The city limits of Springfield, Illinois, have expanded over old underground coal mines. Subsidence went unnoticed for decades and modern developments obscured all evidence of past mining activity including the old sinkholes. In the late 1990s, several big-box superstores and a hotel were constructed over the underground mine. The areas in between the sinkholes could collapse at any time causing damage to buildings, injuring people, and/or disrupting public utility transmission. Abandoned underground mines are not in the inventory until subsidence occurs and causes an imminent threat to public safety or damages property.
Potential hazards exist in many communities across the country. Usually there are no limitations on land use or city growth in these areas and people living and working in the area have no awareness that a hazard exists until a potentially dangerous event occurs.
2005 DOQ Showing Surface Developments & All Suspected Sag Subsidence
Plausible Concern, But Where?
The story seems to describe Springfield, Illinois quite well, but after comparing the photographs in the U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation & Enforcement document with Google Earth images of Springfield, Illinois a match could not be found. Where on Earth were the before and after photos taken? If any of my readers know, please post your comments.
In the mean time I recommend caution to all those working, or shopping at any of Springfield, Illinois' Big Box Stores - you might just get sucked into an abandoned coal mine!
Being sucked into an abyss is already a concern that many living in the Springfield, Illinois area have considering that their home may be located over abandoned coal mines. Then again many would argue that living in Springfield, Illinois is so similar to being sucked into an abyss that few would notice the difference.
At any point in the United States there are approximately 800 vice cops staking out public bathrooms.
The average vice cop spends 4 years on bathroom patrol.
Vice cops are allowed to use video recorders while on bathroom stake outs in 12 states.
Vice cops spend up to one year in training before bathroom assignments.
Simply moving any part of a foot or hand, umbrella or clothing into an adjacent stall, or looking into a stall, or tapping a foot while in a public bathroom is enough to land you in jail for lewd behavior in all fifty states.
Over 198,000 men are charged for lewd behavior while in bathrooms each year.
Across the U.S. it is estimated that over one million sexual encounters take place in public bathrooms each year.
*U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Fictitious Statistics Unit Annual Report 2005
Richard Jewell was a security guard who risked his own life to save others during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. For his professionalism, and bravery he roused suspicion instead of praise. He became the victim of the FBI, and a media frenzy which labeled him as a terrorist instead of as the hero he was.
"Jewell was working as a private security guard in Centennial Olympic Park about 1 a.m. on July 27 when he noticed a suspicious unidentified package and began moving people away from it. The package turned out to contain a bomb, which eventually killed one person and wounded more than 100.
Initially hailed a hero for moving people away, he was later cast in a different light when the FBI began investigating whether he had set off the bomb to give himself an opportunity to be a hero.
For weeks, reporters and camera crews camped outside Jewell's Atlanta apartment, capturing every move that he -- and the FBI -- made.
He later sued the FBI and several media organizations. CNN and NBC were among the organizations that settled with him".
Photo: Jewell's Mother
He died at the early age of forty four. I can't help but guess that somehow he died sooner than he would have if he had not experienced the anguish of being falsely accused of being a terrorist.
This post is dedicated in your memory Mr. Jewell. A lot of people say negative things about "Rent-A-Cops", but you showed just how professional private security guards can be. Rest In Peace Mr. Jewell. I'm sure you have touched the lives of thousands by your act of courage.
Tonight I was watching some of the news on actor Owen Wilson who attempted suicide yesterday. The psychologist being interviewed mentioned the trichotomy between the various roles we play for ourselves and others during our lifetime.
The psychologist hit it right when she mentioned the roles; The Real Self, The Public Self, and The Ideal Self.
The real self is essentially who we really are, the public self is the self we project to others, and the ideal self is the self we wish to be, or believe we already are - even if we are not.
The discussion was about how comedians keep us in stitches laughing at their funny behavior up until the day they die - of suicide, drug overdose, sadness, etc.
I immediately thought of the homosexual Republican Senator from Idaho, Larry Craig.
Yes it is sad that the Senator is going for quick probably unprotected sex in airport bathrooms, but sadder still is what drove him to such activity. If he could only have been honest about his homosexuality he wouldn't be sneaking around like a thief in the middle of the night.
