March 10: today in history (from Wikipedia)
1629 – "Charles I of England dissolves Parliament, beginning the eleven-year period known as the Personal Rule." Worst. King. Ever.
1848 – "The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is ratified by the United States Senate, ending the Mexican–American War." This brought America's war record to 2-0-1. (War of 1812 being the tie.) The schedule strength diminished somewhat, but it was our first road win. You know, because wars are like college football.
1977 – "Rings of Uranus: Astronomers discover rings around Uranus." [Insert dumb tasteless joke here.]
Quote of the Day -- alright, speech of the day.
Jim Valvano (March 10, 1946 – April 28, 1993) would have been 68 today. If you haven't seen this, you should:
Song of the Day
Happy 51st to Jeff Ament, Pearl Jam's bass player who co-wrote my favorite from them:
Monday, March 10, 2014
Saturday, March 08, 2014
March 9, 2014: Barbie, Mickey Spillane, Kicks...
March 9: today in history (from Wikipedia)
1009 – "First known mention of Lithuania, in the annals of the monastery of Quedlinburg." Probably in reference to a mysterious race of talented basketball players?
1500 – "The fleet of Pedro Álvares Cabral leaves Lisbon for the Indies. The fleet will discover Brazil which lies within boundaries granted to Portugal in the Treaty of Tordesillas." I'd like to visit there someday, for purely educational reasons, of course.
1959 – "The Barbie doll makes its debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York." Greatest day ever! I mean, who cares. What, you think I'm into Barbie dolls? Do you think I'm a collector? Ha ha. Don't be silly!
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise sourced)
"Nobody reads a mystery to get to the middle. They read it to get to the end. If it's a letdown, they won't buy anymore. The first page sells that book. The last page sells your next book."
"I'm a commercial writer, not an author. Margaret Mitchell was an author. She wrote one book."
"Authors want their names down in history; I want to keep the smoke coming out of the chimney."
- Mickey Spillane (March 9, 1918 – July 17, 2006
"What people fail to appreciate is that the currency of corruption in elective office is, not money, but votes." - James L. Buckley (born March 9, 1923)
"Every interpersonal situation has a solution in which everyone wins." --Del Close (March 9, 1934 – March 4, 1999) Source
"A gaffe is when a politician tells the truth." - Michael Kinsley (born March 9, 1951)
Song of the Day
Happy 72nd to Mark Linday, lead singer of Paul Revere & the Raiders! Tremendous bounce and hooks in this song, which sends its message and gets out:
1009 – "First known mention of Lithuania, in the annals of the monastery of Quedlinburg." Probably in reference to a mysterious race of talented basketball players?
1500 – "The fleet of Pedro Álvares Cabral leaves Lisbon for the Indies. The fleet will discover Brazil which lies within boundaries granted to Portugal in the Treaty of Tordesillas." I'd like to visit there someday, for purely educational reasons, of course.
1959 – "The Barbie doll makes its debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York." Greatest day ever! I mean, who cares. What, you think I'm into Barbie dolls? Do you think I'm a collector? Ha ha. Don't be silly!
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise sourced)
"Nobody reads a mystery to get to the middle. They read it to get to the end. If it's a letdown, they won't buy anymore. The first page sells that book. The last page sells your next book."
"I'm a commercial writer, not an author. Margaret Mitchell was an author. She wrote one book."
"Authors want their names down in history; I want to keep the smoke coming out of the chimney."
- Mickey Spillane (March 9, 1918 – July 17, 2006
"What people fail to appreciate is that the currency of corruption in elective office is, not money, but votes." - James L. Buckley (born March 9, 1923)
"Every interpersonal situation has a solution in which everyone wins." --Del Close (March 9, 1934 – March 4, 1999) Source
"A gaffe is when a politician tells the truth." - Michael Kinsley (born March 9, 1951)
Song of the Day
Happy 72nd to Mark Linday, lead singer of Paul Revere & the Raiders! Tremendous bounce and hooks in this song, which sends its message and gets out:
Friday, March 07, 2014
March 8, 2014: Hitchhikers, Holmes, and the other side...
March 8: today in history (from Wikipedia)
1917 – "The United States Senate votes to limit filibusters by adopting the cloture rule." The filibuster isn't very democratic, but neither is a simple Senate majority when California has 70 times as many people as Wyoming and yet is equally represented in the Senate. Cloture implies that passage of a law may have the "consent" of Senators representing most states and a majority of the American people.
1978 – "The first radio episode of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams, is transmitted on BBC Radio 4." I think the franchise ran out of steam, but the Hitchhiker's first three novels are brilliantly funny.
1983 – "U.S. President Ronald Reagan calls the Soviet Union an "evil empire." Several American politicians want to call Russia that today, whereas many across the world would assign the USA that title.
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise noted)
"The advice of the elders to young men is very apt to be as unreal as a list of the hundred best books."
"I despise making the most of one's time. Half of the pleasures of life consist of the opportunities one has neglected."
- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (March 8, 1841 – March 6, 1935)
"[If you're] going to have an industrial society you must have places that will look terrible. Other places you set aside -- to say, ‘This is the way it was." - John McPhee (born March 8, 1931) Source: http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/40.John_McPhee
"TV serves us most usefully when presenting junk-entertainment; it serves us most ill when it co-opts serious modes of discourse - news, politics, science, education, commerce, religion." - Neil Postman (March 8, 1931 – October 5, 2003)
Song of the Day
Happy 35th, Tom Chaplin of Keane!
1917 – "The United States Senate votes to limit filibusters by adopting the cloture rule." The filibuster isn't very democratic, but neither is a simple Senate majority when California has 70 times as many people as Wyoming and yet is equally represented in the Senate. Cloture implies that passage of a law may have the "consent" of Senators representing most states and a majority of the American people.
1978 – "The first radio episode of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams, is transmitted on BBC Radio 4." I think the franchise ran out of steam, but the Hitchhiker's first three novels are brilliantly funny.
1983 – "U.S. President Ronald Reagan calls the Soviet Union an "evil empire." Several American politicians want to call Russia that today, whereas many across the world would assign the USA that title.
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise noted)
"The advice of the elders to young men is very apt to be as unreal as a list of the hundred best books."
"I despise making the most of one's time. Half of the pleasures of life consist of the opportunities one has neglected."
- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (March 8, 1841 – March 6, 1935)
"[If you're] going to have an industrial society you must have places that will look terrible. Other places you set aside -- to say, ‘This is the way it was." - John McPhee (born March 8, 1931) Source: http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/40.John_McPhee
"TV serves us most usefully when presenting junk-entertainment; it serves us most ill when it co-opts serious modes of discourse - news, politics, science, education, commerce, religion." - Neil Postman (March 8, 1931 – October 5, 2003)
Song of the Day
Happy 35th, Tom Chaplin of Keane!
