Postcard from Mark

                                                               California, Missouri.

I'm a truck mechanic.  I don't do tractors. 

Was a machine operator for nine years in Los Angeles.  Got laid off, moved to Missouri and the wife's family farm. 

Farmed until her father passed away.  Didn't see eye to eye with mother-in-law and started working here. 

Change is too sceary for some people - me - I like it.  I've lived in fifteen different states.

Postcard from Evangelist Larry

                                                                       Washington, Indiana.

There are many things in life that vex you with fear.  Death and the solemen events leading up to it are some of the main scources of fear. 

You can escape the rude and violent shock of death by turning from your sins and confessing them to Jesus Christ.  Ask Christ to forgive you and cleanse you from all sin.  Pray and believe Him to do it now.  Give your life completely to Him as you pray. 

Once God has forgiven and cleansed you, you will never again have to fear death or what is beyond the grave.  Death will lose its sting, and the grave will not be able to keep you from raising up to be forever with the Lord.

Postcard from Gary and Rick

                                                     Brownstown, Indiana.

Been in the Agra business as a trucker for another elevator in Seymour. Only been on this job for a week -- Gary

Moved back to Brownstown in 1992 and bought the grain elevator.  Sell mostly bird food, dog food and horse feed.  There are a lot of horse people in the area. -- Rick

Postcard from Reuben

                                                                       Fayetteville, Ohio

Been making these sticks for the last fourteen years.  I worked for Celtex from 1946 to 1987, making roofing.  Never done much woodworking until I retired from a job that demanded production.  You need to take your time to do something right.  Do that and it will sell.  When I started doing this, I said I would not hurry, that I would take my time.  That's what I do.  Don't sell a lot of them, but that's O.K.

Monday Morning Coffee: Take 11 - New Tool

Will take a break from the postcards and introduce a new tool in the camera bag.  After much reflection and reading, decided to move into a different format - micro four thirds with a crop factor of 2x.  That means a a 50mm lens for a 35mm camera becomes a 100mm lens on a 4/3 camera.  This is great for telephoto images but not so great for wide angle photographs - you need a 7mm lens to obtain a 14mm wide angle photograph.  Since most - if not all - of the recent images are 28mm and above, should not be too great a problem.  Let me introduce you to the Panasonic MDC G3 camera. 

Leica, Nikon, Canon and Pentax usually come to mind when thinking about cameras.  Sony and Panasonic usually mean electronics - TV's, radios.   Times are changing.  Today's cameras are more like computers.  Today's cameras are not analog.  They are electronic.

The G3 has a weight of less the one pound - including the 14-42mm kit lens.  While the Nikon 300 with 18-200mm lens - my usual combination - weights more than 3 pounds!  Enough said! 

As shown above the G3 fits on a CD case with room left over.  The most important question: Image quality?  Up to the Nikon?  To find an answer, took a walk about photographing familiar Richmond locations.

                                                                  County Court House

                                                      Along Main Street

                                                      Favorite Alley

                                                     Downtown Sidewalk

                        Local Church

Based on these images, the G3 produces clear, sharp and "good" color images.  This camera/lens combination is a winner.  The Panasonic G3 will continue to be in the camera line-up.  My back says GREAT.

Postcard from Gary

                                                             McArthur, Ohio

Only 22 working days before retirement at 53 - can't wait.  There have been three murders in Vinton County in the last year.  All three murders are outsiders.  There hasn't been a local murder crime for 30 years.  One was a wife and husband fight.  Husband drives off on the lawn mower and the wife knocks him off with a truck.  He gets up and she runs over him.

Postcard from Chad

                         Coolville, Ohio

It used to be stock car meant one thing.  But guys streched the rules.  Created what was a modified jig car.  No stock frame but just a tubular chassis and a thin sheet of metal.  In the late seventies they added a wedge nose.  Most use a 75-85 chop block Chevy Malibu engine with a hand made back end.  Brakes, tires and suspension are chosen for the track.  About 30 thousand dollars in each car.