Skip to content

Archives for culture

See all posts in the network tagged with culture

Pre-Order Your Burn Now!

No comments

Popular Documentary Now On DVD

THE ALREADY-FAMOUS FILM that has been shown around the country for the past year, Burn is ready for release on DVD and Blu-ray this coming Tuesday June 18!

But you don't need to wait until Tuesday to get your order processed.  Right now, you can go to the movie's official website and pre-order your own copy of the remarkable video.

The standard DVD version costs $24.99 and the Blu-ray version goes for $29.99.  Now for the good news:  These high-quality videos not only contain the famous 86-minute documentary that you've heard about, but this two-disc set contains the widescreen theatrical version of the film in both Dolby 5.1 Surround and stereo, plus MORE THAN FOUR HOURS of never-before-seen exclusive extras including:

• English Closed-Captioning

• Spanish, German and French subtitles

• The "Wall of Fire" — view the full opening fire from the film from one of 8 different camera angles!

• Picture-in-picture Detroit firefighter commentary

• Commentary from directors Tom Putnam & Brenna Sanchez

• A mini-documentary from the BURN premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival

• Tribeca interviews with Denis Leary and the filmmakers

• Blooper reel

• BURN at FDIC 2013

• MSA Fireslayer Award featuring "Doogie" from the film

• BURN theatrical trailer

• TOO HOT FOR BURN trailer

• PLUS more than 30 minutes of behind-the-scenes with the BURN crew!

But wait, there's more!  These discs are all-region compatible, meaning they will play in DVD players and can be viewed on television sets  anywhere in the world.  And since we have Firegeezer readers in more than 35 countries, that makes it possible for all of us to enjoy this riveting documentary.

To pre-order yours now (don't wait….) CLICK HERE to go directly to the official Burn Store where you can also get t-shirts, limited edition movie posters, and other goodies.

Brought to you as a public service by Firegeezer with assistance from Mark Donovan.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on June 14, 2013 • Filed under: culture, current events, entertainment, Fire Rescue Topics • Tagged: ,

Morning Lineup – June 4

1 comment

Tuesday Morning - Can You Trust Your Bartender?

A couple of weeks ago in a statewide action, over 100 investigators raided 29 bars and restaurants in New Jersey charging them with suspicion of serving cheap alcohol disguised as premium brands.

The year-long investigation dubbed Operation Swill uncovered some practices even more odious than that.  One bar was mixing rubbing alcohol with caramel food coloring and selling it as Scotch whisky.  Another was brazenly pouring dirty water into a whiskey bottle and selling it.

Woodenspears photo

The Attorney General described the investigation in a press conference:

 

The 29 locations covered just about every area of the state with an added surprise.  The Star-Ledger reported:

Thirteen of the establishments identified were TGI Fridays franchises operated by the Briad Group, a Livingston-based hospitality company. TGI Friday's corporate offices in Texas said today that the accusations are "very disturbing."

"If accurate, they would represent a violation of our company's values and our extensive bar and beverage standards which are designed to deliver the highest guest experience in our restaurants," the company said in a statement. "We have zero tolerance for actions that undermine the trust of our guests and call into question the reputation we have built up over the past 48 years."

Briad operates 70 TGI Fridays across the country, including Arizona, California, Connecticut, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, and New York. They also run 42 Wendy's in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, as well as Marriott and Hilton hotels, the Corner Bakery shops, Cups yogurt stores, Zinburger locations, and the Promenade Shops at Clifton.

Briad president Rick Barbrick said today that the allegations are "troubling and surprising to us."

I'll bet they are troubled.  The fact that so many of the naughty bars were from that one franchisee's stable suggests that somebody in Briad's regional office went rogue on them.  But if it's going on in New Jersey, it's probably been going on in other states, too.  Watering down drinks is an age-old practice, but literally poisoning the customer used to be rare.  Read the entire article from the Star-Ledger HERE.

You will probably notice that they didn't bother checking the coffee carafes from the Bunn-O-Matics.  Nobody would dare to mess with that.

Before we investigate our coffee practices, let's get the equipment checked out for today.  I'll see you back in the day room in a little while.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

 

Posted by on June 4, 2013 • Filed under: crime, culture, morning lineup • Tagged: ,

Morning Lineup – June 3

No comments

Monday Morning – Anybody Seen Amelia?

I hope that Winter is finally gone for everybody.  This has been a crazy Spring as far as weather goes….. cold, icy rains one week, then into the 90's the next.  But no good, mild weather for the garden plants and food crops to get their start into the growing season.  Maybe now.

Ever since before I was born, people have been speculating about where Amelia Earhart crashed her airplane somewhere in the South Pacific.  Scads of movies, magazine articles, studies and explorations have been carried out for 75 years searching for the answers to this aviation pioneer's demise.

Amelia Earhart (AP photo)

But these past 2-3 years have raised some hope that the mystery may be solved soon.  In the past ten years, improvements in satellite technology, map imaging and undersea scanning have made great strides, and the always-dedicated explorers who never let up in their quest for the answers are getting closer.

Every now and then somebody announces a "We think we got it!" discovery, but it always slips away.  It has happened so many times that I usually note it with some interest but skip on the the next project.  Just another Earhart discovery – not.

Another one of those surfaced recently and I have a little more confidence in this one.  All those other close calls have been effectively narrowing down the choices and just maybe this group has nailed it.  Quoting from a recent Yahoo! News article:

A sonar image may point to the wreckage site of Amelia Earhart's plane, the Electra, The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery announced. The nonprofit organization has been on the hunt for the Earhart plane for the last 25 years.

"What we have is something that looks like what we think the expected wreckage should look like right in the place where we expect it to be," Ric Gillespie, TIGHAR's executive director told Yahoo News. "That’s what's so enticing about this, it looks different from anything else out there."

