The Type II

Tomorrow marks the end of the line for the Type II Transporter or Microbus, after 64 years of production and 10,000,000 sold.  It will also mark the last day that Volkwagen will produce a rear engine vehicle.  Volkswagen has been producing rear engine vehicles continuously since 1935.  A sad way to end the year, indeed.  Tonight a photo of a friend's 1964 Camper, which sat on the side of my house for about a year.  There is about three and half feet of snow on the top of this van, the owner showed up on day and shoveled it out and drove it off.
Dan 

A Slight Return

So, this blog thing has returned from a lengthy break and America rejoices. 
Today marks the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address.  Something that all Americans should make themselves familiar with.  And it is something after reading you should ask yourself, have you and has the nation lived up to the address.  Did those dead die in vain?  Has government of the people, by the people, for the people perished from the earth?
One could argue that the answer is yes to both questions, yes the Union won the Civil War and several other wars for that matter. However the answer hinges on whether or not you believe the nation lives and that the government is for people, by the people and of the people.  Thus argument becomes has 21st century America become government of  the corporation, by the corporation, for the corporation.  If it is then we have failed. 
Lincoln empowered all American's to ensure that this grand experiment of ours will not fail.  It is how we honor those who have died fighting for our experiment.  It also means that American life is not a passive experience, we must be ever vigilant and be willing to fight those who don't want government of the people, by the people, for the people.

The Lonesome Death of a Family Farm

Earlier in the Month of June, King County decided to knock down a few building on a couple pieces of property.  The demolition orders had been signed back around Valentine's Day and around Memorial Day, work began.  So what you say, the county knocks down stuff all the time.  This may be true, in this case the county dropped the ball.  The structures on one property consisted of a house and small lumber operation, interesting and reminiscent the early to middle parts of the twentieth century in the upper Snoqualmie Valley.  The other property consisted of a farmhouse, barn and couple out buildings.  This property too was reminiscent of bygone era of our valley and our county.  Both properties had been within the last couple years purchased by the county to add to the Three Folks Nature Area.  Which in and of itself was a great thing for us all.
Here's where the tragedy occurs, the county in all its wisdom and without public discourse leveled the buildings and went about returning the land to its natural state. 
For the second property (the farm) this was particularly sad and senseless.  First both the county and state want to preserve barns, especially historic or relevant barns.  This barn was definitely old enough and add to that it was one of the few barns left above the Falls in the Snoqualmie River Watershed, so it was relevant as well.  The farm dates to at least 1900, as that was when the farmhouse was constructed.  The barn dates to at least 1940, and probably much earlier.  Around the property there are many conifers and native plants.  There also were fruit trees, holly bushes and mature rhododendrons, things that had been planted by the families that owned the farm down through the years.  This landscape had over time become the nature landscape of the area.
The county apparently didn't consider this, instead considered only the liabilities associated with the land and builds and decided to do the easy and senseless thing, bulldoze it all. 
I say senseless because maybe the parks folks should leave their Seattle offices once in a while to get an idea of what they actual have or in this case had, a living relic of the way Eastern King County once appeared.  Small family farms trying to make a living.  This property pre-dates the first east-west highway through region amongst other things.  Its longevity made it worth saving, now the future generations in this part of the world can only look upon pictures of what once was, instead of being able to go and see it.  The blood is on their hands, they missed an opportunity to create or do something really special.
Its been nearly a month and it still hurts and now when I drive past the old farm, all I see is was isn't there, gone is the farm and piece of the old soul of the valley.     

Yeah For Me!

It's my birthday, so a picture of me and the greatest present I could ever hope for, even if it's a few days late.

The Triumphant Return of America's Finest Blog!!!

