Les Misérables at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare in Garrison, New York -- Wednesday, September 23, 2026, 1:30PM

 

So my girlfriend fell in love with Les Misérables after the first time I took her to one of the shows, some years ago now. Then earlier this year, after asking her again and again if she wanted to go see the show in New York City, and she repeatedly saying now, she suddenly wanted to go last minute after her boss told her about his experience with front row seats there. 

Well, the tickets for the New York shows proved to be expensive. So I searched for some cheaper alternative. That was how I cam across this production of the show, which was to be at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare, a place which, admittedly, I had never heard of. It took some convincing once again, but she finally said yes once I showed her we could get front row tickets for cheaper than the cost of a single nosebleed seat in the Big Apple. So we got the tickets.

On Wednesday, we took the beautiful, albeit long, drive from Hillsborough, New Jersey, to the Hudson Valley. It was a perfect, sunny autumn afternoon, which enhanced the experience of the drive. She was nervous that I was going too fast at first, so I slowed down once we got to New York state, and the time constraints were not as pervasive. Then, we enjoyed a relaxing drive amidst frankly stunning scenery.

Let me start by saying that the physical setting is stunning. When we got there, it was surprisingly cool, with strong winds. My tolerance for cold is usually better than most, but even I put on a sweatshirt. Some people wrapped blankets around themselves to keep warm. Remember, this is on top of a hill overlooking surrounding hills and the Hudson River, visible far down below. the scenery alone is worth a trip here. 

Now, pictures of the actual show were not allowed. So the pictures which I added here are of the venue and the program for this show, just so you know. That said, I added a link to the venue's website with Les Misérables, which shows some clips that give you an idea of the visuals and costumes.

If there was any doubt, shared by both my girlfriend and myself, it was that this was going to be outside, and in a small venue. I had not yet seen a small production of this show which did not include a large stage and impressive barricades and gunshots and all of that, which help to absorb the audience. This one was much smaller and considerably more stripped down. How would that be?

In fact, it was terrific. They made up for the lack of big sets and such with cleverness, including using the beautiful natural setting for added effect, very much enhancing the show. It really added something to see the revolutionary banner being flown in the wind and the sunshine, with a pristine view behind it. It felt a bit like a post, almost. As if you were seeing their loftiest revolutionary ideas taking form.

Also, it was different than any other version of Les Misérables which I have seen. And I have seen this now something like seven or eight times over the years. But what makes this different is the proximity of the actors and singers. The stage is right next to you. Sometimes, they were singing literally less than three or four feet from us, so you could really appreciate the power and intensity and emotion of their singing. Les Misérables always packs an emotional punch, but the intimacy of this show really added something to it. Seeing the expressions on the faces, feeling the emotions, whether crushing disappointment or heartbreak or even the energy of youthful idealism or jubilance of finding love. It was all very well done. 

As mentioned earlier, they were clever with finding ways to make this work. The set props seemed to be, for the most part, tables and chairs. But they somehow used these to wonderful effect by creating a cart with these that actually felt like you were seeing a cart running over a man. Or the courtroom scene, where it indeed somehow was made to feel like a courtroom, with a judge presiding over the case as the real Valjean reveals himself. Granted, it helps to be familiar with the story, but it really was extremely well done.

Some scenes were enhanced with one cast member coming out on the side and playing an acoustic guitar softly. During "Drink With Me," the soft playing of an accordion - by the same cast member and playing mere feet from where we were sitting - added to the sense of melancholy. The characters were sitting all around the stage during the song. That mixed with the somber (yet familiar) music and the proximity of the cast members, it really felt a little like being at a sad gathering the night before a major event, which the characters know they likely will not survive.

Simply incredible.

Naturally, there were some standout performances. the whole show was great. There were no weak links. But David Beach was moving as the Bishop and then absolutely hilarious as Thenardier, really standing out for all the right reasons. Haley Dortch really brought out the tragedy of the Fantine character. Yet, she managed to play a very different role, that of the young, idealistic, charismatic and naively militant Enjolras very capably as well. And Josh Young was unforgettable as Jean Valjean. What a voice! It seemed at times that there were actual tears in his eyes. 

Really, everyone was great. The whole show was amazing, albeit different than any showing I had seen before. With this minimalist take on Les Misérables, they somehow brought something fresh and new to a quite familiar musical. A very different take and feel to a familiar show. Yet, any concerns that something might be missing as a result of this quickly evaporated. In fact, the fact that is was smaller actually added some important elements to this show. To give someone thinking of going to this show some idea, I might compare it to seeing a favorite band perform at a smaller venue, perhaps with a stripped down acoustic set. It is not worse, but it is different. In fact, both my girlfriend and I loved it and were raving about it for some time afterwards. 

If you are familiar with and love Les Misérables and get a chance, go see this. You will surely not be disappointed. Highly recommended!

Hudson Valley Shakespeare Website Page for Les Misérables:

https://hvshakespeare.org/events/les-miserables

Les Misérables | Hudson Valley Shakespeare

2026 NFL Season Week 3 Thursday Night Football Review: Falcons Rout Pack in Green Bay

   

Atlanta Falcons 35, Green Bay Packers 14

Yes, I know. I predicted the Packers to win this one convincingly. Instead, the Falcons travel to Green Bay and whipped the Packers in front of their home fans.

Not what I expected or predicted.

But as they say, that's why you play the games.

But who knew that the Packers would produce 17 total yards of rushing all game long?

Wait, was that a typo? Only 17 yards, and not for a quarter or for a half, but for the entire game?

Yup. That's the least in franchise history for over a quarter of a century. The Falcons outrushed the Packers 242 yards to 17. When it is that lopsided in favor of one team, there is no question as to who is not only going to win, but to dominate.

And that's what Atlanta managed to do. Again, it was not at all what I expected. But give Atlanta's defense credit. As well as their offense, as they scored 35 points. Indeed, the Falcons were comfortably in control for most of this game. Surprisingly, the Packers scored first, taking an early 7-0 lead. However, it was all Falcons after that.

