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Most of the rocks in northwest Queensland formed so long ago in the Precambrian era (specifically in the Proterozoic) that most of the Australian continent did not then exist, and the global configuration of continents and oceans was completely different. One view is that the Pacific Ocean had not yet opened, and Australia was situated adjacent to rocks of similar age in Canada. Nevertheless, because of their economic interest, the old rocks in the northwest have been closely studied, and an internal timetable of events sorted out. The old rocks are called the Mount Isa Inlier, and the inlier simply being a patch of old rocks surrounded by younger rocks.
The oldest rocks of the Mount Isa Inlier stem from about 1870 to 1840 million years ago, although they must have been deposited on or intruded into even older rocks that are not exposed. They make up the 'basement' to all of the subsequent sedimentary and volcanic rocks of the Inlier. Seismic (geophysical) profiles of the deeper crust confirm that they are underneath all the younger rocks.
Between about 1790 and 1590 million years ago the crust in the Mount Isa Inlier periodically stretched (or 'extended') and the resulting tension allowed 'rift' valleys or basins bounded by curved faults to subside. Thick piles of sedimentary and volcanic rocks accumulated in these. In some cases, the subsidence was rapid in relatively narrow, clearly defined rifts or deep troughs, whilst at other times subsidence was slow when the crust simply sagged over a broad area. Three major periods are recognised in the time interval, and the separate basins and rifts are grouped as the Leichhardt Superbasin, the Calvert Superbasin, and the Isa Superbasin.
These basin subsidence episodes were separated by periods when no sediments were deposited, or by periods of compression. However, to the east, a deep marine basin offshore probably received sediment continuously through the Calvert and Isa Superbasin times. This is the Soldiers Cap Basin.
Finally, after a major period of deformation (the Isa Orogeny) that affected all three superbasins, sediments were deposited in a large basin to the northwest, the South Nicholson Basin..
Source: Rocks and Landscapes of Northwest Queensland by Laurie Hutton & Ian Withnall.
Leucanthemum vulgare, also known as Oxeye Daisy and Dog Daisy.
(Description for the Butterfly Aricia agestis follows below)
Family: Asteraceae.
Grows up to 1m tall, flower heads to 5cm across.
Flower season: May to September.
A widespread plant native to Europe and Asia. Plant was introduced to Australia, New Zealand and North America. It likes a temperate climate where the average annual rainfall exceeds 750mm (30 inches). Favouring soils that are heavy and moist, often grows in neglected pastures and along roadsides. Being a typical grassland perennial wildflower, it can be found growing in a variety of habitats. Meadows, fields, under scrub and open-canopy forests, edge of woodlands is also an ideal habitat for the Oxeye Daisy.
A mature plant can produce up to 26,000 seeds, it can also multiply itself by its under-ground root system which continuously puts out lateral shoots to spread away from the mature plant. By spreading itself this way, it produces a negative effect to other native plants growing close by.
In over 40 countries it is considered to be an invasive species, it is also detrimental in meadows where livestock are to graze especially cattle.
This plant was top-raked for pollen production per flower head, in a U.K. study of meadow flowers.
Aricia agestis. Common name: Brown Argus Average wingspan 29mm
Flight Season… May to September.
Unlike most other blue species, the Brown Argus has no blue scales on the upper-side.
Found mainly in southern England and in some parts of Wales not found in Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of man.
Habitat… Most commonly found on chalk or limestone, this is where the ground suits the main food plants. Will also be found on heathland and in open woodland. This species stays local and in small colonies, will not travel more then a few hundred metres from where it emerged.
Generally speaking this species has two broods a year in central and southern England, if the weather is favourable then a third generation is possible.
The Brown Argus Caterpillar’s main food is common Rockrose (Helianthemum chamaecistus)
Ants are attracted to the caterpillar’s “sweet juices” it produces, as it grows bigger. Eventually they will take it underground and continue to “farm” the secretion from the caterpillar, until it turns into a chrysalis. This in turn, protects the caterpillar from predators.
Program:Manual
Lens:70-300mm f/4-5.6 G VR
F:10.0
Speed:1/250
ISO:100
Focal Length:70.0 mm (35 mm equivalent 105.0 mm)
Focus Mode:AF-C
AF Area:Dynamic Area (3D-tracking)
Shooting Mode:Continuous
VR:On
WB:Auto1
Picture Control:Standard
Focus Distance:28.18 m
Dof:inf (13.11 m - inf)
HyperFocal:24.46 m
another image from our Holmes Foundry break in!!
as soon as i walked in this room i thought of Ghostbusters!!
With its 9-km continuous skateway, the L'Assomption river is Québec's longest one and is normally a very popular attraction for locals. But with a frigid -30° C on the thermomether, most of them are staying warm at home.
(VIA 601, mile 101 CN Joliette subdivision, Joliette QC)
The Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres are a pair of stacked theatres in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Winter Garden Theatre is seven storeys above the Elgin Theatre.
They are the last surviving Edwardian stacked theatres in the world. The pair were originally built as the flagship of Marcus Loew's theatre chain in 1913. The building was designed by architect Thomas W. Lamb, who also built the Ed Mirvish Theatre.
Both theatres were built to show vaudeville acts and the short silent movies of the time. Each theatre was intended to compete in a different market.
