Twitpic Greeting for the New Year

Up, up and away into 2010 !

Out with the old, in with the new !
I may be getting older, but so are you......

Twitpic - Share photos on Twitter

Made in India from blip.tv

About Made in India :

one man
two years
one country
five journeys
eighteen states
hundreds of places
thousands of subjects
millions of curious people

I got to Syndicate blip.tv and you can, too !
Made in India is now available for anyone to Share
under licensing from
Creative Commons


click to enlarge
Yes, you too can get Made in India displayed right on
your own Web site. It's free, easy and requires about as
much brain power as I have left at my age....not much !
Just configure a Show Player and then grab the
copy & paste code at the bottom of this page and toss it
into your own site. Voila !

Just remember to give full credit where credit is due for
this act of 'Net generosity.......

Season's Greetings 2009

Season's Greetings 2009, originally uploaded by FredMikeRudy

Once this was virtually impossible....it couldn't be snowing in
San Pedro, California while the sun was shining on me,
wearing short sleeves and a Santa hat. But now.....if you can
dream, anything is virtually possible.

Sounds motivational and inspiring ? Great !

An inspired and delightful time to all my Virtual Poona friends !

fredmikerudy

Contact Me

--- @ WiseStamp Signature. Get it now

Celluloid Heroes Revisited

' You can see all the stars as you walk down Hollywood Boulevard,
Some that you recognize, some that you've hardly even heard of.
People who worked and suffered and struggled for fame,
Some who succeeded and some who suffered in vain.'
The KINKS - Celluloïd heroes (1972)Uploaded by Petite-Rigolote

What makes us so fond of the whole Hollywood scene ?
When I visited the Hollywood Walk of Fame recently I knew
I was doing it somewhat halfheartedly, since my own
passion had long cooled with the passing of years. And the
passion was not easily re-ignited when we got out on
Hollywood Boulevard into the intermittent drizzle and
damp of a rare Weather day in L.A. As the old '70s song
goes, 'It Never Rains in Southern California' but it
certainly did when I was there....three out of five days !

As I walked along the 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' for real,
I soaked in the sights even as I got soaked....frequently.
But Hollywood by day seemed a lot different, not as crazy and
jumping as say, the Vegas Strip at dusk or Bourbon Street on
a pre-Katrina night. There were a lot of tourists waiting
in line for tours of the Stars' homes, Cemeteries and hideouts,
but luckily for me even the drastic discounts offered by
desperate Limo Drivers could not entice me to be a Tourist
here. Instead, I walked all over the glitzy stars on the
Boulevard, and true to Ray Davies' lyrics, there really were'some that you've never even heard of'. That's when it
struck me that with the current economic crisis this Blvd.
might be dying as a major destination spot for many Tourists.
I mean, how many of us can name a film that Silver Screen
legend Betty Grable starred in ? Although The Walk does
keep up enough to sustain itself with names like Paula Abdul,
Antonio Banderas, and the one embedded star with the
most gawkers, Arnold Schwarzenegger a.k.a. nowadays as
The Governator.....

My nephew wanted me to visit every single attraction but all
I wanted was to take some memorable pics of this long-running
Tourist Attraction to share with the folks back home.
Talk about bad luck, I was getting my fill as I discovered that
between my nephew, his mom and myself we had three digital
cameras with batteries as dead as Groucho Marx, rest his soul.
Yours truly unflappable and unfazed just went into the
Grauman's Theatre store and bought new batteries. Tossed out
the old ones and then rushed to the huge urn/garbage
receptacle to recover the old ones which were the expensive
rechargeable kind. But the new ones I bought weren't, so we
resorted to the new backup, camera phones ! And so I did
salvage a few moments from the whole trip and actually made
a go of it after meeting up with some of the strangest
performers I've come across in America. I posed with a
Marilyn Monroe impersonator with a fur-collared jacket
on, covering that famous dress with the low-cut neckline,
above a grate that blew the wind up her dress to make it
billow just as in the classic pinup pose, while wondering how
she could be out on the street in the chilly, damp weather.

