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Showing posts from December, 2022

Dogs, Cats, Goats, and...Foot Powder? Nonhuman Electoral Candidates Galore!

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Have you ever heard of a goat mayor? How about a cat or a dog? What about...foot powder? This is by no means a comprehensive list, but nonetheless a solid sampling of some of the past and current electoral candidates who weren't or aren't exactly human. Incitatus, the Roman consul horse They say to never look a gift horse in the mouth, but what about a Roman consul horse? The Roman emperor Caligula ruled between 37-41 CE. It is said that he had a favorite horse, known by the name Incitatus. This horse was such a favorite that Caligula wanted to have him nominated for consul (an important political position at the time). Incitatus may not have made consul, but he did make out like a bandit otherwise: a marble stable, an ivory manger, purple blankets, and a collar encrusted with fine jewels were among the gifts lavished upon the horse. Cassius Dio, a prominent Roman historian who lived well after Caligula, even claimed that Incitatus was attended by servants and fed oats sprinkl

KattenKabinet Cat Art Museum

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When you think Amsterdam, your first thought could be many things    bikes, canals, coffee shops    but it's probably not a museum dedicated to cat art. This little museum is a delightful glimpse into and homage to cats and how they've inspired artists from Pablo Picasso to Rembrandt, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec to Corneille. Located at Herengracht 497, 1017 BT Amsterdam, Netherlands (quite close to the lovely Bloemenmarkt, Amsterdam's famous floating flower market), this unusual museum is worth the visit. A dining room laden with cat paintings, statues, and red decor. The museum is housed on the first floor (the piano nobile , if you want to feel fancy) of a classically furnished Amsterdam home that was built in 1667. The building went through many different inhabitants and owners before it became the KattenKabinet, or Cat Cabinet. A former Amsterdam mayor, Jan Calkoen, lived there during his mayorship. Former American president John Adams stayed there once as well. An outst