Ten Coincidences That Helped Shape U.S. History

From the June 28, 2018, ListVerse by Christopher Dale.

I'm just listing them.  You can get the facts and a picture at the site.

10.  The fortuitous fog  that saved Washington's Army during the Revolution.  (I  wrote about this in this blog May 17 and 18.)

9.  Sacagawea with Lewis & Clark Expedition.

8.  Making it 90 feet between bases in baseball.

7.  The "Lost Company" at the Battle of Gettysburg.  (I wrote about this in my Saw the Elephant: Civil War blog on May 16.)

6.  Our three aircraft carriers weren't home at Pearl Harbor during the attack.  

5.  The accidental invention of the microwave.

4.  Lee Harvey Oswald had tried to kill  Major General Edwin Walker seven months later, but failed.

3.  The confusing ballot that skewed the 2000 election.

2.  The ill-timed financial  crisis that hurt McCain's presidential run in 2008.

1.  The inglorious return of Carlos Danger.

--Cooter

Some More Campaign Slogans

From the Nov. 4, 2012, Parade Magazine.

According to Steve Cone, author of "Powerlines" the candidate with the best slogan usually wins.  This year it is "Forward" versus "Believe in America" two namby-pamby ones if you ask me.  While we wait to see which one wins,  here's a look back at some from past elections.

Remember "All the Way With LBJ" or "I Like Ike?"  Winner first, loser second

1844 ELECTION

James K. Polk "Fifty-Four Forty or Fight" //// Henry Clay "Who Is James K. Polk?"

1884 ELECTION

Grover Cleveland "Blaine, Blaine, James G. Blaine, the Continental Liar from the State of Maine" (Hey, that rhymes) //// James G. Blaine "Ma,Ma, Where's My Pa?"

1936 ELECTION

Frankin D. Roosevelt "Remember Hoover" //// Alfred Landon "Let's Make It a Landon-Slide"

1960 ELECTION

John F. Kennedy "A Time for Greatness" //// Richard Nixon "Experience Counts"

1980 ELECTION

Ronald Reagan "Are You Better Off Than You Were Four Years Ago //// Jimmy Carter "It's a Matter of Values"

What Change?  --RoadDog

Ten Things You Might Not Know About Campaign Slogans-- Part 2: Vote For the Lizard, Not the Wizard!!

6.  When ethnically challenged EDWIN EDWARDS ran against former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard DAVID DUKE for Louisiana governor in 1991, the bumper stickers included "Vote for the crook--it's important" and "Vote for the lizard, not the wizard."  The Lizard won.

7.  The second spot on a ticket rarely gets much respect, but GROVER CLEVELAND's running mate, former Indiana governor Thomas Hendricks, might have been offended when 'We'll shout for our man and his important appendix!  We'll whoop'er up lively for Cleveland and Hendricks."

8.  Some slogans seem doomed from the start.  In 1952, ADLAI STEVENSON, facing Dwight Eisenhower, had "You Never Had It So Good."  In 1968, HUBERT HUMPHREY asked "Who but Hubert."

9.  It's a good thing that slogans have an expiration date, like WOODROW WILSON's "He kept us out of war" which was only good until we went to World War I on April 6, 1917.

10.  BARACK OBAMA was the "hope and change " candidate in 2008, but in 1900, President WILLIAM McKINLEY won re-election with the opposite slogan "Let well enough alone."

Another Great Job, Jacob and Benzkofer.  --Cooter

Election Connection?-- Part 3: A Non-Scientific Way to Figure Out Who Is Going to Win

THE MASKS

The Theory:  The party with the better-selling Halloween masks of nominees on www.buycostumes.com will win the election.

ACCURACY:  Accurately predicted the outcome of each presidential election since 2000.

This Year:  Biden and Obama masks have been chosen by 52% of the people.

Resulting Prediction:  Obama


THE LAKERS LAW

The Theory:  If the Los Angeles Lakers reach the NBA Finals in an election year, the Republican candidate will win.

Accuracy:  The Republican has won eight of nine such occasions-- in 1952 (as the Minneapolis Lakers), 1968, 1972, 1980, 1984, 1988, 2000, and 2004.  The lone exception, 2008 and Obama's win over McCain.

This Year:  The Lakers did not reach the Finals.

Resulting Prediction:  Doesn't apply.

So, according to these connections, Romney wins 3 to 2.

Wonderin' What the Chicago Bear Factor Is?  --Cooter

Election Connection?-- Part 2

THE WORLD SERIES FACTOR

The Theory:  If the American League team wins, Republicans win.  If the National League team wins, the Democrats do as well.

Accuracy:  Rule has held true in 11 of 15 elections since 1952, but in only 15 of 26 overall.

This Year:  The National League's San Francisco Giants swept the Detroit Tigers in four games.

Resulting Prediction:  Obama


THE 7-ELECTION

The Theory:  The coffee cup color selected by more customers at 7-Elevens will predict the winner.   More blue cups taken, the Democrat wins.. More red= the Republicans

Accuracy:  Cup selection has accurately predicted the winner since the promotion was introduced in 2000 according to the convenience store chain.

This Year:  Customers have grabbed the blue cup 59% of the time and red cups  41%.  (Republicans probably drink coffee at Starbucks.  Democrats can't afford to drink there.)

Resulting Prediction:  Obama

Masks and the Lakers Law on Monday.  --DaCoot

Election Connection?-- Part 1

From the Oct. 21, 2012, Chicago Tribune by Rob Manker.

"Between now and Nov. 6, no shortage of polls and pundits will attempt to predict the big winner on Election Day....Some indicators will claim to be scientific, others will not.  These fall into the latter category."


THE HEIGHT FACTOR

The Theory:  the taller of the two presidential candidates will win the election.

Accuracy:  The taller one has won 19 times and lost 8 dating to 1896.  Two listed candidates of the same height--Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush in 1992 and Woodrow Wilson and Charles E. Hughes in 1916.

This Year:  Obama 6'1", Romney reportedly 6'2" (something else he won't release?)

Resulting Prediction:  Romney


THE REDSKINS RULE

The Theory:If the Washington Redskins win their last home game before the election, the incumbent will win.  If not, the incumbent loses.

Accuracy:  True in 17 of 18 cases

This Year:  The Redskins play the Carolina Panthers tomorrow.

Resulting Prediction:  TBD  Updated 11-5. The Redskins lost, so expect the non-incumbent party, that'd be the Republicans to win.  That'd be Romney.

What If the Game Ends in a Tie?  --Cooter