Carmichael's Position

A few tripod tests…

Don’t give me grief Greg…(and Brian) I’m in my back yard testing stuff with limited subject matter… besides Chicks Dig it!

The one above was tough, I was trying the keep the auto focus on the geese and not on the tree’s thin branches between me and them.

The Moon and Venus

As many of you may have noticed this evening in the western sky just after sunset, a beautiful 2nd day sliver moon and Venus were snuggled up together.

Thought I’d test out the new tripod this evening.  (For the photo weenies that want to know what my settings were at so you can tell me what I did wrong) the above image is taken with my Nikon D80 with the 70-300 VR Zoom @ 300mm at 1/20 ISO 100 f/5.6.  I found if I went too long on the exposure the earth’s rotation screwed up the focus instilling motion blur.

Then like a good cook, in Photoshop I adjusted for taste, not much just a little seasoning.  My taste.  One thing I did do, is rotated the image 90 degrees counterclockwise (anti-clockwise for my British friends), I found this to be a much more appealing image than the two heavenly bodies side by side.  It kind of makes you feel like your approaching the moon from space rather than earth.  Had you just gone outside and looked up it would have looked a little like this…

It was really nice having a beefier tripod to assist in stabilizing the camera when I really zoomed in. Which helped deliver the top image. 

After looking more at the image I thought it might be fun to try to really convey a sense of approach so I applied a little PS3 magic and altered it a bit to the image below, adding a subtle effect to the dark side of the moon giving more of a planetary feel to it. Hope you like… all in fun on a Friday.

Oh the tripod? VERY COOL! I’ve been meaning all week to get out and play with it.  But alas, time and energy (or lack thereof) kept precluding the effort.  Again for the Photo-weenies, it is a Manfrotto 055XPro on top of it I placed a 488RC2 Ball Head. I plan to get out tomorrow or Sunday and experiment a bit with some tripod work.  Already I can see a marked improvement in the stability it provides over my previous POS101TremblyLeg one.

-JC

Flag Draped Coffins Now Available For Propaganda

News out today that reverses the Bush Administration’s policy of not allowing filming or photography of the Flag Draped Coffins of KIA military personnel.

From Reuters:

Pentagon to allow pictures of flag-draped coffins

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon will relax its ban on media coverage of returning U.S. war dead by allowing families to decide whether to allow photos and television footage of the flag-draped coffins of their loved ones, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Thursday.

Gates ordered the change after reviewing a 1991 ban that prevents news organizations from recording images of war dead arriving at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, where the Pentagon has its main mortuary.

"If the family of one of the fallen says that they do not want media coverage ... then that will be the decision. There will be no media decision. If they say that's OK with them, then it will be available," Gates told reporters at a Pentagon briefing.

…President Barack Obama asked for a policy review early this month and Gates said that drew a call for change from the U.S. Army, which represents the largest portion of war dead.

"My conclusion was that we should not presume to make the decision for the families," Gates said.

Here’s the problem… what is now the threat of violating the “Family’s” wishes?  Will the “family” now have to sue AP, CNN, or MSNBC  whereas previously there was threat of National enforcement.  And who in the family has the authority?  I’m sure Cindy Sheehan would have reveled in having her son’s flag draped coffin shown across the front page of the New York Times, whereas the father would have said absolutely NOT! 

Here’s a Quote form the Liberal attention Sponge herself back in 2005…

"This war has been so sanitized to the public," said Cindy Sheehan of Vacaville, whose son, Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, was killed in Iraq and who has become an outspoken critic of the war. "There are huge segments of the American public that don't even have to think about the war if they don't want to."

I’m pretty sure AP, Reuters, CNN would have PUBLISHED FIRST and ask for forgiveness later.

The ban was on photographing caskets while the military is transporting them home from combat.  The family always had the authority to allow photography of the coffin in ceremonial circumstance.  Two excellent, respectful, approved by the family examples are these:

The ban was in place to prevent the Press from using the image of mass caskets in a propagandist way only to advance an anti-war agenda, with no concern for the effect on other military personnel or the families who had suffered a loss but do not share the anti-Bush agenda.

As proof I submit that when Liberal P.O.S.’s couldn’t use the images of real soldiers who sacrificed their lives for a cause, they created their own!  With the following statement:

I kept looking at our mock procession and thinking about how Bush had the REAL flag draped coffins flown home in the dead of night, prohibiting photographs, etc. It's just infuriating.

