Ferguson, Missouri at a Walmart in Albany, Oregon

In the days after Darren Wilson shot Michael Brown to death, news reports were overwhelmingly about the police response to protests. Indeed, some of these protests were violent and may have deserved aggressive police tactics.

And so, after a grand jury did not indict Wilson, violent protests again became front-page news. But this time, the protests were viewed as pathetic on the pages of my Facebook feed. Most criticism was directed at the protesters and the use of violence.

Some criticisms compared the Ferguson violence to the O.J. Simpson acquittal, saying, "White people did not riot over the O.J. verdict..."

This kind of comparison is not only way off point, but is also bigoted and fundamentally incorrect. Nicole Brown Simpson's "people," white people, were not persecuted as slaves for centuries. Nor do they live under an umbrella of abuse and stereotype. The simple fact is, blacks are targeted as thugs by police. And more importantly, police are biased and trigger-happy.

The simpler fact is this: Police forces across America use their power arbitrarily and with extreme bias.

Albany Police investigate a problem shelter.

Albany, Oregon could become Ferguson in an instant. And it almost did, just a few months ago. In August, an Albany police officer fired her weapon at a "suspicious" car parked at Walmart. After a month-long investigation, Linn County District Attorney Doug Marteeny stated that the shooting was justified.

Marteeny's explanation, along with police statements about the sequence of events, has more holes than a gopher-ridden farm field.

The police claim that the patrol was engaging a "suspicious" car in a remote area of Albany's Walmart, and that the occupant of the car was acting "nervous, erratic, and agitated." Police say that the suspect was pounding the steering wheel and yelling. Yet, the report goes on to say that she concealed her hands and threw "something" out of the window.

At that moment, the officer fired her duty weapon, hitting not the suspicious suspect, but rather the top of the car's door frame. The D.A. stated that the suspect was "lucky she wasn't killed." The real fact is that Albany citizen's are lucky that they weren't hit when an officer fired her weapon randomly at a "suspicious" suspect. There were two cops there during this incident, and the other officer, a 12-year veteran, did not fire his weapon, which only shows that bias and incompetence are much bigger problems for American police, than are suspicious suspects.

Homeless minorities are frequent targets for police.

American police have become militarized and paternalistic. Law enforcement is armed to the core with military weapons and a hunger to annihilate anything in their path. The only way to fix this travesty, is to strip the police of the arbitrary power and replace it with what law enforcement was designed for: public safety.

In a recent town hall in Albany about homelessness, an attendee criticized the city for wanting to spend $200k on lighting for a riverfront path that is home to a number of homeless. The criticism focused on police tactics and abuse.

Albany City Manager Wes Hare, responded by denying those allegations and encouraging "ride-alongs" with police. Hare makes $180k a year to spout inaccuracies about Albany Police. The local cops are indeed abusive and excessive.

We should have no doubt, that the suspect at Walmart should have been approached and documented, but not shot at. Her mental health, homelessness, and drug addiction, should in no way be a reason to shoot her car, or her for that matter.

We do not know why Darren Wilson shot Mike Brown. We do know that neither is much of a character model for anybody. And we know that as a people, we accept shooting thugs and Walmart meth addicts. We have transformed our police into old-west gunslingers, abusing whoever they see fit, sometimes resulting in fired weapons.

And often resulting in death.

An Albany Policeman doing job as a Public Servant.

Shining a Light on Lung Cancer at Timber Linn Memorial Park

Cancer awareness, although very good, could be much better. In Albany on Sunday, November 16, the Lung Cancer Alliance and local health professionals gathered to talk about and raise awareness about lung cancer.

Event organizer Brandy Skelton of Good Samaritan Hospital in Corvallis lost her father to lung cancer in 2007, and has since been an active leader in the campaign to educate the public about the crippling and deadly disease. "I became involved because I wanted to be proactive," Skelton said.

The outdoor event boasted speakers and hot coffee during a typically cold November backdrop of visible breath. To say the attendees and speakers were cold would be accurate. The near freezing temps could be seen from the speakers' breaths.

