Springtime in Madison

Garden at the Wisconsin University campus

In my last post, I shared some photos from Milwaukee. Now let's look at a few from Madison, Wisconsin taken the same week. The garden above is on campus at the University of Wisconsin. It contains many beautiful plants and water features.

Also on campus is the Washburn Observatory. This facility sports the typical dome, and makes for an attractive feature atop Observatory Hill.


Washburn Observatory at the University of Wisconsin

On weekends during the spring, there is a public, open air market on the state capitol grounds. There are also people there of all kinds, exercising their First Amendment right of free speech. These guys in the next picture reminded me of the Elton John song Tiny Dancer, where the lyrics say, "Jesus freaks, out in the streets, handing tickets out for God". So we walked on by, as the street preacher was calling us all whores and whoremongers. I really haven't ever mongered anything, much less a whore! Just another fine example of Christianity at work.


Street preachin' Jesus freaks

Madison is a progressive-minded city, so the Jesus freaks were met with laughter and mild amusement by the passersby. Luckily, Madison has a major counterbalance to such nincompoops. The Freedom From Religion Foundation is headquartered just a few blocks from the capitol. I stopped by Freethought Hall to snap a few pictures, even though the staff was out of town that day.


Freethought Hall, headquarters of the Freedom From Religion Foundation

And since this blog deals a lot with road and highway issues, here is a sign you see around Madison. The blank US highway shield is not a mistake. It indicates the Madison Beltline Highway, a multiplex of US Highways 12, 14, 18, and 151. They just use the blank shield to represent them all.


Beltline Highway blank shield

Springtime in Milwaukee

A Milwaukee city park in full bloom

Well, it's been a little over a year since I went up to Wisconsin. I figure it is time to share a few photos of Milwaukee that I took during that trip. What better way to start off than with the beautiful colors of the trees in a city park covered with red and pink blossoms.

The next picture is in the heart of downtown where the Milwaukee River flows through the city and into Lake Michigan. While it isn't the San Antonio Riverwalk, it is very nice in its own way. These boats were docked along side some of the high rises. There is something appealing about a river in the heart of a city.


Dockside on the Milwaukee River

Here is a partial view of one of Milwaukee's landmarks, the Pabst Theater. This building had scaffolding over a large portion of its exterior when I was there, undergoing either renovation or cleaning. The sparkling gold accents stand in contrast to the dark reddish-brown of the stone and brick exterior.


Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

While we are looking at the tops of buildings, take a look at this pair. Built in 1884 and 1879 respectively, these structures still house viable businesses. The one on the right has the word NEWS engraved into the top, along with the year 1879, obviously originally housing a newspaper. Click to enlarge and see the engravings on these.


What were the headlines in 1879 Milwaukee?

Being an old telephone guy, this next building was of interest to me. The facade reflects the changes in the telephone business over the years. This photo has Wisconsin Telephone Company engraved in stone across the top.


Wisconsin Telephone Company Building, Milwaukee, WI

As you look closer to street level, below the Wisconsin Telephone sign, you come across the old Bell System logo cut into marble and still present on the front of the building above the doors. The Bell System has not existed since Judge Green broke up Ma Bell back in 1984, yet this reminder of the past remains.

Then directly below it, the logo of the new AT&T had just been installed. So in a matter of 22 years, this building has gone from housing Wisconsin Telephone (a subsidiary of the old AT&T), to Ameritech (one of the seven original Regional Bell Operating Companies or RBOCs), to SBC Communications (the original Southwestern Bell that bought Ameritech); to the new AT&T (or is it at&t? After buying the old AT&T, SBC took its former parents name).


Your world . . . delivered!

Milwaukee also has a very modern looking art museum on the shore of Lake Michigan. I took this shot one evening during my stay there. It reminds me of a ship docked along the lakeside.


Milwaukee Art Museum

Here is a picture of the main doors to the Hotel Metro, the very nice art deco styled hotel where I stayed during my visit. This is another downtown Milwaukee landmark, and is a very elegant place to spend some time. It is also on the National List of Historic Places.


