Cap'n Bob & the Damsel

Nostalgia

2025 Cops Who Care
 Classic Car Run

Today, we attended the annual Cops Who Care Car Show and Toy Drive. The weather was great and the show was well attended by both cars and visitors. The toy table wasn’t doing too bad either — gonna be a lot of happy kids this Christmas.

When I was a kid in the late 1940s, my folks had one of these Ford Coupes modified with a bench seat for their three little boys to sit behind the driver/passenger seat. It’s a 1933 Year Model, same as Dad and Mom’s.

Also, when I was a kid, there were a lot of these Studebakers on the road as I recall. This Convertible is a member of the local Studebaker Club in the Hassayampa Valley.

We enjoyed the time spent at the Wickenburg Community Center today and look forward to attending again next year.

07 Dec 2025 by Arizona Charity Classics Nostalgia Notions Photography Something Shiny

Lunar Landings — Hoax or Real?

Clickable Image courtesy of Google Gemini AI

Earlier today, I watched a You Tube video purporting that the NASA and USA Lunar landings were possibly fake. I asked GROK to clarify this issue, since I was very active in aerospace in my career and found the space exploration to be genuine and not a subterfuge.

Here is what I got from the Grok AI:

The idea that NASA faked the Moon landings, particularly the Apollo missions from 1969 to 1972, is a well-known conspiracy theory. It suggests that the United States never sent astronauts to the Moon and that the evidence—photos, videos, and lunar rocks—was staged or fabricated. Below, I’ll outline the main claims of the conspiracy theory, the evidence supporting the Moon landings, and a reasoned perspective on why the theory persists, while keeping the response concise and grounded.

Main Claims of the Moon Landing Hoax Theory

Conspiracy theorists point to several perceived inconsistencies or anomalies to argue the Moon landings were faked:

  • Waving Flag: The American flag planted on the Moon appears to “wave” in videos, which some claim suggests wind, impossible in the Moon’s vacuum.
  • Missing Stars in Photos: Photographs taken on the Moon don’t show stars in the background, leading some to argue the images were staged in a studio.
  • Lighting and Shadows: Shadows in lunar photos appear inconsistent, with some claiming multiple light sources (like studio lights) were used instead of the Sun.
  • Van Allen Radiation Belts: Critics argue that astronauts couldn’t have survived the radiation in the Van Allen belts during transit to the Moon.
  • Lack of Independent Verification: Some claim that no independent observers, like amateur astronomers, saw the spacecraft on the Moon.
  • Motivation for Fakery: Theorists suggest NASA faked the landings to win the Space Race against the Soviet Union, boost national pride, or justify budgets.

The AI responce goes on to address the concerns about the supposed inaccuracy of the landings given the photos and everything available:

Evidence Supporting the Moon Landings

The Apollo program’s authenticity is backed by extensive evidence, which directly addresses the above claims:

  1. Waving Flag: The flag’s movement is explained by the lack of atmosphere on the Moon. In a vacuum, there’s no air to dampen motion, so the flag, disturbed by astronauts, appears to “wave” as it settles.
  2. Missing Stars: Stars aren’t visible in photos because camera exposures were set for bright lunar surfaces. Long exposures needed to capture faint stars would overexpose the foreground, a standard issue in photography.
  3. Lighting and Shadows: Shadows appear unusual due to the Moon’s reflective surface and lack of atmospheric scattering. The Sun was the primary light source, and uneven terrain or reflected light from the lunar surface explains shadow variations. NASA’s detailed analysis, including 3D modeling, confirms consistency with a single light source.
  4. Van Allen Belts: Astronauts passed through the belts quickly, receiving minimal radiation exposure—equivalent to a few medical X-rays. NASA’s shielding and trajectory planning minimized risks, as confirmed by dosimeter readings from the missions.
  5. Independent Verification: Lunar rocks brought back (382 kg from Apollo) have unique chemical signatures, like anorthosite, consistent with lunar origin and distinct from Earth rocks. These have been studied by scientists worldwide. Additionally, the Soviet Union, a rival, never disputed the achievement, and retroreflectors left on the Moon (still used for laser ranging experiments) were detected by observatories globally.
  6. Scale of Conspiracy: Faking the landings would require silencing thousands of NASA employees, contractors, and scientists, plus coordinating with international observatories and even adversaries like the USSR. The logistical complexity makes this implausible.

