and...

today is also Texas independence day! (this, incidentally, is the Burnet flag, which was the flag of the Republic of Texas from 1836 through 1839, when the more familiar lone star flag replaced it for the last 6 years of the existence of the republic before she was annexed by the US. The Burnet flag was modeled after the "Bonnie Blue flag" of the Republic of West Florida, a quasi-legitimate nation state that existed for a few months in the fall of 1810 after seceding from Spain and before being annexed by the US. I mention this because her 1st and only governor was one Fulwar Skipwith, and because they had a jaunty national anthem-cum-fighting song, which is excerpted below.)

West Floriday, that lovely nation,
Free from king and tyranny,
Thru’ the world shall be respected,
For her true love of Liberty.

I mention these things simply because I think that Fulwar Skipwith just doesn't get his due nowadays. Most civilized people agree, when presented with the facts.