At the risk of enraging the excavators, the chief archivist posts the following pictures he took at Fort McHenry during its Flag Day festivities on June 14. He justifies this posting by explaining it was an exploratory mission to learn archaeological techniques on the excavation of cities (the fort needed to be self-contained) and examine the fascinating architecture of the fort. (And because it’s his blog and he can do what he wants.)
Sunrise cannons
Sentinel
“In a hole in the ground there lived ….”
A full-size replica of the Star-Spangled Banner was unfurled by the crowd.
Hoist the colors
Click here to see the rest of this post.
June 15, 2008
Audio uplink from excavator Johannes Calder, received on 6/5/08 at 2031 hours:
“All I know is, I found it in the middle of one of the avenues coming off of the Central Plaza and that it hadn’t been there the day before — unless I was confusing it with the avenue directly opposite, but I don’t think so. I was on a mapping tour, and I’m just too careful for that. Of course, someone could be playing pranks, but since Theronomous’ chocolate cake debacle, it’s unlikely.
“It was a single shoe, just lying there. I was by myself, but called the others in soon enough. It looked like one of those Earth Shoes from the ’70s. So of course Marta insisted on us doing a bunch of research.
“Earth Shoes were designed to position your heel lower than your toes. They were designed by a yoga master. The angle of incline toward the heel is 3.7 degrees, which supposedly simulates the angle of one’s feet during the Tadasana pose performed in yoga. This is apparently more natural and healthful — “orthopedically superior.” It used what’s called the Kalso Negative Heel Technology. The Earth company still makes the Earth Shoe, though not in the boxy style they were so known for in the 1970s. They were kind of a joke back then, if I remember, but sold.
“According to an article in Time, the height of sales for the Earth Shoe was 1974. The Earth company Web site has photos of both its Copenhagen and Minneapolis stores, taken in 1974. And we know the significance of the year 1974.
“I remember how the advertising said that the shoes were supposed to match how your feet were when barefoot. They were supposed to be like walking on the beach. So there you go.
“I’m Robinson Crusoe. I’ve found my Friday.”
June 8, 2008
Some structures are timeless, no matter in what century they are built.
June 4, 2008
The 42nd annual Balticon science fiction convention was held from May 23 to 26 at the Hunt Valley Inn in Maryland. Highlights included guests of honor Connie Willis, author of Doomsday Book and several other novels, and Naomi Novik, author of the Temeraire series; a panel retrospective on the life and works of Arthur C. Clarke; the Weird Tales magazine anniversary celebration; discovering the work of artist Steven Archer, whose series, 365 Days of Blasphemous Horror, has just begun on the Weird Tales Web site; the annual update on dinosaur discoveries by Dr. Thomas Holtz Jr., in which was emphasized “birds are dinosaurs”; the Dover and Trafalgar Victory Ball; books and more books; and retro carpeting.
Security at Balticon was extremely tight.
The Dealers Room
The Dealers Room, pirate section
The hilarious Bad Advice Panel, with James Patrick Kelly, Walter Jon Williams, Lee C. Hillman, Connie Willis, and David Moldawer (not pictured)
NASA astronaut plays Vulcan lyre.
Click here to see the rest of this post
May 27, 2008
