Auto Show Redux....

Elliot, a gentleman who I met on a photography forum, looked at my photos and made suggestions about cropping several of  them.  Thanks, Elliot. I greatly appreciate the time you spent. Yes, they do look better. A lot better. Note: Many of these have been severely cropped and most are at 3200. I think it's amazing that with so much enlargement the quality is still decent.

My pal, Eddie, suggested this crop........

A Primarily Black & White Day at the Auto Show, Virginia Beach Convention Center, January 10, 2015.

The show was primarily manned and ladyied  by the manufacturers. It was referred to as a no selling show. There were no dealer stickers on the cars.

Yes, I used my new camera, Fuji X100T. Unfortunately, it doesn't help with the composition.

I used + 1 sharpening in the camera. Other than cropping, nothing else was done in processing the snaps. I'm truly pleased with the sharpness.

The software gods were after me today. I couldn't even place the photos where I wanted them...never happened before. They literally jumped all over the place. Not kidding....

The show seemed perfect for people who were interested in comparing cars and gathering information in a relaxed non-selling environment.

Want to thank the young ladies who allowed me to take their picture.... They were good sports.......

Gotta love the Beetles....

Ford ST. Nice peppy car.

Fiat Abarth, almost $30,000......

VIR had a display. Once of the nicest race tracks and facilities in the country. Yes, they even have a motel and condos. Yes, right here in Danville, Virginia.

The manufacturers spared no expense. Nice displays from most.

Lots of us older folks at the show....

The Veterans' Garden......

The Buick lady.......

The Toyota lady.........

Folks taking pictures of cars and I'm trying to take pictures of folks taking pictures of cars..

Ahh, we can dream. Folks like to have their picture took in fancy cars.

Megan, the Volkswagen lady.....

This Mini had to be in color......

Mayra, yes, as the sign proclaims, she's the Chevy Lady.....

The Ford lady......

Fellow resting..overcome with all of the choices.....

Guy starring....were lots of them, today........

Toddler is over it!

Lexus lady......

Guys love those Mustangs....and like starring at the engines....

This was a cool Fiat. It's styled after the 1957 model.

My Just-Bought Bicycle is Kickin' My Butt! Who Would Have Thunk It? Is My Bike Possessed? Are Demonic Spirits at Play?

My Bike Friday in its embryonic stage.

Many years ago, almost in another life, I guess I could say, I raced motorcycles. Primarily raced 1/4 dirt ovals with occasional trips to 1/2 mile tracks. Yes, we'd rocket down the straights and when coming into the corners, we'd toss the bikes (motorcycles) sideways, and using a combination of handlebar movement, steel shoe on the left foot, and throttle...we'd balance, steer, slide, and maneuver the bikes through the corners. 

Yes, I know it's been more than a few years.

What am I leading up to? 

Don't many of us say, It's just like riding a bike? Yeah, you know, you don't forget how. Just get on the bike and it'll all come back to you....

Well, that old bromide did not hold true for me! I got the bike together and adjusted the seat so that my legs would extend fully when pedaling. I knew the bike was going to be a little twitchy because of the design.....angle of the head tube, short handlebars, and small wheels. OK. I got on the seat and wobbled off...yes, just in my court. Made it to the end of the court. Stopped, and turned the bike around and headed back to my house. And, then as I applied the brake, bam, I'm on the ground. Hit on my right side. OK.....

I then decided I would only (attempt to) ride when it was dark. I surely didn't want my neighbors to witness an old guy making a fool of himself and busting his ass.

OK. Next night..... Basically the same result, though fell on my left side. Hey, I ain't got no more sides to fall on. And, hey, I'm at that age when you really don't want to break a hip. 

Consulted with my pal Eddie...... OK, lowered the seat so that I can stand flat-footed while on the seat and will try to shift the gears to a larger chain-wheel.

