Kid Curry For Western Wednesday...!

Here's a guy we haven't heard about for a while...Kid Curry!

Like a few of the other bad guys roaming the Wild West, Curry was just plain born to be mean. Not many good things could be said about him from what I could tell. History will show that he was pretty much rotten to the core, I think.

1902

Harvey “Kid Curry” Logan sentenced

Harvey “Kid Curry” Logan, the second-in-command in Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch crew, is sentenced to 20 years hard labor in a Tennessee prison. Though the famous Hollywood movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid portrayed Harry Longabaugh as Cassidy’s main partner, Logan was his true sidekick and right-hand man.

Logan was born in Kentucky but spent most of his youth in Missouri. According to legend, he killed a man when he was 19 and was, thereafter, always on the wrong side of the law. On his own or with occasional accomplices, Logan became proficient at robbing banks and killing innocent people, which inevitably attracted the interest of law officers.

He eventually sought refuge in the isolated Hole-in-the-Wall hideouts of Wyoming. The Hole-in-the-Wall was a sparsely populated region of rugged mountains whose remote location attracted outlaws who were trying to lay low and avoid the law. Here, Logan made the acquaintance of a former butcher turned outlaw named Robert Leroy Parker, better known as Butch Cassidy. Cassidy and Logan became the informal leaders of a loose collection of outlaws called the Wild Bunch, which included Longabaugh, Ben Kilpatrick (Tall Texan), and a cast of other motley characters.

For several years, the Wild Bunch was one of the more successful criminal operations in the West, robbing banks and trains in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Nevada, and New Mexico, and successfully defending their Wyoming hideout from the law. The Wild Bunch even hired its own lawyer to defend its gang members, and their file in the Chicago offices of the Pinkerton Detective Agency became one of the thickest in the agency’s cabinets.

Inevitably, though, the law and the Pinkertons began to close in on the gang. In 1901, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid fled the country for Bolivia, and no one is certain what became of them. The evidence for Logan’s fate is much clearer: most historians believe that after escaping from a Knoxville prison in June of 1903, he fled to Colorado, where it is believed he was wounded by pursuers and shot himself dead.

I hate to say it, but the world is a better place without his kind around. I can think of a few more that could join him, but I won't mention any names.

Coffee in the kitchen this morning. I'm baking, so it smells pretty good!

Won't Hurt A Friend For Food...!

What I,m talking about isn't people, but monkeys being experimented on. I have to wonder who the real animals are in this case!

Macaques Refuse Food If Others Get Hurt

Another experiment was done on macaques. The macaques were given a chain and taught that they would be fed if they pulled the chain. The catch, however, was that every time they pulled the chain, another macaque would be shocked. It was an experiment similar to the one done on mice but a little bit crueler—because if the macaques didn’t pull the chain, they weren’t fed at all.

Even though it meant risking starvation, 87 percent of the macaques refused to pull the chain if they knew that it would hurt another macaque. In one case, a macaque went a full two weeks without eating rather than deal with the guilt of hurting another animal.

It’s pretty impressive but even more significant when you compare that to another study. Because another group of scientists did a similar experiment on a different animal—humans. They paid people to pull a lever that they claimed would shock another person with electricity. That other person was an actor who pretended to be in incredible pain every time they pulled the lever.

In the experiment with humans, a full 87 percent of the people pulled the lever all the way to a space marked “Danger! Severe Shock!” even while hearing their victim scream in pain. It was all to get a few dollars that they could have easily earned by getting a job at McDonald’s.

You have to ask yourself just how far up the evolutionary scale are we really, if we can't even emphasize with the same level as some animals! Like I said, who are the real animals here?

Coffee out on the patio this morning Fresh baked cookies are ready.

Another Boat Story For Monday Mystery...!

Ocean mysteries are something we could talk about all day long and never run out of material, ya know?

This one involves an experienced sailor and not just any first timer. Having a couple of 'round the world voyages under his belt already meant that he probably was ready for nearly anything.

The Lunatic

Photo credit: cetis.si

The Lunatic holds the story of Jure Sterk, a 72-year-old man from Slovenia. He wanted to set two records: to be the oldest man to sail nonstop around the world and to do it in the smallest boat without an engine. He was by no means a novice. He had already done a round-the-world trip in 1991 and wrote four books about his adventures.