The gold-and-marble, domed, 'hard-top' lower theatre, Loew's Yonge Street Theatre, was home to continuous vaudeville and movies. The upper-level Winter Garden is an 'atmospheric' country garden under the stars. The upper theatre was built for the 'Big Time' vaudeville market and had reserved seats at premium prices, catering to the upper middle class.[4] As well as competing in a different market, the upper theatre could be used for experimentation with acts, without the risk of closing the lower theatre.
By 1928, feature-length silent films were popular, but sound films were just coming into their own. In 1928 the lower theatre was converted to show sound films and the upper theatre was closed. The Winter Garden remained shuttered for about sixty years. Left inside it was a large collection of vaudeville flats and scenery, now the world's largest surviving collection. In 1969, Loews sold the Elgin to Famous Players. By the 1970s, the Elgin was showing mainly B movies and soft-core pornography.
In 1981 the Ontario Heritage Foundation bought the structure from Famous Players and Cats was very successfully shown at the essentially unrestored Elgin, showing the viability of the theatre. The building was closed in 1987 to be fully restored and then reopened in 1989.
Photo of the Little River captured via Minolta MD Zoom Rokkor-X 75-200mm F/4.5 lens at Moonstone Beach. Near the mouth of the Little River. In the census-designated place of Westhaven-Moonstone. Coast Range. North Coast. Humboldt County, Northern California. Early November 2013.
Exposure Time: 1/125 sec. * ISO Speed: ISO-200 * Aperture: Unknown * Bracketing: None
Overlooking the waterfront in Seattle, Pike Place Market is one of the oldest continuously operated public farmers' markets in the US and full of colorful characters as well as colorful produce. A visual delight.
Coconut Grove, also known colloquially as The Grove, is the oldest continuously inhabited neighborhood of Miami in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The neighborhood is roughly bound by North Prospect Drive to the south, LeJeune Road to the west, South Dixie Highway (US 1) and Rickenbacker Causeway to the north, and Biscayne Bay to the east. It is south of the neighborhoods of Brickell and The Roads and east of Coral Gables. The neighborhood's name has been sometimes spelled "Cocoanut Grove" but the definitive spelling "Coconut Grove" was established when the city was incorporated in 1919.
What is today referred to as Coconut Grove was formed in 1925 when the city of Miami annexed two areas of about equal size, the city of Coconut Grove and most of the town of Silver Bluff. Coconut Grove approximately corresponds to the same area as the 33133 ZIP Code although the ZIP Code includes parts of Coral Way and Coral Gables and a small portion of ZIP Code 33129. The area is often referred to as "The Grove" and many locals take pride that Coconut Grove is one of the greenest areas of Miami.
Coconut Grove is directly served by the Miami Metrorail at Coconut Grove and Douglas Road stations.
Several waves of immigration established Coconut Grove, the first in 1825, when the Cape Florida lighthouse went into operation and was manned by John Dubose. Dr. Horace P. Porter is credited for coming up with the name when in 1873 he rented a home from Edmond D. Beasley's widow, who homesteaded 160 acres of bay front property. He lived there for only a year but during that time he established a post office which he named Coconut Grove. Around the same time the area saw an influx of Americans from the Northeastern US, as well as British and white Bahamian immigrants. The first hotel on the South Florida mainland was located in Coconut Grove. Called the Bay View Inn (later known as the Peacock Inn), it was built in 1882, on the site of present-day Peacock Park, by English immigrants Isabella and Charles Peacock, who had been the owner of a wholesale meat business in London. Coconut Grove's first black settlement, in the 1880s, was established by Bahamian laborers who worked at the Peacock Inn. The Barnacle Historic State Park is the oldest house in Miami-Dade County still standing in its original location. It was built in 1891 and was home to Ralph Middleton Munroe, also known as "The Commodore" for being the first commodore and founder of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, an American yacht designer and early resident of Coconut Grove.
Formerly an independent city, Coconut Grove was annexed by the city of Miami in 1925. In the 1960s, bay-shore Coconut Grove served as the center of South Florida's youth countercultural movement, notably hosting several love-ins and concerts (including a now-infamous Doors concert at Dinner Key Auditorium) during the latter part of the decade.The bohemian community continued to grow in Coconut Grove through the 1970s.
A surge of commercial development in Coconut Grove was driven by the construction of three major residential complexes during the late 1970s and early 1980s: Yacht Harbour Condominiums in 1975; Grove Isle, a condominium, club and hotel complex, in 1979; and L'Hermitage in 1980. This was followed with the opening of 2575 S. Bayshore Drive in 1982 and the 1983 opening of Grove Towers. Further development was proposed for Grove Isle in 2013.
Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_Grove
coconutgrove.com/about/coconut-grove-history/
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
In the English language, the term "upside down" is often used. So I will literally turn that on it's head and use "downside up"
More camera rotation faffery where the camera is rotated on it's lens axis during a single continuous photographic exposure. No Photoshop, no AI, only camera rotation.
