CAMERA LENS CAPABILITY—

The top photo is a view of my pond with the camera’s zoom lens set at its widest angle of view; 18 mm. Note the brown soil in the middle of the picture. The bright speck at water level surrounded by the brown area is the pond’s spill pipe.

The middle photo was shot at the lens’ full telephoto setting of 200 mm. Note how much closer the spill pipe appears.

These focal lengths must be multiplied by 1.6 in order to know the 35 mm camera equivalency. This is because the CCD device which captures the image in a digital camera is smaller than a 35 mm film negative. Thus, the second image above, for example, is the approximate equivalent of a 320 mm lens on a 35 mm camera.

In the bottom image, I replaced the zoom lens with my Meade ETX 90 telescope; attaching it to the Canon Digital Rebel XTi camera with adapters. The telescope has a focal length of 1,200 mm and was used without an eyepiece for this image.

The camera was in the same location for all three pictures.

With inexpensive, digital cameras your composition usually is limited to the range of the zoom lens built into the camera. The digital, single lens reflex, camera offers a nearly unlimited range of lens choices.

The extremes at the upper end, however, extract a toll in the form of price as well as size and weight, the latter of which become limiting factors in their portability.

Yet, as you can see, today’s technology offers the serious amateur photographer a wide range of optical tools.

USED CAR SALESMEN--

For the past few weeks I have been looking for a more powerful vehicle to pull my camper.

Naturally, that exposed me to the used car lots.

I felt like I should have gotten an inoculation against having to deal with intellectually bankrupt creatures with a remarkable similarity to the human race.

Here’s a specific instance: I sent an email inquiry to Rocket Chevrolet in Shelby asking them to be prepared to convince me one of their used pick-ups was equipped to tow my camper.

When I got there, their, ah, juvenile salesperson proudly showed me a print-out which announced the vehicle I was interested in had a gross vehicle weight of 6,400 pounds. He embellished that with his most convincing demeanor.

With some exasperation I pointed out the truck’s gross weight was entirely different from its maximum trailer towing weight.

He called for his mentor.

I was then mentored by the mentor who immediately saw a geriatric customer ripe for his blathering harvest.

After his patronizing dissertation I inquired, “Why then, if this is the finest truck in the entire universe for my purposes—at a very rock-bottom price, of course—does it not have an electrical hook-up for my camper’s lights and brakes?"

He was still sputtering his way through some irrelevant owner’s manual when I made my exit.

Similar story across the street at the Dodge sales joint.

Similar story at the Chevrolet joint in Fredericktown.

Lots of similar stories in my aging recollections from a lifetime of such encounters.

There were two notable exceptions, however. One was with Mike Flynn, a quiet and competent sales person with the Bellville Ford dealership. The other was the entire sales staff of Weekley Chrysler-Jeep in Butler.

Neither of them, unfortunately, had a vehicle that met my current needs.

Both will get the first cracks at any of my future business.

They are comparatively like a breath of fresh air.

ON THE BIKE TRAIL—

The Richland County bike trail is a nicely meandering, gently level ride of 18.3 miles on the old railroad bed between Mansfield’s North Lake Park and Butler.

My usual starting point is at the reconstructed train station in Bellville: pictured with a rider rolling by its handsome, period clock.

Heading north you cross the Clear Fork branch of the Mohican River and are immediately immersed in a cool, tree-lined tunnel with sandy, rock outcroppings, then, the trail is adjacent to SR 97 until it crosses that highway near I-71 and returns to rural solitude all the way to Lexington.

It was there, on a recent ride, I was passed, by a lady, who hasn’t missed too many meals in her lifetime. Son Brian once described such a physique as looking like she had a couple of teddy bears wrestling in her shorts.

I was passed? Oh well, such is life.

As you approach the interstate you are accosted by a constant rumble of traffic high overhead; but, that soon passes.

Then, it is the muted swish of your own tires rolling on the smooth asphalt surface while you look down and watch your working silhouette chase the whizzing shadow of your front tire.

I heard, and then smiled a greeting to a more than middle aged couple who wobbled by on a tandem bike southbound. They appeared to be challenging the laws of balance.

You will see folks on rollerblades and hikers and moms with babes in strollers.

You will see cows grazing in nearby pastures. And, wildlife.

I’m still inclined to chuckle at the chipmunk headed in the opposite direction that passed between my bike and the pavement edge—and never looked up.

Then a couple came by towing a sulky with two kids. The youngest did her royal wave as she peered at me through her delightfully gaudy, pink glasses.

Up near Millsboro Rd, I met a fellow on an unusual design of a bike. My inquiry led to a pleasant conversation and we rode side-by-side—as it turned out—up to and around the large pond in North Lake Park.

His name is Bill Radler and he suffers from muscular dystrophy as well as a debilitating nerve disorder. The bike was a gift from his son and is the only style he can comfortably ride. Bill’s wife is suffering with cancer.

While riding together we passed a northbound cyclist—with no legs. I’ve seen this fellow before. He rides a low slung vehicle like a tricycle going backwards and propels himself with his well developed arms and shoulders.

I don’t know why life hurt him so badly but I am strengthened each time I see him slapping his infirmity into submission.

Bill and I looped the pond at North Lake and rode back to his car at Home Rd. He is a friendly and gentle soul. I hope we ride together again.

I'd also like to ride some day with the fellow with no legs.

But, I doubt if I could keep up.

