View allAll Photos Tagged Contribute
Gratitude to the following to this creation: the Creator for it all. John Tyson for the sculpture, Ismael Paranto the crown of thorns, NASA pic of Earth. All via Unsplash. Bleeding heart via Open Clipart-Vectors via Pixabay. Stars via Alien Sky. Imagination/creation via Tman and the his/herstory of this planet which contributed to this vision at this time in history and herstory too.)
Me sorprendí mucho esta mañana cuando fuí a fotografiar el acebo que había dejado en Noviembre lleno de bayas rojas. Hoy apenas tenía unas pocas, semiescondidas. Al momento comprobé que era de los pocos arbustos de la zona que estaba alimentando a cientos de pájaros. Para los humanos las bayas rojas de este arbusto son tóxicas.
La tradición, que asocia el acebo y el muérdago a la buena suerte, ha contribuído a que en la actualidad sea una especie en peligro de extinción.
I was surprised this morning when I went to photograph the Holly tree, I had left full of red berries in November and it had only a few today . Then I realized that it was one of the few shrubs in the area that was feeding hundreds of birds. For human, red berries of this shrub are toxic.
The tradition, which associates the holly and mistletoe to good luck, has contributed it is an endangered species today.
lavidadecerca.blogspot.com.es/2013/01/el-acebo-ilex-aquif...
This photo has been published in Grand Strand Magazine
grandstrandmag.com/feature/currents/happy_holly_days
Por favor, no use esta imagen en su web, blogs u otro medio de comunicación sin mi aprobación explícita. © Todos los derechos reservados.
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved
Melaleuca brongniartii is a shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Grande Terre, the main island of New Caledonia.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melaleuca_brongniartii
The specific epithet (brongniartii) honours Adolphe-Théodore Brongniart who contributed to knowledge of the flora of New Caledonia.
Fortunately this little Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena) was happy to show off its slightly iridescent wings and distinctive long forked tail. All contribute to the species' superb aerobatic and aerodynamic performance — try photographing one in flight. Billabong beside Tallebudgera Creek in the background.
The title describes the area surrounding New Albin aptly, and here we see an AC44 pair, CSXT 52 and NS 4255, lead Canadian Pacific train 694(?) southbound, south of New Albin, IA, just a bit north of Kains siding, through that territory of the railroad. The next big opening up into farmland heading south from here is around Harpers Ferry. Until then they'll continue skirting the Mississippi and its contributing streams and adjacent sloughs and wetlands. Pretty sure this guy came empty from the mines out near Sparta or Tunnel City, WI to load these 2 bays at Pattison in Clayton, IA--Iowa's only frac sand mine that has enough output to warrant rail traffic. I miss foaming up here. Taken on the Canadian Pacific Marquette Subdivision on 9/24/22.
Explore #1 - 21/05/08...thank you all!!!
If you haven't checked out the Freephotoguides Project you should have a look... high quality guides for photographers... growing quickly. Check it out and join in the project by contributing a guide to your favorite photographic location.
Just thought I would post another one...almost the same angle. I included in this composition the other part of the wreck clearly visible to the right....the beach was pristine and that's what I particularly love about this series.
This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image, taken in near-infrared light, transforms the pillars into eerie, wispy silhouettes, which are seen against a background of myriad stars.
The near-infrared light can penetrate much of the gas and dust, revealing stars behind the nebula as well as hidden away inside the pillars. Some of the gas and dust clouds are so dense that even the near-infrared light cannot penetrate them. New stars embedded in the tops of the pillars, however, are apparent as bright sources that are unseen in the visible image.
The ghostly bluish haze around the dense edges of the pillars is material getting heated up by the intense ultraviolet radiation from a cluster of young, massive stars and evaporating away into space. The stellar grouping is above the pillars and cannot be seen in the image. At the top edge of the left-hand pillar, a gaseous fragment has been heated up and is flying away from the structure, underscoring the violent nature of star-forming regions.
Astronomers used filters that isolate the light from newly formed stars, which are invisible in the visible-light image. At these wavelengths, astronomers are seeing through the pillars and even through the back wall of the nebula cavity and can see the next generations of stars just as they're starting to emerge from their formative nursery.
Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
Read more: 1.usa.gov/1HGfkqr
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.
Follow us on Twitter
Like us on Facebook
Find us on Instagram
Candles in memory of loved ones all over the world ~
We paused today on All Saints' Day to remember our loved ones who have gone on ahead of us. This season brings the bittersweet of memories- days with Jamie and others, thoughts so fleeting they seem like dreams . . .
In our own personal remembrances, many MANY of your loved ones have been remembered along with ours.
Thank you all for contributing to my survival here. Life has been hard but this virtual community continues to bouy me up.
With love and thoughts for you all ~ Kim
Images of Australia: 43/100
The Potoroo is a small native marsupial, characterized by its compact body, long tail and rounded ears. They are generally a solitary species, living in forests and scrublands, where they forage for insects fungi, grass, roots and berries. Predators include foxes and cats, and loss of habitat also contributes to their declining numbers. They are listed as vulnerable, but not yet endangered.
(Photographed at Australia Zoo)
What a wonderful pleasure adventure gives us in terms of the unknown to be discovered, and the best thing is that we can enjoy this feeling on different levels with the same intensity: discovering a new country, a new region, the forest we have never entered, those shapes in the tree trunks, the type of fern I have never seen, the birds I hear, the curious mushroom under the fallen trunk, the fly that feeds on the mushroom....
The point is to learn to appreciate all the levels, all the layers that make up our precious world, and in our case, the double pleasure is when we try to communicate what we saw and felt through an image, contributing in one way or another a little bit of the emotion that we live.
Merry Christmas to all who enjoy and share what moves us through photography; thank you for a year full of inspiring, beautiful, interesting and sobering images, and I hope that next year, 2024, will be full of lights that make us see the world in all its beauty.
Suzhou (/suːˈdʒoʊ/; Chinese: 苏州), alternately romanized as Soochow, is a major city in southern Jiangsu province, East China. Suzhou is the most populous city in Jiangsu, and a major economic center and focal point of trade and commerce. Administratively, Suzhou is a prefecture-level city with a population of 6,715,559 in the city proper, and a total resident population of 12,748,262 as of the 2020 census in its administrative area.
