Monday, December 31, 2018

2018 Summary -- December 31, 2018

www.listal.com
We spent the year learning more and more about the misfeasances, malfeasances and nonfeasances of our so-called President and his corrupt cronies. In May, they announced a zero-tolerance immigration policy, which involved arresting anyone who crossed the border without authorization, taking their children away and locking the children up in cages in concentration camps.  By June, there were huge demonstrations against this government child abuse.  Even though a judge ordered that families be reunified, the haphazard methods used by ICE left many children stuck in concentration camps.


In January, I wrote about the 100th anniversary of President Woodrow Wilson stating his Fourteen Points, a peace proposal. I wrote about the 50th anniversary of the recording of Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison.

I wrote about the 200th birthday of Norton I, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico.  I wrote about the 100th birthday of slide guitarist Elmore James.  I wrote about the 75th birthday of singer Janis Joplin.

In January, Astronaut John Young died, but I did not write about him. Gospel singer Edwin Hawkins died.  Trumpeter and anti-apartheid activist Hugh Masakela died.  Cartoonist Mort Walker died.

mutoscope.listal.com
In February, another school shooting in Florida drove the survivors to fight against the NRA and the craven politicians who kowtow to them.  I like these kids.

In February I wrote about the 50th anniversary of the debut of Penn Central.  I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the death of heavyweight champ John L Sullivan.  I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the opening of San Francisco's Twin Peaks Tunnel.  I wrote about the 100th anniversary of Lieutenant Stephen W Thompson (no relation) scoring the first aerial victory by a member of the US armed forces. I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the Lafayette Escadrille disbanding and its members joining the US Army Air Service.

I wrote about the 150th birthday of scholar and activist WEB DuBois.  I wrote about the 75th birthday of Beatle George Harrison.

Billy Graham died in February; I didn't write about him.

In honor of the beginning of the Lunar New Year, the Year of the Dog, I posted an image of Strongheart. On the day of the Chinese New Year parade, I posted an image of Rin-Tin-Tin.

facebook.com/OccupyDemocrats
In March, kids led the March for Our Lives, calling for gun control.

In March, we observed the 100th anniversary of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, which allowed Russia to make a  separate peace with Germany. We observed the 100th anniversary of the start of the German Spring Offensive, Operation Michael.

I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the death of magician Chung Ling Soo, who was mortally wounded onstage performing the Bullet Catch.

I wrote about the 50th anniversary of the death of Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space.

I wrote about the 150th birthdays of writer Booth Tarkington and historian Henry Adams.  I wrote about the 125th birthdays of poet Wilfrid Owen and writer Wanda Gág.  I wrote about the 100th birthdays of writer Mickey Spillane and singer Pearl Bailey.  I wrote about the 75th birthdays of Sly Stone and George Benson.

Stephen Hawking died.


Easter Sunday fell on April 1.  In April, the Giants celebrated the 60th anniversary of their first game in San Francisco. I wrote about a Facebook challenge for which I listed my ten favorite record albums.  We marked the 100th anniversary of Paul Baer becoming the first person to become an ace while flying for the US military, and the 100th anniversary of Eddie Rickenbacker scoring his first victory.  We celebrated International Jazz Day.

In April, we marked the 50th anniversary of the murder of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. We marked the 100th anniversary of the death of the Red Baron, Manfred von Richtofen.

In April, Cecil Taylor, Bob Dorough and Harry Anderson died.  Former First Lady Barbara Bush and former San Francisco Supervisor Doris Ward died, but I did not write about them.


In May, we celebrated the 125th anniversary of the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.  I posted an interesting article about "How to Pronounce War Words."  We marked the 100th anniversary of René Fonck shooting down six German planes in one day.  We marked the 100th anniversary of the first scheduled airmail service flown by the United States Postal Service.  We marked the 100th birthday of the death of fighter pilot Raoul Lufbery. We marked the 100th birthday of George Welch, one the two Army aviators who was able to get his fighter plane into the air during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. 

I wrote about the 300th birthday of New Orleans. I posted a photo of California Poppies in bloom.

I made a variation in my Coulter series, posting his obituary from 1936.

Authors Tom Wolfe and Phillip Roth died.


In June I wrote about child abuse by ICE agents and our government.  I wrote about the new aerial tram at the Transbay Transit Center.

In June, I wrote about the 125th anniversary of the collision of two Italian battleships, the Victoria and the Camperdown.  I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the death of Australian ace Roderic Stanley Dallas. I wrote about the 50th anniversary of the death of Robert Kennedy.  I wrote about the 100th anniversary of American Douglas Campbell becoming an ace.  I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the death of Italian ace Francesco Baracca.

