This is nothing new.  

I was privileged to hear Niel Degrasse Tyson speak at a Virginia STEM Conference a few years ago.  His topic was education.

If you look at the Table, you'll see that the United States hasn't discovered a new element since 1955.

He used the Periodic Table to illustrate how the United States is falling behind in Math and Science, stating that this decline is a National Security Issue.  I remember him saying, to a bunch of Cadets, that studying Science Technology, Engineering, and Math is Patriotic.

So, when Elon Musk and Vivek speak out and tell us they must look overseas to recruit brain power we need to listen.  We need to ask, "Why?"  We need to fix it.

Auburn Wins

Auburn beat Louisiana Monroe today.  That is nothing to beat our chest about though everyone seemed to think it was a big victory.  I am unimpressed.  Next, we play Texas A&M, then Alabama.  Let's see how well we do there.

I thought ULM played us well and showed a lot of character.

The "Debate"

Are these two Ass Clowns the best we can do?

Same Shit, Different Day. 

Trump stuck to his tired old rhetoric, delivered in his adorable, unhinged, self-centric, monosyllabic way.  So Crazy.

Harris, played the Mother Goddess, protecting her children from the Evil Trump . . . and themselves.  So Condescending.

Two anti-Trump ABC Tools, set up their candidate for success.  So Obvious.

I'm writing in Bill The Cat . . . unless he's eaten by a Haitian before the election.  So much Better.

GP9P

Oh, Hello, Beautiful.

Kady just ordered my Google Pixel 9 Pro.  It should be here in October.  I was thinking about getting a Pixel 10 in 2025, but after watching the Google Release Event, I am certain I need this phone now.

I have a lot to learn.

With this phone, I can experiment with cutting-edge AI in my writing, organization, and photography.  My GP6 is a perfect phone/computer, so I expect the same reliability and usability.  I chose Porcelain.

Anxious.

As of 22 October, I still don't have my phone.

Looks like it will be here on 26 October.  Only Two weeks late.

Good Boy!

This Guy!  I've never known a more well-balanced dog.  Scout walks when you want to walk, plays when it's time, naps on command.  He expresses his needs and wants by putting his head in your lap and giving you Sad Eyes.

His mom and dad left for a week, leaving him in our care, and you would never know it by his demeanor.  He's cool with it.

Let outside, he stays in the backyard and entertains himself with sticks, rabbit chasing, and running in circles like a crazy dog.

He has a mind of his own and, sometimes, does what he's told in His time, at His speed, and after He's finished doing what he's doing.

Yeah, he's a Typical Man.

Repeating History

Last week, Ukraine forces invaded Russia's Kursk region.  Hoping to relieve pressure on Ukranian Forces, this sweeping move was the first land attack on Russia in the war.  I assume Ukraine designed this to gain negotiation leverage and undermine Russian morale.

Does this sound familiar to anyone but me?

In September 1862, Lee took the Army of Northern Virginia into Maryland, hoping to drum up European support for the South, relieve the pressure of the war from the Southern Harvest, and hopefully garner support in Maryland.  His invasion failed at the battle of Antietam, the first defeat of what had been, until then, the invincible Army of Northern Virginia.

Keepin' it Real

Back in 1932, a group of photographers from out West formed Group f64 to combat the Pictorialists, returning the medium to its purest form - sharply focused, well-framed images.

My hero Ansel Adams was a member.  He and the other photographers in f64 made their impression on me, early in my photographic studies.

In this new age of digital, Photoshopped, and AI-enhanced photography, we may be slipping backward into the Bull Shit of the pictorialist and surrealist movements.

From the Group f/64 Manifesto

"Pure photography is defined as possessing no qualities of technique, composition, or idea, derivative of any other art form. The production of the "Pictorialist," on the other hand, indicates a devotion to principles of art . . . directly related to painting and the graphic arts.

The members of Group f/64 believe that photography, as an art form, must develop along lines defined by the actualities and limitations of the photographic medium, and must always remain independent of ideological conventions of art and aesthetics that are reminiscent of a period and culture antedating the growth of the medium itself."

Preach!

Little Surfer Girl

I've been keeping up with Caroline Marks since the last Olympics.  She had some of the highest scores of the preliminary rounds but came in fourth, barely missing Bronze.  She was only nineteen.

Three years later, with a lot more experience and success, she just took Gold in Tahiti.

If you've ever watched this young lady surf, you aren't surprised; she is pure poetry in motion.  She had tough competition, including her teammates, but outperformed them all.

Celebrate Caroline Marks, world champion and Olympic Gold Medalist.

Homer

Finally, I took my photo of Homer on the University of Virginia campus.  It's beautiful.  I was able to tell ES all I knew about Homer and the story of the War at Troy.

