We Shall Never Surrender

Since I've given up photographing Orange Coneheads, and by extension, all things alien for Lent, I want to thank Lady Styx for all of these pictures.

The late great British Statesman, Winston Churchill truely knew how to inspire and rally the British people at a very grim time. By early June 1940, the Nazi juggernaut had overrun the country of France in mere weeks. As the Germans looked over the English Channel at the white cliffs of Dover and toward further conquests, Churchill went on the radio and broadcast his famous Blood Sweat and Tears speech.

In part, his speech of 4-June-1940 went:

...
We shall fight on the seas and oceans,
we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be,
we shall fight on the beaches,
we shall fight on the landing grounds,
we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,
we shall fight in the hills;
we shall never surrender...

What, you may ask, does this have to do with us today? Well, look for yourselves. These photographs show the Aliens amongst us are at our very doorsteps.


A platoon of grey Square Fanheads at the wall. Even their very formation shows their intense disipline and training. Bearing what appears to be the lastest nuclear powered Crenalated Plasma Wall Burner, they prepare to breach the ramparts. I doubt that neither the wall nor the occupants inside the home under attack will survive the onslaught for more than micro-seconds.


How did they know where to attack? Well, they had the help of spies and forward situated reconnaissance units. Here we see rare photographic evidence of a 4-member alien reconnaissance unit on the rooftops. These black boxy squares are wearing camouflage to make them appear as innocent and decidedly non-violent roof mounted ventilation fans.


Some reconnaissance units act alone. Here we see a Square Headed Tail Rooter listening in on a human command post. The Wrinkled Black Beatlejuicean Worm in the background is busy at work stealing our water, the most precious fluid on earth.


Here we see some more grey Square Fanheads. Pipe-like probes have been sent through the wall - do they contain fiber optic cameras? Listening devices? Or will these pipes be used to inject some form of chemical or biological compound? Are we being subject to biochemical warfare? Will the residents of this home be blaming their dog for unseemly odors just before they keel over?

The aliens must think the occupant(s) of this home to be "high value" target(s). Just look at all the little Black Boxy Poofers on the wall. When they go poof, this wall will disappear so thoroughly it will be as if it were never there.


The enemy is relentless. How will we defend ourselves?

Perhaps the battle cry "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition!" needs to be altered to "Praise the Lord and Pass the Sour Milk!*"

In any event, now like no other perilous and desparate time in human history, we need to put aside our squabbling over Dr Pepper versus Coke versus Pepsi and gather together and become determined to do our duty, for we too, shall never surrender...

* Alien Nation - In this movie, aliens that drink sour milk get well and truely drunk.

...sing in perfect harmony

As of February 16, 2008 at 8:00 AM
Steps: 1,329,644
Miles: 566.19


Coca Cola was invented by Doctor John Pemberton a pharmacist from Atlanta, Georgia. He had began work on a coca and cola (kola) nut beverage and it was intended to stop headaches and calm nervousness, but others insist he was attempting to create a pain reliever for himself and other wounded Confederate veterans.

The name was a suggestion given by John Pemberton's bookkeeper Frank Robinson. Being a bookkeeper, Frank Robinson also had excellent penmanship. It was he who first scripted "Coca Cola" into the flowing letters which has become the famous logo of today.

The soft drink was first sold to the public at the soda fountain in Jacob's Pharmacy in Atlanta on May 8, 1886.

About nine servings of the soft drink were sold each day. Sales for that first year added up to a total of about $50. The funny thing was that it cost John Pemberton over $70 in expanses, so the first year of sales were a loss.

Until 1905, the soft drink, marketed as a tonic, contained extracts of cocaine as well as the caffeine-rich kola nut.

In 1887, another Atlanta pharmacist and businessman, Asa Candler bought the formula for Coca Cola from inventor John Pemberton for $2,300.

By the late 1890s, Coca Cola was one of America's most popular fountain drinks, largely due to Candler's aggressive marketing of the product. With Asa Candler, now at the helm, the Coca Cola Company increased syrup sales by over 4000% between 1890 and 1900.