He took a radio with him on the trip, but soon after New Year’s Day in 2009, he went silent. A passing ship found the Lunatic empty and with heavy storm damage and its emergency boat at the back missing. Jure and this emergency boat were never found.

Seems obvious what happened to the guy, but you just never know. Brave soul to go it alone, though.

Coffee in the kitchen this morning. Storm seems to be brewing outside!

The Oldest Sewing Needle...!

Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that some our really early ancestors were a lot smarter than we gave them credit for.

Take the craft of sewing, for instance. For the longest time, not much thought was given to how long that particular craft has been around. This story from Listverse may just change your mind.

Oldest Sewing Needle

Photo credit: Vesti via The Siberian Times

Archaeologists recently unearthed the world’s oldest sewing needle in Siberia’s Altai Mountains. The 50,000-year-old needle was discovered in Denisova Cave and was used by non-Homo sapiens. The 7-centimeter (2.8 in) needle contains a hole for thread and was made from the bone of a large, unidentified bird. Researchers had previously found needles in later cave layers, but this is the oldest and longest one yet discovered.

This needle predates the previous earliest-known specimen by 40,000 years. It was discovered in the same layer as our mysterious hominid cousins, the Denisovans, who were named after the cave. The Denisovans were more technologically advanced than Neanderthals. A precise hole in a Denisovan bracelet could only have been accomplished with a high-rotation drill similar to those used today.

Sounds to me as though a lot of mistaken ideas have been held by folks thinking the early ancestors were slow witted and clumsy. We may have to rethink that a bit, ya know?

Coffee out on the patio once again. Rain is not due until tomorrow morning!

Man That Couldn't Be Hung...!

Sometimes the best laid plans for justice just don't work out like we think they should. This next article is about one such event!

1803, September 26: The Man Who Couldn’t be Hanged

In 1803, Joseph Samuels was one of ten men in Sydney, Australia, accused of involvement in the theft of money from a woman named Mary Breeze, and the murder of a man named Josef Luker; both incidents happened on August 25 in the dark hours of the morning. Of the ten men, two were acquitted, and eight sentenced to death; and of the eight, three were offered mercy if they agreed to become 'Transports for Life'... which is to say banned from the colonies. Among the remaining five men, Joseph Samuels was slated to be hung. The sentence was carried out on September 26, 1803, the day after the trial. The condemned were taken in pairs to execution; at 9:30am, Joseph Samuels was brought with a man named James Hardwicke, accused of the same crime, to the gallows. After each man had rites performed for them by a man of their religion (Samuels was Jewish, Hardwicke was presumably Catholic), Samuels was questioned once again about the murder of Luker, to which he responded that he had sworn to secrecy on the matter with one of the other accused men who was also Jewish... Simmonds, who was one of the men that was aquitted on the odd explanation that, being caught with blood on his clothes, he was prone to nose bleeds and had slaughtered a duck recently.

Under the circumstances, Samuels felt that he had to speak... not in any way to try and change his fate, but because he did not want to face his God knowing he had lied or neglected the matter. So Samuels stated that the secret Simmonds shared was that Simmonds had stolen the money from Mary Breeze and had been surprised by Josef Luker as he was doing so; and that he had killed Luker to protect himself. This had only been told to Samuels after he made a sacred vow not to speak of it; and to his credit -- or shame -- he kept the vow as Simmonds' lies, and the lack of direct evidence past the blood, got him set free. Simmonds was in the crowd gathered to witness the execution when Samuels made this statement, and tried to cut Samuels off at several points... but Samuels' quiet and level presentation of the matter convinced many in the crowd that he was not lying.

At 10:00am, Samuels and Hardwicke stepped up into a cart, and had nooses placed around their necks; and, as the cart was about to be drawn away, the Provost Marshal suddenly announced that a reprieve had been received for Hardwicke. As Hardwicke was assisted off the cart, Samuels prayed fervently... and, within a few minutes, the cart was pulled from under his feet.

The rope immediately snapped in the middle, dropping Samuels face first onto the ground. The fall seems to have knocked him senseless, and he lay there until two men lifted him up, then back onto the cart. They supported him until a new rope was placed around his neck. Again the cart was pulled away; but this time the rope began to spin and unwind itself, lowering Samuels until his legs touched the ground. People in the crowd began to protest that the hand of Providence was trying to save the still unconscious Samuels; he had gained their sympathy by his confession of the guilt of Simmonds, and now his strange suffering was leading them to believe they were witnessing a miracle. Again Samuels was supported by other men as another rope was brought to use and placed around his neck; again the cart was drawn away.

