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Sunday, April 29, 2007
Day 3
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Tonight I got home from a baby shower, and had just under an hour until it's time to watch "The Sopranos." (This may be the best year yet). There was some definite action in the starter--it was lighter and airier, even a little bubbly. This time I threw out about half of it and added 60 grams of both bread flour and bottled water, stirred it a while, and covered it back up.
The instructions are to mix it in a 4-cup glass canning jar or a 4-cup glass measuring cup. I don't have either item, so I'm using a plastic bowl. I hope this is not a serious mistake.
7 comments:
- Melinda said...
I am glad you are trying your own starter. I did my own in January and I was very hesitant about the whole thing. I was afraid I might just make mold and then poison everyone. It turned out wonderful in the end, and I now have a magic pet that lives int the fridge now. I have had some wonderful breads using it.
I used a plastic container too and my pet was OK. The big caution comes from not using metal spoons(the metal is suppose to interact with the sourdough pH...something like that) and also to use bottled water, just to avoid chlorine while the starter establishes itself.
I used just plain organic flour, but have heard that rye flour is a bit better for starting a starter. I think it is suppose to establish itself sooner. Mine was ready after about 2 weeks and it has only become better since January.
Good luck, and can't wait to see some good sourdough bread from your kitchen.
- breadchick said...
Your "Yeast Beast" will be fine in the plastic container. All three of my homemade sourdough starters live in them and were born in them. One in fact lives in one of the Ziplock 'disposable' ones! Congrats on starting your own. You will love it. The hardest part will be throwing away the "toss off".
- breadbasketcase said...
I didn't know you'd made your own starter--congratulations! Have you ever tried making pancakes with the starter? I don't think pancakes are very British, are they? But you could introduce Ian to them--and to maple syrup.
You are so right about throwing away half the starter every day. It pains me more every day. I may have to start making Jim do it. I like the Ziplock idea too. Can you tell the difference (in taste, texture, appearance) among your three starters?
- Melinda said...
I haven't made pancakes with my starter. I have just used baking powder/buttermilk. I think it sounds good, so I might just have to try it.
I may have lived in England for the last 29 years but it hasn't made me forget about American pancakes. I miss how it was so easy to go out to a restaurant and get them. Now I have to make my own.
It's sad but true.
- breadbasketcase said...
Maybe for your second career, you should start a pancake house. You might single-handedly start a pancake craze in England. If we can embrace the scone, the British might grow to love pancakes and waffles.
- breadchick said...
I can tell the difference between all my starters because they are each for a different style of "sourdough". I have one for the really zingy/zippy classic sourdough (smells like gym socks when it gets warm but the bread it makes!). Another does a more gentle bread closer to the classic French bread Pain Champagne and last but least a "sweet sourdough" for when I make cinnamon rolls. They all started by the way exactly as yours has, as a rye/white flour starter but as the feeding wore on there was less and less rye. Oh and I've found that I can give away my starter sometimes when I have a particularly active batch that I just can't bring myself to wash down the drain.
- breadbasketcase said...
I'm very impressed--three different starters! The wet gym sock version sounds particularly appealing.


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Polk County, Tennessee Genealogy
Polk County, Tennessee ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Guide to Polk County (established 1839) genealogy, history, and courthouse sources including birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, wills, deeds and land records, Civil War records, Revolutionary War records, family histories, cemeteries, churches, tax records, newspapers, and obituaries.
|Polk County, Tennessee
Location in the state of Tennessee
Location of Tennessee in the U.S.
|November 28, 1839
|County Seat
|Website: www.polkgovernment.com
- 1 Description
- 2 Quick Dates
- 3 County Courthouse
- 4 History
- 5 Places/Localities
- 6 Resources
- 6.1 Getting Started
- 6.2 Research Guides
- 6.3 African American
- 6.4 Cemeteries
- 6.5 Census
- 6.6 Church
- 6.7 Court
- 6.8 Family Histories
- 6.9 Land
- 6.10 Law and Legislation
- 6.11 Local Histories
- 6.12 Maps
- 6.13 Military
- 6.14 Newspapers
- 6.15 Occupations
- 6.16 Periodicals
- 6.17 Prisons
- 6.18 Probate Records
- 6.19 Taxation
- 6.20 Vital Records
- 7 Societies and Libraries
- 8 Websites
- 9 References
The County was named for then-governor (and future president) James K. Polk. The County is located in the southeast area of the state. [1]
Quick Dates
Polk County's civil records start the following years:[2]
County Courthouse
Polk County Courthouse
6239 Highway 411
Benton, TN 37307
Phone: 1-423-338-4522
Register of Deeds has land records.
County Clerk has marriage and probate records. [3]
Polk County Clerk
Marriage and probate records
P.O. Box 158
6239 Hwy 411, #102
Benton, TN 37307
Phone: 1-423-338-4526
Polk County Register of Deeds
Land records
P.O. Box 293
6239 Hwy 411
Benton, TN 37307
Phone: 1-423-338-3100
Polk County Clerk of Court
Court records
P.O. Box 256
6239 Highway 411
Benton, TN 37307
Phone: 1-423-338-4524
Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
East Tennessee county.
The county is named after President James Knox Polk (1795-1849).[4]
Parent County
1839--Polk County was established 28 November 1839 from McMinn and Bradley Counties. Early records may be found under McMinn and Bradley Counties.
County seat: Benton [5]
County Pronunciation
- Hear it spoken[6] (female)
- Hear it spoken[7] (male)
Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Tennessee county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Tennessee County Boundary Maps" (1777-1985) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
Record Loss
1895 and 1935 Fires damaged courthouse records.[8]
- Lost deeds: 1839 to 1893
- Lost marriage records: 1839 to 1893
- Lost probate records: 1839 to 1872
For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
- Burned Counties Research in the FamilySearch Research Wiki.
- Arlene Eakle, When the Records are Gone in the Tennessee Genealogy Blog.
- Michael John Neill, Burned Counties in Family History Circle.
Populated Places
|Maggies Mill
|Columbus (hist.)
|McAllister Hill
|Ball Play
|Belltown Hill
|Oak Grove
|Benton Springs
|Fetzerton (hist.)
|Benton Station
|Grassy Creek
|Old Patty
|Boonville (hist.)
|Grief (hist.)
|Camp Ocoee
|Caney Creek
|Patterson Mill
|Chable (hist.)
|Willis Springs
|Pine Ridge
Neighboring Counties
Getting Started
Use the free Search for Surnames at Mountain Press's website to quickly search a variety of published Polk County biography, court, land, and military records. To determine which books are being searched, or to search each publication's index individually, click here. You are now equipped with a checklist of books to pull off the shelves at a genealogy library, or a wish list for your personal book collection.
Research Guides
- Genealogical "Fact Sheets" About Tennessee Counties: Polk County, courtesy: TSLA. (Identifies published county histories, published local records, census records, newspapers and local records on microfilm, and select manuscripts.)
African American
United States African Americans Tennessee African Americans
|Tombstone Transcriptions Online
|Tombstone Transcriptions in Print
|List of Cemeteries in the county
|Family History Library
|Billion Graves
|TNGenWeb Archives
|Tombstone Project
|TNGenWeb Cemeteries
|Billion Graves
|See Tennessee Cemeteries for more information.
Additional Cemetery Resources
- Tennessee Cemeteries - Hometown Locator
- The FamilySearch Catalog lists some records of cemeteries in Polk county. Some of the books or others may be on Google Books or available at public libraries.
- Information on Polk County cemeteries, originally published in the Polk County Historical and Genealogical Quarterly, is available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb.
- Inscriptions of Polk County, Tennessee Cemeteries. Free Lookups Available!
1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940 federal population censuses of Polk County are available online. For tips on accessing census records online, see Tennessee Census. If you're having trouble finding your ancestors in online indexes, try checking printed indexes. Created by local experts familiar with the area's families, these indexes are often transcribed more accurately than nationwide online indexes.
See Tennessee Population Schedule Indexes: Fiche, Film, or Book for more information about statewide printed indexes.
See Polk County, TN census assignments, including links to transcribed files. The USGenWeb Census Project®.
1810 - 1891
- Snell, William R. and Bradley County Historical Society. 1840 Federal Census, Polk County, Tennessee. Cleveland, Tenn.: Mimeographed by Lee College Print Shop for Bradley County Historical Society, 1982. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8875 X2s 1840. Free Lookups Available!
1840 Revolutionary War Pensioners
- A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. 1841; reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing, 1967. FHL US/CAN Book 973 X2pc 1840; FHL US/CAN Film 2321. 1841 edition digitized by the U.S. Census Bureau and Google Books et. al. See Tennessee, Eastern District, Polk County on page 154.
- Adams, Terri, Waunetta Ledford and Polk County Historical & Genealogical Society. Polk County 1850 U.S. Census. Benton, Tenn.: Polk County Historical and Genealogical Society, 199?. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8875 X2a. Free Lookups Available!
1850 Agricultural Census
- Green, Linda L. Tennessee 1850 Agricultural Census. 2 vols. Woodbridge, Va.: L.L. Green, 2000. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2g v. 1 ff. Polk County is included in Vol. 1.
- Polk County Historical & Genealogical Society. Polk County, Tennessee 1860 U.S. Census. Benton, Tenn.: Polk County Historical Society, 1998. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8875 X2p 1860. Free Lookups Available!
- Polk County Historical & Genealogical Society. Polk County 1870 U.S. Census. Benton, Tenn.: Polk County Historical and Genealogical Society, 1998. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8875 X2p 1870. Free Lookups Available!
- Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. 1880 Census, Polk County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: Byron Sistler & Associates, 1991. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8875 X2s 1880. Free Lookups Available!
1891 Male Voters
- 1891 Tennessee Enumeration of Male Voters 1891 at Ancestry.com — index $
- Polk County Historical & Genealogical Society. Polk County, Tennessee 1900 U.S. Census. Benton, Tenn.: Polk County Historical and Genealogical Society, 2000. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8875 X2p 1900.
