Do birds know when they’re making humans look silly?
Seagull blithely ignoring the wishes of local human rule makers. (Who took this photo?)
Signs of life: Not even seagulls respect the law
October 5, 2023
2 Comments | 
History, Humor, Signs, Signs of Life, Wildlife | Tagged: Humor, Signs of Life, Wildlife | 
Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
President Biden enlightens and cheers Western World with speech in Vilnius
July 15, 2023
Helluva speech. Dramatic difference between Biden’s triumphant reception in Vilnius and Trump’s trip and actions with NATO, and remarks in Vilnius, a few years earlier.
This is why Biden should be re-elected, among many other things. 38 minutes that should lift your spirits.
Before the speech, Deutsche Welle said:
“US President Joe Biden is expected to deliver a public speech at Vilnius University following the annual NATO summit in Lithuania. During the summit, there was a significant emphasis on Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. President Biden and other NATO leaders met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the newly established NATO-Ukraine Council. This permanent body serves as a platform for the 31 NATO allies and Ukraine to engage in consultations and request emergency meetings. This comes after Ukraine was neither granted immediate membership in NATO, nor a clear timeline for accession.”
DW provides a transcript at their YouTube site, if you’re looking for one.
See also:
- “With an eye on 2024, Biden touts successful NATO summit,” Justin Sink and Jennifer Jacobs of Bloomberg, JapanTimes, July 13, 2023.
Leave a Comment » | foreign affairs, History, NATO, President Joe Biden, Ukraine | Tagged: foreign affairs, NATO, Politics, President Joe Biden, Ukraine | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
“Founding Father’s” big mistake — we don’t celebrate July 2, John Adams; we’ve forgiven the error
July 1, 2023
“The Second Day of July 1776 will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. . . . It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”
— John Adams to Abigail Adams, July 3, 1776
Surely John Adams knew that July 4 would be Independence Day, didn’t he?
In writing to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776, John Adams committed one of those grand errors even he would laugh at afterward. We’ll forgive him when the fireworks start firing.
1776 filled the calendar with dates deserving of remembrance and even celebration. John Adams, delegate from Massachusetts to the Second Continental Congress, wrote home to his wife Abigail that future generations would celebrate July 2, the date the Congress voted to approve Richard Henry Lee’s resolution declaring independence from Britain for 13 of the British colonies in America.
Two days later, that same Congress approved the wording of the document Thomas Jefferson had drafted to announce Lee’s resolution to the world.
Today, we celebrate the date of the document Jefferson wrote, and Richard Henry Lee is often a reduced to a footnote, if not erased from history altogether.
Who can predict the future?
(You know, of course, that Adams and Jefferson both died 50 years to the day after the Declaration of Independence, on July 4, 1826. In the 50 intervening years, Adams and Jefferson were comrades in arms and diplomacy in Europe, officers of the new government in America, opposing candidates for the presidency, President and Vice President, ex-President and President, bitter enemies, then long-distance friends writing almost daily about how to make a great new nation. Read David McCullough‘s version of the story, if you can find it.)
(Yes, this is mostly an encore post. Another history issue that arose in conversations today — I thought everyone knew this.)
More, and Related articles:
- David McCullough’s Jefferson Lecture, with parts of the story
- Happy July 2nd! (rhapsodyinbooks.wordpress.com)
- Congress votes for independence; This Day in History – 7/2/1776 (toddlohenry.com)
- All the wonderful things about 1776 (booklovingfool.wordpress.com)
- Happy Birthday to the United States of America – -July 2, 2012 (fkgpoliticsatrandom.com)
- Happy Birthday! – July 2, 1776 (str.typepad.com)
- A Singing Tribute to Independence Day: 1776 (wired.com)
- What are the 7 Lessons from 1776? (budjohnsonvistage.wordpress.com)
- Celebrating Freedom: This Day in History, 1776 (leadwithintention.wordpress.com)
- Born on the 2nd of July (neatorama.com)
- “For God’s Sake, John, Sit Down!” (betterthanatextbook.wordpress.com)
Leave a Comment » | 1776, Declaration of Independence, Famous quotes, Historic documents, History, John Adams, July 4 1776, Quotes | Tagged: 1776, Continental Congress, Declaration of Independence, History, John Adams, July 2 1776, July 2nd, July Fourth, Quotes | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
July 4, 2023: Fly your flag! 247th anniversary of public reading of the Declaration of Independence
July 1, 2023
At Four Mile Historic Park in Glendale, Colorado, Abraham Lincoln actor John Voehl pauses before delivering the Gettysburg Address at a 4th of July celebration (yes, Lincoln delivered the address on November 16; it’s a great statement of the meaning and history of the Declaration of Independence, and probably appropriate for July 4, remembering that the actual independence resolution passed on July 2, 1776 . . .) Denver Post file photo
It’s a day of tradition — oddly enough, since we are in reality a very new nation, and Lee’s resolution to declare independence from Britain came on July 2.
