I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

#BSIWeekend — the Official Hashtag of the 2012 BSI Weekend

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"a very pretty hash you have made" [LADY]</h4>
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At this time next week, we'll be in at the <a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/">Baker Street Irregulars Weekend</a> in New York City, preparing for a few days of interaction with fellow Sherlockians and Holmesians from around the country and a few from around the world.<br />
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There are a variety of events (see the embedded guide below - or click through to the post if you're reading this on email or RSS) that will keep us busy throughout the weekend, but if you're not there, we'd like to keep you updated on what we Irregulars experience. After all, we're supposed to be able to "go everywhere, see everything and overhear everyone."<br />
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Throughout the weekend, we'll be making updates via the <a href="http://twitter.com/ihearofsherlock">@IHearofSherlock</a> Twitter handle and we'll be using the what's called a <i><b>hashtag</b></i> on Twitter. A hashtag (or #) is placed in front of a word to make it a topic of conversation that anyone can see, regardless of who they're following on Twitter.<br />
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Our hashtag is <b>#bsiweekend</b>.  If you're attending and would like to tweet, please use #bsiweekend in all of your tweets. We'll pick it up and make it available to everyone on the <b>BSI WEEKEND NEWS</b> sidebar over at <b><a href="http://bsiweekend.com/">http://bsiweekend.com</a></b> and in <b>"Every Nerve in a Twitter" [TWIS]</b> in the sidebar here on this site.<br />
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We'll also try to bring you photos as quickly as possible as the weekend unfolds. Stay tuned here and on our <a href="http://facebook.com/ihearofsherlock">Facebook page</a> for more information.<br />
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And if you're at the event and can provide additional coverage, <a href="mailto:bakerstreetblog@gmail.com">we'd love to hear from you</a>. In the meantime, if you're planning to attend, download and print this handy one-page reference to keep you on track during the weekend:<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: "trebuchet" , "trebuchet ms" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/71062982/The-2012-BSI-Weekend" style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px auto; text-decoration: underline;" title="View The 2012 BSI Weekend on Scribd">The 2012 BSI Weekend</a><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="0.772727272727273" data-auto-height="true" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_27014" scrolling="no" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/71062982/content?start_page=1&view_mode=list&access_key=key-h576m1zersde9ejz4tn" width="100%"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">(function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "http://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })(); </script><br /><i><br /></i></span><br />
To see previous BSI Weekend coverage on this site, <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search/label/bsiweekend">please click here</a>. <br />
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#BSIWeekend — the Official Hashtag of the 2012 BSI Weekend

"a very pretty hash you have made" [LADY] At this time next week, we'll be in at the Baker Street Irregulars Weekend ...

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by Scott Monty

"He Has a European Fame" [REDC]

