May 14, 2018 Ridley's Believe It Or Not National Women's Checkup Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not For May 14, 2018 After numerous predecessors had campaigned on the promise to move the American Embassy to Jerusalem, President Trump kept that promise and as Israel celebrates its 70^th anniversary of its founding, the American Embassy will open today even as Israel girds for violence from Palestinians protesting the move (35,000 Palestinians were protesting along the Gaza as 37 Palestinians were killed on the Gaza border with Israel with Israel claiming they were armed terrorists trying to plant bombs along the Gaza fence); on the Haspel nomination front, 100 former ambassadors who had served under both Republican and Democratic Administrations sent a letter to the Senate protesting her nomination while on the optics front a former Green Beret had himself water boarded on camera to prove the practice while uncomfortable   was not torture but rather only the fear of water with no injury https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/05/13/watch-former-green-beret-ufc-fighter-gets-waterboarded-on-live-video-to-prove-it-isnt-torture;  on the litigation lottery front a manager at a Chipolte restaurant in Fresno who was fired for allegedly stealing $626 from the restaurant’s safe was awarded almost $8 million in damages in a wrongful termination lawsuit (evidently the defendant could not produce the video relied upon to fire the manager); on the fleece the taxpayer front a Blue Congressman has introduced a bill to convert a residence hall located in an upscale neighborhood owned by the government formerly used by high school pages but vacant since 2011 into residences for Congressmen earning $174,000 a year while the Swamp has over 6,000 homeless and paying $80,000 a night to house some 600 families in hotels; lava flows in Hawaii are continuing forcing thousands to evacuate as Trump declares the island of Hawaii to be a disaster; in Chicago through May 12, 2018, 873 people mostly of color have been shot by mostly people of color, of whom 143 have died with incomplete returns on Mother’s Day showing that 7 mothers will have learned their child has been shot of whom 2 have died (when will Chicago get serious about this carnage or is this the case of true racism as a Blue run city turns a deaf ear and a blind eye to the slaughter of people of color by people of color?)

        As always, I hope you enjoy today’s holidays and observances, a music link to Paul McCarthy and Wings, factoids of interest for this day in history, the fact that Trump is trying to drain the Swamp of malversation and a relevant quote by Sofia Coppola,  secure in the knowledge that if you want to find a gift for any memorable events like Father’s Day, birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries, you know that the Alaskanpoet can provide you with a unique customized poem at a great price tailored to the event and the recipient. You need only contact me for details.

1. National Women’s Checkup Day—celebrated on the Monday of the second full week in May and since it follows Mother’s Day a good reason for women to have a physical checkup to stack the odds in favor of being here for another Mother’s Day in the following year.       

2. Underground American Day—created by architect Malcolm Wells in 1974 to commemorate the growing trend to move underground to decrease energy costs, reclaim abandoned structures like missile silos, public restrooms abandoned tunnels and escape the noise of urban bustle above ground.       

3. 1978 Number One Song— the number one song in 1978 on a run of 2 weeks in that position was “With A Little Luck” by Paul McCartney and Wings.  Here is a recording of the song:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzH-2NgtaZk

4. Word of the Day—today’s word of the day is “malversation” which means corruption in office which sadly crosses the aisle and with the huge amount of federal, state and local spending is a huge magnet for dishonest elected and bureaucratic officials.

5. Like Father Like Daughter—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1971 of Sofia Coppola, noted actress, director and producer who happens to be the daughter of Francis Ford Coppola. 
         On this day in: 

a. 1878 in a you have to be kidding me moment in the law, the last witchcraft trial was held in Salem, Massachusetts to her the claim of Lucretia Brown, a Christian Scientist, against Daniel Spofford whom she claimed was trying to influence with his mental powers. This travesty ended with the judge dismissing the case.

b. 1939 in a you are too young to be a mother moment, Lina Medina at five years, seven months, seven days became the youngest mother ever recorded by giving birth to a six pound boy delivered by Cesarean; she is still alive in Lima today having survived her son born on that day who died in 1979.

c. 1961 in a dark moment of our history the Freedom Riders bus which had left Washington, D.C. to protest the failure of the ICC to enforce its ruling banning segregation in interstate commerce was fired bombed after leaving Anniston, Alabama and the riders attacked by an angry mob which were only deterred from lynching the riders by shots fired into the air. 

d. 1973 the United States first space station Skylab was launched.

e. 1988 Larry Mahoney driving drunk on Interstate 71 the wrong way hit a converted school bus carrying a church group near Carrollton, Kentucky killing 27 and injuring 34; Mahoney was sentenced to 16 years, served 11 and the accident was instrumental in the formation of MADD.   

