Stagecoach provide many services in and around the Lake District National Park. A typical scene here in Keswick shows new AD E40D/AD Enviro 400 MMC 10558 (SN16OOB) loading for Kendal on service 555 which operates through the heart of the Lake District. Behind is former London Dennis Trident/Alexander ALX400 17217 (V217MEV) working the open top Seatoller service and alongside is Optare Solo 48002 (YJ15ANF) working the Honister Rambler service 77A to Buttermere.

Snow capped Kilpatrick Hills provide a spectacular backdrop as 37407 canters into Dumbarton Central with 1Y13 on Wednesday 12th February 1986. The 0840 from Fort William misses this 1220 Oban service at Glasgow Queen Street by 10 minutes requiring a 48 minute wait here with plenty of time for lunch-typically a bag of greasy chips with salt & sauce washed down with a bottle of Irn Bru. Talking of girders, the locomotive is passing over Church Street as it enters the east end of the station while on the left are the ornate battlements parallel with Bankend Road-the whole station being sited high above the town on an impressive viaduct, the Up Passenger Loop on the left has now been lifted. The plate above 37407's drawbar is noticeably higher than on most of the class giving a distinct notch in the bottom of the bodywork, both ends were like that. This view concludes my short interlude of photographs taken exactly 29 years before posting.

Upstream lakes being lowered for the winter provides for stronger flow in the Chattahoochee River at downtown Columbus, Georgia

Summer Saturdays provides the opportunity to capture FGW 57's hauling passenger trains during daylight hours. Usually restricted to 'Cornish Riviera' sleeper trains, 57602 hauls Summer Saturday's 2P70 1125 Par to Plymouth consisting of the 3 seated carriages from the sleeper, seen at Liskeard on 15/08/2015.

Crocosmias provide a burst of colour late in the season, when most other flowering plants have faded. There are hundreds of crocosmia varieties to choose from, flowering in red, orange or yellow from June to late summer, above ornamental, strappy, bright green leaves.

Crocosmias are also known as montbretia, although this tends to refer to the common species Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora. This has naturalised in many areas and is considered to be invasive. The cultivated varieties are less likely to become invasive.

“Greetings, Empress. As I am sure you are aware, I have contacted you early. This is not to provide our monthly report but to call your attention to negligence on your part of our deal.”

“No, I am taking measures to control the results of your shortcoming, but it is the principle that matters. I will “let it fly” this time, but if you do not exercise more caution in the future I will not see it as inappropriate to withhold some of the technology my part of the deal specified I give you. We have given you the components only to enable the merest spawn's play...you have no advantage over us.”

“Thank you, Empress. That will be all.”

“I hate having to exaggerate simply to confound that stupid she-human. What progress has the batch made?”

“Your greatness, the he-human has found the she-human. She was unconscious but with the help of-”

“That detestable Union spy! How I wish she was here now...

The advanced technology she possesses is of no considerable import; it is the fact that she knows what we are and can sense us as well that makes her such a danger. It is fortuitous indeed that the he-human is so malleable. Your manipulation of him has suppressed the spy's physical influence and prevented her from telling the he-human of us most effectively. But I have not forgotten your previous failure...”

“I apologize profusely, O Queen. I-”

“Enough. I do not hold you responsible for the Humans' idiotic leader dropping her and her partner here, Commander, but why, exactly, were they allowed to discover our presence here? You know as well as I do that had she never seen that renegade replacer, she would never have exerted such energy to detect us since then. Our mental shielding would have barely held up, but it would have. She would have been as ignorant as the she-human is now...which is why our next move is to isolate her from the others.”

“I patiently await your command, O Queen.”

“Do you not know what to do? Have you not done it before?

Ah, but I see. This is indeed a unique occasion...two batches at once, two subjects with considerable knowledge of us, and advanced weaponry as well...

I am Queen, the only of all the castes with imagination...

