6 Bears Farm

Superbowl 2012 Cuisine

2012-02-11T06:09:00.001-08:00

Nothing like semi-homemade pizza and wings and a great super bowl....

6 Bears Farm Live Weather Station

2012-01-22T07:35:00.000-08:00

We have installed an AcuRite Professional 5 in 1 Weather Station here at the 6 Bears Farm. To access current weather conditions at our farm select this link. This link is also available on the main website page located near the top center. The wireless outdoor sensor features 5 different sensors : thermometer, hygrometer, wind speed anemometer, wind direction vane and a self-emptying rainfall collector cup are mounted outside and data from the sensors is transmitted to a display controller inside. Current weather data is then uploaded to the internet and is available on the Weather Underground Website.

Jude walking!

2012-01-12T02:46:00.001-08:00

I had to search high and low but I found this early video of Jude walking.

Equador Thanksgiving Sunrise

2011-11-24T03:15:00.001-08:00

9-11-2011–Never Forgotten

2011-09-11T03:00:00.001-07:00

Cleanup complete!

2011-08-20T07:16:00.001-07:00

New drain pipe and land clearing at 6 Bears Farm

2011-08-20T04:52:00.001-07:00

Talk about a difference! Harkins Farm has been busy making improvements to the farm with new drain tiles in the upper fields to help drain ground water from the fields. This will allow field work to start earlier in the year. Shown above a photos of the road drain pipe being replaced and the land being cleared.

New Digitalglobe Satellite Imagery

2011-08-20T04:41:00.001-07:00

Digitalglobe Satellite Imagery is used by many websites (mapping, weather etc,) They have new imagery (5/9/2011) . The image of the 6 Bears Farm (shown above) shows just how much resolution is available. You can see the row cuts made by the lawn mower!

Summer 2011

2011-07-29T08:55:00.001-07:00

Wow this summer sure has been dry. We could use some rain on the farm. It has been a busy summer so far! Laney and Jude’s birthdays, Matt & Sarah’s wedding reception, new kittens on the farm, double rainbows, beautiful sunrises and sunsets! Have a great summer!

Clean out your computer: Uninstall and remove programs and files

2011-06-28T18:53:00.001-07:00

There are some great tips on this website to help you keep your computer clean, lean and running with the top machines!

Clean out your computer: Uninstall and remove programs and files

Drivers and Fans Agree That Mobil 1 Car Swap Was Unbelieveable - Watkins Glen International

2011-06-28T18:42:00.001-07:00

Drivers and Fans Agree That Mobil 1 Car Swap Was Unbelieveable - Watkins Glen International

Welcome back to the Glen Formula One!

2011-06-15T02:45:00.000-07:00

6 Bears Farms Photo Album

2011-06-07T07:57:00.000-07:00

Since Myphotoalbum has closed it's doors we have had to search far and wide for a new storage space for our photos. After reviewing sites both free and pay we have decided on using Microsoft Live Skydrive! With a free 25GB of storage space, Skydrive was the winner hands down. So click on the skydrive logo to the left or select Our Photo Album in the upper left corner of the home page at 6 Bears Farm website and enjoy the 1000's of photos we have uploaded!!

2011-02-07T09:34:00.000-08:00

It is with deep sorrow and regret, that we have to announce that Gary Moore passed away while on holiday in Spain last night.

Our thoughts are with his children, family and friends at this sad time.

Gary Moore, RIP

1952-2011

Posted on the Gary Moore Official Web Site

Gary your heartfelt blues guitar will be missed, but shall live on..... 6 Bears

Jude’s First Christmas!

2010-12-25T17:35:00.001-08:00

A fun time was had by all at 6 Bears Farm as the family gather for Christmas eve 2010. Jude was in wonderment of all the merrymaking!

Verizon to Discontinue 3G Multimedia Class, No More Forced Data

2010-11-03T19:03:00.000-07:00

Written by Humberto Saabedra on September 17, 2010

An internal Verizon memo has leaked confirming that Verizon will discontinue the 3G Multimedia category of phones from its lineup, with the change taking place next month. The new 3G Featurephone category will take its place, with the first two devices confirmed in the category being the unannounced Pantech Crux and LG Octane, which will not be required to have a data plan attached for activation when purchased.

Representatives will still be required to offer data plans to customers purchasing the phones and the devices will be similar in feature set to the LG EnV3. The phones in the current 3G Multimedia category sold and activated after the discontinuation of the category will still require the data plan attachment, as well as those brought in by customers for activation.

2010 First Snow of the Season! A “Scary Snowfall”

2010-10-31T20:37:00.001-07:00

At first it was hard to determine weather it was actually snowing. However by the evening, it was official that on Halloween evening, October 31, we witness our first snowfall of the 2010 season.

Weather Website Watch

2010-07-29T11:11:00.001-07:00

A weather website I have been using lately is intellicast. By far the best high resolution weather radar I have seen. Includes storm tracking and world wide weather options. Take a serious look at this contender during the next storm in your area!

Jude Matthew Christ

2010-07-26T13:32:00.000-07:00

Born 7/25/2010 @10:49 PM
7lbs 15oz, 20.67 in

Just how good is your password?

2010-07-25T06:30:00.000-07:00

If you thought that password would stop a hacker you might want to read this article on how it could be cracked instantaneously!!!

Slideshow on the History of the Texas Clipper I

2010-06-11T16:45:00.000-07:00

Here a is great summary on the history of the Texas Clipper I and a slideshow that someone created and posted on youtube showing the history of this great ship that features a photo of my mother launching the USS Queens and a video of the sinking to create a reef.

Clipper’s Final Journey
A ship that served as an attack vessel, luxury liner and floating classroom will live a fourth life as an artificial reef.

By Stephen Curley

Last December in a Brownsville wrecking yard, a TV crew was interviewing me about the Texas Clipper I. Behind me, its rusting hull glistened in the light rain. Literary critics call that the pathetic fallacy: You know, when the sky, too, seems filled with tears during a burial service. And now my old ship was being gutted for sinking as an artificial reef.

