T HE NORWEGIAN EXPLORERS OF MINNESOTA, INC. ©2010 Winter / Spring, 2010 EXPLORATIONS Issue #60 EXPLORATIONS from the president It has been a busy time for the Sherlock Holmes birthday celebration. We Norwegian Explorers. We had a great discussed the new movie, the New York dinner at the Minneapolis Golf Club on dinner and the London dinner. December 3rd. Al Hubin, our special guest We are looking forward to the Red and speaker talked about his involvement in Throated League’s performance at the Pavek the mystery field. The new Sherlock Museum of Broadcasting on Saturday, April th Holmes movie came out three weeks later 10 . If you have not attended one of these and the Explorers had a day-at-the-theater performances, I urge you to go. The Inside this issue: on Sunday, December 27th at the historic atmosphere is great, the performances are Heights Theatre. I have had inquires about wonderful and a good time is had by all. InsideHolmes thisSightings issue: 2 the Norwegian Explorers due to the movie Once again, I am going to add a plug for the Conference on August 6-8 this summer. Mystery Challenge 2 and our attendance at the Heights. Then, yours truly was lucky enough to attend the These conferences are unique and every 2009 Annual Dinner 3-4 Sherlock Holmes Society of London annual Norwegian Explorer should take advantage SHSL Dinner 5 dinner at the House of Parliament on of a world quality conference at a local Book Review 6 January 9th. Many others went to New York setting. Heights Theatre 7 for the Baker Street Irregulars annual “I think, Count, that it would be as well to birthday celebration on the next weekend. have your friend Sam at this conference.” Musical Review 8-9 th On January 24 , the Explorers met at the (“The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone”) Study Group Review 9,11 Cooper Pub and Restaurant for our annual Vowel Rhyme and Quiz 10-11 ~Gary Thaden NYC Birthday Weekend 12-16 Baker Street West 17 from the editor’s desk Upcoming Events 17 The deep freeze of Minnesota’s winter Karen Murdock researches assonance in the has minimal impact (if any at all) on local Canon, and Charles Clifford provides a Sherlockian activity. In this issue, a team of study group report. Explorers report on all the events mentioned Issue #60 of Explorations is a nice in Gary’s column. I think you’ll enjoy the milestone for our newsletter. My comprehensive coverage (pages 12 –16) appreciation goes to all our contributors. provided by attendees of the NYC birthday As always, submissions for weekend festivities. Explorations are welcome. Email them Other articles you’ll find include Mike directly to me in plain text or in Word Eckman’s recent Sherlockian “sightings” and format to: [email protected] Robert Brusic’s Musical Mystery review. Mary Loving shares with us her experiences ~Tim Reich, Editor coordinating our movie outing. Steven Schier enjoys his Annual Dinner prize, while Page 2 EXPLORATIONS Holmes Sightings A Lestrade Sighting In Brian Hicks’s book Raising the Hunley, the author writes about Clive Cussler’s creation John Ramsden is a professor of modern of Dirk Pitt. Cussler quit his advertising job and history at Queen Mary in the University of started to work in a dive shop and write. London. In his book Man of the Century: “Cussler dreamed of creating a literary figure Winston Churchill and his Legend since 1945 who would hunt lost treasures in a series of he quotes an unnamed Guardian reporter books. He would be dashing, educated, deadly, writing about the people around Churchill in and brave. Cussler wanted a kind of his last days. archaeological Sherlock Holmes mixed with the tough-guy bravado of Matt Helm.” .”..and Churchill’s detective, ‘as —— completely British as a pre-war five pound “one ‘skill related Despite the evidence that Meriwether note...surely a brother under the skin of the great Lestrade.’” to Tribal Law is Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark expedition, committed suicide in 1809, there are conspiracy the great ability theories that he was murdered. In his book This is one of the few Lestrade sightings I have found and the only one to use the of some Undaunted Courage, Stephen Ambrose states that these theorists “need to deal with a ‘dog that adjective “great.” individuals to did not bark’ aspect of the case.” Ambrose goes ~Mike Eckman on to say that if “William Clark entertained the detect the identity slightest suspicion” or “if Thomas Jefferson had of people by the such suspicions” they would have done everything they could to find the murderer. traces of their Mystery Challenge —— footprints.’” Sherlock of the Desert? In The Dancing Men, Sherlock Holmes stated, “I am fairly familiar with all forms