One of my favorite metro stations!!!! Especially when I lived on Stanley Street
To call your attention to interesting photography related on the web... and to show off some of my photographic work... is there another reason for a blog?
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
NYC Calling all cars: Photography still legal
FREEDOM OF PRESS
/Calling all cars: Photography still legal/
Source: National Press Photographers Association
New York City area photographers achieved a victory of sorts in March against
Metropolitan Transportation Authority police officers when the New York Civil
Liberties Union threatened a lawsuit against MTA if their officers continued to
try to stop photography on the subways, Long Island Railroad, and Metro North
trains. The threatened suit brought about a written concession from MTA's
general counsel that there is "no ban on photography," but not until after
several photographers were harassed and threatened with arrest.
Over the past couple of months there has been an increase in the number of
complaints from photographers, both press and civilian, alleging that police -
mostly MTA officers - were threatening to arrest them for taking pictures in
public places, telling photographers that "photography is illegal."
The NYCLU wrote to MTA following the string of complaints, to which MTA
responded by requesting that "any photo activities get their 'prior
approval.' "
NPPA Region 2 associate director Todd Maisel, who is also vice president of the
New York Press Photographers Association and a staff photographer at the New
York Daily News, responded to MTA officials by saying that he "would never seek
their approval to take photographs in a public place."
... Catherine Rinaldi, general counsel and deputy executive director for MTA,
conceded in a March letter to photographers that there is "no ban on
photography
in the Long Island Railroad or the Metro North Transit system." The concession
came after NYCLU attorneys wrote to MTA demanding that they explain why MTA
officers were threatening photographers with arrest for taking pictures in
public areas of the transit system.
Source: National Press Photographers Association
<http://www.nppa.org/news_and_events/news/2006/04/mta01.html>
--
--
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Via / By / Excerpted / From / Tip from / Thanks to:
SPJ PressNotes for Wednesday, 4-5-06
PressNotes is edited by Robert Kerr, Assistant Professor in the Gaylord College
of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma. Kerr may be
reached at: RKerrSPJ@gmail.com <mailto:RKerrSPJ@gmail.com>
Gene Perry can be reached at: genelewisperry@gmail.com
<mailto:genelewisperry@gmail.com>
SPJ PressNotes is an e-mail newsletter produced every business day by the
Society of Professional Journalists. It is made possible through a grant from
the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation. Send subscription requests or changes to
pressnotes@spj.org.
© info
http://members.tripod.com/~media002/disclaimer.htm
Due to the nature of email & the WWW, check ALL sources.
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Developing Nations license.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/devnations/2.0/
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Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Pictures of the Wood Buffalo Frolics of 2006
Cutting Loose with the Muffaloose !
Wood Buffalo Frolics 2006
http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/72057594084294773/
View as slideshow
http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/72057594084294773/show/
--
- - -
GEORGE LESSARD
Information & Media Specialist
6402135 Canada Inc.
P.O. Box 456
Fort Smith, Northwest Territories
X0E 0P0, Canada
60°00'N, 111°58' W
Phone 867 872-3455
Home E-mail media@web.net
Alternate e-mail: mediamentor@gmail.com
Home Pages http://mediamentor.ca
On-line Activities: http://www.web.ca/~media/index.html
Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." (Gandhi)
"We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are." (Max Depree)
"Try? There is not try. There is only do or not do." (Yoda)
"Life is fatal, but not serious" (Oscar Wilde)
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
High School kids on the land...
The Fort Smith PWK High School kids have some classes out on the land every year to learn the tradional ways of Canada's Boreal forest...
See more of their pictures at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/70908966@N00/sets/72057594069356424/
Friday, March 03, 2006
Review of George Lessard's Bolivian Slide Show
I was asked to present my images of Bolivian at the Northern Life
Museum here in Fort Smith, This is a copy of the review of the show
that appeared in the Slave River Journal http://srj.ca , our local
newspaper.
