The Ramones debuted as a professional band at CBGB, a New York bar.
The bar had been open for three years at the time, and specialized in blue grass and country music. It'd soon specialize in punk.
The NFL played a demonstration game in Tokyo, the first time the NFL had played outside the US. The temas were the St. Louis Cardinals and the San Diego Chargers.
The New Zealand Private Schools Conditional Integration Act took effect allowing private schools, mostly Catholic, to come under the regulation and tax support of the government.
The 442nd Regimental Combat Team was conferred a Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation.
The Senate approved an emergency loan to the United Kingdom.
Linda Ronstadt in 1976.
Musical great Linda Ronstadt was born in Tucson. Still living, but unable to sing due to Parkinson's, Ronstadt was a commanding singer of the 1970s and had a very long career thereafter, ranging from Country Rock, to pop, to Mexican Folk music. She's never married, but did raise two adopted children.
The national anthem of the Republic of Ireland, Amhrán na bhFiann (A Soldier's Song) was officially adopted as Ireland's national anthem.
The irony is, of course, that Ireland won its independence through the use of small arms, in an era in which the British had much more lax gun control. Ireland is amongst the most restrictive nations regarding gun control today.
General Motors acquired the Flint Institute of Technology in Michigan and renamed it the General Motors Institute of Technology. It is now known as Kettering University.
Gertrude Bell, archeologist, writer, spy, and friend of T. E. Lawrence died at age 57.
Bell never married. Starting in 1892 she was courted by British diplomat Henry Cadogan but was refused permission to marry him after her father discovered that Cadogan was deeply in debt and not her social equal. Cadogan died in 1893. Thereafter she was briefly involved with British colonial administrator Sir Frank Swettenham and then Major Charles Doughty-Wylie, a married man, with whom she exchanged love letters from 1913 to 1915 but did not stray beyond that. Doughty-Wylie died in April 1915 during the Gallipoli Campaign, which devastated Bell.
Her death was due to an overdose of sleeping pills. It is not known if it was accidental or a suicide.
Pope Pius XI promulgated the papal instruction Cadaverum cremationis, affirming the Catholic ban on cremation. The prohibition would be relaxed by Pope Paul VI on June 5, 1964, but at least with some Catholics, myself included, the practice is looked down upon. Subsequent popes have also written on the practice.
DeFord Bailey became the first African-American to be listed in newspaper radio schedules as a performer on the WSM Barn Dance (The Grand Ole Opry). He had performed on the show previously.
from the studio of the Nashville radio station WSM. As authors note in a biography of Bailey, "he had probably begun regular appearances before then.
This election has been a reminder about being careful about getting tattoos.
Maine Democratic Senatorial candidate Graham Platner, in addition to other skeletons (no pun intended) in his closet, has, or at least had, a large Death's Head tattoo on one of his breasts. Not one like the one above, but one more or less like this:
Shown here:
Well, I say, had, now its this:
We're informed that's a Celtic knot and a dog.
Well, anyhow, this has caused quite a flap, as the design he had is pretty clearly the same one used by the SS during World War Two.
He says he didn't know that. Frankly, while people are incredulous about that, he may very well not have known that.
Indeed, one of the things that's interesting about this, as an (amateur) historian is that suddenly everyone is an expert on World War Two German insignia. I doubt that many people, anymore, were before the last couple of weeks. Indeed, I can recall Walmart getting in trouble some years ago has had a t-shirt it was selling with some Nazi symbology on it, if I recall correctly SS ruins.
Anyhow, the Totenkopf has an interesting and weird history. It's been around for a very long time, and is famously associated with pirates from the 18th Century, who flew various variants of death's head flags, nicknamed the "Jolly Roger", to warn a ship they were approaching that that's what they were. Death's head on a flag threatened death, and the hope was accordingly that the opponent would give up without a fight. Because of the pirate association, legitimate navies coopted the symbol and you can still find it in use to some degree in navies.