But he can't be open and honest about who he really is because he has spent his entire adult public life trying to frighten other gays who would be so bold as to admit who they are without having to be punished for doing so.
In actuality Republican Larry Craig isn't so much a hypocrite as he is a bully. He is too frightened to reveal his real self, and so he puts on his public self and speaks to the public about the mythical ideal self - the super heterosexual male. He uses the myth of the uber white Christian heterosexual male to deny others their choice.
I am not gay, he tells his stunned electorate, without a twinge of regret for being such a pathetic liar, or for having sicked upon gays his twisted brand of justice and self loathing.
Sadder still is watching how conservative Republicans are either running away from their friend in his hour of need, or are attempting to use his downfall to sling mud at those who would forgive him, and accept who he really is - Democrats, Liberals, and Homosexuals - the evil doers.
In an age of so much self pretense one can only wonder how many of those conservatives are actually closet sex addicts of every possible persuasion. We will never know - well maybe?
But if the recent trend of scandals continues it is likely that we'll see a few more highly placed public officials revealing their real selves whether they like it or not.
Take the body call it filth, make people believe it, and you have control over that person for a lifetime.
Take an action that is pleasurable and instill guilt, fear and doubt about that action, and you have control over that person for a lifetime.
Equate sex with shame and you have the makings of a primitive society.
This brainwashing is in fact at the very core of our Judeo-Christian society, as well as the foundation of Islam. All three traditions are based upon male oppression of the female, outgroup exploitation, and violence. The traditions evolved from highly authoritarian cultures marked by authoritarian rule, illiteracy, slavery, superstition, short lifespans, low levels of education, poverty, and continual warfare and chaos. . . Original Sin is Sex
Instilling sexual shame is an act of societal molestation of the individual which is sanctioned at every church, and reaffirmed by each stilted generation anew. Sexual shame is endorsed by most liberals, and the vast majority of conservatives. The imposition of sexual guilt is the means by which the desire of the individual is sublimated for the "good of society". .. . . Sexual Sublimation Is Only the First Step
The second step in the taming of the individual for the good of the people is raising them to believe that killing, and being killed for the ruling elite is a good thing. This is paired with the teaching that suffering in a state of sheer survival at behest of the ruling class is noble.
This explains the strong link between conservative sexuality (old time religion), authoritarianism, and Capitalism.
Repress your earthly desire to sleep away the morning in a warm bed, go to the fields, and collect the grain. Do not fill your stomachs, but store the harvest for the winter. Delay your gratification you wicked souls, and you may survive another year. Give a portion to the King, and most of the rest to the Landlord, and you may keep just enough to toil another year in the service of the system. . .
Unquestioned Beliefs Function Best
And how better to convince people that suffering is good, and delaying pleasure is good - but to invoke guilt regarding one's very thoughts, one's very right to question what is, and what is not? Religion, the most ancient form of propaganda works best when not questioned.
Get the people to believe that black is white, and one plus one is three, and you control them. The bigger the lie, the more unbelievable - the more believable! . .
Will this method continue to work in the future?
As societies move toward material affluence they tend to become more hedonistic, and centered around the short term pleasure of the individual - why? Because they can.
As the survival of our species is dependent upon finding a way to create long term stable societies which cooperate on a global scale it seems likely that the historic pattern of human beings destroying each other's civilizations will be eliminated.
Therefore it is inevitable that the subconscious and irrational means of promoting delayed gratification (religion's employment of shame) will become obsolete.
The best thing about Scrubs is that it doesn't take itself seriously even in its abbreviated serious moments. It's consistently wacky enough to make me laugh, and doesn't demand much to get a laugh. I could pretend that there are serious little moments that teach lessons, but I'd only be fooling myself.
Donald Faison as Dr. Chris Turke
I guess if I were fifteen I might think the little lessons presented on Scrubs were actually significant, but let's not spoil Scrubs by insisting it be more than it is - some funny stuff. In fact the little lessons on Scrubs appear to me to be just a means to an end - tying what little plot a particular episode has together at the end. But no biggie, that's not what we watch for anyway.
Zach Braff as J.D.