The cancer talk featured doctors Kevin Ewanchyna, Eric Sharp, and Jeffrey Lear. Topics included eating habits, diets that include antioxidants, avoiding smoking products, and group-sourced support groups. Additional information centered around community education, lung cancer screening, and diagnosis and treatment.

According to the Lung Cancer Alliance, the disease kills more people in the United States than does breast, prostate, colon, and pancreatic cancers combined.

To donate, whether it be time or money, contact Skelton at bskelton@samhealth.org, or contact advocates at the Lung Cancer Alliance.

My Story

Lost in my thoughts with you in my mind
My heart aching badly my lungs in a bind
The tears keep flowing for I can't get them to stop
Feeling kind of dizzy, to my knees I drop

November 16th, the phone rang with bad news
I screamed to him, not my dad please tell me it's not true
Faster please faster, you have to get me there
I must tell him that I love him, he has to know I care

I see the flashing lights, I run to find my dad
I find him on the gurney, he looks up at me so sad
I love you daddy, I frantically scream
Please daddy please, tell me it's just a dream

The look in his eyes, said so much to me
I love you too, he said breathlessly
I had my time alone with you that day
Holding your hand all I could do is pray

Kissing your forehead, squeezing your toes
Telling you how much I love you and begging you not to go
As you slipped away from us, you were freed from all your pain
Our hearts were forever broken, so many memories remain

Dad, you will never be forgotten.  I love you with all my heart
One day we will meet up again and never have to part
So until that day comes, please remember to give me signs
I keep talking to you daily and adding to my shrine

                          By Brandy Skelton, 2007

Ten Tips for November Photos in Albany Oregon

Albany, Oregon. Quaint, quiet, and curiously photographic. In the following text, we will examine where, when, and what to photograph in this charming little town.

Albany was founded a century and a half ago, and today still has that visual draw. From its old and beautifully crafted homes, to historic downtown and the mighty Willamette river, Albany could keep any photographer busy for another 150 years.

Albany is a classic American small town, with two high schools and steel mills flanked by fertile farmlands. In between all of this, two rivers travel within Albany's boundaries, along with wildlife and people. Photographs are easy to come by. Nature shooters, street photogs, and hobby photographers will find ample opportunity for timeless photos in Albany.

These tips will help show you how:


TIP 1: DOWNTOWN.
Albany is home to historic storefronts and these can provide awesome architecture photos as well as street photography shots. Asking permission is encouraged.

TIP 2: TALKING WATER GARDENS
Located in East Albany, off of Front Street, Talking Water Gardens in a park that offers spectacular nature viewing. Varieties of birds are uncountable, and turtles, foxes, and other wildlife abound. This park is simply a must-go for any photographer. Bring a larger telephoto.

TIP 3: ALBANY PARKS
Albany is home to multiple parks with photo opportunities. Grand Prairie, Monteith, Bryant, Bowman, and Hazelwood, all offer varying photos. Be prepared to shoot landscapes, wildlife, and people. Bring multiple lenses.

TIP 4: DAVE CLARK RIVERFRONT BIKEPATH
Running from Monteith to Bowman, this walking/biking path offers nature and candids. Macro photography is also a good bet here, as flowers and gardens are frequent along the concrete path.

TIP 5: ALBANY SKATEPARK
This park could use some manners, but it also provides faces and action. Simply introduce yourself and be honest about what you are doing. Most skaters oblige. Located at Eleanor Park.

TIP 6: GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS
Yes, this is a bit out of the ordinary. But candid photos are available, and for a amateur shooter, these events are good practice. Check the City of Albany website for council meetings and other official business.

TIP 7: STREET SHOOTING
Any town can offer street photos, and Albany is no different. Be polite, offer emailed photos, and sometimes ask permission. Downtown, Heritage Mall, and the Monteith Historical District, all offer street candids. Walk a beat.

