Who Needs Road Rage?!
Sorry it's taken so long to post part 2 of the Austrian Central Cemetery trip but I have been beyond cranky since that day. It's like every day that goes by I feel myself getting just a little bit angrier...
Anyway, here's part deux of the ACC trip.
So, after leaving The Little Acorn we traveled through Spanish Fork Canyon. It's a beautiful canyon and if you've never been, you should rectify that oversight immediately. The canyon has a long history of European use. It began with the Dominguez-Escalante expedition of 1776 and a giant metal cross stands as a commemoration to that expedition (Fathers Fransisco Atanasio Domínguez and Silvestre Vélez de Escalante were tasked with finding a route from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Monterey, California...they failed, but they left a journal detailing their trip and it stands as the second oldest record of the land and peoples of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico). Although the Spanish didn't stay in this area, they have left their mark...many areas in Utah are named for the above-mentioned priests.
Mormons first came to Utah in 1847, and have been here ever since. But it was coal mining and the railroad that made it's mark in Spanish Fork Canyon. Littered throughout the canyon are the remnants of dozens of coal or rail towns, and there is even a cemetery of some of the earliest settlers about 12 miles east of the ghost town of Thistle.
And, speaking of Thistle...not all ghost towns in Spanish Fork Canyon were abandoned when coal and rail stopped being so important. In 1983, the town of Thistle was obliterated in a devastating land slide and subsequent flood. The sliding earth dammed the Spanish Fork River and flooded the town leaving very little in its wake. From a scenic overlook you can see the path of the earth and if you travel down to the Thistle road you can drive past the few remaining foundations that mark where Thistle used to be.
Soldier Summit is the name of both a mountain pass and a ghost town. It was named for the Southern soldiers (previously under a Union general), on their way to join the Confederate Army, who where caught in a freak July snowstorm in the pass in 1861. What remains today are a few building and many foundations. The town's importance was due to its being a transportation route between the Wasatch Front and Price, Utah (a mining and railroad hub). It's on the route of both U.S. Route 6 and the old main line of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, which is now owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. From 1921 to 1984 the town was incorporated, but thanks to a steady outflow of residence it is now just a tourist spot.
Another area of interest is Scofield and the Scofield Reservoir. The town of Scofield was build on coal mining but after a devastating mine disaster on May 1st, 1907, in which 200 people were killed, the town began to fall apart. Today, Scofield is a tiny town with fewer than 30 residents. The main attraction in Scofield is the reservoir. But within the town is the cemetery where many of the 200 victims of the Scofield Mine Disaster are buried.
Other areas to visit are the Castle Gate area (so-called because of the unusual rock outcropping that kinda looks like a castle gate), the railroad museum in Helper (so-called because the "helper" trains that got the locomotives up the mountain were located there), the Natural History Museum in Price, and, of course, the Austrian Central Cemetery.
The cemetery isn't hard to locate, if you know where you're going. Traveling west to east on Highway 6 you turn left on Consumers Road, which is just a short distance from the Spring Glen turnoff. You then take the first left turn and then the next first left turn, and there you are!
Anyway, here's part deux of the ACC trip.
So, after leaving The Little Acorn we traveled through Spanish Fork Canyon. It's a beautiful canyon and if you've never been, you should rectify that oversight immediately. The canyon has a long history of European use. It began with the Dominguez-Escalante expedition of 1776 and a giant metal cross stands as a commemoration to that expedition (Fathers Fransisco Atanasio Domínguez and Silvestre Vélez de Escalante were tasked with finding a route from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Monterey, California...they failed, but they left a journal detailing their trip and it stands as the second oldest record of the land and peoples of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico). Although the Spanish didn't stay in this area, they have left their mark...many areas in Utah are named for the above-mentioned priests.
Mormons first came to Utah in 1847, and have been here ever since. But it was coal mining and the railroad that made it's mark in Spanish Fork Canyon. Littered throughout the canyon are the remnants of dozens of coal or rail towns, and there is even a cemetery of some of the earliest settlers about 12 miles east of the ghost town of Thistle.
And, speaking of Thistle...not all ghost towns in Spanish Fork Canyon were abandoned when coal and rail stopped being so important. In 1983, the town of Thistle was obliterated in a devastating land slide and subsequent flood. The sliding earth dammed the Spanish Fork River and flooded the town leaving very little in its wake. From a scenic overlook you can see the path of the earth and if you travel down to the Thistle road you can drive past the few remaining foundations that mark where Thistle used to be.
Soldier Summit is the name of both a mountain pass and a ghost town. It was named for the Southern soldiers (previously under a Union general), on their way to join the Confederate Army, who where caught in a freak July snowstorm in the pass in 1861. What remains today are a few building and many foundations. The town's importance was due to its being a transportation route between the Wasatch Front and Price, Utah (a mining and railroad hub). It's on the route of both U.S. Route 6 and the old main line of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, which is now owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. From 1921 to 1984 the town was incorporated, but thanks to a steady outflow of residence it is now just a tourist spot.
Another area of interest is Scofield and the Scofield Reservoir. The town of Scofield was build on coal mining but after a devastating mine disaster on May 1st, 1907, in which 200 people were killed, the town began to fall apart. Today, Scofield is a tiny town with fewer than 30 residents. The main attraction in Scofield is the reservoir. But within the town is the cemetery where many of the 200 victims of the Scofield Mine Disaster are buried.
Other areas to visit are the Castle Gate area (so-called because of the unusual rock outcropping that kinda looks like a castle gate), the railroad museum in Helper (so-called because the "helper" trains that got the locomotives up the mountain were located there), the Natural History Museum in Price, and, of course, the Austrian Central Cemetery.
The cemetery isn't hard to locate, if you know where you're going. Traveling west to east on Highway 6 you turn left on Consumers Road, which is just a short distance from the Spring Glen turnoff. You then take the first left turn and then the next first left turn, and there you are!
