England’s Real “Game of Thrones” – The War of the Roses

Dear Readers: As always, check Legal Insurrection for my political punditry:

• Two HOT graphics

• Whistle-blowing Scientist Sues UCLA for His Job

• Obama’s “Where’s Waldo” Foreign Policy World

On Canto Talk, we will be taking with military history expert extraordinaire Barry Jacobsen about England’s real “Game of Thrones”, the War of the Roses.  The show will be Thursday, March. 21st at 7 pm PST/9pm CT/10 pm EST – click HERE FOR PODCAST LINK.

There is a fun video that discusses the “War of the Roses”

The basis for this interest is the recent identification of King Richard III’s remains, which were located under a parking lot.

Rigorous scientific investigations confirmed the strong circumstantial evidence that the skeleton found at the site of the Grey Friars church in Leicester was indeed that of King Richard III.

University of Leicester researchers have revealed a wealth of evidence — including DNA analysis, radiocarbon dating and skeletal examination — proving the identity of the skeleton.

University of Leicester archaeologists co-director Richard Buckley, the lead archaeologist on the Search for Richard III, said: “It is the academic conclusion of the University of Leicester that the individual exhumed at Grey Friars in August 2012 is indeed King Richard III, the last Plantagenet King of England.

“It has been an honour and privilege for all of us to be at the centre of an academic project that has had such phenomenal global interest and mass public appeal. Rarely have the conclusions of academic research been so eagerly awaited.”

University of Leicester geneticist Dr Turi King confirmed that DNA from the skeleton matches that of two of Richard III’s family descendants — Canadian-born furniture maker Michael Ibsen and a second person who wishes to remain anonymous.

Dr King, of the University’s Department of Genetics, said: “The DNA sequence obtained from the Grey Friars skeletal remains was compared with the two maternal line relatives of Richard III. We were very excited to find that there is a DNA match between the maternal DNA from the family of Richard the Third and the skeletal remains we found at the Grey Friars dig.”

Skeletal analysis carried out by University of Leicester osteoarchaeologist Dr Jo Appleby showed that the individual was male and in his late 20s to late 30s. Richard III was 32 when he was killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.

The individual had a slender physique and severe scoliosis — a curvature of the spine — possibly with one shoulder visibly higher than the other. This is consistent with descriptions of Richard III’s appearance from the time.

Trauma to the skeleton indicates the individual died after one of two significant wounds to the back of the skull — possibly caused by a sword and a halberd.

This is consistent with contemporary accounts of Richard being killed after receiving a blow to the back of his head.

The skeleton also showed a number of non-fatal injuries to the head, rib and pelvis — believed to have been caused by a wound through the right buttock — which may have been caused by ‘humiliation injuries’ after death.

Dr Appleby’s analysis is backed up by radiological evidence carried out by University of Leicester forensic pathologists and forensic engineering experts.

Dr Appleby, of the University’s School of Archaeology and Ancient History, said: “The skeleton has a number of unusual features: its slender build, the scoliosis and the battle-related trauma. All of these are highly consistent with the information that we have about Richard III in life and about the circumstances of his death. Taken as a whole, the skeletal evidence provides a highly convincing case for identification as Richard III.”

The War of the Roses was fairly brutal:

The Wars of the Roses refers to a long, repetitive, and destructive civil war, based on a struggle for the English crown by the members of two distinct factions in the English royal family (called the Plantaganets, who had ruled for over two hundred years). Strictly speaking, the Wars of the Roses applies only to the latter half of this conflict, but it is commonly used to describe the entire internecine fight.

The war had its origins in a quarrel between Richard II and his cousin, Henry Bolingbroke, as a result of which Richard II was murdered and Henry became Henry IV. Richard’s murder brought about civil war, which continued until Henry IV’s son ascended the throne as Henry V and restored a short interval of glorious military victory in France and peace at home.

Upon Henry V’s early death, the wars of succession resumed. Henry’s son, Henry VI, who led the branch of the family called the Lancastrians (the party of the Red Rose) was challenged by the Yorkist branch of the family (the party of the White Rose). Success in the war alternated for a number of years, until the Yorkists prevailed, and Edward IV came to the throne. Upon the death of Edward, his brother Richard became King Richard III.

The Lancastrian cause meanwhile was taken up by a distant relative of the royal family, Henry Tudor (whose claim was based upon the marriage of his grandfather, Owen Tudor, to Henry V’s widow). He invaded England and defeated the Yorkist forces at the Battle of Bosworth Field (in 1485), thus ending the dynasty of the Plantaganets and initiating the Tudor royal family (as Henry VII). Henry VII was the father of Henry VIII and therefore the grandfather of Queen Elizabeth.

Although the procedure may be seriously misleading, the Battle of Bosworth Field is often used as a convenient date to mark the start of the Renaissance in England, inasmuch as it initiates the first distinctly Renaissance royal family in England, the Tudors, who take over from the famous medieval royal family, the Plantaganets.

The dynamics will be familiar to those who love the TV series, though it lacks the ghouls and the dragons.

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Roman Leaders, Old and New: Julius Caesar and Pope Francis

Dear Readers: Canto Talk will be filled with lots of interesting news and view, so be sure to tune in today (Thursday, March 14 at 7 pm PST/9 pm CT/10 pm EST) for a two guest show!!!

