How Hot Dogs Are Made

I have a package of hot dogs in my refrigerator's freezer.  They will likely remain there until memory of this video fades.

Cute Japanese School Buses

Yesterday (Dec. 14th), the Damn Cool Pictures web site posted many photos of cute Japanese school buses.  Below are a few.  Use this link to see the remainder.  They're really neat!

WW2 Internment of Japanese-Americans

The United States has much in its history for which it can be justifiably proud.  On the whole I believe the World is a better place because of the United States and I am proud to be an American.  But there are also things in our history which are shameful - certainly slavery and the treatment of the original native population come immediately to mind.  I believe it's important that we remember the bad as well as the good - that we always be cognizant of what we are capable of, and be prepared to resist those among us who would appeal to our basest instincts.

The internment of Japanese-American citizens during World War 2 is another shameful incident in American history. While it may have been argued that it was a means of protecting Japanese-Americans against widespread anti-Japanese sentiment in the country, and there likely was some question as to the loyalties of a few,  the blanket imprisonment of American citizens without suspicion or cause solely because of their race is totally unjustifiable.

This new YouTube video from the Unknown World War 2 in Color channel shows views of Japanese-Americans before and during internment and the US Army 442nd Regiment; composed entirely of  Japanese enlistees who fought in Europe during the war with great distinction.

Jump! Jump! - The Wisconsin Jump Around

I believe college provides an ideal transition to adulthood. Naturally students are expected to act in a mature manner most of the time, both in one's studies and in the conduct of personal relationships with faculty, staff and peers. But, as opposed to those entering the 'real world' immediately after high school, they enjoy the privilege of acting like five year olds in certain conditions - and that behavior is perfectly acceptable; sometimes even encouraged. One can gradually morph into adulthood while still occasionally enjoying the comforts of childhood and its attendant irresponsibility - at least that's the way I view it.

I thought about this, recalling my own experiences in college, when I watched the YouTube video below. During the break between the third and fourth quarters of football games in Camp Randall Stadium at the University of Wisconsin, all the students seated at one end of the stadium, numbering maybe 20,000 or more, and anyone else who gets caught up in the enthusiasm, commences to jump up and down throughout the loudspeakers blaring "Jump Around" by the band House of Pain. The marching band, all down on the field leads this mass silliness. Engineers insist that the structure can withstand this activity, but it has to be a bit scary to be there and feel the entire stadium vibrate. I know if I ever attended a game there I would obtain seats as far from the student section as possible.

The lunacy starts in this video at approximately the 45 second mark. You will see that even some of the opposing players can't stop themselves from joining in. To fully appreciate this I recommend viewing the video full screen at at least 720p resolution.

Cute Mascot

Here is one of the cutest and funniest mascots in action.  The person inside has to be rather small because he or she completely turned around inside the costume twice during the routine.

Drum Major Tryout

I never thought much about drum majors, even though I love marching bands.  I noticed them strutting in front of their bands and occasionally tossing batons.  And I knew they had major leadership responsibilities.  But it was the band's marching and music that always drew my attention.

This video of a try out for Ohio State University's Drum Major was among the related videos highlighted with a band performance video I watched, so I clicked on the link out of curiosity.  This guy's talent talent blew my mind.  Incidentally, he won the try outs.

Berlin (1936) in Color

This fantastic video shows Berlin in 1936, the year of the Olympics, in color and excellent resolution. I found it on YouTube in the UnknownWW2InColor channel maintained by the Romano Archives. That channel, which I subscribe to, contains hundreds of color films from the WW2 era made by government, press and private photographers of all the participants.

This video was remastered in high resolution, so it looks great in full screen.

Giggles

                                                               WORLD PEAS! 

Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse

I first saw this newsreel of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse when I was very young. It is most likely the reason that I am always a wee bit nervous whenever I drive on a bridge The bridge, which crossed Puget Sound in the state of Washington, opened on July 1, 1940 and collapsed four months later, on November 7, 1940. World War 2 caused postponement of plans to replace the bridge. The new bridge opened in 1950.

