- Alec Baldwin, Glengarry Glen Ross (how much trouble am I in for not having seen this movie all the way through?)
- Ray Charles, The Blues Brothers (it's a musical number, but I think James Brown is better)
- Pamela Anderson, Borat
- Dean Stockwell, Blue Velvet (this is such a creepy movie and Dennis Hopper is so good, one can easily forget that Dean Stockwell has this scene - almost)
- Janeane Garofalo, The Cable Guy (I've been to Medieval Times - wait, did I just say that?)
- David Letterman, Cabin Boy (What? No Jon Stewart?)
- Billy Ray Cyrus, Mulholland Dr.
- Ned Beatty, Network (this scene earned Beatty an Oscar nomination)
- Chris Rock, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka
- Topher Grace, Ocean's Eleven (it's that opening scene and it is very funny)
- David Spade, Reality Bites
- Sammy Davis Jr., Sweet Charity
- Vanessa Redgrave, Atonement (I would expect nothing less from Lady Vanessa)
- Charlie Sheen, Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Drugs?)
- David Bowie, Zoolander
- John Carroll Lynch and Charles Fleischer, Zodiac (one word - CREEPY!)
- Samuel L. Jackson, Kill Bill Volume 2
- William Hurt, A History Of Violence
Friday, November 7, 2008
Movie Cameos / Scene Stealers
This list was compiled by the AV Club and features the best single scene portrayals by actors and actresses in feature films. A list that is sure to generate some discussion. (You can click on the link and see the videos of the scenes)
Thursday, November 6, 2008
MARAC - Thursday
Today is the first day of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC) Fall 2008 Meeting, being held here in Silver Spring, MD. It is the first meeting in several years that I am not attending the Steering Committee Meeting, which is held on Thursday evenings. To celebrate my freedom, I am taking a small group to the Washington Capitals hockey game at the Verizon Center. It is sure to be a good time.
Tomorrow the meeting will start up with session, several of which I helped to organize. I also don't have to be at lunch, so I will be able to partake of the great restaurants in the Silver Spring area. I will be sure to post some more about the meeting tomorrow.
Here are a few things that have been sitting in my Google Reader for some time and this is as good a time as any to share - they are somewhat archivally related. The first comes from our brethren at the American Library Association, a virtual slide-rule to help figure out whether an item is still protected by copyright. As my friend ADR pointed out when he posted about it, it's a very nifty Web 2.0 application.
The second item also comes from a fellow archives blogger. Spellbound posted about Dipity Timelines, which I now seem to see everywhere. Spellbound also posted about the slide-rule, but I saw it from ADR first.
The last item comes from Buzz Feed and it is about Wordle. Wordle creates word clouds from the content of a webpage and then shows you the words based on the frequency. Another great Web 2.0 toy. So enjoy the links and hey, Lets Go Caps!
Tomorrow the meeting will start up with session, several of which I helped to organize. I also don't have to be at lunch, so I will be able to partake of the great restaurants in the Silver Spring area. I will be sure to post some more about the meeting tomorrow.
Here are a few things that have been sitting in my Google Reader for some time and this is as good a time as any to share - they are somewhat archivally related. The first comes from our brethren at the American Library Association, a virtual slide-rule to help figure out whether an item is still protected by copyright. As my friend ADR pointed out when he posted about it, it's a very nifty Web 2.0 application.
The second item also comes from a fellow archives blogger. Spellbound posted about Dipity Timelines, which I now seem to see everywhere. Spellbound also posted about the slide-rule, but I saw it from ADR first.
The last item comes from Buzz Feed and it is about Wordle. Wordle creates word clouds from the content of a webpage and then shows you the words based on the frequency. Another great Web 2.0 toy. So enjoy the links and hey, Lets Go Caps!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Dare To Dream
Here on the pulse of this new day
You may have the grace to look up and out
And into your sister's eyes, into
Your brother's face, your country
And say simply
Very simply
With hope
Good morning
You may have the grace to look up and out
And into your sister's eyes, into
Your brother's face, your country
And say simply
Very simply
With hope
Good morning
- Maya Angelou, January 20, 1993
I went to bed last night overwhelmed. My wife and I drank champagne and toasted our president-elect and dreamed of a better country for our children. We reveled in the moment, unable to comprehend what had taken place. We were both moved to tears on several occasions last night - I again felt tears of joy when I saw this editorial cartoon in today's Washington Post and after hearing the commentator Colbert I. King on WTOP News this morning talk about growing up in a capital city where he had to enter buildings by the back door and now the Obama family will move into the Executive Mansion through the front door.
I went to bed last night overwhelmed. My wife and I drank champagne and toasted our president-elect and dreamed of a better country for our children. We reveled in the moment, unable to comprehend what had taken place. We were both moved to tears on several occasions last night - I again felt tears of joy when I saw this editorial cartoon in today's Washington Post and after hearing the commentator Colbert I. King on WTOP News this morning talk about growing up in a capital city where he had to enter buildings by the back door and now the Obama family will move into the Executive Mansion through the front door.
"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer . . .
We are, and always will be, the United States of America . . .
But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you . . .
This is your victory . . .
And I know you didn't do this just to win an election. And I know you didn't do it for me . . .
This is our moment . . .
This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can."- Barack Obama, November 4, 2008
When I awoke this morning, there was a sense that, "was it really true?" Had we elected a man to lead us in a new direction and get us believing in hope again? Yes, we did. Some of my readers have commented and questioned the validity of the two candidates in this race. My response is yes, neither of them are perfect, but we have elected the best person out there right now. Barack Obama is the real thing. He has to be.
The road ahead is long, the hill we must climb is steep. There is no perfect solution to the ills that are before us. Barack Obama was elected as an agent of change and he will do everything in his power, which with Democratic majorities in the House and Senate might be a great deal, to make this country a great nation again.
I had pestered a family member to vote, which she finally did. Prior to this she had not voted for President since Gerald Ford. I tried to explain to her that yes there were issues with the way this country votes, but we finally had a candidate that might actually be able to do something about the system. If not a first-term United States Senator, an African-American, and a Democrat who should cruise to election in the anti-Republican wave that was building all summer, then who? Change is coming and many of us will benefit.
She tried to tell me that her vote didn't matter - and yet her state has not yet been called. Don't tell me that every vote doesn't matter. If one person feels that way - there are others and that's how apathy gets out of control. She lives in a state where the black population is overjoyed at the idea of a black president, but this election was not about race. To a point. Yes, we have elected a black man, who defeated a white man, but first and foremost, we have elected a man who truly believes in the future of this country.
