Opening the window

Opening the window, a photo by MikyAgo on Flickr.

Opening the window by MikyAgo

THE CASE OF THE CONFUSED BLOGGER

JUST ONE OF MANY SCULPTURES DEDICATED TO BLOGGER ANXIETY

There are times when this man becomes very confused about blogging. Sometimes, it is so easy, but there are times when it causes me to suffer anxiety. Is there anyone who has it down to an art?

Untitled

Untitled, a photo by MikyAgo on Flickr.

What a fantastic photo! This photo is one that impresses me like none other I have seen in a long while. If those who are seeking photos of a distinctive quality, for art's sake, will look and study this work, they will see genius. Robert

Manhattan Beach

Manhattan Beach, a photo by VerismoVita on Flickr.

This shows just a little bit of the fun that happens on the beaches of California. Manhattan Beach was the first beach I saw when first going to California in 1959. Thanks to VERISMOVITA for an excellent photo.
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Manhattan Beach by VerismoVita

Surfin u.s.a.

Surfin u.s.a., a photo by MikyAgo on Flickr.

Your photo is unique. I like the DOF (depth of field) treatment. It reminds me of the 1960s.

You have some great subject matter in your photos. Keep shooting. Wishing you a great future in the field of your choice.

Thanks, Robert

CACTI AND ROCK GARDEN APT: CORONADO, CALIFORNIA 1960

CACTI AND ROCK GARDEN APT: CORONADO, CALIFORNIA 1960, a photo by roberthuffstutter on Flickr.

MEMORIES OF CORONADO, CALIFORNIA

A few of us guys rented an apartment on Palm Avenue in Coronado in 1960. It was within five minutes of our duty station at COMNAVAIRPAC at NAS NORTH ISLAND. It was also only about ten minutes from one of the best beaches in southern California.

Yes, it was a fun time, and anyone who wandered out into the cacti garden aimlessly in the middle of the night might have had a most painful and prickly experience.

Photo by R.L.Huffstutter

DENVER 1958: HOPE AND CHANGE FOR A 16 YEAR OLD IN THE USA

DENVER 1958: HOPE AND CHANGE FOR A 16 YEAR OLD IN THE USA, a photo by roberthuffstutter on Flickr.

NOBODY IS TRAPPED--THE BUSES ARE STILL RUNNING, AND CAFES ARE STILL HIRING...a short essay about hope and common sense by Robert L. Huffstutter

Waking this beautiful Sunday morning, I thought about the freedom we enjoy. In many nations, one must be approved to move from one city to another, but in America, we can simply get in our autos or board a bus and travel to our chosen destination.

Nobody is keeping us trapped in a poverty-stricten city, nobody is denying us employment, nobody is keeping track of our every move from one location to the next--we are free to go where we feel we can gain the opportunities we desire.

I recall how when I tired of being a high school student back in 1958, I simply boarded a Greyhound bus and headed west toward Denver, Colorado. I wanted to change my lifestyle; I was seeking a change of scenery at age sixteen. Afterall, as an American, I told myself, why shouldn't I go to a city I wanted to see. I had a few dollars saved to finance myself for about a week. I knew I would find a job and place to stay.

When the Greyhound rolled into Denver, it was cold and snowing, but I had not expected palm trees and sunny weather. It was not a beach I was seeking then, it was simply a change, a job and a feeling that I was doing what I wanted. Through a flurry of snowflakes, I saw one business after another, all with neon signs in their windows and people hurrying along from one business to another in the cold, snowy weather.

When the bus pulled into this busy scene for passengers to depart, I took my suitcase and checked into the first hotel I found, only a few doors from the bus station. If I recall, the weekly rate was $15.00. I paid my week in advance and headed down to the street to seek employment. Within a hour, I had a job in a sandwhich and donut shop. I reported to work the next morning.

Opportunity is where one finds opportunity, but one must look. No, I did not stay at my job at the donut shop more than several weeks. I finally decided to go back home and get back in school.

What the experience proved to a sixteen year old boy was that as Americans we are free to travel and work wherever we find a place that will hire us. Nobody is trapped.

Though more than 60 years have passed since I took a bus out of town, those buses are still running. There are still cafes, hamburger joints and donut shops that are hiring.

Nobody is trapped. There are no excuses. Our first job might not be the one we will make our career, but it is a beginning, an opportunity to earn some money and make some plans for our lives.

