Even a lame-duck president can be affected by a clear midterm message if he wants to see his vice president elected and preserve his historical legacy.
– Noah Feldman
– Noah Feldman
We’ve all heard someone referred to as a Lame Duck, but the original meaning of this phrase is often lost. Lame Duck is a term used to describe an elected official who is no longer responsible to his constituency, usually due to the fact that he’s on his way out of office and reelection is no longer a possibility.
Lame Duck Day celebrates the ratification of the 20th amendment of the United States, an amendment added to shorten the time that the President, Senators, and Representatives spent in office after an election. During this time, especially if the representative was not reelected or is no longer eligible for reelection, they no longer have to concern themselves with the desires of their constituency. While this only happens during certain small sections of time, significant decisions have been made during this period. What kinds of things? Homeland Security is one of the biggest results of a lame duck congress meeting, but there have also been wars started and a president impeached, all under the auspices of a lame-duck session.
Where did the term come from? In the 1700’s a Lame-Duck was used to describe those stock brokers who had gauged their investments badly and could no longer pay off their debts. Later, it was extended to include unethical business-men who would find themselves bankrupted, and continue to do business anyway, even though they had no money to pay employees or suppliers. The term has now been extended to include the representatives listed above, and to describe those sessions where the people in session are no longer beholden to those people who elected them.
Lame Duck Day is best celebrated by researching the history of those people you support politically, and find out just how accountable they really are to their constituents. Have they consistently voted their conscience in the past, have they worked to promote the things they were elected to support? It is especially important to pay attention to that period following a re-election, a choice to retire, or when their office has been eliminated, it’s this time period where they will most clearly show their true colors. If they remained true to their principles during this time period (their professed principles), odds are good that they’ll stay true to their constituents when the hammer comes down.
Word of the Day
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| Definition: | (noun) A state of commotion and noise and confusion. | ||
| Synonyms: | tumult, uproar | ||
| Usage: | The crowd at the fair was noisy and rowdy, and in the midst of the garboil, I lost sight of my sister. | ||
Idiom of the Day
Humpty Dumptyism— The act or practice of misusing or misinterpreting a word, phrase, or article of text to suit one's own meaning or purpose. Taken from the character Humpty Dumpty in Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass, who states, "When I use a word it means just what I choose it to mean." |
History
Treaty of Waitangi Establishes New Zealand as a British Colony (1840)
Though considered the founding document of New Zealand as a nation, the Treaty of Waitangi has been the subject of much debate since it was signed by representatives of the British crown and Maori chiefs in 1840. It gave Britain control of New Zealand while recognizing the native inhabitants' land rights. However, the English and Maori texts differed, leading to many controversies over its stipulations.
Aaron Burr (1756)
| Before he shot and mortally wounded Alexander Hamilton in the famous duel, Burr was a well-regarded lawyer and politician, having served in the American Revolution and held various offices, including that of senator. But after Hamilton used his influence to thwart more than one of his political aspirations, Burr—then vice president—challenged him to a duel and won. |
Sapporo Snow Festival (Yuki Matsuri)
This exuberant celebration of snow and ice has been held since 1950 in Sapporo, the capital city Hokkaido. The week's activities feature a colorful parade and competitive events in winter sports, as well as a display of colossal snow sculptures along the main street and in Odori Park. The sculptures are spectacular—intricately carved and often several stories high. About three weeks before the festival, a wooden frame is built and packed with snow; after the snow has hardened the frame is removed and the carving begins. A different theme is chosen each year for the sculptures.
Signatures of Earthly Life May Be Etched in Moon Rock
| The Earth may be leaving its mark on the moon in more ways than previously thought. |
1788 - Massachusetts became the sixth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
1843 - "The Virginia Minstrels" opened at the Bowery Amphitheatre in New York City. It was the first minstrel show in America.
1911 - The first old-age home for pioneers opened in Prescott, AZ.
1932 - Dog sled racing happened for the first time in Olympic competition.
1937 - K. Elizabeth Ohi became the first Japanese woman lawyer when she received her degree from John Marshall Law School in Chicago, IL.
1956 - St. Patrick Center opened in Kankakee, IL. It was the first circular school building in the United States.
1971 - NASA Astronaut Alan B. Shepard used a six-iron that he had brought inside his spacecraft and swung at three golf balls on the surface of the moon.
1973 - Construction began on the CN Tower in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
1987 - President Ronald Reagan turned 76 years old this day and became the oldest U.S. President in history.
2014 - Jay Leno ends his time on The Tonight Show.
READERS INFO
1. Vaughan Celebrates WinterFest!
Vellore Village Community Centre
1 Villa Royale Avenue
Sunday, February 12, 2017
10am-3:30pm
The fun-filled WinterFest event features FREE outdoor stage entertainment, IceZone, Midway Zone, Horse Drawn Wagon Rides, and more. A FREE Pancake Breakfast was hosted in celebration of Vaughan's 25th Anniversary, along with an Official Welcome by Mayor and Members of Council.
Entertainment highlights included: performances by Mini Pop Kids, Bobs & Lolo, magician and illusionist Neil Croswell, Bounce Entertainment, and Doo Doo the International Clown.
further information: 905/832-2281
2. Bamboo Bass Festival
Feb 17-19, 2017
Jacó, Costa Rica
Gathering the Bass Tribes from around the world and bringing them together in Costa Rica. Join us in building an atmosphere of sharing, inclusion, & fun while enjoying international and local bass music, live painting & art exhibits, dance & flow performers in the beautiful jungle.
