Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

If you cannot answer whether trump lost the 2020 election, you are unfit for office.

Republicans: The threats are dire, but my tickets are non-refundable!

“Facilitate” is an active verb, not a weasel word.

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

I’m more christian than these people and i’m an atheist.

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

There are more Russians standing up to Putin than Republicans.

Jesus watching the most hateful people claiming to be his followers

When you’re in more danger from the IDF than from Russian shelling, that’s really bad.

If you don’t believe freedom is for everybody, then the thing you love isn’t freedom, it is privilege.

Petty moves from a petty man.

The republican caucus is covering themselves with something, and it is not glory.

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

Giving in to doom is how we fail to fight for ourselves & one another.

Hey hey, RFK, how many kids did you kill today?

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

Anne Laurie is a fucking hero in so many ways. ~ Betty Cracker

So many bastards, so little time.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

… pundit janitors mopping up after the gop

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

Dear elected officials: Trump is temporary, dishonor is forever.

The unpunished coup was a training exercise.

The worst democrat is better than the best republican.

You are here: Home / Photo Blogging / On The Road / Albatrossity / On The Road and In Your Backyard

On The Road and In Your Backyard

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On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.

From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.

Submit Your Photos

Good Morning All,

So far, this feature has been about travel, with the occasional “local” picture or two. I think limiting this to just travel is just that – limiting. So I’m changing this up a bit to include neat, colorful, funny, interesting, poignant, etc. pictures that don’t require travel.

As always, if you’re on a trip or have a story to share, you can just pitch in below.

I’m pleased to announce the release of the new picture submission tool for this feature. Using this tool will ensure I don’t mess things up, will make it much less time-consuming for me, and will make for a much easier process all the way around.  This would not be possible without the efforts of valued commenter Major Major Major Major. His help has been invaluable in this feature, not to mention in the pie filter and rotating quote.

The form is here and has a few simple rules:

  1. You have to have made at least one comment that’s been approved/published.
  2. It’s a picture and not too big (you can include up to 7 pictures in a single submission)
  3. You must include your commenter screenname and email (kept private) to verify you, just like making a comment. Only your nym is published.
  4. No more than 10 form entries per hour.
  5. You can include an overall description, per-picture descriptions, dates, locations, etc.

If you are a lurker and thus not a commenter, or should you wish to submit a video, archive of multiple pictures, links to pictures hosted online, or want to include more text or pictures than the form allows, send an email.

Travel safely everyone, even if it’s just down the hall for that second cup of coffee!

 

A simple reminder:

 

 

Just a few today, first from Raven:

These are some shots from my LA trip last week. There is no way to measure up to the stuff Bill has but think of these as “lay” photos!

The first picture is Puige crossing the plate after parking one. It was a
mixed night since they were the best seats I’ve ever had but traffic kept
us out of the stadium until the 5th inning.

The second is the Manhattan Beach Pier. I’ve been going there for over 50 years and, cold water or not, I got in for some body surfing every day.

Three is the Korean Friendship Bell on the old Ft Mac Arthur in San Pedro. In 1967 I was home on leave between Korea and Vietnam, ran out of dough and had to go there to get some “casual pay’ to get back to Ft Lewis.

 

One is the Kris Kristofferson display at the Grammy Museum.

Two is a shot outside of the Anime convention in downtown LA. I don’t know from Anime but it seemed to me that there were lots of kids who had found an outlet that suited them. I also wonder if it’s not a real fertile ground for creeps.

 

Thanks for an interesting view of LA. Except for one foggy evening when I drove through from San Diego to San Luis Obispo, I’ve never been further than the smoking bench outside the terminal (years ago, when I still smoked).

 

Next up – BIRD!

Where it was taken: Manhattan KS
When: June 2017
Commenter nym: Albatrossity
Other notes or info about the picture: Male Painted Bunting.
Not exactly “on the road”; this guy lives about ¼ mile from my house and I see him most days on my early morning walk. But he’s a stunner, nonetheless, and since folks at Balloon Juice seem to like bird pictures, I thought they needed to see him.

What an amazing pretty bird! I am continuously amazed by the variety of life on our blue sphere.

And finally, something new – Nigeria!

