Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction discussion
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My five year old and I finally finished her 1,000 books before kindergarten! She starts school next Wednesday. Totally bragging here but most kids get their book packet around 3 and we only got our last September. One down, two to go!
Derek wrote: "Jane wrote: "Derek wrote: "We are having man made earthquakes here in Oklahoma thanks to the greedy oil barons. Most of them have been minor, but they are happening at an alarming rate. Freaking fr..."Our Governor Cuomo is resisting. PA to the south has fracking and I don't think it's turned out that great for them.
Unfortunately Derek they run more than a state. They have so much power world wide, I think it's scary. And the politicians don't care, they have such short term vision, it's all about what's in it for them. I'm like you Derek, don't get me started!! :)
And I hate these stupid ads they run on television. Who knows how long Gov. Cuomo will resist and when our state assembly and legislature might override him... I shudder to think...
I, Claudiusby Robert Graves is on sale for $3.00 on Amazon and B&N right now! Will a moderator or group member pick this message up and put it in the right place? I got the message from Book bub. Got so excited, I couldn't find the freebie deal page.
Linda wrote: "I, Claudiusby Robert Graves is on sale for $3.00 on Amazon and B&N right now! Will a moderator or group member pick this message up and put it in the right place? I got the message f..."The same price is on the Kobo too.
Mark wrote: "http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-..."Mark! That is absolutely AMAZING! My fiancé looked at the article, watched me click on the Flickr link, sighed and said, "I've lost you for the rest of the long weekend" :D What a find!
Kimber wrote: "Mark wrote: "http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-..."Mark! That is absolutely AMAZING! My fiancé looked at the article, watched me click on the Flickr link, sighed and said, "I've lost you ..."
I know, I am waiting till my days off before I have a longer look.
Derek wrote: "Good for New York, Jane. I hope you all continue to resist, because it's an environmental disaster waiting to happen....or already happening in Oklahoma's case. .."Here, here. That damn fracking. It only got permitted in the first place because the legislation cannot stop it in most cases. Antiquated legislation that is not worded for stopping such harvesting of natural resources and the greed at political level means they won't amend the antiquated legislation to stop it.
All theses companies have to do is throw around some weak environmental and community mitigation measures and they get their license.
Hard to prove that fracking DOES impact negatively on the environment and communities when the companies have the money to shoot down the evidence and manipulate it to their favour.
It is like putting mobile phone towers near residences and livestock. They say that it has not been proven yet that the emissions affect people or animals negatively, but it is all in the wording...because they also haven't 'disproved' that they can cause problems.
:(
Sorry for the few days I was off line folks. It is the farm. It is keeping me busy and on the weekends I just can't find the time to catch up on threads. I read some when I about to go to sleep. Don't have enough mental alertness to talk back to everyone though. :)
Earthquakes and volcanos! For once I'm glad to live so far away from that stuff. But they do fracking in Florida as well. Of course our dumb asses keep electing Republicans into state office, it is disastrous. And the gulf coast still hasn't completely recovered from the last tanker spill.
Alicja wrote: "Earthquakes and volcanos! For once I'm glad to live so far away from that stuff. But they do fracking in Florida as well. Of course our dumb asses keep electing Republicans into state office, it ..."
Ahh..the joys of red state living. I can relate. Texan here. We're slowly purpling but it's hard when 90% of your old schoolmates on Facebook are firm supporters of the Republican Agenda. Even have a few Tea Party lovers in there. I actually belong to a separate, private group dedicated to discussing religion, politics or anything else controversial. The group runs the gamut of the political spectrum but it's a place where you can post and discuss things you wouldn't post on your own page because you worry about catching flack, name calling or ruining a friendship. Rational debate and discussion...who woulda thunk it? ;)
Speaking of natural disasters. I was watching some mind numbing reality tv last night. A show called Million Dollar Listings Miami. (I don't watch the NY version, but I thought I'd check the Miami one out becausd thehomes are beautiful). The show had lots of panoramic overhead shots of Miami. Man, that place is just all flat land and small flat manmade islands! I'm surprised they can sell property there because of the threat of rising sea levels, super storms and tsunamis.
Terri wrote: "Speaking of natural disasters. I was watching some mind numbing reality tv last night. A show called Million Dollar Listings Miami. (I don't watch the NY version, but I thought I'd check the Miami ..."A million dollar listing in Miami is nothing. Its at least 10 mil and up that you actually get the pretty houses. A million may get you a small studio a block away from the water. The gf and I checked South Beach prices out when we were moving a few years back because South Beach is crazy LGBT friendly (the city hall flies the rainbow flag!) but it was crazy expensive for tiny apartments.
