Kentucky

6 things you didn't know about kentucky my favorite... Kentucky is famous for its bourbon whiskey, but even most Kentuckians don't know that bourbon is the invention of a Baptist minister. In Kentucky's late 18th Century frontier days, cash was scarce. Many people conducted business via barter, including supporting their churches. The local minister would receive far more tithes in grain than he could ever eat or resell, so most ran distilleries. In what was then called Bourbon County (and is now Scott County), Baptist minister and notorious cheapskate Elijah Craig was no exception. As the story goes, Craig decided to burn out the inside of the oak barrels he aged his whiskey in so he could get one more use out of them. Turns out people liked the flavor imparted by Craig's charred oak more than the straight, regular-oak aged whiskey, and thus bourbon whiskey was born. The sad irony of all this is that Baptists became teetotalers and Scott County went dry. While stolidly Baptist Scott County is now dry as a bone, local legend has it that several casks of Elijah Craig's original bourbon were placed inside the columns of the administration building of the equally Baptist Georgetown College. The legend never fails to lure guillible frat boys into trying to crack those columns open about once a decade. Posted by BG on 5/27/04; 11:13:10 PM

Articles That Caught My Eye

BILL COSBY'S POINTED REMARKS MAY SPARK MUCH-NEEDED DEBATE Wed May 26, 8:01 PM ET By Cynthia Tucker In a way, Cosby's speech was an eloquent reminder of the stunning success of the civil rights movement that followed the Brown decision: Black America is strong enough and successful enough to admit its shortcomings and gird itself for the work ahead.     Cosby isn't alone in asking blacks to own up to problems Tue May 25, 6:46 AM ET By DeWayne Wickham   Too many liberals believe that racism is the only culprit here; and too many conservatives think the blame rests entirely on the people who are the faces behind these awful statistics. The truth, I'm convinced, is somewhere in between. But personal responsibility, where the biggest breakdown seems to have occurred, is the piece of this troubling puzzle that blacks can exercise the most control over.       Report: Many Get to College but Leave Wed May 26, 6:16 PM ET By JUSTIN POPE, AP Education Writer America's colleges are bringing more students than ever into their classrooms, but they have made little progress making sure those students leave with a degree, a report issued Wednesday warned. 'Day After Tomorrow': A lot of hot air   Tue May 25, 6:46 AM ET By Patrick J. Michaels As a scientist, I bristle when lies dressed up as "science" are used to influence political discourse. The latest example is the global-warming disaster flick, The Day After Tomorrow. This film is propaganda designed to shift the policy of this nation on climate change. At least that's what I take from producer Mark Gordon's comment that "part of the reason we made this movie" was to "raise consciousness about the environment." I'd heard that IBM is mostly interested in becoming a consulting company pushing computer solutions... not in desktops or piddly stuff like that, mostly mainframes, servers and business machines with their software solutions on 'em.  This Linux strategy kinda plays to that rumor..  Big business, is big business.  let's all get a slice.   Kill Bill   Wed May 26, 1:25 PM ET By Daniel Lyons   Though IBM did not invent Linux, does not distribute it and earns nary a penny on it, the computer giant (2003 sales: $89 billion) is spending billions in a crusade to make Linux the world's most popular operating system. All told, more than 12,000 IBMers today devote at least part of their time to Linux. IBM has invested millions in two leading Linux distributors, Red Hat and SuSe. It has spent millions more to cofound and fund the nonprofit organization that oversees Linux development. In developing nations IBM has opened 20 Linux training centers, where it schmoozes government ministers and explains how Linux can create jobs for the young. But IBM has a broader agenda--undermining Bill Gates' company. Here lies the next big battle in tech, pitting two erstwhile allies against each other in a fight to rule the computer industry in the years ahead. As big corporate customers seek to lash together worldwide networks and imbue them with more online commerce, a new $21 billion market for Web-linked software has emerged. Microsoft wants to dominate this business and make it a Windows world. IBM has embraced Linux and in doing so has stoked the biggest threat ever to confront the Microsoft monopoly. While IBM's products run on Windows, it wants its customers to see how nicely they would run on Linux as well, using the free operating system as a lure. "Like getting free bread in a restaurant," says Irving Wladawsky-Berger, vice president of technology and strategy at IBM and a pivotal proselytizer of Linux inside the company. Ultimately, customers may not need Windows at all. Posted by BG on 5/27/04; 7:52:20 AM

What a Great Day.

Still Basking from yesterday. Posted by BG on 5/20/04; 11:30:02 AM

Finally

Mike has finally arrived... with some girl! Heather notes, "and he's wearing a sport coat! is she special?" Posted by BG on 5/19/04; 7:12:04 PM

Yay

Rock and Roll! Posted by BG on 5/19/04; 6:47:02 PM

Ready to Rock

Damn, what a neat club. Got good seats, need Mike to show up, and a drink! Posted by BG on 5/19/04; 6:00:10 PM

A Start

at a most grossly ornate McD's waiting for the girl to finish work... faux marble, paintings, jazz, private booths. how odd. Posted by BG on 5/19/04; 3:46:03 PM

What a Great Day.

Oh yeah, got tickets for Heather and I to see Glen Phillips (former 'Toad the Wet Sprocket' band member) tonight!  He's gonna be at the Black Orchid in Pipers Alley in Chicago.  My most favorite performer by far.  Recently downloaded a performance (1+GB!) of his with Nickel Creek from Archive.Org.   They took their oncore onto the street because the club was closing! As Glen would say... Be Well. Posted by BG on 5/19/04; 11:34:47 AM

Now I just have to pay for it...

What a nice wake up call I got this morning.  (approximately... 10 - 15 minutes ago)  The CC of IC2004 decided I needed to get up.  Also, they apparently don't want me to fall asleep between now and IC, because:  oh yeah, they also want me to be the IS Team Leader.  Question: How do I get to Germany, and how do I pay for living expenses in Germany, when I only have $300? Posted by BG on 5/19/04; 11:16:38 AM

Happy Mother's Day!

Here's your new computer! *1 week pause* It's dead already?! Posted by BG on 5/19/04; 11:00:16 AM

Not a Random Striker

So, Scottie wasted a tonne of my time today.  He's been cajooling me into applying for the CC of IC 2004.  My god was that application a killer.  But I think even though I have to leave for a few days during preconference to go to Lisa's wedding, I still think I have enough experience and enthusiasm to be a worth while addition to the team.  A big big thanks to Chris White for filling out a reference for me so quickly.  He had it done and faxed before I even started the application. We'll see what happens, but I may be off to Germany for the summer! Posted by BG on 5/11/04; 3:16:05 PM

waiting

still in line damn these shoes with holes in 'em... Posted by BG on 5/7/04; 6:30:16 AM

Smarts

I ain't got 'em obviously. Dad and I are driving in the rain to the CompUSA opening in Geneva in hopes of a free computer... Posted by BG on 5/7/04; 5:26:26 AM

Smells like... St. Louis

It's just too hot in my work area to accomplish anything. So I've moved outside. (Hooray for laptops and wireless networking! *Listens for the Amens*) It smells just like all my childhood memories of St. Louis out here. It's that slightly hot muggy getting ready to rain smell. I love it. I had such a hard time getting settled down and doing anything. Being out here, I've actually gotten started on what I set as my goal for the day. Amazing. Now I just have to finish it. Posted by BG on 5/6/04; 5:00:05 PM