Debutants drill team, April 23, 1914.
Last prior edition:
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Monday, April 22, 2024
Passover, 2024.
Passover for this year starts with sundown, tonight, and runs to the evening of April 30.
Orthodox Easter for this year is yet to come.
Earth Day, 2024. Native to this place.
We have become a more juvenile culture. We have become a childish "me, me, me" culture with fifteen-second attention spans. The global village that television was supposed to bring is less a village than a playground...Little attempt is made to pass on our cultural inheritance, and our moral and religious traditions are neglected except in the shallow "family values" arguments.
Wes Jackson, Becoming Native to This Place
Today is Earth Day, 2024.
In "Red State", which now means more than it used to as the Reds in the Red States are supporting the Russian effort to conquer Ukraine, and hence are aligned with what the old Reds would have wanted, it's not going to mean all that much. I don't expect there to be much in the way of civil observances.
I saw a quote by somebody whose comments I wouldn't normally consider, that being Noam Chomsky, in which he asserted that a certain class of people who are perceived (not necessarily accurately) as something beyond evil, as they're putting all of humanity in jeopardy for a "few dollars" when they already have far more than they need. That is almost certainly unfair. Rather, like so much else in human nature, mobilizing people to act contrary to their habits is just very hard. And some people will resist any concept that those habits are harmful in any fashion.
Perhaps, therefore, a bitter argument is on what people love. People will sacrifice for that, and here such sacrifices as may be needed on various issues are likely temporary ones.
Of course, a lot of that gets back to education, and in this highly polarized time in which we live, which is in part because we're hearing that changes are coming, and we don't like them, and we've been joined by people here locally recently who have a concept of the local formed by too many hours in front of the television and too few in reality. We'll have to tackle that. That'll be tough, right now, but a lot of that just involves speaking the truth.
While it has that beating a horse aspect to it, another thing we can't help but noting, and have before, is that an incredible amount of resistance to things that would help overall society are opposed by those who are lashed to their employments in nearly irrevocable ways. In this fashion, the society that's actually the one most likely to be able to preserver on changed in some fashions are localist and distributist ones. Chomsky may think that what he is noting is somehow uniquely tied to certain large industries, but in reality the entire corporate capitalist one, which of course he is no fan of, as well as socialist ones, which he is, are driven by concepts of absolute scale and growth. That's a systematic culture that's very hard to overcome and on a local scale, when people are confronted with it, they'll rarely acknowledge that their opposition is based on something that's overall contrary to what they otherwise espouse. We see that locally right now, where there are many residents opposed to a local gravel pit, who otherwise no doubt make their livings from the extractive industries.
But I'd note that this hasn't always been the case here. It was much less so before the influx of outsiders who stayed after the most recent booms. And that too gives us some hope, as the people who are of here and from here, like people of and from anywhere they're actually from, will in fact act for the place.
Related threads:
Lex Anteinternet: The Uniform Bar Exam, early tell of the tape. And now the late one.
Lex Anteinternet: The Uniform Bar Exam, early tell of the tape.: One of the threads most hit upon here is the one on the Uniform Bar Exam . As folks who stop in here will recall, Wyoming's adoption of...
It is, quite frankly, a freakin' disaster.
We've had this now for years, and the quality of new lawyers had declined noticeably.
And recently, the list of bar admittees featured something interesting. The vast majority of new admittees aren't located in Wyoming. And they don't want to. They only want to take Wyoming work, and the work of other states, remotely, while not really appreciating the state they're practicing in.
It'd be supremely easy to fix. Just add a Wyoming component, like we used to have.
But we're not going to do that.
Related threads:
Labor and the conglomeration of everything.
Saturday, April 22, 1944. American landings at Hollandia and Aitape.
US troops on Aitape, April 22, 1944. This is a curious photograph for a number of reasons, including that all of the men in the immediate foreground are carrying M1 Carbines rather than M1 Garands. Further, the solider closes to the camera is wearing paratrooper boots. This would somewhat make me suspect that they are Rangers, but I don't know of Rangers landing at Aitape.
