Three Footers Are For The Pros

Big Wheels

36-inches of unicycle wheel

Nice and Clear and Happy has Returned to the camera.

Several weeks ago this blog pointed out that somehow (and it is still unknown how it happened) my focus just vaporized. Some days the focus was pretty good, some days it really did not exist at all. Re read of the manual did not seem to offer up any thing that worked. The bottom line was still like a clock ticking away toward a deadline and nothing seemed to work. With the spring shooting season growing more expansive with each 70-degree day, my sense of urgency was also growing.

Then, on Monday, while still shooting and uploading images before they were deleted my Nikon software would no longer take the Olympus images that had been shot. So, on to customer service at Olympus where the problem was explained and that my focus had been distorted for several weeks. The CSR suggested that my camera be upgraded with new software downloads. At that point it was worth trying anything. So the last two days, my shooting was done from the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. It seems that shooting the cable stays against a blue sky are a perfect focus target to adjust settings. Yesterday, there seemed to be some difference but there was still a problem. Last night, the evening was spent adjusting settings which could be fine tuned today. Lo and Behold!! The images were back to normal and it does now appear to be totally a software change made to the Nikon software that had been totally messing up the Olympus adjustments. After the new upgrade on  the Nikon and then the upgrade on the Olympus software, the problem was eliminated. Sometimes, it just takes a little adjustment from top to bottom, front to back, inside and out to tune-up equipment. My thoughts are just thankful that the problem has now been corrected and my old cameras that is always at my side can continue to travel with me.

Here are some  big wheels that were in focus today!

From The Ground Up

It was another beautiful spring day in Dallas. The temperature topped out at 81-degrees F and there was no wind or breeze. Flags hung limp on flagpoles on the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. The grass was a beautiful green against a medium blue sky. Yet, for me, it was a tad warmer than I like when I am out with the camera. A camera crew five-strong, with all their heavy and well-padded cases, were heard complaining also. They said they were "shooting Dallas" on a positive note as they headed down between the levees.

I have been rather anxious for spring this year.  I wanted to try out a couple of things on my old and trusty cameras. Well, camera in this case because the big Nikon over the winter is still in the hospital with a bad case of software malfunction. Nikon wants me to up grade. Funny thing about that, though. Nikon does not want to kick in anything toward the upgrade.  Over the years, I have known several AP photographers that have used the same equipment for many more years than I have used the new digital, but we have one thing in common: they liked shooting with their equipment and I like shooting with the cameras that I have. I'm not totally sold that I need 24 mega pixels or sensors twice the size with no mirrors, either. The case to be made is that cameras are kind of like an Apple i phone series 5 or 6. Apple wants to sell phones so before you learn all the features on your 5, you just have to have that new series 6! As my grandfather would say,"hogwash". That is were I am now with the decision on cameras. I'm not so sure that upgrades are always the right choice. Never-the-less, I was able to test out the adjustments and the adjustments worked just fine.

A bee sits on a flower with his wings folded.

This tree has been flowering for ages. It has about a 60 foot circumference

See, there really is water below the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge!

The Trinity River Corridor Glows Again

It was plain to see that the interest in the Maggie 2 Bridge (Margaret McDermott) is drawing visitors during the early construction more rapidly than the Maggie 1 (Margaret Hunt Hill) did. That, within itself is a testament to the Maggie 1 Project. After people saw what the building of a prized bridge could do as far as community and economic benefits, it was only natural that the crowds would come early on to witness the uprising from the trenches into that glorious Santiago Calatrava design of architectural form. The interesting part is that the first pieces of the double aches have not even been shipped from the fabricator.The other point to consider in the early crowds is that during this bridge construction, there is the new Trinity Skyline Trail that was non existent during the building of Maggie 1.

In as much as Interstate 30 will ferry visitors between AT&T Stadium in Arlington and downtown Dallas, if for nothing more than commuting between a hotel room and the stadium, it would be worth it all. The impression with the remake of the mix-master into the horseshoe will give a more refined coat for the city to wear. There is no question in my mind that the Trinity River Corridor Project was and will be the place to add growth investment for the city. After all, it is only following what mother nature put down eons ago and the city discovered with vision and astute planning, even though the naysayers were screaming at every turn. It was the right decision folks. It really was. I only wish that I was going to be around in thirty years with the same energy that I have today to rejoice with the city for making their dreams come alive despite the negativeness that others were trying to white-wash  as a , "I told you so" party that they will never have.

 Over the years, I have seen cities developed good plans and I have seen cities develop bad plans. I have seen even rock-hard cities like Detroit fall into the gloom of despair. But, Detroit will come back again with vision and planning. It always works. The key to any city is in the elected and the paid visionaries.For visions are the eyes of  new vistas. Dallas took a river and a forest and turned it into the second most powerful economic engine outside of DFW International.

