'07 NHL Hall of Fame Class is truly special

Aside from Mario Lemieux in 1997 and Wayne Gretzky in 1999, I cannot remember a more incredible class of players being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. This year's class is truly something special. From left, Ron Francis, Al MacInnis, Mark Messier and Scott Stevens.

Each of these guys won at least one Stanley Cup: Francis won two, MacInnis one, Messier six and Stevens three. Four players, 12 Stanley Cups. But, each player brought a whole lot more to the table than that, too. Each man also brought exceptional leadership to their teams.

Ron Francis, originally drafted by the Hartford Whalers, was an exceptionally talented center who played in the NHL a mind-numbing 23 seasons. He was never a super sniper; the most goals he ever scored in a season was 32, but he accumulated points in bunches, leading the league in assists on two occasions. Francis was a player who made the guys he played with exceptionally better, on and off the ice.

Without a doubt, he made Mario Lemieux's Penguins better in the early 1990s, too. Many call Francis the final "missing link" that put the Pens over the top, winning two Stanley Cups in a row in '91 and '92. He also led the Carolina Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2002, where they fell short against the Detroit Red Wings.

I remember Al MacInnis for two things: playing for the hated Calgary Flames (I'm an Oilers fan), and the most wicked slap shot in the league that intelligent players learned to have a healthy respect for, or they would become unhealthy, quick. Just how quick? At the 2003 NHL All-Star Game, Al took a wooden stick (which is mostly becoming a relic of the ancient NHL past) and ripped off a 98.9 MPH shot. In typical Canadian fashion, he said "So much for technology, eh?"

Scott Stevens was proficient at two things - winning Stanley Cups and laying people out. A three-time Stanley Cup Champ and one-time Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoff MVP), Stevens was the heart and soul of a Devils team that seriously competed for or won the Stanley Cup for nearly a decade.

What I remember most about Stevens, though, were the hits. And there were many, most of them clean. My favorite hit of all was when he laid out Eric Lindros, then with the Philadelphia Flyers. Lindros has to be one of the biggest crybabies in NHL history - a tremendous waste of talent. Yes, he's had a productive career, but it could have been so much more. To me, it's all karma. He should never have landed in Philly in the first place, but he refused to report to the Quebec Nordiques and told them so. They drafted him anyway, and eventually traded him to the Philadelphia Flyers. Ironically, who the Flyers sent to Quebec (the team moved to Colorado to become the Avalanche in the mid 1990s) helped the team win the Stanley Cup. Lindros? Still no Cup. Boo Hoo. But, I digress.

Anyway, in lieu of my trying to describe the hit on Lindros, just take a look at it.

BLAM. That one put #88 out of commission for a little while (and the rest of the playoffs that year, if I remember correctly). I'm always cracking up over clueless Flyers fans who jeer Stevens. Meanwhile, this is a city that can't seem to let go of The Broadstreet Bullies era, when the Flyers were just as comfortable fighting and using their sticks as they were playing the game.

Lindros put his head down, and Stevens made him pay. That's hockey. If you want to watch a no contact, boring game, go watch baseball.

Of course, I saved the best for last - Mark Messier, the greatest leader, in my opinion, in the history of team sports.

A quick but by no means exhaustive list of his achievements reads like a script from Hollywood, not a career of an NHL center:

• Six-time Stanley Cup Champ
• Ending the 54-year "curse" for the Rangers in 1994
• The only player to captain two Cup-winning teams
• Second all-time in career points
• Winning the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1984 (right)
• Played in 15 All-Star games
• Played an astounding 25 seasons in the NHL, and he could have played at least a few more, if he had wanted to. He was the last player in the NHL to retire from the 1970s (as well as the last WHA player)

It's very tough (tougher than Mess himself) to pick favorite moments of his career, but after giving it some thought, here's three (and if I think about it longer, I'll change my answers):

3. Winning the Stanley Cup for the sixth time in 1994, ending hockey's greatest curse for the New York Rangers. This was bittersweet for me - it was very tough to see Mess leave the Oilers, but I understood why he didn't want to stay. He needed a bigger and better challenge. He was so huge that playoff year. Unless you were a fan of a Rangers foe in those playoffs, it was pretty tough to not root for him.

To any other hockey fan, and probably even to Mess himself, this might be his crowning achievement. But, imagine being an Oilers fan and seeing both of your captains who have won Stanley Cups for your team both being traded away within four years. Yea, you'd be bitter, too, and you wouldn't be thrilled seeing Mess lift the Cup for the Rangers. Having said that, I was very happy for him being able to do it for the Rangers. It's not a stretch to say "No Messier, no Stanley Cup on Broadway."

2. His first game against Wayne Gretzky after The Great One was traded from the Oilers to the LA Kings. Many people, myself included, were eager to see just how the two best friends would compete against each other. Virtually no one thought he'd go easy on #99, but many were curious to see the former teammates oppose one another. That first shift, Messier drilled him, then backed up and drilled him again. Messier certainly didn't like it, but business was business.

1. Winning the Stanley Cup in 1990 (above), after the Gretzky trade. In many ways, this was the sweetest of all the Cup wins I can remember as a long-time Oilers fan. Everyone said they were finished. EVERYONE. They certainly took the league by surprise during those playoffs. They faced elimination against the Winnipeg Jets, at one point, they were down 3-1 in the series. But, Moose brought them charging back, and they dispatched the Bruins in five games in the Finals. I'll never forget Mess saying into the cameras, "This one's for you, Gretz."

