The Mysteries of History (January 24 Edition)
Hidden Gold and Hiding Soldier Found, and a Pathetic Pervert
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” — Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana, 1905
1848 — Gold Discovered in That Thar Creek
image generated using Bing Image Creator
On this date in 1848, about 50 miles northeast of Sacramento and approximately 75 miles west-by-southwest of Lake Tahoe, the still-tiny town of Coloma, California was the site of James Marshall’s discovery of gold in a man-made creek (the tailrace of a lumber mill, to be specific). This find set off a gold rush to California from all points of the globe the next year (hence the term “49ers” rather than “48ers” to refer to those who rushed to “The Golden State” to “strike it rich”).
The United States had just finished the prosecution of a war with Mexico (the Mexican-American War, 1846-1848) for possession of California as well as five other States and portions of four more). California became a State in 1850.
Questions: Are there any large-scale gold mining operations in California at present? How much gold, in tons and modern-day value, have been extracted from California's soil since 1848? What other U.S. States and what other countries are or have been major producers of gold? Where and how heavy was the largest gold nugget ever found?1972 — World War 2 Soldier Discovered in Guam
public domain image from wikimedia commons on the left; image on right generated using Bing Image Creator
In 1972, almost twenty-seven years after the war he had been engaged in had ended, and while America was fighting a war in Vietnam, a Japanese man named Shoichi Yokoi (who had been a soldier in World War 2), was discovered in the jungles of Guam. As far as he knew, the war he had been part of was still raging, or at least being waged (although he had received no wages for quite some time).
Having missed the boat (literally) when his comrades retreated in 1944, Yokoi became a modern-day Ishi (the last of his [Yahi] tribe) and lived off the land in the jungle while evading capture and awaiting the return of his landsmen and subsequent orders.
After being discovered by farmers, Yokoi was discharged from the Japanese military, and returned to a hero’s welcome in Japan. He later married and honeymooned on Guam.
Questions: Is Yokoi still alive? Did he have any inkling the war had ended at the time he was discovered? If so, why did he not emerge from hiding? Was he able to communicate with the farmers who discovered him? Did Yokoi receive back pay for his years in the jungle from the Japanese military/government? Who was Ishi, and where and when was he discovered?2018 — A Prurient Predator is Prosecuted
image on left generated using Bing Image Creator; public domain image from wikimedia commons on right
Seven years ago today, in 2018, Larry Nassar was sentenced to a century or more in prison for being a serial sexual assaulter. More than 260 victims of his came forward to accuse Nassar, who had abused hundreds of women and girls (one as young as six years of age) for decades while professing to be a healer who abided by the Hippocratic oath. That ethical oath, regarding a doctor’s interactions with his patients, says (in part):
I will do no harm or injustice to them. … I will keep pure and holy both my life and my art. … Into whatsoever houses I enter, I will enter to help the sick, and I will abstain from all intentional wrong-doing and harm, especially from abusing the bodies of man or woman, bond or free. … Now if I carry out this oath, and break it not, may I gain for ever reputation among all men for my life and for my art; but if I break it and forswear myself, may the opposite befall meOn being outed, the FBI discovered thousands of images of child pornography in Nassar’s possession. After he serves the 60-year sentence for that offense (if he survives that long), he will face another 40-175 years for the sexual abuse charges. Of course, often times sentences are reduced for “good behavior,” but it is still unlikely Nassar will ever be able to walk the streets a free man again.
Nassar had accomplices: his employers and others had not acted, or had not acted quickly enough, on the many accusations levied against him over the years, leaving him free to continue with his debauched practices for decades.
Questions: Have you heard of the #MeToo movement? If so, what do you think of it? Do you know anyone who is being abused? If so, do you know that you can (and should) report it by calling 1-800-656-4673 (1-800-656-HOPE) or via https://rainn.org? Reporting such scoundrels can prevent them from continuing their depraved and damaging acts.
