7/4: Don’t Know Much About History… A notable proportion of Americans may need to brush up on their U.S. history.
A notable proportion of Americans may need to brush up on their U.S. history. While 77% of residents nationally correctly cite Great Britain as the country from which the United States declared its independence, nearly one in four, 23%, either mention another country, 8%, or are unsure, 15%. These findings have changed little from when this question was last reported in 2011.
Education and income make a difference. Nearly nine in ten Americans with a college education or income above $50,000 are able to identify Great Britain as the country from which the United States won its liberty. Of note, white Americans, 84%, are also more likely than Latino residents, 70%, or African Americans, 53%, to correctly identify Great Britain. Although race is a factor, its importance is exaggerated by differences in education and income among ethnic groups. Interestingly, age makes little difference.
“Curious about other countries that get mentioned?” asks Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion. “Thirteen other countries get tabbed as the country from which the United States gained its independence. A scattering of people mention France, Mexico, and Germany among the longer list of countries. At least one person surveyed mentioned Afghanistan, Brazil, Canada, China, Columbia, Denmark, Italy, Japan, Panama, or Russia.”
Three in ten Americans, 30%, also do not know the year in which the United States declared its independence. Included here are 11% of residents who mention a year other than 1776 and 19% who are unsure. But, there has been improvement. In 2011, 42% of U.S. residents were unaware of the year the United States broke away from Great Britain. 69%, up from 58%, now say the United States declared its independence in 1776.
For all their super-Patriotism, today’s GOP leaders would have been Tories. Unfortunately the Democratic Party/Left has no Adams, Thomas Paines or Washingtons. Is there a modern equivalent of John Glover & his Marblehead Regiment, ready to guide the American Cause over dangerous waters?
Propaganda is a mighty weapon in victory. Media today has to answer to so many masters; the bottom line takes importance over the deadline. There are a few voices in the wilderness: Mr Olbermann, Washington Post, New York Times, independent blogs like this. I honor all who speak out for the good. Thank You.
Will be interesting when we revisit this Blog on July 4, 2018. Sanity or Insanity …. what defines our government? And what did we do to help enact change?
“Media today has to answer to so many masters; the bottom line takes importance over the deadline.”
sjwny, and those the media cover, from the politicians to the professionals whom they quote, the short-term bottom line seems to be the only thing that’s important. what percentage of doctors and lawyers are speaking up more for their patients and clients rather than their financial future? how many teachers speak up more for their students than for their paychecks and tenure? it’s systemic. the bottomline, the ratings, the votes = job security and self protection. no time for duty to others or to the country. compassion and patriotism belong to another age.
Finally. Happy 4th of July.
A nice above the fold feature in our local paper, The State, from Columbia:
“all eyes are opened, or opening to the rights of man. the general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view the palpable truth that the mass of mankind has not been born, with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately by the grace of god. these are grounds of hope for others. for ourselves let the annual return of this day, for ever refresh our recollections of these rights and an undiminished devotion to them.”
…Norman Rockwell painting, the iconic Working on the Statue of Liberty, which appeared on the cover of the Post in July 1946.
The original work of art was previously owned by famed film director Steven Spielberg—an avid Rockwell collector. In 1994 Spielberg donated the painting to the White House where it has proudly hung for Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama, according to Jeremy Clowe, manager of media services for the Norman Rockwell Museum.
even the newbie had the sense to keep it there. good reminder to a prez there’s always work to do to keep it a shining beacon. too bad twit’s too busy tweeting, trying to burnish his own image.
Jamie,
Thanks for the clips. Two of my favorite.
Craig,
Thanks for the post. Love hearing it.
Causes me to wonder as I have on many occasions; was any single document ever so compelling?
Keep the story alive:
Happy Independence Day!
Patd
Maybe all school children should be given a copy of We Didn’t Start the Fire and required to learn every reference. At least it would give them the last half of the 20th century. 🙂
The story on the above is that a friend of Julian Lennon told Billy Joel that nothing of interest happened while Joel was growing up. You know you’re good when you get a hit out of an F you song you wrote to someone. Supposedly Joel for the most part took the Time Magazine cover headlines and rewrote to create the rhymes.
It really needs a pre date and up date to cover all of American history. Definitely a more fun way to learn.
Flatus, really interesting article you linked about Eagles. I didn’t know Franklin preferred the turkey as national bird.
Craig,
Franklin describes his fondness for the turkey here.?
definitely not one of his better ideas. would be awkward to eat the national bird.
Both Honor and Glory are now fully fledged and flying generally around the DC Arboretum while getting the hang of hunting on their own. They are still making stops at the parental nest and while Mr. President is long gone on summer vacation, First Lady does check in on the kids every once in a while to see if they need her assistance. Check here to see if currently flying by.
This one REALLY upset the Republicans when first performed.
“would be awkward to eat the national bird”
craig, even more awkward, we almost extinguished said nat’l haliaeetus leucocephalus with ddt, hunting and habitat destruction.
and it looks like we’re well on the way to killing freedom of the press, hell bent to cause the extinction of democracy itself. another way of shooting a bird.
ewwww, Jamie, right now it’s eating its prey. didn’t need to see that.
love the cool cannon crew at the end
speaking of eating less than delicately, just finished off the requisite 4th of july repast of hot dog, watermelon and a sloppy but tasty apple pie a la mode.
🙂
Bald eagles have made quite a come back. One of the eaglets from this year’s hatch has been found in poor condition, but is recovering. What is fascinating to me is when I am traveling on US 17 through eastern Virginia and I come across a road kill, deer usually, there maybe an bald eagle chowing down and a flock of buzzards or vultures sitting back waiting for their turn. That beak and those claws can do a lot of damage and the other scavengers are quite respectful. I have seen them overhead of my house and my boat. That head reflects a lot of light making it easy to see them.