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGINe7QqvpBZsv7Yoz1mqgfuh1t1VwoAzbQgumppBfVK3rVGjZsUjaqOqAHctn1pnxjYJlss6_l99YSNKzz-3QyKLrS6yGVF0Nzfe4QjbDqlN4TAhdAZuaUt_bt7YQHu3CbMOq_HnzM7Ln/s1600/Sherlock2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGINe7QqvpBZsv7Yoz1mqgfuh1t1VwoAzbQgumppBfVK3rVGjZsUjaqOqAHctn1pnxjYJlss6_l99YSNKzz-3QyKLrS6yGVF0Nzfe4QjbDqlN4TAhdAZuaUt_bt7YQHu3CbMOq_HnzM7Ln/s200/Sherlock2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>If you reside in the U.K., then you undoubtedly tuned in on January 1 for the BBC's airing of the long-anticipated second season of the popular and acclaimed series "<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018ttws">Sherlock</a>," which <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005UL537Y/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakstrblo-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B005UL537Y"><b>is now available for pre-ordering on Amazon.co.uk</b></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=thebakstrblo-21&l=as2&o=2&a=B005UL537Y" style="border-bottom-style: none !important; border-color: initial !important; border-image: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-width: initial !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /> (for European-compatible DVD players only).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/last-nights-tv-sherlock-bbc-1-6283989.html">By all accounts</a>, we're off to another <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8985109/Sherlock-BBC-One-review.html">solid start</a> with the first episode, "A Scandal in Belgravia," in which Irene Adler is portrayed as a dominatrix to royalty. It had to be a little saucier than simply a photograph in this day and age, and some sexual peccadilloes would seem to fit the bill this time around.<br /><br />We've been fortunate enough to see the episode and we're satisfied that the series will again be a success. It opens where last season left off, with Jim Moriarty taunting Holmes and Watson poolside until he's distracted by a more important issue. Back in Baker Street again, we see a parade of clients coming through the sitting room and Watson dutifully chronicling the interesting cases on <a href="http://www.johnwatsonblog.co.uk/">his blog</a>, with titles such as "<a href="http://www.johnwatsonblog.co.uk/blog/16june">The Geek Interpreter</a>," which involves a trio of misfits whose comic book tales are coming to life and "<a href="http://www.johnwatsonblog.co.uk/blog/13july">The Speckled Blonde</a>," in which a female corpse showed no cause of death other than some spots all over her body.<br /><br />The two get into a spat about whose web site is more popular - Watson's, that attracts new clients, or Holmes's, that enumerates 240 (note the increase by 100) varieties of tobacco ash. Lestrade calls them "an internet phenomenon," after which the press are seen snapping photos and noting the attraction of "<a href="http://www.johnwatsonblog.co.uk/blog/12august">Hat-Man and Robin</a>." In a funny aside, a number of times, Holmes gets flustered about Watson's blog counter being stuck at 1895...<br /><br />The two are summoned to none other than Buckingham Palace for a client (rather than royalty coming to Baker Street) and find that Irene Adler has some compromising photographs of one of the members of the royal family. As a dominatrix, she routinely blackmails her clients, but in this case, she has the photos for "insurance." Holmes and Watson make a raid on her flat in Belgravia in a scene reminiscent of the kind old clergyman finding his way into Briony Lodge.<br /><br />We'll leave the synopsis at that for now, as the full 90-minute episode held many twists and turns, with appearances by Mrs. Hudson and quite a bit of Mycroft again. The ending was...well, we won't spoil it. :-)<br /><br />This first episode was quite well done and really ties to the overall arc of the series, as we can see it developing.<br /><br /><u>If you're in Europe</u>, you may<b> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005UL537Y/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakstrblo-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B005UL537Y">pre-order season 2 of the BBC series "Sherlock" here</a></b>. No word on U.S.-compatible availability at this time. We'll be ready and waiting when the U.S. premiere happens. And if you haven't yet <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004132HZS/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B004132HZS">purchased season 1, what are you waiting for</a></b>?<br /><br /><i>When you make purchases from the links we share, it provides us with a stream of revenue to help keep this site running. Thank you for your generosity.</i><br />--<br /><br /><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-uk.amazon.co.uk/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=thebakstrblo-21&o=2&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B005UL537Y" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>    <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thebakerstree-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B004132HZS&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>

"He Has a European Fame" [REDC]

If you reside in the U.K., then you undoubtedly tuned in on January 1 for the BBC's airing of the long-anticipated second season of the ...

