 | 1.
Baby Leica shops (August 6, 2007)Took the little Panasonic FX-07 "Baby Leica" to the grocery
store. It performed just as I wanted it to. When I saw something pretty, I just whipped that little sucker out and
captured it! The colors impress me and I'm getting better
with it (I think) |
| 2098 Visits
40 Images
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 | 2.
Baby Leica (August 5, 2007)These are some photos taken with my new Panasonic
FX-07. I am impressed with the colors, the sharpness and
overall results from this little 7.2 meg jewel.
The 28mm WA is awesome! |
| 2364 Visits
63 Images
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 | 3.
Dubai (MARCH, 22, 2009 (update))UPDATED FOR THE LAST TIME ON MARCH, 22, 2009.
NEW MID-EAST WORLD CENTER
THIS IS A REALITY PICTURE BLOG.
THIS IS LONG, BUT WORTH LOOKING AT,-- IT'S YOUR FUTURE!
THIS IS WHERE THE WORLD ECONOMY
IS GOING TO BE AFTER 2012.
================================
EVEN AS WE SPEAK, THE STOCK MARKETS AND THE ECONOMY IS MERGING IN THE MID-EAST. CHECK
OUT THIS LINK TO THE STORY!!
http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/08/06/25/10223634.html
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The WORLD is building a new Mid-East WORLD CENTER to replace the USA. (ALL OF THESE COMMENTS AND PICTURES ARE DIRECTLY FROM INTERNATIONAL NEWS REPORTS.) Some photos at the end show Bill Clinton's ties to the United Arab Emirates. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL THIS NEWS OF THE MID-EAST IS BEING SUPPRESSED BY THE U.S. MEDIA. (If you hadn't noticed!) There are too many high US people involved! We, the American people, are being "played like fools"!
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Dubai just noted the Millionaires living there has risen from 68,000 to 79,300 this year. NO TAXES!
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MID-EAST DEVELOPMENT. (The New World Center)
DUBAI - With projects worth $931 billion currently under way, the UAE is a key driver, along with Saudi Arabia, of the $2.8 trillion Middle East construction boom, a new research reveals.
A research by a database company, which monitors regional construction projects across all industry sectors in the Middle East, shows that there are now 3,339 projects estimated to be worth in excess of $2.8 trillion under way in the region, the bulk of these developments taking place in the UAE and Saudi Arabia
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OIL SHORTAGE??
--- According to the Oil Minister in Qatar, and the King of Arabia, there is NO shortage of oil. The high prices are due to speculation by traders. It is a ploy to allow big oil companies to drill in National Parks and reserves. Gasoline (petrol) is 15 to 20 cents a liter in the Mid-East, OPEC says Oil should be at $70.00us a barrel, the oil companies are the ones getting the money. In addition, the US dollar is the weakest it has ever been.
SEPTEMBER 4th, 2008
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia has started pumping oil from the 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) Khursaniyah oilfield. This
is a HUGE newly developed field!
ABU DHABI just announced it had received an order from an "Unidentified" big U.S. oil company for ten high tech oil drilling rigs to be delivered to HOUSTON, TEXAS.
OPEC President Chakib Khelil said that had it not been for the weak dollar, political tensions and speculation, oil prices would probably be around $70 a barrel. “In terms of fundamentals, there is no problem of supply and demand. There is much more a bubble due to speculation, which is based on a depreciating dollar and geopolitical tensions,” Khelil said yesterday.
(June 9, 2008)
YOU SHOULD KNOW --THAT OPEC ONLY SUPPLIES 37% OF UNITED STATES OIL.
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The Mid-East is taking over in --
*** TRADE and is buying US companies and property.
--Building a $600-million business park in South Carolina, USA. ---Earlier this year, DP World's sister company Jafza invested $600 million in one of the poorest counties in the US - nicknamed the "corridor of shame" on account of its destitute condition.
