Open Thread – September Sunset
There’s something about this time of year, but the sunsets always seem particularly beautiful.
I’ve gotten several requests from people who would like to be able to buy copies of my pictures. Wow. Thanks so much, and I’m glad that you are enjoying them! I fantasize sometimes about being able to really dedicate some time to getting better at it, and finding room in my schedule to go out and take pictures more often than I do. I’m lucky that so many interesting things are located right outside my door.
I am working on creating a few things for the Mudflats Shop, like notecards, prints, and even a couple calendars. If anyone has ideas about anything they’d like to see, please let me know. I’m rather new at this and would welcome suggestions.
Glad you are doing this. Loved the trees and smoke one for Holiday Cards, but you’ve had many beautiful shots.
Your beautiful photos are such a wonderful start to my day – thank you! I would certainly buy calendars for myself and as gifts if they were available.
On another note, I doubt any of us realize just how many homeless families there are, and now winter will soon be on us.
Salon.com has a touching story on a campground near Nashville. I’m going to start putting things together and drop them off when I have my next appointment at Vanderbilt in October.
http://www.salon.com/wires/ap/us/2009/09/25/D9AU6RPO2_us_homeless_campers/index.html
I would encourage anyone who is able to help in some small way, to check in their own areas and donate what they can. Salvation Army is feeding more and more people daily, yet their donations and budgets have dramatically decreased.
In talking with our local center, they suggested a #10 can of beans, a can or two of tomatoes, and a couple dozen hot dogs (about $10 for all) will feed about three dozen people as they cut up the hot dogs into the bean/tomato mixture, and supplement it with home-made biscuits. They request donations of this nature that can be stretched and offer some protein – just an idea if someone was inclined to take something to their local soup/food kitchen.
We are our brothers and sisters keepers and with so few resources currently available and so many more in need, we who can should try to do more.
Such a magnificent photo AKM and yes they should be on sale and displayed!
And Great Granny 2 b, You are certainly right!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/akmuckraker/morris-ups-the-ante—cha_b_299526.html
200 000 Dollars?! I suggest he also set a deadline. Not in a year after your training has been completed (or been given up in frustration). NOW! Talk.
Your flower photographs would be lovely on notecards. Some of your more abstract pics would make beautiful prints. Landscapes and animals for calendars? Just a few thoughts for you.
@lettersfromeurope, good idea about the deadline. Keith and Rachel need to start talking about this on their shows. It really needs to get a lot of media attention so that Palin just can’t ignore it, much as she’d like to. $200,000 is an awful lot of money for the veterans and Ken seems to think, judging by the article that more can be raised.
I won’t be holding my breath though, Palin is a hypocrite and a coward.
I don’t know if you read http://www.Dooce.com, but her husband http://www.Blurbomat.com sells his photos on http://www.etsy.com. Maybe useful, maybe not.
AKM, I’ve been impressed with your photos and think with your following, you might do nicely with sales. One option to explore is SmugMug. (See my site there for example: http://stanmalcolm.smugmug.com/ Navigate to any gallery to see what it looks like from a user’s perspective.) At the “Pro” level, you can set your own prices for a wide range of prints and gift items. The best part is that “fulfillment” is done through their contracted photo labs – you don’t have to ship anything. SmugMug takes their cut (quite reasonable) and you get the profit. More info here: http://smugmug.com/
wonderful picture
I like the photos that are distinctively Alaskan, also Brian and Brenda and the little one, of course.
Closeups, the mosses and zen garden come to mind. The forest was wonderful too.
But what I’m really pining for are pictures of the mudflats, and probably in black and white. Love the header photo.
Count me in for calendars !
AKM – Have you checked out http://www.zazzle.com ? Sort of like cafe press but I think they have more product choices. I know that it was a preferred choice a year or so ago.
And, if you’re considering putting your photos and thoughts in to a book form, check out lulu dot com. Their calendars are also a little cheaper than zazzle and cafe press.
Do you know for the photography of H.H. Bennett ? Some of your photos remind me of his.
Happy Friday , all !
your pics are beautiful! a set of 10-12 blank notecards with envelopes would be awesome…I would definitely buy a set!
