Remembering Paul Churchill, BSI

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> " a genuine Corot" [SIGN]</h4> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXdM86JP0d3T_-wYpUMgfrNWNRRYd17EI7Cs2qAXwLJm8EJmQzmhlWC2K1cyw-VAZuBfmRvPLvCyzGOOiTyaOcLWTrXZHVyJuaon4MMvJtMULpynMFlkZalH9DgSKDHLkkGteMCuXadQy1/s1600/Paul+Churchill+and+Richard+Olken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Paul Churchill ("Corot") with Richard Olken ("Bob Carruthers")" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXdM86JP0d3T_-wYpUMgfrNWNRRYd17EI7Cs2qAXwLJm8EJmQzmhlWC2K1cyw-VAZuBfmRvPLvCyzGOOiTyaOcLWTrXZHVyJuaon4MMvJtMULpynMFlkZalH9DgSKDHLkkGteMCuXadQy1/s640/Paul+Churchill+and+Richard+Olken.jpg" title="Paul Churchill (L) and Richard Olken (R)" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1JZjcpQc7-s5tueWq1KbHWaYlZCNQ0TDXkfA7drLyoXcZQC1G6GfprOCHtwmE-WxBsyu4ecOqXtRDsqwdX_OBL3s2Qd8Anm2ToQrUK4vO3KN5Qiyst14jK1Gfuho5r1nqqCNfvFGj4r4/s1600-h/Churchill.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div> In his annual letter to all Irregulars, the current "Wiggins" Mike Whelan noted that the Baker Street Irregulars have lost 16 of our own in the last 15 months. I know I've detailed many (but not all) of them here. And today I'm tasked with documenting another.<br /> <br /> Only this time, it's someone I knew fairly well.<br /> <br /> Paul Churchill ("Corot") passed beyond the Reichenbach over the weekend. He had announced earlier this year that he was suffering from incurable cancer; the end came much too quickly for anyone who knew Paul.<br /> <br /> Paul received his investiture in the BSI in 2006, but for anyone who knew him, it was a long time coming. He was involved in many Sherlockian societies from the mid-Atlantic states to New England, and his presence was always a jovial and warm one.<br /> <br /> Among Paul's many talents was illustration, document creation, and the compilation of "evidence boxes" - his term for artifacts he found, created, and assembled into collections that supported each of the 60 Canonical stories.<br /> <br /> In <a href="http://www.sh-whoswho.com/index.php?page=search&criteria=member&id=521">Paul's own words</a>:<br /> <blockquote> I have illustrated several Sherlockian books by authors such as Steve Clarkson, Steve Tollins, Joe Fink, Don Izban Susan Diamond, David Hammer, Patrick Campbell and Chris Redmond, and did covers for a reprint boxed set of August Derleth's Mill Creek Irregulars. With a colleague, I translated the story The Musgrave Ritual into Latin, the first and, so far, only Latin translation of an entire Sherlock Holmes story to be published.<br /> <br /> My main specialism is the amassing of Canonical evidence boxes. There is a box for each of the sixty tales. The boxes contain any letter, telegram, weapon, note, receipt, newspaper clipping, or piece of realia mentioned or hinted at in the Canon. My secondary specialism is the creation of genuine faux documents, many of which have seen their way into the packets given out at the annual BSI dinner in NY. Among these documents are Watson's commission, the charter of The Diogenes Club, the citation for Holmes' Legion of Honour Medal, the Bruce Partington plans and a patent for same, the hack licence for John Clayton, the Hotel Cosmopolitan receipt for the Countess of Morcar, the Stapletons' receipt for the Mexborough Hotel in Craven Street, one for the New Street, Birmingham hotel where Hall Pycroft stayed, Watson's chequebook which Holmes kept locked in his desk, the Capital and Counties Woolwich Branch chequebook belonging to Cadogan West and the very naval treaty copied by Percy Phelps.</blockquote> He was a longtime friend of Steve Clarkson, another Irregular (author of the <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/christmasannuals.html">2003 BSJ Christmas Annual</a>) who was taken from us too early by cancer. He spent many long hours with Steve, sharing memories and just being a friend. Paul was like that. He was a friend to many, and was never too busy or too involved to chat with or make time for fellow Sherlockians.<br /> <br /> Jacqueline Morris, Gasogene XIX of <a href="http://www.geocities.com/jhwatson221b/wtb1.htm">Watson's Tin Box</a> shared the details of Paul's memorial service:<br /> <blockquote> Saturday, November 15, 1:00 p.m.<br /> <a href="http://www.burrier-queen.com/">Burrier-Queen Funeral Home</a><br /> 1212 W. Old Liberty Road<br /> Winfield, MD<br /> <br /> Following the service there will be a gathering at <a href="http://www.alpost223.com/">American Legion 223</a> in Sykesville. Directions from the funeral home will be provided at the memorial service.<br /> <br /> Greg has asked that in lieu of flowers you might choose to donate to one of Paul's favorite charities, the <a href="http://www.alsa.org/">ALS Association</a>. Many of you know that Paul's beloved wife died from ALS/Lou Gehrig's Disease many years ago.<br /> <br /> For those who would like to send cards of condolence:<br /> Greg Churchill<br /> Mark Churchill (Mark lives in Nebraska)<br /> 3300 Appleton Avenue<br /> Parkville, MD 21234 </blockquote> This January at the BSI dinner, the task that has traditionally been solemnly and dutifully performed by Irv Kamil will twice as difficult one as the volume of Irregular deaths has nearly doubled. More than that, the prestige, magnitude and general likability of these Irregulars makes these passings that much more doleful.<br /> <br /> <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">UPDATED</span>: <a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/howard/bal-md.ob.churchill13nov13,0,7542668.story">Paul's obituary from the <span style="font-style: italic;">Baltimore Sun</span></a>.<br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Do you have memories of Paul that you'd like to share? Please consider adding a comment below. It's free and you don't need to register.</span><br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">--</span><br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>

Remembering Paul Churchill, BSI

" a genuine Corot" [SIGN] In his annual letter to all Irregulars, the current "Wiggins" Mike Whelan noted that t...

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by Scott Monty

A Sherlock Holmes Symphony

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "in the aggregate" [SIGN]</h4> <br /> There are a number of videos and programs that have explored the various actors who have portrayed Sherlock Holmes over the years. Here's a nice 6-minute summary with a music soundtrack that features some of the favorites.<br /> <br /> As featured on YouTube, the creator describes <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm2yud0SUFA">A Sherlock Holmes Symphony</a> as:<br /> <br /> <blockquote> So, on this video you can see several various moments (films, cartoon, TV series, etc..) and a lot of various actors played the Great Detective, like Jeremy Brett, Ian Richardson, Christopher Lee, Basil Rathbone, Peter Cushing, Ronald Howard, Rupert Everett, Michael Pennington, Matt Frewer and others ...</blockquote> <br /> <br /> <center> <object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nm2yud0SUFA&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nm2yud0SUFA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></center> <center> <br /></center> <center> <br /></center> <center style="text-align: left;"> --</center> <center> <br /></center> <center> <br /></center>

A Sherlock Holmes Symphony

"in the aggregate" [SIGN] There are a number of videos and programs that have explored the various actors who have portrayed Sh...

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by Scott Monty

Recent Sherlock Holmes Appearances in Some Comic Strips

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "all this is amusing" [IDEN]</h4> Even though we haven't been wriing here regularly, there have been a number of items that have come to our attention that we've either bookmarked or archived for future publication. A number of them have been humorous in nature, so we're lumping them together for you here.<br /> <div> <br /> <img alt="" border="0" height="189" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264151251742342866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPq-ynj55cp_4JomY-G4_GbARuAGnKf2gZzUgn8yLXh0yXPp03uIsxLnrlZWrdZondtGyvJHTg0rCa5oqgmXDBHB6iIeAntOqCguZNkRhcTjSbu43SIDGu3eNpfN0ykUrN99xMBVWVuJx/s640/BeetleBailey.gif" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /><br /> <br /> <img alt="" border="0" height="324" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264151261675514578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPDAXI68j9w-_Knjn5IAtAAPfPyYJlYoNTdaq5vJZ5sN3DxYSycCeqDpx5TU4utpnLiNSaxWPAqvqnzZoulqfXWwPrUM1QSEaCB9_fH2TvXusKc6F7ozVh91kQlW8F3uz7m56OHpMbCKJ/s640/Grimmy_holmesgif" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /><br /> <br /> <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264151255408633970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlWMhKVenBc_ont2nxFHXuMtGuajOAed5LNeSgNmVI_MiQBxuYxfJRpjOAmLo3c2Uwj42lY6V_5LtlBNBFMjEpE46DE1LsNBjhTeEPIsMYoQGHBpWYwKCf9rLy47tKwmQtc5YR1RDGo1-/s1600/some_ecards1.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /><br /> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> --</div> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div>

Recent Sherlock Holmes Appearances in Some Comic Strips

"all this is amusing" [IDEN] Even though we haven't been wriing here regularly, there have been a number of items that have ...

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by Scott Monty

Halloween Wishes from IHOSE

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "no ghosts need apply" [SUSS]</h4> <img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264152807534259858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbF5MErbkTgVCiyDfO4yb6dajHOAASbpn-Ns5DUg2snAdSkwsOe-VxFHobPegz-1l-Q2pw_J83SRloCbKerzyGY4vXHDetZjSYN5p4Q5le-Rs6dNfvZZCcuAkiG4z6FVT2b8U84mKLzkh0/s640/Baker+Street+Hallowe'en.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="602" /><br /> <br /> We hope you had an enjoyable Halloween, whether you were out in costume or home handing out freebies to the little folk who wandered by.<br /> <div> <br /></div> <div> With any luck, it was more successful than what Phil Cornell, of the <a href="http://www.sherlock.on.net/">Sydney Passengers</a> represents here.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> --<br /> <br /></div>

Halloween Wishes from IHOSE

"no ghosts need apply" [SUSS] We hope you had an enjoyable Halloween, whether you were out in costume or home handing out free...

