David > Recent Status Updates

What inbreeding: girls marrying uncles to consolidate power and alliances.... What a way to run a nation. Democracy isn't efficient but at least it doesn't promote recessive genes in any direct way.

Surprisingly, the ice skates exported to Brazil by the British found no market -- but eventually the blades saw use as curious door handles.

Dom João ate 3 chickens/meal. When you're king there's no one gonna tell you how many chickens you cans or canst eats.

Dona Carlota almost hit the jackpot but missed out on the chance to go from neglected Portuguese princess to Spanish queen. Monarchy is crazy!

Literally a crazy form of government: in England, mad George III, in Portugal, mad Maria I. In the US, thanks to democracy, we have assholes in power more often than idiots.

Power is so much a matter of theater, and now in the Brazilian city of Salvador arrive the legendary royals of the mother country -- out of the blue -- destitute, in filthy clothes, literally lousy. "Something of the mystery of colonial power was destroyed forever on that day," says the author.

Off with their wigs! And their hair: even royal heads were shaved to combat the plague of lice.

I can't believe it: this author barely mentions the Lisbon earthquake of 1755.

No one wants to dwell on the end but you'll do yourself and your parent a favor if you take advantage of the experience of professional and others who have been through long-term care of an elder. This is an excellent, knowledgeable account.

Oh, man, this author is not only a physician but also a geriatric specialist -- and even HE isn't equal to the challenge of helping his mom in her last years! What chance do _I_ have?

Did you know that in the US you can't die of old age? Not officially, anyway. So, ultimately, everything pretty much boils down to heart failure. An old person is prescribed medicines for particular diseases but sometimes one rx worsens another condition -- and I wonder whether it's worth starting off the cascade in the first place.

I need all the wisdom I can get.

This book convinced me that the root of many problems in American society lies in segregation. Racial and economic segregation certainly but also segregation by age. When the eldest and youngest are brought together in communities there's so much benefit to everyone.

Foster grandparents: what a great idea.

"What has changed for my generation? Why do we resent, instead of laugh at, family mistakes?"

"We want relationships that have no strings attached instead of understanding, as one lady told me, 'Honey, life ain't nothing but strings.'"

I'm setting my sights on becoming an elder wise man. Failing that, I'll settle for elder wise ass.

It's true: American society is segregated by age -- and it isn't good for anyone.

Don't repeat my mistake: read books about old age, caregiving and parents BEFORE you have a mother or father to care for.

I've read a few books on the attempts of revolutionary America to secure financial and military aid from Europe but this is the most detailed. So many intrigues and personalities. America couldn't have gained independence without European help, and some Americans were terribly naive about European motives.

The shoes that Astaire bought for $20 a pair in 1940 now cost $1,100.

Astaire liked to ride with the police on night patrol. How's _that_ for an odd piece of trivia?

Oh, hell, is this grim! This is what happens _after_ the Golden Girls years.

I'm the backbone of the US long-term care system -- oh, how nice! -- which is to say there is no such national "system."

$14K/month for a nursing home. "Fortunately," once you run out of money, Medicaid takes over. Maybe it's not the worst possible thing to have lions killing us off when we get old and infirm. Better real lions than corporate hyenas.

"CAN'T ACT, SLIGHTLY BALD, ALSO DANCES": assessment of Fred Astaire's first screen test.

It's hard not to like Ginger: hard-working, talented, can-do attitude. Bad choices in husbands, a little better in films. Too bad the quality of the films she was offered in later years was so poor, but you have to respect her for not lowering her standards. Instead, she performed on stage in plays and in her own show. She talks a lot about her religion -- Christian Science -- and describes miraculous cures.

Fascinating history of 4 of the most influential Supreme Court justices of the 20th century. You really get to see what led them to their opinions. Most of the time you can respect them, if not agree. Other times, though, their reasoning is strained. Most interesting is to see how their philosophies diverged and evolved.

When accused of flip flopping politicians should simply say what Justice Jackson said when faced with his own contradiction: "the matter does not appear to me now as it appears to have appeared to me then."

"Fundamental rights may not be submitted to a vote" (Justice Robert Jackson) -- something people often overlook in our democracy.