I'm still thankful for Dicks!

Last Thanksgiving, I was thankful for a variety of Richards. Well guess what? I’m STILL thankful for Dicks.

Richard II

I’m still thankful for you, dear ole Richard. As my dissertation nears completion, we’ll be seeing a lot less of each other, but I want you to know: I’ll never forget you. You, and your inconvenient inability to have a child, have given me an entrance into the academic world. A little part of me will always cherish your memory as a way of expressing my gratitude.

Richard III

I will always be thankful for you. I know we’ve been seeing less of each other since I started researching Richard II, but you’ll always have a special place in my heart. You were my first Dick, and you never forget your first.

Richard and Mildred Loving

This couple was at the center of the Supreme Court case that struck down, once and for all, anti-miscegenation laws. That’s something truly worth being thankful.

That Richard Mourdock lost. The man was a Dick with both a big and a little d, so I’m quite satisfied that he didn’t roll on to victory.

Richard Turere

This Richard is a kick-ass kid in Kenya, who, at the age of eleven, invented a device that keeps lions from attacking livestock and homes.

Richard lives outside of Nairobi, on the border of Nairobi National Park, which is the home of a great many lions. Lions are an important resource in Kenya because they bring in lots of tourist dollars, but they can also be a threat. The big cats have been known to attack and kill livestock, thereby causing financial hardship for families that live along the edge of the national park.

Richard’s family was no exception. Even though Richard would lock the livestock (cattle, sheep, and goats) up at night, lions would still attack. Unlike most eleven-year-olds, Richard decided to fix the problem.

Using his keen observation skills, Richard realized that lions did not like flashlights because they associated the bobbing balls of light with humans – of whom lions are (rightfully) quite wary. Of course, it’s impractical for a small family to have a member stay up all night waving a flashlight around. So Richard rigged up a series of five lights, which flash in a sequence and give the impression that a human is outside swinging a flashlight. Even better: Richard has the system connected to a car battery that is powered by a solar panel! Altogether it took Richard about two months to develop his invention and it cost not quite ten dollars to make. This makes it a practical, affordable system that can be used by many Kenyans.

For the past two years (Richard is now thirteen), his family has been using his invention and have not suffered a single attack. Eventually, their neighbors noticed their good luck and Richard made anti-lion lights for them, too. At some point, National Geographic found out about these “lion lights” and Richard and his invention became a sensation. The National Geographic Big Cats Initiative, WildlifeDirect, and Friends of Nairobi Park are now working together to increase use of lion lights. Richard, meanwhile, was awarded a full scholarship to the Brookhouse School, one of Kenya’s best, in Nairobi. Richard plans to study engineering and wants to work on airplanes.

Richard, you are making all other holders of the name “Richard” proud. Congratulations to a little Richard who has already succeeded in a big way!

For more, see:

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/05/27/lion-lights-a-home-grown-solution-to-saving-lions-and-livestock/

http://blog.makezine.com/maker/richard-turere/

http://talentsearch.ted.com/video/Richard-Turere-age-13-My-invent

*I first read about Richard on Cracked.com 

 

2012 Election Results: Dick Edition

Sadly, the US 2012 Election was not a good one for Dicks. I surveyed the results of the Senate, House of Representatives, and Governor races and determined that 20 Richards ran for office. (I’m sure tons more ran for various local offices, but I do not have the fortitude or time to look through all of those elections nationwide).

Of those 20 Richards (or men I assume are named Richard) only a measly 6 (six!) claimed victory. Not a good time to be a Dick, I guess.

Of these twenty Dicks, party affiliations were as follows:

Democrats: 6

Republicans: 11

Independents: 3

Sigh. It makes me a bit sad that so many Dicks are Republicans because I do not happen to support that party. But such is life, I suppose.

The details, starting with:

Dicks Who Did Not Win

In Montana, Republican Rick Hill was defeated in the race for Governor. I was actually rather surprised by this. I think of Montana as very conservative, but they have a Democratic governor and one Democratic Senator.

House of Representatives

In Florida, the independent candidate Richard Gillmore was soundly defeated. He only managed to claim 4% of the vote. Another independent, Richard Torregano, lost in Louisiana. He got 10% of the vote, although he was only running against one opponent while Gillmore had two.

Republican losses: Richard Grabowski lost in Illinois, as did Richard Tisei in Massachusetts, Rick Snuffer in West Virginia, and Dick Muri in Washington. I would like to note that Dick Muri was the only Dick I found who actually went by “Dick” on the ballot. Way to go, Dick Muri! Own your name.

