Summer Fun

We got a new park on the Mississippi River front in Rock Island. It has this really nice fountain area that kids from all around come to play in. However, little to everyone's knowledge the fountain was not created to actually be used. SO, they had to shut the fountain down in order to figure out a way to keep the water clean and safe for constant use.

Bix Porch Party

Harness Racing

More Golf

Squeaker

Today, while walking to our near-by coffee shop to purchase my usual-- a giant rice crispy treat and a bottled water-- I found a stranded duckling in downtown Moline not anywhere near the river. The poor little duck was walking along the street squeaking and searching for its family. They, nor a nest, were no where to be seen. Its size is smaller than my fist and I was worried about it getting hit by a car so, I knocked on a local business's door got a box, put the duckling in it and took it to work.

We quickly found a home for my little buddy on a farm with a lady who has raised ducklings before. She said there's a pond, other ducks and plenty of food. Still, I hope Squeaker is alright and that I made the right decision by taking it.

It was fun having a duck in my office for a few hours too, even though it stunk.

Consent

"By submitting a photo to the contest, the Contestant affirms that he or she has obtained written consent from all individuals whose image or likeness appears in the photo and further affirms that he or she is prepared to provide reliable documentation to that effect upon request (or from the individuals’ parent/legal guardian if any such individuals are considered a minor in their country of residence). The Contestant further affirms that he or she has obtained the necessary rights, licenses, consents and permissions to use all material in the photo."

This has stopped me from entering so many contests. These are requirements to enter certain photo contests, but you look at some of the entries and I will put money down that the majority of the people in the photographs signed no kind of consent forms given by the photographers. I can bet many did not even hand out a consent form.

Maybe they did?

I don't have any written consent forms from the people of I have photographed. What do you do, enter the contest anyway? If you're in a public place at a public event don't you have to right to make and use your photographs without any kind of written consent from the person being photographed?

In newspapers we don't ask for people to sign something before we publish the photograph. Is verbal agreement of giving out your first and last name and city considered a kind of consent? I mean if someone asks not to be photographed or for their name not to be published I respect that 99.99 percent of the time. For instance, a child going through a parents divorce, undercover police, witness protection, certain children in school, calling in sick from work and he or she is hanging out at the park, whatever. If someone asks not to be photographed just because they don't like their hair or something, it ticks me off, but I still respect it. What would happen if you published a photograph of the person anyway? Is it considered libel?

But this is different. What I get from this is you need actual signed documentation from say that street vendor in New Orleans that you made picture of during Mardi Gras.

My favorite is "from all individuals", so if you're at some kind of protest or major event.... well you get the idea.

I'm so confused.

Golf

For the Love of Vinyl

A short video I did on Ragged Records for The Dispatch and the Argus:
Bob Herington, owner of Ragged Records on Brady Street in Davenport, has between 50,000 and 60,000 records in his store alone. That does not count CDs, DVDs, and music memorabilia. "It's kind of filling a nitch that no one else is doing in the area, " Mr. Herington said about his store. "It's got more of a head-shop feel without being a head-shop, it's still just a record store."

Tasha Williams: Polk and California

Blues Fest

futbol