Friday Funnies

Why this ladder was here . . .

I have absolutely no clue. It was on a sidewalk with nothing nearby and no one near it.

Sometimes, things are just plain curious.

Thanks to everyone for your feedback on my previous post about the increasing amount of spam comments. I appreciate that many folks shared that comment moderation has helped, but still undecided about going that route.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

We're still in NJ on our 🦃 holiday road trip. 

If you celebrated, hope your holiday was a good one.

A Day of Thanks

Today is Thanksgiving, a holiday that's most often shared with special people, family and friends alike.

Our Best Wishes to everyone celebrating today as we are be doing in our home state of NJ. 

At its core, the day includes gratitude for those we love and for what we have — giving thanks for all.

Many will spend the holiday with a gathering of loved ones, other folks will celebrate alone, some by choice, others by loss or other circumstances.

Thankfulness is a good thing, kindness even better. We can impact each other's lives in the simplest ways by a card, call, visit — or holiday dinner invite. 

Once home we'll host Thanksgiving for friends who will have celebrated alone and will do the same on Christmas at home.

Tis the season for thankfulness and kindness. 

Thanks to all for your blog friendships.

Enjoy the holiday (no comments today).

Enough Already !

A question today, more of a rant — not against fellow bloggers — but spammers.

Has anyone else been bothered by an onset of spammers in recent days/weeks ?

A fellow blogger recently commented on this issue posting that she had been bombarded with over 80 spam comments in a single week. 

It's been happening here too. Recently, on the pull down menu above published comments, there were some 50 that blogger had flagged as potential spam — Most of these were actual spam, others that were not flagged were more of the same.

Nearly all spammers spew their garbage overnight, many contain links to online betting. Daily morning checks show postings within the past 4-6 hours of a 7 am check.  

Unfortunately, actual blogger comments are sometimes marked as spam. These need to be checked as OK to publish. It's become a morning routine to check comments, delete spam, OK legitimate comments to publish. 

Seriously, do these spammers think anyone in his/her right mind would click on any of the included links? 

• WHY do spammers bother; paid commissions on the number of spammed sites?
• WHY if blogger can ID a comment as spam is it still published?
• WHY when marked as spam and deleted, a spam comment returns on another post?

What I've been doing

As mentioned above, many recent spammers hawking online betting come from a specific source(s). These sites have been reported to blogger for inappropriate comments. When a spammer is reported, blogger will send this reply: 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi,

Thanks for flagging potential policy or legal violations on Google. 

We’ve received your report under the following abuse category: spam or unwanted content.

The Google Team

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Whether or not this will limit or prohibit future spam is yet to be determined.

Here's are several sites recently spewing spam comments. If you find any in your post comments, the best advice would be to delete immediately.

• Laser247
• ReddyAnna Book
• Online CricketID
• Arman
• Bet bbhi
• Online Cricket ID

In addition to spam containing links to online betting, spammers will use flattery and offer positive comments on how well the post was presented, etc. It's all smoke and mirrors (something that seems good but is not real or effective). It's best to delete these too.

Many bloggers moderate comments in an attempt to control spam, possibly for other reasons. If you do this, does it work?

Your turn — If any blogger has other solutions that work, please leave a comment. 

Friday Funnies

My most recent post described sights visited on a day trip to Florence during our Tuscany tour in early October. 

While the best way to get around this city is on foot, we did see alternative methods such as bicycles, horse drawn carriages and this ⬇︎.

No cash handy? That would not be a problem; this rickshaw operator also accepted credit cards and contactless payments. (We didn't take advantage of this mode of transportation.)

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

We leave today for a road trip and week-long visit in NJ

Thanksgiving will be celebrated with family

A Renaissance City

Florence, the world's art capital, (Firenze) is also the capital of Italy’s Tuscany region. This is a city best explored on foot. It overflows with history, culture and landmarks. boasting architectural grandeur and world-class museums. One of the most readily recognizable sights is its terra cotta-tiled cathedral dome.

