Patriot Thoughts

Patriots

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Flag Retirement Ceremony "A Moving Tribute to the American Flag"
by Dick Bloom


"Captured prisoners"

I recently viewed "The Patriot" with Mel Gibson in the lead, he portrayed Ben Martin a man who knew how to fight during the bloody Wilderness Campaign in 1755 but wanted no part of war no more. Unfortunately for the British he felt a vendetta in his heart when his one son was captured and another shot down in cold blood in full sight of his brothers and sisters.

That cruel action by a Brit officer stirred an emotional trigger that brought him to be called by the Brits "a ghost". The reason I bring this up is the word

Dictionary.com definition

"Patriot"
{1. a person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country and its interests with devotion.

2. a person who regards himself or herself as a defender, esp. of individual rights, against presumed interference by the federal government.

3. (initial capital letter) Military. a U.S. Army antiaircraft missile with a range of 37 mi. (60 km) and a 200-lb. (90 kg) warhead, launched from a tracked vehicle with radar and computer guidance and fire control.}
I have given much thought to the controversy that is being brought to light in this smoke and mirror magic show we choose to call an election.

I will be spreading this topic out over several posts!

"I am a veteran. I put my hand up is what makes me a veteran!"
D.Bloom

I worked as a photojournalist for a stretch of years of which included September 11, 2001 for a local newsrag in PA. Over many years and many heart wrenching events from various Veterans and Veterans Organizations. When questioned if I was a vet. I would always reply that I am a Vietnam era vet but not a "Nam" Veteran! The so called true strife which I was lead to believe I raised my hand to help stop, The "communist scourge" or at least the recruiter told me so and once upon a time in a land far far away....blahblah blah.I lost many friends to "Nam"some died there,some died from agent orange,and some from suicide, some are the walking dead still suffering "SHELL SHOCK" yet today Nam vets are dying every day. Some are HOMELESS and know exactly how many homes they OWN...!!

My last comment til next post.... does my hitch {no hero, no gun tot'n,not out of America service} make more of, not as much of, or even a patriot at all in the thoughts on patiotism of the upcoming election? You will see a new poll. Please take it......
Thanks
Happy trails til we meet again!

We may never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion.
~Dwight D. Eisenhower

Speaking to Benjamin Vaughan, 14 March 1785.
We Americans have no commission from God to police the world.
~Benjamin Harrison

A serious looking Custer during the Civil War. More on Custer @ Gettysburg doing some research currently.

Gett'n Up to See down

Thomas Ottenstein wasn't the first man to think that to see the battleground one needed to get a birdseyeview.

Images

This image taken by Gardener at Devil's Den in Gettysburg speaks volumes, it took some 80 odd years for folks with a sharp eye to detail to figure out this was a fake. Wrong Gun, Wrong Uniform, this poor soul was dragged from the killing field known as the Triangular Field, The Field saw such intense action that the soldiers were troding on dead comrades bodies as they moved toward the top of Devils Den. What a horror that a photographer would do that to find a so called shot. Guess what folks that just goes to show that
Don't be taken in by what seems real. Never believe what you see specially on TV and only half of what you hear! These days it might be a lot less than half.

Always remember "Buyer Beware"


"Get your facts first,then you can distort 'em as you please."
Mark Twain

"Eternal Vigilance is the price of Liberty."
Jefferson

Till next time Happy Trails!

Poor Paddy

Paddy O'Rorke: The Forgotten Hero of Little Round Top





A little history on Patrick Henry O'Rorke he was born March 28, 1836 in County Cavan Ireland.

His parents Mary and Patrick Sr. immigrated to America when Paddy was just a year old. The family finally settled in Rochester NY in 1842 in the Irish section of town known as Dublin. Patrick Sr.was killed in a work accident in 1850, having three older brothers he was able to continue his schooling. He was offered a scholarship to the University of Rochester but turned the opportunity down at his mother's behest because the family was strictly Catholic and the University's administration was Baptist.

Ultimately Paddy was recommened to attend West Point after graduation in June 1861 he saw his first action at the first Battle of Bull Run in July 1861 as a line officer. He was subsequently assigned to the Engineer Corps and helped in the defense of Washington and Fort Monroe, Virginia.

In the fall of 1962, he was offered the command of the newly formed 140th
New York Volunteer Infantry assigned to the Fifth Corps of the Army of the Potomac. In December the regiment was involved in a minor action at Fredericksburg. For a short period in the beginning of "63" he led the brigade in which the 140th served during the battle of Chancellorsville, Va

O'Rorke was a skillful leader of his brigade during the epic Chancellorsville campaign and for his performance gained the rank of a brevet promotion to Lieutenant Colonel, Regular Army. A reorganization in June, Brigadier General Stephen Hinsdale Weed, took command of the brigade. O'Rorke resumed command of the 140th New York as the Army of the Potomac under its new commander, George G. Meade, began its foray north into Pennsylvania in pursuit of Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.

Brigadier General Gouverneur K. Warren, the Army's Chief Engineer, together with some signalmen on the crest of Little Round Top, spotted the movement of Confederate General James Longstreet's Corps, which threatened to turn the left flank of the Union Army, and rushed to find Union troops to guard Little Round Top against this action. Warren found the brigade commanded by Strong Vincent, who posted his troops on the ridge of the southern slope of Little Round Top, in front of the advancing Confederates.