Atlanta and Green Bay both walk off the field with matching 1-2 records. However, this loss feels especially shocking and painful to the Pack, who really look like they are struggling early on to this point in the season.

My pick: Inaccurate

September 25th: This Day in History

  

Once again, it should be reiterated, that this does not pretend to be a very extensive history of what happened on this day (nor is it the most original - the links can be found down below). If you know something that I am missing, by all means, shoot me an email or leave a comment, and let me know!

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history 

On this day in 303, while on a voyage preaching the gospel, Saint Fermin of Pamplona was beheaded in Amiens, France. On this day in 1493, Christopher Columbus started his second voyage to the Americas with 17 ships. On this day in 1789, the first U.S. Congress proposed 12 amendments to the Constitution. Ten of those amendments were amended and became what we know as the Bill of Rights. In 1829 on this day, there was a failed assassination attempt on Simon Bolívar. On this day in 1836, the HMS Beagle anchored at St Michael. In 1957 on this day in the Soviet Union, a seven year plan (1959-1965) was announced.

Here's a more detailed look at events that transpired on this date throughout history:

• On this day in 303, while on a voyage preaching the gospel, Saint Fermin of Pamplona was beheaded in Amiens, France.

• 953 - Ratherius becomes bishop of Luik

• 955 - Bishop Ratherius of Luik flees

• 1066 - The Battle of Stamford Bridge marks the end of the Anglo-Saxon era

• 1212 - Emperor Frederik II ends Golden Degree (Bohemia)

• 1340 - England & France sign disarmament treaty

• 1396 - Battle of Nicopolis: Sultan Bajezid I defeats Crusades armies

• 1492 - Crewman on Pinta sights "land"-a few weeks early

On this day in 1493, Christopher Columbus started his second voyage to the Americas with 17 ships.

• 1513 - Vasco Nunez de Balboa is 1st European to see Pacific Ocean

1555 - Freedom of Religion in Augsburg

1560 - Spanish king Philip II names Frederik Schenck of Toutenburg, 1st archbishop of Utrecht

• 1597 - Amiens surrenders to French King Henri IV

• 1639 - 1st printing press in America

• 1639 - Suzuki Shosan, Samurai monk of Zen Buddhism, found awakening

• 1654 - England & Denmark sign trade agreement

• 1663 - Austrian Fort Neuhausl surrenders to Turkish invasion army

• 1690 - Publick Occurrences, 1st US (Boston) newspaper, publish 1st & last ed

• 1775 - American Revolutionary War hero Ethan Allen captured

1775 - Ethan Allen was captured by the British during the American Revolutionary War. He was leading the attack on Montreal.  

 1777 - English general William Howe conquers Philadelphia

• 1780 - Benedict Arnold joins the British

1781 - -26] Joan Derks scatters "On the People of Netherlands" pamphlets

An image of the iconic "We the People" wording of the Constitution.

•  On this day in 1789, the first U.S. Congress proposed 12 amendments to the Constitution. Ten of those amendments were amended and became what we know as the Bill of Rights. 

1804 - 12th amendment to US constitution, regulating judicial power

• In 1829 on this day, there was a failed assassination attempt on Simon Bolívar.

British Botanist Charles Darwin

• On this day in 1836, the HMS Beagle anchored at St Michael.

1844 - Canada defeat USA by 23 runs in the 1st cricket international

1846 - US troops under Gen Taylor occupies Monterey Mexico

1857 - Relief of Lucknow by Havelock & Outram begins

1861 - Secretary of US Navy authorizes enlistment of slaves

1862 - Skirmish at Davis' Bridge, Tennessee

1866 - (Leonard W) Jerome Park opens in Bronx for horse racing

• 1867 - Congress creates 1st all-black university, Howard U in Wash DC

• 1868 - The Imperial Russian steam frigate Alexander Neuski shipwrecks off Jutland while carrying Grand Duke Alexei of Russia.

Military and Political Leader Simon BolivarMilitary and Political Leader Simon Bolivar 1882 - 1st baseball doubleheader (Providence & Worcester)

1886 - Comedy opera "Dorothy," 1st produced in London

1888 - Royal Court Theatre, London, opens

1888 - Start of Sherlock Holmes "Hound of Baskervilles" (BG)

1890 - Congress establishes Yosemite National Park (California)

1890 - The Sequoia National Park was established as a U.S. National Park in Central California.  

1890 - Start of Sherlock Holmes adventure "Silver Blaze" (BG)

1897 - 1st British bus service opens

1904 - Charles Follis is 1st black to play pro football

1906 - John Galsworthy's "Silver Box," premieres in London

• 1906 - In the presence of the king and before a great crowd, Leonardo Torres Quevedo successfully demonstrates the invention of the Telekino in the port of Bilbao, guiding a boat from the shore, in what is considered the birth of the Remote control.

1907 - Jean Sibelius' 3rd Symphony, premieres

1908 - Cubs' Ed Reulbach becomes only pitcher to throw doubleheader shutout

1909 - Hudson-Fulton Celebration opens in NY

• 1911 - French battleship Liberte explodes at Toulon Harbor, 285 killed

1911 - Ground breaking begins in Boston for Fenway Park

1912 - Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism is founded in New York, New York.

1915 - -26] Battle at Loos: 8,246 British & 0 German casualties

1915 - The Second Battle of Champagne begins.

