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Daily Bread for 1.31.16

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Good morning, Whitewater.

Our month ends with a high of thirty-nine and a probability of late-morning, early-afternoon showers. Sunrise is 7:09 and sunset 5:06, for 9h 57m 03s of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 55.5% of its visible disk illuminated.

Here’s schedule of posts for the week ahead, with other posts possible (if there are changes to these scheduled posts I’ll explain why):

  • Today: DB, evening post
  • Monday: DB, weekly Music post, WHEN GREEN TURNS BROWN posts (there will be two), evening post
  • Tuesday: DB, weekly Education post, evening post
  • Wednesday: DB, weekly Film post, post on public records and the press, evening post
  • Thursday: DB, a restaurant review (as reviews will begin again this week), evening post
  • Friday: DB, weekly Poll, weekly Catblogging
  • Saturday: DB, weekly Animation post, evening post

Friday’s FW poll asked whether a Patriots fan who got a tattoo in expectation of a New England win that will never come exhibited true dedication or unjustified optimism. Most respondents said that he had been unjustifiably optimistic, bur a fair number (29.41%) felt that Burke O’Connell showed true dedication.

On this day in 1865, the House of Representatives passes the Thirteenth Amendment for submission to the states:

In mid-January, 1865, Speaker of the House Schuyler Colfax estimated the amendment to be five votes short of passage. Ashley postponed the vote.[55] At this point, Lincoln intensified his push for the amendment, making direct emotional appeals to particular members of Congress.[56] On January 31, 1865, the House called another vote on the amendment, with neither side being certain of the outcome. Every Republican supported the measure, as well as 16 Democrats, almost all of them lame ducks. The amendment finally passed by a vote of 119 to 56,[57] narrowly reaching the required two-thirds majority.[58] The House exploded into celebration, with some members openly weeping.[59] Black onlookers, who had only been allowed to attend Congressional sessions since the previous year, cheered from the galleries.[60]

While under the Constitution, the President plays no formal role in the amendment process, the joint resolution was sent to Lincoln for his signature.[61] Under the usual signatures of the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate, President Lincoln wrote the word “Approved” and added his signature to the joint resolution on February 1, 1865.[62] On February 7, Congress passed a resolution affirming that the Presidential signature was unnecessary.[63] The Thirteenth Amendment is the only ratified amendment signed by a President, although James Buchanan had signed the Corwin Amendment that the 36th Congress had adopted and sent to the states in March 1861.[64][65]

On this day in 1846, the territorial legislature charters Wisconsin’s first college:

1846 – Carroll College Chartered

On this date Carroll College, in Waukesha, was chartered by the territorial legislature. It is the oldest college in Wisconsin. The college was named for Charles Carroll, who signed the Declaration of Independence. [Source: History Just Ahead: A Guide to Wisconsin’s Historical Markers edited by Sarah Davis McBride]

Daily Bread

Daily Bread for 1.30.16

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Good morning, Whitewater.

Saturday in town will be partly cloudy and mild, with a high of forty-one. Sunrise is 7:01 and sunset 7:05, for 9h 54m 42s of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 64.5% of its visible disk illuminated.

On this day in 1948, a violent fanatic assassinates Gandhi:

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was assassinated in the garden of the former Birla House (now Gandhi Smriti) at 5:17 pm on 30 January 1948. Accompanied by his grandnieces, Gandhi was on his way to address a prayer meeting, when his assassin,Nathuram Godse, fired three bullets from a Beretta 9 mm pistol into his chest at point-blank range.[143] Godse was a Hindu nationalist with links to the extremist Hindu Mahasabha, who held Gandhi guilty of favouring Pakistan and strongly opposed the doctrine of nonviolence.[144] Godse and his co-conspirator were tried and executed in 1949. Gandhi’s memorial … bears the epigraph … which may be translated as “Oh God”. These are widely believed to be Gandhi’s last words after he was shot, though the veracity of this statement has been disputed.[145] Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru addressed the nation through radio:[146]

Friends and comrades, the light has gone out of our lives, and there is darkness everywhere, and I do not quite know what to tell you or how to say it. Our beloved leader, Bapu as we called him, the father of the nation, is no more. Perhaps I am wrong to say that; nevertheless, we will not see him again, as we have seen him for these many years, we will not run to him for advice or seek solace from him, and that is a terrible blow, not only for me, but for millions and millions in this country.—Jawaharlal Nehru’s address to Gandhi[147]

Gandhi’s death was mourned nationwide. Over two million people joined the five-mile long funeral procession that took over five hours to reach Raj Ghat from Birla house, where he was assassinated. Gandhi’s body was transported on a weapons carrier, whose chassis was dismantled overnight to allow a high-floor to be installed so that people could catch a glimpse of his body. The engine of the vehicle was not used; instead four drag-ropes manned by 50 people each pulled the vehicle.[148] All Indian-owned establishments in London remained closed in mourning as thousands of people from all faiths and denominations and Indians from all over Britain converged at India House in London.[149]

Poll, Sports

Friday Poll: A Patriots Tattoo

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Patriots fan Burke O’Connell got a tattoo commemorating a Patriots win in Super Bowl 50, shortly before the Patriots lost the AFC game that would determine whether they would go to Super Bowl 50. See, Bad ink! Patriots fan gets tattoo declaring Super Bowl win @ 790 KGMI News Talk. (In the video below, Burke explains his decision.)

