Niagara Falls, New York during the Pandemic

 It seems that people are still out and about, but NOT at the Falls!

We were there today and saw the least amount of visitors to the internationally-famous Niagara Falls during the daytime hours! As you can see in this image, at the far left are the walkways in the Niagara Falls State Park. This is Prospect Point of the park, and before the pandemic, this would be packed with wall-to-wall people. Well, the fireworks has been canceled due to the huge crowds that gather and wait for hours to see the free fireworks. The night illumination lights are still lighting up the waterfalls each night, so you can see the colorful designs each night. 

If you do come to the Falls, please wear a mask and practice social practicing!

Do YOU Look UP?

It seems Sheila and I look up almost all the time. Of course we can't be looking ALL the time, or we'd be falling left and right, and bumping into things!! I know about that very much from places and years past.... 

BUT to see the treasures above, is more than often very worthwhile! 

Do YOU look up to admire the pleasures Natures gives us?

Just Another Upper Niagara River Sunset

Yup, it's just yet another sunset. We are used to this color of gold....  

I am just so lucky to always be in some fabulous locations with awesome clouds and sunsets!

Misty Golden-Brown Niagara Falls Sunset

As you know, there are wild fires throughout the West Coast. What a sad loss of property and lives. Our hearts go out to those who have been affected by these fires.....  In western New York (WNY), we are seeing a bit of those fires, as the smoke is being blown here across the country as well. 

Stay safe and please stay well!

Upper Niagara River Sunsets

 Are sometimes just the best and most colorful!! Don't believe me? Is this not a wonderfully golden and unique sunset?

Staying up All Night (or at least for a few hours)

Anyone who knows me personally knows I get little sleep at night. Seems I am always online or not sleeping. Well, that all changed over four years ago when I promised myself that when my better half sleeps, she will not sleep alone.

After the excitement and late-evening chases looking to see where we could spot the Comet Neowise again and in a different spots, Sheila has now turned her attention to the Milky Way, with a few of a pop-up rainbow between rain storms! 

After a few attempts in areas we thought would be "dark" but actually was not, we looked around to see what nearby areas would be darker. That is not an easy thing to accomplish these days of electricity and whole towns and cities being all lit up!

 BUT, to see the Milky Way in an area - IF you are so lucky as to find a truly dark place with NO or little light pollution - it's a incredible sight to see! Out of four attempts within a week, only one far location had "clear" enough skies, even though a small over-the-horizon hamlet was throwing light light into our scene, and there was an unexpected 20-minute fireworks show behind the tree!

Disclaimer: Blogpost has changed the blog posting interface, so if you see the images and words strangely, blame it on them!! I've updated this blog several times to fix display problems, but apparently, it doesn't display properly!! Also, even the images are displayed screwed up!  

I also notice the ability to view the images in a "scroll" when clicked on, now doesn't function correctly!!

Looking SKYward to NeoWise

The comet C/2020 F3 (NeoWise) has been on the news and online for weeks now, and it's the brightest comet seen so far this year! 

Over the Niagara Falls on 14 July (comet is at far right corner in the clouds)

Sheila and I have been snapping pixs of it for three days, not including last Wednesday when we had thunderstorms most of the day and night so it was impossible to see. We have also been trying to get the comet in different WNY locations, and so far succeeding! The last time I saw a comet at all, was in Rota, Spain back in the late 90s, and I remember seeing that comet even during the day hours, it was soooo bright!!! No pictures from that as it was still my film days, but how I remember the details so well!!

At Niawanda over the Radisson Hotel Niagara Falls-Grand Island

So do YOU look up to the sky at night? We do, and so should you!! The comet has been in the NW sky now, and "rising" each following day even higher than the night previous. We have even tried to see it, and with success, even on cloudy days when the forecast cloud cover was less 50%. Good luck!!

Both above pixs while at Old Fort Niagara last night

 

Back out in the Public Again

It felt so strange, to be pulling up to a restaurant and going INSIDE to dine!! 

We went to a local Longhorn restaurant yesterday. The parking lot was filled with reserved parking spots for those getting curb service for their food takeout, but saw many other numbered parking spots, for unknown reasons. It was a big parking lot, only used by Longhorn, so I just circled around and picked a spot that was completely unmarked. We had NO idea if I should call first or just go in, and since I saw some others already park and go in, we did too!

