The Lugzsonian - A Virtual Tour

[Farmer J.]

Apart from little notebooks living in each tractor and vehicle, and several office based ones the management of my modest farming operation is based on a Filofax system which I have used since 1980. It has the great advantage of being able to add new pages as necessary, pages no longer immediately needed are removed and archived for reference.
It has some pages permanently in there with information like livestock feeding, seed sowing calculations and grain drying, and different sections for notes on each farm and each crop that i'm growing.. I don't take a computer or phone in to meetings but usually have plenty of factual negotiation ammunition within my 'little black book'

Norman and Hill Ltd. was founded in London on June 6, 1921 by British Army Colonel Disney, William Rounce and Posseen Hill. Years later, the company changed its name to Filofax.
The name "Filofax," suggesting a "File of Facts," was coined by secretary Grace Scurr, who also famously saved the company's records in her own Filofax after its offices were destroyed during the Blitz in 1940.

OUR STORY

At Filofax, we develop high-quality stationery that blends design and function. We believe our products are not complete until you make them your own, which is why they are highly versatile and customisable. Since the creation of the 6-ring personal organiser, our mission has been to inspire you...

filofax.com

 

[Farmer J.]

Yup. Frank R. Wilson talks about the neurological connection in The Hand, a book we recommended several years ago, here.

I can't remember who, but some famous historic military person used to write notes down so as he would remember them and then eat the scrap of paper to make sure his battle plans remained secret. Maybe it was Napoleon or perhaps the Duke of Wellington?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I can't remember who, but some famous historic military person used to write notes down so as he would remember them and then eat the scrap of paper to make sure his battle plans remained secret. Maybe it was Napoleon or perhaps the Duke of Wellington?

Well, Napoleon is credited with saying, "An Army marches on its stomach," but eating his own battle plans is not what he had in mind with that quip.

Honestly, I don't know this story, J. Maybe @four.cycle does. (As you may recall from upthread, he cryptically cited the Battle of Agincourt in reference to the utility of the Windikator we found earlier this summer - and my longbowmen guess was pure deduction! I was surprised. It's either one of those mysterious cases of our brains inexplicably hanging on to odd items from rote schoolboy memory, or he's holding out on us as a world militaria history buff.)

But I do know a relevant American Civil War story. Around noontime on Sep 13, 1862, a corporal with the 27th Indian Volunteers, found a parchment wrapped around two cigars, at a formerly used campsite in a glen outside Frederick, Maryland. It was passed up the chain of command to General McClellan, about to square off with General Lee at Antietam, where it was analyzed to be General Lee's maneuver plans! Known in lore as "The Lost Orders" or "The Lost Dispatch", formally, Special Order No. 191. Long after the war was over, casting blame among other high-ranking Lee subordinates, Confederate General James Longstreet claimed to have eaten his copy.

(EDIT: We love the Filofax story!)

 

[Cruzan80]

he cryptically cited the Battle of Agincourt

You just are in the wrong part of history. Agincourt ranks up there with Hastings for large historical battles of significance. Kind of like if somone didn't get a reference about "Storming Normandy" when posting a toy sand shovel.

Not meant meanly, just everyone has different areas of focus. Agincourt has long been upheld as the "example" of the mythical ability of English longbows vs plate armour, whereas in reality, the weather and mud were at least as big of a factor, if more so.

"Those who don't learn history, are doomed to repeat it"... Agincourt ended for the French about how Little Big Horn ended for Custer ... Heroic charges against an emplaced enemy, with predictable results.

 

[Farmer J.]

Well, Napoleon is credited with saying, "An Army marches on its stomach," but eating his own battle plans is not what he had in mind with that quip.

Honestly, I don't know this story, J.

I found it for you! Herewith posting the story on your thread for the general delectation of GJ readership..
(So as I don't lose track of it again I will make a note in my Filofax)


The idea that Napoleon made notes and then ate them is a misattribution; the story actually refers to the notorious French tarrare, who was given a coded message to deliver to a Prussian officer but was instead ordered to eat the documents to prevent them from falling into enemy hands.

