The Adventures of Steampunk Addie

An Apple a day

2012-03-09T11:39:00.004-07:00

While Momma is busy exploring the wonders of her new computer, I thought I'd show you some of my favorites.

Pleasant Company and American Girl have long realized the importance of computers in the modern world and want all their girls to be equipped.

Mini Macintosh (1996)

Boot your American Girl’s Apple Macintosh computer with the flip of a switch. Use the keyboard to scroll through her field trip report about the planetarium. Scoot the mouse along themousepad to add stars to the constellation on the screen. (This is Momma's favorite - and mine!)

Lindsey's Laptop (2001)
Lindsey doesn’t go anywhere without her laptop. Best of all, it keeps you both connected! Store 50 names and phone numbers, view the date and time, and use the calculator while you’re out and about. Two pretend mini disks slide into the side of the laptop. Lindsey can carry her laptop along with her notebook and pencil in her messenger-style computer bag.

Computer Set (2006)
Get ready for lots of computer fun—for you and your doll. Includes doll-sized monitor, keyboard, mouse, computer tower, and two pretend disks. You can play three real computer games (with sound!), use the built-in calculator, check the time and day of the week, or store important names and numbers.

Lanie's Laptop (2010)
Lanie loves to think up earth-friendly ideas—she can stay connected on-the-go with a pretend laptop computer and three screen clings.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

2012-03-06T13:01:00.002-07:00

Songwriter Robert B. Sherman was Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

The tongue-twisting term, sung by Mary Poppins, is like much of Sherman's work - both complex and instantly memorable, for child and adult alike.

Sherman, who died Monday, March 5, 2012 in London at age 86, was half of a sibling partnership that put songs into the mouths of nannies and Cockney chimney sweeps, jungle animals and Parisian felines.

Robert Sherman and his brother Richard composed scores for films including "The Jungle Book," ''The Aristocats," ''Mary Poppins" and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang."

They wrote more than 150 songs at Disney, including the soundtracks for such films as "The Sword and the Stone," ''The Parent Trap," ''Bedknobs and Broomsticks," ''The Jungle Book," ''The Aristocrats" and "The Tigger Movie."

The Sherman Brothers' won two Academy Awards for "Mary Poppins" - best score and best song, "Chim Chim Cher-ee." They also picked up a Grammy for best movie or TV score.

Most of the songs the Shermans wrote - in addition to being catchy and playful - work on multiple levels for different ages, something they learned from Disney.

Another of their songs - "It's a Small World (After All)" - became one of the most translated and performed songs on the planet - a fact that Disney employees are only too well aware!

March madness

2012-03-06T04:29:00.007-07:00

As far as I'm concerned March 6 is another date that will live in infamy.

1820 – The Missouri Compromise is signed into law by President James Monroe.

1857 – The Supreme Court of the United States rules in the Dred Scott v. Sandford case.

The Missouri Compromise was an agreement passed in 1820 between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the United States Congress, involving primarily the regulation of slavery in the western territories. It prohibited slavery in the former Louisiana Territory north of the parallel 36°30′ north, except within the boundaries of the proposed state of Missouri.

The Dred Scott Decision was a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in
1857 that people of African descent brought into the United States and held as slaves were not protected by the Constitution and could never be U.S. citizens.

(In case you've forgotten, Dred Scott was an African-American slave who unsuccessfully sued for his freedom in the Dred Scott v. Sandford case of 1857, popularly known as "the Dred Scott Decision.")

It was in his honor that I chose my pirate name, the Dred Pirate Scott.

Happy birthday t' you!

2012-03-05T11:40:00.002-07:00

Happy birthday American illustrator and author Howard Pyle!

Pyle is credited with creating the now stereotypical image of pirate dress.

A number of Pyle's pirate legends and illustrations were published in 1921 as Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates -- 10 years after his death!

Pyle's romanticized view of pirates has influenced movie pirates such as Errol Flynn and Johnny Depp.

Pyle created this sketch in 1903 for his student Thornton Oakley, who later allowed it to be reproduced in Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates.

That tiny sketch was sold at auction in Philadelphia on Feb. 2, 2012 for $20,000!

Girls and dolls

2012-03-04T08:22:00.003-07:00

I don't know how I did it, but I missed the Japanese Doll Festival yesterday!

A whole holiday dedicated to dolls and I forgot it!

The Japanese Doll Festival (雛祭り or Hina-matsuri), or Girls' Day, is held on March 3. Platforms covered with a red carpet are used to display a set of ornamental dolls (雛人形 or hina-ningyō) representing the Emperor, Empress, attendants, and musicians in traditional court dress of the Heian period.

Momma first learned about this holiday as a child while reading Rumer Godden's delightful books, Miss Happiness and Miss Flower (1961) and its 1963 sequel, Little Plum.

In Miss Happiness and Miss Flower, "England is the last place Nona Fells wants to be. No one asked her if she wanted to leave sunny India to live in a chilly English village with her aunt's family -- and her cousin, Belinda, just hates her! But when two dainty Japanese dolls arrive at Nona's doorstep, everything begins to change. Like Nona, Miss Happiness and Miss Flower are lonely and homesick, so Nona decides to build them their own traditional Japanese house. Over time, not only does Nona create a home for the dolls, but one for herself as well."

In Little Plum, "When Gem moves into The House Next Door, Nona and Belinda think she's stuck up and vow to have nothing to do with her. But the beautiful Japanese doll in her window soon attracts their attention. They name her Little Plum because of the plum blossom decorating her clothes - but unlike Nona's Japanese dolls, Miss Happiness and Miss Flower, Little Plum seems sad, unloved and uncared for. Will the three girls - and the three dolls - ever become friends?"

The custom of displaying dolls began during the Heian period. Formerly, people believed the dolls possessed the power to contain bad spirits. Hinamatsuri traces its origins to an ancient Japanese custom called hina-nagashi (雛流し, literally "doll floating"), in which straw hina dolls are set afloat on a boat and sent down a river to the sea, supposedly taking troubles or bad spirits with them.

Families usually start to display their dolls in February and take them down immediately after the festival. Superstition says that leaving the dolls past March 4 will result in a late marriage for the daughter.

This Week in The Civil War: Sunday, March 4, 1862

2012-03-04T00:01:00.001-07:00

New Madrid besieged, battle of ironclads

This week 150 years ago in the Civil War, Union forces besiege New Madrid, Mo., seeking to gain control at this juncture of the Mississippi River. The attackers march overland, arriving near New Madrid on March 3, 1862. The siege will last for days and only after heavy Union guns are brought in will the Confederate defenders retreat. Union forces will occupy the recently deserted city on March 14, 1862. Now the fight for control of the Mississippi will shift to other areas of the river - with The Associated Press reporting the Confederates "have a very strong position" on Island No. 10, not far from New Madrid. This week also sees a new era of naval warfare open when ironclad ships - vessels sheathed in stout armor - clash near Hampton Roads, Va. On March 8, 1862, the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia attacks a squadron of Union naval forces at Hampton Roads, destroying two ships and stranding a third, the Minnesota. The Monitor arrives the following day and the battle is on. The two ironclads circle and fire at each other for several hours that morning, neither sinking or seriously damaging the other. At midday, the Monitor attempts to ram the Virginia but a steering malfunction leads the Monitor to miss the Virginia's fantail. As the Monitor passes the stern of the Virginia, the Monitor's pilothouse is hit by a shell and breaks off action. Soon the Virginia retreats to the nearby Elizabeth River, unable to finish off the damaged Minnesota. The outcome is indecisive. Union forces still dominate Hampton Roads and the Confederates still control several rivers and nearby Norfolk, Va. But history has been made. Though French and British fleets had begun building ironclad ships by the time the American conflict opened, the new naval technology hadn't been tried in battle until now.

It's cookie time!

2012-03-03T10:19:00.005-07:00

Have you supported your local Girl Scouts yet?

cookies by Pippaloo

The first Girl Scout cookie sales was by the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma in December 1917. In 1922, the Girl Scout magazine The American Girl suggested cookie sales as a fund-raiser and provided recipes. In 1933, Girl Scouts in Philadelphia organized the first official sale, selling homemade cookies at the windows of local utility companies.

The first Girl Scout cookie recipe was a sugar cookie. In 1936 the national organization began licensing commercial bakers to produce cookies.

According to my good friend Molly McIntire, Girl Scouts sold calendars during World War II in addition to cookies, because of shortages of flour, sugar, and butter. Customers were limited to two boxes during some war years. By 1943 Girl Scouts also collected fat in cans with Girl Scout labels to aid the war effort and sold War Bonds at no profit.

Girls who participate can earn prizes for their efforts. There are also unit incentives if the unit as a whole does well. As of 2007, sales were estimated at about 200 million boxes per year.

That's a lot of cookie dough.

Cookies will be on sale in Arizona through March 11.

O! say can you see

2012-03-03T08:34:00.008-07:00

"The Star-Spangled Banner" was made the national anthem by a congressional resolution on March 3, 1931, which was signed by President Herbert Hoover.

The lyrics come a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812.

The poem was later set to the tune of a popular British pub song and renamed "The Star-Spangled Banner." It was recognized for official use by the Navy in 1889, and by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916.

With a range of one and a half octaves, it is known for being incredibly difficult to sing. Although the song has four stanzas, only the first is commonly sung today.

(The fourth stanza includes the line "And this be our motto: In God is our Trust," which the United States adopted as its national motto in 1956.)

The singable "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" (whose melody is identical to Great Britain's "God Save the Queen/King") served as one of our many anthems before the adoption of "The Star-Spangled Banner."

There is no one alive who is Youer than You

2012-03-02T12:01:00.021-07:00

Happy 108th birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen name Dr. Seuss.

In 1954, the director of the education division at Houghton Mifflin compiled a list of 348 words he felt were important for first-graders to recognize and asked Seuss to write a book using only 250 those words that "children can't put down."

Nine months later, Seuss, using 236 of those words, completed The Cat in the Hat.

He eventually published 46 children's books, which were often characterized by imaginative characters, rhyme, and frequent use of trisyllabic meter.

Seuss' birthday, March 2, has been adopted as the annual date for National Read Across America Day, an initiative on reading created by the National Education Association.

Many of Seuss' books express his views on social and political issues including the 1971 book The Lorax about environmentalism and anti-consumerism.

Coincidentally (I think not!) the 2012 moving picture version of The Lorax was released today.

In The Lorax, a 12-year-old boy searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.

I know what I'll be doing this weekend....

Cast iron stomachs

2012-03-02T10:19:00.001-07:00

Ma chère amie Cécile and I were enjoying some chicory coffee this morning while waiting for our beignets and we got to talking about the abundant use of cast iron in New Orleans.

I was telling her that while many love the new Courtyard Furniture, others are complaining about its green-painted surface.

She was astonished and told me a couple of facts.

Due to French and Spanish influence in New Orleans, wrought iron had long been used. With the industrial revolution though, Victorians started using decorative cast iron instead.

According to this PDF from Louisiana's State Historic Preservation Office, cast iron was historically painted either a soft green or bronze since cast iron is more brittle and more likely to rust than wrought iron.

Cast Iron

High carbon content, brittle
Heated to a molten, fluid form and poured into molds
Good for complex or repetitive patterns
More prone to rust
Mechanically fastened together, by bolts for example

Wrought Iron

Malleable, lower carbon content
Hand shaped by heat and force
Best for geometric or curvilinear designs
Less likely to rust, was sometimes waxed for protection
Fastened with rivets or by fusing

And if anyone had ever seen the three cornstalk fences in New Orleans (made by Wood & Perot of Philadelphia!), they'd know they're intricately painted.

Long may it wave

2012-03-01T11:34:00.002-07:00

As many of you know, I have a fondness for flags.

Momma surprised me yesterday with a stand to hold my growing collection of flags.

So far I have:

two different pirate flags (Arr!)
50-star United States flag
Episcopal flag
Northern Arizona University flag

and Momma found more for me which should arrive any day now:

another pirate flag!
rainbow flag
Arizona flag
Ohio flag
Pennsylvania flag

All of which makes me think of the song, Freak Flag, from Shrek: The Musical:

Let your freak flag wave
Let your freak flag fly
Never take it down, never take it down
Raise it way up high!
Let your freak flag fly!
Let it fly, fly, fly!

Look before you leap

2012-02-29T00:01:00.019-07:00

Happy Leap Day ladies!

