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Thursday, June 12, 2014

Sunday, June 01, 2014

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Arlin Moon: Portrait of an Artisan





These pioneer families are much like those in my area of NW Florida. This was filmed in Holly Pond, AL in the mid 1980s. Down home.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Proof That We Are Really tiny...

Proof That We Are Really Insignificant... - The Meta Picture














This is impressive. I did hear it once described thus: "If all the grains of sand along and in all the beaches of the world were to represent all the stars in the universe - there would not be enough sand." Maybe a better way for us to look at it is -- we are just a part of a MUCH bigger picture !

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Florida Memory - Harp Florida

Florida Memory - Search Results
Harp was the name of a rail station in Mulat near where Montecito and Mulat Road intersect now. It was HARP STATION between 1900 and 1940.  These photos recall a period around 1900. My in-laws come from this area and have names like, Tinsley, Brown, Gatewood and Burnett.  In an interview with Kathryn Burnett we got a lot of names on the record from around this area but in the 1935-45 time frame.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Honoring USS Houston Crew

SHREWSBURY: HONORING ONE TO HONOR ALL (via redbankgreen)

Michael Aufiero in his Shrewsbury workshop. Below, the frame of his display case for the replica of the U.S.S. Houston being readied for shipment to the Navy Museum. (Photo above by Dan Natale; others courtesy of Michael Aufiero. Click to enlarge) By…

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Florida - Georgia Football -and WWII Vet

I interviewed Bill in my documentary on uss houston (buzzcreek.com) .
Bill is one of the very few survivors left from this episode of WWII.

1941 - The Asiatic Fleet - led by the USS Houston - was to take the first hit from the Japanese attacks since they
 were in China and Philippine waters. This was the plan. Then the US Pacific Fleet out of Pearl Harbor would rush out to their aid.

  Well, the Japanese did not read our war plans and they did it all wrong.  So - the Asiatic Fleet and eventually the Combined (what was left) fleet of Allies - faught and died for 3 months until they were all on the bottom of the sea.  A few survived. Most of the Houston crew ended up with "The Bridge on The River Kwai".   A third of those captured died in captivity. 

Since making the documentary years ago - I remain in touch with them.  Their website has been upgraded recently. The one I made for them with the help of a county college class in NJ did yeoman service for years. 
Look up www.usshouston.org   or www.buzzcreek.com and find more references to the Houston and the Asiatic Fleet.   Some of my interviews on my youtube website have survivors from the Asiatic Fleet too ... www. me3tv.org (see the veterans collection).

I hope you'll notice Bill as he is honored along with his long gone shipmates at the GA / FL games.


USS Houston (CA-30) Survivors Association
And Next Generations


From the organization:  "We’ve received word that USS Houston (CA-30) Survivor Bill Ingram, USN will be honored during the pregame activities of the upcoming University of Florida vs. University of Georgia football game. The game will be televised, on Saturday, November 2, 2013.  (a friend t spoke with Bill l and he said he was so excited that he didn’t think he would be able to sleep.Our best wishes to Bill…!)"

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Senate and House Majorities over time

This chart is VERY instructive. When Democrats have held the majority for most of last 80 years - they have had reasonably large to modest margins of control. When Republicans held the majorities, their margins were very slim. It only takes a few "liberal" Republicans to erase the advantage of a majority. The Senate had a famous "gang of five" liberal Republicans that weakened the value of the majority under Bush. The result was continuing heavy domestic spending and liberal public policy - much of which lead to the massive financial crash (which of course is blamed on Bush - along with the wars that followed the 9/11 terrorist attacks - masterminded by a terrorist who Clinton felt was not important enough to capture when he had the chance). Republicans consistently fail to support their party in off year elections or when candidates fail to meet single issue demands of large voter blocks.

Combined--Control_of_the_U.S._House_of_Representatives_-_Control_of_the_U.S._Senate.png (1399�706)

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

1972 News and Combat - Navy


In late 1972 and early 1973, the USS O'Callahan was often in combat up and down the Vietnam coast in support of ground troops or air combat elements. The primary location was near the DMZ (between the two Vietnams) usually supporting South Vietnamese Marines or dueling with shore based counter battery.  This AUDIO collection (with a few supporting pictures) is about 40 minutes long. The first HALF is essentially news from the period - a lot of it prior to Chrismas, 1972. The last HALF is a collection of audio recordings taken with a portable recorder tucked in my jacket in the pilot house of the ship where I stood my combat watches.  IF you can make out the gravely radio talk you'll hear call for fire and damage assessment reports. I did not record ALL the gunfire - so if you hear a call for ten rounds and only hear one or two it is because I was stopping the recorder to conserve battery juice. Other ship call signs are heard. Ours is IRISH SONG. I think SKIP ROPE is the overall boss of the gunfire for the five ships on the gunline. At the very end is a GQ alarm and also a sonar whistle just for reference. Typical chatter and noises from a ship underway. Enjoy.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Kilpatrick Collection


  1. Here is a photo collection from my cousins, the Kilpatricks of Chumuckla, FL. One of my favorites, here, shows a young Rodney Kilpatrick holding a chicken for slaughter. It is a classic. Rodney was a much loved and appreciated young family man in our town, who died of a heart attack at a young age.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Last Days of Vietnam War

WARTIME AUDIO with PHOTOS -- Some of my shipmates taped the news broadcast off Armed Forces Radio as we carried out various war related tasks at the end of the Vietnam War. The broadcast preserved here is like a microcosm of 20th Century history.  Plus Christmas music. And then - Gunfire. I sneaked a microphone in my jacket in the pilothouse and surreptitiously taped the voices on the bridge and from over the radio and sound powered phones.  It is a bit haunting now - 40 years later. I remember talking to WWII veterans 40 years after that war and thinking -- man ... these guys are really OLD! (Into the gunfire missions - note: there are numerous little blip sounds -- these are when I turned off the tape recorder to preserve battery or to avoid discovery - ) ( I am sure it was illegal with the secret radio voice traffic). Most of our missions at this time were gunfire support off the DMZ region - and mainly supporting South Vietnamese Marines -as nearly all US troops were out of this area by then. We had a week or so North around Haiphong Harbor to assist with B-52 bombers that were shot down in those Christmas bombing raids. (the news segment fills in some blanks there ). None of those bombers made it to "feet wet" so they could be rescued.

Chevy Billboards in Detroit, Michigan

Chevy Billboards in Detroit, Michigan
Check this blog out. Great memories from old cars.

Lambrecht Chevrolet collection

Video: Mother of all barn finds — the Lambrecht Chevrolet collection | Mac's Motor City Garage
Here is a real treat - a LOST COLLECTION of cars goes to auction. Watch the video from the link.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Chloe Channel - Wows With Cover of Carrie Underwood's "American Girl" - ...


a Genuine HOMETOWN girl from CHUMUCKLA, Florida. (well, Pace, but 12 mile up the road is where she was a big hit at the Farmer's Opry from age 7.