Category Archives: Russell

Andree, Angie, Baier, Basketball, Becky, Bill, Brandon, Dawn, Derrick, Faust, Frank, Jen, Jesse, Logan, Lowell, Mark, Micky, Nader, Robert, Russell, Shawn Lockner, Willy

Roundball Oracles – Year 10

March Madness is once again upon us. That can mean only 1 thing! It is time for the Roundball Oracles to gather once again and make predictions about the outcome of the NCAA tournament.

I would actually like to start this by quoting the predictions I made about this year’s basketball season at the end of last year’s tournament:

I’m already excited for next years tournament. It is no secret that Iowa State is the rooting team of the grand majority of Oracles, with a few Hawkeye and Kansas fans sprinkled in to mix things up. Plus a few statistical anomalies, (like a UCLA fan) on top for garnish. I anticipate Iowa will actually join the tourney field again next year. Iowa State should have at least a fighting chance to get back to the dance as well. We lose a bunch, but some of the recruits coming in are heralded and I wouldn’t bet against Hoiberg going up against a Big 12 that I expect to be down next year. Plus don’t forget that Michigan will be getting a taste of Hilton Magic next year. 2013-14 should be another great season! Remember the name Monte Morris. I’m guessing you will know it very well next year.
Plus, Steve Alford will be choking at an entirely new school next year! What was UCLA thinking?

I will point out that at the time I wrote that, DeAndre Kane was not yet in the fold.

As always, basketball knowledge is not a prerequisite to participating. Every year when I look at the standings, I think basketball knowledge is actually a hindrance in this competition.

A few things to know that if you want to sign up this year and take a shot at putting your name on the list of the immortals:

1. You do not have to wager any money. The only thing you have to put on the line is pride. And as C.S. Lewis would tell you, pride is the greatest sin.
2. This competition is open to all ages (as long as they can make their own decisions), genders, and fan bases. Unfortunately more than a few of these titles have went home with Hawk fans.
3. There is a trophy for the winner. In fact, this year there might even be a traveling trophy that will go home with the winner for a calendar year. If said traveling trophy does come into existence, it will not be a bust of Kobe Bryant. The Roundball Oracles does not endorse ball-hoggery and low basketball IQs or mediocrity.

Here is a look at last year’s final standings:

Place Competitor Score Correct Champion Last Year
1. William McAlpine 266 39 Louisville 6th
2. Jason Stensland 253 39 Louisville 8th
3. Jesse Howard 251 40 Louisville 10th
4. Shawn Lockner 247 39 Michigan 21st
5. Jon DeWaard 242 38 Louisville 11th
6. Angie DeWaard 236 36 Louisville 4th
7. Corey Faust 234 38 Indiana 2nd
8. Mark Wolfram 231 36 Indiana 7th
9. Jordan Toot 218 36 Louisville 28th
10. Robert Henning 208 36 Indiana 5th
11. Frank Meiners 206 37 Gonzaga DNP
11. Logan Kahler 206 38 Kansas DNP
13. Sean Clubine 201 37 Miami DNP
14. Derrick Gorshe 200 32 Louisville 12th
15. William Wentworth 199 36 Kansas 15th
16. Jackson Faust 197 35 Gonzaga 14th
17. Toby Sebring 193 34 Kansas 26th
18. Brandon Kahler 189 34 Syracuse 27th
19. Carrie Baier 188 34 Michigan State 20th
20. Jen Ensley-Gorshe 178 34 Indiana 18th
21. Elizabeth Nordeen 176 32 Iowa State DNP
22. Tim Peterson 174 33 Miami 16th
23. Dawn Krause 173 33 Duke 9th
24. Jason Baier 171 33 Miami 3rd
24. Russell Kennerly 171 33 Indiana 22nd
26. Michelle Haupt 170 32 Ohio State DNP
27. Becky Perkovich 166 32 Ohio State 29th
28. Andree Jauhari 165 32 Kansas DNP
29. JJ Baier 163 30 Ohio State DNP
29. Nader Parsaei 163 32 UCLA 13th
31. Michael Augustin 157 32 Indiana 19th
32. Ben Baier 156 26 Butler DNP
33. Your Humble Narrator 139 28 Miami 25th
34. Will Baier 121 14 La Salle DNP


And of course, a look at the honor roll of immortals that have claimed the championship in years past:

Roundball Oracles Champions

  • 2013 – William McAlpine
  • 2012 – Lowell Davis
  • 2011 – Carrie Baier
  • 2010 – Mark Wolfram
  • 2009 – Mark Wolfram
  • 2008 – Mark Wolfram
  • 2007 – Tim Peterson
  • 2006 – William McAlpine
  • 2005 – William McAlpine

Sold yet?