And its not just Miami that's flat... pretty much anything south of Gainesville is swamps that were artificially drained by humans. Ever wonder why we have the frickin' giant lake in the middle of our state? Its not a natural lake... man made from all the swamp drainage. The reality behind the pretty pictures (although I'll admit, there are areas down here that are gorgeous).
No, no, not 'a' million dollar listing. :) The show is Million Dollar Listing. The homes are all wayyyy over one mill. More into the 5 million to 20 million.
For the first time in mine and hubbys lives, we are going to buy a decent camera.We're going to get out of the point and shoot camera market and get a DSLR camera. We want to take some decent wildlife shots. So we're thinking the Nikon D5300. We chose it because it is supposed to be one of the best entry level dslr cameras and because it is the only one that is compact and light. Good for bushwalking.
http://www.nikon.com.au/en_AU/product...
Has anybody got this one? Or has an equivalent entry level DSLR that they like?
The camera would likely be a xmas present to ourselves so we probably won'tget it until later in the year.
Don't look at me. I take my photos with my smartphone these days. :)
I only use my Samsung tablet. Then the other day I dusted of my old digital camera because the Tablet was cumbersome for bushwalking on the farm. Using that old digital 'point and shoot' gave us the photography bug back. :)
My digital camera took great photos, but the program for it is a hard drive hog. :p
Terri, Chris has suggested perhaps, unless you are dead set about getting an SLR, perhaps take a look at "bridging cameras" as well. Some of these are brilliant. He says " similar in design and user inputs to DSLR's, but smaller, lighter, and massive zoom capabilities (ie up to 1000mm) as well as macro, all without the expense or weight of an extra lens. Search online ' best bridge camera 2014' "
He says if you google that last bit it, the site will give you heaps of options to look at. A bridge camera just operates in between what you are talking about. It is a great compromise. The most you would be sacrificing is only maybe the ability for really large prints, but even that these days is negligible. He says there is very little compromise. He use to work at Camera House, so if you pick something he won't mind if you have any questions. Hope it helps! :))
PS he will answer any questions you have about the SLR, but when I mentioned the bush walking and lightweight comments, that was what he responded with.
Well ask him what he thinks of the Nikon D5300 please. :) Most birdwatchers I know use the Nikons like D300, D5200, D7100. They are highly regarded by wildlife photographers who want to spend between $1000 and $1500. I can get the d5300 with two Nikkor VR lens' (18mmx55mm and 55mmx300mm) for just under $1000 at Kogan. They are cheaper than anywhere else for that package.When I say bushwalking I mean walking through the bush then sitting in the one spot for hours trying to snap action shots of birds and other wildlife. So I don't need it to be small and compact, but it is a bonus to find a dslr with that, when the camera's reviews are good in most other respects. I especially want gps abilitiesbecause I want to photograph some endangered species here. Thesightings get added to a National database, but I need gps and proof of life to verify the sighting. I'd rather have the photo gps tagged than have to also carry around a seperate gps.
Being able to wi fi to my tablet is a bonus too. :)
Checked what you meant by bridging camera. I hadn't known what they were called until now. I had checked them out already. I definitely need to go up higher to a dslr. For action wildlife shots I need things like the quick shutter speeds and being able to get a bird in the rainforest in sharp focus while blurring out background. Things like that.
Hi Terri,I understand your concerns regarding the bridge cameras capabilities but I can assure you they are getting very,very good. Tele capability up to 1000mm ( comparable to 35 mm standards, this has to do with the sensor size , physical not mega pixel ) high frame rates 10 fps common these days & more. The better ones have shutter speeds up to 1/4000 sec + image stability . I saw at least 4 with GPS tracking. Some are getting quite fast lenses as well with F2.8 variable through the zoom range, I don,t think any are constant 2.8 yet but could be wrong. The Nikon would be a nice camera for sure but at 300mm I just don't think that lens is long enough for the sort of distances you may need & it is a slow lens as well. I doubt it would be better then F5.6 at 300mm. I have a 500mm lens that at times is just not enough for birds! It is also bloody heavy. Certainly look at both & find a shop that will let you try them out doors, pick some distant shots & some high speed, use your memory card so you can take it home & compare the captured images. Nothing to loose & you will sort out the better camera shop & sales people fairly quickly.
