Locate a theatre near you!
Saturday, June 30, 2007
LA Times Attacks Michael Moore
It seems that some conservatives are all for turning a profit, unless the person earning it is a liberal.John Horn, in a report for the LA Times, has a problem with Michael Moore making money. Horn gives away his bias, however, in the sub-head to his article:
The 'Sicko' director has an unprecedented deal for the documentary's profits, which he says ensures his continued independence. (emphasis mine)
Horn goes on to say:
MICHAEL MOORE'S "Sicko" focuses on how profit motives keep Americans from receiving quality medical care. But health insurance companies aren't the only ones in the documentary with revenue at stake: Moore himself stands to make a mint on the film.
Actually, the first four paragraphs are not about the content of the film, or the state of our health care industry -- they are all about Michael Moore making a profit.
God forbid that Moore earns enough from "Sicko" to be able to produce other stellar documentaries.
While some filmmakers' wealth can make their films seem elitist, Moore argues that his moviemaking and financial accomplishments actually have allowed him to remain even more focused on the real world.
"What it should do to me is remind me every single day that I have an even greater responsibility to do good with the success that I have been blessed with," Moore says. "I need to make sure that I am able to make the next film with the money that I have made on this film."
By being financially independent, Moore says, he is insulated from the corporate pressures that might try to dilute his impassioned documentaries, which include "Roger & Me," "Bowling for Columbine" and the Oscar-winning "Fahrenheit 9/11."
"The money allows me to never have to give in, never compromise," says Moore [...]
So, the truth comes out!
Write to John Horn, at john.horn@latimes.com, and tell him that articles like this make YOU Sicko!
Friday, June 29, 2007
Blog Against Theocracy - It's almost here!!
Blue Gal has posted directions for the upcoming Blog Against Theocracy, July 1-4. We hope you will help celebrate our July 4th Independence Day by taking part! Here are the highlights:The blogswarm against theocracy will begin this Sunday, July 1, and will run through Wednesday July 4.
Follow these instructions to participate:
1. Post to your blog about the separation of church and state. If you want to point your readers to something they can DO about the religious right, send them to the First Freedom First website and ask them to sign the petition. First Freedom First is not a sponsor of this blogswarm, but they have been a very very helpful resource, and Blog against Theocracy would like to return the favor. You may wish to tag your
post "Blog Against Theocracy."2. send an email toblogagainsttheocracy.jul07AT blogger DOT com
The SUBJECT LINE of your email will be the NAME of your blog. I would type for my subject, "Blue Gal". Don't use all caps or any extra lines. It won't get picked up.
The BODY of your email should have ONE thing in it: The url for your post. Blogger will turn this into a link automatically. Make sure you post the full url, including the http, etc.
I'm sorry, but that's all you're allowed to email. Longer posts will be truncated, and if they're not, BAT staff will edit them. We have to be fair to everyone participating. We'll also be watching for spam and deleting that as it arrives, so don't feel you
have to email me if you see any violations or spam on the site, we'll get to it.I've tested this system and the biggest problem is getting the darn email address correct. It's AT blogger DOT com not AT gmail DOT com. And make sure you have a period between the blogagainsttheocracy and the july07, and that you spell theocracy correctly.
You may email blogagainsttheocracy AT gmail DOT com if you have any questions or problems.
Yikes! is a proud co-conspirator of this blogswarm. If you are a blogger, please join in. If you are not, why not start blogging! Or, go to one of the participating sites and add your comments.
We can take back our country from the strangle hold of the religious right, but only by working together!
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Thursday night blogger roundup
It's been a very busy day, but I wanted to get something up! Here is a collection of posts that I think should not be missed. If you enjoy them, please leave a comment at their site.
Have fun!
from Crooks and Liars
Daily Show: Lewis Black Exposes Right Wing Media Paranoia
Press Release by C&L concerning Brent Bozell’s attack on Elizabeth Edwards
from My Left Wing
James Dobson will freak out when he sees this film
Cheney: Can Anybody Lick This Dick?
Who knew there was good Dick in D.C.?
[Note: it must have been theme day at My Left Wing!]
from The Carpetbagger Report
A ’sad-sack president’
Stop him before he shills again
The truth is apparently out of the question
from The Quaker Agitator
Onward to 1953!
from Zaius Nation
Yes, It's True, Henry Waxman Wears His Underpants on the Outside
[Note: Actually, this link is to the entire site ... what can I say, I liked it all!]
Have fun!
from Crooks and Liars
Daily Show: Lewis Black Exposes Right Wing Media Paranoia
Press Release by C&L concerning Brent Bozell’s attack on Elizabeth Edwards
from My Left Wing
James Dobson will freak out when he sees this film
Cheney: Can Anybody Lick This Dick?
Who knew there was good Dick in D.C.?
[Note: it must have been theme day at My Left Wing!]
from The Carpetbagger Report
A ’sad-sack president’
Stop him before he shills again
The truth is apparently out of the question
from The Quaker Agitator
Onward to 1953!
from Zaius Nation
Yes, It's True, Henry Waxman Wears His Underpants on the Outside
[Note: Actually, this link is to the entire site ... what can I say, I liked it all!]
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Melissa McEwan - A Woman who Shakes Things Up
It seems that some folks just don't like a woman with a brain. I'm so glad I'm not one of those folks. I'm so not one of those folks, that I want to lend my support to Melissa McEwan -- whose blog Shakesville is under a DOS attack.Keep in mind that I'm not a techie, but I do understand the First Amendment -- and someone obviously doesn't like what Melissa has to say, so they are trying to take away her forum.
What is really sad about this is that clearly the people behind this attack can't win a civil debate, so they have resorted to shutting down the site -- temporarily.
But the one thing they are forgetting is that you can't keep a good woman down!
As we wait for the problem to be resolved, you can still read Melissa at Shakespeare's Sister. And while you are there, support Shakesville by dropping some money in the donation plate ... and NOT the kind that makes a noise.
