Zzyzx - Where the Wildfires are Burning Today - 9/4/2023 California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Texas, New Mexico, Nevada and Arizona...

https://livingatlas.arcgis.com/wildfireaware/#

This website has a Zoomable Map so you can see Exactly what's Burning in Your Neighborhood...

Northern California

Zzyzx is an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County, California. Curtis Howe Springer made up the name Zzyzx and gave it to the area in 1944, claiming it to be the last word in the English language.^[2][3] He established the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Spa in 1944 at the spot, which was federal land, after filing mining claims for 12,000 acres (4,900 ha) surrounding the springs. He used the springs to bottle his water and provide drinks for travelers through the hot desert. 

Integratron: <--- Link to Official Website!

The Integratron is the fusion of Art, Science and Magic

The Integratron, circa 1954, is located in Landers, California, 20 miles north of Joshua Tree National Park. Its creator, George Van Tassel (1910-1978), claimed that the structure is based on the design of Moses’ Tabernacle, the writings of Nikola Tesla and telepathic directions from extraterrestrials. This one-of-a-kind 38-foot high, 55-foot diameter, all wood dome was designed to be an electrostatic generator for the purpose of rejuvenation and time travel.

The location of the Integratron is an essential part of its functioning. It was built on an intersection of powerful geomagnetic forces that, when focused by the unique geometry of the building, concentrate and amplify the earth’s magnetic field. Magnetometers read a significant spike in the earth’s magnetic field in the center of the Integratron.

The Integratron is privately owned by three sisters who have been part of the restoration and maintenance of the structure and property for more than 30 years. Their focus is to restore and preserve the structure while sharing its amazing acoustical properties with the world via the Integratron Sound Bath.

This unique structure was listed in 2019 on the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service.

Majority Rule is Great! Most People Prefer It... Of Course, Republicans Prefer Minority Rule. Because they are the Minority... Unpopular Ideas... Idiot Beliefs... Let's Throw 'em OUT in 2024.

Hillary got more Votes than Trump but the Electoral College Elected Trump. He turned out to be the Worst President in History... The Electoral College also Elected George Bush the Son... The Second Worst President Ever... It's Obvious that the Electoral College is an Idiot Idea... Electing Unpopular Presidents against the Will of the People. 

But Republicans LOVE the Electoral College because it allows Minority Rule. 

During the Years of Trump, He Selected Three Lunatic Supreme Court Justices... and they have been Enforcing Minority Rule Ever Since... 

Majority Rules!

Not Just a TV Show but a Great Idea!

Susan Said: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, [Except Blacks and Women] that they are endowed by their Creator [Named Jesus, Allah, Yahweh, Odin, Thor, KRSNA, Buddha or a Thousand Other Names] with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”[Unless your Pursuit uses Marijuana or Psychedelics as a Sacrament] - DANG... So Many Disclaimers... Was This Written by a Freaking Lawyer? Pretty Damn Insightful... Ya Think?"

Billy Answered: " I Don't Worry About Stuff Like That. Being a White Male, All That Discrimination Talk is Not Interesting to Me. It's Like Rap Music... Endless Complaining About How Life SUCKS For Black People... Valid, True, Accurate BUT... I Just Couldn't Care Less..."

READ MORE: https://gvan42.blogspot.com/2020/11/doing-evil-for-money-novel-no-one-would.html

and then I read on FaceBorg:

Watching the debt ceiling fiasco. Why republicans always try to hide their hate of social safety net programs is beyond me. Why they can't win elections is obvious, it's because they hate policies people love. NO ONE is buying their bullshit reasons to destroy these loved and necessary programs which should be expanded instead of cut. The reps are run by the oligarchs...

Here's a Bunch of Memes for You to Share Worldwide!

Virtual Journey: West Coast USA - A Drive North From San Francisco on Highway #1 and #101 - Photos and Maps of the Pacific Ocean, Redwood Trees... Plus Links to Many Other Virtual Journeys!

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco as Viewed From Marin County... 

Click on the Pictures to See Them Bigger!

The Lone Sailor sculpture Marin County, CA. 

Rest stop near the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin County. We always Stop Here when Driving North because of the Great View of the Bridge and City... and We Can Finally Relax because WE ESCAPED THE CITY! and We're Going Home... 

 

https://goo.gl/maps/5JFtfWDxWTwMKSwf8

Map: H. Dana Bowers Rest Area & Vista Point 

Robin Williams Tunnel in Marin County on Highway 101 going North from San Francisco

Marin County Courthouse Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

The Highway #1 Exit from Highway #101... 

