No War is Civil

Civility is a casualty before the first shot.

Just before dawn, 150 years ago today, the Civil War started with a single cannon shot which sailed over Charleston Harbor and exploded above the federal garrison at Fort Sumter, setting the stage for four years of carnage that cost more than 600,000 American lives.

Currier & Ives lithograph of the 1861 bombardment of Fort Sumter, in South Carolina's Charleston Harbor, from the Library of Congress.

You can hear arguments about the name still echoing through the former Confederate States, where some still seriously contend our bloodiest war wasn't really about slavery... America's original sin.

Adam Goodheart’s new book is “1861: The Civil War Awakening.”

Did the Conflict Ever End? Audio Embed: BBC, PRI & WBUR's Here & Now 4/11/11. Host: Deborah Becker.

The New York Times series: Disunion- the Civil War’s unfolding.

Ken Burns' treatment of The Civil War repeated on PBS last week.

Meat Market

A sweet, salty, savory scent for real men and women who really want a taste of someone whose essence attracts hordes of other dudes.



Other signs of the Aporkalypse...

9" x 15", periodic table pillow, (non-meat) stuffing included

Can you smell what Victoria's Secret is cooking?

Holy Taco's collection of 50 things made better by bacon.

Banned From Bus Sides

A ban that began with saying no to this bus board, has been expanded to prohibit all forms of "political" advertising on the King County Metro, the Seattle area's largest public transit system.

Censoring Commercial Controversy Audio Embed: Puget Sound Public Radio 4/11/11, Reporter: Liz Jones.

In September 2009, the United Nations Human Rights Council's Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict headed by Justice Richard Goldstone found strong evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by both Israel and Hamas during the Gaza conflict (during the winter of 2008–2009); urging the international community as a whole to put an end to impunity for violations of international law in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The South African jurist was no novice in the field. He had previously investigated, or prosecuted, similar allegations pertaining to the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. He also didn't come to the task with an anti-Israeli bias... Justice Richard Goldstone is a Jew.

Sex Ed with Julia Sweeney

Discussing birds, bees (and frogs) with her eight-year-old daughter.

411

In the United States there will be more than 6 billion calls to directory assistance this year... The phone company already has your number.


Lily Tomlin as "Ernestine" from Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1969-73)

Belgium Gets By

As last minute budget theatrics threatened at least a partial shutdown in Washington DC, very little attention has been paid to the fact that already has happened in Brussels, where it's business as usual.

Saturday marked 300 days without a central government for the country of Belgium, surpassing the record formerly held by Iraq. Officials there are in a political stalemate over budget issues and electoral districts, but many Belgians say the absence of a government doesn't make much difference in daily lives. Host Scott Simon talked with Belgian columnist and journalist Gerrit Six.

No Government, No Worries Audio Embed: Weekend Edition Saturday 4/9/11.

No Toner, No Cry

An M thru F experience via Failblog