Archeologists Discover Who the ORIGINAL Americans Were

This might change the way you see who the First Americans were and their downfall.

I hope you find this as interesting as I did.

Tom 

America's Christmas 2022

Merry Christmas my friends!

While we all know full well that Americans in the Old West of the 1800s lived day-to-day lives that were completely different than ours today, our Christmas traditions, customs, and festivities are a lot alike. 

Believe it or not, the Old West was not very different than what takes place today. In fact, many of our Christmas traditions and customs started with the flood of different people from around the world with almost everyone adding a little something that was unique to their place of origin. Over the years, during every phase of our history, especially after the Civil War, the vast majority of Americans have indeed created a specialness to how we Americans celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Over the years, Americans took to celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior as Americans do most things. We gave Christmas our own touch of American customs. One thing that made us different is that Americans over the years refused to observe Christmas as some ultra-solemn act that should only be observed by requiring formality and carried out according to certain pre-established rules -- all respecting strict protocol. Rules? Really, rules? Americans traditionally hate rules. That's part of who we are as a people.

So yes, we can all be extremely thankful that America's Christmas traditions and customs did not follow the English Puritan view of Christmas. To the English Puritans who established New England, Christmas was seen as being a "pagan ritual," a "corrupt religious ritual." They did not celebrate December 25th because they saw it as just another work day -- unless it fell on the Sabbath.

Americans instead viewed Christmas as a birthday party meant to celebrate the birth of Jesus. We have traditionally accepted Christmas with open hearts. And from this, even in the Old West, Christmas trees were decorated, gift-giving was already an old American custom, and Christmas stockings waited to be filled with goodies. There were dances, feasts, parties, and even plays to reenact the birth of Christ.

From sending Christmas cards, and enjoying family-oriented days of fun, games, reminiscing, and feasting, while celebrating the birth of Jesus, to noting the appearance of Santa Claus, Americans in the Old West were a lot like us. At the time, Americans also went to church and parents read the Bible to their children on Christmas Eve as many do today. Many read the story of the birth of Jesus Christ, just as many do today.

While in those days, it wasn't unusual to read a recent letter from a relative far away or share good tidings with everyone there, today we do email or maybe this thing called "face time." Yes, all for the same for all the same reasons, to share the joy and be close to those we love. Like us, Christmas was a day to live the closeness that comes with being with family and dear friends.

Now, before someone writes to tell me that we can't compare the comfort and gift buying of today with the mostly meager, humble, homemade Christmases of long ago, those who lived in harsh environments of years ago, I assure you that I'm not doing that. I'm talking about how we today, even after being slammed with terrible blizzards and savage frigid cold winds which are extremely similar to the Tragic Winter of 1886 that killed hundreds of thousands of cattle in the Great Plains, will still celebrate Christmas.

Today, thousands are fighting the elements and the frigid cold temperatures. In America, over 100,000 Americans die each year from the cold -- whereas, usually less than 3,000 Americans die from the heat per year.

Winter kills. And yes, while Christmas for many in the Old West was a difficult time, today we have millions of Americans stranded and spending their entire Christmas without heat to stay warm or power to cook. Like those in the Old West though, my bet is that Americans who are determined to keep the spirit of Christmas alive will do so.

That's what Americans do. For those without utilities and in need of help, I know that their Christmas may be meager and humble, a little more homemade, and maybe improvised. But, it will be Christmas. And to that spirit, that of the Holy Spirit, I believe that power outages and "once in a generation" blizzards can't stop even those Americans from feeling the Holy Spirit this Christmas.

And while my prayers are with those fighting the cold, I wish them and you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Especially you, Benny! Merry Christmas!

Tom Correa

We Need To Be More Like Santa

I refuse to let Atheists dampen my celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. I won't let the Leftists who take every opportunity to attack Christians this time of year stop me from singing what's in my heart. I refuse to let the vocal few who want to spew their hate for my Christian beliefs get their way. I will not let anyone suck the joy out of my Christmas.

I refuse to let it happen. I simply won't allow it. No, just as I won't allow anyone to diminish the importance of the birth of Christ. I won't in the same way that I will defend his teachings against those who want to remove love and kindness for our fellow man and woman from the world around us.

I can do this as I have over the years through discourse with those who want widespread hate and discontent to reign supreme in the world. I can do this by explaining how Jesus Christ brings hope and makes us better people through caring for others.

Study after study, even those studies which are conducted to the dread of Leftists, all show that Christians are much more likely to donate to charities than non-Christians. Let me put it another way, those who accept Christ as our savior and believe his teachings are more apt to help others than those who don't believe in Christ -- we are more giving and a lot more caring than those who talk about helping others, but don't.

If you tell this to an Atheist, and he or she, or them or they, or it or shim, still doesn't understand it, tell them this: Followers of Jesus Christ demonstrate love and caring for others more than non-followers.

And really, why is the Left so obsessed with attacking Santa Claus? What is so wrong with some people that they cannot find goodness in a great example of someone who followed Christ with all of his heart and soul? What's wrong with anyone wanting to give gifts, being generous and charitable? Why is it that a man who lived almost 1700 years ago, a man who gave to the needy and rewarded the good, bother so many people on the Left today? Frankly, I can't understand the malice that the Left has for Christians or Santa Claus.

Santa Claus was a follower of Christ. Everything about Santa Claus is about being a follower of Jesus Christ. According to historians, the name Santa Claus is the English translation of the Dutch name for Sinterklaas. We know that the historical St. Nicholas Sinterklaas existed and that he was a godly man who was known for his generosity and charitable ways.

Nicholas Sinterklaas was born around 280 AD in the city of Patara (Turkey) in Asia Minor. He was the only child of parents who were wealthy Christians. They were devout believers. Because he arrived late in life, his parents saw him as a gift from God. And because of that, they devoted him to God and the teachings of Jesus Christ.

After he lost his parents to a plague, to his credit, he found himself drawn closer to God. And more so, instead of wallowing in self-pity at his loss, the death of his parents actually made him more aware of the sufferings of others. He became so much aware of the plight of others that he was known to use his substantial inheritance to honor his parents and further follow Christ's teachings by helping those in need around him.

He was chosen as Archbishop of Myra, a harbor city to the southeast of Patara in what is modern-day Turkey. Of course, that was about the time when extremely violent persecution of Christians began. Though serving as Archbishop, he was arrested, imprisoned, and he was tortured for his faith in Christ. The persecution that began during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian was carried on by his successor, Galerius, for eight long years.

Following Emperor Galerius, Emperor Constantine who was the first Christian Emperor became the undisputed leader of the West. By 324 A.D., Emperor Constantine claimed leadership of the entire Roman empire and declared Christianity a legal religion. At one point, Constantine recognized the need for unity among Christians, so in 325 A.D. he summoned bishops from all over the empire to meet in Nicea and discuss doctrinal issues. Nicholas of Myra (Nicholas Sinterklaas) is listed among the bishops in attendance at that gathering of bishops.

During his life, Nicholas Sinterklaas was a devout follower of Jesus Christ. And because of the stories and legends of several miracles attributed to him, he became known as "Nicholas the Wonderworker." Yes, long before he was canonized and became Saint Nicholas, his reputation for his legendary secret gift-giving was widespread.

So why does the Left pursue attacking Nicholas Sinterklaas who was a Christian bishop who lived in the 4th Century? Through all sorts of trials and hardships, he was still known as never wavering in his belief in Christ. He did not stray from his belief that living by the wishes of God was beneficial for all of us.

