Showing posts with label events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label events. Show all posts
October 29, 2013
September 30, 2013
Goodbye
To the best - IMHO - television show ever. I'll write more about it in a few days...after I go through withdrawal.
August 1, 2013
The Texas Bell Tower Sniper
Today in history on August 1, 1966, Charles Whitman climbed to the top of the University of Texas Tower in Austin with a large cache of weapons and killed 16 people and wounded 32 others during a shooting rampage on and around the university's campus.
Before going on the killing spree, he murdered both his wife and mother and left a note apologizing and asking that his brain be examined after his death. After being killed by Austin PD officers Ramiro Martinez and Houston McCoy*, the autopsy on Whitman showed he had a brain tumor.
*At first, Martinez was credited with killing Whitman, but McCoy was later found to have administered the fatal shots.
Before going on the killing spree, he murdered both his wife and mother and left a note apologizing and asking that his brain be examined after his death. After being killed by Austin PD officers Ramiro Martinez and Houston McCoy*, the autopsy on Whitman showed he had a brain tumor.
*At first, Martinez was credited with killing Whitman, but McCoy was later found to have administered the fatal shots.
July 26, 2013
Million Barrel Blowout
That's what they have touting on the online sports talk radio shows I have been listening to over the last week. To be honest, it really went in one ear and out the other, my being of the TV age where I've learned to tune out the adverts until the regular show came back on. Still, I understood it was to be some big concert in Monahans, Texas (Facebook page for the event).
Just as that information seeped into the far reaches of my brain, something else rose to the forefront of my consciousness; I had read about the Million Barrel Museum several years ago, even taken some screen captures of overhead imagery in both Google Earth and Bing Maps and meant to make a post about it. You can read more about it at RoadsideAmerica.com, but in a nutshell, it was a huge oil storage tank built in 1928 during the height of the oil boom in that part of Texas. Here's the Google Earth screen shot: (click images for larger view)
That's the direct overhead imagery; here's the Bing Maps view from an angle:
According to the Roadside America article, the tank soon cracked under the weight of its own 315 million lbs. of concrete and most of the oil leaked out; the facility was abandoned until a local man filled it full of water to use as a small lake. Apparently the tank was no better at holding water than it was oil, so the structure was again abandoned and sat unused for decades, full of tumbleweeds and marked with graffiti.
The article also mentions that "Texas crude is about 30 percent gasoline, which means that 200 million gallons of 1920s vintage leaked gas may still be in the ground beneath the Million Barrel Museum."
I don't know about anyone else, but there's been something in common with EVERY concert I've ever been to, no matter if it was in a coliseum, an auditorium or open-air venue like this one, namely that there has ALWAYS been...well, let's say "flammable substances consumed". I'm not sure I'd really want to go to that particular concert, especially sitting on top of 200 million gallons of gasoline.
(Edit to add: As I mentioned in the comments, that was a joke. I really don't think there's "200 million gallons of gas" underneath the the old tank. Depending upon how quickly they sucked up the oil after the tank cracked - and I'm sure they did, that was a valuable product just lying on the ground - most of the volatile part of the crude oil evaporated into the air. I've never read of any environmental disasters in regards to the area and online water quality tests for the city of Monahans show nothing more in the water that isn't in most other city water supplies)
Be that as it may, here's some more information on the site:
TexasEscapes.com
Overall View of the Million Barrel Oil Tank
Fan Page of the Million Barrel Museum
Just as that information seeped into the far reaches of my brain, something else rose to the forefront of my consciousness; I had read about the Million Barrel Museum several years ago, even taken some screen captures of overhead imagery in both Google Earth and Bing Maps and meant to make a post about it. You can read more about it at RoadsideAmerica.com, but in a nutshell, it was a huge oil storage tank built in 1928 during the height of the oil boom in that part of Texas. Here's the Google Earth screen shot: (click images for larger view)
That's the direct overhead imagery; here's the Bing Maps view from an angle:
According to the Roadside America article, the tank soon cracked under the weight of its own 315 million lbs. of concrete and most of the oil leaked out; the facility was abandoned until a local man filled it full of water to use as a small lake. Apparently the tank was no better at holding water than it was oil, so the structure was again abandoned and sat unused for decades, full of tumbleweeds and marked with graffiti.
The article also mentions that "Texas crude is about 30 percent gasoline, which means that 200 million gallons of 1920s vintage leaked gas may still be in the ground beneath the Million Barrel Museum."
