#rai travelog

[rissahs]

very beautiful. very powerful.

[lluxoperon]

All pink and sun rays. Taken for @nikolettanagyllamb. Henderson, Nevada, 2022. Next up, London! • #lasvegas #vegas #henderson #fashion #fashioninspo #ootd #portrait #editorialphotography #people • #nevada #unitedstates #america #visitnevada #explorenevada #travelnevada #thecreative #aroundtheworldpix #ig_masterpiece #theprettycities #flashesofdelight #travelog #wandering #alwaysexploring #travel #fujifeed #fujifilm_global #myfujifilm #fujixclub #fujiframez

[littletipple]

I understand that a lot of my followers are heavily involved in snowy lifestyles right now... so this is not intended as a gloat, but rather a ray of sunshine on a snowy day! . . . . . #travelphotography #visualoflife #beachlife #artofvisuals #islandhopping #flashesofdelight #thecreative #beachvibes #mytinyatlas #instapassport #aroundtheworldpix #travelog #mytinyatlas #visualmobs #theglobewanderer #exploringtheglobe #caribbean #carribeanbeach #caribbeanlife #caribbeansea #longexposure #longexposure_shots #longexpohunter #longexposurephotography #longexpo #HypeBeast #lensculture #exploremore #thehappynow #everydayeverywhere (at Fishpot) https://www.instagram.com/p/BtYUTi4lA45/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=p0ofoycetl2w

[jollyfoxy-blog]

This kitty emits radiation or what? (Actually this is the insane sky ray that traveled to my lens) Just think about it. °The Sun is bid and heavy and burns inside, it's so hot (badass sexy bitch) that glows...emits waves of dofferent length. Several of them our little brain can process and differenciate as colors. °The lens, a piece of glass, that almost replicates the mechanism of human eye, catches those waves and swirls them around, as the eye does. The canera sensor, however, acts as our brain, but notices that certain wave and tells that there is more than we see. Question - is this why cameras can spot ghosts, as story tells, while the eye can't? Anyway, here is a bunch of tags so this photo gets seen by more people. Dissen't mean this topic should left unanswered ;) . . . . . . . . . . . #instapassport #aroundtheworldpix #ig_masterpiece #campinassp #flashesofdelight #travelog #mytinyatlas #icu_architecture #jj_architecture #creative_architecture #arkiromantix #tv_architectural #archimasters #excellent_structure #arquitecturamx #diagonal_symmetry #nycprimeshot #what_i_saw_in_nyc #ig_nycity #ig_great_shots_nyc #icapture_nyc #sonyimages #sonyalpha #sonyalphasclub #sonyphotogallery (at DUMBO, Brooklyn)

[nordischscapture-blog]

Good morning my friends. 👋🏻 Here‘s another landscape capture which I made in Germany with lots of nature. While hiking I found trinity and a lot light rays in the forest 😁🌳 Have a nice week ✌️ ——————————————————— 📸 Sony A7 Lens: 28-70mm ISO: 120 Focal length: 28mm Aperture: f/6.0 Exposure: 1/160sec ——————————————————— . . . . . . . . #Earthescope #naturephoto #main_vision #landscape_captures #awesome_earthpix #natureaddict #rsa_rural #awesomeearth #nature_wizards #gottalove_a_ #allnatureshots #instanaturelover #instapassport #aroundtheworldpix #ig_masterpiece #campinassp #flashesofdelight #travelog #mytinyatlas #visualmobs #theglobewanderer #forahappymoment #exploringtheglobe #meindeutschland #germanytrip #deutschland_greatshots #unlimitedgermany #sonyimages #sonyalpha #sonyalphasclub (hier: Germany) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsUoYmqAO1H/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1hsg8l4riecuf

[the-record-columns]

March 11, 2020: Columns

Just Call Mule...

                                          Harold ‘Mule’ Ferguson

 By KEN WELBORN

Record Publisher

  I first met Harold “Mule” Ferguson in the early 80’s when I began my long-time association with the Rotary Club of North Wilkesboro. 

