Quotation: In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.

In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.

today’s image: Civil War Soldier Col. Alfred N. Duffie, 1st Rhode Island Cavalry, U.S.A

Civil War Soldier
Col. Alfred N. Duffie, 1st Rhode Island Cavalry, U.S.A. is poses for a photo during the American Civil War. Note the flag in the tent behind him.

Photo: Library of Congress

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quotation: In diving to the bottom of pleasure we bring up more gravel than pearls. Honore de Balzac

In diving to the bottom of pleasure we bring up more gravel than pearls.

Honore de Balzac (1799-1850) Discuss

 

picture of the day: The Swedish Nightengale

The Swedish Nightengale

Swedish-born Jenny Lind (1820-1887), the greatest operatic and concert soprano of her age, was already the toast of Europe when she was approached by American showman P.T. Barnum in 1847. Even before hearing her voice, Barnum signed the ‘Swedish Nightingale‘ for 150 American concerts at the enormous sum of $150,000. With the help of Barnum’s matchless marketing, Jenny Lind mania swept America, with crowds of the rich and famous and ordinary music lovers alike falling at her feet. This 1850 daguerreotype of Miss Lind was taken by Matthew Brady.

Image: Library of Congress

– See more at: http://www.historynet.com/picture-of-the-day#sthash.WIyDvPBO.dpuf

Image of the day: Charles Lindbergh

Charles Lindbergh
Charles Lindbergh works on engine of ‘The Spirit of St. Louis’ in 1927.

Photo: Library of Congress

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today’s image: Abraham Lincoln (Image: Library of Congress)

Abraham Lincoln

Born on February 12, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky, Abraham Lincoln was president of the United States during one of the most turbulent times in American history. Although roundly criticized during his own time, he is recognized as one of history’s greatest figures who preserved the Union during the Civil War and proved that democracy could be a lasting form of government. Lincoln entered national politics as a Whig congressman from Illinois, but he lost his seat after one term due to his unpopular position on the Mexican War and the extension of slavery into the territories. The 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates for the Senate gave him a national reputation. In 1860, Lincoln became the first president elected from the new Republican Party. Abraham Lincoln was fatally shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865.

Image: Library of Congress

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this day in the yesteryear: General Tom Thumb Marries Lavinia Warren (1863)

General Tom Thumb Marries Lavinia Warren (1863)

General Tom Thumb, born Charles Sherwood Stratton, began touring with circus pioneer P.T. Barnum in 1843 at the tender age of four. Stratton’s short stature—he was a mere 3 feet, 4 inches (102 cm) tall when he died—and his comedic impersonations made him an international hit. His courtship of Lavinia Warren, another one of Barnum’s performers, led to a fashionable New York City wedding in 1863, and the pair was later received at the White House. Stratton died in 1883. What marks his grave? More… Discuss

this day in the yesteryear: Hydrogen Bomb Lost in the Ocean (1958)

Hydrogen Bomb Lost in the Ocean (1958)

The Tybee Bomb is a 7,600-pound (3,500-kg) nuclear bomb containing 400 pounds (180 kg) of conventional high explosives and highly enriched uranium. During a simulated combat mission, the B-47 bomber carrying it collided with an F-86 fighter plane, and the bomb was jettisoned and lost. It is presumed to be somewhere in Wassaw Sound, off the shores of Georgia’s Tybee Island, but recovery efforts have been unsuccessful. In 2004, a retired air force pilot made what discovery in the case? More… Discuss

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this day in the yesteryear: Confederate States of America Established (1861)

Confederate States of America Established (1861)