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty

"Where All Gossip Is Welcome" [VALL] - December 2011

<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDN_PS7Fjc41uB79BLQ7V_9MUcAzaUgY50Pl3zfplavu2ka1sEl6c88Nqdhop4jZRNr14Y_J2iWvPbL6e264UwY5znxdMv2ReH3xVdaNSknlKuFqhchFncT8qv6Ws4NhZSlFFWvhmP2VPI/s1600/blackpeter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDN_PS7Fjc41uB79BLQ7V_9MUcAzaUgY50Pl3zfplavu2ka1sEl6c88Nqdhop4jZRNr14Y_J2iWvPbL6e264UwY5znxdMv2ReH3xVdaNSknlKuFqhchFncT8qv6Ws4NhZSlFFWvhmP2VPI/s1600/blackpeter.jpg" /></a></div>This is the latest issue of Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press, Peter Blau's ("Black Peter") monthly newsletter of Sherlockian or Doylean gossip, published in print form since 1971, as <a href="http://sherlocktron.hostoi.com/scuttle.htm">a text-only digital archive on Sherlocktron</a> since 1985, and <a href="http://www.scribd.com/collections/2834548/Scuttlebutt-from-the-Spermaceti-Press">a visual archive on Scribd</a> since 2011. In agreement with Peter Blau, we've arranged to publish facsimiles of the print newsletter here, so online readers can see what the newsletter looks like. Below the scan you can find links to the sites mentioned in the text - in most cases, directly to the article, video or publication, to save you from having to search for the terms.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The following is the December 2011 issue; please feel free to share it via email, social network, or embed it on your own site.</div><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/76920782/Scuttlebutt-from-the-Spermaceti-Press-December-2011" style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px auto; text-decoration: underline;" title="View Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press December 2011 on Scribd">Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press December 2011</a><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="0.772727272727273" data-auto-height="true" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_82128" scrolling="no" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/76920782/content?start_page=1&view_mode=list&access_key=key-unzs18xih3a37rmqqvk" width="100%"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">(function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "http://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })(); </script> <br /><br /><b>Links from this issue:</b><br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.brookingslibrary.org/Jan12.pdf">Brookings Library - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle "A Life Explored"</a></li><li><a href="http://sherlockholmes-thegame.com/">Frogwares' The Testament of Sherlock Holmes game</a></li><li><a href="http://www.burnettviolins.co.uk/acd_violin.html">"Sherlock" violin from Burnett Violins</a></li><li><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/CustomZombie/search?search_query=sherlock&search_submit=&search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_5513594&shopname=CustomZombie">Custom Zombie artwork, including Sherlock Bones</a></li><li><a href="http://www.criminalelement.com/features/series/sherlockiana?WTmc_id=undefined">Sherlockian content on Criminal Element</a></li><li>Kim Newman's Professor Moriarty: The Hound of the D'Urbervilles (Professor Moriarty Novels)<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0857682830" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0857682830/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0857682830">Amazon</a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0857682830/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakstrblo-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0857682830">Amazon UK</a></li><li>Kim Newman's <i>Anno Dracula</i><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0857680838" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0857680838/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0857680838">Amazon</a>) or Anno Dracula (<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0857680838/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakstrblo-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0857680838">Amazon UK</a>)</li><li><a href="http://www.johnnyalucard.com/">Kim Newman's web site</a></li><li><a href="http://www.tinyurl.com/89oao4y">"Everything You Need to Know About Professor Moriarty"</a></li><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Pawky-Humorists/250554538311591">The Pawky Humorists</a> (Facebook)</li><li><a href="http://www.ash-tree.bc.ca/eBooks.htm">Ash-Tree Press eBooks</a>, including <i>The Thames Horror and Other Adventures of Sherlock Holmes</i></li><li><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=alfred+swaine+taylor&btnG=Search+Books&tbm=bks&tbo=1">Alfred Swain Taylor in Google Books</a></li><li><a href="http://www.wicktheatre.co.uk/">Wick Theatre Company</a> ("The Hound of the Baskervilles" Jan. 11-14, 2012)</li><li><a href="http://www.shanepeacock.ca/">Shane Peacock</a></li><li><a href="http://www.dialanartist.com/portfoliolist.htm?it=4&ar=176">Bob Schochet's art</a></li><li><a href="http://www.jpeterman.com/Deerstalker-Cap">Deerstalker hat from J. Peterman</a></li><li><a href="http://www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk/magazines/articleitem.asp?article=1124">Deb Weissler's miniatures</a></li><li><a href="http://llauctions.auctionflex.com/showlots.ap?co=23728&weid=20908&weiid=0&mindate=20111213&maxdate=20121213&keyword=twidle&lso=lotnumasc&pagenum=1&lang=En">Arthur Twidle artwork auction</a> (January 4, 2012)</li><li><a href="http://www.lbplayhouse.org/">Long Beach Playhouse</a> ("Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, Feb. 25 - Mar. 24, 2012)</li><li><a href="http://www.sherlocktron.hostoi.com/Sherlocktron.html">Sherlocktron's new home</a></li><li><a href="http://www.sherlock-holmes.com/e_times11-12.html">Sherlockian E-Times</a></li><li><a href="http://boxofficemojo.com/">Box Office Mojo</a></li><li><a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2011/12/28/144372381/sherlock-holmes-and-the-adventure-in-good-music">"Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure in Good Music"</a> (NPR Deceptive Decadence blog)</li><li><a href="http://www.npr.org/search/index.php?searchinput=Sherlock">Search results for "Sherlock" on npr.org</a></li><li><a href="http://www.anthonyhorowitz.com/">Anthony Horowitz's web site</a></li><li>Anthony Horowitz's The House of Silk on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316196991/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0316196991">Amazon</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005I5482S/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakstrblo-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B005I5482S">Amazon UK</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lbshakespeare.org/audio.php">Long Beach Shakespeare Company's reading of "The Blue Carbuncle"</a></li><li><a href="http://www.sherlockology.com/">Sherlockology</a></li><li><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8983337/Sherlock-the-universal-language-of-crime-fighting.html">BBC's "Sherlock" in a variety of languages</a></li><li><a href="http://www.sherlocktron.hostoi.com/scuttle.htm">Text archive of Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press</a> (on Sherlocktron)</li><li><a href="http://www.scribd.com/collections/2834548/Scuttlebutt-from-the-Spermaceti-Press">Visual archive of Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press</a> (on Scribd)</li></ul><br /><br /><i>When you make purchases from the links we share, it provides us with a stream of revenue to help keep this site running. Thank you for your generosity.</i><br />--

