So I heard we might be starting blogging again. I kind of want to do a roundup of what’s happened since we stopped. But that seems like work. So I’ll note instead that today, I gave a lecture1 on 1968: Tet, Johnson surrendering the Alamo declining to run, MLK’s murder, RFK’s murder, Chicago (including Ribicoff v. Daley, Buckley v. Vidal, and selected truncheons v. a whole bunch of protesters) … is it the worst year in American history?
1Lecturing is for professors who should be writing their books what writing letters was for Hemingway:2 empty calories, an excursion that makes you feel as if you’ve done something really productive when kind of you haven’t.3
2I should probably have a link for that quotation but I can’t find one. Anyway I’m not sure we’re really starting blogging again, so I don’t know if I feel committed to looking for stuff like that, you know?
3Hey, html footnotes again! I can’t remember if we thought those were funny, or not.
The Edge of the American West 
30 comments
October 20, 2011 at 10:13 pm
ari
No comment on the quality of the year of my birth (dick). But I do think those footnotes are nifty.
October 20, 2011 at 10:18 pm
eric
Awww. I didn’t say it was utterly without redeeming events! I mean, you know. The last liberal president got elected! (Hey, the current occupant thought that line was hilarious.)
October 20, 2011 at 10:23 pm
ari
Also, Buckley v. Vidal was pretty awesome, if you ask me. I’ll probably post that tomorrow.
October 20, 2011 at 10:26 pm
eric
I think a good version is here.
October 20, 2011 at 10:28 pm
ari
Yeah, that one gives a bit more context, which is nice. And I like the time code. Authenticity! But it’s grainier than this one.
October 20, 2011 at 10:30 pm
eric
“Shut up a minute.” Heh. You could do a lot with that minute-ish of video. I look forward to your exegesis.
October 20, 2011 at 10:36 pm
ari
Well, I do think our return has been marked by the upbeat perspective that Vance wanted, don’t you?
October 21, 2011 at 6:02 am
Sybil Vane
Can I just write,”BACK!!” again? How long is that viable?
October 21, 2011 at 7:52 am
Student
Hugh Jackman was born that year. Silver lining?
October 21, 2011 at 7:59 am
human
If 1968 has anything to do with you starting blogging again, I’m all for it.
October 21, 2011 at 10:12 am
Punning Pundit
If you folks are really back, I’ve got an assignment for you.
By next Friday, I’d like 1600a words comparing the Occupy Wall St. movement with the Bonus Army.
(I was wondering about this minutes before I saw that you guys were back.)
October 21, 2011 at 10:17 am
eric
Well, they aren’t predominantly veterans (or at least aren’t clothing their claims in that status); there are far, far fewer of them in absolute numbers – which means there are even fewer, proportionate to the size of the US today; they are demonstrating at Wall Street rather than petitioning to Congress; they enjoy a similar level of wary support from locals; their demands are highly nonspecific, whereas the Bonus Army’s were extremely specific.
They haven’t yet been run off by General Patton.
October 21, 2011 at 5:20 pm
Aaron Sherman
Ari/Eric comment banter. Wow. Looks like the will still provide what I unfortunately never encountered at UCD. Speaking of which, what ever happened to that jointly-taught WWII class, a.k.a. the one thing that might’ve kept me from graduating?
I don’t know if it’s the worst year in American history. After all, as those of us familiar with “From the Earth to the Moon” can tell you, Borman/Lovell/Anders “saved” 1968.
Glad to have the blog back, if only for a short while — hopefully more!
October 21, 2011 at 5:29 pm
ari
We’re probably teaching that class next year, Aaron. You should re-enroll. It’ll be worth it.
October 22, 2011 at 4:08 pm
urbino
As usual, Ari stole my kvetch.
October 22, 2011 at 4:44 pm
ari
urbino!
October 22, 2011 at 5:32 pm
eric
urbino!
October 22, 2011 at 7:32 pm
urbino
Aric!
October 22, 2011 at 7:36 pm
ari
That’s cute. You’re banned.
October 22, 2011 at 8:15 pm
urbino
Brisk, business-like, and to-the-point. Well done, sir. Well done.
October 22, 2011 at 9:15 pm
ari
I may be out of practice, but it turns out that it’s just like riding a bicycle.
October 22, 2011 at 9:41 pm
urbino
Yeah, oppressing my people always did come naturally to your people.
October 23, 2011 at 6:47 pm
Rob_in_Hawaii
Yes, 1968 was awful. I was in high school in Washington, DC at the time and believed I was witnessing the end of the world.
Also, too. I’m impressed by the number of topics you managed to cover in your lecture! (I’m sure it’s been done, but a whole semester spent dissecting 1968 might be in order.)
BTW, loved the footnote within a footnote.
October 23, 2011 at 7:00 pm
ari
Yeah, oppressing my people always did come naturally to your people.
I’m not sure how I missed this until now, and with it the chance to call you an antisemite. You’re double-banned, you antisemite.
October 24, 2011 at 11:54 pm
urbino
Fleshy Hogarthian tippler.
October 26, 2011 at 10:40 am
J. Otto Pohl
Wouldn’t 1861 be the worst year ever for America? In comparison 1968 is pretty small potatoes.
October 27, 2011 at 9:02 pm
Josh
J. Otto beat me to it. ’68’s a strong candidate for runner-up, though.
(Also: hooray! Welcome back!)
October 27, 2011 at 10:08 pm
ari
Fleshy Hogarthian tippler.
I’m rubber, and you’re glue.
October 31, 2011 at 6:10 pm
Western Dave
1812 Wasn’t exactly a walk in the park.
November 5, 2011 at 8:38 am
Jonathan Jarrett
I’m catching up with you and was reduced to cackles by the comments within two posts. I’m glad you guys are back.