Jeremy B. Blevins

An excellent post from The Gentlemen's Standard

2012-02-10T19:00:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite blogs to read is The Gentlemen's Standard. and posts like the one below exemplify why: The Standard #59: An honorable gentleman fully comprehends the concept of exhibiting class, sympathy, and compassion. During episodes of great tragedy or human misery, the humane gentleman believes in charity and generosity. It is second nature. The considerate gentleman does not

Another reason why paper maps are superior to GPS

2012-02-09T11:50:00.000-06:00

Over the past several years I have developed some fairly strong anachronistic views on the overuse of technology, with GPSes being one in particular. Given, I own hiking and auto GPSes, I find them no substitute for actual navigational and geo-positional savvy (i.e. knowing where you are, where you want to go, and how to get there). I prefer paper maps, and given the subject of the post below,

The heraldic fraud (II)

2012-02-07T08:30:00.000-06:00

I got one of these certificates from a vendor in a mall back in the nineties (before I knew better) that purported to tell the history of my surname. I keep it to remind me how easy it is to be taken advantage of. If any positive can come from the experience, I did gain a stronger desire to learn my family history after obtaining it.The heraldic fraud (II): OR private message, a kind lady lives

The burden of being a watchmaker

2012-02-06T12:12:00.000-06:00

I ran across the following blog post recently:The burden of being a watchmaker: This afternoon I read the following line in Malcom Gladwell’s book What the Dog Saw: And Other AdventuresWhen Bulova wanted a name for their new quartz watch, Tinker suggested Accutron.It’s a fascinating book. I’m loving it, but I need to set the record straight: The Bulova Accutron is not a quartz watch, it is an

2012 Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges

2012-02-03T06:55:00.000-06:00

I got a letter in the mail yesterday from Who's Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges notifying me that I had been selected for their 2012 listing. I knew that I had been nominated by my school, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, last year, but I hadn't thought anything else of it. I must say that I am pretty proud of this. I have to thank my wife for her support of my

Churchill's view of Italian Cruise Ships

2012-01-19T15:53:00.001-06:00

Thanks to Rafal Heydel-Mankoo at http://bloggingyoungfogey.blogspot.com/ for this post: Churchill's view of Italian Cruise Ships: From "The Wit and Wisdom of Winston Churchill" by James C. Humes:"Late in his life, Sir Winston took a cruise on an Italian ship. A journalist from a New York newspaper approached the former prime minister to ask him why he chose to travel on an Italian line when

Modern mill becomes wind powered

2012-01-19T09:50:00.000-06:00

Modern mill becomes wind powered: An Aberdeenshire cereal factory becomes windmill driven in a scheme which takes it back to its roots.

To revive a post

2012-01-18T15:27:00.000-06:00

To revive a post: The story of Bennett-Wells Post 1780 in Buffalo, N.Y., is not uncommon for many American Legion posts across the country. A post is formed by newly returned and enthusiastic veterans, prospers for a time and then starts to decline as its founding generation retires or passes on, and attracting a new cohort of veterans proves difficult. Sometimes, the post is able to replenish

UPTOWN Gentleman: Guide To The Pocket Square

2012-01-18T11:26:00.000-06:00

UPTOWN Gentleman: Guide To The Pocket Square: A gentleman’s studied approach to dressing well could be considered by some to be a form of elegant art. And if so considered, the presumed dapper gentleman should fancy himself an artist. And as an artist, it is crucial he utilize every tool at his disposal to render a visual that is both impeccable and stunning. Men’s suits, shoes and shirts

Stop-Motion the Press: “The Joy of Books”

2012-01-11T09:38:00.000-06:00

Stop-Motion the Press: “The Joy of Books”: If you wondered what books do when everyone else is asleep then consider this your video your enlightenment. If, however, you’re afraid of poltergeists, then I’m afraid this is your nightmare fuel. “The Joy of Books” is a a stop-motion video created by husband-and-wife team, Sean Ohlenkamp and Lisa Ohlenkamp. The couple spent their evenings at the Type

Kodak Failing, But Camera Phones Not To Blame

2012-01-09T08:32:00.000-06:00

Referencing the Slashdot story below regarding Kodak's impending demise, I think there is a greater tragedy at play here. If I want to see photos of relatives, many of whom are no longer living, all I have to do is dig out photo albums and shoeboxes full of photos. I can get a glimpse of their lives with relative ease. I don't have to have a piece of equipment to view them, they are readily

