Earthrace Boat, image from BoatDesign.net

Earthrace was an engineering feat.  The 78ft boat, which displaced 13 tons, set the world record for circumnavigating the globe in a powered vessel.  The boat did the trip in 60 days, 23 hours, and 49 minutes, beating the previous record by over 13 days.  The vessel had a 3,000 nautical mile range, and traveled at speeds up to 45kts.  Amazingly, it accomplished this running completely on an animal fat and vegetable oil bio-diesel fuel.  The key to the boat’s speed was its design.  The trimaran hull reduced drag and allows for faster speeds, while the three hulls themselves were designed to slice through waves rather than roll over them, greatly increasing efficiency.

In June 2009, it was announced that Earthrace would join the Sea Shepherds fleet.  The Sea Shepherds are a group of radical conservationists dedicated to interrupting the legal hunting of whales by Japanese research organizations.  They are (inappropriately, in my opinion) featured in the Animal Planet show ‘Whale Wars’.  In the past, the Sea Shepherds have attempted to interrupt the historic Canadian seal hunt, but were arrested and had their vessel seized after ramming a Canadian Coast Guard ship.  The Sea Shepherds, founded by a man who was kicked out of Greenpeace for being too radical, have always sought crew members based on their radical beliefs and zealous support of Sea Shepherds ideals over their actual nautical skills.

Despite the initial statement that Earthrace would be used in a passive role, on January 6th, 2010 Earthrace, re-named Ady Gil sank from a collision with the 172-ft Japanese research vessel Shonan Maru 2.  At the time, the Shonan Maru 2 was providing security to the Japanese whaling fleet.  Ady Gil had been attacking it and other whaling vessels using a projectile launcher, high-powered handheld lasers intended to blind watch-standers and equipment,  and by towing a line and crossing the whaling vessels’ bows at close range in an attempt to entangle their propellers or and rudders.

Vessel Ady Gil Attacks Japanese Whaling Ships with (from left to right) A Projectile Launcher, A Laser, and an Entangling Line; photos from icrwhale.org

The below video shows the collision between Ady Gil and Shonan Maru 2, as witnessed from the deck of Shonan Maru 2.  When watching the video, pay close attention to the stern of Ady Gil.  Initially it appears that the vessels will pass close aboard, but will not collide.  However, at the last minute, Ady Gil accelerates in front of the whaler, where it is hit.  The acceleration is evident in the building wake behind Ady Gil as it draws nearer to Shonan Maru 2, and the acceleration does not stop until AFTER the collision.   This video is evidence refuting the Sea Shepherds’ claim that Shonan Maru 2 rammed Ady Gil.  Interestingly, this video has not been shown by any of the main media outlets.  Instead, they have repeatedly aired video taken from another Sea Shepherds vessel, whose perspective makes the fault much more ambiguous in the collision.

For more images and videos of Sea Shepherds’ reckless activities from the perspective of the victims, go here: http://www.icrwhale.org/gpandsea.htm

Editorial Cartoon by Ramirez

The recent string of summer town hall meetings held by the President and members of Congress have brought out a wave of protests against the proposed health care program.  This should not be a surprise.  Americans have been exercising their First Amendment rights in the form of protests since the bill of rights became part of the Constitution.  Before that, there were still protests, like the one depicted above.  The protests occurring all around the country today, however, are a different type of protest than we’re used to.

First, the protesters appear different.  They are older. These are not college students or young people, they’re people who are over the hill and beyond.  The average health care protester is probably old enough to be the grandparent of the environmental and anti-war protestors we’re used to seeing in the news.  Second, many of them are conservative.   Traditional protesting (like that which is going on at these town hall meetings) is a tool that was traditionally used to advance the liberal agenda, while the health care protests are dedicated to stopping it.  Finally, this is the first time that one of Barack Obama’s plans has met widespread protest.  Controversial actions such as the $700+ billion TARP bailout, billions worth of appropriations and spending bills, and the cap and trade program were passed with little public outcry.  Now, on the issue of health care reform, the people are, for the first time, coming out in great numbers to speak out against the pet project of the Democrat poster boy of the century.

