An Ounce

An inventor by the name of Gustave Whitehead claims to have achieved flight in August 1901. This claim predates the generally acknowledged first-in-flight achievement of Orville and Wilbur Wright in December 1903, by 2 years. Since then - Historians have worked very hard to try to prove or discredit the claims that Gustave Whitehead was truly ‘first-in-flight’. Are Gustaves claims legitimate? But, is it true? Did an immigrant and inventor, and a great storyteller, who arrived in the United States in 1894 from Leutershausen, Bavaria, really fly first? It seems two points of view can seem to completely contradict each other. Meaning, if one is true, the other must be false... Right? Also See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustave_Whitehead https://web.archive.org/web/20010217000744/http://airsports.fai.org/jun98/jun9805.html https://www.wright-brothers.org/History_Wing/History_of_the_Airplane/Who_Was_First/Gustav_Whitehead/Gustav_Whitehead.htm https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/scientific-american-debunks-claim-gustave-whitehead-was-first-in-flight/ https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/flight-claims-gustave-whitehead We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!

(Just a quick note: If you are a little paranoid, this little commentary will only make it worse. You have been warned.) Have you ever had a brief conversation about something you're interested in, in the privacy of your own home? Then, a few moments later while you are wasting time on Facebook, an add pops up advertising just what you were talking about? I recently mentioned to my wife that it was time to replace the furnace air filter. That evening, several Google Ads started showing deals on air purifiers and filters for my HVAC system. Most of us are already suspicious of our smartphones, smart speakers, and smart TVS. “Ya, I already know about that stuff. And if they want to snoop, they are going to get really board”, you might say. I get that, my lifestyle is pretty boring too. However, as they say on the late-night infomercials, “But Wait – There's More” It is not just the obvious suspects snitching on you. Oh, No!! There is more! https://listverse.com/2019/04/29/10-things-you-wont-believe-can-spy-on-you-but-do/ https://www.wired.com/story/strava-heat-map-military-bases-fitness-trackers-privacy/ https://www.cpp.edu/cyberfair/poster-information/documents/vacuum-robot-abstract.pdf https://www.fastcompany.com/90291265/reminder-all-those-smart-devices-are-a-growing-security-threat https://securityaffairs.com/74592/hacking/hacking-smart-vacuums.html We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!

The human creature, in spite of its enormous brain power, can often glitch just a bit. For Example: looking for your car keys and realizing they are in your hand. Or, the moment you walk into a grocery store, you forget what you were planning to get. Some street hustlers and politicians use this tendency we have to hyper focus on one thing to cause us to miss something else. Like a pickpocket team – while one bumps into the mark from the front, the one in the back lifts the wallet – the mark doesn’t have a clue that soon they will be canceling all their credit cards. Or sometimes there is the one who is in - head over heels – in so much that they can’t see that the other is just not that into them. Everyone else can see it – how did they miss it? There are times when distraction grabs us, and then we miss something critical. It can be a genuine problem. This little parable comes from personal experience as a firefighter. The time I found myself standing in a tornado of fire - and not having a clue. We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!

In the late 1980s, a shocking discovery was made. What was found was north of Kansas City, about 45-to 50 feet below a corn field. A mule. A mule in its harness and still tied to a rail. Due to the depth of the find, and the lack of oxygen, the deceased mule was quite well-preserved. Along with this mule was found about 200 tons of various supplies. Food items of all types, clothing, simple farm equipment, and even fine and intact China. Was this poor mule responsible for transporting 200 tons of cargo? Nope – that would be ridiculous. The Mule was a passenger n the Steam Boat Arabia when she sunk in the Missouri River in 1856. The steamboat, the mule, and the supplies were lost for over 130 years. But how did they all end up 1/2 mile from the river and 45 feet under a corn field? Also See: https://www.1856.com/arabia-story https://www.messynessychic.com/2015/12/01/what-was-found-and-still-edible-inside-a-150-year-old-sunken-steamboat/ https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/travel/2010/02/23/treasures-of-steamboat-arabia-which-sank-in-1856-displayed-at-kansas-city-museum/ We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!

There are many things in our natural world that should be feared – or at least respected. But then, there are those things which are feared – and probably don’t need to be. And then, there is the stuff that looks harmless, but you find out it is lying to you. The one you really need to look out for. The true torturer of man and beast. It is the ‘Southern European Puncture Vine’. This nasty little bit of fauna is a cute, low-lying, green, succulent looking, and kinda leafy little sucker, with small bright yellow flowers. Looks kind, nice, sweet, inviting even – but do not be deceived. This is no harmless little plant, it is noxious, poisonous, and mean. And it’s packing a concealed weapon. And its entire purpose for existence is to puncture your skin, inflame the entry would with a little caustic poison, and hold on as long as possible. Out here in the desert southwest, we’ve given it a dis-affectionate nickname: Goat head. The Goat Head also carries several other names, including: Southern European Puncture Vine Devils Thorn Tribulus Terrestris Also see: https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/WEEDS/puncturevine.html https://nazinvasiveplants.org/goathead https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=57203 We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!

