Some native examples of Holscher's First & Second Law of History

Recently I posted an entry on Holscher's Law of History.  In doing that I expounded that the first law is "Everything first happened longer ago than you suspect" and the second law is "Everything last occurred more recently than you suppose.". 

Here's some interesting example from the story of American Indians.

This photograph was taken in 1906.  We'd tend to think of it as well after the Indian Wars, but it really is not.  Indeed, at this point in time, amazingly, one last conflict between Native Americans and the U.S. Army was yet to occur, although that scrap was an accident.  Be that as it may, we see a family with some native attire, and some not.  The degree to which native attire is hanging on in this photographs is a little surprising.  This photo, for context, was taken after the invention of the airplane and the introduction of the Model T.

But what's really surprising ins the sewing machine.  I wouldn't have expected that.  An example of the first law, to a degree.

This family, by the way, was photographed on the  Crow Reservation of southern Montana.

How about this photograph of a woman drying fish?  She's in a traditional camp, with a teepee and all, drying a traditional food.

This photograph was taken in 1913.  World War One would break out the following year.  Here we see, however, an Indian woman engaged in a very traditional activity.

 

What about this photograph?  For all the world, this photo looks like it was taken in the 1870s or so, but for the fact, perhaps, that the Indian rider (here a Crow Indian in Montana0 is riding a western stock saddle, a detail that's hard to catch without knowing what to look for.  But this is also a 20th Century photograph, taken in 1908.

While this scene comes near, if not in, the 20th Century, it's telling none the less.  This member of the Crow tribe is out riding in winter, probably hunting or otherwise out in some activity that requires his presence outdoors.  In Wyoming, I've seen photos of Indians from the Wind River Reservation out tenting (with teepees) while hunting, on the North Platte, as late as 1912, long after some maintain that long range native hunting forays did not occur.

What about this photograph?  The front rider (the father of the boy in back) is dressed in fairly typical Western attire with modern tack.  He retains the long braids of traditional Indians.  The boy, or rather young man, in back is wearing a newsboy cap.  The 1910s?  1920s?

No, 1941.

Bomb Sight - Mapping the World War 2 London Blitz Bomb Census

Bomb Sight - Mapping the World War 2 London Blitz Bomb Census

Interesting interactive map.

Maps are neat, in general, but a think like this takes a map in a bit of a new direction, that only the computer can do.  Interesting project.

Inflation Calculator 2012

Inflation Calculator 2012

Useful link for looking at the change in value of money.

Perhaps a grim way to start off 2013, but an interesting look how the value of individual dollars has changed over time.  Having said that, some caution on such things is always warranted, as social and employment conditions greatly impact this, but that the dollar's value has changed massively over time cannot be disputed.

Carnegie Library, Lewistown Montana.

This is the Carnegie Library in Lewistown, Montana.  The library has an addition, clearly visible, which makes for quite a juxtaposition of architectural styles. Still, in spite of that, it works quite well.

Just recently Natrona County Wyoming's voters turned down an effort to build a new library, thereby opting to keep the county's strained library.  The current library in Natrona County dates back, I think, to the 1970s, with an older portion of that library dating back to the 30s or 40s. That older portion replaced a library that was an original Carnegie Library of the same approximate vintage as this one. 

I note that as it shows, perhaps, how the importance of libraries has changed to communities over time.  Or perhaps it says something only locally, as at least one other Wyoming community recently passed a bond measure to expand their library.  Anyhow, I've been in libraries all over Wyoming, and indeed, in a few in other regions of the country, and note how much use they still receive.  They don't, however, always figure in the public's mind like they once did.

This library is a good example of how central they once were.  The original small library is direction across the street from the courthouse in Lewistown, and courthouses tend to get pride of place in a community's downtown. That this library was constructed in such a central location says a great deal about how the residents of Fergus County Montana viewed it at the time they received a grant from the Carnegie Foundation to build it.

Stuff that's good to know.