A soak in Millard Fillmore’s Bathtub is nothing if not a steeping in tradition. Fly your flag July 4, or the whole weekend, to celebrate the independence of the American colonies of Britain.
Fourth of July: NPR has already read the Declaration of Independence (or will soon, if you’re up early), PBS is ready to broadcast the Capitol Fourth concert (maybe a rebroadcast is available, if you’re off at your own town’s fireworks — check your local listings), your town has a parade somewhere this weekend, or a neighboring community does, and fireworks are everywhere.
At the White House, traditionally, new citizens are sworn in — often people who joined our armed forces and fought for our nation, before even getting the privileges of citizenship. Fireworks on the Capital Mall will be grand. President Obama’s White House would host a few thousand military people and their families from some of the best views. Traditionally, five photographers, chosen by lottery, get to shoot photos of the fireworks from the windows of the Washington Monument; will that occur, with the Monument open again after repair from the earthquake?
There will be great fireworks also in Baltimore Harbor over Fort McHenry, the fort whose siege inspired Francis Scott Key to write the “Star-spangled Banner” from his boat in the harbor, in 1814. Fireworks will frighten the bluebirds nesting at Yorktown National Battlefield. I suspect there will be a grand display at Gettysburg, on the 154th anniversary of the end of that battle. July 4, 1863, also marked the end of the Siege of Vicksburg; tradition holds that Vicksburg did not celebrate the 4th of July for 83 years after that. I’ll wager there will be fireworks there tonight.
In Provo, Utah, the city poobahs will have done all they can to try to live up to their self-proclaimed reputation as having the biggest Independence Day celebration in the nation. Will the celebration in Prescott, Arizona, still be muted by the tragic deaths of 19 Hot Shot firefighters a few years ago; will drought halt the fireworks, too? There will be fireworks around the Golden Gate Bridge, in Anchorage, Alaska, reflecting on the waters of Pearl Harbor, and probably in Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Marianas Islands.
Fireworks on the Fourth is a long tradition — a tradition that kept John Adams and Thomas Jefferson alive, until they both died on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, in 1826, the sounds of the fireworks letting Adams know the celebration had begun (Adams erroneously celebrated that Jefferson, the Declaration’s author, still lived, unable to know Jefferson had passed just hours earlier).
Remember to put your flag up today.
Last flag on the Moon: Astronaut Eugene Cernan and the U.S. Flag — Apollo 17 on the Moon (NASA photo)
If you’re not on the Moon, here are some tips on flag etiquette, how to appropriately fly our national standard.
Also:
- “Fireworks in Washington, D.C.” (from 2009)
- Another post from 2009 – linked for the photo
- Our current 50-star flag is the longest-flying flag since 1789; since Hawaii’s entry into the Union, the U.S. has gone the longest stretch without adding a state (is it time to add one?)
- Fun quizzes on the Fourth of July, from PBS’s “Capitol Fourth.”
- Advice on photographing fireworks, from PBS (with experience on the Mall in Washington, D.C.), and from Ritz Camera and the New York Institute of Photography
- One more way we know the Moon landings were real — the photo below shows the flag from the photo above, still on the Moon.