Until the 1960s, both small town and big city dwellers enjoyed carbonated beverages at the local soda fountain or ice cream saloon. Often housed in the drug store, the soda fountain counter served as a meeting place for people of all ages. Often combined with lunch counters, the soda fountain declined in popularity as commercial ice cream, bottled soft drinks, and fast food restaurants became popular.


On April 23, 1985, the trade secret "New Coke" formula was released. Today, products of the Coca Cola Company are consumed at the rate of more than one billion drinks per day.


I'd like to buy the world a home and furnish it with love,
Grow apple trees and honey bees, and snow white turtle doves.
I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony,
I'd like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company.


Source

The Underground Invasion

Since I've given up photographing Orange Coneheads, and by extension, all things alien for Lent, I want to thank Lady Styx for all of these pictures.

With heightened awareness, due perhaps in part to the events of 9/11/2001, we all have been keeping a watchful eye out for things best described as unusual or abnormal.


Dare we enter the subterranean world of the aliens that roam freely beneath our feet? What lurks down there? Is your courage sufficient to find out? This rusty portal looks so innocent and so quiessent and so little used by man or beast but...


...do the Aliens amonst us, pop up here and there to breathe what we must assume to be to them "foul and evil smelling" air? I cannot identify this critter, perhaps my edition of "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe" is outdated?

Or is this simply a screen placed on an entrance to the horrorfying abyss to keep them in, or us out? Have they or have we succeeded?


Carelessly broaching the surface, we see here a not-so-rare Wrinkled Black Beatlejuicean Worm. Tim Burton is not the only one that is deeply disturbed.


What are the Aliens doing with all the water they are taking from us? Do they need it to fuel their spaceship(s)? Or is this even more sinister? Are we humans to be deprived of the very fluid of life and die a lingering dessicating death? Or will the the Aliens unleash a flood like the world hasn't seen since Noah?

Hmm... perhaps if I were you, I'd start building an Ark and storing away some of that Perrier.

Really Old World - Rambo and Regar

Rambo and Regar - Globe Knitting Mill - Front


Rambo and Regar - Globe Knitting Mill - Back

The Schuyllkill River Bike Path passes this behind this impressive looking building between the Norristown train station and the Pennsylvania Turnpike bridge.

The listing from the National Register of Historic Places says this:

Also known as Rambo & Regar Globe Knitting Mills
660 and 694 E. Main St., Norristown
Architectural Style: Italianate
Period of Significance: 1875-1899, 1900-1924, 1925-1949, 1950-1974


Close up

The Rambo and Regar Knitting Mill was founded in the mid-1880s when Joseph Rambo partnered up with H. R. Regar. The two later built their mill at 700 East Main Street, where thousands of Norristown residents were employed over the years -

This mill produced "Hosiery", tight-fitting garments worn directly on the feet and legs. Most are made by knitting methods. Whether they made "nylons" or socks, I've not determined. I just admire the building each time I walk past it.

While walking past this building on Valentines Day, my mind played the song "Babe" song by Dennis DeYoung.

Babe, I'm leaving, I must be on my way
The time is drawing near
My train is going, I see it in your eyes
The love, the need, your tears
But I'll be lonely without you
And I'll need your love to see me through
Please believe me, my heart is in your hands
And I'll be missing you.

You know it's you babe
Whenever I get weary and I've had enough
Feel like giving up
You know it's you babe
Giving me the courage and the strength I need
Please believe that its true
Babe, I love you.

You know its you babe
Whenever I get weary and I've had enough
Feel like giving up
You know it's you babe
Giving me the courage and the strength I need
Please believe that it's true
Babe, I love you.

Babe, I'm leaving, I'll say it once again
Somehow try to smile
I know the feeling we're trying to forget
If only for a while
But I'll be lonely without you
And I'll need your love to see me through
Please believe me, my heart is in your hands
And I'll be missing you
Babe, I love you.