Comments on Marbled Murrelet plan due tomorrow at 5 PM!

 Tommorow 3/9/2017 at 5 PM is the deadline for comments on the Washington Department of Natural Resourses Draft Conservation Strategy for the Marbled Murrelet. It has its good points, but unfortunately all the alternatives would allow logging in Marbled Murrelet nesting habitat! Everyone needs to comment ASAP and let DNR know that they need to analyze and adopt a new conservation option.

Oshiro 60mm Super Macro Lens Review

We’ve all seen that interesting bug, that beautiful flower, that fascinating ice formation, and have likely tried to capture it through the lens our cameras. However, we quickly find that the closest we can get still leaves our subject as little more than a boring speck lost in the image. There are many ways to get a macro shot - reverse mounting your lens, using extension tubes, or a bellows for example.  All these options come with significant downsides. To get the best macro shooting experience you need a dedicated macro lens, but those don’t usually come cheap. They are a niche product and thus typically command a high price. However, the Oshiro 60mm F2.8 Super Macro lens is the exception to this rule.

Evening on the Farm

I made this video for an r/unknownvideos subreddit contest, go vote here: www.reddit.com/r/unknownvideos and help me win!

White Pass Ski Lift Adventure Video

The Economic Power of Outdoor Recreation

It’s an unfortunate truth that outdoor recreation is a widely undervalued part of our economy. It is an industry worth 21.6 billion dollars in Washington alone, yet it is so often given only a grudging back seat in the estimation of politicians. Parks go unfunded, extractive industries are allowed to dominate vast swaths of public land, and in general we give little thought to an economic force as significant as the aerospace or tech industries. Think what could be accomplished if public lands and recreation were given the consideration that they deserve.

Into the crystal world

When snow falls, hoar frost grows, and icicles flow from the rafters we see the glittering beauty of it all, but that's only the surface. Look closer, closer than the naked eye can see, and you will find a world of crystals stretching off into eternity. 

The assault on public lands has begun - we must fight back!

Our public lands now face the greatest threat to their very existence since the founding of their various designations and the agencies created to oversee them. They are often and aptly termed “America’s Best Idea”, but unfortunately even our sacred wild places are not off limits to those who have been consumed by greed and who now squat in our nation's capitol. House Bill 621 would sell off 3.3 million acres of public land that its instigator, Jason Chaffetz of Utah claims  “serve no purpose for taxpayers”. This is a blatant lie - all public land has enormous value to taxpayers! Even if it goes entirely unused by anyone it has immense value to taxpayers in that it supports ecosystems that benefit us indirectly. The real reason they want to sell our land is so that their buddies in extractive industries can profit from it. Fortunately, this bill  was dropped on Wednesday, but there is other devious legislation waiting in the wings.