Prof. Boerner's Explorations

Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

Commentary will be added shortly. GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 3714 Words ]

Quotations Related to GETTYSBURG:

“My dead and wounded were nearly as great in number as those still on duty.”
— William C. Oates

“Up, men, and to your posts! Don’t forget today that you are from Old Virginia!”
— George E. Pickett

“It ain’t so hard to get to that ridge – The hell of it is to stay there.”
— Confederate soldier

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

Albert Einstein was named “Man of the Century” in 1999. In a century of amazing accomplishments what made this German, Jewish Scholar such a standout? The theories of what keeps the world together that he presented in 1905 revolutionized the underlying principles of physics. He is credited as being the “Father of Modern Physics” for the four seminal papers published in 1905 while he was only twenty-six years-old. I’s hard to put a number on it, but a large percentage could not have been accomplished without his contributions.

In 1921 he was awarded the Noble Prize in Physics for his findings, not of his Theory of Relativity that overthrew the basic tenets of Newton’s physics worldview but for his discovery of the photoelectric effect to translate light falling on some surfaces will release electrons (energy). But his conception if the equivalence of matter and energy embodied in his Theory of Relativity is what made him famous. Who can forget E=mc²? 

“Equivalence of matter and energy, E = mc² (and by implication, the ability of gravity-and matter generally-to "bend" light), the existence of "rest energy", and the basis of nuclear energy (the conversion of matter to energy by humans and in the cosmos).”  (Wikipedia)

So, let’s get on with our exploration of Albert Einstein, the man and his ideas that “Shook the World”… GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 3996 Words ]

Quotations Related to ALBERT EINSTEIN:

“Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them.”
— Albert Einstein

“One may say the eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility.”
— Albert Einstein

“Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.”
— Albert Einstein

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

Our country’s quest of it’s “Manifest Destiny” led to the expansion of our borders. From our original western boundary at the Mississippi River, we added the vast expanse of the Louisiana Purchase, acquired the Republic of Texas, the Oregon Territory, the Spanish Territory, and several other sections. Most of these were acquired through treaties following military actions to provide lands for our growing population to settle. The final, major territorial acquisition, the Gadsden Purchase, was acquired for slightly less altruistic purposes.

The primary motive for acquiring the seemingly insignificant pieces of land on the southern part of Arizona and New Mexico. This territory is mostly desert around the present Tucson. So why was this area so desirable? It was important to some powerful Southern businessmen to allow a transcontinental railroad to be built. But hadn’t we just celebrated the completion of the rail connection between the two coasts? Well, yes it was, but that route would not be built for another eleven years and would be controlled by Northern business interests. This route required the flat terrain of the territory included in the Gadsden Purchase. The ratification of the purchase was ratified on this day in 1853.

“A motive for the Gadsden Purchase of land from Mexico in 1853 was to provide suitable terrain for a southern transcontinental railroad, since the topography of the southern portion of the existing Mexican Cession land was too mountainous. The Southern Pacific Railroad was completed in 1881.”  (Wikipedia)

So, we need to take a closer look at our exploration topic, The Gadsden Purchase… GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 3804 Words ]

Quotations Related to SOUTHWEST:

“I have the restaurant, too. I serve Southwest, barbecue.”
— Mickey Gilley

“I’d had no particular interest in the Southwest at all as a young girl, and I was completely surprised that the desert stole my heart to the extent it did.”
— Terri Windling

“Obviously, overall infrastructure needs on the Southwest and Northern borders are mounting. We need a major push in Congress to remedy this.”
— Pete Domenici

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

     

Commentary:

Following this country’s long experience in the Pacific area of Asia, we were definitely seeking another shooting war. We were working with Europe to help them recover the devastation of World War II through the Marshall Plan. We had just survived the Berlin Airlift and now the was tension raising between North and South Korea. With unification elections schedule for 1960, we cancelled those election, which set off the North Korean who were expecting victory. (We would repeat this four years later in Vietnam!).

This trigger the incursion of North Korean troops, wit their Chinese allies, into the south across the 38th Parallel. This prompted the South Koreans to appeal to the UN Security Council for help. But a Veto of the resolution by any of the Permanent Members (U.S., Britain, France, The Republic of China, and the Soviet Union) would result in no action. Since this Korean Police Action would become a Proxy War between the US and Soviet Union, the Soviets were expected to veto any action

But, the Soviet delegate became upset at the proceedings and withdrew from the meeting and the resolution was approved. On this date in 1950 President Harry Truman signed the order ground troops to join the United Nations peacekeepers. General Douglas MacArthur was sent to Korea to command operations.

