I, Anti-Botanist (Day Thirty-One)

Here is the first featured article of the year from Wikipedia with which I could not care less about:

Lambertia formosa, "commonly known as mountain devil, is a shrub of the family Proteaceae, endemic to New South Wales, Australia. First described in 1798 by English botanist James Edward Smith, it is the type species of the small genus Lambertia. It is generally found in heathland or open forest, growing in sandstone-based soils. It grows as a multistemmed shrub to around 2 m (7 ft) with a woody base known as a lignotuber, from which it regrows after bushfire."

January Recap

Wow, what a week. I just finished a 10-hour day shooting a promo video for my educational programs at work and I am beat! Even though I am fried, I want to begin the tradition of reviewing how I did over the last month.

Days I learned something new: 30/31
Blog posts: 18
My favorite gist: Definitely learning what eye shadow is made of. It brought out my inner rock nerd.
Books I finished this month: "The Woman I Wanted To Be" by DVF (That is truly unacceptable and I will have a higher number of books next month,
My takeaway from this month: That tracking my progress in something makes time go by more slowly. I like that.

The Labor Economics of the Battle of Öland (Day Thirty)

To my attention Wikipedia via its featured article today brought an item of military history, and to this item I supplied a little labor economic critique.

The Battle of Öland was "a naval battle between an allied Danish-Dutch fleet and the Swedish navy in the Baltic Sea, off the east coast of Öland on 1 June 1676. The battle was a part of the Scanian War (1675–79) fought for supremacy over the southern Baltic. Sweden was in urgent need of reinforcements for its north German possessions; Denmark sought to ferry an army to Scania in southern Sweden to open a front on Swedish soil."

The battle resulted in Danish naval supremacy, which was upheld throughout the war. The Danish King Christian V was able to ship troops over to the Swedish side of the Sound, and on 29 June a force of 14,500 men landed at Råå, just south of Helsingborg in southernmost Sweden. Scania became the main battleground of the war, culminating with the bloody battles of Lund, Halmstad and Landskrona. 

Here is a synopsis of the Scanian War:

With the declaration of war against Sweden on 2 September 1675, Denmark saw a chance to regain its recently lost eastern provinces. The southern Baltic became an important strategic theatre for both Denmark and Sweden. Denmark needed the sea lanes to invade Scania, and Sweden needed to reinforce Swedish Pomerania on the Baltic coast; both stood to gain by taking control of the Baltic trade routes. As war broke out between Denmark and Sweden a strong naval presence also became essential for Sweden to secure its interests at home and overseas.

In October 1675 the Swedish fleet under Gustaf Otto Stenbock put to sea, but sailed no further than Stora Karlsö off Gotland before it had to turn back to Stockholm after less than two weeks, beset by cold and stormy weather, disease, and the loss of vital equipment. Stenbock, held personally responsible for the failure by King Charles XI, was forced to pay for the campaign out of his own pocket. During the winter of 1675–76 the Swedish fleet was placed under the command of Lorentz Creutz, who attempted to put to sea in January to February 1676, but was iced in by exceptionally cold weather. (Emphasis Added.)

As I have noted prior, when an exorbitant expense occurred under the failing, directly or indirectly, of an individual, the governments of past could choose to rectify such financial shortfalls from the purses of those persons involved. In so doing, I speculate such great, potential risk functioned as a high barrier to entry for those positions of high command, and thus poorly allocated human capital would have lost many a battle.

Bases Loaded: The Things I Have Missed for the Last Three Days (Day Twenty-Seven, -Eight, and -Nine)

Here is what I missed from the last three days, at least, according to my favorite website, Wikipedia:

On Jan. 27th,

Batman: Arkham City is a 2011 action-adventure video game developed by Rocksteady Studios and released by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles, and Microsoft Windows. Based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, it is the sequel to the 2009 video game Batman: Arkham Asylum and the second installment in the Batman: Arkham series. It was released worldwide for consoles, beginning in North America on October 18, 2011, with a Microsoft Windows version following on November 22.

