"Stealing The General" by Russell S. Bonds

This is the story which everyone has heard of. It was even made into the famous silent comedy by Buster Keaton, "The General." In reality, of course, it was no comedy, but rather a very tense and daring mission, behind Rebel lines. Had it been successful it would have shortened the war by about a year, or more, and saved tens of thousands of lives. That it failed is in no measure attributable to any deficiencies on the part of the men. Were mistakes made? Yes. Were there things which could have altered the outcome of the raid? Of course, there always are. But that's Monday morning quarterback stuff; Should've, could've, would've.

April 12th, 1862, barely one year into the Civil War, James Andrews, a smuggler, and a band of 19 Union soldiers, all volunteers, set off to steal a Confederate railroad engine. Its name was The General. It was a twin to the locomotive Texas, which would chase it down over a distance of 48 miles, while running backwards, at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. The chase was short, but filled with every imaginable thrill one would expect from an epic Hollywood movie. Tracks were torn up, and telegraph lines cut as The General ran northwards from Georgia to East Tennessee, hoping to cut the Confederate supply lines and shorten the war.

But they hadn't counted on a spunky little conductor, one William Fuller, who was simply incensed that "someone has stolen my train!" He chased the train at first by foot, and then with a railroad handcar, before boarding The Texas for the final leg of the chase, which came to an end only after The General had run out of fuel and water. With both trains equally matched; they each had been built by competing firms but were identical in all aspects, including their 5 foot driving wheels and a 22 inch strokes; the race is a dead heat until the very last moment, when the crew of The General hops from the train, taking to the woods for even further adventure as they try to avoid capture as spies.

The author, Russell Bonds, has carefully reconstructed each moment of what became known as "The Great Locomotive Chase." Using letters, government documents, telegraph transcripts and personal journals, he is able to take the reader on a roller coaster of a journey, first by rail, and then on foot and canoe, through the woods of Tennessee as the raiders attempt to escape their fates, and the eventual capture, trial and execution of several of the prisoners.

Two of the men had to be hung twice, as their ropes broke on the first try. One man hung too low to the ground and so Confederate soldiers dug out the earth beneath his feet while he slowly strangled to death. Only eight of the 19 men would make it home, where they were honored by President Lincoln with the Nation's first Medals of Honor, which are often referred to mistakenly as "Congressional" Medals of Honor.

One of the most interesting aspects of this book involves the escape through the backwoods country of Tennessee, which was about as divided over the war as Virginia had been. At one point there was even talk of Eastern Tennessee breaking away from the Western half of the state in order to remain in the Union, much in the same manner as West Virginia had done. Had that happened, there would have been no need for James Andrews and his volunteers to undertake the mission in the first place.

History is often a series of accidental happenings and circumstance. At times it is colored with people who rise above the obstacles which confront them as they attempt to change the course of events. The Great Locomotive Chase was one of these times. The story of the General, with, or without, all of its inaccuracies, will live on forever. It is a story of courage, and dishonor, on both sides. As usual, there were heroes, and villians, on both ends. A riveting book.

Tom Jones - 1968 on BBC Four

This is one of those records which can transport me back to a time and place so vividly that I can still feel the raindrops pelting the car on the side of the road outside Miami in 1969. We were on a road trip to St. Augustine, and then down to Miami, to see my mother's cousin who owned a nightclub there. The music on the car radio ranged from rock to pop to folk to Broadway show tunes.

That's the way it was then. With only the AM radio for entertainment, and no "ear buds", families shared the time, and music, while in the car. It was a good system, and as I've said, I can still feel the rain pelting the car, and see and hear the thunder and lightning raging outside the windows of our 1966 Pontiac. This version of the Tom Jones hit differs only slightly from the released version, but when you watch him sing, it opens a whole new dimension to the song. He's really feeling it.