TIP 8: HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS
Albany is home to West and South high schools. Attending sporting events is fairly cheap, but usually junior varsity sports are free admission.

TIP 9: CALAPOOIA RIVER
Wildlife and nature photos here are neverending, as the river is home to multiple wildlife species. The river meets the Willamette at Albany, and is constantly changing, because of rain and erosion. Ask permission for private access.

TIP 10: THE BEST CAMERA IS THE ONE YOU HAVE
Photography is everywhere, so be prepared. Even if it is with your phone, know the camera settings and fire away. But if you do own a decent point 'n' shoot, or even a DSLR, pack it with you. It might surprise you.

The SLIK Sprint Pro II: A Bargain Travel Tripod Review

This little tripod fits in a backpack, costs less than ninety dollars, and has squats down to 170mm height.

Is the SLIK Sprint Pro II capable of handling professional photography? Let's examine this tripod and answer that question.



PROS:

1. Affordable price. This Sprint Pro II rings up at about $90, so cost is no question here.
2. Compact. I took it to Las Vegas, and I carried in a laptop backpack, a pack that had 3 camera bodies and six lenses. It is slightly more than 18 inches with ballhead.
3. Efficient. The travel tripod is lightweight, yet sturdy. It handles large lenses, as I have had the 7D and EF 70-300mm on the quick-release ballhead. The instructions do say, however, that the tripod is limited to about 5 pounds of load.
4. Legs are adjustable to three angles with locks. 
5. 3-year warranty is awesome.
6. Fairly sturdy for a lightweight tripod. 
7. Center column can be inverted, particularly useful for macro photography.
8. Low height of six inches(17cm) is capable.
9. Verticle & Pan capable.
10. Solid grips. The tripod handles well and the grips are nicely sized and spongy.

CONS:

1. Ballhead is horrible. Although capable, any lens of weight, such as the EF 28-135mm, will give you headaches framing a shot.
2. Footgrips have fallen off. Once, at McDowell Creek Falls, I managed to find one of the fallen-off feet, down in the creek itself. I was lucky.
3. Windblown. Although sturdy, wind will affect this tripod.
4. Quick-release plate is horrible as well. Mine is less than a year old, and made of cork, it has disintegrated.
5. Ballhead knobs are for stronger hands and smaller fingers. Enough said.
6. Variable-angle locks on legs are just okay.
7. Quick-release plate lock is also mediocre.
8. The tripod came with a practically useless carrybag.
9. Maximum height is another concern at 63 inches. This is partially due to the lightweight nature of this travel-pod. It is adequate however.
10. It is simply not a professional tripod.

When we consider the positive aspects of the SLIK Sprint Pro II, we can conclude that for the money, it is a not-bad-at-all tripod and coming in under a hundred bucks is high praise.

But, in regard to the suspect angles of this travel tripod, I can only give it 3 out of 5 stars. For professional tripod photos, invest in a bigger and better tripod.

Ten Tips For November Salmon

It is early November, and the October rains have kept the coastal rivers swollen just enough to entice the bulk of the fall salmon run into swimming upriver. In western Oregon, the forecast for late season salmon is good, providing you can get a day off.

That is TIP # 1:
Go during the week!
The only thing to say here is beat the weekend crowds. You still have to get up early, but no weekend warrior types to play hopscotch with over fishing holes.

TIP #2:
Fish "Holding Water."
What this means is, fish any spot that will cause fish to pause, even if momentarily. A small riffle, a large rapid, these are spots that fish will pause and catch their breath.

TIP #3:
Fish with 20 pound test.
Yeah, fifty pound chinook, if ya know what I mean.

TIP #4:
Good eggs. Enough said.

TIP #5:
Depending on riverflow and recent rain, fish as high up on the river as possible. Keep in mind, a reasonable place to catch bright fish. November is not the time to be forty miles upriver.

TIP #6:
Fish efficiently.
Stay busy, keep after it...

