US airmen attempting to circumnavigate the globe landed in Bucharest, having taken off in Constantinople.
Kimberly Clark filed a trademark application for Kleenex.
Last edition:
Friday, July 12, 2024
Sunday, July 12, 1874. The Lost Valley Fight.
On this day in 1874, a mixed company of Texas Rangers and U.S. troops numbering 35, and led by Maj. John B. Jones encountered as many as 100 Kiowas led by Lone Wolf and Mamanti at Lost Valley, 12 miles north of Jacksboro, Texas. Two Rangers were killed in the exchange which is known as the Lost Valley Fight.
German novelist Fritz Reuter, compared to Dickens, but in the Plattdeutsch German dialect, died at age 63. His health had been impaired due to imprisonment in his youth for being involved in the mid century German revolutionary movements.
Last edition:
Wednesday, July 8, 1874. March West.
Labels: 1870s, 1874, Canada, Manitoba, March West, North West Mounted Police, police, The Frontier West
Thursday, July 11, 2024
Tuesday, July 11, 1944. Von Stauffenberg's first attempt, Tiger II's first use.
Col. Claus von Stauffenberg carried a bomb with him when summoned to Berchtesgaden on this day in 1944. He did not carry out the attack as Hermann Göring and Heinrich Himmler were not present, and the coup planning called on all three to be killed in a single attack, thereby decapitating the Nazi Party.
This requirement would be omitted in future plot attacks.
Hitler determined to relocate to Rastenburg in East Prussia and Stauffenberg was asked Von Stauffenberg to follow him there.
US gun crew in action, July 11, 1944.
The Germans launched a counteroffensive on the Cotentin Peninsula against US forces. During the day, the U.S. Army itself launches a counteroffensive back against the Germans. The German effort failed.
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Tiger II in France. By Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-721-0398-21A / Wagner / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5413533
The Tiger II was used for the first time during these actions.
A massive tank, the Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B was the second tank in the Germany heavy Tiger series and featured an improved sloping armored design in comparison to the Tiger I. Pointing the way towards future tank designs, it was an impressive weapon, but mechanically unreliable. It's notable that the tank, designed in reaction to Soviet armor, was used first on the Western Front.
Pfc. Russell J. Schoonmaker and Pvt. James V. Pappas, July 11, 1944. Pappas survived the war and became a custom home builder and real estate broker in Indianapolis, where he was from.
The British captured Hill 112 southwest of Caen.
US forces around Aitape are forced to withdraw from the Driniumor River.
Gerald L. Endl preformed the actions that would result in his posthumous Medal of Honor.
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty near Anamo, New Guinea, on 11 July 1944. S/Sgt. Endl was at the head of the leading platoon of his company advancing along a jungle trail when enemy troops were encountered and a fire fight developed. The enemy attacked in force under heavy rifle, machinegun, and grenade fire. His platoon leader wounded, S/Sgt. Endl immediately assumed command and deployed his platoon on a firing line at the fork in the trail toward which the enemy attack was directed. The dense jungle terrain greatly restricted vision and movement, and he endeavored to penetrate down the trail toward an open clearing of Kunai grass. As he advanced, he detected the enemy, supported by at least 6 light and 2 heavy machineguns, attempting an enveloping movement around both flanks. His commanding officer sent a second platoon to move up on the left flank of the position, but the enemy closed in rapidly, placing our force in imminent danger of being isolated and annihilated. Twelve members of his platoon were wounded, 7 being cut off by the enemy. Realizing that if his platoon were forced farther back, these 7 men would be hopelessly trapped and at the mercy of a vicious enemy, he resolved to advance at all cost, knowing it meant almost certain death, in an effort to rescue his comrades. In the face of extremely heavy fire he went forward alone and for a period of approximately 10 minutes engaged the enemy in a heroic close-range fight, holding them off while his men crawled forward under cover to evacuate the wounded and to withdraw. Courageously refusing to abandon 4 more wounded men who were lying along the trail, 1 by 1 he brought them back to safety. As he was carrying the last man in his arms he was struck by a heavy burst of automatic fire and was killed. By his persistent and daring self-sacrifice and on behalf of his comrades, S/Sgt. Endl made possible the successful evacuation of all but 1 man, and enabled the 2 platoons to withdraw with their wounded and to reorganize with the rest of the company.
