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Sturnus unicolor

El estornino negro (Sturnus unicolor) es un ave paseriforme de la familia de los estorninos, Sturnidae. Está estrechamente relacionado con el estornino pinto, pero tiene una distribución mucho más limitada y no es migratorio. Este estornino es residente de la península ibérica, noroeste de África, Sicilia, Córcega y Cerdeña.

Su color negro y característica silueta con sus cortos cuello y cola hacen su identificación sencilla con la única posibilidad de confusión durante el invierno, cuando los estorninos pintos también están en la misma región. Los estorninos negros en invierno tienen un color negro grisáceo ligeramente moteado aunque no tan abundante y marcado como el pinto. Aunque al llegar la primavera pierden todas las pequeñas motas y adquieren un plumaje más negro y más brillante que el del estornino pinto, en especial los machos. Las patas son rosadas y sus estrechos y puntiagudos picos tienen tonalidad amarilla, más intensa en los machos durante la temporada de cría. Los estorninos negros andan en lugar de brincar y tienen un vuelo fuerte y directo. En vuelo se pueden apreciar sus alas en forma triángular y su cola corta. Sus polluelos son de color marrón apagado y los juveniles son de color gris oscuro motedado muy similares a los del pinto.

El estornino negro se puede encontrar en cualquier lugar abierto, incluso dentro de los núcleos urbanos. Al igual que el estornino pinto esta especie es omnívora y se alimenta de invertebrados, bayas, etc. También es gregaria y forma bandadas grandes durante el invierno, aunque no tan grandes que las del estornino pinto. Es un ave ruidosa y puede imitar sonidos muy bien. Su canto es semejante al del estornino pinto pero es más claro y tiene un tono más alto.

Esta especie suele anidar en cavidades, que pueden ser un hueco en un árbol o agujeros en los edificios. Normalmente ponen cuatro huevos.

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Photo © 2009, 2010 Angela A. Stanton, All rights reserved. Contact: angela@stantonphotostudios.com for further information.

The other day, after an all-night rain, I found my flowering maple (not flowering now) with rain drops on the leaves underside. That is kind of unusual but then maple leaves turn in all directions... everything is possible. =) I found it pretty. This image is untouched--it is as it came out of the camera. I used Lightroom 3 to convert from raw to tiff, I added my logos and watermark in CS5. Otherwise not a thing done.

Photo details: custom white balance, Canon 5D Mark II, Canon EF 100mm f/28.8 IS macro, 1/100 sec at f.5.0 with ISO 100. I used a +1/3 EV to get more light and move the image more toward the right side--much green and in the RGB curve the colors come live if on the right of the histogram's middle.

I wish we had beautiful blue skies here too... this shot would've looked so awesome then.

MUST VIEW LARGE ON WHITE

Processed using Adobe Photoshop CS4.

Gay & Lesbian Pride March 2010

It’s back in 2010, the event that stops traffic… On Sunday February 7th, the 15th annual Pride March takes over Fitzroy St, St Kilda in a blaze of colour, noise and movement!

www.stkildafestival.com.au/

Turning 30 in 2010, St Kilda Festival is one of Australia’s best known and Melbourne’s most loved events. It utilises St Kilda’s stunning foreshore and celebrates the cream of Australia’s musical talents.

From 7-13 February experience Live N Local: St Kilda venues throw open their doors to host a variety of local bands, musicians, performers, artists and comedians in a series of one off and special events - everything you love about St Kilda and more.

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Yesterday, I went back to the nesting spot and I have to tell you I have good luck..As soon as I got there they were changing "shift" They don't waste time..In out and that's that. (I like that) I watched the head popping in and out for quite sometime..too long...actually. I decided to pack it in.........Of course as soon as I looked the other way one flew back & they changed shift again..I missed a great shot of the two parents completely out of the nest..just for a few moments.(figures right?) I have been wanting to catch the two of them "chatting" together outside the nest..for days now lol...I watched as one flew off and the other took over the nest ;) Anyway, here's the shot I got of the two happy parents. They don't waste time either..

"Northern Flickers are large, brown woodpeckers with a gentle expression and handsome black-scalloped plumage. On walks, don’t be surprised if you scare one up from the ground. It’s not where you’d expect to find a woodpecker, but flickers eat mainly ants and beetles, digging for them with their unusual, slightly curved bill. When they fly you’ll see a flash of color in the wings – yellow if you’re in the East, red if you’re in the West – and a bright white flash on the rump".

"It takes about 1 to 2 weeks to build the nest which is built by both sexes of the mating pairs. The entrance hole is roughly 5 cm to 10 cm wide."

"Northern Flicker feeding juvenile at nest cavity entrance. A typical clutch consists of 6 to 8 eggs whose shells are pure white with a smooth surface and high gloss. The eggs are the second largest of the North American woodpecker species, exceeded only by the Pileated Woodpecker's. Incubation is by both sexes for approximately 11 to 12 days. The young are fed by regurgitation and fledge about 25 to 28 days after hatching."

Enjoy! Best viewed LARGE..Have a great long weekend to all my Canadian flickr friends ;)

Feel the rain; View this large and on black!!!

Weather is a passion of mine. Snow...thunderstorms...rain...hurricanes...extreme temperatures...I love it all. I'm utterly amazed at the raw power of mother nature. To see man's best engineering feats...which probably took countless man hours to construct...wiped from the face of the earth in a matter of minutes by something we often times take for granted is absolutely awe inspiring. (Not to mention sobering, knowing that someone's life is being forever changed in that moment.)

Still, the rumble of thunder, the roar of the wind, the colors in the sky, the smell of rain, etc, etc, is one of the most relaxing, yet invigorating things in the world to me.

It likely stems back to my childhood growing up in South Carolina, where I used to sit and watch the storms with my dad. While it's no tornado alley, we get our fair share of thunderstorms back there. Some of my most fond memories are of the times I spent sitting on the porch with dad, watching the wonderful shows that these these magnificent "creatures" would put on. It was a sensory overload for me, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

This love of weather continued into my adult life, affording me one of the best experiences I've had in my life. When I graduated from college in May 2005, myself and three of my buddies gave ourselves a graduation present....we went storm chasing for a week out in the plains! I won't bother writing a "chase account" of this particular day...especially not when a well known storm chaser, and EXCELLENT storm photographer happened to also be on this particular storm. Instead, I'll just link you to the account that Mike Hollingshead wrote on his website about this day/storm. As a side note, while you're on his page you should definitely look around. Fantastic photographs!

Anyway, this image is symbolic to me for a couple of reasons.

- The first is that I bought my Canon Rebel T2 (my first camera ever) specifically to go on this storm chasing trip back in 2005....thus beginning this photography adventure I'm currently on!

- Second, for the first time in 4yrs I'm going storm chasing again! WHOO HOO! This month marks the beginning of my short-term savings goal to fund my storm chasing trip in May.

Hope I didn't bore you with the ramblings...but, after spending several hours over the past few days working on this image, I felt the need to blabber. I learned how to use masks and blend two images in my efforts to process this image. I really tried to pull out the golden colors behind this line of storms...specifically to get the rain shafts to come out. I think it came out good! It's pretty darn true to what I saw with my eyes...only the open sky on the right wasn't quite so blown out, and the blues on the left were a little more pronounced. Otherwise, this is darn close!

Taken with a Canon Rebel T2 and the 28-90mm stock lens...likely @ 28mm.

Have no clue what the other settings were.

Reddish pigment blotching of body extends subepidermally into mesial face of cerata (1), often reaching half way up or further on large specimens. Upper surface of foot translucent white with no reddish pigment (2).

Full SPECIES DESCRIPTION BELOW

Sets of OTHER SPECIES at: www.flickr.com/photos/56388191@N08/collections/

Doto coronata Gmelin, 1791

Current taxonomy; World Register of Marine Species

www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=139631

Synonyms

D. coronata was formerly an aggregate of species, many of which have now been segregated; seven are listed in 'Similar Species' below. It may still have other undescribed species within it.

GLOSSARY BELOW

Body description

Usually up to 12 mm long, exceptionally to 15 mm. Translucent whitish with dorsal blotches and streaks of red surface pigment extending between cerata onto flanks, but not around immediate base of each ceras (fig.1 flic.kr/p/SCsNxg ) and not onto upper surface of foot (fig. 2 flic.kr/p/Sr7NE2 ). Intensity of markings varies; if not too intense, yellowish spheroids of the ovotestis may be seen through the translucent dorsum within the body of mature individuals (fig. 3 flic.kr/p/SCsNii ). Pigment reduced or absent on juveniles (fig. 4 flic.kr/p/SCsZh2 ). There are a dorsolateral anal papilla between the first and second ceras on the right (fig. 5 flic.kr/p/SCsMX8), and a hermaphrodite genital papilla below the first ceras, sometimes with the penis partly extruded (fig. 6 flic.kr/p/Sr7N4T ).

The head has a crescentic oral veil, which extends into lateral flaps when spread (fig. 7 flic.kr/p/SCsMPx ), but no oral tentacles. A slight head crest runs from in front of each rhinophore to the base of the oral veil (fig. 5 flic.kr/p/SCsMX8 ); but they are often inconspicuous (fig. 8 flic.kr/p/Sr7MVX ); Thompson and Brown (1984) did not detect them, but they were described by Shipman & Gosliner (2015).

Reddish pigment on the dorsal surface of the head extends back between the rhinophores and forwards onto the central part of oral veil, but pigment is usually slight or absent laterally on the head and veil flaps (fig. 8 flic.kr/p/Sr7MVX ). The finger-like, smooth, translucent, white rhinophores have variable amounts of opaque white freckling (fig. 7 flic.kr/p/SCsMPx & fig. 9 flic.kr/p/Sr7Mtz ), mainly in the distal half. Each arises, tilting forwards, from a translucent white basal sheath with a smooth rim which is dilated, particularly at the front. The sheath usually has a few white pigment spots and, sometimes, some reddish pigment (fig. 9 flic.kr/p/Sr7Mtz ).

There is a longitudinal row of single cerata on each side of the body. The number of cerata in each row increases with growth to seven or eight

(fig. 4 flic.kr/p/SCsZh2 ); the most recent addition, at the posterior, is often small and easily overlooked (fig. 10 flic.kr/p/Sr7MeM ). The size of cerata varies; when they are plump and held over the body, little of the dorsum is exposed (fig. 9 flic.kr/p/Sr7Mtz). Cerata are translucent whitish, revealing the red, orange, white (fig. 4 flic.kr/p/SCsZh2 ) or pink (fig. 10 flic.kr/p/Sr7MeM ) internal digestive gland which extends almost to the apex as there are no cnidosacs. The colour of the digestive gland is influenced by diet; juveniles may feed on hydroid species different from those eaten by adults. The red pigment blotching of the body extends subepidermally into the mesial face of cerata, often reaching half way up or further (fig. 2 flic.kr/p/Sr7NE2 ) on large specimens, but less extensively on small adults (fig. 11 flic.kr/p/Sr7LVk ), and often absent on juveniles (fig. 12 flic.kr/p/Sr7LHB ). Each ceras usually has up to four (fig. 10 flic.kr/p/Sr7MeM ) rings of rounded b>tubercles, often with an indistinct partially formed fifth ring at the base, and a protruding apical tubercle. Internally, each tubercle usually has an apical reddish spheroid of varying shade and saturation (fig. 13 flic.kr/p/Sr7LDP ) and several sub-apical, white, granular bodies (fig. 10 flic.kr/p/Sr7MeM ). Small juveniles lack well developed tubercles and reddish spheroids (fig. 4 flic.kr/p/SCsZh2 & fig. 12 flic.kr/p/Sr7LHB ), and some adults have them weakly developed or missing (fig. 14 flic.kr/p/SCsLuD ). The mesial faces of cerata sometimes have indistinct pseudobranchs.

The foot has a translucent white sole (fig. 15 flic.kr/p/RoqWK2 ), which reveals the yellowish spheroids of the ovotestis in mature individuals.

There are no propodial tentacles but, from above, the flaps of the oral veil might be mistaken for tentacles. The upper surface of the foot is translucent white with no reddish pigment. (fig. 2 flic.kr/p/Sr7NE2 ). The foot can spread wide to crawl on flat surfaces, or curl into a deep gutter to grip round the stem of hydroid prey (fig. 15 flic.kr/p/RoqWK2 ).

Key identification features

1: oligophage, reported to feed on a range of hydroid species, including Dynamena pumila (fig. 16 flic.kr/p/Sr7KUT ), Obelia dichotoma (fig. 17 flic.kr/p/2ms4kU2 ), Obelia geniculata (fig. 18 flic.kr/p/2ms4kS8 ) and Sertularia cupressina (fig. 19 flic.kr/p/2mrVEoW ).

