Author: pat frederick

Unsolved Mysteries: Elisa Lam

On January 31, 2013, a 21-year-old Canadian student named Elisa Lam vanished inside Los Angeles’ Cecil Hotel — then her dead body turned up in its water tank.

To this day, nobody knows how exactly Elisa Lam died. We know that the 21-year-old Canadian college student was last seen in the Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles on January 31, 2013. But the infamously chilling hotel surveillance video that captured the bizarre final moments before her disappearance — let alone the other details that have emerged since — have only elicited more questions than answers.

And ever since her body was discovered in the hotel’s water tank on February 19, her tragic demise has remained shrouded in mystery.

“In 22 years plus of doing this job as a news reporter, this is one of those cases that kinda sticks with me because we know the who, what, when, where. But the why is always the question,” said NBC LA reporter Lolita Lopez in reference to the mysterious death of Elisa Lam.

Although the coroner’s office ruled her death as an “accidental drowning,” the strange details of Elisa Lam’s case have fueled rampant speculation about what may have really happened. Internet sleuths have come up with a myriad of theories about the tragedy, involving everything from murder conspiracies to evil spirits. But when it comes to the disturbing death of Elisa Lam, where does the truth lie?

The Vanishing Of Elisa Lam

On Jan. 26, 2013, Elisa Lam arrived in LA. She had just come by Amtrak train from San Diego and was headed to Santa Cruz as part of her solo trip around the West Coast. The trip was supposed to be a getaway from her studies at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, where she was originally from.

Her family had been wary of her traveling by herself but the young student was determined to go at it alone. As a compromise, Lam made sure to check in with her parents every day of the trip to let them know that she was safe.

That’s why it struck her parents as unusual when they didn’t hear from their daughter on Jan. 31, the day she was scheduled to check out of the Cecil Hotel in LA. The Lams eventually contacted the Los Angeles Police Department. The police searched the premises of the Cecil but couldn’t find her.

Police soon released surveillance footage taken from the cameras at the Cecil Hotel on their website. This is where things took a turn into the truly bizarre.

The hotel video showed Elisa Lam in one of its elevators on the date of her disappearance acting rather strangely. In the pixelated footage, Lam can be seen stepping into the elevator and pushing all the floor buttons. She steps in and out of the elevator, poking her head out sideways toward the hotel’s hallways in between. She peers out of the elevator another few times before stepping out of the elevator entirely.

The last minutes of the video show Lam standing by the left side of the door, moving her hands in random gestures. Nobody else was captured on the video, except Lam.

Public reaction to the inexplicable video crossed all the way to Canada and China, where Lam’s family is originally from. The four-minute video of Lam’s strange elevator episode has amassed tens of millions of views.

The Accidental Discovery Of The Body In The Cecil Hotel’s Water Tank

On Feb. 19, two weeks after the video was published by authorities, maintenance worker Santiago Lopez found Elisa Lam’s dead body floating in one of the hotel water tanks. Lopez made the discovery after responding to complaints from hotel patrons about low water pressure and a weird taste coming from the tap water.

According to a statement by the chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department, the tank in which Lam’s body was found had to be drained completely and then cut open from the side to remove her five-foot-four frame.

Nobody knows how Lam’s corpse — floating lifelessly next to the same clothes she wore in the surveillance video — ended up in the hotel’s water tank or who else might have been involved. Hotel staff told authorities that Lam was always seen by herself around the hotel premises.

But at least one person did see Lam soon before her death. At a nearby shop, eerily named The Last Bookstore, owner Katie Orphan was among the last to see Elisa Lam alive. Orphan remembered the college student buying books and music for her family back in Vancouver.

“It seemed like [Lam] had plans to return home, plans to give things to her family members and reconnect with them,” Orphan told CBS LA.

When the autopsy results for Elisa Lam’s case came out, it only served to ignite more questions. The toxicology report confirmed that Lam had consumed a number of medical drugs, likely to be medication for her bipolar disorder. But there were no indications of alcohol or illegal substances in her body.

An Incomplete Autopsy Fuels Wild Theories About What Happened To Elisa Lam

Soon after the toxicology report came out, amateur sleuths began poring over any information they could find in hopes of solving the mystery behind the death of Elisa Lam. For example, one summary of Lam’s toxicology report was posted online by a Reddit sleuth with an obvious interest in medicine.

The breakdown pointed out three key observations: 1) Lam took at least one antidepressant that day; 2) Lam had taken her second antidepressant and mood stabilizer recently, but not that day; and 3) Lam had not taken her anti-psychotic recently. These conclusions suggested that Lam, who had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and depression, may have not been taking her medications properly.

