September 26 - Need a better camera...

So I went down to the river again a couple days ago and attempted to take some pictures at night:

Yeah.  I have come to the conclusion that my camera kind of sucks at low light shots.  Any camera people out there have any advice?


September 21

Time for a work rant.  I basically work at a museum.  We keep track of everything using Microsoft Access.  Lately, someone donated a new collection and the decision was made to create a new Access database to manage it all.  No one in the office knows anything about Access.  IT is completely overloaded and we are basically bottom rung.

I had the most experience with computers, so I was basically told to figure it out.  Fine.  Tinkering around, I think I figured most of it out.  Here is where the problems come.  Each one of our computers uses a different version of Access.  The person who will actually deal with the database has 2000.  Serious.  2000.  I have 2007, all the research computers have 2003 and we have one random laptop with 2010.  These do not play nice together when you are attempting to create or change anything.  Searching, fine.  But you dare change the name of a column and everything is shot straight to hell.

But Scott, you say, surely there is a way to standardize everything.  Yes, random blog person, there is.  If IT could get a few (dozen) more people.  So, basically, no dice.

Anyway, what kind of work annoyances do you deal with?

September 17

I was filling out a request for a forebearance from my student loans yesterday.  I was thinking about how this is getting a little demeaning sitting here begging the government (mine are consolidated) not give me a little more time to get my finances together before I start paying them.  I read about a petition online concerning student loan forgiveness.  Groups are pushing the government to forgive all student loans.  Ahh, I thought, that would be nice, wouldn't it?  To be free of student loans?

Sadly, student loan forgiveness can't, and frankly shouldn't, happen. The money you are loaned does not magically appear, it is the result of investments. You cancel the loan and someone along the way loses that money, and who should be left holding the bag?

And this isn't completely heartless either. What do you think will happen to future student loans if they are forgiven? Who will invest in student loans? No company would touch them.

I don't have the numbers in front of me, but that pretty much leaves the government to take care of everything. If the recent debt problems are any indication, I'm not terribly confident they can or have any inclination to take over the student loan business.

I would benefit greatly from student loan forgiveness. Law school isn't cheap, and I haven't been very successful finding a job in my field. They do need to work on how they issue student loans however. Giving people realistic expectations of their earnings potential should be mandatory. If you are studying art history, you should know that the chances that you actually use the degree you are paying for are slim.

I heard somewhere that the student loan bubble is a lot like the housing bubble and when it pops, its going to be bad. Let's hope they figure out something to do about this, because I wouldn't want to see that happen.

What about you?  Do you have student loans?  How's it looking in paying them back?  Think we should forgive them?

September 15

Hello again everyone.  Been gone the last few days moving.  Bigger apartment which is nice, but unfortunately the garbage disposal backs up.  Hope it's not too big of a deal to fix.

Anyway, on to pictures!  These are ones I didn't really expect to use, but you get to see them anyway.

I was wondering what this rusted thing was.  Oh well.

Just thought this one was cool looking.

All these pictures (expect the Utah ones) were taken with my Droid Incredible.

September 11

I think I'm going to forgo the September 11th rememberances I've seen all over the place and post some pictures:

This is up on the mountain.  I liked this picture

A little view of the surrounding areas.

Took a bunch more on the mountain while I was up there this weekend.  I'll be posting them this week!

Ok ok, I was in German class in 11th grade when I found out about the attacks.

September 8

Ok, last pictures for a while, or until I get time to go out and take more.

These are both from where I used to live in Utah.  Nice place, I should go back and visit. 

September 6 - The River

Never been much of a picture taker.  But I figured I might as well start using the camera on my phone.

I need to get a waterproof camera and take picture floating the river.

I basically live in a desert.  Who missed the memo?

September 4

As promised, more pictures.  These are from the hot springs at Thermopolis, Wyoming.

That place is amazing, I'm glad I had the chance to visit.  I'm told they are the largest hot springs in the world.  If you're ever wondering around Wyoming, check them out!

September 3 - Pictures!

On this day in 2011, I took some pictures around town.  Allow me to share them.

The river, need to get my kayak out!

The aftermath of some flooding we had.  Sidewalk is ruined!

Took a few more, but I'll wait till later.  Enjoy!

September 2 - The Great Fire

On this date in 1666, the Great Fire in London began and ravaged the city until September 5.  Almost all of the city's inhabitants were left homeless.  The city was a giant firetrap, with most structures made of wood with fires going inside.  The fire actually started at a bakery, and then spread unchecked to consume much of the city.

Fire fighting methods were limited in those days.  Essentially London had a local militia that relied on water they could carry and demolition to control fires.  Creating fire breaks by pulling down structures was exceedingly common, and many historians think that liberal use of this method was what eventually won the fight against the Great Fire.

The city lay in ruins and even the king, Charles II, suggested settlement elsewhere.  In time, however, all proposals for movement or restructuring were abandoned and the city was rebuilt in essentially the same way as before.

It is exceedingly difficult to gauge the cost of the Great Fire in terms of lives lost.  Most official reports placed the number in the single digits, but these probably ignore direct losses to the poor inhabitants and ancillary losses after the fire.  Many people may have been incinerated by the blaze, or perished later due to smoke inhalations; further, many people probably died in makeshift camps constructed to house people afterwards.

So there's a happy thought for you.