According to the plaque at the entrance to the cemetery, the Austrian Central or Austrian Lodges Cemetery was established in 1930 on land purchased from the Ku Klux Klan! The purpose of the cemetery was to provide low- or no-cost burial places for immigrants whose family had remained in the Old Country. As the plaque notes (and I can attest to from their death certificates), most of the men buried here lost their lives in mining or other accidents. There are only 70 people buried here, so it doesn't take too long to walk around and see them all (or photograph them, as the case may be). I'm adding here examples of the different types of grave markers with an emphasis on the more interesting ones...or, the more interesting causes of death. (NOTE: In listing cause of death I am in no way trivializing or condemning these people. The information I am providing is readily available to anyone who wants to take the time to look up the death certificates.)
BELOW: The front entryway. As you can see, it's a lot of dirt and prickly brush. Quite painful, so if you plan to do a little cleaning up around the graves then make sure you take good leather gloves.
BELOW: The view over the northwest end of the cemetery, toward the road. Lovely view these people have here!
BELOW: Frank Bragach. Died as a result of a gun shot wound that blew out the entire right portion of his neck! It was ruled an accident.
BELOW: John Fiechko. Died as a result of an accidental mine injury that crushed his head and amputated his right foot.
BELOW: Joe Zijich (you may notice the difference in names here. The name I have given reflects the public record death certificate). Cause of death was ruled ulcer of the stomach and syphilis. And yes, an ulcer can kill you. It can either cause a stomach rupture (by compromising the integrity of the stomach lining), or, if it bleeds heavily, it can cause you to bleed to death.
BELOW: Stena Brakus. This lady died as a result of postpartum hemorrhage, septic infection, and a pulmonary embolism (anyone of these would kill you, but to have them all??! Yikes!). Apparently, she attempted to deliver herself of her baby and the doctors weren't called in until 2 hours afterward. She was given a blood transfusions, but died 19 days after the birth.
BELOW: Martin Marcin. He died as a result of shock secondary to a mine injury that resulted in the double fracture of his right femur, fracture of his pelvis, and fracture of something else on the left side that I couldn't read...but it looks kind of like humerus.
BELOW: Leonard Mohorich. He was a carpenter who died as a result of cerebral hemorrhage secondary to hypertension.
BELOW: Antone Evatz. A coal miner, he died from miners tuberculosis and hemorrhage of the lung.
There are so many more. I may do a part 3.
Of Road Rage And Tranquility
What is wrong with people? There seems to be neither rhyme nor reason to some of the idiotic things they do. Coming home yesterday I was irritated by the vagaries of human nature. Why is it that people will speed in a 55 mph zone but curb crawl in a 75??! I have advice for you people: cruise control; learn it, use it. It's not that hard! And it saves you lead-footing it through some areas and light-footing it through others. As cruise control is standard on most American cars there is absolutely no excuse for you to not use it! So, yeah, I was a little road-ragey yesterday...
But that means that I did get to go to Spring Glen, and it was a pretty awesome trip...mostly. We didn't leave until around 10 am, and there was some question whether we'd be going at all. I had to reassure my mother that all would be well when we got to the top of Spanish Fork Canyon. She didn't really believe me (I could tell) but we went anyway.
The trip down was fairly interesting. Shortly before we left it was raining. Then it stopped. It sprinkled until just before Point of the Mountain...at which time it turned into a downpour. It cleared up just before we entered the canyon, and by the time we reached Soldier Summit is was nice and sunny. And it stayed that way for the rest of the day.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
On the journey down we had intended to stop at Hill Air Force Base to go to the commissary (and get me more lingonberry jam!). Unfortunately...or fortunately, depending on how you look at it...they were doing one of their 100% ID checks. As I don't have a military ID, I couldn't go in. We decided to drop me off at the Hill Aerospace Museum and the parental unit would go to the commissary.
Having never been to the museum before I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I know I didn't expect what I got. I was pleasantly surprised by the scope of the exhibits. This isn't just a puny collection of planes, they also have missiles, military memorabilia, and various aviation-related paraphernalia. It was impressive. I was impressed.
The complex is made up of a building and an outdoor lot. The outdoor lot hosts a collection of airplanes. The planes progress from small to ginormous and you soon discover that movies just don't give you a true understanding of the enormity of some of these behemoths! The realization of just how large they are really only strikes you when you're walking under the tail of a Stratotanker or Stratofortress...
The building is made up of three rooms; a small, antechamber-like building that houses a fascinating array of Air Force and aviation uniforms; a middle-sized (but very large) room with some early aviation memorabilia; and a huge room that houses a magnificent collection of military aircraft, bombs, and missiles.
If you are in Utah or planning to come to Utah and you have never been to this museum, I highly recommend it. Especially if you're any kind of history or military buff. Should you like to go, the museum is open seven days a week from 9:00 AM-4:30 PM. Admission is FREE, but monetary donations are, of course, gratefully accepted. The museum is closed only three times a year, on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. To get there, take the 335 Exit from I-15, turn onto East 650 North/Main Street. Follow this onto Wardleigh Road and you are there. You'll know you've arrived when you see the planes on your right.
After our brief visit to the Base we then continued on to Spring Glen. Dad made a general announcement that once we reached Highway 6 he wasn't driving any more. Mom said she didn't want to drive because she was tired, so it fell to me (I knew all along that's what he wanted, it was silly of them to act like it wasn't...). In order to change drivers we stopped at the fabulous Little Acorn. Opened in 1972, the Little Acorn has been a staple for many people who travel through the Canyon. It's certainly been a staple for our family. So trip through Spanish Fork Canyon would be complete without a stop there to at least have one of their stellar shakes! Oh, and food isn't half bad, either! Yummy burgers and sandwiches on thick homemade bread...mmmm. Don't let the ambiance turn you off...it is a little sketchy-looking...the food is really good.
Part 2 of the trip still to come. Stay tuned.
But that means that I did get to go to Spring Glen, and it was a pretty awesome trip...mostly. We didn't leave until around 10 am, and there was some question whether we'd be going at all. I had to reassure my mother that all would be well when we got to the top of Spanish Fork Canyon. She didn't really believe me (I could tell) but we went anyway.
The trip down was fairly interesting. Shortly before we left it was raining. Then it stopped. It sprinkled until just before Point of the Mountain...at which time it turned into a downpour. It cleared up just before we entered the canyon, and by the time we reached Soldier Summit is was nice and sunny. And it stayed that way for the rest of the day.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
On the journey down we had intended to stop at Hill Air Force Base to go to the commissary (and get me more lingonberry jam!). Unfortunately...or fortunately, depending on how you look at it...they were doing one of their 100% ID checks. As I don't have a military ID, I couldn't go in. We decided to drop me off at the Hill Aerospace Museum and the parental unit would go to the commissary.