Again, the rope snapped, this time close to his neck, and Samuels fell senseless to the ground. The crowd was deeply moved, as was the Provost Marshall who immediately applied to the Governor for a reprieve for Samuels, which was granted. Samuels required medical attention to recover after the three hangings... but he did survive.

An experiment was performed on one of the ropes that had snapped on the same day. It was found that not only could it support a weight of 392 pounds, it could do this with two of its three strands cut... so it was concluded that it must have been critically weak in specifically the spot it broke when Samuels was hanging, a possibility that boggles the imagination because it had to happen twice to the same person in a matter of minutes!

My Source

I take the account above from three issues of the Sydney Gazette for 1803; the summary of the execution itself was published just six days after the event occurred. As Ripley was famous for putting it... Believe It or Not!

I got this article from a site called Anomalies. You can read the article right here.

Coffee out on the patio...OK?

A Short Feel Good Video For Friday...

No freaky stuff today. I figured you have enough freaky going all over the town today, ya know? Instead, here is a short video about a cat that may have a better grasp on empathy than a lot of humans.



Damn! I must have something in my eye. Wonder why?

Coffee out on the patio this morning. I don't think my 7 cats will mind the company!

First Thanksgiving Menu...

The original Thanksgiving meal was actually a three day festival and bore very little resemblance to that which we enjoy today!

TURKEY

While no records exist of the exact bill of fare, the Pilgrim chronicler Edward Winslow noted in his journal that the colony’s governor, William Bradford, sent four men on a “fowling” mission in preparation for the three-day event. Wild—but not domestic—turkey was indeed plentiful in the region and a common food source for both English settlers and Native Americans. But it is just as likely that the fowling party returned with other birds we know the colonists regularly consumed, such as ducks, geese and swans. Instead of bread-based stuffing, herbs, onions or nuts might have been added to the birds for extra flavor.

Did You Know?
Many people report feeling drowsy after eating a Thanksgiving meal. Turkey often gets blamed because it contains tryptophan, an amino acid that can have a somnolent effect. But studies suggest it’s the carbohydrate-rich sides and desserts that allow tryptophan to enter the brain. In other words, eating turkey without the trimmings could prevent that post-Thanksgiving energy lull.

Turkey or no turkey, the first Thanksgiving’s attendees almost certainly got their fill of meat. Winslow wrote that the Wampanoag guests arrived with an offering of five deer. Culinary historians speculate that the deer was roasted on a spit over a smoldering fire and that the colonists might have used some of the venison to whip up a hearty stew.

I thought you might enjoy a little history of the great tradition of Thanksgiving!

Coffee out on the patio this morning. Have a great holiday feast, everyone!

Miners Strike On Western Wednesday...!

Let's get away from the gunfights and such for a moment, and consider what the miners of the wild west had to go through for a time.

They had the beginnings of a union, but getting it recognized was no easy matter. Violence was as likely to start around the mines due to labor unrest as it was when it came to something like cattle rustling.

1903

Colorado governor sends militia to Cripple Creek

Determined to crush the union of the Western Federation of Miners (WFM), Colorado Governor James Peabody sends the state militia into the mining town of Cripple Creek.

The strike in the gold mines of Cripple Creek began that summer. William “Big Bill” Haywood’s Western Federation of Miners called for a sympathy strike among the underground miners to support a smelter workers’ strike for an eight-hour day. The WFM, which was founded in 1893 in Montana, had already been involved in several violent strikes in Colorado and Idaho. By the end of October, the call for action at Cripple Creek had worked, and a majority of mine and smelter workers were idle; Cripple Creek operations ground to a halt. Eager to resume mining and break the union, the mine owners turned to Governor Peabody, who agreed to provide state militia protection for replacement workers.

Outraged, the miners barricaded roads and railways, but by the end of September more than a thousand armed men were in Cripple Creek to undermine the strike. Soldiers began to round up union members and their sympathizers-including the entire staff of a pro-union newspaper-and imprison them without any charges or evidence of wrongdoing. When miners complained that the imprisonment was a violation of their constitutional rights, one anti-union judge replied, “To hell with the Constitution; we’re not following the Constitution!”

