Collector's Picture Emporium

[Sir_Boomme]

thanks guys.... it's my first car where the speedometer goes up to 150 MPH - wonder if it actually goes that fast..... may have to take it out this weekend ha ha.

Hehe, to get up that fast around Austin you are going to have to do it on the highway, since ther arn't that many straight roads around there. Although I did find one up north along time ago and hit 120 on it, good luck!

I am so jealous, I so badly want to be in Austin again. Went to high school just north of Austin and loved my life there. It is such a beautiful place. And I so miss the "winters" there... cold? what cold? :)
Growing up I used to spend some time regularly during the summers south of Austin in New Braunfels because I had extended family out there. This was before they built the giant Schlitterbahn waterpark.

Wow that takes me back, used to go there in the summer with the church group, the all time best water slide ever!!!! Not to mention the rapids they had for innertubbing, I'm sure they had to shut those down becuase god knows in this day and age you can't have something that dangerous in a water park.

You were in those parts before me since by the time my family moved down there Schiltterbahn had been there a while. :)

yeah... i've been here in austin for 31 years, and it seems the schlitterbahn has always been a fixture in the area. it got voted best water park on the travel channel... and i believe it. it's actually grown to three water parks in one now - they haven't shut any thing down... just added and added over the years. i went this summer and stayed from 10 am to 8 pm and only got to ride about half the rides they have.

the rapids on the guadalupe river were pretty lame this year, with the drought we've been in. you had to hold your ass up the entire time to keep from busting it on rocks. luckily we've gotten some rain the past 3 weeks - though we're still in drought conditions and they still haven't opened the boat docks back up on lake travis- things have started turning green again.
i might actually get to put the skiboat in the water (for the first time in over a year) by february... if el nino' cooperates.

[Patrick]

Yes, I was there in the '70's mostly. Stayed in the sleepy Landa Resort and the most exciting thing was a rope swing over the river. Splash!

I only went there one time once Schlitterbahn had been built. It was fun.

[Patrick]

Hi.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j158/JHPatrick/Miscellaneous/110709EGB1.jpg

[Room 217 Caretaker]

Beautiful Patrick, absolutely beautiful

Mulleins
Cumberland VA

[jhanic]

:thumbsup:

John

[Daghain]

I just love her facial expression. :D

[Patrick]

Thanks, guys.

Daghain, when she smiles, it melts my heart.

[Daghain]

Yeah, that's the power of daughters right there. :D

[Fsmdr]

OOhhh....she is absolutely adorable!. What a beautiful little girl. She has such large eyes!.

[ChristineB]

Too adroable for you're own good Patrick. :)

[Nerak]

Patrick..you own a shotgun right! That pretty little thing is gonna be a heart breaker!

[Randall Flagg]

The Wife's Employee party Saturday night.

http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/5894/p1010013r.jpg

[ChristineB]

You guys make a great looking couple RF.:clap:

[Brice]

Mr. and Mrs. Flagg are looking great! :D

[Ricky]

That pretty little thing is gonna be a heart breaker!

Reminds me of the last words of Carrie:

"...she's gonna be a real world beeter some day."

[Patrick]

Thanks for the kind comments. :)

Jerome, you two look lovely as always. How was the party?

[turtlex]

Patrick - I just love that photo.

Jerome - You both look great. Hope you had a good time at the party!

[Nerak]

Jerome :drool: your wife is very lucky! And the same can be said for you. Handsome couple!

[Randall Flagg]

Jerome, you two look lovely as always. How was the party?
Thanks. It was ok. I was 'volunteered' to be the photographer, so spent the bulk of the evening taking pictures, rather than partying.

[Patrick]

Hope they kept you well supplied with beers at least!

[Daghain]

The Wife's Employee party Saturday night.

http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/5894/p1010013r.jpg

You two are the cutest ever. :)

[Sir_Boomme]

I just got back from Rome/London - I had a GREAT time! I took over 3000 photos (I won't subject ya'll to them all), but I've only gone through about a 150 of them so far - I'll be busy for months. I tried to take some artsy photos along with the usual tourist kind.

Here is one of a sculpture by the Tower of London Bridge.
I call it- "Towering Leap"
http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/678/Leap_of_Faith_version_2_-TN_-sm.JPG

[Sir_Boomme]

Here is another one I took by the Tower Bridge... I tried to get some candid shots to capture the essence of the cities.... My girlfriend gav me a hard time when I took this one... she thought I was just perving (which I've been known to do on occasion)... But i thought it would make an interesting shot and took the pic anyways... glad I did.

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/678/Viewing_Londons_Sites_TN-frs.JPG

[Sir_Boomme]

Here Is another one from London - I think it is my favorite so far...it's a keeper and one i'll probably print.
I think it totally captures the personality of London,it has a very classical romantic edge with the wet pavement reflections.... and the with kid on the scooter while the other kid watches him go by.... really makes it for me. i also love the contrast of the new... verses the old.

I hope to have a multitude of new pics posted in the coming weeks from this vacation... but rather than clog up this thread, I'll probably put them all in my personal artwork threads (under the ARTWALL forum) here.

http://www.thedarktower.org/palaver/showthread.php?t=2575
and for the more risque photos...
http://www.thedarktower.org/palaver/showthread.php?t=2578

I check them out from time to time and give me some honest feedback if you can.

I call this one: "Reflections of Past and Present"

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/678/Reflections_of_Past_and_Present_TN_s.JPG

[Patrick]

Terry, thanks for sharing. They're all good, but that first photo, "Towering Leap," is my favorite. :thumbsup:

[gsvec]

I agree with Patrick on "Leap" - what a cool perspective!

[Daghain]

The second one is my favorite. Very nice!

[Randall Flagg]

We were in San Francisco Saturday.

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/2527/img0091mj.jpg

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/8009/img0100ii.jpg

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/4412/img0120c.jpg


http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/2207/img0114mo.jpg

[Nerak]

beautiful pics!

What kind of camera do you have? It has great picture quality!

[turtlex]

Not that I'm jealous or anything ... but we had like 21 inches of snow over the weekend.

Jerome - Those pictures are great !!!!

That last one ... picture postcard perfect!

[Randall Flagg]

It's a Cannon Digital SLR. My wife bought it for my Christmas. It is pretty cool. It also takes high definition video.




YouTube- MVI_0125.MOV

[Daghain]

Excellent pictures, Jerome!

[herbertwest]

SAN FRANCISCO looks nice!

[Nerak]

niiiice!!!

[Sir_Boomme]

Well, as some of you guys know I live in Austin Texas. My girlfriend actually is an IT peerson for the IRS, but she was working from home today.
Up until last year.... I used to work about 100 yards away from the IRS building that was hit by the plane today. Anyway I was driving to work today, passin right by the building and as always I keep my camera in the car.... so I stopped and took a few hundred shots.... here a sample that shows the massive damage that a small plane can do... It's amazing that hundreds were not killed.




http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/b2s.JPG


http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/building1.JPG

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/building.JPG

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/building2.JPG

you can see part of the plane in this one

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/building3.JPG


http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/building5.JPG

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/plane1.JPG

[Randall Flagg]

Amazing.
Pic #1 looks "Photoshopped"-blue on the foreground and pink sky are over-saturated.
Very good timing on your part.

[carlosdetweiller]

Good shots, Terry. Better than the ones on Fox and CNN.

[Rahfa]

That is a messed up situation....all because this little sissy bitch was crying about his precious taxes. Like it's sooooo hard to be an American. His worst day was better than 99.9 percent of everybody else's.

[Randall Flagg]

I just read his 3,200+ word 'manifesto'. Interesting insight into an insane persons thoughts.

[jhanic]

Terry, I'm glad your girlfriend was working from home today!

John

[Sir_Boomme]

Amazing.
Pic #1 looks "Photoshopped"-blue on the foreground and pink sky are over-saturated.
Very good timing on your part.

yeah... i had some kind of wierd vivid picture setting that caused that.... between a overly bright sun, the smoke, the dark building and the fact i was using a large telephoto lense from across the highway.... I was constantly making adjustments..... but i thought the wierd colored one kinda looked cool. i got tons of pics... but they all show pretty much the same type thing....lots of smoke and damage.