These departures from our common conception of protests have sent liberal politicians reeling; trying to decide how to react.  For once they are on the receiving end of protests, something that many of the Democrat politicians in office today have never experienced on such a scale.  The result has been a myriad of reactions, none of which are appropriate.

The White House chose denial, calling the protests ‘manufactured’.  While some of the protests may, in fact, have been influenced by conservative interest groups, the widespread scale and nature of the protests and protesters is evidence that they are not manufactured.  The simple fact is that the GOP is too fractured at this point to organize any kind of protest, let alone one on the scale that we’re seeing.  The claim of manufactured protests is, howver, congruent with the White House’s inability to accept that the people could disagree with it’s policies.

Congressional leaders, however, went even further.  Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D, Nev.) chose to use the phrase ‘evil mongers’ to refer to the protesters.  It is a phrase he proudly repeated several times for journalists.  Evil is a strong word, used to refer to morally objectionable people and actions.  Is it really appropriate for American citizens exercising their First Amendment rights to express their discontent with a governmental movement?  No, it isn’t.  Not at all.

That leaves Nancy Pelosi (D, Cal.), the Speaker of the House, who showed just how out of touch she is with the country, it’s people, and the Constitution she swore to support and defend, by calling the protesters ‘un-American’ .  She really did.  These are ordinary American Citizens, exercising their rights, as delineated in the First Amendment of the American Constitution.  They are Americans, exercising the rights granted to them as Americans.  Maybe they’re more American than you, Ms. Pelosi.

The most interesting part of these reactions and the similar reactions of other Democrat politicians is the one reaction that is being avoided like the plague: understanding; empathy.  Executive and Congressional Democrats are so stubbornly behind this very liberal concept that they are unwilling to accept the fact that the American people may not want this proposed health care plan.  Let’s hope they learn before a destructive bill is passed.  If not, they’ll surely learn in the next election.

Editorial cartoon from www.mediabistro.com

Considering the current political scene, I find myself often thinking about taxes, taxation, and the economy.  The way I see it, there are two fundamental conditions under which people allow themselves to be taxed: that they have representation on the body that taxes them, and that they in some way benefit from the government’s use of their money.

The first condition had Americans quite literally up in arms 230 years ago, when patriots took arms against the British throne.  As the history books tell us, the British Parliament imposed taxes on the colonies, despite the fact that the colonies had no representation in Parliament.  This sentiment and the subsequent conflict gave birth to our nation and shaped its early development.  For a nation built on ‘No Taxation Without Representation’; a nation conceived in fear of an over-powerful central power and designed to prevent one, a lot has changed since the Revolution.

Today we are embroiled in another debate, one centered over the second condition of taxation: that tax-ees in some way benefit from the government’s use of their money.  This is not one that will be fought with muskets.  It may not even be fought at all.

Traditionally, when more privileged persons give a portion of their income, wealth, or possessions to help the less fortunate, it is called charity.  Charity stems from human compassion, and occurs when one realizes that they are comfortable enough to share what they have, so that others may be slightly more comfortable. The key to charity is that it is voluntary.

Recent trends in the federal government appear to be attempts to redefine charity.  The latest proposals for funding Barak Obama’s health care program involve adding a further tax on those making $350,000 or $1,000,000 or more.  This money would fund the federal health care program designed for those who do not have any or adequate health care.   The implications of adding a federal option to compete with commercial health insurance programs are a topic for another post.  In any case, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to deduce that someone making $1,000,000 or more doesn’t need health insurance from the federal government.  The bottom line here is that Barak Obama is asking (making) the more affluent members of society give “a little bit more” in order to fund a program that they will not benefit from.  In turn, this added burden could lead to a reduction in traditional charity, and even in the risky entrepreneurial investment that contributed to the power of the US economy.

Such sentiment constitutes a redefinition of charity, where the ‘compassion’ and ‘voluntary’ elements go away, and the government steps in and forces the giving.  At the same time, it constitutes a violation of the conditions in which citizens allow themselves to be taxed.  Votes alone cannot reverse this triend, as the portion of society being wronged is a very small fraction of the whole.  On the other hand, the influence and power held by that small fraction is immense.  Society must hope that these citizens take up the fight in the ways they know best in order to reverse this wrong before it becomes insurmountable.

One final thought: true charity is the product of a healthy economy; government-forced charity is a barrier to it.

Prime Candidates for this Recipe

A recipe post, for two reasons.  First, this is a fantastic recipe, and a very easy way to impress your friends and families.  Second, I haven’t had time to write about anything important but was sick of seeing my last (unhappy) post on top here.  This is my mother’s recipe, I only take credit for the few notes and suggestions at the end.

8 to 10 large apples, peeled cored and sliced or cut in chunks
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 to 1 cup sugar (may not be needed)

Put all ingredients in to crock-pot. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10
hours. (High: 3 to 4 hours).

Notes:

• Depending on the size of your crock-pot, 8-10 apples may be too many, especially if you are using large ones.
• Be sure to do a good job peeling and coring your apples.  Cut them into relatively small chunks.  I usually cut them into slices, then chop them.
• You’ll often hear that the best applesauce is made from a variety of apples.  This is true, but only to a point.  Give thought to the kinds of apples you’re adding.  Sour apples may not be a good idea, unless you want to have to add a lot of sugar to get the right taste.  So far, the best combination has been 1/3-1/2 RIPE McIntosh apples, plus a variety of other sweet/semi-sweet apples.  Be sure the apples are ripe before adding them.
• Don’t add the sugar until the end.  Taste the sauce first.  Then add sugar in small amounts as necessary to achieve the best taste.
• The applesauce can be served warm or cold, although warm is usually preferred.
• The applesauce won’t last too long in the refridgerator, but can be frozen, thawed, and served with no loss of flavor.

I saw Up yesterday and absolutely loved it.  I am a Disney/Pixar junkie, but this movie seemed to have something more.  The hilarious humor was consistent almost throughout, but the movie started out with some very serious segments.  I highly recommend it to anyone.  You’ll definitely laugh out loud, and you may cry as well.

There’s another trailer that is funnier but gives away more of the plot after the jump.  

Trailer 2:

Well a few weeks ago I got an Asus EeePC 1000HE netbook off of Amazon.com.  This came after a significant amount of research, comparison, and decision-making.  I also considered netbooks from HP, Acer, and Dell, although the Dell ones did not get much consideration.  Eventually it came down to the feel of it.   I went to Best Buy and tried them all out.  The Acer didn’t match up spec-wise.  The HP just did not feel right.  The keyboard, with the keys touching each other was hard to type on, and the touchpad was horrendous.  The buttons were on either side of the pad itself and were very awkward to use.  The EeePC has a ‘chicklet’ keyboard which was easy to type on, and the touchpad worked well.  So I decided to pull the trigger on it.

The root of those comfort issues is the nature of the Netbook.  They are supposed to be small, portable, and not that powerful.  They are geared towards using the Internet and word-processing and not much more.  The ones I looked at had 10″ screens and all weighed under 3lbs.  This means that they cannot house full-sized keyboards.  Therefore, trying to type on a reduced-sized keyboard can be uncomfortable and frustrating unless the keyboard is well-designed.

The computer itself has an Intel Atom processor, the 280 model, running at 1.66GHz.  I took out the 1GB ram chip and put in a 2GB chip.  It has a 160GB 5400rpm hard drive, on a SATA connection. The wireless card is b/g/n and is pretty good.  It has a 1.3 megapixel camera integrated into the screen and stereo microphones.  It has no optical drive, but I was able to get an external DVD-RW drive for cheap.  The battery was advertised to last for 9.5 hours on a single charge, a major reason why I bought it.

The EeePC came from Amazon in literally a day. It also came with a custom neoprene case from Asus, which was a nice touch.  The power supply is smaller and lighter than any other computer power supply I have seen.  It is approx 1″ x 1″ x 2.5″.   The computer itself is a little heavy at the hinge, because of the large battery, but it is not too bad.