- Polk County Historical & Genealogical Society. Polk County, Tennessee 1910 U.S. Census. Benton, Tenn.: Polk County Historical and Genealogical Society, 2000. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8875 X2p 1910.
- Polk County Historical & Genealogical Society. Polk County 1920 U.S. Census. Benton, Tenn.: Polk County Historical and Genealogical Society, 2000?. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8875 X2p 1920. Free Lookups Available!
- Presswood, Marian Bailey and Jo Ann Finnell. Polk County 1930 U.S. Census. Benton, Tenn.: Polk County Historical and Genealogical Society, 2003. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8875 X2p 1930.
Church records include baptisms, marriages and burials, as well as information about family members and clues about family migration. For additional information about church records, religions, and religious archives in Tennessee, see Tennessee Church Records.
- Polk County Church Records
- - FamilySearch Catalog - Polk County Church Records
- Church histories tell when a church started in the area, who the early members were, give data about church leaders, etc.
- - FamilySearch Catalog - Polk County Church History
- If the records you need are not through the Family History Library, contact the church(es) in the area where your ancestor lived. Two sites that give information about churches in Polk County are:
- - List of Polk County churches with addresses and phone numbers (Yellowbook)
- - List of Polk County churches (TN HomeTownLocator)
- 1879 - 1943 Old Friendship Baptist Church Records. Polk County, 1879-1943. TSLA Reel #348 FHL 840019
- 1879 - 1900 Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Vital Statistics from 19th Century Tennessee Church Records. Nashville: Sitler and Associates, 1979. FHL 976.8 K29s vol.1 Index to original Old Friendship Baptist Church Records. Polk County, 1879-1943.
- W.P.A. Polk County, Tennessee Court Minutes 1840-1843. Free Lookups Available!
Family Histories
This bibliography will eventually identify all known family histories published about residents of this county. Use this list to:
- Locate publications about direct ancestors
- Find the most updated accounts of an ancestor's family
- Identify publications, to quote Elizabeth Shown Mills, about an ancestor's "FAN Club" (Friends, Associates, and Neighbors)
As of August 2010, a query for persons born in Polk, Tennessee at World Connect, results in more than 20,000 entries.
- The Heritage of Polk County, Tennessee, 1839-1997. Benton, Tenn.: Polk County Historical and Genealogical Society (Tennessee), 1997. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8875 H2h.
- Baily - Baily Family Bible Records, ca. 1838-1958. MSS., FHL US/CAN Film 1697633 Item 8.
- Barnes - See Longley.
- Cantrell - See Longley.
- Curd
- Hildebrand - Clemmer, Sudie, J.D. Clemmer, and George F. Mellen. Nancy Ward and the Hildebrand Family of Polk County, Tennessee: Reprinted Newspaper Clippings from the J.D. Clemmer Scrapbooks. Benton, Tenn.: Polk County News, 1962. FHL US/CAN Film 908921 Item 7.
- Hood - Hood, Dellmann Osborne. The Tunis Hood Family. Portland, OR: Metropolitan Press, 1960. Available at FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 H761h; digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
- Land - Land, Barbara and Gary Land. The Land's & the Staige's. 2 vols. Ukiah, Calif.: B. & G. Land, 1994. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 L299L ff.
- Langley - See Longley.
- Longley - Matthews, Addah Longley. Genealogy, Curd-Longley, Cantrell-Barnes. North Newton, KS: Mennonite Press, 1966. Available at Ex Libris; digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
- Quintrell - Quintrell: Family Bible Records, 1830-1941. MSS., FHL US/CAN Film 1307616 Item 61.
- Ward - Bell, Annie W.B. Military and Genealogical Records of the Famous Indian Woman Nancy Ward. Typescript, 1961. FHL US/CAN Film 875418 Item 2.
- Ward - Clemmer, Sudie, J.D. Clemmer, and George F. Mellen. Nancy Ward and the Hildebrand Family of Polk County, Tennessee: Reprinted Newspaper Clippings from the J.D. Clemmer Scrapbooks. Benton, Tenn.: Polk County News, 1962. FHL US/CAN Film 908921 Item 7.
- Ward - Holland, Hubert G. Nancy Ward A/K/A Cherokee Rose and Beloved Woman. Typescript, FHL US/CAN Film 1750757 Item 14.
- Whitson - McDuffee, Ted Ransom. Duff to McDuffee on One Leaf: The Family History James H. Duff-McDuffee and Nancy Ann Whitson with Ancestors and Descendants. Knoxville, Tenn.: Tennessee Valley Pub., 1999. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 D873m.
- Young - Stein, Carl F. Some Descendents of James Pickens Young 1815: of Polk, Rhea, Hamilton, Blount, & Knox Counties, Tenn., Cherokee, & Gaston Counties, North Carolina. Family Group Sheets. FHL US/CAN Film 2055385 Item 2.
Early Polk County Deed Books are lost. In 1970, TSLA microfilmed surviving Deed Books 1 to 10 (1897 to 1911), Trust Deed Books 1 to 4 (1894-1911) and a General Index (1897-1938). FHL copies: FHL US/CAN Films 1012141-1012149.
Law and Legislation
- Tennessee State Library and Archives, Acts of Tennessee 1796-1850: Index to Names. January 25, 2005. In addition to creating new laws, legislative acts were often required to obtain a divorce, grant legitimacy to a child, or for appointments to or grant payments for public service. The TSLA has created an index to names that appear in these acts covering the years 1796 to 1850. To read more about this valuable resource Click here. The searchable index is available at the TSLA; another version is available at World Vital Records.
Local Histories
- History of Polk County 1839-1999. Free Lookups Available!
Revolutionary War
The following Polk County Revolutionary War records are available online through TNGenWeb:
- 1835 Pension Roll
- 1852 Rejected or Suspended Pensions
- Select Pension Applications Pertaining to Polk County, Tennessee Residents
Additional resources include:
- A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. 1841; reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing, 1967. FHL US/CAN Book 973 X2pc 1840; FHL US/CAN Film 2321. 1841 edition digitized by the U.S. Census Bureau and Google Books et. al. See Tennessee, Eastern District, Polk County on page 154.
- Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." Digital version at Ancestry ($). Tennessee entries abstracted online at Tennesseans in the Revolutionary War, courtesy: TNGenWeb. Includes veterans from this county; Tennessee section begins on page 381.
War of 1812
- Embry, Hermione D. "War of 1812 - Tennessee Pensioners on List - January 2, 1883," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 8, No. 2 (Apr. 1961):49-52. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 8 (1961); digital version at journal website. Includes Polk County pensioners (p. 50).
Civil War
Online Records
- 1861-1865 - Tennessee, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
- 1861-1865 - Tennessee, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
- 1861-1865 - U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
- 1861-1865 - U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
- 1891-1965 - Tennessee, Confederate Pension Applications, Soldiers and Widows, 1891-1965 at FamilySearch — images
- Civil War Research Database $
- Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System
Regiments. Civil War service men from Polk County served in various regiments. Men often joined a regiment or a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are the military units that were formed in or had many men from Polk County:
Confederate Soldiers
- 2nd Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Ashby's) - CSA - Company A.
- 3rd Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company C and D.
- 3rd Regiment, Tennessee Mounted Infantry (Lillard's) - CSA - Companies C and D.
- 5th Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry (McClellan's) - CSA - Company A.
- 5th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (McKenzie's) - CSA
- 19th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company F.
- 29th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company B.
- 43rd Regiment, Tennessee Infantry (Gillespie's) (5th East Tennessee Volunteers) - CSA - Company A.
- 59th Regiment, Tennessee Mounted Infantry (Cooke's) (Eakin's 1st Battalion) - CSA - Company K.
- 62nd Regiment, Tennessee Mounted Infantry (Rowan's) (80th Infantry) - CSA - Company E.
Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from Polk County:
- Wiefering, Edna et al. Tennessee Union Soldiers: of Bradley, McMinn and Polk Counties Serving in the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 10th TN Cavalry 5th TN Infantry and 5th TN Mounted Infantry. Cleveland, Tenn.: Cleveland Public Library (Tennessee), 1996. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 M28tus.
- Worsham, William J. Old Nineteenth Tennessee regiment, C.S.A. June, 1861-April, l865. Knoxville, Tennessee: Press of Paragon Printing Co., 1902. Free digital copy.
- Genealogy Trails History Group, Polk County Tennessee Military Page.
- USGenWeb Archives, Polk County Tennessee Archives.
- Tennessee State Library and Archives, Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications : Polk County. Includes soldier's name, county, pension #, unit or widow.
- United States Pension Bureau, List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883: Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for... (Washington Printing Office; 1883). Online at Internet Archive. Polk County, page 368-369.
- Civil War Research From the Robert B. Barker Papers. The collection contains information on both Union and Confederate soldiers who have a Polk County connection.
- Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association, The Civil War in Polk County.
A local volunteer through Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness is willing to do free obituary lookups in Polk County newspapers.
Many Tennessee newspapers are filmed and available at TSLA. Most of these newspapers may be accessed by interlibrary loan to libraries within Tennessee, although there are some newspapers which are not available in or outside of Tennessee. For further information regarding interlibrary loan policies and newspapers not available for interlibrary loan click here. For a list of newspapers available at the archives for Polk County click on the following cities or towns:
- Miller, Alan N. East Tennessee's Forgotten Children: Apprentices from 1778 to 1911. Baltimore, Md.: Printed for Clearfield Company, Inc., by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2000. FHL US/CAN 976.8 U2m. Digital version at World Vital Records ($). Purchase at Genealogical.com. Includes Polk County.
Tap into the minds of local experts. Editors of genealogical periodicals publish unique sources that researchers who are new to their area would not likely discover. This type of material may be found in local, regional, or statewide genealogical society journals. The following periodicals cover this county:
- Ansearchin' News
- Genealogical articles with abstracts of Polk County, Tennessee Genealogy records have been published in Ansearchin' News, the quarterly magazine of the Tennessee Genealogical Society. To view a list of these articles, visit their county index. To read digitized versions of the first 36 years of articles (Vols. 1-36), browse their archive or conduct a surname search. The Family History Library has a complete collection of the Ansearchin' News quarterly FHL Book 976.8 B2a.
