"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)

(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

Whakarewarewa is a Rotorua semi-rural geothermal area in the Taupo Volcanic Zone of New Zealand. This was the site of the Māori fortress of Te Puia, first occupied around 1325, and known as an impenetrable stronghold never taken in battle. Māori have lived here ever since, taking full advantage of the geothermal activity in the valley for heating and cooking.

Whakarewarewa has some 500 pools, most of which are alkaline chloride hot springs, and at least 65 geyser vents, each with their own name. Seven geysers are currently active. Pohutu Geyser, meaning big splash or explosion, erupts approximately hourly to heights of up to 30 m.

Many of the thermal features at Whakarewarewa have been adversely affected by Rotorua residents taking advantage of the underlying geothermal fluids of the city by drawing shallow wells to extract hot water for both domestic and commercial heating. A bore closure programme in 1987–1988 resulted in 106 wells within 1.5 km of Pohutu Geyser being cemented shut, with another 120 wells outside the radius being shut due to a punitive royalty charging regime. There has subsequently been a pronounced recovery in the geysers and hot springs at Whakarewarewa.

The area features Te Pākira Marae and Wahiao meeting house, a meeting place of the Tūhourangi hapū of Ngāti Puta, Ngāti Uruhina, Ngāti Wāhiao, Tūhourangi and Ngāti Taoi.

Most of the currently active geysers at Whakarewarewa are located on Geyser Flat and aligned on a common fissure. This is a highly complex system, with the activity of one geyser affecting another.

Kereru Geyser, about 2 m above Puarenga Stream, located at the head of a small apron of blackish sinter, erupts every few days or weeks, in a fan-shaped jet 15 m high. No large eruptions occurred between 1972–1988, and it seems its recovery was directly linked to the sudden reduction of well drawoff in 1987. Kereru Geyser is probably independent of other springs on the fissure.

Prince of Wales Feathers Geyser, Pohutu Geyser, Te Horu Geyser (The Cauldron) and Waikorohihi Geyser are on a sinter plateau about 6 m above Puarenga Stream. Prince of Wales Feathers Geyser, Pohutu Geyser's closest neighbour, always precedes Pohutu, a feeble jet at first but gradually increasing in power until a continuous 9-metre-high (30 ft) column is ejected at an angle, when Pohutu usually erupts also. Sometimes Waikorohihi Geyser erupts a discontinuous 5-metre-high jet, then Prince of Wales Feathers will commence, later followed by Pohutu.

Until 1972, Te Horu Geyser erupted 2–7 m high as often as 10–15 times each day, but after that time eruptions and even boiling ceased. The water in Te Horu's vent began to overflow again in 1998. A very direct connection exists between Te Horu and Pohutu, with air-cooled water erupted from Pohutu largely falling in Te Horu's vent. This may explain the popular belief that Pohutu is more active when there is a south wind, because most erupted water is then blown away to the north, whereas with a north wind much is returned to cool the system and delay the next eruption.

Mahanga Geyser, also called the Boxing Glove, is an old geyser not known to erupt until 1961. Its 3–4.5-metre-high eruptions occur quite independently of its near neighbour Waikorohihi.

Wairoa Geyser, acclaimed as erupting 60 m high, last erupted naturally in December 1940 after which its water level fell to 4.5 m below overflow and the water became acidic. However, in early 1996, its water level rose to 3.2 m below overflow, with continuous powerful boiling, and it remains so to date.

Beyond Geyser Flat is Waikite Geyser, which forms the apex of a prominent sinter mound 260 m south of Pohutu. This last erupted in March 1967, and since then the vent has remained dry and weakly steaming. In June 1996, its previously 8.5 m deep and dry vent suddenly filled with boiling water which rose to within 2.3 m of overflow. In the past Waikite tended to erupt after prolonged periods of excessive rain, suggesting that the level of water in its vent is dependent on rainfall. It is hoped that Waikite may one day erupt again. Meanwhile, Pareia Geyser, just beyond Waikite, has recently reactivated.

Papakura Geyser is the other notable dormant geyser at Whakarewarewa, last erupting in September 2015 after a 110 year period during which it was known to have faltered very briefly only three times.[clarification needed] The cessation of eruptions from Papakura was directly responsible for initiating the Rotorua Monitoring Programme in 1981.

Blanche the model... is a great dancer, and friend of mine.

Clarification

1 ) the titles of these photos were placed by the curator of the exposition

2 ) I do not share the title of the photo

....are direct shots, taken with a Leica camera , analog. So are photos in paper and then scanned. Excuse me for the bad quality of the copies.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oostvaardersplassen

The Oostvaardersplassen (Dutch pronunciation: [oːstˈfaːrdərsˌplɑsə(n)]) is a nature reserve in the Netherlands, which is managed by the State Forestry Service. Covering about 56 square kilometres (22 sq mi), it is noted as an example of rewilding.[1] It is in a polder which was created in 1968, but in spite of the environment having little time to develop, by 1989 it had international importance as a Ramsar wetland.[2]

Geography

The Oostvaardersplassen are located in the municipality of Lelystad, between the towns of Lelystad and Almere, in the province of Flevoland in the Netherlands. The area of 56 square kilometres (22 sq mi) is situated on the shore of the Markermeer in the center of the Flevopolder. The Oostvaardersplassen can be divided into a wet area in the northwest and a dry area in the southeast.

Wet and dry areas

In the wet area along the Markermeer, there are large reedbeds on clay, where moulting geese often feed. This area is also home to great cormorant, common spoonbill, great egret, white-tailed eagle and Eurasian bittern, among many other animals. Oostvaardersplassen is a Special Protection Area for birdlife.[3]

Before the establishment of the reserve, the dry area was a nursery for willow trees, and in the first year hundreds of seedlings could be found on each square metre. This led to concern that a dense woodland would develop, significantly reducing the value of the habitat for water birds. To avoid this, the park's managers brought in a number of large herbivores to keep the area more open, including Konik ponies, red deer and Heck cattle. These large grazing animals are kept out in the open all year round without supplemental feeding, and are allowed to behave as wild animals (without, for example, castrating males). The ecosystem developing under their influence is thought to resemble those that would have existed on European river banks and deltas before human disturbance. However, there is some controversy about how natural the ecosystem is, as it lacks top predators.[1]

Large herbivores

Heck cattle

Before they were driven to extinction, large herbivores in this part of Europe included the tarpan (wild horse), wisent (European bison), red deer (elk or wapiti in North America) and aurochs (wild cattle). The tarpan and aurochs are extinct, but Konik ponies and Heck cattle are able to act as functional equivalents, occupying a similar ecological niche. The only native large herbivores now missing from Oostvaardersplassen are the elk (moose in North America), the wild boar and the wisent.[citation needed] There is a chance that the wild boar will find its way naturally from the Veluwe.

Head count2010 [4]2011 [5]

Red deer 2,200–2,800 3,300

Konik ponies 1,090 1,150

Heck cattle 320 350

Roe deer 30–40 n/a

Natural processes

Given that the Oostvaardersplassen is below sea level, many of its primary processes have been regulated. As the wetlands have been so spectacular, a dyke was made around it to prevent the process of groundwater-related subsidence. While this had temporary advantages, it created a water body with no open connections to the rest of the polder and the negative effects are only now being understood.[further explanation needed]

The cattle, deer and horses have multiplied in the Oostvaardersplassen. However, there is a limit to the number of animals the area can sustain. In the absence of natural predators the rangers shoot animals that are unlikely to survive. It is quite common for 30 to 60 per cent of the population to die in this way. After a die off, the vegetation has a chance to recover and this will get the first natural afforestation of the area under way.

The large herbivore die-offs are also closely related to the confined nature of the reserve and the flat nature of the reclaimed land, with very little shelter. It is fenced, and thus the large herbivores are unable to migrate away from the over grazed areas in Winter to find either shelter or forage.[6] All the large herbivores have an annual cycle of nutrition. Typically in winter and early spring their metabolism slows down. This is also the period in which they are designed to lose condition (body fat). This is where the ability to seek shelter as they would in a natural environment becomes crucial. Effectively the reserve is too small and impoverished to accommodate the natural processes of large herbivores, as for example in the Serengeti where large herbivores migrate over large distances.

During a particularly harsh winter in 2005, many animals in the Oostvaardersplassen died of starvation, leading to public outcry against alleged animal cruelty.