Although I try to imagine what the feeling would have been back in the 1770’s of my ancestors, I find it impossible. One side of my mother’s ancestors lived in the region that would become the District of Columbia, in particular the area around Marlboro, Queen Ann’s Parish, Prince George’s County, Maryland, and the area which would be come Hyattsville, Prince George’s County, Maryland. The other side of my mother’s ancestors lived in the Delmarva, Somerset County, Maryland, the lands between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, some of which would become Ocean City, Maryland.
Each branch were farmers and performed farm duties including at least one blacksmith and sheriff, a very important person in those days. Each would have seen the coming revolution differently. The Foster side had several men move to Boston in those days. Notably they would have learned much in that northern city which would be different from the Mid-Atlantic farming region. After a short time of a couple years, they returned to their farms in this area, roughly 1775. The Foster clan provided several men in the Continental Army, one died during those years. The Delmarva families, from what I have found so far, provided compensation and support. They too would have been near the fighting in Southeast Virginia, right across the Chesapeake Bay from Cornwall’s attempt to move up the southern route to attack Washington’s southern troops. That ended at Yorktown, Virginia. So far I have nothing in my research stating any of the Delmarva men were in the Continental Army or Navy.
Is it possible for us, these several centuries removed from the times, to imagine walking around somewhat convinced that King George would just say goodbye without a fight? But then joining up to fight for liberty? Could we do that today?
Craig,
Oh drat I missed it. If it will improve the image, Right now First Lady is perched on “HER BRANCH” looking for the kids and posing majestically while doing it.
First Lady
Well, just finished our burgers, roasted corn, bbqed shrimp and slaw. Mrs P put together an apple crisp but, ummm…later. Getting ready for doggie freak out when the fireworks start. But now, a nap.
TCM is on a musical binge. Just finishing West Side Story. Of course nothing has changed since Romeo and Juliet in the 1500s or in the last 50 years since the Broadway debut when it was switchblades. Now the tribal hatred is on a global level with AK47 & IUDs. The arts community keeps the ideals alive and then the haters try to spoil the message.
Hamilton works with an all black cast and rap. Then Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar makes the right wing have conniptions even though it reminds people that illegitimate overthrow by assassination is a bad thing.
There are times when it is hard to just keep believing
Founding father Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey as the national bird of the USA. He considered the bald eagle lazy because it took food other birds caught, saying it represented poor moral character. Franklin also believed the bald eagle lacked courage because it often suffered attacks by smaller birds. The turkey was more respectable and exhibited courage, Franklin believed.
about that ben franklin legend and the 1962 new Yorker cover from billypenn:
…Franklin wrote a letter about the turkey to his sister in 1784. He was in Paris at the time, nearing the end of his life but still in full mistress mode. While in his 70s, Franklin might have even proposed to a French woman — it’s not known whether he was serious or joking. In the same vein, Franklin offered his tangent about eagles and turkeys because of some medals being offered for honored soldiers that featured the seal.
For my own part I wish the Eagle had not been chosen the representative of our country. He is a bird of bad moral character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead tree near the river, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the labor of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a fish, and is bearing it to his nest for the support of his mate and young ones, the Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.
With all this injustice, he is never in good case but like those among men who live by sharping & robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the district. He is therefore by no means a proper emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our country…
I am on this account not displeased that the figure is not known as a Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For the truth the Turkey is in comparison a much more respectable bird, and withal a true original native of America. Eagles have been found in all countries, but the turkey was peculiar to ours; the first of the species seen in Europe, being brought to France by the Jesuits from Canada and served up at the wedding table of Charles the Ninth. He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a bird of courage, and would not hesitate to attack a grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his farm yard with a red coat on.
Franklin’s turkey letter mostly remained unknown to the general public for nearly 200 years. It wasn’t until the mid-20th century, in 1962, when the story started popping up after the New Yorker featured on its cover a design of the U.S. Seal with a turkey instead of an eagle (The New Yorker’s editor at the time was William Shawn. His son Wallace Shawn played the “inconceivable” guy in “Princess Bride” and voiced Rex the T-Rex in “Toy Story.”)
According to the U.S. Diplomacy Center, this helped popularize Franklin’s preference for the turkey.
I think old Ben might have been engaging in a bit of Hokum.
Jamie44,
1776 is a goldmine. I adore William Daniels.
Another song that sticks: The Triangle Song. “Molasses to rum to slaves. Tisn’t morals, tis money, that saves.”
Which brings up an uncomfortable truth: The North profited from slavery & had slave owners. One of which was an ancestress of mine from the Fairfield, Connecticut area. It’s there in the 1790 Federal Census. It’s a fact.
I thought of this when Mr Crawford wrote that his Kentucky ancestors supported & fought for the Union during the Civil War. How many read “Kentucky” & automatically thought Johnny Reb? Isn’t fair but too easy to brush that broad stroke. Heck, who would have thought my Connecticut Yankee family had a slave? We tend to swim in the shallow end ….. generalizations are the easy way out through history.
Happy Birthday, America!
patd… watching the celebration with the Boston Pops on the Esplanade is a must see in our house.
There are several nesting Bald Eagles in local ponds in my one horse town. They are a magnificent bird to behold! Also Golden Eagles as well.
The fireworks last night on the lake were the best I’ve ever seen. Seems like everyone was competing and the display was too much to take in at one time as they were shot from all around. Lot of fun!