The Real Story

• Who was Tarrare?
  Tarrare was a French soldier with an insatiable appetite, famed for his ability to eat almost anything.
• The Mission:
  In 1795, he was entrusted with delivering a message to a French colonel imprisoned by the Prussians.
• The Instructions:
  Before his departure, Tarrare's handler, de Beauharnais, told him that the documents were of great military significance. However, the message was actually just a simple note asking the colonel to confirm receipt of the message and to return any useful information on Prussian troop movements.
• Tarrare's Actions:
  To ensure the information remained secret and to prevent it from being captured by the enemy, Tarrare was ordered to swallow the message after delivering it.

Why the Confusion?

• It's possible the story was misremembered or attributed to Napoleon due to his own military genius and the importance of secrecy in his campaigns.
• Both were prominent figures during the French Revolution, which could have led to the conflation of their respective stories, according to The Napoleon Series.

 

[four.cycle]

the weather and mud were at least as big of a factor, if more so.

^ Indeed. From the "Wikipedia" entry on Agincourt:
"The French monk of St. Denis describes the French troops as "marching through the middle of the mud where they sank up to their knees. So they were already overcome with fatigue even before they advanced against the enemy"

Mud was a factor in Napoleon's loss at Waterloo - they had difficulty moving artillery because the ground was so soft due to heavy rains the preceeding night.

I don't think I've heard about the "eat the battle plans" tactic before.

Agincourt ranks up there with Hastings for large historical battles of significance.

True, but as you cited, although all too often overlooking the other factors you mentioned.

 

[Cruzan80]

I more look at Agincourt the same way as Gettysburg. A major turning point in the war, rather than a specific example of tactics overcoming adversity.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...the story actually refers to the notorious French Tarrare

Thanks, J. It's really too bad his name wasn't Tartare!

I know there's a cookbook out there called Eat This Book, which I'm reading as a riff on Abbie Hoffman's famous titular guidance on what to do when encountering his counter-cultural creedo in a store.

The practice dates back fairly far!

Ezekiel 3:3: "Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it".

And in Revelation 10:9, John receives a vision of an angel telling him to take a little book and eat it.

 

[Farmer J.]

I didn't know the bible quotations, will make a note of those as well
Circling round back to a post on this thread about a year ago, I'm still on the search for information about the Pomeroy Chest. Not forgotten about it, just need the right place and time and look forward to connection with another historic battle...

 

[Farmer J.]

Thanks, J. It's really too bad his name wasn't Tartare!

Now, those nomadic fighters were a really hard bunch. Reputedly riding all day with a piece of steak under their saddle to tenderise it, then eating it raw afterwards. My Father always said that Tartar sauce did taste like horse sweat!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Curator's Corner #12: Valve Lappers Redux and Quickie Addendum

Some of you may remember the original linked here...

The Lugzsonian - A Virtual Tour

Screw collar on mine is aluminum. Mine too

www.garagejournal.com

This morning at the flea market the Acquisitions Dept plucked not one but two antique valve lappers out of a large lot of tools from a garage that one of the house liquidators cleaned out.

The squat one with the sharp swing arm bend in it for a valve face with two lateral holes is unmarked but quite handsome.

The other one is a Mossberg No. 607.



It is missing a wooden knob for the swing arm. The Curator thinks he can probably find something suitable in the bric-a-brac and odd-and-ends drawers. He is quite tickled by the ingenious design (the swing arm is collapsible for easier storage) and has never seen one before. We think it might be at least uncommon if not rare. The valve lapping attachment pinned to it has either been modified or perhaps it fits a valve face with a screwdriver type slot.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The Acquisitions Dept came home with a research project for the Curator. Looks like they might be the legs for a puller of some kind, but we're not completely wedded to that. It might be something else. Whatever it is, we are fond of the little "Iron Cross" nuts. The forged-in "PAT APL 18.82" marking is puzzling. If it really is "PAT APL" referring to patent applied (for), it's odd to just cite a year (ostensibly, 1882) and odder still to put a punctuation mark that looks like a period between the "18" and the "82". We are wondering if it's not supposed to be "PAT APR 18.82", referring to patented on April 18, 1882. We have seen many older patents drop the century numerals for space-saving and April 18, 1882 was a Tuesday. But we have not yet done any research and it's time to take a nap in the hammock in the shade on this fine Indian summer day.

