Just asking...

It's a scary thought, but could these be America's next political leaders? Washington Post story HERE.

 

George Armstrong Custer, A Contemptible Person

     While watching the basketball game between West Virginia and Florida on Sunday night (11/17) I was annoyed by the announcers...they were worthless; for the most part they engaged in idle chit-chat, told anecdotes, tossed out stupid "quizzes" and told us what was happening in other games in the tournament all while virtually ignoring what was going on in the West Virginia vs. Florida game. 

     Nevertheless they were not nearly as bad as the two asshat announcers Chick Hernandez and Chris Walker, who decided to poke fun at Wichita State basketball player Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler because of his name. 

     His name comes from his being half Native American and it is a tribute to his heritage. He is a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe and he grew up on a reservation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota before moving to Omaha, Nebraska where he attended high school. 

     Poor Bear-Chandler reminded me of the trip I took many years ago when I drove to Yellowstone National Park which is mostly in Wyoming. On the way I passed through some of the most beautiful and interesting parts of the country I have ever seen...the Black Hills and the Badlands in South Dakota.

     While on the trip I visited the Little Big Horn battlefield in Montana which is where the US Army's 7th Cavalry and the Lakotas and Cheyennes met in one of the Native American's last armed efforts to preserve their way of life. 

     On June 25 and 26 of 1876, 263 soldiers, including Lieutenant Colonel (NOT General) George A. Custer and his troops died fighting several thousand Lakota and Cheyenne warriors. 

     Somehow I think the memorial is to the wrong person...it should have been to the Native Americans, or Indians as they were called in my day. 

     It wasn't far from Yellowstone where Custer made his ignoble charge down Deep Ravine Trail where Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse and Gall were waiting with the largest concentration of warriors ever assembled. 

     Custer and his troops were lionized and turned into heroes, but after the death of Custer’s wife, Elizabeth “Libbie” Custer, a popular Western author, who wrote three books building her husband's legend, historians finally revised the legend to reveal the truth. 

     Custer was born on December 5, 1839 near New Rumley in eastern Ohio not far from Pittsburgh. He entered West Point in July 1857 and his time there was filled with demerits and a few times he managed to escape getting tossed out.

     While many of his classmates ended up serving as officers for the Confederates in the Civil War, Custer, who graduated last in his class of 34, was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US 2nd Cavalry in June 1861. 

     During the Civil War Custer was present at the First Battle of Bull Run but did not see action. Shortly afterwards he transferred to the Cavalry and was promoted to a 1st Lieutenant in July of 1862. From there he was quickly appointed as an aide to General McClellan with the acting rank of Captain. 

     In June 1863, at the age of 23, Custer was made Brigadier General of volunteers. He did distinguish himself while in command of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade at the battle of Gettysburg and leading a cavalry charge 2 days later with the 7th Michigan Cavalry. He then served with the Army of the Potomac throughout 1864 and gained renown during battles in the Shenandoah Valley. 

     At the end of the Civil War he was a Major General with the volunteers where he was leading a cavalry division. Custer loved publicity and the press loved him because he was young, a showman with long red hair and a taste for velvet jackets with gold braid. 

     His men hated him. He was autocratic, dictatorial and incredibly arrogant. He was so bad that his post war command ended when his troops mutinied after Custer had reintroduced lashing as a form of discipline. 

     After his command was disbanded, Custer mustered out of voluntary service in February 1866 and reverted to his Army rank of Captain, but he still liked to be referred to as General Custer. 

     In early 1867 while on a recon mission Custer’s actions led to a court martial and he was found guilty of 1) absenting himself from his command, 2) using some troopers as an escort while on unofficial business, 3) abandoning two men reported killed on the march, 4) failing to pursue the Indians responsible, 5) failing recover the bodies, 6) ordering a party going after deserters to shoot to kill which resulted in 1 death and 3 wounded. But, that wasn't all! He was also found guilty of 7) unjustifiable cruelty to those wounded. 

     As the military still does to this day, officers receive a much less harsh punishment than do enlisted personnel. Custer was sentenced to suspension from rank and pay for a year. 

     While sitting out his suspension at home he was recalled to duty early due to a manpower shortage. His early recall resulted in a lot of bad feelings between Custer and the other officers in his regiment. 

     The regiment saw minor action against the Indians for the next few years, but not Custer. it didn't matter; Custer published exaggerated accounts of the 7th Cavalry’s actions. 

      Then in November of 1868, under Custer's command, the 7th Cavalry fought at the Battle of Washita River (or the Washita Massacre) over a hundred Indians were killed including some women and children. As a result, the Cheyenne referred to Custer as "Squaw Killer." 

     Custer’s incompetence helped increase ill feeling towards him and in the spring 1873 the Regiment was moved to Dakota under command of Colonel D.S. Stanley. 

     There, while protecting some railway engineers, the regiment skirmished with local Indians and Custer's actions ended up with him being charged with insubordination. Even a guy like Custer had friends though and they convinced Stanley to drop the charges. 

