YEAH GIANTS!
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Posted:Oct 28, 2012 9:19 pm
Last Updated:Nov 22, 2012 5:43 pm
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Score: 4-3!
Yeah Giants!
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The Presidio, San Francisco
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Posted:Sep 20, 2012 7:32 pm
Last Updated:Nov 8, 2012 5:03 pm
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Spent the afternoon at the Presidio-former base of the 6th Army-- this afternoon. A great place for walking; variety of scenery and architecture in very small space. The Presidio is also the location of the National Cemetery for military personnel.
A free PresidioGo bus leaves downtown San Francisco at Drum/Davis Street for a half-hour bus ride and stops in front of Letterman Digital Center. Also from downtown, take the 1, 2, 5, 31, or 38 bus to meet the 43 bus which goes directly into the park and also stops in front of the Letterman Digital Complex, which is where the former Letterman Hospital was located. Letterman Hospital was named in 1911 after Jonathan Letterman, the medical director for the Civil War era Army of the Potomac. Letterman Hospital provided care for those wounded in war zones of the Pacific Theatre. The Presidio Army Base was decommissioned in 1994 and handed over to the National Park Service. Since 1996 it has been the US Park Presidio Trust with responsibility to make it financially self-sustaining. Many of the buildings date from after the Civil War era and from the turn of the century, and so exteriors have to be preserved. The Presidio is an Architect's delight. The range of styles is truly impressive. It ranges from Spanish Revival to what can only be called Military Practicality. And it's easy to miss a great deal of the architecture if you don't take the short walk up and down the hills to see the buildings lost in the trees; you don't even realize they are there.
The Disney Family Museum is located there; the Thoreau Center for Sustainability; and other organizations have made their home there. There are in fact several military bases located in the Presidio. Fort Point, just beneath the Southerly Entrance of the Golden Gate Bridge; Fort Winfield Scott--named after General Winfield Scott, one of the longest serving American Generals; The Main Post--the 6th Army Post; Crissy Airfield; and Letterman Hospital. There is also a golf course. There are various and sundry cafe's providing food at reasonable prices.
Take the Simonds Loop to see some million dollar views of the Bay and the Bridge as well as some fantastic architecture. There is also a stand of California Sequoia Trees. Speaking of trees, the military in the late 1800s planted thousands of trees on a wind-swept sand dune that the Presidio had been.
The photo is a Surgeon's house built circa late 1800s.
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Franklin and Winston
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Posted:Sep 5, 2012 3:11 pm
Last Updated:Nov 13, 2012 3:05 pm
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FRANKLIN AND WINSTON: AN INTIMATE PORTRAIT OF AN EPIC FRIENDSHIP. A fascinating read. I was surprised at how Roosevelt openly mocked Churchill at Tehran and Yalta in order to impress Stalin. Churchill took it with good grace, yet still felt the sting. It was surprising how sickly Roosevelt was at Yalta, and yet still sharp up to the very end, on April 12, 1945.
The author, Jon Meacham, makes much of the relationship in terms of a courting ritual: Churchill wooing Roosevelt. And Britain needed that relationship for the American moral support to Britain as well as the Lend Lease of materials for Britain.
It was also something of a surprise that Lucy Mercer Rutherford and Franklin Roosevelt still carried on a relationship despite being told to discontinue it when Eleanor first learned of it in 1918. It apparently resumed in 1933 and sounds like the relationship may have been ongoing prior to that date. Though, then it may have been platonic. Lucy Rutherford was with him when he died in Warm Springs Georgia.
(in moments of jocularity, I often time think would we tell Roosevelt or Jefferson, we didn't want their services because oft their liaison's? America would be worse off...)
When we look at such a cataclysmic event as World War II--to say nothing of the Great Depression--we often wonder whether other men could have handled the situation better. That these two men should be there to lead the charge against Totalitarianism is itself mind-boggling. Especially given that Roosevelt could have lost the election in 1940 and Wendell Wilkie. There was a huge isolationist strain in America that wanted nothing to do with European wars.
