The Audacity of Dreams

NewMexiKen has read both of Senator Obama’s books now — the autobiographical Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance and the more issue-oriented The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream.

I strongly recommend both of them. The first as an outstanding memoir — good reading by any standard. The second as a statement of issues facing the nation.

How does this happen?

The temperature is well into the 70s now and so time to break out the summer uniform — shorts and polo shirts. The problem is it seems that my shorts have shrunk over the winter. How do clothes shrink while they are put away in drawers?

Iz

Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, “White Sandy Beach of Hawai’i”

April 19th already is a holiday

. . . in Massachusetts. (Well, I guess it’s the third Monday now, but whatever.)

Today we celebrate the birthday

. . . of TV’s Wyatt Earp. Hugh O’Brian is 83.

. . . of Elinor Donahue. Donahue has nearly 100 credits listed at IMDB, but foremost she was the oldest daughter on famed 1950s sitcom “Father Knows Best.” Betty “Princess” Anderson is 71.

. . . of Ashley Judd, 40.

. . . of Oscar-nominee (2001) Kate Hudson. More than almost famous at 29.

. . . of Oscar-nominee (2005) Catalina Sardino Moreno. She’s full of grace at 27.

. . . of Maria Sharapova, 21.

Ole Evinrude was born on this date in 1877. Guess what he invented.

Eliot Ness was born on this date in 1903.

Ever since Eliot Ness first published The Untouchables in 1957, the public has fallen in love with the adventures of this authentic American hero. His book was a runaway best seller because it was the exciting true story of a brave and honest lawman pitted against the country’s most successful gangster, Al Capone. The television series that followed in the 1950’s and the Kevin Costner movie in 1987 built fancifully on the same theme.

The Crime Library

Vera Jayne Palmer was born on this date in 1933. We know her as Jayne Mansfield.

Grace Kelly became Her Serene Highness Princess Grace on this date in 1956.

By 1956, Grace Kelly was calling it quits after a movie-acting career of only five years—but what a career it was. Her 11 films included the 1952 classic High Noon, the 1956 musical High Society, and the Alfred Hitchcock-directed masterpieces Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, and To Catch a Thief. She had won an Oscar for her role in 1954’s The Country Girl—and all this before her twenty-seventh birthday.

American Heritage.

The uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto started 65 years ago today. The Writer’s Almanac from American Public Media has background.

The shot heard ’round the world

April 19, 1775.

At Lexington Green, the British were met by 77 American Minute Men led by John Parker. At the North Bridge in Concord, the British were confronted again, this time by 300 to 400 armed colonists, and were forced to march back to Boston with the Americans firing on them all the way. By the end of the day, the colonists were singing “Yankee Doodle” and the American Revolution had begun.

The Library of Congress

Indeed, if actions spoke louder than words, today would be Independence Day.

Oklahoma City Memorial

It was 13 years ago that the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was bombed, killing 168 people and injuring 500. NewMexiKen has been to the Memorial twice. I’ve created an album with 12 photos taken in 2006 at this striking, yet somber place.

Oklahoma City Memorial