On A Pale Horse

I've had to take about five or six different economics classes during the course of my academic career. For some reason all the econ teachers were kinda freaky, one was a surfer dude, one reminded me of Dave Foley (looks & humor), still another was really uptight; he pursed his lips when someone didn't answer a question quite the way it should have been. The one class that I remember the best was way (way, waaaaayyyyy) back in high school. The teacher, Mr.D, didn't seem all that interested in teaching the class so we mostly watched videos. He had this one series, purchased from PBS (I'm sure he got a really cool tote bag for it too) called "Economics U$A". Richard T. Gill served as an analyst for the program. Econ was one of those required courses at my high school so Dick Gill became a joke to all of us seniors; something about his style was a bit different. I didn't realize how different though until I started researching this obit. After spending twenty two years as a Professor at Harvard he left his position he launched his second career as an opera singer and then returned to television to write and appear in the 28 episodes of this series. But yet again I'm off the subject. This isn't about Richard Gill this is about a Milton Friedman.

Milton Friedman was born in 1912 to immigrant parents in New York City. When he was a year old the family moved to a small town in New Jersey about 20 miles out of NYC. He graduated high school in 1928, at the age of 16 and then attended Rutgers University on scholarship graduating in 1932 during the Great Depression. After spending some additional time at the University of Chicago and Columbia he went on to work in various positions conducting research on economic trends, consumer budget and professional income. During the course of his career he worked for the US Treasury Department, academic positions and as economic adviser during Barry Goldwater's and Richard Nixon's run for Presidency. He retired from the University of Chicago in 1977 but continued to remain active in research and discussion of the economic field. During his life he won numerous awards, honorary degrees and in 1976 he won the Nobel Prize for Economics. For all of you, eh, cannabis users you might want to recognize his work in researching the economic benefits of legalization of marijuana.

Mr. Friedman passed away from heart failure.


July 31, 1912 - November 16, 2006
RIP

Labels: 1912 births, 2006 November deaths, economics, heart failure, political

No More Nice Girls
I took a personal economics course in high school. The main objective was to teach a person how to balance their check book, invest money and plan for retirement. I kinda blew off that class because my one and only plan for life was that I was going to write the Great American Novel by the time I was 25. Following the publication I was going to travel the world promoting the book and just being a eccentric tourist. But unfortunately on my way back from Great Britain while sitting in first class on the Concorde the plane would suddenly develop engine problems and would crash in the ocean. I along with the other passengers would be lost at sea for eternity. Well by the time I was 23 I hadn't even started the novel. I had changed my major to Accounting with a minor in English in hopes that after I spent the day toiling over debits and credits that I could still work on the great Great American Novel and perhaps some minor short stories, as a start to get in good with a reputable publisher. By the time I was 25 I changed my major again to Finance, no minor. I started working full time, learned how to balance a checkbook and started my own retirement account.
I guess if my life hadn't taken the direction it did I would've still liked to do some writing for a living (and blogging during work doesn't really count). I envy the career that Ellen Willis had. She was a political essayist, journalist, pop music critic and the Director of Cultural Reporting and Criticism graduate program at NYU. I think I liked the most was what I read on Wikipedia...

She is also known for her feminist politics and was a founding member of Redstockings. She was one of the few women working in music criticism during its inaugural years, when it was by and large a male-dominated field. Starting in 1979, Willis wrote a number of essays that were highly critical of anti-pornography feminism, criticizing it for what she saw as its sexual puritanism and moral authoritarianism, as well as its threat to free speech. These essays were among the earliest expressions of feminist opposition to the anti-pornography movement. Her 1981 essay, "Lust Horizons: Is the Women's Movement Pro-Sex?" is the origin of the term, "pro-sex feminism".[1] She was also a strong supporter of women's abortion rights, and in the early 1980s was a founding member of the pro-choice street theater/protest group No More Nice Girls.

I think that just about sums up why I wish I could be like her.