To start with, noted Catholic author and a good friend of the Shrine, John Zmirak will join us to discuss the new pope, the “Bishop of Rome”. More on this big event is detailed at Legal Insurrection: Argentina’s Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio becomes Pope Francis – Updated

And there is even more Roman goodness: Fellow SLOB and military historian extraordinaire Barry Jacobsen will be on the second half of the show to discuss the assassination of Julius Caesar on the “Ides of March”, which is tomorrow.

In January of 49 BC, Julius Caesar led his army across the Rubicon River in Northern Italy (see Caesar Crosses the Rubicon, 49 BC) and plunged the Roman Republic into civil war. Caesar’s rival, Pompey, fled to Greece. Within three months Caesar controlled the entire Italian peninsula and in Spain had defeated the legions loyal to Pompey.

Caesar now pursued Pompey to Greece. Although outnumbered, Caesar crushed the forces of his enemy but not before Pompey escaped to Egypt. Following Pompey to Egypt, Caesar was presented with his rival’s severed head as a token of friendship. Before leaving the

The Assassination of Caesar

region, Caesar established Cleopatra as his surrogate ruler of Egypt. Caesar defeated his remaining rivals in North Africa in 47 BC and returned to Rome with his authority firmly established.

Caesar continued to consolidate his power and in February 44 BC, he declared himself dictator for life. This act, along with his continual effort to adorn himself with the trappings of power, turned many in the Senate against him. Sixty members of the Senate concluded that the only resolution to the problem was to assassinate Caesar.

Death of a Dictator

Nicolaus of Damascus wrote his account of the murder of Caesar a few years after the event. He was not actually present when the assassination occurred but had the opportunity to speak with those who were. He was a friend of Herod the Great and gathered his information during a visit to Rome. His account is thought to be reliable.

The Plan:

“The conspirators never met openly, but they assembled a few at a time in each others’ homes. There were many discussions and proposals, as might be expected, while they investigated how and where to execute their design. Some suggested that they should make the attempt as he was going along the Sacred Way, which was one of his favorite walks. Another idea was for it to be done at the elections during which he bad to cross a bridge to appoint the magistrates in the Campus Martius; they should draw lots for some to push him from the bridge and for others to run up and kill him. A third plan was to wait for a coming gladiatorial show. The advantage of that would be that, because of the show, no suspicion would be aroused if arms were seen prepared for the attempt. But the majority opinion favored killing him while he sat in the Senate, where he would be by himself since non-Senators would not be admitted, and where the many conspirators could hide their daggers beneath their togas. This plan won the day.”

Brutus Persuades Caesar to Ignore his Apprehensions:

“…his friends were alarmed at certain rumors and tried to stop him going to the Senate-house, as did his doctors, for he was suffering from one of his occasional dizzy spells. His wife, Calpurnia, especially, who was frightened by some visions in her dreams, clung to him and said that she would not let him go out that day. But Brutus, one of the conspirators who was then thought of as a firm friend, came up and said, ‘What is this, Caesar? Are you a man to pay attention to a woman’s dreams and the idle gossip of stupid men, and to insult the Senate by not going out, although it has honored you and has been specially summoned by you? But listen to me, cast aside the forebodings of all these people, and come. The Senate has been in session waiting for you since early this morning.’ This swayed Caesar and he left.”

Bad Omens:

“Before he entered the chamber, the priests brought up the victims for him to make what was to be his last sacrifice. The omens were clearly unfavorable. After this unsuccessful sacrifice, the priests made repeated other ones, to see if anything more propitious might appear than what had already been revealed to them. In the end they said that they could not clearly see the divine intent, for there was some transparent, malignant spirit hidden in the victims. Caesar was annoyed and abandoned divination till sunset, though the priests continued all the more with their efforts.

Those of the murderers present were delighted at all this, though Caesar’s friends asked him to put off the meeting of the Senate for that day because of what the priests had said, and he agreed to do this. But some attendants came up, calling him and saying that the Senate was full. He glanced at his friends, but Brutus approached him again and said, ‘Come, good sir, pay no attention to the babblings of these men, and do not postpone what Caesar and his mighty power has seen fit to arrange. Make your own courage your favorable omen.’ He convinced Caesar with these words, took him by the right hand, and led him to the Senate which was quite near. Caesar followed in silence.”

The Attack:

“The Senate rose in respect for his position when they saw him entering. Those who were to have part in the plot stood near him. Right next to him went Tillius Cimber, whose brother had been exiled by Caesar. Under pretext of a humble request on behalf of this brother, Cimber approached and grasped the mantle of his toga, seeming to want to make a more positive move with his hands upon Caesar. Caesar wanted to get up and use his hands, but was prevented by Cimber and became exceedingly annoyed.

That was the moment for the men to set to work. All quickly unsheathed their daggers and rushed at him. First Servilius Casca struck him with the point of the blade on the left shoulder a little above the collar-bone. He had been aiming for that, but in the excitement he missed. Caesar rose to defend himself, and in the uproar Casca shouted out in Greek to his brother. The latter heard him and drove his sword into the ribs. After a moment, Cassius made a slash at his face, and Decimus Brutus pierced him in the side. While Cassius Longinus was trying to give him another blow he missed and struck Marcus Brutus on the hand. Minucius also hit out at Caesar and hit Rubrius in the thigh. They were just like men doing battle against him.