I don't know about anyone else, but there's been something in common with EVERY concert I've ever been to, no matter if it was in a coliseum, an auditorium or open-air venue like this one, namely that there has ALWAYS been...well, let's say "flammable substances consumed". I'm not sure I'd really want to go to that particular concert, especially sitting on top of 200 million gallons of gasoline.
(Edit to add: As I mentioned in the comments, that was a joke. I really don't think there's "200 million gallons of gas" underneath the the old tank. Depending upon how quickly they sucked up the oil after the tank cracked - and I'm sure they did, that was a valuable product just lying on the ground - most of the volatile part of the crude oil evaporated into the air. I've never read of any environmental disasters in regards to the area and online water quality tests for the city of Monahans show nothing more in the water that isn't in most other city water supplies)
Be that as it may, here's some more information on the site:
TexasEscapes.com
Overall View of the Million Barrel Oil Tank
Fan Page of the Million Barrel Museum
June 6, 2013
The Longest Day
Trailer for the classic movie, The Longest Day. One of my favorite war movies, it's chock-full of stars including Richard Burton, Sean Connery, Henry Fonda, Peter Lawford, Roddy McDowall, Robert Mitchum, Robert Ryan, Rod Steiger, Stuart Whitman, John Wayne and many more.
Today is the anniversary of the Normandy landings in 1944, arguably the most important day of WWII. Touring the D-Day beaches is on my bucket list.
Today is the anniversary of the Normandy landings in 1944, arguably the most important day of WWII. Touring the D-Day beaches is on my bucket list.
March 6, 2013
El Degüello
El Degüello is the "No Quarter" song played by Santa Ana's troops during the start of the siege of the Alamo
El Degüello means "slit throat".
Ballad of the Alamo - Marty Robbins
Green Leaves of Summer
The Alamo fell on this day in 1836.
El Degüello means "slit throat".
Ballad of the Alamo - Marty Robbins
Green Leaves of Summer
The Alamo fell on this day in 1836.
February 25, 2013
Oscar Talk
Without going through each of my picks on the Miramax Oscar Challenge contest, it looks like I did fairly well but probably not enough to win anything. I got the two Best Actor awards correct, as well as some lesser awards, but I'm sure I wasn't close enough to have a chance. Oh well, I wasn't expecting to win anyway...as I said in the linked post, I hadn't seen any of the movies except for the one short "Paperman". (and I read that the producer of the short was thrown out of the ceremonies for a brief time because, when the award was announced, she threw several paper airplanes from the top balcony)
I didn't watch a single moment of the show, but checking the Drudge Report to see who had won, I decided I wanted to see the "We Saw Her Boobs" song Seth McFarlane did that caused such controversy. I thought it hilarious.
I am a conservative, but enjoy McFarlane's "Family Guy" as well as "American Dad!" (to a lesser extent) Both shows poke fun at traditional values but it would be disingenuous to say they only slam conservatives. (that's another post for another time) I really enjoyed the skit with William Shatner as Captain Kirk calling from the future to tell McFarland he was rapidly ruining the show. I wouldn't be able to compare any recent hosts with McFarland, but from what I saw, he did a fairly good job. He wasn't as good as Billy Crystal, but he was much better than the abomination that was David Letterman's performance.
I'm really glad I missed the Best Picture award presentation, the Oscar announced by Michelle Obama. I have no love for President Obama, but am growing very weary of seeing her mug on the news or anywhere two or more celebrities are gathered together. (It seems I'm not the only one) I've ranted about this before, but it's sickening how Hollywood and the progressive leftists are in bed together. (I suspect most in the audience were top donors to Obama's campaigns) It's bad enough that far too many movies mock Christianity and conservatives, but to have politics take over the awards show that honors those films (even more than usual)...well, it's just one more reason I'm glad I didn't watch.
I didn't watch a single moment of the show, but checking the Drudge Report to see who had won, I decided I wanted to see the "We Saw Her Boobs" song Seth McFarlane did that caused such controversy. I thought it hilarious.
I am a conservative, but enjoy McFarlane's "Family Guy" as well as "American Dad!" (to a lesser extent) Both shows poke fun at traditional values but it would be disingenuous to say they only slam conservatives. (that's another post for another time) I really enjoyed the skit with William Shatner as Captain Kirk calling from the future to tell McFarland he was rapidly ruining the show. I wouldn't be able to compare any recent hosts with McFarland, but from what I saw, he did a fairly good job. He wasn't as good as Billy Crystal, but he was much better than the abomination that was David Letterman's performance.
