Eclectricity
Thursday, February 26, 2004
Monday, February 16, 2004
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
He Died With His Boots Off
Famous Western gunman Doc Holladay of Gunfight at OK Corral fame did not die in a gunfight. Instead he passed on to his glory of tuberculosis while a patient in a sanatarium in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. It was the tuberculosis that sent Georgia dentist Holladay west to Texas for the drier air and that ran off his patients forcing him to take up gambling to make a living. Gambling required gun skills, and Doc turned out to be a natural with a gun. He always fought like he didn't care to live, which probably explains his success in a high risk occupation.
Famous Western gunman Doc Holladay of Gunfight at OK Corral fame did not die in a gunfight. Instead he passed on to his glory of tuberculosis while a patient in a sanatarium in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. It was the tuberculosis that sent Georgia dentist Holladay west to Texas for the drier air and that ran off his patients forcing him to take up gambling to make a living. Gambling required gun skills, and Doc turned out to be a natural with a gun. He always fought like he didn't care to live, which probably explains his success in a high risk occupation.
The Nutty Gunfighter
According to The American Shooter the fastest draw in Hollywood was not Glenn Ford (Fastest Gun Alive), James Arness (Gunsmoke), or other Western star. Rather two of the swiftest pistoleros were song and dance man Sammy Davis, Jr. and the manic comic Jerry Lewis. Fast draw grew out of the Hollywood western myth and became a hobby for many stars of the 50s and 60s.
According to The American Shooter the fastest draw in Hollywood was not Glenn Ford (Fastest Gun Alive), James Arness (Gunsmoke), or other Western star. Rather two of the swiftest pistoleros were song and dance man Sammy Davis, Jr. and the manic comic Jerry Lewis. Fast draw grew out of the Hollywood western myth and became a hobby for many stars of the 50s and 60s.
Ford Aviation Firsts
Not many people know of the influence that Henry Ford had on aviation.
His Ford Tri-motor was the first all-metal, multi-engine, commercial air-liner. His Ford Airport at Dearborn, Michigan built in 1924 featured the first regularly scheduled passenger service, the first passenger terminal, the first airport hotel (the Dearborn Inn), and the first commercial airliner flight guided by radio.
In War War II, Ford built Willow Run Airport and a huge manufacturing facility with a mile long assembly line to build the B-24 Liberator bomber. The Willow Run plant changed aircraft manufacture from a custom operation to mass manufacture.
Not many people know of the influence that Henry Ford had on aviation.
His Ford Tri-motor was the first all-metal, multi-engine, commercial air-liner. His Ford Airport at Dearborn, Michigan built in 1924 featured the first regularly scheduled passenger service, the first passenger terminal, the first airport hotel (the Dearborn Inn), and the first commercial airliner flight guided by radio.
In War War II, Ford built Willow Run Airport and a huge manufacturing facility with a mile long assembly line to build the B-24 Liberator bomber. The Willow Run plant changed aircraft manufacture from a custom operation to mass manufacture.
Monday, February 09, 2004
In a Rut
They say that the gage of railroads (the distance between the tracks) was dictated by the wheel gage of horse drawn wagon, which were the original rail cars. Wagon wheels were that gage because it was required in England for wagon wheels to fit into ancient ruts worn into rocky roads. The ruts were worn by Roman chariots.
They say that the gage of railroads (the distance between the tracks) was dictated by the wheel gage of horse drawn wagon, which were the original rail cars. Wagon wheels were that gage because it was required in England for wagon wheels to fit into ancient ruts worn into rocky roads. The ruts were worn by Roman chariots.
At Cross Purposes
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette explores the widening theological gulf between evangelical and progressive Christians.
Progressives follow Jesus' "Great Command" to love others as ourselves:
Evangelicals, on the other hand, take their inspiration from Jesus' Great "Commission" to spread the Gospel:
Fascinating. Dreamers vs. doers, idealists vs. realists.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette explores the widening theological gulf between evangelical and progressive Christians.
Progressives follow Jesus' "Great Command" to love others as ourselves:
Great Command Christians try to ground their faith in biblical teachings such as love, acceptance, refusal to judge others, the Golden Rule, forgiveness, justice, peace, nonviolence, social responsibility and defending the poor and oppressed (teachings that have historically influenced the Democratic Party). These teachings are found in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and well-known parables such as the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son. They are grounded in Jesus' Great Command: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and others as yourself." For them God is love, faith is a matter of loving others as ourselves, and our Christian mission is to spread Christ's love so that the world can live in peace and harmony.
Evangelicals, on the other hand, take their inspiration from Jesus' Great "Commission" to spread the Gospel:
Meanwhile, Great Commission Christians ground their faith in biblical teachings that emphasize salvation, redemption, morality, obedience, righteousness, discipleship, evangelism and defending the fundamentals or essential tenets of faith (teachings that serve as a basis for much of the present Republican ideology thanks to the involvement of evangelicals in the Republican Party).
These teachings are found especially in the Ten Commandments and the letters of Paul. They are central to the ideal of the Great Commission given by Jesus at the end of Matthew's Gospel: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you." For them, Christ is the Word, faith is a matter of obedience to scripture, and our Christian mission is to spread God's word in order to make everyone Christ's disciple.
Fascinating. Dreamers vs. doers, idealists vs. realists.
Who'd A Thunk It?
This story reviews the scandals that are breaking out in several state lottery programs.
This story reviews the scandals that are breaking out in several state lottery programs.
Sunday, February 08, 2004
Nothing That A Better Grade of Governor Wouldn't Cure
Former Georgia Governor Lester Maddox may not be fondly remembered for his divisive politics, put he did provide us with a remarkable insight into the human condition. When confronted with terrible problems in the Georgia prisons, Maddox remarked that there was nothing wrong with the Georgia prison system that a better grade of prisoner wouldn't cure. Generalize that idea to the whole human race and you have a principle for the ages.
Former Georgia Governor Lester Maddox may not be fondly remembered for his divisive politics, put he did provide us with a remarkable insight into the human condition. When confronted with terrible problems in the Georgia prisons, Maddox remarked that there was nothing wrong with the Georgia prison system that a better grade of prisoner wouldn't cure. Generalize that idea to the whole human race and you have a principle for the ages.
Museum Has Limited Seating
A new Texas Prison Museum building opened in Huntsville, Texas in 2002. As part of the opening celebration, visitors had have their photo taken inside a replica of a prison cell and had their children fingerprinted.
The most popular exhibit in the museum is "Old Sparky", the state's electric chair, which was retired in 1964. But just in case, don't sit down.
A new Texas Prison Museum building opened in Huntsville, Texas in 2002. As part of the opening celebration, visitors had have their photo taken inside a replica of a prison cell and had their children fingerprinted.
The most popular exhibit in the museum is "Old Sparky", the state's electric chair, which was retired in 1964. But just in case, don't sit down.
How the Cow Ate the Cabbage
When I was growing up in East Texas in the 50's, I used to hear my mother say that someone "told him how the cow ate the cabbage." The meaning of the phrase was to tell the the truth plainly and directly, often an unpleasant or unwanted one. I always wondered how the phrase originated, and one day recently I took the matter into my own hands--actually my fingers--and did a Google search on the Internet. To my surprise I found the answer. The homely metaphor came from a humorous story that goes as follows:
When I was growing up in East Texas in the 50's, I used to hear my mother say that someone "told him how the cow ate the cabbage." The meaning of the phrase was to tell the the truth plainly and directly, often an unpleasant or unwanted one. I always wondered how the phrase originated, and one day recently I took the matter into my own hands--actually my fingers--and did a Google search on the Internet. To my surprise I found the answer. The homely metaphor came from a humorous story that goes as follows:
An elephant escaped from the circus in a small town to the countryside. He found his way into a country woman's garden early one evening. The woman, who had poor eyesight, saw the elephant and telephoned the Sheriff. "There's a cow in my garden, and it's pulling up my cabbages with its tail!," she exclaimed "What's it doing with the cabbages," asked the startled Sheriff. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you!" she gasped.
Yer Durn Tootin'
Never been a better cowboy movie sidekick than George "Gabby" Hayes. Just ask Roy and Gene and Duke and ...
Never been a better cowboy movie sidekick than George "Gabby" Hayes. Just ask Roy and Gene and Duke and ...
Welcome, Englishmen!
Shortly after the Pilgrims landed in New England, the fearful local Indians asked the last remaining survivor of another tribe, the legendary Squanto, to make contact. When Squanto walked into the Indian camp, his first words were, "Welcome, Englishmen!" spoken in perfect English!
So how did Squanto come to speak English so well? Europeans traded along the Atlantic coast of North America for over 100 years before settlements began in Virginia and New England. As a young man Squanto was lured onto a ship and kidnapped. He was kept as a slave in Spain for several years, but he escaped and made his way to England, where he lived for seven years! Finally, he found a ship that would take him home in time for his fateful meeting with the Pilgrims.