Need to add: I'm trying out my new camera, Fuji X100T. Theses photos are out of the camera with only slight cropping...no adjustments to contrast or color. To me they seem sharp. Hey, they should.....

Third time out, yes, remained upright. Got a better gear. And, dang, the bike really scooted along. Yes, stopped at the end of the court and turned the bike around. And, didn't fall.

Now, three briefs rides....maybe a total of 1,200 feet. Is there buyer's remorse? Nope, not at this time, though I am a little sore.... 

Yes, testing my camera......

Well, I really should stop here, but...what the heck.

I tried to see if I could figure what was wrong with the bike, if anything...or, what am I doing wrong. I ruled-out the bike being at fault and then went over what I was doing, how I was riding, to see if maybe I was making mistakes.

Hmmm..... Then, I thought. Dang, is it possible the bike is ahhhh, maybe possessed? Yeah, I know that sounds crazy. And, of course until now I had never considered that possession could even happen. But, what else could it be?



And, if it is possessed, then what?

The photo to the right was just an experiment to see how sepia would look. 

Hmmm, does the bike have an evil look to it? 

Some religions have the blessing of the animals. Yes, the Catholics do this. You know, bring your pups, guinea pigs, hamsters, cats, horses, and such to the church, and a priest all decked-out in a costume of sorts will bless them. Hmm.. 

Yes, maybe the Catholics would get involved in a blessing of bicycles. Dang, that'd be a good marketing ploy for them.

Now, what? Well, folks say prayer works! 

Nah, think I'll look for another way.

BTW, for those of you who didn't read my other post about the bicycle, my intentions were to have a small foldable bike that I could easily put in my car, to take with me to the small towns that I'm supposed to be visiting.  Also, thought it'd be good for an older person to ride a little for exercise. There are several nice paved bike trails within a few miles of where I live.

Amazing.........

Of course, if I keep falling, and I think my bike is possessed I could always seek help from Bob Larson. Do you folks know of Bob Larson? Well, he's the man for exorcisms. And, if I remember correctly, his daughters have joined him. Folks, this dude, his daughters, and the folks who show-up at his exorcism spectacles say a lot about our society. In fact, maybe I need to have a post about old Bob. Yes, he's way up there on the bizarre meter.

Actually, for any of you folks who are having difficulty in finding a job, the exorcism business might be a good gig for you. There's little outlay or possibly no outlay for equipment: just need a Holy Bible, a cross, and maybe  some magic water (hey, tap water will work fine). 

Don't I have to have training to perform these exorcisms? 

Can you shout, In the name of Jesus, come out, while smacking the possessed on the forehead? Hey, you're good-to-go. Of course, you can add a little class to your act by becoming a reverend. Yes, here's a copy of my reverendship, of which I'm mighty proud.

Oh, well. I think I'll pass on the exorcism for now. Hmmm.... And, if I decide that my bike is possessed, maybe I'll just smack myself in the head. Hey, maybe I should do that anyway.

Want one of these butt-kickin' bikes? Take a look, here.

Bill Donohue Is a Shithead!

Do you folks know of Bill Donohue? Here is his response to the slaughter of the cartoonists and police officers in France. 









MUSLIMS ARE RIGHT TO BE ANGRYJanuary 7, 2015 by Bill Filed under Latest News Releases

2015 - January Releases

Bill Donohue comments on the killing of 12 people at the Paris office of the newspaper Charlie Hebdo:

Killing in response to insult, no matter how gross, must be unequivocally condemned. That is why what happened in Paris cannot be tolerated. But neither should we tolerate the kind of intolerance that provoked this violent reaction.

Those who work at this newspaper have a long and disgusting record of going way beyond the mere lampooning of public figures, and this is especially true of their depictions of religious figures. For example, they have shown nuns masturbating and popes wearing condoms. They have also shown Muhammad in pornographic poses.

