If any of you are looking for NYC related Historical fiction, I highly recommend Pete Hamill's Forever. I've read 300 pages today alone, 170 yesterday, and I plan to finish it after I update this blog. I am drawn to Hamill's writing style like moths to a flame (with opposite results ). Caleb Carr's The Alienist and Angel of Darkness is always an excellent read too.
For those looking for more of a scare out of their evening read, I highly recommend The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. Bram Stoker will never appear the same ever again...
Don't forget to vote in the poll over on the top left corner of my blog...
What's everyone reading these days?
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
A touch of Ben
It seems to me that many projects proposed by government agencies here in N.Y., particulary by the MTA are similar to Ben Franklin's 'Striking Sundial". But first, the MTA.
Down by Fulton Street in Lower Manhattan, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is one Billion thats with a "B" over budget for a subway hub at that location. Meanwhile the finishing date gets bumped back. Much of 2nd Ave uptown has been torn up to install a new subway line. MTA estimates Four Billion. When I read that I laughed at the abject stupidity of the estimate. Their last line cost 20 Billion dollars and that was finished 5 or years ago. A safer estimate would've 24 Billion, all told.
The MTA also plans to install a third track on a portion of the mainline of the Long Island RR. Also concerning the LIRR, the MTA is trying to connect the LIRR to Grand Central station to reduce pressure on Penn Station on the West Side. GC is on the East Side of Manhattan. Speaking of Penn, the MTA is dreaming of rebuilding that as well.
The problem is much of this needs to be done. However there are higher priority items, such as building a Rail tunnel/bridge for freight only across the Hudson River (Nearest bridge is 150+ miles North at Selkirk, by Albany) Connecting that Rail Bridge/tunnel with the West Side Yards and turning that section into an Intermodal center would reduce the number of trucks coming over the myriad bridges into NYC. That would be worth the money as priority 1. Alas it is not to be at this point.
I include Ben Franklin's Sundial story for easy access/ comparison.
How to make a STRIKING SUNDIAL, by which not only a Man's own Family, but all his Neighbours for ten Miles round, may know what o'Clock it is, when the Sun shines, without seeing the Dial.Choose an open Place in your Yard or Garden, on which the Sun may shine all Day without any Impediment from Trees or Buildings. On the Ground mark out your Hour Lines, as for a horizontal Dial, according to Art, taking Room enough for the Guns. On the Line for One o'Clock, place one Gun; on the Two o'Clock Line two Guns, and so of the rest. The Guns must all be charged with Powder, but Ball is unnecessary. Your Gnomon or Style must have twelve burning Glasses annex'd to it, and be so placed as that the Sun shining through the Glasses, one after the other, shall cause the Focus or burning Spot to fall on the Hour Line of One, for Example, at one a Clock, and there kindle a Train of Gunpowder that shall fire one Gun. At Two o'Clock, a Focus shall fall on the Hour Line of Two, and kindle another Train that shall discharge two Guns successively; and so of the rest.Note, There must be 78 Guns in all. Thirty-two Pounders will be best for this Use; but 18 Pounders may do, and will cost less, as well as use less Powder, for nine Pounds of Powder will do for one Charge of each eighteen Pounder, whereas the Thirty-two Pounders would require for each Gun 16 Pounds.Note also, That the chief Expence will be the Powder, for the Cannon once bought, will, with Care, last 100 Years.Note moreover, That there will be a great Saving of Powder in cloudy Days.Kind Reader, Methinks I hear thee say, That it is indeed a good Thing to know how the Time passes, but this Kind of Dial, notwithstanding the mentioned Savings, would be very expensive; and the COst greater than the Advantage. Thou art wise, my Friend to be so considerate beforehand; some Fools would not have found out so much, till they had made the Dial and tried it.Let all such learn that many a private and many a publick Project, are like this Striking Dial, great Cost for little Profit."
taken from http://www.mail-archive.com/sundial@uni-koeln.de/msg08138.html
checked against editor Carl Japikse's Fart Proudly: Writings of Benjamin Franklin You Never Read in School.
