It's time for more news of the weird and wacky with comments by me thrown in for good measure.
Despite the bold prediction by a California preacher who foresaw the world's end would take place this past Saturday at 6pm, Harold Camping has now revised his apocalyptic prophecy, saying he had a slight miscalculation and was actually off by five months. He now says the Earth actually will be obliterated on Oct. 21 of this year. Camping, who predicted that 200 million Christians would be taken to heaven Saturday before global cataclysm struck the planet, said that he felt so terrible when his doomsday message did not come true that he left home and took refuge in a motel with his wife. His independent ministry, Family Radio International, spent millions — some of it from donations made by followers — on more than 5,000 billboards and 20 recreational vehicles plastered with the Judgment Day message.
**He probably left home for fear that the brain dead morons who believed him and gave away all of their money and possessions were going to track him down and make sure he saw his maker. Come on, lets be honest. Do you really think God would end the world before Oprah's final show had a chance to be aired?**
The infamous black bears of Christina Lake, B.C., appear to be weaning themselves off dog food, according to the man who once fed them $100 worth of kibbles a day. Allen Piche pleaded guilty in March to feeding the two dozen wild black bears on his property. He'll be sentenced in the fall but in the meantime was ordered by the B.C. Conservation Society to stop the practice, which had been going on for years. Police discovered the docile bears when they raided a marijuana grow operation on Piche's property last August. Initially, there was speculation the bears were guarding the marijuana, but Piche denied that was the case.
**Police became suspicious about the marijuana when they found the bears wearing tie-died Grateful Dead t-shirts and suffering from a serious case of the munchies.**
OK, I never promise my comments will be funny.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Going To Pumps Gives Me Gas
I'm at the point right now where I keep a little white flag in my car just in case I need to surrender. Every time I go to the gas station to fill up the tank, I get a bit closer to waiving that flag while yelling, "I give up!"
Like most Canadians, I can't take much more of this gouging and the unnecessary price hikes. But is that really what's happening?
It amazes me how easily the price can jump up six to ten cents at one time but rarely does it ever drop by large amounts. Actually, I know of one gas station where it does that several times a day. They just boost the price up on their own during peak hours of traffic and then drop it back down at the slower times. No price fixing there (sarcasm).
I realize other countries have it even worse than we do but I live here so this is what I have to deal with and complain about. Today gas in parts of Ontario topped $1.40 per litre. That's about $5.30 per gallon. A year ago at this time we were paying roughly 96.9 cents per litre.
What really grinds my gears is that the price of crude oil didn't even rise, so what is the reason for screwing the Canadian public other than greed?
The usual response of people when asked about the rising prices is, "what can I do about it? I need the gas to get to work to make money to feed myself and my family so we're forced to pay whatever they want to charge us." And that response is exactly what the big oil and gas companies want to hear. It's music to their ears as they roll around in their billions of dollars in profits.
Whenever these companies are confronted by the media, they concoct any number of excuses to justify the increases which drives the commodity up on the markets. The latest is that flooding along the Mississippi River in the U.S. could slow gasoline deliveries and possibly disrupt production. Are you kidding me? What a line of bullshit. When did they start raising prices based on something that "might" happen and "might" cause a problem? Not only that, but the gas that's already in the tanks under the gas station magically got more expensive since it was delivered? That's impressive!
The last time we saw prices like this was in 2008 when a barrel of oil cost $140. The price today is around $100 per barrel. What gives? Sounds like profit taking to me and the rich getting richer while average Canadians continue to see more money leaving their wallets than they can earn.
Is the Canadian government out of touch? The MP's all claim to hear our complaints yet nothing ever gets done about it. It's not even about the party in charge.
All parties that have been in power have watched this happen year after year. When it comes right down to it, it would seem the government can do nothing but perhaps lower the tax on gas.
Understandably the price of gas will rise in the Spring as more people are driving more often and the demand for gas becomes greater. This will help to drive the price up even higher. Also, we pay more taxes on gas in Canada which if removed would bring our prices down to about the same price as our American neighbours are paying. Of course, that would mean less money for our government to send to other countries as aid. But don't get me started on that right now. I'd love to see Canada take just five years of not providing financial help to other countries to see what we could do with all that money right here.
