Continuing from this below, in which Bush uses the Vietnam-was-a-mistake model to promote his Iraq strategy, the experts weigh in: Not surprisingly, they’re not impressed. Historian Robert Dallek, who has written about the comparisons of Iraq to Vietnam, accused Bush of twisting history. “It just boggles my mind, the distortions I feel are perpetrated here by the president,” he said … Read More
62 Years Ago Today….
….this historic photograph was taken: This is easily the most famous photograph by Alfred Eisenstaedt. It shows an American sailor kissing a young woman during V–J Day impromptu celebrations in Times Square in 1945. Because the faces of the kisser and kissee are partially obscured, many have laid claim to be either the man or the woman in this photo. … Read More
The Great Northeast Blackout of 2003
It happened four years ago today: the largest blackout in North American history. To be honest, I don’t remember it, probably because it didn’t effect this region. But it effected 80 million people in eight states of the Northeast (including all of New York City), as well as 10 million in Ontario. Wikipedia has a great entry on the event, … Read More
Life Preserver From Edmund Fitzgerald Found?
You know the song: A farmer, they say, was out by the bayWith his family out on vacationThe thing that he found in the dirty ol’ groundSoon became the talk of the nation. Thirty five years and a river of tearsFrom when the great ship met perilWas this faded thing, this old orange ringReally from the Edmund Fitzgerald?
Tales Of Future Past
Cool. A whole website devoted to a subject I like: past depictions of the future. Below is a magazine from the 1920’s predicting what the car of 1973 would look like: Guess they got that wrong. In 1969, for only $10,000, Honeywell offered a kitchen computer, which would store recipes, tell you which dishes you can make with the ingredients … Read More
Debunking An Email
There’s an email circulating — maybe you’ve seen it — that is so replete with factual inaccuracies that it cannot withstand even the slightest scrutiny. Here it is, with my debunking: This is worth remembering, because it is true. It’s familiar territory, but those of you that graduated from school after the early 60’s were probably never taught this. Our … Read More
Dead Presidents
If you click through to the Washington Post link, you’ll learn that Gerald Ford died last night. Interestingly, Ronald Reagan died today too, according to the Post.
History Repeats Itself
Thirty years ago today: Q: So what in a sense you’re saying is that there are certain situations…where the president can decide that it’s in the best interests of the nation or something, and do something illegal. NIXON: Well, when the president does it, that means that it is not illegal. Q: By definition. NIXON: Exactly, exactly.
Four Dead In Ohio
It’s hard to believe — even now — that there was a time when this country was so divided that National Guardsmen actually opened fire on Americans. But it happened at Kent State University, 27 years ago, on May 4, 1970. A student protest of Vietnam — a common scene in those days — resulted in the deaths of four … Read More
Death Of Woody Harrelson’s Dad
Normally, this is a news story that I would have ignored, save for the fact that Woody Harrelson’s father may have some connection to the JFK assassination. Below is a picture of the "three tramps" taken into custody in Dallas on that fateful day. They were supposedly vagrants hanging around the railyards near Dealey Plaza, yet many have noted their … Read More
Finding Jesus
People talk about "finding Jesus", but this time, he may have really been found. I mean, really: New scientific evidence, including DNA analysis conducted at one of the world’s foremost molecular genetics laboratories, as well as studies by leading scholars, suggests a 2,000-year-old Jerusalem tomb could have once held the remains of Jesus of Nazareth and his family. According to … Read More
Why Don’t These Things Ever Happen To Me?
Lucky guy goes to a thrift shop in Nashville: When he asked the price on a yellowed, shellacked, rolled-up document, the clerk marked it at $2.48. I’m sure you’ve figured out what happens next: It turned out to be an "official copy" of the Declaration of Independence — one of 200 commissioned by John Quincy Adams in 1820. Its actual … Read More
New Footage: JFK Assassination
It’s a little hard to find on the Internet right now, but I have it here: the complete never-before-seen footage taken by a guy named George Jeffries on November 22, 1963 in Dallas. The silent footage of JFK and Jackie is brief, lasting only seconds. Less than ninety seconds after this footage of the President and First Lady was filmed, … Read More