View allAll Photos Tagged Humankindness
“The Land of Eternal Night” -
Experience the downfall of humankind and the rise of the lords of the night.
In Nox Aeterna, vampire society has flourished and through impressive spellcraft they’ve even bent the sky to their rule guaranteeing that none need fear the rays of the sun ever again.
Atop the mountains sits one such stronghold, sprawling amongst the crags and peaks. Beneath it a village on the edge of a lake, steeped in tradition and protected as much by the denizens above as the forest surrounding it.
Nox Aeterna -
Sponsored by Quills & Curiosities
Region by Dacien & Marcel Blackwood
A Shopping Region
“The Land of Eternal Night” -
Experience the downfall of humankind and the rise of the lords of the night.
In Nox Aeterna, vampire society has flourished and through impressive spellcraft they’ve even bent the sky to their rule guaranteeing that none need fear the rays of the sun ever again.
Atop the mountains sits one such stronghold, sprawling amongst the crags and peaks. Beneath it a village on the edge of a lake, steeped in tradition and protected as much by the denizens above as the forest surrounding it.
Nox Aeterna -
Sponsored by Quills & Curiosities
Region by Dacien & Marcel Blackwood
A Shopping Region
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall” - One of the most remarkable lives of any man, RIP Nelson Mandela.
“Curious” – A Morning Encounter in the Olive Grove - Some mornings begin not with words, but with eyes meeting in silence. This was one of them. “Curious – Eyes of the Wild”
Wildlife and nature have always captivated humankind. Perhaps it’s my background in journalism, but nature has gradually drawn me in with a similar pull — that of curiosity, patience, and quiet pursuit.
This morning, I decided to revisit a remarkable encounter I had in the olive groves near my home. It was around 07:00 when I set out — just a ten-minute drive, followed by a walk across freshly tilled earth, soft and uneven beneath my feet. The goal: to find “Curious,” the wild Anatolian squirrel I had met for the first time just days before.
Not far into the grove, I spotted a pale, slender wild rabbit who darted off the moment it sensed me — despite my silent steps. I wondered if I would be lucky enough to cross paths with Curious again. With that thought, I pressed on, determined yet calm.
As I neared the gnarled trunk of an ancient olive tree, nature fell silent. Only the faint calls of birds filled the air. Then suddenly, there he was — Curious. Tucked under a lower branch, his tail wrapped tightly, he stared at me intently, our eyes locking. I hadn't brought nuts this time. I wanted to see how he'd react to just my presence — without any incentives.
I stood still, watching from about two meters away. Curious vanished into his hollow, but I gently stepped closer. Moments later, he peeked out like someone watching from a window, eyes fixed on mine. Then, to my amazement, he climbed out and onto the olive bark, stretching in the morning light as if to put on a show.
I remained silent, steady. In a single leap, he landed on a trimmed branch stump and posed. With no monopod, I began to photograph him with my Nikon Z8, using the Teleconverter TC-14E II for the first time. Curious allowed me within just under 1 meters — a sign of growing trust. It felt like we had momentarily erased the boundary between wild and human.
Later, I followed him to a mulberry tree where, like a silkworm, he nibbled delicately on the fresh young leaves. I also witnessed him gnawing on the bark and twigs of the olive tree — behavior I had never documented before.
This morning was a gift — not only for the images captured, but for the silent conversation we shared. I’ve published six portraits of Curious on my Flickr page, each telling its own quiet story. I hope they resonate with others as deeply as the experience touched me.
Wishing you a beautiful day,
Anatolian Squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) – Distribution and Details in Turkey
The Anatolian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus), also known as the Caucasian squirrel or Persian squirrel, is a tree squirrel species native to parts of the Middle East. It is the only native squirrel species in Turkey and plays an important ecological role in forested habitats.
Distribution in Turkey
The Anatolian squirrel is widely distributed throughout much of western, central, and southern Turkey, particularly in the following regions:
Aegean Region: Olive groves, oak woodlands, and fig orchards (like those in Pelitköy) provide suitable habitat.
Marmara Region: Thrace and surrounding mixed forests.
Central Anatolia: Especially in forested and steppe transition zones.
Mediterranean Region: Taurus Mountains and surrounding coastal forests.
Eastern Black Sea foothills: Patchy populations, typically in deciduous and mixed forests.
They prefer forests with oak, pine, walnut, almond, fig, and mulberry trees — and are commonly spotted in traditional olive groves, especially where some natural tree cover is retained.
Habitat & Behavior
Arboreal (tree-dwelling), diurnal (active by day).
Solitary and territorial, though tolerant of other squirrels in rich feeding areas.
Nests in tree hollows or builds leaf nests high in the canopy.
Feeds on a variety of nuts, seeds, fruits, and tree buds, including figs, almonds, acorns, and mulberries.
In cultivated landscapes like olive groves, they adapt well if large trees are present. The presence of fig and mulberry trees near human settlements helps maintain stable populations.
Conservation Status & Threats
Currently classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.