President Roosevelt announced that the US would recognize the French Provisional Government.
He also confirmed he'd run for President again, if nominated.
The Red Army took the surviving German troops near Minsk prisoner, as Sarah Sundin notes:
Today in World War II History—July 11, 1944
The U-1222 was sunk west of La Rochelle by the RAF.
Sailors going ashore at Cherbourg.
A A-26B-5 Invader crashed into a government owned trailer park in foggy weather, killing the pilot, navigator, and 17 residents of the park in South Portland Maine. It's Maine's worst air disaster.
The 12th All Star Game was played at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. The National League beat the American League 7 to 1.
Last edition:
Monday, July 10, 1944. The Third German Palestinian Exchange.
Wednesday, July 10, 2024
Blog Mirror: 1944 Signal Corps FM Transmitter-Receiver
FWIW, the broadcast distance on these was awful by modern standards. Your bubble pack FRS radios have about the same range.
1944 Signal Corps FM Transmitter-Receiver
Monday, July 10, 1944. The Third German Palestinian Exchange.
242 Jewish individuals arrived in Palestine under the Third German Palestinian Exchange, a peculiar event that's almost forgotten. Under the odd arrangement, Jews in occupied Europe were exchanged for Germans in Palestine, most of whom were "Templer Germans".
The Templer Germans were residents of settlements that had been established in Palestine during Ottoman rule in 1868 and continued on into the 20th Century. Originally part of the German Pietist Templer movement, the Nazi Party made a heavy effort to Nazify the colonies after they came to power in Germany. Their numbers decreased over time, and never numbered more than 2,000. They were declared enemy aliens by the British at the start of World War Two, and many were interned in Australia. The British, however, brokered a deal in which 1,000 Templers were exchanged for 550 Jews, most of whom had Palestinian connections. After the Second World War, the remaining members came under heavy pressure, with their leader at the time being assasinated, to leave newly founded Israel.
I have to note that being deported to Germany in this time frame would be an epic bummer, although like Italian colonies in Libya, and French ones in Algeria, the small German settlements in Palestine were not long for the world.
Enduring a second blitz, 41,000 mothers and children left London for countryside billets to avoid V1 bombs.
Having taken D-Day objective Caen, the British moved towards expanding their lines under stuff resistance.
The Finns won a second battlefield victory in two days, this time prevailing at Vyborg Bay.
The Battle of Driniumor River began near Aitape, New Guinea with a Japanese assault of Allied positions there.
The SS Duilio, interned at Trieste, was sunk by Allied aircraft.
Last edition:
Sunday, July 9, 1944.
Thursday, July 10, 1924. Before electronics.
The around the world flight of pilots and aircraft from the U.S. Army flew 560 miles from Aleppo, Syria, to Constantinople, Turkey.
I unfortunately have not tracked a lot of the flight, which had gone from Japan, to China, to Indochina, and on into India.
The first few pages:
Tuesday, July 9, 2024
Sunday, July 9, 1944.
The Battle of Saipan ended in a U.S. victory.
Canadian and British forces took Caen.
The Battle of Saint-Lô began.
US troops entering Haye Du Puis.
The Finns prevailed in the Battle of Tali–Ihantala, although some local attempts at Red Army advances would continue. On July 12, the Red Army began to withdraw troops from the area to redeploy them against the Germans elsewhere.
The US 88th Division took Voterra, Italy.
Last edition:
Saturday, July 8, 1944.
Wednesday, July 9, 1924. John W. Davis nominated.
John W. Davis, former Congressman of West Virginia and little known until that time, became the Democratic nominee for President. Charles W. Bryan of Nebraska was chosen as the VP candidate.
McAdoo withdrew reluctantly and bitterly, leaving the Democrats divided.
Calvin Coolidge Jr. was laid to rest.
Columbia recognized Panama.
Last edition:
Monday, July 7, 1924. The death of Calvin Coolidge, Jr.