It is an important finding to note given that the use of antidepressants to treat bipolar disorder can risk inducing manic side effects if done without caution. Some sleuths have understandably latched onto this detail and suggested it was a likely explanation behind Lam’s strange behavior in the elevator.

Hotel manager Amy Price’s statements in court strongly support this theory. During Lam’s stay at the Cecil Hotel, Price said that Lam was originally booked in a hostel-style shared room with others. However, complaints of “odd behavior” from Lam’s roommates forced Lam to be moved to a private room by herself.

But even if Elisa Lam had been suffering from mental health issues, how did she end up dead? Furthermore, how did she end up in the hotel’s water tank?

The autopsy did not show any foul play from the evidence that was processed. But the coroner’s office noted that they were unable to do a full examination because they could not examine the blood from Lam’s decomposing body.

Who’s Responsible For The Death Of Elisa Lam?

David and Yinna Lam filed a wrongful death suit against the Cecil Hotel several months after their daughter’s death was uncovered. The Lams’ attorney stated that the hotel had a duty to “inspect and seek out hazards in the hotel that presented an unreasonable risk of danger to [Lam] and other hotel guests.”

The hotel fought back against the suit, filing a motion to dismiss it. The hotel’s lawyer argued that the hotel had no reason to think that someone would be able to get into one of their water tanks.

Based on court statements from the hotel’s maintenance staff, the hotel’s argument is not entirely far-fetched. Santiago Lopez, who was the first to find Lam’s body, described in detail how much effort he had to exert just to find her body.

Lopez said that he took the elevator to the 15th floor of the hotel before walking up the staircase to the roof. Then, he had to first turn off the rooftop alarm and climb up on the platform where the hotel’s four water tanks were located. Finally, he had to climb another ladder to get to the top of the main tank. Only after all that did he notice something unusual.

“I noticed the hatch to the main water tank was open and looked inside and saw an Asian woman lying face-up in the water approximately twelve inches from the top of the tank,” Lopez said. Lopez’s testimony suggested that it would have been difficult for Lam to make it to the top of the water tank on her own. At least, not without anyone noticing.

The hotel’s Chief Engineer Pedro Tovar also made it clear that it would be difficult for anyone to access the rooftop, where the hotel water tanks were located, without triggering the alarms. Only hotel employees would be able to deactivate the alarm properly. If it was triggered, the sound of the alarm would reach the front desk as well as the entire top two floors of the hotel.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Howard Halm ruled that the death of Elisa Lam was “unforseeable” because it had happened in an area that guests were not allowed to access, so the lawsuit was dismissed.

The Chilling Backstory Of The Cecil Hotel

Elisa Lam’s mysterious demise was not the first to happen at the Cecil Hotel. In fact, the building’s sordid past has earned it a reputation as one of the most supposedly haunted properties in Los Angeles.

Since opening its doors in 1927, the Cecil Hotel has been plagued by 16 different non-natural deaths and unexplained paranormal events. The most famous death associated with the hotel, other than Lam’s, was the 1947 murder of actress Elizabeth Short, a.k.a. the “Black Dahlia,” who was reportedly seen drinking at the hotel bar in the days before her grisly demise.

The hotel has also hosted some of the country’s most notorious killers. In 1985, Richard Ramirez, also known as the “Night Stalker,” lived on the top floor of the hotel during his monstrous killing spree. The story goes that after a murder, Ramirez would dump his bloody clothes outside the hotel and return half-naked. Back then, the hotel was in such disarray that Ramirez’ nude stunt barely raised an eyebrow.

Six years later, another murderous patron moved into the hotel: Austrian serial killer Jack Unterweger, who earned the nickname “Vienna Strangler.”

With such a macabre history, one would think that the Cecil Hotel would soon be condemned. But actually, the building was recently granted landmark status by the Los Angeles City Council. The hotel was given the distinction because of the building’s opening back in the 1920s, which is considered the beginning of the lodging industry in the United States.

Meanwhile, the tragic death of Elisa Lam at the hotel has inspired pop culture adaptations like Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story: Hotel.

During a press conference for the show, Murphy stated that the new season “was inspired by a surveillance video from a Los Angeles-based hotel that surfaced two years ago. The footage showed a girl in an elevator who was never seen again.” An obvious reference to Elisa Lam and her bizarre elevator episode.