Future development

In many ways the Oostvaardersplassen is an isolated area; it is in a polder and there are currently no corridors connecting it to other nature reserves. The "Ecological Main Structure" plan proposes connections between nature reserves in the Netherlands, calls for a corridor to be created toward nearby Horsterwold (nl). The resulting network, called Oostvaardersland, would be part of Natura 2000, the European-wide network of habitats to which Oostvaardersplassen belongs.[8] The creation of Oostvaardersland will allow seasonal small scale migration and take some strain off the big grazers in winter. In the summer, Oostvaardersplassen will offer rich grazing and the sea winds will keep biting insects at bay, in the winter, the Horsterwold will offer protection from cold winds and supply browse. Oostvaardersland will comprise a total area of 150 square kilometres (58 sq mi). Furthermore, there is an option for a connection to the Veluwe forest. Eventually this could allow wild animals to move to and from Germany.[9]

Oostvaardersland was expected to be finished by 2014. However, the project ran into financial and political troubles. In 2012 the creation of Oostvaarderswold (nl), the 7 × 1 mi connecting corridor between Oostvaardersplassen and the Horsterwold, was stopped, and four members of the regional parliament resigned.[10] The government then planned to sell back the property to the previous owners for less money than it originally paid for the property; according to European nature laws it would then have to turn other lands into wilderness areas to compensate for the loss of the Oostvaarderswold nature area.[11] The reasons for this plan of action, which would cost a lot of public money and make the future creation of Oostvaardersland impossible, are unclear.

The advocates of natural processes are also planning for the wet part of the Oostvaardersplassen to be drained.[clarification needed] It is expected that the natural subsidence will lower the ground level and that this will result in a more natural and dynamic system.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oostvaardersplassen

The Oostvaardersplassen (Dutch pronunciation: [oːstˈfaːrdərsˌplɑsə(n)]) is a nature reserve in the Netherlands, which is managed by the State Forestry Service. Covering about 56 square kilometres (22 sq mi), it is noted as an example of rewilding.[1] It is in a polder which was created in 1968, but in spite of the environment having little time to develop, by 1989 it had international importance as a Ramsar wetland.[2]

Geography

The Oostvaardersplassen are located in the municipality of Lelystad, between the towns of Lelystad and Almere, in the province of Flevoland in the Netherlands. The area of 56 square kilometres (22 sq mi) is situated on the shore of the Markermeer in the center of the Flevopolder. The Oostvaardersplassen can be divided into a wet area in the northwest and a dry area in the southeast.

Wet and dry areas

In the wet area along the Markermeer, there are large reedbeds on clay, where moulting geese often feed. This area is also home to great cormorant, common spoonbill, great egret, white-tailed eagle and Eurasian bittern, among many other animals. Oostvaardersplassen is a Special Protection Area for birdlife.[3]

Before the establishment of the reserve, the dry area was a nursery for willow trees, and in the first year hundreds of seedlings could be found on each square metre. This led to concern that a dense woodland would develop, significantly reducing the value of the habitat for water birds. To avoid this, the park's managers brought in a number of large herbivores to keep the area more open, including Konik ponies, red deer and Heck cattle. These large grazing animals are kept out in the open all year round without supplemental feeding, and are allowed to behave as wild animals (without, for example, castrating males). The ecosystem developing under their influence is thought to resemble those that would have existed on European river banks and deltas before human disturbance. However, there is some controversy about how natural the ecosystem is, as it lacks top predators.[1]

Large herbivores

Heck cattle

Before they were driven to extinction, large herbivores in this part of Europe included the tarpan (wild horse), wisent (European bison), red deer (elk or wapiti in North America) and aurochs (wild cattle). The tarpan and aurochs are extinct, but Konik ponies and Heck cattle are able to act as functional equivalents, occupying a similar ecological niche. The only native large herbivores now missing from Oostvaardersplassen are the elk (moose in North America), the wild boar and the wisent.[citation needed] There is a chance that the wild boar will find its way naturally from the Veluwe.

Head count2010 [4]2011 [5]

Red deer 2,200–2,800 3,300

Konik ponies 1,090 1,150

Heck cattle 320 350

Roe deer 30–40 n/a

Natural processes

Given that the Oostvaardersplassen is below sea level, many of its primary processes have been regulated. As the wetlands have been so spectacular, a dyke was made around it to prevent the process of groundwater-related subsidence. While this had temporary advantages, it created a water body with no open connections to the rest of the polder and the negative effects are only now being understood.[further explanation needed]

The cattle, deer and horses have multiplied in the Oostvaardersplassen. However, there is a limit to the number of animals the area can sustain. In the absence of natural predators the rangers shoot animals that are unlikely to survive. It is quite common for 30 to 60 per cent of the population to die in this way. After a die off, the vegetation has a chance to recover and this will get the first natural afforestation of the area under way.

The large herbivore die-offs are also closely related to the confined nature of the reserve and the flat nature of the reclaimed land, with very little shelter. It is fenced, and thus the large herbivores are unable to migrate away from the over grazed areas in Winter to find either shelter or forage.[6] All the large herbivores have an annual cycle of nutrition. Typically in winter and early spring their metabolism slows down. This is also the period in which they are designed to lose condition (body fat). This is where the ability to seek shelter as they would in a natural environment becomes crucial. Effectively the reserve is too small and impoverished to accommodate the natural processes of large herbivores, as for example in the Serengeti where large herbivores migrate over large distances.

During a particularly harsh winter in 2005, many animals in the Oostvaardersplassen died of starvation, leading to public outcry against alleged animal cruelty.

Future development

In many ways the Oostvaardersplassen is an isolated area; it is in a polder and there are currently no corridors connecting it to other nature reserves. The "Ecological Main Structure" plan proposes connections between nature reserves in the Netherlands, calls for a corridor to be created toward nearby Horsterwold (nl). The resulting network, called Oostvaardersland, would be part of Natura 2000, the European-wide network of habitats to which Oostvaardersplassen belongs.[8] The creation of Oostvaardersland will allow seasonal small scale migration and take some strain off the big grazers in winter. In the summer, Oostvaardersplassen will offer rich grazing and the sea winds will keep biting insects at bay, in the winter, the Horsterwold will offer protection from cold winds and supply browse. Oostvaardersland will comprise a total area of 150 square kilometres (58 sq mi). Furthermore, there is an option for a connection to the Veluwe forest. Eventually this could allow wild animals to move to and from Germany.[9]

Oostvaardersland was expected to be finished by 2014. However, the project ran into financial and political troubles. In 2012 the creation of Oostvaarderswold (nl), the 7 × 1 mi connecting corridor between Oostvaardersplassen and the Horsterwold, was stopped, and four members of the regional parliament resigned.[10] The government then planned to sell back the property to the previous owners for less money than it originally paid for the property; according to European nature laws it would then have to turn other lands into wilderness areas to compensate for the loss of the Oostvaarderswold nature area.[11] The reasons for this plan of action, which would cost a lot of public money and make the future creation of Oostvaardersland impossible, are unclear.

The advocates of natural processes are also planning for the wet part of the Oostvaardersplassen to be drained.[clarification needed] It is expected that the natural subsidence will lower the ground level and that this will result in a more natural and dynamic system.

The pointe de Pen-Hir (Breton – Beg Penn Hir) is a promontory of the Crozon peninsula in Brittany, to the south-west of Camaret-sur-Mer. On a clear day there are views to the Pointe du Raz and the islands of Sein and Ouessant and to Pointe Saint-Mathieu. The cliffs are as tall as 70 metres (230 ft) high.

It is the site of the Monument to the Bretons of Free France, known as the Cross of Pen-Hir and inaugurated by General Charles de Gaulle in 1960. It is intended to bear witness to the group of Free French Bretons who founded Sao Breiz[clarification needed] in Great Britain during the Second World War. It was created in 1949–1951 by architect Jean-Baptiste Mathon and sculptor Victor-François Bazin.

« Aux Bretons de la France Libre – MCMXL – MCMXLV – La France a perdu une bataille, mais la France n'a pas perdu la guerre. Dans l'univers libre des forces immenses n'ont pas encore donné. Un jour ces forces écraseront l'ennemi. »

"To the Bretons of Free France – MCMXL – MCMXLV – France has lost a battle, but France has not lost the war. In the free world immense forces have not yet given up. One day these forces will crush the enemy."

On the back of the cross is an inscription in Breton, "Kentoc'h mervel eget em zaotra", taken from the motto of Brittany: "death rather than defilement".

Once again, Zero needed a little more clarification on his task. At the moment, Zero is out looking for a pot large enough to brew the tower!

Portland, Oregon 2015

New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) R160A no. 8557 (Alstom, 2005-2010) is the lead motor on a Manhattan-bound J train seen approaching Kosciuszko St Station on the BMT Jamaica Line. West of Broadway Junction the BMT Jamaica Line actually runs over Broadway, which is why its earlier name was the Broadway Brooklyn Line - the "Brooklyn" clarification needed to distinguish it from the BMT Broadway Line in Manhattan.

Sir Nicholas Bacon (28 December 1510 – 20 February 1579), was an English politician during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England, notable as Lord Keeper of the Great Seal. He was the father of the philosopher and statesman Sir Francis Bacon.