For those who have never experienced a Bald Eagle in the wild, your life would be quite enriched. Overhead, the hunter (or scavanger) will circle, looking for prey or fish in the water or things on land. You can spot the white of its head from quite a distance. Bring your cat or small dog inside.
When you come across one in front of you, the first thing you see is the white head. The when the bird stretches its wings out you are then confronted with the size of it. It is a big bird. Unless you have seen one before, the wild bird spreading its wings will stun you. Eagles are large birds. The bald eagle is a large bird and beautiful.
Molasses to Rum to Slaves is one of those powerful songs that gives you chills. The other song about the impact of the period is “Mama Look Sharp”. The whole musical is like that based on actual events, reports, and letters of the period including much of the dialogue and lyrics.
Georgia’s electronic touchscreen voting system is so riddled with problems that the results of the most expensive House race in U.S. history should be tossed out and a new election held, according to a lawsuit filed by a government watchdog group and six Georgia voters.
The lawsuit was filed Monday in Fulton County Superior Court by the Colorado-based Coalition for Good Governance and voters who are members of the group. It seeks to overturn the results of the June 20 runoff election between Republican Karen Handel and Democrat Jon Ossoff in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District. Handel was declared the winner with 52 percent of the vote to Ossoff’s 48.
The named defendants include Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp, members of the State Election Board, local election officials in Fulton, Cobb and DeKalb counties and the Center for Election Systems at Kennesaw State University.
The lawsuit claims Georgia’s touchscreen voting system has severe security problems, lacks verifiable paper ballots and cannot be legally used for elections.
A judge in June threw out a related lawsuit earlier that attempted to force Georgia to use paper ballots.
The new lawsuit comes weeks after the publication of a classified National Security Agency report describing a sophisticated scheme, allegedly by Russian military intelligence, to infiltrate local U.S. elections systems using phishing emails.
The suit cites the work of private cybersecurity researcher Logan Lamb, who discovered last August that a misconfigured server had left Georgia’s 6.7 million voter records and other sensitive files exposed to hackers. The complaint also notes that seven months after Lamb made that discovery, another researcher was able to do the same.
A spokeswoman for Kemp did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. But in a column Sunday in USA Today, Kemp blamed the news media for developing “false narratives about Russian hacking and potential vulnerabilities in the system. The prevailing plot line is that states like Georgia can’t provide suitable security for elections.”
Kemp asserted that states are doing enough to keep elections secure, and he said, “Anything to the contrary is fake news.”
Marilyn Marks, executive director of the Coalition for Good Governance, said the lawsuit was filed hours ahead of a deadline at midnight Monday to contest the election. She says the group does election integrity work in multiple states.
Funny video making the rounds. SFB departing Air Force One, down the stairs, sees his limo in his way and exits stage right. Finally someone rounds him up and gets him back to the limo. Amendment 25 is needed.
While arriving from Air Force one, president trump seems lost searching for his car which was just in front of him
Asked this a couple months ago; bears repeating. If someone is truly mentally ill, to the point of being removed from Office, is it fodder for taunts? Or should it be treated as an extraordinary serious matter? Even the most repugnant deserve help if they are diseased. It defines our humanity. (And I know the argument will be made “Well he did this, did that, the GOP does this, does that” …. which is exactly why we shouldn’t do as they do because we know better. Just saying. Rant ended.)
The looking for his limo video is making the rounds along with others such as walking away from Netanyahu and forgetting to sign an EO. These are served up with the definition of “Sundowning” is Alzheimer patients.
Sundowning is a symptom of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. It’s also known as “late-day confusion.” If someone you care for has dementia, their confusion and agitation may get worse in the late afternoon and evening.
This video goes into more detail on the symptoms of decline
I hope they sue the shit of Georgia for doing Pussy G’s work in removing people from the rolls based on bull shit
If Pussy G is mentally ill – then he gets the same sympathy he has shown for others — that is none as they wiped mental illness from required coverage
Jamie, “sundowning” has been a life long affliction for those of us who have from birth been morning people. hate to think of how amplified the condition will be at dementia onset for us. I begin to turn into a pumpkin come 8 pm, altho’ earlier at 6 pm maybe just a squash — creativity, acuity and lucidity seem to set with the sun.
So now the Idiot in Chief is talking about steel and (once again) showing his utter lack of understanding of an issue before talking about fixing it.
The fate of ObamaCare repeal-and-replace could hinge on an amendment from Sen. Ted CruzThe Texas senator is pushing for a provision that would allow insurers to sell plans that do not comply with ObamaCare insurance regulations, so long as they also sell plans that comply with those rules. Cruz says giving insurers a path around the regulations should allow them to offer some plans at a lower cost.
It’s unclear whether the amendment will be added to the Senate bill, or even whether it will pass muster under budgetary rules.
But the amendment could be the key to ensuring that the legislation passes both the House and the Senate.
I always thought sundowning meant you had to get out of town before sunset if you were not white
patd…. me too… if we are out somewhere all I have to say to Rick is “pumpkin time” and he knows it’s time to go home. That’s why you rarely see me on this blog past 7pm. And to live blog during the debates…. fagetaboutit… it’s hard enough for me just trying to stay up till the end.
KGC…. LOL!
If anyone here is still using the “purple pill” for indigestion –stop it now
on that cruz plan — should be dubbed “alternate facts insurance” — if it gets adopted, I do hope no subsidies support it. the gov. should only subsidize those policies that include the essential services and other regulatory goodies (like the 80/20 mandate for example). otherwise big insure is being rewarded for not doing right.
in today’s the guardian:Investigators explore if Russia colluded with pro-Trump sites during US election
It is a wide-ranging investigation that is examining the unusually large number of contacts between Trump associates and Russian officials during the campaign, as well as the possibility that the Kremlin has personal or financial leverage over members in the Trump camp, including the president himself according to his own remarks on Twitter.