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by Scott Monty

A Note about the 2009 BSI Weekend

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> " a week-end gathering" [LAST]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAdHQcRTLpSite5ltkGJldSffO_crvmeLT88K0b4RQfM2ebAfQtFZ2-7tec8_aMgMHOUaCYml96pMi9e6FNfftduHylVzLi4PBRfIy464h_HG8g8sUlPZmwBnwhvndqC1z3O-E5AoqV8UF/s1600-h/BSI_Wallpaper.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="419" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264145555401968658" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAdHQcRTLpSite5ltkGJldSffO_crvmeLT88K0b4RQfM2ebAfQtFZ2-7tec8_aMgMHOUaCYml96pMi9e6FNfftduHylVzLi4PBRfIy464h_HG8g8sUlPZmwBnwhvndqC1z3O-E5AoqV8UF/s640/BSI_Wallpaper.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> Even though professional life has occupied our daily routine for the past 5 months or so and our commitment to various Sherlockian pursuits has suffered, our interest has not abated. <br /> <div> <br /></div> <div> When one receives an invitation in the mail to the annual <a href="http://bsiweekend.com/">Baker Street Irregulars weekend</a>, the thrill of your first time comes flooding back. So if you've not yet had the opportunity to attend, we suggest you take note.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> For many of us, it's been nearly a year since we rubbed shoulders with each other from venues such as the Algonquin Hotel, Ollie's Noodle House, a city club or two, or just the streets of New York.<br /> <br /> As we did last year, rather than reproduce the entire schedule on this site, we've posted all of the information on <a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/">a separate site</a> where you can find all of your BSI Weekend information - from schedules, to maps, to links to travel site and the general RSVP form for download. You can find this and more at <a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">the Baker Street Irregulars Weekend site</span></a>.<br /> <br /> Because of our responsibilities, we'll only be attending the BSI Dinner, so we won't be giving updates from all of the events, but you can still follow along on Friday evening in real-time if you'd like to see to whom the investitures go. These updates can be found in the upper-left section of the BSI Weekend site. Just think - if you can't make it to the event, you can be the first to know who receives their BSI Investitures, without having to wait for the listserv, Yahoo groups, or disussion forums to update.<br /> <br /> We hope to see you in New York in January. If you have any suggestions as to how to improve the BSI Weekend site, or if you have questions about the weekend, please drop us a line.</div> <div> <br /></div> --<br /> <br /> <center> </center>

A Note about the 2009 BSI Weekend

" a week-end gathering" [LAST] Even though professional life has occupied our daily routine for the past 5 months or so and o...

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by Scott Monty

Moriarty, John Gardiner's Last Book, Is Available

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "I can tell a Moriarty when I see one" [VALL]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJTi7FI5Riw_S1GC1Nrp4MsYN1iD431SvlDjselvEIJBq7bRWjXP7FG7DJWL7LV7_l3PD8evol2Vs1msuJ42mhwSuqjTH3ahuXUBQLehkWoX7WnTGLNOQ_KMLbzGkfT7V1w17tGifYksZ/s1600/Moriarty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJTi7FI5Riw_S1GC1Nrp4MsYN1iD431SvlDjselvEIJBq7bRWjXP7FG7DJWL7LV7_l3PD8evol2Vs1msuJ42mhwSuqjTH3ahuXUBQLehkWoX7WnTGLNOQ_KMLbzGkfT7V1w17tGifYksZ/s1600/Moriarty.jpg" /></a></div> <br /> You may recall the <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2007/08/had-reached-bottom-of-reichenbach-fall_6.html#.VTXMDCFVikq" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">death of author John Gardner, BSI</a> ("Moriarty") in August of 2007. He was well known for where he picked up with the James Bond novels, as commissioned by the Ian Fleming estate.<br /> <br /> Of course, one of the reasons he was inducted into the Baker Street Irregulars was his Sherlockian work in the 1970s, in which he looked at life as a Victorian criminal through the eyes of Professor James Moriarty. His first entry in this series was <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0425050939?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0425050939" name="evtst|a|0425050939" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Return Of Moriarty</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0425050939" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></i>; the second was <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0425050920?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0425050920" name="evtst|a|0425050920" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Revenge Of Moriarty</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0425050920" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></i>, which picked up where the Return left off. There were rumors of a manuscript for a third installment in the series, but the book never made it to bookstore shelves before Gardner's demise.<br /> <br /> Well, the wait is over - the final installment in the trilogy is titled <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0151012520?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0151012520" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>Moriarty</i></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0151012520" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and will be available in November 2008. You can <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0151012520/thebakerstree-20" rel="nofollow" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">pre-order it from Amazon.com by clicking here</a>. You can also <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0151012520/thebakstrblo-21" rel="nofollow" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">pre-order it from Amazon.co.uk by clicking here</a>. The description of the book, courtesy of Amazon:<br /> <blockquote class="quote"> It is the turn of the century and, having survived the struggle with Sherlock Holmes at the Reichenbach Falls, Professor James Moriarty is alive and well and about to realize his plans to establish crime syndicates in the major cities of the United States. But suddenly he is called back to London, where his vast criminal society has been overrun by a rival concern led by the shadowy Sir Jordan Jack Idell—or Idle Jack—a supposed gentleman hoodlum acting on behalf of criminal elements in France, Italy, Spain, and Germany.<br /> As Moriarty fights back—against both the unruly crime families and the forces of law and order—readers are thrown in among the lurkers, punishers, dippers, cracksmen, and the professor's elite guard.<br /> Moriarty lives again and revolts against those who attempt to oust him from his rightful place as king of “Napoleon of Crime.”</blockquote> While you won't be able to get a signed copy, you might want to act early on this, as it's likely to capture a lot of attention and fly off the shelves early. This is yet another piece in what I like to think is a Sherlockian Renaissance that's about to begin.<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br /> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=thebakerstree-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B005FOG6UO&asins=B005FOG6UO&linkId=VNCCRMUVZ5VBJPS2&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br /> </iframe>

Moriarty, John Gardiner's Last Book, Is Available

"I can tell a Moriarty when I see one" [VALL] You may recall the death of author John Gardner, BSI ("Moriarty") in...

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by Scott Monty

Two New Sherlock Holmes Films

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "the colossal schemes of Baron" [REIG]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCNFHP_W9P69CcVBaPcfCMwsf7El1NUfti4cgibL4OzavAt6UP_uOu9e15J3kPELAFfA2hfpIBD9deID7Q1O6A3m8HRSit0P78L0M-zwGucpj5J4acC0kKLWmAlxeLIFB0YYWTXk4g1fPi/s1600/Borat_Sacha_Baron_Cohen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCNFHP_W9P69CcVBaPcfCMwsf7El1NUfti4cgibL4OzavAt6UP_uOu9e15J3kPELAFfA2hfpIBD9deID7Q1O6A3m8HRSit0P78L0M-zwGucpj5J4acC0kKLWmAlxeLIFB0YYWTXk4g1fPi/s640/Borat_Sacha_Baron_Cohen.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> While it's encouraging to know that Sherlock Holmes is being considered for cinematic outings from time to time - the last big screen flourishes having occurred with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000AUHPC?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0000AUHPC" rel="nofollow"><i>Young Sherlock Holmes</i></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0000AUHPC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00015HVN8?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00015HVN8" rel="nofollow"><i>Without a Clue</i></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00015HVN8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> - the latest round of Hollywood rumors leaves a little to be desired.<br /> <br /> <br /> <h4> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sherlock Holmes Reinvented</span></h4> <a href="http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/robert-downey-jr-a-swashbuckling-sherlock-holmes.php">The first announcement</a> occurred a couple of weeks ago when it was announced that none other than Warner Bros. were interested in backing a film by Madonna's soon-to-be-ex Guy Ritchie. In this gritty, action-based dramatization, we'll see a "reinvention" of the character as Ritchie rewrites an upcoming comic book by Lionel Wigram. According to the article, the focus will be on adventure, with Holmes's skills as a boxer and swordsman being highlighted. Rumor has it that Robert Downey, Jr. will take the lead.<br /> <br /> If you ask us, the stories already have a good deal of adventure to them, and Holmes is already imbued with superhero-like powers that he doesn't need to be rewritten or sexed-up for the big screen. When will screenwriters and directors realize that they've got the makings of the perfect hero the way the character was written?<br /> <br /> <h4> <span style="font-weight: bold;">"Frankly Hilarious"?</span></h4> The latest ugly rumor is that none other than Sacha Baron Cohen - yes, that's right, Borat - will team up with Will Ferrell to <a href="http://www.dailystab.com/will-farrell-and-sacha-baron-cohen-take-on-sherlock-holmes/">play Holmes and Watson in a comedy</a>. How they'll manage to work the potty humor for which they're known into a treatment about the detective and his colleague is a mystery to me. One of the producers is <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0031976/">Judd Apatow</a>, who's been responsible for recent comedies such as <i>Walk Hard</i>, <i>Knocked Up</i>, <i>Talledega Nights</i>, and <i>The 40 Year-Old Virgin</i> (all titles meant to inspire confidence in his comedic judgment, we suppose).<br /> <br /> But according to the co-president of Columbia Pictures, "Sacha and Will are two of the funniest and most talented guys on the planet, and having them take on these two iconic characters is frankly hilarious."<br /> <br /> At least they're sticking to the right genre.<br /> <br /> <h4> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Has It Come to This?</span></h4> We're not trying to be spoilsports here - publicity for the great detective is important as we try to keep his name in the spotlight - but think of the children! In these days when books are getting less attention and kids get more information through video games, the Web, multimedia and text messaging, we need to be circumspect with the material we're presenting to them.<br /> <br /> What will coming generations think if they're introduced to Holmes and Watson via recent questionable productions like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AOEMVY?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000AOEMVY" rel="nofollow"><i>Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking</i></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000AOEMVY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />and <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000R349HK?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000R349HK" rel="nofollow">Sherlock Holmes and Baker Street Irregulars</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000R349HK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></i>, or the above-mentioned projects? We can only hope that creative devotees will find a way to integrate more Canonically faithful movies.<br /> <br /> Think of what the world would have been like if the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RPCJB6?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000RPCJB6" rel="nofollow">Granada Television series with Jeremy Brett</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000RPCJB6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> hadn't come along in the early 1980s. We would have been relegated to memories of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000A5L2D?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0000A5L2D">John Cleese in <i>The Strange Case of the End of Civilization as We Know It</i></a><i><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0000A5L2D" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></i> and Dudley Moore and Peter Cook in <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LLLLLU?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000LLLLLU">The Hound Of The Baskervilles</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000LLLLLU" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></i>. We shudder at the thought.<br /> <br /> <center> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xkH-ztzkuLU?rel=0" width="640"></iframe></center> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">What do you think? Chime in with a comment below.</span><br /> <br /> P.S. In case you're wondering, this is no joke, unlike our successful hoodwinking of many outlets with <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2007/04/is-long-row-veil_1.html#.VbEE2_lViko" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">an April Fool's Day prank</a>.<br /> <i><br /> </i> <i>Image credit: <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Borat_Sacha_Baron_Cohen.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a></i><br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

Two New Sherlock Holmes Films

"the colossal schemes of Baron" [REIG] While it's encouraging to know that Sherlock Holmes is being considered for cinem...

