MovingPictures

New Photo Album Uploaded...

I uploaded a photo album of Diana cameras and their clones. I collected these cameras over many years and then sold the collection to the Lomographic Society International and now the cameras, known as the Detrich collection are on a world tour. I maintain the most comprehensive Diana camera website at allandetrich.com, and add new photos and names as I find them.

The Final Four is Set, and I Have Them All...

Well the Final Four is set for the NCAA Mens Basketball tournament and I picked them all. I have picked Memphis to win it all over North Carolina. I currently have 1040 points in the ESPN bracket challenge, and I am in the top 12,000 in the field of over 5 million with a percentage of 99.6%. I am in 4th place in the Ohio bracket. I hope my Midwest picks, especially Memphis, get me through to the final two. This is the best bracket I have ever picked!

Maybe Trouble Today in the Plains Today...

There may be the threat of severe weather in Oklahoma, and up into Kansas, with a more than 5% chance for strong tornadoes as forecast by the Storm Prediction Center. For you weather geeks out there, my storm chase group MESO now has a forecast blog where members publish forecasts and discuss the possibility if severe weather it is called the MESO Forecast Center, feel free to stop by and see what our weather guys are seeing and saying.

Onto the NCAA Elite Eight...

As the teams left in the NCAA Mens basketball tournament advance to the Elite Eight, I continue to do well in the ESPN bracket challenge. I have six teams left in the Elite 8, plus all of my final four teams are left. I have 720 points and am in 21st place in the Fans of Ohio group and am in 61,329th place overall, with a rating of 98.1% out of more than five million entries, or I am in the top 1.9% in the nation. Not bad for a rank amateur, we will see how I do Saturday and Sunday, but it is looking good for the Final Four...

Greensburg, KS to be New "Eco-Town"...

Greensburg, Kansas, was destroyed by Mother Nature last may 4th. The rebuilding of the dot on the Kansas landscape has taken on a literal meaning for the town; it will also rely on Mother Nature to build her back from the ground up.

The Discovery Channel and noted environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio plan a 13-part series, “Eco-Town.” The series will chronicle the rebuilding of Greensburg, which was leveled by a tornado May 4. The town, which has more than 1,500 residents, will be rebuilt as a "sustainable model of eco-living and one that will save it from future environmental catastrophe." The project was brought to Discovery by DiCaprio. DiCaprio will executive produce through his company, Appian Way, along with Piligian and Discovery Studios.”

The website of Greensburg, KS is touting the building of a replacement water tower for the one that collapsed during the EF 5 tornado, May 4th. A temporary visitors center was built on the site of the world's largest hand dug well, a tourist draw for the town before their noted tornado.

May 4th will mark the first anniversary of the tragedy and it will also help people put some closure on that horrible night in the plains. Hopefully May 5th, 2008 will mark a new beginning for all that are lucky enough to have lived through that night of twisters.

The sign for Greensburg, Kansas, advertising the world's largest hand dug well, is one of the few things that survived the tornado on May 4th, 2007.

Thrilled to be a Part of Angel Wishes...

I got a call from Teo, the director of Angel Wishes: Journey of a Spiritual Healer today, thanking me for sending him video on a hard drive. I thanked him and shared a link with him that lead to one of my earlier blog posts about the now trailer online. He reminded me of the official movie site www.angelwishesthemovie.com. As I looked around the site I found in Lana's blog, in it are some of the still pictures I shot for the movie. Below is a screenshot. I had such a great time working with Teo and Lana and hope they will keep me in mind for future projects. The premier of the movie will be in Cleveland sometime in August, I will keep you informed on that...

Only in Fremont...

During church on Easter I noticed something on the back side of a wheelchair that now leads me to believe that Fremont, Ohio is the NASCAR Fan HQ of America, judge for yourself...

   

Siriusly, It's About Time...

The Department of Justice gave the Sirius, XM Satellite radio merger its stamp of approval. The merger was first announced February of 2007. The only hurdle left is the FCC approval lead by the heel-dragging Chairman Kevin Martin. Martin, and many Congressmen seem to be in the back pocket of terrestrial radio and Clear Channel. Please click HERE to send an e-mail to Chairman Martin and tell him to let Sirius and XM merge today!

A Photo on Jones Soda Bottle....