It was years before I was actually invited to join the club, and I then worked for Thursday Magazine, predecessor to The Record, and we began printing the program for the Wilkes Agricultural Fair which the Rotary Club sponsored. Mule was a faithful Rotarian; the club’s president 1986 to 1987 and was honored as the Distinguished Rotarian of the Year, 95-96.  He tirelessly worked to raise money for Rotary to fund community projects of all kinds, even organizing the very successful Balloons over the Blue Ridge hot-air balloon rally for several years.

Mule and his wife, Debbie, continued to support Rotary and its projects long after his active membership had ended.

  By the time I got to know him, he had retired from Lowe's and was running full-out on his new job, enjoying life. Mule and Debbie have been just about anywhere that is worth going to, and seen about everything worth seeing.  And if you were lucky enough to see one of his travelogs, it was a treat like no other.

Mule loved to fly.

I cannot begin to tell how many times I would see him flying one contraption or another over the Wilkesboros. We would kid him about having a flying lawn chair and he would simply laugh and tell us that about anything could be made to fly with the right equipment. When pressed about the safety of his collection of exotic aircraft, which was sometimes called “Mule Ferguson and his Famous Flying Machines,” he would cut his eyes at you for a brief serious moment and say, “Never lose sight of somewhere to land.”

And, he never did.

As time passed, I became more and more impressed with the way he embraced change. The cameras and ancillary equipment he used in his Pumpkin Creek Video Productions business was always state of the art.  And, he was never satisfied unless he had the absolute latest, best, and most innovative equipment on the market. “It takes good equipment to turn out good work.” he would say.

But, mainly I want to remember Mule today as the good, kindhearted person he was. Some years ago I was allowed to interview some Wilkesboro citizens for Mayor Mike Inscore’s project to preserve more history of the town.  Mule was doing the editing work and called to tell me he had just finished the piece I did with Ray Stroud, and wanted me to come by. He knew how much I thought of Ray and said he just wanted me to get to see it first.

Just call Mule.

He was also a musician and singer and performed for us at The Record’s ChickenFest and at our veterans events.  He traipsed around the saw briars and chiggers of Dellaplane helping me, and The Record's editor Jerry Lankford, as we tried to locate and film the burial place of the hand, yes I said hand, of Otto Wood the Bandit, Wilkes County's most prolific and famous desperado.  This was the first of several Otto Wood  trips;  from filming famed bootlegger Thurmond Sparks down in Antioch,  to traveling to Salisbury to the site of Wood's fatal shootout with police in 1930.  And he wouldn't even let me give him gas money.

Just call Mule.

Countless times we would get a call here at The Record from someone needing help with a video transfer or some other electronic problem.  I would look up Mule's number and tell them to call. I would always tell them that, if for some strange reason he can't help you, he will know who can. One lady I sent to Mule's office in Town Hall called me back and said she felt as though she had been in the control room at NASA.

Just call Mule.

A few years ago, I got to go on a Rotary Honor Air Flight taking 130 World War II veterans to Washington D.C.  There was some kind of link to some kind of site I needed for a presentation I was working on about the flight for a meeting at the North Wilkesboro club. I was told that this particular “computer guru” was the only person who could do what I needed, and I called him.

On the day of the meeting I went by to pick up the disc and he told me what I wanted “...couldn't be done,” going on to say “...equipment to do what you want does not exist.” 

It was 2:30 and the meeting was at 6:30 that evening.  I left very agitated and called Mule on my way back to the office. “Bring it to me” he said, “I'll look at it.” 

In two hours he called me back to pick up the disc for my program which ran perfectly at the meeting.  As he refused any payment, he remarked he was glad to help his Rotary Club anytime.

Just call Mule.

The problem with this column is not what to put in, but what to leave out. 

I suppose I will end it for now with a note about the preparation for Mules memorial service and reception, which were held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church on this Saturday past.  A fella named Peter Kulsziski had been working on two video pieces—one was about Mule and his connection to the start and growth of MerleFest, and the other about Mule and Debbie.  As irony (or good karma) would have it, Peter finished them and on Monday afternoon emailed them to Mule and Debbie, and they got to see them. As many of you know, it was Monday evening when Mule became suddenly ill.