If we feel like there is no HOPE for America, think again. It is not politics or politician that will save this nation--it is common sense.

Rock 'n' Roll George Kiprios

Rock 'n' Roll George Kiprios, a photo by Tram Painter on Flickr.

Rock 'n' Roll George Kiprios by Tram Painter

A WAR FOR EVERY GENERATION, BY R.L. Huffstutter

A WAR FOR EVERY GENERATION, BY R.L. Huffstutter, a photo by roberthuffstutter on Flickr.

A WAR FOR EVERY GENERATION
By Robert L. Huffstutter

Looking back on my youth, I find it quite fascinating that when I was 18 in 1960, many WORLD WAR I VETERANS were still employed and quite able-bodied. The veterans who had won WORLD WAR TWO were in their mid-30s to early 40s.

The men who fought the KOREAN WAR were in most cases, new draftees and were in their early 30s. So, at any given time in an evening of drinking at the neighborhood bars that would permit 18 year-olds like myself to drink, I enjoyed conversations with men who had fought in three of America's first wars of the 20th century.

Looking back on this now, it is difficult to understand that ALL of our WWI veterans have passed away, that most of our WWII veterans are gone now and that the Korean War vets still alive look hardly any older than those of my generation. America, the freedom-loving nation we are has guaranteed that every American born since 1890 through 1993 has had a chance to get involved in some really nasty and ugly kind of bloody combat. If there was ever a time when we were not involved in some type of campaign, it might have been from 1975 until we sent men and women to Yugoslavia to save the Muslim population from being wiped out by a government that was attempting to cleanse the nation of ethnic minorities.

How ironic that soon after the U.S. helped the United Nations achieve victory in Kosovo, we were attacked by religious fanatics on 11 September 2001, an event that has kept us engaged in more bloody combat since that infamous day in our nation's history.

We are, it seems, always in some type of conflict that costs the lives of young men and women in uniform.

In my retrospective opinion, the last bona-fide war we should have entered into was the Korean War.

Every conflict we have entered into since dividing Korea has gained us nothing and cost us dearly.

To continue to try and export democracy to those who will most likely never accept it is costing us lives, billions of dollars and dividing our national unity. Whatsmore, we continue sending billions of dollars in aid to nations we do not trust, to nations who do not trust us. How much longer will we continue rebuilding the infrastructure of nations where suicide bombs go off on a daily basis?

Has our conflict in the Middle East made us a safer nation? No,
it has created more enemies. That we supported the toppling of the governments of Egypt and Libya is totally beyond belief considering what happened in our meddling in the Iran of the 1970s.

What the U.S. will do next is akin to spinning the Wheel of Fortune. Someone once said that a nation deserves the government it gets. Well, I guess we are living proof of that old adage.

Will the next Dictator please take a number and wait for the bombs to fall?

WHO KNOWS THE LOCATION OF THIS SCENE?

WHO KNOWS THE LOCATION OF THIS SCENE?, a photo by roberthuffstutter on Flickr.

One of my best photos ever taken with a Brownie Hawkeye. Photo by Robert L. Huffstutter. Actually, I cannot accurately recall the date, but it could have been taken anytime between 1974 through 1981
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WHO KNOWS THE LOCATION OF... by roberthuffstutter

Romantic

Romantic, a photo by jojofotografia on Flickr.

your photograph defines what I like to imagine as the perfect romance, or the beginning of a perfect romance, that time that is special and like no other when two people meet and fall in love.
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Romantic by jojofotografia

Venice Art Crawl

Venice Art Crawl, a photo by www.YoVenice.com on Flickr.

IT WAS A DIFFERENT KIND OF USA THEN...

Lived on Paloma and had a great time being a young beatnik in the late 50s and early 1960. Finally, seeing no future, and hardly able to grow a decent beard, I joined the U.S.Navy. It was a good decision. It is my memories of Venice Beach and my time in the U.S.Navy that furnishes me with some of my fondest memories.
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Venice Art Crawl by www.YoVenice.com

Rock 'N Roll Revival

Rock 'N Roll Revival, a photo by terr-bo on Flickr.

