Interesting voice on climate change, at Greenfyre. For teachers, there are interesting sources that should work well in presentations.
If Anthony Watts slams the site, we’ll know it’s good.
A rationalist on climate change
December 7, 2008
1 Comment | 
Climate change, Environmental protection, Global warming, History, Natural history, Science, Weblogs | Tagged: air pollution, Climate change, Environmental protection, Global warming, Politics, Science | 
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Posted by Ed Darrell
Baltimore Sun: Obama eligibility challenge likely to be refused
December 7, 2008Responsible media, generally called in denigrating styel “mainstream media” by many of our more nutty nut cases, have held off in commenting on the Supreme Court’s position on the case against Obama’s election discussed in conference last Friday, December 5.
Except the Baltimore Sun, which notes as the Bathtub did, that the appeal is likely to go no further.
We won’t know for sure until tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Eric Zorn at The Chicago Tribune says “enough already,” and calls for the conservative moonbats to give up the nasty, fruitless calumny. (Also see this Tribune story.)
Leave a Comment » | Barack Obama, Elections, Presidents, U.S. Constitution, U.S. Supreme Court | Tagged: Birth Certificate, Constitution, Election 2008, Electoral College, Obama, Presidential Election, Supreme Court | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Pearl Harbor, “A day that will live in infamy”
December 7, 2008Encore post, from December 7, 2006.
Associated Press 1941 file photo of a small boat assisting in rescue of Pearl Harbor attack victims, near the U.S.S. West Virginia, as the ship burns.
Today is the 65th [67th] anniversary of Japan’s attack on the U.S.’s Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Our local newspaper, The Dallas Morning News, has a front-page story on survivors of the attack, who have met every five years in reunion at Pearl Harbor. Today [2006] will be their last official reunion. The 18-year-olds who suffered the attack, many on their first trips away from home, are in their 80s now. Age makes future reunions impractical.
From the article:
“We’re like the dodo bird. We’re almost extinct,” said Middlesworth, now an 83-year-old retiree from Upland, Calif., but then – on Dec. 7, 1941 – an 18-year-old Marine on the USS San Francisco.
Nearly 500 survivors from across the nation were expected to make the trip to Hawaii, bringing with them 1,300 family members, numerous wheelchairs and too many haunting memories.
Memories of a shocking, two-hour aerial raid that destroyed or heavily damaged 21 ships and 320 aircraft, that killed 2,390 people and wounded 1,178 others, that plunged the United States into World War II and set in motion the events that led to atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
“I suspect not many people have thought about this, but we’re witnessing history,” said Daniel Martinez, chief historian at the USS Arizona Memorial. “We are seeing the passing of a generation.”
Another article notes the work of retired history professor Ron Marcello from the University of North Texas, in Denton, in creating oral histories from more than 350 of the survivors. This is the sort of project that high school history students could do well, and from which they would learn, and from which the nation would benefit. If you have World War II veterans in your town, encourage the high school history classes to go interview the people. This opportunity will not be available forever.
There is much to be learned, Dr. Marcello said:
Dr. Marcello said that in doing the World War II history project, he learned several common themes among soldiers.
“When they get into battle, they don’t do it because of patriotism, love of country or any of that. It’s about survival, doing your job and not letting down your comrades,” he said. “I heard that over and over.”
Another theme among soldiers is the progression of their fear.
“When they first got into combat, their first thought is ‘It’s not going to happen to me.’ The next thought is ‘It might happen to me,’ and the last thought is ‘I’m living on borrowed time. I hope this is over soon,’ ” Dr. Marcello said.
Dr. Marcello said the collection started in the early 1960s. He took charge of it in 1968. Since Dr. Marcello has retired, Todd Moye has taken over as the director.
Other sources:
- Be certain to check your local newspaper.
- Official U.S. Navy history of Pearl Harbor
- National Geographic’s “Remembering Pearl Harbor” site, with video
- U.S.S. Arizona National Memorial
While this is not one of the usual dates listed by Congress, you may fly your U.S. flag today.
— End of 2006 post —
Other resources (2007):
- Pearl Harbor Memorial
- Reopening of Nimitz Museum in Fredericksburg, Texas
- Historic radio reports of Pearl Harbor attack
- Baltimore Sun story on so few veterans left to remember
- “Pearl Harbor lives in the hearts of its vets,” Los Angeles Times
- Google collection of news stories about veterans, today
- USA Today, “Five survivors keep history alive at Pearl Harbor”
- Panoramic views of the memorials (this one below from the deck of the U.S.S. Missouri)
USS Missouri Memorial – Main Battery - from the Panoramas of World War II site
1 Comment | 1941-1945, Famous Battles, History images, Travel, War, World history, World War II | Tagged: Education, Famous Battles, History, Pearl Harbor, Teacher Resources, World War II | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Two steps backward . . .
December 7, 2008Licensed under a Creative Commons attribution-share alike license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Scott McLeod, J.D., Ph.D., scottmcleod.net/contact
Go read for yourself, solid commentary at Dangerously Irrelevant.
How well does your classroom incorporate technology that helps students learn better, or faster, and helps prepare them for the age into which they will graduate?
1 Comment | Education, Education quality, Education success, History, Testing | Tagged: Education, Education success, Standardized Testing | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 