While the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, took chocolate sauce with him on his pioneering trip in 1961, his successors hoping to colonise the moon and Mars may see red wine and dark chocolate on the menu.
A study has found, for the first time, that chemicals in the two foodstuffs can help people cope with the physical stress of space travel.
Compounds called flavonols, whose health benefits have been widely extolled by nutritionists, have been found to keep the immune system working properly in space.
I read today as a prelude to a story about D-Day commemorations the phrase “This will be the last significant observation of this event. Because only a handful of living veterans are now participating and none will be alive for the 100th year anniversary.
Really? Because the battle of Gettysburg, one hundred and fifty six years ago still commands great interest and respect in both the North and the South. It is my belief that as long as the American Republic survives both battles will continue to be marked by intense interest, respect and devotion to the principles of Honor, Duty and Freedom that both events represent.
“In great deeds, something abides. On great fields, something stays. Forms change and pass; bodies disappear; but spirits linger, to consecrate ground for the vision-place of souls… generations that know us not and that we know not of, heart-drawn to see where and by whom great things were suffered and done for them, shall come to this deathless field, to ponder and dream; and lo! the shadow of a mighty presence shall wrap them in its bosom, and the power of the vision pass into their souls.” – Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain.
June 4th 2018 marks the 14th anniversary of the Killdozer’s rampage through Granby Colorado.
Sit down kids and let me tell you a tale, about a reasonable man driven to do unreasonable things.
Marvin Heemeyer was a man who owned a muffler shop in Granby Colorado. The city council ordained to approve the construction of a concrete factory in the lot across from Marvin’s shop. In the process this blocked the only access road to the muffler shop. Marvin petitioned to stop the construction to no avail. Petitioned to construct a new access road, and even bought the heavy machinery to do so himself. Denied.
The concrete factory went up in disregard to the ramifications on Marvin’s business. To add insult to injury, the factory construction disconnected the muffler shop from the city sewage lines. An indifferent city government then chose to fine Marvin for this.
His business and livelihood were in ruin. Rather than lie down and die, Marvin chose to fight back. Over the course of a year and a half Marvin secretly outfitted the bulldozer he bought to save his business with three foot thick steel and concrete armor, camera systems guarded with bulletproof glass.
On June 4th 2004 Marvin Heemeyer lowered the armored shell over top of himself, entombing himself inside the Killdozer to make his last stand.
He burst forth from the walls of his muffler shop and straight into the concrete factory that ruined his business. Over the course of the next several hours Marvin drove his Killdozer through 13 buildings owned by those officials that had wronged him, including the city council building itself.
Swat teams swarmed the dozer, but it proved immune to small arms fire and even explosives. Another piece of heavy machinery was even brought out to fight the Killdozer, but it too fell to the dozers righteous fury.
In the end, Marvin’s Killdozer became trapped in one of the buildings it was built to destroy. Marvin chose to take his life, the only life he took that day.
Today we celebrate Killdozer day and Marvin Heemeyer, the last great American folk hero. A man driven to the brink who chose to fight back against an indifferent system.
From notes left behind after his passing: “I was always willing to be reasonable until I had to be unreasonable. Sometimes reasonable men must do unreasonable things.”
When injustice becomes the law, resistance becomes duty
A Find A Grave photo request has just been made in your area. If you are able to take this photograph, please read the ‘Instructions for Photographers’ paragraph at the end of this email.
Name: Edmond J Harvey (unknown – Jan. 14, 1945)
Several years ago, after receiving this email, I set out to photograph this man’s resting place. Shortly afterwards I sent this email back.
“I’ve just received the location information about this grave.
Returning veterans bodies whose families could not afford a grave-site were buried in the veterans section (2). Within the cemetery that is between Immaculate Conception Ave. and St. Francis Ave., beyond that there was no record of the row or plot as the men were buried as they came back. “
Section two was about two acres, I came to find that the majority of the WWII graves had only a flat, 12″x5″ rectangular stone marker with Name, Date and Unit. I walked every inch of that section, but I never found “Edmond J Harvey”. I did find a number of stone markers after going to unmarked areas when the spacing should have had a grave and dug around under the sod until I found the buried markers. By rain and snow and growing grass did disappear the markers of forgotten men, those whose families had moved away or never thought to maintain their resting place.
The next Memorial Day (aka Decoration Day), overcast and rainy, I rather self-consciously walked to the middle of the field in an area without visible markers or headstones, and placed a small batch of flowers alone on the wet ground. Edmond J Harvey is there, somewhere, and on each Memorial Day since as I go by that place I think about him and whisper a short prayer. For all the forgotten men.
Jenn Budenz lies on a blanket with her 2-month-old son, AJ, as they visit the grave of Maj. Andrew Budenz at Miramar National Cemetery on May 22, 2014, in San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV/San Diego Union-Tribune)
There’s a difference: Armed Forces Day (3rd Sat. of May)
For those who currently wear the uniform. Veterans Day (Nov. 11th)
For those who used to wear the uniform. Memorial Day (last Monday of May)
For those who never made it out of uniform.
Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man.
Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded -- here and there, now and then -- are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty. This is known as "bad luck." -- Robert A. Heinlein
Wrath Of Gnon
“In an age where the media publish endless stupidities, the cultured man is defined not by what he knows but by what he ignores.” ー Nicolás Gómez Dávila
On the North River 