MARCH 4, 2011

TO WHERE YOU ARE Performed by Josh Groban

ONE HUNDRED FAMOUS VIEWS OF EDO (TOKYO) NUMBER TWENTY-THREE

Chiyogaike Pond, Meguro (Meguro Chiyogaike)

Bluff overlooking the valley of the Meguro River, lying just west of what is now the stretch of the Yamanote Line between Ebisu and Meguro stations. This area is all densely built over with multistory apartments today, and little remains of what was once the isolated beauty of suburban Edo. Unusual in this print is the depiction of reflections in water--in this case of the trees--with the cherries to the left bathed in a faint haze of pink over the surface of the water. The waterfall here drew on the Mita Aqueduct that ran along the bluff, and the pond itself appears to have survived until the 1930s.

WOUNDED ZOUAVE AT THE HOSPITAL IN WASHINGTON

Embalming a Deceased Union Soldier in the Civil War

The state of medical knowledge at the time of the Civil War was extremely primitive. Doctors did not understand infection, and did little to prevent it. It was a time before antiseptics, and a time when there was no attempt to maintain sterility during surgery. No antibiotics were available, and minor wounds could easily become infected, and hence fatal. While the typical soldier was at very high risk of being shot and killed in combat, he faced an even greater risk of dying from disease. Twice as many men died of disease than of gunshot wounds in the Civil War. Dysentery, measles, small pox, pneumonia, and malaria were the soldier's greatest enemy. The overall poor hygiene in camp, the lack of adequate sanitation facilities, the cold and lack of shelter and suitable clothing, the poor quality of food and water, and the crowded condition of the camps made the typical camp a literal breeding ground for disease. Conditions, and resulting disease, were even worse for Civil War prisoners, who were held in the most miserable of conditions. In order to try and curb these appalling conditions in camp, and the resulting rampant disease, the Sanitary Commission was formed. The Sanitary Commission tried to educate the army on proper sanitation techniques to help stem the spread of disease. The sanitary commission report issued in 1861 was widely disseminated, and included many guidelines to improve sanitation and reduce disease.

The Civil War Field Hospital at the Battle of Savage Station

This photograph of the field hospital at the Battle of Savage Station gives the reader a better view of the conditions of Civil War medicine than can be described in words. Notice that the wounded do not have the benefit of shelter, and are left to suffer in the sun. The number of wounded far exceeds the number available to help with treatment. The injured are doubtlessly suffering not only from their wounds and lack of care, but also from the elements.

HAFEN VON DORDRECHT

AELBERT JACOBSZ CUYP (October 20, 1620 – November 15, 1691) was one of the leading Dutch landscape painters of the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century.  The most famous of a family of painters, the pupil of his father Jacob Gerritsz, Cuyp is especially known for his large views of the Dutch countryside in early morning or late afternoon light.

How did Sting get his nickname? And what is his real name? Gordon Sumner, the rock star and actor known as Sting, got his nickname from the yellow-and-black jerseys he used to wear, which fellow musicians thought made him look like a bumble bee.

One of the most fascinating yet enigmatic figures of the Lewis and Clark Expedition was William Clark's slave York.  As with many members of the expedition, little information survives about York to present his life in a great amount of detail.  The presence of York on the expedition also raises many philosophical questions about African-American heritage and the treatment of African Americans throughout our history. Artwork by Michael Haynes http://mhaynesart.com

YORK - PART ONE

The only African American on the expedition, York was also the only member who had no choice about whether or not he would go.  As a slave, he was bound to do what he was told by his master, yet as a member of the Corps of Discovery, he had almost total freedom and participated in one of the seminal events of American history.   York was a black man and a slave, and his return to Euro-American civilization carried dire consequences not only for York, but also in metaphorical terms for considering the role of African Americans in a society founded on the principles of the Declaration of Independence.   Racial bias of the Jim Crow Era (1890s-1920s) caused historians to dwell upon York's sexual prowess with Native American women and his role as the "buffoon" of the party.  Nothing in the journal accounts corroborates this information, and in fact the record refutes it. The best historical information seems to indicate that York was owned from the time of his birth by the Clark family.  It was said that York and William Clark grew up together, and were about the same age.  That would mean that York was born in Virginia about 1770, and was roughly 34 years old at the time the expedition began in 1804.  York was the son of Old York and Rose, slaves who had also been owned by the Clark family from birth. William Clark inherited York when his father John died in 1799.

