I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

"See How It Glints and Sparkles" [BLUE]

"See How It Glints and Sparkles" [BLUE]

This was too good to pass up. Over at the discussion forum Holmesian.net , I came across some wonderful stick artwork by a member named whor...

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by Scott Monty

"A Certain Annual" [SPEC]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2760/4108249706_220b1e666d_o.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2760/4108249706_220b1e666d_o.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 405px;" /></a>For anyone reading this blog, there has never been a time when the world as you know it has been without Sherlock Holmes. As a matter of fact, it's been exactly 120 years since Sherlock Holmes made his first appearance in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Beeton's Christmas Annual</span>. For a short summary of Holmes's humble beginnings, you can listen to <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17563872">a segment on <span style="font-style: italic;">All Things Considered</span></a> that NPR ran on December 23.<br /><br />And in our own humble way, we honor his memory over at the <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/">Baker Street Journal</a>. Each year for the last 10 years, we've been offering an additional companion piece to our quarterly journal - something we call the <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/christmasannuals.html">Baker Street Journal Christmas Annual</a>.<br /><br />The Christmas Annual for 2007 is about to hit the streets, and we've already got a record number of subscribers signed up to receive it. If you are renewing your BSJ subscription or if you're taking a subscription out for the first time, you can automatically include the Annual as part of your package, and receive a discount in the process. So, <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/subscriptions.html">sign up now for the 2008 Journal & Annual</a>.<br /><br />In the meantime, let's focus on what we've got in 2007. The title of this year's entry is:<br /><a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/christmasannuals.html"></a><blockquote><a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/christmasannuals.html">Rathbone Returns: A Misadventure Called <span style="font-style: italic;">Sherlock Holmes</span></a> by S.E. Dahlinger, ASH and Glen Miranker, BSI ("The Origin of Tree Worship")<br /></blockquote>Basil Rathbone is still a perennial favorite of many Holmes enthusiasts. As a matter of fact, I recently met a 9 year-old who came to a dinner of the Friends of Irene Adler in Cambridge, MA dressed as the great detective - and he himself told me that Basil Rathbone was the best Sherlock Holmes ever. We could argue that here or in a variety of forums forever, but let's say that by the end of his 14 film stretch and radio play, Rathbone was inexorably typecast.<br /><br />Indeed, he was just as eager to push Sherlock Holmes over the precipice at Reichenbach Falls as Arthur Conan Doyle had been. As he wrote in his autobiography, <a style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0879101199?tag=thebakerstree-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0879101199&adid=15KJEK4J7QKM928K7C5G&">In and Out of Character</a>:<br /><blockquote>    I was . . . deeply concerned with the problem of being "typed," more completely "typed" than any other classic actor has ever been or ever will be again. . . . There was nothing I could do about it, except to stop playing Mr. Holmes. . . .</blockquote>That June, Rathbone and his wife Ouida left Hollywood for the New York stage in search of better things. At least, that was the plan. They quickly found that Broadway wouldn't touch Basil as anything other than Holmes, either. Rathbone began casting about for the play in which to rekindle his rapidly fading star—and fell back on his wife to write it.<br /><br />Thereby hangs our tale of Sherlock Holmes by Ouida Rathbone. It may have been a comedy, or it may have been a tragedy. It cost one man his dream of conquering Broadway in his most notable role. It cost another man his career as a Broadway producer. It gave yet a third man a heart attack at the dress rehearsal. It even caused the Conan Doyle Estate to forget that the script had ever been produced in the first place. Yet there was certainly an element of comedy.<br /><br />The play opened here in Boston (as did many plays of the day before hitting the Great White Way). Peter Blau even <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search?q=Peter+Blau">mentioned planning on seeing it in New York</a> after its Boston run. If you pick up a copy of the Annual, you'll see what happened in the process.<br /><br />So, as a birthday present to Holmes and as a happy Blue Carbuncle Day ("the second morning after Christmas"), order your copy - and sign up for a subscription and next year's Annual while you're at it, over at <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/">bakerstreetjournal.com</a>.

"A Certain Annual" [SPEC]

For anyone reading this blog, there has never been a time when the world as you know it has been without Sherlock Holmes. As a matter of fac...