Well, on Thursday, Bill Hurd was working on the two videos to play at the reception after Mule's funeral, and was having some difficulty. He knew I had copies as well and called and asked me to forward them to him, which I gladly agreed to do. When he expressed his concerns in a technical language that may as well have been Greek to me as the saying goes, I instinctively knew I could help. 

Before I gave it a thought, I said in pure reflex, “If what I send gives you trouble, just call...

And I caught myself.

Bill knew exactly what I was going to say, and I smiled and felt just a bit less sad.

Rosie The Riveter: March is National Women’s History month

By HEATHER DEAN Record Reporter

During WWII, women were entering the workforce in unprecedented numbers, with more than 310,000 women, making up 65 percent of the total workforce, which was only 1 percent pre-war.

Almost everyone in the world is familiar with the morale boosting  poster bearing a young woman in work overalls, a red polka dot bandana, flexing her bicep with the tag line “We can do it!”

This was “Rosie the Riveter” a fictional patriotic character of the hard-working women who kept the military factories humming, giving hope of those caught in the midst of another world war, some still reeling from the last.

Oh. Did I say fictional character? Fun fact, there were several real life women, who inspired editorials, songs and several posters of Rosie.

I grew up watching PBS. It was about the only station that would come in, in the era of rabbit ears and (gasp) having to walk to the TV and turn the channel manually, in an age where there was actually something good to watch. I heard the words “Thank you to the Rosalind P. Walter Foundation” over and over.

Who was this lady, besides someone who used her privileges and wealth to make sure I had fantastic programming? Turns out, she was the first of many Rosies…

Rosalind Palmer (Roz to her friends) was born on June 25, 1924, in Brooklyn, N.Y. She went to the best schools, dreamed of attending college. But at the age of 19, like many women, she was recruited during the war effort, and served selflessly on the night shift as an assembly line worker at the Vought Aircraft Company in Stratford, Conn. A riveter on Corsair fighter planes, F4U marine gull-winged fighter airplanes, and this girl not only did her patriotic duty, she also broke records for speed on the production line, while advocating for equal pay for her female co-workers.

Enter Igor Cassini, a syndicated newspaper columnist. Roz’s story caught his attention, and Cassini wrote about her in his “Cholly Knickerbocker” column. And the rest as we say is history.

In 1942 Redd Evans and John Jacob Loeb wrote the song, "Rosie the Riveter." which was recorded by Kay Kyser and The Four Vagabonds, their inspiration was Cassini’s column.

Roz was not our ‘only’ Rosie, but she was the first. She and other women like her became sensations. Norman Rockwell drew his version of Rosie for the cover of the May 29, 1943, issue of The Saturday Evening Post.  His model was also a riveter, Mary Doyle Keefe from Vermont. Mary died in 2015. His Rosie, still in overalls, work goggles on her head, and machine oil smeared on her face from the hard and dirty work is shown eating a sandwich from her lunch pail as her riveting gun rests on her lap, the American flag waving in all its glory behind her, her foot placed firmly on the cover of Adolph Hitler’s Mein Kampf.

J. Howard Miller drew a Rosie poster for Westinghouse war factories, and is the aforementioned one that we still see today. The model for that Rosie was Naomi Parker Fraley, who was photographed working in the machine shop at the Naval Air Station in Alameda, Calif., in a red polka dot bandana. Naomi died in 2018.

Other Rosies of note were Geraldine Hoff Doyle of Michigan, who worked in a Navy machine shop as a metal presser during World War II — she died in 2010 — and Rose Will Monroe, who worked as a riveter on B-24 and B-29 planes at the Willow Run Bomber Plant near Detroit and featured in a promotional film for war bonds. Rose died in 1997.

Rosalind P. Walter sacrificed her opportunity for furthering her education in serving our country. This led to her using her inherited and married wealth to supporting public television; as the documentaries and other programs helped fill in the gaps. In total she helped produce almost 70 well known and loved shows.

The Rosie collective left a lasting impact on future generations for women, forever changing the workplace, once dominated by men. You see, the call for women to help was supposed to be temporary… they were expected to leave their jobs when men came home from war. When the men did return, seeing the selfless efforts of their women, men could no longer claim superiority over women.  