       Reflections on imagination from a director’s eye: “It's always more intriguing to imagine what's happening, as opposed to seeing everything, because then you can use your imagination.” Sophia Coppola She is spot on as the mind is far more creative and not bound by the optics of what the eyes see.  Please enjoy the poems on events of interest on my twitter account below (if you like them, retweet and follow me) and follow my blogs. Always good, incisive and entertaining poems on my blogs—click on the links below. Go to www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com for Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—This Day in History, poems to inspire, touch, emote, elate and enjoy and poems on breaking news items of importance or go to  Ridley's Believe It Or Not for just This Day in History.             

© May 14, 2018 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet

Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare

The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive Lasting Lift

May 13, 2018 Ridley's Believe It Or Not Mother's Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not For May 13, 2018 Happy Mother’s Day to all http://alaskanpoet.blogspot.com/2018/05/a-mothers-day-gift-that-lasts.html  We need another concern over Mother Nature’s fury like we need a hole in the head, but concerns that the 18^th fissure that has prompted new evacuations on Sunday in Hawaii may portend disastrous volcanic activity in our ring of dormant volcanoes like Shasta, Hood, St. Helens and Rainier (events in Hawaii show how puny the human race is compared to the forces that drive this planet); pedal to the metal on the summit in Singapore on the 12^th of June as North Korea announced it will  be dismantling its nuclear test site as goodwill gesture prior to the summit  (cynics might say no need to have test site as they have successfully tested and in the process caused the mountain where it was located to collapse); the passengers on a Spirit Airline flight from Atlanta to Las Vegas were in anything but good spirits when a late passenger sprinted past a closed gate to board and refused to deplane causing all passengers to deplane and reboard and a very abusive late passenger Ms. Allen to be cuffed and removed (civility takes another blow exacerbated by the airline’s practice of charging rebooking fees if a person misses a flight); sick news out of Indonesia where six members of one family including children and teens detonated themselves on motorbikes in front of three Christian churches in Indonesia, killing 13 worshippers; on the salmonella front, 206 million eggs have been recalled due to dozens being reported sick from salmonella; in a where was Doctor Carson when you needed him, a rare conjoined pair of fawns were found by a mushroom hunter stillborn and then mounted by a taxidermist  (why this is being reported today when the discovery occurred two years ago is a mystery); civility in the Swamp continues to disappear as billionaire William Steyer releases on Mother’s Day a really bizarre and pathetic ad warning mothers how to spot Trump support in their children; Sarah Sanders, a mother of three children under the age of six, revealed how that experience has helped her deal with whining and snit mongering CNN “journalist” Jim Acosta; California under Moonbeam and the Blues continues to accelerate its drift to the left, seeking to replace Lincoln or Washington Birthdays with a Communist May Day as a state holiday; in Chicago through May 12, 2018, 873 people mostly of color have been shot by mostly people of color, of whom 143 have died.

        As always, I hope you enjoy today’s holidays and observances, a music link to Leo Sayer, factoids of interest for this day in history, the fact that the malisons from the Swamp are lessening as Trump drains it and a relevant poem by the Alaskanpoet on Mother’s Day,  secure in the knowledge that if you want to find a gift for any memorable events like Mothers’ Day, birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries, you know that the Alaskanpoet can provide you with a unique customized poem at a great price tailored to the event and the recipient. You need only contact me for details.

