May 26, 1912 is the birthday of Jay Silverheels, most widely known for his role as Tonto, the Lone Ranger’s faithful Indian companion. Born Harry J. Smith in Brantford, Ontario, Silverheels has over 100 films to his credit.
What would the Lone Ranger have done without him? What would he have done without the Lone Ranger? Well, there is always Lyle Lovett’s tune.
Great Literature of Cats 101 from the folks over at BuzzFeed.
I am on jury duty at the Justice Center seen above. The giant paper clip looking thing is an Isamu Noguchi sculpture titled, Portal.
I have been called to jury duty before and this experience, as the previous ones, has been informative. I learned about the different types of trials and the differences in the burden of proof in those trials. I was chosen as a pool of jurors for a criminal case. During the jury selection, the defense attorney asked me a convoluted, double-negative question. Then he misinterpreted my answer. When I pointed that out, the judge said, “Counsel approach the bench,” and I figured that jury selection process what pretty much over for me. So now I am waiting in the larger pool in case my number comes up again for another case.
On the positive side, I did get a two hour lunch break and it was a beautiful day. Here are some of the things I saw on my walk.
This little bronze figure by Tom Otterness is in the Library’s EastmanReading Garden where I ate my lunch.
The is the main hallway in the Library.
This is the beautiful light fixture in the Library’s main foyer that I covet.
Doorway in the Popular Fiction Reading Room.
This is the carpet in the same room.
Here is a detail of the ceiling.
More tomorrow if time permits.
May 22 is National Maritime Day –
National Maritime Day is annually observed in the United States on May 22. It is a time to observe its maritime heritage, to honor those who served as merchant mariners, and to recognize the benefits of the maritime industry.
May 22 is the anniversary of the first transatlantic crossing under steam power by the Savannah in 1819. National Maritime Day was created as a day of observance by Congress in 1933. The contributions made by the US merchant marine ships and men are important throughout our history, but became particularly crucial during World War II, bringing supplies to our allies and playing an important role in bringing troops home. Here is a short history of this day of observance.
Merchant Marine Liberty Ship
The Midwest Railway Preservation Society occasionally sponsors an open house of its historic roundhouse that is being developed into a museum largely through volunteer efforts. The roundhouse is located in Cleveland’s industrial “flats” area, adjacent to the working CXR tracks. The Flats was called that because it is on the flat flood plain of the Cuyahoga River. The land was developed for industry because of it proximity to the river for easy access for shipping.
Last weekend was on of those open house events. The showpiece of the organization is Engine #4070 – a 1918 Mikado 2-8-2 steam engine that is being restored. The organization also owns several other pieces of vintage rolling stock, but this engine is a knock-out.
I am referring to Levi’s, of course. Patented on May 20, 1873 by Levi Strauss, a dry goods merchant, and Jacob Davis, a tailor. Levi’s filled a need for the working man of the era – miners, cowboys, farmers – and endured to become an iconic American garment even though it was, ironically, invented by a Bavarian and a Latvian immigrant.*
Look here at an interview with Levi’s historian, Lynn Downey, in Cowboys and Indians Magazine.
*note: unless you are still living in the Great Rift Valley, you are probably the off-spring of immigrants.
Manul – the Cat that Time Forgot – or the Pallas Cat.
Described as one of the first of two species of modern cat to emerge. The Pallas cat has remained unchanged for millenia. The other early modern species, Martelli’s Cat, is extinct. Here is more about this lovely animal on The Ark in Space.
When I was in elementary school, we learned the mnemonic, “Many very early men ate juicy steaks using no plates.” This was a way to remember the solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Asteroids, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto. Note that Pluto was still a planet and was in its “proper” place. This was presented as an orderly system with everything staying in its designated orbit.
The problem, it turns out, is that the solar system is far from orderly. Pluto moves in an orbit that takes it occasionally inside the orbit of Neptune. Comets are also part of the system and they turn up and swing around the sun willy-nilly.
The biggest worry is the, as I learned it, “asteroid belt.” Well, it’s not a belt. It’s not even a sash. It is just a loose mess of rocks, and some of them come very close to the Earth – close enough to be considered dangerous, as reported in this story from NASA which posted yesterday:
Observations from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) have led to the best assessment yet of our solar system’s population of potentially hazardous asteroids. Also known as “PHAs,” these asteroids have orbits that come within five million miles (about eight million kilometers) of Earth, and they are big enough to survive passing through Earth’s atmosphere and cause damage on a regional, or greater, scale.
The NASA astronomers are predicting that there are 4,700 potentially hazardous asteroids that are near Earth’s orbit – give or take 1,500. Yikes.
I came across a list of the Top 10 Cat Movies, but they did not mention any of my favorites. So I offer my own short list.
Bell, Book and Candle with James Stewart, Kim Novak and Pyewacket. Pye steals the show, in my opinion. Kim Novak’s character is much more interesting as a witch than as a mortal.
Harry and Tonto, a road picture, a buddy film, for which Art Carney won an Academy Award. Bring kleenex.
What film is your favorite cat flick?
Is he where the Wild Things are? Or perhaps in the Night Kitchen?
Maurice Sendak – June 10, 1928 – May 8, 2012
He redefined children’s literature for recent generations beginning with the publication of Where the Wild Things Are in 1963. He moved children’s books away from cuteness. He had an edginess about his work, but not to the extent of the darkness portrayed in earlier stories, such as those by Hans Christian Anderson and the (aptly named) Brothers Grimm. I love In the Night Kitchen. What a terrific cityscape made of kitchen implements and ingredients. What fun to wind up in the cake batter.
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Firearms, fibers, any news or behaviors that make me say, "hmm, let me take another look at this."
I still miss my man, but my aim is getting better.
Gunsmoke and Knitting 