Taken at Swithland Reservoir, Rothley, Leicestershire railings end.

The light was terrible so happy to get these shots.

 

Note

Out of the 4 birds present, they were all said to be ♀'s but I thought one was a 1st Winter ♂. Today 3/11/2021 it has been confirmed 3 ♀'s and a 1st winter ♂.

I have searched my shots to get a ♂ on it's own and change my previous description of ♀ type to ♀ for clarification.

Second assignment for the LUGnuts 75th challenge.

 

Marin Stipkovic told me to build a Mercedes-Benz 190 SL in any color I wanted.

I wanted it in black and red, to match my other large scale Model Team cars (the Ford Fairlane and the Dodge Charger).

 

This one features a knob inside the cabin to turn the front wheels, opening doors and trunk, and easily rolling wheels.

Also included in the trunk is a massive subwoofer for the tunage.

 

Much happier with how this one turned out over the cartastrophy that was my last Model Team build.

   

Rat snakes (or ratsnakes) are members – along with kingsnakes, milk snakes, vine snakes and indigo snakes – of the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae. They are medium to large constrictors and are found throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere. They feed primarily on rodents and birds. With some species exceeding 3 m (10 ft) in total length, they can occupy top levels of some food chains. Many species make attractive and docile pets and one, the corn snake, is one of the most popular reptile pets in the world.[citation needed] Other species can be very skittish and sometimes aggressive, but bites are rarely serious. Like nearly all colubrids, rat snakes pose no threat to humans. Rat snakes were long thought to be completely nonvenomous, but recent studies have shown that some Old World species do possess small amounts of venom (so small as to be negligible to humans).[citation needed]

  

Previously, most rat snakes were assigned to the genus Elaphe, but many have been since renamed following mitochondrial DNA analysis performed in 2002. For the purpose of this article, names will be harmonized with the TIGR Database[clarification needed].

according to the DSM, persecutory delusions are the most common form of delusions in paranoid schizophrenia, where the person believes he/she is being tormented, followed, tricked, spied on, or ridiculed.

 

so, if you suspect that your fortune cookie might tell you to fuck off, it's time to see a psychiatrist!

  

allow me a small digression: usually i don't like using emoticon and/or smileys in my captions, but i've just discoverd the existence of the poe's law, an internet adage which states that, without a clear indicator of the author's intent (e.g. a smiling emoticon), parodies of extreme views will be mistaken by some readers or viewers for sincere expressions of the parodied views. i think in general it might apply to irony and sarcasm as well. so i guess i have to make a clarification.

when i wrote something ironic, i had always assumed that the reader would have understood... but maybe he/she didn't.

so, for the future, you'd better know: 90% of what i say is ironic. but it comes without any smiling emoticon.

but hey, if you expect a "fuck you!" card from your fortune cookie you should see a doctor indeed!

 

196/365

Just a bit of clarification. These herons are fairly common on the bayou when we visit whether it be in the all-white juvenile clothing or the steely blue tones that we see here in this adult version. Their colors vary from a dark gray to an almost pale gray and the colors on the neck and head can be quite varied as well. I’ve seen a very pale plum color all the way to a deep plum tone. I’ve also seen them so dark that they almost look black. They are always beautiful in my opinion and always a treat. They are one of the more approachable birds that I encounter and will walk right up to the canoe if I remain motionless. Noise does not bother them, but movement will frighten them away.

 

I always see them hunting in the shallow waters near the edge of the bayou and they prefer crayfish (here in Texas we call ‘em crawfish as the do in Louisiana) to most other foods. I’ve not ever seen them go after fish, but that doesn’t mean that they will not do that. I’ve also seen them eat spiders and insects as well when they are unable to locate other types of food. They are usually approachable if you move slowly. This one was searching the shallow water edge of the bayou and walked up to me several times before I backed away and let him be.

  

DSC_5215ula

the camera - permanently affixed by some accounts and not entirely disputable - gives this a borgesque feel.

 

(ed. clarification: cyborg - not santo jorge luis...but it does make me think of Borges' Aleph:

 

"The Aleph?" I repeated.

 

"Yes, the only place on earth where all places are -- seen from every angle, each standing clear, without any confusion or blending. "

 

Oyea Turn It Up!

  

Présentation des phénomènes impliqués essence humaine expressive clarifications discours manifestations manifestations empoisonner les âmes privant les libertés,

seddau gelynion goddiweddyd yn fflachio papurau pwysig yn awgrymu rheolau darnau llythyrau gwendid canolbwyntio darganfod corfforol,

nieopublikowana literatura wpłynęła na inspirację cisza ciemność wild symphony's szalunki języki akceptując powody idiotów,

διαυγές μυαλό υψηλές συγκινήσεις που υποδηλώνουν ότι η ακτινοβολία έχει αντιληπτική συνοχή κατωτερότητα καρδιές σύγκρουση ποιητής αναπνοή νόμους αποκαλύψεις αναρωτιούνται,

restes éminents portes secouées pressions mortifications souffrances tornades alternances dépassements distorsions dirigeants maladroits peurs commodes,

知覚できないほどの限界侮辱的な拉致極端な言葉測定範囲オートマトン耐え難い真実アニメ化された操作美しい衝動興奮したノイズ強力な音量の増加.

 

Steve.D.Hammond.

To borrow a phrase from the Catholic Worker movement, laments aid in “clarification of thought.” Whether traditional or newly composed, prayers of lament articulate in precise ways how things have fallen apart. Brought before God, they enable us to see clearly what is wrong, to specify fractures in systems and relationships that destroy us, and to realize ourselves how our lives are barren.

 

Laments empower sufferers to speak for themselves. When we tell how desperate we are, we become actors in the world. No longer passive recipients of pain, we become agents who name and interpret reality. Slowly such speaking may alter our relationship to suffering and release energies to act. Naming suffering before God reclaims human dignity and power that has been trampled and violated. Speaking pain, perhaps repeatedly, “like a broken record,” can move sufferers toward healing, because it brings denial to a halt and enables truth to come to the surface.

-Lamentations and the Tears of the World, Kathleen M. O’Connor

A place to hide, a place of escape, come with me to this little cave of mine, sit by the fire, look in the flames, see them gently caress the ceiling, admire the slow sensual dance, let them tell you stories, revealing the secret of equilibrium, close your eyes, let them tenderly capture your mind and feed your soul, take you to a magic world, a world beyond this, a place unknown to troubles and enlightened by clarification, a place where wisdom replaces irresolution, peacefulness fills your mind, joy enriches your soul and love floods your heart

Ormond Beach Wetlands

Oxnard, California

 

Variegated Meadowhawk dragonfly (I think)

 

As always, any ID correction/clarification is welcome and appreciated.

  

Reino Unido de Gran Bretaña -

Irlanda del Norte - Londonderry - Bogside

 

ENGLISH:

 

The Bogside is a neighbourhood outside the city walls of Derry, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The large gable-wall murals by the Bogside Artists, Free Derry Corner and the Gasyard Féile (an annual music and arts festival held in a former gasyard) are popular tourist attractions. The Bogside is a majority Catholic/Irish republican area, and shares a border with the Protestant/Ulster loyalist enclave of the Fountain.