UVA recently refurbished it, repairing the broken strings on the lyre and other issues created by people climbing it.  Idiots.

My granddaughter asked me who the young boy was.  I told her that it was best to look at the monument to see if there was a description.  She pointed out the author's signature - M. Ezekiel!

Wow!  A Moses Ezekiel close enough to touch!  Worth Seeing!

I got to tell my granddaughter about Sir Moses, the first Jewish Cadet at VMI, knighted by the King of Italy, and buried at Arlington National Cemetery.  I didn't mention that he was a New Market Cadet and the sculptor of the Arlington Confederate Monument, Virginia Mourning Her Dead, and Stonewall Jackson, lest some social warrior at UVA hear me and start a campaign to remove Homer, too.

Way to Keep It Weird, France!

That was the strangest Olympic Opening Ceremony EVER!

I sat down in front of the TV when Gaga began singing.  It was not her best performance.  Great legs, though.

For the balance of the time I watched, it was like France was trying to stuff fifty pounds of shit in a five-pound bag . . . they wanted everything

We had dancing, a drag queen Last Supper reenactment (Google that shit), a parkour outerspace guy carrying the torch across the rooftops, a fashion show of clothing that will never be worn, gigantic Louis Vuitton trunks no one can afford, a bland heavy metal band, bad CGI in the Louve, Minions, terrible Cancan dancers, French women with sticks up their butts like the ones I met in 1994, the worst John Lennon song (all his songs are bad), gigantic floating heads (forced to go in the water), what may have been Joan of Arc riding down the Seine on an aquatic horse, and a singing beheaded Marie Antionette. 

The Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection

My son, granddaughter, and I visited this little museum today.  It is located at Pantops and operated by The University of Virginia.

I wasn't sure what to expect but found myself fully engrossed in the story of Indigenous Australian Art in no time.  I enjoyed the art but loved the Story Board section describing the struggles of the Aboriginal People.

It is a small place but well worth a visit if you are over by Martha Jefferson Hospital.

A High-Five for Grit Coffee

Run to Grit Coffee and get a "High Five" - Side Hustle Espresso pulled over raw sugar, steamed Half and Half, topped with Maldon flaky sea salt.

I just had my first, on my first visit to Grit.  I'm in love!  It is the best coffee drink I have ever tasted.

The Sea Salt does it.

Once we had our drinks, I let Jay and KS taste mine.  KS made Jay return to the counter to order one for her.

Hurray for Interoperability!

Grenada was the first conflict since Vietnam.  When we got there, we found we had forgotten a lot of war-fighting skills.  The most glaring problem was that we couldn't talk to each other.  We couldn't radio the Air Force or the Navy. They couldn't communicate with each other.  If we didn't have ANGLICO or FAO personnel with us, we had problems.

It was ridiculous.  It still is in many ways.  Just look at the different combat uniforms.

Businesses do the same thing.

I'm so happy for all of you Apple iPhone users.  Apple will shortly begin using RCS for messages, allowing Android and iOS phones to text each other more effectively.  Everyone using RCS gets better resolution for videos and photos.  We get end-to-end encryption.

By the looks of my son's screenshot, Android users will still get a Green Bubble.  Why is that?  Is it so high school kids can continue to bully kids with Androids?

I remember when I got my first Android phone and tried to download my music from my iPod.  Music bought on iTunes Music was AAC format, not for use on an Android.

Same Shit, Different Day!

Family Active Minutes

My Daughter!  Today, we all begin another of her new challenges on Stridekick.  Last week, we did a step challenge.  I came in third.  She won.  A step challenge is easily defined.  This one is for active minutes.  I don't even know how my Garmin counts those.

We'll see.  I've set my Solar Tactical to remind me to "move."  Will that be enough?

It all seems a bit unfair... like using a treadmill in your air-conditioned basement, while some people have to contend with Arizona and Virginia heat to get in their steps. How will the "active minutes of a retired 71-year-old compare to people in the Army?

I plan to start the next family challenge - Online Screen Time.  I'll kick ass.

Uh, Oh.  Gotta Go.  My watch just buzzed.

Shows About to Die, I Salute You!

I tried.

Peacock advertised their new show for weeks.  Those About to Die, a show covering the reign of the Flavian Dynasty, should be my kind of show.  Rome was a favorite.  I watch Gladiator over and over.  I'm well-read on the Roman Empire.  The commercials looked a bit like Game of Thrones.  Anthony Hopkins plays Vespasian.  What could go wrong?

Oh, Everything.

