I am not one to engage myself into fights of a physical nature. However, I swear by participation in a good debate every now and then. So, recently, my godfather and I were arguing over whether, as the character Lord Wotton says, beauty and youth are in fact our chief pursuits in life as stated by Oscar Wilde in The Picture of Dorian Gray. Not really, because debates of such an intellectual nature have unfortunately become rare in our conversations, but let's just say that hypothetically we were. As previously stated, I love debates, so I myself would not try and avoid the fight. Whether he will admit it or not, it is very evident that he does too, so he would not try an avoidance tactic either. The events of said arguement are really not significant, because we all know how it probably went: I, trying to be mature and clever, emit a string of silly little references and metaphors adding up to an equally silly opinion; and he, also trying to be mature and clever, tries to counter my attack with something even more profound that possibly doesn't make any sense at all either. And from there, the arguement's basis and details change...we are now agressively trying to prove that we are better, more intelligent, and more worldly than the other. Me, sensing that the fight is in fact an attack wholly on my person, will probably retreat into a melancholy stupor as I brood on and on about what an evil person my godfather is.
Embarassingly, I will admit that somewhere along those lines I seem to have lost my point. However, it is quite possible that my point was something pertaining to the likeness that many of our arguements seem to share. Or, perhaps, how easily something so small can be fueled into becoming something much more.
Unfortunately, from that hypothetical heated arguement, I have learned nothing, and it is likely that my mouth and mind will continue to run away from me as I commence to pick more fights of this sort with anyone and everyone. My, oh my, it does indeed bite to have an opinion of any sort that one feels even the slightest hint of passion towards...
Monday, October 5, 2009
Top Ten Lists
top ten most exciting
- 1803. Dalton devises table of elements – Helped the advancement of modern science, esp. chemistry.
- 1839. Daguerre invents first form of photography – The daguerreotype is an early form of photography developed by Lois Daguerre in which the image is exposed onto a mirrored metal plate which reflects the image and makes it appear positive in the proper light.
- 1800. library of congress founded – The Library of Congress, erected in 1800, is the largest library in the world. It is located in Washington, D.C.
- 1832. Samuel morse improves telegraph – This invention led to improved communication across great distances.
- 1808. congress prohibits importing of African slaves – The Congress passed the Act to Prohibit the Slave Trade in 1807, abolishing the trading of slaves between us and Africa.
- 1803. Louisiana purchase – The US bought 828,800 square miles of territory from the French in 1803, leading to American expansion.
- 1793. eli whitney invents cotton gin – In 1793, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, a machine which made the whole textiles industry more profitable and effective in its work.
- 1789 – 1797. george Washington – George Washington, the first President of the US, set the tones for every President thereafter by doing great things during his term, such as creating the Cabinet of advisors.
- 1849. California gold rush – The 1849 California Gold Rush helped to realize our goals described in the term of Manifest Destiny by encouraging further expansion of United States citizens to the West coast who were seeking riches.
- 1811. first steamboat down Mississippi river reaches new Orleans – In 1811, the first in a line of steamboats reached New Orleans by way of the Mississippi River. Following that maiden voyage, during the 19th and early 20th centuries, trade on the Mississippi was dominated by steamboats.
top ten most terrible
- 1838. trail of tears – Ordered by President Jackson, the Trail of Tears was the forced relocation of Native Americans from their homelands to present-day Oklahoma, with many perishing en route.
- 1829 – 1837. Andrew Jackson – Andrew Jackson was hardly an idyllic leader, namely with his introductions of the Indian Removal Act, the spoils system, and with his support of slavery.
- 1798. alien and sedition act – The Alien and Sedition Act stated that any resident alien who was “dangerous to the peace and safety of the US” may be deported, amongst many other unfavourable things.
- 1830. Indian removal act – Put into action by President Andrew Jackson, the Indian Removal Act defined and authorised the forced relocation of Native Americans from their home territories.