So, is his tattoo evidence of true dedication or unjustified optimism?

Daily Bread

Daily Bread for 1.29.16

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Good morning, Whitewater.

Our work week ends with partly cloudy skies and a high of thirty. Sunrise is 7:11 and sunset 5:04, for 9h 52m 23s of daytime.  The moon is a waning gibbous with 73.6% of its visible disk illuminated.

On this day in 1845, the New York Evening Mirror publishes Poe’s Raven:

“The Raven” is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe. First published in January 1845, the poem is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a talkingraven‘s mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the man’s slow fall into madness. The lover, often identified as being a student,[1][2] is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore. Sitting on a bust of Pallas, the raven seems to further instigate his distress with its constant repetition of the word “Nevermore”. The poem makes use of a number of folk, mythological, religious, and classical references.

Poe claimed to have written the poem very logically and methodically, intending to create a poem that would appeal to both critical and popular tastes, as he explained in his 1846 follow-up essay, “The Philosophy of Composition“. The poem was inspired in part by a talking raven in the novel Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of ‘Eighty by Charles Dickens.[3] Poe borrows the complex rhythm and meter of Elizabeth Barrett’spoem “Lady Geraldine’s Courtship”, and makes use of internal rhyme as well as alliteration throughout.

“The Raven” was first attributed to Poe in print in the New York Evening Mirror on January 29, 1845. Its publication made Poe widely popular in his lifetime, although it did not bring him much financial success. The poem was soon reprinted, parodied, and illustrated. Critical opinion is divided as to the poem’s literary status, but it nevertheless remains one of the most famous poems ever written.[4]

Here’s the Friday puzzle from JigZone, entitled Tulip Inside :

Food

The Classic Hamburger

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This week on Dining on a Dime, Lucas Peterson teams up with The Meat Show’s Nick Solaresto find the ideal meal for both their tastes: flavorful but inexpensive, and centered around beef. Their search leads them to the town of Massapequa on New York’s Long Island and a place called All American Hamburger Drive-In, an old-school burger and fries stand stuck the 1960s in the best way. Watch as Solares explains why the throwback burger — squishy bun, thin meat patty, ketchup, pickles — endures as an American classic. It might not be as hefty or hearty as a steakhouse burger, or as rich or exotic as a chef’s creation, but it stands the test of time. And, as Solares notes, it passes the squeeze test.

Via What We Talk About When We Talk About Classic Hamburgers @ Eater.

Daily Bread

Daily Bread for 1.28.16

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Good morning, Whitewater.

Thursday in town will be cloudy but relatively mild, with a high of thirty-six. Sunrise is 7:12 and sunset 5:02, for 9h 50m 05s of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 81.6% of its visible disk illuminated.

There are several public meetings in the city today: Downtown Whitewater, Inc. (8 AM), CDA Seed Capital Screening Committee (4 PM), a CDA Board (5 PM), and for the Zoning Board of Appeals (6 PM).

On this day in 1959, the Packers make a now-legendary choice:

1959 – Lombardi Named Packers Coach

On this date Vince Lombardi was named head coach of the Packers. He had been the offensive backfield coach of the New York Giants for the previous five seasons. Lombardi went on to coach the Packers for nine years, winning five NFL Championships and victories in Super Bowls I and II. [Source:Packers.com]

Thursday from JigZone, there’s a 48-piece cut puzzle entitled, Number Cube:

Beautiful Whitewater, Business, City, Free Markets, Lifestyle

Having Nice Things in Whitewater

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Some months ago, a community group, while embarking on a new project, began using the saying, ‘yes, we can have nice things in Whitewater.’ One supposes that they meant the saying as an expression of optimism about their chances for success, along the lines of we can do this. It’s also probable that they intended the expression as one of desire, along the lines of we deserve this.

It was not the first time that I’ve heard this said about Whitewater, and when an account of the expression’s recent use reached me, I knew immediately whence it came.

It’s a sentiment, generally and beyond any group’s particulars, with which I very much agree: we can have, and deserve, nice things in Whitewater.

Our challenge is that nice is not a fixed quality, sealed in amber, forever unchanging. Nor is nice a thing to be decided from on-high, from a few planners and politicians. The very use of the expression is confirmation that residents will no longer settle for accepting whatever comes their way.

Sometimes nice is a simple thing, overlooked until ordinary residents voice their hopes for more, different, and better.

Look back a decade, and what does one see? Too many leaders and insiders crowing that Whitewater was the pinnacle of all the world, that change would come from them, and that to dare raise any questions about local conditions was somehow an offense against the natural order. They wanted for others little more than a lemming’s life, albeit lemmings who would smile and applaud when asked.

Time takes her toll: most of the leaders from that time have slipped from Whitewater’s public scene (some tumbling more than slipping, if the truth of it be said).

Nice things are sometimes simple, plain things, changing by definition as generations pass, unplanned from above, and decided commonly by many rather than exclusively by a few.

It’s fair to say that a grocery store would be among the plain and simple things of value to Whitewater’s consumers; it’s encouraging that residents are willing to say as much.

Update, Wednesday afternoon : There will be more to write about a new grocery when possibilities become clearer.  One can confidently guess that my own position will favor private, local transactions between businesses and shoppers without government subsidy.