Under the mass of wounds, he fell at the foot of Pompey’s statue. Everyone wanted to seem to have had some part in the murder, and there was not one of them who failed to strike his body as it lay there, until, wounded thirty-five times, he breathed his last. “

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A Look at Moms in Cuba and America

Dear Readers: I wanted to share with you some observations about the book my friend, Silvio Canto Jr., recently published: Cubanos in Wisconsin (Available form Amazon.com in BOOK and KINDLE) form).

Cuba has always been held captive by the Castro regime from the time I was born, and I was only vaguely aware of the sequence of events that put Fidel Castro in power. I recall some scenes from “The Godfather II” showing the turmoil and the attacks. But there is so much more to the story.

It seems that Castro came to power on a wave of popular support, as the US had stopped helping the corrupt leader Batista it became obvious to all that he was doomed. Castro had not declared himself a communist but acted as one as he brutally enforced a distributionist economic system that enriched only a very few. However, to get to power, he promised liberty and prosperity — which sounded great to a population chaffing under the rule of a corruptocrat.

It was the old bait-and-switch routine.

One of the concepts that came across in Silvio’s experiences was during the implementation of Castro’s vision, was the complete absence of private property. Silvio saw that the high-tech radio his father worked hard for and prized was being eyed by officials, who stated that the family didn’t own it. Sadly, the concept of the state owning everything, no matter the effort it took to obtain an item, is one we may have to get used to in this country.

Richard Baehr of American Thinker offers further details on what happened to the Canto family once Silvio’s banker father, who was forced by the new government to be a baker, when they decided to head to the United States:

The journey makes up a good part of the book. Today, many of us have vague recollections of Cubans flying out of Havana to Miami in the first years after the Castro regime came to power. But it was not that simple. Once a family became “Gusanos” (worms) in the eyes of the community for choosing to emigrate from Cuba, there was nothing automatic about applying for and getting permission to leave. Some families sent their children out first. It took several years before Canto’s family received their departure papers, a process that involved their having to give up pretty much all of their possessions beforehand. The journey to Madison was not a one-shot affair either. From Havana, their plane flew to Mexico City, after stopping in Meridia. The plane’s landing gear failed approaching Mexico City, and emergency vehicles were at the ready to deal with a possible belly flop landing. After a one week stay in Mexico City, the family boarded a plane for Kingston, Jamaica, a county of extreme poverty, from which the family could first apply for entry visas to the U.S.

Perhaps the person I identified with most was Silvio’s mom Angela, who valiantly protected her children from the chaos of the new world order. For example, one particularly irksome official named Bello tried to whisk young Silvio away to the surgacane fields. Silvio’s mom sharply rebuked the official, bravely saying that she would be going along with her son. Silvio didn’t have to cut sugarcane, but the family was subjected to a retribution in many ways after that incident.

Another incident touched my heart. At one point, the Cantos were considering participating in Operation Pedro Pan, which would get the children out of Cuba while the parents stayed. Angela would not hear of it, as she would not be parted from her children and insisted the family go together — which led to many adventures Silvio entertainingly chronicles in his book.

As a Californian, I read the Canto family experience with their first earthquake in Mexico City with some amusement.

Silvio’s book is a very engaging read, and should be picked up by anyone who wants to see how a relatively free society transforms itself into a thugocracy. There is a wide array of behaviors displayed, from going along with the brutality of the regime to fighting back via stealth and strategy. As Americans see the IRS used to enforce Obamacare, and other examples of statist power-grabbing, Silvio’s book could be valuable insight as to how we respond unless we change the direction of the country.

Silvio’s mom is a driving force in making a better life for her children in the United States. That ties into a post I did for Legal Insurrection yesterday:  American Women, not Koch Brothers, birthed the Tea Party Movement

Most of the original “Tea Party” organizers joined the developing national-scale protest in 2009 because we were deeply concerned about our children’s futures. Between the enormous expenditures of the Toxic Asset Relief Program and the “Stimulus Package”, many of us were reeling over the fact our taxpayer concerns were being ignored, and the result would be making our children indentured servants of the state to pay off the enormous debt.

This ties into a the Thursday Canto Talk show, I am doing with fellow San Diego Tea Party – SoCal Tax Revolt Coalition co-founders: Dawn Wildman and Sarah Bond. We three activist moms will be discussing the 4th anniversary of the organized Tea Party movement with Silvio. It should be a blast. (CLICK HERE FOR PODCAST LINK).

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Citizen activism in Michigan, “right to work” laws, and more

Dear Readers: I am looking forward to sharing news about the Great Lake State this week, which seems to have avoided being sucked up in a “death spiral” like the Golden State! This will be the topic of my Canto Talk chat this week (which is moved to Wednesday, because Thursday the SLOBs are having a Beer Summit). So, listen in Wednesday, Jan. 16th (7 pm PST/9 pm CT/10 pm EST, – click HERE)

I will be joined by my long time friend, who is like a second brother to me. His name is Lloyd Conway, who happens to be one of the kindness, hardest-working, and scholarly people I have met!

A funny story to share, before I go on to the meat of this post: We met in junior high school. Our conversation was a debate about which civilization was superior, the ancient Egyptian or Hittite.

If you can’t guess which side of the debate I was on, then you don’t read me often enough. But, I digress.

Lloyd is a great example of something I think more citizens should consider doing — actually get involved in local government. He will be telling us a little bit about how he finally landed a spot on the Charlotte City Council. It is at the local government where smart, sensible Americans can implement the most effective plans that will protect us from big government intrusions. (Speaking of which, do check out the scary Obama press rant conference today).

