First Lady of the United States; wife of 37th United States President Richard Nixon
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Historian Heath Hardage Lee, author of "The Mysterious Mrs. Nixon," talks about the life and times of the former First Lady (1969-74). She says that Pat Nixon, who was voted "Most Admired Woman in the World" in 1972, was largely mis-portrayed by the press, who characterized her as being elusive and "plastic." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Considering the high profiles of Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Kennedy, Betty Ford, Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama, little is remembered about Pat Nixon. And that, Heath Lee argues, is the way she wanted it. On this episode, biographer Heath Lee discusses her book, "The Mysterious Mrs. Nixon: The Life and Times of Washington's Most Private First Lady," explores how Thelma Catherine Ryan went from a small mining town in the Far West to the most storied home in the world to become America's First Lady. She shows how Pat Nixon influenced her husband, and her country, in ways that are only just beginning to be recognized.Heath Hardage Lee's website can be found at https://heathleeauthor.com/She is on social media at https://x.com/HeathLee1Information on her book can be found at https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250274342/themysteriousmrsnixonSupport our show at https://patreon.com/axelbankhistory**A portion of every contribution is given to a charity for children's literacy** "Axelbank Reports History and Today" can be found on social media at https://twitter.com/axelbankhistoryhttps://instagram.com/axelbankhistoryhttps://facebook.com/axelbankhistoryGreat Business StoriesA great business story thoroughly researched and brought to life by Caemin &...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies - The Beltway BriefingListen for of-the-moment insider insights, framed by the rapidly changing social and... Theater History and MysteriesI take a musical theater production and do a deep dive to find a richer...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
In America's collective consciousness, Pat Nixon has long been perceived as enigmatic. She was voted “Most Admired Woman in the World” in 1972 and made Gallup Poll's top ten list of most admired women fourteen times. She survived the turmoil of the Watergate scandal with her popularity and dignity intact. And yet, the media often portrayed Mrs. Nixon as elusive and mysterious. The real Pat Nixon, however, bore little resemblance to the woman so often described in the press. Pat married California lawyer Richard Nixon in June of 1940, becoming a wife, mother, and her husband's trusted political partner in short order. As the couple rose to prominence, Pat became Second Lady from 1953-1961 and then First Lady from 1969-1974, forging her own graceful path between the protocols of the strait-laced mid-century and the bra-burning Sixties and Seventies. About Heath Hardage Lee: Heath Hardage Lee is an award-winning historian, biographer, and curator. Heath's second book, The League of Wives is being developed into a television series. Heath and her work have been featured on the Today Show, C-Span, and on the Smithsonian Channel's America's Hidden Stories. She also writes about history and politics for publications such as Time, The Hill, The Atlantic and White House History Quarterly. She lives in Roanoke, Virginia, with her husband Chris, her children Anne Alston and James, and her French bulldog Dolly Parton.
Geraldine Ferraro is dead. So are Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Kennedy, Pat Nixon, Lady Bird Johnson, and all the members of the Female United Politicians of America, but that isn't going to stop them from lending their assistance to the 2024 Presidential campaign on Earth, from their gathering place at the Radisson Valhalla Inn & Suites located on the celestial plane. President Biden's alarming debate performance has the group worried about the future of democracy, and so they take a trip through history to the 1984 Election, to see what can be learned from the first time a woman featured on a major party ticket. It Happened One Year presents its fifth fully scripted, full cast episode, featuring this supernatural take on the election year frenzy. Be sure to vote next Tuesday, but first come along for this wonky look at the great beyond! Story by Sarah Rusakiiwicz Written by Sarah and Joe Directed by Joe Cetta Cast Geraldine Ferraro - Lana Cooper Eleanor Roosevelt - David Munchak 1984 Geraldine Ferraro - Sarah Rusakiiwicz Walter Mondale - Matt Moran Jackie Kennedy - Kristin Mann Pat Nixon - Angie Buonincontro Lady Bird Johnson - Alex Ferrer Bella Abzug - Jo-Elle Munchak Betty Freidan - Shannon Hosey Joan - Jennifer Nack Martha Mitchell - Monica Mauricio Edith Wilson - Danielle Harris Elizabeth Cady Stanton - Sam McChuri William Henry Harrison - The Batman Charles Manatt/Mario Cuomo - Nick Perfetto John Zaccaro - Joe Cetta Mark the Announcer - Jon Deiner Cathy the Announcer - Kristen Gaydos Gloria Coppernotch - Nancy Cohen Redbook Interviewer - Becky Schmidt Dave Wizardsleeve - Duke Tumbleweed Irving R. Levine - Dave Gardon Katie Porter - Abigail Perfetto
Historian Heath Hardage Lee, author of "The Mysterious Mrs. Nixon," talks about the life and times of the former First Lady (1969-74). She says that Pat Nixon, who was voted "Most Admired Woman in the World" in 1972, was largely mis-portrayed by the press, who characterized her as being elusive and "plastic." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Historian Heath Hardage Lee, author of "The Mysterious Mrs. Nixon," talks about the life and times of the former First Lady (1969-74). She says that Pat Nixon, who was voted "Most Admired Woman in the World" in 1972, was largely mis-portrayed by the press, who characterized her as being elusive and "plastic." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today I am talking to author Heath Hardage Lee about one of America's First Ladies, and perhaps one of our most private ones—Pat Nixon, wife of President Richard Nixon. The timing is interesting: earlier this month marked 50 years since President Nixon's resignation from the presidency following Watergate, and earlier this month Heath released her really, really fantastic new book The Mysterious Mrs. Nixon: The Life and Times of Washington's Most Private First Lady, which I absolutely tore through. There is so much we have gotten wrong about Mrs. Nixon over the years. First of all, she was a private woman, which led her to come across as, as the book's title suggests, mysterious. Misunderstood, even. Heath and I speak about this in today's episode, but her public persona was “Plastic Pat,” while the real Mrs. Nixon was anything but. Heath and I talk today about her love story with Richard Nixon; how Mrs. Nixon was First Lady and running the East Wing of the White House at a very interesting time, constantly toeing the line between the traditional wife and modern woman; what doors she opened for women; an example of Pat at her best and at her wobbliest; and so much more. Pat Nixon died in 1993, and, perhaps indicative of his love for her and how much he needed her, President Nixon died just 10 months later. To teach us more about Mrs. Nixon is Heath Hardage Lee, an award-winning historian, biographer, and curator. Heath's book The League of Wives is currently being developed into a television series, and Heath and her work have been featured on The Today Show, C-SPAN, and on the Smithsonian Channel's America's Hidden Stories. She also writes about history and politics for outlets like Time, The Atlantic, The Hill, and White House History Quarterly. Take a listen to our conversation. The Mysterious Mrs. Nixon: The Life and Times of Washington's Most Private First Lady by Heath Hardage Lee
For decades, her remarkable achievements as United States First Lady have been overshadowed by her husband's big mistakes. Returning guest Heath Hardage Lee is back to help change that! Olivia introduces us to the remarkable and unfairly forgotten Pat Nixon. Music in this episode provided by The Westerlies, Aaron Kenny, Josh Lippi and the Overtimers, The Mini Vandals, Cooper Cannell, Doug Maxwell, Quincas Moereira, and the US Marine Corps Band. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The real Pat Nixon bore little resemblance to the woman so often described as elusive, mysterious and “plastic” in the press. Heath Hardage Lee takes us through Pat Nixon's life and career. And myths are busted left and right! Learn how Pat Nixon, the supposed quiet housewife, was actually a career woman, and an important reason that Richard Nixon rose to the top of American politics from the 1940s to the 1970s. Episode 559.
The life and career of First Lady of the United States, Pat Nixon, the wife of U.S. President Richard Nixon is profiled. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/valerie-harvey/message
The conclusion to the life and career of First Lady of the United States, Pat Nixon, the wife of U.S. President Richard Nixon is profiled. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/valerie-harvey/message
On this day in 1878, the White House hosted its first official Easter Egg Roll. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On this day in 1972, giant pandas Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing moved into their new home at the Smithsonian's National Zoo.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this Three Kitchens episode, we welcome Sarah Morgan, historian, researcher and recipe tester behind the Cooking with the First Ladies Instagram account. When she happened upon a cookbook of recipes attributed to First Ladies of the United States, Sarah began her journey of learning about the wives of American Presidents through their favourite recipes. It's learning about history through cooking, and we love that. Sarah joins Erin and Heather to chat about this project, how it came about and some of the many recipes she has tried from the First Ladies Cookbook. Through her Instagram account, Sarah shares what she's learned about the women themselves and their role in not only the White House. Community cookbooks began as a way for women to come together, share recipes and to support a common fundraising cause. In the United States, the first of these charity cookbooks was published and sold in 1864 to subsidize medical costs for Union soldiers injured in the Civil War. And it seems the First Ladies of the White House were not to be left out of this tradition (or perhaps someone compiling the book on their behalf). Sarah recommended we try two classic American recipes from the First Ladies cookbook for this episode: Pat Nixon's Meatloaf and Mamie Eisenhower's Fudge. Pat's meatloaf has origins in war time, as she herself set the example and encouraged Americans to ration food and do with less. Meatloaf, of course, is a recipe developed to stretch ground meat a little farther. Mamie's fudge is what you would call cheater fudge because it is intended to be easy and quick to make at home and includes marshmallow, which is not in a traditional fudge recipe. It was apparently a favourite of President Eisenhower. Sarah has begun a new focus on her Instagram account, testing the recipes from another group of fascinating American women in history, the Calutron Girls. These women worked on the Manhattan Project by operating the calutron machine at Oak Ridge Tennessee (1943-45). Again, she's sharing a snapshot of community life through a cookbook compiled by a unique group of interesting women. Please show your support by following Sarah on Instagram @cookingwiththefirstladies - we guarantee you'll learn a lot about history and food! Scroll for all the links mentioned in this episode! Episode Links ~~~~~ Cooking with the First Ladies Instagram~ National First Ladies Library~ Cooking with the First Ladies Website~ Meatloaf Recipe~ Fudge Recipe~~~~ Three Kitchens Podcast - a home cooking showCheck out our website where you can listen to all of our episodes and find recipes on our blog: www.threekitchenspodcast.comYou can support the show with a small donation at Buy Me A Coffee.Want to be a guest? We want to hear from you! Join us on our socials!Instagram @three_kitchens_podcastFacebook @threekitchenspodcastYouTube @threekitchenspodcastTikTok @threekitchenspodcastRate, review, follow, subscribe and tell your friends!
