2017 -- December 31, 2017

www.listal.com

I wish everyone a happy and peaceful New Year. For this year's summary, I decided to add a photo for each month.

In January, during the heavy rains, northbound Highway One through Pacifica was closed by a mudslide.   Muni received its first of its new Siemens S200 light rail vehicles.  The Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus announced that they were going out of business.  We observed the 100th birthay of Muhammad Ali.  We observed the 100th anniversary of the death of Colonel William F Cody, Buffalo Bill.  We observed the 50th anniversary of the  Human Be-In and the fire that destroyed Apollo One and killed its crew.  Former San Francisco City Librarian and California State Librarian Kevin Starr and Astronaut Gene Cernan died.

An unqualified and unwholesome person became our President.

The Navy had two serious collisions involving destroyers. In June, 7 died on the USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62). In August, 10 died on the USS John S. McCain (DDG-56).

Chicago Day Book, 03-February-1917

In February, I wrote about a book which detailed the first day of the Battle of the Somme.  We marked the 100th anniversary of the US breaking relations with Germany because of the resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare and the recording of the first jazz record.  Singer Al Jarreau and Professor Irwin Corey, the World's Foremost Authority, died.  We marked the 75th anniversary of President Roosevelt signing Executive Order 9066, which allowed for the internment of Japanese-Americans.

www.listal.com

In March, I started a new series on the circus, inspired by the imminent demise of the Ringling Brothers Circus.  We observed the 150th birthdays of impresario Flo Ziegfeld, Cy Young, who was both the winningest and losingest pitcher and American inventor Samuel Franklin Cody, who built the first successful airplane in Great Britain.  We observed the 100th birthday of Rufus Thomas, the World's Oldest Teenager.  We observed the 100th anniversary of the death of Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, the inventor of the Zeppelin. Blues harpist James Cotton and rock'n'roll master Chuck Berry died.

Washington Herald, 03-April-1917

In April, I made the last entry in the series Killed the First Day of the Somme.  I started a new series of photos of art exhibits dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love.  We observed the 100th anniversary of the US declaring war on Germany and the start of the Battle of Arras.  We marked the 100th anniversary of the death of great American composer Scott Joplin.  We observed the 150th birthday of inventor Wilbur Wright.  We observed the 100th birthday of the First Lady of Song, Ella Fitzgerald.

Many cities in the US began to take down monuments dedicated to Civil War traitors.  New Orleans removed three in April.  Naturally, there have been objections from racists in various cities.

In May, Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus. the Greatest Show on Earth, gave its final performance. I resumed a series of old baseball photos.  We marked the 100th anniversary of the first appearance of Our Lady to the children in Fatima and the 75th anniversary of the surrender of Corregidor.  We marked the 100th birthday of President John F Kennedy.  Musician Greg Allman and writer Denis Johnson died.  We went to see the Giants beat the Braves 7-1.

Archdiocese of San Francisco

In June, this blog celebrated its tenth anniversary.  We observed 100th anniversary of  a large German daylight bombing raid on London and the death of pioneer aviator Tom Benoist and the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Midway.  We observed the 150th birthday of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the 100th birthday of actor and singer Dean Martin and the 50th anniversary of the Monterey Pop Festival.  Oceanographers confirmed the discovery of the wreck of the Coast Guard Cutter McCulloch, which sank 100 years that month after colliding with a coastwise liner.  John R Quinn, Archbishop Emeritus of San Francisco and comedian Bill Dana died. 

The Golden State Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-1 in the NBA championship series. This was the Warriors' third straight time in the championship series against Cleveland and their second win.

In July, I published the last installment of the book Over the Top by Arthur Guy Empey.  Canada celebrated the 150th anniversary of confederation.  Byron Cobb won his seventh title at the Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest. We marked the 100th anniversary of the murder of the Russian Imperial Family.  Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel died. I tried to avoid mentioning our so-called president until he disgraced himself and the Boy Scouts of America.

