Coins & Currency, a kerfluffle?

It is a fine +33ºF and overcast morning here in Old Saint Paul, Minnesota

It is a fine +33ºF and overcast morning here in Old Saint Paul, Minnesota, and I am enjoying my mug of organically & shade-grown, Fair-Trade, Sumatran-Roast coffee on my back porch. Lacking anything to post about, I went into my email for inspiration.

A week ago I received the following in an email from Elizabeth, a woman with whom I worked on some genealogy research:

“Here is your chance to let the media know where the people stand on our faith in God, as a nation. NBC is taking a poll on ‘In God We Trust’ to stay on our American currency. Please send this to every Christian you know so they can vote on this important subject. Please do it right away, before NBC takes this off the web page.”

As far as I know, there is no movement of any size in favor of removing “In God We Trust” from our coinage and currency, the poll was running 85% in favor of retaining the motto at the time I checked it and the Supreme Court in the case, Lynch v. Donnelly, decided in 1984 to uphold the motto because it has “…lost through rote repetition any significant religious content…so-called acts of ‘ceremonial deism’ that have lost their ‘history, character, and context’…”

As the issue appears to be settled, the majority of Americans (who actually care) wish it to remain on our coinage & currency as suggested by a Gallup poll taken September 19-21, 2003, and the Supreme Court decision of March 5, 1984, why then am I bothering to write about this?

Because of one word in the following sentence: “Please send this to every Christian you know so they can vote on this important subject.”

Why did she exclude Jews & Muslims? All three of the major monotheistic religions believe in the same God.

I did not forward the email (I never forward any email).

Take heart, Liz, “In God We Trust” will remain on our coinage & currency.

More Changes in Cages

Every now and again it seems just right to make a change. This is one of those times for a little change here on “Our Saint Paul.” Not a huge change…you very likely haven’t yet noticed it—but it’s there—in front of your eyes.

I was today given an opportunity that I simply couldn’t resist. I like the old one, but it lacked—something. I couldn’t put my finger on it, what “it” was, but I knew it was there. Nagging at the edges of my consciousness. Bugging me.

This change—the one in front of your eyes—makes me happy. “Happy” is good. I LIKE happy. Happy makes me—well—happy.

As you can plainly see by now, I made that change. Change is good. I like change—in moderation.

Do you like the change?

You saw the change—right?

Here’s a hint:

Socialism—or appropriate government services? It depends…

…upon your point of view.

It is a fine 0ºF (windchill –12ºF) and partly-cloudy morning here in Old Saint Paul, Minnesota—OUTSIDE—I am, of course, INSIDE, enjoying my mug of organically & shade-grown, Fair-Trade, Sumatran-Roast coffee! I’m thinking about the much-bandied-about word “socialism.”

A simple definition from Karl Marx himself: “from each according to his ability to each according to his need.” [Karl Marx in his 1875 Critique of the Gotha Program.]

But Marx’s definition, if worded just a little differently: “from each according to his ability (to pay taxes), to each according to his need (everyone),” would apply to ALL government services.

Those government services that are perceived as beneficial the individual (but may not benefit others) are not socialist, but essential.

Those government services that are perceived as not beneficial the individual (but may benefit others) are socialist.

The Death of Christopher Thomas Servos—Part II

Two very different stories of the same event.

My 4^th-great-granduncle Christopher Thomas Servos, born June 17^th 1721 in Neu Weid, Germany of Serbian descent. He was killed by Continental soldiers of the American Revolution in June of 1778 at his home near Lutheranville, New York.

During the particularly vicious partisan warfare in Western New York, members of this family (the name then known both as “Servos” and “Service”) served on both sides during the American Revolution.

Jack Peltier, a fellow family researcher, provided me with two accounts of the death of Christopher from both the Loyalist and Patriot view (see Part I).

Part II: The account of his death from the Continental Soldier’s point of view.

“The people of Schoharie had long suspected Service—who remained with his family entirely exposed to the enemy—of clandestinely affording them assistance etc.”

From the commencement of the border difficulties, Service had greatly aided the enemies of his country, by sheltering and victualing them, in numerous instances. He was comparatively wealthy, for the times, owning a well-stocked farm and a gristmill.”

“When the Tories and Indians from Canada were on their way to destroy the settlements, they always found a home at his house, from whence, after recruiting, they sallied forth on their missions of death. Several attempts were made to take him before the Schoharie committee, previous to his joining Brant in his expedition against Cobbleskill. etc.”

“Capt. Long and his companions then directed their steps to the dwelling of Service. On arriving near, proper caution was taken to prevent his escape, and Murphy and Elerson were deputed to arrest him. They found the Tory back of his house, making a harrow.”