Notecards, posters (with some signed of course which means a higher $$) and the calendars are all great. I’d love a whole set of Brian/Brenda cards. I have the Brian cards already, but the mooseful duo would be a great addition. What if you did a Brian Travels calendar featuring the pics of the people/places Brian has visited and influenced?
Your nature landscapes (with their explanations) are the best, IMO. I love those glimpses into the wonder that is Alaska’s great wilderness.
And you could always stipulate that a % goes to the Strongheart Fund or Cooks Inlet or something. . .
love the alaska photos. i used to live there, moved away 11 years ago after 22 years in state. i have to admit, i could not do another winter there, but i do miss the quality of the light. september sunsets, april mornings. georgeous.
I copied the photo of the trees and clouds in the slivery sunset for my screen saver and I would buy a real copy to hang at home.
Please consider!
Well, I swallowed my bile and went to Palin’s Facebook page and read her speech that she posted.
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=139069028434
I hope others will read through and take special note of her comments about POTUS and the defense budget, the cuts, our protecting Asia, and so forth.
She should be reprimanded by Hillary or someone from the State Dept. She had no business acting as a representative of our government, and some of the things she said should NEVER have been said anywhere, let alone in a foreign country. I somehow doubt anyone other than the few media folks like Olbermann, Maddow, and Schultz will ever say anything.
She’s downright dangerous – I just hope the majority of those attending realize she is NOTHING.
a surprising report from Linda on the APOC meeting ! wow ! there ARE people without blinders on working in Alaska Gov .!!
Seconding the giving of items..each in their community and in ways that they can. Here..the curr. item is hazelnuts..and sharing with the crew news..(harvesting near me)..that they can be..oh wowsers..canned. Yuppers..safe and shelf-ready..and that goes for any nuts that can be cracked out and processed for 30 min. Up on the Columbia..clan members are putting away canned tuna and freezing salmon..which will ..’go out’..as needed. Don’t forget..for those who are ..urban..there are always trees and bushes of produce..lost in parks/wildish ‘gone to seed’ farms..or sitting..underloved..in parkway mediuns. Gatherin-in..is alwyas a good time for personal meditations..upon things that we need to..pick our way through..decode..choose how..to approach, to deal with. The pictures..always welcome..and perhaps..if one takes a time to go sit and make a totem-list..of things one is doing where to be positioned as to priority..one can more quickly arrange what things..may be..deligated..thus..freeing-up..more time for photography. If we bow..to the asphalt of ‘rigid lists’..we lose some of our intellectual-flesh. It..erodes..with no change-up. If..we rearrange..even for a weeks time..what we do..and..when we do it..it brings fresh breath..to our body/mind/soul. Play with the things in ones day..move this chore..to..that timeframe..and..be unreachable..for large amounts of time. The ear..attached to a cell…becomes a concretion..and..eventually..the tissues..nearest..stiffen, die..from underuse. Speaking for me n mine..our ears..hear more..the less..they are obscenely pressed..to plastic..
What a good idea! Would especially love it if you would produce a calendar.
AKM, go for it!
Maybe consider themes, like a calender just of sunsets, or trees, moose, zen, winter, native flowers etc. course mix them up also, too, adding if you like blurps of what insights you had at the time, like you do here on Mudflats for us.
You are naturally good! and you should do more of it. Course you’re an excellent writer too. Hey, we love ya! Can’t wait. No pressure, lol, do it out of love and enjoyment.
Maybe we could help by voting on favs?
Think about Christmas cards, not that I send them, lol, but I would send virtual ones. There ya go, that would be a great way to advertise. Virtual cards!
It just keeps getting crazier and crazier out there! Sen. John Ensign has decided that the *tenthers* should be able to ignore the Constitution, just as others can for religious reasons.
“Basically, Ensign believes that anyone who claims any law is unconstitutional should be allowed to ignore that law.”
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/09/25/ensign-constitution/#comments
AKM, your photos are really sell worthy. Your people deserve to take home with them all the beautiful shots you have been putting up here. Do it for us!
