"The Gleam of an Electric Switch" [CHAS]

Over a decade ago, The Baker Street Journal did the unthinkable: it entered into the electronic age. That is to say, it released a CD-ROM containing every issue from 1946-2000, debuted its web site and introduced an online ordering system.

And while the Baker Street Irregulars are not yet offering an electronic subscription option to the BSJ (we believe it to be inevitable, considering what's been happening in the news and book industry over the course of the last, oh decade or so, but we certainly don't expect it in the near term), the Journal has come a long way in its recent history. From updating the style of the wrappers to including a different cover image on each new issue, the physical version is much more pleasing to the eyes and hands.

And the Journal, which has for years offered advertising space within its own pages, has begun sponsoring other outlets worthy of association, such as The Baker Street Babes and I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere podcasts. We trust that those affiliations have garnered the attention of a new swath of fans who have discovered Sherlock Holmes in a variety of manners.

For those interested in understanding what happens between the yellow covers can get a sample by clicking on the Current Contents section of the site, which at minimum will show the Editor's Gas-Lamp.

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"Just a Suggestion, Perhaps" [HOUN]

With the #BSIWeekend quickly approaching, we thought it might be helpful to provide a series of tips for the veteran attendees and the newbies alike.

After all, it's usually a pretty big deal if you're taking time out of your life to head into New York City for 3+ days of activities with people you haven't seen in a year (or years!) or those you may only know online. Whether you're making the trip for the first or twenty-first time, you know that the Weekend provides the same level of excitement, anticipation and giddiness as Christmas morning does to a child.

It's usually during those anxious moments that our brain-attic tends to forget some of the essentials that help make a great trip perfect. And for the uninitiated, it's just a matter of not knowing what you need to survive the Baker Street Irregulars Weekend.

Not being the type to remember everything ourselves (we swear that on every trip, our mind isn't calmed until we can figure out just what it is that we forgot to pack), we reached out to several members of the Baker Street Irregulars - some newer members who might have a less distant memory of their first Weekend, and some who have been at it literally for decades.

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