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by Scott Monty

Special Episode: Compliments of the Season

<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"compliments of the season" [BLUE] </h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisOa8EB3WP3vsHVWiJzMamYVd_KJdE0vbw2kZvssfgqzGJW8-NfLbIMk7EA_GnicRZIO-yBbF2jW-SHyejulfqpII6XxJxYUKd7n4hWDd1s5OC5AP7AYFu87J0N7VRuK5040Wi7zsqmLgqBmb5yBOccFHb-NPz30qsxjDH_mLw5UEhm2ntk_083Yws5Q=s1015" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1015" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisOa8EB3WP3vsHVWiJzMamYVd_KJdE0vbw2kZvssfgqzGJW8-NfLbIMk7EA_GnicRZIO-yBbF2jW-SHyejulfqpII6XxJxYUKd7n4hWDd1s5OC5AP7AYFu87J0N7VRuK5040Wi7zsqmLgqBmb5yBOccFHb-NPz30qsxjDH_mLw5UEhm2ntk_083Yws5Q=w640-h364" width="640" /></a></div><br />This time of year always draws our minds to "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventure_of_the_Blue_Carbuncle">The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle</a>," the only Sherlock Holmes story that takes place at Christmas. It's the source of our greeting cards to each other, with the universally applicable "Compliments of the Season," which is exactly the wish that Burt and Scott give to each and every one of you.<br />
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Thank you so much for being part of this journey with us throughout the second half of 2007. We look forward to bringing you more episodes of the quality you've come to expect, and we may even have a few surprises in store for 2008.<br />
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In the meantime, sit back, relax, and enjoy 10 minutes or so of a very special holiday greeting from your friends at I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><h3 style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><a href="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock_compliments2007.mp3" style="color: #013fd3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Download</a> [Save As] | File size 8.9 MB, 9:41</h3></div>
<center><br /><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1185689230&color=%23ce1a21&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock" title="I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock/compliments-of-the-season" title="Compliments of the Season" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Compliments of the Season</a></div></center>
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Special Episode: Compliments of the Season

"compliments of the season" [BLUE] This time of year always draws our minds to " The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle ,...

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by Scott Monty

"In His Yorkshire Days" [HOUN]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9SajP8g6hlBgXVXvOt51b4D8oMZ35xq4RcPzOsAI3qnATLF9oJXMvWWi4Td2ukfOW2SgGxOX0D-0o3cflNXbzSw87jyaL6Ljjh_LmNb8g5s74tEdL74FD7Ooj_eqlfFJcEwXAfKxAQDy1/s1600-h/York_Watts.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148500438878279618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9SajP8g6hlBgXVXvOt51b4D8oMZ35xq4RcPzOsAI3qnATLF9oJXMvWWi4Td2ukfOW2SgGxOX0D-0o3cflNXbzSw87jyaL6Ljjh_LmNb8g5s74tEdL74FD7Ooj_eqlfFJcEwXAfKxAQDy1/s200/York_Watts.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>For the good people in the northern portion of England, there's about to be a special museum feature afoot. The <a href="http://www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk/Page/Index.aspx">Yorkshire Museum</a> in (where else?) York is going to be opening a new exhibit on January 1, called "<a href="http://www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk/Page/Events.aspx#The%20Mystery%20Files">Mystery Files</a>," which encourages visitors to put on their own symbolic deerstalkers and search for clues amid the current exhibits.<br /><br />At the end of 2008, the search will culminate in the opening of the museum's vault. There are a number of rarely seen exhibits and artifacts that are being displayed as part of this year-long hunt. The <a href="http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/yorknews/display.var.1925514.0.sherlock_holmes_lends_a_hand_at_the_yorkshire_museum.php">full story is available at the York Express</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">If you live in or take a visit to the north of England, please do drop us a line and let us know about your experience with this feature at the museum.</span>

"In His Yorkshire Days" [HOUN]

For the good people in the northern portion of England, there's about to be a special museum feature afoot. The Yorkshire Museum in (wh...