March 7, 2014: Pancho, Lefty, the telephone, and more
March 7: today in history (from Wikipedia)
321 – "Emperor Constantine I decrees that the dies Solis Invicti (sun-day) is the day of rest in the Empire." Oh, wait, it's not in the Bible? Wha?
1876 – "Alexander Graham Bell is granted a patent for an invention he calls the telephone." But people didn't actually like it until voice mail.
1914 – "Prince William of Wied arrives in Albania to begin his reign." Who can ever forget?
1985 – "The song 'We Are the World' receives its international release." Because of it, there's no more world hunger. The recording that Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan wrecked.
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise noted)
"A company that pays attention to the family unit is a successful company. We don't isolate the family. We don't make rides that say, 'Hey mom, dad, you go sit on the bench.'" - Michael Eisner (born March 7, 1942)
"I'm certainly not sorry that there were some things I missed. You may think you're missing something at that time but later when you look at it, you didn't miss anything." - Ivan Lendl (born March 7, 1960)
"Don't bother me while I'm eating, or when I'm coming out of the crackhouse or something. Just let me get going."
"I don't understand why people really get upset about something that doesn't affect them at all."
- Wanda Sykes (born March 7, 1964)
Song of the Day:
Townes Van Zandt (March 7, 1944 – January 1, 1997) would have turned 70 today.
321 – "Emperor Constantine I decrees that the dies Solis Invicti (sun-day) is the day of rest in the Empire." Oh, wait, it's not in the Bible? Wha?
1876 – "Alexander Graham Bell is granted a patent for an invention he calls the telephone." But people didn't actually like it until voice mail.
1914 – "Prince William of Wied arrives in Albania to begin his reign." Who can ever forget?
1985 – "The song 'We Are the World' receives its international release." Because of it, there's no more world hunger. The recording that Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan wrecked.
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise noted)
"A company that pays attention to the family unit is a successful company. We don't isolate the family. We don't make rides that say, 'Hey mom, dad, you go sit on the bench.'" - Michael Eisner (born March 7, 1942)
"I'm certainly not sorry that there were some things I missed. You may think you're missing something at that time but later when you look at it, you didn't miss anything." - Ivan Lendl (born March 7, 1960)
"Don't bother me while I'm eating, or when I'm coming out of the crackhouse or something. Just let me get going."
"I don't understand why people really get upset about something that doesn't affect them at all."
- Wanda Sykes (born March 7, 1964)
Song of the Day:
Townes Van Zandt (March 7, 1944 – January 1, 1997) would have turned 70 today.
The Insane Anti-Russian Foreign Policy
Let me get this straight...
But if the desire to leave Ukraine, whose government is both broke and broken, runs deep, isn't it anti-democratic to stop a referendum on the issue?
And shouldn't peaceful, democratic secessions be supported?
Does it matter to anybody accept a humiliated Ukrainian government which country Crimea is a part of?
(In any case, Russia's bad behavior in the Ukraine crisis is more justifiable than how the U.S. acted in Serbia and Syria. At least its, however misguided, based on a calculation of Russia's own interests.)
The pattern here is an anti-Russian foreign policy vigorously pursued since the end of the Cold War. It included intervention in the Balkan wars in the early-mid 1990's and the expansion of NATO.
If adults were in charge of foreign policy in the post-Cold War era, a policy of friendship, trade, and cooperation with Russia would have been pursued. And while I believe in non-intervention in foreign conflicts and don't believe it's the role of the U.S. to fix the world's problems, to the extent we did so we could have called upon Russia to be a partner in seeking solutions.
But no, instead the U.S. tried to alienate and isolate Russia at virtually every turn, up to and including fomenting revolution in Russia's neighbor Ukraine. The Crimean invasion wouldn't have happened otherwise.
Our foreign policy "leaders," both elected and appointed,are stupid and evil.
- In 1999, the U.S. bombed Serbia to help Moslem gangsters in Kosovo gain independence.
- Last year, the U.S. came close to bombing Syrian forces to help a rebel coalition with strong Al Qaeda ties.
- And now, when the Crimean parliament seeks peaceful secession from Ukraine, that's "unacceptable" according to the U.S.
- The U.S. bombed Libya and continues drone warfare in several countries, but lectures Russia about breaking international law.
- Serbia had close ties to Russia.
- The Syrian government is more or less allied with Russia.
- Crimea wants to join Russia.
But if the desire to leave Ukraine, whose government is both broke and broken, runs deep, isn't it anti-democratic to stop a referendum on the issue?
And shouldn't peaceful, democratic secessions be supported?
Does it matter to anybody accept a humiliated Ukrainian government which country Crimea is a part of?
(In any case, Russia's bad behavior in the Ukraine crisis is more justifiable than how the U.S. acted in Serbia and Syria. At least its, however misguided, based on a calculation of Russia's own interests.)
The pattern here is an anti-Russian foreign policy vigorously pursued since the end of the Cold War. It included intervention in the Balkan wars in the early-mid 1990's and the expansion of NATO.
If adults were in charge of foreign policy in the post-Cold War era, a policy of friendship, trade, and cooperation with Russia would have been pursued. And while I believe in non-intervention in foreign conflicts and don't believe it's the role of the U.S. to fix the world's problems, to the extent we did so we could have called upon Russia to be a partner in seeking solutions.
But no, instead the U.S. tried to alienate and isolate Russia at virtually every turn, up to and including fomenting revolution in Russia's neighbor Ukraine. The Crimean invasion wouldn't have happened otherwise.
Our foreign policy "leaders," both elected and appointed,are stupid and evil.
Thursday, March 06, 2014
March 6, 2014: Rob Ford, Muhammed Ali, Shaq, Pink Floyd...
March 6: today in history (via Wikipedia)
1834 – "York, Upper Canada is incorporated as Toronto." Thanks for giving us Rob Ford!
1857 – "The Supreme Court of the United States rules in the Dred Scott v. Sandford case." Despite the disaster of the decision itself, it's also poisoned political opinion to this day. "Worst decision since Dred Scott!" is said about too many decisions, far too often.
1964 – "Nation of Islam's Elijah Muhammad officially gives boxing champion Cassius Clay the name Muhammad Ali." So one man had the two coolest, catchiest names of all time.
1981 – "After 19 years of presenting the CBS Evening News, Walter Cronkite signs off for the last time." When of the few tv giants who knew when to quit.
Notable quotes (via BrainyQuote unless otherwise sourced)
"He looked at me as if I were a side dish he hadn't ordered."
"A good many young writers make the mistake of enclosing a stamped, self-addressed envelope, big enough for the manuscript to come back in. This is too much of a temptation to the editor."
- Ring Lardner (March 6, 1885 – September 25, 1933)
"In the absence of the gold standard, there is no way to protect savings from confiscation through inflation. There is no safe store of value." - Alan Greenspan (born March 6, 1926)
"You can either invade a country or leave them alone and trade with them. When goods cross borders, armies don't." - John Stossel (born March 6, 1947)
"I'm tired of hearing about money, money, money, money, money. I just want to play the game, drink Pepsi, wear Reebok." - Shaquille O'Neal (born March 6, 1972)
Song of the Day
Happy 68th, David Gilmour!
