Ellipsis Movie Of The Week... War Of The Worlds (2005)

 "That's so weird... the wind is blowing toward the storm."

~Ray Ferrer ( Tom Cruise )

War Of The Worlds

Based on the book by, H.G. Wells

One thing is certainly true about Tom Cruise, he makes big screen movies. I didn't get a chance to see this movie in a theater during it's original run, only on the big screen TV almost 10 years after it's release, but I am sure it was spectacular to see, because even on my 32 inch tv, it was amazing! This is one of my favorite Steven Spielberg films, but I should also say, this might just be my favorite Tom Cruise movie. The trouble with that last statement is that I keep going back and forth about just which Tom Cruise film is my actual favorite! The man has made some excellent career choices when it comes to his films. Although, two of his best films are barely mentioned in passing, at least as far as I can tell, Magnolia, and Collateral. Anyway this version of the, War Of The Worlds, differs from the original 1952 version, as you might imagine, because of, well, special effects, obviously, but otherwise it is much more disturbing. Tim Robbins as Harlin Ogilvy, is noting short of nightmarish! He is a man who has broken from reality, but in his shoes, I am pretty sure I wouldn't have fared much better, and that's the haunting reality!  Want a little bit of Halloween chills early? This movie is a pretty good start! 

Are we ready to absorb the movies message yet? Probably not. 

Bird Watching Is A Lot Like Autumn Leaf Peeping

 

"November at it's best...

 with a sort of delightful menace in the air."

 

~Anne Bosworth Greene 

 

There are so many species of birds in the Central Valley, that I could spend my whole life out here with the camera, and not photograph the same bird twice. I wonder which of my albums will contain more individual photos by the end of 2021, my Leaves, or my Birds? It's a very pleasant thing to ponder. Peep.

 

~Carly

Stockton California

November 27th 2020

 

Sunrise On Over The Altamont Pass Wind Farm

"Faeries come take me out of this dull world

For I would ride with you upon the wind

Run on the top of the disheveled tide

And dance upon the mountains like a flame."

~W.B. Yeats

The Land Of Heart's Desire

To me, there was something oddly beautiful about the Altamont Wind Farm turbines. I never really knew what about them kept my gaze each time we drove past them on the Altamont Pass, but something about them just resonated with me, kind of like the way the back of cereal boxes do. The facts on cereal boxes aren't particularly profound, but when I eat my breakfast cereal I more often times than not, find myself completely enthralled in whatever trivia, fast facts, or silly game is printed there. I passed these turbines, at least once a year, when I lived in the Bay Area, and now each time we drive from our new home in Stockton, to the Bay Area, as the closet route takes us right past them on HWY 580! When they are all running they came be quite beautiful, long arms stretched out spinning, and as you can see, they have a certain mysterious beauty as silhouettes against the rising sun, but it never occurred to me, until recently, how dangerous they had been to certain birds in the area. 

In a study, however, recently conducted by the Audubon Society, it was revealed that the windmills caused the deaths annually of some 75 - 110 Golden Eagles alone, but Burrowing Owls, and American Kestrels are killed in the hundreds as well! It's sad, but there is some encouraging news of late. It seems the site was recently purchased by Google, who will try installing smaller more slim-lined turbines which will be safer for the birds, while continuing to harvest wind energy. It will be interesting to see the transformation to the smaller windmills, I will kind of miss those giant, blades, but it makes me smile that the birds will be a lot safer in the process. I have never seen a golden eagle, I now look forward to that one day! One things for sure, I will keep my camera ready!

Leaf Of The Day

November 11th 2015

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Happy Earth Day 2009!

From For Ellipsis

"Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect."

-Chief Seattle, 1835



Happy Earth Day! For this week's EMPS I asked you to show me what you most appreciate about the earth. When I tried to take on my own assignment, I found it wasn't easy to narrow it down, but when I really thought about it, I just had to photograph some flowers today. There is so much I appreciate about nature, but flowers are something I would miss very much if for some reason they were no longer a part of things. On the other hand, life wouldn't be worth living without organic fruits and vegetables! Oh my... delicious!

