Monday, July 23, 2007
Identify the Mystery Photo!
What is this?
Identify its location, its original purpose, and, for bonus points, the vantage point from which it was photographed!
UPDATE: We have a winner! Congratulate our astute commenter "Blues." Fame and glory all around.
18 Comments:
By 
, at
Mon Jul 23, 03:08:00 PM:
German pillbox on Omaha beach? Seen from Point du Hoc?
By 
Buce, at
Mon Jul 23, 03:26:00 PM:
Polyp in the presidential colon, seen from a Soviet spy satellite?
By Purple Avenger, at
Mon Jul 23, 04:13:00 PM:
Al Gore's super secret environmental "bat cave" at the edge of the arctic ocean?
By , at
Mon Jul 23, 04:18:00 PM:
It is a German casemate on the French coast of Normandy. However, it isn't high enough above the water to one at Omaha Beach. I'm guessing either near Utah Beach or even North of the landing beaches and therefor was probably not even involved in the D-day landings.
By , at
Mon Jul 23, 04:42:00 PM:
Stung by criticism questioning the sincerity of his concern for the poor, Democratic candidate John Edwards commissions a seaside resort for the poor on the coast of France noting, "It's high time the poor got a fair shake in this world, and it's high time the American people showed a committment, like I have, for the poor that is not just another passing hair style."
By , at
Mon Jul 23, 04:52:00 PM:
Obviously, your readers aren't keeping up with important current events, Hawk. I saw the same photo on page 3 of this month's Eco-Green Magazine just a few days ago. Hold on, let me dig up the article.
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KIKAMEA BEACH, HI (AP) - Construction neared completion today on what many herald as "the wave of the future." With ocean levels expected to rise between 40 and 50 feet in the next few decades, Hilton Hotels CEO John Garrett is looking ahead.
"We've all seen the prophetic movie 'Waterworld,' so we all know what's coming," Mr. Garrett explained. "We felt it was in the firm's best interest to openly embrace the impending changes to our planet, rather than running away from them by seeking higher ground. It's going to get mighty crowded up there."
The $6.2 billion dollar habitat will house approximately 238 guests and 24 hotel staff. The main housing unit is under a natural hill, with storage and maintenance units being added on later in an eco-friendly design.
"We wanted to look natural, to blend in," said Mr. Garrett. "By the time construction finishes, it'll look like one great big sand dune. And how natural is that?"
Local resident Mildred Finhackle wasn't so pleased, however. "It's a gol'dang eyesore! They oughta blow it outta the water!" Elderly neighbor Bertram Hanks was also displeased. "If this is what we're coming to, then I say bring on that global warming thing and let's get it over with!"
Local Foodworkers Union #418 has threatened to file an injunction due to alleged violations in their contract with Hilton Hotels, Inc.
AP-07202007.21:42:37-3474482
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Granted, it'll look a lot better when it gets done.
By , at
Mon Jul 23, 05:15:00 PM:
Say, speaking of mystery pictures...
So, there I was a while ago, moseying through my picture collection. No, not that picture collection -- the other one!
I have one folder titled "When Graphic Artists Get Bored." In it are a bunch of pictures of composite animals -- we've all seen them.
I was thinking as I was looking at them that it'd be fun to dig up one of the artists and have him do a tiger-hawk rendition for you-knoow-who. I couldn't picture what the hell a tiger-hawk combo was supposed to look like, but what do I know about art?
And, as I said, I was just idly daydreaming about it.
And then, lo and behold.
By CW, at
Mon Jul 23, 05:30:00 PM:
Spacecommando was close. IMHO, it's one of the dozens of WW2 shore gun emplacements along America's east coast. There are (or were) several well preserved ones in Delaware's beachfront parks.
CW
By , at
Mon Jul 23, 07:11:00 PM:
Easy. It's the Bush family compound at Kennebunkport.
By TigerHawk, at
Mon Jul 23, 07:18:00 PM:
CW is generically correct. Hint: That bunker guards a strategically important waterway, and it used to be substantially buried in sand. Erosion in this location has been so severe that the shoreline has retreated more than 1500 feet in the last 125 years or so, and as recently as three years ago that bunker was surrounded by water. A beach reclamation project put it back on land, for the time being.
Keep trying!
By , at
Mon Jul 23, 09:12:00 PM:
Wow. I can't believe that is right here on the east coast! I will have to check it out if it is near enough...once we find out where it really is.
Last year, I was in Kodiak Alaska and saw WWII American pillboxes high on the shore hills as we went out to fish at sea.
By , at
Mon Jul 23, 09:13:00 PM:
I liked the other answers better, but it's part of the U-Boat defense net guarding the entrance to the Delaware Bay. It has two eight inch Navy mounts in the front. This bunker is located in Cape May, New Jersey. The view is from the Cape May Lighthouse. Looks like the photo was taken at low tide.
By TigerHawk, at
Mon Jul 23, 10:11:00 PM:
Blues -
Huge props. Great job. I trust you have been there recently? FWIW, that picture was taken Sunday afternoon around 4:30.
Doc Merc - Great TigerHawk! I may borrow it sometime.
By , at
Tue Jul 24, 09:19:00 AM:
Oh, you mean here.
JLW III
By , at
Tue Jul 24, 09:20:00 AM:
Sorry about that. Let's try again.
here.
JLW III
By , at
Tue Jul 24, 10:34:00 AM:
Doc Merc - Great TigerHawk! I may borrow it sometime.
Glad to contribute, bud. Make sure to save it locally, though, as I just tossed it up there for this thread. What's interesting is that I really was thinking of you while drifting through the collection, but I honestly didn't think anyone had combined two such critters. It just sounds too difficult combining a tiger and a bird, and, if anything, I would have thought they'd put a hawk's head on a tiger's body, like this outstanding piece. So the fact that the artist elected to choose to tough route speaks highly of him or her.
By , at
Tue Jul 24, 12:45:00 PM:
Found it on Google Earth. Geographic coordinates are:
38 degrees 55 minutes 53.46 seconds North
74 degrees 57 minutes 19.94 seconds West.
Looks like the Google Earth view is at high tide.
By , at
Wed Jul 25, 10:54:00 AM:
Hey FIREBALL XL-5 is venues new fireproof beach house