Edward Ridley Finch Cox is an American corporate and finance lawyer and the current chairman of the New York Republican State Committee. He is married to Tricia Nixon Cox, daughter of President Nixon and Pat Nixon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Year(s) Discussed: 1961-2023 For this episode, I'm joined by author and journalist Kate Andersen Brower to discuss her research on modern First Ladies from Jackie Kennedy on and how the role of First Lady changed in the modern era and continues to evolve in the 21st Century. In addition to exploring the challenges faced by historic figures such as Lady Bird Johnson and Pat Nixon, Kate also shares her first-hand insight from covering the inhabitants of both the East and West Wings of the White House. More information can be found at https://www.presidenciespodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week's special episode of The Georgia Politics Podcast, we examine the life and legacy of the late Barbara Walters with WSB's Michelle Wright. Barbara Walters blazed a trail for female journalists in the industry and inspired the likes of Jane Pauley, Katie Couric and Diane Sawyer. Walters big break came when she joined The Today Show in 1961 and was named co-host of the show in 1974, becoming the first female co-host of a U.S. news program. She would go on to sign a five-year, $5 million contract with ABS, making her the highest paid news anchor – male or female – in the United States. Throughout her career, Walters would interview every sitting U.S. President and first lady from Richard and Pat Nixon to Barack and Michelle Obama. Some of her most famous, and sometime notorious, interviews include Fidel Castro, Anwar Sadat, Katharine Hepburn, Sean Connery, Monica Lewinsky, Hugo Chávez, Vladimir Putin, and Bashar al-Assad. Perhaps her most noteworthy accomplishment was creating the talk show “The View” in 1997, which is still on air with ABC today. The all-female hosted program brings together women from different generations, political views and upbringing to dive into cultural and political events of the day. WSB's Michelle Wright joins the show to talk specifically about Walters's signature pull-no-punches style, “scoop” journalism, and impact on women in her profession. Walters passed away in December of 2022 and The Georgia Politics Podcast is proud to honor her legacy and contributions to political commentary and journalism with this special episode. Connect with Michelle on Instagram @itsthewrightstuff Connect with The Georgia Politics Podcast on Twitter @gapoliticspod Proud member of the Appen Podcast Network. #gapol
Heading to the Golden State and the sunny beaches of San Clemente, with La Casa Pacifica, home of Richard Nixon, 37th President! Learn about Richard Nixon's political career; his election defeat and victory; his Presidency; his wife, Pat, and daughters; as well as his various homes! Check out the website at VisitingthePresidents.com for visual aids, links, past episodes, recommended reading, and other information!Episode Page: https://visitingthepresidents.com/2023/02/06/season-2-episode-37-richard-nixon-and-la-casa-pacifica/Season 1's Richard Nixon Episode: "Richard Nixon and Yorba Linda"Support the show
Thelma Ryan was called “Pat” from an early age, and eventually became Pat Nixon, the thirty-seventh First Lady of the United States. A farmer's daughter, she worked her whole life until her first child was born, doing whatever she could to get by. Her husband, Richard Nixon, fell in love with her on their very first date. Here is her amazing and fascinating story. Podcast Show Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/americas-first-ladies-37-thelma-pat-ryan-nixon/
This is the finale of our look at Richard Nixon, and our 145 episode look back at the most divisive era in American history other than the American Civil War, the Vietnam War and Watergate. It all began with the assassination of Ngo Dinh Diem, the President of South Vietnam , followed three weeks later by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (episode 29) and ends with this look back at the passing of President Richard Nixon. It encompasses three of the biggest traumas ever experienced by our nation, the assassination of a President, the war in Vietnam, and the removal of a President in a scandal. A scandal whose origins came as an outgrowth of a President trying to figure a way out of a war that was destroying the bonds of affection that held our nation together. Richard Nixon left office in disgrace. His enemies in the Democratic Party and National Media still firmly in place and who have tried to make sure his legacy is held in contempt by the American people. But that failed during President Nixon's lifetime because the American people are a lot smarter than they are given credit, and they are also an understanding and forgiving people. As time marched on, the wisdom of the policies Richard Nixon championed became clearer as did the benefits of his extraordinary accomplishments. Richard Nixon was one of us, a biographer once wrote, he did not come from privilege, or wealth, he came from the small town of Yorba Linda, California and he brought with him the hard work ethic of a depression era hardscrabble childhood followed up by the agonies of fighting a World War. He championed the values of America's common people, generous in spirit, but tempering their generosity with common sense. They understood Richard Nixon and when he fell they were still there to catch him and open the door back. When he passed away in April of 1994, they came by the the tens of thousands to pay their respects, as Bob Dole said "No longer silent in their grief" This is that story. As we close the door to our epic look at Richard Nixon it is important for those among us who have only faint memories of this giant in the history of the World. That they see him as his contemporaries did and not as his enemies have tried to portray him . He was simply the largest figure of his age, the Age of Nixon. Questions or comments at , Randalrgw1@aol.com , https://twitter.com/randal_wallace , and http://www.randalwallace.com/Please Leave us a review at wherever you get your podcastsThanks for listening!!
We've made it! Arguably the most talked about, drama'ed about, written about, argued about event in American Politics...Watergate! We appreciate your patience in giving so much attention to ol' Dick these past few episodes, so let's learn how the man got taken down. And to celebrate him and his love for the vitality loaf, cook yourself up Pat Nixon's recipe for it! Pat Nixon's Meatloaf2 tablespoons butter1 cup finely chopped onions2 garlic cloves, minced3 slices white bead1 cup milk2 pounds lean ground beef2 eggs, lightly beaten1 teaspoon saltGround black pepper, to taste1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley1/2 teaspoon dried thyme1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram2 tablespoons tomato puree2 tablespoons bread crumbs Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking pan. Melt butter in a saute pan, add garlic and saute until just golden -- do not brown. Let cool. Dice bread and soak it in milk. In a large mixing bowl, mix ground beef by hand with sauteed onions and garlic and bread pieces. Add eggs, salt, pepper, parsley, thyme and marjoram and mix by hand in a circular motion. Turn this mixture into the prepared baking pan and pat into a loaf shape, leaving at least one inch of space around the edges to allow fat to run off. Brush the top with the tomato puree and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the flavors to penetrate and to firm up the loaf. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake meatloaf on lower shelf of oven for 1 hour, or until meat is cooked through. Pour off accumulated fat several times while baking and after meat is fully c ooked. Let stand on wire rack for five minutes before slicing. Makes 6 servings."
Our Season 5 Finale:In this episode we listen in as a nation says farewell to one of its most larger than life leaders, the former President of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson. We tune in at his funeral services in Washington D.C. and in Texas. Then we travel halfway around the world to hear the signing of the Paris Peace accords that would effectively end the Vietnam War for America after a decade of lost youth and treasure. The South Vietnamese government would sign the agreement and President Nixon would secretly assure the South that if the North moved on them he would return to aid in their defense. We had finally gotten out of the war with honor and our POW's would soon be home. We end the season " 1972, The Foundation of Peace " with a peace treaty in Vietnam. Richard Nixon would go to sleep on the night of January 29, 1973, on top of the political world with what he thought was a secure place in history alongside George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt as one of the greatest Presidents in all of American History. He had plans for a second term that while less dramatic would have changed our nation dramatically, foreseeing the many issues we have today, from Healthcare, to the environment, to major welfare reform, to government restructuring, and revenue sharing, by a full half century. It all seemed to be coming together for this President like no agenda had ever been put together in our history. What could possibly go wrong?On January 30th, the tenth day in this remarkable run by President Richard Nixon, the defendants in the Watergate trial would be convicted and the unraveling of a cover up by the President's men would lay in motion a set of events that would bring Richard Nixon down and overshadow all that he had achieved for America. It has been decades since the Watergate Scandal removed Richard Nixon from office, but he always claimed that history would declare him one of our greatest Presidents, and that one day his side of the story would eventually emerge. It never has.But it will now, starting on May 16, 2022, on our show "Bridging the Political Gap" and it will change everything you ever thought you knew about Richard Nixon........
Finally, an agreement seems to be at hand and the war in Vietnam can be brought to an end for America. No one wanted to see this day more than former President Lyndon B. Johnson. He was a man who never wanted to be a wartime President. He had worked to stall making a decision to enter the war on a massive scale, he had tried all he could to find another solution to the growing issues in Vietnam, issues almost all of which had been created by an American decision to remove the leader of South Vietnam just before Johnson had ascended through assassination to the Presidency. Johnson would sacrifice his entire career in a search for an elusive peace in South East Asia.On the eve of that peace, Lyndon Johnson would die of a heart attack at his ranch in Johnson City, Texas. Fortunately, the Nixon Administration had informed him that a peace agreement was finally at hand. In this episode, we look straight into the ultimate irony of war. As we listen to the back and forth between President Nixon and his negotiators halfway around the world in Paris and listen to the news coverage of the death of the man who tried so valiantly to find a peace in Vietnam for five years as President. When the deal finally was done, President Richard Nixon addressed the nation to inform them that our long nightmare was over and to also pay homage to a man who worked so hard to make America a better land for all of its citizens of every race, color, religion, and station in life. Richard Nixon, at his most triumphant moment as President, made it a point to say of his immediate predecessor, "No one dreamed bigger dreams for America, than did Lyndon Johnson".
Frustrating, frustrating is about the best way to put the ongoing negotiations and often the most frustrating part has been our allies not our enemies. Here we listen in on conversations between the President and his National Security team, Advisor Henry Kissinger and General Alexander Haig, as they discuss the details of the agreement being negotiated and how to deal with their ally in South Vietnam. It is an insiders look at how the war was finally brought to an end. It was never easy and these calls show it right up to the last.
Born on St. Patrick's Day, this FLOTUS takes world traveler to another level. We discuss Pat's humble beginnings and her necessity to work many jobs at once. We discuss the interesting start to her and Richard Nixon's love affair and their passion for community theater. We talk about the incredible things Pat did for the blind and deaf and how she wanted to make the world more accessible for all people. We can't shy away from Watergate here and how Pat's improv training helps her cope. Our feelings are mixed and complicated for Pat but mostly, we love YOU. Enjoy!