US President Woodrow WilsonUS President Woodrow Wilson 

• 1919 - President Woodrow Wilson is paralyzed by a stroke

1920 - 34th US Womens Tennis: M B Mallory beats M Zinderstein (63 61)

1920 - Vern Bradburn of Winnipeg Victorias kicks 9 singles in a game

1922 - Giants beat St Louis, to clinch John McGraw's 8th pennant

1924 - Malcolm Campbell sets world auto speed record at 146.16 MPH

1926 - 9th PGA Championship: Walter Hagen at Salisbury GC Westbury NY

• 1926 - Canadian government of MacKenzie King forms

1926 - Henry Ford announces 8 hour, 5-day work week

1926 - International slavery convention signed by 20 states

1929 - Queen-mother Emma opens Antonie van Leeuwenhoek House in Amsterdam

• 1930 - Austrian government of Vaugoin forms

1930 - Roger Hornsby replaces Joe McCarthy as Cubs manager

Ford Motor Company Founder Henry FordFord Motor Company Founder Henry Ford 1930 - Zoe Akins' "Greeks Had a Word for it," premieres in NYC

1932 - Jimmie Foxx hits his 58th HR in last game of season

1933 - 1st state poorhouse opens in Smyrna, Georgia

1933 - 5th "extermination campaign" against communists in Nanjing China

1934 - John Van Druten's "Distaff Side," premieres in NYC

1934 - Lou Gehrig plays in his 1,500th consecutive game

1934 - Rainbow (US) beats Endeavour (England) in 16th America's Cup

1935 - Maxwell Anderson's "Winterset," premieres in NYC

1936 - Joe Medwick sets a still-standing NL record with his 64th double

• 1937 - "il duce" visits Berlin/named "the Fuhrer" to corporal 1st class

1937 - Battle of of P'ing-hsin-kuan Wutai Mountain

• 1939 - German Luftwaffe strikes Warsaw with (fire)bombs

• 1939 - Versailles Peace Treaty forgot to include Andorra, so Andorra & Germany finally sign an official treaty ending WW I

1940 - German High Commissioner in Norway sets up Vidkun Quisling government

1940 - Luftwaffe bombs Spitfire-factory in Southampton

1943 - Russian troops liberate Smolensk

1948 - "Heaven on Earth" closes at Century Theater NYC after 12 performances

1949 - 4th US Women's Open Golf Championship won by Louise Suggs

1949 - Despite 71 injuries, Yankees have been in 1st place all season until Red Sox move into a tie for 1st place

1952 - Hal Newhouser of Tigers wins his 200th game

1954 - Francois "Doc" Duvalier wins Haitian presidential election

1954 - Indians win AL record 111 games

1954 - WCBD TV channel 2 in Charleston, SC (ABC) begins broadcasting

1955 - Detroit outfielder Al Kaline, 20, is youngest batting champ

1955 - Patty Berg wins LPGA Clock Golf Open

1955 - The Royal Jordanian Air Force is founded.

1956 - 1st transatlantic telephone cable goes into operation (Scot-Canada)

1956 - Brooklyn Dodger Sal Maglie no-hits Philadelphia Phillies, 5-0

1956 - Transatlantic telephone cable (Newfoundland-Oban) is used

1957 - 300 US Army troops guard 9 black kids return to Central HS in Ark

1957 - Great Britain performs nuclear test at Maralinga Australia

The flag of the USSR (Soviet Union)

• In 1957 on this day in the Soviet Union, a seven year plan (1959-1965) was announced.

1959 - Cosmopolitan editor Helen Gurley (37) & David Brown (43) wed

1960 - 1st Atomic powered aircraft carrier (Enterprise) launched (US)

• 1960 - Chubby Checker's "Twist," hits #1

1962 - Black church is destroyed by fire in Macon Georgia

1962 - Sonny Liston KOs Floyd Patterson in 1st round for heavyweight title

1962 - USSR performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya USSR

1962 - Weatherly (US) beats Gretel (Aust) in 19th running of America's Cup

1962 - Yankees clinch AL pennant

1964 - Jens Otto Krag forms minority government in Denmark

1965 - "Do I Hear a Waltz?" closes at 46th St Theater NYC after 220 perfs

1965 - 60 year old Satchel Paige of KC A's pitches 3 scoreless innings

    

• 1965 - Beatle cartoon show begins in US

1965 - Children find trunk with corpse in Amsterdam canal

1966 - 12th LPGA Championship won by Gloria Ehret

1966 - Dmitri Shostakovitch's 2nd Cello Concert premieres in Moscow

1966 - Smallest Yankee stadium crowd, 413 see White Sox win 4-1

1967 - WGBX TV channel 44 in Boston, MA (PBS) begins broadcasting

This picture was taken, and recently cropped, by me. Taken from the Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band show in Worcester, Massachusetts, June 11, 2016

This picture was taken, and recently cropped, by me for the Ringo Starr In Conversation at Strands Bookstore - October 26, 2015

1970 - Ringo releases his "Beaucoups of Blues" album

1972 - Dutch air force drives away Russian Tupolev-bomber

1972 - KAVT (now KSMQ) TV channel 15 in Austin, MN (PBS) begins broadcasting

• 1972 - Norway votes to join common market

1972 - Sandra Haynie wins LPGA Lincoln-Mercury Golf Open

1973 - 3-man crew of Skylab 3 make safe splashdown in Pacific after 59 days

1976 - Expo's last game at Montreal's Jarry Park

1980 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

1980 - USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR

1980 - Jerry Mumphrey joins Ozzie Smith, & Gene Richards to steal 50 bases this year for Padres

1980 - The first congress of the Democratic Youth Organization of Afghanistan held in Kabul.

1981 - Nolan Ryan's 5th career no-hitter as Astros beat Dodgers 5-0

• 1981 - Rolling Stones begin their 6th US tour (JFK Stadium, Phila)

1981 - Sandra Day O'Connor sworn in as 1st female supreme court justice

1982 - Northwestern ends 34 football game losing streak, beats No Ill 31-6

1982 - Penn prison guard George Banks kills 13 (5 were his own children)

1982 - USSR performs underground nuclear test

1983 - 35th Emmy Awards: Hill St Blue, Cheers, Ed Flanders & Shelley Long

1983 - Bob Forsch pitches 2nd career no-hitter, Cards beat Expos 3-0

1983 - A Soviet military officer, Stanislav Petrov, averted a potential worldwide nuclear war. He declared a false alarm after a U.S. attack was detected by a Soviet early warning system. It was later discovered the alarms had been set off when the satellite warning system mistakenly interpreted sunlight reflections off clouds as the presence of enemy missiles.  