“With both North and South Korea sponsored by external powers, the Korean War was a proxy war. From a military science perspective, it combined strategies and tactics of World War I and World War II: it began with a mobile campaign of swift infantry attacks followed by air bombing raids, but became a static trench war by July 1951.”  (Wikipedia)

Let’s proceed in our exploration of the start of US Military involvement in the Korean War… GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 4430 Words ]

Quotations Related to KOREAN:

“I got called back into the Navy during the Korean War.”
— Daniel J. Evans

“40 percent of North Korean children suffer from stunted growth. 20 percent are underweight.”
— Tom Lantos

“I don’t think the current regime of South Korea will deal actively with the issue of North Korean defectors.”
— Kim Y. Sam

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

    
Commentary:

Thomas Hobbes is important to our quest to understand the context in which our Founding Fathers sought to not only bring into being a new country in the American Colonies, but to create a new form of government — a Representative Democracy. Hobbes was a believer in the inherent evil in man’s nature and that only a strong ruler, a monarch, was needed to maintain a civil society. He was more of a fascist than a republican. He wrote his most famous treatise on the “social contract”, Leviathan, during the anarchy of the English Civil War.

Hobbes introduced the idea that a civil society requires each citizen to give up certain freedoms to gain the security of a lawful environment. Unlike many of the other philosophers that we will examine, Hobbes was not part of the European Enlightenment or dependent upon experimentation. But he did propose the concept of the “Social Contract” the was a common thread through our present series.

“In Leviathan, Hobbes set out his doctrine of the foundation of states and legitimate governments – originating social contract theory. Leviathan was written during the English Civil War; much of the book is occupied with demonstrating the necessity of a strong central authority to avoid the evil of discord and civil war.”  (Wikipedia)

So, it’s time to start our exploration of Thomas Hobbes’ understanding of the “Social Contract”… GLB

[ This is Part 3 of 10 ]

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 3456 Words ]

Quotations Related to THOMAS HOBBES:

“In the state of nature profit is the measure of right.”
— Thomas Hobbes

“Hereby it is manifest, that during the time men live without a common Power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called Warre; and such a warre, as is of every man, against every man.”
— Thomas Hobbes

“…Liberty of disputing against absolute power by pretenders to political prudence; which though bred for the most part in the lees of the people, yet animated by false doctrines are perpetually meddline with the fundamental laws, to the molestation of the Commonwealth...”
— Thomas Hobbes

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

Certain museums stand out in our minds. There is th Louvre in Paris, British Museum in London, and the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. Our Smithsonian Institution on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. may be the class of this select class. Why? Because it is not a singular set of collections, but a group museums that celebrate all that is excellence in art, science, engineering, and the cultural diversity of our country. It is at the same time a research center, an educational resource to our schools, and an opportunity for the public to view collections reflecting the emergence of our country as a nation.

How did we develop such a wealth of museum collections? It started following the death in 1829 of James Smithson, a British Chemist and scientist. Smithsons’ will called for his estate to go to his nephew as long as he had children before the nephew died. When the nephew died in 1935 without heirs, the estate was to be awarded to the United States for the — "Establishment for the increase & diffusion of Knowledge among men". Andrew Jackson was informed of the award of “seed” money for the Smithsonian Institution.

“Smithson dedicated his life to investigating the natural world, and visited Florence, Paris, Saxony, the Swiss Alps, and many other parts of Europe to find crystals and minerals on which he could perform experiments – including diluting, grinding, igniting, and even chewing and sniffing them – to discover and classify their elemental properties.”  (Wikipedia)

Now, let us get on with our exploration of the Smithsonian Institution… GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 3680 Words ]

Quotations Related to SMITHSONIAN:

“The turntable is now an instrument at the Smithsonian.”
— Ajay Naidu

The Smithsonian Institute is one of the most popular agencies of government in the United States“.”
— Norm Dicks

“The Smithsonian museums are among this country’s most endearing treasures and I look forward to helping maintain and enhance their coveted works of art.”
— Xavier Becerra

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

As we approach the celebration of the 4th of July American Independence Day festivities, we believe that this is a good time to reflect on how and why we became a new nation over two hundred years ago. To a great extent, it had to do with the abuses of the British colonial system AND the presence at that point in time of great men of vision — the Founding Fathers. But to an even larger degree the basis of our Founding Fathers reflects a translation of the philosophy of the Enlightenment philosophers. This will be our approach the celebration of Independence Day, July 4th..

Last year we focused on the American Revolution through the Founding Fathers. This year we will draw upon some of original series of posts from two years ago when we dealt with the whole scope of philosophers, Founding Fathers, an other patriots the enabled this new land to emerge.By exploring the philosophical influenced our Founding Fathers. We have included several quotes from the three movies: Independence Day, National Treasure I and National Treasure II; these two movies embody much of these thoughts in them.

