Memorial Day

WW II Memorial, Washington, D.C. (4 April 2005)

With Memorial Day approaching, I was sent an e-mail by a friend.  The link in the message was to a site where you can see a 2-minute trailer for a full-length documentary about Operation Resolve. 

http://media.causes.com/1060527?p_id=175378540

This is the cause that seeks to fly our remaining World War II veterans to Washington, D.C. to take them to the National WW II Memorial on the Mall.

I have often referred to myself as the ‘Vanguard of the Baby Boom’ since I was born nine months after my father returned from Asia in 1945.  In 1944, my parents eloped from the Bronx to Maryland for a quickie wedding and after a short honeymoon in Atlantic City, he shipped out to North Africa.

He was an artist by training and had what they then called a high ‘mechanical IQ’.  Consequently, his job in the Army was anti-demolition…disarming bombs and land mines.  Given that this particular category of soldier had among the highest casualty rates, I am lucky to be here.  He should be here, too.  He would have turned 88 this August and I don’t know what kind of old man he would have been because he died 35 years ago.

I also have no idea what his war experience was like because he didn’t talk about it.  Worse still, my immature, self-centered persona never thought to ask him about what had to be the most exciting and scary time of his life.  I’m sure he never left New York City before he eloped and a month later, he was fighting for his country on the other side of the world. 

Ted Ringger Sr. (1944)



I found the Honor Flight trailer very touching and I applaud this effort to recognize and celebrate the last members of the Greatest Generation.  Give it a view…I dare you not to feel emotional by the end of it.

The Newseum

The Newseum, Washington, D.C. [15 May 2011]

When the Newseum [http://www.newseum.org/ ] was in Arlington, VA, I never visited.  Since it moved to its Pennsylvania Ave. location across from the National Gallery of Art, it has become my favorite museum in Washington.  With all the amazing attractions around the Mall, that is saying a lot. 

It was improper for me to have thought the place was simply about journalism and newspapers.  In celebrating the First Amendment, the Newseum addresses all five of the rights protected in our Constitution.  Elegant and comprehensive, the First Amendment embodies the freedom that makes this country great.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

In this era of self-serving, right wing blather about ‘American Exceptionalism’, we must remember what our founding fathers codified in the Constitution because there are always forces at work to subvert and undo these freedoms.  Civil liberties are not just important.  They are vital in a free society.  They don’t call the first ten amendments the Bill of Rights for nothing.

I visited the Newseum on 15 May to see a presentation by the authors of a new book on editorial cartoons but spent more time cruising the photography displays, especially the 2010 Pictures of the Year exhibit [http://www.newseum.org/exhibits-and-theaters/temporary-exhibits/pictures-of-the-year/2011/index.html ].  Seventy winning images from a prestigious, international contest are on display until 31 October.  Enlarged and mounted under four category topics, the shots range from beautiful and pleasant to sad and terrifying.  With ongoing wars and revolts and the disasters in Haiti and Pakistan, one appreciates the power of an image and the danger photographers sometimes face to capture them.

If you are interested in some terrific photography displays, go to the Newseum.  Among the permanent exhibits is the Pulitzer Prize winning photo display [http://www.newseum.org/exhibits-and-theaters/permanent-exhibits/pulitzer/index.html].  In addition to the mounted images, there are short films with the photographers telling their stories.  All great stuff.

Time for a Rant – Big Oil and Federal Spending

I have been pondering a number of topics and photo-related tales I might share next but current events have brought me to that place I wondered about when this blog was revived.  I noted at the outset that I might sound off on a topic that doesn’t relate to photography - the 'and More' part.  At the risk of losing some of you, I’m afraid it’s time to turn to the dark side.  My environmental / political / energy persona was jogged this week.  We’ll return to images in the next post.

Yesterday, the Senate Finance Committee invited five Big Oil chiefs to discuss their wonderful good fortune of late AND why it is still necessary that they continue to be subsidized with special tax breaks when our government is in a hole up to its ears.

All we hear from the right is that government spending is out of control…but no elected Republican believes we should trim corporate welfare, even for businesses that are doing quite well, thank you.

A ConocoPhillips press release actually said it was ‘Un-American’ to consider such a proposal.  In a perverse way, I guess they’re correct.  It has always been the American way to favor the rich and powerful…certainly in Congress…ESPECIALLY now when an elected official has to concentrate on raising money 24/7.  It’s the Golden Rule – He who has the gold makes the rules. 

There is some buzz out there that wants to blame someone, the president or Big Oil, for these pesky high gasoline prices.  The price of gasoline is high largely because 2.5 billion Asians are making money and they also want to live like us.  They have bid up the price of this commodity and there are only 300 million of us…and most of us aren’t making that kind of scratch anymore.  Get used to it.

And another thing.  Since we have such short memories, please recall that it was only three years ago at this time when gasoline prices peaked over $4.00 a gallon.  I don’t recall so many people blaming the president then or expecting him to do something about it…even though he was an oil man.  Maybe it was because he wasn’t a foreign-born, Muslim, Socialist, terrorist, Communist, Nazi, black guy…just a guess.

Millions of people have no jobs.  Millions of people are going to have to do without important services that the government funded.  If the GOP is serious about all that terrible federal spending, you would think that welfare for companies that are reaping record profits would be an obvious choice to eliminate.  But, nooo. 

I’ve said it before – there is no problem Republicans can’t fix without giving more money to rich people.  Cut Planned Parenthood and more women will be in trouble.  Cut Head Start and poor kids will be in trouble.  Raise taxes on the rich…and they will still be rich.  Please try to remember the Great America that all these right wing nuts fondly recall and miss so much had lots of rich, successful people who paid taxes on close to 90% of their high incomes…and they were still rich.  The rest of the country is taking it in the shorts.  It’s time for the fat cats to join the rest of us and sacrifice a little to save the country that has allowed them to be so successful.  What a radical concept.

[While I could throw in one of my pictures of an oil well or an overweight cat, this 38-year old cartoon works as a reminder that our oil troubles are not new and we have not had an energy policy forever]

Cartoon by Dick Flood, San Jose Mercury News [1973]. 

Taken from Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year – 1974 Edition, Pelican publishing, LA

Tip of the Day – Get out in the Weather

So much time has passed since the last posting on April 12^th.  I have been distracted and diverted by taxes, spring chores, house guests, social and cultural events and the end of a long bowling season. 

I began this blog in the hope that it would promote my own learning and development in photography in general and digital processes in particular.  At this point, these other activities and my lack of discipline are working against progress.  Please bear with me.  There are 40 years of image stories to tell and much to learn. 

So, until I get my ass in gear, I offer this simple bit of advice – you don’t need a nice day to get a good picture.  Yes, full sunlight can brighten a scene and illuminate everything in front of your camera.  Bright sun can also cast interesting shadows.  However, I believe funky weather can make a shot much more interesting.  While going out in the rain or snow will require precautions for your gear, the results can be worth it.

I live in the ‘burbs and had a morning meeting in downtown Baltimore.  It was cloudy when I left home.  I brought along the camera to noodle around the city’s interesting waterfront afterward.  I was pleased to find it foggy around the harbor because this mood cannot be matched on a clear day.   

U.S.S. Constellation, Baltimore Inner Harbor (4 December 2006)

Fells Point Fog  (4 December 2006)