What's Your Problem?

Okay, it has been a while since I last posted. Deal with it.

I've got some ideas, but nothing in the queue. Well, one on Thursday. Wait for it.

100 Largest Libraries in America

I read this on the Curled Up With A Book blog.

Today's quiz is to see which of these libraries I've been to.  Two in the top 10.  A couple of others.  I've been on the campus of several of the institutions, but not their libraries.

via the TravelInsurance Blog

A glimpse into the Fett household

I don't know which one this is.  Boba?  Jango?  I guess they need to eat, too.

Double Belled Euphonium

While running errands on Saturday I had to stop by a music store and pick up some strings for Edison's guitar.

The closest decent music store was Rush's, in south Knoxville.  Before they moved to this location, they had an interesting brass instrument on display.  It was a double bell euphonium, made by the King company.

 After I bought the strings I asked where it was because I didn't see it on display.  Rob pulled it from the boss's office and displayed it.

The fifth valve would direct the air into the second bell.

Here are some links to more double bell euphonium sites:

• H. N. White
• Wikipedia
• MMOA

Plan 9 from Outer Space

Buddy Walk, 2010

Today, the Down Syndrome Awareness Group of East Tennessee had their annual Buddy Walk.

It was held at World's Fair Park in Knoxville.

This is the reason that I walked...

And this...

And this...

And this...

And this...

And her friends who also have Down syndrome.

Birmingham

In mid July Angie and I went to Birmingham. I attended the Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference. Angie hooked up with a quilting/blogging friend.

The first night was an open house meet and greet with other attendees. It was held at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. I was informed prior to the event that cameras were not allowed in the building, so I only had my BlackBerry.

This is the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. Regrettably it is most well known for being the site of a bombing that took the lives of four young black girls in September of 1963.

Kelly Ingram Park, across the street from the Institute. The site of several civil rights gatherings, now is tranquil, marked with sculptures to pay tribute and to remind.

I went to the park after the meet and greet. The sun was setting, about a dozen people were at the park, some walking, some sitting. Although this silhouette is well defined, it doesn't do justice to the actual art.

Artist James Drake's installation forces the walker to go between the dogs. Rather unsettling, but a great perspective.

We went back on Saturday, but did not walk. The grass was groomed, the flowers were in bloom. Nothing like the events of almost 50 years ago.

Postcards from a different time

I found these postcards in a dime bin at the Book Eddy. They aren't great, but too good to be lost to an album in someone's basement.

The first two celebrate the Lobster Festival in Rockland, Maine. The first card doesn't have a date, but the second card talks about the Maine Seafoods Festival in 1955, also in Rockland.

There's a nice little story from the Bangor Daily Press about this year's festival, which took place last week. More info can be found at MaineLobsterFestival.com.

Hazel Park, Michigan, sits in the heart of the southeast corner of the state. On May 29, 1966 they had a parade celebrating Memorial Day. The top card is the Hazel Park Jr. High School Band.

The Jr. High card says that this photo was taken at John R & 9 Mile Road.

The Hazel Park Sr. High School Band...

I don't know if the city still has a parade or if the schools participate in it. I'll contact them and see if they do.

For more postcards, take a look at my A Century of Ballparks post.

A Pickle For The Knowing Ones

Lord Timothy Dexter

Timothy Dexter was born in 1748 and died in 1806. He was an odd nut, to say the least, but he seemed to be in the right place at the right time. He sent Bibles to the East Indies, coal to Newcastle, mittens and warming pans to the West Indies. It is reported that he made a profit on them all. He married a wealthy widow. He wrote a book, A Pickle For The Knowing Ones. About 8,850 words. No punctuation and an interesting smattering of capital letters.

You can read his tome, courtesy of Google Books. There's a website devoted to him. And a nice blog post about him from last year from The Public "I", a blog I will now be following. I suggest that you do as well.

Jim Reed Books

On Thursday afternoon, I had some time to kill before registering for the Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference in Birmingham. I had looked for some baseball card shops, but didn't know the area that well, even using the GPS. I looked online for some bookstores and up popped Jim Reed Books. It was close enough to the Convention Center that I decided to venture my way there.

I was able to park on the street, across and just down from the store on Third Avenue North.


I arrived at about 4:30pm, so I had enough time to do a quick scouting trip. I was looking for a copy of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. Edison needs to read it for school.


I asked if they had it and the female employee helped me find the Fiction section. Nothing. Then she guided me to the School Reading List section. Nope. Jim looked it up and found that they had a copy in the back warehouse. I can only assume that it is similar to the storage units that are at Area 51.


He sold me this copy for a mere $5. That's about a third of what a new copy costs at a retail bookstore chain.


