Monthly Archives: January 2014

Sherlock Holmes Fan Fiction

Posted on January 29, 2014 by Roger Walck

A recent issue of The New Yorker reviewed the BBC’s production of Sherlock that follows Downton Abby on Sunday evenings.  (At least briefly.  Apparently, there are only three episodes per season.  And. despite being on Masterpiece Mystery!, it is not … Continue reading →

Posted in Popular culture | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Pigeons, Pigeons, and Then They Were Gone

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Roger Walck

“The Birds,” by Jonathan Rossen, The New Yorker, 1/6/2014.  A book review of A Feathered River Across the Sky: The Passenger Pigeon’s Flight To Extinction, by Joel Greenberg. So passenger pigeons went extinct.  Who cares about flying rats?  Gutter diners?  … Continue reading →

Posted in History | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Genealogical Asterisks

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Roger Walck

Growing up in East Lansdowne, my sister and I were often cared for by our great aunt, a spinster who lived just around the corner with my grandparents.  She was the one who was always our babysitter, who gave us … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

I’m My Own Grandpa

Posted on January 19, 2014 by Roger Walck

The discussion about designating cousins in the last blog reminded me of a song popular in the late 1940s, at least popular with one uncle at one family gathering I remember.  It was called “I’m My Own Grandpa,” and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Designating Cousins

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Roger Walck

The terms used to designate cousins—2nd cousins, 3rd cousins, once removed, twice removed, etc.—are totally baffling to most people, and with good reason.  Generations ago, people stayed put, and half the town would have been related somehow.   It made … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Jean Shepherd on Plant Intelligence

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Roger Walck

Speaking of plant intelligence (see previous posting) Jean Shepherd once repeated on his radio program this fictional story he had read relating to plant intelligence: A man had built an electrical device that converted high frequency sounds to something within … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

I’m Speaking to You, Plant

Posted on January 12, 2014 by Roger Walck

“The Intelligent Plant,” by Michael Pollan, The New Yorker, 12/23/2013 Back in the 1970s, normally rational people talked softly to their plants and played classical music for them.  A best-selling book, “The Secret Life of Plants” by Peter Tompkins had … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Popular culture | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Flatland, by Edwin Abbott Abbott

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Roger Walck

Toward the end of the 19th Century, physicists introduced the concept of a fourth spatial dimension (4D)  to the general population.   Try as you might, you cannot imagine what a 4D world would be like, but you can still make … Continue reading →

Posted in Writers and Writing | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Pop Italian Songs of 1954

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Roger Walck

I was listening on my new Nexus 7 the top songs of 1954 that I had recorded in 2005 from the University of Delaware’s Saturday morning radio programming (WVUD, Boptime with Even Steven).  Even back in 1954, I was puzzled … Continue reading →

Posted in Popular culture | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Chatterbox For Sale

Posted on January 4, 2014 by Roger Walck

Thanks to Nancy Musser for passing along an article from The Press of Atlantic City that says Ocean City’s iconic, pink Chatterbox restaurant is up for sale. Marie Repici, its 82-year-old owner, understandably has had enough.  Its estimated value is … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment