Hawaii blogger Evelyn, over at Homespun Honolulu, is again hosting the Carnival of Aloha -- a Hawaii-themed blog carnival. Each month, bloggers who write about topics relating to Hawaii, or things Hawaiian, submit articles for inclusion in the carnival.
This month's edition -- #12 -- has articles by seven bloggers (including one by me). The topics range from travel in the islands (including some spots you may not have heard of) to island politics. Do drop by there and have a look. There's something for everyone, whether you're a Hawaii resident, a visitor (or prospective visitor) to the islands, or just curious about the Hawaiian Islands and the people who live here.
About the photo: Mauna Kea, the tallest mountain in Hawaii, is a dormant volcano on the Big Island. When returning home from the U.S. mainland, this usually is the first glimpse of the island we see from the westbound plane. It's always such a welcome sight.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Seven Views of Hawaii
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Wednesday Blogosphere Roving #21
I've never done this before, but this week all of the Blogosphere Roving items have a common theme: the ocean. Many readers of the Virtual Scratchpad know that I have several other blogs, one of which is The Right Blue -- all about the ocean and diving, illustrated by my own underwater photography. This week's Wednesday Blogosphere Roving entries reflect those interests.
For images this week, we first have an excellent gallery of photos depicting Oceanic Whitetip Sharks; next, a Frogfish (a favorite find of divers here in Hawaii); then, a photo essay on Remoras (AKA 'shark-suckers'), a fish species little known to those who neither dive nor fish in the ocean; and then, a collection of odd-looking marine creatures -- most of which are unknown to non-divers, but which are well-known to those of us who regularly spend time under the sea's surface; and finally, a photo of a Dwarf Moray -- a cute eel from Hawaii (yes some eels are cute!). I'd like to point out something about that final photo: we divers rarely get to see the whole length of the Dwarf Moray, because they tend to hide in their lairs, only poking their heads out from time to time -- at least during daylight hours.
Like the photos, this week's articles are related to the ocean, too. Three of the articles are about marine creatures (Penguins, Blue Whales, and Crown-of-Thorns starfish); another is about a new type of computer that could be used underwater -- maybe for blogging? (No, not really -- not yet -- but maybe for taking notes.)
And then there is deep-sea biologist Kevin Zelnio's article in Seed magazine -- part of the magazine's Why I Do Science series. Kevin's article really resonated for me. He writes of the constant novelty he finds in the ocean. Truly, this is the draw for all of us who venture underwater, and the magnet that keeps some us returning again and again and again, for a lifetime.
So then, without further ado, here are this week's offerings:
Images:
- Oceanic Whitetip Sharks - by Cor & Julie in Underwater World
- Frogfish - by Steve in A Kona Hawaii Scuba Diver
- Remoras - by David in One Diver's Perspective
- Odd-looking Marine Animals - in Dark Roasted Blend
- Dwarf Moray - by Andrew Cooper in A Darker View
Articles:
- Wiring penguins to keep watch on the food chain - by in Penguin Geek
- Do healthy reefs protect themselves? - by Kate Wing in blogfish
- Blue Whales' Songs Deepen - by Emily in Ocean Blog
- Sciday: Ocean Blogging…from Underwater?! - by Jason in Cephalopodcast
- On the allure of the ocean's novelty - by Kevin Zelnio in Seed
And here is an assortment of things I posted on my other blogs during the past week.
In The Right Blue:
- Marine Mammals in The Right Blue - from whales to seals
- Royal Poinciana in Profusion - Brightly colored blossoms
In my aviation news blogs:
- Garuda pilot goes on trial for 2007 crash at Yogyakarta - in Aircrew Buzz
- Emirates Airbus A380 Cabin Interior and Special Luxury Features - in Cabin Crew News
- Near mid-air collision at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport - in Professional Pilot News
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Wednesday Blogosphere Roving #20
This week's found images all display aspects of nature, yet they are varied in subject matter: Earth, sea, plants, and animals. The images range in mood from the dramatic to the sublime.
Regular readers of this blog know that I live on the Big Island of Hawaii, home of Kilauea volcano. For an assortment of reasons, the volcano is prominent in the consciousness of all of us who live here. We are accustomed to seeing images of Kilauea in the local press, on TV, and in our friends' photo albums. Given that familiarity, trust me when I say that Donna & Steve O'Meara's recently published photo of Kilauea is one of the most dramatic and stunning photos I have ever seen of our local volcano.
