Archive for May 20, 2008

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

May 20th

James Stewart was born 100 years ago today. Stewart received five best actor Oscar nominations in his long career, but won only for The Philadelphia Story in 1941.

Joe Cocker is 64. Timothy Olyphant is scowling at being 40.

Cher is 62.

Charles Lindbergh departed Long Island for Paris 81 years ago today.

Amelia Earhart took off from Newfoundland for Ireland on May 20th in 1932, the first woman to solo the Atlantic.

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Filed under Birthdays and Historical on May 20, 2008

Homestead Act

President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act on May 20, 1862. The act provided settlers with 160 acres of surveyed public land after payment of a filing fee and five years of continuous residence. Designed to spur Western migration, the Homestead Act culminated a twenty-year battle to distribute public lands to citizens willing to farm. Concerned that free land would lower property values and reduce the cheap labor supply, Northern businessmen opposed the act. Unlikely allies, Southerners feared homesteaders would add their voices to the call for abolition of slavery. With Southerners out of the picture in 1862, the legislation finally passed.

Library of Congress

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Filed under Historical on May 20, 2008

Why is it?

Why is it that the music they play while you are on telephone hold is (usually) so horrible?

Are they trying to make the waiting that much more difficult irritating?

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Filed under Why is it? on May 20, 2008

We Get Emails

Bob Ormond sent along this item:

Despite a court-ordered ban on the teaching of creationism in US schools, about one in eight high-school biology teachers still teach it as valid science, a survey reveals. And, although almost all teachers also taught evolution, those with less training in science — and especially evolutionary biology — tend to devote less class time to Darwinian principles.

The quote is from an article at New Scientist

And LP sent along a link to this good story that analyzes some mythology about Thurman Munson, the great Yankee catcher in the 70s, and his competition with Carlton Fisk.

“Obviously, something happened. Somewhere. At some time. But I’ve got three versions of the same story, and none of the versions checks out.”

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Filed under Baseball and Education on May 20, 2008

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