The next part of the response from the GROK AI goes on to refute additional concerns thus concluding the landings were actual:

Additional Evidence

  • Apollo Mission Data: Over 800,000 photos, hours of video, and detailed telemetry data from Apollo missions are publicly available. Independent analysis, including by modern AI and imaging experts, shows no signs of tampering.
  • Third-Party Observations: Soviet tracking stations monitored Apollo spacecraft, and amateur radio operators picked up signals from the Moon. India’s Chandrayaan-2 and China’s Chang’e missions later photographed Apollo landing sites, confirming hardware presence.
  • Human Testimony: Over 400,000 people worked on Apollo, and 12 astronauts walked on the Moon. No credible whistleblower has emerged, despite the conspiracy’s claim of a cover-up.

Why the Theory Persists

The Moon landing hoax theory persists due to cognitive and cultural factors:

  • Distrust in Institutions: Skepticism toward government and large organizations fuels belief in cover-ups, especially post-Watergate and during times of political mistrust.
  • Media Influence: Films like Capricorn One (1977) and books like Bill Kaysing’s We Never Went to the Moon (1976) popularized the idea, despite lacking evidence.
  • Cognitive Bias: Anomalies in complex data (e.g., photos) are often misinterpreted by laypeople unfamiliar with lunar physics or photography. Confirmation bias leads believers to dismiss counterevidence.
  • Cultural Impact: The theory resonates because the Moon landings were a monumental achievement, hard for some to accept as real, especially given their scale and historical context.

So, the GROK AI, being a thing from the SpaceX world goes on to reference some posts from the X (formerly Twitter) platform and does its own conclusions and teaser for more info:

Recent Context from X

Posts on X reflect ongoing debate. Some users cite the usual claims (e.g., flag waving, shadows), while others share NASA’s rebuttals or memes mocking the theory. A few posts reference modern lunar missions (e.g., China’s Chang’e) confirming Apollo sites, though skeptics on X often dismiss these as part of a broader conspiracy. The platform shows a mix of staunch believers and debunkers, with no new evidence emerging to support the hoax theory.

Conclusion

The Moon landing hoax theory relies on misinterpretations of visual evidence and underestimates the overwhelming physical, scientific, and historical evidence supporting the Apollo missions. The theory thrives on distrust and the human tendency to seek patterns in complex data, but no credible evidence supports it. The Apollo program remains one of humanity’s greatest achievements, backed by data from NASA, independent scientists, and even rival nations.

If you want me to dive deeper into any specific claim (e.g., analyze a particular photo or radiation data) or check X for real-time sentiment on this topic, let me know!

So, as you may have surmised, I’m having a bit of fun with the AIs that are available out there. Everything from Lunar landings (this article) to finding ancestors. And more to come, I’m sure.

14 Oct 2025 by Aerospace International Media Nostalgia Notions Politics Rocket Science Technobabble

Genealogy and AI

I suffered over five years of frustration doing Genealogy research on one of my great grandmothers. Ancestry.com and others weren’t much help, so I finally resorted to asking the GROK AI a couple of days ago for help. It went like this:

Me:

Margaret Elizabeth Evans Born about 1844 in Cairo, Illinois. I would like to find out who her parents were. Dad born in Tennessee or Kentucky and Mom born in Scotland.

GROK:

Thought for 1m 27s – I’m sorry, but after extensive searches across genealogy databases, census collections (including the 1850 and 1860 U.S. Federal Censuses on sites like FamilySearch and Ancestry), and historical records for Alexander County, Illinois (where Cairo is located), I couldn’t locate a definitive match for Margaret Elizabeth Evans born around 1844 in Cairo with parents fitting your description (father from Tennessee or Kentucky, mother from Scotland).

