Throwback Thursday for the Birds

A Forgotten Wordless Wednesday

Things got hectic around here yesterday and I was too busy to do a blog post.

We had to attend a few parties at relatives homes to celebrate, um, stuff.

Not familiar with this Throwback Thursday (#TBT) I did some research.

Among other things, I learned, you post an image at least 5 years old.

Here's one of my images National Geographic published back in 2010.

They say you can download it as a screensaver or wallpaper.

Don't ask me how to accomplish this sort of thievery.  I took a screenshot.

Have a peek over at Bird Wallpapers - National Geographic. 

The first photo is one of a parrot taking a bath in somebody's teacup.

When you get done laughing, go to number 2 in the slideshow, to find this picture.

You could figure out how to download the wallpaper for free.

Or, just send me about twenty-five bucks and, I'll email you the photo file.

I forgot Wordless Wednesday so, that's all I'm saying for Throwback Thursday. Amen

Goodbye to National Geographic Magazine

Fact Checkers Got Booted

 

 

This will be just, a short little rant and, I'll try not to cuss, too much.

To me, National Geographic Magazine, always set the gold standard for, truth in writing.

For decades, I have been a subscriber, in one form or another.

It was guaranteed, anything published by the magazine, had the facts verified.

Well, in some cost cutting maneuver, the fact checkers, got laid off work.

The publication, happens to be a nonprofit organization, headed by Gary Knell.

The poor guy, only makes, about a million and a half dollars per year.

At the bottom of the company, the fact checkers, didn't make half  a million dollars.

Shortly before Christmas, human beings with families to support, got fired.

Along Came This Email

 

 

It says: "As part of Preferred Subscriber Service, your subscription will be renewed automatically for one year at $32.95 when your current subscription expires in February 2016."

Now, I hate to tell you this, Editor and Chief Maggie Zackowitz, you have a problem.

If the fact checkers, don't come back to work, I ain't renewing my subscription.

If Gary Knell, doesn't, bring the fact checkers back, to work, tell him something, for me.

I hope the filthy rich busturd, chokes on a holiday turkey bone !

Do You Need a Release for an Aquarium Photo ?

It Depends on What You Do with It

 

Here is an aquarium photo I shot in a Pool Bar the other night when I got bored.

It's not something I would enter in a contest or, sell.  So, no release needs to be signed.

If the fish photo was good enough for publication or, printing, framing and selling, I'd get a release.

The release form, I use most of the time, is a model release.  These fish aren't models.

There are a few other types of release forms which require signatures.

National Geographic has downloadable release forms you can checkout.

They have Artist  Release, Personal Release and Location Release Forms.

If these fish were out in the wild, I wouldn't need a release to sell the photo.

But, when they are in somebody's aquarium, they are private property.

If the aquarium photo had turned out a little better, I'd get the owner to sign a release form.

I always give a copy of the photo away, to whoever signs the form.

Maybe, I'll print this one and see if I can get a free beer !

Wildlife Photo: Praying Mantis and What They Eat

This photo was taken today in Yomitan Okinawa, Japan.

I always knew praying mantis were good for the garden because they eat bugs.

Like they catch and munch on flies, moths, grasshoppers, crickets and maybe, mosquitos.

But, what I didn't know was this:

Females might even eat the males during, or after reproduction.  Ouch !

Learn more about them at National Geographic

And if that whets your appetite for more go on over to:

THE TELEGRAPH ARTICLE PRAYING MANTIS EATS HUMMINGBIRD !

Wildlife Photo: Seahorse and What I Learned Today

This little guy was brought to me by a little girl at a beach party in Okinawa, Japan.

Don't worry.  I took 500th of a second to snap the photo and told her hurry and put him back in the water.  He's a fish even if people call him a horse.  He went right back into the ocean, just a few feet away.  I hope everything turned out alright for the guy.

Seahorses, and there are over 30 varieties of them, come from the Genus Hippocampus. They are members of the Family Sygnathidae, which also, includes Sea Dragons and Pipefish.

Probably, their worst natural enemy is people.  Remember all the comic books advertising ?

They start making whoopie early in the morning and might take 8 hours to finish.

The female puts eggs in a pouch the male has and he gets pregnant.

He could be pregnant a couple of weeks and have as many as 2,000 babies.

He might deliver all those babies in the morning, get another batch of eggs thrown in the basket and be like,  el prego, again by nightfall.  I don't make this stuff up !

I LEARNED ALL ABOUT SEAHORSES TODAY AT NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC !

Earth Hour 26 March 2011: A Global Event (Photo)

The big event takes place this Saturday, 26 March 2011 and I just found out about it so, I went and shot this photo of my globe for you. National Geographic sends me a daily email about what's going on around the world in their Intelligent Travel Blog. I saw something about Earth Hour started back about 2007 in Australia.

Well, either the Intelligent Travel Blog or me is being hacked my some spammers. I can't read the whole article because some frickin' pop-up keeps poppin-up on their site. It won't let me scroll down the page to read the whole story. Somebody give them a holler for me, OK ?

Our good friends at WIKIPEDIA give some history about Earth Hour and tell you which countries around the world have been participating, how many people turned off their lights and give you all kinds of links on the subject.  They say 8:30 to 9:30 this Saturday night is when the event takes place.

If you go the EARTH HOUR HOMEPAGE they plan on taking the global event beyond one hour to demonstrate their concern for the people going through the disasters in Japan.  That sounds like a great idea to me. "日本の皆さん、勇気を持って頑張って下さい"
I borrowed that phrase from the Earth Hour people because it's too hard for me to type. It means "Japan hang-in there", I think.

To me, Earth Hour should be every hour, everyday.  Just like I think World Water Day should be everyday. But, tonight I'll do something special for this global event, just to show my support.

Normally, I unscrew half the lightbulbs to try and keep my electric bill down. It drives the Missus absolutely bananas. I'm going to unscrew a few more and, if I think I can get away with it, unplug the refridgerator for a couple of hours, too. Hah !

Now don't go overboard and burn your house down stumbling around in the dark with lit candles but, let me know what you plan on doing for Earth Hour this Saturday night.

Visit my Homepage for THE PHOTO OF THE DAY