Some researchers believe that Squanto learned to use fish to fertilize crops, which he taught the Pilgrims, while in Europe!
Shortly after the Pilgrims landed in New England, the fearful local Indians asked the last remaining survivor of another tribe, the legendary Squanto, to make contact. When Squanto walked into the Indian camp, his first words were, "Welcome, Englishmen!" spoken in perfect English!
So how did Squanto come to speak English so well? Europeans traded along the Atlantic coast of North America for over 100 years before settlements began in Virginia and New England. As a young man Squanto was lured onto a ship and kidnapped. He was kept as a slave in Spain for several years, but he escaped and made his way to England, where he lived for seven years! Finally, he found a ship that would take him home in time for his fateful meeting with the Pilgrims.
Some researchers believe that Squanto learned to use fish to fertilize crops, which he taught the Pilgrims, while in Europe!
Personal Research
James Welles, age 61, author of The Story of Stupidity and Understanding Stupidity was arrested in Florida a couple of years ago for trying to arrange sex over the Internet with what he thought was a 15 year old girl. "She" turned out to be a male cop!
James Welles, age 61, author of The Story of Stupidity and Understanding Stupidity was arrested in Florida a couple of years ago for trying to arrange sex over the Internet with what he thought was a 15 year old girl. "She" turned out to be a male cop!
Southern Discomfort
A plaque has been erected in the town of Comfort in the Texas Hill Country west of Austin honoring the free thinking German settlers who among other things opposed Texas' secession from the Union during the Civil War.
This certainly was a courageous position when most of the South was hell bent on secession and war, but it was not the only place this happened. Angelina County in East Texas (the author's home county) voted against secession, the only county outside the German areas to do so, and Sam Houston was physically removed from the Texas Governor's office when he refused to recognize a secession resolution passed by the Texas Legislature.
Perhaps most surprisingly of all, Jones County, Mississippi was a hotbed of anti-Confederate activity. Draft dodging and desertion got so bad that the county came to be known as the Free State of Jones. Many Jones Countians fought in the Union Army, and others fought as anti-Confederate guerrillas. The author's 3rd great-grandfather served in both the Confederate and Union armies. His nephew, who was born during the Civil War, was named Ulysses Grant Landrum!
The surprising story of Jones County's counter-rebellion is told in The Free State of Jones: Misssissippi's Longest Civil War.
A plaque has been erected in the town of Comfort in the Texas Hill Country west of Austin honoring the free thinking German settlers who among other things opposed Texas' secession from the Union during the Civil War.
This certainly was a courageous position when most of the South was hell bent on secession and war, but it was not the only place this happened. Angelina County in East Texas (the author's home county) voted against secession, the only county outside the German areas to do so, and Sam Houston was physically removed from the Texas Governor's office when he refused to recognize a secession resolution passed by the Texas Legislature.
Perhaps most surprisingly of all, Jones County, Mississippi was a hotbed of anti-Confederate activity. Draft dodging and desertion got so bad that the county came to be known as the Free State of Jones. Many Jones Countians fought in the Union Army, and others fought as anti-Confederate guerrillas. The author's 3rd great-grandfather served in both the Confederate and Union armies. His nephew, who was born during the Civil War, was named Ulysses Grant Landrum!
The surprising story of Jones County's counter-rebellion is told in The Free State of Jones: Misssissippi's Longest Civil War.
Civil War in Dodge
The rowdiness of cowtowns like Dodge, Kansas was due to more than cowboys blowing off steam after a long, dusty cattle drive. There was also a political element.
Many of the cowboys from Texas were either ex-Confederates or sons of ex-confederates, and many of the cow town merchants were veterans of the Union army. That proved a volatile mix. The cowboys thought it was great fun to shoot up the Yankee-owned towns and ride their horses into their stores. Lawmen like Bat Masterson and the Earp brothers had a delicate task--protect the town and its citizens without killing the paying customers.
The same regional tensions were partially responsible for making the mining town Tombstone, Arizona a tinderbox that flashed out of control at the OK Corral. The townsmen were Northern men, and the "cowboys" were ranchers of Southern extraction. The cowboys led by the Clantons did not much care for the treatment meted out by Yankee lawmen such as Morgan and Wyatt Earp, and that was the reason they were hanging out wearing guns in violation of a town ordinance when the Earp brothers and Doc Holladay showed up to disarm them.
It was remarkable that Waytt Earp and Doc Holladay maintained their close friendship despite post Civil War politics. Wyatt and his lawmen brothers were Unionists from Iowa, an older brother having served in the Union Army. Doc was the son of a Georgia man who served as a Colonel in the Confederate Army.
The rowdiness of cowtowns like Dodge, Kansas was due to more than cowboys blowing off steam after a long, dusty cattle drive. There was also a political element.
Many of the cowboys from Texas were either ex-Confederates or sons of ex-confederates, and many of the cow town merchants were veterans of the Union army. That proved a volatile mix. The cowboys thought it was great fun to shoot up the Yankee-owned towns and ride their horses into their stores. Lawmen like Bat Masterson and the Earp brothers had a delicate task--protect the town and its citizens without killing the paying customers.
The same regional tensions were partially responsible for making the mining town Tombstone, Arizona a tinderbox that flashed out of control at the OK Corral. The townsmen were Northern men, and the "cowboys" were ranchers of Southern extraction. The cowboys led by the Clantons did not much care for the treatment meted out by Yankee lawmen such as Morgan and Wyatt Earp, and that was the reason they were hanging out wearing guns in violation of a town ordinance when the Earp brothers and Doc Holladay showed up to disarm them.
It was remarkable that Waytt Earp and Doc Holladay maintained their close friendship despite post Civil War politics. Wyatt and his lawmen brothers were Unionists from Iowa, an older brother having served in the Union Army. Doc was the son of a Georgia man who served as a Colonel in the Confederate Army.
What's A "Rounder"?
Like many slang terms, "rounder" comes from the old west. Rounders were those who told stories in saloons in exchange for rounds of free drinks from grateful strangers.
Like many slang terms, "rounder" comes from the old west. Rounders were those who told stories in saloons in exchange for rounds of free drinks from grateful strangers.
Letting the Cat Out of the Bag
The Braden Files has a fascinating list of expressions of nautical origin.
The Braden Files has a fascinating list of expressions of nautical origin.
Friday, February 06, 2004
Lemme Tell You A Story 'Bout A Man Named Jed...
A woman in Longview, Texas came home recently to discover crude oil gushing from her toilet.
A woman in Longview, Texas came home recently to discover crude oil gushing from her toilet.
Polly Wanna %$#@*&! Cracker
A recent news story stated that Winston Churchill's parrot, Charlie, is still living in retirement in England. Now 104 years old, Charlie is said no longer to utter the obscenites that so delighted the Great Man. Not everyone is convinced of the story.
A recent news story stated that Winston Churchill's parrot, Charlie, is still living in retirement in England. Now 104 years old, Charlie is said no longer to utter the obscenites that so delighted the Great Man. Not everyone is convinced of the story.
L. M. Boyd Collection
The San Antonio Express News is reprising some of the great L. M. Boyd's columns.
This web page has another collection of L. M. Boyd wisdom.
And here are some more.
Finally, here is basic information on Boyd's career and retirement.
The San Antonio Express News is reprising some of the great L. M. Boyd's columns.
This web page has another collection of L. M. Boyd wisdom.
And here are some more.
Finally, here is basic information on Boyd's career and retirement.
Catastrophic Wardrobe Malfunctions
Since Justin Timerlake attributed singing partner Janet Jackson's breast expoure at the recent Super Bowl halftime show to "wardrobe malfunction", it has been reported that every strip joint in the world regularly suffers from similar but even more catastrophic failures.
Since Justin Timerlake attributed singing partner Janet Jackson's breast expoure at the recent Super Bowl halftime show to "wardrobe malfunction", it has been reported that every strip joint in the world regularly suffers from similar but even more catastrophic failures.
How Do You Say "Hut, Hut" in Arabic?
The city of Dearborn, Michigan has so many residents of Arab descent that the local high school football team calls signals in Arabic.
The city of Dearborn, Michigan has so many residents of Arab descent that the local high school football team calls signals in Arabic.
Hereinafter Sometimes Referred to as "Xmas"
Christmas is long gone, but this version of The Night Before Christmas is still funny:
PS. The Logmaster must admit to being a lawyer.
Christmas is long gone, but this version of The Night Before Christmas is still funny:
Lawyers' Christmas Story (Legal Speak)
Attributed to Lad Kubena
WHEREAS: On or about the night immediately prior to
Christmas, there did occur at a certain improved piece
of real property (hereinafter "the House"). A general lack of stirring by all creatures therein, including, but not limited to, a mouse.
A variety of foot apparel, i.e. stocking, socks, and the like, had been affixed by and around the chimney within said House, in the hope and/or belief that St. Nicholas, a/k/a St. Nick, and generally known as Santa Claus, hereinafter referred to as "Claus", would soon arrive at or about sometime thereafter.
