties who will be competing for Gold in Athens. In the spirit of fairness we also have a pinup guy for our female readers (we hope they approve of our choice).
Next, we present Tamsyn Lewis, Australian Olympic swimmer ..
And finally, for the ladies out there .... Antonio Banderas ..
(who is not an Olympic swimmer by the way)
Posted by The Skipper
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Quote Of The Day"It is of interest to note that while some dolphins are reported to have learned English -- up to fifty words used in correct context -- no human being has been reported to have learned dolphinese."
-- Carl Sagan (1934 - 1996)
On This Day In History
August 15, 1914 - Panama Canal Opens
The American-built waterway across the Isthmus of Panama, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, is inaugurated with the passage of the U.S. vessel Ancon, a cargo and passenger ship.
The rush of settlers to California and Oregon in the mid 19th century was the initial impetus of the U.S. desire to build an artificial waterway across Central America. In 1855, the United States completed a railroad across the Isthmus of Panama (then part of Colombia), prompting various parties to propose canal-building plans. Ultimately, Colombia awarded rights to build the canal to Ferdinand de Lesseps, the French entrepreneur who had completed the Suez Canal in 1869. Construction on a sea-level canal began in 1881, but inadequate planning, disease among the workers, and financial problems drove Lesseps' company into bankruptcy in 1889. Three years later, Philippe-Jean Bunau-Varilla, a former chief engineer of the canal works and a French citizen, acquired the assets of the defunct French company.
By the turn of the century, sole possession of the isthmian canal became imperative to the United States, which had acquired an overseas empire at the end of the Spanish-American War and sought the ability to move warships and commerce quickly between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. In 1902, the U.S. Congress authorized purchase of the French canal company (pending a treaty with Colombia), and allocated funding for the canal's construction. In 1903, the Hay-Herrýn Treaty was signed with Columbia, granting the U.S. use of the territory in exchange for financial compensation. The U.S. Senate ratified the treaty, but the Colombian Senate, fearing a loss of sovereignty, refused.
In response, President Theodore Roosevelt gave tacit approval to a Panamanian independence movement, which was engineered in large part by Philippe-Jean Bunau-Varilla and his canal company. On November 3, 1903, a faction of Panamanians issued a declaration of independence from Colombia. The U.S.-administered railroad removed its trains from the northern terminus of Coln, thus stranding Colombian troops sent to crush the rebellion. Other Colombian forces were discouraged from marching on Panama by the arrival of U.S. warship Nashville.
On November 6, the United States recognized the Republic of Panama, and on November 18 the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty was signed with Panama, granting the U.S. exclusive and permanent possession of the Panama Canal Zone. In exchange, Panama received $10 million and an annuity of $250,000 beginning nine years later. The treaty was negotiated by U.S. Secretary of State John Hay and Bunau-Varilla, who had been given plenipotentiary powers to negotiate on behalf of Panama. Almost immediately, the treaty was condemned by many Panamanians as an infringement on their country's new national sovereignty.
In 1906, American engineers decided on the construction of a lock canal, and the next three years were spent developing construction facilities and eradicating tropical diseases in the area. In 1909, construction proper began. In one of the largest construction projects of all time, U.S. engineers moved nearly 240 million cubic yards of earth and spent close to $400 million in constructing the 40-mile-long canal (or 51 miles long, if the deepened seabed on both ends of the canal is taken into account). On August 15, 1914, the Panama Canal was opened to traffic.
Panama later pushed to revoke the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty, and in 1977 U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian dictator Omar Torrijos signed a treaty to turn over the canal to Panama by the end of the century. A peaceful transfer occurred at noon on December 31, 1999.
August 15, 1969 - Woodstock Begins
The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, "An Aquarian Exposition," opens at Max Yasgur's dairy farm in upstate New York. Promoters expected the music festival, modeled after the famous Monterey Pop Festival, to attract up to 200,000 for the weekend, but nearly a half a million people converged on the concert site. Promoters soon realized that they could not control access to the site and opened it up to all comers free of charge. Because of the unexpected size of the audience, volunteers were needed to help alleviate many of the logistics problems, while helicopters were used to fly in food, doctors, and medical supplies, as well as many of the musical acts that performed during the three-day festival.
