Enjoying wildlife photography - while it's still legal

I discovered this little guy at the foot of my front porch step this evening when I got home from work. Luckily, he was still hanging out once I got the dogs in the house and grabbed my camera. Fortunately for now, I can still enjoy photographing the critters I find out in the wild. But if one group has it's way, that might change...

I'm not going to list the groups name as I don't want to give it any further exposure (if you really want to know - just google this topic), but according to an Aug 8, 2008 post on their website.. their goal is to expose Bird Watchers for what they feel are "cunning, pervasive, horny predators". In particular, they are targeting senior citizens and feel that "they should be discouraged from bird watching and should engage in socially accepted activities instead". They admit that not all birdwatchers are guilty of being perverts, but feel that far too many are and that they are corrupting our innocent children.

I really thought this was a joke, but after reading some of the comments on their site - there seem to be quite a few people who share this view, plus I found several videos on YouTube showing these people out on the streets protesting and handing out flyers. Their website goes on to say that

"A member of Congress, who requested anonymity, is quietly drafting legislature that would levy stiff fines against people caught with bird porn in their possession, either photos or internet images."

So I guess this picture I snapped a while back could cause me some legal trouble one day?!? LOL!


For the record, I was on the beach well before these little buggers showed up, and they didn't seem to mind one bit that I was there! ;-)
Let me also just say that if you are personally disturbed by a TV show or photo that captures natural animal behaviors - it is you're absolute right to get rid of your TV and computer and never come out of your house!

You know, I've been truly stressed out lately about the pending tobacco ban at work - so I have to thank this group of loons for getting me laughing and smiling again.

Labor Day 2008

I spent part of this beautiful day tending to the garden. Five tomato plants were pretty much done, so I pulled them out and planted several rows of snow peas and a row of lettuce. This is the first year I've tried to grow a late season crop, so we'll see how it goes. Hopefully, they'll be ready to harvest before the first frost hits.

A worthy read for smokers and non-smokers alike!

SMOKE LIES NANNY STATE - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: SMOKE LIES NANNY STATE

Tobacco discrimination at work

The speculation and rumors have been circulating for months now, but still no release of the 'official' new policy. The latest twist going around today is that not only are they going to ban smoking on company property (including in your own personal vehicle), but that no legal tobacco products will be allowed on the premises! At first I thought my coworker was just kidding around, trying to get me riled up - but 'twas not the case. How the feck will they be able to enforce this - mandatory oral cavity inspections to make sure someone isn't chewing, car searches to look for butts in the ashtray?!?
Although I've tried to not let it (as nothing is 'official' yet), this has upset me to the point where I can't get my mind to stop reeling - and it's beginning to effect my health in ways that smoking cigarettes never has. Anxiety attacks, trouble sleeping, mad at the world... although I know it sounds crazy, this may very well be the straw that breaks this camel's back.
Before posting a pro anti-tobacco comment, think long and hard about why someone could and should be upset about a policy like this.
Stay tuned for updates...

NYS Fair Pics

Mmmm, there's nothing like the smell of beef, pork and chicken cooking low and slow. Hubby bought his first smoker this past spring and has been hooked ever since, so of course, we had to stop and check out all the various setups, not to mention conduct a few taste tests. ;o)
The fair always brings out the kid in me, and I can't leave without visiting all the various livestock - sheep, cows, goats, pigs, horses, alpacas, rabbits, etc... I'm sure hubby wouldn't complain a bit if I said I wanted to skip them - but he was a good sport and came along with me. I in turn, reciprocated by joining him to check out the old/antique tractors.

New for 2008 was a second memorial in dedication to our service men and women. You can't see it well in the pictures, but there are several brick paths representing each branch of the military that extend from the sculpture. The individual bricks list the name of the soldier, rank and years of service. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my nephew had a brick in the Air Force path.


Pictured below is the Navy leg of the original veteran's memorial where my dad has a brick.


All in all, hubby and I had a great day despite my being a little queasy for a few hours after taking a ride on the Top Spin. This wasn't the first time I had ridden this ride, but I'm pretty sure it'll be the last! I eventually recovered and was able to enjoy several other rides, plus we stayed late enough to catch a great fireworks display and I won my first ever game of 'I Got It'!

Not sure what the Top Spin does - click the play button!



Video courtesy of: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a14_1190564973

Biodiesel from NYS Fair butter sculpture

Nine hundred pounds of butter will end up fueling the vehicle fleet at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF). "Thirty-seven percent of the college's fleet runs on some form of renewable energy, including biodiesel," said ESF President Cornelius B. Murphy, Jr. "Using the butter sculpture is a unique way to fuel the ESF fleet."
After the fair’s 12-day run ends on Labor Day, the butter will be brought to the ESF biodiesel production facility. The first step is to clarify the butter to remove the water and milk proteins. He said it takes about nine pounds of butter to make a gallon of biodiesel, so this year’s 900-pound sculpture should yield around 96 gallons of biodiesel.

Source (and video footage):
http://www.esf.edu/communications/news/2008/08.20.butter.htm

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