News of the Week August 21, 1915 -- August 21, 2015

The 21-August-1915 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels.

"Annual exhibit at Monmouth country track, Long Branch, N. J.   Copyright 1915 by Universal Animated Weekly."  The Monmouth County Horse Show is still held today. 

"This German shell fell in French tranches near Verdun and failed to explode.  Copyright 1915 by Pathe News."  A dud.  A big dud. 

"Measuring the length of the girl's bathing suits, at Atlantic City, N. J.  Copyright 1915 by Pathe News."  Lots of photos like this turned up during the summer.  

"Park Commissioner Ingersoll viewing products raised on Chicago playgrounds.  Copyright 1915 Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."   A predecessor of the victory garden, I guess. 

"Wreckage caused by floods at Erie, Pa.  Copyright 1915 Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."   Floods hit Erie around August 6. 

"Liberty Bell at San Francisco Fair.  Copyright 1915 by Universal Animated Weekly."  San Francisco school children raised money and persuaded Philadelphia to allow the Liberty Bell to travel to the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

Anti-Damsel Blogathon -- August 16, 2015

Exhibitor's Trade Review, 30-December-1922.

Fritzi at Movies Silently and Jo at The Last Drive In are hosting the Anti-Damsel Blogathon.  This from Fritzi: "We want bold, brave, smart women who made their mark in all walks of life."  As the proud father of a bold, brave, smart daughter who is striving to make her mark in the world, that sounds like a great idea to me.  

My entry on my other blog is about The Peerless, Fearless Girl, the first serial queen, Pearl White:
http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-exploits-of-pearl-pearl-white.html

Plunder was her last American serial. 

News of the Week August 14, 1915 -- August 14, 2015

The 14-August-1915 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels.

"Strikers at the Bayonne, N. J. plant of the Standard Oil Co. have pitched battle.  Copyright 1915 by Pathe News."  This is probably the riot on 20-July-1915 when strikers fought Bayonne police called in by the mayor, who also worked for Standard Oil. 

"Friends mourn for dead of Eastland tragedy.  Copyright 1915 Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."   Last week we saw an item about SS Eastland, a tour boat in Chicago which rolled over while docked on 24-July-1915.  At least 844 passengers and crew died. 

"E. A. McManus, general manager of Hearst-Selig News Pictorial, presented with highest award for motion pictures.  Copyright 1915 Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."   I can't find an article about this. 

"Fatal strike battle of Standard Oil employees.  Copyright 1915 by Universal Animated Weekly."  We saw the Pathe version above.  At least one striker was killed on the 20th. 

"William Jennings Bryan on his tour of Universal City.  Copyright 1915 by Universal Animated Weekly." After resigning as Secretary of State, Bryan toured the country. 

"Elk's convention parade at Los Angeles, California.  Copyright 1915 by Pathe News."  Fraternal organizations were big during this period. 

Buzz Buzz Waz Nut Hare -- August 9, 2015

I saw this on a Muni car on 27-July-2015.  I like the bee. 

News of the Week August 7, 1915 -- August 7, 2015

The 07-August-1915 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels.

"Harry K. Thaw cheered by crowds on day he is freed.  Copyright 1915 by Universal Animated Weekly."  Harry Kendall Thaw was the son of a rich industrialist.  Harry had mental problems.  On 25-June-1906 he murdered architect Stanford White, who had been involved with Evelyn Nesbit, Thaw's wife, who had been a chorus girl and a model.  Thaw's attorney had him declared legally insane, which was not a stretch.  The caption may contain a typo, or this was after Thaw's mother wanted to go with temporary insanity so the family would not be stigmatized.  We saw the Pathe version last week. 

"The rescued passengers leaving the ill-fated Eastland which sunk in Chicago river.  Copyright 1915 Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."   SS Eastland was a tour boat in Chicago which rolled over while docked on 24-July-1915.  At least 844 passengers and crew died. 

"Paying tribute to Lieutenant Warneford, daring aviator.  Copyright 1915 Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  Reginald Warneford was a Royal Naval Air Service flier who brought down Zeppelin LZ 37 on 07-June-1915.  He died after a crash during a test flight on 17-June-1915.  He was buried in London on 21-June-1915. 

"Cunard Line steamer Orduna which was attacked by a German submarine.  Copyright 1915 by Pathe News."  SS Orduna became a troop transport during the war.  While sailing to New York, she was attached by a U Boat. 

"Automobiles used to take native sons of Pennsylvania through Pittsburg.  Copyright 1915 by Pathe News."  I can't find anything about an organization called the Native Sons of Pennsylvania. 

"Scenes of devastation caused by cyclone at Cincinnati, Ohio.  Copyright 1915 by Universal Animated Weekly."  A big storm on June 24 caused damage throughout the Midwest.  We saw the same version last week. 

Voting Rights Act of 1965 -- 50 Years -- August 7, 2015

On this day 50 years ago, President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into law.  The Supreme Court gutted Section 5 in 2013, and many states are working hard to disenfranchise people of color.  Congress could fix it if they didn't want to disenfranchise people of color. 

I hope people will give the Republican Party credit for its 50-years of efforts to kill or neuter the law. 

Caltrans Hates Pacifica -- August 4, 2015

Monday afternoon my wife called me at work and said that Highway One was blocked after Sharp Park.  It took her an hour to get through and people were driving crazily.  She saw a school bus make a U-turn at a freeway entrance. 

When I went home, it took over two hours to go from Manor to Vallemar.  The right lane southbound was coned off just after Sharp Park.  When I went by, a crew was pouring asphalt between Vallemar and Fassler. 

A poor guy in an ice cream truck took off his seat belt, grabbed a bottle of water and poured it over his radiator grille.  I took the opportunity to move to the left lane. 

There were no policemen or Highway Patrol officers directing traffic.  They could have helped at the merge and at Edgemar where people were trying to merge in from both sides of the road. 

The work finished late last night, in part because of an accident during the day and because the asphalt trucks couldn't get through the traffic. 

Later we learned that Caltrans notified the city of Pacifica about the work Monday night, after the lane had been closed all day.  Some idiot had misplaced the email.  Caltrans planned to do a northbound lane today.  Mayor Karen Ervin persuaded them not to do it.