Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
flickr.com ~ free photo storage and organization
I love flickr.com and am just starting to put photos up there. Lots of people use flickr as it's free (you can upgrade to a pro account) and it's very easy to organize the pictures into albums. That's the part I like the best.
Here's some of my favorites: Tran Le "paphio" (flowers, luna moth) at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/arno-4m/,
Victor Nuno (travels, Camino del Santiago) at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/victornuno/1641047433/,
Catherine Todd (seagulls, garden, volcanos) http://www.flickr.com/photos/catherinetodd/
Enjoy!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Lighthouse For Sale
This beautiful lighthouse is located in Westfield New York,along the shores of Lake Erie and is actually for sale! Wouldn't this be a wonderful place to live?
The Barcelona Lighthouse
The very first lighthouse to be powered by natural gas in the United States, and is believed to be the first public building to be powered with natural gas. The first lighting mechanism was 11 lamps with 14" reflectors. These were later replaced with a fourth-order Fresnel lens in 1857. The light would stay lit for only two more years before it was decommissioned.
The tower was built to mark Portland Harbor, which is actually now Barcelona. The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1859 after the Lighthouse Board discovered that there was no harbor at Barcelona. The lighthouse was sold to a private party in 1872. That family owned it until it was sold again in 1998. This tower stands 40' tall and is a private residence. The lighthouse is clearly visible from Route 5 and the boat launch right next to it.
The first keeper was Joshua Lane. He served from 1829 to 1855. The second keeper was Thomas Taylor. He served from 1855 to 1859. Both keepers had the annual salary of $350 per year.
Note: The lighthouse is private property, please respect this and do not trespass.
Directions: From the I-90, take exit 60 (Westfield) and head north (Towards the lake) on Route 394. At the junction for Route 5, make a right, and the lighthouse will on the left-hand side. You can get good shots from the road, or from the public marina right next to it.
Source (lighthouse series): http://www.flickr.com/photos/cindystemmill/2049143910/
The Barcelona Lighthouse
The very first lighthouse to be powered by natural gas in the United States, and is believed to be the first public building to be powered with natural gas. The first lighting mechanism was 11 lamps with 14" reflectors. These were later replaced with a fourth-order Fresnel lens in 1857. The light would stay lit for only two more years before it was decommissioned.
The tower was built to mark Portland Harbor, which is actually now Barcelona. The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1859 after the Lighthouse Board discovered that there was no harbor at Barcelona. The lighthouse was sold to a private party in 1872. That family owned it until it was sold again in 1998. This tower stands 40' tall and is a private residence. The lighthouse is clearly visible from Route 5 and the boat launch right next to it.
The first keeper was Joshua Lane. He served from 1829 to 1855. The second keeper was Thomas Taylor. He served from 1855 to 1859. Both keepers had the annual salary of $350 per year.
Note: The lighthouse is private property, please respect this and do not trespass.
Directions: From the I-90, take exit 60 (Westfield) and head north (Towards the lake) on Route 394. At the junction for Route 5, make a right, and the lighthouse will on the left-hand side. You can get good shots from the road, or from the public marina right next to it.
Source (lighthouse series): http://www.flickr.com/photos/cindystemmill/2049143910/
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Spanish Basketball Team
"Over the last two days, the Spanish Basketball Team (or as they like to be known, El Equipo de Baloncesto Nacional de España) has been getting a lot of flack for this photo, which has been regarded as racist. Yes, they are slanting their eyes..." (more)
Source: thelanetrain.wordpress.com/category/the-olympics/
My comment: Boys will be boys?
Olympics: Spain's eye-catching faux pas
The Spanish basketball team pose for an advertisement. Photograph: Public domain
Spain's Olympic basketball teams have risked upsetting their Chinese hosts by posing for a pre-Games advert making slit-eyed gestures. The advert for a courier company, which is an official sponsor of the Spanish Basketball Federation, occupied a full page in the sports daily Marca, the country's best-selling newspaper.
