Morning, Folks! We are going to defer to Amanda this morning. We had a hurried meeting this morning out by the Fire Ring before we made our pitch to her for preliminary approval to get to production. Her Legal Shop is not imposing censorship, she tells us. That is something the Chairman is concerned about.

But times being what they are for margins, he knows unnecessary litigation would hurt both top and bottom lines. Since his professional life is between them both, he prefers we avoid the issue by having a review to ensure we do not violate any articles in the Uniform Code of Military Justice. We understand, even if that is something largely ignored in the larger shouting and screaming. We know it is one of those things that with an unlimited legal team, it be used against inconvenience.

We were careful when we approached Amanda. She said if we just wrote an article about some other year and some other issues, we probably would not attract any attention. The Chairman says we rarely attract any attention anyway, so here goes. It is 1939 this morning.

We know, we know. All that stuff is important, each in its own way. Mark Twain said something like “history doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” Nineteen Hundred and thirty-nine could begin a jolly rhyme…

In the session that followed, we got all over that 83-year-old news displayed digitally. Items appear in the list above reflect relative importance, not date. It doesn’t reflect the accelerating pace of events.

1. Germany attacks Poland. France, Australia and United Kingdom declare war on Germany.
2. Manhattan Project begins
3. Russian troops invade Finland
4. “Gone with the Wind” premieres in Atlanta.
5. Hewlett-Packard Company Created
6. The Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) is created in the United Kingdom
7. Lou Gehrig retires from Major League Baseball after being diagnosed with ALS.
8. Chilean Earthquake
9. Francisco Franco conquers Madrid, ends Spanish Civil War
10.“Wizard of Oz” starring Judy Garland premieres.

For example, the conflict that would initiate a global war happened as the Fall was coming on in Europe. The roads were still reliable for heavy equipment to roll east or west. Folks were getting ready for unknown things at the beginning of the year with a lot of contradictory information flying about. Here at home, there was a strong President in Washington still riding the New Deal out of Depression into what would shortly become a New World.

We liked having social things to note. Hollywood phantasy appears twice in the top ten, and although still seen, there is some controversy about one of the films. Hattie McDaniel was nominated for a Best Supporting Oscar in her performance in that one, a first.

Based on the possibility something like Number 1 could happen, Number 2 occurred. It was one of the most extensive research projects in history, costing the equivalent of $28 Billion today. The “B” word used to have the same kind of impact the “Trillion” word does today.

That has a certain rhythmic quality, too. The Russians invaded Finland and had about the same success they have had recently, with the Swedes stepping up to aid a neighbor against aggression. They decided to sit out the Second War. The Writer’s Section uses a Hewlett-Packard printer when necessary. Those of us that fly- or flew- support Women in Aviation of course, and are opposed to ALS.

As far as Franco goes, there was some interesting political aspects to the Spanish Civil War. Americans felt strongly enough about it that some went to fight. There are periodic disasters far away that are tragic. This one could have presaged the rest of the year. In late January, a surface wave caused by a magnitude 8.3 earthquake killed as many as 28,000 residents of South Central Chili. It remains the single deadliest quake ever recorded there.

That about ran us out of energy. We were tempted to make some historical analogies to current situations, ones with conflict and emotion and nuclear stuff but Amanda looked at us sternly, so we suppose we will leave it at that. We are all aware of the perils of rhyming things, and in the event of earthquake we intend to keep our heads down below the surface wave.

Amanda is cool with that.

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