On the opposite end of the battle line a gallant leader, Joshua Chamberlin in command of the 20th Maine put up a heroic man to man bayonet counterattack. Joshua Chamberlain and the 20th Maine has become legend and verse for the bravery displayed on that fated rocky crag July 2, 1863.

While the 20th Maine was holding Vincent's left, two Texas regiments were on the verge of breaking through his right, Vincent had been cut down while attempting to rally his men. Seeing the problem Warren rushed down the north slope of Little Round Top and found O'Rorke and his 140th New York on the Wheatfield Road awaiting orders. Warren demanded that O'Rorke move his troops to the summit of Little Round Top. O'Rorke, seeing that there was no time to clear the movement with Weed, led the 140th up Little Round Top. As Paddy and the boys reached the top of the hill, he assessed the situation, dismounted and drew his sword and lead the attack head long into the Texans advance. As the tale goes according to O'Rorke's adjutant, Lieutenant Porter Farley, "His sword flashed from its scabbard into the sunlight," and O'Rorke commanded, "Down this way, boys!" running down to meet the advancing rebels. As he lead Companies A and G of the 140th New York down the slope O'Rorke was shot through the neck and fell at the head of his troops, the 140th continued the attack, just in time to save the right flank of Vincent's Brigade, the summit of Little Round Top, the left flank of the Army of the Potomac, and the day for the Union.

For all his bravery Paddy is favored with a monument on the field where he gave his life for his country. It is said to bring Good Luck if one rubs ol' Paddy's nose on the 104h monument where the forgotten brave Paddy fell July 2 1863.

Antietam Anniversary Approaches

Confederate dead on the Hagerstown road at the Battle of Antietam
Alexander Gardner. "Antietam, Maryland.." September 17, 1862.


The battlefied on the day of the Battle of Antietam, September 17, 1862

Alexander Gardner. "Antietam, Maryland. Battlefield on the Day of the Battle." September 17, 1862
On September 13, 14, 15, 2008 Antietam will offer various Ranger programs to commemorate the 146th Anniversary of the Bloody Fray that ensued !




What I consider to be a compelling and awe inspiring tribute is the lighting of 23,000 luminaries to pay tribute to each soul who paid the ultimate price at Antietam will take place Saturday evening @ 6:00 December 6, 2008 Please make arrangements to see this spectacular sight.

This information comes from the archives of the Library of Congress:

The Battle of Antietam
September 17, 1862

At dawn, the hills of Sharpsburg, Maryland, thundered with artillery and musket fire as the Northern and Southern armies struggled for possession of the Miller farm cornfield during the Civil War. For three hours, the battle lines swept back and forth across the land. More lives would be lost on September 17, 1862, than on any other day in the nation's history.
By mid-morning, General Robert E. Lee's Confederate troops were crouched behind the high banks of a country lane. They fired upon advancing Union troops, but the Union General, George B. McClellan, held a strategic advantage--a scout had discovered a copy of the Confederate army's battle plan.
An overwhelming number of Northerners broke through the Confederates' line. Union bullets rained down the lane onto Confederate soldiers, and the former Sunken Road came to be known as Bloody Lane because of the tragic death toll suffered there.
Covered by cannon fire from General Stonewall Jackson's artillery, the Southerners retreated toward Sharpsburg, while the Union troops fell back. New Southern troops arrived in time to repel a second Union attack led by General Ambrose Burnside.

By nightfall, the Confederates occupied the town of Sharpsburg, but the battle was a Union victory. More than 23,000 men were killed, wounded, or missing in action. The next day, Lee began his retreat across the Potomac River. Lee's plan to find new recruits and supplies in Maryland, a slave-holding state that remained in the Union, had failed. The next year he would launch another assault into Union territory, which came to a head at the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania.

John Burns known as the "Old Patriot" was the only civilian wounded during the actual battle in the battle of Gettysburg, and despite the taunting his fellow soldiers gave him for his out of date flintlock, out-of-style clothes, Burns was a fierce patriot a veteran of the War of 1812 who fought for the Union until gunshot wounds--at least three of them--put him out of the battle. Several years after the war had ended, Burns, now seventy-five, since his notoriety was often asked to give tours of the field on which he fought so valiantly one day while he was was walking in the woods where he had stood against the Rebs at the McPherson farm an apparition of a Reb soldier stepped into his path to menace him with a rifle. Burns turned and swiftly walked out of the woods, never to return to that part of the forest again. He said that he could fight the Rebs but could not fight the ghosts.

The Old Patriot

This image is of "The Old Patriot" John Burns

Contributed by: James Johnson, 2nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry

The following thrilling narrative was related by B. D. Beyea, who spent several days on the battle-field in search of the body of Captain C. H. Flagg, who fell in that terrible fight:

In the town of Gettysburg live an old couple by the name of Burns. The old man was in the War of 1812, and is now nearly seventy years of age; yet the frosts of many winters have not chilled his patriotism, nor diminished his love for the old flag under which he fought in his early days. When the rebels invaded the beautiful Cumberland Valley, and were marching on Gettysburg, old Burns concluded that it was time for every loyal man, young or old, to be up and doing all in his power to beat back the rebel foe. and, if give them a quiet resting-place beneath the sod they were polluting with their unhallowed feet.