Infuriating because insensitive turds like these were prevented use a soldier’s final image as leverage for their propaganda?  What if the killed soldier, would have absolutely disagreed with the use of his coffin for such a vile cause?

This is absolutely perverted!  And disrespectful!  You tell me, why else would the press want to use an image of a fallen soldier?  Not to support the cause, only to illustrate the cost of war.  Well, most of us are WELL aware of the cost of war.  But what is the price of Liberty? Protection? Human Freedom?

Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors and Marines volunteer for service, they are aware of the risks and look out for each other in combat and mourn the loss of every brother and sister in arms.  To leverage the death of these in such a way is disgraceful.  We bring those that served and paid the ultimate price home in a ceremonious, traditional, honorable, dignified, and respectful way… covered in the flag of their nation.  This is done to illustrate our thanks as a nation.  It should never be used to spit in the eye of the nation or an administration.

That’s just my opinion…

Lawful Orders

Wow, talk about putting your onions in a waffle iron! 

From WorldNetDaily

Soldier doubts eligibility, defies president's orders
'As an officer, my sworn oath to support and defend our Constitution requires this'

A U.S. soldier on active duty in Iraq has called President Obama an "impostor" in a statement in which he affirmed plans to join as plaintiff in a challenge to Obama's eligibility to be commander in chief…

…"As an active-duty officer in the United States Army, I have grave concerns about the constitutional eligibility of Barack Hussein Obama to hold the office of president of the United States," wrote Scott Easterling in a "to-whom-it-may-concern" letter.  [More]

I wish him luck… He’s going to need it.  While Democrats LOVE “Whistle Blowers” they ain’t real thrilled when the ref is calling them for the foul!

Heheh, I’m thinking the Democrats may walk into the briar patch on this one, one argument they may use is that nowhere in the Officer’s Oath does it reference “Obey the Orders of the President”… Seriously… here it is:

I (insert name), having been appointed a (insert rank) in the U.S. Army under the conditions indicated in this document, do accept such appointment and do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter, so help me God.

Now, if Scott Easterling were an Enlisted he might have a leg to stand on as the Enlisted Oath reads:

I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.

The interesting part of this is that if this argument is used, that will set precedence that US Military Officers don’t have to give a rat’s ass what the ‘Commander in Chief” has to say?

The argument here is obviously Constitutional, and that of Lawful Authority.  If nothing else it will be entertaining to watch Don Quixote tilt at this windmill!  

Providing High Quality Jobs

I want to know… who and with what type of skills are in un-employment line? And if all of these “Shovel Ready” new jobs will really employ those who are currently seeking work, or are those currently seeking work looking to pick up a shovel?

Tell ya what, I know plenty of SUPER BRIGHT people, if President Obama would like to stimulate the economy, provide my small business venture, um say 1/39,000th of the bailout GM is seeking, and I can employ some 30 people to create a quality company that would in very short order employ 300 people.

Gimme 3 years tax free to accomplish that goal, then if I succeed in employing 300 people, without need to go back to the well, then provide another 3 years tax free. 

Now, say you made that simple promise to 39,000 small businesses, in three years assuming only 50% succeeded you would CREATE!!!! 5,850,000 new jobs, and I’m talking quality jobs, not just “Shovel Ready”  This would reduce the unemployment rate to below 3.5%. 

I don’t even know what these companies would come up with, but incentive will prove wonders.  Want Green energy? I know a few engineers… want improved battery efficiency? I know a few engineers… want more fuel efficient engines?  I know a few engineers… want more solar, wind, Bio-fuel?  I know a few engineers… want more efficient post military operations, I know few experts in logistics… want better software for the government? I know a few software architects.

Want a better energy Bar?  Well hell, I already know where you can get that!

Now, not only is JungleGrub Certified USDA Organic, but it is Gluten Free too!  Not bad for a great 100 calorie snack.

Here’s to the power of the small, independent businessman.  Truly the Heart of America!

Hey Joe! I love you!… You got $39 Billion?

I was 13, when my eyes were opened a bit to exactly what destitution really was… but then I was in “Culture Shock” mode already.

We had just moved to Yokosuka Japan from Coronado California… (two poles of a cultural magnet if you ask me) where Dad was to assume command of the USS Midway (CV-41).  Only problem was the Midway, as was more the normal, wasn’t currently in Japan.  Nope, she was down in the Philippines at Cubi Point (Subic Bay) on exercises.  This was back in the day when the United States actually had military facilities in the Philippines.

