Geography Div (Epidemic subsection)

Well, the merry month of November draws to a close. In 1630, November, the Italian Plague had accounted for 16,000 deaths in the city of Venice -- over 10% of the population. By the end of 1631, 46,000 had died out of a population of 140,000.

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div (Plum Pitiful Subsection)

Here's a real heart-tugger, The Baggage Coach Ahead.
Performed here by Mac Wiseman.

Geography Div (TARDIS Div)

In 1963, Dr Who began his many journeys.

The History of Doctor Who as a Tube Map, with a Line for Each Doctor

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div (Plum Pitiful Subsection)

Something a little lighter (but still pitiful) this week, Jimmie Brown the Newsboy. Probably done somewhere between March and September of 1967.



Bill Monroe - Lead vocal and Mandolin, Roland White - Guitar, Byron Berline - Fiddle, James
Monroe - Bass and Lamar Grier - Banjo.

Notes: Roland White is usually associated with the mandolin, but in Bill Monroe's band .......; Lamar Grier is the father of bluegrass guitar virtuoso David Grier.

SPECIAL - - to the Geography Div (clown car road map subsection)

This Just In !!! The Ben Carson campaign has released a wonderful map of the lower 48 !
(the mini-bears are rolling in the aisles)

Remember, this is the guy that can't name any of the countries he wants to enlist in his war coalition.

Perhaps those in New England are now part of Canada (and will get decent healthcare).

Geography Div (Civil War subsection)

This morning, in 1864, folks east of Atlanta awoke to the second day of Sherman's March to the Sea.

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div (Plum Pitiful Subsection)

An old standard,  Bury Me Beneath the Willow.



Allison Krauss - Lead vocal and Fiddle, David Grisman - Mandolin, Tony Rice - Guitar,
J.D. Crowe - Bnajo and Mark Schatz - Bass.

Geography Div (Nostalgic cartooning subsection)

Today, in 1938, cartoonist Al Capp created Sadie Hawkins Day celebrated in that metropolis of DogPatch USA. If you hail from my generation, you'll surely remember the high school dance to celebrate it.

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div (introducing the Plum Pitiful Subsection)

Every Membership campaign on WAMU (the NPR affiliate there in the GWTP), Ray Davis' "Bluegrass Country" show always had a gift of the Plum Pitiful CD. I thought thatI'd dedicate the month to that genre -- we've seen some before, but these will be classics. Anyway, next month will be filled with Christmas cheer, eh ?

So, let's get started with a real tear-jerker Willie Roy, the Crippled Boy," done here by All That Grass, a Japanese band.

Sorry, couldn't find a link with a list of the players.

Geography Div (Statehood Day subsection)

Today, in 1889, North Dakota became the 39th State and South Dakota became the 40th.
Here's what they looked like in 1873 (until 1889). Note the absence of places named Deadwood and Rapid City - both in territory pledged to the Lakota Sioux - we know how well that worked out.