# Confrontation in front of the Supreme Court, Washington, DC



## The_Traveler




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## 2WheelPhoto

Epic capture


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## The_Traveler

By 8:45  it was so crowded, I could hardly get through the people. - and very cold.
80% of my shots had elbows, arms, heads intruding.


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## oldhippy

Great shot, captures a lot of emotion


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## runnah

Good stuff! 


I have the same outfit.


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## Derrel

EXCELLENT shot Lew! Very good for a protest shot!


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## Ballistics

It's a shame that political discussion isn't allowed on a political picture. This thread would easily go 1000 posts lol.
Great shot.


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## The_Traveler

Ballistics said:


> It's a shame that political discussion isn't allowed on a political picture. This thread would easily go 1000 posts lol.
> Great shot.



On another site where discussion is allowed but civility reigns (Nikongear.com) there was/is a lively and interesting discussion. 
Here is the link Confrontation outside the Supreme Court - Photojournalism & Street Photography - Nikongear ; that may be a publicly available section of this subscriber site.


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## amolitor

Awesome shot. The shot doesn't need any discussion, it stands just fine by itself. What we read into it depends on where we stand on the issue, and that's part of what makes it truly excellent. Discussing what we're read into it would only be revealing our own stances, and would say nothing about the image.


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## imagemaker46

This is a great news photo, nicely done.


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## The_Traveler

amolitor said:


> Awesome shot. The shot doesn't need any discussion, it stands just fine by itself. What we read into it depends on where we stand on the issue, and that's part of what makes it truly excellent. *Discussing what we're read into it would only be revealing our own stances, and would say nothing about the image*.



Absolutely true.
I think this kind of picture serves a purpose for an individual viewer, in bringing up feelings and letting the individual examine those feelings to understand where his/her own biases,prejudices might affect his/her own judgement.


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## jwbryson1

The_Traveler said:


>




It's a shame you shot this in black & white.  The outfit on the guy wearing sunglasses is _*FABUL*__*OUS*__*!!

*_Here is the full color version!_*

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/03/26/187009/outside-supreme-court-supporters.html
*_


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## HughGuessWho

What a excellent catch. Such emotion. A story in one single picture. Great job, as always.


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## amolitor

jwbryson1 said:


> It's a shame you shot this in black & white.  The outfit on the guy wearing sunglasses is _*FABUL*__*OUS*__*!!*_



Heh. But also a good point to bring up - the black and white is a good part of what makes this such an ideologically neutral photograph. I don't know, but I feel like the photograph would be itself taking more of a stance, and being less of a tabula rasa, were it in color.

This is as aspect of color vs. b&w that has never bubbled up in my conscious mind before. Well, not that I remember. Which ain't sayin much these days.


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## jwbryson1

amolitor said:


> jwbryson1 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The_Traveler said:
> 
> 
> 
> It's a shame you shot this in black & white.  The outfit on the guy wearing sunglasses is _*FABUL*__*OUS*__*!!*_
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Heh. But also a good point to bring up - the black and white is a good part of what makes this such an ideologically neutral photograph. I don't know, but I feel like the photograph would be itself taking more of a stance, and being less of a tabula rasa, were it in color.
> 
> This is as aspect of color vs. b&w that has never bubbled up in my conscious mind before. Well, not that I remember. Which ain't sayin much these days.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> I don't disagree.  Just trying to be funny and get a laugh or two.  Maybe a "like"...I'm trying to catch Bitter...
Click to expand...


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## The_Traveler

It was shot in color but converted just because, as Andrew said, the color subverts the impact.
Color attracts the eye and, in many cases, changes the mood from neutral to festive.


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## Ballistics

amolitor said:


> The shot doesn't need any discussion, it stands just fine by itself.



Would you stop with your one track mindedness once in a while? Stop posing your opinion as fact all the time. It's obnoxious.


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## amolitor

I'm sorry, IMHO, I will, IMHO, make sure to, IMHO, make it clearer that, IMHO, everything I say is, IMHO, clearly annotated as, IMHO, my opinion. IMHO.

ETA: Actually, of course, I won't. If you can't cope with the way I write, I suggest you use the Ignore feature.


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## Ballistics

amolitor said:


> I'm sorry, IMHO, I will, IMHO, make sure to, IMHO, make it clearer that, IMHO, everything I say is, IMHO, clearly annotated as, IMHO, my opinion. IMHO.



It's not a matter of you clarifying that it is your opinion, it's the fact that you *impose *your opinion on others and are very condescending about it.


