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The Great San Francisco Fire and Earthquake of 1906

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 By Bruce Shawkey The greatest damage of the 1906 earthquake occurred when many of San Francisco's water and gas mains were ruptured. Leaking gas was the catalyst for fires that quickly spread throughout the city and the lack of water made fire fighting a challenge. Approximately one hour after the earthquake, the San Francisco Fire Department sent a messenger to the Presidio to request an artillery division to assist with the containment of fires. Several hours later, artillery troops from Fort Miley arrived in San Francisco and unsuccessfully attempted to control the fires by dynamiting strategic buildings. By noon, the financial district was engulfed in flames and when evening fell the city center had also been incinerated. The earthquake struck on April 18, 1906, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale. It caused widespread destruction, with buildings collapsing and infrastructure severely damaged. The resulting fires, fueled by broken gas lines, lasted for several days and destroye...
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Tips on Better Writing

 Tips for Improving my Writing Skills (from Gemini ... the latest feature on Google -- neat stuff!) Improving your writing is less about mastering a secret code and more about developing a consistent "eye" for clarity and flow. Since "writing" is a broad world, the best approach is to tackle it from a few different angles. Here is a breakdown of how to sharpen your skills: 1. The "Trim the Fat" Rule Most writing improves instantly when you remove unnecessary words. Strong writing is lean. Avoid Filler: Words like "just," "actually," "really," and "very" often weaken your sentences. Kill Passive Voice: Instead of saying "The ball was thrown by John," say "John threw the ball." It’s more direct and energetic. One Idea per Sentence: If a sentence has three commas and two "ands," it’s likely trying to do too much. Break it up. 2. Read Like a Writer To write well, you have to consume high-qua...
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Highlights from the first 100 Years of Television

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 By Bruce Shawkey Great article in The Guardian on highlights from the first 100 years of television. Here are of ones I found most interesting and/or experienced first-hand.  I start with Janet Jackson's famous (infamous?) "nip slip" during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime performance – in which her right breast was accidentally exposed for less than a second. It led to  the Federal Communications Commission fining  CBS $550,000. Technically, her nipple was covered by a nipple ring, but the network was still fined.  It was the fifth largest fine in television history, with the largest fine ($24 million) going to Univision for lack of children’s shows. Did you know there are federal regulations that require television broadcasters to devote a portion of their programming to educational and informative shows for kids. The Howard Stern radio show also got fined $1.7 million for various infractions. January 26, 1926: John Logie Baird gave the first public demonstratio...
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Robert Redford

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 By Bruce Shawkey One of my movie heroes growing up was Robert Redford. He was handsome, always measured, humble with no need to show off. I thought he was great in the Horse Whisperer, playing opposite Scarlett Johansson. Redford passed away  September 16, 2025,  at age 89. His daughter, Amy, recently did an interview with People magazine and shard some of remembrances with her dad. A few of her quotes are below: "He was playful and curious and kind,” said Amy. “And I think what he taught us to do is really find the thing that we're most passionate about and the things that we think might be able to change the world.” "For my dad, it was, if you tell him not to do it, that just means it hasn’t been done yet,” Amy said about the legendary film festival. “He decided, ‘Well, I have some platform and I'm going to use it to change the world.’ ” "It’s clear that he meant so much to so many, and I know that my family is humbled by the outpouring of stories and tributes...
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The "Grit" Newspaper

 By Bruce Shawkey I grew up with a newspaper called the "Grit," which my parents also called the "Pennsylvania Liar." Each issue contained a mixture of funny, offbeat news .. not nearly as whacky as, say, the National Enquirer, but similar. Here is annotated history of the Grit from its website: When the first headline for Grit was set in 1882, it’s doubtful anyone could’ve envisioned the publication continuing into the 21st century. Dietrick Lamade was a 23-year-old assistant press foreman for the Williamsport, Pennsylvania, newspaper the Daily Sun and Banner. In December 1882, the newspaper began a Saturday edition titled Grit, which included local news items, editorials, and humorous tidbits.  The Birth of Grit Dietrick was born Feb. 6, 1859, in Gölshausen, Baden-Wrüttemberg, Germany, the fourth child of Johannes and Caroline Lamade. When he was 8, the family immigrated to the United States. Less than two years after the family settled in Williamsport, Johannes d...
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Things I've Grown to Hate as I've Aged

By Bruce Shawkey Inspired by an article on the Google news feed Going to restaurants, parties, or any gatherings where it is SO LOUD you can't have a person-to- person conversation with someone. I hate that my mind thinks it can do something and my body says, 'Are you serious?' As age catches up, I find hair where I have never had hair, and no hair where I have always had hair! I prefer my own company to that of lots of people. So much of what I hear is people complaining of their problems, or inconsequential stuff. I have always loved fatty, greasy, spicy food. My stomach can no longer digest this stuff as I age. I actually crave salads with a simple vinegar and oil now (as opposed to fatty bleu cheese dressing). I find it annoying that people who think they are so important that they must drive at least 20 mph over the posted highway speed limit. Five mph plus or minus has always been fine, by 20+ is ridiculous. When did I become obsessed with winter weather? I used to be...
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My New Pepper Grinder

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By Bruce Shawkey I have ground my own pepper for a number of years. Recently, I replaced my hand-cranked grinder with a battery-operated one. I can't tell you how this $8 device has added joy to my life. I can now effortlessly pepper my food with the touch of a button. The benefits of fresh ground pepper have long been extolled by amateur and professional chefs. A typical example can be found in the "Good and Cheap" cookbook by LeAnne Brown: BUY A PEPPER GRINDER Seriously, banish pre-ground pepper from your life; it loses all flavor when it sits around. Fresh pepper creates pops of intense flavor on the tongue and lights up bland dishes. One of the most popular dishes in Rome is just pasta with butter and pepper: give it a try!  There you have it. Even cheapskate cooks advocate the use of fresh-ground pepper! My previous grinder was a short device, hand cranked of course.  
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