Down by Fulton Street in Lower Manhattan, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is one Billion thats with a "B" over budget for a subway hub at that location. Meanwhile the finishing date gets bumped back. Much of 2nd Ave uptown has been torn up to install a new subway line. MTA estimates Four Billion. When I read that I laughed at the abject stupidity of the estimate. Their last line cost 20 Billion dollars and that was finished 5 or years ago. A safer estimate would've 24 Billion, all told.
Just as a matter of perspective, 20 billion dollars was the total federal aid immediately after 9/11 (not supplementals)
The MTA also plans to install a third track on a portion of the mainline of the Long Island RR. Also concerning the LIRR, the MTA is trying to connect the LIRR to Grand Central station to reduce pressure on Penn Station on the West Side. GC is on the East Side of Manhattan. Speaking of Penn, the MTA is dreaming of rebuilding that as well.
The problem is much of this needs to be done. However there are higher priority items, such as building a Rail tunnel/bridge for freight only across the Hudson River (Nearest bridge is 150+ miles North at Selkirk, by Albany) Connecting that Rail Bridge/tunnel with the West Side Yards and turning that section into an Intermodal center would reduce the number of trucks coming over the myriad bridges into NYC. That would be worth the money as priority 1. Alas it is not to be at this point.
I include Ben Franklin's Sundial story for easy access/ comparison.
How to make a STRIKING SUNDIAL, by which not only a Man's own Family, but all his Neighbours for ten Miles round, may know what o'Clock it is, when the Sun shines, without seeing the Dial.Choose an open Place in your Yard or Garden, on which the Sun may shine all Day without any Impediment from Trees or Buildings. On the Ground mark out your Hour Lines, as for a horizontal Dial, according to Art, taking Room enough for the Guns. On the Line for One o'Clock, place one Gun; on the Two o'Clock Line two Guns, and so of the rest. The Guns must all be charged with Powder, but Ball is unnecessary. Your Gnomon or Style must have twelve burning Glasses annex'd to it, and be so placed as that the Sun shining through the Glasses, one after the other, shall cause the Focus or burning Spot to fall on the Hour Line of One, for Example, at one a Clock, and there kindle a Train of Gunpowder that shall fire one Gun. At Two o'Clock, a Focus shall fall on the Hour Line of Two, and kindle another Train that shall discharge two Guns successively; and so of the rest.Note, There must be 78 Guns in all. Thirty-two Pounders will be best for this Use; but 18 Pounders may do, and will cost less, as well as use less Powder, for nine Pounds of Powder will do for one Charge of each eighteen Pounder, whereas the Thirty-two Pounders would require for each Gun 16 Pounds.Note also, That the chief Expence will be the Powder, for the Cannon once bought, will, with Care, last 100 Years.Note moreover, That there will be a great Saving of Powder in cloudy Days.Kind Reader, Methinks I hear thee say, That it is indeed a good Thing to know how the Time passes, but this Kind of Dial, notwithstanding the mentioned Savings, would be very expensive; and the COst greater than the Advantage. Thou art wise, my Friend to be so considerate beforehand; some Fools would not have found out so much, till they had made the Dial and tried it.Let all such learn that many a private and many a publick Project, are like this Striking Dial, great Cost for little Profit."
taken from http://www.mail-archive.com/sundial@uni-koeln.de/msg08138.html
checked against editor Carl Japikse's Fart Proudly: Writings of Benjamin Franklin You Never Read in School.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Lobatomized tuitition?
Are nursing programs now accepting brain cells in lieu of U.S. dollars?
Last May my Grandmother was in the hospital because of a heart attack scare.
This nurse mistook my Uncle for my grandfather and me as their son.... She was 88 at the time, I a quarter of her age. It was clear she actually assumed that was the case too... I bit my lip for two reasons, to keep myself from laughing, or suggesting that the nurse get herself admitted, to the psych ward... Granted I had a full beard at the time but still....