A PSF of the story is available but it is also available th his URL (as a JPG)
Available online as a JPG file at
http://static.flickr.com/39/107240702_88bf00a470_o.jpg
or via
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/107240702/"
title="Photo Sharing"><img
src="http://static.flickr.com/39/107240702_88bf00a470_o.jpg"
width="1148" height="2200" alt="Review of George Lessard's Bolivian
Slide Show" /></a>
More of George's images of Bolivia are available at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/1072623/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/1510357/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/1510957/
and
http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/1456797/
--
---
GEORGE LESSARD
Information & Media Specialist
6402135 Canada Inc.
60°00'N, 111°58' W
P.O. Box 456
Fort Smith, Northwest Territories
X0E 0P0, Canada
Voice 867 872-3455
http://www.Skype.com P2PNetPhone: themediamentor
Home e-mail media@web.net
Alternate e-mail: mediamentor@gmail.com
MSN: MediaMentor (video cam & audio capable)
ICQ: 8501081
iChat / AIM mediamentor123
Home Pages http://mediamentor.ca
Online Activities: http://www.web.ca/~media/index.html
Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/
The MediaMentor's Blogs
Photos http://mediamentor.blogspot.com/
Overseas http://mediamentor-overseas.blogspot.com/
Text Blog http://garpl.blogspot.com/
Member:
Canadian Association of Journalists http://www.caj.ca
Canadian Artists Representation / le Front des artistes canadiennes
http://www.carfac.ca/
Canadian Artists Representation Copyright Collective http://www.carcc.ca/
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Developing Nations license.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/devnations/2.0/
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." (Gandhi)
"We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are." (Max Depree)
"Try? There is not try. There is only do or not do." (Yoda)
"Life is fatal, but not serious" (Oscar Wilde)
Monday, February 27, 2006
Emergency for Professional and Creative Photographers
[Don't make the mistake of thinking that this will effect only US photogs... because it could happen to anyone's photographs someone finds in the US... including yours.]
Emergency for Professional and Creative Photographers
Folks, we have a very serious situation on our hands. Congress is right now rushing into law a bill to legalize the theft of YOUR original photographic work.
It's called the "Orphan Works" amendment to the copyright act. What it basically says is that if anybody comes across your professional or creative photography, any time, anywhere, and then attempts to locate the creator (you) but can't, then they can just take it. Take it and use it however they want to.
You forfeit your right to control your own work. This would be true even of photographs with registered copyright.... more below....
http://theonlinephotographer.blogspot.com/2006/02/emergency-for-professional-and.html
http://www.asmp.org/news/spec2006/orphan_faxcall.php
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Pixel Counting Joins Film in Obsolete Bin
Pixel Counting Joins Film in Obsolete Bin
[excerpt]
With the collapse of the film camera market and the end of the
megapixel race, there are big changes in the photographic air.
First, there's the astonishing collapse of the film camera market. By
some tallies, 92 percent of all cameras sold are now digital.
Big-name camera companies are either exiting the film business (
Kodak, Nikon) or exiting the camera business altogether (Konica
Minolta). Film photography is rapidly becoming a special-interest
niche.
Next, there's the end of the megapixel race. "In compact cameras, I
think that the megapixel race is pretty much over," says Chuck
Westfall, director of media for Canon's camera marketing group.
"Seven- and eight-megapixel cameras seem to be more than adequate. We
can easily go up to a 13-by-19 print and see very, very clear detail."
That's a shocker. After 10 years of hearing how they need more, more,
more megapixels, are consumers really expected to believe that eight
megapixels will be the end of the line?
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/02/technology/circuits/02pogue.html?th&emc=th
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
George's Bolivian Pictures
--
GEORGE LESSARD
CESO/SACO VA# 11799 http://www.ceso-saco.com
Information & Media Specialist
6402135 Canada Inc.
60°00'N, 111°58' W
P.O. Box 456
Fort Smith, Northwest Territories
X0E 0P0, Canada
Voice 867 872-3455
http://www.Skype.com P2PNetPhone: themediamentor
Home e-mail media@web.net
Alternate e-mail: mediamentor@gmail.com
MSN: MediaMentor media@web.net (video cam & audio capable)
ICQ: 8501081
iChat / AIM mediamentor123
Home Pages http://mediamentor.ca
Online Activities: http://www.web.ca/~media/index.html
Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/
The MediaMentor's Blogs
Photos http://mediamentor.blogspot.com/
Overseas http://mediamentor-overseas.blogspot.com/
Text Blog http://garpl.blogspot.com/
Member:
Canadian Association of Journalists http://www.caj.ca
Canadian Artists Representation / le Front des artistes canadiennes http://www.carfac.ca/
Canadian Artists Representation Copyright Collective http://www.carcc.ca/
Creative Commons Developing Nations license.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/devnations/2.0/
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." (Gandhi)
"We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are." (Max Depree)
"Try? There is not try. There is only do or not do." (Yoda)
"Life is fatal, but not serious" (Oscar Wilde)
Thursday, November 17, 2005
CITIZEN JOURNALISM - Flickr, Buzznet expand citizens' role in visual journalism
Imagine if you were a photo editor at a major publication, and you
could view and search through every digital photo on every computer in
the world to put together a feature. Or if something spectacular
happened, and you could search photo tags to see what everyone at the
scene was seeing. This dream of a global photo album, compiled in real
time by amateur and professional shooters, hasn't quite materialized,
but photo-sharing services such as Flickr and Buzznet are giving us
glimpses into that future. New York Times Magazine columnist Rob
Walker is using Flickr to compile nationwide views of the various
Martin Luther King boulevards, while Boston Globe technology editor
D.C. Denison used Flickr photos to illustrate a story in the paper.