1834 – "York, Upper Canada is incorporated as Toronto." Thanks for giving us Rob Ford!
1857 – "The Supreme Court of the United States rules in the Dred Scott v. Sandford case." Despite the disaster of the decision itself, it's also poisoned political opinion to this day. "Worst decision since Dred Scott!" is said about too many decisions, far too often.
1964 – "Nation of Islam's Elijah Muhammad officially gives boxing champion Cassius Clay the name Muhammad Ali." So one man had the two coolest, catchiest names of all time.
1981 – "After 19 years of presenting the CBS Evening News, Walter Cronkite signs off for the last time." When of the few tv giants who knew when to quit.
Notable quotes (via BrainyQuote unless otherwise sourced)
"He looked at me as if I were a side dish he hadn't ordered."
"A good many young writers make the mistake of enclosing a stamped, self-addressed envelope, big enough for the manuscript to come back in. This is too much of a temptation to the editor."
- Ring Lardner (March 6, 1885 – September 25, 1933)
"In the absence of the gold standard, there is no way to protect savings from confiscation through inflation. There is no safe store of value." - Alan Greenspan (born March 6, 1926)
"You can either invade a country or leave them alone and trade with them. When goods cross borders, armies don't." - John Stossel (born March 6, 1947)
"I'm tired of hearing about money, money, money, money, money. I just want to play the game, drink Pepsi, wear Reebok." - Shaquille O'Neal (born March 6, 1972)
Song of the Day
Happy 68th, David Gilmour!
Wednesday, March 05, 2014
March 5, 2014: Boston, Banks, Censorship, and More
March 5: today in history (from Wikipedia)
1496 – "King Henry VII of England issues letters patent to John Cabot and his sons, authorising them to explore unknown lands." British Empire conceived.
1770 – "Boston Massacre: Five Americans, including Crispus Attucks, and a boy, are killed by British troops in an event that would contribute to the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War five years later. At a subsequent trial the soldiers are defended by future U.S. president John Adams." Thus establishing his reputation for integrity and launching his political career.
1906 – "Moro Rebellion: United States Army troops bring overwhelming force against the native Moros in the First Battle of Bud Dajo, leaving only six survivors." The phrase, "women and children first" didn't mean what the troops apparently thought it meant.
1933 – "Great Depression: President Franklin D. Roosevelt declares a "bank holiday", closing all U.S. banks and freezing all financial transactions." And he got the power, where?
1946 – "Winston Churchill coins the phrase "Iron Curtain" in his speech at Westminster College, Missouri." Because we always have to be afraid of foreign monsters!
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise sourced)
"The Christian of the future will be a mystic or he will not exist at all." - Karl Rahner (March 5, 1904 – March 30, 1984)
"Exhilaration is that feeling you get just after a great idea hits you, and just before you realize what's wrong with it." - Rex Harrison (5 March 1908 – 2 June 1990)
"I have a very specific definition of censorship. Censorship must be done by the government or it's not censorship."
"If you don't pay your taxes and you don't answer the warrant and you don't go to court, eventually someone will pull a gun. Eventually someone with a gun will show up. I want everything the government does to be done, I just want it to be done voluntarily."
- Penn Jillette (born March 5, 1955)
Song of the Day
Happy 66th, Eddy Grant!
1496 – "King Henry VII of England issues letters patent to John Cabot and his sons, authorising them to explore unknown lands." British Empire conceived.
1770 – "Boston Massacre: Five Americans, including Crispus Attucks, and a boy, are killed by British troops in an event that would contribute to the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War five years later. At a subsequent trial the soldiers are defended by future U.S. president John Adams." Thus establishing his reputation for integrity and launching his political career.
1906 – "Moro Rebellion: United States Army troops bring overwhelming force against the native Moros in the First Battle of Bud Dajo, leaving only six survivors." The phrase, "women and children first" didn't mean what the troops apparently thought it meant.
1933 – "Great Depression: President Franklin D. Roosevelt declares a "bank holiday", closing all U.S. banks and freezing all financial transactions." And he got the power, where?
1946 – "Winston Churchill coins the phrase "Iron Curtain" in his speech at Westminster College, Missouri." Because we always have to be afraid of foreign monsters!
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise sourced)
"The Christian of the future will be a mystic or he will not exist at all." - Karl Rahner (March 5, 1904 – March 30, 1984)
"Exhilaration is that feeling you get just after a great idea hits you, and just before you realize what's wrong with it." - Rex Harrison (5 March 1908 – 2 June 1990)
"I have a very specific definition of censorship. Censorship must be done by the government or it's not censorship."
"If you don't pay your taxes and you don't answer the warrant and you don't go to court, eventually someone will pull a gun. Eventually someone with a gun will show up. I want everything the government does to be done, I just want it to be done voluntarily."
- Penn Jillette (born March 5, 1955)
Song of the Day
Happy 66th, Eddy Grant!
Tuesday, March 04, 2014
March 4, 2014 - Couldn't Get It Right: Bill of Rights and Chicago
In a nice slice of synchronicity, today is National Pancake Day and Fat Tuesday. Other items...
March 4: today in history (from Wikipedia)
1789 – "In New York City, the first Congress of the United States meets, putting the United States Constitution into effect. The United States Bill of Rights is written and proposed to Congress." They probably should have stopped right there.
1791 – Vermont is admitted to the United States as the fourteenth state." Some of them now want out.
1837 – "The city of Chicago is incorporated." Federal investigations against the city council commenced the next day.
1974 – "People magazine is published for the first time in the United States as People Weekly." Good thing; without People, how did we ever know who was sexy and who wasn't?
Notable Quotes
“In existing criminology there are concepts: a criminal man, a criminal profession, a criminal society, a criminal sect, and a criminal tribe; but there is no concept of a criminal state, or a criminal government, or criminal legislation. Consequently, the biggest crimes actually escape being called crimes.” - P.D. Ouspensky (4 March 1878 – 2 October 1947) Source: http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/1292754.P_D_Ouspensky
"A critic is a legless man who teaches running."
"Happiness: a way station between too little and too much."
- Channing Pollock (March 4, 1880 – August 17, 1946)
"One loss is good for the soul, Too many losses is not good for the coach." Knute Rockne (March 4, 1888 – March 31, 1931)
Song of the Day
Pete Haycock (4 March 1951 – 30 October 2013) of the Climax Blues Band would have turned 53 years old today.
March 4: today in history (from Wikipedia)
1789 – "In New York City, the first Congress of the United States meets, putting the United States Constitution into effect. The United States Bill of Rights is written and proposed to Congress." They probably should have stopped right there.
1791 – Vermont is admitted to the United States as the fourteenth state." Some of them now want out.
1837 – "The city of Chicago is incorporated." Federal investigations against the city council commenced the next day.
1974 – "People magazine is published for the first time in the United States as People Weekly." Good thing; without People, how did we ever know who was sexy and who wasn't?