As President-elect Obama has said on many occasions, we are not a nation of red states and blue states, we are the United States. He will have to govern that way. He must surround himself with the right people (Rahm Emanuel is a good first pick) for the big tasks that lie ahead. He must be careful to avoid the pitfalls that befell Jimmy Carter in 1976, who arrived in Washington as an outsider and he and his advisors could not contain the Washington mentality.
President-elect Obama must also beware of lofty ideals that could derail some initiatives. He is given to high oratory. There is surely an international crisis out there waiting to test the new leader (Joe Biden wasn't wrong). But possibly the biggest danger may be the President-elect himself. Although he received a significant mandate (no Democrat had been elected with more than 50.1% of the vote since Jimmy Carter in 1976), winning traditionally Republican states and securing a large margin in the Electoral College, he is sure to face resistance from many sides. Change may be a good thing, but in general, people hate it. President-elect Obama will need to temper his enthusiasm to try and do too much, too fast.
One of my regular readers has left me comments with her criticisms of the current political climate and the lack of an acceptable candidate to her views. I grant her that our two party system is broken and that we are in need of real change in the way we elect our leaders and the party structure which we subscribe to. But as I said earlier, we have found someone who, first is willing to take this job right now, and two, was truly the best choice we had.
It is up to him to see if he can surround himself with the right people and truly lead this country in a new direction. Hope is alive, change is coming. Our wish and dream should be that Barack Obama can "Let America Be America Again." May God bless and protect our President-elect and continue to look over our country.
The road ahead is long, the hill we must climb is steep. There is no perfect solution to the ills that are before us. Barack Obama was elected as an agent of change and he will do everything in his power, which with Democratic majorities in the House and Senate might be a great deal, to make this country a great nation again.
I had pestered a family member to vote, which she finally did. Prior to this she had not voted for President since Gerald Ford. I tried to explain to her that yes there were issues with the way this country votes, but we finally had a candidate that might actually be able to do something about the system. If not a first-term United States Senator, an African-American, and a Democrat who should cruise to election in the anti-Republican wave that was building all summer, then who? Change is coming and many of us will benefit.
She tried to tell me that her vote didn't matter - and yet her state has not yet been called. Don't tell me that every vote doesn't matter. If one person feels that way - there are others and that's how apathy gets out of control. She lives in a state where the black population is overjoyed at the idea of a black president, but this election was not about race. To a point. Yes, we have elected a black man, who defeated a white man, but first and foremost, we have elected a man who truly believes in the future of this country.
As President-elect Obama has said on many occasions, we are not a nation of red states and blue states, we are the United States. He will have to govern that way. He must surround himself with the right people (Rahm Emanuel is a good first pick) for the big tasks that lie ahead. He must be careful to avoid the pitfalls that befell Jimmy Carter in 1976, who arrived in Washington as an outsider and he and his advisors could not contain the Washington mentality.
President-elect Obama must also beware of lofty ideals that could derail some initiatives. He is given to high oratory. There is surely an international crisis out there waiting to test the new leader (Joe Biden wasn't wrong). But possibly the biggest danger may be the President-elect himself. Although he received a significant mandate (no Democrat had been elected with more than 50.1% of the vote since Jimmy Carter in 1976), winning traditionally Republican states and securing a large margin in the Electoral College, he is sure to face resistance from many sides. Change may be a good thing, but in general, people hate it. President-elect Obama will need to temper his enthusiasm to try and do too much, too fast.
One of my regular readers has left me comments with her criticisms of the current political climate and the lack of an acceptable candidate to her views. I grant her that our two party system is broken and that we are in need of real change in the way we elect our leaders and the party structure which we subscribe to. But as I said earlier, we have found someone who, first is willing to take this job right now, and two, was truly the best choice we had.
It is up to him to see if he can surround himself with the right people and truly lead this country in a new direction. Hope is alive, change is coming. Our wish and dream should be that Barack Obama can "Let America Be America Again." May God bless and protect our President-elect and continue to look over our country.
Let America be America again.
Let it be the dream it used to be.
Let it be the pioneer on the plain
Seeking a home where he himself is free.
(America never was America to me.)
Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed -
Let it be that great strong land of love
Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme
That any man be crushed by one above.
(It never was America to me.)
O, let my land be a land where Liberty
Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath,
But opportunity is real, and life is free,
Equality is in the air we breathe.
(There's never been equality for me,
Nor freedom in this "homeland of the free.")
Say, who are you that mumbles in the dark?
And who are you that draws your veil across the stars?
I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart,
I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars.
I am the red man driven from the land,
I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek -
And finding only the same old stupid plan
Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak.
I am the young man, full of strength and hope,
Tangled in that ancient endless chain
Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land!
Of grab the gold! Of grab the ways of satisfying need!
Of work the men! Of take the pay!
Of owning everything for one's own greed!
I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil.
I am the worker sold to the machine.
I am the Negro, servant to you all.
I am the people, humble, hungry, mean -
Hungry yet today despite the dream.
Beaten yet today - O, Pioneers!
I am the man who never got ahead,
The poorest worker bartered through the years.
Yet I'm the one who dreamt our basic dream
In the Old World while still a serf of kings,
Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true,
That even yet its mighty daring sings
In every brick and stone, in every furrow turned
That's made America the land it has become.
O, I'm the man who sailed those early seas
In search of what I meant to be my home--
For I'm the one who left dark Ireland's shore,
And Poland's plain, and England's grassy lea,
And torn from Black Africa's strand I came
To build a "homeland of the free."
The free?
Who said the free? Not me?
Surely not me? The millions on relief today?
The millions shot down when we strike?
The millions who have nothing for our pay?
For all the dreams we've dreamed
And all the songs we've sung
And all the hopes we've held
And all the flags we've hung,
The millions who have nothing for our pay -
Except the dream that's almost dead today.
O, let America be America again -
The land that never has been yet -
And yet must be - the land where every man is free.
The land that's mine - the poor man's, Indian's, Negro's, ME -
Who made America,
Whose sweat and blood, whose faith and pain,
Whose hand at the foundry, whose plow in the rain,
Must bring back our mighty dream again.
Sure, call me any ugly name you choose -
The steel of freedom does not stain.
From those who live like leeches on the people's lives,
We must take back our land again,
America!
O, yes,
I say it plain,
America never was America to me,
And yet I swear this oath -
America will be!
Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death,
The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies,
We, the people, must redeem
The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers.
The mountains and the endless plain -
All, all the stretch of these great green states -
And make America again!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
It's Election Day in the USA
Well, here we are. The end is here. I think that most of you know who I am voting for - I'm voting for change. Our political system is not perfect and there are lots of inherent problems and it needs a complete overhaul. The two candidates are politicians and that leaves a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths. So head over to Ben and Jerry's this afternoon and maybe you can get a new taste.
This is the most important election in our history. There is no reason to not vote. Please - exercise your civic responsibility. You'll feel better afterward. And next week come back to read the final chapter in the American President series here on Order from Chaos, when I will post about the 44th President of the United States, ????????.
This is the most important election in our history. There is no reason to not vote. Please - exercise your civic responsibility. You'll feel better afterward. And next week come back to read the final chapter in the American President series here on Order from Chaos, when I will post about the 44th President of the United States, ????????.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Election Food! (And Bacon)
Of course tomorrow is Election Day. Get out and Vote - it's too important - Vote For Change!
Then have some friends over and eat. Here are some suggestions:
Then have some friends over and eat. Here are some suggestions:
- Election Themed Party Food from Buzzfeed (love the Moose Cookies)
- Donuts and Bacon '08 - Taste We Can Believe In (also Buzzfeed)
Friday, October 31, 2008
537 Votes
That was the difference in Florida in 2000. So don't vote, it surely won't matter, will it?
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
#43 - George W. Bush, 2001-2009
Unfortunately, this is not a post about this man.
Born into privilege, the eldest son of George H.W. and Barbara Bush, went to Phillips Academy at Andover and then graduated from Yale University. To avoid being sent to Vietnam, Bush reported for duty to the Texas Air National Guard. In 1978, he ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the House of Representatives, an election he lost by more than 6,000 votes.
Prior to becoming one of the owners of the Texas Rangers baseball team, Bush went into the family (oil) business in Texas. He sold his company and went to Washington to help his father in his campaign for the presidency. In 1994, he was elected Governor of Texas in the same year his brother, Jeb, was elected Governor of Florida.
Bush declared himself a candidate for President in 1999, proclaiming himself as a "Compassionate Conservative." I could surely go on and on about the election of 2000, but I will only use the words of the late Tim Russert, "Florida, Florida, Florida." And, of course, here is the document that allowed Bush to become President.
On September 11, 2001, the Bush presidency was transformed by the terrorist attacks on our nation. Bush sent the United States into war in Afghanistan and in 2003, he took the campaign to Iraq. Despite mounting opposition to the war, Bush was reelected in 2004. He will likely leave office with the lowest approval rating of any president in history.
The Facts
"I know that everyone is excited about the reopening of Ford's Theatre in February 2009.The "reign" of George W. Bush will not officially come to an end until January 20, 2009. But his successor will be elected next Tuesday when the most historic election of a generation will take place.
Laura and I are very excited as well. Just send the pictures down to Crawford."
(applause and laughter)- George W. Bush, at the Ford's Theatre Gala, June 1, 2008
Born into privilege, the eldest son of George H.W. and Barbara Bush, went to Phillips Academy at Andover and then graduated from Yale University. To avoid being sent to Vietnam, Bush reported for duty to the Texas Air National Guard. In 1978, he ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the House of Representatives, an election he lost by more than 6,000 votes.
Prior to becoming one of the owners of the Texas Rangers baseball team, Bush went into the family (oil) business in Texas. He sold his company and went to Washington to help his father in his campaign for the presidency. In 1994, he was elected Governor of Texas in the same year his brother, Jeb, was elected Governor of Florida.
Bush declared himself a candidate for President in 1999, proclaiming himself as a "Compassionate Conservative." I could surely go on and on about the election of 2000, but I will only use the words of the late Tim Russert, "Florida, Florida, Florida." And, of course, here is the document that allowed Bush to become President.
On September 11, 2001, the Bush presidency was transformed by the terrorist attacks on our nation. Bush sent the United States into war in Afghanistan and in 2003, he took the campaign to Iraq. Despite mounting opposition to the war, Bush was reelected in 2004. He will likely leave office with the lowest approval rating of any president in history.
The Facts
- born July 9, 1946 in New Haven, Connecticut (age 62)
- Party: Republican
- Wife: Laura Welch Bush
- George W. Bush / Richard Cheney (R) - 50,460,110 (47.9%) / 271 EVs
- Al Gore / Joseph Lieberman (D) - 51,003,926 (48.4%) / 266 EVs
- George W. Bush / Richard Cheney (R) - 62,040,610 (50.7%) / 286 EVs
- John Kerry / John Edwards (D) - 59,028,439 (48.3%) / 251 EVs
- With his election as Governor of Texas, he became the first child of a President to be elected to the office of Governor.
- When he was reelected Governor in 1998, he became the first Governor of Texas to be elected to two consecutive four-year terms.
- Bush is one of three Presidents to be elected without winning a plurality of the popular vote.
- The Bushes and the Adams are the only father-son combination to serve as President.
- White House biography
- Republican National Committee biography
- Miller Center biography
- Famous Texans biography
- Time 100: George W. Bush
- NNDB entry
- C-SPAN biography
- Britannica
- Wikipedia
- A reserved website that will point to the future George W. Bush Presidential Library
- George W. Bush childhood home in Midland, Texas
- Google News search for George W. Bush
Monday, October 27, 2008
Recipe: Citrus Beef with Scallions
This recipe came from C in DC via email. The subject line was simply, yum. I would tend to agree. The recipe appears here.
Citrus Beef with Scallions
Heat a large skillet with a little oil. I added the beef (keep the marinade) and cook for about five minutes. Remove the beef to a plate.
Add:
Citrus Beef with Scallions
- 1 lb of sirloin cut into strips
- the zest of 1 orange and juice of 2 oranges
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- the white of scallions, sliced thinly
Heat a large skillet with a little oil. I added the beef (keep the marinade) and cook for about five minutes. Remove the beef to a plate.
Add:
- the greens of a bunch of scallions, cut into about 1 1/2 inches
- a handful of shredded carrots
- sliced zucchini
Friday, October 24, 2008
United Nations Day
Today is October 24, known as United Nations Day for it was on this day in 1945 that the United Nations Charter was signed in San Francisco, California at the conclusion of the Conference that founded the international organization.
