The message, it seems, is not getting through

I had to work today. Which, for those of you who know me, or have suffered through my blog posts (or worse yet, both! horrors!), means I was out driving around in the day's horrendous traffic.
Had to go from Waynesville to Saluda, but I-40 was stalled due to an accident and the volume. So I took the twisties NC-215 and US-276 through the savage heart of the Pisgah National Forest.
If I saw one group camp with 4 SUV's each with a trailer hauling motorcycles, jetskiis, ATV's, or boats, I saw 100.
Observed one group up close as they pulled into the Sonic in Marion. First SUV had the pontoon boat. Two people in it. Second one had Jetskiis on a trailer, and lots of gear in the back. One person in it. Third SUV was pulling the camping trailer, presumably where they all stayed. Two adults, two kids in there. Finally a last SUV with one adult, one kid, pulling a trailer with 2 HD road kings, an ATV, and an outboard motor.
Seems like $4/gallon gas ain't slowing this show down at all.

Maybe $10/gallon will get their attention, huh?

Photographers Protest Restrictions

There have been lots and lots of reduction in our rights as photographers to make images in the past 7 years. I am amazed at some of the stories I read and hear about these days.
As American citizens, we have THE RIGHT to make any photograph at any time in public. We have the RESPONSIBILITY to make sure those who work for us (police especially) are doing their jobs, and there is a long-standing, historical interest in documenting our society.
Recently, there have been a number of camera confiscations, photographer detentions, arrests, and outright harassment cases in NYC and elsewhere.
Tomorrow a group of NYC photographers are staging a protest about specific issues with the NY Metropolitan Transit Authority, surrounding the construction of a new train yard.
Should be interesting. Hope no one I know gets hurt.