Having never been to the museum before I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I know I didn't expect what I got. I was pleasantly surprised by the scope of the exhibits. This isn't just a puny collection of planes, they also have missiles, military memorabilia, and various aviation-related paraphernalia. It was impressive. I was impressed.
The complex is made up of a building and an outdoor lot. The outdoor lot hosts a collection of airplanes. The planes progress from small to ginormous and you soon discover that movies just don't give you a true understanding of the enormity of some of these behemoths! The realization of just how large they are really only strikes you when you're walking under the tail of a Stratotanker or Stratofortress...
BELOW: Stratotanker Front.
BELOW: Stratotanker from the back. You can see the fueling arm sticking out under the tail.
BELOW: B-52G Stratofortress.
BELOW: B-52G from the side.
BELOW: B-52G wingspan...so big it has to have extra wheels on the wings! According to my dad, when they are under full payload they are so heavy the extra wheels are necessary.
The building is made up of three rooms; a small, antechamber-like building that houses a fascinating array of Air Force and aviation uniforms; a middle-sized (but very large) room with some early aviation memorabilia; and a huge room that houses a magnificent collection of military aircraft, bombs, and missiles.
BELOW: Helmets. Part of the Colonel Evans Collection.
BELOW: Air sickness chair. This was used to test the intestinal fortitude of prospective pilots!
BELOW: Flight simulator. It's tiny...
BELOW: Nazi artifacts.
BELOW: M-61 Vulcan Cannon.
BELOW: Peacekeeper ICBM.
BELOW: Ambulance. Because you always have to have a meat wagon...
If you are in Utah or planning to come to Utah and you have never been to this museum, I highly recommend it. Especially if you're any kind of history or military buff. Should you like to go, the museum is open seven days a week from 9:00 AM-4:30 PM. Admission is FREE, but monetary donations are, of course, gratefully accepted. The museum is closed only three times a year, on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. To get there, take the 335 Exit from I-15, turn onto East 650 North/Main Street. Follow this onto Wardleigh Road and you are there. You'll know you've arrived when you see the planes on your right.
After our brief visit to the Base we then continued on to Spring Glen. Dad made a general announcement that once we reached Highway 6 he wasn't driving any more. Mom said she didn't want to drive because she was tired, so it fell to me (I knew all along that's what he wanted, it was silly of them to act like it wasn't...). In order to change drivers we stopped at the fabulous Little Acorn. Opened in 1972, the Little Acorn has been a staple for many people who travel through the Canyon. It's certainly been a staple for our family. So trip through Spanish Fork Canyon would be complete without a stop there to at least have one of their stellar shakes! Oh, and food isn't half bad, either! Yummy burgers and sandwiches on thick homemade bread...mmmm. Don't let the ambiance turn you off...it is a little sketchy-looking...the food is really good.
Part 2 of the trip still to come. Stay tuned.
Madness Doesn't Even Begin To Cover It...
For the last two days I have been trying to get to my blog...I don't know what is going on with the host (maybe the virus is killing it??) but I had to go to Safari in order to get here...turns out I can get here on Internet Explorer, too, just not my beloved Firefox. But after a couple of emails to customer support, three different browsers, and a password change, I am back.
And that brings me to why I'm posting this. Unless the powers that be nix it, my plan is to go to Central Cemetery in Spring Glen. This cemetery is also known as the Austrian and Slovenian Cemetery. There are 69 people there (no jokes please...), or at least that's how many are listed on Find A Grave as being there. The idea is to go there and take grave pictures to post on both FAG and my blog (not necessarily in that order). That's the plan. That's what dang well better happen since I've been planning this for weeks. But the weather seems determined to crush my puny human plans.
Which is interesting...since, last week I went to Lewiston Cemetery and the rain held off as long as I was in the cemetery actively taking pictures. It rained like a hurricane on the drive up there, stopped raining while I was taking pictures, and then rained heavily when I thought I was done...only to stop again when I realised I'd missed a few people! There were some workers there who stopped by to tell me they thought it wasn't raining because I was there; they asked me to stay.
So, if I'm supposed to go to Spring Glen then everything will work out. Since I dearly want to, let's pray that I'm supposed to go to Spring Glen, okay?
And that brings me to why I'm posting this. Unless the powers that be nix it, my plan is to go to Central Cemetery in Spring Glen. This cemetery is also known as the Austrian and Slovenian Cemetery. There are 69 people there (no jokes please...), or at least that's how many are listed on Find A Grave as being there. The idea is to go there and take grave pictures to post on both FAG and my blog (not necessarily in that order). That's the plan. That's what dang well better happen since I've been planning this for weeks. But the weather seems determined to crush my puny human plans.
Which is interesting...since, last week I went to Lewiston Cemetery and the rain held off as long as I was in the cemetery actively taking pictures. It rained like a hurricane on the drive up there, stopped raining while I was taking pictures, and then rained heavily when I thought I was done...only to stop again when I realised I'd missed a few people! There were some workers there who stopped by to tell me they thought it wasn't raining because I was there; they asked me to stay.
So, if I'm supposed to go to Spring Glen then everything will work out. Since I dearly want to, let's pray that I'm supposed to go to Spring Glen, okay?
Not Exactly What The Doctor Ordered...
So, I have been doing this medical transcription training for several months now...to say it's a chore is beyond understatement; it's torture. Basically, I hate it. But it has gotten me thinking. The way that medical transcription works is, a health care professional dictates their notes and some sorry sack gets to listen to it and try to figure out what the hell they're saying. Sounds fairly simple, right? WRONG!
The problem is that doctors don't seem to understand that the notes they dictate need to be understandable. There are some that do very well, they speak at a moderate speed, they don't mumble, and the recording itself is crystal. These are the good ones! But some of them are nearly impossible to figure out...at least, not without a lot of time and stress. They mumble, they speed read or they have so much static or noise in the background that you can barely hear the words! I'm not a computer...I can't filter out the static or make the sound quality better, I can only do what I can do.
