Interrogatories
It’s National Simplify Your Life Week. In what ways does your life need simplification? (Mine is clutter.)
Do you ever travel by train? What is the longest train journey you have taken? Where do you wish they had a train to?
What fear have you outgrown? What fear do you wish you could outgrow?
Have you ever had or even seen a Raspberry Cream Pie, and if so, can you tell me where to get one?
The Twitter Emitter
Paul Ryan: "Obama's jobs proposal is just the same tired ideas about hiring people to build things we need. What a broken record!"
— Top Conservative Cat (@TeaPartyCat) July 30, 2013
House Dems should propose food stamp bill and put "Benghazi" in the title just to get GOPers to impulsively vote for it w/o reading first.
— Dennis (@wxdam) July 31, 2013
Before Twitter, if you wanted to be included in endless conversations that in no way involve or interest you, you had to have a family.
— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) July 31, 2013
Extreme Political or Religious conflicts resolve by War. Extreme Scientific conflicts resolve by a search for better data.
— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) July 31, 2013
Awkward question for Anthony Weiner at New York mayoral forum: "How did you celebrate National Orgasm Day?"
— The Daily Edge (@TheDailyEdge) July 31, 2013
O.J. Simpson finally went to jail just for being another middle-aged guy trying to get his balls back.
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) July 31, 2013
George Zimmerman got pulled over for speeding in Texas, but didn't get a ticket, so it's official– GEORGE ZIMMERMAN IS ABOVE THE LAW.
— Top Conservative Cat (@TeaPartyCat) July 31, 2013
George Zimmerman got pulled over for speeding in Texas, but didn't get a ticket, so it's official– GEORGE ZIMMERMAN IS ABOVE THE LAW.
— Top Conservative Cat (@TeaPartyCat) July 31, 2013
If #trayvon had been pulled over in TX with a loaded gun, we'd be watching the dashcam video of him being killed! #Zimmerman
— ExtremeLiberal (Jim) (@ExtremeLiberal) July 31, 2013
I try to stay in shape by exercising poor judgement.
— Bad Advice (@ThatsBadAdvice) July 31, 2013
How did asking for money for your labor become "greed"? How did fighting for rights to which you are entitled become "being entitled"?
— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) August 1, 2013
First Scott Walker came for the teachers union, and police and firemen said nothing…
— Top Conservative Cat (@TeaPartyCat) August 1, 2013
On This Day
In 1834 – the British Empire abolished slavery. Non-laborer slaves were freed in 1838, and laborer slaves in 1840.
In 1842, a parade held by the black Young Men’s Vigilant Association was marching down Lombard Street in Philadelphia when they were attacked by a mob of Irish Catholics, who proceeded to riot (lasting 3 days) and even attempted to attack the home of one black leader, who was saved by the intercession of a Catholic priest. But you know, those black people are the violent ones! grrrrr…
In 1876, Colorado became the 38th U.S. state.
In 1936, the Olympic Games officially opened in Berlin, with Adolf Hitler presiding over the opening ceremonies. He had tried to limit the games to white people and Christians, but backed down when several nations threatened a boycott. He did succeed at keeping German Jews from participating. Of course, Jesse Owens helped him realize some of his worst fears.
In 1966, Charles Whitman climbed a tower at the University of Texas in Austin, armed with several guns. He killed 3 people inside the tower, then opened fire on the people below, killing 11 (and another who died of his injuries later) before he was killed by police. It was later learned that he had killed his wife and his mother as well. 31 others were wounded in the incident, but survived.
In 1973, George Lucas’ first hit, American Graffiti, premiered in Los Angeles.
In 1981, MTV began airing on cable TV. Did you know that the “M” stands for “music”, and at one time they actually showed music videos?
In 1988, in a dark day for all Americans, Rush Limbaugh began broadcasting his syndicated hate-filled diatribes across the country.
In 2007, the I-35W Mississippi River bridge in Minneapolis collapsed during rush hour, killing 35 and injuring 145. Then-governor Pawlenty had vetoed a transportation bill that could have repaired the bridge (though it really needed replacing) and maintenance had been deferred for a year because it was deemed “more efficient.”