     In 1874 an expedition was sent to the Black Hills. While there, Custer was accused by some of spreading stories of a gold find. As a result, prospectors followed and they were attacked by the Indians. These attacks were an excuse for a campaign against the Indians. 

     The campaign was under General Alfred Terry who favored Custer even though at the time Custer was, again, in disgrace for having offended President Grant, Army Commander General William Sherman and his division commander General Phil Sheridan after having accused them of certain irregularities involving trading posts. 

     While on patrol at the Little Big Horn, Custer again chose not to follow orders when he saw Indians in the valley below him...probably around 15,000 of them. He decided to split his force into three groups and attack from three directions..an idiotic plan considering his small force. 

     Two prongs of the attack were driven back, but made it to safety while Custer’s force was cut off and slaughtered by Crazy Horse’s Sioux. 

     Custer had risen to power due to friends and supporters and, also, thanks to the press which was always seeking a good story. A lot of people died that day to serve the glory seeking of an arrogant and incompetent lout who was hardly deserving of a memorial.

How Far Can A Kangaroo Jump?

     First of all, kangaroos don't just live in Australia! They also live in almost 1,500 miles away in New Guinea and secondly, there are four species. 

     Kangaroos are well-known for the way females carry their babies, known as joeys, in a pouch and they are also famed for their unique bounding gait. The question is, "How far can they jump?" 

     They are one of only a few animals that move by hopping or by saltation if you prefer the scientific term. Other animals include anurans (e.g. frogs), rabbits, some insects and some rodents. 

     Although kangaroos mostly move on their long back legs, when they are grazing they use their forepaws in what is known as “crawl-walking” because they appear to be crawling on their front legs. forelegs. This is much slower than hopping They rest their forepaws on the ground and then brace their tail on the ground. Thius enables them to support their weight on their tail and forepaws while they pull their hind legs forward slightly, put them down, move their forelegs, and repeat the process. 

     Kangaroos have strong hind legs and extremely large back feet and a long, muscular tail which provides them with balance. Their hopping gait is actually one of the fastest and most effective methods of covering long distances without much effort. 

     The key is the Achilles tendons that run down the back of their hind legs making them act like a spring. In the first hop their hind legs and their toes are compressed underneath them and the tendons are stretched like a rubber band. This creates a spring effect which allows them to jump with incredible effectiveness. 

     When kangaroos are bounding they build up speed and momentum, but how far and how high they can jump depends on their size. Speed is key. Kangaroos increase their speed by increasing the length of each hop which is different from most other animals who increase the frequency of their stride rather than the length of it. 

     Most of the energy that a kangaroo uses in hopping is generated by it’s tendons and that means they only need to put a little effort into each jump, despite how far and how fast they are traveling. It also means they can travel long distances without getting tired. 

     In spite of their speed, kangaroos can turn incredibly quickly because they have the ability to pivot on one foot. They can turn almost 180 degrees in a single hop! 

     Hopping gives kangaroos the ability to outrun predators, especially because they can cover long distances very fast without getting tired. And, the ability to turn quickly means that kangaroos definitely have the advantage over predators.

     Besides humans, kangaroos have few natural predators: dingoes, some eagles and, before their extermination, Tasmanian tigers. Other introduced predators are wild dogs and foxes which prey on the young. 

     What about their speed and hopping distance? Red kangaroos, the biggest species, can reach speeds of around 40 miles per hour and the average jump is 25 to 30 feet. However, the farthest recorded leap was made by a female red kangaroo in New South Wales in 1951when she jumped 42 feet!  From a standing jump, kangaroos can only jump forward around 6.5 feet. By comparison, for humans the world long jump record is just shy of 26 feet and that is after about a 100 foot head start. 

     Red kangaroos can jump around 10 feet high when they have plenty of momentum, but from standing they can only jump between 4 and 6 feet in the air. The best humans can do after a running start is about 8 feet. A professional basketball player can perform a vertical leap of about 28 inches.

Samsung Refrigerators...Junk

     A couple of weeks ago our refrigerator was making a clicking noise that was coming from the temperature control box inside the refrigerator. 

     When the repairman arrived the next day he seemed to be taking a long time tinkering with the refrigerator. Finally, when he appeared to be finished tinkering I asked what the problem was. His answer, "I don't know; I've never seen this problem before." This made be think he was something of a novice. 

     He was working for a reputable company and when he advised replacing two switches at a cost of $385 that was cheaper than a new refrigerator, so I gave the go ahead. 

     Two days later, on a Friday, the parts arrived and he installed them and left. The problem was not solved; in fact, it was worse! The refrigerator ran continuously without ever shutting off. 

     When I called the repair company Monday morning they assured me that they stand behind their work and would send the technician back. When I voiced concerns about the first technician, they had no problem with sending me different man. 

     Later that afternoon, a technician showed up with the original one in tow. When I explained the problem to the new guy, he immediately went to the source of the problem and explained it to the original tech and...me. 