I guess I'm not as young as I once was as I don't find myself identifying with J.D.'s perpetual state of bewilderment, but as the main character his POV is consistently the one we "experience" which demands that we either find him lovable, or find another show to watch. I watch Scrubs consistently, and therefore I conclude that I love J.D.'s character, but I'm not sure why.
Judy Reyes as Carla Espinosa
The pace on Scrubs is so fast that it's hard to get deeper than the superficial as far as character development is concerned - so I won't delve deep. Despite it's lack of plot, and lack of character development it works. Eliminate plot, and character and that leaves jokes, and more jokes to connect the dots. Most episodes move into surreal territory, and the viewer either adapts, and quick or you're left scratching your chin.
Sarah Chalke as Elliot Reid
Who could forget the "Magic Breast" episode in which Elliot Reid runs around the ER flashing her breast in hope of saving lives? A classic in the making - a classic designed for those with extremely short attention spans - which isn't saying anything bad about scrubs, because it makes me laugh after a long day of work - which is some good medicine.
O.K. so this post's title is somewhat deceptive. I'm not attempting to contrast the two actresses which play the "same" character on The Office. I'm sure anyone who watches The Office is aware that the U.S. version is a take off on the U.K. version.
Lucy Davis
I've watched both series thanks to cable, and YouTube, and I'm impressed with both versions.
Pam Beesly
Some say that the U.S. version is better than the U.K. version, and I'm inclined to agree, but then again I am an Anglophile, and understand that British humor is a bit harder to get compared to silliness over here in the States. So it's an even draw for me.
Dawn Tinsley
Anyone who's watched both versions of The Office will have appreciated the similarities, and of course the marked differences. I highly recommend checking out YouTube if you haven't seen both versions of The Office.
One little side note, Jenna Fischer attended Lucy Davis' wedding last year.
I've been a fan of Angelina Jolie since her role as Lisa Rowe in Girl Interrupted (1999). Not only is she amazingly beautiful, but she's a very good actress too. Despite my fan status I have a problem with Angelina Jolie's decision to mar her otherwise perfect skin by having tattoos applied.
Photo: Angelina Jolie's Shoulder Tattoo - Know Your Rights
Angelina Jolie's shoulder tattoo states, "Know Your Rights", which reminds me of a tune by The Clash.
Photo: Angelina Jolie's Arm Tattoo
Angelina Jolie's Arm Tattoos continue to change. We see the most recent tattoos which refer to the longitudes, and latitudes of her children's birthplaces.
I'm not really certain why Angelina Jolie chooses to put ink on her body. I've never had a problem with guys putting ink to skin, but Angelina Jolie is too beautiful to do this.
The current tattoo on her arm is actually drawn over a removed tattoo - the name of her former boyfriend. Below the current tattoo is a tattoo of a dragon which she has had removed.
Some say Angelina Jolie is a bit unstable at this point in her life, but I'd say that her ever changing tattoos are just proof that she'd look better without them.
International Space Station Over Springfield, IL 08/21/2007
In the lower right hand corner of the image above we see the Moon, Jupiter and the star in the upper right may be Zeta Ophiuchi .
The long white streak in the center is the International Space Station. The ISS doesn't actually appear as a streak in the sky. The ISS appears as a very bright dot - similar to an aircraft. The white streak appears in the image only because I kept the lens on my camera open long enough to capture the night sky.
The ISS may not look like much in the image above, but the ISS was actually brighter in appearance than Jupiter appearing above the moon. The ISS is moving, and the CCDs in the camera were soaking up much more static light from the Moon and the planet than the moving ISS.
The photo was taken looking to the south. The space station was crossing West to South East which explains why the light streak slashes downward right to left.
A Closer View of ISS From Space
I want to thank Dave of The11thhour! He's very consistent in pointing out when to look for ISS, and without his post earlier this week I wouldn't have caught ISS this time around.
For those still interested the ISS will be available for viewing in the Springfield, Illinois area tomorrow night (see the chart, and helpful graph from NASA below). There will be less time to view it, and it will appear lower in the sky. The Moon won't make it any easier to see Wednesday night either. Still, it's worth the few minutes of effort needed see it. Simply step outside, and look into the sky at the right time, and in the right direction, and you'll be in for a treat that you'll never forget.
