My talk at the Halifax Library last night seemed to go well: there was a big crowd (several hundred, I’m told) and—mirabile dictu!—all the copies of Faith Versus Fact were sold (several readers said the secret word [Lynx canadensis] and got a cat drawing as well as an autograph). The characteristically polite Canadian audience was not contetious, though there was one vaccination denialist who wanted to know what I thought of his claim that vaccines were dangerous to kids (I responded appropriately), and another who cited George Lemaître and Gregor Mendel, a Catholic priest and astronomer respectively, as evidence that science and religion were not only compatible, but that religion helped push science forward (I responded appropriately). Today is a rest and tourism day before I head to Ottawa tomorrow.
Because I’ve been busy, I haven’t had time to post much, but many kudos to Grania for keeping the site going! I have photos (including noms), but they’ll have to wait, as today I’m visiting the prime tourist attraction around Halifax: Peggy’s Cove, an old fishing village with a famous lighthouse, now a destination for visitors. It’s also geologically interesting, with Devonian rocks, and the site of a memorial to the Swissair 111 crash in 1998.
On this day in history, President Andrew Johnson became, in 1868, the first U.S. president to be impeached by Congress (he was later acquitted). In 1920 the Nazi Party was founded, and in 1989, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini offered a $3 million reward for the death of Salman Rushdie, who wrote The Satanic Verses (as you’ll know from yesterday, this bounty was just raised.) Finally, on this day in 2008, Fidel Castro resigned as President of Cuba. Notable births on February 24 include Winslow Homer (1836) and Honus Wagner (1874; he used to throw baseballs against my great-grandmother’s outhouse). February 24 deaths include Malcolm Forbes (1990), Claude Shannon (2001), and Don “One Bullet” Knotts (2006). Meanwhile in Dobrzyn, Cyrus and Hili are playing Watson and Holmes in “His Final Bow”:
Cyrus: Somebody is coming.
Hili: Probably a New Era.
Cyrus: Ktoś idzie.
Hili: Pewnie Nowa Era.
Typo: The fatwa again Salman Rushdie was in 1989, not 1969.
Fixed, thanks!
I can attest to the interesting session last night in Halifax. My 3-hour (round trip) drive to the city was worth it, as you delivered an interesting, informative and thought-provoking talk. I enjoyed it immensely! There are some people who are able to project their personality through their writing and I now know that you are one of those. :).
Thanks so much for the talk – and the book – and I hope you enjoy your stay in Nova Scotia.
Peggy’s Cove is lovely. I went there many years ago. I hope you are enjoying Nova Scotia. I really like the Maritimes.
Sub
> It’s also geologically interesting
Well, if granite with glacial scratches is your idea of interesting. I guess that Wikipedia section was written by a local. Now Gros Morne National Park, a bit to the north, is where things get interesting:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gros_Morne_National_Park
Thanks for the wonderful lecture yesterday! It was a great turnout of supporters—not too many naysayers in the crowd! But we are Canadian, and Maritimers, to boot. The auditorium seats 250, and most seats were filled. Thanks for signing FvsF, and also WEIT, although the latter end up being dated 2/12/2016—jet lag?
Oh,and I forgot. To add to your list of crimes perpetrated by the RC church: the systematic educational, physical, and sexual abuse particularly visited upon indigenous youth in Canada, by removing them from their homes and sending them to residential schools. The survivors of this atrocity are still among us, and much healing must be done.I have no idea to what extent this took place in the US.
I responded appropriately. The gentleman in the first row asked a really obtuse question and I responded appropriately. good
Andrew Johnson was the first and only deserving president to face impeachment. Nixon, of course helicoptered out before hand. Missed the two-thirds requirement at the time by one vote – 35 to 19. Only 27 states at that particular moment and they still could not get the job done. Showing as always, what a joke the Senate is.
It also shows that Lincoln did allow mistakes to be made, for political reasons, but still a bad mistake making this clown his VP.
It is not clear Johnson deserved impeachment. He was impeached for firing a cabinet member in violation of a hastily approved act later found to be invalid.
Honus Wagner (b. 1874) was an amazing baseball player. Probably better than Ruth and Ty Cobb as he was great at every aspect of the game, not just hitting.
“Bowlegged, barrel-chested, long-limbed… he was often likened to an octopus. When he fielded grounders, his huge hands also collected large scoops of infield dirt, which accompanied his throws to first like the tail of a comet.”
What’s that quote from, rick?
His biography on BaseballLibrary.com. I picked it up on Wikipedia.
Thanks! Sounds interesting!
Can you post a YouTube link on your speech?
It wasn’t filmed.
It was a pleasure to meet you. We are receiving a lot of positive feedback on your talk. Your affability and directness when answering a sarcastic and angry audience member were admirable.
There was a sarcastic, angry person in Nova Scotia?! Must’ve been from Ontario originally. 😉