I love the pix, too!
I just read an article on the-woman-formerly-known-as-Governor-of-Alaska (I could perhaps create a symbol, but it would be rude, some might say crude).
Anywhooo, she’s quoted as saying re Tibet, “”[there is] a sign that China lacks mechanisms to deal with regional issues,” (Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/23/palin-hong-kong-speech-im_n_295812.html).
Huh.
According to her, Rick Perry, and other various 912/Teabaggers, the US lacks this capability, as well. Perhaps Ms. Artic Cat should have sent the Dalai Lama a copy of Calhoun’s nullification speech (http://www.adena.com/adena/usa/cw/cw207.htm).
The problem with this in the current world is that Calhoun had better hair than Palin, Perry, or Sanford. Plus, he knew what a syllogism was.
AKM great idea to use one of the sites to publish you photos and have them on other items. I’ve thought of doing this at some point when I have the time.
How about we set up a social photo group, also too? We could use Flickr and let all mudpups add photos of nature and other fun stuff. I belong to a local group that does this. I also think that it free to join and set up a group.
Here’s a good article about non-profits use of photo sharing. http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/internet/page8291.cfm
Anyways, food for thought.
well, well, well……… polls they post in the far right leaning Washington Times are from a company that refuses to answer to the polling code of ethics, huh, who does that sound like.
I imagine Fake Noise also uses those polling numbers, eh?
http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/
“Strategic Vision, the Atlanta-based pollster labeled pro-GOP by Democrats, has suffered a staggering blow to its credibility — with the American Association of Public Opinion Research slamming the company for refusing to disclose methodology used in ’08 presidential surveys.
The firm — which has conducted surveys for the conservative Washington Times and corporate clients — refused to provide the trade association with methodological details of its primary polling in Wisconsin and New Hampshire prompting the rare rebuke.
The trade association, which provides a de facto Good Housekeeping seal for pollsters, claims SV has stonewalled them for a year and thus violated the association’s code of conduct.
This is deadly serious stuff. Nate Silver: “This is a highly unusual step for AAPOR, which tends to be a conservative (lower-case ‘c’) organization that would not ordinarily be inclined to call out an individual pollster by name. But Strategic Vision brought the criticism entirely upon themselves, being the only one of 21 polling firms contacted by the organization that did not respond to the request, in spite of having literally months’ worth of time to do so.”
AKM, you might also consider getting little books made.
http://www.blurb.com/eu?ce=google_scan_photo&gclid=CN_vnLqijZ0CFWAB4wodAEaI1g
There are a good few other sites that do this as well. It is not too expensive and you can actually design your own book and insert text etc.
And just a reminder, we do have a photo thread over on the forum.
http://www.themudflats.net/forum/index.php/topic,5981.160.html
Greatgranny: while I agree about the breach of protocol, HIllary should not and will not give her any attention.
The admistration will brush her dust of their shoulders and go on.
China lacks mechanisms to deal with regional issues,”
I think it is called a Bill of Rights. THAT is what the Chinese people do not have.
The govt has mechanisms, it imprisons and executes the Weegers (can’t spell it! but that is how it is pronounced)
and just WHY do these people need to be DEALT WITH?
AKM – I echo what others say regarding your beautiful photography.
Note cards, calendar, photo book – all good, and it would sure make my holiday shopping easier if you can do it soon!
On another topic:
I am not sure, with the likes of Beck, Rush, Coulter, Palin, Bachmann, Joe Wilson, and a myriad of other kooks, if the Republican Party is worth saving. That said, here is an excellent article:
“How a Risk-Taker Could Save the GOP” by Stanley Crouch
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-09-25/how-a-risk-taker-could-save-the-gop/
Plenty of scathing analysis on the pea-brain (Palin) too.