About 15 newspaper sites have created special Buzznet sites to
showcase citizen photos of current events or hyper-local happenings.
And the Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle's Spotted citizen-photography section
even has an army of 20 interns who cover parades and high school
football. These are baby steps toward what might become a revolution
in visual journalism -- broadening the variety of images we see on
news sites and in print publications to include more than just
traditional photojournalism. With these photo-sharing communities
comes an inner view of the lives of the people in our neighborhoods --
and a way to connect folks who like snapping photos at celebrations,
who are fanatic about species of birds, or who can capture the mood on
the streets.
Source: Mark Glaser, Online Journalism Review
--
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Via / By / Excerpted / From / Tip from / Thanks to:
PressNotes is edited by Robert Kerr, Assistant Professor in the
Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University
of Oklahoma. Kerr may be reached at: RKerrSPJ@gmail.com
Gene Perry can be reached at: genelewisperry@gmail.com
SPJ PressNotes is an e-mail newsletter produced every business day by
the Society of Professional Journalists. It is made possible through
a grant from the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation. Send subscription requests
© info
http://members.tripod.com/~media002/disclaimer.htm
Due to the nature of email & the WWW, check ALL sources.
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Developing Nations license.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/devnations/2.0/
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Sunday, November 13, 2005
A evening panorama of La Paz...
... from my hotel window... but you have to be quick... because the mountains are so high... the sun disappears in a twinkle... no long sunsets here.... but then the sight of all the lights at night are great too... I will try to get some night shots if I can..
From my hotel window
Not a perfect shot... the windows are a little dirty.. there is some reflection... but as this is what I saw the first time I looked out my windows... I thought that I should show you the view...
George's First images of La Paz, Bolivia
The airport and customs in La Paz were no problem at all... and the folks from CESO Bolivia did find me right away as I left customs..
But what a drive to the hotel!
The road is quite wide.. four full size lanes... but the angle of descent... and I do mean to use "angle of descent" to imply one must certainly have excellent breaks... because it would make an "expert level" ski slope if it has snow on it... Wow... I wish I could have take some pictures....! ! ! !
As you will see from the pictures from my hotel windows... I am on the 9th floor of an excellent apartment hotel within walking distance of downtown La Paz....
It is obvious that as Montreal's traffic must deal with the bridges... so to La Paz must deal with the mountains... it is surrounded by and part of the mountains... and they are mountains... not hills.. with cliffs and all... then add to that that the Bolivian driver drives as badly as the Indian driver (minus the cows)... one's drives are very interesting..
I will try and walk around and take some more images today.... as so far I am not suffering at all from the altitude... but I shall take at easy... the temperature is quite nice... like a nice cool sunny fall day in southern Canada...
I had a little bit of problem connecting to the internet.... but a reset of the router in the room seems to have taken care of the problem and the connection is quite fast... so uploading pictures should be no problem...
George..
In La Paz Bolivia
Saturday, October 22, 2005
My musher friend's dogs...
My friend Kathy has started posting her pictures of her dog team... take alook...
Sunday, October 16, 2005
Monday, October 03, 2005
Recruitment of a Human Rights trainer for Journalists in Kabul
Currently, Nai is seeking a media professional to conduct training for journalists on Human rights. Through a series of seminars, the training will be conducted to support journalists' understanding of human rights issues in order to contribute towards a strong 'human rights culture' in Afghanistan.