If Wayne Gretzky, my favorite hockey player of all time, is the caliber player that comes around only once in a lifetime, then Messier is the type of player who only comes around once every three or four decades.

The further away the 1980s becomes, the more I appreciate those Edmonton teams. Think about it - the top two scorers in NHL history played on the same team, for eight seasons. The Oilers stupidly traded away Gretzky, and they still managed one more Cup. The greatest hockey team every assembled? In terms of Cup wins in a row, no. But, statistically speaking in just about every offensive category? You bet.

And Mess was the heart and soul of that team, without a shadow of a doubt.

In my humble opinion, Messier is the greatest team leader in the history of professional sports in North America. You give me names, I can knock 'em down.

Anyone in Major League Baseball? Okay, let's get serious.

The NBA? Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson all deserve mention here, but all of them didn't win as many titles, and they all only did it with one team. Of course, Jordan tops that list, with six titles, but again, one team. I put Messier ahead of him for two reasons: 1. Longevity. Messier played a quarter century in a sport that is about a million times harder and more physically demanding than basketball, and 2. (I'm repeating myself here, I know) Doing it with two teams.

It's pretty tough to recreate or describe the losing atmosphere that was had infested the Ranger locker room before Messier's arrival. My favorite little anecdote about it was told by Messier himself. When he first arrived, no one would discuss the Stanley Cup. "That would be bad luck," they all said. Messier simply said, "Talk about it? I want it! Let's win it!" And he had five rings at that time, which game him just a little cred in the locker room.

The NFL? Forget it. The only players that I'd even consider in this discussion would be Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw; each won four Super Bowl rings. But, neither had even close to the longevity as Messier, and again, one team. Elway made it to give Super Bowls, but only won twice.

To me, Messier's closest competition of greatest leader: Jordan, Montana, Gretzky, in that order.

We'll probably never again see a leader of Messier's ability win six Stanley Cups (and with two different teams) ever again, especially in the age of free agency.

One other thing about Messier's induction to the Hall of Fame gets me jacked - I have to get back to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto now. I haven't been there since 1996 (left), and when I was there, if I recall correctly, there were no Oilers in the hall. Now, there will be plenty to see - Grant Fuhr, Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey, Gretzky and Messier. I may just spend two whole days there. Before we move west, I have to get back.

What a Hall of Fame class. We may never see another one like it.

Poll: Gore leading in New Hampshire

On Wednesday, The Politico reported that a recent poll has Al Gore in the lead among all Democratic candidates for president. I'm not sure whether to be encouraged or discouraged by that.

Regardless of how he's faring in the polls right now (and he's looking quite strong), I really hope Gore jumps into the race. There's no doubt that he has to look at such poll results and really ponder a run, regardless of whether he says so publicly or not. It's not hard to imagine why - this is a man who came within one vote of the Supreme Court of winning the presidency, and the American people elected him in 2000, by about 550,000 votes.

Run Al, run. You can urge Gore to run by signing this petition.

Dana Perino clears it all up

This is some pretty grand footage of Deputy White House Press Secretary Dana Perino clearing up trying to spin Vice President Dick Cheney's position on just what freakin' branch of government he is in.

I'll have lots more to say about this later today - that's a promise. Right now, I have to get on the road, because the state school I teach at is about to go on strike, and I have to go retrieve some things from my office.

More later today.

Elizabeth Edwards jabs insipid Coulter

This is a pretty good piece of footage, and it illustrates the character of both Ann Coulter and Elizabeth Edwards, wife of Democratic Presidential Candidate John Edwards.

Really, the footage speaks for itself, and I can't add anything more pithy than what Edwards herself says, other to to reinforce what she said. We really do need to elevate the political discourse in this country, and people like Coulter do nothing to debase and defile the entire process by never missing an opportunity to personally savage anyone with a "D" after his or her name.

Coulter really is pathetic and sad. There's really not much else that can be said in a classy way, so I'll just stop there. I ceased being angry about her diatribes a long time ago, but I'll never stop pointing them out, because the last thing we need in the face of her silly slander is apathy.

Two more quick thoughts - I have absolutely no problem with Edwards making money off of her remarks, no matter who she is slandering, and she's beyond hypocritical to lamely try and call out John Edwards for doing so. Isn't Coulter making millions off of her own blarney? So, why shouldn't Democrats?

Anyone who believes that Republicans don't send out fundraising letters to their base when a Democrat says something ill-advised should be awarded a doctorate in naïveté. It's part of the political fundraising game, Ann. But, of course, she thinks that most of us are naïve enough to believe that only Democrats do it.

Honestly, the moron in Chris Matthews' audience who shouted, "Why isn't John Edwards making this call?!?" made me as angry as Coulter did. Ridiculous, but something I'd expect from a Coulter sycophant. That's overtly stating that the wife of a presidential candidate doesn't have the right to express her views, or that hers are unimportant.

