Nikon introduced the Nikon D90 digital SLR camera. The camera’s size and styling is comparable to the D70s and the D80 models and some features have derived from the D300. Its main selling point is the ability to record video, which Nikon claims that this model is the first dSLR camera to record videos. I’m kind of skeptical about the video feature because usually audio quality is usually overlook, but a key to good video. The D90 plays back audio in mono, but I haven’t heard any reports about the audio quality. It also includes a self-cleaning sensor to remove particles that otherwise appear on images, especially in smaller aperture. For me, the video feature is not all that important and with two Nikon dSLR (D80 and D70s as a backup) already in my hands, I’m in no rush to buy this model. I’ll stick with my JVC camcorder for the videos. It never felt right to shoot photos with my camcorder. It won’t feel right shooting videos with my dSLR.

Read more about the Nikon D90 at www.Nikon.com.

An unidentified man snoozes along SE Van Water Street in Milwaukie. Aug. 27, 2008.

Many times I will see homeless people snoozing on the park benches along the Springwater Corridor Trail. Today on my way home from my bike ride to Portland, I found a white male crashed out at the 2800 block of SE Van Water Street in Milwaukie, located one block away from the Springwater Trail. Beverage cans spilled out from the two bags beside him. He wore a pink girl-like backpack on his back. He laid on the grass in a fetal position while his head rested on a red duffel bag. I shouted at the man several times, asking if he was alright. After the seventh shout, he finally awoke and responded with “I’m okay.” The reason the man was crashed out was unknown and I won’t speculate or assume anything. At least he appeared to be fine but tired, so I let him be.

A dashboard-baked pizza.

An interesting snapshot I captured with my cell phone camera during the trip to the grocery store today: a pizza baking on a car’s dashboard. At least it was not a pot of water.

My mother and my aunt brave riding the problematic Seattle Monorail on July 11, 2008. (Photo by Bryan Dorr).

Once again the Seattle Monorail had another malfunction, leaving 150 passengers stranded high above the Seattle city streets Saturday afternoon. The fire rescue crews were able to evacuate all passengers safely with ladders. It is just another black mark on the 46-year old monorail’s list of recent mechanical failures.

Really, this thing should be taken out of service until improvements are made to its evacuation procedures and equipment. The evacuation equipment should be self-sustainable and not need the assistance of fire truck ladders. No incident could emphasize the importance of this than the fire that broke out in the blue train in 2004, which sent several passengers and a firefighter to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

A stray cat found on my bathroom shelf where cleaning supplies are stored. It also left a stinky mess, thus destroying the shelf.

“Meow.”

I hear a cat’s meow, sounding like it’s coming from outside of the bathroom window. The sound was actually coming from the shelving area, so I looked around for this cat. I also smelled a very foul odor in the bathroom, somewhat like the smell of dog poo. My two dogs were inside the house, but I saw no evidence of poo. I was outside in the backyard minutes earlier picking up dog poo, but I had already taken off my shoes.

In fact, the stench was strong enough that I knew it wasn’t “memory” odor, the odor you can still smell but it no longer exists. Then I glanced up on the top shelf. Lying on the top shelf was a white cat bunched up in the corner, avoiding the pile of diarrhea it left behind.

I ran downstairs to grab the gardening gloves for hand protection (in case it scratches or bites), then went back upstairs to rid the cat from my house. I grabbed it from the scruff of its neck and tossed it out the front door and into the front yard. Then I went to begin work on the clean-up.

The cat’s mess saturated into the particle board, therefore destroyed the shelf.

This was one cat that left behind one stinky mess. I don’t know how in the world those cat people with hundreds of cats defecating and urinating in the house can live with the stench.

What a way to start off on a new slate, too.