Despite rain and mud, the audience enjoyed non-stop performances by singers like Richie Havens, Janis Joplin, Arlo Guthrie, Joe Cocker, and Joan Baez, as well as the bands Creedence Clearwater Revival; The Grateful Dead; The Jefferson Airplane; Sly and the Family Stone; and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Although many different types of people attended the festival, many were members of the counterculture, often referred to as "hippies," who rejected materialism and authority, experimented with illicit drugs, and actively protested against the Vietnam War. Much of the music had a decided anti-war flavor. Representative of this genre was the "Fixin' to Die Rag" by Country Joe and the Fish. This song and its chorus ("And it's one, two, three, what are we fighting for...Don't ask me, I don't give a damn, next stop is Vietnam....And it's five, six, seven, open up the pearly gates...There ain't no time to wonder why...Whoopie, we're all gonna die!") became an anti-war classic. Jimi Hendrix closed the concert with a freeform solo guitar performance of "The Star Spangled Banner." Woodstock became a symbol of the 1960s American counterculture and a milestone in the history of rock music.
Today's Birthdays
Napoleon Bonaparte, (1769–1821), Emperor of the French
T. E. Lawrence, (1888–1935), British adventurer, soldier, and scholar, known as Lawrence of Arabia
Thanks to The Quotations Page - The History Channel - The Biography Channel.
Posted by The Skipper
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Permalink • Saturday - August 14, 2004
Catching Up
Sorry folks but I'm running behind a little lately. You're all aware of my recent "odyssey" from Indianapolis to Boston to Alabama. I've quit one job, moved 500 miles, sneaked into the Democratic Convention and started work at a new job, all within a three week period. In short, I live in "interesting times". I carried all my computer equipment with me on the voyage in the back of my Jeep Grand Cherokee (along with my clothes and a few other essentials). All I missed was strapping Granny Clampett onto the top of the Jeep for a real cool image. I've been living in hotels (and a friend's borrowed apartment in Boston for a week) the whole time, connecting to the internet through a bummer dial-up connection. I feel like a frontiersman (heh-heh).I finally settled into a new house in my new home last week and got broadband hooked up so my computer equipment is functioning again (YAY!). The only problem is my household goods are still on the way (Mayflower is SLOW!). I'm in my new house but still living out of a suitcase for the moment. Unlike Vilmar, I have to have a TV to keep up with the world of Moonbats so I decided to buy a new set for the bedroom. I settled on a 32" Sony WEGA ($1300). Awesome picture and features galore. The clarity is so good I can count the wrinkles on John Kerry's botox face.
Unfortunately, I'm trying to settle into a new job while I'm trying to manage all the little details of the move. Which means I'm sleeping on an air mattress at night and eating out a lot. This sucks but it too will pass. I've been catching up on e-mails from all you folks (I only have about 4,000 in my Inbox) so bear with me. I've also been concerned about Vilmar's health during the recent storm. Even though we've never met in person, we're a close team here at BMEWS and I appreciate my buddy's help during the past few weeks. He'll be going on leave around the first week of September (another secret mission?) so I'll have a chance to return the favor. I hope to have caught up by then and be settled in.
For right now though, I have an interesting observation .... there are no black people in North Alabama. But there are about a trillion Mexicans. What's going on here? Signs and stores in Spanish abound in the area. When did this mass migration occur? Where did all the black folks go? It's kind of interesting though. From what I've seen, the Mexicans moved in here, took over all the "shit-jobs", saved their money and are opening up their own businesses: auto mechanic shops, beauty parlors, restaraunts, etc. I'm sure there's a social statement there somewhere but I haven't figured it out yet. I need to investigate this phenomena a little further. Oh, I almost forgot .... there are also about a giga-trillion good ol' boy NASCAR fans living here too (Talladega Raceway is just south of here). Everyone seems to get along real well though. Amazing!
Best of all, this is "Bush Country". Folks here have no tolerance for Liberal Democrats. That is something that has occurred all over the South in recent decades. Along with racism, the old "Dixiecrats" (who helped promote racism) have almost disappeared. There are now Republican Governors, Senators and Congressmen all over the South. That is a good thing.
I'll have more observations on all this later. For now though, I'm glad to be back home in "Sweet Home Alabama" (Aahhh, love Skynard's music). For the record (pardon the pun), the multiple-Grammy-winning country group Alabama lives in Ft. Payne, about 40 miles east of me. I'm more of a rock music fan but I always liked their tunes too.
