Turned Skyward » history

Night Lights

Brian Burger — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:03:28 +0000

The Canadian Navy just celebrated 100 years of existance, and here in Victoria we lit things on fire, shone lights around, and blew stuff up. The usual.

Slightly more seriously, there was an excellent 15 minute long firework display, and as I’d volunteered with a local group to work with the lanterns and light art that was part of the display, about fifteen of us got the best seats in the city for the fireworks, right out on Fisgard Island.

More on my Flickr set. My little camera does surprisingly good night & firework shots, actually.

Imperial Leftovers

Brian Burger — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 04:32:41 +0000

The survival into the modern era of random bits of the colonial/imperial era has always interested me. Bagpipes are also kind of cool. When outdoors. Thus, The Bagpipes of Palestine from the BBC. Amazing what survives against long odds, isn’t … Continue reading →

Feb 12 1935: USS Macon crashes

Brian Burger — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 03:30:05 +0000

…and on Feb 12 2010, 75 years later to the day, the US Gov’t declares the big dirigible’s wreck site a National Historic Monument.

The Macon and her sister-ship Akron were unique amongst dirigibles – they had an embarked air wing of six Sparrowhawk biplane fighters. This is pure pulpish awesomeness – flying aircraft carriers! Except for the part about them both crashing in storms, of course…