The trainer will equip the journalists with the necessary tools to enable them to appreciate the importance of respecting human rights and also educate the masses through the media in order to uphold democratic values.
The successful candidate will have a strong journalism background and / or experience training journalists in emerging democracies with substantial experience related to human rights. The candidate will be expected to work in Kabul for at least two months.
Nai whose primary task is to support broadcast media in Afghanistan has established a training centre in the Afghan capital Kabul, where working journalists from across the country will be trained in various journalism and radio production skills including business management. The project is funded by the European Commission.
Job Responsibilities:
Train journalists on how to report on all human rights issues including access to justice and equal protection before the law.
Train journalists to produce human rights programmes to effectively enhance attitudinal and behavioral change of the public.
Train broadcasters ethical issues of vulnerable groups such as orphans and children on the street whose rights are grossly abused.
This includes child and forced marriages.
The trainer will also produce a block of training materials to be used during the training and beyond the training cycle.
Help journalists create a network with human rights groups in Afghanistan in order to enhance coordination and further training.
Qualifications/Experience:
At least 5 years experience in journalism/radio production
Experience working in developing countries, preferably in Muslim countries.
Previous experience in journalism training.
Be in possession of a university degree in either journalism or human
rights Law degree.
Working knowledge of Dari or Pashto.
To apply please send your CV and covering letter not later than 11th
October 2005 to:
Ms. Roya Sakha at:
mailto:roya.sakha@internews.org
roya.sakha@internews.org
Nai-Internews Afghanistan
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Digital Photography Workshop
The Northern Life Museum in cahoots with the NWT Arts Council is offering a
Digital Photography Workshop over two weekends – September 24th & 25th and October 1st
Instructor: George Lessard
Cost is $45.00
This beginner to intermediate course will give an introduction to basic photography techniques such as framing, composition, exposure, plus a presentation of documentary architectural and landscape photographic techniques for use with a digital camera plus much more.
As part of the workshop the participants will produce a pictorial exhibit of local sites chosen by the Northern Life Museum to be part of a “Now & Then” exhibit for the Museum’s permanent collection.
Registration is limited to the first 10 paid participants.
For a more detailed workshop plan please stop
by the Museum.
110 King Street
(872) 872-2859
nlmmanager@direcway.com
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Graphic Rescue Photo Becomes a Symbol of New Orleans
Graphic Rescue Photo Becomes a Symbol of New Orleans
[excerpt]
By Daryl Lang
Published: September 15, 2005 12:51 AM ET
NEW YORK (PDN) The front pages of more than 20 newspapers Wednesday
ran a photo of a naked, emaciated American clinging to life as
rescuers carried him from his home.
Editors say the startling image, showing a man being rescued in New
Orleans 16 days after Hurricane Katrina, created discussions in their
newsrooms but ultimately carried enough news value to make it worth
publishing.
The photo, by Orange County Register photographer Bruce Chambers, was
distributed by the Associated Press and Knight Ridder/Tribune.
The Register identified the thin, unconscious man in the picture as
Edgar Hollingsworth, age 74, and said he was taken to a hospital and
was expected to survive.
In the picture, National Guard Spc. Manuel Ramos gently lifts
Hollingsworth, who is naked, off a stretcher while other rescuers
assist with an breathing mask and an IV bag. The image is centered in
front of a tidy front porch, with mailboxes and a potted plant.
[full text]
http://editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001137369&imw=Y
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
* Google unveils blog search site *
* Google unveils blog search site *
Google has launched a dedicated search site for weblogs.
Full story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/2/hi/technology/4244944.stm
RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
Google blogsearch
http://blogsearch.google.com/
Technorati
http://www.technorati.com/
Memeorandum
http://tech.memeorandum.com/
Friday, September 02, 2005
André Beaupré's 2005 vacation photos of Fort Smith and Iqaluit.
André Beaupré's 2005 vacation photos of Fort Smith and Iqaluit.
Photos are from between
28 Jul 05 & 26 Aug 05.
2005 SSFF South Slave Friendship Festival
The Festival is over... and pictures have been posted here daily... For information about purchasing single images or a compilation CD ... contact the photographer.. George Lessard directly at (867)872-3455 or at media@web.net
If you wish to use the images on your website....
See this page
members.tripod.com/media002/george-lessard-photographer.html
for examples.
