Jiminy Cricket, Give Wikipedia's Jimmy Wales Some Change !

Just in case you haven't already noticed, Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, keeps showing up on the top of the page whenever you visit. That's got to be pretty tiring.

Well, Jiminy Cricket, if everybody just gives him a little change, he can quit popping up on the page and go do more important stuff.

It's real easy to make a donation and he isn't asking for much so, I gave up some pocket change.

Admit it.  Everybody who reads and has a question they want answered goes to Wikipedia.

Whenever I run across a critter,  such as in the photo above,  I want to know if it's a cricket or a grasshopper.  So, I go to Wikipedia.  Somebody there knows.

This character jumped on my keyboard while I was having a coffee break.

Could be a Jiminy Cricket.  Could be a grasshopper.  Wikipedia knows.

Right now, I'm too busy.  Important things need doin'.  Can you check for me ?

Go on over and make a donation so Jimmy Wales can quit poppin' up, too.  It only takes a minute.  Just click on my THANKS WIKIPEDIA BANNER below and someone will help you.

OK ?

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Travel Photo with a Tip: Drink Ginger Ale without Booze in It !

Surprisingly few people know about Ginger Ale.

For those travelers who are prone to motion sickness it can work wonders.

This morning I was racking my brain trying to think of something to post for my Canadian sweetheart over in Korea on that Travel Photo Thursday thing she always does.

When I ran across the street to get my morning iced-coffee fix, I spotted this can of

Canada Dry Ginger Ale in the soft drink display.

BINGO !

Ginger, is like the greatest motion sickness, natural, sea sickness, herb in the world.

Well, most travelers don't have time to grow their own.

And, it's pretty hard to find gingerbread cookies, any of the places I've been.

But, Ginger Ale can be found almost anywhere.

Just don't do what some of my friends do with it.  Leave the booze out and drink it straight.

There's no sense traveling around looking like a drunk sailor.

A recent trip to the island of Kudaka-jima, and watching some of the sad faces bouncing around on the ferry,  reminded me of this old home remedy.

So, I grabbed my backpack and shot this can for you and TRAVEL PHOTO THURSDAY.

Learn more about Ginger here: BUT, HAVE YOUR CREDIT CARD READY.

Wikipedia needs help and if everybody donates Twenty-Five bucks that'd be great.

We can keep getting it FREE for another year that way.

I LOVE IT !

Sumac the Rhus Succedanea Linn a Native of Japan and China

This photo shows a Sumac tree ( Rhus succedanea) with a little sprout coming out its side.

If I had known it was Sumac I probably would have steered clear of the thing.

This tree was found while cave exploring in Ginoza Okinawa, Japan.

Whenever I find a sign posted on something like this and it has the scientific name, I take a photo to help me identify it later.  So, I rearranged some of the vegetation growing around the place just to show you this little fella sprouting out with the bark of the tree as a backdrop.

As soon as I Googled the Latin words it brought back bad memories.

Sumac, AHHHHHHHHhhhhhh, that stuff is poison where I came from in the USA.

There are 250 kinds of Sumac. It turns out this one, native to China and Japan, is a friendly one. 

The ones I used to run into were called Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Poison Sumac.

They'd make you want to scratch all the skin off your body.

I never want to try that again.

If you want to learn what kind of Sumac is growing where you live, drop on in at

WIKIPEDIA and say "Hi" to Jimmy Wales. HE NEEDS MONEY, AGAIN !

It seems like I sent the guy twenty-five bucks last year about this time.

I like the guy alright but, who does he think I am SANTA CLAUS OR SOMETHIN' ?

How-to Take Winning Screenshots With No Hassles Whatsoever

This post was inspired by many people asking me how to do a screenshot.

Trust me, I am not the brightest light on the Xmas tree when it comes to computers.

My MACS for DUMMIES book just taught me this the other day.

Push SHIFT, COMMAND and NUMBER 3 all at the same time.

The computer makes a CLICK noise just like a DSLR CAMERA.

And, the Screenshot, which is really a JPEG photo, shows up on your monitor.

Windows PC's are a little different.  You can go to Windows HELP and try what they tell you but, I could never understand all the hi-tek talk they use so, I went to this place.

AND GOT SCREENHUNTER 5.1 FOR FREE !

What you see when you double click the Screenhunter 5.1 installed on your desktop is pictured in the photo above.  I always set mine so it's on STANDBY and single hotkey F6.

So, when I'm ready to snatch a screenshot, I just press CTRL and F6 and the thing snaps a shot CLICK and a little window pops up asking me if it's alright to save it on my desktop.

So, I say "OK".  And that's what it does, after I push the OK button.

Here's a screenshot of SOPHIE'S WORLD

Always give credit (Links are best) to anyplace you take screenshots from, or you could wind up in big trouble.  Some people, such as myself, don't take kindly to thievery.

Another hint: It's best to set your browser window to fullscreen before you take the screenshot.

SPLICE TODAY COMES TO MY OFFICE DAILY

Take fullscreen shots, so you have room to edit them later.

I'm hoping that NEWSMAN OVER THERE DON'T MIND MY EDITING.

.

He could take me to court, but probably, already knows, I ain't got no money.

Jim over at HOLES IN MY SOLES well, he knows how it is these days being a cameraman.

After I took this screenshot, I cropped and sharpened it a bit so I can go back and read it later.

SCOTLAND HERE AND NOW

Once you know how to shoot screenshots it's important to learn about filing them.

They will have real long names like, Screenshot, or ScreenHunter_01, 02 May, 18 13:54 .

Before the month is out your whole dashboard will be cluttered up with screenshots and you won't be able to see clearly anymore.  So, get them off the monitor and stick them in  folders.

GOYA REPUBLIC

It's a lot easier to find stuff when you rename the file something like Goya Republic.

Cut and Paste it into a Goya, Scotland, Holes, Splice or Sophie Folder.  Or, a Nov 2011 Folder.

Then, it's easy to find if you ever need it again.

 Doc, I didn't want to leave him out of this demonstration.  So, here he is adding some color and contrast to my blog post today.

Learn how to take winning screenshots on your computer because I'm looking at how to celebrate the 750,000th view on this blog. A screenshot of the event may determine the winner. 

Standby for more.....

Visit the links to my screenshots above and give them a thumbs up, that's what I do !

The Sun Ain't Shinin' So I Flipped Some Birds (Photos)

This November weather is rough on me.  I need my sunshine or I can get cranky.

The sun just ain't shinin' in Okinawa today.  Groan.

Here's a few bird photos I shot last year in November.

We had sunshine back then and you didn't hear me grumbling about it.

Something had to be done to cheer me up or I couldn't write a blog today.

So, I flipped a few birds....

Photo Credit: RyukyuRu

.....took a l'il nap.....

AND NOW I'M READY FOR ACTION AGAIN

Try it the next time the sun ain't shinin' where you live.

FLIP SOME BIRDS.  It's good for your health !

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