Sid Lowe
The Guardian,
Monday August 11 2008
The advert features two large photographs, one of the men's basketball team, above, and one of the women's team. Both squads pose in full Olympic kit on a basketball court decorated with a picture of a Chinese dragon. Every single player appears pulling back the skin on either side of their eyes. The advert carries the symbol of the sport's governing body.
No one involved in the advert appears to have considered it inappropriate nor contemplated the manner in which it could be interpreted in China and elsewhere. No offence was intended by the advert, but whether the Chinese see it that way is a different matter and it is likely to provoke more criticism at a delicate time for Spanish sport. The failure to recognise the potential consequences is striking in the light of the problems Spain has had with issues of race and the Spanish Olympic committee's continued desire to host the Games in Madrid in 2016 or 2020.
In the past the Spanish have been left in no doubt as to the sensitivity of racial issues internationally, especially since Spain's football manager, Luis Aragonés, made his infamous remark about Thierry Henry, monkey chants greeted England's football players in a friendly game in Madrid and the formula one driver Lewis Hamilton was subjected to abuse in Barcelona.
Spain's Olympic basketball teams have risked upsetting their Chinese hosts by posing for a pre-Games advert making slit-eyed gestures. The advert for a courier company, which is an official sponsor of the Spanish Basketball Federation, occupied a full page in the sports daily Marca, the country's best-selling newspaper.
Sid Lowe
The Guardian,
Monday August 11 2008
The advert features two large photographs, one of the men's basketball team, above, and one of the women's team. Both squads pose in full Olympic kit on a basketball court decorated with a picture of a Chinese dragon. Every single player appears pulling back the skin on either side of their eyes. The advert carries the symbol of the sport's governing body.
No one involved in the advert appears to have considered it inappropriate nor contemplated the manner in which it could be interpreted in China and elsewhere. No offence was intended by the advert, but whether the Chinese see it that way is a different matter and it is likely to provoke more criticism at a delicate time for Spanish sport. The failure to recognise the potential consequences is striking in the light of the problems Spain has had with issues of race and the Spanish Olympic committee's continued desire to host the Games in Madrid in 2016 or 2020.
In the past the Spanish have been left in no doubt as to the sensitivity of racial issues internationally, especially since Spain's football manager, Luis Aragonés, made his infamous remark about Thierry Henry, monkey chants greeted England's football players in a friendly game in Madrid and the formula one driver Lewis Hamilton was subjected to abuse in Barcelona.
Chinese sunrise / Amanecer chino
I guess everybody would agree, after the olympic games, that the bear that Napoleon spoke of, is today completely awake. Not only it is this value, being awake, but gradually being more self conscious what gives an inner strength.
Supongo que todos estarán de acuerdo, después de los juegos olímpicos, que el oso del que Napoleón habló, está hoy completamente despierto. No sólo es este valor, sino el ser cada vez más consciente de sí mismo, que da una fuerza interior.
source: Victor Nuno
---
My comment: Victor, your text about your photos are as good, or even better, than the photos themselves. If that is actually possible. You make my world.
Supongo que todos estarán de acuerdo, después de los juegos olímpicos, que el oso del que Napoleón habló, está hoy completamente despierto. No sólo es este valor, sino el ser cada vez más consciente de sí mismo, que da una fuerza interior.
source: Victor Nuno
---
My comment: Victor, your text about your photos are as good, or even better, than the photos themselves. If that is actually possible. You make my world.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Blog Photos saved into PicasaWeb Photo Albums
Apparently all the photos I post on my Google blogs are saved into Picasaweb photos albums! I didn't know that. I've put many of my favorite ones here on my blog. See:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ctodd1000
http://picasaweb.google.com/ctodd1000
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Calling them out of the Sky.Seagulls.1.1999
Seagulls coming in for a landing... readying to dropdown. Everyone wants dinner now! Nov. 21, 1999 coast of NC.
Read more about the incredible "air ballet" four gulls did for an hour and a a half, landing on my arm to take bread out of my hand. These first four were the most special birds I have ever had the privilege to "know." they were true ballet dancers of the sky. Some say they were the scouts. They restored my faith in the world when all seemed lost at the time.
