Five at 8 - 12/7/09: History and your story

Posted at 7:55 AM on December 7, 2009 by Julia Schrenkler (6 Comments)
Filed under: Five by 8

Better open with a rouser! Who says this is for late nights only? Swing out a bit today. Naturally, The Subject is Jazz.

Dr. Billy Taylor said of the series' goal, "Show people on a Saturday instead of looking at football, you can look at something that has to do with America's classical music." Then Doc Severinsen delivers his tribute to Dizzy Gillespie:

Listen carefully to the interview portion of the video, and let me know what you think went unsaid. Then enjoy the musical interlude and think of where we are today.

1) History: December 7, 1941.

Consider the fate of the USS Arizona. Now it serves as a representative commemoration of all killed or injured in the attack on Pearl Harbor. How can someone communicate that in a building? From nps.gov, World War II: Valor in the Pacific:

According to its architect, Alfred Preis, the design of the Memorial, "Wherein the structure sags in the center but stands strong and vigorous at the ends, expresses initial defeat and ultimate victory....The overall effect is one of serenity. Overtones of sadness have been omitted to permit the individual to contemplate his own personal responses...his innermost feelings."

Share yours in the comments, or just indicate a moment of silence. Your call.

2) From the time-marches-on department: Minnesota vineyard grows in former cornfield. "Their interest in winemaking started innocently [...]" and now they're tending 4,000 grapevines. It happens.

3) Since historical searches were on the tab, I looked up Bob's activity a year ago today. My picks for revisiting:

* The threat of online journalism
* Is the media making the economy worse?
* and... Sningo!

4) Sometimes revisiting Today's Question the next day (follow that?) makes it even better. Time to peruse replies to Does the approach of winter fill you with joy or dread?

These two comments appeared back-to-back:

I love winter!!! I was able to get out cross-country skiing today for the first time this season. Now, am just waiting for the lakes to freeze in hopes of skating on them before we get too much snow. - Posted by Mary

I have lived in the south where the temperature was rarely below freezing. I missed the punctuation that winter provides to mark the passuing of time. Ask again in February and the answer will be different. - Posted by kennedy

Wonder if Eric Ringham will ask again in February?

5) Even more about the weather... instructables.com shows you how to make a cheap backyard ice-skating rink. Personally, I'd like to know if you make an ice rink at all. Memories welcome.

h/t Bill Swersey

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Bob Collins is out of the office and I'm out of town, but look for other News Cut posts.

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Comments (6)

My childhood home had a little patio out back, which would consistently pool about 1-2" of water whenever we had any significant amount of precipitation. (My sister and I loved it, but my parents probably weren't as enamored since the water would also leak down through the foundation and into our basement) In winter we had our own tiny little private skating rink when it froze over - there are tons of photos of the two of us wearing 90's era neon snow suits and ice skates out there.

Posted by Noelle | December 7, 2009 8:23 AM

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Noelle that sounds like fun - how big was the patio? Did you have room to maneuver, or did you and your sister perfect sharp turns?

Posted by Julia Schrenkler, MPR | December 7, 2009 8:48 AM

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The patio was only about 8x10', and only about half was ice - from what I can remember, we did a lot of small circles going around the "rink". Once we got older we wound up having to take turns going on the ice. :-)

Posted by Noelle | December 7, 2009 12:45 PM

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SINGO!! I don't remember that!

Thanks for the way back machine!

Posted by BJ | December 7, 2009 4:14 PM

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I'd like to take a shot at building a backyard rink. Anyone have information on what it does to the lawn?

Posted by kennedy | December 7, 2009 4:31 PM

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That's pretty sweet, Noelle.

@BJ you're welcome, anytime!

Hmmm that's a good question, Kennedy. I don't know, but I'll ask the Internet.

Posted by Julia Schrenkler, MPR | December 8, 2009 12:16 PM

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