Another Quote Encapsulates Trump's Troubling Tendencies

This is a picture of a magnet that was being sold at Strand's Book Store in New York City a few years ago. No, I did not buy it, but I liked it and took a picture, which I am sharing here now. 

In the past, I have sometimes posted things that other people have said about President Trump which smacks of truth. Often, these have been quite insightful. Sometimes, these have been funny. For the most part, however, it feels like most of these have been illuminating in some manner or another, perhaps explaining things in a way that makes his behavior a bit clearer.

Well, I ran into another one yesterday. This one is from Ben Stephens, and it does feel like the truth about how Trump acts and, specifically, what he tends to fixate on and why. Almost always, it does seem largely fueled by the man's ignorance or fears or misunderstanding.

Here, specifically, is what Stephens said:

“Trump is whatever the opposite of an enigma is. His every word and deed is said and done for the most obvious lizard-brain reasons. He wants something. He's scared of something. He hates someone. He doesn't understand something. We need to stop treating him as if he is some kind of master strategist. He's not an enigma. He's a two-piece jigsaw puzzle. And every other world leader solved it immediately — they've had his number since day 1.”  

- Ben Stephens on THREADS

Yup. That does sound like Trump. Hardly the mystery that some people portray him as being, or even insist that he is. In fact, he's quite predictable in some ways. For example, you might not know precisely what or who he's going to lash out at next. However, you do know that he is going to lash out at somebody. One day it's insisting that he will take over Greenland. Then suddenly, it's the Venezuelans. He seemed ready to go after Cuba next. Not long after, it's the Iranians he starts a war with. He lashes out at the Europeans for not helping out in the war that he started. Next, it's Canada, for daring to stand up to his tyrannical regime, probably because he does not know either how to handle them standing up to him, and he lacks the ability and wisdom not to overreact. 

It's pretty much the same thing domestically, too. The political opposition, whom he dubs the "Dumbocrats" and then seems to claim genius status for allegedly having come up with that (and the whole most people not realizing that there is a "b" in the word dumb, are always an easy target. But sometimes it's one of his own party, like JHohn McCain or Mitt Romney or Tucker Carlson or Marjorie Taylor Green. Perhaps there is a measure of surprise at the specific person or country or thing that he lashes out at, but it is never a surprise to anyone, even his political allies, that he does lash out. And generally, he does so in the most pathetic, needy, childish manner possible.

That you can take to the bank. 

So yeah, I agree with Ben Stephens on this point. All Trump seems to know is how to react to things, specifically to people disagreeing with him, not giving him what he wants. Hardly a master strategist, he is instead more like the bully in the school yard who taunts and tries to intimidate, and then goes crazy and talks trash if and when he senses that people feel that someone got the better of the exchange - which actually happens quite often, if truth be told. 

No mystery.

And no very stable genius. 

The real mystery is why more people have not grown tired of this now frankly very old and very tiresome routine in greater numbers yet. Perhaps they are waiting until this guy really ruins the country beyond all repair to wake up. Who knows?

Iceland Votes Today on Accession Talks With the European Union

 

Today, Iceland is going to be voting on whether or not to continue talks on the accession of the European Union.

Granted, I am not Icelandic. However, it seems to me that there never has been a better, more critical time for Iceland to join. After all, American President Donald Trump seems to go out of his way to create tensions with allies. He has shown interest in taking over Greenland, which is really not far from Iceland itself.

So yeah, it makes sense to me.

However, that is for the Icelandic people to determine in the vote later today. 

August 29th: This Day in History

 

Once again, it should be reiterated, that this does not pretend to be a very extensive history of what happened on this day (nor is it the most original - the links can be found down below). If you know something that I am missing, by all means, shoot me an email or leave a comment, and let me know!

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

On this day in 708, copper coins were minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708). In 1178 on this day, Anti-Pope Callistus III gave his Papal title to Alexander III. The Battle of Winchelsea (or Les Espagnols sur Mer) was fought on this day in 1350, when the English naval fleet under King Edward III defeated a Castilian fleet of 40 ships. The Treaty of Picquigny was signed on this day in 1475, when King Louis XI purchased English contacts. On this day in 1541, the Ottoman Turks captured Buda, the capital of the Hungarian Kingdom. The Battle at Surat India took place on this day in 1612, with the English fleet beating the Portuguese. English King Charles I signed a peace treaty with Scotland on this day in 1640.  On this day in 1655, Warsaw fell without resistance to a small force under the command of Charles X Gustav of Sweden during The Deluge. Adriaen Pieck/Gerrit de Ferry patented wooden firespout in Amsterdam on this day in 1664. English troops occupied Menorca & Sardinia on this day in 1708. On this day in 1758, the New Jersey Legislature formed the first Indian reservation. On this day in 1776 during the Revolutionary War, Americans withdrew from Manhattan to Westchester. Shay's Rebellion took place on this day in 1786 in Springfield, Massachusetts. In 1793 on this day, slaves in the French colony of St Domingue (modern day Haiti) were freed. Portugal officially recognized the independence of Brazil on this day in 1825. Britain's Slavery Abolition Act became the law on this day in 1833. The Treaty of Nanking was signed by the British and the Chinese on this day in 1842. The treaty ended the first Opium War and gave the island of Hong Kong to Britain. The III  modern Olympic Games opened in St Louis on this day in 1904. In 1907 on this day, the Quebec Bridge collapsed during construction, killing 75 workers. There was an anti-German rebellion in Slovakia on this day in 1944. American General Douglas MacArthur was named the Supreme Commander of Allied Powers in Japan on this day in 1945. The Beatles performed their last major public concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco on this day in 1966. The USSR suspended Communist Party activities on this day in 1991, leading closer to the end of Communism and the Soviet Union itself, which would dissolve later that same year. 