It is boring.  I fell asleep twice and cut it off the third time.  The CGI is bad (see lion hunt).  The thousands of characters are indistinguishable and unremarkable.  The in-your-face sexual content, which seems overly homoerotic, is as wrong as two boys .. . .uh . . . it's just wrong  The main (?) character is played by Ewan Rheon, the actor who played Ramsey Bolton in Game of Thrones (I STILL hate that guy) and I was creeped out by the actor playing an overly gay Domitian.

This show also has an undisguised inclusion agenda, which I despise.

Even Sir Anthony looks bored with the whole thing, but, happily for him, (Spoiler Alert) his character will die soon.

I had enough at the Days of Thunder chariot race.

So Bad!  Not for me.

My Favorite Episode of MASH

I have always liked the character BJ Hunnicutt on Mash, best. He's the straight man to everyone else's goofiness.

BJ, played by Mike Farrell, is a brilliant surgeon, but he is also a guy trying to do his time, survive the war, and get back to his wife and life back in the Real World.

Unlike most of the others, he's someone we could all respect.

Late in Season 8 (8:23) war correspondent Aggie O'Shea, played by Susan Saint James, visits the 4077th.  BJ and Aggie are instantly attracted to each other.

We Need a Space X Rescue Mission

NASA had Boeing make their next-generation spacecraft.  Boeing!  Yep, the company that is in such hot water lately for making shit aircraft products.

In its first manned mission, Starliner has stranded two astronauts at the ISS for weeks with numerous mechanical (dare we say design?) issues, some of which NASA identified before the launch. 

NASA and Boeing say they are working on these leaks and thruster issues and are "confident."

If I were Butch or Suni, I'd be communicating with Elon to arrange a ride home.  There is no way I'd be getting on that broken piece of crap.  Elon would probably rescue them for fun.

Great Pizza

We went to Dr. Ho's Humble Pie pizza joint today,  Wow.  Everything was delicious. 

I've heard about this place since moving here in 2018, but I have always chosen a different place.  Located eight miles south of I-64 on Highway 29, it took us a while to get there.  We picked up KS and ES and met Jay, who was coming home from a retreat weekend in the hills.

Was it worth the trip?  YES!  We had Fat and Sassy Garlic Bread and Salad.  They had The Bellissima and I had The Humble Pie.  It was all too much to eat but I tried.  It was too good.

All About Some Emma

Is it just me, or is Emma getting hotter every episode?

When she took over the part of older Rhaenyra Targaryen on House of the Dragon, I looked her up.

Weird.

Though she describes herself as "non-binary" and uses improper pronouns, she's unmistakably a girl.  No matter how she cuts her hair or dresses, it is obvious.  Perhaps she's not very attractive, but, she is a girl.

Weird AND Homely.

OH WAIT!  Now, I'm revising my first impression.  By S:2/E:3 she was growing on me!  By the last scene of this episode, I was sold.  She has the potential to be one of her generation's most beautiful actresses.

I'm sorry Emma.  I'm not buying into your binary bullshit.  You're a hot girl.  "It's a mad thought."  Embrace it.

I Do Not Need This

I just finished Dark Matter and Outer Range.  I'll give them both a C+.  They were both implausible pseudo-science shows, with more unanswered questions than Lost.  I hope they are both done.  They could do new seasons but, please, No!

Dark Matter was only a new version of The Butterfly Effect.  Open Range was nothing more than a Yellowstone Time Tunnel.  I was bored with both.  Both reminded me of The Walking Dead - People hating each other and, sometimes, zombies show up.

I learned a good lesson with Lost - Never become invested in a show that is so nonsensical that the questions will never be answered.  If I'm going to invest the kind of time I spent on Lost, I want a series like The Expanse.  I want solid science.

Yeah, ABC, we're all still waiting to find out what the Smoke Monster (really) was.

Thankfully, I get Dragons tonight.

Let Us Not Mince Words

I watched the debate.  I was saddened by it.  I was alarmed by it.  What I saw was sad proof of Joe's greatly diminished mental capacity.   It's time to take away the keys to the Stingray.

I like President Biden.  Many of his policies fail my commonsense litmus test, but I like the man.  I especially enjoyed his Vice President days playing the part of America's crazy uncle.  I'm sad to watch him grow old.

After the debate, everyone seemed surprised at how badly he performed.  I wasn't.  I watched to confirm what I already suspected.   He can't do four more years as our president.  I want what is best for America and Joe isn't it.  I want the best for Joe and the presidency isn't that.

I wish him a good life, a great chair, a warm blanket, and quality time with his family.

Note: Trump isn't what we need either.  As the Democrats should do, we Republicans should consider returning to the Drawing Board to select a good candidate.  We have time.