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## amolitor

Ballistics said:


> amolitor said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm sorry, IMHO, I will, IMHO, make sure to, IMHO, make it clearer that, IMHO, everything I say is, IMHO, clearly annotated as, IMHO, my opinion. IMHO.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's not a matter of you clarifying that it is your opinion, it's the fact that you *impose *your opinion on others and are very condescending about it.
Click to expand...


What? I impose nothing. This is an internet forum, I have no capacity to *impose *anything on anyone. This nonsense is off-topic and toxic, however. You may have the last word if you choose, I will decline to comment further.


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## tirediron

Enough!  Let's get into an argument over the semantics of sentence composition, okay?


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## nmoody

I was going to ask if you got anything from court gathering Lew. Very awesome shot! Love the confrontation and expression! And I totally agree B&W was the way to go on this one.


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## leeroix

Cool picture. I cant see how this is even an issue in this day and age... Embarrassing actually. Who cares. And why?


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## jwbryson1

I'm in DC too and working at the far end of the National Mall from the SCOTUS, about 2 miles.  I almost walked over there to get some shots since I had my DSLR on me, but I got busy and never had a chance to make it.  Looks like a party!


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## The_Traveler

nmoody said:


> I was going to ask if you got anything from court gathering Lew.



I get the best pictures at events like this from 'eruptions' of emotion and so I look around for situation where I can get that kind of thing and also shoot images specific to that time, hopefully showing against some background that places them. 

There was a real problem here because the sun is rising directly behind the Supreme Court building and there is a very busy street with lots of traffic that prevented me from getting into a good spot (which turned out to be about halfway into the right traffic lane.)

I could get into the street for a couple of shots but even a CPL couldn't keep the pictures from looking a bit washed out from the glare.  There was a Getty photographer whose pictures (on cnn I think) showed the same problem. Limited time, very crowded sight lines, terrible glare-y conditions. A medium overcast would have been great.

Ideally I would have been a few feet out so I could get more of the building and the inscription and still get her in the frame but that was not to be. I got onto the right line and started shooting while moving to get to the right perspective but oncoming traffic scared me back onto the sidewalk and then she moved.


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## RobN185

Love the opening post it is one of those 1000 word images. IMO the story is very clear and very well told.


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## mishele

Awesome shot, Lew!! 
[h=1]March 2013 - Photo of the Month Nomination[/h]


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## nmoody

Yeah I dont see DC driving slowing down much to people on the edge of the roads. I sure wouldnt be able to stand it out.

A lot of emotion in that one too, too bad she moved and you didnt get another shot. There are a lot of things going on in there that grabs my attention, the obvious being the signs but also the upside down flag as shorts. Really odd!


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## Hooligan Dan

Saw this in the photo of the month thread. Absolutely fantastic example of photojournalism.


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## The_Traveler

Hooligan Dan said:


> Saw this in the photo of the month thread. Absolutely fantastic example of photojournalism.



Thanks, Dan.
But I saw the rest of the entries and they were amazing.
A grab shot doesn't get much traction in that field.


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## Steve5D

What the Hell is that guy wearing?


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## cgipson1

The_Traveler said:


>



Love the contrasts and paradoxes you captured there, Lou! Also went and read the thread you posted about... interesting commentary. I agree with everything you said!


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## The_Traveler

Thanks, Charlie.


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## Ilovemycam

Wow!!

Did you have any travel problems shooting in DC with all the crowds?


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## manaheim

Very nice!


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## TATTRAT

OP, your subject was discussed in detail on The Colbert Report last night. There was a pretty good bit featuring him. 

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-co...8-2013/supreme-court-hearings-on-gay-marriage

Great shot! Wish I had the chance to get down there, I am stuck in NW most of the week for work, breaking away is difficult.


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## The_Traveler

Ilovemycam said:


> Wow!!
> 
> Did you have any travel problems shooting in DC with all the crowds?



The crowd was incredibly thick but polite.
I just 'excused me' my way through.


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## Ilovemycam

The_Traveler said:


> Ilovemycam said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow!!
> 
> Did you have any travel problems shooting in DC with all the crowds?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The crowd was incredibly thick but polite.
> I just 'excused me' my way through.
Click to expand...


I mean transportation problems getting there / parking?

Your on the ball. A great role model for us all. Very dedicated to the cam.

I saved the image. When I look at the pix it will remind me to look for photo ops. 

Maisel sums it up...

