I finished reading Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts. In preparation for their trip to France, Sharon and Janie both read the book over the last several months. Sharon enjoyed the book, raved about Napoleon and recommend that I read the biography.
There is no question that Napoleon had some substantial accomplishments as a statesman. He implemented fundamental liberal policies in France and throughout Western Europe. Napoleon's lasting legal achievement, the Napoleonic Code, has been adopted in various forms by a quarter of the world's legal systems, from Japan to Quebec. His educational reforms laid the foundation of a modern system of education in France and throughout much of Europe. Napoleon emancipated Jews, as well as Protestants in Catholic countries and Catholics in Protestant countries. He directly overthrew feudal remains in much of western Europe. The list goes on...
There is also no question that Napoleon was also a genius military tactician and a skilled commander. He changed the nature of warfare. Nevertheless, I get hung up on the wanton loss of life. The daily description of every battle includes thousands or ten of thousands of soldiers killed. In Napoleon's advance on and subsequent retreat from Moscow, over 500,000 French soldiers died.
I also got a little bored by the descriptions of all the battles. While others may be, I am not interested in trying to track all of the descriptions of the moves and counter moves on a map.
The books paints a positive picture of Napoleon. Ever since I read the biography of DiMaaggio, I have started to wonder more and more about biographies and how authors can shape the readers view of the subject. I probably need to read another biography of Napoleon at some point...
In spite of my complaints, Napoleon is a fascinating subject. This is a solid biography of his life. I give it a "B" grade.
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
ESPN Films 30 for 30 Vol 2: Of Miracles and Men
Billed as the story of Soviet hockey team that lost to the Americans in the 1980 Olympics at Lake Placid, it is really a broader look at Soviet hockey. Starting with the development of the hockey program after World War II, it chronicles the rise of the program through the 1970s.
The first part of the film focuses on Anatoli Tarasov. Known for this unusual training methods, he built the program from scratch starting in 1946. Tarasov is considered the father of Russian hockey and established the Soviet Union national team as the dominant force in international competition. The Soviet hockey team won the gold medal at the Olympics in 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1976.
The film shifts to Viktor Tikhonov. He took over the Soviet Olympic hockey team in 1975. Tikhonov was known for his dictatorial coaching style. He exercised nearly absolute control over his players' lives. Tikhonov was the coach of the team when it lost to the Americans in the 1980 Olympics. He is in the villain in the film. I didn't realize that Tikhonov had pulled the star goalie half through the game at Lake Placid in 1980.
The last half of the film is largely told through the eyes of Slava Fetisov. Fetisov was a star Soviet defenseman. As part of the film, he and his daughter return to Lake Placid.
After the Olympics, the documentary follows Slava Fetisov. He was instrumental in breaking the barrier that had previously prohibited Soviet players from leaving the Soviet Union to join the NHL. Fetisov played in the NHL from 1989 to 1998. He played with the New Jersey Devils and won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings.
This is a very ambitious film. It includes a large number of interviews with the Russia players from the 1980 Soviet team as well as Tarasov's daughter. It is worth looking for; it is one of the best of the Volume II episodes. While Volume I aired over about 15 months, Volume II was broadcast over almost three years. Although my memory of some of the earlier films is a little spotty, I should probably go back and rate all of the episodes like I did for Volume I.
Monday, September 28, 2015
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Dinner with Jack & Morgan
With Sharon off at a legal conference in San Diego, Morgan, Jack and I had Mexican food at Rey Azteca.
Dinner with Jack and Morgan (@ Rey Azteca Taqueria in Carmichael, CA) https://t.co/komtObX0B6
— Mark Heringer (@heringermr) September 28, 2015Saturday, September 26, 2015
The Bill Simmons Podcast
I am excited to have the Bill Simmons podcast back in my life!
FYI: The Bill Simmons Podcast launches on Thursday 10/1 - subscribe on iTunes https://t.co/SGZ7asOR1d or Soundcloud https://t.co/fBwy8hgIPH
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) September 27, 2015Friday, September 25, 2015
Jesuit Art Event
For the first time, Sharon and I went to the Jesuit Art Event. It wasn't quite what I expected. I thought that the event was going to showcase the work of the students. Instead, the show focused on a wide variety of local artists.
Afterwards, we had dinner at Miyagi Sushi in Lyon Village.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Napa Valley Evening Bike Ride
With the days shortening, I hurried back to the hotel, got a bike and took off for a evening bike ride.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
ESPN 30 for 30 Shorts: The Pittsburgh Drug Trials
Grant land and ESPN Films have released the thirty-ninth film in their 30 for 30 documentary short series.
You can find The Pittsburgh Drug Trials on the ESPN web site at http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=13665043 .
More about the film at: http://espn.go.com/30for30/film?page=pittsburghdrugtrials.
30 for 30 Shorts: The Pittsburgh Drug Trials
The latest film, directed by Michael Jacobs, tells the story of how a cross-cultural scourge bled into the national pastime and made the front page of every paper in the country
You can find The Pittsburgh Drug Trials on the ESPN web site at http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=13665043 .
