I wasn’t expecting to post today but I woke up at 4 AM and thought; what else is there to do at this time of the morning? When I remembered that Saturdays are Photo Hunter day, I went over to TNchick’s site to check out today’s theme. As soon as I saw that today’s theme is walking, I knew right away which photo I was using.
This photo was choreographed in the sense that we asked our 4 caddies at Golf House Club in Elie, Scotland to walk ahead of us and flip us off for the photo opp of the century. After a little coaxing, this was the result. Thanks to Steve Walsh for having the vision for this shot!
About 4 years ago, Chris and I went to Paris together. There are a couple of places that we had both been to but not together. At the time, Paris was one of them. While there, we did some of the customary tourist stuff but mostly sat in cafes and restaurants and watched the city revolve around us. Well…it felt like Paris was revolving around us. It was a memorable holiday.
The following photograph is, of course, the Eiffel Tower. While it’s not a first rate effort, I manipulated it in Photo-Shop so that it had the appearance of a 1930’s postcard where the color was added. It’s the most famous metal structure I could think of and as a result, it’s this week’s entry for Photo Hunter.
This is an incredible Mad Max-like shot of the Oakridge mobile home park that was ravaged by the California wildfires. As always, you can double click the photo for a closer look.
Most of the homes in the Oakridge mobile home park, which reportedly had 600-800 homes, lie in ruins after burning in the Sylmar Fire on November 15, 2008 in Sylmar, California. The fire began last night and was fueled to more than 2,600 acres by strong erratic winds in excess of 70 miles per hour which kept firefighting aircraft grounded in the morning. (David McNew/Getty Images)
Like last week’s Photo Hunter, this picture is also from St Andrews, Scotland. The bench and the building belong to the Royal and Ancient Golf Glub of St Andrews (R&A). It sits directly behind the first tee of the Old Course. The window above the bench shows the reflection of a setting sun over the Old Course. It’s my favorite reflection shot at my favorite place.
I look at this photo with great melancholy. It seems now like my 47 year run of visiting the UK will stop this year. I can’t even believe I said it. If anything changes I will keep you posted.
For me, it’s hard to believe that 2008 is NASA’s 50th anniversary. In that time, their scientific and technological feats are legendary. NASA’s latest launch, the Space Shuttle Endeavor on mission STS-126, took place at night. If you are the least bit fascinated by NASA’s remarkable programs visit their site here for more on Endeavor’s mission and the history of the organization.
Here is this week’s PDB Picture of the Week, the night time launch of the Endeavor. As always, double click for the full image.
The St Andrews Castle was fortified around 1100 and a hundred years later it became the home of the bishops and archbishops of St Andrews. The Castle saw little in the way of encroachment from foreign lands but it was front and center during the Reformation in the mid-1500s. Cardinal Beaton, who lived at the Castle, burned a Protestant preacher at the stake in front of the castle. It wasn’t long thereafter that the Protestants took the Castle by building a mine underneath the Castle walls in order to compromise its structural viability. Once they gained entry, they assassinated Cardinal Beaton in his residence. It is believed that King Henry the VIII of England was pleased to be rid of the Cardinal because Beaton stood in the way of the King’s initiatives in Scotland. A year later, a French fleet reduced the Castle to ruins but its stones can be seen today as they were used to build residences in the town of St Andrews. These ruins are what remains of St Andrews Castle.
Kerby Brown has to be certifiable crazy. He’s the Australian surfer who went out to a top-secret reef in order to obtain fame and fortune. Or at least notoriety. This week’s Photo of the Week is of Brown riding a 41 foot monster wave just before he wiped out and nearly killed himself. When the wave broke, Brown ended up doing 10 backflips and “only” tearing a shoulder muscle.
One of my favorite words and the thought that it provokes is together. Always my first thought is my wonderful and lovely bride, Chris. But for us, together means family and friends and we always have an abundance of them around. It is truly the greatest gift. I am still scanning hundreds and hundreds of photos but here is a very modest slideshow tribute to our friends and family and…us.
Today is the beginning of a new day in American history. We have elected our first African-American President. This is both a long and short road ended. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln just under 150 years ago while Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted in this lifetime. Even those who took place in the Civil Rights Movement never imagined that they would see an African-American President in their lifetime. But today with the election of Barack Obama our nation leaps beyond its bigoted past.
Beginning January 20, 2009, we start the United States back on its path to greatness. It will not be easy given the mountainous problems we have in Iraq and Afghanistan, an economy catapulting toward recession and the voluminous deficits we are running on both a budget and trade basis. But there is hope because today Barack Obama is our new President.
First Family Elect
As a special extra for today, this is campaign 2008’s best song:
Hate to see the nation being run by a hack
Dig the situation that he dug in Iraq
Half the population wants to give him the sack
And now he’s lookin’ round for somebody else to attack
We need somebody great to get us back on the track
So we’re takin’ it back with Barack, Jack!
Choo Choo, Change to believe in
Woo woo, we can achieve it
Choo Choo, Change to believe in
Takin’ it back with Barack, Jack!
Now that global warming is a matter of fact
The only real question is just how to react
The new administration needs the guts to enact
Drastic legislation, leave the planet intact
We can’t be foolin’ round with some Republican Mac
So we’re takin’ it back with Barack, Jack!
Choo Choo….
He only gets his money from your regular macs
Doesn’t take a penny from some whackity PAC’s
For bringin’ folk together he’s the man with the knack
And he’ll supply the hope and inspiration we lack
Cause he’s the best we got and did I ….mention he’s black?
I love NYC, not as much as Christine but I do love it. I think New York, for me, would be behind, Edinburgh, Boston, London, San Francisco, um…um…and then New York. I say that, tongue firmly in cheek, because of the Boston/New York sports rivalries. But there you have it.
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I wasn’t expecting to post today but I woke up at 4 AM and thought; what else is there to do at this time of the morning? When I remembered that Saturdays are Photo Hunter day, I went over to TNchick’s site to check out today’s theme. As soon as I saw that today’s theme is walking, I knew right away which photo I was using.
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