Program:Manual
Lens:50mm f/1.4 G
F:2.2
Speed:1/250
ISO:1000
Focal Length:50 mm
AF Fine Tune Adj:0
Focus Mode:AF-C
AF Area:Dynamic Area (3D-tracking)
Shooting Mode:Continuous, Auto ISO, [9]
VR:Off
Metering Mode:Multi-segment
WB:Auto0
Picture Control:Neutral
Focus Distance:0.75 m
Dof:0.03 m (0.74 - 0.76)
HyperFocal:37.82 m
The Amman Citadel is a historical site at the center of downtown Amman, Jordan. Known in Arabic as Jabal al-Qal'a, (جبل القلعة), the L-shaped hill is one of the seven jabals(mountains) that originally made up Amman. Evidence of occupation since the pottery Neolithic period[1] has been found. It was inhabited by different peoples and cultures until the time of the Umayyads, after which came a period of decline and for much of the time until 1878 the former city became an abandoned pile of ruins only sporadically used by Bedouin and seasonal farmers. Despite this gap, the Citadel of Amman is considered to be among the world's oldest continuously inhabited places.
The Citadel is considered an important site because it has had a long history of occupation by many great civilizations. Most of the buildings still visible at the site are from the Roman, Byzantine, and Umayyad periods. The major buildings at the site are the Temple of Hercules, a Byzantine church, and the Umayyad Palace.
Though the fortification walls enclose the heart of the site, the ancient periods of occupation covered large areas. Historic structures, tombs, arches, walls and stairs have no modern borders, and therefore there is considerable archaeological potential at this site, as well as in surrounding lands, and throughout Amman.
Archaeologists have been working at the site since the 1920s, including Italian, British, French, Spanish, and Jordanian projects, but a great part of the Citadel remains unexcavated.
Several attempts to nail this, this is as close as I got to how I'd pre-visualised the shot. Wanted the depth of a wide aperture but without the ambient or lightpainting highlights blowing out.
First step: Set up the lightstand to act as pivot point for the wand. Focus manually. Remove lightstand.
Second step: Start exposure. Quickly add gelled light to the foreground from three positions.
Third step: I'm using a Nikon lens to Sony body adapter so it provides the aperture ring that's otherwise missing from my AF-S 50mm. Stop up towards f/16
Fourth step: reposition equipment to create disc pattern. End exposure.
Single continuous exposure, unedited.
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» LongExposures website and blog
"With me, the present is forever, and forever is always shifting, flowing, melting. This second is life. And when it is gone it is dead. But you can't start over with each new second. You have to judge by what is dead. It's like quicksand...hopeless from the start. A story, a picture, can renew sensation a little, but not enough, not enough. Nothing is real except the present, and already, I feel the weight of centuries smothering me. Some girl a hundred years ago once lived as I do. And she is dead. I am the present, but I know I, too, will pass. The high moment, the burning flash, come and are gone, continuous quicksand." Sylvia Plath
Nikon L35AD2
Expired 2005 Ilford Pan-F 50
Promicrol 1:14 for 15 Minutes
Continuous rotation via Jobo
Epson F3200
Coconut Grove, also known colloquially as The Grove, is the oldest continuously inhabited neighborhood of Miami in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The neighborhood is roughly bound by North Prospect Drive to the south, LeJeune Road to the west, South Dixie Highway (US 1) and Rickenbacker Causeway to the north, and Biscayne Bay to the east. It is south of the neighborhoods of Brickell and The Roads and east of Coral Gables. The neighborhood's name has been sometimes spelled "Cocoanut Grove" but the definitive spelling "Coconut Grove" was established when the city was incorporated in 1919.
What is today referred to as Coconut Grove was formed in 1925 when the city of Miami annexed two areas of about equal size, the city of Coconut Grove and most of the town of Silver Bluff. Coconut Grove approximately corresponds to the same area as the 33133 ZIP Code although the ZIP Code includes parts of Coral Way and Coral Gables and a small portion of ZIP Code 33129. The area is often referred to as "The Grove" and many locals take pride that Coconut Grove is one of the greenest areas of Miami.
Coconut Grove is directly served by the Miami Metrorail at Coconut Grove and Douglas Road stations.
Several waves of immigration established Coconut Grove, the first in 1825, when the Cape Florida lighthouse went into operation and was manned by John Dubose. Dr. Horace P. Porter is credited for coming up with the name when in 1873 he rented a home from Edmond D. Beasley's widow, who homesteaded 160 acres of bay front property. He lived there for only a year but during that time he established a post office which he named Coconut Grove. Around the same time the area saw an influx of Americans from the Northeastern US, as well as British and white Bahamian immigrants. The first hotel on the South Florida mainland was located in Coconut Grove. Called the Bay View Inn (later known as the Peacock Inn), it was built in 1882, on the site of present-day Peacock Park, by English immigrants Isabella and Charles Peacock, who had been the owner of a wholesale meat business in London. Coconut Grove's first black settlement, in the 1880s, was established by Bahamian laborers who worked at the Peacock Inn. The Barnacle Historic State Park is the oldest house in Miami-Dade County still standing in its original location. It was built in 1891 and was home to Ralph Middleton Munroe, also known as "The Commodore" for being the first commodore and founder of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, an American yacht designer and early resident of Coconut Grove.
Formerly an independent city, Coconut Grove was annexed by the city of Miami in 1925. In the 1960s, bay-shore Coconut Grove served as the center of South Florida's youth countercultural movement, notably hosting several love-ins and concerts (including a now-infamous Doors concert at Dinner Key Auditorium) during the latter part of the decade.The bohemian community continued to grow in Coconut Grove through the 1970s.
