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The Daily Dose/April 24, 2008
By Gaylon Kent
The Writer's Shack
   
More notes from around the Human Experience, leading with On This Date, including the latest from our faves, the 1908 Cubs, good news/bad news from Texas, the latest from the Free Tibet Torch Relay, plus appearances from Tony Blair and the Column Four Foto: Alicia Witt Week continues!
HEY, YOU REMEMBER BOOKS, RIGHT?: On this date in 1800 President John Adams signed legislation authorizing the Library of Congress. $5,000 was appropriated to purchase "such books may be necessary for the use of Congress" and 740 books and three maps arrived from London the following year. In 1814 the entire collection, then 3,000 volumes strong, was burned when the British invaded Washington, D.C. Former president Thomas Jefferson, sad at the demise of his beloved Library, and, as usual, in need of cash, sold his personal library of almost 6,500 volumes to the government for $23,940.
Editors Note: Throughout baseball season, and in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Chicago Cubs' last World Series title, On This Date will chronicle the 1908 Chicago Cubs season.
Cubs Lose! Cubs Lose! After starting the season spanking the Reds around three straight to start the season in Cincinnati, and taking the first two at West Side Grounds, the Cubs lose to the Reds 4-2, before an estimated 1,100 fans. Reds lefthander Billy Campbell, in his first year as a full-time starter, went the distance, not allowing a Cub past first base in the first eight innings, though a couple of hits, a "gift" and a scoring fly ball gave the Cubs two runs in the ninth.
On The Scoreboard: Elsewhere in the National League on 4/24/1908, Boston defeated Philadelphia 5-3, Brooklyn defeated New York 4-1 and St. Louis defeated Pittsburgh 3-0. Despite the loss, the Cubs remain a game ahead of the Giants and two up on the Pirates in the National League.
A Break In The Action: The Cubs don't play again until Apr. 29, when they host Pittsburgh.
GOOD NEWS: Another Texas prisoner convicted in Dallas County has been freed after spending more than two decades in prison for a crime he didn't commit.
Bad News: Another Texas prisoner convicted in Dallas County has been freed after spending more than two decades in prison for a crime he didn't commit.
What The Hell's Going On Here?: Thomas Clifford McGowan, Jr. was freed last week after DNA tests showed he didn't commit a rape and burglary he was convicted of in 1985, when he was 26. He was identified by the victim from a picture lineup. He said he was with friends at the time of the rape, but that testimony was never corroborated. McGowan joins Charles Chatman and James Waller, as citizens freed by Dallas County this year, and McGowan is the 16th to be freed since 2001.
And while Dallas County has nothing to be proud of, they should be given props for saving their DNA evidence so when they get around to it innocent people can be freed.
Uh-Oh: Anybody who thinks these are isolated incidents are high. Odds are these people are just the tips of the iceberg, especially with this country imprisoning more people than any other country on the planet. With less than five percent of the planet's population, we have almost a quarter of its prisoners, according to a study released by the International Center for Prison Studies at King's College in London.
This Can't Be Good: Our 2.5 million people behind bars easily beats out second place China's 1.6 million prisoners, which is funny they're Communists who beat up monks in China. You'd think they'd lead the league, but no, they are only second to the land of the free and the home of the brave, though it should be noted the Chinese total does not include "administrative" prisoners like political prisoners, those who have committed no crime and those undergoing reeducation.
FunFact: San Marino, which has a population of around 30,000, has one prisoner.
Get Your Official Writer's Shack Policy Right Here: The purpose of government is to preserve the liberty of it's citizens. A government that imprisons people for crimes they did not commit is in violation its duty. Since the government spent the resources needed to convict innocent people, it should spend the resources necessary to get them out.
PLAYING WITH FIRE: The Olympic Torch Relay is wrapping up matters in the Southern Hemisphere, and while the protests haven't been as large as in past stops, the relay has been far from a triumph.
Write This Down: The relay was shortened to a veritable sprint in India, while in Indonesia it was closed to the public, held in front of 5,000 invited guests in a sports complex, which is just a few hundred people less than the 5,500 police that were stationed outside the complex. Wednesday it was in Australia, where the route was shortened because of security concerns, which has been a regular occurance on the Relay. This weekend the torch heads to Japan, where the Relay has gone from being started in front of Buddhist temple to being started in a parking lot. Officials with the temple cited the usual security concerns and unease among its monks over Chinese treatment of their fellow monks in Tibet.
From Japan the torch makes a stop in South Korea, followed by a communist pep rally in North Korea before heading to China, where, it is expected, there will be fewer anti-Chinese protests.
UH, GEE, THANKS GUYS: Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair had his official portrait unveiled Wednesday in Westminster. About the only way it could have been more unflattering would have been if a committee of Tory Party leaders had painted him with leprosy.The portrait shows Blair, who generally came across as pleasant and affable while Prime Minister, with his collar open, jowls starting to form, looking as if he just stepped in some chewing gum.
Dry, Technical Matter: Blair was the Labour Party's longest serving prime minister, serving from May, 1997 till June, 2007.
Brother, Can You Spare A Dime: Blair, who now pulls down really good dough in the private sector, was recently caught unable to pay his train fare. He was on the Heathrow Limited and was unable to produce the 24-and-a-half pound fare when the conductor requested it. He was bailed out by another passenger in first class.
Answer To The Last Trivia Question: Prior to winning the Best Actor Oscar in 1992, Al Pacino had been nominated for Best Actor four times: 1973, Serpico, 1974, The Godfather: Part II, 1975, Dog Day Afternoon and 1970 …And Justice For All.
Today's Stumper: What is the name of the only official residence of the British Prime Minister. - Answer next time!
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