Also from Hawaii, fellow Big Island blogger Andrew Cooper's image is of a sunset-burnished Wiliwili, a tree native to our area. Montucky shows us a collection of wildflowers from Montana, all of which were unfamiliar to me -- and some of which are new even to her! -- (and she knows her local wildflowers). Next is Jennifer Robin's photo essay about some personable chipmunks that visit her regularly (and of course she has named them). Finally, Patrick Morand produces a moody image -- a long exposure of the sea and the sky, with rocks in between.
Among this week's blog articles, the first two are about nature. In fact, I considered including them in the image section, since both include wonderful photos. They ended up in the article section because in addition to having eye appeal, they are information rich as well. Bob Johnson's piece is about viewing and photographing the aurora borealis, while Jennifer Schlick presents a primer on telling the boys from the girls -- boy birds and girl birds, that is.
Next, Will Taft gives us food for thought about the relative value of fresh water. Then JD offers some horror tales about what can happen (and not happen) when the technologies most of us take for granted are not well understood -- or are even misunderstood -- by police and other law enforcement officials. Finally, historian Mark Stoneman's most recent article comments on the recent capture of Radovan Karadzic, one of the great villains of our time. Mark's article includes an excellent list of supplementary readings regarding this singularly evil man, his misdeeds, and his ultimate downfall.
So then, without further ado, here are this week's offerings:
Images:
- Pssst! Want to see an amazing new Kilauea volcano photo? - by Donna & Steve O’Meara in Hawai'i Today
- Wiliwili Red - by Andrew Cooper in A Darker View
- July: they keep on blooming - by Montucky in Montana Outdoors
- Meet the Chipmunks - by Jennifer Robin in Robin's Woods
- When the gray sky makes the sea gray - by Patrick Morand in French Landscapes
Articles:
- Auroras Gone Wild - by Bob Johnson in Black holes and astrostuff
- Telling Boys From Girls - by Jennifer Schlick in A Passion for Nature
- Water Will Be the Next Oil - by Will Taft in Healthy Living
- Justice Should be Blind, but not Computer Illiterate - by JD in Techfun
- Radovan Karadzic is History - by Mark Stoneman in Clio and Me
And here is an assortment of things I posted on my other blogs during the past week.
In The Right Blue:
- Scenes from The Right Blue's First Year - six of our favorite photos of underwater scenery from the past year
- Buster In Profile - a portrait of my kitty!
In my aviation news blogs:
- New FAA rule aims to prevent catastrophic fuel tank explosions in planes - in Aircrew Buzz
- Flight attendant to ride Rocketplane into space - in Cabin Crew News
- NTSB investigating two runway incursions at Teterboro Airport - in Professional Pilot News
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Wednesday Blogosphere Roving #19
Since I do underwater photography myself, I'm always on the lookout for top quality images from beneath the surface of the sea. This week, two of my found images are in that category, although they are completely different from each other. First is a superb underwater photo by Roger Horrocks that is nothing short of dreamy. Next, Cor & Julie show us an entirely new subject for underwater photography: pigs!! (Yes, real piggies, as in oink, oink.) That collection gets maximum points for originality!
The next three images have a common thread: Amazing color. Artist Carol Cooper presents her newest collection, called Hyperborea. Make sure you click on the link in her post to view the entire stunning Hyperborea collection. Craig, a photographer from South Africa, shows us a Dragon Boat, in rich primary colors. Finally, Sean Unruh's image of a vast field of sunflowers is dazzling. I saw such a sight once myself, in Spain, and I will never forget it.
(Can you believe it? No bird photos again this week!)
Among this week's blog articles, Tammy Erickson explores the notion of abandoning the traditional work week concept -- a concept that has become rather meaningless, especially to those of us who work online from home. Kathryn's 30 creative date ideas that don't cost a lot of money don't apply only to 'dates' in the traditional sense. Think about some of these ideas for yourself, or your entire family. Erik Johnels offers a step-by-step method for producing a press release. If you've ever thought of using a press release to publicize your business, website, or blog, but you didn't want to bother with an agency, this is the article to read. Next, we've all heard of (and probably used) Google maps, with driving directions -- but did you know that you can get walking directions, too? Makes sense, of course, but until it was pointed out, it had not occurred to me. Finally, Trisna sets forth an easy-to-follow set of instructions for how to turn a photo into a sketch -- with software, of course.