I'm happy that Elizabeth Edwards did what she did. It's probably best to ignore people like Ann, but sometimes, enough is enough, and they need to be called out.

iHype reaching fever pitch

This is still as funny today as when it originally aired on MadTV earlier this year. I figured I'd show it again for a number of reasons, the chief one being that the much vaunted iPhone is being launched tomorrow.

I'm not too excited about the iPhone for two reasons:

1. As a Verizon Wireless customer, it's unavailable to me. I find it mindlessly stupid that Apple would strike an exclusive deal with one cell provider - it makes no sense on its face. But, then again, I'm sure that there's a lot I don't know, like how many zeroes the check has that they received from AT&T/Cingular for said deal.

At first blush, it looks like a rare mistake by Apple cofounder and CEO Steve Jobs, but I'm probably wrong about that. When he first rolled out the iPod, a product I can now officially never live without (along with hyperbole), it was only available to the approximately five percent of computer users (and it wasn't that much back then) who used the Macintosh. As soon as the iPod was available to Windows users, I snatched one up quicker than you can say Cultural Icon.

I've already blogged about this at length, but I won't do business with AT&T/Cingular Wireless again. I had bad experiences with both, so no dough for them. But, since cell phone companies are merging quicker than drunken spring break coeds, I may be forced to do so in the future. We'll see.

2. Sticker shock. It's insane to spend the kind of money on a cell phone that the iPhone is costing people - upward of $700 for the 8GB model. The 8GB phone is supposed to be going for $599, but being an iPod veteran (I'm on #5), I know that there's lots of stuff not included in the box that you will almost certainly want. So, with tax and an accessory or two later, your mortgage payment is threatened.

So, until the phone is available to everyone and the price comes over to this side of reasonable, no thanks. As much of a self-admitted Tech Whore I am, I've been remarkably resilient at resisting the cell phone trap. Yes, I have my RAZR like tens of millions of others, but I waited until they were under $100 before getting one. That's my limit on a cell phone, and for two simple reason - it's just a damn phone, and I have a very bad track record of involuntarily bouncing them off of the hardest surface possible on dozens of occassions.

Anyway, I'm immune to the iPhone bug, for now. I'm sure it will get around to biting me sooner or later though, just like the iPod did. I took a quick sneak peak at the features on Apple's Website, and I'll admit the phone does look like something special. But, iStopped after a few minutes. Why do this to myself? Apple's products should almost be regulated by the DEA - something in them just makes people want more and more of them. Bill Gates must be having Genius-envy right about now.

And people thought Microsoft won the MS/Apple War. Not so fast, Billy. Apple still has light years to go to catch up with Microsoft in terms of overall tech dominance, but Apple boasts Microsoft Windows-like monopoly on chic.

The big story now is that millions of people are lining up for the iPhone already, though. Jobs never misses an opportunity to iHype any and all Apple product releases, and iPhone is his best, ahem, Job yet in marketing mastery. I heard on the Today show yesterday that people are actually flying over from China and elsewhere to get their hands on one. Phew - money and time - people obviously have a lot of it on their hands.

I've spent a great deal of money on photography equipment in my life, but as much as I've anticipated new products and gadgets, I wouldn't consider for a second getting on a plane to Japan to go get the latest camera or lens, even if I did have the money and time. I also justify my photography habit by reasoning that an expensive lens can last a photographer years, if not decades, if well cared for (and I BABY my equipment).

A cell phone? The shelf life on those is shorter than a hockey season; you no sooner buy one and a company is rolling out something bigger, better, fadder. (iLove inventing words.)

People who buy early are simply paying a premium for something they can get for much less a year or maybe even six months from now. Translation: someone has to pay for all of this advertising, eh, Mr. Jobs?

iPhone? iCanWait.

Great time waster: OJ's blood-soaked tome

I found what appears to be a copy of OJ Simpson's ill-fated book, If I Did It, online. You can download the PDF Here. If you're interested, I'd download it fast before the link is disabled.

It's not a book I'm particularly interested in reading, but I thought I'd pass the news on. I have a stack of about 20 books on my reading list that rate above this one, and dozens more on my bookshelf. But hey, it's free, so if reading this interests you, you're a few clicks away.

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My new photoblog is finally online

At long last, my photo blog is up! There's not much to it yet - just some pictures from my trip to Game 7 of Stanley Cup Finals last year. I guess I'll be takin' two parallel paths for a little while; I'll post pics from the "archives" of sorts, and also current pictures.

I'm kind of making it up as I go along, so of course I'd be delighted to hear any suggestions or feedback on my photography. If you think I like to write, trust me, it pales in comparison to how much I love photography.

My two loves in photography are candids, city scapes and photography, and my photoblog will contain lots of them all.

My plans for my official Website, russellcorby.com (or rjcorby.com if you're a friend - I own both domain names) are moving forward, but a bit slower than I'd like. All that stands between me and a great, original Website built from the ground up is my learning Adobe Dreamweaver. I'm working on it, and I'll keep you updated as I make progress.

Oh, and a bit about the name, EOS Mío. ...

I'm nuts about Canon equipment - I'm on my eighth Canon SLR, and with the exception of my HP Photosmart R967 digital and a Yashica point and shoot I had years ago, I've only ever owned Canon cameras.I owned Canon's first EOS camera, the 650, which was also Canon's first true auto focus SLR (with a nod to a rare Canon piece of garbage, the T80).