The ISS is so bright that I could have seen it through a window and never even stepped foot outside my home tonight. . . Jerome, Illinois - International Space Station - August 21st, 2007
I took several images of the ISS, and so here's another one (above). In the center of the image above we see the International Space Station appearing once again as a streak of white. You'll note that the background stars appear as individual dots. The International Space Station was moving "downward" toward the south eastern horizon.
This photo includes the tops of trees at the bottom of the image, and even a portion of a home lower left. Except for the Moon, which is off to the right of this image, the ISS was the brightest light source in the sky at the time. If you know when and where to look, and the weather is in your favor viewing the ISS is easy to do.
The International Space Station took three minutes to cross the sky tonight.
Odds and Ends
Springfield, Illinois latitudeis 39.801N. The longitude is -89.643W
ISS Helpful Chart
THE FOLLOWING ISS SIGHTINGS ARE POSSIBLE FROM SUN AUG 19 TO FRI AUG 31
If You Could Explore Springfield, Illinois Abandoned Coal Mines . Springfield, Illinois is surrounded by abandoned underground coal mines. As Springfield grew it developed over coals mines which were at one point farm fields. Springfield and Sangamon County produced more coal than any other city and county during World War II. At that time coal mining was vital not only in the production of electricity, but also in providing industrial chemicals needed in wartime manufacturing.
Would You Know Which Way To Go? . Springfield played such an important role in mining that labor leader John Lewis, and the United Mine Workers union was based in downtown Springfield. Coal mining was a dirty, and dangerous job, but it was a vitally important job in a rapidly developing nation. The UAW strove to improve mine safety conditions, and pay for tens of thousands of miners. Labor leaders, and union members faced termination of employment, arrest, beatings, and assassination at the hands of corrupt police, and hired company thugs. The labor movement was branded as communist activity, and conservative newspapers across the nation slanted their stories with inflammatory headlines employing the use of the word "Reds" to describe Union members. . Would You Find Evidence of Its Makers? . Today most would agree that improvements in work place safety, a forty hour work week, overtime, and a minimum wage are simply part of the cost of doing business in a civilized society, but advocating these improvements cost many people their lives. . Would It Be A World Of Motion? As the coal mines around the Springfield, Illinois area were exhausted the mines were shut down, and new mines were started in other parts of Sangamon County which are in operation today. There is still more coal in Sangamon County than in any other County in Illinois. Illinois has more coal than any other state. The State of Illinois is literally resting upon a sea of coal.. . Or A Place To Rest? . Despite the vast amount of coal available in Illinois electric companies shifted toward the purchase of low sulfur coals mined in other states. The cost of cleaning Illinois coal was not significantly greater than using low sulfur coal, but in a cheap energy economy the extra cost simply could not be justified. Today with oil prices on the rise, and new technology available Illinois vast coal deposits can once again be economically put to use. . A Place To Lay Your Weary Bones? . There is, however, a raging debate about carbon dioxide. The question is what can be done to reduce carbon dioxide emissions? Carbon sequestration is one possible solution. Large pockets space exist under Illinois which can be filled with carbon dioxide produced by the state's coal burning plants. The technology of carbon sequestration is already being used in Europe, and it is likely that sequestration will find a use in Illinois in the not too distant future. . Within Its Grave Yard? . Yet it seems obvious that the finite coal resources will one day themselves become depleted, and renewable energy resources will be needed. Whether this be in seventy five years, or several hundred years isn't as important as addressing the issue of global warming. Coal mining represents nineteenth century technology, and will one day be relegated to the era of the steam engine.
Photos for this post are of actual abandoned coal mines (not of Springfield's mines). Decades after these mines are abandoned many of them are still as they were the day they were closed. Many are filled, or partially filled with water. Others have lost support pillars and have caved in. While others are dry, and run for miles without any disruption.
How many miles of abandoned but intact coal mines are under the homes of Springfield, Illinois I could not guess, but some areas have been hit to some degree with subsidence, and it is likely that many more areas will be affected in the future as mines closed over forty years ago begin to collapse.
