Uploads from Ron Palacio

Fleet Week - May 23, 2012

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 17:16:43 -0700

If you view this in full screen mode you can see the pilot's heads in the cockpit! I love that! : )

The Final Frontier - March 27, 2012

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 23:37:58 -0700

I cannot tell you how many times I've actually piloted the Space Shuttle
...how many adventures I've had in outer space
...how many parallel universes I've parsed
...how many extraterrestrial friends I've made
Somehow, this day brings it all full circle
...and somehow it felt just as unreal and equally as awesome!

The Final Frontier - March 27, 2012

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 23:23:42 -0700

Ron Palacio posted a photo:

With tears in my eyes and every single strand of hair on my body standing on end, riding the tingling sensation that can only be had by children moved by the awe-inspiring dreams or fantasies of flight... I declared to myself in this moment: "This day is one of my favorite days of all time!!"

Actually, I'm vegatarian! ...no, seriously, I AM!!

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 19:42:19 -0700

Ron Palacio posted a photo:

Chinatown, NYC

Terror-Proofing NYC

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 19:34:36 -0700

Ron Palacio posted a photo:

Guess what this is (other than a not-so-great picture of a boat with a crane on the Hudson River). These folks are laying bomb-proof blankets over the PATH subway tunnels that connect New York and New Jersey! It's the $600 million dollar latest step toward reinforcing New York City in the event of yet another big terrorist attack. The blankets would reduce the amount of water that would flow into the tunnels in case of an explosion, and would also help them resist the blast by exerting pressure on the tube.

What you're looking at in my image is one of the ultra large blankets being lowered into the Hudson, where scuba divers will eventually direct it to its final destination: over the PATH train tunnels. This is what I've been looking at out of my work window for the past several weeks. I decided to take a few shots last week so that I could share them and this story with you. Thanks for reading!

Birdie needs a hug...

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 16:22:19 -0800

Ron Palacio posted a photo:

Ode To Who Was Once My Friend...

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:38:55 -0800

Ron Palacio posted a photo:

This is where we once sat silent
It's where we had the fiercest fun
A tribulation stomping ground this was
The sanctuary of our colored tongues

A monolithic turf of hope
Our sanctuary of deep repose
This perfect place of peace and pain
A public place which no one knows
…a public place once all our own

I come here now, but all alone...
What we once had, forever gone.

By Ron Palacio
To who was once my freind

Some of us have jobs that simply defy reason...

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:12:03 -0800

Ron Palacio posted a photo:

Perhaps I see it this way because I have a morbid fear of heights... or maybe it's just plain nuts that one would find one's self this high up in the sky just to lay new tar on the top of a water canister. One of them saying "Look mom!! One foot!!" Bravo to these brave souls!

Something you didn't know about New York's trademark building...

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 09:21:06 -0800

Ron Palacio posted a photo:

Construction of it started Jan. 1930 and was completed May 1931. It was the tallest building in the world, measuring in at 102 stories high! Then came the World Trade Center in 1972, trumping the Empire State building by 8 stories. Under tragic and extraordinary circumstances, the Empire State Building regained its status as tallest building in NYC on September 11, 2001 when 2 commercial airliners were purposely flown into them in an act of terror.

A not too well known fact is that a plane was flown into the Empire State Building unintentionally on July 28th of 1945. It was a B-52 bomber en route to Newark airport in New Jersey. Because of poor visibility due to weather, Lt. Colonel William Smith was forced to fly his B-52 lower than normal, but before he knew it he was flying in the middle of New York City!! He found himself on a collision course with the NY Central Building but managed to maneuver around it. That move put him on a few other collision courses which he also managed to escape, though barely! But his final maneuver put him on course to hit the 79th floor of the Empire State Building. He could not outmaneuver it. His last words transmitted to airport control were, "From where I'm sitting, I can't see the top of the Empire State Building…"

The impact created a hole in the building eighteen feet wide and twenty feet high. The plane's high-octane fuel exploded, hurtling flames down the side of the building and inside through hallways and stairwells all the way down to the 75th floor. 13 people died in total, including the pilot and his copilot. However, the Empire State Building endured! It will remain the tallest building in New York until the new World Trade Center (aka the Freedom Tower, but officially named One World Trade Center) is completed in 2012.

My Lady and Her Nifty Fifty

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 15:36:41 -0800

Ron Palacio posted a photo:

Okay, so it's not the "Nifty Fifty" as tianxiaozhang pointed out in the comments of this image. It's the 50mm 1.4 - but I love the "Nifty Fifty" nomenclature. So I will continue to call it that! : )

The last gang of leaves...

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 16:05:46 -0800

Ron Palacio posted a photo:

The branches are now completely barren, making way for the other branch fillers - snow! And if the weather folks are right, we will see our first major storm this coming Monday. 10 - 15 inches is what they're predicting. : ( I guess the leaves knew in advance and they're running for cover. I will do the same!

Memorial to John Lennon @ Strawberry Fields - Central Park, New York

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 18:01:45 -0800

Ron Palacio posted a photo:

I've lived in NY all my life and had no clue that this memorial was right here in Central Park. Sad thing is I visit Central Park all the time and never once even came close to even stumbling across it!! How did I get this image you're asking? My girlfriend's mom was visiting New York and told me she wanted to see it. So a Californian informed me about it! SHAME ON ME!! We all went together and I snapped this shot of it.

DO NOT TAKE MY PICTURE!! ...and take this Squirrel with you!

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 08:38:45 -0800

Ron Palacio posted a photo:

I took this picture back in April of 2006 in the Flatiron district, by Madison Square Park.

Taken with my very first digital camera - a Canon Rebel XT. I was across the street, using my new 70-200mm L, thinking I was well out of her range of sight. She spotted me nevertheless and expressed her displeasure as she shook her left fist at me, as can be seen in the image. I guess what was most endearing to me was the little squirrel on the left hand side, on his little hind legs, seemingly appealing to the homeless lady for some attention. Perhaps the little guy wanted her to stop yelling at me. Or he sensed that the Duane Reade bag was filled with acorns and wanted to request 2 or 3 for he and his little buds. Or maybe (and I like to think this was absolutely the case) he just wanted to know if it would be okay if he could hop up on the bench and make small talk about the oncoming Spring weather and how fun it will be this go around.

Cobblestone Streets in New York

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 20:07:41 -0800

Ron Palacio posted a photo:

Much of New York was at one time paved with cobblestone and trolly tracks! Even more fascinating than that (at least to me) is that many of these historic streets are still around! I've walked over so many cobblestone streets all over and it has always intrigued me. Some layed as far back as the mid 1700s and have never been uprooted. Wow - they have accomodated the horse and buggy, the original bicycle, the first automobile and now the modern car! As you can see, the stones are still in great condition and so I imagine because of its historical nature, NYC will keep them in place all around NY forever! So they will see the electric car and and the furture hover car! This is just one of the many, many reasons I am so proud to be a New Yorker and why I love this fascinating and historical place!

I was going to start a project of photographing bicycle lanes all over New York, but I have not been able to put together anyhting compelling. I believe cobblestone streets will be my next project. I will also attempt to find out and post some history of the streets. I am so excited about this project!

By the way, this one is in Chelsea - 27th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues.

A lone seat on a pier on the Hudson River

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 09:51:57 -0800

Ron Palacio posted a photo:

Just took a stroll on the pier and saw this lone bench overlooking the Hudson... and someone left their cane! And boy, they left it in a great position for photographing!! It begged for a picture and so I obliged! : )

Only in New York...

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 09:42:54 -0800

Ron Palacio posted a photo:

New York City skyline about to be engulfed by clouds

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 09:29:20 -0800

Ron Palacio posted a photo:

A curious find on 25th Street...

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 16:35:11 -0700

Ron Palacio posted a photo:

Often times around New York one might find some artist's latest project in the most curious of places. Walking to work last Friday I happened across this item. I was running a little late so I prayed it would still be there at lunch time. Happily, it was! I don't know if it actually is an artists work or some silly prank by some individual(s) or someone trying to make some kind of obscure/abstract statement. What I do know is it made for a cool photo opp for me : ). What's your thought?

Benches & Lightpoles at the Hudson

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 16:24:03 -0700

Ron Palacio posted a photo:

Took this image right off the bike lane along the Hudson River near 27th Street.

Vespa rider gets trashed...

nobody@flickr.com (Ron Palacio) — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 16:13:03 -0700

Ron Palacio posted a photo:

One second she was on the Vespa, next second she decides to get trashed.