Oh, and one more thing . . . I am Spartacus!
o
She's baaaaaack ... Ugh!
And Morse has the back story on the national nightmare we've all come to know as Ann Coulter.
Normally I like to add a photo with each post, but I just can't bring myself to do it this time. I guess it's because I find this woman to be so revolting, that I don't want to have to look at her every time I open my own blog.
What I don't get is why any credible news outlet -- which would exclude FOX News -- would give this woman air time? There are no words that would adequately describe the depths to which this woman will sink to sell a book, or keep her face in front of a camera.
Hat tip to Tengrain at Mock, Paper, Scissors for this.
Normally I like to add a photo with each post, but I just can't bring myself to do it this time. I guess it's because I find this woman to be so revolting, that I don't want to have to look at her every time I open my own blog.
What I don't get is why any credible news outlet -- which would exclude FOX News -- would give this woman air time? There are no words that would adequately describe the depths to which this woman will sink to sell a book, or keep her face in front of a camera.
Hat tip to Tengrain at Mock, Paper, Scissors for this.
Bush has lost the heartland
How long will it take for the Democratic leadership to acknowledge that Bush has lost the support he once enjoyed from all those "red" states in America's heartland?Republican Senator Richard Lugar (pictured), from my home state of Indiana, has now conceded that we must begin to bring the troops home from Iraq. The Washington Post reports:
In an unannounced speech on the Senate floor Monday night, Sen. Richard G. Lugar Ind.), the ranking Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, said the U.S. military escalation begun in the spring has "very limited" prospects for success. He called on Bush to begin reducing U.S. forces. "We don't owe the president our unquestioning agreement," Lugar said.
The harsh judgment from one of the Senate's most respected foreign-policy voices was a blow to White House efforts to boost flagging support for its war policy, and opened the door to defections by other Republicans who have supported the administration despite increasing private doubts.
Lugar's comments were follow by another heartland Senator, George V. Voinovich, a Republican from Ohio.
Sen. George V. Voinovich (R-Ohio), a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, sent a letter to Bush yesterday urging the president to develop "a comprehensive plan for our country's gradual military disengagement" from Iraq. "I am also concerned that we are running out of time," he wrote.
And the comments just keep coming.
Sen. John W. Warner (R-Va.), a member of the Armed Services Committee, praised Lugar's statement as "an important and sincere contribution" to the Iraq debate.
As Republican skepticism grows the question remains -- will the Democrats seize the day and use this momentum to finally pass legislation that will begin troop withdrawals any time soon?
Only time will tell.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Birding by ear, alone
The "alone" part in my entry title is for two reasons: First, Kat left yesterday and is now in Europe at a conference, and Em left last week to visit Kat's parents, so I'm all alone in the old Marsh House. *sniffle!* Second is the meat of this blog entry. Please read on, and forgive the lack of photos; Kat took it to take pics in Europe.
I've talked a few times about going birding with Roana and Nan from the State College birding club, and how phenomenal they are at birding by ear -- listening, hearing, and identifying all sorts of birds just by their songs and/or calls. Tonight, on my way home, I decided to take the scenic route home and go through some of the routes in one of Roana's atlas blocks. As it was about 8pm and getting dark fast, I had to use my ears instead of my eyes most of the time. Here's what I was able to hear; I couldn't always ID it, but these are my best-effort transcriptions of what I heard:
1. preet preet peer peer reet-reet-reet-reet-reet-reet That last "reet-reet" part is a long, slow trilling, almost like a swamp sparrow does. The call was always the same, always these three distinct sounds, in this complete pattern, uttered fairly quickly but certainly slowly enough for me to hear note. At the time, I was next to a grassy area but could see no birds. I was in open and fairly flat valley grasslands and farmland.
2. dut-tweedully-tweedully-tzee-tzay That first part isn't shown very well, but it was a fast twittering with a sequence of a hard first note, then two quick triplets, then the see-say of the Savannah sparrow. Here again, I was still in the open grassland/farmland area. The only reason I even recognized this one is that Hillel at work called me the other day and asked me to come outside to the parking lot to hear one of these, but when I got out there, the bird had gone already. But that's how I recognized the call: his rendering of the twittering and then the see-say. A lot of the texts say that first part is more like zut-zut-zut, but my guy sounded like what I have written here. Who knows why.
3. witchety-witchety-witchety-witch This one, I know well: common yellowthroat. By now, I'd started going into the woodsier areas, where there were some fields and some large woodlots dividing them. I've yet to actually see a yellowthroat, but I think there's one nesting either in the yew tree outside my bedroom window or in Neighbor Ed's huge maple tree. He sounds like he's in the yew, though; he's LOUD. I want to see him, though; I think these birds are beautiful.
3. teakettle-teakettle-teakettle Now I was next to a densely wooded area, and for once I heard this song and the witchety song, one near the other. There was a distinct difference in the two songs, and I'm pretty sure this one was the Carolina wren's teakettle song. Either that or this yellowthroat was British and uppity.
4. pee-oh-wee An easy one: Eastern wood pewee. I like this song; it echoed out of the dense woods.
5. the crazy twittering and tweaking and mewing of a catbird; I had help on this one: he landed in the tree right next to the road at eye level, just next to a wheat field. Love that dashing little black cap! Of course, let's not forget I once had a close encounter with one of these guys, so I'm still a little shy around them.
I did actually see (but didn't hear) two birds I couldn't ID. The first was sparrow-like, flying away from me into a cornfield, and his tail was medium-length, broadly spread, and was brown with black edges. Anyone care to venture a guess on this one? It's a pretty meager clue to work with, but it's all I got. The second one looked like the ugliest robin I'd ever seen; no red on the chest, just splotchy brown and gray, two wing bars on dusky gray wings, gray back; otherwise, his body and shape seemed like those of a robin. Perhaps it was a slow-developing immature of some sort? I don't know, but I felt bad for this bird; if it's a male, he'd better forget about getting any action this year!