1. Mother’s Day—celebrated in ancient Rome and Greece with the modern Mother’s Day created by Anna Jarvis in 1908 perhaps also predated in 1870 with Julia Ward Howe’s “Mother’s Day Proclamation” which resulted in Mother’s Day Parades in Boston for a decade on June 2.     

2. Mothers at the Wall Day—commemorating the anguish and sadness of those mothers who have lost sons or daughters in our armed forces defending this country in time of war or peace.       

3. 1977 Number One Song— the number one song in 1977 on a run of 1 week in that position was “When I Need You” by Leo Sayer, noted British born singer now an Australian who has overcome dyslexia and cancer genes in his family and still performing today.  Here is a recording of the song:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsMqb9RQWGE

4. Word of the Day—today’s word of the day is “malison” which means a curse which when it comes to the Swamp, Trump is trying weaken by draining it.

5. Even the Only Adult In The Room Was Trumped—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1952 of John Kasich who went directly into politics after graduation to graduate to the House of Representatives for 9 terms but then to venture into investment banking with Lehman Brothers until its bankruptcy and then go to Fox and then return to politics as a governor of Ohio to run for president in 2016 but fail and become an anti-Trumpster boycotting the RNC National Convention. 
         On this day in: 

a. 1958 during a visit to Caracas, Venezuela Vice President Nixon’s limousine was surrounded and then attacked by anti-American demonstrators causing the Secret Service detail with him to draw guns and prepare to open fire but were instructed by Nixon to stand down and shoot only on his orders which were not given as his motorcade reached the American Embassy.

b. 1971 in a remote village in Bangladesh in Demra Province, Pakistani forces lined up over 900 unarmed Hindu  men and women then raped the women in front of the men and killed all the men and women.

c. 1885 after a short standoff preventing police from serving arrest warrants, police bombed MOVE headquarters in Philadelphia, killing 11 including 5 children when the bombs ignited fuel for a roof top generator; the fire spread and 65 nearby homes were destroyed as the fire fighters stood down. 

d. 1995 Alison Hargeaves, a 33 year old British mother became the first woman to reach the summit of Mt. Everest without the aid of a Sherpa or supplemental oxygen. She died doing what she loved to do when descending from the K2 Summit on August 13, 1995.

e. 1998 India tested two nuclear weapons at Pokhran following three conducted on May 11, 1998, prompting the U.S. and Japan to impose economic sanctions.   

Reflections on Mother’s Day: http://alaskanpoet.blogspot.com/2018/05/a-mothers-day-gift-that-lasts.html Alaskanpoet.  Please enjoy the poems on events of interest on my twitter account below (if you like them, retweet and follow me) and follow my blogs. Always good, incisive and entertaining poems on my blogs—click on the links below. Go to www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com for Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—This Day in History, poems to inspire, touch, emote, elate and enjoy and poems on breaking news items of importance or go to  Ridley's Believe It Or Not for just This Day in History.             

© May 13, 2018 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet

Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare

The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive Lasting Lift

May 12, 2018 Ridley's Believe It Or Not International Nurses Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not For May 12, 2018 A 16^th fissure has been reported on Hawaii, this one east of the Puna Geo Thermal Plant as the island prepares for mass evacuations; as calls are being heard to forego the August recess, Trump informed Congress he wants a budget funding deal before August; another terrorist attack in Paris as a knife wielding assailant attacked pedestrians, killing one and wounding several others  before being shot dead by police after they were unsuccessful in tasing him; on the Haspel confirmation wars, Joe Donnelly facing a tough reelection fight announced he would join Senator Manchin to support the confirmation; Rep. Kelly of Pennsylvania and Maxine Waters engaged in a House floor snit fit after he called her out for being incredibly divisive (just another day in the theater of personal attacks and drama); New Jersey is trying to overtake California headed by Moonbeam as the most leftist state in the nation by considering a bill that would allow illegals to apply for and obtain financial aid (might make sense if they had to apply in person and were shown the door to an awaiting ICE van and deported); in another reminder of the unchecked power of social media giants like Facebook and Google, both have announced a banning of ads pro or con on the referendum to repeal Ireland’s Constitutional Amendment that bans abortion; on the NRA front, Republican Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin has vetoed a gun carry law that was passed by veto proof numbers of those voting; in Chicago through May 11, 2018, 864 people mostly of color have been shot by mostly people of color, of whom 142 have died.