Although Abraham Lincoln had stated his willingness to tolerate slavery where it currently existed, his election as US president precipitated the secession of several Southern states. South Carolina, the first to secede, was soon followed out of the Union by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. On February 4, 1861, delegates from the seceding states met in Alabama to organize a provisional government. Who was elected president of the Confederate States of America? More… Discuss

picture of the day: Abraham Lincoln ratifies The Thirteenth Amendment

The Thirteenth Amendment
On February 1, 1865 Lincoln’s home state of Illinois became the first to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery throughout the United States. President Abraham Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation two years earlier, but it had not effectively abolished slavery in all of the states–it did not apply to slave-holding border states that had remained with the Union during the Civil War. After the war, the sentiment about blacks was mixed even among anti-slavery Americans: some considered Lincoln’s address too conservative and pushed for black suffrage, arguing that blacks would remain oppressed by their former owners if they did not have the power to vote. After the amendment was passed, the Freedmen’s Bureau was created to help blacks with the problems they would encounter while trying to acquire jobs, education and land of their own.

Image: Library of Congress

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today’s picture: John Muir (Library of Congress)

John Muir

Naturalist and forest conservation advocate John Muir was largely responsible for the establishment of national parks such as Sequoia and Yosemite. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin, Scottish immigrant Muir worked on mechanical inventions, but when an industrial accident blinded him in one eye, he abandoned that career and devoted himself to nature. As early as 1876, Muir encouraged the federal government to establish a forest conservation program. The Sequoia and Yosemite parks were created in 1890 and two eloquent articles by Muir swayed public opinion in favor of federally protected national forests. Muir also influenced the conservation policy of President Theodore Roosevelt, who is shown here with Muir during a 1903 camping trip to Yosemite.

Library of Congress

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Today In History: What Happened This Day In History “History is never OLD: The fleeting moment is…HISTORY!”- George-B

History is never OLD: The fleeting moment is…HISTORY!

Today In History: What Happened This Day In History

A chronological timetable of historical events that occurred on this day in history. Historical facts of the day in the areas of military, politics, science, music, sports, arts, entertainment and more. Discover what happened today in history.

Today in History
January 1

1500		The Portuguese explorer Pedro Alvares Cabral searches the coast of Brazil and claims the region for Portugal.
1586		Sir Francis Drake launches a surprise attack on the heavily fortified city of Santo Domingo in Hipanola.
1698		The Abenaki Indians and Massachusetts colonists sign a treaty halting hostilities between the two.
1766		The Old Pretender, son of James III, dies.
1788		The Times, London’s oldest running newspaper, publishes its first edition.
1808		A U.S. law banning the import of slaves comes into effect, but is widely ignored.
1824		The Camp Street Theatre opens as the first English-language playhouse in New Orleans.
1830		William Lloyd Garrison publishes the first edition of a journal entitled The Liberator, calling for the complete and immediate emancipation of all slaves in the United States.
1863		Confederate General Braxton Bragg and Union General William Rosecrans readjust their troops as the Battle of Murfreesboro continues.
1863		President Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves in the Confederacy.
1891		Facilities opened on Ellis Island, New York, to cope with the vast flood of immigrants coming into the United States.
1907		The Pure Food and Drug Act becomes law in the United States.
1915		The German submarine U-24 sinks the British battleship Formidable in the English Channel.
1918		The first gasoline pipeline begins operation. Along the 40 miles and three inches of pipe from Salt Creek to Casper, Wyoming.
1923		Sadi Lecointe sets a new aviation speed record flying an average of 208 mph at Istres.
1937		At a party at the Hormel Mansion in Minnesota, a guest wins $100 for naming a new canned meat–Spam.
1945		In Operation Bodenplatte, German planes attack American forward air bases in Europe. This is the last major offensive of the Luftwaffe.
1959		Fidel Castro seizes power in Cuba as General Fulgencio Batista flees.
1986		As the United States builds its strength in the Mediterranean, Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi threatens to retaliate if attacked.
Born on January 1
1735		Paul Revere, U.S. patriot.
1752		Betsy Ross, flag maker.
1879		E.M. [Edward Morgan] Forster, English novelist (A Passage to India, A Room With a View).
1895		J. Edgar Hoover, founding director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).
1919		J.D. [Jerome David] Salinger, U.S. novelist (The Catcher in the Rye, Franny and Zooey).

