A few years ago I was taking a correspondence class on Western European history which used a few books that coudl be classified as "revisionist". In answering one of the questions, and to set the tone for how I would be interpreting what I was reading, I included a few paragraphs from a history book that I had read shortly before the class. The author, Samuel W. Mitcham Jr. a professor of geography at Northeast Louisiana University included in his introduction that to know history was to read biographies. I don't know if I agree with that statement, but I did find in this intro, a couple of paragraphs that I really found interesting. I used these paragraphs in the history correspondence class to help answer a question. What the question was I can't exactly remember, but I do recall that the instructor could not debate the logic of the arguement presented by Mitcham.
I have no real reason for why I am putting this in my blog other than I was looking through my personal library for something to read and came across the book and thought I would publish it in my blog. It still has as much meaning today as it did in 1997 when it was published. So here it is.... For what it's worth.
The book this comes from is "The Deset Fox in Normandy" published in 1997 by Preager Press, Connecticut.
"To understand history, one must read biography - especially the biographies of famous leaders. This goes against the current fad in many American Universities - where it is considered unfashionable or "politically incorrect" to study or write about "DWMs" (dead white males), a term usually muttered by leftist and largely socialist professors with a slight air of contempt, condescension, and perceived (and self-ordained) intellectual self-superiority. Unfortunately, these people write as they think, which is why so much garbage and so little of substance or importance is being produced by the vast majority of them. Like it or not, we owe our Western Civilization, our democratic and religious institutions, our values, and most thinkgs that make life worth living, to DWMs - not to affirmative action and other similar scams."
(Mitchell continues to explains that DWMs have also been the source of a great deal of havoc and misery. He does not deny that. But he does explain that usually with those sorts of DWM's there also comes to the forefront, the heroes of history. Which is why he was writing the book on Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.)
Anyway, I present this here for your consumption and let you decide for yourself how you feel about the study of history.
Feel free to comment. I may or may not respond.
Later!
Monday, February 27, 2006
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Ride Far and Live Long and ignore the nay sayers...
I found this neat little article from an emailed message from one of the places I get stuff for my Honda VTX. (for those who need to know... VTX stands for "V" Twin EXtreme, denoting the awesome power of the engine of the VTX) Anyway, I often get people who say how dangerous motorcycles are and how likely a motorcyclist is to get hurt on the road. What most of these people don't realize is that most motorcycle accidents are caused by car drivers. This little article, tries, with tongue in cheek to give some ammo to those of us who have to kindly sit and listen while those who have rarely ever ridden a motorcycle tell us how dangerous our glorious two wheelers are.
Ride Far and Live Long (Reproduced from the Cruiser Customizing Email Newsletter Issue #068 2/1/06)
How many times has some do-gooder warned you against your motorcycle in the interest of your health? Do you politely stand there while a well-intentioned Samaritan regales you with horror stories of a relative of a friend of a friend who went down two days after he bought his bike? I used to dryly inform such self-appointed nice guys that, since most people die in their own beds, to avoid that horrible fate, it would be best to start sleeping on the floor. Now I no longer go head to head with sufferers of moto-phobia. I just tell them now that biking is conducive to a long, healthy and happy life. Here’s how this came about:
During my recent trip to India I came across a new motorcycle magazine called BIKE India which, surprisingly, boasts some really well-researched articles by some top internationally-recognized and local writers. It seems that the family of Adil Jal Darukhanawala, the Editor of BIKE India, still owns the oldest continuously-run motorcycle dealership in the world (!), which today sells Indian-built Yamahas (called TVS Yamaha) in the university town of Pune, Maharashtra State. Adil is one of the most pro-moto two-wheel visionaries you’ll ever meet. Anyway, the January ’06 issue of BIKE India carries a tightly-researched article entitled "One More Reason to Bike: It’s Good For Your Health!" This article has the hard facts on things that you and I always suspected to be true but had, until now, had no way of proving. The bit of scientific investigation came about when the good folks at Motorcycle Consumer News set out to find Britain’s oldest biker. To the delight of the MCN research team, they found that every single aging rider they talked to credited motorcycling as his or her key to longevity and health. Forging ahead, MCN enlisted the help of students of King’s College of London University Hospital to research why those older riders love motorcycling so much. Here’s what they found:
The Brain: Biking is joyous and is therefore is a natural an anti-depressant. The brain responds to the thrilling sensations of balance combined with forward motion by producing endorphins that prevent depression. Since depression leads to illness, biking is an antidote to disease through prevention of melancholia.
The Lungs: Buses, trains and especially airplanes are confining metal tubes in which passengers are forced to breathe virus-saturated second hand air making for an unsafe travel environment. Bikes on the other hand put you in the wind, a known purifier that is conducive to health by sending fresh oxygen throughout the lungs.
The Heart: The next time a self-styled saint tries to get you safely buckled into some overbuilt SUV, ask him what he thinks the effect of traffic jams and road rage have on the heart. Highway-related anxiety causes a release in hormones that actually increase blood pressure, leading to dangerous levels of stress. Gridlock causes tension, but lanesplitting brings on euphoria. Bye by cars, bye by heart disease.
