Recently two broad historical topics have been quite prevalent in my mind.
The first is the Gilded Age. I'm getting closer and closer to teaching a chapter about it, so I've read the chapter and made a few notes and such. In addition, I've been reading up on it from outside sources including a whole book on the time period and a whole book on the Chester Arthur.
The second, and more relevant to this post, is alternate history scenarios.
This is an extremely broad topic. It covers everything from George Washington isn't elected unanimously by the Electoral College in 1792 to John Wilkes Booth gets away, meets Chester Arthur's wife, and plots to replace Chester Arthur. However, the second category of vast changes to the timeline are uninteresting to me.
Two major groups of alternate history are what I enjoy. First, I find interesting the scenarios of slight, believable change to what happened. For instance, it is a slight, believable change to have Samuel Tilden win the Election of 1876. (To be fair, our timeline has the unbelievable scenario...)
Also in this group falls presidents who died not dying, or some presidents who did not die actually dying. Examples include the assassination attempt on Andrew Jackson succeeding, JFK not being assassinated, Warren Harding surviving his full term, and Chester Arthur dying of Bright's Disease while in office.
The second major group I enjoy is placing a president at a different point in history. You've had small tastes of this one with the Presidential Super Tournament, the two "What would (President) do?" posts, and some other sprinklings here and there. However, most of these have put presidents into modern times. What about moving Millard Fillmore to 1880? That's just as interesting a scenario, if not more interesting, when making considerations.
And so you probably wonder why this is referred to as a project in the blog title. Well, it's the next big gimmick. All... I'm not even going to estimate how many people are reading my blog anymore... of you get to decide what alternate event I get to take a more in depth look at. Poll will open tomorrow with 4 possible choices. It'll last for a fortnight, then I'll begin research and be done in a fortnight after that.
God help us all.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Elements 93+
If one were to look at a periodic table of the elements, one would find over 100 different named elements. (In fact, 112 was recently officially named by the IUPAC as copernicium with the symbol Cn.) However, only elements 1-92 are naturally found in the environment, with the exceptions of 43 (technetium) and 61 (promethium), which are for some reason never found either.
Of the elements 93 and above, I know of uses for two of them off the top of my head. Plutonium (atomic number 94) is used for bombs and flux capacitors (of course, later Mr. Coffee is some sort of biological fuel source replacing the plutonium...). Americium (atomic number 95) is used in smoke detectors.
I will admit this is probably not an extensive list of all the elements above 92 that are useful. However, still the majority of these synthetic elements are extremely radioactive with extremely short half lives. In fact, you'd be lucky to randomly select an isotope of one of these elements and have it last more than a minute.
So much money is wasted on trying to create these atoms, but if they have no practical use, why bother making more and more? Try to revolutionize usage of the natural elements for some actual problems in the world instead! Maybe the full potential of molybdenum (atomic number 42) hasn't been found yet, or maybe xenon's (atomic number 54) reactions with oxygen and flourine atoms (atomic numbers 8 and 9) could be put to use.
Yes, both the scenario I put down and the scenario I proposed have potential. However, the latter is significantly cheaper and shows more immediate promise, as no synthetic atoms aren't radioactive.
So yeah, maybe it's cool for chemists to theorize about getting a completely new level of electrons and a new block on the periodic table as the new electron levels would arrange in a new way, but leave that to theory, don't waste time and money on creating a new noble gas ununoctium (temporary name for atomic number 118) and beyond. Make what we have better.
Of the elements 93 and above, I know of uses for two of them off the top of my head. Plutonium (atomic number 94) is used for bombs and flux capacitors (of course, later Mr. Coffee is some sort of biological fuel source replacing the plutonium...). Americium (atomic number 95) is used in smoke detectors.
I will admit this is probably not an extensive list of all the elements above 92 that are useful. However, still the majority of these synthetic elements are extremely radioactive with extremely short half lives. In fact, you'd be lucky to randomly select an isotope of one of these elements and have it last more than a minute.
