Sticky: Violence UnSilenced Does it Again

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The 2010 Bloggies

Voting Ends Today! Fresh on the heels of its win as a 2009 Diamond In The Rockpile it seems that Violence UnSilenced has been named a finalist for a real award. VU is one of the 5 finalists in the Best Community Blog category of the 2010 Bloggies.

Maggie had this to say on the subject over at VU, and I can't think of anything I'd want to add to her thoughts. It's an honor for Violence UnSilenced, but more than that, it's validation for all those courageous ones who tell their stories there.

After the last *ahem* campaign for a major award, I'm not much up for an encore. So I'm gonna leave this post here until voting closes January 31st and let it go at that. If you're inclined to vote, click on the image over there and scroll waaaay down on the right until you find the category Best Community Blog. Click the radio button for VU and scroll waaay down to the right again. There's a word verification form and you'll need to enter your email address. Then submit your vote. You'll get a confirmation email sent to the address you specified, with a link that you'll have to click to verify your vote. (Which will keep things a lot more honest than... ahem... "other" such contests.) I don't know if multiple votes are allowed or not, but there's nothing that says they're not. So feel free to try it and tell the rest of us.

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Thematic Photographic 86: "Water In Any Form" v.4.0 - A Rarity For Around Here

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"Paging Mr. Damocles. Your Party is Waiting."
Raleigh, NC - January 2000 (Click to embiggen)

 Hosted by Written Inc.

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By now you've probably heard me say that the word "Raleigh" is Cherokee for "It don't never snow here". And the fact is that I'm writing this on Thursday night and it's a balmy 50° outside at almost 11 PM. Word on the street (or the Weather Channel anyway) is, though, that all that's about to change drastically in the next 24 hours. The forecast is calling for snow, sleet and general unpleasantness starting Friday night and continuing through Saturday. With temperatures that threaten to keep it around longer than the usual 24-36 hours it usually lasts on those rare occasions we get any at all. Last time that happened was about this time of year back in 2000. And that is something the folks 'round these parts who were on hand to witness it will be talking about for a generation or two. It's generally referred to as "The Blizzard of 2000" and you may have heard that term on this blog a few times if you've been hanging around here long enough. Now in some parts of the world 22 inches of snow is all in a day's work. But here it was history in the making. And there were some pretty deadly-looking stalactites hanging off my roof for several days. These weren't the deadly ones -- yet. Here they were just starting to form. Before they were done the biggest of them were a good 2 or 3 inches in diameter at the base and 2 feet long. The impending storm isn't predicted to have nearly this kind of impact, but as I recall... neither was this one. Stay tuned. If my power stays on I may be bringing you more of this (almost) live.

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Welcome To Machines #15

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"Harrowing Experience"
Jacksonville, NC - December 2008 (Click to embiggen)

Welcome To Machines Saturdays on Why? What Have You Heard?

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Macro Monday #48: Tiny Purple Flowers

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"No, I Don't Know What These Are Either"
Raleigh, NC - September 2009 (Click to embiggen)

 Hosted at Lisa's Chaos

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Single Lens Reflex #17: "Hands"

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"Reach Out, Reach Up"
Greensboro, NC - October 2009 (Click to embiggen)

Single Lens Reflex Sundays on Why? What Have You Heard?

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The World in Black & White: 1.31.2010

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"Do you also say 'Froderick'?"
Durham, NC - October, 2009 (Click to embiggen)
To see more from the WBW Community of Bloggers, visit The World in Black & White

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One Single Impression: Blowing The Curve

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Blowing The Curve
I thought to audit,
To observe and learn
Perhaps contribute a thought or two.
But there were only seats enough
For the for-credit students.

Perhaps, then, next semester
(Or my next life)
When the class is not so full.

I watched as others
Matriculated with good grades
And moved on
Happy with their choices

Perhaps next semester
(Or my next life)
When I'm better prepared

Did they get younger
These eager students?
Did they regress
As I stayed still?
Or did I wait too long?

Perhaps next semester
(Or my next life)
If I can get financial aid.

I thought this was as good as it gets
Grading everything on a curve
Then you taught me
It only takes one perfect score
And the curve is moot.

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Got a thought on this? Visit One Single Impression

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Thematic Photographic 86: "Water In Any Form" v.3.0 - Lookin' Over Jordan

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"And What Did I See?"
Morrisville, NC - July 2009 (Click to embiggen)

 Hosted by Written Inc.