U.S. forces began landed in Western New Guinea in Operations Reckless (Hollandia) and Operation Persecution (Aitape).
The Marshalls campaign ended with the US taking Ungelap.
The Japanese took Chengchow in China.
Combined, the day's event in the Far East demonstrated the interesting nature of the war at the time, and the problems confronting the Japanese. The Japanese were advancing in China and on the Burmese Indian frontier, but losing territory rapidly in the Pacific, where they effectively had no means of stopping the flow of events. Gaining enough ground on the Asian mainland to force a conclusion to the overall war was rapidly becoming impossible, as was defending what it had taken in the Pacific in order to advance that original goal.
Mesovouno was subject to German mass killings for the second time, the first time being in October 1941.
Mussolini met with Hitler and his entourage to complain about German caused problems in the Italian Social Republic, which the Germans didn't really care about.
The Kingdom of Afghanistan drove rebel Mazrak Zadran and his followers into the hills. He was in rebellion in support of a rival claimant to the Afghani throne.
Last prior edition:
Friday, April 21, 1944. Les Françaises obtiennent le droit de vote.
Tuesday, April 22, 1924. Silent Cal.
President Coolidge gave the famous "You Lose" reply to Associated Press president Frank B. Noyes introduction to the AP conference that stated that Noyes could "get more than two words" out Coolidge.
John Phillip Hill presented petition on the country's liquor prohibition.
Hill was a Congressman from Maryland who would himself be arrested during prohibition after he planted apples and grapes at his home, and used them for alcohol. He renamed his home a "farm", as farmers were allowed to do that for home consumption, which didn't serve to avoid the law. A jury found him not guilty as his products, at a whopping 12% alcohol, were "not intoxicating in fact".
German born Western artist Herman Wendelborg Hansen died at age 70.
Last prior edition:
Easter Sunday, April 20, 1924.
Sunday, April 21, 2024
Cliffnotes of the Zeitgeist, 65th Edition. Reprehensible and Admirable.
The actions by Wyoming's GOP in regard to its Republican Governor, that is. That's reprehensible.
Here's the story:
The corpse of the GOP is really beginning to smell.
Accountability? The Wyoming GOP, solidly in the grips of Dixiecrats, isn't looking at much of the world realistically, and as House Member Jerry Obermeuller pointed out in his op ed in the Trib, the claim that it admires Wyoming's "traditionalism" is a joke. It's assaulting that traditionalism, looking more to the traditionalism of the post Reconstruction South. It's frightening.
But then there was this:
Wonders Never Cease
As Fr. Franco points out, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is suddenly acting like a responsible real conservative, just as Governor Gordon has been all along. The Wyoming GOP, which had been badly behind the curve recently, might not be noticing this, but with even populists dumping Congress and some in real election trouble, we might barely, only barely, hope that the Trump Reign of Terror may be starting to wane.
Johnson has made much of his being a religious man, which he genuinely is. He apparently prayed before ultimately taking this action, and he suddenly seems to have a spine.
Wyoming's lone Congressman, attuned to her populist base, voted against the aid. This will please the populists, who are not conservatives. Secretary of State Gray, no doubt, would state he was against the aid package if asked, but nobody will bother to ask him. He's running for Governor right now, and the State best dearly hope that a traditionalist, such as the type Obermueller mentioned, runs.
But here's the thing. Politics are fickle. If Putin wins in Ukraine and in a year or two rolls in to Poland and the Balkans, the very people today who have a Sweet Home Alabama type of view of the world will be all for the fight, which they won't be in. And nobody will remind them either, as all of the Trumpist will claim they were never for him, when that day comes.
Sadly, it appears to have a strong chance of coming.
The prophet Ezekiel famously said: if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live. None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live.
Things have a way of going in directions we can't predict. Maybe there's hope yet.
Last prior edition:
Cliffnotes of the Zeitgeist, 64th Edition. Things authentic and important.
Friday, April 21, 1944. Les Françaises obtiennent le droit de vote.
Black artillerymen of Btry B., 140th FA Bn., 37th Div. Btry firing a 105 on Bougainville. 21 April, 1944.
Charles de Gaulle issued a decree giving French women the right to vote.
It's hard to imagine that the vote came to French women this late.
US troops inspecting German one many torpedo at Anzio.
Japanese troops captured Crete West Hill during the Battle of Imphal.
As Sarah Sundin notes on her blog:
Today in World War II History—April 21, 1944: German Gen. Hans-Valentin Hube is killed in a plane crash at Berchtesgaden; Gen. Erhard Raus replaces him over German First Panzer Army.
She also noted that a massive US task force with up to twenty aircraft carriers had attacked Hollandia, Wakde, Sawar, and Sarmi, New Guinea from the air in preparation for landings. D-Day was the following day.
The following statement, a product of Bretton Woods, was released:
Italy formed a coalition government.
The RAF hit Cologne, La Chappelle (Paris), Lens and Ottignies (Brussels).
The Battle of Gurba occured in Ukraine, but it's obscure. It was an action between the Soviets and the Ukrainian National Army, and relatively large-scale for such an encounter.
Last prior edition:
Thursday, April 20, 1944. Bombs for Hitler's birthday.
Best Posts of the Week of April 14, 2024
The week in which Mike Johnson finally started behaving like a responsible adult with a responsible position and got the foreign military assistance bills passed.
Here's to hoping his new-found courage and separation from Trump continues.
Cliffnotes of the Zeitgeist, 64th Edition. Things authentic and important.
Last prior edition:
Saturday, April 20, 2024
Thursday, April 20, 1944. Bombs for Hitler's birthday.
Members of 5307 Composite Unit (Merrill's Maunders) and local Kachin tribesmen in a group photo of all the nationalities represented in the unit.
L to R, back row:
Sgt. Harold R. Stevenson, Beaver, Pa. - Irish.
Pfc. Stephen Komar, Minnesota. - Ukrainian.
Pvt. George D. Altman, Adamsburg, Pa. - German.
Sgt. Carl F. Hamelic, Cleveland, Ohio. - Dutch.
Pvt. Hose L. Montoya, Las Vegas, Nevada. - Spanish.
Capt. A. E. Quinn, Burma. - Anglo-Burmese.
Capt. D. G. Wilson, Burma. - Anglo-Burmese.
Pfc. Joseph Wuele, Italy. - Italian.
Third row:
Pvt. Kai L. Wong, Los Angeles, California. - Chinese.
S/Sgt. C. N. Dulien, Wisconsin. - Polish.
Cpl. Perry E. Johnson, Somerville, Massachusetts. - Swedish.
Pfc. Louis O. Perdomo, Tampa, Florida. - Cuban.
T/Sgt. Jack Growly, Brooklyn, N.Y. - American.
Second row:
T/Sgt. Russell Hill, Chicago, Ill. - English.
Sgt. Werner Katz, N.Y.C. - Jewish.
Sgt. Miles Elson, Toledo, O. - Swedish.
S/Sgt. Francis Wonsowitz, Gary, Indiana. - Polish.
Sgt. Edward Kucera, Antigo, Wisc. - Bohemian.
Cpl. Bernard Martin, Providence, R.I. - French.
Sgt. Wilbur Smawley, Pullman, Wash. - English.
First row:
Father James Steward. - Irish.
N'Ching Gam. - Kachin.
Li Yaw Tang - Maru.
Pirta Singh. - Gurkha.
Hpakawn Zau Mun. - Atzi.
The Royal Air Force dropped 4,500 tons of bombs on a single raid, a new record. It was Hitler's 55th birthday.
The Luftwaffe sunk the USS Lansdale and the Liberty ship SS Paul Hamilton of Algiers. The attacking planes were Ju 88s which were used as torpedo bombers in this application.
Off of Anzio, the Germans deployed human torpedoes. No serious damages are incurred by any of the Allied ships which are stricken.
Elmer Gedeon, age 27, was killed piloting a B-26 over France. He had been, prior to entering the service, a professional baseball player and was one of only two major league ball players killed during World War Two, the other being Harry O'Neill who was killed as a Marine Corps officer on Iwo Jima.
The British conversation at Kohima was relieved.
The Luftwaffe attempted to raid Hull, but called off the mission.
George Grantham Baink "the father of foreign photographic news", died at age 78 in New York City, which he had heavily photographed.
Many of his photographs appear on this website.
Last prior edition:
Wednesday, April 19, 1944. Operation Ichi-Go.
Easter Sunday, April 20, 1924.
The first public Mass at the Catholic Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. took. The Mass was celebrated by Bishop Thomas Joseph Shahan.
Shahan is interred in a crypt as the basilica, the only person to have received internment there to date.
The Turkish Constitution was ratified by the Grand National Assembly. It established Islam as the official religion and Turkish as the official language. Ankara was established as the capital.
The Casper Daily Tribune issued an Easter Sunday edition noting the result of the prior day's meeting on a councilman with a liquor charge.
And tourists were being de bugged.
Last prior edition:
Holy Saturday, April 19, 1924.
Friday, April 19, 2024
RUDE.
It has been noted by a press pool reporter that when the defense is introduced to the potential jurors seated in the audience, Defendant Trump does not rise to face them like his lawyers do.
What an idiot. Setting himself up to lose through rude conduct. Everyone rises when the jurors come in, and the defendant should always directly face them. They've surely instructed him to do so.
Wednesday, April 19, 1944. Operation Ichi-Go.
Operation Ichi-Go commenced in China.
Japanese plans for the offensive, which would be a largely successful Japanese effort.
Control of the ground at the end of the war.
The massive and highly successful offensive was designed, in no small measure, to help force a conclusion to the war in China, something perhaps best demonstrated by its alternative Japanese name, Tairiku Datsū Sakusen (大陸打通作戦), "Continent Cross-Through Operation"). It would gain a huge amount of ground, and demonstrate the importance of the war on the mainland to the Asian conflict. It's specific goas were to link railways in Beijing and Hankou in northern China to the southern Chinese coast at Canton and spare shipping and avoid American submarines; to take the airfields in Sichuan and Guangxi to preclude U.S. bombing of Taiwan and the Japanese mainland; and to destroy elite Nationalist units to cause the Nationalist government to collapse.
It was ambitious and would be, late war though it was, the largest military campaign of the Japanese war against China. Japan committed 80% of their forces in China, some 500,000 men, as well as 100,000 horses, 1,500 artillery pieces, and 800 tanks.
700,000 Nationalist Chinese troops were eliminated from combat in the operation, which would continue into October.
The Allies launched Operation Cockpit, an operation that featured all of the principal Allied forces in the East, the same being an air assault on Sabang Indonesia.
The RAF mined the Danube.
Sarah Sundin notes, on her blog:
Today in World War II History—April 19, 1944 In the US, shortening, salad & cooking oils are removed from rationing, but butter & margarine are still rationed. Read more: “Make It Do—Rationing of Butter, Fats & Oils in World War II.”
Congress extended the Lend Lease Act. Apparently the 78th Congress was a little more active than the 119th.
The 1944 NFL Draft was held, and the first draft pick was Angelo Bertelli, who was drafted by the Boston Yanks. It wouldn't matter, Bertelli was already slated to enter the Marine Corps.
Canadian Gérard Côté won the Boston Marathon.
Côté winning the 1940 Boston Marathon.
He was serving in the Canadian Army at the time, and took leave to run in the race, sponsored by a Montreal restaurateur. While the Canadian Army, which initially used him as a physical education instructor, and then stationed him in a munitions plant, had been proud of his status as Canada's premier runner, it had taken heat for perceived preferential treatment that he received, and reacted negatively to his taking leave and running in the race. Côté was shipped to the UK and served the rest of the war in Europe, winning three English marathons during that time period.
Last prior edition:
Tuesday, April 18, 1944. 4,000 tons v. 53.
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