Did ya see what Diva has posted. HA, Scarah has to put up. Betchya she’s stomping her foot and having a hissy and yelling at her lawyer. More bucks spent trying to cover her lying rear. Can’t wait for the response, lol. And it sound like she just about made it out the door before someone said ‘wait a minute’.
http://www.divasblueoasis.com/diary/856/we-took-her-at-her-wordapoc-rejects-staff-recommendation-regarding-palin
– Palin claims the confidentiality clause of the contract prohibits her from knowing the information. Frederick stated that would be very unusual, that most contracts of this nature allow the immediate family to share in the information. Frederick asked if anyone had requested a redacted copy of the contract so that they could see that confidentiality clause.
It appeared that there was hesitation on the part of Anderson and Dosik. Hickerson rephrased the question several times. She asked them how they could be sure as to the nature of the confidentiality agreement. The incredulous, (literally) forehead-slapping moment for me was when Tom Dosick from the AG’s office stated:
“We took her at her word.”
(That so perfectly sums-up my experience with the Attorney General’s Office as well as the Personnel Board…there is no investigation, they simply “take her at her word.”)
By that point, the Commissioner who had, rather hesitantly it seemed, seconded the motion to accept this report (probably so that discussion could occur) withdrew her second. The motion died and the recommendation was rejected.
The Commission has now tasked the APOC Staff with three new duties:
1) They are to acquire information on the what merchandise was discounted to the Palins and at what monetary value.
2) They are to review a redacted version of the contract so they can examine the confidentiality agreement.
3) They are to find out the amount of the sponsorship fee.
At the end of the meeting, Hickerson asked the staff when Palin’s final POFD is due into the office and received the answer: October 26th. This is the Financial Disclosure that covers this last Iron Dog…the one where the “Davis/Palin team was prodigiously sponsored.”
This is SO not over.
@Say No,
I read that today too. I’d bet there is no confidentiality agreement. Hope something comes of it.
Rachel Maddow has a really good one on Acorn. This needs to get around. Acorn is getting a really bad rap thanks to the media.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show#33013149
In support of Public Option…..I need a second opinion here.
This story posted yesterday on Huffpo. Have I interpreted these comments to mean something else. Is this a big deal.
{ the link has further info that links to ‘The Hill’.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/24/rahm-public-option-not-li_n_298645.html
————————————–
“The Senate has been fairly clear that they cannot pass a healthcare bill including a public option, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel asserted Wednesday evening.”
“Emanuel professed pessimism that healthcare reform would include a strict public (or “government-run”) option, though he signaled an expectation that House liberals may still push for the prized reform.”
——————————
I read this to say Rahm ( who has the ear of the President ) thinks the Senate can not get a Bill with Public Option and doesn’t think it will be there. He is willing to concede on this point and let it go. Why doesn’t Rahm fight for it?
{ Rahm in the past gets what he wants…..it seems he is conceding or has given up on this point}
Because I saw this yesterday I called Sen. Harry Reids’s this morning for a response. ( 202) 224- 3542. The person I talked to on the phone said he doesn’t watch TV or read the Newspaper… he didn’t hear or see this story . I said it was on Huffpo.
{ I called Sen. Boxer afterward as well, saying what Reid’s Office told me }
How in the world could the Senate Majority Leader, on an issue this big , not be aware of what the WH Chief of Staff’s remarks or opinions are….?
I asked if they agreed with Rahm.. was Public option going to be in the Bill.
They basically had no opinion or ‘ no comment ‘. They couldn’t say or wouldn’t.
It would seem to me that Rahm’s remarks allow the GOP to think that the WH is OK without the Public Option being in there and have already conceded on this point. This is a BAD message to send.
Someone tell me whether or not I am looking at this wrong. Why would Rahm make those comments. It seems Reid is not doing the ‘ job ‘ either on this.
Who do we call or email to complain… Suggestions..?
Lilybart–FYI, it’s a tough one, but it’s Uighurs (yup, had to look up the exact spelling here too, though I did know it starts with a U!).
https://secure.defenders.org/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr002=b164k4rnt2.app20a&pagename=homepage&cmd=display&page=ActionAlertTakenPage&id=1561 is a link from Defenders of Wildlife where we can ask our congresscritters to co-sponsor legislation that would protect national lands with science-based research, rather than the bush-era practice of putting corporations in extractive industries (e.g. timber, mining) first. I hope you’ll sign on (you don’t have to join Defenders, of which I’m a proud member) no matter where you live or what kind of representation you have in Congress. Health and peace, and enjoy your weekend.