I have a fairly strong affinity for the United Nations. When I worked for the Rockefeller Archive Center, I solidified that connection when I was working on the papers of Nelson Rockefeller, whose diplomatic career involved his work at the San Francisco Conference. The Archive Center commemorated the centennial of Nelson's birth this year. in addition to Nelson's contributions, his father, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., gave the land on which the United Nations headquarters now sits.
In high school, I was a member of the Model United Nations. This allowed me to travel to several conferences to represent my school. One conference, I traveled to Yale University, where I and another student were representing the Soviet Union on the Security Council. Unfortunately, we both returned late from lunch during the conference and in the interim, the rest of the Security Council had drafted a resolution calling for the immediate withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan (it was the early 80s). Without us there to veto, the resolution passed. It was not the finest moment. That conference featured a scenario the year before where our representatives to the Security Council were awakened in the middle of the night to deal with an international crisis - Germany had reunified and was preparing its forces to march on the rest of Western Europe. At another meeting, held in Washington DC (at the Hinckley Hilton, where I would later spend time at a number of other professional meetings), I bailed out on the awards ceremony (we weren't winning any awards anyway) to go to the National Zoo. Yes, those were the days.
As I have mentioned here before (I think), my mother was very involved in Girl Scouting and that presented me with the opportunity to help show girl scouts and girl guides from around the world around Manhattan (it also helped my social life, but that's a different post). We would often visit the United Nations, so I could often do the tour just as well as the docents that were giving it. Given my exposure to people from around the world, I had started a postcard collection and had accumulated an extensive set of cards from all corners. When I would visit the United Nations, I would often buy a postcard from the gift shop that featured the flag of a nation that I had in the collection (it's OK, I know that I'm a bit of a nerd). We would also take the opportunity to mail ourselves cards or letters from the UN Post Office, which is in International Territory, despite its physical location in New York City.
When I went to work for the International Monetary Fund Archives, one of the things I undertook was to plan an exhibition to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Bretton Woods Conference, from which the IMF and the World Bank were created. The Bretton Woods Conference took place a year before the UN Conference and served as a model for running that meeting. Some of the same issues arose (representation for Latin America chief among them) and these men (and a few women) forged these two organizations to create a firm foundation for rebuilding the international economic system. There have even been some calls recently that we need another Bretton Woods Conference to deal with the deepening financial crisis.
Happy United Nations Day to everyone!
I have a fairly strong affinity for the United Nations. When I worked for the Rockefeller Archive Center, I solidified that connection when I was working on the papers of Nelson Rockefeller, whose diplomatic career involved his work at the San Francisco Conference. The Archive Center commemorated the centennial of Nelson's birth this year. in addition to Nelson's contributions, his father, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., gave the land on which the United Nations headquarters now sits.
In high school, I was a member of the Model United Nations. This allowed me to travel to several conferences to represent my school. One conference, I traveled to Yale University, where I and another student were representing the Soviet Union on the Security Council. Unfortunately, we both returned late from lunch during the conference and in the interim, the rest of the Security Council had drafted a resolution calling for the immediate withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan (it was the early 80s). Without us there to veto, the resolution passed. It was not the finest moment. That conference featured a scenario the year before where our representatives to the Security Council were awakened in the middle of the night to deal with an international crisis - Germany had reunified and was preparing its forces to march on the rest of Western Europe. At another meeting, held in Washington DC (at the Hinckley Hilton, where I would later spend time at a number of other professional meetings), I bailed out on the awards ceremony (we weren't winning any awards anyway) to go to the National Zoo. Yes, those were the days.
As I have mentioned here before (I think), my mother was very involved in Girl Scouting and that presented me with the opportunity to help show girl scouts and girl guides from around the world around Manhattan (it also helped my social life, but that's a different post). We would often visit the United Nations, so I could often do the tour just as well as the docents that were giving it. Given my exposure to people from around the world, I had started a postcard collection and had accumulated an extensive set of cards from all corners. When I would visit the United Nations, I would often buy a postcard from the gift shop that featured the flag of a nation that I had in the collection (it's OK, I know that I'm a bit of a nerd). We would also take the opportunity to mail ourselves cards or letters from the UN Post Office, which is in International Territory, despite its physical location in New York City.
When I went to work for the International Monetary Fund Archives, one of the things I undertook was to plan an exhibition to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Bretton Woods Conference, from which the IMF and the World Bank were created. The Bretton Woods Conference took place a year before the UN Conference and served as a model for running that meeting. Some of the same issues arose (representation for Latin America chief among them) and these men (and a few women) forged these two organizations to create a firm foundation for rebuilding the international economic system. There have even been some calls recently that we need another Bretton Woods Conference to deal with the deepening financial crisis.
Happy United Nations Day to everyone!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
#42 - William Jefferson Clinton, 1993-2001
[I was admonished for not including a link to Chevy Chase lampooning President Ford. So let's get this out of the way right up front. Here is the late Phil Hartman in one of my favorite Bill Clinton sketches. Enjoy.]For a long time I had kept the newspapers proclaiming Bill Clinton's win in 1992. I was teaching at the time and I had been talking with my students over the course of the term about how this nobody from Arkansas was not going to win anything. But of course, William Jefferson Clinton became the first Democrat since Franklin Roosevelt to win a second term.
Clinton met President John F. Kennedy in the White House Rose Garden as a delegate to Boys Nation in 1963, which pushed him in the direction of public service. That same year, Martin Luther King's speech at the Lincoln Memorial had a profound effect on him. He settled in Arkansas, lost an election for Congress, was elected Attorney General of the state, and ultimately served five terms as Governor of Arkansas. When he was elected in 1978, he was the youngest Governor in the country.
As President, Clinton brought the federal budget under control, balancing it and creating a budget surplus. Despite an early failure in the area of health care reform, the country enjoyed a great period of economic prosperity and peace under the Clinton administration. Clinton also instituted the controversial "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy on homosexuals in the military as well as pushing for and signing into law the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Clinton's controversial policies led to the Democrats losing control of Congress in the off-year elections in 1994, the first time the Democrats had not controlled Congress in more than forty years. After being reelected in 1996, the Monica Lewinsky scandal broke wide open and Clinton became the second president in history to be impeached. He was acquitted on all charges in a widely televised trial.
In the area of foreign policy, Clinton undertook three major military offensives. The first was a limited military engagement against Iraqi forces, while also returning sanctions against Iraq and Saddam Hussein. Second, Clinton ordered forces into Somalia, which resulted in the downing of American helicopters and the deaths of many Somali civilians and American soldiers. Finally, Clinton oversaw the involvement of American troops under the NATO flag to stop ethnic cleansing in the Balkans, specifically Kosovo.
