Irvine Ranch Conservancy: C-135 crash site

(Continued from 11-28-08...) The second leg of our Irvine Ranch Conservancy tour took us to the site of Orange County’s worst air disaster.
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At 1:35 a.m. on June 25, 1965, under fog and light drizzle, an Air Force C-135A transport jet, (see contemporary photo above), took off from MCAS El Toro. (The C-135 is the military equivalent of a Boeing 707.) The plane was en route from McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey to Okinawa, with another scheduled stop at Hickam AFB in Hawaii. Aboard were 71 Marines on their way to Vietnam, along with 12 U.S. Air Force crew members.
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At 1:46 a.m., about 4 miles from the control tower, the jet disappeared from radar. For reasons unknown, the pilot did not (or could not) make a planned left hand turn and flew directly into Loma Ridge. The plane was destroyed, killing all 83 people on board.
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Navy sailor Steve Bedunah was scheduled to take the flight as far as Hawaii. However, a family emergency waylayed him. He arrived at El Toro just in time to see the plane heading down the runway. Seconds later, he saw a huge orange fireball. "I was supposed to be on that plane," he said in a 2005 O.C. Weekly interview, "I've spent 40 years trying to live that down."
Here you see Greg from KOCE-TV filming Mike Bornia, Chris Epting, and Maria Hall-Brown at the crash site. It was fitting (although unplanned) that we visited this site on Veteran’s Day. A group called Project Remembrance is planning to put a stone memorial here in the near future.

The jet was about 1,150 feet up and traveling at 300 mph when it impacted the hill, scattering wreckage and bodies across at least a mile. The bodies and all the large plane parts were recovered after the crash, but small bits of the jet are still strewn everywhere. Although mangled in the crash, many metal parts are still in remarkably good condition after 43 years of exposure to the elements. Just last year, a readable set of dog tags were found in the brush.
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It turned out that our traveling companion Jim had once been part of a search/clean-up crew after a different MCAS El Toro crash on the Irvine Ranch. He had some very sobering tales to tell that I won't relate here.
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(To be continued...)

Look of the Year 2009 – Bob Haircuts

Jessica Simpson Bob Hairstyle

Janet Jackson Bob

Gwineth Paltrow Bob

Ellen Barkin Bob

Jessica Alba sexy Bob Haircut

Victoria Beckham and Eva Longoria Bob Haircuts

Look of the Year 2009 – Bob Haircuts

Rihanna Bob Haircut

There are individuals throughout the world who like to keep up with the fashion trends each year. Chances are you are seeking to find the look of the year. Fashion is a huge part of a lot of people’s daily life and it is important to them.

Kate Boswort Bob Hairstyle

The fashion industry in today’s world gives us a chance to get into something new each year. Getting into something new makes us feel better and different about ourselves. When you look on the Internet, you will find a lot of pictures of the look of the year. You see runway models showing the neat feathery and sparkly dresses.

Katie Holmes Bob

Victoria Beckham Bob Haircut

When it comes to fashion, we follow the industry so that we know as soon as the look of the year comes out. The look this year will be lots of lilacs and natural colors.

Jessica Simpson Bob Haircut

People feel that they are constantly getting judged when they walk out in public and in many times they are, especially the celebrities. During this time, the celebrities are with the fashion designer to come up with a new look of the year.

Jennifer Aniston

What look of the year do you think the celebrities will have for the years to come? When it comes to the hairstyles, we are finding that the look of the year is the bob haircuts. We are not sure if this is always going to be in style, but lately it is a big part of the fashion industry and a favorite of many celebrities.

Eva Longoria Haircut 2009

Celebrity Total Makeover- Rihanna, Neve Campbell

Celebrity Total Makeover - Rihanna, Neve Campbell

Rihanna

Celebrities seem to always be changing their styles. When we say style, we’re talking about everything. Celebrities sport new clothing styles around all the time and this is something they’re really good at. Another style that is changing all the time on celebrities is their hair.

Take Rihanna for instance, she took a major change to her hair – changing it from long to totally short.

Rihanna

Then you have Neve Campbell who had all of her long locks cut off to expose a boyish haircut.

Neve Campbell

We’re not saying that haircut doesn’t look good on her. If you have noticed, a lot of celebrities are starting to cut their hair off to have that look and it really changes how they look. It is funny how just changing your hair by cutting it can give you a celebrity total makeover.

If you want to jump in with the crowd and do what the celebrities have been doing and get you a celebrity total makeover, then you would start with the hair.

Just because the celebrities are starting to cut their hair into bob haircuts does not mean you should do that to get the celebrity total makeover. In fact, if you don’t want to cut your hair, that is fine. You could always get a perm put in your hair, that will make it look different. Then you will want to focus on your wardrobe.

There are tons of new styles that have surfaced today that we believe you will like. In the end, you will want to try out new makeup to get that celebrity total makeover look.