The image was taken from a remotely operated vehicle 600 feet below the water off an uninhabited island in the southwestern Pacific republic of Kiribati. It shows, says the TIGHAR website, an "anomaly."

"The most prominent part of the anomaly appears to be less than 32 feet long," states TIGHAR, which also notes the plane was 38 feet and 7 inches long.

The group has now set out to raise the funds needed to go down there and physically inspect the site.  I sure hope somebody does make the breakthrough and finally find her remains and the Lockheed Model 10 Electra that she was flying as she attempted to make the first circumnavigational flight back in 1937.

 

Read TIGHAR's extensive but very interesting and well-illustrated report on their find HERE  And if you wish, brush up on Amelia's explorations and final flight on Wikipedia HERE.  The Official Amelia Earhart Website is HERE.

We need to prepare for a landing in the apparatus bay now so that we can get the equipment checked out, so let's get started.  I'll have the Bunn-O-Matic ready to go after we touch down.  See you back in the terminal.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on June 3, 2013 • Filed under: aircraft, culture, history, morning lineup • Tagged:

Morning Lineup – June 2

No comments

Sunday Morning – A Dingbat Leaves Us

The news came out yesterday evening that famous actress Jean Stapleton passed away Friday night in her New York City home.  She was most-widely known for her role as Archie Bunker's wife in the very popular tv sitcom All In The Family that ran from 1971 to 1983 and still lives in reruns.

Born Jeanne Murray, she began her stage career using her mother's maiden name at age 18 when she got her first summer stock acting role.  Her mother was an opera singer and she utilized those genes to win many roles in musical plays over the years, most notably in Damn Yankees, The Bells Are Ringing, and Funny Girl.  But comedy was her strong suit although she appeared in dramatic shows and tv apperances as well.  Her reputation was already assured and her career deemed successful when she was chosen for the role of Edith Bunker.  From then on, she was always a household name nationwide.  She won three Emmys in that role. Jean Stapleton was 90 years old.

 

*  *  *

Speaking of living to a ripe old age, the world's oldest living man celebrated his 116th birthday on May 24.  Jiroemon Kimura, resident of Kyotango, Japan, is also the oldest man in verified history. Born in 1897 he also holds the distinction of being the last living man who was born in the 19th century.

The oldest living woman is also a Japanese, Misao Okawa who is 115 years old.

It's time to get going with the equipment check now and I'll start the Bunn-O-Matic on its rerun.  See you back in the day room for Sunday breakfast.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on June 2, 2013 • Filed under: culture, morning lineup • Tagged: ,

Morning Lineup – May 19

No comments

Sunday Morning – Where Can I Rent One of These?

Besides all of them starting with the letter "P", what do these words have in common?

  • Party
  • Picnic
  • Pub
  • Pedaling

That last one narrows down choices considerably.  But I just recently learned about a new plaything that is sprouting up on some city streets around the country called a quadracycle.  It is a vehicle that is powered by a squad of humans sitting around the sides working sets of bicycle pedals in unison to propel themselves forward through traffic.

The concept has been around for a long time, but never really become widely used except in some SE Asian countries where biking is the only affordable means of transportation.  But it has recently been taken a step further and just might create its own niche in today's goodtimes culture.  And that brings in the "pub" portion of the equation.

In close to two dozen cities now there are rental outfits where you can rent an outsized version that is designed to accomodate a party where you can go wherever and consume your food and beverage of choice.

Capitol Pedaler

One of these is Capitol Pedaler in Madison, Wisconsin, where you can rent a 14-seater in which everyone sits around a bar and chats while they pedal to the picnic grounds (or tailgate party lot).  In an interview with USA Today, the owners of the Madison business explained how their fuzzy fit into vehicle definitions is playing out:

"(Madison officials) didn't know what we were," said Linda Besser, one of two retired police officers who started the Capitol Pedaler in 2011. Today Besser said her bike is currently licensed as a taxicab and is permitted as a pedicab (a bicycle rickshaw), even though she said her bike is technically neither.

The bikes vary a bit in design but generally look a little like an old-fashioned trolley or train car. There's no engine, just the legs of the passengers, who sit around a bar, facing each other. As many as 16 people can fit on the bikes and groups rent them for bachelor parties, birthdays and corporate events.

In cities around the country, the bikes slowly prowl entertainment districts, making pit stops at bars and in some cases, allowing clients to imbibe. Pedal pub operators say laws and regulations vary by state.

USA Today

"It's a patchwork," said Eric Olson, managing Partner with PedalPub, a company that is a distributor of the bikes and has done tours in Minneapolis for about four years. Alcohol on the bikes there is allowed.

Read the entire article HERE.

Generally speaking, as long as the "operator," the person steering and braking the vehicle, is licensed and sober, then there is no problem with the partying.  It's the places with open container laws, etc., that confine the usage while on the streets.  Anyway, it all looks like a hoot to me.  Let's get one!  Would it need its own daily check sheet?

Speaking of those, we'd better get started on equipment check.  We'll plan our next picnic when we get back in the day room.  I'll make sure the coffee's ready.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on May 19, 2013 • Filed under: culture, fun, morning lineup • Tagged:

Ready For The Weekend, Amigo?

No comments

*  *  *  *  *

Some people have fallen into the advertising trap that was set out about 40 years ago that wants us to think that May 5 is also known as Cinco de Mayo, a make-believe holiday from Mexico.  It's harmless fun, but in this era of the soundbite and failed public education systems there are many who think it's for real.  So this morning I will reprise the Morning Lineup from four years ago, May 5, 2009.  Learn and enjoy (like we do every day at Firegeezer):

Did you ever wonder where all this Cinco de Mayo stuff came from? Out of nowhere we’re being potty-trained into thinking that today is some major Mexican holiday and all the once-a-year Irish are now encouraged to become Mexican for a day of celebration. But a cursory check into the cultural history of Mexico discloses that May 5 isn’t a holiday there. Not just that, but most of them don’t even know what you’re talking about if you were to ask.