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by Scott Monty

Remembering Bruce Montgomery, BSI

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "a remarkably rich tenor voice" [VALL]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Xi9SxUlmlNX9ZMjvLfiEoVYAnAnqCxNgdFiryw50N-JcBA8yvQ64q6Vlb6-Yt3P6BjRBP5Vm01uJDZ1QweJ7hH14SrmghjurHlxlFki_yPIF_7BC0OkPgCxVHv14mMDOimGoaoDb3rFL/s1600/Bruce-Eglinton-Montgomery.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Xi9SxUlmlNX9ZMjvLfiEoVYAnAnqCxNgdFiryw50N-JcBA8yvQ64q6Vlb6-Yt3P6BjRBP5Vm01uJDZ1QweJ7hH14SrmghjurHlxlFki_yPIF_7BC0OkPgCxVHv14mMDOimGoaoDb3rFL/s1600/Bruce-Eglinton-Montgomery.jpg" width="501" /></a></div> <br /> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> It came as a great surprise and shock to to receive notice of the passing of Bruce Montgomery, BSI ("The Red Circle") on Saturday, June 21. He was, for many years, the voice and spirit of the Baker Street Irregulars annual dinner in New York, where he would invariably sing the BSI's unofficial anthem, "Aunt Clara."<br /> <br /> Monty, as he was known by all (a name we both shared) picked up where his father, James Montgomery, BSI ("The Red Circle") left off. The elder Montgomery was also a gifted tenor and provided musical entertainment during the BSI's early years. He passed away very suddenly and very prematurely in 1955, as his Christmas Annual was being printed. As a side note, I actually own a copy of that annual, with a note from Jim's wife:<br /> <blockquote> "My husband died very suddenly on November 9th. It was his expressed wish, however, that I should get out this little booklet in the envelopes which he had already addressed."<br /> <div style="text-align: right;"> Constance P. Montgomery<br /> Christmas, 1955</div> </blockquote> Like his father before him, Monty was a victim of heart failure - which is ironic, because he had a big heart that was dedicated to bringing joy to all around him. A more upbeat and friendly man I have yet to meet. He brought his special variety of joy in a variety of settings, from the University of Pennsylvania Glee Club (which he brought to a BSI dinner one year), to the Gilbert & Sullivan Players of Philadelphia, to the artwork he took up upon his retirement.<br /> <br /> An example of his artwork, which for a time could be ordered as notecards, reminds us of one of the illustrations from "The Lion's Mane":<br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> </div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwdmWHlZQSRwef3qI8t1ZVZWyfIMOzacG-ML7oJBKlNMMp_n4KOaxICAifThQCZz4nlf6FDQoFHAovI7jq4YrBwCN_RTqV1som39kFM4uXEF0h9uhDUO-1L1yQcXieEyXqB1MyGflmDiJ/s1600/Watercolors-Bass-Harbor-Sentinel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwdmWHlZQSRwef3qI8t1ZVZWyfIMOzacG-ML7oJBKlNMMp_n4KOaxICAifThQCZz4nlf6FDQoFHAovI7jq4YrBwCN_RTqV1som39kFM4uXEF0h9uhDUO-1L1yQcXieEyXqB1MyGflmDiJ/s1600/Watercolors-Bass-Harbor-Sentinel.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> Thankfully, Monty's contributions will not be forgotten. His artwork lives on and the <a href="http://www.brucemontgomery.org/" target="_blank">Bruce Montgomery Foundation for the Arts</a> has been established in his memory.<br /> <br /> And of course his voice will live on in the BSI's archives - which will now include digital media. And you can hear Bruce give <a href="http://www.spreaker.com/user/ihearofsherlock/bruce-montgomery-at-the-2008-bsi-dinner" target="_blank">his last BSI performance</a>, recorded at the BSI dinner in New York City on January 11, 2008.<br /> <br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <iframe frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="https://www.spreaker.com/embed/player/standard?episode_id=5957070&autoplay=false" style="height: 131px; width: 100%;"></iframe><br /></div> <br /> We were honored to stand in his presence on a number of occasions and share the microphone with him. While our singing voice is fairly good, it paled in comparison to the consummate professional who stood beside me. Good night, Monty. You'll be terribly missed.<br /> <br /> You can read <a href="https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/mainetoday-pressherald/name/bruce-montgomery-obituary?id=24965434" target="_blank">his obituary here</a>.<br /> <br /> Do you have your own memories of Bruce Montgomery? Please share them as a comment below.<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /> </span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">--</span><br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /> </span></div>

Remembering Bruce Montgomery, BSI

"a remarkably rich tenor voice" [VALL] It came as a great surprise and shock to to receive notice of the passing of Bruce ...

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by Scott Monty

"In a Flash We Caught a Glimpse" [RETI]

I recently shared a short video with you that described social media. As you may know, the essence behind social media is sharing information - text, audio, video, photos, etc.<br /><br />I just found an interesting application that allows me to share a stream of mentions of anything on <a href="http://twitter.com/S_Holmes">Twitter</a> with a background of Flickr photos. I've set it to stream mentions of "Sherlock" while backed with images tagged with <a href="http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Sherlockian&w=all&m=tags&sourceid=firefox">Sherlockian</a>. See what people are saying and what images show up:<br /><br /><center><object align="middle" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-4445535100" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" height="400" id="twitterfountain" width="400"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="movie" value="http://www.twitterfountain.nl/twitterfountain.swf?fv_event=Sherlock&fv_flickr=Sherlockian&fv_kleur=FFFF0"><param name="menu" value="false"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="scale" value="noscale"><param name="salign" value="lt"><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFF0"><embed src="http://www.twitterfountain.nl/twitterfountain.swf?fv_event=Sherlock&fv_flickr=Sherlockian&fv_kleur=FFFF0" menu="false" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="lt" bgcolor="#DC1689" name="twitterfountain" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" align="middle" width="400" height="400"></embed></object></center><br /><br />This is also a good time to remind you: if you take photos at any Sherlockian events, please consider uploading them to Flickr and tagging them with "Sherlockian," to share them with other like-minded individuals. You might find that you'll connect with some interesting people that way.

"In a Flash We Caught a Glimpse" [RETI]

I recently shared a short video with you that described social media. As you may know, the essence behind social media is sharing informatio...

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by Scott Monty

"Nearly Passed Over a Little Ford" [LAST]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMEIyoDNFUPEDoPIYTo2YuD9l84AdKA23IvzyvgQeJygz5I9beMn2a4fHrA2y6k30rbyS-Kes7MbvTJpPv6pqVGX6iP-lhFP-RDAzTlAXGMRBji-YkSWPQsFmpEEL9Mop30HPB-rl8RVbg/s1600-h/ford-model-t.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205182839764648978" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMEIyoDNFUPEDoPIYTo2YuD9l84AdKA23IvzyvgQeJygz5I9beMn2a4fHrA2y6k30rbyS-Kes7MbvTJpPv6pqVGX6iP-lhFP-RDAzTlAXGMRBji-YkSWPQsFmpEEL9Mop30HPB-rl8RVbg/s200/ford-model-t.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>One of the reasons you've been hearing less from me in these parts is that my professional life has been keeping me very busy. For the last year or so, I've been working for a small start-up that specializes in social media - all of the fancy schmancy stuff you see here, like social networks, podcasts, blogs, etc. Think of it as new technology that makes communicating easier.<br /><br />After some very long and difficult days this year, I was feeling burned out. As fate would have it, I was approached by one of the most storied brands in America - and quite possibly the world. <a href="http://www.ford.com/">Ford Motor Company</a> asked me to become the head of social media in their Global Communications department.<br /><br />As you may know, there are some Sherlockian connections to Ford. There's the reference in the headline above, from "His Last Bow," where Von Bork's secretary is leaving the seaside cottage:<br /><blockquote>"The secretary lay back in the cushions of the luxurious limousine, with his thoughts so full of the impending European tragedy that he hardly observed that as his car swung round the village street it nearly passed over a little <span style="font-weight: bold;">Ford</span> coming in the opposite direction."<br /></blockquote>And if you've been to a society meeting or two, you may have heard "<a href="http://sniff.numachi.com/pages/tiAUNTCLAR;ttAUNTCLAR.html">We Never Mention Aunt Clara</a>." If so, you'll recall that Aunt Clara's sister drove in a second-hand Ford. Let's just say that the Ford I'll be driving will be anything but second-hand.<br /><br />Moving to Michigan is going to be an adventure, but I won't be leaving my Sherlockian pursuits behind. I know I'll be in good hands with the likes of the <a href="http://www.amateurmendicant.blogspot.com/">Amateur Mendicant Society</a> and the blog and podcast will continue.<br /><br />And if you'd like a quick run-through of what social media is all about, take a look at this:<br /><center><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MpIOClX1jPE&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MpIOClX1jPE&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></center><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo courtesy of </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewdunn/391930663/">Andrew Dunn</a>

"Nearly Passed Over a Little Ford" [LAST]

One of the reasons you've been hearing less from me in these parts is that my professional life has been keeping me very busy. For the l...