I met Christopher Dennis, an unusual Superman impersonator

who believes like the rest of the 'actors' there that something
will eventually turn up, and his fate will improve. Except it's
something that he and the Captain America, Cat Woman,
Wonder Woman, The Incredible Hulk,
Marilyn (Melissa J Weiss)

and Jack Sparrow
characters have been doing for years. Many years.

Even while their fortitude is tested on a daily basis in all
kinds of weather, these denizens of Hollywood and Vine
are not just earning their living by posing for a Dollar.
'Marilyn' claimed she was a Scriptwriter and Director,
as did 'Superman', which I swallowed in a kindly gesture
even as I mentally pitied their fantasy world.

Well, I was more than a bit wrong....later that evening
my nephew asked me to watch a film that he streamed
via Netflix called 'Confessions of a Superhero'.
Surprise, surprise....all that these Superhero characters
claimed seemed to be true. Someone else was intrigued
by their lives, too. Matt Ogens made a Documentary that
opened at the SXSW Film Festival and it was a hit there
as well as a hit in my book.

I like rooting for the underdog and the creative souls who
try to rise above their surroundings. These struggling 'Heroes'
are in no way as unfortunate as the people starving in real
conditions in India, the Dominican Republic and Darfur,
to name a few of the poverty-ridden countries that are
often glossed over in our comfortable little existences.
And yet, in America where folks own large homes but have
no Health Insurance and face growing Unemployment, these
'Heroes' still display a Superhuman resolve, giving their all
as they pose for that one lousy Dollar tip which they
must earn, since Panhandling is against the law.
The Photos are from my Flickr set
'Confessions of a Superhero' Official Site
AFI Fest Photos from Life.com

Lyn Uline-Gatt March 30 at 2:28pm Report

I tried to post this to your Blog...did it go through?
I wasn't sure so I thought i would send it as a message as well... :)

Very interesting blog my friend. Your insight regarding the slow decay of
‘the Hollywood experience’ is likely correct. The icons and Hollywood mystic
has been eroded, replaced by the phenomenon of ‘reality stars’… everyday
folks like you and me??...I don’t think so…but J.Q. Public does. 

 

Perhaps it was apropos that it rained and the images of those struggling
actors looked so bleak…these are in any case bleak times.
~ from Lyn on Facebook

Thanks/Giving of Biblical Proportions

UPDATED Dec. 01, 2009 with video and link following
the one below:

A Happy Thanksgiving at least for some folks, thanks to
The First Baptist Church of Charlotte, North Carolina.
They came up with enough food to feed 5,000 people,
just like in the Bible story.

Video and story from FOX News

Related video and link to Thanks and Giving
in Humble, Texas where the Parishioners received
money in envelopes to share with anyone they found
needy, including Link courtesy of my nephew Shaheed
of Grace Church in Humble.

Heads Up, News Junkies et al

News Junkies with limited time on their hands are
guaranteed to get their fix of the day's Headlines with
NEWSEUM - Wash. D.C.'s most Interactive Museum.
This very useful website not only lets you click on
a city's Front Page thumbnail, but also lets you zoom in
and actually access the page in PDF format. If the
headline looks interesting enough to warrant reading of
the entire article, the link to the newspaper in question is
conveniently placed next to the PDF link. No need to type
in a newspaper name into that Google Search box and wade
through endless results for the exact URL. Just Bookmark
Newseum.org and you're on your way to all the news that's
fit to print (or view online).

Whether it's in the USA or anywhere else in the world, like
Italy

Poland


or Nicaragua

it's all very neatly sorted and arranged by region

I really hope you enjoy this as much as I did....good web
surfing to you all.
Newseum | Today's Front Pages | Gallery View

Furusato : Be it Ever so Humble

'Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam,
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home'
~ John Payne


In a somewhat hidden and deserted strip of land alongside the
busy Port of Long Beach lies a former mudflat that was turned
into an artificial island. Measuring less than 5 miles long,
officially named Terminal Island in 1918, this area was
once the Tuna canning capital of the world.

Fine, I thought to myself last October as I was being driven
through the shipyards of Long Beach to visit this place.
But where was it ? No one in sight. No Maps, Directions,
Concession stands, Museum Brochures or Restrooms. Not
a soul in the area with the exception of a lone Mariner who was
probably walking along this silent strip of land to get to his
vessel docked a few miles away.

And then it came into view, this rather large Monumental Statue
of two Issei Fishermen, cast in Bronze. Looking deep into the
distance while their hands worked instinctively, perhaps dreaming
of their old homes far away in Japan that they would in all reality
probably never see again. At once somber and mystifying and
touching. I had my fill of taking pics not realizing what all this was
about until I got back to Texas and started reading up for this post.



A large amount of the work in those Canneries was performed
by similar Japanese immigrants who took up residence there,
building lives and families in their own traditional orthodox
and naive way.

Although the older children took part in normal activities
such as Baseball, dining with friends, attending Local Catholic
schools, celebrating Christmas and New Years', enrolling in the
Boy Scouts, etc., these 'Nisei' (second-generation Japanese-
Americans of immigrant parents) still had a strong sense of
their heritage thanks to their parents who were content it
seems, to remain within the confines of their own tightly-knit,
isolated community, speaking a weird dialect of English and
Japanese words. For over two decades by all accounts it was
an idyllic existence for these families, right up until the 1941
Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Within twenty-four hours, these immigrants and their families
were subjected to evacuation orders, literally banished forever
from Terminal Island. A population close to 3,000 was forcibly
and unofficially removed by the FBI and sent to internment in
Camps. Most of these Islanders wound up in Manzanar at the
foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, victims of Wartime
and Racial hysteria.

After the war, they discovered that there was no 'going back
home' since their homes and schools had been razed to the
ground by the Navy. Not a trace remained to prove they had
once lived a simple, happy life in the Cannery district.

Deeply dismayed but not willing to have a part of their lives
obliterated, these former residents banded together and formed
the Terminal Islanders Club in 1971. A club that holds
periodic Reunions, Picnics, Dances, Sports competitions, etc.,
today these folks are well into their Eighties. As concerns grew
about their unique heritage disappearing, they succeeded
in erecting the Terminal Island Monument in 2002, a memorial
to honor their parents and preserve their precious revered
memories of Furosato : their Home Sweet Home.
An almost-forgotten Memorial to an all-but forgotten time in
Japanese-American History.


Ansel Adams picture from the US Library of Congress


See more related pics at my Flickr album
or on Picasa web and explore other fascinating details of
this true story :
Furusato The Lost Village of Terminal Island

The Terminal Island Mosaic :
1290 Clickable images arranged to form
a Calligraphic Japanese word: Furosato

Related Ken Burns' PBS Video

The Korean Bell of Friendship at Angels Gate Park

I don't get around much any more, but when I do
you can bet you'll hear about it. Some of my pics taken
in October '09 of a truly unique place to visit when in the L.A.,
California area.


Mountains and hills, the Blue Pacific Ocean below,
Blue skies above, 365 days a year.

Well, almost....it was damp, drizzly and overcast on the
day that I re-visited this modern-day structure that
consists of a Pavilion that houses the enormous Bronze
Korean Bell of Friendship

Situated in Angels Gate Park in San Pedro, close to L.A.,
the bell was presented in 1976 by the Republic of Korea
to the American people to celebrate the bicentennial of
the United States, to honor American veterans of the
Korean War, and to symbolize friendship between the
two nations.

On the day I was there a Photo shoot was in progress
literally at the steps of the Bell.

Angels Gate Park that houses this starkly beautiful
monument has been a favorite location for Hollywood
film cast and crews due to its picturesque surroundings.
'The Usual Suspects' starring Kevin Spacey and Giancarlo
Esposito was filmed here, as were parts of The Titanic.
The secluded and peaceful area attracts people like
Johnny Depp, who is noted for hanging around the
San Pedro area. Notable area residents past and present
include actress Sharon Tate, Author Charles Bukowski,
Comedian D.L. Hughley and Art Pepper, Jazz Saxophonist.


But don't take my word for it. Just check out this

Korean Bell of Friendship Fabulous Full-screen Panoramic
Slideshow
by Carol Struycken

I consider this place an instant favorite for anyone who visits
and I highly recommend it for its serene and meditative
atmosphere.

View my pics The Korean Bell of Friendship in San Pedro
- a set on Flickr

San Pedro : A Whale of a Town

The Korean Bell at wikipedia

And Now, I Give You All...The (USB) Finger ! | The News is NowPublic.com

A weird oldie about an implant that doubles as a gadget, one
that I wrote about during my short-lived connection with
Now Public.com....

And Now, I Give You All...The (USB) Finger ! |
The News is NowPublic.com

Pink Rules in October

October is the one month in the USA that many Retail stores find
it in their hearts to give up their precious display space to promote
awareness for Breast Cancer. The color Pink is Everywhere !
Pink is the distinguishing color for hats, bracelets, mugs, shirts,
pens, cosmetics, you name it - an increasing number of products
are tied to Breast Cancer awareness, and with good reason :

" Women in the United States have the highest incidence rates
of breast cancer in the world; 141 among white women and
122 among African American women." ~wikipedia

Today there are over 2.5 million breast cancer survivors, which
mean 2.5 million Survivor stories, many of which remain untold.


DOVE Chocolate Promises of Hope include special messages
of hope, inspiration and strength, written by survivors. Look for
their personal, motivational messages under each DOVE Promises
wrapper.

After eating these chocolates and reading the survivors' inspirational
messages, I sought inspiration in sharing their message in my own
little way. What I came up with is above : two pics of Dove wrappers
that I took and then uploaded to Flickr
Full size Wrapper Images: Outer Inner

I'd best let the Komen.org team tell their story :
" Susan G. Komen fought breast cancer with her heart, body and soul.
Throughout her diagnosis, treatments, and endless days in the hospital,
she spent her time thinking of ways to make life better for other women
battling breast cancer instead of worrying about her own situation.
That concern for others continued even as Susan neared the end of
her fight. Moved by Susan’s compassion for others and committed
to making a difference, Nancy G. Brinker promised her sister that
she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever.

That promise is now Susan G. Komen for the Cure®,
the global leader of the breast cancer movement, having
invested more than $1 billion since inception in 1982. As the
world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer
survivors and activists, we’re working together to save lives,
empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize
science to find the cures.

Thanks to events like the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®,
and generous contributions from our partners, sponsors and
fellow supporters, we have become the largest source of
nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in
the world. "
~ ww5.komen.org/

Houston Texans : Real Men in Pink
In early March, 2009, American Football Running Back
Ryan Moats's mother-in-law, Jonetta Collinsworth, died
from breast cancer. When they were informed that Ms.
Collinsworth was close to death, Moats, his wife Tamishia
(Collinsworth's daughter) and other family members
rushed to Baylor Regional Medical Center in
Plano, Texas. After driving through a red light, Moats
was stopped by a Dallas Police Department officer,
who delayed him for 13 minutes outside the hospital's
emergency room, after Moats's explanation was
corroborated by a hospital nurse. The officer drew his
weapon during the incident. By the time Moats reached
Collinsworth, she had died.

Now Moats and other members of the NFL are daring
to wear Pink during their Sunday matches, and all for the
cause of raising Breast Cancer Awareness.
~ story from KHOU Texas