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why I love my neighbourhood
If you have total freedom, then you are in trouble. It’s much better when you have some obligation, some discipline, some rules. When you have no rules, then you start to build your own rules. [Renzo Piano, architect & engineer]
Glasgow Street, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
my textures
while I haven't finished my proofing yet... I'm building a website for my daughter-in-law for her neighbourhood cause... which means a great deal to me, too. You'll find me here today: neighboursofglasgow.wordpress.com/
a challenge - I've got a number of headers rotating... I'd be most open to the one you like best. They should change just by refreshing the page.
A photo I shot at the small village of Brienno in Lago di Como, Italy, back in 2013.
Uploaded today for Fred's challenge Challenge 116 Frame in frame currently running on our Global Camel Committee group
This photo is not mine, it was shot by my friend Dimitris and only processed by me for a little "game" we play, the OS 128 Going Wide Challenge in our group The Global Camel Committee
Have a look at the Challenge to see the original and other people's submissions too.
This is the little lake (as the name suggests) Lochan an Ais in the Scotland highlands, looking towards the popular Stac Pollaidh peak, as I photographed it one cold summer morning back in 2011.
Although I didn’t have to do any hike in the wilderness to get there (the main A835 road is right on my back), the view towards this way is completely unspoiled by any modern “additions”. That’s why I decided to submit this in Rob Scamp’s Challenge #87 Wild Places on our friendly Nikon DSLR Forum group.
This is a panorama of Athens and the mountain of Parnitha, as seen from my neighbourhood yesterday. What drew my attention was this huge fluffy cloud over the mountain. To get a better scale of the sheer size of the cloud, Parnitha though definitely not one of the highest mountains around is not exactly a hill at 1413 m/4635ft so you can guess this was a big one.
I've uploaded this large at 3000px so you can get an idea...
Shot and uploaded this specifically for Terry’s Challenge #90 Cloudscapes in our Nikon DSLR Forum
My niece Zetta, shot back in 2009, doing silly things.
Being 4 years older now, doesn't prevent her from doing yet more silly things...
Posted for Torsten's Challenge #77 Funny faces that make me laugh.
A "trattoria" in an arcade leading to the wonderful Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi at the heart of the old village of Gardone Riviera on the shores of Lago di Garda, Italy.
Part of the mini series "The Essence of Italian lakes" submitted in Ilan's challenge Essence of a place, currently running on our Nikon DSLR Forum.
An old photo I shot back in 2008 with the "granny" D50, uploaded (after some new treatment) here for the "for the birds" Challenge in our Nikon DSLR Forum
My friend U I de B challenged me to a game of "Tagged!" a few weeks back. As I understand it, the rules are to post a picture of yourself, and add 16 fun facts.
Halloween 1977: I chose this shot because it may just be the moment when I went to the dork side for good. (Scan from a Polaroid, if you can believe it.)
1. My day job is as an executive assistant at a large nonprofit.
2. In another life, I taught college lit classes.
3. In the life before that, I was a jewelry vendor in Berkeley.
4. And in the one before that I was a college radio d.j.
5. My secret ambition is to write disturbing fiction.
6. Photography gives me more instant gratification than writing.
7. The costume in this photo was made from: a) a hairnet; b) 2 pair of pantyhose; c) cardboard; and d) my mom's peignoir. (Too bad you can't see the rockin' gold belt -- also cardboard.)
8. I like cheese a lot.
9. I own far too many books.
10. I am a genre fiction whore.
11. My cats have all been black since 1992.
12. I hate the recession because I can't afford to travel.
13. I am still partly feral. (Thanks, Maynard!)
14. My favorite alcoholic beverage is hard cider.
15. I am a total dork.
16. At least I never joined the SCA.
Winner of "Portrait That is Environmental or Candid" challenge.