Be aware that seagulls can be aggressive. Later on when I was sitting down and feeding "the mob," the bullies began to attack when I ran out of food. Shades of Tippie Hendron and Alfred Hitchcock... so stay upright with plenty of food if you want to try this on your own!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Japanese Cranes
ainu_japanese_cranes_hokkaido.jpg
From earthtrendshop.com:"
Our Visit to an Ainu Village
Jim and Akiko visited the Ainu crafts village at Lake Akan, Hokkaido, Japan in February, 2004. Lake Akan is a traditional location for the Ainu, the native peoples of Hokkaido. Here there is an Ainu community side by side with the Japanese onsen (hot spring bath) resort hotels....
After leaving Lake Akan and the Ainu Craft village we visited a Japanese Crane preserve and watched a large flock of these beautiful birds for several hours.
Japanese cranes in flight (scroll down to find the photo)
The Ainu have had a close relationship with the wildlife of their environment. The bear, crane, little deer, squirrels, owls, and many other animals have been integral to their survival and are deeply part of the Ainu culture. Images of these many animals show up in their carvings, dance, and stories..." (more)
Monday, August 4, 2008
babybird
"This baby seagull is currently living outside my window. Sometimes tapping on the glass." Uploaded by johnnyh on 21 Aug 06, 3.28PM PDT.
The destruction of Whistling Swans in 1908
THE DESTRUCTION OF WHISTLING SWANS (OLOR COLUMBIANUS) AT NIAGARA FALLS
DISASTERS that so often overtake migrating birds are seldom matters of newspaper interest, but in the present case the birds were so conspicuous and the circumstances so unusual that public interest was aroused by the account in the Buffalo papers of March 17, 190S, of a slaughter of wild swans that took place at Niagara Falls on the 15th. It was stated that 12S birds were taken out of a flock that had been swept over the Falls, and the names of several men who had nmdc the largest bags were given. I was able to get confirmation of the story from Mr. J. S. Wallace who was in touch with friends at Niagara, and on receiving two swans and more details on the 19th, Mr. Wallace and I decided to go to Niagara Falls and get the story at first hand, and the following is as nearly a correct account as it was possible to get. On the morning of March 14, 1908, a flock of three or four hundred swans lit in the Upper Niagara River below Grand Island and not far from the village of Chippawa, Ont. All day detached parties of swans were seen floating down the river with the current till danger of being swept into the Canadian rapids caused the birds to rise and fly back to their starting point. They were unable to obtain food, and the constant battling with the swift current no doubt weakened them. They were still in the upper river Sunday morning the 15th. It was a day of drizzling rain. About 11.30 a. a. William Leblond, who lives at the 'Maid of the Mist' landing below the Horseshoe Falls, was on the ice bridge that then barred the river at that point. His attention being called by its cries to a swan struggling at the edge of the ice, he looked up the river towards the Falls. The water seemed covered with a struggling mass of swans that were rapidly being swept towards him. Some were caught in the Bass Rock eddy and detained near the Ontario Power Company's building, but the great majority were carried by the current directly to the ice bridge and either cast up, or ground against it, by the masses of floating ice that were continually coming over the Falls. Some of the birds were already dead, many were injured, and the rest stunned and unable to help themselves; though how any could have remained alive after coming over the falls is difficult to understand; yet many of the birds were able to call loudly in their distress. News of the disaster quickly spread and men went out on the ice bridge clubbing all the swans that could be reached, while others fished the dead and dying birds out of the water with poles, and the Italian laborers at the power works attended to all that calnc ashore at their point. On Monday any birds that could not be reached with clubs and poles were shot. Just how many of the flock came over the falls will never be known but after the disaster it was estimated that something under 200 birds remained on the upper river; at least 100 birds were either slaughtered or picked up between the falls and the ice bridge; some were certainly sucked under the ice and caught in the fissures of the ice bridge, and only two were taken below that point. There seems little doubt that 100 is a safe estimate of the birds taken, and all are agreed that none escaped alive, though it afterwards became apparent that many of the birds would have recovered from the shock had they been left alone, though the town of Niagara Falls