Two interactive tests via The New York Times.
Make certain you clearly understand the directions.
I aced both, though was slow on a few of the juggling tasks as my brain took it step-by-step.
As I always said about myself, “Three things I can do well. Five is four too many.”
It was on June 7 in 1776 that the idea of independence was first officially proposed in the Continental Congress. Richard Henry Lee of Virginia introduced and John Adams seconded the following:
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 vote on the resolution was set aside until July 1st — it actually occurred on July 2nd. On June 11th Congress appointed the Committee of Five to draft a formal declaration of independence — John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, Robert R. Livingston of New York, and Roger Sherman of Connecticut.
Note in the resolution the plural ” free and independent states.”
June 7: Resolution introduced
July 2: Resolution approved (12 colonies for; New York abstained, later voted for)
July 4: Declaration of Independence approved
On the Fourth of July we celebrate the birth announcement, not the birth.
| … first looked west from Cumberland Gap into what is now Kentucky on this date in 1769. The Kentucky Historical Society celebrates June 7 as “Boone Day.”
Boone was not the first person through Cumberland Gap; he wasn’t even the first European-American. He was, however, instrumental in blazing a trail, which became known as the Wilderness Road. According to the National Park Service: |
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Immigration through the Gap began immediately, and by the end of the Revolutionary War some 12,000 persons had crossed into the new territory. By 1792 the population was over 100,000 and Kentucky was admitted to the Union.
During the 1790s traffic on the Wilderness Road increased. By 1800 almost 300,000 people had crossed the Gap going west. And each year as many head of livestock were driven east. As it had always been, the Gap was an important route of commerce and transportation.
A few of NewMexiKen’s very own ancestors went down that road on their way, ultimately, to Illinois.
Question: Why do so many kids play soccer?
Answer: So they don’t have to watch it.
Sideline Chatter, 2009
A year ago after seeing a local stage production of “12 Angry Men,” I wondered why someone didn’t rewrite the play as “Twelve Angry Women.” It seems to me the dynamic, even if the same biases were represented among the jurors, would be quite different with an all-female jury. Well-done it could be a striking antithesis with the classic movie.
I’m still wondering, but I know I’m not skilled enough to do it.
Number of bank failures 2003: 3
Number of bank failures 2004: 4
Number of bank failures 2005: 0
Number of bank failures 2006: 0
Number of bank failures 2007: 3
Number of bank failures 2008: 25
Number of bank failures last year: 140
Number of bank failures so far this year: 81
The 81st, TierOne Bank, Lincoln, Nebraska (and its 69 branches).
“When I was maybe nine, I remember crying and being so upset, and my mom would walk down the sideline and just tell me it was all right. There’s some days now, in stadiums filled with fifty thousand people, where I could still use her.”
Tim Howard, Goalkeeper, United States of America, quoted in a profile by Hampton Sides in The New Yorker. Link is to abstract of article.
Another outstanding essay from Roger Ebert. I’d go to church if pastors spoke and thought like Ebert writes.
That brings me back around to the story of the school mural. I began up above by imagining I was a student in Prescott, Arizona, with my face being painted over. That was easy for me. What I cannot imagine is what it would be like to be one of those people driving past in their cars day after day and screaming hateful things out of the window. How do you get to that place in your life? Were you raised as a racist, or become one on your own?
A good day to watch the opening half-hour of Saving Private Ryan and marveling at the courage and determination it portrays.
Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Forces:
You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.
Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely.
But this is the year 1944. Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned. The free men of the world are marching together to victory.
I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory.
Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Image of Eishenhower’s original
Thanks to Tom for the idea.
98 degrees at game time. But a great breeze and almost comfy sitting in the sun. Sunset one hour away.
Third inning and Hu’s on first — but he got to second before I could snap a picture. And then he came around to score. 3-2 Isotopes. 95 degrees at 8:00.
Middle of 6, ‘Topes up 8-2. Big crowd enjoying the show (fireworks after game). Hu has scored twice and batted in two. De Jesus with long 2-run homer to left-center. 9:00. 93 degrees. Excellent night.