Why you can't travel like a road warrior and shave like your grampa

2011-12-29T18:19:00.000-06:00

I do a fair amount of travel, and for several years now I have shaved with a safety razor. There are numerous benefits to this: it breaks the shaving consumerism trap, there's something nostalgic about it (my razor is at least 80 years old...), you generate much less waste, and you save a bucketload of money buying double-edged razor blades versus cartridges. My problem in combining the travel

An apologetic for Standard Measures

2011-12-21T19:00:00.000-06:00

Back in January I read in article in the Daily Mail by Peter Hitchens defending the value of standard measures. I've been wanting to comment on it, but haven't had the time, but I'll take time to do so now. When I went through elementary school in the eighties, I had to learn standard forms of measurement: inches, feet, miles, ounces, pounds, gallons and so forth. I also had to learn later on

Origin legend of the name "Blevins"

2011-11-22T17:30:00.000-06:00

As far as things go, Blevins, is a recent (a few hundred years old) variation on ancient Welsh word, Bleiddwn, which can be translated as Wolf-man, from the Welsh word for Wolf, "Bleidd". Other variations on the name include Bleddyn, Blethyn, Blethin, Blethen, and Blevin. I've also heard that the -yn at the end of Bleddyn refers to the diminutive, and could be rendered as "Wolf-cub", but for

Assumption of Arms

2011-11-10T08:02:00.000-06:00

Over the past several years, I've become quite a fan of Heraldry. I remember stories and seeing pictures growing up of the "family crest". I was even duped by a kiosk at a local mall into paying money for a copy of my family's crest, which, by the way, didn't look anything like the one I had seen growing up. It was only much later that I actually started studying heraldry as a hobby that I

What does it feel like to fly over planet Earth?

2011-09-20T09:49:00.000-05:00

'Rocket City Rednecks' ready to make TV debut

2011-09-19T11:49:00.000-05:00

'Rocket City Rednecks' ready to make TV debut: After retiring, Charles and Mary Ann Taylor planned to travel, entertain grandchildren and sit on the patio of the home in rural Morgan County where they've lived for 27 years, just watching the world go by. But they definitely aren't watching the world go by - the world has come to them, compliments of their rocket scientist son, Dr. Travis Taylor

William Blethyn Pedigree Roll

2011-02-12T11:26:00.000-06:00

In the history of the Blevins/Blevin/Blethyn/Bleddyn name, one of the more famous characters in the past thousand years would have to be William Blethyn, Bishop of Llandaff, who lived in the 16th century. There is a fair amount of information on him in out of print books, many of which can be found on Google books. At a later date, I'll go back and give a better biography of him. The one piece

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

2011-02-12T10:37:00.002-06:00

Educated by the Professor

2011-02-12T10:27:00.001-06:00

Here's a video of my favorite chap-hop artist engaged in pugilistic pronunciations with a Canuckian slangsta:

Epic and Honest Mobile Home Commercial

2011-02-10T18:28:00.006-06:00

If I'm ever in the market for a shack on wheels, this is where I would buy it from¡ And they are even just down the road in Cullman County...

Christmas Gift Idea

2010-12-02T16:10:00.000-06:00

Just in case you're wondering what I'd like for Christmas, this little boat wouldn't be too bad of a gift.

John L. Knighten - Just the Facts

2010-05-23T15:48:00.001-05:00

Below I will share the undisputable factual information that I have heard or found on my own that I have documents to back up. Ancestry.com has been my friend for most of this, but it also includes visits to the Morgan County Archives and trips to cemeteries. I guess the "set in stone" record of John L. Knighten's life is his headstone at Ebenezer Cemetery, in Falkville, Alabama. View

Cherokee Knightens - Intro

2010-05-22T12:03:00.000-05:00

In Morgan County, Alabama legend, there exists the enigma of John L. Knighten, who some claim to be a full-blooded Cherokee who lived from 1849 to 1943. He was my great-great-great grandfather. I don't believe that the legend has been fabricated, but some of the details may have been embellished over the years. The problem is, everyone with first- or even second-hand knowledge has fallen