As a result, this course has been murder on me. It's not fun, it's not interesting, it's a crime. I know, I know, "why are you still doing it then?!" Because certain people are desperate for me to. Trust me, if it was truly up to me I'd be done with it...would've been done with it ages ago.
But my predicament has prompted thoughts into a few changes to the program. The issue is the recordings themselves. Again, there are doctors who do very well and those are fine. But for the vast majority of the doctors that I have had the misfortune to come across, they, and all the poor transcriptionists who get stuck with their crap, would benefit from some sort of computer program that can end this problem forever.
What I'm talking about is a program that is essentially a template where all they have to do is fill in the blanks (surely they can manage that??!). Another issue is that there is no industry standard -- yes, there are standards, but they're only suggestions. Each transcription company can make their own "standard" and the standard can change from client to client. They need to have one industry-wide standard for each type of report and one program that allows the doctors to fill in the blanks. After that, (because doctors aren't exactly perfect) they would have an editor come along and make sure the report is legible. But nobody would have to listen to someone who sounds bored and is in such a hurry that they dictate the physical examination at Mach 2!
So, for all you programmer types, you want to make lots of money? Develop a program that does this. I, for one, will thank you effusively. Oh, and if anyone knows of a good job that won't start until the second week of August...let me know.
The problem is that doctors don't seem to understand that the notes they dictate need to be understandable. There are some that do very well, they speak at a moderate speed, they don't mumble, and the recording itself is crystal. These are the good ones! But some of them are nearly impossible to figure out...at least, not without a lot of time and stress. They mumble, they speed read or they have so much static or noise in the background that you can barely hear the words! I'm not a computer...I can't filter out the static or make the sound quality better, I can only do what I can do.
As a result, this course has been murder on me. It's not fun, it's not interesting, it's a crime. I know, I know, "why are you still doing it then?!" Because certain people are desperate for me to. Trust me, if it was truly up to me I'd be done with it...would've been done with it ages ago.
But my predicament has prompted thoughts into a few changes to the program. The issue is the recordings themselves. Again, there are doctors who do very well and those are fine. But for the vast majority of the doctors that I have had the misfortune to come across, they, and all the poor transcriptionists who get stuck with their crap, would benefit from some sort of computer program that can end this problem forever.
What I'm talking about is a program that is essentially a template where all they have to do is fill in the blanks (surely they can manage that??!). Another issue is that there is no industry standard -- yes, there are standards, but they're only suggestions. Each transcription company can make their own "standard" and the standard can change from client to client. They need to have one industry-wide standard for each type of report and one program that allows the doctors to fill in the blanks. After that, (because doctors aren't exactly perfect) they would have an editor come along and make sure the report is legible. But nobody would have to listen to someone who sounds bored and is in such a hurry that they dictate the physical examination at Mach 2!
So, for all you programmer types, you want to make lots of money? Develop a program that does this. I, for one, will thank you effusively. Oh, and if anyone knows of a good job that won't start until the second week of August...let me know.
Visions Of Death: Thatcher
This weeks Vision comes from the Logan City Cemetery. The Thatcher family has a decent-size section in a back corner of the cemetery. I didn't know anything about the Thathcher's but apparently they were once a prominent family in the area.
BELOW: George Washington Thatcher. George was born February 1, 1840 in Springfield, Illinois. In 1844 his family moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, and in 1847 they moved to the Salt Lake valley. In 1849 the Thatcher family moved to Auburn, California working in California’s Gold Rush. During this time George worked for his father as a hotel keeper, rancher, and in merchandising. In 1857 the Thatcher family returned to the Utah Territory. In 1858 George worked with the Native American Agent, Jacob Forney, on a mission to the southwest Native American tribes, and from 1860 to 1861 he was employed by the Russell, Majors, & Waddell Co. as a Pony Express rider.
In 1861, George married Eunice (Luna) Caroline Young (daughter of Brigham Young, who was the territorial governor and president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). From 1861 to 1867 George was the manager of his father-in-law's property in Big Cottonwood. He also managed the Salt Lake Theatre and Brigham Young’s interests within Salt Lake City. In 1867 George took a second wife, Fannie Young (another daughter of Brigham Young). From 1868 to 1869 George and John W. Young supervised the construction of the railroad grade for the Union Pacific Railroad in Echo and Weber Canyons. In 1871 George, along with John W. Young and H. P. Kimball, oversaw the construction of track for the Utah & Northern Railroad Company.
BELOW: George Washington Thatcher. George was born February 1, 1840 in Springfield, Illinois. In 1844 his family moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, and in 1847 they moved to the Salt Lake valley. In 1849 the Thatcher family moved to Auburn, California working in California’s Gold Rush. During this time George worked for his father as a hotel keeper, rancher, and in merchandising. In 1857 the Thatcher family returned to the Utah Territory. In 1858 George worked with the Native American Agent, Jacob Forney, on a mission to the southwest Native American tribes, and from 1860 to 1861 he was employed by the Russell, Majors, & Waddell Co. as a Pony Express rider.
In 1861, George married Eunice (Luna) Caroline Young (daughter of Brigham Young, who was the territorial governor and president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). From 1861 to 1867 George was the manager of his father-in-law's property in Big Cottonwood. He also managed the Salt Lake Theatre and Brigham Young’s interests within Salt Lake City. In 1867 George took a second wife, Fannie Young (another daughter of Brigham Young). From 1868 to 1869 George and John W. Young supervised the construction of the railroad grade for the Union Pacific Railroad in Echo and Weber Canyons. In 1871 George, along with John W. Young and H. P. Kimball, oversaw the construction of track for the Utah & Northern Railroad Company.In 1873 George served as a missionary in Great Britain for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After serving for one year, George returned to the Utah Territory and formed another partnership with John W. Young and H. P. Kimball to construct the Utah Western Railroad. In 1847 George was elected as a member of the Salt Lake City Council and served a two-year term.
In 1876 George moved to Logan, Utah were he worked as the Superintendent of the Utah & Northern Railroad Company until 1882. In 1877 he became the Trustee for the Brigham Young College (now Logan High School). In 1883, George, his brother Moses, H.E. Hatch, W.D. Hendricks, S.T. Josselyn, and W.A. Rossiter, formed Logan’s first bank, the Thatcher Brothers & Banking Company. George served as the bank president until 1902.