I set up a wireless-n network with a new Linksus router, which didn’t take that long.  The EeePC connected instantly once I put in the passphrase.  That didn’t last long because I had bigger plans for the computer.  I shut it down with the Windows 7 Release Candidate disk in one hand and a flash drive bearing Ubuntu Netbook Remix (UNR) in the other.  The goal was to have three partitions: 25GB for Windows, 15GB for UNR, and 120GB for data, which would be shared between the two.  Documents, pictures, and music would be accessed from both OSs but only stored in one place.

I did the formatting and partitioning from the Windows 7 install disk and went ahead and installed Windows 7.  All of the drivers installed themselves by default, and the wireless-n connection picked right up.   Windows 7 is basically the OS that Vista should have been.  It is user-friendly, looks great, and is not a resource hog.  Despite the slow processor and minimal RAM, I was able to run the full-featured version (including Aero effects) with no slow-down or stopping.

I then installed UNR on its own partition.  That took some getting used to, because I am largely unfamiliar with Linux.  Once I figured out the process, it was not too difficult.   Again, the drivers installed themselves and all of the hardware worked well.  I was able to connect to the network without issue.  I made the mistake of letting the automatic updater install a bunch of ‘optional’ software packages.  Once of these invariably caused an issue and crashed the OS.  Once I re-installed UNR and disabled the ‘optional’ features, I was able to start installing software.  Doing so from the command line took a lot of research and some getting used to.  Luckily UNR came with OpenOffice and FireFox.  I installed Pidgin and Skype, then decided to try to find a suitable media player.  I installed Banshee, Amarok, and Songbird.   Finally, I installed Gnome Do, a versatile shortcut launcher application, which I have grown to like.

Back in Windows 7, I installed Avast Anti-Virus, FireFox, iTunes, Skype, AIM, Office Professional 2007, Google Chrome, and a few other applications.  Unfortunately, one of these installations  caused an error within Windows Explorer.  Now, I cannot open a folder, My Computer, My Documents, or Right-Click on any item without Windows Explorer crashing.  It is very frustrating, and I think I’ll have to do a fresh install of Windows 7 and go from there.

Despite the issues with Windows 7, I purchased and installed a Verizon Wireless USB Broadband Card.  The software installed fine on Windows 7 and the connection was relatively stable and relatively fast.  I didn’t even need to install the software on UNR; I just put in the Verizon connection information into the UNR Network Manager, and the device connected almost instantly.  It was excellent.

I then used my external hard drive to transfer music (photos and documents will follow) to the 120GB ‘data’ partition.  Accessing the information (aside from not being able to open up any folders) was easy as normal in Windows 7.  I simply re-pointed the appropriate applications to the files they needed and all was well.  In UNR, i was able to do essentially the same thing, but realized I would have to ‘mout’ the partition first.  Once I did that, I was able to get right in to the data.  In the course of that process, I was able to narrow down the media player battle to a selection between Banshee and Songbird.  Banshee is a much lighter application, but Songbird runs well and has a lot of extra features that I really like.  We’ll see what I decide on.

I have used the Netbook both at a desk, around the apartment, on my nightstand, at work, and in the car, and it has performed beautifully with the exception of the Windows Explorer issue.  Moving forward, I intend to try upgrading and failing that re-installing Windows 7 to resolve the issue.  Meanwhile, I’ll happily keep working with UNR.

All told, the EeePC 1000HE cost me $392.63 from Amazon.  The RAM upgrade cost $25.84 and the external USB DVD-RW drive was $64.52, also from Amazon.  The purchase was definitely worth it, and I would recommend the EeePC 1000HE to anyone looking for a small platform for basic word-processing and web browsing, or as a supplement to another computer.  I would also recommend, however, that anyone interested in a Netbook be sure to try them out first, to determine which is most comfortable to use.  This is definitely an inexpensive ultraportable option for those who do not require resource-heavy applications.

Edit: The upgrade version of the Windows 7 installation fixed the issue, and preserved my programs and settings.  The EeePC is now fully functional and it is awesome!

Utilizing the theory of electrostatics, we have designed a low-cost human-computer interface device that has the ability to track the position of a user’s hand in three dimensions. Physical contact is not required and the user does not need to hold a controller or attach markers to their body. To control the device, the user simply waves their hand above it in the air.