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by Scott Monty

"Recent Services to One of the Royal Houses" [SCAN]

I think the 21st century is finally starting to catch up with us. As a reader of this blog, you no doubt have seen some wonderful things, thanks to the advancing technology. It would seem now that the monarchy of Great Britain is joining in the fun.<br /><br />If you haven't heard, on the heels of her 81st birthday, making her the oldest monarch in England's history (long may she reign!), <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7157947.stm">Queen Elizabeth II will be broadcasting her annual Christmas message on YouTube</a>. And in advance of that news, the Royal Family has established its own channel on YouTube: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/theroyalchannel">http://www.youtube.com/theroyalchannel</a><br /><br />We American Sherlockians have always bowed to the east, in honor of the queen of Sherlock Holmes's time, as well as our present-day queen. While it's not terribly Sherlockian, allow me to share with you <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBRP-o6Q85s">the first televised Christmas Greeting</a>, from Elizabeth II in 1957. And may you and yours have a very Happy Christmas.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0" height="266" id="BLOGGER-video-7358d5cafaff0740-5748" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyx7usVnaEaCZnLv4-FLQ0VykxOViI-0B3Zx7NTlMdH7fofpZ8EYz-u0vmIKzamKG-tqqH_6WdQJH_5_GLvlo1Ku1szPKOOFEU6OHdTHBrITpnHRtzVVCjHYKJmfrFge7ak6n0" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div>

"Recent Services to One of the Royal Houses" [SCAN]

I think the 21st century is finally starting to catch up with us. As a reader of this blog, you no doubt have seen some wonderful things, th...

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by Scott Monty

Episode 16: Collectors' Corner - Jerry Margolin

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We're pleased to welcome Jerry Margolin, BSI ("Hilton Cubitt") to this show this week. Jerry has been a collector of something or other nearly his whole life, but his Sherlockian collection was the thing that occupied most of his adult life. Recently, Jerry decided to sell his collection, and we wanted to understand what went into that process, from the making the very difficult decision, picking a buyer, and what's happened along the way.<br />
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Those who know Jerry will be pleased to know that he did not sell the core of his collection - his Sherlockian artwork - which contains a wide array of original comic art, many made specifically at Jerry's request. You can see some of Jerry's art collection in the slideshow beneath the flash player for the show below.<br />
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Please leave a comment at (774) 221-READ (7323), comment [AT] ihearofsherlock [DOT] com, within the comment section of each entry, or in the Splashcast player. We also encourage you to join the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ihearofsherlock">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Facebook page</a>, to vote for us at <a href="http://podcastalley.com/podcast_details.php?pod_id=49043">Podcast Alley</a>, and to consider making a donation to the show (in the sidebar on the right).<br />
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<strong>Show Notes:<br />
1:13</strong> Show intro<br />
<strong>4:47</strong> The origins of Jerry's collecting mania<br />
<strong>6:30</strong> Jerry's first piece of Sherlockian artwork: "Murder at the English Pub" by V.I.P.<br />
<strong>7:15</strong> Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Plus, Jerry's Sherlockian mentor<br />
<strong>9:01</strong> It's in your DNA - the collector gene<br />
<strong>9:39</strong> Meet St. Judy<br />
<strong>10:32</strong> Where does one put a Sherlockian art collection of over 900 pieces?<br />
<strong>11:39</strong> Jerry's art collecting theme - personal favorite artists, commissioned pieces<br />
<strong>13:50 </strong>Will call for Peanuts - <a href="http://www.snoopy.com/">Charles Schultz</a><br />
<strong>17: 32</strong> Jerry's personal favorites: <a href="http://www.snoopy.com/"></a><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000071/">Jimmy Stewart</a>, <a href="http://www.willeisner.com/">Will Eisner</a>, <a href="http://www.gahanwilson.com/">Gahan Wilson</a><br />
<strong>25:42</strong> The oldest artwork in Jerry's collection<br />
<strong>30:01</strong> Shifting gears from art to books<br />
<strong>32:40</strong> Discovering rare & scarce books pre-eBay<br />
<strong>34:40</strong> The hallmarks of a good collector<br />
<strong>36:13</strong> Beginning to think about selling the collection<br />
<strong>40:10</strong> Starting the selling process<br />
<strong>40:45</strong> The emotional aspect of selling a collection<br />
<strong>42:29</strong> Starting to hear from collectors of the collection<br />
<strong>44:06</strong> Seller's remorse - and making up for it<br />
<strong>45:23</strong> It's not just about the sale - some philanthropy as well<br />
<strong>51:02</strong> What "what ifs" of collecting<br />
<strong>56:57</strong> The Editor's Gas Lamp: "Something Can Be Added," <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/">The Baker Street Journal</a> Vol. 1, No. 4 (New Series) October 1951<br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">Mouse over the slideshow to hide/unhide the thumbnails; you can click on the artwork to be taken to the full site.</span><br />
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<i>Update</i>: <a href="http://blog.marsdencartoons.com/tag/baker-street-irregulars/">an interview with Jerry via the Marsden Cartoons blog</a>.</div>
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<strong>Links:</strong> <br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ihearofsherlock/sets/72157603451412010/">Samples of Jerry's art collection on Flickr</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.snoopy.com/">Charles Schultz</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000071/">Jimmy Stewart</a> on the IMDb</li>
<li><a href="http://www.willeisner.com/">Will Eisner</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.gahanwilson.com/">Gahan Wilson</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/">The BSI Trust</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/">The Baker Street Journal</a> </li>
</ul>
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<b>Listen now:</b> <br />
<a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock16.mp3" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TL5jgdrUh_nM_zlDgxql-jKOFGUVFqhoV6A2JtYklXOu4qmVDyRVbwGV6XrwXZgnG9awSwJ7td-txL1_4KGrpSf4igJLILOim4yJmX5pGTPIdMhCBYLyImSI5gs1MOMUZPAlpAgvtPdb/s200/podcastIcon.gif" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 21px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 46px;" /></a>Download this episode by right-clicking the icon and selecting "Save As..." (File size: 59 MB, 1:02:43)<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/134346227&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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Episode 16: Collectors' Corner - Jerry Margolin