From 1893 to 1896 George was a member of the Utah Commission and in 1894 he was elected Mayor of Logan for a two-year term. In 1900 he was the Utah Democratic party’s candidate for nomination as Governor of Utah. In 1900 he also represented Utah as a delegate at the Democratic National Convention held in Kansas City. George died at his home on December 23, 1902.
BELOW: The Thatcher momument.
The Uncredible Machine
I wasn't going to bother commenting on or posting this because everyone and their mom are going on about it. Well that, and I must confess to being a little peeved with Herr Håkansson at the moment (seriously, I let you off the hook about Skåne and Blekinge and now you're avoiding me?! WTF?). But something occurred today that made me decide I needed to say something about it...and if I'm going to say something about it then I may as well post the damn thing.
I'm talking about the song, Warschau 2: Headhunter Halfmoon, from Marduk's newest EP, Iron Dawn, which will be available for sale in the US the day they appear at the Maryland Deathfest (27 May 2011, for those who don't already know). What occurred today that made me change my mind, was a perfect example of what I am constantly complaining about -- lack of research.
Metalsucks posted the video for the song with some totally ridiculous commentary that showed they hadn't bothered to do their research. It all centered around the question of what the title actually means.
According to Metalsucks, "'Warschau,' for those that don't know, is just how funny people from countries that don't matter say 'Warsaw.'" I find it fascinating that he would say such a thing. Warschau is the German spelling/pronunciation of Warsaw and I find it hard to believe that Germany is a country that "doesn't matter." He then goes on to wonder why the song would be called "Warsaw 2." Clearly, if he has to ask then he doesn't know very much about Marduk...he's, no doubt, simply regurgitating whatever he's been told to. As one astute commenter noted, it's called "Warsaw 2" because it's a sequel (if you will) to the song Warschau on their album Plague Angel. Simple research could've worked that out.
He next questions the subtitle, Headhunter Halfmoon. I can only speculate on what that might refer to, and since I don't know and haven't asked Morgan, then I won't bother speculating (it's a research thing...). But if I seriously wanted to know, I could simply ask! Morgan will tell you. As long as you don't ask for deeper meaning he'll tell you what it refers to. It's not that hard!!!
The problem with people who don't do research is that they lose credibility. I'm a little surprised, and yet not at all surprised, that nobody bothered to call me out on the "error" I made in my post about the German census. Since it was a test, then no harm, no foul. But had I genuinely not known that a national census is not, by any stretch of the imagination, anonymous, then I would have lost credibility. Just as Metalsucks lost credibility when they didn't bother to check their facts before posting. And if they didn't want to check facts, then they shouldn't have opened the door.
Which brings me to another issue...if you ever hear Morgan say that Chernobyl means wormwood, then don't you believe him. Because he's wrong.
There is a common misconception that Chernobyl means, or refers to, wormwood. It doesn't, it actually means black stalks/grass and it refers to mugwort. Perhaps the misconception arose because both wormwood and mugwort belong to the same species -- Artemesia -- and have similar properties.
Mugwort, or Artemesia vulgaris, "is a perennial plant that can be found in waste places, ditches, bushy areas, and along roadsides and fences in Europe, Asia, and North America" (Lust, John. The Herb Book. New York: Benedict Lust Publications, 2009. Print). When used properly it stimulates the appetite, digestion, and gall bladder, and acts as a purgative (makes you puke), among other things. When used improperly it can kill you.
Wormwood, or Artemesia absinthium, "is a silky perennial plant found in waste places and along roadsides from Newfoundland to Hudson Bay and south to Montana. It is a native plant in Europe, from where it was introduced into North America" (Lust, John. The Herb Book. New York: Benedict Lust Publications, 2009. Print). When used properly, it destroys parasites, inhibits the growth of microorganisms, prevents spasms, induces burping and flatulence, promotes bile flow into the duodenum, reduces fever, stimulates digestion, and acts as a general stimulant. When used improperly, it can kill you.
And now that we know the difference, and that Chernobyl doesn't mean wormwood (no matter how awesome that would be from an apocalyptic perspective), here is the song that started the whole diatribe:
I'm talking about the song, Warschau 2: Headhunter Halfmoon, from Marduk's newest EP, Iron Dawn, which will be available for sale in the US the day they appear at the Maryland Deathfest (27 May 2011, for those who don't already know). What occurred today that made me change my mind, was a perfect example of what I am constantly complaining about -- lack of research.
Metalsucks posted the video for the song with some totally ridiculous commentary that showed they hadn't bothered to do their research. It all centered around the question of what the title actually means.
According to Metalsucks, "'Warschau,' for those that don't know, is just how funny people from countries that don't matter say 'Warsaw.'" I find it fascinating that he would say such a thing. Warschau is the German spelling/pronunciation of Warsaw and I find it hard to believe that Germany is a country that "doesn't matter." He then goes on to wonder why the song would be called "Warsaw 2." Clearly, if he has to ask then he doesn't know very much about Marduk...he's, no doubt, simply regurgitating whatever he's been told to. As one astute commenter noted, it's called "Warsaw 2" because it's a sequel (if you will) to the song Warschau on their album Plague Angel. Simple research could've worked that out.
He next questions the subtitle, Headhunter Halfmoon. I can only speculate on what that might refer to, and since I don't know and haven't asked Morgan, then I won't bother speculating (it's a research thing...). But if I seriously wanted to know, I could simply ask! Morgan will tell you. As long as you don't ask for deeper meaning he'll tell you what it refers to. It's not that hard!!!
The problem with people who don't do research is that they lose credibility. I'm a little surprised, and yet not at all surprised, that nobody bothered to call me out on the "error" I made in my post about the German census. Since it was a test, then no harm, no foul. But had I genuinely not known that a national census is not, by any stretch of the imagination, anonymous, then I would have lost credibility. Just as Metalsucks lost credibility when they didn't bother to check their facts before posting. And if they didn't want to check facts, then they shouldn't have opened the door.
Which brings me to another issue...if you ever hear Morgan say that Chernobyl means wormwood, then don't you believe him. Because he's wrong.
