George Washington's Birthday, February 22, 1732

When I was a young boy my summer weekends were spent in a cottage on the edge of Patterson Creek in the village of Burlington, West Virginia. Many of my blog posts over the past decade celebrate the place as a paradise for a kid. Countless times I sat on that rocky bank looking downstream to a bend where the burbling creek ended in the silence of deeper water. I couldn't see what was beyond that bend but I could sometimes hear the noise of swimmers and even the conversation of fishermen when the wind was right. My father told me the story of a 16 year-old boy and his 23 year-old cousin who accompanied a surveyor on a journey along the creek.  More than once I wondered what it would be like to see them round that bend and discuss their experience with me. Many years later I was fortunate to find that the younger cousin kept a rather detailed journal of that summer trip. Now as I approach my 75th year I am only too eager to return to that rocky beach and through some window in time watch George Washington, journal in hand, round that bend once more, and share with me the happening of March 26-27, 1748.

  

George Washington                                      Gilbert Stuart, 1796

We had a federal holiday on Monday of this week commemorating Washington's birthday, but it was simply another one of those government manipulations to provide us with three-day weekends. Washington was actually born on February 22 Perhaps a few days don't matter much in a nation that has lost its appreciation for history and reality over the past decades. Still, there are some personalities and events worthy of authentic remembrance. George Washington, fondly recalled as the Father of His Country, is one of them. Here is what Scott Johnson (Powerline) has to say about the subject:

Of all the great men of the revolutionary era to whom we owe our freedom, Washington's greatness was the rarest and most needed. At this remove in time it is also the hardest to comprehend.

Today as we contend with the contemporary equivalent of "the Babylonish empire," let us send up our thanks to the Ancient of Days for this indispensable man.

Johnson originally posted his comment in 2006. Read the rest his brief and notable remarks here.

Learn more about the young adventurer who became the father of his country at the following sources:

George Washington Birthplace National Monument

Fort Necessity National Battlefield

Valley Forge National Historical Park

Independence National Historical Park

George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate, Museum, and Gardens

Washington Monument

George Washington Masonic Memorial






Sources
Illustrations:
Stuart portrait, a copy known as the Lansdowne Portrait, hangs in the White House. The original is located in the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.
Postcards are from the author's archive.

Peace And An AMG GT Black Series

Readers usually find lots of birthdays in my posts. Today is no exception; however, the center of our attention is a thing rather than a person. Yes, today is the birthday of the "Peace Sign." It was introduced on this day in 1958 by Gerald Holtom a British artist who developed it as a logo for the British Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. The anti-war movements of the 1960's readily adopted it as an international peace symbol.

The design was quite simple. The vertical line was derived from the British semaphore code symbol for "N" - standing for "Nuclear." The arms came from the symbol for "D." - standing for "Disarmament." Both were set in a circle symbolizing the world. We've come fifty years and two generations from those early demonstrations and their new symbol. That's plenty of time for symbology to change but in this case most contemporary demonstrators still get it right. That is, most demonstrators but not all.

For example, I'm totally in favor of giving Mercedes-Benz a chance just as I am defending capitalism and the accumulation of as much wealth as one can out of wise and honest work. That's the least we should ask for the makers of some of the finest automobiles in the world.

And then there are those who ask humankind to end the horrors of war and replace them with a quality driving experience:

Perhaps this phenomenon is little more than a common oversight. On the other hand I suspect that the huge growth in American prosperity and marketing over the past three generations may be a greater influence. From getting by to getting there may sound like a comfortable journey from the houses most boomers experienced as children to the bourgeoisie dwellings we own - perhaps "finance" is a better term - in today's world. It was a bit more complicated than that, so much so one can see why there may be some confusion with historic symbols and the branding going on in Mom and Dad's three-bay detached garage.

If those new Flower Children only knew.

Alas, Gerald Holtom earned nothing directly from designing the peace symbol.  He chose not to copyright it and it cannot trademarked. Commercial users have made billions off the symbol now ubiquitous in our culture 63 years following its introduction.

So what is an AMG GT Black Series?

This is a revision of an earlier post.



Sources



Text:
Wikipedia, Gerald Holton
Center for Nuclear Disarmament
The Peace Symbol Celebrates Its 57th Birthday, But Still No Peace, truth-out.org

Hunter S. Thompson Never Disappoints: "Buy The Ticket...Take The Ride"

If you haven't had enough bouts of uncontrollable laughter over the enduring right wing conspiracy theory, Q Anon, you are in for a treat. The next wave of this nonsense to hit social media - coming soon to your FB feed - should focus on something called Adrenochrome. If you want a bit of background on this powerful drug, supposedly harvested from the adrenal grands of tortured children, I refer you to Hunter S. Thompson's 1971 book, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

              Raoul Duke (Thompson) and Dr. Gonzo (Oscar Zeta Acosta)


The subject of Adrenochrome has be raised in some interesting places mostly in print and film in the last 75 years. I never heard of it until today when a talk show host related how the substance wormed its way into a modern day conspiracy theory and was spreading like the proverbial wild fire across the Internet. I suppose we should expect that given the wide center of gray were experiencing where fiction and reality meet. Thankfully if we can keep one foot in reality we'll sooner or later find the truth. There's no promise of an easy journey in that search though. Lately the satire found in the Babylon Bee has turned into reality too many times for my comfort. Nevertheless I can't wait to see what social media does with "drencom" and the enemy among us.
One note for advice if this post captured your attention. The 1998 film by the same name may entertain you but you will have far more fun reading the book and enjoying the fine illustrations by Ralph Steadman.

Sources
Photos and Illustrations:
wikipedia.org, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas


Text:
title quote from, Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, New York, 1971
Anthony Burgess, A Clockwork Orange, London, 1962

Prohibition: A Lesson On Good Intentions, Morality, And The Road to Hell

Today we commemorate the passage of the Blaine Act in 1933. This brief piece of legislation began a year-long process that ended the more than twelve year debacle we know as Prohibition. During this period in the American cultural climate, alcohol - there were a few exceptions - could not be manufactured, sold, or transported in the United States.

Granted, overindulgence in alcohol was a particularly serious national issue by the Gilded Age (late 1870's to 1900) if not before. At the same time, I doubt few progressives from that era could have dreamed of the degree of lawlessness that engulfed American society as a result of their best intentions. Indeed, a year before the Blaine Act, John D. Rockefeller wrote this appraisal:

When Prohibition was introduced, I hoped that it would be widely supported by public opinion and the day would soon come when the evil effects of alcohol would be recognized. I have slowly and reluctantly come to believe that this has not been the result. Instead, drinking has generally increased; the speakeasy has replaced the saloon; a vast army of lawbreakers has appeared; many of our best citizens have openly ignored Prohibition; respect for the law has been greatly lessened; and crime has increased to a level never seen before.

I would suggest a toast this evening to The Honorable John J. Blaine, U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, who was responsible for not only writing the act bearing his name but also the 21st Amendment that officially repealed Prohibition. May his realistic response to such moral folly always be commemorated.

Oh that we should have such wisdom today!









Sources

Photos and Illustrations:
The New York Times, rarenewspapers.com
Blaine, public domain photo, bioguide.congress.cov


Text:
Rockefeller quote, "Twenty-first amendment to the United States Constitution," wikipedia.com

The Sandhills Soon Head North

 

Although it's bitter cold in Georgia this week, by far the coldest of the season, next week looks promising as temperatures should reach well into the 60's. It is after all that time of year when cool mornings give way to pleasant afternoons and sitting on the patio in the warming sun. Some early spring flowers are already in bloom and even casual observation of the woods reveals a hint of color from sap rising into the young branches. But not all of the activity is at ground level. It's time to look up, way up, for the magnificent Sandhill cranes.

Although year round resident populations of Sandhills have been increasing in Georgia in the last few decades for those who feel the urge to make the journey it's time for the big move to begin. For the next month of so over Atlanta, flocks ranging from a few dozen to as many as several hundred push north and northwest on their journey to summer habitats in the western Great Lakes and central Canada. They are a pleasure to watch with their shapely "v" and wide arc formations as well as their "kettling" in uplifts prior to departure. In our woodland setting we always hear their distant croaking - "ka-roo, ka-roo, ka-roo" - that leaves us hoping they fly over our clearing. Most of the time they do because they fly high, sometimes into the thousands of feet. At those altitudes it's hard to imagine that you are looking at a bird that may stand five feet tall and soar on a seven foot wing span. Several hundred-thousand will migrate from their wintering ground in Florida and Georgia. Coming or going, they always bring a smile and leave us looking up for more.

Another Merry Unbirthday For George Washington

Regardless of what you may hear on the street today's holiday commemorates Washington's birthday. As the official federal government page states, "This holiday is designated as "Washington’s Birthday" in section 6103(a) of title 5 of the United States Code, which is the law that specifies holidays for Federal employees. Though other institutions such as state and local governments and private businesses may use other names, it is our policy to always refer to holidays by the names designated in the law."

At one time the nation had a Washington's Birthday holiday on February 22, the actual day of the man's birth, but that changed in 1971 when the "Monday holiday rule" took effect. The rule was a postlude to a torturous twenty year saga of federal bickering, ineptitude, and state's rights issues over the national failure to honor our presidents, especially Abraham Lincoln, with their very own holiday. The fallout left us with what is in reality a Washington's Unbirthday holiday and a three-day weekend. Honest Abe didn't make the official cut.

That said, American capitalists, never keen to let a good shopping opportunity pass, liked the idea of a President's Day, especially one that could be stretched over a full week . They saw the advantage of the patriotic fervor generated by matching silhouettes of Lincoln - log cabins - and Washington - axes and cherries - positioned over merchandise and big red signs reading "SALE." The concept caught on. Today, about all Americans have left with the third Monday in February is the opportunity to buy stuff, mostly stuff they don't need. On the federal level, this not only leaves us with nothing for Old Abe but also nothing for the other presidents save George and his big unbirthday.

So what is one to do?

Perhaps it's best to forget the issues of a misnomer and the neglected presidents and return to Lincoln and Washington as our February presidents. And they have more in common as presidents who share the quality of American exceptionalism, a term we've been hearing more often these days as the republic drifts ever deeper into its golden years.

I elected some years ago to honor these gentlemen on their respective birthdays and celebrate this floating federal holiday with an Old Fashioned - it happens to be two fingers of Laphroaig this year - and the pop and crack of a perfect fire. In time my conversations with the faces in the fire will help me organize a tribute post to George Washington that will appear on his birthday, February 22. We owe it to this statesman who postponed a well-earned retirement to become our first chief executive and shaper of what became known as the Office of the President of the United States. 




Sources
Text:
federal holiday quote, opm.gov/policy-data-oversight

 

Abraham Lincoln: He Covers Us With His Long Shadow

Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States, was born on this day 212 years ago at Sinking Spring Farm near Hodgenville, Kentucky. Today, his grand marble likeness gazes down on millions of visitors drawn to his memorial on the Mall in Washington.

As visitors climb the marble steps, pass marble columns, and enter the chamber of the Lincoln Memorial, they are awestruck by Daniel Chester French’s enormous marble statue of Abraham Lincoln. To what part of the Georgia marble figure is the eye drawn first? Possibly, the serious look on Lincoln’s face will remind the visitor of the critical time of Civil War through which the president guided our nation. Maybe the reeds wrapped together in the arms of Lincoln’s chair will prompt the visitor to remember the way that Lincoln wanted to keep us bound together as one nation.

If you want to settle into an evening with Lincoln and his age, your choice of titles will number in the thousands and in a variety of media. I am inclined to recommend Carl Sandburg's Abraham Lincoln: The Prairie Years and The War Years. It is available as a one-volume abridgement of the original six-volume version of the biography. Not always accurate, not always "organized" as a traditional biography, Sandburg tells the story of Lincoln in the same manner a wise elder would deliver oral histories to those who wonder who they are and what they may become. It's romantic, rich, warm, organic, meandering, sometimes stormy, sometimes calm. I think the approach works well because the Lincoln story is in so many respects the American story. Also keep in mind that although well-known as a poet Sandburg soon was revered in the U.S. as a poet/writer for the people once the first volumes appeared . With that in mind, I believe Old Abe would have been proud to select a writer of popular history and culture as his official biographer.