Hotel Metro, a Milwaukee Art Deco landmark

This very set of doors in also visible in the next photo, diagonally across the street from Ratzsch's German Restaurant. This has to be one of the best places I have ever enjoyed German food.


Entrance to Ratzsch's German Restaurant

To give you an idea of the ambiance of this terrific establishment, here is the view from my table.


Interior of Milwaukee's Ratzsch's German Restaurant

After dinner, I walked around town, and found this impressive structure lit up for the evening. The classic columns make this a very interesting building, but I don't remember what it is. If anyone out there recognizes it, I'd like to know.


The mystery building ? ? ?

Finally, here is a photo of Miller Park, home to the National League Milwaukee Brewers. Play ball!


Miller Park

Even More From Houston

Caroline Street in the Downtown Historic District

Let's take a look at a few more photos I took a couple of weeks ago during my visit back to Houston. This is a photo that shows a couple of things about how downtown has been coming back to life. First take a look at the street sign. As I have mentioned in earlier postings, Houston's various neighborhoods have been going to their own unique style of street signage. The type you see here is used in most of downtown, but vary the wording to denote Historic District, Theater District, etc. This photo also shows two styles of street lights that have been installed in the area, both with an older and more elegant look than the former ones, which were strictly utilitarian. Here we see a lower, single light on a pole, as well as a double overhanging light. There were also quite a few of these banners you see in the picture hanging around the area. These are obviously inspired by the Lone Star state flag of Texas.


Crosswalk arches in Uptown Houston

The next picture show the shiny arches that mark the location of crosswalks along Post Oak Road in the Uptown District. You can also see a second, distant set further down the road. These arches soar above pedestrian crosswalks, and match the shiny chrome-colored street lights, traffic signal masts, and the large circular street signs I have previously posted pictures of.


Houston's City Hall at night

My last night in Houston, I went out to get a few photos of the buildings downtown lit up. Much to my disappointment and puzzlement, the city was not lit very well that evening. Therefore, I got few usable pictures. It was actually quite eerie. Still I will share a couple here. The photo above is Houston's City Hall, built in 1938-1939. Similar city halls abound around this part of the country, all of about the same vintage. I am sure that when it opened, it was a grand building, but it is now diminutive by comparison. It is surrounded by soaring skyscrapers on three sides, along with the Houston Main Library. The building faces a reflecting pool and small park to its east side (shown here), and the west face is visible in front of the skyline if you are west of Downtown. Compared to Denver's grand city and county building, it seems amazing that this modest structure is the seat of government for the nation's fourth largest metropolis, until you realize that most city functions are housed at over 500 other buildings and annexes. Still, it is an icon of city government, and the place where many municipal ceremonies are held.


Houston's nighttime skyline - Click for a larger view

Like I have already mentioned, the city was not well lit that night, and I had the further frustration of not having a tripod with me. Still, this photo, while not the best, is acceptable. I used my sister's shoulder for a tripod as we stopped to the side of Memorial Drive approaching Downtown to get this view. The lights from the cars in the foreground are westbound traffic on Allen Parkway, on the other side of Buffalo Bayou from my vantage point. I suggest clicking the photo to get a better view.

A Saturday Drive

Colorful Colorado Wildflowers - Click to see large version

Yesterday, my wife and I took a short drive down to Elizabeth, Colorado in Elbert County. It was an absolutely beautiful day, albeit a bit cool for June, but that's how it can be here in the Centennial State. Our intention was to go to the Elizabeth Stampede, a rodeo held there. Once we arrived, we decided not to go in to the rodeo, but instead to just enjoy a walk and drive. I guess I am just not one who likes to be in crowds.

In any case, one thing that was very enjoyable was the abundance of wildflowers in bloom. In many parts of the country, it is past the time when wildflower blooms are at their peak, but since we have a fairly short warm season, it is still cool enough that the flowers are out. The picture above is too small to really take in the color, so I suggest that you click on it to see a larger version.

The sad story behind this picture is that we took this particular route home because Colorado 86 was shut down by a very bad accident just a couple of miles or so east of Franktown. We had to veer off the main highway and down some country backroads to get around the wreck. Where the police had the highway closed was a few hundred feet from the accident site, and it was so bad that the fire department and a Life-Flight helicopter was on the highway. I hope that whoever was involved is doing okay.