- East Tennessee Roots
- Several genealogical articles with abstracts of Polk County, Tennessee Genealogy records have been published in East Tennessee Roots (10 vols.). A subject index to these articles is available online. Surname indexes to Volumes 9 and 10 are also available online. The Family History Library has collected most issues of East Tennessee Roots FHL Book 976.8 D25e.
- The Pellissippian
- Several genealogical articles with abstracts of Polk County, Tennessee Genealogy records were published in the The Pellissippian (25 vols., 1980-2004), the quarterly of the Pellissippi Genealogical and Historical Society. The society has posted tables of contents for all 25 volumes on their website. They also have back issues available for purchase. The Family History Library has acquired the first 20 volumes FHL Book 976.8 D25p.
- Polk County Historical and Genealogical Society Quarterly and Newsletter
- This quarterly has been in publication since 1995. For more information, visit the society's website. Most issues are available at the Family History Library: FHL US/CAN Book 976.8875 D25p.
Index found in PERIodical Source Index (PERSI)
Digital version of volume 12 available at FamilySearch Books Online - free.
Learn if your Polk County, Tennessee Genealogy ancestors went to prison!
- Inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary 1831-1850.
- Inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary 1851-1870.
Probate Records
- Index to Polk County Wills 1894-1970, available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb Project.
Online Records
- 1779 – 2008 Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
FamilySearch has placed scans of the following records online in the Tennessee, Probate Court Books, 1795-1927 collection. These are browse-only collections. Handwritten indexes may be found at the front or back of some volumes:
- Wills, 1873-1940s (3 vols.)
- Bonds, Letters, 1890-1965 (6 vols.)
- Insolvent estate records, 1895-1932
- Letters, 1903-1964
- Settlements, 1894-1936 (3 vols.)
The original Polk County Tax Books 1893-1902 were microfilmed by TSLA in 1970. Copies of their films are also available at the Family History Library: FHL US/CAN Films 1012150-1012151.
Vital Records
See also How to order Tennessee Vital Records or order electronically online.
- 1828 - 1939 - Tennessee Births and Christenings 1828-1939 at FamilySearch.org — index
- 1869 - 1909 - Tennessee Delayed Birth Records 1869-1909 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1908 - 1912 - Tennessee, Birth Records (ER Series), 1908-1912 at FamilySearch — index and images
The original Polk County marriage records are kept at the County Courthouse. In 1970, TSLA microfilmed Marriage Books 1 to 18 (1894-1970). FHL copies: FHL US/CAN Films 840021-840023, 1013614, 1012138-1012139.
State Marriage Records
- 1625-1966 - Tennessee, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- 1780 - 2002 - Tennessee State Marriages 1780-2002 at Ancestry.com — index $
- 1780 - 2002 - Tennessee State Marriage Index 1780-2002 at FamilySearch.org— index
- 1790 - 1950 - Tennessee County Marriages 1790-1950 at FamilySearch.org — index and images
- 1796 - 1950 - Tennessee Marriages 1796-1950 at FamilySearch.org — index
- 1838 - 1888 - Tennessee Civil Marriages, 1838-1888 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1851 - 1900 - Tennessee Marriages 1851-1900 at Ancestry.com— index and images $
Polk County's marriage records have been abstracted multiple times. As a guide to lead you back to the original sources, Blankenship's book surpasses the others for the early years, as she cites original volume and page numbers. The following is a list of these publications:
- 1894 - 1907 - Jones, Viola H. Marriage Records, Polk County, Tennessee, 1894 through 1907: Recorded in Volumes 1, 2, 3. Louisville, Tenn.: V.H. Jones, 1987. FHL;US/CAN Book 976.8875 V2j. Abstracts names of brides, grooms, and officiators, along with marriage dates.
- 1894 - 1907 - Blankenship, Nelly M. Polk County Marriages: Vol. 4 Sept. 1894 - Sept. 1907, v. 1 - 4. Murfreesboro, Tenn.: F.M. Blankenship, 1992. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8875 V28b. Abstracts names of brides, grooms, officiators, and bondsmen, dates of marriage, along with volume and page numbers and "extra" information.
- 1894 - 1970 - Poteet-Pitts, Jennie Vee. Polk County, Tennessee Marriages 1894 through 1970. Louisville, Tenn.: V.H. Jones, 1995. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8875 V28p. Free Lookups Available! Abstracts names of brides, grooms, and officiators, along with marriage dates for early marriages; greater detail for more recent marriages, including volume and page numbers.
In 1940 and 1941, W.P.A. workers pinpointed the location of Polk County divorce papers in diverse County Courthouse records, see the following resources:
- W.P.A. Guide to Public Vital Statistics in Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: The Tennessee Historical Records Survey, 1941. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 A3gp.
- 1874 - 1955 - Tennessee Deaths and Burials 1874-1955 at FamilySearch.org — index
- 1908 - 1958 - Tennessee Death Records 1908 - 1958 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1914 - 1966 - Tennessee Deaths, 1914-1966 at FamilySearch — index and images
For deaths of Methodists in Polk County between the 1830s and the 1920s, try searching the following records:
- 1847 - 1914 - Smith, Jonathan K.T. Genealogical Abstracts from Reported Deaths, the Nashville Christian Advocate. (1847-1914) 10 vols. Jackson, Tenn.: J.K.T. Smith, 1997-2003. FHL US/CAN Books 976.855/N1 V48s 1847-1851 ff; digital versions at David Donahue Memorial: Tennessee Records Repository. Website expands upon the publications and includes deaths from the 1830's, 1840's, 1910's and 1920's.
Societies and Libraries
See also a List of Tennessee Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical & Genealogical Societies
Polk County Historical & Genealogical Society
P. O. Box 636
Benton, TN 37307
East Tennessee Historical Society
601 S. Gay St.
P.O. Box 1629
Knoxville, Tennessee 37901-1629
Phone: 1-865-215-8824
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Benton Public Library
Hwy 411
Benton, TN 37307
Phone: 1-423-338-4536
Family History Centers
Family history centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes. See family history center for more information. Search the online FHC directory for a nearby family history center.
- FamilySearch Catalog (FamilySearch) = The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.
- Mailing List: TNPOLK-L (Polk County, Tennessee List) (RootsWeb)
- Mailing List: ETN-OZ-L (East Tennessee Migrants to Ozarks Region List) (RootsWeb)
- Mailing List: SE-TN-L (Southeast Tennessee List) (RootsWeb)
- Polk County, Tennessee: "A Hidden Treasure" (American Local History Network & Tennessee Local History Network) Resources that will help you place your ancestors within the context of their local history.
- Polk County, TN Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
- Polk County, TN Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Polk County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
- Polk County TN Genealogy (LDS Genealogy)
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Polk, Tennessee" in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polk_County,_Tennessee accessed 03 Jan 2019
- ↑ Guide to Public Vital Statistics in Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: The Tennessee Historical Records Survey (W.P.A.), 1941; "Earliest County Records," Tennessee State Library and Archives.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Polk County, Tennessee page 643, At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ "List of counties in Tennessee", Wikipedia.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002), 643. (FHL Book 973 D27e 2002). WorldCat entry.
- ↑ Voice of Lynnae Weller, Kingsport, Tenn. (2010).
- ↑ Voice of Gene Black, FamilySearch employee, former resident of Bristol, Tenn. (2010).
- ↑ [http://sos.tn.gov/products/tsla/lost-records-courthouse-fires-and-disasters-tennessee Lost Records: Courthouse Fires and Disasters in Tennessee] in Tennessee State Library and Archives in Tennessee Secretary of State.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Walters gives Nats versatility at plate, infield
It is certainly not uncommon for a Major League player to be traded for a prospect.
That is exactly what happened in July 2011, when the Arizona Diamondbacks filled a need for starting pitching by acquiring Jason Marquis from the Washington Nationals for prospect infielder Zach Walters.
It is certainly not uncommon for a Major League player to be traded for a prospect.
That is exactly what happened in July 2011, when the Arizona Diamondbacks filled a need for starting pitching by acquiring Jason Marquis from the Washington Nationals for prospect infielder Zach Walters.
Marquis started three games for Arizona, pitching to a 9.53 ERA and 2.29 WHIP in 11 1/3 innings before being granted free agency in October.
Walters is now No. 12 on Washington's Top 20 Prospects list and is on the Nationals' radar as a switch-hitting infielder with emerging power.
Walters was born in Cheyenne, Wy., but he went to Cimmaron-Memorial High School in Las Vegas. He hit .549 with 24 stolen bases as a junior.
He went to the University of San Diego and hit .314 with 125 hits in his college career. Those statistics included batting against flame-throwing San Diego State pitcher Stephen Strasburg, his current teammate.
The D-backs selected Walters in the ninth round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft.
Beginning his career at Class A Short-Season Yakima, Walters hit .302 in 297 plate appearances, all at shortstop. The following season, he played 97 games for Arizona with its Class A South Bend team. Once again, he hit .302. Among his 109 hits were 27 doubles, six triples and nine home runs. He served notice of his powerful bat.
After moving to Washington's Class A Advanced Potomac club following the summer trade, Walters kept it going. He hit .293 in 126 plate appearances, resulting in a combined season average of .300.
In his first Spring Training with the Nationals, Walters sustained a hand injury that slowed the beginning of his season. Upon his return, Walters played at three classifications, hitting a combined .266 while playing for Potomac, at Double-A Harrisburg and at Triple-A Syracuse.
It was this past season that really put Walters on the map. He hit 29 home runs at Syracuse. But he struck out 134 times in 521 plate appearances. With the exception of 27 games he played at third base, most of his 134 games were played at shortstop.
Walters is 6-foot-2, 220 pounds. My first look at him came in the 2011 Arizona Fall League. He did not have the greatest season, hitting .249 in 83 at-bats.
Walters has a compact swing with power generation from an athletic frame that includes strong arms and a solid trunk. His hands are quick through the ball. He has enough speed to selectively steal bases.
