Carmichael's Position

Train Spotting… In HDR

As I mentioned in my previous post, today was a day off for me, which I spent doing what I enjoy… taking photos.  Part one of today’s subjects were our feathered friends… part two, is pretty much the polar opposite… these are grounded, heavy, behemoths!  But also fun to photograph!  Today was another exercise in HDR (High Dynamic Range) imagery.

 

And there you have it… hope you like… back to work in the morning…

President’s Day Photo Safari and the Bird–Dogfight!

I had the day off today… Ginger, did not… So I had to entertain myself.  And since the local fairways still have anywhere between 2-6” of the white still on them, golf was pretty much out of the equation.

So, I picked up the Nikon, a couple of lenses, and out I went. 

It was the tale of two subjects today, Birds and Trains.  Don’t ask… I have no idea how those relate in any way shape or form except to say, they both ended up at the business end on my focus.  This post will be dedicated to the birds part.

I first started my day at the south end of the “Mary Carter Greenway Trail” along the South Platte River.  Much to my dismay there was not too much there that I found captivating.  After strolling along the river’s edge for about an hour will little to show for my efforts except muddy shoes, I headed back toward the car along the bike path.  I spied a small pond (Red Tail Lake I think it was) where a few odd ducks were paddling along.  Not your typical Mallards, so I set up and took a couple of images.

Pretty cool looking little fella if you ask me… any Anatidae Ornitholigists out there want to enlighten us on the species… please do.

And that was all for the Nature Hike…  Next, off to find me some industrial might!  Trains!  But… as this is the Bird post…  allow me to fast forward in my day.

While I was along the Union Pacific’s Engine Maintenance Yards snapping images of trains, I looked up and noticed a bit of a Dog Fight developing… or Bird Fight if you will…

Appears that a Bid of Prey (possibly an Osprey) strayed into a certain Raven’s territory.

FIGHT’S ON!

“Jester” begins at the Osprey’s 6 O’clock high… things aren’t looking good for our hero, “Do some of that Pilot Sh!t Mav”!

Mav sweeps the wings and selects max blower!

But just as “Jester” shoves the throttles forward, “Mav” pulls the Throttles to Idle, and pops the boards!  (That’s speedbreaks you friggn’ leg!)  Jester overshoots!

“Mav” sweeps the wings forward, and despite a KO’d Left Aileron takes charge of the fight! Reversal! Commin’ Right!

Now with Mav on Jester’s Six, Jester starts squawking about the “Hard Deck” or something like that!

Mav tries desperately not to overshoot his prey, but is finding he has too much grunt on…

Flaps and Slats!  Try a rolling scissors!

 

Shoot! Too Late!!! Jester pulls in the vertical plane for a High Yo Yo!

Crap! Damn TF-30s! and their spool time!!!

When in doubt, maneuver!  Crap forgot about that aileron!

Our Lady of Blessed Acceleration, don't fail me now!

You’re dead kid!  “The defense department regrets to inform you your kids are dead cuz they were stoopid!”…   “Great Balls of Fire!”

Knock it off!  Let’s go home… Maverick has the lead! 

After this last shot the two birds actually split up the the raven breaking right… What you cannot see in these images (and because he was directly in the sun, was Maverick's wingman getting ready to roll-in for the assist.  Cool stuff in the skies over Denver today.

How did we get to this point?

I read two exceptionally disturbing articles today, that both to a degree revolve around our decreasing sense of self responsibility.

Article 1: (http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/30349192/detail.html)

5-Year-Old Seriously Injured After Swallowing Buckyballs

Mom Warns Parents: Powerful Magnets Not For Children

Buckyballs are powerful little magnets you can form into any shape.

But a Colorado mom learned the hard way the powerful magnets can also be life-threatening…

…"It could have been dire. Really dire," said Stephanie Thompson.

In September, her 5-year-old son, Finn, had emergency surgery. The scar on his stomach is healing, but for his mom, the emotional wound still fresh

Thompson said she popped into a Boulder toy and novelty store and instantly saw the display for Buckyballs.

"It's pretty front and center in the store. There's a video and a demo. I was watching the video for a while and thought I'd love to buy them and they said, 'OK, they are behind the counter.' I told them they are for my son who is 5 and they said, 'He'll love them,'"

Thompson said she never saw the warnings that say, "Keep away from all children."  (JC note here: Which by the way are posted all over the package, and re-stated in the instructions pamphlet)

Long story short here… The kid thought the magnets (even after having played with them) were just like those bakers BB’s that are edible… so the kid… ate 4 of them!  Erp Derp… The Boulder Soccer Mom went on to continue off the deep end…

Even after Finn's emergency surgery, his mom told Marchetta that one of his little friends got Buckballs as a birthday gift.