On Jan. 28th,

Sir Ralph David Richardson (19 December 1902 – 10 October 1983) was an English actor who, along with his contemporaries John Gielgud and Laurence Olivier, dominated the British stage of the mid-20th century.

On Jan 29th,

Lanny King McDonald (born February 16, 1953) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Rockies and Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played over 1,100 games during a 16-year career in which he scored 500 goals and over 1,000 points. His total of 66 goals in 1982–83 remains the Flames' franchise record for a single season.

What was the Use of The Peasants' Revolt? (Day Twenty-Six)

Topics like today's featured article on Wikipedia reminds, and thus refreshes, me as to the reason behind commencing this whole blogging enterprise.

The Peasants' Revolt "was a major uprising across large parts of England in 1381. The revolt had various causes, including the socio-economic and political tensions generated by the Black Death in the 1340s, the high taxes resulting from the conflict with France during the Hundred Years' War, and instability within the local leadership of London. The final trigger for the revolt..." came from "John Bampton, in Essex on 30 May 1381,... attempt[ing] to collect unpaid poll taxes in Brentwood... A wide spectrum of rural society, including many local artisans and village officials, rose up in protest, burning court records and opening the local gaols. The rebels sought a reduction in taxation, an end to the system of unfree labour known as serfdom and the removal of the King's senior officials and law courts."

Richard II meets the rebels on 13 June 1381 in a miniature from a 1470s copy of Jean Froissart's Chronicles.

On 13 June, the rebels entered London and, joined by many local townsfolk, attacked the gaols, destroyed the Savoy Palace, set fire to law books and buildings in the Temple, and killed anyone associated with the royal government. The following day, [King Richard II, then aged 14,] met the rebels at Mile End and acceded to most of their demands, including the abolition of serfdom. 

After William Walworth, the then mayor of London, had hastily gathered a militia from the city and started dispersing the rebel forces. "Richard immediately began to re-establish order in London and rescinded his previous grants to the rebels... Unrest continued until the intervention of Henry le Despenser, who defeated a rebel army at the Battle of North Walsham on 25 or 26 June. Troubles extended north to York, Beverley and Scarborough, and as far west as Bridgwater in Somerset. Richard mobilised 4,000 soldiers to restore order. Most of the rebel leaders were tracked down and executed; by November, at least 1,500 rebels had been killed."

Interpretations of the revolt have shifted over the years. It was once seen as a defining moment in English history, but modern academics [mostly, due to the scholarship of May McKisack, Michael Postan and Richard Dobson] are less certain of its impact on subsequent social and economic history.... The revolt has been widely used in socialist literature, including by the author William Morris, and remains a potent political symbol for the political left...

In short, I have two takeaways: 1.) History remembers mobs and their violence poorly, and 2.) External forces rarely effect reliable change, if not coupled by strong internal advocates.

Also, I highly encourage all to read Section: 1.1 Economics.  It is quite a succinct account of pre-industrial European labor markets. (Further suggested reading: Douglass C. North and Robert Paul Thomas's The Rise of the Western World: A New Economy History.)

Creme brûlée and shortcuts

So I received these beautiful ramekins for Christmas, but was very nervous about my ability to make Creme brûlée. I am not an insecure cook- I do have an instinct for food that has impressed many, but for some reason this seemed slightly out of reach.

So I did what you would expect- I looked to Pinterest for shortcuts. I found a "no fail, super easy" recipe. 

What. A. Nightmare. 

I haven't tasted them yet but this is what it looks like. I'm afraid it's going to be runny and gross. Also, it says you can use the broiler instead of a proper tourch. It lied. We shall see. 

Oh well, we're learning! 

"Cry Me a River": A Musical Memoir (Day Twenty-Five)

Today's featured article on Wikipedia highlights the song, "Cry Me a River", recorded by "American singer and songwriter Justin Timberlake for his debut studio album, Justified (2002). It was written by Timberlake and Scott Storch with producer Timbaland, and was inspired by Timberlake's former relationship with singer Britney Spears. Jive Records released the song to contemporary hit and rhythmic radio in the United States on November 25, 2002, as the album's second single."