Muir Beach in Marin County, CA 

Map of Muir Beach and Muir Woods

Path in Muir Woods. Marin County, CA

Sign announcing Muir Woods

Slice of Redwood Tree showing Significant Dates in Human History.

View from the Top of Mount Tamalpais

Stinson Beach - Marin County, CA - Bolinas Bay

Hand Painted map of Marin County CA

Olema, California Crossroads... near Point Reyes...

Song: Hippie From Olema #5 -- Youngbloods 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OimAEdj7Qa0

Link to the Map of Olema...

https://goo.gl/maps/UhPGBr7ShNLyTRBGA

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many more photographs to upload

but I'm Done for today!

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OTHER Virtual Journeys!

LINK: Set of Photographs of a Drive from San Francisco to Santa Cruz on Highway #1... 

Sutro Tower... Located In San Francisco: High on a Hill in the Center of the City, It Broadcasts ALL forms of Wireless Signals... TV, AM Radio, FM Radio, Police Radio, Military and Cell Phones... It has a Line of Sight Visibility from My Father's House in Los Gatos, CA - 50 Miles Away.

Another View of Sutro Tower... Taken from the Beach at the End of Judah Street.

LINK: Set of Photos of Our Journey From Arcata, CA to a Cabin in the Woods of Mendocino... Hand Built by a Friend... Whole Lotta Hippies Live in those Woods!

Pacific Ocean Near FT Bragg

Back Deck on a Mendocino Cabin

LINK: Photos of the Yurok Loop Trail - Wetland near the Klamath River in Northern California - and Photos of the Golden Bear on the Klamath River Bridge on Highway 101 (near Oregon)

LINK: Virtual Journey: Eureka, Arcata, Trinidad - Visit Northern California's Coast. We Have Our Own Little World Here Behind The Redwood Curtain!

Duane Flaymo Mural showing The Pink Lady House and other Victorian Mansions in Eureka.

St. Francis of the Redwoods Mural in Willits.

On Highway 101 Half Way Between 

Santa Rosa and Eureka.

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PBS had a TV Show Called "Great Drives" - Actress Teri Garr Drove the Pacific Coast Highway from The Start South of San Diego all the Way North to Fort Bragg... Worth Watching! a Beautiful Woman in a Convertible Sports Car on the Most Beautiful Road EVER! That's Entertainment!

I Can't Find a Free Copy Online... Sorry! 

But Here is a Drone Video of Highway 101... 

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Other Journeys

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Virtual Journey: Canada Tourist Guide & Autobiography. We Went on our Honeymoon to Vancouver, BC. We Rode a Bicycle built for Two in Stanley Park... and Many More Wonderful Places to Visit.

https://gvan42.blogspot.com/2022/05/canada-tourist-guide.html

Virtual Journey: Trinity Alps, CA, USA - Drive the Bigfoot Highway (299) From Arcata on the Coast to Redding in the Central Valley. White Water Rafting! Gold Rush Ghost Towns!

https://gvan42.blogspot.com/2022/04/highway-299-virtual-journey.html

Virtual Journey: to the Star Wars Flying Motorcycles Redwood Forest on Hwy 36 in Remote Humboldt County, CA, USA - and the Bridgeville UFO Festival, The Town of Mad River. 

https://gvan42.blogspot.com/2022/03/virtual-journey-hwy-36-remote-humboldt.html

Virtual Journey: Lost Coast, CA, USA on Highway 211 - From Victorian Ferndale to The Beach, the Mountains of Mateel to the Avenue of the Giants. Humboldt County. 

https://gvan42.blogspot.com/2022/03/a-virtual-drive-thru-remote-humboldt.html

Virtual Journey to San Francisco - Boat Ride on the Red and White Fleet. Under the Golden Gate Bridge and Around Alcatraz Island... and MORE!

https://gvan42.blogspot.com/2022/04/journey-to-san-francisco.html

Virtual Journey: The Smithsonian and Washington DC. Instead of Buying Gasoline and Driving There, Take this Magic Trip Instead! A Guided Tour to the Places My Family Wanted to See... 

https://gvan42.blogspot.com/2022/05/virtual-journey-smithsonian.html

Virtual Journey: The Smithsonian and Washington DC. Instead of Buying Gasoline and Driving There, Take this Magic Trip Instead! A Guided Tour to the Places My Family Wanted to See...