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by Scott Monty

The Annotated Dracula is Available for Pre-order

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "vampires in Transylvania" [SUSS]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamCQsYPJItwkMx5TvjHdU2TYYFuMEJMvM3DJu9yLzQ02EVrro5dB0GtGpeXceRIcVZVNIA-BC0RnHczhHX8Mzc_kwZMIk4N1F3uq00dzHbxeP0tnaIKsI-FL9a-qzbye32f9wbWqiURxK/s1600/IHOSE47.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamCQsYPJItwkMx5TvjHdU2TYYFuMEJMvM3DJu9yLzQ02EVrro5dB0GtGpeXceRIcVZVNIA-BC0RnHczhHX8Mzc_kwZMIk4N1F3uq00dzHbxeP0tnaIKsI-FL9a-qzbye32f9wbWqiURxK/s1600/IHOSE47.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> One of the most intriguing of the later Sherlock Holmes stories - those from the collections known as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1853260703/105-4993020-3918022?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=1853260703"><i>His Last Bow</i></a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1853260703/105-4993020-3918022?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=1853260703"><i>The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes</i></a> - has to be "The Sussex Vampire." The title alone arouses interest and imagination of a morbid gothic scene.<br /> <br /> Certainly vampires have been right up there in popularity with Sherlock Holmes, with plenty of movies, novels and popular culture that center on Dracula and the like. And when you consider that Bram Stoker was an acquaintance of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and that his novel was released in the spring of 1897 - in the midst of Doyle's hiatus from writing the Holmes stories - it fits right in with the time and place of our hero.<br /> <br /> If you have even the most passing interest in Dracula, then you'll be happy know know this news: Leslie Klinger, BSI ("The Abbey Grange") - probably most well-known for his three-volume series <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393059162/105-4993020-3918022?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0393059162" style="font-weight: bold;"><i>The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes</i></a> (which if you don't own, you should; just click the link) - just announced that his latest opus, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393064506/105-4993020-3918022?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0393064506" style="font-weight: bold;"><i>The Annotated Dracula</i></a>, is now available for preorder on Amazon.<br /> <br /> If you're familiar with Les's fine and thorough work in NASH, you'll know what to expect from his new book. Personally, I don't know enough about Dracula or vampires - just the usual stake-in-the-heart and garlic stuff - so this will be an interesting volume to peruse.<br /> <br /> Related posts:<br /> <br /> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2012/10/episode-47-re-vampires.html#.VPknwPnF8Xc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 47: Re: Vampires</a></li> </ul> <br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

The Annotated Dracula is Available for Pre-order

"vampires in Transylvania" [SUSS] One of the most intriguing of the later Sherlock Holmes stories - those from the collection...

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by Scott Monty

"Took Out His Manuscript" [MUSG]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_p3O53-a_TDZAloZhzd5oro64WP2lMhSXhwk6jXCrGFfbJ2iNMOpK89MzA1OtOLMQuihlXj91n_Dck8olE7vXL0MH1t4eaXwOxuU13ilt7xeqmtFR51HOo3CbtUwJG7pbdFXEvcZbCNk9/s1600-h/lady-02.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208994834352718914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_p3O53-a_TDZAloZhzd5oro64WP2lMhSXhwk6jXCrGFfbJ2iNMOpK89MzA1OtOLMQuihlXj91n_Dck8olE7vXL0MH1t4eaXwOxuU13ilt7xeqmtFR51HOo3CbtUwJG7pbdFXEvcZbCNk9/s200/lady-02.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Every once in a while, there's an item that puts Sherlockian collectors into a fervor. Whether or not the item is within everyone's reach, it creates an aura of excitement and anticipation, wondering what the market will bear. And it almost certainly ends in a battle at the auction house (maybe not as physically violent as the image on the left, but definitely an emotional one).<br /><br />The most recent item to undergo such scrutiny was an original 1887 <span style="font-style: italic;">Beeton's Christmas Annual</span> - famous for <span style="font-style: italic;">A Study in Scarlet</span>, the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes in print. A copy was found in a pile of books at an Oxfam shop in the U.K. and subsequently was put up for auction, eventually bringing in £18,600 (approx. US$36,500). You can read about <a href="http://members.aol.com/shbest/ref/bonhams-2008-beetons.htm">the entire backstory as well as the auction results here</a>.<br /><br />Now it seems that there's an original manuscript of one of the Holmes stories up for sale. The 28-page manuscript for "The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax" is expected to bring nearly £250,000 when it goes under the hammer, according to <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article4076103.ece?Submitted=true">an article in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Times</span></a>.<br /><br />I'm not so certain. The comparable sale they reference is the manuscript for <span style="font-style: italic;">The Sign of Four</span>, which sold for $470,000 (£243,000) at Sotheby's in New York in 1996. I would think that the novels - remember there are only four, and the MSS of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hound of the Baskervilles</span> was divided up for publicity purposes when the book went on sale - would command a higher premium than any of the 56 short stories. Then again, when collectors have a shot at a true rarity, sanity often times is checked at the door.<br /><br />For more information about original Doyle manuscripts - Sherlock Holmes-related and otherwise - the definitive resource is <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://members.aol.com/shbest/ref/rfms.htm">Randall Stock's web site</a>. There's a wealth of information available there.

"Took Out His Manuscript" [MUSG]

Every once in a while, there's an item that puts Sherlockian collectors into a fervor. Whether or not the item is within everyone's ...

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by Scott Monty

"Like a Little Empty Attic" [STUD]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeYcnN3jb35q0hvIbWJ1QEjLDhHyMMNkzSolR4Qz0UU7V7sgnqC0Ck3kmzqszoidKPX1hbc4CDOdbq2N80BFuog9DnOmPVrb_XwsxViqhEE78rzAD4A3lB7qGop0sbhgZp7Xb_8ZILRsf/s1600-h/card-01.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205480811710743602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeYcnN3jb35q0hvIbWJ1QEjLDhHyMMNkzSolR4Qz0UU7V7sgnqC0Ck3kmzqszoidKPX1hbc4CDOdbq2N80BFuog9DnOmPVrb_XwsxViqhEE78rzAD4A3lB7qGop0sbhgZp7Xb_8ZILRsf/s200/card-01.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>In A Study in Scarlet, Sherlock Holmes opined that he had no room for useless knowledge (in that particular case, it was the fact that the Earth revolves around the Sun). He remarked to Watson:<br /><blockquote>"You appear to be astonished," he said, smiling at my expression of surprise. "Now that I do know it I shall do my best to forget it."<br /><br />"To forget it!"<br /><br />"You see," he explained, "I consider that a man's brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things, so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it...It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones."</blockquote>We're all familiar with information overload (especially these days), but I wonder if this was the hubris of a younger Holmes speaking. Recent research shows that the older brain can actually process information much better than previously thought, and is better at filtering out distractions than a younger brain.<br /><br />From a recent <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/health/research/20brai.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&ref=science&pagewanted=print">New York Times article</a>:<br /><blockquote>Such tendencies can yield big advantages in the real world, where it is not always clear what information is important, or will become important. A seemingly irrelevant point or suggestion in a memo can take on new meaning if the original plan changes...<br />"A broad <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/test/mental-status-tests/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Mental status tests.">attention span</a> may enable older adults to ultimately know more about a situation and the indirect message of what’s going on than their younger peers," Dr. Hasher said. "We believe that this characteristic may play a significant role in why we think of older people as wiser."</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">What do you think? Does this match with your experience? Does Holmes's claim seem like juvenile boasting to his easily-astonished new friend? Would the older Holmes agree?</span>

"Like a Little Empty Attic" [STUD]

In A Study in Scarlet, Sherlock Holmes opined that he had no room for useless knowledge (in that particular case, it was the fact that the E...

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by Scott Monty

"We Shall Know a Good Deal" [SUSS]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8BPsDJ9M83OQGEUL7OUm69ciGv3KqgcWSK_xGh_-MrQPoa_GiLNlVu0vA7gfLIDQICobcCyEmWLc6xpTtpl9uzWowgGxxC5jXxWtu2qwuWeX2TQDKYgtDXbOdSVdhg_OQlrJp_Y1rc7Rw/s1600-h/Picture+2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205305053059056674" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8BPsDJ9M83OQGEUL7OUm69ciGv3KqgcWSK_xGh_-MrQPoa_GiLNlVu0vA7gfLIDQICobcCyEmWLc6xpTtpl9uzWowgGxxC5jXxWtu2qwuWeX2TQDKYgtDXbOdSVdhg_OQlrJp_Y1rc7Rw/s200/Picture+2.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>One of the benefits of the volunteer work that I do with the <a style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/">Baker Street Journal</a> (yes, the BSJ is primarily a volunteer-led enterprise; only our printing and distribution are handled by a professional firm) is that I get to interact with customers. What it means is that I correspond with hundreds of people via email throughout the year and that I get to greet nearly everyone who enters the vendors' room during the <a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/">BSI Weekend</a>.<br /><br />Occasionally I have to break bad news to people - that a shipment is delayed or that we've sold out of an item. And while I don't like disappointing anyone, I do like the little surprises that come with the territory. And have I got one such surprise for you.<br /><br />The Baker Street Irregulars have become a publishing powerhouse in recent years. The Journal is and will continue to be the mainstay, but when you think about the other complementary publications that have some along, it's pretty impressive:<br /><ul><li>Five volumes in our <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/bsihistoryseries.html">History Series</a><br /></li><li>Five volumes in the <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/bsimanuscriptseries.html">Manuscript Series</a><br /></li><li>Two volumes in the <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/bsiinternationalseries.html">International Series</a><br /></li><li>An <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/murderland.html">expedition publication</a> (with another to follow)</li><li>A <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/thequarteringpress.html">joint imprint</a> with the Sherlock Holmes Society of London<br /></li><li>10 years worth of <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/christmasannuals.html">Christmas Annuals</a></li></ul>And we've sold out of two of our hardcovers and 4 of our Christmas Annuals along the way. Not bad for a 300 member literary society!<br /><br />The good news is that I've opened new section of <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/">bakerstreetjournal.com</a> called <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/dealtable.html">Deal Table</a> where I offer specials on items from time to time. Items may include extra copies of items that were thought to have been sold out, or perhaps bundled titles that we need to move. Take a look for yourself from time to time to see what we've got. You might be able to "fill that gap on that second shelf."