A surge of commercial development in Coconut Grove was driven by the construction of three major residential complexes during the late 1970s and early 1980s: Yacht Harbour Condominiums in 1975; Grove Isle, a condominium, club and hotel complex, in 1979; and L'Hermitage in 1980. This was followed with the opening of 2575 S. Bayshore Drive in 1982 and the 1983 opening of Grove Towers. Further development was proposed for Grove Isle in 2013.
Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_Grove
coconutgrove.com/about/coconut-grove-history/
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
Placed in the middle of an eminently cave place, Segesta's former Greek city seems protected by the shepherds' herds and now for the tourists.
It’s origin is still uncertain and an area of discussions among the historians.
The thesis that has prevailed till now is that Segesta was populated by the elimi, a people that was here previous to the Greeks, that had Hellenized the accession from the XIIth a.c, when they arfrived into Sicily.
From 580 a.c. there is had witness of the continuous disputes with the people of Selinunte's rival colony that finished with the destruction of the last one together with Gela and Himera in 409 a.c. for the support that finally the Carthaginians offered Segesta.
Later, obblied by Syracuse to rebel against Cártago, it finished destroyed in 306 a.c.
From what nowadays it is possible to recognize of the Greek Segesta, the Doric temple stands out especially.
In spite of its greatness and its perfect condition of conservation the temple would be unfinished possibly for the shortage of resources due to the war between Segesta and Saliunte that would force to postpone its completion.
Nevertheless, nowadays there is certain consensus on the theory that promulgates that it’s not really a temple, but of a colonnade raised to solemnize an already sacred place for the elimi.
In any case the set is formed by 36 columns crowned by a smooth architrave and a Doric frieze with measuring 61×26 meters.
A beauty to be visited
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TEMPIO DI SAGESTA
Situata in mezzo ad un paraggio eminentemente rupestre, l'antica città greca di Segesta sembra tutelata per greggi di pastori ed ora per i turisti.
La sua origine è ancora incerta e faretto di discussioni tra gli storiografi.
Fino ad ora la tesi che ha prevalso è che Segesta fu popolato per i Elimi, un paese anteriore ai greci che avessero elenizati l'insediamento dal XII a.c, quando arrivarono in Sicilia.
Dal 580 a.c. si ha certeza delle continue dispute con la colonia di Selinunte che finì con la sua distruzione insieme a Gela e Himera nel 409 a.c. per l'appoggio che finalmente i cartaginesi offrirono a Segesta.
Posteriormente, vedendosi obbligata per Siracusa a ribellarsi contro Cártago, finì distrutta nel 306 a.c.
Di quello che attualmente può riconoscersi della greco Segesta sottolinea soprattutto il tempio dorico.
A dispetto della sua grandiosità ed il suo perfetto stato di conservazione il tempio sarebbe incompiuto possibilmente per la scarsità di risorse per la guerra tra Segesta e Saliunte che obbligherebbe a posporre il suo finalización.
Tuttavia, c'è attualmente un certo consenso sulla teoria che promulga che non si tratta realmente di un tempio, bensì di un colonnato alzato per solennizzare già un posto rifugio per i élimos.
In qualsiasi caso l'insieme è formato di 36 colonne incoronate per un'architrave liscia ed un fregio dorico e misura 61×26 metri
Una belleza da visitare.
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TEMPLO DE SEGESTA
Situada en medio de un paraje eminentemente rupestre, la antigua ciudad griega de Segesta parece tutelada por rebaños de pastores y ahora por los turistas.
Su origen es aún incierto y foco de discusiones entre los historiadores.
La tesis que ha prevalecido hasta ahora es que Segesta fue poblado por los élimos, un pueblo anterior a los griegos, que helenizaron el asentamiento desde el XII a.c, cuando llegaron a Sicilia.
Desde el 580 a.c. se tiene constancia de las continuas disputas con la colonia de Selinunte que terminó con su destrucción junto con Gela e Himera en el 409 a.c. por el apoyo que finalmente los cartagineses ofrecieron a Segesta.
Posteriormente, viéndose obligada por Siracusa a rebelarse contra Cártago, acabó destruida en el 306 a.c.
De lo que actualmente se puede reconocer de la griega Segesta destaca sobre todo el templo dórico.
Pese a su grandiosidad y su perfecto estado de conservación el templo estaría inacabado posiblemente por la escasez de recursos por la guerra entre Segesta y Saliunte que obligaría a posponer su finalización.
Sin embargo, actualmente hay cierto consenso sobre la teoría que promulga que no se trata realmente de un templo, sino de una columnata levantada para solemnizar un lugar ya sagrado para los élimos.
En cualquier caso el conjunto lo forman 36 columnas coronadas por un arquitrabe liso y un friso dórico con unas medidas de 61×26 metros
Una belleza que debe visitarse,
--------------------------------------
Espero que os guste
Spero vi piaccia
Hope you like it
Espero us agradi
_____________________
Photographed in Tanzania, Africa - From a safari vehicle, no cover
Please click twice on the image to view at the largest size
On a drive to our next safari camp, we were able to spend almost an hour watching a group of 20-30 hippos in a river. Most of the hippos were just side-by-side in a main group but, around the perimeter, there were almost continuous face-offs between two or three pairs of male hippos who were trying to show dominance by opening their mouths almost 180 degrees, displaying their very long teeth and pushing up against their opponent.