Lloyd is also an instructor at several institutions of higher learning, and he has a related website: Teaching History and Social Studies.

This blog is my attempt to share what I do (or have done) as a civil servant, U.S. Army and National Guard veteran, city council member and social studies teacher. Mixing experience and education, being open to inter-disciplinary insights into how the world works, and seeking unconventional explanations for how and why things are as they are are my goals. I won’t necessarily endorse every idea, theory or book that is discussed here, but the creative endeavors of independent thinkers deserve a hearing, and even when disagreeing with a writer’s premises or his conclusions, one may still find a kernel of truth or a fresh insight to share.

We will be chatting about the “Right to Work” law passage:

 As my work brings me to downtown Lansing, Michigan almost daily, I was an eyewitness to the protests taking place at the Capitol steps in response to the Legislature’s lame-duck session debate and subsequent passage of  ’right-to-work’ bills, signed into law hours later by the Governor.  What follows are my observations, made while coming into Lansing just after 7;00 a.m., and during the day, on break, at lunch, and upon leaving mid-afternoon.

Scene at Capitol and Ottawa Streets, Lansing, Michigan, just after 7:00 a.m.

……  Putting aside for now rival explanations for the union/high wage vs. right-to-work/more jobs history of other states (such as the education of each state’s workforce, they value added by local manufactures, tax and regulatory climate, et cetera), one could imagine that, as wages trend lower, Michigan will become more attractive to new or expanding businesses, and that they will create jobs – at wages more in line with national or world-wide levels of compensation than is the case when a union can advocate effectively for a better deal for its’ members, even as that deal may raise the cost of labor to a point where fewer jobs are created.

And expectation of privacy:

Governing Magazine reports that some cities are considering monitoring of conversations on public transit, including Traverse City, Michigan, where this author recently stayed overnight while on a work assignment.  That hits home; it is one thing to read of news happening in far-off places; it is quite another to pass it on the street.

The question before us is whether we have a right to privacy, and if so, whether it extends beyond the curtilage of our dwelling-places into the public arena.  Our federal Bill of Rights enumerates certain of our liberties; the Ninth Amendment specifically states that the enumeration of certain rights does not disparage others held by we, the people.  Those rights are generally understood to be the ancient ‘Rights of Englishmen,’ ours by inheritance as inhabitants of former English colonies, as ‘Common Law,’ the most famous exposition of which is Blackstone’s.  Thus, some rights are ours, as a matter of common custom and usage.  Ivan Illich may have had something like this in mind when he penned ‘Silence Is A Commons’ in criticism of the invasion of public spaces by commercial and political speech, amplified technologically, that forces itself upon our consciousness through the sheer ubiquity and volume of the noise-making devices at their owners’ command.

It should be a very interesting show!

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MUT Takes on The Crusades

Dear Readers:  As I noted earlier, my political punditry will be appearing on Legal Insurrection for the next couple of days.  So, I will focus on history at the Shrine.

Normally, my gig is ancient Egyptian history.  However, I am going to jump ahead a few centuries and discuss the Crusades.  The reason is that this topic will be featured this Thursday (Jan. 10th) on Canto Talk (7 pm PST, 9 pm CT).  The guest that evening will be noted military history expert Barry Jacobsen (whose featured appearances include THERMOPYLAE and THE REAL KING ARTHUR).

The era of the Crusades is a fascinating period that clearly demonstrates that the Middle East has always been a hot bed of political intrigue, religious disagreements, and general unrest.  The four key players are:

• The Byzantine Empire, which was the heir to Imperial Rome moved to Constantinople.  It was coming off a high point reached under Basil II, and basically kick started the Crusades by requesting Western European help after a substantial defeat at the hands of the Seljuk Turks at Manizkert in 1071.

• Dualing Islamic Powers:  The Fatimids (who thought Ali, son-in-law to Mohammad via marriage to the prophet’s daughter Fatima — aka “Shia Muslims“) centered in Cairo, Egypt and the Abbasid Caliphate out of Baghdad (“Sunni” Musims who accepted accept Mohammad friend Abu Bakr as the successor to the prophet).

• Western Europe: Western Europe was then emerging as a significant power in its own right, though it still lagged far other the above two Mediterranean entities.  At that time a combination of advances in agriculture, religious unification under Christianity, and developing nation-states permitted England, France, and Germany to organize and send troops to the Levant.  However, they rarely got along with Eachother.

• The Jews:  This religious minority population, spread throughout Europe and the Levant, seemed to suffer no matter who was in charge.

Proving, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

There following is “The 8 Crusades Explained“, which focus on the organized campaigns that had the regaining the city of Jerusalem under Christian rule as its main objective.

1. The First Crusade (1095-1101) [Wikipedia]

In March 1095 at the Council of Piacenza, ambassadors sent by Byzantine emperor Alexius I called for help with defending his empire against the Seljuk Turks. Later that year, at the Council of Clermont, Pope Urban II called upon all Christians to join a war against the Turks, promising an indulgence for those who died in the service of the army.

Crusader armies managed to defeat two substantial Turkish forces at Dorylaeum and at Antioch, finally marching to Jerusalem with only a fraction of their original forces. In 1099, they took Jerusalem by assault and created small crusader states which were the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

2. The Second Crusade (1145-47) [Wikipedia]

After a period of relative peace in which Christians and Muslims co-existed in the Holy Land, Muslims conquered the town of Edessa. A new crusade was called for by various preachers, most notably by Bernard of Clairvaux. French and German armies, under the Kings Louis VII and Conrad III respectively, marched to Jerusalem in 1147 but failed to accomplish any major successes. By 1150, both leaders had returned to their countries without any result.

