The election is over, the results are in (glares pointedly at Florida) and the numbers are good. If you know me you know I generally don’t like numbers. Or math, anyway. For your edification, I share this.
Tag: history
I voted, and so should you
Today is election day here in America. If you have not yet voted the polls are open until 8:00pm local time. I was heartened to see that my polls were not only busy, they were busy with people of every age, every color, and that the poll attendants had already run out of the “I Voted” stickers. (I love those stickers.)
If you are voting in a swing state or a place where funny things sometimes happen at the polls (Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania come to mind) here is what you need to know about finding your polling place, necessary ID, reporting voting fraud, etc.
It is your duty as a citizen of this country to get out there and vote. It is also, for some of us, a hard fought right. Women got the right to vote in 1920, the year my grandmother was born. For those of you paying attention, we’ll celebrate the centenary anniversary of that achievement 8 years from now.
Don’t sit this one out, get out there and make the most of that right. VOTE.
The following was provided by Ultraviolet.org
What You Need to Know for Election Day, November 6, 2012
How to find your polling place:
- Google Polling Place Locator
- Revolution Messaging’s text message polling place locator
- Election Protection’s smart phone app: Download from iTunes or from the Google Play Store
Questions or problem at the polls?
- Election Protection is a nonpartisan coalition of 150 organizations dedicated to making sure everyone can exercise their right to vote. If you have a problem at the polls on Election Day, or if you just need to find your polling place or have a question, you can call 1-866-OUR-VOTE, or download their smart phone app at the links above.
What to bring to the polls:
Some states require specific forms a voter ID; some don’t. Here are a few resources to find out what you need to bring:
- UltraViolet Voter Registration Center: Just click on your state, then “What Do I Need?”
- Rock the Vote’s Election Center
- Election Protection
What’s on my ballot?
- Check out November6th.org to find out what’s on your ballot. Just enter your address, and you will be able to see what’s on your ballot, from ballot measures and local races to the national level.
The resources above should answer most questions for most people. If you can’t find an answer online or with the apps provided, your best bet is to call 1-866-OUR-VOTE or your state election official.
——————————————————————
If you’re going to vote near closing time, bring a book and a bottle of water. If you’re on the premises before they shut the doors then they have to let you vote. Similarly, your employer has to allow you unpaid time to vote today. Make time to do this. It really is important, the future of our country is at stake.
Thank you in advance.
~Kelly
Surprise ending even surprised me
Well, I have heard the sorts of arguments made by this guy all too often, but I had heard that this video was worth watching because of the twist ending. So I watched it, and I have to admit, I was absolutely surprised. Pleasantly surprised.
-Geoff
Clayton
That was the name of the black tailed prairie dog that I worked with for years in my museum job. She passed away a few years ago at a good old age, but I still miss her. She was a bit pudgy even by prairie dog standards, but she was a cute little thing.
She loved to snack on nuts of different types, she was always amusing on stage when taken out for educational programs for kids and adults alike, and she loved her chin scritches. She was full of personality, quite content to tell you to bugger off when she didn’t want to be bothered, loved to make up her own comfy sleeping spaces, and was a little tyrant when she felt like it. I learned a lot about prairie dogs because of her, so when I received the following email from the HSUS I knew that I needed to talk about it, and talk about Clayton, here.
Second tour is done
This time we had a full group of about 15. Most of them seemed pretty enthusiastic although there was one guy who must have been along for the ride, because he didn’t seem to be into it while the woman with him asked me a lot of questions. Probably the most unusual thing about this tour happened when I brought the group by the Julia Ward Howe and Samuel Gridley Howe home on Chestnut Street. After describing how Julia was inspired to write new words to the tune of “John Brown’s Body”, and how the new lyrics became tremendously popular, a woman on the tour asked if I could sing it for her, and then a bunch of the other women on the tour chimed in too. So I went ahead and sang the first verse. I got a round of applause, hopefully not for comedic value and/or pity.
-Geoff
The first Civil War walking tour seemed to go well…
and the second one is coming up this weekend. There are already a bunch of people signed up for it. I am excited. Needless to say I have had the Civil War era on the brain for a while, but especially lately.
Continue reading “The first Civil War walking tour seemed to go well…”
The unstudied aspects of the Civil War
I know that to some people, the idea that there is anything left to study about the Civil War is doubtful. Estimates are that some 50,000 books have been written about the Civil War. And yet, much to my own frustration, many topics remain unstudied. The one that has frustrated me more than any other in recent years is civilian casualties of the war.
Getting down to the wire
My first Civil War walking tour for Historic New England is coming up this Saturday. I am a little nervous, but I think it is going to go well.
One of Bucky’s previous lives
We have all heard that cats have nine lives, but rarely is the evidence for one of those lives presented so starkly and so unexpectedly.
In a previous life, Bucky belonged to Mr. Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain.
My Civil War Walking Tour for Historic New England
Hello everyone. I have been meaning to put up a link to the new tour that will be led by yours truly, so here is the link to the first one, which will be on September 22nd. That day is the 150th anniversary of the issuing of the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, so it is a pretty appropriate day, I think. If you have the time, come on out and learn some history with me.
-Geoff
