Jordan Independent - Marching fourth on Moped Day (March 4) - Comments

A simple Google search

Mathias Baden — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:53:42 -0500

A simple Google search revealed:

- a life coach that follows your philosophy (http://www.orgcoach.net/newsletter/march2001.html);

- a band named after the Fat Tuesday party held on a particular day -- bet you can't guess which day!!! (http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/artist_detail.cfm?arti...);

- someone who claims that day isn't really Brandon's made-up holiday at all, rather that it's National Grammar Day (http://beingfearless.blogspot.com/2008/03/march-fourth.html);

- and, quite appropriately, people marching in the streets (http://www.pdx.edu/events/18454/).

(Mathias Baden is the editor of the Jordan Independent. He can be reached at editor@jordannews.com.)

I have to say, I'm not the

Brandon — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:13:59 -0500

I have to say, I'm not the only one who thinks March 4 is the best day ever. I've been following a story on ESPN's Web site about a woman trying to become an Olympic athlete. The latest chapter in the story recently popped up on espn.com, and the woman found out she would be able to race for St. Kitts and Nevis on March 4. She didn't mention it was Moped Day, but she did mention that it was an amazing day:

"This is the greatest day on the calendar for anyone on a quest, anyone seeking answers, anyone who ever doubted herself and wondered if she should keep going. March forth." (at almost the end of the story)

Check out the story at http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=olympianpart10&lpos=sp....

Aside from the Moped Day love, it's a pretty interesting concept. You should start at part 1 and read all the way through.

Good job Brandin - This is

bigbobbob — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 12:50:48 -0600

Good job Brandin - This is the first posting - I have seen in any newspaper - and I have opened quite a few, that developed into a movie. This is very well done and if a few 'glitches' appear who will notice or care. I had no idea the being a 'Newspaper Editor' was so hazardous. Take care. JI is deserving of its awards.

It may not be something with

Brandon — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 11:04:52 -0600

It may not be something with which you often feel, but I’m pretty sure the nerve endings in my forehead had gone numb. A friend responded after seeing the video that he hoped I could feel my forehead again. Luckily, I can.

That’s an excellent

Brandon — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 10:52:56 -0600

That’s an excellent question! As a proud native of P-ville (or, as some have taken to calling it in recent years, P-Vegas), I know the story well. I'll share it with you, with a little too much information:

Platteville is home to Wisconsin’s first teaching college (formed in 1866), and that college, according to Wikipedia, joined with a new mining college in 1907 (you can see the M and a bell symbolizing education in the school's official symbol). And that’s what the “M” stands for – mining. Zinc was found in the area in the early 1900s, and there was a huge mining boom. The "M" is a big whitewashed letter M on the side of a hill. The school doesn’t have a mining program any more, but it is a big engineering school. One of the engineering programs takes care of and cleans the “M.” Every couple of years they re-whitewash the whole “M,” and every year they do an “M”-lighting ceremony where they light it up with candles and you can see it throughout the area. It’s pretty cool.

Hopefully this summer I can do a few more moped videos that show the actual “M” – maybe even a hike up the hill or a view from the top.

Oh, I should also point out that there’s about a million urban legends about “The Big M,” but my favorites are that it’s full of gold bars stolen during prohibition, and that a Japanese company challenged its claim to “World’s Largest” but lost that challenge when the “M” was measured.

"I can't feel my forehead!"

Mathias Baden — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 13:57:01 -0600

"I can't feel my forehead!" That's my favorite part of the video.

(Mathias Baden is the editor of the Jordan Independent. He can be reached at editor@jordannews.com.)

Your moped trip was

J-Town Knitter — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 12:06:16 -0600

Your moped trip was breathtaking and exhilarating! However, your video adventure leaves one unanswered question. WHY is the biggest M out in the country near Platteville, Wisconsin? Please report in. After all, it's your job.

Marching fourth on Moped Day (March 4)

Brandon — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 08:53:33 -0600