1983 - USSR performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya USSR

1984 - "Quilters" opens at Jack Lawrence Theater NYC for 24 performances

1984 - 1st London performance of musical "Stepping Out" presented

• 1984 - Egypt & Jordan regain diplomatic relations

1984 - NY Met Rusty Staub joins Ty Cobb, who hit HRs as a teen & in 40s

1985 - Akali Dal wins Punjab State election in India

1985 - Palestinian terrorists kill 3 Israeli sailors at Lanaca Cyprus

1985 - Rickey Henderson steals Yankee record 75th base of season

1986 - Antonin Scalia appointed to Supreme Court

1986 - Houston Astro Mike Scott no-hits SF Giants, 2-0

1987 - 2nd coup on Fiji led by Major General Sitiveni Rabuka

1988 - Florence Griffith Joyner runs Olympic record 100m in 10.54s

1988 - Kathy Guadagnino wins LPGA Konica San Jose Golf Classic

1988 - Christopher Jacobs, Troy Dalbey, Tom Hunter & Matt Biondi, swim world record 4x100 m freestyle (3:16.53)

• 1989 - Archaeologists open Titus of Rhine grave in Amsterdam

1989 - Ronald Harwood's "Another Time," premieres in London

1989 - Wade Boggs is 1st to get 200 hits & 100 walks in 4 consecutive seasons

1990 - "Les Miserables," opens at Forrest Theatre, Phila

1990 - 1st 8 NY Yankees hit safely vs Balt Orioles to tie record

1990 - Oakland A's clinch 3rd straight AL West title

Iraqi President Saddam HusseinIraqi President Saddam Hussein 

1990 - Saddam Hussein warns that US will repeat Vietnam experience

1990 - UN Security Council vote 14-1 to impose air embargo against Iraq

1991 - "Good & Evil" premieres on ABC TV

1991 - Paramount at Madison Square Garden in NYC opens

1992 - "Barry Manilow's Showstoppers" opens at Paramount NYC

1992 - China PR performs nuclear test at Lop Nor PRC

1992 - Opening Main-Donau canal (North Sea-Black Sea)

1992 - Sparky Anderson ties Hughie Jennings as Detroit's winningest manager

1992 - US Mars Observer launched from Space shuttle

1992 - Gregory Kingsley, 12, wins right to divorce his parents & live with his foster parents, he takes name Shawn Russ

1994 - Oliver McCall TKOs Lennox Lewis in 2 for heavyweight boxing title

1996 - The last of the Magdalen Asylums closes in Ireland.

1997 - "ER" is performed live on TV

1997 - Britain's Andy Green sets jet-powered car record (714 mph)

1997 - Marv Albert plea bargains in assault case

Heavyweight Boxing Champion Lennox LewisHeavyweight Boxing Champion Lennox Lewis 

• 1997 - STS 86 (Atlantis 20) launches into orbit

1997 - WNBA announces it will add Detroit & Wash DC franchises

• 2002 - The Vitim event, a possible bolide impact in Siberia, Russia.

• 2003 - A magnitude-8.0 earthquake strikes just offshore of Hokkaidō, Japan.

2005 - E1 Train Disaster

2008 - China launches the spacecraft Shenzhou 7.

2012 - 50 Taiwanese ships clash with the Japan Coast Guard in waters off the Senkaku Islands

2012 - Anouchka van Miltenburg is elected President of the Netherlands

1492 - The crew of the Pinta, one of Christopher Columbus' ships, mistakenly thought that they had spotted land.   1493 - Christopher Columbus left Spain with 17 ships on his second voyage to the Western Hemisphere.   1513 - The Pacific Ocean was discovered by Spanish explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa when he crossed the Isthmus of Panama. He named the body of water the South Sea. He was truly just the first European to see the Pacific Ocean.   1690 - One of America's earliest newspapers published its first and last edition. The "Publik Occurences Both Foreign and Domestik" was published at the London Coffee House in Boston, MA, by Benjamin Harris.   1775 - Ethan Allen was captured by the British during the American Revolutionary War. He was leading the attack on Montreal.   1789 - The first U.S. Congress adopted 12 amendments to the Constitution. Ten of the amendments became the Bill of Rights.   1847 - During the Mexican-American War, U.S. forces led by General Zachary Taylor captured Monterrey Mexico.   1882 - The first major league double header was played. It was between the Worcester and Providence teams.   

   