However, local population declines have been observed due to:
Habitat fragmentation (especially loss of old trees and tree hollows),
Agricultural expansion, and
Climate change impacts, particularly in southern and drier regions.
Monitoring efforts in Turkey are still limited, and there's a growing call among researchers and nature photographers for increased ecological surveys and community awareness programs.
Curiosity
The Anatolian squirrel has adapted well to traditional Turkish agroforestry landscapes. In mythology and folklore, squirrels are sometimes seen as guardians of trees, and this species continues to serve that symbolic role in Anatolia.
I've captured some unforgettable moments with my camera, and I hope you feel the same joy viewing these images as I did while shooting them.
Thank you so much for visiting my gallery, whether you leave a comment, add it to your favorites, or simply take a moment to look around. Your support means a lot to me, and I wish you good luck and beautiful light in all your endeavors.
© All rights belong to R.Ertuğ. Please refrain from using these images without my express written permission. If you are interested in purchasing or using them, feel free to contact me via Flickr mail.
Lens - hand held or Monopod and definitely SPORT VR on. Aperture is f5.6 full length.. All my images have been converted from RAW to JPEG.
I started using Nikon Cross-Body Strap or Monopod on long walks. Here is my Carbon Monopod details : Gitzo GM2542 Series 2 4S Carbon Monopod - Really Right Stuff MH-01 Monopod Head with Standard Lever - Really Right Stuff LCF-11 Replacement Foot for Nikon AF-S 500mm /5.6E PF Lense -
Your comments and criticism are very valuable.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and explore :)
"Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together … all things connect.” —Chief Seattle
He is beautiful, no artificial traces. The Buddha is here, it seems that he is showing the secrets of cosmos to the humankind. But he is already a part of the Cosmos.
The Great Pyramid has been described as the most colossal building ever constructed by humankind. It was built for Pharaoh Khufu, the second king of the fourth ancient Egyptian dynasty, who is recognised as having been the most powerful ruler of Egypt’s Old Kingdom.
After the crazy roof of Himeji Castle it was a relief to work on the pyramid, its simplistic geometry allowed my brain to take a much-needed break!
Often when working on simplistic models (such as this one), though, it is great to try get in something that challenges us. So for the tombs, I really tried hard to be as accurate as possible to the depiction of their floating slabs of rock and unusual sizes.
Built and designed by Ryan McNaught, the huge pyramid cross-section uses just over 28,000 LEGO pieces and took 71 hours to create.
For thousands of years donkeys have been the 'helping hooves' of humankind - they are the original beasts of burden. In many countries of the world, and in many situations, they are used as the preferred mode of transport. Donkeys are much more of an all terrain animal than horses. Donkeys are in fact a highly intelligent animal despite popular misconception.
Check out some great donkey facts from Mike's Donkeys.
“Curious” – A Morning Encounter in the Olive Grove - Some mornings begin not with words, but with eyes meeting in silence. This was one of them. “Curious – Eyes of the Wild”
Wildlife and nature have always captivated humankind. Perhaps it’s my background in journalism, but nature has gradually drawn me in with a similar pull — that of curiosity, patience, and quiet pursuit.
This morning, I decided to revisit a remarkable encounter I had in the olive groves near my home. It was around 07:00 when I set out — just a ten-minute drive, followed by a walk across freshly tilled earth, soft and uneven beneath my feet. The goal: to find “Curious,” the wild Anatolian squirrel I had met for the first time just days before.
Not far into the grove, I spotted a pale, slender wild rabbit who darted off the moment it sensed me — despite my silent steps. I wondered if I would be lucky enough to cross paths with Curious again. With that thought, I pressed on, determined yet calm.
As I neared the gnarled trunk of an ancient olive tree, nature fell silent. Only the faint calls of birds filled the air. Then suddenly, there he was — Curious. Tucked under a lower branch, his tail wrapped tightly, he stared at me intently, our eyes locking. I hadn't brought nuts this time. I wanted to see how he'd react to just my presence — without any incentives.
I stood still, watching from about two meters away. Curious vanished into his hollow, but I gently stepped closer. Moments later, he peeked out like someone watching from a window, eyes fixed on mine. Then, to my amazement, he climbed out and onto the olive bark, stretching in the morning light as if to put on a show.
I remained silent, steady. In a single leap, he landed on a trimmed branch stump and posed. With no monopod, I began to photograph him with my Nikon Z8, using the Teleconverter TC-14E II for the first time. Curious allowed me within just under 1 meters — a sign of growing trust. It felt like we had momentarily erased the boundary between wild and human.
Later, I followed him to a mulberry tree where, like a silkworm, he nibbled delicately on the fresh young leaves. I also witnessed him gnawing on the bark and twigs of the olive tree — behavior I had never documented before.
This morning was a gift — not only for the images captured, but for the silent conversation we shared. I’ve published six portraits of Curious on my Flickr page, each telling its own quiet story. I hope they resonate with others as deeply as the experience touched me.