It's the Time of the Season

Finally, my shows are dropping new seasons.  We once again have dragons flying. Mysterious holes in the earth have opened back up,  Soon, someone is going to be murdered and I'll get to spend time appreciating Selina Gomez.  In November, the ranch will open back up without Kevin.  I'm ready.

The Bear, Season Three, dropped last night.  So Good.  It's a MUST!  I like the dysfunction of it all.  I finished it in two days.

We Did It!

Sunday, Jay, KS, Kady, and I finished Ticket to Ride: Legends of the West, Legacy.  It feels like a life accomplishment.

We began playing in January, fitting in each phase when we could sync our schedules.  The last phases took 2 - 2.5 hours to play.  It was a time investment.

At the end of the campaign, Jay won by arresting a bandit and finding some treasure.  Kady, KS, and I were only a few points from each other.

It was a great game and fun family time, but we all agreed to play some easy card games for a while.  We need a breather.

Gotcha!

Yesterday, the Harford County Maryland Sheriff's Department announced an arrest in the Murder of Rachel Morin.  Rachel, 37, a mother of five, was brutally raped and murdered last August on the Ma and Pa Trail in Belair, Maryland.  This trail is a favorite outdoor spot for the entire Belair community and my family.  We had been on the trail a few days before this happened.

This asshole is an illegal alien from El Salvador, wanted there on murder charges and in LA on home invasion and assault charges, all linked by DNA evidence.  His capture is a testament to science and solid police work.

Should we have a Public Lynching?  I think so!

New Lens

For Father's Day, Kady gave me a new lens of my choosing, which I hope to use as my primary portrait lens.  Today, I put it to the test taking a few shots of my old mug.

Every shot turned out fine, though my depth of field could have been a little deeper.

Nikon D850, AF-S 85/1.8G, @ f/2, 1/100, ISO 400, available light.

What's Up, Harvard?

In a Harvard "study," a couple of brainiacs have postulated that UAPs could be proof of aliens living among us.  They list possibilities, what they call Cryptoterrestrials (CT).

• Human CT - The Last Inhabitants of Atlantis

• Hominid or Theropod CT - Bigfoot or Intelligent Dinosaurs

• Former Extraterrestrial or Extratempestrial CT - Space or Time Travelers

• Magical CT-  Fairies, Elves, Nymphs, Angels

I'm not kidding.  Read It - Here

I have no problem with any of these ideas. All of them have been in numerous science fiction novels and Star Trek episodes.  I sit around and think about this shit all the time but these guys just had the money to turn it into an academic paper.

I wonder how many taxpayer dollars they were paid to sit around smoking weed and pondering all these possibilities.  So much for Higher Education!

Birdwatching with SGM

Kady and I gave SGM a bird book, a feeder, and a pair of quality binoculars.  I set up the feeder and filled it as soon as we arrived.

The birds found it in about five days.  Already, she has bluebirds, nuthatches, and chickadees.

SGM is fascinated by the birds on her feeder.  When we open the door, she sprints to the feeder to get a better look.  The standoff the binoculars should give her is lost by her being three.

She is pretty adorable.

I've tried to interest all our grandchildren in Birds.  I hope it sticks with one of them.

Troy in Transition

You've probably seen the hype about Republican Representative Troy Nehls of Texas wearing an unauthorized Combat Infantry Badge.  Some are calling this "Stolen Valor."  You might think that I would agree since I wear that badge.

Though those of us in the Infantry think he's a wanker, I want to cut Troy a little slack.

I can only guess that he had a tough life, being named Troy.  He probably took ROTC at some half-assed college like Liberty, hoping to prove he was a real man, but the Army thought he was more the Civil Affairs type.

When he was commissioned in the Reserves, he still wanted to be Infantry. He always felt like he was an Infantryman.  Deep inside, he knew he was still Infantry.  Now, he's in transition to become a combat hero.  Now, he can feel better about himself.  I'm sure the stogie in this photo is all about convincing himself of his new real-man persona.

Let's let this guy live his dream.   He's not hurting anyone.  Besides, in this brave new world, you can be anything you want to be, Right?

This week, I feel like I am an Ogalala Sioux Warrior, therefore I am.  Next Week - Astronaut!

Coming Into His Own

When Cooper died, I didn't want ES to get another dog; I didn't want to love another dog, only to have it die a few years later.  I still haven't gotten over losing Coop. 

Then, "we" got Scout the Bernedoodle.

I love this boy.  When we visit, he is my responsibility.  I walk and feed him, ensure he goes outside when he rings his bell, and entertain him when he's ready to play.  I love it.

He's a fine young fellow.  Though he needed some obedience training, he is well-behaved and mostly trustworthy.  I hope he's around a lot longer than we had Coop.

