Wednesday, 29 February 2012
There's a message underfoot...
This is a cool floor. I wonder if the designer was thinking about the 99%?
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
Monday, 27 February 2012
Sunday, 26 February 2012
Are American women going to be sent back to the 19th Century?
Tumbleweed sent me something about the struggle of pioneering women fighting for the right to vote. I did a bit of research and gathered some interesting material to go with Tumbleweed's contribution. (The body of the original e-mail is contained in the video.) Thank you, TW.
Let's start with some of the history:
The struggle to achieve equal rights for women is often thought to have begun, in the English-speaking world, with the publication of Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792). During the 19th century, as male suffrage was gradually extended in many countries, women became increasingly active in the quest for their own suffrage. Not until 1893, however, in New Zealand, did women achieve suffrage on the national level. Australia followed in 1902, but American, British, and Canadian women did not win the same rights until the end of World War I.
The United States
The demand for the enfranchisement of American women was first seriously formulated at the Seneca Falls Convention (1848). After the Civil War, agitation by women for the ballot became increasingly vociferous. In 1869, however, a rift developed among feminists over the proposed 15th Amendment, which gave the vote to black men. Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and others refused to endorse the amendment because it did not give women the ballot. Other suffragists, however, including Lucy Stone and Julia Ward Howe, argued that once the black man was enfranchised, women would achieve their goal. As a result of the conflict, two organizations emerged. Stanton and Anthony formed the National Woman Suffrage Association to work for suffrage on the federal level and to press for more extensive institutional changes, such as the granting of property rights to married women. Stone created the American Woman Suffrage Association, which aimed to secure the ballot through state legislation. In 1890 the two groups united under the name National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). In the same year Wyoming entered the Union, becoming the first state with general women's suffrage (which it had adopted as a territory in 1869).
As the pioneer suffragists began to withdraw from the movement because of age, younger women assumed leadership roles. One of the most politically astute was Carrie Chapman Catt, who was named president of NAWSA in 1915. Another prominent suffragist was Alice Paul. Forced to resign from NAWSA because of her insistence on the use of militant direct-action tactics, Paul organized the National Woman's Party, which used such strategies as mass marches and hunger strikes. Perseverance on the part of both organizations eventually led to victory. On August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment granted the ballot to American women.
[Scholastic - Resources for Teachers]
THE NIGHT OF TERROR - November 1917
There was a lot of propaganda against women's suffrage, on top of the violence:
In the last couple of centuries, women fought long and hard to achieve equal rights in many areas. The fight still goes on for equal pay. Certain politicians want to turn the clock back and take away many of these achievements, notably in the area of reproductive rights. It started with abortion, but now one of these politicians promises to legislate against contraception as well. What next? Take away women's the right to vote?
Can American women afford to be treated as mere chattels again?
Let's start with some of the history:
The struggle to achieve equal rights for women is often thought to have begun, in the English-speaking world, with the publication of Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792). During the 19th century, as male suffrage was gradually extended in many countries, women became increasingly active in the quest for their own suffrage. Not until 1893, however, in New Zealand, did women achieve suffrage on the national level. Australia followed in 1902, but American, British, and Canadian women did not win the same rights until the end of World War I.
The United States
The demand for the enfranchisement of American women was first seriously formulated at the Seneca Falls Convention (1848). After the Civil War, agitation by women for the ballot became increasingly vociferous. In 1869, however, a rift developed among feminists over the proposed 15th Amendment, which gave the vote to black men. Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and others refused to endorse the amendment because it did not give women the ballot. Other suffragists, however, including Lucy Stone and Julia Ward Howe, argued that once the black man was enfranchised, women would achieve their goal. As a result of the conflict, two organizations emerged. Stanton and Anthony formed the National Woman Suffrage Association to work for suffrage on the federal level and to press for more extensive institutional changes, such as the granting of property rights to married women. Stone created the American Woman Suffrage Association, which aimed to secure the ballot through state legislation. In 1890 the two groups united under the name National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). In the same year Wyoming entered the Union, becoming the first state with general women's suffrage (which it had adopted as a territory in 1869).
As the pioneer suffragists began to withdraw from the movement because of age, younger women assumed leadership roles. One of the most politically astute was Carrie Chapman Catt, who was named president of NAWSA in 1915. Another prominent suffragist was Alice Paul. Forced to resign from NAWSA because of her insistence on the use of militant direct-action tactics, Paul organized the National Woman's Party, which used such strategies as mass marches and hunger strikes. Perseverance on the part of both organizations eventually led to victory. On August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment granted the ballot to American women.
[Scholastic - Resources for Teachers]
THE NIGHT OF TERROR - November 1917
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| Lucy Burns |
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| Dora Lewis |
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| Alice Paul |
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| Pauline Adams |
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| Edith Ainge |
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| Berthe Arnold |
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| Helena Hill Weed |
There was a lot of propaganda against women's suffrage, on top of the violence:
In the last couple of centuries, women fought long and hard to achieve equal rights in many areas. The fight still goes on for equal pay. Certain politicians want to turn the clock back and take away many of these achievements, notably in the area of reproductive rights. It started with abortion, but now one of these politicians promises to legislate against contraception as well. What next? Take away women's the right to vote?
Can American women afford to be treated as mere chattels again?
Saturday, 25 February 2012
Friday, 24 February 2012
Thursday, 23 February 2012
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Tuesday, 21 February 2012
Eagle time!
It's that time of the year when we start following the joys and dramas of the Decorah eagles. It looks very cold out there! The second egg was laid yesterday evening.
