Tilt Shift Photography in the Civil War?

Click here to read about it

I noticed a long time ago, that, while looking at photos of the civil war, many of them would seem like they were photos of models. They didn’t look real and yet, they were! I never understood that. I figured that that was a property of the camera at that time. It was, after all, 1860 or so.

Then I read about Tilt-Shift photography and I think “ah HA!”. That’s it! That’s what they were doing. I read it and while it’s a hard topic, I think I understand it on a basic level, however, I’m now just as confused about the Civil War angle: Did the civil war guys deliberately do tilt-shifting? Or was their gear just bad?

Milt Hinton

Milt Hinton website

According to a search of The Jazz Discography, Hinton is the most-recorded jazz musician of all time, having appeared on 1,174 recording sessions.

Thought of Hinton while watching a Cab Calloway piece last night. Hinton played for his band in the mid to late 30′s. He was an amazing bass player and then later on became a good photographer. He was good friends with Armstrong. He knew and was respected and liked by all the greats. A fellow I work with knew him a bit before he changed worlds and said he was great. Milt Hinton. Fump-fump. The Judge. Far out.

Thinking about Calloway reminded me that I almost saw him in the 80′s when he was quite old and that I really wish I had bothered. He was very unique. You see footage of the old Minnie the Moocher stuff and you just think what it must have been to see his band in its prime at the Cotton Club or in the 30′s anyway. There was no other remotely like him. And, apparently, Hinton’s playing was integral to the timing and thus, sound of that Cab’s big band.

Walk on…

Liverpool Echo on the game

Just back from The Kinsale in Manhattan after watching the Reds win a really entertaining cup final with my nephew Max and his parents. Great Irish breakfast; great Rasher sandwich, baked beans, sausage, eggs, fries toast.

Loved the ManU crowd at the bar after the win. Quiet. Looking at their phones. Hahaha!

Well done, Red Men! Onward. Also deepest respect to Cardiff City. Great match. The late equalizer was one for the ages.

So fun to see them hoist a cup with my little buddy. His first time! (he doesn’t remember the 2006 miracle vs the Hammers in the FA Cup Final.

Funny how there were 3 missed PK’s and I don’t think Pepe so much as TOUCHED any one of them! At least the woodwork was working FOR us this time!

Carroll was not very good. Henderson? Not good at all. I was impressed with Jose Enrique and Downing down the left. Skrtl was monstrous. Was made up for Dirk Kuyt–saved our bacon. Now it’s off to the wall to burn off some of this energy (and the Rasher sandwich). YNWA!!! WOO HOO!!!!!

Best TV I’ve seen: Schnabel Family

I try not to watch too much TV. I try not to watch reality shows, in particular. I recall feeling really stupid after watching the first Survivor when realizing that it was rigged. I think that with reality, you are not watching reality. There is a producer. They need things to “happen” to have a show. So some of it is contrived. Maybe a lot of it. Ok, fine.

But I have always wanted to go panning for gold sometime. It’s something Mrs. Pinetar does NOT want to do and we’ve had fun going back and forth on it. So I followed the show “Gold Rush” on Discovery. In fact, I was looking for it before it aired, because I thought it’d be a great topic to learn more about.

I’ve been watching some–not religiously, but some. Following. Anyway, I have enjoyed the kid Parker Schnabel and am pulling for him. He seems so much more mature than I was at that age. I also love his grandfather, John. He seems like such a good guy and this is stuff, I don’t believe the producer can “fake” or massage.

My impression while watching them, was that the 91 year old grandfather is just all made up that his grandson is there working with him and learning how to do some really tough work. He’s proud and happy, but quietly. He is always smiling when interacting with Parker and he never seems to mind that he might be losing tens of thousands of dollars on a failing mining season. His bond with the boy is clearly, MUCH more important to him than any monetary loss.

This was driven home in the last episode of season 2 that just aired. When they were deciding whether or not to mine in the following year, Parker’s dad said “no” and the grandfather said “yes” and he didn’t much mind that it might not pay. He wanted the boy to try and work and learn and so on. It was one of the most amazing moments I’ve ever seen on television in my life. Pure love for the boy from the grandfather. Amazing stuff. I am sooo pulling for Schnabel family in season 3. Great stuff.

How far can you throw a soccer ball legally?

Andy Legg, the Wales legend, holds the world record for a 44.6 Meter throw of the soccer ball. What is that? Just shy of 50 yards? Shazam! That’s a heave.

When I try to get a lot into a throw, my old hernia hurts so I have to be careful. The PT at work says that there’s a couple of muscles in there with very poor blood supply and when you feel that, you are straining it. Sounds logical.