In September this season, Walters was promoted to the Nationals. When I saw him start at shortstop, he looked aggressive at the plate, swinging at pitches he felt he could drive. He finished the season with three hits in nine plate appearances, and he did not strike out.
Walters does, however, need to improve his walk rate and swing at fewer fringe pitches. His pitch selection should improve with experience.
While Walters shows segments of five tools, arm strength may be his strongest skill. He has an extremely strong and accurate arm. Walters' arm strength can overcome less overall range than one might like in a shortstop.
The Nationals are established in their starting infield. If the need arises, however, the athletic Walters can play second base and third base as well as shortstop. I think his best role is as a versatile utility player at each of those three positions. With his power and ability to hit from both sides of the plate, his value increases.
Bernie Pleskoff has served as a professional scout for the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners. Follow @BerniePleskoff; on Twitter.


text:
- 1 About SBWG
- 2 Announcements
- 3 Current SBWG Seminar Schedule
- 4 Direction Between Campuses
- 5 Previous Schedules
- 6 SBWG Mailing List
- 7 Coordinators
- 8 Funding
- 9 Constitution
About SBWG
The Synthetic Biology Working Group (SBWG) is a forum led by graduate students at MIT, Harvard, and BU that acts as a central node for communication of synthetic biology research in the Boston area. The SBWG seminar series includes about 9 talks per semester and welcomes an array of highly qualified speakers from Boston and elsewhere. Talks are relatively informal and discussions are highly encouraged. These seminars are an opportunity to meet faculty, students, research staff and others interested in the field of synthetic biology. The SBWG also disseminates information regarding SB-related seminars, events, and groups.
Archived information from old lunches is at SynBERC:SBWGLunchesArchive.
Areas of interest
- Characterization and standardization of biological parts and systems
- Metabolic engineering
- Implementing logic in biological systems
- Biosensors
- New research tools
- Nucleic acid synthesis and sequencing
- Minimal organisms and genomes
- Social and political impacts
- Entrepreneurship in Biotechnology
A Collaboration of the MIT, Harvard, and BU communities
Synthetic Biology was born in Boston. Researchers at MIT, Harvard, and Boston Universities were among the first to pioneer the field. iGEM, the international Genetically Engineered Machine competition, was inaugurated at MIT in 2003. The Biobricks Foundation was started by a group of MIT faculty and students.
Started at MIT, the Synthetic Biology Working Group was at the center of growth of synthetic biology at MIT for the better part of a decade. By 2012, the community of synthetic biologists in Boston had grown dramatically and reached a critical mass. That year, the student leadership of the SBWG decided to expand to the campuses of Harvard and Boston University. This expansion has greatly increased communication and collaboration between SB researchers at these campuses. SBWG's tri-institutional reach makes it the premier forum for the presentation and dissemination of cutting edge research in synthetic biology.
Feb. 6, 2013
Invitation to attend the First International Mammalian Synthetic Biology Workshop, MIT, May 11-12, 2013
The Organizing Committee is pleased to invite you to share a poster and participate in the First International Mammalian Synthetic Biology Workshop, to be held at MIT on the weekend of May 11-12, 2013.
Recognizing the fast emergence and potential significance of this field, the aim of this workshop is to bring together practitioners of mammalian synthetic biology with experts from other relevant fields. The general goals of the workshop are to nucleate the nascent mammalian synthetic biology community, reach out to experts from other fields that can benefit from and contribute to this field, and define the important challenges and future directions. The workshop format will provide a forum for exposition of the latest developments and discussions of how experts from other fields can benefit from and contribute to mammalian synthetic biology. The workshop will also include breakout sessions that can identify the main challenges and opportunities. Findings from the breakout sessions will be assembled into a written report that will be distributed to all workshop participants and to relevant government and funding agencies.
The agenda on Saturday will include several 30 minute talks on mammalian synthetic biology tools and capabilities, talks about industrial and clinical applications, and two sets of breakout sessions. The first set of breakout sessions will focus on the technology: large scale DNA assembly and integration, transcriptional regulation, sensors and actuators, and non-transcriptional regulation. The second set of breakout sessions will focus on potential disease and scientific inquiry applications: cancer, stem cell and tissue engineering, vaccination and infectious disease, diabetes and metabolic diseases, and drug screening. The emphasis in these sessions will be on understanding and evaluating the transformative opportunities for synthetic biology in these areas. Sunday morning will include two talks and reports from all breakout sessions. The workshop will end Sunday at noon.
There is no charge for academics and a $100 fee for all others attending the workshop. Space is limited and all participants must fill out a Registration Request, which can be found online at mammalian-synbio.org, along with the Schedule, Speakers and other relevant information. Please join us as we build the foundation for this exciting and promising new field.
Organizing Committee:
• Ron Weiss, MIT, Chair • Pamela A. Silver, Harvard, Co-Chair • Noubar Afeyan, Flagship Ventures • Jon Chesnut, Life Technologies • George M. Church, Harvard • James J. Collins, BU • Leonard Katz, SynBERC • Christina D. Smolke, Stanford
Current SBWG Seminar Schedule
Spring 2013
The theme of this semester's talks is "Moving Synthetic Biology to Industry". This theme aims to highlight the value proposition of synthetic biology to industry in terms of its unique perspectives and approaches, emerging tools, and potential to solve problems that challenge industry and society.
We are always looking for more speakers, so if you or someone you know would be willing to speak on this topic, please contact one of the SBWG Committee members below.
- To further promote interaction between the synthetic biology communities in Boston, this year the talks will be hosted by BU and Harvard as well as MIT.
- Please note that:
- @MIT will be Mondays at 12 pm (noon) in the 500 Tech Square (NE47) first floor conference room. This is different from last year.
- @Harvard will be Tuesdays at 12 pm (noon) and will meet on the HMS campus in NRB (New Research Building), Rm. 350. (Check in with Harvard security first).
- @BU will be Tuesdays at 12 pm (noon) and will meet in the Photonics Center, Rm. 339 (8 Saint Mary's St, Boston).
January 29: (Tues) → Brynne Stanton (Voigt Lab, MIT) @ MIT: "Developing a language to program cells"
February 5: (Tues) → David Berry (Flagship Ventures) @ Harvard: "Synthetic Biology and the Audacity to Change the World"
February 12: (Tues) → Jason Kelly (Gingko Bioworks) @ Harvard: "Ginkgo BioWorks: How to start a SynBio company for fun and profit"
March 5: (Tues) → Tim Lu (MIT Synthetic Biology Center) @ Harvard: "The Multi-Faceted Bacteriophage: Computation, Therapeutics, and Diagnostics"
April 8: (Mon) → Angela DePace (Harvard) @ MIT: "The importance of visualization for scientists and engineers."
April 23: (Tues) → Sri Kosuri (Harvard) @ BU (Photonics Lab, PHO 339): "Academia, industry, and back again."
April 29: (Mon) → Kevin Esvelt(Harvard) @ MIT: "Accelerating Engineering & Dealing with the Consequences: Cas9, Evolution, and Gene Control"
May 6: (Mon) → Tillman Gerngross (Dartmouth, GlycoFi) @ MIT: "Is Synthetic Biology Really Useful?"
May 13: (Mon) → Chris Voigt @ (MIT Synthetic Biology Center) MIT. CANCELED
The new schedule for Fall 2013 will be posted in late Summer.
Direction Between Campuses
From MIT to Harvard (HMS) / From Harvard (HMS) to MIT:
The fastest way between campuses by public transportation is to take the CT2 or 47 buses towards Ruggles or Dudley, respectively. Transit time via bus ~20-30 min. You can also take the Red/Green(D) T lines and get off at Kendall and Longwood for MIT and HMS, respectively. Transit time via the T is ~40-50min. Taxi fare is ~$15. If you're a Harvard student, the Harvard shuttles are reported to be more convenient.
- @ HMS, get off at Longwood Ave across from the Children's hospital and walk down Ave. Louis Pasteur to get to the NRB. When you arrive, you will need to check in with security to get a visitor's pass.
- @ MIT, get off at the corner of Vassar/Massachusetts Ave., walk up to the Stata Center, and go under the overhanging archway under the Stata Center to get to Bldg. 56.
From MIT to BU / From BU to MIT:
The fastest way between BU and MIT by public transportation is to take the CT2 or 47 buses towards Ruggles or Dudley respectively. Transit time via bus ~10-20min. You can also take the Red/Green(B) T lines and get off at Kendall and BU Central for MIT and BU, respectively. Transit time via the T is ~30-40min. Taxi fare is ~$10. Walking takes 30-40 min.
- @ BU, get off at the Lenox St. stop. From the stop, walk towards CITGO sign away from Commonwealth Avenue which will be behind you and to your left. You will arrive at the intersection of St. Mary's St. and Mountfort St. Turn left onto St. Mary's St. The Photonics Center is the first building on the right. Upon entering the building the venue is on the 3rd floor.
- @ MIT, get off at the corner of Vassar/Massachusetts Ave., walk up to the Stata Center, and go under the overhanging archway under the Stata Center to get to Bldg. 56.
From Harvard (HMS) to BU / From Harvard (HMS) to BU:
The fastest way between Harvard (HMS) and BU by public transportation is to take the CT2 or 47 buses towards Ruggles or Dudley, respectively. Transit time with the bus is ~10 min. You can also take the Green(B)/Green(D) T lines and get off at BU Central and Longwood for BU and HMS, respectively. Transit time via the T is ~30-40min. Taxi fare is ~$5. Walking takes 20-30 min.
- @ BU, get off at the Lenox St. stop. From the stop, walk towards CITGO sign away from Commonwealth Avenue which will be behind you and to your left. You will arrive at the intersection of St. Mary's St. and Mountfort St. Turn left onto St. Mary's St. The Photonics Center is the first building on the right. Upon entering the building the venue is on the 3rd floor.
- @ HMS, get off at Longwood Ave across from the Children's hospital and walk down Ave. Louis Pasteur to get to the NRB. When you arrive, you will need to check in with security to get a visitor's pass.
