Archive for the ‘Museums’ Category

Random notes: August 19, 2010.

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

The NYT is all over Philadelphia’s efforts to save three historic ships: the Olympia, the United States, and the battleship New Jersey.

The New Jersey does not actually seem to be in any danger, except from government cutbacks. People have been trying to save the United States for years, but there just doesn’t seem to be that much enthusiasm; the current plan is for a conservancy to purchase it, and convince someone to turn it into a hotel, casino, or other project.

Of the three ships, the Olympia seems to be the most endangered and most important. What’s interesting to me about the NYT article is that:

  1. Various bloggers were on this story months ago.
  2. The NYT doesn’t mention the embezzlement scandal, which may have had something to do with the inability to keep the Olympia running.

The NYT is also on the case if you want to spend six figures on a fish tank. But what if you don’t? The NYT is there for you, too, with some options in the four and even three figure range.

Into the Wild fan dies trying to find the bus. I really, really want to say something snarky here, but I just can’t.

Posted in Clippings, Museums, Stupid | No Comments »

Remember the Titans.

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

Titan II Launch Control Center, level 2.

Posted in Museums, Photography, Travel | No Comments »

After action report: Tucson, AZ.

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

My regular readers (and my irregular readers, too; come to think of it, “Whipped Cream Irregulars” would be a good name for a band) may have figured out by now that I’ve spent much of the past week on the road. Specifically, I was in Tucson for the annual convention of the Smith and Wesson Collectors Association. (You might have been able to guess that I also made a brief trip to the Phoenix/Scottsdale area so I could visit Taliesin West.)

I’m not going to talk much about what went on at that convention here, since it is a closed private convention, and I’m not comfortable discussing the organization’s affairs on a public blog. (Jay G. and the rest of the Vicious Circle gang might be amused to know that there was an actual S&W police bike, manufactured in Springfield, MA and complete with lights and siren, on display at the convention. I didn’t get a chance to take a photo.) I will say I had a great time at the convention, and in Tucson in general. Sadly, I didn’t have time to hit any used bookstores or gun stores in the area, but maybe next time.

This is the first extended road trip I’ve taken since last year’s DEFCON, so I thought it might be interesting to do some notes about what worked and didn’t work on this trip.

(more…)

Posted in Apple, Endorsements, Food, Geek, Guns, Museums, Photography, Planes, Travel, asus_eee, linux, netbook, project_e | 1 Comment »

A little slow, a little late.

Friday, July 9th, 2010

I saw this post over at Borepatch’s earlier in the week, but I didn’t get curious until I saw this one over at Crider’s place about the Christie’s auction of the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans art collection.

One Google search later, and I found out that the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Musuem is closed.

Seriously, that’s a shame. Roy, Trigger, and Dale were really more of my father’s time than my own, but I have a certain amount of respect for Roy and his legacy. I’m kind of sad the museum couldn’t stay open; according to Roadside America, they got an estimated 200,000 visitors a year, but that wasn’t enough to keep the lights on.

Of course, you know I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t ask: are they going to sell Trigger? I actually expected that Trigger would stay in the family, since Roy Jr. is still performing in Branson. Then I found this AP article, and after much searching of the auction lots…here’s Trigger. Here’s the link for Buttermilk. If you have an estimated $200-$300 to spare, you can buy horseshit from Christie’s. Here’s Bullet. And here’s Trigger, Jr.

Posted in Art, Geek, Guns, Horses, Museums | 1 Comment »