Anyway, I've been in love with the Canon EOS ever since its introduction 20 years ago in 1987 - the system keeps getting better and better.

The second half of this blog's name - working in the restaurant business, one of the phrases I heard most often from my Spanish coworkers was "Dios Mío!" (My God!) I love the Spanish language ~ some day I'll be fluent, but I've got a long way to go.

So, EOS Mío is the name - My EOS.

Sunday Cartoons

Here's the best of the best I found this week in political cartoons. I'm waaay behind on writing, but I'll get back to it tonight. You'll see how I've been spending all of my spare time very shortly.

I'd like to know just what Hillary Clinton was thinking?!? A Celine Dion song? It's not exactly her husband's Don't Stop Thinkin' About Tomorrow by Fleetwood Mac, that's for sure. With a Celine Dion song, I can't stop thinking about yesterday. Yeesh.

Speaks for itself. Bonds is a disgrace, and pretty soon, so will Major League Baseball's most hallowed record. Just another reason that football and hockey are superior. The last time I checked, Emmitt Smith and Wayne Gretzky weren't juiced, and they both hold arguably the most esteemed records in their respective sports.

Nader ponders spoiler run in '08

A piece in The Politico today states that Ralph Nader is considering another run for the presidency. Of course, whenever Nader considers such a move, it's not out of hope of actually winning, but it's to protest the ineptitude of the Democratic Party. The piece has some pretty poignant quotes from Nader that are well worth sharing:

"You know the two parties are still converging -- they don't even debate the military budget anymore," Nader said in a 30-minute interview. "I really think there needs to be more competition from outside the two parties."

Even the possible entry of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg into the race as an independent might not dissuade Nader.

"He is interesting (but) unpredictable," Nader said of Bloomberg. "I really like the stand he took against smoking, but he goes along with corporate welfare in New York and tax-funded stadiums. So he is unfinished in that way."

Nader would have little or no chance of winning the presidency should he run, but he doesn't need to win to affect the outcome: Many Democrats still blame Nader for draining enough votes away from Al Gore in 2000 to throw the election George W. Bush.

And while Nader, 73, realizes he might once again be accused of being a "spoiler" candidate, he says the Democrats could win in 2008, unless they spoil things for themselves.

"Democrats have become, over the years, very good at electing very bad Republicans," Nader said. "Democrats always know how to implode, how to be ambiguous, how to waver, how not to be authentic."

That's very well put. Democrats have become very proficient at helping pathetic, classically inept Republicans get elected to Congress and the presidency.

If a Democrat can't win the White House in '08, perhaps the party will be relegated to permanent minority status for the foreseeable future. And it will deserve it.

I'll never forgive Nader for the 2000 election, when he clearly siphoned off enough votes from Gore to cost him the presidency. I won't get into it again for the umpteenth time, but it's tough not to ponder how different of a country we would be living in today if Nader hadn't chosen to run in 2000. But, that's water long under the dam.

But, this time, I'm happy that Nader is considering a run, and I hope he throws his hat into the ring. No one, not even Nader, thinks he can win in '08, either. But, I don't care.

The more choices we have in 2008, the better. Nader's and Bloomberg's candidacies next year will do nothing but good things for the electoral process, and hopefully will add much-needed debate to the political discourse. It may be the only way that the GOP and Democratic candidates take each and every vote seriously. In other words, candidates would have to earn every vote.

What a novel concept.

I couldn't resist

Edwards on global warming

Here's a video of John Edwards on global warming. Not bad - I say his proposals are merely a start, though. But, I have to give him kudos for even offering specifics; thus far, very few candidates have even done that, and most of the ones I hear are coming from Democratic candidates.

A great deal must be overcome to make real progress on global warming. What comes to mind first and foremost is overcoming fossil fuel industry campaign contributions. Between big oil and big coal, the loudest voices on Capitol Hill are the ones with the deepest pockets. It's no surprise that like many ills in our society, global warming and its causes and solutions all come back to money in politics. This is just another reason while we desperately need public financing for our elections.

Bloomberg dumps GOP; Will he run?

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is the latest candidate for the 2008 presidential election who's running by not running, joining Al Gore and Fred Thompson.

On Wednesday, Bloomberg left the Republican Party, changing his party affiliation to "Independent."

However, immediately after doing so, he immediately declared that he has no intention of running for president, but of course he didn't slam the door shut, much less lock it with a dead bolt.

I've written it before - honestly, I do hope that he runs. I really want a viable third-party candidate, and Bloomberg seems as good as third-party candidate as any. He's a moderate who is beholden to no one, and he has the courage to take on big issues: global warming, stem-cell research, traffic problems, smoking bans in public places and tough choices on traffic, just to name a few.

Of course he's running. Why else would have change his party affiliation? He won't be running for reelection as mayor of NYC, and a man of Bloomberg's stature and wealth isn't going to run for governor of New York or any other state. Running for president is the logical choice.

He's smart to not declare right now. He can wait until next year because he doesn't have to go through all of the insane fund raising that the Republican and Democratic candidates have to endure. And, he leaving himself an out if he's really happy with the Democratic and/or the Republican presumptive candidate by early next year.

