What Americans are Afraid of. . .

Interesting.  More fear yet less crime.  It turns out that what Americans truly have to fear. . .is fear itself.  Truth is truth.  More evidence supporting the plan to disconnect your TV from the outside and take all news, Left, Right, Middle as tabloid sensationalist with a primary goal of titillation for higher commercial rates.

"What we found when we asked a series of questions pertaining to fears of various crimes is that a majority of Americans not only fear crimes such as, child abduction, gang violence, sexual assaults and others; but they also believe these crimes (and others) have increased over the past 20 years," said Dr. Edward Day who led this portion of the research and analysis. "When we looked at statistical data from police and FBI records, it showed crime has actually decreased in America in the past 20 years. Criminologists often get angry responses when we try to tell people the crime rate has gone down."

H/T to Bruce Schneier.

Medal of Honor to be awarded for Gettysburg. . .

It is a stirring story, 22 year old Alonzo Cushing, a First Lieutenant commanding Battery A, 4th U.S. Artillery.  A regular, standing his ground, wounded, keeping up the fire until he was finally hit again and killed.  Battery A was at the center of the Federal line.  The epicenter of action on that third day of battle.  George Pickett's attack was aimed squarely at Alonso Cushing and his guns.

50 Years ago today "A Time for Choosing"

Yes, fifty years ago in a televised address for the Goldwater Presidential Campaign, Ronald Reagan challenged Americans.  Listen to it, hear it again or for the first time.  Make your choice.

We Few, We Happy Few. . .

This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian':
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember’d.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember’d;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
–Henry V, Act IV, Scene 3.