Banging on the machine has no effect. It is clear the foamer is on the fritz. There is no reason to make a Cappuccino without milk foam. It makes one wonder which came first, the milk foam or the coffee. Clearly, a cup of coffee without milk foam is just a cup of coffee. Milk foam without coffee is just hot milk with a mustache possibility. What is a person to do? The best thing to do is reset and be grateful for a cup of coffee and then get a new machine.
With coffee in one hand and the clock in the other, it is time to head out for another adventure. The clock is set for June 29th, 1914. The location is Sarajevo, Bosnia. The duration is for an hour. When the plunger is pulled we land on the street in Sarajevo. It is 11:00 AM, and two shots have taken the life of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Sophie the Duchess of Hohenberg, his wife.
The shooter is a student, Gavrilo Princip, a Serb separatist who is immediately arrested along with 22 accomplices. Pandamonium breaks out, and our alarm goes off. Back on the sofa, the text from Linda Hill comes in. It reads. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “chicken or egg.” Use the “which came first” conundrum in your post, whether about the chicken and the egg or about a real-life situation that fits the question. Or just talk about chickens and eggs! Enjoy!
To see what others did with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2024/06/28/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-june-29-2024/
Chicken and Egg by John W. Howell © 2024
“That was some visit. I noticed you went back to 1914. Why?”
“For one, nothing was going on in 1924 but the Democratic convention. I could not pass up the event that triggered World War I.”
“Gotta wonder how that was the trigger.”
“Well, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, and allies of each country declared war on each other. It was a mess.”
“What happened to the shooter?”
“He eventually was found guilty and sentenced to twenty years of hard labor in prison. He was too young for the death penalty, but his accomplices were all put to death. He died in prison in 1918.”
“Whoa, Karma at work.”
“Something like that.”
“Speaking of Karma.”
“I suppose this is a run-up to a pub visit.”
“Well with a name like VooDoo Ranger what else would Karma be?”
“Dis you call Uber.”
“Yup, he is waiting over there.”
Photo by Dan Antion
“What a sweet ride. A 1966 VW Beetle. Wait, there is already a passenger.”
“Yeah, that’s old Virginia. I’m afraid she misunderstood me when I mentioned the VooDoo Rangers.”
“What do you mean?”
“She’s into VooDoo and wanted to meet the ranger and swap methods.”
“For heaven’s sake. Couldn’t you clear it up?”
“I tried, but you know how it is.”
“No, I don’t.
“Let’s just say when Virginia gets something in her mind, it is best to go along. Especially if she asks for a lock of your hair.”
“Your hair?”
“No, yours.”
“I see what you mean. Let’s go.”
Fiction Favorites 
It’s always hard to know what started what when dealing with history. Good call on going along with Virginia. Keep your caps on.
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Ha ha ha. Good advice.
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How a minor started a world war – hard to believe sometimes.
You Uber is a good match for the story, John.
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It is hard to imagine. Thanks, GP.
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I remember in current history classes, they teach the cause of WWI to be MANIA. It’s to show that it wasn’t just one cause. I believe it was Militarism, Alliances, Nationalism, Imperialism, and Assassination. Same thing was WWII from what I can remember.
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Good recap, Charles.
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Being able to witness history as it is being created is actual live TV. I don’t want to do that.
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We have done a lot of it with the advent of TV and the internet.
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Your creativity knows no bounds. LOL. Well done, John! 🌞
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Thank you, Gwen. I think it may be bounded by ‘what’s for dinner.’ Typical male.
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Yep, that’s a male ‘thing’ for sure. Hubby plans the day by when he eats. And I’m surprised every day. 😄
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😁
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Gosh I hope I have foam in my coffee of if I may be taken back there. That was quite a good take, John!! Ha!!🩷🤣
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Thank you, Cindy. 😁
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Yes, the war to end all wars began. 😒
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Can you imagine having that hope. We certainly won’t say that again. Thanks, Tim.