Runner up of "Child Candid" challenge.
taken @ Fishing Pier Rayong, Thailand
WINNA COLLECTION
CY Challenge Winner Theme Transportation
A3B Challenge Winner Theme Fishing Boat / Barca de Pesca
TMOACG BigMomma Winner Theme A3B Winners
The Challenge Factory Winner Theme Fishing Boat
A Challenge For You Winner Theme Transportation
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Nikon D60 + 18-55mm VR lens
A selfie I shot back in 2012.
The "project" was to stick my wide lens at the bottom of a big glass and shoot photos while pretending to drink some water. I soon discovered though, that the only way to make the photos look realistic was to actually drink the water! And as I'm not a person who gets easily pleased, (and the whole thing was mostly trial and error) I had to drink A LOT of the bloody thing until I get one I somehow liked!!
I don't think I have ever drunk so much water (or visited the loo so many times) in such a little time...
Uploaded here for Leechy's challenge #114 Creative Selfies
Another version of my sunrise shot. These statues used to terrorize Spanky as a puppy, and he would growl and bark at them. Now he somewhat tolerates them. This week the 52 Weeks for Dogs challenge was B/W outdoors (or other duo-tone process). I thought Sepia worked well with the sunrise.
September 1, 2009
“…For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?…”
Psalm 56:13
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The past few days have been a very emotional time. I was asked by a client to create a graphic for the 4th anniversary of Katrina. In searching through my photos and digging through internet archives of local news outlets, I was there again; flashed back to those terrible post-storm weeks.
I've run from those demons, denied them access to my conscious mind, fought them, suppressed their groping hands, determined to drag me into the abyss. I’ve resisted seeking the numbness of alcohol or worse agents.
But for a time; those screaming demons won, they owned me. That bitch raped and pillaged a lifestyle I loved. The fabric of my life was shredded, friends scattered to parts unknown. The constant self reminders of, 'I am only one of thousands, others lost much more', no longer kept the banshees at bay. One of thousands on a sinking ship share the whole experience, yet the horror is personal to each.
The smell; that smell of necrotizing flesh, one never forgets. I have encountered that smell many times in my everyday work life, I knew it well. Despite years of practiced aloofness, separation of emotions from intellect, the studied art of detachment to maintain a professional demeanor; that smell welded itself to my soul.
A list of 170 names, some of those names had lives I shared, some I knew casually, some were clients depending on me. Some had families so uncaring, dysfunctional, they were left to meet their fate alone, ill, incapable of rescuing themselves. I could not rescue them. Hell, I barely rescued myself; now it appears doubtful I was rescued at all. That smell was my neighbors, friends, acquaintances, patients, and in one case a well educated, highly skilled, friend, colleague, a mother, a lady of exceptional beauty.
All that raging bitch left me, physically, from a lifetime of photographs, professional achievements, documents, education certificates, mementos from a favorite aunt just before her passing, was one battered, nearly melted artifact. That's it.
I treasure it. It is a starting point.
When I worked my way back to my base in Grand Bay, Alabama after poking through the ashes of my home in Pass Christian, my sister hid it. I feared she had discarded it. “No,” she said, her fears and hurt barely disguised with a nervous laugh, “I just can’t bear to look at it.” God alone knows I much I love and admire this tough lady, the epitome of a genteel Southern Belle. How she became my sister, or rather I her brother, is a mystery.
It is said when God closes a door, He opens a window. Going through the motions of life these years in darkness and denial has been a travesty. There is no zest, no enthusiasm, a fatalistic clinging to ‘Now’, there is not ‘Later’ only now. The aging of my soul is evident, a slow suffocation of Spirit, dulled mental acuity, I’ve become a hermit, withdrawn from life. I relish my self-imposed isolation, it is the only control I have.
A ray of light has pierced my darkness. Just a spark, a message from the ether, “How’s life?” ......Where the hell has he been? He officially does not exist, I’ve Goggled for him for years, searched every database in Arizona where I last knew him to be, searched his roots in Missouri, nothing! If Google can’t find you, you ain’t there.