Let us unearth of the musical elements:

"Cry Me a River" is an R&B song with an instrumentation that features clavinet, guitars, beatboxing, synthesizers, Arabian-inspired riffs and Gregorian chants. The instruments are arranged into what critics described as a graceful and mysterious melody. Jane Stevenson of Jam! said the single combines gospel and opera. Tyler Martin of Stylus Magazine enjoyed the way that the song unconventionally mixed a range of experimental sounds. According to Martin, the wave synth affects the real strings to create an unusual dissonance. The song's chorus devolves into a choral reading in which Timberlake pleads over the group. "Cry Me a River" finishes with a Timbaland vocal sample.

As well, "'Cry Me a River' is written in the key of G♯ minor, in alla breve, with a tempo of 74 beats per minute. Timberlake's vocal range spans from C♯4 to B5."

Two additional non-musical bits: First, the "single received generally positive reviews from critics, who considered it a stand-out track on Justified and praised Timbaland's production. It won a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 2004 ceremony." And second, Francis Lawrence, who when all is said and done will have directed three of the The Hunger Games films, also, "directed the music video for 'Cry Me a River' in Malibu, California." 

Only in the Course of Time: The Achievements of Thomas Blamey (Day Twenty-Four)

Today's featured article on Wikipedia examines the life of Field Marshal Sir Thomas Albert Blamey, GBE, KCB, CMG, DSO, ED (24 January 1884 – 27 May 1951). Blamey "was an Australian general of the First and Second World Wars, and the only Australian ever to attain the rank of field marshal."

After the world wars, Blamey "returned to Melbourne, where he devoted himself to business affairs, to writing, and to promoting the welfare of ex-service personnel.... In the late 1940s Blamey became involved with The Association, an organisation similar to the earlier League of National Security, which was established to counter a possible communist coup. He was the head of the organisation until ill health forced him to stand down in favour of Morshead in 1950.

In December of 1949, Robert Menzies "became prime minister again..., and he resolved that Blamey should be promoted to the rank of field marshal, something that had been mooted in 1945.... The War Office [in London]... claimed that Blamey could not be promoted to field marshal because he was a retired officer." Yet, this proved untrue. So, "Menzies then restored Blamey to active duty. Blamey was duly promoted to field marshal in the King's Birthday Honours of 8 June 1950."

A few days afterwards, Blamey became seriously ill and was forced to receive his field marshal's baton from McKell in a bedside ceremony at the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital. Blamey died there of hypertensive cerebral haemorrhage on 27 May 1951.

This all reminds me of a recent book I finished: Logan's Run. Towards the end of the novel, there is this passage: "Dying young is a waste and a shame and a perversion. The young don't build. They use. The wonders of Man were achieved by the mature, the wise, who lived in this world before we did. There was an Old Lincoln after the young one…"

In short, great men are neither born, nor even reared; they are forged only in the course of time.

Intro to the Rainbow Trout (Day Twenty-Three)

First off, I am lazy tonight. Second, the featured article on Wikipedia is about the majestic Rainbow Trout. As someone whose favorite book is A River Runs Through It and Other Stories, I very much enjoyed reading through this article and I hope many others do, as well.

Third, here are the introductory paragraphs:

The rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is trout that is part of a species of salmonid native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead (sometimes called "steelhead trout") is an anadromous (sea-run) form of the coastal rainbow trout (O. m. irideus) or Columbia River redband trout (O. m. gairdneri) that usually returns to fresh water to spawn after living two to three years in the ocean. Freshwater forms that have been introduced into the Great Lakes and migrate into tributaries to spawn are also called steelhead.

Adult freshwater stream rainbow trout average between 1 and 5 lb (0.5 and 2.3 kg), while lake-dwelling and anadromous forms may reach 20 lb (9.1 kg). Coloration varies widely based on subspecies, forms and habitat. Adult fish are distinguished by a broad reddish stripe along the lateral line, from gills to the tail, which is most vivid in breeding males.