Some pictures from my trip to Nigeria

Where it was taken: Ibadan, Nigeria
 When:  June 2017
Commenter nym: evap
Other notes or info about the picture:  I recently returned from two weeks in Ibadan, Nigeria, where I was involved (as a lecturer) in a summer school in mathematics for African graduate students. The school was held at the University of Ibadan, which is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in west Africa.  It was an amazing experience!   This picture is a view of the city of Ibadan (population 3 million, the 3rd largest city in Nigeria) from the high point in the city.
The British built a government building here — Mapo Hall — which is
now a municipal building.
Where it was taken: Ibadan, Nigeria
 When:  June 2017
Commenter nym: evap
Other notes or info about the picture:   During the summer school everyone stayed inside the universitygrounds, we all stayed in a hostel/hotel on the campus and were insulated from “real life” for the most part.  But on the Saturday in between the two weeks of school we were taken for a tour of the city, including visiting this market.   It was completely chaotic outside the university — crazy traffic, many people — but fun to see how the locals live.
Where it was taken: Ibadan, Nigeria
 When:  June 2017
Commenter nym: evap
Other notes or info about the picture:   One of the locals took me to buy some fabric and I had some clothes custom made.  The fabrics are incredible and it was hard to pick just a few.  This is the shop where I bought fabric.   This is a typical row of shops.
Where it was taken: Ibadan, Nigeria
 When:  June 2017
Commenter nym: evap
Other notes or info about the picture:  Some of the fabrics I purchased.

 

I love fabrics – and paper. Your choices are so lively and exciting.

As I listen more and more to the BBC during the day, I am learning more about Nigeria, both historical and current, politics and art, and it’s now on my list. I look forward to watching its rise as Africa begins to shine.

 

Have a great day everyone!

Reader Interactions

46Comments

  3. 3.

    WaterGirl

    Holy cow-ski, that bird is amazing! I was about to write that he looks like he was hand-painted and then noticed that he is called Male Painted Bunting, so I am clearly not the first person to have that thought!

    Raven, I especially love your photo from the ball park! It instantly brought me back in time to watching baseball in Chicago with my dad when I was a young pup.

  4. 4.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    I did not know that Kristofferson had that significant of a military career.

    VERY cool.

  8. 8.

    Quinerly

    Really love the pictures today! Love me some Kristofferson! Two great shows over the years.

  9. 9.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @raven: @Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes: I found this little tidbit on his wikipage interesting:

    Kristofferson, under pressure from his family, ultimately joined the U.S. Army and attained the rank of Captain. He became a helicopter pilot after receiving flight training at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He also completed Ranger School. During the early 1960s, he was stationed in West Germany as a member of the 8th Infantry Division.[13] During this time, he resumed his music career and formed a band. In 1965, when his tour of duty ended, Kristofferson was given an assignment to teach English literature at West Point.[14] Instead, he decided to leave the Army and pursue songwriting. His family disowned him because of his career decision and sources are unclear on whether or not they ever truly reconciled.[15][16][17] They saw it as a rejection of everything they stood for, in spite of the fact that Kristofferson has said he is proud of his time in the military, and received the American Veterans Awards “Veteran of the Year Award” in 2003.[18][19]

  10. 10.

    Elizabelle

    Love these pictures. Thank you, all.

    ETA: I never see such colorful birds in Virginia. What a beauty.

  13. 13.

    raven

    @JPL: Yup, got it done Monday! I’m glad because I have the second round of blue light cancer preventative treatment Friday and I have to stay inside all weekend!

  15. 15.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    @Elizabelle:

    We don’t see many of those shaded variants either – cardinals, jays and the like, but no multicolored small birds.

  16. 16.

    satby

    Great range of subjects today! Love them all, and wish I got a beautiful bird like that bunting at my feeders.

  17. 17.

    Steve in the ATL

    @WaterGirl:

    It instantly brought me back in time to watching baseball in Chicago with my dad when I was a young pup.

    Cubs or white Sox? Not that I’m going to pie you if you give the wrong answer….

  19. 19.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    @Steve in the ATL:

    Oh, hell. Now you went and did it – you may as well start tossing out bombs like “Hellmans or Miracle Whip”, “Yankees or Red Sox” or “Roll Over or Roll Under”.

  20. 20.

    ArchTeryx

    Just love painted buntings. They’re among the most colorful of the small birds and adorable to boot.

    Not as adorable as the chickadees, though. Jack Aulis once wrote they were “Full of curiosity, self-confidence, and insects,” and he was right.