More about the film at: http://espn.go.com/30for30/film?page=pittsburghdrugtrials.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Monday, September 21, 2015
The Farmer and the Fox
I had dinner at The Farmer and the Fox in St. Helena with Sotera.
I'm at The Farmer and the Fox - @cairdeanwine in Saint Helena, CA https://t.co/KjUAfD5bJz— Mark Heringer (@heringermr) September 22, 2015Sunday, September 20, 2015
They're Home! [Sharon and Janie's European Vacation - Day 17]
Up at 4:30 am local time, Sharon and Janie caught a 7:30 am flight from Gevena to London. With a short lay-over, they caught a flight from London to San Francisco. They landed in San Francisco about 1:15 pm.
I left the house in Carmichael at 10:30 am. It took me 3 1/2 hours to drive the 100 miles to the airport. The world is a parking lot...
Sharon called me just as I parked in the garage at the international terminal just a little before 2 pm. I walked in to the terminal, dragged their luggage to the car and started back to the Sacramento.
Dropping Janie off at home, we were home just a little before 5 pm. I am looking forward to seeing more of the pictures!
More of Sharon and Janie's European Vacation!
I left the house in Carmichael at 10:30 am. It took me 3 1/2 hours to drive the 100 miles to the airport. The world is a parking lot...
Sharon called me just as I parked in the garage at the international terminal just a little before 2 pm. I walked in to the terminal, dragged their luggage to the car and started back to the Sacramento.
Dropping Janie off at home, we were home just a little before 5 pm. I am looking forward to seeing more of the pictures!
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Selma
On Friday night with Sharon and Janie still on their European vacation, I watched Selma. This is the only one of the Oscar nominated films for 2014 that I didn't see earlier in the year..
After reading the DiMaggio biography, I have become much more suspicious of historical films and novels. I keep wondering if this an accurate portrayal of Dr. Martin Luther King.
Andrew Young is included in the film. Young—SCLC activist and official, and later US Congressman, Ambassador to the United Nations, and mayor of Atlanta—told The Washington Post that the depiction of the relationship between Johnson and King" was the only thing he would question in the movie.
In spite of Young's endorsement, I think that there are parts of the film that don't work. Malcom X and J. Edger Hoover's brief appearances as well as the whole story line about Dr. King's martial affairs seemed disjointed.
In spite of the shortcomings, David Oyelowo does a great job as Dr. King. Dr. King was an amazing speaker; you get to hear Ovelowo give several of his speeches. Additionally, at the end of the film, they use several minutes of actual footage from the March in 1964. You can see Sammy Davis Jr. and Henry Bellafonte marching in the crowds. I found this part of the movie very moving.
Overall, I give the film a luke-warm endorsement. While there are parts to the film that seem to drag, I found the last ten minutes of the movie extremely powerful.
After reading the DiMaggio biography, I have become much more suspicious of historical films and novels. I keep wondering if this an accurate portrayal of Dr. Martin Luther King.
Andrew Young is included in the film. Young—SCLC activist and official, and later US Congressman, Ambassador to the United Nations, and mayor of Atlanta—told The Washington Post that the depiction of the relationship between Johnson and King" was the only thing he would question in the movie.
In spite of Young's endorsement, I think that there are parts of the film that don't work. Malcom X and J. Edger Hoover's brief appearances as well as the whole story line about Dr. King's martial affairs seemed disjointed.
In spite of the shortcomings, David Oyelowo does a great job as Dr. King. Dr. King was an amazing speaker; you get to hear Ovelowo give several of his speeches. Additionally, at the end of the film, they use several minutes of actual footage from the March in 1964. You can see Sammy Davis Jr. and Henry Bellafonte marching in the crowds. I found this part of the movie very moving.
Overall, I give the film a luke-warm endorsement. While there are parts to the film that seem to drag, I found the last ten minutes of the movie extremely powerful.
Sharon and Janie's European Vacation - Day 16
Winding down the trip, this was another travel day for Sharon and Janie. As they waited for the bus outside the Hotel Stcheclburg, Sharon called me via FaceTime. I grabbed the screen shot shown above while Janie was taking a selfie with Sharon!
They took the bus back to Lauterbrunnen and then a local train to Interlaken. They caught a train from Interlake to Burne. Checking their luggage at the railroad station, they walked around Burne. Wandering into a store in Burne, they heard a song from Milo Greene's second album!
Eventually, they took the train from Burne to the Gevena Airport. They are spending the night at the Movenpick Hotel and Casino near the airport.
In one of those odd twists of fate, Mary Maloney is in Switzerland; they met up with her. The three of them finished the day with hamburgers at the hotel. Sharon and Janie have an early morning flight back to San Francisco tomorrow.
