All of us DSLR shooters at SMBI decided to go shoot pictures the other Saturday at some picturesque PA location. Four (Hans, DJ, Lee, and Trina) of us wanted to go to Bedford about 1/2 hour away and two (Benji, Darren) wanted to go to Gettysburg about 1.5 hr away. Because of the votes, we decided to go to Bedford. That Saturday dawned cloudy and rainy. The four didn’t want to go if it was raining but the two did. So they left for Gettysburg. About an hour later, it stopped raining, so us four left for Bedford. Here are my results, most HDR:
Bedford Town Hall
Lawyer’s Row
Bedford City Hall
Church: rail, steps, and door
Church
Church
Trina and DJ shooting
Fairytale house
Old rustic barn
For Sale
Gorgeous, rustic old barn
Garage door of the ancients
That doggie in the window
Bright red barn falling down
Red tool shed
Cabin under renovation
Trina and Lee shooting
Half a barn
Morgarl Tavern
Angry silos
View from the lookout
Foreboding trees
Foreboding sky
On the way back, we stopped at the lookout. As we headed back to school from the lookout, it started snowing and blowing heavily. We took a little detour in DJ’s 4×4 down a power line path. As we were going along, we came to what looked like a puddle about a foot deep. DJ backed up and got some speed and plowed into a mudhole filled with water about three feet deep! He got stuck right in the middle of it with the water half way up the door and seeping in under the doors in little waves. He stuck it in 4WD high and got nowhere. He stuck it in 4WD low and starting inching forward. He rocked back and forth, with tons of water flying out either side. He finally managed to extricate himself much to our relief. After all, we were stuck in the midst of a muddy mini-pond with no cell phone reception, with the engine likely to flood, with it snowing so hard we couldn’t see very far, and with it freezing cold. After we got out, DJ’s feet were shaking so badly he was having trouble with the gas pedal.
Tags:bedford pa, hdr PhotosBig Oil means big profits for big government.
I am writing about this today because shortly Congress will again be talking to Big Oil and some in Congress will be blaming big oil for making their drive to work more expensive, and making record profits when the rest of the nation is in recession. These accusations are absurd and dishonest and need to be vetted.
Even though these companies are bringing in a lot of money, this fact alone does not necessarily mean they are reaping giant profits. Especially when the government is already draining them like overzealous vampires. In fact, in the past quarter century governments have profited more from Big Oil that its shareholders according to a Tax Foundation study.
Congress shouldn’t ever look down upon someone who is making a profit, and it definitely shouldn’t when they are the ones making the largest profit.
Undoubtedly some Congressman will introduce a windfall profits tax in the next several months. Usually I would think that this display of bad economics and horrible public policy would fall to the Democratic side of aisle. Their side of the aisle likes antagonizing industry of any kind and supporting those that drain society of its resources. However, in recent years this assumption has only been partially correct. Recently, one of the strongest advocates of a windfall profits tax is not only a member of the Republican party but a senior member of the Senate on a the committee of jurisdiction.
As Congress talks about these high prices please remember your supply and demand curves from Economics 101. The idea of a supply and demand graph is that if demand increases and supply stays the same then price only has one place to go. Up. So, lots of people want oil, the supply is stable, so prices will continue to increase.
Maybe Government should tax big oil less if they care about windfall profits?
With American sons in the fields far away, with America's future under challenge right here at home, with our hopes and the world's hopes for peace in the balance every day, I do not believe that I should devote an hour or a day of my time to any personal partisan causes or to any duties other than the awesome duties of this office -- the Presidency of your country.The History Channel has that portion of the speech on line:
Accordingly, I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your President. But let men everywhere know, however, that a strong and a confident and a vigilant America stands ready tonight to seek an honorable peace; and stands ready tonight to defend an honored cause, whatever the price, whatever the burden, whatever the sacrifice that duty may require.
Part I:
Part II:
Housing secretary Alphonso R. Jackson resigned on Monday, saying that he needed to devote more time to his family. The announcement came as federal authorities were investigating whether he had given lucrative housing contracts in the Virgin Islands and New Orleans to friends.There is a culture at the top which sees government as a mechanism for enriching ones friends (we've been here before) and punishing ones enemies. That complete disdain for the public trust trickles down, and manifests itself in unexpectedly bad ways. This is why we must stand for clean government, the public interest and always, always work from reality towards a brighter tommorrow.