Yanno what the weather people call that little black ball in the foreground?
A scud.
Yep.
A scud.
Someone needs to tell Sarah Palin to hi-tail her buttkuss back to Alaska ‘cuz Saddam is about to invade.
I would love a set of images or a calendar of Brian, Brenda and progeny and especially one where Brian is right outside the window.
Ha sauerkraut, I hope it isn’t a heat seeking device! It’ll never find her…
I would love to share these images with friends. Notecards would be best with a short description on the back. They could be sold individually or in boxed sets. Probably tourist shops and cruise ship shops would sell them easily. Go for it AKM. (Please do a small run before the Christmas season.)
Now in addition to what I said about Reid in post # 32 the Huffpo has a Story where Reid ‘ implies ‘ that he might favor a tri_g.ger for the Public Option.
{ that is the Olympia Snowe idea… which merely lets the Ins. Co’s continue on with ‘ business as usual ‘ }
Majority Leader Reid is making a mess out of this. There is no precise message and as I had mentioned in the post above…. his response is ‘ no comment ‘.
How do you get the other Senators to get behind ONE message with Reid floating all these ideas out there…? { scratching my head ..?}
The story is on the Politics page at Huffpo. The link has that word in it the filters don’t like otherwise I would put the link here.
If you haven’t seen Michael Moore on Wolf Blitzer, it’s worth a watch.
http://rawstory.com/2009/09/michael-moore-wolf-blitzer-youtube-moment/
http://site.pfaw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=rww_in_focus_maine
The same wingnuts who funded Prop. 8 in California last year have surfaced in Maine, with the same end in sight. We all have gay friends/family, and this site names names — although in my cursory reading of the page, I didn’t see the LDS church, and we all know the Mormons put up lots of money in the Prop. 8 fight.
# 41 Zyxomma Says:
September 25th, 2009 at 12:41
The same wingnuts who funded Prop. 8 in California last year have surfaced in Maine, with the same end in sight. We all have gay friends/family, and this site names names — although in my cursory reading of the page, I didn’t see the LDS church, and we all know the Mormons put up lots of money in the Prop. 8 fight.
————————
Zyxomma….. The Huffpo had a story up about this group as well. I posted on that thread that day. For some reason it was under the ‘ Living ‘ header
( If I remember correctly ).. not on the main pages. The story said the same PR firm was running the ads…. and were not even changing the commercial. Same commercial that ran in CA. More dis-information and scare tactics, the same thing going on with the health care reform issue now. This List will show Who ( the Churches-Tax free money ) and How Much was donated to defeat it in CA.
You can be sure the same Donor list will be used again asking for money. Save the link and send the list around as well.
http://www.californiansagainsthate.com/dishonorRoll.html
Mouse pads?
I know they are really “necessary” anymore but they do protect the desktop if its real wood.
Hey, AKM, do you have enough Brian and Brenda shots to do 12 months…ya know, our favorite “mooses” in all the seasons of Alaska? You could have flowery meadow-type springtime moose, closely related to summer moose, then autumn leaves of fall moose, and plenty of your basic snowy winter moose, starting with the perfectly snowy nose of Brian the moose..
Just start with the moose collection…A small drop in the bucket of all your fabulous potential!
Definitely, beyond the moose stuff, use your seasonal photos to portray each Alaskan month on a beautiful wall calendar that we all can buy. Yum. Most excellent.
************calling redwood muse*************
where has that lady gotten to? and also calling********rubber room hotel*****and ******dr. chill.****yukon grandma***et al. where are you and how are you doing?
Here are some Quotes & Smotes regarding the question of Palin compared to WW II’ Germany’s infamous propagandist- Joseph Goebbels. It’s from a Kos Poll I submitted earlier…
……………………………
She was no accident.
Too cunning and conniving to be a twist of fate.
She has used her looks and folksiness to get her through most of her life- and knows how to use that key.
Accidents are when the condom has a hole in it-
An opportunist always knows when to let the skirt rise a little higher.
