View From the Bushes

This is a special "View from the Bushes" dictated to my wife from my death bed. Okay, it's not that bad but it's just so annoying to be sick at all. It's the standard head cold, though there are some body aches as well, which have me worried that it might be the flu. It wouldn't be quite so bad if it were just me, but my youngest son is sick as well with the one-two combo of a stomach bug and an ear infection. What this means is that my wife is busy and tired, which means she can't even take the time to transcribe "View from the Bushes," so I have to drag myself out of bed and do it.

But the people who have suffered the most are my Midnight PBP players, in between the adventure on Tuesday, a sick computer on Wednesday, and the beginnings of a cold yesterday, I still haven't posted the next turn. Of course, for better or worse (probably the latter), I've been drawn into the Baseball playoffs (but it's like I tell people: I'm interested in it from a historical perspective rather than a sports perspective) and as I write this the Cubs and the Marlins are in extra innings. The score is still tied, but the Marlins pitcher seems to be able to do no wrong, while the Cubs pitcher is barely hanging on.

Anyway, in an effort to avoid completely flaccid writing, I thought I'd include a link to yet another forgotten tragedy (BTW, I think for many the "Rape of Nanking" would also fall into this category; thanks to my loyal assistant Ed for adding a link). This one is the Peshtigo, Wisconsin fire of 1871, where possibly as many 2,500 people died. The fire traveled upwards of 90 mph with temperatures as high as 1,800 degrees; people spontaneously burst into flames. It was far worse than the Chicago fire, but as with other events I've mentioned no one remembers it.

Carpe Diem Quam Minimum Credula Postero
Ross