Unintended sex ed

Imagine, you and your kid are watching what’s supposed to be a DVD retrospective of the past school year. The video shows children sharing stories, clapping, then … sex. And not just sex, but sex involving your kid’s fifth grade teacher.

“It goes from my son, straight to her on the couch,” recalled “Joe,” a parent who wished to remain anonymous. “My son’s reaction was, ‘Dad, is that Ms. Defanti?’”

Yes, it was.

It was, of course, just poor editing. The Scavenger has a few more details. Great photo.

Idle thought

The loss of life at Gettysburg and Debby’s comment got me thinking. About 2 million individuals die every week these days — around 100 million a year. How does heaven deal with processing all those souls?

No really, are there any theological constructs about how this is managed?

Best line about something that happened on this date

“[Pickett's Charge] was a magnificent mile-wide spectacle, a picture-book view of war that participants on both sides remembered with awe until their dying moment—which for many came within the next hour.”

James M. McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom

Gettysburg, the third day

Having failed on July 2 to turn either of Meade’s flanks (Culp’s Hill and the Round Tops), Lee decided on the 3rd to assault the Union center. James Longstreet, who would command the attack, wrote later that he told Lee: “General, I have been a soldier all my life. I have been with soldiers engaged in fights by couples, by squads, companies, regiments, divisions, and armies, and should know, as well as anyone, what soldiers can do. It is my opinion that no fifteen thousand men ever arrayed for battle can take that position.” But Lee had made up his mind — and he had already issued the orders. Two divisions from A.P. Hill’s Third Corps and one — Pickett’s — from Longstreet’s First Corps were to make the advance. It’s known as Pickett’s Charge, but more correctly it is the Pickett-Pettigrew-Trimble Charge.

To prepare for the assault — to cripple the Union defenses — Lee order a massive artillery strike. The 163 Confederate cannons began firing at 1:07 PM. The Union artillery returned fire with nearly the same number. The Confederate aim was high and smoke curtained the targets. Little damage was done to the Union infantry. After a time, Union artillery commander Henry Hunt ordered his guns to cease firing — to save ammunition, cool the guns, and lure the rebels forward.

Forward they came, 14,000 men in a formation a mile wide, moving across open fields for three-quarters of a mile. The Union artillery opened on them with shot and shell and ultimately canister (shells filled with metal). At 200 yards, the Union infantry on the Confederate front opened fire, while other Union units moved out to attack both sides of the charge. Of the 14,000 in the advance, perhaps 200 breached the first Union line before being repulsed. Of the 14,000, half did not return.

Lee was defeated and withdrew from Gettysburg. While the war lasted 22 more months, the brief moment when the 200 reached the Union line was considered the high-water mark for the confederacy. Gettysburg totals: 25,000 Union casualties; 28,000 Confederate casualties.

Map: National Park Service

Happy Psuedo-Holiday

Another best line of the week

“illegal, n. A term used by descendents of European immigrants to refer to descendants of Indigenous Americans.”

Change.org

Found via Luis.

Best line of the week

“God killed Michael Jackson to save your ass — and you gave another interview?!?”

Jon Stewart to Mark Sanford

On the second day of July

… in 1776 the Continental Congress approved a resolution declaring independence. Twelve of the 13 colonies voted in favor. (New York did not approve independence until July 9th.)

Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.

That it is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual measures for forming foreign Alliances.

That a plan of confederation be prepared and transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and approbation.

The Declaration of Independence stating the reasons for independence was approved two days later (and not signed until August).

… in 1863 the second day of battle was fought at Gettysburg.

… in 1877 the Noble laureate Hermann Hesse was born.

… in 1881 Charles J. Guiteau assassinated President James A. Garfield.

… in 1908 Thurgood Marshall was born.

Thurgood Marshall, pillar of the civil rights revolution, architect of the legal strategy that ended the era of official segregation and the first black Justice of the Supreme Court, died today. A major figure in American public life for a half-century, he was 84 years old.