Here's a more detailed look at events that transpired on this date throughout history:

• On this day in 708, copper coins were minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708). In 1178  on this day, Anti-Pope Callistus III gave his Papal title to Alexander III. Jacques Pantaleon was elected as Pope Urban IV on this day in 1261. The Battle of Winchelsea (or Les Espagnols sur Mer) was fought on this day in 1350, when the English naval fleet under King Edward III defeated a Castilian fleet of 40 ships. The Treaty of Picquigny was signed on this day in 1475, when king Louis XI purchased English contacts. In 1484 on this day, Giovanni B Cibo was elected as Pope Innocent VIII. 

• The Ottoman Turks captured Nándorfehérvár, now known as Belgrade, on this day in 1521. Hungary was conquered by the Ottoman Turks in the Battle of Mohács on this day in 1526. Francisco Pizarro ordered the death of the last Incan King of Peru, Atahualpa, on this day in 1533. In 1540 on this day, Emperor Karel deprived the city of Ghent definitive rights/privileges. On this day in 1541, the Ottoman Turks captured Buda, the capital of the Hungarian Kingdom. 

• The Battle at Surat India took place on this day in 1612, with the English fleet beating the Portuguese. 

• English King Charles I signed a peace treaty with Scotland on this day in 1640. 

On this day in 1655, Warsaw fell without resistance to a small force under the command of Charles X Gustav of Sweden during The Deluge. 

•  Adriaen Pieck/Gerrit de Ferry patented wooden firespout in Amsterdam on this day in 1664. English troops occupied Menorca & Sardinia on this day in 1708. 

• In 1708 on this day, Haverhill, Massachusetts, was destroyed by the French & Native American tribes. Edmond Hoyle published his "Short Treatise" on the card game whist on this day in 1742. 

• This day in 1756  marked Prussian Libya occupied Saxson, marking the beginning of the Seven Years War, where England & France would clash across continents. 

• On this day in 1758, the New Jersey Legislature formed the first Indian reservation. 

Statue of a Continental Soldier of the American Revolutionary War of Independence in Trenton, New Jersey

• On this day in 1776 during the Revolutionary War, Americans withdrew from Manhattan to Westchester. Shay's Rebellion took place on this day in 1786 in Springfield, Massachusetts.  

• In 1792 on this day, the English warship Royal George capsized in Spithead; killing 900.

Flag of Haiti

• In 1793 on this day, slaves in the French colony of St Domingue (modern day Haiti) were freed. 

The flag of Brazil.

• Portugal officially recognized the independence of Brazil on this day in 1825.

• 1831 - Michael Faraday demonstrates 1st electric transformer

Britain's Slavery Abolition Act became the law on this day in 1833.

• The Treaty of Nanking was signed by the British and the Chinese on this day in 1842. The treaty ended the first Opium War and gave the island of Hong Kong to Britain.  

1844 - 1st white-indian lacrosse game in Montreal, Indians win

1854 - Self-governing windmill patented (Daniel Halladay)

1861 - American Civil War: US Navy squadron captures forts at Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina.

A statue in Flemington, New Jersey, honoring veterans of the American Civil War.

1862 - 2nd Battle of Bull Run Va (Manassas) during US Civil War

1862 - Battle of Aspromonte-Italian royal forces defeat rebels

1862 - US Bureau of Engraving & Printing begins operation

1864 - William Huggins discovers chemical composition of nebulae

• 1871 - Emperor Meiji orders the Abolition of the han system and the establishment of prefectures as local centers of administration. (Traditional Japanese date: July 14, 1871).

1882 - Australia beat England by 7 runs "Death of English cricket"

1882 - Fred Spofforth completes 14-90 for match v England (7-46 & 7-44)

1883 - Seismic sea waves created by Krakatoa eruption create a rise in English Channel 32 hrs after explosion

1885 - Gottlieb Daimler receives German patent for a motorcycle

1885 - Boxing's 1st heavyweight title fight with 3-oz gloves & 3-minute rounds fought between John L Sullivan & Dominick McCaffrey

1889 - 1st American Intl pro lawn tennis contest (Newport RI)

1895 - The formation of the Northern Rugby Union at the George Hotel, Huddersfield, England.

• 1896 - Chop suey invented in NYC by chef of visiting Chinese Ambassador

1898 - The Goodyear tire company is founded.

Flag of the Olympics

• The III  modern Olympic Games opened in St Louis on this day in 1904.

• 1905 - Pierre de Brazza leaves Brazzaville

1906 - Bridge in St Lawrence Canada caves in; 70 die

1906 - William J Clothier wins the US Tennis Open

• In 1907 on this day, the Quebec Bridge collapsed during construction, killing 75 workers.

1908 - NY gives a ticker tape parade to returning US Olympians from London

1909 - AH Latham of France sets world airplane altitude record of 155 m

1909 - World's 1st air race held in Rheims France. Glenn Curtiss (USA) wins

• 1910 - Japan changes Korea's name to Chōsen and appoints a governor-general to rule its new colony.

• 1911 - Ishi, considered the last Native American to make contact with European Americans, emerges from the wilderness of northeastern California.

1913 - Pieter Cort Van de Linden forms Dutch government

1914 - 4th day of Tannenberg: Russian Narev-army panics, Gen Martos caught

1914 - Arizonian is 1st vessel to arrive in SF via Panama Canal

1914 - Battle at St Quentin: French counter attack under General Lanrezac

1916 - Congress creates US Naval reserve

• 1916 - Gen Von Hindenburg becomes German Chief of Staff

1916 - Transportship Hsin-Yu & cruiser Hai-Yung collide; 1000 die

1916 - US Congress accept Jones Act: Philippines independence

1916 - Von Hindenburg replaces Von Falkenhayn as German chief of staff

1918 - Bapaume taken by Australian Corps and Canadian Corps in the Hundred Days Offensive

1924 - German Republic day accepts Dawes plan

Baseball Great Babe RuthBaseball Great Babe Ruth 1925 - After a night on the town, Babe Ruth shows up late for batting practice Miller Huggins suspends Ruth & slaps a $5,000 fine on him

1929 - German airship Graf Zeppelin ends a round-the-world flight

1930 - The last 36 remaining inhabitants of St Kilda are voluntarily evacuated to other parts of Scotland.

