On This Day
1922 – U.S. Senator John B. Kendrick of Wyoming introduces a resolution calling for an investigation of a secret land deal, which leads to the discovery of the Teapot Dome scandal.
The Teapot Dome scandal was a bribery scandal involving the administration of United States President Warren G. Harding from 1921 to 1923. Secretary of the Interior Albert Bacon Fall had leased Navy petroleum reserves at Teapot Dome in Wyoming, as well as two locations in California, to private oil companies at low rates without competitive bidding.[1] The leases were the subject of a seminal investigation by Senator Thomas J. Walsh. Convicted of accepting bribes from the oil companies, Fall became the first presidential cabinet member to go to prison; no one was convicted of paying the bribes.
Before the Watergate scandal, Teapot Dome was regarded as the “greatest and most sensational scandal in the history of American politics”.[2] It damaged the reputation of the Harding administration, which was already severely diminished by its controversial handling of the Great Railroad Strike of 1922 and Harding’s veto of the Bonus Bill in 1922.[3] Congress subsequently passed legislation, enduring to this day, giving subpoena power to the House and Senate for review of tax records of any U.S. citizen regardless of elected or appointed position.[4] These resulting laws are also considered to have empowered the role of Congress more generally.[5]
1520 – The Revolt of the Comuneros begins in Spain against the rule of Charles V.[4]
The Revolt of the Comuneros (Spanish: Guerra de las Comunidades de Castilla, “War of the Communities of Castile”) was an uprising by citizens of Castile against the rule of Charles I and his administration between 1520 and 1521. At its height, the rebels controlled the heart of Castile, ruling the cities of Valladolid, Tordesillas, and Toledo.
The revolt occurred in the wake of political instability in the Crown of Castile after the death of Queen Isabella I in 1504. Isabella’s daughter Joanna succeeded to the throne. Due to Joanna’s alleged mental instability, Castile was ruled by the nobles and her father, King Ferdinand II of Aragon, as a regent. After Ferdinand’s death in 1516, Joanna’s sixteen-year-old son Charles was proclaimed king of both Castile and Aragon. Charles had been raised in the Netherlands with little knowledge of Castilian. He arrived in Spain in October 1517 accompanied by a large retinue of Flemish nobles and clerics. These factors resulted in mistrust between the new king and the Castilian social elites, who could see the threat to their power and status.
In 1519, Charles was elected Holy Roman Emperor. He departed for Germany in 1520, leaving the Dutch cardinal Adrian of Utrecht to rule Castile in his absence. Soon, a series of anti-government riots broke out in the cities, and local city councils (Comunidades) took power. The rebels chose Charles’ own mother, Queen Joanna, as an alternative ruler, hoping they could control her madness. The rebel movement took on a radical anti-feudal dimension, supporting peasant rebellions against the landed nobility. On April 23, 1521, after nearly a year of rebellion, the reorganized supporters of the emperor struck a crippling blow to the comuneros at the Battle of Villalar. The following day, rebel leaders Juan López de Padilla, Juan Bravo, and Francisco Maldonado were beheaded. The army of the comuneros fell apart. Only the city of Toledo kept alive the rebellion led by María Pacheco, until its surrender in October 1521.
The character of the revolution is a matter of historiographical debate. According to some scholars, the revolt was one of the first modern revolutions, notably because of the anti-noble sentiment against social injustice and its basis on ideals of democracy and freedom. Others consider it a more typical rebellion against high taxes and perceived foreign control. From the 19th century onwards, the revolt has been mythologized by various Spaniards, generally liberals who drew political inspiration from it. Conservative intellectuals have traditionally adopted more pro-Imperial stances toward the revolt, and have been critical of both the motives and the government of the comuneros. With the end of Franco’s dictatorship and the establishment of the autonomous community of Castile and León, positive commemoration of the Comunidades has grown. April 23 is now celebrated as Castile and León Day, and the incident is often referred to in Castilian nationalism.