While some Muslims today object to any depiction of the Prophet, others do not. Moreover, visual representations of him are not proscribed by the Koran. What unites Muslims in their anger againstCharlie Hebdo is the vulgar manner in which Muhammad has been portrayed. What they object to is being intentionally insulted over the course of many years. On this aspect, I am in total agreement with them.

Stephane Charbonnier, the paper’s publisher, was killed today in the slaughter. It is too bad that he didn’t understand the role he played in his tragic death. In 2012, when asked why he insults Muslims, he said, “Muhammad isn’t sacred to me.” Had he not been so narcissistic, he may still be alive. Muhammad isn’t sacred to me, either, but it would never occur to me to deliberately insult Muslims by trashing him.

Anti-Catholic artists in this country have provoked me to hold many demonstrations, but never have I counseled violence. This, however, does not empty the issue. Madison was right when he said, “Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty as well as the abuses of power.”

Here is a link to the Catholic League.

Here's the Wikipedia definition of shithead.

I wonder if Donohue would be pissed-off if cartoonists depicted priests raping little boys! 

Frankly, I can't understand why all Catholics aren't just downright embarrassed about their church and religion: demonic possession and exorcisms, get an annulment after 3o years of marriage and 10 kids-you were never married, join the saint-of-the week club, miracles, miracles, yes, we know your country (Africa) is being ravaged by HIV/AIDS, but you surely can't use condoms (according to the Pope), and on and on.

Not only is Donohue a shithead, he's a disingenuous shithead. He says we can't condone violence but in the next breath blames the victims for their being slaughtered. 

If Catholics, for whatever reason, feel the need for religion, surely they can find one that's less insulting and absurd. Hey, even if you have to wear magic underwear.

Is this post mean-spirited and angry? I don't consider it mean-spirited, but I am pissed-off. And, no, if my mom were still alive I surely wouldn't be using the word shithead.

Hey, Bill....remember, blasphemy is a victimless crime. 

My Echo Arrived Yesterday. My Life is Now Complete! Honest, Well, Almost, Sort of.....

OK, folks, this is pretty darn cool. Well, better than just cool. So, what the heck is this Echo? Actually, I'm not exactly sure...but, I'll take a stab at explaining it.

A few weeks ago I received an e-mail from Amazon saying I could signup to possibly receive an invitation to buy an Echo. As I'm a Prime member, the price would be $99. After this initial period the cost would go to $199.

Hey, Jeff....what's up with this? Some type of marketing ploy? Oh, well.....                          

Yes, this is the Echo.

Anyway, yes, I signed-up and recently got a note saying I could buy an Echo.

So, what the heck does it do? As I type this I'm listening to my local station, WNIS, 790AM. Yep, you can listen to the radio and to music. The music I believe is from the Prime music library. Also, Alexa uses iHeartRadio.

You can also use a shopping list and a to-do list. Alexa, add milk to my shopping list. Alexa, add pay the phone bill to the to-do list. BTW, forgot to mention....you talk to or speak to Alexa. Yep, and, there's also a remote unit if you aren't near the Echo.

Now, another cool thing. You can download a free application to your Kindle Fire and see your lists and your back and forth with Alexa.

There's also an alarm system. Kind of neat if you have something on the stove, want to leave the kitchen, and then be reminded to check the food.

So, how does it work, exactly? Dang, I'm not sure. You wake-up, or get the attention of, the Echo by saying, Alexa. You then tell her? what you want her to do. 

Yes, she can do math and look-up stuff. I think she uses Wikipedia. I'm a lousy speller. Alexa isn't. 

I'm sure there's a bunch-more stuff Alexa can do. However, just listening to music, news, the lists and alarm, as far as I'm concerned, would be worth the $99. And, of course, Amazon will be adding to the functions. BTW, yes, I have an-old-persons' hearing and Alexa sounds pretty-darn good even from eight or ten feet.

Edit: Here's a link to Echo on Wikipedia. 