The rest of the birds I saw were pretty easy to ID: a lot of tree and barn swallows, some red-winged blackbirds, mourning doves, robins, grackles, etc. I was hoping to see an Eastern meadowlark but had no luck with that.
All in all, it was a very enjoyable 45 minutes spent birding by ear, alone.
OH--P.S. While googling things like "see-say" to make sure I remembered "Savannah sparrow" correctly, or "teakettle teakettle" is a Carolina sparrow, I found two great things:
1. A hilarious google response to witchety-witchety:
I'm throwing out all your shit, and changing the locks! Scrubbly grubbly scribbly wiggly witchety man! Witchety witchety man! ... www.outpostnine.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-5723.html - 6k - Supplemental Result -
I still haven't followed that link yet. I think it's perfect exactly the way it is, without finding out the rest of whatever this person said to this "scrubbly grubbly wiggly witchety man!"
and
2. a fantastic list of common mnemonics for bird songs! http://www.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/birdsong.html Check it out!
I've talked a few times about going birding with Roana and Nan from the State College birding club, and how phenomenal they are at birding by ear -- listening, hearing, and identifying all sorts of birds just by their songs and/or calls. Tonight, on my way home, I decided to take the scenic route home and go through some of the routes in one of Roana's atlas blocks. As it was about 8pm and getting dark fast, I had to use my ears instead of my eyes most of the time. Here's what I was able to hear; I couldn't always ID it, but these are my best-effort transcriptions of what I heard:
1. preet preet peer peer reet-reet-reet-reet-reet-reet That last "reet-reet" part is a long, slow trilling, almost like a swamp sparrow does. The call was always the same, always these three distinct sounds, in this complete pattern, uttered fairly quickly but certainly slowly enough for me to hear note. At the time, I was next to a grassy area but could see no birds. I was in open and fairly flat valley grasslands and farmland.
2. dut-tweedully-tweedully-tzee-tzay That first part isn't shown very well, but it was a fast twittering with a sequence of a hard first note, then two quick triplets, then the see-say of the Savannah sparrow. Here again, I was still in the open grassland/farmland area. The only reason I even recognized this one is that Hillel at work called me the other day and asked me to come outside to the parking lot to hear one of these, but when I got out there, the bird had gone already. But that's how I recognized the call: his rendering of the twittering and then the see-say. A lot of the texts say that first part is more like zut-zut-zut, but my guy sounded like what I have written here. Who knows why.
3. witchety-witchety-witchety-witch This one, I know well: common yellowthroat. By now, I'd started going into the woodsier areas, where there were some fields and some large woodlots dividing them. I've yet to actually see a yellowthroat, but I think there's one nesting either in the yew tree outside my bedroom window or in Neighbor Ed's huge maple tree. He sounds like he's in the yew, though; he's LOUD. I want to see him, though; I think these birds are beautiful.
3. teakettle-teakettle-teakettle Now I was next to a densely wooded area, and for once I heard this song and the witchety song, one near the other. There was a distinct difference in the two songs, and I'm pretty sure this one was the Carolina wren's teakettle song. Either that or this yellowthroat was British and uppity.
4. pee-oh-wee An easy one: Eastern wood pewee. I like this song; it echoed out of the dense woods.
5. the crazy twittering and tweaking and mewing of a catbird; I had help on this one: he landed in the tree right next to the road at eye level, just next to a wheat field. Love that dashing little black cap! Of course, let's not forget I once had a close encounter with one of these guys, so I'm still a little shy around them.
I did actually see (but didn't hear) two birds I couldn't ID. The first was sparrow-like, flying away from me into a cornfield, and his tail was medium-length, broadly spread, and was brown with black edges. Anyone care to venture a guess on this one? It's a pretty meager clue to work with, but it's all I got. The second one looked like the ugliest robin I'd ever seen; no red on the chest, just splotchy brown and gray, two wing bars on dusky gray wings, gray back; otherwise, his body and shape seemed like those of a robin. Perhaps it was a slow-developing immature of some sort? I don't know, but I felt bad for this bird; if it's a male, he'd better forget about getting any action this year!
The rest of the birds I saw were pretty easy to ID: a lot of tree and barn swallows, some red-winged blackbirds, mourning doves, robins, grackles, etc. I was hoping to see an Eastern meadowlark but had no luck with that.
All in all, it was a very enjoyable 45 minutes spent birding by ear, alone.
OH--P.S. While googling things like "see-say" to make sure I remembered "Savannah sparrow" correctly, or "teakettle teakettle" is a Carolina sparrow, I found two great things:
1. A hilarious google response to witchety-witchety:
I'm throwing out all your shit, and changing the locks! Scrubbly grubbly scribbly wiggly witchety man! Witchety witchety man! ... www.outpostnine.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-5723.html - 6k - Supplemental Result -
I still haven't followed that link yet. I think it's perfect exactly the way it is, without finding out the rest of whatever this person said to this "scrubbly grubbly wiggly witchety man!"
and
2. a fantastic list of common mnemonics for bird songs! http://www.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/birdsong.html Check it out!
Monday, June 25, 2007
Elizabeth Edwards for President!
Speaking at the kickoff event for San Francisco's Gay Pride Parade, Elizabeth Edwards voiced her support for same-sex marriage. A position that places her in opposition to her husband, presidential candidate John Edwards.SFGate.com reports:
"I don't know why somebody else's marriage has anything to do with me," she said. "I'm completely comfortable with gay marriage."
Edwards was keynote speaker at a standing-room-only breakfast hosted by the Alice B. Toklas Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Democratic Club. The group is "a key organization in the powerful gay political base in San Francisco. "
The appearance by the candidate's wife -- witnessed by many local politicians, including Mayor Gavin Newsom, District Attorney Kamala Harris and City Attorney Dennis Herrera -- was hailed as a milestone in the 30-year history of the Gay Pride event, which had never been visited by a major presidential candidate or spouse [...]
