Some interesting(?) history stuff...
 

Since I have some 3-4 hours to kill while my SO does what ladies call
"getting dressed to go out" and men call "trying on every garment they
own...three times," my reply to Chuck Spanish bureaucrats brought to
mind an interesting, at least to me anyway, story of old bureaucrats
meeting new. Several members of my paternal Grandfather's family came
to the US as diplomats/businessmen and among them was the Ferdinand's
representative to the US. He presented his papers to then-Sec. of
State, Thomas Jefferson, who, albeit a friend of this ancestor and an
educated, worldly man himself, couldn't seem to get his "writer's mind"
around the concept of names differing in French, Spanish, and English -
for example, Jacques, Diego, and James all being interpretations of the
same name. Jefferson was apparently a poor speller, who also apparently
thought, well, close was good enough for government work when it came to
spelling and even names - i.e., John Smith might become "Jno. Smythe,"
"Jon Smit," and "Jm. Smith" all in the same writing. This has led some
to come up with all sorts of interesting, but totally incorrect,
theories regarding this particular ancestor's geographic origin, etc.

In any case, while our family copies of certain documents are clear, the
"official" versions are in the Jefferson collection at the Library of
Congress, which contains 1000s of important and, like the documents in
question, not-so-important documents. On a trip to the Library, I
decided to go look at the "official" copy. The first person I met was
a/the curator of the Jefferson papers, who acted like I was asking to
dry my hands with the Declaration of Independence or something.

While the file and papers in question are historically interesting, they
are not historically significant, and I suspect my request was the first
such in years, so the "too much handling" initial objection seemed,
well, like (bull) . Then came the "there are transcripts..." objection.
Yes, there are, but the transcripts of the document are at odds. Then
came the "it's on film, on the internet" ploy. Again, true, but the
microfilm version is not clear. Yet, he insisted, HE, being
oh-so-familiar with Jefferson's handwriting, could read it. So he
tried. He got it wrong, but still refused to budge, my seeing the
actual documents. He acted like it would take cutting miles of
bureaucratic red tape and literally, an Act of Congress, to gather the
senior personnel together who had access to the codes needed to bring
this stuff up through several airlocks from some cryogenic storage deep
under DC. I was imagining scenes from "National Treasure" or something.

Well, I thought, vaults and airlocks be damned - I wanted to see this
copy now more than ever, so I appealed to his boss. I made my case, he
agreed the microfilm version was unclear, and said I could see the
documents. He asked me to wait a moment and he'd be right back. I
expected him to return with special suits, respirators, a team of
security people, etc. Nope. He returns in about 90 seconds with what
appeared to be a normal file folder, opens it, and hands me the
documents, which were simply stored in it like any other government
paperwork.

TC,
R

wrote in message
...
Since I have some 3-4 hours to kill while my SO does what ladies call
"getting dressed to go out" and men call "trying on every garment they
own...three times," my reply to Chuck Spanish bureaucrats brought to
mind an interesting, at least to me anyway, story of old bureaucrats
meeting new. Several members of my paternal Grandfather's family came
to the US as diplomats/businessmen and among them was the Ferdinand's
representative to the US. He presented his papers to then-Sec. of
State, Thomas Jefferson, who, albeit a friend of this ancestor and an
educated, worldly man himself, couldn't seem to get his "writer's mind"
around the concept of names differing in French, Spanish, and English -
for example, Jacques, Diego, and James all being interpretations of the
same name. Jefferson was apparently a poor speller, who also apparently
thought, well, close was good enough for government work when it came to
spelling and even names - i.e., John Smith might become "Jno. Smythe,"
"Jon Smit," and "Jm. Smith" all in the same writing. This has led some
to come up with all sorts of interesting, but totally incorrect,
theories regarding this particular ancestor's geographic origin, etc.

In any case, while our family copies of certain documents are clear, the
"official" versions are in the Jefferson collection at the Library of
Congress, which contains 1000s of important and, like the documents in
question, not-so-important documents. On a trip to the Library, I
decided to go look at the "official" copy. The first person I met was
a/the curator of the Jefferson papers, who acted like I was asking to
dry my hands with the Declaration of Independence or something.