"We Shall Know a Good Deal" [SUSS]

One of the benefits of the volunteer work that I do with the Baker Street Journal (yes, the BSJ is primarily a volunteer-led enterprise; on...

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by Scott Monty

"Put Into Plain Words" [HOUN]

When Burt Wolder and I started the podcast <span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere</a></span> - the first Sherlockian podcast - nearly a year ago, we were immediately faced with one daunting problem: how to explain to people what a podcast is. We tried to do so - but we made a mistake by using the medium itself to explain what it is.<br /><br />Well, eighteen episodes and nearly a year later, I think I have the solution. The very creative team over at <a href="http://www.commoncraft.com/">CommonCraft</a> are in the business of providing explanatory videos. They've done a particularly remarkable job with their "plain English" series, which you may have seen if you clicked on the "RSS in Plain English" link over in the sidebar.<br /><br />Their newest video is <span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://commoncraft.com/podcasting">Podcasting in Plain English</a></span>, which you can watch right here on the blog or by clicking on the link. Either way, this should help you to understand what we're doing over at <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere</a> and to hopefully subscribe to our free audio show.<br /><br /><center><object allowfullscreen="true" data="http://blip.tv/scripts/flash/showplayer.swf?enablejs=true&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fthecommoncraftshow%2Eblip%2Etv%2Frss&file=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Frss%2Fflash%2F850856%3Freferrer%3Dblip%2Etv%26source%3D1&showplayerpath=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Fscripts%2Fflash%2Fshowplayer%2Eswf" height="255" id="showplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://blip.tv/scripts/flash/showplayer.swf?enablejs=true&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fthecommoncraftshow%2Eblip%2Etv%2Frss&file=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Frss%2Fflash%2F850856%3Freferrer%3Dblip%2Etv%26source%3D1&showplayerpath=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Fscripts%2Fflash%2Fshowplayer%2Eswf"><param name="quality" value="best"><embed src="http://blip.tv/scripts/flash/showplayer.swf?enablejs=true&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fthecommoncraftshow%2Eblip%2Etv%2Frss&file=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Frss%2Fflash%2F850856%3Freferrer%3Dblip%2Etv%26source%3D1&showplayerpath=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Fscripts%2Fflash%2Fshowplayer%2Eswf" quality="best" name="showplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="255" width="400"></embed></object></center>

"Put Into Plain Words" [HOUN]

When Burt Wolder and I started the podcast I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere - the first Sherlockian podcast - nearly a year ago, we were immed...

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by Scott Monty

Remembering Will Elder

<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> "to humour your guilty elder" [PRIO]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9UjZAr7MU47Kbvjvfq-a5MIoBOgZPhJWRxIz0uCdFdd0ZTx_udCjN9KAPbNuZBOYP4rsBV-qDHP6we5bOoRwOkegRvN2Xpti9KTpp_cAN7Q7Z6RMQE6vpHEUNv_h6ax_RhfXRlL4l1IX/s1600/Will+Elder+Sherlock+Holmes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Will Elder Sherlock Holmes" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9UjZAr7MU47Kbvjvfq-a5MIoBOgZPhJWRxIz0uCdFdd0ZTx_udCjN9KAPbNuZBOYP4rsBV-qDHP6we5bOoRwOkegRvN2Xpti9KTpp_cAN7Q7Z6RMQE6vpHEUNv_h6ax_RhfXRlL4l1IX/s1600/Will+Elder+Sherlock+Holmes.jpg" title="Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson by Will Elder" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> Our updates have been sporadic at best lately (thanks to a demanding job) and the posts we've been able to write have been morbidly focused. Well, today we regret that we have to continue in that vein, but at least it's not announcing the death of another Irregular.<br /> <br /> Fans of the audio portion of <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere</a> will know that there are a number of artists who have done their fair share of Sherlockian illustrations. This was made the most clear in <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2007/12/episode-16-collectors-corner-jerry.html">our interview with Jerry Margolin</a> ("Hilton Cubitt"), who has made a serious hobby out of collecting original Sherlockian art. The artwork above is from Jerry's collection.<br /> <br /> As you listen to the interview, you'll hear that one of Jerry's heroes was <a href="http://www.willelder.net/" target="_blank">Will Elder</a>, one of the original MAD Magazine artists and the creator of Little Annie Fanny for Playboy. We us the past tense - "was" - because Will Elder passed away late last week. You can read a full profile of him on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Elder" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>. In the meantime, enjoy the Sherlockian images here by Elder.<br /> <br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghnWyk1SKVEqynKRu3YKDgqruyqVdvqx75eJ9vnTu4Bg72Km__U1asNzPYka2QDIkFD4RZ0-oaxkgUXGgWIhhLCZat2mfIFCWhM9ExwOubqoG6_Li8m9-pZh6R_PcRIH2ixCaUWiApR4EK/s1600/Watson+Annie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghnWyk1SKVEqynKRu3YKDgqruyqVdvqx75eJ9vnTu4Bg72Km__U1asNzPYka2QDIkFD4RZ0-oaxkgUXGgWIhhLCZat2mfIFCWhM9ExwOubqoG6_Li8m9-pZh6R_PcRIH2ixCaUWiApR4EK/s1600/Watson+Annie.jpg" width="372" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"By Jove, Holmes - what a remarkable disguise!"</td></tr> </tbody></table> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> --</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div> </div>

Remembering Will Elder

"to humour your guilty elder" [PRIO] Our updates have been sporadic at best lately (thanks to a demanding job) and the post...

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by Scott Monty

"In the New Almanac" [VALL]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbsoLgNpm_1qV7jrJ2azD9eqzjwpMKNOUVaXjUdSlzwpL2mvCk53CTAxQlenWyv54e4qjEVXRe4iwcgSy0tXJ2pXcUMIjs8bv7Q0yLsEbQ-oBqLnoFqLo0qkc8hnsKElvw2A624NQNzWA/s1600-h/veil-01.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198231504581546930" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbsoLgNpm_1qV7jrJ2azD9eqzjwpMKNOUVaXjUdSlzwpL2mvCk53CTAxQlenWyv54e4qjEVXRe4iwcgSy0tXJ2pXcUMIjs8bv7Q0yLsEbQ-oBqLnoFqLo0qkc8hnsKElvw2A624NQNzWA/s200/veil-01.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Peter Blau very kindly pointed out that Garrison Keillor mentioned The Baker Street Irregulars and Sherlockian societies in <a href="http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/programs/2008/05/05/#wednesday">a recent episode of The Writer's Almanac</a> on American Public Media. For those of you who don't have access to public radio or whose local markets don't pick it up, not to worry. Such shows typically have the audio available on the Interwebs.<br /><br />In this case, we've got <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.publicradio.org/tools/media/player/almanac/2008/05/07_wa">an audio link</a> to the 5-minute program from May 7, 2008 that you can access by <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.publicradio.org/tools/media/player/almanac/2008/05/07_wa">clicking here</a>. You'll need <a href="http://www.americanpublicmedia.us/help_audio.php">RealAudio</a> to listen. It's a free download and the software is free as well.<br /><br />The show notes are a little more extensive than Keillor's commentary (after all, he's only got 5 minutes). Here's what he had to say about the BSI and other societies:<br /><blockquote>Novelist Christopher Morley founded, in 1934, the Baker Street Irregulars to celebrate the work of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and today there are many groups of Sherlockians, including the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes, who developed in protest to the men-only Baker Street Irregulars. Both of those groups now admit members of both sexes. The London Sherlock Holmes Society, which began in its current incarnation in 1951, has an annual dinner and regular meetings, and produces a Sherlock Holmes Journal twice a year. There are also occasional mock trials, trivia challenges, pub nights, London walks, and cricket matches against the P.G. Wodehouse Society.</blockquote>I think Christopher Morley would be proud - not necessarily that his creation still lives on - but that he's noted as a novelist.

"In the New Almanac" [VALL]

Peter Blau very kindly pointed out that Garrison Keillor mentioned The Baker Street Irregulars and Sherlockian societies in a recent episode...

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by Scott Monty

"A Cry of 'Cooee!'" [BOSC]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BznSr3hPs4wQj5N7lPd17fGdhcShuAXC2Ui4MFW7gkFov4Sr1beExDdejgu35nDdJBvTGNbJqDWU48UuolQUWtWa3lyhrYSkM8z3N2zwpUdQEZohZOVsuzhbmCG5b0U3wfbVRbU9zY2g/s1600-h/bosc-03.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5197860148824232850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BznSr3hPs4wQj5N7lPd17fGdhcShuAXC2Ui4MFW7gkFov4Sr1beExDdejgu35nDdJBvTGNbJqDWU48UuolQUWtWa3lyhrYSkM8z3N2zwpUdQEZohZOVsuzhbmCG5b0U3wfbVRbU9zY2g/s200/bosc-03.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>It is once again with a heavy heart that I pick up my keyboard to write of another member of the Baker Street Irregulars passing beyond the Reichenbach. This time the Southern Hemisphere has lost one of its own with the death of Alan Olding ("Cooee!").<br /><br />Alan was the President of the Sherlock Holmes Society of Australia, and his membership extended to other Aussie societies, such as the Sherlock Holmes Society of Melbourne and the Sherlock Holmes Society of Western Australia. An active member of the Hounds of the Internet for quite some time, where his nom was "Holy Peters, of Adelaide, whose speciality is the beguiling of lonely ladies."<br /><br />According to his biography on his <a href="http://www.sh-whoswho.com/index.php?page=search&criteria=member&id=314">Sherlockian Who's Who</a> page,<br /><blockquote>Alan Olding migrated to Australia in 1951, after service in the British Army during WW2. He brought with him his new bride, Olive. They lived in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney, before setlling in the Adelaide Hills in 1970. Alan is a retired Insurance Executive. He was invested in the BSI in 1988 under the name "COOEE", and President for the Sherlock Holmes Society of Australia.<br /></blockquote>His loss is a great one for anyone who knew him.

