Fun with Photoshop!

lookingglasswatercolor
Originally uploaded by bigdsims.

I really haven't played with Adobe Photoshop in years. Here are a couple photos I doctored with a watercolor look.

The Jetty

For some reason, today I decided to drive down to Fort Stevens State Park, and take some pictures out at the Columbia River Jetty. It's probably because every time I drop Peyton off at her daycare in Hammond, I see one semi-truck after another pulling flat beds with giant boulders to repair the South Jetty. It is a massive project. I according to the the plaque at the site, the mouth of the columbia exports more grain than any other river in the world with the exception of the Mississippi River. It said that two thirds of the giant rock wall is actually under water, and that it is about 65 feet high from the ocean floor to the top of the wall.

I also decided to check out some other areas of the beach while I as there and take some scenery shots.

This is Gonna Kick All Sorts of Ass!

This comes from the man who brought us Sin City, Frank Miller, brings to life another graphic novel. "300" is all about bad ass Spartans. This is the first trailer I've seen, and it looks damn promising. The official site is just a production blog, hopefully they will put more up. Oh and that song during the last half of the trailer is NIN's "Just Like You Imagined", I knew there was a reason I liked it so much.

...update...
Warner Brothers has had it removed from ifilms, google video, youtube, etc. Here is a link to a quicktime version that is still up. I would have embedded it but google doesn.t allow java which is needed for quicktime.

Closer to Spock

All I can say is, "Awesome!" I'm pretty sure I will never look at Leonard Nemoy the same.

High School Talent

Damn these kids are talented! If everyone played violin like that, it would be a much cooler instrument.

Is Something Wrong with the System?

This is the mayor of Astoria, Oregon and my home town, Willis Van Dusen. He has been in office for 16 years and is seeking a 5th term in November. I have known the family my whole life, and grew up with his nephew, Trent, as my best friend.
Monday he was arrested after he collided his Harley Davidson into the side of a truck and was charged with DUII (Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants). It is not a good political move to get a DUII when you're in office, but for some reason, Van Dusen seems to buck the trend. This is his 3rd, yes that's right, third DUII arrest since 1989, all while he was in office. Yet the voting citizens of Astoria keep voting him back into office regardless of the example he is setting as a citizen, president of a major local business (Pepsi Distributor), and a parent.
Van Dusen is a nice guy, but you know what, he needs help. I work in Astoria, but do not live there so I will not be able to cast my vote, but I think the only way he will get help is for him to be voted out of office. Maybe then he might realize how much damage he has done, and seek help for his alcoholism.
There is nothing wrong with having a drink, or many drinks, as long as you do it safely. Getting behind the wheel of a car when you have been drinking is ludicrous and irresponsible. My aunt was killed at the age of 19 by a drunk driver. One of my friends and coworkers was sentenced to 5 years in prison for killing a girl while driving drunk. I also had a former boss who had a problem with alcohol and was charged with DUII, and is no longer with Safeway for that reason. Fortunately for Van Dusen, no one has been hurt, when he chose to drive under the influence. When does it become necessary for the public to take action, or for that matter Pepsi Inc. for his indescretions? No one is perfect, myself included, and maybe I would or wouldn't feel different if it was his first arrest. But we have to ask ourselves when is enough, enough?

G'Day Mate, Rest In Peace

Well it was bound to happen. But still very sad that it did. Steve Irwin the Crocodile Hunter killed by a Sting Ray while filming a documentary called "Ocean's Deadliest".

"He came up on top of the stingray and the stingray's barb went up and into his chest and put a hole in his heart," John Stainton, Irwin's longtime director and producer, told reporters in Australia.

Through the heart...Oh Crikey!

Pumpkins Return?

"The Smashing Pumpkins are currently in the recording studio with legendary producer Roy Thomas Baker (Queen, The Cars, The Darkness), at work on their first new album since 1999."

Interesting. Just happened to see this on billycorgan.com I would definately like to see that.