3. The Third Crusade (1188-92) [Wikipedia]

in 1187, Saladin, the Sultan of Egypt captured Jerusalem. Pope Gregory VIII called for a crusade which was undertaken by King Richard I of England (Richard the Lionheart), Holy Roman Emporer Frederick I, and King Philip II of France. They defeated the Muslims near Arsuf and were in sight of Jerusalem. However, due to an inadequate food and water supply, the crusade ended without the taking of Jerusalem. Richard left the following year after establishing a truce with Saladin. This crusade is sometimes referred to as the King’s Crusade. Pope Gregory VIII did not live to see the end of this crusade.

4. The Fourth Crusade (1204) [Wikipedia]

The Fourth Crusade was initiated in 1202 by Pope Innocent III, with the intention of invading the Holy Land through Egypt. Because the Crusaders lacked the funds to pay for the fleet and provisions that they had contracted from the Venetians, Doge Enrico Dandolo, enlisted them to restore to obedience the Christian city of Zara (Zadar). Because they subsequently lacked provisions and time on their vessel lease the leaders decided to go to Constantinople, where they attempted to place a Byzantine exile on the throne. After misunderstandings and outbreaks of violence, the Crusaders sacked Constantinople.

5. The Fifth Crusade (1217) [Wikipedia]

By processions, prayers, and preaching, the Church attempted to set another crusade on foot, and the Fourth Council of the Lateran (1215) formulated a plan for the recovery of the Holy Land. In the first phase, a crusading force from Hungary, Austria joined the forces of the king of Jerusalem and the prince of Antioch to take back Jerusalem. In the second phase, crusader forces achieved a remarkable feat in the capture of Damietta in Egypt in 1219, but under the urgent insistence of the papal legate, Pelagius, they proceeded to a foolhardy attack on Cairo, and an inundation of the Nile compelled them to choose between surrender and destruction.

6. The Sixth Crusade (1228-29, 1239) [Wikipedia]

Emperor Frederick II had repeatedly vowed a crusade but failed to live up to his words, for which he was excommunicated by Pope Gregory IX in 1228. He nonetheless set sail from Brindisi, landed in Palestine, and through diplomacy he achieved unexpected success: Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem were delivered to the crusaders for a period of ten years. This was the first Crusade that had no Papal involvement. The Pope eventually lifted the excommunication.

7. The Seventh Crusade (1249-52) [Wikipedia]

The papal interests represented by the Templars brought on a conflict with Egypt in 1243, and in the following year a Khwarezmian force summoned by the latter stormed Jerusalem. The crusaders were drawn into battle at La Forbie in Gaza. The crusader army and its Bedouin mercenaries were outnumbered by Baibars’ force of Khwarezmian tribesmen and were completely defeated within forty-eight hours. This battle is considered by many historians to have been the death knell to the Christian States. As part of this Crusade, Louis IX organised a crusade against Egypt which lasted until 1254.

8. The Eighth Crusade (1270) [Wikipedia]

The eighth Crusade was organized by Louis IX in 1270, again sailing from Aigues-Mortes, initially to come to the aid of the remnants of the crusader states in Syria. However, the crusade was diverted to Tunis, where Louis spent only two months before dying. For his efforts, Louis was later sainted (the city of St. Louis, Missouri, USA is named for him). This Crusade is sometimes broken into an eighth and ninth crusade. The result of this crusade was the loss of Christian rule in Syria though it achieved a partial success in that Christian religious were allowed to live peacefully in the region.

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California and New Zealand’s “Tsunami Bombs”!

Dear Readers:  HAPPY NEW YEAR!  And, may the Goddess of Capitalism act ever in your favor.

I wanted to start the new year with some heartfelt thanks to 3 gentlemen who made the struggles of 2012 a little more bearable, and who have been really wonderful friends of the Shrine.

• Bill Jacobson, of Legal Insurrection, who has invited me to join his team in support of his newest effort: College Insurrection.

• Aaron Clarey, Captain Capitalism, whose kind links to my history pieces are most appreciated — as his overall support of Capitalism.  I am looking forward to the publication of his newest book, “Enjoy the Decline“, which I had the privilege to edit very lightly.

• Silvio Canto Jr., who does the innovative and informative Canto Talk BlogTalkRadio.com show – and is one of the pioneers in the new mode of podcast-based talk radio that I think is the wave of the future.

I also want to give a big thank you to the SLOBS – SAN DIEGO LOCAL ORDER OF BLOGGERS, who are part of a dynamic punditry team covering local, state and national issues. A special mention needs to go to our tech guru, Charles of Doo Doo Economics.

Now, for today’s news. It seems that the Golden State is set firmly on a path to self-destruction. A new wave of fiscal badness is about to hit our shores: Higher down payments could be compromise Prop. 13 reform

Could simply requiring higher down payments on home loans be a compromise reform of Proposition 13?

The Democratic Party supermajority in the state legislature is presently pushing for reforms of Proposition 13, the 1978 initiative that limits property tax increases to 2 percent per year until a property resells.

Some of the legislature’s proposed reforms include  eliminating Prop. 13 for commercial properties and lowering the voter threshold for school parcel taxes to 55 percent from the current two-thirds.