"A Cry of 'Cooee!'" [BOSC]

It is once again with a heavy heart that I pick up my keyboard to write of another member of the Baker Street Irregulars passing beyond the ...

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by Scott Monty

"When the Stake is Best Worth Winning" [CHAS]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRkseKkn4MnuILv3sJ1sZp4NOwG9KU1Typns8YsNT3E_i-_swuu1GBmOFxPM3sIpAoU0RnL8Ut2gQ7_h-8E-OnEGeJCFxxcipXsbj39YkoNaj9j0JoSuFhIDPfeRCMT55Y1DYQ5N_AEy2/s1600-h/Edgar.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195841611391817026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRkseKkn4MnuILv3sJ1sZp4NOwG9KU1Typns8YsNT3E_i-_swuu1GBmOFxPM3sIpAoU0RnL8Ut2gQ7_h-8E-OnEGeJCFxxcipXsbj39YkoNaj9j0JoSuFhIDPfeRCMT55Y1DYQ5N_AEy2/s200/Edgar.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a><a href="http://www.mysterywriters.org/">The Mystery Writers of America</a> held their annual dinner in New York City last night to honor the <a href="http://theedgars.com/nominees.html">2008 Edgar Winners</a>. The field of Sherlockiana, while <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2007/01/your-merits-should-be-publicly.html">well represented in 2007</a>, only had a single entrant on this year's list of nominees.<br /><br />And evidently, that's all that was needed, for the winner of the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Best Critical/Biographical</span> category was none other than <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594201358?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=1594201358"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters</span></a> by Charles Foley, Jon Lellenberg and Daniel Stashower. Congratulations, gentlemen!<br /><br />Check out this link to see what <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2007/11/let-me-recommend-this-book-sign.html">I originally wrote about the book last November</a>, which includes a link to the interview that Burt Wolder & I conducted with Dan & Jon - one of our most popular episodes on our audio program <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere</a>.<br /><br />If you haven't picked up a copy of the book yet, I strongly recommend that you <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594201358?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=211189&creativeASIN=1594201358&link_code=as3&creative=373489">get over to Amazon</a> and grab yourself a copy. It's a worthy asset to any Sherlockian or Doylean library.

"When the Stake is Best Worth Winning" [CHAS]

The Mystery Writers of America held their annual dinner in New York City last night to honor the 2008 Edgar Winners . The field of Sherlock...

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by Scott Monty

"The Principal Difficulty in Your Case" [NAVA]

I was just informed that another Irregular has passed beyond the Reichenbach. Earlier this week, David Galerstein, BSI ("Bert Stevens") passed away. A former principal and member of the New York City Board of Education, he was always interested in educating those around him.<br /><br />I remember meeting Dave for the first time at one of my early meetings of the Men on the Tor at Gillette Castle. He was more than happy to spend time with a young and relatively uninitiated Sherlockian. He suggested that I follow up some of my Canonical reading with other related stories, such as <a style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/184637829X/105-4993020-3918022?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=184637829X">Houseboat on the Styx</a> by John Kendrick Bangs. As he slowed down in recent years, he still kept his keen and innate curiosity about him and was able to faithfully attend the BSI weekends.<br /><br />From Ben & Sue Vizoskie, of the Three Garridebs - one of the many scions that Dave belonged to - comes this writeup:<br /><blockquote>We were saddened to hear this morning that David Galerstein, a long-time Sherlockian and member of the Three Garridebs, died on April 29th. Dave was very active in the New York area and belonged to many scions, including the Long Island Cave Dwellers, Mrs. Hudson's Cliffdwellers, the Montague Street Lodgers of Brooklyn, the Priory Scholars of Manhattan, the Retired Colourmen and the Epilogues of Sherlock Holmes. <br /><br />He was invested in the Baker Street Irregulars in 1972 as "Bert Stevens." <br /><br />Dave was a frequent contributor to The Baker Street Journal and to Prescott's Press. In 1990, he and Marlene Aig co-edited A Singular Set of People; and in 2002, he compiled and Caroline Bryan edited A Singular Sense of Humor: A Compilation of Stuff and Nonsense by and for Sherlockians.<br /><br />He is survived by his wife Roz and their children. According to the death notice in today's New York Times, memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association. </blockquote><br />You can read his <a href="http://www.legacy.com/NYTimes/DeathNotices.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=108724832">death notice in the <span style="font-style: italic;">New York Times</span></a>.

"The Principal Difficulty in Your Case" [NAVA]

I was just informed that another Irregular has passed beyond the Reichenbach. Earlier this week, David Galerstein, BSI ("Bert Stevens...

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by Scott Monty

"Nummos Contemplor in Arca" [STUD]

On the front page of YouTube this morning, I came across a video that caught my eye - particularly because of its title: "Sherlockbot and the Case of the Purloined Piggybank." <br /><br />I was reminded of the quote at the conclusion of A Study in Scarlet:<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"Populus me sibilat, at mihi plaudo Ipse domi simul ac nummos contemplor in arca."</span><br /><br />Rough translation: "The public hiss at me, but I cheer myself when in my own house I contemplate the coins in my strong-box."<br /><br />The video is embedded here for your enjoyment.<br /><br /><center><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7Xp-DL6t4G4&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7Xp-DL6t4G4&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></center>

"Nummos Contemplor in Arca" [STUD]

On the front page of YouTube this morning, I came across a video that caught my eye - particularly because of its title: "Sherlockbot a...

