Happpy 2009!

Glitter Graphics

Happy 2009 to everyone!
I look forward to reading your posts in the new year.

- Karen

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Kathi

2nd Lt. Christopher E. Loudon
22 years old from Brockport, Pennsylvania
1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division
October 17, 2006


2nd Lt. Christopher Loudon graduated from Slippery Rock University with a Baccalaureate Degree in Environmental Health in 2005. Upon graduation, he entered the United States Army on September 9, 2005. He received his commission as an Infantry officer and was assigned to 2nd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry, 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas. He deployed to Iraq in July 2006 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

2nd Lt. Loudon’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Ranger Tab.

He was KIA in Baghdad, Iraq when an IED detonated near his vehicle. Also killed with him were; Corporal David M. Unger, 21, of Leavenworth, Kansas ;Corporal Russell G. Culbertson III, 22, of Amity, Pennsylvania and Specialist Joseph C. Dumas Jr., 25, of New Orleans, Louisiana.

He leaves behind his parents, Randy and Susan Loudon ; his wife, Jacey Loudon ; a daughter, Isabel Loudon ; two brothers, First Lieutenant Nicholas Loudon ,and Jonathan Loudon ; his paternal grandmother, Florence Loudon and his maternal grandfather, Everett William Campbell.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wind Farm

On the way to Palm Springs, I spotted this wind farm at the foot of the San Bernadino Mountains. After some research on the internet, it says the wind speed must be at least 13mph (21km/h) before the blades turn. This particular farm contains 4000 windmills with the largest ones standing at 150 feet tall and can power Palm Springs and the surrounding areas.

- Karen

Dinner at Ruby's Diner

Made it into Palm Springs yesterday late afternoon and had dinner at the 40's-style Ruby's Diner. This the restaurant's interior complete with shiny red booths, bicycles, and waiters and waitresses in 40's diner uniform.
Click here to find out how Ruby's started.

My turkey burger slider with a salad.
Here are links to some of the top news photos of 2008 around the world sent to me by Photojojo gathered at boston.com. Take a look, some will be amazing.
Page 1 - Page 2 - Page 3

- Karen

Wahoo!

Saw this sailboat cruising San Francisco Bay. The owner must really like sailing to name his/her boat "Wahoo!".

We will be taking a roadtrip to the Southwest during the next week to meet friends and go sightseeing. And, yes, we are bringing the doggie. Wahoo!

Here is the approximate itinerary...

Palm Springs, CA
Sedona, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Laughlin, NV
Home...Sweet...Home...Wahoo!

I will try to post along the way or you can follow me on Twitter.

- Karen

Red and White Fleet

During the summer, tourists flock here, but on this cold winter weekday, hardly anyone was waiting in line to buy tickets for a bone chilling San Francisco Bay cruise.

The Red & White Fleet was founded in 1892 by Thomas Crowley with only $80 in his pocket. His business weathered the big 1906 quake that leveled most of San Francisco and prospered when the Golden Gate Bridge was built literally in front of his doorstep. To read more about its fascinating history, click here. Today, the Red & White Fleet dock here at Pier 43-1/2 to ferry people under the Golden Gate Bridge and past other famous landmarks.

- Karen

Holiday Greeting

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!
Hoping your holidays are filled with joy & good cheer!

Thank you for your continuous support throughout the year!

- Karen

(Note: In case you're interested, the photo was altered at http://www.pikipimp.com site. Give it a try, it's really cool!)

Wednesday Hero

To the Men and Women of the United States military, and all the armed forces around the world, thank you for everything that you do. And to those who are laying their heads down tonight in a foreign land, away from your loved ones, thank you so very much. Stay safe, you're in our thoughts and our hearts. Merry Christmas.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Downtown San Francisco

Lots of shoppers in downtown San Francisco, but I wonder how many bought something.

A worker operating a truck-looking zamboni on a ice skating rink temporarily put in place for the holidays across the street from Macy's seen in the above photo.

I would be one of those skaters holding on to dear life by the side rails.

- Karen

Directing Traffic With Balloons?

Do you notice something unusual these fellows from the Department of Parking & Transportation are using to direct traffic?
It surely made me chuckle, but I don't know if it was more effective than using hand signals.