Such tyrannical tactics swung control of the strike to the more radical elements in the WFM, and in June 1904, Harry Orchard, a professional terrorist employed by the union, blew up a railroad station, which killed 13 strikebreakers. This recourse to terrorism proved a serious tactical mistake. The bombing turned public opinion against the union, and the mine owners were able to freely arrest and deport the majority of the WFM leaders. By midsummer, the strike was over and the WFM never again regained the power it had previously enjoyed in the Colorado mining districts.

As you can see, the fight for equal rights and justice has never been an easy one. One thing rings true in all cases, though. Violence is never the best way to sway public opinion, back then or in the present day!

Coffee out on the patio after the rain showers are through passing by.

Shake It Up, Baby...!

Sounds like the name of a song, don't you think?

Actually this is about a museum devoted to the collection of salt and pepper shakers. This collection is the largest one in the world. Best part is that it's close enough to go visit...if you are headed to Tennessee.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum

Photo credit: tripadvisor

The next time you travel through Gatlinburg, Tennessee, make sure to stop by the Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum to see the world’s largest collection of . . . well, salt and pepper shakers. The museum boasts a collection of 20,000 pairs of shakers collected over 25 years by the owners and curators of this quaint, peculiar museum.

You can also see around 1,500 pepper mills and learn the full history of salt and pepper shakers while viewing examples that date as far back as the 16th century. Entry into the museum will cost you $3 as of late 2016. But don’t worry if you think you have seen everything—there is another Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum across the pond in Guadalest, Spain, with a collection almost as large and equally diverse.

My Mom's Granny had a collection of salt and pepper shakers, but it was no where near this big. That's a lot of shakers, for sure!

Coffee back out on the patio today. Thanks for all the good wishes yesterday, ya'll!

Taking The Day Off...

I'm taking the day off because it's my birthday and I want to celebrate a little!

Of course, ya'll are still welcome to drop by for coffee. Back on the patio this morning, as the temps are going back to the 70s again!

Sunday Swing Music...!

Breaking away from the 'toons and going with some music today! Hope you like it.



Gotta have some dancing to go along with it, right?



What would it look like today? Kinda like this...



Hope you enjoyed the deviation from the ordinary. Sometimes you just gotta change things up, ya know?

Coffee in the kitchen again this morning!

Our Tax Dollars At Work...!

Ever wonder just how the government can get in so much debt year after year? This might help to explain some of it.

Trident Missile Program

Photo credit: US Navy via Lockheed Martin

We can all breathe a sigh of relief that this weapon system has never been used, although it costs a great deal of money to develop and maintain. The various forms of the Trident missile were developed as submarine-launched ballistic missiles, capable of carrying multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles, also known as nuclear warheads.

Trident missiles are carried by the US Navy as well as the UK’s Royal Navy at a total estimated cost of $40 billion in 2011, with an estimated cost of $70 million per missile. The Trident missile program has been in operation and development since 1979 and is planned to remain in service until 2042. The estimated total program cost is $170.2 billion, but with any luck, the missiles will never be used.

I know we have to spend a lot to defend our country, but I wonder just how much good we are actually getting out of our taxes. Want to see more of our spending cost, then just take a look right here!

Cold front came in last night, so it's coffee in the kitchen.

Ghost Blimp For Freaky Friday...

How many stories of ghost ships or planes do we hear? A lot...!

This one is different because the ghost vehicle was a blimp, but because it was repaired and used again. Strange, right?

The Ghost Blimp

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary on August 16, 1942 when Lieutenant Ernest Cody and Ensign Charles Adams took flight aboard Navy blimp L-8 in search of Japanese submarines off the coast of San Francisco. Shortly after their departure, however, they spotted an oil slick near the Farallon Islands. Such slicks could mean a submarine lurked beneath the waters. The men decided to investigate, radioing just once during their flight. A few hours later, the blimp had drifted inland. It sideswiped a house in Daly City before crashing down … with no one inside. Nothing was found to be wrong with the blimp’s radio or the engine, and none of the lifeboats or parachutes were missing. The blimp was repaired and continued to fly without incident until 1982. As for Cody and Adams? They were never heard from again.

I don't think this could happen in this day and age, what with all the radar and such at our disposal. I do think it's a bit strange that these two men were never heard from again, though. Freaky!