“On the approach of the two friends, Mrs. Service, suspecting the object of their visit, came out and stood near them, when they informed her husband the nature of their visit. Service called them d-d rebels, and retreating a few steps, he seized an axe and aimed a blow at the head of Murphy.”

“But the man who could guard against surprise from the wily Indian, was not to fall thus ignobly. Elerson, who stood a few feet from his companion, as he assured the author, told Murphy to shoot the d – d rascal.”

“The wife of Service, seeing the determined look of Murphy, caught hold of his arm and besought him not to fire. He gently pushed her aside, and patting her on the shoulder said, ‘Mother, he never will sleep with you again’.”

“In another instant, the unerring bullet from his rifle had penetrated the Tory’s heart. Capt. Long and his men now advanced to the house, in which was found forty loaves of fresh bread, proving that some notice had already reached there, of Smith’s intended visit.”

[Source: History of Schoharie County, Jeptha R. Simms - 1845, Chapter 9, provided by Jack W. Peltier]

Christopher Thomas Servos is of the family of my paternal great-grandmother Jane Elizabeth Serviss, wife of Silas Boardman.

It is instructive to view the different narratives of the same event—an early version of “spin.”

The Death of Christopher Thomas Servos—Part I

Two very different stories of the same event.

My 4^th-great-granduncle Christopher Thomas Servos, born June 17^th 1721 in Neu Weid, Germany of Serbian descent. He was killed by Continental soldiers of the American Revolution in June of 1778 at his home near Lutheranville, New York.

During the particularly vicious partisan warfare in Western New York, members of this family (the name then known both as “Servos” and “Service”) served on both sides during the American Revolution.

Jack Peltier, a fellow family researcher, provided me with two accounts of the death of Christopher from both the Loyalist and Patriot view.

Part I: The account of his death from the Loyalist point of view.

“Thomas Servos was in June 1778 living quietly at home, attending to his farms and mills, when the expedition sent to arrest him entered the valley and suddenly surrounded his house. It was night but the family was still up. The four sons of Thomas Servos were all away at the time. His wife, a worthy lady of Dutch family, with son Daniel’s wife and his grand-daughter Magdalene, three years old, with the servants white and black were all that were in the house.”

“The cavalry rode up suddenly to the door and the house was surrounded before any alarm was given. Their leader called for Thomas Servos, who went out to speak to him. Seeing the state of affairs and guessing at once their business, he went back into the house to pacify his family and bade them be prepared to face quietly with courage whatever fate was before them.”

“The officers, Long, Murphy and Ellerson with several of their men dismounted and went into the house, and with much irritating language proceeded rudely to arrest Servos and ordered him to accompany them as their prisoner to Albany.”

“He refused and when Murphy laid hands on him he broke away and took up an axe that lay near and lifted it to defend himself, when he was instantly shot by the rifle of Ellerson and fell dead upon hearthstone.”

“The women of the house were not injured but the house was ram sacked and plundered of its money and valuables of every kind etc.”

“The two young sons of Thomas Servos returned home from the woods. Seeing the house surrounded by rebel troops and not knowing what had happened they watched on the edge of the forest until the troops departed and they ran in and found the father killed and their mother and the rest of the family in terrible distress….the boys placed their mother and the wife and child of Daniel with relations, who gladly received them, and then took to the woods and made their way to Niagara in order to join the Regiment of Butlers Rangers in which their brother Daniel served.”

[Source: The Servos Family by William Kirby, provided by Jack W. Peltier]

Christopher Thomas Servos is of the family of my paternal great-grandmother Jane Elizabeth Serviss, wife of Silas Boardman.

Tomorrow: The account of his death from the Continental Soldier’s point of view.

A Day at the Office—Turn on your LIGHTS!

A photo-essay of my day at the office yesterday. Comments have been changed to reflect the G-Rating of this blog.

Southbound on Dale St. Roselawn Cemetery 22 January 2009. Before I found the fog.

Northbound on MN Hwy 95, 22 January 2009: I can easily see this truck because its lights are on!

Northbound on MN Hwy 95, 22 January 2009 Do your lights not work?

Northbound on MN Hwy 95, 22 January 2009 I don’t care if they don’t help you see—they help me SEE YOU!

There you have it…my extreme frustration with folks who just don’t want to be seen. If I can’t see you, I may not be able to avoid you.

1200 hours, 20 Jan 2009—a long time in coming!

A New Era Begins

It is a fine +17ºF (windchill +8ºF) and overcast morning here in Old Saint Paul, Minnesota, and I am REALLY enjoying my mug of organically & shade-grown, Fair-Trade, Sumatran-Roast coffee! Especially today.

Inauguration Day is FINALLY here and at 12PM we will inaugurate the 44^th President of the United States.

The whole world really is watching.

I beg your (preemptive) Pardon!

