Do you know what this is?

Click to enlarge
Photo: Deagostini_Getty Images

  When I was on a Navy Flight Crew I saw a place similar to this one.  It was very interesting and must have been manmade.
  We were flying on a training flight for a new pilot and were doing "touch and go" or barely landing and then taking off, at Beale Air Force Base near Marysville, California.
  Sometime later when the internet was invented and I had the internet I remembered that sight and first had to remember where I'd seen it.  After I pounded my head enough I remembered where it had been so with the aid of Google Maps and satellite imagery I found the tailings on the Yuba River.
  The piles of rocks were caused by the dredge when mining the River for gold, the rock and I guess the earth is dug up and "washed" to find the gold then it is discharged to form a tailing.  The photo here is from the Klondike River in the Yukon Territory of Canada.  If you look at the satellite images you can see how it disrupts to flow of the river, or causes the water to open a new channel.

50 States in Legos

Maine
Photo: Jeff Friesen

  Jeff Friesen has created images of each of the 50 States in Legos, and published photos of each creation.  All of them make up something the State is known for.
  Take a look:

http://news.msn.com/offbeat/50-states-of-lego-plastic-stereotypes#image=1

   Come on, you know you want to!.

South Dakota
Photo: Jeff Friesen

General Motors buys Cadillac!

1909  Cadillac
Photo: Yahoo Auto via GM

  On July 29, 1909 General Motors bought Cadillac Motors from Henry Leland for 4.5 million dollars.  I think they've made their money back.
  Considered a luxury car at the time GM kept that make as its premier car.  In addition to buying the name GM also kept Mr. Leland as the manager of the brand.
  Go to: https://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/july-29-general-motors-buys-cadillac-date-1909-142719127.html  for more information and a short video of how to start the 1909 model.

What a day!

  Things got started off on the wrong foot.  At coffee two people got in a very heated argument; it was so bad I had to leave.  I don't like situations like that simply because I have witnessed first hand the use of knives or other weapons.  It makes me uncomfortable to even write about it.
  The day turned better after that I took Peggy shopping, and hung out with Jeff, had lunch and went to the noon meeting.
  Things remained fine until 7:10PM when the Red Sox "played" the Toronto Blue Jays - they (Red Sox) lost again.  The Sox have been doing that a lot lately.  Maybe they're in competition with Texas for the Leagues worst record, time will tell.
  There now I feel better.

A little yellow coupe

1931 Ford by Dick Spracklin
Photo: Mike Berry, The Wichita Eagle

  Out Wichita way Mr. Spracklin took a rusty old hulk and made his "dream rod".  It was a heck of a nice dream!  The is a classic street rod done the right way.
  Take a longer look: http://www.kansas.com/2014/07/22/3563021/spracklins-yellow-coupe.html

This Chevy 350 engine really makes it move.
Photo: Mike Berry, The Wichita Eagle

A treasure train through Bangor

The Lloyd ship Kronprinzessin Cecile
Illustration: Bangor Public Library via Bangor Daily News

  In August 1914 the "summer people" were in Bar Harbor soaking in luxury.  But the news was all about the War in Europe; but people thought the war between Japan and Russia would be the "last great war".
  Meanwhile the North German Lloyds luxury liner Kronprinzessin Cecile had left New York City with millions of dollars in gold and silver in its holds.  It also carried the rich and famous on a summer cruise to Europe.
  But there was trouble, war trouble, to be avoided.  The Cecile landed in the harbor at Bar Harbor, it was too dangerous to continue with the riches in its hold.  The gold and silver were unloaded and placed aboard the Revenue Cutter Androscoggin.
  The weight was too much for the Androscoggin and the gold and silver were placed on a train bound for New York City.  People turned out by the hundreds in Bangor on August 5, 1914 to watch "The Treasure Train" pass through the Queen City.  The train also carried passengers from Cecile who had changed their plans.  The gold and silver were placed in a vault in New York, but when the United States entered War One the gold and silver were seized to help pay for our efforts.
  Read more: http://bangordailynews.com/2014/07/27/living/german-treasure-ship-introduced-maine-to-world-war-i/

The USRC Androscoggin
Photo:  Navsource.org
The Revenue Service preceded the U S Coast Guard

"We need laborers, we need hearts and minds" "We don't need muscle anymore"

A group of teachers are welcomed - click to enlarge
Photo: Nell Gluckman, Bangor Daily News

  A small group of 25 teachers from all over Maine paid $95 each for a intensive four day trip to the Maine woods.  They were being led by he Maine TREE Foundation, a group who want educators to steer kids their way.
  The quote (title) was made by  Jeannot Carrier of E J Carrier, a company that checks the quality of a stand of trees.  Acre by acre they determine which trees are good for what use, they build roads and bridges needed for harvesting.  They are heavy computer users, they need young workers with talents in science, engineering, and computers; machines do the work, they need brains.  The teachers learned that nothing is wasted, even the small parts of trees become wood chips used in energy and heating plants, the sawdust is made in to wood pellets to heat homes.
  The teachers visited a working forest, a harvesting operation, a sugar house (Maple Syrup), and a sawmill.  The group in a tour bus were so far in the Maine woods the Border Patrol checked on them, he hadn't seen that type of vehicle in the woods so close to the border before.
  Read and see more: http://bangordailynews.com/slideshow/we-need-laborers-maine-forest-products-industry-urging-teachers-to-steer-students-its-way/

Watching at the sawmill - click to enlarge
Photo: Nell Gluckman, Bangor Daily News