Edwards' embrace of same-sex marriage puts her in a position that differs markedly from her husband, the former North Carolina senator. Edwards said her husband, though having a "deeply held belief against any form of discrimination," supports gay civil unions, but does not support gay marriage.
"John has been pretty clear about it, that he is very conflicted," she said. "That's up against his being raised in the 1950s in a rural southern town. I think honestly he's on a road that a lot of people in this country are on. ... They're struggling with this. Most of the gay and lesbian people I know ... have seen their friends and family walking down that same road.
"It's frustrating, I know," she added, "but it's a long distance from where we are now to the pews of a Southern Baptist church. So, John's been as honest as he can about that."
One can only hope that should John Edwards become the Democratic party nominee that he will listen to his wife.Oh, and
HAPPY PRIDE!!
HAPPY PRIDE!!
Supreme Court decision blocks courthouse door for some 'faith-based' lawsuits
Is anyone surprised that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that ordinary taxpayers cannot challenge a White House initiative that helps religious groups get federal money?In a 5-4 decision the Court has blocked a lawsuit by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc., challenging the Bush Administration's use of taxpayer funds for conferences which instruct religious groups on how to apply for federal grants.
The majority opinion in Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation written by Justice Samuel Alito, appointed to the Court by President Bush, overturned a ruling that allowed the lawsuit to proceed. Bush's other high court appointee, Chief Justice John Roberts, also joined the ruling.
The Associated Press reports:
Taxpayers in the case "set out a parade of horribles that they claim could occur" unless the court stopped the Bush administration initiative, wrote Justice Samuel Alito. "Of course, none of these things has happened."
The justices' decision revolved around a 1968 Supreme Court ruling that enabled taxpayers to challenge government programs that promote religion.
The 1968 decision involved the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which financed teaching and instructional materials in religious schools in low-income areas.
"This case falls outside" the narrow exception allowing such cases to proceed, Alito wrote.In dissent, Justice David Souter said that the court should have allowed the taxpayer challenge to proceed.
The majority "closes the door on these taxpayers because the executive branch, and not the legislative branch, caused their injury," wrote Souter. "I see no basis for this distinction."
In a press release from Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Rev. Barry W. Lynn said:
"Most church-state lawsuits, including those that challenge congressional appropriations for faith-based programs, will not be affected," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State
The outcome of the case before the Supreme Court was disappointing, Lynn said, because "taxpayers should be allowed to challenge public funding of religion, whether the money is allocated by Congress or the White House."Did anyone really expect this Court to protect the Constitution?
DC Judge Loses $54 Million Pants Lawsuit
NBC News just announced the decision in the case of DC Administrative Law Judge Roy Pearson (right) against Jin and Soo Chung, and their sons, owners of Custom Cleaners.A D.C. Superior Court judge has sided with the defendants over a $54 million lawsuit over a pair of pants.The long nightmare for the Chung's is finally over.
According to the judge's decision, the plaintiff, Administrative Law Judge Roy Pearson Jr. will take nothing from Soo Chung and Jim Nam Chung, the owners of Custom Cleaners.
The judge also awarded the Chungs' court costs
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Evening in the garden of good and weedy
FINALLY I got the chance to take Niblet out to the vegetable garden so he could run around. It's completely enclosed, so he doesn't need a harness. However, I was a little paranoid that some raptor would see him running around looking white and tasty, but nothing bad happened.
I took him out in a little cloth bag (he hates being picked up) and, once safe behind the gate, I put him down. He was a bit nervous at first (just like last year):
He got used to it out there pretty quickly, though, and started to explore.
“This is where I belong!”
Crouching Delia, Hidden Nibble
“Boy, these plants are huge!”
He spent a little time among his favorite veggies, but he didn’t even nibble any cilantro. I think he was too excited to eat:
Then he discovered my ‘California Wonder’ bell peppers:
“What’s this?”
“GIMME!” (he got out of frame here, tearing at my poor little pepper plant)
“Delicious!”
My peppers! Sheesh!
I got the requisite cutey-booty shot:
and one of him standing up looking around:
”The wild rabbit steps out of the jungle, moving with the grace of a -- well, a rabbit....”
Boy, you can really see his little nub-ear here. Poor sweet baby!
Once inside (he did NOT want to leave the garden, and he did a few backfeet-flippies just to let me know it), Kisses showed him how much she missed him:
I'm always talking about how well the kitties and Nibble get along; this is a typical greeting between these two. Clawsie's not always so friendly (I think she tastes him sometimes!), but Cookies and Niblet get along just as well as Kisses and Niblet do. We're lucky to have such a happy family!
I took him out in a little cloth bag (he hates being picked up) and, once safe behind the gate, I put him down. He was a bit nervous at first (just like last year):
He got used to it out there pretty quickly, though, and started to explore.
“This is where I belong!”
Crouching Delia, Hidden Nibble
“Boy, these plants are huge!”
He spent a little time among his favorite veggies, but he didn’t even nibble any cilantro. I think he was too excited to eat:
Then he discovered my ‘California Wonder’ bell peppers:
“What’s this?”
“GIMME!” (he got out of frame here, tearing at my poor little pepper plant)
“Delicious!”
My peppers! Sheesh!
I got the requisite cutey-booty shot:
and one of him standing up looking around:
”The wild rabbit steps out of the jungle, moving with the grace of a -- well, a rabbit....”
Boy, you can really see his little nub-ear here. Poor sweet baby!
Once inside (he did NOT want to leave the garden, and he did a few backfeet-flippies just to let me know it), Kisses showed him how much she missed him:
I'm always talking about how well the kitties and Nibble get along; this is a typical greeting between these two. Clawsie's not always so friendly (I think she tastes him sometimes!), but Cookies and Niblet get along just as well as Kisses and Niblet do. We're lucky to have such a happy family!