The crew of the HMS Utmost showing off their Jolly Roger in February 1942.
The Prussians started using it as a military symbol under Frederick the Great, when it was introduced to hussars. That use was distinct enough that one US state militia unit, formed as hussars, was still using it with a distinctly Prussian style uniform at the start of the Civil War. It also spread to other units in the various German states prior to German unification, and to some other European nations. One Spanish unit, for example used it.
Field Marshall August von Mackensen in 1914 in his full dress hussars uniform.
Infante Fernando wearing the uniform of Spain's 8th Light Armoured Cavalry Regiment "Lusitania" in 1915
After German unification following the Franco Prussian War the pre unification units that used it continued to, with some German units and even individuals adopting it informally. After the German defeat in the Great War, some Freikorps units used it and it carried on in use in German cavalry units.
After Hitler's rise to power, the SS co-opted it almost immediately at the time of their formation, but that didn't actually cause the German Army or the Luftwaffe from using it as well. German panzer troops wore a black uniform with the Totenkopf early on, with the design aat first being identical to the SS in that regard. The SS later changed its design, which Heer panzer units never did.
German panzer soldier, wearing a 1939 black flat cap, with a feldgrau shirt, black tie and black jacket with Totenkopf lapel badge. The first version of the panzer uniform featured a very large black beret.
This actually created some confusion at the time and still does, although the confusion was more of a problem to German troops during the war. By 1944 the Totenkopf was associated with the SS as was the color black, which actually was not worn by most Waffen SS troops. Tanker POWs were easily mistaken for members of the SS and risked being shot out of hand to some degree. By 44, however, black was being phased out for tankers, both in the Heer and SS, in favor of feldgrau. They retained the Totenkopf, however.
As sort of a rough rule of thumb, every member of the SS wore a uniform with a Totenkopf device, including auxiliary units. Armored units of the Heer wore it also, as did the one oddball Luftwaffe armored unit. One Luftwaffe bomber unit used it as a symbol as well. Black uniforms were worn by tankers of all branches early on, and as regular SS dress uniforms, but not as Waffen SS dress uniforms.
This doesn't get into the concentration camp system uniforms, which I don't know anything about, and which were often staffed by auxiliaries. They all wore the deaths head, however.
One Nazi organization that didn't wear the Totenkopf or a black uniform was the Gestapo. Movies and television shows constantly show them doing that, but they didn't. For example, an SS dress uniform is shown being worn by a Gestapo member in both Where Eagles Dare and Hogan's Heroes. In reality, the Gestapo didn't have any uniform at all. The depiction given in Von Ryan's Express is the correct one. They favored civilian dress clothes and trench coats, often leather ones. They were, after all, secret police and were dressed like civilians.
Marine Corps Raiders' insignia.
One US ground unit used it too, the Marine Corps Raiders, which took it from Naval use.
By the war's end the death's head, except in naval use, was hopelessly associated with the SS, although amazingly some use continues on. The South Korean 3rd Infantry Division, the British Army’s Royal Lancers and Brazilian Military Police use it officially. Some Ukrainian units controversially use it which seems to be an intentional effort to associate themselves with the World War Two era Ukrainian National Army which fought both the USSR and the Germans, but the Germans rather late.
Various navies keep using it, but the Nazis didn't taint the pirate association it had on the seas.
One place it oddly saw use was in civilian groups that wanted to cultivate an edge look after the war. All sort of Nazi paraphernalia became associated with motorcycle gangs. And heavy metal bands affected the look as well.
Ian Fraser Kilmister, "Lemmy" of Motörhead who notoriously sported German military and German SS paraphernalia constantly, and who did know what it meant. He claimed to have no Nazi sympathies. His father had been a chaplain in the RAF.
The interesting thing there, I suppose, is that the predecessor to the SS was the SA. The SA didn't use the Totenkopf, but it was comprised of thugs, so in a way the Nazi paraphernalia returned to a demographic that had first used it.