庆祝大熊猫抵美50周年 美国动物园纪念活动丰富多彩| 50 years of giant pandas' presence in US celebratedThe Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington kicked off a six-month celebration on Wednesday of the 50th anniversary of the arrival of two giant pandas, celebrating the close cooperation between China and the US in panda exchanges and preservation.为庆祝两只大熊猫抵美50周年及中美两国在大熊猫交流和保护方面的密切合作,华盛顿史密森尼国家动物园于3月16日启动为期六个月的庆祝活动。The first pandas from China in the US-Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing-arrived at the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute on April 16, 1972.1972年4月16日,第一批中国大熊猫玲玲和兴兴来到美国史密森尼国家动物园和保护生物研究所。"We are going to have six months of celebrations both online and at the zoo. People can come to see the cubs and the mom and dad," Brandie Smith, director of the national zoo, told China Daily.该动物园园长布兰迪·史密斯在接受《中国日报》采访时称:“我们将在网上和动物园举行为期六个月的庆祝活动。游客们可以观看大熊猫幼崽和它们的爸爸妈妈。”Annalisa Meyer, the zoo's deputy director of communications, said the celebrations will run through Aug 27. The zoo will hold online events, as well as on-site events on April 8 and 21.动物园公关副总监安娜莉莎·迈耶称,庆祝活动将持续到8月27日。动物园将在4月8日和21日举办线上和线下活动。Smith said one of the highlights will be a "screening of the film, The Miracle Panda, which is our story of the giant pandas at the national zoo. And we also are going to have an event with the Chinese embassy. The embassy is going to come and provide treats for people as they see the pandas."史密斯透露,活动的一个亮点是“放映电影《奇迹熊猫》,这部电影讲述的是史密森尼国家动物园里大熊猫的故事。我们还将与中国大使馆一起举办活动,大使馆工作人员会来动物园并给参观大熊猫的游客提供(给熊猫享用)的'零食'。”The documentary The Miracle Panda, by the Smithsonian Channel, will be screened for a limited time at the zoo's Visitor Center Theater on April 16 and 17.史密森尼频道纪录片《奇迹熊猫》将于4月16日和17日在动物园游客中心剧院限时放映。Also on April 16, from 9 am to 2 pm, visitors can enjoy lion dance performances, panda-shaped Bao buns and calligraphy demonstrations. They also can speak with the zoo's scientists who study giant panda biology and ecology, and they can watch the pandas receive special treats.4月16日上午9点至下午2点,游客们还可以观看舞狮表演、书法表演,品尝大熊猫面点。他们还可以与研究大熊猫生物学和生态学的动物园科学家交谈,并观看大熊猫享用"零食"的过程。The Giant Panda Family Tree Photo Gallery in the outdoor giant panda exhibit has already been set up, allowing visitors to explore the zoo's successful giant panda breeding program and to follow how cubs born at the zoo contribute to their species' survival in China.户外大熊猫展的大熊猫家谱影廊已经建成,游客可以了解史密森尼国家动物园成功的大熊猫繁育项目,以及在该动物园出生的幼崽如何为大熊猫在中国的物种繁衍做出贡献。In 1972, then-US president Richard Nixon and first lady Pat Nixon made a historic visit to China. The first lady went to the Beijing Zoo to visit pandas on their second day in China.1972年,时任美国总统理查德·尼克松和第一夫人帕特·尼克松对中国进行了历史性访问。第一夫人抵达中国的第二天到北京动物园参观大熊猫。At a dinner before they left China, Premier Zhou Enlai told Pat Nixon that China would present the US with two pandas, which surprised and delighted her.在尼克松夫妇离开中国前的一次晚宴上,周恩来总理告诉帕特·尼克松,中国将向美国赠送两只熊猫,这让她既惊讶又高兴。The two pandas, Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing, lived at the national zoo for more than 20 years. Their arrival not only brought warmth and joy to tens of millions of Americans but also launched the US-China giant panda program.这两只熊猫玲玲和兴兴在史密森尼国家动物园生活了20多年。它们的到来不仅给数千万美国人带来温暖和欢乐,还开启了中美大熊猫项目。Now the panda couple, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, and their cub Xiao Qi Ji ("little miracle"), bornon August 2020, live at the national zoo.现在,熊猫夫妇美香和添添,以及它们的幼崽、2020年8月出生的小奇迹居住在动物园里。Mei Xiang and Tian Tian's other three cubs, Tai Shan, born in 2005; Bao Bao, born in 2013; and Bei Bei, born in 2015, were returned to China.美香和添添的另外三只幼崽2005年出生的泰山、2013年出生的宝宝和2015年出生的贝贝被送回中国。Smith recalls that the males, Bei Bei and Xiao Qi Ji are "more outgoing" than their brother Tai Shan.史密斯回忆,雄性大熊猫贝贝和小奇迹比它们的兄弟泰山“更外向”。"I met these pandas; I know them so well, I remember the moments all of the cubs were born here. And one thing is that we know when they are born that they're going to go to China to be part of the group breeding program," she said.她说:“我与这些大熊猫相遇,我非常了解它们,我记得所有熊猫幼崽在这里降生的时刻。我们知道它们出生后,将前往中国,成为群体繁殖项目的一部分。”"So it's almost like any baby. When any baby grows up, you don't want them to stay with you if you want them to go out and to succeed, and so our cubs will go to China, and they will have their cubs and help contribute to the conservation of the species."“所以就像小宝宝一样。当他们长大后,如果你想让他们走出去并取得成功,就不能让他们留在你身边,因此我们的熊猫幼崽将前往中国,它们将繁育自己的幼崽,并帮助保护这个物种。”Smith said she has been impressed by the cooperation with the zoo staff's counterparts in China.史密斯说,与中国动物园工作人员的合作给她留下了深刻印象。"I'vereally loved working with the giant pandas. They're incredible animals to work with and get to know them as a species. But also, one of my favorite parts is it's not just about working with these animals. It has been about working with colleagues in China," she said.“我真的很喜欢与大熊猫一起工作。可以与它们工作,并了解这个物种实在太棒了。但我最喜欢的不仅仅是与大熊猫一起工作,还有与中国同事共事。”"So working with our scientists and other contributors in China to share knowledge about pandas, their habitat and their culture has really been an incredible experience for me."“与中国的科学家和其他相关人员合作,分享大熊猫栖息地、大熊猫文化等相关知识,对我来说真是一次不可思议的经历。”The COVID-19 pandemic has created obstacles for in-person communications.新冠疫情为人员交流往来带来了障碍。"Normally we go to China several times a year, and our colleagues are trying to come here to visit us. With the pandemic, it's been hard because we haven't been able to see each other in person, but the good thing is that we still have emails, video calls and other ways to communicate," Smith said.史密斯说:“通常我们一年要去中国好几次,中国同事们试着来美国探望我们。疫情期间,这很难,我们还不能见面,但还好我们仍然有电子邮件、视频电话和其他沟通方式。”"And from my perspective, it has been as good as it always is. Because we've had such a good relationship over so many years, we respond to each other so well."“我认为这个项目一直都很棒。因为多年来我们一直保持着良好的关系,我们配合得很好。”She said she hoped the program "could last for at least another 50 years".史密斯希望该项目“至少还能持续50年”。During the interview with Smith, Mei Xiang and Xiao Qi Ji frolicked in an outdoor field of the panda house, while Tian Tian leisurely chewed on bamboo in another field as visitors streamed in to observe the pandas.在采访史密斯的过程中,美香和小奇迹在熊猫馆的一块户外场地里嬉戏,而添添则在另一边悠闲地嚼着竹子,游客蜂拥而至围观它们。Brooklyn, a 3-year-old girl, told China Daily that she wanted "more panda mommies and panda babies" to come to the zoo.3岁的小女孩布鲁克林告诉《中国日报》,她希望“更多的大熊猫妈妈和宝宝”来动物园。Sue, 62, who was on her annual family vacation, had just visited the pandas at Zoo Atlanta and was now seeing the pandas in Washington.62岁的苏女士正在享受一年一度的家庭假期,她刚刚在亚特兰大动物园参观了大熊猫,现在又来到华盛顿看大熊猫。cub英 [kʌb];美 [kʌb]n.幼兽,崽;幼童军(成员/会议)on-site英[ɒn sɑɪt];美[ɒn sɑɪt]adj.&adv. 现场的; [化]场区内,在工地上,就地treat英 [triːt];美 [triːt]n.请客;款待frolic英[ˈfrɒlɪk];美[ˈfrɑlɪk]vi. 嬉戏;嬉闹stream英[striːm];美[striːm]v.鱼贯而行;涌动;蜂拥
The President's Man: The Memoirs of Nixon's Trusted Aide by Dwight Chapin In time for the 50th anniversary of President Nixon's epic trips to China and Russia, as well as his incredible Watergate downfall, the man who was at his side for a decade as his aide and White House Deputy takes readers inside the life and administration of Richard Nixon. From Richard Nixon's “You-won't-have-Nixon-to-kick-around-anymore” 1962 gubernatorial campaign through his world-changing trips to China and the Soviet Union and epic downfall, Dwight Chapin was by his side. As his personal aide and then Deputy Assistant in the White House Chapin was with him in his most private and most public moments. He traveled with him, assisted, advised, strategized, campaigned and learned from America's most controversial president. As Bob Haldeman's protege, Chapin worked with Henry Kissinger in opening China—then eventually went to prison for Watergate although he had no involvement in it. In this memoir Chapin takes readers on an extraordinary historic journey; presenting an insider's view of America's most enigmatic President. Chapin will relate his memorable experiences with the people who shaped the future: Henry Kissinger, his close friend Bob Haldeman, Choi En-lai, Pat Nixon, the embittered Spiro Agnew, J. Edgar Hoover, Frank Sinatra, Mark "Deep Throat" Felt, young and ambitious Roger Ailes, and John Dean. It's a story that ranges from Coretta Scott King to Elvis Presley, from the wonder of entering a closed Chinese society to the Oval Office, and concludes with startling new insights and conclusions about the break-in that brought down Nixon's presidency.
A Pumpkin Patch, a Typewriter, and Richard Nixon: The Hiss-Chambers Espionage Case
Several people have told me that, of my 38 episodes, this is their favorite. See if you agree. It is all about the question Hiss could never answer: how, if Hiss is innocent, did the 64 Typed Spy Documents get typed on his home typewriter. You may recall that Hiss first told The Grand Jury that Chambers broke into his house in 1938 and typed them on it himself when no one was looking. That didn't work. Second, Hiss told the jury at the second trial that Hiss gave the Typewriter to the Catlett Kids in late 1937; they put it in the back room where they had their non-stop dance party; then Chambers found it there and typed up The Typed Spy Documents himself on it as the conga line snaked past. That didn't convince, either. Third — and this is the subject of this Podcast — in a Motion for a New Trial on Grounds of Newly Discovered Evidence, Hiss' new lawyer speculated that Chambers in 1948 had made a fake typewriter, which typed just like The Hiss Home Typewriter, and had typed up The Spy Documents on it; then Chambers found where the real Hiss Typewriter was (in the nightwatchman's home, you remember), stole it and planted his fake there, and waited for someone to find the fake and for everyone to assume it was the real Hiss Home Typewriter. Quite a frame-up, if true. But did that really happen? Is it even plausible? Podcast #35 explores this theory, which Hiss stuck to till his dying day (with numerous variations as each old one failed). FURTHER RESEARCH The best dissection of The Forgery by Typewriter Theory is Chapter 2 (titled “Chambers”) in “Ex-Communist Witnesses:Four Studies in Fact Finding” by Professor Herbert L. Packer of Stanford University Law School (Stanford University Press 1962) at 21-51. Others are Cornell/Georgetown/Minnesota Law School Professor Irving Younger's article “Was Alger Hiss Guilty?” in Commentary Magazine's August 1975 issue, available at https://www.commentary.org/articles/irving-younger/was-alger-hiss-guilty-2/; and the Appendix to professor Weinstein's book, titled “‘Forgery by Typewriter': The Pursuit of Conspiracy, 1948-97,” at pages 624-30, 632-34, 645-47. The version of Alistair Cooke's book (“A Generation on Trial:U.S.A. v. Alger Hiss”) that was published in 1952 has a few new pages at the end, 347-54, describing Hiss's Motion for a New Trial and the Court hearing about it. Judge Goddard presided, and Cooke notes (at 348) that the audience included “leisured and unidentified old ladies who appeared at all Hiss hearings with the ritual fatalism of the annual pilgrims to Valentino's grave.” Cooke writes (at 348) that “several excellent lawyers were dumbfounded by the claims that the defense now put forward.” After describing Judge Goddard's dismissal of those claims, Cooke ends his book with the following words. “Four years had passed since the names of Hiss and Chambers shook the nation. Now there was another Presidential campaign, and the Democrats were in full fling at their convention in Chicago. Judge Goddard's word, perhaps the last, about Hiss was lucky to earn a few lines at the bottom of the inside pages of newspapers. In most it earned none. Hiss had passed into shame and into history.” Here is my list of the people who, Hiss defenders have speculated over the decades, masterminded or participated in the framing of Hiss (in most cases involving forgery by typewriter): Whittaker and Esther Chambers, J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI, Ambassador William C. Bullitt, Jr., Richard and Pat Nixon, the Democratic financier and Presidential advisor Bernard Baruch, President Truman's Secretary of State James F. Byrnes, the Dulles Brothers, supporters of the Chinese anti-communist dictator Chaing Kai-Shek, a Nazi sympathizer who owned a typewriter store in New York City, the U.S. Army Counter Intelligence Corps, and a private detective named Horace Schmahl. If you are interested in the broader question of why people believe highly implausible stories, I recommend Michael Shermer's book “Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time” (St. Martin's Griffin 2002); and a delightful article by the Brandeis University Professor Jacob Cohen, “Will We Never Be Free of the Kennedy Assassination?,” published in the December 2013 issue of Commentary Magazine and available at https://www.commentary.org/articles/jacob-cohen/will-we-never-be-free-of-the-kennedy-assassination/. Questions: Here are two questions I have asked myself for years but never answered satisfactorily. Can you help me? (1) In his Motion for a New Trial, Hiss claimed that Chambers did the forgery all by himself, or with the help of Communist friends. This seems plainly ridiculous. Chambers had neither the time, the tools, nor the talents to forge a typewriter and, by 1948, no Communist friends to help him. My question: why was it only years later that Hiss claimed that Hoover and the FBI had committed the forgery? The FBI was obviously the only organization in the US that even arguably had the necessary time, tools, and talents. What prevented Hiss from aiming, from the start, at such an obvious target? (2). Hiss publicized his Forgery by Typewriter theories for decades, and his supporters have carried the torch in the decades after his death. They are articulate people, they have occasionally had generous funding, and they know lots people in the nation's media who would love another story of an innocent gentleman framed as a Commie the early Cold War years. But if you Google “Famous Conspiracy Theories” or “Top 25 Conspiracy Theories of All Time,” you will not find Hiss's Forgery by Typewriter Theory. Why? Why has Hiss's conspiracy theory not achieved the popularity of the theories about the assassinations of JFK and RFK, or of the alleged landings at Roswell and the alleged non-landings on the Moon? Is his theory too implausible or too complicated for a large audience, and/or is Hiss too cold a fish to be sympathetic?
