February 23rd: Today in 1778 Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben arrives at Valley Forge to train the continental army in a new drill manual to fight the British Army. His introduction of Prussian style drill and organization provided a huge morale boost to the army the army came out of winter camp better prepared to [...]

This exciting web quiz determines which Sci-Fi Crew you belong on. I had a three way tie with Babylon 5, the X-Files and Battlestar Galactica but my tie breaker put me into the Babylon 5 crew. I don’t know if that is a good thing or not as I haven’t seen much of the show [...]

How many folksingers does it take to change a light bulb? I recognized most of the songs. I  am sad like that.
Via Boing Boing

Relax, but fearfully. Shark attacks are down in 2005, but up overall. SHARK! EEEEEIIIIIAAAAAHHHHH! [Chomping Noises]Gurgle…[/Chomping Noises]

February 22nd: Today in 1879 the first Woolworths store opened. It failed weeks later. Woolworth was persistant however and got his chain rolling and it ran in the US until 1997 when it transitioned to Foot Locker stores. The chain is still active in the UK however and the stores there fill anyone who remembers [...]

Many people I know in England will think this is a waste of time and effort, but I like the fact that they have sequestered the tower ravens off to protect them from bird flu. England’s culture and legends deserve just as much care and consideration as anyone elses and if the ravens die, the [...]

OK, this is a cool site. This is what the Internet is for. Go to this site and see what song was number one on the day you were born. Mine was “Walk Right In” by The Rooftop Singers. A year later would have been ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’. What was yours?

February 21rst: Today in 1848 Karl Marx’s The Communist Manifesto is first published. The work lays the foundation for much of the twentieth century’s most deadly turmoil as governments around the world struggle against human nature to implement Marx’s visions of a worker lead state. Sadly all turn to oppression to try and reach their [...]

Came across a great quote today attributed to Edward R. Murrow, sadly not sourced which leads me to suspect it is simply an internet quote like those attributed to George Carlin or Kurt Vonnegut. Anyway this quote sums up my feelings whenever I watch politicians working:
When the politicians complain that TV turns the proceedings into [...]

February 20th: Today in 1472 after five hundred years of Norwegian rule the Orkney and Shetland Islands become Scottish after the failure to pay the dowry of Margret of Denmark who married James II of England.