John Clark's will (in the Clark family papers at the Missouri Historical Society in St. Louis) also stipulates that William Clark inherited Old York, Rose, two children named Nancy and Juba, and three "old Negroes" named Jane, Cupid and Harry.  A list of William Clark's property dated July 5, 1802 (also at MHS) included "5 old Negroes, 7 above 16 yrs. old, 3 under 16 yrs. old and 3 children." It was said that York was a large man, a little overweight, and very strong.  At the time of the expedition both master and slave lived in Clarksville, Indiana territory, across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky.  We know from letters written by William Clark to his older brother Jonathan (discovered in the 1980s and owned by the Filson Club of Louisville, Kentucky) that York had a wife and possibly a family prior to the departure of the expedition.  His wife lived in the Louisville area. Few mentions of York occur in the journals, although he receives more attention than many of the other enlisted privates who went along.  He was first mentioned on December 26, 1803 as working on constructing the fort and huts at Camp Dubois in Illinois.  On April 7, 1804, York traveled with Lewis and Clark and one other man to St. Louis for a ball.  York is not mentioned again until June 5, 1804, when he "Swam to the Sand bar to gather greens for our Dinner and returned with a Sufficient quantity [of] wild Creases [Cresses] or Teng [Tongue] grass."

The range of the Red-bellied Woodpecker encompasses most of the eastern portion of North America.  During severe winters, Red-bellied Woodpeckers tend to migrate from the northern reaches of their range to areas where the weather is less severe.

The Red-bellied Woodpecker has a black-and-white barred back, which includes much of the wing.  The head, undersides, rump, and central tail feathers are primarily grayish white in color.  These woodpeckers have a pinkish wash to the belly that is difficult to see.  Males have a red nape and crown, and, to a lesser extent, their forehead and lores are also red.  Females have only a red nape and lores.  In flight, the prominent white patch at the base of the blackish primaries produces a prominent white wing patch.

Red-bellied Woodpeckers prefer to forage in deciduous trees, but they also forage on the ground.  Males tend to forage along branches that are larger in diameter than the branches chosen by females.  During the winter, Red-bellied Woodpeckers are primarily seed eaters, and often they are seen frequenting feeders.

Red-bellied woodpeckers tap their bills together when they are courting. In the spring, females lay three to eight eggs in a tree cavity. The nest is lined with wood chips and is about a foot deep. It is usually built in a dead or dying tree. Both the male and female incubate the eggs and care for the young. The male incubates at night. The chicks hatch in about three weeks and they fledge in about a month. The chicks usually stay with their parents until the fall.

FANTAILS

LIONFISH

This flambuoyant animal favors caves and the dark interiors of wrecks.  It is unafraid of intruders, often swimming toward them, refusing to give way.  Its body and elaborate fins are banded in red, brown and white.

CUBERA SNAPPER

Family Lutjanidae, SNAPPERS Lutjanus cyanopterus

Description:  color dark brown or gray, may have a reddish tinge; broad-based triangular tooth patch on roof of mouth without a posterior extension; despite its specific name, which translates to "blue-fin," the fins have only a slight tinge of blue; canine teeth in both jaws very strong; one pair of canines enlarged and visible even when mouth is closed. Similar Fish:  gray snapper. Where found:  juveniles INSHORE in grass beds; adults OFFSHORE or NEARSHORE over wrecks, reefs, and ledges. Size:  common to 40 pounds. Florida Record:  116 lbs. Remarks:  the largest of the snappers, ranging to 125 pounds; not common anywhere in its range; feeds on fishes and larger crustaceans; in the Keys, spawns during later summer.