Scroll Down for My Favorite Pictures... When I Lived in Washington DC My Family would Come to Visit Often and I Was the Tour Guide... Taking Them Wherever They Wanted to Go. For Example: Aunt Roberta Wanted to See the First Ladies Inauguration Party Gowns... A Place I Had Never Heard of and Had No Interest in but... It was THEIR Vacation so I Took Them There!

Many More: 

https://www.vanityfair.com/style/photos/2017/01/first-lady-inaugural-ball-gowns

First Ladies Gowns Exhibit at the Smithsonian

https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/smithsonians-first-ladies-collection/2/

While they were Busy, I Walked to the Next Exhibit. Automata Made in Germany. Robots Most Famously Used in Coo Coo Clocks... Some Have Dancing Couples... and are Quite Large... 

and I Loved the Political Buttons Collection.

I SELL Political Buttons at my Online Webstore:

Zazzle/gregvan... Click Here!

LINK to STORE: Zazzle/gregvan

and Uncle Harry Wanted to See the US Marine Silent Marching Drill... The Thing that Makes this Special is that Usually a Drill Sargent Shouts out Orders like Hup Two Three Four, Right, Left Present Arms and So Forth... Well, These Marines March in Complicated Patterns SILENTLY... 
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CueyX_LtHeo

Ray wanted to Hear Jesse Jackson Speak at a Memorial March on Washington Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King. We were Standing about Half Way Back and there were Many Public Address Speakers all along the Reflecting Pool. Since Electricity Travels Faster than Sound... by the Time We Heard the Speech it was Really Echoey and I Couldn't Understand a Word... However, I was Moved Because Jesse Jackson Had that Classic Preacher Man Delivery... It was a Moving Experience... 

View from the Lincoln Memorial looking at the Reflecting Pool and the Washington Monument

Identical Copy of the Lunar Lander - Air and Space Museum - The Real one is Still On the Moon. 

Outside of the Air and Space Museum
with the US Capitol in the Background 

This is the REAL Spaceship from Project Mercury.
The Botto is Quite Burnt from Traveling Thru Earth's Atmosphere. It's Interesting to See the Old Equipment... Way Before Computers.


There are Movies "The Dream is Alive" and "To Fly!" at the Air and Space Museum. It is Uplifting and I've Seen it Many Times. Featuring Narration by Walter Cronkite and SUPER CLEAR IMAX Films of Rocket Launches and Home Movies Taken by Astronauts While they Were in Space - and Most Importantly. Films of The Earth as Seen From Space... Heroic Music... Pacabel's Canon...

also... At the Same Theater there are Traveling Shows... I Remember a 3D Japanese Animation called "We are Born of Stars." EPIC.   

NASA MURAL 
by Robert McCall
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/100-years-ago-birth-of-space-artist-robert-mccall

There is a Great Movie on TV Called
"Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian." 
Were the Exhibits Come to Life at Night... Amelia Earhart Saves the Day by Awakening The Statue of Abraham Lincoln to Defeat the Egyptian Pharoah... That's a Tour well worth Taking!  

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At the National Art Gallery they Have Two Buildings. One of Old Masters and another of Modern Art. My Favorite was the Salvadore Dali Last Supper Painting. This Painting is in Its Own Dark Room... Since I Have Visited it Many Times I Noticed that The Same People were often there... Like it was a Church for Prayer and Meditation... a Holy Space.  

Alexander Calder Mobile at the Modern Art Wing 

of the National Art Gallery.

It Moves Around and Around Floating in the Currents of the Air Conditioning... one day They had a Gamelan Orchestra from Indonesia Playing in this room. Metal Bells, Xylophones Gongs Played by 20 People - in a very Echoey Space.

More Alexander Calder Mobiles

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Modern Art Wing - 

The Building was Designed by I M Pei... 

Between the Old Masters Wing and the Modern Art Wing is a Conveyor Belt That People Ride on. With a Psychedelic Light Show made out of Thousands of Light Bulbs.

Next to the People Mover is a Waterfall that is Part of The Mirrored Pyramids Shown in the Photo Below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUrCJfjg6mM

Here's a Link to a Video of that Waterfall. 

View of the Modern Art Wing of the National Art Gallery - and Glass Pyramids... above the Restaurant in the Basement... Near the Human Conveyor Belt Shown above.