1932 - International Anti-War Committee forms in Amsterdam

1932 - United Cigar Stores shuts 800 shops

1939 - Chaim Weizmann informs England that Palestine Jews will fight in WW II

1941 - German Einsatzkommando in Russia kills 1,469 Jewish children

1943 - Denmark scuttles their warships so as not to be taken by Germany

• 1944 - 15,000 American troops liberating Paris march down Champs Elysees

Flag of Slovakia

• There was an anti-German rebellion in Slovakia on this day in 1944.

• 1945 - British liberate Hong Kong from Japan

• American General Douglas MacArthur was named the Supreme Commander of Allied Powers in Japan on this day in 1945.

1947 - Constantine Tsaldaris follows Maximos as Greece premier

1949 - USSR performs first nuclear test

1949 - USSR explodes its 1st atomic bomb

• 1950 - Intl Olympic Committee votes admission to West Germany & Japan in '52

1953 - KHSL TV channel 12 in Chico, CA (CBS) begins broadcasting

1953 - USSR explodes its 1st hydrogen bomb

1954 - SF International Airport (SFO) opens

1956 - French government routes troops to Cyprus near Suez crisis

1957 - Congress passes Civil Rights Act of 1957

1957 - Strom Thurmond (Sen-D-SC) ends 24 hr filibuster against civil rights

1958 - Air Force Academy opens in Colorado Springs, Colo

• 1958 - George Harrison joins Quarrymen (Lennon-McCartney-Best-Sutcliffe)

1960 - Jordan premier Hazza-el-Madjali deadly injured at bomb attack

1962 - Some provisions of Kuwaiti constitution are suspended

1962 - US U-2 flight sees SAM launch pads in Cuba

1963 - Harmon Killebrew (Twins) HRs off Pete Burnside (Senators) in DH

1964 - "Funny Thing Happened" closes at Alvin Theater NYC after 965 perfs

Animator Walt DisneyAnimator Walt Disney 1964 - Walt Disney's "Mary Poppins" released

1964 - On Elston Howard Night, Mickey Mantle ties Babe Ruth's career strikeout record (1,330)

1965 - Astronauts Cooper & Conrad complete 120 Earth orbits in Gemini 5

1965 - Willie Mays sets NL record for HRs in a month with his 17th of August

    

• The Beatles performed their last major public concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco on this day in 1966.

1966 - Dutch Internal minister Smallenbroek resigns after driving drunk

1967 - Final TV episode of "Fugitive"

1967 - Yanks longest day, Red Sox take 1st game 2-1 in 9, Yanks win 2nd game in 20, 4-3 a total of 8 hours & 19 minutes

1968 - 1st US Open tennis match (Billie Jean King beats Dr Vija Vuskains)

1968 - Democratics nominate Hubert H Humphrey for president (Chicago)

1969 - Joe Pepitone quits Yanks after being fined $500 for leaving the bench

1969 - KYUS TV channel 3 in Miles City, MT (ABC/NBC) begins broadcasting

1970 - Black Panthers confront cops in Phila (1 cop killed)

1974 - USSR performs underground nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya USSR

1975 - Star in Cygnus goes nova becoming 4th brightest in sky

1978 - USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR

1982 - 38°F lowest temperature ever recorded in Cleveland in August

1982 - Steve Miller's "Abracadabra" hits #1

1982 - The synthetic chemical element Meitnerium, atomic number 109, is first synthesized at the Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt, Germany.

1985 - Atlantis moves to launch pad for 51-J mission

1985 - Emmy News & Documentaries Award presentation

1985 - NY Yank Don Baylor is hit by a pitch for a record 190th time

1986 - Heike Drechsler of E Germany ties world women's 200 m mark (21.71s)

• 1986 - Morocco king Hassan II signs unity treaty with Libya

1988 - USSR launches 3 cosmonauts (Valery Polyakav, 1 Afghan) to station Mir

1990 - C-5 transport plane crashes at Ramstein AFB, Germany, killing 13

• 1991 - JFK Jr wins his 1st battle as an attorney

The flag of the USSR (Soviet Union)

• The USSR suspended Communist Party activities on this day in 1991, leading closer to the end of Communism and the Soviet Union itself, which would dissolve later that same year. 

1992 - Largest wrestling crowd out side of US (75,000) at Wembley Stadium

1995 - NATO launches Operation Deliberate Force against Bosnian Serb forces.

1996 - Vnukovo Airlines Flight 2801, a Vnukovo Airlines Tupolev Tu-154, crashes into a mountain on the Arctic island of Spitsbergen, killing all 141 aboard.

1997 - At least 98 villagers are killed by the GIA in the Rais massacre, Algeria.

2003 - Ayatollah Sayed Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim, the Shia Muslim leader in Iraq, is assassinated in a terrorist bombing, along with nearly 100 worshippers as they leave a mosque in Najaf.

• 2005 - Hurricane Katrina devastates much of the U.S. Gulf Coast from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, killing more than 1,836 and causing over $115 billion in damage.

2007 - A United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident takes place at Minot Air Force Base and Barksdale Air Force Base.

2012 - Georgian hostage crisis results in 3 police officers and 10 militants being killed

• 2012 - Operation Eagle, undertaken by the Egyptian Army, results in the deaths of 11 suspected terrorists and the arrest of another 23

• 2012 - Banana Spider venom is found to be effective in relieving erectile dysfunction

Professional Road Cyclist and Testicular Cancer Survivor Lance ArmstrongProfessional Road Cyclist and Testicular Cancer Survivor Lance Armstrong 2012 - The USADA claims to have stripped Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles

1828 - A patent was issued to Robert Turner for the self-regulating wagon brake.   1833 - The "Factory Act" was passed in England to settle child labor laws.   1842 - The Treaty of Nanking was signed by the British and the Chinese. The treaty ended the first Opium War and gave the island of Hong Kong to Britain.   1885 - The first prizefight under the Marquis of Queensberry Rules was held in Cincinnati, OH. John L. Sullivan defeated Dominick McCaffery in six rounds.   1886 - In New York City, Chinese Ambassador Li Hung-chang's chef invented chop suey.   1892 - Pop (Billy) Shriver (Chicago Cubs) caught a ball that was dropped from the top of the Washington Monument in Washington, DC.   1944 - During the continuing celebration of the liberation of France from the Nazis, 15,000 American troops marched down the Champs Elysees in Paris.   1945 - U.S. General Douglas MacArthur left for Japan to officially accept the surrender of the Japanese.   1949 - At the University of Illinois, a nuclear device was used for the first time to treat cancer patients.   1957 - Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina set a filibuster record in the U.S. when he spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes.   1962 - The lower level of the George Washington Bridge opened.   1965 - Gemini 5, carrying astronauts Gordon Cooper and Charles ("Pete") Conrad, splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean after eight days in space.   1966 - Mia Farrow withdrew from the cast of the ABC-TV's "Peyton Place."   1967 - The final episode of "The Fugitive" aired.   1971 - Hank Aaron became the first baseball player in the National League to hit 100 or more runs in each of 11 seasons.   1977 - Lou Brock brought his total of stolen bases to 893. The record he beat was held by Ty Cobb for 49 years.   1983 - Two U.S. marines were killed in Lebanon by the militia group Amal when they fired mortar shells at the Beirut airport.   1983 - The anchor of the USS Monitor, from the U.S. Civil War, was retrieved by divers.   1990 - Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, in a television interview, declared that America could not defeat Iraq.   1991 - The Communist Party in the Soviet Union had its bank accounts frozen and activities were suspended because of the Party's role in the failed coup attempt against Mikhail Gorbachev.   1991 - The republics of Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement to stay in the Soviet Union.   1992 - The U.N. Security Council agreed to send troops to Somalia to guard the shipments of food.   1994 - Mario Lemieux announced that he would be taking a medical leave of absence due to fatigue, an aftereffect of his 1993 radiation treatments. He would sit out the National Hockey Leagues (NHL) 1994-95 season.   1998 - Northwest Airlines pilots went on strike after their union rejected a last-minute company offer.   2004 - India test-launched a nuclear-capable missle able to carry a one-ton warhead. The weapon had a range of 1,560 miles.

1533 Atahualpa, the last ruler of the Incas, was murdered as Francisco Pizarro completed his conquest of Peru. 1786 Shays's rebellion, an insurrection of Massachusetts farmers against the state government, began. 1842 The Treaty of Nanking was signed, ending the Opium Wars and ceding the island of Hong Kong to Britain. 1877 Brigham Young died in Salt Lake City, Utah. 1949 The U.S.S.R. tested their first atomic bomb. 1957 Strom Thurmond ended the longest filibuster in U.S. Senate history. He spoke for more than 24 hours against a civil rights bill; the bill passed. 1966 The Beatles played their last major live concert at Candlestick Park, California. 1991 The Supreme Soviet, the parliament of the U.S.S.R., suspended all activities of the Communist Party, bringing an end to the institution. 2005 Hurricane Katrina slammed into the U.S. Gulf Coast, destroying beachfront towns in Mississippi and Louisiana, displacing a million people, and killing more than 1,000.

The following links are to web sites that were used to complete this blog entry:

http://www.historyorb.com/today/events.php

http://on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/alldays/aug29.htm

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

http://www.infoplease.com/dayinhistory

 

Today Marks the 63rd Anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr. “I Have a Dream” Speech

Two pictures that I took (on two separate trips) to Washington, D.C. - The spot where MLK gave his famous "I have a dream" speech is pictured above, while below, the MLK Memorial, which is a bit of a distance from the Lincoln Memorial (but not too far).

A picture of my son in front of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, taken back in the spring of 2013 for the Cherry Blossom Festival. 

Statue of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Binghamton, NY

On this day back in 1963, Martin Luther King Jr gave his famous "I have a dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial, for a civil rights rally with over 200,000 demonstrators gathered in Washington, D.C..  

In this day and age, we have sees racism seemingly on the rise in this country, with reminders that black lives do matter after a slate of clearly unnecessary police shootings and beatings that are increasingly caught on tape, with hate crimes on the rise, with nationalist movements also on the rise here and in many other western nations, and with a President here in these United States who was outright supported by the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist organizations, after eight years of the first black presidency.

Yes, these are scary times that we live in, and it is all too easy to despair. Indeed, many people seem to be despairing right now.

Yet, we need to remember that improvements have been made, and still can be made. Indeed, they must be made, and that will not happen if we just look around in horror and feel totally overwhelmed by it all.

Let us remember the progress that has been made, even if some of the hard earned victories of the past feel threatened now. Martin Luther King, Jr., fought against racial segregation in the United States back in the 1950's and 1960's. He fought against both legalized and de facto practices of racial segregation in both the north and the south of the United States. Back then in the Jim Crow South, we must remember, there were separate entrances for white and non-whites in public buildings, separate bathrooms and water fountains for whites and non-whites, and they had separate spaces in restaurants and movie theaters and beaches and hotels. It goes without saying that they lived in separate neighborhoods, and that the economic disparity between whites and non-whites was very significant. Blacks were also discouraged from voting, particularly in the South.

The civil rights movement of the 1950's and 1960's helped to change all of that. Suddenly, people saw on the nightly news, here and abroad, images of peaceful protesters being attacked by dogs and sprayed by powerful hoses. Official practices of racial segregation gained increasing media coverage, so that noted musicians like Ray Charles and even the Beatles, as well as other pop icons of the time, decided to boycott facilities which practiced racial segregation. The peaceful marches, including the most famous one in Washington that was dominated by MLK's famous "I have a dream" speech, helped to sway public opinion, despite fierce resistance by segregationists, particularly the Dixiecrats of the day.

Change did come, and King's emphasis on nonviolent activism proved effective in forcing change, although it certainly did not achieve real equality or permanently resolve the racial problems that have always plagued the United States, in particular. It would not have been resolved had Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life not been cut short by an assassin's bullet in the spring of 1968, although more progress might indeed have been made.

However, I believe that his calming influence, like that of Nelson Mandela in South Africa, did help the country to confront itself and it's own shortcomings (and not just in regards to racism) and to make some changes accordingly. Jim Crow segregation was officially abolished in a series of legislative steps that increasingly empowered non-whites in the South, and even in the North. Progress seemed to be being made, although the steps forward often seem to be quickly followed by matching steps backwards, as the recent election of Donald Trump to the White House, the racial disparity of our for profit prison system, as well as other efforts to suppress voters (particularly gerrymandering) clearly suggest. 

Still, we have to try and keep our eyes on the prize. We have to keep fighting for, and believing in, progress, if we are to make serious efforts towards improving the country. Towards those ends, we could certainly do worse than to follow the example put forth by MLK half a century ago. 

And so, on this day, I honor the man and his lasting legacy on the occasion of what most recognize was his finest, most enduring moment. It was on this day in 1963 that the march on Washington took place, when Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his now immortal "I have a dream" speech.

Below is a video of the speech. Enjoy. 

Yesterday Will Endure as One of the Most Infamous Days of the Trump Presidency, Complete With His Own ‘Mission Accomplished’ Moment

This is a picture of a magnet that was being sold at Strand's Book Store in New York City a few years ago. No, I did not buy it, but I liked it and took a picture, which I am sharing here now. 

While the entire Trump presidency has been so awful that it deserves to be forgotten, it will likely be remembered for a very long time. In fact, my expectations are that it will live in infamy as a time when the United States reached a clear decline visible to everyone but the Mindless MAGA Cult.

That said, some days are more memorable than others. Yesterday was one such day for the Trump administration, and that is saying something. 

Among the very few things which I thought even Trump would have sense enough to avoid regarding his Middle Eastern war in Iran are uttering the words "Mission Accomplished." Given the significance of those two words in particular when uttered about unpopular American wars in the Middle East, it seemed that surely he would at least avoid that much.

Yet once again, despite having very low expectations of Trump and his ability to avoid idiotic and self-destructive mistakes, he used those words specifically. Apparently, I gave Trump too much credit, which I assure you is a rarity. 

As if using those specific words was not risky enough, Trump actually seemed to go out of his way to remind people of George W. Bush's infamous "Mission Accomplished" moment, to boot. Here, according to an article about it by the Tribune News Service from the South China Morning Post, is a description of the social media post in which Trump used those two words:

The slogan evokes former president George W. Bush’s infamous premature declaration of “mission accomplished” in Iraq, a conflict that continued for years afterwards. Trump even includes a photo of Bush in the image with the caption “Mission not accomplished 2001-21”.

Yikes. 

Have to say, nothing about any of that sounds like the actions of a "very stable genius" in any sense of those words. All Trump managed to do is build a history of infamy regarding American presidents using those two, specific words prematurely. It will inevitably draw comparisons with what was arguably George W. Bush's most infamous moment, with perhaps one exception. The exception? Trump could and should have learned from Bush's disastrous example. The fact that Trump himself was highly critical of Bush regarding the Iraq war showed that he understood how disastrous it was. Which of course makes his decision to start the war with Iran all the more puzzling.

That will be remembered, but not for the reasons that Trump likely wants it to be remembered for. 

Yet, there was something else which Trump did yesterday which will be remembered, also likely for the wrong reasons. 

With the tensions between the United States and Canada intensifying, Trump decided to sign an Executive Order renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America, in a similar gesture to what he did with the Gulf of Mexico being renamed the Gulf of America.

Seriously, does he even have a clue how childless and petty his actions and rants appear to the entire rest of the world? Does he understand that these kinds of actions have real consequences, and are costly to millions of people? Does he care?

Apparently not. 

If ever there was proof needed that Trump lacks the gravitas, the maturity, and the seriousness required to be a prominent world leader, his actions yesterday are still further proof - as if any more were needed - that he is completely unfit for the presidency. All kidding aside, he seems like a child throwing a tantrum, trying desperately to be taken seriously in a room full of adults. Then he has another tantrum precisely because he knows that nobody is going to take him seriously.

Except for his loyal Mindless MAGA Moron Cult base. They've always got his back. 

So Trump reacted like a child after picking a fight with Canada after which he largely is regarded as the loser by most of the world. And he also somehow managed to repeat the same mistake of a former president whom he himself had criticized. A mistake which he certainly should have known enough to avoid, given the benefit of history.

And nobody apparently let him know that neither of these actions would be a good idea.

Are there any actual adults in the White House at this point? 

What times we live in.

Below are the links to the two articles used in writing this particular blog entry, and from which I obtained the snippet of article used above:

Trump declares ‘Mission Accomplished’ in Iran, as conflict drags on by Tribune News Service Published: 27 Aug 2026

US president’s claim evokes George W. Bush’s premature declaration about the US invasion of Iraq in 2003

https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3365374/trump-declares-mission-accomplished-iran-conflict-drags

Trump declares ‘Mission Accomplished’ in Iran, as conflict drags on | South China Morning Post

Trump signs order renaming Lake Ontario as ‘Lake America’ in the United States by MICHELLE L. PRICE and WILL WEISSERT, August 27, 2026:

https://apnews.com/article/lake-ontario-canada-america-trump-trade-war-3ac58dca0ca83c15605d4dbff146b28a

Trump signs order renaming Lake Ontario as 'Lake America' in the US | AP News

August 28th: This Day in History

  

Once again, it should be reiterated, that this does not pretend to be a very extensive history of what happened on this day (nor is it the most original - the links can be found down below). If you know something that I am missing, by all means, shoot me an email or leave a comment, and let me know!

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

Today marks the anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s iconic "I Have a Dream" speech, which he delivered in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. 

But there also were other events that took place today. On this day back in 475, the Roman General Orestes forced Western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos to flee his capital city, Ravenna. New Amsterdam and Peter Stuyvesant barred Jews from military service on this day in 1655. On this day in 1777 during the American Revolutionary War, the Battle of Cooch's Bridge took place near Newark, Delaware. Sir William Herschel discovered Saturn's moon, Enceladus, on this day in 1789. Richard Wagner's opera "Lohengrin" premiered on this day in 1850 at Weimar, Germany. Germany declared war on Romania during the First World War in 1916 during World War I, and Italy declared war on Germany on that same day. Netherlands began to mobilize on this date in 1939, in anticipation of possible (some might have acknowledged, inevitable) invasion by Germany during the next World War. Cameroon and French Congo declared their support of General Charles De Gaulle on this date in 1940. A general strike against the Nazi occupying forces took place on this date in 1943 in Denmark. The last remaining German troops in Marseilles surrendered on this date in 1944. Six years to the day before the "I Have a Dream" speech, Senator Strom Thurmond spoke for 24 consecutive hours in an attempt to filibuster and block a Civil Rights bill. Five years after the speech, police clashed with protesters in Chicago on this day during the Democratic National Convention. The New York Cosmos won consecutive championships in two straight years on this date in the 1970's. Israeli Prime Minister Begin resigned on this day in 1983. A proposed bill introduced in the Pakistani National Assembly that would have put the "Qu'ran and Sunnah" as the "supreme law" was defeated.

Here's a more detailed look at events that transpired on this date throughout history:

• On this day back in 475, the Roman General Orestes forced Western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos to flee his capital city, Ravenna. 

• In 476 on this day, German ruler Odoacer captured Pavia. Also on this day in 476, West Roman Empire formally disbanded/Emperor Romulus August was ousted. 

• On this day in 489, Theodoric, King of the Ostrogoths, defeated Odoacer at the Battle of Isonzo, forced his way into Italy. 

• In 1189 on this day during the Third Crusade, the Crusaders began the Siege of Acre under Guy of Lusignan. Ottoman Sultan Suleiman I's troops occupied Belgrade on this day in 1521. 

• On this day in 1542 during the Ottoman-Portuguese Conflicts (1538-1557), the Battle of Wofla was fought. 

• The Portuguese were scattered, their leader Christovão da Gama was captured and afterwards executed. 

• St Augustine, Florida, the oldest city in the United States, was established on this day in 1565.

• In 1609 on this day, Henry Hudson, discovered & explored the Delaware Bay. 

• On this day in 1619, Ferdinand II was elected as the Holy Roman Emperor. Henry Casimir I was appointed Viceroy of Drenthe on this day in 1632. 

• On this day in 1637, WIC-Colonel Hans Koin conquered Fort Elmina, West Africa. 

• In 1640 on this day during Second Bishop's War, King Charles I's English army lost to a Scottish Covenanter force at the Battle of Newburn. 

• New Amsterdam and Peter Stuyvesant barred Jews from military service on this day in 1655. 

Statue of a Continental Soldier of the American Revolutionary War of Independence in Trenton, New Jersey

• On this day in 1777 during the American Revolutionary War, the Battle of Cooch's Bridge took place near Newark, Delaware. 

• Sir William Herschel discovered Saturn's moon Enceladus on this day in 1789. 

• On this day in 1830, the first locomotive in the United States, "Tom Thumb," ran from Baltimore to Ellicotts Mill. Pharmacists John Lea & William Perrins manufactured Worcester Sauce on this day in 1837. 

• In 1840 on this day, 9 Jewish prisoners were released from Damascus jails. 

• On this day in 1845, Scientific American magazine published its first issue.

• 1849 - Venice under Daniele Manin surrenders to Austrians under Radetsky, after been under siege since July 20 after proclaiming independence

Picture of a bust of German composer Richard Wagner

• Richard Wagner's opera "Lohengrin" premiered on this day in 1850 at Weimar, Germany.

1859 - A geomagnetic storm causes the Aurora Borealis to shine so brightly that it is seen clearly over parts of USA, Europe, and even as far afield as Japan.

1861 - Battle of Fort Hatteras NC

1862 - Battle of Thoroughfare Gap VA

A statue in Flemington, New Jersey, honoring veterans of the American Civil War.

1862 - Battle of Groveton, VA (Manassas Plains) [->AUG 19] US7000 CS7000

1862 - Belle Boyd released from Old Capital Prison in Washington, DC

1867 - US occupies Midway Islands in Pacific

1879 - Battle at Ulundi: Lord Chelmsford beats king Cetshwayo's Zuluz

1884 - 1st known photograph of a tornado is made near Howard SD

1884 - Mickey Welsh strikes-out 1st 9 men he faces

1898 - Caleb Bradham renames his carbonated soft drink "Pepsi-Cola".