So then, without further ado, here are this week's offerings:
Images:
- BBC Sardine Run Shoot 2008 Kicks Off - by Roger Horrocks in Digital Imagery Blog
- Pigs On the Beach - by Cor & Julie in Underwater World
- Announcing a New Series: Hyperborea - by Carol Cooper in Compass WebWorks
- Dragon Boat - by Craig in Cape Town Photoblog
- Italian Sunflowers- by Sean Unruh in Dust and Rust
Articles:
- Do We Need Weekends? - by Tammy Erickson in Tammy Erickson - Across the Ages
- 30 Creative Date Ideas That Don’t Cost A Lot Of Money - by Kathryn in Money Saving Blog
- How to Write a Killer Press Release - by Erik Johnels in The Weakest Link
- Google's Handy Walking Directions To Pick Up Where Ask.com Left Off - by Dan Frommer in Silicon Alley Insider
- Turn Your Photo into a Sketch - by Trisna in Chronicles of Trisna
And here is an assortment of things I posted on my other blogs during the past week.
In The Right Blue:
- The Right Blue's 1st Birthday Review - six of our favorite underwater photos from the past year
- Princess Michiko Hibiscus - one of the less common hibiscus varieties in our garden
In my aviation news blogs:
- NTSB photos and update on the incident involving Sen. Obama's plane - in Aircrew Buzz
- American Airlines cutting 900 flight attendant jobs - in Cabin Crew News
- FAA will install new Runway Status Lights at major airports across the U.S. - in Professional Pilot News
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Wednesday Blogosphere Roving #18
First among this Wednesday's found images, Mark Thorpe, known for his underwater camera work, tries out his new super macro lens on land on some tiny insects. Looks to me like that new lens works just fine! Next, a fascinating two-part presentation from Cathy, who shows us a 4th of July parade in a small Alaskan town 33 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Then, Jinghui gives us a look at a very lovely Russian tall ship, and Dawn documents the life stages of a magnolia blossom.
(Can you believe it? No bird photos this week!)
Among this week's blog articles, Gary Arndt takes time out from his travels and picture taking to describe his impressions of Papua New Guinea; G.G. tells the best chicken story I've come across in a long time (and I'm a connoisseur of chicken stories!); Michael Arrington expresses some thoughts about voicemail that I happen to share; and Dr. Nicole Sundene offers some good suggestions for what to eat or drink if you just can't get to sleep. And to wind things up this week, Michelle Bennett writes about developing geothermal energy from volcanoes as an alternative source of power, a subject that interests me greatly since I happen to live on an island with a (very) active volcano.
So then, without further ado, here are this week's offerings:
Images:
- Macro Bug Bites, hard!!! - by Mark Thorpe in CamDiver Chronicles
- I Love a Parade... - by Cathy in Keeping it Real at 66 Degrees North Latitude
- I Love a Parade, Part 2 - by Cathy in Keeping it Real at 66 Degrees North Latitude
- Visit by Pallada from Russia - by Jinghui in Photojournalism, Travel, and Nature Photography
- Life Cycle of a Magnolia- by Dawn in Photoblog
Articles:
- Reflections on Papua New Guinea - by Gary Arndt in Everything Everywhere
- About Bob ... - by G.G. in Guilty Gardener
- Think Before You Voicemail - by Michael Arrington in TechCrunch
- The Best Bedtime Snacks for Insomniacs - by Dr. Nicole Sundene in Kitchen Table Medicine
- Harness a Volcano to Power Your Town - by Michelle Bennett in CleanTechnica
And here is an assortment of things I posted on my other blogs during the past week.
In The Right Blue:
- Sipadan Island - Being there, Part 3 - dining in (relative) style on a remote island off the coast of Borneo
In B N Sullivan - Photography:
- Sonoran Desert, Arizona - the unique landscape of southern Arizona
In my aviation news blogs:
- Emergency diversion for Sen. Obama's chartered plane - in Aircrew Buzz
- 79 year old Continental Airlines flight attendant retires - in Cabin Crew News
- Near midair collision at JFK airport - in Professional Pilot News
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Wednesday Blogosphere Roving #17
This Wednesday's found images include a two-part presentation of jellyfish photos; an evocative representation of a beautiful summer day in Minnesota; an image that shows some of the detail on a famous building in Barcelona designed by Gaudi; and a wonderful series on the care and feeding of young starlings in Norway.
