Light Painted Motorcycle

Several years ago, I rode my bike to the Philadelphia Museum of Art where Sylvester Stallone took his Rocky famous (Rocky Steps) climb in preparation for his movie fight.

Ever since I bough my bike, I'd been wanting to take a photograph with the Philly skyline in the background at night. People park their cars up there and take pictures all the time, but driving a vehicle into the Museum of Art area is prohibited.

Initially, a security officer said no, but eventually changed his mind and allowed me to take a few pictures with the condition that I take the pics very quickly. It took five minutes just to set up the camera gear and adjust the settings. It is extremely hard to get sharp focus in the dark.

The security officer was getting uncomfortable with having my bike parked up there, so I had to rush the photoshoot. I am sure the light painted motorcycle picture would have looked much better if I had a little more preparation and time to compose the image, instead of using a 15 seconds exposure. I would have preferred to use 30 seconds exposure, or "bulb mode", but that's a story for another day.

Comedy Is Tragedy

A while back I promised myself that I would not watch Saturday Night Live anymore; in my opinion the show is unwatchable.

Last night I broke my promise, and I am glad I did. John Mulaney was last night's SNL host.

During the opening monologue he talked candidly about his friends staging an intervention to help him overcome his drug addiction. He also discussed his time at a rehab center during the January 6 insurrection, his sobriety, a text conversation he had with his drug dealer, and about his 12 week old son. 

I thought it was very clever, honest and refreshing how he incorporated drugs into a comedy act and deliver such a strong positive message. My respects go out to you, John Mulaney. 

The Rise Of Social Media Experts

Have you noticed how many online social media experts are out there? I think in Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are where you find the most.

Nowadays is difficult to find anyone who is not on social media. In my opinion, the conspiracist theorists and purveyors of misinformation have given social media a bad name. They have made it harder for the true experts to spread correct information. 

Misunderstanding

Many years ago, the Afghan war was still raging, and US Marines were in the mountains of Tora-Bora in the hunt for Osama bin Laden.

I remember writing a parody blog post at another blog site back in 2009 about my time as a Navy Seal, ( just to clarify, I've never been a Navy Seal) and former member of Seal Team 6. 

I thought my little parody was funny. If I learned anything from my one time as a wannabe humor blogger, is that some people misinterpret what it is being written, and instead of asking questions, they lash out. 

Some of the usual suspects were banned when they began with accusations, personal attacks and name calling, instead of asking to clarify. I guess they missed the part where I clearly stated that it was a parody blog post. 

Throwback Thursday

This picture was taken in 2015, my first year getting into digital photography. When I bought my first DSLR, I used to walk around armed with my camera looking for places to photograph. I had no idea what I was doing but that didn't stopped me from trying. With so many historic buildings in Philly, photo opportunities are abundant. 

A good thing about photo walks is that even if my photography sucks, I get a hell of a lot of exercise. This particular day I got up early in the morning and took a few pictures inside UPenn University, the college grounds were completely empty thanks to the holidays. There was nobody there, therefore I had the place to myself. 

All by myself; this phrase just reminded me of one of my favorite songs = All By Myself by Eric Carmen. 

Am I Being Detained?

A Republican congressional candidate in Florida from the party of Law and Order, was caught on police body camera threatening to end an officer's career.

Last Monday, the police officer pulled Republican congressional candidate Martin Hyde over for allegedly driving 57mph in a 40 zone, and was also seen texting on his phone. He was ticketed for not having his vehicle registration.

"In a combative exchange that followed, he refused to cooperate, threatened her job and asked her if she was behaving that way because she was an immigrant.  I’ll just call your chief. How’s that? You know who I am, right? Hyde asked the officer after she explained why she’d stopped him. When the officer returned to Hyde’s vehicle with a citation, he told her he’d called her supervisor. I just spoke to your boss,” Hyde said. Is it your Russian immigrant status that makes you treat people like this?”

So this GOP House Candidate, Martin Hyde,  born in the United Kingdom, actually had the audacity to call out a police officer immigration status. 

If he acts this way as a candidate, imagine how he'll be if elected. Anyone with an attitude as his should not hold any political office. The good old boys from the GOP really know how to Back the Blue.

btw, this exemplary GOP House Candidate is backed by Roger Stone and former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. He is the one on the left in the second picture next to Flynn.

Ronald Reagan Would Be Absolutely Appalled

Can someone explain this sudden change of heart of the Republican Party and Conservatives offering praise for President Vladimir Putin?

You see it happening with Republicans in the House, FoxNews, and the other conservative media. I read a poll yesterday that shows that 6 out of 10 Republicans praise Putin instead of the American president. The GOP is blatantly showing us that they crave an authoritarian leader. 

How can any self respecting American side with an autocrat who threatened the United States from nuclear extinction? This individual assassinates and imprisons his political opponents. 

It appears that Republican politicians respect the fact that Putin can just kill anybody who gets in his way, and invades any country whenever he wants to. Even the former Secretary of State and Director of the CIA Mike Pompeo was on TV yesterday praising Putin. 

I read somewhere that all the adulation and comments toward Putin by Republican politicians, are being shown on Russian State TV and fed to their citizens. I don't think this adulation toward Putin aligns with the interests of the United States. 

Sometimes I wonder if President Ronald Reagan would be appalled by our current Republican politicians, fawning to Putin and other authoritarian leaders.