[Patrick]

I've been so busy in my own little world, this is the first I've heard of this.

Terry, those photos are amazing. I'm so glad that neither you nor your girlfriend were in the path of this a-hole.



Hey Jerome, nice pics of SF on Saturday! Coincidentally I drove up there Monday evening and was there all day Tuesday for business. I love the City.

[Nerak]

wow, and thank Bob your girlfriend is safe!

[Sir_Boomme]

I just read his 3,200+ word 'manifesto'. Interesting insight into an insane persons thoughts.


yeah, interesting is one word for it
strange thing is there are a few points in it that I agree with.... but he definitely was a tad off in the noggin.

if I didn't know better... I'd say Alex Jones was in that plane... sounds just like one of his rants.

for those who haven't read it... but might want to... here it is....


---------
If you’re reading this, you’re no doubt asking yourself, “Why did this have to happen?” The simple truth is that it is complicated and has been coming for a long time. The writing process, started many months ago, was intended to be therapy in the face of the looming realization that there isn’t enough therapy in the world that can fix what is really broken. Needless to say, this rant could fill volumes with example after example if I would let it. I find the process of writing it frustrating, tedious, and probably pointless… especially given my gross inability to gracefully articulate my thoughts in light of the storm raging in my head. Exactly what is therapeutic about that I’m not sure, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

We are all taught as children that without laws there would be no society, only anarchy. Sadly, starting at early ages we in this country have been brainwashed to believe that, in return for our dedication and service, our government stands for justice for all. We are further brainwashed to believe that there is freedom in this place, and that we should be ready to lay our lives down for the noble principals represented by its founding fathers. Remember? One of these was “no taxation without representation”. I have spent the total years of my adulthood unlearning that crap from only a few years of my childhood. These days anyone who really stands up for that principal is promptly labeled a “crackpot”, traitor and worse.

While very few working people would say they haven’t had their fair share of taxes (as can I), in my lifetime I can say with a great degree of certainty that there has never been a politician cast a vote on any matter with the likes of me or my interests in mind. Nor, for that matter, are they the least bit interested in me or anything I have to say.

Why is it that a handful of thugs and plunderers can commit unthinkable atrocities (and in the case of the GM executives, for scores of years) and when it’s time for their gravy train to crash under the weight of their gluttony and overwhelming stupidity, the force of the full federal government has no difficulty coming to their aid within days if not hours? Yet at the same time, the joke we call the American medical system, including the drug and insurance companies, are murdering tens of thousands of people a year and stealing from the corpses and victims they cripple, and this country’s leaders don’t see this as important as bailing out a few of their vile, rich cronies. Yet, the political “representatives” (thieves, liars, and self-serving scumbags is far more accurate) have endless time to sit around for year after year and debate the state of the “terrible health care problem”. It’s clear they see no crisis as long as the dead people don’t get in the way of their corporate profits rolling in.

And justice? You’ve got to be kidding!

How can any rational individual explain that white elephant conundrum in the middle of our tax system and, indeed, our entire legal system? Here we have a system that is, by far, too complicated for the brightest of the master scholars to understand. Yet, it mercilessly “holds accountable” its victims, claiming that they’re responsible for fully complying with laws not even the experts understand. The law “requires” a signature on the bottom of a tax filing; yet no one can say truthfully that they understand what they are signing; if that’s not “duress” than what is. If this is not the measure of a totalitarian regime, nothing is.

How did I get here?

My introduction to the real American nightmare starts back in the early ‘80s. Unfortunately after more than 16 years of school, somewhere along the line I picked up the absurd, pompous notion that I could read and understand plain English. Some friends introduced me to a group of people who were having ‘tax code’ readings and discussions. In particular, zeroed in on a section relating to the wonderful “exemptions” that make institutions like the vulgar, corrupt Catholic Church so incredibly wealthy. We carefully studied the law (with the help of some of the “best”, high-paid, experienced tax lawyers in the business), and then began to do exactly what the “big boys” were doing (except that we weren’t steeling from our congregation or lying to the government about our massive profits in the name of God). We took a great deal of care to make it all visible, following all of the rules, exactly the way the law said it was to be done.

The intent of this exercise and our efforts was to bring about a much-needed re-evaluation of the laws that allow the monsters of organized religion to make such a mockery of people who earn an honest living. However, this is where I learned that there are two “interpretations” for every law; one for the very rich, and one for the rest of us… Oh, and the monsters are the very ones making and enforcing the laws; the inquisition is still alive and well today in this country.

That little lesson in patriotism cost me $40,000+, 10 years of my life, and set my retirement plans back to 0. It made me realize for the first time that I live in a country with an ideology that is based on a total and complete lie. It also made me realize, not only how naive I had been, but also the incredible stupidity of the American public; that they buy, hook, line, and sinker, the crap about their “freedom”… and that they continue to do so with eyes closed in the face of overwhelming evidence and all that keeps happening in front of them.

Before even having to make a shaky recovery from the sting of the first lesson on what justice really means in this country (around 1984 after making my way through engineering school and still another five years of “paying my dues”), I felt I finally had to take a chance of launching my dream of becoming an independent engineer.

On the subjects of engineers and dreams of independence, I should digress somewhat to say that I’m sure that I inherited the fascination for creative problem solving from my father. I realized this at a very young age.

The significance of independence, however, came much later during my early years of college; at the age of 18 or 19 when I was living on my own as student in an apartment in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. My neighbor was an elderly retired woman (80+ seemed ancient to me at that age) who was the widowed wife of a retired steel worker. Her husband had worked all his life in the steel mills of central Pennsylvania with promises from big business and the union that, for his 30 years of service, he would have a pension and medical care to look forward to in his retirement. Instead he was one of the thousands who got nothing because the incompetent mill management and corrupt union (not to mention the government) raided their pension funds and stole their retirement. All she had was social security to live on.

In retrospect, the situation was laughable because here I was living on peanut butter and bread (or Ritz crackers when I could afford to splurge) for months at a time. When I got to know this poor figure and heard her story I felt worse for her plight than for my own (I, after all, I thought I had everything to in front of me). I was genuinely appalled at one point, as we exchanged stories and commiserated with each other over our situations, when she in her grandmotherly fashion tried to convince me that I would be “healthier” eating cat food (like her) rather than trying to get all my substance from peanut butter and bread. I couldn’t quite go there, but the impression was made. I decided that I didn’t trust big business to take care of me, and that I would take responsibility for my own future and myself.

Return to the early ‘80s, and here I was off to a terrifying start as a ‘wet-behind-the-ears’ contract software engineer... and two years later, thanks to the fine backroom, midnight effort by the sleazy executives of Arthur Andersen (the very same folks who later brought us Enron and other such calamities) and an equally sleazy New York Senator (Patrick Moynihan), we saw the passage of 1986 tax reform act with its section 1706.

For you who are unfamiliar, here is the core text of the IRS Section 1706, defining the treatment of workers (such as contract engineers) for tax purposes. Visit this link for a conference committee report (http://www.synergistech.com/1706.shtml#ConferenceCommitteeReport) regarding the intended interpretation of Section 1706 and the relevant parts of Section 530, as amended. For information on how these laws affect technical services workers and their clients, read our discussion here (http://www.synergistech.com/ic-taxlaw.shtml).

SEC. 1706. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN TECHNICAL PERSONNEL.

(a) IN GENERAL - Section 530 of the Revenue Act of 1978 is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection:

(d) EXCEPTION. - This section shall not apply in the case of an individual who pursuant to an arrangement between the taxpayer and another person, provides services for such other person as an engineer, designer, drafter, computer programmer, systems analyst, or other similarly skilled worker engaged in a similar line of work.

(b) EFFECTIVE DATE. - The amendment made by this section shall apply to remuneration paid and services rendered after December 31, 1986.

Note:

• "another person" is the client in the traditional job-shop relationship.

• "taxpayer" is the recruiter, broker, agency, or job shop.

• "individual", "employee", or "worker" is you.



Admittedly, you need to read the treatment to understand what it is saying but it’s not very complicated. The bottom line is that they may as well have put my name right in the text of section (d). Moreover, they could only have been more blunt if they would have came out and directly declared me a criminal and non-citizen slave. Twenty years later, I still can’t believe my eyes.