Of course we had our masks on, and the front doors were displaying signs of mandatory facemasks use, but we have been to many other places with similar signs, but while inside the facilities, you would see people with NO masks walking around. What good is having a sign stating wear a facemask or you will be denied entry, then seeing people inside NOT wearing masks with no problem or concern by anyone?

So we were shown to our table, but saw many tables marked not for use, to keep customers' distances apart. 

The floor was very slippery, as if there was a thick coating of either car oil or soap. The man who showed us to our table joked how so many people - as we were - expressed concern or indecision about coming out, and had even asked us if this was our first dining out since the pandemic started. We said it was, and reassured us with "No worries, everyone has been kinda wondering what to do after they walk in!".

The food of course was excellent as always. We always share a single order of their Parmesan Crusted Chicken with a side of the oven-baked sweet potato, and the chicken is so tender and so full of flavor you could cut it with your eyes!

Delicioooous!!

It was great to eat out again, but not a problem with us. We both enjoy cooking, and take turns cooking. Sheila is a fantastic cook, and we both do not eat red meat.

At almost 2 in the afternoon, there were few people in the huge dining area. Most were single older men - whom Sheila and I joked that they were just tired of cooking for themselves for the past few months!

Have you gone out in your area yet to support your local businesses and enjoy a dine-in meal at the same time?

Testing a Slik SGH300 Gimbal Tripod Head

I have heard about it, seen them from far, and during a huge 2013 international watersports event in San Francisco, even got a chance to use a camera mounted on a very pricy tripod gimbal system (fitted with a 300mm and later a 600mm lens), but personally, I have never known anyone who has owned one.

Now, just days after receiving a Slik SGH300 Gimbal Tripod Head, and fitting it on a Manfrotto Neotec Pro tripod I picked up used years ago and both from Fireside Camera in San Francisco, I now have the best of two worlds!

I have been into photography for over three decades, looking through viewfinders with different tripods, BUT this must be the most versatile tripod I've ever yet!

No more locking down or releasing to fold up a tripod leg. Now I just pull on each leg and extend. To get it closed is just as EASY: I fold all three legs together, press and hold the release button at the top of each leg at once, then just push down on the tripod head to close! Before with other tripods it'd take me a max of 2-3mins to open my many tripods, but this tripod has me using it as quickly as within a minute if that long at all. Closing it is even more quick and simple, and does not even take 30 seconds with the method I just described above!!

Now I have just picked up a Slik SGH300 gimbal, and this addition to the Neotec Pro is the best combo ever!!!

Now I have a VERY easy to extend/fold tripod topped with this very small, light and efficient tripod accessory head that enables me to do more and much easier than I've ever done with a tripod in my lifetime behind cameras!

No matter what I've had and used in the past, every basic tripod and standard head I've had would NOT allow pointing my camera almost straight, and definitely NOT point my camera straight up (for those occasional night sky pixs)! Even more bigger and heavier tripod heads I've had wouldn't allow me to point even halfway to straight up! In all cases, I'd end up shortening one tripod leg very low to point the camera straight up, but nowadays even with a camera swivel screen, I'd have to be very low also just to look through the screen or the viewfinder! Of course the live-view on the swivel screen would be useful if I didn't mind having to switch batteries often! Sure, using the standard swivel ball-head is almost efficient BUT I didn't like using those, and I have at least two!

Enter the gimbal, and NOW I can stand straight with my camera at eye-level, and able to easily tilt, pan or anything else with the camera to any position including STRAIGHT UP effortlessly! It's a joy to have and use, and am sure this gimbal will now stay on the tripod permanently! The only thing the gimbal doesn't allow me to do is use a corded shutter release remote, but I can live with that (or maybe not). There is a hole and a slot that looks like it's for a thin cord but with my current remote, it still won't pass through. The pictures are from a recent sunset while testing the gimbal fitted onto the Neotec Pro recently. 

Hey, the sandflies seem to have disappeared for the past week!!!

WNY = Sandfly Center

Just back from the river and the sunset, and the sandflies were in the millions. Of course though we went for the sunset, I seriously thought there were so many sandflies in our pictures that the sunset was more secondary than being the main focus point!! To avoid having the sandflies even more evident in my images, I snapped at the fastest largest aperture possible, so the insects wouldn't appear darker or more sharper than I wanted them to be!

Can you see the dark spots? Those are sandflies!!

It's kind of sad when this happens, but sandflies actually provide a very important role in their hatching around this time of year -- birds need to eat too, and that human filth and slop that makes US fat and heavier, is actually bad for the birds. These insects on the other hand, are a perfect snack and protein meal for the feathered ones, so feast on, oh little ones!!!

