26 Jul 2004
A new take on Ulysses S. Grant

Nice to see some objectivity finally seeping into the history books: Grant was an admirable figure, who was never personally involved in any corruption scandal. His errors were in his selection of associates, one which many of us frequently make. My favorite Grant quote:

Leave the matter of religion to the family altar, the church, and the private schools, supported entirely by private contributions. Keep the church and the state forever separated.

Following his death in 1885, the reputation of Ulysses S. Grant, the Civil War general and 18th president, went into a slow but steady tailspin.

(link) [U.S. News & World Report]

00:00 /Politics | 0 comments | permanent link

Putin orders Stalingrad tribute

Hiding and/or rewriting history is a bad thing, no matter who's doing it. Stalin was famous for "reworking" documents to make it appear as though opponents never even existed: and his intellectual heritage was being extended by those who would expunge his name from the historical records. Glad to see that it's being set straight, at last.

The Russian president orders the old name of the city to be reinstated on a plaque marking the battle of Stalingrad.

(link) [BBC News | World | UK Edition]

00:00 /Politics | 0 comments | permanent link

Spot the Pirate!

But wait! Who's ripping off what, here? There's one Russian product that's regarded universally as the best, and is equally universally copied and reproduced, sans license, of course, even by the US military.

Read the tale of the ubiquitous AK47.

The bazaar in this industrial city shows why Western companies regard Russia as a land of piracy.

(link) [The New York Times]

via Moore's Lore

00:00 /Copywrongs | 1 comment | permanent link

Ted Turner's Beef With Big Media

This was linked from several of my regular reads this weekend, and it is indeed a worthy rant. Even if from a very unlikely source.

At this late stage, media companies have grown so large and powerful, and their dominance has become so detrimental to the survival of small, emerging companies, that there remains only one alternative: bust up the big conglomerates.

(link) [Washington Monthly]

00:00 /Politics | 0 comments | permanent link

What a Busy Weekend

I do believe that this is the first time since I started blogging in 2003 that I've missed posting for three consecutive days without being on vacation or otherwise 'away from the office'. I've just been too damn busy!

Friday I spent the morning out cleaning out the chicken coop - again. There were only 8 loads of shit to the compost pile this time, and the weather was cooler, so it wasn't that bad. But it's still hard work: chicken shit is heavy stuff! Most of the afternoon was taken up at the computer, finishing up Hammerstead's sales brochure, then it was off the the farmer market at Trader's Point.

Kris got there about 5:30 pm, and then took a courier run to Kentucky for some extra cash. I loaded up everything from the market (including what Kevyn had brought down) to take the the market the next morning in Thorntown - he had another event down south that he had to attend.

I got home about 9, unloaded, did the chores, and finally had dinner about 10:30 - figured I'd read for a while unitl Kris got home but I fell asleep in my easy chair about 11! Which was a good thing, in hindsight, because Kris didn't get home until about 3:30 am!

Saturday morning we got up at 6:30 and headed for the market at Thorntown, where we stayed until noon. Then is was the 'admin' stuff - post office, bank, grocery store. Saturday evening was out Thing's Tide celebration at Ravenswood - the yearly business meeting for our kindred. Poor Kris missed it this year - she was too pooped to pop, and stayed home and slept. First one she'd missed in eleven years!

Sunday was more shopping - we got a different kind of hoe to try on the bull thistles, and also found some strong vinegar at a photo supply house to use as an organic herbicide. This is in violation of EPA rules, I might add: and I don't care if it is documented here. The USDA reccommends the stuff for organic farmers, but the EPA won't approve it because it's not commercially manufactured for use as a herbicide, and no one will manufacture it until it's commercially approved! I firmly believe now that 'government logic' is an oxymornon.

The weather has been rainy and cool - almost cold (sweatshits in July yesterday). Today is some more web work and then back the coop - the meat chickens are taking their first (and last) road trip Thursday - we've been thinking about a different arrangement for the next batch, as I'm not gonna go thru the 'barn as chicken coop' bit again!

00:00 /Home | 0 comments | permanent link

Guys and Size

Apparently, this has always been something of an 'issue' ... I just wonder if some of the untranslated runestones lying about the Scandinavian countryside are really ads for Viagra substitutes!

Research into medieval Icelandic gender and sexuality has found that even the heroes of Viking Age sagas were troubled by the thought that size really does matter.

(link) [ News-Medical.Net]

via Pagan Prattle

00:00 /Humor | 0 comments | permanent link