Yale Archives - Chris Carosa

Lafayette’s Farewell Tour: Bigotry Cannot Defeat A Good And Honorable Man

By Chris Carosa on July 23, 2024

Previous: Wowed Waterloo Overcomes Tragedy To Welcome Hero

Dirck. C. Lansing, after his coal black hair turned white with age. Source: Adams, John Quincy, A History of Auburn Theological Seminary, 1818-1918, Auburn Seminary Press, Auburn, 1918

Why are people so mean? What prompts them to violate the rules of decorum just to get a dig in? How many good men do we lose because of this?

It turns out the Era of Good Feelings was less universal than we think. Or, rather, within those good feelings lay dormant seeds of discord that only needed time, and a good trigger, to flower into tension and, unfortunately, eventually into conflict.

But let’s not go there yet. Let’s harken back to the source of the unity that the Era of Good Feelings recalled.

While the Revolutionary War can be aptly described as a civil war, its aftermath brought harmony through the commonality of men who served in its victory. Not only did they share the wounds of war, but they also shared within the fellowship of it.

No better manifestation of the fraternity of commonness was the proliferation of Continue Reading “Lafayette’s Farewell Tour: Bigotry Cannot Defeat A Good And Honorable Man”

Posted in History, Western New York State of Mind Tagged Abolition, American Anti-Slavery Society, Auburn, Auburn Theological Seminary, Aurelius, burnt district, Burnt Over District, Calvary Presbyterian Church, Charles G, Church of Christ, Dirck C. Lansing, Era of Good Feelings, Finney, First Church, Freemasonry, Genesee Road, George Washington, Hiram Lodge No. 88, John L. Hardenburgh, Lafayette, lodge, mason, masonic, Morgan Affair, Presbyterian, Revolutionary War, Samuel Miles Hopkins, Second Great Awakening, St. Paul's Lodge No. 265, Yale

Lafayette’s Farewell Tour: Augustus Porter Could Have Danced All Night

By Chris Carosa on June 4, 2024

Previous: Breakfast At Black Rock Then On To Tonawanda

Judge Augustus Porter, Source: Orsamus, Pioneer History of the Holland Purchase of Western New York, Jewett, Thomas & Co., 1849, p.358a

Anna Spencer Foster loved the Genesee Country. Born in East Haddam, Connecticut in 1777,¹ by the time she was nineteen in 1796 she was living in Palmyra (then in Ontario County) with her first husband Moody Stone.² The young couple traveled freely through the challenging frontier of Greater Western New York. That year, the young couple forded the Genesee River above the falls to visit her sister and brother-in-law. On the way, they passed through Irondequoit and Rochester (where “there was but one house”).³

Late in the fall of 1796, Nathan Harris hosted a “husking frolic” at his home in that growing settlement.⁴ In general, these social events allowed neighbors to gather to work on a particular task, then party upon the completion of that task. The tasks could range anywhere and included “husking bees, raisings, quiltings, and pumpkin pearings.”⁵

Harris, known as “Uncle Nathan,” as the jolly newcomer soon became known as, had Continue Reading “Lafayette’s Farewell Tour: Augustus Porter Could Have Danced All Night”

Posted in History, Western New York State of Mind Tagged Albert H. Porter, Anna Spencer Foster, Augustus Porter, Benjamin Barton, Black Rock, Canandaigua, Connecticut Land Company, Connecticut Reserve, Corn Planter, De Witt Clinton, East Bloomfield, Erie County, Farmer's Brother, Fort Niagara, Genesee River, Goat Island, Henry Clay, husking frolic, Irondequoit, James Monroe, John Jacob Astor, Joseph Annin, Joseph Ellicott, Lafayette, Lewiston, Moody Stone, Nathan Harris, Niagara River, Ontario County, Palmyra, Peter B. Porter, Phelps and Gorham Purchase, Preemption Line, Red Jacket, Utica, Yale

Lafayette’s Farewell Tour: Peter B. Porter’s Home Sweet Home

By Chris Carosa on May 28, 2024

Previous: Regal Reception In Buffalo’s Blossoming Queen City

Residence of General Peter B. Porter, overlooking the Niagara River, near Ferry Street (Black Rock). Built 1816. Many years residence of Hon. Lewis F. Allen, and for a short time of his nephew, Grover Cleveland. Torn down in 1911. Source: Hill, Henry Wayland, Municipality of Buffalo New York A History 1720-1923, Volume I, Lewis Historical Publishing Company, New York, 1923, p. 100a

Peter Buell Porter woke up early that morning. Yesterday, despite all its pomp and circumstance, was just a prelude to today. For it was on this day, Sunday, June 5^th, 1825, the General would host the General. General Porter would soon entertain General Lafayette for breakfast at his Black Rock house.