Coffee out on the patio again this morning!

The Ohio Serpent Mound...!

Sometimes we forget that there are many ancient archeological wonders right here in the United States. This is one of those wonderful mysteries you may appreciate.

Great Serpent Mound

Photo via Ancient Origins

The Great Serpent Mound is an ancient earthwork discovered in Ohio. It’s an effigy mound, which is a mound in the form of an animal, in this case a giant snake. Archaeologists have been unable to figure out what culture built it, when it was built, or what its use was. Radiocarbon dating has suggested that the mound may have been built around AD 1000, while other studies have suggested it could be around 2,000 years old.

There are a number of theories as to what the effigy was used for. Some scholars believe it was used in religious ceremonies and possibly sacrificial offerings. Others believe it is some sort of calendar, due to its astrological alignments.

The main question I want to ask is...how has it lasted for so long without being plowed under?

Coffee out on the patio this morning, I think.

Camels In Texas For Western Wednesday...

I have heard a lot of pretty wild things about Texas over the years, but this may just take the cake.

I'm talking about the feral camels running around Texas with the blessings of the government!

Feral camels once roamed the plains of Texas.

One of the wackier ideas in American history, the U.S. Camel Corps was established in 1856 at Camp Verde, Texas. Reasoning that the arid southwest was a lot like the deserts of Egypt, the Army imported 66 camels from the Middle East. Despite the animals’ more objectionable qualities—they spat, regurgitated and defied orders—the experiment was generally deemed a success. As the Civil War broke out, exploration of the frontier was curtailed and Confederates captured Camp Verde. After the war, most of the camels were sold (some to Ringling Brothers’ circus) and others escaped into the wild. The last reported sighting of a feral camel came out of Texas in 1941. Presumably, no lingering descendants of the Camel Corps’ members remain alive today.

What makes this story even crazier is the fact that they actually had a U.S. Camel Corps established. Pretty wild stuff, huh?

Coffee out on the patio today. No camels are around, I promise!

You Got Splinters In Your...What ???

It's bad enough to get a splinter in your finger, but to get one in your backside must be a royal pain!

This was a real problem at one time, believe it or not. Thank goodness it seems to be a thing of the past now and I, for one, an really, really glad!

Doctor-Recommended Toilet Paper

Photo credit: Eli Duke

Scott Paper Company, a leading brand in the toilet paper industry, practiced one of the most effective ways to advertise their product: displaying images of consumers’ sore “bottoms” and insisting that people used the wrong toilet paper.

In 1929, the ads garnered enormous attention. They stated, “After 40 years of age, doctors say you have one chance in two of contracting some form of rectal disease. The cause: harsh or impure toilet paper.

”Although some may view this as inciting fear, perhaps the ads weren’t far from the truth. Prior to the 1930s, the manufacturing process couldn’t remove all the tiny wood slivers from toilet paper made from wood pulp. After discovering that cooking the wood pulp longer reduced the splinters to mush, Scott Paper advertised their product as “splinter-free” and assured that both doctors and plumbers recommended their toilet paper.

As an older person, the last thing I need is another pain in my body, especially in my backside! That would be a real pain in the ass (pun intended).

Coffee out on the patio this morning.

Murder For Monday Mystery...!

Sadly, every year there are more and more cases of unsolved crimes committed in the United States, murder is one of them.

Any murder is bad, but when children are involved, it's even worse. Don't you agree?

THE OAKLAND COUNTY CHILD KILLER

For 13 months between 1976 and 1977, an unnamed serial killer targeted and murdered at least four children—if not more. Dubbed the Oakland County Child Killer, this person was responsible for the grisly deaths of Mark Stebbins, 12; Jill Robinson, 12; Kristine Mihelich, 10; and Timothy King, 11. At least two of the murders included sexual assault.

Timothy King’s parents turned to the media. His father appeared on television to beg for his son’s safe return during his disappearance. His mother wrote a letter to the Detroit News and promised to serve him his favorite meal, Kentucky Fried Chicken, when he came home.

His body was found in a shallow ditch six days later. His skateboard, which he had been using when he went missing, was placed beside him. His clothes were neatly pressed and washed, and the worst part—postmortem analysis showed that Timothy had eaten fried chicken shortly before he was murdered.

The murderer was never found.