2: red pigment extends half way up mesial face of cerata on large adults (fig. 2 flic.kr/p/Sr7NE2 ); “the most distinguishable characteristic of D. coronata” (Shipman & Gosliner, 2015) but pigment is less or absent on juveniles (fig. 12 flic.kr/p/Sr7LHB ) and see D. hydrallmaniae in ‘similar species’, below. Unless a juvenile is on an appropriate food hydroid, its identification is usually unreliable.

3: usually each ceras has up to four concentric rings of rounded tubercles, often with an indistinct partially formed fifth ring at base, (fig. 10 flic.kr/p/Sr7MeM ); tubercles may be absent on juveniles.

4: each tubercle has a red spheroid and several white granular bodies on adults (fig. 10 flic.kr/p/Sr7MeM ).

5: pseudobranchs indistinct or absent.

Similar species

Specimens identified in the past as D. coronata are in a complex of species that have since been segregated with molecular methods. Some unrecognised species in the complex probably remain to be discovered.

“Morrow et al. discovered D. hydrallmaniae and D. sarsiae with the use of morphology, early molecular methods, and hydroid prey. -- - The relationships of D. eireana, D. sarsiae, and D.hydrallmaniae to the true D. coronata also require further investigation since D. eireana’s relationship within the complex clade is unresolved and D. sarsiae and D. hydrallmaniae were not incorporated [in the Shipman & Gosliner study] owing to the absence of appropriately preserved material.” (Shipman & Gosliner, 2015).

Few recorders feel able to confidently identify D. eireana, D. sarsiae, D. hydrallmaniae and some other segregates by morphology alone, so identifications usually rely on the species of hydroid they are found on. This can lead to misidentification unless feeding, rather than mere presence, is observed. Seaslugs are often most easily noticed when displaced from their usual prey on which they are well camouflaged. Some consumed hydroids are small, unobtrusive species which live epizoically on larger hydroids, leading the latter to be mistakenly assumed to be the prey. Knowledge of which slug species feed on which hydroid species is incomplete. Assumed monophages may subsequently be found to be oligophages like D. coronata, which feeds on some hydroid species used by monophages. Collaborating identification evidence, such as morphology, should be used in addition to species of prey.

With the exception of some D. hydrallmaniae, none of the following segregates have reddish pigment on the mesial faces of their cerata resembling that on D. coronata. Links in the list are to on-line images and information in Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C., 2016. Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland.

D. hydrallmaniae Morrow, Thorpe & Picton, 1992.

www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=W12795

1: monophage, feeds exclusively on Hydrallmania falcata (fig. 20 flic.kr/p/Sr7Ksk , fig. 21 flic.kr/p/2ms4mjF and

www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=D6530 ).

2: subepidermal, dark brown-red pigment on lower part of mesial face of cerata (fig. 22 flic.kr/p/Sr7M3K ) on many, but not all (fig. 21 flic.kr/p/2ms4mjF ) adults (so red mesial face pigment is not unique to D. coronata).

3: typically 5 or 6 rings of tubercles on the larger cerata, with up to 9 tubercles in the third ring from the top. (fig. 23 flic.kr/p/SyLuvJ ).

4: dark red spheroid and several white granular bodies in each tubercle on adults (fig. 22 flic.kr/p/Sr7M3K & fig. 21 flic.kr/p/2ms4mjF ).

5: tips of the large pseudobranchs reach the third ring of tubercles from the top of the ceras and have a dark red spheroid like that of the tubercles (fig. 24 flic.kr/p/Sr7LcM ).

6: oral veil rectangular with broad lateral flaps (fig.25 flic.kr/p/Sr7JRv ).

Red pigment extending up to half way up the mesial face of cerata [on adults] is “the most distinguishable characteristic of D. coronata” (Shipman & Gosliner, 2015). D. hydrallmaniae is an exception to this is with “dark red marks on the inner faces of the cerata” (Morrow et al., 1992) on most specimens, though not the one in fig. 21.

D. sarsiae Morrow, Thorpe & Picton, 1992. www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=W12885

Feeds on Coryne eximia (fig. 26 flic.kr/p/2mrVET3 and

www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=D1700 ).

Specimens which might be D. sarsiae were found on Garveia nutans (fig. 27 flic.kr/p/SyLrSN and www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=D3180 ), but they did not exactly fit the description of D. sarsiae as, apart from their prey differing, their cerata had high apical tubercles, many or all of which contained no reddish spheroid.

D. dunnei Lemche, 1976.

www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=W12770 Genetically very close to D. millbayana, might be conspecific (Shipman & Gosliner, 2015).

Feeds on Kirchenpaueria pinnata (fig. 28 flic.kr/p/2ms4mgQ and www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=D5850 ).

D. eireana Lemche, 1976. www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=W12780

Feeds on Amphisbetia operculata (fig. 29 flic.kr/p/2ms1QmN and www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=D6320 ).

D. koenneckeri Lemche, 1976. www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=W12810

Feeds on Aglaophenia pluma (fig. 30 flic.kr/p/2ms1Qdm and

www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=D5540 ).

D. maculata (Montagu, 1804).

www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=W12830

Feeds on Halopteris catharina (fig. 31 flic.kr/p/2ms4m1E and

www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=D5780 ).

D. millbayana Lemche, 1976.

www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=W12840 Genetically very close to D. dunnei, might be conspecific (Shipman & Gosliner, 2015).

Feeds on Plumularia setacea which often grows on larger hydroids. (fig. 32 flic.kr/p/2mrZGSp and

www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=D6050 ).

Habits and ecology

D. coronata lives on the lower shore and sublittoral on hard substrate with hydroids. It is a generalist feeder (Shipman & Gosliner, 2015) and has been reported from a wide range of hydroids, but some records were of species now segregated from D. coronata. Specimens with D.N.A. conforming to that of the neotype established by Shipman & Gosliner (2015) were obtained by them from Obelia dichotoma (fig. 17 flic.kr/p/2ms4kU2 and www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=D7300 ), Obelia geniculata (fig. 18 flic.kr/p/2ms4kS8 and www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=D7310 ),

and Sertularia cupressina (fig. 19 flic.kr/p/2mrVEoW ). Intertidally, I have found numerous specimens on Dynamena pumila (fig. 16 flic.kr/p/Sr7KUT ) that morphologically match the redescription of D. coronata by Shipman & Gosliner (2015) (fig. 33 flic.kr/p/SCsKxZ ). Lemche (1985, in Picton & Morrow 2016) opined that D. onusta Hesse, 1872 specializes on Dynamena pumila, but none of the Doto specimens that I found on it had the black markings described by Hesse or illustrated tentatively at www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=W12860 . Dotidae differ from Aeolidiidae in avoiding the polyps of hydroids containing the stinging nematocysts by puncturing the stalks and sucking out the contents. Consequently, they have no need for cnidosacs to store ingested nematocysts.

D. coronata is a simultaneous hermaphrodite. It matures sexually at a small size; spawn masses vary with the size of the animal. The spawn is a white or pinkish-white band crimped into a regular Greek key pattern; a thin, adhesive line of mucus appears to hold the crimps in position (fig. 34 flic.kr/p/S3AXnd ). It breeds in most months, with up to four generations per year. Shelled veligers live in the plankton before transforming into adults.

Distribution and status

D. coronata is found from Iceland and Spitzbergen to the Mediterranean, and in New England, USA. Records from South Africa are another species (Shipman & Gosliner, 2015), GBIF map www.gbif.org/species/5190041 . It is widespread and often common in Britain and Ireland, but many records are of species now segregated from D. coronata sensu lato or are species yet to be recognised. UK map species.nbnatlas.org/species/NBNSYS0000175014

Acknowledgement

I thank Justin Evans of www.justinevans.co.uk for use of his image of Doto hydrallmaniae.

References & links

Alder, J. & Hancock, A. 1845-1855. A monograph of the British nudibranchiate mollusca. London, Ray Society.

www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/65015#/summary

Index, old nomenclature; most listed in genus Eolis or Doris, at www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41958183#page/551/mode/1up .

Hesse, H. 1872. Diagnoses de nudibranches nouveaux des côtes de Bretagne. Journal de Conchyliologie. 20: 345-348.

www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15684555#page/352/mode/1up .

Hincks, T. 1868. A history of the British hydroid zoophytes vol. 1 & 2. London, Van Voorst.

www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/16848#page/7/mode/1up .

Morrow, C.C., Thorpe, J.P. & Picton, B.E. 1992. Genetic divergence and cryptic speciation in two morphs of the common subtidal nudibranch Doto coronata (Opisthobranchia: Dendronota: Dotoidae) from the northern Irish Sea. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 84: 53 to 61. www.int-res.com/articles/meps/84/m084p053.pdf? .

Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C. 2016. Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=W12740

Shipman, C. & Gosliner, T. 2015. Molecular and morphological systematics of Doto Oken,1851 (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia), with descriptions of five new species and a new genus. Zootaxa 3973 (1): 057 to101.

www.researchgate.net/publication/278374256_Molecular_and_...

Thompson, T.E. & Brown, G.H. 1984. Biology of opisthobranch molluscs 2. London, Ray Society.

Current taxonomy; World Register of Marine Species

www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=139631

GLOSSARY

anal papilla = small nipplelike protruberance bearing anus.

cerata = (sing. ceras) lobes on dorsum of Aeolidiidae and some other seaslugs, including Dotidae.

cnidaria = hydroids, jellyfish, sea anemones etc.

cnidosac = storage capsule at tips of cerata of Aeolidiidae, but not Dotidae, for ingested unexploded nematocysts.

dorsolateral = at or near junction/merging of dorsal and lateral surfaces.

epizoic = living on the exterior of another living animal.

gastrozooid = feeding polyp of a hydroid.

genital papilla = nipplelike protruberance bearing genital opening.

gonotheca = chitinous receptacle in which gonozooids are produced on a hydroid.

gonozooid = reproductive polyp of a hydroid.

head crest (on Doto) = raised rib from front of rhinophore to anterior edge of head.

hermaphrodite, simultaneous = individual acts as both male and female at the same time with similar partner(s).

hydroid = cnidarian with a stem and, often, branches bearing a colony of gastrozooids (feeding polyps) and gonozooids (reproductive polyps).

hydrotheca = chitinous receptacle containing a gastrozooid on a hydroid. monophage = an animal which feeds exclusively on a single prey species.

mesial = on or facing towards the midline of the body.

nematocysts = explosive stinging cells of hydroids, jellyfish, sea anemones etc.

oligophage = an animal which feeds on a restricted number of species.

oral tentacles = pair of tentacles on or near anterior edge of head near mouth.

oral veil = flat anterior extension of head.

ovotestis = hermaphrodite organ serving as both ovary and testis.

plankton = animals and plants that drift in pelagic zone (main body of water).

pseudobranch = (on Doto)feature located at base of mesial faces of cerata; definition and function uncertain. May be rudimentary and indistinct , irregularly shaped, bifurcating, finger-like or fan-shaped, and sometimes tipped with a red spot.

rhinophore = chemo-receptor tentacle; nudibranch sea slugs have a pair on top of head.

sensu lato = (abbreviation s.l.) in the wide sense, possibly an aggregate of more than one species.

sensu stricto = (abbreviation s.s.) in the strict sense, excluding species that have been aggregated or confused with it.

subepidermal = below surface of skin.

veliger = shelled larva of marine gastropod or bivalve mollusc which swims by beating cilia of a velum (bilobed flap). Stage may be passed in plankton or within liquid-filled egg-capsule.

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I was torn between two titles - Testing Waters and Tasting the Water. Decided to keep the former - It looks like the pelican is testing the waters for the fish. But no, no fish caught here - I would have remembered and got proof of it. I like the way the bird has created the pattern in the water - there are no ripples whatsoever in front of the bird.

Name : Spot-billed Pelican

Scientific Name : Pelecanus philippensis

Shot at Lalbagh, Bangalore.

A couple of days more, and it will be a year since I took up photography seriously, a.k.a, picked up my dSLR - the Canon EOS 350D. It is serving me very well. Taking up photography seriously is another things that changed my course of life - I've met a lot of wonderful people, and my perception of the world will never be the same again. I was also able to pursue something that I deeply loved - nature - through this.

