“Poe, Baltimore….”

Gravesite of Edgar Allan Poe in Baltimore, MD (August 2020)
“You never ask me what’s on the FLIP side!” — Shrevie (Daniel Stern) in “Diner” (1982). And is that lipstick above the ALLAN?!
Do you see him….??
Or have I gone crazy?

Quick story:

I was killing time in downtown Baltimore waiting for my appointment with an onboarding specialist, who was getting the last of my UMMS hospital credentials together. She was to escort me into the bowels of the ship to have my photo ID made. Until then, I wandered over to the Westminster Hall (formerly Presbyterian Church) and Cemetery where Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) and several of his family members are interred. His likeness was, therefore, fresh in my mind when I was waiting for my mugshot. And as I sat in the chair pondering things, his visage suddenly emerged from the tile floor (circled above)… and just then, from behind the wall, I began to hear a faint heartbeat… that steadily grew louder!

Other famous people buried there (from Wikipedia):

Edward Johnson (1767-1829) — mayor of Baltimore during the British attack in September 1814 (War of 1812)

Philip Barton Key (1818-1859) — son of Francis Scott Key who was shot and killed by Daniel Sickles (who later as a General Sickles was nearly the “goat of Gettysburg” where he also lost his leg to a cannon ball), his lover’s husband. Note that Sickles was the first person to successfully use the “temporary insanity” plea after killing Mr. Key in Lafayette Square, Washington DC on Feb 27, 1859.

James McHenry (1753-1816) — signer of the US Constitution and Secretary of War. He is the namesake for Fort McHenry.

“Antietam Abridged”

Nearby a boy and his parents were on a bench resting from the battle.
Burnside’s Bridge seen from the Confederate side. Action came here late in the day on Sept 17, 1862.
The Bloody Lane (the Sunken Road to locals) from the ground’s eye view.
The Bloody Lane from the observation tower.
Site of the early post-dawn action on what remains the bloodiest day in American history.

“What’s Wrong With This Pic?”

In my international survey, 53.7% of displayed chess sets (in store fronts, etc.) are not properly set up. The mnemonic device is “white on the right (bottom right square to each player) AND queen on her own color (black queen on black square).” This needs to tighten up, worldwide.
In Paris, they got the queens right but blew the corners, plus the knights and bishops are reversed.
At Harrods in London, where they also drive on the wrong side of the road.
But this one looks so nice!
Marcel Duchamp once again wonderfully muddies the waters.
Man Ray renders the discussion moot.
Yoko Ono’s set says white always wins….