Just When You Thought That Things Couldn't Get Any Worse

Are you following the news about the terrorist mass-shooting attack at a music concert in Russia last Friday? The latest report says that the Islamic group Isis took responsibility for the massacre.

There are also reports that all the terrorists were arrested after their car overturned while being chased by Russian police. One report indicates that the American embassy in Moscow warned that Americans should not go to large gatherings in Russia. Apparently president Putin dismissed the warnings as "Western blackmail". 

Now, Russia blames the Ukraine for the terrorist attack, while Putin critics suggest it was a "false flag" operation. In other words, Putin opposition claim that Russia carried out the attack against its own people to justify escalation against Ukraine. 

In related news, this morning Poland is accusing Russia of entering its country airspace, after Russia fired a cruise missile into Polish airspace to attack Ukraine. 

Methinks is going to get worse, before it gets better. 

When It Comes To Photography, Nothing Beats Today's Technology

My first real camera was a Yashica FX-3 Super 2000 film camera, purchased as a gift to myself in 1988 after my divorce. The other camera shown on this picture was my first digital Nikon DSLR purchased in 2015.

Earlier this week I declined to participate in a conversation about taking pictures using film, and developing my own images in a darkroom at home or sending the film to a processing lab. Hardcore photography purists can be rough, and for some is hard to compromise. It is their way, or no way.

The last time I used my film Yashica FX-3 camera in 2002, I visited Washington DC and spent a week sightseeing the city. When I returned home, I took a roll of film of 36 exposures to get it developed. It was a huge mistake because the processing lab ruined ALL my vacation pictures.

When it comes to photography, nothing beats today's ( digital camera or smartphone ) technology.

Shaken, Not Stirred

It is been said that Ian Fleming, creator of Bond, prefers his martinis "shaken, not stirred", because shaking mixes the drink with air, making it colder and it preserves the flavor of the drink.

Recently, there were rumors that the new successor in the 007 film franchise was going to be a woman. But according to a British tabloid newspaper, Aaron Taylor-Johnson could be the next James Bond. The tabloid released a story this week saying the 33 year old British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson had been offered the role of 007.

Personally, I believe the producers missed a great opportunity in not selecting a female Bond. In my opinion, it is time the role of secret service agent Bond went to a woman.

Some Things Are Best To Be Kept Private

Many moons ago, my therapist suggested to start writing in a journal. He also said, to once in a while flip back through the pages I had written to see any patterns about my progress.

At that point in my life, journal writing helped me tremendously. Expressing my thoughts and feelings on paper was very therapeutic, and a very effective tool for were I was at that particular moment in my life.

With the passage of time, in 2004 I found the blogs and began writing an online blog. Writing online was different, because it allowed me to incorporate cartoons and a photo editor like photoshop into my blog journal, to express my feelings using humor and laughter as a coping mechanism.

Granted, still some of my most painful and emotional feelings are still written on paper, on a private journal. Some things are best to be kept private.