Make-up trends 2009 – Out With the Old and In With the New

Make-up trends 2009 – Out With the Old and In With the New

Are you ready to say hello to the new year and goodbye to the old year? Why not spring over to the new year with the make up trends 2009. Next year, 2009, seems like it is going to be a fun year for make up trends, because there are so many new and gorgeous ones.

Heidi Klum

Why not give yourself a nice makeover for the new year and freshen that makeup bag up with some of the make up trends 2009. Amongst the make up trends 2009, you will have the smokey eye look.

Guess what! The lilac eyeshadows are coming back in style and they will be better than ever and how about some shimmer cream that will highlight those cheeks.

Sarah Jessica Parker

You can do away with those purples that are heavy, pewter palettes and metallics as you make yourself look fresh for the make up trends 2009.

If you don’t realize it already, the leading trend for the year 2009 is neutral and fresh. For the spring time, try some baby pink cheek color.

With the baby pink cheek color you can give your cheeks a fresh streak of color on them. You want to go light on the foundation this season, but you can brighten up your winter skin with the shimmer crème. This is the easiest way to highlight your face and get that natural glow. This would look great with red lips with neutral colors around the eyes.

Katherine Heigl

For the eyes, lilac eyeshadow with some silver or white eyeliner will look good and add a fresh twist to your look.

Eva Longoria

Jennifer Ellison At Some Axe The Beer Tax event

COACH HANDBAGS CARLY!

Guys! Here’s a gift that will make your diva happy, Coach handbags, Carly to be specific. Don’t wait until the last minute to try to find out where to buy Coach handbags if you want to pick up that Signature Carly at an inexpensive price.

Don’t get caught red handed and gift free or suffer the consequences! Or worse yet, put your shopping off until the last minute and be forced to pay full retail. Even the most seasoned procrastinators know that once you know the particular style of Coach handbag that you need, the key is to cruise the outlet stores and auctions.

The preferred styles and colors in
Coach purses
can shift as often as we change our lingerie so always check to see what is considered to be fashionable (read: hot) in the designer purse line. One minute this desired item could be a duffle and the next a messenger. At the time of this article your best bet in Coach handbags, Carly.

You heard it here, my friend. Signature Carly Coach purses and bags are one of the most sought after in the entire line at the moment. That may sound very simple until you see that they come in suede leather as well as tonal fabrics. Coach handbags, Carly included, come in many different colors as well. Red, blue, brown and black to name a few. And lest we forget there are Coach baby bags in pink and blue.

This is where you have to do a little homework to personalize your gift. Match your Coach handbags, Carly or otherwise, to your friend’s wardrobe and shoes. Take the time to dig through her closet and see what she likes, what is lacking or what kind of designer purse that she can’t live without. Not that everything in her wardrobe has to match perfectly, but chances are if there is no article of clothing in blue to be found a navy or pastel blue Coach handbag,Carly or any other style will be appreciated. The same rule of thumb goes for other colors. Another tip is that if she has no suede shoes; nix the suede leather patchwork purse.

Your may even find a few knockoffs in the closet while you are on your search and destroy mission. Replica or inspired Coach handbags are cheap and some are high quality items that don’t try to pass themselves off as the real deal. However, I would only buy an authentic coach signature Carly handbag, purse or bag as a gift. There is just something cheesy about giving a fake Coach Carly purse as a gift unless it is specifically requested.

Believe me, the rewards will be worth the trouble.

Return to Celebrity News, Purses, Makeup and Shoes to see more designer items that fashion hungry females desire.

FAITH HILL HAIRSTYLES and FASHIONS

I have to say this may be one of the best Faith Hill hairstyles yet? What do you think? The only thing that I do not like is how she was constantly batting at the bangs. It made me want to run for a bobby pin or barrette.

She apparently is making the rounds of the talk shows to promote her Christmas CD "Joy to the World" that has been in the stores since September or October of this year. I know, enough about the new CD, visitors to this celebrity fashion website want to know what she was wearing.

What do all the blonde celebrity beauties seem to be wearing this winter? Why something long, lean and basic black. Faith Hill was right in line with Reese Witherspoon who recently appeared on the same show. However, Faith went with opaque, black stockings or fashion tights which created a continuous, slimming line from her shoulders to her toes. Has anyone else noticed that celebrity pantyhose is becoming noticeably darker?

There were, however, two bright pops of color. One at the top of her lovely head which was no less than the crowning glory it was meant to be; the latest celebrity mom, Faith Hill approved, new hairstyles. The other was visible after Dave greeted her and she made her way to her seat by his desk. You guessed it, when she gracefully seated herself there was the signature flash of the bright red soles of designer shoes. Another celebrity wearing what appeared to be a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes.