While the file and papers in question are historically interesting, they
are not historically significant, and I suspect my request was the first
such in years, so the "too much handling" initial objection seemed,
well, like (bull) . Then came the "there are transcripts..." objection.
Yes, there are, but the transcripts of the document are at odds. Then
came the "it's on film, on the internet" ploy. Again, true, but the
microfilm version is not clear. Yet, he insisted, HE, being
oh-so-familiar with Jefferson's handwriting, could read it. So he
tried. He got it wrong, but still refused to budge, my seeing the
actual documents. He acted like it would take cutting miles of
bureaucratic red tape and literally, an Act of Congress, to gather the
senior personnel together who had access to the codes needed to bring
this stuff up through several airlocks from some cryogenic storage deep
under DC. I was imagining scenes from "National Treasure" or something.

Well, I thought, vaults and airlocks be damned - I wanted to see this
copy now more than ever, so I appealed to his boss. I made my case, he
agreed the microfilm version was unclear, and said I could see the
documents. He asked me to wait a moment and he'd be right back. I
expected him to return with special suits, respirators, a team of
security people, etc. Nope. He returns in about 90 seconds with what
appeared to be a normal file folder, opens it, and hands me the
documents, which were simply stored in it like any other government
paperwork.

Zzzzzzzzzzzz.......huh?.......oh...........another
Snedeker........zzzzzzzzzzz.........

Wolfgang

The guy obviously pegged you for an aggie, then he saw the crayons in your
pocket and of course he got nervous. \


wrote in message
...
Since I have some 3-4 hours to kill while my SO does what ladies call
"getting dressed to go out" and men call "trying on every garment they
own...three times," my reply to Chuck Spanish bureaucrats brought to
mind an interesting, at least to me anyway, story of old bureaucrats
meeting new. Several members of my paternal Grandfather's family came
to the US as diplomats/businessmen and among them was the Ferdinand's
representative to the US. He presented his papers to then-Sec. of
State, Thomas Jefferson, who, albeit a friend of this ancestor and an
educated, worldly man himself, couldn't seem to get his "writer's mind"
around the concept of names differing in French, Spanish, and English -
for example, Jacques, Diego, and James all being interpretations of the
same name. Jefferson was apparently a poor speller, who also apparently
thought, well, close was good enough for government work when it came to
spelling and even names - i.e., John Smith might become "Jno. Smythe,"
"Jon Smit," and "Jm. Smith" all in the same writing. This has led some
to come up with all sorts of interesting, but totally incorrect,
theories regarding this particular ancestor's geographic origin, etc.

In any case, while our family copies of certain documents are clear, the
"official" versions are in the Jefferson collection at the Library of
Congress, which contains 1000s of important and, like the documents in
question, not-so-important documents. On a trip to the Library, I
decided to go look at the "official" copy. The first person I met was
a/the curator of the Jefferson papers, who acted like I was asking to
dry my hands with the Declaration of Independence or something.

While the file and papers in question are historically interesting, they
are not historically significant, and I suspect my request was the first
such in years, so the "too much handling" initial objection seemed,
well, like (bull) . Then came the "there are transcripts..." objection.
Yes, there are, but the transcripts of the document are at odds. Then
came the "it's on film, on the internet" ploy. Again, true, but the
microfilm version is not clear. Yet, he insisted, HE, being
oh-so-familiar with Jefferson's handwriting, could read it. So he
tried. He got it wrong, but still refused to budge, my seeing the
actual documents. He acted like it would take cutting miles of
bureaucratic red tape and literally, an Act of Congress, to gather the
senior personnel together who had access to the codes needed to bring
this stuff up through several airlocks from some cryogenic storage deep
under DC. I was imagining scenes from "National Treasure" or something.

Well, I thought, vaults and airlocks be damned - I wanted to see this
copy now more than ever, so I appealed to his boss. I made my case, he
agreed the microfilm version was unclear, and said I could see the
documents. He asked me to wait a moment and he'd be right back. I
expected him to return with special suits, respirators, a team of
security people, etc. Nope. He returns in about 90 seconds with what
appeared to be a normal file folder, opens it, and hands me the
documents, which were simply stored in it like any other government
paperwork.

TC,
R

"B J Conner" wrote in message
news:D6cQd.7097$uc.659@trnddc01...
The guy obviously pegged you for an aggie, then he saw the crayons in your
pocket and of course he got nervous.

I'm guessing it wasn't so much the crayons as the fact that they weren't yet
blunted.

Wolfgang

My Grandpa had a dog named Zero :-)

bruce h

"bruiser" wrote in message
...
My Grandpa had a dog named Zero :-)

Hell, that's nuthin'.

