Items of Interest

LiveScience: Odysseus' return from Trojan War dated---

In the epic "Odyssey," one of the cornerstones of Western literature, the legendary Greek hero Odysseus returns to his queen Penelope after enduring 10 years of sailing the wine dark sea.

Now scientists have pinned down his return to April 16, 1178 B.C., close to noon local time, according to astronomical references in the epic poem that seem to pinpoint the total eclipse of the sun on the day that Odysseus supposedly returned on.

The "Odyssey" is a millennia-old epic said to be composed by the blind poet Homer. In modern times, the "Odyssey" is typically seen as fiction. Still, Homer's earlier epic, the "Iliad," was centered on the war against Troy, and scientists first uncovered physical evidence of Troy in the 19th century. This has long raised questions as to what other historical facts the epics might refer to.

Do read the rest of the article, as it details how they went about discovering this date! Very interesting!

And this, too.

Reuters: Titanic life jacket sells for $68,500

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Hero Was Suggested by Mary Ann

Staff Sgt. Jude Voss
1st Battalion, 3d Special Forces Group (Airborne)


His courage illustrates a combat truth to these veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam: Soldiers aren’t thinking about glory or ideals in the midst of a battle. They fight for the men to the left and right of them.

And that's just what SSgt. Jude Voss did in September of 2006 when, without consideration to his safety, SSgt. Voss ran through enemy fire and the burning, smoking debris of a truck to rescue Sgt. 1st Class Greg Stube. Sgt. Stube was in a bad way. Uniform burning and legs busted, but because of the actions of SSgt. Voss he is alive today.

Because of his actions that day, SSgt. Voss was nominated for and received the Silver Star Medal for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action. "I did what everybody out there would do" Voss said. "I was just the closest guy."

You can read SSgt. Voss's story here.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Have Every Right To Dream Heroic Dreams. Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Horse Mystery Solved

When I was younger I was horse mad and one of the movies I loved, though it was sad, was Phar Lap, starring Tom Burlinson. I always wondered (as did everyone), what had happened to this champion race horse. The film speculated that he was poisoned with arsenic.

Now the truth has been discovered.

AP: Phar Lap died of arsenic poisoning---

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)—Forensic scientists say champion Australian gelding Phar Lap died of arsenic poisoning, solving a mystery that has intrigued the horse racing world for more than 75 years.

Phar Lap won 37 of his 51 starts before his death in mysterious circumstances at Menlo Park in California in April 1932. Days before his death, he won Mexico’s Agua Caliente Handicap, which was then the richest horse race in North America.

Arsenic poisoning has long been suspected as the cause of Phar Lap’s death, but confirmation had been lacking until Thursday when researchers Dr. Ivan Kempson of the University of South Australia and Dermot Henry, manager of Natural Science Collections at Museum Victoria, released the findings of their forensic investigation.

But they have long thought it was probably an accidental overdose, as tonics and ointments contained things like arsenic.

Wednesday Hero

Click Image To View Full Size



Capt. Jamie Riddle(Left) and an Iraqi Flight Instructor School student walk to the flightline before a recent mission at Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq. The Iraqi air force recently established the school for Iraqi pilots. Captain Riddle is an instructor pilot with the 52nd Flying Training Squadron

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Have Every Right To Dream Heroic Dreams. Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Waterloo

Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, where Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, defeated Napoleon Bonaparte and ended the Little Tyrant's efforts to conquer Europe. We might all be speaking French (or German, as the French can't seem to beat the Germans!) if not for Wellington and his army.

Lots of links here.

Twilight

Last night, about 3am, I finished Stephenie Meyer's novel Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1). It was fantastic. I'm quite obsessed now and I must get my hands on the 2 other books in the series that have been published, New Moon and Eclipse (Breaking Dawn comes out 2 August 2008).