For more information, please visit the 2005 SSFF website
friendshipfestival.org/
2004 SSFF Photos
www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/68243/
Photos are from between
13 Jul 05 & 22 Aug 05.
finding-looting
Flickr user dustin3000 uploaded two similar news photos; each of a flood victim in New Orleans wading in chest high water with boxes and bags.
Caption 1 under the very dark skinned person: " A young man walks through chest deep flood water after looting a grocery store in New Orleans"
Caption 2under the light skinned person: "Two residents wade through chest-deep water after finding bread and soda from a local grocery store..."
AMENDED NOTE:
I posted this picture not to CLAIM Racism - I reposted this because I thought it was an opportunity to examine why certain words were chosen and to question if skin color played any role. But keep in mind that these photographs were taken by 2 different photographer, in two different situations and captioned by 2 different copy-editors at 2 different companies. Had the 2 pictures been taken by the same photographer AND captioned by the same copy editor, then the racial motives behind the copy-editor's word choice could be equivocated.
What's interesting about the the juxtapostion of these two photos is that when compared, one can see how word choice can greatly affect the way a viewer extricates meaning from an image. The nature of comparing 2 items in an analytical world is just that - to get you to critically analyze the photos and astutely pull out larger themes that give insight to other topics that otherwise wouldn't be as apparent.
To inculpate the 2 photographers, 2 copyeditors, and American media for being racist, is not the most cogent claim in this situation. This is not to say that media is not bias when it comes to playing on stereotypes - but the last thing we should do is participate in the supposedly "black versus white" paradigm - America's race problem is much bigger and more complicated than that.
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Humming Bird Nests
Hummer Nest '05
A tiny bird on a tiny nest.
http://community-2.webtv.net/Velpics/HUM/
Humming Bird Nest '03
http://community-2.webtv.net/hotmail.com/verle33/HummingBirdNest/
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Friday, July 29, 2005
Tips for Making Bear Encounters More Bearable
Occupational Hazards, Thu, 28 Jul 2005 12:12 PM PDT
Tips for Making Bear Encounters More Bearable
http://www.occupationalhazards.com/articles/13792
A bear attack at a mine in Canada's Northwest Territories last year
prompted the Workers' Compensation Board of Canada's Northwest
Territories and Nunavut to issue a warning earlier this year to all
workers and employers about the hazards of bears.
Monday, July 18, 2005
2005 Pine Lake Picnic Photos
Please vist the link above or
http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/609464/
to see more images.
Saturday, July 02, 2005
Preparing for the Canada Day Parade in Fort Smith
My pictures of Fort Smith's Canada Day Parade and Feast may be found at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/529699/
Thursday, June 23, 2005
Detecting forged photographs
Using Holograms to Detect Photo Forgeries
>A new technique for detecting forged photographs will help newspapers and
>magazines check celebrity pictures that might have been doctored to make
>them more newsworthy, and prevent hackers from tampering with sensitive
>legal images including fingerprint records and medical scans used as
>
--
--
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Via / By / Excerpted / From / Tip from / Thanks to:
jill e.vaile
northern california's finest
media specialist
photography~journalism~design~
contact:email- jill @jilleliz.com <mailto:jill@jilleliz.com>
do you blog? don't miss:
The STASH! <http://jilleliz.com/the_stash/intro_blog.html>
© info
http://members.tripod.com/~media002/disclaimer.htm
Due to the nature of email & the WWW, check ALL sources.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Traditional Inuit Calandar Nunavut Canada
Traditionally, the Inuit divide the year into months based both on the moon and what is done at that time of year.... days and weeks are not part of this system... so this tradional clandar is based on the tasks needed to survive in the Arctic. This calandar was a job I designed for the Nunavut Department of Education in 2001.
All 12 months are available via the link.
Monday, June 06, 2005
Dish on Table in Fort Smith, NWT, Canada
The trees in Fort Smith are special...they cannot be cut down without permission... so sometimes people come up with special solutions to get their TV dishes up and running.. without bothering the trees....
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Canus Postcard image
I've been asked by the Northern Life Museum here in town to do some postcards for them... this is the image for one of the cards.
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Aurora College Grad 2005
Over 300 images of this year's graduation here in Fort Smith... Click on the title of this post to go to the full set of images..
Sunday, March 20, 2005
2005 NWT Winter Games photographs
I got a contract from the 2008 Arctic Games Bid Committee to document the first NWT Winter Games here in Fort Smith and to create a digital slideshow including images from Fort Smith and the other half of the games in Hay River....
