Z is for

Zero Mostel as Tevia from Fiddler on the Roof.  He was Tevia in the original stage presentation that ran on Broadway, and he performed on the traveling show as well.  I saw him when he came to Denver in Fiddler on the Roof in 1975



One of the most amazing aircraft that came out of World war two, was Japan's Mitsubishi Zero fighter.  The plane came as a total shock to American pilots, who thought that Japan had nothing of the type, until A Sunday in December 1941



A childhood hero who has had many lives.  Zoro



One of the most interesting characters to come out of the original STAR TREK.  Zephrym Cochryn

Y is for

Yeagar, Chuck Yeagar.  Chuck Yeagar was best known as the man who broke the sound barrier which he did in 1947.  However he was also one of the top aces in World War Two, he always named his plane, whether it was a P-51 Mustang or the X-1 which he broke the sound barrier after his wife, Glamorous Glennis.  This is footage from his breaking the sound barrier and a brief interview with his is included.



Y is also for Wierd Al Yankovc, a singer satirest from the mid 1970's who is still at it today.  From Eat it in 1980 to Polka Face 2011 Yankovic is still making people laugh at the music.



Y is for John Young.  He flew in the Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle programs.  He has been one of the oldest astronauts in the program and set a standard for others, showing that age should never be a determination of what a person can accomplish.



Funniest Russian comedian ever Yakov Smirnov

X is for

X-men.  One of my favorite comic books, animated television series and series of movies.  I have as an adult really come to love the X-Men, because not just as a teenager but as an adult, many times I have felt like an outcast or an outsider, who no matter how much I try, I do not fit in precisely.  So X is for X-Men and Stan Lee who created them along with many other great comic book(s) and characters.

Intro from the animated series of the early 2000's





A favorite movie from the early 1980's which featured Olivia Newton John, and Gene Kelly along with the music of ELO.  Yes, I am talking about Greese... not  Xanadu a movie that brought back the musical and a romantic musical at that.  So if you never saw this, rent it... it is a fun filled movie.

 

W is for

Women Ordained as Roman Catholic Priests.
Have you ever thought about how the Catholic Church is the only Christian Church, other than Russian Orthodox that does not have women as Priests, or Ministers among Christian Churches?
The reason given, is that none of the original desciples were women, and that therefore the logic is that Women are not to be Priests.

However, there is a growing movement in both the Unites States and Europe where upon women are taking on the role of Priests, Bishops and Cardinals.  These women are all students of theology and have taken all the required coreses.  Some are former nuns and many are women who just feel that the time has come for women to be ordained and to lead.

Many cradle Catholics and even some converts are uncomfortable in rocking the boat, fear of being excommunicated of being looked down upon by people in the church, in their community causes many who may support this movement to remain in the closet.

Yet in a time of pedophile priests and the church attempting to move back to the pre Vatican Two litany, maybe it is past time for such a bold change, perhaps the cradle Catholics need to wake up, get out of their cradles and move forward.  Many of the women doing this are working to bring the church back to really serving the community and to making the services more contemporary and valuable to the community at large.

So here's a challenge, find a Church in your community where women Priests conduct the service, don't give into the fear and attend.  If it is something you find your self liking, then attend, and tell others.  If you never attend you will never know what vibrancy and light there is in the RCWP movement, (Roman Catholic Women Priests)

As President Roosevel once said.  "We have nothing to fear, but fear itself,"

Photos of Rosemarie Hudson and other Ordained Roman Catholic Women Priests in Rome, December 2011.  They went to meet with Pope Benedict, to discuss the Ordination of Women, and were told that the Pope was other wise occupied and had no time to meet with them... ever.

Wordless Wednesday

Places of God.

This is a combination of three pictures of churches, two in Denver and one here in Podunk, as well as a few of nature.  Not everyone celebrates God in a building.  Enjoy

 Church in Podunk

 Immaculate Conception Church Denver

Catholic Church Denver

 Church of the Good Shepherd Denver

 Sunrise City Park Denver

 City Park Denver

 Jojkerst Park Podunk

Washington State Park Mo.

V is for

V is for a very powerful movie



One of the funniest programs from the BBC also began with V



A great series from the 1990's Willow,Angel and what was her name... oh yeah Buffy the Vampire Slayer.



A favorite Television series from the early 1960's starring Richard Basehart and David Heddison Any guesses?  Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.

U is for

A favorite TV series when I was growing up was THE MAN FROM UNCLE, the co-star may look familiar to anyone who watches NCIS.  For it is the same actor, when he was much younger.


One of the top NFL players of all time was Johnny Unitus, who played for the Baltimore Colts, yes they were in Baltimore before they moved to Indianapolis.  They were a great team and Unitus was a great player.



And a commercial of what was once, my favorite airline.

