Images: Film rewind II

While doing a bit of housekeeping on my computer yesterday, I came across a handful of frames from a springtime trip to Acadia National Park more than a dozen years ago.

Really, they're nothing more than snapshots grabbed during leisurely hikes. And back then the medium was film, of course. They preserve some good memories, though, and I've judged a few worth sharing.

Quote of the week

"If it’s between Obama and Romney, there isn’t all that much difference except for the crowd that they bring with them."

(Left-wingnut George Soros, in an interview Wednesday with Chrystia Freeland of Reuters)

Zachariah's Red-Eye Reunion XII

A week has passed since the 2012 edition of Zachariah's Red-Eye Reunion. Again I had the privilege of photographing the event, and despite having a rash of camera problems toward the end of the show, the Reunion remains a musical and photographic highlight.

This may have been the best one yet. Enjoy the images.

'End Piracy, Not Liberty'

Sharps: Elemental truth

"When a man picks up a knife, there's an old memory from the collective unconscious that surfaces. A knife is an atavistic experience. It was man's first tool and weapon. Man was chipping flint into cutting edges before he invented the wheel. No matter how sophisticated we become, a knife takes us back to the cave."

(Legendary knifemaker Bob Loveless, as quoted in "On the Cutting Edge," published in the July 14, 1980 issue of Sports Illustrated. Also worth reading: "His Knives Pioneered Handmade Movement," a remembrance published in The Wall Street Journal on September 10, 2010.)

There's snow in the air

It's about damned time. We'll likely get little more than a dusting today, a far cry from the way last winter began here in central Ohio. Still, it'll amount to the most we've seen so far this season.


Snow or no snow, though, this is a red-letter day in the KintlaLake household -- today marks one year since Scout came home with us. She is, in my opinion, the most perfect dog ever to walk this earth, a great addition to our family.

This afternoon we'll take down our Christmas tree and other holiday decor, probably while keeping tabs on Ohio State and Florida in the Gator Bowl. Win or lose it'll be a bittersweet end to a tumultuous year for my Buckeyes and, thanks to NCAA sanctions, the last time we'll go bowling 'til after the 2013 season.

Bring on the Urban Meyer era -- please.

Tomorrow it's back to work for the missus and me. That simple assertion -- back to work -- brings me more satisfaction than I can put into words. The job continues to be rewarding, too, due in large part to my wife's commitment to making her shop the best in the biz.

She's smart, confident and open to improving the way we do things. Hell, she even takes suggestions from a short-time shipper like me.

The third of January also will feature something else I'm watching closely -- Iowa Republicans will meet in 1,800 precinct caucuses to register their preferences for the party's presidential nominee. I'm no fan of partisan circuses, but I don't envy anyone who must choose a favorite from this year's GOP field.

Our nation desperately needs change, revolutionary change, and this is the best Republicans can offer? It's pathetic.

As for what 2012 holds for KintlaLake Blog, that's not too hard to predict. Commentary on the presidential campaign? Sure. More posts about urban resources, simple tools and sharps? Naturally.

In fact, my impressions of two new folding knives -- a Spyderco Para-Military2 and a Zero Tolerance 0350 -- should appear here in the coming weeks. Stay tuned, and Happy New Year!