He was born at Chislehurst, Kent, the second son of Robert Bacon (1479 - 1548) of Drinkstone, Suffolk, by his wife Eleanor (Isabel) Cage. He graduated from Corpus Christi College, Cambridge in 1527,[1] and, after a period in Paris, he entered Gray's Inn, being called to the bar in 1533. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Henry VIII gave him a grant of the manors of Redgrave, Botesdale, Gislingham,[2] and Gorhambury. Gorhambury belonged to St Albans Abbey and lay near the site of the vanished Roman city of Verulamium (modern day St Albans). From 1563 to 1568 he built a new house, Old Gorhambury House (now a ruin), which later became the home of Francis Bacon, his youngest son.

In 1545 he became a Member of Parliament, representing Dartmouth. The following year, he was made Attorney of the Court of Wards and Liveries, a prestigious and lucrative post, and by 1552 he had risen to become treasurer of Gray's Inn. As a Protestant, he lost preferment under Queen Mary I of England. However, on the accession of her younger sister, Elizabeth in 1558 he was appointed Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, largely owing to the influence of his brother-in-law William Cecil. Shortly afterwards, Bacon was knighted.

Bacon helped secure the position of Archbishop of Canterbury for his friend Matthew Parker, and in his official capacity presided over the House of Lords when Elizabeth opened her first parliament. Though an implacable enemy of Mary Queen of Scots, he opposed Cecil's policy of war against France, on financial grounds; but he favoured closer links with foreign Protestants, and was aware of the threat to England from the alliance between France and Scotland. In 1559 he was authorized to exercise the full jurisdiction of lord chancellor. In 1564 he fell temporarily into the royal disfavour and was dismissed from court, because Elizabeth suspected he was concerned in the publication of a pamphlet, A Declaration of the Succession of the Crowne Imperial of Ingland, by John Hales, which favoured the claim of Lady Catherine Grey (sister of Lady Jane Grey) to the English throne. Bacon's innocence having been admitted, he was restored to favour, and replied to a writing by Sir Anthony Browne, who had again asserted the rights of the house of Suffolk to which Lady Catherine belonged. He thoroughly distrusted Mary, Queen of Scots; objected to the proposal to marry her to Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk; and warned Elizabeth that serious consequences for England would follow her restoration. He seems to have disliked the proposed marriage between the English queen and François, Duke of Anjou, and his distrust of the Roman Catholics and the French was increased by the St Bartholomew's Day massacre. As a loyal English churchman he was ceaselessly interested in ecclesiastical matters, and made suggestions for the better observation of doctrine and discipline in the church.

He died at Gorhambury[3] and was buried in St. Paul's Cathedral, his death calling forth many tributes to his memory. He had been an eloquent speaker, a learned lawyer, a generous friend; and his interest in education led him to make several gifts and bequests for educational purposes, including the foundation of a free grammar school at Redgrave.

He was twice married and by his first wife, Jane Ferneley, had three sons and three daughters.

Bacon's eldest son, Nicholas (c. 1540–1624), was member of parliament for the county of Suffolk and in 1611 was created premier baronet of England. This baronetcy is still held by his descendants, see Bacon Baronets. His second and third sons, Nathaniel (c. 1550–1622) and Edward (c. 1550–1618), also took some part in public life, and through his daughter, Anne, Nicholas was an ancestor of the Marquesses Townshend.

In 1553 he married his second wife Anne (1528–1610), daughter of Sir Anthony Cooke, by whom he had two sons, Anthony Bacon (1558–1601) and Francis Bacon (1561–1626).

Lady Anne Bacon [née Coke], (c. 1528 – 1610), was an English gentlewoman and scholar. She made a lasting contribution to English religious literature with her translation from Latin of John Jewel's Apologie of the Anglican Church (1564).

She was born in Essex, England, one of the five daughters of Anthony Cooke, tutor to Henry VIII’s only son Edward. Cooke ensured that each daughter received a thorough humanist education in languages and the classics. Anne, excelled in Greek, Latin, and Italian.

At twenty-two she translated and published Barnardine Ochyne of Siena's work Ochines Sermons from the Italian. Her translation from the Latin into English of Bishop John Jewel's work of 1564 Apology for the Church of England was a significant step in the intellectual justification of Protestantism in England. The work was a clarification of the differences between Anglicanism and Roman Catholicism, and was critical to the support of Elizabeth I's religious policies.

She married Sir Nicholas Bacon, Queen Elizabeth's Lord Chancellor, in 1553 and their son, possibly adopted, was Francis Bacon who later became a pioneer of the , scientific revolution.

She was for a while the head Lady-in-Waiting to Queen Elizabeth.

Her own views were strongly Puritan and she called for the eradication of all Popery in the Church of England but remained a member all her life.

Just a note of clarification a few people seem to think I am still travelling but my Norway trip is over and I have been back for nearly two weeks

We arrived in Trondheim under heavy grey skies and the weather or light never really improved. It was the one place I visited in the country were the sun never made an appearance. Trondheim is Norway’s third biggest cities but has preserved many of its historical buildings. In this shot you can see several old wooden storehouses along the banks of the River Nidelva that drains into the Trondheim fiord

THANKS FOR YOUR VISIT AND FOR TAKING THE TIME TO WRITE A COMMENT IT’S MUCH APPRECIATED.

IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW MY STREAM I SUGGEST YOU OUGHT TO READ MY PROFILE FIRST

MMB made this unbelievable hat shape sculpt. Both Yale (97legomaniac) and I were pretty stunned that the brim and form of the hat were entirely Pro-create putty, and it fits great onto minifig heads. He sent it to me to add details, so my work is in the seams and insignia and all. His shaping is far better than the M43 I made, the version in a few previous photos of mine.

With the presence of the eagle insignia, this seems like a pretty good time to put up a clarification message about something that should be obvious, but in case it should ever come up as a point of contempt or uncertainty to anyone, I want this to be clear as can be. Creation of German WWII gear in Lego in no way supports or condones the idiotic ideology based on illogical racial bigotry that is called Nazism. Never will or have I put a swastika or an SS on anything Lego, though this is just an extra measure I take. Don't mean to be overdramatic about this, but I'd like to be irrefutably clear.

Enjoy!

Blanche the model... is a great dancer, and friend of mine.

Clarification

1 ) the titles of these photos were placed by the curator of the exposition

2 ) I do not share the title of the photo

....are direct shots, taken with a camera Leica, analog. So are photos in paper and then scanned. Excuse me for the bad quality of the copies.

Blanche the model... is a great dancer, and friend of mine.

Clarification

1 ) the titles of these photos were placed by the curator of the exposition

2 ) I do not share the title of the photo

....are direct shots, taken with a camera Leica, analog. So are photos in paper and then scanned. Excuse me for the bad quality of the copies.

Thank you guys, but I want to make one clarification. This picture, although it may look like one, is not an HDR. I processed this in Lightroom before finishing it in Photoshop.

oh and for everyone's info....on the topic of adding links to your redbubble site on each photo page....

i got a reply back from flickr....

Putting a link in your photo descriptions is viewed as spammy and not tolerated by the community. If the link is to a commercial site or online store, then yes, it is a violation of our Community Guidelines. Please review those for further clarification: flickr.com/guidelines.gne

so the answer is....don't link to any sales site from the photo page.

while walking at a flea market i chanced upon a bird vendor with a green parakeet on his shoulder. wild parakeets are known to bite so this made his parakeet domesticated and possibly hand reared. i started talking with the vendor to ask more questions about his parakeet and my hunch was right. he placed the parakeet on my hand and, guess what, i ended up taking it home he he he. these shots were taken when i was negotiating with the vendor. price: USD5.00 for a hand reared domesticated parakeet.

The Philippine hanging parrot (Loriculus philippensis) is also widely known as the colasisi[2] taken from its local Tagalog name, "kulasisi". It is a small parrot species of the Psittaculidae family. It includes about eleven subspecies, which are all native to only the Philippines; however, the exact taxonomy is unclear, and at least one of the subspecies might become split off and become a separate species if further research provides clarification.

They are mainly green with areas of red, orange, yellow, and blue varying between subspecies. Only the males have a red area on their fronts, except for the population living on Camiguin, where neither male nor female have this red area. They make nests in tree holes and, unusually for a parrot, the female takes nesting material back to the nest.

source: wikipedia

The Palace of Westminster serves as the meeting place for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Informally known as the Houses of Parliament after its occupants, the Palace lies on the north bank of the River Thames in the City of Westminster, in central London, England.

Its name, which derives from the neighbouring Westminster Abbey, may refer to several historic structures but most often: the Old Palace, a medieval building-complex largely destroyed by fire in 1834, or its replacement, the New Palace that stands today. The palace is owned by the monarch in right of the Crown and, for ceremonial purposes, retains its original status as a royal residence. Committees appointed by both houses manage the building and report to the Speaker of the House of Commons and to the Lord Speaker.

