Campus Chatter – February 8, 2012
Today in history, greetings, and social banter here. (More)
Universiteit Leiden was founded today (1575). Also, the College of William and Mary was chartered by William III and Mary II (1693), the U.S. Senate elected Vice President Richard Johnson (1837), Devon residents claimed to see the Devil’s Footprints (1855), Sandford Fleming proposed the adoption of Universal Standard Time (1879), Congress passed the Dawes Act aiming to ‘reform’ Native American tribes into Euro-American culture (1887), President Warren Harding brought radio into the White House (1922), Queen Elizabeth II was crowned (1952), the first eight brass stars were placed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (1960), three black students were killed and 25 others wounded when police opened fire on a protest at an Orangeburg, South Carolina bowling alley (1968), the U.S. Senate began broadcasting their proceedings on radio (1978), and General Motors sued NBC after Dateline NBC rigged two demonstration crashes (1993). And on the day of 24 Hours in Cyberspace, Congress passed the Communications Decency Act (1996).
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
Yesterday on Campus
Morning Feature – Winning Progressive with Stand With Arizona’s Workers
Midday Matinee – Tuesday’s Tale: The iHazHouse
Campus Question – Will Ninth Circuit decision on Prop 8 have broader impact?
Evening Focus – What is Extremist? (Quick Take)
Our Earth – Icelandic Current Changes Climate Picture
Today on Campus
Morning Feature – Winning Progressive with Cancer is Political
Furthermore! – winterbanyan with Poverty, Obesity, and Diabetes
Noontime News at noon
Midday Matinee – addisnana with Democrats Are Inclusive … But?
Campus Question at 6pm ET
Our Earth at 8pm ET – Icebergs’ Effect on Global Warming
Another historical note: Queen Elizabeth II reaffirmed that her family name was Windsor, and declared that her descendents would be the Mountbatten-Windsors, today in 1960.
The story of the British royal family name is complex. The short version is that the royal house traditionally took the name of the king or, if there was no king, the prince consort (queen’s husband). As Queen Victoria had married a member of House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the British royal family had that Germanic name during and after Victoria’s reign. Amidst the anti-German fervor of World War I, George V changed the family name to Windsor. When Princess Elizabeth married in 1947, by custom she would have taken Prince Phillip’s house name and the royal family would have become the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. However, before the marriage Prince Phillip renounced his other titles and adopted the surname Mountbatten.
Although Queen Elizabeth II decreed that her descendants would be Mountbatten-Windsors, royal decrees carry no statutory authority and any subsequent monarch can change the British royal family name.
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
Good morning!
Thanks for the item about Orangeburg. That was an incident that I don’t think I’d heard about before. How terrible. From a news item:
This was an appalling incident. Thanks for the further elucidation, Glenda.
I hadn’t heard about it either until I tumbled on it while preparing the today-in-history bits. The bitter irony is that only one criminal conviction came out of that incident: an SCLC organizer convicted of incitement to riot for rallying students to protest illegal segregation. He was later pardoned.
The gymnasium at South Carolina State University is named for the three students who were killed in Orangeburg.
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
Did anyone see the PBS special yesterday evening on the Freedom Riders? All I can say is: OMG!
I really don’t know if I’d of had the courage to do that!
I didn’t see the special, but I’ll try to record it if they rerun it. The Freedom Riders were an amazingly courageous group. We need to remember their and others’ struggles as we consider the Republican Party’s current agenda.
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
Amen!
Morning, folks! 32 here, with an expected high of 35 with 1-3″ of snow expected (100% chance of snow – last time that happened, we got none).
It may be sick of us, but this house is kind of enjoying the TGOP primary follies – I mean, Santorum won all 3? And 2 without Mittens winning a single county? They’re really desperate for a “not Romney,” aren’t they?
I’m glad you can find some enjoyment in this, trs.
Me, I’m getting seriously burned out as the bonfires get bigger and the outrage grows. None of these guys is fit to govern.
I agree that none of these guys are fit to govern. It’s just that the more the public sees of these guys, the better the President looks. Also, I suspect what’s going to happen is the TGOP is going to be so splintered by the time the general election comes around that the attitude is going to be, “if my candidate doesn’t win, I’m staying home.” And, let’s face it, it looks like nobody likes Mittens.
It’s important to remember that the caucus format works against Mitt Romney. That format requires people to like a candidate….
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
Minnesota Public Radio has a photo (scroll down a bit) of a caucus ballot with no Mitt Romney on it. No indication of how widespread this was but it’s tough to win as a write in.
Obviously those ballots were printed by people who should not have been registered to vote anyway. Voter fraud like this is why everyone should have to come to the polls with a photo ID, a birth certificate, and proof that both parents voted for St. Ronald of Reagan!
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
I’d be in deep trouble if that were the requirements (although I’m sure the powers that be here in VA are working on that). My mother was long gone, and there’s no way my father would ever vote for St. Ronnie. He despised Reagan as much as he despised Harry Caray (Can you tell we’re a family of life-long Cub fans?).
The uproar about the Chrysler Superbowl ad continues with an editorial in the NYT today, pointing out that the bailout began under Bush. Pointing out just how dishonest Rove is being.
Really. Now the GOP won’t take credit for the things that it did do that turned out good because they might benefit Obama?
Hugggs and good morning!
The GOP would have at least two problems with the fact that the bailout began under Bush:
1) It mentions Bush, who they are totally ignoring in this election. Any reminders seem to be totally forbidden, which is hilarious since they are using Rove to attack the ad.
2) It supports Obama, as you mentioned. With this version of the GOP, anything that makes Obama look NOT bad is to be refuted with all of the intensity that can be mustered.
In addition to the reasons Glenda offered above, Republicans are outraged about Chrysler’s “Halftime in America” ad for two other reasons: (1) it undercuts their narrative that the economy is collapsing under President Obama; and, (2) Chrysler is still a union shop. That link is good news, btw:
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
So they are not just a union shop, but a strong work with the union shop. That doesn’t fit the GOP narrative at all. Thanks for that additional information.
Good news yesterday from one of my favorite political writers. Steve Benen, formerly of the Washington Monthly‘s Political Animal column, now at MSNBC’s The Maddow Blog:
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
Good morning!
Can’t stay long….. Though it’s threatening snow flurries @ 34 degrees, have volunteered to ride down to the church camp with pastor, and get a start on the wood cutting. Have had saws to the shop and new chains installed. Gas, oil, whatnot all loaded up. Gots to make a lunch and coffee, then take off.
Play nice!
Best, G
Please don’t wear a hockey mask while helping at the church camp. Or at least not while holding a chain saw. Don’t want to scare the campers….
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
I received a telephone poll last night. It was too bad they couldn’t hear how hard I punched the buttons.
How satisfied are you with President Obama?
Will you vote for Obama, any Republican candidate, no one?
How satisfied are you with Senator Bill Nelson?
Do you think the defense budget is too big, big enough, not big enough?
Do you think the defense budget should be cut, stay the same, increase?
If the defense budget is increased, should it be paid for through new taxes?
You get the picture.
You got polled?!? How cool! I’ve never been polled. I’ve also never been called for jury duty. If Michele Bachmann’s black helicopters ever come, they’ll probably overlook me too….
Good morning! ::hugggggs::