It is a fine +4ºF (windchill –3ºF) and partly-cloudy morning here in Old Saint Paul, Minnesota—OUTSIDE—I am INSIDE, enjoying my mug of organically & shade-grown, Fair-Trade, Sumatran-Roast coffee!

Tomorrow is an historic event—such an event as we in the United States of America have never seen—the inauguration of our first minority President, and I, like many of my fellows, am very excited about it.

There is the potential for another historic event—the rumored (on the Left, at least) preemptive blanket-pardon by outgoing President George W. Bush of all members of his administration. I am not aware of this ever having been done and I find it curious that such a thing is possible—how may one receive a pardon for crimes not charged? It is apparently so.

For weeks now, this administration and their right wing-nut talking-head surrogates have been working overtime to re-write history, even though the polls suggest this is a Quixotic quest at best. Give them credit for the attempt.

During the hours remaining of the Bush Administration I will be watching with great interest for this rumored preemptive pardon, and if President Bush trips the trigger and issues it…

It will put an historic exclamation point on this administration—for ever!

Another “white knuckle” day!

Long-term parking,.

It is a fine -6ºF (windchill –23ºF) and partly-cloudy morning here in Old Saint Paul, Minnesota—OUTSIDE—but I am INSIDE, standing on the porch would be foolish when I can be warm AND fortified by my mug of organically & shade-grown, Fair-Trade, Sumatran-Roast coffee!

While Monday was a challenge, Tuesday turned out to be worse (if that’s possible). My drive to work was a good 25 minutes longer than the usual 20 minutes as all three lanes were stopped because someone was driving his/her Dodge Ram 4×4 too fast for the road-conditions and spun out. Sadly, the driver was taken away by paramedics.

In terms of accidents and spin-outs, yesterday was worse than Monday, because the main roads were plowed, but the sub-zero cold + vehicle exhausts created a lot of invisible black ice.

I remembered my camera, and although driving conditions prevented in-motion windshield-shots, I did manage a few shots when stopped or nearly stopped:

The above photo taken in Rosemount, MN, shows the final parking lot in which many of the accident & spin-out vehicle-victims will spend the rest of their days until finally crushed into blocks of steel for the blast-furnace of some steel plant, I expect.

Grand Hill at -14ºF.

This photo was taken on the Grand Avenue Hill in the Crocus Hill neighborhood of Saint Paul and features the steam-plume from Excel Energy’s High Bridge new (natural gas fired) power plant.

Sundog & Steam over the Mississippi

And this final photo was taken on the Wakota Bridge over the Mississippi near South Saint Paul as traffic slowed to a near-stop. The un-aimed shot taken quickly over the shoulder captured a sundog and the steam rising from the open water of the river channel.

And that concludes my photo-efforts for yesterday. Stay warm, Gentle Reader!

A “white knuckle” day

It is a fine -8ºF (windchill –27ºF) and partly-cloudy morning here in Old Saint Paul, Minnesota—OUTSIDE—but I am INSIDE enjoying both the warmth of my office, and my mug of organically & shade-grown, Fair-Trade, Sumatran-Roast coffee, that is…oh, you know the rest…

I pride myself on being aware of the weather forecast for the day, as it can affect my job. I am embarrassed to report to you, Gentle Reader, that I underestimated yesterday’s forecast…

That was my first mistake—the second was taking the time to wash my salt-crusted truck. Not only that—and making matters worse—one of my colleagues washed another of our trucks. Look, it almost never fails, summer or winter, if a vehicle is washed, it often guarantees that it will rain or snow—in this case, it snowed—and snowed. Maybe 5”.

With the truck all clean and loaded for my morning deliveries, I set out for my first stops: North Saint Paul, Vadnais Heights, and north to Wyoming, MN (30 mi). From Wyoming, I headed southwest to Fridley down I35W, and about half the way there, it began. The snow.

By the time I reached my Fridley stop there was already some significant accumulation of the greasy-skid-stuff, and I had another 40 or so miles to go…

…And the snow continued to fall.

Back at the store after that 1^st run, the one who is my “boss” but doesn’t act like one, had two, yes only two more deliveries for me. South. The farthest delivery being in Lakeville. Deep in Lakeville, some 40 miles away from the store, the closer in Apple Valley, a mere 25 miles.

He thought I would reject the deliveries—I could, it is driver’s discretion in severe weather.

I made my 3^rd mistake—I agreed to take the deliveries.

Nothing bad happened…but a couple of times it was white-out driving; impossible to discern where the roadway ended and the farm fields began. Worse, I forgot to bring my camera—I could have snapped some great windshield shots of real North Country winter!

Today promises to be cold, but the roads should be in better shape—still, I’m bring my camera. Who knows?

Maybe something will develop…