"If you are out there shooting, things will happen for you. If you&#8217;re not out there, you&#8217;ll only hear about it." ~ Jay Maisel


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## The_Traveler

Ilovemycam said:


> The_Traveler said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ilovemycam said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow!!
> 
> Did you have any travel problems shooting in DC with all the crowds?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The crowd was incredibly thick but polite.
> I just 'excused me' my way through.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I mean transportation problems getting there / parking?
Click to expand...


I'm not crazy enough to drive in DC during a weekday rush hour.
I took the Marc train and parked out at a suburban station.


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## IByte

Mega jealous Traveler but congrats making it down there and fantastic image.


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## The_Traveler

Ilovemycam said:


> When I look at the pix it will remind me to look for photo ops.
> 
> Maisel sums it up...
> 
> "If you are out there shooting, things will happen for you. If you&#8217;re not out there, you&#8217;ll only hear about it." ~ Jay Maisel



Totally true, I think.
I've tried to recruit friends to street shooting but they try a bit and then quit. 
Compared to other niches, the failure rate is enormous.

Fourth of July parade in DC is a great opportunity. Huge numbers of people, perfectly willing to be shot.
If anyone from this area wants to try that, I'd be game.
We could all shoot and then look at each others keepers and post a set of our choice in a thread here.


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## SoonerBJJ

This is a great image.


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## michael9000000

Fantastic photo!

The people with the signs...  Are they from the Westboro Baptist Church?


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## The_Traveler

Thanks, Sooner and Michael.

Yes, Westboro they are.


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## Steve5D

I'm still trying to figure out what the Hell that guy's wearing...


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## amolitor

Steve5D said:


> I'm still trying to figure out what the Hell that guy's wearing...



Mesh shirt, shorts, and some sort of zippered footwear, perhaps a low boot, and some rather dashing mirrored sunglasses.


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## The_Traveler

Nothing that you couldn't find in your local mall.


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## jake337

The_Traveler said:


> Hooligan Dan said:
> 
> 
> 
> Saw this in the photo of the month thread. Absolutely fantastic example of photojournalism.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, Dan.
> But I saw the rest of the entries and they were amazing.
> A grab shot doesn't get much traction in that field.
Click to expand...



Sorry Lew, I wouldn't call this a grab shot at all.  You were there, they were there, but you waited to capture till just the right moment.


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## The_Traveler

This picture seems to be some sort of a litmus test.
I've had a few people get really upset about the mesh-shirt guy, saying why can't he just dress normal, why is he flaunting his different-ness?
That's really the point I think for mesh-shirt guy.
Tolerance of people when they look, dress and act like you isn't too difficult.
My accepting my neighbors (a realtor and an architect) is no big medal for me. 
Acceptance is when people can look and act as different as they want and that is OK with you.

I laughed at this guy because he was intentionally outrageous and he was putting the issue of acceptance right in everybody's face.


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## The_Traveler

I imagine he's wearing what he thinks will make the point obvious to even the most obtuse person.


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## amolitor

Yeah, it's a pretty polarizing photograph, like I said before! That makes it awesome.

It makes people want to express their political positions. I feel the urge myself, but I suppress it, since this is a photography forum.


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## Steve5D

The_Traveler said:


> I imagine he's wearing what he thinks will make the point obvious to even the most obtuse person.



Maybe that's the issue: What point is he trying to make?


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## pixmedic

The_Traveler said:


> I wasn't disagreeing with you.
> I was just making the point that the fact that it occurred outside the Court at that time was secondary and while his behavior may not have been the best for that battle inside, he was fine for what he was doing.



that guy was awesome. I don't even CARE what he was there to do. I have no idea what his train of thought was, what his actual intentions were, what he hoped to accomplish, or if he even meant to accomplish anything at all... he was standing up to the WBC, and being who he was for himself. and that's good enough for me. 

and no matter WHAT the answer to any of those questions are, its STILL a fantastic capture of a pivotal moment in our history, for better or for worse. You were THERE. i'll bet the emotion was so thick in the air you could see, feel, and taste it.


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## runnah

Well honestly people go do whatever they please, guys like that are the spice in this bland meal called life.

But... This goes for anyone trying to make some change to society, a nice suit goes a long way.

You have to assimilate to overtake.


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## molested_cow

I see him as an entertainer. I am entertained.


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## amolitor

Now we're just descending into straight up politics, and I'm guilty too.

Time to knock it off. Political debates are off limits. Plenty of forums for parading your opinions about homosexuality and the courts around elsewhere, this ain't one of them.


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## amolitor

Aaaand now we're gonna get another locked thread. Great work, guys.

Quick, tmj, best you get your last word in.


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## shefjr

If your statement isn't about photography then it doesn't belong in this forum! 
Amolitor I like your new avatar.


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## tmj41765

amolitor said:


> Aaaand now we're gonna get another locked thread. Great work, guys.
> 
> Quick, tmj, best you get your last word in.



I'm done! Everybody have a great day! And I'm very sorry if offended anyone, as I know what it feels like!


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## bentcountershaft

It's a lovely, well executed photograph of a flamboyant character taking the piss out of a hate group.  Well done, Lew.

Better?


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## manaheim

Tmj... I'm going to ask you to back off now. No further comments on politics or religion of any kind.

EDIT: To be more specific... this is a photography forum.  This particular image obviously captures a struggle ongoing right now between two very dedicated (very large) factions of our population.  It will, naturally, bring up emotions... that IS the point of photography.  We are, however, here to share and discuss the photography elements of this image and NOT the politics.  There are PLENTY of other forums for the latter.  If you'd like to discuss those, please go there.

Thank you.


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## manaheim

Everyone drop the politics now, please.

Right now.

No more "last words".  It's done.


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## bentcountershaft

So, uh, what lens did you use, Lew?


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## The_Traveler

bentcountershaft said:


> So, uh, what lens did you use, Lew?


Shot, as 95% of my non-sport pictures are, with the wonderful Nikon 24-70.

In everything but the dimmest places, the D700 and 24-70 combination produces lovely nice images.
I'm not a pixel peeper so any of its faults are transparent to me - except of course the weight and size of the pair.


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## manaheim

The_Traveler said:


> bentcountershaft said:
> 
> 
> 
> So, uh, what lens did you use, Lew?
> 
> 
> 
> Shot, as 95% of my non-sport pictures are, with the wonderful Nikon 24-70.
> 
> In everything but the dimmest places, the D700 and 24-70 combination produces lovely nice images.
> I'm not a pixel peeper so any of its faults are transparent to me - except of course the weight and size of the pair.
Click to expand...


I could almost glue that lens permanently onto my camera and be done.  It's hands-down the best photography money I have ever spent.


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## bentcountershaft

I feel the same way about my 24-70, but it's a Canon.  It easily covers 90% of what I do.


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## The_Traveler

This shot is a 'street shot' and I have been routinely ruminating on street shooting as a niche.

I have started a thread  in Discussion Forum titled  Random Streetshooter's Journal and I hope some of you will add your thoughts.


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## bentcountershaft

Who was the bearded man?


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## mishele

Ok, it's time for the whip to come out. Anymore Bible stuff and we'll see some infractions handed out. Let's get back on topic. Or don't, I would love to use my whip.


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## bentcountershaft

I wasn't talking about Jesus, Mishele.


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## The_Traveler

mishele said:


> Ok, it's time for the whip to come out. Anymore Bible stuff and we'll see some infractions handed out. Let's get back on topic. Or don't, I would love to use my whip.



Oh, yah.

Always that promise and then you're just cuddly and affectionate.


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## mishele

The_Traveler said:


> mishele said:
> 
> 
> 
> Ok, it's time for the whip to come out. Anymore Bible stuff and we'll see some infractions handed out. Let's get back on topic. Or don't, I would love to use my whip.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh, yah.
> 
> Always that promise and then you're just cuddly and affectionate.
Click to expand...

Sshhhh...you'll ruin my image!!


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## rexbobcat

I've been very naughty.  (See previous page)


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## mishele

rexbobcat said:


> I've been very naughty.  (See previous page)


My whip might actually promote bad behavior...lol 
Yes you have, but I'm sure you'll be a good boy now. :mrgreen:


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## manaheim

This is mishele...


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## IByte

mishele said:


> Ok, it's time for the whip to come out. Anymore Bible stuff and we'll see some infractions handed out. Let's get back on topic. Or don't, I would love to use my whip.



Oo ....you couldn't wait to use it couldn't you? lol.


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## SnS

The guy with the horns & fishnet reminds me of a modern day David Lee Roth in many ways. Dressing extreme, acting extreme, just looking to get everybody amped up, and grabbing a whole bunch of attention from many people around him. He would make a great frontman for a Van Halen tribute band.


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## terri

I've cleaned it up as best I can.   Sorry it had to go off the rails, Lew.


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## runnah

terri said:


> I've cleaned it up as best I can.   Sorry it had to go off the rails, Lew.



Yeah you guys no hot button topics!


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