Our long national nightmare is over...

I think it's appropriate for my 301st post that I announce the completion of my course work for my Masters of Science in Library and Information Sciences. Now everything just needs to be graded and I need to successfully complete my review of requirements for graduation.

Ennui...

This is week 9 of my final 10 week long quarter for my Master's of Science in Information and Library Science at Drexel University. I have two resource guides to complete and submit and one scavenger hunt to do and I'm done.

I am slowly coming to the realization that I will have more free time.

And I don't know what to do with it.

And I'm really not that concerned about that. I'm actually pretty cool with it. I think I deserve some time off. Because sooner or later I'm going to do something stupid and volunteer.

THFH: Now with MORE Art Donovan!

Have you been reading this blog and said to yourself, "You know, this blog needs more Art Donovan." Well, your wish has been granted.

A good friend of mine who is also gathering objects for the Lutherville VFD Bull Roast and Auction was at NFL Hall of Famer Art Donovan's place today getting autographs for the items to be auctioned off. Art signed this Hall of Fame card for my friend and it was given to me this afternoon.

My friend would have been at the B&ORRHS Archives sooner, but he was at the Country Club Art owns and Ordell Brasse came by and the Colts team doctor showed up and my friend spent the mid-day listening to them trade stories.

That is the BEST EXCUSE FOR BEING LATE I HAVE EVER HEARD.

This is hopeful news for me...

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis. If this works, man I'm gonna be really happy about it.

Long days...

Well, another B&O Railroad Historical Society event has been completed and it made for another long weekend. I can't say I'm very coherent now. But I have to comment some on the wierdness that has been the weekend of August 9, 2008.

Russia vs Georgia- (Russia minus 21) I'll take Georgia with the points here. A US trained army in the mountains of the Caucasus going against the same army that never really took down the Chechens. Seriously, all they have to do is run the Fulda Gap playbook from 1982 on this one.
Is it me or does it seem the Cold War is coming back?

Truck drives off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. This is big news in MD. The latest updates are here. Still no details about what were the sequence of events.

Bernie Mac, dead at 50. WTF? I thought he was getting better. That is a bummer.

Issac Hayes, dead at 65. Again, an unexpected death. All I have to ask is, who's the black private dick who's the sex machine to all the chicks?

We'll miss you guys.


Oh, and the answer to that question, it's Shaft.

Damn Right.

J-E-T-S Jets, Jets, Jets...

Wow, I really would have expected him to go to Tampa.

Ah well, at least he doesn't have to get rid of any green shirts in his wardrobe.

Things fall apart...

The Center does not hold.

And Brett Favre and the Packers are splitsville.

I am not pleased.

A battle of champions on the thawed tundra...

Brett Favre is back with the Packers.

and...

There's going to be an open competition for the starting QB spot.

Note to Aaron Rogers, get the clipboard and headphones ready. Yours is the rawest deal of all in this situation.

Update 8/3/08-9:15pm EDT: Brett Favre has landed in Green Bay.

He's coming...

I saw the trailer today while going to see "The Dark Knight." I am pleased.

A book review...

This is getting to be a good time to plan trips to Pennsylvania (leaf season is just two months away.) A couple of months ago I was sent a review copy of Pennsylvania's Forbes Trail for review.

This ain't your parent's guide book. This is better. Of all the great things about this book, what impressed me the most, was the amount of HISTORICAL detail that the authors put in this guide book. The text provides an excellent background for the travelogue and helps readers understand this important campaign in what is, unfortunately, a forgotten war. Fred Anderson's introduction helps set the reader up for the very well written historical vignettes that accompany each section on a specific community or portion of the trail. (For those of you who don't know who Fred Anderson is, he's the author of the best modern study of the war The Crucible of War: The Seven Years War and the Fate of Empire in North America 1754-1766.)

The maps are well drawn and easy to follow and the guide is very well organized. It's clearly meant for an east-west trip to replicate the march of Gen. Forbes' column, and I'd recommend people use it that way. The guide tells you about what it's like to hack out a road west through the Appalachian Mountains through what was at that time pristine wilderness. The book is also blessed with excellent illustrations and photographs. It very much reminds me of the fine guides published by the National Park Service, particularly with the artwork.

Finally, those who want to further their research are provided with a small but very well chosen selection of books to read for further information on the French and Indian War. If you're looking for something to do in the early fall, a drive through Pennsylvania is a good option and this guide book is worth getting. You'll learn and get to travel through some great communities and see some great things.

This book, and the trail itself is definitely worth checking out. See you on the road! (I'll be up that way in early October and then again in late March.)

Cue The Gatlin Brothers....

Guess where they're sending the Outreach Team in October?

"Mission Control Celebrates"
From NASAimages.org

Houston.
Houston mean's that I'm one step closer to you.

Happy Birthday NASA!

Happy Birthday to the agency that funds the contract that provides my employment!

Stay classy NASA!

I want this...

Oh man, the fun one could have with one of these at work.

This was at the LA Museum of Natural History.

This I find to be absolutely fascinating

This is a lunar transit of the Earth as seen from the Deep Impact space probe. Wow.

The press release can be found here.

Happy Bastille Day...

"American troops of the 28th Infantry Division march down the Champs Elysees, Paris, in the `Victory' Parade." Poinsett, August 29, 1944. 111-SC-193197.

Yeah, I'm a smartass.

Hot gas...

A photo of the Okmok eruption from today, taken by the US Coast Guard at 20k feet and hosted at the Alaska Volcano Observatory.

No real major post today other than a volcanic eruption in Alaska. There are some neat photos at the Alaska Volcano Observatory page.

THAT DOES IT!

Ok, one of the places I hang my virtual hat is the B&O Railroad Yahoo Group. This past week there has been an active discussion about the late John Work Garrett, a President of the B&O Railroad.

There is no existing biography of this man and the on-line discussion was mainly about debunking the myths about how good a president he was for the railroad. In reality he was a pretty bad president for the railroad. But there's no single volume that talks about this.

So...I'm gonna write one.

To the library catalogs!!!

Environmental Protection...

This is what I think the show Mythbusters was like in 1947.

Hello trusted friend...

So, I have TV again, and I had forgotten about something.

Star Trek: The Next Generation is on SciFi Monday nights from 7 to 11.

I really had missed that show. Man it's good to see it again.

Only my friends...

Could go to a bar and have conversations about the following:

Masters of Horror
How many Senators can you name?
Batman
Why the parliamentary system would be good for American Government
How do you think Battlestar Galactica will end
Roscoe Bartlett
What does the C.A. stand for in C.A. "Dutch" Ruppersburger
The Assassination of James A. Garfield and Civil Service Reform
The weight limits of tables and sinks

Yes, all these topics and more were covered at J. Patrick's Bar in Locust Point, Baltimore, MD last night.

I find this very comforting.