        As always, I hope you enjoy today’s holidays and observances, a music link to Slyvers, factoids of interest for this day in history, the fact that you are not doing anything that is maliferous to yourself or others and a relevant quote by Carla Hall on attitude,  secure in the knowledge that if you want to find a gift for any memorable events like Mothers’ Day, birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries, you know that the Alaskanpoet can provide you with a unique customized poem at a great price tailored to the event and the recipient. You need only contact me for details.

1. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Day—celebrated on the birthday of Florence Nightengale to create awareness of the disease and to promote research in its cause and treatment.      

2. International Nurses Day—celebrating the contributions of nurses to our society since 1965; where would patients be without nurses to protect them from the arrogance of doctors and their miserable handwriting.       

3. 1976 Number One Song— the number one song in 1976 on a run of 1 week in that position was “Boogie Fever” by Slyvers.  Here is a recording of the song:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHKCHvpYq_8

4. Word of the Day—today’s word of the day is “maliferous” which means harmful or unhealthy which describes what runaway spending is to this nation.

5. What’s Cooking Good Lookin—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1964 of Carla Hall, former bean counter with Price Waterhouse and former model who was a contestant on Top Chef and later co-host of The Chew. 
         On this day in: 

a. 1933 in a move to increase agricultural prices by restricting production and paying farmers not to produce, the Agricultural Adjustment Act was signed into law.

b. 1981 Francis Hughes of the Provisional IRA died in Maze Prison after a hunger strike of 59 days.

c. 2002 former President Jimmy Carter visited Fidel Castro in Cuba, becoming the first American president to visit the island since Castro’s revolution that overthrew Batista in 1959. 

d. 2008 ICE in the largest raid ever of a workplace raided a kosher slaughterhouse and meat packing plant in Postville, Iowa arresting 400 illegals for deportation.

e. 2017 a massive ransomware attack infected 400,000 computers worldwide, targeting the National Health Service of the U.K. and Telefonica, S.A.   

Reflections on attitude and cooking:” If you’re not in a good mood, the only thing you should make is a reservation.”Carla Hall, noted chef and television personality having a birthday today.  Please enjoy the poems on events of interest on my twitter account below (if you like them, retweet and follow me) and follow my blogs. Always good, incisive and entertaining poems on my blogs—click on the links below. Go to www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com for Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—This Day in History, poems to inspire, touch, emote, elate and enjoy and poems on breaking news items of importance or go to  Ridley's Believe It Or Not for just This Day in History.             

© May 12, 2018 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet

Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare

The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive Lasting Lift

May 11, 2018 Ridley's Believe It Or Not Military Spouse Appreciation Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not For May 11, 2018 Palin feels “gut punched” by McCain’s denunciation of her as a poor VP choice in his upcoming book while she slammed the Blues for trying to import voters by refusing to seal the borders; Scheldon Adelson, the casino magnate, has put his money where his fears are and pledged $30 million to the Reds Congressional reelection efforts to dam the “Blue wave” in its tracks; on the corruption front, former Blue Congressman Mel Reynolds after being convicted for the third time this time on charges of failing to file income tax returns on $400,000 of consulting income has indicated he is giving up on American and will return to Africa after serving his six month sentence (good luck in that “land of opportunity”); surf was up in the Antarctic Ocean near Campbell Island, New Zealand measuring 78 feet (fortunately too remote to have any ships or surfers in the way); George Soros the billionaire conservatives should fear has committed millions to target voters who have not voted in swing states; the new poster child of sexual abuse, New York AG Eric Schneidermann is being urged to donate his $8.5 campaign war chest to a women’s charity (good idea as his political career is ended);; in Chicago through May 9, 2018, 851 people have been shot, of whom 139 have died.