The sign in the photo below was unusual. This was taken in a parking area for the Elizabeth Stampede. I think it must be for the cowboy who was thrown off of a raging bull or bucking bronco one too many times. I have never seen a sign with the universal handicap symbol wearing a cowboy hat before.

A WildBlue Sign

WildBlue on the Highway - Photo courtesy of Michael T. Williamson

The Internet touches our lives in many ways, and over the last decade it has become ever more integrated with our daily activities. Here is yet another way, one that I had never thought about until I saw this photograph, which also fits in very well with the road geekiness of this blog.

This is a picture taken by Michael T. Williamson, who works for the same company as I, but who lives in the great state of Washington. Michael shot this interesting picture in a remote area in the southeastern part of that beautiful state. At first glance, we see a standard Variable Message Sign (VMS) installed along the highway. Upon closer inspection, there is a small satellite reflector antenna attached to the top right of the sign.

That antenna happens to be an installation for service from WildBlue, a satellite-based Internet service sold to customers in remote areas who cannot get other terrestrial broadband options such as cable or DSL. WildBlue is based in Greenwood Village, Colorado, a Denver suburb that is not far from where I live and work. As a matter of fact, my employer resells WildBlue service under a combined brand. Therefore, this picture was of double interest to me.

It is apparent that the sign's message must get updated over the Internet. It makes me wonder how long it will be before someone hacks into the signs and has them display a message not sanctioned by the Washington Department of Transportation. The photo also gives us a sense of direction. Since it has to point toward the southern sky, this view is looking primarily in a westward direction.

I also notice the guardrail between the sign and the highway's lanes of traffic. I guess they wanted to try to prevent a wayward car or truck from taking out this VMS (which is certainly not cheap to purchase or install).

This is a great catch, Michael. Thanks for letting me share it with other road geeks out there.

Street Signs & Flying Saucers

Standard Street Sign Installation

On the way home from work today, I noticed something at the intersection of Parker Road (Colorado 83) and Lincoln Avenue. Take a look at the picture above. Notice that the Town of Parker's backlit street signs are prominently displayed at this crossroads. This one is installed the way I have always seen them; hanging from the traffic signal arm. But then I looked diagonally across the street from this one and saw a sign mounted in a totally different manner (see next photo below).


An extra arm for the street sign.

I don't know if there was a problem and the street sign had to be remounted, or if it was just an alternate way of hanging it. Still, it is odd that there are two methods at the same intersection.

Now for you UFO nuts out there, here is one to get you going. I noticed in one of the photos that there was an object in the sky. Now I figure it is just a reflection on the lens or on the windshield of my car.


Look! Up in the sky!

But lets take a closer look at the mysterious object. It seems to have a glowing white dome with a saucer surrounding it. Could this be an alien spaceship? No, but it does show how such things can get started.


The UFO over Parker

I must add however that I am still sore from the alien probe! ;)

License Plate Triviality

I tend to notice trivial things. For example, below are two examples of Texas license plates currently in use. The top one is a newer version than the one below it, and has a few changes from the older style below. First notice the shape of Texas in the middle of the plate. On the older edition, the state is colored red. On the new one a piece of the Texas flag is superimposed on the map. Then notice the space shuttle in the upper left corner. On the new version, the shuttle sports a United States flag, and has seven distinct stars above it that are missing from the previous version. These represent the lost astronauts of the shuttle Challenger.

Also over the years, the format of the license number has been revised to insure enough unique numbers were available. I can remember formats that included two alphabetic characters and four numbers, three alphas and three numbers, three numbers and three alphas, and an alpha with two numbers followed by three alphas.

That last format is on the second plate below. But on the new plates, Texas has gone back to the three number/three alpha format.


The "new" Texas plate


Previous edition Texas plate

I remember a legislative and public relations brouhaha a few years back when I still lived in Texas. It involved a proposed and approved design for a new license plate. It was to be powder blue and carry the official state motto, "The Friendship State". Well what an uproar that caused! Powder blue and friendship? Too wussified for a state known for cowboys and manliness! The plan was quickly revised, and a plate that had just the state name and flag was adopted.