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter photo of the Apollo 17 landing site. NASA caption: Apollo 17 Lunar Module Challenger descent stage comes into focus from the new lower 50 km mapping orbit, image width 102 meters. Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University
- Fourth of July trivia: Fun facts about flags, food and fireworks (mercurynews.com)
- Happy Fourth Of July! Celebrate With 75 ‘Firework’ Songs (huffingtonpost.com)
- Y! Big Story: Lesser known truths about Fourth of July (givemeliberty01.wordpress.com)
- Fireworks TV schedule: July 4, 2012 — when, where to watch (examiner.com)
- AP PHOTOS: Americans celebrate the Fourth of July (sfgate.com)
- Josh Turner plays PBS’s ‘A Capitol Fourth’ special (blogs.tennessean.com)
- Why We Watch Fireworks on the Fourth of July (usnews.com)
- Assemblyman Eric Linder presents Fourth of July Resolution (ocpolitical.com)
- Fourth Of July By The Numbers: Stats On Food, Fireworks, Flags & More (947thewave.cbslocal.com)
- This Fourth of July, Celebrate Safely (cmichaels225.wordpress.com)
- Our View: Tonight, we can all look up together (appeal-democrat.com)
- D.C. Prepares for Annual ‘A Capitol Fourth’ Concert (washington.cbslocal.com)
- Fourth of July Eve (ktindc.wordpress.com)
- No, the press conference on the discovery of the Higgs Boson was not intended to celebrate America’s Independence Day; still . . .
- Quote of the moment: Thomas Jefferson, on the 4th of July and its meaning
- Be sure to read Carl Anthony’s great story about the origins of Uncle Sam — is he the man they say he was? — his split personality, and how it was resolved
This is mostly an encore post, but I so love that photo of the flag with the Earth in the distance.
Happy birthday, Kathryn!
Fireworks in Duncanville, Texas, for July 4 — Kathryn Knowles’s birthday. We’re always happy the town chimes in with the celebratory spirit.
Tip of the old scrub brush to Thomas Jefferson, Richard Henry Lee, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and the cast of thousands of patriots including George Washington.
Leave a Comment » | 4th of July, Flag etiquette, Fly your flag today, History, Independence Day, Patriotism | Tagged: 1776, 4th of July, Flag etiquette, Fly your flag, History, Independence Day, NPR, Patriotism, PBS | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
The Seldom Scene 1979 – Rider (Bluegrass)
June 22, 2023
I discovered the Seldom Scene within the first year I moved to Washington permanently. To me, Washington was the Bluegrass Capital of the World in those days.
At the venerable Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia, the best bluegrass bands and performers of the day came through every week, and on Thursday nights the Seldom Scene could be seen as they seldom were.
Somebody caught this video, not at the Birchmere, but a song they often played.
Members of the 1979 Seldom Scene: John Duffey (Mandolin), Ben Eldridge (Banjo), Mike Auldridge (Dobro), Phil Rosenthal (Guitar), & Tom Gray (Bass). I do not know the venue.
Perhaps I could blame the band for discouraging me from taking up playing again. On every instrument, they were so superior to most, playing at a level very few could ever hope to reach.
Still loved them.
From the Bluegrass Library.
Bluegrass legends Seldom Scene, c. 1979. Left to right, John Duffey on mandolin, Tom Gray on bass, Phil Rosenthal on guitar, Ben Eldredge on banjo and Mike Auldridge on Dobro. Probably a publicity photo, via Rocky 52.
See also:
2 Comments | Bluegrass, History, Music | Tagged: Bluegrass, History, Music, Seldom Scene | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Remember to fly your flag on Father’s Day 2023!
June 18, 2023
In the video, the U.S. flag flying at Circle 10 Council’s Camp Wisdom, in Dallas County, Texas.
Perhaps when you were a child, you watched your father as he posted Old Glory near your front door, on holidays and other special occasions. Your father set an example that you follow today.
Remember to honor your father by posting the flag today, Fathers Day. Fathers Day is one of those dates set in the U.S. Flag Code for citizens to fly the U.S. flag.
“Litchfield, Minnesota veterans Roger Tipka, Don Nordlie and Stan Mortenson, pictured from left, raise the U.S. flag prior to the start of the third annual Tournament of Duty in 2015. The three men all served in the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II.” Litchfield Independent Observer photograph.
