The Battle of Hamburger Helper Hill

Grampa and Happy Children @ Celia's

Christmas Block Party at Montevista

Our friend, Chris, does FX in the entertainment industry. He created instant bonfire for our block party last weekend using a huge propane tank, steel pipe, and some hog wire. And a match. All the heat went up--notice the unmelted, chocolate malted milk ball resting near the base.

D-Land

On Our Way to Disneyland

USC vs. ucla

Fight On

Sea of Trojan Red

Happy Boy

In Chicago

Seen at LAX

On the way to Chicago today, I caught my first glimpse of the A380--the new and very big Airbus.
This one is going to be flying for Singapore Air. I'm guessing it's at LAX for tests of some sort on our airport system's for handling the beast. Construction in the foreground is related to the plane and its special needs.

Thanksgiving Day = Dress-Up Day

Buddy Boy's First Haircut

Overall, a very pleasant experience. On the other hand, he didn’t know what was happening.

Time for My First Haircut

Shooting Video of the Super Scoopers

The wind was a sustained 30 mph, and so holding the video camera steady was impossible. (photo: Bill Fickett)

Scoopers at Work

Shot these today during lunch at Castaic Dam. Very, VERY windy work for the pilots. Next time you bump into a group of firefighters at a donut shop or restaurant, maybe spring for their coffee--their jobs, almost without exception, are dangerous.

Bill Fickett: Photojournalist

A Big Sikorsky Doing Its Thing

This big, orange bus--a Sikorsky S-61--was working from Castaic Lake. Six helicopters were taking turns loading water to fight two fires in the area. (photo: Bill Fickett)

A Few Miles East of Castaic Lake

Amuse of Fire

Bill finds something humorous in the major fire burning across the lake. Note his skin tone is pink due to the smoke-filtered sunlight.

Castaic, West of I-5

Near John Daley's Home

Near Seco and Bouquet

Four Miles from Home

There Goes the Neighborhood

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

Buddy Boy

Carcass #10

On the way to worship Sunday morning, I passed a trailer hauling away wreckage from the I-5 tunnel accident. The flattened, charred mass was once a tractor trailer. The number 10 was spray painted on the truck--I'm assuming the accident investigators numbered each vehicle involved. Very sad.

She Must Be from Texas

Walt Disney Studios Headquarters

Air Force One at the Reagan Library

John in Thought

Odd Jobs

I worked for a chemical company off and on throughout the 80s. As you can see, we applied by air. I'm in the white coveralls. It was a nasty job, not particularly safe, but an awful lot of fun.

3 Guys at Cracker Barrel

I met up with my cousins Jesse and Ed, and my Aunt Sissy (not pictured). If Cracker Barrel is involved, how can it not be time well spent?

Bill Meets Carl Miller

Antique Airliner

On our Memphis to DFW leg, we flew a Northwest Airlines DC-9. An old one. Upon disembarking, I asked the first officer if he had any idea when the aircraft was manufactured. After a quick peek inside the flight deck, he returned to the door and said, "December 1967." Glad I asked after the flight and not before.

Searching for Software

Rufus, Bill, and I took a business trip to research some software we're considering buying. Our travel took us to Memphis and the Dallas area--great fun, and valuable, productive time.

Business in North Carolina

My friend and colleague, Steve, accompanied me to Winston-Salem on business in June. A photojournalist attended the event, and took this candid shot.

Madeline and Dad Hanging at VNY

The girl and I spent an hour at Van Nuys airport late yesterday afternoon, enjoying a picnic, playing together, and watching traffic come and go. The plane is a Hawker 850XP.

Moving Pictures

Here are photos I took while running in some interesting places.

Seattle, WA
Guayaquil, Ecuador
Winston-Salem, NC
Juneau, AK
Chesapeake Bay
New York Harbor
Washington, D.C.
Stone Mountain, GA