Notable Quotes
“In existing criminology there are concepts: a criminal man, a criminal profession, a criminal society, a criminal sect, and a criminal tribe; but there is no concept of a criminal state, or a criminal government, or criminal legislation. Consequently, the biggest crimes actually escape being called crimes.” - P.D. Ouspensky (4 March 1878 – 2 October 1947) Source: http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/1292754.P_D_Ouspensky
"A critic is a legless man who teaches running."
"Happiness: a way station between too little and too much."
- Channing Pollock (March 4, 1880 – August 17, 1946)
"One loss is good for the soul, Too many losses is not good for the coach." Knute Rockne (March 4, 1888 – March 31, 1931)
Song of the Day
Pete Haycock (4 March 1951 – 30 October 2013) of the Climax Blues Band would have turned 53 years old today.
Monday, March 03, 2014
March 3, 2014
March 3: Today in history (from Wikipedia)
1873 – "Censorship in the United States: The U.S. Congress enacts the Comstock Law, making it illegal to send any "obscene, lewd, or lascivious" books through the mail." Amazing how they thought this was in accordance with the First Amendment.
1875 – "Georges Bizet's opera Carmen receives its première at the Opéra-Comique in Paris". See Song of the Day below.
1931 – "The United States adopts The Star-Spangled Banner as its national anthem." Why did we need to make it official?
1938 – "Oil is discovered in Saudi Arabia." It's fortunate they've been such a loyal ally!
1945 – "World War II:"The RAF accidentally bombs the Bezuidenhout neighbourhood in The Hague, Netherlands, killing 511 people." Dutch film director Paul Verhoeven survived this, which apparently influenced his start depictions of violence in his movies.
1991 – "An amateur video captures the beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers." And police violence has gotten steadily worse.
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise sourced)
"If he who employs coercion against me could mould me to his purposes by argument, no doubt he would. He pretends to punish me because his argument is strong; but he really punishes me because his argument is weak." - William Godwin (3 March 1756 – 7 April 1836)
"Grant a grocer the exclusive right to supply a neighborhood, prevent the inhabitants of this neighborhood from buying any goods from other grocers in the vicinity, or even from supplying their own groceries, and you will see what detestable rubbish the privileged grocer will end up selling and at what prices! You will see how he will grow rich at the expense of the unfortunate consumers, what royal pomp he will display for the greater glory of the neighborhood. Well! What is true for the lowliest services is no less true for the loftiest. The monopoly of government is worth no more than that of a grocer's shop. The production of security inevitably becomes costly and bad when it is organized as a monopoly. It is in the monopoly of security that lies the principal cause of wars which have laid waste to humanity." - Gustave de Molinari (3 March 1819 – 28 January 1912)
"I think good radio often uses the techniques of fiction: characters, scenes, a big urgent emotional question. And as in the best fiction, tone counts for a lot." - Ira Glass (born March 3, 1959)
Song of the Day
"Carmen" deputed 139 years ago today:
1873 – "Censorship in the United States: The U.S. Congress enacts the Comstock Law, making it illegal to send any "obscene, lewd, or lascivious" books through the mail." Amazing how they thought this was in accordance with the First Amendment.
1875 – "Georges Bizet's opera Carmen receives its première at the Opéra-Comique in Paris". See Song of the Day below.
1931 – "The United States adopts The Star-Spangled Banner as its national anthem." Why did we need to make it official?
1938 – "Oil is discovered in Saudi Arabia." It's fortunate they've been such a loyal ally!
1945 – "World War II:"The RAF accidentally bombs the Bezuidenhout neighbourhood in The Hague, Netherlands, killing 511 people." Dutch film director Paul Verhoeven survived this, which apparently influenced his start depictions of violence in his movies.
1991 – "An amateur video captures the beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers." And police violence has gotten steadily worse.
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise sourced)
"If he who employs coercion against me could mould me to his purposes by argument, no doubt he would. He pretends to punish me because his argument is strong; but he really punishes me because his argument is weak." - William Godwin (3 March 1756 – 7 April 1836)
"Grant a grocer the exclusive right to supply a neighborhood, prevent the inhabitants of this neighborhood from buying any goods from other grocers in the vicinity, or even from supplying their own groceries, and you will see what detestable rubbish the privileged grocer will end up selling and at what prices! You will see how he will grow rich at the expense of the unfortunate consumers, what royal pomp he will display for the greater glory of the neighborhood. Well! What is true for the lowliest services is no less true for the loftiest. The monopoly of government is worth no more than that of a grocer's shop. The production of security inevitably becomes costly and bad when it is organized as a monopoly. It is in the monopoly of security that lies the principal cause of wars which have laid waste to humanity." - Gustave de Molinari (3 March 1819 – 28 January 1912)
"I think good radio often uses the techniques of fiction: characters, scenes, a big urgent emotional question. And as in the best fiction, tone counts for a lot." - Ira Glass (born March 3, 1959)
Song of the Day
"Carmen" deputed 139 years ago today:
Sunday, March 02, 2014
March 2, 2014: Wilt, Dr. Seuss, the Carpenters, and more
March 2: This day in history (from Wikipedia)
1807 – "The U.S. Congress passes the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves, disallowing the importation of new slaves into the country." This is the only immigration law that's actually authorized by the Constitution, as Thomas Knapp has pointed out.
1877 – "U.S. presidential election, 1876: Just two days before inauguration, the U.S. Congress declares Rutherford B. Hayes the winner of the election even though Samuel J. Tilden had won the popular vote on November 7, 1876." Although Republicans held the White House for all but eight years from 1861 to 1913, the Democrats won at least three of the popular votes and several others were quite close.
1962 – "Wilt Chamberlain sets the single-game scoring record in the National Basketball Association by scoring 100 points." It's still unfathomable to me how personally, physical dominant Chamberlain was. In the end, however, it's still a team game.
1983 – "Compact Discs and players are released for the first time in the United States and other markets. They had previously been available only in Japan." It's amazing how brief a run they really had.
Notable Quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise sourced)
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go." Dr. Seuss (March 2, 1904 – September 24, 1991)
“And, indeed, what is the State anyway but organized banditry? What is taxation but theft on a gigantic, unchecked, scale? What is war but mass murder on a scale impossible by private police forces? What is conscription but mass enslavement? Can anyone envision a private police force getting away with a tiny fraction of what States get away with, and do habitually, year after year, century after century?” - Murray N. Rothbard (March 2, 1926 – January 7, 1995)
It is very comforting to believe that leaders who do terrible things are, in fact, mad. That way, all we have to do is make sure we don't put psychotics in high places and we've got the problem solved.