Wolfgang

On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 01:19:31 GMT, "B J Conner"
wrote:

The guy obviously pegged you for an aggie, then he saw the crayons in your
pocket

Those weren't crayons in my pocket, I just don't need Viagra...

On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 19:38:19 -0600, "Wolfgang" wrote:


"B J Conner" wrote in message
news:D6cQd.7097$uc.659@trnddc01...
The guy obviously pegged you for an aggie, then he saw the crayons in your
pocket and of course he got nervous.

I'm guessing it wasn't so much the crayons as the fact that they weren't yet
blunted.

Like I said, they weren't crayons, and I don't need Viagra...blunted,
hell, 12 bald eagles can perch on it...

OK, OK! So the last eagle has to stand on one leg...

On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 19:56:56 -0700, "bruiser"
wrote:

My Grandpa had a dog named Zero :-)

Was he a Japanese diplomat?

"Wolfgang" wrote in message
...

Zzzzzzzzzzzz.......huh?.......oh...........another
Snedeker........zzzzzzzzzzz.........


About what I'd expect you to say. And allot cheaper than dealing with the
obvious mental effects (and affects) of your own origins.

Your comments frequently suggest to me very much the thought processes and
history dismissive attitudes of the thankfully deceased Paul De Mann. De
Mann, a prominent Belgium Nazi in his youth, managed to hide this fact most
of his life, while building a very successful career in U.S. academe in
large part around a scholastic assertion of the impenetrability of
historical fact. Like you apparently, De Mann was not aware that there were
positive treatment protocols for the personal anguish of his situation.

And on another note . . . the Americas do have a history clown boy, and it
is considered quite normal for people to be interested in the roles played
by their forebearers, positive and negative, in that history.

Dave

On 2/15/05 2:21 PM, in article
, "David Snedeker"
wrote:

Your comments frequently suggest to me very much the thought processes and
history dismissive attitudes of the thankfully deceased Paul De Mann. De
Mann, a prominent Belgium Nazi in his youth, managed to hide this fact most
of his life, while building a very successful career in U.S. academe in
large part around a scholastic assertion of the impenetrability of
historical fact. Like you apparently, De Mann was not aware that there were
positive treatment protocols for the personal anguish of his situation.

I don't know this De Mann fellow, but he sure sounds a lot like the late
deconstructionist Paul de Man.

Bill

"David Snedeker" wrote in message
...

"Wolfgang" wrote in message
...

Zzzzzzzzzzzz.......huh?.......oh...........another
Snedeker........zzzzzzzzzzz.........


About what I'd expect you to say.

We aims to please.

And allot cheaper than dealing with the
obvious mental effects (and affects) of your own origins.

My origins? Nothing very remarkable there. Born of woman, in the
usual way........or, so I'm told. You?

Your comments frequently suggest to me very much the thought
processes and
history dismissive attitudes of the thankfully deceased Paul De
Mann.

What things suggest to you is a source of endless fascination to me.
I've missed out little chats lately. Have you been terribly busy?

De
Mann, a prominent Belgium Nazi in his youth, managed to hide this
fact most
of his life, while building a very successful career in U.S. academe
in
large part around a scholastic assertion of the impenetrability of
historical fact.

Interesting. Sounds like the kind of guy who would see Israelis
lurking under every rock.

Like you apparently, De Mann was not aware that there were
positive treatment protocols for the personal anguish of his
situation.

Well, I have a legitimate excuse........I'd never heard of him before
now. What a pity that YOU didn't tell him about his options.

And on another note . . . the Americas do have a history clown boy,

Izzatafact? Well, I'll be jiggered.

and it
is considered quite normal for people to be interested in the roles
played
by their forebearers, positive and negative, in that history.

Seems normal enough to me. And your observation is proof positive (if
it were needed) that pathology doesn't necessarily preclude an
occasional flash of near average insight.

Wolfgang
who considers it quite normal for people to be uninterested in a nut
case's grandiose illusions of olympian descent.

"William Claspy" wrote in message
...
On 2/15/05 2:21 PM, in article
, "David Snedeker"
wrote:

SNIP. Like you apparently, De Mann was not aware that there were
positive treatment protocols for the personal anguish of his situation.

I don't know this De Mann fellow, but he sure sounds a lot like the late
deconstructionist Paul de Man.

Bill

And you are right per the spelling of course.

