Patron Saint

Clonmacnoise, Ireland

The Feast Day of Saint Patrick has taken-on more significance for me since we traveled and visited the Old Sod of my ancestors before COVID.  Unless you are oblivious it is obvious that the Republic of Ireland is most assuredly a bastion of the Roman Catholic tradition of the Christian faith.  And I suppose more than a few visitors are left with the impression that Ireland is - in some official capacity - a Catholic country.  While Catholics significantly outnumber all other faith traditions in Ireland, there is no reference to Catholicism in the Irish Constitution.  Ireland is officially a secular state and tolerates all belief systems.  Of course, on my visit not even once did I spy a Lutheran church.  But I digress.

Getting back to the Feast Day the story of Ireland’s Patron Saint persists and you readers are likely wondering if St. Patrick really did chase the snakes out of Ireland.  Or is that tale just a bunch of blarney?        

According to the tale way back in the fifth century the legendary priest raised his staff and banished the reptiles into the seas surrounding the Emerald Isle.  Save for those in captivity it is true that Ireland has no snakes.  But this current condition has less to do with religious tradition and more to do with geologic history and events dating many millennia ago.  Following the retreat of the last glaciers some 15,000 years ago Ireland was devoid of snakes.  Surrounded by icy waters to this very day snakes cannot swim or find their way there and as a consequence Ireland remains snake-free.         

That’s too bad because if my recreational DNA test is to be believed I am becoming more Irish with every passing year.  And I have a particular fondness for snakes. The bigger the better.   

Like this dandy five foot long Western Fox Snake.  I also like a good saint when I see one and St. Patrick wasn’t even Irish.         

Patrick was born of aristocratic blood in Britain probably around the year 390.  The legend says that he was not particularly religious.  At age 16 he was kidnapped into slavery was forced into life as a sheepherder in Ireland.  It is held that it was during this time that he found God and became a believer.         

As the story goes he began hearing voices and the voices instructed him to flee.  Which he did.  Patrick eventually found his way back to Britain and his family.  Alas, the voices returned commanding him to return to Ireland.  He was ordained a priest, went back to Ireland and spent the balance of a rather difficult life converting the pagan Celts to Christianity.  He died on March 17, 461 and was promptly forgotten.      

Nevertheless, over many years faithful conviction and belief in the story of Patrick grew.  And he grew ever larger after his death than he did in real life.  Hundreds of years after the fact he was honored as Ireland’s patron saint.         

So on March 17th we gather to pay homage to this saint who - ostensibly - banished the snakes from Ireland.  It is said that on this one day of the year everyone is Irish.          

Since I have real Irish blood coursing through my veins I intend to raise a glass of Guinness and toast my ancestors and Saint Patrick.  I will ignore the part about the sketchy British and Western European connection.         

Speaking of Guinness - according to the Guinness people somewhere around 5.5 million pints of Guinness stout are consumed world-wide each and every day.  On St. Patrick’s Day this will grow to 13 million pints; lifting a Lenten restriction on alcohol for just one day.     

Drink responsibly people.         

Sláinte!

 

Friday Music

This is a gospel-influenced track composed by Curtis Mayfield and released by the Impressions as a the title track from their People Get Ready album.  Released as a single it became the group's best-known hit reaching number three on the Billboard R&B chart and Number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100.  

In 1965, the date of the song's release, Mayfield was beginning to manifest a growing sense of social and political awareness in his writing.  Martin Luther King shared that this song was the 'unofficial' anthem of the Civil Rights movement.

Rolling Stone magazine names it the 24th greatest song of all time and also placed itt at number 20 on their list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.  It's also included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.  Whew!

It has been covered by everyone from Jeff Beck, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Bob Marley, Al Greene, Aretha Franklin, The Chambers Brothers, Eva Cassidy, Everly Brothers, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, the Staple Singers and way too many more to count.  Whew!!

In my view Curtis Mayfield is one of the greatest soul singer/composers of all time.

To provide for contrast and for a sense of the timelessness of this song and how it has  transcended boundaries over multiple generations, social, political and religious movements I am posting a 1987 soulful Live In Montreaux performance by Mayfield followed by a contemporary white evangelical cover by Lindy Cofer and Matt Redman.

Good stuff. 

People Get Ready...

Radioactive

Speaking of radioactive stuff there is this.

A couple of decades ago a free radon detection kit came into my possession.  Some of my readers may know that radon is an odorless, colorless, naturally-occurring radioactive gas that is produced as a consequence of the decay of uranium and radium in soil, bedrock and groundwater.  It enters buildings primarily through foundations, footings, construction supports and plumbing.  