Labels: 1920s, 1924, Army, Calvin Coolidge, Death, Disease, Health, Personalities, Philippine Scouts, Philippines
The 2024 Election, Part XX. The Debate Edition
June 27, 2024
So, tonight (9:00 p.m. Eastern), the two ancient contestants in what both parties insist is a "binary choice" square off in what will be the only debate of the 2024 Presidential Election.
Trump, who has a habit of going weirdly off script in meandering monologues, has been trying to downplay the results ahead of time, after having spent months claiming that Biden is cognitively impaired. In reality, Biden's always made odd speech gaffs, but Trump, who in his younger days did not, now makes them frequently, suggesting that the impacts of age are catching up with him. Both men are the same age chronologically, for all practical purposes, but Biden is obviously more physically fit than Trump, who doesn't believe in exercise.
It is, of course, not a binary contest. You can vote for somebody else.
Do you intend to watch the debate?
So, who all do we have right now?
Presidential Election:
Democratic Ticket:
Biden/Harris, incumbents.
Republican Ticket:
Trump/Unknown.
American Solidarity Party:1
Sonski/Onak
Libertarian Party:2
Oliver/terMaat
Reform Party:3
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr (an independent)/Shanahan4
Green Party:5
Jill Stein/Unknown
Green Party of Alaska:6
Sherman/BluBear
Constitution Party:7
Terry/Broden
Constitution Party of Utah and Nevada:
Skousen/Combs
Party for Socialism and Liberation:8
De la Cruz/Garcia
Approval Voting Party:
Huber/Denault
Prohibition Party:9
Wood/Pietrowski
Independent:
West/Abdullah
Quite a few third parties, we'd note. Have you considered any of them?
Wyoming Senate Race:
Democratic Contest:
Scott Morrow.
GOP Contest:
John Barrasso, incumbent
Reid Rasner
John Hotz.
Wyoming House Race:
Democratic Contest:
Kyle Cameron
GOP Contest:
Harriet Hageman, incumbent.
Steve Helling
Constitution Party:
Jeff Haggit
June 28, 2024
I only watched about 30 minutes of it and could no longer stand it.
There's really no denying at this point that Biden's age makes him unfit to be President. It's not that Trump made sense, Trump's performance demonstrated that he's an unmitigated liar and constitutionally unfit for office.
Rather, the supposed binary system that Americans have bought off on means that, for most people, the choice, because they refuse to imagine another one, will between somebody whose age has caught up with him vs. somebody who doesn't have a single positive political attribute and who is a danger to democracy.
Some, like Nate Silver, and he's far from being alone, are calling for Biden to drop out of the race. If he does not, it will be to his everlasting shame. The real question is not if he should drop out, but when he should drop out.
And who, in that case, might replace him.
Joe Manchin of West Virginia. A possibility?
The other, and vital question, is how American democracy reached this state. These two choices are the worst in American history and most people don't want them (which again means, they shouldn't vote for either of them). If the country survives this election, something has to change, beyond that which will change simply because of who is elected. The system is not functioning to produce two such abysmal choices.
Almost missed, so far, as a Wyoming story, but sort of an interesting aspect of the warp and woof of our times, a Hageman staffer has been forced to resign, in this case, an intern.
A news story by "The Laramie Reporter" reveals that the intern had connections, at least in the form of social media likes, with the extreme right. The same figure has been a rising, albeit young, figure in the populist far right at UW and is on the student senate.
The entire matter is interesting in that it reveals the extent to which populism in the US right now trends highly towards the anti-democratic. The intern was found to have liked racist posts on social media, and to also have outright stated his opposition to democracy at least once. He also seems to have followed Francoist, which is stunningly bizarre. This seems to have come out of the same figure being a Christian Nationalist, which shows a really dark side of the National Conservative movement, but perhaps one that is closer to the surface than many people care to admit.
He lost his position, or resigned, the very day the blog broke the story.
June 29, 2024
The New York Times.
The Times is absolutely correct, which doesn't mean it will occur. The stunning level of refusal to accept reality will keep it from occurring.
Establishment Democrats like Robert Reich who ignored the repeated calls for Biden not to run in the first place failed to address the deer in the headlights appearance of Biden and the obvious age related mental decline following the debate (Reich may be addressing it in his entry of today). "It's only one bad day" seems to be the theme, with those commenters forgetting the truism expressed by Janis Joplin "that it's all only one f***** day man".