:)


Extra Credit: Here are my reusable bags, from Old Navy and the Virgin Megastore. I use them everywhere! It's nice to not have all those plastic bags everywhere, and save a few pennies on my grocery bill as well!


So tell me, how did you celebrate Earth Day? Better yet, there is still time to post an entry for the Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot! Come on... take the challenge!

-Carly

Green Creativity

From For Ellipsis

"We need a new environmental consciousness on a global basis. To do this, we need to educate people."

-Mikhail Gorbachev

There is an interesting exhibit at the Conservatory of Flowers, which began last November and will run through April 19th, The Golden Gate Express. It features a G-gauge train trip though San Francisco, featuring all the famous landmarks from Ghiradelli Square to the Transamerica Pyramid. The exhibit is to pay homage to the rich railroad past San Francisco enjoys, but there's an interesting twist, all the landmarks featured in the exhibit have been made by local artists using old discarded materials, which brings awareness to environmental issues, and encourages the creativity in finding new uses for old things. Mini blinds were used to make Coit Tower. The TransAmerica building is made from more than 1,000 keys from computer boards, Ghiradelli was made from brown switch plates, and the Golden Gate Bridge... monkeys. Little plastic "Barrel of Monkeys"... monkeys. LOL! How cool is that?

Here, have a look...

-Carly

Happy Earth Day

"Conservation means the wise use of the earth and it's resources for the lasting good of men."

-Gifford Pinchot

Happy Earth Day! There is so much natural beauty all around us, and yet, we continue to see more and more of it slip away. Yesterday, I visited the website of the World Wildlife Fund, to read about which species are still on the endangered list. The Monarch is on the list, as are several other butterflies, some native to California such as the Mission Blue, and the Bay Checkerspot. Sigh. I can't imagine never seeing a Monarch again, their beauty absolutely captivates me. The Bay Checkerspot butterfly was given some special attention recently, when a new natural habitat for them was created at the Edgewood County Park and Nature Preserve, in San Mateo, California. I am hoping to take a trip there soon, to see the beautiful butterfly for myself. :) I wish something similar was being done for the Mission Blue.

It's been a tough week all around. My energy is low, but there are some things I plan to do today to celebrate Earth Day. I am going to get my canvas bags in order, I am quite cross with myself for not doing that sooner. All this plastic bag nonsense has to stop. I saw an interesting story on the news last night, about other common sense things that can be done to help the earth heal a bit. Such as deciding to go Low-carb.

No, not low carbohydrate, but rather low carbon emissions. Little things like buying locally grown organic fruit, vegetables, and cheeses made along the northern California coast, such as Point Reyes Blue cheese. I hear it is fantastic, and I have always wanted to try it, isn't now a good time to do so? Restaurants, such as the DeYoung cafe, inside the DeYoung Museum, features ingredients in their menu items, that were either raised or grown within a 150 mile radius of San Francisco. The breads they serve, are purchased from a bakery right here in Berkeley. I imagine a lot more of our local restaurants will be going to this type of system. It's just a good idea for everyone. :)

After a week like this one, I am planning to stay home today, enjoy my yard, and my cat, and a nice healthy dinner of Mixed Green Salad, and Potato Leek Soup. It's going to rain this morning, but by the afternoon, the sun should be out. It's a good day to take the time to reflect and be happy. Who knows, maybe I will hop back over to the WWF website and adopt a Monarch. :) That would make my kitty Elvis proud of me. Now, here are a few of my favorite moments on earth, and what gifts those moments were...

"Let there be no disguising the perilous state of the earth, or pretending conservation is too expensive when we know that the cost of failure to act is far greater."

-Kofi Annan

-OndineMonet
"Monarch"
Conservatory of Flowers
San Francisco, California
August 9th, 2006
Afternoon