So, what of Platner?
Darned if I know. He says he didn't know what it meant, and I suspect a lot of Americans under 70 years of age don't know what it means. World War Two is simply too long ago for a uniform detail to have much in the cultural memory. Those younger people who do know what it was used for are likely students of history, members of prison gangs, or white supremacists. History students don't get tattooed with the Totenkopf. The other two groups likely do. That doesn't mean that Platner was a white supremacist, however.
It does require some sort of explanation, however.
While on the topic of the tattoos, let's discuss Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense.
Pete Hegseth is festooned with tattoos.
Pete has a variety of them, which seem to be the following:
Jerusalem Cross, a type4 of Christian cross associated with the Crusades, rightly or wrongly.
"Deus Vult", Latin for "God wills it", a phrase claimed to be associated with the Crusaders.
Kafir, the Arabic for infidel, but also Afrikaans slang for blacks.
Cross & Sword, apparently referencing Matthew 10:34
Yahweh, the Hebrew lettering for the name of God, added near his cross and sword tattoo.
"We the People", The opening phrase of the U.S. Constitution.
American Flag & AR-15.
Roman numerals (1775) & Stars: The year the U.S. Army and the Revolutionary War began.
"Join, or Die" Snake, the Benjamin Franklin cartoon depicting a severed snake, symbolizing colonial unity during the American Revolution.
Infantry Patch.
It's really a bit much. Hegseth is an example of how people become addicted to getting tattoos and won't stop.
So what of it?
Well, the top two tattoos are offensive to some Catholics, myself included. Hegseth is a member of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, he has stated., which is a collection of Evangelical Churches. The Crusades are a Catholic thing, grossly misunderstood, and for which Catholics have taken heat from Protestants for five hundred years. Moreover, the Crusaders would have regarded the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches as heretical.
"Kafir" is a flat out weird thing to tattoo on yourself, and for Sub-Saharan Africans its highly offensive, being the Afrikaans equivalent of the n word. I suppose its supposed to be a taunt at Muslims.
Tattooing Yahweh on yourself is just weird, and potentially offensive to Jews, as well as others. Leviticus 19:28 prohibits tattoos themselves, although this is not regarded by most Christians as applicable to Christians and many modern day Jews do not follow that as well.
The point here is this. Tattooing the Totenkopf on your chest is bound to be offensive to the historically aware. Tattooing Crusader phrases on your body is no doubt offensive to Muslims, although I'm not particularly concerned about that, but it's a cultural appropriation that is offensive to some historically aware Catholics. Kafir, as a tattoo, is outright calculated to be offensive to Muslims, and it's highly offensive to Sub Saharan Africans. And the Yahweh tattoo is disturbing.
I suppose the lesson is to be careful about tattoos. Hegseth is so tatted up its frankly absurd, but he comes across as disturbed. Platner comes across as just sort of messed up.
Of course, you don't get to vote for or against Hegseth, no matter where you live. Your view of him has to weigh into your view of the administration. If you live in Maine, you can weigh the tattoo in your opinion on whether to vote for him or the ancient Susan Collins.
Showing the spirit our age, I suppose, Donald Trump called Platner a pig. Pigs have a highly hierarchal pecking order, so I suppose that's the big pig reacting to a younger one in the pen, if you accept the analogy.
One of the ways to tell if you are held in social esteem is to invite people to a party and have them come up with excuses not to show up.
That's happening to Trump. Trump was planning a "Great American State Fair" with a host of performers, most of whom have already begged off.
This isn't even up to date, as since this was posted C+C Music factory says he or it (I don't know anything about that act) has said nope as well.
McBride says she'll be on tour with the Dixie Chicks. Bret Michaels says he never planned to go to a political event, which this has become, and is concerned about the safety of his people. Young MC has also said he never intended to go to a political event. I'd be surprised if any of these people show up.