Among this week's blog articles, Mark Stoneman opines on the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court regarding the right to gun ownership (and be sure to read the comments at the end of the post for some thoughtful elaboration); Jenn Thorsen shows us some postcards from the Victorian era that commemorate American Independence Day; Evelyn presents a sampler of Hawaii blogging; and Ritu theorizes about how trying to 'game the system' at social media sites such as Digg might end up to be self-defeating.
Finally, after hearing the rumors about a purported link between certain vaccines and childhood autism, Chris decides to find out for himself whether or not those rumors are credible before he proceeds to have his baby son immunized. A scientist himself, Chris knows how to find, evaluate, and interpret pertinent research literature, and he shares his conclusions with his readers.
So then, without further ado, here are this week's offerings:
Images:
- Jellyfish - by T. Bruce in Eyes Mind Heart
- Jellyfish - Part 2 - by T. Bruce in Eyes Mind Heart
- Minnesota Clouds Late June - by Danny in Waking Up to Another Beautiful Day
- Ironwork on Balcony at La Pedrera or Casa Mila in Paseo de Gracia, Barcelona, Spain - by Carlos in Barcelona Photoblog
- Pictures of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) feeding their young- by Thomas Laupstad in Photos from Northern Norway
Articles:
- Accepting the Court’s Decision on the Second Amendment - by Mark Stoneman in Stoneman's Corner
- Having a Blast with Victorian Fourth of July Postcards - by Jenn Thorsen in Thrift Shop Romantic
- Summer Speeds Up at the Carnival of Aloha! - by Evelyn in Homespun Honolulu
- The Autobury & System Gaming Connection: A Theory - by Ritu Pant in NetHackz
- The MMR vaccine and autism - truth, lies and the media - by Chris in chrisdellavedova.com
And here is an assortment of things I posted on my other blogs during the past week. (NB: Usually I post one example from each blog, but this week there's another two-part tale in The Right Blue.)
In The Right Blue:
- Sipadan Island - Being there, Part 1 and Part 2 - a 'two-fer' about this tiny, remote island off the coast of Borneo
In B N Sullivan - Photography:
- Aspen's Dancing Fountain - another in a series of photos from my recent visit to Aspen, Colorado
In my aviation news blogs:
- Frontier Airlines joins the capacity reduction juggernaut - in Aircrew Buzz
- NetJets flight attendant sues Jennifer Lopez over dog bite, injuries - in Cabin Crew News
- New safety recommendations for operators of turbojet aircraft - in Professional Pilot News
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Wednesday Blogosphere Roving #16
This Wednesday's found images are quite varied. First, two completely different images from Hawaii. Ernest Theisen's panorama of Kilauea Volcano's Halemaumau crater is an experimental image, as he explains underneath the photo. Although I've done a lot of underwater photography in my day, I've never managed to get a shot of garden eels -- but Steve has done a good job of capturing these elusive creatures. Then, speaking of Hawaii, one of the most amusing kitties on the Internet models a hula getup.
Next is a stunning beach shot from Deniss Saksa, followed by Zarquon's excellent image of a tropical bird -- and be sure to click on that last photo to enlarge it, so that you can see the details.
Among this week's blog articles, three offer useful advice, one profiles a most interesting and unusual job -- and then there are the answers to a question that you've heard again and again. (Wink, wink.)
Here are this week's offerings:
Images:
- New Panorama - by Ernest Theisen in A Pictorialist's Place
- Garden Eels - by Steve in A Kona Scuba Diver
- Fashion Friday: Tropical Daisy! - Daisy in Daisy the Curly Cat
- Sunset on Stroomi Beach - by Deniss Saksa in Snapping Photons
- El Tucán 006 - by Zarquon in Cyberware.ca
Articles:
- Wave! – The World is Watching - by Jenn Thorsen in The BlogCatalog Community Blog
- The answers to the question everybody wants to know - by Rob Stevenson in Rob's Megaphone
- Free Flight Specialist - by Carrie Lowery in My Cool Job
- The Top Eleven Laziest Foods to Grow - by Dr. Nicole Sundene in Kitchen Table Medicine
- 14 Simple Ways to Super Charge Your Brain - by Jay White in Dumb Little Man
And here is an assortment of things I posted on my other blogs during the past week. (NB: Usually I post one example from each blog, but this week there's a bonus: two-part tale in The Right Blue.)