"What was your reaction?" asked Marchetta [local news reporter].

"I just started shaking and I went right up to his parents and said, 'I don't know if you know the story and I told them. They were shocked," said Thompson.

Since returning home from the hospital, Finn and his mom have posted an online video warning to other families. In it, Finn's message is clear…

…Now it's other kids his mom worries about.

"I don't think these should be sold in a toy store and I think that it should be on everyone's mind that these are extremely dangerous," said Thompson.

I feel for the kid, I do… it sucks bad enough to do something stupid, I know (and so do you yon gentle reader!) we’ve all been there!  But more embarrassing is that the kid’s “I have to find someone else to blame” over zealous mother then uses his erp derp moment to serve him up as a poster child for irresponsibility! That’s right, Mom is pissed that there is anything out there that when used inappropriately might harm her precious!…

• “The WARNING SHOULD HAVE BEEN LARGER!!!”
• “It was the CLERK’s responsibility to throw himself on the Buckyballs thus preventing me from buying them for my apparently ball bearing deficient son!” 
• “The display was too alluring, I couldn’t help myself! The Horror!!!”

So the cry goes out that someone ought to do something about it!  It is not my job to be responsible!  Which is how it all begins… the key in the lock of pandora’s nanny state box!

Don’t believe me… I’m sure someone, innocently enough said,

“Ya know, that Michelle Obama chick is right, our kids today are not getting the nutrition they need in their daily lunches.  We should force the schools to serve properly balanced meals to all of our kids.”

You: “But what about those kids who bring their own lunch?”

Soccer Mom Commie Sympathizer Concerned mother:  “Well there should be an inspection of those lunches to be sure they have the proper Government Recommended Nutritional value.”

You:  “Like who is going to stoop so low to take on the job of ‘5 year olds lunch bag inspector?’ Talk about a crappy business card.”

Socialist Zealot Concerned Mother: “It’s a recession, I’m sure there are a number of people who couldn’t qualify for a TSA job who’d jump at the chance!  Besides will be sure they are issued a badge.”

You: “And if Barney finds little Becky’s lunch to be sub par?”

Stalinist Concerned Occupy Cafeteria Mom: “We’ll then force Becky to eat the Government mandated food, and bill the negligent dolt of a mom who is so stuck in the past that she even thought to prepare a homemade lunch in the first place!”

You: “What kinda Government Mandated food we talking about here?  Turkey and cheese sandwiches?  Bananas? Apple juice?”

Nose Ringed Lemming Concerned Mom: “Of course not that clabber!  We’re talking wholesome foods… y’know like Chicken Nugget parts and ketchup!”

Face-palm-smack!

Don’t believe me?  Read for yourself… can’t make this stuff up… [Link]

State Inspectors Searching Children’s Lunch Boxes:

…A mother in Hoke County complains her daughter was forced to eat a school lunch because a government inspector determined her home-made lunch did not meet nutrition requirements. In fact, all of the students in the NC Pre-K program classroom at West Hoke Elementary School in Raeford had to accept a school lunch in addition to their lunches brought from home.

The mother, who doesn’t wish to be identified at this time, says she made her daughter a lunch that contained a turkey and cheese sandwich, a banana, apple juice and potato chips. A state inspector assessing the pre-K program at the school said the girl also needed a vegetable, so the inspector ordered a full school lunch tray for her. While the four-year-old was still allowed to eat her home lunch, the girl was forced to take a helping of chicken nuggets, milk, a fruit and a vegetable to supplement her sack lunch.

The mother says the girl was so intimidated by the inspection process that she was too scared to eat all of her homemade lunch. The girl ate only the chicken nuggets provided to her by the school, so she still didn’t eat a vegetable.

My gawd!  How did I ever live to be 30?  I ate a Mom prepared bag lunch, every day of my school career!  Consisting of 2 sandwiches (one meat, and one usually peanut butter an jelly) a sandwich bag of chips, a sandwich bag of carrots, a cookie or two, and a dime to buy a milk! (later became a quarter thanks to that Jimmy Carter Inflationary pinhead).  I also played tag on monkeybars, on the asphalt playground, while Timmy ate bottle caps that Nathan dared him to… Not the candied bottle caps either!

Seriously people… stop!  People (that includes you!) will do dumb stuff, sometimes that will be painful (funny how god created pain as nature’s teaching headsmack)… quit looking for someone to blame for your stupidity!!!  Or, for that matter, the stupidity of the seed from your loins… never falls to far from the tree huh?

