Anne Newport Royall: A PYMNKABPS

 “She was a Holy Terror: Her Pen was as Venomous as a Rattlesnake’s Fangs; Former Washington Editress: How Ann Royall Made Life a Burden to the Public Men of Her Day.”- Washington Post headline from 1891

The newspaper called Paul Pry aggravated many readers, as it was dedicated to exposing political corruption and religious fraud. This was pre internet, so when postmasters refused to deliver the paper to its subscribers, the readers couldn’t read it. Undaunted, the editor and owner changed the paper’s name to The Huntress, and attacked nepotism and graft in the government, as well as political corruption and religious fraud. She also published the names of all the people standing in the way of her paper and her readers. She also made sure every article about financial waste ended with how that money could have been put to good use supporting the members of our society who needed it.

Before running the papers, Anne Newport Royall had traveled extensively in the young United States, as a solo woman. Her travel books also got her into hot water, because she named each inn that overcharged and took advantage of travelers. But it was the time between her travel books and the founding of her paper that got her into the most trouble. She took aim at a popular Reverend, exposing his religious fervor as a cover for his political ambition.

She wrote: “Their object and their interest is to plunge mankind into ignorance, to make him a bigot, a fanatic, a hypocrite, a heathen, to hate every sect but his own, to shut his eyes against the truth, harden his heart against the distress of his fellowman and purchase heaven with money.”

People hated her for this so much, they threw rocks at her windows, pushed her down the stairs, whipped her with horsewhips and of course, bought her books and burned them. She was 60 years old at this time. But when people prayed under her windows and tried to convert her, she told them off.

And that’s what led to Anne becoming the first person in America to be found guilty of being ‘a common scold’ at her trial in 1829. Punishment for this was supposed to be a dunking in water, and the chair was actually built just for her, but instead she was fined $10 and allowed to go on her way. Shortly after she started Paul Pry, with the aid of orphans of the city to set the donated type and deliver the papers. It was one of her young workers who named the publication.

Over the course of the 23 years she ran her papers, she wrote about land fraud targeting Native Americans, slammed abolitionists for their infighting, criticized the temperance movement, and argued against the interference of the government interfering in peoples lives. She was also a widow of a Revolutionary War veteran, at a time when each widow had to travel to DC to petition for their husband’s pension. She argued over decades that women should not have to be individually granted pensions, and in 1848, a new pension law was passed that reflected this. Her inlaws fought her in court, and gained her husband’s pension for themselves. They had previously won a case denying her anything from her husband’s property when he died 15 years after they were married, in 1812. After a seven year court battle, the courts annulled the will.

At her death in 1854 when she was 85 years old, her papers closed. But her writings shaped our country and kept people in all states informed. And though you may not have heard of her, you know one word she coined for her travel books: redneck.

Viva Sicilia, Viva San Giuseppe!

Did you ever call someone Italian and have them respond, ‘no, I’m Sicilian?’

You probably just laughed, it’s all the same country, right? And if you’ve said it, you may not even know why you did.

Around the time of the American Civil War, Italy was being united. Unlike America, Italy wasn’t a group of colonies with a common language and culture who came together voluntarily to form a country. Italy was a set of kingdoms and city states, all with their own cultures and languages.

Sicily in the early 1800’s, when Austen and Shelly were writing their novels, was intellectually and civically advanced. Sicilians had an established pension system, steamships, iron and steel plants, low taxes, high arts, low infant mortality rates, a school for the deaf, botanical gardens, glass recycling programs, and a nearly universal ownership of a small patch of land (enough to grow food)- it was equal to any of the other countries in Europe.

Then in 1860, Garibaldi (of the English cookie fame) ‘liberated’ Sicily. Who was he liberating the Sicilians from? Well, the Sicilians. And who was one country who backed him? Everyone’s favorite colonizer, England! Well, that explains why the English and not the Sicilians have a cookie named after him.

The British wanted sulphur, which Southern Italy had, and wanted to open the Suez canal, and sent warships to help Garibaldi take the Kingdom (which wasn’t just the island, but stretched at that point to Naples (have you ever heard a person say ‘I am not Italian, I am Neapolitan?’) ) The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, which had only been united since 1816, being two separate kingdoms before that, ceased to exist in 1861.

In various cities in Sicily, revolts were squashed. After the mostly unarmed farmer rebellions were put down, with the resultant massacres, the ‘leaders of the revolt’ were put on trial. Given 30 minutes to prepare a defense, they were then either executed or given life sentences. Their property was stolen, their women raped, their children told they were dirty barbarians.

One of the first things that was done to the newly ‘liberated’ Sicily, was the seizure of nearly all religious property. Most of the schools were run by religious orders, and thus for nearly 30 years, there was no place for children in the South to be educated. Twenty seven years passed before the liberators of Sicily gave their children schools.

One hundred and fifty four years after the liberation of Sicily, Italy apologized for the mistreatment of the South which threw it into ignorance and depression.

The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was only under self rule from 1816-1861. That’s 45 years.

Oh, and Italians don’t use spoons to twirl their pasta. Sicilians do. Remember that the next time someone laughs at spoon use. So, use a spoon to twirl your pasta, eat some pastries, and remember that Sicily has not been under it’s own rule since 1861.

Viva Sicilia, Viva San Giuseppe!

My eating hobby: Step 2

I follow diet and nutrition trends as a hobby. I love learning about it and talking about it. I am NOT an expert and am NOT qualified to professionally chat about diet and nutrition (although for 12 weeks and $600 I could be, so should I crowd source that? LMK 😉 )
All this is is me collecting my current personal thoughts into one place. This is not health or nutritional advice, I am not a medical professional, talk to your doctor before starting anything.
If you have ever felt shame when eating, hidden eating (not including a bag of chips when the kids are about), or feel that your body will never be ‘enough’, or ever used food ((or exercise) as a reward or punishment, SEE A DOCTOR to rule out an eating disorder.

Ok, this is step 2. Step 1 is over here, if you are looking for it.

Step two— and this is the single most important thing Noom apparently teaches— Mindfulness.

No, you do not need to pay the cost of a ‘new pair of shoes’ to learn that. Remember last step we talked about just breathing? Yeah this is linked. Just think.

OK, not like that. The idea is that many of us (hi!) consume mindlessly while doing other things. So, the plan is to pay attention to every thing you grab to consume, all water, candy, junk food, vegetables, whatever. If you are going to have a soda as a pick me up in the afternoon, really pay attention to the soda. Do not link food with any judgements (except if you like it or not) and you do not need to record what you eat. Just for a full week, be aware of what you are eating, Explore it with all your senses, and be mindful of how it also makes you physically feel. You do not need to do more than that- no meditation, no yoga (unless you want to).

Some places to learn about mindfulness that are free:
Mayo Clinic
A Free Course
Activities!

Remember, you do not need to do any extra work or study to just be *aware* of what you are eating and how it makes you feel. Just try doing only that for a week and then come back for Step 3.

Surviving independently in a city.