It has started, the government is telling private industry directly what they want done. The man of hope and change is offering a huge change. He seems to want large government and control of all major industries, health, environment and financial part of the American economy and how we live our lives. They feel government knows best and can help you make the right choices. You become dependent on the government since they begin to control your choices.
All joking aside it is getting to be silly what these people are doing. The USA is following right in behind, increasing it's debt in 5-6 years as much as it has in 233 years, 43 Presidents. We do not have the money, it can only come from working people and we are taxed enough. It is time to cut programs, do the right thing. Lower taxes and that will infuse equity into this economy. But they like power and doing that does not allow they to tell you how, when and where to spend it.
Then soon we will be talking about real money like this years budget. They spend us into the abyss. I see nothing good in all this government spending and how it soon becomes addictive. Problem is the money comes from the people. Now the government will collect your money and give it back to you in services. It has been heading that way since Roosevelt and the 30s. But now Nancy, Harry and Obama want to put the petal to the metal and spends as much money as they can to get more government in our way of life.
I hope our true friends in the U.K. do not think we are the uncouth and disrespectful people like our current President. I am not a huge fan of Gordon Brown but he is the leader of the U.K. and our countries have been close friends and allies for many years. It was total disrespect to return the bust of one of the greatest men of all time Winston Churchill. I was beside myself when I read the story in U.K. papers followed up on page 15 in our USA news media coverage. I am appalled and stunned this is not being covered more indepth than it is here in our country. This was as if a slap in the face of a friend, you just do not do stuff like this, not to civil people.
A gathering of people not happy with how our President wants to change how our system of government works. The event was a grass root effort to show displeasure with the amount of government spending.This was tax and spend protest by working tax payers. They want to tax us to death and our grand children, it is insane. Cincinnati Tea Party
There will be another event on April 15th, 2009 on Fountain Square. There at least 4000 people at this event. I think there is going to be many more at the next event. We will know more about the budget and how much and where they want to spend us into the abyss. There were at lot more today than I think most people expected. This only started a few weeks ago. Think as the word gets out how many more will go on April 15th.
It seems time moves more quickly when I started taking photographs again in 2001. I was given a HP318 by my Father in law for Christmas of 2000. He thought it was a bit pricey and wondered why I wanted a digital camera. My Canon Rebel had broken back in 1997 while on a trip to Disney World and for 3 years I just did not feel like taking pictures. Lots of things were happening back then in my life. New job, new house, my kids were taking more of our time. But digital got me back in the mood for photography. My passion returned for captured moments. I am not so sure my family was on board with my renewed passion. But I am glad I started it up again. Moments like these in Lakeside would be a memory, just not as vivid as a photo will rekindle the brain's memories. This was a last day on one of many trips to Lakeside where my wife grew up.
It was a very nice warm week end. It was nice to open the windows and let some fresh air in and get out in the yard and look around.. Make a check list for the spring and the contractor. Robb is going to be on a mission soon. We had some storms go through the area tonight and we got very little, it all went north and south of us. Not complaining, it did make for some nice skies, I took a few shots, they are still on my flash card. Rowe Woods 2007 or 08.
Pictures are from a better time. While on a trip to Washington DC walking down the Mall. Took this picture of a man reaching for a friend. The other picture is a reflection of a couple people near me.
This is one of several I took this evening in my make shift studio. It is basically a wall and I arrange different lights. Nothing fancy, track lights and can ceiling lights on a dimmer. Ty kind of waited a while till he wanted to have his pictured taken, it all worked out in the end. Sharon is going to add some final touches and off to the year book it will go. This is not the one he likes, but I do. So at least it goes in my blog. His Mother also sent in a couple of pictures I took, one as a 1-2 year old, one age 18 playing in the band.
Dave Swanson got me started on this and the more I read and the more I know about what our congress and Obama has passed as a stimulus bill has turned out to be one huge pork bill with a side order of relief to make it palatable for some people. My parents always taught me to save and not over spend, keep money for a rainy day and live within your means. Seems that is not what we should have done. We should have spent like fools, live in a huge house, rack up the credit card bills and wait for someone to bail us out, the rich. People who make for than $250,000.00 a year are now rich, and we will tax them to make up for the people who did not save, spent ever dime they had and now can no longer afford to live with tight money issues in our most current times. I will end up paying more for my kids college and taxes on our house and living so others who did not save can enjoy being stimulated.
Matt came home last year after being missing in action for over three years. He was captured early in the war and was the longest MIA of the Iraq war. He grew up not far from where we live, we often travel past his old home. All while Matt was missing yellow ribbons were around everything. Phone pole, signs, you name it, some are still there. He did not come home the way we all had hoped, but at least he is home.
Over 22 years ago Min and I got married. We have been together since 1984, but tied the knot for a washer and dryer on Valentine's day 1987. Bliss ever since ... * I know she reads this blog.
Well we had high winds and rain last night and just like in September when Ike hit the area we lost power around 8:30PM. Now the road is closed since a huge tree in the Cincinnati Nature Center fell across Tealtown road closing it last night and most of today. It is laying over the power lines and the pole needs to be replaced. We hope they are able to get power back on faster than last time. We will have to stay some where if it is not one tonight, just to cold to sleep in the house. Was wonderful taking a luke warm shower and did not shave today since I really do not care what I look like at work. This comes after a day of talking to my Lawyer about the law suit. Seems all the ducks are in a row, we just need to tie up a few details before he files the paper work.
We pray people come to their senses before they pass this pork bloated horrid spending bill. Government spending helps little, private sector spending brings good jobs and employment. This bill will not bring us jobs or the desired effect to improve jobs or liquidity. Elections have consequential outcomes. 