Ultimately what will happen is the gas prices will continue to rise while the demands are high and Canadians will continue to bitch and complain but in the end, that's about all we can do...and I do it well.
Like most Canadians, I can't take much more of this gouging and the unnecessary price hikes. But is that really what's happening?
It amazes me how easily the price can jump up six to ten cents at one time but rarely does it ever drop by large amounts. Actually, I know of one gas station where it does that several times a day. They just boost the price up on their own during peak hours of traffic and then drop it back down at the slower times. No price fixing there (sarcasm).I realize other countries have it even worse than we do but I live here so this is what I have to deal with and complain about. Today gas in parts of Ontario topped $1.40 per litre. That's about $5.30 per gallon. A year ago at this time we were paying roughly 96.9 cents per litre.
What really grinds my gears is that the price of crude oil didn't even rise, so what is the reason for screwing the Canadian public other than greed?
The usual response of people when asked about the rising prices is, "what can I do about it? I need the gas to get to work to make money to feed myself and my family so we're forced to pay whatever they want to charge us." And that response is exactly what the big oil and gas companies want to hear. It's music to their ears as they roll around in their billions of dollars in profits.
Whenever these companies are confronted by the media, they concoct any number of excuses to justify the increases which drives the commodity up on the markets. The latest is that flooding along the Mississippi River in the U.S. could slow gasoline deliveries and possibly disrupt production. Are you kidding me? What a line of bullshit. When did they start raising prices based on something that "might" happen and "might" cause a problem? Not only that, but the gas that's already in the tanks under the gas station magically got more expensive since it was delivered? That's impressive!
The last time we saw prices like this was in 2008 when a barrel of oil cost $140. The price today is around $100 per barrel. What gives? Sounds like profit taking to me and the rich getting richer while average Canadians continue to see more money leaving their wallets than they can earn.
Is the Canadian government out of touch? The MP's all claim to hear our complaints yet nothing ever gets done about it. It's not even about the party in charge.
All parties that have been in power have watched this happen year after year. When it comes right down to it, it would seem the government can do nothing but perhaps lower the tax on gas.Understandably the price of gas will rise in the Spring as more people are driving more often and the demand for gas becomes greater. This will help to drive the price up even higher. Also, we pay more taxes on gas in Canada which if removed would bring our prices down to about the same price as our American neighbours are paying. Of course, that would mean less money for our government to send to other countries as aid. But don't get me started on that right now. I'd love to see Canada take just five years of not providing financial help to other countries to see what we could do with all that money right here.
Ultimately what will happen is the gas prices will continue to rise while the demands are high and Canadians will continue to bitch and complain but in the end, that's about all we can do...and I do it well.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Show Me The Money
Why are people so cheap?
This is the question I have found myself asking a few times over the last year or two and it kind of annoys me.
Sure, I don't like to throw away money but if I really like something and want to have one to keep for myself or know I'll enjoy having a certain item, I'll spend the money to get whatever it is.
Other people it seems, only truly want something if they can get it for free.
OK, here's what I'm talking about.
As many of you know I enjoy photography as mostly a hobby. There's something about it that gives me enjoyment and makes me happy. I don't know if it's the thrill of seeing something you've captured in an image or the work that goes into a finished product but I get a kick out of it.
From time to time I have sold the odd image of mine. I don't have a business and I certainly don't advertise but there have been some friends and people who have appreciated my efforts enough to want to have a copy of my work for their very own. I'm all too happy to oblige them, but at a cost.
You see, while it is a hobby, it's still time consuming and a lot of effort goes into producing a final image that you might see.
A typical shoot might last anywhere from one to four hours, depending on what I'm photographing. Could be less, could be more. That is just the first part of the process.
Next I have to go through the hundreds of images I shot on a particular subject and pick out the images I like the best. Of those, I may select only two or three photos that I really like. Next comes the editing process. In the old days this would be done in a darkroom with stinky chemicals and could take hours or days to achieve the final result you're looking for. Today, with the computers and software available, this process happens much quicker and easier but is still very time consuming.
