Bob & I went to a presentation at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History this evening. On the way home, Bob noticed what he thought was a railroad car on a flatbed carrier in the 7-11 parking lot in Scotts Valley. A quick U-turn at the next intersection and left turn into the parking lot proved him right, in spades!!
The car was an 1870s-era 2' gauge boxcar coming from Colorado to Roaring Camp. Given the history of the railroads in the San Lorenzo Valley, and the wording on various of the trucks and wheels, Bob thinks it highly likely that the boxcar is probably coming home.
The truck driver reported that the same outfit was also shipping a flatcar to Roaring Camp.
Roaring Camp Railroads
Graham Hill Rd.
P.O. Box G-1
Felton, CA 95018
(831) 335-4484
The hours/schedule vary by time of year and train.
Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
1305 E. Cliff Dr.
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
(831) 420-6115 (general information number)
Open Tuesday-Sunday 10am to 5pm
Admission:
Adults: $2.50
Seniors: $1.50
Youth (under 18): Free
Museum Members: Free
30 September 2004
Boxcar!
Today In History
from wikipedia.org:
Events
1452 - First printed book, the Johann Gutenberg Bible
1935 - The Hoover Dam is dedicated
1980 - Ethernet specifications published by Xerox working with Intel and Digital Equipment Corporation
29 September 2004
Now Arvin Wants to Get Into the Act…
Moderate temblor strikes near Bakersfield
Associated Press
ARVIN, Calif. - A moderate quake rattled Kern County on Wednesday, just hours after a pair of apparently unrelated aftershocks jolted another part of Central California. The latest temblor apparently triggered a landslide on a state highway. San Jose Mercury News
CISN ShakeMap - 3:54p
Kansas City Star
Archangels
From Wikipedia:
Today is Michaelmas, the feastday of Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael (and Uriel?), the Archangels.
AmericanCatholic.org reports in today’s Saints of the Day, that “The memorials of Gabriel (March 24) and Raphael (October 24) were added to the Roman calendar in 1921. The 1970 revision of the calendar joined their feasts to Michael's.”
28 September 2004
Parkfield Is Still With Us…
PARKFIELD, Calif. Sept. 28, 2004 — A strong earthquake struck Central California on Tuesday, and it was felt from San Francisco to the Los Angeles area, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. There was no immediate report of injuries.
The quake, which struck at 10:15 a.m. PDT, had a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 and was centered 9 miles south of Parkfield. The area is 17 miles northeast of Paso Robles, scene of an earthquake that killed two people in December 2003… Strong Earthquake Strikes Central Calif.
Even though the December 2003 Paso Robles quake was a definite “event” here, I had no idea about this quake until I checked Google News; it was the top headline.
CISN ShakeMaps
USGS's CIIM (Community Internet Intensity Map) (main quake)
USGS's CIIM (Community Internet Intensity Map) (aftershock)
Preliminary Earthquake Report
USGS Earthquake Hazards Program - Northern California
New Zealand checks in
CNN
Bloomberg
CBS
News 8 Austin (Texas)
27 September 2004
Childraising Hint
Randy Cassingham, (in)famous for “This Is True”, also has the Jumbo Jokes Web site. One of his latest efforts touches on tough love… It’s not my fault: Randy finds ’em; I just read ’em! >:->
26 September 2004
Hurricane Edith
Fr Mike dragged in this morning, looking really beat. He’d gotten the new (Tibetan Terrier?) puppy, to replace Mabel, on Monday. Besides all the usual harum-skarum of a puppy in the house, Archie (Mabel’s buddy-boy) was not pleased…
Fr Mike had gotten Edith a couple of stuffers, which she just loved. Archie got ahold of them, and wouldn’t let her have them back. He also dissected the squeakers out of ’em (I have a feeling there were more indignities perpetrated on the poor little things, but Fr Mike spared us the gories).
Seems like, for the nonce, the Bunkers are reigning supreme in the rectory!
The New Funny Money, er, Currency
The new $50.00 bill is set to debut this Tuesday, 28 September. Take a look at the “interactive note” at The Dept. of the Treasury Bureau of Engraving and Printing Web site. It’s really interesting!
Thanks to KnowledgeNews’ newsletter for tomorrow for the tip.
25 September 2004
My! Nessie Does Get Around!!
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A long-necked sea reptile that lived millions of years ago in what is now China may have used its stiff neck to sneak up on unsuspecting prey and suck them in, scientists said on Friday.
Dubbed Dinocephalosaurus orientalis or “terrible-headed lizard from the Orient,” the monster had a neck 5.5 feet long, topped by a tiny head. At the other end was its big round body…
Long-Necked Sea Monster Snuck Up on Victims
On St Francis
St Bonaventure wrote:
“Francis sought occasion to love God in everything. He delighted in all the works of God’s hands and from the vision of joy on earth his mind soared aloft to the life-giving source and cause of all. In everything beautiful, he saw Him who is beauty itself, and he followed his Beloved everywhere by His likeness imprinted on creation; of all creation he made a ladder by which he might mount up and embrace Him who is all-desirable” (Legenda Major, IX, 1).
From the Saints of the Day for today, St Elzear and Blessed Delphina, from AmericanCatholic.org
24 September 2004
Advice to Preachers…
…from St Francis:
“Moreover, I advise and admonish the friars that in their preaching, their words should be examined and chaste. They should aim only at the advantage and spiritual good of their listeners, telling them briefly about vice and virtue, punishment and glory, because our Lord Himself kept his words short on earth” (St. Francis, Rule of 1223, Ch. 9).
From the Saint of the Day for today, St Pacifico of San Severino, from AmericanCatholic.org
23 September 2004
22 September 2004
Guy Kawasaki Strikes Again!
No big surprise…
His latest effort is The Art of the Start. Basically, it’s how to start up your startup, from the original evangelizer himself.
The first chapter is available for download from ChangeThis. Funny thing, though: I couldn’t download it with OmniWeb. Kept getting an internal error. It's just a .pdf… OTOH, I just got 6 “Please Confirm Your Subscription Request”s from ChangeThis (you can optionally add your e-mail address to the supplied field before clicking the download button).
Now why was the server able to pick up my e-mail addy but not able to send me the .pdf??
It’ll be interesting to see what they have to say to my feedback e-mail.
Once (if?) I get my hands on that .pdf, I’m sure I’ll have something further to say.
21 September 2004
19 September 2004
Rain Numbers - 19 September 2004
.22", for the day
.22", for the storm
.22", for the month
.24", for the (rain) year