Take a look at my journey - Click here - This has some of the first photographs that I shot at my friend's apartment after I bought the camera - when I had no ideas on how to use it. :-)

RAW conversion, f/2

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on black.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! :D

i hope you guys are having a fun and safe holiday, and that its filled with joy! and i hope you guys got what you wanted from santa;D

guesswhatigotanewcamera!:D

a canon powershot sx130 IS!

soooo,

it most definately needs a name.

i was thinking maybe terence:3

anyone have any suggestions? :D

sorry this isnt very photography-ish, i wanted to show you guys TERENCE:D

ive been experimenting with it for the past couple hours, and i gotta say im in loooove. <3

andddd, im starting to use a watermark now since im getting paranoid about people stealing my photos :\

please excuse that i was wearing my pajamas when i took this x)

have an amazing rest of the day! merry christmas everyone!!! <3

xxxxxx.

EXPLORED. uhmm kinda weird, but THANK YOU:D <3 heehe im flattered :')

[dropped]

-

if you join ill love you forever:D

Happiness.Is.You. / © All rights reserved

30/05/08 - near Azilal - Morocco -

Taken from a car window - Scattata dal finestrino dell'auto -

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View the Slideshow of "Morocco Set"

PARIS.- Quai de Montebello ... La Seine River ...

>>Better in Large View || My Flickriver<<

Vista en grande

Música: Ella y Él.

No mires hacia atrás, Pepa, disimula y sigue leyendo, pero creo que he visto a mi Ginés con otra mujer cinco filas más atrás de nosotras y le estaba haciendo toda clase de carantoñas.

Mira que me lo decía todo el mundo y no me lo quería creer, qué pedazo de sinvergüenza , me lleva diciendo toda la semana que el viaje a Madrid era para ver un aparato para el laboratorio.....pero no me dijo el capullo que el aparato que quería ver fuera un aparato reproductor femenino. Me estoy encendiendo Pepa!!!... Me esta hirviendo la sangre !!!Creo que me voy a levantar yy....!!!!....

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Bien podría estar basado en un hecho real....y es que historias de este tipo o de cualquier otro se repite en todas partes sin importar mucho el lugar dónde suceden ni la procedencia, ni el status social de las personas.

Y es que hay hombres -( y también mujeres ,claro está)- que son de naturaleza infiel y que no se conforman con una sola mujer....pero también hay otros que lo son por otros motivos y no por tener el acento inherente de D. Juan. Con ello no quiero excusar de ninguna manera la infidelidad pero se podía uno/a parar a pensar en las causas más frecuentes de estas infidelidades, a veces, es la falta de comunicación en la pareja, el no compartir aficiones o actividades conjuntas, la rutina, la falta de ilusión, la dejadez.....y muchísimas más cosas que de seguro much@s podrían tener en mente mientras leen estas líneas y son estas cosas las que permiten que se vaya llenando el vaso imaginario de la relación, con gotitas amargas de insatisfacción que vamos bebiendo día a día , siendo éstas un veneno para nuestra salud física y mental... y empieza el caos en la relación de pareja y es entonces cuando se busca , o sin querer se encuentra, otra bebida más dulce que te hace olvidar la amargura e infelicidad en la que crees que está abocada tu existencia.

Si pensáis que esto tiene moraleja que la aporte cualquier otro, yo voy a "abrocharme el cinturón", no vaya a ser que vengan baches por contar estas historias.

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Continuación de la Historia: la mujer de Ginés aguantó hasta que el avión tomó tierra y no le dijo nada a su marido hasta que volvió a casa.

Él , por supuesto, lo negó todo, y quiso incluso hacerle creer a su ,- hasta ese día-, ... ella creía ,...querida esposa que esa mujer era una loca que le perseguía, que se le había abalanzado ese día en el avión, que jamás había visto a esa mujer en su vida ni mucho menos había tenído relación íntima con ella....y sabéis qué? Ginés, por llamarle de alguna manera, había estado liado con esa mujer nada más y nada menos que cinco años.....pero le salió bien a Ginés y es que tiene una verborrea , un carisma, un don innato encantador ...y de contar historias y echar mentiras, ....que parece que haya nacido para el teatro...y no para estar metido en una oficina y mucho menos ser militar.

La tonta de ella le creyó. Eso sí, llevará cuernos mientras viva ,porque hay hombres que no cambiarán nunca ( que si, que si, y mujeres también!!)

María.-

Ver En Grande

Esta foto es muy parecida a una que subí anteriormente, y que os la recordaré en el primer comentario, en dicha foto, es más que nada para usarla como fondo de escritorio, y esta que os pongo es un encuadre similar pero esta vez en vertical, y cada vez que hago más fotos verticales sobre el mar, las rocas. Etc., mejor es el resultado, muchas veces le pregunto a mis amigos, que porqué no hacen fotos verticales, y la respuesta es porque no se ve bien en el ordenador, con el tiempo me he dado cuenta que las fotos verticales para sacarlas en papel también quedad muy bien, después de esta reflexión os explicaré el procesado:

Nota: El procesado como siempre, un doble revelado a partir de un mismo RAW, una foto para el cielo y otra para el reflejo, siempre estoy hablando con objetos inteligentes, cuando más o menos he tenido el resultado a mi gusto, he seleccionado la parte del cielo, le he creado una, máscara de capa, he desenfocado las máscara con un desenfoque gaussiano con unos parámetros a gusto del consumidor para unir las dos fotos.

Una vez terminado con el cielo, me he ido al reflejo, aplicando unos ajustes muy similares a los del cielo para que parezca aún más real, después procesado por zonas en la parte del reflejo para obtener más textura aún si cabe, y aplicando sus respectivos desenfoques, cuando más o menos he tenido la foto a mi gusto, he acoplado todo en una foto, luego he duplicado otra vez, le he aplicado un desenfoque gaussiano con un valor de 8 pixeles, y me he ido a capas y le he cambiado el modo de fusión a luz suave, y le he bajado la opacidad a un 20% más o menos, para eliminar un poco la mini aparición de ruido por la parte más oscura.

Cámara: D40

Modo De Exposición: Manual + Trípode

ISO: 200

Velocidad: 0.3

Focal: 19.0 mm

F/ 22.0

Filtro: PL

Objetivo: 18.0-55.0 mm F/ 3.5 -5.6

Procesado: Light room 2

Camera Raw 4.3

Photoshop Cs 3

Come from my buddy Tom. I'm not a "Christmas" guy and his work always brightens up an otherwise annoying time for me.

Tom does not use photo shop. He has a great eye and stumbles upon "scenes" like this Hasidic statuette in front of a Lawrence Welk boxset at flea markets, thrift shops etc. He's been sending me gems like this every year for the last ten or so. What a guy!

Check out his website for his "serious" work:

tomglassman.com/artist.php

Explore Feb, 11 - 2013

Wat is straô?

Straô is een jaarlijks terugkerend evenement op een aantal zaterdagen in het voorjaar, waarbij de voeten van de paarden in de zee worden 'gewassen'. De dorpen aan de westkant van Schouwen-Duiveland hebben allemaal hun eigen straô-viering.

Straô-rieen is een historisch feest en gaat ver terug in de tijd. In vroegere tijden stonden de werkpaarden de gehele winter op stal. Zodra de winter tegen het einde liep, ging men met de paarden de zee in om de voeten te wassen. Hoewel de werkpaarden van vandaag nog uitsluitend als hobby worden gehouden en zeker niet meer een hele winter op stal staan, wordt de gewoonte nog steeds in stand gehouden.

what is Straô

Straô is an annual event on a number of Saturdays in the spring, where the feet of the horses in the sea 'washed'. The villages on the west side of Schouwen-Duiveland have their own straô celebration.

Straô is a historic celebration and goes far back in time. In ancient times were the workhorses throughout the winter in the barn. Once the winter by the end went, they went with the horses to the sea in order to wash there feet. Although the workhorses of today be held solely as a hobby and certainly not a whole winter on stable, the habit still maintained.

Thanks for your visit and comments, I appreciate that very much!

Don't use this image without my explicit permission. © all rights reserved.

Regards, Bram (BraCom)

My Homepage | Twitter | Facebook | 500px | Panoramio

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Arriba: Puente grúa sobre las columnas del pórtico lindero a la futura estación Echeverría correspondiente a la prolongación de la línea B, una de las tantas obras de subte desfinanciada por el macrismo. Al frente del mismo (a la der), el viejo teatro 25 de Mayo remodelado y reinaugurado.

LAS PROMESAS DE MACRI Y LAS OBRAS

Dos megaobras mantienen este año un ritmo sostenido: Arroyo Maldonado y Teatro Colón. Pero la ampliación del subte camina a paso de hombre y son varios los proyectos que quedaron en compás de espera. El Gobierno porteño asegura que no se paralizó ninguna obra, aunque reconoce la existencia de demoras y dificultades. Hasta qué punto Macri cumplió sus promesas. Opinan los candidatos.

Foto: Propia (cualquier copia o reproducción requiere del previo permiso y/o consulta al autor).

Si querés la foto, primero consultame por correo a nicofoxfiles@hotmail.com

Texto: Por Enrique Colombano y Laura Di Marco para Noticias Urbanas.

Mauricio Macri ganó las elecciones porteñas prometiendo una avalancha de inversiones públicas, eficiencia y velocidad a una ciudad harta de la ineficiencia, la lentitud y la desinversión crónica. Se vendió a sí mismo, más que como un político, como un empresario eficaz, un ingeniero carente de las viejas mañas de la corporación política. Se vendió como alguien que venía de "afuera". Lo nuevo frente a lo viejo; los hechos frente a las palabras, sobre todo frente a las palabras de los "progres", que lo habían precedido en la gestión.

En pleno frenesí de su campaña llegó a prometer que construiría 10 kilómetros de subte por año, en una ciudad tan colapsada por el tránsito que cualquier paro de subtes la convierte en un tsunami en cuestión de minutos. Sin embargo, a un año y medio de gestión PRO, ¿cuántas de todas aquellas promesas esperanzadoras pudo concretar? ¿Cuál es realmente la obra pública de Macri y la inversión en infraestructura que está llevando adelante? ¿Cuánta plata dijo que iba a destinar a su gesta urbana, y cuánta destinó realmente? En una palabra, ¿cuánto de aquella eficiencia prometida ante las cámaras pudo llevar verdaderamente a la práctica? Como es lógico en estos casos, las percepciones varían, y sólo los números suelen darnos pistas más certeras.

Mientras el oficialismo jura que los 3.300 millones de pesos previstos para la obra pública de 2009 es el mayor porcentaje invertido en el rubro de los últimos años, y que PRO ha hecho más en un año y medio de gestión que los "progres" en muchas administraciones, la oposición responde, lapidaria, que Macri no ha hecho, directamente, obra pública, si por ella se entiende una inversión destinada a infraestructura de alto impacto. Por ejemplo, más subtes. Los legisladores del arco opositor le achacan al macrismo concentrarse en hacer cosas visibles –tales como el bacheo o la refacción de veredas–, pero no las que son más necesarias a largo plazo. Sospechan de transferencias de fondos estatales a las constructoras privadas y de conexiones non sanctas entre el oficialismo y las empresas vinculadas al grupo Macri. Le facturan que sólo inauguraron una escuela, en la Villa 21, y que, encima, es un predio que había sido previamente recuperado por los vecinos de la zona. Lanzan que del hospital prometido en Villa Lugano sólo hay una salita de primeros auxilios. Le cuestionan que este año los chicos porteños volverán a pasar frío en las escuelas por una impericia de gestión. Desde el Acuerdo Cívico y Social, el segundo candidato a legislador de Lilita, Juan pablo Arenaza, lo explica: "La Legislatura votó el año pasado una norma que le permitía a Macri destinar dinero a la mejora de la infraestructura en las escuelas, y de ese porcentaje sólo ejecutó un 40 por ciento; no queremos subtes, pero al menos que ponga gas en los colegios".

Finalmente, lanzan, de los 10 kilómetros de subte prometidos no pudo hacer ni uno solo. Macri –es sabido– acusa al Gobierno nacional y, de paso, a la escasa colaboración de Daniel Scioli en el fracaso de llevar adelante políticas con mirada metropolitana. Más aún, Gabriela Michetti, que lidera las encuestas porteñas, justificó su renuncia a la vicejefatura para pasar a la "pelea nacional" con el único objetivo de cambiar esas "injustas" reglas del juego, según los macristas.