 

The area has been a focus point for many of the events of the Troubles; in 1969, a fierce three-day battle against the RUC and local Protestants—known as the Battle of the Bogside—became a starting point of the Troubles. Between 1969 and 1972, the area along with the Creggan and other Catholic areas became a no-go area for the British Army and police. Both the Official and Provisional IRA openly patrolled the area and local residents often paid subscriptions to both. On the 30 January 1972, the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association organised a march against internment that was put into effect the year before turned into a blood bath known as Bloody Sunday. The British Parachute Regiment shot dead 14 unarmed protesters and injured 14 more; this resulted in a large surge of recruitment for both wings of the IRA in the city. After Operation Motorman and the end of Free Derry and other no-go areas in Northern Ireland, the Bogside along with the majority of the city experienced frequent street riots and sectarian conflict lasting all the way to the early 1990s. In 1974, the Official IRA declared an end to their armed campaign, and with volunteers on the ground already mad about the ceasefire in mid 1972, that crossed the line to hardliners. In result, Seamus Costello and other socialist militants formed the Irish Republican Socialist Movement. This new movement included the Irish National Liberation Army the paramilitary wing of the IRSM. Derry and particularly the Bogside became one of many strongholds for the INLA; in fact all three volunteers who died in the 1981 Irish hunger strike were from Derry or County Londonderry. The Irish People's Liberation Organisation, a breakaway group of the INLA, made a small but effective presence in Derry engaged in a feud with the INLA in the city along with other areas in Ireland from 1987 to 1992. The feud ended with the Provisionals stepping in and killing the main Belfast leadership while letting the rest of the organisation dissolve in the rest of Ireland. Throughout the rest of the 1990s, the Bogside became relatively peaceful compared to other localities of Northern Ireland at that time such as Belfast, even though street riots were still frequent.

 

Today the Bogside has experienced much change. It has seen minimal[clarification needed] redevelopment compared to other areas in the city but 21st century houses are somewhat known throughout the area. The area is also a stronghold for Dissident Republican activity. The area after the Belfast Agreement has always been known to frequent street riots but the largest since 1998 were the 2011 Northern Ireland riots. The riots took place in other parts of Northern Ireland but in Derry city they were mostly in the Bogside.

 

*******************************************************************************

 

El Bogside (en irlandés, Taobh an bhogaigh) es un vecindario situado más allá de los muros de la ciudad de Londonderry (o Derry), en Irlanda del Norte, con habitantes de mayoría católica republicana. Dicho lugar es comúnmente conocido por haber sido escenario de numerosos sucesos durante el Conflicto de Irlanda del Norte durante los años 60 y 70 del siglo XX, tales como la Batalla del Bogside, el Domingo Sangriento, la Operación Motorman o el establecimiento del "área no-go" conocida como Free Derry.

 

En la actualidad, los grandes murales alusivos a dicha época, realizados por los Artistas del Bogside, la esquina Free Derry y el Gasyard Feile (un festival anual de música y artes) son las atracciones turísticas más importantes.

 

The mountain scops owl (Otus spilocephalus), sometimes referred to as the spotted scops owl, is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is locally common in its main habitat which covers some parts of Asia, including Bangladesh[2] Bhutan, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Taiwan, and Thailand. It has a short high-pitched call similar to the sound a radar[clarification needed] makes.

.

I had uploaded this yesterday, intending to post it to Freitagsblümchen but then never got back to the computer!

 

I had asked one of the garden's groundskeepers if she knew what it was. She rattled off a name that sounded as if it started with 'Dr' or 'Dar' and ending with what sounded like 'nunculus.' She said it grew from a bulb. She was obviously busy so I didn't ask for more clarification. My googling so far hasn't turned up anything.

 

Bud in Maine found the answer. It's common name is Dragon lily. Dracunculus vulgaris.

 

I'd like to head back soon to see if that spike opens up more.

Luftbild von sechs Klärbecken einer Kläranlage

Glasgow

 

I asked A.I. to critique my photo. Here's what it said:

 

Your image effectively captures a moment of modern life within the impressive architecture of the newly redeveloped Glasgow Queen Street station. Here is a critique focused on composition, lighting, and storytelling:

 

Composition and Framing

 

Rule of Thirds: The two main subjects are framed effectively on either side of the large central pillar, creating a good balance. The pillar itself acts as a strong vertical element that divides the frame and adds architectural context.

 

Leading Lines: The steps the subjects are standing/sitting on create strong horizontal lines that lead the eye across the image.

 

Depth and Foreground: The foreground pavement provides a solid base for the composition, grounding the subjects within the scene.

 

Subject Interaction and Storytelling

 

Juxtaposition: The image successfully captures a strong juxtaposition between the two individuals: one sitting and engaged with their phone, appearing contemplative or stressed, and the other standing, looking away, holding snacks. This contrast creates an engaging narrative.

 

Candid Moment: The photograph feels like an authentic, unposed moment in a public space, which is often a strong point in street photography.

 

Lighting and Technical Aspects

 

Lighting: The natural daylight provides even lighting, although the large columns create some deep shadows which add depth and drama to the architecture.

 

Focus: Both subjects appear to be in reasonably sharp focus, capturing details in their clothing and expressions.

 

Areas for Consideration

 

Potential Distractions: The bright blue bag and the orange package the standing man is holding are very bright and saturated, which might draw the eye a little too strongly away from the subjects' faces. A slightly different angle might have minimized this.

 

Expression: The seated woman's face is obscured by her hand and hair, which adds mystery but also limits the viewer's ability to connect with her expression.

Overall, this is a strong candid photograph that uses architectural elements effectively to frame a compelling street scene with interesting narrative possibilities.

 

Composition and Framing

 

Strong Lines: The image makes good use of strong lines, including the horizontal lines of the platform edge and glass partitions, and the dramatic curve of the Victorian train shed roof above. These lines lead the viewer's eye through the scene effectively.

 

Architectural Focus: You've successfully captured the spacious, bright concourse that resulted from the station's redevelopment, showcasing how the historic roof has been integrated into the modern building.

 

Lighting and Atmosphere

 

Natural Light: The station is flooded with natural daylight from the glass facade, which creates a bright and airy feel. This is generally a strength, providing clear illumination for the scene.

 

Mixed Lighting: The strong overhead artificial lighting creates bright highlights and can produce some harsh shadows, which might be a minor technical consideration in post-processing to balance exposure.

 

Subject and Storytelling

 

Candid Moment: The two main subjects in the foreground, with their luggage, provide a relatable human element, adding a sense of narrative to the image. They are positioned nicely on the right side, balancing the large train on the left.

 

Sense of Place: The image successfully places the viewer within this specific, recognisable location, a major transport hub in Scotland.

 

Areas for Improvement

 

Background Elements: The station is busy, and some background elements, such as the digital displays and the maintenance signs, can be slightly distracting. Being mindful of these potential clutter points when framing can help create a cleaner, more focused image.

 

Subject Obscuration: The faces of the primary subjects are slightly obscured or turned away. While this maintains a candid feel, capturing a bit more of the human interaction or expression can enhance the emotional impact of street photography.

 

Overall, it's a well-composed and technically sound photograph that captures the functional beauty of the renovated station and the daily lives of its passengers.

 

My response to the critique:

 

That which you describe as an orange package is a portable sign that warns of wet floor surfaces.

 

A.I.'s response:

 

You are correct. Thank you for the clarification. The item is a portable "wet floor" warning sign, not an orange package. That context changes how the object functions as a visual element in the composition, adding a safety instruction to the scene rather than just a snack package.

Dolichopodidae, the long-legged flies, are a large, cosmopolitan family of true flies with more than 7,000 described species in about 230 genera. The genus Dolichopus is the most speciose, with some 600 species.

 

Dolichopodidae generally are small flies with large, prominent eyes and a metallic cast to their appearance, though there is considerable variation among the species. Most have long legs, though some do not. In many species, the males have unusually large genitalia which are taxonomically useful in identifying species. Most adults are predatory on other small animals, though some may scavenge or act as kleptoparasites of spiders or other predators.