Well, America's Finest Blog has been away for bit. 
Sorry.
Tonight America's Finest Blog returns with a tale of unforeseen consequences, the story of the low flush toilet.  Once upon a time a toilet held 3.5 gallons of flushing power, the unenlightened people of earth flushed lots of water down the drain, they were happy and the drains were happy too (more on that later).  Then came the 1990's, guilt consumed the enlightened peoples of the world and said, change must come.  It indeed came, not in the form of catchy sayings  like, "If it is yellow then let it mellow, if it is brown flush it down."  Instead in the idea that a toilet should use less water.  The results a lot of backed up toilets.  That lead to boom times for plunger manufactures, lots of need for engineers to create the perfect low flow toilet and a federal law that said you're going to like your crappy new toilet because we've banded you old toilet, oh and we suggest you buy a plunger.  Luckily, instead of engineering better bridges and electric cars our engineers created low flow toilets that have to some degree flushed our memories of high flow toilets down an improved drain.  In fact the reduced flow toilets have saved cities like San Francisco 20 million gallons of water a year.  Super duper right?  Well, yes...
Most sewer systems across our fair land and other lands not so fair, were designed to accommodate high flow water systems.  Apparently the sewer loves waste.  The new low flow toilets and shower heads (remember the full flow shower head?) have left the sewers full of sludge, as there isn't enough water to wash it all down.  Makes me happy to be on a septic system...

Food For Thought...I'd Like Fries With That

Fast food works across the land have been striking for a $15 a hour wage.  It is either a sign that there are really no good jobs left in the land or education is too expensive or both.  Then again, it could be that there aren't any good paying jobs for folks that will never get ahead.  Whatever the reason, most current fast food employees wouldn't cut it as $15 a hour fast food employees for two reasons.  More would be expected of a $15 a hour employee and second the labor cost would drive automation, imagine a legion of burgerbots making perfect 1/3 pound rat and kangaroo burgers for now unemployed former fast food employees to eat.  Seriously speaking it is a problem, I can remember my fast food days, when I was making $3.35 a hour.  I would watch people having to decide between welfare and a job, and nearly always choosing welfare because it paid better.  I am sure that hasn't changed and probably it has gotten worse since my days.  Another thing that hasn't changed, the motivated will find a way out.

Pomeroy

96 years ago today, Pomeroy incorporated, well incorporated again.  Originally the town incorporated when Washington was still a territory in 1886.  Apparently the old articles didn't work, so they tried again.  So, happy re-birthday to Pomeroy.

Don't Burn Those Bridges, Knock 'em Down

So there is  Canadian who is the biggest heel in the Pacific Northwest, talk about your bad days, that dude's takes the cake.  So with that guy in mind, have a photo of where once a bridge stood.  This was taken in the 1940's just west of Ellensburg, probably on the Thorp Highway.  No Canadian truckers didn't take out this bridge, spring run off did and as a result it was not covered by the BBC.

Goodbye Professionals

Well this week we were told be the CEO of a certain Internet search engine that has a certain very prominent photo sharing and management site in its portfolio, that there are no more professional photographers.  That everyone nowadays could be, can be or is a professional quality or quantity photographer.  That's swell and in the social media circles her quote attached to a terrible, which evidently proves that there is at least one not professional quality photographer left on the planet, made it way around generating grumpy responses. Truth is, that she isn't exactly wrong, it is easier to be a good photographer these days.  But there are plenty of professionals out there, because at the end of day, the arm's length self portrait only goes so far, as does the senior photos taken by your mom.  So get a good smart phone or get a nice camera and start shooting.

Picnic

The family had a nice picnic dinner tonight.  In honor of that, here are photos of another family picnic.

Boating Season

Today was the opening day of boating season, which usually means, rain and wind and misery.  It seems that the good Lord doesn't like the smudge and arrogant members of the local yacht clubs that parade their boats past the poor folk on the shore.  Today though it was sunny and warm, July-like really.
This day also marks an anniversary of the affects of another warm spring.  Back in 1880 on this date, several dozen fishermen drown in their small crafts off the month of the Columbia River.  Fishermen in those days would ride the outgoing tide through the month of the Columbia and drop their nets.  Then when the tide came in they would be pushed through the month of the river and toward the many canneries on the shore.  But on May 4, 1880, the river was running high and fast due to a early snow melt, so high and fast that the outflow of the river prevented the high tide to wash into the river.  This then meant that the fishermen's boats were washed toward the Columbia Bar and the fierce breakers.  The boats were swamped and the fishermen drowned.
Tonight, to honor the fishermen and the beautiful weather, a shot from Fishermen's Terminal in Ballard on a beautiful spring evening.

