Ft. Hood is named for John Bell Hood, the worst general in our history

Today I was reviewing the various shooting and stabbing tragedies of the past year or two (all the perps were liberals/progressives or immigrants not conservative tea party types about which our media continues to warn us). The crazy lady professor who murdered her colleagues over a promotion incident; the guy who shot up a recruiting office; the Pakistani Times Square bomber; the blonde blue-eyed stabber of the NY cabbie who had served with a Christian peace and justice group, etc. So that took me to the Fort Hood shootings by a Muslim doctor who murdered 13. Then I thought, "Surely they didn't name a military facility after the worse general of the Civil War, did they?" Yup.

I'm obviously no expert on the Civil War, but last week was "Civil War Week" at Lakeside, Ohio, and I attended two presentations by Mel Maurer of Cleveland who spoke on the Battle of Franklin. And yes, Ft. Hood is named for the guy who would have lost the war for the South, if it hadn't already been lost. Is that why we have a military base named for him?

"John Bell Hood destroyed the Army of Tennessee. After bleeding it dry fighting the Yankees around Atlanta- attacking a foe that was superior in numbers and entrenched, he marched away from the main threat to the South- General Sherman's Army of the Tennesse. He then launched an ill-considered offensive into central Tennesse. When his army failed to destroy the Yankees at Spring Hill, in true political general fashion, he blamed his troops.

He then decided to attack the Yankees at Franklin. Again, they were entenched. With only one battery of artillery in support, he ordered a frontal assault. Good soldiers they were, the men of the Army of Tennessee advanced, and almost took the town, thanks to their courage and Yankee blundering. But the Yanks soon stopped the advance and slaughtered the Rebs. A Union battery commander remembered two sounds- the discharge of cannister and a split second later, the sound of bones breaking.

The Yanks retreated to Nashville. Although his troops were tired, hungry, and outnumbered ( though he didn't know it at the time), Hood laid siege to the city. When Union General Thomas attacked, the Confederate lines were too thin to stop the assault. The Army of Tennessee broke and many were killed or captured covering the retreat.

As they retreated to Alabama, many of the Rebel soldiers had no shoes. It was winter, and the temperature was about 10 degrees F. I don't have a lot of sympathy for the rebellion, but I feel for those guys. Barefoot in that weather is a horror.

When Hood got back to Alabama, there were about 6,500 effectives in his army. They numbered over 20,000 when the offensive began. Once again he blamed his soldiers for the failed offensive." Armchair General

General Hood had one useless arm, and an amputated leg from war injuries. He was either very brave or very crazy; he had to be tied in his saddle. He was probably out of his mind with pain and high on pain drugs. But his record in battle is still shameful, and he led many Americans to their death.

NOTE: The above excerpted piece is NOT from Maurer but from "Armchair General," a site on the internet.

And still Obama wants to raise taxes!

Higher taxes hurt everyone. It particularly hurts the little guy. But that's what FDR did too during the Great Depression of the 1930s-1940s. His little tax increments, like on entertainment or candy, hurt the poorest the most. Now Obama wants to kill investment. Folks, the richest can always go elsewhere with their money--like India or Europe whose economies are growing much faster than ours as they pull back from socialism.

Obama has no intention of turning the economy around. Many panelists on these TV talk shows, cable or broadcast, right and/or left, just don't get it. They keep making hopeful suggestions. But his plan is working--more people than ever are dependent on the federal government.

More than 50 million Americans are on Medicaid, the federal-state program aimed principally at the poor, a survey of state data by USA Today shows. That’s up at least 17% since the recession began in December 2007.

The program has grown even before the new health care law adds about 16 million people, beginning in 2014. That has strained doctors. Private physicians are already indicating that they’re at their limit, says Dan Hawkins of the National Association of Community Health Centers.

In other areas:

◦More than 40 million people get food stamps, an increase of nearly 50 percent during the economic downturn, according to government data through May; the program has grown steadily for three years.

◦Close to 10 million receive unemployment insurance (nearly four times the number from 2007); benefits have been extended by Congress eight times beyond the basic 26-week program, enabling the long-term unemployed to get up to 99 weeks of benefits; caseloads peaked at nearly 12 million in January.

◦More than 4.4 million people are on welfare, an 18 percent increase during the recession.

As caseloads for all the programs have soared, so have costs, says USA Today:

◦The federal price tag for Medicaid has jumped 36 percent in two years, to $273 billion.