Dave

well, I found the story mildly interesting on a slow day. Of course, as a
lay-person, you could have no way of knowing that they were storing the aged
documents in archival-quality manila folders. Look just like the cheap-ass
kind at a glance. Only the real pros get their hands on them for
Jeffersonian era documents and suchg. I'm sure the file cabinets are
climate controlled as well......
I return you to your continued abuse,
Tom

"Wolfgang" wrote in message
...

"David Snedeker" wrote in message
...

"Wolfgang" wrote in message
...

We aims to please.

Actually you aim to **** off folk.

And allot cheaper than dealing with the
obvious mental effects (and affects) of your own origins.

My origins? Nothing very remarkable there. Born of woman, in the
usual way........or, so I'm told. You?


You know precisely what I am referring to.

Your comments frequently suggest to me very much the thought
processes and history dismissive attitudes of the thankfully deceased
Paul De Mann. What things suggest to you is a source of endless
fascination to me.
I've missed out little chats lately. Have you been terribly busy?


Too busy to waste time on you. But I have noticed that you seem to have a
real pain in the ass since your week at the Ramrod.

De Mann, a prominent Belgium Nazi in his youth, managed to hide this
fact most of his life, while building a very successful career in U.S.
academe
in large part around a scholastic assertion of the impenetrability of
historical fact.

Interesting. Sounds like the kind of guy who would see Israelis
lurking under every rock.

You just love to over compensate by parroting the most narrow-minded slogans
at the drop of a hat. You are too ignorant to know that close to half of
Israeli adults share my views on the need to return most of the occupied
lands to the Palestinians, as does an increasing portion of non-muslim
Americans.


Well, I have a legitimate excuse........I'd never heard of ( DeMann)him
before
now. What a pity that YOU didn't tell him about his options.

Claspy's spelling is the correct one: de Man"

Wolfgang
who considers it quite normal for people to be uninterested in a nut
case's grandiose illusions of olympian descent.


What is "Olympian" about having a Spanish diplomat as an ancestor? He was
mainly trying to describe how he was able to penetrate a bureaucratic
mindset and touch a bit of personal history.

Dave

"David Snedeker" wrote in message
...

"Wolfgang" wrote in message
...

"David Snedeker" wrote in message
...

"Wolfgang" wrote in message
...

We aims to please.

Actually you aim to **** off folk.

Some.

And allot cheaper than dealing with the
obvious mental effects (and affects) of your own origins.

My origins? Nothing very remarkable there. Born of woman, in the
usual way........or, so I'm told. You?


You know precisely what I am referring to.

I do. On the other hand, you have no more idea what I'm saying in this
instance than you ever do. Some things don't change, huh Davie? :)

Your comments frequently suggest to me very much the thought
processes and history dismissive attitudes of the thankfully deceased
Paul De Mann. What things suggest to you is a source of endless
fascination to me.
I've missed out little chats lately. Have you been terribly busy?


Too busy to waste time on you.

And yet.........

But I have noticed that you seem to have a
real pain in the ass since your week at the Ramrod.


Whatever that might mean, one is almost forced to wonder how you would come
to that conclusion......what with being to busy to bother and all that.

De Mann, a prominent Belgium Nazi in his youth, managed to hide this
fact most of his life, while building a very successful career in U.S.
academe
in large part around a scholastic assertion of the impenetrability of
historical fact.

Interesting. Sounds like the kind of guy who would see Israelis
lurking under every rock.

You just love to over compensate

For what?

by parroting the most narrow-minded slogans
at the drop of a hat.

Slogan? Did I utter a slogan and not notice? Perhaps you could give me a
hint?

You are too ignorant to know that close to half of
Israeli adults share my views on the need to return most of the occupied
lands to the Palestinians, as does an increasing portion of non-muslim
Americans.

I'm not so ignorant as to believe anything you say without substantial
corroboration. Moreover, having grown up among rabid anti-semites, I know
the smell when I encounter it.

Well, I have a legitimate excuse........I'd never heard of ( DeMann)him
before
now. What a pity that YOU didn't tell him about his options.

Claspy's spelling is the correct one: de Man"

So? Did *I* misspell the man's name?

Wolfgang
who considers it quite normal for people to be uninterested in a nut
case's grandiose illusions of olympian descent.


What is "Olympian" about having a Spanish diplomat as an ancestor?