Tickets and Further Information: Buy tickets to Bamboo Bass Festival 2017 - Bamboo Bass Festival
3. Arizona Fine Art Expo
Jan 13 - Mar 26, 2017
Cactus Ridge Ranch
26540 N Scottsdale Rd
Scottsdale, AZ
This is nothing like a third-grade art class where little kids pick up a paintbrush, slap it around a white piece of construction paper and call it art. The Fine Art Expo in Scottsdale, Arizona, brings nationally recognized artists as well as up-and-coming creatives to showcase their artistic endeavors. While you're browsing every gallery's collection of paintings, sculptures, ceramics and more, you'll have the opportunity to purchase whatever piece blew your mind the most.
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK, 10 AM - 6 PM
further info: 480-837-7163
Pictures of the day
The nave of the Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury in Portsmouth, England. The original building was dedicated in 1188 to the honor of St Thomas of Canterbury, who was assassinated and martyred. This chapel was to become, in turn, a parish church in the 14th century and a cathedral in the 20th century.
ENGULFING BEIJING IS INSANE
knit - VALENTINE'S DAY
knit
thanks, Marcy
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Scallop Scarf pattern by Bernat Design Studio
Gauge 18 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches in stocking st
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knit, teen - adult
thanks, Connie
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Oink a Piggy Hat pattern by Lisa Wilt
Pattern released with sizes Small/Med to fit teen/adult woman and size Med/Large to fir adult/man. Note that larger size has not had extensive testing so p...
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Preview by Yahoo
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knit
knit
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Tissue Sock pattern by Dianna Morgan
Okay, so it doesn’t look like a sock at all. But the two ends of this little tissue case are worked like the toes of knit socks: the cast on edge is like a sock wor...
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Preview by Yahoo
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crochet - VALENTINE'S DAY
thanks, Marge
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Preview by Yahoo
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crochet
thanks, Doris
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thanks, Bertha
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RECIPE
thanks, Shelley
CROCKPOT RECIPE
3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Lasagna
SWEETS
Chocolate Croissant Breakfast Bake
thanks, Heide
plainchicken
serves 10
serves 10
- 1 (10 to 13-oz) package mini croissants, chopped
- 2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1-1/3 cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray.
Place croissant pieces in prepared pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
Beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla in medium bowl with electric mixer until well blended. Add milk and mix until combined. Pour evenly over croissant pieces.
Let stand 20 minutes or cover and refrigerate overnight.
Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes or until set in center. Serve warm.
ADULT COLORING
CRAFTS
A Trash Can Made From Trash
hometalk
It takes a lot of rolled tubes. If I remember correctly there are at least two magazines in each of these projects. For the rectangular shapes I wove the sides and the bottoms of the baskets but I wanted an oval shape for the trash can so I started with a piece of cardboard and glued the paper tubes around the bottom.
Then I just started weaving in a 1 X 1 pattern around and around until it was the height that I wanted. Because the paper tubes are a little stiff and want to push apart I used a lot of hot glue to secure the weave in place as I was working.
I wasn't sure how the finish the top but then I decided just to roll the excess paper down to the top rim and secure it in place with more hot glue.
It worked really well and a plastic grocery bag fits over the lip of my new trashy trash can.
Like I said before I am kind of addicted so I made this rectangular basket in a 1 X 2 weave and then added a liner made from an empty grain bag.
For this basket I experimented with adding some handles..
I still have a lot of magazines left and I am wondering what else I can make from them.
CHILDREN'S CORNER ... game
PUZZLE
Cactus Gravel Jigsaw Puzzle
QUOTE
CLEVER
More Rare Photos
A 1985 picture of a Alaotra Grebe from Madagascar. It is the only photo ever taken of this species that may or may not be extinct.
The last picture taken of the inside of Titanic as the crew prepare to close the gangplank in 1912.
Emily Dickinson as a teenager in 1847.
Lincoln, without his hat, a few minutes before he gave The Gettysburg Address in 1863.
The first color photograph taken in 1861.
Taken in 1840, the woman in this picture is Constanze Mozart, the wife of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
The only known photo of Fredric Chopin.
The only known photo of Albert Einstein's original E=MC2 formula on his chalkboard
A baby walker from 1905.
The Beatles preparing to cross Abby Road in 1969.
Teddy Roosevelt in 1900 on the election trail, riding a moose through water.
A Coca Cola delivery truck in 1909.
The last known photo of a Bali tiger taken in 1937.
The White House in 1865.
Steve McQueen and James Coburn serve as pallbearers at Bruce Lee's funeral in 1973.
George Orwell holds a puppy during the Spanish Civil War in 1937. Ernest Hemingway can be seen in the background.
Harry Houdini in 1912 in chains, about to be lowered into the East River.
Ida Fuller of Vermont, the first recipient of monthly payment under Social Security, receiving her first check on January 31, 1940. Before Social Security, many elderly citizens lived in deplorable poverty
June, 1969 -- The flow over Niagara Falls is stopped for maintenance work.
Louis Armstrong plays for his wife and the Sphinx in 1961
Japanese archers taken between 1860 and 1900.
President Lincoln and General George McClellan in the general's tent near Antietam battlefield October 3, 1862.
Barrels of alcohol about to be burned during prohibition in 1927.
The first passengers on the brand new New York subway in 1904.
Construction of the St. Louis Arch in 1965.
The earliest known aerial photograph, taken from a balloon over Paris in 1858.
Mark Twain in 1883.
Construction of Hoover Dam in 1934.
Six year-old Arthur Conan-Doyle in 1865.
Coney Island in 1905.
What is thought to be the oldest known war photograph: New Hampshire volunteers depart for the Mexican War in 1846.
Dinosaurs are transported on the Hudson River to the 1964 World's Fair.
Construction of the Sydney Opera House in 1966.
Betty White at home with her dog in 1952
The rather luxurious seating area of the submarine, The Protector, in 1902
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