His resignation, effective April 18, also comes as the Bush administration is increasingly relying on the department’s Federal Housing Administration to help stanch the widening foreclosures.
In recent weeks, Mr. Jackson had faced mounting pressure to leave his post. The FBI has interviewed several of his employees, and two senior Democratic senators called on him to resign, saying the allegations of wrongdoing had undermined his leadership. Lawmakers have also raised concerns about accusations that Mr. Jackson had threatened to withdraw federal aid from the Philadelphia Housing Authority after its president refused to turn over a $2 million property to a politically connected developer. - The New York Times
As most of you know by now, Secretary Hanley’s son Patrick was seriously injured in Iraq this weekend. Patrick’s injuries include the loss of an arm and a head injury. Assessments of the head injury indicate that there may be no permanent brain damage. Of course, he is heavily sedated but he is responsive. It is anticipated that he will arrive late Tuesday at Bethesda, which is a change from earlier plans.
Secretary Hanley does not know when she will return to the office, but SOC will be functioning as well as possible without her being here.
Secretary Hanley has asked me to express her deep gratitude to all who have contacted her. I would ask you to consider making any contact with her by email at this time. Please pass this information along to members of your respective staffs.
Wayne Turnage
Chief of Staff
Governor Timothy M. Kaine
Speaking at a fundraiser tonight attended by Sen. Jim Webb and Carlos Del Toro among others, former Congresswoman Leslie Byrne urged folks to think about “all the people who’ve come back from Iraq wounded, and all those who didn’t make it back.”
Sen. Webb’s sons Jimmy is a Marine currently stationed in Iraq as well. Prior to her current position as Secretary of the Commonwealth, Kate Hanley was Chairwoman of the Fairfax Co. Board of Supervisors.
As a pro cycling fan, I’m rather well acquainted with the world of performance enhancing drugs. And the dopers that use them. It is, as you might imagine, a topic close at hand during any discussion of the state of the sport. At this point, I don’t really have any moral outrage. And it’s not just because I’m worn out by the succession of recent doping stories. It’s that doping has *always* been around. It’s part and parcel of the sport. The Festina affair is recent history, in this context. When you read any books dealing with the history of cycling, whether it’s the the last 25 years of pro racing
And if you’re not a cycling fan, and you’re thinking that this isn’t really a problem in the sports *you* appreciate, you’re almost certainly deluding yourself. Every sport needs to grapple with doping (and so do “sports” like golfing). It’s against this background that I think a new book- Dope: A History of Performance Enhancement in Sports from the Nineteenth Century to Today
Dope starts in the mid-1800s, when doping was performed on racehorses with the intent of altering the natural outcome of races. Back then, the stables in which the horses were kept weren’t all that well guarded, so a doper could come along and administer a drug that would affect the animal’s racing. Sometimes the drugs were meant to give the horse a boost, and sometimes they were meant to slow the animal down.
[ . . . ]
You’ll get to see stories of doping in the Olympics from the quadrennial spectacle’s earliest days, the rise of various drugs (like amphetamines, testosterone, other steroids and eventually EPO and designer steroids), as well as read about doping incidents across a wide range of sports over the last century. You’ll read stories of doping in weightlifting, swimming, track and field, cycling, football (both kinds), baseball, as well as doping in other sports.
[ . . . ]
But most of all, what I hope you’ll get out of the book is an appreciation and understanding that doping is not a problem that just magically appeared over the last twenty years (despite how the many in the mainstream media seem to cast the story). The desire to boost human performance, and to find ways of pushing the boundaries of what we’re capable of, has existed for a very, very long time. And at one point in time, “the human experiments” that doping athletes perform were once even considered merely using technology in man’s quest to be better, faster and stronger. The perfectability of man/woman, if you will.
I intend to put my hands on a copy and review it when it’s finally released.
*There were about 200 people present, including several bloggers and numerous candidates, past and present (Janet Oleszek, Morris Meyer, Carlos del Toro, and several more).
*Webb was piped in by his brother Gary on bagpipes, playing "Scotland the Brave".
*Aside from Sen. Webb, elected officials present included Sen. Donald McEachin, Sen. Chap Petersen, Del. Steve Shannon, Del. Margi Vanderhye. Donald introduced Chap, who introduced Jim Webb, who introduced Leslie.
