A Bloy and his Blog

I’ve had a few compliments on some of the photographs I post here, and I know there are a few people who read this blog who like to play with their cameras too. With that in mind, here’s an interesting read I stumbled across, How to make great photographs.

The following point struck a nerve with me:

Photography is the art of communicating passion. You need to be passionate about whatever it is that you photograph. If you are passionate you’ll get great results, if you don’t care, you won’t.

Maybe that’s why I like to take outdoor photographs so much (and why those are the ones I get compliments on).

A good read for those of you interested in photography. Check it out.

Yesterday I returned home from a vacation, the main point of which was to visit Cahokia Mounds, in south-western Illinois (about 13 miles east of St Louis).

Cahokia Mounds are the remnants of a native civilization that at one time, was probably home to 10,000-20,000 people.

read the rest of: Cahokia Mounds

Over past few days I’ve been exchanging emails with a Bloy from France (who discovered this web site). What I found most interesting was what he had to say about Bloys in France during a 17th century religious war.

I believe that during the religious war in France (civilian war between catholics and protestants- 17 century) a lot of Bloys from this part of France (well known also for [catholicism]) had left such an unsafe place for Germany.

On this site’s About page, I mention a theory an uncle of mine has, about Bloys who were French Huguenots that moved to Germany to avoid religious persecution. It’s interesting to note he’s not the only one with this theory.

While I was in Illinois last week to see Cahokia Mounds, I also stopped at a few other historic places.

read the rest of: Land of Lincoln

Just a few interesting links I’ve come across lately.

• A good read from Media Matters, How to change the media’s influence in skewing public debate and blocking progressive change.
• A delicious recipe for spinach lasagna — it was yummy.
• From McSweeney’s, The 700 Club forecasts the weather.
• The best Firefox extensions. You are using Firefox, aren’t you?
• U2’s Sunday Blood Sunday performed by George W. Bush

An excursion train with Milwaukee Road Engine 261 (an old steam locomotive) ran from Milwaukee to the Wisconsin Dells today.

read the rest of: Engine 261

Just reading a political blog tonight and one of the comments struck a nerve with me.

I am in most ways opposed to [a politician's] plans and views of what America should be. YET this time we agree 10000%.

Ten thousand percent? How can someone agree ten thousand percent? One of the comments you invariably hear during interviews with sports stars is they are going to give 110% at the next game. How can a player give more than the possible effort they can give?

The librarian in me is compelled to look up the word percentage. The Oxford English Dictionary has this definition:

Any part or portion considered in its quantitative relation to the whole, a proportion (of something).

The whole is 100 percent. A person can only give 100 percent. If they give it their all, that is 100 percent. They cannot give more. If a player reaches deep down and comes up with that extra effort, that is the whole of what they could do — it is 100 percent. There is no more after 100 percent.

That type of comment is even more absurd when it comes to arguments. You cannot agree (or disagree) with someone more than 100 percent. I’m guessing people who make such statements probably got less than 100% on their math tests in school.

I’ve spent the past few days in Milwaukee, hanging out with friends and going to Summerfest. One of the great things about the fest can be amount of talent that’s available. With the main-stage amphitheater and seven major side-stages there is of a lot of music going on. Sometimes, the quality of the acts on a given night can be so high it’s tough to decide which act to focus on. In some ways this can be a bad thing. Because there are so many bands you want to see, you can end up seeing a smattering of a lot of acts, missing out on each band’s entire performance.

read the rest of: The Summerfest cup runneth over

The band I was looking forward to most at this year’s Summerfest was My Morning Jacket. Coming off the heels of one of my favorite albums of 2005, I had high expectations. I wondered how this unique band’s recorded music (which sounds elaborately produced) would come off live. I was not disappointed. The show started off with the opening drones of “Wordless Chorus.” When the lead singer got to the line “We are the innovators, they are the imitators” I thought, “you can say that again.”

read the rest of: My Morning Jacket

The other day I was doing laundry and the washer (which was original to my 23 year old condo) decided it had enough of this life and died. [sigh] Time to buy a new one. Might as well replace the dryer too, which is also two decades old. After shopping around a bit, I got out the credit card and bought those today.

Once they are delivered (which I hope will happen before my clean underwear runs out), I will have replaced every major appliance here, except for the refrigerator and dishwasher. New stove, furnace, air conditioner, water heater, and now the washer and dryer — all in about a year and a half. I’m betting on the dishwasher to go next, it’s the last original appliance. Any takers?