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I finally bought a cabled shutter remote for my EOS Camera System. I experimented with some long exposures. Next time around I’ll leave the shutter open for a few hours. The results are pretty neat.

EDIT: Also, new pictures to the lightning storm added.

ISO: 100
Exposure: 1095.0 sec
Aperture: f/10.0
Focal Length: 10mm
Flash Used: No

ISO: 100
Exposure: 233.0 sec
Aperture: f/10.0
Focal Length: 17mm
Flash Used: No

Got my first pictures of lightning during a recent thunderstorm.  Check em out (click on the picture for more):

 
Exposure: 9.0 sec
Aperture: f/11.0
Focal Length: 13mm
Flash Used: No

I’d like to share a little site I heard about from Newt Gingrich on Conservative Radio (Rush and Hannity) called American Solutions.  They have a petition you can sign to urge Congress to authorize drilling in remote, empty areas of Alaska (and by empty I mean not even trees, or so I’ve been told by my father who LIVES in Alaska). 

Drilling can create jobs, find oil as a SHORT term solution to our big mess of oil costs going up.  Of course, the rise in the cost of oil is driving everything else up, which will unfortunately probably stay up, as prices take FOREVER to come down. 

Anyway, WHILE we are developing alternative technologies (and we all know Toyota is kicking American car-company arses), the drilling for oil in America will lessen the stress in place on millions of Americans across the country. 

http://www.americansolutions.com/

I went to Japan, got engaged, and posted some photos.  Enjoy.

Is the Democratic Congress’s approval rating still lower than the President’s?  I would definitely believe it is.  Just read how they want to prohibit exploration at Anwar.  My dad lives in Alaska, and says there is absolutely NOTHING up there, yet they still want to block exploration.  Way to go Democrats. 

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Good morning. This is a tough time for our economy. Across our country many Americans are understandably anxious about issues affecting their pocketbook, from gas and food prices to mortgage and tuition bills. They’re looking to their elected leaders in Congress for action. Unfortunately, on many of these issues all they’re getting is delay.

In all these issues, the American people are looking to their leaders to come together and act responsibly. I don’t think this is too much to ask even in an election year. My administration will reach out to Congress. We will work to find areas of agreement so that we can deal with the economic pressures that our American taxpayers and American families are feeling. I ask Congress to do its part by sending me sensible and effective bills that I can sign, instead of issuing or sending bills that simply look like political statements. We can work together. We can help Americans weather this difficult period. We can keep our country moving forward.

Americans are concerned about energy prices, and I can understand why. I think the last time I visited with you it was like — I said it was like a tax increase on the working people. The past 18 months, gas prices have gone up by $1.40 per gallon. Electricity prices for small business and families are rising, as well.

 I’ve repeatedly submitted proposals to help address these problems. Yet time after time, Congress chose to block them. One of the main reasons for high gas prices is that global oil production is not keeping up with growing demand. Members of Congress have been vocal about foreign governments increasing their oil production; yet Congress has been just as vocal in opposition to efforts to expand our production here at home.

They repeatedly blocked environmentally safe exploration in ANWR. The Department of Energy estimates that ANWR could allow America to produce about a million additional barrels of oil every day, which translates to about 27 millions of gallons of gasoline and diesel every day. That would be about a 20-percent increase of oil — crude oil production over U.S. levels, and it would likely mean lower gas prices. And yet such efforts to explore in ANWR have been consistently blocked.

Another reason for high gas prices is the lack of refining capacity. It’s been more than 30 years since America built its last new refinery. Yet in this area, too, Congress has repeatedly blocked efforts to expand capacity and build more refineries.

As electricity prices rise, Congress continues to block provisions needed to increase domestic electricity production by expanding the use of clean, safe nuclear power. Instead, many of the same people in Congress who complain about high energy costs support legislation that would make energy even more expensive for our consumers and small businesses.

Congress is considering bills to raise taxes on domestic energy production, impose new and costly mandates on producers, and demand dramatic emissions cuts that would shut down coal plants, and increase reliance on expensive natural gas. That would drive up prices even further. The cost of these actions would be passed on to consumers in the form of even higher prices at the pump and even bigger electric bills.

Instead of increasing costs and increasing new roadblocks to domestic energy production, Congress needs to clear away obstacles to more affordable, more reliable energy here at home.

