In Pre-Soviet Russia, Pictures....take you!

This may be the most captivating photo collection that I have seen in awhile.

A chemist by the name of Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii (1863-1944) had a dream to create color photographic images.

He made the dream a reality...more than 30 years before George Eastman would patent his KodaChrome film. He invented a system that would capture images on glass plate negatives. One negative would capture red, another green, the third was blue. The negatives would then be assembled in a projector that would, by alternating levels of luminosity, create a clear color composite of the image. His work would catch the attention, and the enthusiasm of Tsar Nicholas II.

With the support of the Tsar backing his work, Prokudin-Gorskii traveled throughout Russia between 1909 and 1915. He lived in a customized rail car that served as his living quarters as well as his laboratory.

After the Russian revolution, he fled to the west, eventually settling in France. After his death, his heirs sold his photograhic plates to the Library of Congress.

His work has been recreated through digital composites...I found this to be absolutely stunning.

Self-Portrait, from "On the Karolitskhali River"

"Portrait of Pinkhus Karlinsky, 84 years old" (Supervisor of the Cherigov Floodgate, 1909)

General View of the Nikolaevskii Cathedral from Southwest (St. Nicholas Cathedral, Mozhaisk, 1911)

Kareshka Boat Yards (Lake Onega, 1909)

Three Generations, A. P. Kalganov poses with his son and granddaughter who work for the Zlautist arms plant

Austro-Hungarian prisoners of war, 1915.

More info on source link: http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire

"Park Ranger? I got all nervous for a Park Ranger?"

Back at during a (*ahem*) younger and slightly more rebellious time of my life, I was out with some galpals in South Boston. We had all piled in to a friend's car heading on to our...next destination. Inching up behind us was a black and white car with a rack of lights on the roof. My friend cursed and slowed down. The cruiser passed us without incident. We watched the car as it passed us. "Park Ranger," it said on the side, along with a splashy reference to the Boston Parks Department.

"PARK RANGER???" (Picture this being shouted in a heavy townie accent)

"I got all nervous for a Pahk Raynjah?"

A range of expletives and groaning laughter were shared between the driver and her passengers...and we continued on to the next...um...establshment....without further incident. Good times :D

It felt like I was reliving that day when I got to my engineering homework. The lecture notes from the teacher, the texts, all referenced some heavier math. The lecture notes mentioned taking our previous assignment and expanding upon it, also making sure we add in the corrections the professor suggested.

The project was basic, yet it incorporated powerful logic. Simple, but not simplistic. I was trying to figure out just how such a project like this would integrate higher math. I couldn't see how we were....unless the work was very complex, very quickly. I was dreading the assignment and getting panicked that I wouldn't have this one done in time.

I opened the assignment to see that it was rather basic. The class was doing the same thing only adding a loop. There were some other (optional) parameters to work with as well, but they were...optional. Natch I did them anyway even though the professor said that there would be no extra credit. The crux of the assignments was adding loops at the proper time.

A "for" loop.

I got all nervous over a Park Ranger...err...I got all nervous over a "for" loop?

Grrrrrr.....

Mmmkay. I feel stupid now. In cyberspace, no one can see you blush...but that doesn't prevent you from looking like an absolute dork. LMAO!!

panic

On New Year's I made a pledge to myself to break some of my bad habits, such as drinking coffee...and not look back.

But can I? I spent all of the day...all week...working on work stuff...even at home before I came in. My office counterpart may have the day off tomorrow. My engineering homework is due in less than 24 hours and I haven't even started it. I'd think seriously about pulling an all-nighter but I'm too damn tired to do so.

FAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWK!

I'm so screwed...

Chinese New Year, part 2 - Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Gong Xi Fa Cai! Mandarin for "Wishing you increased prosperity". In other words...Happy New Year! And who wouldn't want to become more prosperous in the coming year, eh? Mr. Tony Yee, a Chinatown business leader described how the rat was traditionally seen as the guardians of prosperity. The rat is also the first animal in the Chinese zodiac. The Year of the Rat...rebirth, hard work, activity, renewal. Mr. Yee spoke about how the different civic associations were starting to come together in ways they hadn't before, and that it was his hope that the Year of the Rat would bring a fresh start to the community working together. My thoughts flitted to my own goals of a renewal to my own life, by working to build better practices for myself. There seemed to be something amazingly wonderful in the air as he talked.

Mayor Menino even arrived and wished everyone well!



