Trash Comments

I want to apologize for a problem that has been ongoing with this site.   Comment scams.   You have probably noticed the really trashy spam comments that have been added to my site.   These are advertisements and links to sites that I have no connection to.  They are down right vandalism and usually are about subjects which have nothing to do with my site.   It really makes me mad when someone tries to advertise some type of adult toy or drug on my site.   This site was set up as a g-rated environment and it's going to stay that way and get a bit cleaner.  I will begin reviewing comments on a regular basis and I have taken measures to insure that if someone posts a comment here, they have to authenticate it.   I will take stronger measures if this on line VANDALISM does not stop which may make it impossible for anyone who does not have a Google account to leave a comment.  I hope it does not come to that.

Nobody likes an eye-sore!

I truly appreciate the hundreds of real comments left about my site.  They are like fan-mail to me and make me feel really good about what I'm doing here.  I also enjoy answering people's questions if I can.   Please feel free to leave a comment about this site, my articles.. or my pictures how ever you feel about them.   Just please don't leave links to trashy sites or ads for adult products.    If you wish to write something for this site as a comment or email me directly you can do so by emailing me at=
a/l/i/n/a/n/g/a/b/e@yahoo.com
(the / slashes have been added here  to prevent spam systems from getting our email address off this page)
--or you can use my old address olngwb@yahoo.com


Thank you,
Gabe Beasley (site admin)

This is the way my site should look.   Here is me and my wife during a night time shoot I did a few nights ago.   I took this long exposure (10sec approx.) by remote control with my D90.   I've got more night-time shots as well as a whole project I've been working on for months.   From "gutter-punks" to "shopping cart people" I want to show the many diverse ways people live and express themselves here in Portland Oregon.   Look for that soon here on mostly macros.

Photographing in Portland and at home I took every picture on this site except the one taken by my wife about a year ago.   The drug needle was laying out in the open like this when I found it.   It's bad enough to do drugs but to just throw your durty needles down like this is a health hazard.   The other more awesome pictures include a wide angle lens shot done with my super zoom and a few of a 1929 Radiola tabletop AM radio.   It was a gift from a ham radio friend of mine.  It works great and was one of the first AC operated AM tabletop radios made in the USA.    Also shots from Mount Hood Community Collage where my wife had an apointment and other stuff from last year.   To view close-up click on picture and then use your back arrow to return to my site.

These are two Collages of pictures I created composed of multiple images.   The first one is just a mix of pictures I've taken over the past couple of months.   The one above is 4 pictures in one.   These cardboard signs I found laying on the ground where a lot of homeless people hang out and pan handle.   Take a look at what some of these signs say!   On the bottom of this shows a photo of homeless people waiting in line in down town Portland.  Probably for food.   Don't think I'm just a cold photographer behind the lens who does not care.  

I myself have been homeless.  I slept under an overpass in Portland not far from where these pictures were taken.    When I was 18 I left home and went on an adventure ending up homeless and hitchhiking. I was lucky and finally came to my senses after getting pneumonia got off the streets. Many people however don't get that lucky. Some people actually chose to be homeless and live on the streets, others are forced there because of hard times.   I don't want anyone thinking I'm making fun of these people.. I'm just showing you what I've seen through my lens. Awareness of social problems is the first step towards doing something about them.  People should know what it's like and realize that every day with a roof over your head and food in your stomach is a blessing.  Sadly, mental illness and drug abuse are among the biggest causes for homelessness.  Another common cause is the fact that it's next to impossible to get a job if you have any kind of criminal record.   This problem is ridiculous.   I swore not to get into politics in my website blog but I think anybody who thinks and ends up writing something ends up writing about how they feel eventually.   If people just knew.  I mean really knew and thus could do something about the messed up stuff that happens in this world.   Lets say you make one mistake in your life.   Once you have a felony.. even if it's not violent.. nobody will hire you.  You can't work.  So how are you supposed to live?   I think this is a gross injustice something should be done about.   If you get out of jail and can't get a job because you were in jail what's the point of getting out??   Nobody will hire you so what can you do??  As one person put it.. our criminal justice system is criminal.   It's discrimination on a hideous level.   I think forgiveness for one dumb mistake should be the rule not the exception.  They make it next to impossible.   That leads to desperation, substance abuse and homelessness.