From West's Headnote of the Day, something that's good to know:

230 Jury

230II Right to Trial by Jury

230k30 Denial or Infringement of Right

230k33 Constitution and Selection of Jury

230k33(5) Challenges and Objections

230k33(5.15) k. Peremptory Challenges.

Venireperson may be properly excluded for nonserious demeanor. People v. Thomas, 641 N.E.2d 867 (1992)

Calvert Hotel, Lewistown Montana

I've written a bit on old hotels here from time to time.  Here's another example.

This is the restored Calvert Hotel in Lewistown Montana.  This hotel, however, didn't start out as one, which may explain why I was surprised that it wasn't near a rail line.  This hotel was built in 1912 as a girls dormitory, for rural Fergus County Montana students.  It says something about conditions at the time that girls would have been housed by the county in a dormitory, like college students are today, in order to attend high school.  I didn't take a picture of it, but a building that was obviously built as a high school, but which is now used for some other purpose, is nearby.

The big dorm went idle in the 1920s but was revived decades later as a hotel, for which it was likely well suited.  In 2007 it was purchased again and rebuilt.  It's been nicely done, and some of the original features remain.  It's located nearly in the center of Lewistown, and the dome of the Fergus County Courthouse is visible on the right hand side of the photograph.

This is a nice hotel, and the room rates are really reasonable.  There's a nice restaurant in the basement, which is a restaurant that serves the towns people of Lewistown in addition to the hotel's patrons.  Like older hotels, and perhaps like older dormitories, the rooms are small. The one thing I noted about staying in it is that the walls are thin, but the walls are just as thin on a lot of modern motels as well.  Usually in these solid older buildings that's note the case, but this hotel wasn't originally built as one.  Perhaps the original dorm had fairly thin walls as well, reflecting either a relatively regimented life in the dorm, or perhaps an acknowledgement that it was going to be noisy anyhow.  Or maybe the rooms were added much later.

 Early morning view.

Sheep camp supplies « Ladder Ranch

Sheep camp supplies « Ladder Ranch

The Law of Unintended Consequences

From a recent news article:

There’s one potential casualty of the fiscal cliff that hasn’t gotten much attention at all: the price of milk.

Come Dec. 31, Washington’s inaction could push the country’s milk prices to as much as $6 to $8 per gallon unless Congress passes a farm bill renewing federal support for agriculture programs. 

Here’s how that would happen: Without legislative action in the next five days, the government will have to revert to a 1949 dairy price subsidy that requires the Agriculture Department to buy milk at inflated prices. Much like the current fiscal cliff, the law was left on the books “as a poison pill to get Congress to pass a farm bill by scaring lawmakers with the prospect of higher support prices for milk and other agriculture products,” as Vincent Smith, a Montana State University professor, told the New York Times.

Goodness, that is seriously whacky.

Today In Wyoming's History: Sidebar: Wyoming and World War One

Today In Wyoming's History: Sidebar: Wyoming and World War One: Recently I did a Sidebar post on Wyoming and World War Two .  So, a followup on Wyoming and World War One is a natural in some ways, alt...

Spam, Spammers, and Counter Revolution

Recently here I wrote on the topic of junk mail, and touched upon the topic of email Spam.  In what is perhaps an oversight, and perhaps a bit ironic, subsequent to that my Facebook page was the victim of a Spam attack.  I guess that's what a person would call it, but I'm not entirely certain, as I'm not really a the most computer literate in some ways.

I do have, as noted, a Facebook page.  I don't "friend" everyone like some folks do, and the people on my friend list are actually my friends. That's about it.  It isn't even my habit to check it everyday, like many people do.  I'm much more likely to check one of the blogs.  Anyhow, I guess I'm fortunate in that I did check it the day of the Spam attack.