The old hero took down an old State musket he had in his house, and commenced running bullets. The old lady saw what he was about, and wanted to know what in the world he was going to do. 'Ah' said Burns, 'I thought some of the boys might want the old gun, and I am getting it ready for them.' The rebels came on. Old Burns kept his eye on the lookout until he saw the Stars and Stripes coming in, carried by our brave boys. This was more than the old fellow could stand. His patriotism got the better of his age and infirmity. Grabbing his musket, he started out. The old lady hallooed to him: 'Burns,where are you going?' '0,'says Burns, 'I am going out to see what is going on.' He immediately went to a Wisconsin regiment, and asked them if they would take him in. They told him they would, and gave him three rousing cheers.The old musket was soon thrown aside, and a first-rate rifle given him, and twenty-five rounds of cartridges.

The engagement between the two armies soon came on, and the old man fired eighteen of his twenty-five rounds, and says he killed three rebels to his certain knowledge. Our forces were compelled to fall back, and leave our dead and wounded on the field; and Burns, having received three wounds, was left also, not being able to get away. There he lay in citizen's dress and if the rebs found him in that condition, he knew death was his portion: so he concluded to try strategy as his only hope.

Soon the rebs came up, and approached him saying: 'Old man, what are you doing here?' 'I am lying here wounded, as you see,' he replied.Well, what business have you to be here? and who wounded you? wounded you our troops, or yours?' 'I don't know who wounded me; but I only know that I am wounded and in a bad fix. 'Well, what were you doing here? - what was your business?' 'If you will hear my story, I will tell you. My old woman's health is very poor, and I was over across the country to get a girl to help her; and, coming back, before I knew where I was, I had got right into this fix, and here I am.' 'Where do you live?' inquired the rebels. 'Over in town in such a small house.' They then picked him and carried him home, and left him. But they soon returned, as if suspecting he had been lying to them, and made him answer a great many questions; but be stuck to his old story, and they failed to make anything out of old Burns, and then left him for good.

He says he shall always feel indebted to some of his neighbors for the last call; for he believe someone had informed them of him. Soon after they left, a bullet came into his room, and struck in the wall about six inches above where he lay on his sofa; but he don't know who fired it. His wounds proved to be only flesh wounds, and he is getting well, feels first-rate, and says he would like one more good chance to give them a rip.

This story along with many others exists about Burns. The story of ghosts comes with one told by Burns himself, being a somewhat famous individual because of his patriot status he was many times asked to guide folks on a personal tour of the field where he fought on July 1.

More on that in the next post.

Abe's Pocket's Contents Revealed

Just three days after the Confederate surrender by Robert E. Lee, Abraham Lincoln was shot and killed at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1865 10:15 p.m., while taking in a performance of "Our American Cousin" The contents of ol' Abes pockets was very curious, he had two pairs of spectacles and a lens polisher, a small pocketknife, his watch fob, a linen handkerchief, and a brown leather wallet containing a five-dollar Confederate note and nine newspaper clippings, including several favorable to the president and his policies.The question long asked by historians and speculated by many a researcher is. Why the five-dollar Confederate note.

Speculators claim it could have been to remind him of the struggles that lead Lee to surrender after fighting a long hard war.

We will never truly know what was in the man's mind, As Byron said "I loathe that low vice, curiosity."

Till Next Post Enjoy the world around you but always be vigilant and aware of your enviornment!

Dick Bloom

Whats in your pocket?

The blurry image is the only known image of Lincoln at Gettysburg!

Thanks to the Library of Congress for the image. {update:recently there is to have been a second photo found}

These images are of James Getty, Gettysburg's Renown Abe Lincoln Impressionist jimgetty.com/


On the night Abe Lincoln passed to his reward April 14, 1865.. the items found in his pockets were a curious lot. Got any idea what the items were? The why is the mysterious part of the items. Stay tuned, read the next entry and you will find out the anwser.

Till next post adios from Dick Bloom. Check out my website dickbloom.com

"The first and simplest emotion which we discover in the human mind is, curiosity."
Burke

Interesting Newspaper

An image of Fort Deleware

click to read

This is Volume 1 of a newspaper published by the prisoners of Fort Delaware Civil War Prisoner Camp in April 1865 complete with ads!

The complex known as Fort Delaware was erected on a marshy island known as Pea Patch Island the fort covered about 6 acres and was utilized as a prison for Confederate prisoners of war

"General Terror" Albin F. Schoepf was commandant of Fort Delaware Civil War Prison and both he and the hell hole of a prison were dreaded by the Confederate troops, the majority of them had been captured during the Gettysburg campaign and were men from the 26th Georgia Regiment, CSA.

At Fort Delaware, there were, at times, 10,000 Southern prisoners after Gettysburg the population rose to some 13,000 poor souls.

A goodly number of men died of disease such as smallpox, scurvy and dysentery severe malnutrition abounded the camp. Water was putrefied and food scarce.

A prisoner, Captain John S. Swann comments on the food and conditions at the hell hole, "We formed in line and marched to the mess hall, in which were several long rows of plank tables with pieces of bread and meat arranged along the sides at intervales of some two feet. When we were in place each prisoner took one ration. The bread was made of rye and wheat flour, well cooked, but the piece very small, about half enough for a well man. The meat a small chunk of beef. Occasionally all sinew or mostly bone. It was cut up very carelessly and very small, not half a ration. Some days the bread was substituted with crackers, and these were hard days on us. We were permitted to take these rations to our bunks. I ate mine but remained very hungry. When dinner came the same thing was repeated, except there was occasionally a tin cup of what was called corn soup very tasteless and insipid, with little or no grease."