Tom Wolfe (born March 2, 1931)
"One chord is fine. Two chords are pushing it. Three chords and you're into jazz." - Lou Reed (March 2, 1942 – October 27, 2013)
Song of the Day
Karen Carptenter (March 2, 1950 – February 4, 1983) would have have turned 64 today. Still one of the saddest celebirity deaths in my memory. I love her drumming on this
1807 – "The U.S. Congress passes the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves, disallowing the importation of new slaves into the country." This is the only immigration law that's actually authorized by the Constitution, as Thomas Knapp has pointed out.
1877 – "U.S. presidential election, 1876: Just two days before inauguration, the U.S. Congress declares Rutherford B. Hayes the winner of the election even though Samuel J. Tilden had won the popular vote on November 7, 1876." Although Republicans held the White House for all but eight years from 1861 to 1913, the Democrats won at least three of the popular votes and several others were quite close.
1962 – "Wilt Chamberlain sets the single-game scoring record in the National Basketball Association by scoring 100 points." It's still unfathomable to me how personally, physical dominant Chamberlain was. In the end, however, it's still a team game.
1983 – "Compact Discs and players are released for the first time in the United States and other markets. They had previously been available only in Japan." It's amazing how brief a run they really had.
Notable Quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise sourced)
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go." Dr. Seuss (March 2, 1904 – September 24, 1991)
“And, indeed, what is the State anyway but organized banditry? What is taxation but theft on a gigantic, unchecked, scale? What is war but mass murder on a scale impossible by private police forces? What is conscription but mass enslavement? Can anyone envision a private police force getting away with a tiny fraction of what States get away with, and do habitually, year after year, century after century?” - Murray N. Rothbard (March 2, 1926 – January 7, 1995)
It is very comforting to believe that leaders who do terrible things are, in fact, mad. That way, all we have to do is make sure we don't put psychotics in high places and we've got the problem solved.
Tom Wolfe (born March 2, 1931)
"One chord is fine. Two chords are pushing it. Three chords and you're into jazz." - Lou Reed (March 2, 1942 – October 27, 2013)
Song of the Day
Karen Carptenter (March 2, 1950 – February 4, 1983) would have have turned 64 today. Still one of the saddest celebirity deaths in my memory. I love her drumming on this
Saturday, March 01, 2014
March 1, 2014: A MAD post: Harry Caray turns 100, wisdom from Justin Bieber, and more:
March 1: this day in history (from Wikipedia)
1781 – "The Continental Congress adopts the Articles of Confederation." And the country and the world would be a better place if we kept them, rather than replace them with the Constitution.
1790 – "The first United States census is authorized." Hey Salamander, this is my friend Gerry. Hope you two hit it off!
1845 – "President John Tyler signs a bill authorizing the United States to annex the Republic of Texas." Oops.
1867 – "Nebraska becomes the 37th U.S. state." Greatest day in the history of everything.
1873 – "E. Remington and Sons in Ilion, New York begins production of the first practical typewriter." Igniting the careers of many a bad novelist.
1893 – "Electrical engineer Nikola Tesla gives the first public demonstration of radio in St. Louis, Missouri." No, Tesla was a hack! Ignore everything from Tesla!
"
1896 – "Henri Becquerel discovers radioactivity." Without which there'd be no Spiderman.
1901 – "The Australian Army is formed." Why???
1912 – "Albert Berry makes the first parachute jump from a moving airplane." It's really a scandal that there isn't a parachute for ever passenger in an airplane.
1941 – "World War II: Bulgaria signs the Tripartite Pact, allying itself with the Axis powers." Another oops.
1946 – "The Bank of England is nationalized." Oops again.
1947 – "The International Monetary Fund begins financial operations." Also known as, Imperialism 2.0.
1998 – "Titanic became the first film to gross over $1 billion worldwide." It IS a very good movie, but its crappy screenplay killed Billy Zane's career.
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise sourced.)
“What are we afraid of? Are we afraid of our own children? Do we forget that they are citizens, too, and entitled to select what to read or do? We think our children are so evil, simple minded, that it takes a story of murder to set them to murder, a story of robbery to set them to robbery?
Jimmy Walker once remarked that he never knew a girl to be ruined by a book. Nobody has ever been ruined by a comic.”
- Bill Gaines, (March 1, 1922 – June 3, 1992) Testifying before the Senate on behalf of comic books. His testimony ruined his comic book enterprises, but led him to change MAD from a comic to a magazine.
"I don't think the Constitution is studied almost anywhere, including law schools. In law schools, what they study is what the court said about the Constitution. They study the opinions. They don't study the Constitution itself." - Robert Bork (March 1, 1927 – December 19, 2012)
"I don't have any illusions anymore. The illusion that rock 'n' roll could change anything - I don't believe that. I've changed". - Roger Daltrey (born March 1, 1944
"Young people in the business have grown up and made the wrong decisions, or bad decisions, and haven't been good role models. To be someone that people look up to is important to me." - Justin Bieber (born March 1, 1994)
Song of the Day: There are lots of great musicians born on March 1, but Harry Caray ((March 1, 1914 – February 18, 1998) would have turned 100 today. There was a warm summer night, I think in 1996, where the game into 14 innings and Caray led us in singing this a second time. And the Cubs won! (This isn't that night, just a random one from YouTube)._
1781 – "The Continental Congress adopts the Articles of Confederation." And the country and the world would be a better place if we kept them, rather than replace them with the Constitution.
1790 – "The first United States census is authorized." Hey Salamander, this is my friend Gerry. Hope you two hit it off!
1845 – "President John Tyler signs a bill authorizing the United States to annex the Republic of Texas." Oops.
1867 – "Nebraska becomes the 37th U.S. state." Greatest day in the history of everything.
1873 – "E. Remington and Sons in Ilion, New York begins production of the first practical typewriter." Igniting the careers of many a bad novelist.
1893 – "Electrical engineer Nikola Tesla gives the first public demonstration of radio in St. Louis, Missouri." No, Tesla was a hack! Ignore everything from Tesla!
"
1896 – "Henri Becquerel discovers radioactivity." Without which there'd be no Spiderman.
1901 – "The Australian Army is formed." Why???
1912 – "Albert Berry makes the first parachute jump from a moving airplane." It's really a scandal that there isn't a parachute for ever passenger in an airplane.
1941 – "World War II: Bulgaria signs the Tripartite Pact, allying itself with the Axis powers." Another oops.
1946 – "The Bank of England is nationalized." Oops again.
1947 – "The International Monetary Fund begins financial operations." Also known as, Imperialism 2.0.
1998 – "Titanic became the first film to gross over $1 billion worldwide." It IS a very good movie, but its crappy screenplay killed Billy Zane's career.
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise sourced.)
“What are we afraid of? Are we afraid of our own children? Do we forget that they are citizens, too, and entitled to select what to read or do? We think our children are so evil, simple minded, that it takes a story of murder to set them to murder, a story of robbery to set them to robbery?
Jimmy Walker once remarked that he never knew a girl to be ruined by a book. Nobody has ever been ruined by a comic.”
- Bill Gaines, (March 1, 1922 – June 3, 1992) Testifying before the Senate on behalf of comic books. His testimony ruined his comic book enterprises, but led him to change MAD from a comic to a magazine.
