Stimulus package, the early years:
"1858: The legislature approves an amendment to Minnesota's constitution that legalizes the loan of the state's credit in an issue of bonds "up to but not exceeding $5,000,000," with the idea of exchanging state bonds for railroad-company bonds and thus stimulating the building of railroads and their subsequent benefits to land sales and the state economy. "
And just to show how nothing changes, they were trying to ban things way back then:
"1848: Schoolteacher Harriet E. Bishop forms Minnesota's first temperance society. Temperance societies opposed drunkenness."
Well, that didn’t work out so well. It makes you wonder if the failure of temperance led to abolition, no? Telling them to cut down didn’t work; time to slap the glass out of their hands. But temperance wasn’t just about not getting drunk; the Women’s Christian Temperance Union preached abstention from Demon Beer and its cohort of intoxicating spirits, and later went after tobacco as well.
Fine; free country, and all that, but what madness this must have seemed like to someone who enjoyed a fine wine with supper, or a cold lager after a day on the line. It would be a Minnesotan who crafted the Volstead Act, a fact that might have warmed Harriet Bishop’s heart, but it ended up a spectacular failure of social policy that taught everyone the Constitution carries the full majestic weight of the people right up until the moment you pass another amendment that says NEVER MIND.
It’s NATIONAL PANIC DAY. Really. International Panic Day isn’t until June 18th. (Really.) I’m going to find a variety of local stories that indicate panic is not a wise response; back with a full accounting around noon. Until then - post your own ideas about signs that indicate Calm is the proper response. Graveyard-whistling & sarcasm encouraged, of course. See you in a bit.


Travel and non-holiday milestones
I am working in Switzerland for a month. So far I have missed the U.S. daylight savings switch and now Panic Day (good thing it's not Panic Week, or it would be exhausting), while I will be back home in the DC area in time to miss both European daylight savings time and International Panic Day. I could not have planned it better. Except for having to schlep to the airport so early on my way back.