We noted the 125th birthday of author Dorothy L Sayers. We noted the 125th anniversary of the death of Leland Stanford.

In June, Red Schoendienst of the Cardinals died, but I didn't write about him. I wrote about the death of author Harlan Ellison.

I wrote about a blog challenge that I did on my other blog.

New York Tribune, 20-July-1918
In July I wrote about a train ride at Ardenwood Farm.  I wrote about the Twin Peaks tunnel being closed for refurbishment.

In July, I got tired of writing about young aviators who got killed, so I wrote about one who survived, William Thaw II.  I wrote about the death of British ace William McCudden.  I wrote about the death of Quentin Roosevelt in a dogfight.  I wrote about the death of ace Mick Mannock.  I wrote about the death of Austro-Hungarian ace Frank Linke-Crawford.

For my monthly Coulter item, I posted an image of the HMS Formidable.  Coulter subject usually centered around San Francisco Bay or the coast of California.

I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the sinking of RMS Carpathia.  I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the USS San Diego.

I wrote about Nelson Mandela's 100th birthday.

I was finally driven to write something about our so-called president when he openly committed treason in Helsinki.

San Francisco Call, 08-December-1912
In August, I wrote about the continued disgraceful performance of our so-called president.

I wrote about how actor Actor James O'Neill, father of playwright Eugene O'Neill, spent a significant portion of his career playing Edmond Dantes, The Count of Monte Cristo.

I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Ambos Nogales.

I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the  last German Zeppelin raid on Britain.  I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the day that French ace René Fonck shot down three airplanes in less than a minute. I wrote about the 100th anniversaries of the deaths of balloon busters Louis Bennett and x.

We celebrated the the 175th birthday of Firebelle Lil, Lillie Hitchcock Coit, 150th birthday of Zeppelin skipper Dr Hugo Eckener, the 125th birthday of writer Dorothy Parker, the 100th birthdays of vocalese master Eddie Jefferson and composer Leonard Bernstein and the 75th birthday of boxer Ken Norton.  . On the same day, we observed the 150th birthday of Huey Long, the Kingfish, the 100th birthday of Ted Williams, and the 75th anniversary of artist R Crumb. 

The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin died.  Senator John McCain died.  Author VS Naipaul died.

Arizona Republican, 12-December-1918
In September and October we went through a hellish process which wound up installing a deeply unworthy person on the Supreme Court.  He and his buddies reminded me of the people who used to pick on me in school.

I used to avoid using this blog to promote my website about cable cars, but in September I decided to start posting a monthly notice of updates to the website.  I have been posting it for many years on a Yahoo email group, but membership in the group is shrinking away.

In September, I wrote about the annual Railroad Fair at Ardenwood Farm in Fremont.  The National Museum of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro was almost completely destroyed by a fire. I talked to junior high kids about the campaign for Women's Suffrage.

I posted a newspaper report about the great feat of Private Henry Johnson.

We celebrated the 125th birthdays of Claire Chennault and Blind Lemon Jefferson and the 75th birthday of Maria Muldaur.

I wrote about the death of Marty Balin.

I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the deaths of aviators Maurice Boyau and Frank Luke.

Daily Alta California, 22-October-1868
In October, in one awful week, we had three terrible developments.  A man tried to attack a black church so he could shoot people.  He couldn't get in, so he shot two black people at a grocery store.  The MAGA Bomber, a domestic terrorist, sent mail bombs to many people who have been demonized by our so-called president, including Hillary and Bill Clinton and the Obamas.  Then a man attacked a synagogue on Shabbat, killing at least 11 people.

I was happy to see the Dodgers lose the World Series. We visited the Museum of Ice Cream.

100 years ago, World War One was rushing to a climax.  On the same day, we marked the 100th anniversary of Alvin C York's remarkable feat and the relief of the Lost Battalion.  We also marked the 100th anniversaries of the death of pioneering fighter pilot Roland Garros and of former Major Leaguer Eddie Grant.  We observed the 100th anniversary of the Gillespie Shell Loading Plant.

We marked the 150th anniversary of the Hayward Earthquake of 1868.  We marked the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Princess Sophia.

In October, Giants' great Willie McCovey died.  Giants' announcer Hank Greenwald also died. French singer, songwriter and activist Charles Aznavour and trumpeter and band leader Jerry González both died on the same day.

I did a bunch of "Halloween is coming" posts.


In November, a huge fire destroyed the town of Paradise. Heavy smoke hung in the Bay Area for ten days. At the end of the month, it began to rain.  There was a major earthquake in Alaska.