Cristian Ritondo (PRO), presidente de la Comisión de Obras Públicas de la Legislatura, explica la situación con números en mano: "Nosotros esperábamos contar con 2.500 millones de dólares de financiamiento: 1.500 millones los iba a aportar el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID), 500 millones la Ciudad y 500 millones la Nación, porque se había hablado con el ex jefe de Gabinete, Alberto Fernández, sobre la posibilidad de trabajar juntos para el Bicentenario". La historia que sigue es conocida: el Gobierno nacional jamás consideró avalar el pedido de toma de deuda, la economía mundial entró en crisis y, por último, Fernández se fue mal del Gobierno. La realidad es que hoy las obras del subte "sobreviven" a paso de hormiga con el presupuesto asignado (116 millones de pesos), además de un 5 por ciento de lo que recauda Autopistas Urbanas S.A. (AUSA), que se destina a Subterráneos de Buenos Aires (Sbase) y que son apenas 12 millones de pesos más. Esto alcanza para mantener en funcionamiento las obras civiles, pero no para tender la red.

Este mes se debería haber inaugurado la estación de Corrientes y Pueyrredón de la línea H. No ocurrió. El Gobierno porteño sólo alcanzó a poner en funcionamiento las estaciones Puán y Carabobo de la línea A, que, encima, ya estaban terminadas desde fines de 2007.

Desde la oposición, el segundo candidato de Diálogo por la Ciudad, el ibarrista Mario Gygli, sale a cruzar a PRO: "Yo puedo demostrar, con números, que Macri miente cuando se victimiza. Él puede avanzar perfectamente con las obras de los subtes con presupuesto propio, sin pedirle plata a nadie, como lo hicimos nosotros en plena crisis de 2001, cuando construimos 11 kilómetros".

Desde el Frente para la Victoria, Francisco Tito Nenna va en la línea de Gygli cuando destaca que Buenos Aires tiene uno de los presupuestos más vigorosos del país. Y avanza: "Lo que hay es una transferencia de los recursos del Estado a empresas de construcción privadas, amigas del macrismo, que son las que se dedican a arreglar veredas y baches".

Para las obras de ampliación de la red de subtes, el macrismo había asignado inicialmente 447,5 millones de pesos, pero más adelante tuvo que recortar a 116 millones. Ya sea porque los demás fueron peores, porque lo actual no es tan malo como dice la oposición o porque la estrategia de la "acupuntura urbana" –y visible– da resultado, lo cierto es que, según las encuestas, los porteños, aunque no están del todo conformes, no le soltaron la mano a Macri. Más aún, los politólogos suelen decir que la estrategia de victimización "paga" en el caso de Macri: la gente, en general, le cree cuando culpa al Gobierno nacional. Una cosa es verdad: además del aval para el financiamiento de subtes, la Nación "cajoneó" el Fondo de Infraestructura Social (Foiso), una toma de deuda por 1.600 millones que Macri pensaba destinar a la obra social, como refacción de escuelas y hospitales.

REALIDADES Y PROMESAS

De todas las megaobras prometidas, lo cierto es que sólo dos marchan a ritmo este año: las refacciones del Teatro Colón, que terminarían en 2010 según promete el Gobierno porteño, y la del canal aliviador del Arroyo Maldonado, que permitirá evitar inundaciones en vastas zonas de la Ciudad.

Después, sí, se incluyeron obras de envergadura intermedia. Veamos: intervenciones en la Red Pluvial II –son 25 y el Gobierno porteño promete terminar la mitad este año– o las obras de la 9 de Julio Sur, a cargo de AUSA. Y finalmente, tenemos bacheo, lo más visible, la ampliación de calles, construcción de placitas, adoquinados, desadoquinados, peatonalización, muchos obreros vestidos de amarillo con la leyenda "Haciendo Buenos Aires", más bacheo, antenimiento. La famosa "acupuntura urbana". La megaobra del Teatro Colón es un tema aparte; le destinarán 106,5 millones, pero desde el Frente para la Victoria sugieren que en las demoras hay algo turbio. Nenna dirá concretamente: "Hay que estar atento porque pueden llevarnos a un proceso de privatización".

Cuando en noviembre del año pasado el ministro de Desarrollo Urbano, Daniel Chaín, fue a la Legislatura, a las reuniones previas a la aprobación del Presupuesto 2009, reconoció que este año el Gobierno porteño iba a tener que suspender obras previstas por 472 millones de pesos.

Desde el macrismo, el vocero del Ministerio de Desarrollo Urbano, Sergio Levit, es enfático cuando niega que se hayan parado obras y, en cambio, destaca los avances en la obra del Maldonado: "Es la obra más importante que se hace en Latinoamérica y la que tiene la más mayor tecnología". En verdad, lo que la administración PRO tiene para decir es que hacen lo que pueden con el dinero que tienen. Y hay muchas obras que se dejaron de lado, entre ellas la anunciada construcción de nuevos neuropsiquiátricos, el aliviador de la Cuenca Medrano-White y la megalicitación Oasis Urbanos, una construcción de espacios verdes en lugares estratégicos de la Ciudad, que fue reemplazada por un programa de licitaciones progresivas.

Desde la oposición dicen, en cambio, que Macri tiene serios problemas para encarar licitaciones de largo aliento. "No tiene cuadros capaces de llevar adelante y concluir un proceso licitatorio", dicen, palabras más o menos, desde Proyecto Sur, el FPV, el socialismo, el ibarrismo y el lilismo porteño. Precisamente, desde Proyecto Sur, el médico del hospital Argerich, Jorge Selzer, segundo candidato a legislador porteño detrás de Fabio Basteiro, lanza un último dardo al ingeniero PRO: "Debería planificarse el crecimiento

urbano y poner topes en la Ciudad, de lo contrario la polución y el consumo de energía van a ser insostenibles". El año pasado la Legislatura sancionó, luego de varios años de demora, el Plan Urbano Ambiental (PUA). La norma, ordenada

por la Constitución de la Ciudad, es la ley marco que garantiza los derechos urbanos de los porteños. De allí se desprende cómo se debe planear la Ciudad a partir de ejes como el transporte, los espacios públicos, la vivienda, la producción o el empleo. El PUA sugiere la discusión de una política interconectada y, también, la reformulación urgente del Código Urbanístico, que dice qué se puede construir y en dónde. Hoy el Código que se usa es del 77 y no responde al modelo de ciudad que propone el nuevo plan urbano. También redactar nuevos códigos de Habilitaciones y Espacio Púbico. Finalmente, ampliar la mirada a escala metropolitana, en lugar de centrarse sólo en la Ciudad, es otro de los desafíos.

A estas alturas, Macri ya debe haberse dado cuenta de que para achicar la distancia que media entre la campaña y el poder real deberá apelar sí o sí a la política. Porque con la ingeniería sola no le va alcanzar.

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Para comentar aquí debes agregarme como contacto y luego cuando me conecte agregarte (si te preguntas porque hago esto consultame por privado)

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This one is from back in May. I over looked it at the time, but I think it's actually my favorite of the set.

View On Black

It was Kim's turn to pick the theme this week. She loves bokeh so I was unsurprised when she said "you've got to be out of focus in the background somewhere." I really wondered what to do.

I had two trips to London on business last week. The head office is just next to St. Paul's Cathedral and I love the short walk out to the Millennium Bridge. On the train on the way down I thought of this shot and at an appropriate moment, snuck out of the office and quick took some shots. As I've so often found, it's not until I get the images onto my computer screen that I can really see what is going on and spend a little time reviewing the process and my thoughts. I took some good shots but none that were great. Fortunately I knew I had another opportunity for a reshoot.

On the train on the way down the second time I was worried, the weather was dull, grey and overcast and whilst the forecast predicted it would clear, one of the things I loved about the first shoot were the wonderful fluffy clouds and deep blue skies. When I did manage to get out of the office, the skies had cleared somewhat. What I did achieve though, were much better compositions. In the end it was an easy decision which way to go.

Just for fun, I've included below two situational shots from the first shoot and an outtake from the second shoot.

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Next week, Kim and I are doing our thing. However, I'm really loving the themes and I think we might come back to it again but we need some ideas. Anyone got any?

My self-portrait project involves taking a picture each week that I post the following week on a Thursday. Feel free to critique - I welcome it. Thanks

Úbeda, Jaén (Spain).

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ENGLISH

The main parish church of Santa María de los Reales Alcázares displays the most significant mixture of architectural styles, to be found in the city. The buildings historic and artistic patronage is complex and its solid external appearance is of a defensive fortification.

Built on an archaeological site where remains of bronze and Roman civilisations have been found, the Church rests of the foundations of the main mosque of Muslim Úbeda. According to tradition the Romans built a temple here dedicated to Diane. After the conquest of the town by Ferdinand II the Saint, in 1223, the Mosque was consecrated in the Catholic faith with the title High Parish Church of the Royal Alcazares and of Our Lady of the Ascension. In 1259 it achieved the rank of High Collegiate Church. In 1852 the Church's collegiate rank was withdrawn, reversing to the rank of High Parish Church. Being the principal temple of the city, it has preserved important archives and a multitude of treasures. The latter being donations and numerous priviledges bestowed by Popes, Kings and bishops.

Its external appearance blends Medieval and Classicist styles. Being built on to the ols walls of the fortress, Santa María church has been the main witness to the great changes and strife of Úbeda. Today it still offers a special attraction to the town which is due to its great historical character and the population's identification with its heritage.

Source: www.ubedainteresa.com/portal/

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CASTELLANO

Asentada sobre un subsuelo arqueológico de la Edad del Bronce, y con mínimas diferencias ocupando el emplazamiento dé la antigua mezquita mayor de la ciudad, la tradición dice que en el mismo sitio los romanos tuvieron un templo dedicado a Diana.

Tras la conquista de la ciudad en 1233 por el rey cristiano Fernando III el Santo, la entonces mezquita fue transformada al culto católico bajo la advocación de Iglesia Mayor Parroquial de los Reales Alcázares y de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. Desde 1259 fue titulada Iglesia Mayor Colegial y desde 1852 ostenta el título de Iglesia Mayor Parroquial.

Iglesia principal de la ciudad, durante siglos ha conservado un importante archivo y multitud de obras de arte y joyas, fruto de donaciones y de numerosos privilegios concedidos por reyes, papas y obispos.

Con una imagen exterior entre medieval y clasicista, adosada al primitivo muro del alcázar, Santa María ha sido la iglesia que históricamente más movimiento y ajetreo ha tenido de toda la ciudad, y aún hoy sigue ofreciendo para el ciudadano de Úbeda una atracción especial que le viene dada por su fuerte carácter histórico y el grado de identificación conseguido con la ciudad y sus habitantes, al albergar desde los meses de mayo a septiembre a la Stma. Virgen de Guadalupe, patrona de la ciudad.

Fuente: www.ubedainteresa.com/portal/

54/365 - Carolina Drama - The Raconteurs

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Today was another really tough day of hard work.

It started badly with the viewing of our work on the "Tea or Coffee" weekly theme with our studio teacher, and the work we did was not what he was thinking about.

We were too late at noon to grab the equipment we needed for the work of the afternoon so we had to eat something as quickly as possible and get back to the studio to finally take away a Mamiya RB67, a studio flash and a 120 Superia 400 ISO film.

We had less then 3 hours to go to town and shoot the film in order to make portraits on location of people working.

I was with Loic, Hugo and Florent with only 1 medium format camera for all of us... 4 different places to go to, including time to meet the guys, set up, find the good light, the good settings, to shoot, and to pack all things again... And be on time at school for the economic course, the "finish to kill" last course of the day until 7.15PM...

Luckily we met Simon who's already done his job and he lend to Loic and I his own RB67.

Loic had a appointment at Corezone shop but first we went to Hurley shop to shoot my film.

I've been there several times to take some testing portrait for shool, and the guys over there are really too nice and cool ! A huge thanks to them !

So this was a testing shot we did with the 7D to test the light before shooting with the Mamiya. Can't wait to see the analog results, this was a test for our studio course and my teacher will judge me on this work.

Also Loic did some cool shot with the Corezone shop's crew who are awesome !

Today I've chosen to quote lyrics from a Jack White's band The Raconteurs because it's a huge song and it's also on the original soundtrack of an awesome surf movie with Rob Machado.

I'm a huge fan of The Raconteurs and Jack White's music in fact.

Rob Machado is the guy on the picture behind Loic, it's an awesome surfer sponsored by Hurley that you should watch surfing !

Link to the trailer of the movie "The Drifter" with Carolina Drama - The Raconteurs music on the OST.

Light :

- 1 flash Elinchrom D-Lite4 with Portalite softbox at min power on the left of the sofa, fired with PC synch cable

Canon EOS 7D - Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG macro EX

Sébastien Huruguen

www.huruguen.fr

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Mucho mejor, much better.. pulsando L, pressing L

www.luttongant.com

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DERECHOS DE AUTOR:

Todas las fotografías de este sitio, están protegidas por el real Decreto Legislativo 1/1996, de 12 de abril, por el que se aprueba el texto Refundido de la LEY DE PROPIEDAD INTELECTUAL. Queda totalmente prohibida su reproducción total o parcial sin el expreso consentimiento de su autor. Si estás interesado en adquirir alguna copia, o los derechos de reproducción de alguna de las fotografías aquí publicadas, contacta con el autor. Si la finalidad de las fotografías deseadas no es con fines lucrativos, igualmente debes contactar con el autor indicando el uso que se dará a las imágenes.