 

[Old Radar]

Do you have to apply for a patent on a Tuesday or do they just award patents on a Tuesday?
Jan 8, 1882 was a Sunday. but
1 Aug 1882 was a Tuesday.

 

[four.cycle]

We are wondering if it's not supposed to be "PAT APR 18.82", referring to patented on April 18, 1882.

^ It was a Tuesday, and I've seen Day and Month abbreviations that were no less confounding. A look at datamp.org doesn't turn up many likely possibilities, though, unless it's part of a larger device.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...do they just award patents on a Tuesday?

Yes. There have been exceptions, but not many.

It was a Tuesday,

Yes. As I noted...

...and April 18, 1882 was a Tuesday.

I'm really leaning toward that "L" being a mistake (instead of an "R").

 

[Private Lugnutz]

1 Aug 1882 was a Tuesday.

Interesting possibility, although the "L" would still be a mistake, the date format would be erratic without a period between the 1 and the 8 (i.e., "1.8.82"), and the syntax (day, month, year) is more typical of Europe or military.

 

[four.cycle]

I'm really leaning toward that "L" being a mistake (instead of an "R").

that or a really unorthodox abbreviation for "April", but again... I've seen others that were just as mangled.

Those "arms" don't appear to be very thick at the "hook" end... what's the thickness of them there? I have to wonder if those are really stout enough for "puller" but I'm puzzled as to what other task they might be designed for.

 

[four.cycle]

.... and if they were intended to be used as puller arms, they're designed completely bass-ackwards: you wouldn't want a nice, slow arc like that where the tool could easily slip off the object being pulled - you'd want sharp corners to grab ahold of something!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Despite the opportunity to double the size (from one tool to two) of our firefighter's wing, we left behind at the flea market this adjustable pin spanner, made by an outfit (Wooster Brass Company) known to supply firefighting equipment, in a city known for its firefighting equipment industry, where some of you may recall our Akron Brass Company multi-tool was made.

 

[RTM]

adjustable pin spanner, made by an outfit (Wooster Brass Company) known to supply firefighting equipment, in a city known for its firefighting equipment industry, where some of you may recall our Akron Brass Company multi-tool was made.

Wooster Brass may have started life in Wooster Ohio, some 30 minutes west of Akron. My daughter's Alma Mater is there

Index of Trademarks Issued from the United States Patent Office

books.google.com

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Wooster Brass may have started life in Wooster Ohio,

It was definitely located in Wooster. I was talking about Wooster. It's on the wrench.

 

[RTM]

It was definitely located in Wooster. I was talking about Wooster. It's on the wrench.

Argh, didn't read the Akron Brass was made in Wooster. Brain still in vacation mode, as is the body.

 

[Patrick Eubanks]

Curator's Corner #12: Valve Lappers Redux and Quickie Addendum

Some of you may remember the original linked here...

The Lugzsonian - A Virtual Tour

Screw collar on mine is aluminum. Mine too

www.garagejournal.com

This morning at the flea market the Acquisitions Dept plucked not one but two antique valve lappers out of a large lot of tools from a garage that one of the house liquidators cleaned out.

The squat one with the sharp swing arm bend in it for a valve face with two lateral holes is unmarked but quite handsome.

The other one is a Mossberg No. 607.



It is missing a wooden knob for the swing arm. The Curator thinks he can probably find something suitable in the bric-a-brac and odd-and-ends drawers. He is quite tickled by the ingenious design (the swing arm is collapsible for easier storage) and has never seen one before. We think it might be at least uncommon if not rare. The valve lapping attachment pinned to it has either been modified or perhaps it fits a valve face with a screwdriver type slot.

the pretty one looks very " Walden ish"

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Hey, @Farmer J. , I don't think I could make this one up if I tried.

I was on my way to pull some crab traps today, stopped behind this truck at a light, listening to the radio, idly scanning the wide range of after market performance shocks, oil filters, and the like that the driver pridefully feels the desire to proclaim in stickers on his back window, when I did a double take and actually said to myself, "WTAF?"