It's pretty entertaining to hear all of the talking heads on television saying he would have a "steep uphill battle," as I heard one put it the other day. Really? With $500 million (or more) that he'll deposit into this campaign account?

I'm already sick to death of the Ross Perot comparisons. Bloomberg is no Perot - he's got Perot's money, but unlike Perot in '92, Bloomberg has held elective office, and he actually has some ideas, not just Perot's empty, boastful blarney.

Best of all, if Bloomberg is elected, he'll owe very few, if any favors to big business and donors with deep pockets, because he will not have pimped himself for campaign cash.

I really hope that 2008 turns out to be 1992 all over again, in more ways than one. Bloomberg's entry into the race will be a very good thing.

AP Photo

Giuliani forecast for S. Carolina: heavy snow

This story is yet another little dent in the armor of America's Mayor. It's an embarrassment to Giuliani and his campaign, but here's a fearless prediction: Thomas Ravenel, chair of Rudy's 2008 South Carolina presidential campaign effort, was indicted on drug charges the other day, and it will have zero effect on Giuliani's popularity in the polls in the near- or long-term.

Ravenel, the South Carolina state treasurer, has been suspended from his duties and he has resigned from the Giuliani campaign. I'm the first one to say "innocent until proven guilty," but nevertheless, this is still got to have Rudy fuming. But again, not really, because the lightweight media treatment he receives won't cause him to suffer much. This phenomenon will be identical to Bernie Kerik's effect on Rudy. Kerik, the former NYPD Police Commish and former nominee to be Director of the DHS, has more ethical lapses than Heidi Fleiss, and Giuliani has a close and personal history with him. After Kerik's doomed nomination to be the DHS chief (Rudy very publicly pimped Kerik for the job), a whole litany of uncouth revelations came to light about him: alleged mob ties, a private apartment near Ground Zero in Battery Park, NYC, where Kerik was shtooping his mistress, and alleged kickbacks. Oh, and that little Battery Park love nest? It was at taxpayer expense. Another great case of our tax dollars at, ahem, work.

Rudy is godfather to two of Kerik's children.

Anyway, we'll see how this plays out, but here's saying this will be a blip on the radar screen in a few weeks.

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Here's done better, but he's spot on about Zell Lieberman, though. It's now plain to see, and was pretty easy to predict after Lieberman's victory last November - he's dedicated his term in the Senate to making the Democrats pay for having opposed him in last spring's Democratic Primary against Ned Lamont.

I'm very much looking forward to next year, when hopefully the Democrats can gain a wider margin in the Senate, thereby rendering Lieberman toothless. But, the way things are going, that's an uphill climb, too; Harry Reid couldn't lead a Boy Scout Troop. He's the biggest disgrace of a Senate Majority Leader in my lifetime.

Takin' a Road Trip for a laugh break

I need a laugh break before getting back to the dozens of topics in the political world I want to write about tonight.

Before 40-Year Old Virgin, Road Trip was my favorite comedy. This is one of my favorite scenes from the movie - when Tom Green is trying to feed Mitch, his friend's python. This reminds me of college, when I always wanted to feed my friend Tim's python. I was always obsessed with seeing it happen, but I never put a mouse in my mouth.

If you haven't seen Road Trip, it's tough to appreciate this clip. If you haven't seen it, and you like the Will Ferrell-caliber movies, run to the video store and rent the movie - it's hilarious.

The Humvee of photography lenses

Sigma, manufacturer of photography equipment, recently unveiled a mammoth photography lens that I can hardly even comprehend. These pictures defy description, so I'm not going to try. Take a look at this...

Take the biggest, baddest SLR you can find, strap it to the end of this baby, and it's gonna look like a dimple on a golf ball.

When I first saw this pic, my first thought was, "Holy Crap!" and not because of the model. The end of the lens has a bigger circumference than her head. The lens cap must look like a manhole cover.

Look how puny and funny the lens mount looks. The lens, a 200-500mm F2.8 (constant throughout!) weighs in at a whopping 35 pounds. It comes with its own handle, and LCD screen (see below). It's the understatement of the year that the lens must be mounted on a tripod. Just imagine trying to pick up the set-up of a camera attacked to this lens by the camera - S-N-A-P!

I love the fact that the lens has its own LCD. Cool.

A few technical details, just for the fun of it, from DP Review:

The APO 200-500mm F2.8 EX DG is the world's first ultra-telephoto zoom lens that offers a fast aperture of F2.8 at 500mm focal length. It covers the widely used 200 to 500mm focal length range, and maintains its fast F2.8 aperture over the entire zoom range. Four SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements provide excellent correction for all types of aberrations and produce a high level of optical performance throughout the entire zoom range.

Shooting distance and focal length can be viewed on the LCD panel, which is an additional convenience for the photographer.

A filter can be inserted toward the rear of the lens, and a circular polarizing filter can be used with its ingenious rotation mechanism.

A dedicated APO TELE CONVERTER 2x EX DG II is supplied as a standard accessory with the APO 200-500mm F2.8 EX DG.

Its exclusive design minimises image degradation usually associated with teleconverters. When this dedicated teleconverter is used with the lens, it becomes a large aperture 400-1000mm F5.6 AF Ultra-Telephoto Zoom lens.