Somebody will. It'll likely be country acts that trend heavily far right, which a few do. But this level of rapid backing out is fairly remarkable.
The reference to state fairs is interesting. Are state fairs a big deal anywhere anymore? I'm sincere. They still occur, but I don't think they were what they once were, so that's an oddly nostalgic reference, I think.
On other spectacles. . .
I've hesitated to say it, as its controversial, and can be taken the wrong way, but MAGA contains a heavy element of white trash in it. Not everyone by any means. I know a few very well educated supporters of Donald Trump, and a few who are supporters for what I'd regard as regional reasons. But there's some flat out white trash as well. "Professional" wrestling is a white trash theatre, and Trump is hosting an event on the White House grounds.
Figures.
Hosting a wrestling event gives lie to the entire "I need a ballroom as if I don't get one I'll be in danger" crap. It'll be a big, stupid, hootenanny. If you were concerned about safety, you wouldn't host it.
It's so unfortunate that Trump is President for the 250th Anniversary of American independence as he symbolizes everything the nation rebelled against. It's like simply closing a page on American democracy. We had local democracy and colonial rule, went to democracy, improved our democracy, and then crashed into oligarchy. It's questionable if the nation will be able to recognize itself after Trump is done destroying everything he touches.
The House of Commons voted to nationalize the British coal industry. The House of Lords would follow and Royal Assent would be received on July l2.
C-45. By LanceBarber at English Wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Liftarn using CommonsHelper., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12001474
A C-45 crashed into the 58th floor of the Bank of Manhattan building killing all five passengers but nobody else, given that it occurred at 8:00 p.m.
Things were not going well in Iran.
We've dealt with this a bit already, but this event was caused by Soviet support for Azerbaijani and Kurdish rebels.
Cher in high school.
Cherilyn Sarkisian, better known by her stage name Cher, was born in El Centro, California. Bobby Murcer, the baseball announcer and player, was born in Oklahoma City.
Murcer passed away in 2008, but Cher is still with us.
The Trump Administration breaks down crying and asks for help from adults.
The Trump administration is desperately seeking UN intervention in the war it started as the US is on the verge of a complete defeat in the war with Iran.
Remember the much vaunted and completely absurd Board of Peace that Trump rolled out when he liked to pretend he was a peacemaker? The countries that joined were Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Egypt, El Salvador, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Mongolia, Morocco, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
Ask them for help. . .
Go ahead Marco, call them up. . .
Go ahead, have him do it.
Yesterday the Trump Administration rolled back into existence the Presidential Fitness Test which Eisenhower had put into effect in 1956 and Obama did away with in 2012, replacing it with the Presidential Youth Fitness Program. Trump can't have anying Obama. . . like a peace deal with Iran that dealt with nuclear stuff . . anyhow. . .
Secretary of Batshit Crazy Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. made a joke about Trump being able to do a fifty mile hike and Trump joked back that he could do it.
Go ahead. Let's see him manage that. . .
Mass Mailings
We've been getting tons of political mass mailings from three candidates. I noted that here:
All three of these candidates essentially have the same message. They love Trump as only Trump loves Trump. They love Trump more than Trump's children love Trump. They love Trump more than Melania, assuming of course that she loves Trump.
Trump retains a hold on the minds of MAGA and the GOP has descended into the Party of Trump. There really aren't real Republicans anymore. As I've noted here already, there's a really good chance that after November the GOP will simply cease to exist.
But is being more Trump, than Trump, a liability in Wyoming? I guess we'll see.
Not that the mailings are all identical. Gray's just asserts his Trumpiness. Rasner, who has a MAGA truckers cap J.B. Welded to his head, takes shots at Gray. Freiss mostly accidentally shows himself to be super rich and not really knowing what, or where, Wyoming actually is.
Anyhow, the mass mailers are so irritating I took a little time to see if I could return them to senders. The USPS Reddit, which isn't an official page, makes it clear that would be pointless. They just throw them away. The topic really irritates mail carriers, as they'd rather you just throw them away yourself. I can see their point.
