The Lighthouse
Tunes For Tuesday – Waterboys “Red Army Blues”
A sample of some obscure – and some maybe not obscure – tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.
Today’s selection: Waterboys – Red Army Blues
I changed my mind about this week’s tune. I kept the Russia theme – inspired by a comment by John Fleming about Stalin in last week’s tune post:
“That evil demon Stalin used Russian patriotism to keep himself in power. May he reside in the nethermost circle of Hell where Satan chews his bones with that of Judas Iscariot for all eternity.“
A 17yo Russian joins the army in 1943 as a patriot, is part of the conquest of Berlin – and after the war, is sent to a gulag by Stalin because he might have become Westernized for having mingled with Americans.
When I left my home and my family
My mother said to me
“Son, it’s not how many Germans you kill that counts
It’s how many people you set free!”
*******************
“Dressed in stripes and tatters
In a gulag left to die
All because Comrade Stalin was scared that
We’d become too westernized!“
“Used to love my country
Used to be so young
Used to believe that life was
The best song ever sung
I would have died for my country
In 1945“
Two books, “The Forgotten Soldier” written of the German view, and “The Day of Viktenty Angarov“, the account of a Russian soldier, inspired Scotland’s The Waterboys‘ Mike Scott to write the song.
We didn’t win the European war, the Russians did – but our help shortened the effort.
I hope Trump and Putin can finally put an end to this century-long mess. It’s not the Soviet Union anymore.
Hell, if we can be “friends” with Japan and Germany (maybe). And China and Saudi Arabia …
Bodie
An old gold-mining town in eastern California. Not far from Aurora Nevada where Samuel Clemens – before he became Mark Twain – almost made it rich as a miner, not writer. Prospectors were in the area by the late 1850s; it became a formal town in 1876. The population peaked near 10,000 people during the boom years of late 1870s/early 1880s. The mines were productive up to the beginning of WWII but the population had fallen to below 700 by 1910. Considered a semi-ghost town by 1915, a fire destroyed much of the town in 1932, the last resident left in 1943, and it became a California State Park in 1962.
Overland Stage – Part 12 Bridger Station to Duck Lake
Part 12 – Bridger Pass Station to Duck Lake Station is now live.
Coming down off the route over Bridger Pass, the stage stopped at Sulpher Springs Station – one of the best defended stations along the line. After Sulphur Springs, travellers had to be prepared for the 80-mile stretch through the Bitter Creek division – alkali water, alkali dust, Indians, bandits, and the never-ending boredom of the bouncing, jarring ride.
Coming up next: Duck Lake Station to “Fort” LaClede
DST
*&^%(%__%!!!
Oh My, Denver
“Denver Public Schools argued a drop in school attendance was due to a new Trump administration policy of not shielding schools from ICE raids“
“A federal judge has ruled against the Denver public schools system’s attempts to block immigration officials from carrying out raids on school grounds, marking a win for the Trump administration as it looks to ramp up its deportation efforts.“
“The school system also argued that rescinding the policy had caused schools to devote time and resources to teaching students and staff how to remain safe from immigration enforcement.“
What the Denver Public Schools didn’t bring up is that they receive Federal funding based on the number of students enrolled. Even I remember those two days a year when the schools begged us to “Please, oh please, come to school” on such and such a day.
Yeah, I’ll be hard-hearted – I have a wife that went through the legal process of becoming a citizen. It’s not a simple or easy process (it’s a pain in the butt actually). Those people are here illegally, costing money that could be used for legal residents, and should be deported. As they say: “The family that gets deported together, stays together“
I would suggest to Denver Public Schools to quit teaching staff and students to break certain laws and padding the enrollment numbers – and that if they wish to continue in such manner, that they do so on Denver dollars, not Federal funds.
But that would mean a return to semi-private, locally-funded schools, eh?
And somehow, I doubt Denver residents would go for it once they knew how much would come out of their pockets and not mine and yours.
Schools should be supported by local communities … preferably by those with school age children – though that could be debated. But not Federal funds.
Chickahominy Sunset
Time Is Getting Short
I have no information about the exact date that the lights turn off at American Digest but I imagine it will be quite soon. I’ve been running this site at a semi-beta level but the time is coming when I need to lock certain features down – I gave myself until darkness at the old site.
You’ve had a couple of months to see this site in operation … as have I – and I’ve only had to block one reader. I didn’t like doing that but … I won’t go into my reasons why.
If there are any suggestions any of you would like to make – format, style, text size, font, colors, the idiot running the place, whatever – now’s the time to let me know. I can’t/won’t promise I’ll implement any or all but everything will be considered (some items I’ve beaten my head against the wall about but some things are “what it is is what it is“).
Once I lock certain features down, it will become more difficult to modify later.
As they say, speak now or forever hold your piece.
🙂
Judges
I can understand a “judge” blocking Executive branch actions, but that judge should be the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. It is the Supreme Court that is on equal level with the Executive Branch, not all these piddling regional district courts.
Too many judges have come to the conclusion they have more power than they should. And too many have come to the conclusion they represent the Legislative branch as well.
Just my thought for the day (of many that may not see the light of digital bits).
Not Good-bye …
If I should die
before you wake,
grieve not for could
or would.
Rejoice, instead, for had
and did
and heard, and saw
and touched.
Be glad for was,
not sad for never.
Whatever was
cannot be gone.
I’m with you now…
forever.