All photographs on this site are protected by Royal Decree Law 1 / 1996 of 12 April, approving the revised text of the Copyright Law. It is strictly forbidden to reproduce in whole or in part without the express consent from the author. If you are interested in purchasing any copy or reproduction rights for any of the photographs published here, please contact the author. If the desired purpose of the photographs is not for profit, you should also contact the author indicating the use which will be the images.

July 8, 2022 PHP Ride--Park Hill Peloton, Denver, Colorado.

Les fleurs sont belles en noir. Merci beaucoup

Je pourrais avoir une maison qui est plus haut que les arbres ...

Je ne pouvais avoir tous les cadeaux que je veux et ne jamais demander s'il vous plaît ...

je pourrais voler à Paris, oh that's à mon appel invitent ...

Pourquoi dois-je aller dans la vie avec rien du tout ...

Mais quand je rêve, je rêve de toi ....

Peut-être qu'un jour tu va se réaliser ....

Je peux être le chanteur ou le clown dans chaque chambre ....

Je peux même appeler quelqu'un pour me conduire à la lune ...

je peux mettre mon maquillage sur disque et les hommes fou ...

je peux aller seul au lit et ne jamais connaître son nom ...

Mais quand je rêve, je rêve de vous ...

Peut-être qu'un jour vous viendrez vrai ...

Mais quand je rêve, je rêve de vous ...

Peut-être un jour vous pourrez devenir réalité ...

When I Dream....By Carol Kidd

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOq6naMEuhg

William Brouillard

www.cia.edu/faculty/directory.php?faculty_id=15

Artist Statement

The platters I have sent to this exhibition combine several ceramic traditions. The first is, The Palace Art Pot. Palace Art Pots were made to demonstrate wealth and power. They were made to tell a story, to commemorate an event or a person, and to demonstrate skill and challenge the abilities of the artisans who made them. The second tradition is the Fish Platter. Fish platters were a staple of the Neo Arts and Crafts Movement of the 1950s and 60s. The third and last tradition is the One-Line visual and verbal Pun, Platters of the ceramic Funk Movement.

Humor through the use of the visual pun was a mainstay of the California Funk movement. Humor in clay has a tradition as old as the use of the material. I have always felt that humor has been given short shift as a serious emotion. Art work that uses humor and has been actively excised from collections of serious art. It may be that we do not understand the function of humor as well as we understand the function of the other emotions.

In the work presented I have tried to inject some humor into the decorative / commemorative object. The platters are big to give them a slightly overblown sense of their own importance and to be able to be viewed from a distance . They are meant for the wall and the table. The large size to fit the importance of large gatherings.

I have tried to replace historical patterns with objects reduced to pattern. Some of the objects are extensions of my environment or reflections of personal interests. Images of turn of the century technology, (the Machine Age), are a personal favorite. Subject matter ranges from humorous depiction of everyday objects to gender stereotypes. My abilities as A draftsman are limited but seem to be adequate for the kind and quality of image that the subject requires. They have a cartoon look as opposed to the crisp complexity of fine china.

The clay body, a red earthenware, is heavily potted and makes no secrete of its variations and flaws. The glaze work is in the Majolica style and is done very much like a watercolor on soft paper. The pots are fired twice. They are bisqued to cone 05 and glazed to cone 04. Some may have an additional firing to Cone 018 for low temperature luster and enamels. They are fired in an oxidizing atmosphere using an electric kiln.

William Brouillard June, 22 1993

Resume

William Craig Brouillard

CURRENT POSITION:

Associate Professor of Art, Ceramics department, The Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, Ohio, from 1980

EDUCATION:

M.F.A., Ceramic Art, The New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, Alfred, NY, 1976

University of Wisconsin, at Madison, Wisconsin, 1973

B.A., Art Education, State University of Wisconsin, Stout at Menomonie, Wisconsin, 1969

RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE:

Brouillard Studios, 2662 W14th st. Cleveland, OH 44113, production of pottery and ceramic commission work 1980-1993

Resident Craftsman at The Penland School of Crafts, Penland, North Carolina, as a full time self supporting studio artist in clay, with some related teaching duties, 1976 -1978

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

Instructor, Teaching beginning intermediate and Graduate level ceramics, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. 1978-1979

Teaching Assistantship, teaching Kiln Design and Construction, to advanced and graduate level students at New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, Alfred, NY. 1974 - 1976

Teaching Assistantship, teaching Two and Three Dimensional Design to beginning and advanced Students, also instruction in materials and techniques of woodworking, at The New York State College of

GRANTS AND AWARDS

National Cup Show, purchase award, University of Southern IL. 1992

Ohio Designer Craftsmen, purchase award, Best of 92 exhibition, Columbus, OH. 1992

Excellence in Design Award Ohio Designer Craftsmen, Best of 92 Exhibition, 1992

American Craft Museum, Design Award , for Excellence in Design, in conduction with the Designed and made for use Exhibition, at The American Craft Museum, NY 1986

Purchase Award, The Clay Cup Show, Southern IL. University, 1986

Art Park , Lewiston NY. Summer work and travel grant 1980

COLLECTIONS REPRESENTED BY

The Detroit Museum of Art [DIA], Detroit MI.

The Cleveland Museum ofArt, Cleveland OH.

The Millard Collection, St Louis, MO

The Sinker Collection, Detroit, MI.

The Vincent Lim Collection,Philadelphia, PA

The Pfannebecker Collection, Lancaster, PA

University of Southern Illinois

Ohio Designer Craftsman, Columbus, OH

Ceramics Monthly, Columbus, OH

The Cleveland Art Association, Cleveland, OH

Alfred University, Museum of Ceramics, Alfred, NY

University Hospitals of Cleveland, Lerner Tower, Cleveland, OH

PUBLICATIONS, REF.

American Ceramics Magazine, Jan. 1994 Studio Potter Magazine, Jan, 1992, "The Language of the Lip" NCCECA Journal "Developing a Plastic Alphabet", volume 6, 1985 Studio Potter "Ohio Potters", October, 1983 Craft Horizons, December , 1978 Ceramics Monthly, "Penland Potters", October 1977 The Alfred Kiln Drawings, New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University, Publication of The Department of Art and Design, 1976

GALLERIES REPRESENTED BY

-The Clay Place, 5416 Walnut St., Pittsburgh, PA. 15232, 1-412-682-3737

-The Pewabic Pottery, 10125 East Jefferson, Detroit, MI. 48214, 1-313-822-0954

-The Farrel Collection, 2633 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008, 1-202-483-8334

-Objects Gallery, Chicago, IL

ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERSHIP

-NCCECA, National Conference For Education in the Ceramic Arts

-SPACES, Arts Organization, Cleveland, OH

-OHIO DESIGNER CRAFTSMEN, North Central Area Represenitive, Columbus, OH

-AAUP, American Association of University Professors, Washington DC

View On Blackand LARGE

With its iridescent emerald green, copper, and blue plumage and long, ornamental neck feathers known as hackles, the Nicobar Pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica) is one of the most beautiful species of Pigeon (Family Columbidae) in the World. Nicobar Pigeons are found on the Nicobar and Andaman Islands of India, the Solomon Islands, Palau, and on smaller islands off of the coasts of Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Like other birds with metallic iridescent plumage, Nicobar Pigeons are at their most beautiful in direct sunlight. In the shade, the iridescence on their back, wings, and hackles is much fainter and Nicobar Pigeons can appear to be mostly a solid dark gray color.They have brown eyes, a blackish bill with a knob on top (larger in the males), a short, white tail, and the strong, stout legs typical of many terrestrial birds. A Nicobar Pigeon's legs and feet are reddish and tipped with unusual looking orange claws. Although they have broad, powerful wings and can be seen flying from island to island, Nicobar Pigeons are mainly terrestrial and prefer to run rather than fly, which puts them at increased risk from terrestrial predators.

I assumed that this must be a female bird since she was conscious of posing against a background that coordinated with her feathers so nicely :-)

96:365

October 4, 2008

Saturday

Boobies On Black

For years and years I've wanted to participate in the Boobie-Thon, but I was always to late.

I submitted another to Blogger Bobbie-Thon, totally exposing the boobies, but I decided in the best interest of my brother should he run across this that I would put the more censored one on Flickr. Ha!

My lovely Mom is a Breast Cancer Survivor. She was diagnosed 8 years ago, and it was caught very early on. She had a mastectomy, and re-constructive surgery afterward. It was a pretty long, tedious process from start to finish. I don't remember her acting sad, or scared. She was amazingly strong and graceful throughout the process. I get kinda emotional when I think about what she went through, and I'm so grateful that she conquered it!

I also lost an Aunt to Breast Cancer.

Getting Breast Cancer is one of my two major fears. I actually need to call and schedule my first mammogram since my insurance approved it a few weeks ago. God forbid if I ever did get it, I hope I will be able to handle it the way my Mama did.

My boobies aren't perfect, and I'm not particularly found of how non-perky they are after having my kids, but they are mine...and they did their job. I hope I get to keep them for the rest of my life. That's why I don't understand woman who get breast implants. What if one day you did get breast cancer, and you had to have a mastectomy or a double mastectomy. You would wish you had your perfectly, imperfect boobies back.

Oh, and tonight was the first time in my whole life that I realized that my right boob is bigger than the left. I always thought they were pretty symmetrical. Weird considering I see them every day.

Aperture occupies virtually whole of interior face (left hand image).

1: recurved pointed umbo (rostrum) overhanging concave interior.

2: asymmetrical “ears” to either side of rostrum resemble scallop.

3: outer layer (periostracum) forms broad border beyond inner layer.

4: fractured calcareous inner-layer held in place by periostracum.

5: close-set concentric striae and a few indistinct radiating lines.

6: embayment on right side of shell.

Full SPECIES DESCRIPTION BELOW

PDF available at www.researchgate.net/publication/353918067_Aplysia_puncta...

Sets of OTHER SPECIES: www.flickr.com/photos/56388191@N08/collections/

Aplysia punctata (Cuvier, 1803) Account revised August 2021

Current taxonomy: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=138758

Synonyms: Aplysia rosea Rathke, 1799; Aplysia hybrida J. Sowerby, 1806.

Meaning of name: Aplysia = that which cannot be washed; punctata = spotted.

Vernacular of just this species: Spotted sea hare (English); Môrwlithen glustiog (Welsh); Aplysie ponctuée (French); gemeiner Seehase (German); Pikasti morski zajček (Slovenian); Liebre de mar manchada (Spanish);

Vernacular of any Aplysia species: Sea hare (English); Lièvre de mer (French); zeehaas (Dutch); søhare (Danish); sjöhare (Swedish); Lepre marina (Italian);

GLOSSARY below.

Shell description

A. punctata has a rudimentary vestigial shell. Its height (longest dimension) is up to 40 mm, occasionally more; about 30% of the animal’s length. It is saucer-shape with a recurved, pointed umbo (rostrum) overhanging the concave interior, and there is an embayment on the right. It somewhat resembles a pectinid with asymmetrical “ears” either side of the rostrum.

The adult shell retains no trace of the spiral coiling of the veliger stage. It consists of two layers of conchiolin. The outer layer is the periostracum. The inner layer is transparent, imperceptibly calcified and limp on young specimens (fig. 1 flic.kr/p/DJpXbt ), and on older specimens is a translucent, thin, fragile, semi-calcareous layer, often fractured into pieces held in place by the periostracum (fig. 2 flic.kr/p/DSES2X ). The periostracum layer extends to form a broad flexible border beyond the inner layer. The exterior is amber-coloured with a sculpture of growth lines, close-set concentric striae and a few indistinct radiating lines. The aperture occupies virtually the whole of the ventral/interior face. On a living animal, the shell is concealed by the mantle (fig. 23 flic.kr/p/2oJVAzt ), except within a round foramen (fig. 3 flic.kr/p/CVh5eX ). There is no operculum.