With the Bark Off: Conversations from the LBJ Presidential Library
John A. Farrell joins us for a conversation about America's 37th president, Richard Nixon. John is author of Richard Nixon: The Life, which won the PEN America Award for biography and the New York Historical Society's prize for American History. The book was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. John worked for many years as a journalist for major American dailies and covered the White House for TheBoston Globe. His books include biographies, not just of President Nixon, but also of the famed lawyer Clarence Darrow and House Speaker Tip O'Neill.
Starlight, the Secret Service Codename for First Lady Pat Nixon, was absolutely perfect as a way to describe Mrs. Nixon. She lit up every room that she entered. She was a First Lady who quietly went about accomplishing things in ways often unseen and under appreciated. Yet, despite her reluctance to be in the spotlight the American people still responded to her spirit and to her many contributions to our nation. She was voted one of the most admired women in the World for 22 straight years. That is a record few can match. In this episode, we put the First lady front and center and share several retrospectives on her life and contributions put together by the Nixon Foundation and an interview with President Richard Nixon himself on how much he appreciated this extraordinary partner. She rose from humble beginnings, orphaned as a teenager, she helped raise her younger siblings and went on to get her undergraduate, and then Master's degree before starting a career as a public school teacher, all in an era when few women were encouraged to do so. It really is a remarkable story, long before she even met Richard Nixon. But together, these two people from very humble beginnings would transform the World. Then we look at the initiative the President began when he took office, very much under the guidance of Mrs. Nixon, to bring women into government service. It is the initiative that brought several women to the forefront including Sandra Day O'Conner who would later go on to be the first woman on the United States Supreme Court under the Reagan Administration. Listen as Barbara Franklin, the lady Richard Nixon tasked with leading the initiative, discusses the free hand and absolute support President Nixon gave her to do her job. It was yet another example of why Richard Nixon deserves to be considered one of our 5 greatest civil rights Presidents
Welcome to the Instant Trivia podcast episode 262, where we ask the best trivia on the Internet. Round 1. Category: Fire! 1: On Oct. 10, 1871, after 2 days, unbuilt lots, rainfall and Lake Michigan quelled a huge fire in this city. Chicago. 2: On March 18, 1925 this woman's house of wax in London went up in smoke; the models within could be heard sizzling. Madame Tussaud. 3: On March 18, 1925 this woman's house of wax in London went up in smoke; the models within could be heard sizzling. Madame Tussaud. 4: This general was blamed for the fire that destroyed Columbia, South Carolina, but he denied setting it and tried to put it out. (William Tecumseh) Sherman. 5: Genesis 19 says, "the Lord rained upon" these 2 cities "brimstone and fire ...out of heaven". Sodom and Gomorrah. Round 2. Category: World Cup '98 1: There were an average of 2.67 of these a game, not enough for some bored U.S. viewers. Goals. 2: This country's win over the "Great Satan" knocked the U.S. out of contention for the second round. Iran. 3: Argentina didn't "kick" about this controversial tie-breaking method after using it to beat England. Penalty kicks/shootout. 4: Only in France: the pre-game show at the final was a tribute to this "saint"ly fashion designer. Yves Saint Laurent. 5: It was a good July for this country: they reached the World Cup semis and Goran Ivanisevic made the Wimbledon final. Croatia. Round 3. Category: More First Ladies 1: In 1987 she published the book "Betty: A Glad Awakening". Betty Ford. 2: In 1875, after 3 months in a mental institution, she was released in the custody of her sister in Springfield, Ill.. Mary Todd Lincoln. 3: Quincy was her mother's maiden name and the middle name of her son. Abigail Adams. 4: She married the future president at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Bexar County, Texas on November 17, 1934. Lady Bird Johnson. 5: This first lady was born in 1917 on the eve of St. Patrick's Day, hence her nickname. Pat Nixon. Round 4. Category: Forbes' Billionaires 1: March was a great month for her: she made her debut on the Forbes list and got out of a West Virginia prison. Martha Stewart. 2: Corona beer helped crown Maria Aramburuzabala the wealthiest woman in this country. Mexico. 3: Michael Eisner is off the list, but this septuagenarian member of the Disney family is still on it. Roy Disney. 4: Guy Laliberte, founder of this circus, may be the only fire-breather on the list. Cirque du Soleil. 5: The youngest billionaire on the 2005 list is 21-year-old Albert von Thurn und Taxis, a prince from this country. Germany. Round 5. Category: Literary Second Bananas 1: Robinson Crusoe had 24 years of solitude prior to rescuing this cannibal and teaching him English. Friday. 2: Charley Bates is the boisterous sidekick to this "Oliver Twist" pickpocket. the Artful Dodger. 3: Several Sherlock Holmes stories refer to Miss Mary Morstan, who marries this physician. Dr. Watson. 4: This simple peasant became Don Quixote's squire after being promised an island to rule. Sancho Panza. 5: In "Huckleberry Finn", Tom Sawyer says that he and Huck Finn "have knowed" this slave "all his life". Jim. Thanks for listening! Come back tomorrow for more exciting trivia!
On August 18, 1971, First Lady Pat Nixon stood at the place at the southwestern most point of the U.S.-Mexico border and celebrated what was envisioned as "International Friendship Park.” That day, Nixon said, “I hope there won't be a fence too long here.” Flash forward 50 years, and the small barbed-wire fence that once demarcated the border has been replaced with two large fences, dozens of cameras, a watch tower and other security measures. In this special bonus episode produced as part of the park's 50th anniversary celebration, we talk to some of the people in Tijuana and San Diego who are working hard to keep Nixon's vision of a fence-free binational park alive. Plus, we connect with someone who has a very personal connection with the place. From KPBS and PRX, “Port of Entry” tells cross-border stories that connect us. For a full schedule of Friendship Park anniversary events, visit www.friendshippark50.org Episode photo by Pedro Rios Historic clip of Pat Nixon at Friendship Park from the film "Too Long Here" by director Emily Packer Port of Entry is hosted by Alan Lilienthal. This episode was written and produced by Kinsee Morlan. Emily Jankowski is the co-producer and director of sound design. Alisa Barba is our editor. Lisa Morissette is operations manager and John Decker is the interim associate general manager of content. This program is made possible, in part, by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
In this episode about politics and political figures in opera, Keturah starts with an excerpt from her interview with Director, Daniel Kramer, about Pat Nixon’s aria in John Adams and Alice Goodman’s Nixon in China.Daniel Kramer - http://danielkramerdirector.com/bioNixon in China (Opera) - https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nixon-in-ChinaNixon in China (History) - https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/china-visit/Keturah’s next interview is with conductor, Steven Osgood. They discuss one moment with Jackie Kennedy in the David T. Little and Royce Vavrek Opera, J.F.K.Steven Osgood - http://www.srosgood.com/J.F.K. (Opera) - https://www.altnyc.org/operas/jfkLastly, Keturah interviews Australian composer, Melissa Dunphy, about why she considers herself a “political composer,” and what it was like composing to actual hearing transcripts for her piece, The Gonzales Cantata, about George W. Bush’s disgraced attorney general, Alberto Gonzales.Melissa Dunphy - https://www.melissadunphy.com/The Gonzales Cantata - http://www.gonzalescantata.com/Jacqueline Goldfinger - http://www.jacquelinegoldfinger.com/William Butler Yeats - https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/william-butler-yeatsAlberto Gonzales - https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alberto-R-GonzalesArlen Specter - https://www.britannica.com/biography/Arlen-SpecterCantata - https://www.britannica.com/art/cantata-music
Maria cresce in un orfanotrofio con un solo grande desiderio: scoprire il nome di sua madre per potersi mettere sulle sue tracce una volta uscita. Così una notte, assieme ad altre due bambine, si intrufola negli archivi sotterranei dell'istituto alla ricerca del nome tanto agognato.Nella seconda parte c'è la storia di una vedova che torna con i suoi figli nella casa dove visse con il marito: si tratta della prima e unica visita, segreta e privata, di Jacqueline Kennedy alla Casa Bianca. Un evento che Jackie temeva e che per sette anni, dopo l'assassinio di JFK, ha sempre rifiutato. Ma un giorno, grazie alla garbata insistenza di Pat Nixon, è riuscita a tornare in quei luoghi, con una visita segreta e assolutamente privata. Playlist Heartbeats - José GonzálezNobody's Child - Lonnie DoneganBack To Black - Amy WinehouseLump - The Presidents of the United States of AmericaWhite Houses - Eric Burdon & the AnimalsPiano Man - Billy Joel
ArticlesJack BoxTit BudPat NixonOmphalotus nidiformis Follow us on the social medias!http://twitter.com/podofwonderDanny: http://twitter.com/dannyplaysrpgs & http://dannymakesrpgs.itch.ioMorgan: http://instagram.com/ilivedinbooks & http://twitter.com/owlburningEddie: http://instagram.com/monstersbyed & http://strangebuttruegames.com
In this crossover episode from our sister podcast, Napalm in the Morning, Heath Hardage Lee, author of League of Wives, is back to discuss Oliver Stone's Nixon with Drs Jagel and Jones. They dissect what Stone got right and what he missed the mark on, as Lee clears up the real life of First Lady Pat Nixon. Lee is currently writing about the life of Pat Nixon, and we hope to see her book in the near future. Link to the original podcast here. https://soundcloud.com/user-607552064-959869054/nixon-part-2
Today we celebrate the French admiral and explorer who had a female botanist posing as a male valet on his voyage. We'll learn about the botanist who is remembered by the State Flower of California and the Landscape Architect who restored the entire Landscape of Colonial Williamsburg. We'll learn about the Spanish rose breeder who is remembered for cultivating the white Nevada rose, We'll hear some prose about November from three of the country's top naturalists. We Grow That Garden Library with a fabulous old book about growing your own herbal tea garden, I'll talk about potting up some Paperwhites and Amaryllis and then we'll wrap things up with the codebreaker who also cracked the code on preserving England's garden history. But first, let's catch up on a few recent events. Cancer, Libra, Virgo: THESE Zodiac Signs love nature and find gardening therapeutic | @Pinkvilla Finally, a horoscope I find myself wholeheartedly agree with - Cancer, Libra, Virgo: THESE Zodiac Signs love nature and find gardening therapeutic. That said, to borrow a phrase from Ratatouille, "Everyone can garden." Someone keeps stealing my compost, and I have no idea why they want my rotting food | @billy_penn @amandahoovernj Good Lord. As Compost Services are introduced in new areas of the country, thieves need to understand the contents are only golden if you're a plant. This is Australia’s most popular indoor plant. | @bhgaus @Bhg A delicious choice, mate! The Monstera deliciosa appears in most Australian homes. The mesmerizing sculptures you can see at The Savill Garden | @SurreySculptors @surreylive Yes, to all of them! The Savill Garden is hosting the @SurreySculptors 25th Anniversary Exhibition. Take a load off and scroll through the 60 pieces of Art in the Garden! Thank you to all the Artists, Excellent Post @surreylive Now, if you'd like to check out these curated articles for yourself, you're in luck - because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. So there’s no need to take notes or track down links - the next time you're on Facebook, just search for Daily Gardener Community and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group. Brevities #OTD Today is the anniversary of the death of the French admiral and explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville, who died on this day in 1729. On Bougainville's expedition, a woman named Jeanne Baret joined the crew after posing as a valet to the expedition's naturalist: Philibert Commerçon. Commerçon had terrible health, and he likely needed Baret to help him. Baret herself was actually a botanist in her own right. When the ship stopped in Rio de Janeiro, it was Baret who ventured out into the tropics and returned with the lovely tropical vine that would be named to honor the expedition's