This is the back room. There is a Sci/Fi section as well as a Sports section under the miscellany. There are other sections as well, I've just forgotten what they were.


Two of the titles from the Sports section. I really like the artwork on The Easy Out. And the title, Base Burglar? Love it.


Jim, behind his desk/counter, eagerly waiting to answer questions and talk shop.


What? A long playing record in a book store? That's nothing.There is a lot of stuff that doesn't quite fit. Press kit photos. VHS and Beta tapes. Trade cards and advertising. Mannequins. Santas galore.


The exit. A way out of the magical land that is a used bookstore and back into the reality of life. A way out of Jim Reed's Oasis for the Mind. I didn't want to go out. I wanted to stay for a few more hours.

The Flying Zacchinis

While looking through Google Books for some info on Jack Kochman Hell Drivers I found an ad for "The Spacegirls", Victoria & Duina Zacchini.

Girls and guns. What's better than that?


At one time they were at least a trio.


Who knew they were sisters? Well, if you read the first ad you would have.

In April of 1948 Life magazine wrote an article about The Zacchinis.

I've got nothing else.

Not a Good Day to be a Clown

From Monday's Knoxville News Sentinel...

Oak Ridge police officers arrest one of 37 protesters during a demonstration Monday at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant, in part to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the initial “Plowshares” anti-nuclear weapons protest.

Chimbumba, watch out.

Y-12 arrest photo credit: Michael Patrick

Happy Birthday, Steve

Cars

Today was a day filled with Cars.

Caroline and I started watching the Pixar flick, Cars. I've never seen the whole thing from start to finish. We got through about 30 minutes. But she liked it.

Then, on my way to run an errand for Angie, I came across this accident in South Knoxvegas. Apparently the driver didn't know there was a ditch there. It must have happened right before I arrived. There were no emergency vehicles. Her daughter was near and helped her mom out of the Jeep. The driver, an older lady, must have hung around sailors when she was younger. She was okay, just frustrated. It was pulled from the ditch by the guy with the blurry face.

Then, on BBC America was a show called James May's Toy Stories. This evening's episode dealt with the world's longest slot car track and race. Interesting.

Addendum: My friend, Lance Krueger, posted this video on facebook. Reminds me of the Jack Kochman Hell Drivers...

Friday Night at the Squareroom

So, this last Friday evening I escorted Edison and his girlfriend (Caitlin), down to the Squareroom in Knoxville for an all ages show. I wasn't familiar with any of the three performers. Rubik didn't do much for me. I enjoyed David Bazan's simple musicianship. He just had a Telecaster and his voice. During the show I tweeted that mewithoutYou was like a cross between David Byrne and Art Paul Schlosser. I think that they could grow on me. The show started at 9pm. We didn't drop Caitlin off until 1am. Long day.

Trombone Shorty

Several weeks ago I went to Sundown in the City to see Trombone Shorty. The evening was pleasant. Then Caroline's pacemaker lead broke. The concert (for me) was shuttled.

But, today I found Trombone Shorty's segment at the 2010 Bonaroo Festival.

Kick back and relax for an hour or so.

Photos about town

Champ looking for a handout. I found this one just north of Market Square in Knoxville. "Imma need about tree-fitty". Works for me.


This was outside the Food City in South Knoxville, near John Sevier Highway. Beautiful day on Saturday.


In a subdivision down the road from us. I don't know if bumper stickers are the new Bondo, or if he just had something to say.

Memorial Day

About six and a half years ago someone from Florida contacted me about a tombstone that she saw in Lakeland. It stands in the Lakeview Cemetery over John F. McDonald.

John F. McDonald was a member of the Regimental Band of the New York Sixteenth Infantry during the Civil War.



From Newton Martin Curtis' book, From Bull Run to Chancellorsville, page 324:

McDonald, John F. — 28 5, 3 ¾ wd m o Aug 9 1862 Re-enl Band 3 brig 3 div 20 corps m o June 12 1865 died Sept 22 1901.

Memorial Day is a time set aside to remember those men and women who died while in military service. John McDonald doesn't exactly fit that bill.

Please take a moment of time to remember those that have served and have fallen, both in and out of service.

Also, take a moment of time and thank those that are currently serving. Give them a call, send them a card or an email. They'll appreciate it.

I know that Veterans Day is a day to remember all veterans, but take another moment and thank those that served and are still with us. They'll appreciate it as well.

I say thank you to John F. McDonald who served alongside my great-great-grandfather, John W. Nichols.

I also say thank you to Anthony K. who is serving in Germany.

And a thank you to George Aubrey (my father) and Jim Knowles (my father-in-law), who both served our nation in military service.

I know other veterans who I did not mention. Please do not take offense at not being named. I thank you, too.

Bob Newhart as Braveheart