A 400-1000 lens? Rancid! I was telling my friend Jen today that with this lens, you could live in Los Angeles and tell your friends in San Francisco to "say cheese."

If I ever win the lottery and become a millionaire dozens of times over, I'd buy this for a conversation piece as much as to find some use for it. You'd need to win the lottery to afford it. The price tag is a cool $10,000 (estimated), but for those of you eager to lug one away, you've got time to save - it's not available yet.

Pictures via DP Review

Just a little while longer...

I'm still working on it - the new photo blog will be up soon - promise. Probably another day or two...

But, time to write - I'm getting back to that in the next little while this afternoon.

Your morning screwdriver is ready

Less bark, more bite... Absolut CMB... juuuuuust right. On being far left of right.

Lots more to come later today, but it's supposed to be gorgeous in Philadelphia today, so I'll be out and about with my camera, firing away.

Also later today - a new PECAD blog. But, I'll leave it there for right now - more details later.

Some tardy Sunday cartoons

I didn't get a chance to post these yesterday, so here's a late edition of the Sunday funnies.

Al Gore has called the G-8's global warming agreement "a disgrace," and I think he's right. So, the world's eight biggest polluters leading economic powers are pledging to cut greehouse gases in half by 2050? I'm underfreakingwhelmed. And of course, President Bush made no firm commitment - which is about what I'd expect from the most openly anti-environmental president we've ever had. The world can and must do better.

Just in case you missed it, this cartoon references the wild ride that a man went through on his wheelchair last week, when it got stuck on the front of an 18-wheeler. More on the story Here.

Laugh-X: A very funny commercial

I'd love to be in the meeting when commercials like this one get green-lighted. This is one of the funniest commercials I've seen on TV in a long time.

35 years ago, + 1 day: the break-in

I meant to blog about this yesterday, but I was just too tired to blog after we got home from visiting my dad in the Poconos.

Thirty-five years ago yesterday, five men broke into the Watergate complex, home of the Democratic National Headquarters, and were caught by police after security guard Frank Willis noticed tape over a door latch (put there by the burglars to keep it from locking). The burglary touched off a cascade of events that led to the downfall and resignation of President Nixon.

Editor & Publisher had an interesting piece late last week about the anniversary that asks the question, "Would the Watergate story have been broken today?" A sample:

If Watergate had broken today, chances are someone would have posted a news story with inaccurate information too early, or the in-depth reporting needed might have been neglected in favor of quicker, more immediate, and more broad-interest scoops. That is not to say that the Post, still among the best daily papers and Web sites in the industry, would not have been on top of the story. But there is no doubt that online and immediacy demands of today could have impacted the careful, slow-building and meticulous coverage.

As for anonymous sourcing, it is clear the recent efforts to penalize confidential sources, and reporters who use them, may have an impact on reporting another Watergate today. Famed Deep Throat source W. Mark Felt, who helped guide Woodward during his parking garage meetings, may have felt more threatened with legal problems, and possibly jail, had he cooperated in today's climate -- as would Woodward and Bernstein.

Who knows, someone with a cell phone camera working in the parking garage might have snapped a photo of Woodward chatting with this unknown source. Or a blogger would have blown the whistle.

It's not an easy question to contemplate, because much of the cynicism and partisanship that exists today can be traced back to Watergate and Vietnam. (It's not a stretch to say that without Vietnam, there would have been no Watergate Scandal.)

The idealist in me likes to think that somehow the truth would still come out if such a political firestorm happened today, but the realist in me says "no way."

Why?

Because Watergate-caliber stuff has been happening in this country for over six years now, and because of the poisoned political atmosphere in Washington, the rise of Fox News and the pervasiveness of right-wing radio and the consolidation of our media, it's highly unlikely that such a scandal would be revealed today unless some major whistle blowers stepped forward.

In today's partisan atmosphere, can you imagine how harshly Woodstein would be crucified by Fox News, Rush Limbaugh and Sean Insanity? They'd be labeled "reporters with an agenda, out to get the president." Period.

And that's one of the main reasons why the Bush administration has gotten away with the mind-boggling things it has since January 2001 - when a legit news story comes out that's a major embarrassment to the administration, either the people reporting it get attacked, or the administration manipulates the media with another terrorism or War in Iraq story. Remember the timing of the Saddam Hussein verdict?

A few examples of the people who've been smeared: Richard Clarke, former counter-terrorism chief from presidents Reagan through George W. Bush; former treasury secretary Paul O'Neill; the U.S. attorneys who were fired; a number of former army generals who served in Iraq; John DiIulio, the former head of Bush's stalled effort to aid religious charities; and Matthew Dowd, a former Bush staffer who played key roles in Bush's "victories" in 2000 and 2004.

Hey, the list goes on and on. The Karl Rove template on whistle blowers and defectors is simple - impugn the integrity of the turncoats, so at least the possibility is raised that they might be speaking out because of a missed-out promotion, or a political ax to grind.

So, in the end, I don't think Watergate could be exposed like it was from 1972-1974. Our mainstream media is too corrupted, consolidated and focused on pop culture pap, and very few journalists do honest, thorough reporting anymore. The norm now sadly seems to be "report now, and we'll correct it if we need to." In other words, report now, verify later, but only if someone screams and complains loud enough that we got the story wrong.