The Facts
- born August 19, 1946 in Hope, Arkansas (age 62)
- Party: Democrat
- Wife: Hillary Rodham Clinton
- Bill Clinton / Al Gore (D) - 44,909,806 (43%) / 370 EVs
- George Bush / Dan Quayle (R) - 39,104,550 (37.5%) / 168 EVs
- Bill Clinton / Al Gore (D) - 47,400,125 (49.2%) / 379 EVs
- Bob Dole / Jack Kemp (R) - 39,198,755 (40.7%) / 159 EVs
- Clinton is yet another president to have been born with a different name. Born William Jefferson Blythe III, his father was killed in an automobile accident three months before his birth. When he was four, Clinton's mother married Roger Clinton. Clinton took the name when he was in high school.
- Clinton was the second president to be impeached.
- On October 21, 1994, the first version of the White House website went online.
- In November of 2000, Clinton became the first sitting U.S. President to visit Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam Conflict.
- Clinton is the third youngest President, older than Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. He is also regarded as the first "Baby Boomer" President.
- At 6' 2", Clinton is one of the tallest presidents.
- White House biography
- C-SPAN biography
- Miller Center biography
- Internet Public Library biography
- Arkansas Encyclopedia of History and Culture biography
- MSN Encarta biography
- NNDB entry
- Wikipedia
- Britannica
- William J. Clinton Presidential Library
(the library holds the largest body of archival material of any presidential library) - William J. Clinton Presidential Center
- William J. Clinton Foundation
- Clinton Global Initiative
- Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas
- CNN Special Report on The Clinton Years
- Impeachment of William Jefferson Clinton documents
- "The Wanderer," an article from the New Yorker on Clinton
- Google News Search for Bill Clinton
Monday, October 20, 2008
Angel Food Cake with Honey Ice Cream
God, doesn't that sound good? I found this recipe here at this foodie blog. Now where did I put that Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker?
Josh Short’s Angelfood Cake
Ingredients
Honey Ice Cream
Ingredients
Josh Short’s Angelfood Cake
Ingredients
- 1 c egg whites
- 1 1/2 t cream of tartar
- 1/2 c granulated sugar
- 3/4 t lemon zest
- 3 oz cake flour
- 1 1/2 oz powdered sugar
- 1/8 t salt
Honey Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 6 egg yolks
- 2 c milk
- 1 c heavy cream
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 vanilla bean
Friday, October 17, 2008
In and Out - Same Day
The Brave Astronaut family are off for a quick weekend to visit with friends in Charlottesville. But I wanted to share with you this item I saw in the news recently. From the Rapid City Journal in Rapid City, South Dakota:
An elderly Sioux Falls, S.D. couple died together Saturday, side by side, of separate illnesses, reports the Argus Leader.This was followed in due course by a list of individuals who checked in and out of this world on the same day, that is they all died on the anniversary of their birth.
Diana Kraft and her husband, Kent, had been married for about 43 years, both born on the same day: Sept. 2, 1941, the report says. Diana Kraft had battled Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and Kent had a brief illness.
According to the Argus Leader, Police spokesman Loren McManus said the deaths of the Krafts were not suspicious or criminal. He said Kent Kraft had a heart condition.
It was a unique situation, reminiscent of the movie “The Notebook,” he said.
“It’s kind of like that. They’ve been together forever and she was very, very sick and she died,” McManus said. “Whatever effect that had on him, that was it.”
- Raphael - April 6, 1483-April 6, 1520
- Étienne Dolet, French printer - August 3, 1509-August 3, 1546
- William Shakespeare - April 23, 1564-April 23, 1616 (the exact date of Shakespeare's birth is not known, although his baptismal date (April 26) is often used to estimate)
- Sir Thomas Browne, author - October 19, 1605-October 19, 1682
- Levi Morton, US Vice President - May 16, 1824-May 16, 1920
- George Washington Carver, US agricultural chemist - January 5, 1864-January 05, 1903 (as a former slave, Carver's exact date of birth is not known, but is celebrated on the 5th of January)
- Lawrence Oates, Arctic Explorer - March 17, 1880-March 17, 1912 (Oates walked off from the rest of his party to try and get help and froze to death. It is believed he perished on his birthday but could have died before or after that date)
- Bidhan Chandra Roy, Indian politician - July 1, 1882-July 1, 1962
- Alfred Kazin, US writer and critic - June 5, 1915-June 5, 1998
- Ingrid Bergman, actress - August 29, 1915-August 29, 1982
- Betty Friedan, feminist writer - April 2, 1921-April 2, 2006
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Archives Family Feud
Two stories off the radar scope today regarding archives.
The first involves the children of Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King. Dexter King, who is the executor of his father's estate, is seeking control over his mother's papers, which are currently in the possession of his sister, Bernice. At the root of the issue is a book deal, which Bernice maintains her mother did not want to be a part of, leading to her reluctance to turn over the materials. The judge named to mediate the dispute has postponed his decision until an inventory of the materials can be made (we archivists call that a finding aid!). Dexter is at odds with his sister and his brother, Martin III, and the three communicate only through lawyers. Bernice and Martin III released a statement after the latest court appearance that read:
The second story appeared in the Washington Post and concerns the papers of scientist Wernher von Braun. A series of articles he wrote were published in Collier's Magazine between 1952 and 1954, long before the creation of NASA, and concerned space travel. Collier's ceased publication in 1957 and the articles, notes, and illustrations went into private hands. An auction was held today and sold for $132,000.
von Braun, who defected to the United States from Germany during World War II, was involved in the creation of NASA [which celebrated its 50th Anniversary on October 1] and headed the Marshall Space Flight Center from 1960 to 1970. von Braun died in 1977.
The first involves the children of Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King. Dexter King, who is the executor of his father's estate, is seeking control over his mother's papers, which are currently in the possession of his sister, Bernice. At the root of the issue is a book deal, which Bernice maintains her mother did not want to be a part of, leading to her reluctance to turn over the materials. The judge named to mediate the dispute has postponed his decision until an inventory of the materials can be made (we archivists call that a finding aid!). Dexter is at odds with his sister and his brother, Martin III, and the three communicate only through lawyers. Bernice and Martin III released a statement after the latest court appearance that read:
"We are saddened that we are forced to make public statements about family matters that should be handled privately. However, as our father taught us, we must respond to unjust criticism ... Our stand against the publication of the memoirs of our mother ... is not merely a family feud but rather our ongoing attempt to protect and maintain the integrity of our mother's legacy. Although she is no longer here to speak for herself, it is important that the integrity and validity of her voice be reflected."In this particular situation, what would normally be a private matter is being played out in the national media. It is an interesting issue regarding the right of private citizens (although in this case, the King children are themselves public figures) to do what they wish with their archival materials. If the archival materials belong to a significant historical figure, what responsibility to the public do the descendants have?