  21. 21.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    I was looking at the photo of those great African fabrics again and am a little sad – women can have beautiful stuff tailored from cloth like that, but as a guy, I really can’t think of anything where those patterns will “fit” in my social or business life.

    Wish were weren’t so constricted on those choices.

    ***sigh***

  22. 22.

    raven

    @debbie: It was a shame. I flew into LAX @ 4:30 and we headed for the big A. We sat within sight of the stadium fort a full hour and didn’t get in until the 5th!My nephew bought two tables with full bar and food hoping to take my BIL, unfortunately he died a week before. It was fun but I was wasted from the flight and time difference so it wasn’t what it should have been.

    eta And Kershaw had 12 k’s!

  25. 25.

    Waratah

    Raven I love the ball park photo, I knew kristofferson was a Rhodes scholar but did not know about his military service.
    The bunting is gorgeous.
    Evap must have been fun to chose your materials and have custom clothes made.

  27. 27.

    Currants

    Love love LOVE the pictures–thank you! Have never seen a painted bunting in real life–we only have indigos here, and they’re gorgeous too, but not so exotic as the painted. And Nigeria–yet another place I’ve never been–but I love looking. Thank you, Alain, especially –and Raven, Albatrossity, and evap, all.

  30. 30.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Elizabelle: I have some really colorful paisley pants I think I like even better. You should have seen me when I was caving.

  32. 32.

    MomSense

    I love the interesting mix of photos. So cool to see these different views of our world.

    @Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes:

    Ties, shirts, pocket squares, belts. You could always do it like the women in Saudi, who wear fabulous negligees under their burkas, and rock some awesome undergarments. Kinda like a cool secret.

  33. 33.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    @Elizabelle:

    I’ve always been a little spooked on ties – heard too many make comments other lawyers’ choices.

    And while I’d tat down to the knuckles if I could get by with it (and wear ear studs), I only peek a little ink to about an inch more than short sleeves.

  35. 35.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    @MomSense:

    Pocket squares are a great idea – didn’t think of that. I have some already, and really like them.

  37. 37.

    Alain the site fixer

    @MomSense: I’ll never forget when I was a kid and we’d be in the Geneva airport and see all the Saudi women deplane in their abayas and then disappear into the bathroom, only to reappear in sexy, revealing outfits. They often do have nice clothes under the barrier.

  38. 38.

    A Ghost to Most

    Thanks, Raven, especially for the picture and sighting of the painted bunting. I have always found the bird improbable in my mind; glad to know they are still around.

  39. 39.

    a thousand flouncing lurkers (was fidelio)

    @Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes: Camp shirts–like a Hawaiian shirt but a little more subdued. Not for the courtroom, of course, but you have a life outside there, or I hope you do. evap’s fabrics would work for those quite well, I should think.

    And how nice, evap, to buy things from people who not only want to sell you something, but want you to be happy with what you get!

    raven, I think a baseball wake was a great thing to do.

  40. 40.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes:

    Oh, hell. Now you went and did it – you may as well start tossing out bombs like “Hellmans or Miracle Whip”, “Yankees or Red Sox” or “Roll Over or Roll Under”.

    Valid arguments can be made for any of those other than Miracle Whip. It is an abomination.

  43. 43.

    opiejeanne

    @raven: The big A? What were you doing in Anaheim? The Big A is Angels Stadium.
    Dodger Stadium is in Chavez Ravine.

    What is casual pay?

  45. 45.

    J R in WV

    Love the Painted Bunting photos, an amazing bird. Recently here in SW WVa I have seen a ton of goldfinches!

    They have started their summertime habit of perching in crowds on goldenrod and similar road side flowering plants, and exploding off when you approach past their DANGER set point. It’s particularly wonderful because often you don’t see a thing before they burst into flight.

    Also, driving slowly along the country lane out of our hollow, I saw an Indigo Bunting, who flew in front of me for at least 50 yards, amazing color of blue on those little guys. Being in fairly mature woods we get canopy birds, which spend nearly 100% of their time 80 feet up in the tops of the big trees.

    Our neighbor is a serious birder, and has worked on population census bird counts for years. She learned to ID the canopy birds from hearing their calls. So we know about interesting birds around us that we rarely if ever see. Like the Barred Owls we have, we know them by their hooty calls, but only see them briefly and rarely in the evenings as they disappear into deeper woods. So Mysterious!

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