In the mail today a got a set of labels from the Jones Soda Company. Last year I submitted some photos to the company's website for consideration of use on their products. The bottles are distributed woldwide, mine happens to be on sugar free cream soda. Click HERE to see the un-cropped photo on my website.

Just a Quick Picture From Today...

My son Noah was baptized today at St. Paul's Episcopal church. Family came in from Indianapolis, Indiana, Cincinnati, Attica and Tiffin, Ohio. My daughter Katrina, who is home on Easter break from Hyde Park, NY, where she is attending the Culinary Institute of America, really cooked up a great Easter dinner for us all. Overall it was a very nice day, the weather cooperated and so did my son.

Noah is Baptized by Pastor Daniel Orr on Easter.

NCAA Second Round Results...

Well, I have made a move in the ESPN standings. I now have 480 points and now are in the top 98.4 percent of the group, Fans of Ohio, and am currently in 27th place in the state. I have a possible 1040 points remaining if I got all my picks right, which would give me quite a nice total. Overall in the ESPN standings, I am in 51,789th place, out of just over 5 million entries. Not too bad! I have 12 of the sweet sixteen left in my bracket and am hoping for the best, onto the Elite 8...

First Downtown Atlanta Victim Found...

Officials have found the first victim of the downtown Atlanta tornado a week ago, buried in rubble. The body of the victim was found when a worker driving a bobcat was pushing debris aside. The man was found in a parking lot across Decatur Street from the Martin Luther King Jr. MARTA station, his hand was seen sticking out of debris. This amazing considering there were 18,000 people in the Georgia Dome at the time the tornado struck, plus thousands more at various other sporing events in the metro Atlanta area.

Indiana Photographer of the Year, Again...

For many years my little brother Matt had lived in the shadow of my huge carcase. It seems that my years as a photographer striving for perfection has left me looking ahead; and not over my shoulder where my brother Matt, six years my junior has been trying to live up to the pavement I have laid in front of him. Well, it is time to let people know about this guy. In the last few weeks he has won Indiana News Photographer of the year for maybe the third time, could be more, as a staff photographer at the Indianapolis Star. He has also won Region 4 POY and Ohio POY, like his brother, but the Hoosier Detrich is now stepping out into the spotlight on his own, and who could be more proud than me? Well, maybe our Mom and Dad.

I am sure I have not said it enough times over the years, but I am professing to the entire world, what a great photographer he has become. He works under Mike Fender in Indy, who I worked with in Kettering more years ago than I want to admit (the early 80's when in college), we also worked at a the Xenia Daily Gazette, not together, but me taking over for him after he left. I guess the 150 hour, Green County Fair week got to him as it does to every photographer that walk through the doors of the newspaper.

In the newspaper business, the utterance of the phrase "Great Job" is rarely heard; and it can play on your mind, even though you know in your head you are the best. This lead to my downfall end exit from newspaper business, and has me now in the movie making business.

At least now, I know when people think I am doing a good job or not.

I told my wife a few weeks back I wish life was simpler, again, like it was 20 years ago. Before political correctness and before people made a sport of taking pleasure in other peoples pain. I also think in this world of 24 hour news and people looking for a "Gotcha" around every corner, we as a society need to hand out more compliments and positive reinforcement.

Carma, I guess would be the right word.

I am hoping to make up for some lost time in telling my brother what a great job he is doing showing the people of Indiana, their lives through his magnificent lens. Bearing his soul, pixel by pixel, on the pages of newsprint daily. Taking crappy daily assignments and making them a visual masterpiece. Over many years, he has grown up in my shadow as a great person first, and a great photographer a very close second. I regret the years I spent worrying about me first, forgetting to take a peek back to see the growth of this guy following in my photographic footprints.

Some of my actions in the past have caused him great pain, and for that I am truly sorry. I have put that behind me now and can look to Matt at my side at my equal. My equal, who is making huge strides in the field of photojournalism, as my strides are taking me in a different direction. Maybe slightly to the Northwest, in a illustrative sense, as Matt continues on the straight and narrow path, striving for excellence and achieving it daily...   

NCAA First Round Results...

Well I picked 24 of 32 games, not a stellar day, but at least three of my games were lost in the last 5 seconds. We will see how the second round goes...