Very well, listen carefully:

The he-spy is already under control. You have done well in destroying his gate-making device and confiscating his weapon; he will be stranded in hyperspace until we desire his release.

The she-spy is another matter. Despite your aforementioned successes, the only thing that separates the good batch from knowledge of us is a very thin piece of fabric...not ideal. She will have to be removed immediately, along with the he-human. Even he knows too much about us. You know, of course, that all the previous batches were wholly ignorant of us throughout their duration in our domain.

By the way, I am pleased with how you carried out my previous command to give the he-human a false image of our presence...his impression of us is of unnatural, nonsentient shapeshifters that simply replicate whatever dreams or thoughts they sense. When you remove him and the she-spy, see if-”

“Your Greatness, forgive me for interrupting, but the he-human has just killed the officer tasked with guarding the cave...the one disguised as a native invertebrate. Shall we incorporate this?”

“Yes, quickly! Place in the she-human a desire to get away from the officer as soon as possible. Make sure, at least, she turns her back. Then place a vacuum field around the officer, he-human, and she-spy to prevent her from hearing the officer unshield in death. As this happens, completely unshield the hive walls around the he-human and she-spy so they see our true structure. The he-human will realize it was us all along, and it will hopefully invoke some terror in him. A delicious but unhealthy emotion-a shame we cannot subsist upon it alone.”

“It has been done, O Queen.”

“Good. Now generate some upshoots to take the he-human and she-spy to to the holding caverns. Make sure you disarm the he-human. And if possible, try to loosen the bonds on the she-spy so she can remove her gag and finally deliver her message to the he-human...I do enjoy irony.”

“Is there anything else?”

“Hold on...why does the she-human have the bag? Aarrgh! The he-human gave it to her before we took him...no matter. Send in the two replacers as planned. Make sure both have analyzed the mannerisms of the two we have taken so they can best emulate them...we will feast well on the she-human's “love” for her friend.”

“It has all been done! It is all as you have said. Your plans are ever flawless, O Queen.”

March Point. Padilla Bay/Fidalgo Bay.

"Hosting one of the largest Great Blue Heron colonies in Western North America, this island of forest sits between Padilla and Fidalgo Bays. Vera and Bud Kinney donated this property to Skagit Land Trust in 1994 to protect the nesting herons. With the cooperation of neighboring landowners, each year, Skagit Land Trust conducts a nest count in the heronry. 680 heron nests were counted in 2019 in this relatively small area, which provides easy access to feeding grounds for the herons. Unfortunately, the Trust does not have access to all neighboring property, and therefore some heron nests are uncounted. The overall trend, however, shows increasing number of heron nests in the colony on SLT property and the property to which we have access -- and there are likely to be hundreds more nests on the adjacent property to which we do not have access." March Point Heronry

The disposal of several Tridents over the summer has meant that the university day Red Line PVR is largely being single deck operated this year but has resulted in capacity problems requiring duplication. While the coaches provide good duplication in the AM peak there has yet to be a solution to the problems when the students finish in the afternoon.

Renown 62154 heads full for Garthdee as will the next Red Line 1.

Provides medical care for injured raptors and other birds.

Enid Hinkes provides another report in memory of Weequahic’s fallen war heroes.

In major catastrophes at sea, two Weequahic students were killed enroute to their assignments. They were both awarded Purple Hearts as their deaths were the result of enemy action. Arthur Kucharski, who, according to the 1940 census lived at 168 Goodwin Avenue completed one year of high school (1938 0r 39) before entering the workforce.

Pictured here, Martin Pedinoff’s (1/41) Legend entry read “A feeling of much, a feeling of ease, Makes position secure, on life’s trapeze;

Orchestra, Ping Pong, Printing Workshop, German Club, College Prep, F & M.” He resided at 223 Schuyler Avenue.

Two Weequahic students were killed en route to their assignments in major catastrophes at sea. They were both awarded Purple Hearts as their deaths were the result of enemy action.