The city's canals, stone bridges, pagodas, and meticulously designed gardens have contributed to its status as one of the top tourist attractions and liveable cities in China. The Classical Gardens of Suzhou were added to the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1997 and 2000. Suzhou is often dubbed the "Venice of the East" or "Venice of China".
Suzhou (/suːˈdʒoʊ/; chino: 苏州), también romanizada como Soochow, es una importante ciudad del sur de la provincia de Jiangsu, en el este de China. Suzhou es la ciudad más poblada de Jiangsu y un importante centro económico y foco de comercio. Administrativamente, Suzhou es una ciudad a nivel de prefectura con una población de 6.715.559 habitantes en la ciudad propiamente dicha, y una población residente total de 12.748.262 habitantes según el censo de 2020 en su área administrativa.
Los canales, puentes de piedra, pagodas y jardines meticulosamente diseñados de la ciudad han contribuido a su estatus como una de las principales atracciones turísticas y ciudades habitables de China. Los Jardines Clásicos de Suzhou se incluyeron en la lista de Patrimonio de la Humanidad de la UNESCO en 1997 y 2000. Suzhou es apodada a menudo la "Venecia de Oriente" o la "Venecia de China".
When people are in sync, they mirror each others movements and postures. The sun and the subtle fragrant smell of cherry blossoms no doubt contributed to the mirroring of these two people enjoying a moment on the grass.
Leonora Veterano on Glenn Losack ( once known as the furious physician )
this was written atleast 5 years ago:
Dr. Glenn Losack is a very busy man telling the stories of the world, our world and you’re bound to listen. The seeker of truth is no way content in “just being a Doctor.” This physician, psychiatrist, photojournalist, musician, lecturer and charity worker just to name a few is on a mission and will not be stopped! A man who has many varied interests and expertise in several areas he is “The Renaissance Man.” This Brooklyn born native of a low middle class family and one of three children all born on the same day, May 7th, but different years is mad as hell and he’s not going to take it anymore! “I am an extreme pessimist, I am furious; I think countries like India will survive because they have religion, morals, ethics and culture. The USA has none of this, we read the Ten Commandments like a comic book,” he says.
Why the “Furious Physician”? Dr. Losack is furious at the injustices in the world and sees life from a pessimistic perspective, a lot if not most of the time.
He is a man who practices what he preaches. Dr. Losack who is semi-retired from his medical practice in order to follow his passions lives a part of the year taking photographs in third world countries. Earthquakes in India, civil war in Sri Lanka, typhoons in Bangladesh, political unrest in the Dominican Republic and the 2004 Tsunami. Here in his native country, the United States he has photographed our own tragedy 9/11. In December of 2009, he heads to India to shoot festivals. He has won several awards for his photographic work, and has been published in many magazines, including National Geographic. One of his prouder moments includes one of his photos owned by Yoko Ono, the wife of Beatle John Lennon. One of his life aspirations before becoming a Doctor, he wanted to be in the Beatles. By the age of fourteen he could play every Beatles song on guitar or piano. Dr. Robi Ludwig (national commentator, bestselling author and psychotherapist) is also the proud owner of several pieces of Dr. Losack’s work. He contributes Dr. Ludwig as helping him take himself and his artistic talents seriously and encouraged him to do something legitimate about it as an artist and musical tune writer. “She has helped me immensely.”
But what makes this Doctor so unusual, extraordinary; exceptional is he allows himself to be exposed to danger in order to photograph the dark side of humanity. These countries are no country clubs where a steak and potatoes meal only requires one to place an order from a menu. His journey includes countries susceptible to nature’s wrath, man’s shortcomings and many disappointments to its native people. Dr. Losack is the advocate for all these causes. The underdog, the downtrodden, the scapegoated and the disenfranchised, he is a champion for them all in his artistry. “I shoot pain, agony, human suffering, I shoot those who have no advocates, you can see this in my work.” The pleasures, the pain, the underdog with no voice are all expressed in his work, if only you have the courage to look. He photographs as if he could touch anything without hurting the subject and leaving them with their courage and dignity intact. The Doctor shows how much he loves these people; they are clearly a part of his life. He is a man who not only seeks for knowledge and truth, but interacts it in his art. Dr. Losack depicts the human drama in parts of the world, where some are quick to be beaten but have a faith in life and love, no easy task to pursue. “People do not have a clue, not a clue what real suffering is, I find it fascinating.”
Although Dr. Losack’s art explores the dark side of humanity, they still reflect his humble love of life. He is a man who has a heart or why else would he do what he does with his subjects. “I seem to want to take care of them or let them know they are not forgotten. I want to make it palatable to look at people who are so deformed and forgotten and self hating. If people don’t run from Lepers they can help them.” Perhaps this all started with his own beginnings. His father was a truck driver and his mother was a housewife. He feels his father gave him the artistic gene which his dad was not allowed to pursue. “My father got a scholarship to Cooper Union but his pop said, No Way! I think my father’s life was rough, he couldn’t be what he wanted to be or was good at; his father took it away from him.”
Dr. Losack shows in his work that we all can be heroes, admired for our own achievements and qualities. He shows the world the people who struggle with their lives every single moment are heroes. “Every beggar, every deformed, every leper, every man and woman who walks on their hands and are blinded by their parents so they are profitable beggars are heroes. They are all worthy of that, these are my heroes.” Some have called him the “conscience of photography,” but what Dr. Losack wants is to make people see what they are afraid of. He wants them to understand that a leper is a human being and not the monster many may view them as. In these turbulent times of today the message is clear: “I want them to see that beauty can be ugly and the reverse true also!” Ladies and Gentlemen “the Doctor is in!”
As if photography isnt enough the doctor is avidly composing tunes, jingles and taking his musical chops more seriously. He has written and performed “THE THEME for Dr ROBI” which will appear on various of her venues.
hear it all evolving at
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=losackmd&aq=f
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=losackmd&aq=f
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=losackmd&aq=f
Dr. Losack’s present exhibit, presented by Salon Ciel, “His Photography, His Music” . A portion of the proceeds will go to benefit “Doctors without borders”. He will also have a photographic gallery show in India in January 2010. Details soon to come.
Asheville, North Carolina
Symmetry
Photography’s new conscience
66099 stops for a crew change at Peak Forest on a freezing snowy evening on the 20th November. The distant sky and yard lighting have contributed to a nice chilly atmospheric shot.
