I thought these were very beautiful. Although lighting can be very scary to me, I was really mesmerized by the incredible detail and beauty of these shots. Enjoy!
http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/15-spectacular-lightning-images/
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Take Lion Off of the Menu - Part 2
http://www.tampabay.com/features/food/article661291.ece#
Came across this - Not sure about you, but the whole thing just seems odd. For your reading enjoyment, here's the article in full.
I not sure what to say. $48.00 for 14 oz.
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(Photo:Times staff writer Tamara El-Khoury tries a slice of elk at Spoto’s Steak Joint. Spoto’s offers unusual delicacies.)
A taste of untamed delights
By Tamara El-Khoury, Times Staff Writer
Published Friday, July 4, 2008 3:33 PM
DUNEDIN — I've sampled snails in France, pig's ear in Brazil and stuffed lamb intestines in Lebanon. But I experienced my most exotic culinary adventure last week in … Dunedin.
At Spoto's Steak Joint. A reader had called, pointing out that the restaurant's marquee advertised African lion, rattlesnake, bison, elk and boar.
Along with summer intern Jackie Alexander, I was sent to try it out. And, as it happens, I was a good choice for the assignment. As a Lebanese-American I know what it's like to eat "different'' foods. I was the kid eating a brie and pita bread sandwich or stuffed grape leaves for lunch.
I learned not to judge foods until I had tasted them. Having done just that at Spoto's, here's my verdict:
The elk was fabulous.
The kangaroo sweet.
The lion tasted a bit like ribs.
(We'll get to the rattlesnake later.)
We started with the Game Sampler for $25.95, which comes with generous helpings of kangaroo, boar and rattlesnake. But we substituted elk for the snake. The meal was served with steamed asparagus and roasted garlic mashed potatoes.
We also ordered the South African Lion Chop dish, a 14-ounce lion rib chop, char grilled for $48.
Spoto's owner and chef Jim Stewart said all his game is farm raised and USDA approved. The kangaroo is from Australia and the lion is farm raised in South Africa and processed in Colorado. The snake and boar come from Texas and the elk comes from Alaska, Canada or New Zealand.
Stewart has built a niche out of serving unusual meats. Previous menus have included ostrich, bear and python. He sends e-mails to 1,000 patrons when he serves a new type of game.
"Gosh, where else can you go and get barbecue prime ribs, steak … duck and lion or bear or whatever at any given time?" he said. "We've kind of built ourselves a little name for that, and it's caught on."
After munching on chicken liver pate, warm baguettes and salad, our dinners arrived. We were both surprised.
"It looks like regular food," Jackie said.
First, I tried the kangaroo. It was sweet and easy to chew, unlike any other meat I've tried. Then the elk, my favorite, which was so tender, Jackie commented it was better than filet mignon. The boar tasted a little heavier than roasted pork.
Finally, it was time to try the lion. The meat was less tender than the others and came with part of the bone, making it difficult to cut. The taste is difficult to describe, sort of a cross between pork chops and ribs.
Pleased with our delicious meal, Jackie and I were ready to wrap things up when photographer Joseph Garnett noted that we had not tried the rattlesnake.
No, I said.
Snakes scare me. I didn't want one near my mouth. Then Joseph used the "w" word — wimp. So I ordered a small side of snake. I asked that it please not look like snake.
"Snake, snake!" a child chanted in the background.
I made small talk to hide my nervousness, and when the dish arrived, my heart was pounding. It looked like snake. Bones poked out through the meat. Before I could panic, Stewart handed me a fork. I closed my eyes and dug in.
The meat was chewy and had a bland taste, kind of like turkey. It was dressed in a light barbecue sauce that had a little kick to it. If I hadn't psyched myself out, I might have taken another bite.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Take Lion off of the menu - Part 1
Sometimes you have to consider the source. I came across the two site links below on a male geared web site (there are other questionable articles on the site) and found this to be intriguing. While in shock about the establishment in the two links below in Philly, I was not really convinced that people in the U.S. would actually partake of such appauling behavior. Plus, I was hoping to find the story else where. Boy was I wrong, hence the posting of a two-parter on the subject of lion.
I actually found out that there was a posting of a similar article, from an article from the Guardian in the UK from 2005 entitled "Zoo forced to take tiger and giraffe off menu."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2005/nov /22/conservationandendangeredspecies.internationalnews.
Don't get me wrong, this is just as outlandish as the other articles that will follow, but I figured it was overseas and about 3 years old. The postings I provided actually took place within the last 3 - 6 months in both Philly and Florida.
