LOLCATS: im in ur blog, hacking ur page rank

LOLCATS In the news

This scan of a newspaper article says it all. The phenom that is LOLCATS is just something utterly silly but enjoyable. Even I have gotten sucked into it. Originally a forum posting trend, the images themselves have become more important than the threads which spawned them. What is it about them though? Is it the spelling, the poses, the blend? I think part of it is that the computer subculture has always had an affinity to cats and the fact that they, like many a geek, are insanely curious. That and the fact that cat behavior seems about as alien to us as we are to normal folks.

Personally I'm partial to this guy: Sadly, don't have any cats myself (darn building rules) but if I did I'd be gunning to take a LOLCATS photo.

Do we watch the news or does the news just watch us?

As I plod though Digg.com, /. and other news sites (not to mention the local newspapers and stations) I realize that it doesn't really seem like we watch the news in so much as the news is watching us to gauge what will grab the most ratings. It's not about the events, the critical things going on, the little guys story who needs to just be shown to the world.

Consider the infamy that is the kidnapped white female syndrome. Why does it seem like any time a Caucasian woman is abducted there is instantly a firestorm of press. Kidnappings happen considerably more frequently, often in poorer neighborhoods than most people would care to know. So why then are only the suburbia victims paraded on the 6 o'clock news? Is it because it pulls at the hearstrings of middle America? Is it more newsworthy to put up the face of someone 'nice' looking?

Equally annoying to me at least are the droves of camera guys, helos and 'guest commentators' for high speed chases and shooting incidents. We as a people have become obsessed with wanting to see the worst things unfold, not the good things. Perhaps our culture is just based on the negative press idea but I for one wouldn't mind seeing some lighter news.

Carsplay Photography!

OK OK bad joke but true none the less. This go around my photographic subjects were not cosplayers but cars. In particular cars on display for the Build the Track Car Show/event to raise awareness for the need for a replacement for the demolished Hawaii Raceway Park.

Picasa Web Gallery Rough Cuts

A more polished version is posted here on Vraxx.com

I actually avoided photographing some of the eye-candy because well honestly? I'm not working for a magazine or anything that gets a lot of rotation, so I figure I'll focus on the subjects that don't care how long it takes me to setup the shot :)