SOME JUSTICE--

A ding-a-ling sued a Washington DC neighborhood, dry cleaner for $54 million bucks because the cleaner lost a pair of the ding-a-ling’s pants.

Yup, $54 million smackers. For a pair of pants!

And that figure had been reduced from the claim’s original $67 million bucks.

The case, originally filed in 2005 was finally rejected in a DC Superior Court which ordered the claimant to pay court costs of about $1,000 to the defendants.

“A motion to recover the defendant’s ‘tens of thousands of dollars’ in attorney’s fees will be considered later” according to news reports.

And, get this; the ding-a-ling claimant is himself a judge in the DC area.

Regarding the settlement, a local law professor spewed, “This case was giving American justice a black eye around the world and it was all the more upsetting because it was a judge and lawyer who was bringing the suit.”

He concluded, Monday’s ruling “restores one’s confidence in the legal system”.

Yeah, right!

My confidence will be restored in this instance when 1) the ding-a-ling claimant is removed from the bench and disbarred, 2) he is prosecuted and jailed for filing a frivolous law suit, and 3) he is ordered to personally pay actual and punitive damages to the owners of this mom and pop cleaning business.

Jeeeze! Next thing you know someone will be suing some fast food joint because their hot coffee was too hot.

A BLIZZARD OF BUGS--

I left my outside lights on one recent evening and came home to the usual summertime blizzard of bugs swirling on my front patio.

It was one of those close-your-eyes, hold-your-breath challenges to get in the door without being accompanied by a zillion flying and biting creatures.

Then, I began to ponder—the amazing world of insects!

Did you know there are over a million described species of these rascals; more than all other animal groups combined. In that statistic I was aghast to learn there are more than 120,000 species of flies alone.

Many insects are considered pests by humans. Those commonly regarded as pests include ones that are parasitic, (mosquitoes, lice, bedbugs) transmit diseases, (mosquitoes, flies) damage structures, (termites) or destroy agricultural goods (locusts, and weevils).

Although pest insects attract the most attention, many insects are beneficial. Some (wasps, bees, butterflies and ants) pollinate flowering plants, a task crucial to the growth of many fruits and vegetables.

Insects also produce useful substances such as honey, wax, lacquer and silk.

Many insects, especially beetles, are scavengers feeding on dead animals and fallen trees thus recycling the biological materials into forms found useful by other organisms, and, insects are responsible for much of the process by which topsoil is created.

Finally, the most useful of all insects are insectivores; those that feed on other insects. Most folks cheer at the very thought of that process.

Egad; all of this just because I was bugged by a bunch of bugs.

_______________________________

The photo shows a squadron of bugs around my front light during an exposure of about 30 seconds.

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS—

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon and is an island nation of some 25 thousand square miles (about ½ the size of Alabama) located 18 miles off the southern coast of India. It has an estimated population of 20 million people.

Ceylon became part of the British Empire in 1815 and won its independence peacefully in 1948. In 1972 its name was changed to Sri Lanka and today is known as the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

A minority group, largely identified by their common language known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (or Tamil Tigers), has been fighting a bloody civil way for a separate nation there since 1983.

By early 2000, 18 years of war had claimed the lives of more than 64,000, mostly civilians. Fighting between the rebels and government troops continued into 2007. After weeks of deadly battles, the military took control of rebel-held regions of eastern Sri Lanka in March, leaving tens of thousands more civilians displaced.

Since 1997 the US has designated the Tamil rebels as a terrorist organization.

If you insist on visiting that country the US Embassy web page indicates emergency services are available Monday thru Friday, 8 to 5:30 and Saturdays, 8 to noon.

While a 24 hour emergency phone number is provided, it evidently would be more convenient if you would schedule your emergency during regular business hours.

BOOK REPORT—

Strike Force by Dale Brown

An action packed tale involving futuristic, space-based weaponry in a skirmish between the US and Iran. Not only does Brown spin a quick read, this book utilizes the nifty publishing protocol of listing a cast of characters, making it easy for the reader to keep track of the players.

Brain candy; but, good entertainment.

My neighbor lady Betty Thornton-Tucker is shown with me after our hike to Lyon’s Falls in the Mohican State Park recently. Betty’s property adjoins mine along our township road to the North.

A STROLL IN THE WOODS--

A few weeks ago I was rolling by Betty’s place on the bike when I noticed her laboring over burning a large brush pile in her back yard. I stopped to lend a hand and we’ve been getting-better-acquainted neighbors ever since.

Betty has lived in her place for about 40 years and has buried two husbands in the process. Together our ages add up to 140 years.

Except for our marital status we don’t have too much in common--but being alone. And, a zest for life.

Betty’s a cancer survivor. Twice. And, she is grateful to her strong faith for those gifts. She was born in the hills just north of Charleston, West, by-God, Virginia--a place called Poca.

She chuckles while she readily admits her hillbilly status.

Actually, her residual dialect prevents any denial of that fact. Charmingly.

So, on the way to the forest we stopped by for a peek at the North shore of Pleasant Hill Lake then rounded the lake’s headwaters for a visit to the Mohican Lodge—her first. Then, it was down the backroads which sneak up on the lake’s fairly spectacular dam. Her first visit there too.

From there you can see down the gorge we were soon to walk for awhile back upstream on the way to the Lyon’s falls.

Then, it was a relaxing—mostly back roads ride—to Bellville for a mid-afternoon lunch.

This certainly would not qualify as exciting in many datebooks.

But, some geriatric folks would view the successful completion of an event like this as cause for jubilation.