More recently, a gaming studio came under fire after users of the game YIIK: A Postmodern RPG found undeniable resemblances to Lam’s case in the storyline. In one scene of the game, main character Alex receives a video file showing another character, Sammy, in an elevator. The elevator door opens to reveal an alternate dimension on the other side; Sammy is then captured by a demon, kicking and screaming all the while.

In a 2016 interview with Waypoint, Andrew Allanson, co-founder of Acck Studios, which is the company behind the YIIK game, talked about how the death of Elisa Lam had influenced its development, saying that:

“There still hasn’t been a great official story about her… I remember on local news they reported it from the gross-out angle because people drank water that a corpse had been floating in. That’s unfortunate, but what about the poor girl who died? It’s easy to say she was off her meds, but why can’t people think a bit more about her as a person?”

While an answer to the mystery behind the death of Elisa Lam remains unclear, the obsession surrounding that mystery has remained in the public consciousness ever since.

SOURCE: ALLTHATSINTERESTING.COM

Texas State Flower: Blue Bonnets

The Texas Bluebonnet, also known as Lupinus texensis, is a species of lupine that is the state flower of Texas. It is a member of the pea family and is known for its distinctive blue-purple color. The Texas Bluebonnet is an annual plant that typically grows to be between 12 and 24 inches tall. It has a stem covered in small hairs and leaves that are divided into three to seven leaflets.

The flowers of the Texas Bluebonnet are what make it such a beloved plant. They are shaped like a pea flower, with a distinctive banner petal that is white with a dark spot. The other petals are a rich blue-purple color that is truly stunning. The flowers bloom in the spring, typically from March to May, and can be seen across the state of Texas.

The Texas Bluebonnet is a hardy plant that can survive in a range of soil types, but it prefers well-drained soil. It is also drought-tolerant, which makes it a popular choice for landscaping in Texas. The plant is relatively easy to grow from seed, and it can be sown in the fall or early spring for best results.

Overall, the Texas Bluebonnet is a beautiful and iconic plant that is a source of pride for Texans. Its striking color and hardy nature make it a popular choice for landscaping, and it is a symbol of the state’s natural beauty.

How to grow Texas Bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis)

If you’re looking for a stunning addition to your garden or landscape, the Texas Bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis) is an excellent choice. Texas Bluebonnet is the state flower of Texas, and it’s easy to see why. With its iconic blue-purple petals and white tips, the Texas Bluebonnet is a sight to behold.

Here are some tips on how to grow Texas Bluebonnet:

Choose the right location: Texas Bluebonnets thrive in full sun, so look for a spot in your garden that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. Also, make sure the soil is well-draining and not too rich in nutrients.

Plant at the right time: Texas Bluebonnets are annuals, meaning they grow for one year and then die. The best time to plant them is in the fall, around September or October. This gives the seeds time to establish before winter.

Prepare the soil: Before planting, loosen the soil to a depth of six inches and mix in a small amount of compost or other organic matter. This will help improve soil drainage and provide some nutrients for the plants.

Plant the seeds: Scatter the seeds over the prepared soil and lightly rake them in. You can also plant them in rows if you prefer. Make sure the seeds are not planted too deeply; they should be just below the soil surface.

Water regularly: Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged, especially during the first few weeks after planting. After the plants are established, they are drought-tolerant and don’t need much water.

Enjoy the blooms: Texas Bluebonnets typically bloom in the spring, from March to May. They will grow to be about one to two feet tall and will produce beautiful blue-purple flowers.

By following these tips, you can enjoy the beauty of Texas Bluebonnets in your own garden. Happy planting!

Fun facts about Texas Bluebonnets!

This beautiful flower is not only the state flower of Texas but also a symbol of the state’s pride and heritage. Here are some of the most interesting facts about the Texas Bluebonnet:

The Texas Bluebonnet is a member of the pea family (Fabaceae). It is an annual plant that can grow up to 1-2 feet tall. The plant produces beautiful blue flowers that have a distinct shape that resembles that of a bonnet.

The Texas Bluebonnet is an important part of Texas culture. It was adopted as the state flower of Texas in 1901. The flower is also the subject of many songs, poems, and paintings that celebrate the state’s natural beauty.

The Texas Bluebonnet is not just blue. Although the blue variety is the most common, Texas Bluebonnets can also be found in shades of pink, white, and lavender.

The Texas Bluebonnet is a tough plant that can survive in adverse conditions. It is drought-tolerant and can grow in poor soil. This makes it a popular choice for gardeners who want to add a touch of Texas to their gardens.

The Texas Bluebonnet is more than just a pretty flower. It is also used as a cover crop to improve soil quality. The plant’s roots fix nitrogen in the soil, which helps to enrich it for other plants to grow.

