the quick Sliver

3.16.12 Green on Green

March 16, 2012 Mike Keeler

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New York is feeling really, really green. The first recorded St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York City was way back in 1762, and was organized by Irish soldiers serving in the British Army. It wasn’t much of a piss-up, and wouldn’t become one for another 100 years or so.…

3.9.12 A Mysterious Thing

March 9, 2012 Mike Keeler

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There is a Thing that so awesome, that has been around so long, and is so ubiquitous, that we’ve kinda forgotten all about it First of all, we don’t even know how this Thing got its name. Some folks think it’s just the Greek word for “beautifully done,” or maybe…

2012 100th Birthday Cross of Lorraine Freemasons Knight's Templar Nabisco Oreo

3.2.12 Defying the Numbers

March 2, 2012 Mike Keeler

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This week a man died on his 25th birthday, after a very long life. When George Keller was a farm kid in St. Louis, he thought he was indestructible. His favorite trick was to lie on the ground and have horses jump right over him. He loved baseball, and one…

2012 100th Birthday George Keller Leap Day Leap Year

2.24.12 Best Picture

February 24, 2012 Mike Keeler

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In the dream factory, one story has a sad ending. The Kodak Theater in Los Angeles was built with the express purpose of hosting the world’s most noteworthy movie and TV celebrations. The Kodak has been home to the Academy Awards since its opening in 2001, and to American Idol…

2012 Academy Awards American Idol Best Picture David Lean Eastman Kodak Company film Hollywood Kodak Oscars Pixar

2.17.12 (Gregorian) or 2.6.12 (Julian) Happy Birthdays

February 17, 2012 Mike Keeler

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Can’t a guy just celebrate his birthday? George Washington was born on February 11, 1731. At least, that was the date on the Julian calendar then in use in America and throughout the British Empire. But on the continent of Europe, they were using a different calendar, the Gregorian calendar,…

2012 gregorian calendar holiday julian calendar Lincoln's Birthday Washington's Birthday

2.10.12 The Gift That Keeps On Hissing

February 10, 2012 Mike Keeler

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Between hope and fear lies eternal love. First the hope. Each February 14, women cross their fingers and hope that their guy won’t be a complete idiot. Roses would be fine. Chocolates too. But the most highly hoped-for Valentine’s gift is a relatively simple one: a card or poem. In…

2012 Bronx Zoo cockroach dating divorce gift It's Just Lunch Lindt love Valentine's Day Viagra

2.3.12 A Taxing History

February 3, 2012 Mike Keeler

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99 years ago today, Congress officially got its fingers into your wallet. The Founding Fathers feared it. They were so concerned that the government would abuse the power of taxation, or that some states would get an unfair tax advantage, that they made taxation difficult. They included a clause in…

2012 16th Amendment; Congress; Civil War; Constitution direct tax income tax

1.27.12 Northern Magic

January 27, 2012 Mike Keeler

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Holy Hedwig, What the Heck is Happening? Come now, surely you can’t be such a muggle that you haven’t noticed. Owls! Owls everywhere! Dozens of owls, clutches of owls, whole parliaments of owls. And it’s not just any type of owl. They’re bright white, over two feet tall, and active…

2012 irruption ornithology snowy owl

1.20.12 Unsavory in Sonoma

January 20, 2012 Mike Keeler

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Thomas Wolfe famously explained, “you can’t go home again.” Mitt Romney infamously said, “corporations are people, my friend.” Put them together, and you get, “corporations can’t go home again.” The small town of Sonoma, California, has been home to lots of different folks for a pretty long time. The Miwok…

2012 Chuck Williams history marketing politics Sonoma Williams-Sonoma zoning

1.13.12 Oh Man, Omens!

January 13, 2012 Mike Keeler

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Yeah, yeah, Friday the 13th, ooh, scary. We already covered that topic, you can read it here: http://thequicksliver.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/11-13-09-friday-the-13th/ But there’s been enough bad luck recently and since the world probably won’t end in 2012, we’d prefer to be optimistic. There are plenty of signs we’re headed for a good year. …

2012 2012 Chinese New Year Druids economy Friday the 13th Good Luck Omens railroads Stonehenge Warren Buffet Winter Solstice Year of the Dragon