        As always, I hope you enjoy today’s holidays and observances, a music link to Tony Orlando and Dawn, factoids of interest for this day in history, the fact that you can use malgrado in a game of Scrabble and a relevant quote on military spouses,  secure in the knowledge that if you want to find a gift for any memorable events like Mothers’ Day, birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries, you know that the Alaskanpoet can provide you with a unique customized poem at a great price tailored to the event and the recipient. You need only contact me for details.

1. Military Spouse Appreciation Day—created by Presidential Proclamation since 1984 to recognize the contributions of military spouses who have to keep the family together especially when the serviceman or women serving is serving overseas or in a combat zone.      

2. National Twilight Zone Day—celebrating the really popular and creative TV series The Twilight Zone created by Rod Sterling and ran for 5 seasons from 1959-1964 but I am clueless why this day as it does not mark the birth or death of Rod Sterling or the first (October 1, 1959) or the last (June 19, 1964) episodes.      

3. 1975 Number One Song— the number one song in 1975 on a run of 3 weeks in that position was “He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You)” by Tony Orlando and Dawn.  Here is a recording of the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9_gV4fV5r8

4. Word of the Day—today’s word of the day is “malgrado” which means notwithstanding which makes it a perfect substitute when composing a tweet or playing scrabble.

5. Genes and Attitude Trump Smoking—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1906 of World War II Vet Richard Overton who at 112 is the oldest surviving American veteran of World War II and still able to talk, see, walk, and enjoy a cigar. 
         On this day in: 

a. 1960 in a daring move that proves you can run but you cannot hide, four Mossad agents captured Adolf Eichmann and spirited him out of Argentina back to Israel where he stood trial for his role in the Holocaust, was convicted and executed by hanging on June 1, 1962.

b. 1987 Klaus Barbie, the “Butcher of Lyon” went on trial in France for crimes against humanity, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison where he died at the age of 77 in 1991. c. 1995 more than 170 nations (but not North Korea) extended the Non Proliferation Treat indefinitely without conditions. 

d. 1996 improperly stored chemical oxygen aboard ValuJet Flight 592 bound from Miami to Atlanta caught fire shortly after takeoff causing the DC-9 to crash killing all 110 aboard.

e. 1997 IBM’s Deep Blue, a chess playing supercomputer, defeated Garry Kasparov in the last game of a chess match to become the first computer to defeat a champion chess master.   

Reflections on the role of military spouses:” Our military spouses are unsung heroes who maintain the home-front during lengthy deployments, give back to their communities through volunteer work, and provide moral support for their loved ones serving at home and in harm’s way. At the same time, many hold down full time jobs and raise families. While the service member is rewarded for superior job performance with medals, promotions and ceremonies, the military spouse generally only receives a kiss and a “thank you.” The Flagship: Heroes At Home.  Please enjoy the poems on events of interest on my twitter account below (if you like them, retweet and follow me) and follow my blogs. Always good, incisive and entertaining poems on my blogs—click on the links below. Go to www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com for Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—This Day in History, poems to inspire, touch, emote, elate and enjoy and poems on breaking news items of importance or go to  Ridley's Believe It Or Not for just This Day in History.             

© May 11, 2018 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet

Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare

The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive Lasting Lift

May 10, 2018 Ridley's Believe It Or Not World Lupus Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not For May 10, 2018 Three Korean Americans illegally held by North Korea were released and met by Trump at Andrews Air Force Base in the early morning hours, who later in the day with almost no sleep held a huge rally in Indiana touting accomplishments and urging voters to vote Red in November (energy level of this president is off the charts and the Nothing But Cack Network reporter Hallie Jackson should be castigated for calling the welcoming ceremony a staged event as if staged it would have been set for a time to preempt shows like Morning Joe or Am Joy); Mueller’s grandstanding indictments of Russians and Russian companies blew up in his face as one defendant has appeared in federal court through an attorney demanding to be able to enter a plea which will enable the defense to swamp Mueller with discovery requests that may well show the indictment to be a sham); on the obstruction front the McConnell told Senator Baldwin to pound sand as the Senate confirmed a nominee to the 7^th Circuit that had a vacancy that Baldwin had blocked for 7 years with her blue list (time for Senate Reds to accelerate process of confirming judges); on the crime front, Orange County law enforcement officials arrested 85 members of the Mexican Mafia for criminal activity but before corks are popped we were reminded the arrests were a mere drop in the bucket (hopefully another reminder of the need to secure our border); the big island of Hawaii is experiencing more and more lava flows that are destroying homes and spewing sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere; finally under contempt threat the DOJ has allowed Nunes and Gowdy to view subpoenaed documents (when will Sessions cease being MIA and along with Rosenstein realize that documents embarrassing to the DOJ and FBI are not the same as being classified documents?); in Chicago through May 9, 2018, 851 people have been shot, of whom 139 have died.