In the Gregorian calendar, the current standard calendar in most of the world, most years that are evenly divisible by four are leap years. In each leap year, the month of February has 29 days instead of 28. Adding an extra day to the calendar every four years compensates for the fact that a period of 365 days is shorter than a solar year by almost six hours.

Leap Years benefit from many folk customs. In the United States Leap year has also become (unofficially) known as Sadie Hawkins Day. Sadie Hawkins Day is a pseudo-holiday that originated in Al Capp's 1934–1978 comic strip, Li'l Abner, which inspired real-world Sadie Hawkins dances, where girls ask boys out.

In the British Isles, it is a tradition that women may propose marriage only on leap years. While it has been claimed that the tradition was initiated by St. Patrick or Brigid of Kildare in 5th century Ireland, this is dubious, as the tradition has not been attested before the 19th century.

Supposedly, a 1288 law by Queen Margaret of Scotland (then age five and living in Norway), required that fines be levied if a marriage proposal was refused by the man; compensation ranged from a kiss to £1 to a silk gown, in order to soften the blow.

According to Felten: "A play from the turn of the 17th century, 'The Maydes Metamorphosis,' has it that 'this is leape year/women wear breeches.' A few hundred years later, breeches wouldn't do at all: Women looking to take advantage of their opportunity to pitch woo were expected to wear a scarlet petticoat—fair warning, if you will."

In Finland, the tradition is that if a man refuses a woman's proposal on leap day, he should buy her the fabrics for a skirt.

In Greece, marriage in a leap year is considered unlucky. One in five engaged couples in Greece will plan to avoid getting married in a leap year.

I'm a little devil

2012-02-28T12:27:00.013-07:00

I have yet another new job description. I am now a printer's devil!

A printer's devil was an apprentice in a printing establishment who performed a number of menial tasks, such as mixing tubs of ink and fetching type.

You need proof?

Here's an old photo of Momma's great-grandfather, A.E. Huls, in the doorway of his first printshop in Millville (later Rockbridge), Ohio where he published the Millville Tomahawk. He eventually moved to Logan, Ohio where he published the Logan Republican and ran the Huls Printing Co.

According to the Nov. 10, 1911 edition of the Democrat Sentinel:

After 10 years of having a Democrat for mayor, a Republican was elected - Mr. Huls, Editor of The Logan Republican. It was said that the Logan federation of labor unions toward the end lined up for Huls, because he carried a card as a union printer, and some of the liberal element of the town who were opposed to the other candidate for other reasons, threatened the liberals that if the other candidate were reelected they would vote dry at the coming county election.

The Huls Building (51 E. Main, Logan, OH 43138) was constructed in 1923. It was the first fire-proof building in Logan. Publisher of the Logan Republican newspaper since 1908, Huls’ building also housed his commercial printing business.

Huls planned to operated his printing business as Huls and Sons with the help of his sons, Charlie and Fred. Sadly, Charlie died Jan. 31, 1925 from strychnine poison contained in medicine obtained at the Ohio State University dispensary while completing his final semester in journalism.

Tragedy continued to haunt Momma's family. In the Aug. 1, 1934 Circleville Herald:

FORMER PUBLISHER DIES OF INJURIES
A. E. Huls, Logan, Succumbs In Hospital While Son Is Hunted Through West

Alpheus E. Huls, 68, former publisher of the Logan Republican and a personal friend of J. W. Johnson, N. Court St., died in Grant hospital injuries he received a week ago in an automobile wreck near Athens.

Mrs. Huls, who was injured at the same time, is reported in serious condition. She has a fractured skull and a broken shoulder.

Frantic efforts are being made to find their son, Fred, who, with his wife and daughter, is touring the west. He does not know of his parents tragedy. He is the present publisher of the newspaper.

Mr. Huls succumbed of a blood clot in the heart artery. He served as inspector of the Division of Workshops and Factories under the late Governor Frank B. Willis and was a former post master and mayor of Logan for two terms.

Mrs. Huls also died from her injuries. Their son Fred continued to publish the paper until the 1940s, closing when he joined the Navy in World War II, and ran the printing business a number of years after that with the help of his son Fritz.

Although no longer in Ohio, Momma is the fourth generation of printers in the Huls family. So I get to be her devil at the new Huls Printing Co.

Hey, that's how Mark Twain got his start!

The Bear necessities

2012-02-27T13:06:00.002-07:00

Momma is a bit sad today since she heard of the death of one of her favorite childhood authors, Jan Berenstain.

Jan and Stan Berenstain were both born in Philadelphia and met on their first day of class at the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art in 1941.

Since the 1962 debut of the first Berenstain Bears book, The Big Honey Hunt, the series has grown to more than 300 titles, which have sold approximately 260 million copies in 23 languages. The books feature a family of bears who learn a moral or safety-related lesson in the course of each story.

Jan died Feb. 24 and Stan died in 2005, but their sons Leo and Mike have followed in their parents footsteps.

Hopefully they will continue to provide young readers with the Bear necessities.

Silence is golden

2012-02-27T10:42:00.007-07:00

I was extremely interested last night to see that The Artist got the Oscar for Best Picture - the first silent film to get do so since Wings at the original Oscar ceremony in 1929.

The Artist takes place in Hollywood between 1927 and 1932 and focuses on the relationship of an older silent film star and a rising young actress, as silent cinema falls out of fashion and is replaced by the talkies.

In Wings, two young men who are in love with the same woman, become fighter pilots in World War I.

The Artist received four prizes Sunday, including best picture, best actor, best director, and best music.

Betsy-Tacy fans will be interested to know that Paolo Conte, who wrote the score for Wings, was the real-life inspiration for Marco Regali in Betsy and the Great World. Maud Hart Lovelace met Regali in Venice in 1914. He later moved to the United States to head the University of North Dakota music department where he composed the music for Wings.

I'll need to do more research though since for some reason Wikipedia credits John Stepan Zamecnik for the Wings score.

And the winner is...

2012-02-26T18:21:00.006-07:00

Piper's World!

Piper Nicole is 11 years old and loves writing, and decided to start blogging to share all the fun times that she has.

Sounds like a girl after my own heart! I was truly honored to even be nominated in the same category.

To sleep, perchance to dream

2012-02-26T14:08:00.010-07:00

Rarely do I sleep, but who can resist when the pillow of her dreams arrives courtesy of Momma's bestie Jennifer.

So here's a sneaky shot Momma got of me snuggling down to sleep with both my new zeppelin pillow and the tin zeppelin I got for Christmas.

Kinda reminds me of the 1983 song "Sweet Dreams" by the British pop music duo Eurythmics, Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart.

Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree?
I travel the world and the seven seas
Everybody's looking for something.

It's tool time

2012-02-26T12:09:00.007-07:00

It's taken awhile, but I am slowly assembling the items I need for my tool belt, inspired by both Amelia Peabody's belt and an old-fashioned (to you) chatelaine.

Amelia Peabody Emerson is the protagonist of the Amelia Peabody series, written by author Elizabeth Peters. Peabody is married to Egyptologist Radcliffe Emerson and has one biological child, Walter "Ramses" Peabody Emerson.

Peabody usually carries one of her stout parasols, which she uses as a weapon (including a sword-parasol). Her other famous accessory is her belt, later partially replaced with a vest with many pockets. It contains:

"Pistol and knife, canteen, bottle of brandy, candle and matches in a waterproof box, notebook and pencil, needle and thread, compass, scissors, first-aid kit and a coil of stout cord (useful for tying up captured enemies)."

He Shall Thunder in the Sky
Chapter 2

A chatelaine is a decorative belt hook or clasp worn at the waist with a series of chains suspended from it. Each chain is mounted with a useful household appendage such as scissors, thimble, watch, key, vinaigrette, household seal, etc.

Chatelaines were worn by many housekeepers in the 19th century. Originally the chatelaine was designed to have all the tools necessary for the woman of the household to sort out any problem she may encounter in her day.

However, with time, the chatelaine evolved from a purely utilitarian object into a decorative symbol that reflected the status of the wearer.

So far I have:

Aether Pistol
Flask (for medicinal purposes)
Candle
Notebook and pencil
Compass
Scissors
First-aid kit
A coil of stout cord

What else do I need?

This Week in The Civil War: Sunday, Feb. 26, 1862

2012-02-26T00:01:00.002-07:00

Nashville occupied, Willie Lincoln's funeral

Though Tennessee had seceded from the Union, federal troops entered Nashville and occupied that strategic city this week 150 years ago in the Civil War. Nashville thus became the first Confederate state capitol to fall to Union forces as Confederate fighters retreat to Alabama and elsewhere. By week's end, pro-Union Tennessee Sen. Andrew Johnson - the future president of the United States after Lincoln's assassination in 1865 - would be appointed the state's military governor and arrive in Nashville to head up the occupation. His chief task: suppressing rebellion. Union troops now command a vital railroad junction for supplying war campaigns elsewhere in the South. In December 1864, Confederate forces would unsuccessfully try to retake the city, but the two-day Battle of Nashville would yield thousands of casualties on both sides. Nashville's occupation angered Southerners and secession-minded women in Memphis would even take up shooting practice and others would try to raise money for a Confederate gunboat. Meanwhile, Nashville's refugees would stream into Memphis, tasking that city's resources. Newspapers this week report on a somber funeral cortege for Lincoln's 11-year-old son Willie, who died in the White House on Feb. 20, 1862, of typhoid fever. The Springfield Republican reports a crowd followed the grieving Lincoln family as the boy's casket was carried to a Washington cemetery. Lincoln, the report said, appeared "completely prostrated" by grief. It added: "Friday night, and all day Saturday, he was in a stupor of grief, and seemed to care little even for great national events, but on Sunday, he began to recover from the shock, and is now, though deeply bowed down by his great affliction, in nowise incapacitated for the duties of his position."

The polls are closed...

2012-02-25T10:48:00.003-07:00

...and the nominees are gathering on the red carpet.

This is the fourth year that on Academy Awards weekend dolls are invited to don their best and post photos of themselves on American Girl Playthings. It's our version of the Academy Awards Red Carpet. (This is what I am wearing.)

Winners of the AGPT Academy Awards will be announced shortly before the 'real' Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012.

The eight categories are:

BEST PHOTOSTORY
BEST ACTOR
BEST ART DIRECTION
BEST COSTUME
BEST LIVE ACTION
BEST SET DESIGN
BEST SIGNATURE
BEST WRITING

In case you have forgotten, I was nominated for Best Writing. I was truly honored to be nominated since I have been blogging for less than a year. So my heartfelt thanks to those who nominated (and voted) for me.

Steampunk Addie goes Downton

2012-02-24T08:52:00.005-07:00

Hmm, I haven't watched Downton Abbey yet, but I'm starting to think I should after reading this hilarious article, Downton Abbey: Why It's Like American Girl Dolls For Grown-Ups, at the Huffington Post.

Downton Abbey is set in the fictional Yorkshire country house of the Earl and Countess of Grantham, and follows the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants during the reign of King George V. Season one spans the two years before World War I, beginning with news of the sinking of the Titanic.

The second season covers the years 1916 to 1919, and the 2011 Christmas Special December covers the 1919 Christmas period, ending in early 1920.

The hilarious Huffington Post article compares the three Crawley sisters to three American Girls:

Mary Crawley = Samantha Parkington

Sybil Crawley = Felicity Merriman

Edith Crawley = Molly McIntire

So, Downton Abbey paper dolls or trading cards anyone? Although that nightgown sounds promising....

Spies like us

2012-02-23T14:51:00.008-07:00

Thanks to the Pinkerton National Detective Agency and some (gasp!) female detectives, President-elect Abraham Lincoln arrived safely in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 23, 1861 after the thwarting of an alleged assassination plot in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Baltimore Plot was an alleged conspiracy in late February 1861 to assassinate President-elect Abraham Lincoln en route to his inauguration. Allan Pinkerton, founder of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, played a key role by managing Lincoln's security throughout the journey.

Kate Warne was a female Pinkerton agent credited with gathering and supplying information which helped convince Pinkerton that there was a plot to assassinate Lincoln in Baltimore.

Warne's employment as a detective was a significant moment in woman's history. Women were not allowed to be police until 1891 and could not be detectives until 1903.

When Pinkerton's son Robert conspired with other agents in 1876 not to hire female detectives, Pinkerton furiously sent Robert a telegram:

"It has been my principle to use females for the detection of crime where it has been useful and necessary. With regard to the employment of such females, I can trace it back to the time I first hired Kate Warne, up to the present time. And I intend to still use females whenever it can be done judiciously. I must do it or falsify my theory, practice and truth."