So much money is wasted on trying to create these atoms, but if they have no practical use, why bother making more and more? Try to revolutionize usage of the natural elements for some actual problems in the world instead! Maybe the full potential of molybdenum (atomic number 42) hasn't been found yet, or maybe xenon's (atomic number 54) reactions with oxygen and flourine atoms (atomic numbers 8 and 9) could be put to use.
Yes, both the scenario I put down and the scenario I proposed have potential. However, the latter is significantly cheaper and shows more immediate promise, as no synthetic atoms aren't radioactive.
So yeah, maybe it's cool for chemists to theorize about getting a completely new level of electrons and a new block on the periodic table as the new electron levels would arrange in a new way, but leave that to theory, don't waste time and money on creating a new noble gas ununoctium (temporary name for atomic number 118) and beyond. Make what we have better.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Intro to Sciencey Science Stuff
Well, I have some friends who aren't too fond of Chemistry. I've helped here and there with Chemistry homework or just general ideas.
Well, one friend finally asked for a science blog.
Here is a science blog.
Initially, yes, I did consider making it all about Chemistry. But let's be honest, who'd read a post about Copernicium? (Even if it is freshly named.)
As a result, all four major sciences are fair game--Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.
I'll try to keep a little bit of each coming through the blog.
Otherwise, just wish me luck. And you better darn well appreciate this, Emily.
Well, one friend finally asked for a science blog.
Here is a science blog.
Initially, yes, I did consider making it all about Chemistry. But let's be honest, who'd read a post about Copernicium? (Even if it is freshly named.)
As a result, all four major sciences are fair game--Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.
I'll try to keep a little bit of each coming through the blog.
Otherwise, just wish me luck. And you better darn well appreciate this, Emily.
Time is of the Essence
Abraham Lincoln is, in my opinion, the greatest president we've ever had. However, I've never been shy to say that John Wilkes Booth is responsible for him being so great. Lincoln's handling of the Civil War was well done and he managed to save the Union.
However, Andrew Johnson is generally considered an extremely poor president. He generally attempted to follow Abraham Lincoln's general Reconstruction plan.
Had Lincoln not been killed, his Reconstruction would have made him seem less of a great president. Yes, unlike Johnson, he would have likely had more influence over Congress to get things passed, but his plan would still be generally disliked and often fought by the men of Congress.
On the other end of the spectrum, James Buchanan is the worst president of all time. However, had he been president in place of Theodore Roosevelt, he would have been great. Had he been president in place of James Polk, he would have done fine. Had he been president in place of Woodrow Wilson, things would turn out okay.
James Buchanan's great work in international affairs is often forgotten while considering his horrid handling of the sectional conflict arising between North and South with imminent consequence clear. But if we take the Civil War out of the picture and place Buchanan in a time of more expansionism or need for allies, Buchanan would prove adept at international relations and perform admirably.
And so as a president is examined in terms of history, it is often interesting to see some of the what ifs. Maybe you place them at a different point in time. Maybe you change an event slightly, creating an alternate history, but not so vast that the Alien Space Bats have to create the timeline. The results are often not what you'd expect from examining them solely in our exact timeline.
However, Andrew Johnson is generally considered an extremely poor president. He generally attempted to follow Abraham Lincoln's general Reconstruction plan.
Had Lincoln not been killed, his Reconstruction would have made him seem less of a great president. Yes, unlike Johnson, he would have likely had more influence over Congress to get things passed, but his plan would still be generally disliked and often fought by the men of Congress.
On the other end of the spectrum, James Buchanan is the worst president of all time. However, had he been president in place of Theodore Roosevelt, he would have been great. Had he been president in place of James Polk, he would have done fine. Had he been president in place of Woodrow Wilson, things would turn out okay.
James Buchanan's great work in international affairs is often forgotten while considering his horrid handling of the sectional conflict arising between North and South with imminent consequence clear. But if we take the Civil War out of the picture and place Buchanan in a time of more expansionism or need for allies, Buchanan would prove adept at international relations and perform admirably.
