Last week it was Iowa's turn in the spotlight, this week, New Hampshire's. The only thing I can tell you that the sign below can't is that Granite Staters selected Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders as their choices to rep the right and the left respectively. I personally remain skeptical that either is a viable candidate, but the good people of New Hampshire have been doing this since 1920, so what do I know...?
As always, happy Wednesday and happy reading.
This Day in History
1763 - The Seven Years War, also known as the French and Indian War, comes to an end with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. If you reach far enough back into your middle school American History class, you may recall that this war was rather expensive, and to pay for it Parliament decided to levy steep taxes on the American Colonies. Cue tea parties and cliches, and the rest, as they say, is history.
However blurry it may be in your memory, the Seven Years War was a global conflict, with far reaching implications in North America and India. Today's War on Terror is even more widespread, and the consequences of our action or inaction will continue to reverberate across the world, as they long have.
Why So Angry?
Now that Republican voters have selected Ted Cruz and Donald Trump in the first two nominating contests of the year, I think it's worth asking, why so angry? It's normal for voters to be tired of and annoyed with one party after eight or more years in the White House, but the rhetoric in this campaign has been particularly harsh, particularly from Trump, and there is no simple explanation, although both old and new trends help shed some light on the current mood (from The Week).
In general, American politics have become way too ugly. There is naturally an element of attacking the other guys inherent in the political process, but we the people must demand that the vitriol is supplemented by at least a little bit of solutions-oriented thinking. Democracy needs public conversation to survive and thrive, but we're supposed to be debating the ideas, not hating each other.
The GOP In Me
The outcomes in New Hampshire and Iowa got me thinking that I might be able to assist the Republican front runners by proposing some ideas other than walls and carpet bombings, so I wrote a profile for a fictional conservative whom I found appealing. I would love feedback on this piece, particularly if you are a conservative reader, so please check out my ideal Republican.
It's the Economy, Stupid
It can't be all politics all the time, so I'm going to deviate briefly and talk about the economy, the galactic economy that is. I find it very appropriate that I am an alum of the university where the professor who conducted this research works, but it will come as no surprise that the cost of the Death Star mega-weapons would have totally crippled the galactic economy (from IFL Science).
Is George Lucas prophetic? What can we learn from a movie in which a collapsing galactic economy inspires a revolution of religious fanatics against the status quo? Probably nothing there, right? Which is good, because that's a scary scenario, and Star Wars is supposed to be fun.
Boomer The Intrepid
Boomer here has been featured once before, but as a Mississippian, Boomer very rarely sees snow. In fact this scene, to him, is probably like seeing a yeti would be to us. Well maybe a bit more confusing and slightly less scary, but still strange. Mustering up all his courage, Boomer waded into the snow and seems to have walked in a triangle... Hard to say exactly what he was thinking, but it's fun to try. Thanks to Boomer's humans, my mom and dad, for sharing this rare snow day pic!
Will's Weekly Trivia!
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TRIVIA!
Last Week: What is the name of the 2010 Supreme Court case that allowed the creation of Super Pacs? One point for the commonly referenced name of the case (i.e. Dred Scott Decision), and two points for the more formal name (i.e. Brown v. Board of Ed).
Answer: The case, Citizens United vs Federal Election, is commonly referred to as Citizens United.
This Week: What year did New Hampshire first begin holding its presidential primary earlier than other states?
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