AMAZON

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

February 12th Mixed bag

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. PRESIDENT

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was born in a log cabin near Hodgenville, Kentucky, on February 12th, 1809. The celebration of the Bicentennial of his birth has begun and will continue through 2009.

"There is no grievance that is a fit object of redress by mob law." The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume I, "Address Before the Young Men's Lyceum,of Springfield, Illinois (January 27, 1838), p. 113.

"Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it." The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume III, "Letter To Henry L. Pierce and Others" (April 6, 1859), p. 376.

“What is conservatism? Is it not adherence to the old and tried, against the new and untried?" Lincoln's Cooper Institute Address, February 27, 1860.

“In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The Government will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the Government, while I shall have the most solemn one to 'preserve, protect, and defend it'." Lincoln's First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1861.

"My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause." The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume V, "Letter to Horace Greeley" (August 22, 1862), p. 388.

“If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very best I know how - the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what's said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference." The Inner Life of Abraham Lincoln: Six Months at the White House by Francis B. Carpenter (Lincoln, Nebraska, University of Nebraska Press, 1995), pp. 258-259.





Yes, I was a Valentine gift to my parents, born February 14th, 1946.





I was tagged the other day for a meme
by Rhapsody @ bleu clair rhapsody et la symphonie de [crickets]


Here are the rules, (You can ignore them if you wish).

The rules for this meme are:

(1) Link to the person that tagged you.
(2) Post the rules on your blog.
(3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
(4) Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
(5) Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.


I...

(1) ... went to college planning to be an attorney.
(2) ... have had, besides dogs and a cat, birds, fish, a rabbit and a turtle as pets.
(3) ...have never been to a Disney theme park.
(3) ... have not shaved the beard from my face in 36 years.
(4) ... studied Arabic my Freshman year in college—and passed the course!
(5) ... taught history and civics at the high school level.

(6) ... am going to return to spraying Alex with water if he doesn’t stop attacking my nose-hose and clawing my balls!


&
I am not tagging anyone. If you want to play, please do.




I do not remember who emailed me the short video below, but it is certainly worth watching.


33 comments:

  1. A Valentine Day baby...How sweet. I have a sister-in-law who celebrates hers on Thursday as well.

    Have a good day Nick and I hope you are feeling well. Cheers!!

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  2. Man I think that kitten is actually trying a suprise sneak attack on the dog ... it's just biding it's time and pretending to be friends.

    Cats are sneaky like that ...

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  3. We have lots in common. I went to school to be a teacher but ended up a lawyer. Good for you in getting out when you did. I've never been to Disney either but plan to go in 3 years.

    Happy Birthday (a few days early) !

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  4. I bet you were the best Valentine's gift your parents could ask for!

    Sweet video.

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  5. I bet you were the bestest Valentine's present your Mum and Dad ever had! Hope you have a wonderful birthday on Thursday - are you doing anything special?

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  6. MATT-MAN: There are certain problems with being born on Valentine’s Day that I have blogged about in the past and will certainly blog about in the future.

    THE DIVINE MISS M: You’re right. The kitten is being a kitten.

    ENOLA: Yeah, life is strange, how our intentions somehoe lead us where we never intended to go. I may never make it to a Disney park, but am glad my sons and grandkids have.

    CAROL: I think that I was a surprise Valentine gift. My mom tells me that I was due on her birthday, March 1st, and that’s when I was expected.

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  7. I have had my beard for 22 years, but I did shave it once, briefly. A job required me to spend a week working at a chemical plant in Louisiana, and I had to have a smooth face in case I needed to use the emergency escape masks.

    As for #6, um, maybe you could consider wearing pants?

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  8. This is a lovely post! Those are words of Lincoln that, except for his inauguration address, I have not read. I think it wonderful that you are a Valentine! That video is so cute and the message so crucial.

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  9. that video was wayyy cute. why not, indeed?

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  10. Interesting write up on Lincoln, Nick - I didn't realize his bicentennial's coming up...

    Nice job with the meme,too!:)

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  11. Happy b-day buddy!!!!!!
    Funny video i have some funny videos on my blog also if you get time check them out! take care nick

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  12. We want Muffin Saga!
    We want Muffin Saga!

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  13. ` KITTTTTYYYYY!!! I DUVS KITTIES!!!!! AND THE DOGGIE DUVS THE KITTY!

    ` Nick! You were a Valentines Day gift? That's heavy. For some reason.

    ` Nick, I can guard your balls from Alex if you like. I'm all for defense of genitals.

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  14. You know I know some about Lincoln but apparently I have much to learn.

    Happy Birthday, a day or two early. What an interesting day to be down. I missed the 4th of July by three days (born on July 1st) so I had to adopt the Canada Day instead since it is on my birthday.

    With the Internet it really is a small world after all. I hope you make a trip to Disney someday. It is a pretty interesting place.

    I had a mustache for about 22 years before I shaved it off. I was not happy how gray it was turning.

    Speaking of nose hose .. I found a pot of gold of nose hoses. My Mom has a big stash as she only uses her oxygen when trying to exercise or if she is sick. She is home now and I wanted to say thank you so much Nick.

    Love the way the dog just says what ever. I was hopping the Kittie would tucker out and curl up against the dog. It is a shame would could not all learn something from those two.

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  15. Happy early birthday, Nick! I hope it is a wonderful one!!!