Roosevelt and Churchill had much in common. A family background steeped in service to the country, private boarding schools, privilege, and pain both physcial and psychological from a handicap. Churchill suffered from a lisp, Roosevelt from polio acquired when he was only 39. That they were tuned into each other represents no small part of their success.
Both men had the gift of rhetoric. And no small part of that rhetoric came from their knowledge to the King James Bible. The book offers thumbnail sketches of the entourages of both men. Roosevelt would die of a cerebral hemorrhage in April 12, 1945 while Churchill would be voted out of office in the July 1945 election. In some ways, a more fitting end to a relationship that saw the democracies through a challenging time. They both left at the same time the stage larger than life.
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Science & God
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Posted:Aug 26, 2012 7:23 pm
Last Updated:Nov 8, 2012 5:03 pm
5483 Views
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It is an important question. I do believe in God. There is a certain intellectual sense to believe in a Supreme Being. I don't see any conflict between Science and Religion/God. There is enough mystery and miracle in science to acknowledge a Supreme Being. And the drunk that needs to invoke a Higher Power for sobriety and salvation of their immortal soul, offers one evidence for the need of a Supreme Being. It is this Transcendence which is so crucial to the human soul.
Quite honestly, I don't know how anyone can be an atheist. Atheism strikes me as downright intellectually dishonest; such a person I dismiss as having a fourth grade mentality. The study of Literature and History reminds us constantly that people need that Transcendent judgment: Richard III, Macbeth, Adolf Hitler. Deny a Supreme Deity and that Transcendent judgment is denied as well. There's a reason why we acknowledge people as Martyrs; there's a reason why we acknowledge the presence of absolute evil...
it's OK, I'd like to make more comments about Science and God. Physicist Stephen Hawking says that life would have originated as a result of the science. But there is to science something of a gamble. In that early universe, the collision of particles with anti-particles caused annihilation--except that there was one more particle in excess of anti-particles--so that there could be matter in the universe. (Early universe means 10^-10 to .001 seconds after the Big Bang when the temperature of the Universe at 10^52 to 10^15 Kelvin--very hot.)
RARE EARTH, by Ward and Brownlee, posit at least 13 events on planet earth necessary for animate life to exist here. To cite just a few: A sun that would exist for 10 billion years. A moon to prevent uncontrollable wobble, a wobble that would not sustain temperate climate. Tectonic plates. A magnetosphere. A Jupiter size planet in the solar system. Sufficient time for evolution to work. Large oceans. And so on.
VITAL DUST by Christian DeDuve writes in embryology, the abrupt transformation of Protostome--mouth first to Deuterostome--anal cavity first; and without this transformation, chordates--which includes humans--could not exist. Deuterostome allows for a neural cavity to protect nerve endings from the brain protected by a spinal cord.
MASTERS OF THE PLAnet by Ian Tattersall writes that Homo-sapiens had a distinctly different larynx that allowed for speech and this unique larynx makes Homo-sapiens masters of the planet. Neanderthals, contemporaneous with Homo-sapiens did not have such a larynx. The Tobo- Volcano Catastrophe resulted in a nuclear winter 77,000 years ago, that almost wiped out Homo-sapiens.
So existence is more of a gamble then one might care to admit. I like Heidegger's question: "Why are there beings at all instead of nothing?" That changes the equation considerably.
Each one of these book is easily readable. I also recommend Neil DeGrasse Tyson's ORGINS for a good intro on cosmology. So if anything, science would seem to confirm a Transcendent Deity.
But ultimately--and sadly--that sense of sin from making bad choices is what calls forth a Deity from whom we can request pardon and receive pardon. To me, it all works as a piece...