Previous Schedules
Fall 2012
September 24: (Mon) → Drew Endy (Stanford University) @ MIT in 56-614: "Engineering w/ Serine Integrases, Alien Messages (?!), and Joy's Law"
October 1: (Mon) → Wilson Wong (BU) @ MIT in 56-614: "Synthetic Biology in Translational Medicine: Engineering T cells for cancer therapy"
October 16: (Tues ) → Mo Khalil (BU) @ Harvard in Countway Library (HMS Main Quad), Minot Room: "Programming cellular systems from the inside and out"
October 22: (Mon) → MIT iGEM team[1] @ MIT in 56-614: "RNA Strand Displacement for Sensing, Information Processing, and Actuation in Mammalian Cells"
October 29: (Mon) → Doug Densmore (BU) @ MIT in 56-614: "Synthetic Biology Design Automation: Challenges and Opportunities" CANCELED DUE TO HURRICANE SANDY. RESCHEDULED TO Nov. 26
November 6: (Tues) → Amy Keating (MIT) @ BU: "SYNZIPs: modular coiled-coil parts for protein engineering"
November 13: (Tues) → Rahul Sarpeshkar (MIT) @ Harvard in NRB 350: "Analog Synthetic and Systems Biology"
November 20: (Tues) → Domitilla del Vecchio (MIT) @ Harvard in NRB 350: "A Control Theory Approach to Design Biomolecular Circuits"
November 26: (Mon) → Doug Densmore (BU) @ MIT in 56-614: "Synthetic Biology Design Automation: Challenges and Opportunities"
November 27: (Tues) → Michael Laub (MIT) @ Harvard in NRB 350: "Exploiting studies of signaling protein evolution for synthetic biology"
December 3: (Mon) → Ron Weiss (MIT) @ MIT in 56-614: "Synthetic biology: from parts to modules to therapeutic systems".
December 10: (Mon) → James Collins (BU) @ MIT in 56-614. CANCELED. Will reschedule for next semester.
Spring 2012
January 30: Steve Goldfless (Niles Lab, MIT): "Building robust cross-platform gene expression control with synthetic RNA-protein interactions"
February 27: Lior Nissim (Lu lab, MIT): "A tunable dual-promoter integrator for targeting of cancer cells"
March 12: Justin Buck (Cambrian Innovation): "Bioelectrochemical systems"
April 2: Chris Pirie (Manus Biosynthesis): "Emergent integration of protein engineering, metabolic engineering, and synthetic biology"
April 23: Lawrence David (Alm lab, MIT): "A year-long study of daily changes to human microbiota"
May 7: Pete Carr (MIT Lincoln Labs): "Engineered Genetic Codes: Implications for Protein Design, Genetic Control, and Environmental Safety"
June 26: Jon Chestnut (Life Technologies): "Life Technology custom TAL effectors"
Fall 2011
September 12: Jeffrey Way (Wyss Institute): Synthetic biological approaches to bioenergy and multicomponent protein therapeutics
September 22 (Special time: Thursday at 11am): Prof. Feng Zhang (MIT Brain and Cognitive Sciences)
October 3: MIT 2011 iGEM team
October 24: Tae Seok Moon (MIT BE): Construction of Synthetic Circuits by Harnessing Orthogonal Genetic Parts
October 31: Tina Toni (MIT BE/CSAIL): Computational design for noisy synthetic biology
November 21: Peter Carr (MIT Lincoln Labs), Daniel Ducat (Harvard Medical School), Allen Lin (MIT) & Prof. Kenneth Oye (MIT): Panel discussion on synthetic biology policy workshops
November 28: Noah Davidsohn (MIT BE): Predictive Composition of Genetic Circuits From Well Characterized Parts
December 5: Sri Kosuri (Wyss Institute): Writing in DNA: Development and applications of next generation DNA synthesis technologies
December 12: Prof. Chris Voigt (MIT BE)
December 19: Yuri Matsumoto (MIT BE): An Evolutionary approach to develop genetically encodable MRI contrast agents
Spring 2011
February 14: Barry Canton (Ginkgo Bioworks): Wetware, Hardware, and Smartware at Ginkgo Bioworks
February 28: Randy Rettberg (iGEM/Registry of Standard Biological Parts): What's new at the Registry
March 14: David Hagen (MIT BE): Vast uncertainty in biological models and how to deal with it
March 28: Evan Thompson (MIT Biology): SYNZIP interaction domains: Well-characterized interaction modules for biological engineering
April 25: Himanshu Dhamankar (MIT ChE): De novo pathway engineering for value added products from biomass: Biosynthesis of 3-hydroxybutyrolactone (3-HBL) from glucose
May 9: Kevin Esvelt (Wyss Institute at Harvard): A system for the continuous directed evolution of biomolecules
Fall 2010
September 13: Initial meeting. Discuss areas of interest for future seminars.
September 27:
- Shawn Finney-Manchester (MIT ChemE): "A Method for In Vivo Targeted Mutagenesis"
- Saurabh Gupta (MIT CSAIL/BE): "Genetically Programmed Pathogen Sense & Destroy"
October 25: MIT 2010 iGEM Team: Presentation of this year's project and results
November 22: Peter Carr (MIT Media Lab)
November 29: Jake Beal (BBN Technologies): "High Level Languages for Synthetic Biology"
December 6: Asst. Prof. Tim Lu (MIT EECS)
SBWG Mailing List
Sending email to synthbio at mit dot edu will broadcast to the entire community. To add or remove yourself from the list, visit this page.
If you have any questions about the Synthetic Biology Working Group series or would like to present, be contact one of the current coordinators below:
Deepak Mishra [dmishra at mit dot edu] (PhD Candidate, MIT Dept. of Biological Engineering, Weiss lab)
Felix Moser [fmoser at mit dot edu] (PhD Candidate, MIT Dept. of Biological Engineering, Voigt lab)
Swapnil Bhatia [bhatia.swapnil at gmail dot com] (Postdoc, BU Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Densmore lab)
Daniel B. Goodman [dbg at mit dot edu] (PhD Candidate in Bioinformatics and Genomics, Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Church Lab)
Jeff Wagner [jcwagner at mit] (PhD Candidate, MIT Dept. of Biological Engineering, Niles lab)
Steve Goldfless [sjg at mit] (PhD Candidate, MIT Dept. of Biological Engineering, Niles lab)
Brian Belmont, PhD [bbelmont at mit] (Previously MIT Dept. of Biological Engineering, Niles lab)
Please contact one of the current coordinators if you're an alum and would like your name/contact info added here.
We are grateful for funding from SynBERC and the MIT Graduate Student Council.
We are always happy to partner with foundations and companies who seek to interact with this highly active network of synthetic biologists.
As a member organization of MIT's Association of Student Activities, SBWG is required to display our organization's constitution. Here is the SBWG Constitution.


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Local Melbourne Flatland riders Karl Hugues, Phillip Fruh, Andre Martin, and Chris Carver take over the Luna Park Carnival—which is celebrating its 100th year in operation—for some haunting flatland rides.
How in the World Does William Spencer Land These Impossible Skate Tricks?
Hint: magic. [The Awesomer]
Adam Savage Explains How Big Ideas Are Born
MythBusters host and Geek Idol Adam Savage discusses how niggling facts and notions can grow into major scientific breakthroughs in this most excellent Ted Talk [It's Okay to Be Smart]
The NYC MoMA is Honoring the Mother of CGI
You've probably never heard of Lillian Schwartz and that's a shame. She pioneered the creation of 2D and 3D computer-generated art when she worked for Bell Labs in the early 1960s. The New York Museum of Modern Art will be screening selected works tomorrow at 7pm. If you can't make it, check out a documentary about her works above (and the rest of it here). [Cartoon Brew]
Feminine Flow - Rickard Bengtsson
The beauty of the female form expressed in the only way guys understand.


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Advanced Search
IT Trends | Research
The worldwide server market grew a modest 4 percent in the second quarter of 2013 in terms of unit shipments but declined overall in revenue, according to a new report from market research firm Gartner.
All told, the industry shipped 2.46 million server units in the quarter, up from 2.37 million in the same period in 2012. Revenues fell 3.8 percent in the same period, ending at $12.35 billion.
HP, which fell 13.6 percent year over year, held on to the lead on shipments of 586,857 units. Its market share, however, dropped from 28.7 percent in 2Q 2012 to 23.9 percent in 2Q 2013, according to Gartner. HP had the second-highest server revenue of the quarter, at $3.09 billion.
Meanwhile, No. 2 Dell rose a modest 1.7 percent, reaching 551,000 units in the second quarter. It captured a 22.4 percent market share, down slightly from 2Q 2012's 22.9 percent share. Dell's server revenue for the quarter was $2.19 billion.
IBM came in a distant third at 209,833 units, down 8 percent from 2Q 2012. The company captured an 8.5 percent share of the server market in terms of unit shipments, down from 9.6 percent in the same period last year. However, IBM had the highest server revenues of the quarter, at $3.16 billion.
Cisco (77,729 units, $539 million server revenue) and Inspur Electronics (65,350 units) rounded out the top 5.
While Oracle did not make the top 5 in unit shipments, the company did come in fourth in server revenue for the quarter, at $7167.5 million.
"The global server market remains in a relatively weak state overall," said Jeffrey Hewitt, research vice president at Gartner, in a statement released to coincide with the report. "The only real regional bright spot was Asia/Pacific with growth of 10 percent and 21.7 percent year on year in terms of revenue and shipments. Canada was the only other region that grew in both revenue and units (6.3 percent in revenue and 2.7 percent in units) while Latin America was close to flat for revenue but increased by 1 percent in terms of shipments. The U.S. also grew in terms of shipments by 1.9 percent year-on-year but declined in revenue by 5.1 percent."
About the Author
David Nagel is editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Technology Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal and STEAM Universe. A 25-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art and business publications.
He can be reached at email@example.com. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at or follow him on Twitter at @THEJournalDave (K-12) or @CampusTechDave (higher education).
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Hi all,
If you know me in the real world or even here on TA you'd know I'm pretty passionate about the image of atheism, deconversion and evangelical atheism. A christian friend pointed me to a video (which you can watch here) by Greta Christina today that made me realize that there is a bit of a gap, a chasm, between what I believe and what most atheists believe that could probably be easily filled by a little clarification. Then, I realized, this might in fact be the key to addressing the larger, over-arching issue of anger amongst atheists and whether or not this is a good approach for evangelical atheists.
It just never occurred to me that this point of distinction even needed to be made, but listening to Great and the crowd watching I realized I had made a bad assumption. No, this distinction does in fact need to be made clear. Great gets it, so I'll try to recast her point here in the context of deconversion.
Adherents and their apologists who are angry about atheist anger are just trying to take away the one ingredient responsible for all social change. I took this as a given, but many don't realize that almost every major social movement, from women's rights, to the queer movement, to civil rights; have all been built on "righteous" anger. "Righteous" anger is a special breed of anger that, unlike unhealthy anger, is clearly justifiable. It is the expression of anger, imo, by an emotionally healthy, mature adult.
But what has concerned me is that I get the impression that all too many atheists are not applying this anger constructively. Rather, there is an almost immature, temper tantrum manner in which this gets expressed publicly.
My argument is that to be effective we must learn to channel that anger into something constructive, which means having the maturity and emotional stamina to refrain from public outbursts of anger and rather channel that anger into a social movement of change; of evangelical atheism which includes that unpopular topic of deconversion.
Atheists must learn that anger is a transformative force that can be used for constructive change. But this means being mature and learning how to express anger appropriately in public. There is a difference between anger expressed privately and anger expressed in public. Expressing anger in public is ill-advised if the only thing being expressed is anger. On the other hand, expressing how and why the things that anger you are reason for change is what we should be doing.
So, to be clear, my concern about the manner and tone of the "new atheists" movement comes about as a result of this realization, the same thing that Greta explains in her video much better than I can. And she also points out that when people demand that we "tone it down" they are really trying to take away from us the one thing that fuels social change. They are really just trying to "shut us up" and are doing what every reactionary element has done in the face of social change that begins to truly challenge status quo. For any role I've played in that I regret it and hope I don't do that anymore.
For my part I am so accustomed to refraining from expressing this anger publicly that I have to catch myself sometimes even in private conversations, especially with adherents, when I say, "oh, I'm not really angry about that". Well, I am, but I choose to refrain from expressing naked anger in public as it is counter-productive. When expressed publicly anger should, imo, be channeled as a constructive conversation used to persuade, not defame us and alienate adherents. So, the litany of things that anger us are valid things to talk about, I just think we should be careful in public how we frame it.
I'd like to thank my Christian friend for pointing me to this video and I'd like to know what others think about this. In particular, do you express your anger with religion differently in public and private?
- kk
Views: 2048
Hey all,
Corrections: "Great" means "Greta". Sorry. - kk
LOL She's be glad to hear that.
I agree getting angry at "children" is not good. They believe their maker is already angry at them anyway. If I get doused with holy water one more time..that's it!
Hey RobertPiano,
So, do you express your indignation at religion the same way in public as you do in private? I'm curious because I think this is key to effectively addressing this justifiable anger.
- kk
I live in the South and people always assume I am christian. They do not know I suffered under 12 years of formal catholic education and was essentially an outcast the entire time because I naturally questioned everything. I hated school and got average grades. When I got a very high SAT score they called me in and asked me how I cheated. I told them I would take it again and did even better. I put the whole god question on hold for 20 years.
I am an engineer; not a whole lot of daily philosophical talk in my life. My sweetheart would shock me with her agnostic viewpoint from time to time. It took the recent election (with all the related conversation) and a chance viewing of a Hitchens debate on YT for me to finally realize that root cause of so much ignorance and malice is religion. I felt like a dupe, but also a sense of freedom. And anger. I realized I had been at least a closet agnostic for a very long time. Recently I started jabbing back. Someone was was giving me the "put christ back in Xmas" last week and I told him he was a "sheep, grow up". That felt sooo good ! Do I wish someone had done that to me long ago?-maybe! I was polite..but yeah..it's still not advisable.
Hey RobertPiano,
Yup, I understand what you're saying. There is a lot we have to be justifiably angry over. I don't like to talk about my own negative experiences, but I can tell you I have been chastised and attacked not just by people who know me but by public officials who are supposed to be working for all of us, and all of it over evangelical atheism.
Some people really do see people like me as an "evangelical atheist wicked little thang" (that's a direct quote from three judges, something very similar to what a politician said about Jessica Ahlquist, the student in Rhode Island who challenged a prayer posted on the wall at her school) and they make no bones about it. But when I hear this I try to think of myself in their situation. What if I were brainwashed (no other word for it)? What kinds of things would I say? Probably the same ignorant junk. How do I get rid of this mentality? That's what I want to know. And I think it starts by showing the public how and why this is harmful and wrong, how and why it is biased and reflective of compromised thinking. And how and why progress will forever be constrained by this kind of thinking. That's my 2 cents anyway,
And yea, no one ever knew in school that I was an atheist, but simply objecting to religious ideas pedaled in school on the grounds of free-thinking caused enough rancor by itself. In this sense I think most atheists have a similar experience.
- kk
Perhaps I am really just angry at myself for not taking more time to pursue philosophical endeavors with the same vigor as I pursued the hard sciences. Angry because I attributed great music to god. The same goes for art. For believing that each time I sinned I earned a "black spot" on my soul that could only be erased by confession and atonement by prayer. For feeling guilty about so many innocent thoughts and actions. Angry for allowing a former boss preach to me while at work on many occasions. Angry because I know the only way I will not sway back to my old thoughts is by being angry. I do not wish to remain or die angry. This site is helping me with that and in the years ahead I look forward to growing to be a wiser, kinder, loving, gentleman capable of contributing more to the betterment of the human condition than I ever thought possible before.
Hey RobertPiano,
I'm glad to hear that this site is helping. Your description sounds all too familiar and is reminiscent of abuse stories. Given your keen awareness of the situation I humbly suspect you will be successful in becoming the wiser, better human being you desire to be, and that is a noble aim. Good luck and I, too, am on the same journey.
- kk
kk -
"evangelical atheist wicked little thang"
You're bothered about that? To me it sounds like a mark of grudging respect.
I'm with you on deconversion in that if people want to deconvert, which they sometimes do, then they need people around who can help them constructively through the process. I'm liking that word - constructive. Perhaps we should start (i.e. you) a collaborative project for constructive de-conversion. I presume this would mean some kind of blueprint, albeit with some gaps because everyone's different. It seems to me that one thing that would be necessary is to re-write various religious concepts in terms of atheist theory, such as (from looking at Robert Piano's posts here) guilt and sin. This is a reasonably simple task in my opinion.
Hey Simon,
Yes, it bothers me because of the context in which it came. This "constructive deconversion" is indeed a splendid idea. I like that. We should talk more about this after I ruminate over its full ramifications.
- kk
kk -
it's a little bit outside of my original purpose, but what the hey. I'm of the view that information should be shared, and from that comes progress. If I'm behind on my mission then it's only out of laziness.
So I need a list and I can dispatch the items one by one, at least to my own satisfaction. I feel I've dealt with sin, from a theoretical point of view. Guilt is fairly trivial. Again, purely dry theory. All these need to be seen within the greater framework, which is a religious framework and is alien to most atheists, in my experience. I had some Jehovah's Witnesses at the door yesterday, and they got it straight away.
Hey Simon,
Indeed, but we could still look at both. You've given me some food for thought and I'm thinking about it. Kristy, I think her name was, said that she didn't want harm people in crisis by "deconverting" them or simply telling them the harsh truth at a bad time. There might be something to that. Of course, crisis is precisely the point in one's life where deconversion is most likely.
But perhaps .... if one uses your idea as decopression seeding (do this a lot with Shia) this could be quite useful. Basically, you substitute a softer, kinder form of fanaticism for the one they already have. Then, naturally, the full deconversion comes more easily later. So, the "constructive" deconversion might be something like this intermediate step?
That's hilarious about the Jehovah's Witnesses. We share a common sense of comity and warmth to them, though my motives might not be as pure as yours ;-)
- kk


text:
I didn't want to derail Kyandasu's topic so I've started a new one. She mentioned that she finds the history of geisha to be interesting, and she's not alone. It's one of the things that non-Japanese people seem to find most fascinating about Japan.
And, to be honest, I wonder, why?
Before I inject my general view of the world of geisha and how some women in Japan regard it (not all, mind you) - are you interested in geishas (geiko, maiko)? If so, why?
The Big Onigiri.
- Wherever you go, there you are. -
i don't think it's so strange for western people to be fascinated by geisha. never mind the pop- culture geisha, those colourful brocades and elaborate hair ornaments we see in museums are kind of impossible in a christian european context. anything beautiful and shiny was reserved for the church and maybe courts for centuries over here. women weren't supposed to draw attention to their looks, their clothes or their sexuality, so every piece of beautiful old pink silk with gold trimmings, every huge filigree ring, carefully displayed in a glass case, definitely belonged to a cranky old medieval cardinal. no chance for a girl to ever wear something like that. ever.
geisha, on the other hand, are required to dress in lots of layers of rich silk in really bright reds and pinks with intricate patterns and designs and well-thought contrasts. they are required to change all that attire every season, too. they have to choose ornaments all over, befitting the occasion, and put on heavy make-up.
it sure sounds like a lot of work but that's the good thing about daydreams: you don't have to do the work or imagine the bad bits. i guess geisha are persons wearing beautiful explosions of intricate bright silk details. the look was made for that effect. it creates a sensual orgy somewhere in the brain cells, like fireworks, you want to keep on watching. it's fun. it's maybe even a little more fun for westerners because it's exotic, which helps the escapism along nicely, and because it's not vanity (which is a sin and we still know that deep down inside) because it's required to have all those fine things if you're a geisha, right?
Can anyone suggest a short reading list for westerners who would like to become educated on the history of geisha? As an aside, I'd also love to find text on japanese gardening culture. Thanks!