66099 was working the 6F05 1623 Tinstead to Lostock Works.
Mediaone Global Entertainment Limited presents
A film by Majestic Multimedia Limited
Preface
Chikku Bhukku
Mediaone Global Entertainment Limited presents a film by Majestic Multimedia Limited, which has set new standards for Tamil film production with their recent blockbuster “Dhaam Dhoom” They have aimed to reach even higher with their forthcoming film “Chikku Bukku”
The film stars Aarya, who did a stunning performance in “Naan Kadavul”. Shriya Saran who has done a “never before” performance in this film. Debutante Preetika has a very important role in the film and she is the younger sister of Bollywood star Amrita Rao.
K. Manigandan, who was the Associate Director to Jeeva for 12B, Ullam Ketkumme and Unnale Unnale, took over and successfully completed Dhaam Dhoom, after the untimely demise of Jeeva. Media One Global Entertainment Limited, who was impressed with Manigandan in Dhaam Dhoom, recommended him to Direct Chikku Bukku.
The film has completed shooting and the Audio is released on Aug 13th 2010. The audio rights have been acquired by Think Music. After their recent mega budget film Endhiran , Chikku Bukku will be their next consecutive audio release by Think Music.
Arya with his earlier performance in Varudu has created a brand for himself with the telugu audience, Shriya who’s an leading Actress in the Telugu, considering the kind of response that these lead actors hold, the film will release in Tamil and Telugu.
Most of the technicians who had worked with Jeeva are part of the Chikku Bukku team. Camera was handled by R.B. Gurudhev, Dialogues were written by S.Ramakrishnan, and lyrics were done by Padmashree.Valee / Pa.Vijay and music by Colonial Cousins Hari and lesle, Additional song and
Background score was done by Pravin Mani while Rekha Chinni Prakash and Dinesh did the choreography. The costumes were handled by V.Sai and Deepali Noor.
The film is a Romantic travelogue, which starts in London and ends in karaikudi. The shooting took place in around trendy areas of London, scenic locales of chikmagalur, Madikeri and traditional houses of Karaikudi.
The lead pair Aarya and Shriya is not new to the fraternity. Casting them was so fresh and lively as the script demanded stars with individual stardom coming together for the very first time, debutante starlet Preetika, Apparently she is the younger sister of bollywood star Amrita Rao. The draft of the film revolves around these three characters’. Their characterizations are portrayed so appealing, all the stars gel into their respective roles. I would consider my crew as greatest strength, casting of a script makes the fifty per of the film happen, Initially shaping up Aarya from his previous roles portrayed by him to a Next door boy look didn’t happen in a fraction, such as shreya who has been doing characters’ of colors fitted in perfectly for their characterizations.
Aarya and Shriya shaped themselves into the draft and did everything possible for the characters. Aarya was such a positive person, he carried his role so sensibly, a prankster in real life, delivered his expressions so easily, all the actors lived into their characterizations. We also agree on arguments which happened on the sets, but all of it was only a creative process rather than destructive arguments. Aarya, Shriya, Preethika all three were so determined that they would take up rehearsals before every shots, on the process it paved wave to explore their characters’ through their acting.
The music done by Colonial Cousins Hari & lesle. Hariharan the legendary singer has once again composed for ChikkuBhukku, Am sure the inseparable pair would do justice to a romantic feel good film. They have scored feet taping numbers, which has an equal mixture of melody and rap. We have experimented on different voices for our tracks; especially recording with Wadali brothers the desi sensational singers of Punjab for the first time in a filmic score was amazing. We needed fresh and peppy voices for this romantic flick the singers have sung with no influence from the past work. All the numbers turned out to be experimental, two other rappers and singers have made their debutante song in the film, the music which inspired me from the past as an influence thought the film.
Two additional songs and background score are being composed by Pravin Mani, who has been a longtime associate to A.R.Rahaman and who has worked with A.R.Rahman in Ghazini , Slum dog millionaire and Endhiran. Both the composers have contributed to the Romantic feel of the film and their compositions are inseparable.
The Director of Photography was R.B.Gurudhev the visualizer of Chikkubhukku. Guru’s senses of colors are always particular; he colors a frame depending on the mood and the phase of the scene in the draft. His brilliance in framing an artist moulds them into the roots of their character. A visual crafts men, has tuned my ideas into a visual story.
A romantic travelogue the film starts in London and ends in Karaikudi, Not only the film is based on a journey the process of making was itself a journey to many exotic locations. Scenic locales of Chikmangalore, Madikeri, Mandalpet, Kudremug of Karnataka, and splendorous locations in London. The shooting took place in around trendy areas of London, St, paul’s cathedral, westminister, Cannary warf, Piccadilly Circus etc and traditional houses of Karaikudi. We have shot in many hill stations where it was the first ever time a camera could be placed.
The diversity between spectacular locations in London, Rain forests near exotic western Ghats in Karnataka and monumental Karaikudi would give a new look and grandeur to Chikku Bukku
Adding to the film, website is also launched. For the audience to know more about the film.
You can now log on to www.chikkubhukkuthemovie.com
Chikku Bhukku, a nostalgic clang of a train, is bound to give its viewers, a new Romantic Journey, which would be enjoyed by one and all.
Song-1: Chikku Bukku…
Lyric: Pa.VIJAY
Singers: Benny dayal
Rahul nambiyar
Maya, Sree Charan
Song-2: Oru Nila..
Lyric: Valee
Singers: Shankar mahadevan
Chandrayee Battacharya
Uma Padmanabhan
Song-3: Engengeyo…
Lyric: Pa. VIJAY
Singers: Benny Dayal
Lavanya
Song-4: Smile…
Composer: Pravin mani
Lyric: Pa.Vijay
Singers: Suchith suresan
Song-5: Thooral Nindralum…
Lyric: Valee
Singers: Hariharan
Wadali Brothers
Song-6: Vizhi Oru Paadhi…
Lyric: Valee
Singers: Adnan sami
Sujatha
Song-7: Adi saarale…
Composer: Pravin mani
Lyric: Pa.Vijay
Singers: Pradeep Vijay
Suvi
Podyjí National Park (Czech: Národní park Podyjí) is a national park in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It protects near-natural forests along the deep Dyje River valley. It is a biom whose well-preserved state is unique in Central Europe. It connects to the smaller Nationalpark Thayatal in Austria.