“Life sucks, thank you very much,” a few more brief exchanges, a bit of phone tag. Finally connection; how‘s the kids?... where you have been?... then that same easy conversation. Despite years of absence, the conversation, the plans, possibilities, opportunities flowed like warm honey; nearly an hour passed in only minutes. Sweet indeed is the joy of a true friend found.
A little more light, a bit brighter; the warm glow is delicious. Hey, there really is a tomorrow, there could be a later. The realities of those plans, ‘what ifs’, the nuts and bolts. Amazing! A genuine CHALLENGE! A challenge that will, if realized, bring me full circle to the professional satisfaction I loved so dearly.
Though it is half a world away, perhaps I can at last bury these demons; shaking off the dust of a past stolen; expelling those noxious, malodorous nightmares and walk out of the desert, into the sunshine a better, happier man.
Is that the glow of an opening window? Seems it could be, it just may be.....
This montage is a representative selection of the ten themes, and contains one image per theme and one image per member, as there were exactly 10 entrants in February. These photos were selected from the 91 photos (if I counted right!) entered by 10 members, 6 of whom completed all ten themes.
To view the complete challenge and entries, click Here.
Thank you Sharon for this fab Compositionally Challenged challenge.
In memory of my Father.. (September 19, 1932 - April 30, 1988)
WINNA COLLECTION
The Challenge Factory Winner Theme Single Rose
A3B Challenge Winner Theme Rose/Rosa
A Challenge For You Winner Theme Most Recent Upload
CY Challenge Winner Theme Single Stem Rose
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Nikon D60 + 50mm lens
Twitter Photo Challenge #TwPhCh
Challenge #37: Architecture
These are the steps I walk everyday. They are the steps in my appartment building. The building is in good shape, but it's from 1939. If you look closely at the steps you'll see that the steps are slightly lower in the center part -- That's the result of daily wear for all these years. There are many interesting aspects of architecture, but how buildings cope ( and even get better), with age is something I find fascinating.
Technical details
Canon 50mm f/1.8 at f/2.0 for 1/45 of a second at ISO 1600. Shot handheld. Image processed in Adobe Lightroom, converted to black and white, adjusted curves and black levels. Also some work on sharpening and clarity.
"Roger, go at throttle up" - the last communication from Challenger on the air-to-ground loop.
The Space Shuttle, an engineering marvel that marked an important chapter in human spaceflight as the first reusable spacecraft. With a total count of 135 missions spanning a 40 year program, the space shuttle became a widely recognizable spacecraft alongside the Apollo Lunar Module and the International Space Station. Sadly, that wasn't without tragedy, because one particular day would be an unfortunate event that would leave an impact on the program.
On January 27th 1985, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced the crew for STS-51-L, the 25th Space Shuttle Mission. The crew consisted of Commander Francis Richard "Dick" Scobee, Pilot Michael John Smith, Mission Specialists Ellison Shoji Onizuka, Judith Arlene Resnik, and Ronald Erwin McNair, and Payload Specialists Gregory Bruce Jarvis and Sharon Christa McAuliffe. The goal of this mission was to deploy TDRS-B, a tracking and data relay satellite, by using an Internal Upper Stage system, the crew also planned to study Halley's Comet by deploying and retrieving the Spartan Halley satellite. Originally scheduled for July 1985, the mission faced a number of delays until it was decided that the mission would begin on January 28th, 1986
The orbiter selected for the mission was Space Shuttle Challenger (OV-099). Challenger was built by North American Rockwell in the 1970s as Structural Test Article STA-099 before undergoing vibration tests at Lockheed's Palmdale, California facility. NASA initially decided to have the prototype orbiter, Space Shuttle Enterprise (OV-101), be the second operational orbiter, but due to cost and time, it was ultimately decided to have STA-099 be used instead since it was cheaper. After its conversion to a fully operable spacecraft in July 1982, STA-099 would be rolled out as Challenger before making its first flight on April 4th, 1983 under the STS-6 mission.