Hattie Lawton was also part of Pinkerton's Female Detective Bureau. What her exact role in the Baltimore Plot is unknown. Many of Pinkerton's early records were destryoyed in the 1871 Chicago Fire.

Once Lincoln's rail carriage had safely passed through Baltimore, Pinkerton sent a one-line telegram to the president of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad: "Plums delivered nuts safely."

Of course a certain female detective who shall remain nameless was also there.

Let the good times roll

2012-02-21T20:52:00.003-07:00

Have you eaten your pancakes tonight? Ma chère amie Cécile and I have!

pancakes by Pippaloo

Mardi Gras (also known as Pancake Day, Shrove Tuesday, and Fat Tuesday) is the day preceding Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Since Mardi Gras is linked to Easter, its date changes yearly.

In most traditions the day is known for the eating of pancakes before the start of Lent. Pancakes are eaten as they are made out of sugar, fat, flour and eggs, whose consumption was traditionally restricted during the ritual fasting associated with Lent.

Mardi Gras was first celebrated in Louisiana on March 3, 1699 by early French settlers.

In New Orleans it is a season of parades, balls (some of them masquerade balls), and king cake parties. It has traditionally been part of the winter social season; at one time "coming out" parties for young women at débutante balls were timed for this season.

Mardi Gras has expanded to the point that it became strongly associated with New Orleans in popular perception, and Mardi Gras celebrations are part of the basis of the slogan, Laissez les bons temps rouler, (Let the good times roll) and the nickname "The Big Easy."

The trip of a lifetime

2012-02-21T17:43:00.004-07:00

Passenger service attendant

For history, one would be hard pressed to compete with the five million year old Grand Canyon, but Grand Canyon Railway tries.

It has been a week since our centennial ride but I'm still thinking it over. (Our tickets were the 1912 prices of $7.50 but normally would have cost $99!)

Our passenger service attendant told us that normally the train would carry about 100 people to the Grand Canyon, but the special Centennial train had 1,201 - their biggest train ever!

Mountain Man

I was a hit, of course.

Each train engine and each train car has been painstakingly restored to its original state.

Harvey Girl

Each member of the crew was bursting with local and Grand Canyon folklore and history, as well as Grand Canyon Railway knowledge. A passenger service attendant saw to our needs and comfort. Strolling musicians sang songs about trains and the Grand Canyon as well as yesteryear. And there was even an old-fashioned shoot-out and a train robbery!

In other words, we had a grand time.

I cannot tell a lie

2012-02-20T09:59:00.003-07:00

Happy Presidents Day -- even if it doesn't celebrate the birth of my hero, Abraham Lincoln.

For years (40 to be exact) Momma thought Presidents Day honored the birthdays of both presidents Lincoln (Feb. 14) and George Washington (Feb. 22).

But it doesn't!

Presidents Day is a United States federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February in honor of George Washington, the first President of the United States.

A federal holiday honoring George Washington was originally implemented by an Act of Congress in 1880 for government offices in the District of Columbia and expanded in 1885 to include all federal offices.

On Jan. 1, 1971, the federal holiday was shifted to the third Monday in February by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.

Although Lincoln's birthday, Feb. 12, was never a federal holiday, approximately a dozen state governments have officially renamed their Washington's Birthday observances as "Presidents' Day," "Washington and Lincoln Day," or other such designations.

So go have a piece of cherry pie in Washington's honor.

Okie dokie Artie chokie

2012-02-20T00:01:00.001-07:00

Not many dolls can say this, but Momma is once again a proud artichoke!

Scottsdale Community College is a two-year college located on the eastern boundary of the city of Scottsdale, Ariz., on land belonging to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. The lease was taken out in 1970 and will expire in 2069. The school is part of the Maricopa County Community College District.

An important part of the College’s history is encapsulated in its mascot – the Artichoke. Born during a period of student unrest in the early '70s, Artie the Artichoke was adopted as the school’s mascot to express a difference of opinion concerning budget priorities.

Originally intended to be a source of embarrassment, Artie has been embraced by students, athletes, staff, and the community as a beloved character.

The school's colors used to be a rebellious pink and white but are now becoming artichoke shades of green and gold.

When life gives you lemons

2012-02-19T12:01:00.004-07:00

Ma chère amie Cécile and her friend Marie-Grace finally got some lovely new items for the summer ... and pink is not the predominate color! Woo hoo!

Marie-Grace's Summer Outfit
Marie-Grace chooses this lovely outfit for summertime in New Orleans:

A pink-and-green checked taffeta dress inspired by real fashions of the 1850s, with a triple-tiered skirt and satin ribbon accents
A wide-brimmed hat, trimmed with a matching taffeta ribbon
Pink-and-white boots with button details for the finishing touch

Cécile's Summer Outfit
Cécile's fancy ensemble is perfect for summers in New Orleans! It features:

A true-to-era lemon taffeta dress, with a pretty striped yoke, a gathered bodice, and bell sleeves with organza trim
Cécile can shade her eyes with a faux-straw bonnet that ties under her chin—ribbon and daisies add a touch of elegance
Two-tone boots with button details complete the look

Lacy Parasol

This fashionable parasol is made of cream-colored lace—in the 1850s, that's how young ladies shaded their faces from the sun. It opens and closes easily, and has a sculpted golden handle her doll can really hold.

Courtyard Furniture
This pretty metal table is made to look like cast iron, a style that was popular in the 1850s. The set also includes two matching chairs with elaborate scrollwork details.

Glassware & Treats
Delicious desserts for dolls, inspired by New Orleans! This set includes pretend treats for two:

A trio of beignets, faux pastries dusted with powdered sugar
A ceramic plate decorated with an authentic design from the 1850s
A footed glass bowl filled with pieces of faux fruit: peach and apple, pear and lemon, a pineapple, and a bunch of bananas
A delicate glass pitcher with a genuine flower motif, along with two matching drink glasses

Items available for a limited time only, while supplies last.

This Week in The Civil War: Sunday, Feb. 19, 1862

2012-02-19T00:01:00.001-07:00

Confederate President Davis re-inaugurated

Jefferson Davis, who was provisionally elected the president of the Confederacy at a convention in Montgomery, Alabama, and inaugurated in February 1861, is reinaugurate this week 150 years ago. The re-inauguration on Richmond's Capitol Square takes place on Feb. 22, 1862, following Davis' election in November 1861 to a six-year term. In his address, Davis declares that the people of the Confederacy have come to believe that "the Government of the United States had fallen into the hands of a sectional majority, who would pervert the most sacred of all trusts to the destruction of the rights which it was pledged to project. ... Therefore we are in arms to renew such sacrifices as our father s made to the holy cause of constitutional liberty." The Richmond Examiner, in a report on the eve of Davis' oath-taking, declares the day an "auspicious" one, but it exhorts his administration to take up its cause with energy so as to "escape the miseries of a protracted war." The Philadelphia Inquirer is among Northern newspapers that will print the bulk of the speech in later days along with details of the elaborate inaugural ceremonies and the politicians, judges and other prominent officials present. Elsewhere, The Associated Press reports from Springfield, Missouri, that federal army troops are in "vigorous pursuit of the rebels" in that state. A dispatch states that Union forces have captured four rebel officers and 13 privates but the main body of pro-Confederate forces led by Sterling Price eludes them in the countryside. From 1862 to 1864, Missouri will be the crucible of bloody guerrilla warfare. Only Virginia and Tennessee will see more battles, clashes and other engagements during the war.

The Jolly Addie

2012-02-18T11:29:00.001-07:00

While re-reading Dave Barry's delightful 2004 book, Peter and the Starcatchers, I was struck with inspiration for the sails of my pirate ship, the Enterprise.

Peter and the Starcatchers

In Barry's Peter Pan universe, pirate captain Black Stache is very resourceful. He captures the naval ship the Wasp by using a corset-shaped sail.

"'The Ladies' were Black Stache's secret weapon -- a special set of sails he'd had the ship's sailmakers make, using patterns that Black Stache had obtained from, of all places, a ladies' corset maker. Though they had not yet been tested at sea, Black Stache was convinced that his invention would revolutionize the pirate industry. He was saving the Ladies for just the right moment, when he was heading downwind, closing on his prey for the kill." (p. 34).

Can't you just see me, ~~Steampunk Addie~~ Dred Pirate Scott, at the helm of such a stylish pirate ship?

Get your kicks on Route 66

2012-02-18T00:01:00.012-07:00

One of Momma's claims to "fame" is once interviewing Bobby Troup, who wrote (Get Your Kicks on) Route 66 in 1946. (She got to write several stories about Route 66 while living in Kingman.)

Troop said the tune, as well as the words "Get your kicks on Route 66," came to him easily, but the rest eluded him, so he filled up the song with the names of towns and cities on the highway.

Well if you ever plan to motor west
Just take my way that's the highway that's the best
Get your kicks on Route 66

Well it winds from Chicago to L.A.
More than 2,000 miles all the way
Get your kicks on Route 66

Well goes from St. Louis down to Missouri
Oklahoma City looks oh so pretty
You'll see Amarillo and Gallup, New Mexico
Flagstaff, Arizona don't forget Winona
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernadino

Would you get hip to this kindly tip
And go take that California trip
Get your kicks on Route 66

The Harvey Girls

2012-02-17T00:01:00.020-07:00

We saw lots of women dressed as Harvey Girls while on the Grand Canyon Railway and at the Bright Angel Lodge.

Fred Harvey began using a female serving staff in 1883 when he became unhappy with his male staff who often carried firearms to intimidate customers. He sought out single, well-mannered, and educated American ladies, and placed ads in newspapers throughout the East and Midwest for "white, young women, 18 to 30 years of age, of good character, attractive and intelligent." The girls were paid $17.50 a month (approximately $411 in today's terms) to start, plus room, board, and tips, a generous income by the standards of the time.

The women were subjected to a strict 10 p.m. curfew, administered by a senior Harvey Girl who assumed the role and responsibilities of house mother. The official starched black and white uniform (which was designed to diminish the female physique) consisted of a skirt that hung no more than eight inches off the floor, "Elsie" collars, opaque black stockings, and black shoes.

Their hair was restrained in a net and tied with a regulation white ribbon. Makeup of any sort was absolutely prohibited, as was chewing gum while on duty. Harvey Girls were required into a one-year employment contract, and forfeited half their base pay if they failed to complete the term of service. Marriage was the most common reason for a girl to terminate her employment.

The company and its employees successfully brought new higher standards of both civility and dining to a region widely regarded in the era as "the Wild West." Harvey Girls are said to have helped to "civilize the American Southwest."

The popularity of the Harvey Girls grew even stronger in 1946, when Judy Garland starred in the film version of Samuel Hopkins Adams’ novel The Harvey Girls.

Incidentally, it is thought that the Harvey Houses originated the "blue-plate special," a daily low-priced complete meal served on a blue-patterned china plate; an 1892 Harvey menu mentions them - some 30 years before the term became widespread.

Momma got me this cute china figurine of a Harvey Girl as a souvenir!

Addie and Momma's Excellent Route 66 Adventure

2012-02-16T09:37:00.000-07:00

Fans of American Girl might recall that my dear friend Molly McGuire took a trip with her family in 1946 along Route 66.

Molly's Route 66 Adventure takes readers for an eight-state ride, from Illinois to California, along the Main Street of America.

Molly's family took a side trip off Route 66 to go to the Grand Canyon, and stayed at the Bright Angel Lodge where we had lunch Tuesday!

Bright Angel Lodge, designed in 1935 by architect Mary E. J. Colter, has a natural, rustic character, and is a Registered National Historic Landmark.

It has always been a popular place to stay and the center of South Rim activity. Located just a few feet from the Canyon rim, Bright Angel Lodge is the check-in point for the world famous Grand Canyon Mule Rides.

Addie's Route 66 Adventure

2012-02-15T22:51:00.002-07:00

Whew! What a couple of whirlwind days.

I have enough material for several blogs, so stay tuned the next couple of days, but for now:

Monday, Feb. 13, 2012 - we drove up to Williams, Ariz., to spend the night before boarding the train.

Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012 - we boarded the Grand Canyon Railway steam train to celebrate Arizona's centennial as a state. We spent the day at The Canyon before taking the train back to Williams. (The train was "robbed" by masked men on horses!) After leaving Williams we started home only to get into a blizzard near Flagstaff, Ariz. Despite Momma's excellent driving, we slid off the road and into a ditch! It took us three hours to get towed out of the ditch so we found the nearest motel in scenic Munds Park where we collapsed for the night.

Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 - We returned to Phoenix (uneventfully!) where Momma rested before teaching her first class at the local community college!

Phew! I'm exhausted by that brief summary. But stay tuned for more in-depth reporting on my Route 66 Adventure!

The tell-tale heart

2012-02-14T03:01:00.001-07:00

Momma gave me a heart for Valentine's Day.

And not just any heart, but a checked heart.

Do you think she's trying to tell me something?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy birthday AZ!

2012-02-14T00:01:00.036-07:00

President William Howard Taft signs the Arizona Statehood Bill under my watchful eye.

Happy 100th birthday, Arizona!

In the 20th century, Arizona almost entered the Union as part of New Mexico in a Republican plan to keep control of the U.S. Senate. The plan, while accepted by most in New Mexico, was rejected by most Arizonans. Progressives in Arizona favored inclusion in the state constitution of initiative, referendum, recall, direct election of senators, woman suffrage, and other reforms.

Most of these proposals were included in the constitution that was submitted to Congress in 1912. President William Howard Taft insisted on removing the recall provision because it would allow recall of judges before he would approve it. It was removed, Taft signed the statehood bill on Feb. 14, 1912, and state residents promptly put the provision back in.

Incidentally, women gained the right to vote in Arizona in 1912, eight years before the United States as a whole!

Arizona is currently the sixth largest and the 16th most populous state. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona was the 48th and last of the contiguous states to be admitted to the Union.

My steamy adventure begins

2012-02-13T21:27:00.001-07:00

In honor of Arizona's centennial on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012, Grand Canyon Railway is offering round-trip coach class tickets for $7.50 per person - the same cost as in 1912!

The Arizona Centennial Train will depart the Williams Depot at 9:30 a.m. for the Grand Canyon pulled by vintage steam locomotive 4960 with coach seating.

I'll report tomorrow!

The Mother Road

2012-02-13T10:50:00.004-07:00

I shall be getting at least some of my kicks tonight on Route 66 as we head to Williams, Ariz., for our Grand Canyon Railway Adventure.

One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on Nov. 11, 1926 – with road signs erected the following year. The highway, which became one of the most famous roads in America, originally ran 2,448 miles from Chicago, Illinois before ending in Los Angeles. It was popularized by both a hit song, (Get Your Kicks on) Route 66, and the 1960s Route 66 television show.
Route 66 served as a major path for those who migrated west, especially during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and it supported the economies of the communities through which the road passed.

Route 66 underwent many improvements and realignments over its lifetime, but was officially removed from the United States Highway System on June 27, 1985 after it was decided the route was no longer relevant and had been replaced by the Interstate Highway System. (Arizona saw its final stretch decommissioned in 1984 with the completion of I-40 just north of Williams.)

The first Route 66 association was founded in Arizona in 1987, and a section of Arizona's road has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

This Week in the Civil War: Sunday, Feb. 12, 1862

2012-02-12T00:01:00.004-07:00

The Battle of Fort Donelson

The Battle of Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River near Dover, Tenn., marks the first major Union battlefield victory of the Civil War, 150 years ago this week in 1862. Federal gunboats on Feb. 14, 1862, began exchanging heavy fire with big Confederate artillery guns set high up the river bluff. But the gunboats suffered such damage that their decks ran with blood and they were soon forced to withdraw, denying Union Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant the speedy victory he had hoped to achieve. The next day, Grant sent in ground troops, fighting a pitched battle with the fort's Confederate defenders before his soldiers are forced to retreat. Confederate defenders mistakenly believed they had won the confrontation. But then Grant surprised them with a counterattack that took back lost ground and set the stage for a Union victory. Some 2,000 Confederate fighters slipped away before Grant captured those defenders still remaining. Asked for his terms of surrender, Grant bluntly and famously replied: "No terms except an unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted." The remaining Confederates gave up the fight as Fort Donelson became the first sizable land victory for the North in the Civil War. At Fort Donelson, "Unconditional Surrender" Grant would gain hero status. The victory would help secure Grant a promotion to major general and begin forging a destiny that would take him on to become eventual commander of all the Union armies.

Academy Awards: Vote for Best Writing

2012-02-11T11:39:00.022-07:00

Well, my dear friend Angry Jess announced the nominees this morning including yours truly. I have provided links for the other nominees. Good luck to everyone but most of all ... ME!

Academy Awards: Vote for Best Writing

Writing? Oh yes, do let's highlight this category. Writers never get enough recognition. That's because most people today watch "Reality TV" and labor under the delusion that actors are geniuses who make up their "dialogue" on the spot.

Yeah, let's rethink that. There actually ARE writers on Reality TV and while I regret that they've had to sink so low, hey, it's work. They have rent to pay and stuff to buy just like Tolstoy did.

The people who wrote the blogs below, they don't get paid for doing what they do. But you should still recognize their work and vote for your favorite, because writers make the world go round.

BEST WRITING

Best blog centered exclusively around American Girl dolls.

And the nominees are...

The Adventures of Steampunk Addie by Rexphiles
Bienvenue chez les ch'tis: Le blog de Sabine Bouchard by BeauCoeur
Edie in the City by Captain Syd
The Greens and the Roses by Blakeney Green
Katia's Blog by Aaryana
Life as Frankie Finds It by Operaghost
The Miniature Historian by zeemeems
Piper's World by LinneaAnne
Super Inky! by Green Chile Supergirl

(Note that I have once again voluntarily eliminated myself from being nominated in this category so that others have a chance of winning).

That Jess. Always so modest.

And the nominees are...

2012-02-11T11:15:00.001-07:00

I was quite touched to receive this message from my dear friend, Angry Jess on Thursday:

You, yeah, you. I'm talking to you.

Your blog has been nominated for a 2011 Academy Award.

If you wish to decline the nomination, we need to hear about it by midnight EST on Friday, 2-10. If we do not hear back from you by then, the nominated blog will be included in a poll for member voting. We cannot change polls once they have been created.

You do not need to respond to this message if you accept the nominations. Non-response = acceptance.

Should you accept the nomination you are welcome to post the following graphic in your signature field, plus link to your blog should you chose to include that:

Don't post it until the polls are opened this weekend, though, or I'll take it down and stomp on it.

Yeah.

So if you're a member of American Girl Playthings, feel free to vote for Me. In all fairness, I'll post the other nominees in the Best Blog category once I learn who they are.

Someday.

Married in White, you have chosen right

2012-02-10T16:53:00.006-07:00

Happy 172nd Anniversary, Queen Victoria and Albert!

Victoria first met her German cousin Albert in 1836, and they became engaged during his second visit to England in 1839. (She proposed since she was the Queen of England.) Their wedding took place on Feb. 10, 1840 at St. James's Palace. It was the first wedding of a reigning Queen of England since 1554.

White did not become a popular option until 1840, after Victoria and Albert's marriage. (Victoria wore a white gown for the event to incorporate some lace she prized.) The official wedding portrait photograph was widely published, and many other brides opted for white in accordance with the Queen's choice.

The first documented instance of a princess who wore a white wedding gown for a royal wedding ceremony is that of Philippa of England, who wore a tunic with a cloak in white silk bordered with grey squirrel and ermine in 1406.

Mary, Queen of Scots, wore a white wedding gown in 1559 when she married her first husband, Francis Dauphin of France because it was her favorite color, although white was then the color of mourning for French Queens.

Married in White, you have chosen right
Married in Grey, you will go far away,
Married in Black, you will wish yourself back,
Married in Red, you will wish yourself dead,
Married in Green, ashamed to be seen,
Married in Blue, you will always be true,
Married in Pearl, you will live in a whirl,
Married in Yellow, ashamed of your fellow,
Married in Brown, you will live in the town,
Married in Pink, you spirit will sink.

Queen Victoria was buried in a white dress and her wedding veil after her death on Jan. 22, 1901.

Bad News/Good News

2012-02-09T20:34:00.002-07:00

I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to write much the past few days, but I've been busy helping Momma through one of life's unfortunate situations.

However, today she got some good news. I can't say more now, but hopefully I'll have some exciting news in the next few days.

In the meantime, please keep your fingers crossed....

What the Dickens?

2012-02-07T09:35:00.004-07:00

Happy 200th birthday, Charles Dickens!

Dickens, the British author who created unforgettable characters like Ebenezer Scrooge and David Copperfield, was born in Portsmouth, England, on Feb. 7, 1812.

Dickens first visited Philadelphia in 1842 and received a celebrity welcome, shaking hands with fans for hours in a hotel lobby. When he returned in 1868, people camped out for tickets to his readings and scalpers commanded high prices for the sold-out performances.

Dickens only visited Philadelphia twice but two local benefactors donated major Dickens collections to the Philadelphia public library, including 1,200 letters.

Among the items on view in the rare book department are first editions of his novels and original artwork for the tales; dozens of letters to colleagues; the desk where he left his unfinished 15th book, "The Mystery of Edwin Drood"; and an 1846 manuscript of the "Children's New Testament" - Dickens' own version of the life of Jesus, which he read to his children each Christmas.

Also on display, safe in a terrarium, stands Grip, the pet raven that Dickens preserved through taxidermy. Grip appeared as a minor character in Dickens' book "Barnaby Rudge," which Edgar Allan Poe reviewed while living in Philadelphia. Poe criticized the bird's small role, and penned "The Raven" four years later.

Through another twist of fate, Clark Park in west Philadelphia ended up with a statue of the writer. The sculpture by Frank Edwin Elwell features a seated Dickens on a pedestal and one of his most beloved characters - Little Nell, from "The Old Curiosity Shop" - standing below.

Dickens had forbidden such memorials in his will, but one other full-sized statue stands in Sydney, Australia.

Steam-pink Addie

2012-02-06T10:51:00.001-07:00

I admit I am pleased to hear that a certain organization has reversed its earlier decision to not give Planned Parenthood money for breast cancer screenings.

I was so upset that I even put pink on in protest - and as most of you know I loathe pink. But even I shall wear pink if it raises breast cancer awareness.

But maybe some people need Planned Parenthood awareness, too.

Planned Parenthood dates to 1916 when Margaret Sanger, her sister and a friend opened the first birth control clinic in the United States in Brooklyn, N.Y. It resulted in her being jailed. By 1941, the organization was operating 222 centers and had served 49,000 clients.

Incidentally, Faye Wattleton was the first woman named president of Planned Parenthood in 1978 and served till 1992. She was also the first African-American to serve as president, and the youngest president in Planned Parenthood's history. During her term, Planned Parenthood grew to become the seventh largest charity in the country, providing services to four million clients each year through its 170 affiliates whose activities were spread across 50 states.

This Week in The Civil War: Sunday, Feb. 5, 1862

2012-02-05T00:01:00.001-07:00

Battle of Roanoke Island, N.C.

This week 150 years ago in the war, Union Brigadier Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside leads an amphibious assault in the North Carolina coastal sounds with thousands of soldiers and sailors and more than 60 ships. Now seen as a minor engagement, the federal attack on Roanoke Island gave the Union a much-needed victory early in the conflict. Federal forces would seize that island and hold it for the rest of the war. It began in earnest on Feb. 7, 1862. Burnside landed about 7,500 men on the southwestern side of Roanoke Island as his fleet approached after sailing from federally held Fort Monroe off southeast Virginia. The next day, federal fighters backed by their gunboats thrust themselves on fortifications held by more than 2,500 Confederate fighters. The invaders rapidly outgunned and overran an overwhelmed foe during the two-day assault. Union losses were reported as 37 killed and 214 wounded. Confederate forces reported 22 dead and 58 wounded amid fierce cannon and rifle fire before their remaining troops surrendered or fled. The move secured President Lincoln's military a strategic outpost on North Carolina's coast, further shutting off supply lines to the Confederacy as he tightened a federal maritime blockade on the South. For the North, still beaten down by the disastrous defeat months earlier at the Battle of Bull Run, the victory was a morale booster that gave fresh impetus to fight. The Philadelphia Inquirer, in reporting on the war this week 150 years ago, called it "a great victory" for the Union side.

That's what Friends are for

2012-02-04T00:01:00.015-07:00

Are you on Facebook? I am.

Social networking site Facebook was founded Feb. 4, 2004 by Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg.