Apparently a lot of people just throw them on the ground, which really irritates mail carriers also
What do we know about these guys?
It's occurred to me that Wyomingites have been voting for people they know absolutely nothing about.
This isn't true about candidates from other states. We know all about Colorado's BoBo and Alaska's Peltola. Why don't we know more about these people who claim to have all these super duper values that are supposed to reflect the state's?
Take Gray for example Next to nothing about him is publicly known. He could be robbing liquor stores on his off hours and we wouldn't know.
All we know about him is he grew up near Los Angeles and graduated from high school there in 2008, after he went to Wharton, where based on the economic example of Donald Trump, who also graduated from Wharton, must educate its students with Archie cartoons. He spent his summers in Wyoming growing up, and when he graduated from Wharton, he went right to work for his father's radio station where he broadcast political babble. That's pretty darned close to never having had to work in the real world. He rose to his current position by barely beating Tara Nethercott for the Secretary of State by constant hystericaly spewing of lies.
He was a founding member of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus which was heavily funded by out of state and rich carpetbagger money. I know that he's a Catholic, but only because when he lived in Casper I'd see him at Mass on odd occasion. My presumption is that he regularly attended Mass, although I don't know that. He went to a different parish than I do. Frankly, if I'd been a parish priest, I'd have called him out for lying.
He's unmarried at age 36 and nobody is ever mentioned as a love interest. Maybe he has one. For all I know he could be dating AoC. But the question is never asked. It should be, as being unmarried at 36 is frankly odd and we have a right to know if people are personally living up to their declared political values. It's one thing if he's so dedicated to work, or whatever, that he doesn't have time for gals. Maybe he just isn't interested, some percentage of people, a small number, aren't. But if on the other hand he hangs out with the dancers from The Clown's Den every night, and I'm in no way suggesting he is, we ought to be so informed.
Press, you aren't doing your job.
We don't know much about Reid Rasner either, although the fact that he keeps suing people for defamation (and people have said some awful things about him) has revealed a little. In one suit he admitted, if "admission" is the correct word, to being a homosexual. In the suits he's filed he's taken grave exception to being accused of molestation of somebody below 18, or molesting anyone, and I don't blame him a bit for that. I suspect that some people just believe that every homosexual does things like that, which is certainly not the case, but suspecting such a thing is just flat out wrong. The suits therefore make sense, although its really risky for a politician. He's some sort of investment businessman. So all in all, we know a lot more about him than we do Gray, which is really odd. I don't like his politics at all, but the fact that he's been open about these things is really to his credit.
With both of these candidates what we don't know is if their mailing appearance matches anything about them in real life. Chuck likes to wear Western cut wool shirts now, but he looks really uncomfortable appearing that way. His button-down and blue blazer looked a lot more natural. He's been videoed on oilfield locations, where he's never worked, and on a four wheeler, which looks unnatural to him.
Rasner likes to be photographed with firearms. So does Freiss. But do they really use them? Maybe, but do we really know that?
Freiss, I'd note, is another one. His father was a super wealthy carpetbagger and he seems to be the same. Go home, carpetbagger.
Balow, who is the best candidate so far, is from Laramie. As already noted, Gray is a carpetbagger from California. Rasner is from Casper. She was a career educator who took over as Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction after the disastrous Cindy Hill, who brought full blown batshit into that office. Balow held that office and then took the same one in Virginia, where the position is (sensibly) appointed. People have held that against here here, which is really ironic. If that's bad, Brent Bien ought to be exiled to the far side of the moon.
We know a lot more about Hageman, Barrasso, Lummis and Gordon, although I'd even question that to some extent. There's some questions I'd ask Hageman and Barrasso which I think are legitimate, but which just aren't done.
Anyhow, Press, why don't you tell us something about these people? You report on them so little, that it's honestly the case that a triple ax murderer could move into Wyoming.
.jpg)