Read more ->
Born On This Day
1841 – Mary Grant Roberts, Australian zoo owner (d. 1921)[5]
Mary Grant Roberts (15 April 1841 – 27 November 1921) was an Australian zoo owner. Roberts owned Hobart Zoo from when it opened in 1895 until her death in 1921. The zoo was closed in 1937.
Life and career
Roberts was born in Hobart, Australia, on 15 April 1841. She was the youngest child of William Lindsay and Mary Lindsay née Willing. She married Henry Llewelyn Roberts on 18 August 1863 in St David’s Cathedral in Hobart. Henry Roberts owned a woolbroking and stock-agency company.[1] He died in 1919, aged 88.[2]
Roberts and her husband built their home, Beaumaris, in 1877 and it was opened as a zoo in 1895 as Beaumaris Zoo, later the name changed to Hobart Zoo. Roberts was the first person to breed Tasmanian Tigers,[1] the last of which died in Hobart Zoo in 1936. Roberts was elected to the Zoological Society of London in 1910 and published an article on her work breeding Tasmanian Tigers in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London in 1915.[1]
Through her interest in animal welfare, Roberts founded the Game Preservation Society and the Anti-Plumage League. She also successfully campaigned with the Royal Society of Tasmania to strengthen Tasmania’s laws on animal welfare.[3]
After her death on 27 November 1921,[1] Roberts donated the zoo to the trustees of the Tasmanian Museum who passed it to Hobart City Council. The council moved the zoo to an old quarry site in Queens Domain.[4] The zoo closed in 1937 due to high maintenance costs and a decrease in the number of visitors.[5]
In 2006, Roberts was inducted onto the Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women for her services to the community.[3]
1863 – Ida Freund, Austrian-born chemist and educator (d. 1914)[6]
Ida Freund (15 April 1863 – 15 May 1914)[1] was the first woman to be a university chemistry lecturer in the United Kingdom.[2] She is known for her influence on science teaching, particularly the teaching of women and girls. She wrote two key chemistry textbooks and invented the idea of baking periodic table cupcakes, as well as inventing a gas measuring tube which was named after her.
1864 – Rose Talbot Bullard, American medical doctor and professor (d. 1915)
Rose Talbot Bullard (April 16, 1864 – December 22, 1915) was an American physician and medical school professor, who was elected president of the Los Angeles County Medical Association in 1902.
FYI
NASA: Astronomy Picture of the Day
https://youtu.be/b02dbFqIX5Q
The Passive Voice, From 1843 Magazine: Bread in Ukraine: why a loaf means life
The Passive Voice, From Kristine Kathryn Ruch: The Final Brandon Sanderson Post
The Passive Voice, From National Public Radio: Two years ago schools shut down around the world. These are the biggest impacts
Wickersham’s Conscience: Return of Bird of the Week: Black-throated Trogon
By Matt Fidler, The Guardian: World Press Photo winners 2022 – in pictures A selection of images from this year’s World Press Photo 2022 contest, with regional as well as overall winners for the first time, supported by a regional judging process
By Justin Silverman, Vice News: Why is it so hard for formerly incarcerated firefighters to find work?
By Catherine Muccigrosso, The Charlotte Observer: ‘War for talent’: Lowe’s expands educational benefits with debt-free college program
By Cameron Duke, Live Science: 100 million-year-old fairy shrimp reproduced without sex, rare fossils reveal
JOAN REEVES aka SlingWords: SlingWords Celebrates 17th Birthday With Free Book
By Anne Shannon, WGAL: Television show theme song helps Lancaster County family reunite with lost pet
By Alex Beggs, Taste: Bone Appétit: The Short and Happy History of Cookbooks for Dogs
The Road to Significance & Success
The most traditional way to measure the quality of one’s life is to evaluate success by listing accolades, achievements, and acquisitions. After all, in its simplest terms, success is getting what we want and most people want wealth and status.
Yet, as much pleasure as these attributes can bring, the rich, powerful, and famous usually discover that true happiness will elude them if they do not have peace of mind, self-respect, and enduring loving relationships.