On the night prior to the launch, the weather had become unusually cold with a record low of 18 °F which in turn led to erosion of the O-rings. For those who don't know, O-rings are elastic rubber seals in the Solid Rocket Boosters used for containing immense pressure. But when exposed to such cold temperatures, this made the O-rings stiff and therefore unable to close off the joints in the SRBs. This of course had lead to concerns regarding the condition of the SRBs, so much so that a call between KSC office manager Cecil Houston, NASA SRB project manager Lawrence Mulloy, Morton Thiokol employees Robert Lund and Joe Kilminster, and Director Allan J. McDonald on whether or not to launch the shuttle. Following the call as well as a full clear inspection, the decision was made to proceed with the launch.
And then, the day came, January 28th, 1986. But before the launch could commence, it had to be delayed for an hour so more ice could melt off as the ice team made final inspections. Once the inspection was complete, Challenger was cleared to launch. With the boosters letting off a loud and powerful roar, the shuttle launches from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at 11:38 AM EST.
But just as if things seemed to go according to plan, smoke was spotted coming out of the right-hand SRB near the aft strut that attached the booster to the External Tank. It was then believed that it was the result of joint rotation in the aft field joint of the right-hand SRB during ignition. But the O-ring was still too frozen to seal off the pressure as the hot gas eroded it further.
The wind shear combined with high forces was the most possible cause for the damage of the aluminum oxide seal and had enlarged the plume from the right-hand SRB. Challenger’s engines had been positioned to compensate for the booster burn-through as the flames began to burn on through into the ET. Back at Mission Control, Richard O. Covey told the crew to go at throttle up, pinpointing that the shuttle’s engines had throttled up to 104% thrust.
72 seconds into the flight, it happened. The right SRB detached from the aft strut causing an acceleration felt by the crew as pressure from the liquid hydrogen tank began to drop. The release and ignition of all liquid hydrogen in the LH2 tank then pushed the tank into the liquid oxygen tank. Milliseconds later at 46,000 feet above sea level, the ET exploded destroying the Challenger and its payload, the SRBs continued to fly freely until they were deactivated 37 seconds later.
Steve Nesbitt: *initially unaware of the explosion* "One minute 15 seconds. Velocity 2,900 feet per second. Altitude 9 nautical miles.
Downrange distance 7 nautical miles."
*13 seconds of silence*
Jay Henry Greene: "FIDO, trajectories..."
FIDO: "Go ahead."
Jay Henry Greene: "Trajectory, FIDO."
FIDO: "Flight, FIDO, filters got discreting sources. We're go."
N.R. Talbott: "Flight, GC, we've had negative contact, loss of downlink."
Jay Henry Greene: "OK, all operators, watch your data carefully."
FIDO: "Flight, FIDO, till we get stuff back he's on his cue card for abort modes."
Jay Henry Greene: "Procedures, any help?"
Unknown: "Negative, flight, no data."
Steve Nesbitt: "Flight controllers here are looking very carefully at the situation. Obviously a major malfunction."
Flight controller: "Flight, GC, negative downlink."
Jay Henry Greene: "Copy."
*18 seconds of silence*
FIDO: "Flight, FIDO."
Jay Henry Greene: "Go ahead."
FIDO: "RSO (range safety officer) reports vehicle exploded."
Jay Henry Greene: *long pause* "Copy. FIDO, can we get any reports from recovery forces?"
FIDO: "Stand by."
*8 seconds of silence*
Jay Henry Greene: "GC, all operators, contingency procedures in effect."
*5 seconds of silence*
Steve Nesbitt: "We have a report from the flight dynamics officer that the vehicle has exploded. The flight director confirms that. We are looking at checking with the recovery forces to see what can be done at this point."
Back at mission control, Jay Greene ordered contingency procedures to be put underway as they locked doors, shut down telephone communications, and halted computers to collect data. The scene was a horrifying sight not just for NASA employees but also for everyone else, especially the families and friends of the Challenger crew as well as the students who looked up to Sharon Christa McAuliffe. While nobody faced any criminal charges for the disaster, families of four of the crew members filed lawsuits against Morton Thiokol and the federal government with settlements reached out with these families. Engineer Roger Boisjoly also filed lawsuits against the company for he was the one who warned about what would happen should the launch proceed. Unfortunately, his lawsuits were turned down by a federal judge.