Well, no tears for me. My Irish heritage prompts me to treat funerals as celebrations of life. For several years, I’ve been talking to those who sailed the ship during its three separate careers. So I conjured up images of the WWII navy ship Queens, the luxury liner Excambion and the merchant marine training vessel Texas Clipper. In all their stories, that hollow ghost ship is once again filled with people and skipping over the waves.

USS Queens (1944–1946): Country

Jeanne Fogle, a secretary who earned the honor by selling $105,250 worth of war bonds, stood on a bunting-lined platform by the 13,200-ton attack transport at Bethlehem-Sparrows Point Shipyard, near Baltimore. It was September 12, 1944. “I christen thee the Queens,” she proclaimed, then squinted and smashed the champagne bottle across its bow. The 473-foot-long and 66-foot-wide ship slid down the greased ways and settled gracefully into the water. Three months later, on December 16, the commissioned ship boarded its crew of 49 officers and 504 men.

The USS Queens (APA 103) was an attack transport, with emphasis on the word attack. It was designed to help capture Pacific islands and eventually invade Japan. Although it carried 24 20-mm, four 40-mm and two 5-inch guns, its main offensive weapons were two dozen landing boats. When each of these Higgins boats made contact with the shore, its hinged bow slapped down, and 36 assault troops could hit the beach running. The Queens’ ancillary job was to keep troops (up to 1,500 of them at a time) and cargo (1,600 tons of equipment, ammo, food, medicine and the like) flowing to the front.

Cruising at a speedy 16.5 knots, the Queens soon gave its crew their first look at Pearl Harbor - the reason America got into the war in the first place. They were stunned. “It was frightening,” remembered radioman Arnold Fleshood. “As we sailed by, we could see much of the wreckage and damage done. Little had been cleared. It was a real eye opener. ‘Here it is; I’m in it,’ I thought.”

The Queens’ most perilous operation was hitting Red Beach at the foot of Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima. The ship arrived in time for the last organized Japanese air attack on March 26. Fortunately, Japanese Betty Bombers, headed right for the ship’s convoy, could not get past American Black Widow P-61 fighter planes. The Queens never fired at the enemy, but did take aboard 26 stretcher cases - wounded Marines - hoisting them up gently up over the rails, then below to sick bay. Tragically, one died of a gut wound before the ship arrived at the hospital at Guam.

At Pearl Harbor, when the war ended, the Queens added its flares and booming guns to the celebration. Instead of invading Japan, it became part of the postwar occupying force. The Queens was one of the first ships to enter the submarine port at Sasebo, Japan, an uncomfortably close 30 miles from Nagasaki, where the second atomic bomb had exploded just a month earlier.

A 70-pound black-and-white mutt named Moe was adopted as the Queens’ mascot. “He knew the different calls on the ship and when GQ [General Quarters, or battle stations] was called he disappeared. No one knew where he hid. Chow call was one he really knew and he always showed up for chow,” recalled Coxswain Joe Edwards. Fed snacks by the crew, Moe developed a sweet tooth.

For its final military mission, Operation Magic Carpet, Queens returned more than 6,000 Americans stateside. At the port of Los Angeles, Moe - wearing miniature navy blues - upstaged all returnees. When a reporter asked if the dog was sailor enough to drink beer, Edwards smeared chocolate on a beer bottle. Moe reared up and stared devotedly at the bottle. The photo of the alleged beer-drinking pooch made the front page of the Los Angeles Times. Moe later went home with Edwards.

The Queens was decommissioned on June 10, 1946, at Norfolk, Virginia. It earned the American campaign, Asiatic-Pacific campaign, Navy Occupation service and World War II victory ribbons. During the war there were more than 230 attack transports - workhorses of the amphibious fleet. Today only five remain - one of them is the Queens.

Excambion (1948–1959): Commerce

American Export Lines retrieved the Queens from the reserve fleet and sent it to Bethlehem Steel’s shipyard in Hoboken, New Jersey, for re-conversion into a combi-liner. It would carry 250 people - half passenger and half crew - along with 4,400 tons of dry cargo plus 30,000 cubic feet of refrigerated perishables.

On December 3, 1948, the renamed SS (Steamship) Excambion embarked on its maiden voyage. It was now - with identical sister ships Excalibur, Exeter and Exochorda - one of the famous postwar Four Aces. The ships made 45-day roundtrip voyages between New York City and Mediterranean ports like Barcelona, Marseille, Beirut, Alexandria, Piraeus, Naples and Genoa.

America had the premier merchant marine fleet in the world and the Excambion was top of the line - the first fully air-conditioned liner - featuring convertible staterooms (“living rooms by day - bedrooms at night”), and an illuminated, tiled swimming pool. Henry Dreyfuss, the brain behind the dial telephone, the upright vacuum cleaner and “Democracity” inside the Perisphere of the 1939 World’s Fair, designed the ship’s country-club interior. The Excambion operated on the principle of American democracy - every passenger traveled first class.

Outbound, the Excambion might carry 200 crated American automobiles plus manufactured goods for the European market; inbound, the Med’s riches of olive oil, cork, marble, canned fish and oranges for the American market. For as little as $850 (or as much as $2,240) you could purchase a month and a half of deckchair leisure. Passengers spent 1-3 days in each port (far different from today’s frantic 3- to 5-hour cruise-ship stopovers) while cargo was being loaded and unloaded. According to deck cadet Robert Meurn, it was quite the party ship with, ahem, “much dating of officers and passengers.”

In 1956, things started to look bad for the Excambion. Middle East turmoil was scaring off passengers, airplane passengers for the first time outnumbered shipboard passengers crossing the Atlantic, and the advent of the containership promised to make piece-by-piece cargo ships obsolete. Two years later, when the first passenger jets made the crossing in 10 hours as opposed to the liner’s 10 days, the end was near.

After the Excambion completed its 68th cruise on March 12, 1959, with only 56 passengers, the once-sensational ship was towed to the Hudson River reserve fleet.