Former Mayor, Ron Kirk (1995-2002)  fired up the engine that we know today. We were lucky to have Former Mayor Laura Miller follow Mayor Kirk and even more lucky to have Former Mayor Tom Leppert to follow. Dwaine Caraway keep the fires burning after Mayor Leppert stepped down. The legacy of Mayor Mike Rawlings is still being written, but I don't see the blazing economic engine that moved this city down the road like it was moving. But, we shall see in time. Don't get me wrong. Mike Rawlings has had his plate full. Long have I preached that Fair Park needed attention. It's getting it now. South Dallas is finally getting the attention that they deserve and will get much more through the Trinity River Project than they suspect will happen. The spin offs will bloom in south Dallas and Oak Cliff. The train is still on time. Don't give  up, south Dallas. Don't ever give up!

As a foot note here, the new radar unit that measures the down river discharge rate that the United States Geological Survey had installed is now up and running with all its wires connected.  Thanks to the USGS office in Austin and the field office in Ft. Worth. I had listed an image with my agent and after talking with the USGS after they reviewed the image, ask that it be withheld until the wiring was complete. I am happy to report.... It's a GO!! Thanks to every one in the office for their great informative discussion on what the unit did and how it worked and how it can be viewed on the USGS web page daily. Now, we just need the rain so that I can check out the log reports.

The Radar unit measures the rate of discharge going downstream. The reports can be seen on the USGS website under water management.

Maggie 1 as seen from the new Maggie 2. That is # 11, grade 60 rebar there on the ground. It ain't no # 3 pool rebar!

Here goes another skyline change for Dallas! Where else can you see a bass fishing boat, complete with outboard motor  hanging from a crane eclipsing both the Bank of America Building and Reunion Tower?

Dallas' Continental Bridge Pedestrian Park

c.1930 Continental Bridge Converted to Pedestrian Park

On Sunday, June 15,2014, the city of Dallas will open officially a new pedestrian park on what was for some 80-odd years, a vehicle passage into West Dallas. Now, with the Margaret Hunt Hill
Bridge open and successful re-development happening like a patch of Texas wildflowers, from the new bridge all along Singleton Blvd., the success of the park will follow quickly. The new Skyline Trail that is  below the bridges and the pedestrian and bike park running  the full length of the old Continental Bridge, the success of the pedestrian park will be much like the highly successful Klyde Warren Deck Park that was constructed over the Woodall Rodgers Expressway a mile or so east of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge.

The past few weeks the bike trail has been drawing a large flow of bikers and hikers. Add to that, the new parking area and the draw will be hikers, bikers and runners. Trinity Groves, one block west is a  highly successful transformation of a double-sided truck terminal into many fares of taste-bud favored restaurants with outdoor seating and patios. Three Sundays each month, vendors line up their Easy-Up tents to sell produce, crafts, honey, and other organic items and wares. A micro-brewery has set up across the side street from Trinity Groves.    


 

Maggie One and Maggie Two

When the Margaret Hunt Hill bridge was announced several years ago, one thinks what's in the name? In this case it was a Hunt as in Hunt Oil or the patriarch of the Hunt family and beautiful Mt. Vernon ( an exact duplicate of the original) home at White Rock Lake.  But admittedly, even with searching for some help, when the second bridge was announced and the name was Margaret McDermott, it was a bit more work to burn an image on my mind. Philanthropist. Now it rings a bell.

True, the movers and the shakers of Dallas are all involved with the bridge project as it is part of the Trinity River Corridor Project, a non-profit to development along the Trinity River. And some of those movers and shakers can be found on the board of the Trinity River Corridor Project.

While the Margaret McDermott bridge has been downsized ( it's now, just the Margaret McDermott  bike and pedestrian portion ) and was almost axed when the economy went farther down river, it was saved after TxDOT said that the bridge over I-30 would be built, even if they had to do the engineering. That jolted a few and it wasn't long until a deal was reached to scale back but never-the-less still have Santiago Calatrava design the walkways and bikeways across the second bridge.

 Actually, the feeling is that Margaret McDermott got the better part of the deal in that the bridge is over the Trinity on a major interstate highway. It will have a pedestrian

The unofficial start to work on Maggie Two

The completed Maggie One

Note the angle of the boring on Maggie Two

and bike crossing that Maggie One doesn't have and it will be more in the center of activity when the project is complete. Sometimes, second in number isn't really that bad of a deal.

So, yesterday, while looking at the work that had been done since August when the equipment first appeared on scene, pilings are never a pretty part of the job, but they are the "bedrock" of the project (pardon the pun) the call of the Nikon hit me. When Maggie One was being built, over 100 weekends were spent photographing the construction process. That weighed heavy when the thought of another long-term project registered on the brain. The purpose of the trip yesterday was to stand on the west levee where Maggie One could be seen in its completed state and then look at downtown from where this project was digging into the ground (another non-intended pun) and get a feel if it would be worth the effort.