Tom Brokaw Explains Canada to Americans

In this beautiful little piece aired on NBC prior to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics newsman Tom Brokaw explains the unique relationship between the United States and Canada.

Pete Maravich

Pete Maravich was one of my favorite basketball players. This video found on YouTube shows highlights of his fantastic career both in college and the pros. In addition to being an outstanding scorer at both the collegiate and professional levels he was an outstanding passer and one of the all-time most colorful players.

Maravich played three seasons for Louisiana State University ending in 1970, a period in which freshman were not permitted to play on varsity teams, and had a ten year career in the National Basketball Association in which he averaged over 24 points per game and led the league in scoring one season.

The following charts illustrate his dominance as a scorer in college:

Top Five Major College Scorers in a Career (Total Points)

 3,667 - Pete Maravich   Louisiana St.   1967-1970   44.2 PPG
 3,249 - Freeman Williams   Portland St.   1974-1978   30.7 PPG
 3,217 - Lional Simmons   LaSalle   1986-1990   24.6 PPG
 3,165 - Alphonso Ford   Miss. Val.St.   1989-1993   29.0 PPG
 3,066 - Harry Kelly   Texas Southern   1979-1983   27.9 PPG


Top Five Major College Scorers in a Season (PPG)

 44.5 - Pete Maravich   1969/70   Louisiana St  . 1,381 Points
 44.2 - Pete Maravich   1968/69   Louisiana St.   1,148 Points
 43.8 - Pete Maravich   1967/68   Louisiana St.   1,138 Points
 41.7 - Frank Selvy   1953/54 Furman   1,209 Points
 40.1 - Johnny Newman   1970/71   Mississippi  923 Points

In January 1988 Pete Maravich collapsed and died after competing in a half-court pickup basketball game.  He was just 40 years old.  An autopsy revealed the cause of death to be a rare congenital heart defect; he had been born with a missing left coronary artery.  His right coronary artery was grossly enlarged and had been compensating for the defect.



This YouTube video is a tribute to Maravich on CBS television shortly after his death.

Nuclear Testing

This amazing YouTube video shows every nuclear explosion from 1945 through 1998, month by month, with a running count for each country. In total, 2053, beginning with the first US test in 1945 through a 1998 test by Pakistan. -- very scary

Andy Rooney

For over 30 years the highlight of CBS' Sunday night news magazine for me has been the few minutes with Andy Rooney, WW 2 war correspondent, author and writer of numerous television documentaries. At the age of 92 Andy still produces weekly sometimes witty and sometimes serious thought provoking essays.

Here are two of the many that can be found on CBS's YouTube channel.

USC Drumline Cadence

This is a video featuring the drumline of the University of Southern California. Absolutely fantastic. But I pity their poor parents!

Ominous Storm Clouds at Football Game

This YouTube video shows very scary looking storm clouds approaching Kansas State University's stadium during a September, 2010 game between Kansas State and Central Florida University in Manhattan, Kansas. The game was suspended for an hour and a half. It is amazing how many of the crowd remained in the open as the storm approached. I can guarantee that I would have been under the stands in record time, coward that I am!

How to Terrify Children

This Civil Defense film from 1951 is a typical example of the propaganda we children were subjected to in the early days of the Cold War. The intention may not have been to scare the Bejesus out of us but that certainly was the result.

I recall often wondering on mornings as I left for school if it was going to be my last day on Earth. I also recall the frequent A-Bomb drills at school where sirens alerted us to duck and cower beneath our desks so we could get our clothes dirty!

Ad for 1956 Studebaker

The 1956 Studebakers in this advertisement I found on YouTube look great to me; not like 55 year old relics. They look like what I think cars should look like. Today's cars look like wieners on wheels to me.

I am not normally one obsessed with the "good old days". I like to think of myself as being "with it" even though the calendar suggests that I am rapidly approaching relic status. But in the case of automobiles I feel that modern designs suck from an aesthetic standpoint.

Hail Storm

Here are two amazing home videos from YouTube taken during a violent hailstorm in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in May of 2010. In each case you see the hail start out slowly, then get really wild.