In the 14th century, as soon as someone complained of a headache, they became suspect. This might be accompanied by fever and chills. Then the tongue might begin to swell, and turn a white-ish color. The lymph nodes would swell. Finally, black and purple spots began to appear on the skin. And when they did, the outcome was all but certain – death would follow in a week or less. This was a very real and agonizing reality for those who contracted the Black Death, and those who lost loved ones to it. The reason, according to scholars at the university of Paris at the time, was because of what happened in the sky on March 20th, 1945. That was the night that Saturn, Jupiter and Mars came together in an alignment. This triple conjunction within the 40th degree of Aquarius was the event that created a horrible plague. But perhaps… that planets in alignment thing might not have had a thing to with it. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/black-death-is-created-allegedly https://www.history.com/topics/middle-ages/black-death https://www.brown.edu/Departments/Italian_Studies/dweb/plague/causes/treatise.php#:~:text=The%20celestial%20cause%20was%20the,and%20Jupiter%20would%20bring%20disaster. https://astrosociety.org/news-publications/mercury-online/mercury-online.html/article/2020/09/03/the-black-death-scapegoat-conjunction-of-1345 https://www.cloverleaflocal.org/Downloads/Plaguebooklet.pdf https://www.learningleaders.com/insights/correlation-vs-causation We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!

It is impressive the volumes of information we have on history. The history of our Nation, our civilization, and our world. Incredible that we can look back hundreds of years and identify, with genealogical records, a single precious but unremarkable person. But sadly, even in our contemporary world, there are those who have lived and died – and there is no record…no one knows they ever existed. Recording the now, and holding on to it for reference – looking back on the documentation of the past… well, accuracy in the record is a precarious thing. And when it comes to things like history, stuff gets a little fuzzy (kinda like new math). There are those who have declared that 97% of history is lost. It seems a large but believable number, and is probably just an arbitrary guess. What do you think? https://www.infinityexplorers.com/the-lost-human-history-97-of-human-history-is-lost/ https://mysteriesrunsolved.com/lost-human-history/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/earth-lost-25-billion-years-worth-evolutionary-history-just-130000-years-180970558/ https://www.vice.com/en/article/wxdzzb/a-billion-years-of-time-are-mysteriously-missing-scientists-think-they-know-why https://www.archivesfoundation.org/newsletter/missing-history/ We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!

Inspired by the 1873 Jules Vern fiction novel, Around the World in 80 Days, Bly decided to make a quick trip around the world herself – with the goal of besting that 80 day benchmark. In 1889 Bly set out from Hoboken, New Jersey. She traveled light. Her only luggage was a small bag – and no change of clothing. Throughout the journey she used the transportation modes of the day as they were available; including trains, ships, horses, the rickshaw, sampan, and even a burro. Finally, she arrived where she began, In Hoboken – and set a world record. Snatching the glory from the fictional Phileas Fogg - who had held for 16 years the ‘fictional’ record of 80 days. Nellie Bly completed the trip in 72 days, 6 hours, 11 minutes, and 14 seconds. Also See: https://www.biography.com/authors-writers/nellie-bly https://wams.nyhistory.org/modernizing-america/modern-womanhood/nellie-bly/ https://guides.loc.gov/chronicling-america-nellie-bly We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!

You are supposed to forget Tank Man. It’s A true story that many have never heard – but everyone should have. A story that stirs up disagreement, controversy, and conspiracy theories. A story where much of the truth has been lost. Because that’s the way they want it. You’ve heard of Batman, Superman, Ant-Man, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and several other mythical superheroes who have appeared in popular culture for almost a century now. They began their lives as comic book hero’s, and went on to great acclaim at Hollywood box office. Each in their own way are principled folks who fight for truth, justice, … and the American way. But, none of them are real. Tank man on the other hand… he’s for real, but nobody knows who the heck he is. We don’t even know if he is still alive. And strangely, tank man, if he is still alive, probably has no idea what an impact his example has had around the world. Additional references on Tank Man https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSbx352cn8A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-HgONOn0F8 https://www.britannica.com/biography/Tank-Man We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!