But there may be a better way.

The culprit involved in state budget deficits is not Prop. 13.  It is low down-payment requirements and interest rates on home purchases combined with the effects of slow-growth management and environmental laws. Growth-management laws cause the excessive housing booms and busts that throw state and school budgets out of balance, as well as causing upside-down home values.

That Proposition 13 is being target by the Democratic Supermajority should be especially concerning to Californians. It is about the only taxpayer friendly legislation passed in the past 50 years, and makes living in the state quasi-affordable. Any “reform” will tsunami-like fiscal repercussions.

Speaking of Tsunamis: The United States and New Zealand conducted secret tests of a “tsunami bomb” designed to destroy coastal cities by using underwater blasts to trigger massive tidal waves.

The tests were carried out in waters around New Caledonia and Auckland during the Second World War and showed that the weapon was feasible and a series of 10 large offshore blasts could potentially create a 33-foot tsunami capable of inundating a small city.

The top secret operation, code-named “Project Seal”, tested the doomsday device as a possible rival to the nuclear bomb. About 3,700 bombs were exploded during the tests, first in New Caledonia and later at Whangaparaoa Peninsula, near Auckland.

The plans came to light during research by a New Zealand author and film-maker, Ray Waru, who examined military files buried in the national archives.

“Presumably if the atomic bomb had not worked as well as it did, we might have been tsunami-ing people,” said Mr Waru.

“It was absolutely astonishing. First that anyone would come up with the idea of developing a weapon of mass destruction based on a tsunami … and also that New Zealand seems to have successfully developed it to the degree that it might have worked.” The project was launched in June 1944 after a US naval officer, E A Gibson, noticed that blasting operations to clear coral reefs around Pacific islands sometimes produced a large wave, raising the possibility of creating a “tsunami bomb”.

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Last Wish of Dying Boy – to Smash X-Mas Card Record

Dear Readers: In preparation for my Canto Talk appearance tonight — here is a story I will mention. Via The Daily Caller.

Dying 9-year-old seeks to break Christmas card record

Nine-year old Dalton Dingus is dying of cystic fibrosis, but the Kentucky native has a dying wish: to break the world record for receiving the most Christmas cards. His mother reported Friday on Facebook that he has nearly 100,000.

Dalton has already received tens of thousands of cards from all over the world, according to ABC News, and celebrity guests have come personally to deliver theirs — including the reigning Miss Kentucky and one of the stars of Animal Planet’s “Call of the Wildman.”

ABC News reports that doctors basically gave up on Dingus in October.

“We left the hospital to come home. They gave him two to eight days to live,” his mother, Jessica Dingus, said.

But Dalton has beaten the odds each day. What keeps him going, his mother says, is his quest to break the Christmas card record.

“The cards give him something to look forward to. Something to get excited about,” his 27-year-old mother said. “The prayers are working.”

Though the Guinness Book of World Records told ABC News it ”currently does not monitor a category for this,” the record when Guinness did keep tack was just over 205,000. Dalton is receiving thousands of cards every day, and Guinness is in touch with the family to see if a new record can be recorded.

According to ABC, Dalton digests 18 different types of medication and goes through 12 liters of oxygen every day. But even those obstacles may not prevent him from being a record breaker.

To help Dalton smash the record, send a Christmas card to: Dalton Dingus, HC 62 Box 1249, Salyersville, KY 41465.

 

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CANTO TALK: “Worthless” Education and the real Camelot

Dear Readers: Thrilling news! It’s going to be a dynamic week on Canto Talk, as we will be featuring two of my favorite Capitalist Heroes! Tonight, Captain Capitalism Aaron Clarey will be chatting about his book, “Worthless” — and I will be featuring some tales from College Insurrection that make his point that sensible young people will study Science-Technology-Engineering-Math, learn a skilled trade, or join the military (CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO CANTO TALK).

In his video today, Aaron show us why he is the Grand Master of Capitalism:

Today’s College Insurrection pieces that make the case for “Worthless – The Young Person’s Indispensable Guide to Choosing the Right Major” (purchase at Aaron’s site, click HERE and hit icon at left)

• The rampant political discrimination: Affirmative action for conservative professors?
• Students forced into slave labor to engage progressive professors ‘s activism: College stages “Wikistorm” that rains down liberalism upon online entries
• Professor rants against taxpayers who don’t want higher taxes: Columbia Prof’s crazed YouTube rant against tax-fighter Grover Norquist
• Colleges kick out Christian groups but promote those that feature sexual fetishes: ACLJ Starts Petition for Students’ Religious Rights ; Harvard approves BDSM club

Occasionally, something happens on American campuses that makes the Goddess smile: Jersey college student starts 24/7 condom delivery service

As if all this capitalism goodness were not enough, Thursday we feature fellow SLOB and good friend Barry Jacobsen of Deadliest Blogger.  He will be discussing his excellent “The Age of Arthur” series.

In it, we will be comparing the Myth and Legend of Camelot to what is actually known about 5th and 6th century Britain via written and archeological records. Some of the topics to be covered.

• Was there a King Arthur who ruled Britain?
• Who exactly were the “Knights of the Round Table”?
• Was there a Queen Guinevere, and if she existed, would she have been involved with Sir Lancelot?
• Was Merlin real or fantasy?
• How did Arthur die?

Both shows should be fun and informative!