Lightning Strikes

Last night was a light show of sorts, and the very best type: Nature put on this show just for me (okay, not just for me but it felt like it since it seemed I was the only fool outside for an hour in the hail, wind, rain and coolness!).

I have tried almost all my life behind a viewfinder, trying to capture two subjects: meteors and lightning. In 2016 I succeeded in getting the meteors and now surprisingly, I catch them easily!

Lightning on the other hand, has been elusive still, till a night ago when a long line of severe thunderstorms began moving into western new York. We were watching the 11pm news as usual, and then began the weather forecast, and it was then when I thought it would be the best time ever for a lucky night of lightning! I hurried to dress, grabbed the camera and a bag to cover it with, and walked quickly to the riverside to set up and try my luck once again!

I've known since the last century that the wind picks up once rain falls somewhere. That started up as soon as I stepped outside. It hailed for a while, then continued on and off of pouring rain while I was busy exposing my virtual film!

There were also quite a few times I'd be blinded by a white flash! I figure a strong lightning had just hit somewhere, and sure enuff, when I looked at the images later, I had quite a few frames that were close to, or completely white! So sign of a bolt on film but I know it's probably in there hidden in the whiteness somewhere!

BUT my life-long goal in capturing one of those lightning flashes has finally succeeded, as I ended up with a few lucky images!

But I also enjoyed my time out in the darkness, as there wasn't a second when the sky was NOT lit up with bright flashes hidden by thick clouds, and later as the clouds seemed to thin out, I could finally see the fabulous lightning lighting up my sky for some time that night!

What a splendid light show!!!! Did you see it in your area?

Stay safe and masked on this Day 106 of the New York state pandemic!!

Looking west toward Grand Island, New York

The flashes of lightning was without end but gorgeous!

Always great to see Nature at work!!

Thanks for the Memories!!

I cannot wait to use this camera, though I wonder often where I would find the film which I would bulkload the film cassettes myself as I did in my in my pre-digital age with no problem at all. All I'd need to do then is to get my stuff from North Carolina, where my darkroom equipment is located, and I'm off to the darkroom for a few hours!!

Wouldn't that be a grand ceremony since I haven't processed film since 2004!! ooooooh, those good old days, and NO sitting in front of a computer just to see my images!

Thanks to my great New Zealand friend who gifted this to me a few years ago while still living in San Francisco. I appreciate this and will never forget this fabulous gift! 

It must be Western New York because

It just snowed so much it was a white-out for a few minutes, then it was ice-pellets for another few minutes, and all this with high breezy winds past 20mph, and now it's sunny! 

Yes, it must be western New York in May, and day 71 of the New York State (NYS) pandemic!!!

Sheila has finished more masks, sending 120 facemasks to a Veterans Hospital in the Bronx last week. She's still thinking of doing more facemasks, though she's taking a break for now.

Sad Sign and Current State of the World

Social distancing works. Wearing masks while outside works. Stopping the spread only works if everyone is responsible enough to recognize the virus threat and take a personal stand to stop the spread with simple means any and everyone can do. 

Anyone who thinks it's funny to cough in public places as a joke, and to get together with friends and act as if nothing is happening on a global-scale, is not only fooling themselves, but is a serious threat to everyone, including their "friends" and themselves. 

Social distancing works ONLY if everyone practices it. If everyone stays disregards that contact distance, then it's not social distancing; it will be ineffective and will just give everyone in those groups a greater threat of infection.

You can laugh all you want, if and after you and your friends get infected. If you are wearing a mask but your partner, spouse or children are not wearing a facemask, what good is that? Is your life or the life of your children or loved ones so insignificant that you do not require them to use a facemask? 

You are outdoors. Perhaps at a store buying food, or in a public park. Somehow and unknowingly, you get infected. You do NOT know you are infected yet. You visit some friends and spend some time together. 

Your friends are now possibly infected. Each one of you and your friends go elsewhere - not knowing each have been exposed and possibly infected - and individually visit some other friends. 

Now each of you have possibly infected others!

How long will this cycle of seeing, visiting others, and possibly infecting still more people, before you actually begin feeling the symptoms and go to a hospital before it's confirmed you are infected, and now have possibly infected a huge group of people, who will continue to meet up with many others, and based on your initial infection, will expose others?

