History & Comment for October 1, 2025

A look at historical and current events on this day, comment and humor so dry it would make a camel thirsty. 

Transcript

This is History and Comment for Wednesday the first of October 2025.     At this point it is hard to deny that we are in Fall.  But, someone needs to tell the weather.  We are in the upper 80’s for the next week or so.     I was checking my late corn plot.   A few plants are still trying to set seed and the earlier material is progressing nicely. It will most likely make usable seed. 

The Greek Alexander the Great defeats the Persian King Darius the 3rd in 331 BC.    This marks the fall of the second great civilization and the emergence of the Greeks.     If you are not up on your world history. Persia is modern day Iran.  The name Persia stood since ancient days until 1935, when the Shaw insisted on the name Iran.   But the discussion is deeper than that.   The point was Persia was a name given by Western Nations and Iran reflected more then name they called themselves.   It means the land of the Aryans. 

Mary Anna Custis is born in 1808.   The Custis family was prominate in Colonial Virginia.   Her grandfather was Daniel Custis. Daniel married Martha Dandridge.  Martha was well-connected in Virgina if not wealthy.    Daniel died a few years later leaving his large estate to Martha and their children.    Martha is better known by her second married name, Washington.   While the Custis Children were not blood relatives to the first President they were adopted by him.  George and Martha did not have any children.    Mary Anna will marry into another prominate Virgina family the Lee’s.  Mary Anna was the wife of Robert E. Lee, the confederate General.  

Yosemite National Park is established in 1890.

The first game of the modern World Series is played in 1903 between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Boston Americans.  Pittsburgh will win Game 1, but lose the series to Boston in 8 games. 

The Ford Model T goes on sale in 1908 for a price of $825.   That would be about $26,000 today.   About half the average price for a new car in American today, but in line with several compacts.   The model T was no luxury car, it was affordable.  

This flirts with an idea I wanted to explore the other day and ran out of time.   Americans largely disdain just how prosperous we really are.  we are myopic as a society.   Much like the child or puppy who sees another with a toy and insist we must have that one, abandoning what we have  for what we do not.   Americans are far more prosperous than any other country.    Yes, there are a few that come close. But when you consider the potential every American has and usually squanders it.   The poorest American has far more than nearly every other person on the face fo the Earth.     A recent US News and World Report ranked the US as third behind Switzerland and Japan.   When you dive into the article one has to ask about the survey and what political bias it harbors.    

For a moment let’s look at the other two Countries.   Switzerland has a population of just 9 million folks. That places it between New Jersey and Virginia in size.  On that basis maybe we should rank each US State on their own.    Japan with a population of 123 million is about 1/3 the population of the entire US and the land area the size of Montana.  At roughly 800 people per square mile.  It ranks between Massachusetts and Connecticut. And just try to go to Japan and try to become a citizen or Switzerland.   Even if you do, you will never fit in. 

America does have problems. We tend to put them on the front page.  Life is rarely a picnic.  But largely we forget how good we have it here.    If a person does not have an education it is largely their fault.   If they do not have a means of support again largely their fault.   There are three or four simple rules to make it to American middle class and far above most of the world.    Graduate High School,   work full time,  do not rush marriage,  and do not have kids out of wedlock.   There was a graphic that was along the same lines.   Do not maintain credit card debt, which would imply control spending.   Save a small portion of your income, invest it in a index fund and leave it alone.    Those steps will almost guarantee a millionaire status in time.    

Yet Americans seems to disdain our society and what we have.   We might blame that on a serious lack of education and the belief that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence without considering the down sides.   A serous portion of our younger population would like to see American become more socialist.   That fact alone is alarming.   We have far more opportunity than any place on earth.    We will welcome anyone that shares our ideals to become an American.    Yet, we still seek more easy and pleasure for less effort.   

Bonnie Parker was born in 1910,   The legend suggest she was the bad influence on Clyde Barrow, but he did not need much of a push.  The pair will be known for the Depression era crime spree.  Bonnie was just 22 years old when see was gunned down by law men in Lousiana.  

Former President Carter was born on this day in 1934. 

The Soviet Union issues its first five-year plan in 1928.    Strageic planning is usually a good thing.   But Central Governments usually make a circus of it.    There is a basic human trait that we do not like to be told what to do.    Left on our own we usually make reasonable decisions, at least on the average.  Government rarely does.  

Actress Julie Andrews is 90 years old today.  Born is Surry, England, she began her stage career on London’s West End in 1948. Her Broadway debut was in 1954.  The Disney film Mary Poppins were make her nearly a household name.  She continues to do voice work.

Considered the first American Superhighway, the Pennsylvania Turnpike opens in 1940.  Of course WW II and the need for improved road transportation will spawn the later Interstate System design.    

Retired Baseball Player Mark McGwire is 62.  

Walt Disney World opens in 1971.   Walt Disney was a visionary. He is quoted as saying “sometimes it s fun to do the impossible.”   Disneyland in California was in response to dirty and poorly run venues in Southern California. He felt he could be better.    Disneyland was barely opened when he realized it was far too limited in scope.    The Florida project was intended to overcome the flaws and expand on it.   Through a number of shell companies he managed to buy up 43 square miles of Central Florida, secretly.    It was widely known that land was being bought. But who was the big question.  Rumors ran the gauntlet from the Government to a defense contractors. Disney was largely off the radar.   Planning had begun in 1959.   The site selected in 1963.  Signed deeds were held without being records until May of 1965.  Once recorded they revealed the massive scale of the project.   Still who, was a mystery.  It will be on October 24, 1965 when the Orlando Sentental broke the news, still denied by everyone at Disney including Walt.  Disney confirmed the rumour the next day.  If you stroll Main Street, USA in the Magic Kingdom,  the names on many of the business are the ones used to shield the land purchases.  Walt only visited the site twice before he died.  Much of the construction was overseen by Brother Roy. Who died less than 3 months after the Parks opening. 

The second major phase EPCOT opens in 1982.  

The Compact Disc is launched also in 1982, the player on the same day.  

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