So, not wanting to miss this momentous occasion, the whole family winged our way south to the land of Jungles, Monkeys, White Sand Beaches, and Olongapo… home of “Antiques while you wait,” the Po River (AKA Sh!t River… AKA Open Sewer!) and the “Hey Joe Kids.”

Ya see, connecting the US Naval facilities of Subic Bay (and NAS Cubi Point) to the local township of Olongapo was a bridge across the Olongapo River, known by far less proper terms as aforementioned.  On this river were a number of kids (8-12 years old on average) in canoes yelling at the sailors headed into town on liberty, asking for donations to their charitable cause!  “Hey Joe!  Got a Peso?”

The obliging sailor would then pull out a few coins of the realm, and toss to the kids in the canoes.  Or so went the theory.  Many o sailor, lacking a comprehensive understanding of the situation, and not fully understanding why prior to arriving in this humid jungle of Tijuana East, was required to receive both cholera and typhoid inoculations… would toss the coin not to the waiting hands of the kid in the boat, but rather, into the disease and germ infested Po river!  (Some sailors did indeed know better and did it anyway… vermin!) The kids, certainly not recognizing the hazards of their actions, dove in after the maliciously tossed coin!  This explained the average life expectancy of a “Hey Joe kid” being somewhere south of 18 years!

Later the US Navy made it a Court Marshal offence to toss a coin at the kids in the river.  The navy recognized the insanity, the malice of one taking glee in killing the innocent.

I was in shock watching this… Being the quite impressionable 13 year old I was, I could not quite grasp the magnitude of what I was seeing (and smelling). 

We crossed the bridge… Dad wanted to show young John more of what the rest of the world was like.  It was an eye opener to say the least.  They came from everywhere, kids no older than I, mobbing us asking for money.  They knew no other way to survive, and holding out their hand had continually proven profitable.  These kids were addicted, to their own demise.  For as distasteful as this was… Uncle Sam was indeed the economic life blood of Olongapo!  Without the Navy, there was no economy… as the people would learn the hard way when a few short years later the US Military succumbed to the pressures of the Filipino government who viewed the US with distain… and left. 

The people of Olongapo who knew only how to suck on the economic teat of the US Military were left to starve now that their sow had died.

I see the same thing happening in our economy today.  Once proud auto manufacturers standing in a river of shit with their hands out asking to be thrown coins of the realm for their survival, not knowing that in this act itself have all but assured their ultimate demise… only prolonging the agony.

Banking, Retail, Entertainment, Durable Goods Manufacturers, Resorts, Aircraft Manufacturers, Green Energy Producers… all blinded by the immediate allure of money being tossed with reckless abandon by a gleeful yet naive government, thinking they are doing the “Hey Joe Kids” a favor. 

Mr. Obama, Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Reid… I don’t want your hand outs, you are killing our drive to excel, to strive, to become more efficient, to think for ourselves, to achieve meaningful goals.  You’re conditioning us to chase trinkets thrown into a river, to satisfy your malicious heart, satisfying your narcissistic impression that power comes from you… not from we the people. 

As long as the teat of the American Sow is laid forth, the weak will indulge, sadly to their own demise when the milk runs dry.

Please, stop this madness, we are Americans, with the will, the intellect and the drive to succeed no matter the odds.  Do not take away our motivation by falsely providing us mirages of comfort, temporal as they are.  Tough love is what is needed.  We can be better, we just have to remember that in order to succeed we HAVE to be better, mediocrity should not be rewarded. 

What is claimed as “Stimulus” is nothing of the sort.  The only thing the recent bill signed has done is to empower government more and de-motivate the majority of us, to a condition where we no longer feel we are earning for ourselves but rather earning for the STATE to take care of us. 

Now we learn this is only the tip of the iceberg.  Mr. Obama is now proposing the next great rescue in $75 Billion of a Mortgage plan, and another $39 Billion to save a failing car manufacture that should have re-evaluated 20 years ago! 

Of a scarier nature is… President Obama has not even submitted a budget, one wonders what that will look like.   And cost us, not to mention our children…!  To many the milk you offer looks sweet… sad that it soon be vinegar.