The Texas Bluebonnet has a fascinating history. Legend has it that the flower was named after a group of pioneer women who wore blue bonnets during the Texas Revolution. The blue bonnets were a symbol of their bravery and determination.

In conclusion, the Texas Bluebonnet is more than just a beautiful flower. It is a symbol of Texas pride and heritage, a tough and versatile plant, and a fascinating part of Texas history. It is no wonder that this stunning wildflower is beloved by Texans and admired by people from all over the world.

SOURCE: THEGARDENMAGAZINE.COM

What Shall We Bake Today?

Today’s entry is Caramel Apple Bites!

Ingredients

FILLING:

1/3 cup finely chopped unpeeled apple

1/3 cup evaporated milk

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

DOUGH:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

TOPPING:

1 package (14 ounces) caramels

2/3 cup evaporated milk

Green toothpicks:

1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

In a small saucepan, combine filling ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened; set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Shape dough into 1-in. balls. Flatten and place 1/4 teaspoon filling in center of each. Fold dough over filling and reshape into balls. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets.

Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

In a small saucepan over low heat, heat caramels and evaporated milk until caramels are melted; stir until smooth. Insert a toothpick into each cookie and dip into caramel until completely coated; allow excess to drip off. Dip bottoms into nuts. Place on wire racks to set.

ENJOY!

Telescope Fish

The telescope fish is a unique, brightly colored fish that can be found in deep-sea tropical and subtropical waters. It lives three-quarter miles to 1.3 miles beneath the surface. These fish dwell in the deep, far from natural light and away from the surface. To make up for it, Mother Nature endowed the telescope fish with tubular eyes that protrude from the head like binoculars.

The fish has adapted its eyes to see and seek prey in the most mesopelagic twilight zones of the ocean. The fish employs its distinct eyes to find food. They swim, directing the attention upward to surfaces. They may discern silhouettes of their prey this way. The fish move vertically in the water column to observe both food and predator.

Size

The typical length of a telescope fish is between two and four inches. However, it can grow up to half a foot long in rare cases. A single case has been documented where a specimen reached 16 inches in length.

Nomenclature

The telescope fish is a deep-sea aulopiform species of fish named Gigantura chuni. There are only two species in the world. Outside of that, little is known about the creatures. The genus name (Gigantura) is taken from Greek mythology’s Gigantes, a legendary group of giants.

The “oura” suffix means “end” or “tail,” and the word is a reference to the ribbon-like, elongated lower tailfin that makes up half of the fish’s total length.

Species of Telescope Fish

We do not know much about the telescope fish, but we do know that there are two species.

Gigantura Chuni

The Gigantura chuni, is a deep-sea creature that may be found in the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific oceans. It also inhabits the Gulf of Mexico. In recent years, there have been sightings in South Africa as well. It has been observed in the seas of New Zealand, Chile, Saint Paul, Tasmania, and Gough Island.

Gigantura Indica

The Gigantura indica is a deep-sea creature with a silvery, scaleless body and tubular, forward-pointing eyes with large lenses and a ribbon-like tail. The animal’s eyes are similar to those of its cousin, the Gigantura chuni, which have tubular, ahead-directed eyes with big lenses.

Both species are adapted to specific water depths and environments. This is why experts do not believe the species suitable for captivity. This fish is superior in temperate seas, thus making difficult to adapt to tanks.

The overall cost of maintaining and protecting an environment for the telescope fish, as well as the expense of the animal itself, is prohibitively high.

Telescope Fish Appearance

The eyes of aequidens are extremely large, protruding, and have delicate glass screens. The bubbles lenses include around two dozen dorsal spines. From the correct perspective, they appear to be binoculars or more precisely, a pair of telescopes.

Telescope fish have big heads and a greenish-blue color with a silvery underside. The fish have blue dotting and tiny brown lines that form stripes along the sides and back. The fish have gritty, slimy scales and a pointy nose. The tail accounts for almost half of the fish’s total length.

Habitat

The telescope fish is found in tropical and subtropical waters all over world. Some countries territorial waters where they are most prevalent include New Zealand, Tasmania and Chile.

The population, which is not closely watched, is considered robust and of “Least Concern” by conservation organizations.

In several situations, such as the IUCN, the fish are not evaluated at all. There isn’t enough information about the numbers to generate trustworthy statistics because there aren’t enough records on them.

The fish’s range includes sub-Antarctic bodies of temperate cool seas with a habitat that ranges across the world’s oceans.