Happy Birthday

Well the world wide web turns twenty today, or at least CERN's decision to keep it free, turns twenty today.  It is also Willie Nelson's birthday, he is older.  Anyway, tonight a picture of somebody wearing a Willie Nelson t-shirt posted to the world wide web.  Thanks Al Gore.

Annoying

Well, it appears that the NBA isn't returning to Seattle, a place it shouldn't have left in the first place.  It is disappointing, not that I am a big fan of the professional game, as it has too many resemblances to pro wrestling.  It's disappointing because I remember growing up with the game, the 1979 championship, Bernie's teams in the middle 80's and those wonderful teams of the 1990's.  I can remember being the Sonics taking on the hated Bullets and Lakers in my back yard.  It is dissappointing as this is something I can't share with my kids.   

The Ol' What to Post, Post

I really have nothing particularly interesting today, other than a photo of the countryside near Duvall.  As it was on this date back in 1968 that the great drug induced, Duvall Piano Drop took place.  The only thing that was higher than the piano when it dropped were the 3,000 people there to witness the spectacle.  It wasn't much of a spectacle the piano was dropped about 150 feet from a helicopter on to the soft earth with a muted whump.  The chemically enhanced crowd loved it and then settled in to watch a Country Joe and the Fish show. 

Galaxie 500

Tonight I am reminded that there things that will follow you for a long time, some good, some bad.  One of the good ones, for me at least, is Galaxie 500, no not a Ford Galaxie 500, a fine car well worth owning if you can find the right one.  No this is band, a short lived band from the late 1980s.  They were unique, nothing sounded like them, I remember wanting to like them, and it took awhile for them to grow on me and once they did, it stuck.  Tonight as I played around with some photos I got a chance to listen again and dare I say nearly 25 years later, it is still as enjoyable as it was when I was a skinny 20 year old kid. 

Celebrating Dinosaurs

Today is Record Store Day, a day to celebrate the end of the record industry and the record store.   With the rise of online music stores and the big box stores, the independent record store is dying a slow death.  The record industry too has been wounded by the Internet and the digital transfer.  So Record Store Day was born to celebrate both the industry and the record store.  For the music lover it is a great day because there are all sorts of rare and unusual stuff available.   It's also a day to try to ensure that world will have record stores for the near term.  It would be nice to have record stores around so my kids can browse and discover just like their old man.

The Happy Tax

Well, I could spend my time talking about how the Republicans once again did the right thing for mostly the wrong reasons.  After all, more background checks wouldn't have actually done anything to stop any of the high profile gun violence for which it was aimed to curb.  More and better background checks are important and probably should be done, that said until it is easier to get an insurance paid visit to a shrink than to purchase fire arms the legislation is mis-guided.  The background checks are mostly paid for by the gun buyer, whereas mental health visits are paid by insurance companies, so it is easy to see the route that was taken.  I could also talk about how the liberal, or fascist mainstream media has not covered the mass stabbing at a Texas community college the same as the sexier gun 'em down killing sprees.  Although one article noted the suspect didn't have a history of mental illness, but did fantasize about stabbing people, cannibalism and wear other peoples facing.  I could point out there hasn't been a call for background checks before purchasing sharp pointy things.  I won't write about any of that, as this is a photo blog and just don't have the right photos for any of that. 
Instead we'll talk about beer, which apparently makes you happy when you taste it, even without alcohol beer makes you happy.  Our Governor would like to tax beer more, as it makes him happy to thing of all the tax dollars generated by beer he drinks.  Our Governor wants to tax your happiness.  How much of a happy tax, try a 325% increase for small breweries.  That tax will be pasted on to the consumer, resulting in less happy making beer consumed.  Which will make small breweries sad, because they will go out of business and it will make us common folk sad as it will cost more to be happy and eventually require us to consumer Bud Lite to be happy, after the beer tax wipes out all the local breweries.  Then of course is the state which will be sad when it's happy tax dollars go dry.  Furthermore, it is a tax that is against business, against ingenuity and against happiness, what a terrible trio.  Raise the sales tax, because end of the day if you need to raise taxes make everyone share the burden, not just beer drinkers and breweries.