"Where All Gossip Is Welcome" [VALL] - December 2011

This is the latest issue of Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press, Peter Blau's ("Black Peter") monthly newsletter of Sherlock...

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty

"I Am Now About to Summarize" [ENGR]

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWRehREmo1D3TSiAC2jTRjSvIlI2vhMgOOiMdQnR-0dNttkUkA8a4Wbw9SXir1DsL9a3boclbaVc_qQYMFGQZNWkYi4EemrHF7hMk_n_8vx887fhf-K4T07d0lr6BU2DSvzaKaaPSYDkz/s1600/BSICamera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWRehREmo1D3TSiAC2jTRjSvIlI2vhMgOOiMdQnR-0dNttkUkA8a4Wbw9SXir1DsL9a3boclbaVc_qQYMFGQZNWkYi4EemrHF7hMk_n_8vx887fhf-K4T07d0lr6BU2DSvzaKaaPSYDkz/s200/BSICamera.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>As we bid farewell to 2011, we thought it was only appropriate to take a look back at how our little site progressed throughout the year. We offer you, dear reader, this snapshot of activity on the Baker Street Blog and hope that you find it useful. This was a year of growth and change, and our aim is to continue to bring you the best of the news of Sherlock Holmes and popular culture.<br /><br />A note about the image to the left: for those of you not familiar, that is the state of the art photographic technology that's traditionally used at the <a href="http://bsiweekend.com/">BSI Dinner</a>.<br /><br />Now then. Let's look at a few areas of interest and see if we can make anything of it all. We're looking forward to receiving your feedback in the form of emails and comments.<br /><br /><br /><a name="more"></a><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">"There Are the Numbers" [SILV]</span></b><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNUZYvCo2bRjxi7Ordu1wCmUpfGYJ41pVclU_vD_5ecEs05Uu88KYK-U4dyVHpkM0lI9_CciNr9SsF_xn1Q6b20uGcYZVfnfibZ2-2kSuBDBkDR3mlK-Ui31_Me81L_gSv9Gc9ETdcfUV/s1600/file-archives.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNUZYvCo2bRjxi7Ordu1wCmUpfGYJ41pVclU_vD_5ecEs05Uu88KYK-U4dyVHpkM0lI9_CciNr9SsF_xn1Q6b20uGcYZVfnfibZ2-2kSuBDBkDR3mlK-Ui31_Me81L_gSv9Gc9ETdcfUV/s1600/file-archives.PNG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See this in the sidebar on the site.</td></tr></tbody></table>By the numbers, this was a particularly successful year. In the seven years that the Baker Street Blog has been in existence, 2011 marks our third most productive year in terms of the number of posts. As you can see if you're viewing this on <a href="http://bakerstreetblog.com/">bakerstreetblog.com</a>, the section in the far right sidebar titled <b>"File It In Our Archives" [RETI]</b> contains a count of how many posts we've made each year. The total for this year stands at 109 posts, following 2006 and 2007 at 144 and 152, respectively. And early in the year <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2011/03/i-would-willingly-give-five-hundred.html">we reached our 500th post</a> - a testament to our commitment and the longevity of this subject. We encourage you to browse through the archives by title, date or by label - each post we make is labeled with an appropriate category so you can find all of the same types of articles grouped together by using the label function under <b>"Some Other Topic" [BERY]</b> just above the archives function.<br /><br />In addition to what we created, it's also helpful to note your contributions as well. You left some 200 comments throughout the course of the year. Every post here contains a comment section. We absolutely love hearing from you, whether it's a debate, an affirmation, additional information or anything else. It adds to our dialog.<br /><br />Off the site, we also saw some growth as well. Both the <b><a href="http://sherlockholmes.ning.com/">Sherlock Holmes Social Network</a></b> and the <b><a href="http://facebook.com/bakerstreetblog">Baker Street Blog Facebook page</a></b> experienced a boost in participants, with over 770 members at the SHSN and over 700 on Facebook. We also established <a href="https://plus.google.com/117572265970390008416/posts">a Google+ page</a> as that nascent social network is taking off. And our Twitter account (<a href="http://twitter.com/bakerstreetblog">@BakerStreetBlog</a>) continues its upward trajectory with some 2,300 followers. All of these sites, as well as our RSS and email service, are designed to alert you of updates to the site and other interesting content. If you haven't connected with us on any of those platforms yet, we recommend you choose one that appeals to you and do so.