Our tour group of 42 travelers arrived in Florence on a Saturday morning where we met our local guide (above). As most travelers know, weekends are never the best time to visit any popular tourist destination, U.S. or abroad, as everyone is doing the same. We saw a small part of this artful city, including two world-famous cathedrals.

Piazza del Duomo, Florence, Italy (Internet source)

The cathedral complex in Piazza del Duomo, includes the cathedral, baptistery and campanile (bell tower). These buildings are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site covering the historic center of Florence and are a major tourist attraction.

The Florence cathedral, Duomo, as it's called, is the most commanding structure in this complex and has been called the crown jewel of Florence. This overwhelmingly impressive structure has multicolored marble walls, golden doors, and a dome that dominates the cityscape. The official name is the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower (Cattedrale di Santa Fiore) and it's the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Florence. 

Considered one of the greatest masterpieces of Gothic art, the Duomo is regarded as a symbol of the wealth and power of the Tuscan capital during the 13th and 14th centuries. In its day, it was the largest cathedral in Europe holding up to 30,000 people. Today it's the fourth largest cathedral in the world surpassed in size by the Basilica of St. Peter in Vatican City, St. Paul's Cathedral in London, the Cathedral of Seville and the Cathedral of Milan. 

The cathedral was built as a basilica on the site of a 7th-century church, remnants can be found in the crypt.  Construction started in 1296 and didn't complete until some 140 years later in 1436 with the dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi. 

The reason it took so long is because of the immense complexity of the cathedral's design especially the large dome, which required advanced techniques that didn't exist when construction started. It wasn't until Filippo Brunelleschi, a founding father of Renaissance architecture, developed a groundbreaking solution which took over a century to complete.

During the cathedral's construction, architects from all over the world attempted to figure out how to erect a dome that would be nearly 150 feet wide and that would begin 180 feet above the ground, atop the existing walls.

Brunelleschi solved the problem of how to build the dome by including horizontal and vertical chains to further strengthen the dome. These chains were made of stone and iron within the brickwork and acted as tension rings, holding the dome together and preventing it from collapsing under its own weight. The result has been called an architectural masterpiece. This icon dominates the Florence skyline.When it was built in the 15th, it was the largest ever built in western Europe. Although it was later overtaken by St Peter's Basilica, it still remains the largest dome built of bricks, an estimated 4,000,000 were used. When Brunelleschi died in 1446, he was buried beneath his achievement and remans there today..

The bell tower designed by Giotto di Bondone in 1334 was the most impressive feature of the cathedral before the dome was completed. It is over 49 feet wide and stands 275 feet high. Giotto died before the tower was completed in 1387 according to legend he was upset over a design flaw in that he made the tower's base too narrow. His fears proved correct and the tower was renovated after his death to allow the full height of the construction to be supported at the base. (It's possible to climb the bell tower, all 400 steps to the top; we did not.)

The Baptistery of San Giovanni Battista, the oldest building in the Duomo complex, is considered as one of the city's oldest places of worship. Built between 1059 and 1128, it was named for St. John the Baptist (San Giovanni Battista), the patron saint of Florence, who replaced the Roman god Mars, the god of war. Why? Christianity was attempting to overtake the Pagan religion and to to make this conversation easier, replaced a Roman god for a Christian saint. St. John the Baptist was considered less holy than other saints (not sure of that reasoning.)

Bronze was the primary material used for the baptistry's four entrances (portals). The eastern door, main gate, designed by Florentine goldsmith and sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti, was renamed the Gates of Paradise (Porta del Paradiso) by Michelangelo Buonarroti because of its striking beauty. It took 27 years to complete (1425 to 1452) and 70-year old Ghiberti installed the last bronze panels The panels consist of 28 scenes of the life of Jesus Christ from the New Testament. 