Two of the greatest challenges in war are (1) getting your weapon to hit what you are aiming at, and (2) destroying what you hit. Over time, great improvements have been made in the boom part. Well tested and proven explosives, fuses, and triggers have made assuring the ‘bang’ part of a weapon is quite predictable. Thus, if you could put the bomb somewhere close, there was a good chance the target was destroyed. Refining the accuracy part – hitting what you are aiming at - has been an interesting, and in some ways, a more challenging progression. So, some brilliant folks had a few ideas to more precisely put the explosives where they needed to be. There were competing ideas. One was to employ advancing technology like radar, and later-on GPS and lasers. A competing concept was using tested and proven biological technology trained to zero in on the target. That is to say, installing, or integrating, a ‘lab rat’ (or something like it) into the weapon that was trained to ‘fly’ the payload directly into the target - or in this case a pigeon. https://cyberneticzoo.com/bionics/1940-project-pigeon-1948-project-orcon-b-f-skinner-american/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Pigeon https://www.military-history.org/feature/pigeon-guided-missiles.htm https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/nmah_690069 https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/bf-skinners-pigeon-guided-rocket-53443995/ We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!

In 1943, the Nazi’s had taken brutal control of Rome, Italy – as a result of the fall of Mussolini earlier in the summer. And the Nazi’s were systematically emptying the Jewish ghetto’s, and shipping the former residents in railroad box cars to concentration camps and their deaths. Somehow, a few slipped away, and took refuge in Fatebenefratelli Hospital, on a tiny island in the middle of Romes Tiber river – situated just across from one of the Jewish Ghettos. And at the hospital, these refugees were fortunate to find a few allies. Allies with courage – advocates that at the risk of their own lives, and the lives of their own families - were willing to help. But, how could all these people, moving through the hospital over about a year, be kept from the prying eyes, and probing questions of the Nazi’s? Well, an ingeniously whacky plan was quickly hatched. The physicians uncovered– or invented - a rare, malignant, contagious, disfiguring, painful, and torturous malady. A new one. One that wasn’t yet in the medical books. It was called Syndrome K. https://www.timesofisrael.com/to-save-jews-and-keep-nazis-away-these-doctors-invented-a-fake-infectious-disease/ https://qz.com/724169/an-italian-doctor-explains-syndrome-k-the-fake-disease-he-invented-to-save-jews-from-the-nazis We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!

Things Change - The past is full of Surprises - And the future will be too... For Example: In the past, the barber shop was the place where there was always someone with some high quality and sharp instruments and good, steady hands. (Still is) But not so long ago at the barber shop, you could be a spectator to a tooth extraction – Minor surgeries – And if you were really lucky, maybe even an amputation! There wasn’t much else going on, so yes – this kind of stuff drew a crowd of onlookers. No kidding – if things had gone just a bit differently it would be your barber doing your appendectomy, removing your tonsils, heck maybe some open heart or a little cosmetic surgery! We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!

A uniuqe story of a character you ought to know, but you probably don't. THere is a twist to this story that will suprize you. Khutulun, a remarkable Mongolian warrior, horseman, and undefeated wrestler, was a great-grandchild of Genghis Khan. Born to Kaidu Khan, a descendant of the third son of Genghis Khutulun, born sometime around 1260 AD. And raised with 14 brothers. When they were young, they spent their time riding, perfecting their skills with the bow, fighting, and learning the art of battle. And as a part of that, Khutulun became a highly proficient wrestler in the traditional Mongol style. Also See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khutulun https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3100842/forget-mulan-meet-khutulun-mongolias-undefeated https://historynavigator.org/2017/12/01/the-undefeated-khutulun/ We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!

Did you know that every British tank, from WW2 on, has a tea kettle in it? The British and their tea have a powerful relationship. It is part of a well-known and celebrated cultural institution. The Brits discovered tea hundreds of years ago, during the early 1600s, in China. And – over the centuries - for many, it has become a defining element of being British. And this tradition is one they have shared worldwide. Afternoon tea was customarily accompanied by polite and positive conversation. It happened regardless of the circumstances or the people you were with. Conflict, worry, and insult were simply not proper. One might be in battle or at home in the lap of luxury. With friends and family, strangers, or even enemies. When it is time for tea, you take time - and brew some tea. A requisite part of British identity and tradition around it is empire was Tea - even a part of its armed conflicts. So much so, that British tanks are designed and fitted with a kettle in the crew compartment. Well, they do. And there is a reason – so let’s explore a little – We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!

In 1998 a discovery of over 1200 bones and fragments in a 3-foot by 3-foot basement room. The bones were discovered during a renovation of the home by a workman – who noticed a thighbone sticking up out of the ground. Their location: 36 Craven Street, London. A home in which Benjamin Franklin boarded for several years prior to the American Revolution. At that time the home belonged to Margaret Stevenson and her daughter Polly. The police became involved as a matter of policy. And the authorities dated this rather large cache of remains to be a bit over two hundred years old - from the time Franklin was living in the home. It was determined that the bone pile found in Ben Franklin’s residence belonged to at least 28 individuals, 6 of whom were children, and 43 various animals. Could it be that Ben Franklin - this American founding father – was a serial killer? …. If he was, he worked at a scale that would have made Jack the ripper envious. We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!

