Topic: George Washington

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“We are what we read”: 4 lessons from David McCullough

Here are four pieces of advice from two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and author David McCullough.
Budget battle: Four points of advice from Ike

In confronting agonizing budget challenges and political fissures, America would benefit from advice from “Ike.” These words, from a Republican, challenged listeners then regardless of party, as they will challenge listeners today. Mount Holyoke College tax scholar John O. Fox gives us Dwight D. Eisenhower's four critical pieces of advice on taxes, debt, the role of government, and what it means to be a "good American."
Eight low-tech ways to revive broken gadgets

Mouthwash. Rice. A handful of quarters. What do these household items have in common? They constitute the perfect emergency-repair kit for gadgets. When device disasters strike and warranties turn their backs on you, it's time to get in touch with your inner MacGyver. So, here are eight low-tech solutions to high-tech disasters.
To celebrate Washington's birthday: 5 best books about George Washington

If you're an American, you know that George Washington was "the Father of Our Country." But how many of us really know what that means? As we celebrate his 279th birthday, here are five outstanding books that help to bring George Washington and his accomplishments to light.
7 history books worth checking out in 2011

Keep your eyes out for these new titles fit for both presidents and kings.

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Decoder Wire
George W. Bush presidential portrait is unveiled. Who paid for it? (+video)

Though no longer the 'haphazard affair' it once was, the process of creating a presidential portrait like George W. Bush's is not an easy process. But taxpayers don't pick up the tab.
This Memorial Day, supporting veterans is a matter of national security

This Memorial Day, Americans should realize that supporting veterans with jobs and education isn't just about repaying our debt to them. The care of veterans and their families is also a national security imperative if the US is to maintain an effective all-volunteer force.
Mitt Romney would be the wealthiest president ever, Forbes calculates

Forbes Magazine analyzed Mitt Romney's wealth, including investments, real estate, and cash. It found $230 million in assets, while the total for the Obamas is nearly $6 million.
9/11 mastermind arraigned: Can the US deliver real, lasting justice?

Khalid Sheik Mohammed, Al Qaeda's former No. 3 man, is being arraigned Saturday on 2,976 counts of murder. It's being called a modern-day Nuremberg trial that will test the fairness of US military commissions.
Kentucky Derby: Will mighty white steed ride to rescue of struggling sport?

A white horse has never won the Kentucky Derby, so the entry of nearly pure white Hansen makes for a good story. But it likely won't be enough to bring horse racing back into the mainstream.
Opening day for Occupy Wall Street: Act 2

Occupy Wall Street protesters plan demonstrations in more than 100 cities, hoping to rekindle the movement after months in relative hibernation.
A lesson on leadership from Africa

The guilty verdict against Charles Taylor, former president of Liberia, is more than a victory for justice. It is a lesson for Africans and other about no holding up 'great leaders' as saviors. Great ideas are better than great people.
Obama's swipe at the Supreme Court

Worried that five of the justices will overturn the health-care law, Obama at first claims the court is 'unelected' and then backtracks. He must accurately portray the court's deep role in society.
The Paul Ryan 2012 budget: What he learned in 2011

The Paul Ryan 2011 budget sounded like a graduate thesis on statistical steroids. Paul Ryan's 2012 budget is an 80-page campaign commercial.
Decoder Wire
Was Amelia Earhart a US spy? (+video)

The rumor persists that Amelia Earhart was spying on Japan for her good friend, President Franklin Roosevelt. A new expedition to find her downed aircraft may finally put to rest some of the wild theories about the aviatrix.
Reagan and Clinton as American idols? Not so fast.

The majority of Americans consider Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton as 'outstanding' or 'above average' among the modern presidents. Pollsters and historians need an edict: Wait 50 years before judging the greatness of presidents and their legacies.
Assassin's Creed III trailer hits the web

Ubisoft released a trailer for Assassin's Creed III on Monday, revealing the backdrop for the game: America's Revolutionary War.
Decoder Wire
Why you should stop calling today Presidents' Day (+video)

True, many refer to today's national day off as Presidents' Day, but federal law actually lists the holiday as Washington's Birthday. 
A quality of mercy in Haley Barbour's pardons

As he stepped down as Mississippi's governor, Haley Barbour pardoned more than 200 people, including some convicted of murder. His action, and the uproar over it, help ignite a useful debate on using mercy as a tool for justice.
A Slave in the White House

Historian Elizabeth Dowling Taylor tells the unsettling story of a Founding Father and his slave.
Decoder Wire
Thanksgiving Day proclamation: Its curious link to 'Mary Had a Little Lamb'

As presidential messages go, the traditional Thanksgiving Day proclamation is richer than most in oddball trivia. Here are some fun facts about its genesis. 
Thanksgiving turkeys get presidential pardon (video)

Two 45-pound turkeys, named Liberty and Peace, got a presidential Thanksgiving pardon today.
Gratitude that heals

A Christian Science perspective.
Thanksgiving Day Proclamation 2011 from President Obama

In President Obama's Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, he reminds us to 'set aside our daily concerns and give thanks for the providence bestowed upon us,' and 'pause to recount the simple gifts that sustain us, and resolve to pay them forward in the year to come.'
History for the taking? Man pilfers papers signed by presidents, potentates.

A New York man pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring to steal historical documents signed by the likes of Washington, Lincoln, Adams, Marie Antoinette, and Napoleon Bonaparte.
Herman Cain: How the recent Web buzz fits this year's GOP pattern.

New research shows that the meteoric rise by Herman Cain in the polls has been mirrored by a surge in Internet search traffic, even bypassing that for Sarah Palin. But will it last?
“We are what we read”: 4 lessons from David McCullough

Here are four pieces of advice from two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and author David McCullough.
Editor's Blog
Before 9/11: The tale of an Afghan 'lion'

Journalist Ed Giradet met the remarkable Ahmed Shah Massoud during the Afghan insurgency against the Red Army. Twenty years later, on the eve of 9/11, he tried to see him one last time.
Decoder Wire
Why MLK Memorial is one of the last new structures on the National Mall

The MLK Memorial, which the public gets a glimpse of Monday, is between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials. Its centerpiece is a 30-foot statue of Martin Luther King Jr.
Diggin' It
The pawpaw's stamp of approval

A fan of the native fruit makes a postal proposal -- a stamp with the pawpaw on it.