--- In a move reflecting Jafza's focus on continuous growth, Jafza International, the global free zone operations arm of Economic Zones World, in its first investment in North America, has acquired around 5.260 million square metres (1,300 acres) of land in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, USA, to set up a world class logistics and business park comprising light manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution facilities. With a total investment of around $600 million (about Dh2.2 billion), Jafza aims to transform Orangeburg into a major logistical hub in the United States, which will create about 8,000 to 10,000 jobs over the next decade, and attract private investment of around $1.2 billion (about Dh4.4 billion). Another invasion of the US,--without a shot being fired!
In Miami Beach,
-- Nakheel (Dubai Sovereign Developer) is building a 1500 room "Fontainebleau" resort.
Gold Coast, Australia.
-- Nakheel signs 5 year plan to develop the area at $100m per year.
WORLD --
Nakheel just bought 20% of Cirque du Soleil (The world famous Circus)
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The INDIAN auto maker,--TATA has just bought Jaguar and Land Rover
from Ford Motor Co.
They also plan to open plants and start building small trucks in the US.
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*** FINANCE;
Qatar, which has a population of about 1 million and is the richest Arab country per capita, is considering adding to its 15 percent stake in the London Stock Exchange, Shaikh Hamad said.
The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), whose assets Standard Chartered Plc puts at $60 billion, is considering making an investment in Britain’s second-biggest bank, the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), the Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported, citing people familiar with the QIA’s plans.
State-run Kuwait Investment Authority, which has at least $225 billion of assets, said last month it would invest $3 billion in Citigroup Inc (Just moved their London base to Dubai) and $2 billion in Merrill Lynch & Co.-- J P Morgan has opened in Qatar. The bank already runs offices in Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. As the US banks scramble for capital after billions of dollars in writedowns, The Emirates are there to buy what is left.
DOHA - Qatar’s prime minister, who heads the country’s sovereign wealth fund, said he favours investing in European over US lenders because US bank stocks are likely to fall further on subprime-mortgage writedowns.
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*** STOCK EXCHANGES;
-Borse Dubai acquires just under 20 percent of Nasdaq and 28 percent of the London stock exchange. Qatar has 15 percent of London SE already.
-They are buying OMX, --all the Nordic Stock Exchanges. (100%)
-The Borse Dubai/NASDAQ/OMX Group will become the largest global network of exchanges and exchange customers linked by technology in the world.
The vice-chairman of Borse Dubai, Soud Ba'alawy, said: "We want to build a world class, growth oriented exchange in Dubai and other emerging markets including the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and South East Asia.
(They already own the Wall Street Brokerage house in the US. 100% )
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In London,
-- Bought the London International Exhibit Hall
-- Bought the Bishopsgate Tower
-- Bought the Willis Building
---- Bought the ARSENAL football team and built Emirates Stadium!
Abu Dhabi: The UAE on Sunday said it will develop a peaceful nuclear power capability in partnership with responsible nations. They are planing to build three nuclear power plants.
EGYPT plans to build a nuclear power plant also,---with U.S. help.
OTHER BUYS,
In May 2008, US real estate firm Boston Properties backed by investors from Dubai, Kuwait and Qatar bought the General Motors Building, which is located in New York on Fifth Avenue for $2.8 billion, making it the most expensive building in the United States.
Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal owns stake in real estate holdings worldwide, most prominently large stakes in New York's Plaza Hotel and the Four Seasons hotel chain.
- Bought the Chrysler Building.
- Bought 51% of MGM properties in Las Vegas.
- Dubai buys into the U.S.'s AMD chips.
- Dubai Buys Sony (SNE) Stake.
- Dubai buys large part of CITIgroup, Merrill Lynch and Bear Sterns
- Emaar bought US homebuilder John Laing Homes for $1.05 billion in June 2007. The US second largest home builder. Emaar owns 100%.
- Own Toys-R-Us, 100%
*** MEDICAL RESEARCH--Mayo Clinics. Johns-Hopkins.
*** TECHNOLOGY (Silicon Oasis -will replace
US Silicon Valley.) SUN, Microsoft, and IBM are there now.