Podyjí National Park is characterized by extraordinary scenery, being home to features such as rocky amphitheatres, cliffs, meanders, detritus fields, impervious ravines, several types of heatland adorned with muilti-coloured layers of thermophilic plants, or alluvial plains around the river Dyje. The division of the valley along the river Dyje creates two distinctive ecological regions and thus contributes to the high biological diversity of the park.
-----
Did make a weekend (boat) trip across the Podyjí national park in late October to find it empty and silent on and around the Dyje river.
We were lucky with the weather: peak of autumn colours and delicate sunlight created a really fairy-tale atmosphere. It was (sometimes) cold on the river, however still very beautiful.
This stunning image, captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope’s Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), shows part of the sky in the constellation of Sagittarius (The Archer). The region is rendered in exquisite detail — deep red and bright blue stars are scattered across the frame, set against a background of thousands of more distant stars and galaxies. Two features are particularly striking: the colors of the stars, and the dramatic crosses that burst from the centers of the brightest bodies.
While some of the colors in this frame have been enhanced and tweaked during the process of creating the image from the observational data, different stars do indeed glow in different colors. Stars differ in color according to their surface temperature: very hot stars are blue or white, while cooler stars are redder. They may be cooler because they are smaller, or because they are very old and have entered the red giant phase, when an old star expands and cools dramatically as its core collapses.
The crosses are nothing to do with the stars themselves, and, because Hubble orbits above Earth’s atmosphere, nor are they due to any kind of atmospheric disturbance. They are actually known as diffraction spikes, and are caused by the structure of the telescope itself.
Like all big modern telescopes, Hubble uses mirrors to capture light and form images. Its secondary mirror is supported by struts, called telescope spiders, arranged in a cross formation, and they diffract the incoming light. Diffraction is the slight bending of light as it passes near the edge of an object. Every cross in this image is due to a single set of struts within Hubble itself! Whilst the spikes are technically an inaccuracy, many astrophotographers choose to emphasize and celebrate them as a beautiful feature of their images.
Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.
Follow us on Twitter
Like us on Facebook
Find us on Instagram
Suzhou (/suːˈdʒoʊ/; Chinese: 苏州), alternately romanized as Soochow, is a major city in southern Jiangsu province, East China. Suzhou is the most populous city in Jiangsu, and a major economic center and focal point of trade and commerce. Administratively, Suzhou is a prefecture-level city with a population of 6,715,559 in the city proper, and a total resident population of 12,748,262 as of the 2020 census in its administrative area.
The city's canals, stone bridges, pagodas, and meticulously designed gardens have contributed to its status as one of the top tourist attractions and liveable cities in China. The Classical Gardens of Suzhou were added to the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1997 and 2000. Suzhou is often dubbed the "Venice of the East" or "Venice of China".
Suzhou (/suːˈdʒoʊ/; chino: 苏州), también romanizada como Soochow, es una importante ciudad del sur de la provincia de Jiangsu, en el este de China. Suzhou es la ciudad más poblada de Jiangsu y un importante centro económico y foco de comercio. Administrativamente, Suzhou es una ciudad a nivel de prefectura con una población de 6.715.559 habitantes en la ciudad propiamente dicha, y una población residente total de 12.748.262 habitantes según el censo de 2020 en su área administrativa.
Los canales, puentes de piedra, pagodas y jardines meticulosamente diseñados de la ciudad han contribuido a su estatus como una de las principales atracciones turísticas y ciudades habitables de China. Los Jardines Clásicos de Suzhou se incluyeron en la lista de Patrimonio de la Humanidad de la UNESCO en 1997 y 2000. Suzhou es apodada a menudo la "Venecia de Oriente" o la "Venecia de China".
The San Francisco Pride parade is a world-renowned LGBT pride parade. It is held on Sunday morning of the Festival. The route is usually along San Francisco's Market Street, from Beale Street to 8th Street.[1] The parade starts nominally at 10:30 am, though it is hours before all the contingents are able to get onto the parade route, and the last contingent doesn't leave the parade route until 2-4 pm.
The parade consists of hundreds of contingents from various groups and organizations. Some of the more well-known contingents are:
Women's Motorcycle Contingent, also known as Dykes On Bikes.[2] Several hundred motorcycle riders, all women. Some of the women are topless, some wear leather or fanciful costumes. The sound of hundreds of motorcycle engines gives this contingent a big impact. Part of the reason they are first in the parade is that it's difficult for motorcycles to run reliably at the walking pace of the rest of the parade, so as the first contingent they can move faster. On November 13, 2006, they won a battle to trademark the name "Dykes on Bikes", having struggled since 2003 to persuade the United States Patent and Trademark Office that "dyke" was not an offensive word.[3][4]
PFLAG, or Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. Usually one of the largest contingents, featuring several hundred people. These are typically the (straight) parents or family members of LGBT people, sometimes marching together with their LGBT relatives. Many carry signs indicating where their PFLAG chapter comes from. It's common to see signs from all over Northern California. This contingent is notable for the swell in cheers (and some tears) that follow it along the route.
Politicians frequently participate in the parade, as a way of making themselves visible to LGBT prospective voters.
Churches of many denominations, or religious-oriented LGBT groups, contribute several dozen contingents.
Dance clubs and LGBT-oriented entertainment businesses contribute several contingents. It's common for a dance club to decorate a flat-bed truck or float, and have several people dancing on it, along with loud dance music.
The Leather Contingent consists of lesbian, gay and pansexual leather and BDSM groups.
Groups which are anti-gay typically do not have contingents. During the 1990s it was common to see anti-gay protestors in the spectator area along the parade route, holding large signs condemning homosexuality, often with biblical passages. In the 2000s such protestors have become less common.
Hundreds of thousands of spectators, if not over a million, line the parade route along Market Street. Some arrive hours in advance to claim a prime spot on the curb with a clear view of the street. Others climb onto bus shelters, the walls of subway station stairs, or scaffolding on buildings to get a clear view. As the parade ends, the spectators are able to pass through the barriers and march down Market street behind the parade. The end of the parade route is near the Festival location at the Civic Center.
Yes a Giant african snail in the Philippines, but not only, it's pretty wide spread now throughout the pacifique and asia.