The New York Times (1993)

… in 1937 Amelia Earhart was lost.

Coast Guard headquarters here received information that Miss Earhart probably overshot tiny Howland Island because she was blinded by the glare of an ascending sun. The message from the Coast Guard cutter Itasca said it it was believed Miss Earhart passed northwest of Howland Island about 3:20 P.M. [E.D.T.], or about 8 A.M., Howland Island time. The Itasca reported that heavy smoke was bellowing from its funnels at the time, to serve as a signal for the flyer. The cutter’s skipper expressed belief the Earhart plane had descended into the sea within 100 miles of Howland.

The New York Times (1937)

American Heritage has a lengthy essay on Earhart: Searching for Amelia Earhart.

… in 1946 the Air Force says a weather balloon crashed near Roswell, New Mexico.

… in 1961 Ernest Hemingway committed suicide at his home in Ketchum, Idaho.

… in 1964 President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act.

Today is the day Richard Petty turns 72.

Today is the day Luci Baines Johnson, the younger daughter of President Lyndon Johnson, turns 62.

Larry David turns 62 today as well.

Lindsay Lohan is 23 today.

Seven

Seven banks were taken over by the FDIC today, that’s as many as in 2004-2007 combined.

52 so far in 2009.

Top 100 Books: The Meta-List

“Declaring the best book ever written is tricky business. Who’s to say what the best is? We went one step further: we crunched the numbers from 10 top books lists (Modern Library, the New York Public Library, St. John’s College reading list, Oprah’s, and more) to come up with The Top 100 Books of All Time. It’s a list of lists — a meta-list. Let the debate begin.”

Newsweek Books | Newsweek.com

1. War and Peace
2. 1984
3. Ulysses
4. Lolita
5. The Sound and the Fury

Time keeps on slippin’ into the future

2009 is half over at 1pm today (noon if you’re not on daylight time).

Public Enemies

The new film Public Enemies with Johnny Depp, Marion Cotillard and Christian Bale is getting good reviews. Just don’t think it’s authentic.

Obama’s birth certificate

More than anyone but an insane person could ever want to know about President Obama’s birth certificate from the Pulitizer-winning PolitiFact.

Best–and worst–bangs for your charity bucks

Consumer Reports Money & Shopping Blog has the lists and links.

Factoid of the day

“In 1967 there were 103 million drivers and 9.54 million light vehicles sold; now there are about twice that many (205.7 million licensed drivers in 2007).”

And in June 9.69 million light vehicles sold (seasonally adjusted annual basis).

Calculated Risk

Lincoln’s virtues

“I defy anyone to read just the last two chapters of ‘President Lincoln’—a passionate exegesis of the Second Inaugural Address and a straighforward sampling of the national and (surprisingly) global grief that followed the assassination—without tears. (Of course, it helps to have read the preceding nine hundred pages, as a reminder of the profundity of the loss.)”

Hendrik Hertzberg referring to Lincoln’s Virtues: An Ethical Biography and President Lincoln: The Duty of a Statesman, both by William Lee Miller.

We’re 34th

New Census estimates for cities are out today.

Albuquerque had an estimated 521,999 residents as of last July 1st. That makes this the 34th largest U.S. city (by population).

Albuquerque grew by 6,603 people compared to a year earlier (up 1.28%). 26.3% of all New Mexicans live inside the city limits of Albuquerque.

Only three other cities in New Mexico have more than 50,000 residents:

Las Cruces 91,865
Rio Rancho 79,655
Santa Fe 71,831

Crazy is as crazy does

[Rep. Michelle] Bachmann [R-Looney Bin] talked to Sean Hannity on Fox News last night about her anti-census crusade, and returned to one of her favorite arguments: “Sean, you know the one question they don’t ask? They [don't] ask, ‘are you an American citizen?’ … [T]hey could at least ask if we’re an American citizen? They don’t bother to ask for that. That’s why I think people need to read this census for themselves. If you go to my website, michelebachmann, you can read it.”