Nicholas Sinterklaas is said to have died when he was 63 years of age in about 343 AD. It's believed that he died either on or near December 6 of that year. After his death, the legend of his gift-giving grew. He became Saint Nicholas after being canonized. This all gave rise to the traditional model of Santa Claus through Sinterklaas. Saint Nicholas was transformed into the legendary character called Santa Claus, who brings Christmas presents to good children around the world.

Today, St. Nicholas Day is still observed on December 6 in many countries. Here in America, the practice of gift-giving associated with St. Nicholas was combined with our celebrating the birth of Christ which we know as "Christmas." Frankly, it's a no-brainer to Christians that a holiday celebrating gift-giving would merge with the birth of Christ.

Let's face facts, Jesus Christ is the greatest gift ever given to the world. And before someone decides to write to tell me that "presents" are not a part of Christianity, please remember that presents were brought to Jesus on the night of his birth by the three Wise men. But more than that, allow me to repeat myself, the greatest gift to all of mankind was given to us in the form of Jesus. The Christ child whose birthday we celebrate this time of year.



I know I'm repeating myself, but why do people on the Left see it wrong for someone to be generous and charitable, and kind? What's wrong with living the most fundamental of Christ’s teachings, "The first of all the commandments is to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment." Mark 12:30

And as Christ goes on to teach, "And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love your neighbor as yourself. There is none other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:31

Christians are not perfect all the time, but Christians do their best to be the best person they could possibly be with the help of the Holy Spirit. Being a faithful follower of Jesus is not about living your life perfectly. It's about trying to abide by the teachings of Christ.

How do we do this? By doing as God has instructed us. The Holy Bible tells us that God does not care if we come to him with burnt offerings, yearling calves, thousands of rams, ten thousand rivers of olive oil, or offering our firstborn for our transgressions. No, money, gifts, or sacrificing our firstborn on some sort of pagan altar is not what God wants.

It's not that complicated. In the Holy Bible, Micah 6:8 helps us to tie our following of Christ's teachings with our daily actions and our care for those in need. It simply states, "You have been told, O mortal, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: Only to do justice, to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God."

So what's wrong with anyone wanting to give gifts, be generous, be charitable, spread hope and love, and show our love of God? What's wrong with any one of us trying to live a life based on acting justly, practicing goodness, having the strength to do what's right, and walking humbly with God?

I believe that there isn't a thing wrong with us trying to live such a life. In fact, I wish more people did. I wish more people were like St. Nicholas. I really truly believe that we all need to be more like Santa by following the teachings of Christ, having hope, showing kindness, remembering those who have less, helping those in need, and giving of ourselves without wanting to be acknowledged for doing any of it.

So now, here's my prayer for you. I want you to be more like Santa and get your friends to be more like him too. Let's all try to act justly, and remember who is good and who is bad. Let's all use the Common Sense that God gave most of us and not reward bad people for doing bad things. The fact is, they don't deserve it. And please understand, "turning the other cheek" is more a guideline than a rule. Being a Christian doesn't mean that we have to forgive, reward, or condone behavior that is considered morally wrong or offensive. We should never reward the naughty and only reward the nice.

So yes, while keeping in mind who deserves our friendship and love, and who doesn't, let's all practice goodness, and have love and hope and joy. Let's support our troops, support the police, and try to walk a little more humbly with God this coming year.

God Bless you all! From my family to yours, may you and yours have a very Merry Christmas.

Tom Correa

    

 

Innovative New Process Converts Plants Into Meat By Feeding Them To Cows

It makes the point, doesn't it!

Tom Correa

The Story Of The Christmas Nugget

So here it is. The Story Of The Christmas Nugget.

As short a tale as it is, believe it or not, this is one of your most requested Christmas stories. So yes, I'm reprinting The Story Of The Christmas Nugget below because you've said you haven't been able to find it. I hope you enjoy it.

The story below talks about how Christmas was a huge celebration that was always looked forward to during the years of the California Gold Rush. And yes, as with other Christmas celebrations all having their own customs taking place in different regions of the nation, Christmas in the California Far West had its own customs.

Because the California Gold Rush was such an extraordinary event that brought people from all corners of the earth, many who participated in the Gold Rush were young and far from home. Many were from foreign lands, many religions, and many cultural customs. All were factors that added to the intense revelry, fun, and sense of fellowship during Christmas.

In its earliest days, the Gold Rush was almost exclusively male and the sentiment was usually a mixture of homesickness, horseplay, and revelry. Yes, Christmas celebrations in the mining camps were typical for the 19th-century American West.

A Gold Rush Christmas was usually an unassuming, often spontaneous affair that consisted primarily of eating, drinking, companionship and entertainment. Although in the mid-19th century, gift-giving was becoming fashionable, if there were presents in the gold fields they were practical in nature.

For example, clothing, hats, gloves, knitted socks, scarves, and mittens were always prized. In the towns where there were children, little girls received homemade rag dolls and miniature quilts while little boys received tops or other wooden toys.

Alfred Doten, who is well known to have chronicled the Gold Rush, was also a friend of Mark Twain during Twain's extremely brief stay in the California Gold Country. Doten was widely renowned as a leading "reveler," and he described Christmas in Amador County in 1853. In his account, Doten talked about how he threw a "Christmas Spree" which featured "a glorious game supper of fried deer tongue, liver, quails, and hares, washed down with barrels of cognac and accompanied by fiddle, flute, banjo, clarinet, and accordion music."

Andrew Hall Gilmore wrote about his California Christmas Day experience in 1851 in a letter to his brother in Indiana:

Thursday night - 25th

Dear Brother,

"Christmas Gift to You." Oh, I wish that I could be at home today. I think we would have a Christmas party. We would have the old gobbler roasted with a score of fat hens, pound cakes, pies, and lots of other good things. But the best of all would be the pleasure of seeing you all. Probably if we live we may be with you next Christmas.

I will tell you what kind of a day it has been and what we have been doing. It has been the most rainy day I believe that I have ever seen in this country. …

As we had no invitations to any Christmas parties: and feeling no inclination to go on a "bust", we thought we might spend the day as profitably by going down to our diggings and working like fine fellows, even if it was Christmas and awful rainy at that. So Aaron and I encased ourselves in our waterproof suits and went to work ….

We made $11.25 each, which was a tolerably good rainy day's work.

Just so my readers know, $11.25 in 1851 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $435.41 today (2022).

An elaborate California Christmas during the Gold Rush was described by Louise Amelia Knapp Smith Clappe in 1851. Better known as Dame Shirley, Ms Clappe wrote a series of letters describing her life in the Gold Rush community of Rich Bar on the Feather River.

These letters are considered one of the best eyewitness accounts of the California Gold Rush. Here, Dame Shirley recalls the "Saturnalia" of Christmas 1851:

The saturnalia commenced on Christmas evening, at the Humboldt [Saloon], which, on that very day, had passed into the hands of new proprietors. The most gorgeous preparations were made for celebrating the two events. The bar was retrimmed with red calico, the bowling-alley had a new lining of the coarsest and whitest cotton cloth, and the broken lamp-shades were replaced by whole ones. 

All day long, patient mules could be seen descending the hill, bending beneath casks of brandy and baskets of champagne, and, for the first time in the history of that celebrated building, the floor (wonderful to relate, it has a floor) was washed.

