Random News and Notes 22 April
At precisely high noon on this date in 1889, thousands of would-be settlers make a mad dash into the newly opened Oklahoma Territory to claim cheap land. The nearly two million acres of land opened up to white settlement was located in Indian Territory, a large area that once encompassed much of modern-day Oklahoma.
Initially considered unsuitable for white colonization, Indian Territory was thought to be an ideal place to relocate Native Americans who were removed from their traditional lands to make way for white settlement. The relocations began in 1817, and by the 1880s, Indian Territory was a new home to a variety of tribes, including the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Cherokee, Creek, Cheyenne, Commanche and Apache.
Boomer Sooner!
On this date in 1915 the Second Battle of Ypres kicked off in Belgium. The Germans offensive began with the usual artillery bombardment of the enemy’s line. When the shelling died down, the Allied defenders waited for the first wave of German attack troops but instead were thrown into panic when chlorine gas wafted across no-man’s land and down into their trenches. The Germans targeted four miles of the front with the wind-blown poison gas, decimating two divisions of French and Algerian colonial troops. It was the first widespread use of chemical weapons in warfare.
The Blues Brothers made their debut on Saturday Night Live on this date in 1978. The band was the not-quite-real, not-quite-fake musical creation of SNL cast members Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi. The characters Elwood and “Joliet” Jake Blues would be a staple on the variety show. A full length feature film would feature the duo in 1980.
.
.
.
.
Now, News!
Andrew Hugg, branch chief for Nuclear and Chemical Surety at the U.S. Army, was recorded by O’Keefe Media Group on April 21, 2026, discussing U.S. chemical agents, a fatal lab accident involving Crocs, civilian deaths in Iran strikes, and potential plans for Iran’s new leader. He also detailed nuclear launch protocols during what seemed like a first date with an undercover journalist.
Hours later, the Army placed him on administrative leave and escorted him from the Pentagon, launching a full investigation into the security breach.
Not for nothing, but if you are a 5 and she’s a 9, you’re being honeypotted. Time was, we taught people about that kind of thing. . .
The Southern Poverty Law Center has been indicted on 11 felony counts including wire fraud, false statements to a bank, and money laundering conspiracy from 2014 to 2023. Prosecutors say the Montgomery-based group used fake entities like ‘Fox Photography’ to pay figures linked to the Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nations, and the 2017 Unite the Right rally, misleading donors who thought their money combated extremism.
Acting AG Todd Blanche called it ‘manufacturing racism to justify its existence,’ while SPLC leaders deny wrongdoing, calling payments standard for informants in a now-discontinued program and suggesting political targeting. I call it false flagging, racketeering and criminal.
The Army rolled out its new Combat Field Test this month, a yearly check for soldiers in 24 close-combat MOS like infantry and Special Forces to match modern battlefield demands. Soldiers tackle seven nonstop events, from dead-stop push-ups and sandbag lifts to a final mile run, all in Army Combat Uniform pants and boots.
* 16 lifts of a 40-pound sandbag onto a 65-inch platform
* A 50-meter carry of two five-gallon Army water cans weighing 40 pounds each
* A 50-meter movement drill consisting of a 25-meter high crawl and a 25-meter 3-5 second rush
* A final one-mile run
Look, your editor was – and still is – a fitness freak. I never scored less than 280/300 on APFT and was a Master Fitness Trainer. When the various versions of the ‘new’ Army fitness test rolled out, I did them to see if they were any more difficult to pass than previous iterations. I expect I’ll do this one too. All that to say, I have an issue with the mile runs. I cannot recall running more than a couple of hundred yards for any reason other than the APFT while I was in. Two one mile runs make no sense to me. I’d rather see a couple more sprints, say in-between the other events, instead of a mile run. Other than that gripe, I think this new test is a decent one.
MVAP Sports: The Mets have extended their Mamdani losing streak to 12 games.