He also wrote: "Not long after my arrival I heard a cry "Rat call! Rat call!" I went out to see what this meant. A number of prisoners were moving and some running up near the partition, over which a sargeant was standing and presently he began throwing rats down. The prisoners scrambled for the rats like school boys for apples, none but some of the most needy prisoners, and the needy were the large majority, would scramble for these rats. Of course but few were lucky enough to get a rat. The rats were cleaned, put in salt water a while and fried. Their flesh was tender and not unpleasant to the taste."

I published this today as I watched the Sunday news shows with all of the horrors com'n across about Iraq and Afghanistan wondering to myself just exactly what have we learned when it comes to the humane treatment of Prisoners of War.

Will some blogger be writing and publishing about the atrocities taking place today but not to see the light of day for many a year to come.

I'd like to think not, but compassion is one thing I am sure needs to be learned from this type of history.

Think about how you feel. Are you compassionate or do you think that kind of treatment of prisoners is valid.

Would the prisoners at Gitmo be allowed to write a NEWSpaper?

Have we grown in our sensibilities or have we grown harder in our stance on prisoners.

Let me know what ya think folks Please.

"Behavior is a mirror in which everyman displays his image"
Goethe

I bid you adieu till the next post and thanks for coming by and allowing me to share my thoughts,opinion, stories and from time to time advice.

Something on my mind

Shady Sadie taking time to smell the roses! okay its a tulip she still tak'n the time RIGHT!

(Cherokee)

O'siyo Oginalii
Tsilugi
Hello Friends

Welcome!Wakan Tankan Nici Un
(May the Great Spirit walk with you)

As we walk through this world of experiences some seem only aware of their immediate surroundings never projecting beyond that comfort zone, now don't get me wrong, I fully believe that having a comfort zone is a grand accomplishment but I feel that it should not be a physical place but a zone that one operates in and it moves with them as they trod the path of life.

I've heard it called one's prayer field {what energy you project to all the world as you interact with it} hence if we learn to accept that all that exists
as fluid energy ever present and available to help us build our personal power so positive thought and balance draws a positive result, just as a negative or dark projection creates negativity,doubt,resentment and a blockage to the positive flow of the universal energy about our perceived plight.

The reason I bring this thought to the blog today is quite personal because within the last month I have been fortunate to make several wonderful contacts with powerfully positive folk, two of these per chance meetings have created a powerful charge to my personal energy system at the same time I have some dear friends that have had some setbacks in their perceived comfort zone and are creating massive stress by not making lemonade out of the bag of bitter energy they are resenting their circumstance. This just proves to me further that this universal energy pool is REAL not a DREAM we live in.

So if you are perceiving a blockage. I am going to give you two things that I was told to me by my loving parents. One time when I was burning the candle at both ends, I would work on a home I had bought late into the night and frame houses in VA. during the day spending sometimes as many as 5 or so hours on the road commuting, one night when I had stopped at my folks on the way to my project home they wanted me to stay and have supper with them, I said I'd grab something to eat later. My dad who was a man of few words but when he said something it was on point for certain. You better remember to stop and smell the roses along the path. I of course didn't really get it until he had passed and my life took an unexpected negative turn I got it then.

One must take the time to reflect on the energy we put out and take a look around ourselves and a quote I am stealing from Cheryl Crow seems to tell the tale "It ain't about getting what you want, it is about wanting what you got!" My mom, a strong and powerfully opinionated woman, a nurse for most of her life. Mom's advice was if ya want to keep moving in life, Keep moving no matter what. So with my dad wanting to smell the roses and mom's thought about moving I know why and how they had the balance in life to be together forever as I am certain they still are walking hand in hand moving down the big trail stopping to smell the roses of LIFE!


Thanks for reading my thoughts I needed to get that out of this old creaky body/brain so I too can keep on moving and still smell the sweet fragrance of positive flowing energy.


"Everyone is poorer in proportion as he has more wants, and counts not what he has,but wishes only for what he has not."
Manilius

The reason I choose to start the blog today with the Native American translations is that the first people do not work to have material goods
the had good materials that they would Thank the Great Spirit for their good fortune and abundance whether it was counting coup or a successful hunt.
They understood as my dad had learned that lesson as well and I consider myself to be blessed that my dad and mom passed that knowledge forward unto a wretch like me.

Hippie trails my friends til next time

Howdy Friends

"This image is of a United States Flag Retirement Ceremony"
A rare image

Howdy to all my friends folks and fellow photographers

Hope this day finds you still sitt'n up tak'n nourishment!

Can ya believe that this year is flying by a such a clip.

A question to all the photographers out there has anyone been contacted by a this company http://www.stockphotopro.
It seems that they're a new stockphoto company they seem to be using mass mailings for their promotion, not many people have heard of them and from the reading I've done not many folk want to be involved, they only pay 20% and 30% after you have 300 photos posted!

Does any one have any great places to sell their artwork? Please let me know so I can pass the word around.

Please be sure to check out Crosby Stills Nash and Young's New Movie
it is coming out the July 25th.

Neil Young was on Charlie Rose, a great interview with a man with a vision
the vision being trying to create energy efficient vehicles by conversion of our current cars. I personally drive a 1965 Ford Falcon Ranchero that gets over 25 mpg.

The new movie looks interesting check it out at;

http://www.csny-dejavu.com

http://www.neilyoung.com

It is short blog today but I am like Arnold "I'll be Back!"

"War is the business of Barbarians."
Napolean

I'm Back

Gee this place is kinda dusty ain't checked in to see what condition my condition was in for many a moon.

Many things changing in my life but I can see the error of my ways by not showing up everyday at the blog and my website. Please forgive me.

I am still doing some photography, but my focus is currently on the studying the local history of my area which includes Gettysburg PA. In my blog I will still be offering photo tips, but the blog will now include much more in gathering and distibuting info on the local flair of history in and around Adams County PA of which Gettysburg is the county seat.

If anyone has any stories tales, fables, rumors or just facts about the revolutionary war, American civil war,. these can be about your families friends, or stories of interest to historians, or folk interested in learning more about our beloved past.

I will be trying to gather knowledge about the much forgotten native peoples history of the area. Any First People reading this please help me if you can, I am of native descent according to my relatives particularily my late grandmother Josephine Mackley Kepner, her mother Mary Perry was from the Bolivar, New York area and was said to be a full blood {I am not sure of the tribe at this time} but am researching that currently.

Okay folks there is a short update on Dick Bloom

Please check back daily.

(Cherokee) Afrika

Ho! Mitakuye Oyasin

"We Are All Related"

Just Stopped IN

to see what condition my condition was in!!

I am missing all my good buds here at the blog. I am trying to decide if the phototips will continue to be the mainstay of this blog, they may become a bonus for the blog but the blog may change to something a little more out there...........I am not doing as much photo work as I had but am still working on some new experiences so I want to include them into the ol blog.

I want to first off say Thanks for visiting me and as I had said my time is at a premium with working on stories by Josiah Kepner my {alter ego} of the past!!

more to come on that experience............

I am doing two assignments for the wonderful new Celebrate Gettysburg/
A wonderful glimpse into life in and around Adams County!!!!

There are four images in the Sept/Oct issue they are from past Apple Harvest Events Check em' out!!

Secondly Please come Visit Me at Pippinfest {space 154} Sunday September 30 on the streets of Fairfield, Pennsylvania.

Please stop by and say Howdy!!!!! There is always GREAT food, a Car show,
and lots of cool items to oogle and of course there is the situation of visit'n with all your old friends you may not have seen in eons...

With that invite I will close and say "Have a Great Monday"

"Honest Good Humor is the oil and wine of a merry meeting, and there is no jovial companionship equal to that where the jokes are rather small and the laughter abundant."

Washington Irving

It's 4 A.M.

Here I am on the night shift ,I worked for 8 years as a photojournalist and I don't understand yet today why all the bad accidents/fires etc. seem to happen in the middle of the night at any rate all of that late night photography has this ol' fart's body outta whack.

So I thought I'd poke out a blog.

I hope that all my blog phriends are happy healthy and spread'n their prayer field wide and positive as they walk down this ol' path we call life!

Please accept my personal invitation to visit Fairfield PA's Annual Pippinfest on September 30, You'll find my smil'n face at space 154 please drop by and say "howdy".

This is my first show so it is taking up a lot of time in preparation but I am really excited it'll be fun for sure.

I am formulating ideas and paths to follow with the "Tales of Josiah" I will be offering segments up as downloads on dickbloom.com as Josiah comes into his own as a young man growing up as a farmboy during the era of the Civil War with the highlight in the area being the famous battle of Gettysburg and watching his relative David Stoops heads off to see the elephant with Company G ,209th PA Volunteers with 79 other enlistees from Adams County.

Company G was organized in Gettysburg on September 1st,1864 just 14 months after the Battle of Gettysburg.

My photo find and discussion today is about my new camera, it is beautiful, it is a bellows style fold open Kodak 616 with its original case in nice shape. It appears to have had almost no useage, looks as new no wear a yardsale find for cheap. I am going to try to locate film

Howdy Blog phriends

It has been quite a whirlwind of a week this is the first time at the board for many moons.

That is the way it is when all of a you become a new person in just a couple of weeks. I must first off invite all of ya to come visit Gettysburg's freshest new and most novel ghost experience! for more information go tothecatsmeowofgettysburg.com

Things are moving rapidly so therefore I must adapt and do some research on the character Josiah Kepner it is really quite exciting to put the impression together from top to bottom.

Josiah is a young man who would 've been living near Fairfield in July of 1863 when the famous civil war battle Pickett's Charge was at its crecendo on July 3rd, 1863

He could've and most likely watched from cover as he and his cousin viewed a cavalary battle that took place at the same time as Pickett's Charge between Orrtanna and Fairfield known as the Battle of Fairfield.

That is the premise of the character Josiah Kepner......

I do not have time to offer up a photo comment today cause I just get to loooooong winded as ya'll know.

Please come visit me here for sure!!!!..... I will try to keep postin' they may be short and hopefully sweet. Ya'll ain't a fer piece from here no way...

"The Wheel of fortune turns round incessantly, and who can say to himself " "I Shall to-day be uppermost."