At nine o'clock in the evening they had an oyster-and-champagne supper in the Humboldt, which was very gay with toasts, songs, speeches, etc. I believe that the company danced all night. At any rate, they were dancing when I went to sleep, and they were dancing when I woke the next morning. The revel was kept up in this mad way for three days, growing wilder every hour.

So now, as you can see, Christmas often represented the only time when some people, both adults, and children, received presents. As a result, Christmas held an important place in the hearts, minds, and memories of 19th-century Californians. There are many accounts of homemade Christmas gifts and celebration festivities in the gold fields. While most were modest, some were complicated, some planned, and some spontaneous, but all were heartfelt. Such a heartfelt account is that of the Christmas Nugget, a Christmas gift treasured by all.

The Story Of The Christmas Nugget

Yes, there is the California Gold Rush Christmas story of the "Christmas Nugget" which was recounted in William P. Bennett’s 1893 memoir of the California Gold Rush entitled The First Baby in Camp.

On Christmas Day in 1849, Mrs. William George Wilson delivered a healthy 12-pound baby boy at Canyon Creek, near Georgetown up near Hangtown which is modern-day Placerville.

Soon the news spread to a neighboring claim. Then before you knew it, the gold field grapevine had spread the news that Bill Wilson had struck it rich with a 12-pound nugget.

"News of the big find spread like wildfire up and down the canyon where hundreds of men were at work," wrote Bennett, "At once, there was a grand rush to Bill Wilson's cabin. Every miner was anxious to see the 12-pound lump."

Seeing that most took the news literally, the Wilsons thoroughly enjoyed the moment as the men lined up at the cabin door to get a look at the large nugget.

"Then a few were let in at a time to view the Christmas nugget." Bennett wrote. "Each of the miners loved being had."

For three more days, the joke continued throughout the area. Bennett wrote of miners who came from more than ten miles away to see the giant "Christmas Nugget."

For all, it turned out to be a very Merry Christmas. One that many talked about for months to come. One that few forgot. After all, it was a Christmas gift that spoke to their struggle and sacrifice, their hard work and search, the elusive prize they all sought, and their belief that it was something that they too would find. Such a nugget was a reminder that it was within their grasp to have those things that mean more than gold. 

For as Bennett recalled, "As each squad came out of the cabin, the men solemnly asserted that the Wilson nugget was the finest ever seen."

Yes, it was a very Merry Christmas indeed.

Merry Christmas!
Tom Correa

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Gave Many Hope In A Time Of Despair

Back in the 1990s, I was in New York City on a job. It was close to Christmas, and I made my way to Rockefeller Center to check out the famed Christmas Tree. Since it was something that I had only seen on television, I wanted to see it for myself.

For some reason, I've been thinking about what I learned that day. Talking with some folks in charge, I found out that the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is usually a Norway Spruce anywhere from 65 to 110 feet tall. The large tree is placed annually in the famed Rockefeller Center in Manhattan in the heart of New York City in late November, right after Thanksgiving or early December. And believe it or not, many Rockefeller Center Christmas Trees are given to Rockefeller Center by many donors.

For many years, the story goes that the late David Murbach, who was the manager of the Gardens Division of the Center, scouted the Northeast United States in a helicopter for the right tree. Fact is, Mr. Murbach would search the Northeast forests of Connecticut, Vermont, Ohio, upper state New York, New Jersey, and even into Ottawa, Canada looking for the right tree. Today, the Rockefeller Center's Head Gardner does the search.

It's said that once a tree is found, a crane is brought in to support the tree while it is being cut. Once free, it is moved by trailer transport to New York City. Besides beauty and shape, the only limiting factor to what tree is chosen by width because of the New York City streets heading to Rockefeller Center limit the height of the tree to 110 feet.

Once at the Rockefeller Center, the tree is supported by four guide wires attached at its midpoint and by a steel spike at its base. Scaffolding is put up all around the tree to allow workers access to the tree so that they can put up over 30,000 lights attached to 5 miles of wiring.

From 1942 to 1944, the tree was left unlit during World War II because of the need to blackout cities to avoid attacks and bombings. In 1967, the tree was an opportunity for Canada and the U.S. to demonstrate goodwill. It was Canada’s 100th birthday and, in honor of the milestone, the Canadians donated a tree. In 1971, Rockefeller Center bowed to the environmental movement and agreed to recycle the tree. Yes, the crazies have been around for a long time.

The tallest Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center was a 100 feet spruce that was put up on Veterans Day, November 11, 1999. In 2007, the tree was lit with LED lights instead of incandescent bulbs to save energy. NBC covered the story very favorably, attracting criticism given that it was NBC’s parent company, General Electric, who manufactured and sold the bulbs.

In 2008, signifying its commercialization, a 10-foot tall, 550-pound star made with 25,000 Swarovski crystals topped the tree. It is called the "Swarovski Star" and was created by German artist Michael Hammers, who in 2009 additionally designed his own star lighting production. Rumor is that the Swarovski Star cost $1.5 million. A pop singer by the name of Fergie had the honor of helping unveil the tree topper.

Today the decorated Christmas tree remains lit at Rockefeller Center through January 6, the Christian feast of The Epiphany. Nowadays, once it's removed from the premises - it is recycled for a variety of uses.

Unlike these days, with anti-Christians running rampant in government and an Atheist minority telling the rest of the nation that "they" do not want to see any form of Christian tradition, the first Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center was put up for a bunch of workers to celebrate Christmas.

Although the official Christmas tree tradition at Rockefeller Center began in 1933, which was the year that 30 Rockefeller Plaza opened, the unofficial tradition began during the construction of Rockefeller Center during the Great Depression. They showed that even in the midst of the Great Depression, they did not lose faith.

Yes, during the Great Depression, when having a job and putting food on the table was considered a blessing; when families were going hungry and losing homes as never before; a small Christmas tree gave much hope in a time of despair. It took place when workers took it upon themselves to bring in and decorated a small 20 feet fir tree.

The story goes that they used strings of cranberries, garlands made out of old newspapers, and a few tin cans. Some say that the workers used the tin foil ends of blasting caps as well. That was on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1931, and yes, they were inspired because of the season. They simply wanted to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

We sometimes forget how grateful those men were to be working at all. They had jobs, and they knew they were the lucky ones. Low wages, no money, living was expensive, and times were tougher than the world has seen since. But even then, then in the midst of the worse Economic Depression ever to befall this nation, with more than a quarter of all Americans out of work, in an era of great despair, the workers there put up that tree as a sign of hope and a belief that their faith was important.

We should take a lesson from those men. Though we are today being attacked by anti-Christians in government, in the Mainstream Media, in Hollywood, and yes, even in our schools today, we can still take comfort in knowing that those who attack us are a very tiny fraction. We need to remember that America is still the largest Christian nation in the world. We are a nation where over 75% of us still affirm that we are indeed Christians.

Today, we Americans see our government attacking our rights of freedom of religion and free speech. The government is even attacking our right to arm ourselves in self-defense of our own lives. And yes, many of us see America as divided as never before. Sadly, our division plays into the hands of our enemies. What's sadder than that is how many of America's enemies are now deeply rooted within our own government. 

During these times when we have a corrupt and abusive federal government, a time when the law applies to some all depending on one's wealth and political affiliation, a time when more and more jobs are being lost to government over-regulation and over-taxation, American families are having it tough to make ends meet. 

