Robert Pence

PC. I built this outfit in 2006 and have done a couple of minor upgrades; I'll probably build a new one next year. I love the case -- it's sleek and nice to look at, and pretty quiet -- so I'll probably keep it and buy a new motherboard, CPU, etc. I might move to an LCD monitor after I do a little research, but I really like my ViewSonic CRT. Case - Thermaltake Tsunami Dream Power Supply - Ultra 500W CPU - Athlon 64 3700+ Motherboard - DFI Lanparty UT NF3 250GB 3 GB PC3200 DDR System Drive & Programs - 2-74GB WD Raptor 10,000RPM SATA in RAID 0 configuration Storage - 500GB SATA plus various USB external drives OS - Windows XP Pro / Windows XP 64-bit (Dual Boot) (seldom use the XP 64-bit because there are no 64-bit drivers for either scanner) Monitor - ViewSonic G225FB 21in .25mm 2048x1536 Printer - Epson 2200 Film Scanner - Nikon LS8000ED 35mm & Medium Format (LS9000ED on order) Flatbed Scanner - Microtek Scanmaker 8700 - old, and I'd upgrade if I used it often, but I don't. My workroom is usually much more cluttered than this: Sorry. I did it again. Ask me what time it is, and I'll explain how watches are made.

Around 1979 that place was in business as the Market Street Exchange. My BF at the time worked there, as did some of his friends. I think you had to be gay to be a waiter there. Great shots! That Amalgamated Union Hall is wonderful.

The rattling and shaking won't stop when the quiet zone takes effect; That's caused by the weight of the passing trains and even the tiniest irregularities and imperfections in the wheel and rail surfaces. The former PRR mainline now owned by CSX and operated by RailAmerica division Chicago Fort Wayne & Eastern passes about a quarter mile from my house. Probably because of the local geology, sometimes the dishes and glasses in my kitchen cupboard jiggle when freight trains pass.

Gorgeous photos. The historic structures and ruins seem even more amazing to me when I consider that they didn't have powered machines to shape or transport stones and timbers and put them into place. They accomplished all that, sometimes on a massive scale, with manual labor and animal power.

Great stuff. In the photo of the Society Bank sign, the guy sitting on the steps of the soldiers' and sailors' monument is wearing a short-sleeved dress shirt with a tie. Some places that would be a fashion faux pas, but possibly not in Cleveland in the 80s. I'll defer to MayDay and MTS to make the call on that. :wink:

Queens participating in future parades must first undergo a mandatory course in Regal Bearing and Demeanor, taught by none other than MayDay. :-)

So is my youngest brother. He's a relentless, remorseless liar and thief.

I think my youngest brother was the victim of a similar mix-up, only it happened when he was in for a facelift.

I think he may be trying to make a point (or several), but after struggling through the article I have no clue what it (they) is (are). His ideas are crammed in there like junk in Fibber McGee's closet and they all come cascading out in a jumble, and it's impossible to figure out which belongs with what. He makes no sense. Maybe he's spent too much time listening to G.W. Bush's speeches.

Cute, indeed. Looks like a small-city planner's dream come true.

Cleveland's parade is amazing. I first saw it on a visit in 1979, and was taken completely by surprise by the enthusiasm and the size of the crowds. It seems to me that they even had some pretty elaborate floats back then. On the way back to Lakewood, the Rapid cars had the fareboxes covered and they were so jammed that my BF and I were unable to get to the door at our stop at W117th. We rode all the way to the airport and then got off the train on the return trip.

That's a tautology. :-D

Sounds like a road trip for MTS, with a truck! :lol:

Nice! Cincinnati has held on to the character that so many cities have discarded.

Yes, the whole thing is screwed, but some days you have to laugh just to keep from crying. It's better than getting your shorts in a bunch, because the only one who feels the pain is you. :wink:

Fun thread. Lively & colorful.

Sweet. Marietta is pretty, especially in summer. A nice summertime treat is a sightseeing tour on the Valley Gem, a diesel sternwheeler. It's not expensive and doesn't eat up a whole afternoon.

I don't know, I've always thought that Chicago is boring. The topography is bleak, the loop is just full of larger versions of everything in my local mall, and the city has lost a lot of identity in the last decade. I don't think they know what they're about anymore. Every time I go there it feels like they just settled for the "second city" motto. I don't get what you're saying, at all. If topography alone were such a big deal, tourists would be flocking to Altoona, PA. For years I've felt the positive energy when walking in the Loop. I just feel energized and optimistic when I'm there, and even when I've had a crappy day and I'm feeling down, stepping onto the street in the Loop picks me right up. The rumble of elevated trains, the large numbers of shoppers, workers and tourists on the sidewalks, the traffic of delivery trucks, buses and taxis, all combine to make the place vibrantly alive. For the most part, people are friendly, and they're helpful to visitors seeking directions. The people who live and work there are proud of their city and most wouldn't want to live anywhere else. Chicago has long been renowned for its architecture. While some of its trophies have been surpassed in size and spectacle by things being built in Asia and the Middle East recently, Chicago has a lot of significant landmarks and enough variety to be visually fascinating. Maybe you should consider anti-depressant meds? :wink: Actually, many people do visit Altoona, PA due to the fusion of topography and engineering genius known as the Horseshoe Curve. Yes. I've been to Horseshoe Curve, myself. I stayed beyond the time when they close the visitors' center and chain the parking lot, so I had to move my truck out and park it along the road. All so I could watch one of the last runs of the Broadway Limited (Amtrak version) pass on a full-moon night. I was referring to the charm of the city's urban fabric.

Interesting places!

I'd think it would be difficult to contemplate ever living anywhere else, after being surrounded by such beauty every day!

If you must ask, you're not predetermined to be one. Thank you darling and I second that! With proper mentoring, however, one may aspire to becoming a princess. :-)

It happens to me a lot, and has for years. If it's any consolation, it doesn't seem to progress as I get older. Yeah, it's embarrassing sometimes because I've met so many people in so many places over the years, that I often run into people I've met before at public events, and I have to fake the conversation for a little bit until I figure out who they are. Some people are actually offended that I don't put the name with the face right away. I don't understand why it is, especially compared with some other people, who can pick me out of a crowd even when we haven't seen each other in years. A few years ago on a train, a guy came right up to me and called me by name; I hadn't a clue as to who he was. Turned out to be a guy who had gone to high school with my two-years-younger brother, and we hadn't seen each other since high school. Trust me, I don't look much like I did fifty years ago. I don't always blame myself, though. Among my pool of acquaintances are quite a few middle-aged-to-older, overweight guys with graying hair and full beards, and they look so much alike that if you were to put them in a police lineup, it would be hard to tell one from another. I have to spend enough time around them to lock in on various mannerisms and speech patterns before I can recognize them later on.

Neat shots, amazing density.

Fascinating place!

Nice looking downtown, with an elegant courthouse. Looks like the area chamber of commerce has bought into Wal-Mart's line of BS. Unfortunately, Wal-Mart is in a position to make towns like this an offer they can't refuse; embrace Wal-Mart in your community and at least keep some commerce and property tax revenue, albeit the fungus infection of second-rate chains that springs up around Wal-Mart to feed off the scraps, or they'll go 15-20 miles down the road to the next town and suck all the life out of your town and leave you with nothing. Communities are forced to choose between a rapid decline and a sudden death.