The minor residents, i.e., the children of the aforementioned House, were located in their individual beds and were engaged in nocturnal hallucinations, i.e., dreams, wherein visions of confectionary and treats, including but not limited to candies, nuts, and/or sugar plums, did dance, cavort and otherwise appear in said dreams.
Whereupon the party of the first part, (sometimes hereinafter referred to as "I"), being the joint-owner in fee simple of the House with the party of the second part hereinafter "Mama"), and said Mama had retired for a sustained period of sleep. (At such time, the aforesaid parties were clad in various forms of dress, including more specifically a kerchief and cap).
Suddenly, and without prior notice or warning, there did occur upon the unimproved real property adjacent and appurtenant to said House, i.e., the lawn, a certain disruption of unknown nature, cause, and/or circumstance. the party of the first part did immediately rush to a window in the House to investigate the cause of said nocturnal disturbance.
At that time, the party of the first part did observe, with some degree of wonder and/or disbelief, a miniature sleigh,(hereinafter the "Vehicle"), being pulled and/or drawn very rapidly through the air by approximately eight (8) hoofed creatures, i.e., reindeer. The driver of the Vehicle appeared to be, and in fact was, the previously referenced Claus.
Said Claus was providing specific direction, guidance, and instruction to said reindeer, and also identified them, the "Animal Co-conspirators", by the names of: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen, hereafter merely referred to as the "Deer". Upon information and belief, it is further asserted that an additional co-conspirator, a Deer named "Rudolph", was quite possibly involved.
The party of the first part then witnessed Claus, the vehicle, and the deer intentionally and willfully trespass upon the roofs of several residences, located adjacent to and in the vicinity of the House, and noted that the Vehicle was heavily aden with packages, toys, and other items of unknown origin and nature.
Suddenly, without prior invitation or permission - either express or implied, the Vehicle arrived at the House, and Claus entered said house, via the chimney. Said Claus was clad in a red fur suit, which was partially covered with residue from the chimney, and he carried a large poke or sack containing a portion of the aforementioned packages, toys, and like unknown items. He was smoking what appeared to be tobacco in a small pipe in blatant violation of local ordinances and health regulations
Said Claus did not speak, but immediately began to fill the stockings of the minor children, which hung adjacent to the chimney, with toys and other small items. Said items did not, however, constitute "Gifts" to said minors pursuant to the applicable provisions of the U.S. Tax Code.
Upon completion of such task, Claus touched the side of his nose and flew, arose, and/or ascended up the chimney of the House to the roof where the Vehicle and Deer awaited and/or served as "Lookouts". Claus immediately departed the scene for an unknown destination.
However, prior to departure of said Vehicle, Deer, and Claus from said House, the party of the first part did hear Claus state and/or exclaim: "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night", or words to that effect.
PS. The Logmaster must admit to being a lawyer.
Thursday, February 05, 2004
Lindy Reux
In August, 2003 a group of model aviators flew a small remote controlled airplane across the Atlantic Ocean from Newfoundland to Ireland. Incredible!
In August, 2003 a group of model aviators flew a small remote controlled airplane across the Atlantic Ocean from Newfoundland to Ireland. Incredible!
Heavy Reading
UCLA has a Cuneiform Digital Library on the web with images of thousands of cuneiform images.
UCLA has a Cuneiform Digital Library on the web with images of thousands of cuneiform images.
First in War, First in Peace
The home at Appamattox, Virginia where General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Confederate forces to General Ulysses S. Grant was owned by Wilmer McLean. When the first major engagement of the Civil War occurred at Bull Run, McLean lived nearby, and a cannonball struck his home during the battle. To avoid further disruptions from the war, McLean moved west to the house at Appomatox where ironically he was involved the last act of the war as well as the first.
The home at Appamattox, Virginia where General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Confederate forces to General Ulysses S. Grant was owned by Wilmer McLean. When the first major engagement of the Civil War occurred at Bull Run, McLean lived nearby, and a cannonball struck his home during the battle. To avoid further disruptions from the war, McLean moved west to the house at Appomatox where ironically he was involved the last act of the war as well as the first.
If It's OK with Bobby Lee...
After the surrender at Appomattox, General Robert E. Lee returned to Richmond where he began a personal campaign of national reconciliaiton. Several weeks after the war ended he was attending Sunday services at his Episcopalian church in Richmond when the minister called the congregation to communion. The church had both white and black members; and as was the custom at the time, the black members sat at the back and took communion last. On this day a black male member strode to the front and knelt at the communion rail ahead of the white members. The white members were stunned, and neither the minister or anyone else quite knew how to handle the awkward situation. At this critical moment General Lee arose and strode to the rail and knelt beside the black man. His act calmed the waters, and others others soon followed his example.
After the surrender at Appomattox, General Robert E. Lee returned to Richmond where he began a personal campaign of national reconciliaiton. Several weeks after the war ended he was attending Sunday services at his Episcopalian church in Richmond when the minister called the congregation to communion. The church had both white and black members; and as was the custom at the time, the black members sat at the back and took communion last. On this day a black male member strode to the front and knelt at the communion rail ahead of the white members. The white members were stunned, and neither the minister or anyone else quite knew how to handle the awkward situation. At this critical moment General Lee arose and strode to the rail and knelt beside the black man. His act calmed the waters, and others others soon followed his example.
Concrete Bombs? You Gotta Be Kidding!
The U. S. military used concrete bombs in Iraq! Yes, that's right. Concrete bombs. They are concrete blocks shaped like regular bombs but without any explosive. When combined with precision guidance systems, the bombs crush tanks and other targets without causing collateral damage. The concrete bomb turns the idea of a "bomb" on its head and harkens back to the pre-gunpowder age when catapults tossed large stones against castles. Further proof that the human mind is the ultimate weapon.
The U. S. military used concrete bombs in Iraq! Yes, that's right. Concrete bombs. They are concrete blocks shaped like regular bombs but without any explosive. When combined with precision guidance systems, the bombs crush tanks and other targets without causing collateral damage. The concrete bomb turns the idea of a "bomb" on its head and harkens back to the pre-gunpowder age when catapults tossed large stones against castles. Further proof that the human mind is the ultimate weapon.
Sculpt by Numbers
The town of Bowie Maryland on the outskirts of Washington has built a fountain based on the mathematical ideas of the great mathematician Fibonacci.
The town of Bowie Maryland on the outskirts of Washington has built a fountain based on the mathematical ideas of the great mathematician Fibonacci.
The fountain's design embodies an intimate link between Fibonacci numbers and an irrational number known as the golden ratio, (1 + sqrt[5])/2, or 1.6180339887. . . . Ratios of successive terms of the Fibonacci sequence get closer and closer to the golden ratio. For example, the ratio 55/34 is 1.617647. . ., and the next ratio, 89/55, is 1.6181818. . ., and so on. Successive ratios alternate in overshooting and undershooting the golden ratio by decreasing amounts.
For Peat's Sake!
According to new research reported by Science News, emissions of globe-warming gases from smoldering peat eclipse those from burning surface vegetation and can rival carbon gases produced globally each year by the combustion of fossil fuels. The of humans in the environmental equation appears to be decaying.
According to new research reported by Science News, emissions of globe-warming gases from smoldering peat eclipse those from burning surface vegetation and can rival carbon gases produced globally each year by the combustion of fossil fuels. The of humans in the environmental equation appears to be decaying.
Busy Beavers
According to the Wall Street Journal there are now 70,000 beavers in Massachusetts, and the number the number is growing. That is more beavers in the Bay State than when Paul Revere made his midnight ride in 1776.
According to the Wall Street Journal there are now 70,000 beavers in Massachusetts, and the number the number is growing. That is more beavers in the Bay State than when Paul Revere made his midnight ride in 1776.
SUVs Get a Breather...Microchips Under Fire
If you add up the fossil fuel and other chemicals necessary to produce an automobile and a microchip and divide by the weight of the final product, the microchip is the worse polluter says Science Daily.
When compared to more traditional products, such as the automobile, the microchip's inordinate energy requirements become stark. Manufacturing one passenger car requires more than 3,300 pounds of fossil fuel — a great deal more than one microchip. A car, however, also weighs much more than a microchip. An illustrative figure is the ratio of fossil fuel and chemical inputs to the weight of the final product, excluding energy from the use phase (i.e., gasoline to run a car or electricity to run a computer). This ratio is about 2-to-1 for a car. For a microchip, it is about 630-to-1.
Columbus Not As Guilty as Previously Thought
The devastating effect of European diseases on American Indians is well-known. But maybe the health of the Native Americans wasn't so good even before the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria landed on Hispanola. Science Daily recently reported on a study that concludes that the health of American Indians was on the decline even before Columbus' arrival. The culprit seems to be agriculture, which led to urbanization, which made disease transfer much easier.