Did *I* mention a "Spanish diplomat"? Did I mention someone who may or may
not have had a "Spanish diplomat" for an ancestor? Do I look like someone
who gives **** who may or may not have had a "Spanish diplomat" for an
ancestor? Do I, for that matter, look like someone who might care what you
might have to say about someone who may or may not have had a "Spanish
diplomat" for an ancestor, or what you might have to say about what I might
or might not have to say about such an individual with or without a "Spanish
diplomat" for an ancestor?

He was
mainly trying to describe how he was able to penetrate a bureaucratic
mindset and touch a bit of personal history.

He? Who? dick? So? Is there a point to any of this?

Wolfgang
who, if he were going to try to convince a literate audience that the object
of his rage had inserted a parenthetical comment (say, for example, a
misspelled name) when he had actually done no such thing, would probably at
least remember to insert a space between the bogus insertion and the next
word.

On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 14:49:43 -0500, William Claspy
wrote:

On 2/15/05 2:21 PM, in article
, "David Snedeker"
wrote:

Your comments frequently suggest to me very much the thought processes and
history dismissive attitudes of the thankfully deceased Paul De Mann. De
Mann, a prominent Belgium Nazi in his youth, managed to hide this fact most
of his life, while building a very successful career in U.S. academe in
large part around a scholastic assertion of the impenetrability of
historical fact. Like you apparently, De Mann was not aware that there were
positive treatment protocols for the personal anguish of his situation.

I don't know this De Mann fellow, but he sure sounds a lot like the late
deconstructionist Paul de Man.

****housemouse! His brother, Bennie de Man, hangs out playing sax -
badly - on the corner of St. Peter and Royal in the Vieux Carre...of
course, he's more of an obstructionist...well, an obstruction, anyway...

TC,
R

On 2/15/05 6:54 PM, in article ,
" wrote:

On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 14:49:43 -0500, William Claspy
wrote:

On 2/15/05 2:21 PM, in article
, "David Snedeker"
wrote:

Your comments frequently suggest to me very much the thought processes and
history dismissive attitudes of the thankfully deceased Paul De Mann. De
Mann, a prominent Belgium Nazi in his youth, managed to hide this fact most
of his life, while building a very successful career in U.S. academe in
large part around a scholastic assertion of the impenetrability of
historical fact. Like you apparently, De Mann was not aware that there were
positive treatment protocols for the personal anguish of his situation.

I don't know this De Mann fellow, but he sure sounds a lot like the late
deconstructionist Paul de Man.

****housemouse! His brother, Bennie de Man, hangs out playing sax -
badly - on the corner of St. Peter and Royal in the Vieux Carre...of
course, he's more of an obstructionist...well, an obstruction, anyway...

You de man, R, you de man.

Bill

On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 23:03:24 GMT, "Thomas Littleton"
wrote:

well, I found the story mildly interesting on a slow day. Of course, as a
lay-person, you could have no way of knowing that they were storing the aged
documents in archival-quality manila folders. Look just like the cheap-ass
kind at a glance. Only the real pros get their hands on them for
Jeffersonian era documents and suchg. I'm sure the file cabinets are
climate controlled as well......
I return you to your continued abuse,
Tom

Well, that makes me feel better...it ought to help prevent the Monroe
Doctrine from getting moldy...the men's room was out of towels, and
since they got SO touchy about the Declaration of Ind...er, nevermind...

TC,
R

"Wolfgang" wrote in message
...

I'm not so ignorant as to believe anything you say without substantial
corroboration. Moreover, having grown up among rabid anti-semites, I know
the smell when I encounter it.


Do you also know that there are people in the US who can offer support and
counseling? Do you know who Ursula Hegi is? There is an alternative to
over-compensation.

Dave

On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 07:00:56 -0600, Conan the Librarian
wrote:

wrote:

****housemouse! His brother, Bennie de Man, hangs out playing sax -
badly - on the corner of St. Peter and Royal in the Vieux Carre...of
course, he's more of an obstructionist...well, an obstruction, anyway...

Is that the guy in the wheelchair who plays soprano? We were
serenaded by him one evening while sitting in the Old Absinthe House
having a few drinks. He actually sounded pretty good.

Different guy...Bennie sounds exactly like Kenny G....if Kenny G. were
made of plastic, had just eaten 43 Atlanta-Style California iguana
burritos while getting drunk out of his mind on Lapstrake Karllafong
brand Scotch and being sacrificed by Aztecs using graphite knives,,,


Chuck Vance (of course, it could have been the wormwood)

If wormwood was involved, you would have had to been at the New Absinthe
House...

