Another “I wish” photo

Here is yet another photograph I wish I had taken, developed, and printed.  For those familiar with the subject of composition, this photo is an absolutely perfect implementation of “The Rule of Thirds.”

Wolf Suschitzky. View Notre Dame, Paris, 1939

Eagles

On our recent trip we went on a picnic with my daughter and the grandkids out on Puget Sound.  While there we noticed a pair of bald eagles who had a nest far up in the trees.  They were quite a distance off, but I did have a 300mm telephoto lens so I gave it a shot in hopes that something would turn out.  Here is the basic  picture taken with the 300mm lens.  Click on the picture and you can see the pair of eagles if you look closely.

Now here is a blow up of the part of the photo with the eagles.

Aren’t they magnificent?

Later, one of them took off and I was lucky enough to catch it.  Here is the basic shot taken with the 300mm lens.  Click the picture and you will see the bird taking off.

Finally, here is a blow up of the flyer.

A day I will never forget.

Looking back–I was a bit of a prophet

By now we all know that the right wing Republican party cares not a whit about the welfare of the country or the majority of its citizens.  All they care about is making sure that President Obama does not get re-elected.  Anything he is for, they are against, even if it makes them look like unabashed hypocrites or dangerous luddites.   Unfortunately, I pretty much predicted this turn of events less than a week after the election in November 2008.  Check out my blog for that day.

~ Tom

GOP Hypocrisy: You expect anything else??

I just don’t understand how the average American cannot be insulted and outraged by the continuing right wing Republican hypocrisy.  Here is the latest.  Yet, these jokers remain in office, ruining our once-great country.

~ Tom

A bit of “double” talk

Let me explain how this post came about:

Yesterday I was listening to the latest “Film Junk” podcast and learned that Armie Hammer played both Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss in “The Social Network.” Before that, I had just assumed that Fincher had dug up some identical twins for the role.

Then, today, I was reading Michael Lally’s blog entry on Jane Fonda/Charlie Rose and one of his commenters provided this link, which turned out to be a hilarious rendition of Charlie Rose interviewing Charlie Rose.

So this got me interested in the art of an actor playing two people. First I followed the Winklevoss story and dug up this fascinating video showing how Fincher did it in “The Social Network.”

Before technology became so advanced, the only way filmmakers could achieve the desired result was to never show the two characters full-face on the screen at the same time, or use a “dummy actor” whose face was never shown – remember those “back of the head shots?”

The first movie that I recall where technology allowed credible side-by-side, full-face presentation was “Dead Ringers,” (1988) the overlooked Cronenberg film starring Jeremy Irons as both of the twins.

On Dead Ringers - the latest chiller by horror impresario David Cronenberg — optical effects supervisor Lee Wilson worked with Balsmeyer and Everett and Film Effects of Toronto to create a new generation of split-screen opticals that enabled actor Jeremy Irons to play scenes with himself as twin brothers without the customary restriction of stationary splits or even locked-off cameras.

I also recall the1998 version of “The Man in the Iron Mask,” with DiCaprio playing both roles.

As I sit here, I have a fuzzy recollection of several other recent movies with dual roles appearing full-face on screen at the same time, but I’m not remembering them at the moment. Help me out…

Note: The Film Junk podcast has added a new regular: “Dirrrty Frank,” who makes the show even better.

Debt ceiling musings

Somehow, on my own,  I realized during the debt ceiling blackmail episode that there was one non-negotiable goal that the President had to achieve:  Extend any deal through the end of 2012.  If he caved in and made a short-term deal, the blackmailers would not relent and the continuing crisis would endanger the country, as well as negatively impact the President’s re-election bid. 

Today, I read this terrific article by E.J. Dionne in WAPO, which validates my instincts, and lays out the thesis far better than I ever could have.   

Some rules for conservatives

I just ran across this terrific post from the blog “What Would Jack Do.”  I’m gonna print this out and hand it to my conservative friends (or foes), asking them if they disagree with any of these “do nots”, and if so, how they can justify such disagreement.

~ Tom

A Supreme reason to support Obama

I just got back from 14 days of vacation, during which I got bits and pieces of what was going on in the news.  With the sketchy news I got, and a little catch-up today, I can see that the progressive wing of the Democratic party is jumping salty all over the President for his handling of the debt ceiling blackmail fiasco, as well as other pent-up gripes.  I could go on and on defending the President with links to articles by respectable left wing pundits who are not Paul Krugman, but I know I won’t be changing any minds and hearts by doing so.  From my own perspective, my biggest disappointment in the President is his decision to keep us at war.  I think he was mesmerized by high-ranking officers, which I can understand but not endorse.

However, there is a higher, much more important issue that is often overlooked, which mandates that you vote for Obama in 2012 even if you think he is a total disappointment, or even an outright failure:

• John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States, age 56:  Corporate toady who lied his ass off during confirmation hearings.
• Antonin Scalia, Associate Justice, age 75:  The Darth Vader of American jurisprudence.  Evil incarnate.
• Anthony M. Kennedy, Associate Justice, age  75:  The current “swing vote” on the court, but never to be trusted or relied upon to swing the right way.
• Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice, age 63:  Scalia’s “Mini Me.”  Has never uttered a word during sessions.  Probably the least qualified justice EVER. 
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice, age 78!:  A wonderful justice, who carries the progressive banner into battle every day.  Writes blistering dissents rebutting the horrible opinions rendered by the right wing zealots on the court.  Could she live through the term of a Republican president elected in 2012?  Not likely.  Will she retire if Obama is re-elected?  Almost a certainty.
• Stephen G. Breyer, Associate Justice, age 73 in a few days:  Another crucial progressive vote on the court.  Pray that this guy lives if a Republican is elected in 2012.
• Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr., Associate Justice, age 61:  Of all the trolls on the court this is the guy I hate the most.  I watched his confirmation hearings and if the guy had been hooked up to a lie detector it would have been pegging out with practically every answer he gave.  Also, his performance during the President’s “State of the Union” address is telling.  (The President had the audacity to scold the Majority for their ridiculous ‘whore” opinion in the Citizens United case).  I see this troll living to be 90 and spreading his poison until then.
• Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice, age 57:  You go girl, and live a long life.
• Elena Kagan, Associate Justic, age 51:  As with Sotomayor, we wish her a long, liberal life.

Listen up all you disgruntled lefties.  If a Republican gets elected in 2012 it is likely that there will be one or more Supreme Court appointments for the new president to make.  If Kennedy or Bader, both very aged, go down, you will get another right wing troll and thereafter every important decision will go 5-4 against us.  Or, God forbid, if  Breyer, Sotomayor, or Kagan die or resign, the same scenario occurs.  On the other hand, if Obama is re-elected and any of the troll brigade dies or resigns, the balance will be tipped in our favor.

So, even if you despise Obama, you have to vote for him.

~ Tom

Back in the USA.

Crossed into the US yesterday and stayed the night in Coeur d Alene, Idaho. Heading out to Burns, Oregon on first leg of the long drive to our place in Truckee. Taking U.S. 395 all the way to Reno, then I-80 to Truckee.

castlegar

We are in Castlegar, British Columbia. Last night we were in Osoyoos, BC.  Amazing mountains and beautiful scenery. And of  course the roads and infrastructure are clearly superior to ours. Back to the USA to tomorrow.