◦Jobless benefits have soared from $43 billion to $160 billion.

◦The food stamps program has risen 80 percent, to $70 billion.

◦Welfare is up 24 percent, to $22 billion.

Stats from Texas Insider which apparently (not clear) got them from USAToday.

You don't have to have a degree in economics to see that in a free, market economy, government programs slow down recovery. It adds costs to hiring and expansion, it competes with private employers and industries, and encourages people to stay home and wait til something better comes along, thus extending the slow down. The blueprint for government expansion while depressing the economy was laid out during FDR's reign. Obama's right on the plan.

3 hostages safe, gunman shot, killed at Discovery

Now here's a REAL environmentalist wacko--he thought children were parasites on the planet, and that Discovery Channel was making money on "green" programs. He was Al Gore to the 10th power. Most environmentalists deep down think humans are marginal in the global scheme of things, at least compared to something on the endangered species list, but fortunately, few are as whacked out as James J. Lee. He was probably insane. But if he'd been on the other side--a right winger--the media would be having a field day smearing tea party participants, Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck and you and me. In fact, since it happened a few days after Beck's Restoring Honor in a DC suburb, they'd probably blame him rather than Lee.

3 hostages safe, gunman shot, killed at Discovery - wtop.com

PSAs, paid for by us, encourage illegal aliens to get all their benefits as "workers"

Dolores Huerta is a hard core socialist who is preaching to school children, on our dollar, that Venezuela is great, they've got free healthcare, they're building factories where everybody has a right to a job. [She doesn't point out our free healthcare at every ER and SCHIP, Medicaid, food stamps, rent subsidies, etc. because they probably already know that.] "But she goes further than just saying how great Venezuela is. In our high schools this is her talking about America." An audio of her was played on the Glenn Beck show today. She also told the school children (again on our dollar) that Republicans hate Hispanics. You know folks, it's illegal to hire illegals.

Here's a Department of Labor public service announcement (PSA) on our tax dollar.

U.S. Labor Sec. Hilda Solis’ 30-second script: I’m U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, and it is a serious problem when workers [legal or not] in this country are not being paid every cent they earned. Remember every worker in America has the right to be paid fairly whether documented or not.

Why encourage illegals to come here if capitalism will go under and they have a government they fled?

Remembering how the media helped get us in this mess

October 30, 2008

CHARLIE ROSE: I don't know what Barack Obama's worldview is.

TOM BROKAW: No, I don't, either.

CHARLIE ROSE: I don't know how he really sees where China is.

TOM BROKAW: We don't know a lot about Barack Obama and the universe of his thinking about foreign policy.

CHARLIE ROSE: I don't really know. And do we know anything about the people who are advising him?

TOM BROKAW: Yeah, it's an interesting question.

CHARLIE ROSE: He is principally known through his autobiography and through very inspirational (sic) speeches.

TOM BROKAW: Two of them! I don't know what books he's read.

CHARLIE ROSE: What do we know about the heroes of Barack Obama?

TOM BROKAW: There's a lot about him we don't know.

Eight Years of Iraq War Cost Less Than Stimulus Act

What point was the President trying to make about the economy in last night's speech? I've heard Democrats say he was wonderful, Republicans say he was wooden and looked uncomfortable, the media was just obsequious, but what about the lies?

Obama seemed to blame the current economy problems on the costs of war [i.e., everything is Bush's fault]: "Unfortunately, over the last decade, we’ve not done what’s necessary to shore up the foundations of our own prosperity. We spent a trillion dollars at war, often financed by borrowing from overseas. This, in turn, has short-changed investments in our own people, and contributed to record deficits. For too long, we have put off tough decisions on everything from our manufacturing base to our energy policy to education reform. As a result, too many middle-class families find themselves working harder for less, while our nation’s long-term competitiveness is put at risk."

According to CBO numbers in its Budget and Economic Outlook published this month, the cost of Operation Iraqi Freedom was $709 billion for military and related activities, including training of Iraqi forces and diplomatic operations. The projected cost of the stimulus, which passed in February 2009, and is expected to have a shelf life of two years, was $862 billion. The U.S. deficit for fiscal year 2010 is expected to be $1.3 trillion, according to CBO. That compares to a 2007 deficit of $160.7 billion and a 2008 deficit of $458.6 billion, according to data provided by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. In 2007 and 2008, the deficit as a percentage of gross domestic product was 1.2 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively" and under Obama 9.1%.

the cost of the Iraq war from 2003-2008 -- when Bush was in office -- was $20 billion less than the cost of education spending and less than a quarter of the cost of Medicare spending during that same period. Bush's social spending cost us more than the war.