- Karen

Dog & Cat Show

I guess the economy is bad. The owner got his dog and cat to huddle together. The dog looked comfortable, but the cat looked like he/she was trying to stay warm since the temperature was in the 40's. The owner put out a tin can hoping passers-by will chip in some money when they see this incredible feat.

You can't believe the curious crowd that gathered to see what was going on that blocked a busy San Francisco downtown street corner. I wanted a picture from this angle so you can see all the onlookers.

Happy Weekend,
Karen

Got A Cute Pet?

My dog Maverick loves sitting on our bed which he thinks is his. One day, I decided to put his favorite toys on each side of him and luckily, Maverick was patient enough for me to snap this photo.

If you have a cute pet, take some photos and enter them into Anamigo's weekly Pet Photo Contest for cash prizes.
Click http://www.anamigo.com/petphotocontest for more information.
Good luck!

- Karen

Window Shopping

During my stroll through downtown San Francisco last weekend, I noticed this shoe store worker on the 2nd floor dancing in front of the window. She was trying to get shoppers to notice her so they will go inside the store.

She doesn't look too happy. I don't think dancing in front of windows was part of her job description.

When I crossed the street, I noticed 2 more dancers.
And no, this didn't attract me to go inside the store.
I wonder how many shoppers on the street even noticed them?

- Karen

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Melinda

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christian P. Humphreys
28 years old from Fallon, Nevada
6th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, Task Force 49
November 15, 2008


A funny, nice guy who loved to fly. That's how Christian P. Humphreys is remembered by his friends. "He was a great guy, always happy and had a joke," said Sean Whitney, a flight medic. "We used to play with our paintball guns in the cornfields behind his house."

Humphreys flew with the Fallon Naval Air Station Search and Rescue Longhorns from June 6, 2004, to May 5, 2006. He left the Navy and joined the Army as part of the "Blue to Green" program to become a helicopter pilot.

Humphreys, along with Chief Warrant Officer 3 Donald V. Clark, 37 years old from Tennessee, was killed when their OH-58 Kiowa helicopter crashed while on a mission over Mosul, Iraq. As a rescue crew chief, Humphreys was in charge of the operation behind the pilots. He made the decisions when to deploy rescue crews out of the helicopter to assist injured people, and he also took care of the equipment.

"He was a funny guy, a nice guy, a lot of character," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Justin Schmidt. "The guy was always entertaining, always had something to say, but like everyone here, he displayed the professionalism in saving lives."

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christian P. Humphreys leaves behind a wife and parents.

All Information Was Found On And Copied From MilitaryCity.com

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Dish Network

So this is what they mean by dish network. Click on the picture for a larger view. How many satellite dishes do you count?

The name of the store attracted my eyes. If you looked really fast, you'd think the sign said something else. If it wasn't for the sign, I would not have looked up to notice the television addicts who live in that building.

- Karen

Mr. Grinch Out and About

It's always interesting to take photos of people in San Francisco and more so during the holidays. Tourists and holiday shoppers lined the busy downtown streets on Saturday and as I was trying to photograph the large Christmas tree in the background, Mr. Grinch caught my eye.

In the first photo, I think Mr. Grinch just returned from lunch and in the 2nd photo, he was posing for someone else's picture. I guess he's not that mean. :D

Enjoy your Sunday,
Karen

Stanford University's Memorial Church

I dug this one out of the archives from this past summer. Leland Stanford and his wife, Jane, had the university built in 1891 as a memorial to their son, Leland Jr., who died at age 15 from typhoid fever. The Stanfords wanted to use their wealth to help other children since they no longer hade one of their own. Leland died of heart failure in 1893 and Jane then had this church built in 1903 as a memorial to him.

If you ever have an opporotuniy, don't miss a chance to tour this huge campus. The surroundings include art galleries, a cactus garden, the Stanford family mausoleum, a 50,000 seat stadium, endless row houses, and, oh yes, an university.

- Karen

Wednesday Hero

Spc. Jonnie L Stiles
38 years old from Highlands Ranch, Colorado
769th Engineer Battalion, Louisiana Army National Guard
November 13, 2008


Louisiana National Guard spokesman Maj. Michael Kazmierzak said Spc. Jonnie L. Stiles had been serving as a gunner on a Humvee doing route clearance when and IED detonated near his vehicle in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. He said the job typically involves checking roads for bombs and insurgents.