From after the incident to November 2022, various parts of the Challenger, the external tank, the SRBs, the Payload, and human remains of the crew have been recovered from the Atlantic floor. Following the recovery of the human remains, they would be buried at various cemeteries and memorials with the exception of Resnik who was cremated and had her ashes scattered over the water. Almost any recovered non-organic debris from the Challenger would be stored into missile silos at Cape Canaveral's Space Force Station launch complexes LC-31 and LC-32.
The disaster would lead to significant changes within the shuttle program, from the modifications of NASA’s safety culture and the cancellation of both Teacher in Space Project and civilian spaceflights aboard the orbiters to redesigning the SRBs and upgrading the orbiters. The shuttle fleet was grounded for around two years undergoing upgrades and redesigns to meet safety requirements until September 29th, 1988 when Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103) was launched under the STS-26 mission while carrying TDRS-3, the substitute of the satellite lost with Challenger. In addition, Space Shuttle Endeavour (OV-105) would be built from 1987 to 1990 to replace the Challenger and first flew in May 1992 under the STS-49 mission.
The Space Shuttle Program wouldn’t face another disaster until 17 years later on February 1st, 2003 when Space Shuttle Columbia (OV-102) disintegrated while in re-entry over Texas and Louisiana. And then on August 31st 2011, The Space Shuttle program came to an end following the final landing of Space Shuttle Atlantis (OV‑104) and the conclusion of mission STS-135 on July 21st, 2011.
This was made in honor and memory of Challenger’s crew, may they rest in peace.
Information Sources Cited in Chicago Style:
NASA. 2024. “Space Shuttle - NASA.” NASA.gov. September 5, 2024. www.nasa.gov/space-shuttle/.
NASA. 2024. “Challenger STS-51L Accident - NASA.” Nasa. June 18, 2024. www.nasa.gov/challenger-sts-51l-accident/.
“Spaceflight Now | the Challenger Accident | Timeline.” 2019. Spaceflightnow.com. 2019. spaceflightnow.com/challenger/timeline/.
“Blocked.” 2026. Grokipedia.com. 2026. grokipedia.com/page/tdrs_b.
“Challenger Settlements Disclosed : U.S. And Rocket Maker Paid $7.7 Million to 4 Families.” 1988. Los Angeles Times. March 8, 1988. www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-03-08-mn-614-story.html.
Boffey, Philip M. 1987. “Engineer Who Opposed Launching Challenger Sues Thiokol for $1 Billion.” The New York Times, January 29, 1987, sec. U.S. www.nytimes.com/1987/01/29/us/engineer-who-opposed-launch....
Press, Associated. 2022. “Large Section of Destroyed Space Shuttle Challenger Found on Ocean Floor.” FOX 13 Tampa Bay. November 10, 2022. www.fox13news.com/news/space-shuttle-challenger-debris-fo....
Pearlman, Robert Z. 2015. “NASA Exhibits Space Shuttles Challenger, Columbia Debris for First Time.” Space.com. Space. June 29, 2015. www.space.com/29794-space-shuttles-challenger-columbia-de....
“STS-26 - NASA.” n.d. www.nasa.gov/mission/sts-26/.
“STS-135 - NASA.” n.d. www.nasa.gov/mission/sts-135/.
“What Caused the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster? | What Went Wrong | Free Documentary.” n.d. Www.youtube.com. www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr2WO2Q-CJY.
Essayer de convertir la lumière colorée en N&B
A challenge. An attempt to convert coloured light into B&W.
No sector seems to be immune as Cyberattacks continue to proliferate. While the healthcare data is valuable and critical for patient’s treatment, it will be a primary target for cyberattacks. Given the health sector’s challenges, the need for zero trust will be crucial moving forward.
Read more: www.cigniti.com/blog/healthcare-cyber-security-zero-trust