If the Planets were as Close as the Moon

IF THE PLANETS WERE AS CLOSE AS THE MOON

The Moon over Death Valley, California

*Ron Miller, the former art director for NASA, created a series of images depicting the night sky if planets were 233,812 miles away; the same distance as the Earth to our moon.  

Notice the different amount of reflected light each planet provides.  Nicely done, Ron!



Mars

Jupiter

Mercury

Neptune

Saturn

Venus

Uranus

*From Here

Kisses Sweeter than Wine

I was about eleven years old when I heard Kisses Sweeter than Wine by Jimmy Rodgers played on the radio.  I was living in South San Francisco in a sewing room with my twin brother in the home of my aunt and her family. The song was what I hoped my future would be.



I came across this fairly recent cool arrangement.

 JIMMIE RODGERS

"Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" (original lyrics)

Well, when I was a young man never been kissed

I got to thinkin' it over how much I had missed

So I got me a girl and I kissed her and then, and then

Oh, lordy, well I kissed 'er again

Because she had kisses sweeter than wine

She had, mmm, mmm, kisses sweeter than wine

(Sweeter than wine)

Well I asked her to marry and to be my sweet wife

I told her we'd be so happy for the rest of our life

I begged and I pleaded like a natural man

And then, whoops oh lordy, well she gave me her hand

Because she had kisses sweeter than wine

She had, mmm, mmm, kisses sweeter than wine

(Sweeter than wine)

Well we worked very hard both me and my wife

Workin' hand-in-hand to have a good life

We had corn in the field and wheat in the bin

And then, whoops oh lord, I was the father of twins

Because she had kisses sweeter than wine

She had, mmm, mmm, kisses sweeter than wine

(Sweeter than wine)

Well our children they numbered just about four

And they all had a sweetheart a'knockin' on the door

They all got married and they wouldn't hesitate

I was, whoops oh lord, the grandfather of eight

Because she had kisses sweeter than wine

She had, mmm, mmm, kisses sweeter than wine

(Sweeter than wine)

Well now that I'm old and I'm a'ready to go

I get to thinkin' what happened a long time ago

Had a lot of kids, a lot of trouble and pain

But then, whoops oh lordy, well I'd do it all again

Because she had kisses sweeter than wine

She had, mmm…kisses…sweeter…than…wine

Here's the way I remember it. 

Backyards

Merry-go-round

At some point it's not worth it

to go back for what we forgot

and just now remembered.

But if what we forgot is worth it,

we will always turn around,

no matter how far we've traveled.

Please remind us now, good Lord,

not later. 

--Danny Schweers

What a painting!

And this one!

Vice

порок

Vice is a monster of so frightful mien

As to be hated needs but to be seen.

Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face

We first endure, then pity, then embrace.

--Alexander Pope

GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE



I came across this rendering of the suspension tower by architect John Eberson, who consulted with John Strauss, the Golden Gate Bridge chief engineer.



Notice the people drawn for scale.

from here 

PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE MOJAVE

from here

Мученичество Баба


MARYRDOM OF THE BÁB

On the evening of the very day of the Báb’s execution, which fell on the ninth of July 1850 (28th of Sha’bán 1266 A.H.), during the thirty-first year of His age and the seventh of His ministry, the mangled bodies were transferred from the courtyard of the barracks to the edge of the moat outside the gate of the city. Four companies, each consisting of ten sentinels, were ordered to keep watch in turn over them. On the following morning the Russian Consul in Tabríz visited the spot, and ordered the artist who had accompanied him to make a drawing of the remains as they lay beside the moat. In the middle of the following night a follower of the Báb, Ḥájí Sulaymán Khán, succeeded, through the instrumentality of a certain Ḥájí Alláh-Yár, in removing the bodies to the silk factory owned by one of the believers of Milán, and laid them, the next day, in a specially made wooden casket, which he later transferred to a place of safety. Meanwhile the mullás were boastfully proclaiming from the pulpits that, whereas the holy body of the Immaculate Imám would be preserved from beasts of prey and from all creeping things, this man’s body had been devoured by wild animals. No sooner had the news of the transfer of the remains of the Báb and of His fellow-sufferer been communicated to Bahá’u’lláh than He ordered that same Sulaymán Khán to bring them to Ṭihrán, where they were taken to the Imám-Zádih-Ḥasan, from whence they were removed to different places, until the time when, in pursuance of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s instructions, they were transferred to the Holy Land, and were permanently and ceremoniously laid to rest by Him in a specially erected mausoleum on the slopes of Mt. Carmel.

Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By

♦

Тебриз – один из крупнейших городов Ирана. Он находится на северо-западе страны и является центром иранской провинции Азербайджан. (Вы, должно быть, знаете, что есть еще независимое государство Азербайджан к северу от Ирана, республика, входившая раньше в состав Советского Союза. Во времена Бахауллы у азербайджанцев не было своего государства. Северо-западная часть Азербайджана принадлежала Российской империи, а юго-восточная – Персии. Восточный Азербайджан до сих пор является провинцией Ирана с центром в городе Тебриз.)

9 июля 1850 года множество людей собралось на центральной площади Тебриза, а кое-кто наблюдал за происходящим с крыш соседних домов. Баб находился в одной из камер тюрьмы, примыкающей к площади. Собравшиеся люди знали, что по приказу первого министра Ирана и согласно приговору духовенства, Баба должны были расстрелять в этот день.

Железный гвоздь был вбит посредине лестничного пролета в стену той самой камеры, где были они заключены. К гвоздю были привязаны и спущены вниз две веревки. На одной веревке был подвешен Баб, на другой – Ага Мухаммад Али; оба были крепко связаны таким образом, что голова молодого человека лежала на груди Баба. Крыши близлежащих домов были до отказа заполнены оживленной толпой. Отряд солдат, производивший казнь, выстроился в три ряда. Сначала выстрелил первый ряд, затем второй и, наконец, третий. От залпов поднялся густой дым. Когда он рассеялся, все увидели, что молодой человек стоит, а Баб сидит рядом со Своим секретарем Ага Сийидом Хусейном в той самой камере, к лестничному пролету которой их подвесили. Никому из них не было причинено ни малейшего вреда.

[Командующий расстрелом] Сам Хан, христианин по вероисповеданию, просил извинить его и отказался продолжать казнь; взамен выступил другой отряд, которому командир фаррашейi сдал полномочия. Ага Джан Биг из Хамси, полковник охраны, велел снова связать Баба и молодого человека вместе и подвесить к тому же самому гвоздю. Баб произнес несколько слов, которые поняли лишь те, кто знал персидский, остальные услышали лишь Его голос.

Полковник, командующий отрядом, присутствовал лично. Было около полудня двадцать восьмого дня месяца шабан тысяча двести шестьдесят шестого года [Хиджры]. Неожиданно полковник отдал приказ стрелять. Пули от выстрелов изрешетили грудь [жертв], разорвали на куски конечности, и только лица остались почти не поврежденнымиii.

После стольких мук и страданий Баб осуществил Свою самую заветную мечту – отдал жизнь за Бахауллу и стал мучеником на пути Божием. Его тело в конце концов обрело покой на горе Кармель в Хайфе во времена Абдул-Баха. Его место упокоения известно как Святилище Баба и считается одним из прекраснейших и самых священных мест во всем мире.


From here

2082 Golden Gate Av

2082 GOLDEN GATE AVENUE

Climbing Hillary Step

CLIMBING HILLARY STEP ON MT. EVEREST AND REACHING THE SUMMIT

'Guarding the summit of Mount Everest is the Hillary Step, the last obstacle before reaching the summit. On the southwest face expedition in 1975 the normal rock pitch was banked out in monsoon snow with a granular quality, like sugar, that demanded the greatest care, especially for Dougal Haston who had to deal with it.'  --Dougal Haston on the Hillary Step

The closest I'll ever come to reaching the summit of Everest is shaking the hand of someone who has.

Here are some images I've grabbed of the Hillary Step.

Here are some pictures from the summit.

This one of my favorites.

This is my favorite.

Bicycles and Flags

BICYCLES AND FLAGS

Once Upon a time in Santa Cruz

A BIRTHDAY CARD




I found some pictures of the City of Santa Cruz offices.

An aerial view of the offices on Center Street.  I worked in an office a few blocks up the street, and lived a few blocks down the street, so I'd walk past the plaza four times a day.

Down the street is the Santa Cruz Hotel, which is a restaurant.  We had lunch in a booth behind the window to the left of the tree.  The waitress overcharged me, and you pointed it out.  

Did I thank you for that?





The cat is at the door of the Water Department.