 There is a whole lot of satisfaction in one of these projects but not a whole lot of money, if any when you factor in gas, time and added dust and dirt to be cleaned from a camera professionally. It does cost money to do one of these things. As my maternal grandmother once told me: "Nothing in life is ever, ever free." She was very right on target and that phrase still rings out in me even today. To document changes in an urban setting can be rewarding. It also can be a drain on emotions, resources of time and money not to mention aches and pains, cuts and scratches. heat stroke and many more.

But, as I stood on the levee looking at the workers going about the daily task of such a project and looking back at Maggie One, then the future Maggie Two, it was realized that I had to give it a shot, or two, since another pun worked its way in the text. While this is kind  of written tongue and cheek, it is urban history that can make a difference, even if that difference is ever so small. Much like the history that answered a question just two years ago about where Air Force One had been parked at Love Field when Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as President. It was a photo that gave the answer. An urban photo. Lots was learned in doing the Maggie One Project. Certainly, more can be learned from the Maggie Two. Provided health and money issues remain status quo.

So, Maggie One :  Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge (complete and open)
       Maggie Two: Margaret McDermott Bridge ( unofficially under way, August,2013 )


Link: http://dallascityhall.com/committee_briefings/trinity_river.html

Link: http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philanthropy

12/29/13: correction of omitted text.

Perception Is Everything

Perception of U S Marine Corp

Pride

Traveling Corp.

Just when in life, you reach a point where you really don't care what people think, it becomes crystal clear how important perception really plays a part.This point was made  more clear this past week. The example came from the strangest of places with the strangest of  projects. Sometimes it is almost  better to fail than to be seen in the light of  being a "copy cat". There are some who are pulling their hair our by now because of that string of words "better to fail than to be seen". But, of course, they are the very people who miss so much because  common sense is not so common for their world. That doesn't make them ignorant or stupid, but the perception can put the focus in  a different light.

Example 1

There are some interesting people on Twitter. Some, I even follow. A couple of those scholars  sound almost human. Then, I am reminded of an old neighbor who was listed in the "Who's Who" of American Anthropology and was professor in the Anthropology Department of a major University, yet he would come home at night and cut his front lawn by a push-real mower with a taped on flashlight to light his way in the dark of night. The perception was rather odd to many of  his neighbors. The reality of it all was that his brain was working overtime and later on in the semester his published papers would rock the world of Anthropology from those flashlight cuttings. The perception was not the reality and looking back today, I was literally watching thought being generated,then store itself in his grey matter until he released it onto paper.

There is this one account that gives me indulgence because he reminds me of the former neighbor. His perception of me is that I'm odd, I would believe, but as is human nature, that is my perception of how he views me. He is moving up the ladder of academia at another major university. He's blended teaching, family life, writing scholarly articles that are published with being trapped in a world that he thinks he has control over from an academic standpoint to the reality that he too, has reached that point in life with  waining connect to being young and energized with ambition and hopes for the future. My hope is that I live long enough to have him report that he cut his lawn with a flash light taped to the handle of his lawn mower. That's my perception.

Example 2

Never would I draw to conclusion or formed the perception that when Dallas developed, planned and built the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge that the city of Irving would try to copy that with a major bridge building project. People went nuts when Dallas built a $130 million plus cable-stayed bridge over the Trinity River, but really now, Irving building one to identify the City of Irving is a bit much. Hello! You have the Famous Mustangs of Los Colinas, don't you see. You created  Los Colinas. You have Lake Carolyn. You have the canals.You have the gondola boats. You now have your convention center. You have the Orange Line, the Monorail. You have The Four Seasons  at TPC Cottonwood. Carpenter Ranch has been good for Irving.

The perception is that  this blog does not  favor  Irving. This blog has reported several times in the past that Irving is high on my list of places dear to my heart. Across the Carpenter Freeway from Irving's Convention Center at Los Colinas,  is the world headquarters of Exxon Mobil Oil, that is  nestled fairly deep in the woods of their corporate estate and compound.The reality is that this blog  will always be grateful to Exxon Mobil Oil for what they have done in the past, personally.

So, when things seem one way, looking the other way in the opposite direction will usually reset you humanity compass so that you can make adjustments that will align you more to a perception that is in refined focus. Of course, that is only a perception.









 

More Trinity Development Evident

Looking East up Singleton Blvd toward downtown



The Sylvan Avenue Bridge Project Is Underway

The stainless Steel tanks would suggest a micro brewery--maybe?

Since the  opening of the new Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, the area West of the bridge along Singleton Boulevard has increased its development. The new Trinity Commons Project is already showing new stonework,sidewalks and even something that looks like a new micro brewery. This area is getting ready to pop economically and commands watching closely.

A Sneak Preview of the March Celebration

Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge

There were people on the bridge today en mass. The excitement for the first weekend in March celebration  grows as people check out the newest landmark on the Dallas skyline. Here are a couple of images from  today.

The Santiago Calatrava portion of the bridge begins where the cable stays begin, 600 feet eitherside of the signature portion  that stands 400 feet. So, 1,200 feet in the center is cablle stayed, holding the bridge deck up.