Fun & Exciting Stuff

In this information age, I have become more knowledgeable, I think.

I have read in one of my feeds, an article on how to be more productive. The problem, in this information age, is that I can’t figure out where the link went. Soooo, here is what I remember: In an effort to be more productive, Jerry Seinfeld went and bought one of those wall mounted full year calendars. He used this to help him write jokes on a regular basis. Everyday he would write, he would put a red X through that day. His key was: “Don’t break the chain” In other words, don’t let a day go by without doing whatever it is you are trying to accomplish. The other big point I took away from the article was that it is always better to do things overtime than have to do them all at once. Imagine you are Seinfeld and you have a big show coming up. Do you write 1 joke per day over the next month or wait until the day of the show to write 30 jokes?

So I am going to try not to break the chain and write on a more regular basis.

Update: The website SmarterFitter has developed a web-based Seinfeldian Calendar

American Heritage magazine doesn’t publish a paper copy anymore, but they do have just about every back issue with all their articles on this big series of tubes the rest of us call the Internet. Some of the articles from the 60’s and 70’s is great stuff, written by world-class history authors. Ketchum, Sears, Fleming, Halliday to name a few. If you are into American History and you want detailed analysis, this is the place to go.

July 4th is also a historic date in American Civil War lore. Today, “The Father of waters flows unvexed to the sea.” – (Abraham Lincoln). The Battle of Vicksburg ended today (July 4th, 1863). Grant was successful in breaking the siege of Vicksburg and launches himself into the national conscience. The North is able to use the Mississippi River for trade and the South could not. It also takes and divides the South into an Eastern and Western portion. Combine this event with the fact that the Battle of Gettysburg ended the day before (July 1st, 2nd and 3rd). The Southern disaster at Pickett’s Charge in particular did not help matters.

The Union was on the right track after a slow start. But the war wouldn’t be over until April 1865.

MSNBC has a sample of questions necessary to become a citizen. I give out a similar test in my immigration unit. The kids cheat and use the internet or each other. But it does prove my point. They don’t know and realize they couldn’t make as an immigrant.

Lee’s Resolution , was passed by the 2nd Continental Congress on July 2nd, two days ago, 1776. To quote my favorite President John Adams,

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

He of course wasn’t President at the time. July 4th was the day that it was read to the public and the rest is history.