Trailer for Angel Wishes...

Just in, a trailer for the the movie Angel Wishes: Journey of a Spiritual Healer from the Director Teo. I shot the Cleveland location stuff for the movie, hopefull coming to a theater near you soon...

Lana Bettencourt and Teo on location in Cleveland.

Your Vote Counts Here, not in Florida and Michigan...

I entered a blog banner contest here at TypePad, so far I am in first place, and want to stay there. I would appreciate a vote from you guys. (VOTE HERE) Below is a small version of my entry , I thank you for your vote in advance...

Frosty Morning....

I took this photo yesterday, but choose to run it today because of the flooding news that was happening. Just a quick snapshot of my son Noah, playing with frost and here is hoping we don't have too many more really cold mornings, although they are calling for snow later this afternoon - YUCK...

Flooding Likely to Crest Today...

The Sandusky River just South of Fremont, Ohio.

President Bush declared a major disaster in Missouri on Wednesday night and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in flooded areas. Seventy counties and St. Louis also are eligible for federal funding.

Much of Ohio is under a flood warning today, with some areas watching out for flash floods. Most of southern Ohio received more than 4 inches of rain, Butler County has declared a state of emergency because of rising waters.

In Findlay, just 40 miles from Fremont, they have closed off streets after the Blanchard River had once again has gone over the 11-foot flood level - the 10th time it has done so in the last 15 months. The National Weather Service predicted the river will crest this afternoon at 12.3 feet. 

See more photos from today - CLICK HERE.

Flooding a Very Deadly Risk...

Flooding forced hundreds of people to flee their homes and has closed many roads across a wide swath of America's midsection as a huge storm system poured as much as 12 inches of rain over a large part of the Midwest. Fortunately here in Fremont, we have only had an inch of rain since midnight. Several weeks ago we had massive flooding in the area. (See my February 8th post and video - photos) As many as 13 deaths due to the flooding and storms have been reported so far, including a small boy in the Mesquite, TX area after being swept away by rushing waters into a drainage ditch.

Let me begin this post by saying that if you are in a flood stricken area, NEVER drive into fast moving water, here are some stats and facts about severe thunder storms from our MESO storm chase group's website library.

- Flash Floods/Floods
The number ONE thunderstorm killer...nearly 140 fatalities each year. Most flash flood deaths occur at night and when people become trapped in cars.

- Lightning
Occurs with ALL thunderstorms.
Averages 93 deaths and 300 injuries each year. It causes several hundred million dollars in damage to property and forests annually.

- Straight-line Winds
Responsible for most thunderstorm wind damage. Winds can exceed 100 mph! One type of straight-line wind, the downburst, can cause damage equivalent to a strong tornado and can be extremely dangerous to aviation. During the summer in the western states, thunderstorms often produce little rain but very strong wind gusts and dust storms.

- Large Hail
Causes nearly $1 billion in damage to property and crops annually. Costliest United States hailstorm: Denver, Colorado, July 11, 1990. Total damage was $625 million. The high plains of northern Colorado and southern Wyoming are the most frequent victims of hail storms, but any state that get thunderstorms can get large hail.

- From Lightning:
People who are: outdoors, especially under or near tall trees; in or on water; or on or near hilltops.

- From Flooding:
People who are in automobiles when flash flooding occurs near them

Flooding related to Hurricane Floyd.

Are We Black, White, Colorblind, None of the Above...

Today I watched the Barack Obama speech on TV about his association with his long-time pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright and the inflammatory sermons from the pulpit. It has been the continual topic on all of the 24 hour news channels, and seems it will continue despite the eloquent speech by the democratic candidate for President. The media is having a field day pitting Clinton against Obama, and Obama and Clinton against McCain.

Woman vs. Old, Black vs. Woman, Young Black vs. Old White Guy, Right vs. Left and Democrat vs. Republican - In the immortal words of Rodney King - "People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along? Can we get along?"

It is hard to believe that anyone wants to run for President anymore, with all the mud slinging and dirty politics that goes on during a campaign. I think it will be another generation before the race problems in the United States will start to go away. I have known people that will describe a person by any racial slur they can, be it a black person, or someone working at a 7-11. I have also seen my seven year old son play with friends of all colors and nationalities, with color blind eyes - this is the way it should be.