Some Colorado Photos on a Monday Off

Had the day off today, needed the introspection… so thought I’d take advantage of it and go snap a few around the neighborhood.  Hope you like. 

More here… [Link]

 

 

The Immediacy of Life

I was greeted this morning with a very unwelcomed e-mail in my inbox.  I learned of the tragic death of a co-worker’s sister (and her boyfriend) on Flight 3407 that crashed on approach to Buffalo’s airport last night.

We’re a small company and obviously an incident like this hits home quite intensely.  We are all in shock, we all conveyed our deepest sympathies and offered our help in anyway we can.  To be honest we all feel a bit helpless in supporting our friend and coworker.

As most of you are aware, I grew up immersed in the world of Naval Aviation.  I can distinctly remember a few very late phone calls made to our house informing the CO or my Mom, that an aircraft from the squadron is reported down and the crew is presumed killed.  These calls were always dreaded, but always a possibility you kept locked in the back of your mind trying to ignore until once again the reality is called upon.  Never easy… just a known possibility.

In the civilian world, I find my guard is down in accepting this as a possibility and I found myself fully understanding my co-worker’s disbelief in the realization of what has happened.  “Surreal” is the term that seems to meet the criteria. All of us are saddened by this tragedy, and through our prayers we hope to help assuage the angst, anger and sadness that are sure to assault our trusted friend.

I hope my friend knows our concern and it can serve to bring him some solace in these difficult times… I suspect it is insufficient.

-JC

Guns Kill People and my Pen Writes Bad Checks

OH MY GOD!!!!  There are 3 TOY GUNS in the back of a locked SUV in the school parking lot!!!  OH THE HUMANITY!!!

We need to find out who’s vehicle this is and expel them before something… uh… um… uh… I mean before a liberal wets his pants and is embarrassed!  Too Late!

This is the summation of what happened to a 3.5 AP student headed to the Merchant Marine Academy here in Aurora Colorado.  [From 7News Denver]

'Young Marine' Faces Expulsion For Replica Rifles…

For Marie Morrow, the equipment left in the back seat of her car was for an upcoming competition. She said she never expected it would lead to her being suspended from school -- or possibly expelled.

Morrow, who says she has a 3.5 grade point average, is a member of the Douglas County Young Marines. She said she spins the practice rifles for the organization’s drill team.

Staff members at Cherokee Trail High School were alerted by concerned students who thought they might be real, said a Cherry Creek Schools spokeswoman.

"They went inside. They were anxious. They were frightened," school district spokeswoman Tustin Amole said.

The mock rifles are made of wood, with duct tape, to resemble a real rifle.

Amole explained the school district’s policy mirrors state and federal laws about weapons in schools, and calls for "mandatory expulsion" when possessing a dangerous weapon in any school building.

A student conduct handbook states a dangerous weapon includes "a firearm, whether loaded or unloaded, or a firearm facsimile that could reasonably be mistaken for an actual firearm."

DAMN IT!  Stop!  You bunch of ninnies!  Damn if that’s the way you’re gunna be, if I were a student I’d go running into the principal’s office, all a flutter with tears just streaming down my cheeks, anxious and freightened!!! Because that’s my response anytime I see a Subaru with an Obama sticker in plain sight! And there are WAY too many of those in the school parking lot!

By the way here is the Colorado Statue that seems somewhat in conflict to what is being said by the school board, but I probably missing an addendum… (emphasis mine)

18-12-105.5. Unlawfully carrying a weapon - unlawful possession of weapons - school, college, or university grounds.

(1) A person commits a class 6 felony if such person knowingly and unlawfully and without legal authority carries, brings, or has in such person's possession a deadly weapon as defined in section 18-1-901 (3) (e) in or on the real estate and all improvements erected thereon of any public or private elementary, middle, junior high, high, or vocational school or any public or private college, university, or seminary, except for the purpose of presenting an authorized public demonstration or exhibition pursuant to instruction in conjunction with an organized school or class, for the purpose of carrying out the necessary duties and functions of an employee of an educational institution that require the use of a deadly weapon, or for the purpose of participation in an authorized extracurricular activity or on an athletic team.

But Wait There’s More…

(3) It shall not be an offense under this section if:

(a) The weapon is unloaded and remains inside a motor vehicle while upon the real estate of any public or private college, university, or seminary;

Replica made of Duct Tape!  Pretty sure… uh… TAIN’t LOADED!