There is a common misconception that Chernobyl means, or refers to, wormwood. It doesn't, it actually means black stalks/grass and it refers to mugwort. Perhaps the misconception arose because both wormwood and mugwort belong to the same species -- Artemesia -- and have similar properties.
Mugwort, or Artemesia vulgaris, "is a perennial plant that can be found in waste places, ditches, bushy areas, and along roadsides and fences in Europe, Asia, and North America" (Lust, John. The Herb Book. New York: Benedict Lust Publications, 2009. Print). When used properly it stimulates the appetite, digestion, and gall bladder, and acts as a purgative (makes you puke), among other things. When used improperly it can kill you.
Wormwood, or Artemesia absinthium, "is a silky perennial plant found in waste places and along roadsides from Newfoundland to Hudson Bay and south to Montana. It is a native plant in Europe, from where it was introduced into North America" (Lust, John. The Herb Book. New York: Benedict Lust Publications, 2009. Print). When used properly, it destroys parasites, inhibits the growth of microorganisms, prevents spasms, induces burping and flatulence, promotes bile flow into the duodenum, reduces fever, stimulates digestion, and acts as a general stimulant. When used improperly, it can kill you.And now that we know the difference, and that Chernobyl doesn't mean wormwood (no matter how awesome that would be from an apocalyptic perspective), here is the song that started the whole diatribe:
P.S. If you would like references to prove that I'm not lying about the etymology of Chernobyl, leave a comment and I will send them to you.
The Grave Police
As anyone who actually reads my blog knows, I am a genealogy/cemetery addict. I love doing genealogy and I love going to cemeteries. That's why I'm a member of Find A Grave. I love the fact that I can find almost anyone on that site, and if I can't find them there, then I can indulge my genealogy addiction and find them through their cemetery and put them in Find A Grace so that others can find them, too. I volunteer to take photos for other people who may not be able to travel up here to find their people. I love to do that, too, because I am helping someone else who may also enjoy the same addictions.
There are certain members of Find A Grave who seem to think this is some sort of competition...the goal? To get on one of the Find A Grave "Top Contributor" lists. Now, I'm not saying that everyone who winds up on those lists is a glory hound, but I happen to be very aware of at least one who is.
Really, if you're going to perpetrate a fraud then you should have a better plan than simply creating dummy accounts that you use for nothing but requesting photos which your main account then immediately posts. And if you are going to do it this way then you should seriously consider coming up with email addresses that aren't virtually identical. Your desire to artificially inflate your volunteer photo numbers is touching...in a heartburn sort of way...but it gets incredibly irritating when my inbox gets stuffed with bogus photo requests.
But these aren't the only problem people on the site. There are definitely others who, while not necessarily doing it to get on the list, are hording memorials that they have either no time or no inclination to maintain (or they are compeltely inactive).
This presents certain problems for those of us who are trying to get information corrected or added. Memorial managers who don't respond to correction requests force active members to involve the site management who may or may not respond either! This means that information is not being updated and memorials are being unnecessarily neglected. There needs to be some sort of recourse for this situation. Maybe Find A Grave needs to hire a few more people?
Don't get me wrong, I love the site, I appreciate what it does and what it represents, and I've had a blast adding and updating memorials. I just wish that other people felt the same way about it that I do...
There are certain members of Find A Grave who seem to think this is some sort of competition...the goal? To get on one of the Find A Grave "Top Contributor" lists. Now, I'm not saying that everyone who winds up on those lists is a glory hound, but I happen to be very aware of at least one who is.
Really, if you're going to perpetrate a fraud then you should have a better plan than simply creating dummy accounts that you use for nothing but requesting photos which your main account then immediately posts. And if you are going to do it this way then you should seriously consider coming up with email addresses that aren't virtually identical. Your desire to artificially inflate your volunteer photo numbers is touching...in a heartburn sort of way...but it gets incredibly irritating when my inbox gets stuffed with bogus photo requests.
But these aren't the only problem people on the site. There are definitely others who, while not necessarily doing it to get on the list, are hording memorials that they have either no time or no inclination to maintain (or they are compeltely inactive).
This presents certain problems for those of us who are trying to get information corrected or added. Memorial managers who don't respond to correction requests force active members to involve the site management who may or may not respond either! This means that information is not being updated and memorials are being unnecessarily neglected. There needs to be some sort of recourse for this situation. Maybe Find A Grave needs to hire a few more people?
Don't get me wrong, I love the site, I appreciate what it does and what it represents, and I've had a blast adding and updating memorials. I just wish that other people felt the same way about it that I do...
There's Privacy, And Then There's Just Stupid...
So the German government has finally decided to count their population, something that hasn't been done since the re-unification. To people in countries that regularly get counted this seems pretty run-of-the-mill...but not to the German people! They are up in arms over the census because they feel that it is an invasion of privacy and they have been staging protests in West-Berlin and Köln and even called for a general boycott. But at least one group is tackling it a bit differently.
According to an article in The Local.de, a fake census form, that mimics the real one, has been sent around the country. Turning up in mailboxes, sans envelope, the Berliner Zeitung reports that the form is the same as the official version but contains questions about drug use, surgical augmentation, and even asks whether you are "heterosexual or not heterosexual."
Apparently the German people are a little unclear on the function of a national census, and have been since the first censuses were held in the 16th and 17th centuries. For those who are a bit hazy on the details, let me explain: a census is used to determine the population size and make-up. Census figures help a government to better determine where money should go and how well the country is doing in terms of education and employment. In the US, census figures are also necessary to determine representation in the government (and if you choose not to fill out a census form then you are telling the people who fought to give you representation that you don't care that they did that!). In the history of German census-taking, censuses were a way for the government to determine how many soldiers a state would supply the army -- the smaller you were, the smaller your contribution. It was also used to determine shares of revenue -- the bigger you were the bigger your share.
Therefore, the purpose of a census is not to invade the privacy of the individual citizen, but to make the government of those citizens more effective. Censuses are anonymous, just like political or consumer surveys. If you think that the government is going to use a census to target your criminal activities then you are wrong...that's what the police are for. So let the government find out how many of you there are and whether you finished high school or not, so that they can better govern you. Anything else is just stupid.