Every day food prices, rents, and the costs of merely surviving are through the roof. While this is going on, our government wants more taxes while giving billions of American taxpayer dollars to foreign governments. Private businesses are now seen as an enemy instead of providers of employment, and the divide between the rich and the poor is becoming wider. Add to this despair and we have a nation looking at a bleak future. 

Of course, as during the Great Depression, with great despair comes great challenges. One challenge for all of us is how we remain hopeful. For me, I focus on those things in life that matter to me. I focus on the love of my family, the closeness of a few special friends, my faith in God, and my responsibilities.

By holding such things dear to me, I find myself stronger and more hopeful. I find myself more willing to fight and overcome those adversities that seem to pop up these days. And yes, just as others have done before during other tough times, I know that Americans have to stay strong, have hope, and believe with all of our hearts that Christmas will be wonderful -- no matter what happens.

Tom Correa

Let's Put Thanks Back In Thanksgiving

We've made it. Today is Thanksgiving Day 2022. Today is the one day a year that Americans officially set aside to give thanks for what we have. Later on, I will tell you why we should be thankful every day, for now, I need to answer your concerns. 

As for my readers who have written to say they have "nothing to be thankful for," some of you have sent me quite a list to think about. And frankly, you are right that we should be concerned about many of the issues that plague us today. 

Rising crime and the people who want to defund the police are a problem. We should ask why our border is not secure. This is especially true knowing that huge numbers of those coming across our border are drug cartel members, violent criminals, and carriers of Fentanyl. We should stop children from being smuggled across the border for horrible reasons. And yes, it is a fact that known terrorists are coming into our country.  

I agree that parents attending school board meetings are right in demanding that public schools stop teaching Critical Race Theory which is designed to specifically instill division and create hate for others. I hate that parents are now being painted as "America's Enemies." I hate that half the population today is frightened of our own government and that we have a president in the White House who actively works to divide our nation to the point of calling the millions of Americans who voted for his political opponent "Enemies of Democracy." 

I understand how hard it is to make ends meet today. I understand how tough it is to make the hard choices of either buying gas or food or putting off paying a bill. Like every other working family, my family is also faced with paying $5 for a head of lettuce, $6 for a gallon of gas, soaring electricity bills, higher taxes, 40-year high Inflation, and all of the other pain that Biden is responsible for creating. 

No, I have no idea why he doesn't realize that petroleum is what it takes to manufacture thousands of everyday products that we use. I have no idea who is advising him to intentionally shut down America's oil, natural gas, and coal producers. 

It's as if Democrats are too stupid to realize that the oil industry is vital to us. Even if we somehow miraculously figured out how to eliminate the use of oil in the energy sector, we will still require oil to manufacture goods. Yes, you would think the President of the United States would have advisors who are smart enough to understand that we need oil to make computers, cell phones, clothing, and thousands of other products. 

Yes, just as you would think that a President would understand that coal is vital to making steel. Among other things, we cannot build buildings, ships, and bridges without coal. My friends, I really don't think the President of the United States or his advisors know that synthetic graphite is made out of oil and coal. Yes, the main ingredient in the batteries that supply power for Electric Vehicles and the grid battery storage for "clean" electricity is made out of fossil fuels. And yes, I understand that Biden and the Democrats want to shut down America's oil and coal industries. Biden has said so. I get it. Yes, I get it.

And yes, I know really well that we have a lot of other problems including private businesses that now have to compete with states and the federal government for workers. And no, it's not that more people are working for states and the federal government. The problem is that the government is paying people not to work, not to try to hold a job, and not to seek employment. 

Back in the 1970s, someone out of work was eligible for 12 weeks of unemployment benefits. They also had to prove that they were actively trying to find a job. After 12 weeks, benefits were done. 

Now, in California for example, a person can receive State Unemployment Insurance benefits for up to 26 weeks. And when that's done, when a person runs out of available weeks of benefits, that person is eligible for to up 53 weeks under the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program. If you think that's something, guess again. Today, the government makes it so that someone not wanting to work may qualify for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) if they were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. If eligible, that person can receive up to 86 weeks of PUA benefits. So really, how does a private business compete with the government when the government is handing out that sort of money?

So yes, my friends, for those of you who are writing to tell me that there is very little to be thankful for during these hard times, I get it. I really do understand that your farm equipment can't harvest a crop if you can't afford fuel. I understand that your trucks can't get to market to keep the supply chain intact for the same reason. 

And yes, since I'm paying the highest prices in feed costs for my rescue horses that I ever have, I know really well that ranchers are having a horrible time affording to feed their herds. And of course, I know that if cattle producers are having a hard time feeding their herds, then pig and poultry producers must be having it just as tough. The public should understand that that's why the price of food is through the roof these days. 

So, with all of our concerns, our worries, our problems, why do I believe that we still need to put the "Thanks" back into Thanksgiving?

Well, it has to do with freedom and family. 

During this last election, the Mainstream Media projected that there would be a "Red Wave" and we should consider ourselves failures if we Conservatives didn't produce anything short of a Tsunami. Since a lot of our nation's problems, as the list above that my readers have provided to me illustrates, are politically created, we should be thankful that we have the freedom to try to improve things. 

And while we certainly did not create a "Red Wave," although more than 6 Million more Republican voters voted in 2022, and not all of the nation went "Red," we should be thankful that we got rid of Nancy Pelosi. In fact, while our political adversaries in the Mainstream Media play it down in an effort to reassure their Leftist Base that America wants to be a Socialist/Communist nation, we have proven them wrong by retaking the House of Representatives. And yes, that's another big thing to be thankful for. 

How does that help us? If for any other reason, our retaking the House of Representatives means that Americans are now in a position to stop the attacks on working-class Americans. We can be thankful that now we have more of a "checks and balance" system of government -- rather than an oligarchy government run by a small group of Leftist Democrats having total control of our country. And yes, my friends, that in itself is something that should give us hope for a better future. It's definitely something that we can now be thankful for. 

There is something else. With all of the rampant voter fraud and overt criminal acts pertaining to our elections these days, a sight that frankly makes us look terrible in the eyes of the free world, we can be thankful that our system still works at all. If anything, the last two elections have shown us that computer technology is the real enemy of our Republic -- because it's now been proven that such technology can be manipulated to benefit the criminal and his or her forces who want to cheat to win.  

Of course, our knowledge of this being the case is also something that we can be thankful for. We can now fix it -- if we want to.

So, over the last few paragraphs, I've voiced your concerns. In reality, they are our concerns. Of course, some of you said that I wouldn't. Some of you have written to say that I only write about fluff these days, that I was afraid to write about what is on the minds of all of us these days, and that I was somehow avoiding the problems that we face today. 

Well, that's not true. We all face the ills of our world in different ways. We all face our day-to-day problems differently. I try to remain optimistic. I try to remain hopeful. And yes, to do so, I try to remember what is personal and close to my heart. I try to remember what I am thankful for. 

I keep in mind that I have a loving wife who I'm extremely thankful for having in my life. I remember that my Mom, at 88 years of age, is still doing okay. Sure she's had some ups and downs lately, but she's a fighter who is not giving up. And yes, I'm very thankful for that. 

Lately, I've been stricken with a horrible case of "writer's block." Besides that taking place lately, I have become very disappointed by a few people who I thought were my friends. As funny as it sounds, their attacks on me are something that I'm now very thankful for. Think about it, they revealed their shady and immoral character. They have shown themselves to be the lowlifes that they truly are.  And yes, as strange as it might sound, as disgusted and disappointed in them as I have been lately, I'm very thankful. In fact, I feel blessed that I now see them for who they really are. They are just scum that I'm now blessed to not have to work with any longer.  

