Today in history, greetings, and social banter here. (More)
Tradition holds that Emperor Jimmu founded Japan today (660 BCE). Also, Henry VIII was recognized as supreme head of the Church of England (1531), Benjamin Franklin opened the Pennsylvania Hospital (1752), the Religious Society of Friends petitioned Congress to abolish slavery (1790), the U.S. Senate opened its proceedings to the public (1794), Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry tarred redistricting with his namesake gerrymandering (1812), University College London was founded (1826), Gaetano Donizetti’s La Fille du Régiment regiment premiered (1840), as did Giuseppe Verdi’s I Lombardi (1843), Japan adopted the Meiji Constitution and convened her first Diet (1889), Anton Bruckner’s 9th Symphony premiered (1903), Emma Goldman was arrested for lecturing on birth control (1916), General Motors ended a sit-down strike by recognizing the United Auto Workers (1937), BBC Television broadcast the first science-fiction TV program, Karel Capek’s R.U.R., which coined the term “robot” (1938), Glenn Miller was presented the first gold record for “Chattanooga Choo Choo” (1943), the Federation of Arab Emirates of the South, now South Yemen, was created as a British protectorate (1959), the Islamic Revolution of Iran established a theocracy under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (1979), the Constitution of the Philippines took effect (1987), and Nelson Mandela was released after 27 years as a political prisoner (1990). And Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigned amidst the Arab Spring protests (2011).
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
Yesterday on Campus
Morning Feature – Freedumb? (Ask Ms. Crissie)
Furthermore! – Winning Progressive with Weekend Reading
Campus Question – After the blizzard of Sunday morning news blather, do you need a bigger shovel?
Evening Focus – Silly Sunday: Droning On
Our Earth – Eco News Roundup
Today on Campus
Morning Feature – Dangerous Convictions? (Meta Monday)
Things We Did This Week – Share your stories of offline political activism!
Noontime News at noon
Midday Matinee – addisnana with The Department of Peace?
Campus Question at 6pm ET
Our Earth at 8pm ET – New “Tree of Life” Constructed
Good Morning. So a while back I wrote about Catalunya and Scotland both seeking their independence from Spain and Britain. I just saw a headline that made me giggle. Britain to Scotland: lose global clout if you exit UK. Somehow I doubt that global clout has much to do with Scotland seeking independence. If I say “Scotland” what comes to mind? For me it might be Glenlevit (single malt scotch) or kilts or bagpipes. Global clout ? Not exactly on my list but then it isn’t really my list to make. I’m just watching.
Flip flop weather has returned in South Blogistan.
St Andrews
🙂 A golfing buddy described that course as quite humbling. He has a single digit handicap.
Several years ago I read a column by an English writer who said he’d immigrated to the U.S. because “What’s the point of being English we let Scotland have their own parliament?” Apparently his English identity was tied to England’s dominance of other peoples, and he thought England was sliding down the slope to global irrelevance in allowing Scottish autonomy.
Prime Minister Cameron’s comment seems born of the same view….
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
Good morning! It’s currently 17 degrees, with a high of 39 predicted. We’re under another winter weather warning, as the warming is bring first some snow, then sleet, then transitioning to rain.
In “we really need transparency” news, there’s an ‘interest group” called Common Sense Principles which is based out of Virginia, but was heavily funding/pushing for Republican state senate candidates here in NY. They finally found the principal donor: The Center for Common Sense, LLC.
Which traces back to an accountant’s office in Florida. 😥 Colbert has done some remarkable work on spoofing this, but there really is a serious point to it.
Thanks Norbrook. It seems that once again, Comedy Central practices real journalism better than some of those who are ‘real journalists.’
I would make every politician watch his series of bits about superPAC’s, and tell them “Don’t get ideas, fix this.”
My reply is a bit off-topic as your comment is really about the obscure Super-PAC itself, but …
… “common sense” is a phrase I’ve decided to ignore. For example, President Obama describes his gun safety proposals as “common sense” and most of us here probably agree. But Wayne LaPierre also describes the NRA’s proposals as “common sense,” and his supporters agree with him. Republican leaders often describe their budget-cutting ideas as “common sense,” as do Democratic leaders who call for revenue to fund the services and programs voters want. Again, Republican voters tend to agree their leaders’ ideas are “common sense” … and Democratic voters tend to feel the same about their leaders’ ideas.
Whatever “common sense” once meant – if it ever had real meaning at all – in politics it now means little more than “Anyone with common sense should agree with me.”
The irony is that because conservatives so often invoke “common sense” in advocating for their positions, progressives have to use the phrase also … lest we cede ownership of “common sense” to conservatives. 🙄
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
For my Roman Catholic fellow students and for those who used to be:
Pope Benedict XVI will resign on February 28th, the Vatican has announced.
I thought popes usually died in office.
The bark of St. Peter was a phrase that is new to me.
That’s terrible news, I’ve been thinking it would be great for Catholics all over the world if he just withered away in office. 😈
Most popes do die in office, the last time one resigned was in 1415, according to the updates.
This is not really good news for the Church moving “forward,” at least for the next decade or so.
The pope picking the cardinals seems a bit like gerrymandering to keep certain house districts safe.
Lot of the comments over at The Guardian article have been removed for “not meeting community standards.”
Since the church has been moving backward for a while (mostly owing to Ratzinger’s influence even before he became pope) moving forward looks unlikely at best.