commander: Bougainvillea. #OTD Today is the birthday of Johann Friedrich von Eschscholtz, who was born on this day in 1793. When the German poet Adelbert van Chamiso ended up in the San Francisco Bay area, and he wrote about the California poppy, which he named Eschscholzia California after his friend Johann Friedrich Von Eschscholz. In return, Eschscholz named a bunch of plants after Chamisso - a little quid pro quo. In 1903, the botanist Sarah Plummer Lemmon put forth a successful piece of legislation that nominated the golden poppy (Eschscholzia californica) as the state flower of California. #OTD Today is the anniversary of the death of the Landscape Architect Arthur Shurcliff who died on this day in 1957. Shurcliff's path to Landscape Architecture was not clear cut. His dad had been a successful businessman, and Arthur was supposed to follow in his dad's footsteps and become a Mechanical Engineer. But after receiving his degree from MIT, the field of Landscape Architecture was making waves thanks to the Olmsteds, Charles Eliot, and the Chicago World's Fair. Since no formal degree programs existed at the time, Shurcliff cobbled together his own curriculum at the Lawrence School of Science at Harvard. All his life, Shurcliff loved being outside. He enjoyed camping and canoeing. He loved scenery and sketching the landscape. Looking back on his decision to pursue Landscape Architecture, Shurcliff remembered, "All led me away from mechanics toward scenery, toward planning and construction for the scenes of daily life..." In 1904, Shurcliff opened his own firm. Shurcliff designed recreational spaces in and around Boston like the Rose Garden, the Washington Garden at old North, and the park Back Bay Fens. But, Shurcliff will forever be remembered for the work he did at Colonial Williamsburg. It was the first time an entire American community was to be restored. John D. Rockefeller financed the project. Shurcliff had over 30 years of experience behind him when he officially started the project on St. Patrick's Day of that year. He didn't just bring his Landscape Architecture skills; he brought everything he had; his training in engineering, his meticulousness, and his ability to get things done through his personal clarity, energy, and charm. The project would use every bit of knowledge, skills, and expertise that Shurcliff had acquired. It wasn't just the buildings that needed restoration; it was the land, the paths and streets, the gardens, and green spaces. It required tremendous research to restore it all. Shurcliff insisted that wherever possible, original items and authenticity was paramount. For example, Shurcliff's team actually went looking for "fence-post holes to ascertain the outlines of a "typical" backyard" - this was a true restoration in every sense of the word. It took Arthur Shurcliff 13 years to finish the project. But, once it was done, Shurcliff had redefined Williamsburg; helping it to lay claim to it's past and ensuring that Colonial Revival garden design found legitimacy in 20th Century Landscape Architecture. #OTD On this day in 1972 that The Greenville News shared an article called Orchidist Finds Hobby Versatile. The orchidologist was Gilbert L. Campbell. At the time the article was published, Campbell had been collecting orchids for six years, and he had amassed a collection of more than 300 plants in addition to a library of orchid reference materials. Campbell recalled, "My first orchid was a gift,' and it led him to visit a commercial orchidologist in Newberry for more information. Orchid lovers grow orchids all year long, and his passion led him to add greenhouses to help with his hobby. Campbell said, "Some orchidologists do grow their flowers in their homes... but he advises against it. 'Growing an orchid is like being a fisherman,' he says. 'Some fishermen may be content to sit on the bank and fish, but most want to get out in a boat on the lake. It's a lot easier to grow orchids in a greenhouse.' He cites temperature and humidity control as one major benefit of growing the tropic blooms "under glass." As for why Campbell had two greenhouses, his answer was simple. "He has the two, he says, because he needs a "cool" house for his cymbidium orchids and a "medium" house for his cattleyas. In "orchidese" this means a temperature difference of 5- 10 degrees. A "medium" house, he says, has a minimum temperature of 55 to 60 degrees, and a "cool" house, a minimum of 45-50 degrees. Campbell also advocates fresh air for the plants, which he moves outside in summer and on balmy days throughout the winter. "Orchids, like people, do best in a spring-like fresh-feeling atmosphere," The two things which cause growers the most difficulty, he believes, are proper watering of plants and placement for best performance." When a plant ceases to function properly, it is vulnerable to insects and disease," he notes, adding that his constant problem, snails, crops up periodically. To help combat problems, he makes these recommendations: For the beginner, start with a few mature plants. Orchids like dry roots, so they should be watered thoroughly, then allowed to dry out." #OTD Today is the anniversary of the death of the Spanish rose breeder Pedro Dot who died on this day in 1976. As a young boy, Pedro learned about plants from his father, who was a highly regarded gardener and plant breeder. The estate where his father worked, grew roses and the Marquise of the estate funded Pedro's early work in hybridizing. Dot is remembered for his white rose, which came out in 1927. It was called Nevada and is named for its color. Nevada is the Spanish word for "snowy." The British rosarian, Peter Beales, called 'Nevada' one of the best-known semi-double shrub roses. The American horticulturist and professor, Dr. Griffith Buck, taught horticulture at Iowa State University, and he created over 80 cultivars of rose. When Buck wanted to name one of his roses after Pedro Dot, he reached out to his son. He wrote: “I wanted to name a rose after Pedro Dot, a famous Spanish rose breeder who supported me in my breeding. I wrote to Pedro’s son, telling him that I would like to name this rose for his father. I told him I knew his father was very proud of being a Spaniard who was also proud of being a Catalonian. His son replied, “If you are going to name it for my father, why don’t you name it in Catalonian and call it ‘El Catala.’” “ which I did.” #OTD On this day in 1972, the Greenville News shared that the American Rose Society had chosen Pat Nixon to be their patroness. "Mrs. Richard M. Nixon recently accepted an invitation to become the first patroness of the American Rose Society on the invitation of Dr. Eldon W. Lyle, president of the group. She was presented with a brass gilded vase of 24 porcelain roses to commemorate the occasion. The Garden Party roses were created by Mrs. Oscar Tilleaux." Unearthed Words "Two sounds of autumn are unmistakable, the hurrying rustle of crisp leaves blown along the street or road by a gusty wind, and the gabble of a flock of migrating geese. Both are warnings of chill days ahead, fireside, and topcoat weather." - Hal Borland, Naturalist "The wind that makes music in November corn is in a hurry. The stalks hum, the loose husks whisk skyward in half-playing swirls, and the wind hurries on... A tree tries to argue, bare limbs waving, but there is no detaining the wind." - Aldo Leopold, Ecologist "It is autumn; not without But within me is the cold. Youth and spring are all about; It is I that have grown old." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Autumn Within It's time to Grow That Garden Library with today's book: Herbal Tea Gardens by Marietta Marshall Marcin Create your own herbal tea garden! This inspiring guide covers everything you need to know to grow herbs and use them in homemade tea blends successfully. Providing plans for 22 themed tea gardens, Marietta Marshall Marcin offers expert tips for growing and harvesting a variety of common herbs. Clear directions for more than 100 recipes include Flu Brew, Double Green Digestive, and Women’s Energizing Tonic. Before you know it, you’ll be creating enticing herbal teas to suit every occasion. At the beginning of the book, Marcin shares the Chinese legend of the tea plant. The White Buddha known as Ta' Mo would sit in his garden near the place and meditate through all the seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The White Buddha would meditate unblinking and unsleeping. Finally, after many years, His attention wavered, his chin dropped, and his eyes closed in sleep. When the White Buddha awakened - Perhaps a day or year later - he was so angry with himself for neglecting his meditation that he took out a knife's life, sliced off both his eyelids and threw them on the ground. The Saint's eyelids took root in the fertile soil and grew into a tea bush, the symbol for wakefulness. I love to find books like this for you - oldie but goodies that are so affordable on the used book market. You can get a used copy and support the show, using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for under $2. Today's Garden Chore Now is the perfect time to pot up some Paperwhite or Amaryllis bulbs for forcing this winter. Paperwhites (Narcissus papyraceus) and Amaryllis (Hippeastrumspp.), make great gifts and to your holiday décor. One of my favorite Christmas mantles over the fireplace featured a row of these large silver goblets that I used to pot up Paperwhites. Along the feet of the goblets, I strung Christmas lights, and on top of the mantle, I had laid a sheet of moss. It was such a gardener's holiday mantle. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart #OTD Today is the anniversary of the death of Mavis Batey, who died at the age of 92 on this day in 2013. Mavis Batey is remembered for her work with the Enigma research team. Mavis broke the German Enigma code, which allowed the Allied forces to stage their D-Day invasion. In 1955, Mavis and her husband settled on a farm in Surrey. It was here that Mavis began learning about Landscape history. After Surrey, the Bateys moved to Oxford and lived on a park designed by Capability Brown. The park was also home to a garden designed by William Mason in 1775. Mavis recalled: "We lived in the agent's house, right in the middle of a Capability Brown park, but it was William Mason's garden that really got me. We had to cut our way into it. It was all overgrown and garden ornaments were buried in the grass, but I knew at once it wasn't just an ordinary derelict garden: someone had tried to say something there, I knew at once it wasn't just an ordinary derelict garden: someone had tried to say something there." It wouldn't be the last garden Mavis Batey saved. In 1986 Mavis was honored with the Veitch Memorial Medal for her work, preserving gardens that would otherwise have been lost to time. Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."
Facts about Pat Nixon! Credits: Executive Producer: Chris Krimitsos Voice: Jimmy Murray "Minima","Path of Goblin","Winner Winner!" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Facts from Wikipedia Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
What was First Lady Pat Nixon’s relationship with the media during the Presidency? On this edition of the Nixon Now Podcast, we explore this subject with Linda Hobgood, director of the speech center at the University of Richmond, and instructor in their department of rhetoric and communications. She is a contributing author of a new book, "Media Relations and the Modern First Ladies: From Jacqueline Kennedy to Melania Trump" Read the transcript here: https://www.nixonfoundation.org/2019/08/podcast-linda-hobgood-pat-nixon-press/ Interview by Jonathan Movroydis. Photo: Pat Nixon sitting with ABC correspondent Virginia Sherwood in the White House Yellow Oval Room on October 13, 1971. (Richard Nixon Presidential Library)
What advice would Martha Washington have for Melania Trump? That's one question we have regarding the history of the wives of presidents from the start to today. Journalist and author Ronald Kessler (The Trump Whitehouse: Changing the Rules of the Game) focuses on Melania Trump, author Kate Andersen Brower gives a sweeping overview of the job of First Lady and the women who have held it (First Women: The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies), and Katherine Pittman, a Martha Washington interpreter, paints a nearly spiritual portrait of the very FIRST lady to take on the task.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Patricia Nixon entering the White House as First Lady. Through hard work and a personal touch, she had a remarkable influence on not only the White House, including its collection and preservation, but also on the role of First Lady. White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin talks to Anita McBride, Former Chief of Staff to Laura Bush, Bob Bostock, Special Assistant to Former President Nixon, and Melanie Eisenhower, Granddaughter of Richard and Pat Nixon and Great-Granddaughter of Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower, about the life and legacy of First Lady Pat Nixon.
