Tag Archives: photography

Worth Repeating, Maybe

Posted in Uncategorized by

It has been a while since I last said anything about our trip to the Grand Canyon. You know, not everyone gets to see the Grand Canyon. I have been there three times. And yes it is a big hole the ground.

We were at the overlook near the hotel and looking at the plateau that was somewhere half-way down. We were looking at it for 3 or 4 minutes when a stranger off to my right that said, “There are people down there!” Exact words.

I squinted and strained my eyes and saw no one. I turned to the woman and asked, “Where?”

She pointed out a landmark and she said that they were just a little past that. Again, I strained my eyes and sure enough. I still wouldn’t have seen them but they were moving. Again, I remind you, the plateau is only about half way to the bottom. If somehow I were suspended above the canyon at the current altitude in a way that I could see the river, there is simply no way I’d have been able to see a person, maybe with a telescope. As I said, it is a big hole.

When we first arrived to the first lookout, my wife and my sons started watching squirrels. I couldn’t get them to look at the canyon. I mean we have squirrels at home, by the dozens. They were getting the chance of a lifetime to see the canyon and all they wanted to see was squirrels.

Well, at least they were Grand Canyon squirrels. I should have taken movies of them. I could have sold it, you know. I could have advertised, “genuine Grand Canyon squirrels.” I mean my wife and kids liked watching them. Why not others?

A side note, people are permitted to walk to the bottom of the canyon. However, they do need to check-in before they start. Also, everything that goes down must be carried back up. No littering allowed. The fines are very stiff.

Finally, another caution. It is much easier going down than coming back up. It has often been compared to climbing a mountain in reverse. That trail coming back up is the same, but it will seem very much more longer.

Daily writing prompt
Describe your most memorable vacation.
View all responses

Making Things Better?

Posted in Uncategorized by

Besides changing computers, I have changed phones. I have decided to give up T-Mobil. When I first signed up with them, I could just go down to the nearest T-Mobil store and get most anything resolved. Then they merged with someone else. Now they are more expensive and I have to get everything “resolved” over the phone… including disconnecting lines. About all the local stores do is sell phones and there is quite a line for that. It’s now all new and improved, you know.

I am still under contract but once I am able to break free, I will go from about $170 a month to about $35. I think that is the kind of improvement I can live with. Moreover, there will be no contract. I wonder if they will ask me why I changed.

So, the other day, I decided to copy about 500 photos from my old phone to my new computer. It used to be easy. I plugged the phone into my computer and did a copy, as if copying from one disk to another. A word to the wise. It doesn’t work that way anymore. MS has decided on a “New and Improved” method, you know.

Isn’t that neat? And they didn’t even ask me. I’ve spent hours trying to use the old method and the new one. So far, I have not transferred so much as one photo.

Well, I am not totally foolish. I have a micro memory card in the phone. Now it is simply a small matter of making sure all the photos are on the micro card and then remove the micro card. Then it is a simple matter of installing it in the new computer with the help of an adapter, maybe.

Of course nothing is certain. They just might have figured a way to stop that too. I don’t know. These engineers are real geniuses these days, you know. Turn the world over to them and it just might come to a complete grinding halt. They might even find a way to stop its spinning.

On the “Outlook.com” matter, in about two or three weeks, it will be completely removed from the new computer. I already have another mailbox set up and ready to go. It is just a matter of going through the past messages and copying the ones I need.

Tonight, while I was trying to deal with the photos, MS tried to pitch their new Office suite again. It just sort of popped up out of nowhere. They keep asking why I don’t like it. I don’t guess they read my replies because they keep trying to push it. If it were half as good as the old version I have, I would be willing to pay for it. However, like everything else, it’s the new improved version. Slower, more bells and whistles I don’t need and more difficult to use.

They are always making everything better you know, like Windows ME. Then, they can’t understand why I don’t want it.

Bridges

Posted in Uncategorized by

Recently, stories have been released in the news on bridges Locally, they say they will replace the current 4 lane bridge with a new one, expected to cost a billion dollars. I do hope to live long enough to see just how much the cost over runs will be. If I were a betting man, I’d have to put my bet on at least 1.3 billion. Invariably all government projects take 30% more than planned.

Truth be told, I think it is planned that way. I’ll let you speculate why. I have my own guesses.

One thing I do find interesting is that I did have some difficulty determining how many lanes it will have. Let’s face it, what is the point of replacing a 4 lane bridge with a 4 lane bridge. It seems to me it would simply be better to put the bridge somewhere else.