In The Right Blue:
- Sipadan Island - Getting there, Part 1 and Part 2 - a 'two-fer' about an incredible journey to an incredible place
In B N Sullivan - Photography:
- Elks Building, Aspen, Colorado - one of a series of travel photos from Colorado, where I am this week
In my aviation news blogs:
- Furloughs coming for 950 United Airlines pilots - in Aircrew Buzz
- Details of the United Airlines Flight Attendant 'Early Out' Program - in Cabin Crew News
- United pilots decry furloughs as 'drastic over-reaction' - in Professional Pilot News
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Wednesday Blogosphere Roving Hiatus
No Wednesday Blogosphere Roving this week, I'm afraid. I am traveling, and I have not had the time to devote to reading scads of blogs and finding new images and articles to share this week.
In fact, I have not had a lot of time for much besides getting through airports, flying, driving, eating foods I'm unused to, and sleeping in beds that do not belong to me: you know the drill. This is not to say that there's nothing enjoyable in my destinations -- right now I'm in Colorado, and it's perfectly lovely here at this time of year. It's just that the process of travel really sucks! And the older I get, the less well I tolerate that process. [/end mini-squawk.]
Back to the Blogosphere Roving topic -- if you've been anxiously looking forward to my weekly finds, and you are now disappointed, may I suggest that you have a look at some of the blogs on the list of blogs I like; or, you could go over to one of my other blogs, The Right Blue, to read a recent story I posted there about an adventure dive in a very special underwater cave; or, you could have a look at my photography blog, from which I borrowed the photo included with this post.
And now I'm off to that bed-that-is-not-my-own for some needed rest.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Wednesday Blogosphere Roving #15
Bonus time! There are five entries for this Wednesday's found images -- just like always -- but three of those links will take you to multiple colorful images. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
Among this week's blog articles, there is one about "green" food (but the writer is not referring to green vegetables); one about a wonderful website where language lovers can pass the time happily, while learning something as well (and I thank the writer for this great tip!); and two great 'how-to' articles about photography.
The link in the middle of the list goes to an amusing piece that proposes using a Google Map to keep track of where the plane belonging to the founders of Google has been sighted. By the way, the plane that Dan Frommer's article refers to is owned by Larry Page and Sergey Brin personally. It is not owned by Google-the-corporation, and I assume that Mr. Frommer knows this, despite his use of the term "Google Party plane." I mention this to assuage the potential for outrage among those who would be scandalized at the thought of Google having a "party plane."
Please note that one of the featured images this week is by Thomas Pitera, who also wrote one of those photography 'how-to' articles. This is the first time in the brief history of my Wednesday Blogosphere Roving series that I have featured both an image and an article by the same person in the same week. I think you'll agree that both are worthy of being featured.
Here are this week's offerings:
Images:
- Images of the Week - by Thomas Pitera in Photography Savvy
- Birch Wood Pattern - in Phogulum: Blog Through the Camera Eye
- Speaking of Flowers - by T. Bruce in Eyes Mind Heart
- Water Under the Bridge - by Gale Rainwater in Gale Rainwater Photography
- South Africa – The Table above the Clouds - by CK II in CK Go Places
Articles:
- Eating "Green" - by Karen in GeoFooding
- Distractions at Oxford.com - by legbamel in One Step Forward
- Where In The World Are Larry, Sergey, And The Google Party Jet? - by Dan Frommer in Silicon Alley Insider
- Making the Most of Automatic Flash - by Thomas Pitera in Photography Savvy
- Food Photography Tips and Tricks - by Jonathan Pollack in Digital Photography School
And here is an assortment of things I posted on my other blogs during the past week (one example from each blog).
In The Right Blue:
- On a collision course with critters in the sea - answering the question: Do fish ever bump into you underwater?