The lion dancing demonstrations followed, most of the dances were done by area martial arts schools. My friends really made the trip come alive, each sharing their knowledge of Chinese culture and history by describing the traditions of what was going on around us. As each group's lion dance came to a close, the leung would "chew" up lettuce and oranges, which would then be tossed in to the crowd as a wish of prosperity. The lettuce represented money, the oranges represented gold. I ended up catching an orange in one of the final dances. Yay!

After the dances concluded, some of the martial arts schools came out to do a demo. Unfortunately for me, my back injury started acting up. I told my friends I needed to sit down someplace for awhile. While I told my friends that they were welcome to stay, they decided to join me. One of my friends lead the way across Chinatown and we ended up sitting down at...

Um...we walked all the way across Chinatown to sit down at a Mickey D's? I soon changed my attitude as I heard the drums of one of the lion dance troupes going by...perhaps I'd get to take in more of the dancing from the window seat. I was totally unprepared for what happened next. The lion dancers actually came through McDonalds! The entire troupe came in, the leung moved slowly towards me...sliding right by my table...close enough to touch. They moved all the way up to the front, and performed an additional routine at the counter, then backed slowly out. It was an amazing sight to see!

My friends described how leungs often honor an important general in Chinese history. The individual general is signified by the colors of the leung.

A summer performance by Chinatown's Shaolin Hung Gar students

We wandered about for a bit more time, watching the leungs and the fireworks as they stepped from business to business. After that, we split apart...saying goodbye to our two friends as they headed off in their own direction. My colleague and I went to warm up with a noodle bowl at a Vietnamese restaurant. It felt incredibly good to take a few moments to let the heat, and the experience, soak in. He began to cheerfully tabulate the restaurants that he thought his gf would like the most.

As happy as he was, he seemed to be running out of gas. We made our final circuit through to do some quick shopping as we headed to the car. I picked up a suburi-to (a wooden practice sword used to help develop arm strength), some incense, a souvenir for my desk at the office, then made a final stop at a Chinese grocery that abutted our parking garage. We had to go...my colleague was tired, I had friends coming over later in the evening for dinner, yet so much of me was saying noooooo....I want to stay awhile longer!

The firecrackers were still going off as we left.

I didn't want the day to end.

Chinese New Year, part 1 - I can see Chinatown!

I can see Chinatown through the windshield!

We passed a Shaolin school as we approached our parking space. The loud amount of drumming eminating from the school hinted that final rehearsals were taking place. We were the first to arrive at the gate. There would be two other friends that would meet us there shortly. A couple of cell calls later, I learned that everyone else was on their way. Normally, I would be patient and wait but.....it was cold. A relatively moderate day (38 F) was forecasted. As of this early hour, unfortunately, it was about...17 F. We made a quick walk up and down Beach street. While the walk did wonders to keep me warm overall, I could feel my feet starting to go numb. My colleague seemed to be shivering a bit, but denied the weather was bothering him. Unfortunately, neither one of us brought digis.

My companion is my newest colleague...a bright young man that my employer recruited away from one of our partners in the heartland. He really wanted to see the celebrations, and I was happy to have him along. He has a wonderful appreciation and perspective of Asian culture...his gf has been teaching abroad for a few months, and he has been able to take a couple of trips to visit her. With return date approaching in a few days, my colleague was in a jovial mood...anticipating the chance to share the sites of his new city with her. This was his first trip in to the city since moving here a few days ago...and what better way to celebrate?

The gate on Beach street, as seen from inside Chinatown

We returned to the gate. No one there. We were getting colder...so we slipped in to Hing Shing Pastry hoping to purchase some hot tea. One of the workers smiled hello to us. We wished them a good morning, they said good morning back. Despite the presence of some tasty delights in their showcase it soon seemed clear that they weren't really open and ready for business...however, the kind folks made no effort to kick us out.

After a few minutes of absorbing their heat, we decided to venture back outside. It wasn't long before we met up with the other two. Dim sum was suggested, we all agreed to it. We sat down for a wonderful meal. The conversation drifted about, mostly hovering on subject of martial arts...perhaps to the chagrin of my colleague, who doesn't practice the arts. Nonetheless, he seemed to be a good sport about it.

After a very good meal, we shifted outside, just in time to find a good spot within 30 feet of the the stage.

Happy Year of the Honorable Rat!

Chinese New Year Celebration in Boston tomorrow!

I am really looking forward to this. It should be a wonderful time! The last time I was in Chinatown for New Year was college when a friend of mine and I stumbled on it quite by accident. I missed the parades and the lion dancing but had a chance to enjoy the confetti, and the street vendors. Its probably going to be crowded as hell...but I don't care. I just want to go!