I'm really glad I missed the Best Picture award presentation, the Oscar announced by Michelle Obama. I have no love for President Obama, but am growing very weary of seeing her mug on the news or anywhere two or more celebrities are gathered together. (It seems I'm not the only one) I've ranted about this before, but it's sickening how Hollywood and the progressive leftists are in bed together. (I suspect most in the audience were top donors to Obama's campaigns) It's bad enough that far too many movies mock Christianity and conservatives, but to have politics take over the awards show that honors those films (even more than usual)...well, it's just one more reason I'm glad I didn't watch.
February 1, 2013
January 1, 2013
December 31, 2012
December 30, 2012
October 21, 2012
State Fair
A tribute to the Texas State Fair, closing today.
In my procrastinating way, it's apt that I post the opening of the movie on the day the fair is ending.
I remember seeing this movie at the "pitcher show" with my sisters. (we probably sat through it twice) I also remember it being the first time I was ever excited over a woman - Ann Margaret.
She still excites me.
In my procrastinating way, it's apt that I post the opening of the movie on the day the fair is ending.
I remember seeing this movie at the "pitcher show" with my sisters. (we probably sat through it twice) I also remember it being the first time I was ever excited over a woman - Ann Margaret.
She still excites me.
September 11, 2010
July 8, 2010
On This Day - July 8th
Looking at my Excite start page earlier I noticed in the This Day in History module that in 1889 The Wall Street Journal was first published, in 1947 construction began on the United Nations buildings, in 1960 the Soviet Union charged Gary powers with espionage and on this day in 2000 the fourth Harry Potter book (Goblet of Fire) was released in the US.
The most important thing I noticed was that this is the day Edward Berner, a druggist in Two Rivers, WI, poured chocolate syrup on ice cream in a dish. Up to this time, chocolate syrup had only been used for making ice cream sodas.
The man was a genius.
June 21, 2010
June 18, 2010
Waterloo
June 18th 1815
Wiki entry on the
Battle of Waterloo
Charge of the British Heavy Cavalry
From the 1970 release Waterloo
Always loved this old country tune:
Waterloo - Stonewall Jackson
And this reminds me of elle. -sigh-
Waterloo - ABBA
(description w/ vid)
Waterloo was recorded in Dec 1973. Abba chose it over Hasta Manana to be the Swedish entry for Eurovision 1974, as it was a happy uptempo rocking song with rhythm and energy, and all the group sing. Stig Anderson took a demo tape on holiday to the Canary Isles. Stig agonised for a week to find the right title, then produced the original Swedish lyrics in a few hours, constructing a story of Waterloo as a metaphor for a girl surrendering to the love of a suitor. The rest is history, it was the first time Sweden had won Eurovision. The song rapidly became a worldwide hit after this huge success in Brighton in April 1974, reaching no. 1 in England on May 4 1974. This tv performance is from November 1974.
When I hear or read about Napoleon, I think back to some grafitti I saw at the Canadian, TX. h.s. that read:
"This is where Napoleon pulled his Bonaparte."
May 27, 2010
This'll Be a Good Buddy Day
From Texas on the Potomac
On this date in 1957, Buddy Holly, the first rocker to actually go on stage wearing horn-rimmed spectacles, and his band, The Crickets, released their first single, That'll Be the Day on Brunswick Records, a recording label specializing in jazz and rhythm and blues sounds.
That'll Be The Day - Buddy Holly And The Crickets (Ed Sullivan Show '57)
Wiki entry: Buddy Holly
On this date in 1957, Buddy Holly, the first rocker to actually go on stage wearing horn-rimmed spectacles, and his band, The Crickets, released their first single, That'll Be the Day on Brunswick Records, a recording label specializing in jazz and rhythm and blues sounds.
That'll Be The Day - Buddy Holly And The Crickets (Ed Sullivan Show '57)
Wiki entry: Buddy Holly
May 1, 2010
May Trivia Tournament Begins!
Take your brain out of the jar 
and play the ToTG Trivia Tournament
There's not a lot of people who play, but *most* of us that do are some brainy folks!
*most* excludes me. I win when no one else plays. -sigh-
Click on the link above or the graphic below to play
April 27, 2010
Back in the Saddle Again
Just a short snippet of the old cowboy tune by Gene Autry to celebrate being back online again.
Here's the tune by Aerosmith from my h.s. days.
Had to call tech support because the thing kept me in an endless loop on the install software page. I was lucky, I got a "furriner" that spoke better English than I do.
April 15, 2010
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