Cripes!!!  Now before I begin on my rant I will have all y’all know I am not a member of the NRA nor a subscriber to Guns and Ammo or any other special interest group that has a Pro-Gun Agenda… the following diatribe is mine!

The Pop-Culture fear of guns has made me crazy for years.  All of the discussions of banning Hand Guns, Prohibiting assault weapons, limiting clips to 10 instead of 15 rounds is philosophically and factually idiotic. 

Tell you what… I’m gunna point my hand gun at you.  Let’s just say it’s an older Beretta with “One in the Pipe” and 15 in the clip.  I’ll allay your fear… I pull the clip out and eject 5 rounds from it… reinsert the clip point it back at you.  Feel better?

Look either ban all guns in all circumstances or SHUT THE HELL UP!  Our institutionalized fear of firearms stems from, who else, the sensationalistic press!  And I’m sick of it!  Every time someone gets killed in a firearm related incident the topic of firearm legislation leaps to the forefront of everyone’s mind.   Usually stating that this type of gun needs to be banned!  Or everyone who has a gun needs to be licensed and traceable!  Usually the dipshit mass murderer is using the wrong tool for his ambitions anyway! Usually because he saw it on TV or in the Movies!  You wanna off a buch of people in the school yard?  Rifle ain’t the way… Wanna protect your house from a break in?  Assault Rifle ain’t the way!!!  Look… here’s a couple of facts:

No matter what the gun LOOKS like they ALL do the same thing!  Allow a projectile (Bullet) to traverse a barrel, focusing the energy facilitating an accurate conveyance of the mass to another mass (perp, target, tree, moose, beer can, earth, etc…).  People who want to ban assault style weapons yet not eliminate hunting rifles fail to understand this simple intrinsic fact.  Now understand, some guns perform this task better than others, generally the longer the barrel the higher the likelihood what the SHOOTER Aims at will indeed be hit.  But in close?  Gimme a shotgun any day!

Just because a gun looks just like those used by the military or by SWAT Teams, read “BADASS…” makes it no more lethal, or accurate than your Dad’s 308 Winchester.  It ain’t the clubs… It’s the golfer!

Now here is something for you… it is either a Gun or it is NOT… A TOY GUN is not a GUN!  It is a TOY!  A Replica Gun is not a GUN it is a REPLICA!  Just like your pretend girlfriend is not a real girlfriend!!! She is a blow up doll!

And just like your blow-up doll, I understand that there are places you should not take your toy gun, cuz you know it’s inappropriate.  Church, your doctor’s office, and maybe even school, unless…  Your toy gun is a REPLICA and used in a sanctioned activity like Military Drill Teams! Cuz God knows we really don’t want our youth spinning REAL Guns!  Might damage the gun!  And take it from a guy who used to drill with REAL Guns (and shoot them too!)  In a California School no less!!!!  We treated those weapons with care, respect and discipline!  Personally I preferred to drill with the replicas, they weighed less and you weren’t as concerned about dropping one!

Personally I think firearm safety and responsibility ought to be a required class in EVERY Junior High!  That’s right Junior High if not Elementary School!  And the class should be taught by a Police Firearms Instructor or Military Instructor, Trust me there is no better training!  AND they will not teach from an uninformed position of fear!  They will teach from a knowledgeable position of respect!  We will reduce the incidents of accidental injury caused by idiots that THINK they know how to handle a weapon because they saw it on TV! 

And now for your viewing pleasure I leave you with professionals with REAL GUNS!!! At a Sporting Event no less!!!

If this is what Marie Morrow aspires to be… More power to her!  Semper Fi!

What One can Find in a Garage

This morning, I was reminded in a most inconvenient way, that I was out of coffee filters!  Yep, coffee was ground and the water poured into the maker…

Ok, those of you who know me, know that there is NO way I can be productive without my morning cup of Joe.  So I alter my morning routine a bit and proceed to head off to the nearest Starbucks.  I plod to the garage and hit the garage door opener.  As the door lifts, the cool dark is broken and I am dazzled by the image laid forth before me!  Where usually only gray concrete rests, in a puddle of melted snow, now an intense reflection of the morning blue sky and the stark leafless tree in my front yard is mosaic’d at my feet.

WOW! Sorry the pictures probably really do not do it justice, but, I thought I’d try to share a portion of what it looked like.

-There you go… And no politics involved!