Born on This Day
10 BC – Claudius, Roman emperor (d. 54)
1495 – Jan van Scorel, Dutch painter (d. 1562)
1555 – Edward Kelley, English spirit medium (d. 1597)
1659 – Sebastiano Ricci, Italian painter (d. 1734)
1714 – Richard Wilson, Welsh landscape painter (d. 1782)
1770 – William Clark, American soldier, explorer (of Lewis and Clark fame), and politician (d. 1838)
1779 – Francis Scott Key, American lawyer, author, and songwriter (d. 1843)
1819 – Herman Melville, American writer (d. 1891)
1837 – Mary Harris Jones, aka Mother Jones, American labor organizer (d. 1930)
1854 – Walter Launt Palmer, U.S. landscape painter (d. 1932)
1856 – Daniel Hernández Morrillo, Peruvian painter (d. 1932)
1865 – Prince Eugén Napoleon Nicolaus Bernadotte, Swedish nobleman and artist (d. 1947)
1910 – James Henry Govier, English painter (d. 1974)
1924 – Marcia Mae Jones, American actress (d. 2007)
1931 – Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, American singer-songwriter
1933 – Dom DeLuise, American actor and comedian (d. 2009)
1936 – Yves Saint Laurent, French fashion designer (d. 2008)
1937 – Al D’Amato, Republican ex-Senator from New York
1941 – Ron Brown, American politician, Secretary of Commerce under Clinton (d. 1996)
1942 – Jerry Garcia, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1942 – Giancarlo Giannini, Italian actor
1946 – Boz Burrell, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (King Crimson and Bad Company) (d. 2006)
1946 – Rick Coonce, American drummer (The Grass Roots) (d. 2011)
1950 – Jim Carroll, American poet and actor (d. 2009)
1951 – Tommy Bolin, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Deep Purple, Zephyr, and James Gang) (d. 1976)
1953 – Robert Cray, American singer and guitarist
1958 – Rob Buck, American guitarist and songwriter (10,000 Maniacs) (d. 2000)
1958 – Michael Penn, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and composer (Doll Congress)
1960 – Chuck D, American rapper, producer, and author (Public Enemy)
1960 – Suzi Gardner, American singer-songwriter and guitarist and songwriter (L7)
1963 – Coolio, American rapper, producer, and actor
1964 – Adam Duritz, American singer-songwriter, musician, and producer (Counting Crows and The Himalayans)
1978 – Dhani Harrison, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (Thenewno2, Traveling Wilburys, and Fistful of Mercy)
1979 – Jason Momoa, American actor (Game of Thrones)
Died on This Day
30 BC – Mark Antony, Roman politician and general (b. 83 BC)
527 – Justin I, Byzantine Emperor (b. 450)
1137 – Louis VI of France (b. 1081)
1494 – Giovanni Santi, Italian painter (b. 1435)
1589 – Jacques Clément, French assassin of Henry III of France (b. 1567)
1714 – Anne, Queen of Great Britain (b. 1665)
1837 – Walter Geikie, deaf Scottish engraver, illustrator, and painter (b. 1795)
1857 – Charles Turner, English engraver (b. 1774)
1884 – Carlo Bossoli, Italian-Swiss painter (b. 1815)
1893 – Alessandro La Volpe, Italian landscape painter (b. 1819)
1894 – Hugo Salmson, Swedish artist (b. 1843)
1902 – Ludwig Beckmann, German painter (b. 1822)
1903 – Calamity Jane, American frontierswoman and scout (b. 1853)
1911 – Edwin Austin Abbey, American painter (b. 1852)
1938 – Edmund C. Tarbell, American painter seemingly specializing in genteel women who are bored out of their minds. (b. 1862)
1970 – Frances Farmer, American actress (b. 1913)
1977 – Francis Gary Powers, American pilot (b. 1929)
1981 – Paddy Chayefsky, American writer (b. 1923)
1983 – Lilian Mercedes Letona, Salvadoran guerrilla and activist (b. 1954)
1987 – Pola Negri, Polish silent film star (b. 1897)
1988 – Florence Eldridge, Broadway actress (b. 1901)
1998 – Eva Bartok, Hungarian-born actress (b. 1927)
2005 – Constant Nieuwenhuys, Dutch painter (b. 1920)
2007 – Tommy Makem, Irish singer and poet (b. 1932)
Today is
National Minority Donor Awareness Day
National Girlfriend’s Day
World Wide Web Day
National Raspberry Cream Pie Day
Respect for Parent’s Day
Yorkshire Day
This Week is:
National Simplify Your Life Week
This Month is:
Admit You’re Happy Month
Family Fun Month
National Catfish Month
National Eye Exam Month
National Golf Month
National Panini Month
National Peach Month
Romance Awareness Month
Water Quality Month
National Picnic Month
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