I revived the ragtime series.

The Democrats make a good showing the mid-term elections, winning back the House and doing well in the states.

Our ICE goons shot tear gas at small children and women who tried to cross the border from Mexico.

We marked the 100th anniversary of the death of poet Wilfrid Owen.  

We observed the 100th birthdays of Bob Feller and Madeline L'Engle and the 75th birthday of Joni Mitchell.  

In November, Stan Lee and Ricky Jay died.  President George Bush died.  

San Francisco Call, 16-June-1900
In December, the walls began to cave in on our so-called President, who was the subject of 17 separate investigations on both the Federal and state levels. Two of the kidnapped children died in ICE custody.

We marked the 100th birthdays of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Professor Longhair and Joe Williams  and the 75th birthdays of Jim Morrison, Grover Washington, Jr and Keith Richards.

We marked the 75th anniversary of the death of Fats Waller and the 50th anniversary of the death of John Steinbeck.

Pete Shelley of the Buzzcocks, Penny Marshall and Nancy Wilson died.

Saturday, December 29, 2018

Novel Roadster in Maxwell Shop -- December 29, 2018

Ogden Standard, 06-January-1917
"A novelty in roadsters is seen in the illustration above, which shows Harry J. De Bear, manager of the New York Maxwell branch, at the wheel of the car, which he has termed the 'Whizzer.'  The car is modelled after the racing Maxwells in which 'Eddie' Rickenbacker and 'Pete' Henderson have been successful this season." 

Thursday, December 27, 2018

Curve Ball -- December 27,2018

Spaulding's Base Ball Guide and Official League Book for 1879
"Position of hand for the in-curve to a right-hand batter, or out-curve to a left-hand batter."

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

New Cat #60 --December 26, 2018


Happy Boxing Day.

My wife took the photo on 11-December-2018.

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

Merry Christmas, 2018 -- December 25, 2018

Omaha Daily Bee, 25-December-1918
Merry Christmas, everyone. Peace on Earth and goodwill to men (women, and children).

A cartoon from the 25-December-1918 Omaha Daily Bee shows Santa bringing peace.

Monday, December 24, 2018

When Johnny Comes Flying Home -- December 24, 2018

Topeka State Journal, 25-December-1918
Happy Christmas, everyone.  This cartoon imagines Johnny flying instead of marching home.

Sunday, December 23, 2018

Christmas 1918 -- December 23, 2018

www.coverbrowser.com
The 07-December-1918 Leslie's Weekly features a Christmas wreath with a blue star service flag.  The single blue star indicates that the family has one member on active duty.

Friday, December 21, 2018

Southern Pacific Railroad of Mexico -- December 21, 2018

Border Vidette, Nogales, Arizona, 21-December-1918
100 years ago today, the Southern Pacific Railroad of Mexico, a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific, offered service along the west coast of Mexico.  In 1951, Southern Pacific sold it to the Mexican Government.  It became the the Ferrocarril del Pacifico.

Thursday, December 20, 2018

John Steinbeck 50 Years -- December 20, 2018

www.listal.com
Author John Steinbeck died 50 years ago today, on 20-December-1968.  I don't remember the event, but with a few years I read The Pearl and Of Mice and Men.  Later I read Cannery Row, Tortilla Flats, The Grapes of Wrath and In Dubious Battle.

During one vacation, I read my daughter Travels With Charley at bedtime.  On the drive home, we stopped at the Steinbeck Museum in Salinas and saw the camper.  The book made an impression on her.


Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Pan Am's New York -- December 19, 2018

Pan Am World Airways invited visitors to New York.

Some people feel that images of Lady Liberty are insulting to our so-called president.

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Keith Richards 75 -- December 18, 2018

www.listal.com
Guitarist and composer Keith Richards, one of the founders of the Rolling Stones, was born 75 years ago today, on 18-December-1943.  Richards and vocalist Mick Jagger wrote many hit songs.  He has always had an interest in blues and other roots music.

People often make jokes wondering how he could still be alive, considering his substance abuse issues.






Monday, December 17, 2018

New Orleans, Go Greyhound -- December 17, 2018


Greyhound Lines encouraged people to "Go Greyhound" to New Orleans.

Saturday, December 15, 2018

Fats Waller 75 Years -- December 15, 2018

www.listal.com
75 years ago today, on 15-December-1943, great American composer and performer Fats Waller died of pneumonia while riding the eastbound Super Chief.