Note: In the Wikipedia text below, most people will be surprised to discover that the closest living relatives of the the Hippopotamus are cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises, etc.).
======================
From Wikipedia: The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), also called the hippo, common hippopotamus or river hippopotamus, is a large, mostly herbivorous, semiaquatic mammal and ungulate native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae, the other being the pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis or Hexaprotodon liberiensis). The name comes from the ancient Greek for "river horse" (ἱπποπόταμος).
After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third-largest type of land mammal and the heaviest extant artiodactyl (in the traditional, non-cladistic sense of the term, not including cetaceans). Despite their physical resemblance to pigs and other terrestrial even-toed ungulates, the closest living relatives of the Hippopotamidae are cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises, etc.), from which they diverged about 55 million years ago. Hippos are recognisable by their barrel-shaped torsos, wide-opening mouths revealing large canine tusks, nearly hairless bodies, columnar legs and large size; adults average 1,500 kg (3,310 lb) for males and 1,300 kg (2,870 lb) for females. Despite its stocky shape and short legs, it is capable of running 30 km/h (19 mph) over short distances.
Hippos inhabit rivers, lakes, and mangrove swamps, where territorial males preside over a stretch of river and groups of five to thirty females and young hippos. During the day, they remain cool by staying in the water or mud; reproduction and birth both occur in water. They emerge at dusk to graze on grasses. While hippos rest near each other in the water, grazing is a solitary activity and hippos are not territorial on land. The hippo is among the most dangerous animals in the world due to its highly aggressive and unpredictable nature. They are threatened by habitat loss and poaching for their meat and ivory canine teeth.
Hippos are among the largest living land mammals, being only smaller than elephants and some rhinoceroses. Among the extant African megafauna, behind the two African elephant species, they average smaller than the white rhinoceros but are larger by body mass than the black rhinoceros and the giraffe. Hippos measure 2.90 to 5.05 m (9.5 to 16.6 ft) long, including a tail of about 35 to 56 cm (1.15 to 1.84 ft) in length and 1.30 to 1.65 m (4.3 to 5.4 ft) tall at the shoulder. Mean adult weight is around 1,500 kg (3,310 lb) and 1,300 kg (2,870 lb) for males and females respectively, very large males can reach 2,000 kg (4,410 lb) and exceptional males weighing 2,660 kg (5,860 lb), 3,200 kg (7,050 lb) and 4,500 kg (9,920 lb) (in captivity) have been reported. Male hippos appear to continue growing throughout their lives while females reach maximum weight at around age 25.
Hippos have barrel-shaped bodies with short legs and long muzzles.[34] Their skeletal structures are graviportal,[8]: 8 adapted to carrying their enormous weight, and their specific gravity allows them to sink and move along the bottom of a river. Hippopotamuses have small legs (relative to other megafauna) because the water in which they live reduces the weight burden. Though they are bulky animals, hippos can gallop at 30 km/h (19 mph) on land but normally trot. They are incapable of jumping but do climb up steep banks. Despite being semiaquatic and having webbed feet, an adult hippo is not a particularly good swimmer nor can it float. It is rarely found in deep water; when it is, the animal moves by porpoise-like leaps from the bottom. The eyes, ears, and nostrils of hippos are placed high on the roof of their skulls. This allows these organs to remain above the surface while the rest of the body submerges. The testes of the males descend only partially and a scrotum is not present. In addition, the penis retracts into the body when not erect. The genitals of the female hippos are unusual in that the vagina is ridged and two large diverticula protrude from the vulval vestibule. The function of these is unknown.
The hippo's jaw is powered by a large masseter and a well-developed digastric; the latter loops up behind the former to the hyoid. The jaw hinge is located far back enough to allow the animal to open its mouth at almost 180°. A moderate folding of the orbicularis oris muscle allows the hippo to achieve such a gape without tearing any tissue. The bite force of an adult female hippo has been measured as 8.1 kN (1,800 lbf). Hippo teeth sharpen themselves as they grind together. The lower canines and lower incisors are enlarged, especially in males, and grow continuously. The incisors can reach 40 cm (1 ft 4 in), while the canines reach up to 50 cm (1 ft 8 in). The canines and incisors are used for combat and play no role in feeding. Hippos rely on their broad horny lips to grasp and pull grasses which are then ground by the molars. The hippo is considered to be a pseudoruminant; it has a complex three-chambered stomach but does not "chew cud".
Unlike most other semiaquatic animals, hippos have very little hair. The skin is 6 cm (2 in) thick, providing it great protection against conspecifics and predators. By contrast, its subcutaneous fat layer is thin. The animals' upper parts are purplish-grey to blue-black, while the under parts and areas around the eyes and ears can be brownish-pink. Their skin secretes a natural sunscreen substance which is red-coloured. The secretion is sometimes referred to as "blood sweat", but is neither blood nor sweat. This secretion is initially colourless and turns red-orange within minutes, eventually becoming brown. Two distinct pigments have been identified in the secretions, one red (hipposudoric acid) and one orange (norhipposudoric acid). The two pigments are highly acidic compounds. They inhibit the growth of disease-causing bacteria, and their light absorption peaks in the ultraviolet range, creating a sunscreen effect. All hippos, even those with different diets, secrete the pigments, so it does not appear that food is the source of the pigments. Instead, the animals may synthesise the pigments from precursors such as the amino acid tyrosine. Nevertheless, this natural sunscreen cannot prevent the animal's skin from cracking if it stays out of water too long. The secretion does help regulate the body temperature of the hippo and acts as an antibiotic.