Body description

The full-grown body length is about 70 mm and the usual maximum is 120 mm, exceptionally 200 mm (fig. 14 flic.kr/p/DQm3GL & fig. 15 flic.kr/p/Dqyc3s ). It has a large head and neck (fig. 4 flic.kr/p/DjbKoD ). The snout has a centrally divided oral veil which is usually loosely rolled into forward-orientated oral tentacles and curled flaps in front of the mouth (fig. 5 flic.kr/p/CVh2bn ). The appearance varies with the degree of rolling; sometimes flaps hang down from the oral tentacles (fig. 6 flic.kr/p/DJpNXK ). The snout is separated ventrally from the foot by a gutter (ffig. 5 flic.kr/p/CVh2bn ). The cephalic tentacles are also enrolled, but the edges are fused on the basal half; they resemble a hare's ears (fig. 5 flic.kr/p/CVh2bn ). Anterolaterally of each cephalic tentacle base there is a blue-black eye on a slightly raised mound of translucent unpigmented epithelium resembling a whitish iris (fig. 5 flic.kr/p/CVh2bn ).

Two large parapodia arise from the approximate mid-point of the body and extend to about 25% body length from the posterior where they unite (fig. 7 flic.kr/p/DJpNgz ). An external seminal groove runs from a common genital aperture, close to the anterior of the right parapodium, along the neck to the opening to the penial sheath near the base of the right oral tentacle (fig. 8 flic.kr/p/DJpM2a ). Raised walls along the sides of the seminal groove meet firmly at their edges, but do not fuse, to form a tube lined with cilia that propel the contents. The penis is spatulate with curled up edges and has an external seminal groove. It is engorged and extended from the everted penial sheath during copulation (fig. 9 flic.kr/p/DSEGJ8 & fig. 10 flic.kr/p/CVacmN ).

The parapodia can be held erect (fig. 11 flic.kr/p/DJpGJc ), semi-prone revealing enclosed anatomical features (fig. 3 flic.kr/p/CVh5eX & fig. 21 flic.kr/p/2nBEfgq ), or folded down to conceal features (fig. 12 flic.kr/p/DSEC4X ).

Colours and patterns on the external surfaces of body vary greatly between individuals www.nudibranch.org/Scottish %20Nudibranchs/aplysia-punctata.html (J. Anderson) , but usually there is a general progression in ground colour during growth from rose-red when small and feeding on red algae such as Delesseria, through brown or blackish-brown when on Laminaria to olive-brown when large and on Fucus (Eales, 1921). Many have fine spots of a darker shade of the ground colour arranged in elongate blotches, varying in prominence, which often form a reticulated pattern. In addition, some have white blotches. The edge of the parapodium often has a thin white rim, sometimes accompanied by black and/or reddish bands (fig. 13 flic.kr/p/DjbzG4 ), and the tips of the tentacles and edges of foot may have similar colours. The dorsal face of the parapodium, usually held concealed against the body, is unpigmented greyish white, apart from its border.

The mantle, enclosed by the parapodia, covers the shell apart from a large round foramen, and, at the posterior-right, forms an erect funnel with the anus near its base (fig. 3 flic.kr/p/CVh5eX ). The shell covers the viscera and the anal funnel fits against the embayment on its right-posterior edge (fig. 1). The anal funnel often protrudes when the parapodia are closed, but it is able to withdraw. The gill (fig. 21 flic.kr/p/2nBEfgq & fig. 22 flic.kr/p/2nBGFnR ) is a thick set, plume-like structure of loose connective tissue and muscle fibre covered by a partly ciliated epithelium (Eales, 1921, plate I). It has thickened lobes in place of the thin filaments of typical ctenidia. It is located in the narrow mantle-cavity on the right of the parapodial enclosure (fig. 3 flic.kr/p/CVh5eX ). It is affixed at its anterior end close to a yellow osphradium. The gill is usually concealed under the shell but may be erected above it if the oxygen level is sensed by the osphradium to be low. An unpigmented opaline gland is in the floor of the mantle cavity near the anterior-right of the parapodial enclosure and just to the posterior of the common genital opening (fig. 4 flic.kr/p/DjbKoD & fig. 21 flic.kr/p/2nBEfgq ). The anterior of the foot is almost rectangular and sometimes expands into a circular outline (fig. 13 flic.kr/p/DjbzG4 ). The posterior of the foot is bluntly pointed. The pale, unpigmented, narrow sole (fig. 5 flic.kr/p/CVh2bn ) is sometimes hidden by the edges curling together (fig. 11 flic.kr/p/DJpGJc ) and it may form into a rounded sucker at the anterior (fig. 13 flic.kr/p/DjbzG4 ), but rarely at the posterior (Thompson, 1976). There is no discernible subdivision of sole into regions (Eales, 1921).

Key identification features

Aplysia punctata

1. Parapodia unite at their posterior, c. 25% body length from posterior of body; see fig.3 in Grigg (1949) (fig. 7 flic.kr/p/DJpNgz ). It swims rarely, if at all, and clumsily if it does.

2. Foramen (fig. 3 flic.kr/p/CVh5eX ), a round hole in the mantle that exposes the shell, is larger, relative to the animal's size, than the foramen on A. depilans or A. fasciata.

3. Full-grown length about 70 mm, usual maximum 120 mm.

4. Foot occasionally expands into rounded sucker (fig. 13 flic.kr/p/DjbzG4 ) at anterior but rarely, if ever, at posterior. The sole is whitish.

5. Occurs all round Britain except parts of southern North Sea and north east Irish Sea.

Similar species

Aplysia depilans Gmelin, 1791

1. Parapodia unite at their posterior close to the posterior of the animal (fig.3 in Grigg, 1949) (fig. 16 flic.kr/p/DSEwU8 ). It is unlikely that it ever swims.

2. Foramen is smaller, relative to animal's size, than foramen on A. punctata

3. Length frequently 120 mm or more, up to 300 mm.

4. Foot frequently expands at posterior into rounded sucker attached to substrate. Sole brown.

5. In Britain (2015), confined to south west England; breeds in Cornwall.

Aplysia fasciata Poiret, 1789

1. Parapodia do not unite at their posterior. See fig. 3, as A. limacina, in Grigg (1949); frequently swims gracefully, see flic.kr/p/da9ojG (R. Fernandez); www.youtube.com/watch?v=x051Lw6LMBw#t=26 (M. Pontes).

2. Tiny foramen, pore-like on raised papilla (Grigg, 1949), is far smaller, relative to animal's size, than foramen on A. punctata; often difficult to discern.

3. Length frequently about 200 mm, with weight nearly 2kg, but up to 400 mm (largest British gastropod).

4. Foot pointed at posterior.

5. Reliably recorded from Dorset, South Devon, Cornwall and Channel Islands; rare.

Aplysia parvula Mörch, 1863

This species was recorded for Britain (Bebbington & Brown, 1975) on the basis of morphological features of small A. punctata specimens. Eales (1921) reported that small red specimens grew and changed colour to typical A. punctata when fed on non-red algae in captivity, so she dismissed their identification as a distinct species. Recent DNA studies (Golestani et al. 2019) found that A. parvula is confined to the tropical western Atlantic, and no DNA evidence for it was found in specimens examined from the north eastern Atlantic or Mediterranean.

Habits and ecology

A. punctata lives in shallow unpolluted water and occasionally on shores at LWS where its algal food grows; including red algae, Ulva (fig. 4 flic.kr/p/DjbKoD ) and Fucus.

Respiration: There is no obvious inhalent siphon; Jeffreys (1869) suggested that inflow was via the foramen, but this seems unlikely. Water is probably taken in between the body and anterior of the parapodia to the narrow mantle cavity on the right containing the gill (fig. 3 flic.kr/p/CVh5eX ). The water passes over the osphradium near the anterior attached-end of the gill. The current is created by cilia on the gill and, probably, on other surfaces. The osphradium tests the water-quality; if it is oxygen deficient, the gill may erect itself clear of the overhanging shell for better access to oxygenated water (Eales, 1921). The exhalent current leaves the animal via the anal funnel, taking faeces with it (fig. 17 flic.kr/p/DJpAiX ).

Defence : A. punctata is usually well camouflaged because its colour is often similar to alga it is feeding on. When irritated, the opaline gland (fig. 4 flic.kr/p/DjbKoD ) can release via the anal funnel (fig. 17 flic.kr/p/DJpAiX ) an acrid, white, viscous secretion, mixed with purple dye from the ink gland, to repel and confuse attackers. There are a few uncertain reports of predation on adults, but crustacea eat the spawn.

Reproduction: Breeding is recorded in February-November in Britain, but is most usual in spring. A. punctata is a simultaneous hermaphrodite, but distant spacing and positioning of the male and female orifices (fig. 9 flic.kr/p/DSEGJ8 ) prevent mutual interchange of gametes between a side-to-side pair in the manner of nudibranchs. One, acting as male, climbs astride another from behind and with the anterior of its foot firmly grips the mantle and shell (through the foramen) of the lower acting female. The penis of the acting male, engorged by blood and extruded by eversion of the internal penis sheath, is inserted into the vaginal part of the other's common genital aperture (fig. 9 flic.kr/p/DSEGJ8 ). Semen from the acting-male passes from its common genital aperture, through the external seminal groove on its neck and head, edge of the penial sheath and penis into the acting-female (fig. 10 flic.kr/p/CVacmN ). Often a chain of mating individuals forms, enabling all, except those at each end of the chain, to act as male and female simultaneously (fig. 9 flic.kr/p/DSEGJ8 ).

A. punctata often extrude spawn during coupling, and it often passes from the common genital opening along the seminal groove, escaping through a wrinkle part-way along it or continuing to emerge (confusingly) at the penial aperture. The spawn is a long string of spherical egg-capsules (fig.18 flic.kr/p/DSEwrV & fig. 20 flic.kr/p/DGfnSL ). There are about 500 capsules in each cm of spawn-string (fig. 19 flic.kr/p/DjbsiX ), and each capsule contains 3 or 4 ova. Copulation/ovipositing lasts several hours or even days, and the string is extruded intermittently in sections, each of which curls and tangles with the others (Eales, 1921). Its colour changes with time, so sections of string issued at different times by a single individual may have different shades from each other with abrupt colour changes corresponding to pauses in laying (fig. 20 flic.kr/p/DGfnSL ). The final colour is brown before veliger larvae emerge into the plankton. A mating/ovipositing chain of individuals results in a tangled mass of spawn strings. A sample mass from the River Yealm, Devon, had an estimated 135 000 ova (Thompson, 1976). Veliger larvae metamorphose after 20-22 days in the plankton at 15ºC into rose-red crawlers, about 5 mm long, feeding on red algae in shallow water (Thompson, 1976).

Distribution and status

A. punctata occurs from northern Norway to the Mediterranean, but is scarce or absent from the continental coast of the southern North Sea and extends into the Baltic no further than the Kattegat, GBIF map www.gbif.org/species/5191252 . It is found in unpolluted water all round Britain and Ireland, except in the north-east Irish Sea. the North Sea from Flamborough Head to Kent and much of the east coast of Scotland where it is absent or scarce. U.K. map NBN species.nbnatlas.org/species/NBNSYS0000173903

Acknowledgements

This account would not have been possible without the assistance of Jim Anderson, Heather Buttivant, Charlotte Cumming, Jonathan Campbell, David Fenwick, Andy Horton, David Kipling, Paula Lightfoot, Penny Martin, Simon Taylor and the photographers whose images have been linked to the account; their names are given next to the links. I gratefully thank them all.

References and links

Bebbington, A. 1992. British Aplysia species. Porcupine Newsletter Vol.5 no 6: 131 – 133. pmnhs.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/046-PNV5N6DEC92.pd...

Bebbington A, & Brown, GH. 1975. Aplysia parvula Guilding in Morch, an opisthobranch new to the British fauna. Journal of Conchology 28: 329–333.

Eales, N.B. 1921. Memoir 24 Aplysia. Proceedings and transactions of the Liverpool biological society. 35: 183 – 280.

archive.org/stream/proceedingstr35192021live#page/182/mod...

Forbes, E. & Hanley S. 1849-53. A history of the British mollusca and their shells. vol. 3 (1853), London, van Voorst. (As Aplysia hybrida); pp. 554-556. archive.org/stream/ahistorybritish05forbgoog#page/n568/mo...

Garstang, W. 1890. A complete list of the opisthobranchiate mollusca found at Plymouth; with further observations on their morphology, colours and natural history. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 1(4): 399-457. plymsea.ac.uk/50/ .