In B N Sullivan - Photography:
- Monkey Pod Tree In Flower - fragile-looking seasonal blossoms
In my aviation news blogs:
- Continental Airlines to retire aircraft and eliminate thousands of jobs - in Aircrew Buzz
- New designer uniforms for Singapore Airlines male cabin crew - in Cabin Crew News
- JAL adopts 'Electronic Flight Bag' technology for its Boeing 777 fleet - in Professional Pilot News
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Wednesday Blogosphere Roving #14
This Wednesday's found images are from a wide variety of locations in the northern hemisphere. They include Spring plants in a forest (Maine, USA); an Arctic sunset (Norway); an ethereal image of a bridge (Indiana, USA); a funny little critter (Virginia, USA); and a weather-beaten log house (Alaska, USA).
The topics of the first three of this week's blog articles are things you probably didn't know about, but might find interesting. Then, Tiffany Sanders presents an note-worthy -- and revealing -- look back at her life and writing career, on the occasion of her 42nd birthday. (Everybody say Happy Birthday to Tiffany!) In the final article for this week, Missy reflects on her blog, and notes that it has 29 distinct types of posts. Her post is recommended for bookmarking by bloggers to consult whenever they feel "stuck" for something new to post: surely there will be a mental prompt for a novel idea among those 29 types of blog posts!
Here are this week's offerings:
Images:
- Forget-Me-Not & Ferns - by Mike in Maine Through the Lens
- Sunset scene during the spring in Northern Norway - by Thomas Laupstad in Photos from Northern Norway
- Madison Indiana Bridge - by Bernie Kasper in BFK Photography
- Wanna see something funny? - by Birdlady in Wings n Things
- This Old House - by Cathy in Keeping It Real at 66 Degrees North Latitude
Articles:
- Do You Know the Name of Your State Soil? - by Cheryl in Hawaii Vacation Gifts Blog
- Cattle May Move Inside With the Chickens - by Will Taft in Healthy Living
- Green Public Relations - by JD in Techfun
- The Tiffany Retrospective - by Tiffany Sanders in RockStories
- 29 Different Types of Blog Posts - by Missy Diaz in Groovy Entrepreneur
And here is an assortment of things I posted on my other blogs during the past week (one example from each blog).
In The Right Blue:
- Rush Hour On the Reef - an underwater traffic jam
In B N Sullivan - Photography:
- Bobcat Pair - wild cats from Arizona, grooming just like house cats do
In my aviation news blogs:
- United Airlines to eliminate Ted, reduce its fleet, and cut jobs - in Aircrew Buzz
- Flight attendant jobs with charter carriers - in Cabin Crew News
- South African Airways pilots agree to pay concessions - in Professional Pilot News
Monday, June 2, 2008
Blogging About Life in Hawaii
There is a wonderful niche group of bloggers who write regularly about aspects of life in Hawaii. Some write of their personal experiences in Hawaii or about the community; others write advice for visitors to Hawaii. All offer their insights about what life in Hawaii is really like.
Each month, a number of Hawaii bloggers participate in the Blog Carnival of Aloha, hosted by Evelyn at Homespun Honolulu. This month the Carnival Takes a Closer Look at Hawaiian Life.
The collection of articles from Hawaii bloggers this month is excellent. The topics range from walking around the island of Oahu, to crossing streams on Kauai, to visiting a secret beach on the Big Island. You can find out about wine-tasting in Waimalu, and museums to visit on the Big Island. You can learn about Hilo Soil and Kilauea Vog. There are articles about creatures: you can learn about seahorse farming, and how to avoid being stung by a man-o-war. There are two articles about politics in Hawaii. Another article explains the Hawaiian spiritual system of huna.
Go and visit the 10th Carnival of Aloha, and have a closer look at Hawaiian life.
About the Photo: I took this photo at the top of Rainbow Falls, just outside of Hilo, on Hawaii's Big Island. If you'd like to see more of my photos, visit B N Sullivan Photography, where I display my garden, nature, and travel photography.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Wednesday Blogosphere Roving #13
This Wednesday's found images include a pictorial trip around a Greek island; a striking view from the London tubes; and three photos from nature. (Note to the photographers in the audience: Look at Tom's photo of the fawn and tell me I'm not crazy for coveting his 400mm lens!).
