The 20 Most Important Tools Ever

Forbes picks The 20 Most Important Tools Ever — among them, the knife, the abacus, the compass, the pencil, the candle.

Also, a feature on the other greatest tool ever — duct tape.

Best line of the day, so far

“I don’t have to tell you that illegal immigration has suddenly become an important political issue, but I keep having to remind myself why. I guess it’s something to talk about when you’ve exhausted the subject of gay marriage.”

Rocky Mountain News columnist Mike Littwin. Littwin also has this:

One of the speakers Monday was Yeh Ling-Ling, executive director of the Diversity Alliance for a Sustainable America.

She is a Vietnamese of Chinese descent who immigrated to France, where they wouldn’t let her stay. She came to America and became a citizen. Now, as an American, she gives speeches saying that immigration “threatens to destroy the American culture.”

If you follow the debate, you know that she is the ultimate American immigrant story.

Thanks to Coyote Gulch for the pointer.

Maine, the Apple state

From a Maine press release:

Under the current timelines and subject to final legislative approval of the Department’s budget, the Department intends to deploy new laptop computers to teachers, librarians, principals and technology coordinators in the summer of 2006 to begin preparing for the 2006-7 school year. New laptop computers for all grade 7 and 8 public middle school students will be issued at the start of the school year. In all, the Department estimates that over 36,000 laptops will be deployed.

“Apple Computer, Inc. was selected as the top-scoring bidder for services and equipment.”

Commissioner Rice?

From an editorial in the Los Angeles Times:

“If that job comes open, I’m gone.” That’s what Condoleezza Rice told Ebony magazine last November when she was asked about her oft-repeated desire to become commissioner of the National Football League. With Commissioner Paul Tagliabue’s announcement Monday that he plans to step down in July, it may be time for President Bush to look for another secretary of State.

Foreign affairs is one thing, but let’s not screw around with the NFL.

Just wondering

If Zacarias Moussaoui and his gang receive 70 virgins each in heaven, what in God’s name did that many virgins do to deserve Moussaoui and the hijackers as punishment?

All dressed up and no place to shop

Omigod.

Link via Day-of-the-dead-ly.

It must be me

NewMexiKen leaves New Mexico for Virginia and after two weeks there’s been more precipitation in Albuquerque than here (northern Virginia). Neither has had much — 12-hundredths of an inch at home; just 3-hundredths in Virginia.

On average though, you should expect nearly an inch of rain a week in this part of Virginia during March.

It’s the birthday

… of actor Karl Malden. The Oscar-winner (supporting actor in A Streetcar Named Desire) is 94. Malden was also nominated for supporting actor for On the Waterfront.

… of pantomimist Marcel Marceau. He’s 83.

… of Stephen Sondheim. The composer-lyricist (West Side Story) is 76.

… of actor William Shatner. Captain Kirk is 75.

… of musician George Benson. He’s 63.

… of broadcaster Wolf Blitzer. He’s 58.

… of Andrew Lloyd Webber. The composer (Cats, Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Phantom of the Opera) is 58.

… of sportscaster Bob Costas. He’s 54.

… of recent Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon. She’s 30.

Spring may have started Monday, but it snowed here last night

“Girl: …I mean, who doesn’t like being warm? It’s not like they call it ‘Global Sweltering’! So who cares?”

–West 4th Street station

Overheard in New York

Worth every penny, I’m sure

Little Bighorn Battlefield (Montana)

… was designated a national monument on this date in 1946.

In the spring and summer of 1876 the United States Government launched a military campaign upon a portion of the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians, who refused to live within the boundaries of the Great Sioux Reservation. They chose to continue their traditional nomadic way of life. The campaign was initiated when a Government ultimatum to return to the Great Sioux Reservation, in South Dakota, by January 31st, 1876 was ignored.

Gen. Philip Sheridan responded by ordering three military expeditions to approach the gathering Indians from the East, West and South. The Army anticipated the off reservation Sioux and Cheyenne would be found in Eastern or South Central Montana Territory.

As the military threat to these nomadic Sioux and Cheyenne developed, they began to gather for protection. Sitting Bull became the spiritual and political headman for the gathering village and remained so while it was together. A few weeks before the Battle, Sitting Bull conducted a Sun Dance during which he experienced a vision of a great victory over soldiers.

Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer and 647 men of the 7th Cavalry, part of the eastern column, were ordered by General Terry, south along Rosebud Creek. Ahead of the main column, Custer’s 6 Crow and 39 Arikara Indian Scouts found the massive village. In the Valley of the Little Bighorn River, the Seventh Cavalry and their Indian allies attacked the village of 6,000 to 7,000 people, on June 25th,1876. After the battle was over, 263 7th Cavalrymen lay dead, including George Custer. 350 7th Cavalrymen survived.

An accurate count of the Sioux and Cheyenne dead was not possible, but at least 60 are known to have died. The Great Sioux War was an inevitable conflict similar to other 17th, 18th, and 19th century conflicts between [I]ndians and non-[I]ndians. All of the participants saw themselves as perhaps patriots-fighting for their country, land, or way of life.

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

Best line of last night, so far

“There are two sides in Iraq right now fighting. The side that hates us and the side that really hates us.”

David Letterman