March 28, 2011
BRUCE A. BRENNAN BLOG FROM THE WORLD AND MY MIND
The news as I see it and the views as I want them.
March 28 is … Something on a Stick Day.
Happy Root Canal Awareness Week. Think Dustin Hoffman in Marathon Man.
From the Associated Press and Tampa Bay Online; a billionaire executive whose family has run SC Johnson for five generations was charged Thursday with having sexual contact with a now 15-year-old girl over the course of several years. Samuel Curtis Johnson III, who goes by Curt, faces a count of repeated sexual assault of a child. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. Johnson, 55, is the former chairman of Sturtevant-based Diversey Inc., a cleaning-products company that was spun off from SC Johnson in the late 1990s. Privately held SC Johnson makes household products including Pledge, Glade, Windex and Ziploc. Johnson resigned from Diversey's board in February and was taking a leave of absence for personal reasons, the company said at the time. Diversey spokesman John Matthews told The Associated Press on Thursday that Johnson had retired effective the end of March and that his leave of absence immediately removed him from any role with the company. Johnson was replaced by his sister. The criminal complaint accuses Johnson of having inappropriate sexual contact with the girl 15 to 20 times, starting in the summer after she finished sixth grade. The girl told investigators that Johnson exposed himself, fondled her under her clothes and kissed her breasts and elsewhere. The girl's voice cracked and she began to cry as she described Johnson as having a "sex addiction" and "touching problem," according to the partially redacted complaint. Prosecutors said the girl confided about the abuse to her mother, who confronted Johnson. He allegedly admitted to fondling the girl's breasts and repeatedly apologized for his behavior.
Johnson's cash bail was set at $500,000. Messages left with both of Johnson's lawyers were not immediately returned. Family spokesman Harlan Loeb said Johnson is married with three children. "Obviously this is a personal matter for Curt," Loeb said. "Allegations of this nature are always deeply disturbing. The family is distraught and very much hopes for the best for everyone involved." Johnson's brother is the chairman and chief executive of SC Johnson, based in Racine. Company spokeswoman Kelly Semrau said Johnson had worked for the company as a general manager and in other roles in the 1980s and early 1990s but had no formal relationship with the company in almost 15 years.
How long has he really been gone from the company? I like the family spokesman saying “…this is a personal matter for Curt.” His wife and kids probably don’t think so. Since he was arrested and is being prosecuted, it is a matter of public record and no longer a ‘personal matter.’
I missed this anniversary on the 26th day of March. Sorry. Sarah Anthony Morse Borden 1823-1863, first wife of Andrew J. Borden and mother of Emma Lenora, Alice Esther and Lizzie Andrew Borden. She was the sister of John Vinnicum Morse, born September 19, 1823 in Somerset, Massachusetts. Daughter of Anthony and Rhody (Morrison) Morse, she married Andrew on Christmas day, 1845. Sarah died in Fall River on March 26, 1863. R.I.P. Sarah died before her husband and his second wife were hacked to death by an unknown assailant. The killings Lizzie Borden was charged and acquitted of are still an unsolved, open case in Fall River, MA I do not believe the case is under active investigation. It remains the perfect murder(s).
On this date in 1964; Radio Caroline debuted as the first pirate radio station to broadcast off the coast of England. On this day in 1964, the combination of rock music and lively disk jockey patter played to a huge audience in Great Britain; but well out of reach of British authorities. However, that didn’t stop them from trying, albeit unsuccessfully, to shut down the radio station ship. Radio Caroline had become competition to the staid and usually dull British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
Today, all that is different, as there is licensed radio competition throughout Great Britain. The BBC and the giant, government-owned network has caught up with the times by offering five different services to appeal to wide audiences. They are simply known as ‘Radio 1’ through ‘Radio 5’ ... No ‘Zees’, ‘Qs’ or ‘Bees’, just numbers that include a rock channel, a talk channel, a nostalgia/easy listening channel, a classical/fine arts channel and a news channel.
In 2009, Philip Seymour Hoffman starred in a movie titled Pirate Radio. It is a good movie, a comedy with social commentary woven in. The movie has a real good soundtrack if you like 1960’s music and who doesn’t? It is also fun laughing at the British government and their attempts to shut the pirate radio station down. The United States had the Viet Nam war to deal with; Britain was dealing with godless rock and roll.
While I was wrestling with writing this blog in 1905, Marlin Perkins, Carthage MO, TV host (Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom) and director of the St. Louis Zoo, was born. Was Reba born in New England on this day in 1955? No. Reba Mc Entire was born in McAlester OK on this date in 1955. I do like redheads.
Notable deaths on this date:
1980 Jesse Owens (Olympics-gold-36), dies in Tucson AZ at the age of 66
1969 Dwight D Eisenhower 34th President/General (WWII), dies in Washington DC at 78
Significant events on this date through history:
1866 1st ambulance goes into service
1885 US Salvation Army officially organized
1910 1st seaplane, takes off from water at Martigues France (Henri Fabre)
1924 WGN-AM in Chicago IL begins radio transmissions
1957 1st National Curling Championship held
1979 Major nuclear accident at 3 Mile Island, Middletown PA (no deaths)
1994 Italy's right-wing alliance under Silvio Berlusconi wins election
1995 Julia Roberts & Lyle Lovett split-up
1995 Julia Roberts & Lyle Lovett split-up
BRUCE A. BRENNAN
DEKALB, IL 60115
COPYRIGHT 2011
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“Blessed are those
that can give without remembering
and receive without forgetting.”
that can give without remembering
and receive without forgetting.”
~ Elizabeth Bibesco
(1897-1945)
(1897-1945)