Ahhhh, Good on You Mississippi! 2015 and Continuing to go Backwards.

Yes, Mississippi, that bastion of bigotry, racism, ignorance, misogyny, intolerance, poverty, Bibles, Confederate flags, Bronze-Age thinking, and bottom-of-the-heap in education, strikes again. 

The Heritage Initiative will be known as Initiative Measure Number 46. Here is the full text.

Here's the best (or worst, depending on whether you are a supporter) part of the initiative:

(I.)  The State of Mississippi hereby acknowledges the fact of her identity as a principally Christian and quintessentially Southern state, in terms of the majority of her population, character, culture, history, and heritage, from 1817 to the present;  accordingly, the Holy Bible is acknowledged as a foremost source of her founding principles, inspiration, and virtues;  and, accordingly, prayer is acknowledged as a respected, meaningful, and valuable custom of her citizens.  The acknowledgments hereby secured shall not be construed to transgress either the national or the state Constitution’s Bill of Rights.

Well, isn't that special? I won't waste more of my time on this. If interested you can do a search to see what other folks are saying. Here are a couple of links.

KFC...Yes, Tonight's the Last Time.......

A few months ago I received, yes, in my mail box, coupons for deals at KFC. And, I used them. I thought the food pretty good. Hey, I eat out a lot...yes, a lot; sit-down places and drive-throughs.  I truly do not like making my own meals.

The last couple of weeks I've been going to Bojangles. Thought the food was at least OK (actually, better than OK...though the folks who work there are, well.....I'll let it go at that). 

Anyway, tonight I went back to KFC where I hadn't been in a couple of months or so. Actually, I went to the post office and KFC was closer. I had actually thought about going to Bojangles. Oh, well.

Ordered what I usually do. Yes, a three piece white dinner with two orders of mashed potatoes. The dinner includes two breasts and a wing, two sides  (dang, I don't like that word, sides), and a biscuit.

I placed the order through the drive through. The pleasant young lady said it'd be two minutes (evidently they'd have to cook it...yes, it was about 9PM and there were few customers). 

I pulled to the window and paid and she told me to park out front of the restaurant and they'd bring it to me.

I said, I'll wait here. If someone comes up behind me I'll pull forward.
Oh, you can't do that. There's a timer here and you can't be here more than 60 seconds.

Hmmmm..... Not sure about you, but that is downright weird.

OK. So I pulled forward. After about ten minutes I headed to the restaurant and a young fellow was coming out with my meal.

OK. Yes, I'm home. Wow, this is going to be great!

Hmmm...... Opened the box. Well, yes there was one breast and a thigh and a wing. OK, hey, mistakes are made I tell myself.

Dang, I  had ordered extra crispy  and it looked really good. OK, put a breast on my plate, mashed potatoes, and the biscuit. Wasn't quite salivating like Pavlov's dog, but was close.  Dang, this was going to be a treat!!!!!


Well, it sucked, period. The chicken tasted like grease or something. Hmmm.... The potatoes, not sure how to describe them. Even the darn biscuit was, well.....

Anyway, yes, I tossed it all in the trash. Yes, the last time for old KFC.

Sorry, Colonel......

Thank Goodness (and, the Pope) My Pup's Going to Be OK!

On my last post I mentioned that I was going to layoff religion, for at least a while. However,

this is a positive post. Yes, religion is doing something good. Here's a link to what Pope Francis has said about pups going to heaven. Wow, I feel so much better.

Hmmm. But, I wonder. Will they know that my pup can only eat prescription dog food? Yes, she has colitis. Hmmm. Maybe when you're in heaven, ahh, do all of your physical problems go away? If not, are they able to get her records from her vet? Will they consult with Dr. Andrew about her well-being? It's heaven, they'll surely take care of her, won't they? Also, since she was little she's had the same peanut flavored treats in the shape of a small dog bone. Will they have them? Just remembered, what about grooming? Wow, I now have some real concerns. 

