Tag Archives: Maryland

Museums, Oddities

National Electronics Museum – Baltimore

National Electronics Museum
Early Radar Devices

I flew into Baltimore and couldn’t meet my niece for a few hours and needed a diversion until after she got off work. So, I looked around and found the National Electronics Museum. I don’t know what I expected, but I just have to investigate these small museums. Now this one from the outside definitely has a military look with all the big radars and antenna out front. As it was created by people who were military contractors I expected maybe I’ll find all the junk that is no longer top secret. Well it seems that people who retire in this industry have devoted a huge amount of time to saving the history that they created in the electronics industry and the military industrial complex. So different types of radars are listed, displayed,

National Electronics Museum
National Electronics Museum

explained, and done so in a very understandable way. It is quite enlightening. then they talk about types of radios and how they were used to solve various puzzles to defend England,  America, our troops, and other bits of history. To examine the satellites used for communications and their history was likewise eye opening in that all of the explanations in this museum are definitely from a different a point of view and one might read in a sanitized history book.

For instance when the Germans were bombing London they were using various frequency bands that used together gave them targeting system that they could use day or night. One ingenious fellow took to the problem. He investigated in the frequency bands that were not being used by our systems and found their targeting frequencies. Continue reading National Electronics Museum – Baltimore →

Monuments, National Monuments, Points of Interest

George Mason Memorial – A Constitutional Genius

On a recent trip to Washington DC I stumbled upon the George Mason Memorial. Really, while on my way to the Jefferson Memorial, which to me is the most beautiful monument in all of Washington I came upon this circular fountain. The fountain was dry . There is a pergola with a statue of a man sitting.  Naturally I stop and read the plaque. George Mason, I don’t remember him in my history, so I read on.

George Mason – Wisest Man of Our Time

When George Washington calls George Mason ‘the wisest man of our generation’ this gets my attention. When Thomas Jefferson calls George Mason a mentor, the attention level increases. Now I am wondering  why I have not noticed this superhero during the creation of the United States before. How could someone with these incredible credentials be unknown.  I admit my history may not be at a scholarly level, however this man is really important.

Digging deeper one finds that Greoge Mason was the Governor of Virginia. He wrote the Bill of Rights for Virginia, which was a model or framework for the Bill of Rights for the United States. His contributions were at a foundational level for this country.

George Mason was one of three delegates who refused to sign the Declaration of Independence. One was just cantankerous and one refused to sign something that had a possibility of failing. George refused to sign the Declaration of Independence based upon his principles. It seems he wanted the Bill of Rights to be part of the declaration, not something added on later.

The memorial is small and diminutive by comparison to Jefferson’s huge prominence. The George Mason Memorial is tiny compared to the Washington Monument. The Washington Monument is an always visible part of the DC skyline. Interesting, so very interesting that this man should definitely be a part of all historical research. As I gain more insights into the creation of this nation my respect for these leaders grows.