Happy 200th Birthday, Abraham Lincoln

The “Savior of our Nation” was born Feb. 12, 1809.

Coincidentally, President Lincoln shares the same birth date as Charles Darwin. Certainly two very influential people of very different influences. (Read my earlier post about Darwin).

To commemmorate the anniversary of his birth, the U.S. Mint is rolling out four new pennies this year. The obverse (“heads”) will be the same as previous pennies. The reverse sides (“tails”) will change every three months:

A collector's item to be sure, but still just as worthless as ever.

Lincoln was a great writer, and he delivered some of the most stirring and memorable speeches in American history. Many of those can be found on his page at POTUS.com.

Here’s another great site on all things Lincoln, inlcuding a collection of famous quotes.

And here’s an interesting story I read today in U.S. News & World Report about Abraham Lincoln’s religious uncertainty.

What are your thoughts about Lincoln? Do you have favorite quotes? Have a link to share? Speak up in the comments.

UPDATE: I found it strange that Google recognized Darwin’s birthday today, but I did not see any commemorative “Google” for Lincoln.

Video: Are you the Change you’ve been waiting for?

Reason.tv interviewed some Obama supporters in D.C. on Jan. 19, the night before he was inaugurated.

Using Obama’s rallying cry that “We are the change we’ve been waiting for,” the videographers asked supporters, “What are you going to do differently now that Obama’s president?”

Interesting answers. Think anyone says they would not be active in service if McCain had been elected?

Notice the people in the background throwing shoes at a giant blow-up doll of President Bush.

Inspiring.

Pro-life Superbowl ad rejected by NBC

I saw this ad back when it first aired during the inauguration. I thought it was a powerful — and respectful — pro-life ad, prompting people to think of the potential every unborn child possesses. It’s too bad the millions of people watching the Superbowl tomorrow won’t get to see it. It is, fortunately, available on YouTube, 1.1 million views and counting:

It’s also sad the reason NBC gave to CatholicVote for rejecting the ad:

“I was told the ad was approved and then there were a number of attorneys working on it. Then I was told (NBC) didn’t want to run political or advocacy ads.”

An ad from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals also was turned down. Mr. Burch questioned whether the same standards were applied to the PETA ad.

A statement posted on PETA.org attributed to NBC said the ad “depicts a level of sexuality exceeding our standards.” But a second note to PETA attributed to Victoria Morgan, NBC vice president for advertising standards, suggested eight “edits that need to be made” so the ad could run. PETA refused to comply.

“There’s no doubt that PETA is an advocacy group,” Mr. Burch said. “They were willing to air an ad by PETA if they would simply tone down the sexual suggestiveness. Our ad is far less provocative, and hardly controversial by comparison.”

Let’s hope NBC isn’t really operating under a double standard here and refusing to air commercials advocating the protection of life yet offering to air commercials using sex to get us all to give up meat.