Olympus Mons Caldera

This perspective view, taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board ESA's Mars Express spacecraft, shows the complex caldera of Olympus Mons on Mars, the highest volcano in our Solar System.   Olympus Mons has an average elevation of 22 kilometres (13.67 miles) and the caldera, or summit crater, has a depth of about 3 kilometres (1.86 miles).   The data was retrieved during orbit 143 of Mars Express on 24 February 2004.  The view is looking north. The curved striations on the left and foreground, in the southern part of the caldera, are tectonic faults.   After lava production has ceased the caldera collapsed over the emptied magma chamber.  Through the collapse the surface suffers from extension and so extensional fractures are formed.  The level plain inside the crater on which these fractures can be observed represents the oldest caldera collapse.

Moralizing, I observed, then, that "all that glitters is not gold." Mr. Ballou said I could go further than that, and lay it up among my treasures of knowledge, that nothing that glitters is gold. So I learned then, once for all, that gold in its native state is but dull, unornamental stuff, and that only lowborn metals excite the admiration of the ignorant with an ostentatious glitter. However, like the rest of the world, I still go on underrating men of gold and glorifying men of mica. Commonplace human nature cannot rise above that. - - - Mark Twain

How long is the day in Reykjavik? ??? PASS YOUR MOUSE OVER THE QUESTION MARKS FOR THE ANSWER!

What is the most popular ice cream flavor? Plain old vanilla is the favorite flavor of ice cream, accounting for 29 percent of all sales.

It is a common delusion that you make things better by talking about them. * * * Dame Rose Macaulay (1881-1958) English writer

PART FOUR

1910:  The Chalmers Award controversy Going into the final days of the 1910 season, Cobb had a 4/10s of a percent lead on Nap Lajoie for the American League batting title.  The prize for the winner of the title was a Chalmers Automobile.  Cobb sat out the final games to preserve his average.  Nap Lajoie hit safely eight times in his teams' doubleheader.  However, six of those hits were bunt singles, and later came under scrutiny.  Regardless, Cobb was credited with a higher batting average. As a result of the incident, Ban Johnson (founding President of the American League) was forced to arbitrate the situation.  He declared Cobb the rightful owner of the title.  However, the Chalmers company elected to award a car to both of the players.

The stern teacher silently panned his gaze across all the kids.  After about a minute or so, he spoke... "From the outset, I want you all to know that there are two words that are absolutely unacceptable in this classroom.  You cannot use them as you recite, or in any of your papers, tests, or homework.  Using these words even once, will get you a failing grade for that quarter. The first one is "gross." And the other one is "cool."

Are there any questions?" After a few moments of silence, this gawky teen at the back of the room raises his hand, and the teacher calls upon him.  In a pubescent croaking voice, the kid asks..."So, what are they?"

Let's go back in time a bit--say 10 years.   I have reproduced below some of the entries I made in 2000 concerning our wildfires.   There were many wildfires in Montana in 2000 and almost all of them affected our area.

AUGUST 2000--It's wildfire time again.  There are many fires burning in Montana currently and the smoke has been a constant reminder for several weeks.  The Big Belt Mountains, which are usually clearly visible to us, are blanketed in smelly smoke.  The month of July in our area set a record for the most days in July that were 90° or higher.

We are having some relief from the thick smoke that has settled here.  One can almost taste it; it certainly smells awful.

Smoke generated by the Maudlow-Toston Fire:  77,000-acre fire started by grain harvesting operations on August 16.  Fire raced explosively through parched crops, agricultural lands, roaded and logged areas. Evacuations. One house destroyed.

Renoir is perhaps the best-loved of all the Impressionists, for his subjects---pretty children, flowers, beautiful scenes, above all lovely women---have instant appeal, and he communicated the joy he took in them with great directness. `Why shouldn't art be pretty?', he said, `There are enough unpleasant things in the world.' He was one of the great worshippers of the female form, and he said `I never think I have finished a nude until I think I could pinch it.'
CLAUDE MONET IN HIS GARDEN AT ARGENTEUIL

BRAD AND ANGELINA (Caricature)

DISCLAIMER: Material used in Bitts and Bytes is gathered from various sources--mainly the World Wide Web.   Authorship cannot always be credited nor the source defined.   Authenticity of material is assumed to be correct, but is not guaranteed.