Clock ticking on copyright
Well this morning I was getting my son up so he could go to practice at school. He looked out the window and asked me how he was going to get out of the drive way. Puzzled I looked out the window to see my car that was parked in the drive way had slide down about 50' nearly into the road. The ice and frozen over night and early morning thaw made is slippery enough for the car to start down the slope on it's own. I guess salting the end of the driveway was a good idea or the car would have ended up in the road. This week end is going to be warm and by end most of the snow and ice will have melted. Now we will be dealing with mud for a few days as the ground will be soft and wet and a total mess. Oh the joys of winter in the Ohio Valley.
In the basement with Ty and Max on a winter's evening. The game was over and Mother had left, I think she won. The past couple weeks have been brutal weather, -6F this morning when I left for work. The boys had a 2 hour delay for school, I was jealous.
Well the weather liars got the forecast wrong and instead of a dusting to a inch of snow, we got 8" all during the rush hour. It took me over 2+ hours to get home last night in white out conditions. I was wanting to get home to vote on a local bond issue and did not think I would make it, but I got in the door before 7:30. I was told I was to late. The law is you have to be there in the door before 7:30 but the poll workers wanted to get home and started to close up the polling places before 7:30. I told them I wanted to vote, I was told they were closed. I should have called the board of elections right then, but I was so tired and frustrated I just went home. I called Judy at the board and lodged a complaint but by then my only option was to drive to Batavia and vote. Not something I wanted to do in bumper to bumper traffic. She said they should have called her and asked and it was not right what happened, she was nice as could be, and will tell the poll workers how they had failed to perform their duties that snowy day. I know working the voting poll locations is a thankless job, my Mother did it for well over 30 years. I guess we chalk it up to "White Death Syndrome" ... so it goes.
Back in 1880 or so the town was one of the biggest cities in the area with a large population and busy industry. It was a major producer of yeast, flower, lumber and spirits. The town had it's own rail station and was a stop for many people heading east from Cincinnati on stage coaches before the trains. This is one of the last old house left from that era in the town and I fear it will soon be torn down. So I ventured out one morning and captured a few pictures of it in the morning fog.
We got more snow last night and ice is still coating everything. The drive to work was worse yesterday than Tues or Wed. I am sure today is going to be a joy, people can get nutty in snow around here. The grocery stores are empty or low on some products since the trucks can not get to them. We got about 12-15" of snow and freezing rain coating the house, trees, roads just about everything. Many people have lost power and crews are in town from the south helping to get the grid back and all connected. The family have been off school all week except Monday, they are out of snow days so they will have to go extra days in June to make it up. Ty is not concerned, he will be graduated and they are exempt. These are just a few pictures I have taken since Tuesday, more coming as is the snow today and tomorrow.
Like most of the country we got a lot of snow, followed by sleet and ice rain. Then rain, that froze when the snow re-started. A winter *ucking wonderland. It will be going down into the lower teens tonight so all of this will be rock hard by morning. Salt does not work below 19F other than traction.
Cruising into Maui on the good ship Pride of Hawaii. I took some pictures early in the morning as the ship was coming into the harbor. Was a perfect morning in Hawaii, like all days seem to be. At least when we cruised the islands. Still waiting to hear when and where we are headed to on vacation. I have to find out from Martha what she has planned. Got to get pass ports updated and be ready for any where. Or could stay domestic, we will see what happens. 
On a summer trip we stopped in Savanna for a day and enjoyed a evening walk around the cemetery and haunted houses of Savanna. At one stop I spotted a fellow relaxing on a park bench, I liked his relaxed smile so I captured it and him.
As soon as cancer was found, I noticed the immediate attempt at canonization of old Teddy by the main stream media.. They are saying what a "great American" he is. I say, let's get a couple things clear & not twist the facts to change the real history.
This is another picture taken on the same day as the photo Bug Eyes that Jim Hartley Smith was kind enough to show me what a picture can look like with a edited sky. This picture was taken at a different exposure leaving some of the sky, not blown out like the first few shots. Using a Coolpix 4500 with a very low angle allowed me to get the better sky and same view as the edited version. Thanks to Jim, his hangs in my hallway. You meet some nice photographers along the way and years on some websites. Sadly you meet some not so nice people as well, some of them have issues. But to the many nice people who know themselves, are self assured and feel secure in themselves to help people like me, thanks. To the others, oh well, pound your salt.
Nose knows, dogs see things that way. They scope out rooms and areas with the nose more than the eye. Pays to watch discovery channel for trivia. Mo always knew when Min was cooking her specialty, special shells, his favorite plate to lick. Mo was a good dog and we miss him. We buried him in the back yard. The last warm weather day of that winter. A gut wrenching emotional experience for the family. The kids came home from school to find he had pass away. He died January 8th 2006,
It was foggy yesterday afternoon and I wanted to get over to Rowe Woods but I was cleaning the shrine and bed room and wanted to get it all done. Plus it was kind of cold and I was just not motivated to go out and capture the moment. So here is a couple from the archive I found last night. Taken winter last year in about the same conditions.
Well it looks like we may be vacationing in California this June. Bill & Martha are thinking about a trip to San Fransisco and the surrounding areas with a final trip to Yosemite and the lodge in the park. It is still up in the air whether it will be to California or a Cruise in the Mediterranean. All depends on who is going and if we can get all families together for the trip. It looks like the end of June is the target date for either trip. What good news to start out the new year. It would be nice either place we choose to go. We got word something was up when we saw them at Christmas but did not get final word till after they got back off their cruise to Costa Rica. Till we find out where we are headed we will be twisting in the wind or water till final plans are made.
We did a lot of cleaning over the past couple weeks, all kinds of cleaning. My lab ceiling needed a lot of dust and cob web removed and the up stairs laundry room and pantry needed cleaning. I also did some website cleaning and updating. Yearly updates and copyright crap and etc needed changes.