The telescopic scope is positioned more than 66 feet underwater in the water columns and up to 2,000 miles beneath the ocean floors. They may also be found in surge channels and vast low tide pools.

The telescope fish is a solitary by nature, but it will travel in groups. You’ll never see one its own. Grouping together makes for simpler hunting. It’s also a great way for the animals to keep an eye out for predators while everyone else is sleeping.

Predators and Prey

The telescope fish, like all other living animals, has its enemies and favorite foods. Let’s look at both of them now.

Predators

Due to their diminutive size, telescope fish are prey for larger carnivorous fish and sharks that dwell in these habitats.

Prey

This species is an active predator that can’t wait to get its teeth on bristlemouths, lanternfish, and barbed dragonfish. Like the sucker fish, they’ll also go after plankton.

The telescope fish engulfs its prey whole. Sea creatures that are frequently larger than it are among the victims. However, such a technique of consuming is typical for animals at those depths.

It has a long, flexible jaw with razor-sharp teeth. They capture food quickly, usually from below, whilst constantly looking upwards from the ocean floor.

SOURCE: SURFSUPMAGAZINE.COM

Utah State Animal: Elk

The elk is the second-largest species of deer in the world (only the moose is larger). It is found in forest, shrubland and grassland habitats in North America and eastern Asia. Bull elk are characterized by their impressive, branched antlers and loud “bugling” cries, which can be heard during the fall mating season.

Elk are thought to have evolved about 20 million years ago in the steppe regions of Beringia, a mass of land that once stretched between Siberia in northeastern Asia and Alaska in northwestern North America.

Today, the total elk population numbers around two million individuals, and is thought to be increasing. The species’ conservation rating is “Least Concern”.

Elk are large ungulates (hoofed mammals) with dark reddish-brown coats and pale patches on their rumps.

The color and thickness of an elk’s coat changes with the season; in winter it becomes thick and greyish, whereas in summer it is thinner, shorter and darker in color.

In winter both male and female elk develop a mane of dark hair around their necks.

Elk or Wapiti?

The elk is also known as the wapiti. The name wapiti comes from Shawnee and Cree word “wapiti”, which refers to the elk’s white rump.

Elk Antlers

Male elk develop large, branched antlers during the spring. When the antlers are fully developed, they may weigh as much as 40 lb. As is the case with most deer species, female elk do not grow antlers.  The bull elk’s antlers are used to attract females and to fight off rival males and predators. The antlers have a central core of bone and, while growing, are covered with a layer of skin known as velvet, which is richly supplied with blood vessels.

The velvet is rubbed off once the antlers are fully developed. When the mating season is over, the antlers are shed; a new pair will begin to grow at the start of the next spring.

Elk Bugling

During the rut (mating season), bull elk emit characteristic, high-pitched screaming calls. This behavior is known as “bugling”. These extremely loud and penetrating calls can be heard from several miles away.

SOURCE: ACTIVEWILD.COM

National Vermont Day

The background of National Vermont Day

National Vermont Day originated in 1791, the year Vermont formally commenced its annexation to the United States as the fourteenth state. Additionally, it was the first state to ratify the Union following the initial thirteen states. This event marked a zenith in the chronicles of the Green Mountain State, which had been ruled for decades by the British and the French.

Since its incorporation into the Union, Vermont has made consistent progress. It was among the initial republics to formally outlaw slavery. The Act to Secure Freedom For All Persons Within the State was signed into law on November 25, 1858, which was thirty-five years prior to the American Civil War. Amid the Underground Railroad, fugitive slaves were provided sanctuary and sustenance by Vermonters. Additionally, Vermonters have a reputation for resiliency. Notwithstanding its recent establishment, the state dispatched troops to engage in the Civil War and maintained an unwavering opposition to slavery.

National Vermont Day provides Vermonters with an opportunity to commemorate the state’s historical significance while also engaging in a celebration of their state’s independence. Preeminent is the observance of the valiant men and women who helped shape Vermont into the state it is today. Present-day Vermont is situated amidst a verdant and picturesque mountain backdrop. Although the state itself is beyond picturesque, its rich history provides the backdrop for its splendor. National Vermont Day is observed during this time of year.

Participation in National Vermont Day Activities

Explore the verdant mountains and picturesque vistas

Vermont, being the “Green Mountain State,” lives up to its moniker. Experiencing the state’s captivating natural beauty and picturesque vistas is highly recommended. National Vermont Day is a time when camping, trekking, and hiking are popular ways to commune with nature.