In fact, Cinco de Mayo is a regional celebration followed in the state of Puebla where the Battle of Puebla took place on May 5, 1862. A French invasion force had entered Mexico for the purpose of collecting a large debt that the Mexican government was trying to renege on and when they were met by a greatly-outnumbered Mexican army, a battle ensued in which the Mexicans routed the superior French forces. That event is the seed of the "holiday."

Fast-forward to the 1960′s and some problem-solving committee meetings at the Coors Brewery in Colorado. Coors had two large obstacles facing them. One was a major push by American Hispanic groups to boycott their products because of some well-publicised hiring-discrimination activities. Their secondary challenge was a sizeable drop-off in beer sales every May as the nation’s colleges finished up their Spring semesters and the partying students headed back home.

So the grand idea was formed: Create a reason to celebrate something Mexican that calls for beer-drinking. Some simple research discovered this lost holiday and the big publicity machine went into action. And the rest, as they say, is modern advertising history. But by the 1980′s it still hadn’t caught on outside of the college campii where it was targeted and the Mexicans were still as puzzled as ever about "what’s the big deal?"

As sure as the sun comes up in the East, more breweries jumped on the phony holiday bandwagon and more than most, the Mexican breweries invaded America looking for their share of the "holiday" prize. That led to some of the most outrageous ethnic exploitation seen in over 40 years. Coors started it’s "Sabemos como celebrar!" (We know how to celebrate!) campaign and Mexico brewery Tecate launched its "Let’s party!" program. The one that went over the top though, was Corona’s campaign parading a "party parrot" wearing a sombrero, sunglasses and a serape while holding a bottle of Corona in each claw and squawking, "Drinko for Cinco!"

In 1997 a consortium of Hispanic cultural groups got together and started to turn the make-believe holiday into something more positive along the lines of the Pulaski Day and St. Patrick’s Day ethnic celebrations and now we are seeing more positive promotions that allow the Hispanic members of the population a chance to display and celebrate their heritage. Myself, I’ll help out by opening a bottle of Dos Equis today.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on May 5, 2013 • Filed under: commentary, culture, current events • Tagged:

Country Music Superstar George Jones Passes – age 81

No comments

"He Stopped Loving Her Today….."

ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR country music singers of the last 50 years, George Jones died this morning at Vanderbilt University Hospital in Nashville.  He had been hospitalized on April 18 for a problem with his blood pressure, but the cause of his death has not been released.

With his greatly successful recordings, he is often elevated to the same level of respect as Hank Williams, Jimmy Rogers, Johnny Cash and Roy Acuff.  He had 14 Number One record hits beginning in 1959 with "White Lightning."

 

Some of the others that followed were:  She Thinks I Still Care, Walk Through This World With Me, We're Gonna Hold On (with Tammy Wynette), and his biggest hit that came in 1980 He Stopped Loving Her Today.

Just as notorious as his recording success was his constant battle with alcoholism and his headline-grabbing antics while drunk that generated more news than his singing success.  Most notably were his six tumultuous years of marriage to the late Tammy Wynette.  You can read about what has become known as The Wild Years in his Wikipedia biography HERE.

George and Tammy singing their signature duet

When his illness struck last week he was in the midst of his "Farewell Tour" that was booked through the year and scheduled to conclude in November.

Funerary arrangements have not yet been announced.

 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on April 26, 2013 • Filed under: culture, current events, News, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Morning Lineup – April 15

Comments Off

Monday Morning – Calling From the Post Office

Ahhh, yes…. Income Tax day in the U. S.  All those forms and payments have to be in the mail by tonight and then begins the woebetides on how to make ends meet with what's left over.

Last day to get them in the mail…

One guy who doesn't worry about petty cash like that is this unnamed businessman in Hong Kong who recently contracted with a jewely designer to craft a custom case for his iPhone.  He already possessed a (very) large 26-carat Black diamond that has been in his family "for generations" (he says), and wanted that to be the focal point of his new smartphone casing.

The British designer Stuart Hughes took the diamond plus another $15 million from the talkative businessman and crafted a gold case that uses the Big Diamond as for the home button.  Then he added another 600 dinky little white diamonds embedded in the gold around the outside edge of the phone.

CNET

I'm picturing this guy edging along the street in his Rolls, telling the chauffer to hold it, then speaking into the plutonium microphone, "Can you hear me now?"

Oh, the life of the privileged class.

But that's not us, so let's trudge on over to the trucks and get this equipment checked out for today.  I'll slide on over to the Bunn-O-Matic to get some more plain, old, everyday coffee going.  See you back in the day room later.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on April 15, 2013 • Filed under: culture, morning lineup

Morning Lineup – April 13

Comments Off

Saturday Morning – The Laughter Dies Down

Yesterday afternoon the announcement came out that legendary comedian Jonathan Winters has passed away Thursday night.  He was 87 years old and died peacefully at his home in California.

Mr. Winters was definitely a one-of-a-kind entertainer and made a solid impact on the American culture.  We were fortunate to have been able to enjoy and laugh (hard) at his wit and performances.  Following his military service in World War II, he left his hometown of Dayton, Ohio, to find his life's path, starting with a stint in art school (he was a gifted painter) and then drifted into radio work where he began honing his unique comedic monologues and superb audio sound effects.  From there came his move to New York to hitch onto the new television medium where he did some commercial voice-over work.