There is one more thing. The person who owns the second plate is at risk of being arrested. There is a new law in Texas that no attachment (such as a frame) may obscure the state name, motto, or other design elements on the tag. This frame from a dealership covers up part of the bottom design, including the phrase "The Lone Star State". In effect, this gives police a reason to stop and harrass a motorist who has committed no other infraction, even if the plates digits are clearly visible.

Here are two links about this insanity foisted upon Texans by Governor Rick Perry and the state legislature.

• A blogger talks about it
• Another news report about it
  

Happy Birthday, Mister President

Today would have been the 90th birthday of President John Kennedy. The moment gives me pause to think about what different times we now have than during the Camelot years.

What did the assassination of the young President in Dallas that horrible November day take from us? It is possible that we lost much more than a political leader; we likely have had a very different past and present. It is arguable that the debacle in Viet Nam would not have been escalated to the level that Lyndon Johnson oversaw. Without the divisiveness of that conflict tearing the fabric of the nation, would we have avoided the massive deaths now enshrined on a black wall in Washington? Would the young lives taken by the Ohio National Guard at Kent State University be with us still? Would America have elected former Vice President Richard Nixon to the Presidency on the promise of a "secret plan" to end the war? Would President Kennedy have led a full life as an elder statesman? We will never know the answers to these questions, but it is interesting to speculate.

The Problem of Evil

The gods can either take away evil from the world and will not, or, being willing to do so cannot; or they neither can nor will, or lastly, they are able and willing.

If they have the will to remove evil and cannot, then they are not omnipotent. If they can but will not, then they are not benevolent. If they are neither able nor willing, they are neither omnipotent nor benevolent.

Lastly, if they are both able and willing to annihilate evil, why does it exist?

The Greek philosopher, Epicurus, expressed those thoughts in his collection, Aphorisms. What he was addressing has since been succinctly become known as the problem of evil. Epicurus lived from about 341 BCE to 279 BCE, and in the 2.3 millennia since, no philosopher, theologian, thinker, priest, preacher, or shaman has been able to resolve the issue. Attempts to do just that are known as theodicy.

Given the existence of what we call evil in the world, it makes an omnibenevolent and simultaneously omnipotent god an impossibility. Any human being who knows in advance of a crime that is about to be committed and has the power to stop it, yet stands idly by is an accessory to the deed. With that standard, God as described by most religions is the greatest criminal accomplice of all time.

Let's look at one fairly recent example. Let's suppose that you knew that Timothy McVeigh was headed toward Oklahoma City in a truck full of explosives to park it under the day care center at the Murrah Federal Building. Let's also imagine that not only do you have preknowledge of the plan, but that you had the power to stop it. Not only that, but at absolutely no risk to yourself. Given that set of facts, if you sat idly by, didn't get people out of the building, didn't stop McVeigh, would you not have the blood of 168 victims on your own hands?

That is a high toll, yet it is a mere drop in the ocean of death and destruction needlessly caused by acts of man or acts of nature. Not only have human beings killed millions upon millions of their own, nature does an outstanding job of dealing death as well. From earthquakes in Iran, to Hurricane Katrina, to the deaths of over 200,000 in the tsunami of December 2004; natural calamities have no feeling or intent; no malice or altruism. They just happen.

Isn't this just what one would expect in a universe without a god? The universe doesn't care what happens to us, we just get in the way sometimes. The only ones who care about humanity are people themselves, and all too often, they don't care either.

So, I have to ask my religious friends, what would be different from the world we have if there were no god? I submit there would be no difference, as it is readily apparent that gods, devils, angels, demons, and the like are mere constructs of the human mind. Salvation is not coming from above, but from the efforts we ourselves put into making this little spot in the universe a better place. The best way to start is to abandon the provincial concepts of "my god is better than your god, mine is the TRUE one, yours is false", and instead work toward a world where we take care of each other. No one else is going to do so.