Over time, the 17-foot high, 3-ton bronze door became one of the most famous works of art in the world praised by generations of artists and art historians for the compelling portrayal of scenes from the Old Testament. It remained in place for centuries, well preserved due to Ghiberti’s high quality of work. It was dismantled in 1943 and hidden in a gallery due to WW II bombings and returned to the baptistry in 1948. After flooding in 1966, some panels were removed for repair. 

We only viewed the exterior and didn't tour the interior of the Florence cathedral or the baptistry and didn't climb the bell tower. This was because of limited time on our visit and lengthy waits. Instead we toured another iconic church.

Piazza di Santa Croce, Florence, Italy

The Basilica of the Holy Cross (Basilica di Santa Croce) is a minor basilica and the principal Franciscan church of Florence. Situated on the Piazza di Santa Croce, about a half mile southeast of the Duomo, it's also one of the more prominent and recognizable churches in the city. It's associated with St. Francis of Assisi, Italy's patron saint.

Santa Croce was built in 1294 by Arnolfo di Cambio Ugo Foscolo to replace an earlier church. It's the largest Franciscan church in the world, noted for its tombs, cenotaphs (empty tombs honoring someone whose remains are elsewhere) and chapels.

Santa Croce has 16 chapels many decorated with frescoes by Giotto di Bondone. Years ago, well-to-do families had chapels built and decorated in their honor and dedicated to a favorite saint (either to appease the church or seek forgiveness for sins).

Tomb of Michelangelo in Santa Croce Cathedral

Initially housing the graves of Franciscan friars, it soon became the burial place of choice for wealthy families, who were commemorated by gravestones on the floor. But, it was with the construction of the tomb of Michelangelo Buonarroti that the basilica became a resting place of Italian notables. The Temple of the Italian Glories was what poet Ugo Foscolo called Santa Croce in 1807. 

When Michelangelo, a Florence native, died in 1564, he was laid to rest in a church in Rome. His body was later stolen by his nephew Leonardo who brought them back to Florence. While efforts were made to keep the news a secret, word spread rapidly. The church became so full that it was difficult to move the body into the sacristy. There, it lay in state to allow people to pay tribute to the artist who had been away for 30 years.

Tombs of Rossini and Galileo in Santa Croce Cathedral

Other notables interred here are Rossini, Machiavelli, and the Pisan-born Galileo Galilei, tried by the Inquisition for his beliefs about the earth revolving around the sun, and not allowed a Christian burial until 1737, some 95 years after his death. 

Dante Memorial in Santa Croce Cathedral

There's a memorial to Italian poet, writer, and philosopher Dante Alighieri, an Italian poet, writer, and philosopher. Dante is buried in Ravenna after being exiled from Florence for political reasons that included corruption and financial wrongdoing.

Fountain of Neptune, Florence, Italy

The Fountain of Neptune (Fontana del Nettuno) is situated in the Piazza della Signoria  in front of the Palazzo Vecchio. The fountain was commissioned by Cosimo Medici in 1559 to celebrate the marriage of Francesco Medici I to Grand Duchess Joanna of Austria. Cosimo Medici, Duke of Florence from 1537-1569, was responsible for many architectural and artistic elements in Florence that still exist now. The fountain has sustained a great deal of damage over the years due to vandalism. It underwent a major restoration completed in 2019.

The Palazzo Vecchio is the town hall of Florence, Italy. It overlooks the Piazza della Signoria, where there's a replica of the sculpture, David, by Michelangelo.

Within walking distance of town hall is the Piazza della Signoria which features the fountain of Neptune. This sea god was sculpted between 1563-65 to celebrate the opening of a new aqueduct. According to our tour guide, the sculpture is called the Biancone (great white) due to of the brilliance of its marble.

Our city tour of Florence was too short and on a very busy weekend on a day when there was no rain in the forecast, unlike previous days. To fully explore the city would require several days which unfortunately wasn't in our tour schedule. 

