rick_beckrich1

<p>FWIW - For at least 10 years running, the Times sports section was listed by the AP as one of the 10 best.<br>

Note also this from last spring:</p>

<h1 ></h1>

<p><em>The Washington Times has won one of journalism's highest honors - the Society of Professional Journalists Public Service Award - for its investigative series entitled "Disposable Heroes" that disclosed the unethical treatment of war veterans during a Veterans Affairs medical experiment. </em><br>

Washington, DC April 13, 2009 -- <a title="The Washington Times" onclick="linkClick( this.href );" href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/" target="_blank" title="The Washington Times">The Washington Times</a> has won one of journalism's highest honors - the Society of Professional Journalists Public Service Award - for its investigative series entitled "Disposable Heroes" that disclosed the unethical treatment of war veterans during a Veterans Affairs medical experiment.</p>

<p>The newspaper's 10-part series, led by reporter Audrey Hudson starting last June, prompted letters of outrage from then-presidential candidate Barack Obama and members of Congress, full-scale congressional and Bush administration investigations, a House veterans committee hearing, apologies and ultimately, sweeping changes inside the VA medical system.<br>

The series included a gripping account of the plight of returning Iraq War veteran James Elliott, a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder patient, who engaged in a near lethal confrontation with police after suffering a psychotic episode. At the time, the VA was treating Elliott with an anti-smoking drug known to cause such side effects.<br>

The series exposed significant ethical lapses inside the VA's medical experiments involving the informed consent of patients, careful monitoring of side effects and other important safeguards. The agency continues to investigate whether employees should be punished for the lapses.<br>

"We are extremely honored by SPJ's recognition of this project and believe it is a great reminder that original newspaper reporting remains an important staple of American life even in tough economic times," Executive Editor John Solomon said. "We also know the biggest prize of all comes in knowing that our war heroes and veterans enrolled in future medical experiments at the VA will face much better safeguards than those in place when Mr. Elliott suffered his unfortunate incident."<br>

To expand the reach of the project, The Times collaborated with ABC News and Investigative Correspondent Brian Ross to create a companion piece on Good Morning America the morning the original investigative expose was published in the newspaper. It also created original video and Web packages that attracted millions of viewers on the newly redesigned <a title="washingtontimes.com" onclick="linkClick( this.href );" href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/" target="_blank" title="washingtontimes.com">washingtontimes.com</a> Web site.<br>

"This project was really groundbreaking inside our newsroom because it was our first effort at four-dimensional, interactive journalism - creating elements for print, TV, radio and the Web to reach the widest possible audience," Solomon said. "We very much appreciate Brian's great work in ensuring that the audiences who watch ABC also were told this important story."</p>

 

<p>FWIW - For at least 10 years running, the Times sports section was listed by the AP as one of the 10 best.<br>

Note also this from last spring:</p>

<h1 ></h1>

<p><em>The Washington Times has won one of journalism's highest honors - the Society of Professional Journalists Public Service Award - for its investigative series entitled "Disposable Heroes" that disclosed the unethical treatment of war veterans during a Veterans Affairs medical experiment. </em><br>

Washington, DC April 13, 2009 -- <a title="The Washington Times" onclick="linkClick( this.href );" href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/" target="_blank" title="The Washington Times">The Washington Times</a> has won one of journalism's highest honors - the Society of Professional Journalists Public Service Award - for its investigative series entitled "Disposable Heroes" that disclosed the unethical treatment of war veterans during a Veterans Affairs medical experiment.</p>

<p>The newspaper's 10-part series, led by reporter Audrey Hudson starting last June, prompted letters of outrage from then-presidential candidate Barack Obama and members of Congress, full-scale congressional and Bush administration investigations, a House veterans committee hearing, apologies and ultimately, sweeping changes inside the VA medical system.<br>

The series included a gripping account of the plight of returning Iraq War veteran James Elliott, a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder patient, who engaged in a near lethal confrontation with police after suffering a psychotic episode. At the time, the VA was treating Elliott with an anti-smoking drug known to cause such side effects.<br>

The series exposed significant ethical lapses inside the VA's medical experiments involving the informed consent of patients, careful monitoring of side effects and other important safeguards. The agency continues to investigate whether employees should be punished for the lapses.<br>

"We are extremely honored by SPJ's recognition of this project and believe it is a great reminder that original newspaper reporting remains an important staple of American life even in tough economic times," Executive Editor John Solomon said. "We also know the biggest prize of all comes in knowing that our war heroes and veterans enrolled in future medical experiments at the VA will face much better safeguards than those in place when Mr. Elliott suffered his unfortunate incident."<br>

To expand the reach of the project, The Times collaborated with ABC News and Investigative Correspondent Brian Ross to create a companion piece on Good Morning America the morning the original investigative expose was published in the newspaper. It also created original video and Web packages that attracted millions of viewers on the newly redesigned <a title="washingtontimes.com" onclick="linkClick( this.href );" href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/" target="_blank" title="washingtontimes.com">washingtontimes.com</a> Web site.<br>

"This project was really groundbreaking inside our newsroom because it was our first effort at four-dimensional, interactive journalism - creating elements for print, TV, radio and the Web to reach the widest possible audience," Solomon said. "We very much appreciate Brian's great work in ensuring that the audiences who watch ABC also were told this important story."</p>

 

<p>Gentlemen... Who gives a crap about the religion of the owners, or their politics,<br>

or about some people's obvious prejudice toward them?<br>

The post was about the loss of jobs for some very good professional photographers (and writers).<br>

Check and see who scooped the awards year-after-year in the Wshington Metro area before you try<br>

to blow this off with pre-conceived notions, OK?<br>

The Times came in as the "Reagan paper" (and the paper that President quoted most often) after the demise of the Washington Star, so its politics were no secret.<br>

Like it or not, the Times staffers made the the Post become a better paper.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>http://nppa.org/news_and_events/news/2009/12/times.html<br>

In an earlier release, the WT announced the termination of the sports staff, also.</p>

 

I see Amazon has dropped the price on the A590 to under $120.

