Category: More Topics

26 Fascinating, But Useless Facts

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26 Fascinating, But Useless Facts

By D.S. Mitchell

 

1. Marilyn Monroe, the 1950-1960 sex goddess, had 6 toes on one of her feet. See. None of us are perfect.

2. Did you know a cockroach can live for up to nine days without a head, until it starves to death? Who knew?

3. An Ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain.

4. Women blink twice as often as men.

5, No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple.

6. Leonardo Da Vinci invented scissors. Thank God! Man and woman lived on this planet for 200,000 years before someone invented scissors. They seem so basic, so necessary. How did people live before scissors? Amazing.on so many levels.

7. Our noses and ears never stop growing, while our eyes remain the same size for life.

8. A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.

9. Whether protesting or electioneering, petitions can serve as important democratic tools, such as when  California governor, Gray Davis was recalled in 2003.  Arnold Schwarzenegger famous body builder and movie action hero took his place in Sacramento.

10. Some species of piranhas are vegetarians, while all butterflies are carnivores.

11. The most shoplifted book in America is the Bible. I wonder what that says about us as a society?

12. Rats can tread water for three days without stopping.

13. All the clocks in the movie Pulp Fiction were stuck on 4:20.  I know what 4:20 means to me. I wonder if it means the same to Tarantino? Probably. Sit back, light up.

14. Mosquitoes are attracted to the color blue.

15. There are 13 witches in a coven.

16. Abraham Lincoln’s first choice to lead the Union Army was Robert E. Lee.

17. “E” is the most used letter in the English alphabet. “Q” is the least used letter.

18. Fingernails grow 4 times faster than toenails.

19. November 15th is National Clean Your Refrigerator Day.

20. Cleopatra was Greek (Ptolemy), not Egyptian.

21. The colder your bedroom the higher the chance of having a nightmare.

22.  Cornelius Vanderbilt was born a farmer’s son who left school at age 11 and despite his lack of                education went on to become the richest man of 19th century America.

23. Oprah Winfrey, a black woman raised by her grandmother, sent to juvenile detention at 13, an unwed mother at 14. Oprah went on to TV stardom and stratospheric wealth in the 20th century.

24. The most common spoken word around the world is “O.K., ok, okay, or, k”  It can be heard from New York City to the tiniest rain forest village.

25. “Jiffy” is an actual unit of time. So when Mom says she’ll be there in a “jiffy” she really means in 1/100th of a second.

26. It takes six months to build a Rolls Royce……and 13 hours to build a Toyota.

Okay, there you go. 26 Tidbits of Fascinating and Useless Information. Use it as you will.

The Human Need To Reunite

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The Human Need To Reunite

By Anna Hessel

 

Getting It Together

We all have a basic need to reunite with those who are important to us; there are many types of reunions: high school, college, and family, being some of the most popular.  We see television, movie, and band reunions, all of which bring together memories which allow us to reminisce about times gone by.

Reunions in the Media

There are a multitude of films about reunions between old flames and friends – I have watched dozens of these movies on the Hallmark Channel, alone.  I am sure we can all remember “Class Reunion”, “Peggy Sue Got Married”, “Beautiful Girls”, “10 Years”, “The Big Chill”, “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion”, and “American Reunion”, just to name a few.

Novels Too

Multiple novels about reunions fill the book shelves. “The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion” by Fannie Flagg, “After The Reunion” by Rona Jaffe, “The Odyssey of Reunion” by Abhisek Pani, “Blake’s High School Reunion” by Marcia Carrington, “Murder at the High School Reunion” by Steve Demaree, “How to Prepare for your High School Reunion, and Other Midlife Musings” by Susan Allen Toth. There is a bevy of books titled “High School Reunion”, and plethora of ones simply titled “Reunion” or “The Reunion”.  There is even “The High School Reunion Diet: Lose 20 Years in 30 Days” by David A. Colbert – this particular book reminds me of my husband’s ten year high school reunion – lots of preparation on our part to visit three hours with many people he barely knew.

How To Survive Your Class Reunion

Psychology Today has dubbed the high school reunion as “psychological time travel”.  Guideposts Magazine offers several tips for enjoying your class reunion.  A good start is recognizing that many of your old classmates may also have anxiety about attending. A great suggestion Guideposts made was to reconnect ahead of time on social media. Another suggestion was to pick up the old year book and leaf through it, reminding you of the faces, the fashions and the vibe of the time.  When at the event introduce yourself, get up and move around, ask others about their current lives, and spend time with people you didn’t know back in the day.