Texas Clipper I (1965–1996): Education

Six years later, the Texas Maritime Academy (forerunner of Texas A&M University at Galveston) was in need of a ship to train merchant marine cadets as third mates or third assistant engineers. The Excambion got the nod and was towed to Galveston. The ship was officially renamed the USTS (United States training ship) Texas Clipper.

Its first 10-week training cruise in June 1965 was a doozie. After only a month in the shipyards to compensate for a half-dozen years of neglect, the boilers malfunctioned, the evaporator wouldn’t produce fresh water, and - no less important - toilets wouldn’t flush. One officer called the ship “a bloody mess.” It broke down four times, but it carried cadets to Northern Europe and back again.

Over the next three decades, the Clipper traveled mostly to nearby Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean ports, but also to Atlantic and Mediterranean ports, and once to the Pacific through the Panama Canal. Its distinctive hull, painted Aggie maroon in 1976, was recognized the world over. In an era when most ships looked like boxes or floating apartment complexes, the Clipper stood out as a classic beauty from its sharp raked bow to overhanging counter stern. The ship attracted tourists wherever it went.

The Clipper was my floating classroom - I taught composition to freshmen cadets - and home for 12 summer cruises. I remember being wished bon voyage by Jacques Cousteau in 1974; being initiated as a shellback in 1978 when we crossed the Equator; listening to novelist James Michener give a guest lecture to my students in 1984; watching one of our former cadets, Ann Sanborn, sail as the first-ever woman captain of a U.S.-flag deep-sea vessel in 1988. I even sailed on the so-called farewell cruise of 1993, which turned out to be one year premature.

In time, even the best of ships grow too old to face the rigors of the forever-young sea. On August 4, 1994, more than a half-century after its keel was laid, the Texas Clipper hobbled home from its 30th and final training cruise to be used as a permanently moored dormitory. Two years later, the ship - renamed Texas Clipper I to distinguish it from its replacement - was towed to what seemed oblivion in Beaumont. It was then the oldest active ship in the American merchant marine fleet.

Artificial Reef (2007–?): New Life

After a decade in the lay-up fleet, it was now in the knacker yard. I took my last slow walk down the gangway and paused by the ship’s starboard side. The rain had stopped. I stood at attention in the mud and snapped a salute to a distinguished vessel that had sailed more than 1.3 million miles for six all-too-short decades. The faces of tens of thousands of officers, crew members, passengers and cadets - from 1944 on - wafted through my mind.

And then it struck me. This isn’t the end, but the beginning of a new job as an underwater reef, nurturing the sea’s flora and fauna. Seems the Queens/Excambion/Texas Clipper is destined always to be full of life - my ship, their ship, our ship. Maybe it was just my imagination, but at that instant I could swear that, through a crevice in the clouds, the sun’s rays shone out briefly and beautifully.

Clipper’s Last Secret Revealed: Saul Steinberg Mural In 1948, artist Saul Steinberg, whose cartoon-map View of the World from 9th Avenue may be the most famous cover ever to grace New Yorker magazine, drew a 20-foot wide cartoon mural for the cocktail bar aboard the Excambion. In the 1970s when interior designers “remuddled” the room aboard what was then the Texas Clipper, the mural was believed destroyed.

But in January 2007, as the ship was being prepared for reefing, the “lost” mural was found. All these years, it had been hiding under layers of wallpaper, paint and bolts. Some of the overlay has been peeled back to reveal exciting portions of the mural - including lively images of passengers, ships, the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty. Experts are now trying to determine how much of this damaged work of art can be restored.

She was the "USS Queens" in WW-II, then the "Excambion" in the golden age of luxury liners, and finally the United States Training Ship "Texas Clipper" in Galveston. As she enters her fourth career in the Texas "Ships To Reefs" program, she still remains the majestic and graceful lady that she's always been.

Test Drive A New IPAD…think twice!

2010-06-07T18:24:00.001-07:00

Yup your in the Apple Store or a Best Buy and you see it, an IPAD!! It pulls you towards it, quietly saying, touch me please…..WAIT!!!!

You may want to read this article from the NY Daily News concerning some of the germs found on the demo units at a New York City Apple Store !

Weather Software

2010-05-18T11:13:00.001-07:00

There are many versions of weather software available on the internet. Some cost money others are freeware. I discovered Weather Center by CIL Software, a freeware weather software program that has just about everything you would want. It alerts you to severe weather, gives you detailed forcasts and displays live moving color radar loops. It also can display weather worldwide and also displays the current time in that area of the world. Download Weather Center and give it a try! Another nice weather program that we use here on left side the 6 Bears Farm website is called YoWindoW. The idea behind YoWindoW is to create a computer generated picture of what the outside is like according to current weather conditions and forecasts. This free version is limited but if you like it enough to purchase it, the cost is right at only $9.99. My Free Weather is another fine weather program that is worth taking a look at. It is freeware and works much like YoWindoW by creating a view of what the outside is like according to current weather conditions and forecasts. It includes a 5 day forcast but sorry, no automatic severe weather alerts.

Download Weather Center
Download YoWindoW Desktop Weather
Download My Free Weather

R.I.P......R.J.D.

2010-05-16T19:43:00.000-07:00

Ronnie James Dio, a Cortland native, whose soaring vocals, poetic lyrics and mythic tales of a never-ending struggle between good and evil broke new ground in heavy metal, died Sunday, according to a statement from his wife and manager. He was 67.

Dio revealed last summer that he was suffering from stomach cancer shortly after wrapping up a tour in Atlantic City, N.J., with the latest incarnation of Black Sabbath, under the name Heaven And Hell.

Flash from the Rock n' Roll Past

2010-05-01T08:08:00.000-07:00

Verizon Mandates Data Plans With All 3G Multimedia Phones

2010-01-30T08:34:00.000-08:00

Gone are the days of voice only cell phone plans. Data is such a focus with the new phones being produced that majority of cell phone carrier plans will automatically include data.

Here is a good article explaining Verizon Wireless plan changes.....