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
The iconic, international bestselling author of 14 novels, including the era-defining Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, Douglas Coupland, paid a visit to the show to rap with me about his latest collection, his strange ritual for starting a new book, and the timeless difficulties of getting published. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! Mr. Coupland started his career in journalism before rising to prominence after his acclaimed, bestselling debut in 1991. Since Generation X he has become an internationally recognized visual artist, designer, and author of 14 novels, two short story collections, a dozen nonfiction books, and scripts for the stage, TV, and film. In addition to his many contributions to traditional and online publications including the New York Times, The Guardian, and Vice Doug has written and performed for England’s Royal Shakespeare Company and is a columnist for The Financial Times of London. His latest, titled Bit Rot, is a collection of more than 65 thought-provoking essays, stories, and meditations “… on the different ways in which twentieth-century notions of the future are being shredded.” The social critic and cultural observer has been prognosticating on how technology affects our brains since the advent of the internet. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. In this file Douglas Coupland and I discuss: How a visual artist became a generation-defining fiction author The writer’s love of serial journalism Why listeners of this show have won the biggest lottery in history How a Canadian professor in the ’60s predicted the influence of the internet we know today The magic of writing on airplanes Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes If you re ready to see for yourself why more than 201,344 website owners trust StudioPress the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins swing by StudioPress.com for all the details. Douglas Coupland’s website Douglas Coupland for The Financial Times of London Douglas Coupland: ‘I’m actually at my happiest when I’m writing on a plane’ Bit Rot: stories + essays – Douglas Coupland Marshall McLuhan: You Know Nothing of My Work! – Douglas Coupland How Bestselling Author Austin Kleon Writes: Part One Douglas Coupland on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter The Transcript How Bestselling Author Douglas Coupland Writes Voiceover: Rainmaker FM. Kelton Reid: Hey, hey, welcome back to The Writer Files. I am still your host Kelton Reid, here to take you on yet another tour of the habits, habitats, and brains of renowned writers. The iconic international bestselling author of 14 novels, including the era defining Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, Douglas Coupland paid a visit to the show to rap with me about his latest collection, his strange ritual for starting a new book, and the timeless difficulties of getting published. Mr. Coupland started his career in journalism before rising to prominence after his acclaimed best-selling debut in 1991. Since Generation X, he’s become an internationally recognized visual artist, designer, and author of 14 novels, two short story collections, dozen nonfiction books, and scripts for the stage, TV, and film. In addition to his many contributions to traditional and online publications, including the New York Times, The Guardian, Vice, Doug has written and performed for England’s Royal Shakespeare Company and is a columnist for the Financial Times of London. His latest, titled Bit Rot, is a collection of more than 65 thought-provoking essays, stories, and meditations on the different ways in which 20th century notions of the future are being shredded. The social critic and cultural observer has been prognosticating on how technology affects our brains since the advent of the Internet. In this file, Doug and I discuss how a visual artist became a generation defining fiction author. The writer’s love of long-form journalism, why listeners of this show have won the biggest lottery in history, how a Canadian professor in the ’60s predicted the influence of the Internet as we know it today, and the magic of riding on airplanes. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews as soon as they’re published and do me the favor of dropping a rating in iTunes to help other writers find us. On with the show. We are rolling today on The Writer Files with an esteemed guest. Douglas Coupland is joining us. Thank you so much for hopping on the show today. Douglas Coupland: Well, thanks for having me. Kelton Reid: If you aren’t familiar with Doug’s work, I’d be surprised, but he’s an artist, designer, international bestselling author of novels, short stories, biography, quite a bit of journalism out there in the world, I think. Yeah, you’ve worked in the visual arts, you’ve done a lot of design work, and I’m guessing that you did the artwork for your new book, the cover and … Douglas Coupland: Oh, yeah. Kelton Reid: I’m looking at the back of Bit Rot, the brand new collection of stories and essays, and your face is just kind of hovering there behind the blurbs, which is kind of cool. Douglas Coupland: The whole author photo thing is just so corny and out of date. Usually most people just go to Google Images and see, Okay, got it, and that’s all they need. The cover, yes, I did do myself. Everyone thinks I used to do all my covers but I didn’t. Finally, the one where they sent me was just so dismal, I said, “You know what, I’m doing it.” How a Visual Artist Became a Generation-Defining Fiction Author Kelton Reid: I think it turned out very well. To say that you wear a lot of hats would be an understatement. Clearly, you do many different things. You’re kind of a … I wouldn’t really know how to sum it up. I mean, looking at your resume is very intimidating, but as a writer, you had this pretty storied career, and I’d love to take you back a little bit, maybe for listeners who aren’t familiar with your amazing journey. Can you take us back maybe to those moments before Generation X was commissioned and kind of all that craziness happened to you. How you got here, how you became this best selling author, of now I think it’s 13 novels, and all these other fantastic works. How did you get here, Doug? Douglas Coupland: I think my story is similar to most other people I ve met who write long form fiction, which is that they were doing, and I was doing, something completely unconnected to writing, and then somewhere around 28 or so, something clicks in and, “Oh, I think I should maybe write some long form fiction”. I don’t think I ever met a writer who came directly out of the creative writing program or a masters lit program. There’s something about the world we’re living. I went to art school and trained in sculpture and typography and spent a lot of time living in Japan, working there. I never really thought of words, one way or the other, and then in ’87, back when answering machines were still a big thing, like, “Now we got an answering machine”, I bought one and plugged it in and the first call I got was the editor of the local city magazine. “Come on down. We want you to write for us.” I’m a little … “I hadn’t written a thing in my life.” “Well, I read the postcard you sent to Don’s wife. It was on a refrigerator at a party last night. It was really funny so we think you should write for us.” “Okay”, and then two days later I was down in Beverly Hills, writing about this art called Scoundrel. Spent three days there, wrote the story in one day and, this was back when journalism paid a lot and, “Wait, wait. You mean, I had a lot of fun and enjoyed writing it, and I get paid for it?” At the time I had a big sculpture studio in Vancouver. Anything to do with sculpture is expensive because it’s third dimension and the prices of materials and … Anyhow, it became a very quick enjoyable way of paying my studio bills. Then I realized there was something deeper that was going on. I went to Toronto about six months later and took a job working the business magazine as a junior staffer. Probably between that first phone call and moving out to middle of nowhere to write Generation X was maybe 18 months. That was all it took to go from zero to fiction. I look back on that period of my life and what I remember most about it was chronic fatigue syndrome, which I don’t even know if it exists anymore. For that 18 month window, I’d wake up every morning and around an hour after waking up, I’d ugh, like being unplugged or something, and yet I got so much stuff done. It ended one day magically when I started writing fiction, so maybe there’s a connection there somewhere. Kelton Reid: Interesting, interesting. Since then, since that trip to the desert, Coachella, I believe. Douglas Coupland: Everyone knows about Coachella now, but back then it was this completely undiscovered, sort of Nixon era fantasy underneath a glass dome, meaning it wasn’t mid century, it wasn’t gay, it wasn’t trendy, it wasn’t Coachella. It was just this place where time froze, somewhere around when Pat Nixon had a bowl of Special K in 1971 or something. It was not the Coachella that people know now. Kelton Reid: The one that people are dropping exorbitant amounts of money to go and visit and do drugs and all that stuff. Douglas Coupland: The weather was just appalling. Kelton Reid: Since then, you’ve published, I believe it’s 13 novels, collections of short stories, eight nonfiction books … I mean the list here is pretty intimidating, and a lot of scripts, both screen and stage, including a TV show that you produced, I believe. That’s pretty, pretty exciting. A lot of successes there. So, looks like the best place to find all of that agglomerated in one spot is your fantastic website, Coupland.com, and I’ll link to that. Is there anywhere else we want to point listeners to to see your work? I mean, it’s everywhere. Douglas Coupland: I do a monthly column for the Financial Times of London Weekend Magazine. That’s out there. I mean, it looks like I do a lot, but in my head, I feel almost like I got locked-in syndrome. I really feel like I’m wasting my life, that I’m not using my time properly. Even picking up a sock is like, “Why am I picking it up?” It’s like I could be doing more permanent with that amount of energy. It’s just gotten kind of weird inside my head lately. I’m finding it very hard to read. I don’t know if that’s something you’re experiencing as well, or if it’s just me, or is it some massive phenomenon where reading fiction on a Kindle or a book is just like, “Oh, get to the point.” It’s not fast enough. I feel like a terrible human being for reading a fraction of what I used to read in a period of, like in a month. Where did that part of my brain go? Is it me? Is it everyone? Is it all this, you know, the cloud? Where is this coming from? Why Listeners of This Show Have Won the Biggest Lottery in History Kelton Reid: For sure, for sure. It’s interesting that you say that, because I know you write a lot of about it, and in your observations of the modern contemporary syndrome that we’re all kind of facing, this speeded up, fast food of the brain, nation and world. With all this inter-connectedness, how do writers really stay focused and research? So, let’s talk about your process. How do you stay focused and actually produce writing for your column and then anything else you’re working on. Are you working on another book now or are you turned to more visual stuff? Douglas Coupland: Writing takes place in time, and artwork largely takes place in space so I think it comes from separate and non-competing parts of the id, or the brain, or however you want to describe that sort of thing. I began writing this column, I guess you’d call it serial nonfiction. Every month I take a subject and analyzed it. I was very nervous in doing so because I’ve never actually done that kind of nonfiction before. It turns out I really loved doing it and I didn’t expect that. I’m happy it happened and now I find a lot of energies going to nonfiction. A TV project I’m working on right now, as we’re all living the golden age of television and I’d like to be part of that. I’ve always enjoyed being in the world and out of the world. Every year I take on two or three completely unrelated writing projects because I meet people I would never otherwise have met and go to places that I would never would have otherwise been and experience all this life. I don’t know how old you are. I’m 55, and what I’m finding amazing is that it just goes so quickly. When I look in the mirror, “That’s not me!” Think of all the planet we live on, and then the sun and all these galaxies. There’s trillions of them. Each galaxy has a million stars and there’s all this matter out there and antimatter. Out of all that matter, like you and me, and if you’re listening, all the matter in the entire universe, we got to experience life, whatever this thing called life is. It’s literally winning the biggest lottery in the universe, and knowing that, having the sentience to appreciate it, how we going to get the most of having been alive, or being alive here? It seems like this, not so much a gift, but a responsibility, I think. Which is why I always take on all these crazy projects and go to Russia, yeah, Russia, why not, for six weeks to do something. When I say it keeps life interesting, it, actually more than a figure of speech, it keeps this magical thing called life interesting. I think that’s my philosophy. I have a home base here. I live in Vancouver. I’m away about half the time. I go out and have adventures and I come back. I think of myself as just an adventurer, maybe in a certain old-fashioned tradition. As the times change, as I change, fiction’s a part of it, but it’s fiction reconfigured into other formats, again like long form television, or nonfiction, which is quasi-fictional. Bit Rot, which is the book we re here to discuss, I guess, is compilation of nonfiction pieces I’ve done, some published, some not. Fiction, which I thought was experimental, but as time goes on, I think it’s fiction that I want to create in the reader that same sense of weird magic you get when you’re online and you fall down a rabbit hole and suddenly you’re looking at a model railroad in the Czech Republic and then like vroom, you’re looking at Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Wikipedia page or something. I think that is very much a part of the modern experience, so how does fiction reflect that? I don’t believe, I think, in some writers who are notorious for bunkering themselves and turning out the lights and focusing purely on the words. I used to do that a little bit, but now I think, No, no, no. You’re out in the world, write about the world as you inhabit it, so that’s what I do. How a Canadian Professor in the 60s