During 1987, I spent close to $5000 of my ‘pocket change’, and at least 1000 hours of my time writing, printing, and mailing to any senator, congressman, governor, or slug that might listen; none did, and they universally treated me as if I was wasting their time. I spent countless hours on the L.A. freeways driving to meetings and any and all of the disorganized professional groups who were attempting to mount a campaign against this atrocity. This, only to discover that our efforts were being easily derailed by a few moles from the brokers who were just beginning to enjoy the windfall from the new declaration of their “freedom”. Oh, and don’t forget, for all of the time I was spending on this, I was loosing income that I couldn’t bill clients.

After months of struggling it had clearly gotten to be a futile exercise. The best we could get for all of our trouble is a pronouncement from an IRS mouthpiece that they weren’t going to enforce that provision (read harass engineers and scientists). This immediately proved to be a lie, and the mere existence of the regulation began to have its impact on my bottom line; this, of course, was the intended effect.

Again, rewind my retirement plans back to 0 and shift them into idle. If I had any sense, I clearly should have left abandoned engineering and never looked back.

Instead I got busy working 100-hour workweeks. Then came the L.A. depression of the early 1990s. Our leaders decided that they didn’t need the all of those extra Air Force bases they had in Southern California, so they were closed; just like that. The result was economic devastation in the region that rivaled the widely publicized Texas S&L fiasco. However, because the government caused it, no one gave a shit about all of the young families who lost their homes or street after street of boarded up houses abandoned to the wealthy loan companies who received government funds to “shore up” their windfall. Again, I lost my retirement.

Years later, after weathering a divorce and the constant struggle trying to build some momentum with my business, I find myself once again beginning to finally pick up some speed. Then came the .COM bust and the 911 nightmare. Our leaders decided that all aircraft were grounded for what seemed like an eternity; and long after that, ‘special’ facilities like San Francisco were on security alert for months. This made access to my customers prohibitively expensive. Ironically, after what they had done the Government came to the aid of the airlines with billions of our tax dollars … as usual they left me to rot and die while they bailed out their rich, incompetent cronies WITH MY MONEY! After these events, there went my business but not quite yet all of my retirement and savings.

By this time, I’m thinking that it might be good for a change. Bye to California, I’ll try Austin for a while. So I moved, only to find out that this is a place with a highly inflated sense of self-importance and where damn little real engineering work is done. I’ve never experienced such a hard time finding work. The rates are 1/3 of what I was earning before the crash, because pay rates here are fixed by the three or four large companies in the area who are in collusion to drive down prices and wages… and this happens because the justice department is all on the take and doesn’t give a fuck about serving anyone or anything but themselves and their rich buddies.

To survive, I was forced to cannibalize my savings and retirement, the last of which was a small IRA. This came in a year with mammoth expenses and not a single dollar of income. I filed no return that year thinking that because I didn’t have any income there was no need. The sleazy government decided that they disagreed. But they didn’t notify me in time for me to launch a legal objection so when I attempted to get a protest filed with the court I was told I was no longer entitled to due process because the time to file ran out. Bend over for another $10,000 helping of justice.

So now we come to the present. After my experience with the CPA world, following the business crash I swore that I’d never enter another accountant’s office again. But here I am with a new marriage and a boatload of undocumented income, not to mention an expensive new business asset, a piano, which I had no idea how to handle. After considerable thought I decided that it would be irresponsible NOT to get professional help; a very big mistake.

When we received the forms back I was very optimistic that they were in order. I had taken all of the years information to Bill Ross, and he came back with results very similar to what I was expecting. Except that he had neglected to include the contents of Sheryl’s unreported income; $12,700 worth of it. To make matters worse, Ross knew all along this was missing and I didn’t have a clue until he pointed it out in the middle of the audit. By that time it had become brutally evident that he was representing himself and not me.

This left me stuck in the middle of this disaster trying to defend transactions that have no relationship to anything tax-related (at least the tax-related transactions were poorly documented). Things I never knew anything about and things my wife had no clue would ever matter to anyone. The end result is… well, just look around.

I remember reading about the stock market crash before the “great” depression and how there were wealthy bankers and businessmen jumping out of windows when they realized they screwed up and lost everything. Isn’t it ironic how far we’ve come in 60 years in this country that they now know how to fix that little economic problem; they just steal from the middle class (who doesn’t have any say in it, elections are a joke) to cover their asses and it’s “business-as-usual”. Now when the wealthy fuck up, the poor get to die for the mistakes… isn’t that a clever, tidy solution.

As government agencies go, the FAA is often justifiably referred to as a tombstone agency, though they are hardly alone. The recent presidential puppet GW Bush and his cronies in their eight years certainly reinforced for all of us that this criticism rings equally true for all of the government. Nothing changes unless there is a body count (unless it is in the interest of the wealthy sows at the government trough). In a government full of hypocrites from top to bottom, life is as cheap as their lies and their self-serving laws.

I know I’m hardly the first one to decide I have had all I can stand. It has always been a myth that people have stopped dying for their freedom in this country, and it isn’t limited to the blacks, and poor immigrants. I know there have been countless before me and there are sure to be as many after. But I also know that by not adding my body to the count, I insure nothing will change. I choose to not keep looking over my shoulder at “big brother” while he strips my carcass, I choose not to ignore what is going on all around me, I choose not to pretend that business as usual won’t continue; I have just had enough.

I can only hope that the numbers quickly get too big to be white washed and ignored that the American zombies wake up and revolt; it will take nothing less. I would only hope that by striking a nerve that stimulates the inevitable double standard, knee-jerk government reaction that results in more stupid draconian restrictions people wake up and begin to see the pompous political thugs and their mindless minions for what they are. Sadly, though I spent my entire life trying to believe it wasn’t so, but violence not only is the answer, it is the only answer. The cruel joke is that the really big chunks of shit at the top have known this all along and have been laughing, at and using this awareness against, fools like me all along.

I saw it written once that the definition of insanity is repeating the same process over and over and expecting the outcome to suddenly be different. I am finally ready to stop this insanity. Well, Mr. Big Brother IRS man, let’s try something different; take my pound of flesh and sleep well.

The communist creed: From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.

The capitalist creed: From each according to his gullibility, to each according to his greed

[jhanic]

Thanks for posting that, Terry. I've been meaning to find it on the Web, but now I don't have to.

I agree with some of his points also, but, as you said, he was definitely not playing with a full deck. It's pure luck he killed no-one but himself, thank God!

John

<edit> I've been on the go all morning and didn't have a chance to see the news or read the newspapers. I see that one other person, so far unidentified, was killed and two others are in critical condition. I hope "Joe Stack" rots in Hell for this!

John

[Sir_Boomme]

Thanks for posting that, Terry. I've been meaning to find it on the Web, but now I don't have to.

I agree with some of his points also, but, as you said, he was definitely not playing with a full deck. It's pure luck he killed no-one but himself, thank God!

John


actually I think one other person was killed. but with that building being full and with the amount of damage.... it's amazing that only one other person waskilled and only two went to the hospital.

[Daghain]

Thanks for posting that Terry. Definitely interest reading.

What this guy failed to recognize is that he's a terrorist, plain and simple. Just because he's a white American doesn't make what he did any less heinous.

I just hope he hasn't given anyone else any ideas.

[Sir_Boomme]

not a big thing to you guys who get snow all the time... but here in Austin Texas... It was a very special day. A snow day is extremely rare here...only every few years... and I don't remember ever seeing snow flakes the size I got to see today, They were huge... the size of my fist!
to bad most of it's melted already.


http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/678/Pflugerville_Snow_Pfall_-_small.JPG
http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/678/Where_Snow_Sits_-_small_.JPG
http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/678/Tubes_and_Shoots_-small.JPG

[Sir_Boomme]

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/snowcacti2.JPG

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/snowcacti1.JPG


the puppies' first snow!

THING....What is this stuff????

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/snowthinsniff.JPG

WORM.... on the RUN!

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/wormsnow.JPG

THING.... on the Run

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/snowthingontherun1.JPG

[Ari_Racing]

Nice pics!