My Favorite Painting in The Modern Art Building of the National Art Gallery is Picasso The Tragedy 
 
One Day I Took an LSD Trip There and Looked at All the Paintings... and This One Made Me Actually Feel Cold in My Body... True Synesthesia... That Night we all went to a Tangerine Dream Concert at the Fabulous Warner Theater.

So Many of the Other Paintings Seemed Trivial and Insignificant... Andy Warhol? SO WHAT? 
Roy Lichtenstein? Copycat... 

One Day I saw an Installation of a Full Size House Covered Entirely With Mirrors. We put paper Booties on and Walked inside and It was an Infinite Room. 

I loved the Giant Wall Hanging by MIRO.

For Decades I Thought it was a Portrait of a Cow but then one day I Read The Card Describing the Work of art and It said "Woman" - 34 Feet Tall - Hanging in the Main Room Under the Calder Mobile... 

https://www.nga.gov/collection/highlights.html

They Have Traveling Exhibits and It's Worth Your Time to ask a Docent or Guard What's Happening Now... I was lucky to see Original Leonardo da Vinci Mechanical Drawings... and they are Much More Impressive in real life that in a Book... 

The Other Exhibit that my friend Charolette made sure we went to was the Doll House by Chippendale. He made it for his Daughter and there is "Chippendale" Furniture in Every Room. 

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In the Old Masters Wing there are Four Paintings Called "The Voyage of Life" by Thomas Cole. 

Youth... 

Childhood...

Manhood... 


Old Age...

Now That's Some Art With Meaning... 
It Tells a Story... OUR Story!

They also Have Classical Music Concerts for free in the Old Masters Art Gallery. I saw "PDQ Bach" - a Classical Music Quartet of NEW MUSIC Composed in the Old Style by Chip Davis of Mannheim Steamroller and the Song "Convoy" 

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Natural History Museum:

This Stuffed Elephant Seems to Be
Charging at ME... Danger Danger!





In the Museum of Natural History they Have Many Stuffed Animals including this Walrus... 

and a Giant Whale...


In the Same Building... ROCKS!

The Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian. James Smithson was a Rock Hound and Donated His Collection. He Paid for the Building of the Smithsonian Museum.

I was more delighted with the Opals than the Diamonds

Tensegrities by Buckminster Fuller...
at the Hirshorn Museum. 

Quite Often the Hirshorn has very bad quality Paintings but I Have Found that I can Walk Very Quickly thru those Rooms and Move on to the Interesting Exhibits... I saw Lucian Freud Paintings there... Quite Good but Horrible!
I'm So Glad I Don't Live in HIS World. 

at the Hirshorn I saw an Andy Warhol Installation. 
It was a 3D White Sculpture of a Woman's Head.
They He Projected a Film of The Same Woman's Head onto the Sculpture... Quite "Creepy" but Insightful... She wasn't doing much but occasionally she would Talk... but not often... and there was no sound BUT... Excellent!

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Abraham Lincoln Sculpture inside
the Lincoln Memorial Washington DC

I've gone there Many Times including Once when a Boy Scout Troup was singing "America the Beautiful" and then after they were done, the Park Ranger said... "No Singing in the Memorial" - BUT - He Waited for them to be Done... That's an Educational Lesson there!

I also Marched in an Anti War Protest March from the White House to the Lincoln Memorial during the Presidency of George Bush the Father... 
There was a Parade Permit that expired at a Specific time and Anyone IN THE STREET Would be Arrested.
Well, About 50 People Intentionally Sat Down in the Street in order to Be Arrested... as a Part of their Experience at the Protest March... I was Standing on the Sidewalk watching the Jack Booted Storm Troopers haul the Anti-War Activists away on a Couple of Busses... MY CHOICE was to Not Get Arrested that Day... I Happened to be High on LSD That Day and Everything Seemed So Very Significant... Especially that Decision... I was interviewed by TV News... a Man on the Street Opinion...  and my Neighbor saw me and Later said that I was Babbling Like a Jackass... I Thanked Her and Said... If I Made You Unhappy, I Know I'm Doing the Right Thing!  

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

I have Visited the Wall but...
I Know No Names of People That Died in Vietnam.
One Traditional Way to Remember the Dead is to 
Make a Charcoal Rubbing of their Name...

The Wall as Seen from The Air. 
It's a Cronological List of the Dead.
At the Beginning of the Wall it is Very Short and then Near the Center it is Tall... then It Dwindles Down to be Very Short at the End. Just Like the Actual War... 

Jefferson Memorial

It's Right Next to The Tidal Basin with Paddleboats.