1890 - Mormon President Wilford Woodruff issued a Manifesto in which the practice of polygamy was renounced.   1919 - U.S. President Woodrow Wilson collapsed after a speech in Pueblo, CO. The speaking tour was in support of the Treaty of Versailles.   1933 - Tom Mix was heard on NBC Radio for the first time. His show ran until June of 1950.   1956 - A transatlantic telephone-cable system began operation between Newfoundland and Scotland.   1957 - 300 U.S. Army troops stood guard as nine black students were escorted to class at Central High School in Little Rock, AR. The children had been forced to withdraw 2 days earlier because of unruly white mobs.   1965 - Willie Mays, at the age of 34, became the oldest man to hit 50 home runs in a single season. He had also set the record for the youngest to hit 50 ten years earlier.   1973 - The three crewmen of Skylab II landed in the Pacific Ocean after being on the U.S. space laboratory for 59 days.   1978 - Melissa Ludtke, a writer for "Sports Illustrated", filed a suit in U.S. District Court. The result was that Major League Baseball could not bar female writers from the locker room after the game.   1981 - Sandra Day O'Connor became the first female justice of the U.S. Supreme Court when she was sworn in as the 102nd justice. She had been nominated the previous July by U.S. President Ronald Reagan.   1983 - A Soviet military officer, Stanislav Petrov, averted a potential worldwide nuclear war. He declared a false alarm after a U.S. attack was detected by a Soviet early warning system. It was later discovered the alarms had been set off when the satellite warning system mistakenly interpreted sunlight reflections off clouds as the presence of enemy missiles.   1986 - An 1894-S Barber Head dime was bought for $83,000 at a coin auction in California. It is one of a dozen that exist.   1987 - The booty collected from the Wydah, which sunk off Cape Cod in 1717, was auctioned off. The worth was around $400 million.   1990 - The U.N. Security Council voted to impose an air embargo against Iraq. Cuba was the only dissenting vote.   1991 - The U.N. Security Council unanimously ordered a worldwide arms embargo against Yugoslavia and all of its warring factions.   1992 - In Orlando, FL, a judge ruled in favor of 12-year-old Gregory Kingsley. He had sought a divorce from his biological parents.   1992 - The Mars Observer blasted off on a mission that cost $980 million. The probe has not been heard from since it reached Mars in August of 1993.   1995 - Ross Perot announced that he would form the Independence Party.   1997 - NBC sportscaster Marv Albert pled guilty to assault and battery of a lover. He was fired from NBC within hours.   1997 - Mark & Brian received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.   2001 - Michael Jordan announced that he would return to the NBA as a player for the Washington Wizards. Jordan became the president of basketball operations for the team on January 19, 2000.   2002 - U.S. forces landed in Ivory Coast to aid in the rescue foreigners trapped in a school by fighting between government troops and rebel troops. Rebels had attempted to take over the government on September 19.   2012 - China launched its first aircraft carrier into service.

1775 Ethan Allen was captured by the British. 1789 The first Congress adopted 12 amendments to the Constitution and sent them to the states for ratification. The first ten became the Bill of Rights. 1890 Wilford Woodruff, president of the Mormon church, renounced the practice of polygamy. This paved the way for Utah's acceptance as a state in 1896. 1957 Nine black teenagers, now known as the Little Rock Nine, challenged racial segregation by attending the all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. 1957 Nine black children were escorted to Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, under heavily armed guard, because of racial violence. 1981 Sandra Day O'Connor was sworn in as the first female justice on the Supreme Court. 2003 It was reported that more than 14,000 had lost their lives in France in a summer heat wave. 2011 King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia grants women the right to vote and run for office in future elections.

The following links are to web sites that were used to complete this blog entry:

http://www.historyorb.com/today/events.php

http://on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/alldays/sep25.htm

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

http://www.infoplease.com/dayinhistory

Yes, Trump Will Drag the Entire Country (& World) Down With Him If He Feels Seriously Threatened

James Carville is not usually someone I pay serious attention to or even take seriously. Frankly, I believe that he is more responsible than most Democrats for helping to bring about this nightmare of the Trump presidency.

That said, I thought that he was spot on in this regard. I have been sharing my belief that Trump would bring the entire country down with him if he felt he was in danger, even though people - not just Trump supporters - often dismissed that notion. But I felt - and feel even more strongly now, if anything - that he would, or rather, he will. If pressed to do so, yes, I think Trump would actually want to bring as many people down to share his suffering if he somehow were threatened with having to face the consequences of his actions.

So I am sharing this, because it is not just important, but urgent to understand this by now. Trump is madness, and the country needs to recognize it as such in order to have a chance to save itself from it, before it is too late.

Jack Summers 14 hours ago  ·

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3252345224956489&set=a.100730480117995

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September 24th: This Day in History

 

Once again, it should be reiterated, that this does not pretend to be a very extensive history of what happened on this day (nor is it the most original - the links can be found down below). If you know something that I am missing, by all means, shoot me an email or leave a comment, and let me know!

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history 

This day in 312 marked the start of Imperial Indication. On this day in 366, Liberius ended his reign as Catholic Pope. In 673 on this day, the Synod of Hertford opened, canons made for English Church. This day in 787 marked the second Council of Nicaea (7th ecumenical council), which opened in Asia Minor. On this day in 1180, Manuel I Komnenos, the last Emperor of the Komnenian Restoration, died. The Byzantine Empire slipped into what proved to be terminal decline. Columbus' second expedition to the so-called "New World" came on this day in 1493. In 1537 on this day, the Uprising in Lubeck failed. On this day in 1625, the Dutch attacked San Juan, Puerto Rico. Jacques Specx was appointed Governor-General of the Dutch-Indies on this day in 1629. In 1657 on this day, the first autopsy & coroner's jury verdict was recorded in Maryland. On this day in 1664, Dutch Fort Orange (New Netherlands) in present day Albany, NY, surrendered to the English. French King Louis XIV expelled all Jews from French possessions in America on this day in 1683. On this day in 1688, France declared war on the Grand Alliance (Germany). The Treaty of Altranstädt was agreed to on this day in 1706, between Charles XII of Sweden & August II of Saksen. Faneuil Hall, Boston, opened to the public on this day in 1742. First St Leger horserace held at Doncaster on this day in 1776. The US Congress created the Post Office on this day in 1789. Also on this day in 1789, the US Federal Judiciary Act was passed & created a six-person Supreme Court. President George Washington nominated John Jay as the first Chief Justice. Russia & Ottoman Empire signed the Peace Treaty of Adrianople on this day in 1829. In 1862 on this day during the American Civil War, the Confederate Congress adopted the Confederate seal. On this day in 1943 during World War II, Soviet Red Army forces reconquered Smolensk. American President Eisenhower ordered federal troops to desegregate schools in Little Rock, Arkansas, on this day in 1957. On this day in 1996, author Stephen King published two books on the same day. The two books, "Desperation" and "The Regulators," were loosely related.

Here's a more detailed look at events that transpired on this date throughout history:

• This day in 312 marked the start of Imperial Indication. On this day in 366, Liberius ended his reign as Catholic Pope. In 673 on this day, the Synod of Hertford opened, canons made for English Church. This day in 787 marked the second Council of Nicaea (7th ecumenical council), which opened in Asia Minor. 