"I don't think the Constitution is studied almost anywhere, including law schools. In law schools, what they study is what the court said about the Constitution. They study the opinions. They don't study the Constitution itself." - Robert Bork (March 1, 1927 – December 19, 2012)
"I don't have any illusions anymore. The illusion that rock 'n' roll could change anything - I don't believe that. I've changed". - Roger Daltrey (born March 1, 1944
"Young people in the business have grown up and made the wrong decisions, or bad decisions, and haven't been good role models. To be someone that people look up to is important to me." - Justin Bieber (born March 1, 1994)
Song of the Day: There are lots of great musicians born on March 1, but Harry Caray ((March 1, 1914 – February 18, 1998) would have turned 100 today. There was a warm summer night, I think in 1996, where the game into 14 innings and Caray led us in singing this a second time. And the Cubs won! (This isn't that night, just a random one from YouTube)._
Friday, February 28, 2014
The purpose of politics is to make you stupid
Look around you. Everything you see or touch is a three-dimensional object. That means it has six sides. And in relationships with other animals, there are more "sides;" we recognize that not all cats, dogs, or other pets have the same personality. In relationships with fellow human beings, there are far more sides than that.
But in politics, there are supposed to be "two sides." Period. That's why the purpose of politics is to make you stupid. Politics is at war with reality.
Politics boils down infinitely complicated issues into "good" and "bad," and seeks to ban the bad. It doesn't work. It never works, and can't work.
Take the Iraq War. The issue was portrayed as, you support the United States or you support a murderous dictator. You had to ignore everything else, especially the political, cultural, and religious dynamics within the artificially-created "nation" of Iraq. The interests of Shiites, Sunnis, and Kurds, the ideologies of secular Ba'athists and radical Islam, were ALL to be ignored. It was Saddam or US.
You had to take one of two sides, when there were many sides.
Today, most issues are still like this. Such as...
When they think they're tolerant, they will say, "Let's have equal time. Let both sides be heard."
Actually, there are probably, at minimum, six sides to any controversial political issue. Perhaps dozens, with just one or two advocating more coercion, others wanting the status quo, and still others wanting more freedom and less coercion.
So when somebody who pretends to be fair-minded claims he wants "both sides" to be heard, he's probably trying to dumb you down, or is so dumb-downed himself he doesn't even know how narrow-minded he is.
But in politics, there are supposed to be "two sides." Period. That's why the purpose of politics is to make you stupid. Politics is at war with reality.
Politics boils down infinitely complicated issues into "good" and "bad," and seeks to ban the bad. It doesn't work. It never works, and can't work.
Take the Iraq War. The issue was portrayed as, you support the United States or you support a murderous dictator. You had to ignore everything else, especially the political, cultural, and religious dynamics within the artificially-created "nation" of Iraq. The interests of Shiites, Sunnis, and Kurds, the ideologies of secular Ba'athists and radical Islam, were ALL to be ignored. It was Saddam or US.
You had to take one of two sides, when there were many sides.
Today, most issues are still like this. Such as...
- You side with the bigot, or you side with members of a minority group in discrimination laws.
- You want campaign finance regulations, or you want corrupt politics.
- You want government to do something about climate change, or you're a global warming "denier."
When they think they're tolerant, they will say, "Let's have equal time. Let both sides be heard."
Actually, there are probably, at minimum, six sides to any controversial political issue. Perhaps dozens, with just one or two advocating more coercion, others wanting the status quo, and still others wanting more freedom and less coercion.
So when somebody who pretends to be fair-minded claims he wants "both sides" to be heard, he's probably trying to dumb you down, or is so dumb-downed himself he doesn't even know how narrow-minded he is.
February 28, 2014: Waco and the Games People Play
February 28: this day in history (from Wikipedia)
1784 – "John Wesley charters the Methodist Church." Which ultimately inflicted Hillary Clinton on us.
1885 – "The American Telephone and Telegraph Company is incorporated in New York State as the subsidiary of American Bell Telephone. (American Bell would later merge with its subsidiary.)" And thus inflicted us with those commercials with the actor sitting around a children's library table with 8 year-old actors pretending to be spontaneous 5 year-olds.
1993 – "Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents raid the Branch Davidian church in Waco, Texas with a warrant to arrest the group's leader David Koresh. Four BATF agents and five Davidians die in the initial raid, starting a 51-day standoff." It's okay when a government murders its own people, so long as it's the United States government.
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise sourced)
"Not being able to govern events, I govern myself." - Michel de Montaigne (28 February 1533 – 13 September 1592) ZAP
"I know that a man who shows me his wealth is like the beggar who shows me his poverty; they are both looking for alms from me, the rich man for the alms of my envy, the poor man for the alms of my guilt."
"Trying to determine what is going on in the world by reading newspapers is like trying to tell the time by watching the second hand of a clock."
"I discovered early in my movie work that a movie is never any better than the stupidest man connected with it. There are times when this distinction may be given to the writer or director. Most often it belongs to the producer."
- Ben Hecht, the "Shakespeare of Hollywood" (February 28, 1894 - April 18, 1964)
"The best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas." - Linus Pauling (February 28, 1901 – August 19, 1994)
Song of the Day
Joe South (February 28, 1940 – September 5, 2012) would be 74 today. I wrote about this song last year. Haven't yet got tired of it:
1784 – "John Wesley charters the Methodist Church." Which ultimately inflicted Hillary Clinton on us.
1885 – "The American Telephone and Telegraph Company is incorporated in New York State as the subsidiary of American Bell Telephone. (American Bell would later merge with its subsidiary.)" And thus inflicted us with those commercials with the actor sitting around a children's library table with 8 year-old actors pretending to be spontaneous 5 year-olds.
1993 – "Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents raid the Branch Davidian church in Waco, Texas with a warrant to arrest the group's leader David Koresh. Four BATF agents and five Davidians die in the initial raid, starting a 51-day standoff." It's okay when a government murders its own people, so long as it's the United States government.
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise sourced)
"Not being able to govern events, I govern myself." - Michel de Montaigne (28 February 1533 – 13 September 1592) ZAP
"I know that a man who shows me his wealth is like the beggar who shows me his poverty; they are both looking for alms from me, the rich man for the alms of my envy, the poor man for the alms of my guilt."
"Trying to determine what is going on in the world by reading newspapers is like trying to tell the time by watching the second hand of a clock."
"I discovered early in my movie work that a movie is never any better than the stupidest man connected with it. There are times when this distinction may be given to the writer or director. Most often it belongs to the producer."
- Ben Hecht, the "Shakespeare of Hollywood" (February 28, 1894 - April 18, 1964)
"The best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas." - Linus Pauling (February 28, 1901 – August 19, 1994)
Song of the Day
Joe South (February 28, 1940 – September 5, 2012) would be 74 today. I wrote about this song last year. Haven't yet got tired of it:
Thursday, February 27, 2014
February 27, 2014: the REAL Independence Day, the Reichstag fire, and more
Feburay 27: This day in history (via Wikipedia)
1782 – "American Revolutionary War: the House of Commons of Great Britain votes against further war in America." Isn't this the REAL Indpendence Day?
