Self imposed Apocalypse Rules

whereby I search for interesting photo opportunities from my backyard. Both of these subjects, not everyone's cup of tea certainly, are approximately 1.5 to 2 nautical miles away, taken with a 1000mm lens. Not being in line with the runway of either TIA or MacDill AFB, the opportunities are not common, which makes it something of a game for me.

#1 is a Mississippi Air National Guard C-17 leaving TIA, 2nd is a KC-135 tanker taking off from MacDill AFB. The wingtip vortices I love, as opposed to contrails caused by the engines. Wingtip vortices are circular patterns of rotating air left behind a wing as it generates lift. One wingtip vortex trails from the tip of each wing, seen more in humid air.

(The photo of AF1 I posted last week, I did leave my backyard for a park ~1 nm east of the TIA approach)

If you can get past the fact that the Fascist Orange Psychopath is onboard

and just pay homage to the aircraft, I grabbed thIs yesterday at 4:30 PM on approach to TIA, considering the passenger list, and the sun on the wrong side, I'm pretty happy with the outcome!

not funny, funny stuff

Grady Judd, Polk County Sheriff Quotes

http://www.jimbrooks.org/archive/politics/SheriffGradyJudd/

2nd set, Swallow-tailed Kite on Grey

Swallow-tailed Kite arrive here in March from as far south as Brazil. They love to ride the thermals and are often seen around our summer afternoon thunderstorms, rarely flapping their wings at twice the wingspan of hawks but half the weight.

Swallow-tailed Kite on Grey, #1


Swallow-tailed Kite on Grey, #2


Swallow-tailed Kite on Grey, #3


Bonus: a giant albino Cuban tree frog for dinner

I have been working on a couple of sets the past week

First to share is Dragonfly on Grey, tomorrow, Swallowtailed-kite on Grey

(probably) Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera), on grey


Smell the Rosemary, Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina) #1, on grey


Favorite bamboo perch, Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina), #2, on grey

Today's backyard crawl

produced this Hibiscus

A few birds of my backyard

The Skyway bridge across Tampa Bay collapsed 40 years ago last Sunday

Spurred me to dig up a couple of photos. The first is from when I frequently crossed it, but would never do so with a ship in the channel or during very bad weather. I was waiting for this squall to pass before crossing. Pre-1980.

The second, of the new bridge, was taken last summer, a panorama of which was entered in the summer contest (3rd place)

Count me skeptical, but Mark Cuban says

coronavirus will end up improving capitalism with companies putting employees first

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/08/mark-cuban-says-coronavirus-will-end-up-improving-capitalism-with-companies-putting-employees-first.html

Capitalism will become more “compassionate” as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban said Wednesday.

“I think capitalism is going to become a lot smarter and a lot more compassionate because of what we’re going through,” Cuban said on CNBC’s “Closing Bell.”

Cuban, owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, said he thinks executives will now recognize that they need to put employees first. The consequences of not doing so will be greater now than it was in the aftermath of the financial crisis, when social media was still in its nascent stage, Cuban said.

“It can’t just be about shareholders,” Cuban said. “In fact, you have to put employees ahead of shareholders.”

Shareholders will ultimately reward the companies that do so by awarding their stock a higher multiple, Cuban contended.

Louisiana pastor arrested after holding services

The Life Tabernacle Church in Central, Louisiana has drawn national criticism for remaining to hold services during the coronavirus pandemic.

CENTRAL, La. — The pastor who continued to defied government orders to limit crowds during the coronavirus pandemic was arrested Tuesday, according to the Baton Rouge Advocate.

According the the report, Pastor Tony Spell, 50, faces six misdemeanor counts of violating the governor's order after Spell held six large services at the Life Tabernacle Church in Central, Louisiana in defiance of Governor John Bel Edward's "Stay-at-home" order to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran told The Advocate the arrest followed weeks of urging Spell to temporarily suspend his services.

https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/louisiana-pastor-arrested-after-holding-services-despite-coronavirus-order-report-says/289-4394a314-3c13-4047-95d7-e4f65f517752