Click here to read

Verizon Makes Data Plans Mandatory on Smartphones

2010-01-29T13:13:00.000-08:00

Yikes! Looks like the new Verizon Wireless mandatory data plan rule requiring all smartphones ($29.99/mo) and phones with Mobile Web ($9.99/mo) is causing many of longtime subscribers to jump verizon like the Titantic! Read the story and read the comment's under the story!!!

Verizon Makes Data Plans Mandatory on Smartphones

One Happy Boy!

2010-01-22T11:19:00.001-08:00

Click on the link to see the reaction of a 8 year old boy saved from the earthquake in Haiti.

Nothing Short Of A Miracle

2010-01-19T09:06:00.001-08:00

Out of the the rubble of Haiti comes this great story I wanted to share this video I watched discovering a women under what used to be a bank 6 days after the Haiti earthquake. Click on the photo to view video.

Haiti Earthquake

2010-01-16T23:01:00.001-08:00

I woke up this morning in Kuwait City to the following front page photo shown below. This photo really shows what they are up against. Basically, they are going to be forced to bulldoze away their prior life and rebuild a new one. Many of the dead will never be identified, just buried in mass graves with the rest of the rubble. Being outside the USA, newspapers tend to publish photos that would never be seen in a US newspaper. When you see this type of photo you really understand how much the people of Haiti need help from everyone throughout the world.

Why post such a horrific photo as this you might ask? A day after the earthquake occurred, a photographer stood in the road staring at the dead bodies alongside the roadway. A Haitian man walked up to him and asked if he was going to take a photo of dead bodies. The photographer replied saying no no, this is just to horrible, too sad for people to see. The man then told the photographer, please, please sir take this photo and showed the world what is happening here in Haiti.

The people of Haiti are faced with the largest earthquake in Haiti in over 200 years. Their government is non-existent, and their lives have been destroyed. They have lost everything, families, shelter and food…..

To donate to the CLINTON BUSH HAITI FUND just click the link on the left side of this page titled Haiti Earthquake Relief. Donations may also be made to other popular organizations listed below.

“When I woke, I saw my life crumbling around me…..”

PORT-AU-PRINCE: A man throws a dead body at the morgue of the general hospital Friday following the 7.0-magnitude quake that hit Haiti on Jan 12. – AFP

Kuwait Times, Sunday, January 17, 2010

Quick Links to Most Popular Organizations

American Red Cross
Doctors Without Borders
Operation USA

Americares
International Medical Corps
OXFAM America

CARE
International Rescue Committee
Partners in Health

Catholic Relief Services
Haitian Ministries
Save the Children

Convoy of Hope
MADRE
UNICEF

Direct Relief International
Mercy Corps
World Vision Int'l

Please Designate Your Gift to “Haiti Earthquake”

More Organizations and What They Do

A visit to the tallest building on earth!

2010-01-07T00:40:00.001-08:00

Well on my way to Kuwait and I had a 8 hour layover in Dubai so I decided to visit the new Burj Dubai, the worlds tallest building. Yes it is over a 1/2 mile high! I did not have enough time to squeeze in a visit to the top. Maybe next time…….

Panorama of Buckingham Palace!

2009-12-27T18:03:00.000-08:00

Here is a panorama shot I made of Buckingham Palace that was created using three photos.

Click on the photo above to view photo to see a larger version of the photo. Panorama photo was created using Microsoft Windows Live Photo Gallery. Enjoy!

Bear

Merry Christmas 2009!

2009-12-24T03:52:00.001-08:00

Everyone here at the 6 Bears Farm wish a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to our family and friends !! May the best of 2009 be the worst the of 2010.

UK Vacation Photos

2009-12-23T16:43:00.001-08:00

After 2 weeks touring the UK we have accumulated quite a collection of photos. Some quite good others, well……

You be the judge, check out our UK Vacation Photo Album

Scotland, Home Of The Brave And Winding Up Our Trip!

2009-12-19T02:54:00.001-08:00

We stayed in Edinburgh, with the Edinburgh Castle in clear view. We had not even checked into our hotel and I had already purchased a new formal kilt outfit. Our first full day was spent touring Edinburgh Castle and checking out the shops on the Royal Mile. On day 2 we jumped on the train and traveled north through the snowy highlands to explore Inverness. Day 3 we jumped on the train and traveled to Stirling to see the city and tour Stirling Castle. We also had time, once we returned to Edinburgh, to enjoy a proper High Tea at the Sheraton Hotel. Very Nice!

Bear and Robin

Yeah, all that for just us……

Before…..

After! (Oh, we had 2 pots of tea each, as well)

Then next day, we traveled back to London. That night, at 1:34am the hotel alarm system awoke us and we grabbed our passports and exited the building out into the first snowfall of the season. Robin made a nice little snowman while we waited for the fire company to inspect the hotel. Thankfully, it was a false alarm.

The London Fire Brigade and Robin’s Snowman!

We spent the next day seeing some of the sites that we had not had a chance to see before we left for York. These sites included Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral, Victoria Station, Buckingham Palace, Saint Paul’s Cathedral and of course another visit to Harrods!

That night we were informed that our return flight to the states was cancelled due to a big east coast snowstorm…..

Here are the photos!

Edinburgh Castle at night

Streets of Inverness Scotland

Stirling Castle

Scottish Highlands

The London Tube at Christmas time is crazy…..

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Cathedral

Buckingham Palace

Saint Paul’s Cathedral

Harrods at night during the Christmas season…..

Our footsteps through the UK (Click on map)

Check off York, now on to Scotland

2009-12-13T05:11:00.001-08:00

We have enjoyed our visit to York and now it’s time to move north into Scotland. We arrived in Edinburgh Scotland just after noon today! Our last day in York was spent exploring the York Minster, Clifford’s Tower and the Fairfax House. Here are the photos…..