Some years ago when I was working in Indianapolis, Indiana a thunderstorm suddenly turned to hail while I was in my car stopped for a red light. It sounded and felt as if hundreds of people were attacking my car with hammers. So many hailstones were hitting at once that it made the car begin to rock. It lasted less than a minute and stopped as suddenly as it had begun. That was some kind of scary! Surprisingly, there was no damage to my car.

1975 Lincoln Continental Town Car

OMG! I had one of these - brand new in 1975. It was a deep emerald green. Pure unadulterated class! I want it back!

Don't eff With a Marching Band

This is one of my favorite YouTube videos. It has had close to a half-million views.

A band is playing in a public square in I believe Denmark when some Mother's "little darling" runs out of the crowd right into the band's ranks, where he receives quite a surprise.

Freeze Day - Iowa State University

Heehee.... About 500 hundred students at Iowa State University froze in place for two minutes from 12:00 Noon to 12:02 PM on November 15, 2010. I don't really know why. I suppose it was just a fun thing to do. They'll do it again next November.

Helicopter Development in US and Germany during WW2

These two color videos show helicopter prototypes in Germany and the United States during WW2. The first is from 1943 in Germany, and the second shows progressive stages of development in the US from 1941 through 1945.

FDR,s Fala Speech

This is an excerpt from a speech made by President Roosevelt during the 1944 presidential campaign in which he responds to Republican assertions that he had left his dog Fala in the Aleution Islands and had sent a destroyer to pick him up at great cost to the taxpayers.

It is quite obvious in this clip that FDR was in declining health. Although he was reelected for a fourth term he died the following April.

How Baseballs Are Made

This video shows how major league baseballs are manufactured.

Big league baseball teams never use brand new baseballs directly from the box in a game. They're too shiny to play with. Prior to a game umpires, or individuals supervised by the umpires, rub the balls with a rubbing mud, which is smooth and creamy, but with a fine grit. The composition of the mud is a secret, but the base ingredient is known to be mud from a specific site in a tributary of the Delaware River.

A major league baseball costs about $17.25 and has an average life of 7 pitches.

Odd Vehicle

Check out this strange 1930's bus-like vehicle, the Evans Autorailer, capable of travelling on both roads and rail.

Giggles

Word Riddle

I got this video in an Email today from a friend so I don't know its source and can't credit its creator. Before watching the video I tried unsuccessfully to find the English word which continued to be a valid word each time one letter was removed right down until only one letter remained. But I made the assumption that letters would be removed in order, and thus never would have been successful.

Train Snow Plowing

Wheeeeee......!!! I love it! There are lots of videos of trains snow plowing on YouTube. This is one of my favorites.

Death of Franklin Roosevelt

I was six years old when President Franklin Roosevelt died. I remember we were eating in our dining room when a boy came to our side porch shouting "Extra! Extra! The President is dead!" It was the only time in my life that I can recall newsboys going through neighborhoods to sell papers.

Of course my father bought a copy. In my mind's eye I can still see the large black letters of the headline and the huge photograph of the President on the front page. It was the moment when the concept of death registered in my mind. My grandmother had died when I was four but I don't recall it having much an effect on me, other than I knew my mother was sad.

It is amazing how events that at the time are monumental quickly pass from the public's consciousness. Roosevelt was a giant on the national and world scene. He was elected President four times by landslides, leading the nation through the Great Recession and to victory in World War 2. It was almost as if God Himself was dead. But today Franklin Roosevelt is just another name that students have to memorize for History class.

This YouTube video is from a newsreel of the time. In those times, before television, the weekly newsreel at the movie theater was how we saw the major events in the world.

Color Film from World War I

This is one of several videos of World War 1 in color that I found on YouTube. It was an eerie feeling watching the artillery scenes. My father fought in WW1 in the US Army artillery. He had significant loss of hearing in one ear from the big bangs and also had been gassed.

With the recent death of the last living American veteran of WW1 there are now only two known surviving veterans of that conflict, each 110 years old.

Hand Shadows

Wow! This guy is terrific! All I can do are rabbit and a bird.