Think I'm being too cynical? Then you haven't been paying attention to the presidential candidates' press coverage so far, specifically on the Democrats. From Hillary Clinton's wardrobe and ancient marital problems to John Edwards' "$400 haircuts," the Dems, so far, have been subjected to a great deal of superficial, biased and irrelevant reporting.

On the flip-side, candidates like Rudy Giuliani and John McCain have largely gotten a pass. Giuliani, a man who has profited greatly and shamelessly from 9-11, made about $10 million in speeches last year, and his speaking contract demanded all sorts of ridiculous luxuries; use of a Gulfstream IV Jet among them, along with a $100,000 speaking fee. And the press is bitching about a $400 haircut? Please.

Anyway, Joe Strupp, the author of the E&P piece, ended with a note of optimism:

I'm not saying all is lost in the realm of true investigative journalism. A look at the recent Pulitzer Prizes found a welcomed return, in many categories, to investigative packages and stories, with news microscopes focused on issues ranging from housing scandals in Miami to oceanic problems in the Pacific.

Those are some good examples, no doubt, but I still maintain that in the age of infotainment, there is much, much more horrific and superficial journalism in our mainstream media than even adequate reporting.

Mike Gravel is one strange guy

Stick with this video - I promise it won't be worth it. This is some strange footage of Democratic Presidential Candidate Mike Gravel, a man who has as much hope of becoming president as I do at quarterbacking the Philadelphia Flyers' power play unit next season.

Some people might look at this video and try to psychoanalyze it; "it's a metaphor for this" or "it's symbolic of that," etc. I'm not buyin' it.

This is the mark of a desperate candidate who can't raise two plug nickels. Why? If you spend five minutes listening to him, you know why. He's too angry, too extreme and too unknown.

Don't get me wrong - I'm in the camp of "the more candidates the better," but this guy should have had the rock dropped on his head. What's more, this video, which runs 2:50, could have been done in about 45 seconds. But Gravel probably can't afford to hire a video editor, either.

Funniest cat pic ever, or saddest? Both!

I was cruising around MySpace this morning on some of my favorite comedian pages, and sometimes, the comments on those pages are the best. Anyway, when someone leaves a funny comment, often I will go to that person's profile to read more. Anyway, I found this picture on one of the profiles, and I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

I've written many times that I'm fascinated with our cat, and one of the things that cracks me up most is that cats really do have facial expressions just like humans do, and the pic above proves my point beyond a reasonable doubt.

This just in - cats HATE water. We had to give our Butter a bath once, and he was NOT happy - it was a two-person job, because if just one of us had done it, dozens of claw and bite marks would have been the result.

Great photo - that one should be entered into a pet photo contest.

Bodyguard: Lohan digs booger sugar*

Lindsay Lohan's bodyguard for the past two years quit recently because it was too dangerous. Not that the threats against Lindsay were too dangerous, but because Lohan herself was too dangerous. The News of the World says Lindsay:

Attacked a gun-wielding cocaine dealer for ripping her off, Snorted line after line with Simple Life star Nicole Richie in a ten-hour binge, Slashed her wrists with knives, sobbing that she "didn't belong on this planet", enjoyed frenzied lesbian romps with scores of girls she picked up at parties — and even made a play for chart star Mariah Carey.

A direct quote from Weaver: "I have looked after some of the wildest stars in Hollywood — but never anyone as out of control as Lindsay is. She had a total death wish and took more drugs and drank more than anyone I've met."

Evidently, the final straw (pardon the pun) came when she attacked her coke dealer:

"In April she asked me to take her to her dealer in Beverly Hills. I knew if I refused she'd go alone — so I took her. He was waiting for her in some bushes. Suddenly she started screaming and punching him for selling her short. He pulled a gun. I got out and he threatened to shoot me unless I got her to back off — but she kept hitting him. Luckily he got distracted and I punched him down. I dragged Lindsay into the car and drove off but she was screaming at me to go back. It was like Pulp Fiction. I knew then she was just too dangerous to be around."

Get the full article Here.

Crazy girl, that Lohan. Not that I really care, but I wonder 1. Where in the world her parents were while all of this was going on, and 2. Where is her mom now with cries of, "May daughter is sweet and innocent" and "she does not have a drug problem," and "blah blah blah blah."

Lindsay Lohan doesn't have a drug problem? To quote a street vendor in New York City when my wife tried to bargain for the price of a knit hat last fall...

"Ohhh Puleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze."

* - Full disclosure: Okay, I just got that headline from Will Ferrell in the clip of him I just posted - hilarious.

Ferrell gets his Mantlers, from... Pee-wee?!?

This is vintage Will Ferrell, one of the funniest comedians on the Big Screen today, as he receives his Mantlers during the Spike TV Guys Choice Awards.

And I sincerely hope I'm not the only one disturbed at the site of Pee-wee Herman. I can still remember Paul Reubens' mug shot after public indecency in a Florida movie theater. Creepy. Dude, keep that stuff to yourself in the privacy of your own home.

So, seeing Pee-wee in full outfit was a buzzkill. But, funny, too.

Daytime TV will never be the same

Bob Barker has retired from The Price is Right. We have the final show on TiVo, but we haven't watched it yet. But, I couldn't resist - I had to check it out on iFilm.