A hippo's lifespan is typically 40–50 years. Donna the Hippo was one of the oldest living hippos in captivity. She lived at the Mesker Park Zoo in Evansville, Indiana in the US until her death in 2012 at the age of 61. The oldest hippo recorded was called Bertha; she had lived in the Manila Zoo in the Philippines since it first opened in 1959. When she died in 2017, her age was estimated to be 65.
Attacks on humans
The hippo is considered to be extremely aggressive and has frequently been reported charging and attacking boats. Small boats can easily be capsized by hippos and passengers can be injured or killed by the animals or drown. In one 2014 case in Niger, a boat was capsized by a hippo and 13 people were killed. As hippos will often engage in raiding nearby crops if the opportunity arises, humans may also come in conflict with them on these occasions, with potential for fatalities on both sides.
Like most herbivores, hippos will consume a variety of plants if presented with them, but their diet in nature consists almost entirely of grass, with only minimal consumption of aquatic plants. Hippos are born with sterile intestines, and require bacteria obtained from their mothers' feces to digest vegetation. On occasion, hippos have been filmed eating carrion, usually near the water. There are other reports of meat-eating, and even cannibalism and predation. The stomach anatomy of a hippo is not suited to carnivory, and meat-eating is likely caused by aberrant behaviour or nutritional stress.
Hippo defecation creates allochthonous deposits of organic matter along the river beds. These deposits have an unclear ecological function. A 2015 study concluded that hippo dung provides nutrients from terrestrial material for fish and aquatic invertebrates, while a 2018 study found that their dung can be toxic to aquatic life in large quantities, due to absorption of dissolved oxygen in water bodies. Because of their size and their habit of taking the same paths to feed, hippos can have a significant impact on the land across which they walk, both by keeping the land clear of vegetation and depressing the ground. Over prolonged periods, hippos can divert the paths of swamps and channels.
Adult hippos move at speeds up to 8 km/h (5 mph) in water; typically resurfacing to breathe every three to five minutes. The young have to breathe every two to three minutes. The process of surfacing and breathing is unconscious: a hippo sleeping underwater will rise and breathe without waking up. A hippo closes its nostrils when it goes beneath the surface of the water. As with fish and turtles on a coral reef, hippos occasionally visit cleaning stations and signal, by opening their mouths wide, their readiness for being cleaned of parasites by certain species of fishes. This is an example of mutualism, in which the hippo benefits from the cleaning while the fish receive food. The hippos spend up to 16 hours a day in water as a way to stay cool.
Hippos coexist with a variety of large predators. Nile crocodiles, lions and spotted hyenas are known to prey on young hippos. However, due to their aggression and size, adult hippos are not usually preyed upon by other animals. Cases where large lion prides have successfully preyed on adult hippos have been reported but it is generally rare. Lions occasionally prey on adults at Gorongosa National Park and calves are sometimes taken at Virunga. Crocodiles are frequent targets of hippo aggression, probably because they often inhabit the same riparian habitats; crocodiles may be either aggressively displaced or killed by hippos. In turn, beyond cases of killing the seldom unguarded hippo calf, very large Nile crocodiles have been verified to occasionally prey on "half-grown" hippos—and based only on anecdotal evidence-possibly also adult female hippos. Aggregations of crocodiles have also been seen to dispatch still-living male hippos that have been previously injured in mating battles with other males
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Desecrated by Mother Nature and Industry, the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore along the Mt. Baldy area is almost nonexistent. The Dunes are continuously moving from the prevailing lakeshore winds and industry looks putrid among all the region has to offer.
As I waited on the beach for the Sun to set (before taking this photograph) I was entertained for a few minutes by a delightful shore bird. It ran up and down the surf line, almost frantically, in search of hidden prey buried in the sand. What stuck me is how the bird was continuously (and voluntarily) on the edge of catastrophe: a moment's hesitation, and it could be engulfed by the pounding waves.
And it got me thinking about our own lives, too. In reality, don't we all conduct our lives on the edge of catastrophe? There is a seemingly fine line that separates sickness from health, poverty from abundance, warfare from peace, hate from love. Like the immutable surge of the ocean, we often encounter forces and circumstances which are beyond our control. The key, then, to living a fulfilling and productive life on the edge, is learning to deal with whatever comes our way. This idea is perfectly encapsulated in the Serenity Prayer:
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference."
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This photo is worth VIEWING IN LARGE, as there is some fascinating detail in the bird's feathers.
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Featured in Explore 2009.12.31 #83
Many small but frequent explosions doing their part to widen the crack ripping open part of the crater rim.
Millie (the smol one) and Renley (the BIG brother) are half siblings. They share a dad but have different moms and were born in the same farm, separated by few hay bales.