- 1793. fugitive slave act – This Act stated that any escaped (or fugitive) slave must be returned to their owner, in favour of those who were pro-slavery.
- 1829. Andrew Jackson introduces spoils system – The spoils system, Andrew Jackson believed, would gain him more supporters by rewarding his followers.
- 1850 – 1870. plains Indians cede land for reservations – The Plains Indians were forced onto reservations.
- 1847. mormons and Indians – At first, the two groups got along, until the Mormons wanted Native American land, leading to conflicts between them.
- 1811. battle of Tippecanoe – In response to growing tensions between the Native Americans and Americans, the Battle of Tippecanoe was fought on November 7th, 1811. Public opinion in the US blamed the Native American uprising on British influence, which influenced the War of 1812.
- 1821. Missouri compromise – The Missouri Compromise, passed in 1821, regulated slavery in the Western territories.
- 1803. Dalton devises table of elements – Helped the advancement of modern science, esp. chemistry.
- 1839. Daguerre invents first form of photography – The daguerreotype is an early form of photography developed by Lois Daguerre in which the image is exposed onto a mirrored metal plate which reflects the image and makes it appear positive in the proper light.
- 1800. library of congress founded – The Library of Congress, erected in 1800, is the largest library in the world. It is located in Washington, D.C.
- 1832. Samuel morse improves telegraph – This invention led to improved communication across great distances.
- 1808. congress prohibits importing of African slaves – The Congress passed the Act to Prohibit the Slave Trade in 1807, abolishing the trading of slaves between us and Africa.
- 1803. Louisiana purchase – The US bought 828,800 square miles of territory from the French in 1803, leading to American expansion.
- 1793. eli whitney invents cotton gin – In 1793, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, a machine which made the whole textiles industry more profitable and effective in its work.
- 1789 – 1797. george Washington – George Washington, the first President of the US, set the tones for every President thereafter by doing great things during his term, such as creating the Cabinet of advisors.
- 1849. California gold rush – The 1849 California Gold Rush helped to realize our goals described in the term of Manifest Destiny by encouraging further expansion of United States citizens to the West coast who were seeking riches.
- 1811. first steamboat down Mississippi river reaches new Orleans – In 1811, the first in a line of steamboats reached New Orleans by way of the Mississippi River. Following that maiden voyage, during the 19th and early 20th centuries, trade on the Mississippi was dominated by steamboats.
top ten most terrible
- 1838. trail of tears – Ordered by President Jackson, the Trail of Tears was the forced relocation of Native Americans from their homelands to present-day Oklahoma, with many perishing en route.
- 1829 – 1837. Andrew Jackson – Andrew Jackson was hardly an idyllic leader, namely with his introductions of the Indian Removal Act, the spoils system, and with his support of slavery.
- 1798. alien and sedition act – The Alien and Sedition Act stated that any resident alien who was “dangerous to the peace and safety of the US” may be deported, amongst many other unfavourable things.
- 1830. Indian removal act – Put into action by President Andrew Jackson, the Indian Removal Act defined and authorised the forced relocation of Native Americans from their home territories.
- 1793. fugitive slave act – This Act stated that any escaped (or fugitive) slave must be returned to their owner, in favour of those who were pro-slavery.
- 1829. Andrew Jackson introduces spoils system – The spoils system, Andrew Jackson believed, would gain him more supporters by rewarding his followers.
- 1850 – 1870. plains Indians cede land for reservations – The Plains Indians were forced onto reservations.
- 1847. mormons and Indians – At first, the two groups got along, until the Mormons wanted Native American land, leading to conflicts between them.
- 1811. battle of Tippecanoe – In response to growing tensions between the Native Americans and Americans, the Battle of Tippecanoe was fought on November 7th, 1811. Public opinion in the US blamed the Native American uprising on British influence, which influenced the War of 1812.
- 1821. Missouri compromise – The Missouri Compromise, passed in 1821, regulated slavery in the Western territories.
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