Wishing you a beautiful day,
Anatolian Squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) – Distribution and Details in Turkey
The Anatolian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus), also known as the Caucasian squirrel or Persian squirrel, is a tree squirrel species native to parts of the Middle East. It is the only native squirrel species in Turkey and plays an important ecological role in forested habitats.
Distribution in Turkey
The Anatolian squirrel is widely distributed throughout much of western, central, and southern Turkey, particularly in the following regions:
Aegean Region: Olive groves, oak woodlands, and fig orchards (like those in Pelitköy) provide suitable habitat.
Marmara Region: Thrace and surrounding mixed forests.
Central Anatolia: Especially in forested and steppe transition zones.
Mediterranean Region: Taurus Mountains and surrounding coastal forests.
Eastern Black Sea foothills: Patchy populations, typically in deciduous and mixed forests.
They prefer forests with oak, pine, walnut, almond, fig, and mulberry trees — and are commonly spotted in traditional olive groves, especially where some natural tree cover is retained.
Habitat & Behavior
Arboreal (tree-dwelling), diurnal (active by day).
Solitary and territorial, though tolerant of other squirrels in rich feeding areas.
Nests in tree hollows or builds leaf nests high in the canopy.
Feeds on a variety of nuts, seeds, fruits, and tree buds, including figs, almonds, acorns, and mulberries.
In cultivated landscapes like olive groves, they adapt well if large trees are present. The presence of fig and mulberry trees near human settlements helps maintain stable populations.
Conservation Status & Threats
Currently classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.
However, local population declines have been observed due to:
Habitat fragmentation (especially loss of old trees and tree hollows),
Agricultural expansion, and
Climate change impacts, particularly in southern and drier regions.
Monitoring efforts in Turkey are still limited, and there's a growing call among researchers and nature photographers for increased ecological surveys and community awareness programs.
Curiosity
The Anatolian squirrel has adapted well to traditional Turkish agroforestry landscapes. In mythology and folklore, squirrels are sometimes seen as guardians of trees, and this species continues to serve that symbolic role in Anatolia.
I've captured some unforgettable moments with my camera, and I hope you feel the same joy viewing these images as I did while shooting them.
Thank you so much for visiting my gallery, whether you leave a comment, add it to your favorites, or simply take a moment to look around. Your support means a lot to me, and I wish you good luck and beautiful light in all your endeavors.
© All rights belong to R.Ertuğ. Please refrain from using these images without my express written permission. If you are interested in purchasing or using them, feel free to contact me via Flickr mail.
Lens - hand held or Monopod and definitely SPORT VR on. Aperture is f5.6 full length.. All my images have been converted from RAW to JPEG.
I started using Nikon Cross-Body Strap or Monopod on long walks. Here is my Carbon Monopod details : Gitzo GM2542 Series 2 4S Carbon Monopod - Really Right Stuff MH-01 Monopod Head with Standard Lever - Really Right Stuff LCF-11 Replacement Foot for Nikon AF-S 500mm /5.6E PF Lense -
Your comments and criticism are very valuable.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and explore :)
Tiger Tiger Fading Bright Part 5
The Hunter in the Red PVC Cap is still giving an impromptu rock and roll guitar rendition on his knee. Don't miss that.
the situation on the Tiger front has been grim for quite sometime. The Planet Earth is slowly relinquising its flora and fauna as humankind expands in uncontrollable numbers and fritters away Nature and its resources in a headlong dive to extinction for almost all.
Continuing the series
Tiger Tiger, Fading Bright !
The tigers in India are facing the toughest odds and are on the brink of being wiped out. There is a big industry based on tiger claws and bones etc that drives up the demand for the killing of this beautiful beast.
Men will buy a enlargement (is enhancement the right choice of word ?) of libido anytime anywhere but Chinese men will pay top dollars for tiger remains to increase theirs.
If you wonder why all the grand conservation efforts to save the tiger are failing, go no further then the politics of funding tiger conservation. It has been known for years that it is allegedly a big sham with mega bucks and mega publicity but almost nil results.
If you have the time it would be interesting to read some interesting thoughts and the current day reality on the tigers in an exchange between Thatzme and Aditya Singh from Rajasthan.
One can only hope that one sees a tiger in the wild in one's life time as the future generation may not have that privilege anytime soon. So if you are young and in India, head out and go see the elusive tiger before it is too late.
India has only 1150 - 1600 tigers that are available in the wild as per the Minister of Environment Jairam Ramesh.
Pervez 183A in one of his earlier comments on this series had mentioned >>>
"why don't the Chinese just try Viagra...???...it might make them dance on one leg...!!!"
Will Viagra be the Saviour of the Indian Tiger ?
This is an enactment of the situation at a Kerala street show during Onam in Thrippunithra near Cochin on the Atthachamayam day.
DSC_0842 jpeg via ACR
I finally bought the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D lens after eyeing it for quite a while. This is the first shot on my stream using this lens. I haven’t experimented too much with it but I can say one thing - it is super-sharp and produces bokehlicious shots!