Regarding how to figure out which side of the shirt goes to the front:
The “teat” imprints goes in the front- at least as far as she reckons…
A lot of Brow Shirts were just mindless minions anyway. Egged on by fear, false ideology, and promises. She has Facebook for that.
White Shirt- that’s the shirt they’d wear in the US.
More like a Dominatrix the way she dressed Todd up in a skirt for the Chinese audience to look up at.
…just had to see what caliber of bullet the world dodged when Obama & Biden won. It was a beeeeeeeeeeg one!
Nah- had the makings of a 22 or old birdshot- never a serious threat.
My Grandpa saw them hang Mussolini. But they didn’t write “fed” on his chest…
She is a coward… simply stated a quitter. She is THE “Divider”….
I haven’t read all of the ‘ details ‘ of the story yet but someone on a Huffpo thread about Health care reform posted it. Rolling Stone details some of the people and the tactics they are using.
“The Lie Machine”
GOP operatives are running a secret campaign to kill health care reform, and it’s based on Karl Rove’s old playbook
—————————–
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/30219673/the_lie_machine
bubbles, yell louder. I haven’t seen them for a long time either…
Redwood muse…? I hope all is well with SiL….
SP disses the President in the front court of a communist nation that hates us, is so myopic that she is dangerous and is an embarrassment to our nation.
If she continues on this path she will anger a ton of Americans- and eventually she might be on the receiving end of the hate she so loves to stir up.
Todd must think she is a Moron- but I think he is a real Dad- and pretty forthright. Has some principals obviously- or else he would have bailed a long time ago.
#16 juneaudream
You are becoming my guru. Your posts are a meditation and I am inspired by them.
Om Shanthi Shanthi Om
Namaste
teatonic, I hope you are right.
Lilady, me too! Juneaudream, your comments are poetic..
I’m guessing the ADN had to look far and wide for a review of Palin’s speech that was ‘ favorable ‘ to her. They found one in the AP’s Jeremiah Marquez who wrote this opinion piece .
“Palin takes moderate tone during Hong Kong speech”
(And this quote with the Headline)
“She appeared more moderate, did not attack President Barack Obama directly and avoided any major gaffes, attendees said.”
{ What..?… which speech are THEY talking about ? }
—————
He is quoting ‘ as attendees said ‘ , but what does HE think..?
The comments under the story tend to disagree and have a different opinion from whomever this person is that is called….’ attendees said ‘.
At least someone got it right.
ADN though … still looking out for Miss Quittypants.
http://www.adn.com/palin/story/946860.html
honestyinGov #42 wouldn’t it have been great if those millions of dollars had gone to help the people that are in dire straights in this country instead of in trying to divide this country..With the economy the way it is all those on that list should be ashamed of themselves for money donated when it could have helped so many If donated to help those truly in need.It really shows they are not true christians and do not think about others around them that may be in need.
Following AKM’s twitters. She’s in a thwacking frame of mind. Can’t wait to read her post.
Just got in from the True Diversity Dinner. It was packed – sold out. We went with some friends and had a great time!
Shannyn was the keynote speaker and she was awesome! And so darn funny! My friend Ryan absolutely adores her and got to meet her and shake her hand – he was in 7th heaven. She was so sweet to him.
Lots of other great speakers – very diverse crowd. Senator Begich showed up – Bob Poe was there, too. Les Gara, Eric Croft, Elvi Jackson. And, a special appearance by a hysterical Drag Queen who did a very funny bit with Shannyn.
I’m sure AKM or Shannyn will write about this and post photos. I didn’t get a chance to figure out which one was AKM – oh well, next time.
@GG2B (wayback): Generally, when private citizens shoot their mouths off outside the country, the govt just ignores it. And, happily, Quittypants is currently a private citizen.
And we should just ignore her too. The First Amendment says that it’s legal to diss the President, at home or away. There’s just a long-standing tradition of not doing it offshore, but you can’t worry about enforcing tradition.
Well, actually, that’s not true, is it? The traditional way of enforcing tradition (is this recursive enough, yet?) is to shun the violator.