re: GMT

Today in History: April 7

30 Scholars' estimate for Jesus' crucifixion by Roman troops in Jerusalem [or April 3]

451 Attila the Hun plunders Metz in Northeastern France

1814 Granted sovereignty in the island of Elba and a pension from the French government, Napoleon Bonaparte abdicates at Fontainebleau. He is allowed to keep the title of emperor.

1909 Americans Robert Peary and Matthew Henson become the first men to reach the North Pole.

1924 Four planes leave Seattle on the first successful flight around the world.

1941 German forces invade Greece and Yugoslavia.

1980 US President Jimmy Carter breaks relations with Iran during hostage crisis

1983 Oldest human skeleton, aged 80,000 years, discovered in Egypt

2003 U.S. troops capture Baghdad; Saddam Hussein's regime falls two days later.

2020 China ends its lockdown of Wuhan, the city at the center of the COVID-19 pandemic after 76 days as the country reports no new deaths for the 1st time

2021 UK COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 (Alpha) now the dominant variant in the US according to the CDC, as 108 million Americans have received at least one vaccine dose


Born on April 7

1928 James Watson, co-discoverer of the structure of DNA.


JOTD
An American spy is in Soviet Russia, digging up information on a powerful Russian politician. He finds him in a bar, walks in dressed in Russian attire, pretending to be Russian. Everybody in the bar looks at him, but he keeps his cool. He orders a drink and walks to the politician...

"Greetings, comrade." says the spy, but before he could finish his sentence, the Russian says, "I think you are American spy."
The spy is alarmed, but being a skilled, trained, spy, he says, "That is not true! I am the proudest Soviet there is! I can sing the anthem more beautifully than any other man in the country!"
He then proceeds to sing the Soviet anthem, so melodically and beautifully, that everybody in the bar cheers.
"Very good, very good!" says the politician. "But I still think you are spy."
The man continues to keep his cool.
"I am a historian! I can tell you everything about this glorious country!"
He then spends about two hours recounting the Revolution, the Great Patriotic War, about how superior to the Russia is in terms of technology compared to America and makes a great argument about how communism is beneficial to society.
"Amazing! You are skilled!" says the politician.
The spy smirks.
"But I still think you American spy."
The spy is getting frustrated, but still unfazed.
He replies, "I am good drinker, a true Russian! Let us drink, and see who can come out top!"
The bar turns its attention to the politician and the spy, who are now in a drinking contest.
The bartender serves drink after drink of vodka.
After about an hour of drinking, the politician nearly passes out, unable to hold as much liquor as the spy, to a resounding cheer amongst the bar.
In the midst of the cheering, the Russian politician gets up, smiling, and in a slurred speech, repeats, "You are good, you are good... but I still think you are spy."
The American spy, piss drunk, loses his skill and gives up.
"Okay, you got me. I am an American. But what made you think that way, after all this time?"
The Russian politician replies, "There aren't many black people in Russia."

Good morning

quote:

---

1814 Granted sovereignty in the island of Elba and a pension from the French government, Napoleon Bonaparte abdicates at Fontainebleau. He is allowed to keep the title of emperor.

---

Bonaparte originally lobbied heavily to be sent in exile to the United States. During the War of 1812. Britain was a firm "aw hell no" for fears that he would assist the US (he would have) and would attempt to overthrow the US government (he would have).

The US and the UK would muddle on another year as both sides desperately tried to find a way to make peace and escape from one of the dumbest wars in history.

Today in History: April 8

1789 The U.S. House of Representatives holds its first meeting.

1832 Some 300 American troops of the 6th Infantry leave Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, to confront the Sauk Indians in what would become known as the Black Hawk War.

1913 The 17th Amendment is ratified, requiring direct election of senators.

1935 The Works Progress Administration (WPA) is approved by Congress.

1952 President Truman orders the seizure of U.S. steel mills to prevent a strike.

1962 Bay of Pigs invaders get thirty years imprisonment in Cuba.

1974 Hank Aaron hits his 715th home run, breaking Babe Ruth's record.

1994 Smoking banned in Pentagon & all US military bases

2019 Record 17ft (5.2M) invasive Burmese python pregnant with 73 eggs captured in Florida's Big Cypress National Preserve

2021 Dr. Anthony Fauci thanks American health workers for their sacrifice during the pandemic, acknowledging their more than 3,600 deaths

2021 US President Joe Biden says "Gun violence in this country is an epidemic" as he unveils package of executive actions including restrictions on "ghost guns"

Born on April 8

0563 Gautama Buddha, founder of Buddhism.

1726 Lewis Morris, signer of the Declaration of Independence.

1921 Betty Bloomer Ford, first lady to President Gerald Ford.

Joke of the Day
My girlfriend is a star on pornhub.

She'll kill me if she finds out.

quote:

---

1962 Bay of Pigs invaders get thirty years imprisonment in Cuba.

---

An example of Kennedy's crippling lack of experience and disinterest. The plan was originally developed under the Eisenhower administration but Ike had a policy of going over things with a fine toothed comb and cancelling them if he noted fatal flaws. JFK was perfectly fine with just letting things go the way they were going.

It doesn't get much attention, especially since the Kennedy promotional team still gasping along, but JFK was lousy at being an elected official. Great at speeches, really good at running for office, but utterly without dedication to the job. He worked hours that even Trump would find envious, but forced his staff to work around the clock. Almost everything JFK gets credit for was done by LBJ.

quote:

---

Is that why LBJ had him killed?

---

LBJ would have just spiked the cocktail of drugs Kennedy was on.

quote:

---

If you like bleeding money

---

quote:

---

FROM A FAMILY OF THEM

---

Today's episode turned out to be a cheap repair. Cartridge valve that was stuck and wouldn't open. Just spent $700 on getting some hydraulic cylinders repaired on my swather. Needed this valve to open to set the hydraulic down pressure so the swathers cutter head stays in contact with the ground and doesn't bounce. Valve was $107 so I got off easy today.

Do you run Deere equipment? Read a lot about their "right to repair" stuff. It is as bad as it seems?