Random Thought of the Day

Quote: terapined

All those travelers heading west
Leading cause of death cholera
2nd leading cause. drowning. They stuck close to rivers
3rd leading cause of death, accidental gun discharge

I believe this. All their water would have had to come from above-ground sources and a lot of it was bound to be polluted. They crossed a lot of rivers If Your Wagon gets stuck you have to jump in the water with boots on and heavy wool and cotton clothes you're going to be instantly bogged down please and you probably don't know how to swim anyway. And everybody carried a gun. But they didn't carry a Colt Peacemaker strapped to their hip. Those were way too expensive. After the end of the Civil War lots of companies manufactured really cheap firearms, small pocket guns. This is what most cowboys carried and most people heading west, cheaply made 22 caliber and 38 caliber and 45 caliber pocket guns. Very unreliable with no safety features, you had a good chance of shooting yourself in the leg or foot and dying from the infection.

This is a good example of a typical pocket gun from the era. They fit into your front pocket or the pocket of your coat and it looks small, but the people were small. The height over the average man in the old west was five foot six. I've seen lots of vintage clothing from around 1900 and it looks like it was made for children. If you were six feet tall you were a giant.

Quote: Evenbob

They fit into your front pocket or the pocket of your coat and it looks small, but the people were small. The height over the average man in the old west was five foot six.

Not the Native Americans. Nineteenth century Plains Indians were the tallest people in the world.

A Park Ranger at the Little Big Horn National Monument, told us the average cavalry soldier was 5'7" and weighed 156lbs, and the Souix warriors averaged 6'2" and 190lbs.

My neighbor knocked on my door at 2:30 AM. Can you believe that?!!

Luckily, I was still up playing my bagpipes.

Quote: rxwine

My neighbor knocked on my door at 2:30 AM. Can you believe that?!!

Luckily, I was still up playing my bagpipes.

Great post. Ex wife and I were driving all over Scotland a few decades back when we stayed in a small town on the Kyle of Tongue. We were awakened early in the morning hearing what were some form of bagpipes. It was a high school student doing his practice before school. Not as bad as a screeching violinist.... but....

Quote: Tanko

1800s-native-americans-were-tallest-in-the-world]Plains Indians were the tallest people in the world.
.

Because they ate so much red meat protein. Same thing happened to the Japanese after World War II. They started eating more red meat protein and they are way taller now than they were 75 years ago.

I read once that the crew on the Lewis and Clark expedition carrying the supplies were eating up to 14 pounds of meat per day. Don't know if it's true, but they had to burn a lot of calories.

I just found out about this
The Viet Nam war
Its often depicted as US troops against N Viet Nam
yet
South Korean troops in Viet Nam out numbered the US troops
In fact
North Viet Nam troops feared the South Koreans more then the US

Quote: terapined

South Korean troops in Viet Nam out numbered the US troops

False

Quote: fleaswatter

False

Late stages of the war
More N Korean soldiers then US soldiers in Viet Nam
Did not really research this
Just watching this interesting video and I assume its factual