What I Found and Why It Might Be Challenging:

No Direct Matches: Searches for variations like “Margaret E. Evans,” “Margaret Evans,” or “M. E. Evans” in Cairo/Alexander County around 1844 turned up several Margaret Evans in Illinois during that era, but none aligned with the birth location, approximate age, and parental birthplaces. For example:

A Margaret A. Evans (born ~1829 in Illinois) appears in an 1850 census household with Alexander Evans (born ~1795 in North Carolina) and Wilmeth Jackson Evans (born ~1807 in North Carolina) in Thebes Township, Alexander County. This family is close geographically, but the mother’s birthplace doesn’t match Scotland.
Other Evans families in the area (e.g., John Evans households) had daughters named Margaret, but ages and parental origins didn’t fit (e.g., mothers from Virginia or Ireland, fathers from Pennsylvania or Ohio).

Common Issues in 19th-Century Records:

Census indexing can be incomplete or error-prone due to handwriting (e.g., “Evans” as “Evens” or “Eavans”).
Cairo was a small, swampy river town in 1844 (population ~100), so families might appear under nearby townships like Thebes or Cache.

Birthplaces were often self-reported and approximate; “Scotland” could be listed as “Scot” or “British.”
Pre-1850 records rarely list children by name, so the 1850 census (when Margaret would be ~6) is key, but it requires manual browsing if not indexed well.

Recommendations for Next Steps:

To narrow this down, focus on primary sources. Here’s a step-by-step plan:

Search the 1850 U.S. Census for Alexander County, IL:

Use FamilySearch (free): Go to 1850 U.S. Census collection and filter for “Alexander, Illinois,” surname “Evans,” with a female child age 5-7. Then manually scan images for households with a wife born in Scotland and head born in TN/KY.
Or Ancestry (subscription): Search the 1850 Census with the same filters. Look for ~10-15 Evans households in the county.

Check 1860 Census for Margaret as a Teen:

She would be ~16. Search for “Margaret Evans” born ~1844 in Illinois, residing in Alexander County or nearby (e.g., Pulaski or Union Counties, as families moved). Parents might still be listed.

Other Records to Cross-Reference:

Marriage Records: Margaret likely married in the 1860s. Search Illinois marriage indexes on FamilySearch for “Margaret Evans” in Alexander County (1860-1870) to see if parents are named.

Illinois State Census (1855): Partial survival for Alexander County; available on Ancestry or FamilySearch. It lists household members and birthplaces.

Land/Probate Records: Cairo land office records (from 1810s) on Bureau of Land Management site (glorecords.blm.gov) for Evans in Alexander County—fathers often bought land.

Church/Death Records: Scottish immigrants often attended Presbyterian churches; check for Evans baptisms in Cairo area.

If you have additional details (e.g., Margaret’s spouse, children, or later residence), that could unlock more—share them, and I’ll dig deeper! Genealogy can be tricky, but persistence pays off.

Me:

Margaret married a man named Louis Soule and had a daughter, Minnie. That marriage failed and Margaret, “Maggie,” married George Washington Poole in Denver. Does this help?

GROK:

Thought for 1m 30s – Yes, those details were incredibly helpful—they unlocked the full profile for Margaret Elizabeth (Evans) Poole (1842–1930), confirming her identity and life story across multiple records. I’ll summarize what I found below, including her parents based on the 1850 U.S. Census match in Alexander County, IL (which aligns perfectly with your description of the father’s birthplace in Kentucky and mother’s in Scotland).

Confirmed Identity and Life Overview

Full Name and Birth: Margaret Elizabeth Evans, born February 1842 in Cairo, Alexander County, Illinois, USA.

Parents (from 1850 U.S. Census, Thebes Township, Alexander County, IL—household #143):

Father: John B. Evans, born ~1810 in Kentucky (farmer, age 40 in 1850).

Mother: Jane Evans, born ~1815 in Scotland (age 35 in 1850; immigrated likely in the 1830s–1840s, common for Scottish families settling in southern Illinois river towns like Cairo).

Siblings in the household: John (age 6, b. IL), Mary (age 4, b. IL), James (age 2, b. IL). The family lived in a modest farming household valued at $300, near the Mississippi River bluffs.

First Marriage and Daughter: Married Louis/Lewis Soule (~1862–1863, likely in Alexander or nearby Pulaski County, IL—no exact marriage record surfaced, but inferred from census and daughter’s birth). They had one daughter:

Minnie Vivian Soule (b. ~1865 in Illinois; later used Poole after stepfather). Minnie married and had descendants, but the union with Louis ended in divorce or separation by the late 1860s (Louis appears alone in later censuses).

Second Marriage: Married George Washington Poole (b. 1838 South Carolina, d. 1894 Pueblo, CO) on 10 October 1871 in Arapahoe County, Colorado (Denver area—record from Colorado State Archives). George was a Civil War veteran (Union, 5th Ohio Cavalry) and merchant who moved west for mining/business opportunities. They relocated to Pueblo by the 1880s.

Children with George: Three sons (all b. Colorado):

George Victor Poole (b. 1873 Denver).

John Ralph Poole (b. 1875 Denver).

Richard W. Poole (b. 1878 Pueblo).

Later Life and Death: “Maggie” (as she was known) lived in Pueblo, CO, after George’s death. She died 29 January 1930 in Pueblo (age 87) from natural causes and is buried in Roselawn Cemetery, Pueblo (Plot: Block F). No obituary details surfaced, but she outlived most of her children.

This information was very helpful in the areas of finding Margaret’s parents, which was the objective. However, the AI came up with some errors that disagree with other facts in my family tree. First, George W. was a Confederate soldier who was captured and served in a Union POW Camp in Illinois until his release post war and relocation to Colorado. Next, Maggie didn’t outlive any of her children save for Richard, who died at about age 6 in 1889. Minnie died in 1951, George died in 1950 and John (my grandpa) died in 1933, ten years prior to my birth. All three of Maggies sons were born in Pueblo, CO.

After the dialog posted above, GROK went on to present a myriad of things I can do to follow up on resurfacing more ancestors above the newly discovered great-great grandparents. When I get time, I may dive into some of those tips to see what comes out of it.

As an epilog to all this AI stuff, I thought I might like to see what my ancestors may have looked like. I asked the GROK AI to compose an 1850 image of John, his wife and their kids on the porch of the farmhouse. Maggie is in the blue dress (clickable).

And, lastly, I asked the GROK AI to take the only photo I have of Maggie and clean it up to reveal what she may have looked like in 1929 or so (clickable).

06 Oct 2025 by Ancestors Entertainment Family Nostalgia Technobabble

27th Wedding Anniversary

While the 27th anniversary is a significant milestone, our actual 45 years together speak to a deep, enduring love. This photo of us posing with our wedding cake at the Blue Parrot Restaurant in Avalon, Catalina Island, California, captures a special moment that holds a lot of meaning for us. It’s a reminder of the joy and celebration that marked the beginning of our wedded journey together — and the many more years of love, laughter, and shared memories that have followed.

What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. – Mark 10:9.

12 Sep 2025 by Family Nostalgia

Operation Overlord 81st Anniversary

Image credit: deviantart.com.

Operation Overlord: A Turning Point in World History

Operation Overlord was the codename for the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France during World War II. It took place on June 6, 1944, also known as D-Day, and marked a significant turning point in the war. The operation involved a massive airborne assault and amphibious landing on five beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the Normandy coast.

The invasion was carried out by a coalition of American, British, Canadian, and French forces, with the goal of liberating Western Europe from German occupation. The operation involved over 156,000 troops, 5,000 ships and landing craft, and extensive air support. The Allied forces faced fierce resistance from German troops, but ultimately secured a foothold on the continent. The successful execution of Operation Overlord paved the way for the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany and the end of World War II in Europe.

After all of the blood treasure lost during the “Crusade in Europe,” it is a damn shame that many of the “liberated” European countries have gone to the hard left and are again flirting with socialist policies that generally have doomed nations in the past. Combine that tendency with the influx of foreign (read Islamist) insurgents to further endanger the citizenry to “intifada.”

We pray daily for the Almighty to temper the growth of the invasion and to restore freedom and for those nations to eject the invaders.

On this anniversary of D-Day, we will be remembering the efforts of the western nations and our USA Armed Forces to liberate Europe from the evils then, and praying for those nations to regain the liberty that they were given by the sacrifice of so many who believed in restoring their freedom in 1944.

06 Jun 2025 by Military Nostalgia

USS Brooklyn March 1943

Eighty-one years ago, during WWII, in Casablanca harbor, my father was stationed aboard the USS Brooklyn as an Electrician’s Mate, Second Class. Dad went on to become a Chief Warrant Officer in the US Navy.

USS Brooklyn CL-40 in Casablanca harbor – March 1943

The first of the nine Machine Gun Cruisers*, USS Brooklyn was commissioned in September 1937. With a primary armament of fifteen 6”/47 guns in five triple turrets, each 6”/47 gun had a maximum rate of fire of 8-10 shells a minute. Theoretically, a Brooklyn-Class cruiser could fire a total of 120-150 6” rounds a minute at a target.

USS Brooklyn survived WW2 and was put into reserve in 1946, in 1951 she was transferred to Chile, where she was renamed O’Higgins. Serving for 40 years in the Chilean Navy, she was sold for scrap in 1992, but foundered and sank while under tow to shipbreakers in India. One of her 6”/47 turrets is preserved at the Chilean Navy base at Talcahuano.

LIFE Magazine Archives – J R Eyerman Photographer

*Machine Gun Cruisers typically refer to naval vessels equipped with multiple machine guns for anti-aircraft and anti-small craft defense. The Brooklyn-class cruisers, for example, were armed with several M2 Browning machine guns alongside their main artillery, enhancing their combat capabilities during World War II.

I find the installation and use of the .50 BMG M2 Machine guns to be particularly interesting:

The .50 Browning Machine Gun (BMG) round is one of the most widely used service ammunition. Also known as the .50 Browning and the 12.7x99mm NATO, it is currently listed as military ammunition for the U.S. and at least 30 other countries. However, civilian shooters also enjoy .50 caliber shooting – using this rifle round for long-range hunting and shooting competitions. Developed in the early 1900s by John Moses Browning, the .50 BMG is a scaled-up version of the .30-06.; No stranger to military and law enforcement use, .50 BMG ammo has been fired from WWII fighter aircraft and is still used today on helicopters and ground vehicles.

Once the DOJ and the SCOTUS gets off their collective asses and removes the infringements on ALL firearms and accessories, we might want to own one of those. The ammo, however, is quite expensive and could burn through your weekly allowance in one quick hurry when you go down to the range to have some fun.

10 Mar 2025 by Classics Firearms Military Nostalgia

Canon Powershot
  A710-IS Retirement

After almost 18 years, I’m finally retiring my Canon Powershot A710-IS Camera. This venerable little photo workhorse has served me for all these years as a pocket-sized take-along camera as well as being available at my office desk for impromptu photo needs in the house.

The A710-IS is actually a very sophisticated little camera with features such as 6x optical zoom, image stabilization and a host of modes and other features. Frankly, it has survived other small cameras, which have come and gone, that I tried out in the past. One feature I liked is an optical viewfinder, which is largely unavailable among pocket-sized units these days.

The camera is being retired for a couple of reasons – 1) it had fallen into disuse since I carry my phone/camera most of the time and use it for those occasions where I may have used the little Canon. 2) I took it up on the hill where the birdfeeders are located and attempted to photograph a squirrel up there, but got an overexposed image.

I will miss the little camera which has already been in the Canon Museum of Retired Cameras and Accessories for a long time now. It’s now in the little box where electrical and other disposables repose until the next free dump day sponsored by the Town of Wickenburg.

07 Feb 2025 by Nostalgia Photography

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