We're pleased to welcome Jerry Margolin, BSI ("Hilton Cubitt") to this show this week. Jerry has been a collector of so...

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by Scott Monty

"I Shall Get the Tickets" [BOSC]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.resonanceensemble.org/"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145960098866681714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2AUroyxDbBkGXeEjJJn-hOIs9PMYjBk0_j1gSn7kGxolzXk4S09YhQsinYLbdzTe0UQJaAyOvkgJGdOh0N8I7uwzNczugMsZgvlrgpqGxsNswLbz31Vtrcis6IupSSzM6VueACFDH-6bw/s200/SherlockSolo.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>[<span style="font-style: italic;">Notice</span>: this is one of a number of contests that I'll be running on the blog here over the next few weeks. I've been lucky enough to have been contacted by some individuals who were interested in getting some publicity for their efforts. I hope you'll have fun with these, participate, and encourage others to do the same.]<br /><br />You may have heard that in conjunction with the <a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/">BSI Weekend</a>, the one-man play <a href="http://www.resonanceensemble.org/">Sherlock Solo</a> will be performed by Victor L. Cahn at the Kirk Theatre.<br /><br />The play runs from January 10 through February 3 in New York, so there are other times to see it if you don't make it to during the Weekend festivities (there are so many other things to do!). You can buy tickets at (212) 279-4200.<br /><br />Or - here's a thought - you can participate in a contest right here on the blog. The producer has given me 5 pairs of tickets that I'll be giving away to my readers. Here's how the giveaway will work:<br /><br />In the comments section of this post (if you're reading this as an email or through a feedreader, please go to the web site), or on the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5262672284">Baker Street Blog Facebook Group</a>, leave a comment that explains how you've personally been affected by Sherlock Holmes this year. It could be a book, a movie, another Sherlockian, an online discussion - whatever. But tell me some way that the character has enriched your life for 2007.<br /><br />Entries are due on or before 11:59 PM on December 31, 2007. After that, I'll be choosing winners at random. I'm also promoting this through the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5262672284">Baker Street Blog Facebook Group</a>. I may post additional information to the group only; please join the group now so you don't miss out on any details.<br /><br />Good luck! I look forward to reading about your experiences!