In early August, we took our vacation, but we stayed at home and made day trips.  We went to Sonoma, Fisherman's Wharf and Sacramento.

In August, we saw the first nationwide solar eclipse since 1979.  SMART (Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit) had its formal opening.  I haven't ridden it yet. 

Racists had a march and rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.  Our so-called president disgraced himself again.  Some people feel that images of Lady Liberty are insulting to our so-called president, so I started a new series. Later in the month, White supremacists/Nazis/klansmen/degenerates planned a rally at Crissy Field.  They got frightened off.

I went to Good Shepherd School in Pacifica and talked to Junior High kids about the topic of the current DAR essay contest, inspired by the upcoming centennial of Armistice Day: if you were living at the end of the war, what effect would it have on your life?  I restarted my series about New Orleans with a post about pianist and composer Blind Tom. 

I reran my post from ten years ago when Barry Bonds hit his 756th home run, breaking Hank Aaron's record. We marked the 75th anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of Guadalcanal.  We celebrated what may have been the 100th birthday of bluesman John Lee Hooker.  Musician Glen Campbell and civil rights advocate Godfrey Cambridge died. 

At the end of August and the beginning of September we had an unusual heat wave.In Houston, Hurricane, later Tropical Storm, Harvey flooded large portions of the city and killed many people. 

In September, the California Street cable line was shut down for a week while part of the driving machinery was replaced.  We marked the 100th anniversary of the disappearance of French flier Georges Guynemer and the death of German pilot Werner Voss.  Matt Cain pitched his last game for the Giants and retired.  Singer Rick Stevens of Tower of Power and boxer Jake Lamotta died. 

Our so-called president cruelly announced the end of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), harming the economy and the lives of thousands of people who have lived in the US almost their entire lives.  Hurricane Maria severely hurt Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.  Actively hating people of color, our so-called president did as little as possible.

In October, huge fires in Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino Counties killed many people and caused huge amounts of damage, particularly in Santa Rosa.  Smoke was heavy in the air, even in San Francisco and Pacifica.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller arrested three of our so-called president's minions, starting the process that may bring down the whole treasonous criminal organization. 

I revived the series about magic.  We observed the 100th birthdays of beautiful human being Dizzy Gillespie and great American composer Thelonious Monk.  Musicians Fats Domino and Tom Petty died.

Our pastor said that our parish might have to combine with the other one in Pacifica. 

In November, the Dodgers lost the World Series.  We went to the second performance of Girls of the Golden West, a new opera by John Adams.  President Robert Mugabe finally got deposed in Zimbabwe.

We remembered the 100th anniversary of the October Revolution.  We marked the 50th anniversary of Rolling Stone magazine.

Della Reese and Jon Hendricks died.

In December, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee died.  Big wildfires burned in Ventura County. The first scheduled Amtrak train over the Point Defiance Bypass derailed.  At least three people died, including two railfans. E Hunter Harrison, the railroad executive mired in attempts to streamline CSX died.

We remembered the 125th anniversary of the death of Jay Gould.  We remembered the 100th anniversary of the Halifax explosion and the death of actor Eric Campbell.  We marked the 50th anniversary of the release of Magical Mystery Tour and the 50th anniversary of the death of Otis Redding.

Singer Keely Smith died.

Actress Rose Marie died.

Author Sue Grafton died.

In the later part of the year, sexual assault and harassment became an important item in many areas, including politics, news and entertainment.  It's about time. The Republicans nominated an accused child molester for an open Senate seat in Alabama.  The Democrat won, but many people supported the accused child molester.

The Giants did poorly this year, but I was happy to see the Astros defeat the Dodgers in the World Series.   In December, the Giants signed third baseman Evan Longoria.

Actress Marion Byron was often called "Peanut" because of her towering height.  She was Buster Keaton's co-star in Steamboat Bill, Jr and appeared in many silent Hal Roach productions.