Because of the black tights, ascertaining whether or not they were Louboutin slingbacks or peep toes was kind of tricky. But I believe that what she was wearing was a pair of platform pumps with closed toes and heel. This style is extremely popular with movie stars at the time because of the added height that the hidden platform (double platform?) gives them. Most ladies go for this style because it is so slimming. But why this blonde beauty would feel the need to cover her celebrity feet escapes me as she has one fine pair of celebrity legs. Faith Hill had absolutely no reason to search for footwear that made her look slim. Have you seen those Faith Hill bikini pictures? This is not a chick that needs help from the crew on "How to Look Good Naked."




Return to Celebrity News, Purses, Makeup and Shoes to see more hairstyles and fashions worn by your favorite movie stars.

Irvine Ranch Conservancy: The Hanging Tree

On the 11th of this month (Veteran's Day 2008), the Irvine Ranch Conservancy graciously showed me and some other lucky folks historic sites that are normally inaccessible to the public. Over the next week or so, I'll be sharing some of the sites we visited, starting with today's entry on the Hanging Tree in Precitas Canyon. I've already provided information about the Hanging Tree in earlier posts, which you can read here:

• Searching for the Hanging Tree (June 2008)
• Hanging Tree history and old photos (June 2008)
• Mike Bornia at the Hanging Tree (Sept. 2008)

Today's first photo (above) shows me standing under the tree. Although fires have swept through the area in recent years, the tree is only a little scorched and seems pretty healthy. You might be able to see the tree from the right lane of the southbound 241 Toll Road, if you knew exactly where to look, and were on the passenger side of a high-profile vehicle. Our trip came about when author Chris Epting read my blog entries about the tree, and wanted to do a segment about it with Maria Hall-Brown for KOCE-TV. Mike Bornia of the Irvine Ranch Conservancy organized the trek and added some other sites of interest to the itinerary. When Epting asked if I wanted to come along, I immediately answered "Yes!," followed by, "and can I bring two other people?"
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The other two were Orange County historians Jim Sleeper and Phil Brigandi who have both wanted to see this site again for many years. In the photo above, Jim stands under the tree and shows Phil and Mike Boeck photos of the area that he took in the 1960s.
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Mike is a docent for the Conservancy and was one of our drivers for the day. He really knows the back country and was as enthusiastic as we were.
This last photo shows (left to right) Dave Raetz (also from the Conservancy), me, Jim and Phil, in front of the tree's historical marker. It reads, "Under this tree General Andres Pico hung two banditos of the Juan Flores gang in 1857." Below that, in smaller print, it reads, "Dedicated El Viaje de Portola Ride, April 1967." The annual El Viaje de Portola equestrian ride used to follow the trail of Gaspar de Portola's expedition through much of Orange County. Today, however, very little of that land is accessible to the public.
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(To be continued...)

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN SLINGBACK SHOES

Who wouldn’t love to find a pair of the latest
Christian Louboutin
slingback shoes in that beautifully wrapped package that we saw lover boy hiding in the top of the closet? Even though we know in our heart of hearts that it is quite possibly another example of the men in our lives doing something that gives them great pleasure all the while claiming that they did it just to make us happy. Do you see where I’m coming from?

If that pair of Christian Louboutin double-platform slingbacks with the spike heels didn’t make his pulse race, would he have been so eager to rush out ahead of the discount sales and pay that expensive price? So what if he had ulterior motives for making sure your pretty toes were wrapped in the ultimate of designer footwear. You will reap the rewards at the cocktail or Christmas party when the men (and more than a few ladies) zoom in on your sexy feet in those Christian Louboutin slingback shoes.

Why are the Louboutin slingbacks so popular? The answer to that is that there is only a thin strap that breaks the long, lean lines of your leg rather than a fully enclosed heel. Spike heels do an amazing job of lengthening and shaping your calves, but many feel that the strappy, near naked heel is so much nicer.

Plus, it’s a sad fact that every girl’s toes are not perfect. Even with a professional pedicure and the best nail polish on the planet, some toes are best left unexposed. The open heel camouflages the fact that we might be hiding a part of ourselves that may be somewhat lacking in beauty or total perfection. A good rule of thumb among fashion advisors is when in doubt, find something beautiful to wear on top of our flaws.

Christian Louboutin Numero Prive Glitter Shoes

WHAT’S HOT FOR COCKTAIL PARTIES AND THE HOLIDAYS

When it comes to sparkling crystals and black satin, Christian Louboutin slingback shoes have got you covered. There are styles with square toes with an elegant bow decorating the toe as well as slimming pointed toes in ivory or winter white that would be stunning with a dress or handbag in silver. If black satin, gold and silver glitter are too tame for the wild child in you, there is a multi-colored style know as Numero Prive Glitter Shoes that are an explosion of rainbow colors with a slim metallic gold spike heel and platform soles.


The bottom line is that if you can find a more exquisitely designed pair of slingbacks than Christian Louboutin slingback shoes, by all means enlighten us. Especially if you can find a comparable pair offered at knockoff prices.

Return to Celebrity News, Purses, Makeup and Shoes to see more of our fashionable recommendations.