• On this day in 1180, Manuel I Komnenos, the last Emperor of the Komnenian Restoration, died. The Byzantine Empire slipped into what proved to be terminal decline. Columbus' second expedition to the so-called "New World" came on this day in 1493. In 1537 on this day, the Uprising in Lubeck failed.

• On this day in 1625, the Dutch attacked San Juan, Puerto Rico. Jacques Specx was appointed Governor-General of the Dutch-Indies on this day in 1629. In 1657 on this day, the first autopsy & coroner's jury verdict was recorded in Maryland. On this day in 1664, Dutch Fort Orange (New Netherlands) in present day Albany, NY, surrendered to the English. 

Bust of King Louis XIV, known as "The Sun King"

• French King Louis XIV expelled all Jews from French possessions in America on this day in 1683. 

• On this day in 1688, France declared war on the Grand Alliance (Germany). The Treaty of Altranstädt was agreed to on this day in 1706, between Charles XII of Sweden & August II of Saksen. Faneuil Hall, Boston, opened to the public on this day in 1742. First St Leger horserace held at Doncaster on this day in 1776. The US Congress created the Post Office on this day in 1789. 

• Also on this day in 1789, the US Federal Judiciary Act was passed & created a six-person Supreme Court. President George Washington nominated John Jay as the first Chief Justice.

Statue of Geroge Washington in the Morristown Greens, NJ

• American President George Washington nominated John Jay to become the first Chief Justice.

1789 - US Attorney General Office is created

Russia & Ottoman Empire signed the Peace Treaty of Adrianople on this day in 1829.

1838 - Anti-Corn-Law League forms to repeal English Corn Law

1841 - Britain obtains Sarawak from Brunei (James Brooke appointed Rajah)

1850 - Papal Bull issued, establishes Roman Catholic hierarchy in England

1852 - Henri Giffard, a French engineer, makes 1st engine powered dirigible/airship flight with steam power

1853 - 1st round-the-world trip by yacht (Cornelius Vanderbilt)

1853 - France annexes New Caledonia

1853 - Northern Daily Times, 1st provincial daily newspaper, starts in London

In 1862 on this day during the American Civil War, the Confederate Congress adopted the Confederate seal.

1865 - James Cooke walks tightrope from Cliff House to Seal Rocks, SF

1869 - Black Friday; Wall St panic after Gould & Fisk attempt to corner gold

1872 - Franz Grillparzer's "Ein Bruderzwist in Habsburg," premieres in Vienna

1877 - Battle of Shiroyama, decisive victory of the Imperial Japanese Army over the Satsuma Rebellion

1881 - Henry Morton Stanley signs contract with Congo monarch

1883 - National black convention meets in Louisville, Kentucky

1884 - Dixey, Rice & Gill's musical "Adonis," premieres in NYC

1885 - Five German warships depart to Zanzibar

1889 - Alexander Dey patents dial time recorder

1890 - Pres of Mormon Church in Salt Lake City issues a manifesto advising members that teaching & practice of polygamy should be abandoned

1895 - 1st round-the-world trip by a woman on a bicycle (took 15 months)

1902 - Start of Sherlock Holmes "Adventure of Red Circle" (BG)

1903 - Alfred Deakin succeeds Edmund Baston as Australia premier

1916 - Indians' Marty Kavanaugh, hits AL's 1st pinch-hit grand slam

Baseball Great Babe RuthBaseball Great Babe Ruth 1919 - Babe Ruth sets season homer mark at 28 off of Yankee Bob Shawkey

1922 - Neurenberg fusion congress USDP-SPD; picks Karl Kautsky

1922 - Roger Hornsby sets NL HR mark at 42

1923 - Premiere of 1st celluloid film "Das Leben auf dem Dorfe" (Berlin)

1924 - Boston, Massachusetts opens its airport

1928 - Cohan/Lardner's musical "Elmer the Great," premieres in NYC

1929 - Lt James H Doolittle guides a Consolidated N-Y-2 Biplane over Mitchell Field in NY in 1st all-instrument flight

1929 - Yanks Tom Zachary ends season 12-0

1930 - G Kaufman & M Hart's "Once in a Lifetime," premieres in NY

1930 - Noel Coward's "Private Lives," premieres in London

1930 - Portsmouth beats Brooklyn in 1st NFL game played under floodlights

1931 - Round-robin playoff among NYC's 3 major league teams, to raise money for unemployed, concludes with Brooklyn losing to both Giants & Yanks

32nd US President Franklin D. Roosevelt32nd US President Franklin D. Roosevelt 1932 - NY Gov Franklin D. Roosevelt visits LA

1934 - 2,500 fans see Babe Ruth's farewell Yankee appearance at Yankee Stadium

1934 - Idle Detroit wins pennant, as Red Sox beat Yankees 5-0

1935 - Earl Bascom and Weldon Bascom produce the first rodeo ever held outdoors under electric lights at Columbia, Mississippi

1938 - Alice Marble wins her 2nd singles US tennis title

1938 - Don Budge becomes 1st tennis player to win a grand slam

1940 - Jimmy Foxx hits his 500th career HR

1940 - Luftwaffe bombs Spitfire factory in Southampton

1941 - Nine Allied governments pledge adherence to the common principles of policy set forth in the Atlantic Charter

1941 - Bomb explosion in German headquarter in Hotel Continental in Kiev

The flag of the USSR (Soviet Union)

On this day in 1943 during World War II, Soviet Red Army forces reconquered Smolensk.

1948 - Mildred Gillars (Axis Sally) pleads innocent in Wash DC

1948 - The Honda Motor Company is founded.

