Uploads from Amanda SG, with geodata

Blue Line

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:35:18 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

After a long day walking around downtown while on vacation. Yes, I'm still thoroughly amused by rail-based, efficient, frequent public transport. Wish we had more of this kind of thing back home in Texas.

iPhone photo
Chicago, IL

In-Between Stages

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Fri, 03 May 2013 04:21:20 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

Coupling point between the third stage & second stage.

Saturn V Rocket
NASA Johnson Space Center
Houston, Texas

The Business End

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Fri, 03 May 2013 04:21:29 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

Big bada boom.

Saturn V Rocket
NASA Johnson Space Center
Houston, Texas

Just Your Average Wild Space Rocket

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Fri, 03 May 2013 04:22:06 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

Hanging out in a field, Texas wildflowers all around, as one would expect when visiting a space center.

NASA Johnson Space Center
Houston, Texas

DO NOT PLUG

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Fri, 03 May 2013 04:21:42 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

Oh, clean lines, how I love you. And I'm not certain which sans-serif font that is that they used (a little too fancy to be Helvetica), but I LIKE it!

Saturn V Rocket
NASA Johnson Space Center
Houston, Texas

I Don't Know Why...

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Fri, 03 May 2013 04:20:53 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

...but I get a TARDIS vibe off this for some reason. I know, both are space vehicles, but it really does strike me as something The Doctor would occasionally have to dig into and fix whilst on adventures.

Saturn V Rocket
NASA Johnson Space Center
Houston, Texas

Where The Magic Happens

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Fri, 03 May 2013 04:21:07 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

The photos really do not do justice to just how HUGE this thing is. It is seriously impressive.

Saturn V Rocket
NASA Johnson Space Center
Houston, Texas

Saturn V

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Fri, 03 May 2013 04:21:51 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

Quite the beast. Then again, it takes a lot of power to fling the kind of lunar modules they needed at the moon.

More from Wikipedia:

"The Saturn V (pronounced "Saturn Five") was an American human-rated expendable rocket used by NASA's Apollo and Skylab programs from 1967 until 1973. A multistage liquid-fueled launch vehicle, NASA launched 13 Saturn Vs from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida with no loss of crew or payload. It remains the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful rocket ever brought to operational status and still holds the record for the heaviest launch vehicle payload."

"To date, the Saturn V is the only launch vehicle to transport human beings beyond low Earth orbit. A total of 24 astronauts were launched to the Moon, three of them more than once, in the four years spanning December 1968 through December 1972."

NASA Johnson Space Center
Houston, Texas

"San Jacinto Advance"

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Wed, 01 May 2013 06:50:43 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

One of eight panels circling the monument that depict the history of Texas - this one shows visitors the fabulous sneaking powers of the Texas army under Sam Houston.

San Jacinto Monument, La Porte, Texas

San Jacinto Monument

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Wed, 01 May 2013 06:50:25 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

Six bronze doors leading into the museum, theater and elevator space each depict one of the six flags that have flown over Texas. Mexico's in particular had some nicely-placed oxidation adding a lovely bit of green to their flag in just about the same spot as the color actually appears on the ol' Tricolor. Then again, el aguila there is perched atop a much larger nopal than on the real flag as well. Artistic license is fun. :)

La Porte, Texas

San Jacinto Monument

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Wed, 01 May 2013 06:50:07 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

The view of the reflecting pool, the USS Texas battleship to the right, the Houston Ship Channel, and the many refineries that crowd the rest of the shipping canal on a partly-cloudy day. It was lovely, and I was trying to make my way down to Galveston for an afternoon snack by the Gulf, but I kept getting sidetracked by other things to look at. Not a bad problem to have.

La Porte, Texas

The World's Tallest Monumental Column

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Wed, 01 May 2013 06:51:00 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

Seen from the far end of the reflecting pool.

San Jacinto Monument, La Porte, Texas

San Jacinto Monument

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Wed, 01 May 2013 06:49:50 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

The beginning of the story, as engraved on the four larger sides of the monument. The text of them all, in full:

The early policies of Mexico toward her Texas colonists had been extremely liberal. Large grants of land were made to them, and no taxes or duties imposed. The relationship between the Anglo-Americans and Mexicans was cordial. But, following a series of revolutions begun in 1829, unscrupulous rulers successively seized power in Mexico. Their unjust acts and despotic decrees led to the revolution in Texas.

In June, 1832, the colonists forced the Mexican authorities at Anahuac to release Wm. B. Travis and others from unjust imprisonment. The Battle of Velasco, June 26, and the Battle of Nacogdoches, August 2, followed; in both the Texans were victorious. Stephen Fuller Austin, "Father of Texas," was arrested January 3, 1834, and held in Mexico without trial until July, 1835. The Texans formed an army, and on November 12, 1835, established a provisional government.

The first shot of the Revolution of 1835-36 was fired by the Texans at Gonzales, October 2, 1835, in resistance to a demand by Mexican soldiers for a small cannon held by the colonists. The Mexican garrison at Goliad fell October 9; the Battle of Concepcion was won by the Texans, October 28. San Antonio was captured December 10, 1835 after five days of fighting in which the indomitable Benjamin R. Milam died a hero, and the Mexican Army evacuated Texas.

Texas declared her independence at Washington-on-the-Brazos March 2. For nearly two months her armies met disaster and defeat: Dr. James Grant's men were killed on the Aguadulce March 2; William Barret Travis and his men sacrificed their lives at the Alamo, March 6; William Ward was defeated at Refugio, March 14; Amos B. King's men were executed near Refugio, March 16; and James Walker Fannin and his army were put to death near Goliad March 27, 1836.

On this field on April 21, 1836 the Army of Texas commanded by General Sam Houston, and accompanied by the Secretary of War, Thomas J. Rusk, attacked the larger invading army of Mexicans under General Santa Anna. The battle line from left to right was formed by Sidney Sherman's regiment, Edward Burleson's regiment, the artillery commanded by George W. Hockley, Henry Millard's infantry and the cavalry under Mirabeau B. Lamar. Sam Houston led the infantry charge.

With the battle cry, "Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!" the Texans charged. The enemy taken by surprise, rallied for a few minutes then fled in disorder. The Texans had asked no quarter and gave none. The slaughter was appalling, victory complete, and Texas free! On the following day General Antonio Lopez De Santa Anna, self-styled "Napoleon of the West," received from a generous foe the mercy he had denied Travis at the Alamo and Fannin at Goliad.

Citizens of Texas and immigrant soldiers in the Army of Texas at San Jacinto were natives of Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Austria, Canada, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Portugal and Scotland.

Measured by its results, San Jacinto was one of the decisive battles of the world. The freedom of Texas from Mexico won here led to annexation and to the Mexican-American War, resulting in the acquisition by the United States of the states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah and parts of Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas and Oklahoma. Almost one-third of the present area of the American Nation, nearly a million square miles of territory, changed sovereignty.

Of course, as learned scholars, we all know this is merely part of the story, but that's quite a bit to beautifully & skillfully carve into solid Texas limestone.

La Porte, Texas

Alternate, Sunlit with Color

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 07:45:24 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

The *slightly* (maybe, possibly) "happier" version of my older upload - the previous photo was taken in the shade when the sun hid behind a cloud, and this one was after it had reappeared to provide some good hard shadows. I think both images have their merits.

Cloudy Monochrome Version: www.flickr.com/photos/amandagillispie/7241429780/lightbox/

Astrodome
Houston, Texas

Poor Vivian

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 07:45:04 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

She loved the Astros, as her lovely placard there says, but the Astros just left her high and dry at the old empty stadium once they took off to their new Enron-sponsored digs in downtown. :'(

Astrodome
Houston, Texas

Not A Curve In Sight

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 07:44:51 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

All hard angles, squares, and diamonds, until you hit the roof where the dome that gave the building half of its name rises over the top.

Astrodome
Houston, Texas

Home Base-scar

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 07:45:14 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

Like "labelscar", but, you know, with a home base from some old, removed memorial or statue display instead.

Astrodome
Houston, Texas

Kid Cowpoke

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 07:44:40 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

One of many statues still living around the old venue. Even he can't bear to look anymore.

Astrodome
Houston, Texas

I Really Do Love That Pattern

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 07:38:03 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

Call me old-fashioned, but I'm appreciative that they at least they tried doing something different with the look of this place.

Astrodome
Houston, Texas

Nobody's Going In This Entrance Anymore

nobody@flickr.com (Amanda SG) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 07:37:47 -0700

Amanda SG posted a photo:

Astrodome
Houston, Texas