The first royal palace constructed on the site dated from the 11th century, and Westminster became the primary residence of the Kings of England until fire destroyed the royal apartments in 1512 (after which, the nearby Palace of Whitehall was established). The remainder of Westminster continued to serve as the home of the Parliament of England, which had met there since the 13th century, and also as the seat of the Royal Courts of Justice, based in and around Westminster Hall. In 1834 an even greater fire ravaged the heavily rebuilt Houses of Parliament, and the only significant medieval structures to survive were Westminster Hall, the Cloisters of St Stephen's, the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft, and the Jewel Tower.

In the subsequent competition for the reconstruction of the Palace, the architect Charles Barry won with a design for new buildings in the Gothic Revival style, specifically inspired by the English Perpendicular Gothic style of the 14th–16th centuries. The remains of the Old Palace (except the detached Jewel Tower) were incorporated into its much larger replacement, which contains over 1,100 rooms organised symmetrically around two series of courtyards and which has a floor area of 112,476 m2 (1,210,680 sq ft). Part of the New Palace's area of 3.24 hectares (8 acres) was reclaimed from the River Thames, which is the setting of its nearly 300-metre long (980 ft) façade, called the River Front. Augustus Pugin, a leading authority on Gothic architecture and style, assisted Barry and designed the interior of the Palace. Construction started in 1840 and lasted for 30 years, suffering great delays and cost overruns, as well as the death of both leading architects; works for the interior decoration continued intermittently well into the 20th century. Major conservation work has taken place since then to reverse the effects of London's air pollution, and extensive repairs followed the Second World War, including the reconstruction of the Commons Chamber following its bombing in 1941.

The Palace is one of the centres of political life in the United Kingdom; "Westminster" has become a metonym for the UK Parliament and the British Government, and the Westminster system of government commemorates the name of the palace. The Elizabeth Tower, in particular, often referred to by the name of its main bell, Big Ben, has become an iconic landmark of London and of the United Kingdom in general, one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city, and an emblem of parliamentary democracy. Tsar Nicholas I of Russia called the new palace "a dream in stone". The Palace of Westminster has been a Grade I listed building since 1970 and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.The site of the Palace of Westminster was strategically important during the Middle Ages, as it was located on the banks of the River Thames.[clarification needed] Known in medieval times as Thorney Island, the site may have been first-used for a royal residence by Canute the Great during his reign from 1016 to 1035. St Edward the Confessor, the penultimate Anglo-Saxon monarch of England, built a royal palace on Thorney Island just west of the City of London at about the same time as he built (1045–1050) Westminster Abbey. Thorney Island and the surrounding area soon became known as Westminster (from the words west and minster). Neither the buildings used by the Anglo-Saxons nor those used by William I (r. 1066–1087) survive. The oldest existing part of the Palace (Westminster Hall) dates from the reign of William I's successor, King William II (r. 1087–1100).

The Palace of Westminster functioned as the English monarchs' principal residence in the late Medieval period. The predecessors of Parliament, the Witenagemot and the Curia Regis, met in Westminster Hall (although they followed the King when he moved to other palaces). Simon de Montfort's Parliament, the first to include representatives of the major towns, met at the Palace in 1265. The "Model Parliament", the first official Parliament of England, met there in 1295, and almost all subsequent English Parliaments and then, after 1707, all British Parliaments have met at the Palace.

Detail from A Panoramic View of London, from the Tower of St. Margaret's Church, Westminster (1815) by Pierre Prévost, showing the Palace of Westminster. The original Westminster Bridge is at left, and the roof of Westminster Hall at centre.

In 1512, during the early years of the reign of King Henry VIII, fire destroyed the royal residential ("privy") area of the palace. In 1534 Henry VIII acquired York Place from Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, a powerful minister who had lost the King's favour. Renaming it the Palace of Whitehall, Henry used it as his principal residence. Although Westminster officially remained a royal palace, it was used by the two Houses of Parliament and by the various royal law courts.

The Old Palace was a complex of buildings, separated from the River Thames in the east by a series of gardens. The largest and northernmost building is Westminster Hall, which lies parallel to the river. Several buildings adjoin it on the east side; south of those and perpendicular to the Hall is the mediaeval House of Commons. Further south and parallel to the river is the Court of Requests, with an eastwards extension at its south end, and at the south end of the complex lie the House of Lords and another chamber. The Palace was bounded by St Margaret's Street to the west and Old Palace Yard to the south-west; another street, New Palace Yard, is just visible to the north.

A detail from John Rocque's 1746 map of London. St Stephen's Chapel, labelled "H of Comm" (House of Commons), was adjacent to Westminster Hall; the Parliament Chamber—labelled "H of L" (House of Lords)—and the Prince's Chamber were to the far south. The Court of Requests, between the two Houses, would become the new home of the Lords in 1801. At the north-east, by the river, stood Speaker's House.

Being originally a royal residence, the Palace included no purpose-built chambers for the two Houses. Important state ceremonies took place in the Painted Chamber – originally built in the 13th century as the main bedchamber for King Henry III (r. 1216–1270). In 1801 the Upper House moved into the larger White Chamber (also known as the Lesser Hall), which had housed the Court of Requests; the expansion of the peerage by King George III during the first ministry (1783–1801) of William Pitt the Younger, along with the imminent Act of Union with Ireland, necessitated the move, as the original chamber could not accommodate the increased number of peers.

The House of Commons, which did not have a chamber of its own, sometimes held its debates in the Chapter House of Westminster Abbey. The Commons acquired a permanent home at the Palace in St Stephen's Chapel, the former chapel of the royal palace, during the reign of Edward VI (r. 1547–1553). In 1547 the building became available for the Commons' use following the disbanding of St Stephen's College. Alterations were made to St Stephen's Chapel over the following three centuries for the convenience of the lower House, gradually destroying, or covering up, its original mediaeval appearance. A major renovation project undertaken by Christopher Wren in the late-17th century completely redesigned the building's interior.

The Palace of Westminster as a whole underwent significant alterations from the 18th century onwards, as Parliament struggled to carry out its business in the limited available space of ageing buildings. Calls for an entirely new palace went unheeded – instead more buildings of varying quality and style were added. A new west façade, known as the Stone Building, facing onto St Margaret's Street, was designed by John Vardy and built in the Palladian style between 1755 and 1770, providing more space for document storage and for committee rooms. The House of Commons and House of Lords Engrossing Office of Henry (Robert) Gunnell (1724–1794) and Edward Barwell was on the lower floor beside the corner tower at the west side of Vardy's western façade. It was here where the Tax Laws for the American Colonies were put together. A new official residence for the Speaker of the House of Commons was built adjoining St Stephen's Chapel and completed in 1795. The neo-Gothic architect James Wyatt carried out works both on the House of Lords and on the House of Commons between 1799 and 1801, including alterations to the exterior of St Stephen's Chapel and a much-derided new neo-Gothic building (referred to by Wyatt's critics as "The Cotton Mill") adjoining the House of Lords and facing onto Old Palace Yard.

Sir John Soane substantially remodelled the palace complex between 1824 and 1827. The medieval House of Lords chamber, which had been the target of the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605, was demolished as part of this work in order to build a new Royal Gallery and a ceremonial entrance at the southern end of the palace. Soane's work at the palace also included new library facilities for both Houses of Parliament and new law courts for the Chancery and King's Bench. Soane's alterations caused controversy owing to his use of neo-classical architectural styles, seen as conflicting with the Gothic style of the original buildings.

The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons (1835).

On 16 October 1834, a fire broke out in the Palace after an overheated stove used to destroy the Exchequer's stockpile of tally sticks set fire to the House of Lords Chamber. In the resulting conflagration both Houses of Parliament were destroyed, along with most of the other buildings in the palace complex. Westminster Hall was saved thanks to fire-fighting efforts and a change in the direction of the wind. The Jewel Tower, the Undercroft Chapel and the Cloisters and Chapter House of St Stephen's were the only other parts of the Palace to survive

Immediately after the fire, King William IV offered the almost-completed Buckingham Palace to Parliament, hoping to dispose of a residence he disliked. The building was considered unsuitable for parliamentary use, however, and the gift was rejected. Proposals to move to Charing Cross or St James's Park had a similar fate; the allure of tradition and the historical and political associations of Westminster proved too strong for relocation, despite the deficiencies of that site. In the meantime, the immediate priority was to provide accommodation for the next Parliament, and so the Painted Chamber and White Chamber were hastily repaired for temporary use.

In 1835, following that year's General Election, the King permitted Parliament to make "plans for [its] permanent accommodation". Each house created a committee and a public debate over the proposed styles ensued.

