Pass notes No 2989: Paul Revere

Age: 83 when he died.

Appearance: Sweaty man on a horse.

Is this the bloke Sarah Palin was wibbling on about? He's usually described as one of the heroes of the American revolution.

The one who cut down the cherry tree, or the one who invented bifocals? That's Washington and Franklin. Revere's the one who rode all over the Boston area one night in April 1775 warning his fellow colonists that British troops were on the march. Longfellow wrote a poem about it.

Ah yes, the Song of Hiawatha. What else did Revere get up to? He was a silversmith, a freemason and the father of 11 children. More to the point, he took part in the Boston Tea Party.

That's another historical landmark I'm a wee bit hazy about. It was a protest against the way Britain taxed its colonies but gave them no say in government. In 1773 Revere and his friends dumped three shiploads of rosy lee into Boston harbour.

Just so long as they remembered to warm it first. He's now in the news because Palin got her facts wrong.

There's a surprise. According to most accounts, Revere did his best to keep a low profile on his midnight ride; Palin's version has him firing shots and ringing bells so the British would know the colonists were ready for a rumble – and determined to keep their weapons.

Did Revere's horse perhaps carry the sticker, "I'll give you my gun when you take it from my cold dead hands"? Not yet, but give it time. Some of Palin's supporters have already tried to revise Revere's Wikipedia entry to fit the new "reality". Some even cited Palin as their authority.

They'll look a bit silly once she refudiates her own remarks. You misunderestimate Palin's self-belief. She told Fox News: "I didn't mess up . . . I know my American history . . . You can see the 18th century from my house."

You made the last bit of that quote up, didn't you? How dare you? It's in the Guardian, so it must be true.

Do say: "Don't retreat – rewrite."

Don't say: "According to the internet.

The Geeks and Nerds » Blog Archive » Lot of 14 Classics ...

Hailing from the Golden Age of Comics comes this lot of 14 issues of Classics Illustrated Titles include: #5 Moby Dick, #7 Robin Hood, #26 Frankenstein, #47 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, #57 The Song of Hiawatha, #64 Treasure Island, #96 Daniel Boone, #100 Mutiny On The Bounty, #106 Buffalo Bill, #112 The Adventures of Kit Carson, #121 Wild Bill Hickok, #138 A Journey To The Center Of The Earth, #147 Ben Hur, and Classics Illustrated Junior #519 Paul Bunyan All books were acquired from a private collection and are in good shape for their age All books are in bags with backing boards These would make a great addition to any comic book collection Thanks for looking and happy bidding!! We strive for the utmost customer satisfaction. Please feel free to email any and all questions, and we will respond as soon as possible. Feedback is also extremely important to us. If you have an issue with an item please contact us first before leaving neutral/negative feedback, and we will do everything in our power to attempt rectify the situation. We sincerely appreciate your business and hope that you continue to check out our auctions in the future.

The song of Hiawatha

The Song of Hiawatha

The song of Hiawatha

The Song of Hiawatha, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The song of Hiawatha, Centennial facsimile ed., 1855-1955