Showing posts with label Mary Celeste. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mary Celeste. Show all posts

Friday, November 07, 2008

Somebody's Watching You, Out Damned Spot!, -and- The Nose Knows


Somebody’s Watching You - nation’s street sweepers turn into spies
Out Damned Spot! - new detergent gets rid of those pesky bloodstains
The Nose Knows - odors are as unique as fingerprints

On this day in history: November 7, 1872 - The cargo ship Mary Celeste sails from New York, never reaching Genoa. Four weeks later it is found completely abandoned, whereabouts of the ten man crew unknown.

Born on this day in history: November 7, 1918 - Billy Graham (1918 - ) Born near Charlotte, North Carolina, protestant evangelist Billy Graham converted to fundamentalism at 16. In his first high-profile crusade in Los Angeles in 1949, he preached to 350,000 people. A magnetic preacher, Graham has converted millions of people, and is a national figure.

Scripture of the Day: For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face. — Psalm 11:7

How William Shatner Changed the World - submitted by Amber
Video of the Day:





Gas prices have certainly fallen! Click to enlarge.






Photographs from the CUHS Homecoming Parade 2008 await your viewing pleasure. From the Photo Gallery of Local Events, choose CUHS Homecoming Parade 2008. You may view the images individually by clicking on the thumbnails, or you may view them as a slide show by choosing "Start Slide Show."

[While I slept] It was Tuesday, November 11, 2008—Veterans Day. I arrived at my office at 7 AM and began the day as usual. I had Outlook 2007 set to alert me at 10:45 AM that it was time to prepare for photographing the Veterans Day parade, which would take place on Solano Street—passing in front of my office. I intended to exit the front door of my office, walk to the edge of the sidewalk, and photograph the parade as I have done when photographing parades for the last ten years.

I continued about my day as I usually do. I completed the blog post for the day, responded to emails, read the news, prepared a quotation for a client who was scheduled to come to my office that afternoon, and listened to Sirius Satellite Radio via the Internet.

At 10:45 AM, Outlook 2007 alerted me that the parade would begin in 15 minutes. I opened my camera bag and took out my Nikon D3 and removed the lens cap and affixed the lens hood to the Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. I walked to the front door, and I was unable to open the door, because someone had set up a booth directly in front of the door and sufficiently close to the door that it was not possible to open the door. The door opens outward, and in the past, it has been blocked by people who have set up booths there. When this has happened, I have successfully got the attention of these people by rapping on the glass of the door and indicating that I required use of the door. Rapping on the glass was ineffective, and the doorway remained blocked. I determined that I would exit the rear door and walk down the alley and around the corner of the block to my usual shooting position at the edge of the sidewalk in front of my office.

When I reached the back door and attempted to open it, I found it blocked by a large truck that had backed into my parking spot sufficiently close to the rear door of my office that I was unable to open it. [In reality, the rear door of my office opens inward, so it would not be possible to block it in this fashion.] I walked to the front door and rapped upon the glass once again. There was no response, and the time for the parade to begin was drawing near.

I noticed a sign on the booth that was blocking my doorway. It read, “Rita’s Carnitas” and listed a telephone number. I called the number and reached someone who apparently spoke no English. I attempted to communicate the situation, using the few Spanish words at my command, but I was unable to do so.

I walked to the rear of my office, stood on a step ladder [I have no such ladder.], and opened an entryway in the ceiling. [There is no such entryway in the ceiling.] I entered this and found myself in the area between the ceiling and roof. I located an exit to the roof, took it, and found myself on the roof of my office. I found that it was a good vantage point for photographing the parade. I saw that the parade was just beginning to form in preparation for beginning. I put my camera down and returned to my office. I took a folding chair from the storage area of my office [There are actually two such chairs there.] and returned with it to the roof. I sat in the chair and photographed the parade.

When the parade ended, I returned to my office and began downloading the photographs I had taken. At this point, I awakened.

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Look Out Below!, Brave New Schools, -and- To Serve and Protect


Look Out Below! - suicide jumper falls on pedestrian
Brave New Schools - girl gets detention for hugging friends
To Serve and Protect - Chicago police tasered 82-year-old woman

On this day in history: November 7, 1872 - The cargo ship Mary Celeste sails from New York, never reaching Genoa. Four weeks later it is found completely abandoned, whereabouts of the ten man crew unknown.

Born on this day in history: November 7, 1918 - Billy Graham (1918 - ____) evangelist. He is known world-wide for his Billy Graham Crusades; wrote "The Seven Deadly Sins," 1955.

Scripture of the Day: "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone; for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

Video of the Day: WSSA World Record – Individual Cycle - submitted by Danica





Recommended Site: Corning California Net - A free forum for Corning, California!

Recommended Site: Nikon Photographer - A free forum for all photographers (NOT just Nikon users!) and anyone interested in photography!

Laura went to lunch with a friend yesterday—forestalling her ingesting of the leftover jambalaya until today. She brought me leftovers from her lunch at Hula's Mongolian Barbecue. It was very tasty. Tonight—following Bible class at Harvest Christian Center—we shall have the remainder of the wonderful pasta salad we enjoyed last Saturday evening. I shall add sliced grilled chicken breast to the salad. It shall be delightful.

Tomorrow evening, we shall have beef fajitas. I am eager for this.

The weather promises to be beautiful again today—sunny and warm. It is forecast to be in the low 80s. While I realize that water is needed desperately in many parts of the country, and local streams, creeks, and rivers are showing the dramatic effects of this long dry spell, the warm weather is certainly enjoyable.