Rosalind P. Walter, the last of the Rosie’s, died last Wednesday, March 4, 2020. But even in death, Roz left women across the world a message: “March forth.”

The apple of God’s eye continues to twinkle

By AMBASSADOR EARL COX and KATHLEEN COX

Special to The Record

As a regular traveler to Israel and one who has lived among the Jewish people, although I am not Jewish, I am continually amazed at how this land and its people manage to maintain their sense of balance, direction, and joie de vivre being surrounded by enemies on every side. 

Israelis unceasingly confront crisis after crisis yet somehow their spirits remain high and their collective moral compass stays true to their love of life (all life), freedom and democracy, and their faith in God. 

Israel’s list of woes is practically unending.  Under constant attack from terrorists in Gaza in the south and Hezbollah to the north, Israel is the only civilized country in the world whose very existence is threatened on an almost daily basis by its hate-filled neighbors all around.  It is the subject of worldwide BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) campaigns trying to topple its economy and is unceasingly maligned by the left-leaning media and the United Nations.

Yet, in spite of the emotional stress and turmoil inflicted on this tiny nation, Israel continues to flourish.  Even during this time of worldwide panic over the Corona virus, Israel continues to cautiously host tourists.  Until the recent outbreak, restaurants and hotels were full to overflowing.  The streets were crowded with pedestrians, cyclists, and shoppers.  People gathered day and night on streets such as the famous Ben Yehuda Street and Jaffe Street not to protest or create violence, but rather to dance, sing, and celebrate life, family, friends and faith.

For almost two decades my wife and I have been pro-Israel advocates.  As a Christian broadcaster and journalist, my focus has been on telling Israel’s side of the story – truthful and fact-filled.  It’s frustrating to be constantly met with opposition from the mainstream media which is bombarding the world with misleading messages about Israel and her people and always portraying them as villains and the reason there is no peace in the Middle East.  The fact of the matter is tiny Israel is the only oasis of stability and freedom in the region. 

While being forced to live in a very tough neighborhood, somehow Israelis manage to carry on celebrating life while the Palestinians continue to carry on celebrating death by strapping explosives on the bodies of their little ones and sending them off to suffer a martyrs death.  By the way, dying as a martyr is the only way a Muslim is assured of their entrance into Islam’s heaven.  It’s the reason so many Palestinian mothers encourage their children to participate in this murderous performance.

Israel, known as “The Start-up Nation,” is constantly contributing to the betterment of mankind.  They lead the world in the advancement of science, technology, medicine and agriculture, to name only a few.  Their sense of belonging and connection miraculously allows them to rise above their circumstances creating positives where, naturally speaking, one would expect negatives. 

Israel’s existence is somewhat paradoxical.  While dancing in the streets embracing life and hoping for peace, Israelis must also be about the business of building bomb shelters.  In fact, bomb shelters are standard fare on all children’s playgrounds.  Just part of the “normal” equipment the same as swings and sliding boards.

Yes, Israel is dealing with the Corona virus just like most of the rest of the world.  Some have even attempted create fake news that Israel is responsible for the virus! While certainly not the cause, it would not surprise me one bit if Israel were to produce the solution.  Long live Israel and may it continue to be a light unto the nations. 

[khinocalabio]

X-ray Vision . . . . #ByaheNiKhino #WHPgetlost #wanderlust #globetrotter #instapassport #aroundtheworldpix #ig_masterpiece #campinassp #flashesofdelight #travelog #mytinyatlas #visualmobs #theglobewanderer #forahappymoment #exploringtheglobe #citybestpics #agameoftones #city_explore #illgrammers #thecreative #shotaward #seemycity #createcommune #citylimitless #vscophilippines #sinopinas #travelph #comeseeph #grammerph (at Pinto Art Museum)

[willchenphoto]

