Bootheel Tornado

Thanks (once again) to Charles Jolliff for the local 411 on the tornadoe(s) that hit the Bootheel (and western Tennessee). Some really good images on the blog of a local TV weather guy. Not sure who took the photo above (Stephens Gin off Hwy 412). It was sent to me by several people.

I’m a little fuzzy on this but I think these pix were taken by Charles, who provided the following descriptions:

One of the images is from the theatre downtown (Kennett), looking southward down Slicer street. It’s a very dark shot. Tornado was on the ground behind the neighborhood that is beside McDaniel funeral home. One of my moms neighbors (she has house in that neighborhood) told me they watched the tornado on the ground for a long time. It actually was just north of Scobeyville down old 25 highway and then headed east crossing Johnson Island road before hitting Braggadocia (1 woman dead there) then hitting Deering, then Caruthersville before crossing the river into Dyer county Tennessee.

The neighbor of my moms told me that it was two tornados that were dancing back and forth that they saw, till it combined and got bigger. Marmaduke, Arkansas got hit hard. Over half the homes destroyed or badly damaged, according to news reports. I drove through (Highway 49 was closed till noon today to clear the road of debris) late this evening but could not stop, traffic was incredible. I suppose a lot of folks were sight-seeing or looky-looing. I had the camera and just guessed on the shots in my album link. All taken from a rolling/driving truck by a guy not looking.

While all this was going on in this area, another violent storm hit Wynne Ar, and destroyed several homes including 3 that belonged to some of my racing friends. Totalled their race cars as well. All in all, everyone in Kennett is very lucky, if this thing had come up a mile and a half, it would have gone thru this little town like the proverbial hot knife thru butter.

This brings back vivid memories of crouching in a dark, dank “storm cellar,” just like the one in Wizard of Oz.

Where’s my camera?!

This is why you should always have a camera with you. Jackie Johnson, a co-worker in our Madison, WI newsroom, captured the amazing image below:

Bald Eagle

“I’ve seen many bald eagles in my life, but never one in the wild just a couple feet away from me! The other day I came across a mature bald eagle on the side of the road eating roadkill! It was cool! I hit the breaks so as not to kill this endangered species, and simultaneously grabbed my camera and manage to get a somewhat decent shot as the fully-grown bird flew away. It’s a little blurry as I frantically tried to contain my excitement.”

Images from the Shell Museum

SeashellsHenry has a terrific tag line on his web site: “Creating wonder and delight through fine art nature photography.”

I’ve posted on his work a number of times. He recently spent some time at the Shell Museum in Santibel, Florida, and brought back some amazing images.

She sells seashells on the seashore;
The shells that she sells are seashells I’m sure.
So if she sells seashells on the seashore,
I’m sure that the shells are seashore shells.

Sheryl Crow on cover of Shape Magazine

Shape CoverSheryl Crow will be 44 next month but it will be a smoking hot 44, based on the cover of Shape. Ms. Crow says she runs or bikes (outdoors) for at least an hour “every single day.” Doesn’t listen to music while running, but meditates and “gets her thoughts in order.” If not running, she’s biking with Lance. She cuts out early since LA typically does six or seven hours a day. When the two cook at home, they make a Mexican burrito for breakfast with cheese, salsa and Jimmy Dean sausage. She eats lots of vegetables and recently gave up caffeine. [Photo]

Jeff Bassinson Greeting Card

Bass in frigWhen I had lunch with Jeff Bassinson last week he was stressed from being unable to come up with an idea for his annual holiday greeting card. The bar had been set awfully high last year (he used tiny magnets to hold the lights to his head and face). In a moment of inspired desperation, he has again come through with what I am sure will be this years most original card. Again. [Larger image]

Small town radio: 1976

When my brother moved to Indonesia, he stored a bunch of boxes at our father’s house. After dad died and we sold the house, I lugged the boxes back to Jeff City. My brother and I went through them this week and discovered the treasure above. My hair is gray now and may someday be gone, but I will always have this.

“Captain Banana, who spends most of his days disguised as a mild-mannered local radio personality, will emerge Saturday to serve as master of ceremonies for the American Cancer Society dance-a-thon to raise money for cancer research. The contest will begin at 7:00 p.m.; tickets are $1 at the door.” — Daily Dunklin Democrat, May 12, 1976.

Photos Beyond the Wall

“Are you tired of seeing you and your family in dozens of photos taken in the Visiting Room over the years…all with the same old boring Visiting Room backdrops? Photos Beyond The Wall now offers what you’ve been waiting for. We take you out of the visiting room and place you “inside” the romantic or exotic location of your choice!”

I caught just a brief mention of this on NPR’s Morning Edition. Kind of a cool idea. I mean, you don’t want to put a photo of mom or dad “gripping the bars,” on your desk, so the folks at Beyond the Wall will alter that reality for you. Some of these are more distrubing than others.

Back stage with the Rolling Stones

XM Ben attended the Rolling Stones concert Monday night (DC) and managed to get backstage where he had his photo taken spooning Ron Wood. I think that qualifies as a Brush with Near Greatness.

It flashed me back to 1964 (my sophomore year in high school) when the Rolling Stones were all over the radio. We had never heard anything remotely like them. How can they possibly be touring 40 years later?

PS: That’s been peeping out from behind Ron Wood