TC,
R

On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 19:25:53 -0500, William Claspy
wrote:

On 2/15/05 6:54 PM, in article ,
" wrote:

On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 14:49:43 -0500, William Claspy
wrote:

On 2/15/05 2:21 PM, in article
, "David Snedeker"
wrote:

Your comments frequently suggest to me very much the thought processes and
history dismissive attitudes of the thankfully deceased Paul De Mann. De
Mann, a prominent Belgium Nazi in his youth, managed to hide this fact most
of his life, while building a very successful career in U.S. academe in
large part around a scholastic assertion of the impenetrability of
historical fact. Like you apparently, De Mann was not aware that there were
positive treatment protocols for the personal anguish of his situation.

I don't know this De Mann fellow, but he sure sounds a lot like the late
deconstructionist Paul de Man.

****housemouse! His brother, Bennie de Man, hangs out playing sax -
badly - on the corner of St. Peter and Royal in the Vieux Carre...of
course, he's more of an obstructionist...well, an obstruction, anyway...

You de man, R, you de man.

I don't know this "You de Man" fellow, but I think I met his cousin,
Datz da Bom, at a record release party...well, I didn't actually _meet_
him, but he must have been there - everyone kept saying, "Datz da Bom!,"
so I figure he must have been there somewhere...he sounds like he might
be a deconstructionist, too...

TC,
R

Bill

On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 19:25:53 -0500, William Claspy
wrote:

On 2/15/05 6:54 PM, in article ,
" wrote:

On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 14:49:43 -0500, William Claspy
wrote:

On 2/15/05 2:21 PM, in article
, "David Snedeker"
wrote:

Your comments frequently suggest to me very much the thought processes and
history dismissive attitudes of the thankfully deceased Paul De Mann. De
Mann, a prominent Belgium Nazi in his youth, managed to hide this fact most
of his life, while building a very successful career in U.S. academe in
large part around a scholastic assertion of the impenetrability of
historical fact. Like you apparently, De Mann was not aware that there were
positive treatment protocols for the personal anguish of his situation.

I don't know this De Mann fellow, but he sure sounds a lot like the late
deconstructionist Paul de Man.

****housemouse! His brother, Bennie de Man, hangs out playing sax -
badly - on the corner of St. Peter and Royal in the Vieux Carre...of
course, he's more of an obstructionist...well, an obstruction, anyway...

You de man, R, you de man.

I don't know this "You de Man" fellow, but I think I met his cousin,
Datz da Bom, at a record release party...well, I didn't actually _meet_
him, but he must have been there - everyone kept saying, "Datz da Bom!,"
so I figure he must have been there somewhere...he sounds like he might
be a deconstructionist, too...

TC,
R

Bill

The proper knife is white obsidian. You colored it wrong in your text,
probably why you flunked anthropology
wrote in message
...
On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 07:00:56 -0600, Conan the Librarian
wrote:

wrote:

****housemouse! His brother, Bennie de Man, hangs out playing sax -
badly - on the corner of St. Peter and Royal in the Vieux Carre...of
course, he's more of an obstructionist...well, an obstruction,
anyway...

Is that the guy in the wheelchair who plays soprano? We were
serenaded by him one evening while sitting in the Old Absinthe House
having a few drinks. He actually sounded pretty good.

Different guy...Bennie sounds exactly like Kenny G....if Kenny G. were
made of plastic, had just eaten 43 Atlanta-Style California iguana
burritos while getting drunk out of his mind on Lapstrake Karllafong
brand Scotch and being sacrificed by Aztecs using graphite knives,,,


Chuck Vance (of course, it could have been the wormwood)

If wormwood was involved, you would have had to been at the New Absinthe
House...

TC,
R

"David Snedeker" wrote in message
...

"Wolfgang" wrote in message
...

I'm not so ignorant as to believe anything you say without
substantial
corroboration. Moreover, having grown up among rabid
anti-semites, I know
the smell when I encounter it.


Do you also know that there are people in the US who can offer
support and
counseling?

I bow to your (presumably experience based) authority.

Do you know who Ursula Hegi is?

I spoke with her briefy about two years ago. I found her to be nearly
as self-important as yourself and every bit as silly. After reading
"Stones from the River" I was somewhat surprised to find that her
command of spoken English, after thirty some years in this country,
was passable, but no better. When I asked her whether she composed in
German and then translated, or directly in English, she responded with
a haughty and pompous gibberish that belies the results of her
labors.......assuming, of course, that they aren't
ghost-written.......and that reminds me ever so much of the offerings
of the ROFF xylophone.