To view this set of pictures visit ...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/170558/
and to see them as a slideshow, please visit....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/170558/show/
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Friday, January 21, 2005
My personal world map
This is a map of the countries I've either lived in or visited... The dark red countries are the ones I've lived in and the lighter red ones are those that I've just visited.
Friday, January 14, 2005
Test via e-mail
--
George Lessard
Creative-Radio Moderator
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/creative-radio/
MediaMentor Moderator
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mediamentor/
Journalists for Human Rights Moderator
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/J-H-R/
Nunavut Employees Union Moderator
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nunavut-employees-union
Nunavut CAP Sites Moderator
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nunavut-cap-sites/
Nunavut Stories Moderator
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nunavut-stories
Nunavut Circumpolar List Moderator
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nunavutcircumpolar/
Thebacha List Moderator
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Thebacha/
Northern Clipper Moderator
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Northern-Clipper/
Monday, January 03, 2005
Anyone Can Do a Blog
Blogger got a nice mention in the current issue of TIME Magazine. 10
Things We Learned About Blogs: "Blogs wouldn't be such a democratic
medium if they weren't so easy to set up. The most popular service,
Blogger, http://blogger.com owned by Google, boasts features like
push-button photoblogging." Nice.
See also http://www.blogscanada.ca/ for a Canadian version of blogs.
[full text]
http://www.time.com/time/personoftheyear/2004/poymoments.html
10 Things We Learned About Blogs
Radio had its golden age in the 1930s. In the 1950s, it was
television's turn. Historians may well date the golden age of the
blog from 2004-when Merriam-Webster.com's most searched-for
definition was blog. How long can it last? Who knows? Here's what we
discovered about the new medium this year
By CHRIS TAYLOR
Posted Sunday, December 19, 2004
Blogging Can Get You Fired
When Delta flight attendant Ellen Simonetti, 30-a leggy blond and
self-styled "queen of the sky"-began her blog, she thought it would
be fun to post pinup snapshots of herself in uniform. Delta wasn't
amused and promptly fired her. Undaunted, Simonetti retitled the blog
Diary of a Fired Flight Attendant and detailed her legal battle to
get her job back.
GO TO: http://queenofsky.journalspace.com
Bloggers Make Money
Earn a living in your pajamas! Online ads (along with Google's
automated ad server) allow popular bloggers to go pro. Joshua Micah
Marshall of talkingpointsmemo.com, a political blog, says he makes
$5,000 a month from banner ads-enough to hire a research assistant.
GO TO: http://talkingpointsmemo.com
Bloggers Get Scoops Too
After book editor Russ Kick read that the U.S. military was clamping
down on press photos of coffins coming back from Iraq, he didn't just
pen an angry rant on his blog, the Memory Hole. He filed a Freedom of
Information Act request-and embarrassingly for the Pentagon, was
mailed a CD from the Air Force with 361 coffin snaps, which he
promptly posted. The national press, which hadn't thought to ask
whether the military had pictures, beat a path to Kick's door.
GO TO: http://thememoryhole.org
Bloggers Keep News Alive
So your blog hasn't succeeded in getting national attention for your
pet issue? Don't lose heart. Just blog, link and repeat. It worked
for conservative bloggers like Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit, who
trumpeted the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth's claims this summer, as
well as for liberal blogs like Daily Kos, which investigated evidence
that President Bush wore a wire in his first debate. Some of the
issues had questionable merit, but persistent bloggers made the
subjects tough to ignore. Say it enough times online, and someone is
bound to hear you.
GO TO: http://Instapundit.com, http://dailykos.com
Bloggers Can Be Titillating
In May a blog graphically detailing the sex life of an anonymous
Capitol Hill staff member prompted D.C.'s most intriguing game of
guess-the-author since Primary Colors. Jessica Cutler, a.k.a.
Washingtonienne, was later outed and fired by her boss, Ohio
Republican Mike DeWine, for "inappropriate use of Senate computers."
(Her site is not for kids.) In another sign of the times, her first
postfiring interview was with Wonkette, another Washington blogger.