You have a very positive photostream. It is a joy to view. HARBOR LIGHTS, ONLY YOU and other songs of that era are very special. Brook Benton's "Many a Tear Had to Fall" was the best. Yes, the music of the 50s through the 70s will always rate high on my personal BILLBOARD selections. The Shirells are a group I remember, but cannot recall their hit songs. Cool LP album.
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Rock 'N Roll Revival by terr-bo

typee

typee, a photo by omoo on Flickr.

This photograph by OMOO can be viewed on Flickr. As a member of Flickr for the past few years, I am always surprized at the images I find posted. In this unique instance, here are two of my favorite all-time novels, TYPEE by Herman Melville and TIME AND AGAIN by Jack Finney.
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Visit OMOO's FLICKR Photostream for some great viewing of unique photos.

Macro 182 - No post processing or HDR. The blue color comes from a small flashlight. Photoshop was used only to cut and insert my signature.

Macro 182 - No post processing or HDR. The blue color comes from a small flashlight. Photoshop was used only to cut and insert my signature., a photo by Dalma Szallonntai - Admin invite ONLY pls. on Flickr.

THIS IS ONE MOST UNIQUE PHOTOGRAPH. Dalma is a master at digital photography and creations, but in this MACRO 182, Dalma states no Photoshop was used, thus it is what you see, pure and simple, and most beautiful. A dandelion, beautiful? Yes, this one truly has a charm that reminds me that all things in nature have beauty if we simply look for the beauty.

This is pure photography at its breathtaking best, a surrealistic masterpiece. As I admire its beauty, I must confess I have a desire to blow gently on the tiny seeds and set them free in the wind.

Again, a fantastic work.
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Macro 182 - No post... by Dalma Szallonntai - Admin invite ONLY pls.
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PHOTOGRAPH BY DALMA SZALLONNTAI

PAT HARTMAN's WATERCOLOR OF VENICE, CALIFORNIA

PAT HARTMAN's WATERCOLOR OF VENICE, CALIFORNIA, a photo by roberthuffstutter on Flickr.

While sorting out old photos and memories of Venice Beach, I am reminded of Pat Hartman's excellent work. For more about Venice and the beatnik era of the 1960s, follow Pat Hartman by clicking on the painting.

rn1-446

rn1-446, a photo by George Hamlin on Flickr.

This is a delightful photo for all who love the look of the vintage railroads. A great photo by George Hamlin. Late 60s...

View of WTC and Statue of Liberty--Photo by Germán Ramos

View of WTC and Statue of Liberty--Photo by Germán Ramos, a photo by roberthuffstutter on Flickr.

A TIME TO REMEMBER WHAT THE WTC LOOKED LIKE BEFORE 9-11

A time for each of us to reflect on what this event has meant to us personally, a time to realize that the battle between good and evil is not mere fantasy or the subject of cinematic producers, but the creations of those who hate and cannot love.
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This work has been released into the public domain by Germán Ramos, the photographer who currently lives in Argentina. Germán Ramos took the photo in May 2001.

View of Manhattan from a helicopter, flying over Upper New York Bay. The towers destroyed in the 11 September 2001 attacks can also be seen on the island of Manhattan.

Germán Ramos grants anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.

11-2755

11-2755, a photo by George Hamlin on Flickr.

One of the most panoramic photographs I have seen. What a great spot for hang-gliding. Yes, a few years ago, I would have tried flying from this eagle's nest. PHOTO BY GEORGE HAMLIN

SUMMER IN SANTA MONICA 2002

SUMMER IN SANTA MONICA 2002, a photo by roberthuffstutter on Flickr.

SO MANY SUMMERS, SO MUCH SAND, SO MANY MEMORIES. My mind is full of beach scenes; I hear the surf, the sound of waves crashing into the boulders below my balcony and I smell the fresh saline breezes.

All great times end, sooner or later, but the memories last. I enjoy sharing my good times with all who will enjoy them.

Traces of time

Traces of time, a photo by art photon on Flickr.

Simply one of the best examples of pure photography I have seen during the last sixty years. This work by ART PHOTON is beyond description in its details and essence of age.

THANKS TO ART PHOTON. Click on the highlighted text for transportation to Art's Photostream.

Welcome

Welcome, a photo by David Kyle Craig on Flickr.

DON'T BE SHOCKED, FOLKS, DAVID JUST happened to be in the right place at the right time to capture the true essence of Hollywood.

