Times, They are A-Changing

I am sure you will remember this scene from a typical day in grade school. When the whistle shrilled, you went into the cloak room and positioned yourself like the students above or else you hit the floor and went under your desk. "What in the hell would you do that?", one might ask. This was an air raid drill........for some inane reason those in power thought that these actions would protect you in case a nuclear bomb was dropped. Those were the days of the constant threat of The Cold War materialzing between the US and the Communist countries, especially the Soviet Union and Cuba. Bomb shelters were built and air raids were established.

I have been an eye witness to many historical making world changing events..........the fall of the Communist government, the Berlin Wall being taken down, man's walk on the moon, a president being assisinated, a missle exploding in front of my eyes, killing all members aboard, etc.

Today, I have witnessed another world changing event.....the resignation of Fidel Castro, dictator of Cuba. He gained power in 1959 and has the distinction of having the longest rule (over 4 decades) in any government and of establishing the first and only Communist state in the western hemisphere. With his resignation comes the hope for a democratic transition for the Cuban government.

He rejected the US government, seized Amnerican property, and turned to the Soviet Union for support and aid. Relationships between the two goverments grew more tense as time passed. They finally came to a head in 1962 with the Bay of Pigs invasion. The CIA plotted to kill Castro and Kennedy gave the order to invade Cuba and overthrow his regime. However, the invasion proved to be a disaster for the United States. We lost and Castro grew even more confident with his victory. This invasion brought the world as close to the brink of a nuclear war as it had ever been.

To think that we have lived so many years to witness events that will be written into history textbooks and will be studied by our grandchildren and their children and so on. Yes, my friend, times....they are a-chainging.

Answer to 2/17's trivia question: What did Jane Mansfield almost lose during the telecast of the 1957 Academy Awards? She accidently exhaled her breast out of her dress, almost losing a boob.
Today's trivia question: What was President George Washinton's horse name?
Thought for the Day: dietary thought....He who stuffeth, puffeth.