Associated Press File Photo by Robert F. Bukaty

I hear that the new administration of the EPA has pushed through a judgement that Carbon Dioxide is a pollutant to be regulated under the Clean Air Act.  While an analysis of CO2 as a pollutant had been forced by a suit against the EPA, the Bush Administration worked to slow the process as much as possible to prevent the potentially dangerous impact of such a judgement on the economy.  It seems that the Obama Administration intends to force the country into its environmental policy through a lesser-of-two-evils battle between EPA regulation and the notorious cap-and-trade legislation that the liberals are trying to push through.

Let’s first take a step back and look at carbon dioxide as a gas.  It is a linear molecule with two double-bonds, in the form (O=C=O).  It is heavier than air, and at normal atmospheric pressure, changes phase directly from a gas to a solid when cooled.   It is a common byproduct of the neutralization of carbon-containing acids and is, itself mildly reactive.  Carbon dioxide in water will produce a very weak carbonic acid, but the gas is not considered a source of acid rain.

Carbon dioxide occurs naturally in the atmosphere and comes from a number of sources.  As previously mentioned, it is a result of neutralization of carbon-containing acids.  It is also a byproduct of the combustion of carbon-containing fuels as well as the fermenting process.  Much more commonly, it is the product of respiration.  It is what humans, animals, fungi, plants, and all other oxygen-breathing cells exhale in the normal course of living.

Carbon dioxide is used in numerous ways.  It provides the carbonation in sodas and other ‘fizzy’ beverages.  It is also a gas commonly used in pneumatics and portable fire extinguishers.  In its solid form, dry ice, carbon dioxide is used to keep items cold for shipment and over long periods of time.

Carbon dioxide is also classified as a greenhouse gas.  Sunlight, comprised of the visible spectra and infrared and ultraviolet light on either side of that spectrum, shines on the earth.  When the sun shines on the earth, various layers of the atmosphere deflect or reflect some amounts of its emission spectrum.  What is not otherwise obstructed by the atmosphere reaches the surface of the earth.  That energy is converted into heat, a process which sends thermal infrared waves back up from the earth’s surface. Greenhouse gasses capture these waves and reflect them back to earth instead of allowing them to pass harmlessly into space.  The re-impacts of the thermal infrared waves effectively increases the warming effect of each initial piece of sunlight.

Obsessive coverage in the media and by environmental groups has led to the incorrect belief that the greenhouse effect and global warming are directly resultant from carbon dioxide.  This is actually not true.  Carbon dioxide is the second largest contributor to the greenhouse effect, representing less than 1/3 to less than 1/5 of the impact of the top contributor.  That lead contributor just so happens to be water vapor which, including its form as clouds, accounts for as much as 2/3 to 4/5 of the greenhouse effect.  Should it too be considered a pollutant?

The EPA’s classification of carbon dioxide as a pollutant allows for regulation under the Clean Air Act. The clean air act was originally passed in 1955 and has been amended numerous times since.  The most recent amendment came in 1990 when provisions were added for controlling acid rain and ozone depletion.  The legislation provides a basis for regulation of emissions of certain gasses in order to prevent additional harm to the environment.

What this, in turn, could do is force the issue on the President’s proposed cap-and-trade program.  It does this by removing the ‘no’ option, in that if cap-and-trade were to not make it through Congress, EPA regulations on carbon dioxide emissions would go into effect.  If cap-and-trade were to pass, maybe the EPA would back off on its own regulations.

On the other hand, the EPA is claiming that the new ruling would apply only to automobile emissions.  This means a further tightening of standards on car companies.  The irony here is that the government is at the same time propping GM and Chrysler up in order to keep them in business, and a major reason that they are doing so poorly is because they are forced (by emissions and fuel economy standards) to build lots of low-profit (or no-profit)  small cars that nobody seems to want to buy.  Essentially this move by the EPA will force the government to need to pump more and more money into these auto companies to keep them alive.