According to an article in The Local.de, a fake census form, that mimics the real one, has been sent around the country. Turning up in mailboxes, sans envelope, the Berliner Zeitung reports that the form is the same as the official version but contains questions about drug use, surgical augmentation, and even asks whether you are "heterosexual or not heterosexual."
Apparently the German people are a little unclear on the function of a national census, and have been since the first censuses were held in the 16th and 17th centuries. For those who are a bit hazy on the details, let me explain: a census is used to determine the population size and make-up. Census figures help a government to better determine where money should go and how well the country is doing in terms of education and employment. In the US, census figures are also necessary to determine representation in the government (and if you choose not to fill out a census form then you are telling the people who fought to give you representation that you don't care that they did that!). In the history of German census-taking, censuses were a way for the government to determine how many soldiers a state would supply the army -- the smaller you were, the smaller your contribution. It was also used to determine shares of revenue -- the bigger you were the bigger your share.
Therefore, the purpose of a census is not to invade the privacy of the individual citizen, but to make the government of those citizens more effective. Censuses are anonymous, just like political or consumer surveys. If you think that the government is going to use a census to target your criminal activities then you are wrong...that's what the police are for. So let the government find out how many of you there are and whether you finished high school or not, so that they can better govern you. Anything else is just stupid.
Not My Brother's Keeper
I have been sitting on a news story for a while now, that I had all but decided not to get all worked up about...then I had a good think about it this morning and decided that something needs to be said. The story is from The Local (Swedish edition) and some of the comments on it initally sounded rational...until I checked out the newer comments this morning. Some of the comments sounded very 1984-ish to me - suggesting that people who have tattoos are somehow bad, while people who wear suits and ties are all good. Obviously, if you've been paying any kind of attention, then you are well aware that people in suits and ties commit crimes, too. I'm sure there were people who thought Bernie Madoff and Rod Blagojevich were good guys!
Some proverbs pop into mind here: don't judge a book by it's cover; walk a mile in someone elses shoes; judge not that ye be not judged; etc.
The article in question concerns a teacher in Sweden who was criticized by a local politician because he has tattoos and spiky hair. His name is Sam Aalto and he teaches (at least for now) at Vasaskolan in Skövde, in western Sweden. Surprisingly, (and in a totally awesome turn of events!) the school board is backing the teacher because he is a "highly competent" teacher "liked by colleagues and students alike."
So this raises the question, should teachers have to look like a Wall Street lawyer to be able to teach children? Obviously, the answer is no. The emphasis placed on the look of the teacher totally ignores the more important question of whether that teacher is competent and effective. Just because you wear a suit and tie doesn't mean you can teach and just because you have tattoos doesn't mean you can't! There are some people who are born teachers and people shouldn't discount them simpley because of a fashion or lifestyle choice.
Interestingly enough, this isn't the first time a teacher has been villified for his preferences.
In June of 2008, Emil Koverot, of the band Blodsrit, was fired before he even set foot in a classroom because he was in a Death Metal band, a fact that the school's principal knew when he hired him! According to Koverot, the dismissal was becasue the other staff and student's parents couldn't accept the fact that he was in a hard rock band. According to the principal, the dismissal came after he reviewed the band's lyrics with lawyers from the Swedish Asscoiation of Regions and Local Authorities (SALAR), and determined that the lyrics "conflict with the school's values."
It happened again in May of this year, in Germany, when a trainee high school teacher in Stuttgart was given an ultimatum: give up your traineeship or quit your gory metal band, Debauchery. Thomas Gurrath was a trainee teacher in politics, history and ethics at Hegel Gymnasium in Stuttgart's Vaihingen district. This all came about after a supervisor at the school discovered some of the band's material on their website and told the education authorities. Gurrath was given the ultimatum "on the grounds that non-violence was a key aspect to the image of the teaching profession -- and one that Gurrath could not plausibly represent to his pupils if he stayed in the band."
Perhaps tellingly, both Koverot and Gurrath responded by saying that it's only music and they don't necessarily condone the contents of their own lyrics.
I have 2 problems with this whole situation.
The first issue is that which I have already pointed out above: just because you look a certain way or listen to a certain type of music that doesn't mean you are a criminal or otherwise reprehensible individual. And it certainly doesn't mean you can't effectively teach.
The second issue is a little more problematic for me...both of these men have said that they don't necessary condone the lyrical contents of their music. If that is true then why put it in there? I am well aware (and perhaps they are not) that there are certain people who believe that whatever a band sings about, they mean. I personally don't think the average band means even 95% of what they write about.* To me it's entertainment just like a horror movie, but there are people who take it deadly serious, and not just the fans.
So, the problem (for me) is where do you draw the line. Should musicians take more responsibility for what they write.** If that's the case, then any writer can be held responsible for the actions of others who misinterpret their work. It becomes a very slippery slope. Where does personal responsibility end and social responsibility begin? And that's the real issue here. The people who are against the Sam Aalto's, Emil Koverot's, and Thomas Gurrath's of this world are suggesting that they are somehow better than these people. They are placing their personal prejudices above the education of their children. If any of these men is an ineffective teacher then he shouldn't be teaching, but that goes for all teachers, everywhere, not just the ones that look different or listen to different music.
Stieg Larsson made this point quite well in his book, The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest (if you haven't read it you should...some very good points are made during the trial portion): People aren't always what they seem. We need to stop basing our opinions on the external and start paying closer attention to the internal.
*That percentage changes based on the band, of course, as there are a plethora of topics bands can, and do, write about and some of them are very serious -- mostly the socio-political bands.
**I am not suggesting (NOR EVER WOULD) that musicians are responsible for another persons actions. The situation in the 80's when various bands were prosecuted for murder/deaths associated with teenagers who allegedly took the music a bit too seriously are a perfect example of society blaming the wrong person. The people who commit crimes after allegedly listening to, and taking to heart, the music of anyone, are still responsible for their own behavior. What I am saying is that bands ought to make it clear that they are not condoning the things they are singing about...and yes, I realise this goes to the credibility of the band...blah, blah, blah...but if you don't really condone the things you are putting out there then you don't really have any credibility anyway, now do you?
Some proverbs pop into mind here: don't judge a book by it's cover; walk a mile in someone elses shoes; judge not that ye be not judged; etc.
