Momma 

. . . more Momma 

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD WE LIVE IN WITH "SMASHING" BEAUTY PROVIDED BY THE SEA

The photo above taken by John Pennock (Lonely Planet Images) is a dramatic image of the Canary Islands' Tenerife harbor breakwater at sunset. The Canaries, conquered by Spain in the late 15th century, are Europe's Hawaii. The chain of seven major islands was raised from the Atlantic Ocean by volcanoes. Cruise ships dock at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (shown below).

WHAT A CURIOUS SIGHT . . . AND I WONDERED WHAT TRIGGERED IT ??

I was taking my daily walk and as I neared the end of the Manhattan Beach Pier I turned to walk in toward the beach when I noticed a curious sight in the sky. High above the structures a large number of birds were circling. There were perhaps a hundred or more birds flying in close formation like a swarm of bees. I walked on and as I neared the start of the pier I could see that the swarm was coming closer and that they were flying lower. Then the realization hit me. These were Richard's friends. They were waiting for him a couple of blocks from the pier where he parks his car and then they proceeded to escort him on his walk to the pier. Then I saw Richard coming down the sidewalk with his following close at hand. Richard wasn't feeling well but that didn't prevent him from keeping his daily appointment with his friends. Each day Richard comes to the pier to provide food, fresh water and, on warm days, a shower for his feathered friends. Below is the collage I used with my May, 2005 posting about Richard's daily visits to dispense kindness and sustenance to his growing number of friends. Richard, I hope your recovery is rapid and complete. Manhattan Beach is enriched by your presence.

IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE NICHOLAS BROTHERS, THEN YOU'VE MISSED THE MOST SPECTACULAR, MAGICAL "ALL NATURAL" SPECIAL EFFECTS IN CINEMA HISTORY

Fayard Nicholas, the elder half of the show-stopping Nicholas Brothers tap-dancing duo that thrilled audiences during the 1930s and beyond with their elegance and daring athleticism, has died. He was 91. The picture above shows Fayard (on the left) and his brother Harold.

The self-taught Nicholas Brothers — Fayard and Harold — tap-danced their way from vaudeville and Harlem's legendary Cotton Club to Broadway and Hollywood. Known for their airborne splits and acrobatics, the handsome, dapper duo is considered by many to be the greatest dance team ever to work in American movies.
The Russian ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov once called them "the most amazing dancers I have ever seen in my life — ever."
When filmgoers saw the Nicholas Brothers' dazzling acrobatic routine in the 1940 movie musical "Down Argentine Way" (starring Don Ameche, Betty Grable and Carmen Miranda), they were known to applaud and stomp their feet until the projectionist rewound the film and played the dance sequence again.

Fred Astaire considered the Nicholas Brothers' "Jumpin' Jive" dance sequence in the 1943, all-black musical "Stormy Weather" the greatest dance number ever filmed. "With its spectacular splits and leaps, their 'Jumpin' Jive' number is easily the most exhilarating dance routine in all of cinema.

The show-stopping performance, set in a large cabaret with the Cab Calloway band playing, has the brothers jumping onto tabletops and leaping off a grand piano onto the dance floor in full splits.

The highlight of their breathtaking, synchronous routine occurs when they leap over each other in splits while descending an oversized staircase. "That was one take, coming down those stairs … jumping over each other's heads," Nicholas told The Times in 1989.

Their first major film musical, "Kid Millions" featured Eddie Cantor (1934). "The Big Broadcast of 1936" followed. The Nicholas Brothers appeared on Broadway in "The Ziegfeld Follies of 1936" and in 1937 they worked with ballet choreographer George Balanchine in the Rodgers and Hart Broadway musical-comedy "Babes in Arms."

These two were giants among the legends.

ANOTHER GLORIOUS DAY IN THE SOUTHBAY

Dolphins like the ones pictured above were swimming through the breakers off gusty Manhattan Beach as Santa Ana winds pounded the Los Angeles area for a third straight day Tuesday.

A SMALL STYLISH "S U V" THAT LOOKS LIKE A COUPE BUT . . .

it opens up like a roomy van.
The $23,000 Toyota FJ Cruiser created a big buzz at the recent L.A. auto show and is due to be available this spring.

. . . and you thought things had changed . . .

alright already . . .  

WILT CHAMBERLAIN'S 100-POINT GAME: A LASTING MARK

Twenty-five-year-old Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game on March 2, 1962, still stands as the NBA's single-game record. Wilt and the Philadelphia Warriors beat the New York Knicks 169 to 147.

A DAY WITH THE SOARING SEA GULLS AND THE DIVE-BOMBING PELICANS

I felt inspired today. Of course, I always feel inspired after taking my daily walk at the seashore and out on the Manhattan Beach Pier. But, today was special. As I walked out on the pier, I saw the puddle of water that told me that Richard had been there showering the pigeons, feeding them and providing them with fresh water. (On May 19, 2005, I did a full posting on Richard and his wonderful project---Check the Archives, May 2005). I'm always reassured by that puddle. The wind was very strong today and the sea gulls were enjoying it immensely. They appeared to be floating, or suspended by an invisible string as they rode on the wind like a kite. Today there were very large waves. It's always exciting to watch those large waves come rolling in, and to see them crashing against the pier. Sometimes if you position yourself just right in relation to the sun, you can see lovely rainbows as the water from the crashing waves flies up into the air. The pelicans were out in formation today conducting their fishing excursions. I"m always amazed to see the pelicans flying along, and then one by one peeling off into a dive straight down into the sea. I try to watch carefully to see if they got their prey. Oh yes, a day at the seashore always reminds me of what a wonderful world we live in and how blessed many of us are.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD A LITTLE ADVENTURE TO YOUR LIFE ??

From the "It seemed like a good idea at the time" files.

COOL ART THAT WILL MESS WITH YOUR HEAD

The impossible Object

Are you tired yet? . . . I mean, Are you finished ??

WE MAY BE ON TO SOMETHING HERE . . .

Click on the Toon to enlarge it.

NICE SKYLINE . . . IS THIS THE REAL NEW YORK, NEW YORK ??

No, it's Legoland in Carlsbad, California where a Lego-block replica of New York City is bathed in the glow of a pyrotechnic sunburst.

What's the difference between a dead snake lying in the road and a dead lawyer lying in the road ??

Answer: There are skid marks in front of the snake.

Why does California have the most lawyers and New Jersey the most toxic waste dumps ??

Answer: New Jersey had first choice.

REMEMBERING THE LEGENDS OF GOLF IN THE FIFTIES

In 1950, Ben Hogan, nicknamed "Bantam Ben" because of his small size (145 pounds) and called the "Hawk" by fellow players because of the way he studied a course, matched Sam Snead shot-for-shot on the last day of the Los Angeles Open. Hogan was making his miraculous comeback from a near-fatal automobile accident and was leading when he finished his final round at the Riviera Country Club, a course that became known as Hogan's Alley. Snead beat Hogan in a week-delayed 18-hole playoff, 72 to 76. Shown above is a piece of artwork, just like Hogan. 

SEATTLE'S CELEBRATION . . . WELCOMING 2006 IN STYLE

Seattle's Space Needle takes an active, if nonspeaking role in that city's New Year's Eve fireworks extravaganza.