More Vegas signage

I've got another slideshow for you, with a few of the old motel signs I snapped on our bus ride downtown. Please pardon the presence of streetlights, etc., but it was a little tricky to try to get shots as we were moving! They have a mini version of the famous Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada sign on the way downtown, and it substitutes "downtown" for "fabulous." Super cool!

Some of the signs are in pretty good shape, which is more than I can say for some of the motels! Most of them looked like places you really wouldn't want to stay in, not if you wanted to walk out alive, uninfested, or both. There are a lot of sex shops and seedy-looking strip joints in this area, but also a lot of wedding chapels...which I found odd and interesting at the same time. A couple of my favorite motels we passed were the High Hat Motel (a great name, and the sign includes a boomerang) and the Tod Motor Motel. That was a pretty large sign, and I just liked the name. A motel named Tod. Of course, Tod (pronounced tote) is the German word for death, so I doubt if they get a lot of German visitors staying at the Tod Motor Motel!

I suppose there will come a day when Vegas tries to clean up the approach to the old downtown, but I hope it takes them a while. I thought it was kind of neat to see these signs and motels...although I don't think I'd want to walk around in the area. They're doing a lot of work on the area adjacent to the Fremont Street Experience, including expanding the sidewalks and adding some brand new neon signs, a couple of which I included in the slideshow. The martini glass is fabulous, with concentric circles lighting in sequence, then the olive! They've done a good job with these signs. But Las Vegas Boulevard, just north of the Strip, is probably what most people hate if they hate Vegas. It's seedy, dirty, and a little bit sleazy. I kinda like it, but then I have a fascination with the way buildings age, especially when contrasted with the glitter of the Strip. I still maintain that such buildings and signs will be the archaeological sites of the future.

I also included a couple more Boneyard signs in the slideshow, because I just knew I was missing a couple! I checked my camera, and there were about 10 that didn't download. One of the cutest signs was from a dry cleaners, and our guide Justin said it was his favorite growing up in Vegas. It's called Happy Shirt, and he would wave his arms and smile. There's a picture of a later incarnation of the Stardust sign (it went through several makeovers), which should give you an idea of how massive the Stardust sign always was. Justin said that the sign is in 9 pieces, and all of them are huge. He said they did a great job in dismantling the sign, as well, cutting along all the original welding lines. Yay!

By the way, although the movie "Casino" was mostly filmed at the Riviera, it's based on Franky "Lefty" Rosenthal and his management of the Stardust for a while, and his associate Tony "The Ant" Spilotro, played by Robert Deniro and Joe Pesci respectively. Ken and I watched "Casino" again not too long ago, and it's a great movie.

I still have lots of pictures of the Fremont Street casinos, and I'll save those for another day. Here's the slideshow, and again, you can click at any time to get the big picture.

A new sheriff in town

I haven't written much about the upcoming inauguration, and to be honest, I haven't really been thinking about it that much. I'm feeling a little reflective today, though.

It's not like before the election, when there were many doubts about whether or not Obama could win. Those doubts have been laid to rest (although it might be more apt to say that they were beaten into submission), and it's just been a matter of waiting until he is sworn in. That day is almost here, and I think it's very appropriate that it takes place after Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

I came across a rather disturbing column online, in which Obama is referred to as the "offspring of the sexual congress between an African black and an American white of European descent." I was even more disturbed when I saw that the author is black. He goes on to state that "Working whites don’t mind the relatively small portion of their own race on the dole so much, but they see the black race as (innately) parasitical and perhaps intellectually challenged. And this goes for those whites who voted along party lines for the black messiah. Whether they think this calls for coddling, deportation or extermination is an individual matter, but the perception is probably fairly uniform."

Wow. Dude. No, the perception is not uniform, and I find this really offensive. I also find it another example of someone with issues about themselves and an inferiority complex that they project onto others. I can assure you that I have never thought of blacks as either innately parasitical or intellectually challenged, and I've certainly never thought that coddling, deportation, or extermination was some sort of option. It's not even SANE.

By the way, I'm not even going to link to his bullshit or mention the guy's name, because I won't promote him or his nasty rhetoric. Get some therapy, buddy. Seriously.

