Weekend Beagle Blogging

I got a new camera for my birthday this year. I wanted a digital SLR but couldn't justify the cost, especially for additional lenses. So I got something close: a 10 megapixel Olympus SP-570 ultra-zoom. It has the longest superzoom lens on a compact camera, covering the 35mm equivalent range of 26-520mm.

I've dabbled in 35mm photography since high school, even had my own black and white dark room for awhile. But I could no longer afford it as a true hobby. But since my new camera is digital and includes a 2gb memory card, I can "waste" as many shots as I want without spending any money except on batteries. I'm still figuring out all the settings and getting used to a fully automatic camera. I haven't grown out of the habit of wanting to manually focus, manually adjust the aperture and manually setting shutter speed. I CAN do all of that with this camera, but for now am just having fun composing and viewing the results on the 2.7-inch LCD screen.

All the above is to set up a Baxter photo of the boy looking intently out at the Finley River in Ozark.



Here's what he's looking at:



I've dubbed it the Finley River Monster, or Fermie. It raised up out of the water for only a few seconds and I hurriedly snapped a couple shots. Here's one a bit closer:



Fermie startled me so much I didn't really take time to compose or focus or adjust anything, hence the shaky, blurry photos. Could this be photographic evidence of some ancient elusive creature inhabiting the Finley River? You think anyone would give me a grant for further exploration?

Belated Beagle Blogging

I know, I know. I keep saying I'll have more to say more regularly and then don't follow through. Yes, I annoy me, too.

Chez DocLarryManor is a bit lonely this weekend. Mrs. DocLarry is up north visiting family, Baxter is at summer camp. So, here are a couple photos of the boy to tide you and me over until Wednesday.


Baxter enjoying the lush green grass of someone else's lawn. I can't ever get mine to look this good. Sigh.


Beagle on a mission...finished his patrol of the yard, now it's kibble time!

Friday Beagle Blogging

Baxter enjoys sleeping sideways in his bed. It's not that he shifts around to get into this position. He'll walk over to the bed and purposely lie down this way. Perhaps in this case it was to catch the little bit of sunshine on his head. They say you can keep your feet warm by keeping your head warm. Wise old beagle.

Childhood Memories

I remember when this photo first appeared in newspapers and news magazines. The iconic 1960s photo of a Vietnam War protester placing flowers in soldiers' gun barrels at a rally was taken by Bernie Boston. The retired newspaper photographer has died at age 74.

Boston's photograph, "Flower Power," was a runner-up for the Pulitzer Prize. He took the picture at a war protest in Washington on Oct. 22, 1967. He covered every president from Harry Truman to Bill Clinton.

It's a pity we don't have similar anti-war protests today. The war is out of sight, out of mind for far too many people. Heck, I produce a daily newscast and rarely include war news stories. How dramatically different than previous wars.

Friday Beagle Blogging

Must keep Granny and Strannix happy!


The boy likes to patrol the yard as part of his daily job, which is to keep the elephants out of the neighborhood.

And no, the photo was not taken this week. Baxter doesn't care for the snow, thankyouverymuch.

End of Year Beagle Blogging

Because Strannix asked for it.

Baxter is ALWAYS the center of attention.

This photo is actually from Christmas 2005. MrsDocLarry, the boy and I have made the trek north to spend the holiday with her family every year we've been married, except for the odd year when weather made traveling unwise.

This year I had to work (the newscast doesn't stop for holidays, although sometimes the news does) and Mrs. DocLarry planned to stay in town with me. But the death of an aunt forced her to head north on her own Christmas day. And since the boy no longer deals well with being alone for long periods when it's dark outside, Baxter spent a few days at Caroline's Pampered Pet Motel in Ozark (special thanks to Caroline for taking him in on short notice despite being full).

We're all back home now. Mrs. DocLarry is battling a cold. Baxter is battling boredom (he NEVER gets to have any fun). DocLarry is battling deadlines and must be going.

Happy New Year!

LIVE Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry

This struck my funny bone. Hard. Chortle. Snort.

Memo to the masses: The phrase "deer in the headlights look" will now be replaced with "are we live look" or "rabbit in a live shot look."

Because Granny Asked for It

A double-dose of Beagle-Blogging. These were taken with my cell phone. Quality isn't as good as I'd like, but the flash upsets Baxter when he's not expecting it.

Friday Beagle Blogging (Early Edition)

Baxter surveys his kingdom. Or maybe he's just checking out the cute girl doggie next door. Yes, the lawn needs mowing.

"Please let thar be uh bottle uh Jack in muh room"

AP Photo/Ron Edmonds

"So is the little lady here ennuh good in bed?"

AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

"Yo! Ennuhbuddy here habahlo englese?"