1801 – "Pursuant to the District of Columbia Organic Act of 1801, Washington, D.C. is placed under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Congress." No wonder it's governed so well!
1933 – "Reichstag fire: Germany's parliament building in Berlin, the Reichstag, is set on fire." Many believe it was an inside job, but how can you believe such crazy conspiracy theories?
1951 – "The Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution, limiting Presidents to two terms, is ratified." Perhaps one six-year term would have been better.
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise sourced)
"If we could read the secret history of our enemies we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility."
"A torn jacket is soon mended; but hard words bruise the heart of a child."
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882)
"The layman's constitutional view is that what he likes is constitutional and that which he doesn't like is unconstitutional." - Hugo Black (February 27, 1886 – September 25, 1971)
"No man really knows about other human beings. The best he can do is to suppose that they are like himself." - John Steinbeck (February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968)
"It is strange that the years teach us patience; that the shorter our time, the greater our capacity for waiting." - Elizabeth Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011
Song of the day
Dexter Gordon (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) would have been 91 today.
1782 – "American Revolutionary War: the House of Commons of Great Britain votes against further war in America." Isn't this the REAL Indpendence Day?
1801 – "Pursuant to the District of Columbia Organic Act of 1801, Washington, D.C. is placed under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Congress." No wonder it's governed so well!
1933 – "Reichstag fire: Germany's parliament building in Berlin, the Reichstag, is set on fire." Many believe it was an inside job, but how can you believe such crazy conspiracy theories?
1951 – "The Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution, limiting Presidents to two terms, is ratified." Perhaps one six-year term would have been better.
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise sourced)
"If we could read the secret history of our enemies we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility."
"A torn jacket is soon mended; but hard words bruise the heart of a child."
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882)
"The layman's constitutional view is that what he likes is constitutional and that which he doesn't like is unconstitutional." - Hugo Black (February 27, 1886 – September 25, 1971)
"No man really knows about other human beings. The best he can do is to suppose that they are like himself." - John Steinbeck (February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968)
"It is strange that the years teach us patience; that the shorter our time, the greater our capacity for waiting." - Elizabeth Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011
Song of the day
Dexter Gordon (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) would have been 91 today.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
The perniciousness of anti-discrimination laws
It's remarkable how this isn't obvious to everyone:
As Ms. Borowski writes on her Facebook page, "I don't want a gay business owner to be forced to provide a service for a Westboro Baptist Church leader."
I suspect anti-discrimination laws imposed on private property aren't really about "protecting" or even "helping" gays or other minorities.
Rather, they're another flank in the Statist war on the free market, particularly...
As these "rights" to force others to serve you mount up, the number of regulations and lawsuits multiply. These, in turn, empower the State as well the lawyers and bureaucrats who live off of it.
Where will discrimination laws be headed?
A business owner has a job opening. The lone applicant wears a Westboro Baptist t-shirt or a White Power t-shirt. Should the owner be forced to hire him?
Or, the business owner sees customers wearing the same shirts. Shouldn't he be free to ask them to leave the premises, or be forced to serve them?
Now let's turn the tables. The business owner himself wears a Westoboro or White Power shirt. Offended applicants and customers are certainly free to reject the job or boycott the premises.
But inevitably, the store owner will be sued for harassment. That's the next step. That's where the laws and lawsuits are headed.
If a business owner doesn't want to serve any customer or reject any applicant for any reason, that should be his prerogative. He'll lose the revenue, or lose the best potential employee.
If the customer is free to reject a business, why can't the business be free to reject the customer?
As Ms. Borowski writes on her Facebook page, "I don't want a gay business owner to be forced to provide a service for a Westboro Baptist Church leader."
I suspect anti-discrimination laws imposed on private property aren't really about "protecting" or even "helping" gays or other minorities.
Rather, they're another flank in the Statist war on the free market, particularly...
- Freedom of thought and expression
- Freedom of contract
- Freedom of association
- Property rights
As these "rights" to force others to serve you mount up, the number of regulations and lawsuits multiply. These, in turn, empower the State as well the lawyers and bureaucrats who live off of it.
Where will discrimination laws be headed?
A business owner has a job opening. The lone applicant wears a Westboro Baptist t-shirt or a White Power t-shirt. Should the owner be forced to hire him?
Or, the business owner sees customers wearing the same shirts. Shouldn't he be free to ask them to leave the premises, or be forced to serve them?
Now let's turn the tables. The business owner himself wears a Westoboro or White Power shirt. Offended applicants and customers are certainly free to reject the job or boycott the premises.
But inevitably, the store owner will be sued for harassment. That's the next step. That's where the laws and lawsuits are headed.
If a business owner doesn't want to serve any customer or reject any applicant for any reason, that should be his prerogative. He'll lose the revenue, or lose the best potential employee.
If the customer is free to reject a business, why can't the business be free to reject the customer?
February 26, 2014: Money Quotes and More
February 26, today in history (from Wikipedia)
1815 – "Napoleon Bonaparte escapes from Elba." In retrospect, he probably wish he hadn't.
1987 – "Iran-Contra affair: The Tower Commission rebukes President Ronald Reagan for not controlling his national security staff." Wait, wrongdoing in Presdiential Administrations used to be INVESTIGATED???
1993 – "World Trade Center bombing: In New York City, a truck bomb parked below the North Tower of the World Trade Center explodes, killing six and injuring over a thousand." The intent of the failed bombing was for the one tower to crash into the other. It was actually more ambitious than the 9/11 attacks. It's a good thing Bill Clinton didn't overreact.
Notable Quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise source)
"Money can't buy love, but it improves your bargaining position." - Christopher Marlowe (baptised 26 February 1564 – 30 May 1593)
"All the forces in the world are not so powerful as an idea whose time has come." - Victor Hugo (26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885)
"Sooner or later, we sell out for money." - Tony Randall (February 26, 1920 – May 17, 2004)
"Success is having to worry about every damn thing in the world, except money."- Johnny Cash (February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003)
Song of the Day
Happy 86th, Fats Domino!
1815 – "Napoleon Bonaparte escapes from Elba." In retrospect, he probably wish he hadn't.
1987 – "Iran-Contra affair: The Tower Commission rebukes President Ronald Reagan for not controlling his national security staff." Wait, wrongdoing in Presdiential Administrations used to be INVESTIGATED???
1993 – "World Trade Center bombing: In New York City, a truck bomb parked below the North Tower of the World Trade Center explodes, killing six and injuring over a thousand." The intent of the failed bombing was for the one tower to crash into the other. It was actually more ambitious than the 9/11 attacks. It's a good thing Bill Clinton didn't overreact.
