Saturday, August 29, 2009

PICTURE PERFECT FRIDAY ~ QUIRKY

 
 
 
PICTURE PERFECT FRIDAY
 
 
 
 


 
 
Our Hostess this week is Heather!!!
And she chose the great theme:
 
QUIRKY
 
If you want to get us out taking pictures
(and I know you do), you did a good job with this theme!
I left work yesterday morning just wanting to get home and get to bed!!!
Talked to a friend on the phone who thought about the quirkiest thing in town was:
 
Moon Over Homewood
 
So downtown I headed in the rain... It did let up long enough for me to take the picture from a dangerous curve (as there was no place to park on the roadside).... I changed the picture to B%W in Picnik as the sky was not very colorful from the mist and the cloud cover.
(Link below to other pictures people have taken of it.)
 
 
 
 
If you would like to view others or join in the fun click on the icon here:
 
 
 
 
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Moon Over Homewood
 
Vulcan's buttocks showing from under his loincloth over the upper middle-class, over-the-mountain city of Homewood.  An Alabama DJ Jack Voorhies even sang a song on the radio, "Moon Over Homewood"
(sorry can't find the lyrics or the music or I would have shared)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A little History if you are interested!
 
 
 
The Vulcan statue is the largest cast iron statue in the world, and is the city symbol of Birmingham, Alabama, reflecting its roots in the iron and steel industry. The 56-foot (17 m) tall statue depicts the Roman god Vulcan, god of the fire and forge. It was created as Birmingham's entry for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 World's Fair) in St. Louis, Missouri.  It is the seventh-tallest free-standing statue in the United States.

The Vulcan statue consists of 29 cast-iron components with connecting flanges that are  bolted together internally. The heaviest section is his whole head, which weighs 11,000 pounds (4,990 kg). Iron forge men designed and executed the connection details for the statue, which originally had no internal framework and was self-supporting. The grey iron castings were made in Birmingham entirely from locally-produced iron.  The completed weight of the god Vulcan's figure alone is 100,000 pounds (45,359 kg). When Vulcan's anvil, block, hammer, and spear point are added, the statue weighs a total of 120,000 pounds (54,431 kg) and it now stands on a pedestal that is 123 feet (37 m) tall. The statue has a chest circumference of 22 feet 6 inches (7 m) and a waist circumference of 18 feet 3 inches (6 m).

The Vulcan statue was eventually re-erected at the Alabama State Fairgrounds,  but the statue's arms were installed incorrectly, and the god was without his spear, which had been lost on the way from St. Louis.
 

With nothing to hold in its hands, Vulcan soon became an advertising figure. Over the years, Vulcan held an ice cream cone, a Pepsi-Cola bottle, and even Heinz pickles. In the late 1920s, the statue was disassembled for inspection. During this time, children would often play around the disassembled statue. It was painted a flesh color and was reassembled in the early 1930s.

It was not until 1936 that the statue found a suitable home, thanks to the Works Progress Administration, which partially funded a new park in the city at the top of Red Mountain. A 126-foot (38.4 m) pedestal was built of local sandstone, and Vulcan was hoisted into place. A new spear was fabricated to be held high in his right hand while his left hand held a hammer at his side. Vulcan was repainted in an aluminum like finish. The statue's naked buttocks have been source of humor for many years. A novelty song, "Moon Over Homewood," refers to the fact that the statue "moons" the neighboring suburb of Homewood, Alabama.

1949 marked another strange time for Birmingham’s iron giant, though nowhere near as degrading as his stint in the 1930’s. A group of safety conscious individuals decided that Vulcan would be a wonderful symbol for traffic safety for the city of Birmingham. Once again Vulcan’s outstretched hand would come into use as he became the holder of a torch. This torch would shine green on good traffic days and shine red when someone died during a traffic accident. While originally planned as a short public service advertisement, the torch ultimately became a permanent fixture of the statue until it’s restoration in 1999. To this day you can visit Vulcan Center and view the torch, even pushing a button that will make it shine  green.

 

 

 

If you would like to see more pictures of Vulcan through the years and by several people, you can follow this link to flicker pictures:  http://www.flickr.com/groups/magic_city/pool/tags/vulcan/


Monday, August 24, 2009

IMAGE & WORDS (WEEK 16 ) ~ WISDOM

 

Another fun week of Image & Words...
I enjoy these so much, doing and visiting...
Our Hostess this week is Mia
And she has picked a great theme
 
Wisdom
 
Would you like to do your own Image & Words...
Or just enjoy viewing the others...
Than follow the link below:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Photobucket
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
Have a great week!!!
 
 
 
 
 
 

Saturday, August 22, 2009

PICTURE PERFECT FRIDAY ~ LIQUID


PICTURE PERFECT FRIDAY





Our hostess this week is Joanne.
So good to have you hosting!
What a great theme you have chosen:


LIQUID



Photobucket


All God's Creatures like liquid




Taken on my recent trip to Pawleys Island
with my Canon Rebel XS

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

IMAGE & WORDS (WEEK 15) ~ LOVE

 

 

 

 

Another fun week of IMAGE & WORDS...

Just can't help having fun visiting and viewing all the different entries!!!

Our Hostess this week is DANNI

and the theme she has chosen is:

LOVE

THANK YOU, DANNI FOR SUCH A GREAT THEME!

Photobucket

 

To see more Image & Words or join in the fun... click on the link below

 

I know many of you thought you would see another picture of myself and the handsome Penguin (and, lol, you almost did) but I decided to go with a sense of humor this time.  It was so much fun making, playing and editing this one!  (AND Finding the little audio poem!) So Love still means the cutie of a Penguin to me...

Photobucket

 

 

But here is My IMAGE & WORDS ~ LOVE:

 

 

Photobucket
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Checkmate.... aw ha,  I've got you now dear one...
Go on... give me your best move..
Go on now... that's it...
THAT'S IT?
That's the best you've got up your fearful sleeve?
Well, my dear, you best tuck some soulful chess lessons under your belt...
For it won't be long now...
For you have been cornered by Grace...
Your armor has been penetrated  by Truth...
And your King and Queen are about to be captured by the Beloved!
Once this occurs everyone from far and near...
will see that love always wins...
so....
CHECKMATE.
 

 

Monday, August 17, 2009

More Great Life Support... Good People






You know how I love those "Your LIfe Support" stories and how I love to share them with


everyone.  Read a new one today and just had to share....   In hard times we may forget

the world is so full of Good People, but it is!!!  There is proof of that right here on Multiply!!!

We may have more than our fair share, but whose counting?



Photobucket




GOOD PEOPLE

A doctor said to his patient, "You have a slight heart condition, but
I wouldn't worry about it."

"Really, Doc?" the patient replied. "Well, if you had a slight heart
condition, I wouldn't worry about it either."

We can sometimes get the impression that most of the world is more or
less out for themselves and that people care little about the plight
of others. But I choose to believe differently. I believe that a lot
of people are basically concerned about others, even if they don't always know how to express it. That is perhaps why a certain story, clipped years ago and filed away, has remained one of my favorites to this day.




A trucker relates that he was traveling through rural North Carolina
on I-95 when a brown sedan merged onto the highway. It weaved back and
forth between lanes, causing the driver of the truck to shift into a
lower gear. At first he thought the driver was drunk, but when he came
closer, the trucker saw an old man shaking uncontrollably behind the
wheel. He noticed a Citizen's Band aerial whipping to and fro as the
car jerked between lanes, so he called on the radio: "You in the brown
Chevy, if you can hear me, pull over. Pull off the road!"

Amazingly, he did! The trucker pulled up behind the car and climbed
from his cab. The elderly man staggered from his auto and fell into
the trucker's arms. He poured out a story of months of fear and pain
that accompanied the illness of his only daughter.

Now he was returning from the hospital where it was decided that she
would cease any further treatment. In the hospital he remained "strong" and stoic for his daughter, but out on the road he fell
apart.

The two men talked for the good part of an hour. The father eventually
decided to share his pain with his daughter and said he felt good
enough to drive home. The men embraced and the trucker followed him
for 50 miles. As they drove along, the two talked together on the
radio.

The older man finally acknowledged that his exit was ahead and thanked
his new friend again for the help. The trucker asked if he could make
it home all right and, suddenly, a third voice broke in on the
conversation: "Breaker 19, don't worry, good buddy. Go your way. I'll
see him home!" Glancing in his mirror, he saw a livestock truck move into the exit lane behind the brown sedan.

I think there are good people the world over. People who will gladly
give that caring touch, a needed warm embrace or a patient and
listening ear. They are like angels who lift us to our feet when our
wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

Look around. You're sure to see one. And look in the mirror. You might
spot one there, too.


by Steve Goodier
from Your Life Support



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


HOPE EACH ONE OF YOU
HAVE A
VERY NICE WEEK!!!






Saturday, August 15, 2009

Stand By Me....

I received this in an email today... so glad I followed the link... it only takes a minute to listen and it is so enjoyable!  Know there are times we all want to sing, "Stand By Me"....
I know I just may go listen again!


Below is a link to one of the best pieces of sound engineering work I think I have ever seen. It is a composite audio/video of song whereby additional tracks were laid in by different singers and musicians from different places around the world. The finished product is tremendous!


The song itself is that classic standard "Stand By Me" originally released in 1955 by The Staple Singers and released again in 1961 by the Drifters. This composite version is a real toe tapper.

So turn up the speaker volume and [Click Here].
or cut and paste this web address...

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2539741

(and than click on the arrow at the bottom to play)


Found the video if you would rather not follow the link:


Monday, August 10, 2009

IMAGE & WORDS (WEEK 14) ~ POTLUCK

 
 
 
 
 
Another fun week of Image & Words.
Our Host this week is JOEL,
And the theme he has chosen is:
 
POT LUCK
 
 
To see others or join in the fun follow this link:
 
 
 
 
Photobucket
 
Quote from the book "The Last Lecture"
 
 
 
 
 

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

What is Most Important???




WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT

Author Erynn Miller said: "It takes a lot of understanding, time and
trust to gain a close friendship with someone. As I approach a time in
my life of complete uncertainty, my friends are my most precious
asset."

I had a friend who felt that way. I sat next to Hal's "death-bed" and
thought about the fact that I had known him for over twenty years. Hal
knew he was dying and that these next few days would be his last. I
held his hand.

We spent time reminiscing about his long and fruitful career as a
church pastor. We talked about old friends. We chatted about his
family. And I listened as he offered a piece of sage wisdom to someone
he believed represented a "younger generation."

Hal seemed to carefully consider what he was about to say next. Then
he squeezed my hand, gazed intently into my eyes and whispered, just
loud enough for me to hear, "Nothing is more important than
relationships. "

I knew that this utterance somehow mattered a great deal to him. He
seemed to consider a lifetime of experiences - personal, professional,
spiritual and family - and this one simple observation surfaced above
the rest: "Nothing is more important than relationships. "

"Don't get too caught up in your career," he said. "And don't use
people just to get what you want, then throw them away. No project, no
program, no task - NOTHING - is more important than your friends and
family." I never knew Hal that well, but I wondered if he were talking
as much to himself as to me.

Remember," he repeated, "that in the end, only your relationships will
matter. Tend them well."

Writer Og Mandino put it this way: "Beginning today," he said, "treat
everyone you meet as if he or she were going to be dead by midnight.
Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can
muster, and do so with no thought of any reward. Your life will never
be the same again."

At the end of a long life, my friend Hal would have agreed.

~ Steve Goodier