Extreme Rides

Zero Gravity (http://www.gojump.com)
 was the busiest that I have ever seen it when I drove by this afternoon. I had gotten lunch on the road and was heading toward Las Colinas to check out the mountain bike trail that has been undergoing a major water/drainage type construction project for the past six months. But, after seeing all the rides in full operation, it was time to stop and get some shots. I talked to the counter guy, who talked to his manager and I was allowed to shoot from a couple of spots. It was fine because the place is a bit small inside and it can be very hard to turn and move when rides at in full motion. It worked out very well.

Click on the image for better viewing and for the next 48-hours, click on the back icon square that says "Alamy"on the right hand side of the page and when it opens up, click on live news tab.Look for the rotating images as they move farther down the page. They are being replaced with other late new  images.

This isn't for the faint-at-heart either.

This was the highest of all. It spins forward, stops about 200 feet up and then reverses the spin backwards!

Never thought that I would say it, but the ole bumge jump was the tamest of them all!

Edited 19/01/2014 for omitted text or typos found.
 

Lessons of the Masters

I once said to Dick Ransom that I had tried to make his beef stick at home and had decided that I would purchase it from his stores from here on out. Laughing, he said that he didn't make his  either and would, " continue to buy it from the guy in Wisconsin that did". That was in the days when Dick was building Hickory Farms of Ohio. I often think about that when I see one of the Hickory Farms Beef Sticks today. Dick sold the business a decade and several years ago, or more, now that I try to add up the years.

In the last forty years, I probably have not eaten a Wendy's hamburger more than once or twice. In the last two months, they have been my Tuesday lunch main stay. Why the change? Well, I discovered by accident Wendy's chili could be substituted  for fries in a combo. So I would end up with a double stack burger, a chili and a small drink. Perfect for me! I got hooked on the chili, too.

The last time that I ordered one was this past Tuesday and I paid particular attention to every thing that I could see in the chili, spoonful by spoonful. It hit me that while I can cook pretty well, I had never made chili and living in Texas, I should know how to make chili. My search of the web  led to the discovery of a receipt for Wendy's chili. Looking at the list of ingredients of spices, I was a bit surprised. Then I looked at some famous receipts and noted the difference. I can do this, I thought.

To shorten the story, tonight for dinner, I had two big bowls. My receipt only needs a minor degree of tinkering, but it was good enough to let be as made. In the freezer is four more meals. Dang, I did good.

A cold front rolling in on a jet stream made chili seem a good ideal.

 

Folk Art Rules

 First and foremost, the Ransbottom-Robinson garden pot (see 2013 post) has a new home tonight. It sold in the grand tradition of all great auctions: value for a price; want vs. desire; give and take; satisfaction and joy. Every body was happy, but I might have come away a little happier. I got some unusual pictures.

However, every thing in life is a trade-off. I've been going to this architectural antique dealer for about three years, now. It's a family owned operation in its third generation and today I saw in print and heard it from the second generations mouth that the place is for sale. Another family- owned business, even in the days of Craig's List and e-Bay, will take leave of a tradition that built this country (with both gentiles and Jews).

 The American scrap dealer, albeit the hand-pushed carts of the 1800s and early 1900s; the modern dump trucks and electro-magnet lifters, of the 20th or 21st century looses when it comes to  source material for art. For it is that that is found at scrap yards world wide. Every time you see a new house foundation or a new sidewalk or swimming pool use a sticks of reinforcing bar, it was the local scrap dealer that sold the scrap that got melted down by the steel mill to make the rebar. Another basic industry in America is slowly loosing the businesses that have an eye for art--folk art.

Here is a classic example:

Monkey on a Bike

Roadrunner Bird

Parrot Bird

 

Don't You Wonder About Somethings?

I've seen balloons flying high in bundles in the Dallas TRACON before. I've seen daily sonar soundings released by the National Weather Service.  Sometime, just go outside, pull up a chase lounge and look at the sky for a while. You will be astounded  at what  you see overhead. Sometimes, it is things that you need to think about for a while. Like, your first weather balloon from the weather service. I had not seen one in actual flight until this past October, but knew what they were from seeing one firsthand up close as a kid. But, then, there are other things  I still wonder about some of those. No UFOs mind you, but as they say in midtown Manhattan, "You'll have that from time to time. Yes, you will".

Today, in between  the drugstore and the grocery store, I came across these. Don't you wonder sometimes?

From Flag Pole Hill looking east as the rain moves out and 60-70 degrees returns to Texas tomorrow and Sunday.

Better stuck here than in one of many airliners that criss cross at low and at high altitude across the Dallas area.

Something New for the New Year

Today  was my  first trip out in the past five days. The cold isn't good for the heart at my age. That's what I am told at any rate. It was a trip to the drug store only to find that I must go back again tomorrow for one medication that was out of stock. So, while out, it would be a chance to get lunch and make a trip around the lake for the first time in 2014.