I had heard about the books from students, but hadn't paid much attention until the past week or so. Then, I bought a copy of Twilight and managed to save it until Saturday night. I had a headache all Saturday, which should have sent me to bed early. I couldn't resist beginning the book, though, and ended up reading until 3am (it was quite that good).

It was very hard not to give in and just read the novel in one night. I managed to make myself only read it in bed, before I went to sleep (I did sneak in 3 chapters yesterday afternoon), and stayed up until 3am 3 nights in a row finishing it, listening to DeBussy's "Clair de Lune." I must, must, must go get the other 2 books ASAP!

Twilight is set in tiny Forks, Washington, which is located near Port Angeles. It is about Bella Swan, who moves back to Forks to live with her father. She's used to the hot sun of Phoenix and cannot like the constant clouds and rain. Her first week at school she sees a very interesting group of fellow students, all beautiful beyond belief, sitting at a lunch table with trays of food but not eating anything. One boy in particular, the one with bronze hair, strikes her fancy, and, though he stares at her, seems to dislike her.

Bella finds out these are the Cullens, a group of foster children who live with Dr. Carlisle and Esme Cullen. The one with bronze hair is named Edward Cullen and he ends up saving Bella's life in a way that seems impossible. Bella and Edward strike up a sort of friendship/romance and Bella eventually realizes that Edward and the Cullens are vampires. Edward ends up telling her about the family and how they do not drink human blood, only animal. The difficulty is that Bella's scent is the most beautiful Edward has ever smelled. He adores and loves her and cannot bear to hurt her.

Bella and Edward's romance is one fraught with peril. She is the most tempting thing in the world for Edward but cannot resist being with her. He is the most beautiful and wonderful man in the world but could harm her without meaning to or else break her heart by staying away. Yet, he cannot stay away.

I absolutely loved this novel. There are only a few "vampire" novels that I like and they are usually the ones that are more romance/story than sci-fi. Twilight is one of those, very well-written, funny, heart-wrenching, interesting, and moving. The author, Stephenie Meyers, is a fan of Jane Austen, William Shakespeare, and Charlotte Bronte, to name a few, all favorites of mine. I read that she named Edward "Edward" because it was an old-fashioned, romantic name and for Edward Rochester in Jane Eyre and Edward Ferrars in Sense and Sensibility.


Twilight, the movie, will be in theaters 12 December 2008, starring Robert Pattinson, who played Cedric Diggory in HP and the Goblet of Fire, as Edward Cullen. The official movie site is here.

Stephenie Meyer's site with lots of great items is here.

Go read Twilight!

Happy Flag Day! Happy Birthday, Army!

Today is Flag Day and the birthdate of the United States Army, 233 years ago.

Fly your flag proudly!

Iwo Jima




Ground Zero


After Hurricane Katrina







I Pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Happy Birthday, US Army! Army Strong!



Support our troops!

Items of Interest: 1780 British Warship Found!

I tend to use this word a lot when I'm talking about these sorts of things, but they really are: fascinating! As an Anglophile and historian, I was quite excited to see this article (now if I could only see the ship!).

AP: Explorers find 1780 British warship in Lake Ontario---

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - A 22-gun British warship that sank during the American Revolution and has long been regarded as one of the "Holy Grail" shipwrecks in the Great Lakes has been discovered at the bottom of Lake Ontario, astonishingly well-preserved in the cold, deep water, explorers announced Friday.

Shipwreck enthusiasts Jim Kennard and Dan Scoville used side-scanning sonar and an unmanned submersible to locate the HMS Ontario, which was lost with barely a trace and as many as 130 people aboard during a gale in 1780.

The 80-foot sloop of war is the oldest shipwreck and the only fully intact British warship ever found in the Great Lakes, Scoville and Kennard said.

"To have a Revolutionary War vessel that's practically intact is unbelievable. It's an archaeological miracle," said Canadian author Arthur Britton Smith, who chronicled the history of the HMS Ontario in a 1997 book, "The Legend of the Lake."

