Today 50 years ago the nation and the world was stunned

Former Texas School Book Depository at Dealey Plaza in Dallas
Former Texas School Book Depository at Dealey Plaza in Dallas on the very left, viewed from the motorcades direction of travel, looking back at the route past the building.

Today we all remember JFK and the presidency that was cut short by his assassination today 50 years ago. I recently visited the Museum that is now housed in the building that was formerly known as the “Texas School Book Depository” and nowadays is the “Sixth Floor Museum”. It is well worth a visit, mostly because it gives you a reason to reflect back and it creates really powerful emotions. There is also a cell phone walking tour that you can add that will give you some facts while you walk around the surrounding area.

Looking up at the window where lee Harvey Oswald was positioned.
Looking up at the window where Lee Harvey Oswald was positioned. The trees were obviously smaller back when it happened 50 years ago.
Close-up up of the sixth floor window.
Close-up up of the sixth floor window.
The then Texas School Book Depository building on the left.
The then Texas School Book Depository building on the left.

 

One of the two marks in the roadway (they were supposedly 'unofficial and were removed in a repaving shortly before today 11/22/2013).
One of the two marks in the roadway (they were supposedly ‘unofficial and were removed in a repaving shortly before today 11/22/2013).

 

 

The Aqueduct is 100

Today is the 100:th anniversary of the Los Angeles Aqueduct that brings water from northern California to the Los Angeles area. It was seen through to completion by william Mulholland in 1913. He thought that if you supply water people will come…. It turned out he was correct. Mulholland’s words when water started flowing down the cascade in Sylmar on the very last stretch into the L.A. basin was: “There it is, take it!” That statement is a vital part of the history of Los Angeles and the aqueduct that brings water to the city.

First rain today

Rain on the windshields today in LA
Rain on the windshields today in LA

We had our first real rain of the season today and the traffic was as usual affected. A freeway closure because of debris in storm-drains resulting in  a mudslide only signified the usual surprise when the rain actually arrives in a place that gets around 15 or 16 inches of rain in a year. Traffic was slower than usual, which is probably a good thing because people here are just not very good drivers to begin with and it seems that too many people don’t know or don’t respect the rules of the road to begin with. It was a fat moving storm that arrived late morning and by the time I write this early evening it  is already moving out and we can start drying up, I don’t think we got that much out of it, but – hey we need all the rainfall we can get so let’s be thankful.

 

 

 

“This is nuts – absolutely nuts”

Those were the words of a WWII veteran in regards to the government shutdown. I think the observation is dead on – it is absolutely nuts. How in the world can the Republican party allow a small fraction of the party to wield such influence in trying to undo what elections and supreme court has already made and confirmed into law? It just defeats common sense how anyone could attempt to deny healthcare to the people of the country and feel good about it.