1950 - "Operation Magic Carpet" - all Jews from Yemen move to Israel

1951 - Industrial estate at Harlow New Town UK opens

1951 - USSR performs nuclear test

1952 - Dutch minister Dark sentences war criminal W Lages to death

1952 - Underwater volcano explodes under research vessel Kaiyo-maru-5

1953 - "Take a Giant Step," opens on Broadway

Heavyweight Boxing Champion Rocky MarcianoHeavyweight Boxing Champion Rocky Marciano 1953 - Rocky Marciano TKOs Roland LaStarza in 11 for heavyweight boxing title

1954 - Tonight Show premieres on NBC (Johnny takes over 8 years later)

1954 - Yanks tie a record, 3 of their pinch hitters strike out in 1 inning

1955 - "Catch a Star" closes at Plymouth Theater NYC after 23 performances

1955 - Pres Eisenhower suffers a heart attack on vacation in Denver

1955 - Washington Senators lose their 99th & 100th games of season

1956 - 1st transatlantic telephone cable in use (Newfoundland-Scotland)

1957 - Brooklyn Dodgers play last game at Ebbets Field, defeat Pirates 2-0

General Dwight Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States

American President Eisenhower ordered federal troops to desegregate schools in Little Rock, Arkansas, on this day in 1957.

1957 - Camp Nou, the largest stadium in Europe, is opened in Barcelona.

1958 - 1st welded aluminum girder highway bridge completed, Urbandale, Ia

1960 - International Development Association (UN agency) comes into existence

1960 - USS Enterprise, 1st nuclear power aircraft carrier, launched

1961 - Mickey Wright wins LPGA Sacramento Valley Golf Open

1962 - KWSU TV channel 10 in Pullman, WA (PBS) begins broadcasting

1962 - US Circuit Court of Appeals orders Meredith admitted to University of Miss

1963 - Idle Dodgers clinch their 2nd LA pennant as Cubs beat Cards

1963 - US Senate ratifies treaty with Britain & USSR limit nuclear testing

1964 - "Munsters" premieres on TV

1964 - 1st Minuteman II ICBM was tested

This picture was taken, and recently cropped, by me. Taken from the Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band show in Worcester, Massachusetts, June 11, 2016

This picture was taken, and recently cropped, by me for the Ringo Starr In Conversation at Strands Bookstore - October 26, 2015

• 1964 - Ringo forms Brikley Building Company Ltd  On September 24, 1964, Beatles drummer Ringo Starr famously set up or registered Brickley Building Company Ltd as a private corporate entity during the height of Beatlemania.

1964 - Willi Stoph succeeds Otto Great as premier of German DR

1965 - Belgium Victor Leemans elected chairman of European Parliament

• 1965 - Saudi Arabian & Egyptian accord over Yemen

1965 - Stefan Stefanopoulos forms Greek government

1966 - -30] Hurricane Inez, kills 293 in Caribbean, Florida & Mexico

1966 - France performs nuclear test at Fangataufa Island

1967 - Cards Jim Bakken kicks 7 field goals vs Steelers

1967 - Sandra Haynie wins LPGA Mickey Wright Golf Invitational

1968 - "60 Minutes" premieres on CBS-TV

1968 - "That's Life" premieres-A Broadway musical type TV show

1968 - NY Met manager Gil Hodges suffers a heart attack

1968 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

1969 - 1st Elvis convention, 2500 fans attend in Cincinnati

1969 - NY Mets clinch NL East pennant

1969 - Ton Duc Thang elected president of North Vietnam

1969 - Trial of "Chicago 8" (protesters at Dem Natl Conv) begins

1970 - 1st Automated return of lunar sample by Luna 16

• 1970 - Soviet Luna 16 lands on earth after 1st unmanned round trip to moon

1971 - 90 Russian diplomats expelled from Britain for spying

1971 - Eyskens-Cools disbands Belgium parliament

1971 - Houston Astros beat SD Padres, 2-1, in 21 innings

1972 - Antique F86 Sabrejet fails to takeoff at air show, kills 22

1972 - Jack Tatum, Oakland, returns a fumble 104 yds vs Green Bay (rec)

1972 - NY Jet Joe Namath passes for 6 touchdowns vs Balt Colt (44-34)

1973 - Guinea-Bissau declares independence from Portugal

1973 - St Louis Cards Jim Bakken sets NFL record kicking 7 field goals

1974 - Al Kaline, Detroit Tiger, is 12th to get 3,000 hits

1974 - Clarence Jones of Kintetsu Buffaloes hits his 38th HR, 1st American to win a Japanese HR title

1976 - "Oh! Calcutta!" opens at Edison Theater NYC for 5959 performances

1976 - Newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst sentenced to 7 years for her part in a 1974 bank robbery. Released after 22 months by Pres Carter

1977 - "Estrada" closes at Majestic Theater NYC after 7 performances

1977 - 1st broadcast of "Love Boat" on ABC-TV

1977 - Ken Hinton of CFL British Columbia Lions returns a punt 130 yards

1978 - Donna Caponi Young/Kathy Whitworth wins LPGA Ping Team Golf Classic

1978 - Dutch women hockey team wins world championship

1978 - Ron Guidry beats Cleveland 4-0, raising his record to 23-3 ERA 1.74

1978 - USSR performs underground nuclear test

1979 - CompuServe began operation as 1st computer information service

• 1979 - Ghana adopts constitution

1979 - Pete Rose reaches 200 hits in a season for 10th time

1979 - Russian ice skaters Protopopov & Beloussova ask for asylum in Switzerland

1979 - USSR performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya USSR

1980 - Braves join every NL team with 1,000,000+ attendance for this season

1980 - Iraqi troops cross Iran's border, encircling Abadan

1981 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

1982 - Tennis great Bjorn Borg retires at 26

• 1982 - US, Italian & French peacekeeping troops begin arriving in Lebanon

1983 - Braves Dale Murphy is 6th to hit 30 HRs & steal 30 bases in season

1983 - Test cricket debut of Shoaib Mohammad, son of Hanif, v India Jullundur

1983 - USSR performs underground nuclear test

1984 - Cubs clinch NL East title

Musician & member of the Beatles Paul McCartneyMusician & member of the Beatles Paul McCartney 

Picture taken during the recent Paul McCartney concert in Syracuse that my son and I attended.