Bear and Robin

Inside the York Minster

On my way to the top of the York Minster Tower

View from the top of the York Minster Tower

The walled City of York from the York Minster Tower

Clifford’s Tower

Skating Rink

View of York Minster from top of Clifford’s Tower

From New York to Old York……

2009-12-12T09:12:00.001-08:00

We have arrived in York, one of the oldest cities in Europe. York is a beautiful walled city with small cobblestone streets and alley ways full of shops, eaterys and pubs! Towering over the city is the York Minster, which is just an amazing gothic church. We attended an evening ‘Evensong’ service our first night, just an unreal experience to be there in such a historic building hearing the prayers sung by an all male choir.

The next day we boarded the train for a 20 minute ride to Malton. We hailed down a taxi and traveled to Castle Howard. About 10 minutes into the countryside, this mansion is beyond belief! It is 300 years old and is HUGE and screams of RICH.

After arriving back into the city, walking through the open market, stopping for some roasted chestnuts, we headed to the ‘Punch Bowl Pub’ for some tasty meat pies, ale and hot mulled wine.

Today we are checking out the local attractions in York. York Minster, Clifford’s Tower, Fairfax House and numerous shops and festivals. Tomorrow we board the train and head north to Edinburgh, Scotland. It is getting colder and the days are getting much shorter the farther north we go.

Robin & Bear

York Minster

York Minster Tower at Night

Streets of York

Castle Howard

Interior of Castle Howard

Waiting in the fog in Malton, for the train back to York…..

A relaxing country drive to visit two castles.....

2009-12-10T00:25:00.000-08:00

We took a nice relaxing drive out in the english countryside to visit two excellent examples of castles, Leeds and Bodium Castles.

Bear

Our Wheels

Leeds Castle

Front entrance of Leeds Castle

Bodium Castle

So this is a vacation......

2009-12-08T23:05:00.000-08:00

Well we finally made it to the United Kingdom and we are having a ball. At some point it will hit us and we will sleep for 24 hrs, but until then we are just sticking to our insane schedule! No one to blame but myself for that. There is alot here to see in just 2 weeks...... Anyways, here are some photo's from Days 1-3 (London) and Day 4, our first day traveling the countryside where we visited Stonehenge and then a very rainy visit to the south shore to walk the pier in Brighton. Today we are going to visit some castles in the southeast countryside and tomorrow we board the train for York.

Bear

Harrods

Big Ben

London Eye

Tower of London

Tower Bridge

Christmas Market in Hyde Park

Tea at Kensington Palace

Piccadilly Circus at Night

Stonehenge

Brighton Pier

2009 First Snowfall………..October 16th!

2009-10-16T03:29:00.001-07:00

Well it was a very short summer where the average mean temperature was a balmy 67 ºF and we only experienced 1 day above 90ºF Now Old Man Winter has decided to get a early start. This morning we woke to a fresh blanket of snow. It’s going to be a long winter

It’s Marshmallow Harvesting Time in New York State

2009-09-26T04:40:00.001-07:00

If you have the hot cocoa , we have the Marshmallows up here in New York State. This years crop looks good!!

Wamba Jamba Jam 2009

2009-09-20T08:20:00.001-07:00

The weather started out the day looking like a monsoon but at high noon the skies cleared and the sun shined as the 20th Anniversary of Wamba Jamba Jam went in the record books as another classic!

A Little Squirreling Around

2009-08-15T18:49:00.001-07:00

Courtesy of Melissa Brandts

Minnesota residents Melissa Brandts and her husband, Jackson, set up their camera with a timer to take a picture of them by Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park in Canada when nature intervened.

"We had our camera set up on some rocks and were getting ready when this curious little ground squirrel appeared, became intrigued with the sound of the focusing camera and popped right into our shot," Melissa Brandts writes. "It was a once in a lifetime moment -- we were laughing about this little guy for days!"

3 Day Western New York Tour Idea

2009-08-09T16:27:00.001-07:00

Having company from out of town and need some ideas on what to do over a 3 day weekend in Western New York? Well here is what we ended up doing with Jena, our friend from Texas.

Day One: Buffalo and Niagara Falls !

What would a trip to Western New York be without a visit to see one of the seven wonders of the world, Niagara Falls! You really want to pick a day when the weather is nice so those photos your guest takes and shows to their friends and family back home turn out nice enough to show case the Falls.

While visiting the Falls, the best way to experience the shear power is to take a tour of the falls on the Maid Of The Mist boat tour. You guest will always remember the feeling of standing on the boat surrounded by a wall of water hundreds of feet high with mist in their face. The water from the falls moves past, rocking the boat yet you feel like your moving but the boat is still! Oh and if your in the mood for some ice cream, a stop at the Twist of the Mist Ice Cream Shop is recommended!

Another stop either on the way to Niagara Falls or after is a trip to the Anchor Bar in Buffalo for lunch or dinner. This local hangout is the Mecca for anyone who savors the taste of Buffalo style chicken wings. This is the spot back in the early 1960’s where wings were discovered. yum yum yum.

Day Two: Sterling Renaissance Festival

Another activity that would be best saved for a day of nice weather is a journey back to the year 1585 in England. Enjoy the many live theatrical performances, browse craft shops full of hand made items for sale and sample the various foods throughout this 35 acre village.

Games like axe throwing, bow and arrows, tomato toss along with live jousting competition are sure to delight all. Listen to live musical performances playing Celtic songs and just get lost from the hustle and bustle of your current life and escape back in time for a day…..

Day Three: The Corning Museum Of Glass

Well on day 3 the weather just did not agree with our original plans the visit the Genesee Country Village so an indoor activity was required. The Corning Museum Of Glass in Corning, New York fit the bill perfectly!

You get to learn all about the world of glass and see the worlds best collection of glass. Then you can view live glass blowing demonstrations and even create your own glass masterpiece and will be shipped home to you guest after they make it.

Of course, this is just one of many different collections of events that you can show your out of town guests. But these events are great for all ages, and should be considered towards the top of the list when trying to plan an outing that your guests are sure to remember and leave them with great memories of their visit to a place we call home, Western New York.