Friday, September 18, 2015
California Historical Landmark #685
Working out of St. Helena from January through November of 2015, I have started exploring California Historical Landmarks in Napa, Sonoma and Lake Counties, including: Site of Stone and Kelsey Home [#426], The Battle of Bloody Island [#427], Sulphur Bank Mine [#428], Lower Lake Stone Jail [#429], Stone House [#450], Old Bull Trail Road and St Helena Toll Road [#467], Chiles Grist Mill [#547], Schramsberg [#561], Charles Krug Winery [#563], Site of York's Cabin [#682], Site of Hudson Cabin [#683], Sam Brannan Store [#684], Sam Brannan Cottage [#685], Site of Kelsey House [#686], Beringer Brothers Winery [#814], Old Lake County Courthouse [#897], Petrified Forest [#915] and Litto's Hubcap Ranch [#939]. I visited all seven of the California Historical Landmarks in Lake County and finished visiting all of the Napa landmarks.
Sam Brannan Cottage - Calistoga
California State Historical Landmark #685
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps
This landmark is located at 1311 Washington Street, Calistoga, California. There are 16 other California State Historical Landmarks in Napa County. The GPS coordinates for this location are N 38° 34.735 W 122° 34.832.
You can log your site to this site at waymarking.com
Sam Brannan arrived in Napa Valley in the late 1850s with the dream of making it the 'Saratoga of California.' In 1866 cottages were built and palm trees planted in preparation for the grand opening of the resort. This is the only cottage still standing.
California State Historical Landmark #685
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps
This landmark is located at 1311 Washington Street, Calistoga, California. There are 16 other California State Historical Landmarks in Napa County. The GPS coordinates for this location are N 38° 34.735 W 122° 34.832.
You can log your site to this site at waymarking.com
Sam Brannan arrived in Napa Valley in the late 1850s with the dream of making it the 'Saratoga of California.' In 1866 cottages were built and palm trees planted in preparation for the grand opening of the resort. This is the only cottage still standing.
Sharon and Janie's European Vacation - Day 15
Sharon and Janie took four trams from the valley floor to reach Schilthorn. This restaurant on the top of a peak is featured in the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Unfortunately, it was snowing and cloudy so they didn't have much of a view. They had lunch in the revolving restaurant.
Returning to the valley floor, Sharon and Janie took the tram up the other side of the valley. They finished the day with dinner in Lauterbrunnen and then dessert at Hotel Stcheclburg. They packed up their stuff at the chalet. Sharon spent a third night at the nearby small hotel. They will start to wind their way home tomorrow.
More of Sharon and Janie's European Vacation!
Thursday, September 17, 2015
The Wistar Institute of Anatomy & Biology
Sharon and I walked by this waymark after we picked Jack up at UPenn.
The Wistar Institute of Anatomy & Biology
Pennsylvania Historical Marker
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps
This marker is located at 1804 Chesnut Street, Pennsylvania. The GPS coordinates for this location are 39°57'05.0" N 75°11'41.9" W.
The nation's first independent biomedical research institution was founded in 1892 by Isaac Jones Wistar. It houses the anatomical collection of the Wistar and Horner Museum. Many critical vaccines and the albino Wistar rats used in medical research were developed here.
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 2007
Pennsylvania Historical Marker
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps
This marker is located at 1804 Chesnut Street, Pennsylvania. The GPS coordinates for this location are 39°57'05.0" N 75°11'41.9" W.
The nation's first independent biomedical research institution was founded in 1892 by Isaac Jones Wistar. It houses the anatomical collection of the Wistar and Horner Museum. Many critical vaccines and the albino Wistar rats used in medical research were developed here.
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 2007
Sharon and Janie's European Vacation - Day 14
With heavy rain in the valley, Sharon and Janie took the bus and the train back to Interlaken. They shopped [Swiss watches], had a great lunch and then took a cruise on Lake Thun. They got off the boat at Thun and walked around.
They finished the day with dinner at the hotel where Sharon is staying. Sharon is staying at Hotel Stcheclburg. After spending the first night at the chalet, this is the second night that she stayed at this little hotel.
I also finally realized how far up the valley they are. While I thought that they were in Lauterbrunnen, they are almost four miles beyond that in the very end of the valley.
More of Sharon and Janie's European Vacation!
They finished the day with dinner at the hotel where Sharon is staying. Sharon is staying at Hotel Stcheclburg. After spending the first night at the chalet, this is the second night that she stayed at this little hotel.
I also finally realized how far up the valley they are. While I thought that they were in Lauterbrunnen, they are almost four miles beyond that in the very end of the valley.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Hog Island Oyster Company at the Oxbow Market
Winding my way back from Clearlake to Napa thourgh the Capay Valley and Winters due to the Valley Fire, I stopped for dinner at the Hog Island Oyster Company at the Oxbow Market. In addition to a half dozen oysters, I had the seafood stew. I need to bring Sharon here...
Day 13 - Oysters and Seafood Stew (at @HogIslandOyster Co. in Napa, CA) https://t.co/00qEJwsivT pic.twitter.com/WUGIdmc5cE
— Mark Heringer (@heringermr) September 17, 2015
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