     It was a leaning experience for the newer tech (and me). While it was aggravating, I realized that it took me some time to learn everything about my job, too. 

     The diagnosis was that it would be way too expensive to repair and we needed to buy a new refrigerator. And, the $385? It was refunded with no problem. 

     That evening we went out and bought a new refrigerator, a Whirlpool, that was delivered the next day which brings me to my point. The store sub-contracts delivery and when they arrived the delivery man told me, "At least you bought a good refrigerator and not a Samsung." We purchased a Whirlpool. 

     He stated that Samsung's were "junk" and added, "We pick up new ones for return all the time." And, he said, "They only last a year or two." He also mentioned that there is currently a lawsuit in the US against Samsung for faulty refrigerators. 

     It's true. Earlier this year Samsung customers in New Jersey filed a new class-action lawsuit alleging Samsung refrigerators don’t keep food cold enough. Actually, in Indiana back in 2019 consumers began experiencing problems with their Samsung refrigerators. 

     This lawsuit is separate from efforts by the group Samsung Refrigerator Recall USA which now has more than 107,000 members!

     One lady said she paid $2,700 for her refrigerator and within a year started having problems. The ice maker was freezing up, clogging up all the time causing the make to make noises. The fridge was also having problems staying cold...the inside temperature was a balmy 65 degrees! It’s important for a refrigerator to stay cold at 40 degrees or below, otherwise, bacteria can multiply rapidly and food and medicine can go bad.

     The lawsuit alleges Samsung refrigerators are defective and fail to keep food at a safe temperature. At the same time, it alleges that Samsung routinely denies warranty claims. Hence, the warning...DO NOT PURCHASE SAMSUNG REFRIGERATORS.

    This make me wonder, why do otherwise reputable stores still sell these refrigerators. I think I know the answer. Greed. It's all about the money.

Witch's Holes and Sea Farts

     According to Australian research, methane bubbles from the sea floor could, in theory, sink ships and may explain the odd disappearances of some vessels. On the other hand University College London oceanographer and physicist Helen Czerski explained that the theory, while theoretically possible, is poppycock.

     According to the Australian research huge bubbles of methane gas (sea farts) can erupt from undersea deposits of solid methane, known as gas hydrates.

     Methane is an odorless gas found in swamps and mines and it becomes an ice-like solid under the enormous pressure found on deep sea floors. If one of the deposits breaks off it becomes gaseous as it rises, creating bubbles at the surface. 

     David May and Joseph Monaghan of Monash University in Australia demonstrated how a giant bubble from one of these deposits could swamp a ship causing it to sink. 

     In sonar searches of the ocean floor in the North Sea they observed large quantities of methane and eruption sites and a recent survey revealed the presence of a sunken vessel within the center of one particularly large eruption site. The site is now known as the Witches Hole. 

     The sinking is attributed to the vessel's loss of buoyancy as the bubbles make the water less dense. When a chunk of methane breaks off, along the way to the surface it breaks up into tiny bubbles. As these tiny bubbles rush to the surface they drag water with them and the water's momentum as it whooshes up could technically tip capsize a ship floating on the surface. 

     According to Helen Czerski, this could only sink a ship if it was already heavily listed to one side. Then it would be possible for the methane bubbles to push the ship over and sink it. She pointed out that ships these days are built to prevent disturbances on the surface from tipping them over, so all that would happen is that the ship would be pushed to one side. 

     When it comes to the Bermuda Triangle some say it does not actually exist. The Bermuda Triangle is a region bordered by Florida, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico and the deniers claim that there are no more unexplained plane crashes and shipwrecks in the area than anywhere else in the ocean. Thus the methane gas theory can be debunked as a cause of ships sinking in that region. 

     I also heard the explanation that one reason people have not survived going over Niagara Falls is that there are tiny air bubbles formed by the cascading water which makes it less dense and so people cannot swim in it and, also, whatever container they went over the Falls in would not float. Of course, eventually the momentum of the water spits them out and the come to the surface. 

     Water's ability to wash, soothe and nourish contrasts with its brute power as exhibited by Niagara Falls. Some of water's properties are so strange that they elude scientific understanding.

      For example, it's logical that it would take longer for hot water to drop to 32 degrees Fahrenheit and freeze than would cold water, but that's not always the case. Hot water actually freezes faster than cold water when the two bodies of water are exposed to the same subzero surroundings. There are theories, but nobody knows why. 

     Nobody has been able to determine why ice is slippery. Scientists agree that a thin layer of liquid water on top of solid ice causes its slipperiness and that makes it difficult to walk on. But, there's no consensus as to why ice, unlike most other solids, has such a layer. It's speculated that it may be caused by contact with the ice by a shoe, car tire, ice skate, etc.

     When there's a huge temperature gradient between water and the outside air and a pot of boiling water is thrown into air measuring minus 30 F, the boiling water will instantly turn to snow. The reason: When the water is thrown into the air there's more vapor being emitted than the air can hold, so the vapor forms crystals which is what snowflakes are.