Unstated assumptions.

If a kitchen faucet is flowing at a rate of 1 gallon/minute, how long does it take to fill a 6oz. glass?  Well not 2.8 seconds if the water does not stay in the glass.  With the right shape of glass and the right input parameters the answer is never. 

Bovine Topologists

We are learning that some animals are much smarter than previously suspected.  For example, I read this week that experiments with pigeons showed they can effectively count objects and rank them by number of elements.  Before this research it was assumed that was a talent possessed only by primates.   So I am wondering:  Just how much do we know about the intelligence of other critters.  Could a raccoon understand algebra?  Maybe even calculus?   And cows are not considered the Einsteins of the animal kingdom, but how do we know they do not understand topology and just cannot let us know what they know.  After all, how much information can you convey when your only word is "Mooo"?  This photo is of a couple of cow pals who know what they see and are no doubt contemplating and discussing the four-dimensional reality of the 3D figure.  Hey!  It could happen.

B/W Building

OK, so there is this office building on Sonterra Blvd. at the entrance to Reagan HS.  I photographed it just after it was completed and went back yesterday to do it again.  I think it renders well in B/W.  The sculpture in front is a uniform metallic finish.  The contrasting shades are just due to reflected light.   Comments welcome.

Six Elevens

I took a shot like this last year at 10:10:10 on 10/10/10, so it seemed logical to repeat this year at 11:11:11 on 11/11/11.   I was all set to shoot it at the morning opportunity, but got distracted and didn't make the deadline, so had to catch the 11 PM case.  The photo is self-authenticating.  Couldn't have been shot before the 11th because the newspaper was not printed yet.  Couldn't be shot at after the 11th because it is being posted to the blog today before 10 AM.  The watch is radio controlled and has no manual setting.  Besides, what would be the point of faking it?  

Reagan High School

This is a shot of a couple of buildings on the Reagan Campus. It doesn't really tell you anything about the school, but I always liked the color of these buildings and how they complement each other and go well with the green tree tops and the blue sky.  Shot was made from the Baptist hospital parking garage.   The main challenge was to avoid the power lines running along the side of the campus.  

An Air Life finally

OK, so I've been wanting to get a shot of one of the medical helicopters in action for a long time but could never be at the right place at the right time.  Yesterday, when I was leaving home for an errand, I saw one headed to North Central Baptist Hosp.   I raced to get there, knowing there was a spot for taking the shot on the roof of their parking garage.  It overlooks the landing pad.   By the time I got there, the rotors had been shut down so I did not get them rotating as I had hoped, but did get in place before they offloaded the patient.  This photo shows her strapped onto the gurney just before being wheeled into the ER.  The crew followed her in, so I figured they would not be taking off soon, so I left.   

Composite image

Flock of Owls

Here's a shot I made to use in a Viewfinders presentation on panoramas.   I set the camera on a tripod and took four shots, taking a different position in the frame between shots.  Then i stitched the four together to make this composite.