After some searching on the web, I found where they said they “hope” to make it at least 6 lanes. I have two concerns about that. Is it 6 lanes or not. More importantly, they will likely start pouring concrete soon. I would hope they have their minds made up by then.

As something as a secondary thought. Even if they are going to a 6 lane bridge, wouldn’t it be better to put it somewhere else? That way, 6 lanes are added instead of 2.

Even if the idea is to cease use of the old bridge, putting the bridge elsewhere removes the need of demolition of the old bridge. Well, the demolition isn’t likely that much anyway, just a couple of few million. I am sure the government can afford it.

Switching attention east. Just a simple straightforward suggestion on the Francis Scott Key Bridge. If they commenced tunneling, they might have been almost done now. Right now, I would guess they are over a month away from starting the foundation of the bridge.

On another note, it is really difficult for a ship to run into a tunnel.

Great Comment

Posted in Memories by

Although I have had this blog for, I guess 4 or 5 years now, I don’t know all the ins and outs, so I will not risk the possibility of giving away anyone’s privacy. However, there was a person that made a comment on my post, Photography.

I must admit it hit me hard in that, for a short time, it confused me. I just couldn’t imagine anyone not having a regular camera, with shutter speeds, f-stops and focus.

It made me realize that I have lived through a total evolution of technology. I actually saw the use of the big press cameras that used the flash bulbs. Back when I was a boy, most photos were black & white. Color was something reserved for Christmas and Easter pictures. The color was very expensive.

I took most of my pictures in slides, which saved a lot of money. It did have the drawback of needing the slide projector and darkening of the room, but what huge and bright brilliant images. I guess the regular screen was about 4X5 feet. However, I used bed sheets and still the image was sharp.

I’m not sure, but I think that some of the old slides rival the resolution of all but the most expensive electronic images today.

The technology really affected 5 major industries. Naturally, it hit the photographers, pro and amateur. Consider the wedding photographers. Their biggest competition now is the customer with a cell phone.

The TV industry, just a decade or so ago went through an enormous revolution. One day, the images, size and resolution, takes a huge step forward.

Perhaps the largest change is in personal photography. In the past, you heard, “Quick, Jim. Get the camera. I think Joey’s going to take his first step!” Today, you just keep your phone handy. If it turns out to be a false alarm, you can just remove the video. On the other hand, you can keep it. The memory cards are cheap.

You would think the big silver screen would be immune to the change and the huge reels of plastic would last forever. Not so. I suspect within a decade or two all film images will fall by the wayside, and replaced by the microchips.

I suppose the biggest change is the media itself. Kodak used to be a big part of US industry. No more need for instant film development. Polaroid, to the best of my knowledge, no longer makes any kind of film.

It makes me wonder about Technicolor and all their competitors. Personally, I liked Technicolor. The images always seemed to have a special brilliance.

I am sure I have overlooked a lot. On the other hand, is it really practical to include it all in one large post.

I guess the one comment might seem small to many. To me, it launched me into a lifetime of memories. Memories of memories, so to speak.

Thanks .

News About Ads

Posted in Advertising, Being woke by

It was on the news. The news is about the ads. They are publicly brandishing that they are bringing back the Clydesdales.

Now, I am wondering, just what is so newsworthy that Budwiser decided to make it news that… well, you get the point. As far as I know, it’s the first time it has been worthy of putting it on the news. As far as that goes, why should a network consider it worthy of a 5 minute news segment. Really. What is it that makes it news.

I like horses. I especially like Clydesdales. They are beautiful, noble animals. I am sure in the days of horses, they were especially good to have. It does somewhat make me wonder if they are sullying the poor animal’s nobility.

Then there’s the little question on the side, just how much did it cost them to put the big name former pro football players in their ad. I am not a former pro athlete. Nor am I a multi millionaire. But they still couldn’t pay me enough to advertise any Budwiser product, even if I drank any type of alcoholic beverage. The poor Clydesdales have no choice about their reputation. I do.

So do the former football players. I guess they care not about their reputations. It is no secret what the beer makers hope to accomplish. Clearly the players don’t mind. Clearly they are proud to let the world know they drink Bud Light and they endorse the previous ad. The one that cost the beer maker their millions.

As they say. It’s not the ad they repent of making. What they are concerned with is their profits…or rather the lack of them.