[...We need someone from Texas to put this one in perspective.]

Texan political junkie reporting in: IF (and that's a big "if") the case doesn't get thrown out before it goes to trial, I feel Perry will not be convicted if he can get a change of venue away from Austin, which is a hornets nest of liberals. An impartial jury may be hard for him to come by in Austin. As for throwing his hat in the presidential ring, that race may be cast as a DNS (did not start).

...btw, I shoot with the Olympus 75-300mm(150-600mm equivalent) lens.[/quote]

Absolutely loved this messy eater shot, Harve. A common sight, but rarely captured. Are you handheld with this one?

Any chance you could snap a shot of the 75-300 lens with your hand beside it so we can see its appx size?

Sorry to be late with this - wondering if my Fluffy Buffy might be a "kissing cousin" to your Bumpy. He's a big fellow (12+#) but kinda laid back. He found our yard and his forever home back in 2008 just after Hurricane Ike sideswiped our area. He was a bit worse from the wear and tear he suffered during the storm but he recovered.

Fluffy Buffy

Sorry to be so late in responding. YES, I have had this problem in PSE 8. After much agony I finally discovered that when I had my Western Digital backup drive active (and probably backing up pictures files), Elements was all screwed up, including inability to get the Editor . When I unplugged the backup, Elements went back to its normal operations.

Thanks for looking, Jerry. After "lurking" on this site for several months, I feel I should already know you - you are a great hog supporter.

Thanks for the input, Harve. Nice pic of your feral cat. She is unique looking. Your bird waterer is unique, too - is it custom made? As you can see from my avatar, cats seem particularly attracted to bird waterers.

Thanks for the look. This was my first multiple post, so it took me a while to get it thru. One more hurdle jumped...

Bluebonnets, the state flower of Texas, can present a gorgeous view to the human eye but can offer a tricky challenge to the photographer. By itself this wildflower is small, narrow and somewhat unimpressive; but seen in masses on a hillside, it can be spectacular. Depending on winter weather conditions, some years - such as this one - produce a better crop of wildflowers than at other times.

1. Bluebonnets do well with no human intervention - they particularly seem to like this small, over 150-year-old cemetery in my east Texas hometown.


2. Children and pets can coordinate well with bluebonnets since they are low-to-the-ground.


3. Sometimes a little peculiarity will occur such as this persistent flower that has bloomed in the middle of the crumbling tombstone. Note the vine boosting the flower up to a higher level.


4. Moving over to a more central part of Texas near Brenham, here is a small chapel with bluebonnets used as a landscape component in a more controlled environment.


5. Finally, a more typical rural scene is where bluebonnets are interspersed with other wildflowers to offer a grand splash of colors. And, if the photographer is very lucky, the wind will softly blow to help the flag open up to make this picture complete.

My hubby (now retired) who was in the insurance business for his whole career always thought product insurance was risky as these insurors are usually small businesses that may be here today and gone tomorrow. Something to think about.

On the other hand, my Oreo is a midget. Weighs barely 7.5#, eats delicately and fortunately is in great health. She is first generation out of the wild, so she is definitely a survivor. I'm new here, not too sure how to send a picture, but will give it a try.

Texas Oreo

I, too, have an Oreo with green eyes. She will be 10 years old in February. Her distinctive feature is that the little leathery bumps on the lower front legs are different colors. Black on one leg and pink on the other. So nice to find more wise cat people!

To all the readers who agree with these views, please take the time to read Mark Levin's latest book "The Liberty Amendments." In the first chapter he advocates FOR term limits. The author goes on to explain how we, the people, can actually make this happen.