The Lords Chamber was completed in 1847, and the Commons Chamber in 1852 (at which point architect Charles Barry received a knighthood). Although most of the work had been carried out by 1860, construction was not finished until a decade afterwards.

During the Second World War (see The Blitz), the Palace of Westminster was hit by bombs on fourteen separate occasions. One bomb fell into Old Palace Yard on 26 September 1940 and severely damaged the south wall of St Stephen's Porch and the west front. The statue of Richard the Lionheart was lifted from its pedestal by the force of the blast, and its upheld sword bent, an image that was used as a symbol of the strength of democracy, "which would bend but not break under attack".

The old chamber of the House of Commons was in use between 1852 and 1941, when it was destroyed by German bombs in the course of the Second World War.

The worst raid took place in the night of 10–11 May 1941, when the Palace took at least twelve hits and three people (two policemen and Resident Superintendent of the House of Lords Edward Elliott) were killed. An incendiary bomb hit the chamber of the House of Commons and set it on fire; another set the roof of Westminster Hall alight. The firefighters could not save both, and a decision was taken to try to rescue the Hall. In this they were successful; the abandoned Commons Chamber, on the other hand, was destroyed, as was the Members' Lobby. A bomb also struck the Lords Chamber, but went through the floor without exploding. The Clock Tower took a hit by a small bomb or anti-aircraft shell at the eaves of the roof, suffering much damage there. All the glass on the south dial was blown out, but the hands and bells were not affected, and the Great Clock continued to keep time accurately.

Following the destruction of the Commons Chamber, the Lords offered their own debating chamber for the use of the Commons; for their own sittings, the Queen's Robing Room was converted into a makeshift chamber. The Commons Chamber was rebuilt after the war under the architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, in a simplified version of the old chamber's style. The work was undertaken by John Mowlem & Co., and construction lasted until 1950. The Lords Chamber was then renovated over the ensuing months; the Lords re-occupied it in May 1951.

As the need for office space in the Palace increased, Parliament acquired office space in the nearby Norman Shaw Building in 1975, and in the custom-built Portcullis House, completed in 2000. This increase has enabled all Members of Parliament (MP) to have their own office facilities.

The Palace of Westminster, which is a Grade 1 listed building, is in urgent need of extensive restoration to its fabric. A 2012 pre-feasibility report set out several options, including the possibility of Parliament moving to other premises while work is carried out. At the same time, the option of moving Parliament to a new location was discounted, with staying at the Westminster site preferred. An Independent Options Appraisal Report released in June 2015 found that the cost to restore the Palace of Westminster could be as much as £7.1 billion if MPs were to remain at the Palace whilst works take place. MPs decided in 2016 to vacate the building for six years starting in 2022. In January 2018, the House of Commons voted for both houses to vacate the Palace of Westminster to allow for a complete refurbishment of the building which may take up to six years starting in 2025. It is expected that the House of Commons will be temporarily housed in a replica chamber to be located in Richmond House in Whitehall and the House of Lords will be housed at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Parliament Square.

www.lancswt.org.uk/reserves/winmarleigh-cockerham-moss

Lancashire’s largest mossland (raised peat bog), home to a wide range of rare wildlife, and a fantastic store of thousands of tonnes of carbon.

Winmarleigh Moss is Lancashire’s best example of a lowland raised bog and is located to the north west of Garstang, between the villages of Cockerham and Winmarleigh.

This low lying area has been a moss for several thousand years with most of the area being reclaimed for farming and peat digging. The Trust bought the remnant Cockerham Moss in 2010 and Winmarleigh Moss 2012 with the aim of safeguarding the plants and animals. The Moss had been subject to drainage for many years and is drying out - this results in the loss of the mossland plant communities and a less valuable birch woodland developing.

The Moss is to have some vital works undertaken this Autumn and Winter. As part of the process of developing the plans for the restoration work, the Wildlife Trust undertook a series of information giving sessions and discussions this Summer. The aim was to inform local people of the plans for the bogs restoration, listen to people’s views and opinions and gathering, and addressing, any concerns or points of clarification.

The Trust was helped in this by Icarus, who facilitated the sessions and was funded by Sciencewise.

Reserve information

Location

5km NW of Garstang, land to the North of Island Lane

Garstang

Lancashire

PR3

Map reference

SD 446 479

Size

84.69 hectares

Access

Yes

Contact the Trust.

A public footpath runs through the middle of the site. Due to the sensitive habitat a permit is required if you would like to access the rest of the site which can be obtained by contacting the Trust. Dogs must be kept on a lead on the public footpath. Please note that wheelchair users are unable to access the site.

Walking information

A public footpath runs through the middle of the site which can be found on O/S Explorer 296 Lancaster, Morecambe & Fleetwood & O/S Land Ranger 102 Preston & Blackpool. Please note there is no parking near the site.

Dogs

Dogs must be on lead

Reserve manager

Chris Miller

Tel: 01204 663754

cmiller@lancswt.org.uk

A short visit to my local reserve in the afternoon resulted in photos of 2 dragonflies - the only 2 seen.

This was a surprise sighting seen wandering around the field .

I can not tell if it is a female or a juvenile male. No doubt it should be obvious.

Clarification would be welcome.

08887 stands at Euston on 30th January 1995 with Motorail GUV vans and a Motorail loading wagon.

The Motorail brand was introduced in 1966 and was used by Intercity until the end of British Rail Motorail services in May 1995. The Motorail network at this time comprised of seven Motorail trains each way connecting London and Bristol daily (except Saturday) with Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William. The car carrying vans shown here were about to be shunted onto the front of a Sleeper to Glasgow Central.

I'm somewhat confused as to the need for the car loading wagon at Euston. They allowed cars to be driven down a platform and directly onto the train. However, I thought Euston had 2 platforms where cars could be driven directly onto the train from the platform ends. Any clarification gratefully received.

Shot taken @ Mukuni Big 5 - Zambia during one of our volunteer staying.

View On Black

Well, sometimes we find on our African pictures comments from people who doubt about our African activity. This is a reasonable reaction, that's why we decided to post some clarification directly on the pictures for all those who can pass through here. Of course all comments are well accepted and we will be glad to answer to all of you. This is part of our work.

______________________________________________

We thank all people who comment our shots with our big cats with these kind of notes:

___________________________________________

What many people don't realize is that once fully grown up those lions go to the canned hunting industry

www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/jun/03/canned-huntin...

_____________________________________________

This information can be very useful for people who are not aware about this big sad "industry". Just to let you know, we work in this center since 4 years and I can assure you that all our animals growing here will then be released in a safe area where no farms, no hunters, no shoots will be allowed except for Photo shooting. After so many years in Africa we are enough well informed about this kind of industry and , of course, we would not work and spend all our energies and money for such a market. Our aim is just conservation and breeding program. I could write papers and papers, but it t would be much easier for everybody to have a look in internet at our center : Mukuni Big 5 Safaris

www.mukunibig5.co.zm/volunteerp/

Many other information can be found just typing the name of the center or our names in internet, Facebook etc..

Here in Flickr we have many friends and contacts and they know very well that what we do for these animals is just focused to the safeguard of nature and wildlife.

Further to this, we also have deep information about other centers created for the canned hunting industry. It's not easy to fight them, the governments of many states support this business. But we do what we can through information and some other ways .

Al people interested, are very welcome to join us as volunteering or just for a visit during a possible trip in the area.

Thanks however for your comment which allowed us to give some more information to people .

Laura Bongiorni

Adalberto Mangini

The thing in Orina’s left arm is still an ancient mike, from the sixties (see the previous image of this series, but is this clarification really necessary?). She’s a singer, as I explained in the previous post. In this series she’s totally unplugged, which didn’t spoil our art. Because the real musician is an artist in the first point. Which Orina brilliantly proved in this photo-op – our first and the only yet, but I hope that is far from the last.

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Suecia - Helsingborg - Ayuntamiento

***

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.

I found this car during a Cruisin' the Coast Car Show. The cars were displayed at a Veterans' Home in Biloxi. The Veterans get to view the cars with the assistance of the personnel. Some of the residents are put on busses and toured around the grounds to make it easier for them to see all the cars. This is a church located on the grounds.

Photographic information:

Since this car was parked by the chruch with no obstructions, I did not have to do much to it. I used a little contrast and clarification. I added a border and my name.

Editing program: Paint Shop Pro

Camera: PhotoSmart 618

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Golden%20Dawn/163/128/21

EVO Motocycles Features

The EVO Motorcycles are optimized for the better ride, animations, passenger and parks, with custom made animations.

You can access to the "special features" of the EVO by clicking the tank cap of the bike.

- Menu Access : Owner - Group - All (for CD Player, LovePose)

- Visibility : Allow you to set On/Off the extra parts

- Damage : On/Off Collision System (Broken Glasses, Smoke, sparkle...)

- Explosion : On/Off (Active Damage Required) The motorcycle will explode after several collisions from weapons or shock.

- CD Player : 45 complete Mp3

Pick Song - Cyclic Mode - Random Mode

- LovePose : New *Deluxe* Menu 280 animations

Cuddles - Dances - Photos - Lady/Gent - Foreplay - Girl Girl - Man Man - 3some - BDSM

You can access to the LovePose menu in 2 ways :

By clicking on the tank cap

By clicking on the invisible circle behind the bike (to enable writing to the local chat /1show or /1hide)

Obviously all the positions of the animations are editable from the menu LovePose to fit with your avatar.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LowLag Motocycles Features

The LowLag is a version of the bike meant to be lighter than the EVO version.

It is recommended for races and for travel from sim to sim.

It doesn't have special features of the EVO Series

On/Off bag and the headlight cover, by clicking next to them.

This version includes all the "Basic Features".

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The mostly important *Basic Features*

Passeger Sit - Turbo - Flight - Horn - Light On/Off - Burnout - Lock/Unlock - NOS

Parkings - Resizer - Editable Positions by HUD - Alarm - Camera - Different Sounds

Unique animations - Customizable License plate - Exhaust - Engine Vibrations - Mouselook

Auto seat On/Off when the passenger is on bike - Bike control menu customizable

All part of motorcycles (colors & textures) editable by using the Edit Menu of SL.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HUDs

Both of these HUDs are optional and can be used separately.

Driver HUD: With this one you can have access the Basic Features of the bike.

Fuel HUD: This function simulates the consumption of gasoline on your bike.

Gasoline can be recharged via gas stations that use ACS scripts.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Driving Tips

** HOW TO START TO DRIVE **

Right click on the bike and sit on the engine, tank or other parts of the bike,

but not on seat (seat is for passenger).

With the arrow keys on the keyboard you can guide the bike.

Here is the list of some keys on the keyboard that will allow various functions to guide.

Drive = ← → ↑

Wheelie = PagUp

Gearshift = Shift + ↑ ↓

Burnout = ↑+ PageDown

Tight steering and Drift = ← → + ↓

NOS = ↑ + ↓

Click on the bike for Stop, Park and other features or click on the Tank Cap for the EVO features

Below you will find attached notecard of driving tips for beginners or advanced customization controls

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aesthetics Customization

The entire Aesthetics of the bike is editable (colors and textures) using the Edit menu of SL.

Open the box with the full perm textures, so you can use as you wish, or create your own textures.

If you want you can also change the colors directly on the prim through the Edit menu.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you again to bought our products!

You can contact MotoDesign Resident for any help, clarification or require special customizations for an extra price.

If you bought this item on the Marketplace, you can write a REVIEW and get a random gifts or

you choose between: accessories - outfits - tattoos.

Simply send an im to MotoDesign Resident with the name of the product you want as a gift.

MotoDesign is part of the family of - Vix Motors - Turlaccor Custombike - Eternal SexyShop, some parts of the bikes can refer to some of its creators, we invite you to visit our other shops!

Best regards

MotoDesign Team

Not certain where the adults are at, but this is the second year in a row that I’ve spotted juvenile, Black-crowned Night Herons on the bayou and I have yet to see an adult in roughly 8 years. I presume that I’m looking in the wrong places. This youngster was extremely skittish and jumped from tree to tree and limb to limb trying to escape that clown in the canoe. At least I was able to capture it before it flew off. Photo taken on Arman Bayou.

I am going to add a bit of clarification to this post. Some will call me a bit crazy, and I guess it’s just me. They may be spot on correct as well. I still enjoy the challenge of taking photos and some of the new cameras, including the Sony A7RV that I am currently using are ladened with technology and have all sorts of assists built into them. Turn on the AI and Eye Recognition and the camera never misses the bird buried in the branches no matter how cluttered it might be. I used those features initially but must confess that they are all turned off in my camera. Autofocus is on and that’s about it. I miss a lot of shots, but I also don’t feel like I am using an automatic point shoot camera to take my photos. What you see is what you get, and I usually try to focus on the eye, but that is not always the case.

I also want to say that these are just my opinions and my way of doing things…OLD SCHOOL for this old timer.

A7R08041ula

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oostvaardersplassen

The Oostvaardersplassen (Dutch pronunciation: [oːstˈfaːrdərsˌplɑsə(n)]) is a nature reserve in the Netherlands, which is managed by the State Forestry Service. Covering about 56 square kilometres (22 sq mi), it is noted as an example of rewilding.[1] It is in a polder which was created in 1968, but in spite of the environment having little time to develop, by 1989 it had international importance as a Ramsar wetland.[2]

Geography

The Oostvaardersplassen are located in the municipality of Lelystad, between the towns of Lelystad and Almere, in the province of Flevoland in the Netherlands. The area of 56 square kilometres (22 sq mi) is situated on the shore of the Markermeer in the center of the Flevopolder. The Oostvaardersplassen can be divided into a wet area in the northwest and a dry area in the southeast.

Wet and dry areas

In the wet area along the Markermeer, there are large reedbeds on clay, where moulting geese often feed. This area is also home to great cormorant, common spoonbill, great egret, white-tailed eagle and Eurasian bittern, among many other animals. Oostvaardersplassen is a Special Protection Area for birdlife.[3]

Before the establishment of the reserve, the dry area was a nursery for willow trees, and in the first year hundreds of seedlings could be found on each square metre. This led to concern that a dense woodland would develop, significantly reducing the value of the habitat for water birds. To avoid this, the park's managers brought in a number of large herbivores to keep the area more open, including Konik ponies, red deer and Heck cattle. These large grazing animals are kept out in the open all year round without supplemental feeding, and are allowed to behave as wild animals (without, for example, castrating males). The ecosystem developing under their influence is thought to resemble those that would have existed on European river banks and deltas before human disturbance. However, there is some controversy about how natural the ecosystem is, as it lacks top predators.[1]

Large herbivores

Heck cattle

Before they were driven to extinction, large herbivores in this part of Europe included the tarpan (wild horse), wisent (European bison), red deer (elk or wapiti in North America) and aurochs (wild cattle). The tarpan and aurochs are extinct, but Konik ponies and Heck cattle are able to act as functional equivalents, occupying a similar ecological niche. The only native large herbivores now missing from Oostvaardersplassen are the elk (moose in North America), the wild boar and the wisent.[citation needed] There is a chance that the wild boar will find its way naturally from the Veluwe.

Head count2010 [4]2011 [5]

Red deer 2,200–2,800 3,300

Konik ponies 1,090 1,150

Heck cattle 320 350

Roe deer 30–40 n/a

Natural processes

Given that the Oostvaardersplassen is below sea level, many of its primary processes have been regulated. As the wetlands have been so spectacular, a dyke was made around it to prevent the process of groundwater-related subsidence. While this had temporary advantages, it created a water body with no open connections to the rest of the polder and the negative effects are only now being understood.[further explanation needed]

The cattle, deer and horses have multiplied in the Oostvaardersplassen. However, there is a limit to the number of animals the area can sustain. In the absence of natural predators the rangers shoot animals that are unlikely to survive. It is quite common for 30 to 60 per cent of the population to die in this way. After a die off, the vegetation has a chance to recover and this will get the first natural afforestation of the area under way.

The large herbivore die-offs are also closely related to the confined nature of the reserve and the flat nature of the reclaimed land, with very little shelter. It is fenced, and thus the large herbivores are unable to migrate away from the over grazed areas in Winter to find either shelter or forage.[6] All the large herbivores have an annual cycle of nutrition. Typically in winter and early spring their metabolism slows down. This is also the period in which they are designed to lose condition (body fat). This is where the ability to seek shelter as they would in a natural environment becomes crucial. Effectively the reserve is too small and impoverished to accommodate the natural processes of large herbivores, as for example in the Serengeti where large herbivores migrate over large distances.

During a particularly harsh winter in 2005, many animals in the Oostvaardersplassen died of starvation, leading to public outcry against alleged animal cruelty.

