Gettysburg, a place where you really feel the full weight of history all around you: the history we've experienced and the very different one we could've had instead; On the 150th anniversary of the battle, the continuing wonder that is MGM's Oscar-nominated 1955 documentary two-reel short, 'Battle of Gettysburg,' narrated by Leslie Nielsen; History Channel's 2011 documentary "Gettysburg" narrated by Sam Rockwell

If you've never been to Gettysburg yourself, much less, like me, visited after spending LOTS of time brushing-up on the various aspects of the 1863 three-day battle that you once knew pretty well, but which has since gotten a bit hazy, it's hard to fully comprehend what took place there. 

Even more so then when as a kid without much knowledge or context, I visited Shiloh around 1967, and actually met someone whose grandfather had fought there.

How so many different aspects of our everyday life -as Americans- we now take for granted that could've been completely different if this battle had turned out differently.

In some ways, the more you actually know in detail about what happened there before visiting, the even harder it is to imagine, since when you are walking around there on a very warm day, all the details just seem like... well, an unbearable weight.

Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg by tour guide Gary Kross

http://youtu.be/OS_eZDl67vs

Little Round Top at Gettysburg by tour guide Gary Kross

http://youtu.be/rDhu75RN3wQ

Five minutes from disaster!

As far as I'm concerned, nobody should ever contemplate running for president of this country who hasn't spent some quality time there absorbing the atmosphere and the might-have-beens.

And talking about it publicly.

It's a genuine eye-opener in ways that you can't really imagine until you actually see it yourself, away from the tours, standing in the middle of an immense field.

The other thing that immediately is noticed by many first-time visitors are the large number of foreign visitors you meet there at the battleground, reminding you all over again -as if you needed reminding- that many other people far from this small Pennsylvania town realize its monumental importance, too.

Gettysburg - Pickett's Charge: The Plan

http://youtu.be/TRZj48Ys25U

Video History Today video: Picketts Charge, Gettysburg, PA

-Gives present-day orientation of what took place and how it looks now.

http://youtu.be/hDkiN7cVvhg

Civil War historian Edwin Bearss - Receding Tide (National Geographic)

http://youtu.be/tEil6U5uCts

Gettysburg National Military Park homepage

http://www.nps.gov/gett/index.htm

See other present day video of Gettysburg and other historical events at

http://www.videohistorytoday.com/

-----

Repeal1913 YouTube Channel video - MGM's 1955 documentary short: 'Battle of Gettysburg,' narrated by Leslie Nielsen. Filmed entirely on location at Gettysburg National Military Park, Pennsylvania. 
Director: Herman Hoffman, Producer/Screenwriter: Dore Schary, with Music Adapted and Conducted by Adolph Deutsch, Orchestrated by Alexander Courage.

1 of 3. Uploaded August 16, 2008. http://youtu.be/byG8wb1Pwzo

2 of 3. http://youtu.be/-1FKwUIyn4M

3 of 3. http://youtu.be/lkW7822UwaY

AcmeFilmCorporation YouTube Channel video: Gettysburg (2011).
History Channel Civil War documentary depicts the battle thru the eyes of eight men. Uploaded March 20, 2013. Director: Adrian Moat, Narrated by Sam Rockwell.
http://youtu.be/WEZrAmFSCEA

@HistoryVikings season finale tonight; Uh-oh, somebody is heading to Götaland (Sweden) tonight!; Watch out #Ragnar, #Lagertha & #Athelstan, #Vikings creator Michael Hirst promises 'Huge, Unexpected Emotion' tonight @HISTORY; @KatherynWinnick, @gblagden, @donallogue

History Channel Previews YouTube Channel video: Vikings Finale Image Spot. Uploaded April 22, 2013. http://youtu.be/MIM25J3XbvE
Uh-oh, somebody is heading to Götaland (Sweden) tonight!

Vikings Creator Promises 'Huge, Unexpected Emotion' in Finale, Drops Season 2 Hints tvline.com/2013/04/26/vik… via @tvline
— Katheryn Winnick (@KatherynWinnick) April 27, 2013

-----

I love how quiet the Great Hall is at night ...*sips her mead
— Siggy Haraldson (@LadySiggy) April 28, 2013

If it's true that Old Spirits "beseech us to intercede with Odin on their behalf," and it is, is it to watch over Ragnar Lothbrok and to be wary of new alliances?
Yes, watch your back.
You too, Sweden!

Vikings airs Sundays at 10/9c on the History Channel, @HISTORY history.com/vikings

My last post on Vikings was my blog post of April 6, 2013, titled, Vikings! Fans of @HistoryVikings, Ragnar Lothbrok, Lagertha and Floki celebrate, as do cast & crew, as History Channel renews creator Michael Hirst's drama for second season of 10 more episodes of Norse adventurers in 2014; @KatherynWinnick, @RagnarLothbrok; Jag älskar Lagertha!
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.ca/2013/04/congratulations-fans-of-ragnar-lothbrok.html
My last post on Donal Logue, ak.a. King Horik on Vikings, was on March 12, 2013, titled,  
Odin of Asgard sez: Amusing tweet by actor Donal Logue re TV's version of Miami, no doubt sent while on his couch in LA waiting for his agent to call back with good news about him nailing yet another audition; he's consistently good in everything he plays, and we both LOVE @HistoryVikings -except he's in it, I'm just watching it on TV; #TravisFimmel and @KatherynWinnick are perfect choices to play #RagnarLothbrok and Lagertha; Jag älskar Lagertha!
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2013/03/odin-of-asgard-sez-amusing-tweet-by.html

Donal Logue interview on CBC's George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight on April 18th
http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/photo-albums/guests/.UXDA4DSRcAQ.twitter

https://twitter.com/KatherynWinnick  @KatherynWinnick

https://twitter.com/VikingLagertha

http://officialtravisfimmel.com/

Ragnar Lothbrok @RagnarLothbrok   https://twitter.com/RagnarLothbrok

The real one! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragnar_Lodbrok

https://twitter.com/HistoryVikings  @HistoryVikings

http://www.history.com/shows/vikings

Vikings! Fans of @HistoryVikings, Ragnar Lothbrok, Lagertha and Floki celebrate, as do cast & crew, as History Channel renews creator Michael Hirst's drama for second season of 10 more episodes of Norse adventurers in 2014; @KatherynWinnick, @RagnarLothbrok; Jag älskar Lagertha!

HISTORYPreviews YouTube Channel video: Sneak peek of Season 1, Episode 6: "Burial of the Dead" featuring the one-on-one duel between Ragnar and Earl Haraldson. Uploaded March 21, 2013. http://youtu.be/J1Ehqn19de0

Huge Congrat's to all the cast and crew of #Vikings. It's official..Season 2 here we go!See you all in Ireland!
— Katheryn Winnick (@KatherynWinnick) April 5, 2013

Great news!
But in a few weeks, there'll be almost a year's wait for new episodes and people will really be jonesing for a Vikings fix.
Especially if what star Travis Fimmel says is true about the last four episodes of season one stating Sunday night being the best ones yet. 

TheWrap

History Channel Renews 'Vikings' for Season 2

The cable network's first scripted drama series gets a second season renewal

By Jethro Nededog

Published: April 05, 2013 @ 10:53 am

History Channel's push into scripted television has been paying off and earned its first drama series another year.

On Friday, the cable network announced that it's renewing "Vikings" for a 10-episode second season. The renewal arrives just five episodes into the season and four episodes left before its finale on Sunday, April 28 at 10 p.m.

Read the rest of the article at: http://www.thewrap.com/tv/article/history-channel-renews-vi-84291

Vikings airs Sundays at 10/9c on the History Channel, 
@HISTORY history.com/vikings

My last post on Vikings was on March 12, 2013, titled,  
Odin of Asgard sez: Amusing tweet by actor Donal Logue re TV's version of Miami, no doubt sent while on his couch in LA waiting for his agent to call back with good news about him nailing yet another audition; he's consistently good in everything he plays, and we both LOVE @HistoryVikings -except he's in it, I'm just watching it on TV; #TravisFimmel and @KatherynWinnick are perfect choices to play #RagnarLothbrok and Lagertha; Jag älskar Lagertha!

http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2013/03/odin-of-asgard-sez-amusing-tweet-by.html

https://twitter.com/KatherynWinnick  @KatherynWinnick

https://twitter.com/VikingLagertha

http://officialtravisfimmel.com/

Ragnar Lothbrok @RagnarLothbrok   https://twitter.com/RagnarLothbrok

The real one! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragnar_Lodbrok

https://twitter.com/HistoryVikings  @HistoryVikings

http://www.history.com/shows/vikings

Odin of Asgard sez: Amusing tweet by actor Donal Logue re TV's version of Miami, no doubt sent while on his couch in LA waiting for his agent to call back with good news about him nailing yet another audition; he's consistently good in everything he plays, and we both LOVE @HistoryVikings -except he's in it, I'm just watching it on TV; #TravisFimmel and @KatherynWinnick are perfect choices to play #RagnarLothbrok and Lagertha; Jag älskar Lagertha!

Odin of Asgard sez: Amusing tweet by actor Donal Logue re TV's version of Miami, no doubt sent while on his couch in LA waiting for his agent to call back with good news about him nailing yet another audition; he's consistently good in everything he plays, and we both LOVE @HistoryVikings -except he's in it, I'm just watching it on TV; #TravisFimmel and @KatherynWinnick are perfect choices to play #RagnarLothbrok and Lagertha; Jag älskar Lagertha!

Judging by CSI: Miami, Dade County is loaded. Must have spent millions on hologram computer monitors and Hummers alone.
— donal logue (@donallogue) March 7, 2013

https://twitter.com/donallogue/status/309709809010233345


@donallogue  https://twitter.com/donallogue
http://twitpic.com/photos/donallogue
Will be on @CopperTV this summer


Meanwhile, the lovely, talented and moxie-filled Lagertha, a.k.a. Mrs. Ragnar (Katheryn Winnick @KatherynWinnick) a real keeper, tweets amusingly:

Opened front page of @wired_magazine and found this... #VIKINGS @historyvikings @gblagden @clivestanden @donallogue twitter.com/KatherynWinnic…
— Katheryn Winnick (@KatherynWinnick) February 17, 2013

I first became aware of Katheryn Winnick on Bravo's "The It Factor" over ten years ago, the first reality show I ever watched and one of the very best, since it'd do well now with new cast as long as you eliminated the drama queens. Somewhere around here I have some videotapes with all the episodes on it, which I brought with me from D.C. for some reason.

https://twitter.com/VikingLagertha



Producer and writer Michael Hirst on historical misconceptions about the culture and belief system of The Vikings. New episodes of The Vikings air every Sunday at 10 Eastern/9 Central on The History Channel, DirecTV Channel 269.

Viking women's autonomy and independence

http://www.history.com/shows/vikings
https://twitter.com/HistoryVikings

http://officialtravisfimmel.com/
Ragnar Lothbrok @RagnarLothbrok   https://twitter.com/RagnarLothbrok
The real one! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragnar_Lodbrok

Wow! Photos of the waterfall at Powerscourt in Ireland, where some of the most amazing scenes from The Vikings were filmed:
http://blog.powerscourt.ie/blog/bid/137543/History-Channel-Films-TV-series-Vikings-at-Powerscourt-Waterfall

Most of this Danish video is in English

vvfilmztv YouTube Channel video: 185 "Vikings"-interview med Gustaf Skarsgård/ Vikings actor Gustaf Skarsgård on his role as Floki in the series, experiences in past films, comparisons to HBO's "Game of Thrones" and film directors he'd like to work with in the future, especially Scandinavian ones. Uploaded March 3, 2013. http://youtu.be/bjbQ-TvsFqQ

Video: First Look -"Gettysburg" -The History Channel's premiere of "Gettysburg" airs Memorial Day at 9 p.m. Eastern

Video: First Look - "Gettysburg" -The History Channel's premiere of "Gettysburg" airs Memorial Day at 9 p.m. Eastern, Directed by Tony & Ridley Scott.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwNJS8dwkYs&feature=player_profilepage

If you've never been to Gettysburg yourself, much less, like me, visiting after spending LOTS of time brushing-up on the various aspects of the 1863 three-day battle that you once knew pretty well, but which has since gotten a bit hazy, it's hard to fully comprehend what took place there.

How so many different aspects of our everyday life -as Americans- we now take for granted that could've been completely different if this battle had turned out differently.

In some ways, the more you actually know in detail about what happened there before visiting, the even harder it is to imagine, since when you are walking around there on a very warm day, all the details just seem like... well, an unbearable weight.

Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg by tour guide Gary Kross

http://youtu.be/OS_eZDl67vs

Little Round Top at Gettysburg by tour guide Gary Kross

http://youtu.be/rDhu75RN3wQ

Five minutes from disaster!

As far as I'm concerned, nobody should ever contemplate running for president of this country who hasn't spent some quality time there absorbing the atmosphere and the might-have-beens.

And talking about it publicly.

It's a genuine eye-opener in ways that you can't really imagine until you actually see it yourself, away from the tours, standing in the middle of an immense field.

The other thing that immediately is noticed by many first-time visitors are the number of foreign visitors you meet there at the battleground, reminding you again -as if you needed reminding- that many other people far from this small Pennsylvania town realize its monumental importance, too.

Gettysburg - Pickett's Charge: The Plan

http://youtu.be/TRZj48Ys25U

Video History Today video: Picketts Charge, Gettysburg, PA

-Gives present-day orientation of what took place and how it looks now.

http://youtu.be/hDkiN7cVvhg

Civil War historian Edwin Bearss

http://youtu.be/tEil6U5uCts

Gettysburg National Military Park homepage http://www.nps.gov/gett/index.htm

See other present day video of Gettysburg and other historical events at

http://www.videohistorytoday.com/

http://www.civilwarnews.com/