Predicted the Influence of the Internet We Know Today Kelton Reid: You’ve actually written about it, and I’ll link to this piece, I’m actually at my happiest when I’m writing on a plane. I think it sums up what you’re talking about. You’ve written about this often, how everything has been turned into this, again, this fractal sense of what you said about falling down a rabbit hole. So it sounds like your writing process is pretty broken up, but it’s working for you because obviously, it traverses a lot of that terrain. There’s so much in there and it’s been called binge-worthy reading of the Coupland brain. Yeah, it’s so cool that it really is capturing everything that you’re talking about, this ephemeral nature of where we are now. I have the McLuhan biography that you wrote here. I was just checking it out as a reference and he was talking about that moment that I think we’re all experiencing right now so- Douglas Coupland: The thing about Marshall McLuhan is most people under the age of 40 really probably don’t know him, or much about him. He has the two famous sound bites. There was “We all live in a global village” and “The medium is the message”. So he was this crusty fuddy duddy guy who was teaching at the University of Toronto in Canada in 1962. He was quite retrograde. He was quite religious. He didn’t really like the physical world very much, but through a chain of never-to-be-repeated circumstances, he was able to anticipate the Internet, and what it would feel like and how it would change the way our sentences work. Tom Wolfe famously wrote an essay where, I think it was Esquire, called What If He s Right? back in the early ’60s. What’s happened is McLuhan was right about almost everything, except he didn’t know the interface of what this new thing was going to look like, or feel like. So he’ll use 18th century pamphleteers in England to describe what we would now call PayPal, or eBay, or online dating. He actually anticipated the pornography explosion. He said that the world would be turned into a bordello without any walls. That was like his He had to approach everything metaphorically or through literary culture, which made him sound kind of nuts, but if you can be right up to 2017, the chances are he’s going to be right as we move further on. I got dragged kicking and screaming doing that biography, but I’m really glad I did. Kelton Reid: Yeah, that’s pretty fascinating, that you can try and do that and then do fiction. Are you turning to episodic TV as an outlet for the part of your brain that wants to do fiction? Or are you actually working on another piece of longer fiction now? Douglas Coupland: I’m working on, I call it 100 sermons, but I think maybe I’ll make it 99, ’cause 99 is a more interesting number. And I m actually doing, I suppose you would say, secular theology, addressing head on the ins and out and ups and downs of the soul, or trying to locate the soul. The art world, they talk about imminence, I suppose you would talk about that in alternate worlds as well. That’s where all the philosophers always get hung up and start becoming angels dancing on the heads of pins. I think most of us have this sensation that there is a holiness that pervades certainly life on Earth, and we talked about a bit earlier, but how does that holiness operate? I’m also very scientific, so is it the gravitational field? Or is it an inaccuracy, like one of the up or down quarks? How does holiness exists? I believe it does, but I’m also agnostic so … I think that’s where 100, excuse me, 99 sermons is coming from. I know Stephin Merritt was actually going to write his 100 love songs except the project came to an organic conclusion. He called it 69 love songs, which was sort of cheeky. So who knows what the number will finally be. That’s what I’m working on now. The Magic of Writing on Airplanes Kelton Reid: It sounds like you’re a writer who just kind of … You’re practicing some kind of productive procrastination, that s something that Austin Kleon talks about. He’s also a visual artist who’s a writer and he has an office where he’s got three different desks set up so he’s doing the visual art, then he’s doing the writing part, and then he just will kind of move from one thing to the other as the muse pulls him around the room. Is that how you find yourself working? I know you talk about writing on planes, you talk about writing, if you’re on a deadline, you’re working in a hotel room oftentimes. Douglas Coupland: Writing is, I think, best done in the morning before everyone arrives at the studio or other workers arrive. You ve got that magic lucidity window of maybe two and a half hours. That’s where most conception happens. The only other place I can really conceive … there’s two other places. One is on an airplane, which is great, because there’s no wi-fi, to be honest, and there’s this super focus. Also, it’s a chemical thing. You get one or two glasses of white wine on a plane with decreased oxygen and it’s like magic. The words just flow and then of course, two hours later, it’s over. The third place I like to get writing done is in the International House of Pancakes on the north side of Interstate 15 in Las Vegas. I had this tradition of starting books there. So I’ll go down, I’ll check into my booth. Yes, that’s right, a writer who has a superstition, who’d have thought? I like to begin it there. Las Vegas used to be this piddly little thing and now it s just morphed into this massive place but the IHOP continues to exist, so I will continue going there. Kelton Reid: That’s awesome. I will ask you about writer’s block. How do you feel about it? Is it a thing? Have you ever experienced it? Is it a myth? Douglas Coupland: Oh, writer’s block is real. I don’t know of any other profession that has an analogous syndrome. The thing about writer’s block is that, obviously you can’t write, but you perpetualize it, you catastrophize it, and “Oh, my god, I can’t write, my life is over.” Of course, it always comes back in the end. I’m curious to hear what other writers have to say on this subject. I think in the end it’s probably something really banal, but beneath surface, like maybe you changed your brand of B vitamins or something. I think they forgot to put B6 in a new batch or something. I think that … is it Occam’s Razor?… the easiest to answer is probably the right answer. I think it s something very of-the-world which causes writer’s block, unless it’s cosmic. You’re always bargaining in your head, maybe it is something, oh curse those muses. The Importance of Doing What You Enjoy Kelton Reid: I know that the writers that I’ve spoken to kind of run the gamut from it’s total bullsh*t. It’s kind of like impotence. We don’t talk about it, but it is real. Before we wrap up here, do you think you can define creativity in your own words? I know so much of what you do involves some elements of creativity. Douglas Coupland: Creativity? A few things come to mind. My hair went gray and white prematurely and so I look a lot wiser than I maybe am. I get asked to do these speeches for graduation ceremonies. The question I get a lot, mostly from the parents who are worried about their kids, is, “You know, what can we do to future proof the kids?” “What do you mean?” “Well, there’s this assault of new technologies coming from every direction, impacting all parts of our human experience. How can you make yourself safe from all that?” What I say is, “You have to find out what it is you enjoy doing and then do it. If you don’t enjoy doing it and you succeed, you’ll be contemptuous of your success and you won’t enjoy it. You have to accept that maybe you enjoy something that’s not going to make you a billion dollars. Maybe, you like working with shoes, just work with shoes.” There’s something about the creation of new images I’ve always liked, and whatever it takes me to get me there is what I do. I like creating new ways of working with words, ditto. I think they should have a course starting in kindergarten, “What do you like doing?” You might have students who spend 12, 13 years and they might still don’t figure it out what it is they like doing. Okay, well, get working in advertising then. Also, the other thing too, if you have 10 ideas, one of them is going to be a hit, one of them is going to be an absolute disaster, two of them will be pretty good and two will be like eh, one or two will be like, Don’t talk about it, and one is just a flaming disaster. So sometimes people get the flaming disaster first and they just have to realize it’s actually more of a probabilistic situation. That if they try it again they’ll probably get one of the better responses. It’s so easy for me to psych myself out with people in general, and I don’t know where that comes from, but whenever I find myself trying to psych myself out then I should really be doing it. For example, the Marshall McLuhan biography, I was like, “Uh, why do I uhhhh.” Phone calls to my agent and stuff. I learned so much from that experience. Yeah, just shake it up. Not everything’s gonna work, not everything’s gonna fail. It’s a mix. Kelton Reid: Words of wisdom from Douglas Coupland, whose fantastic new collection traverses the workings of Doug’s brain, more than 65 thought-provoking essays, stories, and meditations on the different ways in which 20th century notions of the future are being shredded. Finally, do you have any advice for your fellow scribes on how to keep the ink flowing and the cursor moving? Douglas Coupland: One thing I noticed about publishing or being published … where it’s been going on like 28 years now for me, is that it’s always been just as hard to get published as it is right now. That if it’s not one thing then it’s another, but it’s almost like Avogadro’s number or Pi or something, that the difficulty in getting published factor. In some ways it’s easier now, some ways it’s harder, but it averages out about the same amount. So I don’t think you can say there was once a golden age of new writers getting published. It’s always been the same. Kelton Reid: Yes, and thank you so much for taking the time. We really appreciate you doing this, and best of luck with all your future endeavors. Please come back and talk with us again. Douglas Coupland: It’s a joy to have met you. Thanks a lot, Kelton. Kelton Reid: Thanks so much for joining me on another tour of the writer’s process. If you enjoy The Writer Files podcast, please subscribe to the show and leave us a rating or review to help other writers find us. For more episodes, or to leave a comment or question, you can drop by WriterFiles.FM and you can always chat with me on twitter @KeltonReid. Cheers. Talk to you soon.
Kathyrn Erbe is best known for playing Detective Alexandra Eames in LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT... Erbe’s television credits include playing the infamous death row inmate Shirley Bellinger on the acclaimed HBO series “Oz.” She also appeared on NBC’s “Homicide: Life on the Street,” the miniseries “George Wallace,” Showtime’s original production of “Naked City: Justice with a Bullet,” NBC’s “Another World” and the television movie “Breathing Lessons.” Erbe also gained notice in the 1999 box office hit “Stir of Echoes” opposite Kevin Bacon and “Dream with the Fishes” with David Arquette. Her additional film credits include “Entropy,” “Kiss of Death,” “D2: The Mighty Ducks,” “Rich in Love”, “What About Bob?”, and “Speaking of Sex” with Lara Flynn Boyle and Bill Murray. Erbe also filmed “Three Backyards,” starring opposite Embeth Davidtz and Edie Falco, “Mother’s House”, “Worst Friend’s”, “The Love Guide” with Parker Posey,” Mistress America” and “No Beast So Fierce”. Before appearing in feature films, Erbe began her career on the stage. She is a member of the Steppenwolf Theater Company and has starred in many of their productions, including Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire” as Stella, “Curse of the Starving Class” and “My Thing of Love.” She earned a Tony® Award nomination in 1991 for her portrayal of Mary in “Speed of Darkness.” Erbe is also an active member of the Atlantic Theatre Company. For the last year, Erbe has recently focused her attention to the theater appearing in Craig Lucas’ play ‘Ode to Joy, as Pat Nixon in The Vineyard’s ‘Checkers’, Natasha in Lincoln Center’s ‘Nikolai and The Others’, Sue in ACT’s ‘Natural Affection’, Mother in ‘Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, America, Kuwait’ as well as Adele in Rattlestick’s production of ‘Ode to Joy’. Erbe can currently be seen co-starring along side Frank Langella in MTC Tony Nominated Broadway production of ‘The Father’.
This week marks the 104th birthday of First Lady Pat Nixon. To discuss her life and legacy is Bob Bostock. Bostock served as special assistant to former President Nixon, leading the writing and curating of most of the exhibits at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library. In 2012, he wrote and curated the special Centennial Exhibit about First Lady Pat Nixon, also at the Nixon Library. Bostock has 15 years of experience in senior federal, state and local governments including work as a senior advisor to New Jersey Governor and later EPA chief Christine Todd Whitman. The two co-wrote the best-selling book "Its My Part Too: The Battle for the Heart of the GOP and the Future of America." Bostock also has 15 years of senior federal, state and local governments including work as a senior advisor to New Jersey Governor and later EPA chief Christine Todd Whitman. The two cowrote the best-selling book "Its My Part Too: The Battle for the Heart of the GOP and the Future of America." Interview by Jonathan Movroydis. You can learn more about Pat Nixon's life in her biography, "Pat Nixon: The Untold Story," authored by daughter Julie Nixon Eisenhower and available for purchase from the Richard Nixon Museum Store: https://store.nixonfoundation.org/products/pat-nixon-the-untold-story
En række mere eller mindre fjollede film har været igennem Dobbelt Ds afspiller op til dette show! For hvorfor skulle vi lade os diktere af at Hollywood er igang med at finde 2015's bedste film? Vi ser film fra alle årstal - og de behøver ikke engang være gode! I dette show har vi stavekonkurrencer og ubåde, skrigende tøser og talende dyr, skræmmende gys og en lige så skræmmende virkelighed. Følgende titler omtales: 0:28:28 Bad Words Bluray 0:39:02 Agent Red 0:54:45 Preservation 1:05:13 Cleanskin Bluray 1:19:01 Housebound 1:27:25 The Voices Bluray 1:44:09 Hector and the Search for Happiness 1:53:03 I Am Number Four Bluray 2:04:14 The Final Girls Bluray
Portraying the role of Pat Nixon in John Adams' opera Nixon in China is soprano Maria Kanyova. She's sung the role many times in her career and takes time during this interview with Nicolas Reveles to talk about the role, the music and the dramatic challenges. Enjoy!