Maybe I shouldn't pose this question, I mean after all, I do truly appreciate what the Pope is doing--but, should I maybe look around at other heavens? You know, maybe there's one out there that has been taking dogs for a long time. Maybe they'd be more setup to take care of my pup. Dang, now I'm starting to really worry. Surely I can count on the Pope to take care of her, can't I?

Pay it Forward and Christmas is Almost Here.....

So, can an atheist get excited about Christmas? Well, surely not in the sense of praying, going to church, thinking the earth is only a few thousand years old, and that there was a virgin birth.

But, I have noticed that some people, believers or not, seem to be a little kinder and understanding, if you will, during the holiday season. And, of course that is good. People who are usually gruff and abrupt may even, with a smile no less, wish you a Merry Christmas or a Happy Holiday and at least at the time they're saying it, mean it.

I think that if we can all take a few minutes and think about what we have...yes, our material things as well as our friendships and relationships; that we can pause and appreciate that we have a job and can support ourselves and those who rely on us, whether we think our job is the greatest or not.

Anyone who happens by here and is reading this surely is most likely doing at least OK in the grand scheme of things. Yes, we may want our marriages and relationships to be better. We may want our job environment to be better. We may want a new car or a fancier place to live, but when the marks are tallied, we most likely have it pretty good.

Click on the ABC link below to learn who owns this car....

None of us are going to bed hungry. And, I'm sure we all have shelter and clothes to wear.

So, I guess what would be great, is for those of us who have this other feeling around the holidays, could maintain it throughout the year. Yeah, be nice to folks because it's good to be nice to folks. And, not just do it because you feel by tradition that you should......

So, George, did you fall and bonk your head? What's up? I know that you may find it hard to believe but just because a person is an atheist doesn't that that they aren't the same as a

believer, except for that one small difference. Yes, we don't believe in god(s).

So, what brought all of this on? Good question and I'm not exactly sure. I've been thinking about writing something like this for a while. I guess, what nudged me a little was an article on the ABC website. And, yes, I realized that constantly ranting  and raving about the evils of religion is doing nothing other than keeping me riled-up.

Sometimes we just need to sit and be unemotional and objective about our situation, and at other times maybe looking around us and seeing how others have it will cause us to better appreciate our station in life. Try to imagine trading places with those who don't have what we have. Sometimes a little introspection can better make us appreciate what we do have.

So folks, be nice... yes, during the holidays as well as the rest of the year. And, if you see someone who needs help and you're able to assist, that would be great.

Religion Again, Yes, Still the World's Greatest Evil.......

Good people do good things
Evil people do evil things
But, it takes religion to make good people do evil things...

This, I believe, is a philosopher, whose name I can't remember.......

There are so many evils and horrible events that are perpetuated on a daily basis in the name of religion. And, yes, that's OK...as it's religion and we surely don't want to not allow religious people to act as they want. Yes, they are special.

Here in the States there are all kinds of religious exemptions or whatever you want to call them.

Yes, the Jews circumcise and then suck the blood from the infant's penis. Hey, a few will die and some will have brain damage and some will have herpes, but, what the heck...hey, it's our religion.

Child gets sick, don't take them to a doctor, we're going to pray over them. Hey, that's fine.

Don't want to vaccinate your kid, hey, that's fine as long as your religious views forbid it.

Want to offer up a sacrifice to a god or goddess, hey, that's fine as long as your religion says you should. Oh, you're going to torture animals....heck, go ahead, dang, you're offering up a sacrifice to your gods or goddesses.... We surely don't want to stop you.

Please note, this link to a CNN article I found quite disturbing. But, hey it's religion. Not sure if you should see it. Yes, there are photos. And, again, I found it quite disturbing.

Yes, I need to get on the road and travel a little. Sadly, I doubt if we will ever rid ourselves of religion. It will just go on and on.

Yes, I do need to get on the road.............