Maybe that's why I believe we can find thanks in our smallest blessing. Americans need to be thankful every day and not simply one day a year. We can start by putting the "Thanks" back into Thanksgiving. 

Among that which we can be thankful for is that we have the ability to hold on, persevere, accomplish great things, be resilient, and conquer our ills. While some in other nations have these traits, we can be thankful that Conservative Americans do it best.

And yes, my friends, there are honest differences between Conservative and Liberal Americans. Yes, just as there's a real difference between Red and Blue Americans in Red and Blue States.  

Conservative Americans don't give a damn for weak-kneed individuals who surrender to the political whims of a few who want to control us. We refuse to encourage those who want to make something as silly as pronouns a problem. We reject the idiotic notion of rewriting history to fit the grievances of a few who want to capitalize on the ills of the past -- ills that they themselves never experienced. Americans don't need to be told that making us pay off the loans taken out by the ignorant is not right.

Conservative Americans don't need to be convinced of the sheer lunacy on the part of the Left who are trying to spread the crazy idea that inanimate objects such as roads and bridges can be racist. We know that trying to convince the world that there are more than just two genders is insanity. We fully understand that trying to change what we all know as scientific fact is dumb. We get it. We really get it because we all know that some things are indisputable. And yes, Conservative Americans truly understand that trying to create genders that don't exist, and actually using children as human lab rats, all just to support an immoral political agenda, is morally repugnant. It is wrong.

And yes, it's all about control. And yes indeed, I know full well that Conservative Americans will not accept being controlled by others. Liberals, those who are Artificial Americans, don't mind it because they don't understand that about us. We can all thank God that Authentic Americans are Conservative Americans.

America is based on the idea that we aren’t subservient to the edicts of Kings or Presidential mandates. While we can also thank God for giving us the strength to rebel against oppression and those who demand that we be submissive, being submissive does not feel comfortable for Conservative Americans. And yes, defying tyranny is as American as Apple Pie.

While Democrats seem to be fine with being on their knees, Conservative Americans understand the concept of defying servitude very very well. Maybe that's why I believe that God has blessed us. Yes, even with all of the problems that we face today, I really believe that God has blessed us immensely.

Because we can all be thankful that God has given us the ability to reason, to be fair and honest, truthful and trustworthy, reliable and respectful, as well as being kind and considerate, we can also be thankful that we are not blind nor ungrateful for those things which we have been blessed with. Among our blessings is that of living in a free country where defying oppression is an instinctive part of our very character. Of course, Liberals don't seem to mind being on their knees. 

My friends, Americans, in general, don't have to like not having political representation. We don't have to accept increased unfair taxation, overbearing rules, or burdensome regulations. We don't have to like amoral or abhorrent social changes. We can decide for ourselves whether such issues are acceptable or not. This is part of an inherent quality that is ingrained in us. It is part of the American character. Sadly, it is not a part of the subservient Liberal mindset where submissiveness to the government is admired and encouraged. Of course, the question as to why Liberals want masters and disdain freedom is beyond all reasoning.

A disdain for freedom goes against the heart of being a Conservative American. I believe the love of freedom goes to the heart of most Americans. And really, I really believe that Liberals, those who want to treat themselves, their wishes, or their beliefs as being less important than the demands of the government, are a relatively small but vocal minority. 

Of course, when it comes to fighting maliciousness or unjust treatment, or an abuse of power, be it big or small, this is an indispensable part of who we are. I believe it is rooted in our concern with the rightness or wrongness of things. And yes, it is rooted in our love of freedom. 

I believe it's one of the many intrinsic virtues that God has blessed us with. And while I just wish the love for freedom was a bigger part of the Liberalism belief system that exalts what they see as the benefits of being slaves to the government, our love for freedom is among God's blessings that we should be thankful for. 

It's one of the many reasons that I can honestly say, "Happy Thanksgiving!"

May God Bless you and yours!

Tom Correa

 

Neighborhood Watch -- How to Organize A Neighborhood Watch Group

INSTRUCTIONS TO ORGANIZE A NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH GROUP

·        As the Neighborhood Watch organizer, you are the group’s Coordinator. You need to determine if there is a need and an interest to start a Neighborhood Watch in your area.

·        Do so by going out and meeting your neighbors. Explain to them your concerns and let them know your intentions to start a Neighborhood Watch Group.

·       You need to talk to your neighbors about the need for such a group, based on your personal knowledge of crimes or suspicious activities in your area.

·        If there is an interest, it is your responsibility to gather contact information (i.e., names, phone numbers, and email addresses) to create a “phone tree.” Later, your designated Block Captain will send out updates when people leave, and new ones move in

·        You are also tasked with polling your neighbors for information about when they can meet. Find out what days of the week and times are best for them to meet for a Neighborhood Watch meeting.

·        Meetings are typically scheduled Monday through Thursday evenings, generally beginning at 6:30 pm. 

·        Meetings can be held at a neighbor’s home, a library, a church, a community hall, or a park. 

·        As the Neighborhood Watch Coordinator, you need to also make sure the meeting location you have chosen will be able to accommodate everyone.

·        After determining the best location, day, date, and time, that’s when you need to contact your Sheriff’s Office Neighborhood Watch Representative to be present at the first meeting to talk about the program and answer questions. Sheriff’s Deputies may attend later meetings if there are still questions. Block Captains can also contact the Sheriff’s Office Neighborhood Watch Representative with questions.

·        After the meeting date and time have been confirmed, as the Neighborhood Watch Coordinator, you need to call and send out a reminder e-mail to let your neighbors know about the date, day, time, and location of the meeting.

·        Keep in mind to also make up a flyer to post to invite anyone who is interested who you may have not contacted previously.

·        Lastly, ask people to RSVP so that you will know how many people to expect.

Below is a jpg of an announcement for a Neighborhood Watch Meeting.

Feel free to use it.

More information to come.

Tom Correa

Biden Sinks To An All Time Low -- Calls Republican Voters America's Enemies

Sinking to an all-time low, Joe Biden now says if we vote our free will and do as we see best for America and vote for Republicans, then we are traitors who are putting our nation at risk. He is saying that if we vote for Republicans, then WE are a threat to the United States, that WE are the enemy.

He's not saying that we as citizens should look at our options and fix things by replacing those in government that should not have made a career of being in office. He's dividing Americans while trying to make Republicans the enemies. His personal attacks on Republican voters have been taking place for months, and I see it as a safe bet to say that he will keep saying horribly shameful things about the millions of Americans who refuse to support his disastrous policies. 

We should not be demonized for voting for someone other than who some career politician wants us to. Americans voting as we see fit, according to what we want, is our right. That does not make us "enemies of democracy" -- that makes us a free people. 

Tom Correa

Democrats Hate Our Republic

Since Joe Biden entered office and the Democrats have taken total control of the federal government, food and gas prices are higher than they have ever been. American truckers, farmers, ranchers, food packers, oil producers, our supply chain, all that feeds and clothes Americans are under assault by the Democrats -- and Joe Biden and his merry administration of Communists are leading the attack.  