Instead of living their lives primarily outdoors, hunting and patrolling the environment, roaming free, or sheltering in outbuildings some kitties are more suited for the housecat life.
Millie and Renley, along with their 25 (yes, twenty-five) siblings and half siblings, were rescued from a single Central Wisconsin farm when they were very young. Transition from a barn cat to a housecat has proven to be an easy task for them, and also for us in that matter:)
After several vet visits for vaccinations and spay/neuter surgeries they are both healthy, easy going and super social kittens! They have been accepted, or maybe more like tolerated, by our not-so-young queen-of-the-cats too (who thinks there's way too much energy in those packages)!
I am happy to have been able to provide them a loving home with continuous hugs and kisses, not to mention the daily care they deserve!
This photo portraits their personalities quite accurately :)
This evening, I went out for a shoot in the spirit of times past - nothing deep or fancy, just scenic photography, straight and pretty. Two buddies, the bridge and the mist, joined me, and good times were had by all!
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California.
photo rights reserved by B℮n
Naples is the third-largest city of Italy after Rome and Milan and one of the most densely populated cities in Europe. First settled by Greeks in the second millennium BC, Naples is one of the oldest continuously inhabited urban areas in the world. In the 6th century BC, it was refounded as Neápolis. Naples' historic city centre is the largest in Europe and has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Pizza was invented here but the restaurants in Naples have earned the most stars from the Michelin Guide of any Italian city. People awarded the honorary citizenship of Naples are: Sophia Loren & Diego Maradona. When Maradona arrived in Naples, they won the Italian and European titles for the first time. Maradona’s photo was hung next to Jesus in half of the homes of Naples. Naples is a real raw working city, a place with fascinating art and viewpoints, spontaneous conversations and unexpected, pleasant attitude. Naples has an enormous wealth of cultural treasures. You will find two royal palaces, three castles and ancient ruins with some of the oldest frescoes of Christianity. The Duomo di Napoli is very impressive located in the middle of the historic centre. The Cathedral is the heart of Napoli. This cathedral, Gothic in design and completed in the 14th century and since then restored several times over, is the home to the crypt and the chapel. Also it is where the Festival of San Gennaro, the infamous blood liquefaction ceremony takes place three times a year. It always works, otherwise Naples with face some bad doings.
Naples Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral, the main church of Naples, southern Italy, and the seat of the Archbishop of Naples. It is widely known as the Cattedrale di San Gennaro. We attend mass in this beautiful cathedral and then spent a happy couple of hours walking round and enjoying the beauty, peace and tranquility of this wonderful place. In the interior of the main Cathedral of Naples, you can see numerous murals, mosaics, and chapel, different time of construction.The choir and organ music were wonderful creating a peaceful atmosphere. One can receive a general absolution from the priests at the confessional in Italian if one need to receive communion.
Napels is na Rome en Milaan de derde stad van Italië en een van de dichtstbevolkte steden van Europa. Napels, voor het eerst bewoond door Grieken in het tweede millennium voor Christus. Het historische stadscentrum van Napels is het grootste van Europa en staat op de Werelderfgoedlijst van UNESCO. Napels is een echte rauwe werkstad, een plek met fascinerende kunst en uitzichtpunten, spontane gesprekken en onverwachte, prettige instelling. De Duomo di Napoli is zeer indrukwekkend gelegen in het midden van het historische centrum. De kathedraal is het hart van Napels. Deze kathedraal, gotisch van ontwerp en voltooid in de 14e eeuw en sindsdien verschillende keren gerestaureerd, is de thuisbasis van de crypte en de kapel. Het is ook waar het Festival van San Gennaro, de beruchte bloedvloeiingsceremonie, driemaal per jaar plaatsvindt. Het werkt altijd, anders staat Napels voor een aantal slechte daden. Afhankelijk van de richting waar je vandaan komt, kan het heel moeilijk te vinden zijn, als je van de voorkant komt is het prima, zoals op een grotere hoofdweg, maar één ingang komt meer uit een steegje en je denkt dat je op de verkeerde plek bent, maar je gaat niet alleen de trap op. We wonen de mis bij in deze prachtige kathedraal en brachten vervolgens een paar gelukkige uren door met rondlopen en genieten van de schoonheid, vrede en rust van deze prachtige plek. In het midden staat het hoofdaltaar, bestaande uit een blok wit marmer, versierd met bas-reliëfs, aan de voorzijde, door een anonieme beeldhouwer uit de achttiende eeuw, toont de herrezen Christus. De binnenruimte van de kathedraal heeft de vorm van een Latijns kruis en bestaat uit een grote zaal, verdeeld met zijkapellen. Drie doorgangen van de grote zaal worden gescheiden door een reeks van acht pilaren, waaronder Romeinse zuilen versierd met stucwerk en marmer. het Koor- en orgelmuziek waren geweldig en creëerden een rustige sfeer. Men kan biechten met één van de priesters op de biechtstoel in het Italiaans als men communie nodig heeft.
PCR - Studio shooting with vegetables - Pumpkin
This series has been taken during a "Studio shooting with vegetables", club activity at the Photo-Club Rumelange (PCR)
(Continuous light.)