Future development

In many ways the Oostvaardersplassen is an isolated area; it is in a polder and there are currently no corridors connecting it to other nature reserves. The "Ecological Main Structure" plan proposes connections between nature reserves in the Netherlands, calls for a corridor to be created toward nearby Horsterwold (nl). The resulting network, called Oostvaardersland, would be part of Natura 2000, the European-wide network of habitats to which Oostvaardersplassen belongs.[8] The creation of Oostvaardersland will allow seasonal small scale migration and take some strain off the big grazers in winter. In the summer, Oostvaardersplassen will offer rich grazing and the sea winds will keep biting insects at bay, in the winter, the Horsterwold will offer protection from cold winds and supply browse. Oostvaardersland will comprise a total area of 150 square kilometres (58 sq mi). Furthermore, there is an option for a connection to the Veluwe forest. Eventually this could allow wild animals to move to and from Germany.[9]

Oostvaardersland was expected to be finished by 2014. However, the project ran into financial and political troubles. In 2012 the creation of Oostvaarderswold (nl), the 7 × 1 mi connecting corridor between Oostvaardersplassen and the Horsterwold, was stopped, and four members of the regional parliament resigned.[10] The government then planned to sell back the property to the previous owners for less money than it originally paid for the property; according to European nature laws it would then have to turn other lands into wilderness areas to compensate for the loss of the Oostvaarderswold nature area.[11] The reasons for this plan of action, which would cost a lot of public money and make the future creation of Oostvaardersland impossible, are unclear.

The advocates of natural processes are also planning for the wet part of the Oostvaardersplassen to be drained.[clarification needed] It is expected that the natural subsidence will lower the ground level and that this will result in a more natural and dynamic system.

Terry the lion! Shot at Mukuni big Five Safaris - zambia

Well, sometimes we find on our African pictures comments from people who doubt about our African activity. This is a reasonable reaction, that's why we decided to post some clarification directly on the pictures for all those who can pass through here. Of course all comments are well accepted and we will be glad to answer to all of you. This is part of our work.

______________________________________________

We thank all people who comment our shots with our big cats with these kind of notes:

___________________________________________

What many people don't realize is that once fully grown up those lions go to the canned hunting industry

www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/jun/03/canned-huntin...

_____________________________________________

This information can be very useful for people who are not aware about this big sad "industry". Just to let you know, we work in this center since 4 years and I can assure you that all our animals growing here will then be released in a safe area where no farms, no hunters, no shoots will be allowed except for Photo shooting. After so many years in Africa we are enough well informed about this kind of industry and , of course, we would not work and spend all our energies and money for such a market. Our aim is just conservation and breeding program. I could write papers and papers, but it t would be much easier for everybody to have a look in internet at our center : Mukuni Big 5 Safaris

www.mukunibig5.co.zm/volunteerp/

Many other information can be found just typing the name of the center or our names in internet, Facebook etc..

Here in Flickr we have many friends and contacts and they know very well that what we do for these animals is just focused to the safeguard of nature and wildlife.

Further to this, we also have deep information about other centers created for the canned hunting industry. It's not easy to fight them, the governments of many states support this business. But we do what we can through information and some other ways .

Al people interested, are very welcome to join us as volunteering or just for a visit during a possible trip in the area.

Thanks however for your comment which allowed us to give some more information to people .

Laura Bongiorni

Adalberto Mangini

The Royal Palace of Madrid is the official residence of the Spanish royal family at the city of Madrid, although now used only for state ceremonies. The palace has 135,000 m2 (1,450,000 sq ft) of floor space and contains 3,418 rooms. It is the largest functioning royal palace and the largest by floor area in Europe.

King Felipe VI and the royal family do not reside in the palace, choosing instead the significantly more modest Palace of Zarzuela on the outskirts of Madrid. The palace is now open to the public, except during state functions, although it is so large that only a selection of the best rooms are on the visitor route at any one time, the route being changed every few months. The palace is owned by the Spanish state and administered by the Patrimonio Nacional, a public agency of the Ministry of the Presidency. The palace is on Calle de Bailén ("Bailén Street") in the western part of downtown Madrid, east of the Manzanares River, and is accessible from the Ópera metro station.

The palace is on the site of a 9th-century Moorish Alcázar, near the town of Magerit, constructed as an outpost by Muhammad I of Córdoba and inherited after 1036 by the independent Moorish Taifa of Toledo. After Madrid fell to King Alfonso VI of Castile in 1083, the edifice was only rarely used by the kings of Castile. In 1329, King Alfonso XI of Castile convened the Cortes of Madrid for the first time. King Felipe II moved his court to Madrid in 1561.

The Castilian Alcázar was on the site, mostly built in the 16th century. After it burned down on 24 December 1734, King Felipe V ordered a new palace built on the same site. Construction spanned the years 1738 to 1755 and followed a Berniniesque design by Filippo Juvarra and Giovanni Battista Sacchetti in cooperation with Ventura Rodríguez, Francesco Sabatini, and Martín Sarmiento. King Carlos III first occupied the new palace in 1764.

The last monarch who lived continuously in the palace was King Alfonso XIII, although Manuel Azaña, president of the Second Republic, also inhabited it, making him the last head of state to do so. During that period the palace was known as "Palacio Nacional". There is still a room next to the Real Capilla, which is known by the name "Office of Azaña".

The interior of the palace is notable for its wealth of art and the use of many types of fine materials in the construction and the decoration of its rooms. It includes paintings by artists such as Caravaggio, Juan de Flandes, Francisco de Goya, and Velázquez, and frescoes by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Corrado Giaquinto, and Anton Raphael Mengs. Other collections of great historical and artistic importance preserved in the building include the Royal Armoury of Madrid, porcelain, watches, furniture, silverware, and the world's only complete Stradivarius string quintet.

The palace was initially built by Muhammad I, Umayyad Emir of Cordoba, between 860 and 880. After the Moors were driven out of Toledo in the 11th century, the castle retained its defensive function. Henry III of Castile added several towers. His son John II used it as a royal residence. During the War of the Castilian Succession (1476) the troops of Joanna la Beltraneja were besieged in the Alcázar, during which the building suffered severe damage.

The only drawing of the castle from the Middle Ages is one from 1534 by Cornelius Vermeyen.

Emperor Charles V, with the architects Alonso de Covarrubias and Luis de Vega, extended and renovated the castle in 1537. Philip II made Madrid his capital in 1561 and continued the renovations, with new additions. Philip III added a long southern facade between 1610 and 1636.

Philip V of Bourbon renovated the royal apartments in 1700. The Alcázar of the Habsburgs was austere in comparison to the Palace of Versailles where the new king had spent his childhood; and he began a series of redesigns mainly planned by Teodoro Ardemans and René Carlier, with the main rooms being redecorated by Queen Maria Luisa of Savoy and the Princess of Ursins in the style of French palaces.

Preserved in the collection of the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

On Christmas Eve 1734, the Alcázar was destroyed by a fire that originated in the rooms of the French painter Jean Ranc. Response to the fire was delayed due to the warning bells being confused with the call to mass. For fear of looting, the doors of the building remained closed, hampering rescue efforts. Many works of art were lost, such as the Expulsion of the Moors, by Diego Velázquez. Others, such as Las Meninas, were rescued by tossing them out the windows. Fortunately, many pieces were saved because shortly before the blaze the king ordered that much of his collection be moved to the Buen Retiro Palace. This fire lasted four days and completely destroyed the old Alcázar, whose remaining walls were finally demolished in 1738.

Italian architect Filippo Juvarra oversaw work on the new palace and devised a lavish project of enormous proportions inspired by Bernini's plans for the Louvre. This plan was not realized, due to Juvarra's untimely death in March 1736. His disciple Giambattista Sacchetti, also known as Juan Bautista Sacchetti or Giovanni Battista Sacchetti, was chosen to continue the work of his mentor. Sacchetti designed the structure to encompass a large square courtyard and resolved sightline problems by creating projecting wings.

In 1760, Charles III called upon Sicilian Francesco Sabatini, a Neoclassical architect, to enlarge the building. Sabatini's original idea was to frame the Plaza de la Armería with a series of galleries and arcades, to accommodate various dependencies[clarification needed], by constructing two wings along the square. Only the extension of the southeast tower known as la de San Gil was completed. Sabatini also planned to extend the north side with a large wing that echoed the style of the main building and included three square courtyards that would be smaller than the large central courtyard. Work on this expansion started quickly but was soon interrupted, leaving the foundations buried under a platform on which the royal stables were later built. The stables were demolished in the 20th century and replaced by the Sabatini Gardens. Charles III first occupied the palace in 1764.

In the 19th century, Ferdinand VII, who spent many years imprisoned in the Château de Valençay, began the most thorough renovation of the palace. The aim of this redesign was to turn the old-fashioned Italian-style building into a modern French-style palace. However, his grandson Alfonso XII proposed to turn the palace into a Victorian-style residence. Alfonso's plans were designed by the architect José Segundo de Lema and consisted of remodeling several rooms, replacing marble floors with parquet, and adding period furniture.

In the twentieth century, restoration work was needed to repair damage suffered during the Spanish Civil War, by repairing or reinstalling decoration and decorative trim and replacing damaged walls with faithful reproductions of the originals.