        As always, I hope you enjoy today’s holidays and observances, a music link to The Funk Railroad, factoids of interest for this day in history, the fact that you are not guilty of malfeasance and a relevant quote by Mike Gerber on small business,  secure in the knowledge that if you want to find a gift for any memorable events like Mothers’ Day, birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries, you know that the Alaskanpoet can provide you with a unique customized poem at a great price tailored to the event and the recipient. You need only contact me for details.

1. National Small Business Day—celebrating the contributions to our economy and support of the work force—the small businesses of this nation which under the Trump Administration’s roll back of regulations are having an easier time of making money.     

2. World Lupus Day—creating since 2004 awareness of the autoimmune disease lupus and promoting research on means to diagnose, treat and cure.      

3. 1974 Number One Song— the number one song in 1974 on a run of 2 weeks in that position was “The Locomotion” by Grand Funk Railroad.  Here is a recording of the song:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSQOeQakExU

4. Word of the Day—today’s word of the day is “malfeasance”  which means illegal activities which despite months and months of investigating and millions of dollars spent Mueller has come up empty handed when it comes to Trump.

5. Don’t Play With Pistols—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1957 of singer and bassist John Simon Ritchie better known as Sid Vicious who became a member of the band Sex Pistols but quickly got into drugs and died from an overdose on February 2, 1979. 
         On this day in: 

a. 1869 the U.S. became a much smaller place when Leland Stanford drove the ceremonial Golden Spike at Promontory Point, Utah to complete the First Transcontinental Railroad.

b. 1975 Sony introduced the Betamax for sale in Japan which ultimately lost out to the VHS recorders to the dismay of those who purchased Betamax videocassette recorders.

c. 1994 Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as South Africa’s first black president. 

d. 2005 Vladimir Arutyunian threw a hand grenade at President George W. Bush while he was giving a speech at Tblsi, Georgia which landed 65 feet from him but fortunately for us did not explode. Arutyunian is serving a life sentence without possibility of parole.

e. 2013 One World Trade Center became the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.   

Reflections on small business, the job creator of this nation: “Don't look at small business as a means to an end and a way to make money until the corporation hires you; look at it as a chance to create something of immeasurable value and beauty in a world that desperately needs it.” Michael E. Gerber, noted writer of books on entrepreneurship.  Please enjoy the poems on events of interest on my twitter account below (if you like them, retweet and follow me) and follow my blogs. Always good, incisive and entertaining poems on my blogs—click on the links below. Go to www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com for Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—This Day in History, poems to inspire, touch, emote, elate and enjoy and poems on breaking news items of importance or go to  Ridley's Believe It Or Not for just This Day in History.             

