Top Ten Mystery Movies, TV Series and/or Stories.

1. And then There Were None (also know as Ten Little Indians) with Barry Fitzgerald. Based on the novel by Agatha Christie. This is the first mystery movie I remember seeing and it made a big impression on me. The book and movie have different endings.

2. The Hound of the Baskerville's with Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce. Based on the story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Although the Mystery! version is more true to the book, this one is my favorite.

3. Poirot, the TV series, on MYSTERY! (PBS), with David Suchet as Hercule Poirot. Based on the stories of Agatha Christie.

4. Morse, the Chief Inspector Morse TV series, on MYSTERY! (PBS) with John Thaw as Chief Inspector Morse. Based on the novels of Colin Dexter. Like Alfred Hitchcock, Colin Dexter makes an uncredited appearance in each episode in a very minor role.

5. Sherlock Holmes, the three different series on MYSTERY! (PBS) with Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes. Based on the writings of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. So far, Jeremy Brett the is the definitive Holmes, in my opinion.

6. Miss Marple, on MYSTERY! (PBS), with Joan Hickson as Miss Marple. Based on Agatha Christie's writings. Unfortunately, the new series is, as a whole, not as good, although some individual episodes are equal to or better that this first series.

7. Sleuth with Laurence Olivier and Michael Cane.

8. Murder on the Orient Express with Albert Finney as Hercule Poirot.

9. Sleepy Hollow with Johnny Depp

10. The Murder in the Rue Morge by Edgar Allen Poe. The origin of the mystery story.

In reviewing this list, I notice that the majority are all British. Edgar Allen Poe was an American. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Conan_Doyle) was born in Scotland. I think the British are the masters of this genre.

4th Generation

I am a fourth generation Irishman whose great-grandfather came from Ireland, via Scotland, to New York City, and settled in Hoboken, N.J. My last name is most commonly found on the West Coast of Ireland.

My great-grandfather was an only child, and his son was an only child, who grew up in Hoboken. He always wanted a son of his to go to the engineering college on the hill, right on the Hudson river, looking over to New York City.

My grandfather had three sons and his oldest son did go to Steven's Institute of Technology. He graduated near the top of his class and went to work for a company that would hire Catholics. That was in 1945. Not all companies would hire Catholics at that time.

He was very successful and ended up being the CEO of a number of corporations. All were in the general area of the chemical industry. He served for 25 years on the Board of Trustees at Stevens, and the gymnasium is named after him. He once told me how much he enjoyed playing intramural basketball when he was a student.

His son, my older brother, also went there.

General Class License Manual

ARRL's General Class License Manual seems to be well written, comprehensive and very interesting.

SKYWARN

National SKYWARN Homepage

www.skywarn.net

Palm Beach County SKYWARN

www.pbcskywarn.dakehome.com

Natonal Weather Service Miami

www.weather.gov/miami

National Severe Storms Laboratory

www.nssl.noaa.gov

From SKYWARN Storm Spotters training session Feb 2007

Mallory Creek

Yesterday I got a postcard in the mail about a new community in Abacoa. It is called Mallory Creek. I went to the sales office and it seems pretty good.