Ostensibly exploring the practice of law before the internet. Heck, before good highways for that matter.
Sunday, December 14, 2025
Sunday, March 30, 2025
Friday, March 30, 1945. Mère Marie Élisabeth de l'Eucharistie gassed at Ravensbruck. Maj. Gen. Maurice Rose killed in action.
Commander of the 3d Armored Division, Maj Gen. Maurice Rose was killed in action near Paderborn, Westphalia, where many of many ancestors immigrated from in the 19th Century.
Rose was cut off in a forested area near the city and his part attempted to escape in their Jeeps, which one Jeep managed to do. Stopped by a tank, a Waffen SS tank commander emerged from the hatch with a submachinegun and Rose's hand went for his sidearm. He was machinegunned and left. The remainder of his party hid in the woods overnight, and recovered his body, which contained operational orders that had not been disturbed, that night.
He was the highest ranking U.S. Army officer to be killed in direct action by enemy forces during World War Two.
Rose was Jewish by descent and grew up in a Jewish household in Denver. His father was a businessman who later became a rabbi. Rose himself could speak Yiddish and read Hebrew. He joined the Colorado National Guard before he was legally old enough to do so, hoping for a military career early on, and hoping to serve in the Punitive Expedition, but was discharged six weeks later when his age was discovered. He enlisted again during World War One at age 17 with his parents permission, and went to OCS, which says something about how different things were in regard to educational requirements at the time. He was briefly out of the service in 1919, but returned to the Army as an officer in 1920.
Rose was married for about ten years, from 1920 to 1931, to Venice Hanson of Salt Lake City. although the marriage ended in divorce. Their son served as a career Marine Corps officer and also served in World War Two, as well as the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He later married Virginia Barringer in 1934.
While born and raised Jewish, Maurice identified as an Episcopalian as an adult, which has lead to speculation on whether his conversion was real or political, it being difficult at the time to advance in American society, and the Army more particularly, while being outwardly Jewish. Not that much is known, however, about his personal religious convictions.
He was 45 years of age.
The Battle of Lijevče Field began near Banja Luka between Croatian and Chetnik forces in what would soon be incorporated into communist Yugoslavia.
The Red Army took Danzig. The Danzig Corridor, of course, had been one of the things the Germans claimed they required that lead to World War Two.
Anyone else make a connection to Greenland today.. . . ?
Eric Clapton was born in Ripley, Surrey to 16 year old Patricia Molly Clapton and 25 year old Canadian soldier Edward Walter Fryer. He was raised by his grandparents, whom he thought to be his parents until he was nine years old. He thought, at that time, his mother was his older sister. She'd marry another Canadian soldier later on and his grandparents would continue to raise him.
He was performing the blue professionally by age 17.
Last edition:
Thursday, March 29, 1945. The first Public Passover Sedar in Germany since 1938.
Monday, March 24, 2025
Cliffnotes of the Zeitgeist. 78th Edition. We'd like to inform you that terrible things are being done in your name, edition.
The caption comes this week from a letter the publishers of The New Republic wrote to Stalin, when one of their reporters wrote back on atrocities being committed in the Soviet Union in the early 1930s.
Crowd jeers Hageman at tense Laramie town hall. She calls them ‘hysterical.’: Wyoming’s lone congresswoman faced tough questions and angry constituents Wednesday night.
Not just Laramie, but also solidly Republican Rock Springs and Evanston.
Indeed, all over the country, when Republicans show up in their home districts.
Indeed, the event in Evanston was so notable that a populist apologist felt compelled to write an Op Ed for the Cowboy State Daily.
Jonathan Lange: Barbuto’s Miscalculation Released The Flying Monkeys
Lange you may, but probably don't, recognize as Rev. Lange of the Missouri Synod of the Lutheran Church, who has his own blog, Only Human. He's reliably pro Trump and Pro Populist, which brings up one of the real ironies of populism, which is deeply religious people supporting a movement lead by some wildly irreligious people, as we've discussed elsewhere, so we'll only note that Trump is, in Christian terms, an adulterer living in an adulterous irregular relationship as well as being a serial liar, and Musk is an atheist. Lange came to the attention of some in the state by opposing the successful bill to make child marriage illegal.