I've made no bones about my support for Obama, but contrary to what some might believe, I don't think and have never thought that he was some kind of "messiah." He's quite human, and I'm sure he will make mistakes. But it also bothers me to hear the easy dismissal of him as all talk with nothing to back it up. One of my own relatives said that Obama is "stupid." You can call him a lot of things, but to call him stupid is...well, kind of stupid, and a gross underestimate of his intellect and talent. Do I expect miracles? No. I don't believe in miracles when it comes to the course of our nation and an attempt to turn around the sad state of our economy. I believe in hard work and research and good advisers, and I believe that there will be sacrifice involved on all of our parts. It could be a rough year, and Obama has said that over and over again.

But there's no need to rehash all of that, or debate it. On Tuesday, Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States, and I'll be watching. Despite the disgust I feel at reading things like the column I referenced above, I remain hopeful that this will mark a change in the way we deal with each other at home, and in how we're perceived around the world. I really don't understand anyone who wants Obama to fail in his endeavors as President. It's our country, and we should all believe and yes, HOPE, that good things can happen, that we can turn things around.

Now let's get this party started. There's a new sheriff in town. (If you want a chuckle, do a YouTube search for "blazing saddles new sheriff in town." It's a little rough, so I didn't put the video up here.)

Bored? Does not compute.

I've spruced things up a little here at Cyber Nutwood. I still love the previous look and may eventually go back to something similar, but I've been in a retro mood lately so I decided to give it a retro vibe. The pattern on the header is the classic formica pattern with its amoeboid shapes (Look for it at your favorite diner--the pattern, not amoeba!), the font is called Diner (I've been looking for it for a while, and stayed up late one night and found it!), and the pink and turquoise are common Googie colors. I stuck with my gray background, though, because it's always been easiest on my eyes. Even at the lab, where we could customize our screen displays, I always wanted the pale gray because that caused the least eye strain for me.

One guy used to modify his screen so that it was bright yellow, red, etc. Very vivid colors. We had to deal with enough eye strain as it was, with lots of microscope work, computer work, picking tiny colonies off agar plates...why compound that strain on your eyes with a Dayglo, Technicolor computer screen?

Ken and I ran some errands today and the temperature was much more tolerable, despite a brisk wind. Night before last, it got down to 19 below in our city, which was the fourth coldest temperature on record. The town my folks live in got it even worse, getting down to 26 below! I hope that's the end of the intense cold for this season. That's just miserable, and dangerous for kids and the elderly.

We got stuff for stir fry today. Doesn't that sound good? These boots were made for wokkin'...sorry, I couldn't resist.

I've read a few comments recently in which people wrote that they were bored. Now I want all of you to stop that kind of talk right now, young men and young ladies! There is no excuse for boredom! A couple of years ago, our friend Indigo did a turn as Guest Editor on the old AOL Journals, and I can't tell you how flattered I was that she included me in her list. One of the things she wrote was that boredom was not an option in my world, and I've never forgotten that. In fact, I've adopted it as my unofficial mantra. I included it prominently in my new header.

There's a lot to be said for having the ability to self-entertain. When I announced my retirement at work, one person asked me, "Won't you get bored? I'd get so bored." When I see our neighbor out at the mailbox, he asks me, "Are you bored yet? I'd be really bored." Some of Ken's coworkers asked him, "What is she going to DO?"

I can truthfully say that since I stopped working 9 months ago, I have not had one single moment when I thought, "I'm bored." Cabin fever is something else entirely. I told Ken today that it felt good to get out--even though I've had no problem keeping myself occupied, it's a mental thing knowing that you can't get out, as opposed to not wanting to. But boredom? Not even an iota.

I think that temperament and personality has a lot to do with it. I'm very much an introvert, and I've written before how I get my sense of "recharging" from solitude and from peace and quiet. Others get their stimulation from interacting with others and recharge their batteries that way. I'm not saying either way is better--it's very different for different people. I just happen to be able to get my jollies out of pursuits and interests that others might find boring. I've got a freakin' library downstairs, so shame on me if I ever say I'm bored!