Giggles

Winston Churchill's 1941 Great Declaration

Another historical video. Can't help it, history turns me on.

This is one of Churchill's finest speeches in which he railed against the "vile race of Quislings", the collaborators with the Nazis in the conquered nations in Europe and promised that ultimately every trace of Hitler's footsteps would be sponged, purged
and, if need be, blasted from the face of the Earth.

United Kingdom Explained

The UK as explained by a Yank! After viewing this video one will either fully understand the confusing relationships within the United Kingdom or continue to be utterly confused!

Amazing Face Painting

I've forgotten the source of these photos I found on the 'Net long ago.

They are truly amazing!

Hitler Makes Fun of Roosevelt

I first saw this video clip in a documentary on television in the early 1950's, and have seen it many times since. Only recently did I find it on YouTube.

In March 1939 Germany invaded and occupied Czechoslovakia in violation of agreements Hitler had made earlier in Munich. The following month Italy invaded Albania.

Mainly to raise concerns over Axis aggression in the United States and the rest of the world, President Roosevelt formally requested that both Hitler and Mussolini give assurances as to their peaceful intentions towards some thirty nations he named; and he indicated that if such assurances were received he would ask for similar pledges from each of the other countries he had named. I'm sure he did not expect a reply.

Mussolini did not respond, but Hitler did. In a speech before the Reichstag he made fun of Roosevelt and his request. Yet, he did eventually attack more than half of the nations on Roosevelt's list..

World's Largest Military Aircraft Graveyard

In the desert near Tucson, Arizona surplus and retired aircraft from all branches of the military are stored. The warm and dry climate is ideal for that purpose. Most of the aircraft are stripped for spare parts and eventually scraped, but some are made available for other Government agencies for non-military purposes.

This video was made from Google Earth and put on YouTube.

My First New Car

Today I saw this YouTube video of a 1965 Ford Fairlane, obviously at an antique auto show. The first new car I ever bought was a dark green 1965 Ford Fairlane. I truly loved that car - it was my baby.

I moved to Florida in 1966 where the tropical sun did a job on the exterior. I had to have it repainted in 1967. It did not have air conditioning, and parked all the time in the driveway, the vinyl seats would feel like red hot coals when I got in the car in the daytime, and it would be unbearable to drive without the windows wide open.

Still, I felt quite sad when I traded it in on a new air conditioned 1968 Chevy Impala. It was almost like abandoning my first born.

Human PAC-MAN

I guess one has to be a bit older and less sophisticated than modern video gamesters to really appreciate this, but I think it is really neat!!

Model Railroad

I saw this video on YouTube today while searching for stuff on my hometown.

It reminded me of the cheap electric train set I had back when I was 9 or 10. It had those interlocking track sections: some straight, some curved and some with two directions crossing. I would put together an elaborate track configuration on the floor, and scatter miniature houses, stores, stations etc. about next to the tracks. Then I would attach the plugged in power unit and place my engine and trailing cars on the track and set them into motion.

That cheap set gave me hours of enjoyment. The most fun was when I would get the speed up and have the train jump the tracks going around a curve! Woo Hoo!

Woman Parking

I downloaded this video from Ebaumsworld.com four years ago.  It is a classic.  I have been annoyed at times by someone cutting in on a spot I had gotten to first, but have never been moved to take action like the lady in the red car.  Mild mannered coward that I am, I always just move along and find another spot.

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. - "I Have a Dream" Speech

On August 28, 1963, two months after President Kennedy's Civil Rights Speech, Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. I was privileged to watch both Kennedy's and King's speeches live on TV.

Giggles

I thought the above photo was hilarious when I found it on the Net, but

recent events proved it to be eerily prescient.

Twenty years ago I would have thought this was much funnier.

Igudesman & Joo

Aleskey Igudesman on the violin and Hyung-ki Joo on the piano combine clasical musical artistry with comedy as a duo much like Victor Borge did as a single. They have several hilarious videos on YouTube. Here are two of my favorites:

The Breaking Winds - Toccata and Fugue

A very special treat - The Breaking Winds, young ladies from the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music, play Bach's Toccata and Fugue on bassoons with organ accompaniment. Appropriately recorded in October, 2010 right before Halloween

Will this Wind......?