Wild-caught and hatchery-reared forms of this species have been transplanted and introduced for food or sport in at least 45 countries and every continent except Antarctica. Introductions to locations outside their native range in the United States (U.S.), Southern Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South America have damaged native fish species. Introduced populations may impact native species by preying on them, out-competing them, transmitting contagious diseases (such as whirling disease), or hybridizing with closely related species and subspecies, thus reducing genetic purity. Other introductions into waters previously devoid of any fish species or with severely depleted stocks of native fish have created world-class sport fisheries such as the Great Lakes and Wyoming's Firehole River.

Some local populations of specific subspecies, or in the case of steelhead, distinct population segments, are listed as either threatened orendangered under the Endangered Species Act. The steelhead is the official state fish of Washington.

The Lost History of Union Films (Day Twenty-Two)

As long-time, opinionated viewer of film and a second-hand film historian, today's featured article on Wikipedia finds my knowledge quite wanting. The article is somewhat tragic. (Warning: If founded, please rewind.)

Union Films "was a film production company located in Batavia, Dutch East Indies (now Jakarta, Indonesia). Established by ethnic Chinese businessmen Ang Hock Liem and Tjoa Ma Tjoen in 1940, it produced seven black-and-white films before [dissolving] in 1942; all are thought to be lost. The company's films were directed by four men, mostly ethnic Chinese, and launched the careers of actors such as Rendra Karno and Djoewariah."

Established during the revival of the Indies film industry, Union released its first film, Kedok Ketawa, in July 1940. This was followed by a series of films penned by Saeroen which were increasingly oriented towards the Indies' growing intelligentsia and attempted to distance themselves from the theatrical conventions which were common in the contemporary film industry. This continued after Saeroen left for Star Film in 1941, with Union's final two productions emphasizing realism. Following the Japanese occupation of the Indies in March 1942, Union was dissolved, though its films continued to be screened into the mid-1940s.

The Second Arab Siege of Constantinople: A Macrohistory (Day Twenty-One)

So, today's featured article on Wikipedia showcases the macrohistorical import of a given event.

The Second Arab siege of Constantinople in 717–718 "was a combined land and sea offensive by the Muslim Arabs of the Umayyad Caliphate against the capital city of the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople. The campaign marked the culmination of twenty years of attacks and progressive Arab occupation of the Byzantine borderlands, while Byzantine strength was sapped by prolonged internal turmoil."

After wintering in the western coastlands of Asia Minor, the Arab army crossed into Thrace in early summer 717 and built siege lines to blockade the city, which was protected by the massive Theodosian Walls. The Arab fleet, which accompanied the land army and was meant to complete the city's blockade by sea, was neutralized soon after its arrival by the Byzantine navy through the use of Greek fire. This allowed Constantinople to be resupplied by sea, while the Arab army was crippled by famine and disease during the unusually hard winter that followed.

The second Arab siege of Constantinople was far more dangerous for Byzantium than the first as, unlike the loose blockade of 674–678, the Arabs launched a direct, well-planned attack on the Byzantine capital, and tried to cut off the city completely from land and sea.... The Arab failure was chiefly logistical, as they were operating too far from their Syrian bases, but the superiority of the Byzantine navy through the use of Greek fire, the strength of Constantinople's fortifications, and the skill of Leo III in deception and negotiations also played important roles.

The writing of history occurs through erasing possible future narratives, and most of the time, just few hurdles against one and a few breaks for another will suffice sketch a plot.  

The outcome of the siege was of considerable macrohistorical importance. The Byzantine capital's survival preserved the Empire as a bulwark against Islamic expansion into Europe until the 15th century, when it fell to the Ottoman Turks. Along with the Battle of Tours in 732, the successful defense of Constantinople has been seen as instrumental in stopping Muslim expansion into Europe. As military historian Paul K. Davis wrote, "By turning back the Moslem invasion, Europe remained in Christian hands, and no serious Moslem threat to Europe existed until the fifteenth century. This victory, coincident with the Frankish victory at Tours (732), limited Islam's western expansion to the southern Mediterranean world." ...Consequently, military historians often include the siege in lists of the "decisive battles" of world history.

Watch a random TED video

Oh and random I did...

I chose a letter at random  (well, not at random, I chose C because I figured it offered the highest probability of getting a talk on cats). 