Last May my Grandmother was in the hospital because of a heart attack scare.
This nurse mistook my Uncle for my grandfather and me as their son.... She was 88 at the time, I a quarter of her age. It was clear she actually assumed that was the case too... I bit my lip for two reasons, to keep myself from laughing, or suggesting that the nurse get herself admitted, to the psych ward... Granted I had a full beard at the time but still....
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
WWI story
Times Gone By
It all began one summer day, the sunny and cheerful weather outside my humble home making a mockery of what was yet to come. It was a story filled with paradoxes. So I went to my bed and sat beside my grandmother as she told the story ...
It goes back to the time of the First World War
As I sat there listening to grandmother, it seemed the longer she spoke, the mental pictures of what she was saying became even clearer until
It seemed the years fell away and I was there.
Veneto region Italy, somewhere in the Isonzo area
But for the grace of God my father, Clemente, would have been at the front. I don’t recall the unit specifically. His cavalry regiment or battalion got blown away while he was home in Santa Maria a Vico on leave.
My take on what my great grandfather was thinking at the time....
I hear my name get called and say Grazie a dio[1]
Now I can breathe the fresh air of the fields of the countryside
As opposed to the reeking mash of gas cordite and gunpowder that befouled the trenches at the front
I set out on leave to the nearest unshelled railhead ten miles away,
I reach home safely and learn my wife is about to have a son. Everything goes well, at first
however his health suffers soon after I leave for the front as my leave was up
Only to discover upon my return at the front is of consequence.
My cavalry regiment is gone
I find out from others of my brigade just which of Cadorna’s idiotic orders sent the regiment out. I also find out my unit was slaughtered to a man while I was on leave because of those orders. It was so bad no colors survived to be retired. I report for duty to the lowest officer in the chain of command still alive, the general of my brigade.
Hell, since I was the only one left, guess who got the medals, just my luck.
Subsequently I transferred to Tripoli to forget about the war in the African sun
My beloved Italia is in ruins, surely those fascists will turn out to be no good. Mussolini may be content to get the ferrovia to run on time now, but
Should he partner up with our verdamnte German neighbors to the north, I know better than anyone, there will hell to pay, again. Italy holds nothing for me now, much as it pains me to leave the land of my ancestors and the majority of my family behind, I have no choice. I will have to make my bones in the new world like the two plus million peasants und artisans who fled before the war.
[1] Trans. Thank God
History-forums.com link of the day
http://history-forums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2007
It all began one summer day, the sunny and cheerful weather outside my humble home making a mockery of what was yet to come. It was a story filled with paradoxes. So I went to my bed and sat beside my grandmother as she told the story ...
It goes back to the time of the First World War
As I sat there listening to grandmother, it seemed the longer she spoke, the mental pictures of what she was saying became even clearer until
It seemed the years fell away and I was there.
Veneto region Italy, somewhere in the Isonzo area
But for the grace of God my father, Clemente, would have been at the front. I don’t recall the unit specifically. His cavalry regiment or battalion got blown away while he was home in Santa Maria a Vico on leave.
My take on what my great grandfather was thinking at the time....
I hear my name get called and say Grazie a dio[1]
Now I can breathe the fresh air of the fields of the countryside
As opposed to the reeking mash of gas cordite and gunpowder that befouled the trenches at the front
I set out on leave to the nearest unshelled railhead ten miles away,
I reach home safely and learn my wife is about to have a son. Everything goes well, at first
however his health suffers soon after I leave for the front as my leave was up
Only to discover upon my return at the front is of consequence.
My cavalry regiment is gone
I find out from others of my brigade just which of Cadorna’s idiotic orders sent the regiment out. I also find out my unit was slaughtered to a man while I was on leave because of those orders. It was so bad no colors survived to be retired. I report for duty to the lowest officer in the chain of command still alive, the general of my brigade.