Three of this week's blog articles include two how-to pieces on two entirely different subjects; and three pieces of commentary by writers who work in three separate scientific fields -- but after reading what all three have to say, I'm quite certain that if Brad, Chris and Mark met one another, they'd get along very well.
Here are this week's offerings:
Images:
- A trip around Samos - by Keith in Keith's Images
- Weebill - by David in David Kleinert Photography
- Holland Park - by Hoshisato in There Will Come Soft Rains
- Butterfly - in Perez Studios
- Baby Fawn - by Tom in Mon@rch's Nature Blog
Articles:
- Gloria Baraquio: Mistress of Crazy - by Brad Cavanagh in canspice.org
- 7 ways to be more lucky - by Steven Aitchison in Change Your Thoughts
- How to Combine Two Average Photos into One Spectacular Photo - by Pete in My GPS Camera Phone
- Science Tuesday: Breath-taking insanity - by Chris in chrisdellavedova.com
- Is wilderness a place or a feeling? - by Mark Powell in blogfish
And here is an assortment of things I posted on my other blogs during the past week (one example from each blog).
In The Right Blue:
- There's one in every crowd - even some fish hear a different drummer
In B N Sullivan - Photography:
- Male House Finch - a common bird, with an uncommonly beautiful color
In my aviation news blogs:
- Continental Airlines Boeing 737 has a 'close encounter' with -- a rocket? - in Aircrew Buzz
- Delta flight attendant union certification election results - in Cabin Crew News
- NTSB acts to prevent further Boeing 757 wing panel separation incidents - in Professional Pilot News
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Wednesday Blogosphere Roving #12
The first of this Wednesday's found images are paintographs; the rest are lovely photos of birds and flowers. The Spring theme continues this week.
Three of this week's blog articles are about aviation topics; another tells some surprising facts about the state of volcano research in the U.S.; and Mark Stoneman's article, his first contribution to the Blog Catalog Community Blog, provides good advice to serious bloggers about citing their sources.
Here are this week's offerings:
Images:
- Welcome Spring - by Carol Cooper in Compass Webworks
- Lunch with a Great Egret - by Beverly in Behind the Bins
- Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) on the coast in Northern Norway - by Thomas Laupstad in Photos from Northern Norway
- Flower Power - by Claire in A Little Piece of Me
- A rose by any other name... - by David Webb in David's Nature Photography Gallery
Articles:
- Swiss Man Flies Jet Wings Over The Alps - by Szafi in Airline World
- The Gizmo Airline Report: Virgin America - by Peter Glaskowsky in Speeds and Feeds
- Vueling Special Liveries - MTV Themed Planes - by Aviatrix in Trust Me, I'm a Flight Attendant
- Volcano monitoring: last night's PGS meeting - by Callan Bentley in NOVA Geoblog
- Do You Link to Your Sources? - by Mark Stoneman in The Blog Catalog Community Blog
And here is an assortment of things I posted on my other blogs during the past week (one example from each blog).
In The Right Blue:
- Have you ever seen a pregnant shark? - if not, here's a photo of one
In B N Sullivan - Photography:
- Lizard Face - a Gold Dust Day Gecko, up close and personal
In my aviation news blogs:
- American Airlines to cut capacity -- and thousands of jobs - in Aircrew Buzz
- New Dance Craze: Flight Attendants Do the Safety Briefing - in Cabin Crew News
- Air Midwest to shut down passenger service - in Professional Pilot News
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Wednesday Blogosphere Roving #11
This Wednesday's found images are 100% wildlife of one sort or another: Insect, birds, reptile, wildflower. (I repeat: I love nature photography!)
This week's blog articles are all about aspects of writing, in general -- or blogging, in particular.
Here are this week's offerings:
Images:
- Tiny visitor - by Montucky in Montana Outdoors
- Digiscoped Evening Grosbeaks - by Nancy Castillo in The Zen Birdfeeder
- More Warblers from Ohio - by Tom in Mon@rch's Nature Blog
- Snake On a Log - by Kathy in Photography by KML
- Smokey Mountain Trillium - by Bernie Kasper in BFK Photography
Articles:
- Hot Blonde Reveals Cruel Method to Increase Blog Traffic - by William McCamment in Dead Rooster
- Exit Entrecard, Stage Left - by Matt Keegan in The Article Writer
- Best-Selling Author Turns Piracy into Profit - by Ernesto in TorrentFreak
- Blogging: Defining Moments - by Brightfeather in This Time ~ This Space
- Do you really want to read crappy corporate pitches? - by Kevin in Pointless Banter
And here is an assortment of things I posted on my other blogs during the past week (one example from each blog).