Looking at beauty in the world is the first step of purifying the mind. ➖Amit Ray • • • • • • #instapassport #thecreative #artofvisuals #aroundtheworldpix #ig_masterpiece #theprettycities #flashesofdelight #travelog #mytinyatlas #visualmobs #theglobewanderer #forahappymoment #artofvisuals #citybestpics #agameoftones #city_explore #illgrammers #thecreative #shotaward #seemycity #createcommune #citylimitless #heatercentral #instagramjapan #japanfocus #japantrip #cooljapan #igersjapan #unlimitedjapan (at Chūō-ku, Kobe)

[rissahs]

fighting my hotel's terrible wifi rn to try and post these

but i spent the day walking around Ueno today! mostly Ueno Park + one of the nearby shopping districts, and got very lucky that the cherry blossoms are blooming atm too :]

[rissahs]

and finally some penguins, feat me saying 'oh theyre having a bit of a squabble' even tho i was trying to stay quiet LMAO

[rissahs]

this view of the dolphin enclosure was really cool

[rissahs]

today's japan adventure: I Don't Know Why This Running Man Is Such A Popular Thing To Take A Photo Of And I'm Too Afraid To Ask edition

today was a trip around Osaka! we started off with Osaka Castle in the morning which was pretty cool, tho the inside has been refurbished into a museum so you don't actually get to wander around a castle interior like the castles you find in the UK. still, the exhibitions are neat and even tho there are signs all over the place saying no photography and security guards walking around with signs saying not to photograph anything, people still did :\ gotta love tourists ig

then in the afternoon + night we explored Dotonbori, which is another cool shopping district with all these massive sculptures. i love that goofy ass dragon. also yes that is a Don Quijote with a ferris wheel. no i don't know why a cheap department store needs its own ferris wheel

also i had my first disappointing meal of the trip: three-colour dango. they look very pretty! but unfortunately they only really taste of Overwhelming Sweet and the texture is much too chewy to be properly enjoyable. shame :[

[rissahs]

some other Miscellaneous Japan Thoughts after day 1:

there are. So many vending machines around here. if you ever want a Drink Treat have no fear, you are within 5 metres of a vending machine with peach tea or canned coffee at any given moment

there are also a shitload of convenience stores as well. i walked down one street that had a Family Mart, a Lawsons, and a 7/11 all within eye distance

my fucking god the sweets / desserts are so fucking good here. custard cream donuts are heavenly. those wiggly puddings are everything i wanted and more. if i could live off sweets for the next two weeks without my body crying for A Fucking Vegetable i would

walked past a massive two-storey building for 24 Hour VR Ultra Men's Entertainment. im not sure if i want to know what that is but good for them i guess

somehow we got lost trying to find Ueno Park and ended up accidentally walking into a cemetery twice

my Japanese co-worker told me not many people speak English in Japan but thankfully I have run into quite a few who have helped me bumble my way through train stations and convenience stores. we had a nice chat with a lady in Ueno Park who approached us cuz her son wanted to know where we're from since he didn't recognise the accent. turns out she has colleagues in Melbourne and i almost thought i was gonna have a Cliche Movie Moment where we discover we coincidentally know the same person

freshy-made takoyaki from a festival stand tastes 100x better than any takoyaki ive had in Australia. literally who would've thought

[rissahs]

today's japan adventure: The Final Countdown edition

today was the last full day in Japan! i fly out tomorrow night, and today was just taking the Shinkansen back to Tokyo

i spent the afternoon / evening in Asakusa for one last shrine visit, and one last ignoring all the scenery in favour of taking photos of the massive fuckin carp. my legs are officially dead from walking so much over the last two weeks, so we took it easy today + will also be taking it easy tomorrow.

Japan has been really good and a fun holiday! but i am definitely feeling All Holiday'd Out and looking forward to coming home lmao

[rissahs]

im generally not a selfie-taker cuz i dont like being In Photos / Being Perceived, but especially when it comes to holiday photos i personally hate taking photos of myself in front of landmarks. i want the location to speak for itself, i dont need to be in the photo to prove i actually visited!

but also tbh i find it a little annoying when people spend like 5 minutes trying to get that Perfect Photo right in front of a landmark and they're doing all sorts of poses and stuff. like you do you but also please be considerate of other ppl also wanting photos......

[rissahs]

my collection of Accidental Selfies is also growing bit by bit