The second story appeared in the Washington Post and concerns the papers of scientist Wernher von Braun. A series of articles he wrote were published in Collier's Magazine between 1952 and 1954, long before the creation of NASA, and concerned space travel. Collier's ceased publication in 1957 and the articles, notes, and illustrations went into private hands. An auction was held today and sold for $132,000.
von Braun, who defected to the United States from Germany during World War II, was involved in the creation of NASA [which celebrated its 50th Anniversary on October 1] and headed the Marshall Space Flight Center from 1960 to 1970. von Braun died in 1977.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
#41 - George H. W. Bush, 1989-1993
[Presidential factoid of the day - On this day in 1890, the 34th President, Dwight Eisenhower was born.]You almost can feel sorry for 41. Almost. But "not gonna do it, wouldn't be prudent."
A naval aviator in World War II, he was shot down (one of the reasons he jumps out of a plane every year to celebrate his birthday), he and Barbara lost a child to leukemia at the age of 4 (and, of course, another child that is a completely different story that you'll get in two weeks). Bush 41 (as he is now known) came from a family that was dedicated to public service. His father was Prescott Bush, who was a Senator from the state of Connecticut. Seeking to continue the family tradition, H.W. was elected to the House of Representatives, twice lost elections for the U.S. Senate, and only entered higher office at the federal level through a series of appointments (U.N. Ambassador, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Chair of the Republican National Committee). He lost the race for the Republican nomination in 1980 to Ronald Reagan, who threw Bush the bone of the vice presidency. He could never be elected on his own, right?
But elected the 41st President he was. Despite Dan Quayle (who thought that was a good idea), Bush 41 rode a wave of Reagan popularity into the White House. He scored a foreign policy success when he ordered troops into Panama to overthrow the dictator Manual Noriega. When Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1991, sparking the first Gulf War, Bush sent troops to the region along with a multinational force to repel Hussein and the Iraqis. Bush also presided over the fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Despite those successes in the foreign policy arena, Bush presided over a degrading U.S. economy and he was defeated for reelection by Bill Clinton (see you next week!).
The Facts
- born June 12, 1924 in Milton, Massachusetts (Bush is the current oldest former President)
- party: Republican
- wife: Barbara Pierce
- George Bush / J. Danforth Quayle (R) - 48,886,597 (53.4%) / 426 EVs
- Michael Dukakis / Lloyd Bentsen (D) - 41,809,476 (45.7%) / 111 EVs
- Bill Clinton / Al Gore (D) - 44,909,806 (43%) / 370 EVs
- George Bush / Dan Quayle (R) - 39,104,550 (37.5%) / 168 EVs
- Bush was a fairly proficient left-handed first baseman and played on the Yale Baseball team and participated in the first two College World Series.
- In 1979, once he had decided to run for president in 1980, he attended more than 850 political events and traveled more than 250,000 miles.
- Bush's convention speech in 1988 was known as the "Thousand Points of Light" speech, but contained the more memorable line, "Read my Lips, No New Taxes," which he was forced to break early in his presidency.
- Upon his election, Bush became the first sitting vice president to be elected president since Martin van Buren in 1836.
- Though President for only one term, Bush had two appointments to the United States Supreme Court, David Souter and Clarence Thomas.
- Bush received an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II, the third U.S. President to be honored. The other two were Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan.
- White House biography
- Biography from the Bush Library
- Internet Public Library biography
- Wikipedia
- Britannica
- Miller Center biography
- Biography from Famous Texans website
- Bush's Naval biography
- PBS American Experience documentary on George H.W. Bush
- Character Above All Essay on Bush by Michael Beschloss
- George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, Texas
- George Bush Presidential Library Foundation
- The USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), an aircraft carrier
Monday, October 13, 2008
Wait - I Ate Here - How can that be?
America's hot new restaurant has been identified. I ate lunch here shortly after it opened. Now I want to go back. In honor of the restaurant's new honorific, here is a recipe I searched for on the Interwebs as its website does not feature any recipes. Harrumph. From Gothamist.
Mustard Dusted Skate with blood orange reduction, toasted sesame seeds
This is a relatively simple dish that you can get together in less than a half hour. Add a simple side salad, vegetable or maybe some rice or couscous and you’ll have a great meal without a lot of stress. Recipe serves two people.
Ingredient Shopping List
You’ll most likely get a whole skate wing for two people. You can fillet it by slicing into two pieces very easily. This is also simple to do if you buy the skate with a bone. Your knife can easily cut right through it when making the fillets. It’s actually very easy and enjoyable to eat it off the bone as well.
Make Blood Orange Sauce
With a sharp pairing knife, slice the orange in quarters. Segment about half of the whole fruit and set aside for garnish. Peel the rest of the oranges and chop into small pieces.
Add chopped oranges, juices and a few of the remaining rinds to a small pan. Add ½ cup of orange juice to pan and bring to a boil. Add one tbsp of sugar, stir and reduce on medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Reduce to half its original volume. The liquid should still be viscous and loose. Strain into a small bowl with a strainer. Set aside.
Make the Skate
Slice your skate into two fillets. Dry both pieces with paper towels thoroughly. Season one side of the fillets with salt, pepper and one tablespoon of the mustard powder per fillet. Spread and cover each evenly with the seasoning. Do the same for the other side of the fish.
Add about 1 tbsp of olive oil to a non stick pan. Place heat on high. Add a small pat of butter. After about a minute when the butter begins to foam, add the skate to the pan. Brown on one side for about 2 minutes, until charred and brown but not burned. Do the same for the other side.
Put oven on broil.
Add ¼ cup of orange juice to the hot pan and turn down the heat to medium. After two minutes, take the pan off the heat and place into the oven under the broiler. Let skate broil for 3-4 minutes. Turn the oven off and put a cover on the skate, letting it rest for another two minutes.
