****MAY CONTEST SUGGESTIONS THREAD****

[JeffR]

Fire away!

I'll follow the blueprint for last month's contest and propose we keep this thread open until Friday afternoon or until we have 10 suggestions. I'll put up a poll on Friday, April 28. I'm going up the country on Saturday, and aim to be back Sunday evening, so I'll keep voting open until 9 PM EST on April 30.

I'm figuring on a submissions thread by May 15, walking the tried-and-true path of previous contests.

If anyone has any qualms about this timeframe, or can suggest a better way to do things, I'm all ears.

I'll put forward a suggested theme of my own, adapted from an idea by my brilliant and beautiful wife, NanceGreggs, but I reserve the right to withdraw it if there are 10 other suggestions I think are better!

Ain't That America
Pretty open-ended, but submissions should be a direct reflection of or comment on America as a concept, ideal or living reality. This could run the gamut from patriotism to criticism.

Over to y'all...!

:patriot:

[CC]

1. I'm throwing that

Something Old back in the suggestion box.

[regnaD kciN]

2. Maybe I should suggest...

...Tulip Fields of Skagit County. :evilgrin:

[FM Arouet666]

3. I like it, but your last photo wins again. ;)

[regnaD kciN]

21. "Ain't that America" would be a better topic for July, IMHO...

...to coincide with Independence Day. Last year, someone suggested "Patriotism" that month, but I think yours would work better.

[JeffR]

24. You're right about July, so

I'll take the idea off the table for the May poll. So if I'm counting correctly (doubtful) there are 8 suggestions so far.

I think your tongue-in-cheek tulip idea is great for this time of year, though the Skagit County stipulation will have to be broadened.

[regnaD kciN]

27. Maybe we should just designate it as the July contest topic...

...and have the June winner host the August contest?

Of course, that would mean we'd have to find someone who could host the July contest. Probably, in the interest of fairness, we might try to find a couple of members to co-host, and waive the provision about the host not being allowed to submit an entry of their own. (I'd normally offer to host that contest, but that would be the third time in eight months, and I think that would be a bit much.)

[JeffR]

29. A bit much only if it's too much for you

I can't see that anyone would complain about your stewardship.

[Samurai_Writer]

4. I second the Something Old, and raise you...

"American History"

[priller]

5. I'll suggest "night photos" again

It'll give me an excuse to practice them.

[TahitiNut]

6. "Motherhood"?

:shrug:

[regnaD kciN]

22. I foresee...

...lots of photos of momcats and kittens! ;-)

[TahitiNut]

28. Better they compete head-to-head and split the "Awwwww..." vote

... than come up against an Ansel Adams sky shot. :evilgrin:

[bikebloke]

7. Bodies of water

Rivers, lakes, ponds creeks or oceans. Or would that bump out folk living in the interior?

[NV Whino]

8. Naw

Think: bathtub.

[Whoa_Nelly]

9. Bodies of water, maybe more inclusive to have

anything water...reflections, spray, puddles, kids in the tub...

[Blue_In_AK]

10. Hey, I LIKE that one.

Water, I can do. :) Really, any of these is fine with me, except American history might be a little tricky, but I could probably come up with something.

[Whoa_Nelly]

11. Landscape...panorama

Landscape and/or panoramic photos to show depth of field

[JeffR]

12. That'll make the poll but

It almost sounds like 2 ideas (which would be fine too). Should I phrase this is Lanscape and/or Panoramic?

[JeffR]

13. Or would you prefer spelling it

Landscape, unlike my spelling above?
:blush:

[Whoa_Nelly]

14. ROFL I had to use Spellcheck in my post...made the same mistake

Am thinking just Landscape. As for those entering the contest it could just be more of an opportunity to hone photo skills by working on depth of field and/or panoramic shots.

[JeffR]

15. Landscape it is

Though "Lanscape" would give people a chance to photograph their routers, network adapters and modems. Great for the techies.

[Whoa_Nelly]

16. Yard Art

There are people who put out some of the weirdest yard art on their properties. I've traveled over many miles through many states, and it seems to be pretty ubiquitous and not limited to certain parts of the country and/or neighborhoods.

[Blue_In_AK]

17. Yard art like my next-door neighbors' vast collection

of rusted and inoperable vehicles (un)tastefully displayed all over their property, you mean? :mad: They don't make fences high enough...

ed. I feel compelled to share.

Their front yard from my window:


Their back yard:


and this is after they spent the weekend "cleaning" it up. Fundy Mormons with eight kids, who ALWAYS have yard signs up supporting the wrong candidates. My cross to bear, I guess.

[Whoa_Nelly]

18. Awww...sorry you have to have that in your neighborhood

Can understand your anger over that. :hug:

But, am sure you know I meant yard art as the way people try to aesthectically "improve" their properties. Some of it can be bizarre, and some is so downright insane, it's funny, (as in "to laugh").

[Blue_In_AK]

19. Thanks for the sympathy, Whoa...

I'm just sitting here anxiously awaiting the leafing out of the trees so that some of this hideousness is obscured. We have wildly out-of-control bushes growing between our two properties in front, but we refuse to trim them because they serve to conceal this obnoxious scene, at least in the summertime.

But, yes, of course, I know what kind of yard art you mean, and I can think of a perfect example of it not too far away from here. It too is best in the summertime when the flowers are blooming in all of their odd containers, but I could probably still capture the flavor of it even this early in the season.

[Whoa_Nelly]

20. Am wondering if there are unlicensed vehicles of any kind their property

That you, (anonymously, of course), could report it to DMV. Here, and in NV where I used to live, unregistered/unlicensed vehicles could be reported as blight.

Do they own or rent the property?

This also sounds like a safety and/or pest problem. All sorts of critters that are detrimental to humans like to take up residence in abandoned cars.

Anyway...just seems to me there should be some sort of ordinance that would require these people to clean out the vehicle trash and/or pay fines.

[Blue_In_AK]

23. "Critters detrimental to humans..."

Funny story - a few years ago a burglar tried to enter through my daughter's bedroom window at 2:00 in the morning. We were all still up luckily, but my neighbor on the other side saw the guy trying to get in and called the police. They were here very quickly and came running after the kid, chasing him around the back of my house and into the junky neighbors' yard. He attempted to hide in the wheel well of one of the old trucks, laying himself down flat on top of the tire -- a pretty good hiding place, except that the cops had a dog, which ended up pulling the kid out by his leg. I was told later by the victims' advocate that he had to show up in court for his arraignment in a wheelchair because the dog tore his leg all up. I guess THAT'll teach him. haha.

So, yes, critters have taken up residence in the old cars in the past.

Your idea is a good one, and we've considered it, but I just really hate to hassle neighbors, even ones as trashy as this. Unfortunately (or fortunately, I guess), they're basically pretty nice people, even if they are fundies. Sometimes I wish they were assholes so I could harass them about their mess without feeling bad.

[Whoa_Nelly]

25. When it comes to property values

seems it should more business rather than about emotions.

But, am glad you do get along with your neighbors regardless of their fundamentalist beliefs. You are very nice....nicer than I would be :D

When it comes to neighbors, it can make for difficult choices in choosing battles. :hug:

[intheflow]

26. Highways, byways, and pathways

I got a million of 'em!

[JeffR]

30. May theme poll now up!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=280x15407