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Info from Philly:
http://www.asylum.com/2008/08/07/philly-restaurant-pressured-to-take-lion-off-menu/
http://www.asylum.com/2008/08/12/barroom-debate-is-it-ok-to-eat-lion-meat/?icid=flyout - the debate
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Info from Florida - article is following this link
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/lion-meat628.html
A restaurant in Tampa, Florida, has been offering lion meat from South Africa to its customers. It is thought that the lion originated from a ‘lion farm' in South Africa. Is this an industry which Florida restaurant goers would wish to support?
I had no idea that serving lion would offend so many people. When it was offered to me by one of my suppliers, I was curious myself about how lion would compare to other animals I have prepared for consumption. There was a limited amount available and, as it was the first time I had served it, I posted it on our board so our customers would be aware that they could try it here at Spoto's. We never intended to make it a regular selection on our menu, and all our customers who tried it seemed to be pleased with their selection.
For those who question my judgment for serving lion, I can only reply that I had confirmed that it was handled under government standards, was safe to eat, and that it was not killed illegally. I believed that any who did not want to dine on lion would simply not do so.
In fact, while we were serving lion, we had no complaints whatsoever, so we were surprised to read the letters of those who had read the article about our special offering in your newspaper.
We understand their feeling and hope that, likewise, they will understand our motivation for serving this meat that was already processed and available. We played no part in the killing or processing of the lion and only purchased it after it had been offered in the commercial marketplace.
Therefore, we apologize to any who were offended by our serving lion to our customers and ask them to respect the desire of those who ordered it to do so in our society.
We recognize that there are vegans, vegetarians, non-pork and non-beef eaters and a wide variety of other individuals who object to the eating of various types of animals. Yet, they do respect the right of others to do so, even if it should conflict with their principles. Be assured that at no time did we intend to offend anyone and that we will be more mindful in the future.
I actually found out that there was a posting of a similar article, from an article from the Guardian in the UK from 2005 entitled "Zoo forced to take tiger and giraffe off menu."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2005/nov /22/conservationandendangeredspecies.internationalnews.
Don't get me wrong, this is just as outlandish as the other articles that will follow, but I figured it was overseas and about 3 years old. The postings I provided actually took place within the last 3 - 6 months in both Philly and Florida.
**********************************************************************************
Info from Philly:
http://www.asylum.com/2008/08/07/philly-restaurant-pressured-to-take-lion-off-menu/
http://www.asylum.com/2008/08/12/barroom-debate-is-it-ok-to-eat-lion-meat/?icid=flyout - the debate
**********************************************************************************
Info from Florida - article is following this link
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/lion-meat628.html
Florida restaurant puts lion meat on the menu
Florida restaurant with Lion meat on the menu. Couretsy of Campaign Against Canned Hunting.
There is little doubt that the patrons of the restaurant will have little idea that by ordering lion meat they are supporting one of the most vicious and destructive industries in the world. Their money will go back along the commercial food chain until it reaches the canned lion breeder in South Africa, enriching him and encouraging his grisly trade. South Africa is the world capital of canned lion breeding and hunting; captive predators, often wild caught, are reared under cruel conditions and then shot for sport, often with bow and arrow. Packs of dogs are sometimes used to force tame, hand reared lions up trees so that bow hunters can have fun shooting arrows into their helpless victim.
Treating lions as livestock like this is cruel. Unlike cattle and sheep, which are mostly raised on the open range and have some natural contentment before they are penned, fattened and slaughtered, lions are predators and often bred in enclosures.
Predators don't usually eat predators
It is not natural, and perhaps even unhealthy, to eat the flesh of predators. There must be good reason why predators do not eat other predators. Lions do not eat other lions even if they fight and kill each other. There are very few reported incidences, if any, of big cats eating each other. There seems little research into why this is the case, but there is obviously some innate sense within big cats that they should not eat each other. Yet humans do often eat other species of predator; snakes, crocodiles, many species of fish and even dogs. Perhaps it is just our western pre-conceptions of what is right to eat and what is not, but that is irrelevant. What is relevant is the way that this lion was brought to the table, how it was kept in a farm and how it was killed.
Information provided by:
Chris Mercer
Campaign Against Canned Hunting
South Africa
http://www.cannedlion.co.za/
Response from Jimmy Stewart, chef/owner Spoto's Steak Joint II, Dunedin, Florida.