© May 10, 2018 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet

Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare

The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive Lasting Lift

May 9, 2018 Ridley's Believe It Or Not Victory Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not For May 9,2018 Walmart, the world’s largest retailer announced it had agreed to purchase 77 % of India’s Flipart for $20 billion to go head to head with Amazon in India; rattling of sabers from the rogue theocrats in Iran as the country vows to increase spending on its ballistic missile program after Trump announced pull out of Iran Nuke deal and Israel put its military on full alert in the Golan Heights; Gina Haspel will face a barrage of posturing sound bites on the Hill today testifying before the Senate on her confirmation (despicable at this crucial time in our history dealing with North Korea that the obstructionist Blues are continuing to fight tooth and nail on Trump nominees no matter how qualified); the House has run out of patience with Rosenstein and Sessions and appears ready to hold them in contempt for failing to turn over documents needed to fulfill their valid Constitutional oversight function; it is always hard to read the tea leaves in contested primaries but it would appear that both parties elected more center candidates last night (Pelosi we need you on deck pushing the progressive agenda); the Mormon Church announced that it was severing its century old relationship with the Boy Scouts of America and transferring it 450,000 boys to a gospel based group; more evacuations on the Big Island of Hawaii as two more volcanic vents opened, destroying dozens of homes; Pompeo is in North Korea working on details for an upcoming summit and is expected to return with three Americans that have been held by the rogue regime; finally some sanity in bureaucracy as the head of the CDC Dr. Redfield asked for and received a $165,000 pay cut from a bloated $375,000 salary; New York is moving quickly to replace disgraced Schneiderman with a progressive AG that will continue the obstructionist lawsuits against the Trump agenda; in Chicago through May 7, 2018, 839 people have been shot, of whom 139 have died.

        As always, I hope you enjoy today’s holidays and observances, a music link to Tony Orlando and Dawn, factoids of interest for this day in history, the fact that if you don’t watch the MSM your day will be free of maledicent outbursts and a relevant quote by Grace Gummer on the value of parents,  secure in the knowledge that if you want to find a gift for any memorable events like Mothers’ Day, birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries, you know that the Alaskanpoet can provide you with a unique customized poem at a great price tailored to the event and the recipient. You need only contact me for details.

1. National Receptionist Day—celebrating since 1991 the role of and importance of receptionists as that person is usually the first person a customer or potential customer comes in contact with but sadly the profession is being decimated by voice mail and voice recognition software as a filter to get to a human being.     

2. Victory Day—celebrating the unconditional surrender of Germany to the Soviets and celebrated in the former Soviet Union one day after V-E Day to end hostilities in World War II.     

3. 1973 Number One Song— the number one song in 1973 on a run of 4 weeks in that position was “Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree” by Tony Orlando and Dawn.  Here is a recording of the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3ouKAhxZbQ

4. Word of the Day—today’s word of the day is “maledicent”  which means cursing which most of us want to do after listening our elected officials or nonelected bureaucrats.

5. It’s In The Genes—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1986 of noted theater, movie and television actress Grace Gummer who bears a striking resemblance to her mother Meryl Streep.
         On this day in: 

a. 1960 in a let the good times roll moment the FDA approved Searle’s Enovid as an oral contraceptive.

b. 1970 upwards of 100,000 demonstrators marched on the White House to protest the Kent State shootings by the Ohio National Guard and the incursion by South Vietnamese and American forces into Cambodia.

c. 1974 the House Judiciary Committee opened formal impeachment hearings on President Richard Nixon. 

d. 1980 five masked gunmen held robbed a Security Pacific Bank in Norco, California and fled prompting the largest shoot out and pursuit in California’s history leaving two robbers dead, one sheriff’s deputy dead and nine wounded and 33 police cars heavily damaged but in the end the three surviving robbers were captured after 4 days and were sentenced to life without possibility of parole.

e. 2015 Russia staged its largest military parade in Moscow to celebrate the 70^th anniversary of Victory Day.   

Reflections on the role of parents: “I'm just lucky to have great parents. My sister's an actress. My brother's a musician. I found it hard growing up in such a... creatively driven family. I wanted to have this thing to create, myself.” Grace Gummer Please enjoy the poems on events of interest on my twitter account below (if you like them, retweet and follow me) and follow my blogs. Always good, incisive and entertaining poems on my blogs—click on the links below. Go to www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com for Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—This Day in History, poems to inspire, touch, emote, elate and enjoy and poems on breaking news items of importance or go to  Ridley's Believe It Or Not for just This Day in History.             

