Motley Moose – Archive

Since 2008 – Progress Through Politics

The Daily F Bomb, Friday 2/28/14

Interrogatories

If you could devise a Rare Disease for Rare Disease Day that would affect only political figures on the right-wing persuasion, what disease would you give them? (Like foot-in-mouth-itis)

What book signings have you been to?

What is the last thing you rented?

The Twitter Emitter

On This Day

In 1885, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company was incorporated in as a subsidiary of American Bell Telephone.

In 1940, the first televised basketball was shown (Fordham University vs. the University of Pittsburgh in Madison Square Garden), an event that would eventually lead to Madness (and March).

In 1953, scientists James D. Watson and Francis H.C. Crick announced that they had discovered the double-helix structure of DNA.

In 1972, President Nixon and Chinese Premier Chou En-lai signed the Shanghai Communique, moving towards normalizing relations between the two countries.

In 1983, U2’s album “War” U2 was released.

In 1993, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents tried to serve warrants on the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas, setting off a gun battle that would leave four agents and six Davidians dead, followed by a 51-day standoff. The unfortunate ending to this affair became a rallying cry for wingnuts of all stripes.

In 2013, Pope Benedict XVI resigned; the first pope to do so since 1415.

Born on This Day

1770 – François Kinsoen, Flemish painter (d. 1839)

 photo Franc3270oisKinsoen.jpg

1798 – Johann Jakob Ulrich, Swiss painter (d. 1877)

1820 – John Tenniel, English illustrator (d. 1914)

1828 – Antonio Rotta, Italian genre painter (d. 1903)

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1867 – William Degouve de Nuncques, Belgian painter (d. 1935)

1867 – Thomas Theodor Heine, German poster artist (d. 1948)

1869 – Wilson Henry Irvine, U.S. Impressionist painter (d. 1936)

1871 – Leo von König, German painter (d. 1944)

1882 – Geraldine Farrar, American soprano (d. 1967)

1894 – Ben Hecht, American playwright (d. 1964)

1894 – Wim Schuhmacher, Dutch painter (d. 1986)

1895 – Marcel Pagnol, French novelist, playwright and film director (d. 1974)

1901 – Linus Pauling, American chemist and activist, Nobel laureate (d. 1994)

1903 – Vincente Minnelli, American film director (d. 1986)

1906 – Bugsy Siegel, American gangster (d. 1947)

1908 – William Coldstream, English painter (d. 1987)

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1915 – Zero Mostel, American actor (d. 1977)

1917 – Odette Laure, French actress and singer (d. 2004)

1922 – Joyce Howard, British actress (d. 2010)

1923 – Charles Durning, American actor (d. 2012)

1929 – Frank Gehry, Canadian-American architect

1931 – Gavin MacLeod, American actor

1934 – Willie Bobo, American jazz percussionist (d. 1983)

1939 – Tommy Tune, American dancer

1939 – John Fahey, American steel-string acoustic guitarist (d. 2001)

1940 – Mario Andretti, Italian-American race car driver

1942 – Brian Jones, English musician (The Rolling Stones) (d. 1969)

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1948 – Mike Figgis, English director

1948 – Bernadette Peters, American actress and singer

1953 – Paul Krugman, American economist, Nobel laureate

1957 – Cindy Wilson, American singer (The B-52’s)

1958 – Jack Abramoff, American businessman, political figure and convict

1969 – Patrick Monahan, American singer (Train)

1975 – Greg Simkins, American painter

Died on This Day

1453 – Isabella, Duchess of Lorraine (b. 1400)

1621 – Cosimo II de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (b. 1590)

1748 – Johann-Rudolf Huber, Swiss portraitist (b. 1668)

1786 – Jacob-Andries Beschey, Flemish painter (b. 1710)

1808 – Nicolaes Muys, Dutch painter (b. 1740)

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1818 – Anne Vallayer Coster, French painter (b. 1744)