of Before a jeep tour of Wadi Rum in Jordan, I secret writings, and am myself the author of a viewed the exhibits in the visitor center. While trifling monograph upon the subject, in which I listening to the piped in “El Condor Pasa,” I read analyze one hundred and sixty separate that Bedouin Tribal Law is centered on the ciphers...” honor of both the individual and tribe. It is a The challenge is to identify the quote complex system inspired by the way of life in an below that is coded with a monoalphabetic arid landscape and dealing with a wide range of substitution cipher. rights related to dignity, honor, and property. Tribal Law also depends on a judge gifted with “ wisdom, wit, and a good knowledge of life’s affairs. As with most things Bedouin, coffee “L REVHUYH WKDW BRXU drinking is also involved. Finally, the exhibit noted that one “skill related to Tribal Law is the great ability of some individuals to detect the identity of people by the traces of their FLUFXODWLRQ LV PRUH footprints. Some of these ‘trackers’ are so clever that they can tell the age, gender, marital status, tribe, and other sophisticated information about the individual who passed the spot where DGDSWHG IRU VXPPHU footmarks are being investigated.” I wonder if any of the ‘trackers’ have access .” to Holmes’s “monograph upon the tracing of footsteps, with some remarks upon the uses of WKDQ IRU ZLQWHU.” plaster of Paris as a preserver of impresses” that he mentioned in SIGN. Hint #1 on page 6, —— Hint #2 on page 8, Solution on page 10. - Ed. Page 3 EXPLORATIONS The 2009 Norwegian Explorers Annual Dinner In keeping with the tradition of recent Treasurer Mike Eckman reported that the years, the Norwegian Explorers met at the Explorers have a healthy bank balance and Minneapolis Golf Club for their annual dinner gave Tim Johnson a $442 (twice 221) and meeting on Thursday, December 3, 2009. contribution for the Collections. Wade and Mary Manthie again made sure that the Collections from permission with Reich Tim by Photo we were treated well. Sigerson After some social time including a cash Awards bar, we sat down to the British Buffet. As with the location, the menu of tossed salad, Artwork shepherd’s pie, Yorkshire pudding, pea salad, Larry Czarnecki carrots, fish and chips, and berry trifle has become a popular tradition. Bob Brusic’s Poetry grace concluded with the thought that we Robert Brusic would continue to play the game. Steve Schier began the toasts with one to Historical Essay Mycroft that he reported was a “table effort.” Patricia Nelson and P.J. Doyle toasted Irene Adler as “the certain Gail Jo Gardner young woman” who proved that Holmes was not a misogynist. Karen Ellery recognized Literary Research Watson as “the epitome of BFF” (“best friends Larry Czarnecki donated his Sigerson-Award- Karen Murdock forever” to the non texting crowd). Julie winning original artwork during the dinner to the University of Minnesota Sherlock Holmes McKuras toasted Mary Morstan (Watson’s Collections. Tim Johnson is pictured accepting Best Cover Art second wife) and noted that is was 131 years to this gift from Larry. Research the day that Captain Morstan disappeared. Michael Eckman Inez Bergquist offered a simple “Here’s to Mrs. Hudson” while Paul Martin spoke a little Paul Martin reviewed the life and Dogged Research longer in noting that Holmes was an contributions of Dr. Howard Burchell in a Don Wiese experimenter, chemist, and the catalyst that “Stand upon the terrace.” Among other brings us together. accomplishments, Dr. Burchell was the Chief of Travelogue Mike McKuras efficiently saw to the Cardiology at the University of Minnesota Tim Reich election of the officers and board. Tom Hospital, wrote 400 published articles in his Gottwalt is the new Vice President and Tim field, and had interesting World War II Reich has joined the board. Gary recognized experiences. Ruth Berman added that her father, Phil Bergem’s many years of service as Phil is who was also a doctor and also served in World leaving the board in anticipation of his move to War II, met Dr. Burchell during the war in Bemidji. The elected officers and board circumstances that caused him to ask, “I know members are shown below. who I am working for, but who are you working for?” Paul offered that Dr. Burchell was All of the probably investigating the effect of high altitude Sigerson Award President: Gary Thaden flying. Paul encouraged us to bring our special winning work is Vice President: Tom Gottwalt talents to the study of the Canon just as Dr. in the 2009 Secretary/Treasurer: Michael Eckman Burchell did. At Large Christmas Annual that was Gary Thaden noted the passing of Tom Board Members: John Bergquist, BSI, 2s Tietze.