According to Facebook:

Millions of people use Facebook everyday to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet.

Facebook filed for an initial public offering (AKA the stock exchange) on Feb. 1, 2012.

I hope you Like my Facebook page.

Or previous condition of servitude

2012-02-03T00:01:00.036-07:00

The Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified on Feb. 3, 1870, guaranteeing voting rights to citizens regardless of race.

The 15th Amendment granted African American men the right to vote by declaring that the "right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude."

(Women, of course, didn't get the right to vote until the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified on Aug. 18, 1920.)

Although ratified on Feb. 3, 1870, the promise of the 15th Amendment would not be fully realized for almost a century. Southern states were able to prevent African Americans from voting through the use of poll taxes, literacy tests and other means.

It would take the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which outlawed discriminatory voting practices before the majority of African Americans in the South were registered to vote.

President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Act into law on Aug. 6, 1965 with Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and other civil rights leaders in attendance.

Phoenix Comicon ... again!

2012-02-02T21:12:00.003-07:00

Move over Evil Wil Wheaton! I am seriously geeking out over the guestlist for the upcoming Phoenix Comicon:

William Shatner
Patrick Stewart
LeVar Burton
Michael Dorn
Marina Sirtis
Brent Spiner

Shall I see you there?

Punxsutawney Addie

2012-02-02T09:27:00.001-07:00

Members of the Groundhog Club's Inner Circle await Punxsutawney Phil.

If ever there was a holiday that a time-traveling doll could sink her two vinyl teeth into, it's Groundhog Day.

Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated on Feb. 2 in the United States and Canada. According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day then spring will come early. If it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and the winter weather will continue for six more weeks.

The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pa. The celebration began as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries. An early American reference to Groundhog Day can be found in a diary entry dated Feb. 4, 1841, of Berks County, Pa., storekeeper James Morris:

Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate.

Groundhog Day received widespread attention as a result of the 1993 film Groundhog Day, which was set in Punxsutawney and portrayed Punxsutawney Phil.

In the movie, TV weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray) is sent to Punxsutawney to cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities. But on his way out of town, Phil is caught in a giant blizzard (which he failed to predict) and finds himself stuck in Punxsutawney. Just when things couldn't get worse, they do; Phil awakes the next morning to find it's Groundhog Day all over again... and again... and again....

I'm sure you can see the appeal to me.

And what is my prediction?

Since I am afraid of nothing, especially my shadow, spring will be here soon!

All I ask is a tall ship

2012-02-01T09:27:00.008-07:00

I am now firmly convinced that Momma's friend Jen can crochet anything. Take a look at this beauty, which puts me in mind of the poem Sea-Fever.

http://justforfun2291.blogspot.com/

Sea-Fever is a poem by 20th century English Poet Laureate John Masefield which includes the line "all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by."

Captain James T. Kirk first quoted from Sea-Fever in TOS: The Ultimate Computer to Leonard McCoy.

Kirk quoted from the poem again in ST: The Final Frontier while aboard a shuttlecraft approaching the Enterprise-A in one of the best scenes from Star Trek movies:

Kirk: All I ask is a tall ship, and a star to steer by.
McCoy: Melville...
Spock: ...John Masefield.
McCoy: Are you sure about that?
Spock: I am well versed in the classics, Doctor.
McCoy: Then how come you don't know "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"?

And finally, Quark paraphrased it in DS9: Little Green Men while aboard his ship Quark's Treasure, saying "all I ask is a tall ship...and a load of contraband to fill her with."

I agree with Quark and Jen's ship needs a tiny pirate flag.

Sea-Fever

I must down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

http://craftyiscool.blogspot.com

Jokingly, I asked if she could crochet me a zeppelin. Then I found this.

Oh Jen....

Love me (Vert) Tendre

2012-01-31T00:01:00.009-07:00

used with permission of M.H.D. Designs

Ma chère amie Cécile is one lucky girl! Check out this gorgeous creation by seamstress artisté, Magalie Houle Dawson of M.H.D. Designs:

1850's inspired Dress in a cotton linen blend jacquard and embroidered loose weave organza. The lined bodice has rows of small organza ruffles at the sleeves, peplum, princess line seam, and neck opening. It is decorated with free motion embroidered "greens" and beads on the sleeve tops and bodice. It is also decorated with an organza bow with a beaded center at the waist. Closes in back with a row of fancy buttons and loops.

The lined Skirt is made of eight alternating panels. Four have three rows of loose weave embroidered organza ruffles, and four with free motion embroidered greenery decorated with hundreds of seed beads. Closes in back with a button and loop.

The lined Bonnet is sewn with the same cotton linen blend jacquard and loose weave embroidered organza. It has rows of organza ruffles on the outside and is decorated with free motion embroidery and bead work. The inside has three rows of pleated jacquard ruffles. closes with a bow on the side.

Matching Hair Ties

used with permission of M.H.D. Designs

However, what I am drooling over are the Unmentionables:

The lined Corset is made with the same cotton linen blend jacquard and has some pleated ruffles at the center front top and along the hem. It is decorated with free motion embroidery and beaded all over. Closes in back with laces and loops.

The Under Dress is made to represent the Chemise and the Petticoat. Sewn in embroidered cotton and decorated with yards of Venice Lace. Closes in back with a row of Mother Of Pearl buttons and loops.

The Pantaloons are in embroidered cotton. They have five growth tucks and are decorated with Venice Lace at the ruffled cuffs.

I wonder how much Unmentionables cost?

Black, of course.

Butterflies are free

2012-01-30T13:48:00.000-07:00

Geraldine Farrar in one of her 95 appearances as Madama Butterfly.

Momma went to the opera this weekend (without Me!) to see and hear Li Shu-Ying as Madama Butterfly. Sung in Italian with English surtitles, Li brought joy, heartbreak and passion to one of opera’s most iconic parts.

Madama Butterfly is an opera in two or three acts by Giacomo Puccini. Puccini based his opera in part on the 1898 short story Madame Butterfly by John Luther Long, and the 1887 semi-autobiographical novel Madame Chrysanthème by Pierre Loti.

In the opera, a 15-year-old geisha falls in love with American sailor B.F. Pinkerton. Three years later, Butterfly faithfully awaits his return, holding onto her dreams and their child she named Sorrow. When he (finally!) arrives, Butterfly discovers he has married someone else. Her heart shattered, she must find a way to restore her honor.

The opera premiered on Feb. 17, 1904 in Milan, Italy. The first U.S. performance was presented in English on Oct. 15, 1906, in Washington, D.C. at the Columbia Theater.

Momma did hasten to tell me that the Arizona Opera's gift shop was selling steampunk necklaces of nuts, wing-nuts and other hardware strung on cord for $50-70! She told me to "get crackin'" to support my "champagne taste" in clothes.

I don't have the slightest idea what she means.

This Week in The Civil War: Sunday, Jan. 29, 1862

2012-01-29T00:01:00.001-07:00

Lincoln's Special War Order No. 1

On Jan. 30, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issues Special War Order No. 1 seeking to prod federal forces into waging all-out war against secession-minded states. Impatient for an all-out offensive, Lincoln's order is essentially directed at the Army of the Potomac and its commander, Gen. George McClellan, whose forces are ordered to open offensive operations by Feb. 22, 1862, with the immediate object of "seizing and occupying a point upon the railroad" in nearby Virginia. The order, which backs up General War Order No. 1 issued months earlier, underscores the president's growing insistence that federal forces begin a general advance on the Confederacy. The president's order also underscores growing political pressure on Lincoln for a large-scale offensive. Nevertheless, a reluctant McClellan, who has capably organized his army into a fighting force, seeks more time to further equip and organize troops as he completes his own meticulous plan — for a major thrust from the Virginia coast on Richmond, capital of the Confederacy. McClellan's so-called Peninsula campaign, which ultimately will go down as a failure, is still many weeks off. As January closes, Lincoln's new war secretary, Edwin Stanton, is busy reorganizing the federal War Department. The San Francisco Bulletin reports Stanton "is determined to clear the War Office of all rubbish," has assigned two new assistant secretaries and taken on "much needed reforms." Elsewhere, The Charleston Courier of South Carolina reports the Confederate steamer Calhoun, en route to Havana with cargo, has been chased by a federal cruiser and had to be burned and scuttled — another sign of a tightened federal blockade of Southern seaports.

122 years at Hull House

2012-01-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

Jane Addams sits with immigrant children at Hull House.

Ohh, how I wish I could cry.

After more than a century of providing services for immigrants and the poor, the Jane Addams Hull House Association has closed.

Hull House was a settlement house that was co-founded in 1889 by Jane Addams (who later became the first American woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize) and Ellen Gates Starr. Located in Chicago, Ill., Hull House opened its doors to immigrants and offered innovative social, educational, and artistic programs.

The original building and one additional building survive today. The Hull House building was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark on June 23, 1965.

Hull House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on Oct. 15, 1966 -- the same day that the National Historic Preservation Act was enacted.

While the museum with the original buildings is scheduled to remain open, the association providing social services for 122 years closed on Friday, Jan. 27, 2012.

That should be enough to make anyone cry.

Let them eat cake

2012-01-27T15:22:00.000-07:00

Happy National Chocolate Cake Day!

My favorite mention of cake appears in Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace. Betsy and Tacy became famous for their picnics, and it all started when they were 5 and eating supper on a bench at the end of their street. I don't know if it was chocolate cake, but I like to think it was!

Betsy always liked what she saw on Tacy's plate. In particular she liked the fresh unfrosted cake which Tacy's mother often stirred up for supper for her big family. Tacy knew Betsy liked that cake, and she always divided her piece. And if baked beans or corn bread or something that Tacy liked lay on Betsy's plate, Betsy divided that too.

My next favorite chocolate cake mention is in the same series, but the last book: Betsy's Wedding:

Tacy had left a chocolate cake, with fudge frosting half an inch thick, and it proved a boon.

Do you have any favorite literary chocolate cakes?

Nothing up my sleeve

2012-01-27T09:54:00.000-07:00

What actually hides under Edwardian sleeves.

My dear Miss Sparrow and I (being the Perfectly Awful Girls that we are) were discussing a recent news article about literary tattoos.

That lead us to talking about the tattoos adorning her illustrious (illustrated?) ancestor's back.

I, of course, had my tummy signed by Evil Wil Wheaton - which is pretty darned permanent in my case.

But she and I started discussing literary tattoos and what we would get IF we were to get one.

Personally, I would probably get something from the Betsy-Tacy or Little House books. Or Spock's, "Live Long and Prosper." Or maybe my flag.

Or maybe, "My ♥ belongs to Momma."

Miss Sparrow declined to say because she was afraid I'd publish it here (true), but I think she secretly wants an "I ♥ Joe Willard" somewhere.

Any suggestions?

Undying glory

2012-01-26T15:24:00.002-07:00

Mine eyes have seen the Glory...

Have you seen the 1989 moving picture Glory? It tells the (fictionalized) story of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (MVI).

On Jan. 26, 1863 Massachusetts Governor John Albion Andrew received permission from Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton to form the 54th MVI, composed of blacks from Massachusetts, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and others.

After a slow start he got so many volunteers that they quickly formed the 55th MVI, too.

The regiment was one of the first official black units in the United States during the Civil War. Although many had fought in the American Revolution and the War of 1812, the 1st South Carolina Volunteers of recruited freed slaves was the first Union Army regiment organized with African American soldiers in the Civil War.

The 54th MVI gained recognition on July 18, 1863, when it spearheaded an assault on Fort Wagner near Charleston, S.C. Colonel Robert Gould Shaw was killed there, along with 29 of his men (another 24 died later of their wounds), 15 were captured, 52 went missing in action, and 149 were wounded. The total regimental casualties of 272 would be the highest total for the 54th in a single engagement during the Civil War.

Dancing queen

2012-01-25T00:01:00.008-07:00

Being a time traveler, I love this trend of sampling old songs and giving them a modern spin.

Some of my favorites (so far) include:

Keep Young and Beautiful by Annie Lennox
Blue (Da Ba Dee) by Eiffel 65
Why Don't You by Grammaphonedzie
Anything by Max Raabe and Palast Orchester
Booty Swing by Parov Stelar
Seaside Rendezvous by Queen
Puttin' on the Ritz by Taco
Istanbul by They Might be Giants

And, yes, Momma and I have a Steampunk Playlist on ~~her~~ ~~mine~~ our iPhone that includes these tunes.