Americans are concerned about rising food prices. Unfortunately, Congress is considering a massive, bloated farm bill that would do little to solve the problem. The bill Congress is now considering would fail to eliminate subsidy payments to multi-millionaire farmers. America’s farm economy is thriving, the value of farmland is skyrocketing, and this is the right time to reform our nation’s farm policies by reducing unnecessary subsidies. It’s not the time to ask American families who are already paying more in the check-out line to pay more in subsidies for wealthy farmers. Congress can reform our farm programs, and should, by passing a fiscally responsible bill that treats our farmers fairly, and does not impose new burdens on American taxpayers.

I find it odd that that Jeremiah Wright guy, Barack Obama’s pastor (or former pastor, now), has somehow only made anti-American comments at these few times in which the media has observed it.  How is it that after so many years, Obama “finally” realizes it and decides to denounce Wright.  Of course, it’s mighty convenient that only now, after the second round, it is a perfect time to “wash” his hands of it. 

I really find it hard to believe that such comments have been exhibited by Wright only after a member of his congregation (or whatever the correct terminology is) is running for President. 

Democrats are so freaking phony, it makes me sick. 

I just heard on WJR that Barack Obama wants to increase the capital gains tax. 

HAHAHHAHA!

He’s going to “change” alright, drive the economy down more.  Nice way to deter investment into American business.  Nice way to keep even less money out of our pockets. 

Can anyone tell me what he’s going to “change”?

I can’t believe I’m going to say this, and I’m only going to say it once:  Even though Hillary Clinton is a big liar, I still believe she’d do a better job than Obama. 

That being said, John McCain–a true American patriot–will still do better than the both of the democrats. 

From CNN.

Somali pirates freed a Spanish fishing boat and its 26-member crew after a ransom of $1.2 million was paid, a Somali official said.

Um yeah, that’s smart Spain.  Now they have all of that money to buy bigger guns, more boats, and do it all over again.  This time they can kidnap TWO Spanish fishing boats, demand the same ransom for each, and then buy FOUR fishing boats, more guns…..do you see a pattern here yet? 

You should never negotiate with these people.  How about you instead create a special forces team to move in, kick their asses, and send them to hell where they belong.  That way maybe they’ll think twice about doing it again.

What is wrong with people?  Keep evil in business?  Pay them to kidnap your people? 

They should fight tyranny like the Americans do.  Take the fight to the enemy. 

Some people blame the current downturn of the economy on Iraq. 

They are wrong.  While it is expensive, it still puts money into the hands of members of the Armed Forces and Defense Contractors, among others, which–for the most part–goes back into America. 

The economy took a turn for the worse when the housing bubble “burst”, sending adjustable rate mortgages UP and home values down.  Thus, many people cannot refinance. 

So, what happens now?  Democrats want to bail those suckers who opted for an ARM out with a nice bill.  Where does the money come from?  Everyone who was responsible enough to do a fixed rate mortgage or are renting. 

Thankfully, the Bush Administration and Republicans oppose this.  From CNN:

The Bush administration calls the bill a “bailout,” saying it “strongly opposes” the legislation sponsored by House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat, intended to make it easier for homeowners to refinance their loans and stay in their homes.

The committee, which estimates that the program could help 1.5 million homeowners who are having difficulty paying their mortgages, is expected to approve Frank’s bill next week.

Frank says the millions of individuals who might face foreclosure because of the expanding credit crisis deserve help, even if they made a mistake by borrowing beyond their means.

…

The Financial Services committee estimates that 1 to 2 percent of the new loans would default, costing the government between $3 billion and $6 billion.

…

“You’re telling the guy who did it right that he has to help pay for the guy who did it wrong,” said Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas. “When people are struggling to pay for their mortgages, they shouldn’t be forced to pay for their neighbors’ mortgage.

“I think about 95 percent of America is either renting a home, they own their home outright, or they’re current on their mortgage,” he said. “So 95 percent of America who’s doing it right is asked to help bail out 5 percent of America who probably wasn’t doing it right.”

Why is it that everyone just wants to dodge responsibility and either A.) BLAME the government; or B.)  Expect the government to give them handmeouts? 

Political correctness and trying to make everyone happy is going to kill this nation.   

…is as friendly as you’d like to think they are, liberals.