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  16. Thanks for all the Lincoln quotes. I did know that his goal was not the end of slavery. That's just the way it worked out.

    Loooove that video.

    I hope your birthday is wonderful!

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  17. Nick may your birthday be wonderful!
    And make that Alex leave your balls alone!!!!!!!!!!

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  18. Hey, happy birthday coming up! My sister was also born on Feb 14th, I won't mention the year for her sake. :) Cute video and a very patient dog - I have always liked that song. ec

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  19. I think it's so wonderful that you were a history teacher!! What is your favourite part of history, and how long did you teach??

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  20. Hi Nick ~~ Happy Birthday for the
    14th February. I hope you have a lovely day with some good things
    happening. Take care, my friend,
    Love and best wishes, Merle.

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  21. I love that mem and video and of course that you are a Valentine gift to the world.

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  22. Wasnt Lincoln just the strangest looking bloke lol....

    Ive not been to Disneyland in the USA, but I did take me lads when younger to Disneyland Paris.... the thing is I dont do crowds and queues to well to bother with the USA one....

    A Valentines Baby that is soooooo special as are you.....

    (((Saintly)))

    x

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  23. Happy Birthday Nick !!! I hope that you have a wonderful day full of happiness. Maybe as a valentine's/Birthday gift Alex could keep his paws to himself ?

    Love the video !

    Take care,
    Susan

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  24. hey nick, i have an e-mail i would like to share with you. what is your e-mail address??

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  25. XMICHRA: I was about to respond that my email address is at my Blogger profile, but them decided to check it out. The email link on my profile—and on yours—does not work. Therefore, here is my email address: nicholas.temple@gmail.com

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  26. Hi, my friend!
    Excellent posting. You are Master!
    Thank you.

    Happy Valentine`s Day!

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  27. THOMAS: Do you ever wonder what you look like beneath your face fuzz? I have a few times, but never to the point of shaving.

    FIOCHRA: Thank you. Sometimes reading the letters of historical personages give us insights that their public words don’t.

    TWYLA: When I received that video in my email mail, I almost missed the words about peace. I’m glad that it’s so cute that I watched it more than once.

    TAI: Thank you. I am hoping that the weather cooperates and some of the snow and ice melts tomorrow so I can go out for a nice (lobster and steak) meal.

    RHAPSODY: Thank you. I probably wouldn’t have known about the Lincoln Bicentennial except Hodgenville isn’t that far from Louisville and the media has recently been filled with the story.

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  28. CHICA: Thank you, Tiffany. I finically got around to watching the vids on your blog. Yes, they are funny, especially the obese (he probably doesn’t weigh as much as me) dude’s comedy routine. And thank you for the awards you passed on to me. I hope to sort them out and acknowledge them with a blog post soon.

    RIMSHOT: I promise that after a special birthday blog post tomorrow that my next shall be Part X of The Muffin Saga.

    S E E QUINE: Yeah, Sara, I was a Valentine’s gift. I think that means that I remain a romantic, even when I need to be a realist. You may guard my balls whenever you like, since I seem to be incapable to spotting Alex when he sneaks up on me.

    BARMAN: Yes, Masser Abe was a complicated dude, as most of us are. As such it’s difficult to separate Abe Lincoln the man from Abe Lincoln the legend.

    Canada Day is an excellent one to adopt for your birthday. Sometimes being born on Valentine’s Day is a royal pain in my ass, especially when I want to make restaurant reservations for my birthday.

    Shaving mustaches just because there is gray in them isn’t necessary. There is hair coloring made for them you know!

    I’m sure your mom has as many back-up nose-hoses and the like as they have given me. Since she’s been using hers longer than I, she may have more. I am so glad she’s out of hospital and back home!

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  29. PUNKMOM: Thank you. Whatever the day, I shall celebrate to the best of my ability!

    SQUIRL: You are most welcome. I wondered if anyone would catch the letter Abe wrote to Basler regarding the abolishing of slavery. I fear that the war was fought to abolish slavery has become one of the Lincoln and Civil War legends that just ain’t so.

    LITTLE WING: Thank you. However, I see no way of keeping Alex away from putting his claws in my balls. My only defense is to be aware of the furball when he’s sneaking up on me. Even when I squirt him with water, he thinks it’s a game and that just makes him sneakier!

    MR. EDDIE: I offer my birthday greetings to your sister! Many great people were born in February and the 14th was an extra good day to be born.

    THE LONE BEADER: I taught American history for one year, although I also taught as a substitute for a few months after I left active military service. I love history and all parts of it. I don’t really have a favorite era. I read and study everything from the ancient Chinese to the conflicts of the 20th Century.

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  30. PINK: Thank you.

    MERLE: Thank you.

    ABBY: Thank you.

    MARMITE TOASTY: Well, old Abe certainly wasn’t an Adonis like Clinton or Bush! I read a while back that Disneyland Paris was struggling financially. If it’s made it this many years, I suppose the struggle isn’t that great.

    AUBURN HAIRED ARTIST: Thank you. If Alex would just meow to get my attention rather than claw me my life would be much less painful!

    DAVID SANTOS: Thank you, although I don’t think I am really a master—at least not at blogging!

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  31. Mabuhay from the Philippines! Hopping from the Big Bang List. I'm No. 499-506! ;) Hope you can add me on your list. :)

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