Back when I was growing up, today would have been celebrated with a day off from school - George Washington's birthday.
Our first President.
And everything that can be said about him has been said, right?
Wrong.
To get us into the mood: 11 Little Known Facts About George Washington.
I'm enjoying a biography of George Washington called "You Never Forget Your First", A biography of George Washington, by Alexis Coe.
I'm not sure I will finish it, as I don't seem to have the stamina to read a lot of non-fiction right now. Perhaps, once I retire, that will change.
But there is a lot of fascinating information here, as a good modern biography must explore: his actions towards the enslaved people he owned, the truth about him freeing them when he died (particularly heartbreaking), and his beliefs concerning the abolition of the institution of slavery. None of this was ever discussed in my history classes back in the 1960's.
There's more, including a fascinating discussion of his false teeth, the lies he told, and the things people believe about him that just aren't true.
The various charts in the book (diseases he suffered from and how he was treated for them, the animals he owned, including his beloved dogs, the battles he fought in) are worth the reading all by themselves.
All in all: a complicated man, this man who was "the father of our country".
Warts and all.
Showing posts with label Washington. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Washington. Show all posts
Saturday, February 22, 2020
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Civil War Sunday - The DNA of History
Sometimes, I wonder what I would find out if I took a DNA test to discover my ancestry. I can do that, apparently for "only" $159.
Two actors, one of the 20th century, one still alive and acting today, turn out to have interesting ancestry. Wouldn't it be nice if I was related to someone who change history?
DNA tests won't reveal that, but it sometimes seems that famous people through the ages are related to each other.
To find out about one of them, we need to go back 150 years.
150 years ago this week, a man by the name of Francis P. Blair, Sr. was working to try to broker a peace agreement between the United States and the Confederate States of America. The war between our States had been going on since April of 1861. Many people were exhausted, and efforts were being made to negotiate a peace. (Those efforts did not succeed, in case you are wondering.)
If you saw the Steven Spielberg movie Lincoln, you saw this character in action, played by actor Hal Holbrook.
Blair's role in American history is extensive, although he is not a household word today. For trivia lovers, his life contains plenty to be fascinated about. For example, if you've ever heard of Silver Springs, Maryland, you can thank Frances Blair. He fell in love with a spring, made silvery by flecks of mica, when his horse threw him near it - or, so the story goes. Silver Springs grew up around that spring.
If you have ever visited Washington, DC, our nation's capital, you may have seen Blair House, the guest house for visitors to the White House. Yes- it was once the house of Frances Blair.
It was in Blair's house that Robert E. Lee was offered command of the Union Army - but, when Virginia seceded from the Union, Lee resigned and took command of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.
Union General William Sherman (of "March through Georgia" fame - or infamy- was married at Blair's house.
And, in 1950, two men tried to assassinate then President Truman at Blair House.
So many famous and influential people have stayed at Blair House.
But, as infomercials tell us - But wait! There's more! (Sometimes, I love clichés.. Sorry about that.)
Francis Blair, Sr., the founder of the Republican Party, and the father of a Civil War General, was also the great-great grandfather of actor Montgomery Clift. (I have also read that Clift was adopted, so I am not certain if that relation is by blood or adoption.) Apparently, this was not the only connection Clift had with the Civil War.
Clift starred in a movie called From Here to Eternity in 1953. His character's name was Robert E. Lee Pruitt.
Clift starred in a movie called Raintree County (with Elizabeth Taylor) in 1957. The plot was related to the Civil War. But the movie was still being filmed when Clift (who had a major drinking problem) got into a car accident during the filming of the movie.
He was permanently disfigured. He was only 45 when he died, in 1966.
Meanwhile, it turns out Abraham Lincoln has a link with a movie actor of modern times - George Clooney. Clooney, it would seem, is a half-first cousin five times removed from Lincoln.
A DNA test wouldn't tell me who I was related to, but I wonder what untold stories are waiting to be told by my DNA.
I might just think about saving up for that test.
Would you want to get your DNA tested, if you could afford it?
Two actors, one of the 20th century, one still alive and acting today, turn out to have interesting ancestry. Wouldn't it be nice if I was related to someone who change history?
DNA tests won't reveal that, but it sometimes seems that famous people through the ages are related to each other.
To find out about one of them, we need to go back 150 years.
150 years ago this week, a man by the name of Francis P. Blair, Sr. was working to try to broker a peace agreement between the United States and the Confederate States of America. The war between our States had been going on since April of 1861. Many people were exhausted, and efforts were being made to negotiate a peace. (Those efforts did not succeed, in case you are wondering.)
If you saw the Steven Spielberg movie Lincoln, you saw this character in action, played by actor Hal Holbrook.
Blair's role in American history is extensive, although he is not a household word today. For trivia lovers, his life contains plenty to be fascinated about. For example, if you've ever heard of Silver Springs, Maryland, you can thank Frances Blair. He fell in love with a spring, made silvery by flecks of mica, when his horse threw him near it - or, so the story goes. Silver Springs grew up around that spring.
If you have ever visited Washington, DC, our nation's capital, you may have seen Blair House, the guest house for visitors to the White House. Yes- it was once the house of Frances Blair.
It was in Blair's house that Robert E. Lee was offered command of the Union Army - but, when Virginia seceded from the Union, Lee resigned and took command of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.
