Blogging

Tonight, I started a second blog, just for fun. Fear not, it will not detract from this blog, nor will it compete with it.

Those of you who are long-time readers know that I am a Philadelphian by birth, and that I was cursed by being born into a family of Philadelphia sports fans. As I’ve said here more than once, I know pain, and I know suffering. We know all about living with disappointment, and we know to expect to be disappointed. It’s just a fact of life, and it’s an integral part of being a Philadelphia sports fan.

I’ve started a blog called A Philadelphia Phanatic. It can be found here, and will focus upon my addiction to the Phillies, Eagles, and Flyers, and the trials of rooting for those teams from 450 miles away. Check it often. The first post went up tonight.

I’ve added a link to the blog roll.

Continue reading

Today is a milestone for the blog for a couple of reasons. First, the proprietor is celebrating (if that’s the correct word) his 48th birthday today. There was a time, seemingly not all that long ago, that the thought of being 48 years old was the same as being as old as the hills but only slightly younger than the dirt. Fortunately, I don’t feel quite that old, but I do have my days…..

Second, and much more important than the 19th anniversary of my 29th birthday, is that this marks the 900th post on this blog. When I started this blog on a whim in September 2005, I never in a million years figured I would still be at this 900 posts later. This blog has become an important part of my daily routine, and I greatly value the interactions with those of you who give your valuable time to indulge what I have to say here. I’ve made new friends, re-connected with old friends, and have been rewarded immensely by doing what I do here.

Thank you to each and every one of you who give your time to indulge my rantings, and I hope you will continue to do so. I deeply appreciate the fact that you do so.

Continue reading

I’ve added Corey Meyer’s interesting blog, The Blood of My Kindred, to the blogroll. Corey’s got some interesting insights, and is a fellow fighter in the neo-Confederate wars. Check it out.

Continue reading

I re-aggravated the pinched nerve in my neck again last week. It’s now been a week, and it’s finally beginning to settle down. I’ve been completely miserable and in a lot of intense pain, so I’ve been limiting my time on the computer to work, which is stuff I absolutely have to do. That’s why I haven’t posted anything since last week.

As it’s finally getting better (a number of Vicodin and three visits to the chiropractor later), I expect to resume regular posting tomorrow or Thursday at the latest.

Thanks for your patience.

Continue reading

Kevin Levin has a really good post on his blog today that I commend to you. Be sure to read the comments, as they are critical to understanding Kevin’s point.

Kevin’s had one particular anti-Semitic neo-Confederate nut job–my first nominee for 2009′s grand champion, by the way–who calls herself “JosephineSouthern”, and who cannot resist any opportunity to (a) be insulting and condescending, (b) loudly bang the neo-Confederate drum, and (c) ignore Kevin’s rules for civility as a condition to being permitted to leave comments on his blog. Given that the primary focus of Kevin’s blog is Civil War Memory, his blog is a prime focus for all of these neo-Confederate jerks who so seem to enjoy tormenting him.

It’s a great case study in how blogging brings out both the best and the worst in people. Kevin, while you and I may not always agree on everything, I very much appreciate your willingness to serve as a lightning rod for those loons.

By the way, the 2008 neo-Confederate grand champion, Olaf Childress, paid my site a visit not too long ago and left me a rude and condescending comment. I guess he must have googled himself and found me that way. Thanks for your warm wishes, Olaf. Sorry I deleted your comment and blacklisted your IP address. You will find that you will be unable to post further comments here as a consequence.

Continue reading

I forgot one of the new blogs that I had intended to include when I updated the blogroll the other day.

Mike Noirot has launched a really interesting new blog called This Mighty Scourge. It makes for an interesting hodgepodge of information that is worth your time.

Mike also maintains another interesting web site called Battlefield Portraits, which features some really excellent photography of Civil War battlefields. Check it out.

I’ve added the blog to the blogroll.

Continue reading

I’m adding several new blogs to the blog. Okay, two are not so new, but they definitely deserve to be added.

Robert Grandchamp, graduate student and the authority on all things Rhode Island in the Civil War, has started a new blog on the 7th Rhode Island Infantry. It’s been added to the blogroll.

Next is my friend Scott Mingus’ York Cannonball blog, which, to be honest, should have been added long ago. Attribute it to laziness on my part. Scott has some really interesting material on the Civil War in York County, Pennsylvania. Scott was a big help to J.D. and me when we were writing Plenty of Blame to Go Around: Jeb Stuart’s Controversial Ride to Gettysburg. It has also been added to the blogroll.

Touch the Elbow has been resurrected yet again, so I have restored it to the blogroll. Let’s hope it doesn’t fade to black for a third time.

My alma mater, Dickinson College has an excellent project underway called The House Divided Project, which is a digital history archive. Prof. Matt Pinsker, a Lincoln scholar, is in charge of the project, which has its own blog. Matt is a regular poster, and I commend it to you.

I’m always on the lookout for new blogs on the Late Unpleasantness. If you know of any promising new blogs, please let me know.

Continue reading

I apologize for being quiet this past week. It turns out that the lasting legacy of the whirlwind trip to Virginia last week was a badly pinched nerve in my neck as a result of that crappy bed and even worse pillow. I’ve been in a LOT of pain for most the week, although a visit to the chiropractor on Friday helped. It still hurts, and one of the things I’ve realized is that until it gets better (I’m going back to the chiropractor tomorrow), I need to limit my time on the computer.

I hope to be back to full speed later this week.

Continue reading

I apologize for being quiet the past couple of days. I’ve been busy finishing a couple of pieces on the Philadelphia Phillies for the baseball project. I’m just having a blast working on this project.

Major hat tip to Drew Wagenhoffer for bringing the existence of this blog to my attention. The good folks from Civil War Interactive have started running news items in a blog format. I highly recommend it, and I have added it to the blog roll.

Since he’s taking an indefinite sabbatical from blogging, I have also removed the link to Paul Taylor’s blog. If he starts blogging again, I will immediately add a link back in.

Continue reading

Time to do a little blogroll housekeeping.

Unfortunately, Touch the Elbow, always one of my favorite blogs, has apparently faded to black for the second time. There hasn’t been a new post since July 4, and even then, it was not a substantive post. I’ve deleted it from the blogroll.

Sarah Adler has not posted since August 31. She had indicated that she was going to take a moratorium from posting, so I’ve also deleted the link to her blog.

I have added a link to the excellent Gettysburg Daily, which is maintained by an unidentified Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide, and which provides an excellent photographic record of the many changes to the Gettysburg National Military Park.

I’ve also re-added Brian Dirck’s excellent Lincoln blog since Brian is back blogging again. Welcome back, Brian. You were missed.

Continue reading