We hope that you will follow us through this exploration and come out with a renewed respect for our great struggle in those years in the 18th century. GLB

[ This is Part 2 of 10. ]

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 2385 Words ]

Quotations Related to FOUNDING:

“Government is necessary for our survival. We need government in order to survive. The Founding Fathers created a special place for government. It is called the Constitution.”
— Michael Badnarik

“Hey, our Founding Fathers wore long hair and powdered wigs – I don’t see anybody trying to look like them today, either… But we do look to them as role models.”
— Leigh Steinberg

“I see happiness as a by-product. I don’t think you can pursue happiness. I think that phrase is one of the very few mistakes the Founding Fathers made.”
— James Hillman

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

As we approach the celebration of the 4th of July American Independence Day festivities, we believe that this is a good time to reflect on how and why we became a new nation over two hundred years ago. To a great extent, it had to do with the abuses of the British colonial system AND the presence at that point in time of great men of vision — the Founding Fathers.

Last year we posted an extensive series on the American Revolution emphasizing our Founding Fathers. This year we want to build on that foundation by examining the zeitgeist of the times that promoted those great men to seek the liberties afforded by a new nation. But to get our exploration started, we need to look at the context within which the American Revolution occurred and a perspective on the philosophical foundations of this revolution.

We will examine the thoughts on the Rights of Man for Liberty, Freedom, and Property. Six Enlightenment era philosophers from England and France will be examined in the next few days.

We hope that you will follow us through this exploration and come out with a renewed respect for our great struggle in those years in the 18th century. GLB

[ This is Part 1 of 10. ]

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 2425 Words ]

Quotations Related to FOUNDING:

“Proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”
— Inscription on the Liberty Bell

“Don’t tire yourself more than need be, even at the price of founding a culture on the fatigue of your bones.”
— Antonin Artaud

“Congress is functioning the way the Founding Fathers intended-not very well. They understood that if you move too quickly, our democracy will be less responsible to the majority.”
— Barbara B. Conable, Jr.

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

Growing up in the late 1940s and 50s, I looked forward to my Saturday morning pilgrimage to the movie theater in our little town. Besides the featured movie of the week, we looked forward to the cartoon and especially the short feature. Often times this included a western. But the real treat can when the feature was a Roy Roger, Gene Autry, and, especially, a Hopalong Cassidy movie. That week was a real treat!

When TV arrived in the late 1940s, we would crowd around our little 9” TV set to watch Howdy Doody and Cecil.. Later, with larger screens and more varied programming was available, we loved to watch the westerns that we had been listening to on radio for years. And one of my favorites was Hopalong Cassidy; even back then merchandizing was alive and well. I remember my brother and myself having a Hopalong Cassidy outfits and a Hopalong Cassidy bank account. As they say, “those were the days!”

As portrayed on the screen, the white-haired Bill "Hopalong" Cassidy was usually clad strikingly in black (including his hat, an exception to the longstanding western film stereotype that only villains wore black hats). He was reserved and well spoken, with a fine sense of fair play. He was often called upon to intercede when dishonest characters were taking advantage of honest citizens. "Hoppy" and his white horse, Topper, usually traveled through the west with two companions — one young and trouble-prone with a weakness for damsels in distress, the other comically awkward and outspoken.

It’s time now to jump into today’s exploration of the first western television series in 1947, The Hopalong Cassidy Show… GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 3765 Words ]

Quotations Related to WESTERNS:

“I am not a fan of westerns particularly.”
— Patrice Leconte

“I felt pretty comfortable with Westerns, apart from the fact I couldn’t ride.”
— Richard Widmark

“I never dreamed I would do Westerns.”
— Eli Wallach

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

    

Commentary:

Following World War I, the British were given the Mandate from the League of Nations to oversee the lands of the Middle East, including Palestine and Egypt. Following World War II, the United Nations decided that the Jews, so abused by the Third Reich, needed their own homeland. The Zionists and United States backed a plan to establish this homeland in Palestine; the British opposed this solution. In 1947-48 the Jews an Palestinians battled for territory.

In the middle of this conflict was a young Egyptian lawyer, Gamal Abdel Nasser. Upon returning to Egypt, he along with fellow army officers, grew further disenchanted by the ruling family, currently represented by King Farouk. In 1952 he participated in the coup d’etat that overthrew the monarchy. in 1956 he was elected President and he was behind the nationalization of the Suez Canal and the Suez Crisis. He was a strong backer of the pan-Arab movement for Arab unity.

Convinced that he needed a wasta, Nasser managed to secure a meeting with the Secretary-of-State, Ibrahim Kheiry Pasha, who sponsored his second attempt into the military academy. From then on, with little contact with his family, he focused on his military career. It was at the academy that he met Abdel Hakim Amer and Anwar Sadat, both of whom became important aides during his presidency.^[16] After passing his final exam at Abassia, he was posted to the town of Mankabad, near his native Beni Mur, and was commissioned as 2nd lieutenant in the infantry.

So let’s get into todays exploration if Gamal Abdul Nasser…  GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 4028 Words ]
    

Quotations Related to GAMAL ABDEL NASSER:

“Events are not a matter of chance.”
— Gamal Abdel Nasser

“He who can not support himself, can not take his own decision.”
— Gamal Abdel Nasser

“I have been a conspirator for so long that I mistrust all around me.”
— Gamal Abdel Nasser

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