Although this Tom Jones song was over a year old when we made the trip, I do remember it coming on a few times, especially when we pulled over to wait out that violent thunderstorm. It's a very distinct and pleasureable memory, safe in the car with my parents. And I even remember the follow up song being Bob Dylan's "Lay, Lady, Lay", which my Mom really liked. This was our last vacation together as a family.

Explaining Turkey - The Buffer to Islam

Turkey is an enigma, ruled by an elected President, whom in turn is overseen by a Secular Military tasked with upholding a Secular Constitution in an overwhelmingly Islamic country. That Turkey has recently, in 2007, elected an Islamic government, has made this all the more miraculous. That is until last week, when the military resigned in the face of a growing Islamist government. First, as I like to say, a little background....

Turkey, at the end of the First World War, was struggling to recover from her near destruction as the seat of the Ottoman Empire. Prior to the war Turkey had already fought the Italian-Turkish War (1911–1912), the Balkan Wars (1912–1913), and the resultant First World War (1914–1918). T.E. Lawrence, popularly known as Lawrence of Arabia, had sided with the Turks in their fight against the Axis powers, advocating for a strong and unified Turkey.

The Turkish War of Independence (1919–1922) was born of the ethnic struggles between the differing tribes of Islamics. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk became the leader and first President of the new Republic. His vision was to bring Turkey into the 20th century by ending the tribal warfare which had plagued Turkey since the birth of Islam. In order to do this he had to outlaw both the Fez, and the Veil, two of Islam's most iconic images. His goal is best stated in this quote from a 1923 speech in which he outlined this vision, “ ...by complete independence, we mean of course complete economic, financial, juridical, military, cultural independence and freedom in all matters. Being deprived of independence in any of these is equivalent to the nation and country being deprived of all its independence.”

Turkey’s road has not been an easy one. Since the founding of the Turkish Government in 1923, she has been continually plagued by sectarian fighting and terrorism. That Turkey has survived in the Middle East, sandwiched, as it is, between the Soviet Union and the West, is somewhat of a miracle. That she has survived internal divisions is unbelievable. But there is a reason that she has weathered the storms. And that reason is often hard for Americans to understand.

We, in the West, take for granted the freedoms which we enjoy. Our military is limited to strategic goals defined by our elected officials. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. We argue amongst ourselves, and we even come close to the edge of destroying our own democracy, but we always seem to step back at the last moment, allowing reason to prevail. Currently, we are struggling with a fervent religious movement which would bring religion into our government, in spite of the tenets of our Constitution. Here is where a good look at Turkey can offer a lesson in regards to safeguarding our secular freedoms.

The Turkish military is today facing the largest crisis since the formation of the government almost 90 years ago. In the last Presidential election, in 2007, the people elected a Pro-Islamic candidate as President. When the time came to swear the new President into office, the military was conspicuously absent from the proceedings. And with good reason. Let me give you an example, which I witnessed first-hand during my travels in Turkey between 1978 and 1984.

When I first visited Turkey in 1978, the country was in turmoil. Islamic insurgents, seeking to topple the duly elected government, were doing what they do best. There were daily bombings and shootings in the streets. These battles were fought not only with the government, but with the competing tribes vying for control of the country, who would gladly take Turkey back to the days preceding formation of the Government. When the people went to the polls and elected an Islamic candidate as President, the military simply took over, as mandated by their Constitution, until such time as the people were willing, and able, to elect a responsible secular leader. At the time I remember thinking what a load of crap this was. There was no way in which the military would ever give the reins of governance back to the people. Boy was I wrong.

By 1983 the people had united behind a secular candidate and the military held elections. The Secular candidate prevailed and the military returned control of the country to the Turkish people. I was there. I was astonished.

By 2007 the electorate voted for Abdullah Gul as a candidate for president. However, Turkey's secular establishment considered Gül as having a hidden Islamist agenda that sought to undermine the strict separation of religion and state, and they opposed his nomination. The Grand National Assembly – the body politic that at the time chose Turkey's president – much like our Electoral College system, allowed Gül to take office. That vote was annulled by the courts on Constitutional grounds, Gul had not received the required 2/3 majority of the Grand National Assembly. A major political crisis ensued, and new laws were enacted to have the President elected by popular vote every 5 years, beginning in 2012. Thus, the President’s term would be reduced to 5 years, rather than the 7 year term which had been the norm.

By March of 2008, Turkey's chief prosecutor petitioned the Constitutional Court to ban the Justice and Development Party (Gul’s party) for "anti-secular activities.” This came on the heels of parliamentary approval for a constitutional amendment which would allow women to wear headscarves at universities. Although the Constitutional Court later ruled that the scarf reform violated the constitution's secular principles, the Court narrowly upheld the amendment.

What all this amounts to is Turkey’s slide back into an Islamic state, and the restoration of the Ottoman Empire. Last Friday the top Commanders of the Turkish military resigned en masse. This was the result of a disagreement with the Government over military promotions and some corruption trials, which are ongoing. At first glance this looks like an ordinary legal case, but the roots run much deeper than that. They strike at the heart of modern Turkey, which has, in recent years, once again been struggling against Turkish Islamists, notably in the Southern part of the Country, with the Kurds, who are supportive of an Islamic state. This is the same tribe which was a problem to Iraq’s military government under Hussein, which we toppled in an ill-advised war in 2003.

The real fear for Turkey, at this juncture, is the question of whether or not the military will allow the country to slide backwards into an Islamic state. As the land-bridge straddling the East and West, this is of extreme importance to America, as well as Western Europe. Having toppled the regime in Iraq, replacing it with an ineffective government, at a time when Egypt also seems to be sliding in that direction, an Islamist Turkey would virtually restore, intact, the Ottoman Empire which was so carefully taken apart as a result of the First World War. This bodes ill for the West. Turkey has served us well for almost 90 years, acting as the buffer between the East and West. Keep your eyes on this situation, as the outcome will affect us greatly in the years to come.

The Concert for Bangla Desh

Today is the 40th anniversary of the Concert for Bangla Desh. In comparison to today, the concert is almost dated, but it is arguably the first of the "benefit" concerts, as defined by today's standards. This clip is a great example of the mixing and matching of different musicians, irrespective of record company contracts, which was almost normal for the times. Musicians were starting to really assert themselves in taking control, and direction, of their own careers. This is one of the best "pick up" bands ever assembled for a song or two. Leon Russell is on bass, Bob Dylan and George Harrison are trading ryhthm; note that Harrison is transposing by sight, while Dylan is using s capo; and Ringo is just thrilled to be there, letting everyone know, just by his presence, that everything would be alright, "with a little help" from his friends.

Delaney and Bonnie and Freinds - 1969

1969 was a pivotal year for Eric Clapton. It was the year he learned to sing. It happened on the Delaney and Bonnie and Freinds tour,which at times included George Harrison, who was still with The Beatles. The comparative luxury of playing with a band, on tour, without all the fanfare generated by The Beatles, was one of the things which influenced him in his decision to leave the band briefly in January 1969 during the filming of "Get Back."

Clapton had not sung while a lot while in Cream, leaving that task to Jack Bruce, and it wasn't until the Blind Faith Album on which he began to sing. But still, for the most part, the singing was left to Steve Windwood.

Listen to the vocals on this video and see if it's not the same vocal style as Eric Clapton. Not only was this association with Delaney and Bonnie beneficial to Clapton as a vocalist, but as you will note in the video, it also marks his first association with Carl Radle, Bobby Whitlock and Jim Gordon, who would become the nucleus of Derek and the Dominoes, along with Clapton and Duane Allman. Their album "Layla", recorded a mere 2 years later, would go on to make musical history.

The Head

Sue and I went to see the "Head" today. The "Head" is a 25 foot tall, 14 ton mirrored work of art which sits outside of the Paychex Office Building located at 3701 Arco Corporate Center Drive in Charlotte. There was mention of it in the paper on Saturday, and Sue and I enjoy seeing the things that are sometimes listed, so we off we hied to see the "Head."