Speed Traps, or "Here's the 10-20 on the Smokeys"

In an earlier post, I mentioned the notorious speed trap known as Estelline, Texas. Well, it isn't just small towns that entrap motorists. The National Motorists Association has come out with its list of the top speed traps cities in the U.S. Here are the top ten worst places to speed:

1. Detroit & Suburbs
2. Colorado Springs
3. Houston
4. Orlando
5. Nashville
6. Ann Arbor
7. Albuquerque
8. Washington
9. Denver
10. Virginia Beach

The NMA gets reports of speedtraps on its web site, www.speedtrap.org. While these are the places that top the reports, they say that many other places have arbitrarily low limits and heavy enforcement, so motorists should beware. Obviously, public safety is not the primary reason for such traps; rather revenue and harrassment seem to be the motivating factors.

Just another reason to watch your speed. And while many cops are good citizens and public servants, too many others are in the business as a legal way to bully others. Who needs that hassle?

Galveston, oh Galveston

Rocky shoreline

Not much to say in this post; just sharing a few more pictures I took last Thursday in Galveston. The rocky shoreline above is on the eastern end of Galveston Island, near the site of the former Fort San Jacinto. Since this point of land is at the entrance and exit to Galveston Bay from the Gulf of Mexico, it was an important defense position. This is why the fort used to be here.

There is a large concrete base for large artillery remaining at this far eastern part of the island. This is where the unidentified woman in the picture below chose to relax for a few moments and watch the ships heading in and out of the Ports of Galveston and Houston.


A woman enjoys the sound of the surf and the view of the ships

Here are some more ships coming and going. This is how we get much of our petroleum, as well as all of the cheap junk made in China and sold at Wal-Mart.


Busy shipping lanes at the entrance to Galveston Bay

Further to the west, I saw this lone seashell resting on the sandy beach on the part of the island where there is no seawall. Shortly after I shot this, my sister-in-law laid claim to this former mollusk home.


She sells seashells down by the seashore

In town near the Opera House, I saw the side of a building painted with layers of old advertising. The Wrigley's Spearmint Gum ad still remains visible . . . "Buy it by the box. The flavor lasts."


Old advertising on a brick wall

You can also see the Uneeda Biscuit ad that once graced the wall. A painted ad for Coca-Cola is to the right, but has been repainted more recently. The rubble below indicates that perhaps an adjacent building was demolished, exposing these old advertising signs.

Historic Galveston

Bishop's Palace in Galveston, Texas

When people think about Galveston, many things come to mind. Seawall Boulevard, Stewart Beach, the Bolivar Ferry and the 1900 Hurricane are some of them. However, what many don't know is that Galveston is also home to many examples of Victorian architecture. The Strand district has many historic buildings that have been maintained over the years.

While driving down Broadway, there are also several examples of such architecture. The mansion in the picture above is named Bishop's Palace, and is open for tours. Unfortunately, time did not permit a tour of the interior this trip, but I managed to get a few pictures of the exterior of this fine building.

Across the street from the Bishop's Palace is Sacred Heart Catholic Church. While I am certainly no fan of religion, there is no doubt that some of the world's most beautiful buildings are houses of worship. What is striking about Sacred Heart is the gleaming white color and the detail of the architecture. On the roof of the tower portions, just above the top parapet, there are stone fleur-de-lis at each of the corners. Surrounded by palm trees, this outstanding structure cannot be missed.


Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Galveston

Over on Postoffice Street, The Grand 1894 Opera House is still in business. It hosts a variety of shows throughout the year, including Banjomania every Father's Day weekend, as well as its role as a venue for private events. Built six years before the Great Hurricane of 1900 at a cost of $100,000 dollars, this historic building has survived many storms and serves today as both a cultural attraction and a link to Galveston's past.


The Grand 1894 Opera House

The image below is the main entryway to the Opera House, showing the arch and the box office located just inside the arch.


Opera House entryway

Here is a detailed close up of the 1894 medallion at the peak of the archway. These pictures barely scratch the surface of the classic architecture that is pervasive over much of the city. It would be easy to spend a lot of time exploring Galveston's past and present. Someday I hope to do more of that.


Detail at top of arch, showing the year it was built