Vincent van Gogh

… was born on this date in 1853.

Click Vincent’s Room, Arles to enlarge.

Or here for a large copy of Starry Night.

What’s missing from this language?

“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”

That’s the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, formally adopted on this date in 1870.

What’s missing is on account of “sex.” That came about in the 19th Amendment, 50 years later.

Shania Twain — most dangerous woman in the world

Woman shot husband in Shania Twain gun dance.

Shania Twain defense works in drunk driver’s favor.

Links via Boing Boing.

A bumper sticker worth having

Also from Mind of Gutter, Mouth of Potty, this must have bumper sticker.

Help for women

Can’t make a decision? South Dakota Senator Bill Napoli can help.

Napoli, if you don’t know, was the advocate for South Dakota’s draconian new abortion law who stated the following when asked who might be an exception to the prohibition:

A real-life description to me would be a rape victim, brutally raped, savaged. The girl was a virgin. She was religious. She planned on saving her virginity until she was married. She was brutalized and raped, sodomized as bad as you can possibly make it, and is impregnated. I mean, that girl could be so messed up, physically and psychologically, that carrying that child could very well threaten her life.

Link via Mind of Gutter, Mouth of Potty, who says she called to get help with the choices at lunch.

Why Eat Peeps at Easter?

How the marshmallow chicks found Jesus.

Candy historians speculate that the Peeps’ link to Easter has more to do with the pagan origins of the holiday than its Christian roots. Eggs, and consequently chicks, are a long-standing symbol of fertility and rebirth, an appropriate image for a holiday that celebrates the coming of spring. Originally part of a pagan fertility ritual symbolizing new life, the egg became incorporated into Easter as pagan rites were absorbed into Christianity with the Christianization of Central Europe.

NewMexiKen believes that bunny Peeps are heresy. True Peeps are chicks and yellow. Period.

It’s the birthday

First, a question: do you care if NewMexiKen does birthdays or not?

Anyway, today is the birthday

… of singer Frankie Laine, 93 today. Laine had his share of hits in the late 40s and 50s, many with a western theme like “Do Not Forsake Me,” the theme from High Noon.

… of actor John Astin. Patty Duke’s one-time husband, TV’s Gomez Addams is 76.

… of actor Warren Beatty. He turns 69 today.

… of basketball hall-of-famer Jerry Lucas. He’s 66.

… of actor-comedian Paul Reiser. Is it Reiser that’s annoying or just the characters he plays?

… of rapper MC Hammer. He’s 43.

And it’s the birthday of singer Norah Jones, now a nearly ancient 27.

Best worst line of the day, so far

“I’d rather have somebody pee in my mouth after they’ve just won an asparagus-eating contest.”

The Black Table Beer Run in its review of Coors Light.

Warning, much of this website, while amusing, is tacky and sexist.

Best line of the day, 1862 edition

NewMexiKen has been reading Doris Kearns Goodwin’s masterful Team of Rivals.

Union General George B. McClellan surely ranks among the most arrogant, self-important a**-holes in American history. His insubordination amounted to treason some thought; the way he dissed his superiors including President Lincoln was incredible. He did have a way with words though. After his own failure in the Peninsula campaign, McCleallan wrote to his wife Mary Ellen the following about Secretary of War Edwin Stanton:

So you want to know what I thought of Stanton, & what I think of him now? I think that he is the most unmitigated scoundrel I ever knew, heard or read of; I think that…had he lived in the time of the Saviour, Judas Iscariot would have remained a respected member of the fraternity of Apostles & that the magnificent treachery and rascality of E. M. Stanton would have caused Judas to have raised his arms in holy horror & unaffected wonder.

Well no wonder Scalia and Cheney hunt together

It let’s them relax and talk trash.

You’ll remember two years ago when the Veep encouraged Senator Leahy to engage in sexual behavior not routinely endorsed by the evangelical crowd. Now here’s Justice Scalia — at church no less — with a similar thought. Click to read the story and see the photo.

God’s birthday

Eric Clapton is 61 today.

(In the late 1960s, one of the most prominent items of graffiti was “Clapton is God.”)

Clapton has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times — as a member of the Yardbirds, a member of Cream and as a solo artist. (And he recorded one of his trademark songs — “Layla” — as a member of Derek and the Dominos.)

North to Alaska

Secretary of State William H. Seward agreed to purchase Alaska from Russia for $7 million on this date in 1867. The Senate eventually approved the treaty by just one vote.

He got it for 1.65 cents an acre.

When Diamonds Aren’t Forever

Click image to enlarge and learn more.

Best line of the day, last night

“Getting ready for Easter? In St. Paul, Minnesota, city hall removed a display of an Easter bunny, pastel eggs and a sign with the words ‘Happy Easter’ because they might offend non-Christians. Good thing. You certainly don’t want anything Christian tainting a city called St. Paul.”

Jay Leno

Best line of the day, so far

“Teen prodigy Michelle Wie, to Time magazine, on dealing with trash talk from fellow LPGA players: ‘I’m used to people judging me without even knowing me. I’m in high school.’”

Quoted at Sideline Chatter