Today, because of Democrats, Americans are having to make the choice between buying food or buying gas to get to work; Poverty levels are increasing exponentially across the nation; Americans on Food Stamps have actually doubled in the last year and a half; American manufacturing is again shutting down and relocating overseas because of insane Democrat Climate Change Regulations. Over-regulation, high taxation, and Interest Rates at their highest in the last 40 years are all factors that are pushing American businesses to close their doors and families to worry about their futures. All are factors brought on by low-character Democrat politicians who could care less about what America wants and needs. 

Because of the policies of Democrats wanting to turn America into a Socialist/Communist nation, the number of American Working Poor has increased to record highs and the misery for Working Class Americans is a way of life across America. Yes. all, while wealthy Democrat Party Donors are getting wealthier by way of Trillion Dollar Liberal Legislation, meant to make their friends even wealthier while taking more and more from our Working Class in more taxes. 

And no, there is no need to wonder what sort of America we would live in where the federal government regards American parents as "America's Enemies." We don't have to because Democrats are saying that right now, today, just because American parents want a say in the education of their children.

Of course, Democrats are intimidated, frightened, and simply offended by what's good and right. 

Over the years, Democrats have shown a deep-seated visceral hate toward the Bible, the Cross, Catholics, Protestants, Christians in general, the American flag, the Bill of Rights, Free Speech, Free Thinkers, and keeping federal and state governments in check. Democrats loath American Freedom. 

Americans are sick and tired of Democrats wanting to attack our children with gender-altering drugs, and their indoctrination of turning biological males into something that they are not, What is it about American men and women that scares Democrats? Why do so many things scare Democrats? What's behind Democrats being so frightened of straight men and women, parents, boys who want to be boys, girls who like boys, girls who like being girls, motherhood, pregnancy, and children? 

What sort of sociopathic reasoning is behind their hatred of White people, Americans who have jobs, people who create jobs, people who contribute to the common good, businesses, and corporations? Why is it that the only Billion-dollar corporation that Democrats love is Planned Parenthood? And really, why do Democrats fight so hard to kill babies, even up to the moment of their birth? What sort of warped mind believes that killing babies can fix the economy or is the cure for the hoax called Climate Change? And while there are those who staunchly support Democrats, even they are now coming around to face the facts that Democrat politicians are using the supposed threat of Climate Change to strip Americans of our Constitutional Rights and turn America into a Socialist/Communist Nation ruled by a select few powerful people in Washington, D.C..

Right now, across our nation, Americans are asking why. Why is it that Biden and his Democrat friends have such a deep-seated visceral hate toward anyone who believes that Americans need to put the interest of Americans before the interests of the rest of the world? 

Why is it that Democrats are trying to divide Americans, pitting one against the other on so many levels, by the color of our skin, by our religions, by heritage, by ancestry, and by our political choice? 

There is no reason that Biden has to accuse the more than 75 Million Americans who voted for President Trump of being "Enemies of Democracy" other than wanting Americans to see others as their enemy. Of course, that sort of political rhetoric is sadly reminiscent of what took place in Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 1940s when the German people were told that German Jews were their enemy. 

So really, why accuse 75 Million Americans of being a "Treat to Democracy"? Why is it that Biden and his Democrat pals feel that they have to incite violence against those who do not agree with his draconian Leftist policies? Do Democrats hate our Republic so much that they want us divided? The only reason for this has to be that Democrats truly hate our Republic. 

And yes, there is more evidence that he and his Democrat pals hate us. If not, then why allow more than two-million Illegal Aliens across our Southern border? And really, why have Democrats in control of the entire federal government opened our Southern border to vicious and violent criminals, Organized Crime, Drug Cartels, and Child Sex Traffickers? Democrats have turned their backs while violent criminals run rampant completely free from punishment or injurious consequences. They have down this out of financial gain and pursuit of political power. But also, out of hate for Americans.

Don't think so? Then ask yourself why is it that under Biden, the Democrat Dream of "Defunding The Police," their desire to eliminate Cash Bail, their desire to empty prisons and release criminals into our society, has been fulfilled with disastrous consequences. Ask yourself why Democrats have wanted to downgrade Felonies to the status of Misdemeanors and allow violent offenders to walk the streets? Ask yourself if you're okay with Democrats creating the highest levels of crime that our nation has ever experienced.

And really, ask yourself if you're still okay with Biden and the Democrats turning America into a nation that has to beg others for the oil and other resources that we already have? Look yourself in a mirror and ask yourself if you're okay with that, and all of the above? Then, ask yourself if you're also fine with Biden bringing us to a point today where we now face the prospect of World War III and Nuclear War with Russia, China, and North Korea?

While all that I've mentioned is what is taking place today, as horrible reality as this has all become after only being in power a very short time, the sickest part of this story is that voting Democrats still staunchly defend all of this and say that Joe Biden is a successful president. And though Biden and his cabinet of Communists have successfully ruined American lives, Democrats LOVE Biden and will turn out to vote for Democrats on Election Day. 

And that, the fact that Democrats have such supporters, is scarier than anything else.

Tom Correa

The Barbary Coast Strangler 1880

Some say it was Halloween, but in fact, it was just before Midnight on October 20, 1880, when a heavy-set middle-aged bald man entered a San Francisco Police Station. On duty at the front desk was San Francisco Police Sergeant John Shields. It had been a fairly slow night at the station house located at Washington and Kearny streets. And really, that was a strange thing for such a station truly in the middle of the Barbary Coast.

San Francisco's Barbary Coast was an evil place of lawlessness and danger, all brought on by those who were the most worthless of that city. Prostitutes, pimps, cheats, killers, crooks, that red-light district was named for an expanse of North African coastline from Morocco to modern-day Libya for a reason. 

The area got its name, "the Barbary Coast," from sailors who came ashore and waded through the saloons and brothels, the widespread "shanghaiing," that horrible practice of drugging and kidnapping able-bodied men to serve on ships in need of sailors. So yes, like the Barbary Coast of Northern Africa, San Francisco's Barbary Coast was home to West Coast pirates, slave traders, and killers who would do anything for money.

On that October night of 1880, as soon as George Wheeler opened his mouth. the heavy-set middle-aged bald man changed what was a slow-moving night filled with the same old saloon brawls, stabbings, and the usual unidentified floater found in among the ship's anchored in the bay, to a night of true mystery and sadness.

Looking directly at Police Sergeant Shields, the stranger said, "My name is George Wheeler and I wish to surrender, as I have just strangled my sister-in-law, Delia Tillson. Here is a key to a trunk in room 14 at 23 Kearny street. Go there and you will find her body." 

As he made his statement, Sgt. Shields noted that Wheeler appeared very calm and actually relaxed about what he reported to have done. Sgt. Shields and the other Police Officers were understandably skeptical at first. They knew full well that all sorts of kooks would come in and confess to all sorts of things for various reasons; some simply wanted a place to sleep and a free meal while the law sorted things out.

While a little skeptical, Sgt. Shields sensed something different about this and immediately took Wheeler into custody. He then sent officers to the location of Wheeler's room. 

At the boardinghouse, they found his room, and the officers used the keys turned in by Wheeler to open the trunk. It was in the middle of the room just as it was described. Upon opening it, the officers found what they described as "the body of a good-looking and well-proportioned young woman." Her fully dressed body had been stuffed into the trunk.

As soon as finding her body, officers immediately started interrogating the people who resided in the boardinghouse. The officers learned that the woman was known as Wheeler's wife and not his sister-in-law. They also learned that another woman, who was out at the time, was actually known as his sister-in-law. 