The role of Russian generated fake news is a separate strand which has gained less attention up to now, but the part it played in depressing the Clinton vote in key states like Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania in the critical last days of the 2016 campaign could have helped change the course of recent American history.
[….]
Clint Watts, a former FBI counter-terrorism expert, said that a Russia-driven influence campaign also became apparent in the Republican primaries.
He told the Senate intelligence committee the campaign “may have helped sink the hopes of candidates more hostile to Russian interests long before the field narrowed”.
He saw the same pattern that Mattes had observed, of seemingly independent operators across Europe suddenly starting to propagate similar messages consistent with messaging from Moscow.
“What you have to look at now is how were these sites financed and you have look at their ownership. How did they get the funds to get started?” said Watts, now a senior fellow at the Centre For Cyber and Homeland Security at George Washington University.
He has also found a high degree of apparent coordination in the dissemination of fake news between official Russian propaganda outlets and “alt-right” sites in the US.
“They synchronise so quickly it looks as if they know when a particularly story was going to come out,” he added. “And they all parrot the Kremlin narrative.”
Assuming either the Left Wing or the Right Wing gained control of the country, it would probably fly around in circles – Pat Paulsen
Katherine Graham Cracker,
Responding to tit for tat with tat for tit accomplishes nothing except to cause reason to disappear. The Democratic Party has a golden opportunity to act as the grown ups in this awful #45 equation & reap the results come election day. People respond to Leadership; Democrats should be Leaders. The Republicans go low so the Democrats should go high.
I don’t think to display no sympathy for Pussy G’s mental illness, if that’s the case, is going low.
Speculating on whether he is or not might be considered by some to be lower. For me I think we take him on the issues. I do not think he has Alzheimers or is mentally ill – he is a man who has bulled his way through life without ever paying the consequences I doubt if he pays attention to anyone but himself — everything and everyone else are merely here to serve him. He’s not mentally ill he’s a pig and he is in a big pig sty with his gooper buddies – it’s not just him he has pals.
kgc, sounds like you would agree with what dan rather said the other day on the subject, reminded him of the old country song line “from the gutter to you ain’t up”
sj… I agree that I don’t want to hear things like SFB, Pussy Grabber, or Idiot in Chief come out of the mouths of Democratic leaders such as Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and/or any other Democratic politician. But for those of us here on this blog…. IMO…. let it rip!
sjwny, I agree mental illness “should not be fodder for taunts” however, it would be hard for me to feel compassion for a sadistic serial killer psychopath… not saying we currently have one in the wh… there is point at which to draw a line when confronting evil and stay mentally well oneself. for me it is easier to laugh than bog down in despair.
Pussy G is right in many ways about the media – they do suck for the most part -focus on false equivalencies, the horse race, the tweet of the day and not so much on fact checking although there is more now.
The whole coal miner theme is such a crock. Pussy G isn’t for the miners he for the mine owners
Just like he is for the insurance companies, not the insured. Insurance companies are like buggy whip manufacturers — no longer relevant.
“The Republicans go low so the Democrats should go high” -sj
In this nation of vicious morons? Your suggested strategy lead to the most devastating electoral result in my lifetime, last year. Give the people the sound and fury they prefer.
Cruz plans would be completely worthless to anyone except those selling policies that cover nothing.
pogo & jamie seemed to have the situation sorted out last week. It’s too bad that our elected AWF-ish-ULs can’t figure it out.
Sundowners – Is that why I’m completely done in after work? I made cupcakes for work on a weeknight & it took me 3 hours…from a box mix…and didn’t frost them until morning.
Some of these are real while others are humorous suggestions
Wtf BiD, do u just sit and wait for me to post so u can begin your daily deluge of inanity?
Bink – I am perfectly capable of being inane without your presence. 😉
Dang it, I deleted it. Anyway, Skinny Denis thinks it’s a bad idea for Dems to go after Trump’s mental stability. I agree.
Normally I would agree about not personalizing the tragedy of mental illness onto the victim. Not this time
Jamie and I had something sorted out? Who’dathunkit?
If it weren’t for instability, drumpf would have no stability in his life.
“Normally I would agree about not personalizing the tragedy of mental illness onto the victim. Not this time”
flatus, amen to that. in this particular mental illness case, it will indeed be a tragedy for the whole nation if it isn’t paid attention to in time.
and maybe tragic for the rest of the planet as well.
Really looking forward to next Sunday 8P ET 5P PT Earth Live on National Geographic. Not sure how they are going to pull this off, but it should be wonderful.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said North Korea’s actions were “quickly closing off the possibility of a diplomatic solution” and the United States was prepared to defend itself and its allies.
“One of our capabilities lies with our considerable military forces. We will use them if we must, but we prefer not to have to go in that direction,” Haley told an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting on North Korea.
Happy Fourth, y’all.
a public service announcement for the fourth forthwith from furry friends
Published on Jul 3, 2017
Man’s best friend wants to clear the air about dog’s worst friend: fireworks.
marist poll:
7/4: Don’t Know Much About History… A notable proportion of Americans may need to brush up on their U.S. history.
A notable proportion of Americans may need to brush up on their U.S. history. While 77% of residents nationally correctly cite Great Britain as the country from which the United States declared its independence, nearly one in four, 23%, either mention another country, 8%, or are unsure, 15%. These findings have changed little from when this question was last reported in 2011.
