What to say about what has happened today. Historically, that is. The first & third flags were adopted by the Confederate States of America today. In different years, of course. The biggest thing about that for me was the Confederate States of America existed for about four years total (February 1861 to May 1865). Three flags in four years seems a little, well I don't know the word. Excessive? Frivolous? Bogged down in trivialities?
But I have written enough about the Confederacy lately. What else about today? Quite a bit earlier, the Massachusetts Bay Colony was granted a royal charter in 1628. Let's keep moving. Frances Perkins becomes the first female member of the USCabinet in 1933. Hmmm, nope, not interesting enough, not even to kick off Women's History Month.
A number of people were born today. A number of people are born every day, but today we have Vivaldi, him of the Four Seasons. Eleanor Daley was also born on March 4th. The wife & mother of two prominent mayors of Chicago, so naturally everyone called her Sis. I don't know what's up with that but am not all that curious, either.
Quite a few people have died as well. Gary Gygax, the father of Dungeons & Dragons died today, in 2008. D&D being the first dating service for geeks (not the advertised purpose but you will never convince me that didn't quickly become one of the attractions). Gary Gygax helped introduce surprising number of socially inept people might never have met. Now there's an interesting accomplishment. Bror Von Blixen-Finecke also died on March 4th (1946). Who is that you ask? Well, he is better known as the unfaithful husband to his first wife, Karen who is better known as Isak Dineson.
In 1918, March 4th saw the first outbreak of the Spanish flu. We don't think about it overly much, but with an estimated 50 million dead worldwide, the Spanish flu was the last great pandemic. Until the next one of course.
Maybe I am just tired but March 4th isn't forming into anything cohesive for me. It's funny, but some days really do seem to have themes: lots of scientists' births or deaths or even something in broader strokes, many political assassinations, that kind of thing. The best March 4th seems to offer is 2 of the 3 Confederate flags & I am way too amped up over that damned flag as it is.
Ah well, I guess that makes March 4th the unofficial make it your own day. Let me suggest you design your own flag & maybe listen to something baroque while being grateful that despite loud shouts from faux scientists that there is no such thing as evolution, the US Center for Disease Control still bases their influenza recommendations on there being such a thing after all.
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