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Thomas · 06-17-2002, 11:19 AM,

So, this guy comes into is-wine for the first time--knows next to nothing about the product but is willing to learn. At one point he blurts out a question: "what's this stuff about the wines of Iran?"

Having once lived in Tehran for two years I was surprised and perplexed; I thought maybe someone had told him. I asked why he asked the question.

He says that the history channel had a piece about Iran that inlcuded this information:

The Iranians grew a grape called shiraz, but the Shah of Iran hated it so he had it pulled up. Some enterprising businessmen took the grape to France about thirty years ago where they planted it and made it flourish.

This is all wrong information, of course, and I can only assume that either he did not understand the history channel message or the history channel he watched was actually named the histrionic channel.

This is why television does not exist in my household--seems to warp all understanding, not to mention information...

winedope1 · 06-17-2002, 05:51 PM,

Dear Foodie- probably the customer. I have watched a number of the History Channel's programs, being interested, in history, that is. They continue, at least in my areas of knowledge, to be informative and correct in their assertions. I have not seen the program in question, however.

zenda2 · 06-17-2002, 07:25 PM,

Judging by past experience I'm also inclined to suspect that the viewer applied a 'doofus' filter to the basic facts as presented by the History channel.

Kcwhippet · 06-18-2002, 03:24 AM,

So that's where that story came from. Somebody came into our shop with the same tale. He said he was amazed at far they've come in such a short time, and I didn't have a clue what he was talking about. I told him that, as far as I knew, the Greeks took the Shiraz grape to France more than 2,000 years ago. He bought a bottle of Luc Pirlet Syrah from the bargain shelf and left the shop.

hotwine · 06-18-2002, 06:55 AM,

We've found the History Channel to be entertaining, but vulnerable to the same problems that can appear in other forms of record. I sat through a program a month ago on that channel that had me raging at the screen in fury; the program was on the events of 1968, and included those in 'Nam that year, in depictions that I knew to be inaccurate. Yet the History Channel's version is now itself part of the historical record, and thus irrefutable, in the eyes of many viewers. Most unfortunate.

Thomas · 06-18-2002, 10:16 AM,

I was almost willing to accept that the customer had gotten the history channel wrong, but then KC's report shows that someone in another state got the same information.

KC, Luc Pirlet in the bargain bin? What happened? I used to carry that wine and it did rather well, but I moved on.

With due respect to those who think the channel ok, I have watched it three or four times and in each case have been appalled by the lack of depth, not to mention "lite" history lessons it puts forth. I understand that those who write history have the advantage of slanting it their way, but the stuff I have seen wasn't even good enough to hide the slant.

Kcwhippet · 06-18-2002, 11:17 AM,

Foodie, Luc Pirlet is one of the perennial standards in the bargain section - Syrah, Merlot and Viognier. It's always been there, never in the main shop. Also, always have L'Orangerie, Casal Garcia Vinho Verde and a few others. We're next door to a supermarket and the bargain bin is where a lot of folks stop to pick up their dinner wine - looking for that hidden treasure in the $5.99 to $8.99 range. They, and the nearby floor stacks of some Picpoul and Erik Banti Carato, really move out the door.

winedope1 · 06-18-2002, 05:53 PM,

Foodie- of course I cannot answer for all of their programming, but most of what I have seen in my areas of knowledge has been pretty accurate, as I said. As with any of the channels catering to the general public, I'm sure that some of their material is over simplified, or as with many of us, receives the author's slant. I will look for a repeat of the material in question to see for myself.

Thomas · 06-19-2002, 08:26 PM,

Winedope, I must admit, to begin with I am a rabid anti-televison guy--with minor exceptions of course. In general, I believe our culture would be much better off if people were arrested for not visiting either a book store or a library at least once a week, and if we were forced to sign a pledge that we would limit our television viewing to one minute per day...maybe not so severe, but you get my drift.

I hear next year the networks will be running a show called Reality History!!!