I don't know if it's something that can be learned. For those who are extroverts and need to interact with people often, I doubt if my way could ever be their way. I might just be hardwired to have a Low Entertainment Maintenance Level (LEML, and I just made that up, but I like it...do you have a LEML or a HEML? Maybe you have a MEML.). I don't know, but I'm grateful for it. It doesn't take much to amuse me, and it has served me well over the years.

Bored? Not this gal!

Good Anon vs. Evil Anon

While I've encountered an Evil Anonymous in the past, it seems that they have a Good twin. This is the kind of Anonymous comment I don't mind getting!

Anonymous said...

I am a current employee for PP of Indiana. Reading your blog and the comments of others lifted my spirits. It's especially uplifting to hear of the men and women we have helped receive basic health care and birth control. We are not the evil we are often presented to be, and I cannot tell you how happy it made me to read about those that have used our services or see the endless need for our services. I wish we received just one of these comments for every hateful e-mail we receive. Thank you all for sharing your stories, and thank you author for not only seeing the importance of PP of Indiana, but for writing your representative. A true patriot acts.

Thank you to everyone who made a comment on my entry about Planned Parenthood and the important work that they do. It seems that together we helped to brighten someone's day, and that makes me happy!

Throwing the baby out with the bath water

A few days ago, I read an article in our local paper about the ongoing efforts of a state representative to halt funding for Indiana's Planned Parenthood sites.

To give you a little background, late last year, a videotape surfaced in which a 20-year-old woman was posing as a 13-year-old girl. (I'm not sure who this woman was working for.) When she told PP workers that she was pregnant, and her boyfriend was 18 (or something like that--a legal adult, at any rate), the workers said that they didn't want to talk about that. Apparently, if workers find out that there is the possibility of abuse or statutory rape, they must report it to authorities. These workers ignored the information.

Obviously, they were wrong to do so. But this representative, Jackie Walorski, took steps to start an investigation, and in the meantime, asked the state to stop funds to all of our state Planned Parenthood offices. That bothered me enough at the time, but when I read the latest article, I decided to write to her.

The two workers in question no longer work for Planned Parenthood. However, Walorski is still attempting to stop funding, and according to the article I read, was asking for contributions on her website to continue her efforts. From what I understood, that's not really illegal, but there was something to do with the timeframe of when she was asking for donations--it all seemed horribly convoluted, and to me, it's all beside the point! When I read that she was still pursuing a cut-off of funds, that was it. I wrote to her.

Dear Representative Walorski,

As a woman, one of my concerns is that all women have access to information about women's health issues, and access to birth control. I have been reading with interest the saga of Planned Parenthood and your efforts to cut off their funding because of the recent videos that surfaced and raised concerns about the mandatory reporting of child abuse.

I do not dispute that Planned Parenthood must adhere strictly to those guidelines in order to protect children. However, the employees responsible are no longer working for the organization, and while enforcing the law is an admirable goal, your desire to cut off their funding is shortsighted and not conducive to women's health.

Do whatever needs to be done to enforce the mandatory reporting rule, but I strongly urge you to stop your efforts to cut off their funding. Planned Parenthood helps millions of women gain access to health screenings and birth control that they would never be able to afford otherwise. As a microbiologist, I saw first-hand the rampant spread of sexually transmitted diseases, and Planned Parenthood works hard to try to educate and assist women in the prevention of these diseases.

Cutting off their funding because of this incident is akin to cutting off your nose to spite your face. This is a worthwhile organization, and I urge you to desist in your attempts to stop their funding.

Thank you for your time.

*****

I know that not everyone is a fan of Planned Parenthood, and you're entitled to your opinion. If you feel the need to comment here with your opposition to the organization, I won't stop you (unless you get nasty with me), but I also won't be drawn into a debate about it. I believe they do important work in helping women (and men--PP is not restricted to women only) get health screenings that they might never get otherwise, screenings that can sometimes save lives. They provide birth control to men and women of all ages, preventing unplanned pregnancies. They assist local and state health departments in the tracking and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, some of which can be passed congenitally to fetuses. They help with prenatal care for those young women who are pregnant.