2009 Watkins Glen Indy Grand Prix

2009-07-31T21:32:00.000-07:00

Justin Wilson won the 2009 Watkins Glen Indy Grand Prix. In what could only be discribed as perfect weather, The IRL put on a great show once again at Watkins Glen International. If there was any comments for improvement of the racing, it would be to add better quality supporting races during the weekend. But one things for sure, keep the current weather selection!

Tornado hits Corfu, power lines down, Route 33 closed

2009-07-28T12:07:00.001-07:00

UPDATE: The National Weather Service has just issued a tornado watch:

* TORNADO WARNING FOR... GENESEE COUNTY IN WESTERN NEW YORK... THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF BATAVIA... WEST CENTRAL MONROE COUNTY IN WESTERN NEW YORK... SOUTHEASTERN ORLEANS COUNTY IN WESTERN NEW YORK...
* UNTIL 545 PM EDT
* AT 503 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF OAKFIELD...OR 9 MILES WEST OF BATAVIA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR... OAKFIELD BY 520 PM EDT... BYRON BY 545 PM EDT...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EDT SATURDAY EVENING FOR WESTERN NEW YORK.

UPDATE 5:20 p.m. : No reports of the tornado touching down else where; it has been spotted from the Thruway. At a location in Corfu there is the smell of natural gas. Emergency crews report that so far they've found "everybody OK."

UPDATE: 5:30 p.m.: Smell of gas at the flower shop. Also, tree limbs spotted on train tracks in the area.

“A funnel cloud has been spotted moving toward East Pembroke”

Yes! and there it was, a Tornando heading directly for mom’s house. Glad no one was injured, but I have to say……this would have taken care of the need for “The Fire”

Wamba Jamba Jam 2009!

2009-07-27T18:54:00.001-07:00

Mark August 29th 2009 on your calendars. The 20th Anniversary of the music festival commonly know as Wamba Jamba Jam is just around the corner! Get your mugs (that’s your ticket) at the official Wamba Web Site!

Photo Spotlight

2009-07-27T18:32:00.001-07:00

Some photos do not need a description to capture a moment. Laney pictured below driving a boat is just one of these photos. It just shouts out I am having fun!

Total Solar Eclipse

2009-07-25T03:40:00.001-07:00

India and Asia were plunged into darkness this week when the longest solar eclipse of the 21st century occurred. People in the country side stayed in their homes believing that bad luck will follow if they are touched by the abnormal rays of the sun.

Trying to keep cool….in Kuwait

2009-07-24T17:38:00.001-07:00

Well today it was 117 degrees! The photo above of my hotel shows that I can at least stay cool. I have 3 options, stay in the room, go to the pool or jump in the sea! Today I hit the surf, it is pretty warm and the sand was really hot! I remembered my bathing suit but….forgot my sandals.

I am attempting to use the new Windows Live Writer which should let me write my blog entries offline and then at upload my entry when I get the chance up to the 6bearsfarm website. It should also send an email out to everyone on my distribution list to alert them that there has been an update to the website.

Tonight I had to get out the the room and went into Kuwait to get some wings at the Hard Rock Cafe’. They were pigeon wings! I took this photo looking down the coastline towards the Kuwait Towers.

Below is a satellite view of Kuwait City. I am staying in Al Fuhayhil.

Bear

Laney Walks!!!!

2009-07-11T18:58:00.000-07:00

Laney Grows Wings!!!!

2009-07-11T18:52:00.000-07:00

A double rainbow ending up at the farm!

2009-07-01T17:11:00.001-07:00

Digging commences tomorrow to locate the gold!

The deer are already out looking…….

Uganda Thoughts

2009-06-19T07:15:00.001-07:00

So after residing in areas of Uganda for the past 2 weeks both city and small villages here are my impressions.

People have a good grasp of the English language, which helps a lot. Signs and newspapers are too. People here seem very friendly, when the smile it lights up their since they have such dark skin. when your in a dark room all you see is their eyes and teeth. Reminds me of a cartoon from my childhood. We stayed in a town where we had to drive 50 miles round trip on a very rutty dirt road. Whenever we passed anyone, anywhere, anytime they all took a moment to look at us. They looked like they have never seen a white man, and perhaps they had not. The children walk to school, however in one village I did see about 40 children on the in the back of a truck, they we the lucky ones. They boys seemed shy but allot of the girls yelled hi and waved excitedly. One girl caught my eye as she flashed me the peace sign.

Bicycles are used not only for riding but transports fruits to the market. These markets could be 10 or more miles from the fields. They would load up as much as the bike would handle and push the bike the market. Kampala, the capitol is very busy and seems clean for a African city. The traffic at rush hour is a horror. They are very aggressive drivers and people on foot or bicycle do not have any right away.And everyone uses their heads to carry things!

Weather has been very good with highs in the low to mid 80’s and low 70’s at night. However the sun will burn you good as your directly over the equator at an altitude of 1 mile. It rains every once in a while, but no real bad downpours.

Standing over the Equator

This may be a poor country, but they are not as bad off as other countries I have been, namely Ethiopia. At least here they have a reasonable balance of sun and rain which allows them a bountifully supply of fruits and vegetables. There are allot of herds of bulls for beef and the have really REALLY BIG horns. You could easily have a yard of ale drinking horn!

Very big horns

The National Bird of Uganda

Well departing tomorrow for Mongolia……later

Bear

Into Africa……again

2009-06-13T19:13:00.001-07:00

Well I am trudging around Uganda these days and the people have been very kind. Putting aside the tragic history during the dictatorship, Uganda is a very lush country. I flew into the country and arrived at the Entebbe Airport. Ever hear of the Raid on Entebbe? Yes, that’s the place! Once I got all my luggage I traveled to Kampala which is the capitol of Uganda. The drive from the airport was a bit scary, typical African driving straight down the middle of the road!

After a day in Kampala, I was off to Masaka where I would be performing the installations.

That’s all for now….I need some sleep. My sleep patterns are really screwed up, 2 hours here 2 hours there…….

