*Ask Jen

Reader Pete wants to know, "Since the Swiss currently hold the Americas Cup where are they going to have the race? Last time I checked Switzerland was a landlocked country."

"Somewhere in Europe." That is the answer I was given, and since I don't really give one of Victor's rat's asses about the America's Cup, I didn't pursue it further. :-)

Reader Amy asks, "Who is Samuel Adams and why is a tasty beer named after him?"

Samuel Adams was an older cousin of President John Adams, and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He inherited his father's brewery business and a significant amount of wealth with it...but he squandered his inheritance and ruined his father's business. He was one of the most radical of the patriots, and did a good job instigating rebellion. He was the chief architect of the politics that led to the Boston Tea Party, but mostly faded from the national picture after the Revolutionary War.

The Koch family, of Bavarian descent, started brewing Samuel Adams the beer. They are of no relation to the Adams family that I can tell. And for what it's worth, their website says Samuel Adams "was better at brewing beer than dissent". So that's pretty funny.

Do you have a question for me? You can e-mail it. If I know the answer, I'll answer it. If I don't, I might make something up.

Posted by Jennifer at October 30, 2003 12:01 AM

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