Features
Gifts and Gadgets: Camera gear makes travelers happy
EDMOND — With the holiday season in full swing, The Edmond Sun and the online travel site TravelBlur.com are teaming up to bring you “Gifts and Gadgets,” a four-part series highlighting holiday gift ideas for the traveler.
I’m a travel addict.
If I’m not on a trip, I’m planning a trip. If I’m not planning a trip, I’m talking about a trip. If I’m not talking about a trip, I’m ... well, you get it.
I have a few pieces of essential travel gear, and arguably none are more important than my digital camera. It’s one of the first things I put in my backpack when I’m loading up for a journey. Other than my passport and my wife (not necessarily in that order), my camera is the thing I worry most about losing when I’m out and about.
A camera can be a great holiday gift and photo accessories are always stocking stuffer stars. Here are a few photo extras to help the globetrotter on your Christmas list better capture those priceless travel memories.
Keep it on the Down Low
Travelers who walk around with camera bags advertising Sony or Cannon might as well wear a sandwich board proclaiming “distracted tourist with expensive camera.” With a thief or pickpocket inevitably lurking in every crowd, there’s just no need to flash the Kodachrome bling. Case Logic (www.caselogic.com) makes a fine line of nondescript camera cases that fit many camera models and brands. Look for cases that are well-padded and water-resistant.
Tri This
Before a recent journey, I bought a Joby Gorillapod tripod ($21.95, www.joby.com). Small and lightweight, the tripod’s best feature is its bendable legs, which allows it to be used where a traditional tripod fails. It can steady a camera on an uneven surface or even wrap around a pole.
Pure Energy
There’s nothing more frustrating than missing a great photo because your batteries run out of juice. Digipower’s Universal Power Pack ($79.99, www.digipowersolutions.com) solves that problem with hours of extended energy. Since I don’t have a power pack yet (hint, hint honey), I travel with rechargeable batteries that I refresh with a Lenmar Rapid Charger ($34.95, www.lenmar.com). The charger is compact, dual voltage and has a handy USB port for charging other devices.
Seek Professional Help
We’ve all endured those endless vacation photo slide shows when visiting a friend or relative. Would this torture be more tolerable if the photos were better, sharper and more creative? Enroll your traveling buddy in a photography workshop or digital editing class. You may still get stuck looking at photos, but at least they’ll be in focus. Local colleges and CareerTech schools offer a variety of options.
These products are available at various online retailers, but don’t forget to shop locally too. Brick-and-mortar stores are often competitively priced, especially when you factor in shipping and handling charges.
CHARLIE PRICE, an Edmond resident, writes online at www.travelblur.com.
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Copyright not always necessary
Q: I have a small business, and periodically I send my customers a newsletter. Several of my employees contribute articles to the newsletter. Should the newsletter be copyrighted?
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What do today’s children lack?
Question of the Week: What do today’s children seriously lack that children in the 1950s and before enjoyed in abundance?
To assist the reader in figuring out the answer before it is revealed in the last sentence of this column, here are a set of clues mostly taken from the real-life childhood adventures of yours truly, a representative member of his generation. -
Feast, famine will find you
I’ve known feast and I’ve known famine, and they’ve taught me that too much is too much either way. You can glut your maw with food and your bank account with gold, but either excess will eventually be too much. I don’t have to tell you what a famine of either will do.
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Brown wins final Yard of the Week
The final Yard of the Week winner for the 2010 season goes to Melissa Brown, 829 New Bond Circle in the Kingston addition.
This colorful yard that has 56 containers of flowers that provide quick splashes of color and texture. The yard has several tall northern red oaks, bur oaks, pines, Japanese weeping red maple, carrisa hollies, nandinas and beds of red and pink wax leaf begonias. -
What if Jesus were president?
It is painful to listen to Democrats and Republicans attack each other. One hundred years ago, Helen Keller called the Democrats and Republicans Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum. Today it’s more like Dumb and Dumber. They assume that we are stupid and that we only care about ourselves. The test of whether the economy is doing well is whether consumer spending is up.
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Oklahoma City University hosts Islam Day
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City University hosted its second annual Islam Day Thursday to encourage cultural understanding with various campus activities.
Islam Day at OCU falls in the midst of the holy month of Ramadan, which is celebrated this year from Aug. 11 to Sept. 9. Celebrated during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, more than 1 billion Muslims around the world fast from dawn until sunset each day. -
Edmond church plans flood relief benefit
An Edmond church is planning a second event to benefit victims of the June 14 flash flooding.
John Huss, pastor of outreach and discipleship for Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 308 N.W. 164th St., said the flood is nearly three months past, but the recovery continues for those affected. They include dozens of Edmond-area families.
On Sept. 12 the church will have a community picnic event beginning at 4 p.m. There will be food, live music and games during the event at the church. -
7 imprisoned Iranian Baha’i receive harsh sentences
Once again, the American Baha’i Community including Baha’is from the Oklahoma City metro area are calling on Congress for help in the case of the seven imprisoned Baha’is of Iran.
The international Baha’i community was outraged at the news of the 20-year sentence for the seven Baha’i leaders which was just recently confirmed. The five men and two women imprisoned were arrested in May 2008 and later falsely charged with “spying for foreigners,” as well as “spreading corruption on Earth” and “cooperating with Israel.” -
30,000 expected to attend National Baptist Convention
The country’s largest African-American denomination, the National Baptist Convention U.S.A. Inc., will hold its 130th annual meeting Sept. 6-10 at the downtown Convention Center in Kansas City, Mo.
About 30,000 delegates and visitors are expected to attend. The theme is “Solidarity With the Savior.” -
9-3 Religion: in brief
Hopewell Church nominated to This Place Matters Community Challenge
Hopewell Church in Edmond has been nominated to the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s This Place Matters Community Challenge. - More Features Headlines
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Copyright not always necessary