There is an alternative to
over-compensation.

"over-compensation" for what?

And, speaking of which, for what might one who belabors an innocent
audience with frequent and tedious recitations of the pedestrian
accomplishments of his deservedly anonymous ancestors be compensating?

Wolfgang

wrote in message
...
Well, that makes me feel better...it ought to help prevent the Monroe
Doctrine from getting moldy...the men's room was out of towels, and
since they got SO touchy about the Declaration of Ind...er, nevermind...

not to worry, those were just cheap knock-offs.....they keep the original in
a Mason Jar in the pantry. Pranksters they are, I tell you!
Tom
p.s. all this subterfuge over aging artifacts reminds me of an old-timer
from Cape Cod who told of the locals spending all winter making
antiques for the summer tourists!

"Wolfgang" wrote in message
...

"David Snedeker" wrote in message
...

"Wolfgang" wrote in message
...

I'm not so ignorant as to believe anything you say without
substantial
corroboration. Moreover, having grown up among rabid
anti-semites, I know
the smell when I encounter it.


Do you also know that there are people in the US who can offer
support and
counseling?

I bow to your (presumably experience based) authority.

Do you know who Ursula Hegi is?

I spoke with her briefy about two years ago. I found her to be nearly
as self-important as yourself and every bit as silly. After reading
"Stones from the River" I was somewhat surprised to find that her
command of spoken English, after thirty some years in this country,
was passable, but no better. When I asked her whether she composed in
German and then translated, or directly in English, she responded with
a haughty and pompous gibberish that belies the results of her
labors.......assuming, of course, that they aren't
ghost-written.......and that reminds me ever so much of the offerings
of the ROFF xylophone.

There is an alternative to
over-compensation.

"over-compensation" for what?

And, speaking of which, for what might one who belabors an innocent
audience with frequent and tedious recitations of the pedestrian
accomplishments of his deservedly anonymous ancestors be compensating?

Wolfgang


Well you are not the first to find Hegi less than perfect, but at least she
and a few others have tried to positively address the issue of
intergenerational guilt and personality disorders endemic with children of
the Third Reich.

Dave

"David Snedeker" wrote in message
...

Well you are not the first to find Hegi less than perfect,

Still, she was all the rage 29 hours ago. :)

but at least she
and a few others have tried to positively address the issue of
intergenerational guilt and personality disorders endemic with children of
the Third Reich.

Ah, the sins of the fathers and all that, eh? Well, I suppose anyone who
traded in that coin would also be content to rest on their laurels, ainna?

Wolfgang
who, busy enough with his own life, can think of no good reason to try to
live someone else's.

"David Snedeker" wrote in message
...

Well you are not the first to find Hegi less than perfect,

Still, she was all the rage 29 hours ago. :)

but at least she
and a few others have tried to positively address the issue of
intergenerational guilt and personality disorders endemic with children of
the Third Reich.

Ah, the sins of the fathers and all that, eh? Well, I suppose anyone who
traded in that coin would also be content to rest on their laurels, ainna?

Wolfgang
who, busy enough with his own life, can think of no good reason to try to
live someone else's.

"David Snedeker" wrote in message
...

Well you are not the first to find Hegi less than perfect,

Still, she was all the rage 29 hours ago. :)

but at least she
and a few others have tried to positively address the issue of
intergenerational guilt and personality disorders endemic with children of
the Third Reich.

Ah, the sins of the fathers and all that, eh? Well, I suppose anyone who
traded in that coin would also be content to rest on their laurels, ainna?

Wolfgang
who, busy enough with his own life, can think of no good reason to try to
live someone else's.

"Conan the Librarian" wrote in message
...
SNIP
Chuck Vance (absinthe makes the heart grow fon ... naw, I can't
do it)


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthe

http://www.seborabsinth.com/faqs/legal_us.asp

TL
MC

"Conan the Librarian" wrote in message
...
SNIP
Chuck Vance (absinthe makes the heart grow fon ... naw, I can't
do it)


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthe

http://www.seborabsinth.com/faqs/legal_us.asp

TL
MC

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 07:13:39 -0600, Conan the Librarian
wrote:

wrote:

On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 07:00:56 -0600, Conan the Librarian
wrote:

[snip of another of Richard's hallucinations :-)]

(of course, it could have been the wormwood)

If wormwood was involved, you would have had to been at the New Absinthe
House...