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The Mikado
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Posted:Aug 19, 2012 2:55 pm
Last Updated:May 24, 2024 1:58 am
5234 Views
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THE MIKADO is Gilbert and Sullivan's darkest operetta. Despite being one with the most popular songs, gorgeous ballads, the wittiest dialogue-- a dark undercurrent runs through. After all, the young Yum-Yum is engaged to the elderly Ko-Ko. The young of the Mikado, Nanki-Poo is engaged to the elderly Katisha. In the end, Ko-Ko and Katisha settle for each other as marriage partners because they are caught in love's spidery web. (In the San Francisco Lamplighter production, the play ends with Katisha aiming the executioner's ax at Ko-Ko.)
But an important sub-text controlling motivation in the play is that all the characters have a superannuated sense of themselves. They all seem to be the epitome of the 'me' generation with a vengeance. They are all constantly singing about how important or beautiful they are. One wonders who it was Gilbert and Sullivan were mocking in this operetta; he could be mocking the very cast of THE MIKADO--actors then as now being overly impressed with themselves for doing nothing but following the director's orders. Wordsmith, Gilbert could be mocking composer Sullivan's pretensions to being a composer of serious music rather than the persiflage of light-opera; Sullivan not getting the joke.
Yum-Yum sings: "I mean to rule the earth, / As he the sky--/ We really know our worth, / The sun and I!" And all the characters seem to think of themselves pretty much as she thinks of herself.
While in the end, Yum-Yum and Nanki Pooh end up in connubial bliss, Katisha and Ko-Ko end up settling for each other because of love's spidery web; a web depending on proximity more than love.
Ko-Ko's patter song: "I've got a little list of society offenders ... who never would be missed" was tolled with an ipad with images of people or institutions portrayed above on a screen. They included Lady Gaga, congress, people who sent others to war,politicians, and so on. It is always a delight of the play, and every production seems to call forth a contemporaneous listing of people who would not be missed.
It goes without saying, the Production was excellent in every way. And if anyone wanted to own one Gilbert and Sullivan--THE MIKADO would be the one to own. I have the 1938 D'Oyley Carte performance on DVD (which inexplicably excludes "Tit-willow") as well as the Eric Idle Production of 1987. There are countless others on DVD, pick one and you can't go far wrong.
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Hike to Point Bonitas Lighthouse in Marin Headlands
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Posted:Aug 13, 2012 5:12 pm
Last Updated:Aug 14, 2012 3:49 pm
5218 Views
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Yesterday with the SF Hike Club, about 16 of us took a hike from The Golden Gate Bridge to Point Bonitas Lighthouse--10 miles round trip. The day started out overcast with fog cover. And where the wind comes from the Pacific through the valley and between the hills--it was sharp and cold. We got to the lighthouse at about 12:30 pm or so. By which time, the clouds started to break and the sun working to poke through. The lighthouse had downright balmy weather, not cold and windy as one might have expected with fog. By 2pm the sky was clear of fog away from the coast and so the scenery was simply gorgeous. Every inch, every view a Kodak moment.
We broke for 40 minute lunch at about 11 am still a mile or so from our destination--but the place doesn't open till 12:30. But since I had a big breakfast--cereal with a doughnut--I was not especially hungry. The hike leaders had the foresight and generosity to pass out chocolate. What a difference a piece of chocolate can make--gives that extra source of energy and camaraderie to keep going. It was a fun day, a fun hike to trek with men of somber mien.
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Rodin--Do you have a favorite?
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Posted:Aug 11, 2012 5:19 pm
Last Updated:Aug 11, 2012 10:18 pm
4965 Views
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Last week end went to Stanford University which has an excellent Rodin collection. A free museum.
Do you have a favorite?
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So stupid, it's hilarious...
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Posted:Jul 29, 2012 1:05 pm
Last Updated:Nov 8, 2012 5:06 pm
6106 Views
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7/27/2012 12:57 pm
News Item: Florida--"A man who injected a woman in the buttocks with unknown substances during an illegal cosmetic surgery was arrested on Thursday and charged with manslaughter
in the woman's death.
Oneal Ron Morris, 31, of Hollywood, Florida, is known to have injected other women with substances such as bathroom caulk, cement, Super Glue and the tire product Fix-A-Flat, officials with the Broward County Sheriff's Office said.