Good luck and regards
Chris
We have a semi-pro photographer friend and we were looking for almost the exact same thing. Something that could take up close nature shots, action shots and be family friendly, light weight and yet take professional photos. Our friend recommended (and we purchased) a Canon XS50 HS. It's an awesome little digi cam that has amazing zoom capabilities and takes crystal clear photos. User friendly as well and you can purchase additional lenses if you actually need them. Here is a link: http://www.photographyblog.com/review...It's not a DSLR but for what you need you can't beat the price!
We have 2 Nikons we love, D90 and D700, but we also spent more money in the end on lenses than the cameras combined. But Nikon has some awesome lenses you can always upgrade to that fit those models. It just may be out of the price range and are pretty heavy (but our pictures never looked better).
http://www.playbuzz.com/jonb10/which-...NO Not a court jester this time.... but Attila The Hun! A very nice fellow.
Fierce and Merciless, you are the Unifier, Attila the Hun! You may be cruel, but it is not without reason. Yours has been a life of struggle, of suffering, but above all - Survival. Self preservation is the name of the game, and you have that going in spades. You have a fierce temper, and those around you tend to tip-toe in your presence as if not to anger you. "Attila was the great unifier of the many nomadic Hun tribes in the 5th century. He struck fear into the hearts of the Romans, who referred to him as "the Scourge of God" because his reputation for barbarous cruelty easily preceded him."
No surprise, I got William Wallace. Couldn't copy the text as it doesn't seem to want to work with the Infernal Device.
I got Alexander the Great even tho I picked securing my own land over conquest which you'd think would be the most telling.
I got Leonidas of Sparta.Brave and Selfless, you are Leonidas of Sparta! The ultimate underdog, you have a knack for biting off more then you can chew - and somehow coming out on top. Well, in the long run that is. Others may see you as reckless, but that couldn't be further from the truth. You are, in fact, selfless - a forward thinking individual with the best interests of your descendants in mind. "Unlike many other legendary warriors, Leonidas, the King of Sparta, is renowned today for having lost the defining battle of his life. He led a band of 300 Spartan warriors against an impossibly huge Persian army at the battle of Thermopylae. This defeat, however, eventually lead to his people's victory and freedom."
I also got William Wallace (I so wanted Alexander, darn). I guess... Fight for freedom!!
Allie wrote: "I got Alexander the Great even tho I picked securing my own land over conquest which you'd think would be the most telling."I picked conquest and didn't get Alexander. :(
Almost everything I chose geared towards an English knight. :p
William Wallace as well. Here's the text Darcy -A valiant freedom fighter, you are the Scotsman William Wallace! You strongly believe in the individual freedoms of every man and woman, regardless of background - and are willing to fight 'til the end for it. Close-minded individuals are perhaps your biggest pet-peeve. "This great warrior was a fiercely loyal Scottish landowner who willingly defied the bullying of the English nobles on behalf of his countrymen. He later led a wildly outnumbered and unprofessional army against well-trained advancing English forces in the Battle of Stirling Bridge, turning contemporary rules of engagement on their heads and earning a Scottish knighthood in the process."
All great and good but I think I'd prefer one big difference between myself and Wallace: I'd like to perish at a very old age and hopefully while peacefully sleeping.
Good call Kimber. Being hanged, drawn & then quartered is a painful, not to mention messy, way to go.
BTW - I tried the quiz several times (reported the initial results with my honest answers) and I think I've figured out that the quiz depends on either which horse you pick and/or which item you pick to be your memorial. Did you other William Wallace's pick the pretty horse with the flowing white mane?Regardless of my answers I got Wallace when I picked that horse and got Leonidas when I picked the pretty red one. Hope I didn't ruin it for anyone - I have 'investigator' in my personality profile.
I tried again for Alexander and got Leonidas of Sparta, at least I got a Greek now. I don't know if its the horse, I chose the brown one with dark mane both times. It could be the memorial one. I picked the sword and got Wallace and when I picked the head sculpture I got Leonidas.
Margaret wrote: "I got Leonidas of Sparta.Brave and Selfless, you are Leonidas of Sparta! The ultimate underdog, you have a knack for biting off more then you can chew - and somehow coming out on top. Well, in th..."
I got Leonidas of Sparta also.