One thing that caught my eye right off is that the last child had the same last name as I do. Spooky!

Coffee out on the patio where it's nice and cool again today!

Cartoons From The 50s...

Cartoons have long played a part in propaganda and today I wanted to show some of those.







And one more...



So do you want to enlist now? Me either!

Coffee out on the patio!

What A Party...!

It's a wonder to me that the human species has made it this far, what with all the lack of common sense decisions we've made over the years.

Perhaps this article will help to show exactly what I mean. I can only shake my head and mutter "WTF" when I read about something like this, ya know?

Take The Family To Watch A Nuclear Bomb Explode

Photo credit: Las Vegas New Bureau via CityLab

In the 1950s, the United States had a Cold War to win, and the only way they knew to do it was blast the Nevada desert with nuclear tests.

You’d think people would have tried to steer clear of a nuclear test site, but it was actually the exact opposite. Casinos in Las Vegas capitalized on it and sold tickets. People around the country flocked out to their “dawn parties,” where gamblers would play until the night sky lit up with an atomic blast 121 kilometers (75 mi) away.

It was the biggest tourism boom Las Vegas had ever experienced. They worked into it every way they could, selling Atomic Cocktails and holding beauty contests to crown Miss Atomic Blast. Sure, thousands of people got radiation poisoning, and 1.6 trillion gallons of water were contaminated, but it was a great party.

I have to wonder if any family groups started glowing in the dark after the "nuclear vacation?" I got this article from over at Listverse, just so you'll know.

Coffee out on the patio this morning.

Old Folks Know Best...!

Gotta love the way some olders look at life, know what I mean?

Coffee out on the patio, if you are feeling up to it!

Windshield Wipers Patented...!

Sometimes we don't give the women around us enough credit for their inventions. Here's a good case in point!

1903

Mary Anderson patents windshield wiper

On this day, the patent office awards U.S. Patent No. 743,801 to a Birmingham, Alabama woman named Mary Anderson for her “window cleaning device for electric cars and other vehicles to remove snow, ice or sleet from the window.” When she received her patent, Anderson tried to sell it to a Canadian manufacturing firm, but the company refused: The device had no practical value, it said, and so was not worth any money. Though mechanical windshield wipers were standard equipment in passenger cars by around 1913, Anderson never profited from the invention.

As the story goes, on a freezing, wet winter day around the turn of the century, Mary Anderson was riding a streetcar on a visit to New York City when she noticed that the driver could hardly see through his sleet-encrusted front windshield. Although the trolley’s front window was designed for bad-weather visibility—it was split into parts so that the driver could open it, moving the snow- or rain-covered section out of his line of vision—in fact the multi-pane windshield system worked very poorly. It exposed the driver’s uncovered face (not to mention all the passengers sitting in the front of the trolley) to the inclement weather, and did not improve his ability to see where he was going in any case.

Anderson began to sketch her wiper device right there on the streetcar. After a number of false starts, she came up with a prototype that worked: a set of wiper arms that were made of wood and rubber and attached to a lever near the steering wheel of the drivers’ side. When the driver pulled the lever, she dragged the spring-loaded arm across the window and back again, clearing away raindrops, snowflakes or other debris. When winter was over, Anderson’s wipers could be removed and stored until the next year. (This feature was presumably designed to appeal to people who lived in places where it did not rain in the summertime.)

People scoffed at Anderson’s invention, saying that the wipers’ movement would distract the driver and cause accidents. Her patent expired before she could entice anyone to use her idea.

In 1917, a woman named Charlotte Bridgewood patented the “Electric Storm Windshield Cleaner,” an automatic wiper system that used rollers instead of blades. (Bridgewood’s daughter, the actress Florence Lawrence, had invented the turn signal.) Like Anderson, Bridgewood never made any money from her invention.

Can you imagine trying to automobile today with no wipers at all? Not me! I need all the help I can get!

Coffee out on the patio this morning! I'm baking some more peanut butter cookies, if you want some.

John Colter For Western Wednesday...!

There were so many folks that had a major influence on the development of the West, we could never talk about them all.

All we can hope to do is mention a few of the ones that we might consider important,,,such as this next gentleman.

