No, I didn't say it was something new. However, it dawns on me that the Pilgrims likely did not have a license to wed because their establishment as a colony had a minimalist government. When they did wed they were being joined before God per their religious convictions. So I am wondering, when exactly and where did local, state, federal government get involved in marriage?

Not sure just what you are trying to get at regarding "no shirt, no shoes, no service". I was merely pointing out that a legitimate business can indeed refuse service. Bars are required (in my state anyways) to shut off customers if they are too inebriated. These same types of establishments can give people the boot for inappropriate behavior..being loud, obnoxious, swearing, causing damage..the list goes on.

The other gentleman is correct in that in both recent cases, the baker and photographer are being asked to participate in something that they find morally objectionable or offensive or just something they would prefer to avoid. So that isn't quite the same as selling someone a newspaper and they are on their merry way is it?

You are correct about please vs fool. So Lincoln didn't say that. My bad. Doesn't make it any less true.

As for group X looking for validation or equality....you have your opinion and I have mine.

The question people should be asking is when did government in this country insert itself into the religious institution of marriage? And by what right?

seriously?

Am I the only one that has ever read the sign...
No shoes
No shirt
No Service!

That is a business owners right to refuse service.

You want to dress like a homeless person but be served in a posh restaurant? good luck! It won't matter if you are white, black, or polka dotted.

Now then, discriminating based on race is and should be a crime but you had better have proof that it was racial and not some cultural "pants around the ankles" routine.

As for gays, I can understand that a business owner might want to decline to bake a wedding cake for a gay wedding. I think we all read the article. Go to a different baker already. I used to know a gay baker. I bet he would have loved to take care of that customers order. But how does one discriminate against gays? They aren't wearing a stamp on their head that says GAY are they?

As an engineer I have had to outsource work through the years especially machine shop work. I have a pretty good idea what the work will cost but the companies I have worked for almost always require 3 quotes. The ones that come back 150% or more than the others don't want your business and I don't give it to them. Were they discriminating? Why would I care? I got the parts I needed and on budget which is all I ever wanted.

It seems to me that the larger issue is for demographic group X to have approval from all demographics of their lifestyle, culture, etc. That just isn't going to happen. There will always be someone who thinks so and so's hair is too long, or too fat, too thin, too religious, too atheist, too "fill in the blank". What was it that Lincoln said? "You can please some of the people some of the time all of the people some of the time some of the people all of the time but you can never please all of the people all of the time.”

Very nice. I think I like #3 the best. Whereabouts in California? It's a big place you know.

I have PSE and LR at home to edit photos I take for enjoyment. I have Picasa at work for editing photos for making manufacturing procedures. I have used all 3 though not as much on PSE. For general brightening or darkening Picasa can get it done though I have found that LR does a better job once you figure out presets.

Actually Picasa has quite a few nice little features in it but Google has a tendency to upgrade this software without much warning and for some it drops their favorite features as it recently did with it's picnik addon. The point being that while some updates are an improvement some may not be. Of course the same can be said for any of the software mentioned, though you have a lot more control over the various purchased software versus the freeware.

At the end of the day, if you are looking for a quick and dirty edit to a picture or 2...go with Picasa. If you plan on editing 20 or more go with one of the adobe products.

I plan on giving the FastStone editor a look. I use the FastStone Capture software at work for collecting screenshots which ends up being a nice way to get the views I want for developing software centric procedures. The fact that it is portable on a USB thumbdrive is a major benefit.

Nice shot. I like it without the branches as well.

Just to clarify....Truman gave the order. Roosevelt was dead at that point.

Lightroom is a great editor but there are some parts of the file management stuff that are confusing as all get out. I mean who coined the phrase workflow? They couldn't just call it file management?

Remember....These people vote and their crackerjack decision making affects us all!

I did some digging and it looks like the McComick-Derring was produced by International Harvester. There should be a plaque above the radiator and a w-30 decal on the gas tank (directly in front of the seat). It appears that you could get this in either steel wheels or rubber tires, though for my money the steel wheels makes it more interesting. For what it's worth, I believe I have seen this model (or something a lot like it) in a Ken Burns documentary on the Dust Bowl.

As for the sulky (sp?) setup, it's been my experience that is usually associated with a 2 wheeled tractor similar to some of the older Gravely models

You could post your picture over at mytractorforum.com Someone over there will definitely know what it is the picture along with what the sulky setup goes to. Don't be too surprised if they want to know how much the owner wants though. :)

In any event, it's a fantastic photo.

looks a lot like these.
http://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/003/2/4/3244-mccormick-deering-w-30-photos.html

http://www.purplewave.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?111103/A2396

mid-30s, hand crank, metal wheels, w-30

excellent!

Very dramatic shot.

I had to look it up. That's on Mt. Greylock out in North Adams. It's the War Memorial Beacon. I have lived in MA all my life and only saw Mt. Greylock a few years ago. I have to tell you that it is quite something to see especially going west on RT 116.

Google mapped it and saw something quite unexpected there. Check it out! https://www.google.com/maps/preview/place/War+Memorial+Beacon/@42.6372398,-73.1660396,48m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xf56fa29238aef360

Look at the lower right of the map. You may need to zoom out.
A very popular motorcycle destination BTW.

I was just looking out the window at lunchtime and the solitary leaf in the snow caught my eye. I also liked the way the trees shadow seemed to reach out to it. After zooming in at the leaf it appears that only half the leaf is in the snow. The other half is shadow.

Canon T3i, 18-55 lens

Comments, suggestions, etc. are welcomed.

(Download)

I took this shot on 1/23/14 when it was close to 0 degrees through the bedroom window at about 4:30-5:00AM. First shot with the SX50.

Comments, suggestions, etc. are welcomed.

(Download)