But I bet you have more snowing days than I have in Buenos Aires. It took 81 years to see snow again there :)

[Brice]

I'd have never guessed you to be a day over 75 or so, Ari. :P

[Ari_Racing]

LOL :D

[NeedfulKings]

We went to Vegas (me on business, my honey on vacation, lol). We saw a few sites. Didn't lose much money---didn't play much! :)

Paris
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i2/bookking/Vegas/0212001843.jpg

Venice
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i2/bookking/Vegas/IMG_1399.jpg

Grand Canal
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i2/bookking/Vegas/IMG_1403.jpg

Me (jeez, I need to lose weight!)
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i2/bookking/Vegas/IMG_1391.jpg

A tropical fish at the Flamingo. I only add this because I see a dozen "eyes" in the water. Weird.
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i2/bookking/Vegas/IMG_1365.jpg

Liberty
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i2/bookking/Vegas/IMG_1346.jpg

Sunset
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i2/bookking/Vegas/0213001721.jpg

Our view from the hotel.
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i2/bookking/Vegas/0212001734.jpg

While I was there, I got to see a night landing of Air Force One. Pretty cool.

[herbertwest]

Lovely pictures!
Are all of those sites in Vegas? I didnt know that there were replicas of cities...even the arc de triomphe!

[NeedfulKings]

Lovely pictures!
Are all of those sites in Vegas? I didnt know that there were replicas of cities...even the arc de triomphe!

Yes. And many more--The Roman Coliseum, Trevi Fountain, etc. Nothing is to scale, mind you, but still impressive. That said, having visited all of those cities in person, I'd go for the real thing again before Vegas! :)

[Daghain]

Yeah, Vegas is pretty cool, but it's no comparison to Europe. :D

[Airtraffic]

Cool

[jhanic]

Welcome back, Air!! We've missed you!

John

[Airtraffic]

:panic:

[wizardsrainbow]

Carl!!!! Welcome Home buddy!

[Nerak]

AIR!!! Holy crap!!! How are ya?

[Airtraffic]

Doing good. Working alot and got my computer upgraded and stuff. Not to much going on here just trying to see all the sites in England and stuff. I'm going to Wales next month to stay the week, it should be fun..

And the wife and I are going to try and add another member to the Dark Tower Family...:thumbsup:

[Rahfa]

Doing good. Working alot and got my computer upgraded and stuff. Not to much going on here just trying to see all the sites in England and stuff. I'm going to Wales next month to stay the week, it should be fun..

And the wife and I are going to try and add another member to the Dark Tower Family...:thumbsup:

Haha....more TDT fans, the better...

You been back to Kuwait again? When did I meet you there? 2007? I've been back in 2008 and 2009 - that place has not changed a bit - same graffiti, same KFC, same dust, same summer heat...I think my footprints were still there.

[Scoogs]

I might be off a few days, but I'll say it regardless. Happy birthday Air

[Airtraffic]

Thanks Scoogs,

I'm spending my B-day watching the rug rats...while wife goes to a pampered chef thing....I'll never understand that stuff. Pampered chef = Strip Clubs....I guess.

Rahfa,

Have not been back there since we met last....but look for me in Afgan....maybe in the near future...just a guess.

[Nerak]

And the wife and I are going to try and add another member to the Dark Tower Family...:thumbsup:


practice makes perfect!!! :thumbsup:

[Airtraffic]

lots and lots practice.....haha.....both the last kidos have been one shot wonders...so lets hope this last a little longer....haha...:huglove:

[Rahfa]

Thanks Scoogs,

I'm spending my B-day watching the rug rats...while wife goes to a pampered chef thing....I'll never understand that stuff. Pampered chef = Strip Clubs....I guess.

Rahfa,

Have not been back there since we met last....but look for me in Afgan....maybe in the near future...just a guess.

Uh...I'm going to take a pass...sorry.

But FB if you want - you can see Iraq pics from 2007-09.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2001490&id=1347973874&l=49fc2fb04c

[Airtraffic]

cool sent...I really love this family we have here. :huglove:

[Patrick]

Great to hear from you, Air!

[Airtraffic]

cool pics rahfa

[disel24]

http://i769.photobucket.com/albums/xx339/nursecrystalanne/IMG00384-1.jpg

I think I'm doing this right.

This is Jacob Gabriel!

[disel24]

Ok... for some reason I've posted a picture twice and it's calling it spam..... so... i don't know

[jhanic]

Gabriel, check out the thread above on posting pictures. That should help.

John

[disel24]

Jacob Gabriel (http://i769.photobucket.com/albums/xx339/nursecrystalanne/IMG00384-1.jpg)

[disel24]

Oh I did and this is what I'm getting back LOL

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an automatic post from SpamBuster. The following spam post has been detected and made invisible to forum users:

[Brice]

Ok... for some reason I've posted a picture twice and it's calling it spam..... so... i don't know

Your picture went through fine, but the spam settings did get it. It's just waiting to be approved by one of the mods in this section and then it'll be posted in here. It does this some early on when you only have a few posts. Now any you post should go right up with no problems.

BTW: He's adorable! :)

[disel24]

Sweet! Thanks man!

[Daghain]

I validated them - he IS adorable!

[disel24]

http://i769.photobucket.com/albums/xx339/nursecrystalanne/IMG00395.jpg
My wife Crystal and Jacob chilling at home

http://i769.photobucket.com/albums/xx339/nursecrystalanne/photobucket.jpg
Feb 2, 2010 Jacob, Crystal and Me


http://i769.photobucket.com/albums/xx339/nursecrystalanne/476.jpg
Big sister Grace and Jacob!

[Daghain]

Awww....

[jhanic]

:thumbsup:

John

[Patrick]

Good to hear from you again, disel! I don't think I've seen you around since the ol' TDT.net days.

Great photos, cute family!

[disel24]

I haven't been around, for a while I didn't even know this place existed! I just ran into it this week, if not I would have been around more often! lol

[Nerak]

Gabriel, he's just adorable!

Thanks for sharing the pics! Glad to know that you found happiness again!

Congrats!!!

[Randall Flagg]

The wife and I took a friend to lunch today in Berkeley. Wild weather day. 30 mph winds, rain one minute, blue skies the next. Forgot to bring my camera, so here's a crappy cell phone shot through the restaurant window. Golden Gate bridge and Alcatraz straight out, San Francisco to the left.

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/5605/0308001146.jpg

[Randall Flagg]

Wife and I on vacation in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. She loves wine, I love beer-and both can be found here.
Cheers to all.

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/2721/img0306nz.jpg


http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/6649/img0307zw.jpg

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/1407/img0308a.jpg

[Nerak]

http://i856.photobucket.com/albums/ab129/kymatty/SDC15833.jpg
Babies

http://i856.photobucket.com/albums/ab129/kymatty/SDC15842.jpg
This tree has been beat by salt water and salty air...wicked cool!

http://i856.photobucket.com/albums/ab129/kymatty/SDC15857.jpg
My major cool dude!

http://i856.photobucket.com/albums/ab129/kymatty/SDC15858.jpg
My beautiful Fat Moosey Man!

I don't feel like re-sizing these...deal with it!

[jhanic]

Geez, Karen--they're getting so BIG!!

John

[Patrick]

Jerome, I've never been to the actual brewery, but Bear Republic makes great beer. Enjoy your trip.


Look at Karen's cuties!

[shnnrc01]

they'll be bringing home the ladies before you know it karen!!

[Tito_Villa]

They are some great pics and that tree looks very cool too!

[turtlex]

Jerome - You and your wife seems to always go to the best places! And you're a great looking couple.

Karen - Gorgeous family, and :thumbsup: on the Red Sox shirt !! :D

[Nerak]

Thanks peeps! They are getting too big too fast! The baby is going to be one on Monday!!!!

[Daghain]

Nice pics, Jerome! You two are the cutest couple. :D

And Karen, wasn't the little one just born? Sheesh, they grow up so fast...

[Randall Flagg]

We were driving by Russian River and a barn indicated when (12/20/1964) the river had flooded over 20 feet above level.

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/7015/img0305h.jpg

[Daghain]

Wow. Cool!

[Randall Flagg]

Last week my daughter had her 13the BD party.
She decorated her own cake.

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/4711/img0532cv.jpg


http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/4373/img0631ry.jpg

[carlosdetweiller]

Dude! Are you touching that icing with your bare fingers?