The disease transfer was not all one way. Aside from the diseases attrubuted to that now reviled Indian staple tobacco, Indians appear to have contributed siphilis to the world's disease supply.
The devastating effect of European diseases on American Indians is well-known. But maybe the health of the Native Americans wasn't so good even before the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria landed on Hispanola. Science Daily recently reported on a study that concludes that the health of American Indians was on the decline even before Columbus' arrival. The culprit seems to be agriculture, which led to urbanization, which made disease transfer much easier.
The disease transfer was not all one way. Aside from the diseases attrubuted to that now reviled Indian staple tobacco, Indians appear to have contributed siphilis to the world's disease supply.
Janet's Super Bowl Flop
A cartoon over at The Smallest Minority nails the Janet Jackson Super Bowl performance perfectly.
A cartoon over at The Smallest Minority nails the Janet Jackson Super Bowl performance perfectly.
Amazing Weather Rock
This rock located on a post at a gas station near Mio, Michigan has an amazing record of weather prediction.
This rock located on a post at a gas station near Mio, Michigan has an amazing record of weather prediction.
R. I. P. University
It appears that dead white males may be more welcome on campus than previously reported. The Wall Street Journal recently wrote recently in its Personal Journal section that several universities, such as the University of Virginia, are offering on-campus burial plots to alumni. They see this as a new source of revenue to supplement their endowments which have been hit hard by the recent stock slump. Typically the burial plots are "columbariums" (shouldn't that be columbaria?) with niches for the alums' ashes. Surely the universites are missing out on even more income by not building the columbaria next to their football stadia.
Please no wise cracks that his is just a big R. I. P. off.
It appears that dead white males may be more welcome on campus than previously reported. The Wall Street Journal recently wrote recently in its Personal Journal section that several universities, such as the University of Virginia, are offering on-campus burial plots to alumni. They see this as a new source of revenue to supplement their endowments which have been hit hard by the recent stock slump. Typically the burial plots are "columbariums" (shouldn't that be columbaria?) with niches for the alums' ashes. Surely the universites are missing out on even more income by not building the columbaria next to their football stadia.
Please no wise cracks that his is just a big R. I. P. off.
Bad Eyesight, Good Eye
Joe Rosenthal, the photographer who took the immortal Iwo Jima flag raising picture, had been rejected by all three military services because of poor eyesight.
Joe Rosenthal, the photographer who took the immortal Iwo Jima flag raising picture, had been rejected by all three military services because of poor eyesight.
Why Were The 50's The Way They Were?
The 1950's are universally regarded as conformist and repressed--in the parlance of the beat generation, "square". Col. Robert Morgan, pilot of the famous B-17 bomber Memphis Belle in his memoir "The Men Who Flew the Memphis Belle" offers an interesting rationale for the 50's:
If the 50's looked squeaky-clean on the surface, it was partly because we wanted it that way. We'd had enough of the opposite of squeaky-clean. We were trying to forget the worst of what we'd been through, remember, while at the same time wanting our fallen comrades and our collective effort to be remembered by history.
I've never hear it put that way, and it makes a lot of sense. The World War II generation did not talk about the war, and only now in books and documentaries are we beginning to see and hear the aging veterans talk, and shed tears, about the horrors that they endured, the buddies that they lost, and the innocent civilians of both sides who perished. After the chaos, terror, death and destruction of total war, it is understandable that the World War II generation wanted a plain, unexciting, even boring, life. It is time to stop disparaging the 50's and understand why the 50's were the way they were. Col. Morgan has given us a valuable insight.
The 1950's are universally regarded as conformist and repressed--in the parlance of the beat generation, "square". Col. Robert Morgan, pilot of the famous B-17 bomber Memphis Belle in his memoir "The Men Who Flew the Memphis Belle" offers an interesting rationale for the 50's:
If the 50's looked squeaky-clean on the surface, it was partly because we wanted it that way. We'd had enough of the opposite of squeaky-clean. We were trying to forget the worst of what we'd been through, remember, while at the same time wanting our fallen comrades and our collective effort to be remembered by history.
I've never hear it put that way, and it makes a lot of sense. The World War II generation did not talk about the war, and only now in books and documentaries are we beginning to see and hear the aging veterans talk, and shed tears, about the horrors that they endured, the buddies that they lost, and the innocent civilians of both sides who perished. After the chaos, terror, death and destruction of total war, it is understandable that the World War II generation wanted a plain, unexciting, even boring, life. It is time to stop disparaging the 50's and understand why the 50's were the way they were. Col. Morgan has given us a valuable insight.
Order in the Classroom!
Betsy's Page is one of my favorite blogs. She has a knack for finding interesting articles and making apt comments.
She posts about a professor named Mike Adams who is doing something about rude students who arrive late, leave early, and let their cell phones ring during class. If they engage in any of these class disrupting behaviors, he requires that they write an essay entitled "The Death of Civility at the Postmodern University". To help them along he suggests that the students interview a person who was alive during World War II and ask them the following questions:
Priceless. We may actually have a few sane professors out there still.
One of Betsy's students has an intesting blog. See Lucas's Page. If she weren't a conservative, Betsy might be a Teacher of the Year Candidate.
Betsy's Page is one of my favorite blogs. She has a knack for finding interesting articles and making apt comments.
She posts about a professor named Mike Adams who is doing something about rude students who arrive late, leave early, and let their cell phones ring during class. If they engage in any of these class disrupting behaviors, he requires that they write an essay entitled "The Death of Civility at the Postmodern University". To help them along he suggests that the students interview a person who was alive during World War II and ask them the following questions:
1. How often did students walk into class late when you were in school?
2. How many of your failures in school were the result of a lack of “nurturing” by your teachers?
3. Did your teachers spend a lot of time boosting your self-esteem and soothing your inner child, even when you failed to adhere to the rules of the classroom?
4. Did any of your teachers ever suggest that punctuality was an antiquated Western notion with racist, sexist, and classist overtones?
5. Did students ever get up and leave in the middle of a lecture if they had to go to the bathroom, without asking the permission of the teacher?
6. Did students ever take long potty breaks in the middle of exams, without asking the permission of the teacher?
7. Did students ever get up and leave class just because they were bored?
8. Did you ever appeal a test score in front of the entire class or help other students do the same? If so, did you predicate your complaint with “hey Dr. Ummm,” or “dude, you ripped me off.”
9. Did you ever interrupt a professor to ask whether what he was saying was “important” or whether you “had to know it for the next test?”
10. Did people actually manage to finish school without having a cell phone with them at all times?
Priceless. We may actually have a few sane professors out there still.
One of Betsy's students has an intesting blog. See Lucas's Page. If she weren't a conservative, Betsy might be a Teacher of the Year Candidate.
Britney Gets a Life--for a Few Hours
Britney Spears' recent surprise wedding and brief marriage is being characterized as a "joke" that went too far. The Queen of Pop was married only a few hours when her mother flew in from Louisiana and flew into a rage about the marriage. Bad for the career, don't you know. So Britney decided it was a "joke" and filed for an annulment. (Britney certainly has a strange sense of humor.) Now there are reports that she was "drunk" and that it was a "publicity stunt". I think I feel a breeze--from the spin machine perhaps?
But maybe it was a cry for normality. After all the groom was not some Hollywood hottie--he was a childhood "friend". After enduring the fakery of show biz, including the infamous tongue tangle with the decadent Madonna (wonder if Mom had anything to do with that?), perhaps Britney wanted to get back to normality.
After all, if Britney's "joke" had been sticking up a 7-11, the pop psych gurus would have called it a "cry for help".
Britney Spears' recent surprise wedding and brief marriage is being characterized as a "joke" that went too far. The Queen of Pop was married only a few hours when her mother flew in from Louisiana and flew into a rage about the marriage. Bad for the career, don't you know. So Britney decided it was a "joke" and filed for an annulment. (Britney certainly has a strange sense of humor.) Now there are reports that she was "drunk" and that it was a "publicity stunt". I think I feel a breeze--from the spin machine perhaps?
But maybe it was a cry for normality. After all the groom was not some Hollywood hottie--he was a childhood "friend". After enduring the fakery of show biz, including the infamous tongue tangle with the decadent Madonna (wonder if Mom had anything to do with that?), perhaps Britney wanted to get back to normality.
After all, if Britney's "joke" had been sticking up a 7-11, the pop psych gurus would have called it a "cry for help".
Confederate Flag X-Rated?
Lucas at Das Blog recently reported that:
The U.S. Supreme Court will discuss Jan. 9 whether to hear arguments in a case in which a Muslim claimed the Confederate battle emblem in Mississippi's flag is actually a Christian symbol.
Uh...yeah. Technically it is a St. Andrews cross, but not many recognize it as such these days.
Clearly the best defense would be to observe that the Christian symbol complained of is a cross in the form of an "X" and thus contend that the flag is pornographic and thus protected as speech under the First Amendment. Those who find the flag objectionable on more mainstream grounds might find some satisfaction in that.