The bolt is shot. Some Democrats who were to vote for Biden will now not vote at all, or go to third parties. Republicans on the fence will in fact fold back into Trump. Wavering independents will fall towards him, or fall towards not voting at all.
The reality is that Biden needs to step aside in the race. The other reality is, he won't.
Biden will keep running, and Trump will win in the fall.
Footnotes:
1. The American Solidarity Party is a Christian Democratic party that's centrist in nature, which should not be confused with Christian Nationalism, which it would generally be in opposition to.
2. For some time the third-largest party in the US, the Libertarian Party has seemingly fallen into hard times as libertarian ideas have been co opted by some elements of the Republican Party, which ironically in its populist mode of present, it's also radically opposed to, but doesn't realize it.
3. A number of parties have had the "reform" label for at least a couple of decades. This party is generally centrist in nature.
4. Kennedy has the Reform Party's nomination, but isn't running from it. He's an independent.
5. The environmental party.
6. I have no idea why Alaska's Green Party has separated from the main Green Party, but it certainly has no chance of electing a President.
7. The Constitution Party is a populist party and is where the "Freedom Caucus" people actually belong.
8. A radical left wing party.
9. A really old party, it was at one time a significant one but has waned since the repeal of prohibition.
June 30, 2024
Predictably, there's a lot of Democratic true believer "nothing to see here" type of comments regarding President Biden and the recent debates, maintaining nothing whatsoever will happen in regard to his poor performance.
Not likely.
I'm reminded of Monty Python's classic scene of King Arthur confronting the Black Knight.
"Just a flesh wound".
July 2, 2024
The post election reaction on the Democratic side has been interesting, and unfortunately a bit predictable.
The closer a commenter is to the Biden Presidency, either officially or emotionally, the more likely the comments are that the debate just didn't matter.
It did.
As things distance out, that is recognized. The New York Times, Maureen Doud, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, and others, have all asked Biden to drop out. He should, but the voices he's now hearing, from his family, and from inside Democrats, are urging him to stay in the race. Those are the voices that he's going to listen to.
And that's what will reelect Donald Trump in the Fall.
It's not too late to pick a new Democrat. It's not the case that only Joe Biden can beat Trump. Indeed, people thought Biden was going to be a one-term President in the first place, and didn't want him to run again. Nobody likes the thought of Harris being the President when Biden dies.
Of course, what's going on is emblematic of the Democratic Party itself. It's not true that "only Biden" can beat Trump, but probably only Biden can embrace the full slate of the Democratic left's agenda, somewhat, and still have a chance at beating Trump. Any other Democrat who had a chance would have to run much more from the center. Ironically, that would also mean that such a candidate would have a much better chance of winning overall. But the far left of the Democratic Party, like the far right of the Republican Party, is no compromise in nature.
Time remains, but it won't be taken advantage of. The Democratic Party will simply hand the election to Trump, and more than that, may very well hand the Senate to the GOP as well.
Cont:
A party of Democratic governors is going to meet with Biden regarding his staying in the race, or gettin out.
Congressman Lloyd Doggett has called for him to get out.
Manchin was going to announce that he wanted Biden to back out on one of the Sunday news shows, but was talked out of it.
Democrats who are begging to realize that he might get out, are rallying around the worst possible option for his replacement, Kamala Harris.
July 3, 2024
Oh shoot, why not just have a ballot initiative requiring us to vote by raising our hands after we walked to the polls, so we can get as antiquated as possible.
July 4, 2024
President Biden told staffers he's staying in the race. At the same time, support for him to do so is rapidly evaporating in the Democratic Party, with even Jim Clyburn suggesting that he should consider dropping out. It was Clyburn's supportin 2024 which secured South Carolina for Biden.
Meanwhile, Anne Applebaum has published an article in The Atlantic urging Democrats to pick a new candidate, and noting that the British manage to hold thier entire election in a six week cycle. The French, whom she doesn't cite, are doing it even more quickly than that.
Newly released grand jury material shows that Trump’s name appears multiple times on Jeffrey Epstein’s message logs and seven times Epstein’s private jet flight logs, that Epstein flew on Trump’s jet with a young girl of indeterminate age and that girls who Epstein trafficked worked at Mar-A-Lago. A girl that Epstein trafficked mentioned visiting Trump’s casino in a recently released deposition transcript.
