So What’s New?

[millera9]

Um, hi everybody! I’m back home from what turned out to be a grueling and ultimately frustrating 6-week business trip to Saudi Arabia. It was supposed to be a 3-week trip but as Elsinore can attest (through regular facebook updates) I had a hell of a time leaving. Finally, on my fifth scheduled departure date, three weeks late, I actually got on a plane; and now I’m home in California and it’s glorious.

Anyway, I didn’t have much internet access (or time) so I didn’t check this forum or Fark or any of the threads at all while I was there. Did I miss anything? Anything exciting going on? Any sweeping rule changes I should know about? How is everyone?

I’m really looking forward to actually participating this week (if you can’t tell)! 🙂

[mikemikeb]

Hi, there. I was wondering where you were, and why you hadn’t been in recent contests.

Tim Russert died. There were some really bad floods in the Midwest that drove up corn prices (and as a result, will further raise gas prices, because of American ethanol is primarily made of corn, and a 10% ethanol blend is now required in all American gasoline IIRC). As you may already know, the average price of American 87 octane jumped over $4/gallon, with no relief in sight, and that was before the Midwest flooding. Other than that, not much of known significance to you happened.

(I know, where did I go, blah blah blah. I honestly got bored of Farktography contests, so I stopped even viewing them for a while. Lost my interest in photography, too; I only photograph on rare occasions these days. I guess it’s the combination of the ergonomics of my camera/lens combo, combined with the social stigma among some members of the general public, that has made it less open and inviting to take pictures. I want to enjoy and feel comfortable taking pictures. I might enter the “Dinner is Served” competition, but it’s more likely that I’ll wait until the bokeh contest to enter again.)

[staplermofo]

Welcome back.
Did you get any pictures of gas going for like 1 riyal/liter or some other crazy foreign nonsense?
Is it true Saudis are still using the old Soviet designed staplers?

[millera9]

Thanks for the comprehensive summary mike! I heard each of those things briefly but I didn’t really get to hear details. Was anybody here affected by the floods? I had noticed the price of gas and how much it changed between April and June. Filling my car this morning sucked (though being able to drive is totally worth it!).

Sorry to hear that you’re not feeling too good about your hobby anymore. It is hard when people don’t react well to being photographed/being around photography. My answer is that I shoot animals and plants and landscapes and scenes without people in them. Hopefully we’ll see you entering again soon.

mofo I had to go about 240km each day to get back and forth between the hotel and the work site. That meant stopping almost every day for gas. We were filling up a 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser with 91 octane. It has a 93 liter tank. Most days filling it cost about 45 riyals. For those of you keeping track at home that’s 22 gallons for about $12; or about $0.54 per gallon.

That said, cheap gas is the only good thing that country has. I will gladly pay exorbitant gas prices for the privilege of living where I do!

[linguine]

Welcome back, hoping we’ll be seeing some cool pictures from your trip soon.

[andyofne]

That said, cheap gas is the only good thing that country has. I will gladly pay exorbitant gas prices for the privilege of living where I do!

I spent a little time in that neck of the woods, mostly floating around in the Gulf, but I agree with the sentiment.

[schnee]

millera9!. Welcome back!

[Elsinore]

I’m so glad you’re back–you’ve been missed!

[Author]

Posts