Confucius

Howdy Folks

The {haunted} Sach's Mill Bridge in Snow by dickbloom

Oh My Golly gee I am coming up on Labor Day weekend....!

I was hoping to hear from ya'll bout the copyright thing, I know you're out there come come out wherever you are!!!!!! Let me know what you're thinking, about my info, my rants or whatever is running around inside the ol' noggin ya want to know what I have to say.


Still have not had time to get the pieces cut for the pinhole camera yet but it is on the top 5 list now and not at the bottom of top ten anymore!!


This is gonna be a short one today.


First off! More on the ghostly tales I am gonna be a tell'n around the streets of Gettysburg.

This is a brand new biz where ya don't have to worry about being run over
cause youre not a walk'n the ghoooosssssttttlllyyy streets of haunted Gettysburg, PA no you are riding on a trolley and listening to interest'n facts
and folk tales from ol' Josiah Kepner {me} my alter ego from the civil war period} I will give details as this gig developes over the next few weeks.

Now for the photography aspect.

As you all know the haunted places in the world are now popular destinations for ghost hunters of every shape and form, they roam the streets and battlefields, visit boot hills, paupers graves, anywhere they believe there may be an errant spirit lurking about so they can capture the
friendly ghost on film and slip into the nether world with the ghosts that sit just across the realm in the other world.


Ol' Josiah hopes that you all will bring your imaginations, your thoughts, and your camera so maybe you too can capture orbs or what ever shape the ghost takes on, but just remember the ghosts that roam the nether world maybe looking to be captured on film so they can travel with you back to their new home with you. Did you know the Native Americans did not like being shot with a camera as much as they disliked being shot with a white man's weapon for they believed that you were stealing their spirit, there essence so to speak. So come to Gettysburg
take your best shot and see what happens.....!!!!

There may even be a contest sometime in the future!!!

So long til me meet again my friends. Thanks for visit'n email me.

Happy trails......
Dick Bloom

" What is history but a fable agreed upon? "

Napoleon

Sign What

"Hometown USA" by dickbloom

Today
I have great news folks it looks like I am going to be telling some tales of the ghostly type at a new attraction in Gettysburg. More on that later!!


I am going to touch on the subject today of dealing with COPYRIGHT situations!

My big brother called me today asking about a situation that has arisen with my great niece she is 16 and to my great surprise and happiness {You GO Michelle} is looking to be involved in a photography class, enrolled or whatever it is you do in a Las Vegas NV. high school.


Okay, this is the problem at hand: The school sends a form home asking her mother to sign away the girls right to any photo she takes while enrolled in the as far as I am concerned bogus photo class!! That any image taken will become the property of the school....!!

What the hell is the matter with a school district that takes a way a child's creative bent {a natural inclination} when the child knows that no matter how hard they try nor how good an eye they have, the so called instructors might take not only the credit for instructing you in the depth of field, aperture selection and all of the technical rules that are involved before pulling the trigger..... it is the childs intellectual property that the kid is seeing as they focus their eye and pull the trigger for that once a lifetime image they may capture.

WHY would the school have the rights to the image which is the childs intellectual property !!!! Why would the child want to do their individual BEST, when they know and have signed away their rights to any future income or fame that may or may not come from that image.

The AP wire service used to use the ploy that if the photographer cashed their AP{ten dollar check $10.00} the AP owned the image, pretty good deal for the AP that collects huge fees from the news outlets that use their AP images. That the in essence rooked away from an suspecting photographer.
I have personally have has numerous images run across the wire. I foolishly signed several of these checks. But I had a great Santa and pet image run out on the wire, It was super popular because of the subjects involved.

I have made thousands of dollars from that one image, if I had signed my rights away I would have had ten dollars and sore (.)hole and a discontented mind for being such a fool....!!!

So here is the definition of a copyrighted image:

A copyright is a form of intellectual property protection that is granted by the federal government. A copyright, however, is not "granted" in the same manner in which a patent is granted. A patent will be issued only after a patent application has been filed with and approved by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. To the contrary, a copyright is provided to the authors of "original works of authorship," regardless of whether the work has been published and regardless of whether the work has been registered. Unlike patents, copyrights come into being at the MOMENT an original work is fixed in a tangible medium of expression. While there are significant advantages to federal registration of a copyright, no registration is required in order for a copyright to exist . Likewise, no registration is required for an author to begin using the familiar copyright symbol --- ©, but given the cost and benefit you should absolutely obtain a registered copyright.

So just remember don't ever sign your rights away folks it is just downright terrible to be rooked out of your intellectual property rights....!!!!!!

So please tell me what you think of those rules from Las Vegas NV. email me. Thank you.

So if your teacher has you compose a report on whatever does that also becomes the property of the institution? Is that what they are stating?

I will end on this note.

Be Careful my friends!! Many foes lurk behind the brambles of the so called
legal speak. Don't sign anything PLEASE....!!!!!

"STEAL! to be sure they may, and,egad serve your best thoughts as gypsies
do stolen children-disfigure them to make them pass as their own.

Sheridan

......................................................................................................................

"It is a dark sign when the owner { the student} is seen to be growing poor and his steward {the School}is found to be growing richer."

{Spencer} with comments from dickbloom

Hippie Trails til we meet again my friends!!