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Thank goodness coffee is good without it being a cappuccino (at least you get your fix!)
And it just goes to show how one action is the catalyst for what was obviously brewing.
Love the way you teach us history, John.
Toast you later!
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Thank you, Dale. Yes, a toast later.
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😀
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That model and year of Beetle was our first car. We put a lot of miles on it until it threw a rod.
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The nice part about a VW is you could go and buy another motor. Was like a lawn mower.
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Unfortunately we were in a tiny town with no options to fix it. We bought another car!
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Easy enough to watch out for hair snipping. Don’t put your napkin anyplace where Virginia can scoop it up, and maybe buy her a beer to stay on her good side.
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Excellent advice. 😊
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#1 Grandson and I were just talking about what triggered the start to world war I earlier this week. He’s into WWII at the moment, but, is also studying WWI a bit.
Maybe wear a hat that covers all your hair. 😂
Good lesson and fun ending to today’s prompt, John.
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Ha ha ha. I like the hat idea. 😊
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I love what you said about the only thing happening in 1924 was the Democratic convention and passed on that one. Good call. Gotta love Virginia. 🙂 You made me chuckle, John.
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I read where the delegates rejected a plank in the Democrat platform calling out and condemning the actions of the Ku Klux Klan. Probably too many delegates were members.
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Poor Virginia did not know you were talking about Voodoo Ranger from New Belgium. Maybe if you give here a Voodoo Ranger IPA she will be happy.
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I think that is the only way to prevent some pin sticks.
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LOL that’s a good one
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Delightfully off-kilter!
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I love it when you say that. 😁
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😊
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😊
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Who let Virginia ride shotgun? I wouldn’t tell her that’s what it’s called.
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Ha ha ha. I don’t think anyone’s going to tell her anything.
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Whoa…and what a trigger it was. Your Uber ride made me A happy memory.
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I’m so glad 😁
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A lock of hair? Run! A creative weaving of history and imagination to tell your story. If only my history teachers had been so engaging.
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I wanted to be a teacher at one time. Then organized commerce called my name.
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Smart decision. 👍🏻 There are many ways one can be a teacher.
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Yeah, l had a run-in with the VooDoo Ranger…he WhooDooed me! He put lime in my coconut and made me drink it all up… I’ve never been the same🐳
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I’ll bet that was an amazing experience 🐳. Ha ha ha. Thanks Jim (Tuna)
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My goodness, I’m engrossed in the WWI trigger, and then there’s old Virginia. She is a bit creepy. This was terrific, John!
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So glad you liked it, Jennie. 😁
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Very much so. 😀
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I actually searched – how to make a voodoo doll – a few weeks ago.
I was thinking they could come in handy, when I was uber annoyed by a politician. It’s crazy! Everybody wants one, and I haven’t even offered them up for pre-order.
True, this assassination of the Archduke triggered WWI.
Still, the build up of hate based on social, race, greed, economics, religious and other ideals & ideas that precluded the straw that broke the camel’s back are still here. The war did not solve those same issues that haunt humanity today.
In my eggsperience, the arts are a great way to communicate positivity.
Sports can eggsact a better form of competition.
I better – shake an egg- I’ve got a lot to do, before the eggstraterrestrials arrive. I hear they’re bringing in a space ship filled with chickens/
🇺🇸𝔁 🇺🇸𝔁 🇺🇸𝔁 🇺🇸𝔁
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A VooDoo doll business is eggactly what you should offer. Instead of eggsterminating bad eggs one could simply make their lives eggscursiating. 🥚X 🥚X 🥚X 🥚X
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Yes! The politician I was thinking of VooDoo dolling is egg shaped any way.
Cool thought.! Then good would grow at an eggsponential rate.
🥚X 🥚X 🥚X 🥚X
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And yield Eggceptional profits.
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LOL!
💋
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😁
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Yeah the prelude to WWI was the definition of domino effect.
The bug AND Voodoo? That is a winning combination.
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Thanks, Marc.
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