Long ago, I believe in 1982 or 1983 I watched a special on HBO - "The Secret Policeman's Ball". It was a recording of a benefit for Amnesty International by the Monty Python group along with some special guest performers. They did several of their greatest skits, each of which hysterically funny.

I hadn't taped the show but thought that I would be able to in a few days because HBO always does repeats. However,I was very disappointed when I found that there were no more repeats. I must have watched the final showing.

I especially loved this particular skit - "Will this Wind ...?" done with guest Rowan Atkinson. For years I would often think of that show and regret not having recorded it. Then, just this past year I saw a Monty Python video on YouTube and got the brilliant idea to try a Search for that particular skit. Amazing - I found it! It took over a quarter century but now I have it on my hard drive.

JFK Speech on Civil Rights - June, 1963

Less than six months before his assassination John F. Kennedy spoke to the nation on national TV on Civil Rights in the United States. It was one of the finest, most inspirational, speeches ever made in the history of the nation. I was privileged to watch this speech live on TV. He did not live to see it happen, but the Civil Rights legislation he urged was passed by his successor.

Giggles

Halftime at the Rose Bowl - 2011

In my opinion the most exciting, the most fun to watch and the hardest working college band in America is the University of Wisconsin Marching Band.

They are unlike any other band, with their unique marching style in which they high step, hitting the ground toe down at a 45 degree angle. This not only requires great strength and excellent condition to maintain but also is physically jarring. For the drummers it is even harder because they have to perform the step with legs spread outwards to avoid contact with their drums.

How they are able to produce a steady sound on their instruments with the jarring and the physical demands of their marching step amazes me. Oh, and in my opinion they also have the neatest uniforms.

This YouTube video was made of the halftime show at the 2011 Rose Bowl game in Pasadena, California. It was taken at ground level, so the formations they create can not be seen, but it provides a close up view of how very hard they work.

Georges Cziffra

Hungarian Georges Cziffra (1921-1994) was one of the finest pianists of the 20th Century. In this video Cziffra in preparation for a television appearance went to the TV studio to test the piano while technicians tested the lighting and camera angles for the telecast. He walks onto the set, removes his jacket, sits at the piano and puts on a fantastic improvisation. The aspect ratio of the video is off, but it does not affect the quality of Cziffra's performance.

Thus Sprach Zarathustra

This silly YouTube video of supposed terrible high school musicians playing the opening theme from the movie 2001 A Space Odyssey reminded me of my own high school's band.

No, they were not nearly so bad as this group, but that is not saying much. Having to sit in our seats at school assemblies while the band "entertained" us was quite an ordeal. I believe most of us would have preferred to take a test or write an essay.




Thinking of my school's band for the first time in over a half century, I checked them out in the yearbook from my senior year. I was surprised to discover that it was 100% male. They may not have been quality musicians but they did wear nice gold jackets and have shiny instruments!! 

"I'm My Own Grandpa"

This is one of the all-time classic humorous songs which explains how a person can become his own grandfather. It has been recorded many times since the 1940's. I remember hearing it when I was just 10 or 11 years old. This version is sung by Ray Stevens.



I believe these are the proper lyrics. The lyrics on the video are different, but only slightly:

Many, many years ago when I was just twenty-three,
I was married to a widow, she was pretty as could be.
This widow had a grown-up daughter who had hair of red
And my father fell in Love with her. Soon they too were wed.

This made my dad my son-in-law--changed my very life!
My daughter was my mother because she was my father's wife!
To complicate the matter even though it brought me joy,
I soon became the father of a bouncing baby boy.

My little baby he then became a brother-in-law to Dad.
Well, that made him my uncle--made me very sad!
Because if he was my uncle then he also was a brother
To the widow's grown-up daughter, who, of course, was my stepmother.

My father's wife then had a son who kept them on the run.
And, of course, he became my grandchild because he was my daughter's son.
My wife is now my mother's mother and this makes me blue
Because although she is my wife, she's my grandmother too!