I'm not sure of a reading list in English. I do know that that movie, Memoirs of a Geisha, is a piece of sh*t to put it politely. OK. it's pretty to look at, that's all I give it. It is so wildly divergent from the reality of the world of geisha or Japanese culture of any age in general, and from what I understand from the novel it's based on, that it's outright disrespectful. And that's even before the fact that most of the main characters are played by Chinese actresses - hey, we all look alike, amirite? I can't stand to even look at other movies by the director, Rob Marshall, any more - and I sort of liked Chicago (even though it's far inferior to the Broadway version).
Sorry for the rant but I had to get it out there. ^_^;
Can anyone suggest a short reading list for westerners who would like to become educated on the history of geisha?
I'd suggest Sayo Masuda - Autobiography of a Geisha
if you want to focus on the Kyoto 'Beefeaters' then try Liza Dalby - Geisha.
Geisha- by John Gallagher (London: PR C Publishing Ltd., 2003)
Geisha, a Life- by Mineko Iwasaki (New York: Atria Books, 2002)
These are two sources I used in a research paper on geisha. The first is very informative and interesting, with lots of details about their lifestyle. The second is an autobiography. She gives a personal view of the culture, so it's also fascinating!
My image of a geisha isn't necessarily that of an elaborately dressed young woman in bright colours and intricate patterns, rather, I think of more mature 'matrons' with more subdued garments nursing drunk employees on company bonding trips in resort towns like Arima. I consider the photogenic ladies in the geisha districts of Kyoto and Kanazawa as being interesting aberrations to the norm (connected to the profession in a similar way that Beafeaters are to regular British Army squaddies).
The problem for me is that there is so little written about 'normal' geisha in English that I know very little about them. So yes, I'm curious about the majority of modern geisha, but then, I'm curious about the lives of craftsmen, sumo wrestlers, hairdressers who work with sumo wrestlers, snack bar mamas, noodle delivery men, priests, workmen employed to guard building sites, tea growers, safflower pickers, etc. etc. etc...
I have to admit that I do make a point of wandering around the backstreets of Ginza at dusk whenever I get the opportunity. Whilst the working ladies there don't fit the Western stereotype of geisha this is perhaps the best way to see bespoke (i.e. not hired) kimono expertly worn with stunning accessories, perfect hairstyling and immaculate make up. I'm well aware of how these ladies dress has huge implications for the livelihoods of the yuzen artists, brocade makers, zouri cobblers, dyers, shibori experts, embroiderers and weavers that form part of the legacy of indigenous craftsmanship that so many Japanese people are rightly proud of. Japan would be a lot poorer culturally if the industries requiring ladies to don 'traditional' dress were to disappear.
Actually I rather disagree - the brightly dressed maiko-san and their image is probably the only part of the geisha culture that is going to survive into future generations in any substantial way. And, I don't think that's so wrong either.
Actually I rather disagree - the brightly dressed maiko-san and their image is probably the only part of the geisha culture that is going to survive into future generations in any substantial way. And, I don't think that's so wrong either.
I don't really have an opinion on which aspects of geisha culture are likely to survive, only that the money spent on their attire (whether it be that of a Kyoto Geiko, an Atami Onsen Geisha or a Ginza Hostess at the top of her profession) allows many artisans and craftsmen across the country to maintain a living. As each aspect becomes more and more an anachronism and disappears, so too will the techniques and skills used to create the dresses.
I may not be that interested in Geisha culture, but I am passionate about these related cottage industries that have such a huge stake in its survival.
It's not that different to haute couture or the jewelry business or expensive knickknacks etc. in European cultures, which were originally servicing the needs of the aristocracy, or women with rich husbands or protectors. (Just one example of this is that Sèvres became established through the patronage of Madame de Pompadour, Louis XV's mistress.) There are still women who are in such positions, but probably compared to 100-150 years ago there are far fewer of them, and a lot more women who can choose to obtain those luxuries for themselves. To my mind that's a good thing, and those companies who can adapt to serve these women will survive.
I know that geiko were and are not the same as ordinary prostitutes. But in a sense the vast majority had to be highly skilled courtesans in order to maintain their skills, lifestyle, look, what have you, because in order to do those things one had to obtain a rich patron. (There were a handful that could make it just on their skills and talent alone but they were a chosen few.) In current day Japan, I'm not sure how well that fits. And on a practical level, the world of the geiko is so restrictive and strict and arcane that most of the young women who do choose to become maiko (apprentice geisha) quit before they've become full fledged geisha.
So, the industries who make the clothes, accessories, cosmetics, combs, what have you for geisha are probably not going to survive unless they can capture the imagination and purse strings of women who want to have a portion of that tradition, but not in the way it was obtained by an older generation via a rich male patron, but through their own means. So that's why I said that the image of young, pretty maiko (and women wanting to emulate a part of that) may be the way that that's going to happen. In some ways it is already. "Maiko for a day" type services are booming in Kyoto - they didn't even exist 10 years ago. Many traditional-craft companies are actively marketing to regular women, more than they ever did before. And so on.
ETA: Of course there are always going to be women who want to be "kept", to use an old fashioned term. There are plenty of them in Japan as there are elsewhere. Hostesses...yeah. Not a part of Japanese society that I am at all proud of.
Here's one thing I like about traditional Japanese culture in general: the precision of it all. I think it's amazing the way geisha would go through years and years of training all to perfect their art. Their entire lives are an art form. I love how every thing they wore had to be appropriate for the season and the circumstance of whoever they were entertaining. True, I love the look of the kimono, but it's not just the way it looks, but WHY it looks that way. I also love the style of dance--the more subtle motions that somehow convey so much. I like how the way they ate, the way they smiled, and how they spoke all had to perfected in advance in order for a geisha to become especially successful. I also like the subtle way in which they were sexualized. I also want to make it clear that this affinity I have for them is not just surface based. I have done extensive research into the history of the geisha profession, and I know its origins as well as the changes it has made over time. It makes me sad that that tradition is fading. In reality, it's rather unpractical for the modern world, so I can understand why. And there just aren't as many rich men who feel like throwing their money away for a few minutes of time with a woman--no matter how elegant. Now, it's so easy for woman to just dress up in dress resembling that of geisha and dance, and tourists think they're getting the real thing. But, even actual geisha have had to resort to various, base tourist attractions--such as letting them dress up as geisha themselves--in order to survive.
Many of the elements that I appreciate in the life of a geisha are also present in Sado (the tea ceremony), many forms of Japanese theater, their music, and their art. Japan has an amazing culture that is able to pull off beautiful subtlety as well as extremely blunt forms of entertainment.
Also, Memoirs of a Geisha, although I like the book, is horribly inaccurate. It also really bugged me that the actors in the movie were mostly Chinese. You should read Geisha: A Life, which is the autobiography of a real geisha. Her style is more straightforward, with less fluff or flowery language, but it's good.
Liza Dalby is also good, although to me she comes off as arrogant.
As far as the idea that Geisha are similar to prostitutes, the truth of that varies depending on the era. Regardless, it's true that their job was always to please a man, whether that involved sex or not. However, they also were some of the first women to live independently of men and actually hold jobs. I also have a rather loose opinion on the "morality" of most prostitutes, and while I would never encourage the profession, I don't think it's as horrible as a profession as everyone makes it out to seem. However, that's a bit too touchy of a topic to discuss, I think.
Someday, I would like to meet a real geisha--whether she is young or old. However, I think the probability of that is rather low.
Onaka ga suiteiru!
One thing that bugged me is that Liza Dalby says in her book is that there is no word for "love" in Japanese that actually means love in the "Western" sense. And while it's true that words like "suki" and "daisuki" literally translate into "like" and "like a lot" (or "big like," I guess), those words as well as "aishiteiru" and "koi shiteiru," to me, seem to be used to convey the same emotion that I use the word "love" to convey. So, regardless of the translation, I think the word for "love" still exists in Japanese. However, I guess as a non-native speaker I could be totally off base there.
Sorry, that was off base.
Another good book, though it's expensive, is Geisha: A Photographic History. This book contains lots of black and white pictures of geisha as well as oiran (high class prostitutes often confused with geisha). The pictures have been painted, with varying degrees of skill, at a time when such a practice was favored. It's by Stanley B. Burns. It is a beautiful book, with lots of interesting information to accompany the pictures, as well as a nice timeline outlining the history of the geisha--from their start as courtesans to the fading glory after WWII. It makes a wonderful coffee table book.
Geisha: A Life is by Mineko Iwasaki.
I also don't think prostitution is necessarily horrible. It's not something I'd want to, or be able to, do myself, but good on those who can do it and keep themselves sane and healthy. I think it's a lot more honest (and here I will really upset some people, apologies in advance) than many marriages. I am more shocked by women preening themselves on the wealth and/or status of the man they have married than I am by women making an honest buck providing a service that men are prepared to pay for.
Don't get me wrong, I don't mean most marriages; in the vast majority of marriages the poor woman works 24 hours/day 365 days/year for very little reward. But it does seem to me that many women have happily taken all the advantages of women's lib (equal pay, sharing household tasks and childcare etc) without being prepared to give up the privileges (e.g. having everything paid for by the man) that went with the old system. The only difference I can see between a prostitute and a rich man's trophy wife is that the wife is considerably more expensive and the prostitute is a lot freer. (Freer looks weird, but the dictionary tells me it is indeed the comparative form of free.)
Perhaps that is the allure of the geisha - she is sort of like a prostitute who is expected to have self-respect and status. She plays her part and is well paid, but she can keep her inner self inviolate. The best bits of being a western wife with the best bits of being a western prostitute, with few of the worst bits of either. Or than again I might be all wrong.
My blog is Food and Shoes
Actually, being the patron of a proper geisha is supposed to be extremely expensive, so a luxury reserved only for the very rich, traditionally. One was also supposed to take care of her needs into her old age too, setting her up in a house with pension of sorts. Serious business.