Bear

Buffalo crash: Pilots acted 'just opposite' of normal practice

2009-05-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

Buffalo crash: Pilots acted 'just opposite' of normal practice

Alan Levin, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — As the turboprop droned toward Buffalo in darkness, the pilots did the inexplicable.

The turboprop had gotten too slow for safe flight and a warning system known as a "stick shaker" began vigorously vibrating the control column. Pilots are trained to react to such warnings by speeding up and lowering a plane's nose.

But Capt. Marvin Renslow did the opposite, according to a dramatic video animation and thousands of pages of documents released Tuesday by federal crash investigators. Renslow yanked the nose up and slowed the plane even more.

The actions by Renslow, 47, and co-pilot Rebecca Shaw, 24, are baffling, according to veteran accident investigators and a senior manager at their airline, Colgan Air.

"It's just opposite of what any pilot would do," said Michael Barr, an aviation safety instructor at the University of Southern California's Aviation Safety and Security Program.

"I did not see that the crew performed … correctly," said John Erwin Barrett, Colgan's director of flight standards, who testified in the first day of a three-day hearing into safety issues raised by the New York crash.

The crash Feb. 12 near Buffalo killed all 49 people aboard the Bombardier Q400 and one man on the ground. The flight from Newark to Buffalo was being operated by Colgan under contract with Continental Connection.

The reasons for Renslow's and Shaw's actions may never be known for sure, but the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) data at least begin to shed light on what might have led to their actions. The documents highlight numerous safety issues being examined by investigators.

According to NTSB documents:

• Both pilots may not have gotten adequate rest before the flight. Shaw had taken an overnight flight from Seattle before reporting to work and told Renslow she was feeling sick. Renslow logged into an airline computer system at 3 a.m. on the morning of the crash.

• Renslow had failed four Federal Aviation Administration check flights to determine whether he was qualified to fly. He also failed an airline check. He was able to pass each of the checks after retaking the tests and the airline issued a statement saying his skills were adequate.

• Investigators found that most pilots at Colgan had not been trained how to use a second safety device that attempted to save their plane as they went out of control. Known as a "stick pusher," it automatically pushes a plane's nose down to pick up speed when the aircraft gets dangerously slow. When it activated, Renslow overrode it, keeping the nose pointed skyward.

• In the minutes before the crash, the pilots engaged in several minutes of conversation that was not relevant to the flight, according to a transcript of their conversation. Such discussions are forbidden while flights are below 10,000 feet under federal law.

• The airline showed its pilots a video of an unusual type of icing that prompts planes to nose-dive into the ground even though the Q400 is not susceptible to the problem. That could help explain why Renslow pulled the plane's nose upward, even though investigators have found no evidence that icing played a role in the accident.

The union for the pilots, the Air Line Pilots Association, said it would be wrong to simply blame the pilots without looking at broader issues of training.

For example, pilots are trained repeatedly on how to react when their plane gets too slow, as occurred in the Buffalo crash. But the training does not accurately reflect the real-world distractions that occur in actual flight, said Capt. Paul Rice, the union's vice president.

"It's not realistic," Rice said.

Colgan spokesman Joe Williams defended the airline's training, saying it had been approved by federal aviation regulators.

Even though the NTSB records offer clues about why the accident occurred, it will take many months of analysis and additional investigation to determine the cause of the crash, Barr said.

"Is it training? Is it stress?" he said. "It could be almost anything."

2009-02-13T03:47:00.000-08:00

Fiery Plane Crash Near Buffalo, N.Y. Kills 49
Friday , February 13, 2009

CLARENCE, N.Y —

A commuter plane "basically dove" into a house while coming in for a landing, sparking a fiery explosion that killed all 48 people on board and one person on the ground, an emergency official said Friday.

It was the first fatal crash of a commercial airliner in the U.S. in 2 1/2 years.

Witnesses heard the twin turboprop aircraft sputtering before it went down in light snow and fog around 10:20 p.m. Thursday. Flames silhouetted the shattered home after Continental Connection Flight 3407 plummeted into it around about five miles from Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

"The whole sky was lit up orange," said Bob Dworak, who lives less than a mile from the crash site. "All the sudden, there was a big bang, and the house shook."

The 74-seat Q400 Bombardier aircraft, operated by Colgan Air, was flying from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and preparing to land at Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

FBI spokesman Richard Kolko said there is "no indication of any security related event" that brought the plane down.

Six hours after the crash, the task of retrieving remains had not yet begun.

"It's still a hot scene," Clarence emergency control director Dave Bissonette said. "The fuselage lies right on the footprint of the house."

Prior to the crash, the voice of a female pilot on Continental Flight 3407 could be heard communicating with air traffic controllers, according to a recording of the Buffalo air traffic control's radio messages shortly before the crash captured by the Web site www.liveatc.net. Neither the controller nor the pilot showed any concerns that anything is out of the ordinary as the airplane is asked to fly at 2,300 feet.

A minute later, the controller tries to contact the plane but hears no response. After a pause, he tries to contact the plane again.

Eventually he tells an unidentified listener to contact authorities on the ground in the Clarence area.

"You need to find if anything is on the ground," the controller says. "All I can tell you is the aircraft is over the marker (landing beacon), and we're not talking to them now."

After the crash, at least two pilots are heard saying they have been picking up ice on their wings.

"We've been getting ice since 20 miles south of the airport," one says.

The National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending a team of crash investigators to Buffalo early Friday. A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, said there was no indication terrorism was involved.

"All indications are that this was an air-safety event," said spokeswoman Amy Kudwa.

While residents of the neighborhood where the plane went down were used to planes rumbling overhead, witnesses said this one sounded louder than usual, sputtered and made some odd noises.

After hearing the crash, Dworak drove over to take a look, and "all we were seeing was 50 to 100 foot flames and a pile of rubble on the ground. It looked like the house just got destroyed the instant it got hit."

Witness Tony Tatro said he saw the plane flying low and knew it was in trouble.

"It was not spiraling at all. The left wing was a little low," he told WGRZ-TV.