The finders of the wreck said they regard it as a war grave and have no plans to raise it or remove any of its artifacts. They said the ship is still considered the property of the British Admiralty.

Wow!

Do read the rest of the story for more details on the condition of the show, how it was identified as HMS Ontario, and how she was lost.

Congratulations, Top Chef Stephanie!

Stephanie was the winner of Top Chef Season 4, beating out Richard and Lisa. Richard sort of had an off day, unfortunately, and Lisa a pretty good one. I felt terribly for Richard, who just didn't have his usual magic. Stephanie was great and I'm so glad that she won!

AP: 'Top Chef' cooks up a first - a female winner---

Stephanie Izard, a 31-year-old, mild-mannered chef from Chicago, beat out 15 other contestants to win the popular reality show designed to test a cook's mettle.

Izard, a former restaurant owner with a fondness for seafood and pork, was among the last three contestants to make Wednesday's finale, along with Lisa Fernandes of New York and Richard Blais of Atlanta.

Going into the finale, Blais appeared to be the favorite, but it was Izard who impressed the judges in the end to capture the title and $100,000 that goes with it.

And her menu:

Ultimately, Izard prevailed with her dishes of sauteed red snapper filet with truffled white asparagus and clam broth; seared quail breast with butter poached lobster ravioli and mango; lamb medallions with maitake mushrooms, olives and braised pistachios; and ricotta pound cake with lime glaze, pineapple and salted banana cream.

Stephanie was a gracious winner and deserved the title after being consistently good all season.

I just wish Richard had been on for this part of the finale. He was superb all season and it was so sad to see him a bit lost tonight. He seems like such a friendly man and talented chef. I'm sure there are only great things ahead for him! And I would love to eat at any restaurant of his (or Stephanie's).

Congratulations, Stephanie Izard!

Items of Interest

There have been a lot of interesting things this week! Here are some more.

Reuters: Headless pyramid attributed to early Egyptian ruler---

SAKKARA, Egypt (Reuters) - Egypt's chief archaeologist said on Thursday he had identified a badly eroded pyramid south of Cairo as that of the Fifth Dynasty Pharaoh Menkauhor, who ruled Egypt in the 24th century BC.

LiveScience: DNA Retrieved from 1,000-year-old Vikings---

Jorgen Dissing of the University of Copenhagen and colleagues say they retrieved the genetic material from the freshly sampled teeth of skeletons dating back to around A.D. 1000 and found at a non-Christian burial site called Galgedil on the Danish island of Funen.

Wearing protective suits, the researchers removed the teeth from the jaw at the moment the skeletons were unearthed, where they had lain untouched for 1,000 years. Subsequent laboratory procedures were carefully controlled to avoid contamination with modern human DNA.

AP: Single-horned 'Unicorn' deer found in Italy---

ROME - A deer with a single horn in the center of its head — much like the fabled, mythical unicorn — has been spotted in a nature preserve in Italy, park officials said Wednesday.

The 1-year-old Roe Deer — nicknamed "Unicorn" — was born in captivity in the research center's park in the Tuscan town of Prato, near Florence, Tozzi said.

He is believed to have been born with a genetic flaw; his twin has two horns.

Calling it the first time he has seen such a case, Tozzi said such anomalies among deer may have inspired the myth of the unicorn.

The unicorn, a horse-like creature with magical healing powers, has appeared in legends and stories throughout history, from ancient and medieval texts to the adventures of Harry Potter.

Yay, a Harry Potter mention!

Reuters: Russia and Ukraine clash over 350-year-old battle---

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A 350-year-old cavalry battle has become the latest irritant between Russia and its neighbor Ukraine after Russia's foreign ministry on Tuesday accused Kiev of using the clash to foment anti-Russian feeling.

The ministry said the 1659 battle of Konotop, in which a Russian invasion was repelled, was being distorted to fit the political agenda of Ukraine's leaders, who have angered Moscow by seeking NATO membership.