I'm afaid I'm missing some inside joke here, but I'll bite.

I'm guessing no place in NoLa would be serving absinthe (or at least
no place would do it openly).

Exactly - "absinthe" as my diplomat/businessmen ancestors could have
ordered it is no longer legal.

I know they still make a drink with
Pernod that's supposed to be similar to the old absinthe drip, but
there's no wormwood in it. (Wormwood was outlawed in the twenties.(?))

Well, wormwood wasn't outlawed, but its use in drink was (and I think
you are at least approximately correct about the date, but ???) There
are a number of substitutes for the original in cocktails, including a
local version, Herbsaint. If one really wanted wormwood, they could add
a few drops of Absorbine to a bottle of one of the substitutes, but from
my limited experience with the "real" stuff and from what I've heard, it
wasn't the wormwood that made the original so potent, it was the alcohol
combined with the climate in NO. I've seen folks act pretty crazy here
and never get near anything but rum punch drinks...

Now that I think about it, I remember seeing two "absinthe houses"
in the Vieux Carre. One was pretty rundown and very quiet, while the
other was bustling. We stopped at the one that was rundown.

There are two, but that wasn't to what I was referring - it was the
wormwood not being available.

And if you like "absinthe"-esque drinks, try a Herbsaint frappe, rather
than a drip. I'll have an occasional drip with tourist-type visitors,
simply because we have the equipment and the visitors think it is neat,
but I prefer a frappe, with Peychaud bitters, a little simple syrup,
Herbsaint, and poured over fine ice pieces (crushed will work in a
pinch, but IMO, shaved ice melts too fast).

TC,
R

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 07:13:39 -0600, Conan the Librarian
wrote:

wrote:

On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 07:00:56 -0600, Conan the Librarian
wrote:

[snip of another of Richard's hallucinations :-)]

(of course, it could have been the wormwood)

If wormwood was involved, you would have had to been at the New Absinthe
House...

I'm afaid I'm missing some inside joke here, but I'll bite.

I'm guessing no place in NoLa would be serving absinthe (or at least
no place would do it openly).

Exactly - "absinthe" as my diplomat/businessmen ancestors could have
ordered it is no longer legal.

I know they still make a drink with
Pernod that's supposed to be similar to the old absinthe drip, but
there's no wormwood in it. (Wormwood was outlawed in the twenties.(?))

Well, wormwood wasn't outlawed, but its use in drink was (and I think
you are at least approximately correct about the date, but ???) There
are a number of substitutes for the original in cocktails, including a
local version, Herbsaint. If one really wanted wormwood, they could add
a few drops of Absorbine to a bottle of one of the substitutes, but from
my limited experience with the "real" stuff and from what I've heard, it
wasn't the wormwood that made the original so potent, it was the alcohol
combined with the climate in NO. I've seen folks act pretty crazy here
and never get near anything but rum punch drinks...

Now that I think about it, I remember seeing two "absinthe houses"
in the Vieux Carre. One was pretty rundown and very quiet, while the
other was bustling. We stopped at the one that was rundown.

There are two, but that wasn't to what I was referring - it was the
wormwood not being available.

And if you like "absinthe"-esque drinks, try a Herbsaint frappe, rather
than a drip. I'll have an occasional drip with tourist-type visitors,
simply because we have the equipment and the visitors think it is neat,
but I prefer a frappe, with Peychaud bitters, a little simple syrup,
Herbsaint, and poured over fine ice pieces (crushed will work in a
pinch, but IMO, shaved ice melts too fast).

TC,
R

Mike Connor wrote:

"Conan the Librarian" wrote in message
...
SNIP

Chuck Vance (absinthe makes the heart grow fon ... naw, I can't
do it)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthe

http://www.seborabsinth.com/faqs/legal_us.asp

So while there are some murky areas, absinthe cannot be legally sold
in a bar. Absinthe substitutes, yes.

Wasn't that what I said? :-)


Chuck Vance

Mike Connor wrote:

"Conan the Librarian" wrote in message
...
SNIP

Chuck Vance (absinthe makes the heart grow fon ... naw, I can't
do it)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthe

http://www.seborabsinth.com/faqs/legal_us.asp

So while there are some murky areas, absinthe cannot be legally sold
in a bar. Absinthe substitutes, yes.

Wasn't that what I said? :-)


Chuck Vance