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It is a big deal that these five first nations will finally be granted status as a people, in Canada. It ends, for these first nation people anyway, a hold over from the days of colonialism. Naturally, with great power, comes great responsibility, and that includes the responsibility not to make the same economic and environmental mistakes Canada has made in plundering this great land; and the responsibility to the children not born yet. I wish the Huu-ay-aht, Ka:yu:'k't'h'/Che:k'tles7et'h' , Uchucklesaht, Toquaht and Ucluelet all the best. They're going to need it. in reference to: "The Maa-nulth Treaty, Vancouver Island's first modern-day treaty, comes into effect April 1 and the five Maa-nulth First Nations from around Barkley Sound and Kyuquot Sound, are finalizing individual laws, strategizing economic development projects and planning individual celebrations as well as a joint celebration in Port Alberni on April 2." - Citi...

What one former slave said in response to his former master's request that he returned to work, after the civil war -- dated August 7, 1865. in reference to: "Here I draw my wages every Saturday night, but in Tennessee there was never any pay-day for the Negroes any more than for the horses and cows. Surely there will be a day of reckoning for those who defraud the laborer of his hire." - "There Was Never Any Pay-day For the Negroes": Jourdon Anderson Demands Wages ( view on Google Sidewiki )

TENTHMIL has a cool timeline showing human impact on the planet for the last 10,000 years. We have been awesome in bringing the planet into our servitude. We've given up our roaming ways, looking for food, and are now producing more food than we can eat, but still manage to starve millions. We're fat cats with every whim and desire easily sated. We eat whales because we can. We hunt sharks for their fins and dump the rest of the body to rot on the ocean floor. We've made gardens in deserts and deserts of our gardens. We rule the world. Our dominance is unquestioned and unparalleled. No other species has accomplished what we have. We are wonderful, fellow humans. As the TENTHMIL points out though, it's all coming at a cost. The price to be paid is not what the TENTHMIL will have you think however. It's not the planet that will pay the price -- or the other species that are still around. Those costs have already been paid and continue to be paid. What ...

1,800 years before the Swiss made their army knife, Roman soldiers were apparently equipped with this little all-purpose gadget, that didn't nothing really good, but was adequate with everything. Well, I'm not sure if all Roman soldiers were using the little gadget, but someone had one. The Roman Army Knife came with retractable spike, spatula, small tooth-pick, spoon and fork. So there you go. The Romans did it first. in reference to: The Roman Army Knife: Or how the ingenuity of the Swiss was beaten by 1,800 years | Mail Online ( view on Google Sidewiki )

After the first season of Star Trek, Nichelle Nichols was itching to move on to her dream of Broadway and singing -- until she had a fateful run-in with Dr. King. And the rest, is history. in reference to: "And at this his face totally changed, and he said "What are you talking about?!" and so I told him I would be leaving the show, because; and that was as far as he let me go, and he said, "STOP! You cannot! You cannot leave this show! Do you not understand what you are doing?! You are the first non-stereotypical role in television! Of intelligence, and of a woman and a woman of color?! That you are playing a role that is not about your color! That this role could be played by anyone? This is not a black role. This is not a female role! A blue eyed blond or a pointed ear green person could take this role!" And I am looking at him and looking at him and buzzing, and he said, "Nichelle, for the first time, not only our little children and people can look on...

There is something to be said for European history. They way it's written by the Europeans, they're, of course, the heroes. They brought 'much needed' civilization to the world -- but much of that civilization came with murderous savagery. They were barbarous in their treatment of the peoples the encountered. The only ones who were greeted with any respect were those that had enough might to pose a violent threat to them (the Wazirs and Mehsuds come to mind) -- but even those few, were eventually managed so they posed little threat. The colonial legacy remains today, a sickness that besmirches the societies left behind in the wake of Europe's retreat. I haven't read much of Russia's past adventurism, so this was a little introduction for me, and reading it just left me angry. Russia's society has not advanced enough to reflect on, and acknowledge its shameful past -- which is too bad, as that may give it a little pause before it continues that sadi...