While I’m on the topic of inaugural addresses (refer to my last post), my inner geek can’t help but pay homage to the juggernaut that leveled our ninth president, William Henry Harrison.
Although Harrison had the shortest presidency in American history (lasting exactly thirty days — sorry Garfield), his inaugural address was the longest ever delivered, taking a little more than two hours to complete. Unfortunately, during the day of Harrison’s inaugural ceremony, the weather wasn’t cooperative; and while delivering his address to the public, the Hero of Tippecanoe caught a cold that eventually manifested into a deadly case of pneumonia.
I just finished reading Doris Kearns Goodwin’s stellar, Pulitzer Prize winning biography on Abraham Lincoln and his cabinet, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. And being that I’m in a very philosophical mood, I want to post this quote which was taken from Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address.
Let it turn over in your head for a little while; I think its message can be aptly applied to any hardships you are currently facing. Moreover, when reading this quote, keep in mind the poetic beauty of Lincoln’s words; rarely is such rhetoric used in today’s politics.
With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in…”
If you’re interested in reading Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, check out this link to Amazon.com.
I admit it, I love cartoons. I even go down to the workout room just to watch Spongebob.
One of my favorites shows as a kid was Warner Brother’s Animaniacs. Not only did Yacko, Wacko, and Dot entertain, but they offered a variety of cultural and political satire during the early 90s. Sometimes they even presented a few history lessons. The Animaniacs’ Presidents song provides a silly review of our country’s past presidents with an ending that should be especially amusing to anyone involved in the media.
Even though I was all of 14 months old at the time, today marks the 20 year anniversary of the Max Headroom pirating incident. Apparently, somebody managed to hijack the signal of WGN for a few minutes and broadcast this creepy tape. Whoever did it has not and probably will not be found.