I typed into YouTube "TED Talk C" and the first thing to pop up was this:

However, I wasn't fully satisfied, so I watched this one as well:

 

The Literary Work of E. W. Hornung (Day Twenty)

Today's featured article on Wikipedia centers on Ernest William Hornung (7 June 1866 – 22 March 1921), "an English author and poet known for writing the A. J. Raffles series of stories about a gentleman thief in late 19th-century London." After spending much of his life on the sickly side of health, he fell ill from influenza on a journey to the south of France and died on 22 March 1921, at age of only 54.

Four generalizable takeaways come from this article.

First, how the great influence of one can now be little known, let alone mentioned:

Much of Hornung's work fell out of favour as time passed; Rowland observed that "all of Hornung's other works have been forgotten, with the possible exception of Stingaree, but the cricketing Cracksman continues to enthral". The idea of a criminal as a positive character was one of Hornung's legacies, and Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism states that "critics have also interpreted Raffles as a prototype of the antihero in modern crime fiction". The academic Frank Wadleigh Chandler, describing Raffles's death, writes that "all his creator's attempts to portray him as a hero, rather than an anti-hero, deservedly fail." Valentine highlights one aspect of the stories was the mix of "devilry and daring" demonstrated by Raffles; in this respect he was a literary "forerunner of The Saint, James Bond and other insouciant types". The writer Colin Watson agrees, and called Hornung "a precursor of [Ian] Fleming".

Second, how one's work may carry on, yet never not changed:

The character continued in book form: the writer Philip Atkey, under the pseudonym Barry Perowne, obtained permission from the Hornung estate to continue the Raffles stories, and seven more novels followed between 1933 and 1940, with Raffles transformed from a gentleman thief to a tough adventurer.

Third, how regardless of the voluminous nature of one's work only a few themes either exist or are emphasized:

The academic Nick Rance identifies three categories of Raffles stories: "the rise of the New Woman", in which Raffles either escapes from romantic entanglements, or uses the infatuations of a woman in order to achieve his aims; "the rise of the plutocracy", in which Raffles steals from the nouveau riche as much as the upper classes; and those stories that seek "to reaffirm or re-establish a sense of middle-class identity". The last category is based on Raffles not being a member of "Society", only being accepted because of his cricketing ability and associated fame.

Fourth, how literature can and should utilize science for mutual benefit, not as an adversary:

Hornung kept abreast of scientific and medical developments, and was keen to incorporate them into his stories which, the critic for Contemporary Authors states, shows Hornung had "a streak of modernity and decided interest in new ideas". The Camera Fiend uses the modern technology of the camera as an instrument central to the plot, while the protagonist of The Crime Doctor uses psychology to identify criminals.

How to identify edible mushrooms

1. I am actually more scared about wild mushrooms after reading this

2. I am lazy and will just post the link: http://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/stories/wild-mushrooms-what-to-eat-what-to-avoid 

The Stats behind Stan Musial (Day Nineteen)

As a big baseball fan, today's featured article on Wikipedia hits home.

Stanley Frank "Stan" Musial (/ˈmjuːziəl/ or /ˈmjuːʒəl/; born Stanisław Franciszek Musiał; November 21, 1920 – January 19, 2013) "was an American professional baseball player and Navy veteran of World War II. He was a Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder and first baseman on the St. Louis Cardinals for 22 seasons, from 1941 through 1963. Nicknamed 'Stan the Man', Musial is widely considered to be one of the greatest hitters in baseball history. He compiled 3,630 career hits, ranking fourth all-time and first in a career spent with only one team. With 1,815 hits at home and 1,815 on the road, he also is considered to be the most consistent hitter of his era. He hit 475 home runs during his career, was named the National League's (NL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) three times, and won three World Series championship titles. He shares the MLB record for the most All-Star Games played (24) with Hank Aaron and Willie Mays. Musial was a first-ballot inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969. He was also selected to the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 2014."