Dick Bloom

Contests worldwide exposure

"ABE at the Gettyburg Train Station before the Getysburg Address"

"At The Gates of Heaven in Your Mind" by Dick Bloom

Howdy Howdy

Ahh the weather here in Adams has cooled and is feeling fine this beautiful Monday I hope your week finds a smile and your prayer field spread wide and positive.

I received an email from picture.com Maybe some of you have seen or have had contact with the site it is a site that has prize money for GREAT Photos Supposedly!

They have a vote on this photo segment Please if you want to get an idea of what are good and bad photos GO VOTE picture.com And there are ton of photos cutsie photos of pets and kids and other stuff and folks very few are great very few are good and there is ton that just plain SUCK!!!!

So view these photos with a critical eye and when you get the chance to view what people are thinking is their BEST Think back to your images.

Are they really the best that you can do?????

Are they well composed, are they artistic in there subject matter, do they show what the point is you are attempting to bring out ? What about the background? Cluttered,out of focus, a tree or an object growing out of someone's head. Don't just pull the trigger!! SEE what you are Shooting first!


Remember that to take GREAT images you must see the entire image then you can do the whole thing or determine what the focus of the iamge needs to be {Always CROP IN CAMERA} that is a basic rule for old school photographers that did not depend on Adobe or a digital camera to FIX BAD images.......!!!!! No such software exists a Bad image is just That a Bad Image!!

Choose your subject carefully and DO NOT pose your kids/pets in what you think will be cute for the family and try to pass it off as a Great Photo {It might Be} just because it is of your pet with a pair of sunglasses on, unless they started wearing your Foster Grants on their own!!!!

Sometimes those things work but mostly a Grand Portrait of baby will be much more appreciated than the funny hat you put on them, especially when they are a few years older.

Same goes for your precious pet, if they do something goofy on their own grab the camera! But don't make look yourself look foolish by you doing something Goofy {like look I put this cute hat I used to wear on Snoopy} unless they can use your point and shoot!!!!!!

An example if you must put a hat on your cat or pollywog on your dog
do a tight shot of the expression that the subject will bring forth by the action itself. Don't do the deed and then take a photo of the whole area where the pet is sitting. Focus on the ACTION.

Okay I am moving on and will hopefully get that pinhole gig happening SOON I promise.

Enjoy your day!!

Have a very hippie day


"Art, like morality, consists in drawing the line somewhere."
Chesterton

This is amazing

This image won a bronze internationally it was taken at the dedication of "Hanover Junction Railroad Station. "Peek'n Round the Corner" by Dick Bloom

I have a little window of time here so I am gonna post Saturday early IMAGINE THAT!!

I would like to apoligize for the screwed up posts Friday Blogger seemed to be having a brain fart wouldn' post then it didn't post the photo then it posted it twice and then disappeared, what a pain in the you know what (!)

This is a pretty cool site that I recently ran into and it is about doing pinhole images with a conventional camera, this is the link to the photo gallery lenoxlaser.com

I haven't got around to reading the whole site yet and as far as the laser hole I would give it the ol' college try with a drill for the price of a body cap. {they have a great calculator page with downloads for both mac and pc!} Use some of your survival skills and utilize some of that brain matter just waiting to be tapped into you know all that stuff you probably weren't pay'n attention to about the compass and finding the center of the hole etc.

I like to think outside of the box actually the farther away from the ol' conventional box the better! I like to use my imagination unlike some of my contemporaries who have very little imagination or no imagination at all "like lambs to slaughter." Remember that as a great race car driver once said "Second is first Loser" Just remember that the art that people remember is the odd one that sets apart from the conventional WISDOM no matter what media you work in!

It is nearly midnight here at buckhorn and my night is just getting rolling good {too used to work'n night shift} so when I am awake it doesn't matter the time, I just try to "Get E'r Done"

So check out the new idea about pinholes and for check out the images in their gallery.


Happy Trails til We Meet Again

Dick Bloom
dickbloom.com

"Learning without thought is labor lost, thought without learning is perilous"

Confucius

What a week

Howdy folks
Well here it is Wednesday already I swear I just don't know where the time gets to!!!!

The picture is just to remind us all what is to come in the near future!

Please visit.. dickbloom.com

Don't really have a lot of time to spend here today so it will be a short a sweet one.

Have any of you actually visited the pinhole site?
I picked up some of the blackfoam core board and will be starting to cut and assemble my camera over the next few days so if ya'll want to work along with me tune in daily for bit by bit instructions on the build.

I recommend getting your board at your local craft store or where ever you deal I got mine at the WAL it was like 2.50 a sheet, one sheet will do fine.

Make sure you have a good sharp razor or kraft knife. I will using my
matcutter for the precision cuts.I recommend using black duct tape, it is strong and durable and doesn't make your project look like Red Green did it.

Okay get your supplies gathered today and get ready to build. I may even try to photograph the different stages of the build for ya'lls reference.

Gotta run folks enjoy your day!! I am busier that a one legged man in an a--kick'n contest. No offense to anyone I have buggered leg myslf so I know!

Till tommorrow
Dick Bloom

"Victory belongs to the most persevering."

Napoleon

Sunday Sunday

Good Day Friends

Hope you all are enjoying the weekend. I want to first thank everyone for showing up to read my input!!

What shall I enlighten ya'll on this fine day Let me see. Folks Please give me some input in the email box email me. Thank you.