MARTIN PEDINOFF

From the Legend, January 1941:

223 Schuyler Avenue

“A feeling of much, a feeling of ease, Makes position secure, on life’s trapeze; Orchestra, Ping Pong, Printing Workshop, German Club, College Prep, F & M”

He was born on January 3, 1923. His parents were Louis and Ida Pedinoff. His father was a photographer. He had three brothers – David, Phillip and Seymour. His nephew and namesake, Martin Pedinoff is married to Ellen Wiener. (Weequahic June 1965)

Martin was a Corporal, USAAF 32nd Photographic Squadron, Reconnaissance Group.

On April 20, 1944, Pedinoff was a passenger on SS Paul Hamilton which was in a convoy enroute to Italy. The ship had a cargo of explosives and bombs as well as military personnel. The convoy was attacked in the Mediterranean Sea 30 miles off the coast of Cape Bengrit, near Algiers by 23 German bombers. The SS Paul Hamilton was struck and the ship and crew disappeared in 30 seconds, losing 580 lives. He and the other victims are memorialized at North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial, Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia, Tablets of the Missing.

ALBERT KUCHARSKI

Kucharski was born in 1921 in Ohio. – November 27, 1943, declared dead while missing..

The1940 census showed that he lived at 168 Goodwin Avenue with his father Joseph, mother Celia, older sisters Irene and Virginia, and younger brother Francis. He completed 1st year of high school and was employed in the manufacture of electrical machinery and accessories according to his enlistment record.

Albert was a Staff Sergeant with the 31st Signal Corps, Construction Battalion. He was on the troopship Rohna that left Oran, French Algeria in a convoy of 24 ships carrying troops and supplies on the way to the China-Burma-India theater. On November 26, 1943, off Bejaia, Algeria, the convoy was attacked by an estimated 30 German Luftwaffe Heinkel 177’s. One of the 177’s released a radio-controlled glide missile that hit the Rohna on her port side and she eventually sunk.

Three ships stayed behind to pick up the survivors, but it was dark, the water was cold, and the waves were high and rough. There was oil on the water and fire from the explosion. There were only 22 lifeboats, most of them nonfunctioning. They were able to rescue 986 men, but 1038 were killed, including 1015 US military personnel. It was the largest loss of US troops at sea due to enemy action in a single incident. The bodies of most of the men who died were never recovered. Albert was declared “Missing in Action” on November 27, 1943.

Because of the severity of the loss and the new technology used to sink the Rohna, the disaster was covered up, unacknowledged and remained classified for decades. The survivors were ordered not to discuss the attack under penalty of court martial. The full story was finally released in 1967.

Albert was memorialized at the North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial, Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia, Tablets of the missing.

This Osprey from The Providers of VRC-30 was photographed at NAS Point Mugu on 13 July 2023. The squadron which provides COD services and has transitioned from the C-2A Greyhound to the CMV-22 Osprey.

VRC-30 is home based at NAS North Island.

Mr. Kelly and staff provide a display of motor cars outside the premises on Catherine Street, Waterford. Can we take it that Mr. Kelly is the distinguished gentleman in the centre with bowler hat and top coat? The man second from the right looks like the doppelganger of Simon Harris, Irish Minister for Health! I wonder if the dealership is still around?

With thanks to input from several Flickroonies today (including Niall McAuley, sharon.corbet, B-59, BeachcomberAustralia and others) we were reminded that we've visited Kelly's dealership before, that it is the "purpose-built motor garage in Ireland", is still a motor dealers, though the Kelly's themselves (still in the trade) operate from a premesis outside the city proper....

Photographer: A. H. Poole

Collection: Poole Photographic Studio, Waterford

Date: Catalogue date c. 16 December 1929 (12:58 per clock)

NLI Ref: POOLEWP 3659

You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie

André Kuipers provides another insight into life on the ISS with this view from the cupola.

