h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

You may have forgotten that I am writing an article on connecticut
It is almost ready for Peer Review. the article is A8842971
Take a look and If I have ommitted something crucial let me know- shagbark 12 Feb. AD 2006

Hey, well, this seems to be part of what I was going for with my entry, but having those specific things about New/West Haven to go on.

The following was stuff I edited out of my article because it was not specific to the cities, but CT itself. Most of it should be useful, some of it may not be, you decide:

--More than a few nicknames:

Our state’s name has confounded generations of Connecticut schoolchildren, as they have perpetually struggled to learn its correct spelling. The name Connecticut is derived from the Algonquin word Quinnetucket, which means “long tidal river”. This of course makes reference to that river by the same name, which rises in Quebec, flows the length of New England, and meets salt water at the estuary of Long Island Sound.

Historically, Connecticut has been known by several other names:

The Constitution State—Connecticut is named thus in recognition of our having the first real written constitution in history, anywhere.

The Provisions State—Just think of Washington’s long-suffering army in the snow at Valley Forge. During the Revolution, Connecticut assumed the difficult primary role of providing the Patriot army with food, uniforms, overcoats, shoes, arms and ammunition.

The Land of Steady Habits—This refers to the well-known Yankee qualities of thrift, resourcefulness, and moral character.

The Nutmeg State—Somehow, this is the most common nickname for Connecticut—and the most perplexing. We like to refer to ourselves as Nutmeggers, although alternate names that exist are: Connecticuter, Connecticutonian, and Connecticutensian. These latter names are so awkward-sounding that they simply leave one pondering.

So why are we named for nutmeg? What is it, and who needs it? For the answer, just look to pumpkin pie or gingerbread. Nutmeg was an important spice, imported from the Spice Islands in raw form--in woody little nuggets. It was then grated to spice these foods, among others. Early Connecticut Yankees, considering themselves “shrewd” or “industrious”, fashioned wooden nutmegs, and sold them to the unsuspecting. It wasn’t until the wooden “nutmegs” were grated, that the unsuspecting buyers realized that they’d been had.

Thus it was, from these shady business practices that we Connecticutensians have earned our favorite nickname. Would someone please pass the gingerbread?

--The Blue Laws

The Blue Laws are indeed a puzzle. These days, they are seen as quaint and archaic; but sometimes, their effect upon yesterday’s society is recalled wistfully, in that these laws somehow managed to enhance the quality of life. But just what were they, where did they come from, and why were they blue anyway?

It is clear that the Blue Laws originated in the New Haven Colony, in Milford to be precise. It is also claimed that the Virginia Colony was setting down its own set of Blue Laws at the same time as the New Haveners were. Just “who-did-what-first” is the subject of some debate and conjecture.

The Blue Laws, which are generally ignored in our times, were written in the 1630s. It is asserted that they were written on blue paper and kept in blue-bound books, although no proof of this exists. To be “blue” was to be Puritanical; a “bluenose”, to use the disparaging term, was one who was rigidly moral in their behavior and life perspectives.

The bases for the Blue Laws were the ancient laws of Moses. It was said that, “as a true blue color or dye never fades or changes its color, so a man of fixed principles and resolutions, firmly grounded, will not easily depart from them”.

The four general areas of the Blue Laws were:

Sabbath Regulations—all travel, labor and commerce were forbidden on the Sabbath. This law harkens back to Fourth-Century Rome, under Constantine I, when all were forbidden to work on the Lord’s Day.

Family Relationships--the Blue Laws attempted to regulate many elements of family life—education, child-rearing, marital fidelity, and the like--by legislation.

Sumptuary Laws—which prohibited excesses in the areas of clothing and food consumption; these included “dressing in a style exceeding one’s social station”.

Public Behavior—woe be unto they who were witnessed to be drunk, idle or gossiping; they were publicly ridiculed while held in the stocks or pillory. Public displays of affection, even by husband and wife, likewise were specifically prohibited by the Blue Laws.

Remnants of the Blue Laws still exist today on our law books, but they have largely been ignored since their general decline in the 1960s. Today, the most visible sign of these changes, is this: where once only gas stations and pharmacies were allowed to open on Sundays, today there is no generally recognized day to put down one’s labors and spend time with one’s family.


Roads: (again, you covered some of this, but I didn't see I-84 ... I may have missed it :p ):
The major roads in Connecticut begin with Interstate 95, which runs along the entire southern coast of Connecticut. Interstate 91 can be reached along I95 by exit 45 and 46 and it will lead you to Connecticut's capitol, Hartford, and onward towards the Massachusetts Turnpike (Interstate 90) around Springfield. Another major off shoot from I91 is Interstate 84, which will lead you to I90 as well but much closer to Boston. Connecticut also sports a stretch of the infamous Route 1, which leads from the very edge of the Florida Keys all the way North to Maine, along the Eastern coast of the USA. All the most important parts of the state can be reached by I91 and I95.

--Possibly not noteworthy, although you may wish to include the University of Connecticut in some way, seeing as it is a large and respected university.
a) Home to the UConn Huskies, a perpetually winning NCAA team.

--These are some notable businesses in the area, other than Pfizer Pharmaceuticals which is also in Groton with the Sub base, and Bayer Corp in West Haven, CT.
d) Home of Fairfield County: Paul Newman who lives in Westport, The World Wrestling Entertainment HQ resides in Stanford, and ESPN’s HQ is in good old CT as well. If my father were here, he could point out anyone famous who ever lived in or is currently living in Connecticut. However, he’s not here, and you can’t make me call him.