In The Right Blue:
- Bubble Coral Plus - a type of coral never seen by snorkelers
In B N Sullivan - Photography:
- Rock Rose Ice Plant with Honey Bee - the title says it all
In my aviation news blogs:
- Actor Dennis Farina nabbed at LAX with loaded handgun - in Aircrew Buzz
- Flight attendants fight in-flight fire on Northwest Airlink regional jet - in Cabin Crew News
- Pilot shortage in India: Airlines need type-rated ex-pat pilots - in Professional Pilot News
Monday, May 5, 2008
Taking Time to Smell the Plumeria
See those flowers in the photo at right? Those are Plumeria, from my garden. Plumeria -- known in some Asian countries as frangipani -- are very fragrant. They are a beloved flower here in Hawaii, and they are a favorite for stringing together into a lei. But sometimes we forget to take time to smell the flowers, even here in Hawaii.
Evelyn, over at Homespun Honolulu, is hosting a blog carnival -- the 9th Carnival of Aloha -- featuring 10 articles about Hawaii. The theme is Take Time to Smell the Plumeria. Good advice in these hectic and sometimes unsettling times!
I encourage all readers of the Virtual Scratchpad to click on over to the 9th Carnival of Aloha to enjoy some of the best of Hawaii, from some of the best Hawaii bloggers. Go smell the Plumeria!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Wednesday Blogosphere Roving #10
This Wednesday's found images feature flowers, waters, and birds. (I really, really, really like nature photography!)
This week's blog articles include one how-to, one travelogue, and three diverse essays.
Here are this week's offerings:
Images:
- Figueroa Mountain Spring, 2008 - by Lynn in Nature Shutterbug
- Just some more water - by Mark Whitney in Forest Rat
- Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) - by Ken in Dobson Central Photography
- Peacocks - by T. Bruce in Eyes Mind Heart
- New Zealand Falcon - by Robyn in The Ambling Photographer
Articles:
- Choo Choo Tells You How To: How to Look Great in Photographs - by Jeni in When Choo Choo Blogs...
- The Tour of Egypt - Five Months - by Enlight in Clearly Enlight's Travel Blog
- The false battle between truth and persuasion - by Mark Powell in Blogfish
- Island Fever??? Living in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii.... - by Steve in A Kona Scuba Diver Blabbers On
- Barack Obama, Jeremiah Wright, and Generational Differences - by Mark Stoneman in Stoneman's Corner
And here is an assortment of things I posted on my other blogs during the past week (one example from each blog).
In The Right Blue:
- Remembering Brutus, the Great Barracuda - what we learned about this big fish
In B N Sullivan - Photography:
- Ferruginous Hawk - Close-up - two close-up photos of a raptor
In my aviation news blogs:
- Continental-United merger plan scrapped - in Aircrew Buzz
- Video spoof of airline 'buy-on-board' amenities - in Cabin Crew News
- go! Airlines fires pilots accused of passing their destination while asleep - in Professional Pilot News
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Wednesday Blogosphere Roving #9
This Wednesday's found images include a set of travel photos from Spain, two flowers, one shot of the ever-changing sky, and an unusual little creature from Madagascar.
This week's blog articles area all over the map - literally and figuratively. I had a hard time choosing which ones to include this week. From among the many I considered, I settled on a mix of instruction, opinion, observation, and description.
So, without further ado, here's my list for the week.
Images:
- Alhambra - Granada Spain - by Danny in Waking Up to Another Beautiful Day
- Dutchman's Breeches - by Bernie Kasper in BFK Photography
- Cumulonimbus Storm Cloud - Thor's Masterpiece - by David in Images of Nature
- Double European Columbine - by Chris Gardner in Digital Flower Pictures
- Wildlife Wednesday: Aye-Aye - by Kazimierz Funk in Science & Soul
Articles:
- How to Shoot Camera Phone Photos at a Live Concert - by Pete in My GPS Camera Phone
- War and Public Opinion - by Mark Stoneman in