Lion meat not meant to offendI had no idea that serving lion would offend so many people. When it was offered to me by one of my suppliers, I was curious myself about how lion would compare to other animals I have prepared for consumption. There was a limited amount available and, as it was the first time I had served it, I posted it on our board so our customers would be aware that they could try it here at Spoto's. We never intended to make it a regular selection on our menu, and all our customers who tried it seemed to be pleased with their selection.
For those who question my judgment for serving lion, I can only reply that I had confirmed that it was handled under government standards, was safe to eat, and that it was not killed illegally. I believed that any who did not want to dine on lion would simply not do so.
In fact, while we were serving lion, we had no complaints whatsoever, so we were surprised to read the letters of those who had read the article about our special offering in your newspaper.
We understand their feeling and hope that, likewise, they will understand our motivation for serving this meat that was already processed and available. We played no part in the killing or processing of the lion and only purchased it after it had been offered in the commercial marketplace.
Therefore, we apologize to any who were offended by our serving lion to our customers and ask them to respect the desire of those who ordered it to do so in our society.
We recognize that there are vegans, vegetarians, non-pork and non-beef eaters and a wide variety of other individuals who object to the eating of various types of animals. Yet, they do respect the right of others to do so, even if it should conflict with their principles. Be assured that at no time did we intend to offend anyone and that we will be more mindful in the future.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Excuse Me - Do You Know What Time it is?
Monday, August 18, 2008
In the Spirit of the Olympics....sorta......
After watching so many wonderful videos online about the Olympics and the incredible feats of strength, endurance and sheer willpower of all of the Olympians no matter medal placement, I am reminded that it takes a special kind of person to do these things.
After reading my favorite blog http://vipersons.blogspot.com/ I was encouraged to seek out more info about the Olympics. After reading about super Olympian Michael Phelps on http://vipersons.blogspot.com/2008/08/he-is-doing-it-big.html, I found that my thirst for watching excellence continued to grow and I had to see more greatness. I was reminded of other greats who stood out in my mind as incredible or excellent. I was eager to see Mary Lou Retton again http://www.marylouretton.com/ and Surya Bonaly http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIauMJCnvuE with her incredible illegal (now her trademark) back flip on ice.
After a couple of days, my zeal for this has died down a little. I have been bombarded with such negative news/videos and just wanted to see something positive and encouraging. I pretty much gave up looking for that and decided to log into myspace and see if I'd gotten any mail. Before I could log in, I came across this little video and was delighted that I'd watched it. Although they aren't human, they were able to do things that I can't even do upright on dry ground. Perhaps it was the musical accompaniment, or just the way it was videoed, or maybe it's just me, but I thought this to be a bit fascinating and special. Can't say I've ever seen anything quite like it.
It certainly made me smile and that's all one could hope for.
Monkeys On Ice
After reading my favorite blog http://vipersons.blogspot.com/ I was encouraged to seek out more info about the Olympics. After reading about super Olympian Michael Phelps on http://vipersons.blogspot.com/2008/08/he-is-doing-it-big.html, I found that my thirst for watching excellence continued to grow and I had to see more greatness. I was reminded of other greats who stood out in my mind as incredible or excellent. I was eager to see Mary Lou Retton again http://www.marylouretton.com/ and Surya Bonaly http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIauMJCnvuE with her incredible illegal (now her trademark) back flip on ice.
After a couple of days, my zeal for this has died down a little. I have been bombarded with such negative news/videos and just wanted to see something positive and encouraging. I pretty much gave up looking for that and decided to log into myspace and see if I'd gotten any mail. Before I could log in, I came across this little video and was delighted that I'd watched it. Although they aren't human, they were able to do things that I can't even do upright on dry ground. Perhaps it was the musical accompaniment, or just the way it was videoed, or maybe it's just me, but I thought this to be a bit fascinating and special. Can't say I've ever seen anything quite like it.
It certainly made me smile and that's all one could hope for.
Monkeys On Ice
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Is Ugly the New Pretty?
In our society we equate beauty with so many things, like success, happiness, wealth and intellect. There is a company in NY that specializes in only hiring people who are average or unique looking to become models. They are all very interesting, but something in the title disturbed me.
Why is this shocking or news worthy? Why is there so little value placed on those of us who look like God intended for us to look?
According to Merriam Websters on line dictionary:
Ugly: offensive to the sight : hideous
Pretty: pleasing by delicacy or grace
Those are strong words used to describe both elements. I guess my next question would then be this: Is it possible to become bias or even jaded by what we see presented on mainstream media outlets and magazines as to what beauty really means?
If so, who then really qualifies to meet the standard of beauty set in place by said entities?
Just something I thought about. What are your thoughts.