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by Scott Monty

Peter Cushing Was an Accomplished Painter

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "you say he was painting" [RETI]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2bxbs_e-BBsTvQ0CFpnCdCBZ4H0jzjzU9pfZ83BbnANMx2kL6NlJijeMFReXYBfhEf75vdCdyM0FqysGUJD4bV4A4W0ims-tYq-1nkN9kYkSzY_H7aaSPN-fNy1NSwL4_-jyyVxauGVN/s1600/Peter+Cushing+calendar+painting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Peter Cushing painting for Pilgrim's Hospice Calendar (February)" border="0" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2bxbs_e-BBsTvQ0CFpnCdCBZ4H0jzjzU9pfZ83BbnANMx2kL6NlJijeMFReXYBfhEf75vdCdyM0FqysGUJD4bV4A4W0ims-tYq-1nkN9kYkSzY_H7aaSPN-fNy1NSwL4_-jyyVxauGVN/s1600/Peter+Cushing+calendar+painting.jpg" title="Peter Cushing painting" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> Peter Cushing, who portrayed Sherlock Holmes on the big and small screens, was best known for his acting abilities. Indeed, a certain generation probably grew up knowing him best as Grand Moff Tarkin in the original Star Wars movie. But to those who knew the man more intimately or who followed his off-stage persona, he was also a talented watercolor artist.<br /> <br /> Earlier this week, <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/kent/7303237.stm">25 lots of his paintings were auctioned off in Kent</a>. You may know that <a href="http://www.pilgrimshospice.org/">Pilgrims Hospice</a> in Kent, where Cushing died, had been selling calendars featuring his watercolors. Thirteen of those paintings were included in the auction, which raised £25,000.<br /> <br /> We don't know if the calendars are still available. You might try getting in touch with Pilgrims at:<br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> Fundraising Office<br />Hythe Road, Willesborough, Ashford TN24 0NE<br />For general fundraising enquiries please telephone +44 01233 504102 or 504111<br /><span class="body"> Fax number +44 01233 504136</span><span class="body"> or email </span><a href="https://mail.google.com/mail?view=cm&tf=0&ui=1&to=Susan_booth@pilgrimshospice.org" target="_blank">Susan Booth at Pilgrims Hospice in Ashford</a></blockquote> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <br /> In the meantime, here are some scans of the artwork, courtesy of <a href="http://hammerandbeyond.blogspot.com/2007/12/peter-cushing-calendar.html">Hammer & Beyond</a>.<br /> <br /></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9tUdPHppk5L8IMlQyBZItGWsQGf3B-9pJ2RniAdSbIOWpjQSLEx2-yaBInKMDfKD92x-pXosETBQMZScSQgye3-XhHxEYZL-gJIcaBDYQZI-DitNsjFA7bBKZS4S050eZ-SbJzPRbz3wX/s1600-h/january.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179479574417145794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9tUdPHppk5L8IMlQyBZItGWsQGf3B-9pJ2RniAdSbIOWpjQSLEx2-yaBInKMDfKD92x-pXosETBQMZScSQgye3-XhHxEYZL-gJIcaBDYQZI-DitNsjFA7bBKZS4S050eZ-SbJzPRbz3wX/s200/january.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLouWd9EbZpgz4F5YFtDG6qrZ8-CPT0MuihB40dNDFpGKbggmOMu1oy0rMGWQGD0Zuy9bO0vHolXO2QOihQnE2aa-ZknycFIPjofTkpy5qefLIbkCsfDi65jWgRAAlfyK06C3cfWs6rdQZ/s1600-h/february.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179482082678046850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLouWd9EbZpgz4F5YFtDG6qrZ8-CPT0MuihB40dNDFpGKbggmOMu1oy0rMGWQGD0Zuy9bO0vHolXO2QOihQnE2aa-ZknycFIPjofTkpy5qefLIbkCsfDi65jWgRAAlfyK06C3cfWs6rdQZ/s200/february.jpg" /></a> <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYzNTdxt5-LMe9hs2FwPAhR0qv4gFs2xY4pQ56IKzudbRKLSCizIpBctVwtN8dzw2XnzWGRKaHCzFfVPnIE3rO4-8CP8qOcT5Tosg8eTfSj_9ss9FjIxwHwLoriY6V_jsVyBKC8HHV45v/s1600-h/march.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179479583007080418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYzNTdxt5-LMe9hs2FwPAhR0qv4gFs2xY4pQ56IKzudbRKLSCizIpBctVwtN8dzw2XnzWGRKaHCzFfVPnIE3rO4-8CP8qOcT5Tosg8eTfSj_9ss9FjIxwHwLoriY6V_jsVyBKC8HHV45v/s200/march.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGk1-rN-FSfdR7NlJcTkkr7lhA4ciJ1YRNEAFgyeaVFHnLtge_tTHmmwy8YiM4ams5Kk5mftQe2WpQNQuWm5qkR5kTqEV8l9UIljYjh11FcHp8io01wh_-qLTAaz6mGulXhQd30uIni3-j/s1600-h/april.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179482086973014162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGk1-rN-FSfdR7NlJcTkkr7lhA4ciJ1YRNEAFgyeaVFHnLtge_tTHmmwy8YiM4ams5Kk5mftQe2WpQNQuWm5qkR5kTqEV8l9UIljYjh11FcHp8io01wh_-qLTAaz6mGulXhQd30uIni3-j/s200/april.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a> <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFypgx0K3LwfT8C1QF5Zw5IEF8X5poGpxySfjG9io77S_GFznRtQTKhkKuKxWyBx27mm3ppBdMb8XB6HxY-I8LiDnLuRuxOXeSZpkdyY4CCKimiWtg0-ZqZM7kLMplA6T0rKRzQFfu4we/s1600-h/may.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179479591597015042" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFypgx0K3LwfT8C1QF5Zw5IEF8X5poGpxySfjG9io77S_GFznRtQTKhkKuKxWyBx27mm3ppBdMb8XB6HxY-I8LiDnLuRuxOXeSZpkdyY4CCKimiWtg0-ZqZM7kLMplA6T0rKRzQFfu4we/s200/may.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidGHfWFR0o0SDF2FwGfP502dXyjGI44nyVUx38omP50cMHlP_TbVgqamqpxurAPZ7BvYBbTbphn_iY3KfUYg57zOy6D8cnIUERzckq-51bvYJM8NkhedFaJMVuvQh8BXLTjX8dWZqWAnx_/s1600-h/june.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179480201482371090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidGHfWFR0o0SDF2FwGfP502dXyjGI44nyVUx38omP50cMHlP_TbVgqamqpxurAPZ7BvYBbTbphn_iY3KfUYg57zOy6D8cnIUERzckq-51bvYJM8NkhedFaJMVuvQh8BXLTjX8dWZqWAnx_/s200/june.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /> <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIgx9B6knj2bGZ4DEfVgiB7mcFLlNRj7k3aWlkChodOhrD35nzsepNGHuOc9sBQswnN1pPQas6KewzHmYdmOlUPTiJGJ34Fe9BqC-a7hjGlyESTwaIQPBGz5owU8dEUhpKqHxMjHI_X0i/s1600-h/july.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179480205777338402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIgx9B6knj2bGZ4DEfVgiB7mcFLlNRj7k3aWlkChodOhrD35nzsepNGHuOc9sBQswnN1pPQas6KewzHmYdmOlUPTiJGJ34Fe9BqC-a7hjGlyESTwaIQPBGz5owU8dEUhpKqHxMjHI_X0i/s200/july.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a> <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179480205777338418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSg573Dhvw1SioTTQ8WAPd11ykkGSbnzWpV05a5o_xvZH456lTgLlhKhxAt6ZVPa8h5z2LGXx8rOZ8D-0E8go3wryMEgM-p0d8lhI9Wa3JnxbemmeF1mBjQVAP4Uv0JbjgN9-3D8eWpGz/s200/august.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /> <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-MWosFOTOlCH85thBndzarCKAzMW_fTx83FI02rx6NYOmyHbE2_rc4BtGRlDi4I0PhPyqgabXFfL1IjMMk0oEnPc-tUw226Yl6jzNqY1GfnX8W1bE3kTEOzCdlzrO5YFvetwXBYgCQ4Y/s1600-h/september.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179480210072305730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-MWosFOTOlCH85thBndzarCKAzMW_fTx83FI02rx6NYOmyHbE2_rc4BtGRlDi4I0PhPyqgabXFfL1IjMMk0oEnPc-tUw226Yl6jzNqY1GfnX8W1bE3kTEOzCdlzrO5YFvetwXBYgCQ4Y/s200/september.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a> <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179480841432498258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhv8ULPhttJ_sPqTHWY6LaOO4N60IAgztSmGi61S7hh-QJtoWJGMQnc5gqRnMNliS-ovnNdryHsEaFK0VPjSAR8edsplAwZqNwyZwg-bqF44JSzBJwSK7GFCgWQr_L_8yhv0Qv6YohTtIz/s200/october.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /> <br /> <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179480850022432866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDpJHSNbG1IXi4ilbQOjsC5TTGXV4HIjYEdRh-kj-mUGg46mBcSdpzY7FP93GwrPQsoL-u8T5S6kQs0o11HRqp5q-IE69Rkvcsk4KCkhFyAhxx84gZtmXGQL1IQsEmjP9LedEbSE4QxEf/s200/november.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /> <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179480854317400178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-17CVoF4cMqnC4ndFZvzJjlpEIx5fxlpntR5TauGx5TivboVjlmHaaGHwCMwkkkx2N9xkX_m50XDbitJhHFnhAz73udh4b-2jbRZGn7gfDCZ-ChoB11xMnCxUAY7-TDNhypuaZYZN9BN/s200/december.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /><br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> --</div> <br /></div>

Peter Cushing Was an Accomplished Painter

"you say he was painting" [RETI] Peter Cushing, who portrayed Sherlock Holmes on the big and small screens, was best known fo...

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by Scott Monty

"I Should Hope to Inspire" [VALL]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioBPb0HabKqIiYYEAyAIVV0OZTRxeDOT-UUUdasa1rGvAHxV5wxiOAnBho2S5vQNIyRKZib0BqIw8tyjb05r8H7cd98hwWJZLcS7rIl3ybO965rDgdbqS1w0rg8-lHSABwTOQ5_85GETip/s1600-h/solsho_01.jpeg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5178573538181152674" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioBPb0HabKqIiYYEAyAIVV0OZTRxeDOT-UUUdasa1rGvAHxV5wxiOAnBho2S5vQNIyRKZib0BqIw8tyjb05r8H7cd98hwWJZLcS7rIl3ybO965rDgdbqS1w0rg8-lHSABwTOQ5_85GETip/s200/solsho_01.jpeg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Fellow Irregular Peter Calamai ("The <span style="font-style: italic;">Leeds Mercury</span>") is a science journalist in Canada and always looks for a way to incorporate Sherlock Holmes into his work. You may recall that Peter's review of E.J. Wagner's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470128232?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0470128232">The Science of Sherlock Holmes</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0470128232" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> was <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2006/07/press-watson-is-most-valuable.html">mentioned in these pages</a> a while ago.<br /><br />In the current issue <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/">COSMOS Magazine</a>, Peter takes on the origins of forensic science in <a href="http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/node/1890">The Real Sherlock Holmes</a>. He describes how Holmes took many widely-used techniques which were common for other purposes - autopsies, footprint identification, chemical analysis, etc. - and he strung them together to create the beginnings of forensics as we know it today. One of the interview subjects mentioned that while certain techniques may have existed, it was Holmes who popularized them.<br /><br />While we all know about Prof. Joseph Bell as one of the influences behind Sherlock Holmes, Peter makes an interesting supposition as to some other academic role models that Doyle may have drawn upon as well. <a href="http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/node/1890">Take a look</a> at his article and see what you think.<br /><br />And if you're really interested in Sherlock Holmes and forensic science, you might take a look at some of these books:<br /><br /><center><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thebakerstree-20&o=1&p=13&l=st1&mode=books&search=sherlock%20holmes%20forensic&fc1=000000&lt1=&lc1=3366FF&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" border="0" style="border: medium none ;" frameborder="0" height="60" scrolling="no" width="468"></iframe></center>

"I Should Hope to Inspire" [VALL]

Fellow Irregular Peter Calamai ("The Leeds Mercury ") is a science journalist in Canada and always looks for a way to incorporate ...

