When I came across the story of the swearing-in today of the new President of Quincy College, I sensed a familiarity with the name and the person. Sure enough the Quincy College Voice notes that Peter Tsaffaras was born in Lowell – and moved to Quincy in 1986. Also, he holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell and completed his graduate work in education at the University of Massachusetts-Boston. He received a Juris Doctor degree from the New England School of Law and maintains a general practice of law in Quincy.
June 7th, 2011
Blogger meet-up Thursday night
This coming Thursday night, from 6 to 8 pm, all bloggers, blog readers, and everyone else is invited to Gary’s Ice Cream at 131 Gorham Street in East Chelmsford to enjoy ice cream and each other’s company. There’s no agenda, no sign-in table; just show up and chat.
A bonus will be the presence of Greg Page who’s flown all the way back from Afghanistan to attend. Well, maybe he returned for other reasons and it’s a coincidence that he’s here for this event. Whatever the case, it will be great to see Greg and everyone else. Please try to attend.
June 7th, 2011
“Meanderings” by Jim Peters
Regular contributor Jim Peters sent along this essay this past weekend; sorry I’m only now getting a chance to post it.
Some would say that not much passes through my brain on a good day, but I was just thinking, and you heard it here first, that dogs, those cute little furry animals, are today’s children. Seldomly do I watch television, and not see a dog food commercial. And, it is no longer the Kennel Ration song, “My dog’s better than your dog, my dog’s better than yours, my dog’s better ’cause he eats Kennel Ration” etc. Now your dog is fed by a trained chef. My son recently spent a great deal of money on his dog because his two year old dog had glaucoma and required eye surgery.
My sister-in-law’s dog had cancer, and was given chemotherapy. I would bet that costs a mint. Nightly news shows detail finding dogs in squalor. They show graphic images of dogs living in their own filth, which is disgusting and something that any animal should not have to do. However, these are animals, admittedly good animals, but still. And giving them valuable TV time when there are humans living in their own feces out there is, in my opinion, just cheap reporting.
I am just a farm kid from Iowa. I know that there is nothing special about Angus beef because most slaughter cows are Angus cows. They were all over the state. One Iowan company even made it to the big time by advertising their chicken products on the television, which is their right. They ended up hiring hundreds. They are still in business to this day. Now, I know there is a great difference between animals raised for consumption and animals raised for pets. I am definitely not comparing a dog to a cow. But they both respond to petting, they respond to human contact, and they are both, in their unique ways, good animals, but animals, nevertheless. read more »
June 7th, 2011
General Butler Orders Mumford Hanged for Treason
On this day June 7, 1862 – Gen Benjamin F. Butler of Lowell, Massachusetts and the military governor of New Orleans ordered William Mumford hanged after he removed, desecrated and destroyed the US flag on display over the New Orleans Mint. Of the event – Butler himself wrote, “I thought I should be in utmost danger if I did not have him executed, for the question was now to be determined whether I commanded the city or whether the mob commanded it.”
From “A Day in the Life of the Civil War”:
North Carolina native William Bruce Mumford was hung in New Orleans, Louisiana June 7th 1862 for desecrating a United States flag.
On April 26th 1862 Union Captain Henry W Morris of the USS Pocahontas sent Marines ashore in New Orleans, Louisiana to raise a United State flag over the mint. As they raised the flag, angry New Orleans locals gathered around them. Seven of the onlooker including William Bruce Mumford decided they would remove the flag. The USS Pocahontas fired on the men and Mumford was hit with a piece of brick. Mumford took the flag carrying it to City Hall to give to the Mayor. Amid cheers from the crowd, he walked with it, all the while onlookers ripped pieces of the flag, so that Mumford deliver a tatter.
Union Major General Benjamin Butler who was in command of New Orleans arrested Mumford May 1st 1862. Mumford was charged with “high crimes and misdemeanors against the laws of the United States, and the peace and dignity thereof and the Law Martial”. He was brought before a military tribunal on May 30th 1862 and found guilty of treason. Butler issued an order to have Mumford executed. On June 7th 1862 just before noon Mumford was brought to the mint to be hung. He was given a chance to say some final words. Mumford spoke of his patriotism for the Confederacy, and his respect for the United States flag which he had fought under during the Mexican – American War.
For more see “All ABout A Flag” here at “A Day in the Life of the Civil War.”
June 7th, 2011
“Paul Revere’s Ride” by Longfellow
Thanks to Marie for the informative post on Paul Revere yesterday. As an addition here is the text of the Henry Longfellow poem Paul Revere’s Ride. I’m sure “most” of us remember it from our elementary school days:
Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.
He said to his friend, “If the British march
By land or sea from the town to-night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
Of the North Church tower as a signal light,–
One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country folk to be up and to arm.”
Then he said “Good-night!” and with muffled oar
Silently rowed to the Charlestown shore,
Just as the moon rose over the bay,
Where swinging wide at her moorings lay
The Somerset, British man-of-war;
A phantom ship, with each mast and spar
Across the moon like a prison bar,
And a huge black hulk, that was magnified
By its own reflection in the tide.
Meanwhile, his friend through alley and street
Wanders and watches, with eager ears,
Till in the silence around him he hears
The muster of men at the barrack door,
The sound of arms, and the tramp of feet,
And the measured tread of the grenadiers,
Marching down to their boats on the shore. read more »
June 7th, 2011
Senator Donoghue Speaks @ UML Graduation
Greetings from the State Legislature at 2011 UMass Lowell Commencement by State Senator, Eileen Donoghue.
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