Subsequent popes have been trying to undo Vatican II ever since John XXIII died. How likely is it the church would elect another pope like that? Hah! I wouldn’t hold my breath.
I’ll be the optimist and announce my hope that the College of Cardinals choose a progressive replacement who: (1) allows priests to marry; (2) allows women to be ordained as priests; (3) recognizes contraception as an essential element of healthy family life; (4) recognizes LGBT equality; and, (5) ends the church protection of child abusers
As a priest once quipped to me, “At Vatican III, bishops will bring their wives. At Vatican IV, bishops will bring their husbands.”
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
😀 😀 😀
😆 ❗
Morning, folks – 37° with a predicted high of 60. Heading up to our land shortly. Materials were delivered over the weekend, and the building gets built today. Taking Kidlet with me today – figure it will be a good educational experience, since she’s currently building a shed in Carpentry class. Yes, I am taking my camera with me.
OK, the degree symbol showed up fine in preview, but not when I post. What’s up with that??
WordPress is strange that way. “Preview” really only shows you a rendering on your computer, but when the site displays it, it has a list of “allowable codes” and inserts. I can preview comments with pictures and videos, and it looks fine, but when it comes from the site, all I see is the URL.
WordPress limits the embedding of photos and videos in comments based on user status, to help editors and administrators control the site’s database size and content. I embed photos and videos when I see codes for them. 🙂
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
I fixed it for you, trs. 🙂
Thanks, Crissie! 🙂 🙂
I hope the building day goes well. What a neat lesson for kidlet. I’m glad you’re taking the camera so the rest of us will get to “see” it.
As for the degree symbol….lot’s of things in life don’t appear as previewed. Just add this to the list. 🙂
Great news, trs, and a wonderful experience for Kidlet as well. 😀 I hope you enjoy every minute of it.
Are you going to get the predicted rain?
We had rain overnight, but none today during the day.
Oh yes, and no telling what it’ll do for her vocabulary…….. 😉
Is this a metal shed or a wooden shed? I look forward to the photos, trs! 😀
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
Wood shed, stick-built like the walls of a house.
Climate change comes to Broadway, at least off and off-off Broadway. Two plays making the circuit, “This Clement World,” and “The Great Immensity,” tackle climate change. Hope they use LED or CFL rather than Klieg lights. 😀
One of the authors was inspired to write about climate change after attending a lecture by Jeffrey Sachs at Columbia University’s Earth Institute.
Every bit helps and hats off to the authors! 🙂
Hey, that’s great! I’d love to know how they wrote it. Anywhere I can read about these plays? Reviews, whatever.
Thanks, Mike. I hope you’re golfing and that Ms LI Mike is feeling better.
That’s great news, Mike. Can you find and post reviews when they’re available?
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
Theatres are switching to LED lighting where they can – will do it more as the prices go down.
Good morning!
We’ve a clear, blue dawn and 38 degrees. Stove is heating, teawater is on, come on in but be careful, dog by door asleep……….
Wurstmarkt went well yesterday. I came away very much impressed by the quality and quantity of the young people in our church.
Food truck scheduled for 10:00 up @ the pantry. Have some items to load and haul up there. New skate conveyor set to go, will see if we need to adjust the angle so the boxes flow smoothly, but not too quickly. Hmmmm…..
Had a double dose of Downton Abbey yesterday evening, and what did I hear? “Season finale next week.” Already? Gaaaaaaa……….!!!
Have a good one!
Best, G
Watched Downton Abbey too, Gardener. At least the Earl is beginning to redeem himself. I’m finding it funny to watch the way the women are adapting and pushing him along into modern times. 😉
Downton Abbey…. thanks to you G I have become a fan. Sad that there is only one episode left. Last week I was considering not watching anymore because watching the Earl was a waste of time. Ha! Last night his character ‘evolved.’
The writing is great! I was amazed that they’ve made that rotten Thomas into a character who now gets our sympathy. O’brian OTOH, not so much. I sure hope when the new episodes are over that they start with the first season and let us catch up!
Boxes moving on skate conveyors get very fast with even a slight incline. Most of the longer ones I’ve seen have level stretches or bumpers to slow boxes in places where humans will handle them. Does yours, and if not, can you add them easily?
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
As-is, there’s but a 10′ run. The conveyors are pretty beat up, were donated. Have them arranged on temporary sawbucks for experimental purposes…….
Hugggs! Oh, and I am the human at the bottom…… 🙂
Sounds like you have a personal interest in ensuring their safety, then. 😉
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
Hattiesburg MS is a mess this morning. The rising sun is only beginning to reveal the damage. Hundreds of homes and buildings destroyed, at least four of them on the USM campus. Fortunately, USM was closed yesterday for Mardi Gras. They had expected to resume classes today, but that’s not going to happen now.
Nine tornadoes swept through five counties. Apparently the strength and duration of the one that hit Hattiesburg is considered unusual for the area. We shall see, I suppose, once evaluation is done. Latest word is fifteen injured, no deaths yet.
Amazingly, TWC didn’t get around to naming this storm….
Hugggs and good morning.
It’ll be … interesting … to see how Mississippi’s congressional delegation handles any disaster aid requests.
Will they ask for off-sets to aid? Big question! 🙄
Our thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the tornado outbreak in Mississippi. And despite whatever their elected leaders may have said during the debate over Hurricane Sandy relief funding … I hope those who lost homes and businesses get the funding they’ll need to rebuild … quickly.
Good morning! ::hugggggs::