I'm Team Scout.

SGM with the Long Lens

SGM's first day of soccer didn't go as expected but there was no meltdown, which was good.  While the other kids ran around doing almost everything the coach said, our future Auburn Women's Soccer star observed from the sidelines, refusing to leave her mom's side.

Soccer is going to take Daddy's competent skills and firm hand.

I went prepared for the greatness, carrying my camera and long lens.  This thing is so easy to use.  I was shooting at slow speeds, in cloud-filtered light, handheld, at about f/8 and 200mm, and this is what I got.

What a Doll Face.

Havre de Grace

If you are north of Baltimore, Go Here.  This little town is really beautiful.  It is situated where the Susquehanna River meets the North East River, in the northern part of the Chesapeake Bay.

The park at Concord Lighthouse is super nice, with boardwalks along the Bay, fishing piers, boat docks, friendly people, and lots of wildlife.  The vibe at sunset is romantic.

Take a date.

Shoot More Film

Kady tried out the Mamiya-6 and didn't like it.  That left a roll of what I expected was Kodak Portra 400.  I took a few quick snaps of my Coffee Partner and Delighter-in-law, KS, at First Free Coffee Bar to finish the roll.

Though I was only trying to finish the roll, I worried about the background and lighting of every shot.  I should have been.  Ah.  The colors, grain, and girl make this photo.

Before getting these from The Photo Lab, I told Kady to sell the Mamiya-6.  I may need to rethink that.  I should shoot a roll of Portra in my Canon A1 to see if I can replicate this.

I can't wait to scan these myself.

DuckDuck No

I praise all Google products, but Chrome has frustrated me lately.  Mostly, it is the popups, tracking, and follow-me-everywhere ads.

I began looking at other browsers.

I tried DuckDuckGo because they claim their browser stops all three of these annoyances.  Holy Cow!  It did,  It is streamlined, fast, and simple to use.

It has little glitches, but it is still better than dealing with the pop-ups Chrome lets through.  I enjoy the tally of blocked trackers on its homepage.

Monday, 27 May 2024

Update:  The Glitches became a problem with my normal use.  Spellcheck is a minor annoyance.  DDG Search algorithm isn't that good.  I'm back with Google and I'll have to take the time to tweak it to stop as many popups as possible.  Tracking?  I'll have to live with it.

From Deep in the Archives

Your Lesson For Today - Don't listen to your family.  Take all the photos.

I found this while searching for photos of my childhood friend Francis Lewis.  She sent me a few of my family this week and I want to return the favor.

I took this in July 1990 at the Neel Family Reunion in Geiger.  It includes Don's wife Kelly, Mom, Dad, me, Kady, my big brother Jim, CE, my little brother Don, Jay, Jim's stepdaughter.

Dad died shortly after this.  Don died a year after him.  Mom died in 2015.  Kelly remarried after Don died.  Jim has a lot less hair.  The youngest in this group is about to be promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

I set this shot up with my camera on a tripod, and on a timer, using Tri-X 400.  Damn, I was good.  Of course, no one wanted me to take it.

Camera Repair

Let the games begin.  Gentlemen, start your engines.

This may be way above my skill level.

The replacement cover came in the mail yesterday.  I took the camera apart, following the instructional video, step-by-step, and reversed the process.  It doesn't work.

Why?  I have no clue.  I need to sleep on it for a while, do more research, and then try again.  I'm pretty good at this shit, so I only need to figure it out.

Otherwise, I'll just sell it for parts, sell the lenses, and then sell the Mamiya 6.  That would put about $4K in my pocket and I could go completely digital.

That is a better idea.

Later:

I'll be damned!  I fixed it.  A part that I believed was a flash attachment part was the shutter release pin.  Once together and tested, I painted the bottom cover and it looks almost like a new camera.

See Finished Product, Left.

Still. Not. OK.

Squirrel Training

Two squirrels have staked out my bird feeder.  The birds don't visit when they are there and these guys like to hang on the feeder all day until it's empty.

While Kady orders a squirrel-proof feeder, I've taken things into my own hands.

Years ago, I confiscated a slingshot from a cadet pelting sentinels with paintballs.  I told him he could have it back on graduation day.  He never came for it so I added it to my bugout bag.

I got it out today.  The rubber was completely dry-rotted.  I refurbished it with an old exercise band, two pace cord beads, and some parachute cord.

The squirrels looked at me, unconcerned, when I came out the back door.  As I walked toward them, they jumped to the stone wall below the feeder, prepared to dash if I got any closer.  I didn't try to hit them but tried to hit the wall as close to their head as possible.

I found I was pretty damn accurate from the first shot.  I could hit the little bastards if I wanted.