[Randall Flagg]

Not me. I'm the photographer.

[Dolan]

That's a SERIOUS cake!

[Daghain]

That girl's got some talent!

Happy birthday, Mary Taylor!

[Nerak]

WOW!! That cake looks awsome!! Happy Birthday to Mary!!!

[Patrick]

Happy Belated Little Cake Decorator Flagg!

[Randall Flagg]

Just returned from our annual trip to Paso Robles/San Simeon.
A few shots:
http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x282/zoidsmith/IMG_0739.jpg

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x282/zoidsmith/IMG_0749.jpg

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x282/zoidsmith/IMG_0764.jpg

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x282/zoidsmith/IMG_0769.jpg

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x282/zoidsmith/IMG_0774.jpg

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x282/zoidsmith/IMG_0754.jpg

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x282/zoidsmith/IMG_0778.jpg

[Daghain]

Nice pics, Jerome!

[Sir_Boomme]

Looks like a great time Jerome.
My gal's (Denise) B-day is this weekend, we're going on a bed/breakfast/winery trip june 5th weekend. Looking forward to it. (there's lots of booze farms here in central texas too)


This past weekend we took a daytrip with the local Miata club to a small country town about 100 miles north of Austin. We went to the "Last DriveIn" picture show. (It's been over 25 years since I've been to a drivein).

here: Denise waits to get the trip on the way...
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj13/sir_boomme/x5%20-misc%20stuff/deesmiles.jpg
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj13/sir_boomme/x5%20-misc%20stuff/deekss.jpg

My "Other" woman - also ready and waiting

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj13/sir_boomme/x5%20-misc%20stuff/deewaves.jpg



It was quite challenging playing follow the leader - driving 70+ MPH down extremely curvy one lane totally tree canopied rural back country roads.... but oh my it was so much fun!

here... a quick pit stop... before we go off the beaten path.
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj13/sir_boomme/x5%20-misc%20stuff/gatesvillerunpitstops.jpg


http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj13/sir_boomme/x5%20-misc%20stuff/gatesvillerunpitstopbs.jpg


after a very spirited drive... some of the cars take a breather at a Dairy Queen...
the outdoor movies (Robin Hood and Iron Man 2) were good... but this trip was all about getting there. (alive ha ha)

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj13/sir_boomme/x5%20-misc%20stuff/gatesvillerun3.jpg

[Randall Flagg]

That is cool. I used to hang out with, but never joined a Corvette club-I had (long gone) a 1992 Vette.
I recall that the first year or two, Miata's were in great demand, and buyers waited in line to obtain them.
BTW, Denise is pretty foxy:nana:

[Dolan]

Recent pic of me - I haven't uploaded one in a while (for those who don't know what I look like!) My forehead looks pretty big here, though. LOL

http://i484.photobucket.com/albums/rr205/nykennyny/ks510sm.jpg

Dave/Karen - I've lost weight! We should all get together for a dinner if you guys get to NYC... I know you're both really busy - but I'm always free :rose:

[Randall Flagg]

Looking good Kenny.

[lophophoras]

Recent pic of me - I haven't uploaded one in a while (for those who don't know what I look like!) My forehead looks pretty big here, though. LOL

http://i484.photobucket.com/albums/rr205/nykennyny/ks510sm.jpg

Dave/Karen - I've lost weight! We should all get together for a dinner if you guys get to NYC... I know you're both really busy - but I'm always free :rose:

Nice pic.

;)

[turtlex]

Great photos everyone!
Love them!

[Daghain]

Great pics, Terry! And nice to see you again, Kenny!

[WeDealInLead]

I've been here a while and I figured I'd show my ugly mug. This was taken at my daughter's birthday (as if the cake (Finding Nemo) and the banner aren't a giveaway) on 4/24. The cake was great. I'm not supposed to eat it because I'm vegan but for an occassion such as Mia's birthday I'm willing to bend my own rules a bit.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v170/violentxpacification/3cb.jpg

My wife's birthday 3 years ago. I didn't eat the cake.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v170/violentxpacification/us/Picture001.jpg

[Daghain]

Good lookin' family you've got there! And I LOVE that Nemo cake!

[turtlex]

Great pictures ... and you totally should have stolen ALL the strawberries then!

[WeDealInLead]

Great pictures ... and you totally should have stolen ALL the strawberries then!


Haha... thanks.

They were covered in a chocolate though.

[Room 217 Caretaker]

Great pictures ... and you totally should have stolen ALL the strawberries then!


Haha... thanks.

They were covered in a chocolate though.

Forget the Strawberries.....that CORN looks fantastic :cyclops:

Mulleins
Cumberland VA

[Randall Flagg]

Friends and I on the 4th.

http://img815.imageshack.us/img815/4481/img1182k.jpg

[Daghain]

Nice!

[wizardsrainbow]

Jerome-

That your brother on the right side (2nd from front)?

[Randall Flagg]

Jerome-

That your brother on the right side (2nd from front)?
No. Everyone thinks we are brothers-we actually now just say we are; it irritates my one and only real brother-here (on left):

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/5816/img1216gary.jpg

[Sir_Boomme]

These are some pictures I took today of birds on the feeder outside my home office window.

Red Headed Stranger:

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj13/sir_boomme/myartscans/RedHeadedStranger.jpg


Peek-A Boo:
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj13/sir_boomme/myartscans/Peek-a-boo1s.jpg


Caught in the Eye of a God:

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj13/sir_boomme/myartscans/Cardinal2s.jpg


A Visit from the Cardinal:

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj13/sir_boomme/myartscans/Cardinal1s.jpg


Just a Bite:

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj13/sir_boomme/myartscans/justabiteS.jpg


Dropping By:

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj13/sir_boomme/myartscans/nicespread.jpg

[herbertwest]

Nice ones !

[oy-the-brave]

WOW, great pics Terry :thumbsup:

[Patrick]

I guess I had missed the last few postings in this thread. Nice catching up with everyone's!

For anyone who may be interested, I went to a Green Day concert with my boys on Saturday night. I posted photos in the Green Day thread starting here (http://www.thedarktower.org/palaver/showthread.php?p=542574#post542574).

[Sir_Boomme]

couple of pics of my girlfriend while on vacation in Kauai,Hawaii.


http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj13/sir_boomme/x5%20-misc%20stuff/Denise1sm.jpg



my girlfriend is totally 100% naked in the photo below... it's the only one in the series of shots I took that she'd let me post though ha ha.

it was pretty funny, this same wave stole her swimsuit bottoms (which were just out of camera shot)....
lucky for her (unlucky for me) she had brought a pair of shorts down to the beach.:cowboy:

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj13/sir_boomme/myartscans/DriftWoodsmall.jpg

[Sir_Boomme]

couple of Kauai vacation pics of me and my girlfriend Denise

on balcony of our Condo

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj13/sir_boomme/x5%20-misc%20stuff/deeandme2s.jpg


Denise and me at a scenic overlook of Waimea Canyon, Kauia Hawaii

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj13/sir_boomme/x5%20-misc%20stuff/deeandme1s.jpg

[Daghain]

Nice!

[Patrick]

Great shots, Terry!

[CRinVA]

Terri,

I visited Kaui in 1977! That island is awesome! I stood exactly where you did at Waimea Canyon 33 years ago!!!!!!!!!!

Did you go the Fern Grotto? How about the beach on the Northern shore where the road ends. Most phoptographed beach in the world they say - where Elvis' Blue Hawaii was filmed. From that beach is a trail that follows the shore aand then goes inland to the rain forest - simply awesome! Get hungry - just pick a f=piece of fruit (banana, passion fruit, guava, etc) The trail ends at a very secluded nude (family) beach!

Side note: I nmet Warren Zevon there at the bar of the hotel I was staying at. Before he was famous. I got to hear Poor Poor Pitiful Me (written for Linda Rondstadt), Werewolves of London and Roland the Headless Thompson Maschine Gunner before they were even released!!!!

[Dolan]

I guess I should update my own picture.

Here I am at dinner with my best friend about a month ago. (I am on the left)

http://i484.photobucket.com/albums/rr205/nykennyny/38229_410677240915_695525915_5147224_5268226_n.jpg

[Patrick]

Looking great, Kenny!