I have never forgotten his entry in live television back in those days when I was still a lad.  At that time the 7:00 to 8:00 pm time slot was filled by the networks with 15-minute programs, one of which was the evening news.  NBC gave Winters one of those quarter-hours once a week and away he went.  In those few minutes he would banter with a guest, do a bit of monologue and then perform an outrageously funny skit.  I was always impressed with his sound effects that were perfomed purely with just his voice and mouth movements, no devices such as blocks of wood, etc.  You can't imagine how somebody could make the exact sounds of a tennis match, but he did.  He could do any sounds, including impersonations of celebrities.

The news sites are filled with his obituaries today, so you can read much more about this unusual personality and his erratic career that was often derailed by a lifelong mental disturbance that both gave him his creative abilities while disrupting his life in dramatic ways.  But I will never forget his comic genius nor the many, many hours of pure entertainment that he gave me over the years.  RIP Jonathan Winters.

 

Ok.. we had better start getting this equipment checked out now.  The Saturday shoppers will be heading out and the Spring weather will bring the DIYers into risky situations.  I'll get the Bunn-O-Matic fired up before we meet back in the digital day room.  See you there.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on April 13, 2013 • Filed under: culture, morning lineup • Tagged:

Morning Lineup – April 1

Comments Off

Monday Morning – Can You Hear the Music?

I really don't know why the Titanic disaster is so prominent in people's cultural history interests.  Sure, it was a mighty terrible thing with hundreds of innocent lives lost and it really slammed the Anglo-American populace hard when it went down in 1912.  A real headliner, for sure.  And it rightfully needs to be remembered for the true loss that it was.

But to still be a headliner 100 years later is significant.  Maybe it has to do with the discovery and exploration of the Titanic's wreckage at the bottom of the ocean over the past couple of decades and the retrieval of the sunken artifacts that makes it fascinating to onlookers today.  Thanks to the salvaging skills and the marketing acumen of the company that has been harvesting the shipwreck, people are getting to see things that the contemporaries of the time never could.

One of those artifacts has recently surfaced publicly and is stirring this curiosity and interest again.  One of the most famous items that legend carries on is the bandleader's violin that he supposedly played on deck while the band serenaded the doomed victims as the ship was sinking.  The story goes that they were playing the hymn Nearer My God to Thee as they went under.

That very violin was discovered seven years ago in an attic in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where the Titanic was built and where all the crew members lived.  ABC News, along with scores of other news agencies, has just this month broached the subject because the violin's authenticity has been definitely verified as being genuine.  From their report, in part,:

Bandmaster Wallace Hartley, 34, from Colne, Lancashire, died in the 1912 Titanic disaster and his brave and elegant playing amid the desperation of the doomed ship has become one of the central stories of the catastrophe.

How the violin survived the wreck is not known for certain. The auction house Henry Aldrige and Son of Wiltshire, England, which has researched the instrument's history, noted that several newspapers from May 1912 reported that Hartley was found with the instrument in a leather case strapped to his body

In 2006, the son of an amateur musician discovered the violin in a leather case with the initials "W. H. H." while looking through his mother's things in the attic. His mother had been given the violin by her former violin instructor. The violin's owner, who is remaining anonymous, took the violin, along with jewelry from Hartley, to Aldrige and Son to inquire about its authenticity. The auction house has extensive experience with Titanic memorabilia.

The auctioneers brought the violin to the government's Forensic Science Service. After several years of tests, the service concluded that the corrosion deposits on it were compatible with immersion in sea water. Specialists used the corrosion deposits on items from other Titanic victims as a benchmark for comparison. "And then we decided we need a jewelry expert," Aldrige said.

One of the unique attributes of this violin is an engraved silver plate, which states, "For Wallace on the occasion of our engagement from Maria." Historical research suggests that Maria Robinson gave a violin to Hartley in 1910 when the two became engaged. Through analysis, a silver expert was able to confirm that the silver plate and its engraving style was contemporary to 1910.

The final vital piece of proof is the historical train of evidence linking the violin to its owner on the Titanic.

Their article goes on to lay out the chain of possession of the missing violin and is an interesting story in itself.  Go ahead and read the complete ABC News report HERE to learn how this came about.

We need to stop fiddling around now and get our equipment checked out.  Since this is Monday, we need to grab the long checklist, so let's get started.  I'll make sure the Bunn-O-Matic stays afloat while I get a couple more pots going.  See you back in the day room shortly.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

 

Posted by on April 1, 2013 • Filed under: culture, history, morning lineup • Tagged: ,

Fire Claims Historic Church in Belgium

Comments Off

Roof Repair Crew Source of Blaze

THIS PAST TUESDAY THE ancient church of St. Nicholas Cathedral in Westkapelle, Belgium, was completely destroyed by a fire.

de Redactie

The fire was accidentally started by roofers who were part of a restoration project that was repairing centuries-old damage plus a fungus infestation that had moved through the church.

YouTube image

St. Nicholas has its origins in the 12th century and has been built, expanded and destroyed several times, especially in the 14th to 16th centuries.  Portions of the church that were existing currently, including the church tower, dated from the 15th century.  It had been designated as a national monument in 1996.

The fire started around 3:30 pm in the steeple which was all-wood construction and quickly grew beyond the capabilities of the fire brigade.  When the blazing tower collapsed in spectacular display, it fell into the church bringing the massive heat with it and the fire was immediately spread throughout the cathedral with no hope of extinguishment.  The entire incident was done in two hours from start to finish.

Nieuwsblad photos

 

This video has dramatic footage of the collapse
of the steeple dropping the main body of the
fire into the main body of the church below:

 

The fire brigade concentrated on keeping the fire from spreading, primarily by wetting the roofs of the buildings in the immediate vicinity.

When it burned itself out, the only things left were the exterior stone walls and the Tabernacle containing the Chalice which was divinely preserved.  The pulpit from 1750 and a confessional dating to 1648 were lost along with several paintings dating to the 18th century.