--Again, you gave me this info, and have appropriately included it ^_^
e) Between 1790 and 1930 Connecticut had more patents (per capita) than any other of the fifty United States of America. Some notable inventors include: Eli Whitney, Samuel Colt, Harvey Hubbell, and Charles Goodyear.

--This was also mentioned in the vein of most expensive place to live, but it is mainly due to taxes and not prices outright:
f) Connecticut, until recently, held the honor of having the highest taxes per capita than any state in the union. Quite a feat, and quite an expensive place to live.

--Should probably go under the "Attractions" heading, and you may also link to the casino's individual websites if you so desire. Mohegan Sun in Uncassville, CT and Foxwoods Resot and Casino in Ledyard, CT:
g) CASINO GAMBLING!!! Connecticut is home to two casinos, and soon perhaps a third if certain people have their way. All of the Casinos are on Native American property and owned and operated by Native Americans. Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Ledyard, CT, is the largest casino in the United States, with over one square mile of floor space (mostly for slot machines). It is a high class facility, with a history museum, hotel space, and plenty of other attractions. But who cares, gambling!! It is run by the Mashantucket Pequot tribal nation, one of the many Native American presences in Connecticut. Mohegun Sun is the alternative choice for casino gambling, and it is no slouch. In fact, Mohegan Sun is home for the WNBA's Connecticut Sun team and the stadium is a part of the facility. By far, these casinos are Connecticut's most attractive reasons for a visit.

--Something odd and useless, but informative nontheless:
h) Banker and yachtsman E.C. Benedict inherited a Connecticut fortune and began spending more time on the water than in his office. While on his yacht sometime around 1902, Benedict insisted that hollandaise sauce be added to his poached eggs on toast with ham. When guests tried the new delicacy they fell in love with it and named it after its inventor.

--You sort of already commented on this:
i) On the morning of 12 June, 2005, the CBS Sunday Morning (a weekly television magazine on United States Television) reported that Mark Twain had a house in Hartford for over twenty years. It was there that he wrote Tom Sawyer, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court and many other of his most famous novels.

It will probably be Wednesday before I get working on this but i want to say now I have read your post and it has a lot of good stuff. catch you later alligator.

I figure I will move my rerferences over here
ReferencesColonial west

State Library FAQ
State website
Map Better Map

Hey, I found a site with a lot of other CT facts that might interest this article:

http://www.ct.gov/ctportal/cwp/view.asp?a=843&q=246434

Check it out ^_^

It is now the end of March and both our artilcles have been picked for the Eg. Isn't that great

The editors always make a copy to keep their work from changing the original. the address of the copies (to be edited pages) is A10451396 and A10335197

It's a March Madness Miracle!!

^_^

I likely have you to thank for all of your help with my article. I truly appreciate it.

It is my hope that every time i add an entry to the edited guide
I contribute some worthwhile knowledge. It makes me glad to see the entries in the edited column. How about you? what did you feel when you saw your first entry in that column?

It's a little piece of immortality, as far as I'm concerned ^_^

I would like to see the entire earth represented on this thing, though I'm only qualified to discuss places I've lived.

With any luck, I'll have time to craft some other entries at a later date, but right now I'm sort of tapped for ideas.

I remember a couple of years ago I toook a vacation in Cody Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park. Before leaving I checked h2g2 and found out about an Ice cream parlor in Cody. I happened to mention I was from Michigan. and tey wondered how I heard about them.
I casually replied "Oh, from your write up in the Earth Internet edition of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy." Of course then I had to admit that h2g2 isn't quite a universal compendium yet
but it is amazing how many little corners of this globe have entries in it.

on 17 May, 2006 the Connecticut article became an official Edited Entry.
On my Personal space Intro U170775 I have set aside space to showcase the works did for the EG. I did have 8 articles there and one Edited Update. Today I make that nine Already I have plans
to increase that number. I have two biographies in Peer Review.
One is Atronomer William Herschel the other DJ Alan Freed.
then when those are done I fancy I will submit an Updated version of the Edited entry on Uranus.
My Nephew once mused that I would leave behind a body of work.
As I add the entry on Connecticut to my list I am reminded of Mark Twain. How many times in the last century do you suppose someone has been reminded that his real name was Samuel Clemens.
I wonder if when I am gone if someone will point to my series of articles in h2G2 and say " Did you know that shagbark was the on-line personae of one William Hubbell. Occassionaly I will let the fact slip out. Http://william_hubbell.fortunecity.com/index.html

http://william_hubbell.fortunecity.com/index.html from The Polaris ring in Lansing Michigan Heeeeres Shagbark.

Well risustle my leaves the photo is in a sculpture entitled
The Polaris Ring and is so positioned that the State Library in the background stands directly under Polaris.

You might think that such an impressive sculpture wouldm give it's artist a measure of immortality and yet 99 percent of those who see it don't even know who designed or built it.
I once knew his name but have since forgotten it.

Greetings once again.
I just ran across another researcher putting
"A Coffee House in New London Connecticut" into
peer review.
the Article is A13095128 if you are interested.
You are now the peer who can give him pointers

a slight inaccuracy- it is the writing workshop not peer review where he put it. I'm sure he would appreciate a friendly voice there anyway.