I have worked on several projects lately, where I am the only white guy on the set, and my co-workers have treated be better than some of the people that I thought were my long time friends have in the past, and I really appreciate that. I grew up in Attica, Ohio, a small rural farm community, and never went to school with an African American until I went to college. In college I had several African American friends and teachers. 

I think that people should be looked at as people; not black, white, yellow, brown, green, red, it doesn't matter. Barack Obama found out today that the racial divide in the US is much deeper than anybody thought. He did not condemn Rev. Wright. His ties to the church and pastor were too deep to sever completely.

Obama grew up in Hawaii the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas. He went to the University of Hawaii, then Columbia University. He earned his law degree from Harvard. The Trinity United Church of Christ and Rev. Wright gave him the link to the black community to help that helped get him where he is today. Obama has run on the platform of change, a platform that he had hoped would transcend the racial divide in America - and he was. Obama has had young and old, black and white, men and women in his camp, confirming his hopes of putting the race card back on the bottom of the deck.

Today, I don't think Obama went far enough to distance himself from the statements of Rev. Wright. Unfortunately as a result of today's speech Obama will no longer will be "the person" that blurred the race barrier in America, or be called an "agent for change."

From today on, Barack Obama will find himself labeled as the "Black candidate for President" again.

O' I Almost Forgot Something...

First off, Happy St. Patrick's Day! Although I am not Irish...I am German, and I have always taken full opportunity of the green drinking holiday. Maybe not so much in recent years, but in my college days, that was a different story. I went to school in Dayton, Ohio and lived in the University of Dayton "Ghetto." Just a few blocks away was the Irish bar Tim's. One of my housemates Tom Bolton, who was half Irish, half English, wanted to go out for the night and we wandered to Tim's.

The usually quiet bar was filled to the brim with rowdy college students getting their green on. Some of the highlights of the night were the green beer chugging contest, the corned beef eating contest, and last but not least, the bobbing for potatoes (ala bobbing for apples) contest in...green beer. Needless to say the night was a wild one and several of the participants in the potato bobbing contest walked...or stumbled, out of the bar looking somewhat like the Incredible Hulk (the Bill Bixby/Lou Ferigno era). All in all it was a fun night and we found our way back home and even made class the next day...

NCAA March Madness...

It is that time of year again, March Madness. Two weeks of amazing basketball games, games that capture and keep your attention, whether you are a fan of the team or not.

It is funny, once you lock in your picks on the NCAA bracket, you become a fan of each and every one of the teams you picked to advance; at least till you pick them to loose to another team you picked to win. Not that I am any psychic, but two years ago, I was in the top 3% on the ESPN website, not bad for a rank amateur. I am hoping to make up for my less than stellar showing last year, I finished only in the top 20%.

I tend to pick with the Midwest teams, but this year I went with a pick between two more East coast teams, North Carolina and Memphis, with North Carolina taking the crown from the home of the King, Memphis. Who knows on any given day, a team like Georgia (17-16), could continue their amazing winning streak they had to get into the tournament to knock off a higher ranked team, (but I hope not, because I picked Xavier to beat them in the first round).

All in all it's an exciting time of the year for college sports...

Filming for a TV Pilot...

Just a shot note to let you know that our group MESO will be doing filming this chase season for a TV pilot. We have several production companies interested in a TV series called "Twisted" which hopefully will be picked up next year.

Cameras Catch Atlanta Area Tornado...

From a local Atlanta TV Station towercam.

Deaths in Georgia...

A day after a EF 2 tornado ripped through downtown Atlanta, Georgia, thirty-eight tornadoes were reported throughout Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina killing at least two north of Atlanta. Costs of the damage from Fridays tornado is estimated at more than 150 million dollars. The Storm Prediction Center raised the tornado threat to a rare high risk early this afternoon. They have already issued a slight risk for severe storm for the next three days through the plains. Please pay attention to your local forecast if you live there. This storm season is on a record pace for deaths. This spring is coming in like a lion, and seems determined not to let go of its stormy grip.

Big City Blasted...