For nearly a quarter of a century, Peter Porter had lived in the Greater Western New York Region. During the last fifteen years, he had fought—both literally and figuratively—for his beloved home of Black Rock.

Born in Litchfield, Connecticut in 1773, Peter B. Porter graduated from Yale College before studying law in his hometown with Judge Reeves (who, incidentally, was the brother-in-law of Aaron Burr)². He couldn’t, however, resist the lure of “the far famed ‘Genesee Country’ — of its fertile soil, its genial climate, of its beautiful lakes and rivers.” In 1793, he and a Continue Reading “Lafayette’s Farewell Tour: Peter B. Porter’s Home Sweet Home”

Posted in History, Western New York State of Mind Tagged Aaron Burr, Augustus Porter, Battle of Queenston Heights, Black Rock, Buffalo, burning of Buffalo, Canandaigua, Erie Canal, Erie County, General Porter, Genesee Country, John Breckinridge, Lafayette, Lake Erie, Letitia Grayson, Niagara County, Niagara River, Ontario County, Peter B. Porter, War of 1812, William C. Bouck, Yale

Lafayette’s Farewell Tour: Overview Of His 1824-1825 American Visit (Part I)

By Chris Carosa on March 5, 2024

Previous: Why Lafayette?

“The spirits of the defenders of the American liberty are visiting him during his passage, the genu protectors of America drive away the storms,” Moreau and Dubouloz (1825). Source: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

When Lafayette arrived at the harbor in New York, he came with two traveling companions. They would remain with him for the entire journey. During this excursion, they would witness and experience the raw emotion of the reunion between old friends.

The most prominent of Lafayette’s party was his son, Georges Washington Louis Gilbert de La Fayette. Contemporary American newspaper accounts refer to him as “George Washington Lafayette.” This makes sense, given the patriotic zeal that enveloped the country.

Lafayette’s son was born on Christmas Eve 1779. This was the year Lafayette was Continue Reading “Lafayette’s Farewell Tour: Overview Of His 1824-1825 American Visit (Part I)”

Posted in History, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged Andre-Nicolas Levasseur, Ben Franklin, Bunker Hill Monument, French Revolution, George Washington, George Washington Lafayette, Harvard, James Madison, John Adams, John Jay, Lafayette, Mount Vernon, Thomas Jefferson, Yale, Yorktown

Where Does The Term ‘Fallen Flags’ Come From?

By Chris Carosa on September 26, 2023

Are you a fan of The Big Bang Theory? Do you remember Sheldon Cooper’s hilarious “Fun With Flags” podcast? It’s a comedically inane spoof of those mindless YouTube shows. It’s all about vexillology.

You say you have never heard of the term?

Vexillology, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, means “the study of flags.” It comes from the Latin word vexillum, which translates to drape or flag. Vexillum itself derives from the Latin velum, meaning “sail.” At some point in the 1950s, someone attached “ology” to vexillum and—voilà!—vexillology.

It’s not clear where and when the word was first used. A 1968 UPI article that ran in several papers, quotes Nathaniel Abelson, then head of the United Nations’ library map department. Abelson claimed the UN’s terminology unit invented the term, but Continue Reading “Where Does The Term ‘Fallen Flags’ Come From?”

Posted in Gray Matter Musings, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged American Revolution, fallen flag, Francis Scott Key, Greek, Harvard, Latin, Nathaniel Abelson, Robert E. Lee, Roman, Sophie Lee Foster, The Big Bang Theory, United Nations, velum, vexillology, vexillum, Whitney Smith, Yale, Yann Le Bohec

Jack Kemp: All American

By Chris Carosa on September 19, 2023

A lot of people were much closer to Jack Kemp than I, but a lot more people did not know him as well as I did. Only a few remaining Americans can say what I can: “I was there at the beginning.”

Jack Kemp, who passed away in 2009, emerged on the national scene not in the political arena passing historic legislation, but on the gridiron field and into passing history. He was forged in a time when most Americans believed in and followed the Boy Scout Law. He played among those people, he lived among those people, and, eventually, he came to represent those people. I know. I was one of them.

Friends, conservatives, liberals, and countrymen, I write not to rebury Jack Kemp, but to Continue Reading “Jack Kemp: All American”

Posted in Gray Matter Musings, Memoir of a Real Life, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged 1964 Topps Football, Allentown, Bethlehem Steel Plant, Billy Joel, Buffalo Bills, Chubb Fellow, E Pluribus Unum, Jack Kemp, New Haven, Ronald Reagan, Shining City on a hill, Woodlawn Elementary, Woodlawn Intermediate, Yale

CONFIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM TO PRESIDENT TRUMAN – 17JULY 1945

By Chris Carosa on August 27, 2023

N.B.: In Spring of 1981, as part of an assignment for History 111B – The American Nation, 1865-Present, the following paper was submitted as though it was written by a scientific liaison to President Truman at the July 1945 Potsdam Conference. Naturally, to keep within the time frame, the preceding character had many limitations. Scientists, even important ones like Oppenheimer, had no inkling of the military situation and were not informed of the diplomatic situation.¹⁴ For this reason, the character does not discuss the political ramifications of outdoing the Soviets because he would not know of the oncoming break in relations. Every attempt was made to draft this hypothetical report in the manner which a science writer in July of 1945 would have written it. This was done by diving into various science-oriented and news-oriented periodicals during that period. Please remember, the language of this fictitious report may seem naïve, ignorant, or even offensive by today’s standards, but it reflects what was known and thought on July 17, 1945.

