HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO STEVE MARTIN

It started on December 7th, 1941 and ended on this day, August 14th 1945. World War Two lasted a total of three years and two hundred and fifty days. Russia had declared war on Japan on the very day that the United States had dropped the second atomic bomb on the island nation. The conflict had ended in May in Europe, but the Japanese were much more stubborn. Harry Truman had at least three more atomic bombs ready to drop on Japan had she been stubborn still. Thank God, we did not have to continue the war.Japan might not have recovered if three more bombs had been dropped! Amazingly, I discover that we had been supplying Japan with vital components to fight the war in the months just prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Poor FDR-- he could be brilliant and he could be very mis-informed sometimes! And also on this day, it looks like we finally have a cease fire between Lebanon and Israel. So an anniversary of peace and peace established on the same day! Let us hope these two nations will now learn how to negotiate before beginning useless hostitlities. Defending yourself is one thing, but jumping the gun before facts are known and going to war because two soldiers were kidnapped is not common sense. I think the world has learned a few lessons! I will always argue for peace. War accomplishes nothing-- it never has-- it never will. We went to war with Mexico because they would not let us purchase the Mexican territories today known as California, Arizona and New Mexico for fifty-six million dollars-- four years later with fifty-nine thousand Americans dead including Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, we ended the war and still gave the Mexican government the fifty-six million dollars! Now what kind of sense was that? The classic novel Gulliver's Traverls by Jonathan Swift depicts two nations (Lilliput and Brobdinag) going to war over the argument of which end of an egg to open first: the large end or the small one! Sometimes the reasons of real wars seem that trivial and silly! Today also is the 61st birthday of a very funny comedian, Mr. Steve Martin. Steve turns sixty-one years old today. My all time favorite Steve Martin films were the "Father of The Bride" films produced in the 90's. But when Steve tries to recreate classic characters like Sgt. Bilko and Inspector Clousseau, I simply think this very talented man is out of his league! So Happy Birthday, Steve Martin! Not much else happening here, but another day of work at Ritz. It looks like my old boss at Hooper Camera is slowly going out of business but we will see what we will see! Well bye for now!