Education and income make a difference. Nearly nine in ten Americans with a college education or income above $50,000 are able to identify Great Britain as the country from which the United States won its liberty. Of note, white Americans, 84%, are also more likely than Latino residents, 70%, or African Americans, 53%, to correctly identify Great Britain. Although race is a factor, its importance is exaggerated by differences in education and income among ethnic groups. Interestingly, age makes little difference.
“Curious about other countries that get mentioned?” asks Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion. “Thirteen other countries get tabbed as the country from which the United States gained its independence. A scattering of people mention France, Mexico, and Germany among the longer list of countries. At least one person surveyed mentioned Afghanistan, Brazil, Canada, China, Columbia, Denmark, Italy, Japan, Panama, or Russia.”
Three in ten Americans, 30%, also do not know the year in which the United States declared its independence. Included here are 11% of residents who mention a year other than 1776 and 19% who are unsure. But, there has been improvement. In 2011, 42% of U.S. residents were unaware of the year the United States broke away from Great Britain. 69%, up from 58%, now say the United States declared its independence in 1776.
Complete July 3, 2017 NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll Release of the United States
For all their super-Patriotism, today’s GOP leaders would have been Tories. Unfortunately the Democratic Party/Left has no Adams, Thomas Paines or Washingtons. Is there a modern equivalent of John Glover & his Marblehead Regiment, ready to guide the American Cause over dangerous waters?
Propaganda is a mighty weapon in victory. Media today has to answer to so many masters; the bottom line takes importance over the deadline. There are a few voices in the wilderness: Mr Olbermann, Washington Post, New York Times, independent blogs like this. I honor all who speak out for the good. Thank You.
Will be interesting when we revisit this Blog on July 4, 2018. Sanity or Insanity …. what defines our government? And what did we do to help enact change?
“Media today has to answer to so many masters; the bottom line takes importance over the deadline.”
sjwny, and those the media cover, from the politicians to the professionals whom they quote, the short-term bottom line seems to be the only thing that’s important. what percentage of doctors and lawyers are speaking up more for their patients and clients rather than their financial future? how many teachers speak up more for their students than for their paychecks and tenure? it’s systemic. the bottomline, the ratings, the votes = job security and self protection. no time for duty to others or to the country. compassion and patriotism belong to another age.
Finally. Happy 4th of July.
A nice above the fold feature in our local paper, The State, from Columbia:
Here’s how bald eagles made a valiant comeback in SC
“all eyes are opened, or opening to the rights of man. the general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view the palpable truth that the mass of mankind has not been born, with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately by the grace of god. these are grounds of hope for others. for ourselves let the annual return of this day, for ever refresh our recollections of these rights and an undiminished devotion to them.”
[excerpt from Jefferson’s last public letter ]
…Norman Rockwell painting, the iconic Working on the Statue of Liberty, which appeared on the cover of the Post in July 1946.
The original work of art was previously owned by famed film director Steven Spielberg—an avid Rockwell collector. In 1994 Spielberg donated the painting to the White House where it has proudly hung for Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama, according to Jeremy Clowe, manager of media services for the Norman Rockwell Museum.
even the newbie had the sense to keep it there. good reminder to a prez there’s always work to do to keep it a shining beacon. too bad twit’s too busy tweeting, trying to burnish his own image.
Jamie,
Thanks for the clips. Two of my favorite.
Craig,
Thanks for the post. Love hearing it.
Causes me to wonder as I have on many occasions; was any single document ever so compelling?
Keep the story alive:
Happy Independence Day!
Patd
Maybe all school children should be given a copy of We Didn’t Start the Fire and required to learn every reference. At least it would give them the last half of the 20th century. 🙂
The story on the above is that a friend of Julian Lennon told Billy Joel that nothing of interest happened while Joel was growing up. You know you’re good when you get a hit out of an F you song you wrote to someone. Supposedly Joel for the most part took the Time Magazine cover headlines and rewrote to create the rhymes.
It really needs a pre date and up date to cover all of American history. Definitely a more fun way to learn.
Flatus, really interesting article you linked about Eagles. I didn’t know Franklin preferred the turkey as national bird.
Craig,
Franklin describes his fondness for the turkey here.?
definitely not one of his better ideas. would be awkward to eat the national bird.
Both Honor and Glory are now fully fledged and flying generally around the DC Arboretum while getting the hang of hunting on their own. They are still making stops at the parental nest and while Mr. President is long gone on summer vacation, First Lady does check in on the kids every once in a while to see if they need her assistance. Check here to see if currently flying by.
http://www.dceaglecam.org/
SJWNY
Also from 1776: Cool Considerate Men
This one REALLY upset the Republicans when first performed.
“would be awkward to eat the national bird”
craig, even more awkward, we almost extinguished said nat’l haliaeetus leucocephalus with ddt, hunting and habitat destruction.
and it looks like we’re well on the way to killing freedom of the press, hell bent to cause the extinction of democracy itself. another way of shooting a bird.
ewwww, Jamie, right now it’s eating its prey. didn’t need to see that.
love the cool cannon crew at the end
speaking of eating less than delicately, just finished off the requisite 4th of july repast of hot dog, watermelon and a sloppy but tasty apple pie a la mode.
🙂
Bald eagles have made quite a come back. One of the eaglets from this year’s hatch has been found in poor condition, but is recovering. What is fascinating to me is when I am traveling on US 17 through eastern Virginia and I come across a road kill, deer usually, there maybe an bald eagle chowing down and a flock of buzzards or vultures sitting back waiting for their turn. That beak and those claws can do a lot of damage and the other scavengers are quite respectful. I have seen them overhead of my house and my boat. That head reflects a lot of light making it easy to see them.
