Still Staying The Course—NeilAquino.Com Will Be Up And Running In July

While I’ve not made a new post on the blog of late, I’m still here.

I am working on my new project that will be called NeilAquino.com. I plan to have it up and running next month. I’ll be offering more details about the project soon here on Texas Liberal. I will be having a new blog at my new site.

It has been nice to take a break from blogging over the past few months. It is good to take a break from something you have been doing for a long time and thinking about new ways to move ahead.

Thanks to folks who have been checking the blog from-to-time to see if I’m still around.

Above is a picture of a ship that I took while in Galveston recently.

Just like this ship in the picture, I am staying the course. I hope you are doing the same.

Staying The Course—Visit Corpus Christi

Like the ship you see above, I’m staying the course.

There is a lot to do today and so just time for this brief post. Either you run the blog or the blog runs you.

The picture above was taken a few years back in the great Texas city of Corpus Christi.

Corpus Christi is worth a visit.

The Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History was very good.

Thanks for reading Texas Liberal.

Review Of Contraband—I Liked All The Ships In The Movie

Last night I saw the movie Contraband.

This movie was about people smuggling stuff aboard big ships.

Here is my review of this movie—

“Contraband was enjoyable. There was plenty of action and many interesting pictures of ships and of Panama City, Panama.”  

This covers my thoughts about Contraband.

Here are some facts on what it is like to visit Panama.

Last week I saw The Artist.

There were many more people in the theater to see Contraband than there were to see The Artist.

The Artist was quite enjoyable as well. It was a black-and-white mostly silent movie about the film industry back in black-and-white, silent film days.

Go see The Artist so that the big megaplexs will still show such type movies along with action-packed movies about people smuggling stuff on big ships.

Above is a picture I took in Galveston, Texas a few hours ago of ships passing in the day. These are the type of ships that were in Contraband.

This is because art echoes life.

Or is it the other way around?

Up High & At Sea Level In Seattle

Above is a picture I took in the summer of 2010 from the top of the Space Needle in Seattle.

Below is the ship that was docked at the grain terminal in the right center of the top picture.

Different vantage points offer diferent perspectives.

Both photos copyright Neil Aquino.

Under A Cloud

Above is a picture I took of a ship in the Houston Ship Channel that is under a cloud.

We can stay the course in life even when we are under a cloud.

(Photo copyright Neil Aquino  2011)

The Fighting Temeraire—Our Idolatry Of Technology And Markets Over The Needs Of People

The painting above is called The Fighting Temeraire. It was painted in 1839 by J.W.W Turner.

Please click here to learn more about Mr. Turner.

The Fighting Temeraire is the sailing ship being pulled into port by the steam ship at the front of the picture.

Here are some facts about the ship The Fighting Temeraire.

Here are some facts about the painting.

The idea of the painting is that the age of sail is over. The steam ship is hauling in the Temeraire to be broken up at the ship yard.

While it turns out that this is a well-known painting, I’d not seen it until I recently read a book called Ship–The Epic Story Of Martime Adventure by Brian Lavery.

The story of a newer technology replacing an older technology is as old as the hills.

Progress has value.

At the same time, government has an obligation to help hard-working people who have been displaced with education relevant to finding a new job, access to health care, and unemployment benefits.

Machines are machines and people are people.

Ships go to scrap yards. People merit better.

In our modern idolatry of technology and markets, we cannot lose sight of the fact that the object of public policy is to improve the lives of human beings.

We cannot lose sight of the fact that we are here on Earth to help others.

Simple Gifts Performed At Arizona Shooting Memorial Service

(Blogger’s Note 1/13/11—Simple Gifts was sung at the end of the memorial to the Tuscon, Arizona shooting victims. This is a meaningful song with lyrics all should hear. I’m reposting my entry about Simple Gifts that I first posted in 2009.)

Above is a video of me speaking the words of the Shaker hymn Simple Gifts while standing on the eastern end of Galveston Island.

The video runs just over 90 seconds.

Behind me as I speak is a ship in Galveston Bay that is sailing out towards the Gulf of Mexico.

Simple Gifts is one of my favorite songs in the world.

If you click this link, you’ll see the lyrics and the song will play.

The song was written by Joseph Brackett. Here are some very basic facts about Joseph Brackett.

Here is some information about Shaker music.

Here is some history of the Shakers.

From that history—

“One of the numerous religious sects who emigrated to American shores in search of religious freedom, the Shakers followed Mother Ann Lee to the United States in 1774. Here they established several colonies– the first in 1776 at Nikayuna near Albany, NY–whose governing principles included celibacy and agrarian communal living.”

Here are some things you could see if you visited Galveston, Texas.

Here are some facts about Galveston Bay.

Here is the link to the Galveston Bay Foundation.

Here is a link where you can track the location of ships around the world.

Here is some history of ships and boats.

The part of Simple Gifts I like best is where it says that to bow and to bend we should not be ashamed. I would like to live my life by that principle, but so far I have lacked the discipline to do so.

2010 Is Sailing Away

2010 is sailing away.

2010 is sailing away just like that ship you see above. I took this picture earlier this year while on riding across Galveston Bay on a ferry boat.

My blog traffic stinks this week. Just as well. Hopefully people are enjoying the holiday week.