Posted by The Skipper
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Quote Of The Day"Nature does nothing uselessly."
-- Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC)
On This Day In History
August 14, 1893 - First License Plates
On this day, the world's first automobile license plates were issued in Paris, France. However, plates were not issued in the United States for a few more years, when they were finally instituted as a safety measure. The city of Boston was the first to require its motorists to hold a license and register their vehicle--the owner would make his own plate with the corresponding registration numbers. The rest of Massachusetts soon followed the trend and began issuing registration plates made of iron and covered with a porcelain enamel.
August 14, 1935 - Social Security Act Passed
While the Social Security Act was passed on August 14, 1935, the roots of the legislation can be traced back to the crash of 1929. No one was particularly well prepared for the ensuing Depression, including the elderly. Government surveys taken during 1934 estimated that more than half of the nation's elderly lacked the means to support themselves. Clearly the country needed some sort of system for providing for its aging citizens. Various plans were hatched, including State-run pension programs, while America's leftist leaders marshaled surprising support for their economic proposals. But, as 1935 chugged along, the nation was still in need of a pension program. New Dealing U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt finally pushed a proposal through the legislative chain. Compared to some of the other solutions developed at the time, the Social Security Act was relatively moderate: the bill mandated the now familiar "contributory system" in which workers forked over part of their salaries to a joint pension fund. Shortly after the passage of the bill, the government wheeled into action, creating an elaborate system for collecting, collating and doling out pensions. By January of 1937, the Social Security program was open for business. Over the years, Americans have socked away over $4.5 trillion in the fund, while more than $4.1 trillion worth of benefits have been paid out to the nation's retired citizens.
Today's Birthdays
Steve Martin, (1945), American actor
Magic Johnson, (1959), American basketball player
Thanks to The Quotations Page - The History Channel - The Biography Channel.
Posted by The Skipper
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Permalink • Friday - August 13, 2004
Daily Dose
Today is Friday The 13th .... Are You Triscadecaphobic**?Quote Of The Day
"Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people."
-- W. C. Fields (1880 - 1946)
On This Day In History
August 13,1940 - The Battle Of Britain Begins
On this day in 1940, German aircraft begin the bombing of southern England, and the Battle of Britain, which will last until October 31, begins. The Germans called it "the Day of the Eagle," the first day of the Luftwaffe's campaign to destroy the RAF, the British Royal Air Force, and knock out British radar stations, in preparation for Operation Sea Lion, the amphibious invasion of Britain. Almost 1,500 German aircraft took off the first day of the air raid, and 45 were shot down. Britain lost 13 fighters in the air and another 47 on the ground. But most important for the future, the Luftwaffe managed to take out only one radar station, on the Isle of Wight, and damage five others. This was considered more trouble than it was worth by Herman Goering, commander of the Luftwaffe, who decided to forgo further targeting of British radar stations because "not one of those attacked so far has been put out of operation."
Historians agree that this was a monumental mistake on the part of the Germans. Had Goering and the Luftwaffe persisted in attacking British radar, the RAF would not have been able to get the information necessary to successfully intercept incoming German bombers. "Here, early in the battle, we get a glimpse of fuddled thinking at the highest level in the German camp," comments historian Peter Fleming. Even the Blitz, the intensive and successive bombing of London that would begin in the last days of the Battle of Britain, could not compensate for such thinking. There would be no Operation Sea Lion. There would be no invasion of Britain. The RAF would not be defeated.
Today's Birthdays
Fidel Castro, (1926--), Communist Premier of Cuba
Annie Oakley, (1860–1926), American theatrical performer & sharpshooter
Alfred Hitchcock, (1899–1980), Master of scary movies
Ben Hogan, (1912–1997), American golfer
Thanks to The Quotations Page - The History Channel - The Biography Channel.
** Fear of Friday the 13th
Posted by The Skipper
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Permalink • Thursday - August 12, 2004
Would You Like To Biggie-Size That?
As if this country isn't fat enough already, we now have a World Record "Big-Whopper-Deluxe-MeatBurger" .... or whatever you want to call it.Where's the beef? It's at a Pennsylvania pub that serves the world's biggest burger - weighing in at NINE lip-smacking pounds! Denny's Beer Barrel Pub is renown for its 9 lb. burgers. National and local newspapers have reviewed the burger and its main appeal seems to be...