Nieuwsblad photos

 

The early estimate of the physical damages is in the neighborhood of 9 million euros.

While the church officials are intent on another restoration, as has been done so many times in the past 900 years, there is no early decision yet on how to proceed.  Engineers are inspecting the walls to see if they can be kept or will need to be demolished.

PZC

PreHistory website has a brief history of the church HERE.
Nieuwsblad has more details HERE and HERE.

The pastor of St. Nicholas is interviewed in this news video:

 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on March 29, 2013 • Filed under: culture, fire, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Bet You’ve Known a Guy Like This, Too:

Comments Off

There Are Thousands of Them …. God Bless Them All

Firegeezer reader Michael Whitesis sends this story along from Oregon with a reminder that there are thousands of firefighters like Chief Rick Smith, but his story is a fitting commemoration to them all:

*  *  *

THE MONROE (Oregon) RURAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT has 25 volunteers and one full-time paid firefighter, Chief Rick Smith.

Chief Smith  (Gazette-Times photo)

Chief Smith has been a member of the department for 28 years and chief for the past 13 of them.  His dedication to the department and thus the entire community is the stuff that holds everyone together.

The Corvallis Gazette-Times recently ran an insightful story on him in which they told us:

When 15-year-old Chris Poorman faced physical challenges while battling a serious illness, he no longer could participate in sports; the teen was missing out on the camaraderie and fun that comes with being part of a team.

Thanks to Monroe Fire Chief Rick Smith, Chris joined a new team: Smith persuaded him to become a junior firefighter, allowing him to train and learn alongside real firefighters and paramedics.

It made all the difference.

"Rick helped my son get through school," the teen’s father, Mark Poorman, recalled. "Chris had been very ill and had physical problems, and Rick made a big difference in that young man’s life."

This is typical of Chief Smith's compassion for his neighbors as examplified by many other, similar deeds.  In fact, many times folks in the rural area call his home instead of 9-1-1 to report a problem, comforted perhaps by talking to someone whose opinion is held in high regard.

Canda Fuqua at the Gazette-Times has written a lovely story about this man and I'd be willing to bet that after you read it, you will immediately think of a firefighter from your early years that you knew, too.  Read the entire ARTICLE HERE.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on March 27, 2013 • Filed under: culture, Fire Rescue Topics, News • Tagged: , ,

Morning Lineup – March 21

Comments Off

Thursday Morning
Who's That In The Guest Bedroom?

It was 50 years ago today, March 21, 1963, that the infamous Federal prison Alcatraz shut down due to age.  It was nicknamed by the prisoners as "The Rock" and became universally famous for its firm and secure prison that was designed to house the most incorrigible and dangerous prisoners held under U. S. custody who continuously caused troubles at other Federal prisons.  It was the last stop for dedicated criminals who refused to accept civilized behavior and as such, it had no rehabilitation programs. 

During its 29 years under Bureau of Prisons operation there were no successful escapes, though not for lack of trying.  A total of 36 prisoners made 14 escape attempts, two men trying twice; 23 were caught, six were shot and killed during their escape, two drowned, and five are listed as "missing and presumed drowned".

Alcatraz Island has been a landmark ever since the first settlers arrived over the Bering Bridge thousands of years ago, but was first recognized by the civilized world in 1775 when Spanish explorers charted the west coast and into San Francisco Bay.  They named it using an ancient Spanish word for "pelican" because of the large brown pelican colony that resided on the island.

Over the years as ownership changed from military conquests to private citizens and then eventually to the United States government following the Mexican-American War, the roughly 22-acre island has served as a military garrison for two countries and then in 1868 it was converted to a military prison which was its primary function until 1934 when the Federal Bureau of Prisons took over the facility and began preparing it as the nation's most secure prison.  During all this time, including up to today, it has also been the site of the oldest, contuously-operating lighthouse on the Pacific coast.

1895 view of the military prison (courtesy of Los Angeles Public Library)

Wikipedia records:

During the 29 years it was in use, the jail held some of the worst hoodlums America had ever known, such as Al Capone, Robert Franlin Stroud (the Birdman of Alcatraz), George "Machine Gun" Kelly, Bumpy Johnson, Rafael Cancel Miranda (a member of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party who attacked the United States Capitol building in 1954), Mickey Cohen, Arthur "Doc" Barker, James "Whitey Bulger, and Alvin "Creepy Karpis (who served more time at Alcatraz than any other inmate). It also provided housing for the Bureau of Prisons staff and their families.

Alcatraz Island today

There some good histories of the island and particularly its prison period online.  If you want to read further about this unique chapter of American cultural history, try these:

  • Wikipedia history of the island.
  • A comprehensive history of the penitentiary years on AlcatrazHistory.com.
  • The Federal Bureau of Prisons brief history of the island that also includes detailed summaries of the 14 attempted escapes is HERE.
  • As part of today's commemoration the San Francisco Chronicle has posted a 48-image photo gallery of the Rock's penitentiary history with several views of its most infamous residents HERE.

This is part 1 of a 7-video presentation of a 1971 documentary film about the penitentiary's history that includes a lot of rare footage taken on the Rock:

 

To view all seven video chapters CLICK HERE.

Let's now celebrate and exercise our freedom by getting this equipment checked out.  I've got the coffee started already, so I'll see you back in the day room.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

 

Posted by on March 21, 2013 • Filed under: culture, morning lineup • Tagged:

Sunday Matinee

Comments Off

Special Double Feature Week

*  *  *  *  *

Cartoon Feature

Tweety and Sylvester

"Tweety's Circus"

 

*  *  *

Newsreel – 1935

The Ambush of Bonnie and Clyde

16mm film shot by posse member Ted Hinton just minutes after
Bonnie and Clyde were fatally ambushed by officers
near Gibsland, Louisiana on May 23, 1934

 

*  *  *

Special Feature Presentation

The Real Story of Bonnie and Clyde – A Documentary
(includes new archival evidence discovered in the 1990's)

 

*  *  *

Feature Presentation

Emergency! – Episode 2:10

"Dinner Date"

 

Paramedic DeSoto engineers a blind date for Gage and it's something less than a success.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on March 3, 2013 • Filed under: culture, Sunday Matinee, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Iditarod Day – The Race is On!

