John Quincy Adams is all over the place these days. First he appeared in the best-selling biography of by historian David McCullough. The book inspired Tom Hanks to produce the HBO seven-part miniseries John Adams, in which Mr. Adams was played by Paul Giamatti and Abigail Adams by Laura Linney. The first episode drew 2.7 million viewers, which suggests that John Adams may be the catalyst for a new trend of presidential bio pix. Thanks to the HBO project, Mr. Adams is attracting new interest and visitors to the Adams National Historic Park in Quincy (there he is again), Massachusetts. And today, John Adams made an appearance on MSNBC’s Meet The Press with Tim Russert when Newsday’s Jon Meacham compared a potential Clinton victory to 1824 when

Andrew Jackson won the popular vote, Henry Clay threw his support to John Quincy Adams. Adams becomes president. Four years later, running on a, running on a campaign saying, “That was a corrupt bargain,” Jackson takes over, founds the modern Democratic Party, and here we sit.

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A countless number of inspiring women have said (and done) a countless number of inspiring things. To celebrate Women’s History Month, I’m highlighting only some of the infinite brilliance of women.

1. If women could go into your Congress, I think justice would soon be done to the Indians.
Sara Winnemucca, Piute tribe activist, 1883
2. I am prepared to sacrifice every so-called privilege I possess in order to have a few rights.
Inez Milholland, Suffragist 1909
3. Women more than men can strip war of its glamour and its out-of-date heroisms and patriotisms, and see it as a demon of destruction and hideous wrong.
Lillian Wald, nurse, public health advocate, social worker.
4. I was just born to swing, that’s all.
Lil Hardin Armstrong, bandleader, 1930’s
5. There are no good girls gone wrong - just bad girls found out.
Mae West, actress

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Today, March 8th, is International Women’s Day. The holiday was was started over 100 years ago. Here’s how:

1. In 1908, 15,000 women march through New York City for shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.

2. In 1909, with the help of The Socialist Party of America, the first National Woman’s Day is celebrated.

3. In 1910, an International Women’s Day is proposed at a Socialist International meeting in Copenhagen, to honor the women’s rights movement and to help women gain the right to vote.

4. On March 19, 1911, more than one million people celebrate the first International Women’s Day in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, rallying against discrimination and for women’s rights to work, vote, and hold public office.

5. Six days later, on March 25, 146 women, mostly Italian and Jewish immigrants, are killed in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Because of the dangerous working conditions, locked doors, and dysfunctional and missing fire escapes, these women, some as young as 15, die in the fire or on the pavement, having leaped from the windows to avoid the flames. The tragedy, the worst work disaster in New York City until September 11th, sparks outrage and activism and reform for women’s rights and workers’ rights.

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SWAN Day (Support Women Artists Now Day) is a new international holiday that celebrates women artists. It will be an annual event taking place on the last Saturday of Women’s History Month (March). The first SWAN Day will take place on Saturday, March 29, 2008.

As explained on the SWAN Day site: as a symbol of international solidarity, there will be events all over the world featuring women artists on SWAN Day. The public will be encouraged to attend these events and to make donations to their favorite women artists.

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