NO ONE PERSON HAS EVER FINISHED ONE!
That's no whopper - you can actually get this meat monster for $23.95, loaded with all the "fixins"...
Ingredients:
9 lb. (19.8kg) Burger
Two whole tomatoes
A half-head of lettuce
12 slices of American cheese
A full cup of peppers
Two entire onions
Plus, a river of mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard.
(-- thanks to David H.)
BURP!
Posted by The Skipper
on 08/12/2004 at 07:40 PM
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Quote Of The Day"People who have what they want are fond of telling people who haven't what they want that they really don't want it."
-- Ogden Nash (1902 - 1971)
On This Day In History
August 12,1908 - The Model T Rolls Off The Assembly Line
Henry Ford's first Model T, affectionately known as the "Tin Lizzie," rolled off the assembly line in Detroit, Michigan. The Model T revolutionized the automotive industry by providing an affordable, reliable car for the average American. Prior to the invention of the Model T, most automobiles were viewed as playthings of the rich. Ford was able to keep the price down by retaining control of all raw materials, as well as his use of new mass production methods. When it was first introduced, the "Tin Lizzie" cost only $850 and seated two people. Though the price fluctuated in the years to come, dipping as low as $290 in 1924, few other changes were ever made to the Model T. Electric lights were introduced in 1915, and an electric starter was introduced as an option in 1919. Eventually, the Model T's design stagnancy cost it its competitive edge, and Ford stopped manufacturing the "Tin Lizzie" in 1927.
August 12, 1961 - East Germany Begins Construction Of The Berlin Wall
In an effort to stem the tide of refugees attempting to leave East Berlin, the communist government of East Germany begins building the Berlin Wall to divide East and West Berlin. Construction of the wall caused a short-term crisis in U.S.-Soviet bloc relations, and the wall itself came to symbolize the Cold War. Throughout the 1950s and into the early 1960s, thousands of people from East Berlin crossed over into West Berlin to reunite with families and escape communist repression. In an effort to stop that outflow, the government of East Germany, on the night of August 12, 1961, began to seal off all points of entrance into West Berlin from East Berlin by stringing barbed wire and posting sentries. In the days and weeks to come, construction of a concrete block wall began, complete with sentry towers and minefields around it. The Berlin Wall succeeded in completely sealing off the two sections of Berlin. The U.S. government responded angrily. Commanders of U.S. troops in West Berlin even began to make plans to bulldoze the wall, but gave up on the idea when the Soviets moved armored units into position to protect it. The West German government was furious with America's lack of action, but President John F. Kennedy believed that "A wall is a hell of a lot better than a war." In an attempt to reassure the West Germans that the United States was not abandoning them, however, Kennedy traveled to the Berlin Wall in June 1963, and famously declared, "Ich bin ein Berliner!" ("I am a Berliner!").
August 12, 1981 - IBM Introduces The Personal Computer
By the early 1980s, the computer had shrunk from being a room-clogging behemoth to a relatively dainty machine that could fit on desks in homes and schools. So, IBM's introduction of its Personal Computer (PC) on August 12, 1981, didn't exactly signal a technical revolution. But that didn't stop Big Blue's PC from bursting onto the scene. Their new product sold 136,000 units in its first year and a half of release, propelling the company's stock on an upward climb that peaked later in the decade. IBM had seemingly served notice to the computer industry: the granddaddy of business computing was making a break from the boardroom and looking to conquer America's homes. Not as widely noticed was the fact that IBM's new machine was a pastiche of other company's components, including a processing chip courtesy of Intel and an operating system developed by a thirty-two person concern called Microsoft. Eventually, IBM would not only be relying on other company's technology, but would be chasing them for profits. Though recent years have been a touch kinder to the company, the early 1990s saw IBM posting annual losses that sometimes ballooned up to $8 million.
Today's Birthdays
George IV (1762–1830), king of Great Britain and Ireland (1820–30)
Cecil B. De Mille (1881–1959), American movie director and producer
Thanks to The Quotations Page - The History Channel - The Biography Channel.