"I Shall Get the Tickets" [BOSC]

[ Notice : this is one of a number of contests that I'll be running on the blog here over the next few weeks. I've been lucky enough...

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by Scott Monty

Episode 15: Michael Whelan, Wiggins of the Baker Street Irregulars (Part 2)

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In the previous episode of the show, you heard us get into some pretty interesting topics with Mike Whelan, head of the Baker Street Irregulars. We continue in this vein in Part 2, talking about the <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/">BSI Trust</a>, the <a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/">BSI Weekend</a> in much greater detail, the Dr. Watson Fund, and a very exciting contest that you can participate in!<br />
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Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Please contact us using the information in the sidebar to the right.<br />
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<h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Show Notes:</span></h4>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">2:33</span> The evolution of the archives of the BSI, thanks to Dan Posnansky and Harvard<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">5:43</span> Mike's leadership style and getting things done<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">8:18</span> What happens at the BSI Weekend, anyway?<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">14:30</span> The Dr. Watson Fund - what it is, how it works, and how to contribute<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">16:01</span> Listener contest!!! Listen, participate and win!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">17:10</span> Mike's favorite part(s) of the BSI Weekend<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">20:16</span> Follow the BSI Weekend activities - <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">live </span>- on <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/" rel="nofollow">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere</a> and the <a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/">BSI Weekend</a> site<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">21:48</span> How does Mike explain this avocation to civilians?<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">23:04</span> Mike spends his free time doing...<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">26:15</span> The secret to enjoying the Game<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">27:30</span> Getting Mike into the 21st century - maybe<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">29:02</span> Interviews at the 2007 BSI Dinner with recently investitured Irregulars: Dayna MacCausland, Mattias Bostrom, Elaine McCafferty, Maggie Schpak, Warren Randall, Mike Homer and <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2007/07/episode-03-mike-berdan.html">Mike Berdan</a>.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">37:53</span> The Editor's Gas-Lamp, "Who Is a Baker Street Irregular?" Vol. 3, No. 2 of the 1948 <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/" style="font-style: italic;">Baker Street Journal</a><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">42:23</span> Subscribing to the Baker Street Journal<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">44:30</span> Listener comments - all kinds!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">52:15</span> <br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">56:01</span> Burt makes Scott tell the Johnny Carson / Carnac hiatus joke<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock15.mp3">Download</a> [Save As] | File size: 53.5 MB, 58:28</b></h3><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/134346152&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: interstate, "lucida grande", "lucida sans unicode", "lucida sans", garuda, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="ihearofsherlock">ihearofsherlock</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock/i-hear-of-sherlock-8" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Episode 15: Michael Whelan (Part 2)">Episode 15: Michael Whelan (Part 2)</a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/">BSI Trust</a></li>
<li style="text-align: left;">The <a href="http://hcl.harvard.edu/libraries/#houghton">Houghton Library</a> at Harvard University</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/">BSI Weekend</a></li>
<li style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ihose.co/BSJ" target="_blank">The Baker Street Journal</a></li></ul><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /><br />
--<br />
<br /></div>

Episode 15: Michael Whelan, Wiggins of the Baker Street Irregulars (Part 2)

In the previous episode of the show, you heard us get into some pretty interesting topics with Mike Whelan, head of the Baker Street Ir...