GO TO: http://washingtoniennearchive.blogspot.com, http://wonkette.com
Bloggers Can Be Fakers
Plain Layne, a highly personal blog supposedly belonging to a
Minnesota lesbian named Layne Johnson that drew thousands of fans
over 3 1/2 years before mysteriously disappearing, was revealed to be
a hoax. Hundreds of fans helped track down the real author, Odin
Soli, 35, a male entrepreneur from Woodbury, Minn. Later in the year,
fake Bill Clinton and Andy Kaufman blogs became hits.
GO TO: http://plainlayne.dreamhost.com,
http://billclintondailydiary.blogspot.com
Most Bloggers Are Women
Men may have taken the lead in the early (read: geeky) days of
blogging, but that's not the case now. According to a survey of more
than 4 million blogs by Perseus Development, 56% were created by
women. More bad news for the boys: men are more likely than women to
abandon their blog once it's created. Call blogging a 21st century
room of one's own.
GO TO: http://blogsisters.blogspot.com
Candidates Love Blogs
O.K., so Howard Dean never wrote his blog. But his campaign workers
posted a surprisingly intimate online diary of life on the road, and
Dean had collected $20 million in contributions via the Internet
alone by the end of January 2004. It didn't take long for other
politicos to catch on. When New York attorney general Eliot Spitzer
announced that he was running for Governor this month, he did so on
his blog.
GO TO: http://blog.deanforamerica.com, http://spitzer2006.com
Pets Have Blogs Too
It started as an in-joke among feline-friendly bloggers: why not post
pictures of their cats every Friday afternoon? Friday catblogging
became a hit, and soon even NASA was playing along by posting
pictures of the Cat's Eye nebula.
GO TO: http://carnivalofthecats.com
Anyone Can Do It
Blogs wouldn't be such a democratic medium if they weren't so easy to
set up. The most popular service, Blogger, owned by Google, boasts
features like push-button photoblogging.
GO TO: http://blogger.com, http://www.blogscanada.ca/
Friday, December 31, 2004
Performers at the 2004 SSFF
Here's a nice little composition with the images of the 2004 South Slave Friendship Festival
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Pictures of the South Slave Friendship Festival (SSFF) Aug 2004
The SSFF is Fort Smith's annual music festival. Visitors and musicians come from around the world to enjoy the entertainment, more images of the SSFF can be seen by clicking here.
Pelicans flying over the Slave River
... over the Rapids of the Drowned on the Slave River at Fort Smith
Tourist Information Centre, Fort Smith, NWT
This landmark is just outside the Fort Smith Tourism Information Centre at the town's new Recreation Centre and celebrates the Wood Bison found in the Wood Buffalo National Park
Monday, December 06, 2004
Pictures from the 2004 Annual Christmas party of the Francophone Association of Fort Smith (AFFS)
Click here to see a slide show of all the pictures
You need a recent browser with FLASH to see thes picture properly...
Prints of the photos are available.
4" x 6" prints are $5.00 each
8.5" X 11" prints are $25.00 each.
Order by number.
If you ave any problems, call me at 872-3455 to arrange to see the pictures.
NOTE: These photos are only for sale to the families of the subjects.

The Christmas Tree
Saturday, December 04, 2004
Taqramiut Nipingat Inc
In 1982 I was asked to work for TNI to teach all aspects of TV and radio production & management at this Inuit owned broadcasting network in Salluit, a little village in Nunavik (the Ungava region or Arctic Quebec).
More images can be seen at:
More pictures at TNI
Tokyo Video Festival's Award of Excellence
While I was a student at the Banff Centre, I produced "Rumblesphinx" which won the "Award of Excellence" from the 10th Tokyo Video Festival... more images from the videotape are online at:
More pictures from my video, Rumblesphinx
Friday, December 03, 2004
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Inuit Amoutie detail
This shows the detail work that Arviat Inuit women put into the creation of their traditional clothing.
Arviat, Nunavut, Canada
Three Generations of Inuit Women..
...show off their traditional Inuit women's "amautie" at the Canada Day celebrations on July 1st.
Arviat, Nunavut, Canada
A ship's visit to Arviat, Nunavut...
Ships bring in almost all heavy goods to Arviat. There are no roads or railroads to any Nunavut community... all are "flyin" communities... meaning that the only regular way to get into the communities is by air... so heavy goods, food and all supplies are much more expensive than in Canada's southern communities.
An old arctic willow tree
This little Arctic willow is on the tundra near Arviat, Nunavut. As with all "trees" on the tundra that are this big (about 6" high) it is actually quite old...