CONFIDENTIAL

* * * * * SECURITY 1 PRIORITY * * * * *

MEMORANDUM TO PRESIDENT TRUMAN

SUBJECT:Continue Reading “CONFIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM TO PRESIDENT TRUMAN – 17JULY 1945”

Posted in Memoir of a Real Life Tagged atomic bomb, Byrnes, Einstein, Eisenhower, fission, Forrestal, Grew, Hans Bethe, History 111B, James Chadwick, League of Nations, Lesley Groves, Lewis Strauss, Manhattan Project, Niels Bohr, Oppenheimer, Potsdam, Truman, Yale

Is Obedience To Authority A Virtue Or A Crime?

By Chris Carosa on January 24, 2023

Advertisement for Milgram Experiment subjects. The original uploader was Poolisfun at Wikipedia., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

World War II marks a turning point in almost every facet of mankind. From science to engineering, from business to politics, to the very core of our culture, the world changed as America rebuilt Europe and reframed Japan. You see a shift from a feudal/monarchical-centric philosophy towards a populace/organizational-centric viewpoint.

Within the academic arena, research on authority moved from the Sociology Department to the Psychology Department. In fact, one of the most famous and useful psychology experiments of the mid-twentieth century represents this shift. It answered the most compelling question regarding the nature of authority to come out of the Second World War.

The Psychological Origins of Authority

You might not recognize the name Stanley Milgram, but you’ll instantly recognize his Continue Reading “Is Obedience To Authority A Virtue Or A Crime?”

Posted in Business Tips, Gray Matter Musings, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged 1980 Olympics, authority, Derek Jeter, earned, electroshock therapy, engagement, entitlement, Expert, Gold Medal, Holocaust, Lou Gehrig, marketing, Men's Hockey, Mike Eruzione, Miracle, Nazi, obediance, Obediance to Authority, psychology, Q-Rating, Rawhide, Stanley Milgram, The Pride of the Yankees, Thurman Munson, US Hockey, Yale

How To Steal An Election (And Get Away With It)

By Chris Carosa on December 6, 2022

Allow me to disclaim the following up front: I do not condone the stealing of elections. I believe every voter should be given a fair opportunity to vote and that every vote should count. I also don’t condone shoplifting.

Now, back to reality.

First you must recognize that national politics is no longer about doing good. It’s simply a business.

There’s no other way to describe it. When that much money is involved, and people have figured out a way to profit from all that money, well, that’s the very definition of a business.

There’s a word for those who seek to do good through running for public office. We call Continue Reading “How To Steal An Election (And Get Away With It)”

Posted in Gray Matter Musings, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged 2020 election, 2022 election, absentee ballot, capstone project, Christopher Arterton, election, George Washington, MBA, political entrepreneur, Simon School, steal, Yale

Why You Should Tell Bad Jokes

By Chris Carosa on August 2, 2022

Let me clue you in on this from the very beginning: this is another business metaphor. I’m telling you up front this time so you can begin to think about the connections from the moment you start reading it.

I was strolling through the National Comedy Center in Jamestown the other day, taking in with delight the many funny people who have entertained so many for so many years, when a thought struck me. Why do good comedians tell bad jokes?

When a comic sits down to write gags, it becomes an exercise of no-holds-barred brainstorming. This is by necessity. You don’t know what’s really funny while you’re creating it, so you don’t want to restrict yourself in any way.

James Mendrinos, in his book The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Comedy Writing, writes: “You have to force yourself to stain the pages, even if you think the jokes aren’t your best work. I’m not saying that bad jokes are better than no jokes. I am saying that if Continue Reading “Why You Should Tell Bad Jokes”

Posted in Business Tips, Gray Matter Musings, Great Speaking Tips, Great Writing Tips, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged ad lib, Animal Crackers, business, comedy, David Letterman, George S. Kaufman, Groucho Marx, James Mendrinos, Jason Zinoman, John Vorhaus, Johnny Carson, joke, Judy Carter, Marx Brothers, Morrie Ryskind, National Comedy Center, Robert S. Bader, Rule of Three, Speaking, success, The Cocoanuts, writing, Yale