New Eyes

Definitely avoid heated and divisive topics such as politics, instead focus on the memories. Everyone has experienced setbacks and troubles, as well as happiness in their lives since you knew them.  Allow the passing years to disappear by looking at everyone with new eyes and a forgiving heart.  Don’t obsess about losing that last 10 pounds before you reunite; the fact is  we all age physically, even the prom queen, football star, and cheerleaders.  If it is any comfort, Chicago Magazine tells us, “your 50th high school reunion will be much better than your 20th.  Let’s face it, folks, as we age, we learn to not sweat the small stuff”.

African-American Suffering

Whether called reunions or just “family get-togethers” families have gathered for centuries for no other reason than to celebrate family heritage, faith and fun. Reunions not only give a sense of intentional preservation and family bonding for people, but satisfy a need to nurture. In the United States reunions have deep roots in African-American history, painfully recalling slavery and its toll on family units as they were torn apart and sold off to various plantations.  African-American family reunions may well date back to the Emancipation.  “Information wanted” ads were common in newspapers of the day, and may be the root of African-American reunions as people searched for lost and separated family members.

A Shifting Population

Between 1915 and 1940, a period dubbed as the “Great Migration” close to 4 million African-Americans traveled south-to-north, many heading to New York and Chicago.  The enormity of that black population shift encouraged the growth of family reunions in that demographic.  The significance of extended family formed the idea of the need for togetherness at specific times when all could be reunited.  For more information, please visit the website of the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture: #APeoplesJourney.

Today, family reunions in all cultures symbolize heritage, fellowship, and a sense of community.

Ms. Hessel is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists

Take A Leap, Celebrating Leap Day

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Take a Leap, Celebrate Leap Day

By D. S. Mitchell and Joe DiBartolomeo

The First Leap Year

The first leap year originated in 46 B.C. when Julius Caesar learned from the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandra that the 355 day Roman calendar was about 10 1/4 days shorter than the solar calendar. Caesar took action and introduced the 365 day year Julian calendar, and added an intercalary day-Leap Day-every four years to cover the extra 1/4 day.

In Two Hundred Years

It wouldn’t be for another 200 years that astronomers would discover the calendar system was still about 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds short. No new changes would be made until 1582 when Pope Gregory XIII introduced a better method for calculating Leap Year. This method has become the system we use today, and it led to February 29th being designated as the standard Leap Day.

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30 Things To Smile About; Despite Trump

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30 Things To Smile About

By D. S. Mitchell

I Underestimated His Evil

I have to admit, I underestimated The Donald. I had predicted a disastrous presidency if Trump won the 2016 election, but I had no idea how totally incompetent and evil his presidency would quickly become. Every day newspaper headlines blast his criminality, his race baiting, his sexism, his xenophobia, his mob-style behavior, yet the Jester of Crime continues to break the law and his supporters do nothing but deflect and promote his lies.

Six Blog Posts A Day

I am finding that there is enough scandal, dirt, and disgust to give  enough fodder for at least half a dozen blog posts every day. It is more and more obvious that the scurrilous and scandalous actions of Trump and his corrupt and sycophant cabinet and his prostituted DOJ needs to end. Sooner, than later.  But I thought, before I start today’s rant on the collapse of American law, dignity and civility, I should deliver something positive and uplifting.

I’ve had a bit of a problem with positivity these days, but here goes;

“30 Things To Make You Smile; Despite Trump”

(1.) Building sand castles, (2.) Coming in 1st, (3.) Kids in sunglasses, (4.) Puppies & kittens, (5.) Kite flying, (6.) A freshly painted room,  (7.) “Fish On!”, (8.) Blowing the wrapper off the straw, (9.) Pumpkin pie, (10.) Farmer’s Markets, (11.) Bar-hopping, (12.) Old jeans that fit just right, (13.) My mother’s brilliant smile, (14.) The clatter of skis being loaded, (15.) The aroma of bacon cooking, (16.) The sound of rain on the metal roof, (17.) The imagination of a six-year-old, (18.) Margaritas at midnight, (19.) Finishing the Sunday crossword (without cheating), (20.) Those really BIG M & M cookies, (21.) A shiny, new car, (22.) Roller Derby antics, ( 23.) A job well-done, (24.) A good book, (25.) Daddy’s  quiet wisdom, (26) Another, “Fish On!”, (27.) Day hikes, (28.) A good Twitter fight, (29.) Watching Elizabeth Warren work a rally crowd, (30.) A day at the lake.

How about a few more?

I could probably come up with a few more.  How about ? (31.) Autumn leaves, (32) Michelle Obama (33.) Popcorn and a movie, (34.) Family reunions, (35.) Protesting, (36.) Playing toe Tango, with you know who, (37.) Having the right answer, the first time, (38.) Old time rock-n-roll, (39.) Time alone, (40.) Quiet times, (41.) Teddy bears, (42.) Documentary films.  Ok, enough, enough.