*Donald noted that without Chap, we wouldn't be at 21 seats in the Senate. Donald also pointed out (joking?) that several Republicans were having problems adjusting to this situation.
(lots more on the "flip")
*Chap said he was one of the "Fab 5" -- 5 Democratic freshmen (Miller, Northam, McEachin, Petersen, Barker) in the Senate whose victories in 2007 handed Democrats the majority in that chamber.
*Chap talked about Democrats being the party that supports "the working man and woman."
*Chap praised Donald as "very sharp on the floor," a trial attorney. He praised Webb as the type of person who doesn't look at an opinion poll before making a decision, a man who's self effacing and lets his deeds speak louder than his words. He recalled how, back in late 2005, he had advised Webb that "the first thing you should do is talk to Leslie Byrne."
*Webb said he didn't get out as much as he wished, but that it really fired him up to be around people who "got me where I am today." Webb specifically noted that Donald, Leslie and Chap were the most instrumental on the political side in his 2006 victories.
*Webb said "we need help in the U.S. Congress" given "how close a lot of votes are." That's one of the reasons he was "proud to be here tonight endorsing Leslie Byrne."
*Webb said that Leslie "feels really strongly about working people," that the Democratic Party needed to "reaffirm its commitment to working people."
*Webb enthusiastically endorsed Leslie, calling her "a voice that we really need in the U.S. Congress."
*Leslie first urged people to pray for Secretary of the Commonwealth Kate Hanley's son Patrick, who was seriously wounded in Iraq this weekend. She also urged that we think about "all the people who've come back from Iraq wounded, and all those who didn't make it back."
*Leslie called the Iraq war the "wrong invasion at the wrong time." She said that Bush is "running out the clock" and plans to turn the war over to the next president. She also noted that she had signed onto the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq, emphasizing the need to "redouble" our diplomatic and humanitarian efforts in the Middle East, to fix our "broken" military that we've "relied on so much," to move away from "media monopolies" that give us a limited view of world events, and in general that "we can't continue to go on the way we've been going."
*Leslie said that Donald had been a "good friend for many years." With regard to Chap, she talked about how they had "showed how to run primaries against each other" and still "come out friends." They didn't agree on everything, but they "respected each other." That's why she was one of the first people to endorse Chap and "be by his side" when he decided to run for State Senate.
*Leslie noted that Donald had run against one of the most powerful members of the Senate, a man who had endorsed Jim Webb's opponent. She emphasized that "this Democratic family sticks together," that we all believe in values like economic justice, civil rights, "clean air and clean water for our kids."
*Leslie said she didn't disagree with Tom Davis' statement that "The House Republican brand is so bad right now that if it were a dog food, they'd take it off the shelf."
*Leslie said she got into politics to make a better community for our children. She decided to run this time when a friend of hers asked, "how can you give your grandchildren any less?" The bottom line is that she doesn't want George W. Bush to define the legacy for her children and grandchildren.
*With regard to her campaign, Leslie said "we're not gonna have all the money in the world, but we'll have enough." She pointed out that the 11th CD had a 53% Democratic performance index, so the key was not just electing "more Democrats" but that "we need better Democrats."
*Leslie praised Jim Webb as a "shining star in the Senate."
[UPDATE By Eric - Here are some more photos from a great fundraiser]
Today State Senator Ken Cuccinelli launches his campaign for the 2009 Republican AG nomination and in a shocking move, violates state law with his campaign website. Misdemeanor Cuccinelli took the seal of the commonwealth, a seal reserved exclusively for the official business of Virginia and loaded it onto the header of his campaign website.
The Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth's website clearly states:
Section 1-505 of the Code of Virginia provides that the seals of the Commonwealth are deemed the property of the Commonwealth; and no persons shall exhibit, display, or in any manner utilize the seals or any facsimile or representation of the seals of the Commonwealth for nongovernmental purposes unless such use is specifically authorized.
As an elected official Cuccinelli should know by now that you are not allowed to stamp unofficial and especially campaign materials with the Seal of the Commonwealth. It's a sign of inexperience or poor judgement to slap an image onto a website without the authority of its owner. Cuccinelli is a patent attorney he deals with copyright, trademark and technical law all day long, doesn't he know this?
Some might say "well the state seal is on the state flag, can't he use it on his website? It's in the public domain for crying out loud!" Yes, the state flag has the Seal of the Commonwealth and if he wanted to show his Virginia credentials he should have displayed a representation of the Virginia flag. This rendering displays the seal on a red background obviously not a legal implementation of the seal from a flag based image.