[Randall Flagg]

Terry, nice pics from Kauai. The wife and I were there ~7 years ago. Rode a Harley up to Waimea Canyon, and also took a 'copter ride around the island.




http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/5620/scan0022a.png

http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/4231/scan0022b.png

[Daghain]

Looking good, Kenny!

And nice pics Jerome. That one in front of the helicopter is supercool. :D

[Dolan]

Thanks guys! A tan does wonders for me! :wtf:

[Randall Flagg]

I beg forgiveness to those who view the following ~16 images.
The wife and I went (spur of the moment) to San Simeon. We stopped at Cerro Prieto (http://www.cerroprietovineyard.com/) and had a private tasting with the owner Larry in his home.
Off to the coast of California and traveling Highway 1. Perhaps the most scenic coastal route in the USA.

The wife at Larry's home:

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/1594/img1730j.jpg


http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/6924/img1739y.jpg

http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/2055/img1741f.jpg

Seal Point. The seals 'sunbathe' here. They are all alive:

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/7493/img1742s.jpg

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/1323/img1743c.jpg

Cheesecake photo:

http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/8885/img1745kc.jpg



http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/4566/img1746a.jpg

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/768/img1766q.jpg
http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/7892/img1767b.jpg

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/5998/img1769m.jpg

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/1594/img1730j.jpg%20http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/6924/img1739y.jpg%20http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/2055/img1741f.jpg%20http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/7493/img1742s.jpg%20http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/1323/img1743c.jpg%20http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/7413/img1744r.jpg%20http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/8885/img1745kc.jpg%20http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/4566/img1746a.jpg%20http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/130/img1749o.jpg%20http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/8749/img1752k.jpg%20http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/952/img1754d.jpg%20http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/9393/img1757u.jpg%20http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/1937/img1762v.jpg%20http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/768/img1766q.jpg%20http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/7892/img1767b.jpg%20http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/5998/img1769m.jpg

[Daghain]

Nice pics, Jerome! Tell your lovely wife I said hi. :D

[Nerak]

Jerome! You are looking fantastic!

Kenny, love you as always! Miss ya too!!!

Terry! Holy crap! No hooters outfit? Nice pic of you finally!!

[agrabin]

http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/7620/36464884.png

[Ricky]

Jerome, I see no cheesecake. :lol:

[Nerak]

http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/7620/36464884.png


WEEEEEEE Now I know what you look like!

[agrabin]

WEEEEEEE Now I know what you look like!

Taken in July 2010 during my visit to Cornwall...it's not a great picture, but then I just don't 'take a good picture'

[biomieg]

My girlfriend and I just returned from a couple of weeks in (the Southern part of) France - pics will follow soon.

[frik]

Love Highway 1 - travelled it many times: absolutely gorgeous! (like your photos!)

sk

[herbertwest]

My girlfriend and I just returned from a couple of weeks in (the Southern part of) France - pics will follow soon.

Where? :-)

[biomieg]

We spent most of our time in and around Cassis. I liked it a lot! I've been to France many times but I'd never been to Cassis before (the closest was last year, when we went to the region around Nice and also to the Gorges du Verdon).

[shnnrc01]

welcome back michael.

[biomieg]

It's good to be back!

Some more or less random pics from the hundreds we took:


Vineyards:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fcdqdPh-_A8/TJ4eG-E3M1I/AAAAAAAAAik/KQC6FA6jrks/s640/IMG_5329.JPG

Cultivating the pirate look:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fcdqdPh-_A8/TJ4fZ_Q_m6I/AAAAAAAAAio/gWa5_edyiKE/s512/IMG_5333.JPG

Praying mantis:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fcdqdPh-_A8/TJ4faTyZDNI/AAAAAAAAAis/Pw17wyJM-Lc/s512/IMG_5340.JPG

Consuming flowers (the Rhône in the background):

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fcdqdPh-_A8/TJ4fbG_ln5I/AAAAAAAAAiw/YLsrSWLtI4I/s640/IMG_5349.JPG

Ruins of a Roman temple:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fcdqdPh-_A8/TJ4fbRdrYYI/AAAAAAAAAi0/aO0TTZtZV64/s640/IMG_5422.JPG

View over Cassis (at the coast of the Mediterranean Sea):

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fcdqdPh-_A8/TJ4fccgee8I/AAAAAAAAAi4/jCBDKrEAgdU/s640/IMG_5540.JPG

Another view (again, taken from the cliffs that rise hundreds of meters from the sea)

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fcdqdPh-_A8/TJ4gKBcbYgI/AAAAAAAAAjA/nNsmpuMWDhU/s512/IMG_5543.JPG

One more:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fcdqdPh-_A8/TJ4gKtCTa7I/AAAAAAAAAjE/myEwFmVmI8Y/s640/IMG_5546.JPG

A little romance at the beach:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fcdqdPh-_A8/TJ4gLEdX2JI/AAAAAAAAAjI/zI7xRBi8qwM/s640/IMG_5586.JPG

Did this happen before or after the drink?

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fcdqdPh-_A8/TJ4gLnGFg4I/AAAAAAAAAjM/o0rVxWD2xmE/s512/IMG_5609.JPG

Lovely 5th century church:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fcdqdPh-_A8/TJ4hBBHzKDI/AAAAAAAAAjY/ctwSsyf9l1g/s640/IMG_5770.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fcdqdPh-_A8/TJ4hBhCfrPI/AAAAAAAAAjc/tu774197d8A/s640/IMG_5772.JPG

Statue in front of the Mediterranean, in the Cassis harbor:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fcdqdPh-_A8/TJ4hCHsyxVI/AAAAAAAAAjg/w2RSbA31lwA/s640/IMG_5803.JPG

One more rock (400 m high this one, the highest on any European coastline):

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fcdqdPh-_A8/TJ4hC2BVl_I/AAAAAAAAAjk/kMyoT_uTH3w/s640/IMG_5806.JPG

[herbertwest]

Looks nice !

[Randall Flagg]

It's good to be back!

Some more or less random pics from the hundreds we took:

A little romance at the beach:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fcdqdPh-_A8/TJ4gLEdX2JI/AAAAAAAAAjI/zI7xRBi8qwM/s640/IMG_5586.JPG

Did this happen before or after the drink?

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fcdqdPh-_A8/TJ4gLnGFg4I/AAAAAAAAAjM/o0rVxWD2xmE/s512/IMG_5609.JPG





Great pics. Next time get a room.:huglove:

[Daghain]

:lol:

Great pics!

[Patrick]

Love the Highway 1 trip pics, Jerome, and the southern France photos, Michael.

Good to see Kenny (again) and agrabin (finally).

I travel a good stretch of Highway 1 most every day - just not the part where Jerome and Mrs. RF were.

[Randall Flagg]

Yesterday:

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/9048/img1781small.jpg

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/9048/img1781small.jpg

[Daghain]

:thumbsup:

[Tito_Villa]

Don't know how i missed those pics biomieg but that looked a GREAT holiday!

And here are our new leaders :thumbsup:

[Nerak]

Yesterday:

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/9048/img1781small.jpg

Two good lookin Fellas!!

Patrick, how tall are you???

[turtlex]

Patrick is standing on RF's collectors edition of Under The Dome... He just looks taller!

:lol:

Way to go, guys!!

[Room 217 Caretaker]

Yesterday:

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/9048/img1781small.jpg

Patrick

Can you move a little to your left please, I can't see all the books :wtf:

Ralph

[Randall Flagg]

I'm 5'10" so I would say Patrick is ~6'1"

[frik]

Looks like the two of you had a great time, Michaël!

sk

[Patrick]

You guys crack me up!

I'm 6' even, but I was wearing shoes and Jerome wasn't.

It was fantastic visiting Jerome and family at home for the first time (we usually meet at pubs and booksignings and that time in Vegas). His book collection is even more amazing in person!

[Randall Flagg]

You guys crack me up!

I'm 6' even, but I was wearing shoes and Jerome wasn't.