In the battle, a Russian force was defeated when it tried to stop a Ukrainian leader from entering into an entente with Poland and Lithuania -- with whom Russia had waged wars.

One English-language reference book, "Ukraine: A History," says the "Tsar's troops suffered one of their worst defeats ever," in the Konotop battle.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has ordered officials to mark the Battle of Konotop's 350th anniversary in 2009 with a series of events starting this year.

Top Chef Finale!

Don't forget! The 2nd half of the Top Chef Season 4 Finale is on tonight! Last week Antonia was sent home (wrong decision!) and horrid Lisa made it to the final, along with the challenge winners, Stephanie and Richard.

I'm rooting for Stephanie or Richard. Stephanie showed such class when her sous chef Dale left the Pork Belly out all night. Rather than throwing a fit (as Dale would have done if the situation had been reversed), she took a minute to get over it and then they came up with a new plan.

I can't believe the season finale is already here!

Who are you cheering for?

Wednesday Hero

Army Spc. Jeffrey A. Williams
20 years old from Warrenville, Illinois
Support Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
September 5, 2005


SPC. Jeffery A. Williams was killed in action when an IED was detonated near his combat patrol in Tal Afar, Iraq.

Your time with us was far too short
Dealing with your loss will be hard,
When I think about what this world has lost
I want to just shut out the world and cry,
But I will not do that.
Because you gave your life for something much greater than you or I
So, I will remember you as the Hero that you are
And never let what you did in your life cut short be forgotten
And that is the best way I know to honor you

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Prince Charles Pays An Old Bill

Very old.

AP: Britain's Prince Charles pays 17th-century debt---

LONDON - Prince Charles has paid off a royal debt from the 17th century, but showed modern-day fiscal prudence by declining to pay the accumulated interest, which would have been substantial after more than 350 years.

Charles made the payment of 453 pounds and 3 shillings — about $900 — during a visit Tuesday to Worcester with his wife, Camilla.

The debt was incurred in 1651 when King Charles II — at the time recognized only as the king of Scotland — was preparing for the Battle of Worcester.

He had asked the Clothiers Company of Worcester to prepare uniforms for his soldiers and pledged to pay afterward. But his forces were defeated and Charles fled to mainland Europe, leaving behind the unpaid bill.

And this was a nice touch:

The prince handed the payment — enclosed in a 1650s-style gaming purse made by the Royal Shakespeare Company — to Andrew Grant, master of the Clothiers Company. Charles received a receipt for his payment after the brief ceremony at the Commandery, which served as the royal headquarters during the Battle of Worcester.

"We are very grateful to the Prince of Wales for repaying the debt to the Worcester Clothiers Company," Grant said.

The Clothiers Company, founded in the 13th century, is one the last of the medieval-era guilds still active in the area.

Items of Interest: 1st Church Discovered?

AFP: Jordan archaeologists unearth 'world's first church'---

Archaeologists in Jordan have unearthed what they claim is the world's first church, dating back almost 2,000 years, The Jordan Times reported on Tuesday.

"We have uncovered what we believe to be the first church in the world, dating from 33 AD to 70 AD," the head of Jordan's Rihab Centre for Archaeological Studies, Abdul Qader al-Husan, said.

He said it was uncovered under Saint Georgeous Church, which itself dates back to 230 AD, in Rihab in northern Jordan near the Syrian border.

"We have evidence to believe this church sheltered the early Christians -- the 70 disciples of Jesus Christ," Husan said.

These Christians, who are described in a mosaic as "the 70 beloved by God and Divine," are said to have fled persecution in Jerusalem and founded churches in northern Jordan, Husan added.

I would love to visit someday!

Portrait of Tom LeFroy for Sale!