As a citizen of Virginia I call on Sen. Cuccinelli to remove the official seal of Virginia as soon as possible. If he continues this campaign illegally utilizing the commonwealth's property I should hope the Commonwealth's Attorney of Fairfax County launches an investigation.
It has been five long years since our mission in Iraq began, and we are in a frustrating, confusing place. Five years ago, we won a quick and decisive victory over Saddam Hussein's army. But in the wake of that success, we found new enemies and new threats. Today, the American people are not always sure who we are fighting, but they are sure of one thing, the enormous cost in American lives, America's stature, and America's future. And events as recent as today's headlines regarding Mahdi forces suggest things can get worse very quickly.
See the rest of the message below the fold.
Those who argue that we must "stay the course" in Iraq to protect America have it exactly backwards: we must leave Iraq to protect America and win the war on terror. First, only by leaving Iraq can we refocus on real terrorist threats in places like Afghanistan--at a much lower cost than currently being expended in Iraq. And thanks to the Sunni "Awakening," and General Petraeus' small success in turning Sunni Iraqis against Al Qaeda, the Iraqis who had been most likely to harbor terrorists have turned decisively against them. So when we leave Iraq, our conflict with Al Qaeda will likely leave as well. That will leave Iraqis in a much better position to resolve their remaining civil conflict. Especially if it can be conducted under the precepts of Biden-Gelb.We should begin withdrawing troops from Iraq while simultaneously engaging all the key parties in negotiations to cooperate on stabilizing Iraq, through partition, and smoothing its transition to a peaceful state with a functioning government. We have yet to see a real aggressive diplomatic push with most of the players, including the United Nations. As these recent efforts with Sunni leaders showed, diplomacy can yield real rewards.
Military planners estimate that if conditions on the ground do not change dramatically, we can withdraw the majority of our troops within two years. We should commit ourselves to an exit no less aggressive than that timetable unless circumstances dictate otherwise. In leaving, we must protect our own troops, minimize Iraqi civilian deaths, and take care of those Iraqis who have risked everything to work with us. And we have to decide how many troops to leave in the area-possibly in Kuwait as well-to deal with contingencies and/or pursue what remains of Al Qaeda in Iraq.
What then will become of Iraq's Sunnis and Shi'a? More Iraqis think a U.S. withdrawal would reduce the chances of an all-out Sunni-Shi'a civil war than think a U.S. withdrawal would bring more violence--and we believe the construct of Biden-Gelb helps assure that. The majority of Iraqis also think that more of the violence in Iraq today is due to the U.S. and Al Qaeda, than to their own Sunni-Shiite conflict. When we leave, our conflict with Al Qaeda will no longer be the Iraqis' problem, and we can fight the network wherever it is hiding.
There are no guarantees, but after five years of failure trying to force reconciliation under U.S. occupation, not to mention $3 trillion and 4,000 American lives, it is time to give the Iraqis the chance to forge their future together on their own.
Thanks for your continued support.
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American Respect is a not-for-profit organization that believes invading Iraq has increased global terrorism, is costing thousands of lives, (and literally trillions of tax dollars) and is increasing energy costs.
We believe the US should take a very different approach to addressing this problem. Our principles for reducing terrorism are:Pursue true terrorists such as al Qaeda by eliminating training camps, preventing arms smuggling, freezing financial assets and apprehending terrorist leaders.
Find balanced solutions in sensitive areas which foment terrorism by rebuilding international coalitions. Violence in regions like Chechnya, Kashmir and especially Palestine directly and adversely affects the entire Muslim world.
Decrease our profile in Iraq and use international coalitions to lead a march toward guaranteed rights, limited government and democratic representation. Further recognize that Iraq was arbitrarily assembled in 1919 from three ethnically and religiously different Ottoman provinces, and that a peaceful solution may require a return, either partly or fully, to this pre-1919 arrangement.
Build up the economies of Muslim countries with the goal of creating a larger middle class in each. If abject poverty is a breeding ground for terrorism, then creating broad prosperity is a key part of the solution--especially in the areas of trade and land reform. And success in the economies of any Muslim country--from Morocco to Indonesia--is positive for stability and peace throughout the region.
Establish a tone of goodwill in policies and actions toward these nations and their growing and increasingly global populations.
