Motley Moose – Archive

Since 2008 – Progress Through Politics

The Daily F Bomb, Monday 4/29/13

Interrogatories

In what ways do you consider yourself to be creative?

What is your favorite dance/type of dancing?

Are you more of a participator or observer?

What do you think is the single most important/contributory factor in the dumbing down of America?

The Twitter Emitter

On This Day

In 1861,  Maryland’s House of Delegates voted not to secede from the Union.

In 1910, The UK Parliament passed the People’s Budget, the first budget in British history with the expressed intent of redistributing wealth among the British public fighting poverty.

In 1916, the Easter uprising in Dublin collapsed as Irish nationalists surrendered to British authorities.

In 1945, the Dachau concentration camp was liberated by US. Army troops.

In 1981, British truck driver Peter Sutcliffe admitted in a London court to being the “Yorkshire Ripper,” the killer of 13 women in northern England over five years.

In 1992, riots broke out in Los Angeles after a Simi Valley jury acquitted four LAPD officers of nearly all charges in the beating of Rodney King. 53 people were killed, more than 2000 were injured, and there was more than $1 billion in damage.

Born on This Day

1675 – Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini, Italian painter (d. 1741)

photo GiovanniAntonioPellegrini.jpg

1683 – Antoine Pesne, French painter (d. 1757)

photo AntoinePesne.jpg

1727 – Jean-Georges Noverre, French dancer, founder of modern ballet (d. 1810)

photo Jean-GeorgesNoverre.jpg

1745 – Oliver Ellsworth, American lawyer and politician, 3rd Chief Justice of the United States (d. 1807)

1769 – Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, Anglo-Irish statesman (d. 1852)

1783 – David Cox, English landscape painter (d. 1859)

photo DavidCox.jpg

1818 – Alexander II of Russia (d. 1881)

1848 – Raja Ravi Varma, Indian painter (d.1906)

photo RajaRaviVarma.jpg

1848 – Theodore Blake Wirgman, English painter (d. 1925)

1863 – William Randolph Hearst, American publisher (d. 1951)

1868 – Alice Keppel, English socialite and mistress of King Edward VII (d. 1947)

photo AliceKeppel.jpg

1872 – Harry Payne Whitney, American businessman, lawyer and horse-breeder (d. 1930)

1876 – Zauditu of Ethiopia (d. 1930)

1896 – Natalie Talmadge, silent film actress and Mrs. Buster Keaton (d. 1969)

1899 – Duke Ellington, American composer, pianist, and bandleader (d. 1974)

1901 – Hirohito, Japanese emperor (d. 1989)

1905 – Ogden Minton Pleissner, American landscape painter (d. 1983)

1909 – Tom Ewell, American actor (d. 1994)

1922 – Toots Thielemans, Belgian jazz musician

1928 – Carl Gardner, American singer (The Coasters) (d. 2011)

1929 – Ray Barretto, American jazz musician (d. 2006)

1931 – Lonnie Donegan, English singer-songwriter and musician (d. 2002)

1933 – Rod McKuen, American poet and composer

1936 – Zubin Mehta, Indian conductor

1937 – Hasil Adkins, American singer-songwriter and musician (d. 2005)

1938 – Bernard Madoff, American felon

1938 – Klaus Voormann, German artist, musician, and producer (Manfred Mann and Plastic Ono Band)

1945 – Tammi Terrell, American singer (d. 1970)

1947 – Tommy James, American singer-songwriter, musician, and producer (Tommy James and the Shondells)

1948 – Michael Karoli, German musician and composer (Can) (d. 2001)

1950 – Debbie Stabenow, American politician

1954 – Jerry Seinfeld, American comedian

1957 – Daniel Day-Lewis, English-Irish actor

1958 – Michelle Pfeiffer, American actress

1958 – Eve Plumb, American actress

1970 – China Forbes, American singer-songwriter (Pink Martini)

1970 – Uma Thurman, American actress

Died on This Day

1380 – Catherine of Siena, Italian saint (b. 1347)

1655 – Cornelis Schut I, Flemish painter (b. 1597)

photo CornelisSchut.jpg

1657 – Jacques de Stella, French painter (b. 1596)

photo JacquesdeStella.jpg

1698 – Charles Cornwallis, 3rd Baron Cornwallis, First Lord of the British Admiralty (b. 1655)

1776 – Edward Wortley Montagu, English traveler and writer (b. 1713)

1777 – Antonio Joli, Italian painter (b. 1700)

photo AntonioJoli.jpg

1793 – John Michell, English scientist (b. 1724)

1906 – André Plumot,  Belgian painter (b. 1829)

photo AndreacutePlumot.jpg

1935 – Leroy Carr, American singer-songwriter and pianist (b. 1905)

1937 – William Gillette, American actor (b. 1853)

1953 – Moïse Kisling, Polish painter (b. 1891)

photo MoiumlseKisling.jpg

1961 – Cisco Houston, American singer-songwriter and musician (b. 1918)

1964 – Albert Saverys, Flemish landscape painter (b. 1886)

photo AlbertSaverys.jpg

1967 – J. B. Lenoir, American singer-songwriter and musician (b. 1929)

1980 – Alfred Hitchcock, English director (b. 1899)

1992 – Mae Clarke, American actress (b. 1910)

1993 – Mick Ronson, English musician, songwriter, and producer (The Spiders from Mars and Mott the Hoople) (b. 1946)

1997 – Mike Royko, American columnist (b. 1932)

2006 – John Kenneth Galbraith, Canadian-American economist (b. 1908)

Today is

National Shrimp Scampi Day

International Dance Day

Zipper Day

Peace Rose Day


Categories: General.