Union General William Sherman (of "March through Georgia" fame - or infamy- was married at Blair's house.
And, in 1950, two men tried to assassinate then President Truman at Blair House.
So many famous and influential people have stayed at Blair House.
But, as infomercials tell us - But wait! There's more! (Sometimes, I love clichés.. Sorry about that.)
Francis Blair, Sr., the founder of the Republican Party, and the father of a Civil War General, was also the great-great grandfather of actor Montgomery Clift. (I have also read that Clift was adopted, so I am not certain if that relation is by blood or adoption.) Apparently, this was not the only connection Clift had with the Civil War.
Clift starred in a movie called From Here to Eternity in 1953. His character's name was Robert E. Lee Pruitt.
Clift starred in a movie called Raintree County (with Elizabeth Taylor) in 1957. The plot was related to the Civil War. But the movie was still being filmed when Clift (who had a major drinking problem) got into a car accident during the filming of the movie.
He was permanently disfigured. He was only 45 when he died, in 1966.
Meanwhile, it turns out Abraham Lincoln has a link with a movie actor of modern times - George Clooney. Clooney, it would seem, is a half-first cousin five times removed from Lincoln.
A DNA test wouldn't tell me who I was related to, but I wonder what untold stories are waiting to be told by my DNA.
I might just think about saving up for that test.
Would you want to get your DNA tested, if you could afford it?
Monday, October 20, 2014
Would You Let Your Child Play in Hot Lava?
I'm taking a little mental break today - this post was inspired by one of the most awesome people on Facebook, the actor and activist George Takei.
It's been a long time since I've visited Seattle, Washington. I was there before I had my son, and my son is grown now. Until I become a grandmother, I won't have much reason to visit a playground, because I have no nieces and nephews.
But if I did need to visit a playground, I might just visit this one.
I wonder if this is for real. Readers?
According to a post on Reddit, a playground (Cascade Playfield) in Seattle, Washington has a "Hot Lava Survival Game" posted on the playground equipment. So, if a child gets bored of the swings, slides, and other regular equipment, they can play "Survive a Mt. Rainer Eruption!" Yes, when there is an active volcano in your city's backyard (and it is an awesome view if you've ever flown into Seattle on a sunny day-which I had the pleasure of doing once, many years ago), you might as well turn that scary fact into a childhood game.
Strangely, though, the website for the City of Seattle parks does not feature anything about the Hot Lava Survival Game.
At least, there is no real lava on the playground - not yet, anyway.
Another blogger even took pictures of some of the "landmarks" in the instructions on how to play the Hot Lava Survival Game.
Here are some facts about Mt. Rainier, which is about 60 miles from Seattle.
It is the fifth tallest peak in the 48 "lower" United States (not counting Alaska and Hawaii) and the tallest mountain in the state of Washington. It measures some 14,411 feet tall.
It last erupted in the 19th century, in 1894.
It was first climbed (that we know of, of course) in 1870.
And, it is expected to erupt again, someday. When it does, it really isn't hot lava, but a mud flow called lahar, that may spell doom for thousands of people, if they can't get out of the way.
Considering its proximity to Seattle, a city of about 650,000 people, "when" becomes an important question. There is a lahar early warning system in place, but we may only find out how effective it is when the volcano erupts.
In the meantime, I do wonder about that playground. Is it in the path of the expected lahar flow? Do children really play that hot lava game?
Do you have an unusual playground near you?
It's been a long time since I've visited Seattle, Washington. I was there before I had my son, and my son is grown now. Until I become a grandmother, I won't have much reason to visit a playground, because I have no nieces and nephews.
But if I did need to visit a playground, I might just visit this one.
I wonder if this is for real. Readers?
According to a post on Reddit, a playground (Cascade Playfield) in Seattle, Washington has a "Hot Lava Survival Game" posted on the playground equipment. So, if a child gets bored of the swings, slides, and other regular equipment, they can play "Survive a Mt. Rainer Eruption!" Yes, when there is an active volcano in your city's backyard (and it is an awesome view if you've ever flown into Seattle on a sunny day-which I had the pleasure of doing once, many years ago), you might as well turn that scary fact into a childhood game.
Strangely, though, the website for the City of Seattle parks does not feature anything about the Hot Lava Survival Game.
At least, there is no real lava on the playground - not yet, anyway.
Another blogger even took pictures of some of the "landmarks" in the instructions on how to play the Hot Lava Survival Game.
Here are some facts about Mt. Rainier, which is about 60 miles from Seattle.
It is the fifth tallest peak in the 48 "lower" United States (not counting Alaska and Hawaii) and the tallest mountain in the state of Washington. It measures some 14,411 feet tall.
It last erupted in the 19th century, in 1894.
It was first climbed (that we know of, of course) in 1870.
And, it is expected to erupt again, someday. When it does, it really isn't hot lava, but a mud flow called lahar, that may spell doom for thousands of people, if they can't get out of the way.
Considering its proximity to Seattle, a city of about 650,000 people, "when" becomes an important question. There is a lahar early warning system in place, but we may only find out how effective it is when the volcano erupts.
In the meantime, I do wonder about that playground. Is it in the path of the expected lahar flow? Do children really play that hot lava game?
Do you have an unusual playground near you?
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