Isotopes win 9-3. 9:45. 89 degrees. Need a jacket.
Bring on the fireworks. (Fireworks show was terrific and watching scores of little kids run the bases even better!)
It’s 100 degrees this afternoon, just the third time Albuquerque has gotten to triple digits officially since 2003.
It’s the earliest day in the year ever for it to get to 100º here. For crying out loud, it’s even 99º in Santa Fe.
How bad is it? Well, really not so bad. We’re going to the Isotopes game at 7:00. After all, the humidity is just 6%.
And it’s even better if you think of the temperature in celsius. Just 37.8º.
The original, unamended Constitution does not say who can or cannot vote. The Constitution specifically leaves it up to the states:
Article I. Section 2. The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.
Senators were chosen by state legislatures. The president, of course, by Electors.
The subsequent amendments for race, color and prior servitude (15th), gender (19th), poll tax (24th) and age (26th) simply told the states that they could not deny the vote for those reasons.
Just click. And then click again on the full-size version.
“My friend Rob pointed out some nasty vines growing in my garden and immediately pronounced the cure: ‘Roundup.’ He’s from Portland, is very ecologically minded, rides his bike to and from his job as an urban forester, etc. So to have him sanction a toxin brought a tear of gratitude to my eye. I did not mention that I’m going to apply it with an airplane.”
Joel Achenbach, 2007
Drop some on my relentless Russian sage, please.
In a comment, niece Amy offers her kids for my trip to Yellowstone. They are phenomenally cute kids.
They are however, known by their nicknames: Sassy and The Bandit.
And, according to Amy, her husband Michael refers to 5-year-old Stevie and Stevie’s pre-school buddies as The Four Toddlers of the Apocalypse.
I’m thinking of going to Yellowstone and places in between very soon. Mostly camping.
Anyone interested?
93 degrees today. Will this summer ever end?
“Honda Reports Accord in China Labor Dispute”
Honda has been on an odyssey to perform its civic duty since 2000. They have provided a lot of insight, so it is only fit that they continue to pilot this element.
“They said the current could propel the oil to Florida’s Atlantic coast within weeks, with the spill spreading as far north as Cape Hatteras in North Carolina by July or August before turning east.”
The “they” is the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. The Center says the possibility is based on computer modeling and not a forecast.
But so much for the Outer Banks this year.
The Chinese army crackdown on the protests in and around Tiananmen Square was 21 years ago today. According to estimates by the Chinese Red Cross (accepted at the time by the U.S. State Department) some 2,600 protesters and military were killed and another 7,000 wounded.
This declassified State Department cable (June 22, 1989) provides the account of a witness to the violence on the night of June 3-4. The students believed that the military would be firing rubber bullets. The witness tells that “he had a sickening feeling when he noticed the bullets striking sparks off the pavement near his feet.”
This second declassified cable provides an hour-by-hour chronology of the events of the night of June 3-4, 1989.
While difficult to read, these documents tell the story as American diplomats reported it.
NewMexiKen took this photo in Tiananmen Square just three years after the events there. The building in the background is the Great Hall of the People. At left is the Monument of the People’s Heroes.
SECTION 1. The right of the citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
SECTION 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
The Congress sent the 19th Amendment to the states for ratification on this date in 1919. By August of 1920, the necessary 36 states (of 48) had ratified the amendment and it went into effect.
It’s interesting to note the 12 states that had not yet ratified, including several that had rejected the amendment.
Not that long ago.
“Politics is like driving. To go backward, put it in R. To go forward, put it in D.”
Andrew Tobias
First posted here two years ago.
“The young were Barack Obama’s strongest supporters, and still are, though there’s been some slippage. They were wise beyond their years and ahead of every other generation on the major issues — from offshore oil drilling (not so fast), to gays in the military (duh), to tolerance of the new American ethnic stew (you mean that’s still a problem?).”
Interesting fact from Egan’s column: “Nearly one in four Americans under the age of 18 have at least one immigrant parent, according to a recent national portrait put out by the Brookings Institution.”