Squirrels learn fast.  Now they run at the sound of the door.

If they keep coming back, I'm going aim for squirrel ass.

Ticket to Ride

We play cards with my daughter, son-in-law, and his family.  We play board games with my son and daughter-in-law.  The Ticket to Ride series of games by Days of Wonder are favorites.

We began playing Ticket to Ride Legacy: Legends of the West in January  This is a long, one-time-only game, with twelve phases of "years."  A phase takes about two hours and each adds more routes, tasks, and hurdles.  It is great fun, but a serious time investment.

You have to stay with this game.  If you take a break from it, like we did in February, you must relearn the rules.  We're lucky to have Jay as our administrator, reading the rules, organizing the game pieces, while maintaining the standards.

I highly suggest this game.  It is a brain exercise.

When You Work with Me

It is important to document occasions when the whole family gets together.  One day, I figure, my kids and grandkids will appreciate that I did.

However, my family considers me an enormous pest with my camera.  I must be, because almost everyone bristles when I begin taking photos at family events.  Oh, it's alright for them to take their phone photos, but they get all weird in front of a real camera.  Even SGM had picked up on this attitude.

There are exceptions.  KS and ES love to play along, so their photos always turn out great.

Hello!  It's great to hear from you!

After months of nothing (gibberish, actually), Voyager-1 began responding with solid scientific data.  NASA engineers sent a fix.

Those NASA cats are Smart!

II may need to send something like this to some of my friends.

"Hey!  I know you're out there doing your thing, but a quick word from you would be nice.  No, Facebook posts are not the same."

My friends are probably thinking the same thing.

Marco's Fish Tacos have spoiled me.  I have looked all over Virginia for something comparable.  I'm disappointed every time.  I have stopped ordering them anywhere other than Muchachos.

If you are in Lex Vegas or on I-81.  This place is worth a visit for the best steak in town, the biggest burrito I've ever seen, and the Fish Tacos.

Seriously, get the Fish Tacos and dip them liberally in the sauce.

Today reminded me of when Dad took my brother Don and me to Perry, Florida, to see the 7 March 1970 Eclipse.

About The 1970 Eclipse

Besides the name of the town, there are only a few things I remember about this trip - the day was completely overcast, the sky got dark and the birds went to roost, and I drove part of the way home while Dad slept.

Doing a little homework, I found that the eclipse was to begin at about 1340 EST.  The drive would have taken six hours back then, losing an hour when we left Alabama.  We probably left the house around 0400 that Saturday morning.

Though the eclipse was disappointing, the day was quality time with Dad.  He gave all three of his sons a love for the cosmos and was our finest teacher.

In my brother Jim's words - " I grew up in a household informed by my father's insatiable hunger for knowledge.  One of those that Tom Brokaw referred to as The Greatest Generation, veterans of the Second World War, he went to college on the GI Bill and his own enterprise.  After earning a degree in Physics, he became a high school teacher.   . . . he left teaching when industry offered to double (his salary).  He continued to teach his sons . . .  Many nights were spent outside in the yard gazing through our telescope at the heavens, speculating about what lay beyond the earth.  We watched every televised NASA mission.  (We) loaded the car to drive to more advantageous sites to observe a solar eclipse or bundled up against the winter cold on the top of a mountain to gaze at every interloping comet that passed by. "

Angry American Music

Sometimes I glimpse how small my bubble is now that I'm retired.  Yesterday, I saw a news article about people trying to cancel singer, Aaron Rogers.  Of course, I looked him up and listened to his music.

This cat is saying all the things I have been thinking.  He's been out there a while but I am just discovering him.

You have to love a guy who calls out flag burners, Springsteen, monument removal, and pseudo-Americans who don't like America . . . in one song.

Let Me Get Political for a Moment

Seriously, America!  Is this the best we can do?  

Once again, we're left choosing between two evils - between two old men depriving their villages of good idiots.   These two ass-clowns have no business running a McDonald's much less a country.

However it goes this November, it is going to be a shit show.  We can expect four more rough years, from which we may never recover.

We need some real men and women of integrity to stand up, young people of principle and intelligence.  Statesmen.  Selfless Servants.  Where are our men like Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Reagan?

We need term limits.  We need AGE limits.  If there was ever a time when we needed a third party, now is the time.

I friggin' hate politics and politicians.  "America is Ill and so is Bill!"

OK, so.  About all those Horses at Corolla

I am a Diane Lane fan. I watched Nights in Rodanthe.  Since then, I have wanted to see and photograph the wild horses on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  We planned a trip.

News Flash: THERE ARE NO HORSES AT COROLLA.