MLB statistics

Hitting

Category

G

AB

H

2B

3B

HR

R

RBI's

BB

SO

Total

3,026 (6th)

10,972 (9th)

3,630 (4th)

725 (3rd)

177 (19th)

475 (28th)

1,949 (9th)

1,951 (6th)

1,599 (13th)

696

Category

AVG

OBP

SLG

OPS

OPS+

Total Bases

Runs Created

Total

.331 (32nd)

.417 (23rd)

.559 (20th)

.976 (14th)

159 (15th)

6,134 (2nd)

2,562 (3rd)

Fielding

Category	G	PO	A	E	DP	FP	RFg
OF	1,890	3,730	130	64	27	.984	2.04
Category	G	PO	A	E	DP	FP	RFg
1B	1,016	8,709	688	78	935	.992	9.25

Majungasaurus: A Biopsy (Day Eighteen)

Today's featured article on Wikipedia took me back to when in second grade my grandfather drove me 53 miles to our nearest theater to see Jurassic Park.  

Majungasaurus (/məˌdʒʌŋɡəˈsɔrəs/; "Mahajanga lizard") "is a genus of abelisaurid theropod dinosaur that lived in Madagascar from 70 to 66 million years ago, at the end of the Cretaceous Period. The genus contains a single species, Majungasaurus crenatissimus. This dinosaur was briefly called Majungatholus, a name which is now considered a junior synonym of Majungasaurus."

Like other abelisaurids, Majungasaurus was a bipedal predator with a short snout. Although the forelimbs are not completely known, they were very short, while the hindlimbs were longer and very stocky. It can be distinguished from other abelisaurids by its wider skull, the very rough texture and thickened bone on the top of its snout, and the single rounded horn on the roof of its skull, which was originally mistaken for the dome of a pachycephalosaur. It also had more teeth in both upper and lower jaws than most abelisaurids.

Known from several well-preserved skulls and abundant skeletal material, Majungasaurus has recently become one of the best-studied theropod dinosaurs from the Southern Hemisphere. It appears to be most closely related to abelisaurids from India rather than South America or continental Africa, a fact that has important biogeographical implications. Majungasaurus was the apex predator in its ecosystem, mainly preying on sauropods like Rapetosaurus, and is also one of the few dinosaurs for which there is direct evidence of cannibalism.

Majungasaurus is perhaps most distinctive for its skull ornamentation, including the swollen and fused nasals and the frontal horn. Other ceratosaurs, including Carnotaurus, Rajasaurus, and Ceratosaurus itself bore crests on the head. These structures are likely to have played a role in intraspecific competition, although their exact function within that context is unknown. The hollow cavity inside the frontal horn of Majungasaurus would have weakened the structure and probably precluded its use in direct physical combat, although the horn may have served a display purpose. While there is variation in the ornamentation of Majungasaurus individuals, there is no evidence for sexual dimorphism.

Computed tomography, also known as CT scanning, of a complete Majungasaurus skull (FMNH PR 2100) allowed a rough reconstruction of its brain and inner ear structure. Overall, the brain was very small relative to body size, but otherwise similar to many other non-coelurosaurian theropods, with a very conservative form closer to modern crocodilians than to birds. One difference between Majungasaurus and other theropods was its smaller flocculus, a region of the cerebellum that helps to coordinate movements of the eye with movements of the head. This suggests that Majungasaurus and other abelisaurids like Indosaurus, which also had a small flocculus, did not rely on quick head movements to sight and capture prey.

Something new about Impressionism

This is the first time I have strayed from my calendar of topics, but I visited the National Art Gallery today and became inspired. I knew a little about French Impressionism, everyone does I think, but I wanted to be surprised. Therefore, I read on...

The artist who served as the bridge between realism and impressionism was Edouard Manet, who was controversial as a realist but not quite an impressionist. He incorporated Asian elements into his paintings. This is one of his most popular pieces: 

It is in Olympia that we see Japanese influences. Notice the flatness of the portrait as compared to above. Placed side-by-side, it is easy to see the influence of the Japanese wood-block art.

   

I didn't know about Manet, but I find his rebelliousness appealing. During this period, there was a nearly hundred year norm of the French Academy jury basically determining what was art and, as a result, what was not. Manet was rejected many times by the French Academy, but it was his leadership that open the doors for Monet, Renior, and Pissarro (below, respectively) to hold their own exhibitions. 