I've embeded the livestream video on the sidebar to make life easier. [h/t to Shapeshifterbelly]
I've embeded the livestream video on the sidebar to make life easier. [h/t to Shapeshifterbelly]
Monday, 20 February 2012
The magic of water
Our friend Dominique sent me a spectacular slide show. All the pictures are connected with water in some way.
Sunday, 19 February 2012
Saturday, 18 February 2012
A fun game - UPDATE
Mrsgunka sent me a good joke:
A lawyer and a senior citizen are sitting next to each other on a long flight. The lawyer is thinking that seniors are so dumb that he could get one over on them easily . So the lawyer asks if the senior would like to play a fun game.
The senior is tired and just wants to take a nap, so he politely declines and tries to catch a few winks.
The lawyer persists, saying that the game is a lot of fun...."I ask you a question, and if you don't know the answer, you pay me only $5.00. Then you ask me one, and if I don't know the answer, I will pay you $500.00," he says.
This catches the senior's attention and, to keep the lawyer quiet, he agrees to play the game.
The lawyer asks the first question. "What's the distance from the Earth to the Moon?"
The senior doesn't say a word, but reaches into his pocket, pulls out a five-dollar bill, and hands it to the lawyer.
Now, it's the senior's turn. He asks the lawyer, "What goes up a hill with three legs, and comes down with four?"
The lawyer uses his laptop to search all references he can find on the internet. He sends e-mails to all the smart friends he knows; all to no avail. After an hour of searching, he finally gives up.
He wakes the senior and hands him $500.00. The senior pockets the $500.00 and goes right back to sleep.
The lawyer is going nuts not knowing the answer. He wakes the senior up and asks, "Well, so what goes up a hill with three legs and comes down with four?"
The senior reaches into his pocket, hands the lawyer $5.00, and goes back to sleep.
Thank you, Mrsgunka.
[Mrsgunka sent me the link to her niece's blog and I've added it to the blog list on the right. It's really lovely, worth visiting...]
******
UPDATE
I got my dates muddled up and thought Ray's birthday was tomorrow. It's today!
A lawyer and a senior citizen are sitting next to each other on a long flight. The lawyer is thinking that seniors are so dumb that he could get one over on them easily . So the lawyer asks if the senior would like to play a fun game.
The senior is tired and just wants to take a nap, so he politely declines and tries to catch a few winks.
The lawyer persists, saying that the game is a lot of fun...."I ask you a question, and if you don't know the answer, you pay me only $5.00. Then you ask me one, and if I don't know the answer, I will pay you $500.00," he says.
This catches the senior's attention and, to keep the lawyer quiet, he agrees to play the game.
The lawyer asks the first question. "What's the distance from the Earth to the Moon?"
The senior doesn't say a word, but reaches into his pocket, pulls out a five-dollar bill, and hands it to the lawyer.
Now, it's the senior's turn. He asks the lawyer, "What goes up a hill with three legs, and comes down with four?"
The lawyer uses his laptop to search all references he can find on the internet. He sends e-mails to all the smart friends he knows; all to no avail. After an hour of searching, he finally gives up.
He wakes the senior and hands him $500.00. The senior pockets the $500.00 and goes right back to sleep.
The lawyer is going nuts not knowing the answer. He wakes the senior up and asks, "Well, so what goes up a hill with three legs and comes down with four?"
The senior reaches into his pocket, hands the lawyer $5.00, and goes back to sleep.
Thank you, Mrsgunka.
[Mrsgunka sent me the link to her niece's blog and I've added it to the blog list on the right. It's really lovely, worth visiting...]
******
UPDATE
I got my dates muddled up and thought Ray's birthday was tomorrow. It's today!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RAY!
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| Here's Ray with his mom Marcie on her 102nd birthday last August |
Friday, 17 February 2012
Wine tasting
Grammy97 sent us this joke:
At a local winery, the regular taster died and the director started looking for a new one to hire. A drunk with a ragged dirty look came to apply for the position.
The director of the factory wondered how to send him away. They gave him a glass to drink. The old guy tried it and said, "It's a muscat three years old, grown on a north slope, matured in steel containers. Low grade but acceptable."
"That's correct!" said the boss. "Another glass, please."
The man said, "It's a cabernet, eight years old, south-western slope, oak barrels, matured at eight degrees. Requires three more years for finest results."
"Absolutely correct!" said the boss again. "A third glass, please."
"It's a pinot blanc champagne, high grade and exclusive," calmly said the drunk.
The director was astonished, so winked at his secretary, to suggest something. She left the room and came back in with a glass of urine.
The alcoholic tried it. "It's a blonde, 26 years old, three months pregnant... and if I don't get the job, I'll name the father."
Thank you, Grammy
At a local winery, the regular taster died and the director started looking for a new one to hire. A drunk with a ragged dirty look came to apply for the position.
The director of the factory wondered how to send him away. They gave him a glass to drink. The old guy tried it and said, "It's a muscat three years old, grown on a north slope, matured in steel containers. Low grade but acceptable."
"That's correct!" said the boss. "Another glass, please."
The man said, "It's a cabernet, eight years old, south-western slope, oak barrels, matured at eight degrees. Requires three more years for finest results."
"Absolutely correct!" said the boss again. "A third glass, please."
"It's a pinot blanc champagne, high grade and exclusive," calmly said the drunk.
The director was astonished, so winked at his secretary, to suggest something. She left the room and came back in with a glass of urine.
The alcoholic tried it. "It's a blonde, 26 years old, three months pregnant... and if I don't get the job, I'll name the father."
Thank you, Grammy
Thursday, 16 February 2012
Easy yoga
Yoga positions require a lot of dedication and discipline to be achieved to perfection. CC sent me examples of an alternative way to obtain results. All that's needed is a LOT of booze!
Thank you for the laugh, CC.
Thank you for the laugh, CC.