You are? Just write me and let me know that you want in (I’m a fairly easy person to contact) and I’ll send you out all the information that you will need to participate with all due haste!

The deadline for entering your bracket is the tip-off of the first game on Thursday morning. So if you suffer from being a Hawkeye fan, you’ll will know whether or not your team made the real tournament by then. Not sure why you would care, but to each their own.

Good luck to all the oracles and GO STATE!!!

Andree, Angie, Baier, Basketball, Becky, Bill, Brandon, Dawn, Derrick, Faust, Jason, Jesse, Logan, Lowell, Mark, Micky, Robert, Russell, Shawn Lockner, Willy

Sadness Ensues…

2 Comments

“When I was a child,
I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye,
I turned to look but it was gone,
I cannot put my finger on it now,
The child is grown,
The dream is gone,
I… have become comfortably numb”
-Pink Floyd

It is true, one of the saddest days of the year is upon us. The end of the college basketball season. While it is sad that the college version of the greatest game has ended, there are only 12 long days until Iowa State’s Spring Game. That gives me something to look forward to.

The end of college basketball also means that somebody will be crowned the newest King of the Roudnball Oracles. A person that will reign over the prognostication universe for 1 year. Their opinions held in admiration and their words written down and studied for meaning. Then 1 year from now they will be thrown out in the streets to fend for themselves in what is usually a vain attempt to defend their title. Sometimes, the thought of defending their title is too much and defending champions don’t show back up to try and repeat their glory and double their immortality.

That was the case this year. Lowell Davis didn’t return to defend his kingdom, laid down his scepter, and abdicated his thrown. Don’t think for a second that this was because of some type of cowardice on Lowell’s part. The truth is that he was in Tennessee when the brackets were filled out and he was unable to participate since electricity hasn’t been invented in the Volunteer State yet.

The man that stepped up to accept the responsibility of ruling this kingdom for a year:

 

William McAlpine

 

Mr. McAlpine joined Mark Wolfram as the only other man, woman, or child to hoist the Roundball Oracles Championship Trophy a third time. Which can mean only one thing: the rest of you need to pick up your game next year. We can’t have two people dominating this pool! Their reign of terror must be ended. Hopefully without a dull thud and a head falling into a basket.

Without further adieu, I present the final standings for the 2013 Roundball Oracles NCAA Tournament Pool:

Place Competitor Score Correct Champion Last Year
1. William McAlpine 266 39 Louisville 6th
2. Jason Stensland 253 39 Louisville 8th
3. Jesse Howard 251 40 Louisville 10th
4. Shawn Lockner 247 39 Michigan 21st
5. Jon DeWaard 242 38 Louisville 11th
6. Angie DeWaard 236 36 Louisville 4th
7. Corey Faust 234 38 Indiana 2nd
8. Mark Wolfram 231 36 Indiana 7th
9. Jordan Toot 218 36 Louisville 28th
10. Robert Henning 208 36 Indiana 5th
11. Frank Meiners 206 37 Gonzaga DNP
11. Logan Kahler 206 38 Kansas DNP
13. Sean Clubine 201 37 Miami DNP
14. Derrick Gorshe 200 32 Louisville 12th
15. William Wentworth 199 36 Kansas 15th
16. Jackson Faust 197 35 Gonzaga 14th
17. Toby Sebring 193 34 Kansas 26th
18. Brandon Kahler 189 34 Syracuse 27th
19. Carrie Baier 188 34 Michigan State 20th
20. Jen Ensley-Gorshe 178 34 Indiana 18th
21. Elizabeth Nordeen 176 32 Iowa State DNP
22. Tim Peterson 174 33 Miami 16th
23. Dawn Krause 173 33 Duke 9th
24. Jason Baier 171 33 Miami 3rd
24. Russell Kennerly 171 33 Indiana 22nd
26. Michelle Haupt 170 32 Ohio State DNP
27. Becky Perkovich 166 32 Ohio State 29th
28. Andree Jauhari 165 32 Kansas DNP
29. JJ Baier 163 30 Ohio State DNP
29. Nader Parsaei 163 32 UCLA 13th
31. Michael Augustin 157 32 Indiana 19th
32. Ben Baier 156 26 Butler DNP
33. Your Humble Narrator 139 28 Miami 25th
34. Will Baier 121 14 La Salle DNP