But we digress.
What's really notable, is that even here in deep Trump country people are really reacting to DOGE and aren't happy about it.
And that's not all they aren't happy about.
A coal mine near Kemmerer is laying off 28 workers.
Tesla chargers have been vandalized with swastikas in Rock Springs.
In far Western Wyoming coal continues to fail, as it will, as coal's days are over, but that hasn't caused deeply Republican Kemmerer to say "yes, we'll sign up for the deportation frenzy" and take an immigrant concentration camp.
Interesting.
Anyhow, I'll give Hageman credit for simply going to Laramie, where she must have known that she'd encounter real hostility. But her response to a LGBTQ was really wrong headed in a city that's sought to overcome the murder of Matthew Shepard for decades.
She called the crowd "hysterical". They weren't hysterical, they were angry.
So far Hageman hasn't toured north of the Union Pacific, which is interesting. I wonder why, sincerely?
Someone else who is touring is Bernie Sanders, and AoC.
AoC is obviously considering running against the pathetic Chuck Schumer.
Also, in Colorado:
Walking the fine line of ‘all of the above’: Two Republicans from #Colorado add names to letter calling for restraint in gutting of #climate legislation — Allen Best (BigPivots.com) #ActOnClimate
One of the really interesting things that's starting to happen in the Trump world is the same thing that happened in the Socialist left world during the 20s and 30s, that being the belief that the dear leader doesn't know about what the Party is doing. I saw this on Facebook, which is just about as far to the left as Wyomingite's normally go, from somebody who is about as far to the right as possible.
So again, in our home State of Wyoming, the left wing lunacy continues to try to rob Wyoming of more original beauty. My understanding is that the Duncan Ranch was to be used for Agriculture and ag based education only. How is it that these are even being considered?!?! Anyone that knows this area can attest to its beauty yet now, that is threatened. I warned people that the State Lands and BLM would be the next spots for these to be in the crosshairs. Those who have allowed these on their private property have opened the door for them to continue to push for this failed technology. So here it is, they want to build on public ground like it's no big deal. There are already whispers of eminent domain coming into play for the future of these cancers as well. It must stop! There is absolutely nothing green about the agenda they push. Wyoming is Oil, Gas, Coal Agriculture, and Tourism. We are not some waistland where you can just stand your turbines up and collect a check. Our Natural Resources are the reason our State isn't bankrupt like the liberals who surround us. Why are we so worried about pandering to these other states that don't follow or respect our way of life? At one time a few years ago, the Natrona County Commissioners agreed 4 to 1 to allowing all of these turbines just North of Casper at 20 Mile Hill. They did so even tho there was standing room only in the courthouse in opposition. So now, there are windturbines in our back yard. It's sickening. Blinking lights at night as far as you can see. The beautiful sunrise that generations of my family has enjoyed for years is now ruined by towering monstrocies. However, when it came time to vote on those commissioners who's term was up, WE THE PEOPLE replaced them. Now, we have a commission who is strong for the people. The most recent green deal that came before these new commissioners for approval got shot down 3 to 2. They understand Wyoming doesn't want this crap in our back yard.
My point is, whoever is not standing for Wyoming, needs voted out and if we want to protect our Wyoming and our tax dollars, these projects need to be met with lots of opposition by, "We The People".
The Duncan Ranch, which this individual is worried about, justifiably, is not in Natrona County. It's in Converse County, which never saw any kind of industrial project of any kind it didn't like. And the rancher, and that's what he is, who is upset, is justifiably upset, but he's being about as green and distributist as can be, and doesn't know it.
Anyhow, these projects weren't backed by a bunch of raving environmentalist here.
Hydrogen project major wind farm at & near Duncan Ranch, seeks state approval this week
They were backed by major heavy industry. And by the county its in, which has supported every single one of these projects without question. Indeed, the only County Commission which didn't support one was the Natrona County Commission, which actually was largely made up of the same people who had supported the prior ones in the county, in spite of what the Facebook fellow says. I think there's only one new Commissioner.
Trump seems backed by billionaires.
People don't really seem happy with what's actually occurring.