A lot to laugh about. What friend exposes others, strangers, family members, friends, and more with a very deadly virus, and laughs about it because they think it is all a joke?

What a great joke!

We are ALL in this together! Unless we ALL work to stop the spread, then we all will suffer in one way or another!

On the other hand, the skies are bluer, there are much LESS jet-trails above, and the streets aren't as crowded with cars as before! 

Tomorrow will be Another Day

This image was posted some weeks ago, but due to circumstances beyond my control, it was not displayed. Now that it is open to be viewed, I would appreciate if you would please click on the image, or the link below for my thoughts on the current situation of world events. 

Your comments are always welcome and encouraged. Stay safe and be healthy. Stay six feet from others if you are allowed out in your area or country.

https://www.redbubble.com/people/fototakertony/works/45899642-tomorrow-will-be-another-day?asc=u

PSA: Disinfecting your groceries from the store

I just watched this PSA video and while it has many great points, I have a few items of concern about procedures displayed in the video. Many people live in small apartments, trailers, etc. They don't have the convenience of a garage or other type of room that can be used as a temporary "clean room". 

For those without that garage, you can clean and/or sanitize your groceries before you even put it in your car! Sanitize each item and place it in a clean pre-sanitized container in your car. We use folding cargo bins that fold flat, and this will be our clean area to move our groceries from the bags within the shopping cart into the car, and later into our home. Throw away all external containers, bags, etc at a trash receptacle at the store. Don't forget to maintain a safe distance between you and others of six feet!

If you do have a garage, I say to not consider any bag or container as being absolutely clean! Be careful to place the grocery bags etc on your dirty areas before cleaning, as in the case as seen in the video, in such a manner in which the bags are not agitated as to shake off any seen/unseen particles. 

I thank Doctor Jeffrey VanWingen for thinking ahead and making this video! Thanks to all who work hard to keep us safe and healthy during these crazy times!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjDuwc9KBps

Hiking at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge

I started a post here a few days ago, and blogger ate my words literally!!! This happens on an annoyingly increasing basis but am hoping it does stop eventually!

These are moments recorded during a recent hike at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge in WNY. Have you been to this wonderful area where one can see a lot of the natural landscapes and wildlife of western New York. 

 Please don't forget your mask and to practice social distancing!

 

Simple Tips to Stay SAFE

Here are some tips that have been recommended by health officials. Know that the current social distancing - closing down schools, offices and businesses - has been proven to work against such events as the current pandemic, as history shows. To stay on top of your and others' health, just remember these easy, simple tips:

1. Practice social distancing, which is simply limiting all in-person social interactions as much as possible. Experts agree that staying apart is critical if we want to reduce the strain on our health care system and slow the spread of any virus. If you have school-age children and now their school is closed, they will not be safe if they are outdoors and going to malls, etc. They need to stay home to limit their chances of being exposed to the virus. 
2. Wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds. 
3. When coughing or sneezing, cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue. Cough into your sleeve.
4. Avoid touching door pull/push handles, and other public surfaces. Use your sleeve to cover your hands when opening doors, or simply use your elbow to push the door upon exiting. Use facilities-provided tissues to clean push handles on shopping carts, etc.  
5. Avoid handshaking. Use an elbow-bump or other non-contact means to greet friends, etc.
 6. Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands. Use your sleeve instead.
7. Maintain a safe distance from others in public. Six feet or more is recommended. Are you traveling or have travel plans? Consider canceling unnecessary travel plans. The travel of unknowing infected individuals moves a virus from one place to another. 
8. Most of all: Stay home, even if you feel well! Most individuals who later tested positive for the virus did not even know they were infected! Sure, it's boring staying home but staying well and healthy is important to you, your family and friends. Keep your and our communities and neighborhoods healthy and safe by staying home!

Have WE Learned from a historic past Pandemic Event

Want to read a good piece of history about what happens when officials ignore common sense and allow everyone to gather as if nothing was going on?

Remember: hindsight is better than nothing at all, and decades later, they will be talking in the future about how the current pandemic we are living, was controlled....  or not!

As you read this article, keep in mind how many people today have so far been infected and died, and compare those numbers that are listed in this article. There is just a little difference in numbers!

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/philadelphia-threw-wwi-parade-gave-thousands-onlookers-flu-180970372/

Busting COVID-19 Virus Myths

Go ahead, share this myths and truths as published by the World Health Organization!

