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The Daily Dose/January 29, 2010
By Gaylon Kent
The Writer's Shack
Notes from around the Human Experience...
Welcome Back, Part II: Had President Obama not had other things to talk about during Wednesday's State of the Union address, we're certain he would have mentioned the return of The Daily Dose here at the Writer's Shack. From sea to shining sea it was plain the American populace was pleased and invigorated to have us back.
Not only were the official Writer's Shack message boards buzzing, but regular reader Steve P. (Green Bay, Wisconsin) checked in, pleased that the long, cold Wisconsin winter has now been brightened up, with spring right around the corner.
Steve also shared his memory of where he was when the Challenger exploded. Which isn't surprising because that is one event of our era that a lot of people can recall they were when it happened. Steve mentioned that he happened to hear the NASA spokesman who uttered the "obviously, a major malfunction" line and said it didn't make any sense back then, either.
"All I could think after hearing those words was 'This has to be the understatement of all time.'"
A Warm, Personal Remembrance: We didn't see it live. At the time we were in dedicated service to our country, underwater on the USS Blueback (SS-581), on watch in the control room, probably manning one of the two steering stations. We do remember RM2(SS) Scott Brown coming out of the radio room and announcing that he only heard the tail end of some transmission, but "they're still searching the Atlantic for survivors".
Well, That Was Close: Since the Blueback was stationed out of San Diego and we were in the Pacific Ocean, we took immediate comfort in that nobody was looking for us.
Dry, Technical Matter: We can also remember where we were when John Lennon was shot. Like some you might have been, we were watching Monday Night Football, though we were spared listening to Howard Cosell because Dad had turned the sound down and we were listening Jack Buck and Hank Stram on the KNX-AM, Los Angeles, 1070 on your radio dial, all news, all the time, except when they were doing sports. When they interrupted the game with several sharp tones Dad looked at us and said "uh-oh" and that whatever happened wasn't good.
The Bottom Line: Your long national nightmare is over. The People's Choice, The Daily Dose, is back. America's breathing again.
QUIET PLEASE: On this date, in 1802, John Beckley is hired as the first Librarian of Congress. He is paid $2 a day. Beckley was also serving the second of two stints as Clerk of the House of Representatives.
Ladies And Gentlemen, Start Your Engines: On this date, in 1886, Karl Benz patented the first successful gasoline-driven automobile. An earlier version had been difficult to control.
Batter Up: On this date, in 1900, the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs is formed from what used to be the Western League. It will declare itself a major league the following year.
He Shall From To Time Give To The Congress Information Of The State Of The Union: President Obama gave his first State of the Union speech Wednesday night.
It wasn't too bad a speech. It was better than his inaugural, which was all right though it doesn't have Mr. History achieving and maintaining a state of arousal, and it was exponentially better than his Nobel acceptance speech, which was shameful.
To his credit, the President has not shied away from attempting to tackle the tough problems. And he indicated his willingness to continue to do this, asking, fairly logically because if you ask us this country is a mere two generations away from completely imploding on itself: How long should we wait? How long should America put its future on hold?
He talked about some substantive issues: financial reform that doesn't punish banks but does protect the economy, clean energy and even lobbyist reform, though any lobbyist reform that does not include the immediate and painful execution of all lobbyists misses the mark.
This is Obama's bread and butter: some good rhetoric. It got him elected but it is not serving him well now. This country needs a leader who can stand up to a Congress that for a couple of generations now has answered only to whatever special interest happens to be waving a check in their face. It would be nice if the electorate had the courage to stand up to their own elected leaders, but we don't. We keep sending the rascals back and then from time to time we get peeved with the Republicans and send a sacrificial Democrat in for a while.
Uh, Is There A Point Here? We think so. Obama means well. He is not a halfwit like his predecessor was. However we can't expect too much out of him until we start expecting more out of ourselves at the ballot box.
FunFact: Article 2, Section 3 of the US Constitution, which starts off with the President giving Congress information on the state of the union, also details how he may convene one or both houses of Congress and adjourn them, receive ambassadors, faithfully execute the laws can commission all officers of the United States.
Really Dry, Technical Matter: At 7,304 words Obama's speech was the longest State of the Union message since Bill Clinton's final address in 2000. The longest in history was Jimmy Carter's final address, 33,667 words, which, mercifully, was a written message.
Thought For The Day: The welfare of our country is the great object to which our cares and efforts ought to be directed, and I shall derive great satisfaction from a cooperation with you in the pleasing though arduous task of insuring to our fellow citizens the blessings which they have a right to expect from a free, efficient, and equal government. President George Washington, First State of the Union message, January 8, 1790.
Answer To The Last Trivia Question: Jane Seymour was the wife of Henry VIII that bore him the son who would become King Edward VI.
Today's Stumper: Which president had the longest average State of the Union message over the course of his term(s)? - Answer next time!
Comments? Recipes? Complaints? Email the Writer's Shack here!
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