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*** TOURISM (Dubailand, four times greater than ALL Disneylands combined.) Universal Studios designed. Horse Racing, Auto Racing, Hundreds of attractions.
- Bought the legendary Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) cruise ship which in November 2008 will be moored in Dubai as a floating hotel. (It is being prepared now for the trip)
- SIX FLAGS is building a theme park in Dubai.
--- The San Diego Zoo has signed a 20 year agreement with Abu Dhabi to design and oversee building of a major wildlife reserve and resort.
Prominent theme parks currently under development in Abu Dhabi and Dubai include Warner Bros and Ferrari theme parks in the capital and Dubailand, a multi-billion dollar enclave of 24 theme parks, four and a half times the size of Manhattan, which will be the Middle East's answer to Disneyworld. There will be Universal Studios' Universal City and a Marvel Entertainment theme park among ot... |
| 1915 Visits
99 Images
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 | 4.
KM colors (October 15, 2007)These are pictures with the fantastic colors of the Minolta A2 and the D7UG.
Many of us prefer the "Natural" colors we get from the Minolta cameras. IMO, they are unique to the D7xx, Axx, 5D and 7D series
cameras. It is a real pity that when the last of these cameras dies,-- The KM colors will be no more. I enjoy them while I can! |
| 2441 Visits
51 Images
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 | 5.
Inside Flowers (May 12, 2007 (update))Showing how different types of flowers use their "sexy" display
to attract different suiters to insure pollenation and perpetuate the species.
These pictures were all taken with the Minolta D7ug and A2. Many of them could NOT have been done with a DSLR
because they lack the features needed.
The pistil is the female part of the plant. It is generally shaped like a bowling pin and located in the center of the flower. It consists of the stigma, style, and ovary. The stigma is located at the top, and is connected to the ovary by the style. The ovary contains the eggs which reside in the ovules. After the egg is fertilized the ovule develops into a seed.
The stamen is the male reproductive organ. It consists of a pollen sac (anther) and a long supporting filament. This filament holds the anther in position so the pollen it contains may be disbursed by wind or carried to the stigma by insects, birds or bats.
(Things you didn't know! "LOL") |
| 2641 Visits
39 Images
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 | 6.
D-7 Add-on lenses (May 9th, 2007 (update))Any camera can use these lenses!
PLEASE READ THE TEXT UNDER THE PICTURES SO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW AND WHY THEY WERE TAKEN !!
These pictures are not to promote brands of lenses but to show the different magnifications and how they can be used. Most of these are older brands but newer makes are similar in results. THESE SHOTS ARE WITH THE Minolta D-7ug and A2 but can be used on ANY lens or camera that has threads on the front lens. Some will require a step ring to make the fit. You just have to find some of the add-on lenses and give them a try. Never know what you will get. Most of these lenses are out of production. You can find them in auctions, Ebay, or older type camera stores. There are many current makers, including Sony, Tiffen, Raynox, and Kenko, and Olympus that
offer add-ons for sale. Worth looking for !! More are coming. Add-ons with 46mm threads and up can be used with step rings to fit on the camera lens. They can be used with the new DSLR's and with film cameras also.
High Tech .42x WA
No name .5x
No name 2.0x
Star 1.5x
Fujiyama 0.43 fisheye
Kalcor WA 0.50x
Raynox 1.5x
TC 200 2X teleconverter (Ricoh)
Fujiyama 3X teleconverter
Raynox 0.7X WA
Lenmar 2X Teleconverter.
Ambico 1.5X tele
Ambico 0.5X WA
RCA 0.6x WA
RCA 1.5x tele
Lenmar 0.6x WA
Precision Quartz 0.42X
Raynox 0.6x
CANON C-8 1.6x tele
+1,+2,+3,+4 Diopters
They provide a shooting range from 10mm to 1200mm when used with the D7 and A series Minolta cameras w/fixed
28-200mm lens. Overall quality is in general very acceptable for all. Fun to try different things! Vignetting ends at about 50mm for the .5X and around 100mm for the 1.5X. With vignetting, you can shoot in TIFF and crop it off and still have a good square image of 6.3megs or so. Some are good, some not so good, try different ones to find the ones that suit you.