Authorities described Morris as a transvestite who went by the nickname "The Dutchess."
According to his arrest affidavit, 31-year-old Shatarka Nuby died in March in Tallahassee from what an assistant medical examiner called "massive systemic silicone migration" due to "cosmetic silicone injections of the buttocks and hips, " according to the arrest affidavit.
She died months after her last injection by Morris. Before her death, Nuby told a Florida Department of Health investigator that she paid Morris at least $2, 000 for about 10 treatments between 2007 and 2011 to enhance her buttocks, hips, thighs and breasts, according to the affidavit and a sheriff's report.
Morris once told Nuby's aunt that he was injecting her with silicone from Home Depot, the affidavit said. Morris made house calls for the injections and would seal the injection sites with cotton balls and Super Glue, Nuby's aunt told investigators.
Neither Morris, who remained in custody in Broward County Jail, nor a representative for him could be reached for comment on Thursday evening. He is awaiting trial on previous charges of practicing medicine without a license and causing injury.
Nuby's death in March occurred at Tallahassee Federal Correctional Institute where, according to CBS Miami, she was serving a 2-1/2 year sentence for identity theft, which she resorted to in order to pay for breast implants and liposuction.
This is simply hilarious. It is so reminiscent of Road Runner & Wil E Coyote shtick. The congregate of details, the need to interpret, the need to comment--makes the whole story a hoot. No one can learn how to accrete humorous detail in Joke Making 101. Even the victim's death is hilarious--dying in jail for identity theft--a form of scum bag crime if ever there was one; the lowest form of crime there is.
Lots of people on Advice Line--almost unanimous--took exception to my sense of humour. My response is based on the article. Dr. Phil had a show about this last Dec 8, 2011. Forty-nine people commented and most thought it was a stupid thing to do and that there should have been contextual clues to warn the women off. Ignoring these clues was to their own peril.
Any kind of body modification is serious. Whether dieting, piercing, tanning, steroid use, tatooing, plastic surgery--including botox, should be done only under a licensed practitioner's guidance. That this woman chose to do something so stupid...
Nothing in the article asserts that she did not know what was being done to her. Had this been in the article, I might have responded differently. (But I doubt it.) To me, there were more than enough contextual clues to warn her off, that she chose to ignore them...
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Fred Astaire and the Nicholas Brothers
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Posted:Jul 26, 2012 11:11 pm
Last Updated:Sep 5, 2012 3:13 pm
5693 Views
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It is often said that the Nicholas brothers were better dancers than Fred Astaire; had they been white(so the argument goes, they would have more movies to their credit.
Never mind that their roster of films is impressive suggesting that they were admired and respected in Hollywood for their artistic ability. "Stormy Weather," "Orchestra Wives" with Dorothy Dandridge performing Chatanooga Choo Choo, "Babes in Arms," "Sun Valley Serenade" dancing to Kalamazoo, "Down Argentine Way" to name just a few. "Stormy Weather" (1943) is one of Hollywood greats. (Not one of Hollywood's great Black movies, but one of Hollywood's Great movies.)
But the question of excellence does speak to fate. That Fred Astaire was White, he would appeal to a larger audience versus the (naturally) smaller Black audience.
But in being White, Fred Astaire brought to the screen an ensemble of performers including Ginger Rogers, Edward Everett Norton, Helen Broderick, choreographer Hermes Pan, and of course, the incomparable Irving Berlin. (To name just a small part of the ensemble...) And that ensemble ended up creating the genius that was Fred Astaire. His dancing and singing would be part of an integral story line creating character, conflict, and resolution.
Fayard (1914-200)and Harold (1921-2000) Nicholas developed and refined acrobatics in dance. Jumping over each other, jumping down stairs, over tables--a veritable gymnastics performance. There's no denying their excellence. Fred Astaire himself complimented them on their performance in "Stormy Weather."
But that style of acrobatics in dance is exactly what changes their performance from the level of Astaire. It is dance that attracts itself to itself. While Astaire routines moved the story along, created character, emphasized the character. The Nicholas brothers were about pyrotechnics--impressive but in the end realizing that a movie is narrative.