Enjoy New Year’s Eve anyway you wish so long as you don’t drive drunk or drive tipsy.

Thanks for reading Texas Liberal in 2010. Please visit the blog every chance you get in 2011.

(Photo copyright Neil Aquino.)

Where There Is Smoke,There Is More Smoke…..Yet The Smoke May Be Toxic Enough

Above you see a picture of a ship that I took the last time I visited Galveston.

There was so much smoke coming from this ship that I thought it was maybe on fire.

I thought to myself—“If that ship is on fire and I have pictures, that will really boost my blog traffic.”

I’d write a post titled–“Photos Of Today’s Ship Fire In Galveston.”

I understand that a fire on that ship might have meant that people were jumping overboard to save their lives, and that the ship might be dumping toxic substances onto the sea.

But what about my blog traffic?

As it turned out though, there was no reported ship fire that day.

So, as the old saying goes,—

Where there is smoke, there is in most cases just more smoke.

Often we want to believe something is up, but really what is going on is everyday life.

Of course, as you can tell by all that smoke coming from that ship, and by the frequent tone of our daily lives, the smoke is toxic enough.

I Ran Aground Today

I had plans for the blog today, but I ran aground with other tasks.

My morning is represented by the paddleboat above that is grounded on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River near Cincinnati. I took that picture a couple of weeks ago.

These things happen in life.

And now I have to move on for the day.

Sometimes big ships get grounded and I suppose that is a real problem.

Below you see a picture taken by a Rae Brune that I took off of Wikipedia.

That ship is the CP Valour. It was grounded on the Azore Islands in 2005.

My grounding was minor. Like that old paddlewheeler instead of the big ship.

I’ll set sail anew tomorrow.

Since It Is Snowing In Cincinnati, I Am Taking A Boat Ride

When I woke up this morning, I thought I’d be catching a plane to Cincinnati. However, my flight has been delayed a day due to snow in Cincinnati.

Having a vacation day in front of me but with no plane trip to take, I’ve driven 50 miles south to Galveston.

In the picture you see the wake of a big ship. I took this picture from the Bolivar Ferry. The Bolivar Ferry runs between Galveston Island and Bolivar Pennisula.

Sometimes things work out well even when what you had planned must be changed.

Bright Cargo On Dark Day

Above is a picture of a bright yellow mineral or cargo of some sort that I took on a very grey day in Galveston, Texas.

Even on a dark day, there is some bight thing you can find to lighten matters up.

Please leave a comment if you have any notion what the yellow stuff is.

Life Is Like A Harbor Where Ships Come And Go

(Blogger’s Note—This is a rerun of a post I like to run from time-to-time. Thanks for reading Texas Liberal.)

Life is like a harbor where ships come and go.

Some ships come early in the day.

Others arrive late.

Some ships stay just a brief time.

A few are looking for a port to call home.

Some come and go many times.

Some harbors are serene.

Others are more busy.

As the day progresses, traffic may diminish.

Though a sense that a harbor is safe, or in some other sense good and useful, may mean traffic and activity never fully cease until the day is over at last.

If what is left for the most part are good memories, then the voyage has reached a successful end.

In these regards, I would say that life is like a harbor where ships come and go.

Speaking The Words To Simple Gifts As Ship Passes Behind Me

Above is a video of me speaking the words of the Shaker hymn Simple Gifts while standing on the eastern end of Galveston Island.

The video runs just over 90 seconds.

Behind me as I speak is a ship in Galveston Bay that is sailing out towards the Gulf of Mexico.

Simple Gifts is one of my favorite songs in the world.

If you click this link, you’ll see the lyrics and the song will play.

The song was written by Joseph Brackett. Here are some very basic facts about Joseph Brackett.

Here is some information about Shaker music.

Here is some history of the Shakers.

From that history—

One of the numerous religious sects who emigrated to American shores in search of religious freedom, the Shakers followed Mother Ann Lee to the United States in 1774. Here they established several colonies– the first in 1776 at Nikayuna near Albany, NY–whose governing principles included celibacy and agrarian communal living.

Here are some things you could see if you visited Galveston, Texas.

Here are some facts about Galveston Bay.

Here is the link to the Galveston Bay Foundation.

Here is a link where you can track the location of ships around the world.

Here is some history of ships and boats.

The part of Simple Gifts I like best is where it says that to bow and to bend we should not be ashamed. I would like to live my life by that principle, but so far I have lacked the discipline to do so.

Life Is A Like A Harbor Where Ships Come And Go

( Blogger’s note—As I am on my Thanksgiving blogging break, I am running both new and repeat posts this week. This post is a repeat. Thank you for reading Texas Liberal and please have a nice holiday.)

Life is like a harbor where ships come and go.

Some ships come early in the day.

Others arrive late.

Some ships stay just a brief time.

A few are looking for a port to call home.

Some come and go many times.

Some harbors are serene.

Others are more busy.

As the day progresses, traffic may diminish.

Though a sense that a harbor is safe, or in some other sense good and useful, may mean traffic and activity never fully ceases until the day is over at last.

If what is left for the most part are good memories, the voyage has reached a successful end.

In these regards, I would say life is like a harbor where ships come and go.