Photo-Club Rumelange (PCR): www.pcr.lu
Rumelange: rumelange.lu
Rumelange: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumelange
The village of Wharram Percy, in the Yorkshire Wolds, was continuously occupied for about 600 years. Probably founded in the 9th or 10th century, it flourished between the 12th and early 14th centuries, when members of the noble Percy family lived in the village. But by the early 16th century it was almost deserted, as a result of gradual abandonment and forced evictions. The ruined church is the last standing medieval building. Around it are the grassed-over foundations of two manor houses and about 40 peasant houses and their outbuildings. Since 1948 the settlement has been the focus of intensive research, which has made it Europe’s best-known deserted medieval village
Accurate readings on the barometer this week. Continuous rain is about right. iPhone4 image processed with Snapseed.
The Hotel Jacaranda is the picture of Southern repose. Built in the 1920s and listed on the National Historic Register, Avon Park’s “gracious lady” boasts high ceilings and quiet hallways. In years gone by, the Jacaranda played hostess to the likes of Babe Ruth and Clark Gable.
As a true example of living history, The Hotel Jacaranda is one of the oldest continuously operating hotels in Highlands County. When the Hotel Jacaranda opened in 1926, it took its name from a 150-year-old jacaranda tree that had been removed to make way for the hotel. Among its first guests were members of the St. Louis Cardinals, who came to Avon Park for spring training from 1927 to 1929. Photos of its famous guests, from Babe Ruth to Hollywood celebrities George Burns and Gracie Allen, adorn its hallways. During World War II, the grand hotel played a hand in the war effort by housing hundreds of servicemen who had come to the area to train as military pilotsIn 1988, the South Florida State College Foundation, Inc., purchased the Hotel Jacaranda with an eye toward preserving its historic character. As part of that ongoing effort, the
Foundation has undertaken a major restorative project that is returning a street-level business mall to its original design. Through a partnership with South Florida State College, culinary students perfect their talents by training in the Hotel Jacaranda’s modern kitchen.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
www.hcpao.org/Search/Parcel/28332201004800100A
www.visitflorida.com/en-us/cities/sebring/jacaranda-hotel...
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
// thanks on EXPLORE, I appreciate it!
Finally I had the chance to shoot with a professional dancer. Thanks, Minka!
STROBIST
Beautydish with grid from the left, striplight with grid from the right. Plus continuous light from left and right (cheap construction site lamps, 2x 1000 W).
EXIF
5d3 on tripod, f/20, 3.2 seconds, in Bulb mode ISO 125, 24-70 on 27 mm.
DETAILS
We triggered the cam on bulb mode and the flashes by hand, via a hand-hold RF trigger RF-602. The flashes were equipped with full CTO gels. To prevent light spill from the continuous lights we used large cardboard as flags to block the light.
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Tilo ~gallo~ Gockel, www.fotopraxis.net
Kakadu National Park is a protected area in the Northern Territory of Australia, 171 km southeast of Darwin.
The park is located within the Alligator Rivers Region of the Northern Territory. It covers an area of 19,804 km2 (7,646 sq mi), extending nearly 200 kilometres from north to south and over 100 kilometres from east to west. It is the size of Slovenia, about one-third the size of Tasmania, or nearly half the size of Switzerland.
The park comprises several landforms – sandstone escarpment and plateaux, savannah woodlands, monsoon forests, tidal and freshwater rivers, wetlands and tidal deltas.
The name Kakadu may come from the mispronunciation of Gaagudju, which is the name of an Aboriginal language spoken in the northern part of the park. This name may derive from the Indonesian word kakatuwah, (via Dutch kaketoe and German Kakadu) subsequently Anglicised as "cockatoo”.
Aboriginal people have occupied the Kakadu area continuously for at least 40,000 years. Kakadu National Park is renowned for the richness of its Aboriginal cultural sites. There are more than 5,000 recorded art sites illustrating Aboriginal culture over thousands of years. The archaeological sites demonstrate Aboriginal occupation for up to 60,000 years.
The cultural and natural values of Kakadu National Park were recognised internationally when the park was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This is an international register of properties that are recognised as having outstanding cultural or natural values of international significance. Kakadu was listed in three stages: stage 1 in 1981, stage 2 in 1987, and the entire park in 1992.
Approximately half of the land in Kakadu is Aboriginal land under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976, and most of the remaining land is currently under claim by Aboriginal people. The areas of the park that are owned by Aboriginal people are leased by the traditional owners to the Director of National Parks to be managed as a national park. The remaining area is Commonwealth land vested under the Director of National Parks. All of Kakadu is declared a national park under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
The Aboriginal traditional owners of the park are descendants of various clan groups from the Kakadu area and have longstanding affiliations with this country. Their lifestyle has changed in recent years, but their traditional customs and beliefs remain very important. About 500 Aboriginal people live in the park, many of them are traditional owners. All of Kakadu is jointly managed by Aboriginal traditional owners and the Australian Government's Department of the Environment and Water Resources through a division known as Parks Australia. Park Management is directed by the Kakadu Board of Management.
The almost continuous snow has brought a large number of birds to my yard in Yakima County, Washington. With over a foot of snow on the ground and more on it's was bird have difficulty finding food. The American Robins, House Finches, Starlings, and even the California Quail are rapidly removing the fruit on my Flow Crabapple Tree. The Robins are also eating berries from my Mountain Ash Tree. IMG_2763