Postponed!

I just learned that Ginger’s Mom’s surgery has been postponed…  The family had gathered at the Michigan hospital at the assigned 6:00am muster for her mom’s scheduled 9:00am mastectomy.  Alas it was not to be…

In a pre-op examination, a swelling was noticed where they wanted to operate that could indicate an exiting slight infection.  Definitely do not want to operate if that is present.  After running more tests, the decision was made to postpone today’s surgery until a day next week.

This is a serious let down for the family.  First it is always difficult to have to step back from the precipice that you have been conditioning yourself to accept the necessity of, then proceed to re-condition yourself for the coming groundhog day of doing it all over again.  Second, Ginger will not be able to be there for the rescheduled date, she is chief nurse at her own Oncology Clinic here in Denver after all… and in the battle of competing priorities in our lives circumstances simply will not allow for either an extended stay in Lansing, or an immediate return trip next week.

Hopefully having Ginger there for the next couple of days will help her mom re-condition for the soon to be rescheduled procedure.  I know Ginger acknowledges the reality of the situation, she doesn’t like it, but knows what is possible.  I know where her heart will be, even if she cannot be there physically.

Damn…

Thank you all again for your well wishes, warm thoughts and concerned prayers, they are all welcomed, and will be welcomed again when we go through this again. 

-JC

Surgery Tomorrow

Ginger is flying to Lansing MI this evening to be with her mom, Betty, as she comes to terms with her Breast Cancer. 

Yep, tomorrow Betty is scheduled to undergo a mastectomy at a nearby hospital.  Ginger is flying out to be with her mom during this difficult and concerning time, to obviously provide comfort to her mom, but to also provide understanding to the rest of her family.

As our family’s instances of medical need have increased in recent years I am more and more thankful for Ginger’s knowledge in all things medical, and especially oncology!  She has been a godsend to both my family in my mom’s battle with her Neuroendricrine islet cell cancer, and now with her mom’s bout with breast cancer. 

Ginger has certainly felt the weight of her knowledge and our dependence on her during these times, I feel for her.  But also adore her willingness to play the role of both, concerned… Daughter, Daughter-in-law, Wife and… knowledgeable, skilled, respected Oncology Nurse.  She is a trooper!

As I type this I am listening to Grand Rapids Airport Tower communications, her airbus just crossed the numbers landing on “Runway 8 Right” I am glad she is back on the ground, and will soon be with the folks who need her most right now, her family.

My thoughts and prayers are obviously going to be focused toward Central Michigan for the next few days.  I pray for a successful surgery and speedy recovery for Betty, knowing full well this is only Act 1 of new chapter in her life and there will be many more trials to work through in the coming months as her cancer treatment progresses, but I want her to know I (and many others) will be thinking of her, and praying for her as she goes though it.  I feel better knowing she’ll have her daughter Ginger by her side for this first step!  I can think of no one better to have there.

Good News from Tampa Today!

I just got the call… Today was the 3 month follow up Cat Scan for my mom.  She has been on a Chemo Sabbatical of sorts for the past 3 months.  The tests in October (at the conclusion of her 3rd 3 month period of oral chemotherapy) indicated no real change in cell size or count from the conclusion of the 2nd period.  Thus the decision was made to allow mom a 3 month term without having to take any medications to treat her cancer. 

Today was a huge day, certainly we have been hopeful that the CT today would show no significant progression of the cells, in hopes of allowing Mom even more time away from a treatment that, as many of you know, is fatiguing at best.

Kelly, my sister, once again took it upon herself to assist Mom and Dad in their journey from Jacksonville down to Tampa (Moffitt Cancer Center).  She called me a few minutes ago, with cheer in her voice, a good start!  She immediately passed the phone to Mom to deliver the news.

Scan results indicate:

1. NO New Cells!
2. NO increase in any of the existing cells!
3. SOME Reduction in size of some of the existing cells!

All tremendous news!!! 

And to celebrate, Mom, Dad and Kelly are headed to the nearest Baskin Robbins for a scoop of Cherries Jubilee! 

We all want to thank you again for all the well wishes, warm thoughts and prayers during this time!  This is truly the best we news we could hope for today.

-JC

Why Newt Won South Carolina

Two days before the South Carolina Primary, one of the big media outlets scores what it thinks is a coup sure to devastate the campaign of one Newt Gingrich!

“Let’s Air Newt’s Dirty Laundry relating to his previous marriage!”…  “Yeah! That’ll show him to be the despicable dirtbag we all want him to be!”