Willy (re)-joins the list of immortals:

Roundball Oracles Champions

  • 2013 – William McAlpine
  • 2012 – Lowell Davis
  • 2011 – Carrie Baier
  • 2010 – Mark Wolfram
  • 2009 – Mark Wolfram
  • 2008 – Mark Wolfram
  • 2007 – Tim Peterson
  • 2006 – William McAlpine
  • 2005 – William McAlpine

I’m already excited for next years tournament.  It is no secret that Iowa State is the rooting team of the grand majority of Oracles, with a few Hawkeye and Kansas fans sprinkled in to mix things up.  Plus a few statistical anomalies, (like a UCLA fan) on top for garnish.  I anticipate Iowa will actually join the tourney field again next year.  Iowa State should have at least  a fighting chance to get back to the dance as well.  We lose a bunch, but some of the recruits coming in are heralded and I wouldn’t bet against Hoiberg going up against a Big 12 that I expect to be down next year.  Plus don’t forget that Michigan will be getting a taste of Hilton Magic next year. 2013-14 should be another great season!  Remember the name Monte Morris.  I’m guessing you will know it very well next year.

Plus, Steve Alford will be choking at an entirely new school next year!  What was UCLA thinking?

I guess some of you are expecting me to defend my dreadful performance in this year’s pool.  I won’t.  The slogan for this year’s pool was: Prophecy, Revelation, Augury, Luck?  Quite frankly 32 people got lucky. I know that my silky smooth jumpshot and my vast array of dribble penetration moves don’t translate into prognostication, but next year, I guarantee you I will finish higher than 33rd. Even if that means I have to limit the pool to 32 combatants.

Angie, Baier, Basketball, Becky, Bill, Brandon, Dawn, Derrick, Faust, Jason, Jen, Jesse, Lowell, Mark, Micky, Nader, Robert, Russell, Shawn Lockner, Teresa, Tim, Toby, Willy

Roundball Oracles – Year 9

March Madness is upon us once again. Which means it is that time of year when I call upon all would-be-basketball-prognosticators to compete in an NCAA tourney bracket pool for the chance at everlasting glory, immortality, and a trophy.

As always, the Roundball Oracles is open to all interested parties, and yes to even uninterested parties as well. Regardless of basketball knowledge or basketball ignorance. Heck, I might even let my dog enter this year. After all, there is a tremendous amount of luck involved in this competition, so there is no reason for you to be intimidated by how well versed I am in the motion offense. You should only be intimidated by me on an actual basketball court. Even though I’ve admittedly lost a step, but I’m spending the offseason getting that step back, but that is an entirely different story…

As always, there is no entrance fee, but pride and my research indicates that pride is a low calorie snack, so swallow it and get in the game.

The champion will be given a trophy. I would normally at this time insert a picture of last year’s champion hoisting last year’s trophy, but I admittedly, still owe him a trophy.

Last year we had a record 29 prognosticators (as of this writing, 9 people have already signed up). I don’t think it would be too crazy to hope to break that record this year.

2012 Final Standings

1. Lowell Davis
2. Corey Faust
3. Jason Baier
4. Angie DeWaard
5. Robert Henning
6. William McAlpine
7. Mark Wolfram
8. Jason Stensland
9. Dawn Krause
10. Jesse Howard
11. Jon DeWaard
12. Derrick Gorshe
13. Nader Parsaei
14. Jackson Faust
15. Bill Wentworth
16. Tim Peterson
17. Mike Donner
18. Jen Ensley-Gorshe
19. Michael Augustin
20. Carrie Baier
21. Shawn Lockner
22. Russell Kennerly
23. Shaun Kirsch
24. Teresa Kahler
25. Your Humble Narrator
26. Toby Sebring
27. Brandon Kahler
28. Jordan Toot
29. Becky Perkovich

Lowell was able to chisel his place amongst the other basketball immortals that have managed to hoist the Roundball Oracles Trophy.*

Past Roundball Oracles Champions

2012 – Lowell Davis
2011 – Carrie Baier
2010 – Mark Wolfram
2009 – Mark Wolfram
2008 – Mark Wolfram
2007 – Tim Peterson
2006 – William McAlpine
2005 – William McAlpine

So the metaphorical ball is now in your court. There are no guidelines for participation. This contest is open to all competitors: men, women, small children and the elderly.

If you are interested and I need the information, you know how to contact me!

Oh… the deadline for filling out your bracket is tip-off of the first game on Thursday morning.

*Technically he has yet to hoist the trophy.