– See more at: http://www.historynet.com/today-in-history#sthash.ey3JXbrM.dpuf

this day in the yesteryear: Charles Darwin Sets Sail on HMS Beagle (1831)

Charles Darwin Sets Sail on HMS Beagle (1831)

The theory of evolution, which Darwin first expressed in On the Origin of Species, was the result of his discoveries as a naturalist on board the HMS Beagle. His book explained evolution through the principles of natural selection and aroused widespread debate among scientists and religious leaders. Darwin spent the rest of his life studying the results of that expedition and developing his theory of evolution. What debilitating disease might he have contracted during the voyage? More… Discuss

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today’s birthday: Samuel Mudd (1833)

Today’s Birthday

Samuel Mudd (1833) Mudd was the physician who set the broken leg of John Wilkes Booth, Abraham Lincoln’s assassin, just hours after Booth fled the crime scene. A Confederate sympathizer, Mudd was accused of aiding Booth’s escape and tried along with Booth’s other accomplices. Throughout, Mudd maintained that he had not recognized the disguised Booth, an acquaintance of his, and had been unaware of the assassination, but he was nonetheless convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. Why was he pardoned in 1869? More… Discuss

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Today’s Holiday: Bill of Rights Day (2014)

Today’s Holiday

Bill of Rights Day (2014) The first 10 amendments to the US Constitution of 1787—referred to collectively as the Bill of Rights—were ratified on December 15, 1791. This landmark document protected American citizens from specific abuses by their government and guaranteed such basic rights as the freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press. In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt designated December 15 as Bill of Rights Day and called upon Americans to observe it with appropriate patriotic ceremonies. More… Discuss

today’s birthday: Mary Todd Lincoln (1818)

Mary Todd Lincoln (1818)

Mary Todd Lincoln, the wife of President Abraham Lincoln, was a tragic figure of the American Civil War period. As First Lady, she was criticized for her use of taxpayers’ money in refurbishing the White House and was even accused of harboring Confederate sympathies. She struggled with depression after witnessing her husband’s assassination and suffering the deaths of three of her children, and she was committed to an insane asylum for several months in 1875. Who had her committed? More… Discuss

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this day in the yesteryear: 13th Amendment to US Constitution is Ratified (1865)

13th Amendment to US Constitution is Ratified (1865)

The 13th Amendment to the US Constitution completed the process of abolishing slavery, which had begun with Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. Between February 1 and December 6 of 1865, the required three-fourths of the existing states—then 27 of 36—ratified the proposed amendment, making it law. Slavery offenses were still being prosecuted as recently as 1947. Which of the states that initially rejected the amendment finally ratified it in 2013, 147 years after it was adopted? More… Discuss

Just a thought: “Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t have to blog about anything else but blue skies,…

Just a thought:  “Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t have to blog about anything else but blue skies, and lukewarm waters, and mist beautiful pics, and images or far away places, and most adoring pets, and, and and and…and yet: what would occur if everybody would only blog about those this that don’t affect anybody, except their excite their sense of beauty and serenity, and leave the world unattended to the reality of day to day life.”
– George-B.

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Willie Nelson & Kenny Rogers “Blue Skies

Larry Brown

Uploaded on Dec 14, 2011

Willie Nelson and Kenny Rogers sing “Blue Skies” live from the NBC Kenny, Dolly and Willie special. I won a prime time Emmy for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety or Music Series or a Special for my mix of this show.

• this day in the yesteryear: India: Scars of Bhopal disaster hard to heal – France 24 Internationale

today’s holiday: Thanksgiving (U.S.)

Thanksgiving (U.S.)