The ceilings were very, very low lending themselves to that feeling of gloom and doom. A mist was falling just enough to keep the intermittent wipers on their highest setting.  It was almost, at times, like there was trying to be fog. In fact, a couple of landmarks at the lake had their tops covered in fog. Since fog is defined as a cloud lower than 50 feet, the credence to ceilings being low was upheld.

The old entrance to The Big Thicket had been undergoing a bit of construction that looked very much like some kind of sign, but at years end, it was not yet determined. But, today, there were several new signs-- long needed-- marking not only the Big Thicket, but the cut-off to the pump and filter buildings on the west side of the lake and a new nautical and Big Thicket route marker. In fact, they look really nice, even covered in the fine droplets of water.

Someone today was complaining on Yahoo that there was only one picture to a story they were commenting on. Someone else commented that [they]  "assume you know what the word gallery means. Did you click it on?" I realized that people still have trouble navigating on the web, so I will remind every one that you click on one of these images and it opens in a more viewable condition. Try it! It doesn't cost anything!!

Nice New Sign



Gloom and Doom Winter Day

One of the television stations were doing a piece on the re-make of the dog-park. A million-dollar redo. The bike and pedestrian bridge is blocked off at the east end and the trail is blocked off at the west parking lot entrance. That's a lot of ground being made ready for construction. The jewel of the city park system is getting her crown polished up. Looking good!!

A totally new sign that was needed. It sits at the end of the bike bridge with the back to the dog park across the water and at the foot of the Big Thicket Hill off Mockingbird.

 

Looks Like the Ugly Tail Will Stay

A couple of days ago, I drove out to Founders Plaza at DFW International. It had been a while since my last visit. The airport was flipped that day also. So the last two trips, 18L and 18R have not handled incoming traffic because traffic was coming in on 36R and 36L (the opposite end of the runways).

It was my first trip since the merger was announced as approved. The thinking was that the old livery was being replaced with the new one as a transitional and American wasn't spending any more money on livery. That meant that a new logo would be forthcoming after the merger was complete. Kind of like a bridge between the old and the new--a transitional -- when all was set. The factor not factored in was that Doug Parker would offer it up for a vote to the unions and employees. That way, it would build some unity between management and the unions. Well, as luck would have it--as Mr. Murphy's Law would dictate--the employees and the unions voted to keep the transitional livery.

As I stood on the little hillside and watched one American take off after another, There was only one old livery in the group of half a dozen. Then I got to looking, the majority of the tails were scraped up, nicked and  missing paint. All sorts of things in such a short span of time.

When you compared the new livery to the old, the old looked good then and now. But, the old adage, "close the gate now that the cows are out" is also an understatement. At the time everyone was waiting to see the new livery and it was sitting on the tarmac at Victorville, in the desert of southern California, There was a short lived campaign that American never heard that said," Anything but white, just paint it bright! Instead, we go the ugly thing we have now and it looks like we are stuck with that. If Tom Braniff was around, he'd have heard the cry and he would have painted a plane that would be pride with a capital "P". Herb and Gary are not afraid to paint an airplane. Paint can be a big marketing tool. Paint is a big marketing tool. Hope they put the cell phone users in the tail section where they put the smokers when that was a hot potato. Let the cell phone users listen to each other when they are on their phone. But, somehow, I don't think Doug Parker will listen to many consumers now that he's got the throne.

Old Livery

New Livery

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Happy New Year to our loyal readers and those of you that have found our blog for the first time.

The loyal readers will notice a couple more ads from Zazzel as well as from Google. It's been a hard decision, but one necessary if this blog is to continue. The cost has reached the tipping point of either find additional income or shut down an essay in pictures from a freelance photographer. For the last five years, the cost has fallen totally on this photographer with out complaint. But, as mentioned earlier, additional income to cover the cost of operations is now, not an option, but a critical choice.

Cameras must be cleaned professionally, lens and camera bodies need to be upgraded as technology improves. The cost of operating a car has always been just a fact of life. Now, gas and maintenance has become a major expense, even riding the trains as much as possible. The cost of this web site annually and the cloud storage for the images is also rising.

As I have had fun with a little competition between Hotdog, my cat, and me during the holiday period when I would joke and say, " Now go buy something, Hotdog needs the sales", I can now honestly say, "Now go buy something. We both needs the sales!"

Other options will continue to be explored. And, this blog will continue to provide you, our readers, with copy and images. There sometimes my be more copy than images. It will be a  day-to-day adjustment.

Regardless, we cherish our readers and those that drop by accidentally. These are the methods of transportation we have considered during the past year, don't you see?

NASA's lease payment is far to expensive.

This guy was most gracious to let us photograph him at the St. Pat's Parade last year on Greenville Avenue. Little did I know he was the real thing. He doesn't provide commercial transportation, however.

This guy only works at one speed and would cost to much to charter for the day.

This one is retired permanently, now.