For quite a few years, during college and after my divorce, I went to Planned Parenthood, and was grateful for their services and was happy to support them. As a young woman, I was in a position where I could pay for their services, and I felt that my payments went towards helping others who were unable to afford care.

No, I believe Walorski is wrong to attempt to stop funding to Planned Parenthood. She hasn't been successful so far, and I don't believe she will be. She promises to respond to all letters, but I've heard nothing yet. Possible abuse absolutely must be reported in order to protect children. PP has said that the laws and their policies are clear, they have fired the employees in question, and they are retraining their workers in the regulations. Walorski's attempt to cut off funding is nothing more than political posturing, and she is ignoring the health care needs of thousands of Indiana residents, especially women. Shame on her!

*****

A final word today, this one about the "Miracle on the Hudson." In such rough times, how great is it to see these true professionals, including Captain Sullenberger, bring their passengers to safety under some very dire circumstances? The last person out was the Captain, after walking the plane and making sure that all his passengers were safely out. And how wonderful was it to see the Coast Guard and ferry workers speed to the scene and rescue each and every passenger? I guess there's something to be said for being a part of the "liberal elite" that lives in New York City. Apparently it confers some sort of bravery gene. A standing ovation for every single person involved in this rescue. Amazing, heartening, and very, very inspiring. Let's hear it for the good ones. Huzzah!

Cats: a user's guide

Cousin Shane had this up on his Facebook page, and it was so funny I had to put it up here. Since I love cats and I also love a particular engineer, I found it irresistible.

Googie signage

The lovely Miss Ginger wonders, "Why is it called 'Googie' signage and 'Googie' architecture?"

Excellent question, Miss G., and although I think I may have written a little about Googie before, it was some time ago and I don't think I wrote a ton about it. This is one of the finest signs I saw on our recent trip. I love the starburst/sun rays at the top, and when lit, they light in sequence. Very cool!

Googie is part of futurist architecture, and originated in southern California. It takes its name from Googie's Coffee Shop, which was demolished in the late 80's. Googie was prominent from the late 40's through about the mid-60's, and was inspired by car culture, and the Space and Atomic Ages. Frequent design elements were geometric shapes, boomerangs, atoms, starbursts, and flying saucers; roofs were often triangular and upswept, indicating speed and energy; and materials included glass, steel, and neon.

Googie architecture and signs lost their appeal in the late 60's, and many buildings and signs were torn down. In the 90's, efforts began to preserve these unique examples of a short-lived style in American architectural history. I love them because they seem happy and cheerful to me, and as you know, I loves me my retro stuff!

There is a great book by Alan Hess dedicated to nothin' but Googie (Googie Redux), and some great examples of Googie can be found at Roadside Peek. Next time you're out and about, see if you can spot some signs that you think might be Googie. You're looking for triangles, sphere, starbursts, etc. Neon is a plus, but not a requirement. If you find a good one, take a picture and put it up on your site and leave a comment here about it. I always love seeing new signs! It can be a new game: Spot the Googie! More Vegas signs to come as soon as I can get busy on a slideshow.

Lord have mercy, I'm a Bethsicle! It was cold enough when I went out to get the mail--thank goodness the postman had already come! This afternoon, I turned on the TV to watch CNN while I did a little ironing, and I couldn't get the channel. No CNN? ACK! *swoon* I started messing with it, resetting the receiver, etc., and eventually I couldn't get any sort of satellite info at all. I took a look out back, and sure enough, the dish had a whole bunch of snow piled up on it. I had to take out the garbage, too, so I bundled up and headed out. Ski suit topped with my parka. My core stayed toasty-warm, but my face was freezing, even with my hood up!

And wow, it's pretty deep. It was definitely close to my knees, so I'd say at least a foot total. I brushed off the dish, took the garbage can out to the road, and by the time I was done, I had worked up a sweat! And there was a happy ending, because I 'm watching CNN right now. Huzzah! As for the temps, we're still on track for 13 below tonight, so all I can say is that I hope that those who don't have a home make their way to shelters tonight. It is dangerously cold.

Source: "Googie architecture." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 2008. Answers.com 15 Jan. 2009. http://www.answers.com/topic/googie-architecture