John Colter

Virginia-born John Colter first answered the call of the West in 1804, when he took off on a journey to the Pacific Ocean and back as part of Lewis and Clark’s famed Corps of Discovery. Two years in the wilderness was more than enough for most of the expedition’s members, but as they made their way home in 1806, Colter decided to shun civilization and strike out on a career as a fur trapper. He soon established himself as one of America’s original mountain men, and may have been the first white man to lay eyes on Yellowstone National Park. A section of Wyoming’s Shoshone River even became known as “Colter’s Hell” for his descriptions of its geothermal activity.

Colter was once wounded while fighting alongside Crow and Flathead tribesmen, but the most legendary chapter in his career came in 1809, when he was captured by a band of Blackfeet while trapping near Three Forks, Montana. After killing his partner, the Indians stripped Colter naked, gave him a brief head start and then chased after him as though he were wild game. Ignoring the rocks and cactus that were shredding his feet, Colter supposedly outran most of the warriors before disarming his closest pursuer and killing him with his own lance. The mountain man then staggered into a fort several days later, having trekked over 200 miles clothed only in a blanket. He would go on to participate in more trapping missions—and have even more run-ins with the Blackfeet—before finally retiring to a Missouri farm in 1810.

You have to admire someone like John Colter, if for no other reason than it provided us with yet another legend of the west.

Coffee out on the patio this morning!

Time Out For Election Day...!

No post this morning. I can't think of anything worth talking about with this election and the choices we have.

I'm just glad that we will be finished with this circus after today, but I'm afraid the true horror show is yet to come!

GOD HELP US ALL!

Island Tale For Monday Mystery...!

We have had several tales of sea-going ships. but let us consider one from the islands for a moment.

George’s Island

George’s Island was a happy place until 1876. Situated off the coast of Labrador, the island was a favored haunt of fishermen and holiday makers. Then, tragedy struck. The schooner Walrus was blown toward the island by a storm. Realizing that the ship would founder on the rocks, the captain ordered his men into the lifeboat, hoping to make it to safety on shore. Unfortunately, all but one crew member apparently drowned after the boat struck a rock and capsized.

At least, that was the story the survivor told the fishermen who eventually rescued him. But when a different group of fisherman landed on George’s later in the year, they were shocked to stumble upon the mutilated bodies of three men. All three were missing their heads. Further inland, the fishermen found another body, this time with multiple axe wounds to the head. They also found two tents, apparently built from a ship’s sail.

The fishermen’s employer later visited the island to bury the bodies. He discovered some badly decayed papers and a photograph of an unknown woman but no other clues. It was assumed that the dead men were the Walrus‘s captain and crew, murdered by the only survivor, who had already disappeared into the wilds of Labrador, never to be seen again.

More of this story is strange and mysterious right off the bat. None of the whole tale being told by anyone really rings true to me. I have to wonder what version is true and what's just imagination. Guess that's why it's a mystery, isn't it?

Coffee out on the patio this morning. It's cooled off some.

Bringing Back The 'Toons...!

Now that Halloween is over and done, time to get back to the 'toons. Won't be long until Turkey Day, ya know!







And one more...



Enough for today. Coffee out on the patio this morning!

Songs For Us Older Folks...!

Since my Birthday is right around the corner, I'm feeling my age a bit. Lucky for me, I'm only feeling it a little. Time to start remembering some of the things from the good old days...while I still can, ya know?







And reaching way back for this one...



Have a great Saturday! Coffee out on the patio this morning!

Suspicious Death For Freaky Friday...

The UFO craze is over, for the most part. However, there still lingers some mysterious deaths linked to some sightings.

Jonathan Lovette

Possibly one of the strangest accounts of a death resulting from an alleged encounter with a UFO occurred in March 1956 when Sergeant Jonathan Lovette and Major William Cunningham were on a search-and-retrieve mission for debris following a missile test in New Mexico.

Cunningham claimed that Lovette had gone to investigate a small sand dune when he suddenly began to scream. Cunningham headed toward the dune and saw a silver disc hovering over it. Even more bizarre, an object like a huge snake was hanging out of the craft and had wrapped itself around Lovette, pulling him on board.

Many believed that Cunningham had simply murdered Lovette and then concocted the wild story. That was until his body was discovered three days later. Among many other horrendous mutilations, both his eyes and tongue had been removed, and his body was completely drained of blood.

In this day and age of instant information, body cameras and the like...an incident like this is not likely to happen. Still. the world is a strange and sometimes crazy place, right? I mean. just look at the current political circus going on!