AP Photo/Charles Dharapak

President Bush spoke Thursday at the National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast.

"Ima Fiscally Responsuhble Preznet"

REUTERS/Jim Young

"For months, I've warned the Democrats in Congress that I will not accept an irresponsible tax-and-spend budget." I pruhfur a no-tax-and-spend budget, along with billions in supplementals tuh fund muh war. Heheheheheh.

"And oh, what heights we'll hit!"

"On with the show, this is it!"
(with apologies to Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck)

REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

AbuG Sings Gabriel

Deciding to follow in John "Let the Eagle Soar" Ashcroft's footsteps, Al Gonzales takes his first song from Peter Gabriel:

I don't remember, I don't recall
I got no memory of anything at all
I don't remember, I don't recall
I got no memory of anything
-anything at all

Strange is your language and I have no decoder
Why don't you make your inentions clear
With eyes to the sun and your mouth to the soda
Saying, "Tell me the truth, you got nothing to fear
Stop staring at me like a bird of prey
I'm all mixed up, I got nothing to say
I don't remember
I don't remember

I don't remember, I don't recall
I got no memory of anything at all
I don't remember, I don't recall
I got no memory of anything
Anything at all

I don't remember, I don't recall
I got no memory of anything at all
I don't remember, I don't recall
i got no memory of anything
absolutely anything at all
I don't remember

"I Don't Remember" by Peter Gabriel © 1980

Mill City Museum

During a recent trip to Scandanavia Minneapolis Mrs. Doc Larry and I visited the Mill City Museum, which "chronicles the flour milling industry that dominated world flour production for roughly a half-century and fueled the growth of Minneapolis...."

Built within the ruins of a National Historic Landmark, the Washburn A Mill, the museum will provide a multi-sensory, interactive journey. The story of flour milling - and its impact on Minneapolis, the nation and the world - comes to life in this one-of-a-kind museum.

The old mill has exploded once, burned twice and now been transformed into a museum within the ruins.

Mill City Museum is built into the historic ruins of the Washburn A Mill, which opened in 1874 and at peak production ground enough flour every day to make 12 million loaves of bread. In 1878, the mill exploded, claiming 18 lives and destroying one-third of Minneapolis’ milling capacity. It caught fire in 1928 and was nearly destroyed again by fire in 1991.

The best exhibit is an interactive one called Flour Tower, an eight-story multi-media experience built into a former grain storage tower.

A media show in an eight-story elevator ride features the stories of employees who worked in the mill from the 1940s through the mid-1960s when it closed; historic film and photographs; and the dramatic use of lighting, sound and special effects. The ride provides a memorable trip back in time - and an appreciation for the powerful, noisy process of transforming grain into flour.

At the end, guests head to the Rooftop Observation Deck for sweeping views of the Mississippi River. . .


St. Anthony Falls, the Stone Arch Bridge, and the Museum’s stunning new neighbor. . .


the Guthrie Theater.


Upon returning to the main floor, guests are treated to delightful aromas and samples of goods freshly baked every day in the Baking Lab. Mmmmmmm...warm bread.

One other treat, an exhibit of vintage radio and television ads for products like Malt-O-Meal Hot Wheat Cereal ("Good stuff, Maynard"), Pillsbury ("Nothin' says lovin' like something from the oven"), and Betty Crocker ("bake someone happy").

John Stone Tribute

Ron Davis told me the sad news Wednesday morning. Others have written posts about Stoner. Here's mine.

Stoner's Flickr profile lists his interests as "science, photos, bad poker players with lots of money." I love his response for favorite books and authors: "Books?? I was born in Texas, and live in Springfield -- get serious -- ."

The man flew several-million-dollar fighter jets, was a biologist and geneticist, but couldn't spell worth a damn. I ribbed him about that. He knew he couldn't spell, and didn't care. And that explains John Stone. He knew who and what he was, and he didn't care what other people thought about him. To the people who mattered, his flaws weren't important. And the people who thought his flaws were important didn't matter.

I admired Stoner's love of photography. He loved taking and sharing photos with everyone. His Flickr account contains nearly 3,500 photos. Some are flawed, some are quite beautiful.

Stoner did "still life" photography.


He shot sunrises.



He took photos of flowers;



birds;


"yardrats;"


and cemeteries.


He took photos of the study animal for his Master's degree, cryptobranchus alleganiensis. We know it as the hellbender. Stoner called it "gawd's ugliest animal."


But more than any other subject, Stoner liked taking photos of people.

He was a big fan of college volleyball.


He liked to photograph young people,


and pretty women,


especially if he was in the photo with them.


He even enjoyed photographing bloggers drinking Liberally.


Stoner was very proud of his Flickr Pro Photographer card.


And I am very glad to have known him. Farewell, Stoner.