André is on the orbital outpost for ESA's long duration mission, PromISSe. For further information about his mission, and for more stunning photographs, please visit: www.esa.int/SPECIALS/PromISSe/index.html

Credits: ESA/NASA

What is beauty? We could spend years trying to provide and objective and universal definition and will keep on failing because beauty is subjective. The standards of beauty vary from age to age, culture to culture and person to person. We talk about physical (exterior) beauty and inner beauty when referring to a person, but we must be aware that what is beautiful for some might not be for others. Granted that there are some standards from which we can try to measure beauty, we will never be able to find universal beauty in our material world.

In the online communities that we have built in all social networks, “beautiful” is an adjective that is commonly used and those who are considered beautiful take pride while those who think they are not are always pointing that out to others with some kind of shame. Does it really matter if I am beautiful or not? If it does matter, by which standards should we measure it?

As men trying to present as women, we are not pleased to look like a woman and pass for a woman. We want to look like and pass for, a beautiful woman! Once again, talking as a heterosexual CD, what is what I need? Do I need to wear women’s clothes, play the role of a woman and be perceived as one or is it all about being beautiful as a woman? As I have matured in my life and having cross-dressed since I have memory, beauty is not how I look but how I feel when I am Cristy. Beauty is enjoying the few opportunities I get to be her and even more beautiful if I can go places. As my dear friend, Nora Simone, pointed out to me recently, beauty is giving and caring about others and making others feel good about themselves.

Over the years I have gotten countless comments, on my photos, mentioning that I am beautiful or saying something like “I wish I looked as beautiful as you”. Even though I welcome such comments, the ones that I treasure the most are those who let me know if have been inspiring or helpful while sharing my feminine side and thoughts with likeminded people. I’d rather inspire with words and advice than with looks, sense of fashion or tricks of the trade. I’d rather motivate people to find beauty inside of them because when they do it will automatically reflect on the outside. Beauty comes from inner peace and when we are happy and at ease, we are the most beautiful we can be.

What I am trying to say is that we must put all our effort in feeling beautiful for ourselves and not looking beautiful to others. Stop worrying about what the other girls will say and focus on how you feel. If you ask me, I would rather be perceived as a very average looking woman who is happy in her own skin than as a gorgeous woman who is wearing so much padding, constraints and makeup that make me feel so uncomfortable that it reflects in my carefully made up face.

I never felt more liberated than when I decided to tone down my makeup and wear loose A-line dresses that do not require me to put on corsets or padding. At the same time, I never felt more naturally feminine! Maybe I do not look beautiful, but I certainly feel beautiful.

Do you dress to feel beautiful or to be beautiful?

___________________________________________________________________

¿Qué es belleza? Podríamos pasar años intentando obtener una definición objetiva y universal y fracasaríamos en nuestro intento puesto que la belleza es subjetiva. Los estándares de belleza varías de época a época, cultura a cultura y persona a persona. Hablamos de belleza física (exterior) y belleza interior cuando nos referimos a una persona, pero tenemos que estar conscientes de que lo que algunos consideran bello no lo es para otros. Admitiendo de que hay estándares bajo los cuales podemos intentar medir la belleza, jamás podremos encontrar la belleza absoluta en nuestro mundo material.

En las comunidades que hemos construido en todas las redes sociales, “belleza” es un adjetivo muy utilizado y quienes se consideran bellas sienten orgullo de ello y quienes piensan que no lo son se sienten avergonzadas y lo hacen saber a las demás. ¿Importará realmente si soy bella o no? ¿Si es importante, bajo cuáles estándares debería de medirla?