After the officers returned to the station, they further questioned Wheeler. As for Wheeler, it was reported that "without coercion," he voluntarily made an additional statement. 

Here is that statement, "Delia Tillson, the girl whose body you found, is my sister-in-law, regardless of any statement made to the contrary, and she was 21 years old a few months ago. I married her sister Mary in Massachusetts eleven years ago. 

Six years later I became intimate with Delia, who lived in the same house with us. About a year afterward Delia confessed to my wife that she was in a delicate condition and that I was responsible for it. Their folks were highly respected, and to avoid a scandal Mary protected Delia and the child was bom in our house, but it died a few weeks afterward. 

Shortly after this the three of us came to San Francisco. But, failing to obtain employment, I took both women to Cisco, Placer County, where I was employed as an engineer. At this place, Delia met a man named George Peckham, with whom she became intimate, according to her confessions to me. 

By this time I had grown to love Delia as much as I did Mary, my wife, and the three of us occupied one room. When Delia made this admission, I became furious. But, I forgave her with the understanding that she should cease her relations with Peckham and accompany me to San Francisco where we engaged the rooms in which I strangled her tonight, and where we were known as man and wife. 

We came here about five months ago. About one month ago my wife located us and came to live with us, she posing as my sister-in-law. 

Tonight I went out to see Officer Moorehouse on business, and when I returned Delia was in the rooms and had on her hat and gloves. I asked her where she had been. She sat on my knee and confessed that she had been in constant communication with Peckham ever since we left Cisco and that it was he who told my wife where we were located. 

Delia furthermore told me that she and Peckham had met that night, and had agreed to go to Sacramento and live as man and wife. This admission crazed me, and as she sat on my knee I strangled her. I then crowded the body into the trunk. My wife was out at the time."

As a result of Wheeler's very descriptive confession, the San Francisco Police searched for the true Mrs. Wheeler. She was finally located and questioned at length. During her questioning, she is said to have reluctantly admitted that her husband's statement was true. She was his wife and Delia was her sister. 

Some say that Wheeler must have come to his senses during his first trial since it was about then that he seem to realize that he was facing being hanged for the murder of his sister-in-law. Some surmised he did since that was when he started to fight being hanged. 

It's true. In fact, a few organizations against capital punishment provided him with lawyers to fight being hanged. And yes they did just that.  Over the next three and half years in one trial after another, Wheeler and his legal team fought against his being hanged for what he did. And really, for a while, it looked as though he was going to cheat the hangman of making sure such a person never had the chance to do such a thing again.   

What's interesting is that even though he confessed and there was no question of his guilt, believe it or not, Wheeler's lawyers got him four trials. And after each trial, after each appeal for a new trial, Wheeler was still found guilty. 

Of course, in the end, after legal maneuvering couldn't save him, George Wheeler, the man who became known as "The Barbary Coast Strangler" for a very short while, was finally hanged on January 23rd, 1884. Yes indeed. he was finally hanged as he should have been. Thus making sure that the fiend that some called "The Barbary Coast Strangler" would never strangle another woman ever again.   

Tom Correa

Tucker Carlson: The United States Is About To Run Out Of Diesel Fuel

This will adversely affect all Americans, but especially farmers and ranchers who need to get their products to markets to feed Americans. This should make people angry enough to get off their backsides and make their voices heard.

And before you write to tell me that this horrific problem has nothing to do with Rural America, the Cowboy Culture, the West, or our ability as Americans to care for our own, please don't. This is all about watching out for Americans first. This is a huge example of what happens when Americans have an administration in the White House, as we certainly do, who refuse to make the needs of the American people the number one priority that it should be. 

Tom Correa

The Great Egg Wars of the Farallon Islands 1849 - 1896

Pile of murre eggs at the Farallon Islands, circa 1870s.

While in Monterey, California, with my wife on a well-deserved week of rest and recuperation a little over a month or so ago, we decided to do "the tourist thing" and take in the sights, try the various restaurants, drive around as much as $6 a gallon of gas would allow us, and kick back at the ocean for a while. At one point during our trip, I found myself thinking about how certain places make me think of certain things.

For example, back in 2016, while my wife and I visited Yosemite National Park, I remember thinking about the fairly short-lived Mariposa Indian War. The reason that I call it "short-lived" is because it officially started in December of 1850 and was essentially over by July 1851. When I returned home, I immediately set out to write about it.

I remember writing about how "with the discovery of gold, the California Trail was forged. It actually forked off of the Oregon Trail and headed southward into California. With the trail open, hundreds of thousands of gold seekers, settlers, and other opportunists, crossed that trail over the Sierra Nevada mountains and into Northern California. At that time, California consisted of a large number of different Indian tribes and Californios. Californios were the descendants of Spanish California.

By the end of May 1849, it's estimated that tens of thousands of settlers of every nationality had entered California. Many have the notion that those gold seekers were all Whites or all Americans from back East, but that wasn't the case. While the majority may have been from the United States, thousands of miles away, many were from places such as Europe, Mexico, Latin America, South America, Australia, China, and even Hawaii.

Just within a few years, California's non-Indian population swelled from some 14,000 in 1848 to well over 200,000 by 1852. And while some Indian tribes actually joined in and took up mining, many Indians opted to work for mines, and some of the Indian tribes had the idea that they 'could more easily supply their wants by stealing.'

The fact is, with the influx of miners and settlers, there was a marked depletion of natural game. Because folks shot up all of the game, to survive, local Indians learned that horses and mules were viable substitutes for the missing game. Of course, the problem was that horses and mules were valuable property of the miners and settlers. Soon, raids for supplies and food became common on both sides. Normally, those raids consisted of things being stolen -- not killings."

As I wrote about the huge influx of people into California, I remember thinking about how the lack of available food was one aspect of the California Gold Rush that most don't think about. And while people want to hear stories about stagecoach robbers like Black Bart, killings, hangings, vigilantes, and the extreme violence of the Old West, most don't think about the negative impact of food shortages and the horrible consequences that it had on everyone, including the local tribes during the California Gold Rush. Crime involving the theft of food was huge at the time.

While in Monterey with my wife, we watched the seals and sea lions, the otters, and the many different seabirds. The pelicans formed winged formations that were reminiscent of World War II warplanes on patrol. As they peeled off and dived into the sea from high above the ocean, they looked so much like a squadron of Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers going in for the kill.

I was glad to see what's known as the "Common Murre." To this old Marine, who, by the way, spent my fair share of time at sea while in the Corps, I've always thought that the murre is an interesting seabird.

What makes them so interesting? Well, first of all, they spend most of their time at sea. They spend eight or nine months of each year continuously at sea. While that's longer than most Sailors stay at sea, they have something very in common with Sailors in that when they come ashore -- it's to mate. Of course, in the case of the murres, it's on rocky cliffs on shore and tiny islands off the California coast.

But more than that, I find it extremely interesting that they are some swimming fools. It's true. Their short wings are perfect for diving and "flying" underwater. And believe it or not, it is said that they are actually more maneuverable underwater than they are in the air. Also, something that might surprise you, they can dive to almost 200 feet down for fish. And no, although they resemble penguins, they are not related to them.

As for their mating habits which may or may not be akin to Sailors, murres breed in colonies at high densities. They nest in pairs and may nest right next to another pair of murres. Yes, actually in contact with their "neighbors." As for their nest, they don't make a nest as we think of when we think of other nest-building birds. Their "single egg is incubated on a bare rock ledge on a cliff face." Imagine that.