And like all things radioactive, radon is hazardous.  Prolonged exposure to the stuff is a major contributor to lung cancer.

Pondering the detection kit I figured I would use it on our newly-constructed house as opposed to our almost one hundred year old house.  The foundation of the new house was close to bedrock along with a high water table and the logic was that it was tightly-constructed and therefore more likely to trap or retain dangerous gases. I didn't give much thought to the fact that a certified Energy Star dwelling was also equipped with a whole-house fresh air exchange system.  I wasn't thinking.  I digress.   

As for the old house, it was constructed upon a shallow hand-dug basement, poorly insulated, generally leaky and drafty and to my mind if it was capable of allowing mice to come and go freely it was unlikely to retain any gas for very long; radioactive or not.  I wasn't going to test it for radon even if it was free.  

So I tested the new house.

Wouldn't you know it, the dwelling tested positive for radon.  A more sophisticated follow-up test conducted by a HVAC contractor revealed sufficient radon contamination to warrant remediation. 

So we had the contractor install a sub-slab depressurization system which uses a pipe and fan to draw radon from beneath the basement, via the sump-pump crock, and vent it safely outside.  

After installation a follow-up test resulted in no detectable radon.  And the basement smelled remarkably fresh from there-on.

Anyway, while outside and playing with the dog recently I happened to look up for some reason and absolutely had to take a picture of the stack from which our radioactive radon is vented.

To be clear this has happened before, yet is exceedingly rare and unusual; likely the result of a week of negative Fahrenheit temperatures.

Nevertheless, a passing thought occurred to me that if a person mixed a cocktail and used the ice from the stack would the libation have radioactive properties?  Glow in the dark perhaps?  In my lifetime all things nuclear enjoyed some popular culture notoriety after all....  

Friday Music

 

Last Thursday brought the fourth visit to the Door Community Auditorium and second performance for us.

Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives knocked another ball out of the park.  

If you’re a fan of old school country, Mole Lake Blue Grass Fest, a Stones tune composed at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios or Fender Telecaster surf music; Marty delivers!

Intimacy of Gibraltar High School Auditorium is bonus.

Fast Fact:  Yes, the bassist for Marty Stuart's band is Chris Scruggs, who joined in 2015.  He is the grandson of legendary banjo player Earl Scruggs and also plays guitar, steel guitar and drums.

Strict copyright enforcement restricted photos and video of last week's performance; nevertheless YouTube delivers with a four song set list......

Does It Glow In The Dark?

Unremarkably, as society embraced the atomic age, in 1950, A.C. Gilbert released a toy laboratory set that contained actual uranium. 

Some of you reading this may have grown-up with an A.C. Gilbert Erector Set - a fantastic toy that could keep you occupied for an entire day. 

The Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab was an actual children's science kit that contained small samples of radioactive materials, including uranium ore.  The kit was marketed as an educational tool to teach kids about nuclear physics and radiation. 

It included four small uranium ore samples (labeled with actual isotopes like U-238), a Geiger counter, a cloud chamber to see particle trails, a spinthariscope to observe alpha particles, an electroscope to measure radiation and a couple of manuals - "Prospecting for Uranium" and "The Atomic Energy Manual".

Pretty cool stuff and probably not precisely life-threatening.  The radiation levels were low, and the samples were sealed.  Nevertheless, even though the US Atomic Energy Commission approved the kit, by today's safety standards, it would never be allowed as a children's toy.

Regrettably, and for all the novelty, the product failed to catch-hold.  Selling for $49.50 (more than $600 in today's dollars) it was too expensive for most families.  It was too complex for most youngsters and naturally parents were uneasy allowing their kids handle radioactive materials.

Of course, if you had one of these in your attic it would be highly collectible fetching thousands of dollars on E-Bay for a complete set.

Fizzle

Growing-up in the early 1960s there is a childhood memory of a fascination of all things that went fizz without shaking-up a pop bottle and lifting the crown cap to release of volcano of soda flow. 

Sodaburst was an innovative instant ice cream soda mix introduced by Birds Eye in the 1950s and 1960s. Marketed as "the real ice cream soda that makes itself at home in one minute—cold," it offered a convenient way to enjoy a soda fountain-style treat at home. Each package contained a scoop of ice cream, flavored syrup, and soda fizz; consumers simply added water to create the beverage 

Available flavors included black and white (chocolate and vanilla), strawberry, pineapple, and all chocolate . Despite its novelty, Sodaburst was eventually discontinued, likely due to changing consumer preferences and market dynamics.