Finish the Dish
Rough chop the remaining blood orange segments, leaving a few whole. While you wait for the skate to finish cooking, place a few tablespoon of the warm sauce on the plate. Place blood orange pieces around the plate. Take the skate out of the oven and place on top of the sauce. Sprinkle sesame seeds on the fillets. Salt and pepper the skate again. Add more of the sauce on the skate and serve immediately.
Mustard Dusted Skate with blood orange reduction, toasted sesame seeds
This is a relatively simple dish that you can get together in less than a half hour. Add a simple side salad, vegetable or maybe some rice or couscous and you’ll have a great meal without a lot of stress. Recipe serves two people.
Ingredient Shopping List
- 1.5 lb of skate fillet (on the bone is a good thing, see below)
- olive oil
- 2 blood oranges
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup of orange juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- bag of toasted sesame seeds
You’ll most likely get a whole skate wing for two people. You can fillet it by slicing into two pieces very easily. This is also simple to do if you buy the skate with a bone. Your knife can easily cut right through it when making the fillets. It’s actually very easy and enjoyable to eat it off the bone as well.
Make Blood Orange Sauce
With a sharp pairing knife, slice the orange in quarters. Segment about half of the whole fruit and set aside for garnish. Peel the rest of the oranges and chop into small pieces.
Add chopped oranges, juices and a few of the remaining rinds to a small pan. Add ½ cup of orange juice to pan and bring to a boil. Add one tbsp of sugar, stir and reduce on medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Reduce to half its original volume. The liquid should still be viscous and loose. Strain into a small bowl with a strainer. Set aside.
Make the Skate
Slice your skate into two fillets. Dry both pieces with paper towels thoroughly. Season one side of the fillets with salt, pepper and one tablespoon of the mustard powder per fillet. Spread and cover each evenly with the seasoning. Do the same for the other side of the fish.
Add about 1 tbsp of olive oil to a non stick pan. Place heat on high. Add a small pat of butter. After about a minute when the butter begins to foam, add the skate to the pan. Brown on one side for about 2 minutes, until charred and brown but not burned. Do the same for the other side.
Put oven on broil.
Add ¼ cup of orange juice to the hot pan and turn down the heat to medium. After two minutes, take the pan off the heat and place into the oven under the broiler. Let skate broil for 3-4 minutes. Turn the oven off and put a cover on the skate, letting it rest for another two minutes.
Finish the Dish
Rough chop the remaining blood orange segments, leaving a few whole. While you wait for the skate to finish cooking, place a few tablespoon of the warm sauce on the plate. Place blood orange pieces around the plate. Take the skate out of the oven and place on top of the sauce. Sprinkle sesame seeds on the fillets. Salt and pepper the skate again. Add more of the sauce on the skate and serve immediately.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Ooh! Look! Ripple!
In honor of my father's visit, here is a post on wine. While he is here, I am sure to be eating out a fair amount and if my father is around there is sure to be alcohol. We are off to Jerry's Seafood tonight (get the Mariner's Platter!) and so far all is well with the visit.
My father likes wine and orders it by the case through the mail. Unfortunately that is not an option for those of us here in Maryland. There was a bill in the legislature earlier this year, but it was never voted on. My friend ADR reported on its progress when it first started out. I make mention of this as shortly after the Brave Astronaut family moved into our new home (just over a year now!), my father was going to send us some wine, but couldn't ship to us. Wine wasn't what we really needed, but that's a different story.
Anyway, I spotted this story some time ago and have been holding it in the queue for posting. Having been in my fair share of liquor stores, it makes perfect sense that the good stuff is always up and the cheaper stuff is down (high price up, low price down - see? makes sense). However studies are now showing that may all be merchandising hooey. One study looked at the brain waves of people who sampled a $90 bottle of wine and a $10 bottle of wine and the higher priced bottle of wine fared better, even though the wine was exactly the same. People believed that because it cost more, it must be better.
A second survey from the American Association of Wine Economists (you a member of this, ADR?), titled, "Do More Expensive Wines Taste Better?" found no correlation between price and enjoyment. The original article avers that price is, in most cases, the single determining factor in buying a bottle of wine, once you get past red vs. white, region, type of grape, etc. Now, I am not proposing that we all switch to box wines, although some of them are OK, but we are certainly falling into the merchandising trap of retailers who will put that bottle of wine they want us to buy right at eye level, knowing that we will believe it is the right wine for us. But there might be a better one on the next shelf down and a bad one on the next shelf up.
See how not being able to ship wine to Maryland is hurting me? Maybe I should go with the Time Magazine guys, who recently embarked on a journey to try a bottle of wine from every one of the fifty states (now that every state produces at least one - North Dakota was the last one to join, in 2002). Here are their findings. Stay away from Wyoming wines.
Now, where did I put my drink?
Friday, October 10, 2008
The 100 Greatest Movie Posters of All-Time
I am of course, in the middle of entertaining my father and his new girlfriend. Maybe I can get him to go to a movie - but he would probably want to sit in the balcony, if you catch my drift. But we are getting a sitter and at least are having a nice dinner out. So here's a discussion item to keep you occupied.
Do you go and see a movie based on the poster? Well, maybe sometimes. Then again, going out to movies these days is a rare treat. So for that matter, I am impressed that I have seen 22 of the films, but many of them are from the days when I went to the movies once a week.
The list was seen first on, of course, kottke. How many of them have you seen? Do you agree with the list? Comment away.
The 100 Greatest Movie Posters.
Do you go and see a movie based on the poster? Well, maybe sometimes. Then again, going out to movies these days is a rare treat. So for that matter, I am impressed that I have seen 22 of the films, but many of them are from the days when I went to the movies once a week.
The list was seen first on, of course, kottke. How many of them have you seen? Do you agree with the list? Comment away.
The 100 Greatest Movie Posters.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Dad's Got a Girlfriend
My father arrives tonight for a visit. He's not coming alone. My mother died in February 2006. One of the more scarring memories of my mother is her telling me "what a passionate man" my father was and that he would surely miss the companionship. Within a year or so of my mother's death, he started looking again. He found a few matches on some "senior singles" websites and went out on a few dates. As Mrs. BA says, say it with me, "Women Grieve, Men Replace."
From the outset I had adopted a strict "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy with my father. If he wanted to date, that was fine, but I didn't need to hear about it. My father does not have a very good filter shall we say - so my sisters got an earful of my father's exploits - yes, all of them.
My sisters complained to me, but I wasn't having it. I wasn't interested. Now there's a new one. Her name is Rose and he has been seeing her for a few months. There was talk of marriage but that has been taken off the table. My siblings and I (as well as her children) all persuaded them they didn't need to get married. They are however planning to move in together.