Now this is no ordinary "head." It is motorized, and divided into six lateral sections, each of which rotate at random, "changing the face", if you will, as it does. That he always returns to his "normal" position is comforting in a way, though I do wonder why he feels the need to repeatedly be looking over his own shoulder. Makes me kind of nervous.

This is a work of art which was installed privately, at least I hope so, in 2007. It was constructed; sculpted would be too much of an artistic term to apply here, this is mechanized art; by Czech artist David Cerney and is known formally as "Metalmorphosis." Hey, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and art is like that. The same piece can mean something entirely different to everyone who sees it. But it was a nice diversion on a hot summer afternoon. With the sun reflecting from the mirrored surface of the "Head", his demeanor did seem to change from time to time. I just wish he wouldn't stare so....

Women's Rights - The ERA that Never Was.

Question: What is the total number of registered voters in the US as of the last Presidential election?


The answer is that there are 169 million registered voters in the United States. 86 million are Democrats, and 55 million as Republicans, with about 28 million others unspecified. Of these, in the 2008 election it is estimated that about 131 million persons cast a vote. Of those votes 70 million were women, and 60 odd million were men.

Given these numbers I am constantly amazed at the fact that the ERA has never been Ratified by the Senate, where it has languished since passing the house in 1972. Since that time the Supreme Court decided Roe V. Wade, and then all the hoopla surrounding the passage of the ERA vanished, seemingly overnight. As a matter of fact, there are women in this country who are under the impression that they have the protection offered by such an Ammendment. With a woman Presidential Candidate in 2008, as well as the 17 Senators and 76 Congresswomen currently serving in the Legislative branch of our government, you would think that this would be a high priority issue.

We have had 3 women Secretary's of State who have traveled the world talking about Women's Rights in places like the Middle East and China. But I have never heard any of them mention the lack of an ERA here at home. The same is true of the 35 women serving as Governors of individual states. Here in North Carolina, we have a woman Governor, Beverly Purdue. She has just lost a battle with the Republican state legislature concerning a new 24 hour waiting period for a woman to seek an abortion. The woman must also watch a film and view photos about the negative consequences of abortion. No mention is made of the children born into inescapable poverty, or abuse. My question is, where are all the women on this issue? Why don't I hear more from the leaders of NOW as they have continued, for almost 40 years, to collect money for Women's Rights? Where is the money going? After all, Congresspersons, as well as Senators, are about the cheapest things that money can buy.

I cannot imagine how the women in America have dropped this ball. They need to band together for the 2012 campaign, making this an issue, and demand the passage of the ERA, without watering it down. The text of the Amendment is short and clear;

Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.

Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.

The ERA was introduced in every session of Congress from 1923 until 1972, when it was passed by Congress, but not Ratified by the Senate, where it had a statute of limitations lasting 7 years for it's passsage. It was even extended an additional 3 years in 1979, but still never Ratified. It was still, at that time, only 3 votes short of becoming the law of the land. It has been re-introduced, and soundly defeated in every Congress since. Why?

Here's the dirty little secret that keeps this Amendment from becoming law. The wording is not limited to just women. It includes all the Gay Lesbian Transgender and Transsexual groups. By its wording it is all inclusive. Should the wording be changed to cover only Women? That would be short sighted and foolishly split the disenfranchised groups asunder, making it impossible to gain any advantage, and perhaps in the process, even roll back some of the Women's Rights that have been gained since the 1970's.

No issue is as easy to tackle as it first appears on the surface. But this is one that needs to be resolved if we are to going to continue roaming the world talking about Equal Rights for Women, as well as Human Rights for All. I urge you to call upon your respective leaders in the Congress and Senate to put this issue to rest. A state by state listing of your lawmakers is attached below. I hope that you will use it.

For your Senator, go to this site;

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

For your Congressional Representative, go to this site;

http://www.house.gov/representatives/