Adventures in digiscoping: Two flowers vs. a Mountain
I was doing some digiscoping research, reading tips and tricks from various sources, etc. and I was inspired to give digiscoping another go this weekend. It's been a while since I've done any birds with the scope, because I just wasn't getting good results. This is a good representation of a typical d-scoped shot for me:
This was in good light (though the bird was shaded a bit), camera hand-held to scope (still working on a good adapter) on tripod, and I'm standing on the porch shooting through the open window. Decent, but still blurry. And no matter what I do, I can't get improve the vignetting problem! But blurriness is worse to me, so let's press on and ignore the "custom matte" around the photos....
So I read that setting the camera to different modes sometimes works better than just the general "camera" (on a Nikon Coolpix, this means the green camera icon) mode, which was previously about all I'd ever used on birds. When I photographed the moon the last couple of times, however, I tried different modes because it was so dark. Anyway, I read a lot of suggestions to try putting the camera on "macro" (two flowers icon), so I tried that one first:
These shots were taken while I was standing in the yard this morning. While the blurriness is I daresay significantly improved (I was concentrating on holding the camera steady and pressing the shutter slowly and carefully to minimize vibration), you'll note the weird yellow tinge to the shots. Don't know if this was because of the macro mode or the bright sun or what, but I decided to try another suggestion: the mountain icon, or "infinity" mode.
Again, shooting from my position in the yard, I set the camera to the mountain icon and scoped an obliging bunny:
If you look at the large version of that first shot, you can see the bunny's beautiful brown eyes! This isn't tack-sharp or anything, but WOW what an improvement! I was getting pretty excited, so I went back to the robin from two-flowers mode; he was kind enough to wait for me:
How about that!? AND I got my first shot of a singing bird, mouth wide open!
I'm reinvigorated now. In the fight between the two flowers and the mountain, the mountain wins! Apparently, the mountain allows you to focus not just with the camera but with the scope as well--something I'd never even thought of doing that before! It really makes a difference as I am now able to fine-tune the focus with the scope and get a good sharp photo.
Now, back to the vignetting: It's significant, no matter whether I zoom the camera up or not. I've got the scope's eyepiece rubber guard thing folded down, but I think the lens in the Coolpix 4800 is just set back in the camera pretty far. Still, clear photos, even small ones, are a real improvement for me in my quest to learn digiscoping on my rather modest budget. I'll admit I'm a little jealous of people who start out with a couple of thousand dollars' worth of equipment -- high-end Swarovski scope, custom adapter, and high-end camera -- and get crystal-clear d-scoped images right off the bat.
It hasn't been that easy for me. I've had my struggles, first with my attempts to make a homemade scope (remember that!?), then finally getting a lower-end Meade Condor scope and my nice Coolpix 4800 camera. I know the optics on the Condor aren't even close to what I'd get in a Swarovski or a Leica spotting scope, but I just can't see spending a couple grand on that (nor could I afford to!) right now. Maybe one day, when I win the lottery and live a life of bon-bons, servants, and carefree days.... or maybe not. Right now, I'm happy I got d-scoped some good images!
Now I'm going to wrap up the Nibble for his photo shoot in the garden!
This was in good light (though the bird was shaded a bit), camera hand-held to scope (still working on a good adapter) on tripod, and I'm standing on the porch shooting through the open window. Decent, but still blurry. And no matter what I do, I can't get improve the vignetting problem! But blurriness is worse to me, so let's press on and ignore the "custom matte" around the photos....
So I read that setting the camera to different modes sometimes works better than just the general "camera" (on a Nikon Coolpix, this means the green camera icon) mode, which was previously about all I'd ever used on birds. When I photographed the moon the last couple of times, however, I tried different modes because it was so dark. Anyway, I read a lot of suggestions to try putting the camera on "macro" (two flowers icon), so I tried that one first:
These shots were taken while I was standing in the yard this morning. While the blurriness is I daresay significantly improved (I was concentrating on holding the camera steady and pressing the shutter slowly and carefully to minimize vibration), you'll note the weird yellow tinge to the shots. Don't know if this was because of the macro mode or the bright sun or what, but I decided to try another suggestion: the mountain icon, or "infinity" mode.
Again, shooting from my position in the yard, I set the camera to the mountain icon and scoped an obliging bunny:
If you look at the large version of that first shot, you can see the bunny's beautiful brown eyes! This isn't tack-sharp or anything, but WOW what an improvement! I was getting pretty excited, so I went back to the robin from two-flowers mode; he was kind enough to wait for me:
How about that!? AND I got my first shot of a singing bird, mouth wide open!
I'm reinvigorated now. In the fight between the two flowers and the mountain, the mountain wins! Apparently, the mountain allows you to focus not just with the camera but with the scope as well--something I'd never even thought of doing that before! It really makes a difference as I am now able to fine-tune the focus with the scope and get a good sharp photo.
Now, back to the vignetting: It's significant, no matter whether I zoom the camera up or not. I've got the scope's eyepiece rubber guard thing folded down, but I think the lens in the Coolpix 4800 is just set back in the camera pretty far. Still, clear photos, even small ones, are a real improvement for me in my quest to learn digiscoping on my rather modest budget. I'll admit I'm a little jealous of people who start out with a couple of thousand dollars' worth of equipment -- high-end Swarovski scope, custom adapter, and high-end camera -- and get crystal-clear d-scoped images right off the bat.
It hasn't been that easy for me. I've had my struggles, first with my attempts to make a homemade scope (remember that!?), then finally getting a lower-end Meade Condor scope and my nice Coolpix 4800 camera. I know the optics on the Condor aren't even close to what I'd get in a Swarovski or a Leica spotting scope, but I just can't see spending a couple grand on that (nor could I afford to!) right now. Maybe one day, when I win the lottery and live a life of bon-bons, servants, and carefree days.... or maybe not. Right now, I'm happy I got d-scoped some good images!
Now I'm going to wrap up the Nibble for his photo shoot in the garden!
Around the backyard
I took a walk around the backyard with the camera yesterday to see how things are coming along.
