Say it ain't so, Joe

Once again, I was working to get the new texture pack uplpoaded here - new freebies for everyone! I was online and saw a UK newsfeed about the Tiger Woods incident, but also on that page was something more intriguing.

A blurb about the prestigious Climate Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia in England, being hacked and emails and data being released to various climate change blogs. Being a "nature-freak" (although one that's not "sold" on human caused global warming), I was captivated.  In those travels through the blogosphere I saw that my old mentor Tim Ball has weighed in on the debacle which got me reading more and more.

The upshot is that the main scientists responsible for the large datasets and climate change research, the same research UN uses to make global world policies/prognostications about climate change, appear to have fudged the data!   And a lot more! I ended up spending most of the weekend immersed in this real life soap opera. 

Normally I'm not one of those "conspiracy addicts" but when you read through these emails, it's quite clear that amongst the climate change "industry" there is definitely an elite "cabal" working the system, and controlling the message.  Global warming may indeed be human casused but not for the reasons we have been lead to believe.

And there's been absolutely NO coverage of this huge story (and I belive it has the makings of a monumental scandal) in any of our local media - not the national papers, national TV news, or despite the local connection with Tim, nothing in the Winnipeg media either.

Here are the main links if you're interested, but also just Google "climategate", CRU hacked, and you'll find it all! Be prepared not to get anything else done for the rest of today though!

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/11/19/breaking-news-story-hadley-cru-has-apparently-been-hacked-hundreds-of-files-released/

http://wattsupwiththat.com/climategate/   

http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/private-climate-conversations-on-display/

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/damianthompson/100018211/climategate-the-bbc-is-still-pretending-not-to-notice/

And if you want to read the actual emails (which I would have thought was the smoking gun, however since this broke over a week ago many other scientists have had a chance to look as some of the data that was also released and say that IT, not the emails is the lynchpin in this whole saga!)  http://www.eastangliaemails.com/index.php

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no title today

I don't mean to bum you out today, but a few weeks ago my mom was diagnosed with cancer.  With a 2 inch stage III tumour it is not entirely good news.  She had her first chemo treatment yesterday.  She is 1000 miles way.  I am terrified.

I've been working for the last few years with cancer survivors, doing photographs of them for various segments of the big gala Cancer Care Guardian Angels Benefit.  All fabulous strong women!  But I never once imagined that this would happen in my family.  I guess no one does.  My mom is the most positive person I know, and if you knew her you'd instantly love her too.  This she does not deserve - no one does. It's beyond cruel.

I have no clue how to deal with this or how to be helpful to my parents now.  If you've had to face the immortality of you mom (or dad) how did you keep it together for them?  I think I'll be doing my soul-searching behind the lens, hoping to both get rid of my confusion, and take in an extra strength dose of positive stuff from the universe out there.  

Don't worry, I won't let this become a "woe is me" downer self-pitying blog  - sure, you put up with my rants but I know you don't expect to be dragged down when you come here.  Just the opposite I hope

Anyway thanks for listening.  If your mom is still around, go give her a big hug!

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Faulty towers

Sometimes I really dislike technology! I am a real techno-geek most of the time, and this is the problem -  when technology doesn't work  - I'm lost.  I have a new free texture pack to release this week and I tried all weekend to upload the files, but do you think the Internet would cooperate?

And as much as I love living far from the maddening crowd (although there are WAY too may quads out here now - did you see the new Southpark episode about loud obnoxoius people on their motorized toys? heehehee! You have to watch it all to understand it though...) there are times when it truly is a backwater - there is NO high speed Internet here, just an expensive and flaky service by a rinky dink outfit that has a shredded patchwork "all too pathetic" communications towers dotting the landscape, sending internet through radio waves like some wacked out x-marathon man on a drunken relay, spastically missing all the hand-offs.  It truly bites.

(I had the delightful experience of calling tech support one time, and the woman who took my call was clearly more interested in the music on the radio in the background, and her screaming baby - in my ear- than she was in the task at hand - family friendly is one thing but that went a little to far for me)

Anyway - Internet service was restored later on today (Monday)  and I will be uploading these cool unusual textures for you to play with. yes, I'll include some examples and instructions for the newbies (you know who you are!!!   )

Are you thinking about the holidays yet, 4. 5 weeks away....photo opps galore...

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Imagine

Think about this: a chance meeting with your old college sweetheart, 26 or so years later.

Would it be an awkward glance and a perfunctory handshake; would it be a hurried hustle to the other side of the room, avoiding eye contact at all costs; or would it be a warm smile and generous hug (my choice!). 

For most of us it would likely be one of these three, but for a colleague of mine, she married the guy! Separated by life for many years, she literally bumped into him while he was vacationing in the Carribbean. Seems they should have never split up back then, because very soon after the fateful "collision" they picked things up like no time had passed. That must have been quite a hug!  She moved to Canada and the rest is history.

So boys and girls, always take the high road - you never know where it will take you.

ttfn!

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About that news...

A long time ago I had posted several images on a stock photo site. It was quite a bit of work because the images had to be uprezzed to a specific size AND MAILED on a CD to the agency.

But I sent 3 DVDs full anyways, keyworded them all, and after a few weeks of checking the site to see if there was any action on my stuff, (which there wasn't), I promptly forgot all about it. 

Till today.  I got a very nice cheque in the mail! Seems my images were selling quite well

Someone paid over $400USD for this one. Now I'm all fired up about stock photos again!

Keywords: stock_photography,stock_photos

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Cool News

I had a very pleasant surprise yesterday.  Check back later today for the details!!!

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The Weekend Warrior

I don't have too much to day today, although I do have a lot on my mind.  According to the weather reports this will be a super sunny and warm weekend here, so I will assume my role as the weekend warrior and head out with my gear to capture these last fading days of 2009.

But I just wanted to wish you a great weekend as well, and remind you to send me YOUR pics,of Hallowween, Autumn, whatever! It's great to share and to see your masterpieces!

ciao!

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The REAL Karsh!

One of my photographic heros is Canadian photographer, Yousuf Karsh. He's the genius behind the iconic images of great personalities, celebrities, and superstars.

While he's been dead for a few years now, one of his colleagues has mounted a pheneomenal exhibition of some of his never-before-seen works at the Winniepg Art Gallery.  You can be sure I will be seeing this show.  You should go too - we can compare notes!

Here the scoop: 

Yousuf Karsh: Regarding Heroes

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