By the way, one of the things that's occurring is that the Trump Administration is going to require you appear in person to apply for Social Security. . . while they're also closing Social Security offices. Rock Spring's office is being closed. Casper's isn't listed, but the entire building is suggested to be sold, which could mean that Casperites would have to probably drive three hours to Cheyenne, or five to Denver.
Not to worry, no billionaire will be harmed by this decision.
Postscript:
From Rep Hageman's newsletter:
Rock Springs Social Security Office Update
Late last week, we began receiving calls from constituents concerned by a media article reporting that the Rock Springs Social Security Office was closing. I immediately reached out to the agency and was able to confirm that the allegation was inaccurate. The agency has canceled the lease for an ancillary hearing room it no longer uses, and those hearings will now be held at an alternative location, but the office itself will remain open. You can read more about the new SSA efficiencies here.
Last edition:
Cliffnotes of the Zeitgeist. 77th Edition. A bridge too far?
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Thursday, November 20, 1924. The marriage of my father's parents.
Which was oddly a Thursday. I think of most weddings being on Saturday.
At least they are now.
The wedding was in Denver, where they had met and where my grandfather was working. They'd live there until 1937, when they'd move to Scottsbluff. In that time they had all of their children save for one, who would be born in Scottsbluff, the first one being born in 1926 and my father being born in 1929.
They were both 23 years old. He had been on his own since age 13. She was living with her parents in Denver, where they had moved after her father had closed his store in Leadville. Her parents were of 100% Irish extraction, with her mother being from Cork. His parents were of 100% Westphalian extraction. They were both Catholic, although I don't know what church they were married in. Likey one of the Catholic churches downtown.
The American Automobile Association of State Highway Officials approved a resolution recommending that states agree to a consistent system of numbered highways.
Last edition:
Tuesday, November 18, 1924. Adding to the public domain.
Monday, November 18, 2024
Monday, September 2, 2024
Observations on Denver
Some years we have Rockies' ticket package. We did last year, but we didn't go to a single game for a variety of reasons. Work was the big one, but then, about this time just a year ago, I was under the knife for the second time as well.
We went to the Orioles game on September 1.
The choice of the date was not my own, September 1 is the opening day of blue grouse and dove season, but I didn't complain about it. A young member of the family loves the Orioles and that's why it was chosen. When you get old, as I am, you yield in favor of younger family members, so I did, without complaining. You also learn, hopefully, not to complain where in former days you might have.
It was a great game.
I've been to Denver several times since my surgery, but they were all hit and run type of deals for work. In and out, with no time to spare. This is the first time I've lingered in the Mile High City for awhile, and the first time over a weekend for a long while. Therefore some observations, I guess.
It was hot. "Unseasonably hot" is what I'm hearing. I'm not a fan of hot. As Wyoming has already been chilly in the morning, and I couldn't find my Rockies jersey, I wore a light flannel shirt. I don't really feel comfortable in just wearing a t-shit in that setting anymore, so I when I got hot, right away, before the game, I went and bought a jersey. Now I have two.
I can't wear my old New York Yankees pull on jersey anymore. I'm too big and its too small. My Sox jersey is messing a button.
It's really weird to think that at least into the 1940s people dressed pretty formally at baseball games. Men were in jacket and tie, something you'd never see now.
We were there on Sunday.
Holy Ghost is, in my view, the most beautiful church in the region and the most beautiful one I've ever been in. We went to Mass early Sunday morning. It's stunning and it never fails to impress me with its beauty.
A beautiful church really adds something to worship, and a sense of the Divine.
Not a new impression, but the street people problem is out of control.
I don't know what can be done to help these people. Some, you can tell, are now so organically messed up that they'll never really recover.
In various places, when approached for money by somebody on a street, I'll give them some. But not in Denver. The people on the streets are so messed up I know where that money is going. Something needs to be done to help them, but I have no idea what it would be.
The day before I went down I read that the Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) had taken over two apartments in Aurora. Looking it up, it's apparently true, and they're using them for sex trafficking.
