I have enjoyed watching a television political drama series The Newsroom, written by Aaron Sorkin and which premiered on HBO in June 2012 and ended in 2014. The acting is outstanding with Jeff Daniels playing the role of a TV anchor and Sam Waterston as the manager of the network. Sorkin's writing is entertaining and extremely articulate. in one program, Daniels recites a lengthy list of coincidences that impacted history. One example was the assassination of the mayor of Chicago in 1933. According to the TV script the assassin was aiming for president elect Franklin D Roosevelt, but his bullet struck the mayor Anton Cermak. I had read about this event and was curious to re-read the facts. The facts do have an amazing twist that impacted future history.
The assassin was Giuseppe Zangara, an Italian immigrant, who had worked as a bricklayer and had mental problems. He had purchased a five shot 32 caliber revolver for eight dollars at a down town pawnshop just days earlier. He was a short man, slightly over 5 feet tall. He was carrying a newspaper clipping in his pocket detailing FDR's schedule while in town. With the revolver in one of his pockets he made his way to the third row of the seating area where he was unable to go any further. At this point he was about 25 or 30 feet from where Roosevelt was going to give a short talk from the back of a convertible automobile. It was Wednesday February 15, 1933 when Roosevelt gave an impromptu speech that evening from the back of the open car. He had just delivered the speech at Miami's Bayfront Park when Zangora opened fire.
However, because of his short stature Zangora had decided to stand on a folding chair in order to have a clear view. The chair was wobbly which impacted his aim as he pointed the gun and as soon as he pulled out his gun people around him moved to grab his arm as well. As a result he missed FDR but was able to fire five quick shots. His intended target, FDR, wasn't struck but Mayor Cermak, next to him was hit in the abdomen. One of the first casualties was Mabel Gill, the wife of the president of a power company, who was struck by a bullet and later died. Margaret Cruz, a 23-year-old visitor from New Jersey, was hit in the hand. Bill Sinnott, a 46-year-old New York policeman, suffered a glancing wound to the forehead. Russell Caldwell, a 22-year-old chauffeur, was hit squarely in the forehead, but the bullet didn't penetrate the skull and he survived. Secret Service agent Robert Clark, standing next to the convertible car, was hit in the back of his right hand. However. Cermak was hit in the abdomen and immediately doubled over in pain. FDR insisted that the car stop and that the Secret Service load Cermak into the convertible. Zangora might've been beaten to death by the crowd if FDR had not intervened telling the crowd to leave justice to the authorities. The car then sped off to Jackson Memorial Hospital but Cermak did not survive.
Zangora was initially tried for attempted murder and sentenced to 80 years in prison, but when Cermak later died of his wounds, he was re-tried and sentenced to death. Zangora died on the electric chair on March 5, 1933.
I guess you could say but for a wobbly folding chair Franklin Roosevelt may have died that day and the history of the depression as well as America's role in World War II might have been entirely different. It's an interesting part of history.
I probably should report the status of my recent problem when my knee replacement joint gave out requiring surgery to replace a broken piece. It wasn't a huge problem to repair, but required opening the knee to do it. The result is that I am now recovering from the knee surgery with minimal rehab. I can walk on it and have no pain, but I use a walker as a precaution until released by the doctor. I'm grateful it wasn't something serious. The good news is that I am on the mend rapidly without any significant problems. As I tell friends, this is why you don't want to ask old people how they are feeling. You will get reports of bowel movements, surgery and flatus problems. That's my report on my medical status.
Since I am temporarily unable to go to the office in Seattle I am enjoying our home located on the salt water facing Vashon island. On low tide there is a large sandy beach on our property which the birds and animals seem to enjoy more than we do. With this wonderful weather I've been sitting in the sun on the porch part of the time observing. The tulips planted on the porch in large pots have come into bloom. it is beautiful with the landscaping coming into color. Colvus Passage, the body of water between our property and Vashon Island has been calm like a lake.
Yesterday, a pod of some five or six killer whales came through in front of our house in Gig Harbor. Huge fins cutting in and out of the water, rolling a litle ln their sides as they did so and showing a white mark along with loud sounds of air blowing as they cruised on through heading South. They were on the surface most of the time. There was a small boat following them with two people observing who were wearing Orange vests so I suppose they were officials of some kind monitoring them. I watched for as long as it took for them to move out of sight. Then, this morning I was surprised to see them again. They were about the same distance from shore and moving in the same way through the water. No observer boat this time, however. They had turned around and were heading North in the opposite direction. I don't know where they are going but it was as much fun as a parade.