A Sunday Morning

Just a minor distraction for a rainy Sunday morning, but it did take my mind off the continuing chaos and treachery of the Trump administration. If you got a couple of minutes respite, that’s a good thing. Have a gem of a day-D.S. Mitchell

Get Involved

Be sure to get involved politically. Start by registering to vote. Make a promise that you will never miss an election. Every single election will have a very real effect. We can’t save the country from the Don of Crime if we don’t support anti-corruption laws. We must back our investigators in the House, men like Adam Schiff, who are leading the investigation into the underbelly of Republican operatives and dark money contributions.

JOIN THE RESISTANCE. VOTE BLUE.

 

How Boris Tried To Hijack Parliament

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Trevor K. McNeil and D.S. Mitchell

Mr. Johnson

Prime Minister Boris Johnson. A name resonating as strangely in British ears as President Rupert Murdoch would to Americans. While his may seem a particularly lofty and unexpected feat, it did not come out of nowhere. To really get a handle on what happened and how the former London mayor got where he is now, it is important to keep in mind his earlier career as a journalist.

Laying the Groundwork

Lord Acton once said that absolute power corrupts absolutely. An adage from which came the idea that the people who are best suited to govern are those who do not want to. Something that assisted Johnson no end as he slowly built up a name in the political arena long before entering it. Particularly as the Brussels Correspondent for the Spectator Newspaper where he wrote about the goings-on at the European Union. A platform which he used to gain influence in the growing Euro-skeptic community.

Renounces U.S. Citizenship

Apparently, trying to counteract the Acton effect. Everything Boris Johnson has done since his early 30’s has indirectly assisted, or was intended to serve his ambition to be Prime Minister. From his journalism career and two term stint as Mayor of London, both used to bolster his profile and popularity. In 2016 he dropped his American citizenship. He was born in New York. He has spent a unrewarded amount of time in efforts to keep his middle name, the vaguely French-sounding de Pfeffel, from becoming public knowledge.

A Small But Vocal Minority

The Euro-skeptics are a quadrant of the European Right Wing that would blow up in later years leading to the small but influential UK Independence Party which engineered the Brexit vote. France’s far-right Front Nationanale (National Front) which came in second in the last French national election are a segment of such philosophy. Johnson got in on the ground floor of the movement in the mid-1990’s and worked it so that by the time he first ran for parliament in 2001 he was already a well-known and popular figure in conservative circles.

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Conspiracy Theories Fly With Epstein’s Death

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By D. S. Mitchell

Twitter On Fire

There is a great deal of discussion about whether sex trafficker and pedophile, Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide, or was murdered. OMG, if you have been on Twitter; or watching the 24/7 cable news, over the last week, the hue and cry has been thundering.  The conspiracy theories are flying, and they aren’t flattering to many high profile men, such as Prince Andrew, Alan Dershowitiz, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump and strangely, AG William Barr’s father, Donald Barr.

Failure Of Explanations

I have a few times in my life knowingly and eagerly embraced a “conspiracy theory.” The reason of course, was because I could not accept the unbelievable government “explanations.”  The first and second were the murders of JFK and RFK. I just have felt that the Kennedy brothers made some very powerful enemies. Their enemies believed the Kennedy’s were dangerous to the country.

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Athletes Say The Damnedest Things

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Athletes Say The Damnedest Things

D. S. Mitchell

Sunday Mornings

Another lazy, Sunday morning at www.calamitypolitics.com No surprise, say you. I am officially declaring, ‘Layed Back Sunday’. It’s great sometimes, being the boss, even if it’s only me, Dave, Jane and our office support dog, Lily. Thinking about political theory, political science, political reality, political bullshit, on a daily basis tends to sour anyone’s personality. But, not TODAY!

Play Day

I’ve declared it an official ‘play day’. If you are a baseball, soccer, wrestling or football fan you are one of millions of fans, nationwide. Sports figures can be heroes, villains, martyrs and often, comedians. And some of them are damned funny. Intentionally, or unintentionally. Today, there will be no political discussion, there will be no analysis, there will be no relevant comment, other than to read what some well-known athletes have had to say about the state of things. So, here goes:

Athletes Say The Damnedest Things

Mike Tyson:  Responding to a question about his retirement plans:  “Fade into Bolivian, I guess.”     Joe Theismann: “The term genius is inapplicable to anyone in this game.  A genius is Norman Einstein.” Pedro Guerrero:  About his relationship with the press, “Sometimes they write what I say, not what I mean.”   Chuck Nevitt:  On why he appeared nervous:  “My sister is having a baby, and I don’t know if I’m going to be an aunt or an uncle.”    Yogi Berra:  “It gets late early out here.”    George Foreman:  “There’s more to boxing than hitting.  There’s not getting hit, for instance.”   George Roberts:  “I want to rush for 1,000 or 1,500 yards, whichever comes first.”   Tug McGraw:  “Always root for the winner.  That way you won’t be disappointed.”    Don King:  He (Chavez) speaks English, Spanish, and he’s bilingual.”    Dizzy Dean:  The doctor X-rayed my head and found nothing.    Bill Cowher:  On whether the Steelers bent NFL regulations: “We’re not attempting to circumcise the rules.”

