Your Daily Photo (Saturday Clouds Edition)

I didn't say these clouds were snapped this Saturday...

Your Daily Photo (Any Day is a Good Day for a Picture of a Rose Edition)

Your Daily Photo (You Really Can't Call It a Successful Night in Vegas Until Police Get Involved Edition)

I spent more time doing stuff rather than taking pictures while in Vegas. One of the places I visited was The Atomic Testing Museum. No pictures were allowed inside, and the outside is unimpressive, so no snaps there.

Fun place, well designed exhibitions, and definitely pro-nuclear weaponry. None of this namby pamby 99 Luftballons crap. Our arsenal saved (and continues to save) the world from certain nastiness. You can bet that had the Germans or Japanese had the industrial might to have developed nuclear weaponry before we did, they'd have used them, and if we hadn't been able to threaten the Soviets with annihilation, they'd have been far more belligerent during the Cold War.

Your Daily Photo (With Those Moves, If Being an Official Doesn't Pan Out, There's Always Runway Modelling Edition)

That's right, she can be a tough, fair, and accurate official, and she can do a mean catwalk sashay at the same time. That woman has some talent.

Each ref squad had one woman, two dudes during the Summer League games I saw. Seems the NBA's making a major effort to expand their pool of female refs. Almost all the anti-ref heckling that I heard (which there was very little of) was directed at the female refs. I suppose the jerks in the stands are doing these officials a service by getting them used to ignoring that sort of stupidity early on in their careers. Most of the games were called fairly, one game I saw the crew called everything, and it made it unwatchable, but that had nothing to do with having a woman on the crew.

Your Daily Photo (Summer League is Clipper Time! Edition)

Even the folks behind the Clippers can be hopeful this time of year (and David Stern can pretend to like these folks).

Blake Griffin is the real deal, he's going to be a star in the NBA, he should even be an impact player as a rookie.

On paper, the Clips look like a sure playoff team, and should end up the second in the Pacific Division (Lakers still the heavy favorites in their division, Phoenix has slipped, Golden State is a work in progress, and the Kings are the Kings, they should be better than last year, but that's not saying much). They are the Clippers, so while they have the talent for a 50+ win season, they also have the history and an organization that can take this talent and produce a 50+ loss season, as well.

Your Daily Photo (Don't Let Althouse See This Picture Edition)

Players in shorts, fine, they're athletes, but the coaches?

Not a good look.

(but for the record, I wore shorts, too, it was 106 in Las Vegas yesterday, so comfort ruled, fashioned suffered)

Didn't take any of the usual tourist-y shots of the Strip last night, didn't feel like lugging around my camera, maybe tomorrow after hours and hours of watching basketball.

Turns out shooting video is a no-no during the Summer League (at least with a good camera), I got busted by one of the event-staff, she told me I could snap stills, but no video, guess they don't want the teams pulling a New England Patriots type move. I was isolating a specific player while shooting (which is why I guess that she could tell I running video rather than stills), which was more just for practice keeping the camera somewhat steady and fluid.

I wasn't going to post any of the video on YouTube, but since I was told I wasn't even supposed to capture the footage, I feel I almost have to, even if just to see if I get a take down notice for doing so.

Your Daily Photo (Vegas, and I'm Not the Only One Taking Snaps Edition)

The Palms pool, as seem from my room this afternoon.

(and before you complain about this no being in focus, it is through a window, and from the eighteenth floor)

Had an easy drive, and decided to catch part of the action at the NBA Summer League today as well since I got in early. It was fun, for the most part, Memphis beat OKC in a rout, but I liked the way the Thunder played, better. Livingston looked fluid on the floor, so he may really be back from that devastating knee injury, and for Memphis, Thabeet wasn't much of a defensive presence, even against lesser competition. Definitely didn't look like a #2 overall pick. Also, he's listed at 267 in the program, but my guess is he's 20-30 pounds lighter than that, he's going to get pushed around by the real centers (and even some forwards) in the NBA unless he finds a way to improve both his bulk and footwork (which is hard to do both, for bigs usually one comes at the expense of the other). Earlier, caught just the first half of New Orleans v San Antonio, but saw enough to know that George Hill is for real, and Darren Collison is NBA ready on offense, but defensively he needs work, which is surprising given that he was known for his defense at UCLA. Also, DeJuan Blair was a steal for San Antonio, how the hell did he slip to #37? Only saw the first half of the Cleveland v Milwaukee contest, would have stayed, but other than Brandon Jennings, nobody on the floor was that interesting, and it seemed as if the refs decided they should be the stars of that contest. No flow, the refs were calling everything, and if these Summer League games aren't run like the best pick-up games you've ever scene, then there's not really much reason to watch.

You Daily Photo (I Bet You're Really Getting Sick of Grapes Edition)

Ha, more grapes for you! Tomorrow should be more Vegas-y, hopefully I can get internet in my room, or near the UNLV campus, otherwise, I'll have to backdate a few posts when I get back home Tuesday (I'm going to check out at least the Lakers v Clippers Summer League game, and might catch a few of the earlier games Monday, and might try and catch a game or two Sunday afternoon depending how the drive up goes).

