Department of Interior caption: Everglades National Park — This Alligator decided he wanted to stand out from all the others along the Anhinga Trail! (SD)
Ready for his close-up, on the Anhinga Trail
February 27, 2014
2 Comments | 
Geography - Physical, National Parks, Travel, Wildlife | Tagged: Everglades National Park, Florida, geography, Travel, Wildlife | 
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Posted by Ed Darrell
Everglades National Park!
September 26, 2013
Caption from Interior’s Tweet: Sometimes there are no words to describe America’s public lands. This photo @EvergladesNPS proves it. #Florida pic.twitter.com/3l7fnrcfsG
Everglades National Park, in Florida, is a great example of wild lands that belong to all Americans, that we almost let slip away.
I’m not sure a painter could do a more stunning version of this view.
More:
Location map: Everglades National Park in red. Wikipedia photo
- Face your fear of alligators at Everglades (25truestories.com)
- Glide through Everglades National Park (wyff4.com)
- Hipster`s Paradise in the Everglades (lisadertmann.wordpress.com)
- Tamiami Trail work to help ease high water in Everglades (miamiherald.com)
- Guide to a Perfect Everglades Weekend Escape (gadling.com)
- Scott pledges $90 million for bridge to help Everglades, relieve Lake O (miamiherald.com)
- Governor sends Obama letter regarding water releases (nbc-2.com)
Leave a Comment » | Geography - Physical, History, National Parks, photography, Travel | Tagged: Everglades National Park, Florida, geography, Nature, photography, Travel, Wilderness | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
About Florida
July 14, 2013I don’t know. It seems a little extreme.
But I don’t see anybody trying to stop Bugs. Bugs Bunny, Florida, Zimmerman Trial, Stand Your Ground
Undoubtedly copyrighted by Warner Bros. This is fair use. Thanks to Coyote Crossing.
Tip of the old scrub brush to Chris Clarke at Coyote Creek.
More:
- Zimmerman found not guilty in Florida (radionz.co.nz)
- “Zimmerman’s lawyers should realize it’s not over yet,” Teacher Ken Bernstein, at Daily Kos
A depiction of Bugs Bunny’s evolution through the years. Regardless how Bugs looks, he usually reflects some of the more popular views of the day. Wikipedia image
3 Comments | Cartoons, Humor, Justice, Politics | Tagged: Bugs Bunny, Cartoons, Florida, Humor, Justice, Politics | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
January 10 — what year?
January 10, 2012Doesn’t every day of the year have some great anniversaries?
Borrowed completely from the Wayback Machine, with explicit permission:
Just trying to keep the history wires warm while we’re testing in the cold, a bit of olla podrida.
Today in history? For January 10:
From the National Archives: “This campaign medallion from the 1856 presidential election is a predecessor to the candidate bumper sticker. The small hole punched at the top would have allowed a person to sew the medallion to a jacket or coat, or string it on a chain. Pictured in the center of the medallion is former President Millard Fillmore. “
The U.S. National Archive wrote that campaign medallions in 1856 were like bumper stickers today — and they featured a photo of the Millard Fillmore medallion from the Know-Nothing Party.
Fillmore was nominated by the American Party, also known as the “Know-Nothing” Party, as their Presidential candidate. The Know-Nothing party was staunchly anti-immigrant and Protestant, and feared the large number of German and Irish Catholics who were coming into the United States at the time.
This medallion is one of many campaign-related objects from the Truman Library. When it first opened in 1957, President Truman wanted the Library to become a general center for the study of the presidency, not just focused on him. As a result, the Library actively sought out presidential-related objects to collect. The Library will be featuring more campaign history throughout this 2012 election year.
-More at the Truman Library
Millard Fillmore. What would presidential comedy be, without Millard Fillmore?
The Little Camera.com features photos of the Library of Congress and the U.S. Capitol, in the snow.
National Archives also posts that the Lend-Lease Act was introduced in Congress on January 10, 1941 — with the patriotic number, “H. R. 1776.” After two months of debate Congress passed it, and President Franklin Roosevelt signed it into law on March 11. It didn’t stop the war from coming to the U.S. later that year, in December.
Students need to tune into American Experience on PBS: Billy the Kid tonight, Custer’s Last Stand, next week.