Andree, Becky, Calendar, Dad, Dawn, Derrick, Evie, Faust, Jeff Kewer, Jen, Linda, Monica, Personal Photo Project, Postcard, Robert, Russell, Sara, Shawn Lockner, Slice of Life

Personal Photo Project of the Week #144

This week’s Personal Photo Project is a blatant attempt at commerce. Good old fashioned in-your-face-capitalism.

I’ve been talking to Barb Henning of Everlastings about selling high quality Photography 139 products in her store for several years now, but I have always been unable to pull the trigger. However, I’ve turned over a new leaf and have decided to invest some money in “product” and we’ll see where that gets me.

Starting tomorrow (at least I’m 98% sure) a person can go to Everlastings Flowers & Gifts in beautiful downtown Ogden, Iowa and purchase a couple different products from Photography 139.

The first line of products:



Postcards!

This is not a completely original idea. This idea is both stolen from and an homage to my Dad’s line of Slice of Life postcards. Which incidentally will be incorporated into this line of postcards as well. The picture of the #1385 is my Dad’s picture.

The current pricing structure is thus:

1 Postcard = $.75
3 Postcards = $2.00
5 Postcards = $3.00

Series #1 of the Photography 139 line of postcards consists of 5 different images. My hope is that every 3-4 months, I will release a new series and 5 different postcards. The subject matter will mostly consist of flowers or local interest. Look for Series #2 to be released around February or March.

Thanks to all my Postcard Beta Testers:

Jen, Derrick, and Evie Gorshe
Sara and Shawn
Russell Kennerly
Andree Jauhari
Aunt Linda
Becky Perkovich
Dawn Krause
The Fausts
The Kewers
Robert Henning

The second line of products:



Calendars!

The second product line is a calendar consisting of high quality Photography 139 flower images. The first run of these is extremely limited, so the price structure is a little higher than I would like, but there is a chance that a second run of calendars will be printed and the price might go down slightly. No promises though.

Calendar Price Structure:

1 Calendar = $15.00

But what about the future? I’m also looking into releasing a line of holiday cards. Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Mother’s Day. It is somewhat dependent on how the first two lines of high quality products fare in the marketplace. I would consider it highly doubtful that there will be Christmas cards available for this Christmas, but stranger things have happened.

To repeat, these high quality products will be available at Everlasting Flowers & Gifts starting tomorrow.

Everlastings Info:

223 W. Walnut St.
Ogden, IA 50212
Store Hours: M-F 9:30 am to 5 pm; Sat. 9:30 am to noon
Website: http://www.everlastingsbybarb.com/
All major credit cards accepted

These products may come to other venues in the future, but Barb definitely gets to be the launching point for this commercial endeavor.

Yes, you can buy products straight from me, but I don’t accept credit cards at this time. If you need something shipped to you, there would be a shipping and handling fee.

You can find out that info by writing me directly at: bennett@photography139.com

Next week’s Personal Photo Project will either involve trains or mums. We’ll see.

Becky, Event, Mom, Personal Photo Project, Politics, Russell

Personal Photo Project of the Week #131

2 Comments


The Audacity of Hope
The Audacity of Hope

My Personal Photo Project of the Week this week was to photograph the historical event of a sitting President of the United States visiting Boone. It hasn’t happened since Eisenhower.

It was a surprise bonus that I would be able to photograph my Mom in the crowd. I wasn’t sure she would be able to attend this event, despite being a big Obama supporter, because it was a standing event that required standing for several hours. However, she handled it very well. Then walked home.

I was able to get at least fairly close to Obama for the rally because rather than getting tickets and going to the event, I volunteered to work it. This was partially because I didn’t want to wait several hours in line to get tickets. Even if it meant meeting the former Mr. Reese Weatherspoon.

I also had never volunteered to work this kind of event, so there was a certain amount of intellectual curiosity that contributed as well.

I signed up to work with Amy. We originally were assigned to hand out water bottles, but since there were so many volunteers we ended up working the “door” to the pavilion. We made sure that people with Blue Tickets went into the Blue Ticket Section and people with Red Tickets went into the Red Ticket Section.

Becky also ended up working the event with us, when she wasn’t working the crowd for votes.

Here are more pictures from the The Audacity of Hope Series:


The Audacity of Hope

The Audacity of Hope

The Audacity of Hope

The Audacity of Hope

The Audacity of Hope

The Audacity of Hope

The Audacity of Hope

The Audacity of Hope

The Audacity of Hope
If you look closely, you can see Pastor Phil Webb in the crowd!