A surprisingly unemotional, but classy exit.

This contrasts pretty sharply with Barker's conduct over his 50-year TV career, specifically during his 35-year run as host of TPIR. Evidently, Barker was quite the hound. Click on his name above for some of those details.

Recycling in photos

These are some fantastic, eye-opening images about our consumerism, throw-away culture. These images are by Chris Jordan, a Seattle-based photographer and activist.

The images and statistics are pretty alarming, and they definitely have made me think twice about what I consume, where I spend my money, and, most importantly, what I throw away and recycle.

(Click on any image for a much bigger, better view)

The three images above depict 106,000 aluminum cans, the number used in the US every thirty seconds. Zoiks!

We recycle every can, and by that I don't mean sending them to the City of Philadelphia, which has an abysmal recycling track record. We are saving and crushing them. At the end of the summer I hope to ca$h in, but I don't know how much we'll net. But, it's a win-win - we are recycling all of our aluminum, and hopefully makin' a little money out of it, too.

I admit to starting this out of selfish purposes - saving extra money for photo equipment - but we're avoiding sending lots of aluminum to the landfull (pun intended). The way I mow through cases of Dr. Pepper, coupled with my daily regimen of Red Bull, the aluminum is piling up. I do need to cut back on the caffeine, but it doesn't seem to be in the cards anytime soon. Maybe in the next lifetime.

These three images (above) depict the number of cell phones retired in the US every day - 426,000. One of the biggest threats to our environment is the disposal of electronic devices like cell phones, computers, PDAs and the like. These devices contain some very nasty chemicals and components.

Recently, I donated five of our old cell phones to Verizon's HopeLine Program. This program refurbishes and distributes old phones to community outreach groups, such as the Family Violence Prevention Fund and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

To donate your old cell to this very worthy program, drop off your old phone to any Verizon Wireless store, or send it on to:

HopeLine Program
c/o Verizon Wireless
2555 Bishop Circle West
Dexter, MI 48130

For more information about HopeLine, call 1-800-426-2790 between the hours of:
9 a.m. and 9 p.m. EST, Monday — Saturday
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST on Sunday

These three images depict 125,000 one-hundred dollar bills ($12.5 million), the amount our government spends every hour on the War in Iraq.

I'll let those three pictures and that statistic all stand on their own without comment. Just a thought, though - I wonder how the people in New Orleans feel about that?

I found this statistic absolutely mind-boggling: Every five seconds, 60,000 plastic bags are used in the US. But, the good news is that many of them simply don't need to be used, and they all can be recycled.

Personally, I feel the first step is to not get a bag when you need it. I can't tell you how many times I've walked into a convenience store, buy one soda (and nothing else), and the clerk wants to put it in a bag. The best defense is a good offense - I often refuse the bag when I don't need it, even if a cashier has already put a few packages in it - I make the cashier take them out. I do appreciate good customer service, but I appreciate the environment a whole lot more.

The second step is to reuse these bags as often as possible, and we do. After multiple trips to the supermarket, they begin to pile up, so we take any excess bags to the supermarket; many stores have bins set up specifically for excess shopping bags. So, ones we aren't reusing get recycled. Check your local supermarket by the entrances/exits or up front by the register - chances are, yours has a similar bag drop. If it doesn't, ask them to get one, or frequent a store that does.

Really, the possibilities here are endless. Just imagine, out of the approximately 200 million adults in this country, if every person refused one bag PER YEAR - that would be 200 million less bags used, most of which go straight to the dump. Now imagine five bags per year, or 10. Now multiply that by 50 or 60 years over a lifetime.

Recycling really CAN make a big difference, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

This picture depicts 8 million toothpicks, equal to the number of trees harvested in the US every month to make the paper for mail order catalogs. Wow. The best thing to do here is to opt out of catalogs and try to get off mailing lists. I'm guilty of not doing this, so far. But, I was spurred to action a few days ago when I received a source book from one of my favorite camera retailers, B&H Photo in New York City. The catalog must be nearly two inches thick, and it's not going to get any use; when I want to order something, I go online and see what I want. B&H needs to stop sending me these, so they'll hear from me shortly.

These two pictures depict 24,000 logos from the GMC Yukon Denali, equal to six weeks of sales of that model SUV in 2004.

My measure of prevention here is simple - I will never drive or own an SUV. Ever. Or at least until hybrid or even full-on plug-in electric SUVs come out. Then, yes.

By the way, the 2007 Yukon XL Denali? It gets 13 MPG in the city, and 19 MPG on the highway. Pathetic.

##

These images, and many, many more, are now on display at the Von Lintel Art Gallery in New York City. The exhibit, Running the Numbers, by Chris Jordan, runs through July 31.

I'm really going to try to get to NYC to see it. And yes, I will take mass transit.

Jordan puts it best, on his Website:

As an American consumer myself, I am in no position to finger wag; but I do know that when we reflect on a difficult question in the absence of an answer, our attention can turn inward, and in that space may exist the possibility of some evolution of thought or action. So my hope is that these photographs can serve as portals to a kind of cultural self-inquiry. It may not be the most comfortable terrain, but I have heard it said that in risking self-awareness, at least we know that we are awake.

Those are about the best damn words I've read about recycling, ever.