Thanks again, Rod L. Evans, Ph.D. quotes taken from his book, Tyrannosaurus Lex.

Join the Resistance. Support 2020 Democratic candidates by volunteering your time and your money. Make your progressive voice heard. Don’t you dare sit home and complain. Get off your butt and get Democrats elected across the country.

25 Tidbits Of Useless Information

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By D.S. Mitchell

Poll Numbers

I am well aware that there is breaking news. As if Thursday June 20th, 2019 would be any different from yesterday, or any day last week.  Yesterday, the Iranians shot down a 130 million dollar American drone and Hope Hicks refused to talk to the House Judiciary Committee. Today as I wait for Trump to let us know what he is going to do about the drone attack I see a poll result from Gallop, or somebody, cross the television screen. Without surprise I see  that 57% of Americans believe we need a new president.  I hope Trump doesn’t think war will get his poll numbers up.

Some Distraction

In this age of craziness I think the world needs a bit of distraction. I love useless information and thought I would share some useless information with my readers today, instead of writing something topical and newsworthy. So, here goes.

25 tidbits of useless information:

1.) Did you know a cockroach can live for up to nine days without a head, until it starves to death? Who knew.

2.) An Ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain. While we are on the subject of the Ostrich, did you know that Ostrich’s have only two toes on each foot?

3.) Marilyn Monroe, the 1950-1960 sex goddess, had 6 toes on one of her feet. See. None of us are perfect.

4.) Women blink twice as often as men do.

5.) No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple.

6.) Leonardo Da Vinci invented scissors. Thank God! Man and woman lived on this planet for 200,000 years before someone invented scissors. They seem so basic, so necessary. How did people live without scissors? Amazing, on so many levels.

7.) Our noses and ears never stop growing, while our eyes remain the same size for life.

8.) A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.

9.) Some species of piranhas are vegetarians, while all butterflies are carnivores.

10.) The most shoplifted book in America is the Bible. I wonder what that says about us as a society?

11.) Rats can tread water for three days without stopping.

12.) All the clocks in the movie Pulp Fiction were stuck on 4:20.  I know what 420 means to me. I wonder if it means the same to Tarantino? Probably. Sit back, light up.

13.) Mosquitoes are attracted to the color blue.

14.) There are 13 witches in a coven.

15.) Abraham Lincoln’s first choice to lead the Union Army was Robert E. Lee.

16,) “E” is the most used letter in the English alphabet. “Q” is the least used letter.

17.) Fingernails grow 4 times faster than toenails.

18.) November 15th is National Clean Your Refrigerator Day

19.) Cleopatra was Greek (Ptolemy), not Egyptian

20.) The colder your bedroom the higher the chance of having a nightmare.

21.)  Cornelius Vanderbilt was born a farmer’s son who left school at age 11 and despite his lack of education went on to become the richest man of 19th century America.

22.) Oprah Winfrey, a black woman raised by her grandmother, sent to juvenile detention at 13, an unwed mother at 14 (to a child who died). Oprah went on to TV stardom and stratospheric wealth in the 20th century.

23.) The most common spoken word around the world is “O.K., ok, okay, or, k”  It can be heard from New York City to the tiniest rain forest village.

24.) “Jiffy” is an actual unit of time. So when Mom says she’ll be there in a “jiffy” she really mean 1/100th of a second.

25.) It takes six months to build a Rolls Royce……and 13 hours to build a Toyota.

Okay, there you go. 25 Tidbits of Useless Information. Use it as you will.

Understanding Brexit, (Or Maybe Not)

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UNDERSTANDING BREXIT:

OR MAYBE NOT

By Trevor K. McNeil & D.S. Mitchell

A Bit Of History

If Americans are to understand Brexit we need to fill in a bit of history. So, here we go. The European Union is made up of 28 countries, including the UK. It covers over 1,800,000 square miles with a population of over 515,000,000.

Alternative To War

The EU was originally developed as a means to thwart war. As a reminder, the continent had been the powder keg that launched two world wars within 25 years in the early part of the twentieth century. After WWII a consensus developed that if countries worked together and were inter-dependent trading partners there would be less chance of another world war.

From A Small Start

You’re doing great, just hang in there. Because, understanding Brexit will take at least a couple more paragraphs. The European Union (EU) can directly trace its origins to the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and the European Economic Community (EEC/Common Market) formed in 1951 by Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.  It was another 22 years before the UK joined the then European Economic Community on January 1, 1973 with Denmark and Ireland. Since then the European Union has nearly tripled in size, and for the most part flourished.

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