BITS & PIECES OF A MISPLACED LIFE: AMERICANA

HENRY FORD REVEALS HIS LACK OF KNOWLEDGE
ABOUT AMERICAN HISTORY

“I don’t like to read books. They muss up my mind.”
                                           Henry Ford
**
Lawyer: Do you know anything about the American
                Revolution?
Henry Ford: I understand there was one in 1812.
Lawyer:  Any other time?
Henry Ford: I don’t know of such thing.
Lawyer: Did you ever hear of Benedict Arnold?
Henry Ford: I have heard his name.
Lawyer:  Who was he?
Henry Ford: I have forgotten just who he is. He is
                       a writer, I think.

from a cross-examination in an actual court case

**
HOW ERIC CLAPTON GOT TURNED ONTO MUSIC

“ Well, the first thing that rang in my head was 
black music – all black records that were R&B or 
blues oriented. I remember hearing Sonny Terry and 
Browne McGhee, Big Bill Broonzy, Chuck Berry and 
Bo Diddley, and not really knowing anything about 
the geography or culture of the music. But for some 
reason it did something to me – it resonated. Then 
I found out later that they were black; They were 
from the deep South and they were American black men.
 That started my education.”

GUITAR LEGENDS: CELEBRATING 30 YEARS  OF
GUITAR WORLD. Special Collectors Edition,
 Celebrating Thirty Years of Guitar World (2010)
*
I DID NOT TAKE AARON BURR SERIOUSLY

When Aaron Burr
Asked to borr
ow one of my dueling
Pistols, I thought he was fooling.

**
THE GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL LASTED ONLY 30 SECONDS

" Brothers Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan Earp, along 
with their friend Doc Holliday, served as the law 
enforcement of the city of Tombstone, Arizona. 
Together, they sought to disarm a gang of outlaw 
ranchers called the Cowboys. After an intense 
30-second battle that saw 30 gunshots, three Cowboys
 had died while the Earps survived with only minor 
injuries. The shootout, which took place outside 
a horse corral, became one of the most famous 
legends of the Wild West."

Source: O.K. Corral
HISTORYQUIZ (MARCH 19, 2023)
**
ON THE ELECTION OF THOMAS JEFFERSON in 1800

“Murder, robbery, rape, adultery and incest will
 be openly taught and practiced, the air will be 
rent with the cries of distress, the soil soaked 
with blood, and the nation black with cfrimes. 
Where is the heart that can contemplate such as 
scene with horror?”

The New England Courant
Nancy McPhee. The Book of Insults (New York:
Barnes and Noble, 1978)

**
ENTERPRISING PASTOR

“In Milwaukee, the enterprising Rev. John Lewis 
failed to get the new church he wanted, instead 
he got one to five year in prison for burning down 
the old one.”

Miscellany. TIME (July 21, 1947)
**

REMAINS OF THE 1964 WORLD'S FAIR

“Man’s Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe” was the theme of the 1964 World’s Fair and 
the New York State Pavilion embodied that theme in
 the modern design of its buildings. One of those 
buildings that still stands today is The Tent of 
Tomorrow, designed by noted architect Philip Johnson. 
The circular structure once boasted the world’s 
largest cable suspension roof (50,000 square feet)
 which supported a dazzling display of multi-colored 
fiberglass tiles. On the floor, there was a massive 
567-panel terrazzo road map of the state of New York."


from UNTAPPED NEW YORK website (March 18, 2022)

**

THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS
“The Battle of New Orleans” appears on the 1959 
album "The Spectacular Johnny Horton.” The tune 
is written as if sung by a soldier participating 
in the 1815 Battle of New Orleans. The song features
 army chants of “hut-two” and “three-four” during 
the verses, and lyrics including “fired our guns 
and the British kept-a-comin’” during the chorus."
Source: Genius.com
**
ON THE NAMING OF AMERICA AFTER AMERIGO VESPUCCI

Amerigo Vespucci "had nothing to do with the decision  
to name the new continent after him. The mapmakers 
placed his name along the coast of South America 
that he had explored in 1499-1500. The name's use 
was later extended to both the northern and southern
 continents. The clearest proof that Vespucci had 
no intention of depriving Columbus of any credit 
is that they were friends, as shown in a letter
 in which Columbus describes Vespucci as a 'fine man.'"

Consuelo Varela.  "Exploring Truth and Lies : Amerigo
Vespucci" in National Geographic History (volume 3, no.2)

**

AMERICA! AMERICA!

In 2023 Ninety-two books were pulled from school 
shelves in Florida’s Martin County School District 20. 

**
1948 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Thomas Dewey
To Truman said"Phooey!"
To Dewey Truman said:
ª@@!W&*%#∂∂¥åªºƒ!@@√√((!"

LJP