Shipwreck Found in San Francisco Bay

https://www.mercurynews.com/2014/04/23/shipwreck-found-in-san-francisco-bay-chinese-crew-heroics-after-disaster-revealed/
San Jose Mercury News published a story about the finding of the shipwreck SS City of Chester.  This ship, outbound, was headed to the mines of Eureka with about 106 people on board, collided with an incoming ship Oceana which was about twice its size.  Because of dense fog the ships noticed each other but the tides prevented the Chester from getting our of the other steamships way, and the Oceana sliced through the hull.  People were trapped by gushing water, and others thrown into the ocean.  The Chinese crew of the Oceana helped with the rescue.  In the end sixteen people died. 
This article was published in 2014.

Documentary: Harry Potter Kids: Biography

Harry Potter Kids: Biography: Reveal the Magic Behind the Success of the Harry Potter Stars A&E  2008.

This is a good documentary to say where the Harry Potter Kids are from, but I was hoping for something about where they are now.  In this I was disappointed.  I guess I should have realized this from the elongated title; and also from the date the movie came out.  It predates the finish of the Harry Potter series.   However, only Daniel Radcliffe had previous movie acting experience.  He had portrayed the young David Copperfield in a movie made the year previous to harry Potter.  Emma Watson and Rupert Grint had stage experience, at school and community theater, but had never been in movies prior to Harry Potter.  It interviewed each of the three about getting the parts.  Looking back now, these three are the characters, harry Potter, Hermione and Ron Weasley.  So in the end, a good bit of data about how they were cast, and nothing of their life after Harry Potter.

Martin Handcart Company: Meeting of the Minds and Handcart Rescue Reenactment

• Meeting of the Minds

  Brother Martin: Gather Round, please gather round, I have something to say to everyone

  Couple other men help everyone gather, Gather round, hurry etc.

  Brother Martin: As you know, the winter has set in early this year. I have never seen this much snow this early on the mountain passes. We

  still have hundreds of miles to reach the Valley. Are efforts to travel have only yielded a mile or so a day. You are all aware that we have

  already reduced rations greatly. Even at that, our rations will run out in the next couple days. Our hopes of rescue become more slim each

  day. I think it is time that we all contemplate our fate, and that everyone take these next few days to prepare to meet their God. There is

  really nothing more I can say.

  Reactions from all, groans, wailing, etc.

  Sister Poole as ____: I have been pulling that cart all this way. If I am going to meet my God, I am going to do so clean. It has been too

  long since I had a good bath, and the river is only down this hill. My clothes are tattered and I can't help that, but I can do something about

  my body. If I must meet God, I am going to do so clean! (She exits towards the river.)

  Sister Jackson (enters sort of dreamy eyed and approaches the two men who were helping to organize the meeting.)

  Man 1: Sister Jackson, what is it, do you know something?

  Sister Jackson: I know we are to be rescued today.

  Man 1: How could you know that?

  Sister Jackson: My Aaron told me so.

  Man 2: You mean you husband who passed away a couple nights ago.

  Sister Jackson: Yes, Aaron visited me in my dreams last night and told me we were to be rescued today.

  Man 1: Let us hope it is so. (Sister Jackson exits)

  Man 2: Some of the women have been off their kilter since going through the river a few days ago. Let’s hope that Sister Jackson regains

  her senses shortly.

  Woman 1: I must be dreaming, but I thought I saw a blue angel there in the distance.

  Man 2: Not you too!

  Man 1: No look, that is no angel, but it is a rider, and look there are two more riders with him.

  Man 2: What? I can't believe it.

  All: (congregate) "We are saved, we are saved etc.

  Woman 1: Are you an angel?

  Rescuer: No, but we are good strong young man sent from the Valley to help get you in. There are 10 wagons of provisions only a couple

  days march at Devil’s Gate.

  Sister Poole (reenters after her bath and sees the excitement.) What is it? What is all this commotion?

  Man 1: Look, there are three boys from the valley. We are saved!

  Sister Poole: We are saved.

  (If possible three riders on horses could enter)

  end
• 
  

Discovery Tree: Calaveras Big Trees

Why we have to cut everything down is beyond me, but somebody did, using an auger over and over because the tree was too big for a saw. 

Book Review: Leonardo da Vinci 1452-1519: Artist and Scientist

Leonardo da Vinci 1452-1519: Artist and Scientist by Frank Zollner, Taschen, Hohenzollernring, 2005.

Needless to say, Leonardo was an interesting man; And a remarkable artist.  He is most known for two painting, “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper.”  However he also drew many anatomical sketches, as well as flying machines.  Because he was so involved in so many things sometimes his paintings would remain unfinished.  He sculpted and drew.  Most of his painting had studies drawn before they were actually completed.  He drew a series of grotesque faces.  He painted several renditions of John the Baptist.  Using infrared technology it has been noted his paintings often have drawings under, which are not necessarily the same as the painting. 

Book Review: American Indian: Celebrating the Voices, Traditions and Wisdom of Native Americans

American Indian: Celebrating the Voices, Traditions and Wisdom of Native Americans, edited by Ashley Kircher, Weldonowen, San Francisco, 2012.

This is a fascinating book.  It is large size with many pictures and artwork.  But it is also organized well.  Each chapter has a different author.  From this book I learn that the three sisters are squash, beans and corn.  The book enlightens the viewer, reader to many customs of Native Americans.  The art is portrayed throughout the book, from things made to be used like basketry and pottery and musical instruments.  Dance and son are portrayed beautifully.  This is a book to own.

Book Review: Golden Age of DC Comics

Golden Age of DC Comics: 1935-1956 by Paul Levitz, Art design, Josh Baker, Taschen, Los Angeles, CA, DC Comics, 2013.
This is an historical picture book.  How can you tell the story of comics without lots of pictures.  This is an area I have not really explored, except when a movie comes out.  Who knew that DC stands for detective comics, which is where the company started.  They then expanded into action comics, and of course really picked up their steam with Superman.  Superman was followed by Batman and then Robin.  However there are also Wonder Woman, Flash and Marvel Man.  There are many different illustrators and stories are told in different ways.  This book covers the time of World War II, which had a profound effect on the comics as some dealt with the war head on.  Other comics dealt with the Japanese, and sometimes the German in a very negative way.  Marvel Man was also taking after them.