Lucas at Das Blog recently reported that:
The U.S. Supreme Court will discuss Jan. 9 whether to hear arguments in a case in which a Muslim claimed the Confederate battle emblem in Mississippi's flag is actually a Christian symbol.
Uh...yeah. Technically it is a St. Andrews cross, but not many recognize it as such these days.
Clearly the best defense would be to observe that the Christian symbol complained of is a cross in the form of an "X" and thus contend that the flag is pornographic and thus protected as speech under the First Amendment. Those who find the flag objectionable on more mainstream grounds might find some satisfaction in that.
Take Ten Gallons and Call Me in the Morning
When automobiles first appeared on American streets and roads, there was a big problem--there were no gas stations. The only source of gasoline was the local pharmacy--yes, the pharmacy. In those days pharmacists were actually chemists who carried all manner of chemicals, including gasoline. This is not quite as strange as it may first seem since one of the first uses for petroleum products was in quack medicines.
When automobiles first appeared on American streets and roads, there was a big problem--there were no gas stations. The only source of gasoline was the local pharmacy--yes, the pharmacy. In those days pharmacists were actually chemists who carried all manner of chemicals, including gasoline. This is not quite as strange as it may first seem since one of the first uses for petroleum products was in quack medicines.
Shine, NASCAR, Shine!
During Prohibition and its aftermath, makers of illegal whiskey known as moonshiners used every trick in the book to defeat the efforts of Government agents to shut them down. In the hills of North Carolina, they started using fast automobiles to outrun the feds and deliver the shine. The drivers became experts not only at driving but also "souping up" their cars to go as fast as possible. In their spare time these good old boys raced each other for fun. Then a promoter named Bill France, Sr., decided to organize the racers into something called NASCAR. One of the best shine drivers was Junior Johnson, whose father ran a major illegal distillery. Junior, interrupted by a stint in federal prison, went on to dominate the early days of NASCAR and has been called NASCAR's all time greatest driver. NASCAR is now America's largest spectator sport.
During Prohibition and its aftermath, makers of illegal whiskey known as moonshiners used every trick in the book to defeat the efforts of Government agents to shut them down. In the hills of North Carolina, they started using fast automobiles to outrun the feds and deliver the shine. The drivers became experts not only at driving but also "souping up" their cars to go as fast as possible. In their spare time these good old boys raced each other for fun. Then a promoter named Bill France, Sr., decided to organize the racers into something called NASCAR. One of the best shine drivers was Junior Johnson, whose father ran a major illegal distillery. Junior, interrupted by a stint in federal prison, went on to dominate the early days of NASCAR and has been called NASCAR's all time greatest driver. NASCAR is now America's largest spectator sport.
"Two Gun" Hart
One of the more fascinating characters produced by the Prohibition era was Richard "Two Gun" Hart. Hart had been born in Brooklyn, but his fascination with things western took him to Nebraska where he changed his name to Hart, amrried, and raised a family. He became an expert with a gun, and after distinguished service in World War I became a prohibiiton agent. He was in fact one of the more successful agents in the area, and he gained fame as a lawman. His two pearl handle pistols led to his colorful nickname. Later he enforced liquor laws on Indian reservations, and he became fluent in several Indian languages. At one time he served as a bodyguard for President Calvin Coolidge on a trip to the west.
But Two Gun had a family secret. His younger brother also went west where he became a roaring success in Chicago on the other side of the law. Richard Hart had born James Vincenzo Capone, and his younger brother was the infamous Al Capone!
One of the more fascinating characters produced by the Prohibition era was Richard "Two Gun" Hart. Hart had been born in Brooklyn, but his fascination with things western took him to Nebraska where he changed his name to Hart, amrried, and raised a family. He became an expert with a gun, and after distinguished service in World War I became a prohibiiton agent. He was in fact one of the more successful agents in the area, and he gained fame as a lawman. His two pearl handle pistols led to his colorful nickname. Later he enforced liquor laws on Indian reservations, and he became fluent in several Indian languages. At one time he served as a bodyguard for President Calvin Coolidge on a trip to the west.
But Two Gun had a family secret. His younger brother also went west where he became a roaring success in Chicago on the other side of the law. Richard Hart had born James Vincenzo Capone, and his younger brother was the infamous Al Capone!
Greetings to the Fuhrer...from New York
The massive propeller-driven B-36 airplane of the early 1950s was America's first intercontinental nuclear bomber and the first mainstay of the Strategic Air Command. What is not so well known is that the B-36 was designed early in World War II to permit the U. S. Army Air Forces to bomb Nazi Germany from the United States. At the time it appeared that England would fall to Hitler, and we would not have any European bases from which to strike Germany. The B-36 was designed to carry a load of bombs from the United States to Germany and return without re-fueling.
The massive propeller-driven B-36 airplane of the early 1950s was America's first intercontinental nuclear bomber and the first mainstay of the Strategic Air Command. What is not so well known is that the B-36 was designed early in World War II to permit the U. S. Army Air Forces to bomb Nazi Germany from the United States. At the time it appeared that England would fall to Hitler, and we would not have any European bases from which to strike Germany. The B-36 was designed to carry a load of bombs from the United States to Germany and return without re-fueling.
Sleepless in Seattle In 1883? Here's Why
I just finished reading Krakatoa by Simon Winchester, the story of the volcanic island in the East Indies that blew itself to smitereens in 1883. It is an outstanding read about a literally and figuratively world shaking event. Now we hear that Mt. Rainier in Puget Sound is more unstable than previously thought and a "monumental threat".
I just finished reading Krakatoa by Simon Winchester, the story of the volcanic island in the East Indies that blew itself to smitereens in 1883. It is an outstanding read about a literally and figuratively world shaking event. Now we hear that Mt. Rainier in Puget Sound is more unstable than previously thought and a "monumental threat".
Austin Begat Jeep Which Begat Land Rover
The Jeep and Land Rover share an interesting and ironic history. While the Jeep was made famous by Willys, it was actually desiged by a small company called American Bantam Car Company of Butler, PA. Bantam built compact cars in the 30's well before the term was invented, and incidentally before anyone wanted small cars. Bantam first built tiny Austins under license from the British company and then developed the equally tiny Bantam to avoid license fees. In developing the Jeep (originally known as the BRC, or Bantam Reconnaisance Car) Bantam adopted many of the features of the Bantam. Any mature person who has tried to sit behind the steering wheel of a World War II era Jeep knows that one of these characteristics is small size.
After World War II a Brit named Morgan Wilkes, who owned a surplus Jeep, decided to build a British version of the American Wonder. His creation became the Land Rover, and he built the prototype largely on a Jeep chassis!
The story abounds with other interesting ironies. BMW, which began as an Austin licensee and developed its classic automobiles from the original Austin designs, later bought Austin/Land Rover from British Leyland. The acquisition was a disaster for BMW, and they dumped the lines. Land Rover was then bought by Ford, which itself had built the Ford GPW version of the Jeep in World War II!
The Jeep and Land Rover share an interesting and ironic history. While the Jeep was made famous by Willys, it was actually desiged by a small company called American Bantam Car Company of Butler, PA. Bantam built compact cars in the 30's well before the term was invented, and incidentally before anyone wanted small cars. Bantam first built tiny Austins under license from the British company and then developed the equally tiny Bantam to avoid license fees. In developing the Jeep (originally known as the BRC, or Bantam Reconnaisance Car) Bantam adopted many of the features of the Bantam. Any mature person who has tried to sit behind the steering wheel of a World War II era Jeep knows that one of these characteristics is small size.
After World War II a Brit named Morgan Wilkes, who owned a surplus Jeep, decided to build a British version of the American Wonder. His creation became the Land Rover, and he built the prototype largely on a Jeep chassis!
The story abounds with other interesting ironies. BMW, which began as an Austin licensee and developed its classic automobiles from the original Austin designs, later bought Austin/Land Rover from British Leyland. The acquisition was a disaster for BMW, and they dumped the lines. Land Rover was then bought by Ford, which itself had built the Ford GPW version of the Jeep in World War II!
Geo Whiz!
If you have a GPS receiver and have never quite figured out what to do with it, you might try geocaching. Geocachers hide containers of trinkets (key rings, cards, whistles, coins--you name it as long as it is inexpensive and somewhat interesting) and publish the geographic coordinates on the geocaching web site. Others plug the coordinates into their GPS receivers and try to find the "booty". Finders can keep one item from the cache if they also leave an item. I've tried it a few times, and it is a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon. You will certainly see places you never knew existed.
If you have a GPS receiver and have never quite figured out what to do with it, you might try geocaching. Geocachers hide containers of trinkets (key rings, cards, whistles, coins--you name it as long as it is inexpensive and somewhat interesting) and publish the geographic coordinates on the geocaching web site. Others plug the coordinates into their GPS receivers and try to find the "booty". Finders can keep one item from the cache if they also leave an item. I've tried it a few times, and it is a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon. You will certainly see places you never knew existed.