This goes to the bigger issue of trying to manage an economic crisis while furthering a liberal agenda.  The two don’t appear to go hand-in-hand.  The goal is to stimulate companies to be more successful, yet the government is squashing them under new regulations, further cutting into their profitability.  In my opinion, deregulation is the way to help stimulate the economy.  Let the free market dictate who makes what and how much people pay for it.  Speaking of the free market, I hope the government is planning a bailout program for the health/drug sector after this new ‘national healthcare’ program kicks in… but that is another topic for another day.

Portrait of James W. Ellsworth

Last night I impatiently googled my name to see if this site would pop up.  It didn’t.  I’ll give google’s crawlers a few more days and try again.  I did, however, find information about another James W. Ellsworth, someone important enough to have a wealth of Internet content all about him.  I feel it is important to note that I am distantly (but trace-ably) related to this person, and also that the ‘W’ in this case stands for William and not the Wilson that gives me my middle initial. 

James W. Ellsworth was born in Hudson, Ohio, on October 13, 1849.  His grandfather, Elisha Ellsworth had emigrated from Torrington, CT to Hudson in 1816.  There, he and later his son and grandson held large tracts of land in the town and even facing the town green itself.  It was in the family store, Ellsworth and Buss, which faced the Hudson town green, that James worked as a boy.  He went to preparatory school at Western Reserve Academy, a place that he would extensively endow later in life.

After completing his time at preparatory school, James worked for a year at a Cleveland drug wholesaler.  In 1869, at the age of 20, James moved to Chicago to work for Ames & Company, a coal-mining firm, as a commissioning agent.  From there, James W. Ellsworth’s skill for business allowed him to rise rapidly in the company, and within the next ten years Ames & Co. became James W. Ellsworth & Co. Under this company, his empire boomed.  James expanded to coal properties in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia and had offices in Chicago, New York City, and Pittsburgh.  It was in this era of expansion that James was responsible for one of Chicago’s first skyscrapers, the 14-story Ellsworth Building, built in 1892, which still stands on the 300 block of South Dearborn St.  

James W. Ellsworth’s greatest business undertaking was the Ellsworth Mines in Pennsylvania.  It was around this mining complex that James created his own version of the George Pullman model town, Ellsworth, PA.  The town, created for employees of the mines, featured a colonial building style that James especially liked.  The town was a huge success.  Two decades later, James applied lessons learned in creating Ellsworth, PA in improving his own hometown of Hudson, OH with such features as new buildings, a community center, a clock-tower, electricity, indoor plumbing, and paved roads.

From 1896 to 1898, James served as president of the Union National Bank of Chicago, where he signed National Bank notes.  National Bank notes of that time were issued by banks and backed by bonds held by the Treasury.  They were a form of currency that evolved into the common paper money used in the United States today, and resembled their successors up until recent changes in the designs of U. S. bills.

James was a close friend of President William McKinley and an avid Republican.  He was also a proponent of prohibition and arranged a deal with Hudson, OH that it would remain dry for 50 years in exchange for his providing some of the amenities listed above, free of charge.  In upgrading utilities in Hudson, James received resistance from several telephone and electrical companies who refused to move their wires underground.  Determined, James built his own power company and ran his own underground transmission lines.  He handed over the deed to the power company and the water treatment plant he had also built, to the town of Hudson.  James moved telephone lines underground in the same manner, by starting his own telephone company and forcing out the competition.  His company, Western Reserve Telephone, is now known as Alltel. 

Lincoln Ellsworth, James W. Ellsworth’s son, later wrote that his father’s proudest accomplishment was his work on the World’s Fair.  James “could justly claim to have been one of a small handful of Chicago men who made the Exposition the artistic and Cultural triumph it became.” Chicago had won the competition to host the fair, officially known as the World Columbian Exposition.  It was James W. Ellsworth’s plan and vision that developed into the 1893 World’s Fair, most famous for its giant Ferris Wheel, with compartments the size of railroad cars.  The Fair would have a profound impact on American culture for the next 30 years, and would also contribute to James W. Ellsworth’s personal collections, as discussed later.