2 Comments | Fly your flag today | Tagged: Fathers Day, Fly your flag today | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Flag Day 2023! (Fly your flag all week) – A teacher started it
June 12, 2023Of course you know to fly your flag on June 14 for Flag Day — but did you know that the week containing Flag Day is Flag Week, and we are encouraged to fly the flag every day?
Clifford Berryman’s 1901 Flag Day cartoon, found at the National Archives: “In this June 14, 1904, cartoon, Uncle Sam gives a lesson to schoolchildren on the meaning of Flag Day. Holding the American flag in one hand, Uncle Sam explains that the flag has great importance, unlike the Vice Presidency, which he ridicules in a kindly manner. (National Archives Identifier 6010464)”
The 105th Congress in 1998 passed a law designating the week in which Flag Day falls as Flag Week, encouraging Americans to fly the flag the entire week. In 2023 that runs from Sunday, June 11, through Saturday, June 17.
Our National Archives has a blogged history of Flag Day pointing out it was a teacher who started Flag Day celebrations.
On June 14, 1885, Bernard J. Cigrand placed a 10-inch, 38-star flag in a bottle on his desk at the Stony Hill School in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. The 19-year-old teacher then asked his students to write essays on the flag and its significance to them. This small observance marked the beginning of a long and devoted campaign by Cigrand to bring about national recognition for Flag Day.
And so we do, today, still.
Yes, this is an encore post. Defeating ignorance takes patience and perseverance.
1 Comment | Cartoons, Flag etiquette, Fly your flag today, History, Patriotism, Political cartoons, U.S. Flag, Uncle Sam | Tagged: Cartoons, Clifford Berryman, Flag Day, Fly your flag today, Political cartoons, U.S. Flag | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Past time to act against pollution that causes global warming
June 7, 2023I am reminded of a Senate hearing during the Dust Bowl — is it an apocryphal story? An enormous windstorm picked up thousands of tons of dust from Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, and sent it cross country.
A Department of Agriculture official trying to get the government to act heard of the storm, and tracked it. He asked a Senatte committee meeting on the Dust Bowl to take an early lunch break in a hearing.
When the committee hearing resumed after lunch, a senator asked the official if the Dust Bowl was really that big a deal — what would the effects be?
The Ag official got up from the table, went to the windows and opened them, so the dust could swirl into the hearing room. He said the dust had been topsoil used for farming a couple of days earlier. The dust had blown into Washington just after noon.
Congress acted. U.S. defeated the Dust Bowl and restored millions of acres of farmland.
In New York and other eastern cities this week, smoke from wildfires in Canada settled in after a nearly 3,000-mile journey.
Who will act this time?
Global heating dries out western forests, and some effects cause trees to die, making them great tinder for fires. It’s clear to anyone who looks, to anyone who loves science, to anyone who loves Liberty.
Tip of the old scrub brush to @corinne_perkins on Twitter.
Leave a Comment » | air pollution, Global warming, Science | Tagged: air pollution, Congress, Global Heating, History | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Encore: Greatest leadership example in history? Eisenhower’s astonishing D-Day plan B, “Blame . . . is mine alone”
June 6, 2023It is a model of leadership, an example more leaders should follow — though too few do. It’s one more example of the high caliber leadership Dwight Eisenhower demonstrated throughout his life. In its imperfections, handwritten, it should take your breath away. Eisenhower was a leader down to the bone.
So again, today, on the 79th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, we remember.
Eisenhower’s contingency statement, in case D-Day failed – image from the National Archives
This quote actually isn’t a quote. It was never said by the man who wrote it down to say it. It carries a powerful lesson because of what it is.
In preparing for the D-Day invasion, Supreme Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower carefully contemplated what would happen if the invasion failed. What if the Germans repulsed the Allies, and no foothold was established to re-take the main body of Europe from the Germans?
Ike’s answer is a model of leadership: He would take the blame. Regardless what happened, Ike took full responsibility for the failure, giving credit to the soldiers who would have sacrificed in vain, perhaps their lives.
