tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1/tag:www.thedonovan.com,2007://1.8227- 2008-08-03T16:16:01Z Comments for Well, I can *usually* find a cannon when I travel... We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2007 Movable Type 4.12 tag:www.thedonovan.com,2007://1.8227 2007-10-21T12:46:13Z 2007-10-26T09:04:27Z Well, I can *usually* find a cannon when I travel... ...but I don't always find one actually firing. Especially one manned by... pirates. On land. Nicely maintained Brooke Rifle, made by the Naval Ordnance Works, Selma, Alabama, in January of 1865. 5lbs of black powder. Overlooking the Chattahoochee at Port Columbus, Georgia. And the reason this is all there's going to be from me today? Due to the astonishngly optimistically labeled "high-speed internet" at this place of accomodation, it took one full hour to get this posted. Near as I can tell, they got DSL, set up 4 wireless routers, and told 70 rooms full of computer geeks to hook... The Armorer http://www.thedonovan.com ...but I don't always find one actually firing.

Civil War Naval Museum Brooke rifle firing a blank.

Especially one manned by... pirates.

On land.

Nicely maintained Brooke Rifle, made by the Naval Ordnance Works, Selma, Alabama, in January of 1865. 5lbs of black powder. Overlooking the Chattahoochee at Port Columbus, Georgia.

And the reason this is all there's going to be from me today? Due to the astonishngly optimistically labeled "high-speed internet" at this place of accomodation, it took one full hour to get this posted. Near as I can tell, they got DSL, set up 4 wireless routers, and told 70 rooms full of computer geeks to hook up to their "high speed internet." Snerk. I think it ran almost normal at 2AM one morning. I'd have given you a larger version of the pic, but I could feel my arteries hardening and my joints stiffening as I waited. That and the dust bunny that collected by my feet.

I'm afraid I've got better things to do with my time than watch the Windoze Hourglass. And it's really not that, it's the loading bar on the browser...

]]> tag:www.thedonovan.com,2007://1.8227-comment:65818 Comment from Justthisguy on 2007-10-24 Justthisguy http://enemiesofthelibrary.blogspot.com Um, I shoulda wrote "parapet." I distinctly remember striding along the parapet, as if unafraid (not hard, I was not afraid) while making artillery geek love to that piece. They also have a Blakely there. I think I got right rude and forward with it, as well. Relax, folks; nothing really indecent happened, between me and those guns! 2007-10-24T06:43:37Z 2007-10-24T06:43:37Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2007://1.8227-comment:65800 Comment from KCSteve on 2007-10-23 KCSteve John, You might check out the phone you have - many of them will do data these days, even if they don't tell you about it up front. You may be hit with a small extra charge (I think I pay $5). Check with your provider. 2007-10-23T17:18:56Z 2007-10-23T17:18:56Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2007://1.8227-comment:65780 Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2007-10-22 John of Argghhh! http://www.thedonovan.com Well, with SWWBO now being unemployed, I'm not being as extravagant as I might once have been on things like that, Steve. Whyncha just FedEx that puppy down here and I'll use it... 2007-10-22T22:40:42Z 2007-10-22T22:40:42Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2007://1.8227-comment:65776 Comment from KCSteve on 2007-10-22 KCSteve And now you know why I take along my cable and data-ready cellphone when I travel (and why I pay a bit extra to have it data-ready). If I don't like a hotel's connection for whatever reason I just use my own. It runs at around DSL speeds too, just to rub it in a bit. 2007-10-22T20:02:08Z 2007-10-22T20:02:08Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2007://1.8227-comment:65775 Comment from Dan Patterson on 2007-10-22 Dan Patterson I now have some information in my wrinkled grey matter not previously hidden there: The Brooke rifle and it's inventor. Now I have to refresh myself on the Hook/Slant rifling method. Quite a character and quite a piece of artillery. Thanks for the posting and lesson. Dan Patterson Arrogant Infidel 2007-10-22T19:40:58Z 2007-10-22T19:40:58Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2007://1.8227-comment:65771 Comment from JimC on 2007-10-22 JimC http://www.csnavy.org/weapons/cannons.htm]]> 2007-10-22T18:06:39Z 2007-10-22T18:06:39Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2007://1.8227-comment:65767 Comment from BloodSpite on 2007-10-22 BloodSpite http://www.techography.com Now you know how I feel on dial up :) 2007-10-22T14:19:14Z 2007-10-22T14:19:14Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2007://1.8227-comment:65763 Comment from triticale on 2007-10-22 triticale http://triticale.mu.nu Oh, man, the Naval Ordnance Works, Selma, Alabama. They had a lathe used for cannon boring which remained in industrial use until the 1980s because new machine tools that big cost so much. When it was finally retired, it was hauled to a city park for children to climb on. 2007-10-22T08:44:08Z 2007-10-22T08:44:08Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2007://1.8227-comment:65760 Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2007-10-21 John of Argghhh! http://www.thedonovan.com JTG, you give the best "geek" when it comes to auld artillery... 2007-10-22T02:55:42Z 2007-10-22T02:55:42Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2007://1.8227-comment:65759 Comment from Justthisguy on 2007-10-21 Justthisguy http://enemiesofthelibrary.blogspot.com Oh, Man, a Brooke! Buttress Thread rifling! There may exist a photograph of my own self fondling a Brooke rifle, on the ramparts of Fort Pulaski, taken in 1988, or thenabouts. I prolly shoulda oughta chased wimmin instead of cannons, but wth, I seem to have no STDs to speak of. 2007-10-22T01:28:48Z 2007-10-22T01:28:48Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2007://1.8227-comment:65758 Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2007-10-21 John of Argghhh! http://www.thedonovan.com You feel it a *lot* Jeff!~ Twice as much as most people! 8^ ) 2007-10-22T01:01:53Z 2007-10-22T01:01:53Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2007://1.8227-comment:65757 Comment from Parrothead Jeff on 2007-10-21 Parrothead Jeff http://www.parrotheadjeff.com John, Great post and I love the pic! I truly feel your pain - I'm still on dialup for a lengthly list of reasons. Keep up the good work! Jeff 2007-10-22T00:51:57Z 2007-10-22T00:51:57Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2007://1.8227-comment:65756 Comment from Parrothead Jeff on 2007-10-21 Parrothead Jeff http://www.parrotheadjeff.com John, Great post and I love the pic! I truly feel your pain - I'm still on dialup for a lengthly list of reasons. Keep up the good work! Jeff 2007-10-22T00:51:21Z 2007-10-22T00:51:21Z