History Minute: Killer Couple Strikes The Heartland

1958 : Killer couple strikes the heartland

On this day in 1958, Charles Starkweather, a 19-year-old high-school dropout from Lincoln, Nebraska, and his 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, kill a Lincoln businessman, his wife and their maid, as part of a murderous crime spree that began a week earlier and would ultimately leave 10 people dead. The killer couple's deadly road trip, which generated enormous media attention and a massive manhunt, came to an end the following day, when Starkweather and Fugate were arrested near Douglas, Wyoming. The crimes later inspired a slew of books, movies and music, including Terence Malick's 1973 film "Badlands," starring Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek, and Bruce Springsteen's 1982 song "Nebraska."

Growing up, Charles Starkweather (1938-1959) was bullied and did poorly in school. He later idolized James Dean and identified with the actor's rebellious, outsider image. Starkweather committed his first murder on December 1, 1957, when he robbed a gas station and killed the attendant. Reportedly, an attendant at the station had previously refused Starkweather's attempt to buy a present for Fugate (1943- ) on credit.

Starkweather turned serial killer on January 21, 1958, when he shot Fugate's stepfather and mother after arguing with them at their home, and strangled Fugate's two-and-a-half-year-old sister. Starkweather and Fugate remained holed up at the scene of the crime for several days, before taking off in Starkweather's car and murdering three more people--a farmer and two teenagers--on January 27. On January 28, the couple killed another three people--the Lincoln businessman, his wife and their maid. Starkweather and Fugate's final victim, a shoe salesman, was killed on January 29; the couple was captured later that day.

Starkweather and Fugate were convicted of murder. He was given the death penalty and died in the electric chair on June 25, 1959. Fugate was sentenced to life in prison, but was released in 1976.

Photos from my 35th birthday

I know it has taken a couple days but here they are!

Make photo slide shows at onetruemedia.com

Click to see the entire set.

Something to be thankful for...

Even though I have to deal with a few assclowns every now and then, I love my job. Close to home, hours suit my needs, money is decent. Plus I get to socialize with people every night from varying backgrounds and locales who are just there to have a good time. And I get to help! Plus the view from my office is kickass!!!!! Even the gay homosexual (not really, I just like Cartman's use of that as an insult) who sat there last night on a date...which I helped him to impress by making him seem like a VIP for three hours. Even though he didn't tip me a single brown penny, I still enjoyed serving them. Of course it could be that his date had a really nice rack, and who am I to complain about having a nice rack right on front of my face for three hours! So.....today, a salute to my favorite bar and some of the people there (and some that I miss)!

Not too bad for an office window, eh?

p.s. Butch...great to see you out again!

Brrr!

I know I know...not much sympathy from anyone outside of Florida, but it's chilly this morning. I am quite a site I'm sure. I am wearing a Georgia Bulldogs sock cap..a Rumpleminze® T-shirt, and Kool-Aid sleep pants. I am stylin. Oh yeah!

Fashion goes out the window when I get cold.....as illustrated by THIS photo! It is from our cold snap in November when it was in the 30's.





Now that's cold no matter where you're from. In November no less! I had to break out the space heaters for my bar customers. Yep...sitting at the bar 121 steps from the beach with an ocean breeze can get a little chilly. :-) That was the last time I had to use them until last night.



So anyway..Happy Friday! If you're beachside this weekend...stop by and see me.

xoxox

~Tiki

Today's Drink Recipe: Pangorita

For a new twist on margaritas, try this tasty treat containing Pango rum, from Haiti. This is a TikiTender original!


Pangorita

2 oz Pango rum
1 tbsp grenadine
1/4 oz lime juice
sour mix to balance (about 3 oz)

Fill a sugar-rimmed coupette with ice. In a mixing glass, combine all ingredients with ice and shake it shake it shake it! Strain into the prepared glass and garnish with a cherry. Enjoy!

This is me..eating my words

Okay, so I talked shit all week about how Midwest power football was going to rule the day in Arizona. About how Ohio State was head and shoulders above the rest of the NCAA football teams. About how I didn't even realize they played football in Florida anymore, etc. Florida won. Not only did they win, they won good. So I am not going to become an overnight Florida fan, because would just be bad manners. I will however give the Gators and their coach a tip of the hat and say "well done boys."..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

That football in Florida joke is actually used by me all the time. It was given to my by the linebackers coach at the University of Oklahoma in about 1988. I was an aspiring star running back at my high school (goal realized), and was invited to participate in a summer football camp at the University of Oklahoma. Since I was in the Midwest & Oklahoma was fresh of a National Championship (1985 in the Orange Bowl, for my University of Miami fans LOL) AND both my high school and OU were running the wishbone at the time...it was an opportunity that couldn't be missed. So I was their as a halfback & a linebacker. We linebackers were running an agility exercise when the coach yelled out "WOODS. MOVE YOUR ASS. WHERE ARE YOU FROM ANYWAY?" I huffed out "Missouri Coach!". He replied "Missouri? I didn't even realize they still had football there!" Then the drill was over and we moved on. Oh the joys of being demeaned by coaches. I actually miss it a little bit!

On the running back side of the camp, I held my own but there were about 20 guys that were head and shoulders above the rest of us. Not only were these football camps an opportunity for us to learn, they were also a chance for the coaches to see what kind of players were coming out of high school. Like I said I held my own, but damn those guys were good.

In my home league, I was bigger and stronger than most players on the field at any time. What can I say? I grew early, ate alot, and started lifting weights every day when I was 12 years old. At that point, under the eyes of soon to be friends Jeff Thompson and Logan Dale I, as the new kid in town, accomplished my first bench press ever..a whopping 110 pounds LOL. But as I grew, I worked harder and was eventually to the point where I benched press 300 pounds and squatted about 600 pounds. Combined with the fact that when I was a senior I actually weighed a little more than I do now, albeit with a 31 inch waist and a 20 inch neck, when I was running full speed and laid a stiff arm on someone..they knew it!

So I guess I woke up feeling a little nostalgic today...why not share with you guys? At the expense of sounding like Al Bundy..I scored 4TDs in one game..not just any game but Homecoming! But I know it's all relative..high school was high school, but it was still fun. I accomplished many things in high school that may or may not have much to do with who I am today.

Like this for instance.....

Look I won a pie eating contest! ;-)

Wanna know an irony of life? The other guy in the picture, the one who lost this contest to me, ended up married to my high-school sweetheart. How crazy is that? I didn't even realize it. I just found this picture in between some football articles. It almost illustrates my point exactly. Sure I won the barnwarming pie eating contest, but some pie eating contests are more important than others. ;-)

Congrats to the Gators...and thanks for indulging my nostalgia.

~~Tiki

Today's Drink Recipes: Gator Piss & Buckeye Martini

Gator Piss

1 oz Bacardi Limon

2 oz Midori melon liqueur

sour mix to balance

Pour Midori & rum over ice in a cocktail (martini) glass. Top with sour mix. Give a quick stir and serve.

Buckeye Martini

3 oz gin*

1/2 oz dry vermouth

Stir with crakced ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a black olive and serve. *Sub vodka if preferred.

Today's Drink Recipe: Matador

Matador

1 1/2 oz tequila

3 oz pineapple juice

1 oz lime juice

1/2 tsp. granulated sugar

Mix all ingredients in an ice-filled shaker or mixing glass. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

OR

Build over ice in a highball glass.

A Few Pics from New Year's Eve

I wasn't able to take many, but here's some from last night.

Wouldn't be a holiday if I didn't have some crazy

accessories!

Barb & Nancy from the old PCGR days came

to visit me!

Teva. Could she be any cuter?!

He was enjoying Tiki Koolers earlier!

Robin & Linda P., my partners in grime.

Now that is a nice Black & Tan!

The mysterious "footprint" in our spill mat.

Chelsea's Friend, Chelsea, & Keri

(Chelsea borrowed my glasses)

Coming in for the real thing with Barb & Nancy.

Greg McMillian & The Sundowners

Teva in my glasses. It was her last night!

*Sniff*

Me & Phil. He brought his own glasses!

It was not especially busy last night, somewhat disappointing. But I still had to work abotu 2 hours later than usual and had an icepack on my knee last night when I got home. It was fun for those that were there. Happy 2007!