One place along the Pacific Coast of California that the murre has used as a breeding ground for untold millennia or more is the small group of rocky islands off of San Francisco known as the Farallon Islands also known as "the Farallones." The tiny group of islands and sea stacks are only about 200 acres in size, but seabirds of all sorts love the place. They are located approximately 25 miles off the coast from San Francisco.

So about now you're probably wondering what those seabirds have to do with the lack of available food during the California Gold Rush. Well, with people arriving in California during the Gold Rush in droves, and food becoming so scarce, people started raiding the murre's nests. Yes, the early newcomers to San Francisco started regular trips out to the tiny cliff faces of the Farallon Islands to harvest murre eggs. Obviously, this proves the old saying to be true, "When you're hungry, you'll eat almost anything."

How hungry were they? Well, believe it or not, the birds and their eggs were in big demand. In fact, while dark and quite oily bird meat was consumed, their eggs were what folks were after. They were harvested in huge numbers.

Those who would board boats from San Francisco to go to the Farallones to harvest murre eggs became known as "Eggers." So how many eggs were harvested? Well, here's another believe it or not. Eggers are believed to have taken at least half a million eggs a year from the Farallon Islands in the mid-19th century to feed the folks in San Francisco.

If that sounds too hard to believe, imagine this, one man actually ended up doing time in San Quentin over killing someone over the harvesting of murre eggs. His fate had to do with what became known as the Great Egg Wars of the Farallon Islands.

What was that about? Imagine that you have murre eggs that sell for $1 per dozen? That's probably not enough money today to make you go out of your way to find murre eggs for sale. But, what do you think would happen if people found out that murre eggs sell for almost $40 a dozen? Yes, there would be a scramble to gather and sell them.

And really, that was the case. Since $1 in 1849 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $38.55 today, selling murre eggs was a very lucrative enterprise. At the time, because murre eggs fetched $1 per dozen, and there was so much money to be made from selling them to a desperate public clamoring for more eggs, the great California egg rush was on. Of course, as with any endeavor of that sort, there is going to be competition, rivalries, and clashes.

California's Farallon Islands' rocky craggy cliffs make up the largest murre breeding colony of rooks in the contiguous United States. And as I said before, that nesting area for those seabirds is only used when they show up to mate. Remember, the murre, a seabird very similar to a seagull or a penguin, for the most part, lives on the sea. They only come ashore during mating season, which is between May and August to mate. So obviously, that's when the eggs are there. And yes, that's when the Eggers fought for control of the islands.

By 1850, a group of Eggers launched the Farallon Egg Company which was also known as the Pacific Egg Company. It is interesting to note that by 1854, a half-million eggs were harvested from the Farallon Islands each year. While harvesting was bad enough, the Eggers smashed the murre eggs on the first day of the season. That was so that they would know which eggs would be fresh for the taking.

Clashes broke out. As the years went by, more and more clashes took place. This went on for years until the Pacific Egg Company claimed exclusive harvesting rights to the Farallon Islands. They were so serious about claiming those murre eggs that they hired armed guards to keep rival egg poachers at bay.

Things got so heated that even the federal government was told to stay off those islands. That came about right after a couple of ships carrying goods and people to San Francisco during the Gold Rush wrecked on the islands' rocky shores. To fix the problem, the federal government decided to build a lighthouse on the islands. When the government sent a construction crew to build the lighthouse, they were initially turned away by the Pacific Egg Company's armed guards. In one report dealing with the building of the lighthouse, it said that even after the construction crews finally made it ashore to build the much-needed lighthouse, Eggers fought with the construction crew and then later fought with the lighthouse keepers. In more than one case, the Eggers drove the lighthouse keepers off the islands.

When a ship's Captain by the name of David Batchelder and his crew repeatedly tried to go ashore, they were turned away. And since the eggs were seen as treasure, Capt. Batchelder was determined to get them. While he and his crew were turned away once, on June 3rd, 1863, he returned with three ships loaded with 28 armed men. Waiting for them was a private security force also armed and ready.

While the headlines of what was taking place in the East and down South during the Civil War took precedence of what took place off the coast of San Francisco, the story goes that first there were insults hurled between those on the ships and those ashore. Then Capt. Batchelder's ships pulled away. Then whiskey was added to the mix. After a while, Capt. Batchelder and the other three ships returned to resume their effort to go ashore. They did so in full force while opening fire on the guards. Of course, the egg company security guards returned fire.

What took place during the 20-minute gun battle would definitely qualify as a "Firefight" today, And yes, this wasn't a 30-second shooting in a small lot. This was one of the lengthier gun battles to ever take place in the Old West. Capt. Batchelder's crew and three ships with 28 armed men were facing off against about ten of Pacific Egg Company's armed security guards.

An egg company security guard by the name of Edward Perkins was one of the first struck by gunfire. Though he was killed, it's believed that Perkins was able to return fire even after being shot. As for the egg company's other security guards, they reportedly shot five of the "invaders" to successfully make them retreat to their ships. It was reported that the Captain of one of the ships was actually shot in the throat during the skirmish. That ship's Captain died two weeks later.

As for Capt. Batchelder? He and four members of his crew were later arrested. He and one of the crewmen ended up going to trial for manslaughter. During the trial, the Pacific Egg Company security guards one by one recounted what took place during the lengthy gun battle. While it would definitely qualify as a "Fire Fight" today, that was one of the lengthier gun battles to take place in the Old West.

The security force's foreman Isaac Harrington corroborated the accounts from his men while placing full blame on Capt. Batchelder. He said, "Perkins was shot during the first volley. He fired a musket first, subsequently drawing a revolver, fired two shots after he was struck, and then fell back and expired. The fatal shot came from a boat under Batchelder’s command. I am positive that the first shot came from the boats."

Found guilty of manslaughter, his appeal failed, David Batchelder was sentenced to a year at San Quentin for the manslaughter death of Edward Perkins. Batchelder was given number 2692, and he was received at San Quentin on February 26, 1864. The prison register listed him as 36 years old, born in Massachusetts, with a whale tattoo on his left forearm. His occupation is listed as Seaman. He was released after serving nine months of his one-year sentence.

By the mid-1860s, domestic chicken egg production increased and soon murre eggs were replaced. No longer was there the need to gather the murre eggs. By the mid-1870s, chicken ranches sprang up in places like the town of Petaluma just north of San Francisco. It is interesting to note that Petaluma soon became known for its chicken processing industries. And yes, there was a time when Petaluma was known as the "Egg Capital of the World," even to the extent of having the nickname "Chickaluma". Another bit of trivia is that Petaluma is the place where the egg incubator was invented by Lyman Byce in 1879.

As for the Pacific Egg Company of San Francisco and the Farallon Islands, by 1881, U.S. Marshals had to forcibly evict that company and all of its personnel from the islands. And while the demand for murre eggs had almost died away completely, the federal government had guards posted there just to stop poachers from gathering eggs there. And finally, by the early 1900s, there was a complete ban placed on all egg gathering on the Farallon Islands. That ban was put in place through a presidential executive order signed by President Theodore Roosevelt.

As for the murre seabird, it is said that prior to the Gold Rush there were close to 1 million murre seabirds. In the 1980s, only about 40,000 murre seabirds could be found on California's Farallon Islands. Imagine that.

Tom Correa