Ulysses S. Grant had, all things considered, a terrible life. Between the Mexican and Civil Wars, he failed as a farmer, a bill collector, and a horse goods salesman. After the Civil War, as president he appointed and stuck by some of the most profoundly corrupt men in the history of statescraft, and then went on to a retirement of bankruptcy and chronic illness.
To balance this out, he was widely considered to be an excellent horseman, wrote one of the great memoirs of nineteenth century America, and eventually whooped the Rebels.
But was he in full Alcoholia around and about the Battle of Shiloh? He had pretty good reason to be, as his commanding officer during the Fort Henry/Fort Donelson/Shiloh was Halleck, a fastidious general whose overall philosophy was, basically, “If we move forward a foot a day, eventually we SHALL reach the East Coast.” He hated Grant, and let Grant know it, and as Grant picked up victories at Henry and Donelson, he was even more of a dick. So, yeah, maybe Grant had a drink or two to forget the ole boss… who doesn’t?
– Count Dolby von Luckner
http://www.ftg-comic.com/2008/04/22/index.php
By virtue of the advanced technique of Asking Him, Newton has managed to find out where Frederick Douglass cast aside the book that twisted his soul while granting him really quite rad powers. The problem: it’s at the bottom of the Mississippi River. The solution should be pretty simple, so long as there are diving bells being manufactured and fair, impartial men to rent them out. We anticipate no silliness whatsoever in Episode 119: Hell’s Bells, but perhaps you should check all the same, just to be sure.
– The Count and Geoff
Well, I am emerging from the shadow of the opera, and thus am starting to have a bit more free time again and am able to post.
But, the opera is not completely done with me yet. If anybody wants to see a performance of “Yeomen of the Guard”, this upcoming weekend is the time to do it.
Curtain is at 8pm on Saturday the 26th, and at 2:30pm on Sunday the 27th. The show performs at Dinkelspiel Auditorium on the Stanford University campus.
–Geoff
Newton has some cause to be rather pissed off at Riemann. After all, without Riemann’s work on the mathematical foundations of non-Euclidean space, Einstein would have had a hard time of his own work, and Newton’s world system might have continued unsullied for centuries to come. But, as those of you who have recently been in the position of renting a diving bell no doubt know, when first Lady Bell bites you, there is no indignity a man will not suffer to have her.
The exact number of orphans Leibniz saved during his life has been disputed by scholars for centuries. There has been general agreement however, that his hair was immense.
– Count Dolby von Luckner