Peace of mind doesn’t preclude ambition or desire for material possessions or high position, but it assumes a fundamental foundation of contentment, gratitude, and pride — a belief that whatever one has is enough and an attitude of active appreciation for the good things in one’s life.
Feeling successful can generate satisfying emotions of self-worth, but feeling significant — that one’s life really matters – is much more potent. Peter Drucker, the great management guru, captured this idea when he wrote of the urge many high achievers have to “move beyond success to significance.”
The surprise for many is that one of the surest roads to significance is service. It doesn’t have to be of the Mother Teresa missionary variety. Parents who sacrifice their own comfort and pleasure for their children are performing service, as are teachers, public-safety professionals, members of the military, and volunteers who work for the common good.
In addressing graduates, Albert Schweitzer said, “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.”
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
NSFW
Ideas
Mike McGroarty: Backyard Growing System
Recipes
By Betty Crocker Kitchens: 20 Colorful Spring Dinners
By Joe Yonan, The Washingotn Post: This Genius Sauce Turns Your Pasta Into a Seasonal Stunner—No Matter the Season The chunky puree of toasted pine nuts, olive oil, lemon and salt created the cheesiest nondairy sauce I think I’ve ever tasted
Little House Big Alaska: Fresh Strawberry Cake
By Betty Crocker Kitchens: 12 Crazy-Easy One-Bowl Desserts
Just the Recipe: Paste the URL to any recipe, click submit, and it’ll return literally JUST the recipe- no ads, no life story of the writer, no nothing EXCEPT the recipe.
DamnDelicious
RecipeTinEats
- Nutella Stuffed Cookies November 22, 2024Nutella Stuffed Cookies. Yes, they are as naughty and indulgent as they look. But so much easier to make than you think! No electric beater, just a wooden spoon. That moment when the melty Nutella floods in your mouth…. send help! Nutella Stuffed Cookies This is no ordinary cookie. This is a cookie that is... […]Nagi
- New Orleans Chicken Wings November 19, 2024Why settle for plain chicken wings when you can have bold, spicy, New Orleans sass?! Tossed in Creole seasoning and garlic butter then baked until golden, the smell alone will make you drool. Easy enough for dinner, excellent for parties. Get in my belly! New Orleans Chicken Wings Today’s recipe is inspired by New Orleans... […]Nagi
wikimedia
- Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for November 25 November 25, 2024Picture of the day Papaya fruits in a grocery store. Colatina, Espírito Santo, Brazil.
- Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for November 24 November 24, 2024Picture of the day The Scroll of Eighty-Seven Immortals, drawn by an unknown painter, measuring 30cm high and 292cm wide, is a line-drawing Chinese figure painting. Drawn on a long silk scroll with lines, the painting depicts 87 taoist immortals, including three supreme gods with halo, ten divine generals, seven deities and 67 celestial maidens […]
E-book Deals:
The Book Junction: Where Readers Go To Discover Great New Fiction!
Mystery & Thriller Most Wanted
Book Blogs & Websites:
Welcome to the Stump the Bookseller blog!
Stump the Bookseller is a service offered by Loganberry Books to reconnect people to the books they love but can’t quite remember. In brief (for more detailed information see our About page), people can post their memories here, and the hivemind goes to work. After all, the collective mind of bibliophiles, readers, parents and librarians around the world is much better than just a few of us thinking. Together with these wonderful Stumper Magicians, we have a nearly 50% success rate in finding these long lost but treasured books. The more concrete the book description, the better the success rate, of course. It is a labor of love to keep it going, and there is a modest fee. Please see the How To page to find price information and details on how to submit your Book Stumper and payment.
Thanks to everyone involved to keep this forum going: our blogging team, the well-read Stumper Magicians, the many referrals, and of course to everyone who fondly remembers the wonder of books from their childhood and wants to share or revisit that wonder. Isn’t it amazing, the magic of a book?