The Bathtub recently posted Gen. Dwight Eisenhower’s “order of the day” to the troops about to conduct the Allied invasion of Normandy — D-Day — to establish the toehold in Europe the Allies needed to march to Berlin, and to end World War II in Europe. As a charge to the troops, it was okay — Eisenhower-style words, not Churchill-style, but effective enough. One measure of its effectiveness was the success of the invasion, which established the toe-hold from which the assaults on the Third Reich were made.
Photo shows Eisenhower meeting with troops of the 101st Airborne Division, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, on the eve of the invasion. It was these men whose courage he lauded.
When Eisenhower wrote his words of encouragement to the troops, and especially after he visited with some of the troops, he worried about the success of the operation. It was a great gamble. Many of the things the Allies needed to go right — like weather — had gone wrong. Victory was not assured. Defeat strode the beaches of Normandy waiting to drive the Allies back into the water, to die.
Eisenhower wrote a second statement, a shorter one. This one was directed to the world. It assumed the assault had failed. In a few short sentences, Eisenhower commended the courage and commitment of the troops who, he wrote, had done all they could. The invasion was a chance, a good chance based on the best intelligence the Allies had, Eisenhower wrote. But it had failed.
The failure, Eisenhower wrote, was not the fault of the troops, but was entirely Eisenhower’s.
He didn’t blame the weather, though he could have. He didn’t blame fatigue of the troops, though they were tired, some simply from drilling, many from war. He didn’t blame the superior field position of the Germans, though the Germans clearly had the upper hand. He didn’t blame the almost-bizarre attempts to use technology that look almost clownish in retrospect — the gliders that carried troops behind the lines, sometimes too far, sometimes killing the pilots when the gliders’ cargo shifted on landing; the flotation devices that were supposed to float tanks to the beaches to provide cover for the troops (but which failed, drowning the tank crews and leaving the foot soldiers on their own); the bombing of the forts and pillboxes on the beaches, which failed because the bombers could not see their targets through the clouds.
There may have been a plan B, but in the event of failure, Eisenhower was prepared to establish who was accountable, whose head should roll if anyone’s should.
Eisenhower took full responsibility.
Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based upon the best information available. The troop, the air [force] and the navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt, it is mine alone.
Who in the U.S. command would write such a thing today? Who else in history would have written such a thing? Is there any indication that Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, or any other commander of a great army in a world-turning invasion, considered how to save and perhaps salve the reputation of his troops, though they had failed?
Leadership is more than just positive thinking.
- The message may also be viewed here. Yes, it’s incorrectly dated July 5 — should have been June 5. In history, little is perfect. We can excuse his slip of the pen, considering what else he had on his mind.
More:
- Two Speeches: Remembering D-Day through Eisenhower and Reagan (michaelmilton.org)
- Dwight D. Eisenhower’s 1944 Apology Letter On The Failed D-Day Invasion Of Europe (warnewsupdates.blogspot.com)
- Rare D-Day Footage Used in New Eisenhower Short Film Online (washington.cbslocal.com)
- Veterans gather in France to mark D-Day anniversary (stripes.com)
- World marks anniversary of D-Day (wtkr.com)
- Scholars back wartime quotes at future Eisenhower Memorial (stripes.com)
- OUR VIEW: Remembering D-Day (mercedsunstar.com)
- WWII D-Day Assault Normandy Invasion (Footage!) (warhistoryonline.com)
Another angle of the meeting with the troops: General Eisenhower speaks with members of the 101st Airborne Division on the evening of 5 June 1944. Wikipedia image
Yes, this is an encore post. Defeating ignorance takes patience and perseverance.
Leave a Comment » | D-Day, Dwight Eisenhower, Famous Battles, Famous quotes, Leadership, Turning Points, World War II | Tagged: D-Day, Dwight Eisenhower, Ethics, Famous Battles, Famous quotes, History, Leadership, Turning Points, World War II | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
June 2023: When do we fly the Old Glory?
June 1, 2023
“Flag Day, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.” 1942 photo by John Vachon (1914-1975) for the U.S. Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information. Image from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
June holds only two days designated for flying the U.S. flag out of the specific days mentioned in the U.S. Flag Code, and six statehood days, when residents of those states should fly their flags. Plus, there is National Flag Week. And now there is Juneteenth.