TIP #7:
Pre-tied Leaders.
I tie about twenty leaders the night before. This helps save time on the river. Drift fishing with a sinker and leader is terminal. Having those leaders gets you back in the water fast. That means more fish.

TIP #8:
Sharp Hooks.
I cannot stress this enough. Salmon have a thick cartilage to penetrate, and having ultra-sharp, sticky hooks, only increases your chances of landing a salmon. This point, no pun intended, increases as salmon get larger. Hooking a forty-pound fish, for example, means you better set a super-sharp hook or that fish will disappear like yesterday's sunshine.

TIP #9:
Spinners.
A large Blue Fox, or a heavy purple bodied homemade spinner, can cover a lot of water and will antagonize fish. The instinct to strike is too much. Flutter spinners through classic holes, or fish a fast retrieve through channels.

TIP # 10:
Keep an eye out for Chanterelle Mushrooms. These yellow-orange edibles are ultra-tasty stuffed in the belly of a Chinook, topped with lemon, butter, and ranch. Serve with a cold beer.

THANK-YOU FOR NOT LITTERING!

First Impressions: Canon's EF 70-200mm f4 IS USM L Lens

The Canon EF 70-200mm F4 IS USM L is an affordable professional lens. But does it stack up versus much spendier "red ring" lenses? Let's go see.

When one thinks of a zoom lens that hits 200mm, one probably thinks of a bulky and cumbersome lens. Not so in this case. The EF 70-200mm F4 with Image Stabilization is quite compact and lightweight. I walked around a bird refuge the first time I shot this lens, and I was never bothered by the length, weight, or girth.

The lens has a nice focal range for a walkaround lens, and the ends are capable. At 70mm, nice landscape photos are possible, although compressed. At 200mm, shooting wildlife is possible, providing you can get fairly close. In between, the lens has multiple uses, ranging from street photography to portraiture. The lens is a very good "do-it-all" performer.

Capturing subjects with the 70-200 is enhanced by the very good Image Stabilization unit. Canon claims at least three stops of IS, and the lens does not disappoint. I shot the lens at 1/250th second shutter and got crisp photos.

The pro lens has a minimum focus length of four feet, making it an extremely potent portrait lens. The focal range, constant f4 aperture, and beautiful blurred backgrounds make this lens one of Canon's best portrait lenses. The F4 also makes the lens a bit faster than most telephotos.

The mechanics and build quality are superb. The telephoto lengths are managed without any turning of any part of the lens. Zooming in and out is smooth and effortless. Manual focus is easy and fast, and ultra-smooth. IS buttons are firm, and the lens feels very strong in the hand. The four side positioned buttons are firm and offer minimum focus, AF/MF, IS, and Canon's dual stabilizer. The lens has no "plasticky" feel whatsoever.

The 70-200 glass produces sharp, crisp photos. The color and crispness allow this lens to be fired from even the simplest of DSLRs, the EOS Rebels. Even wide open at F4, photos are sharp and detailed. This lens has a crispness that outperforms most other lenses in its class.

The dual stabilizer is meant for two kinds of IS, one being for static subjects and the other for moving objects. The IS works very good and allows for handheld minimum shutter speeds that produce very nice photos.

Autofocus is extremely fast and accurate. Shooting this lens while anticipating shots, such as wildlife or street photography, is no problem, as the AF unit performs at a very high level. Photo sharpness is very good.

The lens has a Focus Range Indicator, which can be useful for zone-photography or manually focusing a subject whose exact distance is know. There is no Depth-of-Field Scale on the 70-200.

The lens produces some distortion at 70mm, but that is to be expected, and it very slight. Color fringing and vignetting are a non-issue. This lens produces great photos on both full-frame and crop sensor cameras, with little ill effects.

If I had to rate the Canon EF 70-200mm F4 IS USM L, I would say it is a solid four and a half stars out of five. The lens is lightweight for a telephoto, has awesome handling and build quality, and most importantly, the lens produces sharp images throughout the focal range and aperture range.

It is simply a very good lens.