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by Scott Monty

"The Giant Rat of Sumatra" [SUSS]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg512wCMDTfVScAio2-3qtrWee3PTZry9QnRhFE89sceSW33tb26GxBKq8Chw7cQOWsSdI0RDcuOMKFDz9qE0DXzVK_MzIZj0Yf7PS5IQ_e5Vuotg7hrgk3fcDmIkFydJc0i0AUY_jKVis7/s1600-h/giant+rat.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145070967621965650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg512wCMDTfVScAio2-3qtrWee3PTZry9QnRhFE89sceSW33tb26GxBKq8Chw7cQOWsSdI0RDcuOMKFDz9qE0DXzVK_MzIZj0Yf7PS5IQ_e5Vuotg7hrgk3fcDmIkFydJc0i0AUY_jKVis7/s200/giant+rat.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Sometimes you come across a news item that's just too good to be true. Or in this case, too Canonically accurate. It's almost frightening.<br />
<br />
In <a href="http://www.sherlockian.net/canon/stories/suss.html">The Sussex Vampire</a>, Holmes mentions that the <span style="font-style: italic;">Matilda Briggs</span> "was a ship which is associated with the giant rat of Sumatra, a story for which the world is not yet prepared." And so it went, that the Giant Rat of Sumatra became one of the most highly recognized of the apocryphal tales - the unrecorded cases of Sherlock Holmes.<br />
<br />
So imagine my surprise when I saw a headline on CNN.com today that not only included the <span style="font-style: italic;">Rattus horribilis</span>, but also a mention of one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's other enduring tales: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/12/17/giant.rat.ap/index.html">Giant rat found in 'lost world'</a>.<br />
<br />
In this case, the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0938501232?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0938501232"> Lost World</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0938501232" style="border: medium none  ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> in question is not some South American plateau, but none other than Indonesia - which coincidentally includes Sumatra. In this case, the rodent was found in the Foja mountains in the eastern Papua province, which is not all that far away from Sumatra. Two new species were discovered in an area that is rarely visited by humans - and one of them happened to be a "giant rat" that is about 5 times the size of a normal city rat. I don't know you, but I think city rats are fairly large to begin with. This is approaching being a R.O.U.S. (Rodent Of Unusual Size).<br />
<br />
I love it when our little hobby becomes fodder for the headlines and something that was written about nearly 100 years ago becomes fact. I know Conan Doyle was into the psychic phenomena, including spiritualism, but this is just plain uncanny. As Sherlock Holmes himself said, "life is infinitely stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent." ['A Case of Identity']<br />
<br />
--<br />
<br />
<br />
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"The Giant Rat of Sumatra" [SUSS]

Sometimes you come across a news item that's just too good to be true. Or in this case, too Canonically accurate. It's almost fright...

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by Scott Monty

"Holmes Gave Me a Brief Review" [THOR]