On one image I could spend an hour or more playing with the exposure, curves, contrast, colour, white balance, layers, etc...you get my point. The image isn't done at the moment you push the shutter release button on the camera. There's a lot of time and effort that is spent in front of a computer screen tweaking things to my liking.
People only see the finished product and probably don't have a clue how much time is spent on each individual image. Not to mention the thousands of dollars I had to spend on photographic equipment and software. It's an expensive hobby.
So now that you have an idea of the work that goes into a completed image, maybe you can understand why I might be a little bothered when someone who wants a copy of one of my photos thinks I'll just give it away for free.
I don't charge a lot for my work but apparently to some people they don't think paying for a photo that they really like is worth it. That's fine with me, but don't let me catch you with a copy of one of my images obtained through other means or we'll be talking in front of a judge.
I do appreciate those who have purchased my work in the past. It's nice to know they like what I do so much that they're willing to pay for it. The money is nice but the pride I feel when others enjoy what I do is even better.
Recently I had an inquiry about one of my photos which had actually won a contest in the past. They asked if they could have the full resolution image file of the photo so they could go and have a print made themselves. Ahhhh...I don't think so. I never give out my images for others to do with as they please. No photographer with any sense of pride in what they do gives away their work or shares their image files.
They wanted the image to hang in their building which I had no problem with but when I sent them a list showing the cost for the different available sizes for the image...well, lets just say the conversation has come to an abrupt end so far. Who knows, maybe I'll still hear from them but I'm afraid they're not getting anything for free. I'd rather the image sits on my hard drive until I die than diminish my worth and my work by giving it away.
Am I wrong? Isn't my time and effort worth $25 - $100? I think it is.
This is the question I have found myself asking a few times over the last year or two and it kind of annoys me.
Sure, I don't like to throw away money but if I really like something and want to have one to keep for myself or know I'll enjoy having a certain item, I'll spend the money to get whatever it is.
Other people it seems, only truly want something if they can get it for free.OK, here's what I'm talking about.
As many of you know I enjoy photography as mostly a hobby. There's something about it that gives me enjoyment and makes me happy. I don't know if it's the thrill of seeing something you've captured in an image or the work that goes into a finished product but I get a kick out of it.
From time to time I have sold the odd image of mine. I don't have a business and I certainly don't advertise but there have been some friends and people who have appreciated my efforts enough to want to have a copy of my work for their very own. I'm all too happy to oblige them, but at a cost.
You see, while it is a hobby, it's still time consuming and a lot of effort goes into producing a final image that you might see.
A typical shoot might last anywhere from one to four hours, depending on what I'm photographing. Could be less, could be more. That is just the first part of the process.
Next I have to go through the hundreds of images I shot on a particular subject and pick out the images I like the best. Of those, I may select only two or three photos that I really like. Next comes the editing process. In the old days this would be done in a darkroom with stinky chemicals and could take hours or days to achieve the final result you're looking for. Today, with the computers and software available, this process happens much quicker and easier but is still very time consuming.
On one image I could spend an hour or more playing with the exposure, curves, contrast, colour, white balance, layers, etc...you get my point. The image isn't done at the moment you push the shutter release button on the camera. There's a lot of time and effort that is spent in front of a computer screen tweaking things to my liking.
People only see the finished product and probably don't have a clue how much time is spent on each individual image. Not to mention the thousands of dollars I had to spend on photographic equipment and software. It's an expensive hobby.
So now that you have an idea of the work that goes into a completed image, maybe you can understand why I might be a little bothered when someone who wants a copy of one of my photos thinks I'll just give it away for free.
I don't charge a lot for my work but apparently to some people they don't think paying for a photo that they really like is worth it. That's fine with me, but don't let me catch you with a copy of one of my images obtained through other means or we'll be talking in front of a judge.
I do appreciate those who have purchased my work in the past. It's nice to know they like what I do so much that they're willing to pay for it. The money is nice but the pride I feel when others enjoy what I do is even better.
Recently I had an inquiry about one of my photos which had actually won a contest in the past. They asked if they could have the full resolution image file of the photo so they could go and have a print made themselves. Ahhhh...I don't think so. I never give out my images for others to do with as they please. No photographer with any sense of pride in what they do gives away their work or shares their image files.