Well, all I have to say is Thanks, Manet.

What do trans fats do to your body?

This subject makes me crazy because it is so contentious. The American Heart Association swears trans fats clog up your arteries, but other sources say that's based on bad science. I just don't know, but I am exploring this source to find out more.

The Progressive Trails of W. R. Brown (Day Seventeen)

Today's featured article on Wikipedia highlights of the life of William Robinson "W. R." Brown.

William Robinson "W. R." Brown (January 17, 1875 – August 4, 1955) "was an American corporate officer of the Brown Company of Berlin, New Hampshire. He was also an influential Arabian horse breeder, the founder and owner of the Maynesboro Stud, and an authority on Arabian horses."

After graduating from Williams College, Brown joined the family corporation, then known as the Berlin Mills Company, and became manager of the Woods Products Division, overseeing the company's woodlands and logging operations. He became an early advocate for sustainable forest management practices, was a member of the New Hampshire Forestry Commission from 1909 until 1952, and served on the boards of several forestry organizations. As chair of the Forestry Commission, Brown helped send sawmills to Europe during World War I to assist the war effort.

As a Republican of his time, Brown "was influenced by the Progressive movement, instituting employee benefits such as company-sponsored care for injured workers that predated modern workers' compensation laws."

Although Brown family members sold personal assets to keep the Brown Company afloat during the Great Depression, including Brown's dispersal of his herd of Arabian horses in 1933, the business went into receivership in 1934. Brown remained in charge of the Woods Division through the company's second bankruptcy filing in 1941. He retired from the company in 1943 and died of cancer in 1955. His final book, Our Forest Heritage, was published posthumously, and his innovations in forest management became industry standards.

The Emergence of Mahan-class Destroyers (Day Sixteen)

Not even a month into this project and I am already doubling up. Yesterday's featured article on Wikipedia was on Mahan-class destroyers.

The Mahan-class destroyers "of the United States Navy were a series of 18 destroyers of which the first 16 were laid down in 1934. The last two of the 18, Dunlap and Fanning (this pair laid down in 1935), are sometimes considered as a separate ship class. All 18 were commissioned in 1936 and 1937. Mahan was the lead ship, named for Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan, an influential historian and theorist on sea power."

The Mahan-class destroyers emerged as improved versions of the Farraguts, which were themselves considered second only to the Japanese Fubuki-class destroyers. The Navy's General Board had been wrestling with proposed design changes, first considering 12 torpedo tubes with one fewer 5"/38 caliber gun, and then proposing to retain all five guns with the 12 torpedo tubes, but configuring those guns only for surface targets, not air targets. The Chief of Naval Operations objected, recommending against 'subordinating the gun to the torpedo,' and a compromise was struck that included a new engineering plant and a new battery arrangement for the Mahan class and others. In the final design, No. 3 gun was moved to the aft deckhouse (just ahead of No. 4) to make room for the third quadruple torpedo tube; the two middle torpedo tubes were moved to the sides, releasing the centerline space for extension of the aft deckhouse.... The traditional destroyer machinery was replaced with a new generation of land-based machinery. This change ushered in a new steam propulsion system that combined increases in pressure and temperature with a new type of lightweight steam turbine, which proved simpler and more efficient to operate. These changes led to a ten percent increase in displacement over the Farraguts.

As well, "[t]heir peacetime complement was 158 officers and enlisted men. The wartime complement increased to approximately 250 officers and enlisted men."

Who invented the bobby pin?

Bobby pin = bobbed hair. Neat.

Here's the answer: 

Luis Marcus was a San Francisco cosmetics manufacturer when he designed the bobby pin to hold in place the bobbed hair of the flapper era after World War I, selling the original handmade ones for two for 35 cents. "There was talk of naming it the Marcus pin," a daughter, Elaine Marcus of Santa Barbara, said. "But he named it for bobbed hair." Marcus, a native of Winnipeg, Mannitoba, died at the University Convalescent Hospital in Menlo Park on Jan. 26.

Source found here. 