 

An expanded concept of the family (Dolichopodidae sensu lato) includes the subfamilies Parathalassiinae and Microphorinae. The latter of these was formerly placed in the Empididae, and was at one time considered a separate family (Microphoridae).[5] However, some authors propose instead that Dolichopodidae s.l. should be known as the epifamily Dolichopodoidae, containing Dolichopodidae, Microphoridae (restored as a family) and the subfamily Parathalassiinae.[6]

 

For clarification of technical terms see Morphology of Diptera

 

Dolichopodidae are a family of flies ranging in size from minute to medium-sized (1mm to 9mm). They have characteristically long and slender legs, though their leg length is not as striking as in families such as the Tipulidae. Their posture often is stilt-like standing high on their legs, with the body almost erect. In colour most species have a green-to-blue metallic lustre, but various other species are dull yellow, brown or black.

 

The frons in both sexes is broad. The eyes are separated on the frons of males, except in some species of Diaphorus and Chrysotus in which eyes touch above the antennal insertion.[7] On the heads of most species the ocellar bristles and outer vertical bristles are well developed. The face of some species is entire; in others it is divided into two sections: th

I'm wondering if these two domestic ducks on Lake Jackson in Sebring, Florida (Highlands County, central Florida USA) are Pekin ducks? They've been ID'd by someone else as pure white domestic Muscovy Ducks, but they don't have the fleshy red area on the face so I'm hoping for clarification.

 

Thanks!

 

Nikon P950, f/8.0 152mm (35mm equivalent is 850mm)

1/2000, ISO 400

  

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL.

 

Sunset over Sriharikota Backwater Lake - Andhra Pradesh India.

 

I am sorry I could not keep the front boat intact, as I had to maintain so many constraints while focussing the photo, that I forgot about the boat in front !

 

MY LAST SUNSET PHOTO BEFORE THE CHRISTMAS .

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL.

 

THIS IS UPTIL NOW THE BIGGEST SUN I COULD DO.

 

TO AVOID ANY APPREHENSION & CONFUSION & DOUBTS, I HAVE GIVEN UNDERNEATH , THE TECHNIQUE TO MAKE THE SUN BIG, IN THE FORM OF SOME QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, WHICH I REPLIED LONG BACK, IN ANOTHER PHOTO OF MINE ( www.flickr.com/photos/59670248@N05/7033025805/ ). THE TECHNIQUE IS SIMPLE BUT NEEDS PRACTICE. THANKS.

  

______________________________________________________________________ _______________

  

Copyright © learning.photography.

All rights reserved. All images contained in this Photostream remain the property of learning.photography and is protected by applicable Copyright Law. Any images from this Photostream may not be reproduced, copied, or used in any way without my written permission.

 

Thanks for your Visit, Comments, Favs and Awards !

 

Where Rank is specified underneath any Explored Photo, that means that is the highest Rank achieved in Explore.

 

No private group or multiple group invites please !

 

Those who have not uploaded any photograph yet, or have uploaded a very few photographs, should not mark me Contacts or comment on my photo. I may block them.

______________________________________________________________________ _______________

 

Main Exif Info :

 

Camera - Canon EOS 7D

Lens - EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM

Exposure - 0.002 sec (1/500)

Aperture - f/9.0

Focal Length - 400 mm

ISO Speed - 100

Exposure Bias - 0 EV

  

rohidas_gaonkar

I am repeating the Exif shown to you here 8 months ago :

…………………………………………………………

You seem to be very very concerned about how do I make the Sun look so big !

Before I write something on this, please tell me in your photo attached, why you did not crop the top portion of the photo? That would have made the Sun look still bigger ! Please try to understand that, excepting Camera & appropriate lens, you have to apply some other techniques also !

 

Now please read the following :

 

Tanmoy Das [https://facebook.com/casualphotograph]

Many people have asked me about the same many a times and I have replied also.

Step 1 - Make your composition first focussing and try to guess how big the Sun you can make keeping other things more or less proportionate.

Step 2 - Leave the focus, physically come out of your composition place and focuss the Sun separately appropriately bigger. For this you need at least 70-300 or 100-400mm lens. Only Sun being focussed separately, it will obviously come out neat and blurrless, no other objects being in the Frame.

Step 3 - Lock this focuss or hold the focuss by pressing shutter button halfway, don't snap any photo at this stage. This is tough and you have to practice this.

Step 4 - Now come to the place of your original composition frame, still holding the same focuss, and after getting the original composition in the Frame, choose an angle, from where the other objects in the Frame, seem to be not as big as the Sun. Now snap the photo with the same focuss you were holding so long.

Result - All the objects in the frame will be sharp, no background or foreground blurrness will come and the Sun will also look big.

Other application - You can also take a Moon shot in the night (you need to practice a lot, it is very tough at night without any tripod) in the same way, whereby objects at infinite distance (Moon) and objects at finite distance (say tree leaves) will all come out sharp & clear and there will be no blurr at all, anywhere in the Frame.

 

Now some more Clarifications :

 

Hi Gautam,

I inserted my questions in your original text where I have inclearities:

 

Step 1 - Make your composition first focussing and try to guess how big the Sun you can make keeping other things more or less proportionate.

 

QUESTION: what does first focussing means here? having the corect composition of the picture or having the (autoforcus) being set correctly?

  

Step 2 - Leave the focus, physically come out of your composition place and focuss the Sun separately appropriately bigger. For this you need at least 70-300 or 100-400mm lens. Only Sun being focussed separately, it will obviously come out neat and blurrless, no other objects being in the Frame.

 

QUESTION: At the beginning you say "leave the focus" then you say "Sun being focussed separately". Do you make a separate photo only containing the sun?

  

Step 3 - Lock this focuss or hold the focuss by pressing shutter button halfway, don't snap any photo at this stage. This is tough and you have to practice this.

 

QUESTION: "Lock this focus" (which focus? the one of the separate sun?)

  

Step 4 - Now come to the place of your original composition frame, still holding the same focuss, and after getting the original composition in the Frame, choose an angle, from where the other objects in the Frame, seem to be not as big as the Sun. Now snap the photo with the same focuss you were holding so long.

 

QUESTION: "still holding the same focus" means here: still the same focus of the sun? and do zoom out to have a new composition?

  

Result - All the objects in the frame will be sharp, no background or foreground blurrness will come and the Sun will also look big.

 

The overall question is:

How much photos do I have to take? One with the sun and one with the entire composition (also containing the sun???). If I do two photos: how are the beeing merged? In photoshop?

Or do you have a camera which allows you to shoot two frames that are in one resulting photo?

 

Thanks in advance for a clarification of those questions.

 

Answer 1 - Making a correct MEASUREMENT of composition of a picture, to take an idea. nothing else.

 

Answer 2 - Only focuss the Sun separately appropriately bigger by zooming in - remember only the Sun, nothing else.

 

Answer 3 - Yes, with the separate Sun.

 

Answer 4 - Still holding the same focuss of the lone Sun. I repeat only the focuss. No photo involved.

 

Answer 5 - Please do not change the focuss any further now. Not to zoom out or zoom in , nor to touch the zooming ring. Already the earlier focuss is zoomed big which you are still holding on.

 

Answer 5 - Press the shutter now with the old focuss (without any change). Only one photo will be snapped. No question of any two photos or photoshop.

 

Answer 6 - I do not merge or shoot two photos for merging.

 

Thanks & Best regards

Gautam

  

The clarification of visual forms and their organization in integrated patterns as well as the attribution of such forms to suitable objects is one of the most effective training grounds of the young mind.