And so as a president is examined in terms of history, it is often interesting to see some of the what ifs. Maybe you place them at a different point in time. Maybe you change an event slightly, creating an alternate history, but not so vast that the Alien Space Bats have to create the timeline. The results are often not what you'd expect from examining them solely in our exact timeline.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Happy Presidents' Day
Well, this is my fifth and final blog post of the day. We've seen the presidents from Grant to McKinley, then Millard Fillmore, then a second dose of Chester Arthur, then a top 10 list excusing myself for laziness. And so I was wondering, how should I finish out Presidents' Day on a Presidential blog?
Well, I had many considerations. They included some more Chester Arthur, a poem about all the presidents (which I tried, but didn't work out too well), Barack Obama (but I'm not too big on writing about current events without direct correlation to past ones)...
And so I settled on a general message about the holiday again.
Presidents' Day is unappreciated in today's society. We treat it as an excuse for a three day weekend.
But you have to remember that we have 43 different men who've led our country and that each and every one of them contributed something to what we are today.
Yes, even William Henry Harrison.
We need to really consider the impacts of these men at some point in our lives, if but for a moment.
And for Presidents' Day, celebrate one of the guys who doesn't get recognition. Washington and Lincoln don't need more celebration, they've got national monuments! Think about the guys who lead up to the Civil War and what they did to try and put it off. Consider the ideas of the men who couldn't stop it. Think of the Gilded Age presidents and see what they did to try to fight corruption and how a fight against it can result in more corruption or how a corrupt man is the most effective weapon to end it.
Presidents are important for as long as our country survives. Don't let their names fade away into obscurity, because they helped mold the world around you.
Well, I had many considerations. They included some more Chester Arthur, a poem about all the presidents (which I tried, but didn't work out too well), Barack Obama (but I'm not too big on writing about current events without direct correlation to past ones)...
And so I settled on a general message about the holiday again.
Presidents' Day is unappreciated in today's society. We treat it as an excuse for a three day weekend.
But you have to remember that we have 43 different men who've led our country and that each and every one of them contributed something to what we are today.
Yes, even William Henry Harrison.
We need to really consider the impacts of these men at some point in our lives, if but for a moment.
And for Presidents' Day, celebrate one of the guys who doesn't get recognition. Washington and Lincoln don't need more celebration, they've got national monuments! Think about the guys who lead up to the Civil War and what they did to try and put it off. Consider the ideas of the men who couldn't stop it. Think of the Gilded Age presidents and see what they did to try to fight corruption and how a fight against it can result in more corruption or how a corrupt man is the most effective weapon to end it.
Presidents are important for as long as our country survives. Don't let their names fade away into obscurity, because they helped mold the world around you.
Top 10: Reasons I haven't updated Presidential Ranking
10. Let's be honest, it wasn't interesting to read every week slight changes to a list.
9. How much ranting was involved?
8. I got lazy.
7. I couldn't stand to drop Chester Arthur further down!
6. Okay, we get it, Abraham Lincoln is number one!
5. It was a lot of research involved...
4. It's more fun to read other peoples' lists and see how I disagree.
3. I'm not really that great of a historian.
2. Feedback was minimal, and without help it's a tough undertaking.
1. Hell, other stuff is way more fun to blog about.
9. How much ranting was involved?
8. I got lazy.
7. I couldn't stand to drop Chester Arthur further down!
6. Okay, we get it, Abraham Lincoln is number one!
5. It was a lot of research involved...
4. It's more fun to read other peoples' lists and see how I disagree.
3. I'm not really that great of a historian.
2. Feedback was minimal, and without help it's a tough undertaking.
1. Hell, other stuff is way more fun to blog about.
Song Review: "Why Millard Fillmore Sucked"
Well, this song comes from a series of Why Every President Sucked so, let me acknowledge here that they are biased.
Link to the song
Lyrics:
Let’s have a compromise
Just ignore those cries you hear
It’s nothing at all
Just the sound of freedom giving way to fear
Let’s have a compromise
Just ignore those cries
Runaway slave, you gotta come back now
It’s a lose-lose, not a win-win-win
Which we all know would be the best
But if we all give a little
We can all be miserable
I can see that you’re impressed
Millard Fillmore is my name
There’s a reason you’ve never heard of me before
The final couplet strikes me immediately. I hate that no one has heard of Millard Fillmore. In fact, I believe tvtropes.com characterizes him as "famous for being obscure." I think Millard Fillmore was a pretty poor president generally, but a lot of that is due to the times and not the man.
The song focuses on the Compromise of 1850, which admittedly is the major accomplishment of Fillmore's administration. However, I disagree with the calling it lose-lose. In fact, it managed to push by the Civil War, albeit by maybe a decade, but that's better than not doing anything about it COUGHCOUGHJAMESBUCHANANCOUGHCOUGH.
Millard Fillmore spent the majority of his presidential years working to appease both sections of the country. Compromise and saving the Union were key to him. However, he also asserted American neutrality despite it having negative political implications with the German-American demographic. In addition, he sent Commodore Perry to Japan which would open trade with them. And he began the White House library.
So Millard Fillmore gets a lot of negative outlooks, but he really wasn't all that bad. In fact, I defy this song and say Millard Fillmore did not suck.
I must give the song credit, though. It's very appealing to the ear.
Link to the song
Lyrics:
Let’s have a compromise
Just ignore those cries you hear
It’s nothing at all
Just the sound of freedom giving way to fear
Let’s have a compromise
Just ignore those cries
Runaway slave, you gotta come back now
It’s a lose-lose, not a win-win-win
Which we all know would be the best
But if we all give a little
We can all be miserable
I can see that you’re impressed
Millard Fillmore is my name
There’s a reason you’ve never heard of me before
The final couplet strikes me immediately. I hate that no one has heard of Millard Fillmore. In fact, I believe tvtropes.com characterizes him as "famous for being obscure." I think Millard Fillmore was a pretty poor president generally, but a lot of that is due to the times and not the man.
The song focuses on the Compromise of 1850, which admittedly is the major accomplishment of Fillmore's administration. However, I disagree with the calling it lose-lose. In fact, it managed to push by the Civil War, albeit by maybe a decade, but that's better than not doing anything about it COUGHCOUGHJAMESBUCHANANCOUGHCOUGH.
Millard Fillmore spent the majority of his presidential years working to appease both sections of the country. Compromise and saving the Union were key to him. However, he also asserted American neutrality despite it having negative political implications with the German-American demographic. In addition, he sent Commodore Perry to Japan which would open trade with them. And he began the White House library.
So Millard Fillmore gets a lot of negative outlooks, but he really wasn't all that bad. In fact, I defy this song and say Millard Fillmore did not suck.
I must give the song credit, though. It's very appealing to the ear.
Civil War Experience
Not long ago, I was discussing with my friends the effectiveness of commanding generals as presidents. But that's another blog.
This blog begins with the effectiveness of a single general. Ulysses S. Grant, the nation's 18th president. He was the greatest Union general of the Civil War, and one of the top generals in our history. However, as president, he proved to be a poor judge of character and was generally ineffective. In fact, I would argue that he was the worst president of the Gilded Age (which includes Grant through McKinley).
And so this got me thinking, could greatness in the Civil War be inversely proportional to greatness in the Executive Branch?
The next president, Rutherford B. Hayes, reached the rank of brigadier general and was brevetted major general by the end of the war. He was wounded 5 times. He had some military successes. And, like Grant, he was a pretty poor president.
Next up is James Garfield. He became a brigadier general sooner than Hayes and worked as Chief of Staff under Rosecrans, commander of the Army of Cumberland. Garfield was a good president until he got shot. So he actually didn't get much done.
Chester Arthur was too, brigadier general. He was eventually quatermaster general for New York. He saw no combat, but his years of organizing New York to send troops to battle are often said to be his best. He was, however, removed from the position in 1863 for political reasons. As president, he had two major positive accomplishments, one major poor decision, and was otherwise uneventful. He probably ranks as the second best Gilded Age president, behind...
Grover Cleveland, who dodged the draft by paying for someone else to go. This man is probably the greatest Gilded Age president, as I have already said.
Benjamin Harrison reached the rank of... you guessed it... brigadier general near the end of the war. He's not a stand out commander, and he's not a stand out president.
William McKinley was the last president to have experience in the Civil War. He actually fought under Hayes. Go figure. He reached the ranks of Captain and brevet major. Now, I can't tell you exactly what they are, but they're lower than brigadier general, I can tell you that. This man brought back power to the Executive Branch and is generally considered the first modern president.
Now, to rank these men by order of success in the Civil War:
1. Ulysses Grant
2. Rutherford Hayes
3. James Garfield
4. Chester Arthur
5. Benjamin Harrison
6. William McKinley
7. Grover Cleveland
And by success as president:
1. William McKinley
2. Grover Cleveland
3. Chester Arthur
4. Benjamin Harrison
5. Rutherford Hayes
6. James Garfield
7. Ulysses Grant
So, no it's not a perfect correlation. But I think there's something to be said for Civil War successes vs. Presidential successes.
This blog begins with the effectiveness of a single general. Ulysses S. Grant, the nation's 18th president. He was the greatest Union general of the Civil War, and one of the top generals in our history. However, as president, he proved to be a poor judge of character and was generally ineffective. In fact, I would argue that he was the worst president of the Gilded Age (which includes Grant through McKinley).
And so this got me thinking, could greatness in the Civil War be inversely proportional to greatness in the Executive Branch?
The next president, Rutherford B. Hayes, reached the rank of brigadier general and was brevetted major general by the end of the war. He was wounded 5 times. He had some military successes. And, like Grant, he was a pretty poor president.
Next up is James Garfield. He became a brigadier general sooner than Hayes and worked as Chief of Staff under Rosecrans, commander of the Army of Cumberland. Garfield was a good president until he got shot. So he actually didn't get much done.
Chester Arthur was too, brigadier general. He was eventually quatermaster general for New York. He saw no combat, but his years of organizing New York to send troops to battle are often said to be his best. He was, however, removed from the position in 1863 for political reasons. As president, he had two major positive accomplishments, one major poor decision, and was otherwise uneventful. He probably ranks as the second best Gilded Age president, behind...
Grover Cleveland, who dodged the draft by paying for someone else to go. This man is probably the greatest Gilded Age president, as I have already said.
Benjamin Harrison reached the rank of... you guessed it... brigadier general near the end of the war. He's not a stand out commander, and he's not a stand out president.
William McKinley was the last president to have experience in the Civil War. He actually fought under Hayes. Go figure. He reached the ranks of Captain and brevet major. Now, I can't tell you exactly what they are, but they're lower than brigadier general, I can tell you that. This man brought back power to the Executive Branch and is generally considered the first modern president.
Now, to rank these men by order of success in the Civil War:
1. Ulysses Grant
2. Rutherford Hayes
3. James Garfield
4. Chester Arthur
5. Benjamin Harrison
6. William McKinley
7. Grover Cleveland
And by success as president:
1. William McKinley
2. Grover Cleveland
3. Chester Arthur
4. Benjamin Harrison
5. Rutherford Hayes
6. James Garfield
7. Ulysses Grant
So, no it's not a perfect correlation. But I think there's something to be said for Civil War successes vs. Presidential successes.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Presidents' Day
...is quite possibly the most worthless holiday we have in the United States.
It sprung from celebrations of Lincoln's Birthday (on February 12) and Washington's Birthday (on February 22) and so now Presidents' Day is celebrated on a Monday in February, I suppose the third Monday, and we all get a three-day weekend instead of two days off.
But this is not my problem with the upcoming holiday. My problem is people don't celebrate the presidents. Not once have I heard of someone preaching about the greatness of Abraham Lincoln on this holiday. Nor have I seen someone wearing a George Washington t-shirt.
If we're getting this day off, why aren't people celebrating even these greatest presidents?
But in addition, people further shun the lesser presidents. Maybe they'll think of Washington and Lincoln, maybe even the Roosevelts. But what about the Millard Fillmores and the William McKinleys and the Benjamin Harrisons of our land? Isn't it their holiday too?
But people don't celebrate any of this. So why should this holiday still exist?
That being said, on Monday I'm wearing a Chester Arthur t-shirt and posting multiple blogs about some of the presidents who get no love.
It sprung from celebrations of Lincoln's Birthday (on February 12) and Washington's Birthday (on February 22) and so now Presidents' Day is celebrated on a Monday in February, I suppose the third Monday, and we all get a three-day weekend instead of two days off.
But this is not my problem with the upcoming holiday. My problem is people don't celebrate the presidents. Not once have I heard of someone preaching about the greatness of Abraham Lincoln on this holiday. Nor have I seen someone wearing a George Washington t-shirt.
If we're getting this day off, why aren't people celebrating even these greatest presidents?
But in addition, people further shun the lesser presidents. Maybe they'll think of Washington and Lincoln, maybe even the Roosevelts. But what about the Millard Fillmores and the William McKinleys and the Benjamin Harrisons of our land? Isn't it their holiday too?
But people don't celebrate any of this. So why should this holiday still exist?
That being said, on Monday I'm wearing a Chester Arthur t-shirt and posting multiple blogs about some of the presidents who get no love.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Top 10: Movies that Should be Made about Presidents
10. Silent Cal
The movie with almost no dialogue.
9. Tippecanoe: William Henry Harrison
"Rosebud" is the dying word of this president. But what could it mean? A reporter seeks out the truth in President Harrison's history.
8. Dutch
In which all the die-hard Reagan Republicans attend, only to find out it's actually about Martin Van Buren. (More for the commercial success than the entertainment value...)
7. The First Black President
Initially about Bill Clinton, who recieved this nickname. Then about Barack Obama who appears to be black. Then about Thomas Jefferson, who is theorized to be partially black.
6. Ike
Dwight Eisenhower dominates Europe in World War II, then becomes much less dominating running Washington DC.
5. Buchanan and His Wife
A touching romance story of James Buchanan and William Rufus King, who dies. Buchanan goes on to be president, but fails to be good because he cannot forget the love he shared.
4. James Garfield Lives
What if Charles Guiteau had failed to assassinate James Garfield? The world progresses from 1881 to 1981.
3. Old Hickory: President Jackson's Adventures
A war hero with a few screws loose runs the country now!
2. TR
Against all odds, an asthmatic boy grows up to fight valiantly in a war and become president.
1. The Dude President: The Chester Arthur Story
A preacher's son grows up to be a wonderfully good brigadier general, only to fall into corruption under a party boss. When he becomes president, can he overtake his corrupted past?
The movie with almost no dialogue.
9. Tippecanoe: William Henry Harrison
"Rosebud" is the dying word of this president. But what could it mean? A reporter seeks out the truth in President Harrison's history.
8. Dutch
In which all the die-hard Reagan Republicans attend, only to find out it's actually about Martin Van Buren. (More for the commercial success than the entertainment value...)
7. The First Black President
Initially about Bill Clinton, who recieved this nickname. Then about Barack Obama who appears to be black. Then about Thomas Jefferson, who is theorized to be partially black.
6. Ike
Dwight Eisenhower dominates Europe in World War II, then becomes much less dominating running Washington DC.
5. Buchanan and His Wife
A touching romance story of James Buchanan and William Rufus King, who dies. Buchanan goes on to be president, but fails to be good because he cannot forget the love he shared.
4. James Garfield Lives
What if Charles Guiteau had failed to assassinate James Garfield? The world progresses from 1881 to 1981.
3. Old Hickory: President Jackson's Adventures
A war hero with a few screws loose runs the country now!
2. TR
Against all odds, an asthmatic boy grows up to fight valiantly in a war and become president.
1. The Dude President: The Chester Arthur Story
A preacher's son grows up to be a wonderfully good brigadier general, only to fall into corruption under a party boss. When he becomes president, can he overtake his corrupted past?
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