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COFFEE COUNTER
for week of
June 10th 2012
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Today In History
On this day in 1752, Benjamin Franklin flies a kite during a thunderstorm and collects a charge in a Leyden jar when the kite is struck by lightning, enabling him to demonstrate the electrical nature of lightning. Franklin became interested in electricity in the mid-1740s, a time when much was still unknown on the topic, and spent almost a decade conducting electrical experiments. He coined a number of terms used today, including battery, conductor and electrician. He also invented the lightning rod, used to protect buildings and ships.
Franklin was born on January 17, 1706, in Boston, to a candle and soap maker named Josiah Franklin, who fathered 17 children, and his wife Abiah Folger. Franklin's formal education ended at age 10 and he went to work as an apprentice to his brother James, a printer. In 1723, following a dispute with his brother, Franklin left Boston and ended up in Philadelphia, where he found work as a printer. Following a brief stint as a printer in London, Franklin returned to Philadelphia and became a successful businessman, whose publishing ventures included the Pennsylvania Gazette and Poor Richard's Almanack, a collection of homespun proverbs advocating hard work and honesty in order to get ahead. The almanac, which Franklin first published in 1733 under the pen name Richard Saunders, included such wisdom as: "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." Whether or not Franklin followed this advice in his own life, he came to represent the classic American overachiever. In addition to his accomplishments in business and science, he is noted for his numerous civic contributions. Among other things, he developed a library, insurance company, city hospital and academy in Philadelphia that would later become the University of Pennsylvania.
Most significantly, Franklin was one of the founding fathers of the United States and had a career as a statesman that spanned four decades. He served as a legislator in Pennsylvania as well as a diplomat in England and France. He is the only politician to have signed all four documents fundamental to the creation of the U.S.: the Declaration of Independence (1776), the Treaty of Alliance with France (1778), the Treaty of Paris (1783), which established peace with Great Britain, and the U.S. Constitution (1787).
Franklin died at age 84 on April 17, 1790, in Philadelphia. He remains one of the leading figures in U.S. history.
more~Quote Of The Day
"What the mind can conceive, it can achieve."
Napoleon Hill
Today's Trivia
1988An American clergyman claimed the TV cartoon character "Mighty Mouse" had been shown snorting cocaine. CBS producers denied the claim and said he was only sniffing flowers.
2004Singer Ray Charles died at age 73 in Beverly Hills, California. His classic hits "What'd I Say," "Georgia on My Mind" and "I Can't Stop Loving You," are still selling today.
From Our Forums
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CLIFF'S FOTOFUN #91,
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Welcome to our Mini Challenge #56
here at the Photography Cafe
"ON TOP OF THE WORLD" This is our latest
mini challenge here at the
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WELCOME TO OUR Close-Up/Macro Challenge #13
here at the
"A LIVE ONE"
"A Live One" - This will give a chance to all the nature watchers, and can include other interpretations.
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Welcome to our HDR Challenge #12
here at the Photography Cafe
"DOORS"
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Welcome to our Cafe Book Nook
here at the Photography Cafe
Photo Locations, Tutorials on Digital Techniques, Photo Techniques and Equipment.
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See who is appearing on Centre Stage this week
Philipo
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PHOTO OF THE MONTH
MAY 2012 Tower Headland
by Ian Clamp 
From Ian Clamp
"This is opposite the tower and is part of the newly built Blackpool sea defences which has completely transformed the town's promenade. This was the end of a beautiful but very cold day, I could see that lovely colour forming in the sky and set about composing my image ready for the right moment to take the shot. I liked the formation of the light stands and wanted to utilise the oversized pebbles as the foreground. I took it from quite low down but had to ensure that the railings did not coincide with the horizon which was set on the upper third of the frame.
My camera (Canon 5D & 24-104L) was set at ISO500-1/320th sec-f9
Thank you very much for making this POTM
Ian Clamp".
CONGRATULATIONS Ian Clamp!Click on the photo to go to Ian Clamps's album and leave a comment.
And leave a post below and let him know what you thought of his photo.
We all love comments!
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The Judges of the Cafe Choice Award are pleased to announce the presentation of this highly rated award:
is awarded to memberTINAfor her image"White on White"
"Tina’s shot of a cat waiting to come in is very simple in appearance at first glance. Look closer and you’ll notice how the quality of the exposure which gives us so much detail in the white tones, is amazing. The faint reflection of the cat in the glass gives the image some depth and there’s a wealth of detail in the fur, the window blind and the masonry.
We have a perfect high key image with the blacks in the cat’s eyes and the framing of the window providing the contrast.
The judges, although not unanimous in their love for cats are unanimous that this is a top quality image and should be awarded Photography Café’s highest award.
Congratulations Tina!"* * * * * * *
Today's Chuckles
Gone Boating!Last summer, down on Lake Isabella, located in the high desert, an hour east of Bakersfield, a woman, new to boating was having a problem. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't get her brand new 22 foot Bayliner to perform. It wouldn't get on a plane at all, and it was very sluggish in almost every maneuver, no matter how much power she applied.
After about an hour of trying to make it go, she putted over to a nearby marina. Maybe they could tell her what was wrong. A topside check revealed everything was in perfect working order. The engine was fine, the outdrive went up and down, the prop was the correct size and pitch.
So, one of the marina guys jumped in the water to check underneath. He came up choking on water, he was laughing so hard.
Under the boat, still strapped securely in place, was the trailer.
Jury DutyMy wife was called to serve for jury duty, but asked to be excused because she didn't believe in capital punishment and didn't want her personal thoughts to prevent the trial from running its proper course. But the public defender liked her thoughtfulness and quiet calm, and tried to convince her that she was appropriate to serve on the jury.
"Madam," he explained, "this is not a murder trial! It's a simple civil lawsuit. A wife is bringing this case against her husband because he gambled away the $12,000 he had promised to use to remodel the kitchen for her birthday."
"Well, okay," agreed my wife, "I'll serve. I guess I could be wrong about capital punishment after all."
Quick Quotes
"Kindness is in our power, even when fondness is not. "
~Samuel Johnson
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"This I conceive to be the chemical function of humor: to change the character of our thought."
~Lin Yutang
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"If you take responsibility for yourself you will develop a hunger to accomplish your dreams. "
~Les Brown
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More Chuckles
Modern Business PhraseologyAdvanced Design: Beyond the comprehension of the ad agency's copywriters.
All New: Parts not interchangeable with existing models.
Approved: Needs revising
Automatic: That which you cannot repair yourself.
Channels: The trails left by interoffice memos.
Clarify: To fill in the background with so many details that the foreground goes underground.
Conference: A place where conversation is substituted for the loneliness of thought and the dreariness of labor.
Confidential Memo: No time to photocopy for the whole office.
Consultant: Someone who borrows your watch to tell you what time it is and then walks away with the watch.
Forwarded For Your Consideration: You hold the bag for a while.
FYI: Found yesterday, interested?
In Conference: Nobody can find him/her.
Let's Get Together On This: I'm assuming you're as confused as I.
Read & Initial: I'm not taking the fall for this myself.
Policy: We can hide behind this.
Top Priority: It may be stupid but the boss wants it.
Will Advise In Due Course: If we figure it out, we'll let you know.
A VERY BIG WELCOME TO ALL OUR NEW MEMBERS 