Before I had ever heard the name Keith Moon I knew Keith Moon. As a boy the drum is perhaps the most alluring of musical instruments, and it was as a boy that I first heard Keith Moon's drums in Who songs that would play on the radio.
I was lucky enough to work for several years with a drummer for a local band here in Springfield, Illinois. The one thing I will always remember him telling me is that there is a drummer in each of us - sometimes just dying to be set free. He was right. There is a rhythm in us all. That beat accompanies us our entire life - and when it ends we end with it - it courses from our heart into our arteries, and it carries with it life.
Keith Moon of The Who
Keith let that primal drummer go free, and it was his beat which drove The Who. As a boy, long before I could understand the lyrics of The Who I could understand the song through the beat. Later as a teenager I knew there were times when I might forget a word here or there, but I had every single beat down.
He Was Unique & Never To Be Taken Away
It was this driving Rock beat which brought millions of fans to The Who. Eventually we would invest the time to learn, and understand the lyrics, and even the deeper meanings, and history of each song, but the beat spoke long before then. Keith Moon was the engine which drove The Who.
I couldn't pass up sharing this video which appears on YouTube. John Entwistle of The Who plays Don't Get Fooled Again. Make sure to watch the entire video if you can. There's a bit of delay in the beginning as Entwistle's part comes in a minute or so into the song. There's also a long delay before Entwistle's finale. There are some frames missing, but the video is definitely worth watching.
The Who - John Entwistle Back Center
My brother used to play bass guitar. He once showed me how difficult it is to play bass compared to a regular electric guitar. Bass players build up thick calluses on their fingers. The strings on a Bass are so much thicker, and heavier and therefore take more effort to move. It's difficult to find very good bass players not because there aren't any, but because the instrument is much more difficult to master.
John Entwistle was called the quiet one, but still waters run deep. He deliberately kept a low key performance so as to allow the other band members to shine. John Entwistle was a major influence a whole generation of Rock bass players who learned from his inovations. John died a few years back, but his music lives on.
YouTube Video - Pete Townshend on Acoustic Guitar 2000
This little video is a gem. Pete doesn't just play it, but he writes it, sings it, and performs it.
Pete Townshend of The Who
Pete Townshend has been one of the most influential Rock performers in the history of Rock. He is still performing today more than forty years after The Who's humble beginnings. From his high energy stage dynamics, to his intensely vunerable, and honest acoustic guitar solos he brings all of himself to each performance. Townshend, now in his sixties, is still quite capable of putting on a full fledged performance - just wrapping up a Who tour - the first in twenty four years.
Caught The Who on this 1982 concert tour at the Checker Dome in Saint Louis, Missouri.
We thought it would be absolutely the last tour for The Who - so did they at the time. Despite a few get together appearances The Who really did end in 1982 - some say 1978, but that's another story. Not to be taken away the group survived the loss of Keith Moon, and so there would be a final tour in 1982.
The Who - Rolling Stone Cover 1982
Pete Townshend was literally back from the dead, having come close to overdosing. He was drug free for the first time in over a decade, and was in excellent shape for the concert.
We debated whether it was right, and good for people in their forties to dare stay together and play on as a viable rock and roll group. To college age kids we just knew it wasn't meant to be. We'd revere them, savor them, and say good bye to them, and never forget them, but they had to go - for they were over forty years old.
My bud Dave of The11thhour managed to score us some third row tickets. Tickets were chosen at random, supposedly, but we knew it was God intervention. We knew we were The Who's greatest fans.
I swear I made eye contact with Pete a few times during the concert. We were stage left (right) just in front of Pete. Yes, Pete! It's me your biggest fan! Can you see the real me? Can you? Can you?
Man I couldn't hear for several days after that concert.
This next video is from The Who's Endless Wire tour this year (2006-2007). On tour for nearly two years the boys look a little bedraggled, and Roger's voice is definitely course as sand paper, but I can still hear it - it's still there - and it's good. Endless Wire is The Who's first studio album in twenty four years - since It's Hard (1982).