I wasn't alone in being the victim of the cyber assault. At least five other folks I know were. Basically, all of us ended up having something or somebody get onto our pages and post links to videos of scantily clad women.  One of the really quick to react managed to get the offending links off prior to anyone seeing them.  I thought I was on pretty early myself, but apparently not so early as many of my friends and relatives, who have teased me about "liking" a video that apparently features a young woman's nearly naked rear end.  Nifty.  One of my other friends found that she was featuring a video of another barely clad young woman's cleavage, which she was appalled to learn of later in the day.  A nice decent young man ended up hosting the most offensive of all the links.

I don't get this sort of behavior at all.  My guess is that these pirate links are designed to draw attention to some nasty website in Russia or something where the host either attempts to swipe financial information from the visitor, tries to sell them nasty junk, or infects their computers with nasty viruses. Anyway you look at it, it's really appalling all the way around.

Its in part appalling as its a massive waste of computer talent.  In this day and age when computers are so important to commerce, surely these folks can better employ their talents.  If they must act in a secretive manner, why can't they be hacking into Al Queda's bank accounts, reprogramming Syrian missile strikes, causing the Iranian nuclear program to serve frozen yogurt, or wiping out ever single episode of Zack and Cody?  You know, something useful if sketchy.  I'd think that more rewarding than hacking on the Facebook pages of the innocent.

Beyond that, I'm really bothered by how this is ample evidence, to some degree, of the moral sewer nature of much of the Internet.  I'm sure an entire treatise could be written about this, but it doesn't say good things about society in general when so much of a a really useful tool is dedicated to encouraging deprivation.  It's really bad, quite frankly.  For some time its seemed to me that some moral codes in regards to dress have so declined in the US that people aren't aware that there are any, and stuff like this doesn't help.  Its popular to say that a person should always guard against censorship but, here, I'm in favor of it.  Call me Victorian if wish, but I am.  But frankly I think the situation was better when the people who wanted to view this stuff had to suffer the embarrassment of having to actually buy it, which at least must have been some brake upon the conduct.

Additionally, it may say something about me, or perhaps its just because I'm getting old, but it bothers me that there are so many who are willing to prostitute their images for whatever thin amount of cash that must yield, and I'm sure it isn't much.  It's just flat out sad that there's a pool of young women who are willing to have themselves portrayed in this way. Why would a person want to be known for their naked appearance?  Worse than that, why would they want to be known for their naked appearance in a manner which appears to suggest that they're offering themselves for sale?  One of the primary struggles of the women's movement in the Western world has to be seen as equals. Well, these young women are the guerrilla warriors of a counter revolution, in essence, as their behavior screams that they wish to be viewed as objects.  If for not other reason, and there are a lot of other reasons, they should be ashamed.

I guess, taking this one step further, there seems to be a general trend in behavior in this fashion, and it's really detrimental to all sorts of things.  One of the people I do know on Facebook has a female friend who comments on his posts who has taken all the liberties that Facebook profiles presumably allow in posting her own photograph.  Why would you want to post a photo of yourself framed in such a way that it's pretty clear your shirt is missing, and you're framing the photo so as to be barely within the presumed limits?  Surely you must have other merits other than your chest?  And why would anyone be interested in the comments of a person whose sole attributes were below the neck?  Such a person would, by definition, not be very interesting.

But, by the same token, some of the young women I see waking into public school every day, at least when the weather is warmer, are on display. Again, why would they want to advertise themselves at that age?  Not a good start in the almost adult world.

For that matter, while I'm on this tirade, there's a lot of female advertising going on with tattoos.  I don't care if people have tattoos or not.  And I'll concede that the artistry that goes into tattoos is much more advanced than it was when only Marines and Sailors had tattoos.  But a lot of these tattoos seem to be in very private locations, and that seems to inspire people to display the private locations.  I was recently in a setting which traditionally has been been one in which people presented themselves in very formal attire, when a nice looking young woman was wearing jeans so tight, and so low, that she inadvertently partially displayed a tattoo on her rear end.  A tattoo in that region is going to be suggestive, intentionally or not, and that isn't going to help a woman receive the respect and attention she deserves.  I'm sure that if you know here, you'd learn to overlook, so to speak, the tattoo, but more often than not, in many settings, we're amongst strangers.  I don't think most folks want to be giving out the message "hey! . . . look at my ass!"  At least I hope not.

Well, this has meandered frightfully.  But I guess the overall message is that I wish cyber pirates or vandals would move on and be productive, and I wish that young women would really think about the image they give out. I'm sure that all women wish to be respected.  I'm also pretty sure that one naked photos wipes out the work of a hundred female supreme court justices, in terms of image.

Today In Wyoming's History: Sidebar: World War Two and Wyoming

Today In Wyoming's History: Sidebar: World War Two and Wyoming: Regular readers here may have noted that there's been a lot of entries regarding World War Two recently. And, as a result, they might legit...

Images of Oil Production

Oil Field, Grass Creek Wyoming, 1916.

Some other "big picture" oil photographs from outside of Wyoming:

The "small picture":

1920s:

 Lance Creek, 1920s.

Moving Drilling Equipment, Lusk, 1920s.  Public Domain from Wyoming Tales and Trails.

1930s and 1940s:

Loading facilities, Cody, 1930s-40s.

Geologist at work.

I find this photograph interesting as it exactly how I recall doing this in the early 1980s.

All photographs from our Flickr site.

Today In Wyoming's History: December 7

Today In Wyoming's History: December 7:

Today is, by State Statute, WS 8-4-106, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.  The Statute provides:

(a) In recognition of the members of the armed forces who lost their lives and those who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor, territory of Hawaii on December 7, 1941, December 7 of each year is designated as "Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day". The day shall be appropriately observed in the public schools of the state.
(b) The governor, not later than September 1 of each year, shall issue a proclamation requesting proper observance of "Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day".
(c) This section shall not affect commercial paper, the making or execution of written agreements or judicial proceedings, or authorize public schools, businesses or state and local government offices to close.

Your Recollections:  What about you?

Do you have any personal recollections about December 7, 1941?  Either first hand, or that you recall hearing from family and friends?  And, by that, not just Pearl Harbor stories, but I'd be very interested to learn of any family recollections from those at home, on that day.  Wyoming is three hours ahead of Hawaii, did your family hear it that morning, or later in the day?  Just after church, or while tuning in for a football game?  Any recollection is welcome.

(More text follows on original post).

The Virginian Hotel, Medicine Bow Wyoming. . . and location near the railhead.

The Virginian Hotel was built in 1911. At the time, it was a major hotel on the Union Pacific, and soon thereafter a major hotel on the Lincoln Highway.  Indeed, when first built it was one of the largest hotels on both routes, although the near contemporary Plains Hotel in Cheyenne was larger.

The reason for the hotel's location is evident from the photograph below, which also appears on our companion Railhead blog.  The hotel is directly across from the Union Pacific train station, which would have made it a  very convenient stop for travelers.

This arrangement was the archetype of pre 1950 hotel location.  Most long distance travel was by rail, and those who got off the train were often looking at a short walk to a hotel, or at most a short coach ride.

The Virginian is an exception to the rule in that it remains a going concern.  It's still a significant hotel in Medicine Bow, although Medicine Bow is neither as isolated or important as it once was.  The hotel and restaurant are still stops for weary travelers.

Photographs from our Flickr site.

Railhead: Medicine Bow Union Pacific Station, Medicine Bow W...

Railhead: Medicine Bow Union Pacific Station, Medicine Bow W...: This a classically styled small town railroad station, located in Medicine Bow, Wyoming.  It's now a museum. View with the ...

Subtle evidendence of changing times?

Two photos, taken on the same day, December 3, 1919, in the same location.

Top rider is well turned out, and riding side saddle.  Younger rider below is wearing puttees, broad brimmed hat, and an English saddle.

Subtle evidence of changing times?  Or just different disciplines?

All photographs from our Flickr site.