If you don't know who Tom LeFroy was, then don't pay attention to the recent film Becoming Jane, which manufactured a huge romance between our beloved Jane Austen and Tom. It is true that Jane and Tom enjoyed a mild fliration over a couple of weeks, but there is really no evidence that it was anything serious or that Tom proposed.

Anyway, a miniature portrait of Mr. LeFroy is for sale:

This week, a rare miniature portrait of the man who some believe may have provided the inspiration for him is going on sale.

One of only two paintings known to exist of Thomas Langlois Lefroy, a 20-year-old law student who met Jane Austen while he was visiting his aunt and uncle in Hampshire, it shows an attractive and sensitive-looking young man dressed in a blue velvet jacket and white cravat. An original watercolour by George Engleheart, it was painted in 1798and is going on sale for £50,000.
[. . .]
The watercolour, which is painted on ivory and measures just 3 inches by 1 ¼ inches, is on display at the Grosvenor House Art and Antiques Fair, at Park Lane in London, from Thursday. It is by Engleheart, the great English miniaturist, and the only one which is dated and signed with the artist's distinctive cursive E. The other portrait remains in the hands of Lefroy's descendants.

Wasn't he a handsome young man?

I think it is utterly absurd to say that Jane Austen could only have "imagined" the character of Mr. Darcy if she had indulged in her own romance. That sells her intellect short and does her such disservice. She was a brilliant woman, capable of coming up with ideas without experiencing them herself.

Remembering D-Day!

Today is the 64th Anniversary of D-Day, when thousands and thousands of brave men stormed the beaches of Normandie, in an effort to drive the German Nazis out of France and defeat them for good. The world would be a far different place today if D-Day had not happened. We owe such a debt of gratitude to those men, but we can never repay it.

All we can do is say thank you, Thank you for risking your lives, your limbs, your sanity, and everything for us and for freedom, and pray for you, treat you with respect, and never, ever forget what you did for us.


Excellent website here. It includes letters GIs sent home, describing D-Day, timelines, maps, information on people and places, and much more.

And more from the Army, including the text and a recording of General Eisenhower's message, maps, photos, WWII posters, and lots more.

The National World War II Museum.

And, The National D-Day Memorial Foundation.

And from today, AP: Vets gather at WWII museum to remember D-Day

And, Reagan's 40th Anniversary of D-Day Speech at Pointe du Hoc.

Items of Interest: Pyramid Lost and Found!

When I was in grade school I was fascinated with Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and I have always been a fan of mysteries. This story combines both.

AP: Egypt uncovers 'missing' pyramid of a pharaoh---

SAQQARA, Egypt - Egyptian archaeologists unveiled on Thursday a 4,000-year-old "missing pyramid" that is believed to have been discovered by an archaeologist almost 200 years ago and never seen again.

Zahi Hawass, Egypt's antiquities chief, said the pyramid appears to have been built by King Menkauhor, an obscure pharaoh who ruled for only eight years.

In 1842, German archaeologist Karl Richard Lepsius mentioned it among his finds at Saqqara, referring to it as number 29 and calling it the "Headless Pyramid" because only its base remains. But the desert sands covered the discovery, and no archaeologist since has been able to find Menkauhor's resting place.

"We have filled the gap of the missing pyramid," Hawass told reporters on a tour of the discoveries at Saqqara, the necropolis and burial site of the rulers of ancient Memphis, the capital of Egypt's Old Kingdom, about 12 miles south of Cairo.

The team also announced the discovery of part of a ceremonial procession road where high priests, their faces obscured by masks, once carried mummified sacred bulls worshipped in the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis.

The pyramid's base — or the superstructure as archeologists call it — was found after a 25-foot-high mound of sand was removed over the past year and a half by Hawass' team.

Hawass said the style of the pyramid indicates it was from the Fifth Dynasty, a period that began in 2,465 B.C. and ended in 2,325 B.C. That would put it about two centuries after the completion of the Great Pyramid of Giza, believed to have been finished in 2,500 B.C.