John Entwistle, and Keith Moon can not truly be replaced, we know this, but the voice of The Who survives, and so does its poet. And we WHO know better enjoy it for what it is, not what we remember or wish it was. That's the thing about getting older. What we could not know when we were college age kids was that it is not how old a person is that dictates their talent its their heart, mind, and soul - that's rock.
The boys are older, but for sixty somethings they do more than all right, and in the end isn't that what it's really about - staying in the game, and enjoying yourselves while you can? So why don't you come and join the party dressed to kill, dressed to kill - dress yourself to kill.
The Who - Eminence Front - Live 2007
The sound quality sounds much better in this 2007 concert doesn't it? Like night and day. The boys still sound pretty good too don't they? In my opinion this 2007 version of Eminence Front is actually better than the 1982 version. The difference between playing sports, and being a musician is that by forty your over the hill in Sports, but musicians can continue to develop, and improve to the day they die.
At first I thought it was "just me". I'm a guy for goodness sakes, I shouldn't cry over a commercial no matter how painful the images of neglect, and abuse to pets are presented. I'm supposed to be tough like - well, any of the guys we as a society are sending to Iraq to kill, or be killed. Yet the combination of Sarah McLachlan's "Angel" song, and the images of the little blinded cats and dogs brings out the tears. I guess I'm not the Rambo I thought I was earlier in life - thank God!
And I'm admitting it publicly. Because it's an important issue - not crying men - animal abuse.
By the way my brief research for this post revealed many links to blog post in which people commented on the ASPCA "Angel" commercial. Most of the post which I read were of bloggers sharing how heart broken they were from viewing the advertisement's painful images, while hearing the touching sadness of the Ms. McLachlan's lyrics.
I suspect the commercial is helping to raise badly needed money for this fine organization.
Photo by Wendy Rush (ASPCA) "Jack"
Adopting A Pet Demands Responsibility & Growth
Having a pet is a responsibility similar to having a child. There's a great deal to learn in the process - it's definitely a learning experience, and very rewarding.
One of the most important lessons I've learned since adopting four cats is that it's not about me - it's about the cats. Now that seems like such a shocking thing to say, but it's true, and if I ever wanted to be able to live with my cats I had to accept the fact that the cat's perspective on things had to come first.
I spent almost a year trying to turn my first cat into a dog. I felt that I could train my cat. It was an effort bound in failure, and caused a great deal of tension, and guilt. It was only after learning that I was the one with the problem, that I was the one with the "control issue" that I understood that there had never been a problem with my cat that wasn't caused by me.
Cats are highly independent creatures because they have evolved to survive without help from human beings, and understanding that is the key. Yet cats share themselves in the most honest sense with people - they don't conceal who they are for any reason.
Photo by Krystal Buskirk (ASPCA) "Kryptonite"
I've seen such soul, such child like vulnerability in cats. This honest nature is tempered with a complex cat like independence - almost an old knowing soul that inhabits the cat - that I have felt moments in awe in realizing just how special they are as creatures, and how lucky we are that they share their time and space with us.
I know other people feel the same way about dogs.
So when I see how people abuse cats, dogs, and other pets and animals it makes me tremble in anger. I believe that if God, or an alien race were to come to this planet right now they'd see all the horrible things people do to each other, and to the planet, and they'd know instantly what had to be done - and it would spell the end of our species.
Sarah McLachlan "Angel" Live
Sarah McLachlan's voice is so beautiful, and her "Angel" song is so beautiful. It's such a wonderful thing that she's employed its use in the ASPCA.org commercial.
- Sarah McLachlan - In The Arms Of An Angel
Spend all your time waiting for that second chance For the break that will make it o.k. There's always some reason to feel not good enough And it's hard at the end of the day. I need some distraction oh beautiful release Memories seep from my veins. They may be empty and weightless and maybe I'll find some peace tonight.