Although I try to imagine what the feeling would have been back in the 1770’s of my ancestors, I find it impossible. One side of my mother’s ancestors lived in the region that would become the District of Columbia, in particular the area around Marlboro, Queen Ann’s Parish, Prince George’s County, Maryland, and the area which would be come Hyattsville, Prince George’s County, Maryland. The other side of my mother’s ancestors lived in the Delmarva, Somerset County, Maryland, the lands between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, some of which would become Ocean City, Maryland.
Each branch were farmers and performed farm duties including at least one blacksmith and sheriff, a very important person in those days. Each would have seen the coming revolution differently. The Foster side had several men move to Boston in those days. Notably they would have learned much in that northern city which would be different from the Mid-Atlantic farming region. After a short time of a couple years, they returned to their farms in this area, roughly 1775. The Foster clan provided several men in the Continental Army, one died during those years. The Delmarva families, from what I have found so far, provided compensation and support. They too would have been near the fighting in Southeast Virginia, right across the Chesapeake Bay from Cornwall’s attempt to move up the southern route to attack Washington’s southern troops. That ended at Yorktown, Virginia. So far I have nothing in my research stating any of the Delmarva men were in the Continental Army or Navy.
Is it possible for us, these several centuries removed from the times, to imagine walking around somewhat convinced that King George would just say goodbye without a fight? But then joining up to fight for liberty? Could we do that today?
Craig,
Oh drat I missed it. If it will improve the image, Right now First Lady is perched on “HER BRANCH” looking for the kids and posing majestically while doing it.
First Lady
Well, just finished our burgers, roasted corn, bbqed shrimp and slaw. Mrs P put together an apple crisp but, ummm…later. Getting ready for doggie freak out when the fireworks start. But now, a nap.
TCM is on a musical binge. Just finishing West Side Story. Of course nothing has changed since Romeo and Juliet in the 1500s or in the last 50 years since the Broadway debut when it was switchblades. Now the tribal hatred is on a global level with AK47 & IUDs. The arts community keeps the ideals alive and then the haters try to spoil the message.
Hamilton works with an all black cast and rap. Then Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar makes the right wing have conniptions even though it reminds people that illegitimate overthrow by assassination is a bad thing.
There are times when it is hard to just keep believing
Alexandra petri: The Founders definitely anticipated this
more on the other national bird from wisegeek:
Founding father Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey as the national bird of the USA. He considered the bald eagle lazy because it took food other birds caught, saying it represented poor moral character. Franklin also believed the bald eagle lacked courage because it often suffered attacks by smaller birds. The turkey was more respectable and exhibited courage, Franklin believed.
about that ben franklin legend and the 1962 new Yorker cover from billypenn:
…Franklin wrote a letter about the turkey to his sister in 1784. He was in Paris at the time, nearing the end of his life but still in full mistress mode. While in his 70s, Franklin might have even proposed to a French woman — it’s not known whether he was serious or joking. In the same vein, Franklin offered his tangent about eagles and turkeys because of some medals being offered for honored soldiers that featured the seal.
Franklin’s turkey letter mostly remained unknown to the general public for nearly 200 years. It wasn’t until the mid-20th century, in 1962, when the story started popping up after the New Yorker featured on its cover a design of the U.S. Seal with a turkey instead of an eagle (The New Yorker’s editor at the time was William Shawn. His son Wallace Shawn played the “inconceivable” guy in “Princess Bride” and voiced Rex the T-Rex in “Toy Story.”)
According to the U.S. Diplomacy Center, this helped popularize Franklin’s preference for the turkey.
I think old Ben might have been engaging in a bit of Hokum.
Jamie44,
1776 is a goldmine. I adore William Daniels.
Another song that sticks: The Triangle Song. “Molasses to rum to slaves. Tisn’t morals, tis money, that saves.”
Which brings up an uncomfortable truth: The North profited from slavery & had slave owners. One of which was an ancestress of mine from the Fairfield, Connecticut area. It’s there in the 1790 Federal Census. It’s a fact.
I thought of this when Mr Crawford wrote that his Kentucky ancestors supported & fought for the Union during the Civil War. How many read “Kentucky” & automatically thought Johnny Reb? Isn’t fair but too easy to brush that broad stroke. Heck, who would have thought my Connecticut Yankee family had a slave? We tend to swim in the shallow end ….. generalizations are the easy way out through history.
Happy Birthday, America!
patd… watching the celebration with the Boston Pops on the Esplanade is a must see in our house.
There are several nesting Bald Eagles in local ponds in my one horse town. They are a magnificent bird to behold! Also Golden Eagles as well.
The fireworks last night on the lake were the best I’ve ever seen. Seems like everyone was competing and the display was too much to take in at one time as they were shot from all around. Lot of fun!
For those who have never experienced a Bald Eagle in the wild, your life would be quite enriched. Overhead, the hunter (or scavanger) will circle, looking for prey or fish in the water or things on land. You can spot the white of its head from quite a distance. Bring your cat or small dog inside.
When you come across one in front of you, the first thing you see is the white head. The when the bird stretches its wings out you are then confronted with the size of it. It is a big bird. Unless you have seen one before, the wild bird spreading its wings will stun you. Eagles are large birds. The bald eagle is a large bird and beautiful.
I forgot the message from my cousins.
https://youtu.be/yLi_6tCOQhk
Americas hymn
Should you happen to find a dead eagle.
This is how to make your eagle legal.