Pay homage to historical locations and museums

For an engaging and enlightening National Vermont Day experience, historical sites and museums are essential destinations. Visit Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home, the Shelburne Museum, and the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium to gain a deeper understanding of the state’s history.

Prepare confections using regional maple syrup.

Vermont is renowned for producing its own maple syrup. Prepare a delectable spread of delights for your loved ones by simply rolling up your sleeves and preparing your baking equipment.

5 Interesting Vermont Facts

Vermont is where notable films such as “What Lies Beneath,” “Me, Myself, & Irene,” and “The Cider House Rules” were produced.

Vermont has one of the greatest human-to-cow ratios in the United States, at 0.41.

Vermont is the second least populous state in the United States as of 2022, trailing only Wyoming.

In 1981, the renowned Ben & Jerry’s ice cream was first produced at a service station along Route 7 in Shelburne, Vermont.

Vermont, along with Alaska, Hawaii, and Maine, is one of four jurisdictions in the United jurisdictions that prohibits billboard advertising.

Texas State Animal: Texas Longhorn

Like all awesome stories, the history of the Texas Longhorn Cattle Breed has many twists and turns. A quick computer search will reveal tons of information. However, here are 17 astonishingly interesting facts that are fun and that stand out.

Fact 1.

Texas Longhorn Cattle did not originate in Texas
LOL!! None-the-less longhorn cattle are synonymous with the state. READ ON if this makes no sense ….

Fact 2.

Texas Longhorn Cattle have a link with Christopher Columbus.
On his second voyage to the New World (1493), Columbus brought cattle with him from the Canary Islands. A study conducted in 2013 by the University of Texas in Austin, connected the cattle genetically as progenitors of Texas Longhorn cattle. Over Centuries, Spanish settlers and missionaries drove these ancestral Longhorn cattle herds north, over Mexican lands towards what we now call Texas.

Fact 3.

There was a time when Texas Longhorn Cattle were feral.
The Spaniards believed in open range feeding. As a result, many of their cattle escaped, were left behind on their travels or just wandered off. In the days predating barbed wire fences, these cattle also intermingled with other bovine breeds brought to the continent. Cattle interbred, became wild and left to their own devices underwent a process of Natural Selection. Only the strongest survived.

Fact 4.

It is estimated that around the 1860’s, 5 to 6 million cattle roamed wild in Texas.
Wild Texas cattle were predominantly unbranded and self-sufficient.

Fact 5.

“Maverick“- originally was in reference to unbranded cattle.
The word Maverick means an independently minded person. Samuel A. Maverick (1803-1870) was a Texas land baron and cattle owner who refused to brand his cattle. In the mid 1800’s, a calf or yearling without a brand became known as a Maverick.

Fact 6.

In the early 1800’s Texas Longhorn Cattle were trailed to New Orleans and California for their hides and tallow.
During these drives, Texas Longhorn Cattle developed an immunity to Tick Fever, which they in turn passed on to other breeds of cattle they came into contact with. Many states placed restrictions against their passage and it became more difficult to get the wild Texas cattle to market. The era of the great cattle trails began in earnest after cow towns were established at rail heads outside of Texas, as a point of departure to ship cattle to markets outside of Texas.

Fact 7.

Many Civil War soldiers who returned to a war impoverished Texas State turned to Texas Longhorn Cattle to earn a living.
These war veterans rounded up unmarked cattle, branded them and claimed them as their own. The longhorn cattle drives that ensued help revive the State’s economy and became the fuel for the legendary cowboy and the trails that they pursued.

Fact 8.

Charles Goodnight was a trail blazer, literally!
Sometimes known as the ‘father of the panhandle’, Charles Goodnight was one of the best known ranchers in Texas. He created a path together with Oliver Loving along the Pecos River, to Colorado. The Goodnight/Loving trail was heavily used even though it was a long way round but it was the safest route in that direction.

Fact 9.

The Chisholm Trail was another major route for livestock out of Texas.
Between 1867-1884 (less than twenty years), over 5 million and up to 10 million longhorn cattle are estimated to have been driven to the rail heads in Abilene, Kansas, on their way East.

Fact 10.

The Texas Longhorn cattle drives spawned the cowboy culture.
Cattlemen in Texas worked closely with Vaquero’s.  They were accustomed to trailing large groups of cattle. As a result, their influence is woven into the cowboy culture regarding the techniques of handling cattle, their equipment as well as their clothing.

Fact 11.

