Erik Loomis

3 weeks ago | lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com | Erik Loomis

On June 8, 1909 Washington’s pioneering anti-tipping law went into effect. A goal of a lot of Progressives, this law attempted to end a labor practice that for the middle class who supported it, was annoying. The law did not last long, repealed four years later. Unfortunately, that practice still continues today, stronger than ever despite growing grumbling about it. But there’s probably not much we can do about it. Washington was a strong state for Progressives, as was Oregon.

3 weeks ago | lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com | Erik Loomis

Beneath the foundations of a planned 32-storey skyscraper in London, archaeologists have unearthed a remarkable vestige of the city’s Roman past: the remains of a basilica that once stood at the heart of Londinium. The discovery, announced on Thursday, offers a glimpse into the city’s ancient origins, juxtaposing the modern drive for vertical expansion with the enduring presence of history beneath our feet.

3 weeks ago | lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com | Erik Loomis

This is the grave of Lum York. Born in 1918 in Elmore, Alabama, York grew up there and started playing bass in country bands. There’s not really that much to say about York except for one thing and that thing matters–he was Hank Williams’ bass player. That was not an easy gig because Hank Williams may have been a genius, but he was absolutely one of the greatest disasters of a human being in history, though country musicians tended to group at the top of this category. See one Jones, George.

3 weeks ago | lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com | Erik Loomis

On June 6, 1844, George Williams founded the Young Men’s Christian Association in London. While it was not really Williams’ intention, the YMCA would later become a critical allly in the corporate fight against radical unionization and the initial date of its founding is a good excuse to discuss this history. Williams founded the YMCA as a way to address the problems of unmoored men in industrial cities. The supposed moral decline of the working class got a lot of attention from reformers.

3 weeks ago | lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com | Erik Loomis

Five or six hundred people lived in the Chinese encampment. They fled in all directions. One witness later described the hills to the east of town as “literally blue with the hunted Chinamen.” Leo Qarqwang was getting treatment for his wounds when he saw armed men approaching. He ran toward the hills. He later compared Chinese residents to a flock of frightened sheep. He spent several days wandering through the sagebrush, with nothing to eat.