Rudolf Arnheim

Xcaret Park (Spanish: el parque Xcaret[clarification needed]; Spanish pronunciation: [el ˈpaɾke ʃkaˈɾet]) is a privately owned and operated theme park, resort and self-described ecotourism development located in the Riviera Maya, a portion of the Caribbean coastline of Mexico's state of Quintana Roo. It is part of Xcaret Experiencias Group which also owns the Xplor Park, Xel-Ha Park, and Xenses Park; as well as the Xichen, Xenotes, Xavage and Xoximilco tours and activities. It is situated approximately 75 kilometres (47 mi) south of Cancún, and 6.5 kilometres (4 mi) south of the nearest large settlement Playa del Carmen along Highway 307. It is named after the nearby archaeological site Xcaret, a settlement constructed by the pre-Columbian Maya some of whose structures lie within the boundaries of the park's 81 hectares (200 acres) of land holdings.

I was walking across the Frenchtown bridge, over the Delaware from Frenchtown in central New Jersey to eastern Pennsylvania, and I caught this family spending a leisurely Saturday afternoon doing a little fishing. I'm not sure if they caught much, but I caught a great shot.

 

This was loaded as a horizontal boat. I then decided it looked better vertical, and used Flickr's rotate tool. Only some of the sizes got rotated. I then rotated it on my PC and reloaded the picture. Some of the sizes still show a horizontal boat. Sorry for the inconsistant images, but I don't know how to get around this Flickr bug.

 

SInce 2 of the first 4 comments mentioned they thought it was stained glass, I thought I'd add a clarification.

For my video; youtu.be/rvveAmR6-c0?si=ySim9rGf7Myf9Smj

 

Riverway Sports Complex,

Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

  

Cytisus scoparius (syn. Sarothamnus scoparius), the common broom or Scotch broom, is a deciduous leguminous shrub native to western and central Europe. In Britain and Ireland, the standard name is broom; this name is also used for other members of the Genisteae tribe, such as French broom or Spanish broom; and the term common broom is sometimes used for clarification. In other English-speaking countries, the most common name is "Scotch broom" (or Scots broom); however, it is known as English broom in Australia

Logged inworld to feed the critters, hopped on an old E.V.E. store notice, and took a couple of pics at the E.V.E. mainstore. Update with clarification: this is a sculpture at the E.V.E. mainstore. It's a great look. Wish they'd make that headpiece.

 

So often (well, not that often or at all) people ask me, "how did you get that incredible close-up shot?"

 

Of course, I smile (on the outside) and immediately begin freaking out trying to determine which shot they are talking about... So comes the clarification... "that bird shot, you know the one..."

 

Ok, so technically this has never happened to me. But just in case it might happen now or in the future, I just wanted to provide my **patented** method of capturing great in-flight bird photos. Are you ready?

 

- Have a camera.

- Happen to be in a place where birds might fly about you.

- If a bird flies about you... point your camera and take photos.

 

Ok. So there. You have the magic formula! Get out there and see what happens...

For clarifications this isn't a full sized belt and is within size guide lines.

I recently held a building contest with friends. The theme was about superheroes, so I decided to do a Marvel and DC mashup by building a Batbuster! For more clarification, it's the Hulkbuster, but then built by Batman.

 

No idea what he'll use it for. Maybe to beat Superman or something.

I was walking the dogs a couple of weeks ago ( I should clarify that they do get walked daily, not just fortnightly) and I was struck by the sheer natural beauty that surrounds us, so I thought I would share a few simple iPhone photos with you.

 

I wonder how many people just wander around oblivious to all of this, they’re possibly more preoccupied with the dilemma of having an extra shot in their Straciatella or whatever you call a posh coffee these days, or whether the latest edition of ‘Investors Chronicle’ will be waiting for them on the doorstep when they arrive back home.

 

How can you miss the simple beauty of a wildflower, the warm varied colours of a newly unfurled oak leaf or the apparent deception of a Wildebeest masquerading as a Birch tree? I’m sure so many people miss this.

 

One of the things about photography is that it makes us open our eyes and appreciate what is around us, it also makes me realise that maybe I should give Martha further clarification on the principles of Hide and Seek!

 

As I’ve not been out with the camera much recently, I thought I’d wield a few sharpened pencils for a change.

 

Just for clarification, you’re looking at a drawing of 2 dogs. Bertie, on the left, rocking his ‘Lockdown haircut’ and trying to emulate Kevin Keegan’s 1980's afro. Kegan may have been a great dribbler, so is Bertie, sadly just not with a football.

Martha is on the right with a slightly doleful, hangdog expression as she hates having her paws superglued to the table to keep her still*.

 

I have seen a few Twitter posts recently where people have shown their current artwork compared to earlier years, so I had a look through my previous drawings and………..…...... lets just call this my ‘Regression 💩 Phase’.

  

*Yes I know, that was awful…….the hangdog bit, not the superglue.

 

Bochum-Werne, 2024

Suecia - Helsingborg - Karnan

 

***

 

ENGLISH

 

Helsingborg (Swedish pronunciation: [hɛlsɪŋˈbɔrj]; spelled Hälsingborg between 1912 and 1970) is a town and the seat of Helsingborg Municipality, Scania, Sweden. It had 140,547 inhabitants in 2016. Helsingborg is the centre of the northern part of western Scania. There is no formal metropolitan area, but the municipality of Helsingborg City and its neighbouring five municipalities (within Scania) had in spring of 2013 a population of 269 489 inhabitants at an area of 1,353 square kilometres (522.396 square miles), a population density of 200 people/km2. This makes Helsingborg the fourth largest population area in Sweden. The city is also Sweden's closest point to Denmark, with the Danish city Helsingør clearly visible on the other side of the Øresund about 4 km (2 mi) to the west, closer than to the city's own remoter areas. If including all population around the northern part of Øresund, as a Helsingborg-Helsingør metropolitan area, its population increases to 732 450 at an area of 2,802 square kilometres (1,081.858 square miles). The busy ferry route, known as the HH Ferry route has through history been operated by several shipping lines. As of 2014 more than 70 car ferries departures from each harbour every day.

 

Following the Swedish orthography reform of 1906 many place names in Sweden got a modernized spelling. In 1912 it was decided to use the form Hälsingborg. In preparation for the local government reform. In 1971 the Hälsingborg city council proposed that the new, enlarged municipality should be spelled with an "e". This was also the decision of the Government of Sweden, effective from 1 January 1971.

 

Historic Helsingborg, with its many old buildings, is a scenic coastal city. The buildings are a blend of old-style stone-built churches and a 600-year-old medieval fortress (Kärnan) in the city centre, and more modern commercial buildings. The streets vary from wide avenues to small alley-ways. Kullagatan, the main pedestrian shopping street in the city, was the first pedestrian shopping street in Sweden.

 

Helsingborg is one of the oldest cities of what is now Sweden. It has been the site of permanent settlement officially since 21 May 1085. Helsingborg's geographical position at the narrowest part of Øresund made it very important for Denmark, at that time controlling both sides of that strait. From 1429 Eric of Pomerania introduced the Øresundstolden (the Sound Dues), a levy on all trading vessels passing through the sound between Elsinore and Helsingborg. This was one of the main incomes for the Danish Crown. Crossing traffic, like fishermen, was not subject to the tax, which was initially directed against the Hanseatic League.

 

The Sound Dues helped Helsingør to flourish, and some of it spilled over to Helsingborg. The northern narrow inlet to Øresund with its relatively high coastlines made impression on many mariners, and when Kronborg during the Renaissance was rebuilt from a fortress to a Palace the area got famous. Evidence of this is William Shakespeare's Hamlet, which unfolds at Kronborg; the titular Prince of Denmark may well have hidden himself from his uncle in Helsingborg. The era of the Renaissance helped the Kingdom of Denmark, but towards the middle of the 17th century, the situation worsened.

 

Following the Dano-Swedish War (1657-1658) and the Treaty of Roskilde Denmark had to give up all territory on the southern Scandinavian peninsula, and Helsingborg became submitted to new rulers. King Charles X Gustav of Sweden landed here on 5 March 1658 to take personal possession of the Scanian lands and was met by a delegation led by the bishop of the Diocese of Lund, Peder Winstrup. At that time the town had a population of barely 1,000 people. He soon attempted to erase Denmark totally from the map, by attacking Copenhagen but failed (Treaty of Copenhagen (1660)), and died in Gothenburg soon afterwards. Not much changed for some 15 years, but when Charles XI was declared of age, the new king indeed was unsatisfied with his former rulers[clarification needed] (known as "Förmyndarräfsten" in Swedish history).

 

Its situation on a conflict-ridden border caused problems for Helsingborg. Denmark recaptured Scania twice, but could not hold it. The last Danish attempt to regain Scania was in 1710, when 14,000 men landed on the shores near Helsingborg. The Battle of Helsingborg was fought on the 28th of February just outside the city, which was badly affected. It took a long time to recover; even in 1770 the city had only 1,321 inhabitants and was still growing slowly.

 

On 20 October 1811 Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, Marshal of France and crown prince-elect of Sweden (later king Charles XIV John) took his first step on Swedish soil in Helsingborg on his journey from Paris to Stockholm.

 

From the middle of the 19th century onwards, however, Helsingborg was one of the fastest growing cities of Sweden, increasing its population from 4,000 in 1850 to 20,000 in 1890 and 56,000 in 1930 due to industrialization. From 1892 a train ferry was put in service, connecting Helsingborg with its Danish sister city Helsingør. A tramway network was inaugurated in 1903 and closed down in 1967.

 

***

 

ESPAÑOL

 

Helsingborg ( pronunciación sueca: [hɛlsɪŋˈbɔrj] ; deletreada Hälsingborg entre 1912 y 1970) es una ciudad y la sede del municipio de Helsingborg , Scania , Suecia. En 2016 tenía 140,547 habitantes. Helsingborg es el centro de la parte norte del oeste de Scania . No existe un área metropolitana formal, pero el municipio de Helsingborg City y sus cinco municipios vecinos (dentro de Scania) tenían en la primavera de 2013 una población de 269 489 habitantes en un área de 1,353 kilómetros cuadrados (522.396 millas cuadradas), una densidad de población de 200 personas / km 2 . Esto convierte a Helsingborg en la cuarta mayor población de Suecia. La ciudad es también el punto más cercano de Suecia a Dinamarca , con la ciudad danesa Helsingør claramente visible al otro lado del Øresund, a unos 4 km (2 millas) al oeste, más cerca que a las áreas más remotas de la ciudad. Si incluye a toda la población de la parte norte de Øresund, como área metropolitana de Helsingborg-Helsingør, su población aumenta a 732 450 en un área de 2,802 kilómetros cuadrados (1,081.858 millas cuadradas). La ruta ocupada del ferry, conocida como la ruta HH Ferry, ha sido operada a través de la historia por varias líneas navieras. A partir de 2014 más de 70 transbordadores de automóviles salen de cada puerto todos los días.

 

Tras la reforma de la ortografía sueca de 1906, muchos nombres de lugares en Suecia obtuvieron una ortografía modernizada. En 1912 se decidió utilizar la forma Hälsingborg. En preparación para la reforma del gobierno local. En 1971, el ayuntamiento de Hälsingborg propuso que el nuevo municipio ampliado se escribiera con una "e". Esta fue también la decisión del Gobierno de Suecia, efectiva desde el 1 de enero de 1971.

 

La histórica Helsingborg, con sus muchos edificios antiguos, es una pintoresca ciudad costera. Los edificios son una mezcla de iglesias antiguas construidas en piedra y una fortaleza medieval de 600 años (Kärnan) en el centro de la ciudad, y edificios comerciales más modernos. Las calles varían desde amplias avenidas hasta pequeños callejones. Kullagatan, la principal calle comercial peatonal de la ciudad, fue la primera calle comercial peatonal en Suecia.

 

Helsingborg es una de las ciudades más antiguas de Suecia. Ha sido el lugar de asentamiento permanente de forma oficial desde el 21 mayo de 1085.​ La posición geográfica de Helsingborg en la parte más angosta del estrecho fue muy importante para Dinamarca, cuando en aquel momento tenía control sobre ambos lados de ese estrecho. A partir de 1429 los daneses introdujeron el "Deber del Estrecho" (Sound Dues), un impuesto sobre todos los buques comerciales que pasaran por el estrecho entre Elsinor y Helsingborg.​ Este fue uno de los principales ingresos para la corona danesa.

That ice-wedge is telling how cold summers in the Arctic STILL are.

 

"Tuktoyaktuk displays a subarctic climate (Dfc), just short of a polar (tundra) climate, as the July mean temperature is barely above 10 °C (50 °F). Since the Arctic Ocean freezes over for much of the year, the maritime influence is minimized, resulting in cold winters and a strong seasonal lag in spring. This results in April being much colder than October and May much colder than September. March is also colder than December, and is the only month yet to record a temperature above freezing at any point. Due to the dominance of cold air, Tuktoyaktuk has a lower precipitation rate than many desert climates. In spite of this, the cold temperatures mean it receives more than a metre of snow a year on average. Thanks to its landmass link many thousands of kilometres to the south,[clarification needed] temperatures way above average can occur in summer in spite of the cold surrounding waters. As of 2018, this is still yet to result in any high above 29.4 °C (84.9 °F)." – Wikipedia

  

2018 Road Trip to Tuktoyaktuk, NWT via Dempster Highway and the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway or ITH (Tuk Highway).

Firmar petición:

www.petitions24.net/n_news_nouvelles_noticias

--

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THIS IMAGES & UPLOAD IN YOUR PHOTOSTREAM BEFORE 5TH JANUARY 2014

 

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Français :

 

J'aime Flickr

J'aime Flickr jour - 5 janvier 2014

Les changements proposés vont ruiner Flickr.

Si la nouvelle photo expérience de est mis en œuvre sans option, je vais déciderai à boycotter et appel également tous mes amis et les famille à boycotter toutes les marques / produits qui affichent des publicités sur Yahoo.

 

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Deutsch :

 

Ich liebe Flickr !

 

Ich liebe Flickr -Tag am 5. Januar 2014

Die geplanten Änderungen werden Flickr ruinieren.

Wenn die neue Gestaltung von Flickr ohne Wahlmöglichkeit verpflichtend eingeführt wird, werde ich boykottieren und an alle meine Freunde, Kontakte und Familienmtglieder appelieren, in Zukunft alle Marken/Produkte zu boykottieren, die bei Yahoo werben.

 

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Spanish :

 

Por favor únase a la campaña, si no te gusta el diseño de la nueva propuesta flickr.

Descargue la imagen y subirla a su galeria el domingo 5 de enero de 2014. Usted puede hacer su propia imagen tambien con el texto como se ve en esta imagen (o de naturaleza similar, el objetivo de hacer un uso seguro enfatizar el boicot), en cualquier idioma de su elección. Ejemplo si la nueva experiencia fotográfica se realiza sin opcion , voy a decidir boicotear y también llamar a todos mis amigos y familiares a boicotear todas las marcas / productos que muestran anuncios en Yahoo .

Por favor, distribuirlo y recordar a subirlo a Domingo, 05 de enero 2014 (o antes, si usted sabe que va a estar fuera el 5 de enero)

 

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In Italian :

 

Che amo Flickr

Amo giorno Flickr - 5 GENNAIO 2014

Le modifiche proposte rovinare Flickr .

Se la nuova esperienza foto è attuato senza l'opzione , deciderò di boicottare e anche chiamare tutti i miei amici e la famiglia di boicottare tutti i marchi / prodotti che visualizzano gli annunci su Yahoo .

 

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In Portugues

 

Eu amo Flickr

Eu amo Flickr dia - 05 de janeiro de 2014

As alterações propostas não estragar Flickr.

Se a nova experiência foto é implementado sem a opção, vou decidir boicotar e também chamar todos os meus amigos e família para boicotar todas as marcas / produtos que exibem anúncios no Yahoo.

 

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Greek :

(really thank you Tania my dear friend for your clarification ), I put here

 

"I love Flickr day - January 5, 2014" .

We might use the word "υποστηρίζω" which means "support" in English...

I 'll try to translate now the text...

 

"Αγαπώ το Flickr.

Υποστηρίζω την Hμέρα για το Flickr της 5ης Ιανουαρίου 2014.

Οι προτεινόμενες αλλαγές πρόκειται να καταστρέψουν το Flickr.

Εάν η νέα παρουσίαση/εμπειρία εφαρμοστεί χωρίς να δίνεται η

δυνατότητα εναλλακτικής επιλογής, θα αποφασίσω να μποϊκοτάρω

όλες τις μάρκες / προϊόντα που εμφανίζουν διαφημίσεις στη Yahoo

και θα καλέσω τους φίλους και την οικογένειά μου να πράξουν το ίδιο."

 

............................☼

On this day I received Many emails asking how I transcribe them in another language our request, here are some that I translated, others were given to me, now I only need one in Portuguese and one in Italian. If someone wants to help me, I would greatly appreciate it

Thank you very much again

 

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DHV_4395 tokina

 

I wanted to photograph called "The Cross and sněholam". In English I but across the Internet not found the translation of the word SNEHOLAM. Sněholam is

Wooden tool to break the snow.

 

Please Britons, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders and Americans for clarification. Have You in your countries tool for breaking snow on the roads? What's his name? TNX

Stairs 01: The Holstein Stairs in Wuppertal! Endurance - Standing by - Overcoming - Clarification - Kindness - Divine - Depth - Faithfulness - Steadfastness - Dignity - Terror - Horror - Persecution - Abuse - Delusion - Suffering - Revenge - ...

"Ladies and gentlemen... Paprihaven TUUUEEESDAY NIGHT FIGHTS... proudly presents in combat... THE CAAAAAAAVEMMAAANN!!!"

 

That's his ring name?

The Caveman?

*programs rustling*

Oh! He's one of the Wee Warriors.

The Wee Warriors??

Sounds like my two-year-olds getting out of control in the bathroom.

 

I'm the Caveman!

 

No, you remember, we saw one already. It was a T-Rex and-

Oh! Oh! And it's name was in fact 'T-Rex'. That's right.*

 

HEY! I'm the Caveman!

 

So now this one, a caveman whose name is, 'Caveman'.

I'm gonna go ahead and guess that 'Wee Warriors' was not a huge hit.

Hit? Hah! It wasn't even retail. It was wholesale for party favors.**

 

HEY! Are you listening to me??

 

We weren't but, just some clarification, please.

Are you really a caveman?

 

You see this animal toga I'm wearin' dontcha? And this here club?

 

Do you live in a cave?

 

No.

 

Have you ever lived in a cave?

 

No.

 

Okay, so maybe we can say his name isn't so obvious because he isn't really a caveman.

No, that's his whole schtick! And he couldn't come up with a better name!

Okay, that's a good point.

 

You better listen to me, cause I-

 

You're done!

NEXT!

 

═════════════════════════════════════

A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.

 

Wee Warriors

Caveman

2022, Oriental Trading Company

 

* As seen in BP 2022 Day 69!

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/51930911978/

 

** Indeed, as seen here!

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/50518641786/

Interestingness #56, 22 April.

 

For clarification: the background is a giant advertisement behind a shop.

Ned Kelly and the State Library Dome

 

It was not that long ago

Between history, science and fiction

This new form of me

 

Confined by experience

Confirmed by previous learning

Considerations of limits

Clarifications of terms

Conditions made similar

 

That what is embedded in us to continue forward

 

Read More: www.jjfbbennett.com/2019/12/melbourne-to-darwin-november-...

 

One-off sponsorship: www.paypal.me/bennettJJFB

At the Trivandrum zoo. Wish I knew the name. Anybody?

 

Update: Apparently, it's a variety of night heron, the specifics being still up for clarification.

I love the idea of creativity needing time to nest~ organically hatch and grow.

 

Muslin, watercolor crayons, acrylic paints, rubber cement, and iced coffee (clarification: iced coffee - extra shot with milk - for me). :o)

The SL moments group has now been on Flickr since February 2014. Remember this:

 

This group is about high quality SL Art & Photography.

Only Second Life pictures!

 

Mostly about avatar life. Make it arty!!

Absolutely NO ADVERTISING, no credits, brand names, blog photos etc. We want pictures that are made as art and not as advertising.

 

We do not take in many traditional landscapes of SL nature, there are many other groups on Flickr for that. But we do accept well done images from interesting (and new) places in SL.

We like all in urban moods, planes, trains and other tech stuff.

Use your phototools, depth of field, interesting angles, and picture composition. Do not put your avtar in the middle of the picture, it looks terribly boring.

 

The group is Moderate. That means we take nicely done nudity. (no genitals). Tits are good, but use your brain as well :))

Traditional pin ups will not get through. If you call yourself "daddy's girl" you will probably not get your picture in. Make intelligent and modern nudity.

 

You can apply for membership. But you need some experience from SL photography before you can join, at least a year in SL.

 

All pictures are evaluated. Only high quality pictures get through. Some pictures are added by invitation.

 

Link to group:

 

www.flickr.com/groups/slmoments/

 

I'd love to get some feedback here so please voice your opinion in comments.

(Possibly Pittosporum crassifolium ~ Karo).

 

Another photo of the odd seed pods that I found the last time I went out for a walk. This one isn't as open as the previous one.

Connected to this photo:

www.flickr.com/photos/44506883@N04/32668979762/in/datepos...

 

Thanks to kasiainwales for the possible ID.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittosporum_crassifolium

 

And also thank you to scott.zona for the clarification.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittosporum_spinescens

 

Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites. :O)

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_Bridge

 

Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, England, over the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, which gives it its name.Name[›] It has become an iconic symbol of London.

The bridge consists of two towers which are tied together at the upper level by means of two horizontal walkways which are designed to withstand the horizontal forces exerted by the suspended sections of the bridge on the land-ward sides of the towers. The vertical component of the forces in the suspended sections and the vertical reactions of the two walkways are carried by the two robust towers. The bascule pivots and operating machinery are housed in the base of each tower. Its present colour dates from 1977 when it was painted red, white and blue for the Queen's Silver Jubilee. Originally it was painted a chocolate brown colour.[1]

Tower Bridge is sometimes mistakenly referred to as London Bridge, which is actually the next bridge upstream.[2] A popular urban legend is that in 1968, Robert McCulloch, the purchaser of the old London Bridge that was later shipped to Lake Havasu City, Arizona, believed that he was in fact buying Tower Bridge. This was denied by McCulloch himself and has been debunked by Ivan Luckin, the seller of the bridge.[3]

The nearest London Underground station is Tower Hill on the Circle and District Lines.

The nearest Docklands Light Railway station is Tower Gateway.

In the second half of the 19th century, increased commercial development in the East End of London led to a requirement for a new river crossing downstream of London Bridge. A traditional fixed bridge could not be built because it would cut off access to the port facilities in the Pool of London, between London Bridge and the Tower of London.

A Special Bridge or Subway Committee was formed in 1876, chaired by Sir Albert Joseph Altman, to find a solution to the river crossing problem. It opened the design of the crossing to public competition. Over 50 designs were submitted, including one from civil engineer Sir Joseph Bazalgette. The evaluation of the designs was surrounded by controversy, and it was not until 1884 that a design submitted by Horace Jones, the City Architect (who was also one of the judges),[4] was approved.

Jones' engineer, Sir John Wolfe Barry, devised the idea of a bascule bridge with two towers built on piers. The central span was split into two equal bascules or leaves, which could be raised to allow river traffic to pass. The two side-spans were suspension bridges, with the suspension rods anchored both at the abutments and through rods contained within the bridge's upper walkways.

Construction started in 1886 and took eight years with five major contractors – Sir John Jackson (foundations), Baron Armstrong (hydraulics), William Webster, Sir H.H. Bartlett, and Sir William Arrol & Co.[5] – and employed 432 construction workers. E W Crutwell was the resident engineer for the construction.[6]

Two massive piers, containing over 70,000 tons of concrete,[4] were sunk into the riverbed to support the construction. Over 11,000 tons of steel provided the framework for the towers and walkways.[4] This was then clad in Cornish granite and Portland stone, both to protect the underlying steelwork and to give the bridge a pleasing appearance.

Jones died in 1887 and George D. Stevenson took over the project.[4] Stevenson replaced Jones' original brick facade with the more ornate Victorian Gothic style, which makes the bridge a distinctive landmark, and was intended to harmonise the bridge with the nearby Tower of London.[6] The total cost of construction was £1,184,000.[6]

The bridge was officially opened on 30 June 1894 by The Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII), and his wife, The Princess of Wales (Alexandra of Denmark).[7]

The bridge connected Iron Gate, on the north bank of the river, with Horsleydown Lane, on the south – now known as Tower Bridge Approach and Tower Bridge Road, respectively.[6] Until the bridge was opened, the Tower Subway – 400 m to the west – was the shortest way to cross the river from Tower Hill to Tooley Street in Southwark. Opened in 1870, Tower Subway was the world's first underground ('tube') railway, but closed after just three months and was re-opened as a pedestrian foot tunnel. Once Tower Bridge was open, the majority of foot traffic transferred to using the bridge, there being no toll to pay to use it. Having lost most of its income, the tunnel was closed in 1898.[8]

Tower Bridge is one of five London bridges now owned and maintained by the Bridge House Estates, a charitable trust overseen by the City of London Corporation. It is the only one of the Trust's bridges not to connect the City of London to the Southwark bank, the northern landfall is in Tower Hamlets.

The bridge is 800 feet (244 m) in length with two towers each 213 feet (65 m) high, built on piers. The central span of 200 feet (61 m) between the towers is split into two equal bascules or leaves, which can be raised to an angle of 83 degrees to allow river traffic to pass. The bascules, weighing over 1,000 tons each, are counterbalanced to minimize the force required and allow raising in five minutes.

The two side-spans are suspension bridges, each 270 feet (82 m) long, with the suspension rods anchored both at the abutments and through rods contained within the bridge's upper walkways. The pedestrian walkways are 143 feet (44 m) above the river at high tide.[6]

The original raising mechanism was powered by pressurised water stored in several hydraulic accumulators.Hydraulics[›][clarification needed]

The system was designed and installed by Sir W. G. Armstrong Mitchell & Company of Newcastle upon Tyne. Water, at a pressure of 750 psi, was pumped into the accumulators by two 360 hp stationary steam engines, each driving a force pump from its piston tail rod. The accumulators each comprise a 20-inch ram on which sits a very heavy weight to maintain the desired pressure.

In 1974, the original operating mechanism was largely replaced by a new electro-hydraulic drive system, designed by BHA Cromwell House. The only components of the original system still in use are the final pinions, which engage with the racks fitted to the bascules. These are driven by modern hydraulic motors and gearing, using oil rather than water as the hydraulic fluid.[9]

Some of the original hydraulic machinery has been retained, although it is no longer in use. It is open to the public and forms the basis for the bridge's museum, which resides in the old engine rooms on the south side of the bridge. The museum includes the steam engines, two of the accumulators and one of the hydraulic engines that moved the bascules, along with other related artefacts.

During World War II, as a precaution against the existing engines being damaged by enemy action, a third engine was installed in 1942:[10] a 150 hp horizontal cross-compound engine, built by Vickers Armstrong Ltd. at their Elswick works in Newcastle upon Tyne. It was fitted with a flywheel having a 9-foot diameter and weighing 9 tons, and was governed to a speed of 30 rpm.

The engine became redundant when the rest of the system was modernised in 1974, and was donated to the Forncett Industrial Steam Museum by the Corporation of the City of London.

To control the passage of river traffic through the bridge, a number of different rules and signals were employed. Daytime control was provided by red semaphore signals, mounted on small control cabins on either end of both bridge piers. At night, coloured lights were used, in either direction, on both piers: two red lights to show that the bridge was closed, and two green to show that it was open. In foggy weather, a gong was sounded as well.[6]

Vessels passing through the bridge had to display signals too: by day, a black ball at least 2 feet (0.61 m) in diameter was to be mounted high up where it could be seen; by night, two red lights in the same position. Foggy weather required repeated blasts from the ship's steam whistle.[6]

If a black ball was suspended from the middle of each walkway (or a red light at night) this indicated that the bridge could not be opened. These signals were repeated about 1,000 yards (910 m) downstream, at Cherry Garden Pier, where boats needing to pass through the bridge had to hoist their signals/lights and sound their horn, as appropriate, to alert the Bridge Master.[6]

Some of the control mechanism for the signalling equipment has been preserved and may be seen working in the bridge's museum.

Although the bridge is an undoubted landmark, professional commentators in the early 20th century were critical of its aesthetics. "It represents the vice of tawdriness and pretentiousness, and of falsification of the actual facts of the structure", wrote H. H. Statham,[11] while Frank Brangwyn stated that "A more absurd structure than the Tower Bridge was never thrown across a strategic river".[12]

Architectural historian Dan Cruickshank selected the bridge as one of his four choices for the 2002 BBC television documentary series Britain's Best Buildings.[13]

Tower Bridge is still a busy and vital crossing of the Thames: it is crossed by over 40,000 people (motorists and pedestrians) every day.[14] The bridge is on the London Inner Ring Road, and is on the eastern boundary of the London congestion charge zone. (Drivers do not incur a charge by crossing the bridge.)