I remember when my parents bought a box set of LPs with songs by famous performers.  The two that really got to me were "I Have a Right to Sing the Blues" by Cab Calloway and "It's a Sin to Tell a Lie" by Fats Waller and his Rhythm.  I listened to both tracks repeatedly and learned the lyrics, at least the ones that I could understand.  I went looking for more music by both men, but I found more by Waller.  I'm sorry I never took piano lessons.

I learned that he was a great performer, pianist, organ player, singer and entertainer.  I'm sorry he died at 39. "One never knows, do one?"






""Your pedal extremities are colossal"

Friday, December 14, 2018

Nancy Wilson, RIP -- December 14, 2018

www.listal.com
Singer Nancy Wilson has died.  I love her singing and speaking voice.  I always enjoy listening to Jazz Profiles on KCSM.







Thursday, December 13, 2018

Broncho Billy Rag -- December 13, 2018


Gilbert M Anderson, Broncho Billy, was the first western star. With George K Spoor, he had founded Essanay (S and A). In 1914, Nell Wright Slaughter published "Broncho Billy Rag," a charming tune. I can't find much information about the composer except that she lived in Texas and was also known as Nell Wright Watson.

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Professor Longhair 100 -- December 19, 2018



Professor Longhair, Harry Byrd, was one of the great singers and pianists from New Orleans.  He influenced many younger musicians like Allen Toussaint and Doctor John.









Joe Williams 100, Grover Washington, Jr 75 -- December 12, 2018


Singer Big Joe Williams was born 100 years ago today, on 12-December-1918.  He sang with Lionel Hampton in the 1940s and Count Basie in the 1950s.  He had a powerful voice.







Christmas is coming.


Sax player Grover Washington, Jr was born 75 years ago today, on 12-December-1943. He often played jazz-funk. "Just the Two of Us" with Bill Withers was a big crossover hit.







Both Joe Williams and Grover Washington, Jr died in 1999.


Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Alexander Solzhenitsyn 100 -- December 11, 2018

www.listal.com
Russian author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was born 100 years ago today, on 11-December-1918. He grew up during the Russian Civil War.  He was a decorated officer in the Great Patriotic War.
During that war, he began to doubt the righteousness of the Soviet Union.  In early 1945 he was arrested and sentenced to eight years because.

I first read One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich in college. Years later, I came across The Gulag Archipelago in the library and remembered that I had read the reviews with interest.  Later I worked with a programmer who had left the Soviet Union and he highly recommended August 1914 and The First Circle.

I remember when the Soviets expelled him and he came to America.

Sunday, December 9, 2018

Comic Book -- Black Cat -- December 9. 2018

www.coverbrowser.com
Christmas is coming.

In 1941, Harvey Comics introduced The Black Cat, a Hollywood actress whose father was a silent Western star and whose mother was a stuntwoman.

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Jim Morrison 75 -- December 8, 2018

www.listal.com
Singer, poet and songwriter Jim Morrison would have been 75 years old today.  He was born on 08-December-1943.  I remember hearing The Doors on the radio and being impressed by his voice.  I don't remember being impressed by his lyrics, but they were catchy. I liked Ray Manzarek because he wore glasses and played keyboards. He died in 1971, around the time that Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin also died.

www.coverbrowser.com









Friday, December 7, 2018

Pearl Harbor Day, 2018 -- December 7, 2018

www.navsource.org
77 years ago a sneak attack by forces of the Japanese Empire sank or damaged much of the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor in the territory of Hawaii. The Japanese Empire came to regret doing this.

Dreadnought USS Nevada (BB-36) was commissioned in 1916.  She went to Ireland to protect convoys during World War One. She was at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked in 1941. She was damaged, but was repaired. She was at D-Day and again protected Atlantic convoys.  She was at Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Motography, 30-November-1915
"A scene from Hearst-Selig News Pictorial showing the U. S. S. "Nevada" making its first trip. Copyright 1915, International Film Service Inc."


Thursday, December 6, 2018

Pete Shelley, RIP -- December 6, 2018

www.listal.com
Pete Shelley of the Buzzcocks has died.  I used to hear them on KUSF when it played punk and related music.







Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Pulp -- Air Stories -- December 5, 2018

www.coverbrowser.com
"Capt. Kidd Rides the Skies..."  By the time this was published, there were not a lot of full-rigged ships sailing the seas.

Monday, December 3, 2018

British Ship Balclutha Nearly Goes on Rocks -- December 3, 2018

San Francisco Call, 16-June-1900
William A Coulter did many maritime drawings for the San Francisco Call. Square rigger Balclutha is preserved at the San Francisco Maritime Museum at the Hyde Street Pier. Right now she is in a drydock receiving maintenance. 

Owned in San Francisco.