When I go to the wall to kick, I make sure to heave a few. It’s a great warmer-upper. It makes my back loosen up. But I just don’t want to pull something exotic in a game this summer, because I haven’t worked those muscles.

I don’t want to take throws and I laugh when some guy insists they should throw it. It’s always the same: a guy that is real impressed with his long throw will run over and annoyingly get the ball off you to make his macho throw. Ok, fine. I’d rather be out there with a chance to get on the end of the throw, but, in some cases, on a quick restart, when you have the defense tired and getting back into shape, you like to just grab it and heave it and it’s nice to be able to put a few MPH into it. 48 Yards? My goodness. I think I could probably chuck it 25 yards or so. Now I want to go down to the football field and heave a few and see just how ridiculous the 44.6 Meters is.

I recall a few years ago doing that with a football and tee and being amazed at the length of these NFL guys. I could barely make a 29 yarder (which is 39 yards of travel). Also, I was amazed at how a little spin on the ball would make it curve like a cartoon. If you did toe-style, the spin was merciless. Try it, it’s fun.
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Liverpool play for a cup tomorrow and I don’t want to jinx it but I am really hoping to win this thing. I know it’s the most minor cup out there, but it’s not NOTHING and it’s going to be a good experience for a team that may win the FA Cup and go on to successively bigger and better things. I believe that a cup final is a cup final and I don’t subscribe to the theory that the Carling and UEFA Cups are jokes. I don’t care what cup it is; I don’t care who you are: getting to and winning a cup final are not easy.

Now I’m laugh that Fergy is actually admitting that he wants to win the UEFA Cup. And I think the organizers like that and will give them tailwinds. No sooner to Ajax score and get to within a goal of knocking them out than the board goes up with 2 minutes of injury time. When is the last time you saw 2 minutes added? 2 minutes, really? We couldn’t have Fergy getting bounced on a flukey goal in Fergy-time, now could we?

Come on you Red Men! Respect Cardiff and play an aggressive game. If you give up an early goal, who cares? Hit them and press them and attack! No sideways and backwards. I don’t want to see Pepe handle a ball in the first 15 minutes that way. Good luck Kenny.

Lamb…shazam!

Had a leg of lamb tonight that was maybe the best piece of meat I’ve ever had. It was from Omaha Steaks. I got a card for Christmas. I decided to get the leg and then was afraid to cook it because it wasn’t cheap. It was worth it. It was pre-seasoned (Spring training?) and it was done perfectly. Outstanding. Baaaaahhhh!

Sheik? Yea; The Mississippi Sheiks

click here to hear the Sheiks in a new window

And if you aren’t hep to this guy, then this is your homework assignment.

Extra Credit.

Batting 3rd…Peter Ichiro Cobb

I love it: Ichiro. When you add his Japanese hits + his MLB hits together and project out conservatively, he will very likely amass more hits than both Ty Cobb and Pete Rose.

But wait just a minute! The all time hit king can’t hit leadoff for the Seattle Mariners??? But Chone (I-hit-.236-the-last-2-yrs) Figgins CAN??? Is Bill Ripken available for comment on this?

I love Figgins and even drafted him number one a few years back, but really…this man Ichiro is a once-in-a-couple of generations talent and he doesn’t not get the respect he deserves. No, not because he’s Japanese, but because he doesn’t hit the dopey home runs! They really should deaden the ball back to where it was in the late 60′s (don’t tell me it hasn’t been juiced several times since!~). Baseball should be about hitting one up the gap and legging it; NOT swinging for the 302′ mark at Yankee stadium or whatever joke it is down the right field line. Phooey!

And as long as we’re on the Yankees, there should be about 7 or 8 teams in NY by headcount. WHERE ARE THEY? Why do we let the Mets and Yankees cut up the biggest pie? Hmm? Even the Mafia knew it should be split at least 5 ways and that was 1930!!! C’mon, Bud! hahaha.

Amazing slide on a strat

This guy can play a little

So tired of reading writers who rip AJ Burnett. Do the piggy Yankee fans not understand that they won the world series with this guy? Just because you feel you OVERpaid, ultimately, for this guy, doesn’t mean you get to rip that guy. It’s not his fault YOUR TEAM paid him all that money. Most teams and fans hardly win one world series per generation and would be glad to win one. But the Yankees? You’re a bum if you only win one. I hope he goes to Pitt and wins the NL Cy Young award, to which, Yankee fans and writers will undoubtedly say, “…oh the nation league is inferior…” [sigh], it’s great rooting for someone else’s money, and honking at a guy the instant the light changes your whole life…

Interesting and worth a quick look