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A Masala of Fun and Facts – King Tut, Napoleon and Tango

Dear Readers:  I wanted to thank Georgina Vargas and Oscar Mandagaran for their wonderful discussion of the art and history of Tango last night.  I am afraid my fast, mid-western dialect was a but much, but Silvio was the gracious translator and we had a ton of fun (click HERE for the show link).  Georgina has a CD she is working on, and we were treated to some of her incredible, passionate singing.

I came across some amusing, entertaining, and informative links that  wanted to share today.

The Pharaoh Island: 90 years after the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, how Britain has embraced Egyptian architecture

There may not be a sphinx on every street corner in London or Manchester, but Egypt has had a bigger influence on British architecture than you would think.

From cinemas to supermarkets, factories to mausoleums, a new book has revealed the deep-seated influence the ancient territory has had on British building design for more than 200 years.

‘Egypt in England’ by Chris Elliott examines over 50 Egyptian sites in Britain, revealing the curious stories behind these unusual and often outlandish pieces of architecture and interior design.

For centuries the wonder of Ancient Egypt remained largely inaccessible to European travellers, until its ‘rediscovery’ in the 19th century.

During England’s Regency era (1811-1820) Egyptian style became the very height of fashion.

This ‘Egyptomania’ was fuelled by the British discovery, exactly 90 years ago this November, of Tutankhamun’s tomb, which gave the world some of its most iconic images of the ancient civilisation.

Part of the reason for Britain’s “Egyptomania” is that used the French Description de l’Egypte, with was a graphic illustration of the wonders discovered by Napoleon’s expedition into Egypt.

Which brings me to the subject of my next post, Word Warrior’s piece — DEMOCRATS PUSH FOR TOTAL VICTORY – that likens Obama to Napoleon.

It appears as if President Obama and the Democrats are taking a page from Napoleon’s playbook. Smelling blood in the water, they seek to turn a slender tactical victory on election night into a strategic political victory. Pursuing a relentlessly partisan, populist approach the President seeks to pursue the disordered and demoralized Republicans off the looming “fiscal cliff”.

After 3 weeks of leaving them hanging, the President has contemptuously placed before the Republicans an offer that is little more than insulting: a tax hike of $1.6 trillion; in return for an ephemeral promise of addressing essential entitlement cuts sometime in the future.

I am tired of Obama being compared to Roman Emperors, so this was a very refreshing take! The entire piece is a must-read, so please head on over.  In a related piece, Lonely Conservative note: Americans’ Net Worth Drops To 43 Year Low

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Other News and Links:

• My latest at College Insurrection, which is a look at husband-wife vacation challenges: “Check out” latest Prager U. Course — “He Wants You”
• A big thanks to W.C. Varones who links to my Legal Insurrection piece on the high speed train fiasco: California, the Pineapple Express, Axl Rose, and the High-Speed Fail to Nowhere
• Beers with Demo notes the dirty UN is trying to get its hands on our internet: Kind of a no-brainer when one thinks about it
• Edge of the Sandox has a great demographic analysis: I Don’t Know Why Asians Are Democrats, But

As a side note, I will be chatting with Aaron Clarey, Captain Capitalism this Wednesday on Canto Talk.  He has a wonderful analysis about our current batch of college students:  The Pathetic Conformity of Young “Rebels”

As a student I remember my teachers and I were sworn enemies.  It was never stated, but it was obvious through actions and behaviors, and as quickly as the first week of kindergarten, that teachers were not there to help the students, but to take advantage of them.  I do not mean in a “physical” or “sexually abusive” way, but in a financial and psychological way.  It was very apparent to me at the age of 5 that the teachers were not there to help `us, they were there for ulterior motives, and me and my peers would be the victims in this racket.

Obviously I could not articulate this at that time.  I didn’t have the vocabulary, the thought, let alone the context.  But now in hindsight and knowing the racket education is, I can identify precisely what was going on.  Young adults, too lazy to find real work, used “educating the children” as an excuse to avoid math, rigor or any career endeavor that required effort.  And so, for 13 years, me and millions of other youth had to suffer at the hands of overpaid, overglorified, inferior-human, baby sitters, and though we couldn’t articulate the argument above, we intuitively KNEW IT becuase of the day in, day out hell these morons forced upon us.  It was WAR.  And it was between the innocent students and the people posing as teachers (why else would “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” be so popular?).

Fast forward to today and times have definitely changed.  And changed for the worse.

Finally, check out College Insurrection friend, American Glob’s piece on the 5 People Fox News should kick to the curb and see if you agree!

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CANTO TALK: Tango with Georgina Vargas and Oscar Mandagaran

Dear Readers:  As a former dancer, I am always thrilled to be able to talk to real professionals who have tons of grace and style.  So, this week, Silvio is giving me an early Christmas gift:  We well be talking to two of the best Tango artists –  Georgina Vargas and Oscar Mandagaran  (Click HERE for the program; 7 pm PST/9 pm CT – Thursday, Nov. 29).

Georgina and Oscar formed “Tango de Buenos Aires”, and not only perform but give lessons as well.  While they reside in Buenos Aires, Argentina, we are privileged to be talking to them to learn about this wonderful Latin American dance style.