It's latin name: Achatina fulica
Identification: Full grown Achatina fulica reach up to 20 cm in length and 12 cm in maximum diameter. The dark and light brown (sometimes more of a cream color) swirls wrap around its cone like shell. Its convex body allows for about 7 to 9 whorls. The outlines of the whorls fluctuate from narrow to broad even within the same colony. An adult Achatina Fulica’s lip opening is generally very thin and sharp. The shell itself is thick and strong if healthy (needs a high calcium diet). The rest of the body resembles a slug like appearance with a variance in color.
Original Distribution: Achatina fulica originates from coastal East Africa particularly Kenya and Tanzania. First sightings occurred before the 1800’s.
Current Distribution: Giant African Snails can be found in most southern hemisphere countries, eg. throughout Africa, Indian Ocean Islands, Australia, New Zealand, South America. In addition, these snails have been identified in Southern, Southeastern and Eastern Asia, Polynesia and other Pacific Islands, West Indies and the United States. Typically, Giant African Snails have been found along the coastline and in southern states of the USA. However, sightings have also occurred in Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio. These snails thrive in humid, tropical climates.
Site and Date of Introduction: As indicated in the map below, introduction of Giant African Snails dates back to the early 1800’s. These snails spread throughout East Africa into Ethiopa, Somalia, Mozambique, and Madagasar. Interestingly, they were not sighted in northern Africa until the late 1980’s.
The first occurrence of these snails outside of Africa was Bengal, India in 1847. Since then, the Giant African Snail has been transported mistakenly and purposefully throughout the countries listed in the above section.
Giant African Snails were first spotted in the US in the late 1940’s around San Pedro, California. Many of these snails were affixed to cargo imported to the US. Over 50 interceptions occurred within a ten year span (from 1948-1958) in the California ports.
In 1958, a young boy stashed Giant African Snails into his suitcase from his travels in Hawaii returning to California and driving to Arizona. Once the snails were discovered in his belongings, they family released them to the outdoors. Another very similar incident occurred in 1966, where another young boy visiting Hawaii decided to take a few Giant African Snails home to Miami, Florida to keep as pets and were released into the family’s garden. The Florida State eradication process took 10 years costing over one million dollars.
These snails continue to enter the US through illegal trade or in shipping containers and in plant shipments from the Hawaiian Islands, Guam and other Pacific Islands. Inspectors fairly easily identify these snails, intercept them and eradicate them.
Ecological Role: Achatina fulica forage on over 500 different plant species. During less favorable conditions (dry, cool), they nest in lose soil for during their period of hibernation. One may postulate that this behavior promotes health in the soil as the soil is churned and as matter from the snail settles into the soil. However, with over population, the snails destroy and pollute their surroundings, including the soil.
Benefit(s): Giant African Snails contribute to the degradation of animal matter. In addition, the Giant African Snail provides nutrients to the India glowworm Beetle; specifically to the larvae (male larvae consume 20 to 40 Achatinas; female larvae eat 40 to 60 Achatinas during their development). Other beetle species consume the Achatina fulica, such as the lampyriad and the coprine beetle.
The hermit crab is one of the most dangerous predators to the Achatina fulica and has been known to use the shell as its home. The coconut crab also views the Achatina fulica as a delicacy. The domesticated duck along with a vast variety of other bird species forage on Giant African Snails. Other mammals such as the wild pig prey on Achatina fulica.
Threat(s): The Giant African Snails’ greatest lethal threat to humans is eosinophilic meningitis. This condition is caused by the rat lungworm parasite, angiostrongylus cantonesnsis. Most often this parasite is transferred by eating the snail, as some humans consider snails a delicacy. In addition the Giant African Snail can carry the gram-negative bacterium, aeromonas hydrophila, causing a wide variety of symptoms, especially in persons with a weak immune system.
Giant African Snails cause great economic peril to farmers due to their propensity in consuming large amounts of crops/plants. Their diet consists of over 500 different plant species. A wide variety of horticulture and medicinal plants are known to be attacked by this snail. Not only does this decrease the income for agricultural producers, but it also impacts their living conditions (often requiring relocation) and decreases food and medical resources for humans, animals and other species.
The economic consequences persist in eradicating these creatures, sometimes costing millions of dollars. Another economic penalty involves the decrease in tourism. As noted earlier, Giant African Snails thrive in warm, tropical conditions – often tourist destinations.
From Wednesday of next week until the following Sunday, I will be taking part in an exhibition in the Art Museum in Toyota, the home of the cars. For the past five years, I've been fortunate to have been asked to contribute one print each year to a multidisciplinary exhibition of art. The exhibition was established to bring together Japanese and international artists who live in the prefectures that make up the Chubu area of Japan. The majority of the exhibits are western paintings, but there are usually about 10 or so photographs. There are awards, but they are not allocated by category: all works compete in an open competition.
This is the print I'll be exhibiting and was created from a photograph I took during a recent visit to the Okunoin cemetery on the holy Buddhist mountain, Koyasan.
The Rio della Ca'en Duo in Castello one of the six sestieri of Venice, Veneto, Italy.
The name Castello derives from fortifications located in the island of Olivolo, today the island of San Pietro di Castello, in the High Middle Ages.
There is the Basilica of San Pietro de Castello, the episcopal seat until 1807, the year of the transfer of the bishopric by Napoleon to the Basilica of San Marco, which until then had been the Doge's chapel used only for special occasions.
The Sestier de Castello is the most oriental of the city. It is divided in two by the imposing extent of land and water contained in the Arsenal, an old industrial engine and military-industrial complex serving the maritime power of the Serenissima.
Placed on the margins of the political center, Saint-Marc, and of the commercial center (Rialto) of the city, the Sestier always lived mainly on the activity of the Arsenal and on the maintenance and supplying needs of the ships; an activity that did not survive in the middle of the twentieth century when the technological development of production structures contributed to making this complex. inadequate.
The devastation and damage to the churches, convents and other buildings of the tip of Sant'Antonio and its surroundings in the nineteenth century led to the realization of the current public gardens and the realization of the Biennial of Art between 1894 and 1987.
The Pier Luigi Penzo Sports Stadium, the Francesco Morosini Naval Academy, and the urban area erected between 1924 and 1928 were built in the zone from the improvement of the lais around the small monastic island of Sant'Elena
WWT Slimbridge - Rushy Hide.