Four or five deer were on the beach yesterday. One waded out a short ways into the water and the rest just walked around. I think they were cooling off. I worry about them exposed that way on the beach, but they don't seem nervous and slowly amble back into the vegetation after a short spell. This morning two does and a fawn were wading in the salt water enjoying the sun. I'm told they drink the salt water for the salt. They were having a fine wade when our dogs began barking, sending them rushing off the beach and back into the hillside vegetation.
Our annual migration of Terns has also arrived. Hundred of the small birds show up in flocks and are on the beach at low tide making loud gull noises. They leave as tide comes in and then return again. They do this for a couple of weeks. After making a lot of racket they move on to wherever they are going. They are fun to see and hear.
The bald eagles on our property have been active. They seem to be around depending upon the fishing in the channel. Swooping around and making their sound that is so distinctive they entertain us for periods of time.They also land on the beach and strut around drinking the fresh water that we have in a couple of streams from the upper land that run down to the beach. They are impressive birds and I'm glad they make their home on the property.
Last night we saw what has been on the news,the "blood moon." Apparently, it involves the moon completely covered by the earth's shadow for four eclipses in a row. It's said to be a rare occurrence in history with hundred years spans between. Before the cloud cover blocked the view we saw a bright yellow/reddish moon that developed a shadow that started at the top and slowly moved down the moon until it was totally in shadow and then it began to light up again in the same manner. It was quite a show really.
That's my report of my observations since I'm not able to drive to work in Seattle and am able to enjoy this beautiful state and our home.
Greetings from tropical Maui with warm temperatures and the sound of crashing waves. Yes, I know it is Good Friday & Lent, but Lita and I are here for business. I have a deposition of a client next week in a case we have here in Maui. It is a tragic case involving a Maui man, married with young children who was treated for a tumor with radiation therapy and was given excessive amounts with devastating consequences to him. Maui lawyers have associated our firm in the case and we will meet the client for the first time next week.
We decided to come a few days earlier for the break. We are at the Fairmont Kea Lani in a ocean side villa. A two level unit, it is close to the water and has a small dip pool. A very nice place and comfortable,but not inexpensive.
The flight over on Hawaiian was full and the hotel is close to full as well. It's Spring break and families with children are here. It was hot on our arrival - 85 degrees. After lunch we unpacked and relaxed. Hawaiian does a good job with their service and even the airplane food, such as it is. We had a fish dinner at the hotel which was fresh and good.
This morning at 5:00 AM when we woke up (Hawaii is three hours behind Seattle time)it was dark, but a pleasant outside temperature. As soon as it was dawn there was a parade people walking on the sidewalk which runs along the upper beach for some distance. The Four Seasons is next door and close. The walkway extends past that hotel as well. I look forward to doing nothing and the warm sun.
As I type this I have the sliding door open and am listening to a CD of Rachmaninoff music when a small bird flew in. I have chased it back outside and I suspect the bird has learned to fly into these units to find food. I hope that is the most stressful event of the day. I'll keep you posted.
I saw a short video clip of the Inuit people of Arctic Canada gathering mussels in the Winter under the frozen sea ice. It was really an incredible thing to watch. After digging a tunnel down to the beach below the ice, they hurried along looking for mussels to take home and eat. This was done at low tide when the ice was resting on the beach, but leaving caves and tunnels through the ice. See the excellent photo taken by Patrice Halley. www.patricehalley.com
This was possible because of the extreme tides during the Winter when the change of tide is some 40 feet! The frozen ice drops with the outgoing tide and rests on ocean beach and rises again with the fast moving incoming tide. While resting on the bottom when the tide is out, the ice leaves large caves and tunnels under the ice. The people wait for the tide to go out and quickly dig a tunnel down through the ice,insert a ladder and climb down to get to the sandy beach underneath. They quickly search with lights for mussels. They have to work very fast, find the mussels, gather them up and get out before the tide comes back in to avoid being trapped by the incoming water. The work is very dangerous and some mussel hunters have not made it out in time.
There are some 500 people of Kangiqusuijuaq, located near the Hudson Strait, in Northern Quebec, who want variety to their normal diet of seal meat, so they search for mussels in season. In the Winter they wait until the full moon and extreme tides to search for the mussels under the many feet of ice resting on the bottom of the tide flats. They are believed to be the only people who harvest the mussels in this way. The BBC created the video which I saw and which was really fascinating. See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12241053
From watching the amazing video it was clear that this was a very dangerous operation because not only is there the threat of the fast moving returning sea water trapping them before they can get out, there is also the threat of shifting ice from its own weight either crushing them or trapping them since it is no longer supported by the sea water. There is a lookout who stays at the entrance to the hole dug down into the ice who is watching for the returning tide, but even the shouts of warning by the lookout have to be carefully given because the sound can cause a collapse of ice.
This tradition goes back generations at this location. The locals complain, however, that it is getting harder to find places that are safe to dig the tunnel and go under the ice. They say the ice freezes later in the year and melts earlier then it did even a few decades ago. There are also reports that even snowmobile travel has become more hazardous as the sea ice is thinner year by year.
The video was a very remarkable thing to watch and an activity I had never heard of before.
Lita and I are at our house in Scottsdale. It is located in a gated community where the rules require that the landscaping stay natural and there is a lot of space between homes. As a result there are a lot of wild animals and birds who make their home in this area. You often see a line of Quail with their bobbing heads rush across the road. Small rabbits dash across the property at top speed and then freeze at the first sign of any danger staying totally still and hoping to blend into the background. Once we had a small Cougar sunning himself in our back yard even though it has a high wall around it.
One really ugly animal that we see from time to time are the Havalina pig. They were imported by explorers and have been spreading across the Southern U.S. for some 470 years. They show up around the unfenced part of the house from time to time looking for food, smelling bad and making noise. They are one ugly animal
What is more disturbing are the Coyotes who roam through this area. They are threat to pets and don’t seem very apprehensive about people. Last night there was a very loud howling outside our backyard wall. It was loud enough I got up and opened the door. It was a Coyote and he or she was responding to the howl of another Coyote some distance away. Within moments every dog in the neighborhood was barking and making noise. It was a cacophony of noise that you wouldn’t believe with the two coyotes continuing their howling back and forth, undisturbed by the barking dogs.
The stars are beautiful and clear at night in North Scottsdale.
We are right at the bottom of Pinnacle Peak a unique rock formation. The area is a wonder of natural stone formations and vegetation. The animals and birds are plentiful. But, I keep the dogs on a leash here and watch them.
I have posted many complaints about the Bush administration’s assault on govermental agencies and regulations intended to protect the environment. (See for example: The Bush Administration Tries to Hide the Global Warming Ball Again with a Gag Order 3/9/07) It has done this by appointing people to head agencies controlling regulation of the environment whose assigned role is undermining the regulatory function of the agency. See, for example, post 4/1/07) The Bush white house has also played a significant role in cover up, suppression and even out and out manipulation of scientific evidence inconsistent with the Bush administration’s hands off policy. The administration did this without restraint because the Republican Congress intentionally looked the other way and because the media failed in its role of being a governmental watchdog. The administration’s policy of ignoring anti trust laws to allow mega mergers has resulted in more and more media outlets being owned or controlled by fewer and fewer people. (See Joseph Goebbels, George Orwell and Myth Busting 11/3/06) An example is the fact that it is reported that Robert Murdoch, owner of British tabloids, Sky Television, the Fox network, the New York Post, Wall Street Journal and chairman of News Corporation is about to gobble up Newsday. As a result the traditional role of the media in investigating and exposing governmental abuses has been abandoned. Instead the media is in lock step with the Republican administration and big business. This has resulted in the administration having its own way without fear of sanction for too many years.
With a change in Congress the situation has changed. ABC News reports that hundreds of Environmental Protection Agency scientists report they have been consistently pressured by superiors to revise their scientific findings when they report environmental issues like global warming. Political pressure has been applied to the point, they reported, in a survey of 1600 scientists, the "agency is in crisis" and "under siege from political pressure" especially when it comes to drafting regulations. Rep. Henry Waxman D-Calif, said the survey results suggest a "pattern of ignoring and manipulating science." Since the Republicans in Congress can no longer protect the EPA from Congressional investigations, the agency is under fire on a number of issues. (See: A Lame Duck Limps Out Continuing to Cause Harm to the Environment 3/5/08) In the meantime, like a growing cancer, the Bush legacy of a contaminated environment continues to threaten our nation. Thanks to cover up, misinformation and an unrestrained oil industry propaganda programs many Americans continue to believe environmental warnings are a left wing plot. Let's pray that it is not too late to reverse the wrong way policies of this administration.