Do you have any "old" favorites that I'm missing?

Happy National Peanut Butter Day!

2012-01-24T16:13:00.000-07:00

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore might have discovered the 12 uses of dragon blood, but George Washington Carver discovered more than 300 new uses for peanut products.

But not peanut butter.

Happy National Peanut Butter Day!

Happy endings only happen in the movies

2012-01-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

Momma has (understandably) spurned the Oscars since The Color Purple was snubbed in 1985, but I was delighted to see Martin Scorsese's Hugo received 11 nominations today.

Twelve-year-old Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric girl and the owner of a small toy booth in the train station, Hugo's undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy.

Based upon the book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick who said himself, "... this is not exactly a novel, and it's not quite a picture book, and it's not really a graphic novel, or a flip book, or a movie, but a combination of all these things."

Clocks, gears and a really cool automan. What more could a steampunk girl ask for? We shall see what the Academy thinks.

Black and white

2012-01-24T00:01:00.010-07:00

I've been thinking about black and white a lot this weekend for many different reasons:

Because I was using my new black and white cups while wearing my snazzy new outfit with the striped petticoat/underskirt.
My Big Sister has become addicted to the musical Hairspray and listens to the catchy soundtrack whenever possible.
Momma and I were looking at the very moving photos of Richard and Mildred Loving last week.

The Lovings were an interracial couple who married in 1958 in Washington, D.C., and were criminally charged under a Virginia statute banning such marriages when they returned home. The Lovings filed suit with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union seeking to overturn the law. The Supreme Court ruled in their favor in 1967, striking down all state anti-miscegenation laws as unconstitutional violations of the 14th Amendment.

He was killed (and she lost an eye) in 1975 by a drunk driver.

On June 12, 2007, Mildred Loving issued a statement on the 40th anniversary of the Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court decision.

Her statement concluded:

I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard's and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight, seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That’s what Loving, and loving, are all about.

Mildred Loving died of pneumonia in 2008 in Virginia.

The dragon lady

2012-01-23T00:01:00.060-07:00

Momma loves Chinese New Year - especially when it's The Year of the Dragon.

Yu Chia Hui

She got to spend part of a Chinese New Year in Honolulu's Chinatown in 1997. (And while not on Chinese New Year, she was in Taipei, Taiwan on Dec. 31, 1988 which she says was amazing.)

Chinese New Year is the longest and most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. In China it is known as "Spring Festival" or the "Lunar New Year" because the Chinese calendar is lunisolar.

Chinese New Year is celebrated in countries and territories with significant Chinese populations.

Sadly, Chinese New Year is not an official holiday in the United States -- although the U.S. Postal Service does issue New Year's themed stamps.

Did you know that saying "Happy New Year" is considered rude since it is so short? The best greetings consist of four characters such as:

Jinyu mangtang: May your wealth come to fill a hall.
Dazhan hongtu: May you realize your ambitions.
Yingchun jiefu: Greet the New Year and encounter happiness.
Wanshi ruyi: May all your wishes be fulfilled.
Jiqing youyu: May your happiness be without limit.
Zhubao pingan: May you hear that all is well.
Yiban wanli: May a small investment bring ten-thousandfold profits.
Fushou shuangquan: May your happiness and longevity be complete.
Zhaocai jinbao: When wealth is acquired, precious objects follow.

This Week in The Civil War: Sunday, Jan. 22, 1862

2012-01-22T00:01:00.004-07:00

Confederate Beauregard Moved. Hatteras Storm.

Confederate Gen. Pierre G.T. Beauregard, who forced the Union surrender at Fort Sumter in 1861 that started the war, is reassigned this week and sent west to Tennessee. The general who also helped lead the Confederacy to victory at the First Battle of Manassas, or Bull Run, was one of the Confederacy's first war heroes. But he had begun to quarrel with Confederate President Jefferson Davis and others and was sent west partly because of that. He would now be the second in command under Albert Sidney Johnston in the Confederacy's Army of the Mississippi. Beauregard and Johnston sought to better fortify Confederate defenses along the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers vulnerable to Union attack. But Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant would eventually take key forts along those rivers in the coming year, isolating the Confederacy from the West. Grant's early triumph at the Battle of Fort Henry on the Tennessee River in February 1862 would mark the first significant victory both for the Union and for Grant, who would later rise to the top military command and ultimately win the war. Elsewhere, Union Navy warships off Hatteras Inlet, N.C., weathered a severe storm this week in 1862. The Associated Press reports some boats in the fleet of more than 100 ships and vessels were swamped and three lives were lost as Union forces wait for better weather to attack Confederate outposts nearby. "Heavy wind and a rough sea caused our vessels to labor very heavily, and some were obliged to cut loose from the vessels they were towing," the AP dispatch quoted a Union source as stating, adding two Confederate vessels eyeing the fleet were chased off.

Courage has no color

2012-01-21T00:01:00.047-07:00

What do I plan to do this weekend? Go see the long overdue new moving picture, Red Tails, of course.

The Tuskegee Airmen is the popular name of a group of African American pilots who fought in World War II. (The nickname "Red Tails" was coined when the pilots painted the tails of their P-47s red.)

The story follows the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American pilots to fly in a combat squadron during World War II. As the war in Europe continues to take its toll on Allied forces, the Pentagon brass has no recourse but to consider unorthodox options including the untried and untested African-American pilots of the experimental Tuskegee training program. Just as the young Tuskegee men are on the brink of being shut down and shipped back home, these intrepid young airmen take to the skies to fight for their country and the fate of the free world.

Brave

2012-01-20T00:01:00.011-07:00

I was so excited to hear this weekend that Pixar was releasing a moving picture about Me called Brave.

Then I read the synopsis.

Since ancient times, stories of epic battles and mystical legends have been passed through the generations across the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland. In Brave, a new tale joins the lore when the courageous Merida confronts tradition, destiny and the fiercest of beasts. Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus and Queen Elinor. Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin, surly Lord MacIntosh and cantankerous Lord Dingwall. Merida’s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Wise Woman for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late.

It's not about Me at all! However, Merida is the first female protagonist in a Pixar film. I guess that'll do.

Nevermore?

2012-01-19T12:10:00.004-07:00

I forgot!

For decades, until 2010, someone appeared at Edgar Allan Poe's grave site in Baltimore before dawn on Jan. 19 — his birthday.

Paying my respects at the original gravesite.

The mysterious visitor, who was never identified, would leave behind three roses and a half-filled bottle of cognac as a tribute to the man who wrote The Raven, The Fall of the House of Usher and other classic poems and tales.

Last night, there was no visit.

So, as the Baltimore Sun tells us, early today:

"A tired Jeff Jerome, curator of the city's Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum, 'officially' pronounced the Poe-toasting tradition over. Having spent the night inside Westminster Hall [on the burial grounds], awaiting the toaster's arrival, Jerome declared that the furtive stranger's poignant tribute would be left nevermore."

What happened to the toaster? Who was it? That all sounds like a good mystery to explore.

Story courtesy of National Public Radio.

Off with their fascinators!

2012-01-19T09:57:00.001-07:00

I guess I shan't be going to the Royal Ascot racecourt anymore (not that I ever did) or, at least, not in the Royal Enclosure.

Poe's photo courtesy of seejoansew.

Ladies and gentlemen are now required to wear hats of a certain type and size in the Royal Enclosure:

"'Hats should be worn; a headpiece which has a base of 4 inches (10cm) or more in diameter is acceptable as an alternative to a hat.' This clarifies that fascinators are no longer permitted in the Royal Enclosure."

I don't think any of my hats are four or more inches in diameter!

Thankfully, the people in the Grandstand are not under such fashion constraints:

"'A hat, headpiece or fascinator should be worn at all times.' This replaces advice that many ladies wear hats but this is not compulsory."

While I don't see myself as common, maybe I could sit there.

As for the men:

"'Gentlemen are kindly reminded that it is a requirement to wear either black or grey morning dress which must include a waistcoat and tie (no cravats), a black or grey top hat and black shoes.' This clarifies that cravats are not acceptable and that black shoes should be worn with morning dress."

Hmm, I don't see any size specified for the male top hats and I do have a black top hat. This scrumptious outfit by Joan Dickhaut could work with a few modifications....

Stop Online Piracy Act

2012-01-18T12:10:00.000-07:00

Let's hear it for piracy!

T' Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), also known as House Bill 3261 or H.R. 3261, be a bill that was introduced in t' United States House o' Representatives on Oct. 26, 2011, by House Judiciary Committee Chair Representative Lamar S. Smith (R-TX) and a bipartisan group o' 12 initial co-sponsors. T' bill, if made law, would expand t' ability o' U.S. law enforcement and copystarboard holders t' fight online traffickin' in copystarboarded intellectual booty and counterfeit booty. Presented t' t' House Judiciary Committee, it builds on t' similar PRO-IP Act o' 2008 and t' correspondin' Senate bill, t' PROTECT IP Act.

Proponents o' t' bill say it protects t' intellectual booty market and correspondin' industry, jobs and revenue, and be necessary t' bolster enforcement o' copystarboard laws, especially against foreign websites. They cite examples such as Google's $500 million settlement with the Department of Justice for its role in a scheme to target U.S. consumers with ads to illegally import prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies.

Opponents say that it violates t' First Amendment, be Internet censorship, will cripple t' Internet, and will threaten whistle-blowin' and other free speech actions. Opponents have initiated a number of protest actions, including petition drives, boycotts of companies that support the legislation, and planned service blackouts by English Wikipedia and major Internet companies scheduled to coincide with the next Congressional hearing on the matter.

I'm guessin' that you don't want t' see me, Steampunk Addie, crippled by whistle-blowin' and other free speech actions.

Argh!

Squee, squee, squee all the way home

2012-01-17T20:33:00.002-07:00

This little Addie went to market,

This little Addie stayed home.

This little Addie had a sweet tooth,

This little Addie had none.

And THIS little Addie went squee, squee, squee all the way home!

(At least Momma did when she saw my newest outfit had been delivered.)

Seeing red

2012-01-17T11:55:00.000-07:00

Don't ask me why, but I got to thinking about redshirts today.

As all Star Trek fans know, a "redshirt" is a character who dies shortly after being introduced. The term originates from the red shirts worn by Starfleet security officers who frequently die during episodes.

In many episodes of Star Trek, red-uniformed security officers and engineers accompanying the main characters on landing parties quickly die. In the Star Trek novel Killing Time, a crew member says, "you don't want to wear a red shirt on landing-party duty."

Well, I don't have a red shirt but I do have my red ~~corset~~ unmentionable. I'd like to see anyone try to kill me.

My aether pistol might be set on stun but I never miss.

King for a day

2012-01-16T00:01:00.072-07:00

The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on Jan. 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Ga., where he was raised. (I was surprised to discover that King sang with his church choir at the 1939 Atlanta premiere of the movie Gone with the Wind.)

King is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using the nonviolent methods of Mahatma Gandhi. King has become a national icon in the history of modern American liberalism.

King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tenn. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 and Congressional Gold Medal in 2004.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was established as a U.S. federal holiday in 1986 which is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around the time of King's birthday, Jan. 15.

The campaign for a federal holiday in King's honor began soon after his assassination in 1968. Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed on Jan. 20, 1986. At first, some states (including Arizona) resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays.

It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.

Almighty God, by the hand of Moses your servant you led your people out of slavery, and made them free at last: Grant that your Church, following the example of your prophet Martin Luther King, may resist oppression in the name of your love, and may secure for all your children the blessed liberty of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

This Week in the Civil War: Sunday, Jan. 15, 1862

2012-01-15T00:01:00.002-07:00

USS Hatteras Pounds Cedar Key, Fla.

The Union Navy, intent on further tightening the blockade on the South and seizing Confederate outposts all along its coast, dispatches the USS Hatteras to Cedar Key, Fla., this week 150 years ago in the Civil War. The warship destroys seven small ships suspected of blockade running that are loaded with cotton and other goods at this key supply point along Florida's Gulf coast. Dispatches of the era report heavy firing is heard for miles all around as the raid opens. Troops go ashore and destroy the railroad depot, which is at the western terminus of the Florida Railroad. They also damage the telegraph office and other buildings. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports afterward that Union forces rejoiced in the latest U.S. Naval victory. "It is gratifying to learn through a rebel source that we have captured Cedar Keys," the newspaper says in an extensive report on the ramifications. The newspaper account notes the Gulf Coast produces excellent cedar and other hardwoods for shipbuilding and that the raid has shut off a key supply source for Confederate shipbuilders. It notes Union Navy forces that also went to Key West and earlier seized Fort Pickens on the Florida Gulf Coast have had a string of startling successes in blocking Confederate supply routes to Florida through the Gulf of Mexico. With those areas under Union control, the paper boasts, "there is not much left of the state of Florida worth having." The USS Hatteras would go on to sink several suspected blockade runners in the Gulf before being sunk itself by a Confederate attack off the Texas coast later in the war.