Posted by The Skipper
on 08/12/2004 at 06:34 AM
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Permalink • Wednesday - August 11, 2004
Public Service Announcement
Look at the map below. If you live in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina or Virginia, this would be a great weekend to take that last minute summer vacation .... TO COLORADO!This has been a public service announcement of the BMEWS Weather Bureau. Row, row your boat .. gently down the stream ....
Vilmar has promised to stand outside in the rain and thunder and lightning and high winds and practice his primal scream therapy. I told him it wouldn't work. The Democrats will still be here after the storm passes. Ain't that a shame?
Me, I'm snug as a bug in a rug way up here in the North Alabama mountain country. He-he-he ....
By my reckoning, Charlotte, NC should be ground zero for about 48 hours, starting Friday morning.
Note: Why the f**k couldn't the National Weather Service have chosen Clyde as the "C"-named storm this year? Get it? Bonnie and Clyde? Never mind ....
Posted by The Skipper
on 08/11/2004 at 07:28 PM
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Permalink • Bizarre-o Wednesday
Want to make a scary movie? Remember sitting in math class and having to learn algebra? Remember telling the teacher, "I'll NEVER need to use this in REAL LIFE!"Well, boopsie, now you do.
Sure to win the next Cannes Festival I am certain. Yep, a film spoofing Californicator's dependence on illegal immigrant labor. The premise? One day Californicators awake to find all Mexicans gone. Trash piles up, gardens go to waste, cars stay unwashed. Evil capitalists look helpless.
The ending? They all return and show their love and admiration for the "desaparecidos."
What a load of SHIT! Hell, if I had my way I'd make them ALL disappear (the ILLEGALS!!) and we'd soon find all manner of people who'd do the things they did. Plus market forces would NOT allow crazy spikes in food costs, service costs, etc. If you've been told different you've failed Economics 101.
Soon as I saw the headlines I KNEW the sex of the subjects talked about. Gotta wonder if it was done on purpose.
Posted by Ranting Right Wing Howler
on 08/11/2004 at 07:09 AM
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Quote Of The Day"The thing that impresses me the most about America is the way parents obey their children."
-- King Edward VIII (1894 - 1972)
On This Day In History
August 11,1965 - Watts Riots Begin In Los Angeles
In the predominantly black Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, racial tension reaches a breaking point after two white policemen scuffle with a black motorist suspected of drunken driving. A crowd of spectators gathered near the corner of Avalon Boulevard and 116th Street to watch the arrest and soon grew angry by what they believed to be yet another incident of racially motivated abuse by the police. A riot soon began, spurred on by residents of Watts who were embittered after years of economic and political isolation. The rioters eventually ranged over a 50-square-mile area of South Central Los Angeles, looting stores, torching buildings, and beating whites as snipers fired at police and firefighters. Finally, with the assistance of thousands of National Guardsmen, order was restored on August 16.
The five days of violence left 34 dead, 1,032 injured, nearly 4,000 arrested, and $40 million worth of property destroyed. The Watts riot was the worst urban riot in 20 years and foreshadowed the many rebellions to occur in ensuing years in Detroit, Newark, and other American cities.
August 11,1966 - The Camaro's Debut
The first Chevy Camaro drove out of the manufacturing plant in Norwood, Ohio, on this day in 1966. The 1967 Camaro coupe was named just weeks before production; General Manager Elliot Estes, when publicly announcing the name, quipped, "I went into a closet, shut the door and came out with the name." Camaro is actually French for "comrade, pal, or chum." The Camaro was a hit with the public, sporting a base price of only $2,466 for a six-cylinder engine and three-speed manual transmission.
Today's Birthdays
Jerry Falwell (1933--), American fundamentalist Baptist pastor
Steve Wozniak (1951--) Creator of Apple computer
Thanks to The Quotations Page - The History Channel - The Biography Channel.
Posted by The Skipper
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Permalink • Tuesday - August 10, 2004
Daily Dose
Quote Of The Day"The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools."
-- Herbert Spencer (1820 - 1903)
On This Day In History
August 10,1945 - Japan Accepts Potsdam Terms, Agrees To Unconditional Surrender
On this day in 1945, just a day after the bombing of Nagasaki, Japan submits its acquiescence to the Potsdam Conference terms of unconditional surrender, as President Harry S. Truman orders a halt to atomic bombing.