© May 9, 2018 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet

Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare

The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive Lasting Lift

May 8, 2018 Ridley's Believe It Or Not World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not For May 8,2018 Kerry and Obama have just been dealt a legacy death blow over the Iran nuke deal that was deceptively rammed down our throats when Trump just pulled out of the deal (watch for the second legacy ending shoe to drop as Obamacare premiums and deductibles are expected to go through the roof); the biggest threat we consumers may face is not from the Big Brother of the federal government but rather Big Tech as Google is announcing using AI to determine what news we may see online by hindering the receipt of what might be fake news or more troubling what may be viewed as too conservative or politically incorrect (being blocked by Twitter for espousing a conservative viewpoint is the end of free speech); one of the hypocrites in chief at MSNBC, Joy Reid, is seeing her audience disappear after vicious anti LBGT tweets from her were discovered (she compounded the problem by lying that she had been hacked—amazing that the left which is so quick to bash the Reds for anti LBGT positions is guilty of harboring the same thoughts); drivers in Maine and Alaska know that hitting a moose is a bad idea but we learn ditto for hitting a large alligator as a mother with two small children hit a nine foot long gator crossing the freeway in South Carolina and crashed into a tree to burst into flames killing all three; after a bitter mud slinging contest in West Virginia by the Red candidates seeking to replace the Blue incumbent Senator, the voters are going to the polls today; in Chicago through May 7, 2018, 824 people have been shot, of whom 135 have died; on the Northern Lights front, Michigan residents were treated to an awesome display over the Mackinac Bridge:

                                  

                                                                              

        As always, I hope you enjoy today’s holidays and observances, a music link to Roberta Flack, factoids of interest for this day in history, the fact that if you don’t watch the MSM your day will be free of malarkey and a relevant quote by Darius Rucker on the work of the Red Cross,  secure in the knowledge that if you want to find a gift for any memorable events like birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries, you know that the Alaskanpoet can provide you with a unique customized poem at a great price tailored to the event and the recipient. You need only contact me for details.

1. World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day—celebrating the creation of the Red Cross by Henri Dunant on this day in 1828 for which he received the first Nobel Peace Prize.    

2. V-E Day—celebrating the unconditional surrender of Germany to the allies to end WWII in Europe.     

3. 1972 Number One Song— the number one song in 1972 on a run of 6 weeks in that position was “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” by Roberta Flack.  Here is a recording of the song:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id_UYLPSn6U Still performing concerts at the ripe old age of 81.

4. Word of the Day—today’s word of the day is “malarkey”  which means humbug, nonsense which describes to a tee the bulk of what we hear coming out of the Swamp.

5. Stung By A Bee—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1932 of noted former convict and heavy weight champion Sonny Liston who was beaten twice by then Cassius Clay and died perhaps from a heroin overdose in 1970. 
         On this day in: 

a. 1902 in a grim reminder of the power of the magma under the Earth’s crust, Mount Pelee on Martinique erupted destroying the town of Saint Pierre and killing 30,000 people leaving only a handful of survivors.

b. 1945 hundreds of Algerian civilians were killed by French troops during the Setif, Algeria massacre.

c. 1972 in a move that should have been done years ago to shorten the war, President Nixon announced the mining of ports of North Vietnam to halt the flow of arms and supplies to that nation.  

d. 1980 the World Health Organization confirmed the eradication of smallpox.

e. 1998 a fire at Illinois Bell Hinsdale Central Office damaged the central switching equipment there creating the worst disaster in U.S. telecommunications history and reminding us how fragile our communications infrastructure can be.    

Reflections on the work of the Red Cross: “ Whether it is a call to action for blood drives, disaster relief, or just community outreach, the American Red Cross does an extraordinary job at not only meeting the immediate needs of a community, but also the preparation and planning for long-term support.” Darius Rucker, noted American singer and songwriter. Please enjoy the poems on events of interest on my twitter account below (if you like them, retweet and follow me) and follow my blogs. Always good, incisive and entertaining poems on my blogs—click on the links below. Go to www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com for Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—This Day in History, poems to inspire, touch, emote, elate and enjoy and poems on breaking news items of importance or go to  Ridley's Believe It Or Not for just This Day in History.             

© May 8, 2018 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet

Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare

The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive Lasting Lift