Do read the rest of the article, as it details the pyramid and what it was used for. Fascinating!

Book Review: Emma & Knightley

When Emma and Knightley marry at the end of Jane Austen's Emma, Emma is a very young 21 or 22 years old. While she has been mistress of her father's house for a number of years, she has never had to balance her role as a daughter caring for her (hypochondriac) father with her new role as Mr. Knightley's wife. I for one always wondered how their relationship continued to develop after the close of Austen's novel.

Fortunately for us, Rachel Billington's novel Emma & Knightley: Perfect Happiness in Highbury: A Sequel to Jane Austen's Emma brings the reader into Emma and Knightley's life after their marriage.

As is usual, I am sure, the Knightleys have their little difficulties adjusting to married life. Knightley has agreed to live to live at Hartfield, rather than his home of Donwell Abbey, so that Mr. Woodhouse will not be disturbed too much. Emma is trying to figure out how to relate to Knightley as her husband, rather than the beloved older neighbor. And he is trying, as always, to help Emma continue to grow into a well-rounded, thoughtful lady, and to help her see him as the love of her life, not just a loving familiar face.

Their lives are further complicated by the difficulties of those around them. Mrs. Bates has died, leaving poor Miss Bates alone. Jane Fairfax Churchill dies, leaving a bereaved (and half-mad) Frank Churchill with a newborn. Knightley's brother John has major financial difficulties, which they hide, for a time, from Emma's sister Isabella. And, it seems as if every couple is having children, except the Knightleys.

I confess, while I love Emma, it is probably my least favorite of Jane Austen's novels, partly because Emma does not seem to grow as much as a person as the other Austen heroines do. That's why I am delighted that Billington did such an excellent job on Emma & Knightley. Her novel continues Emma's growth as a human being and a woman, rather than a girl, and shows how the Knightleys figure out how to relate to eachother as spouses and settle into their marriage.

Billington also did a good job continuing the secondary characters Austen wrote. The Westons are lovely and, naturally, expanding their family. Miss Bates is her usual chatty self, but ends up providing perfect companionship for Mr. Woodhouse. Frank Churchill is a selfish cad and causes Emma difficulties. Billington also introduces new characters, including Mrs. Philomena Tidmarsh, who challenges some of Emma's ideas.

I was also happy with the fact that Billington did not try to change the characters or make them behave in ways inconsistent with their Austen-written characters. The plot was well-developed and satisfying.

Emma & Knightley is a delightful continuation of a beloved book. I recommend it for any Austen fan and anyone interested in following the development of Emma and Knightley's marriage. You can find it at any bookstore or through Amazon.com.

Book Information: Emma & Knightley: Perfect Happiness in Highbury: A Sequel to Jane Austen's Emma by Rachel Billington (Sourcebooks Landmark; ISBN: 1-4022-1207-0; $14.95; 368 pages; paperback)

Wednesday Hero

Petty Officer 2nd Class Adam F. Kenney


Petty Officer 2nd Class Adam F. Kinney, a Navy Corpsman with Company E, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, gives an Iraqi Child a shot during a routine patrol. Kinney is assigned to Echo Co. for their seven-month deployment and will return to his parent command, 4th Tank Battalion in Fort Knox, Ky., upon his arrival.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Top Chef 4 Season Finale Begins Tonight!

What else is there to say? :)The first half of the Top Chef Season 4 Finale is on tonight at 10pm. The final four are Antonia, Richard, Stephanie, and Lisa. I love Antonia and like Richard a lot. Stephanie is pretty good. But, I absolutely detest Lisa! I don't know how she made it this far with that horrid attitude, greasy personality, and lackluster dishes.

I'm really excited to see the challenges they face tonight (and hopefully Lisa goes home!). They will be in Puerto Rico for this finale.

Who are you cheering for?

To Dani!

Dani

13 May 1998-2 June 2006

We love you always!

Thank you for the rainbow today and for sending Molly to us!