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Thomas Jefferson & Sally Hemings
All lies and jest, still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest. — Paul Simon The most salient and pertinent observation to be made concerning the Jefferson-Hemings controversy is the results of the DNA study (published in Nature in 1998) did NOT prove Thomas Jefferson fathered Sally Hemings’ offspring. Instead,…
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Thoughts on Two Wheels: July 8, 2013
I should just turn at the next intersection and get off this road. A pain of mysterious origins in the lower back has kept me off the bike for a couple of days and, now, in my eagerness to get back in the saddle and get a ride in before thunderstorms arrive to dampen my…
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Treasure
It’s a somewhat nondescript box sitting on a shelf stuffed with similar boxes. A hand-lettered placard on the front of the box reads “Old Letters: 25¢ Each or As Marked.” This claustrophobic antiques shop is overflowing with objects of questionable value, but I believe I’ve just discovered treasure. The cursive script on the folded stationery…
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Thoughts on Two Wheels: July 1, 2013
It’s strangely quiet in the Merriman valley as I pass the 10-mile mark in my ride. I’ve not been passed by motorcyclists or cars for a couple of miles. Other than the steady whirr of my wheels on the road, I can hear a woodpecker getting busy off to my right as a couple of…
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Thoughts on Two Wheels: June 26, 2013
This evening, I climbed a hill on my bicycle. In the greater scheme of things, climbing a hill on a bicycle is of little import or significance. For that matter, in the realm of cycling, climbing a hill is a rather commonplace and mundane activity. Still, for myself, I’ve reached a milestone. The hill in…
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Thoughts on Two Wheels: June 24, 2013
The cool, crisp autumnal air of a week ago has yielded to 87° of pure, late June warmth. The brisk wind in my face is refreshing as it whisks away the beads of sweat dripping from my forehead. Still, I’m feeling the heat; 7.5 miles into the ride and I’m really pushing an uphill climb.…
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Words
Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup;They slither wildly as they slip away across the universe.— John Lennon I am a logophile, a lover of words. I am also a bibliophile, a lover of books. I read books. I read magazines. I read articles on websites. I read all of the…
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By Way of Introduction: What’s In A Name?
The idea of launching a weblog has been swirling around my thoughts for the better part of two years. As my interests are rather broad, and lacking the desire or discipline to confine my musings to a single topic area, I have struggled with identifying a unifying theme; a general rubric under which I could…