As with any comparison, there is a question of apples and oranges. And with the racism that was America--after all the sequence of the Nicholas Brothers in "Orchestra Wives" would be cut out in Southern theatres--there is that inevitable sense of woulda, coulda, shoulda. But America in the 1930s and 1940s was no place for civil rights. But the magnitude of the talents cannot be denied, nor the differences in the talent.
And still, after all these years, no one has danced to the level of Fred Astaire. Not Tommy Tune, not Bobby Burgess, not Gregory Hines. Like the planets aligning, Fred Astaire and ensemble was a once and a life time experience that brought such talent together.
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Religion and sex--an excellent photo--naked in church...
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Posted:Jun 20, 2012 11:01 am
Last Updated:Jul 27, 2012 11:33 pm
5888 Views
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Sometimes on the someone will post a picture of themselves naked in church. Usually a female; I have yet to see photos of naked males in church.
It does not surprise me. Sex is the most profound metaphysical event we are engaged to or have been engaged to (passive voice).
This particular photo caught my eye and said a lot about the topic.
A black and white photo ends up being most evocative. And eschatologically, the Deity will have to contend with more challenging topics than the nudity of people, or the sexuality of people.
But let's not underestimate the eschatology of sexual matters. This photo does not underestimate the eschatology of sexual matters.
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Naked in the Marin Headlands
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Posted:Jun 11, 2012 11:10 am
Last Updated:Jun 11, 2012 11:12 am
5649 Views
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Yesterday, a rare day in terms of weather, was a great day to go visit the Marin Headlands. The Golden Gate Bridge leads into Marin. There is a MUNI bus that goes from the SF to Fort Cronkite and Rodeo Beach. From there, walk the short mile or so to the Beach along Conzelman Rd. As always bring a map--Google Maps--provides in sufficient detail all the info needed to get there . Dress warmly in layers that can be discarded or added as the weather changes. And remember, weather in the Bay area can change quickly. The sand is rougher than many SF beaches so sandals might be helpful. It is a lovely view all the way round. Simply gorgeous.
The attached picture is looking from the beach to the city. In the background, the tall structure is Sutro Tower, a radio/TV tower.
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Naked Bike Day,
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Posted:Jun 9, 2012 6:24 pm
Last Updated:Jul 27, 2012 11:35 pm
6384 Views
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Woohoo: Naked Bike Day in San Francisco. A good day to be naked in the city.
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San Francisco Asian Art Museum
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Posted:Jun 3, 2012 7:01 pm
Last Updated:Jun 11, 2012 11:00 am
6306 Views
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Even by superlatives normally given to art galleries, the San Francisco Asian Art Museum is excellent by any standard. Asian art has an evanescent delicacy that cannot be found in many other cultures. And by Asian, this means India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Iran--the Persian world, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Burma, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, Mongolia, China, Korea, Japan. We don't write the names of these countries just to show off knowledge of the Asian geography but to show the depth and width of the collection dating from the past 6,000 years. The permanent collection has some 2,500 pieces.
And it seems the overwhelming tone is delicacy. Not one or two pieces of exquisite delicacy, but it would seem each and every artifact has a delicacy. One piece as beautiful and delicate as another.
The collection is housed in what used to be the 1917 San Francisco Beaux Art City Library. When the new one was built, the old one was refurbished in 2003; former open air alcoves were covered over with glass skylights to created four story glass covered atriums to create an awe inspiring long, narrow, tall,sky-lit rooms. The stairway from the first floor entry hall to the second floor loggia and then entering into a large square hall impresses the most insensitive amongst us.
Chicago millionaire Avery Brundage, President--1952-1972--of the International Olympic Committee, donated 7,700 pieces of the 18,000 piece collection which had been housed in the Golden Gate Park's de Young Museum.
The museum is free on the first Sunday of the month. If ever you visit or live in San Francisco, by all means: The Asian Art Museum.
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