Yearly Archives: 2008

For a little while I have been looking for something far less “political” than Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong, by James W. Loewen and I think I have found it. Though I still … Continue reading →

U.S. Senate Majority Leader for the 110th Congress has proclaimed that “Coal makes us sick, oil makes us sick…” I’m speechless…

The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth (History Channel, 2007) This two-hour documentary is based on the Michael Kauffman book, American Brutus: John Wilkes Booth and the Lincoln Conspiracies, and is another solid presentation by The History Channel. It is both … Continue reading →

UPDATE 6/26/08: Not sure if I buy it, but I can guarantee Congress will DO NOTHING: The price of retail gasoline could fall by half, to around $2 a gallon, within 30 days of passage of a law to limit … Continue reading →

Well this is a little upsetting. I noticed last week that a fellow blogger posted the complete transcript of a letter from a soldier in the 11th Wisconsin that was part of my research for my book that I posted … Continue reading →

Semi-centennial History of the Illinois State Normal University, 1857-1907, “THE SCHOOL AND THE WAR,” BY JOHN H. BURNHAM, CLASS OF l861, (1907). John A. Burnham, who was a member of the 33rd Illinois from Normal, provides an interesting account of … Continue reading →

Arrogance and hypocrisy… This just in: the energy “guzzled” by Al Gore’s home in the past year would have powered 232 U.S. homes for a month. I’m sure his carbon offset purchases and the fact that he is fighting the … Continue reading →

Lots of movement on off-shore drilling!! UPDATE: (6/18):  Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has dropped his long-standing support for the federal government’s moratorium on offshore oil drilling and endorsed Sen. John McCain’s proposal to let states decide. “I mean, let’s face … Continue reading →

As promised, more pictures from the “pilgrimage.” Pictures include my children,  loving wife, and, of course, our “backyard” the ocean. Also the contrast between high and low tide, which is significant. The water gets, at times, very close to our … Continue reading →

I am a teacher who utilizes movies (and/or parts of movies) as a teaching device. I find that they are excellent attention grabbers and great for developing thoughtful reflection and discussion in my classroom. As we know, rare is the … Continue reading →