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1838 – Benjamin Barker, British painter (b. 1776)

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1867 – Jacques-Raymond Brascassat, French cow painter (b. 1804)

1896 – Josef Munsch, Austrian genre painter (b. 1832)

1916 – Henry James, American writer (b. 1843)

1918 – Nikolay Nikanorovich Dubovskoy, Russian landscape painter (b. 1859)

1923 – François Flameng, Parisian painter (b. 1856)

 photo Franc3270oisFlameng.jpg

1959 – Maxwell Anderson, American playwright (b. 1888)

1974 – Bobby Bloom, American singer and songwriter (b. 1946)

1977 – Eddie ‘Rochester’ Anderson, American actor (b. 1905)

1983 – Hendra Gunawan, Indonesian painter (b. 1918)

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1986 – Fred Kabotie, Hopi painter (b. 1900)

1993 – Ruby Keeler, Canadian actress and dancer (b. 1910)

2002 – Mary Stuart, American actress (b. 1926)

2008 – Mike Smith, English musician (The Dave Clark Five) (b. 1943)

2011 – Annie Girardot, French actress (b. 1931)

2011 – Jane Russell, American actress (b. 1921)

Today is

National Chocolate Souffle Day

National Tooth Fairy Day

Read Me Day

Rare Disease Day

Public Sleeping Day

Floral Design Day


8 comments

  1. Floja Roja

    We need it badly. I hope it continues throughout the day, as scheduled. Yesterday the rain disappeared as the sun came up, and it was a gorgeous day. The air smelled so good! I doubt this will make any dent in the drought, but every little bit helps.

    At this point in time, I think I would infect the Right with “Teh Ghey,” which has never to this point be communicable, but I think they could all use it. It could also have the salutary effect of slowing down their breeding ability, since that disease they already have, “Teh Crayzee,”  seems to be highly contagious, and is certainly hereditary. (There is treatment for the latter, it’s called “Critical Thinking,” but it requires extensive deprogramming, like “College.”)

    I got a bunch of books signed at various Netroots Nations (I even have one by a writer that I am no longer remotely fond of) and once I stumbled into, quite by accident, a Ray Bradbury signing.

    The last thing I rented? Has to be a hotel room. Probably Netroots again. I really should rent a floor waxer, though. This place needs it.

    Happy Friday, everyone!

  2. Gee

    High of 28 today.  40s and 50s on the weekend.  Back down in the 20s Monday and Tuesday.  Gives us something to talk about anyway.

    If you could devise a Rare Disease for Rare Disease Day that would affect only political figures on the right-wing persuasion, what disease would you give them? (Like foot-in-mouth-itis)

    What book signings have you been to?

    What is the last thing you rented?

    I’d give them something that made them highly sensitive to atmospheric change.  Sinus trouble with low barometric pressure; joint pain with dampness; perhaps dry eye from drought.  Nah, maybe I’d just give them awareness.  That’d be a punishment for sure.

    Just one.  It was a recent novel by George Pelecanos where he was kind enough to spend almost the whole time reading from a re-released book by Don Carpenter (Lulu’s dad).

    Probably a car.

  3. Those children in the François Flameng painting. If looks could kill!

    Re: Bitcoin

       In lieu of Bitcoin, I’ve stuck to flushing $100 bills down a toilet. I’m deep in the red but at least I understand exactly what’s going on.

       – John Gruber (@gruber) February 26, 2014

    I don’t get it either but this headline makes me care even less that it is failing: Bitcoin: By The Privileged, For The Privileged:

    Bitcoin users’ rejection of the government reflects the luxury of being able to live well without state support, while the less advantaged desperately need a larger government role in the banking system to help them them overcome deep, systemic bias.

    The people who most need alternatives to the current banking system are seeking policy alternatives, not libertarian stabs at undermining the state.

    It is difficult to decide who is doing more damage to our country: Republican teapartiers or those who think that the libertarian principles of “everyone for themselves” can work in a complex society.  

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