Originally posted on historyplaces:
copyright Michael Lowery On September 13 and 14 Americans will commemorate the bicentennial of the Battle of Baltimore, a mostly forgotten battle in U.S. history… except that it gave the United States its national anthem. The song is… Continue reading O, say can you see? Stories of a national anthem

Originally posted on Gregg's Baseball Bookcase:
I often wonder like any other fan, what some umpires are thinking.  It seems that they almost want to show up the players at times by making themselves not only part of the… Continue reading Called Out But Safe – A Baseball Umpire’s Journey

Before the film, César Chávez in Photographs  Jon Lewis Photographs of the California Grape Strike Richard Steven Street This is story of Jon Lewis, the United Farm Workers Union’s photographer at the Delano, California, grape strike in the mid 1960s. He became the … Continue reading Now a Major Motion Picture: Cesar Chavez, Stefan Zweig

Weston Poor is an editorial assistant in EDP and runs marathons but has no idea why.

All right, it has been a few months since we last spoke. This could have been avoided, but, let’s face it, I’m lazy. Since we last left off, a hunt for the most wins in 2013 was at its peak. Of course, Terry “the Bandit” Boldan won the title by a narrow margin but, nonetheless, with all the hardiness of a champion. Boldan wouldn’t improve on his eleven wins, but that wouldn’t matter because Shirley Thornton wouldn’t improve either. With only two games left after the Thanksgiving break, the only settlers to improve their win totals were Nathan Putens and Erica Corwin, leaving the 2013 season win totals at:

Terry “the Bandit” Boldan—11 (Winner winner, chicken dinner!)

Shirley “you must be joking” Thornton—9

Erica Corwin—5

Leif Milliken—5

Nathan Putens—5

And my wins are hardly worth mentioning . . . really.

It was a solid accomplishment for the well decorated veteran settler. The Bandit declined to comment on his season win title. He claimed that he didn’t want to give his opponents ammunition. Always thinking defensively, that Bandit. The only indication he would give was that he’s a snake (in terms of Chinese symbols) and it was the year of the snake.

This year marked my discovery of Settlers of Catan, and thus my introduction to life. I made a good start by winning my first two contests. However, I haven’t done much since those two wins. The main takeaway from my rookie year: ensure significant resource flow with initial settlements on frequently rolled numbers, and always, always keep an eye on the Bandit.

Now that 2013 is over, it’s time to get started on the 2014 season. There is no off season for settlers, not like those overpampered pro athletes in highly televised sports. They can have their off-season; we want to play.

Here are some pictures of all the games for the current season.

January 2, 2014: Erica Corwin opened the 2014 season with an impressive win. Her signature blue playing pieces are surrounded by some other settlers’ expansive developments. It might not look like she has much on the board, but trust me she won, note the presence of the proverbial sheep. Corwin utilized the smaller field of play by gaining footholds on some of the more useful resources. The two development cards she purchased (a victory point and a monopoly card) aided her victory. Point totals: Corwin—9(time expired), Milliken—8, Boldan—7, me—6.

Continue reading “Settlers of Catan: Beginning of 2014 Recap”

For Valentine’s Day 1986, Ted Kooser wrote “Pocket Poem” and sent the tender, thoughtful composition to fifty women friends, starting an annual tradition that would persist for the next twenty-one years. Printed on postcards, the poems were mailed to a … Continue reading Valentines by Ted Kooser

Now through December 20, 2013 enter promotion code 6HLW13 and save 25% off all University of Nebraska Press books. Need some ideas? Give our gift book guide a try. Or explore these new titles:_______________________________________________________________________________________ Fried Walleye and Cherry Pie Midwestern Writers on FoodEdited and with an introduction by Peggy Wolff Read an excerpt from the book.______________________________The Last Days of the Rainbelt By David J. Wishart Read an excerpt from the book. ______________________________________________________________________________________ George Norris, Going Home Reflections of a Progressive StatesmanBy Gene A. Budig and Don Walton Read an excerpt from the book.______________________________ The New Reform JudaismChallenges and ReflectionsBy Dana Evan Kaplan Read an excerpt … Continue reading Holiday Sale

Now through December 12, 2013, enter promotion code 6BP13 to receive 25% off select JPS Bibles and Torahs. ____________________________________________________________The Jewish Bible A JPS GuideWith advisors Shalom Paul, Fred Greenspahn, and Ziony Zevit “An excellent text for adult study groups and high school students beginning their study into the mysteries and wisdom of the Jewish Bible.”—Jewish Book World____________________________________________________________ The JPS Bible Commentary: RuthTamara Cohn Eskenazi and Tikva Frymer-Kensky The 2011 Barbara Dobkin Award Winner in Women’s Studies from the National Jewish Book Council “Ruth, the newest in The JPS Bible Commentary series, is a magnificent achievement. This commentary by Tamara Cohn … Continue reading JPS Bible and Torah Promotion

Thirty-seven presses will unite for the Association of American University Presses annual University Press Week blog tour, which runs November 11-15. Individual presses will blog on a different theme each day, including profiles of university press staff members, the future … Continue reading UP Week: The Global Reach of University Presses

Thirty-seven presses will unite for the Association of American University Presses annual University Press Week blog tour, which runs November 11-15. Individual presses will blog on a different theme each day, including profiles of university press staff members, the future … Continue reading UP Week: The Importance of Regional Publishing