In order to maintain the integrity of the historic structure, the City of London Corporation have imposed a 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) speed restriction, and an 18-tonne weight limit on vehicles using the bridge. A sophisticated camera system measures the speed of traffic crossing the bridge, utilising a number plate recognition system to send fixed penalty charges to speeding drivers.[citation needed]

A second system monitors other vehicle parameters. Induction loops and piezoelectric detectors are used to measure the weight, the height of the chassis above ground level, and the number of axles for each vehicle.[citation needed]

River traffic

The bascules are raised around 1000 times a year.[15] River traffic is now much reduced, but it still takes priority over road traffic. Today, 24 hours' notice is required before opening the bridge. In 2008, a local web developer created a Twitter feed to post live updates of the bridge's opening and closing activities.[16]

A computer system was installed in 2000 to control the raising and lowering of the bascules remotely. Unfortunately it proved less reliable than desired, resulting in the bridge being stuck in the open or closed positions on several occasions during 2005, until its sensors were replaced.[14]

The high-level walkways between the towers gained an unpleasant reputation as a haunt for prostitutes and pickpockets and were closed in 1910. In 1982 they were reopened as part of the Tower Bridge Exhibition, an exhibition now housed in the bridge's twin towers, the high-level walkways and the Victorian engine rooms. The walkways boast stunning views of the River Thames and many famous London sites, serving as viewing galleries for over 380,000 tourists[citation needed] who visit each year. The exhibition also uses films, photos and interactives to explain why and how Tower Bridge was built. Visitors can access the original steam engines that once powered the bridge bascules, housed in a building close to the south end of the bridge.

In April 2008 it was announced that the bridge will undergo a 'facelift' costing £4m, and taking four years to complete. The work entails stripping off the existing paint and repainting in blue and white. Each section will be enshrouded in scaffolding to prevent the old paint from falling into the Thames and causing pollution. Starting in mid-2008, contractors will work on a quarter of the bridge at a time to minimise disruption, but some road closures are inevitable. The bridge will remain open until the end of 2010, but is then expected to be closed for several months. It is hoped that the completed work will stand for 25 years.[17]

The walkway section of the renovation was completed in mid 2009. Within the walkways a versatile new lighting system has been installed, designed by Eleni Shiarlis, for when the walkways are in use for exhibitions or functions. The new system provides for both feature and atmospheric lighting, the latter using bespoke RGB LED luminares, designed to be concealed within the bridge superstructure and fixed without the need for drilling (these requirements as a result of the bridge's Grade I status).[18]

In December 1952, the bridge opened while a number 78 double-decker bus (stock number RT 793) was on it. At that time, the gateman would ring a warning bell and close the gates when the bridge was clear before the watchman ordered the lift. The process failed while a relief watchman was on duty. The bus was near the edge of the south bascule when it started to rise; driver Albert Gunter made a split-second decision to accelerate the bus, clearing a three-foot drop on to the north bascule, which had not started to rise. There were no serious injuries.[19]

Main article: Hawker Hunter Tower Bridge incident

On 5 April 1968 a Hawker Hunter FGA.9 jet fighter from No.1 Squadron RAF, flown by Flt Lt Alan Pollock, flew under Tower Bridge. Unimpressed that senior staff were not going to celebrate the RAF's 50th birthday with a fly-past, Pollock decided to do something himself. Without authorisation, Pollock flew the Hunter at low level down the Thames, past the Houses of Parliament, and continued on to Tower Bridge. He flew the Hunter beneath the bridge's walkway, remarking afterwards it was an afterthought when he saw the bridge looming ahead of him. Pollock was placed under arrest upon landing, and discharged from the RAF on medical grounds without the chance to defend himself at a court martial.[20][21]

In May 1997,[22] the motorcade of United States President Bill Clinton was divided by the opening of the bridge. Thames sailing barge Gladys, on her way to a gathering at St Katharine Docks, arrived on schedule and the bridge was duly opened for her. Returning from a Thames-side lunch at Le Pont de la Tour restaurant, with UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, President Clinton was less punctual, and arrived just as the bridge was rising. The bridge opening split the motorcade in two, much to the consternation of security staff. A spokesman for Tower Bridge is quoted as saying, "We tried to contact the American Embassy, but they wouldn't answer the 'phone."[23]

On 19 August 1999, Jef Smith, a Freeman of the City of London, drove a "herd" of two sheep across the bridge. He was exercising an ancient permission, granted as a right to Freemen, to make a point about the powers of older citizens and the way in which their rights were being eroded.[24] However, this was a hollow gesture as the so-called right is to drive sheep across London Bridge into the City of London, and Tower Bridge does not have its northern landfall in the City.[citation needed]

Before dawn on 31 October 2003, David Crick, a Fathers 4 Justice campaigner, climbed a 120 ft (37 m) tower crane near Tower Bridge at the start of a six-day protest dressed as Spider-Man.[25] Fearing for his safety, and that of motorists should he fall, police cordoned off the area, closing the bridge and surrounding roads and causing widespread traffic congestion across the City and east London. The Metropolitan Police were later criticised for maintaining the closure for five days when this was not strictly necessary in the eyes of some citizens.[26][27]

On May 11, 2009, six persons were trapped and injured after a lift fell 10 ft inside the north tower.[28][29]

 

Large size on black

Iceland most famous geyser, at.... Geysir ! Its name is Strokkur and it shots quite often and regularly, maybe about every 5-10 mn or so. Usually, the first burst is followed by a second, smaller one, but in some instances, they are almost simultaneous, like in this shot.

 

The main geyser, called Geysir, is bigger but only fires once or twice a year apparently (thanks to Arnitr for the clarification :-)

 

Part of Iceland

A gift from my mother about 30 years ago. My treasured family heirloom. Self-awareness. Not as easy as it sounds.

..............................................................................................................

UPDATE

 

It finally dawned on me this very minute why many of you were saying "lovely" --- now I can''t stop laughing and my mother would have laughed too! You thought the tray was the heirloom, but it's the bookmark!

The book “Orda Cave Awareness Project”

It is dedicated to the biggest underwater gypsum cave in the world. It is located near Orda village (Perm region, Russia). The book contains articles by geologists, stories about animal life of the cave, interviews with pioneers, reviews by leading experts in cave diving.

The book is illustrated with more than 100 unique underwater photos. Also the first published map of Orda cave with additions and clarifications. The work on the book took half a year, the team made more than 150 dives. All 5 kilometers of its underwater galleries were photographed.

 

ordacave.ru

corrections and clarifications always appreciated.

We won't get into the details but, let's just say she overdid the pranks today and needed an attitude adjustment for trying to act like a fool.

 

DISCLAIMER: Just for clarification, we do not support humiliating methods of discipline here LOL

HOLY CRAP I WAS EXPLORED!!!!! So exciting!!

 

Shooting macro is so much fun. I had A LOT of outtakes I could have posted but I really liked this one...the beads just looked right. Oh btw, if i moved one inch to the right my camera would have been broken, the risks we take. haha

 

Now onto behind the lens, www.flickr.com/groups/1474768@N25/ ... Kari, once again, came up with the next theme which sounds like a great one. It is...

 

Leading Lines Due (1-30-11)

 

For those that need clarification, a leading line photograph is one where there are lines that lead you into or out of the photo. If you need examples, just google images it. Alright well have fun everyone!

 

-Peter

The River Orwell flows through the county of Suffolk in England. Its source river, above the tidal limit at Stoke Bridge, is known as the River Gipping..he River Orwell flows through the county of Suffolk in England. Its source river[clarification needed], above the tidal limit at Stoke Bridge, is known as the River Gipping.[1] It broadens into an estuary at Ipswich, where the Ipswich dock has operated since the 7th century, and then flows into the North Sea at Felixstowe, the UK's largest container port, after joining the River Stour at Shotley forming Harwich harbour

A bit of a pause in the slide show sequence to stop and see all of the colors laced into the clouds! I’m just so glad that I had the chance to be there while it was happening!

 

Just a little clarification about the soak-down that I experienced! It was probably my fault as much as it was the gars! I don’t usually paddle like that, but I was at full tilt with the canoe when it happened and probably scared him as much as he scared me! Well…maybe not! As Gary stated…these guys can really surprise when you’re paddling along quietly and then they explode in the water without warning! Hope you enjoy the sunrise and that everyone has a wonderful weekend!

  

DSC04165uls