A robin has built a nest in the tamarack, just above the feeder. She used some plastic twine I had out there on the badminton net to make herself a nice home, which makes me feel like I helped. Here's a shot of Mama R, relaxing in her new home:
I don't think we have eggs yet, but I've seen someone I presume to be Mr. R watching over Mama R, so maybe we'll have eggs soon! I also saw an oriole making back-and-forth trips out beyond the marsh and the woods in front of the house. I'm sure there's at least one nesting pair up there.
Several others have made their homes for the season around the yard as well--on the side of the house:
and under the yew tree:
The marsh has greened up beautifully:
We're getting a nice stand of cattails right by the back fence, so I'm hoping for some good ops here:
I snapped this photo of a song sparrow and a female red-winged blackbird having a discussion:
The garden is bursting with green:
and the pears are about the size of a half-dollar coin:
I was hoping the honeysuckle would attract some hummingbirds, but so far I haven't seen even one. But the flowers scent the entire backyard:
Some unknown plants have come up--nature fans, give me a hand:
Yesterday, we shopped at the Centre Hall city-wide yard sale and got this for the backyard:
We've been wanting one of these forever! Now I can satisfy my primitive urges to build fires, something which got me into trouble a few times as a kid....
and this for the inside of the house:
We made our first loaf this morning, an easy whole wheat. FANTASTIC!
and this little bird:
Not quite sure of the ID, but I'm guessing a duckling of some sort? Think I saw one of these in a Bugs Bunny cartoon....
Coming attractions:
Adventures in digiscoping: Two flowers vs. Mountain
Niblet in the garden! (finally)
A robin has built a nest in the tamarack, just above the feeder. She used some plastic twine I had out there on the badminton net to make herself a nice home, which makes me feel like I helped. Here's a shot of Mama R, relaxing in her new home:
I don't think we have eggs yet, but I've seen someone I presume to be Mr. R watching over Mama R, so maybe we'll have eggs soon! I also saw an oriole making back-and-forth trips out beyond the marsh and the woods in front of the house. I'm sure there's at least one nesting pair up there.
Several others have made their homes for the season around the yard as well--on the side of the house:
and under the yew tree:
The marsh has greened up beautifully:
We're getting a nice stand of cattails right by the back fence, so I'm hoping for some good ops here:
I snapped this photo of a song sparrow and a female red-winged blackbird having a discussion:
The garden is bursting with green:
and the pears are about the size of a half-dollar coin:
I was hoping the honeysuckle would attract some hummingbirds, but so far I haven't seen even one. But the flowers scent the entire backyard:
Some unknown plants have come up--nature fans, give me a hand:
Yesterday, we shopped at the Centre Hall city-wide yard sale and got this for the backyard:
We've been wanting one of these forever! Now I can satisfy my primitive urges to build fires, something which got me into trouble a few times as a kid....and this for the inside of the house:
We made our first loaf this morning, an easy whole wheat. FANTASTIC! and this little bird:
Not quite sure of the ID, but I'm guessing a duckling of some sort? Think I saw one of these in a Bugs Bunny cartoon....
Coming attractions:
Adventures in digiscoping: Two flowers vs. Mountain
Niblet in the garden! (finally)
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Walking While Black
A young man is murdered, his friends gather to attend his funeral ... on the way to the service more than 30 of them are arrested in a police sting. Their crime? Walking while Black.The New York Times reports:
The police officers hopped from their vans and cars with shouts of “Hands up,” “Don’t move,” and “Get on the ground.” Someone in the crowd of young people yelled, “Nobody run” — and nobody did, witnesses said. The teenagers were frisked, forced up against a fence or a wall, or pushed to the asphalt.
Those watching said the mood was almost subdued as the handcuffs went on, the loudest sound the whir of a television news helicopter hovering above. “None of us understood what was going on,” said Dana Hollis, whose teenage daughter was arrested. ”Everything just happened so fast.”
Thirty-two young people, the youngest 13, were arrested the afternoon of May 21 in Bushwick, Brooklyn. They had been walking as a group to the subway, which they planned to take to Coney Island for the wake of Donnell McFarland, 18, who had been fatally shot a week earlier.
According to the police, the young people were "exchanging gang signs, wearing T-shirts with a gang name and bounding atop cars when they were arrested." But neighbors stated otherwise.
The charges are misdemeanors: unlawful assembly and disorderly conduct. No drugs or weapons were found, and there were no injuries to those arrested or to the police. The officers did not draw their guns. Yet this roundup of Brooklyn teenagers and young people has gotten widespread attention.
What crime did they commit? Who was hurt? What property was damaged? The answers ... none. Is it any wonder why some people fear the police as much as they do criminals?
Friday, June 22, 2007
Vouchers: Leaving Kids Behind
A report in the Washington Post indicates that voucher students show few gains the first year. Voucher supporters claim this is typical, and that voucher student eventually do better than students in public schools deemed to be failing. But, there is evidence that suggests this is not the case.
Most voucher programs are designed so that only private religious schools will accept them. Why should a private school with a tuition fee of $15,000 per year or more want to accept $7,500 or less as full tuition? Particularly when most have a waiting list to get in.
So taxpayers end up funding religious education that may be counter to their personal beliefs. And only a hand full of students get any relief from schools deemed failing.
Instead of promoting this Band aide solution to the challenges facing public schools why not just fix the so-called failing public school? That is where more than 90% of all students are educated.
Why save only a handful of students? And why force taxpayers to subsidize religious teaching?
Students in the D.C. school voucher program, the first federal initiative to spend taxpayer dollars on private school tuition, generally performed no better on reading and math tests after one year in the program than their peers in public schools, the U.S. Education Department said yesterday. [...]
"Vouchers have received a failing grade," said Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.). This just makes the voucher program even more irrelevant." [...]
A Republican-led Congress created the $14 million-a-year program in 2004. The five-year initiative provides $7,500 vouchers each year to 1,800 students, from kindergartners to high school seniors, who attend 58 private schools, most of them Catholic schools. Participants must live in the District and come from low-income families. Advocates say the program offers an alternative to the troubled D.C. public schools.