Okay today I will stick with the job of the day, which is to set up a shooting area where I can get reflection free images of the new product line, and also be free of background distractions etc. I have made up a shooting box which consists of 3 pieces of black 1/4" foam core board, a base and two sides. I have attached black duct tape to the outside edges so that the unit can be stored flat and out of the way. Keep it simple!!

Now comes the photography part I am using a 35-70mm zoom with a 62mm circular polarizer attached. This will allow me to shoot the framed/glassed images with out reflection.

I am using studio lights with a 24 inch soft box. At this time I do not have the settings for the entire project. I will enLIGHTen all you folks with the particulars on this in future blogs. Now I must go and work at the actual project.

Enjoy your Sunday. "Enjoy Life and spread your prayer field wide" {more on prayer field in later blogs}!

I leave you with this thought.

"The greatest prayer is patience."
Buddha

Better Late Than!

This is a photo of my new item line I am promoting

This is the Idaho State Quarter presentation, the 43rd to be released in the state quarter commemoratives,mounted with it respective state flag. 43 states are available the rest are yet to be released for more information go to dickbloom.com

I know I know! Even though it is nearly tomorrow, here I am at the pinhole.orgol' blog desk! What a gorgeous day here in Adams County you know it just reminded me that fall is right around the corner with that great feel fresh air smell in the atmosphere I even took my camera for a ride but did'nt really see anything that compelled me to say "WOW" I need to shoot that. So it was a great day for having that ol' camera out in the sun.I drove by some streams{trickles} and YES Adams County is having a dry spell for sure.

Now the pinhole camera thing

I hope ya'll had a chance to check out the pinhole link, if not pinhole.org

This is a cool thing I am trying out You can use an oatmeal box or any type container that you can make light tight.
Now I suggest buying some cyanotype paper or "nature print paper" this is paper that just uses sunlight to capture the image and it makes a cyan colored print, then you can process the paper in plain water {no chemicals to mess with} let the kids help!! Make different size pinholes cameras/ big containers/little containers this paper is available at porters.com item #261076 pack of 40 5x7 sheets for $8.79 or #261077 8.5"x11" 20 sheets for $10.99 ask them for a catalog for everything you can think of in the world if you are a photo hound. Like I aid try this out post your results to my e-mail. I may even have contest of some sort , we'll see!!
Remember it is all about being creative and having a blast doing what you are doing.
"Nature is man's teacher, she unfolds her treasures to his search, unseals his eye, illumes his mind, and purifies his heart; an influence breathes from all the sights and sounds of her existence!
Street

Enjoy Life
Later Folks
Dick see ya tomorrow

Can Ya' Believe "IT"

Where do I start ?

Okay here goes I know that you all are interested in photography and or Adams County PA or both. My proposal that we all stay away from the digital world long enough to explore the world of the pinhole camera. {Learn Something OLD but NEW to most of you Check out the Fun at:} pinhole.org

My course for the pinhole camera course at the IS {I will now begin to call it the NIS "NO" Imagination Station} {as it looks to me exclusively digital world} at NIS at the Adams County Arts Council has been turned down, the reason being was it just couldn't sell the course {of course no testing, questioning, no demographics research looked at by the coordinator, not sure she even new what a pinhole camera was} but yes some other photographer will be teaching the supposed ins and outs of yes digital photography! {Many Many free courses and tutorial for free on line!!}

{Got a point and shoot READ THE MANUAL}

Oh yes that NIS course will be a how to on working with an imaging program on your computer {a pc I assume} so if ya own a pc {500.00} and a digital camera {400.00 more or less} and the money for Adobe CS3 release {upgrade $1399./new $2499. pretty cheap compared to a pinhole camera for NOTHING, {use an old oatmeal box just for fun}. You can learn how to get your computer camera how to work with your computer but you may still not understand the basics of photography/

Which is LIGHT.

Photography on the other hand is lost to the computer world for remember the digital image is +++++-------+-+-+- yes thats right it is not necessary to be a photographer if the computer{digital camera} is figuring it out for you. With a few simple lessons in the REAL world of black and white and the understanding of how it all works will make you a better photographer and more attentive to your subject.

Not just another person with the funds to buy a point and shoot and take a course

I am getting kinda long here so Tune in for tomorrow's input

AND REMEMBER

"No man is wiser for his learning: it may administer matter to work in or objects to work upon; but wit and wisdom are born with a man.

Selden

Oh My God!!!!!

Okay Im Back! Yeh I know you've heard it all before!!

I just can't believe how the time flies. I have a wonderful CD set from Sandy Denny who sang with Richard Thompson in his band Fairport Convention many a moon ago. The set is "No One Know Where Time Goes" I don't know were it goes, but I know its going there at breakneck speed for certain.

I see that folks are visiting my humble home here so I am going to attempt to get my lazy backside on here daily. I can't guarantee that y' all will always get a photo tip it just might be my ramblings who knows at the point. I would like to ask all my guests that visit me to Please connect to my website dickbloom.com I am working on having a new weekly image on the landing page. So Please go enjoy my site there is a state information page, an Adams County Pennsylvania page with various images with more updates to come.

I know that this is the world of the digital photographer but keep tuned in to learn how to build and shoot images with a CAMERA that you will build !

Please tell your friends to visit the site and the blog and please let me know what you think about the blog and the website, input is always appreciated. email me

"As if you could kill time without injuring eternity"

Thoreau