• 1907 - United Parcel Service begins service, in Seattle

1907 - UPS is founded by James E. Casey in Seattle, Washington.

1911 - 45.7 cm rainfall at St George, Georgia (state record)

1913 - Queen Wilhelmina opens Peace Palace (The Hague)

1914 - 3rd day of battle at Tannenberg: violent German/Russian battles

1914 - Battle at Helgoland: British fleet beats German, 1100 killed

1914 - John French evacuate Amiens

• 1916 - Germany declares war on Romania

• 1916 - Italy declares war against Germany during WW I

1917 - 10 suffragists arrested as they picket White House

1918 - Tris Speaker suspended for season due to assault on ump Tom Connolly

Statue of Jan Smuts in Parliament Square in London

On this day in 1919, General Jan Smuts became the Prime Minister of South Africa.

1921 - 2nd Pan-African Congress meets (London, Brussels& amp; Paris)

1921 - Babe Ruth starts streak of an extra-base hit in 9 straight games

1922 - 1st Walker Cup: US beats England 8-4

1922 - Albert von Tilzer & Neville Fleesons musical premieres in NYC

1922 - WEAF in NYC airs 1st radio coml (Queensboro Realty-$100 for 10 mins)

1924 - Georgian opposition stages the August Uprising against the Soviet Union.

1925 - Meteorite falls on Ellemeet, Schouwen, Devil Island

1926 - Indian Emil Levsen pitches complete doubleheader victory (Red Sox)

1929 - Frank Woolley scores his 100th first-class hundred

1937 - Toyota Motors becomes an independent company.

1938 - Mauthausen concentration camp opens in Austria

1938 - Northwestern U awards honorary degree to dummy Charlie McCarthy

1938 - On Connie Mack Day at Shibe Park, the A's win a doubleheader

1939 - "Monty" becomes commandant of 3rd "Iron" Infantry division

1939 - Netherlands mobilizes

1939 - Sammy Fain/Jack Yellen's musical "George White's Scandals" premieres

French President Charles De Gaulle

• Cameroon and French Congo declared their support of General Charles De Gaulle on this date in 1940. 

1941 - Last meeting of resistance fighter Comte d'Estienne d'Orves

1942 - Transport nr 25 departs with French Jews to nazi-Germany

1943 - Denmark, declares a universal strike against Nazi occupiers

• 1943 - Benito Mussolini transfered from La Maddalena Sardinia to Gran Sasso

1944 - Last German troops in Marseille surrendered, and Toulon cleared

1944 - US air raid on Ambon

1949 - Riot prevents Paul Robeson from singing near Peekskill NY

1950 - Earle & Roy Mack, purchase 54% of A's from Connie Mack Jr

1951 - Braves sell pitcher Johnny Sain to the Yankees for $50,000

1951 - Pirates snap NY Giants 16 game win streak

1952 - German & Israeli reach accord about recovery payments

1952 - Jakob Malik succeeds Zorine as Foreign minister

1953 - "Me & Juliet" opens at Majestic Theater NYC for 358 performances

1955 - 1st NFL preseason sudden death football, Rams beats Giants 23-17

1955 - Marilynn Smith wins LPGA Heart of America Golf Tournament

1956 - England retain cricket Ashes, Jim Laker 46 wickets in the series

1957 - Sen Thurmond begins 24-hr filibuster against civil rights bill

1958 - Nellie Fox sets record for consecutive games without striking out (98)

1960 - White Sox Ted Kluzewski's 3-run HR is disallowed as ump called time

1962 - 55.9 cm rainfall at Hackberry, Louisiana (state record)

1962 - Dr Geza DeKaplany tortures wife with acid

1962 - Tony Sheridan & Beat Brothers record "Ya Ya (Parts 1 + 2)"

Two pictures that I took (on two separate trips) to Washington, D.C. - The spot where MLK gave his famous "I have a dream" speech is pictured above, while below, the MLK Memorial, which is a bit of a distance from the Lincoln Memorial (but not too far).

• On this day back in 1963, Martin Luther King Jr gave his famous "I have a dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial, for a civil rights rally with over 200,000 demonstrators gathered in Washington, D.C..  

• In 1963 on this day, Evergreen Point Floating Bridge connecting Seattle and Bellevue opened. There was a race riot in Philadelphia on this day in 1964.

1964 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

1964 - US weather satellite Nimbus 1 launched

1964 - WEWS-TV Channel 5's "Upbeat" debuts in Cleveland

1965 - Bob Dylan booed for playing electric guiter at a concert in New York's Forest Hills

1966 - Sandra Haynie wins LPGA Glass City Golf Classic

1967 - Asif Iqbal & Intikhab Alam make 190 stand for 9th wkt v Eng

1967 - Boston signs 1st free-agent outfielder Ken Harrelson for $75,000 bonus

1968 - Police & anti-war demonstrators clash at Chicago's Dem Natl Conven

1970 - Phillies Larry Bowa steals home for 2nd time in 1970

1971 - The dollar is allowed to float against the yen for the first time.