In America, biographies of Presidents and First Ladies are a staple of the genre, but the relationship that exists between the two receives surprisingly less exploration, as though the biographies needed to be kept as separate as the offices in the East and West Wings. (The relationship of the Clintons being the notable exception.) Hopefully Will Swift‘s Pat and Dick: The Nixons, an Intimate Portrait of a Marriage (Threshold Editions, 2014)) augurs a new biographical trend towards serious examination of presidential relationships. It's a daunting task- to not only humanize but probe the relationship that existed between a pair still, fifty years on, more easily reduced to the stereotypes of ‘Tricky Dick' and ‘Plastic Pat'- but Swift gives a welcome corrective, portraying a surprisingly vulnerable Nixon whilst, perhaps even more importantly, providing a historically significant re-evaluation of his wife. For, of all the recent First Ladies, it's Pat Nixon's accomplishments that have been most overlooked, obscured as they were by a frosty public image and the downfall of her husband. In the public imagination, First Ladies are easily associated with social issues (Lady Bird Johnson and the environment, Michelle Obama and healthy eating, etc.), and yet Pat Nixon's issue of ‘volunteerism'- both important and, perhaps, overly broad and, therefore, more difficult to quantify- seems to have fallen from historical view. As Swift demonstrates, however, her volunteerism platform was a springboard in improving American international relations. When, after the Peruvian earthquake of May 1970, Pat Nixon made a harrowing journey into the heart of Peru, to an area then called ‘The Valley of Death', where she assisted and comforted survivors. ‘To have President Nixon send his wife here means more to me than if he had sent the whole American Air Force,' said Peruvian President Velasco Alvarado. It's a story that reveals the impact a First Lady can have, an impact that all to often goes unacknowledged, and an impact in whose preservation biography plays a key role. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In America, biographies of Presidents and First Ladies are a staple of the genre, but the relationship that exists between the two receives surprisingly less exploration, as though the biographies needed to be kept as separate as the offices in the East and West Wings. (The relationship of the Clintons being the notable exception.) Hopefully Will Swift‘s Pat and Dick: The Nixons, an Intimate Portrait of a Marriage (Threshold Editions, 2014)) augurs a new biographical trend towards serious examination of presidential relationships. It’s a daunting task- to not only humanize but probe the relationship that existed between a pair still, fifty years on, more easily reduced to the stereotypes of ‘Tricky Dick’ and ‘Plastic Pat’- but Swift gives a welcome corrective, portraying a surprisingly vulnerable Nixon whilst, perhaps even more importantly, providing a historically significant re-evaluation of his wife. For, of all the recent First Ladies, it’s Pat Nixon’s accomplishments that have been most overlooked, obscured as they were by a frosty public image and the downfall of her husband. In the public imagination, First Ladies are easily associated with social issues (Lady Bird Johnson and the environment, Michelle Obama and healthy eating, etc.), and yet Pat Nixon’s issue of ‘volunteerism’- both important and, perhaps, overly broad and, therefore, more difficult to quantify- seems to have fallen from historical view. As Swift demonstrates, however, her volunteerism platform was a springboard in improving American international relations. When, after the Peruvian earthquake of May 1970, Pat Nixon made a harrowing journey into the heart of Peru, to an area then called ‘The Valley of Death’, where she assisted and comforted survivors. ‘To have President Nixon send his wife here means more to me than if he had sent the whole American Air Force,’ said Peruvian President Velasco Alvarado. It’s a story that reveals the impact a First Lady can have, an impact that all to often goes unacknowledged, and an impact in whose preservation biography plays a key role. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In America, biographies of Presidents and First Ladies are a staple of the genre, but the relationship that exists between the two receives surprisingly less exploration, as though the biographies needed to be kept as separate as the offices in the East and West Wings. (The relationship of the Clintons being the notable exception.) Hopefully Will Swift‘s Pat and Dick: The Nixons, an Intimate Portrait of a Marriage (Threshold Editions, 2014)) augurs a new biographical trend towards serious examination of presidential relationships. It’s a daunting task- to not only humanize but probe the relationship that existed between a pair still, fifty years on, more easily reduced to the stereotypes of ‘Tricky Dick’ and ‘Plastic Pat’- but Swift gives a welcome corrective, portraying a surprisingly vulnerable Nixon whilst, perhaps even more importantly, providing a historically significant re-evaluation of his wife. For, of all the recent First Ladies, it’s Pat Nixon’s accomplishments that have been most overlooked, obscured as they were by a frosty public image and the downfall of her husband. In the public imagination, First Ladies are easily associated with social issues (Lady Bird Johnson and the environment, Michelle Obama and healthy eating, etc.), and yet Pat Nixon’s issue of ‘volunteerism’- both important and, perhaps, overly broad and, therefore, more difficult to quantify- seems to have fallen from historical view. As Swift demonstrates, however, her volunteerism platform was a springboard in improving American international relations. When, after the Peruvian earthquake of May 1970, Pat Nixon made a harrowing journey into the heart of Peru, to an area then called ‘The Valley of Death’, where she assisted and comforted survivors. ‘To have President Nixon send his wife here means more to me than if he had sent the whole American Air Force,’ said Peruvian President Velasco Alvarado. It’s a story that reveals the impact a First Lady can have, an impact that all to often goes unacknowledged, and an impact in whose preservation biography plays a key role. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In America, biographies of Presidents and First Ladies are a staple of the genre, but the relationship that exists between the two receives surprisingly less exploration, as though the biographies needed to be kept as separate as the offices in the East and West Wings. (The relationship of the Clintons being the notable exception.) Hopefully Will Swift‘s Pat and Dick: The Nixons, an Intimate Portrait of a Marriage (Threshold Editions, 2014)) augurs a new biographical trend towards serious examination of presidential relationships. It’s a daunting task- to not only humanize but probe the relationship that existed between a pair still, fifty years on, more easily reduced to the stereotypes of ‘Tricky Dick’ and ‘Plastic Pat’- but Swift gives a welcome corrective, portraying a surprisingly vulnerable Nixon whilst, perhaps even more importantly, providing a historically significant re-evaluation of his wife. For, of all the recent First Ladies, it’s Pat Nixon’s accomplishments that have been most overlooked, obscured as they were by a frosty public image and the downfall of her husband. In the public imagination, First Ladies are easily associated with social issues (Lady Bird Johnson and the environment, Michelle Obama and healthy eating, etc.), and yet Pat Nixon’s issue of ‘volunteerism’- both important and, perhaps, overly broad and, therefore, more difficult to quantify- seems to have fallen from historical view. As Swift demonstrates, however, her volunteerism platform was a springboard in improving American international relations. When, after the Peruvian earthquake of May 1970, Pat Nixon made a harrowing journey into the heart of Peru, to an area then called ‘The Valley of Death’, where she assisted and comforted survivors. ‘To have President Nixon send his wife here means more to me than if he had sent the whole American Air Force,’ said Peruvian President Velasco Alvarado. It’s a story that reveals the impact a First Lady can have, an impact that all to often goes unacknowledged, and an impact in whose preservation biography plays a key role. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In America, biographies of Presidents and First Ladies are a staple of the genre, but the relationship that exists between the two receives surprisingly less exploration, as though the biographies needed to be kept as separate as the offices in the East and West Wings. (The relationship of the Clintons being the notable exception.) Hopefully Will Swift‘s Pat and Dick: The Nixons, an Intimate Portrait of a Marriage (Threshold Editions, 2014)) augurs a new biographical trend towards serious examination of presidential relationships. It’s a daunting task- to not only humanize but probe the relationship that existed between a pair still, fifty years on, more easily reduced to the stereotypes of ‘Tricky Dick’ and ‘Plastic Pat’- but Swift gives a welcome corrective, portraying a surprisingly vulnerable Nixon whilst, perhaps even more importantly, providing a historically significant re-evaluation of his wife. For, of all the recent First Ladies, it’s Pat Nixon’s accomplishments that have been most overlooked, obscured as they were by a frosty public image and the downfall of her husband. In the public imagination, First Ladies are easily associated with social issues (Lady Bird Johnson and the environment, Michelle Obama and healthy eating, etc.), and yet Pat Nixon’s issue of ‘volunteerism’- both important and, perhaps, overly broad and, therefore, more difficult to quantify- seems to have fallen from historical view. As Swift demonstrates, however, her volunteerism platform was a springboard in improving American international relations. When, after the Peruvian earthquake of May 1970, Pat Nixon made a harrowing journey into the heart of Peru, to an area then called ‘The Valley of Death’, where she assisted and comforted survivors. ‘To have President Nixon send his wife here means more to me than if he had sent the whole American Air Force,’ said Peruvian President Velasco Alvarado. It’s a story that reveals the impact a First Lady can have, an impact that all to often goes unacknowledged, and an impact in whose preservation biography plays a key role. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In America, biographies of Presidents and First Ladies are a staple of the genre, but the relationship that exists between the two receives surprisingly less exploration, as though the biographies needed to be kept as separate as the offices in the East and West Wings. (The relationship of the Clintons being the notable exception.) Hopefully Will Swift‘s Pat and Dick: The Nixons, an Intimate Portrait of a Marriage (Threshold Editions, 2014)) augurs a new biographical trend towards serious examination of presidential relationships. It’s a daunting task- to not only humanize but probe the relationship that existed between a pair still, fifty years on, more easily reduced to the stereotypes of ‘Tricky Dick’ and ‘Plastic Pat’- but Swift gives a welcome corrective, portraying a surprisingly vulnerable Nixon whilst, perhaps even more importantly, providing a historically significant re-evaluation of his wife. For, of all the recent First Ladies, it’s Pat Nixon’s accomplishments that have been most overlooked, obscured as they were by a frosty public image and the downfall of her husband. In the public imagination, First Ladies are easily associated with social issues (Lady Bird Johnson and the environment, Michelle Obama and healthy eating, etc.), and yet Pat Nixon’s issue of ‘volunteerism’- both important and, perhaps, overly broad and, therefore, more difficult to quantify- seems to have fallen from historical view. As Swift demonstrates, however, her volunteerism platform was a springboard in improving American international relations. When, after the Peruvian earthquake of May 1970, Pat Nixon made a harrowing journey into the heart of Peru, to an area then called ‘The Valley of Death’, where she assisted and comforted survivors. ‘To have President Nixon send his wife here means more to me than if he had sent the whole American Air Force,’ said Peruvian President Velasco Alvarado. It’s a story that reveals the impact a First Lady can have, an impact that all to often goes unacknowledged, and an impact in whose preservation biography plays a key role. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
With little known about Pat Nixon, Ann Beattie decided to write a novel in the form of a writer's manual, she used Mrs. Nixon as a model of how to create a character.