Most voucher programs are designed so that only private religious schools will accept them. Why should a private school with a tuition fee of $15,000 per year or more want to accept $7,500 or less as full tuition? Particularly when most have a waiting list to get in.
So taxpayers end up funding religious education that may be counter to their personal beliefs. And only a hand full of students get any relief from schools deemed failing.
Instead of promoting this Band aide solution to the challenges facing public schools why not just fix the so-called failing public school? That is where more than 90% of all students are educated.
Why save only a handful of students? And why force taxpayers to subsidize religious teaching?
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
TAKE ACTION: Urge Senate to override veto!
Bush Veto's Stem Cell bill, again!
Again choosing his personal ideology over sound science, Bush today vetoed a bipartisan Stem Cell bill. The Associated Press reports:Pushing back against the Democratic-led Congress, President Bush vetoed a bill Wednesday that would have eased restraints on federally funded embryonic stem cell research.
Democrats, who had made the stem cell legislation a top priority when they took control of the House and Senate in January, were quick to denounce the president's decision.
"This is just one example of how the president puts ideology before science, politics before the needs of our families, just one more example of how out of touch with reality he and his party have become," Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., told the Take Back America conference of liberal activists Wednesday.
Clearly Americans support expanding stem cell research. Every poll and every vote (in MO and CA) by the pubic on the subject indicates support. So what we have is a president who -- in an effort to "push back" against Democrats -- is blocking Americans from access to scientific research that could lead to potential life saving and life enhancing results.
Bush is imposing his religious views on everyone in a feeble attempt to hold onto his low 20's-percent religious right base. What a pathetic man.
This was the third veto of Bush's presidency. His first occurred last year when he rejected legislation to allow funding of additional lines of embryonic stem cells -- a measure that passed over the objections of Republicans then in control. The second legislation he vetoed would have set timetables for U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq.
So there you have it. Bush's legacy will be that of the Death President. Causing the quick deaths of thousands in an unpopular war, and the slow, torturous deaths of hundreds of thousands afflicted with terrible diseases. What should we expect from the "Executioner in Chief" from Texas.
Great news for local birds!
Here's a great story from our local paper, the Centre Daily Times, about a great guy and his love for nature and birds.
Deal secures bird sanctuary
By Anne Danahy
PATTON TOWNSHIP -- Spend a few hours on Karl H. Striedieck's picturesque property on the Bald Eagle Ridge and you start to lose track of the number of unusual birds you hear.
"There's that cuckoo," Striedieck said of the bird making a clicking noise.
The chirping came as Striedieck talked about a conservation easement he signed last week with ClearWater Conservancy. The easement, supported by a $104,500 federal grant, permanently protects Striedieck's 245-acre property from development. The goal is giving forest interior birds -- such as scarlet tanagers, warblers and wood thrushes -- a route for migrating and habitat for nesting, breeding and getting cover.
"I thought at least I could do my part with 245 acres. It really doesn't affect my life that much," Striedieck said.
He made the comments from near the top of the 95-foot fire tower that he bought for $100 and had moved from Reynoldsville to his property.
"It's the greatest view in Centre County," Striedieck said.
It's also a bird watcher's paradise. In 1993, the group he was with saw 39 golden eagles in one day.
William Hilshey, ClearWater Conservancy's conservation easement manager, said the easement on Striedieck's property is the first one in the Pennsylvania to be completed through the federal Landowner Incentive Program. The goal of the program, which is administered by the state, is to support easement on private lands that have "species of greatest conservation concern."
"With land grant programs like this people can enjoy the property and still protect the resources that need to be protected," said Hilshey, who worked with Striedieck to coordinate the grant and easement.
The grant targeted the 190 acres of forest land on Striedieck's property, but the easement also protects the 35 acres of early succession fields -- with lower growth favored by some birds -- and 10 grassy acres. The easement means that Striedieck and whoever owns the land after him are limited in what they can do with it. Housing developments, for example, are off limits.
Striedieck's property -- most of which is in Patton Township -- is also about a mile and a half from State Game Lands 176, known as Scotia Barrens, which is also a designated important bird area.
Brad Ross, wildlife biologist consultant for ClearWater, said along with the forest, the early succession habitat is very important for birds such as Eastern towhees, field sparrows, indigo buntings and catbirds.
"Those are the two key habitats that this property possesses that are really valuable," Ross said.
Striedieck, a retired military fighter pilot, lives on the property with his wife, Iris. He started buying the property in 1966, when he got 14 acres.
"When you lived out here in the 60s, it didn't look like you needed an easement on anything," Striedieck said.
In 2004 he talked with ClearWater about looking into one. A longtime member of the Sierra Club, Audubon Society and Hawk Mountain Association, Striedieck said "it just seemed like the right thing to do."
When he was growing up his mother would take him to a fire tower and drop him off and he'd watch birds all afternoon, he said.
Later he became interested in raptors through the Hawk Mountain Association. He also learned falconry, which he still does, along with flying gliders from the runway on his property.
Striedieck said what pushed his interest in getting an easement was seeing the area in transition.
"This property is getting gobbled up by developers," he said.
Iris Striedieck said the easement is in keeping with her husband's love for nature.
"One of the things that's consistent in his life," she said, "is his appreciation for nature and birds and flying."
Deal secures bird sanctuary
By Anne Danahy
PATTON TOWNSHIP -- Spend a few hours on Karl H. Striedieck's picturesque property on the Bald Eagle Ridge and you start to lose track of the number of unusual birds you hear.
"There's that cuckoo," Striedieck said of the bird making a clicking noise.
The chirping came as Striedieck talked about a conservation easement he signed last week with ClearWater Conservancy. The easement, supported by a $104,500 federal grant, permanently protects Striedieck's 245-acre property from development. The goal is giving forest interior birds -- such as scarlet tanagers, warblers and wood thrushes -- a route for migrating and habitat for nesting, breeding and getting cover.