They wanted the image to hang in their building which I had no problem with but when I sent them a list showing the cost for the different available sizes for the image...well, lets just say the conversation has come to an abrupt end so far. Who knows, maybe I'll still hear from them but I'm afraid they're not getting anything for free. I'd rather the image sits on my hard drive until I die than diminish my worth and my work by giving it away.
Am I wrong? Isn't my time and effort worth $25 - $100? I think it is.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Lazy Swim
I took advantage of what was by far the most perfect day so far this Spring and got out to enjoy it after doing some yard work in the morning.
I struck out for Presqu'ile Provincial Park where there were quite a few people who had the same idea.
I eventually found my way to the "Calf Pasture" area and found a pair of swans feeding quietly in the waters of this sheltered area.
I spent about an hour there by myself photographing and watching these two amazing birds as they went about their business eating whatever they could find under the water.
Eventually about four more people showed up and this obviously was too many for the swans as they drifted further out towards the Brighton Bay away from us.
It was an enjoyable hour I spent in the company of these large birds who I'm sure will be having cygnets before too long. I'll be sure to try and get back there sometime soon to see what nature has produced.
I struck out for Presqu'ile Provincial Park where there were quite a few people who had the same idea.
I eventually found my way to the "Calf Pasture" area and found a pair of swans feeding quietly in the waters of this sheltered area.
I spent about an hour there by myself photographing and watching these two amazing birds as they went about their business eating whatever they could find under the water.
Eventually about four more people showed up and this obviously was too many for the swans as they drifted further out towards the Brighton Bay away from us.
It was an enjoyable hour I spent in the company of these large birds who I'm sure will be having cygnets before too long. I'll be sure to try and get back there sometime soon to see what nature has produced.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Election Time...Again
What did we do to deserve this? Why in heavens name are we going to the polls yet again?
I'm all for the democratic process and electing our representatives but I just can't see why were doing this now.
The Liberals, NDP and Bloc must enjoy a good ass kicking because if the polls are any indication, that's exactly what they're in for.
I have never claimed to be a 100% supporter of any party and have voted both Conservative and Liberal in the past. I always vote and usually with my instincts and my instincts are telling me that Stephen Harper and the Conservative party are still the best option.
I like some of the candidates from the other parties but to be honest I don't trust any of the other party leaders. Iggy seems like one shady SOB who needs to have his eyebrows tweezed. He was not the answer to the parties leadership problems and until they fix that, they'll continue to flounder.
Layton has always come across to me as someone longing for the spotlight and would be willing to flip flop any which way as long as it benefits him.
Duceppe and the Bloc are laughed at by the rest of Canada for believing they actually live in a country within Canada. They're like the little ones sitting at the kids table at Christmas.
My prediction is come May 2nd, millions of dollars will have been spent, hundreds of hours of news time on TV will have been wasted and we'll end up right back in the same spot we were before this election was needlessly forced upon us.
I'm all for the democratic process and electing our representatives but I just can't see why were doing this now.
The Liberals, NDP and Bloc must enjoy a good ass kicking because if the polls are any indication, that's exactly what they're in for.
I have never claimed to be a 100% supporter of any party and have voted both Conservative and Liberal in the past. I always vote and usually with my instincts and my instincts are telling me that Stephen Harper and the Conservative party are still the best option.
I like some of the candidates from the other parties but to be honest I don't trust any of the other party leaders. Iggy seems like one shady SOB who needs to have his eyebrows tweezed. He was not the answer to the parties leadership problems and until they fix that, they'll continue to flounder.
Layton has always come across to me as someone longing for the spotlight and would be willing to flip flop any which way as long as it benefits him.
Duceppe and the Bloc are laughed at by the rest of Canada for believing they actually live in a country within Canada. They're like the little ones sitting at the kids table at Christmas.
My prediction is come May 2nd, millions of dollars will have been spent, hundreds of hours of news time on TV will have been wasted and we'll end up right back in the same spot we were before this election was needlessly forced upon us.
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