Hell, since I was the only one left, guess who got the medals, just my luck.
Subsequently I transferred to Tripoli to forget about the war in the African sun
My beloved Italia is in ruins, surely those fascists will turn out to be no good. Mussolini may be content to get the ferrovia to run on time now, but
Should he partner up with our verdamnte German neighbors to the north, I know better than anyone, there will hell to pay, again. Italy holds nothing for me now, much as it pains me to leave the land of my ancestors and the majority of my family behind, I have no choice. I will have to make my bones in the new world like the two plus million peasants und artisans who fled before the war.
[1] Trans. Thank God
History-forums.com link of the day
http://history-forums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2007
Monday, May 12, 2008
Random Musings
History is a matter of perspective. One man's freedom fighter is another's terrorist. Then again, history has been written by those who have killed heroes. However, history often provides an almost ironic sense of justice. Oliver Cromwell, master strategist to some, war criminal to others illustrates this point perfectly. Buried in Westminster, dug up by the Charles II, hung on the Tower of London until blown down in a storm. His head was bandied about for 300 years, until someone condescended to donate Cromwell's head to his Alma Mater.
Then again there are those who are a puzzle. Italy, in thirty years of warfare and the Borgia, created Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and the Renaissance. After kicking out the Habsburgs and having 500 years of peace, what do the Swiss have to show for it, the Cuckoo Clock.
History forum thread of the day,
http://history-forums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1992
Then again there are those who are a puzzle. Italy, in thirty years of warfare and the Borgia, created Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and the Renaissance. After kicking out the Habsburgs and having 500 years of peace, what do the Swiss have to show for it, the Cuckoo Clock.
History forum thread of the day,
http://history-forums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1992
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Been tagged
8 Random facts.
1.I've read The Agony and the Ecstasy approximately 20 times. Thats 14000 pages (paperback)
2. If I won the lottery, i'd buy books and land, historically valuable land.
3. I live along the oldest class one railroad (passenger) still operating under it's original name.
4. I've always enjoyed my heritage through music and history.
5. This is my first blog.
6. I've 5 books from the early/mid 19th century.
7. In my house, the only item in greater number than books, is files.
8. My first memory is of a library.
1.I've read The Agony and the Ecstasy approximately 20 times. Thats 14000 pages (paperback)
2. If I won the lottery, i'd buy books and land, historically valuable land.
3. I live along the oldest class one railroad (passenger) still operating under it's original name.
4. I've always enjoyed my heritage through music and history.
5. This is my first blog.
6. I've 5 books from the early/mid 19th century.
7. In my house, the only item in greater number than books, is files.
8. My first memory is of a library.
brief update
A lot of things are going on over at the history forum.
What I'm currently reading
Cassanova was a Book Lover by John Maxwell Hamilton
Everything from who writes books to what books are most frequently stolen. The Joy of Sex and The Bible being two of them...
Jim Crow New York Edt. by David N. Gellman and David Quigley
This one consists largely of primary source documents from 1777-1877 along with the authors providing the context of those sources. They range from letters to the editor to constitutional conventions at the state level and federal amendments.
In modern day political news... Hillary and Barack are now approximately equal in superdelegates. The writing on the wall is even clearer now, but not yet overpowering.
H-F thread of the day
Italian photos WWI
http://history-forums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=922
What I'm currently reading
Cassanova was a Book Lover by John Maxwell Hamilton
Everything from who writes books to what books are most frequently stolen. The Joy of Sex and The Bible being two of them...
Jim Crow New York Edt. by David N. Gellman and David Quigley
This one consists largely of primary source documents from 1777-1877 along with the authors providing the context of those sources. They range from letters to the editor to constitutional conventions at the state level and federal amendments.
In modern day political news... Hillary and Barack are now approximately equal in superdelegates. The writing on the wall is even clearer now, but not yet overpowering.
H-F thread of the day
Italian photos WWI
http://history-forums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=922
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