1984 - Paul McCartney release "No More Lonely Nights"

1985 - Apollo Computer Inc lays off 300 employees

1985 - Fastest English Channel crossing by a relay team set (15h 30m)

1985 - Montreal Expo Andre Dawson is 9th to get 6 RBIs in an inning (5th), and joins Willey McCovey to hit 2 HRs in an inn twice

1987 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

1988 - Barbara C Harris of Mass, elected 1st woman Episcopal bishop

1988 - Canada's Ben Johnson runs drug-assisted 100 m in 9.79 sec

1988 - Carl Lewis runs world record 100m (9.92 sec)

1988 - Dave Stieb has no-hitter broken up with 2 outs in the 9th

1988 - Jackie Joyner-Kersee of USA sets heptathlon woman's record (7,291)

1989 - 28th Ryder Cup: US & Europe draw, 14-14 at The Belfry, England

1989 - Nancy Lopez wins LPGA Nippon Travel-MBS Golf Classic

Flag of East Germany

• 1990 - East Germany leaves Warsaw Pact

Statue of South African President & Nobel Peace Prize Recipient F.W. de Klerk in Cape Town

• 1990 - South African President F W de Klerk meets US President Bush in Washington DC

1990 - Supreme Soviet gives approval to switch to free market

Olympic Sprinter and Long jumper Carl LewisOlympic Sprinter and Long jumper Carl Lewis 

Flag of Germany (formerly West Germany during the Cold War)

1990 - West German Pres Richard von Weizsaecker signs reunification treaty

1990 - Periodic Great White Spot observed on Saturn

1993 - 1st Israeli killed by Islamics after PLO signs peace accord

1993 - Norodom Sihanouk again installed as King of Cambodia

1994 - Parliamentary election in Ukraine

1994 - National League for Democracy is formed by Aung San Suu Kyi and various others to help fight against dictatorship in Myanmar.

1995 - 31st Ryder Cup: Europe beats US, 14½-13½ at Oak Hill County Club (Rochester, New York, US)

King of Cambodia Norodom SihanoukKing of Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk 1995 - Annika Sorenstam wins LPGA GHP Heartland Golf Classic

1995 - Emillio & Gloria Estefan's boat hits & kills a jet skiier

1995 - Volcano Mount Ruapehu (North Island, NZ) erupts

The iconic house of Stephen King and his family in Bangor, Maine.

On this day in 1996, author Stephen King published two books on the same day. The two books, "Desperation" and "The Regulators," were loosely related.

1996 - U.S. President Bill Clinton signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty at the United Nations.

1997 - 31st Country Music Association Award:

1997 - Drug kingpin Ramon Arellano Felix placed on FBI's 10 most-wanted list

2005 - Hurricane Rita makes landfall in the United States, devastating Beaumont, Texas and portions of southwestern Louisiana.

2007 - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gives a controversial speech on the campus of Columbia University.

2012 - Books by Japanese authors or about Japan are suspended by Chinese bookstores

1789 - The U.S. Congress passed the First Judiciary Act. The act provided for an Attorney General and a lower federal courts.   1869 - Thousands of businessmen were financially ruined after a panic on Wall Street. The panic was caused by an attempt to corner the gold market by Jay Gould and James Fisk.   1915 - "The Lamb," Douglas Fairbanks first film, was shown at the Knickerbocker Theater in New York City, NY.   1929 - The first all-instrument flight took place in New York when Lt. James H. Doolittle guided a Consolidated NY2 Biplane over Mitchell Field.   1933 - "Roses and Drums" was heard on WABC in New York City. It was the first dramatic presentation for radio.   1934 - Babe Ruth played his last game as a New York Yankee player.   1938 - Don Budge became the first tennis player to win all four of the major titles when he won the U.S. Tennis Open. He had already won the Australian Open, the French Open and the British Open.   1955 - U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower suffered a heart attack while on vacation in Denver, CO.   1957 - The Brooklyn Dodgers played their last game at Ebbets Field.   1957 - U.S. President Eisenhower sent federal troops to Little Rock, AR, to enforce school integration.   1960 - The first nuclear powered aircraft carrier was launched. The USS Enterprise set out from Newport News, VA.   1961 - "The Bullwinkle Show" premiered in prime time on NBC-TV. The show was originally on ABC in the afternoon as "Rocky and His Friends."   1963 - The U.S. Senate ratified a treaty that limited nuclear testing. The treaty was between the U.S., Britain, and the Soviet Union.   1968 - "60 Minutes" premiered on CBS-TV.   1968 - "The Mod Squad" premiered on ABC-TV.   1977 - "The Love Boat" debuted on ABC-TV. The theme song was sung by Jack Jones and was written by Paul Williams and Charles Fox.   1995 - Three decades of Israeli occupation of West Bank cities ended with the signing of a pact by Israel and the PLO.   1996 - The United States, represented by President Clinton, and the world's other major nuclear powers signed a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty to end all testing and development of nuclear weapons.   1998 - The U.S. Federal Reserve released into circulation $2 billion in new harder-to-counterfeit $20 bills.   2001 - U.S. President George W. Bush froze the assets of 27 suspected terrorists and terrorist groups.   2003 - Anthony Hopkins received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1789 Congress passed the First Judiciary Act which provided for a U.S. attorney general and the Supreme Court. 1957 The Brooklyn Dodgers played their last game at Ebbets Field. 1960 The Enterprise, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, was launched. 1969 The trial of the "Chicago Eight," radical antiwar and counterculture activists accused of conspiring to incite riots at the 1968 Democratic convention, began. 1991 Children's author Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, died at age 87. 1996 The United States and the world's other major nuclear powers signed a treaty to end all testing and development of nuclear weapons.

The following links are to web sites that were used to complete this blog entry:

http://www.historyorb.com/today/events.php

http://on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/alldays/sep24.htm

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

http://www.infoplease.com/dayinhistory