I never Rode those Boats because During the Times I Had a Wife or Girlfriend We Never Selected to Go... 
and During those Years when I did Not Have a Girlfriend I Didn't want to go alone... 
This is also where the Cherry Blossom Trees Are... a Gift from the Country of Japan. 



Lafayette Park Across The Street from
The White House...

At The Anti War Protests I Played the BIG Marching Band Bass Drum in a Drum Circle... The Owner of the Drum was tired of holding up that heavy Drum so he asked Me to Play it. At a Different Protest March I played the Frame Drum with Buddhists... They played a Very Odd and Difficult Rhythm. I asked Why and They Said It Intentionally Required my Totally Focused Attention... as a Tool to Make the Meditation Work. 

White House as Viewed from Lafayette Park 

Where I went to Many Protest Marches.

I Went to a NORML Protest of Marijuana Laws.

The Police DID NOT Arrest anyone for Smoking 

because that would make for a Bad Headline in the 

Newspaper... It started to Rain and I wanted to walk back

to my car and Get a Raincoat but... I couldn't Figure out

How to Cross Pennsylvania Ave... The Pedestrian Crossing

at 17th Street is Difficult to Figure out When It's Safe...

So I Went to a Museum and admired ART... 

A Couple of Hours Later, I was No Longer Stoned

and I was able to Cross the Street Safely.

Anti-War Protest in Lafayette Park Across 

the Street from the White House.

I met this Lady... Sadly, She was too Insane for 

me to Hold a Conversation With... 

But I Did Learn that She used to Protest with her Husband but He was Killed while trying to Blow Up the Washington Monument with a Truck Bomb... 

She's in the Movie Farenheit 911 by Michael Moore.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3417913/Woman-maintained-longest-running-act-political-protest-U-S-history-30-year-anti-nuclear-vigil-outside-White-House-dies-aged-80.html

Concepcion 'Connie' Picciotto maintained a peace vigil since 1981 in D.C.

Celebration of Trump's Defeat... 

Interactive Tour of the White House:

https://whitehouse.gov1.info/visit/tour.html

We went on a Tour of the White House with Aunt Roberta. 

She rolls around in a Wheelchair all the time so... We got to Take a Special Tour... We went to the Beginning of the Line or Tourists and were Let In First... then We Rode Elevators in a section of the Mansion that is OFF LIMITS to the General Public... I was thrilled to see Behind the Scenes... areas that had an Obvious "Employee" Look to them. 

MUCH MORE COMING!

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Other Journeys

~~~~~~ (~);-} ~~~~~~

Virtual Journey: Canada Tourist Guide & Autobiography. We Went on our Honeymoon to Vancouver, BC. We Rode a Bicycle built for Two in Stanley Park... and Many More Wonderful Places to Visit.

https://gvan42.blogspot.com/2022/05/canada-tourist-guide.html

Virtual Journey: Eureka, Arcata, Trinidad - Visit Northern California's Coast. We Have Our Own Little World Here Behind The Redwood Curtain! https://gvan42.blogspot.com/2022/05/eureka-arcata-trinidad.html

Virtual Journey: Trinity Alps, CA, USA - Drive the Bigfoot Highway (299) From Arcata on the Coast to Redding in the Central Valley. White Water Rafting! Gold Rush Ghost Towns!

https://gvan42.blogspot.com/2022/04/highway-299-virtual-journey.html

Virtual Journey: to the Star Wars Flying Motorcycles Redwood Forest on Hwy 36 in Remote Humboldt County, CA, USA - and the Bridgeville UFO Festival, The Town of Mad River. 

https://gvan42.blogspot.com/2022/03/virtual-journey-hwy-36-remote-humboldt.html

Virtual Journey: Lost Coast, CA, USA on Highway 211 - From Victorian Ferndale to The Beach, the Mountains of Mateel to the Avenue of the Giants. Humboldt County. 

https://gvan42.blogspot.com/2022/03/a-virtual-drive-thru-remote-humboldt.html

Virtual Journey to San Francisco - Boat Ride on the Red and White Fleet. Under the Golden Gate Bridge and Around Alcatraz Island... and MORE!

https://gvan42.blogspot.com/2022/04/journey-to-san-francisco.html

Virtual Journey: The Smithsonian and Washington DC. Instead of Buying Gasoline and Driving There, Take this Magic Trip Instead! A Guided Tour to the Places My Family Wanted to See... 

https://gvan42.blogspot.com/2022/05/virtual-journey-smithsonian.html

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