Notable Quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise source)
"Money can't buy love, but it improves your bargaining position." - Christopher Marlowe (baptised 26 February 1564 – 30 May 1593)
"All the forces in the world are not so powerful as an idea whose time has come." - Victor Hugo (26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885)
"Sooner or later, we sell out for money." - Tony Randall (February 26, 1920 – May 17, 2004)
"Success is having to worry about every damn thing in the world, except money."- Johnny Cash (February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003)
Song of the Day
Happy 86th, Fats Domino!
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
More change in the air
Check out my latest at The Partial Observer. Excerpt:
Recently, a Girl Scout sold 117 boxes of cookies in two hours outside a medical marijuana dispensary in California. The real story isn't about the volume of sales, but rather that the
mother had no problem selling outside that location. It can make a powerful impression on the girl, as it indicates that marijuana usage is no longer viewed as taboo among parents or their children.
I wouldn't be surprised, then, if the number of states legalizing medical or recreational marijuana explodes in the next ten years.
It's not dissimilar to the gradual acceptance of homosexuality and ultimately gay marriage.
The loosening of social mores is noticeable elsewhere. Years ago, commercial cable television held pretty close to the standards the FCC imposed on broadcast networks.
Recently, a Girl Scout sold 117 boxes of cookies in two hours outside a medical marijuana dispensary in California. The real story isn't about the volume of sales, but rather that the
mother had no problem selling outside that location. It can make a powerful impression on the girl, as it indicates that marijuana usage is no longer viewed as taboo among parents or their children.
I wouldn't be surprised, then, if the number of states legalizing medical or recreational marijuana explodes in the next ten years.
It's not dissimilar to the gradual acceptance of homosexuality and ultimately gay marriage.
The loosening of social mores is noticeable elsewhere. Years ago, commercial cable television held pretty close to the standards the FCC imposed on broadcast networks.
February 25, 2014
February 25, 2014: This day in history (from Wikipedia)
1945 – "World War II: Turkey declares war on Germany." Good thing, too. They bailed out our asses!
1987 – "Southern Methodist University's football program is the first college football program to receive the Death Penalty by the NCAA's Committee on Infractions. It was revealed that athletic officials and school administrators had knowledge of a 'slush fund' used to make illegal payments to the school's football players as far back as 1981." Ah, the good old days, when the coaches were paid less, and the players were paid more.
1991 – "The Warsaw Pact is declared disbanded." That NATO didn't do the same shortly thereafter, and in fact started to expand, speaks volumes about the REAL intentions of Western "leaders."
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise noted)
"You have no idea how unimportant is all that the teacher says or does not say on the surface, and how important what he himself is as teacher." - Rudolf Steiner (February 25, 1861 – March 30, 1925) Source: Wikiquote
"The world will never have lasting peace so long as men reserve for war the finest human qualities. Peace, no less than war, requires idealism and self-sacrifice and a righteous and dynamic faith."
- John Foster Dulles (February 25, 1888 – May 24, 1959)
"I served the famous professors and scholars, and eventually they learned that the Reverend Moon is superior to them. Even Nobel laureate academics who thought they were at the center of knowledge are as nothing in front of me." - Sun Myung Moon ( 25 February 1920 – 3 September 2012)
Song of the Day
George Harrison would have been 71 today. Sorely missed.
1945 – "World War II: Turkey declares war on Germany." Good thing, too. They bailed out our asses!
1987 – "Southern Methodist University's football program is the first college football program to receive the Death Penalty by the NCAA's Committee on Infractions. It was revealed that athletic officials and school administrators had knowledge of a 'slush fund' used to make illegal payments to the school's football players as far back as 1981." Ah, the good old days, when the coaches were paid less, and the players were paid more.
1991 – "The Warsaw Pact is declared disbanded." That NATO didn't do the same shortly thereafter, and in fact started to expand, speaks volumes about the REAL intentions of Western "leaders."
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise noted)
"You have no idea how unimportant is all that the teacher says or does not say on the surface, and how important what he himself is as teacher." - Rudolf Steiner (February 25, 1861 – March 30, 1925) Source: Wikiquote
"The world will never have lasting peace so long as men reserve for war the finest human qualities. Peace, no less than war, requires idealism and self-sacrifice and a righteous and dynamic faith."
- John Foster Dulles (February 25, 1888 – May 24, 1959)
"I served the famous professors and scholars, and eventually they learned that the Reverend Moon is superior to them. Even Nobel laureate academics who thought they were at the center of knowledge are as nothing in front of me." - Sun Myung Moon ( 25 February 1920 – 3 September 2012)
Song of the Day
George Harrison would have been 71 today. Sorely missed.
Monday, February 24, 2014
February 24, 2014: If you're not into yoga, if you have half a brain
February 24, 2014: this day in history (from Wikipedia)
1868 - "Andrew Johnson becomes the first President of the United States to be impeached by the United States House of Representatives. He is later acquitted in the Senate." Shouldn't have been the first. Should have been more than two. A lot of the problems facing the United States is the failure of Congress to hold Presidents accountable.
1920 – "The Nazi Party is founded." This had a fairly big impact on history, not least of which is it led to the Seinfeld episode about the Soup Nazi.
1942 - The "weather balloon" UFO explanation is invented.
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise noted)
"There ain't much to being a ballplayer, if you're a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner (February 24, 1874 – December 6, 1955)
"Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works."
"As individuals, people are inherently good. I have a somewhat more pessimistic view of people in groups."
- Steve Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011)
"I was at this casino minding my own business, and this guy came up to me and said, 'You're gonna have to move, you're blocking a fire exit.' As though if there was a fire, I wasn't gonna run. If you're flammible and have legs, you are never blocking a fire exit." - Mitch Hedberg (February 24, 1968 – March 29, 2005) Here are more great lines from him.
Song of the Day
Rupert Holmes (born February 24, 1947) with this song that probably got really annoying really fast, but is still pretty clever:
1868 - "Andrew Johnson becomes the first President of the United States to be impeached by the United States House of Representatives. He is later acquitted in the Senate." Shouldn't have been the first. Should have been more than two. A lot of the problems facing the United States is the failure of Congress to hold Presidents accountable.
1920 – "The Nazi Party is founded." This had a fairly big impact on history, not least of which is it led to the Seinfeld episode about the Soup Nazi.
1942 - The "weather balloon" UFO explanation is invented.
Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise noted)
"There ain't much to being a ballplayer, if you're a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner (February 24, 1874 – December 6, 1955)
"Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works."
"As individuals, people are inherently good. I have a somewhat more pessimistic view of people in groups."
- Steve Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011)
"I was at this casino minding my own business, and this guy came up to me and said, 'You're gonna have to move, you're blocking a fire exit.' As though if there was a fire, I wasn't gonna run. If you're flammible and have legs, you are never blocking a fire exit." - Mitch Hedberg (February 24, 1968 – March 29, 2005) Here are more great lines from him.
Song of the Day
Rupert Holmes (born February 24, 1947) with this song that probably got really annoying really fast, but is still pretty clever:
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