Circulation: The frequent changes in bodily temperature experienced by motorcyclists stimulate blood circulation, which protects against circulatory problems such as varicose veins and hardening of the arteries. Sitting in some cushy “luxury” car all day in rush hour commute is an excellent way to shut down circulation in the extremities, a known cause of blood clots. Remember that ambulances and hearses are also highly-equipped luxury vehicles.
The Back: Yup, the leaning, turning and twisting that a biker does is downright good exercise that keeps the spine limber. Padded car seats on the other hand are terrible for the back.
Burning of Fat: The excitement of the ride, which puts the senses on high alert, actually burns calories. The more extreme the ride, the better the results will be (as long as the motorcyclist rides within his limits!) OK, some riders like me are overweight, but, hey, if it weren’t for my bike, I probably wouldn’t pass the Greyhound bus driver’s minimal fitness exam!
Leg Muscles: The study concluded that jockeying a hefty motorcycle into a narrow parking spot is the equivalent of a five minute work out on a rowing machine. Not satisfied with the results of their research, the intrepid MCN team went on to explore the mammoth British Medical Library. There they discovered a pro-moto university thesis entitled “Motorcycle and Adolescents” by French rider and now psychiatrist JP Rabeau. Regarding young riders, this is how the good doctor of the mind wrapped up his research, “Their bikes’ physical nature is often beneficial, rather than a dangerous expression of an unconscious death wishes in the Freudian sense.”
Remember all those tidbits of wisdom that your mother used to tirelessly nag you with? “Do’s” like “eat your veggies” or “take your vitamins” or “wash your hands”? Now you can confidentially add to Mom’s list when you tell your own kids, “…and DON’T FORGET TO RIDE YOUR MOTORCYCLE AT LEAST ONE HOUR DAILY! IT’S GOOD FOR YOU!”
It is still pretty much winter at the time of this riding, so riding my motorcylce can be somewhat problematic, but believe me, as soon as I can, I am going to get on the that big beauty of mine and get some exercise!
Later!
Ride Far and Live Long (Reproduced from the Cruiser Customizing Email Newsletter Issue #068 2/1/06)
How many times has some do-gooder warned you against your motorcycle in the interest of your health? Do you politely stand there while a well-intentioned Samaritan regales you with horror stories of a relative of a friend of a friend who went down two days after he bought his bike? I used to dryly inform such self-appointed nice guys that, since most people die in their own beds, to avoid that horrible fate, it would be best to start sleeping on the floor. Now I no longer go head to head with sufferers of moto-phobia. I just tell them now that biking is conducive to a long, healthy and happy life. Here’s how this came about:
During my recent trip to India I came across a new motorcycle magazine called BIKE India which, surprisingly, boasts some really well-researched articles by some top internationally-recognized and local writers. It seems that the family of Adil Jal Darukhanawala, the Editor of BIKE India, still owns the oldest continuously-run motorcycle dealership in the world (!), which today sells Indian-built Yamahas (called TVS Yamaha) in the university town of Pune, Maharashtra State. Adil is one of the most pro-moto two-wheel visionaries you’ll ever meet. Anyway, the January ’06 issue of BIKE India carries a tightly-researched article entitled "One More Reason to Bike: It’s Good For Your Health!" This article has the hard facts on things that you and I always suspected to be true but had, until now, had no way of proving. The bit of scientific investigation came about when the good folks at Motorcycle Consumer News set out to find Britain’s oldest biker. To the delight of the MCN research team, they found that every single aging rider they talked to credited motorcycling as his or her key to longevity and health. Forging ahead, MCN enlisted the help of students of King’s College of London University Hospital to research why those older riders love motorcycling so much. Here’s what they found:
The Brain: Biking is joyous and is therefore is a natural an anti-depressant. The brain responds to the thrilling sensations of balance combined with forward motion by producing endorphins that prevent depression. Since depression leads to illness, biking is an antidote to disease through prevention of melancholia.
The Lungs: Buses, trains and especially airplanes are confining metal tubes in which passengers are forced to breathe virus-saturated second hand air making for an unsafe travel environment. Bikes on the other hand put you in the wind, a known purifier that is conducive to health by sending fresh oxygen throughout the lungs.
The Heart: The next time a self-styled saint tries to get you safely buckled into some overbuilt SUV, ask him what he thinks the effect of traffic jams and road rage have on the heart. Highway-related anxiety causes a release in hormones that actually increase blood pressure, leading to dangerous levels of stress. Gridlock causes tension, but lanesplitting brings on euphoria. Bye by cars, bye by heart disease.
Circulation: The frequent changes in bodily temperature experienced by motorcyclists stimulate blood circulation, which protects against circulatory problems such as varicose veins and hardening of the arteries. Sitting in some cushy “luxury” car all day in rush hour commute is an excellent way to shut down circulation in the extremities, a known cause of blood clots. Remember that ambulances and hearses are also highly-equipped luxury vehicles.