So, tell us that part again, Mr. President. . .
FOXNews.com - CBO: Eight Years of Iraq War Cost Less Than Stimulus Act

Don't let the door hit you on your way out

Ohio State is tightening its belt for the "new" economy.

"When a classified civil service staff member does not pass probation, and is notified of that decision, practices have varied as to when the actual employment ends. With this practice recommendation, the person will leave our employment the day of notification. We are making this a universal practice which will have no reflection on the individual, and allow for completely consistent process. The individual will be able to move forward immediately for the next job search with no expectation to complete any additional employment in the probationary position."

Isn't this thoughtful. . . allows the ex-employee to move forward immediately.

And this is odd. . . there is a pre-employment background check for all new employees, but no background check for current employees. But wait! It gets better. Current employees are supposed to voluntarily "report convictions for a specified set of offenses that may occur at any time during university employment." Then the university will check on it, decide on how his job should be changed, create a background check record, but destroy the information. Wha. . . .? I guess it's too expensive to do a background check on current employees, so they want her to volunteer the information that just might destroy promotion or career.

Obama needs to relearn the art of politicking

E.J. Dionne Jr. just doesn't get it. He thinks there's a communication problem. Unfortunately, Obama's plan is working and the American people are catching on that this is not at all what they voted for. He's not stupid Mr. Dionne; the press on the other hand . . .

E.J. Dionne Jr. - Obama needs to relearn the art of politicking

Secretary. of Education Urged Employees to Attend Sharpton Rally

Michelle Malkin wonders of the Department of Education employees were sent to check on the spelling of banners. A purple SEIU banner spelled American, as AMERCAN.

Even if it wasn't illegal, it was quite inappropriate for Arne Duncan to suggest in an e-mail memo that Dept. of Ed. employees spend their day off filling the seats at Sharpton's poorly attended rally which was very political and was organized hastily to counteract Glenn Beck's. Beck's event numbered about 500,000 and had a lot of racial and religious diversity. Sharpton's was . . . just Al . . . spouting off like he always does. The excitement, good preaching, and songs were over at the mall.

According to the WSJ, the Restoring Honor rally attendees left the mall cleaner than when they got there. Quite a change from the 2009 inauguration, if you remember the disgraceful piles of trash left behind by excited Obama supporters.

Michelle Malkin » Sec. of Education Urged Employees to Attend Sharpton Rally, Unfortunately Not to Spell Check Signs

Will the media ever apologize for lying about Beck's event?

No. First they lied about it. Said it was political. It was racist. It was made up of paranoid fear mongers. It wasn't.

Reported who would be speaking there. They weren't there.

Estimated the number of attendees at about 87,000 when there were probably 500,000. Beck drew more people than Obama, at a single event, and didn't use a teleprompter.

The media never told the truth even about "divertsity." Ignored the Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim leaders arm in arm in front of the crowds. Still dismissive. Still calling it a "Tea Party" event, a term they are desperately attempting to turn into a pejorative. Michelle Malkin was waiting Saturday "with race-baited breath for a reporter to head over to Sharpton’s rally and question the lack of diversity there, but it never happened."

Oh well, the media has so marginalized itself with lies and hyperbole, soon we won't even have a newspaper or news magazine because Americans won't trust them. Even PBS and NPR, which uses our tax dollars, lied.
Non-traditional media, like the one funded by leftist Ariana Huffington, Huff and Puff posted and ridiculed t-shirts, like those honoring the founders, faith and the events of September 11, 2001. Nice touch, libs.

Oh yes, this one is just hilarious.

NPR assesses the after thoughts.

Bella Stuffed Banana Peppers

The September/October 2010 issue of Lake Erie Living is out with an article about the Lakeside/Marblehead Fall Festival (p.50) on October 9, and a recipe for stuffed banana peppers. I don't think I'd ever used many banana peppers until my son began growing them in his garden, and he's so successful, I decided I needed a recipe, and this one looks pretty simple.