You May Have to Swat Flie(r)s at These Restuarants
You are tired of going to dinner in the Jag. You want to go in the Beechcraft for a change. But where can you land your airplane and find a good meal near the runway. Here's where.
You are tired of going to dinner in the Jag. You want to go in the Beechcraft for a change. But where can you land your airplane and find a good meal near the runway. Here's where.
Aerial Heroes
When I was a kid, my Dad had a "yearbook" containing the photos of all soldiers who served in World War II for our home county. Many were pilots photographed in their leather helmets and goggles. So many were listed as "killed in action" that I came to view combat flying as fatal. That wasn't true, of course, but it burned a frightening image of wartime flying in my mind.
Despite this I was drawn to tales of combat flying, and I came to regard the crews that flew the heavy bombers on daylight raids over Europe with awe. I can think of nothing more frightenting than flying a bomb laden aircraft through heavy flak and swarms of bullet spitting Me 109s and FW 190s while trying to hit targets over three miles below.
Recently while in Savannah, Georgia, my wife and I visited the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum. It is an excellent museum, and the Mission Experience video presentation is not to be missed. After the presentation the docent announced that we had in the audience a P-51 pilot who had escorted the bombers to Berlin. He rose and shyly spoke a few words. When he was finished, my wife and I walked over to talk to him. We both thanked him for his service, and I told him that he and his fellow fliers were my heroes. He was embarrassed and mumbled something about just trying to survive. Both my wife and I had tears in our eyes.
Later in our visit we were further privileged to meet a B-17 waist gunner who was shot down on his third mission and spent the rest of the war in the famous Stalag 17. It was another emotional experience.
The images in my Dad's military yearbook had finally merged with reality in a very moving way.
When I was a kid, my Dad had a "yearbook" containing the photos of all soldiers who served in World War II for our home county. Many were pilots photographed in their leather helmets and goggles. So many were listed as "killed in action" that I came to view combat flying as fatal. That wasn't true, of course, but it burned a frightening image of wartime flying in my mind.
Despite this I was drawn to tales of combat flying, and I came to regard the crews that flew the heavy bombers on daylight raids over Europe with awe. I can think of nothing more frightenting than flying a bomb laden aircraft through heavy flak and swarms of bullet spitting Me 109s and FW 190s while trying to hit targets over three miles below.
Recently while in Savannah, Georgia, my wife and I visited the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum. It is an excellent museum, and the Mission Experience video presentation is not to be missed. After the presentation the docent announced that we had in the audience a P-51 pilot who had escorted the bombers to Berlin. He rose and shyly spoke a few words. When he was finished, my wife and I walked over to talk to him. We both thanked him for his service, and I told him that he and his fellow fliers were my heroes. He was embarrassed and mumbled something about just trying to survive. Both my wife and I had tears in our eyes.
Later in our visit we were further privileged to meet a B-17 waist gunner who was shot down on his third mission and spent the rest of the war in the famous Stalag 17. It was another emotional experience.
The images in my Dad's military yearbook had finally merged with reality in a very moving way.
"Wish I'd Said That", He Said.
Brainy Quotes has a great collection of brainy quotes.
Example from Oscar Wilde: "Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months."
Brainy Quotes has a great collection of brainy quotes.
Example from Oscar Wilde: "Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months."
Enola Gay Has Makeover
The Enola Gay, the famous World War II bomber that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, has been restored by the Smithsonian Institution's Air and Space Museum. The aircraft will be displayed at the Museum's new annex at Dulles Airport in Virginia. The bombers' haunting name came from pilot Paul Tibbetts' mother, Enola Gay Tibbetts. Paul Tibbetts is prominently featured in the touching book Duty: A Father, His Son, And the Man Who Won World War II by Bob Greene.
The Enola Gay, the famous World War II bomber that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, has been restored by the Smithsonian Institution's Air and Space Museum. The aircraft will be displayed at the Museum's new annex at Dulles Airport in Virginia. The bombers' haunting name came from pilot Paul Tibbetts' mother, Enola Gay Tibbetts. Paul Tibbetts is prominently featured in the touching book Duty: A Father, His Son, And the Man Who Won World War II by Bob Greene.
Doc and Rhett
Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone with the Wind, was a distant cousin-in-law of William Henry Holladay, better known as "Doc" Holladay, the famous western gunman of OK Corral fame. The relationship was not so distant, however, that Mitchell was not aware of it, and some argue that she modeled the incomparable character Rhett Butler on Doc.
Doc Holladay was one of the most interesting characters in the Old West. He was really a doctor--a dentist--with a degree from a dental college in Pennsylvania. After briefly practicing in his native Georgia, he developed tuberculosis and moved west to Texas for the drier climate. Doc had a tough time finding patients who would tolerate a coughing, tubercular dentist, and he took up gambling to make ends meet. Gamblers had to be able to defend themselves to survive, and he also took up the gun. Doc and guns proved to be a match made in heaven, or hell depending upon your perspective. With his nimble dentist's hands, he was a wizard with a pistol. Eventually he ran into an itinerant Wyatt Earp in a dusty West Texas town, and they became best friends. Doc followed Wyatt to Dodge City and later to Tombstone. Doc was absoutely fearless in a gunfight because he was already condemned to death by his relentlessly progressing disease, and some say he preferred to die with his boots on anyway. Doc died with his boots off in a sanatarium in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
It was been argued that Doc precipitously fired the first shot in the infamous Gunfight at OK Corral (actually in the alley behind the OK Corral), but recent research by the Learning Channel has cleared him. They concluded that the Clanton party fired first after being spooked by the sound of Doc's preparatory cocking the hammers on his shotgun. The Gunfight was neither lawlessness on the part of the Clantons or murder on the part of the Earps; it was just a tragic accident, although it must be pointed out that the Clanton party were wearing their guns in violation of a Tombstone City ordinance. That was the reason that the Earp party came after them.
Both the fictional Rhett and the historical Doc lived on the edge, fearlessly practicing their crafts, gunslingon in the case of one and blockade running on the part of the other. Mitchell never told us whether Rhett died with his boots on or off.
Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone with the Wind, was a distant cousin-in-law of William Henry Holladay, better known as "Doc" Holladay, the famous western gunman of OK Corral fame. The relationship was not so distant, however, that Mitchell was not aware of it, and some argue that she modeled the incomparable character Rhett Butler on Doc.
Doc Holladay was one of the most interesting characters in the Old West. He was really a doctor--a dentist--with a degree from a dental college in Pennsylvania. After briefly practicing in his native Georgia, he developed tuberculosis and moved west to Texas for the drier climate. Doc had a tough time finding patients who would tolerate a coughing, tubercular dentist, and he took up gambling to make ends meet. Gamblers had to be able to defend themselves to survive, and he also took up the gun. Doc and guns proved to be a match made in heaven, or hell depending upon your perspective. With his nimble dentist's hands, he was a wizard with a pistol. Eventually he ran into an itinerant Wyatt Earp in a dusty West Texas town, and they became best friends. Doc followed Wyatt to Dodge City and later to Tombstone. Doc was absoutely fearless in a gunfight because he was already condemned to death by his relentlessly progressing disease, and some say he preferred to die with his boots on anyway. Doc died with his boots off in a sanatarium in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
It was been argued that Doc precipitously fired the first shot in the infamous Gunfight at OK Corral (actually in the alley behind the OK Corral), but recent research by the Learning Channel has cleared him. They concluded that the Clanton party fired first after being spooked by the sound of Doc's preparatory cocking the hammers on his shotgun. The Gunfight was neither lawlessness on the part of the Clantons or murder on the part of the Earps; it was just a tragic accident, although it must be pointed out that the Clanton party were wearing their guns in violation of a Tombstone City ordinance. That was the reason that the Earp party came after them.
Both the fictional Rhett and the historical Doc lived on the edge, fearlessly practicing their crafts, gunslingon in the case of one and blockade running on the part of the other. Mitchell never told us whether Rhett died with his boots on or off.
Abraham Lincoln's--Inventor
Abraham Lincoln was the only United States President to hold a patent. Lincoln's patent was on a device to lift boats over shoals.
It was Lincoln who beautifully captured the rationale for the patent system when he said it "adds the fuel of interest to the fire of genius."
Abraham Lincoln was the only United States President to hold a patent. Lincoln's patent was on a device to lift boats over shoals.
It was Lincoln who beautifully captured the rationale for the patent system when he said it "adds the fuel of interest to the fire of genius."
Really Lousy Family Tree
Scientists have pegged the adoption of clothing by humans at 70,000 years ago. They reached this result by comparing the genes of head lice to body lice. Since body lice evolved from head lice when humans adopted clothing, the extent of genetic differences is a measure of the time since body lice split from the head lice branch of the family tree.
Scientists have pegged the adoption of clothing by humans at 70,000 years ago. They reached this result by comparing the genes of head lice to body lice. Since body lice evolved from head lice when humans adopted clothing, the extent of genetic differences is a measure of the time since body lice split from the head lice branch of the family tree.
