Today we have on line shopping, discount coupons, and buy one get one free (BOGO) to entice buyers. Back in the late 1700’s fortunes were made by acts of piracy and smuggling goods that would be cheaper than goods that came through normal and more acceptable means. Black Marketing still flourishes and I was told once by a Russian that the black market was big in his country mostly for goods such as American styled denim jeans and other items considered hot by Russian youth

The city of Newport, and the state of Rhode Island, was noted for being a safe haven for pirates and the most notorious pirate was Thomas Tew. Piracy grew in popularity and by the early 1720’s 26 pirates were hung outside Newport.

Smuggling was another means of getting merchandise to buyers and the most notorious was the signer of the Declaration of Independence, John Hancock, who after being arrested was on his way to Boston when British troops were fired upon at Lexington and Concord, MA. He and his lawyer, John Adams turned around and fled to Philadelphia. High taxes made buying smuggled items much cheaper. Smuggling did not carry the death penalty as it was not considered as heinous a crime as plundering.

The expression “put your John Hancock here” resulted in his signing his name to the document in larger than normal size to express his disdain for the British and their exorbitant taxes. Playing cards had a special card enclosed to show the tax was paid. Smuggled card decks did not which led to the saying that one was not playing with a full deck.

It started in 1882 in the basement of Saint Mary’s Church in New Haven, CT by 29-year old parish priest Father Michael J. McGiveney for the purpose of education and civic involvement. It was a big help to the many Catholics who came here from Europe. Its goal was to help newcomers to settle, and this led to his establishing life insurance programs for the widows and orphans of deceased members.

Today many countries are attempting to deal with a massive influx of refugees fleeing war torn countries i..e., Syria and others. Our president is planning on allowing 10,000 Syrians to come here. Opponents are concerned about our public safety by our enemy ISIS to use this act of humanity to infiltrate by sending terrorists with the freedom seekers. This is what has been reported happening in the latest act of terror in Paris, France.

Proponents argue the fact that we have been taking in millions and cite the inscription on the Statue of Liberty. Some major difference to then and now is the many who did come here were not from countries who hated us and wished us harm. Europeans entered Ellis Island and were met by family or some one who could vouch for them. They were also given a health checkup to detect the possibility of contagious diseases.

We later saw what were ethnic sections of the cities where people settled, among their own language, faith, and other things that made one “feel at home.” They were quick to learn to speak English and this was what was called the “melting pot” years.

Today the Knights are the world’s largest Catholic fraternal organization with 1.9 million members worldwide. Last year, 2014, the Order gave over $173 million to charity plus 71 million man-hours to voluntary service.

He was born in New Britain, CT in 1930. He became an academic and sports standout at Choate School and later at Yale University. Upon graduation he he became a CIA Operative, 1951,

His name is John T. Downey and his first assignment was to organize a team of agents to infiltrate the Chinese Communist Government. He was imprisoned following his capture and spent the next 20 years in prison, much of it in solitary confinement.

He was released in 1973 following President Richard Nixon publicly acknowledging Agent Downey’s CIA Connection. He enrolled at Harvard University Law School. He became a lawyer and later a judge. The New Haven Juvenile Matters Courthouse and Detention Center is named after him.
He is also the recipient of the Nathan Hale Award presented by University President Richard Levin in 2005.

He never attempted to cash in on his notoriety and was called a quintessential public servant. He wss awarded the CIA’S highest decoration, the Distinguished Intelligence Cross.

He died November 17, 2014 at the Hospice Unit in Branford, CT.

We celebrate Veterans Day this month and pay tribute to all veterans of all wars; Revolutionary, Civil War, WW I, WWII, Korean, Vietnam, and more recently the middle east conflicts. There have been many examples of heroism in each of these.

The sacrifices of many either delayed or turned around a potential defeat into a victory. In WWI we had Sgt. Alvin York, In WWII “Butch” O’Hare, South Pacific. Colonel Joshua Chamberlain at Gettysburg. The many Island hopping Marines in the Pacific Campaign to mention some.

Recently I heard a most interesting story of a man from Brockton, MA who was nominated for The Medal of Honor but it took almost a half century for him to receive it.