The Wild Wild West

2012-01-14T00:01:00.014-07:00

I am so excited about my newest five-piece outfit by Vintique Designs on Etsy. For some reason it reminds me of the old TV show, The Wild Wild West.

The Wild Wild West told the story of two Secret Service agents: the charming gunslinger James T. West (played by Robert Conrad), and the brilliant gadgeteer and master of disguise Artemus Gordon (played by Ross Martin). Their mission was to protect President Ulysses S. Grant and the United States from all manner of dangerous threats. The agents traveled in luxury aboard their own train, the Wanderer, equipped with everything from a stable car to a laboratory.

The show incorporated classic Western elements with an espionage thriller, science fiction/alternate history ideas (in a similar vein to steampunk), horror (once) and lots of comedy. There were always beautiful women (moi), clever gadgets, and delusional arch-enemies with half-insane plots to take over the country or the world.

Dr. Loveless' steam-powered wheelchair.

Wild Wild West was a 1999 American steampunk action-comedy film starring Will Smith as West, Kevin Kline (who appears as both Gordon and Grant), Kenneth Branagh and Salma Hayek.

Similar to the original TV series, the film featured a large amount of highly advanced gadgetry, implausible steampunk technology and bizarre mechanical inventions, including innumerable inventions such as nitroglycerine-powered penny-farthing bicycles, spring-loaded notebooks, bulletproof chainmail, flying machines, steam tanks, and evil Dr. Loveless' giant mechanical spider.

While the film was popular at the box office, it did not live up to its creators' blockbuster expectations.

I bet this outfit will live up to my expectations.

Stay tuned for further developments....

Steaming up the kitchen

2012-01-13T00:01:00.003-07:00

Winner: http://www.thecakemamas.com

Momma and I got to see an exciting episode of the Food Network's Cupcake Wars this week where four cupcake bakers battled for a place at the Los Angeles opening of the hit Broadway musical "Wicked."

I, of course, loved this episode with its use of green, absinthe, and even some gears!

So that started me on a search for steampunk-related food items and I found two winners.

First of all, these Copper Steampunk Cookie Cutters from Frenzy Universe.They're so cute it makes me wish they were either in my scale or I was large enough to eat the cookies made from these.

(Hmm, I wonder if Momma could make me a cake from them?)

Secondly, these gear-shaped organic chocolates from Andie 's Specialty Sweets on Etsy.

Gosh. These goodies make me wish I could open my vinyl mouth and eat.

I guess I'll have to remain satisfied with Pippaloo's award-winning creations for dolls.

For now....

The HO-Scale Theory

2012-01-12T00:01:00.001-07:00

I was delighted to see Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory shares my newly discovered enthusiasm for trains, so I had to investigate his recent purchase of a Bachmann Rail King.

You'll rule the rails with the impressive Bachmann Rail King Electric Train Set. This 130-piece, HO-scale set takes your railroading empire to new heights, with miniature people and structures bringing the entire scene to life. Featuring Bachmann's exclusive E-Z Track snap-fit track and roadbed system, this set includes an EMD GP40 Sante Fe locomotive, three cars, and caboose, and it rides on a 47" x 38" oval track (13 pieces) with an included speed controller and power adapter. To complete the scene, the set also includes a signal bridge, 36 figures, 24 utility poles, and 48 signs. Engine dimensions: 7"L x 1.75"W x 2"H.

I'd heard of Lionel model trains before but not Bachmann, so I dug a little deeper:

Originally founded in 1833 by Henry Carlisle, the company originally specialized in vanity products such as parasol handles and Spanish combs made of ivory horns. Its target market was the Southern aristocracy and after the Civil War it continued to make other types of hair ornaments and handles for walking canes out of tortoise shell and ivory.

Carlisle's and Bachmann's firms merged in 1899. By 1902 Bachmann's started to use celluloid for its products and began experimenting in plastic around 1912. Bachmann entered the trains market with its N scale trains products in June 1968.

Bachmann's is now the largest seller of model trains in the world specializing in inexpensive, high-quality, entry-level train sets. By 1992 all cars were manufactured in China.

Loco for the Grand Canyon

2012-01-11T00:01:00.146-07:00

The first passenger train from Williams to the Grand Canyon on Sept. 17, 1901.

It seems surprising now, but it took more than 30 years for the Grand Canyon to become a national park. The first bills to create Grand Canyon National Park were introduced in 1882, 1883 and 1886 by then-senator Benjamin Harrison. As President, Harrison established the Grand Canyon Forest Reserve in 1893.

President Theodore Roosevelt visited the Grand Canyon rim in 1903 and exclaimed:

"The Grand Canyon fills me with awe. It is beyond comparison—beyond description; absolutely unparalleled throughout the wide world. ... Let this great wonder of nature remain as it now is. Do nothing to mar its grandeur, sublimity and loveliness. You cannot improve on it. But what you can do is to keep it for your children, your children's children, and all who come after you, as the one great sight which every American should see."

Roosevelt created the Grand Canyon Game Preserve in 1906 and Grand Canyon National Monument on Jan. 11, 1908. Senate bills to establish a national park were introduced and defeated (again) in 1910 and 1911. The Grand Canyon National Park Act was finally signed by President Woodrow Wilson in 1919.

Part of what protected it for so long was its remoteness. A railroad to Flagstaff was completed in 1882 and stage coaches started to take tourists from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon in 1883—a 70-mile, 11-hour journey at $20 per person.

The first train with paying passengers (the 64-mile trip cost $3.95) arrived on Sept. 17, 1901 from Williams.

Trains ran from Williams to the Grand Canyon until 1968. They returned 88 years after its maiden run to the day on Sept. 17, 1989.

For years the Grand Canyon Railway operated steam engines from Memorial Day to Labor Day, but they discontinued regular runs in 2008 because of environmental considerations. Operating a diesel fleet saves a lot of fuel and reduces greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants associated with steam locomotives.

However, the Grand Canyon Railway commemorates its anniversary every September with a special round-trip run to the Grand Canyon using steam locomotive No. 4960 fueled by recycled vegetable oil! The steam locomotive also makes special trips throughout the year.

In honor of Arizona's centennial on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012, Grand Canyon Railway is offering round-trip coach class tickets for $7.50 per person - the same cost as in 1912! The Arizona Centennial Train will depart the Williams Depot at 9:30 a.m. for the Grand Canyon pulled by vintage steam locomotive 4960 with coach seating.

You can be a part of this historic event by calling 1-800-THE-TRAIN or clicking here to order online.

Shall I see you there? All aboard!

Metropolis Ga Ga

2012-01-10T00:01:00.059-07:00

If you have never seen a silent film, I beg you to start with Fritz Lang's Metropolis which was released Jan. 10, 1927 in Germany.

In a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the city's mastermind falls in love with a working class prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences.

Considered by some to be an early precursor of steampunk, it is visually stunning - especially for the times. (While theoretically set in "the future" you can see 1920s cars in it - oops.)

The sci-fi epic ran an estimated 153 minutes when it was first screened in Berlin but by the time it debuted in the United States later that year the film ran approximately 90 minutes. (Exact running times are difficult to determine because silent films were not always projected at a standardized speed).

Metropolis went on to become one of the cornerstones of science fiction cinema foreshadowing Blade Runner and The Matrix.

Most of what was cut was thought to be permanently lost or destroyed although small segments were found over the years. However, a copy was discovered in 2008 in Argentina that included 25 minutes of "lost" footage, about a fifth of the film, that had not been seen since its Berlin debut. That 145-minute restored version is now available on DVD.

My cup of tea

2012-01-09T00:01:00.008-07:00

Look at what Momma got for Me from American Girl® on clearance!

She first saw this set of four cups and saucers several years when she, my Big Sister and Grandmomma had lunch at the Los Angeles American Girl Cafe. She tried to get me a set last year when we went but all they had was pink - blech!

So she was ecstatic to spot these for me at a bargain price.

This Week in The Civil War: Sunday, Jan. 8, 1862

2012-01-08T00:01:00.003-07:00

Lincoln's war secretary resigns

President Abraham Lincoln's outspoken war secretary, Simon Cameron, a canny old-time political boss from Pennsylvania, resigns the all-important Cabinet post on Jan. 14, 1862. Known for bold and even aggressive views on war measures, Cameron had drawn the ire of others in the Cabinet and departs amid angry complaints about his guidance of the federal War Department. Three days after being eased out by the Lincoln administration, Cameron will be appointed to a diplomatic post in distant Russia. In Cameron's place, Lincoln appoints Edwin Stanton, a capable administrator, as his new war secretary. The Cleveland Plain Dealer of Ohio hails Stanton's appointment as "The Right Man in the Right Place." It adds the appointment has given "great pleasure" to many in Washington. "They have confidence in his energy and pluck, and believe he will push on the war," the newspaper reports. Also this week, A Union expedition is clearing gale-force storms off Hatteras Inlet, intent on clearing Confederate forces from Roanoke Island close to North Carolina's Outer Banks — part of a Navy strategy to take command of the sounds and inland waterways behind the islands that blockade runners have been using to supply the Confederate forces based in Richmond, Va. This week in 1862 also sees a reported attempt to blow up a Union military hospital just across the Potomac River from Washington in Alexandria, Va. The Associated Press, in a Jan. 9, 1861, dispatch, reports "a barrel had been secreted in the cellar filled with powder and projectiles and a fuse was found extending from there to the stable .. But this fact was fortunatley discovered by the guard" and a slow-burning fuse was put out before the explosives could detonate.

Mad as a hatter

2012-01-07T00:01:00.022-07:00

As you might have noticed, if there's anything I love as much as my boots, it's my hats.

Momma does her best, but thankfully she has found a wonderful milliner who has created some wonderful chapeaus for both me and my BTT friends.

So far I have a black taffeta, brown silk and gold silk top hats. I am Eagerly Awaiting the arrival of this black velvet confection with silver spiderwebs and a spider.

(Doesn't she look deliciously Ghastly in this?)

So if your doll is looking for a special hat, I highly recommend Peggy Feltrope at Feltrope Studios. I have even bestowed upon her my honorary Approval Gear.

Now if I can just get her to make me one of these brass hats....

Disclaimer: No beavers were harmed in the making of these hats.

I've had an Epiphany

2012-01-06T00:01:00.020-07:00

Epiphany is a Christian feast day on January 6 that celebrates the visitation of the Magi to the baby Jesus. In some cultures, the greenery and nativity scenes put up at Christmas are taken down at Epiphany.

In countries historically shaped by Roman Catholicism or Protestants these customs often involve gift giving, "king cakes" and a celebration similar to Christmas.

In England, Twelfth Night is a popular day for plays - Shakespeare's Twelfth Night was first performed in 1601. A traditional dish for Epiphany is Twelfth Cake, a rich, dense, typically English fruitcake.

If you're in Manitou Springs, Colo., Epiphany is marked by the Great Fruitcake Toss! Fruitcakes are thrown, participants dress as kings, fools, etc., and competitions are held for the farthest throw, the most creative projectile device, etc. The Great Fruitcake Toss is a sort of festive symbolic leave-taking of the Christmas holidays until next year, but with humorous twist, since fruitcake is considered to be the source of many jokes in the United States.

But there will be no Fruitcake Tossing around me! We revere the venerable fruitcake.

On the twelfth day of Christmas

2012-01-05T00:01:00.034-07:00

On the twelfth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Twelve drummers drumming
Eleven pipers piping, ten lords-a-leaping
Nine ladies dancing, eight maids-a-milking
Seven swans-a-swimming, six geese-a-laying
Five golden rings, four calling birds
Three French hens, two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree

While neither Momma nor I are particularly interested in social Greek organizations, I do feel obligated to offer my congratulations to Kappa Alpha Psi, the world's second oldest and largest black fraternity, which was founded at Indiana University on this date on Jan. 5, 1911. Since the fraternity's founding it has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin.