Cats have a strong presence in human society and in our history. The Cat held a sacred place with the Pharaohs in Egyptian history. The pagans also looked upon the cat with great respect. But there was a time in history when that balance between humans and felines was destabilized – and it didn’t go well for the humans. In one interpretation of events, beginning in the early 1200s, the cat found itself on the wrong side of Pope Gregory the 9th. He had a real problem with felines. Most especially black ones. The Pope published an edict declaring that cats were bad. So bad that they carried with them the spirit of the Devil with them – and they could not be trusted. Many of the folks got pretty committed to the ‘kill the evil cat’ cause. Problem is, in the real world, when you kill the predator, the natural result is that the prey explodes in population. In this case the prey whose life expectancy and numbers dramatically increased were mice, and rats … who carry fleas, that also carry the plague. We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!

What happened? How did Brailsford turn things around for the British Cycling Team such that a very marginal group of blokes on bikes progressed to true and legitimate competitors. And then to the topping of the cycling throne? In a word – he didn’t do much. https://hbr.org/2015/10/how-1-performance-improvements-led-to-olympic-gold https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2019/oct/20/marginal-gains-tarnished-bradley-wiggins-dave-brailsford https://www.limelight.consulting/hub/articles/principle-of-marginal-gains-coach-improves-everything-by-one-percent https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/23/how-to-be-mentally-tough-use-the-1percent-marginal-gains-rule-says-performance-expert.html We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!

It was Sunday night, October 30th, 1938, when we first learned that aliens had invaded at Grover's Mill in New Jersey. This report came over the radio airwaves on the CBS Mercury Radio Theater on the Air. According to the news dispatches aired, local law enforcement was informed, and curious folks had come to look. The local radio station arrived with a reporter who was able to report live from the scene to describe everything. The first alien spacecraft crashed into the surface of the earth, and for a time it sat quiet. It was just a curiosity, until the aliens emerged to wreak havoc on the peaceful citizens. In their advance the aliens left nothing alive, and nothing but a barren smoldering wasteland in their wake. Then 60 minutes after it began, the radio play, The War of the Worlds ended, as the invading Martians were rapidly killed off by a simple virus, they had no defense for – and the earth was safe again. The next morning, the Newspapers were filled with reports of mass panic and nationwide hysteria by those who caught the radio program the night before. But did it? Also See: https://www.buzzfeed.com/madisonmcgee/people-are-sharing-the-wildest-historical-events-that-are - item 7 https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/infamous-war-worlds-radio-broadcast-was-magnificent-fluke-180955180/ https://youtu.be/Xs0K4ApWl4g?si=YgGS1lG85YgBt-LB https://www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2013/threatened-by-radio-newspapers-exaggerated-war-of-the-worlds-panic/ We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!

What do you think? If you put a five-foot nothin’, less than 100 lb. woman armed with only her bare hands, up against a full-grown, 700 pound hungry polar bear, who would win the fight? If one were to match any human up against a polar bear, the human would have little to no chance of surviving. Unless the human has a high-powered rifle, a sufficient amount of ammo, and can hit what they are aiming at. It did not turn out as expected when one polar bear made a bad choice and skulked into a little village in the northernmost region of North America. It was looking for a snack, maybe? Then, It began sizing up a 7-year-old boy. But when the 7-year-old's mom noticed the bear - and it was on. https://www.espn.com/outdoors/general/news/story?id=2338668 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/mother-fights-off-polar-bear-to-save-children-1.625164 https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/polar_bear_no_match_for_fearsome_mother_in_ivujivik1/ We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!

Have you ever noticed someone who just looks very different? Maybe it’s a noticeable scar, or strange hair color, or that they are just really out of place, or odd. Worse yet, have you paid attention to the proclamation of some ‘authoritative expert’ that a particular physical attribute is a true sign of beauty? … Then looked in the mirror to see if you possess it? Or worse, done the mirror check to look for what someone else told you was unattractive. Our society has moved to a point where folks are constantly comparing themselves to the standard that they are convinced represents real beauty and attractiveness - and finding themselves unable to measure up to that ideal. So, needlessly, they opt for surgery, or spend huge amounts of time and money trying to get that look. Today, this unreasonable concern that we might be unattractive is causing serious issues for our mental wellbeing, by convincing people they are ugly – or that everyone thinks they are ugly, not worthy, or alone because of that. It is so bad that some see no other way out but to take their own lives. We've Got A New YouTube Channel - Watch, listen and most definitely subscribe and share!