It's Not That Simple

Feb 28th, 2012

While highlighting the works of Gordon S. Wood at his "bookclub," David Frum makes a fine point:

"I’ve long chafed at the phrase, “The Founders,” to refer to the revolutionaries and Constitution writers of the 1770s and 1780s.

The phrase seeks to cut the history out of American history. In 1776, the bigger American colonies were societies more than 150 years old. Those societies in turn carried with them the cultural DNA of even older societies, both European and African.

What was founded between 1775 and 1789 was the American Republic, not the American nation. But even for that new polity, there was no “year zero.” The American Republic was built out an inherited past. The process of detachment from that past was long, traumatic, and still incomplete as of 1789."

In my view, it's no more complete as of this writing.

America wasn't immaculately conceived. Neither was it fully formed at conception. The "founders" (a phrase I have been known to use if only to irk the Tea Party set) understood that the nation would evolve constantly even if their idolaters do not.

The Real Tea Party

April 2nd, 2011

The fact that modern so-called "Tea Partiers" so dutifully carry the water of corporate interests runs contrary to the very intent of the actual Tea Party Rebellions. I have been trying in vain to explain this to folks for the last year. Thom Hartmann does it better. Listen for yourselves.

Quote Of The Day - History Edition

March 1st, 2011

"History is hard to know, because of all the hired bullshit, but even without being sure of ''history'' it seems entirely reasonable to think that every now and then the energy of a whole generation comes to a head in a long fine flash, for reasons that nobody really understands at the time 


-- and which never explain, in retrospect, what actually happened." -- Hunter S. Thompson

Tomb Of Caligula Found... Film At 11

Jan 18th, 2011

A story in The Guardian today reveals that the tomb of the infamous Roman emperor Caligula has been discovered. What jumped out at me was this passage: 

"After reportedly sleeping with his sisters, killing for pleasure and seeking to appoint his horse a consul during his rule from AD37 to 41, Caligula was described by contemporaries as insane."

... it was reported. 

Am I the only one who finds the dry style of print journalism to be hilarious when married to ancient history?

Protecting Truth

Jan 17th, 2011

It is right that we take time on this day to expose the very serious effort to undermine the legacy of truth that Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his last breath to achieve. In a fine piece by Kirsten West Savali, the Tea Party-driven efforts to remove facts from our nation's schoolbooks are profiled.

“Envision it, America!

Textbooks scrubbed free of slaves' blood and government-sanctioned murder, ensuring that history books are palatable for generations of bright-eyed schoolchildren for generations to come.”

A Graphic History Of 20th Century Recessions

Dec 21st, 2010

We are providing this as a resource and will be referencing it in posts over the next several days. You are encouraged to take a look at this post for more damnably irrefutable facts.

RECESSIONS OF THE 20TH CENTURY

Date	Duration
Sept. 1902-Aug. 1904	23
May 1907-June 1908	13
Jan. 1910-Jan. 1912	24
Jan. 1913-Dec. 1914	23
Aug. 1918-March 1919	7
Jan. 1920-July 1921	18
May 1923-July 1924	14
Oct. 1926-Nov. 1927	13
Aug. 1929-March 1933	43
May 1937-June 1938	13
Feb. 1945-Oct. 1945	8
Nov. 1948-Oct. 1949	11
July 1953-May 1954	10
Aug. 1957-April 1958	8
April 1960-Feb. 1961	10
Dec. 1969-Nov. 1970	11
Nov. 1973-March 1975	16
Jan. 1980-July 1980	6
July 1981-Nov. 1982	16
July 1990-March 1991	8
March 2001-Nov. 2001	8

source: NBER