In the arms of an Angel fly away from here From this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie You're in the arms of an Angel; may you find some comfort here
So tired of the straight line, and everywhere you turn There's vultures and thieves at your back The storm keeps on twisting, you keep on building the lies That you make up for all that you lack It don't make no difference, escaping one last time It's easier to believe In this sweet madness, oh this glorious sadness That brings me to my knees
Photo by Jenn Woodward (ASPCA) "Nibbles"
In the arms of an Angel far away from here From this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie In the arms of an Angel; may you find some comfort here
You're in the arms of an Angel; may you find some comfort here
Abe Lincoln's Life Face Mask - Based On AP Photo by M. Spencer Green We are still trying to understand the man that was Abraham Lincoln. What does his face reveal? Lincoln's face was asymmetrical, but beyond that observation what do we really see when we look at Lincoln? What can we intuit of the man's nature from his worn face. The life mask upon which the image above was based was created just two months before Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. What Do We See?
Do we see the effects of the Civil War? Do we see the loss of his beloved sons? Do we see his struggle with Mary Todd? Do we see his depressions? Do we see a prescience of his fate? Do we see his better nature? Do we see his valor? Do we see his sense of humor?
Here is the image of a man who shaped himself from humble beginnings, a man who never stopped growing. Here is the image of a man who met the challenge not just of a lifetime but the fate of a nation, and of history itself. . . About the Image: I did some digital enhancement, but it's still very Much Abe's face.
We live in a time of self interest. Everyone trying to make a living, trying to make as much money as possible. For most it means just making ends meet, but for a small percentage it means keeping score.
No one has to mention the degree of disparity of wealth in the United States, or the world. A small percentage of people are rich beyond imagination while most are just getting by. In decades past that may have created a smidgen of guilt in those well to do, and perhaps inspired them to do good deeds. Easier it is to pass a camel through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the gates of heaven. It is difficult to serve two masters.
Gordon Gekko's Greed Is Good Philosophy Appeals To Many
"The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed -- for lack of a better word -- is good.
Greed is right.
Greed works.
Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.
Greed, in all of its forms -- greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge -- has marked the upward surge of mankind.
And greed -- you mark my words -- will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA".
YouTube: Gordon Gekko Exemplifies Self Interest Above All Else
As the American economic empire of the late nineteenth, and twentieth centuries grew so too did the accumulated fortunes of the elite families. Fabulous fortunes were passed down one generation to another. Most inheriting this amount of wealth came to conclude that they deserved their riches simply because they were born into a well to do family. However, some came to the conclusion that they were just lucky.
It was the combination of a sense of good fortune paired with the twinge of guilt that led many of these more enlightened elites onto the path of Noblesse Oblige. These individuals decided that they wanted to do something with their money other than buy another Mansion.
Brooke Astor married into money, however she could have wasted her good fortune believing that she was somehow special for having hundreds of millions of dollars. Instead she chose to spend her fortune on helping cultural institutions, as well as smaller projects, in New York City.
I haven't been to New York in decades, and I'll probably not return, but just knowing of the good Brooke Astor has done for the people of New York gives me hope that people do indeed have a chance after all.
Brooke Astor passed away yesterday at age 105. For having dedicated your golden years, and your hundreds of millions of dollars to the betterment of mankind I dedicate this post to your memory.
I mistakenly put my Perseid observations off until Sunday night, and found to my dismay that clouds had moved in to obstruct any view of the stars over Springfield, Illinois.
While watching the YouTube Version of a black and white promo for The Jetsons I wondered whether President John F. Kennedy ever had the time to relax in front of a television, and watch some mindless entertainment. If he had he might have watched an episode or two of The Jetsons.
The Jetsons Would Have Aired In The Last Two Years Of JFK's Life
The President would have had a color television, and so would have seen The Jetsons in color. With nearly forty years left until the beginning of the 21st Century there might have been some crazy notion that the future might turn out like that portrayed in the Jetson's Cartoon series. What with flying cars, and robots, etc.
The Jetsons series was originally aired on ABC in the evening for adults, from 1962 to 1963, with a total of twenty episodes being aired. Later in the 1980s dozens more episodes were created.
The 21st Century just started less than a decade ago, and so there's still plenty of time for flying cars, and robots. I don't know about the high rise platform houses as they look a little dangerous even if they do afford a beautiful view.
JFK Inspects Mercury Capsule - 1962
JFK was married and had two children living in the White House at the time at the time The Jetsons was on the air. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was also the first space age president, and may have found such a cartoon series humorous if he had ever watched the show.