<br /><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">"The Constable's Features Broadened" [STUD]</span></b><br />We're very proud to have been able to expand some of the features we offer here on the site in 2011. If you're reading this in email or an RSS reader, we recommend clicking through to the site to see these features in context.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><ul><li>We <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2011/01/i-think-we-must-begin-illu.html">began the year with live tweeting of the BSI weekend</a> using the Twitter hashtag #bsiweekend and including a constantly updating widget in the sidebar of the site that would pull in all mentions of that hashtag.</li><li>Also in January, we began to feature all of the URLs and visual scans from Peter Blau's monthly newsletter <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/search/label/scuttlebutt">Scuttlebutt From the Spermaceti Press</a>.</li><li>In February, we initiated a column by Steve Doyle, author of <b><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470484446/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0470484446">Sherlock Holmes For Dummies</a></i></b>, in which he could expand on topics that he didn't have room to cover in his book, or offer updates based on new information. We called it "<a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/search/label/Sherlock%20Holmes%20for%20Dummies">From the Dummy's Chair</a>." While we haven't had a submission in a while, perhaps a few comments or emails could convince Steve to contribute again.</li><li>We expanded the way you can subscribe to our updates. Now, in addition to our RSS feed and email updates (which mails as often as we update the site), we now offer <a href="http://api.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&key=63709c1ff5d9d35a61c4186a878d6a7d&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bakerstreetblog.com%2Fp%2Fabout-me.html&v=1&libid=1325344333086&out=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.feedblitz.com%2Ff%2F%3FSub%3D740755&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bakerstreetblog.com%2Fp%2Fnew-here.html&title=About%20%7C%20The%20Baker%20Street%20Blog&txt=click%20here&jsonp=vglnk_jsonp_13253449313951">weekly summary emails</a> to catch you up on everything we've posted throughout the week.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5XicN1C0Vz0wjVIdbuyaEJuyPomDa5I7zmBk8P7n7zAd3ID5dzqkTaMjTR_q_OCUkSYXzRMSLBroQrAE9qkqWE_syBl7xux6eGiPr7rzcz0Xgae9aVmq79G9caaw2-Pu2hEmYziN2yeC/s1600/Tip-Donate.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5XicN1C0Vz0wjVIdbuyaEJuyPomDa5I7zmBk8P7n7zAd3ID5dzqkTaMjTR_q_OCUkSYXzRMSLBroQrAE9qkqWE_syBl7xux6eGiPr7rzcz0Xgae9aVmq79G9caaw2-Pu2hEmYziN2yeC/s320/Tip-Donate.PNG" width="272" /></a></div><ul><li>In the spirit of Holmes's own strategy of using the Irregulars to "go everywhere, see everything, overhear everyone," we instituted the <a href="mailto:bakerstreetblog@gmail.com">Tip button</a> (<b>"Let Me Have the Straight Tip" [SILV]</b>) that sends us an email if you know of something that we should cover.</li><li>As you can imagine, our site does have operating costs, and we included a <span style="color: red;">Support Us button</span> (<b>"Something to Support It" [HOUN]</b>) that allows you to make a donation of any amount via PayPal. We thank you for the support in 2011 and hope you can help us continue to offset these costs.</li><li>Since about midway through the year, we've been using a system called <a href="http://paper.li/BakerStreetBlog/1306000545">Paper.li</a> that auto-aggregates content about Sherlock Holmes as mentioned on Twitter. It gets tweeted out automatically from <a href="http://twitter.com/bakerstreetblog">our Twitter account</a> and is embedded as The Sherlock Holmes Daily over on the left in the widget titled <b>"Every Nerve in a Twitter" [TWIS]</b>.</li><li>In the last few months, we also discovered a service called <a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/sherlock-holmes/">Scoop.it</a> that allows <i>us</i> to control the content we share. Many times, there are articles or newsy items that don't give us much to write about (or we don't have the time), so we quickly share it via our Sherlock Holmes Scoop. As with the Paper.li content, we share that over on the left under the heading <b>"A Bit of News" [REDH]</b>.</li></ul><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>"It Was Up at the Top" [SIGN]</b></span><br />If you direct your attention to the top of the page, you'll find that we added some navigation regarding the basics of the site. These are items that either previously did not exist or that were jumbled in the sidebar areas.