/ 36 Comments

36 comments

  1. plf515

    In what ways do you consider yourself to be creative?

    I write doggerel. I tweet.

    What is your favorite dance/type of dancing?

    I don’t know.

    Are you more of a participator or observer?

    Participator, if the activity is verbal

    What do you think is the single most important/contributory factor in the dumbing down of America?

    I could go with the classic – like TV, but I think it’s the promulgation of the idea that things that are difficult can’t be fun.  

  2. lulu57

    renovated those old ruined buildings in Rome yet, sheesh. If those were in Murka, they’d all have 14 powder rooms and granite countertops and beige wall-to-wall carpets by now. MURKA!

  3. blue jersey mom

    In what ways do you consider yourself to be creative? I am not terribly creative, but I am a pretty good teacher.

    What is your favorite dance/type of dancing? ballet

    Are you more of a participator or observer? participant!

    What do you think is the single most important/contributory factor in the dumbing down of America? This is a hard question. We don’t spend enough time teaching critical reading and thinking skills. I think that we should spend more time in school asking students to read and evaluate non-fiction texts. Literary analysis is fine, but folks ought to be able to read and evaluate an op-ed piece or a scientific study. Fox News has certainly helped to dumb down America, and so have our basic anti-intellectual attitudes. College sports get far more money and attention than basic academics. Who cares about physics or literature when you can hit a 3-point shot?  

  4. lulu57

    In what ways do you consider yourself to be creative?

    In all ways.

    What is your favorite dance/type of dancing?

    I’m from South Bend

    Are you more of a participator or observer?

    I like to watch.

    What do you think is the single most important/contributory factor in the dumbing down of America?



    I blame Hedwig.

  5. michelewln

    In what ways do you consider yourself to be creative? art, writing, poetry, jewelry making, crafts, sewing, stitchery, and cooking

    What is your favorite dance/type of dancing? I love all dance but really love watching ballet.

    Are you more of a participator or observer? participator

    What do you think is the single most important/contributory factor in the dumbing down of America? The people who can not understand that the Bible is literature and not science.

  6. Melanie in IA

    In what ways do you consider yourself to be creative?

    I write, quilt, cook, think creatively.

    What is your favorite dance/type of dancing?

    Dancing with Jim.

    Are you more of a participator or observer?

    Yes.

    What do you think is the single most important/contributory factor in the dumbing down of America?

    We have more facts readily available than ever in history, but we have given up on precision and comprehension. I’m not sure this is different or new, but we see more dumb people than ever before, thanks to media.  

  7. Its the Supreme Court Stupid

    In what ways do you consider yourself to be creative? Sorry, but my creativity is currently awaiting copyright approval, so I cannot share them with you.

    What is your favorite dance/type of dancing?  Tango

    Are you more of a participator or observer? Like Chauncy Gardener, I like to watch.

    What do you think is the single most important/contributory factor in the dumbing down of America? Right Wing Radio

  8. Gee

    Rainy and in the 50s/60s today, and for the forecastable future, apparently.

    In what ways do you consider yourself to be creative?

    What is your favorite dance/type of dancing?

    Are you more of a participator or observer?

    What do you think is the single most important/contributory factor in the dumbing down of America?

    I punning creative?

    I don’t dance myself, but it’s all fun to watch, from pogoing to ballet.

    Observer, alas.

    Golly, that’s a big question, and we could talk forever.  I’ll be provocative and blame the family unit.  Only certain family units, actually, but I’ve seen them in action.  The “don’t be too smart; don’t rise above us” attitude.  But it operates at the societal level, too.  Oh, and religion is a huge impediment to understanding.

  10. JG in MD

    In what ways do you consider yourself to be creative? Unfamiliar ideas go through my mind constantly. I herd them and focus them to turn them into creativity. I used to make collages and montages, part of the same process, I guess.

    What is your favorite dance/type of dancing?

     The Fred Astaire & Gene Kelly type.

    Are you more of a participator or observer?

    Talk, I participate; everything else I observe.

    What do you think is the single most important/contributory factor in the dumbing down of America?

     The vast right wing conspiracy turned out to be real. Propaganda used to be a WWII history lesson. We’ve been victims of it since the Reagan administration and yet can’t use the word.

  12. Jk2003

    In what ways do you consider yourself to be creative?

    What is your favorite dance/type of dancing?

    Are you more of a participator or observer?

    What do you think is the single most important/contributory factor in the dumbing down of America?

    Creativity:  I have been knitting long enough for it to become creative and not just recipe following.  I also have an eye for interior design.

    Dancing:  the crazy kind with my kids.  My daughter is getting old enough to be embarrassed by my sweet moves.  It is awesome fun.

    Participant or observer:  observer but I am trying to change that

    Dumbing down:  apathy  

  14. princesspat

    creativity…..I design and sew window coverings, table linens, and bedding, I garden and make flower arrangements,I used to host dinner parties with an interesting mix of people, and designing and sewing ballet costumes was a seriously labor intensive creative experience.

    dance….ballet and western swing

    participant or observer….I’m both

    dumbing down…..poverty, the decline in educational opportunities, the lack of independent journalism, and the effective use of propaganda.

  15. slksfca

    …that television is a symptom of our dumbing down as much as it is a cause. Back in the early days TV had much higher standards, with popular programs like Playhouse 90 and such.

    But anti-intellectualism has always been a part of American life. It just seems worse to us nowadays because we’re living in it.

    I dance with the stars every Monday night. 😉

  16. Gee

    do the “Fierce” and “Fail” radio buttons keep changing sides, or are they just positioned backwards from “Recommend” and “Hide” at the GOS?  (I thought the latter was true, but I’m starting to wonder!)

Comments are closed.