Why is this shocking or news worthy? Why is there so little value placed on those of us who look like God intended for us to look?
According to Merriam Websters on line dictionary:
Ugly: offensive to the sight : hideous
Pretty: pleasing by delicacy or grace
Those are strong words used to describe both elements. I guess my next question would then be this: Is it possible to become bias or even jaded by what we see presented on mainstream media outlets and magazines as to what beauty really means?
If so, who then really qualifies to meet the standard of beauty set in place by said entities?
Just something I thought about. What are your thoughts.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Comic actor Bernie Mac dies
Comic actor Bernie Mac died early Saturday of complications from pneumonia, according to a family member and his publicist. He was 50.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/08/09/obit.bernie.mac.ap/index.html
This is such shocking and sad news. My sympathy and prayers definitely go out to the Mac family, as the passing of a loved one is always very trying and difficult.
I was not prepared to see this today. It causes me to reflect on my own life. There are no guarantees in life. We take our lives for granted, and often live according to our own plans and desires. Perhaps God has a different plan. If we ask Him, He will surely tell us.
Blessings and Peace
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/08/09/obit.bernie.mac.ap/index.html
This is such shocking and sad news. My sympathy and prayers definitely go out to the Mac family, as the passing of a loved one is always very trying and difficult.
I was not prepared to see this today. It causes me to reflect on my own life. There are no guarantees in life. We take our lives for granted, and often live according to our own plans and desires. Perhaps God has a different plan. If we ask Him, He will surely tell us.
Blessings and Peace
New Kid In Town
One of my favorite sites (among a bizillion - yes this is a real number, that exists) is called www.woot.com. They have a division called www.shirt.woot.com. I am amazed at the amount of creative T shirts they have each night. The shirts are new each day. Some times they are creepy and strange and other times they are just down right funny.This is an istance where it's funny. The shirt is entitled New Kid In Town.
I wish I could tell you that this was a shameless plug for a company I work for, but I don't get paid by them, nor do I work for them. I guess I just like their stuff.
Till next time. Take care.
More to Say Already
Wow. Can you believe it. I have found more to talk about already. How odd that this should occur so quickly. Actually I just read my brothers latest blog entry entitled "Renewed Vigor" (http://VIPersons) (please see link page) and I got inspired by his being inspired.
This is very funny. (well, maybe in my mind it's funny and will not convey the same way when on paper). In any case, my brother is the reason I even heard about blogging and now he's inspired to create because of me.
This just shows you that one can never be sure of the impact one persons actions or lack there of can have on the life of another. Our obedience can catapult someone into their destiny, or lack of such obedience can cause us to be the stumbling block that stops the progression of destiny in ones life. Please don't misunderstand the spirit of what I am trying to say....simply put....we cause one another to grow and be blessed, no matter how small of a part it may seem to be.
Have a great Saturday!
This is very funny. (well, maybe in my mind it's funny and will not convey the same way when on paper). In any case, my brother is the reason I even heard about blogging and now he's inspired to create because of me.
This just shows you that one can never be sure of the impact one persons actions or lack there of can have on the life of another. Our obedience can catapult someone into their destiny, or lack of such obedience can cause us to be the stumbling block that stops the progression of destiny in ones life. Please don't misunderstand the spirit of what I am trying to say....simply put....we cause one another to grow and be blessed, no matter how small of a part it may seem to be.
Have a great Saturday!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Wow My FIrst Blog
This may sound a bit odd, but I've never blogged before. I've tried to have an occasional musing or two on my myspace page, but never seeming to quite enjoy the stuffiness of it. I also tried to do it on facebook, but friends are way too busy to respond to or ponder said musings with such hectic schedules. Once in a blue moon, I can get a good comment or two while posting to digg, but for the most part.....nothing.
I guess not many people want to hear what others have to say. Then again, maybe they do and we are more comfortable enjoying the secret worlds of others in the privacy of the office cubicle, bathrobe or even commuter train/bus.
In any case, I am excited about this venture. Finally a place to hang my thoughts to get some fresh air and creative perspective. Happy reading to all who happen across my path. And blessings to those who found me on purpose.
Till we meet again.
Devine
I guess not many people want to hear what others have to say. Then again, maybe they do and we are more comfortable enjoying the secret worlds of others in the privacy of the office cubicle, bathrobe or even commuter train/bus.
In any case, I am excited about this venture. Finally a place to hang my thoughts to get some fresh air and creative perspective. Happy reading to all who happen across my path. And blessings to those who found me on purpose.
Till we meet again.
Devine
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