A Jane Doe witness at Ghislane Maxwell's trial stated that she was introduced to Trump by Epstein when she was 14 years old.
This at least raises a set of questions, if nothing else, what did Trump know about Epstein?
Finally, barbequed dog?
July 5, 2024
Joining the rising number of press outlets calling for Biden to withdraw is the influential British magazine, The Economist:
Why Biden must withdraw (economist.com)
cont:
Now that it appears increasingly likely that Joe Biden will drop out (contrary to my expectations), and may even be reaching the inevitable stage, Trump is increasingly off his game. Used to insulting his opponents, now that he doesn't know who his opponent is, he doesn't seem to know what to do. An insult game only works if you visably have somebody to insult. Without that, it might seem that he stands for nothing much. He's managed some weak insults against VP Harris, but frankly it's unlikely that she'd be the Democratic nominee.
Today, on things he stands for, he eeked out this:
So he's disavowing those who are his hardcore allies and who have been getting in front of him as it now appears that Project 2025, in the hands of a capable opponent, might be a real liability. But this is a week denial.
July 6, 2024
All along, the American public has not wanted these two ancient candidates, and yet they will not yield to the public desires. Biden isn't yielding to reality at this point.
July 8, 2024
I listed to the This Week interview of President Biden. From the audio, I came away more convinced than ever that Biden needs to step aside in the election It left me, at least, with no confidence whatsoever.
In an odd turn of events, MAGA members are fuming over the results of the French Election:
Some are even accusing the French left of cheating in the election, with quite a few taking the same line as Le Pen supporters and claiming the alliance of French left wing parties "unnatural".
July 9, 2024
President Biden wrote a lengthy letter to Democratic leaders on his reamining in the race.
Related threads:
Why can't Democrats get a clue?
I ran this back in February, at which time it was already obvious that Joe Biden needed to go:
Why isn't anyone suggesting that Tammy Duckworth replace Joe Biden on the Democratic ticket?
I'm not endorsing Duckworth, and I'm sure she has left of center opinions that I have problems with, but there's no earthly way that a guy with contempt for veterans and whose views toward women appears rather, well whatever, could handle a smart, female combat veteran, like Tammy Duckworth.
Fifty-five years old, lost her legs in combat, Asian American, PhD, and a mother. She's the anti-Elise Stefanik.
Trump and his supporters couldn't handle her, and Trump would insult every single veteran, Asian American and woman in the country within 12 hours.
Curious.
Right now, the stunning level of density in thought in the Democratic Party is really on display. Joe Biden is as done as dinner in this election. If the Democrats are to beat Trump, they need to shuffle him out the door before the primary. The line that nothing happened at the debate, or that he's just fine, or that it was only one bad day is frankly absurd.
He needs to drop out of the race.
In no way shape or form does Kamala Harris need to replace him.
Harris grates on the nerves of a lot of non Democrats, and just about everyone in the middle of the country. She has a grating voice and comes across as snarky. She'll do worse, or at least no better than Biden would have. She needs to go too.
The Democrats have some strong potential younger candidates. Tammy Duckworth is the one that can't be beat. She's much younger than the geezer running on both sides.
And she's everything Trump has a problem with. She's a woman. She's not "white". She's lost a leg, and in combat at that.
Trump would have a difficult time not being a complete asshole, and insult Asians, women, veterans, and the disabled.
Shoot, Duckworth is a mother.
Harris is a snarky sounding lawyer. He could make snide remarks about her all day, and a lot of people would secretly laugh at them.
A Duckworth/Manchin ticket would be unbeatable. A Duckworth/Klobachar ticket probably would be.
I'd still vote for the American Solidarity Party candidates, as I have deep problems with the Democratic embrace of such things as abortion. But the "oh, nothing is wrong with Biden" and "let's nominate the second most worst candidate" thinking of the Democrats is simply amazing.
Democrats don't lose elections. They throw them away.
Blog Mirror: Joe Biden should drop out.
Last prior edition:
The 2024 Election, Part XIX. The Clerks say "M'eh" edition.
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