Whooper Swans are known for their loud, trumpeting calls, often described as a deep 'hoop' or 'whoop-whoop'. The sound can resemble an old-fashioned car air horn. These vocalisations are frequently heard during flight and in social interactions. The calls are more resonant and lower-pitched compared to other swan species, contributing to their common name. (Birdfact).
My thanks to anyone who views, faves or comments on any of my photos. It is much appreciated.
This image, taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, depicts a special class of star-forming nursery known as Free-floating Evaporating Gaseous Globules, or frEGGs for short. This object is formally known as J025157.5+600606.
When a massive new star starts to shine while still within the cool molecular gas cloud from which it formed, its energetic radiation can ionize the cloud’s hydrogen and create a large, hot bubble of ionized gas. Amazingly, located within this bubble of hot gas around a nearby massive star are the frEGGs: dark compact globules of dust and gas, some of which are giving birth to low-mass stars. The boundary between the cool, dusty frEGG and the hot gas bubble is seen as the glowing purple/blue edges in this fascinating image.
Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. Sahai
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.
Follow us on Twitter
Like us on Facebook
Find us on Instagram
Early science results from NASA’s Juno mission to Jupiter portray the largest planet in our solar system as a complex, gigantic, turbulent world, with Earth-sized polar cyclones, plunging storm systems that travel deep into the heart of the gas giant, and a mammoth, lumpy magnetic field that may indicate it was generated closer to the planet’s surface than previously thought.
This image shows Jupiter’s south pole, as seen by NASA’s Juno spacecraft from an altitude of 32,000 miles (52,000 kilometers). The oval features are cyclones, up to 600 miles (1,000 kilometers) in diameter. Multiple images taken with the JunoCam instrument on three separate orbits were combined to show all areas in daylight, enhanced color, and stereographic projection.
Read more: go.nasa.gov/2rEgNhT
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Betsy Asher Hall/Gervasio Robles
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.
Follow us on Twitter
Like us on Facebook
Find us on Instagram
60040 passes Attenborough working 6M57 07:15 Lindsey-Kingsbury (taken using a pole). Finally nailed this one after too many failed attempts to remember, clouds, WiFi failure, flat batteries, lost USB cable, sheds have all contributed to it taking so long to get it right
Livestock mobility, flexible use of rangelands, and diverse herds were key elements of traditional nomadic pastoral practices throughout the world and contributed to the high ecological stability of pastoral systems.
Nomads are still found today on the Tibetan Plateau and Himalaya. Known in the Tibetan language as drokpa, translating as “high-pasture people,” there are an estimated two million Tibetan-speaking nomads spread over a vast area. Throughout the Tibetan areas of what is now the People’s Republic of China and in the northern parts of Bhutan, India and Nepal, nomads are an important element in the economy and society wherever they are found, but their way of life is disappearing.
Read more: maptia.com/danielmiller/stories/nomads-of-the-tibetan-pla...
This image taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope revisits the Veil Nebula, which was featured in a previous Hubble image release. In this image, new processing techniques have been applied, bringing out fine details of the nebula’s delicate threads and filaments of ionized gas.
To create this colorful image, observations were taken by Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 instrument using five different filters. The new post-processing methods have further enhanced details of emissions from doubly ionized oxygen (seen here in blues), ionized hydrogen, and ionized nitrogen (seen here in reds).
The Veil Nebula lies around 2,100 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Cygnus (the Swan), making it a relatively close neighbor in astronomical terms. Only a small portion of the nebula was captured in this image.
The Veil Nebula is the visible portion of the nearby Cygnus Loop, a supernova remnant formed roughly 10,000 years ago by the death of a massive star. That star – which was 20 times the mass of the Sun – lived fast and died young, ending its life in a cataclysmic release of energy. Despite this stellar violence, the shockwaves and debris from the supernova sculpted the Veil Nebula’s delicate tracery of ionized gas – creating a scene of surprising astronomical beauty.
The Veil Nebula is also featured in Hubble’s Caldwell Catalog, a collection of astronomical objects that have been imaged by Hubble and are visible to amateur astronomers in the night sky.
Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, Z. Levay
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.
Follow us on Twitter
Like us on Facebook
Find us on Instagram
Weekly Shonen Jump Covers
週刊少年ジャンプ
In each set, you can see in the description, the missing covers, or not.
If you wanna contribute…
Please send me a message, and a link with a HQ (300dpi) scan.
provided by:
A Sally Lightfoot Crab on the rocks on Santa Cruz Island
Sally Lightfoot Crab
The crab Grapsus grapsus (known variously as "red rock crab", "abuete negro", and, as "Sally Lightfoot") is one of the most common crabs along the western coast of South America. It can also be seen along the entire coast of Central America and Mexico, and nearby islands. It is one of the many charismatic species that inhabits the Galápagos Islands, and is often seen in photos of the archipelago, sometimes sharing the seaside rocks with the marine iguanas. The Sally Lightfoot is a typically-shaped crab, with five pairs of legs, the front two bearing small, blocky, symmetrical chelae. The other legs are broad and flat, with only the tips touching the substrate. The crab's round, flat carapace is just over 8 cm (3 inches) in length. Young Sally Lightfoot’s are black or dark brown in color and camouflage well on the black lava coasts of volcanic islands. Adults are quite variable in color. Some are muted brownish-red, some mottled or spotted brown, pink, or yellow. Sally Lightfoot crabs are thought to have been named for a sultry nightclub dancer from Guayaquil, whose alluring performances in her red and yellow dress, captivated 19th century sailors. This crab lives amongst the rocks at the often turbulent, windy shore, just above the limit of the seaspray. It feeds on algae primarily, sometimes sampling plant matter and dead animals. It is a quick-moving and agile crab, and hard to catch, but not considered very edible by humans. It is used as bait by fishermen.
Santa Cruz
With the largest human population in the Galapagos archipelago, Isla Santa Cruz is the most important of the Galapagos Islands. Meaning Holy Cross in Spanish, this island is also known as Indefatigable, after the HMS Indefatigable landed here long ago. The second largest island terms of land area at 986 sq km, Isla Santa Cruz is home to the key town of Puerto Ayora, the Charles Darwin Research Station and the headquarters of the Galapagos National Park Service. With its own airport on Isla Baltra a few miles away, Isla Santa Cruz is where most visitors who come to the Galapagos Islands usually stay. With a number of bars, hotels, restaurants and shops in Puerto Ayora, most tours of the Archipelago also usually begin from here.
Galapagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands (official name: Archipiélago de Colón; other Spanish names: Islas de Colón or Islas Galápagos) are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, some 900 km west of Ecuador. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site: wildlife is its most notable feature. Because of the only very recent arrival of man the majority of the wildlife has no fear of humans and will allow visitors to walk right up them, often having to step over Iguanas or Sea Lions.The Galápagos islands and its surrounding waters are part of a province, a national park, and a biological marine reserve. The principal language on the islands is Spanish. The islands have a population of around 40,000, which is a 40-fold expansion in 50 years. The islands are geologically young and famed for their vast number of endemic species, which were studied by Charles Darwin during the voyage of the Beagle. His observations and collections contributed to the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection.
This target is a sorcerer’s cauldron of star formation with a new sparkling jewel shrouded behind nearly every glowing structure and even behind the dark areas representing the wizard’s hands. The tableau is energized by intense radiation and strong stellar winds emanating from the bounty of young stars, lighting up clouds of molecular oxygen along with omnipresent hydrogen gas.
I shot two nights with the one-shot color camera, then switched to monochrome for two nights of four minute narrowband exposures, altogether about 10 hours of data. The final picture is a blend of the two approaches with the color camera providing red-orange color tones while the narrowband frames contribute the blue accents.
The Hubble Space Telescope has snapped the closest images yet of the sky's latest visitor to make headlines, comet NEOWISE, after it passed by the Sun. This is the first time Hubble has photographed a comet of this brightness at such resolution after this close of a pass by the Sun.
This ground-based image of comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) was taken from the Northern Hemisphere on July 16, 2020. The inset image, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope on Aug. 8, 2020, reveals a close-up of the comet after its pass by the Sun. Hubble’s image zeroes in on the comet’s nucleus, which is too small to be seen. It’s estimated to measure no more than 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) across. Instead, the image shows a portion of the comet’s coma, the fuzzy glow, which measures about 11,000 miles (18,000 kilometers) across in this image.
The comet photos were taken after NEOWISE skimmed closest to the Sun on July 3, 2020, at a distance of 27 million miles (43 million kilometers). Other comets often break apart due to thermal and gravitational stresses at such close encounters, but Hubble’s view shows that apparently NEOWISE’s solid nucleus stayed intact.
Comet NEOWISE is considered the brightest visible from the Northern Hemisphere since 1997’s Hale-Bopp. It’s headed beyond the outer solar system, now traveling at a whopping 144,000 miles per hour. It will not return to the Sun for another nearly 7,000 years.
Credits: NASA, ESA, STScI, Q. Zhang (Caltech); ground-based image copyright © 2020 by Zoltan G. Levay, used with permission
www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2020/hubble-snaps-close-up-o...
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.
Follow us on Twitter
Like us on Facebook
Find us on Instagram
The relationships between the general population in Israel and the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community are always tensed: The general population feels the Ultra-Orthodox do not contribute enough (don't serve in the army, don't participate in the work force); while the Ultra-Orthodox feel their values (mainly studying, and worshiping the Lord) are not honored.
Naturally, things become even more tensed these days when the country is under a shutdown (#1 in the world, in the number of cases relative to the size of the population) while some Ultra-Orthodox think that praying together in a synagogue is more important than the regulations (The result is that though they are 10% of the population, they are about 30% of the cases, if not more).
I think that today was my worst day on flickr with respect to Bad Pandas :-(
Be the first to kick start your generous support and fund my production with more amazing images!
Currently, I'm running a crowd funding activity to initiate my personal 2016 Flickr's Project. Here, I sincerely request each and every kind hearted souls to pay some effort and attention.
No limitation, Any Amount and your encouraging comments are welcome.
Crowd funding contribution can be simply direct to my PayPal account if you really appreciate and wish my forthcoming photography project to come alive.
Please PayPal your wish amount to : men4r@yahoo.com
Email me or public comments below your contribution amount for good records with your comments and at final day, at random, I shall sent out my well taken care canon 6D with full box n accessory during random draw to one thankful contributor as my token of appreciation.
Now, I cordially invite and look forward with eagerness a strong pool of unity zealous participants in this fundermental ideology yet sustainable crowd fund raising task.
Basically, the substantial gather amount is achievable with pure passion n love heart in photography and not necessary be filty rich nor famous to help me accomplish raising my long yearning photography career, a sucking heavy expense that been schedules down my photography making journey had inevitably, some circumstances had badly fall short behind racing with time and inability to fulfill as quickly in near future consolidating good fund .
Honestly, with aspiration and hope, I appeal to urge on this media for a strong humanity mandate through good faith of sharing and giving generously on this particular crowd funding excercise to achieve my desire n is not just purely a dread dream , is also flickers first starter own crowds funding strength turning impossible into reality through this pratical raising method that I confidently trust it will turn fruitful from all your small effort participation, every single persistency will result consolidating piling up every little tiny bricks into an ultimate huge strong living castle.
In reality, I have trust and never look down on every single peny efforts that been contributed as helpful means, turning unrealistic dream alive is the goal in crowd funding excercise, No reason any single amount is regard to be too small when the strength of all individual wish gather to fulfill my little desire to make exist and keep alive. .
I sincerely look forward each and every participants who think alike crowds funding methodlogy works here no matter who come forwards with regardless any capital amount input be big or small , please help gather and pool raise my objective target amount as close to USD$10K or either acquisition from donation item list below:
1- ideally a high mega pixel Canon 5DS ( can be either new or use ok)
2- Canon 70-200mm F2.8 L IS lens ( can be either new or use ok)
Last but not least, a photography journey of life time for a trip to explore South Island of New Zealand and Africa.
.
My intended schedule may estimate about 1 month round trip self drive traveling down scenic Southern Island of New Zealand for completing the most captivating landscape photography and wander into the big five, the wilderness of untamed Africa nature for my project 2016 before my physical body stamina eventually drain off.
During the course, I also welcome sponsor's to provide daily lodging/accommodation, car rental/transportation, Fox Glacier helicopter ride and other logistic funding expenses, provide photographic camera equipments or related accessories .