Golestani, H., Crocetta, F., Padula, V., Camacho-garcía, Y., Langeneck, J., Poursanidis, D., Pola, M., Baki yokeş, M., Cervera, J.L., Jung, D., Gosliner, T.M., Araya J.F., Hooker, Y, Schrödl, M. and Valdés, Á. 2019. The little Aplysia coming of age: from one species to a complex of species complexes in Aplysia parvula (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Heterobranchia) Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 20, 1–52

Grigg, U.M. 1949. The occurence of British Aplysia. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 28(3): 795-805. plymsea.ac.uk/id/eprint/1391/ [has A. fasciata as A. limacina]

Høisæter, T. 2009. Distribution of marine, benthic, shell bearing gastropods along the Norwegian coast. Fauna norvegica 28: 5-106. www.ntnu.no/ojs/index.php/fauna_norvegica/article/view/563

Jeffreys, J.G. 1862-69. British conchology. vol. 5 (1869). London, van Voorst. pp.1-8 archive.org/stream/britishconcholog05jeff#page/n9/mode/2up .

McKay, D. & Smith, S.M. 1979. Marine mollusca of East Scotland. Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh.

Thompson, T.E. 1976. Biology of opisthobranch molluscs vol.1. London, Ray Society.

Current taxonomy: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=138758

Glossary

aperture = mouth of gastropod shell; outlet for head and foot.

anterolateral = situated in front and to the side of.

cephalic = (adj.) of or on the head.

cilia = (sing. cilium) microscopic linear extensions of membrane that move in rhythmic waves to create locomotion, or that move particles and liquids e.g. inhalent water currents. (Scanning electron microscope image at flic.kr/p/qQB5zj )

ciliated = (adj.) coated with cilia.

conchiolin = horny flexible protein that forms the periostracum and a matrix for the deposition of calcium carbonate to create other shell-layers.

ctenidium = comb-like molluscan gill; usually an axis with a row of filaments or lamellae on one or two sides.

ELWS = extreme low water spring tide (usually near March and September equinoxes).

epithelium = tissue forming outer layer of body surface and lining the alimentary canal and other hollow structures

everted = turned inside out and, like a sock.

foramen = natural, non-accidental, opening.

lobate = having or resembling lobes.

LWS = low water spring tide.

mantle = sheet of tissue that secretes the shell and forms a cavity for the gill in most marine molluscs. Confined to the shell-interior of most British shelled-gastropods, but also covers exterior on Aplysia.

opaline = acrid, white, viscous secretion used with purple ink by Aplysia to repel attackers.

operculum = plate of horny conchiolin, rarely calcareous, used to close shell aperture. Absent from Aplysia.

osphradium = organ for testing water quality, usually near the gill.

parapodia = (sing, parapodium) flap-like, lateral outgrowths of foot, usually held up against the sides of some sea slugs.

pectinid = member of the family Pectinidae (scallops).

periostracum = thin horny layer of chitinous material often coating shells.

plankton = animals and plants that drift in pelagic zone (main body of water).

plicate = corrugated so ridges and grooves alternate with each other on either side of axis.

rostrum = beak-like process on shell.

semen = fluid containing sperm.

seminal = relating to or containing semen.

striae = (sing. stria) usually parallel, slight, fine or narrow furrows, ridges, stripes, or streaks.

umbo = (pl. umbones) earliest part of the shell of a bivalve and some bivalve-like gastropod shells, such as in Aplysia punctata. It terminates in a beak which is best seen on an interior view.

veliger = shelled larva of marine gastropod or bivalve mollusc which swims by beating cilia of a velum (bilobed flap).

View On Black

Estábamos en una zona de Osona que conocíamos poco. Los pueblos de los alrededores del pantano de Sau son pequeños y coquetos. Algunos se componen unicamente de una masía grande, una iglesia, su estafeta y el ayuntamiento. Una calle Mayor con casas bajas donde se agrupan la panadería y un bar, pequeño y cuidado, en donde disfrutar de un buen bocadillo de productos del lugar es lo mas apropiado.

Estábamos saboreando del aroma de las piedras centenarias de la iglesia de Vilanova de Sau, y disfrutando del silencio de su cementerio, pequeño y muy cuidado, cuando un estruendo nos trajo de nuevo a este mundo. No supimos discernir si el maremágnum de pitos, bocinas y griterío vario era una manifa de agricultores, o una repentina y no deseada aglomeración de coches con intenciones de aparcar junto a la iglesia, situación que me hubiera sacado de mis casillas, pudiendo ser el inicio de un altercado entre domingueros jubilados y yo mismo, algo siempre muy embarazoso, ya que por la experiencia tenida, esas embestidas siempre dan en fracaso y bochorno, saliendo del lugar con mala leche y sin hacer agua clara.

No fue el caso... la algarabía que se oía en la Calle Mayor era, no una mani de gente en desacuerdo con alguna autoridad, o jubileo, si no una bonita quedada como hoy se dice, de moteros con sus respectivas monturas, todo salido así como de una película de los años 40, tales eran las trazas de las motocicletas y sidecares, así como los cascos y gafas de los dueños de ellas. Ibamos a por piedras añejas y terminamos fotografiando Sanglas y Ducatis de época, algo que no teníamos previsto, pero que nos lleno de gozo.

View On Black

Benvenuti in casa della pazzia…

Ma comunque con la consapevolezza che non si può tornare indietro, ma solo e in ogni caso, sempre e comunque, avanti!

Auguri di un buon anno, Ragazzi!

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Welcome to crazy house...

But with the awareness that we can not go back, but in any case, always and still ahead...

Happy new year, guys

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ISO 100 f/2 1/80s 1 SB-26 @ 24mm 1/32nd power Shoot through umbrella camera right just outside of the frame, and 1 SB-800 @ 14mm 1/16th power with omnibounce and Roscoe blue gel triggered with pocket wizard plus IIs.

After cutting my head off last week for the sake of photography, I figured I owed it to myself to take a picture with my head; even if it looks better behind the camera than in front of it. I actually had constructed this photo in my head a few weeks ago before going to Ocracoke, but never had the time to execute it. This is typically how I look on any given night with all my gear slammed into this yellow messenger bag with a flash stand strap to the back. I initially tried shooting this shot at f/1.4 for bigger Bokeh balls, but the depth of field was much to shallow. Even at f/2, the bag is slightly out-of-focus. I typically avoid out-of-focus elements in front of the subject, it is a photography rule I choose not to break. As always when doing self portraits and especially at night the greatest challenge is getting the autofocus to work properly. I tried shooting outside my normal method and triggered the camera with remote, but the camera never could focus in the dark before taking the picture. What I like to do in this case; is stand in my position with my camera and focus on the tripod, then switch to manual focus and set my shot up. I had fun setting this shot up and I was pleased to see the results after weeks of waiting to shoot this shot.

until tomorrow,

enjoy

On Black

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"L'invitation au voyage"

Charles Baudelaire

Mon enfant, ma soeur,

Songe à la douceur

D'aller là-bas vivre ensemble !

Aimer à loisir,

Aimer et mourir

Au pays qui te ressemble !

Les soleils mouillés

De ces ciels brouillés

Pour mon esprit ont les charmes

Si mystérieux

De tes traîtres yeux,

Brillant à travers leurs larmes.

Là, tout n'est qu'ordre et beauté,

Luxe, calme et volupté.

Des meubles luisants,

Polis par les ans,

Décoreraient notre chambre ;

Les plus rares fleurs

Mêlant leurs odeurs

Aux vagues senteurs de l'ambre,

Les riches plafonds,

Les miroirs profonds,

La splendeur orientale,

Tout y parlerait

À l'âme en secret

Sa douce langue natale.

Là, tout n'est qu'ordre et beauté,

Luxe, calme et volupté.

Vois sur ces canaux

Dormir ces vaisseaux

Dont l'humeur est vagabonde ;

C'est pour assouvir

Ton moindre désir

Qu'ils viennent du bout du monde.

- Les soleils couchants

Revêtent les champs,

Les canaux, la ville entière,

D'hyacinthe et d'or ;

Le monde s'endort

Dans une chaude lumière.

Là, tout n'est qu'ordre et beauté,

Luxe, calme et volupté.

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A fragment of an 8th century Quran on display at the Sacred Exhibition at the British Library in London. The free exhibition is open daily till Sept 23rd and is a collection of some of the most important Islamic, Christian and Jewish texts and objects.

Muslims believe that the Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel over a period of 22 years, the significance being a gradual revelation which transformed an evil Arab society into one which received wisdom and guidance. It was completed before Muhammad died in 632 AD though during his lifetime it was written down by his scribes as well as memorised by the massess (as at that time memorisation was the common method for learning/ narration).

This fragment from the 8th century is one of the earliest and has great significance. For in the 20th century a Munich University Institute collected 42,000 different and rare copies of the Quran including various Islamic manuscripts and printed texts covering a period of 1,300 years (i.e. since it was revealed to Muhammad). Research on these rare texts was carried out for over half a century and aside from the odd copyist error which was easy to determine, not a single variance was discovered in the text. Both the Institute and the entire collection were destroyed by Allied bombing in the war.

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Visitor Info

About the island

Shaped like a boomerang, Pulau Ubin (Granite Island) is situated just off the northeastern corner of mainland Singapore. The 1020-hectare island was once a cluster of five smaller ones separated by tidal rivers, but the building of bunds for prawn farming has since united these into a single island. Two other islets, Pulau Ketam (Crab Island) and Pulau Sekudu (Frog Island), lie to its south. Ubin is largely a series of undulating, granite hills. In the early days, granite mining supported a few thousand settlers. Much of the original vegetation was cleared for the cultivation of rubber and crops like coffee, pineapple, coconut and jasmine. Today, abandoned granite quarries remain as picturesque relics of Ubin's history, while forests and grasslands have regenerated to cover up the ravages of the past.

Life on Ubin

A trip to Pulau Ubin is a throwback to Singapore in the 1960's. The island is home to Singapore's last villages or "kampongs" ? there are still about a hundred villagers living here. In contrast to the modern and efficient public utilities on mainland Singapore, Ubin residents rely on wells for water and noisy diesel generators for electricity. Some villagers depend on traditional farming and fishing for subsistence, while others tend to their provision stores and eateries. At the main village, near the jetty, some houses have been converted to bicycle rental shops to support a quiet tourist trade.

How to get to Chek Jawa Wetlands Upon arrival at the Ubin jetty, visitors can hire a van or rent a bicycle from the main village. For the more adventurous, a walk to Chek Jawa would take about 40 minutes.Chek Jawa Wetlands was officially launched on the 7th July 2007 by Mr Mah Bow Tan, Minister for National Development. New amenities in Chek Jawa Wetlands include an information kiosk, boardwalk, viewing tower, viewing jetty and a visitor centre with seminar room and workroom. Impact of human traffic on the grounds of Chek Jawa Wetlands is greatly reduced with the visitors now enjoying the splendors of Chek Jawa from the boardwalk.

Visitors can either cycle or hire a vehicle to get to Chek Jawa Wetlands. For the safety of visitors, bicycles and vehicles will have to be parked at designated lots near Punai Hut. Do remember to ask for a bicycle lock when you rent your bicycle.

Chek Jawa Wetlands

Opening Hours: 8.30am - 6.00pm

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my power animal is the orca : )

The Orca is found in all seas from the Arctic to the Antarctic. The familiar black and white coloring of the Orca is significant. From a spiritual point of view it represents lessons of a soul nature regarding polarity. Orcas assist us in acquiring balance within a world of opposites.

From a physical point of view it is a strategy of camouflage. Seen from above their dark back blends in with the darker water below them, while from below, their whiter bellies blend in with the sunlit waters above. This symbolizes the ability to move through life seen or unseen depending on the situation. Learning the art of camouflage is advantageous for those with this medicine. Proper action and reaction, observation and expression are all linked to this art.

The orca swims in formation either in a line or in rows. This indicates good organizational skills and the ability to work cooperatively with others.

Each pod has its own distinctive dialect which allow members of the same pod to recognize one another even if they get separated. Those with this medicine are able to instantly identify members of their original soul group. Although personalities may differ a strong sense of family is known. Life lessons as well as spiritual aspirations are similar. Reuniting with members of the same soul group can trigger a sense of great joy or it can awaken heart felt grief as memories surface about a previous loss. Those with this totem should remember that once a reunion has been established, emotional support for one another will always be available.

Orca medicine people are very creative although they can have a tendency to keep their creativity hidden or allow their creativity to rule their lives. Those with this totem should pay attention to the way in which the orca appears to them. If it is seen breaching out of the water it is asking you to surface from the depths of your inner reflection and express yourself outwardly in a grounded and creative way.

If seen injured or beached it could indicate a need to take care of your health. Orcas often get parasites, bacterial and fungal infections. Hodgkin's disease has been recorded in killer whales. From an emotional perspective this disease is linked to low self esteem and the fear of being accepted. The orca holds the teachings of fearlessness, beauty, power and balance. It can awaken these same qualities within you. All you need to do is ask."

www.sayahda.com/cyc3.html

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Recently I got a quick panning lesson from a very good photographer and I'm so addicted to it now. This is the most decent shot I've taken since then.