Bella Stuffed Banana Peppers
(Serves 6)
8 to 10 large locally grown (from Phil's garden for me) sweet banana peppers, tops removed and seeds scooped out
1 pound mild or hot Italian sausage, sauteed and drained
1/2 cup freshly shredded provolone cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese (plus extra for top of casserole) [salty Italian cheese, suitable primarily for grating, made from sheep milk--I had to look it up]
2 or 3 eggs
1/2 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
2 cups homemade tomato sauce (he makes that too)
1/4 cup olive oil

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix sausage, provolone, pecorino Romano, eggs and bread crumbs together in a bowl (mixture should be moist). Stuff into cavity of banana peppers. Lay peppers flat in a large 13" x 9" casserole dish. Pour tomato sauce over peppers. Drizzle with the olive oil and grate a generous amount of pecorino Romano on top. Cover with foil and bake about 1 hour, until peppers are soft. Serve with a green salad and good crusty bread (he makes that, too) to soak up the sauce.

This recipe is on p. 27, along with "Grilled summer peaches with pound cake." I've never grilled pound cake, but sounds good, too!

Heading back to Columbus

My last walk along the lakefront and then off to the coffee shop . . .

Where I'm greeted most mornings by Linda. I watch a little Fox morning chatter, make a few notes for the blog, and then walk home.

50th Lakeside Antique Show

The Lakeside Antique show runs for one day in South Auditorium, Wesley Lodge, Wo-Ho-Mis and the surrounding lawns, and it seems I've been seeing the same linens, old photos, silverware, books, tools, and glassware for years, but this year I think I saw more costume jewelry than I'd ever seen. Women and kids love to paw through boxes of $1.00 each. Even the stuff labeled $2 or $3 looked pretty good, like someone dumped out my high school jewelry box. And that's probably what's causing it. Parents are going into smaller retirement homes, and the daughters don't want this stuff.

A number of neighbors took advantage of the walk bys so I also stopped at three yard sales. Tempted. I took only cash with me, and didn't spend a dime. Somehow, a credit card or checkbook is dangerous at these places.

Tonight is Pantasia at Hoover, but we've seen them a number of times, so we may go down and watch a sunset.

Sunset August 25, 2010

How to promote a social agenda with medical statistics

If I were to tell you I still have my 1955 waist measurement, I wouldn't exactly be lying, but I would be measuring my thigh and not my waist with a tape measure and my fingers crossed. So it is with "developed countries" medical statistics like this one--"The U.S. spends more money per person on medical care than any other developed country in the world." (JAMA, July 28, 2010 citing OECD 2009 statistics). Notice, that's "per person" and not per citizen as it is in most countries. Someday I'd like to see a breakdown, by developed country, of non-citizens in their health care system, people who arrive with exotic diseases, not knowing the language, and with unfamiliar cultural patterns. Of course, it's a bit difficult to flee to Ireland or Finland from Guatemala or Haiti, isn't it?

And since we have so many ethnicities in the USA, I'd like to see a comparison of health and disease of Scandinavian Americans as compared to their 2nd and 3rd cousins once removed in Norway, Sweden and Finland, or 2nd generation middle class Mexican Americans compared with their peasant cousins still living in the home village in Mexico. Or Haitian American doctors and rock stars compared to working family in Port-Au-Prince. Oh, those aren't developed countries are they? No, but those new Americans had American healthcare resources at their disposal.

Obamacare trumped up measurements did not just come in since he took office in 2009--his plans have been in many government plans and planning for decades. Here's one of three "medical models" (the others being clinical and public health) currently in place, according to JAMA, July 28 (Commentary, p. 465, R. H. Brook)

1. Redistribution of wealth; 2. meaningful guaranteed jobs for all adults to have the income to pursue healthy behavior; 3. helping children feel safe and be healthy and ready to learn; 4. empowering women and communities so that they can work more effectively to increase the health of the population.

I'd truly love to see a medical study of Americans with meaningful jobs, able to afford the best health care and education who are politically empowered, who also are obese, who smoke, and who engage in dangerous and risky behaviors. Now that would be a study for the books, because I know a lot of people with unhealthy lifestyles who have all the perks of life that Dr. Brook describes in his commentary.

The deep desire to control others' behavior and lives (for their own good and the betterment of society and mother earth) is not just ingrained in the government--it's in medicine, academe, education, religion and just about any other field that requires a college education.

Ben Stein's gas station attendant

"On the way home, I stopped to get gasoline. The Hispanic attendant, whom I have known for many years, wanted to talk to me about the mosque in New York.

"We have to wake up," he said. "Those people want to hurt us. Then they want to build a mosque. Why? To hurt us more? And how come Obama always takes the side of the people who hate us? Isn't this his country, too? What's wrong with him? Doesn't he know he's an American? Or what is he? This country has to wake up and get rid of Obama."

