mjh's blog

New Mexico’s official flag until 1925, plus a beautiful interpretation of “crescit eundo”

I missed these two items when they were timely, a month ago. Just stumbled upon them in my archives.

New Mexico Politics with Joe Monahan

That flag photo accompanying today’s lead piece may not look familiar, but it was in our state’s early days. From 1912 to 1925 it was the official state flag. Since then the easily recognizable Zia symbol flag has flown proudly.

posted by mjh at December 3, 2004 11:13 AM

ABQjournal: Letters to the Editor

Thunderbolt in Motion

THE MUCH-CRITICIZED state motto "crescit eundo" is actually a quotation from the first-century B.C. Latin poet Lucretius in his epic poem De Rerum Natura, "On The Nature of Things," book 6.

In context it refers to the motion of a thunderbolt across the sky, which acquires power and momentum as it goes. Whoever chose that as a state motto in the old frontier days obviously knew the classics.

Once one realizes that the motto is comparing the state of New Mexico to a mighty thunderbolt flashing across the sky, it gives a whole new meaning to the expression.

WARREN SMITH
Professor of classics, University of New Mexico
Albuquerque

Other entry by mjh at March 22, 2005 11:19 AM

xkcd: Wrong Superhero – damn, I’m still laughing

xkcd: Wrong Superhero

xkcd: Wrong Superhero

A big grin for everyone who is correct to a fault.

OMG – I could NOT do that

Surreal Scenics (9 Photos) | PDN Photo of the Day

© Jimmy Chin. Meru Expedition, Garwhal, India.

Surreal Scenics (9 Photos) | PDN Photo of the Day

Years ago, I saw a Nat Geo photo of someone “camped” on the face of Half Dome in Yosemite. The photo almost gave me vertigo, more so than this one, but this is beyond amazing.

Space shuttle era ends with Atlantis

I’m late with this, but these photos are amazing.

Space shuttle era ends with Atlantis – The Big Picture – Boston.com

The space shuttle Atlantis flies over the Bahamas prior to a perfect docking with the International Space Station on July 10, 2011. Part of a Russian Progress spacecraft docked to the station is in the foreground. (AP Photo/NASA)

Space shuttle era ends with Atlantis – The Big Picture – Boston.com

Happy Dependence Day!

Head over to NewMexiKen’s for the story of the conquest of New Mexico (a continuing saga of 13,000 years or so):

NewMexiKen | New Mexico

New Mexico officially became part of the United States 164 years ago today when 1,600 troops under General Stephen Watts Kearny raised the American flag over the plaza in the Royal City of the Holy Faith of Saint Francis (Santa Fe), reportedly as the sun broke through the overcast sky. There had been little or no resistance. (It came at Taos the following January.)

August 18. Gen. Kearney proceeded through the pass and at 5 pm reached hill that overlooks Santa Fe. …

NewMexiKen | New Mexico

Obama’s Second Act – Charles Krauthammer – National Review Online

Obama’s Second Act – Charles Krauthammer – National Review Online

I have a warning for Republicans: Don’t underestimate Barack Obama. …

The net effect of 18 months of Obamaism will be to undo much of Reaganism. Both presidencies were highly ideological, grandly ambitious, and often underappreciated by their own side. In his early years as president, Reagan was bitterly attacked from his right. (Typical Washington Post headline: “For Reagan and the New Right, the Honeymoon Is Over” — and that was six months into his presidency!) Obama is attacked from his left for insufficient zeal on gay rights, immigration reform, closing Guantanamo — the list is long. The critics don’t understand the big picture. Obama’s transformational agenda is a play in two acts. …

The next burst of ideological energy — massive regulation of the energy economy, federalizing higher education, and “comprehensive” immigration reform (i.e., amnesty) — will require a second mandate, meaning reelection in 2012.

That’s why there’s so much tension between Obama and the congressional Democrats. For Obama, 2010 matters little. If the Democrats lose control of one or both houses, Obama will likely have an easier time in 2012, just as Bill Clinton used Newt Gingrich and the Republicans as his foil for his 1996 reelection campaign.

Obama is down, but it’s very early in the play. Like Reagan, he came here to do things. And he’s done much in his first 500 days. What he has left to do, he knows, must await his next 500 days — those that come after reelection.
So 2012 is the real prize. Obama sees far, farther than even his own partisans. Republicans underestimate him at their peril.

Obama’s Second Act – Charles Krauthammer – National Review Online

Hear! Hear! What he said.

dangerousmeta!

“I think he will replace Jimmy Carter as the worst president of modern times.” [mjh: sayeth the Gingrinch] Only if you think ol’ Ronnie-baby or Georgie-boy left us in better shape than Jimmy. Carter created more jobs, and had a much smaller deficit, than all Republican Presidents since ‘80. That’s not ‘worst’ in my book. – garret p vreeland