There are other ways to explore other than walking, here's a couple we saw like this one above. 

Despite the shortened visit time, we spent an enjoyable few hours in this amazing city. Before leaving, we shared a photo opportunity with our Nashua, NH, friends.

Friday Funnies

Sometimes, there is wisdom in comics and Peanuts has always been a favorite here.

American cartoonist Charles Monroe Schulz is widely regarded as one of the most influential cartoonists in history. His often sarcastic humor was shown in the thoughts of a group of children and the inner thoughts of a household pet.

Snoopy was said to have been modeled after his family dog, Spike, later Snoopy's brother. Charlie Brown, the principal character was named after a co-worker. In fact, most all of the children in the comic strip were named in reference to family and friends. The comic strip, Peanuts, made its first appearance on October 2, 1950, in 7 newspapers. At its height, Peanuts was published daily in 2,600 papers in 75 countries in 21 languages. Over nearly 50 years, Schulz drew 17,897 published Peanuts strips.

Did you know that the comic strip got its name from a children's program, Howdy Doody, broadcast on the NBC television network in the U. S. from December 27, 1947 tol September 24, 1960?

Schulz was said to dislike the name. He had first titled it, Li'l Folks, when he submitted it to United Features Syndicate (UFS). But, when UFS was ready to syndicate it. Tack Knight, creator of a retired 1930's comic strip, Little Folks, claimed exclusive rights to the title.  A different name for the comic strip was required after legal advice confirmed Little Folks was a registered trademark. A UFS production manager noted the popularity of Howdy Doody, and the audience of children seated in the Peanut Gallery and known as "Peanuts." This led to the comic strip being renaming, much to its creator's consternation.

 September 17, 1973  Charles M. Schulz

No, this is not about anything specific. It's just meant to bring a chuckle for the day. Please don't read anything else into it, there's no other motive other than humor. Smile.

This weekend, we're hauling out Christmas decos early since we're traveling to our native NJ to spend the Thanksgiving holiday visiting family and friends on a week-long road trip. This early decorating is a change this year. Usually, we would decorate the weekend following Thanksgiving, but that's the weekend we're back home and going to a concert. This year, we can enjoy the tree a while longer.

How about you — decorating early or later for Christmas?

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

It's chilly enough for flannel sheets now and hot chocolate

They All Lean

The Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral Square) in Pisa, Tuscany, Italy, is one of the most visually striking squares worldwide. Additionally, it has been recognized as one of the finest architectural complexes in the world. Seeing these structures on our October trip to Tuscany was to put it simply, amazing.

Piazza Duomo (Square of Miracles) consists of Baptistry, Cathedral and Campanile

The Piazza Duomo in Pisa, which translates to plaza of the cathedral, was renamed the Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles) by writer Gabriele d’Annunzio in 1910 because of the amazing architectural masterpieces within this square considered by many to be "miraculous" feats of design and construction. Since 1987. it has been a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site. (Such landmarks and areas have legal protection under an international treaty for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance.)

More views of these amazing structures

There are three structures: Pisa Cathedral (the Duomo), Pisa Baptistery, and the free standing bell tower (campanile) more commonly known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa. There's also a cemetery, Campo Santo, which we did not explore on our tour.

The idea was to have an important religious centre symbolizing the main stages of life: birth with the Baptistery, life with the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and its Tower, and death with the Cemetery.

The tower is famous worldwide, in large part, because of its slant. Even after being stabilized, the Tower of Pisa still leans. It's not the only leaning structure in this complex.

The weather wasn't perfect this day

The Tower of Pisa is known for its nearly four-degree lean, the result of an unstable foundation. It isn't the tallest bell tower and stands less than 184 feet from the ground on the low side and about 186 feet on the high side. The width of the walls at the base is 8 feet. I'm not sure how a tower is weighed, but this one is estimated to be 16,000 tons. The tower has 296 or 294 steps which can be climbed to reach the top (there is no elevator). 

