Tuesday, October 6, 2009

[1820 - Jenny (Johanna Maria) Lind, singer,
born in Stockholm, Sweden]

[1846 - George Westinghouse, inventor, developer,
founder, born in Central Bridge, New York]

[1884 - Naval War College is established at Newport, Rhode Island]

[1887 - Le Corbusier (Charles-Edouard Jeanneret), architect, born in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland]

[1897 - Jerome Cowan, actor, born in New York City]

[1897 - Florence Seibert, physician, scientist,
born in Easton, Pennsylvania]

[1906 - Janet (Laura) Gaynor, Academy Award-winning
actress, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]

[1908 - Carole Lombard (Jane Alice Peters), actress,
born in Fort Wayne, Indiana]

[1914 - Thor Heyerdahl, explorer, author,
born in Larvik, Norway]

[1925 - Shana Alexander (Ager), writer,
journalist, born in New York City]

[1981 - Anwar el-Sadat, President of Egypt,
assassinated by Islamic fundamentalists]

The U.S. Naval War College

Elmo thought the Navy should be more trendy.
It could soften its image to be user friendly.
A War College sounded much too martial.
Just change the name thought the clever Admiral.

What else to call this venerable institution?
Scores of staffers now busily sought solution.
Perhaps a Naval Institute of Foreign Diplomacy
(When All Else Fails and We Put to Sea).

Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed,
The War College name although assailed,
Remained intact with colors proudly flying.
Luce and Mahan are likely still sighing.

William's Whimsical Words:

Indeed it would also make sense to change the name of the Department of Defense back to the War Department, since it is clear that we aren't defending a thing in Iraq or Afghanistan except for our beleaguered troops, who should have been brought home long ago.

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