The Cold Truth about the Iceman
It how appears that the Iceman whose body emerged from a melted glacier in the Alps several years ago died not from freezing but from a violent controntation. Researchers have now found an arrowhead embedded in his back and defensive wounds on his hands as well as the blood of two other individuals on his spear point.
It how appears that the Iceman whose body emerged from a melted glacier in the Alps several years ago died not from freezing but from a violent controntation. Researchers have now found an arrowhead embedded in his back and defensive wounds on his hands as well as the blood of two other individuals on his spear point.
One Bullet, One Buffalo
The economics of buffalo (or bison) hunting in the American West were such that hunters had to bag their quarry with only one bullet. If they used two bullets, they lost money!
By the way several of the great lawmen of Dodge, Kansas--Bat and Ed Masterson, Wyatt Earp-- originally arrived in the area as buffalo hunters.
Oh, yes, Bat Masterson wound up as a sportswriter for a newspaper in New York City.
The economics of buffalo (or bison) hunting in the American West were such that hunters had to bag their quarry with only one bullet. If they used two bullets, they lost money!
By the way several of the great lawmen of Dodge, Kansas--Bat and Ed Masterson, Wyatt Earp-- originally arrived in the area as buffalo hunters.
Oh, yes, Bat Masterson wound up as a sportswriter for a newspaper in New York City.
Jimmy Stewart, A Genuine Hero
Actor Jimmy Stewart flew 20 missions over Europe as a B-17 bomber pilot during World War II. Initially rejected even though he was already a pilot, he took additional flight training at his own expense and finally talked his way into the Air Corps. For his bravery he received the Distinguished Flying Cross. Stewart remained an active member of the Air National Guard after the War, and in 1966 while on his two weeks of active duty he flew a bombing mission in Viet Nam. Stewart retired from the reserves with the rank of Brigadier General.
Actor Jimmy Stewart flew 20 missions over Europe as a B-17 bomber pilot during World War II. Initially rejected even though he was already a pilot, he took additional flight training at his own expense and finally talked his way into the Air Corps. For his bravery he received the Distinguished Flying Cross. Stewart remained an active member of the Air National Guard after the War, and in 1966 while on his two weeks of active duty he flew a bombing mission in Viet Nam. Stewart retired from the reserves with the rank of Brigadier General.
Lucky Lindy, Combat Pilot
Despite his opposition to America's entry into World War II, Charles Lindbergh signed on as a special civilian consultant to the Army Air Corps. One of his main tasks was to teach combat pilots to fly long distances with minimum fuel consumption. This was especially important in the Pacific where bases and targets were separated by vast distances. As part of his duties Lindbergh flew a fighter aircraft on some missions. Incredibly on one mission while flying a P-38 fighter, he shot down at least one Japanese airplane! The incident was hushed up because civilians were not supposed to be flying combat missions.
Despite his opposition to America's entry into World War II, Charles Lindbergh signed on as a special civilian consultant to the Army Air Corps. One of his main tasks was to teach combat pilots to fly long distances with minimum fuel consumption. This was especially important in the Pacific where bases and targets were separated by vast distances. As part of his duties Lindbergh flew a fighter aircraft on some missions. Incredibly on one mission while flying a P-38 fighter, he shot down at least one Japanese airplane! The incident was hushed up because civilians were not supposed to be flying combat missions.
The Undocumented Colonel
"Colonel" Tom Parker, the flim flam artist who managed Elvis Presley and left him almost broke at the time of his death, was an illegal immigrant from Holland! He so feared deportation that he refused to book lucrative tours for Elvis outside the United States.
"Colonel" Tom Parker, the flim flam artist who managed Elvis Presley and left him almost broke at the time of his death, was an illegal immigrant from Holland! He so feared deportation that he refused to book lucrative tours for Elvis outside the United States.
To the Moon on Zero Megs Memory
The computer that guided the lunar lander to the first moon landing in 1968 had 64 Kilobytes of memory. By contrast it is common for today's personal computers to have 256 Megabytes, which is over 400 times as much!
The computer that guided the lunar lander to the first moon landing in 1968 had 64 Kilobytes of memory. By contrast it is common for today's personal computers to have 256 Megabytes, which is over 400 times as much!
Lower Your Blood Pressure Outdoors
The Wall Street Journal (Aug. 26, 2003) reports that gardening and exposure to nature improve mental health and have beneficial physical effects such as lowering blood pressure. So now we know why we garden, hike, camp, etc. -- it makes us feel better.
The Wall Street Journal (Aug. 26, 2003) reports that gardening and exposure to nature improve mental health and have beneficial physical effects such as lowering blood pressure. So now we know why we garden, hike, camp, etc. -- it makes us feel better.
A Shocking Scandal Involving Edison
One of Thomas Edison's least known inventions was the electric chair for executing criminals. While he may not have owned any patents on that ghastly device, he was its spiritual father.
It all began when his former employee, Nikola Tesla, teamed with industrialist George Westinghouse to introduce Tesla's AC (alternating current) electrical power system to the United States. Edison's pioneering DC (direct current) power system had a terrible drawback--current could be transmitted only a few miles. That required scores of generating plants. New York City had one every few blocks. AC power, however, could be transmitted hundreds or thousands of miles, and as a result Edison's DC monopoly was threatened.
Edison responded by pointing out that AC is dangerous, even deadly, which was true. To demonstrate this he hired neighborhood boys to steal cats and dogs, and he publicly electrocuted them. But the Boots and Pooch executions did not do the trick. AC continued to gain market share. Finally, Edison came up with the ultimate public relations stunt--he convinced the State of New York to use AC power to execute criminals by electrocution. The first execution was a mess, and none was ever very pretty. But that did not prevent the logic of AC from swamping Edison's DC as the preferred design for electrical power systems around the world.
Old Sparky, as the modern incarnation of a Medieval device was called by many, has now been supplanted in most states that still execute criminals in favor of more humane methods such as lethal injection.
One of Thomas Edison's least known inventions was the electric chair for executing criminals. While he may not have owned any patents on that ghastly device, he was its spiritual father.
It all began when his former employee, Nikola Tesla, teamed with industrialist George Westinghouse to introduce Tesla's AC (alternating current) electrical power system to the United States. Edison's pioneering DC (direct current) power system had a terrible drawback--current could be transmitted only a few miles. That required scores of generating plants. New York City had one every few blocks. AC power, however, could be transmitted hundreds or thousands of miles, and as a result Edison's DC monopoly was threatened.
Edison responded by pointing out that AC is dangerous, even deadly, which was true. To demonstrate this he hired neighborhood boys to steal cats and dogs, and he publicly electrocuted them. But the Boots and Pooch executions did not do the trick. AC continued to gain market share. Finally, Edison came up with the ultimate public relations stunt--he convinced the State of New York to use AC power to execute criminals by electrocution. The first execution was a mess, and none was ever very pretty. But that did not prevent the logic of AC from swamping Edison's DC as the preferred design for electrical power systems around the world.
Old Sparky, as the modern incarnation of a Medieval device was called by many, has now been supplanted in most states that still execute criminals in favor of more humane methods such as lethal injection.
Stop Horsing Around Up There!
Spiral staircases in firehouses date to the days when fire wagons were horse drawn. Horses tended to climb standard straight stairs.
Spiral staircases in firehouses date to the days when fire wagons were horse drawn. Horses tended to climb standard straight stairs.
Uncle Sam?
If Wal-Martwere a nation, it would rank between Belgium and Sweden as the world's 19th largest economy
If Wal-Martwere a nation, it would rank between Belgium and Sweden as the world's 19th largest economy
Gross Out Merchants
The term "grocer" comes from the fact that grocers carry items in large quantities, i. e., "gross" quantities.
Posted by mlmurrah at 01:27 PM | Comments (0)
The term "grocer" comes from the fact that grocers carry items in large quantities, i. e., "gross" quantities.
Posted by mlmurrah at 01:27 PM | Comments (0)
What Do Ducks Have to Do with Tape?
If you refer to duct tape as "duck" tape, you are historically correct. What is now called "duct" tape was developed to waterproof ammunition boxes in World War II. Yes, it was olive drab in color. Soggy ammunition was a big problem in a war in which massive amphibious invasions were first extensively used.
There are two explanationis why the tape was referred to as "duck" tape. First, water rolled off the tape like the proverbial duck's back. Second, there may be a connection with the DUK amphibious vehicle, where dry ammunition would be an issue.
After the war an odd reverse corruption occurred--normally you would expect "duct" to be popularly corrupted to "duck" rather than the reverse.
If you refer to duct tape as "duck" tape, you are historically correct. What is now called "duct" tape was developed to waterproof ammunition boxes in World War II. Yes, it was olive drab in color. Soggy ammunition was a big problem in a war in which massive amphibious invasions were first extensively used.
