A Change Of Pace
Mullet Over
First political cartoon ‘Join, or Die’
By James K. White | September 10, 2008
Political cartoons can say a lot in very little space. Some believe that political cartoons in America originated with Thomas Nast in the 1800’s, but the beginnings occurred much earlier. For instance back in 1754 a guy named Ben Franklin constructed a drawing that showed a snake cut into eight pieces (one piece for each colony) and the caption was “Join, or Die.”
Are you working at a menial job while waiting to be discovered? Vladimir Nabokov wrote the famous novel Lolita. Before he got rich as a writer, Vladimir made money to live on by giving tennis lessons and doing bit parts in German movies.
In the 1667 the Dutch government traded Manhattan to England for Suriname.
In 1928 Jimmie Rodgers became this nation’s first major country music star with his recording of Blue Yodel. That same year Al Jolson sold a million recorded copies of his version of Sonny Boy. I have a version of Sonny Boy that I sing in the shower and family members say that I sound a lot like something.
He was more than a teacher: Andrea del Verrochio (1435-1488) had to be one of the most skilled artists that most people have never heard of. His sculpture David (1476) was a significant influence on Michelangelo’s later, similar work. Leonardo da Vinci was one of Verrochio’s pupils. I once sculpted an ash tray out of clay. It barely leaked.
Shoe sizes in Europe are different from those in America. This often leads to confusion and a little embarrassment. For instance a size 9 women’s shoe in the United States converts to what might seem a humongous size 40 in that overseas world. A man’s size 12.5 becomes a 46.5 when in Germany.
It was Queen Henrietta Maria of England (wife of Charles I) who named Maryland after herself in 1632. The naming was part of the deal that was accepted by Lord Baltimore in order to develop a colony in that region of America. The native Algonquian Indians were likely not consulted about the “development” plans.
That beautiful state of Tennessee (admitted to the Union in 1796) has only one large natural lake – Reelfoot. The lake was created by a series of violent earthquakes in 1811-1812. Water filled the lake when sloshed over from the Mississippi River. I’ll bet that was some spectacle to observe.
This country’s very first official Labor Day Parade took place in September 1882 in New York City. The parade folks traveled from City Hall to Union Square. A Labor Day Parade has been held annually in New York City every year since 1882.
Decades before that procession to Union Square, the Mormons settled the Las Vegas area in 1855 in what was to become the state of Nevada. By the end of 1857 the sect abandoned the Las Vegas settlement because the region had too little water, very poor farmland and no prospects for an honest community to be self-supporting. I understand that the land in the region later became rather valuable.
Well, I hope that you and your special talents are discovered soon and ... I wish you great day.
Headlines in the news
The following are real headlines and news briefs that appeared in U.S. newspapers:
• Alton attorney accidentally sues himself
• County to pay $250,000 to advertise lack of funds
• Volunteers search for old Civil War planes
• Army vehicle disappears
An Australian Army vehicle worth $74,000 has gone missing after being painted with camouflage.
• Meeting to open meetings is closed
• DOE to do NEPA’s EIS on BNFL’s AMWTP at INEEL after SRA protest
• Caskets found as workers demolish mausoleum
• Waterford boy, 8, saves sister’s life.
“I wouldn’t do it again. She’s been a pain this week.”
• Ten Commandments – Supreme Court says some OK, some not
• Utah Poison Control Center reminds everyone not to take poison
• Federal Agents Raid Gun Shop, Find Weapons
• Statistics show that teen pregnancy drops off significantly after age 25
• Police were called to Market Square for a report about a “suspicious coin.”
Investigating officer reported it was a quarter.
• Local child wins gun from fundraiser
Stetson Graves, 19-month-old son of Charlie and Kim Graves, Tompkinsville, was the winner of the 17-caliber Marlin rifle that was given away on Dec. 13 by the Tri-County Moose Service Center.
• One-armed man applauds the kindness of strangers
• CORRECTION:
Due to incorrect information received from the Clerk of Courts Office, Diane K. Merchant, 38, was incorrectly listed as being fined for prostitution in Wednesday’s paper. The charge should have been failure to stop at a railroad crossing. The Public Opinion apologizes for the error.
• Tiger Woods plays with own balls, Nike says
• A deputy responded to a report of a vehicle stopping at mail boxes. It was the mailman.
• THEFT:
A woman in the 1900 block of 129th Lane NE reported Oct. 15 that someone must have stolen her mail, because she did not receive birthday cards from some of her friends.
• Fish need water, Feds say
• QUESTION OF THE DAY:
Question – What constitutes a millionaire?
Answer – A millionaire is someone who has $1 million, according to Jerry Beto, senior vice president of investments at AG Edwards and Sons.
• Crack Found In Man’s Buttocks
Police searching a downtown home found a man hiding 15 plastic bags of crack cocaine in his buttocks.