Andy wrote: "http://www.playbuzz.com/jonb10/which-...NO Not a court jester this time.... but Attila The Hun! A very nice fellow.
Fierce and Merciless, you are the Unifier, Attila the Hun!..."
Attila's a very popular personal name in Hungary.
Alicja wrote: "I tried again for Alexander and got Leonidas of Sparta, at least I got a Greek now. I don't know if its the horse, I chose the brown one with dark mane both times. It could be the memorial one. I..."
There's a quote from some dippy teen movie that goes "maybe you're just not boyfriend material" well maybe you just aren't Alexander the Great material. Lol!
Leonidas isn't bad! I think I'd rather be Leonidas.
Lisa/Chris wrote: "Hi Terri,I understand your concerns regarding the bridge cameras capabilities but I can assure you they are getting very,very good. Tele capability up to 1000mm ( comparable to 35 mm standards, th..."
Thanks for that, Chris. I appreciate you taking the time to give me advice. I have been cautious of the 55-300mm Nikkor lens too. I did some research on it and while the reviews are good (good for the money they mostly say) they do admit that the image does lose sharpness at full 300. It works very well up to a point and at full 300 it loses ground.
I wouldn't be too far from the birds. I'd say majority of the time between 4 metres and 30 metres.
I did look into reviews of bridging cameras vs entry level dslr and all the ones I read said that top bridging cameras are nearly the same price as the entry level dslr cameras and while the top bridging cameras are very good the dslr is slightly better and probably worth the few hundred more if one can stretch. I want to stretch. :)
Decided not to buy from Kogan. Didn't realise until I researched them yesterday that the cameras from Kogan are all grey imports with no manufacturers warranty. Only a12 months Kogan warranty. I'd rather pay more and get a local warranty and a manufacturers warranty. It is about $250 more to buy from Camera House, but I would feel better about it.
Question on Camera House. Do they drop any of the price in store if you ask them to do a better price?
Oh, and also if we got the Nikon D5300 with the standard 18-55mm VRII lens, what affordable telescopic lens do you know of that would suit and do what I want for wildlife shots? I'd prefer no less than 300. Bird photographers say no less than 400 and that 400mm will struggle. But I don't think I can afford over 300mm.
Alicja wrote: "We have 2 Nikons we love, D90 and D700, but we also spent more money in the end on lenses than the cameras combined. But Nikon has some awesome lenses you can always upgrade to that fit those model..."I was staggered to discover how expensive lens' are. They cost as much as the bloody camera! I was thinking of getting a Sigma lens for the Nikon D5300 if we end up choosing that camera.
Allie wrote: "Alicja wrote: "I tried again for Alexander and got Leonidas of Sparta, at least I got a Greek now. I don't know if its the horse, I chose the brown one with dark mane both times. It could be the ..."
I wanted a Roman [anyone but JC] but Leonidas is certainly acceptable.
Kimber wrote: "We have a semi-pro photographer friend and we were looking for almost the exact same thing. Something that could take up close nature shots, action shots and be family friendly, light weight and ye..."Thanks Kimber, :) definitely looking for a camera with a lot more feature upgrades than a Powershot. Most especially Geotagging. But thanks anyway, mate!
I got distracted by the other quizzes on the site and never actually took the warrior one. I did take the Greek Mythology one and apparently I'm a cyclops. For starters I would like to say, I am way prettier than a cyclops but the description is pretty spot on. You got the Cylcops, the one-eyed giant! You are a person who values their own space and "me" time. In battle or confrontation you don't mess around and will use brute force if necessary. You don't take kindly to advice and won't let anyone or anything get in your way when you have a goal set in mind. You are a stubborn and hot headed person when mad, but can also be gentle and caring when around people you like. You are very brave and don't mind a little challenge. One would be glad, or let's say happier, to have you on their side.
I be William Wallace (even though I picked Greece for my country). But the rest was pretty good. Especially the staying "free" theme.
Margaret wrote: "I got Leonidas of Sparta."Me too! Really amusing if you knew me
Gretchen wrote: "I got distracted by the other quizzes on the site and never actually took the warrior one. I did take the Greek Mythology one and apparently I'm a cyclops. For starters I would like to say, I am wa..."Apparently I'm a Cyclops too. I would also like to go on record that I'm much prettier but everything else was spot on!
Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction
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Good for New York, Jane. I hope you all continue to resist, because it's an environmental disaster waiting to happen....or already happening in Oklahoma's case.