I found this little fella sitting on the fence and he immediately reminded me of one of my favourite songs by John Mayer, and hence the title. I took several shots from different angles, while he patiently posed for me. I really like this one because it's exactly what I was looking to do with this lens.
bighugelabs.com/flickr/scout.php?mode=history&id=2403...
Singapore
2008
| Arjun Purkayastha • travel & fine art photography • | Facebook page |
Life was a veil
That I put aside
Now that you call me
Words by Claudia Ohiogboan
Antelope Canyon #20
best view at original size
Ibu Anne reading/hiding her face as I was prowling around with the camera. Mayaloka Seminyak Villas, Seminyak, October 2018.
Strange Stormy Situation Surrounds Stunning Saturday Seaside Serenity Sunset Scene (SOOC) - IMRAN™
What a strange time it is. It feels as if 2020, like a mean, dangerous, psychotic, fatal attraction addicted ex-girlfriend, just won't let go of us to move into a better future. But, as I captured this SOOC (straight out of camera) unedited Nikon D300 photo of tonight's sunset at my blessed home on Tampa Bay, Florida, I thought to myself what a strange situation surrounds this stunning Saturday seaside serenity sunset scene.
Despite a red-hot sunset, a cold wind, seemingly coming from all sides in strong bursts but without notable gusts, invisibly symbolizes the national and global threats buffeting us in this new year, and new decade.
A global Coronavirus pandemic, now with a dangerous mutation, is still wreaking havoc, ... but vaccines are offering some hope. A cancer of wilful ignorance and cult-like embrace of fascist forces continues to threaten our democracy, ... but even a few (until-recently fascism-embracing tyrant-loving) politicians acting like they are finding their consciences is giving hope to a return to normalcy.
An actual insurrection against the government of the United States, incited by none other than the actual current occupant of the Oval Office, leading to Confederate & Nazi flags and symbols being proudly displayed inside the US Capitol for the first time in history shook the patriotic majority of the nation, ... but there is hope that it may have woken up enough sell-out members of his own party to realize they have to stand up to Drumpf. An actual agent of an enemy state and criminal President is talking about pardoning himself, his family, and others whom he clearly directed to commit crimes... but even Republicans are now asking for his removal from office, and wanting a return to the rule of law, from the streets to the highest office in the land.
All these cures are better late than never, ... but what a tragic waste of so much. Lives, jobs, civility, decency, stability, and unity, ... all losses caused by the acts foisted on us by corrupt, incompetent, undemocratic forces of a traitor in power in 2020.
The truth is simple. Facts are facts, no matter what conspiracy theory undereducated cultists embrace or what white-lies purely opportunistic sleazy politicians spread. Science is science, no matter how much some idiots believe the earth is flat, or that they would get injected with a microchip in an anti-viral vaccine.
It is time to make 2021 the start of the best years of our lives, as people, as nations, and as humankind. Join me as I bow my head in prayer at this sunset time for us all to be healed and at peace again.
© 2021 IMRAN™
#ApolloBeach, #CloudPorn, #cloudscape, #clouds, #cold, #commentary, #Coronavirus, #D300, #DonaldTrump, #fascism, #Florida, #humankind, #IMHO, #IMRAN, #ImranAnwar, #InMyHumbleOpinion, #insurrection, #Lifestyle, #Maghreb, #Nature, #Nikon, #NoEdit, #NoFilter, #pandemic, #politics, #prose, #Republicans, #Saturday, #science, #seaside, #SOOC, #Sunset, #Tampa, #TampaBay, #traitors, #tranquility, #treason, #vaccines, #weekend, #winter, #writing
. . . a strange reality has united all humankind
in a new kind of protection, all over the world . . .
I looked at over 100 quotations on *protection* and only one came slightly close to my feelings . . . and it was based on Confidence . . .
"Confidence ...
thrives on honesty,
on honor,
on the sacredness of obligations,
on faithful protection
and on unselfish performance.
Without them it cannot live."
~Franklin D. Roosevelt ~
We need to have *confidence* that we will get through this pandemic. Prayers for all humankind . . .
Created this triptych for "Slider's Sunday" . . .
using a new mask design and model!
“The Land of Eternal Night” -
Experience the downfall of humankind and the rise of the lords of the night.
In Nox Aeterna, vampire society has flourished and through impressive spellcraft they’ve even bent the sky to their rule guaranteeing that none need fear the rays of the sun ever again.
Atop the mountains sits one such stronghold, sprawling amongst the crags and peaks. Beneath it a village on the edge of a lake, steeped in tradition and protected as much by the denizens above as the forest surrounding it.
Nox Aeterna -
Sponsored by Quills & Curiosities
Region by Dacien & Marcel Blackwood
A Shopping Region
The plain tiger or African monarch (Danaus chrysippus) is a medium-sized butterfly of the Danainae subfamily ("Milkweed butterflies") . This butterfly has captivated humankind’s attention since it was first depicted in an Egyptian tomb 3,500 years ago, making it the first ever butterfly to be recorded in history.
Its beautiful striking tawny-orange colouration serves as a warning to predators that this species is distasteful, which ultimately deters predators from attacking. Framing the startlingly orange hues is a bold black border interlaced with white specks. The wingspan is about 7–8 cm. The male plain tiger is smaller than the female, but more brightly colored. The body is black with many white spots.
This widespread butterfly can be found across the entire African continent, southern Europe, the Middle East, eastwards throughout most of Asia south of the Himalayas, southern China and Japan to southeast Asia, Indonesia and even tropical Australia.
De kleine monarchvlinder (Danaus chrysippus) is een vlinder uit de onderfamilie Danainae (monarchvlinders) binnen de familie Nymphalidae (schoenlappers, parelmoervlinders en zandoogjes).
Op een 3500 jaar oude graftombe in Luxor (Egypte) wordt een fresco van deze kleine monarchvlinder weergegeven. De tekening is daarmee vermoedelijk de oudste afbeelding van een vlinder.
De hoofdkleur is oranje-geel-bruin, de bovenkant van de vleugels is wat donkerder en helderder om roofvogels af te schrikken. De onderkant is bleker om in rust met gesloten vleugels niet op te vallen. De vleugelpunten zijn zwart met grote witte vlekken. De randen van de vleugels zijn zwart met kleine witte vlekjes. Het lichaam is zwart met witte puntjes. De vleugelspanwijdte varieert tussen 70 en 80 mm. Het mannetje is iets kleiner dan het vrouwtje.
De wijdverspreide kleine monarchvlinder komt voor op het hele Afrikaanse continent, zuidoost Europa, het Midden-Oosten, oostwaarts door het grootste deel van Azië ten zuiden van de Himalaya, Zuid-China, Japan, zuidoost Azië, Indonesië en zelfs tropische Australië.
Deze foto is gemaakt in de tropische vlinderkas van de Botanische Tuinen van de Utrechtse Universiteit.
______________________________
All rights reserved. Copyright © Martien Uiterweerd (Foto Martien).
All my images are protected under international authors copyright laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my written explicit permission.
______________________________
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.
The Robin's red breast and habit of living close to humankind makes it one of our most familiar birds.
Robins are widely distributed in Britain & Ireland throughout the year, from Shetland to the Channel Islands, apart from on the highest mountain tops. Robin breeding numbers increased through the last part of the 20th century and have been fairly stable since, albeit with some fluctuations.
The Robin is both a resident and also a migrant visitor to Britain during the winter months, when birds from northern and eastern Europe help to swell numbers. During particularly cold weather this pugnacious little bird can be seen sharing bird tables with several other Robins, all of them trying to defend the food source they have found.
A composite image blended with about 7-9 frames of a lightning storm approaching the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site (Maropeng) in South Africa.
The plain tiger or African monarch (Danaus chrysippus) is a medium-sized butterfly of the Danainae subfamily ("Milkweed butterflies") . This butterfly has captivated humankind’s attention since it was first depicted in an Egyptian tomb 3,500 years ago, making it the first ever butterfly to be recorded in history.
Its beautiful striking tawny-orange colouration serves as a warning to predators that this species is distasteful, which ultimately deters predators from attacking. Framing the startlingly orange hues is a bold black border interlaced with white specks. The wingspan is about 7–8 cm. The male plain tiger is smaller than the female, but more brightly colored. The body is black with many white spots.
This widespread butterfly can be found across the entire African continent, southern Europe, the Middle East, eastwards throughout most of Asia south of the Himalayas, southern China and Japan to southeast Asia, Indonesia and even tropical Australia.
De kleine monarchvlinder (Danaus chrysippus) is een vlinder uit de onderfamilie Danainae (monarchvlinders) binnen de familie Nymphalidae (schoenlappers, parelmoervlinders en zandoogjes).
Op een 3500 jaar oude graftombe in Luxor (Egypte) wordt een fresco van deze kleine monarchvlinder weergegeven. De tekening is daarmee vermoedelijk de oudste afbeelding van een vlinder.
De hoofdkleur is oranje-geel-bruin, de bovenkant van de vleugels is wat donkerder en helderder om roofvogels af te schrikken. De onderkant is bleker om in rust met gesloten vleugels niet op te vallen. De vleugelpunten zijn zwart met grote witte vlekken. De randen van de vleugels zijn zwart met kleine witte vlekjes. Het lichaam is zwart met witte puntjes. De vleugelspanwijdte varieert tussen 70 en 80 mm. Het mannetje is iets kleiner dan het vrouwtje.
De wijdverspreide kleine monarchvlinder komt voor op het hele Afrikaanse continent, zuidoost Europa, het Midden-Oosten, oostwaarts door het grootste deel van Azië ten zuiden van de Himalaya, Zuid-China, Japan, zuidoost Azië, Indonesië en zelfs tropische Australië.
Deze opname is gemaakt in de overdekte vlindertuin NaturoSpace in Honfleur (Normandië, Frankrijk).
______________________________
All rights reserved. Copyright © Martien Uiterweerd (Foto Martien).
All my images are protected under international authors copyright laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my written explicit permission.
______________________________
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.
I dream some day in foreign parts. A giant fly will take my heart. I'll stick it in I won't be too big. And there in Heaven we shall live\- Tigerlilies, Flies
- 24” X 9”
- Lithography (reductive drawing)
If only we could slow things down a bit
and just enjoy the beauty of our world
. . . celebrating the GOOD people who dwell therein.
Prayers for our humankind,
who are innocently suffering from destructible leaders . . .
who insist and exist on greed and the need . . .
to conquer,
relentlessly,
to feed
their insatiable, malicious egos . . .
oh, how history insists on repeating itself
. . . will there ever be peace on earth?
“The Land of Eternal Night” -
Experience the downfall of humankind and the rise of the lords of the night.
In Nox Aeterna, vampire society has flourished and through impressive spellcraft they’ve even bent the sky to their rule guaranteeing that none need fear the rays of the sun ever again.
Atop the mountains sits one such stronghold, sprawling amongst the crags and peaks. Beneath it a village on the edge of a lake, steeped in tradition and protected as much by the denizens above as the forest surrounding it.
Nox Aeterna -
Sponsored by Quills & Curiosities
Region by Dacien & Marcel Blackwood
A Shopping Region
One year ago, NASA’s New Horizons mission made history by exploring Pluto and its moons – giving humankind our first real look at this fascinating world on the frontier of our solar system.
Since those amazing days in July 2015 the New Horizons spacecraft has transmitted numerous images and many other kinds of data home for scientists and the public alike to study, analyze, and just plain love. From Pluto’s iconic “heart” and sweeping ice‐ mountain vistas to its flowing glaciers and dramatic blue skies, it’s hard to pick just one favorite picture. So the mission team has picked 10 – and in no special order, placed them here.
For the full list of NASA's favorite Pluto photos, click here.
_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights, click here.
Follow Chris Acheson Photography on Facebook
Taken at Nirox Sculpture Park, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa, Feb 14th 2015.
And the Lord God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” - Genesis 3:22
“The Land of Eternal Night” -
Experience the downfall of humankind and the rise of the lords of the night.
In Nox Aeterna, vampire society has flourished and through impressive spellcraft they’ve even bent the sky to their rule guaranteeing that none need fear the rays of the sun ever again.
Atop the mountains sits one such stronghold, sprawling amongst the crags and peaks. Beneath it a village on the edge of a lake, steeped in tradition and protected as much by the denizens above as the forest surrounding it.
Nox Aeterna -
Sponsored by Quills & Curiosities
Region by Dacien & Marcel Blackwood
A Shopping Region
The rainbow flag has become the worldwide banner of the LGBT community because the major colors of the visible spectrum represent diversity among the entire human population. Humankind is one species, but we come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and colors. We have two basic genetic and anatomical sexes with a small minority that are in between or have some characteristics of both.
Then it gets more complicated. For reproductive purposes, most people are attracted to the opposite sex; however, a fairly big minority is attracted to the same sex, both sexes, or neither, and those attractions may change over the course of a person's life. Gender identity and expression for most people is related to their biological sex but not rigidly tied to it. How a person feels, acts, and presents themselves is part internal and part cultural, so it is subject to change, especially across space and time. Human society is not uniform throughout our planet, and it changes over the years, so is it any surprise that gender appearance, identity, social roles, and behavior can change and vary from person to person?
Unfortunately, some social groups, political organizations, ethnic groups, religious cults, families, and bigoted individuals try to force everybody to conform to rigid sexual conduct, gender roles, and outward appearance. Those who do not conform are branded as evil, perverted, or crazy and either forced to conform, expelled, beaten up, imprisoned, or killed.
In the United States, LGBT folks are fighting for our CIVIL RIGHTS. We are gaining some ground, but so-called "social conservatives" in some state and local governments are trying to erect new legal obstacles in our path. Some of them publicly call for our extermination. Hate crimes against us continue, and a few days ago in Orlando, a major terrorist attack by a lone gunman murdered at least 49 people at a gay nightclub.
2016 is an election year and one of the most vicious ever. In general, the same people who preach hatred against LGBT people are the same crowd who promotes hatred against people of color, opposes reproductive freedom for women, denies Climate Change and opposes meaningful measures to mitigate it, opposes environmental protection, opposes financial regulation, opposes Internet Neutrality, opposes an increase in the minimum wage, opposes election reform, but they approve of CORPORATE GREED, unlimited exploitation of our natural resources, unending overseas conflict, the militarization of our police forces, the expansion of private prisons, and a continued expansion of domestic surveillance without any accountability.
This particular graphic was copied from one of the many LGBT political action groups I subscribe to, and since it is a commonly used banner, this constitutes Fair Use.
Come visit the Cradle of Humankind! Starting in a camp reflecting the 1920s you soon cross a wide river with the wildlife veterinary station and a savanna lying behind. Or you visit a small native village near the dark jungle. Safari feeling guaranteed!
Theme song youtu.be/GibiNy4d4gc
Fun Theme Song
On Thursday 12 July 2018, US president Donald Trump, the most dangerous man in the world, was welcomed to the United Kingdom by the British prime minister Theresa May. The following day the streets of London witnessed the biggest protest for over a decade as thousands marched on Trafalgar Square to express their anger at the British government extending a red carpet welcome for Trump.
Protesters pointed out the extreme threat to democracy, to those dependent on welfare, to womens' rights, to civil rights generally and even to the survival of humankind which Trump presents. Such assertions might seem extreme, but they are unfortunately fully justifiable.
As the president of what is by far the richest and most powerful country on earth, Trump has dedicated his term to accelerating the US addiction to fossil fuels and agribusiness, dismantling the Environmental Protection Agency and withdrawing America from the Paris Climate Accords, thereby accelerating global warming and climate change and presenting a huge threat to the continued existence of humankind.
Trump's presidency also marks another dangerous step in the erosion of democracy in the United States. Far from "draining the swamp" as he promised, Trump has surrounded himself with powerful figures from big business, especially major financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs, as well as his friends and allies in the fossil fuel and defence industires.
Government policy, more and more, reflects the direct interests of concentrated private power with the public having less and less influence. At the same time the Trump presidency has allied itself with some of the most ruthless regimes in the world and is profiting from Saudi Arabia's illegal war of aggression in Yemen which has created the world's worst humanitarian crisis. A serious war crime in which Donald Trump and Theresa May are both complicit.
Trump has also been keen to patronise the extreme nationalist constituency in the United States and through preaching a propaganda of fear his presidency has managed to oversee some of the most racist immigration policies ever to be implemented in the United States, targeted almost exclusively at Muslim countries - Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. Ironically, all of them have been massively destabilized and impoverished by US foreign policy.
He was also responsible for the ruthless decision to separate children from their parents as they cross into the United States from Mexico, in his determination to block immigration from central America, where decades of US illegal intervention, including the CIA funded Contra terror operations in Nicaragua and enforced free trade (under NAFTA or IMF rules) have devastated the region and merely enhanced the power of corrupt corporate elites and drug cartels.
As if this was not enough to worry about, Trump has also authorized a huge increase in both US defence spending and in the US nuclear arsenal, and changed the strategic posture of the US so that nuclear weapons can be used even for offensive operations and even when their use is not required to preempt a nuclear strike by an enemy power.
As any historian of conflict since the Second World War knows, it is only by a miracle that humankind has survived since 1945 without a nuclear war. Now the situation is more dangerous than ever before. Not only are we are now dependent on Trump's extremely unpredictable temperament but also increasingly on automated systems which can easily malfunction.
Trump and Republicans maintain they need to spend heavily on military equipment in order to counter the supposed Russian threat. However they seldom remind the public that the United States already spends almost as much as the rest of the world combined on defence and that Russia's expenditure is far behind both that of the United States and only on about the same level of Saudi Arabia, and spends only 10% of what NATO spends.
It has also to be remembered that it is NATO and US forces which are operating right on the Russian border, not Russian forces on the American border. Russia's defence spending is clearly recognised by academics to be primarily defensive and responsive to US spending. What is desperately needed is a serious international dialogue at the highest level to decrease the danger of conflict, especially the risk of a terminal nuclear war and begin a process of multilateral disarmament.
On Thursday 12 July 2018, US president Donald Trump, the most dangerous man in the world, was welcomed to the United Kingdom by the British prime minister Theresa May. The following day the streets of London witnessed the biggest protest for over a decade as thousands marched on Trafalgar Square to express their anger at the British government extending a red carpet welcome for Trump.
Protesters pointed out the extreme threat to democracy, to those dependent on welfare, to womens' rights, to civil rights generally and even to the survival of humankind which Trump presents. Such assertions might seem extreme, but they are unfortunately fully justifiable.
As the president of what is by far the richest and most powerful country on earth, Trump has dedicated his term to accelerating the US addiction to fossil fuels and agribusiness, dismantling the Environmental Protection Agency and withdrawing America from the Paris Climate Accords, thereby accelerating global warming and climate change and presenting a huge threat to the continued existence of humankind.
Trump's presidency also marks another dangerous step in the erosion of democracy in the United States. Far from "draining the swamp" as he promised, Trump has surrounded himself with powerful figures from big business, especially major financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs, as well as his friends and allies in the fossil fuel and defence industires.
Government policy, more and more, reflects the direct interests of concentrated private power with the public having less and less influence. At the same time the Trump presidency has allied itself with some of the most ruthless regimes in the world and is profiting from Saudi Arabia's illegal war of aggression in Yemen which has created the world's worst humanitarian crisis. A serious war crime in which Donald Trump and Theresa May are both complicit.
Trump has also been keen to patronise the extreme nationalist constituency in the United States and through preaching a propaganda of fear his presidency has managed to oversee some of the most racist immigration policies ever to be implemented in the United States, targeted almost exclusively at Muslim countries - Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. Ironically, all of them have been massively destabilized and impoverished by US foreign policy.
He was also responsible for the ruthless decision to separate children from their parents as they cross into the United States from Mexico, in his determination to block immigration from central America, where decades of US illegal intervention, including the CIA funded Contra terror operations in Nicaragua and enforced free trade (under NAFTA or IMF rules) have devastated the region and merely enhanced the power of corrupt corporate elites and drug cartels.
As if this was not enough to worry about, Trump has also authorized a huge increase in both US defence spending and in the US nuclear arsenal, and changed the strategic posture of the US so that nuclear weapons can be used even for offensive operations and even when their use is not required to preempt a nuclear strike by an enemy power.
As any historian of conflict since the Second World War knows, it is only by a miracle that humankind has survived since 1945 without a nuclear war. Now the situation is more dangerous than ever before. Not only are we are now dependent on Trump's extremely unpredictable temperament but also increasingly on automated systems which can easily malfunction.
Trump and Republicans maintain they need to spend heavily on military equipment in order to counter the supposed Russian threat. However they seldom remind the public that the United States already spends almost as much as the rest of the world combined on defence and that Russia's expenditure is far behind both that of the United States and only on about the same level of Saudi Arabia, and spends only 10% of what NATO spends.
It has also to be remembered that it is NATO and US forces which are operating right on the Russian border, not Russian forces on the American border. Russia's defence spending is clearly recognised by academics to be primarily defensive and responsive to US spending. What is desperately needed is a serious international dialogue at the highest level to decrease the danger of conflict, especially the risk of a terminal nuclear war and begin a process of multilateral disarmament.
On Thursday 12 July 2018, US president Donald Trump, the most dangerous man in the world, was welcomed to the United Kingdom by the British prime minister Theresa May. The following day the streets of London witnessed the biggest protest for over a decade as thousands marched on Trafalgar Square to express their anger at the British government extending a red carpet welcome for Trump.
Protesters pointed out the extreme threat to democracy, to those dependent on welfare, to womens' rights, to civil rights generally and even to the survival of humankind which Trump presents. Such assertions might seem extreme, but they are unfortunately fully justifiable.
As the president of what is by far the richest and most powerful country on earth, Trump has dedicated his term to accelerating the US addiction to fossil fuels and agribusiness, dismantling the Environmental Protection Agency and withdrawing America from the Paris Climate Accords, thereby accelerating global warming and climate change and presenting a huge threat to the continued existence of humankind.
Trump's presidency also marks another dangerous step in the erosion of democracy in the United States. Far from "draining the swamp" as he promised, Trump has surrounded himself with powerful figures from big business, especially major financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs, as well as his friends and allies in the fossil fuel and defence industires.
Government policy, more and more, reflects the direct interests of concentrated private power with the public having less and less influence. At the same time the Trump presidency has allied itself with some of the most ruthless regimes in the world and is profiting from Saudi Arabia's illegal war of aggression in Yemen which has created the world's worst humanitarian crisis. A serious war crime in which Donald Trump and Theresa May are both complicit.
Trump has also been keen to patronise the extreme nationalist constituency in the United States and through preaching a propaganda of fear his presidency has managed to oversee some of the most racist immigration policies ever to be implemented in the United States, targeted almost exclusively at Muslim countries - Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. Ironically, all of them have been massively destabilized and impoverished by US foreign policy.
He was also responsible for the ruthless decision to separate children from their parents as they cross into the United States from Mexico, in his determination to block immigration from central America, where decades of US illegal intervention, including the CIA funded Contra terror operations in Nicaragua and enforced free trade (under NAFTA or IMF rules) have devastated the region and merely enhanced the power of corrupt corporate elites and drug cartels.
As if this was not enough to worry about, Trump has also authorized a huge increase in both US defence spending and in the US nuclear arsenal, and changed the strategic posture of the US so that nuclear weapons can be used even for offensive operations and even when their use is not required to preempt a nuclear strike by an enemy power.
As any historian of conflict since the Second World War knows, it is only by a miracle that humankind has survived since 1945 without a nuclear war. Now the situation is more dangerous than ever before. Not only are we are now dependent on Trump's extremely unpredictable temperament but also increasingly on automated systems which can easily malfunction.
Trump and Republicans maintain they need to spend heavily on military equipment in order to counter the supposed Russian threat. However they seldom remind the public that the United States already spends almost as much as the rest of the world combined on defence and that Russia's expenditure is far behind both that of the United States and only on about the same level of Saudi Arabia, and spends only 10% of what NATO spends.
It has also to be remembered that it is NATO and US forces which are operating right on the Russian border, not Russian forces on the American border. Russia's defence spending is clearly recognised by academics to be primarily defensive and responsive to US spending. What is desperately needed is a serious international dialogue at the highest level to decrease the danger of conflict, especially the risk of a terminal nuclear war and begin a process of multilateral disarmament.
Virgin Mary is rarely depicted showing her breast that indicates the motherly love for the humankind
Humankind has not woven the web of life.
We are but one thread within it.
Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.
All things are bound together.
All things connect.
Chief Seattle, 1854
Best seen large: www.flickr.com/photos/lynchburgvirginia/2322485808/sizes/l/