Ah, Rats

Great news for rats, scientists have made rat kidneys in a test tube.  These kidneys function like real kidneys and even look the same.  That is thanks to fancy science stuff that allows the kidney cells to grow within a frame work of the rat kidney.  Basically its like stripping your home down to the studs and remodeling from there.  This all meaning that there will come a day when there will be no more expensive rat kidney dialysis procedures.  Next on the agenda duck liver (except for in California) and pig brains.  Science is fun.

In The Moment

Every so often, I find myself in the moment, that rare time in which the past and future do not exist.  "They" say that humans have a difficult time living in the now, as now usually is corrupted by thoughts of the past or future.  To be in the moment is rare and I must say almost like being outside one's self.  It is really a lovely feeling, sadly it doesn't happen often enough for me, but when it does I am usually in the car.  Afterward, find myself wishing I had a camera so I could take a picture of the moment, to save it for the ages.  Then I could open a gallery of shots taken at 70 mph through my windshield, pictures of semi-trucks, and Chevy S-10 Blazers.

All Hail Beer!

Eighty years ago today beer was legal to buy, sell and consume in the United States for the first time since January 1920.  So here's to the greatest day ever!

Opening Day --- No Fooling

Baseball returned and it was spring like in Seattle.  And thus begins the long spring, where the Mariners and the temperatures sink a  little day by day.  However unlike the weather baseball is still enjoyable, even if the team is sinking.  The weather on the other hand will improve during the summer months.

Spring

Last week I went to Rattlesnake Lake and there was 2 or 3 inches of snow in places.  Today it was 70 degrees, climate change is so wacky.  It just goes to show, that you shouldn't worry too much, something better is probably is going to come.  Tonight pictures taken seven days apart.  First Rattlesnake Lake last Saturday and second Fall Center this afternoon.

Albert Marquardt

At the Fort Lawton military cemetery there is a lonely grave next to an old shack, it reads Albert Marquardt, Captain, German POW, Oct 1, 1945.  Who was Albert Marquardt?  Well for starters he was a senior private, 1st class, not a Captain more on that later.  Albert was the father of two from Klein Stittkeim, a small hamlet of 92 inhabits in East Prussia.  He was captured in March of 1945 by the American forces near Kaiserlautern.  He was then sent to the states and eventually to Fort Lawton.  It was there in late September Albert drank cocktails of orange juice and wood alcohol, a long with several other POWs.  Albert feel ill, but didn't stop drinking the cocktails and after having two more on October 1st he succumbed and died.  There is much speculation to whether it was lack of education or a death wish to led to Albert's death.
Regardless Albert was accorded a full military funeral and committed to the ground on October 8, 1945.  For some 30 years Albert's grave read, Albert Marquardt German October 1, 1945.  How and when Albert's grave was upgraded to the current grave is unknown, nor is it known who promoted Albert to a Captain.

Birth of the Universe

On this day in 1890, the town of Fremont got it's very own post office.  Fremont would later be swallowed up by Seattle and even later would have its soul swallowed up by housing booms, gentrification and Norm Rice.

The Start Of Something New

I will begin a new chapter in the morning, I am starting a new job.  I am a bit scared, I have never really interviewed for and have gotten a real job.  The other jobs I have had, never started as something significant or important.  So tonight, I will sleep uneasy.  I am excited though I will miss the old office.

Quick Panic!