Despite owning a raft of newer cameras (read: Nikon AF & numerous rangefinders, both new and old) and using Canon

and Olympus digital SLRs at the newspaper, I still cherish my OM-1n and OM-2n and an assortment of OM lenses.

 

Both of these OMs received CLA and series 2 screens* from John Hermanson (highly recomended) at Camtech in NY.

 

My 'love affair' with Olympus started with a Pen-F in the early 1960s. My current personal pet combo is the 2n with the

100/2.8, followed by the 50/3.5 macro on the same camera. The 1n is an 'Elvis' shelf king - tricked out in white cobra skin

from Camera Leather.

 

*Correction - the OM-1n has a Beatty screen (and John updated the circuits to handle 1.5v batteries.)

 

PS - You might want to check out the Olympus Users Group - another very active discussion board.

A lot of scare comments posted here.

 

I just received my puchase from Rocky.

 

* Better than described.

* Perfectly packaged.

* Works as it should.

* Faster than I expected.

 

Will I bid on his stuff again? You bet!

 

When you look at the scope of his listings, it's obvious that this guy deals in volume... not hand-holding.

 

That's my $0.02

Oh my. Add me to the wait and see list.

 

I just made a purchase from Rocky last week.

Initial communication has been fine. I'll post

the results when I see the purchase.

 

Waiting in Maryland...

The 57 may indeed show better build quality... but it is 20 years older. I personally prefer the handling (feel)of the meterless models (I have both styles.) See if you can try each of them.

Every KIEV user should etch this quote from Hennig's article firmly into our response mechanisms: "This is not a Soviet camera - it is a German camera, made in the Soviet Union." ;o)

Count me in as a KIEV user, and as a fan of the J-8. MY fave is a 1956 KIEV 2a. I used a Contax II extensivly in the late 1950's and see little difference between the two cameras. I also have the Helios lens, but other than the click stops, like the Jupiter better. (Just get a lens shade/hood.)

 

Noted Zeiss expert said KIEVs (the earlier ones) are not clones or copies, but German cameras made in Russia.

 

I can find the quote if anyone cares.

 

Rick

Sounds like you have your problem solved.

 

I've owned and used several Kievs - and agree that the latest(4AM)

are easiest to use, but my personal favorite is the Kiev 2a for its incredible smoothness... it fell not far from the Contax tree.

 

See Dr Oleson's wonderful site to see how to handle the rewind deal.

Go with the KIEV advice.

(OK, so I have four of them and am definately biased in my opinions)

 

Remember, these are not clones or copies, but German cameras built in Russia ( alright, the Ukraine.)And the good ones (usually early models, are great users.)

 

Lenses - The KIEV lenses will fit on the prewar Contax II & III, but not on the postwar IIa & IIIa versions (a totally different body on these.

 

As to the dropping spool, or missing spools for that matter, the solutions are simple <http://elekm.net/zeiss-ikon/repair/spool.html> and elegant <http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/kievspool.jpg>

 

Attached - available darkness photo taken last week with a KIEV 2a.<div></div>

Late post - the Graphic might be pre-anniversary. Note that there is no bright trim around the "box" opening. Even into the early to mid 1950s, it was the issue camera. That and the crappy little Kodak 35 with the pop-up finder. The 16mm could be 'issue', but the Rollei sure was not. (FWIW - I caught hell for using my personal TLR for duty use in +/- 1951. Ditto my pair of Leica 1f's... (but use 'em I did.) It was not unusual to see an "O" or a "W" shooting if attached to a PIO unit.

Lovely little camera... reminds me of the PX specials

of the early 50s... back in the days when I wore khaki.

 

But, my sign off now is:

 

"THE OLDER I GET, THE SMARTER I USED TO BE."

 

(Or at least, I like to think I was..)

Years ago (many) I had a belt clip for Leica bodies.

Wonder if something like that is still available?

As an old soldier myself, I would note:

 

THE OLDER I GET... THE BETTER I WAS.

 

Chers from (rainy) Southern Maryland.

FWIW - the early models of FED and Zorki are both direct copies of the Leica II of 1937 or so. Both of the "1" series are bottom loaders and yes... fun to shoot. I regularly use a Zorki 1d and a 1e. Both are great.

 

PS _ Michael ... back in the 60s and 70s the leader WAS longer.

It's not you age (nor mine!)

 

Rick in So MD

Let me add my .02 cents....

 

I bought an N8008 by mistake last spring (What? You've never bid without really reading the offer?) The mistake worked out fine... so well that I recently bought an F801. Like Dave Lee, I have a N80 with all the bells, but has that that squinty finder.The high point view on the 8008/801 is terrific. Works well with manual lenses, even without a split screen.

 

My vote for the second most neglected/underated Nikon is the N2020.

AF is not impressive, but used with Ai lenses, it's a great handling camera with decent metering and auto-wind. Plus... Durable and Cheap... hard to beat. ("Google" Stella's comments)

 

Rick

Please let me second the notion of a CLA for all KIEVs

no matter which year or model. My 4am (CLA by Oleg at

OKvintagecameras) works every bit as smoothly as my

early 4a. Both produce negs as good as my N*k*n gear

(OK, so maybe with a little more work).

;o)

Rick

If I recall correctly, Shipman OM books have brought some irrationally high prices on the auction site.

 

I've had mine for 10 years or so...

 

Rick in DC