Two Flag Code-designated days:
- Flag Day, June 14
- Fathers Day, third Sunday in June (June 18 in 2023)
Several states celebrate statehood. New Hampshire, Virginia, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia celebrate statehood; Kentucky and Tennessee share the same date.
- Kentucky, June 1 (1792, 15th state)
- Tennessee, June 1 (1796, 16th state)
- Arkansas, June 15 (1836, 25th state)
- West Virginia, June 20 (1863, 35th state)
- New Hampshire, June 21 (1788, 9th state), and
- Virginia, June 25 (1788, 10th state)
Additionally, Congress passed a resolution designating the week in which June 14th falls as National Flag Week, and urging that citizens fly the flag each day of that week. In 2023 that will be the week of June 11, which falls on Sunday, through June 17.
The resolution naming Juneteenth National Independence Day a holiday was signed into law last year by President Joe Biden. Juneteenth is June 19 — day after Fathers Day in 2023.
Flag-flying days for June, listed chronologically:
- Kentucky and Tennessee statehood, June 1
- Flag Day, June 14; National Flag week, June 11 to 17
- Arkansas statehood, June 15 (duplicating a day in National Flag Week)
- Fathers Day, June 18
- Juneteenth National Independence Day, June 19
- West Virginia statehood, June 20
- New Hampshire statehood, June 21
- Virginia statehood, June 25
As you know, any resident may fly the flag any day of the year, under the etiquette provided in the Flag Code.
Tip of the old scrub brush to Mike’s Blog Rounds at Crooks and Liars — thanks for the plug!
National Archives caption: This illustration entitled, “Flag Day – 1900”, by cartoonist Clifford Berryman, which appeared in the Washington Post on June 14, 1900, depicts the growth of American influence in the world as the European powers watch in the background as new century is ushered in.
Flag Day, 1918, at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Photo by Miles F. Weaver (1879-1932), from the collection of the National Archives (NARA).
Leave a Comment » | Flag etiquette, Fly your flag today, History | Tagged: Flag Day, Flag etiquette, Fly your flag today, History, United Nations Week | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Regulating guns as we regulate cars
May 29, 2023A Nextdoor member complained that autos kill people, so we should ban some autos, just like calls to ban some guns. ‘It would be fair, no?’
I responded: Auto deaths are down from past years, and are much lower than the rate 30 years ago. Consider some of the rational safety steps taken to cut auto deaths, and ask whether they would not be applicable to guns, to reduce deaths.
1. A license is required to operate a vehicle, whether one owns the vehicle or not. Proficiency in vehicle operation must be demonstrated in a written test and driving test done by the state.
2. A license is required for the vehicle. In Texas, licenses must be renewed annually. Vehicles must undergo inspections for safety, and to be sure they meet air quality standards on emissions.
3. Drivers and owners are required to carry liability insurance, to pay for medical costs and property damage, or deaths, in the event the vehicle causes damage or injury.
4. There are numerous safety devices in vehicles; brakes must be maintained, by law; tires must be kept in good working order. Seatbelts are required for drivers and all passengers. Airbags are now required on almost all vehicles, passive injury-prevention devices. Bodies of cars and trucks must be built to preserve cab integrity and reduce injury in event of collision.
5. There are many safety warning devices. Vehicles must have working headlights and taillights, turn signals, emergency signals, running lights and horns. Law requires drivers to signal their intentions to other surrounding vehicles and pedestrians.
6. In almost all cases, vehicles must give way to pedestrians.
There are not exact analogs to all those safety devices and procedures in guns, but many would improve gun safety considerably.
There are about half as many vehicles as guns in the U.S. (educated guess); most of them get used every day. Most Americans ride in a vehicle every day.
Let us say there are 150 million vehicles driven 300 times a year. That’s 45 billion uses (mileage is not calculated). Of those 45 billion uses, 40,000 lives are lost every year. One death for every 1,125,000 uses.
300 million guns (again, educated guess; it’s a bit more than that); most guns get used how often? Once a year? Twice a year?
600 million uses, and 45,000 deaths, with guns. That’s one death for every 13,333 uses. Gun deaths are about 8 times more frequent than auto deaths, per use.
Obviously, guns are [at least] 8 times as dangerous as cars. Let’s consider that, too.
How can we bring gun deaths down?
While you’re at it, how can we bring auto deaths down?
Some time after I posted my response on May 10, 2023, the original poster took his post down. BESMART has good policies for gun safety in America. Maybe check out their suggestions, and support their work, at BeSmartforkids.org.
2 Comments | children, Guns, History, Safety, Second Amendment | Tagged: BeSMART, children, Gun Safety, Safety, Second Amendment | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Communing with Mastodons
May 3, 2023There’s a Mastodon account linked familially to this blog, Mastodon, @EdDarrell@mastodon.social.
Drop by and say hello.
Leave a Comment » | Administrivia, History | Tagged: Administrivia, Mastodon Social | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Annals of Global Heating: Karma, sort of. Pollute around, deny problems, and find out
April 14, 2023
You can’t make this stuff up. Here’s a guy flooded out from his home, where he holds forth claiming climate change isn’t real, and if it is, isn’t a problem.
Will he accept federal aid to fix his home?
1 Comment | Climate change, climate_change, Dunning Kruger Effect, Global warming, Green Politics, Politics | Tagged: Climate change, Disasters, Dunning Kruger Effect, Floods, Ft Lauderdale, Global Heating, Karma, Politics | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
April 2023: When do we fly our flags?
April 7, 2023
Schooner on Chesapeake Bay flies the 15-stripe/15-star flag that flew over Fort McHenry. Image from the Maryland Secretary of State’s Office
It’s cruel to people who want to fly U.S. flags often, but only on designated flag-flying dates. (April is also National Poetry Month, so it’s a good time to look up poetry references we should have committed to heart).
For 2023, these are the three dates for flying the U.S. flag; Easter is a national date, the other two are dates suggested for residents of the states involved.
One date, nationally, to fly the flag. That beats March, which has none (in a year with Easter in April and not March). But March has five statehood days, to April’s two.
Take heart! You may fly your U.S. flag any day you choose, or everyday as many people do in Texas (though, too many do not retire their flags every evening . . .).
Three dates to fly Old Glory in April, by the Flag Code and other laws on memorials and commemorations.
- Easter, April 9 in 2023
- Maryland, April 28, 1788, 7th state
- Louisiana, April 30, 1812, 18th state
April usually sees the opening of Major League Baseball’s season — some teams jumped into March in 2018. In this photo, U.S. Navy sailors assigned to the USS Bonhomme Richard practice for the San Diego Padres’ opening day flag ceremony in San Diego on April 5, 2011. The ship sent nearly 300 volunteers to unfurl an 800-pound U.S. flag that covered the entire field. The Bonhomme Richard was in dry-dock for maintenance and upgrades. Defense Department photo via Wikimedia.
More:
- “Congress redesigns U.S. flag, April 4, 1818,” Politico, story of the 15-striped flag’s demise
- Chicago Cubs’ Rick Monday saved the American Flag at Dodger Stadium, April 25, 1976, Dodgers Nation
Yes, this is an encore post. Defeating ignorance takes patience and perseverance.
Leave a Comment » | Flag etiquette, Fly your flag today, History, U.S. Flag | Tagged: April, Fly your flag today, History, U.S. Flag | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Blinken takes down Republican complaints about foreign affairs
March 25, 2023
Sec. of State Antony Blinken giving updates to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs in March 2023.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked some leading questions by Democrats on the House Foreign Relations Committee, especially Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Virginia.
Watch. The answers are good. Biden inherited a foreign affairs mess from Trump. Biden, and Blincken, have been cleaning up the messes. Connolly and Blinken take down Republican arguments against President Biden’s foreign policies.
2 Comments | Afghanistan, foreign affairs, History, Iran, Joe Biden, U.S. Congress | Tagged: Afghanistan, Antony Blinken, foreign affairs, Iran, Rep. Gerry Connolly, U.S. House of Representatives | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 