CLICK ON THUMBNAIL TO BRING UP MEDIUM SIZE PHOTO, UNDER THAT--CLICK TO SELECT SIZE YOU WANT TO VIEW, UP TO ORIGINAL LOADED SIZE. CLICK ON PHOTO TO RETURN TO THUMBNAILS. (Counter reset at 70M) |
| 28773 Visits
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 | 7.
Composition, ect. (August 12, 2002)Reason the photos look this way. This is to
show different forms of cropping and using
foreground and composition and color to lead
your eyes within the picture. You get rid of
everything in the photograph that is not
needed to make the PICTURE. |
| 4315 Visits
34 Images
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 | 8.
D-7 Odds and Ends (Update July, 2007)These are various photos taken with the Minolta
D-7 digital camera. They were taken in "fine" mode,
and posted with little or no processing in Ulead
Photo Express Pro 7.2. They range from beach photos and people pictures to macro
shots of flowers and spiders. The D7 gives beautiful colors! |
| 6573 Visits
46 Images
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 | 9.
Farmer's Market (July 27, 2002)A PICTURE STORY
My D-7 hadn't been out for a while so we
went to the Vista Farmer's Market. This was a fun
event and took candid (really grab) shots of the
folks shopping and buying the beautiful produce
and flowers grown in our wonderful area. The colors
were vivid and the camera continues to do what
I ask it to do. I'm a "people shooter" so I don't
worry about so-called "noise" or even a "blown"
highlight if I get a photo "I" am pleased with and
conveys my reason for taking the picture. Don't
tell me what I did wrong, I don't "do" wrong. |
| 4264 Visits
34 Images
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 | 10.
Wild Animal Park (Updated September 16, 2005)Spent the day (Aug,19th) at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. We have memberships here and
at the Zoo, but a while since we have been. This gallery combines two visits, last time it was overcast. This
time the weather was good, with a breeze off Mexico
bringing in bright skies. Got some decent
photos and missed some great ones with deep shadows. Oh well, next time. Couldn't see all we wanted to but take a look
at these. |
| 4114 Visits
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 | 11.
Basilica San Diego de Alcala (March 8, 2002)With gracious permission, I was able to photograph
this most beautiful of the Spanish Missions inside
and out. This is the "Mother of Missions", being the
first one conceived by Fr Serra and established in
1769. It is living history. Take a tour and enjoy!
(All photos taken with the Minolta D-7) |
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48 Images
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 | 12.
Mission San Antonio de Pala (February 27, 2002)The Pala Mission was a sub mission to San Luis Ray,
and is the only Mission still serving the Native
Indians. It was founded in 1816 and the main Chapel
and wing are original. Beautifully kept by the Pala
Indian Tribe, it has regular services and it's own
Charter School (Bonsall SD). Out of the way it offers a peaceful retreat. Enjoy the D-7's presentation! |
| 4436 Visits
33 Images
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 | 13.
Mission San Luis Rey (February 22, 2002)A stop at the mission with the D-7 for outside photos of this beautiful mission. Couldn't shoot
inside,-- don't allow flash or tripods, and I can't
hold still at 1/8 th like I used to. Did sneak a few
in the Gift Shop of some crosses. The creamy
white of the structure surprised me with how much
detail the camera held. Comments welcome. |
| 3207 Visits
10 Images
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 | 14.
OCEANSIDE HARBOR (February 12, 2002)We like to go down to the Harbor for the peacefull
atmosphere and maybe a lunch or coffee break. The
boats are beautiful and the air is clean and fresh. Taking pictures with the D-7 is a joy,
besides,--it's good for the soul. |
| 2895 Visits
17 Images
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 | 15.
San Diego Day Trip (February 14, 2002)We like to take day trips around the area to see
what's happening. This day took us to Lake Dixon,
Bate's Nut Farm and some of the horse farms in
the beautiful inland country. The D-7 camera is
great -- being small, light weight and great photos! |
| 3087 Visits
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