Democratic losses: Rick Nolan lost in Pennsylvania and Rich Cowan lost in Washington.

Senate

In Arizona, Democrat Richard Carmona lost to the hilariously-named Jeff Flake. How appropriate to be a politician named Flake. The jokes will write themselves.

In Michigan, Richard Matkin of the US Taxpayer Party was soundly defeated. The guy only got a little over 25,000 votes, which is pretty pathetic when you realize the winner got over 2.5 million. However, the US Taxpayer Party is most definitely a fringe group.

North Dakota Republican Rick Berg was also defeated in a very close race. He only lost by about 3,000 votes. Try not to let it get you down, Rick.

Finally, Republican Richard Mourdock, the most famous Dick of the election, suffered defeat in Indiana. This is the guy who suggested that God was cool with women getting raped. Hmmm. Well, I guess God is also cool with this Dick not getting elected.

And now, a more positive note:

Dicks Who Won!!!!

In this election cycle, all the winning Dicks are in the House of Representatives.

Republican victories

Rick Crawford won in Arkansas with a comfortable 56% of the vote. Of course, Richard Nugent of Florida puts that to shame: he captured 64% of the vote. North Carolina’s Richard Hudson grabbed 54% of the vote, and New York’s Richard Hanna took home 60%. Looks like the Nug was the big winner!

Democratic victories

In Massachusetts, Richard Neal ran unopposed in the first district; he is our only Dick to claim this distinction. In Washington, Rick Larsen swept up 61% of the vote. Way to crush the competition, guys!

In 2014, I expect to see more winning Dicks!

*Special shout-out to the state of Washington, the Dick-iest state of them all! Washington had three Dicks on the ballot, two who lost (Rich Cowan and Dick Muri) and one who achieved victory (Rick Larsen). Go Washington!

Dicks and Their Churches

This is an eclectic set of photographs. I don’t have all of my cathedral and church photos on hand at the moment, so I’m working with what I’ve got (and with a few from the internet). Consequently, this post is a mishmash of churches associated with Richard I, Richard II, and Richard III.


Westminster Abbey




The granddaddy of medieval English churches. Westminster Abbey is the royal church; every monarch since William the Conqueror has had a coronation there. A bunch of monarchs are buried there as well. The medieval tombs surround the shrine of Edward the Confessor, but other monarchs are there, too. Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Mary I actually share a tomb in a side aisle. Royalty often celebrate their weddings at Westminster Abbey as well. Recently it was Prince William and Kate Middleton, but back in January 1382 Richard II and Anne of Bohemia married at the abbey. These are exterior photos only; visitors cannot take photographs inside the abbey.

 Tewkesbury Abbey

This is now a local parish church, but it was an abbey in the middle ages. Edward IV fought and won a decisive victory here in 1471. His Lancastrian opponents sought sanctuary in the abbey, but Edward refused to recognize it. He had them hauled out and executed. Anyway, a young Richard, duke of Gloucester (future Richard III) was with Edward at that battle. Interestingly enough, George of Clarence (brother of Edward and Richard) and his wife Isabella Neville are also buried in Tewkesbury. And FYI: Tewkesbury is in great shape because the townspeople purchased the abbey when Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries. Tewkesbury was thus never ripped apart so some aristocrat could use the stones to build a fancy house.

St. Albans

The kings Richard probably visited this famous monastery (now cathedral). Richard II certainly did. St. Albans also had a famous set of monks who wrote chronicles, which span several centuries. Two of the most famous of these monks are Matthew Paris (thirteenth century) who wrote much about Henry III and Henry’s brother Richard, earl of Cornwall, and Thomas Walsingham who wrote a bunch of not-very-nice stuff about Richard II. Their chronicles are awesome. I especially love Matthew Paris. He is informative and hilariously snarky at the same time.

Leicester Cathedral

Again, this was once a monastery. It currently has a memorial to Richard III inside. It seems likely that, once his newly-discovered bones are positively identified, that this will become Richard’s final resting place.

All Saints’ Kings Langley

After his murder, Richard II was buried here, rather than in the tomb he had prepared for himself (and Anne of Bohemia) in Westminster Abbey. Henry V later brought Richard’s body to Westminster in 1413.

From Wikipedia

Fontevrault

Abbey in the Loire Valley where Richard I was buried (along with his parents Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II). Their remains were lost during the French Revolution.

From Wikipedia