Kindly forward all sponsors request terms of condition n collaboration details for discussion soon.
Great Ocean Drive- the 12 Apostle's
Please Click Auto Slide show for ultimate viewing pleasure in Super Large Display .to enjoy my photostream . ..
Due to copyright issue, I cannot afford to offer any free image request. Pls kindly consult my sole permission to purchase n use any of my images.You can email me at : men4r@yahoo.com.
Don't use this image on Websites/Blog or any other media
without my explicit permission.
For Business, You can find me here at linkedin..
Follow me on www.facebook.com here
June 6 is the day of 6x6.
Quick comparison of today's state of the art twin lens camera and historical one. Today's iPhone 11 has 12MP camera on its back and is around 20 times thinner than Rolleicord however ,as for image quality, Schneider lens and kodak film generate obviously fine, richer image than current technology generates.
In this 60 years technology and digitalization made us easy to take, store and share photography but they did not contribute enough to photography quality.
A visit to New Jersey Transit's mainline brought a lot of backlighting and a couple of extras contributing to the maintenance of way operations.
www.flickr.com/groups/2389839@N23/
The Black Bat Flower (Tacca chantieri), also known as Black Bat Flower, Cats Whiskers, Devil Flower, Bat Head Lily, Bat Plant, Devil’s Tongue, Black Tacca, and Voodoo Flower, is an exotic plant native to Southeast Asia. Its unique and intriguing features make it a standout in the world of ornamental plants.
The most striking characteristic of the Black Bat Flower is its distinctive blooms. These flowers, deep purple or nearly black, closely resemble a bat in flight, with ruffled wings and long, hanging filaments. The overall effect is both mysterious and gothic, contributing to the plant's allure.
Blooming primarily in spring and lasting until early autumn, the Black Bat Flower adds a touch of drama to gardens or indoor spaces. Even when not in bloom, the large and attractive leaves provide an ornamental backdrop.
In its natural habitat on the forest floor in tropical regions, Tacca chantieri thrives in well-draining, rich soil with high organic content. Partial shade or filtered sunlight is preferred, and maintaining consistently moist soil is crucial for its optimal growth.
Cultivating the Black Bat Flower may require attention to specific care requirements, including humidity levels and protection from direct sunlight. It is suitable for container gardening indoors, making it a popular choice for those looking to enjoy its exotic beauty in various climates.
The plant's unique appearance has led to cultural interpretations and symbolic meanings, with associations to mystery and the supernatural in some cultures. Overall, the Black Bat Flower stands out as a captivating and extraordinary addition to gardens and indoor spaces, providing a touch of the exotic and intriguing to any environment.
The New York State Capitol is the capitol building of the U.S. state of New York. Housing the New York State Legislature, it is located in the state capital city Albany as part of the Empire State Plaza on State Street in Capitol Park. The building, completed in 1899 at a cost of $25 million (worth approximately half a billion current dollars), was the most expensive government building of its time.[citation needed] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, then included as a contributing property when the Lafayette Park Historic District was listed in 1978. The following year it was declared a National Historic Landmark
The rare Purple Martin, a member of the swallow family return from South America in late April every year. During the winter they soak up the sun east of the Andes in Columbia, Bolivia and Brazil.
OASES (Organization Advocating Sanctuary for Endangered Species) has contributed funds and labour for adding and maintaining nest boxes at the Tod Inlet colony for a number of years.
In 1985, there were 5 breeding pairs of western purple martins left in the wild, now there are nearly a 1000 thanks to those nest boxes located in various safe locations.
The nest boxes are located very high up on pilings to ensure that the Purple Martins have a safe location away from land predators.
My contribute to Mech Monday is this inspired Warhammer 40k T'au battlesuit (you can see some reference to
XV9 Hazard Battlesuit like twin linked burst cannon).
Impossible to set without support drones!
I presented this moc in a huge event in my country in Verona (MEI - Model Expo Italy)
Hope you enjoy!
The Kondo was completed in 700 AD, and the Five-stories Pagoda in 710. The Five-stories Pagoda and Kondo were created at the end of the Asuka period (538-710), a period noted for its fine arts and architecture. Most knowledge of Asuka-era structures is based on the Hōryū-ji buildings.
One of the features of Horyu-ji Temple is that it uses Hinoki cypress, which boasts the highest level of durability and preservation. Hinoki has a mysterious property that is unthinkable with other construction materials: its strength increases for 200 years after it is cut down. Furthermore, it is an ideal wood because it retains the same strength as when it was cut down 1000 years after it was cut down. Horyu-ji Temple uses high-quality Hinoki cypress trees that are over 1000 years old and have dense annual rings, and there is no doubt that this is one of the factors that has contributed to the temple's longevity.The reason why the tower has remained in its original form for over 1,400 years in earthquake-prone Japan is due to the traditional construction methods ingeniously used by the temple carpenters. Each of the five floors gets thinner as it goes up, and each floor is independent except for a central pillar called the central pillar. The area around the central pillar is open, and does not support the weight of each floor. The weight of the entire tower is supported by the four Shitenbashira pillars and 12 side pillars around the central pillar. When external forces such as wind or earthquakes are applied to the building, the building sways as if riding the vibration waves, dispersing the force and preventing it from collapsing. Horyuji Temple was built by the temple carpenters of the time, combining their wisdom and skills, using soft traditional construction methods that do not resist the laws of nature, and it still exists today after 1,400 years. The skills of carpenters, who understand the materials they use, adapt to the climate, and use their skills to create buildings that will not collapse, have been passed down from generation to generation, and their spirit is still carried on by the craftsmen
If you like my photograph, feel free to download it (for personal use only, no commercial, no print).
Just click the link down below in case you wish to contribute with a donation. That would be highly appreciated, thank you :)
If you want us it for print or commercial use, email me: andrea.mucelli@gmail.com
Eastern Whipbird -Psophodes olivaceus
Having mostly-green plumage and living in the dense undergrowth, the Eastern Whipbird is seen far less often than it is heard. Its whip-crack call is a characteristic of many of the moist forests in eastern Australia. The unusual feature of this call is that it is often performed by two birds calling in unison, with one bird contributing the first part of the call and another giving the second part. This so-called ‘antiphonal’ calling involved great co-ordination between the two birds to give the call its familiar whip-crack sound.