I've written about this event before, but a recent book on the trench warfare of the first World War made me think about this again. World War I began in July of 1914 involving primarily Germany, Russia, France & the United Kingdom. It wasn’t until April of 1917 that America entered the war against Germany. President Wilson had tried to keep America out of the war, but German submarine attacks sinking American ships caused America to join the allies. The…
On this day,December 7, 1941 the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor Hawaii and America entered World War II. I remember the day very well. It was a Sunday and I was in grade school. It seemed like time stopped that Sunday morning because all of the adults were in shock. If you remember President Kennedy being shot in Dallas and the reaction of people, you know what the reaction was back in 1941 to the news. It came to us not…
World War II ended some sixty five years ago, but there are so many bombs that were dropped that didn’t explode they have been named UXO. It stands for unexploded air dropped ordinances. The allies alone dropped 1,000,000 bombs during that war and it is estimated that ten percent, some 100,000, didn’t explode. On top of that there are the bombs dropped by the Axis that didn’t explode. Experts say about eight percent of the UXO bombs could go off…
I have just finished reading a book, Flory, a story of survival, by Flory Van Beek. It is truly a miraculous account of survival of a Jewish woman and her family in occupied Holland during World War II. I have previously written about Edith Velman’s book describing her survival as a Jew in occupied Holland. https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2007/01/edith_velmans_s.html Both stories are extraordinary tales of courage on the part of all the Dutch people, Jews & non-Jews during the German occupation. Van Beek’s story is one of courage …
We all remember President Clinton's ordeal with Congress and the attempt to remove him from office. But, he's not the the only president who went through it. In fact Andrew Johnson went through it twice – both unsuccdessful He was the vice president under Abraham Lincoln. Johnson is remembered for the fact that when he took the oath of office on March 4, 1865 he had been drinking – a lot. Glassy eye and smelling of whiskey, he gave a rambling speech…
I graduated from Anacortes high school in 1953. I was 18 years old. As I prepare to fly to Scottsdale for my knee replacement surgery I've been reflecting on how life has changed since my high school graduation. In 1953 the average cost of an automobile was $1850 and gasoline cost $.29 a gallon. The average cost of a house was $17,500. Postage stamps cost three cents, and a loaf of bread $.16. The average annual salary was $4700 and the…
Phyllis Diller wrote an autobiography she titled: Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse. In addition to describing a rather dysfunctional life while living as a famous comedian she wrote some humorous things. From one of her routines: "Fang, the idiot, was watching television one night and guy was showing how to use a condom by putting it on a sock. Now Fang is carrying a sock in his wallet." She also said: "The contraceptive for old people is nudity…" In…
I got started on a project researching information about a former star basketball and football player at Anacortes High School because I got an e-mail asking if I could provide it. In the process found year books on line. There is the high school building I remember. Then I found a picture of my favorite teacher Ferndand Kramer who used to let me out early on the day of a basketball game so I could go to the gym and practice. He…
Back in March of 2010 I wrote about William A. Clark and his daughter Huguette. It was a strange story: https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2010/03/multimillionare-william-a-clark-and-his-daughter-huguette.html Her father was a millionare and she inherited his money and then lived until age 104 after living as a recluse. She died this week and Bill Dedman of MSNBC has done a great job of describing this unique woman and her money http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39006900/ns/business-huguette_clark_mystery she inherited one of the great mining fortunes of the 19th century and was the…
In 2009 Robert Duvall, Bill Murray and Sissy Spacek are featured in the movie Get Low based on a true story about Felix "Bush" Breazeale from Roane County in East Tennessee. Known as "Uncle Bush" Felix was born on June 29, 1864 on Dogwood Road in Roane. He was one of eight children and was a life long bachelor. He lived in a cabin in the hills near Kingston where he lived alone during his 78 years of life. He decided…