Well, I am sure there are two types of people ready to do that, considering the Cyprus' financial bailout plan and well the next failure of your elected officials in Washington to actually do anything about the debt or the budget.  What two types are ready to panic?  There are the ultra right wing types that have enough arms and MREs for a small army and of course the tea party.  Not to agree with the far right folks, especially since I am an optimist and believe the elected ones will figure it out, but considering the negligible rates on saving accounts, maybe it is better to put your money under your mattress. 

More Fire

Here at America's Finest Blog we love fire in old western towns.  Call me crazy but, there is something assuming about these events.  Mostly because they are almost always a result of dry conditions, open flames, poor city planning and wind.  Ephrata is no different, on this date in 1910 the town burned.  The fire started in the Club Cafe and quickly destroyed the whole downtown, added by the wind and lack of firefighting equipment and personal.  Firefighter from Quincy and Wilson Creek had to come to the rescue.  In the end it took 300 people to save the town of 325 or so residents.  Happy times returned quickly to the burned out town, as locals remembered that there was a large amount of whisky stored in cellar of the burned out saloon. 
Please note, The Chinese American Restaurant has no significance to the story other than this is the best picture I have of Ephrata.

Johnny Appleseed

Today is Johnny Appleseed day, a day to celebrate a tin hat wearing, barefoot hobo.  A day that in our state is largely overlooked.  Why is it overlooked?  Probably because that free roamer, Johnny Appleseed made it no further west than Illinois. 
I must confess that until my kid was born, I hadn't really thought too much about Johnny Appleseed since I was five or six years old.  I do remember being taught about him in school, I getting this vision in my head that he traveled the whole country planting apples.  That vision is mostly true, by eighteenth century standards, the country didn't extend much further west than Illinois. 
Johnny so loved for a few reasons, he seems as if he was a real nice guy for starters, second for a period in the Midwest it was required to plant an orchard to uphold the right to a land claim, so Johnny Appleseed orchards made for prime real estate.  Third, apples from seeds are not good for eating.  Why would that make Johnny so loved?  Sour apples from Johnny's trees are perfect for making hard cider and apple jack.  That is something that I don't remember being taught in grade school.

365

365 days ago, I returned to work from a wonderful vacation to the Grand Canyon, Sedona and Spring Training, only to be told that I was losing my job.  What a year it has been, I some of the work and I miss some of the people, I must admit, but I didn't really ever miss getting up and going to work.  I didn't miss traffic, or conference calls or committee meetings, I've really enjoyed being free.  I also was lucky enough to have my wife along for the ride, oh and one of the nicest summers on record also helped.  Tonight some of the old timers from the VzW years.

D.C.Co

D.C.Co are on the bricks that made Seattle, or at least post fire Seattle.  D.C.Co, stand for Denny Clay Company, that operated out of the town of Taylor, in the Cascade foothills.  Denny Clay Company existed in that name from 1892 through 1910.  Taylor grew with the company, it was located 3.5 miles east of present day Hobert and lasted until 1947, when the city of Seattle, purchased the town, and removed the structures.  Taylor had operated for years within the boundaries of the Cedar River watershed.  Being in the watershed did not stop Taylor from flourishing, in the twenties several hundred people lived and worked in Taylor, at either the coal or clay mines or in factory.  At Taylor they made fire brick, sewer pipes, fire proofing materials and roofing among other things.  The goods were shipped down to Renton on the Columbia and Puget Sound Railroad and then to Seattle to help build the city.  So if you ever see a brick with D.C.Co you know it came from Taylor, Washington.  Tonight's photos are of a Denny Clay Company paving stone, in Discovery Park and of the townsite, the road in the picture was once a rail line between two of the main building of the factory.