And, just in case you ever have a few extra laying around: 

When Underground, do it like Tony Hawk (Day Fifteen)

Since I have been on the road most of the day, today's post on today's feature article is going to be short.

Tony Hawk's Underground "is a skateboarding-adventure video game published by Activision between 2003 and 2004 as part of the Tony Hawk's series. Neversoft developed the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox versions, while the Game Boy Advance adaptation was developed by Vicarious Visions and the mobile phone version by Jamdat."

More so,

Underground is built upon the skateboarding formula of previous Tony Hawk's games: the player explores levels and completes goals while performing tricks. The game features a new focus on customization; the player, instead of selecting a professional skater, creates a custom character. Underground adds the ability for players to dismount their boards and explore on foot. The plot follows the player character and his or her friend Eric Sparrow as the two become well-known professionals and grow apart.

The game was developed with a theme of individuality, which was manifested in the extensive customization options, the presence of a narrative, and the product's characterization as an adventure game. Real-world professional skateboarders contributed their experiences to the plot. Reviewers praised its wide appeal, soundtrack, customization, multiplayer, and plot. The graphics and the controls for driving vehicles and walking were less well received. Underground '​s PlayStation 2 version had sold 2.11 million copies in the United States by December 2007. A sequel, Tony Hawk's Underground 2, was released in 2004.

What was the response? 

Tony Hawk's Underground was released to critical acclaim: its scores ranged from 85.27% for the Xbox to 90.58% for the PlayStation 2 on GameRankings and from 85% to 90% on Metacritic. GameZone's Michael Knutson stated that Underground is "one of the best skating games around" and that players of every skill level would enjoy it. Eurogamer's Tom Bramwell concurred: "as a 'pick-up-and-play' sort of game, THUG is endlessly rewarding once you get your head round the basics, and it's the best entry point for the series to date."

Holkham National Nature Reserve: A History (Day Fourteen)

Today is going to be a light day. According to the featured article on Wikipedia, Holkham National Nature Reserve is "England's largest national nature reserve (NNR)."

History:

Norfolk has a long history of human occupation. Both modern and Neanderthal people were present in the area between 100,000 and 10,000 years ago, before the last glaciation, and humans returned as the ice retreated northwards. The archaeological record is poor until about 20,000 years ago, partly because of the then prevailing very cold conditions, but also because the coastline was much further north than at present. As the ice retreated during the Mesolithic (10,000–5,000 BCE), the sea level rose, filling what is now the North Sea. This brought the Norfolk coastline much closer to its present line, so that many ancient sites are now under the sea in an area now known asDoggerland.

The coast at Holkham originally consisted of salt marshes protected from the sea by ridges of shingle and sand. A large Iron Age fort at the end of a sandy spit in the marshes could only be approached along the spit; it enclosed 2.5 hectares (6.2 acres) and remained in use until the defeat of the Iceni in 47 AD. The Vikings navigated the tidal creeks to establish Holkham, the name deriving from the Danish for "ship town".

The Holkham estate has been owned by the Coke family since 1609, and Holkham Hall, built by Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicesterbetween 1734 and 1764, is opposite the NNR entrance. Until the 17th century, ships could navigate the tidal creeks to reach the staithe (harbour) at Holkham village, but local landowners began to reclaim the marshes from 1639, and the final embankment at Wells was constructed by the 2nd Earl in 1859, completing the conversion of about 800 hectares (2,000 acres) to farmland. The 3rd Earl planted Corsican, maritime and Scots pines on the dunes in the late 19th century to shelter the agricultural land from wind-blown sand, which is carried inland when the wind speed exceeds three metres (10 ft) per second and blows from directions between northwest to northeast.

The Holkham National Nature Reserve was created in 1967 from 1,700 hectares (4,200 acres) of the Holkham Estate and 2,200 hectares (5,400 acres) of intertidal sand and mud flats belonging to the Crown Estate. In 1986 the NNR was subsumed into the newly created 7,700 hectares (19,000 acres) North Norfolk Coast SSSI. The larger area is now additionally protected through Natura 2000, Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar listings, and is part of the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty The coast from Holkham NNR to Salthouse, together with Scolt Head Island, is a Biosphere Reserve.