SJWNY
Molasses to Rum to Slaves is one of those powerful songs that gives you chills. The other song about the impact of the period is “Mama Look Sharp”. The whole musical is like that based on actual events, reports, and letters of the period including much of the dialogue and lyrics.
back in the un-real world of politics
abc: Lawsuit seeks to void Georgia congressional election results
Georgia’s electronic touchscreen voting system is so riddled with problems that the results of the most expensive House race in U.S. history should be tossed out and a new election held, according to a lawsuit filed by a government watchdog group and six Georgia voters.
The lawsuit was filed Monday in Fulton County Superior Court by the Colorado-based Coalition for Good Governance and voters who are members of the group. It seeks to overturn the results of the June 20 runoff election between Republican Karen Handel and Democrat Jon Ossoff in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District. Handel was declared the winner with 52 percent of the vote to Ossoff’s 48.
The named defendants include Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp, members of the State Election Board, local election officials in Fulton, Cobb and DeKalb counties and the Center for Election Systems at Kennesaw State University.
The lawsuit claims Georgia’s touchscreen voting system has severe security problems, lacks verifiable paper ballots and cannot be legally used for elections.
A judge in June threw out a related lawsuit earlier that attempted to force Georgia to use paper ballots.
The new lawsuit comes weeks after the publication of a classified National Security Agency report describing a sophisticated scheme, allegedly by Russian military intelligence, to infiltrate local U.S. elections systems using phishing emails.
The suit cites the work of private cybersecurity researcher Logan Lamb, who discovered last August that a misconfigured server had left Georgia’s 6.7 million voter records and other sensitive files exposed to hackers. The complaint also notes that seven months after Lamb made that discovery, another researcher was able to do the same.
A spokeswoman for Kemp did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. But in a column Sunday in USA Today, Kemp blamed the news media for developing “false narratives about Russian hacking and potential vulnerabilities in the system. The prevailing plot line is that states like Georgia can’t provide suitable security for elections.”
Kemp asserted that states are doing enough to keep elections secure, and he said, “Anything to the contrary is fake news.”
Marilyn Marks, executive director of the Coalition for Good Governance, said the lawsuit was filed hours ahead of a deadline at midnight Monday to contest the election. She says the group does election integrity work in multiple states.
Funny video making the rounds. SFB departing Air Force One, down the stairs, sees his limo in his way and exits stage right. Finally someone rounds him up and gets him back to the limo. Amendment 25 is needed.
https://youtu.be/lpW28lwCCUs
Published on Jul 4, 2017
bbronc, this it?
Published on Jul 4, 2017
While arriving from Air Force one, president trump seems lost searching for his car which was just in front of him
Asked this a couple months ago; bears repeating. If someone is truly mentally ill, to the point of being removed from Office, is it fodder for taunts? Or should it be treated as an extraordinary serious matter? Even the most repugnant deserve help if they are diseased. It defines our humanity. (And I know the argument will be made “Well he did this, did that, the GOP does this, does that” …. which is exactly why we shouldn’t do as they do because we know better. Just saying. Rant ended.)
The looking for his limo video is making the rounds along with others such as walking away from Netanyahu and forgetting to sign an EO. These are served up with the definition of “Sundowning” is Alzheimer patients.
Sundowning is a symptom of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. It’s also known as “late-day confusion.” If someone you care for has dementia, their confusion and agitation may get worse in the late afternoon and evening.
This video goes into more detail on the symptoms of decline
I hope they sue the shit of Georgia for doing Pussy G’s work in removing people from the rolls based on bull shit
If Pussy G is mentally ill – then he gets the same sympathy he has shown for others — that is none as they wiped mental illness from required coverage
Jamie, “sundowning” has been a life long affliction for those of us who have from birth been morning people. hate to think of how amplified the condition will be at dementia onset for us. I begin to turn into a pumpkin come 8 pm, altho’ earlier at 6 pm maybe just a squash — creativity, acuity and lucidity seem to set with the sun.
So now the Idiot in Chief is talking about steel and (once again) showing his utter lack of understanding of an issue before talking about fixing it.
Cruz plan could be key to unlocking healthcare votes
The fate of ObamaCare repeal-and-replace could hinge on an amendment from Sen. Ted CruzThe Texas senator is pushing for a provision that would allow insurers to sell plans that do not comply with ObamaCare insurance regulations, so long as they also sell plans that comply with those rules. Cruz says giving insurers a path around the regulations should allow them to offer some plans at a lower cost.
It’s unclear whether the amendment will be added to the Senate bill, or even whether it will pass muster under budgetary rules.
But the amendment could be the key to ensuring that the legislation passes both the House and the Senate.
I always thought sundowning meant you had to get out of town before sunset if you were not white
patd…. me too… if we are out somewhere all I have to say to Rick is “pumpkin time” and he knows it’s time to go home. That’s why you rarely see me on this blog past 7pm. And to live blog during the debates…. fagetaboutit… it’s hard enough for me just trying to stay up till the end.
KGC…. LOL!
If anyone here is still using the “purple pill” for indigestion –stop it now
http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/03/health/proton-pump-inhibitors-early-death-risk-study/index.html
on that cruz plan — should be dubbed “alternate facts insurance” — if it gets adopted, I do hope no subsidies support it. the gov. should only subsidize those policies that include the essential services and other regulatory goodies (like the 80/20 mandate for example). otherwise big insure is being rewarded for not doing right.
in today’s the guardian: Investigators explore if Russia colluded with pro-Trump sites during US election
[….]
Robert Mueller, the special counsel appointed by the justice department to oversee the investigation into the Russian role in the election, is thought to be looking into all these issues, as well as possible links between Russian fake news factories and far-right sites in the US.
It is a wide-ranging investigation that is examining the unusually large number of contacts between Trump associates and Russian officials during the campaign, as well as the possibility that the Kremlin has personal or financial leverage over members in the Trump camp, including the president himself according to his own remarks on Twitter.
The role of Russian generated fake news is a separate strand which has gained less attention up to now, but the part it played in depressing the Clinton vote in key states like Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania in the critical last days of the 2016 campaign could have helped change the course of recent American history.
[….]
Clint Watts, a former FBI counter-terrorism expert, said that a Russia-driven influence campaign also became apparent in the Republican primaries.
He told the Senate intelligence committee the campaign “may have helped sink the hopes of candidates more hostile to Russian interests long before the field narrowed”.
He saw the same pattern that Mattes had observed, of seemingly independent operators across Europe suddenly starting to propagate similar messages consistent with messaging from Moscow.
“What you have to look at now is how were these sites financed and you have look at their ownership. How did they get the funds to get started?” said Watts, now a senior fellow at the Centre For Cyber and Homeland Security at George Washington University.
He has also found a high degree of apparent coordination in the dissemination of fake news between official Russian propaganda outlets and “alt-right” sites in the US.
“They synchronise so quickly it looks as if they know when a particularly story was going to come out,” he added. “And they all parrot the Kremlin narrative.”
Assuming either the Left Wing or the Right Wing gained control of the country, it would probably fly around in circles – Pat Paulsen
Katherine Graham Cracker,
Responding to tit for tat with tat for tit accomplishes nothing except to cause reason to disappear. The Democratic Party has a golden opportunity to act as the grown ups in this awful #45 equation & reap the results come election day. People respond to Leadership; Democrats should be Leaders. The Republicans go low so the Democrats should go high.
I don’t think to display no sympathy for Pussy G’s mental illness, if that’s the case, is going low.
Speculating on whether he is or not might be considered by some to be lower. For me I think we take him on the issues. I do not think he has Alzheimers or is mentally ill – he is a man who has bulled his way through life without ever paying the consequences I doubt if he pays attention to anyone but himself — everything and everyone else are merely here to serve him. He’s not mentally ill he’s a pig and he is in a big pig sty with his gooper buddies – it’s not just him he has pals.
kgc, sounds like you would agree with what dan rather said the other day on the subject, reminded him of the old country song line “from the gutter to you ain’t up”
sj… I agree that I don’t want to hear things like SFB, Pussy Grabber, or Idiot in Chief come out of the mouths of Democratic leaders such as Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and/or any other Democratic politician. But for those of us here on this blog…. IMO…. let it rip!
sjwny, I agree mental illness “should not be fodder for taunts” however, it would be hard for me to feel compassion for a sadistic serial killer psychopath… not saying we currently have one in the wh… there is point at which to draw a line when confronting evil and stay mentally well oneself. for me it is easier to laugh than bog down in despair.
Pussy G is right in many ways about the media – they do suck for the most part -focus on false equivalencies, the horse race, the tweet of the day and not so much on fact checking although there is more now.
The whole coal miner theme is such a crock. Pussy G isn’t for the miners he for the mine owners
Just like he is for the insurance companies, not the insured. Insurance companies are like buggy whip manufacturers — no longer relevant.
“The Republicans go low so the Democrats should go high” -sj
In this nation of vicious morons? Your suggested strategy lead to the most devastating electoral result in my lifetime, last year. Give the people the sound and fury they prefer.
Cruz plans would be completely worthless to anyone except those selling policies that cover nothing.
pogo & jamie seemed to have the situation sorted out last week. It’s too bad that our elected AWF-ish-ULs can’t figure it out.
Sundowners – Is that why I’m completely done in after work? I made cupcakes for work on a weeknight & it took me 3 hours…from a box mix…and didn’t frost them until morning.
Some of these are real while others are humorous suggestions
Country Music Quotes Aphorisms
Wtf BiD, do u just sit and wait for me to post so u can begin your daily deluge of inanity?
Bink – I am perfectly capable of being inane without your presence. 😉
Dang it, I deleted it. Anyway, Skinny Denis thinks it’s a bad idea for Dems to go after Trump’s mental stability. I agree.
Normally I would agree about not personalizing the tragedy of mental illness onto the victim. Not this time
Jamie and I had something sorted out? Who’dathunkit?
If it weren’t for instability, drumpf would have no stability in his life.
“Normally I would agree about not personalizing the tragedy of mental illness onto the victim. Not this time”
flatus, amen to that. in this particular mental illness case, it will indeed be a tragedy for the whole nation if it isn’t paid attention to in time.
and maybe tragic for the rest of the planet as well.
Really looking forward to next Sunday 8P ET 5P PT Earth Live on National Geographic. Not sure how they are going to pull this off, but it should be wonderful.
reuters:
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said North Korea’s actions were “quickly closing off the possibility of a diplomatic solution” and the United States was prepared to defend itself and its allies.
“One of our capabilities lies with our considerable military forces. We will use them if we must, but we prefer not to have to go in that direction,” Haley told an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting on North Korea.
Some guy called”Nein” on the Twitter:
A spectacle is haunting Europe.
latimes
What if China and Russia are using Jong Un as a pawn.
They 3 can talk amongst themselves all they want to……they tell him if everything goes right, he miiiiight get S. Korea back.
I’m afraid Ambassador Haley is a nitwit. That’s just a bunch of refried high school horseshit she put out there.
And that “I’m in meetings for the fourth. #thanks n. Korea”
It’s pretty bad news when you have an ambassador to the UN who thinks on twitter at that level.
Oh, wow……we’re all in the tenth grade again……..
Oy.
NEW THREAD