Guglielmo Olivotto's Grave

This is Guglielmo Olivotto's grave, it can be found in the back corner of the Fort Lawton Military cemetery.  Who was Guglielmo Olivotto?  He was an Italian POW being held at Fort Lawton in August of 1944, when he met an unfortunate end.  Guglielmo was the only casualty of a riot that broke out on the night of August 14, 1944.  It is unclear whether Guglielmo committed suicide or was hung by an angry mod of mostly African American soldiers.  What is known is 43 soldiers faced court marshal, all of them African Americans.  In the end 28 were convicted of rioting and two were convicted of the manslaughter or Guglielmo.  The sad story is told in the book On American Soil, a good read.

A Couple Thoughts

The Harlem Shake is taking over the universe with nearly everyone on earth up loading a video to YouTube.  Which is great and utterly unoriginal.  It probably only irritates people like me, so I have learned or I am trying to learn to deal with it.  It reminds me of a day back in the summer of 1996 when I sat listening to the Mariners play the Yankees on KXLE.  The M's were in New York, I believe that Dan Wilson our beloved catcher hit a ball into the upper deck in left field in that game, anyway listening to this game gave me one of those moments in life that just don't ever repeat.  I got to listen to Dave Niehaus give the play by play description to 50,000 Yankee fans doing the Macarena.  The Macarena was the Harlem Shake of 1996, every political and sporting event (save the Republican Convention), and not mention most rodeos, state fairs and church picnics, featured the Macarena.  It to was neither original or amusing to people like me.
Tonight a picture in Ellensburg, circa 1996, myself and my dog.

Interbay

Today marks the openning of the short lived Interbay Post Office, called Boulevard when it openned in 1891.  It 1894, it became the the Interbay Post Office.  It closed in 1898.  The point of interest here is that Seattle did not include Interbay in 1891.  Interbay these days is mostly the BNSF's Balmer Yard and Red Mill Burgers.  I lived on Queen Anne a stones throw from Interbay, I always found it an interesting place, maybe because there were so many hobos.

Change...The Good, the Bad and the Greedy

Well, they said that government does work anymore and that nothing can be done.  Well today proves that wrong, the Census Bureau has voted to cease referring to African Americans as Negros on census forms.  Again proving that the government is a step ahead of the curve, I think that this change in terminology might just catch on.  On another note, change isn't always good for everyone, the big coal magnates have tapped the greener PR firms in the Northwest to convince us that coal is good and that sending it to China is liking leasing it to them, after all the prevailing winds will bring the stuff back to us after they burn it.  Coal does look greener when there are a lot of Benjamins covering it.  Since the United States has become too green for coal, maybe our exports to China can also work off some of our indebtedness with that nation.  Anyway, a coal train is tonight's photo.  Note that is photo is 15 or so years old so coal has been transported through the Northwest for years, heck we mined the stuff way back when. 
Dan

A Ferry Ride

On this date 34 years ago, a ferry ran for the first time in 40 years, it was the Edmonds to Port Townsend run.  The run returned due to the Hood Canal bridge sinking in a wind storm earlier in the month.  That is another story all together, I remember being woken up by my Dad in the middle of the night as the wind howled outside, I remember lighting too, but that probably didn't happen.  Any back to the ferry, I remember taking that ferry during spring break with my Mom, sister and some friends.  We spent the day in Port Townsend, climbing the stairs and hills of the town, which is probably the most exercise I can ever remember my Mom doing at one time.  Tonight's photo the ferry dock that we used.

The Post Office

Today the Post Office turns 221.  One must consider how many more birthdays it may have, before it is put out of it's misery.  The Post Office has of course, given us the term, "Going Postal," the forever stamp, the worst customer service on earth and a book by Bukowski.  It really isn't all that bad, think about life without it.  I remember at YMCA camp in the 5th grade, the Post Office was threatening to strike, we wondered how we would get our letters from home during our eight days of camp.  Lucky for us, the Post Office didn't strike and we all got letters mailed probably the same day we were all dropped off at camp.