Well… the voting populace in South Carolina is… well… Southern!  And one thing that Southerners know how to do is… Not Air Their Dirty Laundry in Public!  Southerners know damn good and well that taboos are regularly crossed behind closed doors (and by the way all good southerners also know that if you are going to cross a taboo line that it is best done “Behind Closed Doors”!) Liberal Yankees are of the opposite extreme, they are of the opinion that the concepts of Taboos are archaic and therefore all behaviors, no matter how distasteful, no matter how immoral (by any favorite standard), no matter how harmful, should be not just tolerated but accepted if not celebrated!

Southerner’s hate when Yankees try to rub their noses in anything!  So when a perceived Liberal Media Outlet, decides it is going to “Out” a Southern Republican for “Immoral” behavior… the Southern Voting base isn’t repulsed, as ABC executives thought they would be… The voting populace becomes Defensive!

We’ve all had experiences where a good friend, or relative experiences a divorce.  Divorces by nature are not pretty!  The two parties involved do not get along any more!  What at first, many years prior, looked like the land of Beer and Skittles, later turned into the land of sweatpants and curlers with an attitude!  Now many couples try to stay together for the sake of whatever… be it the kids, public reputation, you name it.  Divorces are public acknowledgement of failure!  And many, in a fit of misguided pride try to make internal adjustments to the private relationship while still having outward appearances remain intact. It is especially true in the south. Southerner’s are all about appearances.  “Never let them see you sweat” is definitely a Southern Term! 

Eventually, it all collapses and indeed the divorce becomes public.  It’s tough!  But you know something, shit happens!  Ok… that’s that!  And that is how Southerners see it.  What happened behind closed doors that caused the rift, or what behavior agreements were aired in an effort to keep public appearances, are none of my damn business!  But it doesn’t mean we won’t gossip about it!  Remember, you’ll never hear one of us repeating gossip!… so you better be sure and listen close the first time!

We’ve all heard the rumors of Newt’s breakups, and through the rumor mill how terrible he treated his former wives (a claim that eventually was repudiated by the very wife he was supposed to be such a jerk to!  A repudiation supported by his and her daughters as well).

And once we Southerners realized again that the stories weren’t necessarily true… we then took the rest of the blather with a grain of salt.

Newt may well have tried to broker an agreement with his wife where he could sleep with another while still maintaining outward appearances of a stable marriage. Happens all the time!  The pompous Yankee asses at ABC made the mistake of assuming that Southerners are too naïve to even think this could happen.  So, ABC News, high in their Ivory tower, thinks that they will be exposing Newt for what he really is, and in so doing illustrating the hypocrisy of these pesky Republicans in all of their Moral Stances.   Heh!  Jokes on them!

In the south we know there are disturbances in the moral force that binds us. What we do not tolerate is spitefulness!  Back-stabbing is unbecoming, and southern empathy will immediately be directed toward the perceived victim!  That who is being back stabbed in public!  You just don’t' do that.  So when Newt’s Ex went on National Television to air her laundry, she violated the Southern Code!  And therefor became immediately petty and irrelevant!  Southerners saw a fellow southerner now under attack by those damn Yankees, supported by fodder from a jilted turncoat former wife (who, after this display… Southerners thought, “No wonder Newt wanted to sleep with someone else!”)  So what does the south do?  Protect their own!  And damned if they will vote for that Republican from that Yankee Bastion Massachusetts!

And when CNN, not realizing all they were doing is throwing Newt into the Briar Patch, carried ABC’s water and asked about the Succubus's claim… Newt, a true Southerner, knew he had the advantage and attacked the Liberal Media for stooping so low as to bring this type of issue up at something so dignified as a PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE!  Remember CNN, ABC, CBS, NYT… Southerners don’t give a shit if you wear boxers or briefs either… as long as they’re clean!

Paucity of Posts

Visitors to this space may not help but notice the growing rarity of literary wit or prose on these here virtual pages.  I could obviously cite any number of convenient excuses, much in the same way I can concoct reasons for not dragging my growing figure to the gym.  But the reason lies more in frustration than apathy or inconvenience.

In the case of Carmichael’s Position I don’t really attribute the growing dearth of cognitive essays, to laziness but more to lack of motivation.  It is this motivation I intend to change.  Of late I have been more reticent to express my opinion, choosing to hold my tongue (or fingers in the case of CP) in a misinterpreted impression I was being more balanced, or understanding.  The proverbial “Don’t speak unless you can improve the silence".  I find without outlet, my mind stirs with each absurdity our world seems to generate in the way a nauseated goose creates flatulent fertilizer! 

