Grumps can suck it, it's Friday!

[bigbill]

I'm geeking out on history all week in Pittsburgh. I am completing a master's thesis that focuses on western PA 1750-1774 and I'm doing my research at the Heinz History Center. Today I was studying The History of Pennsylvania Vol 2, compiled during the Revolutionary War and published in the 1780s. The actual book, over 240 years old. My research fellowship mostly paid for this trip. I also applied for a program through the Wilson Center to study the Cold War and prepare papers. If I get that fellowship, I'll travel to Budapest next May to use an Open Source archive of the Cold War, but from an Eastern Bloc point of view. This is so much better than being an engineer.

[j44ke]

I'm geeking out on history all week in Pittsburgh. I am completing a master's thesis that focuses on western PA 1750-1774 and I'm doing my research at the Heinz History Center. Today I was studying The History of Pennsylvania Vol 2, compiled during the Revolutionary War and published in the 1780s. The actual book, over 240 years old. My research fellowship mostly paid for this trip. I also applied for a program through the Wilson Center to study the Cold War and prepare papers. If I get that fellowship, I'll travel to Budapest next May to use an Open Source archive of the Cold War, but from an Eastern Bloc point of view. This is so much better than being an engineer.

Look up Aketown PA and Jacob Ake.

[rwsaunders]

Before the region’s historical records were relocated to the Heinz History Center in the late 90’s, they were housed at the Western Pennsylvania Historical Society’s building, which was adjacent to the University of Pittsburgh campus. It reminded me of a CIA safe house, in that you rarely saw activity outside of the building but when you did, you could tell that it was a different crowd..at least to this college student. Bill, take an 10-15 minute Uber over to the Pitt and Carnegie Mellon campuses if you have time, as the original Carnegie Museum of Natural History and the Carnegie Library are located between the campuses and being a history buff, the buildings are both circa 1895 and bustling with activity. There’s also a great cafe in the Carnegie Museum of Art lobby (in the same complex). My other favorite museum here beside the Andy Warhol Museum is the Clemente Museum…you’re another 10 minutes away from there, as it’s in the Lawrenceville neighborhood…lots of good restaurants and microbreweries. Little known fact…Roberto was a Marine too.

https://historicpittsburgh.org/islan...5.B003.F17.I01

https://carnegiemnh.org/explore/museum-history/

https://www.carnegielibrary.org/abou...of-pittsburgh/

https://clementemuseum.com/

[rwsaunders]

My Mother-in-Law Dot, turns 99 on 16 September and we're having a party in her honor on Sunday. To place things in perspective, she’s been through events ranging from the Great Depression, WWII, the development of computers, a few other past and ongoing wars, space flight, Covid, 17 Presidents…unreal.

[bigbill]

I wrapped up my week in Pittsburgh. I fly home in the morning. On Tuesday, I walked down to the Strip District and had a sandwich and IC Lite at Primanti Brothers. Wednesday, I walked to Fort Duquesne and had some NY style pizza at Giovanni's for dinner. It was a 10K step day, so I felt good about the pizza. Thursday evening, I walked back to the Strip District and had a Iron Born Detroit style heirloom tomato pizza. I could only eat half (3 of 6 slices). Today, I walked across the Warhol Bridge and back across the Rachel Carlson Bridge, just to get out for a while. I had the other 3 pieces of pizza for dinner.

Most of the other things I could have seen have the same hours as the archives, 10 am to 5 pm, and my focus was on research. I found 14 new sources and did all the bibliography entries with notes and page numbers so I can cite them in my thesis. I took a break and viewed the Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood exhibit.

[72gmc]

I’m a fan of 10k-step days in cities that are new to me. And Detroit style pizza. I don’t know why rectangular pizza is fun, but it is.

[j44ke]

I’m a fan of 10k-step days in cities that are new to me. And Detroit style pizza. I don’t know why rectangular pizza is fun, but it is.

Easier to roll up and put in your pocket for later.

[rwsaunders]

So I removed a few hundred Day Lillies over the past few weeks (one wheelbarrow shown in photo) and I posted a "come and get them" ad on CL. A gent stopped by after work and took a wheelbarrow full home and sent a text thanking me. I was out to town at the time and never net him. I texted back that if he wanted any more, I would let him know in a few weeks as I had another bed to clear. He said yes, I sent a text when the next bed was clear to pick them up and this trip, he left me some home grown garlic from his wife's....awesome people out there.

[bigbill]

I'm flying to Vermont tomorrow, taking a redeye from Vegas to Charlotte and connecting to Burlington, arriving around noon on Sunday. It was the only way to get to Vermont at a decent hour. The director of the History Department at Norwich University is picking me up at the airport and I'm staying in Northfield for three nights. I was selected for a history research fellowship and will present my paper on Tuesday to a mixed audience of undergrads, faculty, and visitors. I am presenting on information warfare including the Confederate Lost Cause, Western Pennsylvania following the French and Indian (Seven Years') War, and more recent events with Russia's use of Sharp Power. I avoided politics, there are enough cases of Russian meddling in the Baltic States in 2004 to try and disrupt their joining NATO.