Compared to many other Southern states, Florida saw little military action. Strategically important coastal cities, such as Jacksonville and Saint Augustine, switched hands between the North and South but the interior of the state remained under Confederate control. When Lee surrendered in 1865, Tallahassee was the only Southern capital east of the Mississippi that was still held by rebel forces.
The Learning Network at The New York Times reminded us that on January 10, 1946, the first General Assembly of the United Nations convened in London.
What sort of history are you making today?
2 Comments | 1861-1865, 1941-1945, Civil War, Know-Nothing Party, Millard Fillmore, United Nations, World War II | Tagged: Civil War, Florida, History, Know-Nothing Party, Lend-Lease Act, Millard Fillmore, United Nations, World War II | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Typewriter of the moment: Hemingway’s, at Key West
June 18, 2009The man wrote, wherever he was.
Hemingway's typewriter at Key West, Florida - Stefan Möding, copyright
Ernest Hemingway often wrote standing up at his typewriter. Obviously, here in Key West, he wrote sitting down. At every home, it appears, he had a typewriter.
In Key West, early on in an apartment near the Ford dealership, where they awaited the delivery of the Ford purchased for Hemingway and his wife Pauline, by Pauline’s Uncle Gus, Hemingway wrote most of A Farewell to Arms, published in 1929.
The house was purchased later. I can’t tell — some say he used here a Royal Quiet DeLuxe.
Pauline and Hemingway divorced in 1939.
2 Comments | Books, History, History and art, History museums, Literature, Technology, Typewriters | Tagged: Authors, Ernest Hemingway, Florida, Key West, Literature, Technology, Typewriters, U.S. history | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Evolution and state science standards in Florida
April 22, 2009WJCT TV and FM in Jacksonville, Florida, has a televised discussion on evolution in the state science standards set for April 23. It’s set for 8 p.m. — Eastern Time, I’m guessing.
From the station’s blog (quoted entirely):
First Coast Forum – Schools, Science, and the State – Thursday, April 23rd at 8pm on 89.9 FM and WJCT TV
The Florida Board of Education recently revised its science standards to require the teaching of evolution. The state legislature has met twice since then, and both times lawmakers have proposed bills requiring a “critical analysis” of this scientific theory. The latest bill— sponsored by Jacksonville Senator Steven Wise—didn’t get far in this year’s session, but this controversial debate is likely to continue. Senator Wise says it’s important to expose students to other ideas such as intelligent design. Critics argue that challenging evolution could open a door for religious doctrine in science classes.
What should our students learn and who should decide? We’ll discuss these issues with local lawmakers, religious experts, teachers, and parents on our next First Coast Forum Schools, Science, and the State, April 23rd at 8pm only on WJCT.
Panelists:
- Steve Goyer – pastor representing OneJax
- Dr. Marianne Barnes, UNF Education Professor
- Stan Jordan, Duval County School Board, former state legislator
- Rachel Raneri, Duval County District School Advisory Council Chair
- David Campbell, Orange Park Ridgeview H.S. teacher
- Quinton White, JU
- Paul Hooker of the Presbytery of St. Augustine
Viewers can participate in First Coast Forum
Email questions and comments to firstcoastforum@wjct.org or by calling (904) 358-6347 during the program.
Leave a Comment » | Creationism, Evolution, First Amendment, Free speech, Government, Intelligent Design, Religion, Science, State school boards, Television, Textbook Selection, Textbooks | Tagged: Creationism, Debate, Evolution, First Amendment, Florida, Government, Intelligent Design, Religion, Science, State Science Standards | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Sticks nix creationist pic
March 14, 2008“Expelled!” producers gave away free tickets. They invited legislators personally. But only about 100 people showed up for an IMAX showing of the movie in Tallahassee, Florida.
Hey, I got 1,000 times that many people to click on an 8-frame .gif animation of an ancient goat. Real science trumps creationism again.
Real science is almost always more popular than faux-science and bad religion, but that will not stop creationists from creating trouble in any state agency in any state they can.
Tip of the old scrub brush to Pharyngula.
[Yes, I’m aware of the historical implications of the headline.]
88 Comments | Creationism, Evolution, History, Movies, Politics, Science, State school boards | Tagged: Ben Stein, Creationism, Evolution, Florida, Media, Politics, Science, State school boards | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 