It was fantastic visiting Jerome and family at home for the first time (we usually meet at pubs and booksignings and that time in Vegas). His book collection is even more amazing in person!
I am so happy that Ka, brought Patrick to my house.
It was a serendipity things. Patrick was in Sacramento for a reunion (drinking contest:P )
I was sweating my balls off about the domain change and costs etc. (Meaning my wife wants to know how much I am spending)
Patrick called me on his way home, and as good fortune would have it he was only about 15 miles from my house.
He decided to come over, and once he had seen the books, met the family, watched NFL games and the San Francisco Giant's game he kindly offered to help with the expenses of buying domain names, transfering vbulletin and image software, and purchase of the entire contents pre 10/5/2010.
It's a labor of love.

[Sir_Boomme]

Yesterday:

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/9048/img1781small.jpg

can't see the picture :(

[jhanic]

I saw the picture when you first put it up, but it isn't there now!

John

[Randall Flagg]

Interesting.

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/9048/img1781small.jpg

[carlosdetweiller]

You are both still in the way. We still can't see the books!

[Randall Flagg]

You are both still in the way. We still can't see the books!
Sorry.

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x282/zoidsmith/Opendoorpic.jpg

[Daghain]

Holy shit. That's some collection, Jerome!

[turtlex]

Jerome - Could you please move those books, I can't see Patrick!

:lol:

Just kidding. Wow, that's a very impressive collection.

[Resident Chris]

:drool:

[carlosdetweiller]

Nice collection. I find it interesting that you have shelved the books alphabetically by title. I've arranged and rearranged my books many times over the years but have never tried that. A nice and different look.

[biomieg]

I'm going to have to think about buying new bookcases and arranging my books again pretty soon. We're moving to a new place sometime during the next six weeks... I look forward to putting the books on the shelves but not to packing and unpacking everything.

[Brice]

Nice collection. I find it interesting that you have shelved the books alphabetically by title. I've arranged and rearranged my books many times over the years but have never tried that. A nice and different look.

I do and always have shelved mine alphabetically by title also.

[Randall Flagg]

Nice collection. I find it interesting that you have shelved the books alphabetically by title. I've arranged and rearranged my books many times over the years but have never tried that. A nice and different look.
It is a pain when new books come out. Chronologically I'd just add to the right. Sometimes a have a "filler" book here or there to keep the books tightly together.

[Patrick]

You guys crack me up!

I'm 6' even, but I was wearing shoes and Jerome wasn't.

It was fantastic visiting Jerome and family at home for the first time (we usually meet at pubs and booksignings and that time in Vegas). His book collection is even more amazing in person!
I am so happy that Ka brought Patrick to my house.
It was a serendipity things. Patrick was in Sacramento for a reunion (drinking contest:P )
I was sweating my balls off about the domain change and costs etc. (Meaning my wife wants to know how much I am spending)
Patrick called me on his way home, and as good fortune would have it he was only about 15 miles from my house.
He decided to come over, and once he had seen the books, met the family, watched NFL games and the San Francisco Giant's game he kindly offered to help with the expenses of buying domain names, transfering vbulletin and image software, and purchase of the entire contents pre 10/5/2010.
It's a labor of love.

Aw shucks, thanks. The real work thus far has all been Matt, Jerome, and Jerome's two sons. My technical skills are pretty much zip.


The nice thing about that photo up there is that I hardly look hungover at all.

[CRinVA]

Following are several pics - bear with me! The first several were taken this past April as my wife Terri and I vacationed in Hawaii. It was an awesome vacation and I do have some great shots to add but not here. The purpose of these Hawaii pics is to serve as our "before" pics! Eventurally you will get to the "after" pics and you'll understand! Enjoy!

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/medium/Before.jpg http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/medium/before_3.jpg http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/medium/before_5.jpg http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/medium/before_7.jpg http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/medium/before_8.jpg http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/medium/before_9.jpg http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/medium/before_10.jpg http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/medium/before_11.jpg http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/medium/before_12.jpg http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/medium/before_13.jpg

Transformation Starts
These next two pics swere taken in August at the North Carolina Outer Banks!
http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/medium/middle_1.jpg http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/medium/middle_2.jpg

And these next four pics were taken two days ago! My wife and i have been on a very sgtrict low carb diet dince May 10th. That was the day i was given the scare of a lifetime as my Doctor told me I was "officially" pre-diabetic and problably would have diabetes the next time we visited unless I made drastic changes. I said what and he said "Bob, just lose weight and this can all go away!" That is all it took! My wife and I started the Medi-Fast diet (my 23 year old daughter also joined in with us). Personally, I have lost almost 60 pounds and my wife and daughter have lost another 60 pounds combined. The Doctor told me my blood work was FANTASTIC and that I probably bought myself at least ten more years on my lifespan if not more!

Today this is what we look like! The only downsize (no pun intended) to all this is all the money we are currently spending on new clothes! But it's all worth it! We feel great and we like the way we look and know we will be hanging around to see our grandchildren grow up. Only one grandchild so far, but more to follow. For now, Tommy is 4 and a half months old and as you'll see in the pics he has great tastes in what he wears!

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/medium/Bob_and_Terri_Inside.jpg http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/Bob_and_Terri_Inside_Closeup.jpg http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/Bob_and_Terri_Outside.jpg http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/medium/Bob_and_Terri_Outside_Closeup.jpg http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/Tommy1.JPG http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/Tommy_2.JPG

[jhanic]

Congratulations, Bob and Terri!

I only wish I had the self-discipline to do that!

John

[CRinVA]

John the major motivating factor was the threat of diabetes. I don't like needles and this was the easy way out! :excited:

[turtlex]

Bob !! You both look wonderful !!!! Congratulations !!!!

[Ricky]

Wow, Bob. You look fantastic (and probably feel so too)! That's amazing that you were able to have the motivation and desire to do make a change for the better. :)

[Daghain]

That's a truly awesome accomplishment, Bob! You guys should be proud of yourselves - you look FANTASTIC!!!

[carlosdetweiller]

That's great Bob. You and your wife should be very proud of yourselves.

Now go get that grandkid some Yankees gear!

[east-tennessee]

lOOKING GREAT BOB, I TO AM STRUGELING WITH WEIGHT LOSS (will power is the answer)
I'VE LOST ABOUT 30LBS MYSELF!!!!!! IF I COULD JUST LAY OFF THE BEER!!!
YOU TOO ARE LOOKING GREAT KEEP IT UP....

BRIAN...

[Patrick]

Wow, Bob! You two have done the work and the results are obvious. You guys look fantastic. Congratulations!

[Tito_Villa]

OMG you guys look great!!!

[Randall Flagg]

Congratulations. Keep it up.

[Ari_Racing]

Clap Clap Clap! :)
:clap:

[herbertwest]

VERY WELL DONE Bob!
You both look great!

[Pasiuk57]

Bob
Great stuff!! Needles would be no fun. I had to give myself shots twice a day in the stomach for only 5 days because of a bloot clot and those 5 days really, really sucked. I can not imagine what a diabetic goes through. Keep at it!

[wizardsrainbow]

Svelt is the word i was searching in my brain. You look terrific. Congrats

[CRinVA]

thanks to all - this has been and will continue to be an adventure. For a lifetime!

[Nerak]

Bob, you two look wonderful!! Congrats on the big change!!!

[Randall Flagg]

The San Francisco Giants are up 3-1 over Philly. Out here we have a saying:
"Fear the Beard!"

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/5190/img1789tfz.jpg

http://img816.imageshack.us/img816/4782/img1791p.jpg

[Patrick]

That is awesome, Jerome! :lol: :thumbsup:

[Fsmdr]

You look so menacing there, Jerome!. I would walk on the other side of the street had I encountered such a intense looking man!.

[Daghain]

I like it, Jerome! You look like you're ready to open up a can of whoopass! :lol:

[Nerak]

:drool:

[WeDealInLead]

Last Wednesday. I don't remember the last time both my wife and I had a day off work and spent it doing nothing. We're still new to parenting and we both have crazy work schedules so we decided to hit the park... where we spent a lot of time when we were dating and lived a lot loss hectic lives.

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/1457/mia023.jpg

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/1279/mia012.jpg

[turtlex]

Hey Jerome !! Looks like your beard worked -- Giants going to the World Series! Congratulations !!!

[Nerak]

Last Wednesday. I don't remember the last time both my wife and I had a day off work and spent it doing nothing. We're still new to parenting and we both have crazy work schedules so we decided to hit the park... where we spent a lot of time when we were dating and lived a lot loss hectic lives.