would thereby have missed a gastronomic experience much to its liking, for contrary to the usual belief these swans were good eatin Z. We found on arriving at the Falls that Mr. Harry Schmnacker had arranged interviews with some of the principal witnesses of the tragedy, and we were able to get a great deal of information from Mr. Harry Willirons and Mr. Leblonde. At the latter's place we saw 30 swans hanging en masse. The sight was not one easily' forgotten. We were within a few yards of the scene of the killing, it was late when we reached the place, and at first the swans stood out as an indistinct patch of white in the surrounding darkness, but when we were able to examine the mass with the aid of lanterns we understood the extent of the tragedy that had taken place. On the 18th three more swans were taken; one of these was alive and was taken to the Buffalo Zoo by Mr. James Savage, where it fully recovered. Another, Mr. Leblonde told us, had taken refuge in some inaccessible place near the 'Cave of the Winds' and was still alive on the 20th. On the 22d (Sunday) 12 more swans crone over the Falls; six of these were taken at the Bass Rock eddy, and five at the ice bridge, while three were seen to rise from the water between the Falls and ice bridge and fly back over the Falls and on up the river. Mr. Wallace made several subsequent visits to the Falls and cleared up some doubtful points; we were also able to compare our notes with those secured by Mr. James Savage x of Buffalo. Swans come over the Falls occasionally, some were taken in 1906 and 1907, but nothing like the present case is remembered by any one, In all I saw thirty-six birds; of these I was able to secure thirty- three, resulting in a unique series of measurements, and adding to my collection all the sterna, and the skins of twenty-eight birds, while five were handed over to friends for mounting. A careful examination of the swans showed that several had broken wings, others had the clavicles dislocated, and in one or two the sternum was crushed, others had the lungs congested, but it was not possible to examine the birds as thoroughly as I would have wished. A good many of the birds showed no signs of injury except where they had been hit with clubs, or shot, and I am certain that had they been allowed thne to recover from the shock they would have. See Bulletin of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences, IX, 1908, pp. 23-28, for a full account by Mr. Savage of this same disaster. escaped. I found the birds with one exception fat and in excellent condition, but was disappointed to find the stomachs empty; in only three cases I found slight traces of vegetable matter. The birds had not fed since they strayed into the Niagara River. The weights varied from 11 lb. 15 oz. to 18 lb. 10 oz.; a fourth were birds of less than a year old, the remainder were fully white, and some must be very old birds. Mr. P. A. Taverner secured drawings of all the variations in the beaks. The tedious work of nmking up so ninny skins was safely accomplished by Mr. H. H. Mitchell and assistants.
DISASTERS that so often overtake migrating birds are seldom matters of newspaper interest, but in the present case the birds were so conspicuous and the circumstances so unusual that public interest was aroused by the account in the Buffalo papers of March 17, 190S, of a slaughter of wild swans that took place at Niagara Falls on the 15th. It was stated that 12S birds were taken out of a flock that had been swept over the Falls, and the names of several men who had nmdc the largest bags were given. I was able to get confirmation of the story from Mr. J. S. Wallace who was in touch with friends at Niagara, and on receiving two swans and more details on the 19th, Mr. Wallace and I decided to go to Niagara Falls and get the story at first hand, and the following is as nearly a correct account as it was possible to get. On the morning of March 14, 1908, a flock of three or four hundred swans lit in the Upper Niagara River below Grand Island and not far from the village of Chippawa, Ont. All day detached parties of swans were seen floating down the river with the current till danger of being swept into the Canadian rapids caused the birds to rise and fly back to their starting point. They were unable to obtain food, and the constant battling with the swift current no doubt weakened them. They were still in the upper river Sunday morning the 15th. It was a day of drizzling rain. About 11.30 a. a. William Leblond, who lives at the 'Maid of the Mist' landing below the Horseshoe Falls, was on the ice bridge that then barred the river at that point. His attention being called by its cries to a swan struggling at the edge of the ice, he looked up the river towards the Falls. The water seemed covered with a struggling mass of swans that were rapidly being swept towards him. Some