There are two explanationis why the tape was referred to as "duck" tape. First, water rolled off the tape like the proverbial duck's back. Second, there may be a connection with the DUK amphibious vehicle, where dry ammunition would be an issue.
After the war an odd reverse corruption occurred--normally you would expect "duct" to be popularly corrupted to "duck" rather than the reverse.
Victorian Patents
What were inventors inventing during the Victorian Era 1854-1904? Find out on this Australian website at Victorian Patents:
Enter the world of nineteenth century inventors and their inventions, from exciting world first scientific breakthroughs and innovations, to the thousands of practical innovations that improved technology applicable to everyday life.
What were inventors inventing during the Victorian Era 1854-1904? Find out on this Australian website at Victorian Patents:
Enter the world of nineteenth century inventors and their inventions, from exciting world first scientific breakthroughs and innovations, to the thousands of practical innovations that improved technology applicable to everyday life.
Civil War in Dodge...and Tombstone
The rowdiness of cowtowns like Dodge, Kansas was due to more than cowboys blowing off steam after a long, dusty cattle drive. There was also a political element.
Many of the cowboys from Texas were either ex-Confederates or sons of ex-confederates, and many of the cow town merchants were veterans of the Union army. That proved a volatile mix. The cowboys thought it was great fun to shoot up the Yankee-owned towns and ride their horses into their saloons. Lawmen like Bat Masterson and the Earp brothers had a delicate task--protect the town and its citizens without killing the paying customers.
The same regional tensions were partially responsible for making the mining town Tombstone, Arizona a tinderbox that flashed out of control at the OK Corral. The townsmen were Northern men, and the "cowboys" were ranchers of Southern extraction. The cowboys led by the Clantons did not much care for the treatment meted out by Yankee lawmen such as Morgan and Wyatt Earp, and that was the reason they were hanging out wearing guns in violation of a town ordinance when the Earp brothers and Doc Holladay showed up to disarm them.
It was remarkable that Waytt Earp and Doc Holladay maintained their close friendship despite post Civil War politics. Wyatt and his lawmen brothers were Unionists from Iowa, an older brother having served in the Union Army. Doc was the son of a Georgia man who served as a Colonel in the Confederate Army.
The rowdiness of cowtowns like Dodge, Kansas was due to more than cowboys blowing off steam after a long, dusty cattle drive. There was also a political element.
Many of the cowboys from Texas were either ex-Confederates or sons of ex-confederates, and many of the cow town merchants were veterans of the Union army. That proved a volatile mix. The cowboys thought it was great fun to shoot up the Yankee-owned towns and ride their horses into their saloons. Lawmen like Bat Masterson and the Earp brothers had a delicate task--protect the town and its citizens without killing the paying customers.
The same regional tensions were partially responsible for making the mining town Tombstone, Arizona a tinderbox that flashed out of control at the OK Corral. The townsmen were Northern men, and the "cowboys" were ranchers of Southern extraction. The cowboys led by the Clantons did not much care for the treatment meted out by Yankee lawmen such as Morgan and Wyatt Earp, and that was the reason they were hanging out wearing guns in violation of a town ordinance when the Earp brothers and Doc Holladay showed up to disarm them.
It was remarkable that Waytt Earp and Doc Holladay maintained their close friendship despite post Civil War politics. Wyatt and his lawmen brothers were Unionists from Iowa, an older brother having served in the Union Army. Doc was the son of a Georgia man who served as a Colonel in the Confederate Army.
American Indian Presidents and a Prime Minister
It is said that the Indians of the United States were wiped out by the Europeans. Many did die of European diseases and warfare, but many more mixed with the Europeans to form a new nationality, the Americans. Two of the Eastern Indians, both Powatans, became President of the United States. Who were these American Indians who went on to lead the world's mightiest nation? They were George H. W. Bush and his son George W. Bush, both direct descendants of Powatan Princess Pocahontas!
Incredibly an Iriquois Indian became Prime Minister of England. Yes, Winston Churchill's American born mother Jennie Jerome had Iriquois ancestry! While some say it cannot be proven, Churchill himself believed it since he heard it from his grandmother.
It is said that the Indians of the United States were wiped out by the Europeans. Many did die of European diseases and warfare, but many more mixed with the Europeans to form a new nationality, the Americans. Two of the Eastern Indians, both Powatans, became President of the United States. Who were these American Indians who went on to lead the world's mightiest nation? They were George H. W. Bush and his son George W. Bush, both direct descendants of Powatan Princess Pocahontas!
Incredibly an Iriquois Indian became Prime Minister of England. Yes, Winston Churchill's American born mother Jennie Jerome had Iriquois ancestry! While some say it cannot be proven, Churchill himself believed it since he heard it from his grandmother.
Have You Driven a Ford Lately?
Clyde Barrow, of the famous crime duo Bonnie and Clyde, wrote the following to Henry Ford in 1934:
While I still have got breath in my lungs, I will tell you what a dandy car you make. I have drove Fords exclusively when I could get away with one. For sustained speed and freedom from trouble the Ford has got every other car skinned, and even if my business hasen't been strickly legal it don't hurt enything to tell you what a fine car you got in the V8.
My great-grand aunt lived in West Dallas and knew Clyde Barrow as a child. One evening during his crime spree, she heard a knock at the door and found Clyde standing outside when she opened it. He asked here to prepare him a meal, which she did. He thanked her and left, and shortly thereafter he met his fate on a lonely Louisiana highway.
Clyde Barrow, of the famous crime duo Bonnie and Clyde, wrote the following to Henry Ford in 1934:
While I still have got breath in my lungs, I will tell you what a dandy car you make. I have drove Fords exclusively when I could get away with one. For sustained speed and freedom from trouble the Ford has got every other car skinned, and even if my business hasen't been strickly legal it don't hurt enything to tell you what a fine car you got in the V8.
My great-grand aunt lived in West Dallas and knew Clyde Barrow as a child. One evening during his crime spree, she heard a knock at the door and found Clyde standing outside when she opened it. He asked here to prepare him a meal, which she did. He thanked her and left, and shortly thereafter he met his fate on a lonely Louisiana highway.
Gone..With the Wind
Taxing is a odious business, but the New Zealand Government raised an especially ill wind when it proposed a tax on cow and sheep flatulence. The tax was intended to fund research on global warming, which supporters believe is exacerbated by animal flatulence. The Government cut and ran from the stink it raised after farmers and ranchers ridiculed the Government proposal by forming a group called Fight Against Ridiculous Taxes (FART).
Taxing is a odious business, but the New Zealand Government raised an especially ill wind when it proposed a tax on cow and sheep flatulence. The tax was intended to fund research on global warming, which supporters believe is exacerbated by animal flatulence. The Government cut and ran from the stink it raised after farmers and ranchers ridiculed the Government proposal by forming a group called Fight Against Ridiculous Taxes (FART).
Origin of Kingsford Charcoal
Every time you pile Kingsford charcoal briquettes on the backyard grill, you are paying homage to Henry Ford. How you ask? Well here goes.
Ford used hardwood rather than steel to manufacture the frame and other body parts of his early cars. To ensure a supply of hardwood, Ford owned timberland and operated a sawmill in Michigan's upper peninsula. The hardwood business was operated by E. G. Kingsford, the husband of Ford's cousin, who also lent his name to the town that grew up around the mill. Never one to waste anything, Ford had the mill burn the waste hardwood and remanufacture it into charcoal briquettes, which were sold through Ford dealers around the country. Eventually Ford sold the mill and charcoal operation, which renamed itself after Ford's cousin-in-law Mr. Kingsford.
Every time you pile Kingsford charcoal briquettes on the backyard grill, you are paying homage to Henry Ford. How you ask? Well here goes.
Ford used hardwood rather than steel to manufacture the frame and other body parts of his early cars. To ensure a supply of hardwood, Ford owned timberland and operated a sawmill in Michigan's upper peninsula. The hardwood business was operated by E. G. Kingsford, the husband of Ford's cousin, who also lent his name to the town that grew up around the mill. Never one to waste anything, Ford had the mill burn the waste hardwood and remanufacture it into charcoal briquettes, which were sold through Ford dealers around the country. Eventually Ford sold the mill and charcoal operation, which renamed itself after Ford's cousin-in-law Mr. Kingsford.
Never Won Anything But the World Series
The Florida Marlins baseball team, which has won two World Series championships in their first ten years of existence, including recently defeating the New York Yankees in the 2003 Series, have never won their Division Championship. In both championship seasons they have been the "wild card" team, the team chosen for the fourth playoff spot because they had the best record of teams that did not win one of the three Division championships. The two championship seasons were also the only seasons the Marlins have had a winning record.
The Florida Marlins baseball team, which has won two World Series championships in their first ten years of existence, including recently defeating the New York Yankees in the 2003 Series, have never won their Division Championship. In both championship seasons they have been the "wild card" team, the team chosen for the fourth playoff spot because they had the best record of teams that did not win one of the three Division championships. The two championship seasons were also the only seasons the Marlins have had a winning record.