Now if my wife is my grandmother, well, then I am her grandchild,
And every time that I think about this, it nearly drives me wild!
Because now I have become the strangest case that you ever saw
As husband of my grandmother, I'm my own grandpa!

I'm my own grandpa! I'm my own grandpa!
It sounds funny, I know, but it really is so!
Oh, I'm my own grandpa!

Barney Frank Confronts Questioner

This is one of my most favorite videos from YouTube. Congressman Barney Frank, Democrat from Massachusetts, is asked at a town meeting in August, 2009 why he supported President Obama's "Nazi" health care bill.

Giggles

Some giggles found on the Net:

Ice Storm

An epic ice storm hit my home town Rochester, New York in the winter of 1991. The storm felled trees, damaged property and downed utility lines, leaving hundreds of thousands without heat, electricity or phone service. It took weeks to restore order in the city.

The maker of this YouTube video I discovered recently drove around town the morning after the storm hit, holding a video camera in one hand, recording the oddly beautiful devastation.

I was particularly fascinated by this video because all the streets he drove on were very familiar to me. In 1991 I was fortunately living in Florida and the only ice I encountered was in the freezer department of my refrigerator.

Being Five

Being Five  http://beingfive.blogspot.com, one of my favorite web sites, is a cartoon blog about 5 year old Georgie who is quite computer literate and has his very own VLOG.  He has a very interesting outlook on life.

Market Street, San Francisco 2005

Here is a video made in 2005, duplicating the route of the 1906 film I put in yesterday's post.

The buildings are certainly much taller; the addition of trees is a nice touch; and traffic is definitely much less frantic.  But those street cars (or trolleys) make it look a bit like 1955 to me.

Market Street, San Francisco 1906

This fantastic film was made just four days before the great San Francisco Earthquake in 1906. Many of the buildings seen in the video were severely damaged.

The cameraman stood at the front window of a street car on Market Street and filmed the street car's progress to the end point where it turned around.  It appears there were no traffic rules or controls, making riding or walking on that street a scary proposition.

National Anthem

I don't much like our National Anthem. First, because it requires a range far outside the reach of the average person and is thus unsingable for most. Second, because it glorifies an incident in war - when those naughty Brits, not satisfied with having set our White House on fire, attempted unsuccessfully to capture Ft. McHenry and occupy Baltimore.

A bit of trivia - - Baltimore, Maryland is the only large city in the United States that has never flown a flag but the American Flag since the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

I really don't think playing the National Anthem prior to sporting events makes much sense. I can't see how baseball or football, or any other sport, has anything to do with patriotism. But, nobody ever consulted me on the subject.

Sometimes, though, this ritual can be quite moving - boosting one's pulse and setting the toes a-tingle. Yesterday, at the NFL divisional playoff game in Chicago between the Chicago Bears and the Seattle Seahawks was such an occasion.

First Post - The Why

I have lived alone for quite some time. I love it.  I like the freedom to do whatever, whenever - without having to be concerned about another person's wants or needs. Rather selfish, I know.  I also like  the absence of the stresses that naturally arise when one shares living space with another.

One thing I do miss, though, is the pleasure that one derives from shared experiences -- seeing a terrific movie, enjoying a great meal, watching a fantastic sunset, taking a walk on the beach, etc.  A solitary experience exists only in your mind, and thus, may as well never have happened at all as far as the rest of the Universe is concerned.

When I enjoy something I get the urge to share it with others.  But I don't often have others around.  Thus, the purpose of this Blog. I intend to use it as a vehicle to invite others to enjoy it too.  Whether anyone else actually does read my Blog and act on my offer is immaterial, although it would be grand if there were many.  Making the offer is what is important to me.

Here is my first invite:

Rowan Atkinson, known mainly for his Mr. Bean and Blackadder characters, is also great at stand-ups and comedy skits.  He is one of my favorite comedians. Here, from YouTube, is a video in which he portrays a school master at a British Boys School taking attendance and addressing his class.  Each time I watch it I end up with very sore abdominal muscles - I laugh so hard it hurts.