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public: Myth busters

COVID-19 virus can be transmitted in areas with hot and humid climates

From the evidence so far, the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted in ALL AREAS, including areas with hot and humid weather. Regardless of climate, adopt protective measures if you live in, or travel to an area reporting COVID-19. The best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 is by frequently cleaning your hands. By doing this you eliminate viruses that may be on your hands and avoid infection that could occur by then touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.

Cold weather and snow CANNOT kill the new coronavirus. 

There is no reason to believe that cold weather can kill the new coronavirus or other diseases. The normal human body temperature remains around 36.5°C to 37°C, regardless of the external temperature or weather. The most effective way to protect yourself against the new coronavirus is by frequently cleaning your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or washing them with soap and water.

Taking a hot bath does not prevent the new coronavirus disease

Taking a hot bath will not prevent you from catching COVID-19. Your normal body temperature remains around 36.5°C to 37°C, regardless of the temperature of your bath or shower. Actually, taking a hot bath with extremely hot water can be harmful, as it can burn you. The best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 is by frequently cleaning your hands. By doing this you eliminate viruses that may be on your hands and avoid infection that coud occur by then touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.

 

The new coronavirus CANNOT be transmitted through mosquito bites.

To date there has been no information nor evidence to suggest that the new coronavirus could be transmitted by mosquitoes. The new coronavirus is a respiratory virus which spreads primarily through droplets generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose. To protect yourself, clean your hands frequently with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Also, avoid close contact with anyone who is coughing and sneezing.

Are hand dryers effective in killing the new coronavirus?

No. Hand dryers are not effective in killing the 2019-nCoV. To protect yourself against the new coronavirus, you should frequently clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Once your hands are cleaned, you should dry them thoroughly by using paper towels or a warm air dryer.

Can an ultraviolet disinfection lamp kill the new coronavirus?

UV lamps should not be used to sterilize hands or other areas of skin as UV radiation can cause skin irritation.

 

How effective are thermal scanners in detecting people infected with the new coronavirus?

Thermal scanners are effective in detecting people who have developed a fever (i.e. have a higher than normal body temperature) because of infection with the new coronavirus.
However, they cannot detect people who are infected but are not yet sick with fever. This is because it takes between 2 and 10 days before people who are infected become sick and develop a fever.

 

Can spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body kill the new coronavirus?

No. Spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body will not kill viruses that have already entered your body. Spraying such substances can be harmful to clothes or mucous membranes (i.e. eyes, mouth). Be aware that both alcohol and chlorine can be useful to disinfect surfaces, but they need to be used under appropriate recommendations.

 

Do vaccines against pneumonia protect you against the new coronavirus?

No. Vaccines against pneumonia, such as pneumococcal vaccine and Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) vaccine, do not provide protection against the new coronavirus.
The virus is so new and different that it needs its own vaccine. Researchers are trying to develop a vaccine against 2019-nCoV, and WHO is supporting their efforts.
Although these vaccines are not effective against 2019-nCoV, vaccination against respiratory illnesses is highly recommended to protect your health.

 

Can regularly rinsing your nose with saline help prevent infection with the new coronavirus?

No. There is no evidence that regularly rinsing the nose with saline has protected people from infection with the new coronavirus.
There is some limited evidence that regularly rinsing nose with saline can help people recover more quickly from the common cold. However, regularly rinsing the nose has not been shown to prevent respiratory infections.

 

Can eating garlic help prevent infection with the new coronavirus?

Garlic is a healthy food that may have some antimicrobial properties. However, there is no evidence from the current outbreak that eating garlic has protected people from the new coronavirus.

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Does the new coronavirus affect older people, or are younger people also susceptible?

People of all ages can be infected by the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease) appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus.
WHO advises people of all ages to take steps to protect themselves from the virus, for example by following good hand hygiene and good respiratory hygiene.

 

Are antibiotics effective in preventing and treating the new coronavirus?

No, antibiotics do not work against viruses, only bacteria.
The new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is a virus and, therefore, antibiotics should not be used as a means of prevention or treatment.
However, if you are hospitalized for the 2019-nCoV, you may receive antibiotics because bacterial co-infection is possible.

 

Are there any specific medicines to prevent or treat the new coronavirus?

To date, there is no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
However, those infected with the virus should receive appropriate care to relieve and treat symptoms, and those with severe illness should receive optimized supportive care. Some specific treatments are under investigation, and will be tested through clinical trials. WHO is helping to accelerate research and development efforts with a range or partners.

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters