Thanks for all the nice comments. It’s really working well for me.

Ron

Heh. No, that table is 5/16” steel plate. I don’t have to worry about it blowing over. My great uncle made it prolly 70-80 years ago.

No stabilization needed. Maybe if I was using a super long and heavy tele lens but only using with my RX10m4.

I thoroughly enjoy sitting on our back porch and taking pics of all the little 4-legged critters and birds that avail themselves of the sunflower seeds I toss out. Invariably something is just out of twist-around capability for my hefty waist. So, I’ve been wanting to try something like this.
Twenty dollar mechanics stool from Harbor Freight (on sale), piece of Fiberglas from a tool handle I broke a few years ago, piece of sanded down PVC to slide into handle, leftover piece of oak for lower clamp (screwed to base of stool top), tool knob from somewhere, homemade clamp & knob, and ball head I bought several years ago at garage sale.
Works even better than I’d hoped. I can just spin around to whatever direction I want/need, or I can just pull it up to whatever chair I’m sitting in.
Ron

Unfortunately, if we don’t change our ways we’ll be gone long before she is. And she won’t miss humans.
Ron

No reason to be puzzled. Common sense should prevail here. Your mask protects those around you - from you and whatever you’ve managed to pick up from those who think like you.
Why is that so hard to understand?
The mask will offer some protection to you, also.
You may be one of the fortunate folks that hasn’t/won’t suffer too much when and if you get the virus. Or, you may remember these conversations as the ventilator is shoved down your throat. Obviously the mask wearing is a decision you can make. The ventilator won’t be.

Nice, well thought out reply. Probably closer to six-bits than 2 cents, therefore not read by most. Everybody is in too big a hurry to make their own argument.

Common sense is all that’s needed here to make a proper decision.
Unfortunately, to paraphrase another poster, they don’t offer a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate in common sense. And it’s certainly not something automatically bestowed on everyone, regardless of education.

And you’re right - it does seem like a no-brainer.

Ron

After reading this entire thread I’m left with the feeling that a few individuals have turned it into a pi$$ing contest, and each is at least outwardly convinced they are right. At least it’s a little more civil than over in the Attic.

I am a firm believer in science, but in the case of whether to mask or not I feel common sense wins out over everything. Certainly for me.

Picture yourself having a conversation with your buddy and things get a little animated. You/they begin to speak excitedly - ever experienced the little spit particles expelled when someone is excitedly talking (or angrily talking or hollering). Now, what if they were carrying some infection? Like being on the receiving end of those particles? Me either, whether they have an infection or not. What if they suddenly cough or sneeze? Now you get a face full. Wouldn’t it have been nice if they had covered their mouth before sneezing in your face?
Oh wait -a mask does that. Duh. Sure, it doesn’t catch everything but it’s a darn sight better than nothing. So, in effect they’d be protecting you, at least from the big particles. Now, you wear one and you’ll be protecting them.
Duh.

Ron

Fantastic shot. At first glance I thought the cliffs were a striped blanket or throw. Showed it to my wife and her first thought was similar. I’ve seen no cliff that is nearly as beautiful.

Ron

Of the four pics submitted later by OP the 3rd and 4th do an excellent job of showing the steep angle. Of those two I personally think #3 is the best. The common factor in both are reference lines created by the sidewalls along the drive. The “stair” effect on the left of pic #3 is especially effective I believe. Many have alluded to including trees to show vertical and I totally agree. However, I don’t think you’ll come up with better shots to show the steepness than #3 & #4.
My $0.02.

Ron

An excellent and highly unusual shot. Besides the shot itself what I find so fascinating is the abrupt ninety-degree angle both wings make and how much further the angle is away from what appears to be the main body. I would have thought the wings would have made more of a Vee with the body instead of those abrupt angles.

ron

Both are really nice shots but this one is super!

Ron

Is that one photo or a composite of two or more? I don’t think I could get an exposure that allowed all three to be exposed properly in a single shot. Heck, I’d be pleased as punch if I could get Saturn and Jupiter exposed as well as you did without a moon complicating the issue.

Ron

Is that one photo or a composite of two or more? I don’t think I could get an exposure that allowed all three to be exposed properly in a single shot. Heck, I’d be pleased as punch if I could get Saturn and Jupiter exposed as well as you did without a moon complicating the issue.

Ron

Oh wow - I was just thinking it looked like some XXX-rated porn shot.

And #2 looks like a head shot of a demon.

Ron