Old Times

I have spent the last two weekends at Gas Works Park and as I stood in one spot or another I could remember other trips to the park.  Some, as a kid, I remember a thunder storm ruining a day at the park.  Some, when I was there to take photos, or a birthday eating dinner watching the sailboats.  Tonight a couple of my favorite Gas Works photos.
Enjoy
Dan

My Valentine

Well, it would be all together improper to not mention my wife on Valentines Day.  She is a beautiful, strong and loving woman and mother.  I really enjoy our time together and in the last couple months have realized just how great it was to have her near at both work and home for 12 years.

More Really!?

I just read an article that says that kindergartners are lacking in math skills.  Being a father of a kindergartner, I wasn't shocked and I wasn't shock by the statement in the piece that noted we expect more from kindergartners than ever before.  What did perplex me some was the statement many kindergarten children are scoring at 3 year old math levels.  By using the term "scoring," this implies someplace that 3 year olds are being give math tests.  That seems wrong on many levels.  The article also suggests more "school" be involved in preschool.
I am old fashioned, I am out of step, I am apparently completely insane, because I have this idea that children should be given at least sometime in their lives to be children.  I have a hard time believing that the human race will be better off giving 3 year olds standard math tests.  I say this even though I know, various high tech manufacturing and software companies in the state want more more math, science and computer skills taught to our kiddies.  Which on it's face is a nice idea, however if you want a forth grader to learn more science, I would suggest that instead of replacing social studies or music, or art or PE to teach it, how about we find actual teachers that can teach the subject properly.  After all, what good is four and half hours of science taught to you by a person that is better suited to teach you spelling, Palmer cursive and potato stamp art.  Other than the cost, won't one hour of really good science taught by a person that gets it and can teach it, be better than four and half hours of the other?
Cost of course is the problem, those higher tech companies that are pushing for the publicly funded K-12 vo tech for their job pool, really don't want to pay for it and a more disciplined structure of math and science first, will possibly create a better employee that doesn't think for to much for themselves.  This whole thing seems rather like A Brave New World to me, as if we will only stand for free thinking for the very elite or the those too inferior to take tech jobs.

First

On this date Boeing marked the sixth anniversary of the maiden flight of the 727 with the maiden flight of the 747.  This of course is important to us in Western Washington since Boeing is so much apart of the our lives.  Here are a few photos of 747 number one.

Pancakes Anyone?

Tonight's photo is of Alaskan Way on the Seattle waterfront.  It is here on this date in 1947, that good ol' Ivar Haglund took full advantage of a tank car spill to become the "prince of corn."  A tank car of corn syrup had ruptured and began to spill on the street, about 1000 gallons of the stuff.  The action all took place in front of Ivar's Acres of Claim restaurant.  Ivar being Ivar, had some pancakes made and he then pull on hip waders and grabbed a box and sat down in the middle of the street and began spooning the syrup on his stack of pancakes.  Of course the news photographers ate it up and the photo was picked up by the wire services.  
My photo was taken from the sky bridge at Pier 66, the cruise ship terminal looking south toward the sticky scene of the 1947 spill.  It is hard to believe that our waterfront was once a functioning working waterfront, not just a tourist trap. 

So Absurd That He Must Work For Them

So, I read an AP article about rising gas prices today, it contained the usual reasons for price increases, the improving economy, refinery maintenance and a million barrel drop in gasoline supplies, which sounds like a big number until you find out that we use 87 million barrels a day.  The article then got real good, it quotes an oil and gas analyst that noted gas was 32 cents a gallon when the first Super Bowl was played and ticket to the game was about $10, now gas is $3.42 nationally and a ticket to the big game is about $2200, the according to this analyst fuel really hasn't increased in value that much.  I know I feel it each time I stop on my way to work to pick up a ticket for the big game.  Really, I am astounded by comparison.  

A Bag Full of Dick's

Today is the 59th birthday of Dick's Drive In.  It makes me hungry just thinking about it. Say what you will about the food and fast food in general, but Dick's is something of an anomaly, a company that has resisted growth.  It has in part to ensure it can provide the benefits that it's employees enjoy and have made them something to be admired in the service industry.  I show a pictures of a Dick's Drive In, but somehow I have never taken one...