The Shorty Club

Welcome to the Shorty Club!

In this cozy corner of contemplation, where the air is thick with the aroma of?bourbon?and the gentle wisps of a?cigar, we gather to muse upon life’s curiosities. Here, there are no rigid rules, no prescribed paths—just the ebb and flow of conversation, like the amber liquid swirling in our glasses.

Bourbon Whiskey: Our faithful companion, aged to perfection, whispers tales of oak barrels and distant Kentucky hills. Each sip carries the weight of history, the warmth of camaraderie, and the promise of shared secrets.

Cigar in the Ashtray: Resting gracefully, its ember glowing like a distant star, the cigar invites reflection. Its fragrant tendrils weave stories of contemplation, of pensive evenings spent unraveling the threads of existence.

And so, my fellow Shorty Club members, let us raise our glasses—whether they hold bourbon or simply the elixir of thought—and toast to the musings that bind us. Here’s to wit, wisdom, and the delightful randomness of it all. ??P.S. If you happen upon a particularly intriguing topic, feel free to share it with the club. We’re all ears (and taste buds).?

?August 12, 2024

The war had ended, but the corruption that had persisted for over a decade was deeply entrenched. The government had established a ruthless political machine that engaged in graft on an industrial scale. Law enforcement officers were compromised, operating on a pay-to-play system that led to predatory practices, false arrests, and “fee grabbing” from tourists and travelers. Known criminals were deputized and exerted control over the law-abiding citizens. Some illegal activities were permitted as long as the right payments were made to the right people. The political machine even controlled the schools and newspapers.

The election process was rigged, and despite laws to the contrary, voter fraud and intimidation were rampant. Complaints of voter fraud, allowing ineligible people to vote, manipulation of the poll tax, and vote counts fell on deaf ears. It was not uncommon for dead people to cast votes, or for the pensions of the elderly to be withheld if they failed to vote as directed. This only further cemented the corrupt regime’s power base.

As the election season approached, a new non-partisan party began to emerge. For the first time, the regime felt threatened and changed the election law by reducing the number of polling districts to solidify a win for themselves. On election day, over 200 armed guards were stationed at polling places to intimidate potential voters. At one point, a voter was denied the right to vote and punched with brass knuckles by a guard. The voter ran, only to be shot in the back. Word spread quickly, and the good citizens had had enough and demanded action.

The corrupt leader ordered the polling station closed and had the ballot boxes removed to the local jail for counting. The rest of the polling stations remained open until 9 PM, and at that point, the votes were counted. The non-partisan candidates had a three-to-one lead, excluding the boxes at the jail.

A crowd gathered at the jail, demanding that the remaining boxes be counted in public as required by law. Their demands were ignored, and they opened fire on the jail. Soon, dynamite was deployed, and the door of the jail was breached. Once inside, the ballot boxes were secured, and by morning, the election was certified as a landslide win for the non-partisan party. The corrupt political machine was no more.

This story is true, although there are varying accounts of the armed insurrection. Amazingly, this story is not about a corrupt regime in some foreign country but occurred here in the United States in 1946. Commonly known as the Battle of Athens, it serves as a reminder that election interference, corrupt manipulation of laws, overreaching political power, and the suppression of rights are not limited to banana republics or well-known dictatorships throughout history. It can and has happened here in the United States. While the methods to build powerful political machines may change with the advance of technology, the outcome remains the same. As a nation, we need to be reminded that unchecked political power, something the framers of the Constitution sought to prevent, can have dire consequences