The article in question concerns a teacher in Sweden who was criticized by a local politician because he has tattoos and spiky hair. His name is Sam Aalto and he teaches (at least for now) at Vasaskolan in Skövde, in western Sweden. Surprisingly, (and in a totally awesome turn of events!) the school board is backing the teacher because he is a "highly competent" teacher "liked by colleagues and students alike."
So this raises the question, should teachers have to look like a Wall Street lawyer to be able to teach children? Obviously, the answer is no. The emphasis placed on the look of the teacher totally ignores the more important question of whether that teacher is competent and effective. Just because you wear a suit and tie doesn't mean you can teach and just because you have tattoos doesn't mean you can't! There are some people who are born teachers and people shouldn't discount them simpley because of a fashion or lifestyle choice.
Interestingly enough, this isn't the first time a teacher has been villified for his preferences.
In June of 2008, Emil Koverot, of the band Blodsrit, was fired before he even set foot in a classroom because he was in a Death Metal band, a fact that the school's principal knew when he hired him! According to Koverot, the dismissal was becasue the other staff and student's parents couldn't accept the fact that he was in a hard rock band. According to the principal, the dismissal came after he reviewed the band's lyrics with lawyers from the Swedish Asscoiation of Regions and Local Authorities (SALAR), and determined that the lyrics "conflict with the school's values."
It happened again in May of this year, in Germany, when a trainee high school teacher in Stuttgart was given an ultimatum: give up your traineeship or quit your gory metal band, Debauchery. Thomas Gurrath was a trainee teacher in politics, history and ethics at Hegel Gymnasium in Stuttgart's Vaihingen district. This all came about after a supervisor at the school discovered some of the band's material on their website and told the education authorities. Gurrath was given the ultimatum "on the grounds that non-violence was a key aspect to the image of the teaching profession -- and one that Gurrath could not plausibly represent to his pupils if he stayed in the band."
Perhaps tellingly, both Koverot and Gurrath responded by saying that it's only music and they don't necessarily condone the contents of their own lyrics.
I have 2 problems with this whole situation.
The first issue is that which I have already pointed out above: just because you look a certain way or listen to a certain type of music that doesn't mean you are a criminal or otherwise reprehensible individual. And it certainly doesn't mean you can't effectively teach.
The second issue is a little more problematic for me...both of these men have said that they don't necessary condone the lyrical contents of their music. If that is true then why put it in there? I am well aware (and perhaps they are not) that there are certain people who believe that whatever a band sings about, they mean. I personally don't think the average band means even 95% of what they write about.* To me it's entertainment just like a horror movie, but there are people who take it deadly serious, and not just the fans.
So, the problem (for me) is where do you draw the line. Should musicians take more responsibility for what they write.** If that's the case, then any writer can be held responsible for the actions of others who misinterpret their work. It becomes a very slippery slope. Where does personal responsibility end and social responsibility begin? And that's the real issue here. The people who are against the Sam Aalto's, Emil Koverot's, and Thomas Gurrath's of this world are suggesting that they are somehow better than these people. They are placing their personal prejudices above the education of their children. If any of these men is an ineffective teacher then he shouldn't be teaching, but that goes for all teachers, everywhere, not just the ones that look different or listen to different music.
Stieg Larsson made this point quite well in his book, The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest (if you haven't read it you should...some very good points are made during the trial portion): People aren't always what they seem. We need to stop basing our opinions on the external and start paying closer attention to the internal.
*That percentage changes based on the band, of course, as there are a plethora of topics bands can, and do, write about and some of them are very serious -- mostly the socio-political bands.
**I am not suggesting (NOR EVER WOULD) that musicians are responsible for another persons actions. The situation in the 80's when various bands were prosecuted for murder/deaths associated with teenagers who allegedly took the music a bit too seriously are a perfect example of society blaming the wrong person. The people who commit crimes after allegedly listening to, and taking to heart, the music of anyone, are still responsible for their own behavior. What I am saying is that bands ought to make it clear that they are not condoning the things they are singing about...and yes, I realise this goes to the credibility of the band...blah, blah, blah...but if you don't really condone the things you are putting out there then you don't really have any credibility anyway, now do you?
Bad Juju...
This last week...okay, two weeks...has been murder on me. Don't know why, but I have had less motivation than usual and I'm only just now starting to recover. Maybe I just don't like sunny weather?
Anyway, since I'm feeling a bit livelier I thought I'd share some music with you...if you can call it that! Let's face it Danzig is becoming increasingly less relevant (if he ever was relevant to begin with). But here's his newest music video...WARNING: this is not only NSFW, but it's NSF anyone who has issues with naked boobs...and bad music. It's not that I don't normally like Danzig...there are certainly some songs that I do love...it's just that he's sounding a little...hackneyed here. And not only that, but he's starting to sound old, and not a good kind of old, either.
Anyway, the song is called "Ju Ju Bone" (gag) and it's boring as all get out, but some of you may like the video...
Anyway, since I'm feeling a bit livelier I thought I'd share some music with you...if you can call it that! Let's face it Danzig is becoming increasingly less relevant (if he ever was relevant to begin with). But here's his newest music video...WARNING: this is not only NSFW, but it's NSF anyone who has issues with naked boobs...and bad music. It's not that I don't normally like Danzig...there are certainly some songs that I do love...it's just that he's sounding a little...hackneyed here. And not only that, but he's starting to sound old, and not a good kind of old, either.
Anyway, the song is called "Ju Ju Bone" (gag) and it's boring as all get out, but some of you may like the video...
Visions Of Death: Toowong Part 2
Man! I tried for hours to get this published yesterday...have no idea what the issue was but it seems to have resolved. So, here is Part 2 of Toowong Cemetery. Thanks again to Julie for the beautiful images and enabling my cemetery/genealogical research addiction. :-)
BELOW: Benjamin Leach, his wife Catherine, and their son Alfred Thomas. Benjamin was apparently a contractor in Western Australia. I wasn't able to find much information on him.
BELOW: James Forsyth Thallon (and family). He was a Queensland Railway worker who became Commissioner for Railways in 1902, a position he held until his death in 1911.
BELOW: Eileen Mary Sterling and Madeleine Lucy. Unfortunately I could find no information for either of these ladies...yet.