There are seven giant bells on the top. Each has a name and corresponds to each of the seven musical notes. At first, the bells were operated by ropes which allowed them to ring by swinging. This process as discontinued since the possible vibrations may affect and cause the tower to lean more. Today, the bells are operated by electronic hammers. 

We did not walk up to the top of the tower

Construction to complete the tower took a really long time — nearly two centuries. The tower began to lean during construction in the 12th century, due to soft ground which could not support its weight. Construction continued and the builders tried to offset the mistake. By the time they reached the fourth story (out of a planned eight), they had to make the arches on the south side two inches taller than those on the north. The tower continued to lean. Unsure of what to do, construction was halted for almost a century.

The tower in relation to the cathedral, a short walk

By the time, the tower was completed in the 14th century, it leaned even more. By 1990, the tilt had reached 5.5 degrees. Between 1993 and 2001, the tower was stabilized by remedial work, which reduced the tilt to less than 4 degrees. In 2008, engineers declared that the tower had not only been stabilized, but had stopped moving for the first time in its history. They further stated that it would be stable for at least 200 years.

Ironically, Pisa gets its name from a Greek word meaning “marshy land” because of the terrain which is mainly made of clay. 

During WW II, the Allies suspected the Germans were using the tower as an observation post. A U.S. Army sergeant sent to confirm the presence of German troops in the tower was so impressed by the beauty of the cathedral and campanile that he refrained from ordering an artillery strike. All the structures were spared from possible destruction.

The baptistry is in the rear of the cathedral

The Pisa Baptistery of St. John is not only the largest baptistery in Italy but in the world. It was built to replace an older baptistry. Construction started in 1152 and when completed in 1363, it became the second building, in chronological order, in the Piazza dei Miracoli, near the Duomo di Pisa and the cathedral's free-standing campanile, the  Leaning Tower of Pisa. Like the cathedral and the campanile. the Baptistery is built of Carrara marble. Constructed on the same unstable ground as the tower and cathedral, the Baptistery leans 0.6 degrees toward the cathedral. 

Interior view of the baptistry ceiling

While the interior lacks any ornamental decoration, its acoustics are remarkable. Every half hour, the attendant on duty enters, stands next to the font, and sings a few notes that echo around the internal walls. Sounds reverberate long enough to the singer to form a 3-part harmony.

The very large baptismal font and pulpit

The focal point of the baptistry is the baptismal font built by Guido Bigarelli. . The bronze sculpture of St. John the Baptist at the center of the font was done by Italo Griselli. The famous pulpit was sculpted between 1255-1260 by Nicola Pisano. The scenes on the pulpit demonstrate his talents as the most important precursor of Italian Renaissance sculpture.

The long wall is part of the cathedral

The baptistry was positioned beside the cathedral because unbaptized people were not allowed inside the church until they had been baptized. In medieval times, this was done by full immersion, which is why the font is so large. The word "baptism" derives from the Greek word for immersion.

Another view of the cathedral

Pisa Cathedral (Cattedrale di Pisa) is one of the largest churches in Europe and it measures over 328 feet long by 229 feet wide. This medieval Catholic cathedral is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is the oldest of the three structures in the plaza followed by the Pisa Baptistry and the campanile. The cathedral, like the bell tower, is also sinking visibly into the ground.

A partial view of the cathedral roof

The dome of the cathedral has an octagonal shape. The cathedral is a notable example of Romanesque architecture. Construction which began in 1063 was completed in 1092 and was funded by spoils received fighting against the Muslims in Sicily. As one of the superpowers of the Mediterranean, Pisa needed a Duomo to reflect its prestige. Consecrated in 1118, it is the seat of the Archbishop of Pisa. Additional enlargements and a new facade were built in the 12th century. The roof was replaced after it was damaged by a fire in 1595.