Back in April, the U.S. Supreme court was faced with the issue of whether the EPA had authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate tailpipe emissions of greenhouse gases. It was a hotly contested case because the EPA, instead of being the public watch dog, had become the Bush White house family lapdog. It took the position it had no authority to monitor the issue so it would not have to take action on an issue opposed by the big car manufacturers. But, in spite of the loaded court, it lost and the court directed the EPA to determine whether the emissions do endanger the public health and welfare. If it did, then the EPA would be required to regulate the emissions to hinder more accumulation of greenhouse gases which produce global warming.
So, what the EPA do about this court defeat? It did what the Bush administration has always done, it simply ignored the law and stonewalled. It did nothing. Now, almost a year later, EPA administrator Stephen Johnson was asked by a Senate Sub-committee: why not and when will you do what the Supreme Court ordered you to do? His answer was a classic Bush administration stall, he said he just couldn’t say when the EPA would comply.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein D-Calif repeatedly asked him how many employees he had working on the issue. She asked if anyone was working on the issue. His response was:
"I just don’t know the answer to that."
Johnson had promised a response to the court ruling by last Fall, but then let the deadline pass without any response. Johnson was a career EPA employee before President Bush appointed him to the position. He has been the focus of intense criticism for a series of decisions blocking or refusing to act with regard to environmental issues. He again defended his decision to deny California the right to pass laws regulating emissions from vehicles even though Washington and dozen other states have sued him. Internal documents have emerged showing his own staff recommended a waiver for California, but he, following Bush administration policy refused to follow the recommendations.
Mr. Bush may be a lame duck president, but he continues to march to the order of car manufacturers and big business interests while causing ongoing harm to our environment
As we all know, Galileo’s telescope observations and his calculations convinced him the earth revolved around the sun rather then the other way around. However, that was contrary to the teaching of the Catholic Church. After a Church trial in 1633 he was compelled to recant his claim, to be under house arrest for the rest of his life and to have his writings banned as well as his books burned. The Church insisted the Bible taught the opposite of Galileo’s claim since Joshua commanded the sun and not the earth to stand still. The Roman Catholic Church along with other Protestant religions maintained this position long after the scientific proof made it clear this was incorrect. Even Martin Luther insisted that the Bible taught this truth as did Calvin. It was 1992 when the Pope public ally apologized for it’s treatment of Galileo. That’s a long time to cling to a totally incorrect claim. What’s amazing is that even today there are religious fundamentalist groups that insist the Bible is right and the sun revolves around the earth.What brings this to mind is the June issue of Columns, a publication of the University of Washington, where the lead article was about the changing conditions of the ocean and global warming. In the very next issue there were letters to the editor complaining about the "bogus" article and accusing it as being "far left and full of distortions, falsehoods and unsupported claims" because global warming was a left wing myth. Whenever there is an article in the local newspaper or in a magazine warning of the effects of global warming there is an immediate knee jerk emotional reaction by people who are convinced global warming is a fraud upon the American people and there is no problem at all because this is a natural phenomenon not contributed to by man. Apparently the Bush administration and talk radio have convinced them otherwise so they insist on believing a fairy tale rather then accept the photographic and scientific evidence which is overwhelming.
I just can’t understand how any thinking person could continue to accept the ridiculous claim that global warming doesn’t exist and that any change is natural rather then man made. The scientists’s at the University of Washington reported that from studies and observations over the past 40 years scientists know that the oceans naturally exchange about 282 billion tons of carbon dioxide each year into and out of the ocean in a two way exchange process. But, before the industrial revolution there was a balance with no net change in carbon retained in the ocean. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution the balance has consistently changed with the ocean accumulating more carbon each year. The rate of change has been increasing at a faster rate each year. Today, we are told, the ocean absorbs an addition 8 billion tons of carbon dioxide each year due to the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and the like. The uptake in accumulation amounts to approximately 525 billion tons of carbon dioxide. This has resulted in a chemical change of sea water. This has been a contributor to global warming and all the disastrous consequence it causes.
Can someone explain to me how people can insist the world is really flat, the landing on the moon was a fraud by NASA and there is no global warming going on for us to be concerned about. Are these people living in a cave somewhere with a crystal radio set listening to Rush Lumbagh?