The greater Denver area, fwiw, has never been all that nice, in spite of what people might say. I recall going down in the 1980s, when I was an undergrad at UW, and parts of were really rough then. 16th Street was just starting to develop. The area around LoDo was really really rough. I can recall walking from an off street towards 16th past a really rough looking bar mid morning when a prostitute came spilling out of it, probably just getting off work. The Episcopal Cathedral, St. John in the Wilderness, had lots of broken windows, broken by rocks thrown into them from the street. Colorado Blvd in the region of what is now Martin Luther King Blvd was as complete red light district full of XXX movie theaters. Lo Do was a no/go zone.
Coors Field really cleaned up a lot of that, and much of downtown Denver has really gentrified. 16th Street, however, is a drug flop house as is much of downtown Denver. The legalization of marijuana, COVID, and a highly tolerant city council has created an enormous problem.
Anyhow, I don't go into Aurora much, but I don't really recall it being really nice. I recall my father, who had experience with Denver going back to the 1930s, mentioning it had never been nice.
We had a big breakfast at Sam's No. 3. It's a great cafe. A real urban one, which probably makes it surprising that I'll go there, but it is great.
At the game, I had a hot dog. I usually have "brots", rather than dogs, if I have your classic small sausage on a bun. I'd forgotten, accordingly, what real dogs taste like. I like them, but I don't like them as much as brots.
Converse Chuck Taylors are comfortable for sitting at a game, but not for hiking around a city. Like my baseball jerseys, I like Chuck Taylors but given my line of work and my off time avocations, which I unfortunately seem to be able to engage in less and less, I have little call to actually wear them.
Regarding clothing, while I hesitated to post it, a lot of young women in urban settings don't dress decently when dressing casually. I don't mean "dress up" either. Perhaps because it was hot, a lot of them had on "summer clothes" which showed way more skin, and other things, than is decent, in my view. For that matter, coming out of a hotel a barista was coming in wearing a t-shirt who had chosen to omit undergarments and was showing, well, through. I almost turned to my daughter who was with me and thanked her for not dressing like so much of what I was seeing, but I didn't.
On that, some of the younger women were clearly with a parent. Why would you let a child, even if not a child any longer, go out dressed like that?
I'm not really proud of noticing and I didn't glare or stare, but frankly with so much on display its impossible not to notice anything. I'm old, but not dead, and there's way too much on display, certainly way more than is the case up here in the rude hinterlands. A Christian should have custody of their eyes but I'd rather other folks make it easy to exercise.
Also on display were vast numbers of tattoos, some artful and some really bad. Having a bad tattoo has to be a bummer.
I was reminded of how much I don't like country music. My wife and daughter do, so we listed to one of the XM Radio satellite radio channels on the way down. I never listen to contemporary country music, although over the years I've gotten to where I like some of the older stuff.
Anyhow, I was surprised by how much country music is just devoted to getting drunk. It's weird.
A fair amount is devoted to bad decisions, particularly with alcohol and women. Some has gotten inappropriate towards women in general. One of the songs on the way down I heard was Country Girl, which involves alcohol, and also the lyrics "shake it for me, girl". I've been around country people, including country girls, my entire life and I've never seen a country girl shaking whatever for anyone. Indeed, I've always been impressed by how almost everyone who lives in the sticks knows how to swing dance and tends to wear, usually, a fair amount of clothing, even in the summer.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
Friday, April 25, 1924. Denver Colorado receives 24" of snow, Jilted "Girl" lawyer turns killer.
The "Girl Lawyer" was Wanda Stopa, who must have been both brilliant and unstable. The story reminds us of the Biblical warning that "the wages of sin is death", quite literally in this instance. Stopa
Saturday, January 6, 2024
Sunday, January 6, 1924. Frigid weather and Rebel offensives.
A story that would repeat many times in Casper was playing out, with oil companies moving their headquarters from Casper to Denver. By 2000 it had pretty much set in that headquarters were no longer in Wyoming, with Marathon being perhaps the last major producer to relocate. Denver remains a major oil headquarters city, but Houston has eclipsed it. Presently, all that really remains of the major petroleum headquarters that were once in Casper are three office buildings, The Ohio Building, the Pan American Building and the Consolidated Royalty Building.
The Catholic Church in France was allowed to reoccupy former Church property under the "diocesan associations" system.
On the same day, the flood of the Seine peaked at over 7 meters.