<br /><ul><li>The <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/p/about-me.html">About</a> tab explains why the site exists and gives anyone an opportunity to become a correspondent.</li><li>For those who are <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/p/new-here.html">New Here</a>, we provided an introduction to the site, calling out some of the features.</li><li>The myriad and messy content of the sidebar was aggregated into a <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/p/resources.html">Resources</a> section - everything from references, BSI content, links to other Sherlockian blogs, other people, international societies and publications.</li><li>We began tracking <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/p/holmes-on-facebook.html">Sherlock Holmes entities on Facebook</a>. If you know of a Sherlockian society, group or other body that has a presence on Facebook, please use the form to keep the database up to date. We're only as good as you make us!</li><li>As you know, the title of every post is taken from the Canon. We abbreviate the story title with Jay Finlay Christ's four-letter codes, which we have made clear in the <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/p/title-abbreviations.html">Titles section</a>.</li></ul><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">"Contributed to the Literature of the Subject" [REDH]</span></b><br />The expansion of the site has been much more than the features. In 2011, we also expanded our writing staff. Traditionally, this effort was the work of a single person. In March, <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2011/03/intelligence-of-your-correspondent-vall.html">we announced that we were expanding the authorship of the site</a>, opening it up to contributors who had an interest in a variety of topics related to Sherlock Holmes. Approximately 1/3 of our posts this year were from contributors - people like Gordon (entertainment - movies, comics, theatre, television), Jill (imbibables, gaming), Francine (terrace), Steve ("Dummies"), Athenae (historical), Kate (general), Jennifer (historical), Marc (general), Ann (books) and Jacquelynn (Undershaw). We're always looking for more; if you have an idea or would like to contribute, <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/p/about-me.html">please click here</a>.<br /><br />A few highlights from our contributors:<br /><ul><li>Jill Brumer shared <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2011/08/your-good-man-should-have-no-want-of.html">some</a> <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2011/04/as-cool-as-ice-abbe.html">drink recipes</a> with us as part of the Sherlock Holmes drinking game and also penned <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2011/12/those-shots-must-have-told-him-that.html">one of the reviews</a> for <i>Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows</i>.</li><li>Kate provided <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2011/12/curious-sequel-of-our-investigation.html">another review</a> as well as <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2011/05/playing-game-with-us-norw.html">a look at a Sherlock Holmes video game</a>.</li><li>Gordon Dymowski was our most prolific contributor, with no fewer than 14 articles. From covering <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2011/06/every-modern-improvement-milv.html">movies that might</a> not have <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2011/06/horror-of-destroying-documents-musg.html">caught the average Sherlockian's</a> attention to <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2011/10/out-of-black-shadows-twis.html">some of the lost classics</a> and from <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2011/03/rare-fits-of-laughter-stud.html">comedic theater</a> to <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2011/09/sound-of-galloping-across-moor-houn.html">radio recreations</a>, he is able to discover and interpret some of the most interesting bits of minutiae about our hobby that others might miss. </li></ul><br />So that wraps up 2011 for the Baker Street Blog. It was a great year for us; what did you think? We're looking forward to continuing to provide this service to the Sherlockian world in 2012 and look forward to your suggestions, feedback and tips.<br /><br /><i>When you make purchases from the links we share, it provides us with a stream of revenue to help keep this site running. Thank you for your generosity.</i><br />--<br /><br />