Comments Off

The Husky Huskies Are Ready To Haul

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, WAS THE SCENE Saturday for the ceremonial start of the greatest dog race in the world, The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

66 Mushers Pushed Off in Saturday's  Ceremonial Start.
(Reuters / Wilder photo)

Saturday's 11-mile jaunt around the streets of Anchorage, Alaska's largest city, was not part of the official time of the race which begins today (Sunday).  It served as a kick-off to the race and accompanying celebration.  Sixty-six teams have entered this year's race, the 41st running of the Iditarod the follows the 1,000 mile-long trail used by dog teams in the 19th century to transport goods, food and supplies to the frontier settlements and gold mines.  They would return via another trail bringing back the minerals, animal pelts, and other products of the Last Frontier.

Four-time Iditarod champion Jeff King drives his dog team down 4th Avenue
during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 2, 2013,
in Anchorage, Alaska. (Anchorage Daily News / Roth)

The race will begin in Willow, a town about 30 miles north of Anchorage, and follows the "northern trail" in even-numbered years.  In alternate years it uses the "southern trail" which goes through the race's namesake Iditarod (now a ghost town).  The race usually is completed in about nine days depending on the weather conditions which are still very wintry up there, and ends in the gold-rush town of Nome.

This March, 2005 photo shows a musher driving through
the Farewell Burn area.  (AP / Grillo photo)

Whoever reaches Nome first wins a new truck and $50,400. The next 29 mushers to cross the finish line will split rest of the $600,000 purse.

 Here are some views taken at yesterday's ceremonies:

 

Iditarod Sled Dog Race OFFICIAL WEBSITE.
View the Iditarod Trail maps, checkpoints and distances HERE.
The AP has a 28-image photo gallery from past races with several very striking views HERE.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on March 3, 2013 • Filed under: culture, current events, News • Tagged: , , ,

We Are The Fire Department and We Are Here To Help You

Comments Off

Trust me…. everything will be OK

A DISTRAUGHT YOUNG MAN in Saudi Arabia decided to end it all last week by climbing onto a ledge about 40 feet above the pavement and taking the leap into finality.

The highly-trained and well-equipped fire department arrived and quickly set up the inflatable rescue bag.  After getting everybody in place to save this poor man's life, the specially-trained negotiator took over from there:

 

Thanks to Fireball for sending this along.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on February 24, 2013 • Filed under: culture, current events, Rescues, Videos • Tagged:

Fire Marshal Grinch Shuts Down Treehouse

1 comment

Local Tourist Attraction Draws Thousands of Visitors

FOR MORE THAN FIFTEEN YEARS, Horace Burgess has been building what he claims is the world's largest treehouse near Crossville, Tennessee. 

Even Firegeezer reported on this remarkable structure nearly three years ago when we wrote in part:

That’s probably a safe claim to make. It’s hard to imagine more than one treehouse that is 97 feet high. The labors of Horace Burgess were spent over 14 years using nothing but scrap lumber and stray pieces found laying around.  He did buy the nails, though….over a quarter-million of them, and he now has a 10-story structure anchored around a still-living white oak tree that is approx. 80 ft. high and has a 12-ft. diameter trunk. There are six other smaller oaks that act as natural pillars and support the sprawling 10,000 sq. ft. building.

Read our story from July, 2010 HERE.  We have more photos and a video visit to the unique attraction.

But the whole operation is at a standstill today following an inspection last summer by the state fire marshal office who were upset to find this unapprovede structure in the woods that actually permitted visitors to climb the stairs and observe the interior.  In their violation notice, the FM complained about:

…. eight offenses including; exceeding allowable height by sixty feet, uneven decking and steps, fall hazards resulting from no guardrails, no obvious exit signs, and no fire alarm, sprinkler system or fire extinguisher.

According to the state's letter Burgess must hire a state certified architect or engineer to help get the tree house up to code if he wants to reopen.

Puzzlingly though, instead of just closing the structure to visits, the FMO ordered the entire propery padlocked and closed even to gawkers.  Burgess is willing to attempt to comply, but he complains that there are no applicable codes for treehouses.

Read this latest twist in the Crossville treehouse saga from WBIR-TV  HERE.

 

Currently the attraction is still closed to visitors.

Hat tip:  Mark D.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

 

 

Posted by on February 21, 2013 • Filed under: culture, News, Videos • Tagged: ,

Saturday Morning – February 2

Comments Off

Groundhog Day!

Update, 7:28 am:  No shadow today = early Spring!  Scroll down for latest.
Update #2, 7:50 am:  Video now added.

Welcome to Groundhog Day, one and all. I don’t think there is anybody on the face of the earth who isn’t wishing that he predicts an early end to this winter. In many places this has been an especially cold winter. So let’s hope that Punxsutawny Phil does NOT see his shadow this morning. And while we are waiting I will reprise our annual essay on the history of Groundhog Day. Enjoy:

This is Groundhog Day, did you remember? This whimsical celebration has been carried out for 120+ years now and has become a harmless way to take a moment to lighten up and look forward to Spring, which is bound to come anyway.

February 2nd has been the Christian feast day known as Candlemas since the very early days of the Catholic church and was based on the even-older Mosaic tradition of the Fortieth Day. It is also deliberately timed to occur at the midpoint between the Winter Solstice (first day of Winter) and the Vernal Equinox (first day of Spring).