James W. Ellsworth married Eva Frances Butler of Chicago on November 4, 1874.  They had two children, Lincoln and Claire, before Eva died in 1888.  In 1898, James re-married, this time to a New Yorker, Julia Clark Fincke.  He had no children with his second wife.

In addition to maintaining (and constantly adding to) his estate in Hudson, Ohio, James maintained homes on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, on Park Avenue in New York City, in Switzerland, and many other places.  In 1904, he bought and later restored the villa Palmieri, near Florence Italy.  Boccaccio supposedly wrote the Decameron while at the same Palmieri centuries earlier.  It was at Palmieri where James W. Ellsworth’s life would come to an end, on June 2, 1925 at the age of 75.

As were many Gilded Age millionaires, James W. Ellsworth was an avid connoisseur and collector.  His most notable piece, and that which he was most proud of acquiring was Rembrandt’s ‘Portrait of a Man’.  James acquired the painting from the Princess de Sagan in Paris in 1889.  The now-priceless masterpiece hung on the wall of his home in Chicago.  Today, the painting can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, which considers it ‘remarkable for its quality and condition’. 

Another important artifact resulted in James W. Ellsworth’s work as the principal Director of the World Columbian Exposition in Chicago.  At the end of the exposition, James acquired the Cross of La Rabida, part of the Spanish pavilion at the event.  The cross itself came from the place where Columbus stated right before he departed on his famous voyage in 1492, the Monastery of Santa Maria de la Rabida in Palos, Spain.  Years later, James donated the artifact to the Western Reserve Academy, in whose chapel it is prominently displayed.

James was also an avid coin collector.  One of his most notable possessions was also a result of his work with the World Columbian Exposition.  As a Director of the Exposition, James was present in Philadelphia for the 1892 minting of the first Columbian half dollar.  James received the very first coin minted.  James also at one time owned two of the fifteen known 1804 silver dollars, considered one of the rarest and most famous coins in the world.  Another of his notably rare coin possessions was the finest known 1787 Brasher doubloon.

James also owned a Gutenberg Bible and many other collectible books, including first editions of many classics.  He also owned collections of Chinese porcelain, ancient Greek statuettes, oriental rugs, tapestries, and autographs.

James was unable to spend much time with his children because he had to constantly attend to the businesses that had made him successful.  His son Lincoln would soon eclipse James in fame through his expeditions to the polar regions.  While they were not close, James had a profound impact on Lincoln, who greatly admired his father.

If I did not have for him the warm affection a son feels toward a less austere and preoccupied father, I at least had an immense respect for him, and a great admiration. One of the things that made me persist in the Antarctic in the face of sickening discouragements was my determination to name a portion of the earth’s surface after my father. I knew that if I could cross that ice-locked continent I was bound to discover new territory. On the most recent map of Antarctica a segment of 350,000 square miles of mountain and high plateau is lettered: ‘James W. Ellsworth Land (U.S.)’. That much I could do for him.
               – Lincoln Ellsworth (in Beyond Horizons)

The land that Lincoln named after his father is located on the still-mostly-unexplored western portion of Antarctica.  It is bordered by the Ronne Ice Shelf, Marie Byrd Land, Bellingshausen Sea, and Palmer Land (the Antatctic Peninsula).  Unfortunately, the claim was never verified by the United States, so the land is not officially American soil.  It is also referred to simply as Ellsworth Land (as you can see in the below map), leading to the misconception that the land was named after Lincoln and not his father, James.

Lincoln Ellsworth's Flight Path from 'Lincoln Ellsworth' (see sources)

So there you have it.  I share a name with a prominent industrialist from the Gilded Age and about 350,000 square miles of Antarctica.

Sources:
Bowers, Q. David. ‘Col. James W. Ellsworth, Numismatist.’
     http://www.stacks.com/thisandthat/archive.aspx?year=2005#46 
Ellsworth, Lincoln. Beyond Horizons. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Doran & Co, 1938.
‘Lincoln Ellsworth.’ SouthPole.com.
     http://www.south-pole.com/p0000110.htm
Vince, Thomas L. ‘James W. Ellsworth: If You Seek His Monument.’
     www.case.edu/artsci/wrss/documents/Vince.pdf