Good idea. If you take Bachmann’s advice, visit her website, and read the census, you find the American Community Survey put together by the Census Bureau. Question #7 reads: “Where was this person born?” Question #8 reads, “Is this person a citizen of the United States?”

The Washington Monthly

10 more citizenship questions

1. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?

2. How many amendments does the Constitution have?

3. The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

4. If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

5. When was the Constitution written?

6. Who was President during World War I?

7. Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?

8. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.

9. Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.

10. Name one U.S. territory.

Glastonbury 2009

Over the weekend, approximately 190,000 people made their way to Worthy Farm in western England to attend the 2009 Glastonbury Festival. Attendees came to see performances at what is billed as “Europe’s largest open-air music festival” on many stages over four days – headliners included Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, and a reunited Blur. Rainy weather did little to dampen the mood, as attendees enjoyed themselves in tent cities, concert performances, dance tents, and the surrounding countryside of Somerset, England. Collected here are a handful of images from this year’s festival. (33 photos total)

The Big Picture – Boston.com

We are an interesting lot, us humans.

We should start the holiday now

July 1st is the birthday

… of Olivia de Havilland, 93 today. Miss de Havilland was nominated for an acting Oscar five times, winning for To Each His Own and The Heiress. She lost the best supporting actress Oscar for Gone With the Wind to Hattie McDaniel.

… of Cpl. Klinger. Jamie Farr is 75.

… of Famous Amos. Wally Amos is 73.

… of hockey great Rod Gilbert, 68.

… of Twyla Tharp. The choreographer is 68.

… of one-time Oscar nominee for best actress Geneviève Bujold. She’s 67. The nomination was for Anne of the Thousand Days.

… of Deborah Harry of Blondie. She’s 64.

… of Louis Winthorpe III. Canadian-born Dan Aykroyd is 57. Aykroyd was nominated for the best supporting actor Oscar for Driving Miss Daisy.

… of Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis, 48.

… of Pamela Anderson, 42.

… of Arwen. Liv Tyler is 32.

Diana, Princess of Wales, should have been 48 today.

Today is Canada Day, a holiday celebrating its independence from Britain on this date in 1867. The holiday was called Dominion Day until 1982 (in Quebec Le Jour de la Confédération). Three British colonies were joined to form Canada — Canada (which included Ontario and Quebec), Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Oh, say can you see

… by the rocket’s red glare.

A great story to put you in a Fourth of July mood. It includes this line:

“It was around that time that my cousin suggested dynamite.”

Is this a great country, or what?

F as in Fat

Mississippi had the highest rate of adult obesity at 32.5 percent, making it the fifth year in a row that the state topped the list. Four states now have rates above 30 percent, including Mississippi, West Virginia (31.2 percent), Alabama (31.1 percent) and Tennessee (30.2 percent). Eight of the 10 states with the highest percentage of obese adults are in the South. Colorado continued to have the lowest percentage of obese adults at 18.9 percent.

Mississippi also had the highest rate of obese and overweight children (ages 10 to 17) at 44.4 percent. Minnesota and Utah had the lowest rate at 23.1 percent. Eight of the 10 states with the highest rates of obese and overweight children are in the South. Childhood obesity rates have more than tripled since 1980.

The Trust for America’s Health has much more.

Could you become a citizen?

Ten questions from the 100 on the U.S. citizenship test. You must score sixty percent or better to pass.

1. What is the supreme law of the land?

2. What do we call the first 10 amendments to the Constitution?

3. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?

4. How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

5. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

6. What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?

7. What are the two major political parties in the United States?

8. We elect a U.S. senator for how many years?

9. Who was the first president?

10. Who is in charge of the executive branch?

Answers in first comment.

C’mon Arizona, have a little fun

Possession of fireworks is illegal in Arizona, but less than 150 miles to the east, Tucsonans can get their fix.