Season's Greetings 2004
Photo by Kathy Beaupre kaybeaupreAThotmailDOTcom, design by George Lessard mediaATwebDOTnet
Tree climber answers mayor's Christmas prayer
WebPosted Nov 29 2004 02:28 PM MST
http://north.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=smith-tree-christmas-11292004
FORT SMITH, N.W.T. - The Christmas season officially started in Fort Smith on Sunday with the traditional lighting of the town's 30-metre spruce tree.
Decorating the 100-year-old tree in the centre of town has been a community tradition since the Great Depression.
But it almost didn't happen this year, after the N.W.T. Power Corporation staff who usually decorate the tree were unable to do it this month.
That sent Mayor Peter Martselos on a quest for a tree climber.
"I have to look around to find someone to climb the tree. I tell you I had many nights I never slept because I was worried who was going up and if there was an accident or something it won't be Christmas in Fort Smith," he says.
"But we found David Burke and he climbed the tree to the top and that's why this year it's special, because we have a star at the top and lights from top to bottom."
Hundreds gathered in the downtown Sunday night to cheer as the tree was lit up with brand-new strings of lights.
Martselos says the new energy efficient lights are more expensive, but are sturdier and said to last 100,000 hours.
Monday, November 29, 2004
Col. Francois Lessard
British and Canadian army units were returning to camp at Belfast, after a long burning expedition, when they were attacked by a Boer commando. British General Smith Dorrien ordered Col. Fancois Lessard from Quebec to organize he Canadians (Mounted Rifles and artillerymen) to fight a rea guard action to protect the back of the retreating British army. Because of his outstanding work Lessard was pictured as one of only two Canadians honoured to be among 75 British general pictured in a huge colour portrait called "Celebrities of the Army."
More information can be found at:
http://www.goldiproductions.com/Pages/BoerWar_Museum/Boer/Boer30_battles3.html
Map of the Lessard Family's first land in the new world..
On February 10, 1651, Etienne obtained a land from Olivier Letardif one of the members of the Company de Beaupre.
This land was 10 frontal acres on the St-Laurence river and 5 miles in land.
To help him develop the land which he called St-Etienne, he hired men; Michel Marquiseau, Urbain Jamineau et Jean Chauvet aka Lagerne.
On March 8, 1658 Etienne gave away to the Catholic Church two frontal acres located on the West end of his land so that a chapel can be built.
This chapel became the Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre basilica.
Etienne gave this land to M. Gabriel de Queylus Vicar general in New France.
The first contract was done by notary (public) Audouart. It was ratified by The Bishop of Laval on December 17, 1666 and renewed by a second contract in 1684 by notary Genaple.
Note: In 1922 after the fire of the basilica another contract had to be signed by Napoleon Lessard the direct descendant of Etienne and the Redemptorist Fathers. By this contract Napoleon gave away the Lessard's right to a bench in the church.
In the 1681 census Etienne declared to be 59 years old, married to Marguerite Sevestre 45 years old and to have 10 children; Etienne 28, Charles 26, Pierre 24, Marie-Therese 20, Anne-Dorothee 15, Noel 12, Joseph 10, Prisque 7, Jacques and Dorothee (twins) 4 years old.
The couple had a daughter named Marguerite born September 4, 1664, she died December 7, 1665.
He also declared as owner of:
3 Guns
7 Cows
40 farmable acres, on which he grew wheat, barley, peas and cabbage.
Etienne de Lessard
Born in 1623 in Normandy France.
Etienne de Lessard arrived in Quebec in 1645.
Lieutenant junior grade of the militia of Cote de Beaupre, he became co-lord of the Lanoraie fief in 1688.
Married to Marquerite Sevestre, Etienne de Lessard was survived by a large family of six boys and two girls.
Etienne de Lessard, son of Jacques de Lessard and Marie Herson, was born in Chambois, diocese of SEE (Orne) in Normandy.
In 1645, at the age of 22, he left France on a ship to come to New France (Canada). At the time only a few people from Europe lived in the colony of France.
Etienne owned a boat and was associated with Martin Grouvel who was a navigator from Quebec.



























Spring break-up on the Slave River at the Rapids of the Drowned, Fort Smith, NWT, Canada



