I think the term 'courtesan' is more appropriate somehow rather than prostitute. If a geisha gets a patron, she is supposed to be totally faithful to him, or she's be severely ostracised. It was a business arrangement really.
"Courtesan"="expensive prostitute" to my way of thinking. It seems to me that it's not the business of being a prostitute that's seen as immoral, it's just the not charging enough. If you cost more than a wife does you're sort of acceptable; if you're cheaper, you're dirt.
Also, geisha almost never have sex. They used to, but now especially it's completely illegal. Even when it was still ok, though, they were so busy--only spending a few minutes at different parties--that they never really had time for sex. Also, because their clothes and hair took so long to do up, it was really impractical for them to mess it up in order to have sex. Although, if they had a patron--I think they're called danna in Japanese, or something like that--they would have sex with him exclusively. If a geisha was good enough to get a patron, this was great for her, because it meant her career was set. However, this was difficult, and very costly on the part of patron.
Liza Dalby is also good, although to me she comes off as arrogant.
If you think Liza Dalby is arrogant, stay WELL clear of this tour in Kyoto:
Why is the tour arrogant? And the book too? (I haven't been on the tour or read the book...but i'm curious!)
I dunno about the tour, but as far as the book goes I'll try to explain why she seems arrogant to me. She's obviously a foreigner, and despite her thorough knowledge of the geisha tradition, she doesn't seem to respect it much. It's hard to explain, but it's almost like she has a hidden message of "Oh, those silly Japanese." Like she sees the tradition and the culture in general as this adorable, less enlightened culture that's amusing but not something to be taken seriously. However, again, this is just my opinion, and many people probably don't get the same vibe.
Why is the tour arrogant? And the book too? (I haven't been on the tour or read the book...but i'm curious!)
A couple of years ago a friend/colleague went to Japan and she was also extremely keen to find out more about Geisha/Geiko (she did the whole dress up and makeover, although I don't think she liked the results). I suggested this tour to her. When a Doctor in the field of psychology comes back using words like narcissistic, arrogant, megalomaniac and nativist (although this last word wasn't quite the one she used) then you know something's amiss. She was with a similarly qualified companion and this particular personality left them both stunned. The tour was memorable but the hilarious anecdotes didn't have much to do with geisha.
I kind of understand Kyasandu's comment about Ms Dalby. That's why I wanted to warn her away from this particular tour.
I'm really enjoying the kimono 'comeback', and my continued interest in this subject has opened up a great deal of questions and lines of enquiries. Taking into account this generalisation of 'Shitamachi' & 'Yamanote' mindsets/lifestyles http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamanote_and_Shitamachi#Differences_between...
what I find curious and am currently focusing on is that kimono wearing also has a class divide. So within the Yamanote sphere the kimono became less and less popular in the last century EXCEPT for the few native high brow cultural activities such as the tea ceremony, ikebana, noh, etc and at very formal events like weddings and ceremonies. Western dress was usually preferred as a way to signal class and taste. And even in this sphere the way a kimono was worn was/is highly formal and modest with obi worn high on the waist and the nape of the neck well covered. This style of wearing kimono is that perpetuated by the hire trade and what you will see in magazines such as Kimono Salon.
Within the Shitamachi sphere the kimono has stubbornly persisted as everyday wear for much longer but just as the older generations of this kind of kimono wearer (and again, these are worn differently, less stuffy, 'looser') had started to disappear the second hand kimono market boomed and younger ladies are bypassing the formalwear style of kimono and using them instead as a way to express themselves in very natural and creative ways (my favourite blogger and my own inspiration for kimono is this one - http://kimono-jin.jugem.jp/ I've also been lucky enough to get to attend one of her wonderful kimono parties).
To me there seems to be a very interesting contradiction in how kimono and geisha culture are viewed by those from outside Japan. I regard geisha and geisha houses as mainly shitamachi pursuits but my impression is that this opinion isn't shared by many. I suspect the death knell for the geisha industry began early last century. Until that time, as long a your husband could properly support you then a geisha/mistress was a luxury that signalled status, as well as elevating your standing as the wife of a successful person, the geisha's home/locale was the perfect place to host business meetings. However, there was a change which was already apparent in the 50s, wives of men with mistresses became pitied as it then came to be viewed that the men were needing to go elsewhere for marital satisfaction (perhaps it was the prevalence of TB that prompted this shift). Without the support of the wives the decline was inevitable.
Even now, Liza Dalby's figures (gathered around 25 years ago) for registered Geisha in Atami are terribly out of date. She mentions around 800, there are only about 100 left.
My husband has been entertained by a geisha, he was with his father who hired her services as a cultural experience.
Well you know, I wonder if wives really did embrace the existence of a mistress, or just accepted it and lived with it. My grandfather had a mistress or mistresses, and kids with them. It caused my grandmother all kinds of pain to the point of making her physically ill, even if it was not something so unusual or something that made the neighbors ostracize her. Now, if she had left her husband because of the mistresses, she would have been a societal outcast. Even when my mother got divorced, in the 1980s mind you, she was warned not to mention it to the neighbors when she went back to her home town.
Nowadays, if a man has an affair, more often than not that leads to divorce. People may argue that that's Japan Gone Bad or Japan Getting Too Westernized, but is it so much worse than what existed before?
(I haven't heard the Yamanote vs. Shitamachi thing for ages, btw ^_^; Kind of made me feel nostalgic. I don't think most people think in those terms any more....)
I have met a real geisha...when she was in civilian clothes. She was visiting NY actually, as the companion of a very rich man. I've also met a couple of hostess-turned-mistresses. All were quite fascinating women for totally different reasons. I'm not judging them by any means. It's their chosen profession, their way of living. Not one I'd choose for myself, but hey, I don't have the looks or demeanor for it either!
Actually, when I was working in NY for various Japanese companies, it was not that unusual to meet the girlfriends/mistresses of rich married Japanese men.
My father has a story of once taking one of his clients to Tiffany's in New York, back in the early '80s, pre-bubble economy. The man chose thousands of dollars worth of jewelry. He paid for it, then said "now time to get something for the wife and daughter".
FWIW, the geisha woman I met was, in some ways, as dim as a 20 watt light bulb ^_^; But she was absolutely gorgeous.
I've not made any personal research into the subject apart from the few programmes on TV (there was a documentory following a girl who was training to become one) and general info online, but my impression was of girls who worked long and hard to become perfect in manner and dress, down to how softly they spoke and waiting up until 3am for their higher level geishas to return home to help them out of their heavy clothing. one programme showed that they needed a man to come in to fold the woman's obi, as it was so heavy. that's dedication!
personally, i think it's lovely that they can dress up in such elaberate clothing and so on. although i'd pass on the balding apparently caused by the hairstyle! :p
i'm english, so we have no national dress or even a clothing you can dress up in that's traditional. apart from some sort of party dress i'd feel awkward in and can't afford, so i'll never get much of a chance to dress up in an outfit as lovely as a kimono or similar. so i feel a bit of envy there.
but i'd never even dream of being a geisha myself, i could never be that well spoken or mannered. i'd fall off their platform shoes and burn myself on the tea. :p
You could get yourself a Morris dancing outfit! Nowhere near as elegant though.
I'm sure the sight of me prancing around with bells tied to my legs and fluttering a hankey in the air would cause many a head to turn, although not in admiration. :p Thanks for the suggestion, it made me laugh.
A geisha outfit really is a costume, from the hair on down. I rather prefer looking at ordinary ladies who can wear kimonos in their daily life, and look good doing so. Putting on a kimono properly is a skill that one has to learn (there are classes for it); I myself can't put on a kimono by myself, though my mother can. The last time I put on a kimono, she and 2 of my aunts had to work on me ^_^;
Since the '70s or so there have been less and less women wearing kimonos, but there has been a bit of a kimono comeback in recent years I hope it grows.
I own a cotton yukata I bought off ebay, it took a japanese friend half an hour and much frowning to get it tied to her satisfaction when I asked her once for advice. (guess it didn't help that I only had the dress and the obi belt, no other belts to help hold it in place). Still, it was fun to wear!
Wow about your family's group effort. Sounds like you were wearing something a lot more complicated. I've had a look online at all the little bits and peices you need for the right 'look', there seems to be so much needed!
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I am on a mission to include more lentils, beans and curries in our family's diet. They are extremely healthy and economical. This isn't necessarily an easy task since my kids are not used to any of them. They aren't super picky eaters though, so I searched for mild curry recipes that included lentils. I found one from Smitten Kitchen and since her recipes never fail to impress me, I thought I'd give it a try. Naturally I didn't have everything on hand that I needed, so I played around with the recipe and changed it into a mildly sweet curry dish that even my pickiest eater would eat. OK, she ate most of it, anyway! A good first step towards introducing lentils and curries into our meals.
- 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated.
- 1 tsp. garam masala
- 1 tsp. curry powder
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cups of vegetable (or chicken) broth
- 1 can coconut milk
- 2 lb. peeled orange-fleshed sweet potato (otherwise known as yams in my neck of the woods), chopped in 1 inch cubes
- 2 cups previously soaked lentils (from a dry state)
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro
- finely grated zest of 1 lime
- juice from one lime
- 1/3 c. chopped almonds
- Saute onions and garlic in coconut oil until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add ginger, garam masala and curry. Stir well for about 1 minute.
- Add broth, coconut milk, cinnamon stick, chopped sweet potatoes, lentils, lime juice, bay leaf and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Partially cover pot with lid. Over medium heat, boil gently for about half an hour or until sweet potatoes and lentils are soft.
- Serve over rice or quinoa, and garnish with cilantro, lime zest and almonds. Enjoy!
Spice it up:
This recipe has been designed specifically with children in mind. If you want it more flavourful or spicy add 1/2 tsp more of both curry and garam masala. Add a few chopped jalapeno peppers. Top with a spicy nut mix.
Veg it up:
You can add chopped spinach or swiss chard when you add the broth. Corn and raisins can also add flavour and vegetables/fruit.
This post has been shared on Homestead Barn Hop #94, From The Farm Blog Hop 35, and Fat Tuesday, January 15h.