Emperor Hirohito, having remained aloof from the daily decisions of prosecuting the war, rubber-stamping the decisions of his War Council, including the decision to bomb Pearl Harbor, finally felt compelled to do more. At the behest of two Cabinet members, the emperor summoned and presided over a special meeting of the Council and implored them to consider accepting the terms of the Potsdam Conference, which meant unconditional surrender. "It seems obvious that the nation is no longer able to wage war, and its ability to defend its own shores is doubtful." The Council had been split over the surrender terms; half the members wanted assurances that the emperor would maintain his hereditary and traditional role in a postwar Japan before surrender could be considered. But in light of the bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, Nagasaki on August 9, and the Soviet invasion of Manchuria, as well as the emperor's own request that the Council "bear the unbearable," it was agreed: Japan would surrender.
Tokyo released a message to its ambassadors in Switzerland and Sweden, which was then passed on to the Allies. The message formally accepted the Potsdam Declaration but included the proviso that "said Declaration does not comprise any demand which prejudices the prerogatives of His Majesty as sovereign ruler." When the message reached Washington, President Truman, unwilling to inflict any more suffering on the Japanese people, especially on "all those kids," ordered a halt to atomic bombing, He also wanted to know whether the stipulation regarding "His Majesty" was a deal breaker. Negotiations between Washington and Tokyo ensued. Meanwhile, savage fighting continued between Japan and the Soviet Union in Manchuria.
Today's Birthdays
Herbert Hoover (1874–1964), American President.
Antonio Banderas (1960- ), Actor
Thanks to The Quotations Page - The History Channel - The Biography Channel.
Posted by The Skipper
on 08/10/2004 at 07:31 AM
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Permalink • Monday - August 09, 2004
The Third Dimension Of Computing Has Arrived
Sharp Systems Of America announced today that it is shipping an LCD display that will show images in 3-D without any funky red-greeen glasses. The 15" monitor sells for $1499. Sharp’s revolutionary 3D switchable display offers all the unique advantages of Sharp LCD monitors, plus, at the touch of a button, will switch into 3D mode, allowing those software programs designed to display graphics in 3D to be viewed in spectacular detail.Get yours now and surf to your favorite porn site (no, not the DNC). Hee-hee ....
Posted by The Skipper
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Quote Of The Day"The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come. When in a state of security he does not forget the possibility of ruin. When all is orderly, he does not forget that disorder may come. Thus his person is not endangered, and his States and all their clans are preserved."
-- Confucius
On This Day In History
August 9,1969 - The Manson Cult Strikes
Five people are killed in film director Roman Polanski's home in Hollywood, California, including Polanski's pregnant wife, Sharon Tate, by a members of a cult. Less than two days later, they struck again, killing Leno and Rosemary LaBianca in their home. At both scenes, the killers scrawled messages in blood on the walls. The city of Los Angeles was in a state of panic until the leader of the cult, Charles Manson, was identified and arrested. Joan Didion, author of The White Album, wrote that many in Los Angeles believed "the 60s abruptly ended on August 9, 1969."
Manson, who had spent virtually his entire life behind bars for murder, was eventually released from prison in 1967 at the age of 33. His strange brand of charisma attracted a group of hippies, who followed him and settled down at the Spahn Ranch on the outskirts of Los Angeles, where heavy drug use and orgies were common.
Manson began telling his "family," as they called themselves, that a war between blacks and whites was coming and that their cult would be the leaders of the new world order that would follow. In support for this theory, Manson claimed that the Beatles' White Album, and, in particular, the song "Helter Skelter," backed him up. Manson decided that they should try to instigate the war by killing white people in a way that would implicate the black radicals.
Manson directed his followers, including Tex Watson and Susan Atkins, to kill certain prominent, wealthy whites. They chose Polanski's home because Manson had unsuccessfully attempted to get a recording deal from a producer who used to live there. Polanski happened to be out of town at the time, but his actress wife, Sharon Tate, and her friends, including coffee heiress Abigail Folger, were brutally slaughtered by the Manson cult. Some were shot, while others were stabbed to death. Manson did not go into the Polanski home and refrained from participating in the LoBianco murders two days later.