Some things about the image:

The red block in the background is a pile of bricks. There's a lot of construction going on in Vietnam from urban zones to rural areas. As a result, you can see construction materials everywhere.

The bike is a 50cc Honda imported from Japan. People used to import a great number of used bikes like this in the 80s and 90s. This vehicle is still very popular in the countryside since it's cheap, reliable, fuel saving and very suitable for carrying goods on long bumpy roads : )

Just have a look at the blue container that she's carrying. There are a lot of containers like this for sale in Vietnam. Many were used to store chemicals or even hazardous waste in developed countries. Don't know how they get to markets in Vietnam. Due to ignorance, a lot of people buy them to store food and water without knowing how dangerous they are : (

As you probably notice, her shirt looks quite strange. Well, most Vietnamese women have several shirts like this as they help protect skin from the burning tropical sun : )

Last but not least, there's something special about her helmet. Since September 2007, people are required to wear helmet when riding a motorbike in Vietnam. The problem is Vietnamese women hate exposing their skin especially their face to the sun thus the brim made of cloth was born. It comes in many styles and colors to match all helmet designs on market. You can attach it to your helmet and take it off for washing when needed. Many girls even choose different brims to go with their clothes :D

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twitter: @tbwbphoto follow me!

i had a photo shoot yesterday for the artwork that is going to be on display on the walls of a new restaurant/bar opening here in Tallahassee. It's all pin-up girl themed and this is a behind the scenes shot of what we did yesterday.

This was toward the end of the shoot when we didn't have 4 hair/make up people, other models, another photog, and just random people coming in and out.

It was super hectic, but the images that I got are hands down some of my best. Super excited to post some of them!

strobist: if it's not obvious:

ab800 through socked beauty dish

ab800 to the right had different gels shooting onto the background

ab800 to the left as a little rim light

all fired via pocket wizardry

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Dedicato a AliceFox, Hani, Marina, Gabriella, Francesco, al mio amico fraterno Stefano (grazie, sei veramente un grande amico), a Adamo, a Davide, Carletto, Paghi (grazie di tutto), Luciana, e tutte le persone che hanno reso possibile e piacevole le nostre vacanze.

Un grazie a tutti Voi.

Notate a che ora scatta Satana ^_^

2009:09:17 03:20:49+02:00

Canon EOS 450 D - Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS

Le Vele....

Formidabile come il suo autore, Pino Castagna, che donò l’idea e il bozzetto alla nostra città seguendone poi passo passo, a proprie spese, il lungo e tormentato percorso fino alla realizzazione. Formidabile come l’intelligenza, la tecnologia e l’impegno che hanno saputo trasformare in grandioso monumentum una felice intuizione artistica. Formidabile, infine, come la risposta che la gente — una folla tra turisti e... nativi, personalità e semplici curiosi — ha voluto dare alla serata-evento di mercoledì, durante la quale la nuova piazza Bad Kissingen e il complesso scultoreo di cui essa è cornice sono stati inaugurati.

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This image was made on 6/5/09 (summer?), from the parking lot at Mosquito Flat, which is as far South as you can drive on Rock Creek Road, and which is the trailhead for Little Lakes Valley. This beautiful area almost made me want to take up fishing again, but not quite.

The last time I fished was right before our daughter, who was very young at the time, caught a fish in this very same creek, only 3,000 feet below this location, at my grandfather's cabin (now owned by my cousins), on the other side of Hwy 395. Once she landed it, she was very squeamish about it, so the task of cleaning it fell on me. Up until that point, it hadn't bothered me to clean fish (except for the yucky part of emptying their intestinal tracts) and I didn't even think about it, but just as I began to clean the fish, I could feel its very distinctive and rapid heartbeat. I don't know why I was so affected by that event and I still enjoy eating fish and meat, but I'll leave the killing of the animals to others, thank you very much.

The water supply intake for my grandfather's cabin (actually a 2 BR, 2 BATH house, with a glassed-in porch that sleeps 4, but we still call it a cabin) was just upstream a few hundred yards, so that it was gravity-fed. We used to think that was the best-tasting water that there ever was, tiny sticks and other unidentified debris notwithstanding.

Oh, and Rainey and Marianne, you could have had this shot, without any climbing, since you were already there. ;-)

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This Julie's Pond or as more well known, The Heart Shaped Pond, please read the brief explanation

From Wikipedia

Prince's Lodge was named for the estate His Royal Highness Prince Edward, Duke of Kent resided in while in Halifax in the 1700s .In 1794, Prince Edward arrived to serve in Halifax.with his French mistress Julie St. Laurent. The Duke was often entertained at the "Friar's Cell" and liked it so much that Wentworth felt obliged to offer it to him during his stay in Halifax. Prince Edward accepted, and renovated the residence and developed the gardens around the estate by landscaper from England. The result was what is today Hemlock Ravine Park , 185 acres (0.75 km2) with a heart shaped pond known as Julie's Pond, and was constructed by the Duke in honor of his mistress.

The Wentworth's resumed living in the lodge When Prince Edward returned to England. Now called the Prince's Lodge, it was here that Sir John established the Rockingham Club. But after Sir John died, the estate was neglected. By 1870, in ruins, it was sold at auction and divided into building lots. All that remains of the original estate is the Rotunda,which the Nova Scotia Government acquired in 1959. It is a small, round music room that stands on a knoll overlooking the Bedford Basin.

heathergates.com/about.php

What Mac and Bumble Has to Say About Heather"International glamour, lingerie and fetish model Heather Gates is well known for her captivating style and charisma. Heather Gates has eyes that will seduce your soul and have you salivating over her sensual curves in no time at all. All her fans know the power of Heather Gates and you can too inside Heathergates.com where she graces the pages of this web site with her stunning beauty and body that leaves men quaking in her wake.

She will embed herself deep into your fantasies. This stunning creature is the ultimate in feminine beauty and sensuality. With her alluring looks and a body to die for, this beauty has garnered a multitude of loyal fallowers who can attest to her rising success. If you are looking for a woman who captures both elegance and intelligence we knowyou won't be dissappointed. The beautiful Heather Gates is a true delight to behold - just ask any of her many fans and admirers across the globe.

Thousands of loyal followers can't be wrong!"Magazines

Adultcon is where fans go to buy autographs, photos, Polaroid's, DVD's & products

& meet the porn stars of tomorrow as well as the mega stars of today.

Adultcon has anything and everything to do with sex, sensuality, romance, health & body image.

www.adultcon.com

Erotic photography is a style of art photography of an erotic, sexually suggestive and even sexually provocative nature. Though the subjects of erotic photography are usually completely or mostly unclothed, that is not a requirement. Erotic photography should be distinguished from pornographic photography, which is of a sexually explicit nature.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_erotic_photography

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I went out scouting for shooting locations with Sandy today for our food bank photos (we are going to have a seriously dark and twisted shot going up in the next month or so). While we were out Sandy taught me a new photography technique. It's called "Through the Viewfinder" (or TTV). You take a high quality dSLR with a macro lens and shoot through the viewfinder of an old camera. It gives a very cool effect. Kind of a soft, noisy, vintage sort of feel.

This is my first attempt at this kind of photography. I think it has potential though. Now I just need to get a good MACRO lens...

Thoughts?

If you've got some time, here is Sandy's stream:

www.flickr.com/photos/sandyphimester/

It's excellent! Sandy's been kind enough to teach me lighting and all sorts of other stuff.

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I was tagged by Anna.Teresa, sooo:

1. I HATE gum and eggs; the mere smell of both make me want to gag. Lol.

2. I can drink milk with ANYTHING edible, seriously<3

3. I like the left side of my body (face and all) better than my right.

4. I used to have size 00 gauges, but then figured out they were completely pointless.

5. I have the best memory for the smallest, most random things.

6. I may not look it, but I'm Hispanic (Colombian and Puerto Rican) and speak/read/write fluent Spanish. My hips (don't lie) and curves are proof of my Latin blood.

7. Despite that, I'm actually quite petite; 5'2" and 105 lbs.

8. I have this super obsession with sunrises, sunsets, the sky in general, stars, and anything space-related. And Taylor Swift. Lol

9. 7 is my absolute favorite number. It's everywhereee, and in the Bible tons! Next is 11. I don't like even numbers at ALL.

10. I'm Christian; part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints aka LDS aka Mormon (:

BTW- I am discontinuing my 365 project. I'm a little disappointed in myself because I feel as though I never commit to anything, but it really IS so hard some days to take and upload good shots when you're busy 24/7. I'll probably still upload almost every day, but I'd rather not have the 365 pressure.

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Only time (Enya)

Proyecto Final de Fotografía Artística (Junio 2010) :))))))))))))).

DESAFÍO A LA VEJEZ

Cuando yo llegue a vieja

si es que llego

y me mire al espejo

y me cuente las arrugas

como una delicada orografía

de distendida piel.

Cuando pueda contar las marcas

que han dejado las lágrimas

y las preocupaciones,

y ya mi cuerpo responda despacio

a mis deseos,

cuando vea mi vida envuelta

en venas azules,

en profundas ojeras,

y suelte blanca mi cabellera

para dormirme temprano

como corresponde

cuando vengan mis nietos

a sentarse sobre mis rodillas

enmohecidas por el paso de muchos inviernos,

sé que todavía mi corazón estará

-rebelde- tictaqueando

y las dudas y los anchos horizontes

también saludarán mis mañanas.

Gioconda Belli

Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission - All Rights Reserved ©.

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Trametes versicolor

Common Name: Turkey Tails

Synonym: Coriolus versicolor, Polyporus versicolor

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Sporocarp

Fruiting body up to 10 cm broad, bracket to shelf-like or fan-shaped, attached along one side or just near the middle of one side, the upper surface tomentose, with multicolored zones. Flesh thin, usually less than 2 mm thick, white, tough, and fibrous. The underside a white to pale yellow layer of very small tubes, vertically oriented with 3-5 pores per mm, the tube mouths more or less round.

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Spores

Spores 4-6 x 1.5-2.5 µm, slightly curved-cylindrical (like a cooked hotdog), smooth, hyaline, white to pale yellow in deposit.

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Habitat

Typically in rows or overlapping shelves on stumps and logs of hardwoods, from fall to spring.

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Edibility

Too tough to try.

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Comments

Though fruiting during the fall and winter months, shelves of the colorful Turkey Tail can be found almost any month of the year. Trametes versicolor is sometimes confused with unrelated leathery shelf fungi. Species of Stereum have orange-brown zoned caps but can be distinguished by their smooth hymenial surface. Lenzites, Daedalea, Daedaleopsis, and Gloeophyllum all have a multicolored, zonate upper surfaces, but their hymeniums are variously composed of irregular, mazelike, or elongated gill-like pores.

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im known for my beach images and lately its fair to say i have lost the "Mojo" for them , i was at my beloved Ogmore a few weks ago and did not process one image i took , Nash point hopefully will inspire me to trek my beaches once more :-) maybe !!! Now let me think where is Dunraven bay ???

VIEW MY WEB SITE AND SHOP HERE

photographydavidsmith.com/

MY GETTY COLLECTION HERE

www.gettyimages.com/search/search.aspx?assettype=image&am...

Here is my first published work even though did it as a freebie its great seeing your work on a web site

www.thewhitehartvillageinn.com/index.html

Here is the flickr set

www.flickr.com/photos/10141102@N08/sets/72157623966405344/

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Sassy forgot that she made reservations for the large cabin that we have stayed at before, for Memorial Day weekend , back in Feb. We were planning on being there with my son and his wife but when Sassy checked the schedule on line in late March, she saw that the cabin was unavailable, forgetting that she was the one that had reserved it for Memorial Day weekend.

( I love my wife!, we have such low expectations of one another. We're both highly imperfect, but perfect for each other.) So I get this call Saturday night, on my way to bed, and it is the people that rent out the cabins saying that they were expecting us to check in that day because we had made reservations and were a "no show". We had rented a small cabin the previous weekend, just for Sassy and I, not knowing that we had reservations for the big cabin the following weekend. To make a long story short, we got up early the next morning and drive back up to the Mt Rainier area, (about a hour drive, no big deal ), and get in one day and night of the stuff we did the weekend before. We had a very good time.....away from all the things we planned to get done around the home front.

This is me reading another Gregg Iles novel on my Kindle, Monday morning, while it was raining outside. Sunday it wasn't raining too hard and we managed to get up into the park and get some beautiful shots of the Mt Rainier area. I'll post those when I get some time.

It's a short week .......yah hoo!