Inside the White House

The sublime neoclassical architecture of the White House never fails to inspire and delight your Head Trucker. National Geographic takes us behind the scenes at the Executive Mansion in this 1995 documentary, narrated by Morgan Freeman:

National Geographic: Cruise Ship

Now would be a good time to get away to the islands. With five thousand of your closest friends.

Living Children of Civil War Veterans Speak of Their Fathers

Memories live on:  This is thought to be a prewar photograph of your Head Trucker's great-great grandfather, who joined a Mississippi infantry company and was killed in the War, probably at the disastrous Battle of Franklin, just about this time of year, 150 years ago.  Click to enlarge.

Amazing but true:  about 35 children of men who fought in the Civil War War Between the States are still living.  Here are two of them remembering their fathers in a video posted today by the National Geographic Society:



You can read more here.


While we're on the subject, here's a great clip from the Library of Congress of some Confederate veterans doing the rebel yell at a reunion in the 1930's - note that it's not at all a cowboy "yeehaw":

Are You Typical?

A thought-provoking short from National Geographic - though of course, everything hinges on how you define the word typical.

Gay Twins

Interesting stuff.  Take note, however, that nothing is as yet proven:  pay attention to all the times "may" and "might" are used.

And in any case, whatever the ultimate "cause" of gayness is, even when we find out - does it really, truly matter?  We are human beings.  We live, we love, we laugh, we work; we have our particular contribution to give to the life of the world.  Like every other mother's son on this planet.

Beyond that, what else matters?  Every flower that blooms adds its small touch of beauty to the world before it withers into dust.  Every bird arcing through the sky has its little song to sing before it falls, as it must one day, to earth.

Life is short.  We are all given a moment out of eternity to live and bloom and sing our song before we return to dust.  Science and knowledge are important, don't mistake me; but even more important is to live a decent, compassionate, unselfish life in the concert of humanity.

To add our warbled note, however tiny, however frail, to the beautiful, mysterious aria of Love that proceeds from the heart of things:  that's why we're here.