Manson and his gang were uncovered when one of his followers, who was jailed on a different charge, began bragging about the murders. Manson was charged with murder on the basis that he had influenced the "family" and directed the murders. His subsequent trial became a national spectacle. Manson came into court one day with an "X" carved in his forehead, explaining, "I have X-ed myself out of your world." His followers copied him and did the same. Another day, Manson lunged at the trial judge and tried to assault him. The jury convicted Manson and sentenced him to death, but when the Supreme Court invalidated the death penalty law in 1972, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. Manson remains a criminal icon to this day. He periodically comes up for parole, but there is no indication that California will ever release him.
August 9, 1974 - Nixon Resigns
Richard M. Nixon resigns as President of the United States and is succeeded by Vice President Gerald R. Ford. Nixon had resigned rather than face almost certain impeachment because of the Watergate scandal, in which he was charged with misuse of presidential powers to violate the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens, obstruction of justice, and failure to respond to House Judiciary Committee subpoenas. The departure of Nixon would prove to be a fatal blow to the South Vietnamese, who always believed that the American president would be there to make good his promises to support them in their continuing post-ceasefire war against the North Vietnamese.
Today's Birthdays
Jean Piaget, 1896–1980, Swiss psychologist
Izaak Walton, 1593–1683, author of "The Compleat Angler"
Whitney Houston, 1963- , Grammy Award-winning pop singer and actress
Thanks to The Quotations Page - The History Channel - The Biography Channel.
Posted by The Skipper
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Permalink • Sunday - August 08, 2004
Why Birth Control Is Important
Liberals are always telling us how a woman has a right to do whatever she wants with her body, right?But if ever there was justification for birth control and abortions, keep looking.
I am sure you've seen these results from the possible mating between certain people:
| The Parents |  | and then... | The Kid |  |
| The Parents |  | and then... | The Kid |  |
But if ever there was a reason to practice abortion (up to and including well into the 60th year of gestation) it is this:
| The Parents |  | and then... | The Kid |  |
BWAH HA HA HA HA!!!!!
(am I a sick bastard or what?)
(thanks, Ana!)
Posted by Ranting Right Wing Howler
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Tracked at iHaan.org
Thｅ advantage to having a guide with you is thɑt an expert will haѵe very first hand experience dealing and navigating the river with гegional wildlife. Tһomas, there are great…
On: 07/28/23 10:37
The Brownshirts: Partie Deux; These aare the Muscle We've Been Waiting For
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Tracked at head to the Momarms site
The Brownshirts: Partie Deux; These aare the Muscle We’ve Been Waiting For
On: 03/14/23 11:20
Vietnam Homecoming
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On: 03/20/21 07:00
meaningless marching orders for a thousand travellers ... strife ahead ..
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Tracked at Casual Blog
[...] RTS. IF ANYTHING ON THIS WEBSITE IS CONSTRUED AS BEING CONTRARY TO THE LAWS APPL [...]
On: 07/17/17 04:28
a small explanation
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Tracked at yerba mate gourd
Find here top quality how to prepare yerba mate without a gourd that's available in addition at the best price. Get it now!
On: 07/09/17 03:07
DISCLAIMER
THE SERVICES AND MATERIALS ON THIS WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE HOSTS OF THIS SITE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF SATISFACTORY QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICE OR ANY MATERIALS.
Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:
It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.
- Keep a firm grasp of Right and Wrong
- Stay involved with government on every level and don't let those bastards get away with a thing
- Use every legal means to defend yourself in the event of real internal trouble, and, most importantly:
- Keep talking to each other, whether here or elsewhere
THE INFORMATION AND OTHER CONTENTS OF THIS WEBSITE ARE DESIGNED TO COMPLY WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS WEBSITE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ALL PARTIES IRREVOCABLY SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE AMERICAN COURTS. IF ANYTHING ON THIS WEBSITE IS CONSTRUED AS BEING CONTRARY TO THE LAWS APPLICABLE IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY, THEN THIS WEBSITE IS NOT INTENDED TO BE ACCESSED BY PERSONS FROM THAT COUNTRY AND ANY PERSONS WHO ARE SUBJECT TO SUCH LAWS SHALL NOT BE ENTITLED TO USE OUR SERVICES UNLESS THEY CAN SATISFY US THAT SUCH USE WOULD BE LAWFUL.
Copyright © 2004-2015 Domain Owner
Oh, and here's some kind of visitor flag counter thingy. Hey, all the cool blogs have one, so I should too. The Visitors Online thingy up at the top doesn't count anything, but it looks neat. It had better, since I paid actual money for it.
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