| | Home
The More Or Less Daily Dose/April 8, 2008
By Gaylon Kent
The Writer's Shack
   
Unable to handle the rigors of more than three columns a week without taking time off, the Daily Dose returns, letting freedom ring, dammit, as we chronicle the human experience of the Olympic Torch Relay, which, while not actually human, is being carried by humans and symbolizes our fellow humans around the world. Plus, some decent On This Date action and The Column Four Foto: Bo Derek!
Journey Of Harmony: The juggernaut that is the Olympic Torch Relay continues its troubled journey, resting peacefully in San Francisco Tuesday, one day before it makes its only North American appearance.
And All This Ahead Of The Beijing Games!: It arrived in the US following a spirited European tour, which saw protests in both London and Paris. The flame was so revered - and support in Paris for Beijing and its policies towards Tibet so strong - that only 3,000 police were required to attend the relay, and even they weren't enough to stop one pro-Tibetan rascal from trying to get to a wheelchair-bound torchbearer and Chinese officials we were left to demand the torch be snuffed out several times and transported by bus because, amid banners and protestors supporting the Tibet cause, the final leg of the Paris relay was cancelled.
For Your Review: The protests got off to a flying start when the torch was lit in Olympia, Greece on Mar. 24 when three Tibetan sympathizers had the nerve to attempt to disrupt a speech by a Chinese Olympic official, who later termed the attempt to highlight Chinese occupation and destruction of Tibet 'disgraceful'.
Peace, Friendship, Progress. Unless You're Tibet: Peter Ueberroth, president of the United States Olympic Committee and man with more than a passing knowledge of both American free enterprise and the Olympic spirit did a very nice job of straddling the fence prior to the torch's American arrival, saying the torch relay was "an important moment for the city to show its character, hospitality and commitment to peace and tolerance" while blathering about how the relay "must provide a proper forum for the peaceful expression of opinions and dissent. And it must safely and respectfully welcome the flame and honor the U.S. athletes and other participants who will carry the torch."
Dance Fever: That is actually a pretty nice job of tap dancing, because recall that Ueberroth also organized the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
But Screw That: China wants to have its egg rolls and eat them, too. It wants to occupy Tibet, destroy their culture and brutally repress protests, plus hold the world's premier sporting event, all without the messiness coming from an informed, enlightened world connecting the two.
FunFact: The torch will spend about an hour and a half winding its way through San Francisco. Despite having a large, thriving Chinatown, relay organizers thought it best not to have the torch pass through Chinatown. The official reason is the narrow streets pose a safety concern.
What The Hell's Going On Here?: Why they are even allowing the torch to pass through one of the most liberal, educated cites in the US isn't entirely clear. Protestors have already been out in force in San Francisco. Three rascals climbed the Golden Gate Bridge on Monday and tied the Tibetan flag and two banners to its cables. The banners read "One World One Dream. Free Tibet," and "Free Tibet 08."
Dry, Technical Matter: Despite the fact Summer Games have been held in four different cities in this hemisphere (Montreal, Los Angeles twice, Atlanta, Mexico City and St. Louis), San Francisco - whose Olympic history consists mainly of allowing homo's to pole vault and scamper across finish lines while hosting Gay Games I and II - is the torch relay's only North American stop. From San Francisco it goes to Buenos Aires, before heading to Africa, the Middle East and then Asia. It will enter China in early May.
IF IT'S IN WIKIPEDIA, IT MUST BE TRUE: On this date, in 1893, the first basketball game involving a college team is played in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania as Geneva College defeats the local YMCA 3-0.
God, We Love The Internet: The Geneva College website also makes this claim.
Well, Now Wait A Second: Those zanies at Vanderbilt claim they played the first game two months earlier, defeating their own local YMCA 9-6 on 2/7/1893, a claim, that while lacking the stature of Wikipedia verification, is mentioned in Nashville newspapers of the era.
Either Way: There seems to be little dispute that the first intercollegiate basketball game - a game involving teams from two colleges - didn't happen until 2/9/1895, when the Minnesota State School of Agriculture (now the University of Minnesota-St. Paul) defeated Hamline College 9-3.
Uh, Any Word From The Governor Yet?: On this date in 1899, at Sing Sing prison in Ossining, NY, Martha Place becomes the first woman executed in the electric chair in the US. She had been found guilty of murdering her step-daughter.
Time Machine: There was none of this wait-for-20-years-before-being-executed nonsense back then, either. Being sentenced to death in 1899 meant dying right now, as only 18 days passed between Place was sentenced and executed.
All The Advertising That's Fit To Print: On this date in 1904 the area of New York City from Sixth to Eighth avenues and West 40th and West 53rd streets was renamed Times Square.
Roll Call: On this date, in 1913, the 17th Amendment to the US Constitution - providing for election of US senators by the people - takes effect when it is ratified by Connecticut. Previously, senators had been elected by state legislatures. Congress had sent the amendment to the several states in May, 1912.
Take Me Out To The Ballgame: On this date in 1975 Frank Robinson makes his debut as manager of the Cleveland Indians, becoming the first black manager in the major leagues. The Indians defeat the New York Yankees 5-3 and Robinson, also their designated hitter, completely loses his mind and hits a home run. The Indians would go on to lose four of their next five games, and eight of their next twelve and finish 79-80, in fourth place in the American League East, 15.5 games behind the Boston Red Sox.
Answer To The Last Trivia Question: Lord Stanley never had the pleasure of presenting the Stanley Cup to the winning team.
Today's Stumper: What was the original name of Times Square? - Answer next time!
Threats? Recipes? Trivia question answers? Email The Writer's Shack Here!
Home |
|