Gee Mr. Spock You're So Stiff or Does Vulcan Have a Single Payer Health Care Option

Ol' Mr. Spock is just so stiff and lifeless, Republicans will tell you that he was turned to wax waiting to get a strep test in one of Vulcan's poorly staffed publicly funded community health centers. Yet further proof that a single payer system cannot work...

What does it say about America when a guy named Rockefeller is standing up for middle class individuals. Strange days indeed, or maybe not so strange after all do you really thing anyone on Capitol Hill really works for, "We the people..."

But I will tell who was working for, "We the people," why it was Movieland. Bringing us wax versions of big stars, you can touch wax, but not big stars. But it was strange that Movieland's photographer couldn't avoid the dreaded red eye. It was also strange that my parents required my sister and I to touch Spock and the look on my face.

Now on to Movieland Wax Museum, it opened May 4, 1962, and featured the tallest sign in Orange County, now isn't that fun. Unfortunately, Movieland has gone the way of the Passenger Pigeon, extinct. But good news the gift shop is now a Starbucks. I was one of the 43 million people that visited the place in the 43 years it was open. I can't really say I remember the place, I can say that the Star Trek set was one of the few things I recognized, not that I actually enjoyed Star Trek when I was 5. I do remember touching Spock, and being unsure, because he was so unreal. It just wasn't logical, but either is the smile on my face.

A Large Day For Sand Point

Two large events happened on this date in history on the sandy soil that would become Magnuson Park. First on this date back in 1924, 2 Douglas Air Cruisers landed on the Sand Point Airfield marking the end of their 30,000 mile journey around the planet. They were the first to circumnavigate the globe by air, and in record time, only 175 days. This event helped garner support to create the Sand Point Naval Airstation, which made King County really happy since they built the airstrip for purpose of selling it to the Navy in the first place.

The second great event that happened on this date, was in 1995, when the Navy after 68 years, declared what was left of the then called Sand Point Naval Station Puget Sound surplus, finishing what it had started in 1970. 300 acres were surplussed in 1970, including the airfield. In 1995, the remaining acreage was transferred to the City of Seattle for homeless housing and a dog park. The airfield ceased to be in the mid 70's, never mind its relevance to aviation history.

In honor of these two events here are some pictures taken in early April of 2000 of now Magnuson Park. The best thing about Magnuson besides its vastness is the art, included among tonight's photos are The Fin Project and Soundgarden. And couple chairs on sticks.

Enjoy

Dan

Nine Years

The period between September 24th and 29th, mark the nine year anniversary of myself and Cicely's first dates. I'm a lucky guy, because she is a wonderful girl. I thought that nine years ago and I still think that today. So in honor the anniversary here are a couple photos of Cicely from about the time we first started dating.

Dan

Quin's Granddads

In honor of the recent visits with Quin's granddads, here are a few pictures of Quin with his granddads.

Dan

It's Fall

I cannot say I'm exactly thrilled by the fact, but it is what it is at least the light is good. Our summer was so very wonderful this year, it is hard to let it go, but now it is fall and the ground fog is thick in the fields both at dawn and dusk. I'm looking forward to getting up early and combing the valley for some shots.

In other news, it is the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Luxurious Sanitary Toilet Convenience beneath Seattle's Pioneer Place Park, unfortunately I don't have any pictures of the world's finest underground toilets.

Finally, I continue to work on the Rustedvan Photography website, I'm down just needing to create an artists' statement. I'm not really looking forward to this part, but I'll get it done in a couple days at the website will be "done." Or "done," for now I should say.

Anyway I need to start my respective on a summer of elk pictures for Blog. So look for that in the next day or two. Until then a couple pictures of fall colors and a look at why black and white film is not conducive to great fall foliage photos.

Enjoy

Dan

Husky Fever

En lieu of yesterday's most wonderful football game, and because the Huskies take on the Stanford Cardinal this coming weekend, here are some pictures from a Husky-Stanford Indians game from some forty years ago. Note the infirm on the sidelines, they are a nice touch.

Go Dawgs

WASP or Is that A Bag of Frozen Potatoes Under Your Arm?

Well just about ten years ago I went over to Ellensburg to photograph some friends of mine. We had a grand old time, drinking beer and watching football games. And we took photos, it was to be the beginning of a career as a photographer. But instead it was just about the end of my "career." A week or so later my life forever changed and I might add, for the better. But photography at least seriously was put off for a while.

I remember shooting my friends in a couple different places and we were to do a couple more if it was not for the wasp that crawled up my shirt and stung me eights on my hand and under my arm. That put an end to the first part of the shoot right quick. But it did bring about the amusing sight of me sitting on their couch with a bag of frozen potatoes under my arm. We finally finished the photos and in the end it all went well. Ten years later, we are still friends but I don't get to Ellensburg nearly enough any more.

