Cap'n Bob & the Damsel

Culture

Big House in the Sun

“Casa Grande” is the Hohokam Native American ruins located near Coolidge, Arizona. The Hohokams had an interesting civilization. They farmed and irrigated crops using complex engineering skills. The four walls of this house are aligned with the four points of the compass. There is a feature where holes in the walls projected light onto a particular place on the wall to indicate equinoxes and solstices. Sort of like Stonehenge, I suppose. After our visit we headed to the Arizona High country. More on that tomorrow.

19 Jul 2006 by Culture Photography Travel

Interpretive Center

Yesterday, we went to the newly-renovated Point Vicente Interpretive Center. Located at the southwestern tip of the Palos Verdes peninsula, the center’s main focus is on marine wildlife including whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, sea lions and waterfowl. They also have an exhibit dedicated to the US Coast Guard. We enjoyed our visit, especially the 20 minute video about whales and other sea life.

I snapped this picture of a raven swooping over the cliffs by the whale watching area.

RPV marine facility is set to reopen

The Point Vicente Interpretive Center, featuring new decor and exhibits on whales, sharks and dolphins, admits visitors Saturday for the first time in seven years.

The Point Vicente Interpretive Center in Rancho Palos Verdes has always been known as a good place to see whales. But the newly expanded center, which opens Saturday after seven years of work, takes things to a whole new level.

There are stone whales embedded in the ground, fiberglass whales hanging from the ceiling and painted whales on the walls. “It’s breathtaking,” said manager Holly Starr, who joined the center shortly before it closed in 1999.

[more]

17 Jul 2006 by California Culture Environment Photography

Without Them

We might not even have an Independence Day to celebrate!

Without the brave men and women of the Army, battles being fought abroad might be fought on our own soil.

Without the months that sailors in the Navy spend away from their homes and families defending the seas and supporting the other branches we might not celebrate our freedom.

Without the bravery, dedication and intensity of the U. S. Marines, we might live under the evil influence of foreign masters.

Without the fine men and women of the U. S. Air Force watching and defending the skies of the Earth, we might face threats from over the horizon.

Thanks to the Coast Guard, our coasts and waterways are protected from incursions by evil forces seen worldwide.

God bless all the men and women in the Armed Forces! They prove continuously that these colors don’t run!

04 Jul 2006 by Culture Military Patriotism

Monkey Business

Just think about this when you decide whether or not to have that one last beer before driving home from the 4th of July picnic this year . . .

From University of Washington News:

‘Ape-earances’ can be deceiving for many under the influence of alcohol

It’s pretty difficult to overlook the proverbial 800-pound gorilla, or even an average-size person dressed in a gorilla suit.

But a new study indicates that people who were given a simple visual task while mildly intoxicated were twice as likely to have missed seeing the person in a gorilla suit than were people who were not under the influence of alcohol.

The study, appearing in the current issue of the Journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology, is the first to show visual errors caused by “inattentional blindness” are more likely to occur under the influence of alcohol. This phenomenon occurs when important, but unexpected, objects appear in the visual field but are not detected when people are focused on another task, according to Seema Clifasefi, a postdoctoral psychology researcher at the University of Washington.

[more]

UPDATE: Damsel tells me that she read that drivers using Cell Phones are also subject to “inattentional blindness” just the same as drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

02 Jul 2006 by Culture Science

Freedom Weekend Flowers

Celebrating Freedom Weekend and the 4th of July, we have a nice arrangement of red, white and blue flowers in the living room. I hope you enjoy this photo of our patriotic bouquet.

Update: I’m so proud that none other than Lorie Byrd liked this picture too! Thanks Lorie! Happy 4th of July!

p.s. Lorie also posted this on Wizbang!

01 Jul 2006 by Culture Patriotism Photography

Guns ‘n’ Gazers

Well, yesterday we pampered the dogs so it seemed fair to do something for ourselves today. Now, Damsel likes girly stuff, so I usually get her some nice flowers for the house every week. She is particularly fond of Asian Stargazer Lilies, so they show up often. She also likes her new SW686 revolver, so we went to the indoor range and squeezed off a few rounds. That’s my Damsel — Guns ‘n’ Gazers!

25 Jun 2006 by Culture Firearms Photography

This Day Just Went to the Dogs

Got up early, took the dogs to get baths and inoculations, came home, swept up all the dog hair (they shed a lot in the summer), fixed the broken floor in the doghouse, went after the dogs and then home to fix our Saturday Dinner. Busy, busy, busy. At least the pups don’t look like they have leprosy from shedding anymore.

24 Jun 2006 by Culture Photography

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