They are thirteen miles up the coast, around Carova Beach. You must take a tour or have a 4x4 vehicle. They are NOT in walking distance.

They feed in the swamps and dunes.  You can't go there.  

Auburn Wins SEC Championship

After destroying South Carolina by thirty-one points and beating Mississippi State by seven, Auburn beat Florida by nineteen points, clenching the SEC men's title.  It was fun to watch, except for the injury of Micah Handlogten; poor kid.  Good Luck to him.

So - 4-seed Auburn will play 13-seed Yale this Friday.

Later:  We lost to Yale.  Great Season.

Put This on Your Phone

Here is another app that I find handy -

LightMeter by David Quiles works with your phone's amazing internal light meter to give you spot and area readings, helping you choose settings to expose that first camera photograph, first time, every time.

It is available on the Google Play Store and The Apple App Store.  Thank me later.

Get You a Bunch of These

Ferro makes these little nuggets for the gods, but you can get them from Amazon.  Don't sweat the price, they are worth every penny.

I discovered these when we stayed at Hotel Peter and Paul in NOLA.

They are little bits of heaven made of milk chocolate and bittersweet dark chocolate, with a super sweet liquid espresso center, and sprinkled with fairy dust.

Hello, It's Me

If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

Is anyone reading my site?  I could go to my site's Reports to see how many Clicks it is getting, but that would be like worrying about how many Likes I get on a Facebook post.

I hold no misconceptions about the reach of my sight.

Simona Wins, Again!

Finally, the Court of Arbitration in Sports has cleared Simona Halep for Immediate Return to Play and awarded her 20,000 Swiss Francs from the ITIA, idiots that they are, for her legal fees.

My boycott of Professional Tennis can end.

Her Instagram Post - Here

Her first Match was in Miami against Badosa.  Paula won, but my Simona played well.  This may take a while.

Sky-gazing at Seventy-One

MY sister-in-law asked me for my help with two things while we were in Peoria, AZ - Fix her telescope and show her how to work her new camera. 

The camera, a Canon EOS R, was easy.  All I had to do was charge it and then show her where the controls were in the menu.  To facilitate her first shoot in Jerome the next day, I set the ISO for 100, the White Ballance for sunlight, and set the mode to Program.  She's a fine, school-trained photographer, so I knew camera settings would come naturally to her as she went along.

The Telescope was a different matter.  Her great-grandchildren had knocked it over and parts were everywhere.  Once I had it repaired and reassembled, I aimed it at Jupiter and then the moon, showing everyone in the family.  Both were straight up, so I spent time on the ground, aiming.

The old bones are NOT made for refractor telescopes unless I can get them on a table or something high.  This is why I use a Reflector Scope.

This scope is pretty amazing.  It can mount a cell phone on its side for objective finding and it comes with a mount to take photos with a phone camera.

I took this daylight moon shot with it - adjusted with PS Elements 2024.

Per Chance A Burger

I had my first In-nd-Out Burger in Texas when I took the Trap and Skeet Team to College Station for a Shoot.  That year, we had a young lady, Chance, from Washington and Lee University on the team.  She was from California.

After I picked up the team at DFW, she insisted on stopping at In-and-Out for dinner.

Winner!  Everyone loved it.

Since then, I go there every time I'm out West.  I crave them.  Since the demise of Milo Burgers, these are my favorite chain burgers.

I wrote to Chance, @chancemillie, to say Thank You.  She wrote right back, envious.  She lives in Tampa.

Watch Jesse Stone

I consider the Jessie Stone movies Tom Sellick's best work.

Based on the novels by the late Robert B. Parker, the shows tell the story of the police chief in the fictional Maine coastal town of Paradise.  Chief Stone is a tough-as-nails cop, unbound by strict adherence to the law, who struggles with his alcoholism and his destructive relationship with his ex-wife.

Jesse is a good detective, a crack shot with his 1911, loves younger women, hates bullies, and has a soft spot in his heart for little kids and dogs.  The Music of Jeff Beal sets the tone for this series.  You'll see what I mean.

Amazon Prime offers the entire series.

Begin with Night Passage.  Next are Stone Cold, Death in Paradise, Sea Change, Thin Ice, No Remorse, Innocents Lost, Benefit of the Doubt, and Lost in Paradise.  Then, you can wait with the rest of us for Episode Ten, which Hallmark has been promising since 2015.  Last I read, Tom says he's "working on it."

Türk Kahve by Can Baba

For years, I have been trying to perfect my Turkish coffee.  I've had the taste down for a while, but I have had no success with the foam on top.

I fixed that this morning.

I had Kady order a can of Kurkahve Mehmet Efendi Turkish Kahve from Amazon. Opening the can let me know I had made a wise choice; it filled the whole kitchen with a rich coffee smell.  It took me back to my favorite coffee shop, Matisse, across from my apartment.

I added two heaping tablespoons of Turkish ground coffee, one sugar cube, and two Demitasse cups of cool water in my Cezve.  I added slow heat and got the most beautiful foam.

Sublimating

Since the demise of David Beaird's Fox TV show, Key West, I have been looking for anything similar to watch.  I loved the show, not just because it was in the Keys, but for the weird cast of characters.

I still watch it.  I have never found anything like it.

Yesterday, I read an article comparing Key West to Northern Exposure, the CBS series running from 1990 - 1995.  This show began when I was in England and was two seasons old when I returned to the States from Turkiye.  I never watched it.

I found the whole series on Prime last night and watched the first two episodes.

Thirty-four years after the fact, I'm hooked.

It doesn't make me want to go live in Alaska, though.

You Smell like COOKIES!

Native has the fragrance that everyone wants - Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies!

Goodbye, Chanel, Dior, and Gucci.  Farewell, Yves Saint Laurent and Dolce & Gabbana.  It sucks to be YOU, Versace, and Louis Vuitton.

My wife pointed this product out in Target.  Holy Cow, what a brilliant idea!  Kady doesn't get it and calls it stupid. 

But Why?  Who wouldn't want to smell like COOKIES?  Especially Thin Mint Cookies?  I told her she might as well get on board with the idea because she was getting Native Thin Mint body products for her birthday.  I want HER to smell like cookies.

I shouldn't use these products; I'm too attractive, already.  Imagine if I smelled like cookies.

Harb's Turkey Sandwich by John

When we first moved to Lexington, there was a small sandwich shop on Washington Street called Harb's.  It became a family favorite.  After trying other things on their menu, I fell for their Turkey Sandwich.  When Harb's closed, I began making their sandwich.  It is pretty simple.

• Toast two slices of bread (I use sourdough or wheat).

• Mix a teaspoon of raspberry jelly and your favorite mayonnaise and spread on the bread.

• Pile on sliced turkey and bean sprouts.  

Enjoy.

Death by Sugar

My daughter suggested we get a cake from Milk Bar in New York for my birthday.

Don't do that.  Ever.

The Cake looked amazing, though it either suffered from its trip or was assembled by Milk Bar's least talented employee.  Those tater-tot-looking things, we found out, are sugary dough tots.  Well, that's what we called them.

The instructions said 1/15th of the cake was a portion and a little over 100 calories.  OK.  How do you cut a round cake into 15ths?  Higher Math!  We opted for four diagonal cuts, dividing the cake into 8ths.

The first few bites were good.  Everyone agreed.  Then the comments turned.  "This is too rich."  "OMG, I can't eat all of this."  "My Teeth Hurt."

I'm no quitter.  I ate all of mine.  By the time I was finished, the massive amounts of sugar in this thing hit me.  I was shaking all over.  My brain felt like it was about to erupt.  I began pounding water, brushed my teeth, and took a Ranitidine.  My headache subsided after about an hour but I was wide awake until Midnight.

The next morning, Kady sent me this - ✅ Marked Safe after Milk Bar Birthday Cake

I gave her instructions for future birthdays - Make me a Lemon Jello Cake or buy a small white-on-white birthday cake from Harris-Teeter.

Vignette by ratatoskr.co.uk

If you're an Android user, there is a photo effects application that I recommend - Vignette.  Though it has a number of fun filters, I use it to take Black and White photos with my phone.  It does a fantastic job, giving my shots an Ilford feel.

Ilford has always been my favorite monochromatic film.

The shot at the right is unadjusted.  Admittedly, the lighting was perfect - early afternoon in January, cloudless sky, and the sunny side of the street.

You can find this app in the Google Store.  Sorry, iPhone people, this is not for you but my local iPhone person says she has filters for B&W.

Fargo

I'm almost ten years behind the power curve with this post, but I just finished Season 1 of Fargo on Hulu.  My son and daughter-in-law have been telling me to watch it forever.  They know how much I loved the movie.

During our coffee date this past Wednesday, KS sold me by telling me Billy Bob Thornton starred as the bad guy.  I went straight home and binged it.

Just Finished.

It was amazing.  If you've watched it, you know what I'm on about.  If you haven't, you should watch it now.  Don't wait ten years.

I'm going to begin Season 2 tomorrow.  It could be a while before another post.

I finished seasons two, three, and four over ten days.  Two and Three were great.  Season four was not.  It was uninteresting.  I found someone each season I could cheer for, like Nikki.  Not season four.  I struggled to finish it, wanting more Juno Temple in season five.