What exactly is Tango?  A “Tango Fundamentals” primer explains – Argentine Tango is an improvisational dance based on the four building blocks of walking, turning, stopping and embellishments. The dance is like a puzzle of two bodies and four feet. Each dance is entirely improvised, unique and gets put together differently each time you dance. No two couples dance the same way to any tango song. Women and men bring their own unique interpretation of the music and their own styles and embellishments to the dance which makes each dance an exciting and unpredictable experience. Even though dancers follow certain conventions, they never quite know how someone will construct a dance, add an embellishment or interpret the music. The surprises possible within the dance are what make the dance so addicting. It really does take two to tango, because the dance isn’t just about the man leading and the woman following. Both partners have important things to contribute—like all good conversations

A little on their background:

OSCAR MANDAGARAN, 1989 runner-up at the Malambo Argentino National Festival of the Malambo de Laborde (Cordoba). Born in Posadas, Misiones. He started his professional career as an Argentine Folk Dancer in 1983, at first in Posadas, and later at the age of eighteen in Buenos Aires. There, in 1990, he joined the cast of the National Ballet Folklorico directed by Norma Viola and Santiago Ayala, “El Chucaro”. He traveled all over Argentina, as well as other South American countries like Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia and Paraguay with that company between 1990 and 1996. During that same time studied at the Instituto Nacional de Danzas Folkloricas Argentinas, earning the following titles: National Professor of Dance, Performer of Latin American Dances, and Arqueology and Anthropology Technician.  Between 1990 and 1997, Oscar was also a cast member of some of the best shows, such as “Tango de Buenos Aires”, “Tango Mio”, “La Ventana”, “Senor Tango”, “Entre Borges Y Piazzolla, and he also played a part in Carlos Saura’s film “TANGO”.In 1997, he joined the cast of Luis Bravo’s “FOREVER TANGO”, doing his debut on Broadway. With this show he performed in the theatres of the most important cities of the world like Japan, Korea, England, Italy, France, Portugal, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, Mexico and the United States. He also debuted at the “Teatro Colon” in Buenos Aires with this troop. He remains with the company until 2003, while at the same time performing with Luis Bravo’s show “MALAMBO”, doing his debut in the city of San Francisco, California.  Concurrent with his journey as a tango dancer, he developed his career as Maestro and Choreographer of Tango, teaching in the city of Buenos Aires and abroad. His own personal style of dancing is highly appreciated among other Tango professionals and milongueros . Oscar is able to transmit all of his energy and passion for the Tango to his students. He shares with great precision all his secrets of the dance with them, including all the aspects of his technique, his musicality, his embrace and his essence.

Throughout his entire career as a Maestro of Tango, he has traveled over the entire world teaching workshops, and taking his extraordinary passion and energy, which characterize him, to every corner of the world.

GEORGINA VARGAS, milonguera, dancer and Tango singer, was born in Montevideo, Uruguay. She was grew up along the dual borders of the Rios de la Plata. She began her studies as a ballet and contemporary dancer, while later in her adolescence , she was introduced to the Tango through the milongas of the nights of Buenos Aires. From 1999 to 2005 she lived and taught in Rome, Italy, where she established her School of Tango. It was in this city that she developed her activities as a dancer and teacher in Europe and Japan. As Tango Singer in 2006 she recorded her first CD “Por Aquellos Tangos” and since 2000 she was in many Tango Shows in Argentina and all around the world like “Sabor a Tango”, “Boulevar Tango”, “Por Siempre Tango” ecc… Her passion as a stage dancer and Tango singer comes from her intense vocation as a teacher. Throughout her career she developed a very precise women’s technique program, through which every woman may easily show off her femininity in her stiletto heels.

For OSCAR and GEORGINA, one magic night like so many of the magical nights in the city of Buenos Aires, the tango provided an encounter for them on the dance floor at a milonga “bien portena” at “Nino Bien”. Every since then they have traveled the world over together enjoying their profound feeling and delightful style charged with poetry.

Their rapid union as a tango partnership with a well defined style, allowed them to expand their talent as dancers, teachers and choreographers in different parts of the world. They try to transmit their love of the Tango in its pure form and profound essence through their dancing, their teaching and their artistic generosity. With their great sensitivity and magnetism, this couple stirs in everyone who sees them a flood if emotions. Today they are recognized as one of the best tango couples on an international level, as is demonstrated by their extensive tours throughout the United States, Italy and Japan, as well as being special guests of the best Tango show in Buenos Aires – the Esquina Carlos Gardel”.

Here is a beautiful example of their work:

As a historian, I was interested in the origins of Tango.  It seems it was derived from a competition for love among immigrants pouring into Argentina in the early 1900′s.

There were really only two practical ways for a man to get close to a woman under these circumstances. One was to visit a prostitute and the other was to dance. With so much competition from other men on the dance floor, if a man wanted a woman to dance with him, it was necessary for him to be a good dancer, and being a good dancer only meant one thing. It didn’t matter if he knew lots of fancy steps, or if the other men thought he was a good dancer. The only thing that mattered was that the woman in his arms had a good time when she danced with him – because with so many other men to choose from, if she didn’t enjoy dancing with him she wouldn’t do it again, and neither would her friends.

This meant that it was necessary for the men to practice together in order to be good enough to dance with the women. It is important to remember that this was a time before recorded music was available. The only kind of music was live music, and there would have been very little of it. So if a group of men heard music playing they would jump at the chance to dance to it. In the brothels there would be live music and other men waiting. So it seems to me quite obvious that the clients of the brothels would have danced together while they waited, making the most of the opportunity to practice, not because they wanted to dance with a prostitute, but because they wanted to be able to dance well when they got the opportunity to dance with a woman who was not a prostitute.

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