Thursday, September 21, 2023
Denver sucks.
Best cities to raise a family
Saturday, September 2, 2023
Painted Bricks: Prairie mural, downtown Denver
Prairie mural, downtown Denver
Saturday, August 26, 2023
My gosh, why would somebody think there needed to be another Denver?
Wednesday, June 28, 2023
Friday, June 28, 1923. Turkey's first election, Hi Power patent, Osage Murders in Oklahoma, Klan in Glenrock, Bert Cole accident.
Turkey's first general election was held, which chose secondary electors who then would choose the Grand National Assembly. Only the Republican People's Party was allowed to exist, but the number of candidates was unlimited.
John Browning, the legendary and massively influential firearms designer, many of whose designs are still in use, unabated in their utility and not regarded as old, filed for his patent application for the Hi Power. He would die before it was granted in 1927.
The design went on to widespread use, seeing military use with every country in the British Commonwealth or which was formerly part of the late British Empire, as well as World War Two use by China and, ironically, Nazi Germany. Germany produced the pistol in occupied Belgian plants. It saw very limited experimental use with the US in the 1960s. I knew a Navy pilot, for instance, who was issued one.
Regarded as obsolete, in recent years it has been phased out of British service, which commenced during World War Two with airborne troops, and most recently out of Canadian service. Canada chose to take this step as its World War Two manufactured pistols no longer had a reliable parts source. Ironically, just as they made their decision, a boom in manufacture of Hi Power pistols resumed, starting off a story in civilian, and perhaps military, markets much like that experienced by the M1911, which went through a similar story. The M1911 is, of course, also a Browning design.
The Hi Power is the pistol the U.S. should have adopted when it went to 9mm (and it shouldn't have gone to 9mm). The pistol was so widely used that at one time US special forces of various types would carry it on certain missions because, if one was dropped, it was evidence of who had been there.
Osage oil millionaire George Bigheart summoned Pawhuska Oklahoma lawyer W. Watkins Vaughn to his hospital deathbed, where he was receiving treatment for poisoning. Bigheart died the following day, and Vaughn was murdered on his way home, his body being found in Pershing, Oklahoma.
The Osage Indian Murders are the subject of the recently released movie, Killers of the Flower Moon, which is based on the 2017 book investigating the same.
The Glenrock Gazette reported on the recent KKK demonstration n that town.
The Glenrock Gazette, in its reporting, basically endorsed the racist organization as being one for law and order.
Bert Cole, famous local pilot, but one already known for a tragic airborne death in Evansville, died in an airplane accident himself.
From Reddit's 100 Years Ago sub, the inquiring photographer was out again. I was surprised how uniform these answers were.
I would not have guessed that there would be uniform answers. The fact that there is, speaks volumes of how women perceived their status at the time.
Indeed, in much of the US women had only recently received the vote, but it is true that they were highly restricted in what was regarded as appropriate work. That wouldn't really start changing for another fifty years, although that's probably a topic for a separate entry. Also clear here, however, social rules bothered some women. The really fascinating thing here is that it seemed not to be something vaguely in the background, but something that caused a lot of women, all the women in this sample, to hold deep seated resentments.
Monday, March 6, 2023
Lex Anteinternet: Monday, March 5, 1923. The Thomas, Collins, affair.
Sunday, January 29, 2023
Monday, January 29, 1923. Colorado Rangers disbanded.
Governor William E. Sweet of Colorado defunded the Colorado Rangers.
The move was made to thwart Prohibition enforcement, even though Colorado had adopted prohibition (like marijuana prohibition) before the Federal Government had, as well as to prevent its use in mine disputes. They were officially disbanded in 1927, but thereafter became a reserve police force for Colorado.
Sweet was a Democrat from Chicago who came to Colorado with his parents as a small child. He was a investment banker by profession, and good at it. He retired from the occupation before entering politics in 1922 at age 54. As governor, he was a strong opponent of the Klu Klux Klan, which was strong in Colorado, and which he attributed his subsequent defeat in a reelection bid in 1925. He later moved to the second variant of the Progressive Party, the one that was formed by Robert LaFollette.
He died in 1942 at age 73.