I nodded. "I agree," I said.

The man shook his head. "This country has to wake up," he said again. "We elected Obama. We made a big mistake. Now we have to fix it. Stop him, then get someone else in there. Someone who is an American. Someone who works for us, not our enemies. "

He shook his head and walked away and I drove home to write about him."

Civil War Week--another great success

Monday the 7th Civil War Week at Lakeside set a new record--the Green Room in the Fountain Inn was packed with 126 and the day's programs recorded a record of 530 in attendance. Bob Bridges of Los Angeles, a screenwriter who has led battleground tours at Manassass, Antietam, Gettysburg, Richmond, Petersburg, and Appomattox, was terrific for the three presentations I heard Monday through Wednesday. He had us on the edge of our seats as Booth carried out his terrible deed at the theater in April 1865, climaxed at noon by the blasting at the quarry.

On Thursday I heard two wonderful book reviews/dramatic readings, the first from "Red Badge of Courage" by Professor of English Emeritus (Kenyon) Perry Lentz. I don't recall ever having an English prof that riveting! Now I'll have to reread the book. Also on Thursday was Mel Maurer's review of "The Widow of the South." This would be an excellent book for any book club looking for selections for next year. I'll certainly read it and suggest it to my group.
Book Review - The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks

Today I'll go back for Mel Maurer's account of the Battle of Franklin, which ended the South's chances for victory, and was also the setting for the Widow book by Robert Hicks.

The Hoover programming this week has been great too. Saturday evening we enjoyed "Frank Sinatra" by Steve Lippia--not necessarily related to the Civil War, but still a wonderful choice for this older crowd gathered for a week of history. We thoroughly enjoyed the Lisa Biales Trio on Tuesday evening. I think it's one of the few Hoover programs where I didn't leave early. I found her voice just lovely and crystal clear, with violinist (fiddle) Doug Hamilton, and cellist Michael Ronstadt (nephew of Linda) who did things with the cello I'd never heard. Wednesday was Al Batt, humorist, who told low key funny stories and childhood memories, many of which we could relate to who grew up in the rural midwest--like Sunday afternoon drives in the family car. Thursday night was the Saxton's Cornet Band an ensemble that reorganized a Civil War era group in 1989.

On the way out of Hoover last night (about 2/3 is about all I can manage without falling asleep) I saw an elderly woman fall as she headed for the water fountain. I knelt beside her to see if I could help, but I couldn't get her up--she was speaking and said she needed to take her pill. She was about my size and weight and I was afraid we'd both fall if I tried to get her up, so I pulled a chair over (no one else was in the lobby, which is unusual). Finally, two other women came out, and together the three of us got her into the chair. She said her husband was in the audience, so I went back into the darkened area, and saw a man I knew was usually with his wife and went to him and asked if his wife was here. He said she'd gone out to get a drink, so I asked him to come with me. I'd found the right guy, first try, in the dark.
He went to get their car and the three of us helped her down the steps, put her in the car, and fastened her seat belt. They live at the retirement home right outside the Lakeside gates. She refused an offer to call the squad, since apparently this has happened before. My last words to her were to call her doctor about that medication that was supposed to be helping her balance.

Not a big deal as mishaps go, but Wednesday evening we again went to the Family Picnic at Perry Park, and joined 6 friends at a picnic table instead of sitting in the chairs we brought. I got bitten by something, and have welts all over my feet and legs that seem to be spreading. Driving me crazy with itching! I thought I would get through the summer with no bites. I guess cool weather brought them out.

Restoring honor event exposes hate on the left--Guest Blogger Murray

On Aug. 28 Glenn Beck will be hosting a rally at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC promoting "Restoring Honor". This promises to be a historic event. One which the MSM and the Obama Administration will do everything in their power to discredit and associate it with racism and violence. The MSM, without knowing exactly what will be taking place, has already indicated the intention is to stir up the anger towards our government. They have falsely implied the Tea Party movement is part of this rally. There will be many Tea Party people there, however it's all Beck's doing. This is all about "Restoring Honor" to ourselves and our great country. There will be no signs allowed and Beck says bring the children.

Like I said, this will be historic. It will be big. It will upset the Progressive/ Liberal/ Left-Wingers to the point that they will do anything to disrupt the rally. Look for SEIU or ACORN to attempt to create a disturbance. We should all be there. Why aren't we?