1972 - USSR performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya USSR

1973 - "Monster Mash" goes gold

1973 - "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple goes gold

1973 - 6.8 quake centered in Oaxaca State in Mexico kills 527

1973 - France performs nuclear test at Muruora Island

• 1973 - India & Pakistan sign POW accord

1973 - USSR performs underground nuclear test

1974 - Soyuz 15 returns to Earth

1976 - NY Cosmos beat Seattle Sounders 2-1 for NASL cup

1976 - USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR

1977 - NY Cosmos defeat Seattle Sounders, 2-1, at Civic Stadium in Portland Ore, winning their 2nd North American Soccer League championship

1978 - Donald Vesco rode 21'-long Kawasaki motorcycle at 318.598 mph

1978 - Ja'afar Sharif-Emami appointed premier of Iran

1979 - IRA bomb explodes on Brussels Great Market

1979 - Train crash at Nijmegen, 7 die

• 1981 - John Hinckley Jr pleads innocent in attempt to kill Pres Reagan

1981 - Sebastian Coe of UK sets 1-mi record of 3:47.33 (since broken)

1981 - National Centers for Disease Control announces high incidence of Pneumocystis & Kaposi's sarcoma in gay men

1982 - "Sugar Babies" closes at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC after 1208 perfs

1982 - USSR performs underground nuclear test

1982 - The first Gay Games are held in San Francisco.

1983 - "Mame" closes at Gershwin Theater NYC after 41 performances

1983 - Greg Luzinski is 1st player to put 3 HRs onto roof at Comiskey Park

• 1983 - Israeli PM Menachem Begin announces resignation

1984 - USSR performs underground nuclear test

• 1986 - Bolivia president Victor Paz Estensoro calls state of siege

1986 - Largest wrestling crowd in Canada (69,300) at Toronto Stadium

1986 - Tina Turner's star unveiled in Hollywood

1986 - US Navy officer Jerry A Whitworth sentenced to 365 years for spying

1987 - Mike Schmidt passes Ted Williams & Willie McCovey with 522 HRs

1988 - 70 killed in crash of 3 Italian AF fighters at air show in Germany

1988 - Italian stunt flyers crashes in flames in West Germany, killing 50

1991 - Lexington Ave IRT subway train derails at Union Square, 5 die

1991 - Red Tom Browning vs Expo Dennis Martinez both perfect game pitcher

1993 - Dam breaks in Qinghai West China, 223 killed

1993 - Jakovlev-42 crashes in Tadzjikistan, 76 killed

• 1993 - Singapore vice-premier Teng Cheong elected president

1994 - 1st Japanese gay pride parade

1995 - Last day of Test Cricket for Richie Richardson

1995 - Northants 7-781 decl defeat Nottinghamshire 527 & 157

1996 - Liam Botham takes 5-67 on 1st-class debut Hants v Middlesex

1997 - Belgian amusement park riders were stuck upside down for 90 minutes

1998 - Pakistan's National Assembly passes a constitutional amendment to make the "Qur'an and Sunnah" the "supreme law" but the bill is defeated in the Senate.

• 2003 - An electricity blackout cuts off power to around 500,000 people living in south east England and brings 60% of London's underground rail network to a halt.

2005 - Hurricane Katrina hammers the south eastern United States, especially New Orleans, Louisiana, and coastal Mississippi

2012 - Mitt Romney is officially nominated as the United States Republican Party's candidate

1609 - Delaware Bay was discovered by Henry Hudson.   1619 - Ferdinand II was elected Holy Roman Emperor. His policy of "One church, one king" was his way of trying to outlaw Protestantism.   1774 - The first American-born saint was born in New York City. Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton was canonized in 1975.   1811 - Percy Bysshe Shelley and Harriet Westbrook eloped.   1830 - "The Tom Thumb" was demonstrated in Baltimore, MD. It was the first passenger-carrying train of its kind to be built in America.   1833 - Slavery was banned by the British Parliament throughout the British Empire.   1907 - "American Messenger Company" was started by two teenagers, Jim Casey and Claude Ryan. The company's name was later changedto "United Parcel Service."   1916 - Italy's declaration of war against Germany took effect duringWorld War I.   1917 - Ten suffragists were arrested as they picketed the White House.   1922 - The first radio commercial aired on WEAF in New York City. The Queensboro Realty Company bought 10 minutes of time for$100.   1922 - The Walker Cup was held for the first time at Southampton, NY. It is the oldest international team golf match in America.   1939 - The first successful flight of a jet-propelled airplane took place. The plane was a German Heinkel He 178.   1941 - The Football Writers Association of America was organized.   1963 - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., gave his "I Have a Dream" speech at a civil rights rally in Washington, DC. More than 200,000 people attended.   

1972 - Mark Spitz captured the first of his seven gold medals at the Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany. He set a world record when he completed the 200-meter butterfly in 2 minutes and 7/10ths of a second.   1981 - "The New York Daily News" published its final afternoon edition.   1990 - Iraq declared Kuwait to be its 19th province and renamed Kuwait City al-Kadhima.   1995 - The biggest bank in the U.S. was created when Chase Manhattan and Chemical Bank announced their $10 billion deal.   1996 - A divorce decree was issued for Britain's Charles and Princess Diana. This was the official end to the 15-year marriage.   1998 - The Pakistani prime minister created new Islamic order and legal system based on the Koran.   2004 - George Brunstad, at age 70, became the oldest person to swim the English Channel. The swim from Dover, England, to Sangatte, France, took 15 hours and 59 minutes.

1609 Henry Hudson discovered Delaware Bay.  1922 The first commercial to be broadcast on radio aired on station WEAF in New York City. The ten minute advertisement for the Queensboro Realty Company cost $100. 1955 Emmett Till, a black teenager from Chicago, was abducted and by white men after he supposedly whistled at a white woman in Mississippi. The case was reopened in 2005. 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial to civil rights demonstrators. 1968 Anti-Vietnam war protesters and police clashed in the streets of Chicago while the Democratic National Convention nominated Hubert H. Humphrey for president. 1981 The Centers for Disease Control announced a medical task force had been formed to look into the incidence of Kaposi's sarcoma and pneumocystis in homosexual men. AIDS was later found to be the cause.

The following links are to web sites that were used to complete this blog entry:

http://www.historyorb.com/today/events.php

http://on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/alldays/aug28.htm

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

http://www.infoplease.com/dayinhistory