Your Daily Photo (I Must be a Decent Photographer, Cause Those Meager Little Grapes Look Much Better as Pictured Than in Real Life Edition)

More grapes, it's a young vine, planted a few years ago, give it time, it will produce better fruit (surprised it's yielding as much as it already is, actually).

Your Daily Photo (What's Green and Purple and Moist All Over? Edition)

This post's title might sound like a set-up for a dirty joke set in the original Star Trek universe, but nope, it's just a description of the above photo snapped today in my backyard.

(and yes, I went a bit crazy adjusting the color curve in photoshop, the spot the grapes are in is shady at the time of day I snapped them, so I compensated a touch)

Your Daily Photo (Sure I Could Have Run Out and Taken Pictures of the Smoke, But I Didn't Want to be Predictable Edition)

By the time I was free and had access to my camera, the little brush-fire this afternoon near Getty Center was already knocked down. Above photo pulled from the deep archives, shot at Getty Center with my trusty old Sony Cybershot, last August.

Your Daily Photo (I Was Inspired by All Those Titus Comments Regarding Zoophilia Over at Althouse Edition)

Your Daily Photo (Everything Looks More Dramatic in Black and White Edition)

Compare and contrast (lots of contrast).

(alternate post title, "Your Daily Photo (If You Aren't Careful, I'll Totally Go Ansel Adams on Your Ass Edition)

Your Daily Photo (Just Cause Althouse Posts Pictures with a Particular Color Scheme Doesn't Mean I'll Always Do the Same Edition)

I'm not a copycat, I'm more of an homage-ist. Plus, I took these photos first (from the Getty Villa set back in late May, so really, she's copying me...)

Shots presented as originally posted at Flickr, don't think too much retouching was done on any of these.

Should she and Meade find themselves out this way later this summer, Getty Villa should definitely be a place high on their lists to visit, if only as a place to snap some pictures.

Speaking of Green and Purple, Voices Green and Purple, by The Bees...

Your Daily Photo (Long May She Wave Edition)

It's Independence Day. A day to commemorate a rebellious reaction against unreasonable tyranny.

I've uploaded the rest of the snaps taken while ascending Mt Rubidoux (it's more rock, than peak, and the ascent is paved, mostly, so not exactly tough going, but an ascent is an ascent).

I also visited Exposition Park, so for all you hortporn enthusiasts there are a few shots that should please (taken at the semi-famous Rose Garden, there, which was no small feat on my part given that I find roses' odor overpowering, at times). If hortporn isn't your thing, maybe close-ups of an SR-71 are more your style?

And I also snapped a few shots inside the Natural History Museum there,

very tempted to do an LOL style caption on these dinosaur bones, but I'll leave that for some other time.

Your Daily Photo (Every Day is a Good Day for a Flag Photo Edition)

Taken near the top of Mt Rubidoux

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Your Daily Photo (I've Got Your PINK Right Here, Althouse Edition)

Althouse has been posting a series of lovely photos with pink objects today, here's my contributions (all from my Getty set, altered with Photoshop Elements, using their smart brush tool, one of my photos could have been posted unaltered, but that didn't stop me from changing it anyway)

This post was not sponsored by Pink Taco, just in case anyone worried that I might be doing some viral marketing on the side...

(food's not bad there, by the way, and the wait staff tends towards ridiculously gorgeous)

A Modest Proposal on Encouraging Members of Congress to Become More Accessible To Their Constituencies and Cut Costs

Upon perusing the starkly informative pages of the Drudge Report, he presents a trio of links to a single Wall Street Journal article on Congressional travel habits.

I contend that these trips, rather than being 'fact-finding' missions, as is often the stated rationale for these expensive junkets, instead they are wastes of time and a drain on the federal budget.

I believe that those folks who voters find worthy of representing them in Congress have a duty to serve their constituency to the best of their ability. I also believe that the best way to serve their constituency is to live among them, quite literally. I propose that we amend the Constitution to change the habits and haunts of our Senators and Representatives. I believe that a few small changes in their behavior will have wide ranging, and greatly beneficial, effects on their service to their fellow citizens.