Of note, my grandmother and grandfather, on my father's side, were married and living in Denver, Colorado at this time. My grandmother, of Irish extraction, was a lifelong Democrat.
The Colorado Rangers originally formed in 1861, modeled on the Texas Rangers.
To the north of this story:
This was still an idea that was threatened, from time to time, when I was a kid.
Edward Terry Sanford was confirmed as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
Mustafa Kemal Pasha, Ataturk, married Latife Uşaki. The marriage lasted only until 1925, although it did see her active in the emancipation of Turkish women. She lived in Istanbul after their divorce, dying in 1975.
Thursday, January 19, 2023
The Aerodrome: Denver International Airport. Clearing the snow.
Denver International Airport. Clearing the snow.
Thursday, January 5, 2023
Tuesday, January 5, 1943 First use of the VT Fuse.
The first use of the revolutionary VT fuse in combat occurred when the USS Helena shot down a Japanese dive bomber with a projectile equipped with the fuse.
Designed for surface-to-air and ground to ground use, the VT used radar to detonate when close to the target. The Navy's use came first, as it was feared that the fuse would fall into enemy hands if used in ground combat. Amazingly, use by ground forces of the joint British-American fuse would not come until late 1944 when it was deployed during the Battle of the Bulge. There was some reluctance to use it even then, but its revolutionary features were never discovered by the Germans or Japanese.
The fuse is widely used today.
Gen. Kenneth Walker led a heavy bomber raid on Rabaul to hit Japanese shipping, the presence of which the US was aware of due to decoding of Japanese radio transmissions. Eight Japanese merchant ships and two destroyers were hit during the raid by B-17s and B-24s. Gen. Walker's aircraft, in which he was riding as an observer, was brought down by Japanese antiaircraft fire, and he was killed.
Walker was 44 years old at the time of his death. Born in New Mexico, he grew up in Denver, Colorado in a home maintained by his mother, as his father left the family. He attended a variety of schools in Denver. He entered the Army during World War One and was commissioned as an airman in 1918.
The Department of Agriculture ordered that 30% of all butter production be reserved for the Armed Forces.
George Washington Carver, prominent American scientist and African American, died at approximately age 78.
The Red Army continued to advance in the Caucasus. British paratroopers and commandos took the high ground near Mateur, Tunisia. Free French forces advanced in southern Libya.
Sunday, January 1, 2023
Transfiguration of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church. Go fund me for chaplain.
Transfiguration of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church
Support Our Chaplains:
At the request of Bishop Benedict, please consider supporting our military chaplains in Ukraine:
GoFundMe for Greco-Catholic Chaplains
Car for chaplain
Sunday, December 18, 2022
Monday, December 18, 1922. The Denver Mint Robbery
A deadly robbery of the Denver mint resulted in $200,000 being stolen, and one guard and one thief losing their lives.
$80,000 of the $200,000 was recovered in early 1923 in Minnesota, along with money traced to a prior bank robbery. No arrests were ever made, although authorities believed they had largely solved the mystery of who committed the robbery about a decade later, by which time most of those who were involved with it, assuming the authorities were correct, were dead or in prison.
Three days of fascists attacks on union members in Turin, Italy, commenced.
The de Bothezat helicopter, nicknamed "the flying octopus", made its first flight
Saturday, December 3, 2022
Rights of Nature
I support reintroducing grizzly bears.
To the Cheesman Park neighborhood of Denver, more specifically. And nobody can talk me out of it.
Sunday, October 30, 2022
Sunday Morning Scene. Churches of the West: St. Patrick Misson Church, Denver Colorado.
St. Patrick Misson Church, Denver Colorado.
This Catholic Church in North Denver is St. Patrick Mission Church. The Mission Architecture Church was built from 1907 to 1910, and served the Denver Highlands. Its architectural style is unusual for Denver.
This Church is also called St. Patrick's Oratory, and has a presence by the Capuchin Poor Clare Sisters.
There's more to this church than I have here, I just don't know what it is, but it may be explained by the Capuchin sisters. The church as a bit of a campus, and therefore as a mission, it might strongly reflect their presence.

.jpg)






