During WWII there was a US Soldier, Lt. John R. Fox, in the Italian campaign, up against an onslaught of German troops attempting to conquer a city vital to the campaign, Lt. Fox positioned himself in a second story apartment where he served as an advance artillery spotter for allied troops directing artillery fire against the advancing German Army. His efforts succeeded in halting several assaults.

The Germans called for more support and launched what was a make it or break it assault. The fighting was intense and Fox gave on the spot coordinates to allied guns which were equally intense. He finally called in the latest coordinates to his receiver who said the target area was where he was situated and could endanger his life. Fox insisted they use it anyway. They did and it cost him his life.

Here was a young black male enlistee who found himself in a situation that called for the extreme sacrifice. He was nominated for the Medal of Honor but did not receive it for nearly 50 years. It was awarded by President Bill Clinton in 1997 posthumously of course.

He is buried in Whitman, MA.

I received a copy of CONNECTICUT EXPLORED magazine that has a wonderful article about the Gertrude Warner Boxcar Museum, full page, with great photos. I’m certain it helped “get the word out” about the facility state wide.

I was somewhat surprised when I read it in more detail the number of movie stars and other popular showman and women are “nutmeggars.” I think I may have blogged about some like William Gillette the actor who built a career out of playing the role of Sherlock Holmes and of course Katherine Hepburn. What I also found out is that one of the state’s governors, John Davis Lodge our 79tth, Governor, serving from 1951 to 1955, was also an actor.

His film career was mostly in the 1930s and 1940s. A popular one he starred in was THE LITTLE COLONEL in 1935 with Shirley Temple playing his daughter. Following his film career he decided to give politics a go and in 1947 he was elected to the 80th and 81st congress.

Connecticut is also known for celebrities in other genres such as Charles Stratton, better known as Tom Thumb and one other known by millions as Aunt Jemima. The Quaker Oats Company used her as their spokesperson. Her real name was Marietta Canty. She was born in Hartford, and later in life enrolled in the Lincoln Hospital School of Nursing in Harlem, NY. It was there she won a role in the production of RUN Lil” CHILDREN and she appeared with big name stars the likes of John Wayne, Katherine Hepburn, Marlon Brando, and Spencer Tracey to name a few.

Her acting career was cut short as she returned to Hartford to care for her ill mother. After her mother’s death she returned to the stage for a brief time before retiring and moving back to Hartford where she died in 1986.

Having lived in Southern Rhode Island for a number of years I became accustomed to hearing the locals make jokes by saying the island was made out of wood. This type of thinking isn’t funny on the current world stage as China is building islands in the ocean and claiming them as their territory. Vladimir Putin has them beat as he claims vast areas of the Arctic as part of Russia. He claims it is connected to his mainland only under water.

The islands official name is New Shoreham and it is the smallest town in the smallest state although it is better known as Block Island.

Block Island is a wonderful place to visit if you like beaches, hiking trails, and natural beauty. Under ten square miles in area it has close to 400 ponds and 30 miles of trails. The Narragansett Indians named it Manisses, which means Island of the Little Gods. It was back in 1614 that a Dutch fur trader named Adriaen Block mapped the island and named it Adriaen Blocks Eylandt. In 1662 sixteen original families from Boston settled there. Their names are inscribed on Settlers Rock. Later on
a statue of Rebecca (named for the biblical Rebekah at the well) carrying a jug was erected by the
Women’s Christian Temperance Union in 1896, they hoped to encourage people to drink water instead of alcoholic beverages.

Block Island has some unusual attractions, there is Painted Rock, a boulder continually repainted by locals. a restaurant decorated with over 1,000 oars, painted, and donated by patrons. No visit would be complete without a visit to the 200 foot high Mohegan Bluffs stretching for three miles along the southern shore. Also the Southeast lighthouse which has a museum at the base and a tower open for tourists. Not far from the lighthouse is the 145-step wooden stairway from the bluffs to the beach for those who are in good shape.

Accessible by ferry, both walk-ons and cars, it’s a pleasant one hour trip from Point Judith, R. I. Also available from New London. Passengers can bring bikes aboard or rent when arriving along with mopeds and cars. Or, one can always fly in on a small plane as I did when I worked for a New York company. There are 17 beaches one could see from the air, all open to the public. It is well worth a visit aand ferry’s run year round.