Dumas Malone…

was born in Coldwater, Michigan, on this date in 1892.

Professor Malone, who died in 1986, was a historian, biographer and editor. His foremost work, the six volume Jefferson and His Time, is the most authoritative biography of the William and Mary alumnus who became author of the Declaration of Independence, third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia. The last volume, Sage of Monticello was completed when Malone was 89 years-old.

Dumas Malone was presented the Medal of Freedom by President Reagan in 1983.

And then there’s cold

At 1:19 PM EST the temperature on Mount Washington, New Hampshire, was -14.6°F with a windspeed of 53 MPH, gusting to 61.

Resultant wind chill: minus 52°F.

Visibility, however, was 100 miles.

Brain-tan Buffalo robes, Buffalo hide Tipis, Buffalo skulls

Buffalo Robe.com

Bison…It’s what’s for dinner

From the Rocky Mountain News, a report on the increased demand for bison products.

Dineen credits The Fort restaurant, a 41-year-old institution on U.S. 285 near Morrison [Colorado], for making buffalo popular in metro Denver.

“(The Fort founder) Sam Arnold has been talking about buffalo for more than 30 years,” Dineen said. “The Fort is known internationally for serving buffalo.”

Following in Arnold’s footsteps is Ted Turner, media mogul and bison rancher who founded Ted’s Montana Grill, with metro locations in Aurora, Littleton and Larimer Square.

Turner’s 15-restaurant chain (with plans for 25 more by 2005) is making it easier for bison producers to make inroads with other chain restaurants, Dineen said.

“We’re seeing more interest from multiunit restaurants than we did before Ted’s,” he said.

The popularity of high-protein diets such as Atkins also has helped raise demand for bison, he said.

Bush Lightyear

He should just say, “To infinity and beyond!” At least then our grandkids, who are going to pay for all this, would recognize it as a fantasy.

Why go to Mars? Red = Green

“President Bush’s proposal to send humans to Mars is potentially good news for an unlikely place – Maryland, the stealth space state.”
– Baltimore Sun

“President Bush’s plans to send a manned mission to Mars, as well as to establish a permanent station on the moon, could mean jobs, prestige and hundreds of million of dollars for Arizona universities and industry.”
– The Arizona Republic

“If President Bush announces next week a plan to set up a base on the moon and send people to Mars, he’ll likely turn to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center to help make it happen, a senator and former NASA officials said Friday.

Such a cosmic charter would be a major economic boon for the economy in Huntsville and the state, aerospace and economic development officials say. But they’re cautious about making predictions until they see Bush’s plan and whether it can gain the support of Congress and the public. :
– The Birmingham News