By the 1920’s, Texas Longhorn Cattle faced extinction.
As the Cattle industry grew, so did the demand for more beefy cattle. In addition, fencing made it easier to control cattle and control a practice of interbreeding Texas Longhorn Cattle with more beefy bovine breeds. Subsequently, the number of Texas Longhorn Cattle in their pure form, began to dwindle.

Fact 12.

The Federal government commissioned the establishment of a foundation herd of Texas Longhorn cattle in order to preserve the breed.
J. Hatton and W. C. Barns, two US Forest Service employees rounded up 19 cows and a bull over a seven-year period. Consequently, this longhorn herd, known as the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge herd, became the foundation for the government maintained WR herd, as we know it today. From 1927, records of each animal were kept and since 1934 to the present day, an annual auction sale of these historic longhorn cattle is held.

Fact 13.

Six additional families are recognized for contributing to the maintenance of the Longhorn Breed.
These ranchers bred Longhorn cattle in their purest form when other farmers did not. Moreover, they perpetuated bloodlines that have influenced and provided the foundation for the Longhorn breed as we know it today.

Fact 14.

Fort Griffin State Park is the permanent home of the Official State of Texas Longhorn herd.
The herd is comprised of around 250 Texas Longhorn Cattle.  They reside mainly at Fort Griffin State Park. Furthermore, they have been there since 1948.

Fact 15.

Charlie Schreiner III established The Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America (TLBAA) in 1964 
Specifically, the mission of the TLBAA as stated on the website is “To record, promote, and protect the legacy and distinct characteristics of the Texas Longhorn while ensuring its purity and posterity.”

Fact 16.

The Cattlemen’s Texas Longhorn Registry (CTLR)
The CTLR is a small group of Breeders who believe that modern day improvements to Texas Longhorn Cattle are compromising the integrity of the Texas Longhorn cattle breed.

Fact 17.
The Texas Longhorn Cattle has changed considerably over the last 100 years. So much so, we recently wrote an article highlighting those changes.

SOURCE: GVRLONGHORNS.COM

Night Witches

This story is another great one brought to my attention by Filly!

From History.com:

They flew under the cover of darkness in bare-bones plywood biplanes. They braved bullets and frostbite in the air, while battling skepticism and sexual harassment on the ground. They were feared and hated so much by the Nazis that any German airman who downed one was automatically awarded the prestigious Iron Cross medal.

All told, the pioneering all-female 588th Night Bomber Regiment dropped more than 23,000 tons of bombs on Nazi targets. And in doing so, they became a crucial Soviet asset in winning World War II.

The Germans nicknamed them the Nachthexen, or “night witches,” because the whooshing noise their wooden planes made resembled that of a sweeping broom. “This sound was the only warning the Germans had. The planes were too small to show up on radar… [or] on infrared locators,” said Steve Prowse, author of the screenplay The Night Witches, a nonfiction account of the little-known female squadron. “They never used radios, so radio locators couldn’t pick them up either. They were basically ghosts.”

Using female bombardiers wasn’t a first choice. While women had been previously barred from combat, the pressure of an encroaching enemy gave Soviet leaders a reason to rethink the policy. Adolf Hitler had launched Operation Barbarossa, his massive invasion of the Soviet Union, in June 1941. By the fall the Germans were pressing on Moscow, Leningrad was under siege and the Red Army was struggling. The Soviets were desperate.

The 588th’s first mission, on June 28, 1942, took aim—successfully—at the headquarters of the invading Nazi forces.

A Woman Leads the Charge

The squadron was the brainchild of Marina Raskova, known as the “Soviet Amelia Earhart”—famous not only as the first female navigator in the Soviet Air Force but also for her many long-distance flight records. She had been receiving letters from women all across the Soviet Union wanting to join the World War II war effort. While they had been allowed to participate in support roles, there were many who wanted to be gunners and pilots, flying on their own. Many had lost brothers or sweethearts, or had seen their homes and villages ravaged. Seeing an opportunity, Raskova petitioned Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin to let her form an all-female fighting squadron.

On October 8, 1941, Stalin gave orders to deploy three all-female air force units. The women would not only fly missions and drop bombs, they would return fire—making the Soviet Union the first nation to officially allow women to engage in combat. Previously, women could help transfer planes and ammunition, after which the men took over.

Raskova quickly started to fill out her teams. From more than 2,000 applications, she selected around 400 women for each of the three units. Most were students, ranging in age from 17 to 26. Those selected moved to Engels, a small town north of Stalingrad, to begin training at the Engels School of Aviation. They underwent a highly compressed education—expected to learn in a few months what it took most soldiers several years to grasp. Each recruit had to train and perform as pilots, navigators, maintenance and ground crew.