Seems like all that's left nowadays is Alka-Seltzer tummy and cold remedies... 

The Taco Revolution

Pup 'n' Taco was founded by Russel Wendell in 1956 as a southern California drive-in restaurant that served tacos, tostadas, hot dogs, pastrami sandwiches, fries, RC cola, root beer and slushes.  The first officially-branded Pup 'n' Taco was opened in 1965 in Pasadena.  By 1973 there were 62 locations.  Not bad for a privately-owned fast-food enterprise.

In 1984 Taco Bell acquired 99 stores specifically for their prime locations in expensive real estate markets.  In relatively short order those locations were closed or converted.  The Taco Revolution was not entirely bloodless.

Three stores located in Albuquerque, New Mexico were not part of the sale and remained in business until closing in 2013.

 

Are You Old Fashioned?

If states had official cocktails, as they do mottos, Wisconsin’s would certainly be the brandy old fashioned.  The original Old Fashioned is a simple cocktail dating back to the early 1800s, made with whiskey (often bourbon or rye), sugar, bitters, and a twist of citrus.  Why brandy and not whiskey, as is customary elsewhere?  Might it be a penchant for fruit brandies that Germans brought to Wisconsin in the 19th century?  

Could it be marketing?  Some say Korbel’s introduction of its brandy in 1893 at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago turned the heads of Wisconsin Germans who visited the fair and then spread the word when they returned.  American GIs stationed in Europe during WWII developed a taste for European brandies. When they returned home—especially in heavily German-influenced states like Wisconsin—they kept drinking it.  

By the 1950s, Wisconsin bartenders were commonly making Old Fashioneds with Korbel brandy instead of whiskey. They also began muddling cherries and orange slices, sweetening it more than the original, and adding options like: Sweet (with 7Up or Sprite), Sour (with Squirt or sour mix) or Press (half 7Up, half seltzer water).

Nowadays,  Old Fashioned's go hand in hand with another beloved regional institution, the supper club. This is the cocktail so prevalent as an evening starter that bartenders can practically mix them with their eyes closed.

Fast Facts -  Over 50% of Korbel's brandy is consumed in Wisconsin alone, even though it's produced in California.  On a per capita basis, Wisconsin's brandy consumption is dramatically higher than any other state.

Pro Tip - Looking for a uniquely Wisconsin spin?  Sweeten your Old Fashioned with maple syrup. 

Homemade?

In the unlikely event that you have any doubts about the wasteland of culinary underachievement in the 1960s there is this.

And it's passed-off as homemade.... 

Friday Music

Wednesday of last week Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band opened their Land of Hope & Dreams Tour in Manchester, England. 

Bruce launched this run of shows with three statements about the the current state of affairs in the United States, with comments preceding his songs "Land of Hope and Dreams," "House of a Thousand Guitars" and "My City of Ruins."  Naturally, this has gotten under some some people's skin.  

Snowflakes.

As a young man I came of age in the 1970s with Bruce Springsteen rocking my life via a four speaker Craig, surround sound, AM/FM, stereo cassette sound system in my trusty VW Westphalia camper van. I was a popular guy.  But I digress.

Not one to shy-away from politics Springsteen has long had an activist streak.  Which might explain why I've been a follower since I got hooked on the music with Greetings from Asbury Park.  And a fellow American who's grateful for patriots like Bruce to stick it to the oligarchs.

More than fifty years of rockin' the lives of ordinary Americans; yes, us little people. The Boss speaking truth to power.  

Some things never change.....

The Taco Revolution

From 1990 there was this bonanza.

An real steal.....

 

On This Day In History

Spanish for the Fifth of May - Cinco do Mayo commemorates the Battle of Puebla which took place on this day in 1862.

Following on the Mexican-American War (1846-48) and the Reform War (1858-61) the country of Mexico was a social, political and financial basket case.   Owing money to French, British and Spanish financiers Mexican President Benito Juárez suspended payment leading to a declaration of war by the three countries.  Britain and Spain negotiated a settlement and Napoleon III used the opportunity as a pretext to invade Mexico and install Archduke Maximilian (of Austria) as a puppet monarchy. 

A ragtag Mexican force of 2,000 poorly trained and equipped soldiers led by General Ignacio Zaragoza engaged in a pitched battle near Mexico City against a professional French force of 6,000.  Despite being outnumbered and outgunned the Mexican forces prevailed in a decisive victory.

France ultimately occupied Mexico City so this was not a strategic victory; nevertheless,  General Zaragoza became a national hero and the defeat of the French at Puebla became a source of national pride in the Mexican resistance.

This day is not to be mistaken for Mexico's Independence Day - September 16, 1810 - but as a point of national pride it has evolved into a cultural celebration including food, parades, music and fireworks.  Mexican Americans celebrate it as a symbol of ethnic solidarity. 

As for me, I'll likely enjoy a frosty cerveza at the end of the day and raise a toast to my brown-skinned, Spanish-speaking compadres who keep the dairy operations in the neighborhood and Green Bay meat-packing plants running smoothly.

Salud!    

Old Ride

Weekend errands with my 28 year-old Chevy Silverado pickup.

Always starts on the first pull. 

 

Bonus is Marshall Tucker Band.

 

I have a cassette player; and you don’t….

 

 

Foolish Is As Foolish Does

The history of April Fool's Day or All Fool's Day is uncertain, but the current thinking is that it began around 1582 in France with the reform of the calendar under Charles IX. The Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved from March 25 - April 1 (new year's week) to January 1.

Communication traveled slowly in those days and some people were only informed of the change several years later. Still others, who were more rebellious, refused to acknowledge the change and continued to celebrate on the last day of the former celebration, April 1.

These people were labeled "fools" by the general populace, were subject to ridicule and sent on "fool errands," sent invitations to nonexistent parties and had other practical jokes played upon them. The butts of these pranks became known as a "poisson d'avril" or "April fish" because a young naive fish is easily caught. In addition, one common practice was to hook a paper fish on the back of someone as a joke.

This harassment evolved over time and a custom of prank-playing continue on the first day of April. This tradition eventually spread elsewhere to Britain and Scotland in the 18th century and was introduced to the American colonies by the English and the French. Because of this spread to other countries, April Fool's Day has taken on an international flavor with each country celebrating the holiday in its own way.

In 1996 the Taco Bell Corporation announced it had bought the Liberty Bell and was renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell. Hundreds of outraged citizens called the National Historic Park in Philadelphia where the bell was housed to express their anger. Their nerves were only calmed when Taco Bell revealed, a few hours later, that it was all a practical joke. The best line of the day came when White House press secretary Mike McCurry was asked about the sale. Thinking on his feet, he responded that the Lincoln Memorial had also been sold. It would now be known, he said, as the Ford Lincoln Mercury Memorial.

Here's some inspiration.....

 

Put Moral Formation At The Centre Of Your Society

Put Moral Formation At The Centre Of Your Society

David Brooks' speech was challenging and thought provoking, calling for us to reassess what we think cultural renewal looks like and to reconnect to our spiritual roots.

David Brooks is a bestselling author, columnist for The New York Times, and a contributor to The Atlantic. He is also a commentator on The PBS Newshour. His latest book is How To Know A Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen.

Go deeper with ARC Research. Read reports, articles, and academic papers underneath our talks - all pointed towards advancing education, promoting research, and developing ideas about the keys to human flourishing and prosperity.  You can learn more here.

A Wee Bit O'Blarney

Clonmacnoise, Ireland

The Feast Day of Saint Patrick has taken-on more significance for me since we traveled and visited the Old Sod of my ancestors before COVID.  Unless you are oblivious it is obvious that the Republic of Ireland is most assuredly a bastion of the Roman Catholic tradition of the Christian faith.  And I suppose more than a few visitors are left with the impression that Ireland is - in some official capacity - a Catholic country.  While Catholics significantly outnumber all other faith traditions in Ireland, there is no reference to Catholicism in the Irish Constitution.  Ireland is officially a secular state and tolerates all belief systems.  Of course, on my visit not even once did I spy a Lutheran church.  But I digress.

Getting back to the Feast Day the story of Ireland’s Patron Saint persists and you readers are likely wondering if St. Patrick really did chase the snakes out of Ireland.  Or is that tale just a bunch of blarney?        

According to the tale way back in the fifth century the legendary priest raised his staff and banished the reptiles into the seas surrounding the Emerald Isle.  Save for those in captivity it is true that Ireland has no snakes.  But this current condition has less to do with religious tradition and more to do with geologic history and events dating many millennia ago.  Following the retreat of the last glaciers some 15,000 years ago Ireland was devoid of snakes.  Surrounded by icy waters to this very day snakes cannot swim or find their way there and as a consequence Ireland remains snake-free.         

That’s too bad because if my recreational DNA test is to be believed I am becoming more Irish with every passing year.  And I have a particular fondness for snakes. The bigger the better.   

Like this dandy five foot long Western Fox Snake.  I also like a good saint when I see one and St. Patrick wasn’t even Irish.         

Patrick was born of aristocratic blood in Britain probably around the year 390.  The legend says that he was not particularly religious.  At age 16 he was kidnapped into slavery was forced into life as a sheepherder in Ireland.  It is held that it was during this time that he found God and became a believer.         

As the story goes he began hearing voices and the voices instructed him to flee.  Which he did.  Patrick eventually found his way back to Britain and his family.  Alas, the voices returned commanding him to return to Ireland.  He was ordained a priest, went back to Ireland and spent the balance of a rather difficult life converting the pagan Celts to Christianity.  He died on March 17, 461 and was promptly forgotten.      

Nevertheless, over many years faithful conviction and belief in the story of Patrick grew.  And he grew ever larger after his death than he did in real life.  Hundreds of years after the fact he was honored as Ireland’s patron saint.         

So on March 17th we gather to pay homage to this saint who - ostensibly - banished the snakes from Ireland.  It is said that on this one day of the year everyone is Irish.          

Since I have real Irish blood coursing through my veins I intend to raise a glass of Guinness and toast my ancestors and Saint Patrick.  I will ignore the part about the sketchy British and Western European connection.         

Speaking of Guinness - according to the Guinness people somewhere around 5.5 million pints of Guinness stout are consumed world-wide each and every day.  On St. Patrick’s Day this will grow to 13 million pints.     

Drink responsibly people.         

Sláinte!

The Taco Revolution

If you are a NASCAR fan you know Taco Bell is in the game. 

Nothing new under the sun.

There is this vintage gem from the 1970s.

Taco Bell was promoted on the racing circuit since fifty years ago....

 

The Taco Revolution

Back in the 1970s I used to help-out my buddy who managed one of the earliest Taco Bell locations in Milwaukee.  East side of Appleton Avenue - north of Capitol Drive.

For those who work the drive-thru at Taco Bell.

The struggle is real.....

 

Seduction

I stumbled-across this blast from the past - sixty years ago to be exact. 

Growing-up my pop had a tube of this stuff on hand.  And I got to use a dab on school picture day!

According to this ad - Brylcreem can get men wanted, or unwanted, harassment from young ladies. If you do not follow directions, and you use TWO dabs of Brylcreem, the young ladies will ATTACK you.

If you're looking to seduce the town librarian two dabs will be just the ticket...

Military Filmography

Way back in September of 2010 the staff here at The Platz posted our Top-Ten picks of movies about Hollywood Goes To War with my personal Top Ten War Movies.  We thought we rather nailed it.  Nevertheless, staff recognizes that moods, politics, tolerance for warfare and Hollywood tastes change over time.

A pause for a partial revisit.

From the all-knowing Internet Movie Database is the Top 25 Greatest War Movies of All Time (The Ultimate List).  

Compiled 11 years ago and updated 7 years ago the war movies on this list are ranked according to their success (awards and nominations), Their popularity and cinematic greatness from a perspective of directing and writing.  Accuracy is important too.   

There was considerable overlap between this list (albeit larger and casing a wider historic net) than my original Top Ten list; including some releases to hit the big screen or streaming services in recent years.

Significantly, I've seen all of these movies; many of them multiple times.  Over the course of a decade and a half it is interesting to note the commonalities in film genre that persist in popular culture.  There is a great deal of over-lap in taste.

In any event, one of my go-to YouTube channels for geopolitical events and affairs is hosted by Ward Carroll.  Carroll flew F-14 Tomcats for fifteen years after graduating from the US Naval Academy.  Named Naval Institute Press Author of the Year in 2001 he is host of the Ward Carrol YouTube Channel.

Several months ago Carroll pubished a short list of All-Time 12 Most Badass Military Movie Characters I thought to myself:  I've seen all of these movies.  More overlap.  Fascinating.  

I've embedded the video below.

So, with winter upon us if you're looking to curl-up by the fire and watch some military history, war drama, the tragedy of violent conflict or the futility of war in general; enjoy surfing the IMDb and YouTube accounts for titles you can stream directly or watch on your own streaming services. 

If you are motivated you know where to find the content......