Rebel Ratification of Treaty

23 decades ago today, the Treaty of Paris was ratified by the Congress of the Confederation.

"Big Four" Got Together

Half a decade short of a century ago today, the big leaders of the Entente met in Paris.

Archduke Karl at 53

Today is the birthday of the Archduke Karl, head of the House of Habsburg. 53 years ago today he was born to Archduke Otto and Archduchess Regina.

Happy Birthday, Your Imperial and Royal Highness!

Celente 2014

Gerald Celente is interviewed by RT America on the times ahead:

Fourteen Points at 96

96 years ago today, the bête noire of this weblog issued his “Fourteen Points.”

Electoral College 225

Nine quarters of a century ago today, the landed gentry of those United States voted for electors to the Electoral College.

A few on the Electoral College:

• Will Hively: Math Against Tyranny, Discover magazine
• Rachel Alexander: Don't get rid of the Electoral College, Enter Stage Right
• Steve Farrell: The Electoral College: A check on Socialism, Enter Stage Right
• Ryan McMaken: With Democracy, There is No Right Answer, LewRockwell.com
• Ron Paul: The Electoral College vs. Mob Rule, LewRockwell.com
• Ron Paul: Hands Off the Electoral College, LewRockwell.com

Sixty Years with St. Edward's Crown

Over at Enter Stage Right, I have an article in connection with the past coronation anniversary year.

Rogers & Schiff 2014

Jim Rogers and Peter Schiff give their takes on the new year:

Alexander Fraser Tytler

Two centuries and a year ago today, Alexander Fraser Tytler passed from this world.

"Just How Stupid Are We?"

Mark Malaro interviews Associate Professor Rick Shenkman of George Mason University and History News Network on his book Just How Stupid Are We?:

Dr. Shenkman was also interviewed on CNN:

Also interviewed by Jon Stewart:

Bill Maher has a related comment:

Poll Results: What Is the Best Group of Contemporary European Monarchies?

The results for the poll, with the question “What is the best group of contemporary European monarchies?,” ending at midnight between 2013 and 2014, are as follows:

Total votes: 38.

• The Liechtenstein and Monaco monarchies: 17 (44%)
• The United Kingdom monarchy: 12 (31%)
• The Benelux monarchies: 4 (10%)
• The Spanish monarchy: 4 (10%)
• The Scandinavian monarchies: 1 (2%)

A new poll will be up soon.

A Nobel Exhibition

This past Monday I went to the Nobel Peace Center – in connection with it's year end free admission period (starts a couple of days after Nobel Day). One of the temporary exhibitions there was What the World Eats.

One timely and appropriate question to ask is what exactly this exhibition has to do with holding peace congresses and reducing standing armies.

One notable aspect with the exhibitions, though, was that it portrayed two ethnically Norwegian families. Those two were the only ones presented with two family names – not even hyphenated. One should not be surprise if the father and mother are not married. There was at least one other families where the mother carried another surname than the family name, probably her maiden name, but at least there was one family name.

A friend once said that a family is a man and a woman who are married and have children. One could question whether an entity that does not have a single family name is a family.