April 9, 2016 Ridley's Believe It Or Not Nationa Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not For April 9, 2016. Only 286 days to go in President Obama’s pathetic lame duck term. Political theater is getting more and more exciting as a well-organized Cruz picked up 21 out of 37 of the Colorado delegates while Sanders in Wyoming trounced Hillary again but true to form of the hypocrisy of the Democratic Party railing against Republican with false claims of Republican efforts to disenfranchise votes the 4 Democratic superdelagates are in Hillary’s camp. If Trump does not get his act together in terms of creating an organizational ground game, he can kiss his nomination dreams goodbye.  As always, I hope  you enjoy today’s holidays and observances, a music link to the Righteous Brother, factoids of interest, a  relevant poem from an anonymous POW in a German Stalag, while looking forward to enjoying some Chinese almond cookies, blessed with a positive attitude and  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. National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day—honoring the service to the nation of those in uniform who had the misfortune of becoming prisoners of war and celebrating the commitment of the U.S. Armed Forces to leave no one behind even deserters like Beau Bergdahl.

2. Name Yourself Day—another observance on the whimsical side and a free license to call yourself by another name if you don’t like the one you were born with or add an aka after your name like in my case Alaskanpoet.  

3. 1966 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1966 on a run of three weeks in that position (You’re My) Soul and Inspiration by the Righteous Brothers. Here is a link to the Righteous Brothers performing (You’re My) Soul and Inspiration): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjuaVo74meY

4. National Chinese Almond Cookie Day—celebrating the perfect end to any Chinese meal, much tastier and probably better for you that a fortune cookie unless it contained the winning lotto numbers.

5. Age Is Only a State of Mind—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1926 of that noted party giver famous for attracting beautiful women, Hugh Hefner who is still going strong at 90 and married his last wife 26 year old former Playmate Crystal Harris when he was 86.

On this day in:

a. 1860 Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville, a French printer, recorded the first known recording of a human voice on his patented phonoautograph. Here is a link to hear his voice recording (albeit of terrible quality) of “au clair de la lune” (in the light of the moon)  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Au_Clair_de_la_Lune_(1860).ogg        

b. 1867 in one of the greatest deals in real estate history in terms of value and in terms of our national security given the proximity of Russia to Alaska, the U.S. Senate ratified the treaty to purchase Alaska from Russia for a paltry sum of $7.2 million by a vote of 37-2.            

c. 1909 the U.S. Congress passed the Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act which raised tariffs on certain goods imported into the country, levied a an income tax on corporations, and much like what is happening on the Democratic party in terms of NAFTRA and the TPP split the Republican party into the Old Guard and Progressive wings, resulting in the Republican loss of control of the House and 12 seats in the Senate in which the Republicans still retained a slim majority of 4 seats. In an even worse omen and wake up call for the country, the first socialist was elected to the House. 

d. 1961 Pacific Electric Railway, once the largest electric railway system in the world, ceased operations after 60 years.  What an absolute disaster in terms of pollution and traffic congestion.       

e. 2005 in what has to rank as the worst marrying down not up marriage by any man, Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, married Camilla Parker Bowles in a civil ceremony.   

Reflections on being a POW scratched on a wall of a cell for solitary confinement by an unknown prisoner of war in a German Stalag (prisoner of war camp): "You know there is a saying that sunshine follows rain,

And sure enough you'll realize that joy will follow pain;

Let courage be your password make fortitude your guide,

And then instead of grousing, remember those who died.
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.          

© April 9, 2016, Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet 
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