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/1457/mia023.jpg

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/1279/mia012.jpg

Great pics! Two good lookin people there!!!

[Randall Flagg]

Hey Jerome !! Looks like your beard worked -- Giants going to the World Series! Congratulations !!!
Wait till you see me with an orange faux Mohawk.

[Daghain]

Nice pics! That park looks lovely!

[biomieg]

Looking good, guys!

[Randall Flagg]

As promised:

Fear The Beard! Go Giants!

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/2892/img1798n.jpg

[Daghain]

OMG AWESOME!!!! :clap:

[Patrick]

:lol: You're killing me, Jerome.


WeDealInLead, lovely photos of you and your wife. It's great that you two took a day off to decompress and reconnect. :thumbsup:

[turtlex]

As promised:

Fear The Beard! Go Giants!

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/2892/img1798n.jpg

All about the WIN !!! :clap: I love it !

[Nerak]

As promised:

Fear The Beard! Go Giants!

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/2892/img1798n.jpg

:rock::rock::rock:

[Sir_Boomme]

Nice Brice! Love the dooo!

I found out last night that Zombies...do indeed have balls.
Went to Austin's Zombie Ball 2010
see some of my artsy Halloweenie pics here:
Boomme Horror-ble Zombie Ball photos! (http://www.thedarktower.org/palaver/showthread.php?p=564330#post564330)

I went as the Anti-Santi...
Here I am chewing on my Stocking stuffer (I've always been a leg man)

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj13/sir_boomme/myartscans/antisanti.jpg

BTW, That's a worm crawling out of my cheek.

[Randall Flagg]

Outstanding costume.

[Room 217 Caretaker]

Dear Santa

Does mint jelly come with that Leg of Man?

Great pictures. Look forward to seeing more from the Zombie Ball

Mulleins
Cumberland VA

[Daghain]

Awesome! :clap:

[e_taylor]

Last Wednesday. I don't remember the last time both my wife and I had a day off work and spent it doing nothing. We're still new to parenting and we both have crazy work schedules so we decided to hit the park... where we spent a lot of time when we were dating and lived a lot loss hectic lives.

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/1457/mia023.jpg

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/1279/mia012.jpg

Springbank right near the dam? I practically lived there when I was younger!

[CRinVA]

My grandson's 1st Halloween!

Tommy, My Little Dinosaur!
http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/medium/Tommy_and_Pumpkin_2.jpg

Molly gives Tommy a little Kiss!
http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/medium/Tommy_and_Molly.jpg

[jhanic]

Beautiful!

John

[Nerak]

sooo cute! I forgot to put the pics of my kids on the travel drive...maybe tomorrow...

[Patrick]

Cute little dinosaur you have there, Bob!

I posted this in another forum here, but since most of you guys never get out of the Corner...

- - -

Here are some Halloween rugrats:

Little one on Friday, not fully costumed:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j158/JHPatrick/Miscellaneous/102910RiverFallFest08c.jpg

Her older brothers on Saturday night at the Aquarium members party:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j158/JHPatrick/Miscellaneous/103010MBAParty05c.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j158/JHPatrick/Miscellaneous/103010MBAParty13c.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j158/JHPatrick/Miscellaneous/103010MBAParty16c.jpg

(That is a diver in an eerie costumed wetsuit in the tank behind him.)

Little sister in her dalmation costume. Woof.
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j158/JHPatrick/Miscellaneous/103110Halloween06c.jpg

[jhanic]

:thumbsup:

John

[Room 217 Caretaker]

Very nice. Thank you both for sharing.

[Daghain]

So much cute!

[Nerak]

too cute!!!

[Nerak]

http://i856.photobucket.com/albums/ab129/kymatty/p11749ta102763_18.jpg
The Family

http://i856.photobucket.com/albums/ab129/kymatty/p11749ta102763_17.jpg
The Kids

http://i856.photobucket.com/albums/ab129/kymatty/p11749ta102763_1_0.jpg
The only shot we could get with Gabe wearing his glasses (pita)

[jhanic]

Nice, Karen!

John

[turtlex]

Karen, those are great!! Beautiful family!

[Randall Flagg]

Halloween at the Smith house:

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/2287/img1804t.jpg

[Nerak]

Thanks John and Pam! :nana:

[jhanic]

WOW, Rick! A lot of work there (and very nicely done!)

John

[turtlex]

Halloween at the Smith house:

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/2287/img1804t.jpg

Holy smokes, that's impressive!

[Nerak]

That is pretty coolio!! :thumbsup:

[Daghain]

Nice pics, Karen! And Jerome, the yard looks GREAT!

[Patrick]

Thanks, guys.

Karen, the family looks great. That photo in the middle cracks me up!

I guess we should all have expected Jerome's yard to look fantastic for Halloween! :thumbsup:

[Nerak]

Thanks Dags and Patrick! That pic is wicked funny, that's why I love it!

[CRinVA]

Just downloaded some pics off my camera and just had to post this one! Christmas afternoon with my grandson Tommy.

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/medium/0156.JPG

and this one where he gets his first signed baseball - my boys get a signed ball for christmas every year. So Tommy will be getting a signed "rookie" baseball for christmas every year now - this one is Mike Stanton of the Marlins! His daddy, my son-in-law is a Marlins fan so he's a happy camper too!

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/medium/01112.JPG

[Tito_Villa]

That's one happy camper! :D

[carlosdetweiller]

Very cute. I wish I had a signed ball for each of my Chrismases. That would be a lot of signed balls!

[CRinVA]

You and me both Bob - personally I own One signed ball - My kids gave me a Signed (Steiner Authenticated) Mariano Rivera for Christmas this year. their original idea was to get Mickey mantle but those don't come cheap - most authentic ones are well voer $500 each. As it is I know they payed premium for the Rivera ball.

My boys each have about a dozen or so signed balls. Brett got a David Cone this year and Bryan got Phillip Hughes! Tommy actually got two as his Dad got him another rookie ball for Christmas - Austin Jackson. So Tommy is less than a year old and has two signed balls already!!!!! I am definitley jealous.

[carlosdetweiller]

One of the nice things about Mariano Rivera is that his signature is always perfectly legible. He takes his time on every signature. Congratulations on a signed ball by a can't miss first ballot Hall of Famer!

[Patrick]

Cute grandson, Bob, and a sweet gift tradition!

[debungsmere]

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs029.ash2/34801_10150365125080447_821300446_16478083_5177107 _n.jpg

Picture of me and my wife at my cousin's wedding over the holiday's. I post this because my wife is more beautiful than my book collection :)

[Randall Flagg]

Picture of me and my wife at my cousin's wedding over the holiday's. I post this because my wife is more beautiful than my book collection :)
I agree. She's quite fetching-you are a fortunate man.

[Sir_Boomme]

Picture of me and my wife at my cousin's wedding over the holiday's. I post this because my wife is more beautiful than my book collection :)





i'll trade ya a lettered dark tower gunslinger for her.:excited:

:rofl:

quite beautiful indeed!:thumbsup:

[Patrick]

You both make a fine looking couple!

[willie3]

http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo351/willie3karl/SoA_Ep303_0117.jpg

Sons of Anarchy Season 3 on FX
Bachman arrives to dispose of a body.

Karl

[willie3]

http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo351/willie3karl/SoA_Ep303_0382.jpg

One more Bachman picture from SoA.
Karl

[willie3]

Stuck In Chattanooga Tennessee due to snow.
Figured I would share a couple of photos.

The next couple are from my motorcycle trip back in August.
Sorry for the late posting, and thanks to Jerome for pointing us in the right direction when we passed through San Francisco.

Karl

[willie3]

http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo351/willie3karl/CherylKarl1edit.jpg

[Erin]

Gorgeous view, willie....where are you at?

[willie3]

http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo351/willie3karl/CherylIHeadshotBikeedit.jpg

Taken by myself at a stop light so the Boss would quit sticking the camera in my face as I was trying to drive.
Actually thought it came out pretty good....

Karl

[willie3]

Gorgeous view, willie....where are you at?

That one was in Montana.
One of the most beautiful states we went through, along with Idaho.

We rode 8812 miles through 26 states in 27 days.

Karl