If you think about it, you should not be too surprized, you knew it was just a matter of time before something like this happened. I mean look at the weather and the political winds. Now, Hollywood has it own special problem, a monster it created that is all-consuming, one that is eating its own, beginning with the very icon it created.

Will it take an Oscar to satisfy it and get it on its way to San Jose--or somewhere far away?

THANKS TO DAVID KYLE CRAIG for this capture above the famed Hollywood icon.

Portmeirion

Portmeirion, a photo by historyanorak on Flickr.

Portmeirion by historyanorak

What a well-framed and composed work. I have not been to Britain, but if I get there, I will certainly add Wales and this village I knew nothing about until now. This is one of the joys of Flickr--discovering new places for a proposed trip...someday.

I think I would enjoy this village and find it a cool place to sketch and photograph. Your work is fascinating and quite good.

PHOTOGRAPH BY HISTORYANORAK
Click on this photo--it is a link to historyanorak's Flickr photostream.

YOUR GUIDE TO PACIFIC OCEAN PARK

YOUR GUIDE TO PACIFIC OCEAN PARK, a photo by roberthuffstutter on Flickr.

Pacific Ocean Park, often referred to as POP was a major attraction in the Santa Monica and Venice Beach area for a short time, beginning in 1958 and lasting until around the mid-60s.

For those who were there, the magic of the area might have become fond memories.

For a total trip of the area, take a look at my watercolors and sketches of the area in my Flickr Photostream. You will find numerous links to historical references and vintage photos of the area. I have, I believe, created a virtual trip back into the 1960s of Venice Beach and the Strand leading up to the Santa Monica Pier where the famed Merry-Go-Round still turns with its caliope music, thrilling all ages.

While the sun shone a little brighter for me 50 years ago, I still have quite a good time remembering walking around and goofing around in Venice Beach and on the pier.

Original brochure in my personal collection. RLH

DSC_0214

DSC_0214, a photo by birdlives9 on Flickr.

This is a great photo by BIRDLIVES9 and I wonder if this is where the chase scene in the FRENCH CONNECTION was filmed?

Yes, it was a joy to be in Washington DC for the first time, 1960

Yes, it was a joy to be in Washington DC for the first time, 1960, a photo by roberthuffstutter on Flickr.

Ike was President and all seemed peaceful. Instead of going home, I took advantage of the free MATS flights and finally saw some of the sights I had wanted to see throughout my youth. The big Connie landed at what was then USNAS Anacostia. What I remember most was the sight behind me. The old streetcars took me to where I wanted to go, sights I wanted to see. I was alone, but I had a lot of fun. I spent about three weeks hopping MATS planes and flying from one area to another. One of the planes I enjoyed most was not a MATS aircraft, but the guys in Operations were friendly and booked me on a NEPTUNE P2V to NAS Norfolk. It was quite a sight, the ships and naval station, a mass array of U.S. Navy on display.

When we landed, a couple guys on the flight crew invited me to have a few beers at the EM Club. It was called the AERODROME and it was huge. It was quite an evening. There were floor shows, friendly "servers" and the old pinball machines.

My Art Journal 2011-07-1 #065

My Art Journal 2011-07-1 #065, a photo by Peter Seelig on Flickr.

entitled "we go to free the world" by the artist, Peter Seelig.
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We have tried this in the USA and it has not worked well, but your work tells the story well. This is excellent work. Robert

I LOVE SUNSHINE AND PLANTS, PASTEL DETAIL

I LOVE SUNSHINE AND PLANTS, PASTEL DETAIL, a photo by roberthuffstutter on Flickr.

Finally, I am able to get back to work with my pastels. Here's hoping it fills lives with joy and sunshine. It is good to have survived a long period of despondency and now able to create in my studio once again. Robert

Paris: Monmartre

Paris: Monmartre, a photo by Evan Turk on Flickr.

EVAN TURK'S WORK...is among the best I have seen on Flickr.

This work featuring the famous stairs in Monmartre captures the essence of the area as one arrives. It is bold and full of expectations.
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Simply click on this image and you will be linked to Evan's Flickr Photostream.

As one is led into Evan's portfolio (photostream), a more delicate view of the Left Bank is seen in light-hearted illustrations and paintings.

To be as young as Turk, and as talented, is the dream of the aged who dream instead of seeing visions. It is my belief that Evan will very soon become one of the world's most noted and famous of today's artists.