So in honor of it being 10 years since the end of the beginning, here are some pictures of Ted and Trish with some 21st century updating.

Enjoy

Dan

What to do with Three Rolls of Kodachrome

I have finally received my Kodachrome film that I had ordered back in June. I had previously received notice that my order would probably not be shipped due to the supply issues, so I all but lost hope. But at last it was shipped and I've had it now a couple weeks. I just don't know what to shoot with it though. This is the one and only chance to shoot with the stuff so I feel the need to make it epic. But since it is 64 speed, the subject probably needs to be stationary. So until the epiphany occurs I will stare at the boxes.

Dan

Big Buck and Another and Another

On the 100th anniversary of day that the cats went crazy at the Ballard police station, I return to the elk, a not so dusty moment, but an altogether wonderful part of our part of the world. If you are interested in the cats, the station's mother cat and one or more of her kittens suddenly started acting crazy shortly after another cat named Tom stopped in for a visit. Mother cat attacked Tom and then her own kittens. The kittens once attacked then began attacking other kittens. Apparently, Sept 13, 1909, was a real slow news day. So, how does this relate to our Elk? Well it does not at all. So turning from crazy cats to our Elk, I have not been able to get out and see our Elk as much lately, but last week I did and what a treat it was. Here are couple pictures.

Enjoy

Dan

Friday After a Long Week

This week has been devoted to working on the Le wedding photos and updating the Rustedvan Photography website (www.rustedvan.com), so I haven't had a chance to do much of anything "dusty." That should change in the coming days, as I have basically finished the Le wedding photos, so back to the normal distractions.
So this being 9/11, I thought I would post a couple photos of New York City. I never made it to the twin towers in either of my trips to NYC, I do remember seeing them from the Statue of Liberty and from the train as we crossed through the Meadowlands. At the time I didn't care if I saw them up close, now I wish I had. Anyway here are photos from NYC.

Attention to Detail

Attention to detail, isn't just something that helps during a job interview, it also helps in life too. I enjoy bad photography almost as much as I enjoy good photography, so tonight I give you one of those what where you thinking moments. Unfortunately it is my own photograph tonight, but hey I am not above laughing at myself. This is an altogether nice photo if it wasn't for the T-Max bag. Why I didn't notice the bag when we where shooting these photos I will never know. Nor will I remember why that silly thing was with us in the first place. But it does manage to turn a nice photo into something else.

Dan

Big Four

Today marks the 60th anniversary of the burning of the Big Four Lodge, east of Silverton. The 28 year old lodge was closed at the time due to road construction in the area. The only person there was "40" Watts, the caretaker. Ol' 40 couldn't save the Lodge but kept the fuel station from going up in flames, so in honor of his heroic measures the 40 watt bulb was created (just kidding). The old fireplace is all that remains of the lodge today, it is very picturesque fireplace indeed. Here are some photos from Big 4 over the years.

Dan

Happy Birthday Normal School

Today marks the 118th anniversary of the opening of the Central Washington University, then called the Washington State Normal School. Ellensburg was choosen for the school site because it had lost its' bid to become the state capital. A college in town was not the first choice of Ellensburgers and they have not really ever warmed up to the institution. Like the people of Ellensburg, Central was not the first choice for most of the students there. Myself and most of my friends at Central had applied to and were denied admittance to either the UW or Western. But in the end most of us were happy we ended up in Ellensburg, if nothing else for the friends we made. The education wasn't all that bad either and the Ellensburg of 1990's was the perfect small college town. So, happy birthday Central, most of us didn't want to go there, however we are glad we did.

Photoshop Moments

As I have said before, I prefer the straight photography method, when out shooting. I enjoy the challenge of using only the natural light for my shots. It can create stunning photos or it can create photos that are under exposed, or worse yet, just blurry crap. I am not the greatest fan of photoshop, however I will admit to using the program. It is a powerful tool that can turn too dark into just right. Whereas, getting the shot with the camera is nearly always a better result, the photoshop life ring can create interesting photos.

Recently, I purchased 100 or so photoshop actions that can change, enhance or destroy a photo. They make me more of a fan of photoshop each day. They are actually really pretty cool, so tonight some photoshop actioned photos from the Meadowbrook Farm. First the orginal, then the photoshop update.

Dan

Back to School

Well it is that time of year again, back to school for the children. For me the phrase, "Back to school," still to this day, is rueful in its meaning. After an all too short summer our neighborhood children out at the bus stops each morning at dawn to catch their buses. So in honor of the return of school here are some photos of my sister and I on our first day of school. For some reason there are no photos of younger sister's first day of school. Which seems odd, but probably has to do with length of the teachers strike in 1976 and the fact that by the time we started school we were packing up to move out to Mountlake Terrace.

Enjoy

Dan