My wifes two uncles Jim and Lloyd 

My late Uncle Bill

My late Uncle Jim.  Both brothers died with in a few months of each other.

Last the flag of this nation, a flag  and nation I am proud of.  Yes we have made mistakes, yet we have worked to always improve things and we have over come many obstacles.  The spirit of us as individuals and as a nation is what this flag means to me.

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T is for

Tony Orlando and Dawn, one of my favorite pop rock groups from the 1970's.  And no, this is not Tie a Yellow Ribbon.

Perhaps one of the most interesting Television shows out of the 1980's was Twin Peaks.  Does anyone remember who killed Laura Palmer?


And we can't forget a ship and movie that is still being talked about 100 years after the event.  It was of Titanic preportions after all.

Mondays Music Moves Me One hit wonders

I love music of all eras, so here are some of my favorite one hit wonders, starting with Freddy Cannon with a very popular song.



Here is a great song from the 1970's  Remember when music was much more diverse than it is now.



One of the best songs from the 1980's.  A song that still hold up today.



Although this song came out in the 1980's and was made famous a real Prince, this version came out in the 1990's and was a one hit wonder for Ben Taylor.  Too bad, he had a good voice.



This Monday's Music is dedicated to the memory of Dick Clark.  A man who launched the careers of many top stars.  His American Bandstand was the way many of us saw people like ABBA for the first time.

S is for

Saint Louis

The arch/Gateway to the West.

Saint Louis seen from the Arch.

History comes alive at the Saint Louis History Museum

 Firemen's hats and helmets.

The Beaver and products that came from him.

 Bloodletting tools

Cobbler vs factory worker... Which would you prefer???

A statue of a worker.

A kettle to make Beer, no soup, no Beer.
And a Mock up of the most famous plane of the 20th Century, the Spirit of Saint Louis

is of course for the World Series Champions Chicago Cubs...Not in the life time.  No seriously, the Colorado Rockies... Ah okay, the Saint Louis Cardinals.

See and no pictures from STAR TREK, STAR WARS or Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.... Hmmm how did that happen?


One other S.  The young people and adults involved in the Saint Baldrics Shave for a cure, that is done yearly to support the American Cancer Society, Relay For Life and other cancer fighting organizations.

R is for

Colorado Rockies

The Rocky Mountains


Rocket Man, the old serial that became....



One of my all time favorite movies

Q is for

John DeLancy as Q from STAR TREK, the next Generation

Queen rockin' on

Queen Elizabeth the Second

Queen Izabella the grand daughter

Queensland Australia

P is for

One of the most dramatic movies of all time, featuring a young Johnny Depp, Forest Whiticker, William DaFoe and Charlie Sheen,  Platoon.

P is also for one of my favorite foods.  Pizza., and for a long time a favorite pizza place.

And lastly P is for one of my favorite rock groups.  Pink Floyd  Remember to shine on... you crazy diamond

O is for

Oscar, Ki-43 Imperial Japanese fighter

O is for Oscar the grouch

O is for the ocean, the Pacific, which I have seen several times in my life.

This picture from Google image search, reminded me of when I was in Hawaii, the ocean reflecting the palm trees.  Sunsets in Hawaii
were astonishing.

O is for Bill O'Reilly.  He is a man you either love or hate, there is no middle ground, he can be arrogant and opinionated and annoying as all hell, but he is also someone who gets you to think, whether you watch his program, or read his books.

N is for NASA and

When I grew up, in the 1960's everyone wanted to be an Astronaut and walk on the Moon.  NASA was the Microsoft of the day, and everyone wanted to be a part of it, even with the Apollo 1 accident, people still believed.  Now at the beginning of the 21st Century NASA is yesterdays' news.  We are talking about civilian space agencies and cutting back on the big dream.  But for me NASA will always be the gateway to space... the final frontier

A few NASA Memories


John Glenn first American to orbit Earth 1962



Message from Moon orbit, December 24th 1968.

The Apollo 8 Mission

Apollo 11


N is also for  New York City

North American P-51 Mustang, RAF footage.

M is for Mani.... no it's.....

Entry to Manitou Springs, Colorado.

Part of Manitou Springs at the base of Pikes Peak Mountain.

One of the many fountains in Manitou

This is a motel along with shops and a restaurant at the base of Pikes Peak.

 Not a bad restaurant to eat at.Me eating at a restaurant in Manitou Springs.

My wife 

My wife and I at Garden of the Gods

My mom when she was young, with my brother.

My mom when she was older, after my dads' passing.

Mom in Law decking out for the new year.

 My mother in law, when I first met her in 2009.

Fire pit at Mastodon State Park Missouri.

The Saint Louis Arch or Gateway to the West.

Looking down on Saint Louis from the Arch.

Merlin and I,  

Merlin and the wife.

Merlin




And lastly, M is for my models.  This is just a sampling of the nearly 24 I have or am building.