Benjamin J.S. Cahill’s Contributions To The World

From the map inset:

“THE NEW STYLE WORLD MAP IS MADE BY CUTTING CROSSES AT 6 EQUIDISTANT POINTS ON THE COVERING OF A SPHERE WHICH IS THEN LAID OUT FLAT.

THE BUTTERFLY MAP

SHOWS THE WORLD JUST ABOUT AS ONE SEES IT ON A GLOBE WITHOUT EXAGGERATION OR DISTORTION OR ERRORS OF DISTANCE, AREA, OR DIRECTION. LONG DISTANCE FLIGHTS ALL OVER THE WORLD CAN BE ACCURATELY COMPARED ON THIS MAP AS ON NO OTHER.”


Bernard Joseph Stanislaus Cahill (1866–1944), cartographer and Architect, was the inventor of the octahedral “Butterfly Map” (published 1909; patented 1913).


At the start of his professional career in 1896, Cahill participated in the Phoebe Hearst competition for the design of the U. C. Berkeley campus. He was elected an Associate Member of the A.I.A. in 1899. He wrote articles for the “California Architect and Building News” and later for “The Architect and Engineer.” An early advocate of city planning, Cahill helped to define the concept of a “civic center” with his 1904 design of the San Francisco Civic Center, which he felt was the basis for the plan adopted by the city in 1912. He continued to be involved in the plan for the city, and wrote letters to the editor and articles expressing his ideas on the proper plan.

A specialist in mausoleum design and mortuary architecture, Cahill designed the catacombs and columbarium for the Cypress Lawn Cemetery, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (San Francisco), Evergreen Memorial Cemetery Memorial Building (Oakland), the St. Mary’s Cemetery mausoleum (Sacramento), and the Diamond Head Memorial Park in Honolulu [more here].


[Map found here.]

The Blue Angels

About midway through the Cleveland Air Races in 1946 an event placed somewhat inconspicuously on the program was dutifully announced over the public address system. The man said that a Navy Flight Exhibition team in four Grumman Bearcat fighters would demonstrate Navy precision flying in formation. On the team were a Lieutenant Commander, a Lieutenant and two Lieutenants Junior Grade. They were all Naval Aviators with combat records.

[…]

Such a four-plane formation employed so skillfully in the last war [WWII] gave cause for its leader, out-numbered fifteen to one, to exclaim without hesitation,

“Red Leader to Carrier, I have 60 Zeros surrounded and am proceeding to attack!” All of his four planes got back and were accredited 17 “kills.”


This week in 1946 Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Chester W. Nimitz ordered the creation of a flight demonstration team. In 1949, the team took the name Blue Angels.

This 1950 Proceedings article explains the Blue Angels’ early history.

Saturday Matinee – Robert “Junior” Lockwood, Robert Johnson & Eric Clapton

That’s Robert “Junior” Lockwood Jr. (1915-2006)

I had no idea of Lockwood’s pedigree when he showed up at an early morning jazz appreciation class I took in college. For him, it was all about the blues, and his lecture/demonstration blew me away.

He was taught guitar by Robert Johnson (1911-1938), the legendary King of the Delta Blues (and the Grandfather of Rock and Roll) hence the nickname Robert “Junior.”

Most of Robert Johnson’s songs have been covered by modern musicians, but I hadn’t heard the original “Hellhound On My Trail” until today. It’s got unusual chord patterns and rhythms:

You sprinkled hot foot powder
All around your daddy’s door.

Here’s Eric Clapton’s version from 2004, and it’s just as disturbing.

Have a great weekend, folks, and remember that everything’s gonna be alright.

Ra The Cat

Okay, so like over a thousand years ago B.C. there was this Egyptian sun god named Ra, and he was pretty powerful. You’ve probably heard of him.

There was also a god named Apep or Apophis or something. He was a snake, the god of the underworld in charge of the forces of chaos and evil. The sun god had had enough of Apep‘s assholery and decided to take him out. Ra heard that Apep liked hanging out around a certain sacred sycamore tree.

Ra thought about it for a while, and instead of burning Apep to cinders with his sun god eyes, he decided to turn himself into a cat with a beard and a knife, find the sacred sycamore tree, and kill him. (He forgot that cats don’t have hands, but he ignored that part.)

Apparently Ra cut Apep pretty good, but he didn’t kill him, so he dropped the cat costume, went back to being the sun god and pretended it never happened. I think he was embarrassed.

Under a sacred sycamore the sun god Ra, in the form of a cat, slays the snake Apep (or Apophis), god of the underworld and symbol of the forces of chaos and evil. Detail of a wall painting from the tomb of Inherkhau (TT359).

New Kingdom, 20th Dynasty, ca. 1189-1077 BC. Deir el-Medina, West Thebes.

[Image & caption found here, via here.]

Hieronymus Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delightful Butt Music

[Hieronymus Bosch‘s Butt Music found here.]

Saturday Matinee – St. Patrick’s Day Eve Edition: Irish Wedding at 5AM, The O’Reillys & The Paddyhats, & The Rumjacks

Pretty good rendition of “The Rattlin’ Bog.” It’s a tough song to sing, but I’m partial to the version sung by The Fenians. Saw them sing it live more than once, and Terry Casey never stumbled.

The O’Reillys & The Paddyhats jam it with “Barrels of Whiskey.”

The Rumjacks‘ “An Irish Pub Song” is “a piss take at the explosion of Irish Pubs in Australia and the bastardisation of a culture.
From the lyrics posted on the Utoobage:

There’s a county map to go on the wall,
A hurling stick & a shinty ball,
The bric, the brac, the craic & all,
Lets call it an Irish pub.

Caffreys, Harp, Kilkenny on tap,
The Guinness pie & that cabbage crap,
The ideal wannabee Paddy trap,
We’ll call it an Irish pub.

You get the idea. On the other hand, my favorite Irish rebel song was a broadside set to music: Nell Flaherty’s Drake. It’s got some of the best snarky curses I’ve ever read. Here’s The Clancy Brothers’ version.

This is kinda fun, too. Good story intro:
The Night I Punched Russell Crowe.”

Have a great weekend, folks. We’ll be donning some green tomorrow.

Water Towers

[Images found in here. Click for larger, each image has the name and location in the title of each .jpg.]

Occasional Cortex Hot Links

Cat rescue.

Not alotta Lada left.

Veinte Ideas Increíbles Con WD-40.

“History never repeats itself, but it rhymes.”
-Mark Twain (or someone).

Dude is amusing. Death metal meets the Beatles.

Toyota key fob battery dead? Locked out? Can’t start your car? Try these hacks. Might work for other brands, too.

Fun Facts To Know & Tell: Every amoeba is a clone. If someone named Cathy owned one for a pet, it would be Cathy’s Clone.

Gary Sinese (aka “Lt. Dan” in the movie Forrest Gump) received a surprise tribute from service members, 1st responders & Hollywood celebs.

Universal Basic Income: Finland’s experiment (to reduce their 9% unemployment rate by handing out free money) lasted a little over one year. [h/t rightymouse]

What Americans Must Know About Socialism.

Venezuelan immigrants speak out: “You do not ever want anything close to socialism.”

[Top image: Alexandria Occasional Cortex & Friends. h/t Octo.]

Costumes Bretons: What the Brits wore

She was only 10 years old when that photo was taken, 13 when it was hand-tinted. She was a professional postcard model known as Mary,  Jane, or Semolina. Not sure of any of this, but the pic is cool.

[Found here.]

Ronald Lee Ermey (1944-2018) Buried With Honors.

Don’t know who Ronald Lee Ermey was? Here’s a hint. Here’s another.

RESPECT