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It's debatable whether this shot is more about the water or the golden light of sunset reflected in it. But either way, it's a scene I'm glad I captured.

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TTL #18: "Pilgrim Shadow"

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"Ride, Boldly Ride"
North Topsail Beach, NC - July 2009 (Click to embiggen)

TTL Saturdays on Why? What Have You Heard?

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Monochrome Weekly #70: Workshop On The Corner

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"Fixing what, who knows?"
Raleigh, NC - November 2009 (Click to embiggen)

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The World in Black & White: 1.30.2010

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"Closed"
Raleigh, NC - November, 2009 (Click to embiggen)
To see more from the WBW Community of Bloggers, visit The World in Black & White

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Eighteen Percent Gray #15

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"Don't Look Down"
Morrisville, NC - July 2009 (Click to embiggen)

Eighteen Percent Gray Saturdays on Why? What Have You Heard?

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Extra! Extra! Manx Faerie Secret Agent Celebrates Birthday!

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Click and hold to douse the lights

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Who's our mystery guest? Well if you ask her, she doesn't actually exist. And for a while late last year I was beginning to worry that she might have been right! Babooshka, International Woman of Mystery, who's known to haunt the seaside town of Ramsey on the Isle of Man (and The Swan, one of its better known pubs) has crossed the start finish line on her latest lap in the Life on Earth TT (if you don't get it, it's okay. She will.) Always behind the camera, we might catch a faint reflection of her in her many photos on Ramsey Daily Photo but if you do, it's an accident. Not that it matters, mind you. Her work behind the camera more than makes up for her absence in front of it. Go visit Ramsey and you'll see the striking, craggy Manx coastline, the searing motorbikes of the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy races (and practices!) The Swan pub and the now-legendary Ramsey Swing Bridge (from -- at last count -- 24 different views... on the way to 100). And all this brought to you with an often satirical, occasionally irreverent, and always flamboyant style that's uniquely Babs. So hop on over there and have a look around. Don't worry, she'll keep the faerie folk from making off with ya.

Happy Birthday Babs, and many more. (And sorry love, but I nicked one of your swing bridge shots for the background in your card. Well it's not like I could exactly ask first, now could I? It was suppose to be a buggerin' surprise fer pity's sake!)

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Shutterday #62: Theme 154 - "Special Places"

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"Topsail Island"
Surf City, NC - December 2009 (Click to embiggen)
Next week's theme: "Friends"

 This image and others available for sale at my RedBubble Site!

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Photo Hunt #64: "Spotted"

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"Mr. Pants"
Jacksonville, NC - December 2008 (Click to embiggen)
Next Week's Challenge: "Average"

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Thematic Photographic 86: "Water In Any Form" v.2.0 - Rime On The Mountain

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"Rock Candy It Ain't"
Blowing Rock, NC - February 2001 (Click to embiggen)

 Hosted by Written Inc.

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When Carmi introduced this theme, a couple of the suggestions he made were ice and fog. Here we have both. Known variously as "hoar frost" or "rime icing" (and probably other things I've never heard) this phenomenon occurs when fog -- or a low flying cloud -- meets a supercooled air mass. The sudden drop in temperature squeezes the moisture out of the wet air, freezing it almost as fast as it precipitates. And it collects rock candy style on everything around. In this case it transformed a few strands of horsehair and a barbed wire fence into art. This is a fairly light deposit, but I've seen photos of rime icing several feet thick and sculpted by high winds into shapes that would rival anything in the Painted Desert. Whatever form it takes, it's an inspiring thing to see. Nature as artist.

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Photographically Challenged #32: Table For One

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"Better make it a light breakfast"
North Topsail Beach, NC - July 2009 (Click to embiggen)

Photographically Challenged Fridays on Why? What Have You Heard?

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The World in Black & White: 1.29.2010

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"Waiting"
Wake Forest, NC - October, 2009 (Click to embiggen)
To see more from the WBW Community of Bloggers, visit The World in Black & White

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The World in Black & White: 1.28.2010

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"Take A Load Off"
Greensboro, NC - October, 2009 (Click to embiggen)
To see more from the WBW Community of Bloggers, visit The World in Black & White

 This image and others available for sale at my RedBubble Site!

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