Stiles' wife, Launa, said that he was nearly killed last month when a suicide bomber blew up a military vehicle in front of his. She said he was still able to rescue three other soldiers and returned to duty before his 30-day recovery period was finished.

"He was strong and really cared for his men," she said.

Stiles was born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and graduated from Littleton High School in Colorado. He served in the military for 17 years, first joining the Marines and then switching to the Army in 1999. He served three years at Fort Carson, left the Army and then returned as a member of the Colorado Air National Guard in the Summer of 2007.

All Information Was Found On And Copied From MilitaryCity.com

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

King Kong?

Is this another chimp thinking about ascending a skyscraper?
No, it was just a harmless giant balloon at a parade.

Happy Monday,
Karen

Curious

I am trying to figure out what the owner of this trailer is trying to say or sell.
- Karen

Coin Collector

It was early morning and I noticed a man thigh-deep in water wading across this hotel fountain. I could not resist and had to take a photo of him with my cell phone camera albeit an unflattering shot.

At first, I thought he was a worker cleaning it, but clearly, he was not associated with the hotel because he was wearing jeans and not any water-resistant gear. Tourists and passers-by throw coins in this fountain to make a wish, for luck, or whatever their fancy and this man decided to go fetch them.

Hmmm, I wonder who really owns the coins? The hotel because it is their fountain or any industrious stranger who is willing to dive into a fountain on a public street???

Have a nice weekend!

- Karen

Tap Dancing Christmas Trees

During this time of year, I go and watch lots of holiday parades. The Tap Dancing Christmas Tree group performs at many of these and last week's Festival of Lights Parade the day after Thanksgiving was no different.

They are an energetic group and fun to watch. In the photo above, the group is rehearsing in the parking lot before the start of the parade.

Happy Friday,
Karen

Views from Treasure Island

In order to get to Treasure Island from San Francisco, you must drive through the Bay Bridge.

View of San Francisco from Treasure Island during sunset. If you familiar with the city's skyline, you can see the Transamerica Pyramid in the distance.

Old landmark sign just in case you didn't know where you are.

The little guard house at the entrance is no longer occupied since the island is now open to the public.

- Karen

Two Wednesday Heroes

Spc. Matthew T. Morris
23 years old from Cedar Park, Texas
2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
April 06, 2008


"He was a very creative kid, and when he wasn't in a challenging environment, he tried to make life interesting," Glenn Morris, father of Spc. Morris, said. "He excelled in a military school structure and in a team environment."

Before enlisting in the Army in 2005, Morris attended the Fishburne Military School in Waynesboro, Virginia where he met a history teacher who inspired him to want to become an educator. "After his service, he wanted to go back to school and get a four-year degree to become a teacher," said his mother, Lisa. "He wanted to make a difference and give back to the community."

Spc. Morris was killed when his vehicle encountered an IED in Balad, Iraq. Also killed in the attack was Cpt. Ulises Burgos-Cruz.

All Information Was Found On And Copied From MilitaryCity.com

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Lance Cpl. Samuel Joyce, from Boston, accepts a bagfull of toys during the Toys For Tots 5k Run at Fleet Activities Yokosuka. Runners donated new toys to the local Marine's Toys for Tots program.


These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Have Every Right To Dream Heroic Dreams. Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

A Different Treasure Island

As a contrast to yesterday's beautiful administrative building and interior murals, here are some buildings on the island that were either condemned or destroyed by fire. This landfilled island was built for the 1939 World's Fair and followed with plans of making it the San Francisco airport, but during World War II, it became a naval base instead.

- Karen

Treasure Island with Photojojo

Last week I attended my first Photojojo Photo Safari. If you are not familiar with Photojojo, it is a website that gives great photography tips and occasionally, the company will organize photo outings in the San Francisco and New York City area. On this particular Saturday, our leader Todd, at the top of the huge crowd gave a brief history of Treasure Island before we broke off to start our photo journey. It never cease to amaze me how the internet easily brings all these strangers together.

This is Treasure Island's main administrative building. It was used as a backdrop in the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade movie.

This is the interior of the administrative building. The mural on the wall displays a brief history of the island. As a matter of fact, this building used to house the island's museum, but is currently empty except for a few occupied offices on the 2nd floor. There are plans for a huge housing development on the island. I hope they preserve some of these historic buildings.

P.S. I hope everyone who celebrated Thanksgiving last week had a great time. I thought it came and went by too fast.

- Karen