The first American Thanksgiving was entirely religious and took place on December 4, 1619, but most Americans think of the first “official” Thanksgiving as the one that took place at Plymouth Colony in October 1621, a year after the Pilgrims first landed on the New England coast. Today, Thanksgiving is a time for family reunions and traditions, most of which center around the preparation of an elaborate meal featuring turkey and a dozen or so accompanying dishes. The widespread sales that begin in stores the next day mark the start of the Christmas shopping season. More… Discuss

 

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quotation: No man is good enough to govern another man without that other’s consent. Abraham Lincoln

No man is good enough to govern another man without that other’s consent.

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) Discuss

just a thought: “the reality of a conspiracy is that it stays a theory!”

just a thought:  “the reality of a conspiracy is that it stays a theory!” –George-B

quotation: A peace is of the nature of a conquest; for then both parties nobly are subdued, and neither party loser. William Shakespeare

A peace is of the nature of a conquest;  for then both parties nobly are subdued, and neither party loser.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Discuss

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Just a thought: Take a full sensorial visit in nature:… by George-B

Just a thought: “Take a full sensorial visit in nature: No, not the tunnel type, meant to exclude senses but one, rather a total immersion in nature: see everything, hear everything, experience everything, without judgement, with the sole purpose of…being in that moment!” -George-B

today’s holiday: Chulalongkorn Day

Chulalongkorn Day

Chulalongkorn Day is a national holiday in Thailand commemorating King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), the king who abolished slavery and introduced numerous reforms when the country was still called Siam. He succeeded to the throne in 1868 when he was 15 years old, was crowned in 1873, and ruled until his death in 1910. He had been a pupil of Anna Leonowens, who taught the young prince about Abraham Lincoln. The story of her stay in the royal court, and her teaching of the royal children and concubines, was told in Margaret Landon‘s book, Anna and the King of Siam. More… Discuss

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The Lincoln Cent

When the Lincoln one-cent coin made its initial appearance in 1909, it marked a radical departure from the accepted styling of US coins. No regularly circulating US coin had ever featured a portrait of a real person before, but public sentiment stemming from the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth was strong enough to outweigh tradition. Sculptor Victor David Brenner was invited to participate in the formulation of the new design when which president chose him for the commission? More… Discuss

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today’s holiday: Juneteenth

Juneteenth

Although President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, it wasn’t until two years later that the word reached the slaves in Texas. General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston on June 19, 1865 with the intention of forcing slave owners to release their slaves, and the day has been celebrated since that time in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and other parts of the Deep South under the nickname “Juneteenth.” Observed primarily in African-American communities, Juneteenth festivities usually include parades, picnics, and baseball games. More… Discuss

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today’s birthday: Walt Whitman (1819) Leaves of Grass – Book 1 – Poems of Walt Whitman – FULL Audio Book (Poetry Librivox recording)

Walt Whitman (1819)

Whitman was an innovative American poet whose works dealt overtly with topics like sexuality while celebrating the collective experience of an idealized, democratic American life. In 1855, he published at his own expense Leaves of Grass, a volume of 12 poems. It was a commercial failure but became one of the most influential volumes of poetry in the history of American literature. Whitman’s much-recited poem “O Captain! My Captain!” was written as a tribute to what US president? More… Discuss

[youtube.com/watch?v=hCxA0CK6isU]

Leaves of Grass – Book 1 – Poems of Walt Whitman – FULL Audio Book – Poetry

Leaves of Grass – Book 1 – Poems of Walt Whitman – FULL Audio Book – Poetry

American poet Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass,” is a massive collection of poems comprised of a stunning 35 books and is notable for its praise of the senses, during a time when such candid displays were considered immoral. Prior to the writing of Leaves of Grass, most English language poetry relied on symbolism, allegory, and meditation on religious and spiritual topics. Leaves of Grass is a stark contrast, as it glorifies the body and material world above all else.