~~Bucko~~ · 06-19-2002, 09:27 PM,

Don't knock the history channel. How else would I have learned that WW was one of the Louisiana Purchase signers, that Hotwine taught SGT York how to shoot, and IK housed the Minutemen? Get with the program, man!

winedope1 · 06-20-2002, 04:13 AM,

I agree that not enough people pick up a book often enough. Our culture is too focused on the "quick fix" of TV. Sometimes though, it is a nice way to unwind, especially when it's been a really tough day and you need something easy to focus on. Personally, I'm running out of places to put my books- hmmm what can I get rid of to make more space ??

wondersofwine · 06-20-2002, 07:15 AM,

You can make more room for your books by sending your wines my way. Ha ha!

hotwine · 06-20-2002, 07:18 AM,

Young Alvin was a quick study... picked up on the '03 Springfield real well. "Kentucky windage and Tennessee elevation" was a concept he took to naturally, being a Tennessee ridgerunner himself.

WD, we reduced our number of floor-to- ceiling bookcases from seven to three a few months ago and gave away the culls. It was painful, but had to be done. We really should do more now, 'cause I'm a sucker for used bookstores and charity sales.

zenda2 · 06-20-2002, 08:00 AM,

In the movie portrayal of Sgt. York, Gary Cooper carried a Springfield 1903 bolt rifle. Was this the actual model that Sgt. York carried?

Yes or No

The M1917 was issued to 75% of the U.S. troops during World War I and it is a well documented historical fact that Sgt. Alvin C. York used the M1917 when taking part in the combat actions that resulted in his being presented the Congressional Medal of Honor...not the M1903 shown in the Oscar-winning movie starring Gary Cooper. So our answer is No...did you get it right?

http://www.redriverrarities.com/redriverrarities007.htm

hotwine · 06-20-2002, 08:34 AM,

Small problem or two with your "facts", there, Z ol' bean. First, the M1917 was the water-cooled .30 cal. Browning machine gun, which was the Army's battalion-level automatic weapon until the mid-1950's. Second, the M1903 was indeed the Army's standard-issue infantry rifle from 1903 to 1936, when the M1 entered service (although there were still some 03's in service during WWII). Source for those statements: the Army's Website for historical information on their small arms, http://www-acala1.ria.army.mil/LC/cs/csi/sahist.htm.
Third, the correct name of the highest award for gallantry in action is the Medal of Honor, awarded by the President upon recommendation by a service secretary. Congress has nothing to do with it.

hotwine · 06-20-2002, 09:10 AM,

I should add that the '03 is still in use today, although that use is ceremonial, rather than operational. It's standard issue for 3d Inf Regt (the Old Guard) that performs all the ceremonial duties in D.C., and they're still popular with other units for drill and ceremonies, e.g., the Ross Volunteers at Texas A&M. The '03 was tried as a sniper weapon in 'Nam, but not very popular; although superbly accurate at greater than 300 m, volunteers for using them were scarce - nobody wanted to get into a fight armed with a bolt-action rifle. If a rifle didn't have a "fire-hose" option, we weren't interested. But there are still '03s in use today in "sporterized" form as deer rifles - highly prized, in fact.

Innkeeper · 06-20-2002, 09:56 AM,

I highly prize my Sako 7mm Rem Magnum. This after having a '03 action blow up in my face. Yeah! That's what happened.

~~Bucko~~ · 06-20-2002, 10:23 AM,

You are supposed to keep the snow out of the barrel there, IK....... [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]

Thomas · 06-20-2002, 10:52 AM,

All that confusion over facts proves to me that, along with television, you can't trust the information on the Internet--except of course the invaluable wine information given on a certain Web site, with the exception of one or two reprobates whose consumption ofetn gets in the wya of their lucidtiy, not to mentoin their judgmnte--We know who we are!!!!

On the subject of books; I am still smarting from the incursion of Amazon and ABE; the pair ruined a nice little business my wife and I ran from 1992-1998 searching for books out of print for collectors and those who just wanted the books they remembered from past lives. We were doing it on the Net before those money-losing "yahoos" got into the act...

Question: what is the true definition of yahoo? Hint, think Gulliver...

hotwine · 06-20-2002, 10:57 AM,

And also lock the bolt down. If the bolt wasn't locked down, it would kick back when the round was fired. Many bolt-action rifles were that way, including the French MAS (think that was the name of one I had in the early '60's) and the Russian Moshin-Ganant 1944 (which I still have as a souvenier). Have never put a round through the Russian "K-44" for that reason. But if the bolt was locked, can't imagine why it would blow up. Were you hand-loading your own rounds?

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