Sporadic Brain Foibles
On this day in 1836 the Texian "Army" under Sam Houston defeated the Mexicans at San Jacinto. For such a small war the Texas Revolution was especially brutal. Off the top of my head, three of the major engagements were more or less massacres. Santa Anna perpetrated two of them at Goliad and the Alamo, the Texians getting their revenge at San Jacinto. While it may be argued that the rebels were justified in their needless gunning down of Mexican soldados trying to surrender, I think it's fairly safe to say that at least their initial blood lust helped them win the battle. Had they tried to fight a pitched battle with the properly trained Mexican Army, as Houston envisioned, they would have been slaughtered. It was the quick, merciless charge that gave them the initiative and kept the Mexicans from forming line. I see this as a bit of historical irony...funny how things work out.
On to something else: the Dallas strong mayor initiative. I don't' know all the ins and outs of it, but my opinion is that the current form of city government seems like a big ol' mess. Perhaps we need a change, try something new? I don't think what they've been doing since the ‘70's is working.
Resse's Peanut butter cups are little pieces of Heaven. I don't know who first possessed the mad intellect that conjured up the melding of chocolate and peanut butter, but I hope their afterlife was filled with nice parting gifts.
Both Samuel Clemens and the Red Baron died on this day, though not in the same year. 1910 and 1918 respectively. "This day in history" feeds make for excellent "I don't have anything to blog about" fodder.