The British ship Balclutha, which arrived in this port from Newcastle, N. S. W., last Sunday, is now a San Francisco-owned ship. The well-known house of J. J. Moore & Co. are now the managing owners and the vessel will run between here and the colonies in the lumber and general merchandise trade. Captain Hatfield of the Balclutha is an old-timer in San Francisco. He Is part owner of the Lancing and his son-in-law is master of that well-known ship. On his reappearance on the coast last Monday Captain Hatfield had to signalize his return. Owing to the fog and absence of all signals the Balclutha was almost on top of the Farallon rocks before Captain Hatfield knew where he was. The lead, however, told the old navigator that he was close to land and by the time the seals and sea fowl gave a warning the Balclutha was on the other tack and the danger was past.


I took the photo of Balclutha on 19-October-2010.

Saturday, December 1, 2018

December, 2018 Version of the Cable Car Home Page -- December 1, 2018



I just put the December, 2018 version of my Cable Car Home Page on the server:
http://www.cable-car-guy.com/ 


It includes some new items:
1. Picture of the Month: The Emporium, a now gone-but-not-forgotten department store across the street from the turntable at Powell and Market used to sponsor a yearly Christmas parade. Muni would decorate cable car 504 Santa's sleigh. Santa would ride down Powell Street in his sled atop the roof. That must have been a thrilling ride. Here we see "conductress" Mary Ball and "Jimin-E," an Emporium employee on the back platform. (source: Trolley Topics, December, 1950).
2. With Christmas coming, it's a good time to visit the late Joe Lacey's article Christmas on the Cables (20th anniversary this year), and the Decorated Cable Cars page. Added list of cars decorated for Christmas, 2018.
3. On Walter Rice's A Photo Album of 1970s Cable Car Supporters: Added a Hughes Airwest advertisement car card from the cable car centennial.
4. Added News item about a podcast interview with Val Lupiz, Frank Zepeda and Jeremy Whiteman
5. Added News and Chronology items about cable car crews being issued masks because of smoke from a fire in Butte County and then the cars being taken off the street and the Cable Car Museum being closed because of unhealthy air quality
6. Added News and Chronology items about the Cal Band riding a Blue and Gold cable car to promote the Big Game.
7. On the UK page: Updated the status of the East Cliff Railway in Bournemouth in the Cliff Lifts article. Added News story about the current situation.
8. On the Cable Car Lines in Colorado page: An update about the current status of the Manitou and Pike's Peak Railway, a cog railroad


Ten years ago this month (December, 2008):
1. Picture of the Month: A Val Lupiz night view of car 60, which he had decorated for the holidays, at California and Drumm on 04-December-2007.
2. On the San Francisco page: Articles about the 1886-1887 strike against the Sutter and Geary Street lines, which include reports about the Sutter Street superintendant's plug uglies shooting at people in the street and at least two grip cars, one from each company, getting blown up with dynamite
3. With Christmas coming, it's a good time to visit Joe Lacey's article Christmas on the Cables (10th anniversary this year), and the Decorated Cable Cars page.
4. Also on the Cable Car Models page, more information about Norm Pythian's cable car simulation
5. On the Cable Cars in the Pacific Northwest page, Peter Ehrlich took a photo of a sign telling the history of the Yesler Way line. Thanks to Peter for the photo


Twenty years ago this month (December, 1998):
1. Picture of the Month: "A Sunday Load"
2. Add excerpts from article "The Parks of San Francisco" and "A Sunday Load" picture to the SF Miscellany section
3. Add California & Powell accident to news & bibliography
4. Fix some typos
5. Added "Christmas on the Cables" by Joe Lacey to the SF page.

125 years ago this month, on 04-December-1893, In New York City, the Third Avenue Railroad's Third Avenue line opened for service

Coming in January, 2019: On the Other California Cities page: A ten and twenty year update on the Second Street Cable Railway, the first cable traction line in Los Angeles

On my San Francisco Bay Ferryboats page: I added an item about a Golden Gate ferry that rammed the wharf at the Ferry Building:
http://www.cable-car-guy.com/ferry/

The Cable Car Home Page now has a Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/CableCarHomePage/

Joe Thompson
The Cable Car Home Page (updated 01-December-2018)
http://www.cable-car-guy.com/
San Francisco Bay Ferryboats (updated 30-November-2018)
http://www.cable-car-guy.com/ferry/
Park Trains and Tourist Trains (updated 30-September-2018)
http://www.cable-car-guy.com/ptrain/
The Pneumatic Rolling-Sphere Carrier Delusion (updated spasmodically)
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com
The Big V Riot Squad (new blog)
http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/