Ms. Willis passed away of cancer

1941 - November 9, 2006
RIP

Labels: 1941 births, 2006 November deaths, author, political, teacher

I stand for nothing. Hell, it even says it at the top of this blog. I do have the deepest admiration of people that have strong convictions; that have ideals that are for the good of all humans. There are many things out in the world that bother me but I've never really taken a public firm stance. I did march in an anti-war rally back in college but I'm not sure if that counts, I just did it because everyone else on my dorm floor was going. It was the strangest thing though. I was on the side that shouted "Support our Troops. Bring them home!" the opposing side was shouting "Give peace a chance". I guess we wanted the same thing we just couldn't agree on the right slogan.
Congressman Gerry Eastman Studds D-Mass was one of those guys that stood up for many things; most importantly his constituents in the fishing industry, an important economic base in his home state. He was the Chairman of the Fish and Wildlife Subcommittee and was ranking member of the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans. His passion continued even after his retirement from political life in 1997. In 1996, Congress named a 842-square-mile parcel of land after him in recognition of his work protecting the marine environment. The Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary in Providencetown, MA is devoted to research and education of marine wildlife.
He was the first openly gay Congressman which he admitted during a 1983 sex scandal involving a 17 year old page. His lifestyle and this scandal did not hurt his political career and was re-elected to Congress even after being censured.
Mr Studds collapsed while walking his dog. It was determined that he had a blood clot in his lung. While he did regain consciousness his condition soon deteriorated after a second blood clot. He is survived by his husband of 2 years whom he married in a ceremony in Massachusetts after the state legalized homosexual marriage.

May 12, 1937 - October 14, 2006 RIP

Labels: 1937 births, 2006 October deaths, activist, blood clot, political

I've got this strange curiosity about names of streets, cities, airports, etc. It's easy to figure out how certain places were named like the George Washington Bridge, The Lincoln Tunnel, JFK Airport (see a trend here?) Call it stupid but I'd like to think of it as just another batch of brain cell dedicated to useless trivia - I'm a wiz at NTN !!!

Fiorello H. LaGuardia was mayor of New York City from 1934 to 1945 and is considered to be one of the finest mayors because of his role during and after the Great Depression.

LaGuardia was born in New York but grew up in Arizona & Italy before returning the Big Apple to attend New York University. His political career started as an Attorney General in 1914, was elected to the House of Representative in 1916, served in World War I from 1917 - 1919.

He was a very diverse and opinionated guy. In love with politics, New York City & the arts he lobbied the Federal Government for funds, established a public works program which employed thousands of New Yorkers, pushed for a commercial airport (LaGuardia Airport), spoke seven languages, and established the LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts.

His life was subject of the play Fiorello.

Mayor LaGuardia passed away from pancreatic cancer.

December 11, 1882 - September 20, 1947 - RIP
(so I'm late - sue me)

Labels: 1882 births, 1947 September Deaths, political

One of my least favorite traits in people is the name dropping, glomming on to friends of famous friends to get a chance to schmooze with celebrities. If you had enough talent, skills or personality you could be a true friend/associate rather then using a family member or friend. I've ran into a few people like this in my life, too bad, such a waste of sperm.

I know the story is that Patricia Kennedy's' brother, John F., introduced her to her husband Peter Lawford but I think that this introduction was a way to solidify his connection to the Rat Pack and closer to his alleged mistress Marilyn Monroe. But maybe that's my imagination working overtime. I've been accused of that before.

She worked with her brothers, John, Robert & Edwards political campaigns. After her divorce from Peter in 1965 she moved to New York and worked with the Committee of Literary Arts, the Kennedy Library and the National Center of Addiction.

She passed away due to complications of pneumonia.

May 6, 1924 - September 17, 2006 - RIP

Labels: 1924 births, 2006 September deaths, activist, pneumonia, political, related to someone famous

What always bothered me were those people that were so anti 'something' in public and behind closed doors they were overly involved in the same activity (huh?). Like I respect my mom, but totally disagree with her when it comes to homosexuality. She is 100% against it, she even stopped watching Rosie & Ellen just because they came out. She's told me this in public and at the dinner table. I wonder what she would do if she ever found out that I had a girlfriend for awhile (oops). It's the people that will publically denouce a topic, such as homosexuality, and then are a complete deviant when they are behind closed doors. Example, James West, the former mayor of Spokaine, Washington. He publically supported anti-gay legislature & led a movement to impeach a governer for sexual harassment. But the hypocritical politican sexually assulted two boys while serving as a Boy Scout leader and his online profile on Gay.com was RightBi-Guy (hot!).

He said he was sorry but was recalled anyway.

He passed away from complications of colon cancer.

March 28, 1951 - July 21, 2006

RIP

Labels: 1951 births, 2006 July deaths, cancer, political

One of my favorite shows is Sliders. It's a show about 4 normal people being sucked through a worm hole of alternate realities caused by an historical event happening or not happening. Long before this show came on I used to think about odd stuff like if JFK hadn't been assassinated - would I have been born. Pretty heavy stuff for a fifth grader but I spent a lot of time alone so I had an immense amount of time to free flow thoughts.

So what if Eugene McCarthy been nominated to the Democratic Presidential Ticket instead of Hubert Humphrey, could he have won against Nixon? Would Vietnam gone as long as it did? There might not have been a Watergate and then subsequent scandels would have to have a different ending then 'gate'. McCarthy wouldn't have left his wife, wouldn't have wrote any books. My parents might not have met, I might not have been languising away in my dull little life. You know stuff like that.

Eugene McCarthy spent a good 20 years in the Senate and made a respective five time bid for the White House under different party affiliations. Seems like a pretty interesting guy.

Mr. McCarthy passed away from complications of Parkinsons Disease.

March 29, 1916 - December 10, 2005
RIP

Labels: 1916 births, 2005 December deaths, Parkinsons, political

In the summer of 1985, while away at summer camp, I had my one and only big sister. Her name was Laurie and she had to be the sweetest person I’d ever met in my whole life with an incredibly angelic voice. I wrote my mom and dad about her and they wrote back that they couldn’t wait to meet her. You can’t imagine how excited I was when Parents Day rolled around and I pointed her out when she sang the National Anthem at the Swim Show, I didn’t realize my parents’ jaws could drop that low. To me Laurie was the best-est person in the whole world; to my parents she was black.

The Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964 just 8 years before I was born. I know attitudes don’t change over night but every once in awhile my parents or grandparents will say or do something that blows my mind and that at one time in America it was all perfectly normal. It’s just the color of skin we’re not that different underneath it all.

Right down the road we’ve got The Henry Ford Museum that proudly displays the Rosa Parks Bus and patrons can walk through and see that a little place like that made a huge difference in the lives of so many people.

As a side note, I was in Atlanta on Monday for business. A co-worker, from Michigan, and her date, a local resident, were giving me the nickel tour showing me the sites. One thing that kept on coming up was that the city was still really segregated, and even some of her date’s comments were archaic. Pretty mind blowing.

Mrs. Parks made her home in Detroit in 1959 and worked for Congressman John Conyers. She passed away Monday, October 24th

February 13, 1913 - October 24, 2005
RIP

Labels: 1913 births, 2005 October deaths, activist, historical, natural causes, political

I'm not overly political.
I bitch about the government but I 've never done anything about it.
People actually do stuff in life that counts for something. Bill did. He went through law school was nominated to Supreme Court in 1971 by Nixon and was elevated to chief Justice by Reagan in 1986.
Justice Rehnquist passed away at age 80 on September 3rd from complications of thyroid cancer. The Death Pool fanatics kept an eye on this guy especially since his appearance at G Dubba's inauguration in January.

RIP
October 1, 1924 - September 3, 2005

Labels: 1924 births, 2005 September deaths, cancer, political

I was pretty smart back in the day. In high school I was always on the Principles List for holding a 3.5 or higher and because of that I got to skip geography class. It wasn't until my sixth year of Community College (drugs are bad) that I learned exactly where Saudi Arabia was actually located. I had a communications teacher that worked for the US government selling Abrams or Bradley tanks to the Saudis, so she was extremely versed in the Middle East. More often then not she would tell us stories of the country and the customs; the highlight was when she brought in brochures of the tank written in Arabic. I never quite understood why she chose to teach on Saturdays if she was jet setting all around the world selling highly armed tanks. She loved talking about the Middle East as if it was her second home. Her idea of the final class project was having groups of us act like travel agents and try to sell the rest of the class to travel to our particular country. After each of the speeches were done she, of course, stood up and told us what was right or wrong - because she had been there.

King Fahd of Saudi Arabia passed away on August 1st. I've caught two different birth years 1921 and 1923 but general consensus is that he was born in 1923.

1921/23 - August 1, 2005

Labels: 1923 births, 2005 August deaths, political, undisclosed causes