One person in the home was killed, and two others inside were able to escape with minor injuires. Twelve homes were evacuated near the crash site. The tail or part of a wing was visible through flames and thick smoke that engulfed the scene.

Erie County Executive Chris Collins said the plane was carrying 5,000 pounds of fuel and apparently exploded on impact.

Firefighters got as close to the plane as they could, he said. "They were shouting out to see if there were any survivors on the plane. Truly a very heroic effort, but there were no survivors."

It was the first fatal crash of a commercial airliner in the United States since Aug. 27, 2006, when 49 people were killed after a Comair jetliner took off from a Lexington, Ky., runway that was too short.

Houston-based Continental Airlines issued a statement saying that preliminary information showed the plane carried 44 passengers and a crew of four.

About 30 relatives and others who arrived at the airport in the overnight hours were escorted into a private area and then taken by bus to a senior citizens center in the neighboring town of Cheektowaga, where counselors and representatives from Continental waited to help.

"At this time, the full resources of Colgan Air's accident response team are being mobilized and will be devoted to cooperating with all authorities responding to the accident and to contacting family members and providing assistance to them," the statement said.

"Continental extends its deepest sympathy to the family members and loved ones of those involved in this accident," said Larry Kellner, chairman and CEO of Continental Airlines, in a later statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the family members and loved ones of those involved in the flight 3407 tragedy."

Manassas, Va.-based Colgan Air said in a statement that airline personnel and local authorities were working to confirm the number of people on board and their identities.

As family members of the victims trickled in to the airport in the overnight hours, they were escorted by airport personnel to a private area.

Chris Kausner, believing his sister was on the plane, rushed to a hastily established command center after calling his vacationing mother in Florida to break the news.

"To tell you the truth, I heard my mother make a noise on the phone that I've never heard before. So not good, not good," he told reporters.

Clarence is a growing eastern suburb of Buffalo, largely residential but with rural stretches. The crash site is a street of older, single-family homes which apparently back up to wooded area.

While the fire was contained, smoke still billowed over the scene about four hours later. Houses in the neighborhood are only about 20-25 feet apart.

"The fact that the damage is limited to the one residence is really amazing," said state police spokeswoman Rebecca Gibbons.

The crash came less than a month after a US Airways pilot guided his crippled plane to a landing in the Hudson River off Manhattan, saving the lives of all 155 people aboard. Birds had apparently disabled both its engines.

On Dec. 20, a Continental Airlines plane veered off a runway and slid into a snowy field at the Denver airport, injuring 38 people.

Continental's release said relatives and friends of those on Flight 3407 who wanted to give or receive information about those on board could telephone a special family assistance number, 1-800-621-3263.

Nancy Lynn Christ-Kassel 1951-2009

2009-01-31T17:06:00.000-08:00

Rest in peace dear sister, you have earned your wings....

Download photos from Nancy's memorial

Laney's 1st Christmas at 6 Bears Farm

2008-12-27T17:03:00.000-08:00

It was a white and very windy Christmas at the 6 Bears Farm for Laney's first Christmas.

Buffalo Bills- From First to Worst!

2008-11-18T22:14:00.000-08:00

What's worse then going to a Monday Night Football game only to watch the Buffalo Bills miss a possible game winning field goal sail wide right? Totalling your wife's truck after the game!!!

MNF Buffalo - Cleveland game highlights

http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d80c97e0c

R.I.P. Richard Wright

2008-10-29T05:44:00.000-07:00

Richard Wright, the founding member of Pink Floyd whose piano and synthesizer work played a critical part in the pioneering British psychedelic rock band's ethereal sound, died after a short battle with cancer, his spokesman said. He was 65.

He co-wrote “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” one of the group's signature songs from "Wish You Were Here," the second of five Floyd albums to reach No. 1. The nine-part epic song is a salute to Barrett, who, after leaving the group, retreated into mental illness, often attributed to his drug use. He died in 2006.

From all 6 of the Bears, Shine on Richard and thank you....

2008 First Snowfall of the season!

2008-10-29T05:21:00.000-07:00

Offically the first snow of 2008 arrived during the early morning hours of October 29th. It was too early and too much snow.....could be a long cold winter.

2008-10-21T12:02:00.000-07:00

Since it is my favorite time of the year again how about a few video clips about our Bills!!!

LET'S GO BUFFALO !!!!

2007 FIRST SNOW OF THE SEASON

2007-11-06T08:48:00.000-08:00

Offically the first snow of the 2007 was seen at 6 Bears Farm at 7:27am on November 6th! And the snowflakes were really BIG!

The Bear Den

2007-10-22T04:51:00.000-07:00

The Bear Den is my new "Spot" featured on the Tech website Technudge! Stop in a read leading edge technical reviews and articles. Below are a listing of articles and reviews I have written.

Barry

Slingbox AV Review
One True Media Website Review
DVD Upconverting Player Shootout
Kodak Downsizing article
Digital Camera Guide
Hard Disk Drive /DVD Recorders Review

Digital Media Revolution

High Definition DVD War

TechNudge.com

2007-09-22T09:04:00.000-07:00

Here is some news. Barry has been asked by the staff at Technudge.com to jump aboard! They have offered him a spot (From the Bears Den) on the website to contribute articles and product reviews. So stop by Technudgelive.com once a week and see what's new in the world of technology!

2007-09-11T14:35:00.001-07:00

2007-09-11T14:25:00.000-07:00

This photo sums up "Jack" the Monkey's Parf weekend!!!

Sunset over Lake Ontario

2007-09-09T11:57:00.000-07:00

A late summer sunset over Lake Ontario in Oswego, NY!!!

Lunar Eclipse

2007-09-09T11:53:00.000-07:00

At 5:43am the moon over 6 Bears Farm was eclipsed by the earth's shadow. Here is a photo of what we saw! Just minutes before the total eclipse the moon was not even visable due to clouds. But the clouds cleared just in time to afford us a beautiful sight!

2007-09-08T03:54:00.000-07:00

"Jack, The Monkey"
Jack, is a creature of habit. The only issue is with what habits, Jack has decided to take up!