I also applied for a fellowship at the Wilson Center in DC to conduct Cold War research. It is all remote with weekly meetings online and a trip to Budapest next May to utilize the Open Source archives. I think it will be fascinating to study the Cold War from both sides, and I should be able to put together a Ph.D. proposal from my research.

Meanwhile, I am finishing my current thesis for Military History on the events along the colonial frontier being at least as important, if not more, than the events in port cities leading the American Revolution. After I complete the thesis, I will begin my work to catalog my collection of Native American History, largely focusing on the Six Nations (Iroquois).

BTW, I am a captive audience for the three days in Vermont with no car, so I probably can't benefit from "you should try this or that place." I'll be in Northfield, it is a college town with one B&B.

[Tom]

I'll do my push ups. Oh, yes I will. But I'm going to be grinning until Friday, at least, every time I think of this.

My older brother has always been someone who did pretty cool stuff. When he was a teenager he was fascinated by astronomy. Growing up in Vermont we had a night sky. He wanted a telescope. So he made one. He ground an eight inch mirror to the right concavity by hand and sent it away to be plated. He made the fork by constructing a sand mold, setting up a furnace out of fire bricks and a vacuum cleaner reversed to act as a blower to melt a whole bunch of scrap aluminum. He built an observatory on the hill in a back field and mounted the telescope with a clock drive so he could take photographs through the scope, which he developed himself.

Family lore is that his college essay for MIT was one sentence. "I want to be a scientist."

He didn't have the math chops to pursue a degree in physics but I find it amusing how much he does with computational biology looking for more significant microRNA sequences.

This morning they announced that his work really is that significant. He's sharing the Nobel for Medicine or Physiology with David Ruvkun. They came to know something that nobody ever knew before and there could be answers to a whole bunch of problems in what they found.

I know I'm basking in reflected glory but I've been so proud of him for a long time. He's won some pretty prestigious awards already but I have only once or twice before in my life wanted to cry with happiness.

[SlowPokePete]

I'll do my push ups. Oh, yes I will. But I'm going to be grinning until Friday, at least, every time I think of this.

My older brother has always been someone who did pretty cool stuff. When he was a teenager he was fascinated by astronomy. Growing up in Vermont we had a night sky. He wanted a telescope. So he made one. He ground an eight inch mirror to the right concavity by hand and sent it away to be plated. He made the fork by constructing a sand mold, setting up a furnace out of fire bricks and a vacuum cleaner reversed to act as a blower to melt a whole bunch of scrap aluminum. He built an observatory on the hill in a back field and mounted the telescope with a clock drive so he could take photographs through the scope, which he developed himself.

Family lore is that his college essay for MIT was one sentence. "I want to be a scientist."

He didn't have the math chops to pursue a degree in physics but I find it amusing how much he does with computational biology looking for more significant microRNA sequences.

This morning they announced that his work really is that significant. He's sharing the Nobel for Medicine or Physiology with David Ruvkun. They came to know something that nobody ever knew before and there could be answers to a whole bunch of problems in what they found.

I know I'm basking in reflected glory but I've been so proud of him for a long time. He's won some pretty prestigious awards already but I have only once or twice before in my life wanted to cry with happiness.

This is incredible.

Thanks for sharing your connection....was just looking at the article in The Associated Press...https://apnews.com/article/nobel-med...3e873d3f9a2dbf

SPP

[Marvinlungwitz]

^^^

Wow. That is wonderful.

Congratulations to your brother.

[j44ke]

That's an incredible achievement. Congratulations!

[72gmc]

fantastic post. Thank you for sharing.

[mjbabcock]

Wait. Does this mean we can bask in the reflected glory that’s reflecting off you? I mean, now I can say I occasionally participate in an online discussion board with a guy (presumably named Tom) with a handle I vaguely recognize who’s brother of a famous person?!?

Crazy cool stuff. I can’t imagine what Thanksgiving conversations might look like.

[j44ke]

We are all glowing on VSalon.

[Tom]

If you have 55 minutes you don't know what to do with, check this out. Some good explanation of the science and other stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/live/OwgyQsu...CEDmpLOeypW2Z3

And yeah, his shirt is pretty cool.

[j44ke]

If you have 55 minutes you don't know what to do with, check this out. Some good explanation of the science and other stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/live/OwgyQsu...CEDmpLOeypW2Z3

And yeah, his shirt is pretty cool.

His comments about meeting in Copenhagen with the families & patients who provided genetic mutations for study and discussing collaboratively possible future therapeutic concepts with them was profound. Thanks for posting that.

[bigbill]

As a follow up to my traveling to Vermont post, I guess this award was a big deal. Once I submit my current thesis, I will be developing curriculum for the university's Information Warfare graduate certificate program and working to transition it to full MA program. I had many great conversations with Nina Jankowski the woman chosen by DHS to combat misinformation and then subsequently attacked using misinformation labeling her as the "truth minister." DHS and those who attacked her performed a great disservice to the woman. If you fail to clearly define and communicate a position, you leave that person open to attack.