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuXEiT11nhOmFI88giP09JGV5Da7Iak99uhMMnRrA4Fj7OMfxcr-2q_2LzKJj9W5pn_RuBoA1eQ7BM8kcstEZ0XGPwNdFXP3ZBtbe1sR_TXpHSHNSlqtk9TslIY2H04K5rS4qK46er3pIQ/s1600-h/Carbuncle.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142545380950997378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuXEiT11nhOmFI88giP09JGV5Da7Iak99uhMMnRrA4Fj7OMfxcr-2q_2LzKJj9W5pn_RuBoA1eQ7BM8kcstEZ0XGPwNdFXP3ZBtbe1sR_TXpHSHNSlqtk9TslIY2H04K5rS4qK46er3pIQ/s200/Carbuncle.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a>You may recall <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2007/10/theatre-party-miss_14.html">our announcement of the opening of two one-act plays</a> by Andrew Joffe, BSI ("Sir Charles Halle"), starring Paul Singleton, BSI ("Covent Garden"). In it, I mentioned that if you're in New York in December, you should make it a point to see The Blue Carbuncle & the Gift of the Magi - a nice mashup of Conan Doyle and O. Henry. The details are:<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br />
<blockquote>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Blue Carbuncle with Sherlock Holmes & The Gift of the Magi</span><br />
Adapted from stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle & O. Henry<br />
By Andrew Joffe<br />
Directed by Kathleen Brant<br />
Musical Direction: Jeffrey Buchsbaum<br />
With Paul Singleton as Sherlock Holmes<br />
Dec. 6 - Dec. 22, Tues thru Sat.<br />
At:  The WorkShop Theater Company<br />
312 West 36th Street, 4th Floor<br />
New York, NY<br />
<span class="HEADINGTextBLUEmed">           (212) 695-4173</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="HEADINGTextBLUEmed">Reservations through Theatermania:<br />    </span><a class="HEADINGTextBLUEmed" href="http://www.theatermania.com/ticketing/index.cfm/int_showid/138403" target="new">http://www.theatermania.com/ticketing/index.cfm/int_showid/138403</a></div>
</blockquote>
Well, it turns out that even though I'm a big Joffe/Singleton fan, you shouldn't take my word for it, oh no. Please, see what the inestimable Susan Rice, ASH, BSI, 2s. ("Beeswing") had to say.<br />
<blockquote>
I know you're all aware of the current production of Blue Carbuncle and Gift of the Magi, adapted for the stage by Andrew Joffe and starring Paul Singleton.  I saw it tonight, and I'm doing you a favor by telling you to take out your calendars and reserve a ticket for yourself <span style="font-weight: bold;">NOW</span>.  Andrew's adaptation of BLUE manages to demonstrate all the warmth every Sherlockian perceives in the friendship of Holmes and Watson without ever needing to put it into words.  You think you have seen Paul play Holmes, but until you see this production, you have not seen him be Holmes, and I'm glad to report his Watson is above reproach.  The Gift of the Magi is a lovely piece of lagniappe, as is an opening chorus of contemporary holiday music, some of which is extremely funny.</blockquote>
<br />
And just so you don't think that Susan and I are simply Kool-Aid drinking Sherlockians and <span style="font-weight: bold;">FOPS </span>(Friends of Paul Singleton), take a look at what <a href="http://www.backstage.com/bso/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003682860">Backstage</a> added:<br />
<blockquote>
Amidst all the big-budget holiday theatrical fare, I sincerely hope theatregoers will find time to enjoy this delightful offering at a tiny Midtown black-box theatre. It overflows with the true spirit of the season.<br />
<br />
Both tales have been cleverly adapted by Andrew Joffe and imaginatively staged by Kathleen Brant to include the hustle and bustle of a metropolitan Christmas, complete with jubilant carolers and a street-corner violinist (Ken Linsk). Touches like an invisible O. Henry (played with buoyant good humor by Richard Kent Green) helping his character Della on with her coat are wonderful. Jodie Bentley and Tyler Hollinger manage to avoid easy sentimentality and find the camaraderie and love, with an undercurrent of erotic passion, that bind O. Henry's famous romantic pair. Paul Singleton gives us brief glimpses of the emotional loneliness behind the pipe-chomping Holmes' piercing intellect and deftly illuminates the famous sleuth's unswerving moral passion, while Todd Butera creates an earthy, good-natured Watson who has great admiration and compassion for his longtime friend.</blockquote>
<br />
Please click through to the <a href="http://www.backstage.com/bso/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003682860">Backstage site for the full review</a>.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Have you seen the plays? Let me - and the rest of the readership know what you thought of it by leaving a comment below.</span>

"Holmes Gave Me a Brief Review" [THOR]

You may recall our announcement of the opening of two one-act plays by Andrew Joffe, BSI ("Sir Charles Halle"), starring Paul Sin...

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by Scott Monty

"The Chaplain, No Less!" [GLOR]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmtdRuVfbZZrpuO_Yiz-85aahpogTRJB9kspUlxgtW_LA0LrS87PTwCAviJOCTbEskGzxUvkH5wOEk19VBkRf_v93oM0Eqk4bYv1xtscy0L9d9LmxrGH8Kn_aMXbCiCTbfvsBx2B04FdC/s1600-h/wood.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142458369208547682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmtdRuVfbZZrpuO_Yiz-85aahpogTRJB9kspUlxgtW_LA0LrS87PTwCAviJOCTbEskGzxUvkH5wOEk19VBkRf_v93oM0Eqk4bYv1xtscy0L9d9LmxrGH8Kn_aMXbCiCTbfvsBx2B04FdC/s200/wood.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Once again, it is with a heavy heart that I take up my pen to write of the passing of another member of the Baker Street Irregulars. Benton Wood, BSI ("A Scandal in Bohemia") passed away in Florida on Saturday, December 8. Ben had been in failing health for years and passed way very peacefully, according to his wife Joan.<br /><br />For many years, Ben was the official chaplain of the Baker Street Irregulars, presiding over the dinner's blessing. By trade, he was a headmaster of an Episcopal school, which made his local investiture in the Pleasant Places of Florida - Dr. Thorneycroft Huxtable - all the more appropriate. His accomplishments include the publication of <a href="http://www.trussel.com/detfic/shbib.htm#C12758"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Philatelic and Numismatic Holmes</span></a> (that's stamp & coin collecting). Ben received his investiture in the BSI in 1979; his wife Joan was honored as 'The Woman' at the 1991 dinner.<br /><br />While I didn't know Ben personally (I only met him a couple of times), fellow Floridian David McCallister, over at the <a href="http://sherlockholmes.ning.com/">Sherlock Holmes Social Network</a>,  writes:<br /><blockquote>Ben was the second invested "Scandal in Bohemia" of the BSI, and its chaplain. He followed Leslie Marshall in this investiture and role, and also as the long-time head of the Pleasant Places of Florida scion. He was given the Two Shilling award by Tom Stix, and will be remembered by his many proteges and friends as an indefatigable apostle for Sherlockiana. His wife Joan, is one of The Women, to whom our condolences are expressed.</blockquote>There are no funeral services planned. If you would care to do so, you may write to Joan at:<br /><blockquote>9840 Sucia Circle<br />Parrish, FL  34219-9080<br /></blockquote>I join other Sherlockians around the world in remembering Ben and wishing Joan and their family my heartfelt condolences.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">If you have any other information about Ben, or memories that you'd like to share, please use the comment link below. I'm sure other Sherlockians would like to know.</span>

"The Chaplain, No Less!" [GLOR]

Once again, it is with a heavy heart that I take up my pen to write of the passing of another member of the Baker Street Irregulars. Benton ...

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by Scott Monty

Episode 14: Michael Whelan, Wiggins of the Baker Street Irregulars (Part 1)

<a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/152/366688143_f68e3ac8af_m.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/152/366688143_f68e3ac8af_m.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" /></a>In this episode of the only Sherlockian podcast, we begin our interview the head of the Baker Street Irregulars - the internationally renowned literary society that remains at the forefront of the study of Sherlock Holmes. Michael Whelan has been "Wiggins" of the BSI for the last decade, and here he shares some thoughts on his own personal history, the organization, the annual gathering known as the <a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/">BSI Weekend</a>, and more.<br />
<br />
The Baker Street Irregulars is the umbrella organization for a host of so-called scion societies around the world and has been in existence since 1934.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Show Notes</span></h4>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">1:15</span> Introduction & welcome<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">5:10</span> Mike's first experience with Sherlock Holmes<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">9:50</span> A Rotary-like element to being a Sherlockian<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">10:15</span> Mike's first Sherlockian dinner, 1969 - Hugo's Companions<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">11:18</span> Mike's first BSI dinner, 1973<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">13:16</span> The Montgomery tradition begins and other Irregularities<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">15:36</span> Mike gets his investiture and discussion of the "wait list"<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">17:54</span> How Mike became the head of the BSI<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">22:59</span> That's a lot of dinners!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">23:26</span> The BSI's style - informal, no dues, no requirements<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">25:29</span> Tom Stix changed some things, Mike's vision for the organization<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">30:48</span> The BSI re-enters the publishing business<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">38:38</span> Archiving this podcast and other BSI-related material<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">42:21</span> Show wrap-up and highlights from next week's conclusion<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock014.mp3">Download</a> [Save As] | File Size 40.4 MB, 44:08</b></h3><center><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/134346022&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: interstate, "lucida grande", "lucida sans unicode", "lucida sans", garuda, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="ihearofsherlock">ihearofsherlock</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock/i-hear-of-sherlock-7" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Episode 14: Michael Whelan (Part 1)">Episode 14: Michael Whelan (Part 1)</a></div></center>
<br />
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Links</span></h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.bakerstreetirregulars.com" target="_blank">The Baker Street Irregulars</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://ihose.co/BSJ" target="_blank"><i>The Baker Street Journal</i></a></li>
<li><a href="https://ihose.co/BSIPress" target="_blank">The BSI Press</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/">The BSI Trust</a></li>
</ul>
<br /><br />
--<div id="gtx-trans" style="left: 186px; position: absolute; top: 963.521px;"><div class="gtx-trans-icon"></div></div>