were caught in the Bass Rock eddy and detained near the Ontario Power Company's building, but the great majority were carried by the current directly to the ice bridge and either cast up, or ground against it, by the masses of floating ice that were continually coming over the Falls. Some of the birds were already dead, many were injured, and the rest stunned and unable to help themselves; though how any could have remained alive after coming over the falls is difficult to understand; yet many of the birds were able to call loudly in their distress. News of the disaster quickly spread and men went out on the ice bridge clubbing all the swans that could be reached, while others fished the dead and dying birds out of the water with poles, and the Italian laborers at the power works attended to all that calnc ashore at their point. On Monday any birds that could not be reached with clubs and poles were shot. Just how many of the flock came over the falls will never be known but after the disaster it was estimated that something under 200 birds remained on the upper river; at least 100 birds were either slaughtered or picked up between the falls and the ice bridge; some were certainly sucked under the ice and caught in the fissures of the ice bridge, and only two were taken below that point. There seems little doubt that 100 is a safe estimate of the birds taken, and all are agreed that none escaped alive, though it afterwards became apparent that many of the birds would have recovered from the shock had they been left alone, though the town of Niagara Falls would thereby have missed a gastronomic experience much to its liking, for contrary to the usual belief these swans were good eatin Z. We found on arriving at the Falls that Mr. Harry Schmnacker had arranged interviews with some of the principal witnesses of the tragedy, and we were able to get a great deal of information from Mr. Harry Willirons and Mr. Leblonde. At the latter's place we saw 30 swans hanging en masse. The sight was not one easily' forgotten. We were within a few yards of the scene of the killing, it was late when we reached the place, and at first the swans stood out as an indistinct patch of white in the surrounding darkness, but when we were able to examine the mass with the aid of lanterns we understood the extent of the tragedy that had taken place. On the 18th three more swans were taken; one of these was alive and was taken to the Buffalo Zoo by Mr. James Savage, where it fully recovered. Another, Mr. Leblonde told us, had taken refuge in some inaccessible place near the 'Cave of the Winds' and was still alive on the 20th. On the 22d (Sunday) 12 more swans crone over the Falls; six of these were taken at the Bass Rock eddy, and five at the ice bridge, while three were seen to rise from the water between the Falls and ice bridge and fly back over the Falls and on up the river. Mr. Wallace made several subsequent visits to the Falls and cleared up some doubtful points; we were also able to compare our notes with those secured by Mr. James Savage x of Buffalo. Swans come over the Falls occasionally, some were taken in 1906 and 1907, but nothing like the present case is remembered by any one, In all I saw thirty-six birds; of these I was able to secure thirty- three, resulting in a unique series of measurements, and adding to my collection all the sterna, and the skins of twenty-eight birds, while five were handed over to friends for mounting. A careful examination of the swans showed that several had broken wings, others had the clavicles dislocated, and in one or two the sternum was crushed, others had the lungs congested, but it was not possible to examine the birds as thoroughly as I would have wished. A good many of the birds showed no signs of injury except where they had been hit with clubs, or shot, and I am certain that had they been allowed thne to recover from the shock they would have. See Bulletin of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences, IX, 1908, pp. 23-28, for a full account by Mr. Savage of this same disaster. escaped. I found the birds with one exception fat and in excellent condition, but was disappointed to find the stomachs empty; in only three cases I found slight traces of vegetable matter. The birds had not fed since they strayed into the Niagara River. The weights varied from 11 lb. 15 oz. to 18 lb. 10 oz.; a fourth were birds of less than a year old, the remainder were fully white, and some must be very old birds. Mr. P. A. Taverner secured drawings of all the variations in the beaks. The tedious work of nmking up so ninny skins was safely accomplished by Mr. H. H. Mitchell and assistants.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Oxford, Hurdle Mills, Greenville, NC
We're not far from Hurdle Mills or Greenville, NC... where are you?
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