The Audacity of Hope

The Audacity of Hope

The Audacity of Hope

The Audacity of Hope

The Audacity of Hope

The Audacity of Hope

The Audacity of Hope

The Audacity of Hope

The Audacity of Hope

The Audacity of Hope

The Audacity of Hope

I know I stated last Friday that my goal was to publish lily pictures this Friday, but I changed my mind so that these pictures would at least be timely and so Russell might stop calling me Mr. Flowers. Okay, I kind of like it when Russell calls me Mr. Flowers. Almost as much as I like it when he calls me Foursquare Boy.

Next week’s Personal Photo Project might involve lilies or sunflowers or trains for that matter.

Angie, Baier, Basketball, Becky, Bill, Brandon, Dawn, Derrick, Faust, Jason, Jen, Jesse, Lowell, Mark, Micky, Nader, Robert, Russell, Shawn Lockner, Teresa, Tim, Toby, Willy

Sadness Ensues

It is the time of year that is filled with sadness. Another college basketball season has come to an end. But despite the gloom that will set upon the land for many more months, it is a time of joy as well. We get to crown a new King of the Roundball Oracles. A new name goes on the plaque of immortals with these past champions:

Roundball Oracles Past Champions.

2011 – Carrie Baier
2010 – Mark Wolfram
2009 – Mark Wolfram
2008 – Mark Wolfram
2007 – Tim Peterson
2006 – William McAlpine
2005 – William McAlpine

The latest immortal is…

Lowell Davis

In the closes Roundball Oracle competition ever, Lowell beat Corey Faust on the tiebreaker.

I will be ordering Lowell’s trophy soon and will be presenting it to him in the very near future. I’m sure there will be photographic evidence to back this up presented in this forum in due time.

Another reason why it was a good year for the Roundball Oracles is that we set a new record with 29 combatants. Shattering the previous participation mark by several people.

Without further adieu, here are the final standings of the 8th Roundball Oracles Challenge:

Rank/Name/Points/National Title Choice/Last Year’s Finish

1. Lowell Davis – 275 – Kentucky – 13th
2. Corey Faust – 275 – Kentucky – 6th
3. Jason Baier – 265 – Kentucky – 5th
4. Angie DeWaard – 255 – Kentucky – DNP
5. Robert Henning – 245 – Kentucky – 8th
6. William McAlpine – 236 – Kentucky – DNP
7. Mark Wolfram – 235 – Ohio State – 15th
8. Jason Stensland – 229 – Ohio State – DNP
9. Dawn Krause – 228 – Kentucky – 4th
10. Jesse Howard – 225 – Kentucky – 2nd
11. Jon DeWaard – 222 – Kentucky – DNP
12. Derrick Gorshe – 220 – Kentucky – DNP
13. Nader Parsaei – 216 – Connecticut – 14th
14. Jackson Faust – 214 – Michigan State – DNP
15. Bill Wentworth – 211 – North Carolina – DNP
16. Tim Peterson – 209 – Kansas – 11th
17. Mike Donner – 206 – Michigan State – DNP
18. Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 199 – North Carolina – DNP
19. Michael Augustin – 196 – North Carolina – DNP
20. Carrie Baier – 194 – Michigan State – 1st
21. Shawn Lockner – 189 – Baylor – DNP
22. Russell Kennerly – 176 – North Carolina – 9th
23. Shaun Kirsch – 175 – Iowa State – 16th
24. Teresa Kahler – 173 – Iowa State – DNP
25. Yours Truly – 164 – North Carolina – 7th
26. Toby Sebring – 157 – North Carolina – DNP
27. Brandon Kahler – 142 – Kansas State – DNP
28. Jordan Toot – 119 – North Carolina – DNP
29. Becky Perkovich – 0 – Undecided – DNP

Some people might think that I need to explain why somebody with my nearly infinite basketball knowledge could have fared so poorly, but I will not defend my lowly ranking. Truth is that my goal is just to beat Russell and the fact that I didn’t this year means that I will have to try harder next year. I cannot let RMK get the best of me two years in a row!

Even though the dust has barely settled on this year’s NCAA tournament, I am already very excited for next year’s season. I think that the Cyclones will be even better next season and I can’t wait to see them prove me right. I guess until the season begins anew, I will look forward to the Spring Football Game that is only days away!

Andree, Basketball, Dawn, Frank, Jesse, Linda, Lowell, Mark, Nader, Robert, Russell, Tim

Roundball Oracles Year 8

It is the time of the year known as March Madness. That, of course means it is also time for me to run my annual NCAA Tournament Pool.