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by Scott Monty

Episode 18: The Sons of the Copper Beeches

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMmK39_CIfzGInXsEBU1xcEJyqxk4kgPo5jppQYJh2OrVaDctLPFGLhU4DzLE2JXIsg-HcLsX23Fdfs5KMhy-3OyilYtKPK1mE1jvOPJCfmfgo2fhio1Ah5MllSTFFXvYYpyWZeNwuOqa/s1600-h/Copper_beech_logo.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5177806130604572562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMmK39_CIfzGInXsEBU1xcEJyqxk4kgPo5jppQYJh2OrVaDctLPFGLhU4DzLE2JXIsg-HcLsX23Fdfs5KMhy-3OyilYtKPK1mE1jvOPJCfmfgo2fhio1Ah5MllSTFFXvYYpyWZeNwuOqa/s200/Copper_beech_logo.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a>A visit to a venerable scion society, the Sons of the Copper Beeches, in October 2007. Headmastiff Gideon Hill describes the group's history, assisted by Scott Bond, who then offers remarks about his 25 years as the Baker Street Journal's cartoonist. We close with an Editor's Gas Lamp from July, 1959 featuring Edgar Smith's thoughts "On the Forms of Address."<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Show Notes:</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">1:30</span> The Great Interruption<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">6:20</span> En route to the SOCB<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">7:40</span> Meeting Gideon Hill<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">9:00</span> Gideon's history of the SOCB<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">11:10</span> Encountering Peter Blau<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">12:35</span> Scott Bond recalls the SOCB in the 1970's<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">14:45</span> Making friends at scion society meetings<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">17:35</span> Introducing Scott Bond's remarks<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">18:50</span> The Lament of the Sherlockian Cartoonist<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">23:15</span> Carl Barks and Walt Disney<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">30:30</span> A cartoon a month<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">31:00</span> How it all comes together<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">35:30</span> Camouflage in Japan<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">41:15</span> Scott's production process<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">46:00</span> Editor's Gas Lamp from the <span style="font-style: italic;">Baker Street Journal</span> Volume 9, No. 3, July 1959: "On the Forms of Address"<br /> <br /> <b>Listen now</b>:<br /> <center> <iframe allowfullscreen="" height="90" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/1115014/height/90/theme/custom/autoplay/no/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/backward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/d07507/" style="border: none;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="100%"></iframe></center> <br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span><br /> <a href="http://sonsofthecopperbeeches.homestead.com/">The Sons of the Copper Beeches</a><br /> <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/">The Baker Street Journal</a><br /> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Morley">Christopher Morley</a> on Wikipedia<br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock018.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: 48.7 MB, 51:06)<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

Episode 18: The Sons of the Copper Beeches

A visit to a venerable scion society, the Sons of the Copper Beeches, in October 2007. Headmastiff Gideon Hill describes the group's hi...

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by Scott Monty

The Adventure of the At-Home Worker

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <h4 style="text-align: center;"> "a hard worker" [BRUC]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4j5uEV7eTK-BU30KR9CnaqjZ7IDJUDId8pnP7U2G2FFZXtF8KUtD6aFONvWq4Ay28a59dc2LbgU4SFYsjeU8ydXnCve3muSF4mJuCpiMljx-QtguOQKP1OOMWlu1WidPiUVcCMDIDZqiS/s1600/At+Home+Worker.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4j5uEV7eTK-BU30KR9CnaqjZ7IDJUDId8pnP7U2G2FFZXtF8KUtD6aFONvWq4Ay28a59dc2LbgU4SFYsjeU8ydXnCve3muSF4mJuCpiMljx-QtguOQKP1OOMWlu1WidPiUVcCMDIDZqiS/s640/At+Home+Worker.PNG" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> It's been a while, my faithful readers. But seeing that today is 2/21 (221, get it?), I thought I owed you a post. This not-so-great hiatus of the last month was precipitated by an inordinate amount of work; when I say I was working 20-hour days for the last 4 weeks, it's no exaggeration.<br /> <br /> As you may know, there's a lot of hard work that goes into this blog and into my <a href="http://ihearofsherlock.com/">podcast</a>. And working for a startup keeps me extraordinarily busy as well. Add to that my family life, and...well, you get the idea. Anyway, I thought that now it might be appropriate to share a little bit of my daily life with you here.<br /> <br /> A fellow new media expert, <a href="http://lenedgerlydotcom.blogspot.com/">Len Edgerly</a>, came to my house in the fall to interview me for his video podcast <a href="http://lenchronicles.blogspot.com/">Video Pod Chronicles</a>. He interviewed me and my family about the benefits and challenges of working at home and gave plenty of airtime to Sherlock Holmes, even going so far as to title this episode <a href="http://lenchronicles.blogspot.com/2007/11/36-scott-monty-adventure-of-at-home.html">The Adventure of the At-Home Worker</a> and scoring the video with one of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000034CYW?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B000034CYW">Mendelssohn's <span style="font-style: italic;">Lieder</span> (aka Songs Without Words)</a>.<br /> <br /> You can view Len's fine work by clicking on the embedded <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsWo5_8JNTQ" target="_blank">video</a> below.<br /> <br /> <center> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jsWo5_8JNTQ?rel=0" width="640"></iframe></center> <br /> <br /> If you liked the music you heard, you might check out Murray Perahia's album that contains works from J.S. Bach, Mendelssohn and Liszt. I highly recommend it for some quiet, relaxing times.<br /> <br /> <br /> <center> <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=B000034CYW&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr&nou=1" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></center> <center> </center> <div align="left"> And I hope to get back on my regular schedule with you shortly.<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br /></div> <div align="left"> </div> </div>

The Adventure of the At-Home Worker

"a hard worker" [BRUC] It's been a while, my faithful readers. But seeing that today is 2/21 (221, get it?), I thought I...

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by Scott Monty

"All the Footprints of the World" [HOUN]

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUltv3_SFqJ_R_2KGOpCFXIcTmPSBZVAa8-c-2mQtrkyGa6uZusjUOOohWy00avjaKW1ttwrpETMN4VVH1p9stMYi7uoCq7moUJq2nHKp1Wi024tTNlXgVTOFMB-x9DgDj_f-5QCS_hDpE/s1600-h/Sicar6.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154765138305767586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUltv3_SFqJ_R_2KGOpCFXIcTmPSBZVAa8-c-2mQtrkyGa6uZusjUOOohWy00avjaKW1ttwrpETMN4VVH1p9stMYi7uoCq7moUJq2nHKp1Wi024tTNlXgVTOFMB-x9DgDj_f-5QCS_hDpE/s640/Sicar6.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" width="640" /></a><br /> <blockquote> </blockquote> <blockquote> "There is no branch of detective science that is so important and so much neglected as the art of tracing footsteps," Holmes remarked in <i>A Study in Scarlet</i></blockquote> <br /> In this case, the the art is being taken to a science and the world's police - forces in 128 countries, to be exact - are <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/in-sherlocks-footprints/2008/01/12/1199988648056.html">teaming up to develop a comprehensive database of footprints</a>.<a href="http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/in-sherlocks-footprints/2008/01/12/1199988648056.html"><br /></a><br /> <a href="http://www.fosterfreeman.com/index.html">Foster + Freeman</a>, a forensic science company has developed a proprietary software called <a href="http://www.fosterfreeman.com/products/shoeprints/sicar/sicar.html">SICAR </a>that essentially is a version of Sherlock Holmes's brain on steroids. The software studies the patterns, treads and shapes on shoe soles and adds them to the database of over 15,000 prints. When an image is searched, the process of scanning the database for a match takes only 1-2 minutes.<br /> <br /> It's still amazing to think that Holmes to retain so much of this in his own brain without the aid of a computer - 140 varieties of cigar ash, 42 different impressions of bicycle tires, etc. While 15,000 prints would be impossible for any human to remember, it's encouraging to know that Holmes was the original crime computer and the inspiration for much more today.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/in-sherlocks-footprints/2008/01/12/1199988648056.html"><br /></a>

"All the Footprints of the World" [HOUN]

"There is no branch of detective science that is so important and so much neglected as the art of tracing footsteps," Holmes r...

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by Scott Monty

"To Whom Also You Will Give a Shilling" [HOUN]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_0_1Atw7BP0vVAWXiABpLMTsiL0xV-jz-K-YF2aJTvCEN8AnBgXBdpnk3LdFJooeXOSDQGo5Ji_GyBjPK517R0tt0dpycPFGHez4jH0m7ZfSlHlOCWxSvwxiI-R8eYCuURGkBN79nnUc/s1600-h/BSI+Rosette.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264144173950728322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_0_1Atw7BP0vVAWXiABpLMTsiL0xV-jz-K-YF2aJTvCEN8AnBgXBdpnk3LdFJooeXOSDQGo5Ji_GyBjPK517R0tt0dpycPFGHez4jH0m7ZfSlHlOCWxSvwxiI-R8eYCuURGkBN79nnUc/s200/BSI+Rosette.png" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 93px; height: 92px;" /></a>As you may have seen in the <a href="http://twitter.com/S_Holmes">Twitter stream</a> (the section on the right titled <span style="font-weight: bold;">"Holmes Was a Very Busy Man"</span>), the coveted Baker Street Irregulars investitures were awarded tonight at the BSI Dinner. Mike Whelan <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search?q=whelan">states that it's his favorite part of the dinner</a> - and I can certainly believe him. Much joy was given, much joy was received.<br /><br />While the dinner is about much more than the investitures, it's clearly the thing on everyone's mind at the dinner. Having been someone who attended a number of dinners before I was called up to the podium, I can honestly say that the old Oscars cliche "it's an honor just to be nominated" does in fact ring true. I hope that this year's attendees feel the same.<br /><br />In the order they were announced, here are the latest Baker Street Irregulars:<br /><ul><li>Betsy Rosenblatt, "Lucy Ferrier"<br /></li><li>Dana Richards, "The Priory School"<br /></li><li>David Morrill, "Count von Kramm"<br /></li><li>Barbara Roisman Cooper, "Mary Maberley"<br /></li><li>Randall Stock, "South African Securities"</li><li>John Genova, "Harry Pinner"<br /></li><li>Guy Marriott, "The Hotel du Louvre"<br /></li></ul>And this year, Mike gave the coveted Two-Shilling Award to a Baker Street Irregular who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in service to the BSI. The Two-Shilling Award went to:<br /><ul><li>Sherry Rose Bond<br /></li></ul><br />I'm particularly pleased because the new class skewed significantly younger. I can point to John, Randall and Betsy as 30-somethings who are now part of this august organization - a sign that we're beginning to set the stage for the next generation, but we've still got a ways to go. Congratulations to one and all!<br /><br />Fair warning to the new BSIs: I'll be hunting you down to ensure you subscribe to <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/">The Baker Street Journal</a>. And to my dear readers: you <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/subscriptions.html">subscribe</a> to the BSJ, don't you?

"To Whom Also You Will Give a Shilling" [HOUN]

As you may have seen in the Twitter stream (the section on the right titled "Holmes Was a Very Busy Man" ), the coveted Baker Str...

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by Scott Monty