Thursday AM ~ TheFrontPageCover

[Rudy Tirre]

TheFrontPageCover

~ Featuring ~

Keeping it Natural 

by Tom McLaughlin

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Trump Hits Russia With 

New Sanctions, Hopes Fade for Better Relations

by Andrew

{ conservativefreepress.com } ~ The Trump administration announced Monday that the U.S. would be imposing a new round of sanctions against Moscow... in retaliation for Putin’s continued support of the reckless Assad regime in Syria. In the wake of yet another sick and disturbing chemical weapons attack on the civilian population, the president has authorized airstrikes that have reportedly destroyed much of Syria’s chlorine and sarin-making facilities. But as long as Russia continues to aid and abet the dictator in his civil war, there remains the chance that Assad will once again defy international norms and use these banned weapons against the rebels. Trump’s latest move is in an effort to persuade President Putin to think twice about that course of action. The sanctions, said UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, “will go directly to any sort of companies that were dealing with equipment related to Assad and chemical weapons use. And so I think everyone is going to feel it at this point. I think everyone knows that we sent a strong message, and our hope is that they listen to it.”...

http://www.conservativefreepress.com/economy/trump-hits-russia-with-new-sanctions-hopes-fade-for-better-relations/

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OPEC Member Goes Socialist, Forced to Import Oil

by Daniel Greenfield

{ frontpagemag.com } ~ Socialism has done wonders for Venezuela...There were the food riots, widespread hungers, shortages of everything, inflation making its currency worthless, hospitals left without medication and schools left without teachers because they're busy waiting on line to buy food. I've chronicled many of those over the years. But now Berniestan has hit Peak Socialism. Despite being an OPEC member, it's importing oil. Despite having the greatest oil reserves in the world, Venezuela’s government is being forced to spend millions of dollars a day importing crude to prop up its ailing industry...  https://www.frontpagemag.com/point/269921/opec-member-goes-socialist-forced-import-oil-daniel-greenfield 

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"German Students Protest 

Anti-Israel Policy of Former Foreign Minister," 

by Benjamin Weinthal

{ jpost.com } ~ Students at the University of Bonn in Germany demonstrated on Monday... against a talk delivered by former German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel because of his alleged anti-Israel and pro-Iran policies. The protesters held banners stating “Against Iran-Siggi! For Israel!” at the event and tossed flyers in the auditorium. Siggi is a shortened version of Sigmar. The flyer accused the Social Democratic politician of “friendship with despots, hatred of Israel, dirty weapon deals.” The students criticized the university for inviting Gabriel to speak on “Germany in an uncomfortable world,” on the 200th anniversary of the founding year of the university, which is located in the city of Bonn in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia...

http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/German-students-protest-anti-Israel-policy-of-former-foreign-minister-550042

VIDEO:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkUgrgk2zMw

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Prager U Video: Eye for an Eye

by Prager University

{ frontpagemag.com } ~ Nowadays, many people, particularly those living in Western civilization... no longer regard their society as morally superior to any other. In this video, Dennis Prager lays out how this view does not spring from intellectual rigor, but from intellectual laziness.

https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/269882/prager-u-video-eye-eye-prager-university

VIDEO:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrakW1DjApo

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As Senate probes Yemen role, US quietly continues strikes

by ALEXANDRA GUTOWSKI

 

{ longwarjournal.org } ~ As the United States Senate probes America’s role in the Yemen conflict... the US military continues to strike Al Qaeda’s official branch in the Gulf state. In the past month, the United States conducted three strikes against Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP.) US Forces Central Command (CENTCOM) has not released details for any strikes in 2018, continuing the military’s limited transparency from the year prior. Without the press releases, the location and results of these strikes remains unknown. The United States has conducted 25 strikes in Yemen in 2018, LTC Earl Brown at CENTCOM Media Operations said this week. A strike in Jan. 2018 targeted the Islamic State, but the 24 others have all targeted Al Qaeda’s branch in Yemen...  https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2018/04/as-senate-probes-yemen-role-us-quietly-continues-strikes.php.

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Keeping it Natural 

by Tom McLaughlin

{ tommclaughlin.blogspot.com } ~ Whenever possible, I use natural light in my photography. I much prefer it to artificial light which, if you think about it, hasn’t been around very long. Thomas Edison patented the light bulb in 1879 during the lifetime of my great-grandparents. We’re not sure how long humans like us have been around; recent discoveries in Morocco indicate about 300,000 years, so artificial light is very new in a relative sense. Before Edison, the only light we had to operate between sunset and sunrise was some sort of flame from candle, lamp, or lantern, all of which I would characterize as natural.

Moonset over Mount Washington

 

Artificial light improves our lives and we all use it every day, but it always feels unnatural to me and feeling is a big component of photography as I like to do it. Although I spent several hundred bucks on an artificial flash unit to photograph my loved ones indoors in the low light of our long, Maine winters, I only use it when I have to. As digital photography keeps improving, I use it less and less.

Lovell beech

 

People have asked me to photograph weddings and I’ve obliged a few times, but I don’t anymore. That’s work, and it diminishes the enjoyment of taking pictures for me. I only want to shoot what I want to shoot, so it’s been more than thirty years since I’ve done it for hire. Recently I’ve begun uploading a few images to Shutterstock, which is an online site for selling them. If others will pay to use pictures I’ve already shot that’s fine, but I’ll retain ownership and continue to shoot only what inspires me. I’ve donated images to non-profits and I’ve allowed National Review and other publications to use some, but I’ve never charged for them.

Santorini

 

Perhaps the best natural light conditions I ever encountered were in Santorini, Greece. Our two days there had plenty of June sunshine and people are required to paint their houses and businesses white. Some cyan and light pink and blue are allowed now but all reflect light very nicely. Nearly every building perches on the steep rim of a volcanic crater high above the sea which reflects light upward. It’s photographer heaven and I shot hundreds of pics — of which about ten I’d consider high quality. Shutterstock already has over 82,000 pics of Santorini but I think mine will compete.

Santorini sunset

 

My northern European ancestors valued sunlight  highly for millennia to the point where it seems they worshipped it. Whoever built Stonehenge oriented it to the solstices. The builders of Ireland’s Newgrange structure did as well and it predates Stonehenge by 1000 years. Druid priests, or whoever presided over these ancient structures (historians aren’t sure), would have used candles or lamps to light the inner passages of Newgrange. Unless people lit massive bonfires, low light at night was the rule for everyone. Then in 1824, Augustin-Jean Fresnel invented the famous lensnamed for him through which light from a single lantern in a lighthouse could be projected 20 miles to warn ships of navigational obstacles. They’re still in use today.

Inside Newgrange

 

Those conducting solemn ceremonies and romantic encounters still favor natural light from candles even when all sorts of artificial light emission devices are available now. Just before I go to my bed each night I like to walk outside for a few minutes to smell the air. It’s never dark outside the South Portland house with street lights, porch lights on neighboring houses, and lights from Portland across the harbor. In Lovell, by contrast, there’s only light from the moon or stars with the exception in winter of a few twinkles from a distant hillside in Chatham, New Hampshire. I much prefer evenings outside there.

Kezar Lake sunset

 

It’s never completely quiet near the city either, whereas out in the country the only sounds are from wind, rain, or a wild animal, with only an occasional bark from a domestic dog. Some people find comfort in the lights and sounds of a city that never sleeps. I get that, but I believe I’ll always prefer natural sources for both.

http://tommclaughlin.blogspot.com/2018/04/keeping-it-natural.html