Personally, Momma and I tend to echo our heroine Betsy's thoughts after both she and her sister are soured on the idea during Betsy's junior year of high school:

That, thought Betsy, was the bunk. You couldn't make sisterhoods with rules and elections. If they meant anything, they had to grow naturally.... "I don't believe sororities would appeal very long to anyone with much sense of adventure."

Betsy was a Junior
Maud Hart Lovelace

I'm ALL for adventure!

On the eleventh day of Christmas

2012-01-04T00:01:00.011-07:00

On the eleventh day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Eleven pipers piping, ten lords-a-leaping
Nine ladies dancing, eight maids-a-milking
Seven swans-a-swimming, six geese-a-laying
Five golden rings, four calling birds
Three French hens, two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

Poor Momma.

She's got an inner ear infection which is making her wobbly.

Thankfully, I can't get my vinyl ears infected (only dusty) and I haven't gotten wobbly since Momma restrung my arms and legs.

It's good to be me.

Meeting McKenna

2012-01-03T14:50:00.005-07:00

Meet McKenna Brooks, American Girl's 2012 Girl of the Year! She's a determined girl who uses her strengths to turn challenges into triumphs. McKenna is 18 inches tall, with brilliant blue eyes that open and close. She has long, caramel-colored hair that can be pulled high for gymnastics practice, or styled up in twists for a fancy occasion.

Balancing school and sports is a challenge for McKenna Brooks as she enters fourth grade. When she struggles with reading, she must find a way to keep up. Can McKenna use her strengths as a gymnast to succeed in the classroom, too?

I somehow doubt McKenna and I shall become close friends since I don't see myself doing gymnastics, but I shall do everything in my power to encourage her (and everyone else) to read!

(Men's gymnastics competition was popular enough to be included in the first "modern" Olympic Games in 1896, but the first women's Olympic competition was not held until the 1928 Games in Amsterdam.)

And speaking of reading, her bed comes with three great books:

Judy Moody by Megan McDonald
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion

Just what I need for my floating bookmobile!

On the tenth day of Christmas

2012-01-03T00:01:00.023-07:00

On the tenth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Ten lords-a-leaping
Nine ladies dancing, eight maids-a-milking
Seven swans-a-swimming, six geese-a-laying
Five golden rings, four calling birds
Three French, two doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

Joseph Jenkins Roberts was sworn in on Jan. 3, 1848 as the first president of Liberia. Born in Norfolk, Va., Roberts emigrated to Liberia in 1829.

Beginning in 1820, the west coat region was colonized by freed American slaves with the help of the American Colonization Society, a private organization that believed ex-slaves would have greater freedom and equality in Africa. Slaves freed from slave ships were also sent there instead of being repatriated to their countries of origin.

In 1847, these colonists founded the Republic of Liberia, establishing a government modeled on that of the United States and naming the capital city Monrovia after U.S. President James Monroe, a prominent supporter of the colonization.

Please note that Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who is the first and only elected female head of state in Africa, is the current President of Liberia!

On the ninth day of Christmas

2012-01-02T00:01:00.012-07:00

On the ninth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Nine ladies dancing, eight maids-a-milking
Seven swans-a-swimming, six geese-a-laying
Five golden rings, four calling birds
Three French hens, two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

The discovery of the planet Vulcan was announced on Jan. 2, 1860 at a meeting of the Académie des Sciences in Paris. Vulcan was a small planet proposed to exist in an orbit between Mercury and the Sun. In an attempt to explain peculiarities of Mercury's orbit, in the 19th-century French mathematician Urbain Jean Joseph Le Verrier hypothesized that they were the result of another planet, which he named Vulcan. No such planet was ever found, and Mercury's orbit has now been explained by Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity.

Live long and prosper!

This Week in The Civil War: Sunday, Jan. 1, 1862

2012-01-01T00:01:00.040-07:00

Clamor for war, Union Navy fights

The year 1862 will open with the Union Army of the Potomac under Major Gen. McClellan facing rising popular and political pressure to engage in major combat with its Confederate foes. But McClellan himself has come down with typhoid and is ill in bed. President Abraham Lincoln is increasingly anxious to engage Southern secessionists in battle even as he wishes to give his general time to prepare for battle. New Year's Day of 1862 dawns though with some hostilities. On Jan. 1, 1862, Union warships unleash a barrage on targets around Pensacola, Fla., and the Confederates respond by bombarding Union-held Fort Pickens. But bigger fights lay ahead. New Year's Day sees Lincoln and his wife welcome members of the Supreme Court, foreign diplomats and leading Army and Navy officers at a White House reception. The Associated Press reports the Marine Band played "choice music" at the gathering and after midday, per customs of the era, the outside gates were thrown open to the public "when the large mass of impatient human beings rushed in for a visit to the President." Elsewhere, Union troops stationed across the Potomac River from Washington in northern Virginia are told not let their bands go out on "serenading parties." As AP notes: "There has, it appears, been an excess of such music at night, and in many cases proved more an annoyance than a compliment." AP reports in a dispatch Jan. 2 from Nashville, Tenn., that some Confederate units have destroyed railroad tracks for several miles in the region. AP reports other movements by Confederate forces "we do not comprehend" and adds that troop movements in several areas "point clearly to stormy events" ahead.

On the eighth day of Christmas

2012-01-01T00:01:00.039-07:00

On the eighth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Eight maids-a-milking
Seven swans-a-swimming, six geese-a-laying
Five golden rings, four calling birds
Three French hens, two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

The hymn that became known as "Amazing Grace," then titled "1 Chronicles 17:16–17" is first used to accompany a sermon led by former slaver John Newton on Jan. 1, 1773 in the town of Olney, England.

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That sav'd a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

For auld lang syne

2011-12-31T23:59:00.019-07:00

Methinks Robert Burns was hitting the Scotch when he wrote this New Year's Eve classic in 1788:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my jo, for auld lang syne, we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp !
and surely I’ll be mine !
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We twa hae run about the braes,
and pu’d the gowans fine;
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit,
sin auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We twa hae paidl’d i' the burn,
frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
sin auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere!
and gie's a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll tak a right gude-willy waught,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

Aloha Kanani.

Welcome McKenna!

On the seventh day of Christmas

2011-12-31T00:01:00.020-07:00

On the seventh day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Seven swans-a-swimming, six geese-a-laying
Five golden rings, four calling birds
Three French hens, two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

President Abraham Lincoln signed an act on Dec. 31, 1862 that admitted West Virginia to the Union, thus dividing Virginia in two. Rivalry had existed for years between the wealthy slaveowners to the East and the poorer miners and hill folk to the West -- divided by the Appalachian mountains. Lincoln admitted West Virginia with the condition for the gradual abolition of slavery. While many felt that West Virginia's admission as a state was both illegal and unconstitutional, Lincoln issued his Opinion on the Admission of West Virginia finding that "the body which consents to the admission of West Virginia, is the Legislature of Virginia," and that its admission was therefore both constitutional and expedient.

On the sixth day of Christmas

2011-12-30T00:01:00.013-07:00

On the sixth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Six geese-a-laying
Five golden rings, four calling birds
Three French hens, two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

The United States buys land from Mexico to facilitate railroad building in the Southwest on Jan. 30, 1853 in a deal known as the Gadsden Purchase.

The Gadsden Purchase was a 29,670-square-mile region of modern southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico that was purchased by the United States in a treaty signed by James Gadsden, the American ambassador to Mexico at the time, on December 30, 1853. It was then ratified, with changes, by the U.S. Senate on April 25, 1854 and signed by President Franklin Pierce, with final approval action taken by Mexico on June 8, 1854. The purchase was the last major territorial acquisition in the contiguous United States, adding a large area to the United States.

On the fifth day of Christmas

2011-12-29T00:01:00.024-07:00

On the fifth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Five golden rings, four calling birds
Three French hens, two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

The Young Men's Christian Association (commonly known as YMCA or simply the Y) was founded on June 6, 1844 in London, England and opened its first American YMCA on Dec. 29, 1851 in Boston, Mass. It is one of the many organizations that espouses "Muscular Christianity." Today, YMCAs are open to all, regardless of religion, social class, age, or sex.

However, most people think of the YMCA as a deliciously silly 1978 song by the Village People:

It's fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A.
It's fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A.

On the fourth day of Christmas

2011-12-28T00:01:00.038-07:00

On the fourth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Four calling birds
Three French hens, two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

Dec. 28, 2000 was a sad date in retail history when U.S. retail giant Montgomery Ward announced it was going out of business after 128 years.

Montgomery Ward was founded by Aaron Montgomery Ward in 1872. Ward had conceived of the idea of a dry goods mail-order business in Chicago, Illinois, after several years of working as a traveling salesman among rural customers. The business grew at a fast pace over the next several decades, fueled by demand primarily from rural customers who were also attracted by the innovative and unprecedented company policy of "satisfaction guaranteed or your money back", which Ward began using in 1875.

Laura Ingalls Wilder fans recognize the importance Montgomery Ward catalogues had for those who lived far from the big city:

For themselves, they decided to buy a present together, something they could both use and enjoy. After much studying of Montgomery Ward’s catalogue, they chose to get a set of glassware. They needed it for the table and there was such a pretty set advertised, a sugar bowl, spoon-holder, butter dish, six sauce dishes, and a large oval-shaped bread plate. On the bread plate raised in the glass were heads of wheat and some lettering which read “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Laura Ingalls Wilder

The First Four Years

That breadplate was one of the very few things to survive the housefire that destroyed their home a few years later.

One of Momma's treasures includes an identical antique glass breadplate. (She loves to collect antique china and glass patterns mentioned in her favorite kidlit books. So far she has Laura's breadplate and Blue Willow china as well as Tacy's china pattern in a teacup and saucer. She's trying to hunt down a sandwich tray in Mrs. Ray's china pattern, too.)

On the third day of Christmas

2011-12-27T00:01:00.011-07:00

On the third day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

Tonight I think I shall watch Show Boat in honor of its 84th anniversary.

Originally produced by Flo Zeigfeld in New York on Dec. 27, 1927, it was based on Edna Ferber's 1926 novel. The musical is in two acts with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.

The plot chronicles the lives of those living and working on the Cotton Blossom, a Mississippi River show boat, from 1880 to 1927, and its dominant themes include racial prejudice and tragic, enduring love.

Show Boat boldly portrayed racial issues, and was the first racially integrated musical. It was the first Broadway musical to seriously depict an interracial marriage, as in Ferber's original novel, and to feature a character of mixed race who was "passing" for white.

For a great read about life upon a showboat I highly recommend Rosamond du Jardin's malt shop book, Showboat Summer:

A summer vacation aboard the Harwood College Showboat was an exciting prospect for Pam and Penny, the twins of Double Feature. To Penny, it meant being with Mike who had a job on the tugboat that pushed the old Regina from town to town along the Ohio River. To Pam it meant a chance to act, and perhaps a leading role in one of the gala showboat performances.

Joyous Kwanzaa

2011-12-26T00:01:00.052-07:00

Heri za Kwanzaa.

Neither Momma nor I celebrate Kwanzaa but I was interested in researching it.

Kwanzaa is a week long celebration held in the United States honoring universal African-American heritage and culture, observed annually from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.

(Kwanzaa derives from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning first fruits of the harvest.)

Kwanzaa was created as a means to help African Americans reconnect with their African cultural and historical heritage and was first celebrated in 1966–1967. It features activities such as lighting a candle holder with seven candles and culminates in a feast and gift giving.

Kwanzaa symbols include a decorative mat on which other symbols are placed including corn and other crops, a candle holder with seven candles, called a kinara, a communal cup for pouring libations, and gifts. The symbols were designed to convey the seven principles:

Umoja (Unity)
Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)
Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)
Nia (Purpose)
Kuumba (Creativity)
Imani (Faith)

On the second day of Christmas

2011-12-26T00:01:00.051-07:00

On the second day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

Happy Boxing Day!

Boxing Day is traditionally a day following Christmas when wealthy people in the United Kingdom would give a box containing a gift to their servants or employees. It's also known as St. Stephen's day which makes me wonder if they put him in a box, too.

Here in the States, an excellent story on American Girl dolls appeared last week in the Chicago Tribune: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-12-21/entertainment/ct-ent-1222-american-girl-20111221_1_american-girl-place-ellen-brothers-pleasant-rowland

My only complaint? "American Girl dolls also do not have attitudes, existential crises or politics. They wouldn't join an Occupy protest."

Tsk. They've obviously never met Me!