April 19th? Really?

Quite a coincidence that on this very date two senseless and related tragic acts took place, and it’s interesting how differently history looks back on them.

• 1993: The Waco Siege took place at the Branch Davidian Complex after a 51 day stand-off. The question of “who fired first” is still hotly debated, and I think that image of Janet Reno staring over her glasses will be singed into my brain forever.
• Exactly two years later in 1995 was the Oklahoma City Bombing…a shocking act of terrorism committed by an American whose motive was largely tied to the government attacks at Waco and Ruby Ridge. (If you also lost someone in the Oklahoma City Bombing, you’re probably aware of the National Memorial, which was dedicated on this day in 2000, five years after the bombing. Peace.)

It’s frightening to think how these events took place during a period of time when America was enjoying prosperity. Makes you wonder what to expect now…the global economy is in a tumble, a nutjob in North Korea is flaunting nukes, and pirates in rowboats somehow blatantly challenge the world’s superpowers on a daily basis by capturing vessels in the most important shipping lane in our oil-dependent world. Are we all going crazy?

But somehow we get through tough times. I do it with humor and music. It’s the only way I can stay sane in the face of madness. Hopefully you have your release as well.

And speaking of madness, something good happened on April 19th. It was on this date in 1987 when we first saw The Simpsons as a feature on the Tracey Ullman Show. Twenty-two years later they are still rocking our world as the longest running sitcom and longest running animated program in television history. And after this year, they will break the tie with Gunsmoke as the longest running prime time television series in history. Cowabunga, man!

Here’s some great Simpsons trivia.

Homer: Got any of that beer that has candy floating in it? You know, Skittlebrau?
Apu: Such a beer does not exist, sir. I think you must have dreamed it.
Homer: Oh. Well, then just give me a six-pack and a couple of bags of Skittles