Beyond their steep learning curve, the women faced skepticism from some of the male military personnel who believed they added no value to the combat effort. Raskova did her best to prepare her women for these attitudes, but they still faced sexual harassment, long nights and grueling conditions. “The men didn’t like the ‘little girls’ going to the front line. It was a man’s thing.” Prowse told HISTORY.

Making Do With Hand-Me-Downs and Relics

The military, unprepared for women pilots, offered them meager resources. Flyers received hand-me-down uniforms (from male soldiers), including oversized boots. “They had to tear up their bedding and stuff them in their boots to get them to fit,” said Prowse.

Their equipment wasn’t much better. The military provided them with outdated Polikarpov Po-2 biplanes, 1920s crop-dusters that had been used as training vehicles. These light two-seater, open-cockpit planes were never meant for combat. “It was like a coffin with wings,” said Prowse. Made out of plywood with canvas pulled over, the aircraft offered virtually no protection from the elements. Flying at night, pilots endured freezing temperatures, wind and frostbite. In the harsh Soviet winters, the planes became so cold, just touching them would rip off bare skin.

Due to both the planes’ limited weight capacity and the military’s limited funds, the pilots also lacked other “luxury” items their male counterparts enjoyed. Instead of parachutes (which were too heavy to carry), radar, guns and radios, they were forced to use more rudimentary tools such as rulers, stopwatches, flashlights, pencils, maps and compasses.

There was some upside to the older aircraft. Their maximum speed was slower than the stall speed of the Nazi planes, which meant these wooden planes, ironically, could maneuver faster than the enemy, making them hard to target. They also could easily take off and land from most locations. The downside? When coming under enemy fire, pilots had to duck by sending their planes into dives (almost none of the planes carried defense ammunition). If they happened to be hit by tracer bullets, which carry a pyrotechnic charge, their wooden planes would burst into flames.

Long Nights, Stealth Tactics

The Polikarpovs could only carry two bombs at a time, one under each wing. In order to make meaningful dents in the German front lines, the regiment sent out up to 40 two-person crews a night. Each would execute between eight and 18 missions a night, flying back to re-arm between runs. The weight of the bombs forced them to fly at lower altitudes, making them a much easier target—hence their night-only missions.

The planes, each with a pilot upfront and a navigator in back, traveled in packs: The first planes would go in as bait, attracting German spotlights, which provided much needed illumination. These planes, which rarely had ammunition to defend themselves, would release a flare to light up the intended target. The last plane would idle its engines and glide in darkness to the bombing area. It was this “stealth mode” that created their signature witch’s broom sound.

There were 12 commandments the Night Witches followed. The first was “be proud you are a woman.” Killing Germans was their job, but in their downtime the heroic flyers still did needlework, patchwork, decorated their planes and danced. They even put the pencils they used for navigation into double duty as eyeliner.

Disbanded and Overlooked

Their last flight took place on May 4, 1945—when the Night Witches flew within 60 kilometers (approximately 37 miles) of Berlin. Three days later, Germany officially surrendered.

According to Prowse, the Germans had two theories about why these women were so successful: They were all criminals who were masters at stealing and had been sent to the front line as punishment—or they had been given special injections that allowed them to see in the night.

Altogether these daredevil heroines flew more than 30,000 missions in total, or about 800 per pilot and navigator. They lost a total of 30 pilots, and 24 of the flyers were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Raskova, the mother of the movement, died on January 4, 1943, when she was finally sent to the front line—her plane never made it. She was given the very first state funeral of World War II and her ashes were buried in the Kremlin.

Despite being the most highly decorated unit in the Soviet Air Force during the war, the Night Witches regiment was disbanded six months after the end of World War II. And when it came to the big victory-day parade in Moscow, they weren’t included—because, it was decided, their planes were too slow.

SOURCE: HISTORY.COM

What Shall We Bake Today?

Today’s Halloween entry is Spider Cookies!

Ingredients

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

24 Reese’s mini peanut butter cups

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1 teaspoon shortening

48 candy eyes

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Cream peanut butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg.

Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass. Bake until tops are slightly cracked, 15-17 minutes. Cool for 3 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Immediately press 1 mini peanut butter cup into center of each cookie. Let stand until set.

In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Transfer melted chocolate mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. Use mixture to adhere candy eyes to peanut butter cups with melted chocolate mixture. Pipe 8 lines alongside each peanut butter cup to resemble spider legs. Let stand until set.

ENJOY!