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The Unlikely Lawrence of Arabia

April 18, 2024 jkfug8 Experience, Hidden Facts, History, Perspective, priorities, Vision 0 Comments

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/

The Curse Of The Goat Head

April 18, 2024 jkfug8 Experience, Perspective 0 Comments

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, Devil’s 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

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Saturn, Jupiter and Mars; and the Black Death

April 18, 2024 jkfug8 Hidden Facts, History, Intolerance, Perspective 0 Comments

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.

More info:

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

Lost History: Whatever Happened

April 18, 2024 jkfug8 Change, Hidden Facts, History, Perspective 0 Comments

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?

More Information:

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

Missing History

Nellie Bly

March 18, 2024 jkfug8 History, Innovation, Leadership Comments Off on Nellie Bly

 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 

Tank Man

March 18, 2024 jkfug8 Change, Hidden Facts, History, Leadership Comments Off on Tank Man

 

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.britannica.com/biography/Tank-Man

The Pigeon Guided Missile

March 18, 2024 jkfug8 Aviation, Hidden Facts, History, Perspective Comments Off on The Pigeon Guided Missile

 

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/ 

Syndrome K: The Rare Malady That Prevented Death

March 18, 2024 jkfug8 disaster, Experience, Generosity, Hidden Facts, History Comments Off on Syndrome K: The Rare Malady That Prevented Death

 

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

How Did We Ever Survive: A Tale of Surgeons, Barbers, and Gossips

February 23, 2024 jkfug8 Change, Experience, Hidden Facts, History, Perspective Comments Off on How Did We Ever Survive: A Tale of Surgeons, Barbers, and Gossips

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! 

Mongolian Wrestling Royalty: The Tale of an Astounding Competitor

February 23, 2024 jkfug8 Hidden Facts, History, Perspective, Prejudice, Stereotype Comments Off on Mongolian Wrestling Royalty: The Tale of an Astounding Competitor

A unique story of a character you ought to know, but you probably don’t. There is a twist to this story that will surprise 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

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