Shown: 1928 Bugatti Type 35

Automobiles Ettore Bugatti was a French car manufacturer of high-performance automobiles, founded in 1909 in the then German city of Molsheim, Alsace by Italian-born Ettore Bugatti. Bugatti cars were known for their design beauty (Ettore Bugatti was from a family of artists and considered himself to be both an artist and constructor[clarification needed]) and for their many race victories. Famous Bugattis include the Type 35 Grand Prix cars, the Type 41 "Royale", the Type 57 "Atlantic" and the Type 55 sports car. The death of Ettore Bugatti in 1947 proved to be the end for the marque, and the death of his son Jean Bugatti in 1939 ensured there was not a successor to lead the factory. No more than about 8,000 cars were made. The company struggled financially, and released one last model in the 1950s, before eventually being purchased for its airplane parts business in the 1960s. In the 1990s, an Italian entrepreneur revived it as a builder of limited production exclusive sports cars. Today, the name is owned by German automobile manufacturing group Volkswagen. [Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugatti]

The Type 35 was the most successful of the Bugatti racing models. Its version of the Bugatti arch-shaped radiator that had evolved from the more architectural one of the Bugatti Type 13 Brescia, was to become the one that the marque is most known for though even in the ranks of the various Type 35s there were variations on the theme. The Type 35 was phenomenally successful, winning over 1,000 races in its time. It took the Grand Prix World Championship in 1926 after winning 351 races and setting 47 records in the two prior years. At its height, Type 35s averaged 14 race wins per week. Bugatti won the Targa Florio for five consecutive years, from 1925 through 1929, with the Type 35. [Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugatti_Type_35#Type_35]

The Canadian Automotive Museum is an automobile museum located in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The museum features many Canadian-made cars as the automobile industry, specifically the Canadian division of the General Motors, known as General Motors Canada, which has always been at the forefront of Oshawa's economy. The museum was founded in 1962 by a group of Oshawa businessmen through the Oshawa Chamber of Commerce. The venture was initiated mainly to preserve the automotive history of Canada and to present this history in an educational and entertaining manner. Canadian Automotive Museum Inc is a charitable corporation and has been in operation since 1963. The museum is housed in a 25,000 sq ft (2,300 m2) building in downtown Oshawa that was originally the location of Ontario Motor Sales, a local car dealership, in the 1920s. The building maintains its original period architecture right down to the original elevator used to move cars to the second floor. The Museum is affiliated with: CMA, CHIN, and Virtual Museum of Canada. [Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Automotive_Museum]

Website: www.canadianautomotivemuseum.com

This "Canadian Automotive Museum" tells the story of the 'Canadian Automotive Industry' through its many displays and original artifacts. It is located in the 'Canadian General Motors' town of 'Oshawa' since 1961 and features cars from 1898 to 1930s.

The man in the photo is Rabbi Yaakov Ades, A Kabbalist (one that aims to learn hidden ways for unification of the human, materialistic with the divine, spiritual).

He lives life of austerity and celibacy, sleeping only a few hours every night on the floor, changing his clothes rarely, etc. He prays and speaks very intensely. Many see his as a kind of a Jewish 'saint'.

My impression is that if he would have consult a psychiatrist, he would probably be diagnosed as a severe OCD; but I guess he has no reason to do so…

P.S. or clarification:

some of our 'limitations' or 'weaknesses' can serve as assets, and lead us to places otherwise we wouldn't reach.

The fact than someone can be diagnosed with such ans such diagnosis, does not mean he is 'less good', 'should necessarily be cured' etc.

I have been accused for stealing the Inspire Poses name from another store for some time. I was able to prove that these charges were false.

Several months passed and I was not guilty I thought the problem had been cleared up, but I was seriously mistaken. Two days ago I was enjoying the blog posts of some bloggers when my Facebook closed simply saying that I needed to confirm my account, but they did not give me verification option ... they simply deleted my account that was used only for the promotion of the store and the page of store. I entered my personal Facebook and went to search the page when I come across this page "https://www.facebook.com/Inspire-and-Pose-813974972096146/" Using my logo for your things and looking at the page I discover that it is the same one that I had problems months ago. I do not really understand what makes a person do it but it will not stop me from doing what I like. Talking to my friends and other designer, we came to a conclusion: why not change the name of the store? So this store could no longer take advantage of my brand to promote itself. So we started searching for the new name.

From today on, Inspire Pose is called Your Poses. I apologize mainly to my clients and friends for the inconvenience, the only thing I can guarantee is that many new things come from there, We change our name but not our concept that is to bring different poses for you and your family. Your Poses, a new concept in poses.

Thank you!

National surveys of England and Wales have shown a population decline between 1987 and 1998. The numbers of this species have been adversely affected by intensive agricultural techniques. In the lowlands this includes the loss of rough grassland, conversion to arable or improved grassland, loss of mixed farms, and switch from spring to autumn sown crops. In the uplands, the losses may have been due to increases in grazing density. In Armenia the population decline and losing of breeding habitats was also documented; the threats are thought to be intensification of the land use and hunting, but further investigations for threat clarification are required.

Natural England gives grant aid to help restore lapwing habitat within its Environmental Stewardship Scheme. The organisation suggests an option within this scheme called 'Fallow plots for ground-nesting birds'. Uncropped plots at least 2 ha (4.9 acres) in size provide nesting habitat and are located in suitable arable fields, which provide additional foraging habitat.

Locating the plots within 2 km (1.2 mi) of extensively grazed grassland will provide additional foraging habitat. The plots are cultivated in the spring to produce a rough fallow, which is retained without the input of fertiliser or pesticides.

Laura quietly walking with a lion cub! @Mukuni Big 5 Zambia

Made explore on Sep. 10, 2013 - # 477

Well, sometimes we find on our African pictures comments from people who doubt about our African activity. This is a reasonable reaction, that's why we decided to post some clarification directly on the pictures for all those who can pass through here. Of course all comments are well accepted and we will be glad to answer to all of you. This is part of our work.

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We thank all people who comment our shots with our big cats with these kind of notes:

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What many people don't realize is that once fully grown up those lions go to the canned hunting industry

www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/jun/03/canned-huntin...

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This information can be very useful for people who are not aware about this big sad "industry". Just to let you know, we work in this center since 4 years and I can assure you that all our animals growing here will then be released in a safe area where no farms, no hunters, no shoots will be allowed except for Photo shooting. After so many years in Africa we are enough well informed about this kind of industry and , of course, we would not work and spend all our energies and money for such a market. Our aim is just conservation and breeding program. I could write papers and papers, but it t would be much easier for everybody to have a look in internet at our center : Mukuni Big 5 Safaris

www.mukunibig5.co.zm/volunteerp/

Many other information can be found just typing the name of the center or our names in internet, Facebook etc..

Here in Flickr we have many friends and contacts and they know very well that what we do for these animals is just focused to the safeguard of nature and wildlife.

Further to this, we also have deep information about other centers created for the canned hunting industry. It's not easy to fight them, the governments of many states support this business. But we do what we can through information and some other ways .

Al people interested, are very welcome to join us as volunteering or just for a visit during a possible trip in the area.

Thanks however for your comment which allowed us to give some more information to people .

Laura Bongiorni

Adalberto Mangini

A tighter crop of the moonrise over Mt. Hood one day before the Aug. 21 full blue moon.

Shot from the Pittock Mansion in Portland's west hills during another PDX Nightowls photo meet-up. Thanks again to Victor for arranging it, and to The Photographers Ephemeris that showed the moon would line up for this shot precisely here.

Processed to bring out the alpenglow-lit glaciers on Hood and the lunar surface details.

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*Edit: Recently (as of the end of Nov. '12), there has been a some questioning the "reality" of this image, due to their being some tell-tale adjusted pixels around the moon. As detailed with images in the comments to the right, I took a wider shot with the moon balanced just like this, and then a minute and 7 seconds later I took a vertical that was zoomed in and had more detail, but the moon had risen about half the moons size to the right. In full disclosure I have Photoshopped the moon "back in time" to it's position at the tip of Hood where I had photographed it in the wider, less detailed shot.

I realize with the number of views and the Tumblr blogging (see below) it was bound to attract this kind of scrutiny. Hopefully you don't feel deceived if you viewed this before the clarification. I don't really feel this is faked, as all the elements come from within the image as shot, and if I has shot the tighter frame a minute earlier I would have gotten this exact view and alignment all in camera.

The editing story is now told and thankfully my photostream can move on...

*Thanks to the Tumblr folks for the huge number of views and re-shares of this image. I was not the person to post this originally to Tumblr, and it would maybe have been nice to have been asked if it was okay to. But most of you are respectful enough include the link here to the original image, so I guess continue to Tumblr away...

I know the birds themselves are a bit distant in this one, but this scene was exactly how I saw the lek (other than the black and white), and so I felt like it captured the essence of the moment better than a closer shot. Just for clarification, I put the photo in black and white to better emphasize the contrast of this relatively colorless landscape, with the foreground of dead grass, the sage, and the snow-covered mountains in the background.