It is June 11th, 2022. I wonder what I’ll learn today as I write this post. I just sit down and start typing not knowing where it will lead me. It’s a fun way to start my day. June 11 is the day the Belmont Stakes is run, Corn on the Cob Day, Cousteau Day, National German Chocolate Cake Day, National Making Life Beautiful Day, and World Gin Day. In that short list, I’m sure you can find something to celebrate. Now some history. On or about this day in 1184 BC, during the Trojan War, Troy was sacked and burned. We have been killing each other in an organized fashion for over 3,200 years. On this day in 1594 the King of Spain recognizes the rights and privileges of local nobles and chieftains in the Philippines thereby creating a ruling class called the “Principalia”. They ruled on behalf of Spin until the US took control in 1898. We gave the Philippines their independence in 1946. On this day in 1742 Ben Franklin invented the Franklin stove. On this day in 1776 the Continental Congress created a committee to draft a Declaration of Independence. Among others, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin were assigned to the committee. On this day in 1898 Spain declared war on the United States. The Spanish-American war lasted 10 weeks and when Spain gave up, we got Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines. I’m pretty sure the Principalia were not happy. It’s time to listen to dead people. First is John Wayne who died in 1979. John said, “Life is hard. It’s harder if you’re stupid.” Next is the professional wrestler Dusty Rhodes who died in 2015 and said, “I’ve wined and dined with kings and queens, and I’ve slept in the alley eating pork and beans.” I’ll end with this question posed by Robert E. Howard who was a writer who died in 1936 and asked “When a nation forgets her skill in war, when her religion becomes a mockery, when the whole nation becomes a nation of money-grabbers, then the wild tribes, the barbarians drive in… Who will our invaders be? From whence will they come?” Abide