See the last zoom!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

^ Searching the "#backbritishfarming" term indicates that the movement is even in your neck o' the woods island! Hawkstone Brewery, formerly Cotswolds, is in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, though. I am guessing the guy is a recent transplant.

 

[Outlawmws]

I am guessing the guy is a recent transplant.

Or a military transfer.

 

[Farmer J.]

^ Searching the "#backbritishfarming" term indicates that the movement is even in your neck o' the woods island! Hawkstone Brewery, formerly Cotswolds, is in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, though. I am guessing the guy is a recent transplant.

Thanks for posting it Lugz, gave us a laugh at breakfast time.
Of course, the Hawkstone Brewery will use locally grown barley malt so drinking their beer supports the growers.. Yea, stickers and banners like this can be seen around the British countryside and they get quite amusing, and there's some prime examples of British humour! I don't use a smart phone or do social media so words with a hash sign in front of them tend to pass me by..
A sticker came through the mail just a day or so ago, not sure what to do with it so it's still on my desk.

 

[Farmer J.]

Or a military transfer.

Maybe United States Air Force communications station and the headquarters of the 422nd Air Base Group. RAF Croughton,
As we occasionally drive past the gates Mrs Farmer J and I always remark that it's nice to have them here.

 

[Stubby1743]

Hawkstone Brewery, formerly Cotswolds, is in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire,

Bourton-0n-The-Water is famous for having a very accurate 1:9 model village of itself which of course includes a model of the model.

 

[zanyad]

Bourton-0n-The-Water is famous for having a very accurate 1:9 model village of itself which of course includes a model of the model.

It's turtles villages all the way down!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Bourton-0n-The-Water is famous for having a very accurate 1:9 model village of itself...

Thanks for that, Stubs. I will put it on my leaky bucket list. My wife and I have been casually planning talking and never doing anything about a future visit, scheduled around Wimbledon, with before and after jaunts and side-trips. As you may recall me discussing in the past, I spent a goodly part of a year on special assignment to Menwith Hill, a tour complete with my stay in a cottage and my participation in a local 301 league and the annual brass bed race, which I wouldn't mind seeing again (and showing her) for old times' sake.

...which of course includes a model of the model.

If I visit, I will leave behind one of those nesting screwdrivers, hoping someone gets the Droste Effect joke.

 

[Beerhippie]

It's turtles villages all the way down!

There was a condensed milk brand years ago that had a cow on the label--wearing a can of the condensed milk hanging from her neck with a picture of a cow wearing a can of....

It was my childhood introduction to the concepts of infinity and recursion.

 

[Outlawmws]

There was a condensed milk brand years ago that had a cow on the label--wearing a can of the condensed milk hanging from her neck with a picture of a cow wearing a can of....

It was my childhood introduction to the concept of infinity.

Borden - Elsie the cow

 

[Beerhippie]

Borden - Elsie the cow

I tried to find a pic of a can and failed.

 

[Outlawmws]

I tried to find a pic of a can and failed.

I found lots with a flower necklace...

 

[Beerhippie]

I found lots with a flower necklace...

Same here... someone please tell me that this isn't just a relic of too many acid trips back in the '70s....

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...someone please tell me that this isn't just a relic of too many acid trips back in the '70s....

This being flower necklaces? Or invented memories?

Seriously, there has been A LOT of commercial marketing using what is now known as the Droste Effect (from Dutch cocoa productz). A cow with a condensed milk can around its neck is not ringing any bells (nyuk nyuk) for me.

 

[Modern Garage]

Rather than condensed milk, perhaps another dairy product? Land-O-Lakes butter had (still has?) a label with a young girl holding a pound of the butter with the label visible of a young girl holding a pound of butter with the label visible, ad infinitum. Fascinating to the 8 year old me.
Joe

 

[Outlawmws]

Land-O-Lakes butter had (still has?)

Not any more. they removed her to meet an agenda.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

You're not thinking of Laughing Cow cheese, are you? That cow is wearing red disc earrings, each earring with the image of itself wearing red disc earrings, etc.