The multitude of German immigrants who populated the bulk of Pennsylvania brought the Candlemas celebration with them to the New World and in the 1880′s a hunting club in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, held a groundhog hunt every Candlemas.

In 1887 the editor of the local newspaper, who was a member of the club, promoted the hunt and announced that their ancient tradition of using rodents (badgers were used in Europe) to predict the coming of Spring would be practiced in Punxsutawney with their own pet groundhog. And the rest, as they say, is history. According to tradition, if a groundhog peeps out from his burrow following his winter hibernation and sees his shadow, then there will be six more weeks of winter weather. A dull or overcast day preventing his shadow from being cast will announce the coming of an early Spring.

If Candlemas Day be fair and bright,
Winter will have another fight.
If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain,
Winter won’t come again.

This year’s sunrise in Western Pennsylvania is around 7:26 am. We’ll keep an eye on the raucus Groundhog party that’s been going on all night and update this post when the results are in.

Update, 7:28 am:  Early Spring!
About 30,000 frigid Phil fans gathered at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney this morning to witness the overcast sky preventing Phil from seeing his shadow, thus portending an early Spring this year.  Good luck to one and all.

This morning's video report is just in:

 

While we’re waiting, let’s get this equipment checked out. We’re going to need plenty of coffee, so I’ll make some extra while you get started. I’ll have the tv on back in the day room for the ritual plucking of Phil from his burrow.

* * *

Posted by on February 2, 2013 • Filed under: culture, morning lineup, Videos • Tagged:

Carrying On the Tradition

Comments Off

Is This the World's Oldest Fire Department Muster?

IN THE YEAR 1657 A DEVASTATING fire swept through Tokyo, then known as Edo, and burned out two-thirds of the capital city.  The disaster encouraged the government to then create Japan's first professional fire department and two years later, in 1659 a parade along with demonstrations of skills was held for the public.  For the 354 years since, the "Edo Men" have held this annual event known as Dezomeshiki.

Japan Today

This year's Dezomeshiki got underway at 9:30 am Sunday with a parade of more than 130 firetrucks, helicopters and fireboats.  About 2,700 firefighters from around the country participated and following the parade was a large display of firefighting skills and techniques for the public.

This video of the apparatus parade and firefighting skills was taken at last year's Dezomeshiki:

 

*  *  *

Reuters

The highlight of the day came later when a historical group known as the Edo Firemanship Preservation Association put on an astounding display of firematic acrobatics.

Reuters

Dressed in their 17th-century period costumes, they scaled replica bamboo ladders and performed all sorts of breathtaking stunts.

The Daily Mail has more details and photos HERE.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on January 6, 2013 • Filed under: culture, current events, Fire Rescue Topics, News • Tagged:

How Many Drinks Does It Take …..

Comments Off

….. To Get This Drunk?

 

Thanks, Darren.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on January 5, 2013 • Filed under: culture, fun, Videos

Legendary Singer Patti Page, 85, Dies

Comments Off

Superstar Singer of 1940's and 50's

PATTI PAGE, "THE SINGING RAGE," ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL singers in the post-Big Band era passed away in her home in Encinitas, California, Tuesday at age 85.

During the peak of her career, she was turning out top-hit recordings regularly.  One of her biggest hits, "Tennessee Waltz" recorded in 1951 sold 10 million copies and was the first major "crossover" success having already become a #1 title on the country music charts and following her recording, also the rhythm and blues lists.

Patti Page in 1958 publicity photo  (AP)

Anita Gates, writing in the New York Times, tells us:

She was born Clara Ann Fowler on Nov. 8, 1927, in Claremore, Okla., a small town near Tulsa that was also the birthplace of Will Rogers. She was one of 11 children of a railroad laborer.

Having shown talent as an artist, Clara took a job in the art department of the Tulsa radio station KTUL, but an executive there had heard her sing and soon asked her to take over a short country-music show called "Meet Patti Page" (Time magazine called it "a hillbilly affair"), sponsored by Page Milk. She adopted the fictional character’s name and kept it.

The newly named Ms. Page broke away from her radio career to tour with Jimmy Joy’s band and was shortly signed by Mercury Records. She had her first hit record, "With My Eyes Wide Open, I’m Dreaming," in 1950. Other notable recordings were "Cross Over the Bridge," "Mockin’ Bird Hill," "Allegheny Moon" and her last hit, "Hush … Hush, Sweet Charlotte," which she recorded as the theme for the Bette Davis movie of the same name. It was nominated for an Oscar, and Ms. Page sang it on the 1965 Academy Awards telecast.

Ms. Page was believed to be the first recording artist to overdub herself, long before technology made that method common. Mitch Miller, a producer for Mercury Records at the time, had her do it first on "Confess," in 1948, when (she could not afford to hire backup singers).

Her career had peaked before the Grammy Awards program was created in 1959, but it was announced last month that she would receive a lifetime achievement award at the 55th annual Grammy Awards in February.

Billboard Magazine has a good recap of her career and achievements HERE.  It tells how Tennessee Waltz became one of those legenday "fluke" hits.

 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on January 2, 2013 • Filed under: culture, current events, News • Tagged:

Morning Lineup – December 27

2 comments

Thursday Morning – Lights, Camera, Action!

Yesterday was my proclaimed day-of-rest.  I didn't do nuttin' or go anywhere with the exception of answering the phone.  And got a few postings up on the website, but that's done while sitting.  Now I'm feeling ready to resume normal activities today and hoping it warms up outside.  Winter weather arrived here yesterday with snow flurries that turned to rain along with cold air and some winds.  So we're looking at January arriving soon and can't do anything about that.

I imagine that a lot of folks, including some that you know, received a video camera as a present this week.  That kind of leads into this interesting video that was posted on YouTube by the Kodak Foundation.  It is their laboratory film color testing results when they were developing the Kodachrome movie film in 1922.  Their purpose, I presume, was to see how the range of colors transferred to film and held up, so we can see a lot of bright colors in a variety of presentations.

 

Keeping in mind that this test was carried out 100 years ago, we know that these lovely ladies that were chosen to model the clothes are all gone now.  I can't help but wonder how their lives played out as they grew older and lost their "bloom of youth."  From one of Eastman Kodak's interactive websites (HERE) we learn that:

"In these newly preserved tests, made in 1922 at the Paragon Studios in Fort Lee, New Jersey, actress Mae Murray appears almost translucent, her flesh a pale white that is reminiscent of perfectly sculpted marble, enhanced with touches of color to her lips, eyes, and hair. She is joined by actress Hope Hampton modeling costumes from The Light in the Dark (1922), which contained the first commercial use of Two-Color Kodachrome in a feature film. Ziegfeld Follies actress Mary Eaton and an unidentified woman and child also appear.

George Eastman House is the repository for many of the early tests made by the Eastman Kodak Company of their various motion picture film stocks and color processes. The Two-Color Kodachrome Process was an attempt to bring natural lifelike colors to the screen through the photochemical method in a subtractive color system. First tests on the Two-Color Kodachrome Process were begun in late 1914. Shot with a dual-lens camera, the process recorded filtered images on black/white negative stock, then made black/white separation positives. The final prints were actually produced by bleaching and tanning a double-coated duplicate negative (made from the positive separations), then dyeing the emulsion green/blue on one side and red on the other. Combined they created a rather ethereal palette of hues."

If you are interested in film history, go ahead and follow that link and meet the man who restored this clip, Kyle Alvut.  He explains what causes the flickering that you see.  Have fun!

Now let's make our own fun and get this equipment checked out for today.  I'm going to have fun with coffee before we meet back in the day room.  See you there.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

From Amazon ….

Up To 60% Off – Swiss Army Knives

Still used by Firegeezer for more than 50 years

CLICK HERE to view the choices and to order

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on December 27, 2012 • Filed under: culture, history, morning lineup

Santa Tracker in Service!

2 comments

*  *  *  *  *

Gather 'round, Kiddies…. of All Ages.
Let's Follow Santa as He Makes His Rounds!

*  *  *  *  *

Santa has filled up his travel mug and left the North Pole on his annual journey around the world.

Follow Santa on the NORAD Santa Tracker

CLICK HERE to log onto the tracker.  He's on his way already!

When you get a break, read the history of NORAD's Santa tracking program HERE.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on December 24, 2012 • Filed under: culture, current events, fun, News • Tagged: , ,

Philly Cultural Setback in 4-Alarm Fire

Comments Off

Famous Mummers Group Hit Hard

Update:  Band props saved!  Scroll down.

A 4-ALARM FIRE IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, destroyed a 3-story building in South Philly Monday night.  The ground floor was occupied by an illegal auto body shop and the upper two floors were used by the famous Mummers group, the Fralinger String Band.

CBS / AP

The noted club is one of the premier mummers groups that puts on the annual New Year's Day parade in Philadelphia, dressed in elaborate feathered costumes while strumming dozens of banjos and accompanied by brass horns in a show unique in the world.

The fire broke out around 2 pm and brought 100 firefighters to the scene where they worked for four hours bringing it under control.

PhillyFireNews posted this raw video:

 

KYW-TV Ch. 3 has more details on the fire HERE.

Fox News

Fralinger stored all their marching props accumulated over nearly 100 years in the old, brick industrial building, but fortunately their costumes are kept in another location.  The band, which has placed first several times in recent years, still plans to march on New Year’s. Other Mummers clubs have volunteered to help replace whatever has been lost and the band is collecting donations through its website.

Update, 2 pm:  From a story just posted in the Philadelphia Inquirer:

It's handshakes and hugs on Two Street, as Fralinger Street Band props emerge largely intact from the burned warehouse. "Fantastic!" says club captain Tom D'Amore.

"No damage, no damage!" excited Mummers call out as wet but salvageable props were carted from the building at Two and Wharton Streets in South Philadelphia.

This afternoon, Mummers finally re-entered the warehouse, where flames erupted Monday afternoon. Although the four-alarm fire was officially under controlled by 5 p.m. Monday, firefighters continued to douse the building with water through the night to eliminate any hotspots. There was some water and smoke damage to the club's gear, but much was saved.

Even before being allowed to enter the burnt building, the string band members had vowed to strut on New Year's Day.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Here is a bit of Mummers history for you:

 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on December 11, 2012 • Filed under: culture, fire, Fires, Videos • Tagged: ,

Save Time – Skip the “Dial 911″ Part

Comments Off

Dorelus Did It

A BRADENTON, FLORIDA, MAN IS BACK BEHIND BARS today after Manatee County deputies found him Friday afternoon.  His brief life on the lam started Thursday afternoon at his house when he got into an argument with his wife.  As words were flying and angers were rising, Evincse Dorelus, 36, grabbed his pistol and shot his wife, thus ending the argument.

Evincse Dorelus

But instead of calling the ambulance and then having to explain it all to the police (who are already acquainted with Evincse), he just walked her to the car and drove her to the hospital where he thoughtfully left her off at the ER loading bay and then drove away.

The sheriff's detectives caught up with him at 1:30 pm yesterday and his long weekend became noticably shorter.  His 33-yr.-old wife was treated for her wound and then released.  Evincse hasn't been released….yet.

The Bradenton Herald has the STORY.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Posted by on November 24, 2012 • Filed under: crime, culture, News • Tagged: , ,