Coffee out on the patio again. Rain didn't show up yesterday.

The End For Black Bart...!

Amazing as it seems, some folks that were declared as "wanted- dead or alive" actually were captured and jailed for a relatively short time before being released again.

In the world of highwaymen, Black Bart was fairly passive. Other than robbing a few stagecoaches and writing some really bad poetry, he didn't seem to be much of a villain.

1883

Black Bart makes his last stagecoach robbery

On this day, authorities almost catch the California bandit and infamous stagecoach robber called Black Bart; he manages to make a quick getaway, but drops an incriminating clue that eventually sends him to prison.

Black Bart was born Charles E. Boles, probably in the state of New York around 1830. As a young man, he abandoned his family for the gold fields of California, but he failed to strike it rich as a miner and turned to a life of crime.

By the mid-1850s, stagecoaches and Wells Fargo wagons transported much of the huge output of gold from California. Often traveling in isolated areas, the Wells Fargo wagons and stagecoaches quickly became favorite targets for bandits; over the course of about 15 years, the company lost more than $415,000 in gold to outlaw robbers.

It is believed that Boles committed his first stagecoach robbery in July 1875. Wearing a flour sack over his head with holes cut for his eyes and a fancy gentleman’s black derby, he intercepted a stage near the California mining city of Copperopolis. When guards spotted gun barrels sticking out of nearby bushes, they handed over their strong box to Boles. He cracked open the box with an axe and escaped on foot with the gold, though his “gang” of camouflaged gunmen stayed behind. When the guards returned to pick up the box, they discovered that the “rifle barrels” were just sticks tied to branches.

Heartened by this easy success, Black Bart embarked on a series of stagecoach robberies. During the course of his criminal career he never shot anyone nor robbed a single stage passenger; he gained fame for his daring style and the occasional short poems he left behind, signed by “Black Bart, the Po-8.” Wells Fargo, however, was not amused–the company ordered its private police force to capture the bandit, dead or alive. After several years of searching and tracking down clues, Wells Fargo detectives finally located Boles.

Arrested and tried, Boles pleaded guilty and received a sentence of six years in San Quentin prison. He served just over four years and reportedly moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, after receiving a pardon. All told, the “Po-8″ bandit had stolen only $18,000 during the eight years of his criminal career.

Now it seems to me that back then, 18,000 was a smart amount of money to retire on. I reckon that it was a lot safer than robbing stages as well.

Coffee inside the kitchen this morning, as the rain seems to have returned.

Selling Off The Herd...!

There comes a time when even the biggest and best of the cattle business has to call it a day. Pretty sad when a place like this has to sell off all the cows.

1912

XIT Ranch sells its last head of cattle

On this day, the XIT Ranch of Texas, once among the largest ranches in the world, sells its last head of cattle.

Despite the popular image of the cattle rancher as an independent and self-reliant pioneer, big-city capitalists and stockholders owned many of the most important 19th century ranches. The Chicago capitalists behind the XIT—also known as the Capitol Syndicate Ranch—were trying to get rich by catering to the growing American passion for fresh western beef. They received the land in exchange for financing a state capitol building in Texas.

Given the aridity of the region, the Chicago capitalists determined that ranching would be the only profitable use for their new land. They quickly built up a massive but highly efficient cattle-raising operation that stretched over parts of nine Texas counties. At its peak, the XIT had more than 160,000 head of cattle, employed 150 cowboys, and encompassed nearly 3 million acres of the Texas panhandle—an unusually large tract of land even by western standards.

As land prices increased in Texas and cattle prices fell, the owners of the XIT realized they could make more money by selling their land. By 1912, the XIT abandoned ranching altogether with the sale of its last herd of cattle. The corporate managers gradually sold the remainder of their property to farmers and smaller ranchers throughout the first half of the 20th century. By 1950, the once-mighty XIT had control of only 20,000 acres.

Call me crazy, but 20,000 acres still sounds like a lot of land...a LOT! I know I don't want to mow it, that's for sure!

Coffee out on the patio this morning.

My Mother's Birthday...

This is now the first of November. This would be my Mother's birthday, if she were still here.

Mom always loved bluegrass music, so in her memory I thought I would play a little Bluegrass for her. Hope you don't mind...



There ya go. I think she would have liked it.

Coffee out on the patio this morning.