The Back: Yup, the leaning, turning and twisting that a biker does is downright good exercise that keeps the spine limber. Padded car seats on the other hand are terrible for the back.
Burning of Fat: The excitement of the ride, which puts the senses on high alert, actually burns calories. The more extreme the ride, the better the results will be (as long as the motorcyclist rides within his limits!) OK, some riders like me are overweight, but, hey, if it weren’t for my bike, I probably wouldn’t pass the Greyhound bus driver’s minimal fitness exam!
Leg Muscles: The study concluded that jockeying a hefty motorcycle into a narrow parking spot is the equivalent of a five minute work out on a rowing machine. Not satisfied with the results of their research, the intrepid MCN team went on to explore the mammoth British Medical Library. There they discovered a pro-moto university thesis entitled “Motorcycle and Adolescents” by French rider and now psychiatrist JP Rabeau. Regarding young riders, this is how the good doctor of the mind wrapped up his research, “Their bikes’ physical nature is often beneficial, rather than a dangerous expression of an unconscious death wishes in the Freudian sense.”
Remember all those tidbits of wisdom that your mother used to tirelessly nag you with? “Do’s” like “eat your veggies” or “take your vitamins” or “wash your hands”? Now you can confidentially add to Mom’s list when you tell your own kids, “…and DON’T FORGET TO RIDE YOUR MOTORCYCLE AT LEAST ONE HOUR DAILY! IT’S GOOD FOR YOU!”
It is still pretty much winter at the time of this riding, so riding my motorcylce can be somewhat problematic, but believe me, as soon as I can, I am going to get on the that big beauty of mine and get some exercise!
Later!
Monday, February 06, 2006
A day of geeking out.
Greetings one and all. What a good weekend it was. I don't know how many of you are gamers out there, but I got to have a great two days of gaming at the local game convention and I must say, it was worth the time. As many of you might gather from some of my previous blog postings, I am a pretty big gamer. I like gaming of all sorts, strategy board games, card games, party games, role-playing games and video games. I love them all. I have my favorites, but I will play just about anything. And this weekend I got to hang out with a bunch of fellow gamers and a had a great time. But some thought goes into attending this game convention. First off, I try not to look like your "typical" gamer that everyone thinks of. I wear decent clothing that fits and nothing that says, "Look at me! I am a gamer geek!" Everytime I go to something like this, and there is media there, they always seem to pick out the biggest example of geekdom they can find and this dude, or dudette, always solidifies the publics opinion about gamers being greasy, unwashed, girl fearing people. (and believe me, they are there, but they are the exception to the rule) So I figure, that on the off chance someone from the media tries to photograph me or interview me, I at least will make a decent presentation of myself.
Secondly, I try to get into games with people who feel like I do about games. I want people who love games, love to play them, talk about them, and everything else, but I also want people who have a life other than gaming. I was pleasantly surprised to be involved in most of the games I played with people just like that. Heck! We even went to Hooters! Gamers that are not afraid of girls! ( I did actually meet some guys that would not go to Hooters, but would not declare their reasons why. I can only guess) It was a good time. I was discussing my motorcycle, my wife and kids, my other hobbies, and even my job. It was a really good day! I have not had this much fun gaming in a while! (and I know how to have a good time gaming...)
I am planning on taking my son next year, mainly because of the fact that I don't feel uncomfortable taking him to this convention. In the past, I would have felt bad exposing him to some of the people I met, but this year opened my eyes to the fact that there are regular gamers out there that are just like you and me. I think it will be a blast to have him along. I don't know if I will go to Hooters to eat with him, but we will see what a year brings.
Oh... and I was given a link to a cool video that deals with gamers and fear of girls. Check it out.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7521044027821122670
Enjoy! And remember to game on!!!
Later!
Secondly, I try to get into games with people who feel like I do about games. I want people who love games, love to play them, talk about them, and everything else, but I also want people who have a life other than gaming. I was pleasantly surprised to be involved in most of the games I played with people just like that. Heck! We even went to Hooters! Gamers that are not afraid of girls! ( I did actually meet some guys that would not go to Hooters, but would not declare their reasons why. I can only guess) It was a good time. I was discussing my motorcycle, my wife and kids, my other hobbies, and even my job. It was a really good day! I have not had this much fun gaming in a while! (and I know how to have a good time gaming...)
I am planning on taking my son next year, mainly because of the fact that I don't feel uncomfortable taking him to this convention. In the past, I would have felt bad exposing him to some of the people I met, but this year opened my eyes to the fact that there are regular gamers out there that are just like you and me. I think it will be a blast to have him along. I don't know if I will go to Hooters to eat with him, but we will see what a year brings.
Oh... and I was given a link to a cool video that deals with gamers and fear of girls. Check it out.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7521044027821122670
Enjoy! And remember to game on!!!
Later!
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