Nice Aerial View of Manhattan Island

Manhattan Island, looking toward the south.

When you live in Manhattan, it is easy to lose perspective on the fact that it is, indeed, an island with all sorts of natural attributes of an island. That's one of the fun things about flying out of La Guardia, you do get some really awesome views that make the hulking bridges look like little toys and allow you to see all the places it takes you so much time to get to on the ground.

This photo provides an awesome perspective of the island, with the looming presence of Staten Island and the Raritan Bay beyond. You can tell this was taken during the winter due to all the snow on the reservoir in Central Park, and the Lower East Side, which is easy to forget about unless you live there, is very obvious. If you've ever driven to Manhattan from the south, you know that you can get into New York City about an hour earlier than otherwise if you want to take the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, which you can't even see in this shot.

Anyway, it's a great shot and shows you what New York really is all about.

2019

It's Groovy, Man

Hibari Misora.

And now for something completely different.


It is 1967. The winds of change are in the air, as Paul McCartney and John Lennon are going all psychedelic with 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.' It would go on to become iconic and change music forever.

I bet you didn't even know there was a completely different kind of rock and roll far away.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, the Japanese were still harkening back to the early '60s, when everyone was absolutely clean-cut and dressed to the nines. It also was part of the act for the keyboardist or drummer bass player or, well, someone to make fierce grimaces at the camera at some point, to prove how 'crazy' they all were or something. The Animals were probably the apotheosis of that trend during the mid-60s, along with the Beach Boys.

Jackey Yoshikawa.

So, here we have an absolutely brilliant performance (though some pretty weak camera work). It is Hibari Misora with  Jackey Yoshikawa and his Blue Comets, performing "Makkana Taiyo (Red Sun)."

I have absolutely no idea what the song is about. It doesn't really matter to me anyway. It's just captivating. If this doesn't take you back to another time, nothing will.

Lyrics by Osamu Yoshioka and music by Nobuo Hara.

2019

By Anonymous

Whisky, frisky,

Hippity hop;

Up he goes

To the tree top! 

Whirly, twirly,

Round and round,

Down he scampers

To the ground. 

Furly, curly

What a tail!

Tall as a feather

Broad as a sail! 

Where's his supper?

In the shell,

Snappity, crackity,

Out it fell.

2021

The End

Ever wonder? The blast that ends it all.


Well, this is a pretty darn good approximation.


And you get a bird's eye view here, unlike in the real thing, when you'll probably be fast asleep in bed.


2019

Sometimes, you are in the mood for a Carlton dance.

Don't over-think it. Don't fight it. Go with it.

The Carlton dance. Alfonso Ribeiro. Think of this as a tribute.



Carlton is the man!


2019