Last night a tornado struck downtown Atlanta, Georgia and the Georgia Dome while the SEC Basketball tournament was being played as a lead-up to the appropriately named "March Maddness" nation championship tournament. Photos show most of downtown with windows blown out of hotels and some structural damage (Gallery 2). Catwalks swayed and holes were put in the roof of the Georgia dome as some 18,000 people watched a basketball game as the storm struck with no warning to the players or spectators. Below are a couple of videos, one from ESPN, reporting on the situation at the Georgia Dome. The second is a short video of the radar loop that hit Atlanta last night. The area is under a Moderate Risk for severe storms today as issued by the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma...

May 4th Approaching With Some Apprehension...

Our storm chasing group MESO is planning to go back to Greensburg, Kansas on May 4th, the first anniversary of the EF 5 tornado that wiped out 95% of the small Kansas town. I have gotten a few messages and e-mails from my friends asking me "How are you going to feel when we go back to Greensburg?"

The truth is I think I will feel sick.

For weeks after the tornado I had trouble sleeping at night as did many of my colleagues. Several people in our group went through some form of counseling. As the tornado hit Greensburg, we were driving south towards the  town through winds of about 120-150 mph winds, hoping our van did not tip over. We then entered the destroyed town and and began search and rescue and and triage for the injured towns residents. My photos from the scene made the rounds on the internet, and were used on almost all of the major TV and Cable news shows. I did so many phone interviews I can't remember.

MESO has pulled together and has put together a memorial plaque (see my February 17th post) we are donating to the town on May 4th, that I am sure will bring tears to the eyes of all of us and the family members of the 12 people killed that night in the tornado.

Tears will never wash away the memories of that night in rural Kansas.

CNN phone interview on May 5th, the day after the Greensburg, KS EF5 tornado

Frozen Fremont, Ohio...

Here are a few photos from the snowy tundra that is Fremont, Ohio today.
   

Weird Weather Day...

Today in the south there were 15 tornadoes and two fatalities in Florida in some wicked weather. Here in the North and throughout the Midwest, we are getting hit by March madness in the form of a spring snow, ranging into blizzard conditions. We are expected to get nearly a foot of snow by morning. Our forecast for next week has us back up to 50 degrees, in this wild weather roller coaster.

Snowy scene in front of my Fremont, Ohio home.

Just a Cool Photo...

Tomatoes ripening in our window, near the sink.

Sandusky County in the National Voting Spotlight...

Jean Miller gets the ballots out of the collection box at 9:00 p.m. after extended voting in Sandusky county, Ohio.

Today was dubbed Super Tuesday II by the national media as Ohio and Texas went to the polls to cast their votes in the presidential primary. I was watching the Fox News Channel as the polls closed in Ohio and right after 7:30 they were saying that the Obama camp filed a lawsuits in many counties in Ohio to get the polls to stay open late. It was reported in Sandusky County that they ran out of Democratic ballots, which forced the polls to stay open till 9.

I grabbed my camera gear and de-iced my truck and went down to the local VFW to snap some photos of the news that was putting Sandusky County in the national spotlight. I was welcomed in the poll by the same people that facilitated my vote earlier in the day. The poll workers looked exhausted, and told me they were more than ready to head home, seeing only 5 voters from 7:30-9:00 p.m. It is rumored that the lawsuits filed in Ohio were testing the water for the general election in November, to see what threshold it takes to keep the polls open in cherry picked precincts in Ohio. I think it is sad that politicians cannot take the election results, as voted on by the people, but now feel they need to take the election results to the courts, be it Democratic or Republican.

Below are some of the photos I shot at the Fremont, Ohio VFW in Sandusky County, Ohio.

Ballots are carried out of the Fremont, Ohio VFW hall after extended voting.

Karla Dicker comes out of the Fremont, Ohio VFW at 8:45 pm after voting.

Alice Jeanette, has seen 5 voters from 7:30p.m. till 9, and waits to go home after a long day and extended voting.

Mississippi and Alabama Look Out Today...

The Storm Prediction Center in Oklahoma has issued a moderate risk for severe storms for the Gulf coast states today. Most of the state of Mississippi is in a 15% hatched chance for strong tornadoes. Please keep an eye out. The last tornado outbreak killed nearly 60 people in the south.

Leap Day Wedding...

Just thought I would post a photo Erin Massey I liked from the Mertz-Massey wedding near Cleveland on Friday. For more photos see my website.