My trouble lies in my lack of self assuredness.  I know, to many who know me personally describing me as anything remotely close to insecure would be like accusing Obama of being humble!  No, follow me here, I have been reading excellent prose from spectacular writers and thinkers, ranging from George Will, Peggy Noonan, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Sun Tzu, Stockdale and his motivative mentor Epictetus.  When I compare my composition, or syllogistic methods I come up painfully short.  Who wouldn’t?  I know.  It would be like me comparing my photographic works to the likes of Ansel Adams, or Charlie Waite.  Which is what got me to thinking… Like in my photography, I use the works of these paragons to better challenge my own quality.  I know I will never be Ansel Adams… but then again the world has already had one.  So I can simply be John Carmichael, aspiring photographer, writer, commentator.  Maybe my words will raise the discourse, or maybe not, they may just land like the feces of the sick goose… but they will be my words and thoughts, and once again… CARMICHAEL’s POSITION!  My words may not “Improve the Silence” but they certainly cannot harm the din!

More to come… fortunately it’s an election year, and I suspect there will be no shortage of idiots regurgitating bromides and platitudes in an effort to sway an electorate! 

I will not sit on the sidelines any more. 

Not to worry there will be a continuing smattering of my more tame, artistic impressions on these pages as well, just because I plan to expand one facet does not mean I plan to curtail the other… besides I am going to the gym again too!  … new leaf and all that…

Damn… Cancer part two!

Not Mom, Not Dad… but Ginger’s Mom!  Learned yesterday that a lump Ginger’s mom noticed a few weeks ago tested positive for cancer.  We haven’t yet received all the details, a full diagnosis is pending more tests to determine such things that my wife is far more versed in than I.

But suffice to say, all prayers, well wishes, and good thoughts directed toward Betty will be greatly appreciated. A prayer for strength for the rest of the family couldn’t hurt none neither…

I know where my prayers are focused.

Christmas 2011

Awoke this morning from a long winter’s nap, greeted not by the subtle sounds of Bing Crosby singing I’ll be home for Christmas nor even Johnny Mathis’ The Christmas Song… No actually it was quite… well… quiet.  Christmas morning had come, and nearly gone by the time I stirred, comfortable in my nothing pressing agenda.  My wife sleeping comfortably next to me, also equally comfortable in letting the morning pass un-encumbered by our presence.  A gift to us really.

We find ourselves a mile from Ginger’s family’s farm, in a hotel in the western extremes of Lansing Michigan for this year’s Yuletide, surrounded by browning grasses, leafless trees, gray skies, and the local credit union drive through.  A captivating view to say the very least!

I cannot seem to find the Christmas Spirit I am seeking this year, I’ve watched A Christmas Story a number of times and even spent a commercial break enjoying It’s a Wonderful Life and while these two classics, separate by a generation or two help to remind of what should be remembered, alas I am wont for that warm blanket of a charming Christmas.

I am usually critical and cynical of the Commercial Christmas, what with retail outlets seemingly putting up decorations the day after Labor Day!  By the time December 25th is upon us we have been drowned in forced appreciation of “it is more important to Give (especially using your Visa card) than to receive.”  But amazingly enough here in central Michigan there is an actual dearth of Christmas charm, cheer, or so much as garland!  Not even at the local retail outlets, nothing!  Not a wreath or candy cane mounted to the parking lot light poles, no trees wrapped with lights… squat!  If an extra terrestrial alien crew, after completing the requisite proctologic exams on you…  dropped you off of their ship today in the middle of West Lansing, as you looked around trying to find your bearings, and some Preparation H,  you would have NO clue that today is Christmas!  Today here is no different than February 7th!

I never thought I’d find myself actually missing this, but I am.  Much in the way Ralphie’s tale from his childhood reminds us of our own, it is the not-so-subtleties of Christmas we seem to find comfort in.  And they are not present this year.  Its as if the general mood of West Lansing matches the overcast skies.  There isn’t even the promise of snow as a gift of the gloom, just continued drab with a chance of dreary.

I don’t know who or what to blame, is it the poor economy (one that has impacted this area more than most)?  Is it an overzealous desire to be PC and avoid any reference to “Christmas” for fear of retribution by the Atheist Hoards?  Or simple laziness in the face of, “It’s Christmas, it’s coming whether I do anything or not…”?  I don’t know and don’t really care, the simple reality is… Christmas ain’t here in the farmlands of Central Michigan! 

Honestly I didn’t have high expectations for this particular Christmas, but amazingly enough (if you’re measuring absolute value) the reality is beyond my expectations.

I’m hoping the spirit of Christmas will still find a way to manifest itself, but if it doesn’t I guess it will allow for all future Christmases to excel in comparison.

Merry Christmas All…