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This is a recording of Book 1 of 35

Book 1 — 00:00:00 – 00:29:58
Read by: Gord Mackenzie

— More about Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” —

Walt Whitman was inspired to begin work on Leaves of Grass after reading an essay by Ralph Waldo Emerson in which he expressed a need for a uniquely American poet. When the book was first published, Whitman sent a copy to Emerson, whose complimentary letter of response aided in its success. President Abraham Lincoln, a personal hero of Whitman, is noted to have read and thoroughly enjoyed an early version of Leaves of Grass. Despite critical acclaim, Whitman faced charges of creating obscene, immoral work, but this inadvertently added to the popularity of his book.

Whitman continually revised and republished Leaves of Grass throughout his lifetime, most notably adding the “Drum-Taps” section after Lincoln’s assassination. The book grew from 12 poems in its first publication. to nearly 400 poems in its final version (the “Death Bed Edition”).

This is a Librivox recording. All Librivox recordings are in the public domain.
Video photo used: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fil…

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this day in the yesteryear: Lincoln Memorial Dedicated (1922)

Lincoln Memorial Dedicated (1922)

The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, has been the site of many historic events, including Martin Luther King Jr.’s legendary “I Have a Dream” speech during the 1963 March on Washington. The building, designed by Henry Bacon and styled after a Greek temple, has 36 massive columns, representing the states of the Union at the time of Lincoln’s death. Inside the building is a heroic statue of Abraham Lincoln by Daniel Chester French. On what unit of American currency is the memorial depicted? More… Discuss

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THIS DAY IN THE YESTERYEAR: US President Lincoln Signs Homestead Act into Law (1862)

US President Lincoln Signs Homestead Act into Law (1862)

The Homestead Act was a federal law that sought to shape the American West by populating it with farmers. The act provided for the transfer of 160 acres of unoccupied public land to each homesteader at $1.25 an acre after six months of residence or for a nominal fee after five years. However, the generous law became subject to fraud and corporate abuse. The settlers did not fare much better, given the harsh land and arid conditions out West. Who was the last person to take advantage of the law? More… Discuss

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THIS DAY IN THE YESTERYEAR: JOHN WILKES BOOTH SHOOTS LINCOLN (1865)

John Wilkes Booth Shoots Lincoln (1865)

Booth was an American actor and Confederate sympathizer who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theater in Washington, DC, during a performance of Our American Cousin. Shortly after 10 PM on April 14, 1865, Booth slipped into the presidential box unobserved, shot Lincoln in the head, and vaulted to the stage, breaking his leg in the process. According to witnesses, he then shouted “Sic semper tyrannis,” Virginia’s state motto. What does the Latin phrase mean?More… Discuss

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY: Henry Clay (1777)

Henry Clay (1777)

Clay, known as the “Great Compromiser,” was an American statesman and orator who served in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. His multiple bids for the presidency all failed, but he was nevertheless extremely influential in US politics. He orchestrated the Missouri Compromise between free and slave states, and he attempted to strengthen the nation’s economy through his American System. Though he opposed slavery and favored emancipation, Clay only freed his own slaves upon what? More… Discuss

TODAY’S HOLIDAY: LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY (PRESIDENTS’ DAY)

Lincoln’s Birthday

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, was born on Feb. 12, 1809. A wreath-laying ceremony and reading of the Gettysburg Address at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., are traditional on Feb. 12. Lincoln’s actual birthday is a legal holiday in 11 states: California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, and West Virginia. In most other states, Lincoln’s and George Washington’s birthdays are combined for a legal holiday on the third Monday in February calledPresidents’ Day. More… Discuss

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QUOTATION: Abraham Lincoln

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) Discuss

 

THIS DAY IN THE YESTERYEAR: THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION IS FORMALLY ISSUED (1863)

The Emancipation Proclamation Is Formally Issued (1863)

Though this edict, issued by US President Abraham Lincoln while the country was embroiled in a bloody civil war, was largely a symbolic gesture and did not actually end slavery, it was a major step on the road to abolition and sent a clear message about the Union’s stance on the matter. The proclamation—which was almost entirely the work of Lincoln himself—declared free all slaves living in areas still engaged in revolt against the Union. What officially ended slavery in the US? More… Discuss

 

QUOTATION: Harriet Beecher Stowe

So much has been said and sung of beautiful young girls, why don’t somebody wake up to the beauty of old women?

Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896) Discuss

 

THIS DAY IN THE YESTERYEAR: LARGEST MASS EXECUTION IN US HISTORY (1862)

Largest Mass Execution in US History (1862)

Though the US government and the Sioux concluded several treaties during the first half of the 19th century, relations had deteriorated by 1862 when a Sioux uprising killed more than 800 white settlers and soldiers in Minnesota. Military tribunals convicted 303 Sioux prisoners of murder and rape and sentenced them to death. US President Abraham Lincoln commuted most sentences, but the public hanging of 38 prisoners was still the largest mass execution in US history. What became of the bodies? More… Discuss

 

This Day in the Yesteryear: 11-YEAR-OLD GRACE BEDELL URGES ABRAHAM LINCOLN TO GROW A BEARD (1860)

11-Year-Old Grace Bedell Urges Abraham Lincoln to Grow a Beard (1860)

A few weeks before Abraham Lincoln was elected president of the US, 11-year-old Grace Bedell sent him a letter urging him to grow a beard to win over voters. Bedell claimed that “all the ladies like whiskers” and would urge their husbands to vote for a bearded Lincoln. Days later, Lincoln drafted a noncommittal response in which he wondered whether such a change in appearance would be well received. Within months, he was sporting his now-iconic beard. What did he say when he later met Bedell? More…Discuss

 

This Day in the Yesteryear: ROY HORN OF SIEGFRIED & ROY MAULED BY TIGER (2003)

Roy Horn of Siegfried & Roy Mauled by Tiger (2003)

After meeting on a cruise ship in 1959, illusionist Siegfried Fischbacher and exotic animal enthusiast Roy Horn formed a magic act and incorporated exotic animals—most famously big cats—into their shows. They performed thousands of times without major incident until 10 years ago—coincidentally Horn’s 59th birthday. It was then that Horn was bitten on the neck by a seven-year-old male tiger named Montecore during a performance. What did Horn reportedly say before being taken to the hospital? More… Discuss

 

Abraham Lincoln statue @ Liberty Park, Cerritos, California, holding the manuscript of one of his inaugural addresses

Abraham Lincoln statue @ Liberty Park, Cerritos, California, holding the manuscript of his second inaugural address (my photography)

Find out more about his work here…

This Day in History: US PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN SUSPENDS HABEAS CORPUS (1861)

US President Abraham Lincoln Suspends Habeas Corpus (1861)

In law, habeas corpus is a writ ordering that a person be brought before a judge, especially to decide whether a prisoner’s detention is lawful. Its suspension means that prisoners can be held indefinitely without being charged. During the US Civil War, President Lincoln suspended habeas corpus to arrest and silence Southern dissenters. A legal battle ensued, and Lincoln prevailed.Habeas corpus has been suspended numerous times in US history, most recently in what year? More… Discuss

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Abraham Lincoln: Come sit with me on his bench (quietly though, Abe is immersed in writing)

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Today we’ll meet Abraham… yes Abraham Lincoln. Not in Washington DC, but here at Liberty Park in sunny Cerritos California: one of the nicest public parks built along the San Gabriel River, one block south of Cerritos Auto Square and off Studebaker.

This Day In History: May 26, 1868

Andrew Johnson Avoids Impeachment by One Vote (1868)

Johnson became president following Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. When he attempted to dismiss his Secretary of War without senatorial consent, congressional leaders—for the first time in US history—sought to remove the president from office. Their first attempt failed, but in 1868, the House passed a resolution of impeachment against him. During the trial, the charges proved weak, and the two-thirds vote needed for conviction failed by one vote. Which senators voted against their party? More… Discuss

Quotation Of The Day: Washington Irving (1783-1859)

Mother Day (On The Third Day) 

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.

Washington Irving (1783-1859) Discuss