Interior views of the cathedral

The interior architecture includes various stylistic elements: classical, Lombard-Emilian, Byzantine and Islamic, which reflects the international presence of Pisan merchants at the time. This style which has become known as "Pisan Romanesque."

Ceiling of the cathedral was truly amazing

After entering the cathedral, one of the most impressive sights is the gilded coffered ceiling. It displays complex geometric designs and religious symbols as well as the stem of the Medici family.

Souvenirs abounded in the local shops, but we abstained

There was no shortage of souvenirs in the Pisa shops. Anyone so inclined could bring home a leaning tower. We bypassed all of these.

After lunch, we indulged with a gelato treat. Although the weather was not the best on the day of our Pisa visit, seeing these magnificent structures was a definite highlight of this Tuscany trip, most likely a once-in-a lifetime visit.

Parading for Veterans

Nashua, NH, held its annual Veterans Day parade yesterday. It started at 11:11 am, which marks the exact time and date when WW I official ended with the signing of the armistice on November 11, 1918 on the 11th hour of the 11h day of the 11th month. 

The marchers gathered in Holman Stadium then proceeded a short distance to the main parade route on Main St. The parade had been cancelled in 2023 due to bad weather. It usually lasts about 15 minutes with a luncheon for participants afterwards.

Start of the parade down Main Street, Nashua, NH

There is no apostrophe in Veterans Day as this day doesn't belong to a single veteran (veteran’s) or multiple veterans (veterans’) as a possessive apostrophe would signify. It is a day for honoring all veterans, no apostrophe is required.

Local police and fire members are always in the lead 

Veterans Day (originally Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the U.S. observed annually on November 11th to honor military veterans. It was renamed in 1954 after President Dwight Eisenhower signed a bill rededicating it after the return of service personnel from WW II and the Korean War. Federal and state offices are closed as are post offices and banks. Most schools are also closed although it's not a requirement.

These participants dressed in period costumes 

The widespread use of the poppy flower to commemorate veterans began in WW I. Moina Michael, an American woman, was inspired by the 1915 poem In Flanders’ Fields, written by Canadian soldier and physician, Major John McCrae. In this poem, McCrae described the poppies that blow between the crosses, row on row, a reference to the blood-red flowers that sprang up among the soldiers’ graves. Michael sold poppy flower corsages to raise money for veterans and their families.

School bands from Nashua schools 

The first Veterans Day celebration took place in Birmingham, AL, in 1947 when Raymond Weeks, a WW II veteran, organized a National Veterans Day celebration. This event which took place on November 11 included a parade and other festivities to honor veterans.

The parade included several vehicles, but is mostly a pedestrian event 

It wasn't always celebrated on November 11. In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Holiday Bill. This bill assigned the fourth Monday of October as the date for Veterans Day, but many states disapproved of this decision. In 1975, President Gerald Ford returned Veterans Day to November 11.

This young lady received a lot of applause as she twirled down Main St 

In 2016, President Barack Obama signed the Veterans Day Moment of Silence Act. Each Veterans Day at 2:11 p.m. EST, the current president will order a moment of silence lasting two minutes.

Parade viewers included family groups, local schools closed for the day 

NYC hosts the nation's largest and oldest Veterans Day parade with a procession along Manhattan's Fifth Avenue. An estimated 20,000 marchers were expected to participate this year. The city hosted the first parade to honor veterans on September 10, 1919. It was called the Victory Parade and celebrated Army Gen. John J. Pershing and 25,000 soldiers. 

Just a couple of the various youth organizations 

Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC, is the central location for official and national ceremonies dedicated to Veterans Day. Ceremonies are held at the memorial amphitheater, where the Tomb of the Unknowns is located.

Muskets were fired several times along the parade route 

Other countries including the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia also honor veterans on or near November 11 where this day of commemoration is called Remembrance Day. There are similarities and differences between these observances and America's Veterans Day.

Your turn — Did any observances take place in your state or country ?