Random Downtown Shots

My Article on the Wah Mee Massacre

Has just been published at

http://www.socyberty.com/Crime/Seattles-Infamous-Crime-Scenes-1-The-Wah-Mee-Casino.153367.

Check it out!

This is part 1 of a series of infamous Seattle crime scenes. I am submitting part 2 in a few weeks on the 2112 Republican killing spree and Part 3 will focus on the Jewish federation shooting.

Alki Beach Sunset, 6/29/8

A couple more from last night at Alki Beach

Alki Beach Sunset, 6/29/8

Just in case this doesn't make it to the West Seattle Blog, the above is a shot of the sunset from Alki beach.

Sunday Afternoon Update

This months issue of Northwest Chess features my photo of National Master Nick Raptis on the cover. You can see my photos from the 2008 Wa Open at http://obstreperousapprobation.blogspot.com/2008/06/2008-wa-open-chess-tournament.html

Friday evening around 8:00 pm, I went to Pike Place Market and the surrounding areas to photograph people on the street. The market was closed, however, the summer sun in Seattle doesn't set until after 9:00pm, so there was plenty of activity.

It's pretty difficult to be inconspicuous with a 400mm super-telephoto lens, and I had more than a few stares, but was out for at least an hour. Below are a few that I found interesting, I hope you do as well. Seattle is a wonderful city.

African Grey Parrot Macro Shots

Taken during a break from shooting a West Seattle Volleyball tournament, these photos of a friend's African Grey Parrot under a sun umbrella were a pleasure to shoot. Even though as I approached, he nibbled on my lens rim, he stayed pretty still. These were taken at 100 mm.

District of Columbia vs. Heller

This is out of the scope of my photography business, but it is so important I wanted to include it in my daily postings.

If you haven't heard, the Supreme Court decided yesterday, 6/26/2008, that the Washington D.C. ban on handgun possession was unconstitutional!!!

What is even more profound is that the Court decided that the Second Amendment is an individual right, rather than a collective right.

Below is a link to the 150+ page decision, but I have included a few clauses from the headnote to the published decision.

PDF link to Washington D.C. vs Heller --

http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/07pdf/07-290.pdf

Term opinions of the Supreme Court --

http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/07slipopinion.html

1. The Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.

2. The handgun ban and the trigger-lock requirement violate the Second Amendment. The District's total ban on handgun possession in the home, amounts to a prohibition on an entire class of "arms" that Americans overwhelmingly choose for the lawful purpose of self-defense.

Sea Lions from the Portland Zoo

Size

One of the largest of the pinniped family, male Steller sea lions can weigh up to 3,000 pounds, and females up to 770 pounds. Males are 10 to 12 feet long (they can be larger than a bear) and females average around 9 feet in length. Females are usually about one-third the size of males.



Reproduction/life span

Males maintain large harems of females after they reach social maturity at 5 to 7 years (and are able to defend a territory). Breeding season occurs from May through June in Oregon. Gestation takes about 9 months after which female sea lions give birth to one pup. Pups weigh around 50 pounds and are nearly 4 feet long at birth. Pups are born dark brown but in 4 to 6 months they shed to a lighter brown. Females give birth about every 1 to 2 years after reaching sexual maturity at 4 to 5 years. Males reach sexual maturity at 5 to 7 years. Steller sea lions live for approximately 20 years.


Stellar Cove Sea Lions

The exhibit is home to two males, named Augustus (Gus) and Julius. Gus and Julius were born at two different Sea World Parks in 1987, and came to the zoo from Connecticut's Mystic Aquarium. They are each fed between 25 and 35 pounds of fish a day, depending on the time of year. Both of these animals are blind.

Alki Beach Juniors -- Adult Sunday Tournament

This past weekend I had the pleasure of photographing the youth and adult tournaments held by Alki Beach Juniors, at Alki Beach in West Seattle. The sun didn't come out until mid-day, but the action was constant and the beach atmosphere is always wonderful for a Michigan native like myself. Below are some of the shots I took from the Sunday adult tournament.

http://www.alkibeachjuniors.com/

A Look Inside the Studio of Sabah al-Dhaher, Part 2

Sabah al-Dhaher
Painter and Sculptor -- West Seattle
http://www.aldhaher.net/

Puget Sound Energy HQ Demolition, Feb 2008

Alki Beach Volleyball -- Alki Beach Juniors

http://www.alkibeachjuniors.com/

Some pics from yesterdays youth tournament.

http://www.alkibeachjuniors.com/

Seattle's Infamous Crime Scenes: 2112 Republican

March 25th, 2006, 28-year-old Kyle Aaron Huff entered a rave afterparty in the southeast part of Seattle 's Capitol Hill neighborhood and opened fire, killing six and wounding two. He then turned the gun on himself as he was being confronted by police.

I am very familiar with this location. As one of the first four allowed into the house after the crime scene cleanup crew released the house back to the owners, I saw the room where most of the victims died firsthand. The cleanup crew missed a lot, by the way. The standing blood was gone, but spatter was all over the walls, floors, ceiling, furniture, windows, blinds and anything in the room. I will post a link shortly to the article that I am writing. In the meanwhile, here are pictures of the outside of the house two years later.






This last picture was from the 2nd anniversary of the murders. I bought these flowers and arranged them for each of the victims.

Edith Macefield, 1922-2008. Thank You, Edith.

86-year-old Edith Macefield lived in her Ballard Cottage since 1966, refusing numerous offers by developers to buy her property. The most recent offer of 1 million dollars was refused as quickly as all the others, and as a result, the massive shopping complex of New Ballard was constructed around her. Stating that she didn't want the money and that since she had lived through World War II, the noise didn't bother her, she became a symbol of historic Ballard's struggle with the rapid gentrification of their once quiet neighborhood.

On Sunday, June 15, 2008, Edith passed away after a long battle with cancer. She will be missed.




The text of this letter reads, "We called you 'Ballard Bridge Betty' when we didn't know your name. Blessings, and we hope you like your new home. You were my hero, and an inspiration to keep fighting to save my home, Rest in Peace, Chris G."

A Look Inside the Studio of Sabah al-Dhaher, Part 1

West Seattle painter and sculptor, Sabah al-Dhaher, was kind enough to allow me into his studio to photograph some of his wonderful finished and unfinished works.

His website is http://www.aldhaher.net/

Seattle's Infamous Crime Scenes -- The Wah Mee Casino

I will have a link to the text article soon. It is being published on another site.

For those who aren't familiar with the 1983 Wah Mee Massacre, Kwan Fai "Willie" Mak, Wai-Chiu "Tony" Ng, and Benjamin Ng hog-tied and shot 14 people execution-style in the Wah Mee gambling club on Maynard Alley S. just south of S. King Street in the International District. Thirteen of their victims were fatally wounded, but one survived to indentify the assailants. It remains the worst mass murder in the State's history.