Abraham Lincoln Photo Portrait, early 1865 Alexander Gardner

As you can see from the photo below, Lincoln and I go way back. That picture was taken in the spring of 1952 - complete with what would become my signature pose with binoculars - during my first visit to Washington.  It began a long association with Old Abe and his American experience that peaked during the last thirty years of my career. What an honor it was to know him well and work to preserve his story for future generations visiting our national parks. For more about Abe Lincoln's early years at Sinking Spring and Knob Creek farms visit the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park website.

Sources

Photos and Illustrations:
Lincoln photograph, Gardner collection, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Abraham Lincoln statue, commons.wikimedia.org
Lincoln Memorial personal photo 1952, author's archive


Text:

Title, derived from the title of Carl Sandburg's poem, The Long Shadow of Lincoln: A Litany
Quotation, National Park Service, Lincoln Memorial webpage, www.nps.gov/linc

Babe Ruth: "Every Strike Brings Me Closer To The Next Home Run."

 
George Ruth wasn't much of a scholar at Baltimore's St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys but he excelled at baseball, the primary sport used by the Xavarian Brothers to bring structure and discipline to their 800 boys. He was born in Pigtown, one of Baltimore's many rough and tough neighborhoods near it's famous harbor. After seven years struggling to maintain their working-class family his parents assigned custody of their son to St. Mary's. He entered when he was seven years old and stayed there for twelve years. A few months after his nineteenth birthday in 1914 he signed a professional baseball contract to play with the Baltimore Orioles. He was the newest "babe" to join the team and would go on to become a legend during his major league career (1914-1935) with the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees, and the Boston Braves.

Babe Ruth (top row, center) at St. Mary's School in 1913

Today marks the 126th birthday of Babe Ruth, the "Bambino," the "Sultan of Swat," arguably the greatest baseball player ever.

Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum

See Ruth's Wikipedia and National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum pages for more information, including videos, photos, and a wealth of amazing statistics.

Babe Ruth, New York Yankees, 1920

This quote from the famous American sports writer, Tommy Holmes, says it all about the Babe:

Some 20 years ago, I stopped talking about the Babe for the simple reason that I realized that those who had never seen him didn't believe me. 

Sources:


Babe Ruth, Wikipedia entry
Babe Ruth biography, Baseball Hall of Fame, baseballhall.org
Babe Ruth Museum

Candlemas 2021: Light Entering The World

Readers undoubtedly will hear something about groundhogs today. They are less likely to learn that February 2 marks a Christian festival day. It is known in the western Catholic tradition as the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin or Candlemas, and more often in the Protestant world simply as the Presentation of Our Lord

Menologion of Basil II                                         ca. 1000 CE

The festival marks the fortieth day following the birth of Jesus. Under Mosaic law it was a day for temple rites completing the purification of a woman following childbirth. It was also the day to present the firstborn son for redemption in the rite of pidyon haben.

The Candlemas tradition emerges from Luke 2:22-39 where Simeon prays over Jesus with words that would become known as the Song of Simeon or Nunc Dimittis:

Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine,

secundum verbum tuum in pace:

Quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum

Quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum:

Lumen ad revelationem gentium,

et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.

Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,

you may now dismiss your servant in peace.

For my eyes have seen your salvation,

which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:

a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and the glory of your people Israel.

Beginning around the third century following the birth of Jesus, the blessing of candles and their procession about the church on this feast day became a symbol of Jesus as the light of the world. The practice emerged in the western church around 1000 CE.

This day marks the end of the traditional Christmas season in the Catholic calendar. It is also the mid-point between the winter solstice and soring equinox, a cross-quarter day filled with pagan traditions symbolizing fire and the "return of the light."  In our house the last Christmas decorations have been removed and stored for another year. Our fireplace seems naked without its trimmings of red, green, gold, silver and glass. But the fire therein brings light and warmth, both spiritual and physical, as this joyous season comes to a close.

Down with the rosemary, and so

Down with the bays and mistletoe;

Down with the holly, ivy, all,

Wherewith ye dressed the Christmas Hall.

Sources


Text:
poem fragment, Ceremony Upon Candlemas Eve, Robert Herrick (1591-1674)