The Computer Corner

By Duane Stabler, dstabler@bigfoot.com

Number 13, March, 2001 republication of this article requires prior approval of the author. 

This month, you’ll find a mix of information that I’ve gleaned from various messages and list serve sites.  We’ll try to put things in some degree of order but if you look through the article carefully, and you’re bound to find something of interest.

 Ron Vossler has written a wonderful essay about the Glückstallers that stayed in Russia and the suffering they endured. Our anscestors endured much in coming to this new country, but it does not compare to the suffering of those who stayed in Russia. The page takes a little time to load, and it is quite long. I found myself glued to the screen as I read all of it. It is worth your time, and I believe you will want to save it. It can be read at:

 http://www.nd-humanities.org/html/vossler.html

Please take the time to read this essay. It is a part of our heritage that has been buried for too long.

And when you’ve finished the read, plan to attend the May Banquet of our North Star Chapter and you’ll have a chance to hear Ron in person.  This is bound to be a great evening!

       If you want to get lost for an afternoon, take a look at this site created by Tatyana Gordeeva who has about 700 links plus her own German cultural notes.  Nice work Tatyana!

http://germanculture.about.com/culture/germanculture/mbody.htm

       For those interested in the origins of languages, a rather interesting diagrammed description of the "tree of Germanic Languages" at: http://softrat.home.mindspring.com/germanic.html
Also further descriptions of 'Living Germanic Languages' which include -  English, High German, Low German, Afrikaans, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Dutch-Flemish, Faroese, Frisian, Icelandic & Gutnish.
 
'Extinct Germanic Languages' -  Bastarnae, Burgundian, Frankish, Gothic, Herulian, Lombardic, Norn, Rugian, Scirian & Vandalic.

       My hat is off to the webmaster of the following website.   It contains some good data on US records sources, historical time lines, internet genealogy, plagerism, copyright, and other useful info. Besides all this, it seems to be an example of a nicely designed site. http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~haas/learningcenter.html

       This is a good reference that someone shared with one of the listserv sites that I monitor.  It may come in handy sometime when you are translating information. It is my understanding that this information is published in one of the Joseph Height books. 

Russian Measures and their Equivalents

1 verst = 500 sasha (fathoms) = two-thirds of a mile = 1.06 kilometers
1 sasha = 3 arshin = 1 fathom = 7 feet = 2,113 meters
1 arshin = 16 vershok = 28 inches = 71.11 centimeters
l vershok = 1.55 inches = 4.4 cm
1 dessiatine = 2.7 acres = 1.09 hectares
1 pud  = 36 lbs. = 16.38 kilograms
1 chetvert = 10 pood = 8 chetverik = 360 lbs = 6 bushels = 2.1 hectoliters
1 chetverik = 8 garnez = 45 lbs = 3 pecks = 26.24 liters
1 vedro = 3 ¼  gallons = 1 pail = 12.3 liters
1 oka = 1.35 quarts = 1.25 liters = 36 ounces
1 bottle = ½ a pail = 6 liters

       If you have not checked the pixel War directory the past few weeks, you may want to visit there.  Dale Wahl indicates that the site is set up as follows:

The entire WAR directory can be searched by selecting "WAR Records" as your search category here: http://pixel.cs.vt.edu/library/search.html