A New Mexico shop has been flooding the Tucson area with fliers promoting its overflowing stock of bottle rockets, Roman candles, M-80s and various other things that go boom in the air, just in time for the Fourth of July.

Arizona Daily Star

What’s in a name

Valle de Atrisco — that’s the name for the new city to be incorporated in Albuquerque’s South Valley. ‘Burque Babble has some less pretentious ideas for the name.

This won’t be as terribly amusing or interesting to anyone not from these parts. For us locals, it’s hilarious.

People don’t believe me

… when I tell them about the New Mexico whiptail, so I thought I’d publish this again. (It first appeared here in 2005; the citation has been updated.)

How come having a New Mexico whiptail lizard in the utility sink in the garage is so much more pleasant than say finding a tarantula or mouse there would be? I scooped her (and they are all females) into a coffee can and released her outside.

[T]he New Mexico Whiptail, as well as several other all-female species of whiptail lizard, does reproduce, and all of its offspring are female. Moreover, it reproduces by parthenogenesis — its eggs require no fertilization, and its offspring are exact and complete genetic duplicates of the mother.

Scientists understand only partially how this reproductive mode developed, and it raises many questions. One of the most intriguing is how this cloning affects the lizard’s ability to adapt to environmental changes. Since there is no genetic variation except that which occurs through mutation, the New Mexico Whiptail cannot evolve as other species do.

American Museum of Natural History

The New Mexico whiptail (Cnemidophorus neomexicanus) is the official reptile of New Mexico.

Bad day to drive

I read several years ago that traffic fatalities were not particularly more significant on holiday weekends than any other days. Safety advocates just had us all thinking they were with their public service advertising campaigns and police check points.

A new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety confirms this. For the period 1986 through 2002 there were an average of 117 traffic fatalities a day in the United States. And, while July 4 was the worst day of the year with an average of 161 fatalities, 158 people were killed on any given Saturday. July 4 is the only date in the year less safe than any given Saturday.

The worst dates:
July 4 — 161
July 3 — 149
December 23 — 145
August 3 — 142
January 1 — 142

Days of the week:
Sunday — 132
Monday — 96
Tuesday — 95
Wednesday — 98
Thursday — 105
Friday — 133
Saturday — 158

This year, July 4th, the worst day of the year, is on Saturday, the worst day of the week. Be careful out there.

Oh, my aching back

“A federal advisory panel voted narrowly on Tuesday to recommend a ban on Percocet and Vicodin, two of the most popular prescription painkillers in the world, because of their effects on the liver.”

Acetaminophen is the culprit. Smaller dosages recommended for Tylenol, etc., too. The New York Times has the details.

Delightful

A mid-afternoon thunderstorm just passed, dropping some rain but almost as exciting, lowering the temperature more than 20 degrees in a few minutes. It’s 67º F right now (just after 3PM). It’s monsoon season!

Monsoon is an Arabic term for a seasonal shift in the prevailing wind.

Both the Southwest USA, including Arizona and New Mexico, and Southeast Asia, including India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, experience the monsoon each summer. The Asian monsoon often brings heavy, flooding rains to the area, while the Southwest monsoon brings scattered strong thunderstorms to dry desert regions. The Southwest monsoon is caused by two meteorological changes during the summer:

–The northerly movement of the Bermuda High (a strong area of high pressure) into the central USA
–Intense heating of the Mohave Desert to the west, which creates low pressure over the area

Since air rotates counterclockwise around low pressure and clockwise around high pressure, the positioning of these systems allows for a strong southerly flow over the Southwest. (Prevailing winds in the winter are from the west and northwest …) These south winds bring in moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and Pacific Ocean, increasing the chance of rain and thunderstorms.

The Weather Guys – USATODAY.com

Diagram is from August 2006, but it shows clearly how the monsoon draws humid air up from the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico. Click the image for larger version.