Murray

The cabbie attack -- a hate crime?

This morning I watched back to back stories on ABC about vicious attacks. The one, a New York middle-eastern cabbie was slashed by a young white guy. It was labeled a hate crime because of ethnicities, with possible links (no proof except the time frame and the mind of the reporter) to the mosque story. The other was about a white guy in prison, a drifter, for a possible 20-30 murders of young girls, with rape and kidnapping. No hate crime charge was mentioned. It's always open season on women, whether in reporting crime, making movies, or writing novels; the men who kill them randomly, or just because, are never accused of a hate crime, unless the women are lesbians. And the husband who shot his wife in the face destroying it (face transplant story)? He only got 7 years--no hate crime.

And that serial slasher of black men whose attacks were labelled hate crimes? As soon as they found out he was an Israeli national, all talk of hate crimes disappeared from the coverage.

Let's strike hate crimes and hate speech from the books. They are ridiculous. They certainly don't help the victims.

The cabby attack - NYPOST.com

Update: Buried deep in the NYT account of the cabbie attack is the information that the attacker worked with a PRO-MOSQUE peace and justice Christian group.

"Mr. Enright is also a volunteer with Intersections International, an initiative of the Collegiate Churches of New York that promotes justice and faith across religions and cultures. The organization, which covered part of Mr. Enright's travel expenses to Afghanistan, has been a staunch supporter of the Islamic center near ground zero. Mr. Enright volunteered with the group's veteran-civilian dialogue project. Joseph Ward III, the director of communications for Intersections, said that if Mr. Enright had been involved in a hate crime, it ran "counter to everything Intersections stands for" and was shocking."

Is it possible that people make decisions to be evil independent of ethnicity, culture, gender, sexuality, economic status, age, and religion? Who knew? God. Read Genesis, where it all began.

Shirley Sherrod, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack go over 'Lessons Learned'

It is shocking that a federal employee would have been fired on such flimsy evidence as Shirley Sherrod, and just as shocking that she is blaming an internet viral video for her temporary problems with "racism" and plans to sue. Since when can news media not take something out of context. Gosh, the whole coverage of Sarah Palin by the MSM would have gone to court. Sherrod was apparently reinstated because of her position and spouse in the civil rights organizations (Obama being a newbie and Vilsack being white apparently didn't recognize their names), but further investigation needs to be done on that Pigford settlement she's in line to get from the government. From "Lessons Learned" it appears someone has reviewed Employment Basics 101.

Shirley Sherrod, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack go over 'Lessons Learned'

Happy Anniversary, Jean and Steve

Last year I picked up at a yard sale an autographed copy of "The Wonderful World of Cooking," a collection of recipes arranged by growing season by Edward Harris Heth (1956) for $1.00. Inside was an invoice from Tom Jacks Florists of Milwaukee, for Jean Winzenburg and Steve Treacy, and the date in the front of the book, from the Florist, was August 26, 1961. I don't know if Jean and Steve made it 49 years, but if they did, my best to you, because I'm certainly enjoying the book. I blogged about the tasty contents here.

Today I found additional information at another blog about the author--almost wish I hadn't. Both Heth and his partner Bill committed suicide in the 1960s.

[She] found a feature article on the life and times of Ed Heth, "Wisconsin's Finest Food Writer." Heth was born in 1909 in Wisconsin, the only child of a dissolute gambler. He led a glamorous writing life in New York until poor health forced him home in the 40s. He settled down into a country house on a hill, living amongst the friends and neighbors who populate The Wonderful World. His partner through it all was a ceramicist named Bill Chancey. The two lived together openly, surely making them the first gay couple in the tiny town of Wales, Wisconsin to do so. The town embraced the pair, the article quoting one woman's take on the situation: "I remember people saying they were very interesting people and Wales always felt very honored to have them in the community."

If all this sounds too good to be true for rural, pre-Stonewall America, well, turns out it was. In 1960 Heth and Chancey's house burnt down to the ground after a lightning strike. They began work on a new house, but a year later as it neared completion, Bill Chancey was found in his car with the engine on and the garage door closed. Heth tried to keep writing, even starting work on a novel, but in 1963 he fatally overdosed on painkillers. The two men are buried side by side on a sunny slope in Wisconsin's Welsh Hills. But The Wonderful World of Cooking — long out of print — is alive and vibrant, an incredible document of a man's love for his home and the food it gives him. Link. Photo from that blog--mine doesn't have a cover.