Rose bears a striking resemblance to my mother. It is a bit jarring. But I will have to see for myself. Let me state for the record that I have no problem with my father seeing someone. She seems to make him happy, my sister reports that he has lost some weight because she is making him eat better, and he has found someone to go out with. He had been in a funk and was not doing anything and now he is at least doing something. The family grapevine has informed me that my father is a little nervous about Rose meeting me and my other sister, who lives in Wilmington. He is taking her there after they come to see me. I am sure that it is going to be fine.
Given my mother's position on my father's "passion," I do wonder what she thinks about this. It is for her that I will make the best of this and see how the visit goes. I will note that as I wrote this I was reminded of the family story about the worst fight (and one of the only) my parents ever had. It was over a plant that my father accidentally killed. It was one of my mother's favorites. She cried and he went out and bought a new one. The plant? A rose bush.
From the outset I had adopted a strict "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy with my father. If he wanted to date, that was fine, but I didn't need to hear about it. My father does not have a very good filter shall we say - so my sisters got an earful of my father's exploits - yes, all of them.
My sisters complained to me, but I wasn't having it. I wasn't interested. Now there's a new one. Her name is Rose and he has been seeing her for a few months. There was talk of marriage but that has been taken off the table. My siblings and I (as well as her children) all persuaded them they didn't need to get married. They are however planning to move in together.
Rose bears a striking resemblance to my mother. It is a bit jarring. But I will have to see for myself. Let me state for the record that I have no problem with my father seeing someone. She seems to make him happy, my sister reports that he has lost some weight because she is making him eat better, and he has found someone to go out with. He had been in a funk and was not doing anything and now he is at least doing something. The family grapevine has informed me that my father is a little nervous about Rose meeting me and my other sister, who lives in Wilmington. He is taking her there after they come to see me. I am sure that it is going to be fine.
Given my mother's position on my father's "passion," I do wonder what she thinks about this. It is for her that I will make the best of this and see how the visit goes. I will note that as I wrote this I was reminded of the family story about the worst fight (and one of the only) my parents ever had. It was over a plant that my father accidentally killed. It was one of my mother's favorites. She cried and he went out and bought a new one. The plant? A rose bush.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
#40 - Ronald Wilson Reagan, 1981-1989
Dr. Brown: "Then tell me, future boy, who's President of the United States in 1985?" Marty McFly: "Ronald Reagan!"Our 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, broke new ground in his rise to the presidency as well as during his administration. A Hollywood actor, Reagan was President of the Screen Actors Guild, when Hollywood began to look through its ranks for Communists. This helped to sharpen Reagan's conservatism that would define his political career. In 1966, he was elected Governor of California, and reelected in 1970.
Dr. Brown: "Ronald Reagan? The actor?"
- Back to the Future
Reagan sought the Republican presidential nomination twice (1968 and 1976) before finally securing it in 1980. In that election, Reagan buried incumbent Jimmy Carter in an electoral landslide. Four years later, Reagan was reelected with the highest number of electoral votes ever received by a candidate.
His presidency was defined by a series of domestic achievements supported by his policies of "Reaganomics." He is also remembered for firing the nation's air traffic controllers when they went on strike, which Reagan believed to be in violation of the Taft-Hartley Act. At the end of his eight years in office, Reagan had presided over the longest period of peacetime prosperity without economic recession or depression. Reagan made history when he appointed the first woman to the Supreme Court, Sandra Day O'Connor. Reagan also elevated William Rehnquist to Chief Justice and appointed Antonin Scalia to replace him.
In the foreign policy arena, Reagan ordered a withdrawal of American forces from Lebanon shortly after the deaths of 241 Americans in a bombing at the US barracks in Beirut. Two days after the bombing, Reagan sent US forces into Grenada to help sustain a pro-Western government in the Caribbean. Reagan also escalated the Cold War, which in turn helped to bring about its end. Part of his Cold War strategy was the development of the Strategic Defense Initiative, more derisively known as "Star Wars." The Iran-Contra affair also left a stain on the Reagan legacy, despite Reagan's denials that he was not aware of what was going on.
The Facts
- born February 6, 1911 in Tampico, Illinois
- died June 5, 2004 in Bel Air, California (age 93)
- party: Republican
- wife: Nancy Davis Reagan (Reagan was also married to the actress Jane Wyman)
- Ronald Reagan / George H.W. Bush (R) - 43,903-230 (50.8%) / 489 EVs
- Jimmy Carter / Walter Mondale (D) - 35,480,115 (41%) / 49 EVs
- Ronald Reagan / George H.W. Bush (R) - 54,455,472 (58.8%) / 525 EVs
- Walter Mondale / Geraldine Ferraro (D) - 37,577,352 (40.6%) / 13 EVs
- On March 30, 1981, Reagan broke the Curse of Tecumseh, when he survived an assassination attempt outside the Washington Hilton in Washington DC.
- As of today, Ronald Reagan is the oldest man to be elected President. Let's make sure he holds on to that record, OK?
- Reagan is also the only President to have been divorced. Let's give him that one to hold onto, also?
- At his marriage to Nancy, the actor William Holden served as Reagan's best man.
- Reagan succeeded Edmund G. Brown, Sr. (Pat Brown) as Governor of California. Reagan was in turn succeeded by Edmund G. Brown, Jr. (Jerry Brown), likely one of the only cases of gubernatorial succession of father to son interrupted by an actor.
- During Reagan's presidency, the first use of the "acting president" clause of the 25th Amendment was invoked, when Reagan underwent surgery to remove polyps from his colon in July 1985.
- Reagan's state funeral in 2004 was the first since Lyndon Johnson in 1973.
- White House biography
- Internet Public Library biography
- Miller Center biography
- C-SPAN biography
- BBC biography
- Wikipedia
- Britannica
- Time 100: Ronald Reagan
- CNN site on Reagan, created upon his death in 2004
- Ronald Reagan (from the New York Times)
- Ronald Reagan (from the Washington Post)
- Ronald Reagan's IMDB entry
- Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California (I've been here)
- A second mirror site for the Presidential Library
- Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Foundation
- The Reagan Ranch, AKA the Western White House, Rancho del Cielo
- Character Above All Essay on Reagan by Peggy Noonan
- Audio and Video collection of Reagan speeches
- Ronald Reagan website
- Ronald Reagan memorial website
- The USS Ronald Reagan, an aircraft carrier
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