"I thought at least I could do my part with 245 acres. It really doesn't affect my life that much," Striedieck said.
He made the comments from near the top of the 95-foot fire tower that he bought for $100 and had moved from Reynoldsville to his property.
"It's the greatest view in Centre County," Striedieck said.
It's also a bird watcher's paradise. In 1993, the group he was with saw 39 golden eagles in one day.
William Hilshey, ClearWater Conservancy's conservation easement manager, said the easement on Striedieck's property is the first one in the Pennsylvania to be completed through the federal Landowner Incentive Program. The goal of the program, which is administered by the state, is to support easement on private lands that have "species of greatest conservation concern."
"With land grant programs like this people can enjoy the property and still protect the resources that need to be protected," said Hilshey, who worked with Striedieck to coordinate the grant and easement.
The grant targeted the 190 acres of forest land on Striedieck's property, but the easement also protects the 35 acres of early succession fields -- with lower growth favored by some birds -- and 10 grassy acres. The easement means that Striedieck and whoever owns the land after him are limited in what they can do with it. Housing developments, for example, are off limits.
Striedieck's property -- most of which is in Patton Township -- is also about a mile and a half from State Game Lands 176, known as Scotia Barrens, which is also a designated important bird area.
Brad Ross, wildlife biologist consultant for ClearWater, said along with the forest, the early succession habitat is very important for birds such as Eastern towhees, field sparrows, indigo buntings and catbirds.
"Those are the two key habitats that this property possesses that are really valuable," Ross said.
Striedieck, a retired military fighter pilot, lives on the property with his wife, Iris. He started buying the property in 1966, when he got 14 acres.
"When you lived out here in the 60s, it didn't look like you needed an easement on anything," Striedieck said.
In 2004 he talked with ClearWater about looking into one. A longtime member of the Sierra Club, Audubon Society and Hawk Mountain Association, Striedieck said "it just seemed like the right thing to do."
When he was growing up his mother would take him to a fire tower and drop him off and he'd watch birds all afternoon, he said.
Later he became interested in raptors through the Hawk Mountain Association. He also learned falconry, which he still does, along with flying gliders from the runway on his property.
Striedieck said what pushed his interest in getting an easement was seeing the area in transition.
"This property is getting gobbled up by developers," he said.
Iris Striedieck said the easement is in keeping with her husband's love for nature.
"One of the things that's consistent in his life," she said, "is his appreciation for nature and birds and flying."
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Name that tune
If you didn’t watch The Sopranos final episode the joke might be lost on you, but this is very well done.
Independent Day?
NBC News is reporting that:New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg left the Republican Party on Tuesday and switched to unaffiliated, a move certain to be seen as a prelude to an independent presidential bid that would upend the 2008 race.
Bloomberg, who has been both a Democrat and a Republican, thinks Republicans are trending too far to the right and Democrats are trending too far to the left. He sees an opening for someone with enough money to make a run at the White House. Forbes and other sources report his net worth at $5.5 billion.
The billionaire former CEO, who was a lifelong Democrat before he switched to the Republican Party in 2001 for his first mayoral run, said the change in his voter registration does not mean he is running for president.
"Although my plans for the future haven't changed, I believe this brings my affiliation into alignment with how I have led and will continue to lead our city," Bloomberg said.
Bloomberg is certainly sending signals that he could be a presidential candidate in 2008, and NBC reported that Bloomberg might spend as much as $500 million on his campaign.
Throughout his 5 1/2 years as mayor, Bloomberg has often been at odds with his party and President Bush. He supports gay marriage, abortion rights, gun control and stem cell research, and raised property taxes to help solve a fiscal crisis after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Looks like the race might get a lot more interesting.
Hillary and Feminists
What's up with all the discussion about Senator Hillary Clinton and whether or not she is being supported by feminists, in her bid for the White House? Who is asking this question, and why?Who would benefit by planting doubt that women, and feminists in particular, support Hillary?
It's no secret that more women than men register to vote, and turn out for primary and general elections. It's no secret that the 2008 presidential election is the Democrats to lose. It's no secret that the Republicans are imploding. So who is behind all the gossip about whether or not feminists will support Hillary?
The funny thing about this story is that the three largest feminist organizations have all announced their support for Hillary -- the National Organization for Women, the Feminist Majority and Emily's List. Those three groups alone have the ability to turn out hundreds of thousands of campaign workers and contributors.
The only names mentioned as feminists who might not be supporting Hillary are Jane Fonda and Susan Faludi. While I like and admire both of these women, I have never heard their names mentioned as spokespeople for the "feminist movement." The closest of the two might be Faludi, whose book "Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women" articulated a lot of the concerns women had felt for a long time.
A recent rumor circulating is that working class women support Hillary, but women with college educations -- or who identify as feminists -- don't. How is this being supported? Where is the evidence?
In the final analysis the fact remains that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is very qualified to be president. She understands domestic and foreign policy, she has already been part of a team that did something Republicans have been unable to do for decades -- balance the budget and strengthen the middle class. She will be great on issues of importance to women. And I do think she has the ability to move us toward energy independence, and get our troops out of Iraq.
I'm ready to make history with Hillary.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Pat Robertson doesn't want you to hear this man ...
If you live in the Seattle area, and you support separation of church and state, come join us on Wednesday evening. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, is speaking at Kane Hall, on the University of Washington campus. His presentation, which is open to the public, begins at 7:00 PM. The event is free.If you would like to chat with Barry before the formal presentation begins, there is a reception that begins at 6:00 PM. The reception costs $10.
If you've never heard Barry Lynn in person I can tell you it's a real treat! Just ask Tengrain at Mock, Paper, Scissors.
On Thursday, Barry will be in Portland, OR, for an event at First Baptist Church (909 SW 11th). His presentation begins at 7:30 PM. It's sponsored by the local AU chapter and is open to the public.
I'll be at both events, so if you are reading this be sure to look for me and say hello.
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