First, I would abolish the US Capitol as a meeting place for Congress, except for special ceremonial occasions. It would remain as fine piece of architecture, and as a shrine to the vibrancy of the American Experiment, but as a work place for the making of laws, it would cease in that function. Instead identically constructed domiciles would be provided for each Representative and Senator, they would be in their district or state, and they would have webcams (w/ mics) most of the rooms (the bathrooms and bedrooms would remain private, with the expectation that they would always be alone in there). These domiciles would be showcases for modular construction and the latest in green technologies. They would be able to maintain family homes at their own expenses, but Representatives and Senators would live apart from their families, instead they would live in these houses provided to them alone and constantly surveilled, so that the people will always know exactly how they are being represented at any given moment. Members would be required to spend 10 hours a week, 50 weeks a year directly interacting (via the internet, or in person) with voters in the area they serve. All voting and interaction with other members would be conducted via teleconferencing from special rooms set up in each domicile, and for all but defense and security related meetings and hearings dealing with classified materials, every utterance and every interaction between each representative would be recorded and freely disseminated for all to see and hear. As a matter of fact, this amendment would make it illegal for members to meet privately. They are there to represent their constituencies, not to make buddies, and the less contact they have with each other, the more likely they will focus on what their constituents expect from them. Another added benefit would be that by spreading out all our representatives, the cost for lobbying would rise astronomically. No more centralized K Street lobbyist helping to craft (and in large part, entirely write) our laws. Serving our nation should be a humble, and humbling experience, and one that no sane person would want to do for very long. Imposing these living conditions would go along way towards making that a reality.

The second phase of this amendment would address the expensive wanderlust that infects those that serve in the House and Senate. When leaving their domiciles, members will be required to wear tracking devices similar to those used on paroled felons. Members will be free to travel, but they will pay a fee out of their own pocket to do so. There will be no travel expenses paid beyond their own district (for the House) or their own state (for Senators), and instead they'd be charged a substantial penalty for every moment they leave the area they serve (similar to the international roaming charges that can pile up on cellular plans). They will be responsible for all expenses incurred, and they be expected to maintain their 10 hours a week of accessibility, no matter where they are on the globe (failure to do so will result in additional financial penalties). While the first phase and the second phase of this amendment may not seem related, I think it's important to enact both together. If we only limit their movement from DC, then members will just get even more isolated and DC-centric than they already are. By the same token, if we only banish members from DC, then rather than spending more time with the folks they represent, instead they'd use the lack of a central meeting place as an even greater excuse to turn their service into a continuous junket from vacation spot to vacation spot.

What would be the end result of such a reform? We would see only the most dedicated of public servants deal with the privations imposed on them, and for the most part few would extend their service beyond a few terms. Voters would have unprecedented access to their representatives. The focus of Congress would be on service, not on featherbedding or which exotic locale they should visit while charging the bill to taxpayers. Congress would be more difficult for special interests to manipulate and the influence of the shadowy power structure behind the government that has accreted over the years in DC would lose some of its hold on at least one of the branches. Also, we might save a buck or two, and that seems reason enough to mess with the way things are, as it seems members of Congress have no interest in restraining their own habits and spendthrift ways

Your Daily Photo (A Visible Sign of the Effects of the State and Local Regulatory Environment with Regards to Manufacturing Edition)

Used to be a plastics supplier and manufacturer, but plastics aren't green enough for Santa Monica, I guess.

Behavior Such as I Observed Might Lead One Such as Myself to Question Their Commitment to Public Safety...

So, today courtesy SCE we had 13 or so hours without power. An outage that was scheduled from after 9PM Monday night till 7AM Tuesday morning instead lasted from about 1:30AM till 2:30PM.

This outage took out two traffic lights, my street is a major north south route in the city, and one of the intersections out was a major east west intersection. Noticed police cars in the alleys or on one of the less major streets. Were these officers directing traffic so as to lessen the likelihood of fender benders? No, instead they were watching for rolling or missed stops and gridlock violations as the traffic backed up beyond where the lights were out.

One might jump to the conclusion that writing revenue generating tickets had priority over public safety.

Your Daily Photo (Hazardous, Shmazardous Edition)

According to the NFPA 704 standard:

The blue 2 indicates a health warning for substances that, "Intense or continued but not chronic exposure could cause temporary incapacitation or possible residual injury"

The red 3 indicates a flammability warning for substances that, "Liquids and solids that can be ignited under almost all ambient temperature conditions (e.g., gasoline). Flash point between 23°C (73°F) and 38°C (100°F)"

The yellow 1 indicates instability/reactivity warning for substances that, "Normally stable, but can become unstable at elevated temperatures and pressures"

Seeing that sign, any guesses as to the nature of the business that has such chemicals?

Your Daily Photo (Once Again, the Definition of 'Daily' Isn't a Hard and Fast Thing, It's Slightly Amorphous Edition)

Posted tomorrow as if it were yesterday (actually, posted today as if yesterday were still today)

Elm, Dutch, lightly processed with the Sumi-E filter on Adobe Photoshop Elements.

Your Daily Photo (Jesus Loves You...., and NEON Edition)

Taken yesterday, walking up 17th St., looking inside Greater Morning Star Baptist Church during noon services (a gentleman outside of church reminded me that "Jesus Loves You" as I walked by).

Your Daily Photo (Every Rose Has Its Thorns and My Sincerest Apologies for Quoting Poison Lyrics at You Edition)

Even the Most Boring Video Becomes Absurdly Dramatic When Set to a Ennio Morricone Score . . .

(Flickr set of stills, here)