It is open to all interested parties (I’ll take a few uninterested parties as well) regardless of their basketball knowledge. After all, this pool was won by a woman last year* and the 3 years before that is was won by a dude living in Taiwan. You couple that with the fact that somebody with my immense knowledge of the greatest sport ever invented has yet to bring the title home to Union Street means that there is a certain degree of luck involved, so you shouldn’t be too intimidated by my intimate knowledge of the pick and roll.

As always there is no entrance fee. The winner does get a trophy. The only thing one has to risk is pride.

Pride, it would be pointed out by C.S. Lewis is the greatest sin, so you are out of excuses for not getting in to the fray with the combatants from last year.

2011 Final Standings

1. Carrie Baier
2. Jesse Howard
3. Linda Toot
4. Dawn Krause
5. Jason Baier
6. Corey Faust
7. Your Humble Narrator
8. Robert Henning
9. Russell Kennerly
10. Andree Jauhari
11. Nate Buckingham
11. Tim Peterson
13. Lowell Davis
14. Nader Parsaei
15. Mark Wolfram
16. Shaun Kirsch
17. Frank Meiners

The pool of entrants atrophied last year slightly, so I hope to garner more participants this year so all you have to do to get in is email me at:

bennett@photography139.com

And I’ll email you instructions and in no time you’ll be on the road to having your name on the Plaque of Immortals:

Previous Champions

2011 – Carrie Baier
2010 – Mark Wolfram
2009 – Mark Wolfram
2008 – Mark Wolfram
2007 – Tim Peterson
2006 – William McAlpine
2005 – William McAlpine

*I hope that sounded at least half as sexist as I hoped it would, but already two members of the fairer sex have thrown their hat into the arena.

Politics, Russell, Street Photography

The Straw Poll

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A few weeks back I went to the Republican Straw Poll with Russell, even though I will be voting for Obama in 2012. Here are a few pictures:



Bachmann definitely had the best organization at this event.


McCotter’s way creepy van.


Members of the “Lamestream Media”, no doubt.


The line to get in to Hilton was substantial.


Ron Paul’s Inflatable Uncle Sam.


Some chick from FoxNews that made a terrible joke about Barney Frank being there.


Although I endorse Rick Santorum’s homemade peach jelly, I do not endorse Rick Santorum presidential candidate.


My 2nd favorite people at the Straw Poll. My favorite people were a young couple wearing homemade t-shirts. On the front it said: “Moderate Conservatives” and on the back it said: “Please Don’t Hate Us”.


McCotter’s Creepy Van


A McCotter supporter handing out bomb pops.


Although it looks like I’m enjoying this bomb pop, I am not. At least it was marginally better than the sno-cones the wind energy people were handing out.


Pictures with the an Abraham Lincoln look-a-like. At least I assume it wasn’t the real Abraham Lincoln because he wasn’t wandering around muttering: “How did my party go from the abolition of slavery to tax cuts for the wealthiest 1% as its core value?”


McCotter! Despite his creepy van, McCotter was my favorite candidate there!


Even though this is clearly the Iowa State Center, I heard more than one speaker try to goose the crowd with a “Go Hawks!” thrown into their speech. Yea! Screw those guys!


I took a picture of this thing to remind me how inclusive the Republican Party has become. Room for people at diverging opinions at the table. Oh there isn’t?


Russell signing the turbine blade. Not the only minority there, but if you take out Herman Cain…


The Bachmann camp did play hardball with their petting zoo. You had to vote for her to get in to it.


Ron Paul’s classy dunk tank with a guy wearing a Bernanke mask.

It was an interesting event and I can’t wait to go again in four more years.

Next week’s Random Wednesday involves pictures from my trips to the State Fair.

Becca, Contests, Dawn, Derrick, Jen, Russell, Scottie D.

Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest

1 Comment

These are the pictures I entered in the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest and the person that selected the picture:



Derrick Gorshe


Jen Gorshe


Russell Kennerly


Dawn Krause


Scottie D.

The Girl in the Blue Skirt
Rebecca Peterson

Thanks to everybody who took their time and energy to select pictures for me this year!

The picture that Dawn chose got 2nd Place in Black & White. My original intent for next year’s selectors was to bring back all of the people that had chose an award winning photo in the past few years, but my fire for photo contests has kind of been extinguished. Not that I might not reconsider, but I think that this might have been my last photo contest. Or at the very least the last time I enter the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest.