Moss-grown

Governor Dummer Academy wants to change it's name. Per it's web site it was "Established in 1763 through a bequest from Massachusetts Bay Lieutenant Governor William Dummer."

So after 240 years, they're worried about having "Dummer" in their name. Seems silly to me and if I were an alum [I suppose alumnus is the correct term] I'd be upset. I just appreciate tradition and tend to be pretty stodgy about such changes. Plus it's New England, aren't we supposed to be stodgy and not change these things?

The James Russell Lowell Grammar School is the only school I've attended named for someone and I doubt they'll ever change the name. Even though Boston is barely still the place where "The Cabots speak only to Lowells, and Lowells speak only to God", his poetry will (I hope) always matter. He was the first editor of the Atlantic Monthly, as well, but I don't think anyone ever told us that in 3rd grade.

The Truth About Me

I thought it was a good idea to wear two pairs of socks yesterday and then stuff my feet into ziplock baggies before putting my Docs on. My socks ended up more wet than normal after trudging through the mountains of snow. The opposite of what I had planned.
My boots look a little tired, too.

Sixty Years

Today marks the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. CNN has some stunning quotes.

From Wladyslaw Bartoszewski, Auschwitz prisoner No. 4427 and former Polish foreign minister:

"The question we ask ourselves and of the world is how much of the truth about the horrible expierences of that totalitarian regime we managed to pass down to the younger generations. Much of it, I believe, but not enough."

There's interesting information on Wikipedia on the yellow badge Jews were made to wear. Apparently this practice goes back to 717 and ended with the 1940s. Well, it has for the Jews, but not for other minority groups in other countries. Prevent Genocide International tracks current news on Genocide and is worth checking out.

This year also marks the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Just a few weeks ago this column ran in the Turkish Press, speaking of the "alleged genocide". Horrifying.

Snow

Wow, 3 feet already and now more coming. I feel like I live in Alaska. I'm not complaining though, it is beautiful white fluffy snow and I don't have much shoveling to do at all.

MLK Day

This statue is in Kelly Ingram Park in Birmingham, AL. I took this photo when I visited in May. The base of the statue reads:

Yes if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice; say that I was a drum major for peace.

His dream liberated Birmingham from itself and began a new day of love, mutual respect and cooperation

The MLK National Historic site lists a lot of Dr. King's speeches, including one from 1944 when he was a junior in high school. I just spent time reading some of them. I figure, what's the point of having a day named for someone if you don't give a bit of your time to remember them and what they stood for.

Mac mini is real and more

Good news:

Mac mini announced, brushed metal, square shape with rounded edges features a slot-loading CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo drive, USB 2.0, FireWire 400, DVI and VGA connectivity, two models – a 1.25GHz, 40GB G4 system for $499 and an 80GB 1.42GHz G4 system for $599.

Apparently it'll be available January 22.

Kottke's got an image.

MacMerc is blogging live from Macworld. The flash-based iPod is for real.

See Steve Jobs, if you let your keynote be broadcast live you would've been the one to tell all of us the exciting news.