PORTraits Photo Contest - rules & prizes

[Ray Barnes]

Thank you Andy, I will give that a try later today. :)
Ray

[Andy Velebil]

I just uploaded a TON of pictures, mostly from the 2006 and 2007 Harvest Trip, as well as some offline ones too.

[Ray Barnes]

Good luck to you too Andy. It looks like Roy's hope for having the photo archive expanded through this contest will be achieved. Perhaps there should be a sideline competition for who can upload the most pictures with a separate prize, subject to the winner being able to answer a skill-testing question in Latin.

Santaxman

[Ray Barnes]

Thanks Andy I am now in the contest. Must say I like your recent submissions to the gallery very much as well. :)

[Ray Barnes]

I understand the results of the judges' votes are going to be tabulated by the firm of Titus Canbe, CPAs, and verified by the law offices of Wee, Cheetham & Howe.

[Roy Hersh]

Congratulations Ray on your first uploads. Glad you were able to figure it out!

[Andy Velebil]

Ray
that pic is making me hungry!

[Ray Barnes]

Thank you Roy and Andy. I neglected to mention the food items are provolone and aged cheddar cheese, smoked almonds, Ferraro Rocher truffles, and even a couple of candy bars discreetly sliced for the purpose of some modicum of elegance. The bottle of Crasto DOC Douro is of course empty - since it is now time for dessert. My mother supplied the starfish and other beach-related items.

I will be celebrating my 47th birthday on Dec 22nd - and fully intend to have a display very much like this one and get a few people to try some madeira for most likely the very first time. If it takes the enticement of something familiar to approach something that may not be as such, then so be it. :) I did not see a category in the archives where all 3 types of Portugal wine are integrated into one photo - so had to classify it as "from my (very humble) cellar."

My wife had a very good time arranging this, it was a nice break from all she is going through.

Ray

[Andy Velebil]

I just uploaded a bunch more...some really funny candid ones in there.

[Ray Barnes]

I will check those out Andy thank you. Humour is always welcome to me. My earlier post has also been edited after further consideration.

Greater Vancouver BC is seeing its first snowfall of the winter season. I hope Roy and Glenn are not getting pummeled by the elements. As for Todd and Mahmoud in Edmonton, I hope you will get through the polar conditions (-30C in the daytime) safely. Brr!

Ray

[Glenn E.]

Not yet, we aren't. But the daytime high on Monday is supposed to be 30 degrees, with overnight lows of 25 the night before and 20 the night after. We're supposed to get snow on Saturday and Sunday, too.

Doesn't really bother me, though... I grew up in Nebraska. If you could see the "No Parking" signs along the street, that was a sign of spring.

[Ray Barnes]

LMAO at Glenn's post.. good grief!

[Roy Hersh]

I love cold and snow even more so. I had my annual Seattle Tasting Group year end dinner tomorrow night. A bottle of the 1944 Niepoort Colheita was to be opened, amongst some amazing gems from Germany, Burgundy, the Veneto region, No. Rhone and finally, Bordeaux. I was ready to cook up a storm. And instead, the Seattle Storm (no relation to our women's basketball team) has caused the group to agree to postpone. Intense winds of up to 80 miles/hr. are expected and snow ranging from 4-8 inches will blanket and paralyze the region as we have nary a snow plow in the entire city of Seattle, except the airport. Amazing and far reaching vision here.

So I just pulled out a bottle of Pinot and Port for snuggling close with the family in anticipation of a typical power outage once the storm gets going. Last time it was four days without.

The good news ... I have a back up battery for my computer, so I will be able to have 3 hours or so of online time if need be, plus two from an old computer.

I am excited as there are virtually 3 and a half days left of PORTraits!

Good luck everyone and get your photos in this weekend!!!!! Don't miss your chance at some great prizes.

[Roy Hersh]

LESS THAN 48 HOURS LEFT. ARE YOUR BEST SHOTS ALREADY UPLOADED? IF NOT, YOU BETTER HURRY. I CAN'T WAIT TO START PERUSING THESE CRITICALLY FOR PRIZE SELECTION.

[Ray Barnes]

In the interest of fairness and equanimity, there will be prizes distributed, with or without the approval of the recipients, for the worst 5 pictures of the competition, as follows:

5th prize - being replaced at your place of employment or business by the coalition

4th prize - a lifetime supply of John Tesh, Yanni, Burl Ives and Zamfir CDs

3rd prize - 2 cases of corked 1983 Cockburn's Vintage Port

2nd prize - 5 years of sales and/or income tax audits

and the grand loser shall receive:

1st prize - 2009 Season's Tickets to any Seattle sports franchise

[Ray Barnes]

In the event of a tie, both prizes shall be awarded to each recipient, along with 8 rounds with Manny Pacquiao.

[Roy Hersh]

His complete domination of Oscar de la Hoya, and fists of fury that literally dismantled Oscar's career, convinced me that being in the ring with Manny is not where I want to be.

[Ray Barnes]

I watched that bout last night and would agree with that. If I was one of the poor unfortunate souls to win that privilege, I doubt very much if I will be participating in any further contests.

This is of course all in jest.

[Roy Hersh]

The CONTEST is officially over now. Thanks to all of you who participated in adding your photos to increase the gallery Good luck and soon enough the winners will be rewarded with their prizes, announced first in the next newsletter.

Please continue to expand our gallery, especially with bottle/label shots of all the Port, Madeira and Douro wines you consume!

and