"science is the only true guide in life."

steve hanke

laughing my fucking ass off.

the general study of the universe and all that lies within it including space and its curious contents

almost the national bird of the united states. a large domesticated bird most commonly used for food. traditionally served during the holidays. (see: thanksgiving)

officially known by abbreviation akp or ak parti in turkish. conservative party in turkey founded by recep tayyip erdogan in 2001.
(see: recep tayyip erdogan)

a piercing through the cartilage of the upper ear, usually worn with a stud or hoop

(see: #449)

less tolerant.

i look at my phone for a text from /them/ way too often.

a historic site where the first successful english colony was founded in america. it was named after the king, james i.

(see: #635)

in 1857, northerners who opposed slavery received another shock when the supreme court ruled against a slave named dred scott who was suing for his freedom. scott's owners had brought him with them from the south to a northern free state to live. the court declared that it did not matter whether scott lived in a slave state or a free state, because slaves were property and owners could take their property wherever they pleased.

most southerners were happy with the ruling, which meant that slavery could be extended into any territory, whether voters approved of it or not.

dred scott and his family, pictured in a newspaper article about the case. image

regarded as the best officer in the u.s. army, lee symbolized the conflict faced by many, lee had mixed feelings about slavery. though he never publicly spoke against it, he considered it a "moral and political but also felt it was a necessary lesson to civilize the slaves. he opposed secession, however, and so president lincoln offered him command of the union armies in 1861. but when virginia joined the confederacy, lee turned down the offer and accepted a commission in the confederate army. he said,

"i cannot raise my hand against my birthplace, my home, my children."

thomas nast was a 20-year-old german immigrant when the civil war began. he first became famous as an artist for harper's weekly with a drawing called "emancipation," which showed what life might be like for freed slaves. but nast is most remembered for his later work. from the mid-1860s to the 1880s, nast drew editorial cartoons to attack political corruption. he also created the elephant symbol for the republican party and the democrats' donkey. and it was nast's drawings of santa claus as the jolly, red-suited figure handing out gifts from his sleigh that gave the world the modern image we know today.

robert m. la follette was the most famous progressive in state government. he fought to overcome the all-powerful political party machines in wisconsin before being elected governor in 1900. his nickname was "battling bob." la follette's goal was to give the people more control over government. wisconsin became one of the first states to use a direct primary, where voters rather than political parties choose candidates to run for office. "battling bob" also passed a law requiring that civil-service workers take exams to qualify for jobs. that way, party bosses couldn't hire their friends in exchange for political favors.

to reduce the power of utility companies, la follette established commissions to watch the cost and the quality of service. professors from the university of wisconsin served on the commissions, and he worked with the university's president to make sure powerful lumber companies did not overuse the state's forests. la follette's reforms became known as the wisconsin idea.