Como hombres que intentamos parecer mujeres, no quedamos satisfechos con lucir como mujeres y pasar por mujeres. ¡Queremos lucir como y pasar por mujeres bellas! De nuevo, desde mi perspectiva como CD heterosexual, ¿qué es lo que necesito? ¿Necesito usar ropa femenina, desempeñar el rol femenino y ser percibido como una o acaso lo importante es parecer una mujer bella? A medida que he madurado en mi vida y habiendo usado ropa de mujer desde que tengo memoria, la belleza no radica en cómo luzco sino en cómo me siento cuando soy Cristy. Belleza es disfrutar de las pocas oportunidades que tengo de ser ella y aún más bello si lo puedo hacer en público. Como mi querida amiga, Nora Simone, me hizo ver recientemente, la belleza radica en preocuparse por los demás y en hacer sentir mejor a los demás.

A través de los años he recibido innumerables comentarios, en mis fotos, en los que mencionan que soy bella o diciendo algo como “quisiera ser tan bella como tú”. Aunque aprecio esos comentarios, los que más atesoro son aquellos en los que me hacen saber si lo que comparto ha servido de ayuda o inspiración para otras chicas. Prefiero inspirar con palabras y consejo que con apariencia, modo de vestir o trucos particulares de nuestro arte. Prefiero motivar a la genta a encontrar la belleza dentro de ellas que porque cuando lo hagan automáticamente se reflejará en el exterior. La belleza es producto de la paz interior y cuando estamos felices y en paz, es cuando estamos lo más bellas que podemos.

Lo que intento decir es que debemos de poner todo nuestro empeño en sentirnos bellas para nosotras mismas y no en lucir bellas para otras personas. Dejemos de preocuparnos de lo que las otras chicas dirán y enfoquémonos en cómo nos sentimos. Si me preguntan a mí, preferiría ser percibida como una mujer promedio que se siente feliz con ella misma que como una belleza despampanante que lleva tanto relleno, maquillaje y corsés que la hacen sentir tan incómoda que esa incomodidad se refleja en su rostro impecablemente maquillado.

Jamás me sentí más liberada que cuando decidí usar poco maquillaje y llevar vestidos holgados que no me obligan a usar rellenos o corsés. ¡Al mismo tiempo, jamás me sentí más naturalmente femenina! Puede que no me vea bella, pero me siento bella.

¿Tú te vistes para verte bella o para sentirte bella?

SURPLUS MOTORS GAUSS

-[SURPLUS MOTORS] Gauss Info--------

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

The car is mod. We do not provide any warranty on modifications.

MAKE SURE TO HAVE ADVANCED LIGHTING ENABLED IN YOUR SETTINGS

The car is GTFO! ready.

This is a fun transport game. More info on sl-gtfo.com/

Other features on your Gauss include:

-License plate change

-Color change

-Projectors lights (advanced light settings only)

-Shadow on/off

-RL sounds

-Re-size

-Smoother driving

-Multiple driver and passenger animations

-Multiple shift styles

-Adjustable seating

-Automatic/Manual Transmission

-Unlock/Lock

-Alarm

-Eject

-Working lights

-Opening doors

....And more features to boot!

Surplus Marketplace: marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/124438

Inworld Mainstore: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Amityville/69/69/24

LM TO WIP EVENT: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/WIP/127/196/1501

Lel EvoX Raven

VOBE Yonka earrings

Doux Medarda

Maitreya Lara

Ives Rae Skin (rose kiss)

© all rights reserved by B℮n

Please take your time... to View it large on black

Toscolano-Maderno is a town and comune on the West coast of Lake Garda. Toscolano Maderno extends on two big bands, with the main inhabitated parts near the lake and the hamlets on the hills. Toscolano and Maderno are two different towns. The first one has an industrial nature, the second one is dedicated to tourism; they grew divided by a small bridge on detritus of the torrent Toscolano. They were re-united in one town in 1928. Particularly, Toscolano has Roman origin, testified from the ruins of a big villa, of which parts of the mosaic pavement can be seen. The parish church of Toscolano, founded in 1571. Where now the parish church rises, there was a castle with four towers, one of which is now the bell tower of the church. The territory is dominated by peaks of Mount Pizzocolo -1582 m and Mount Castell di Gaino - 866 m: both afford breathtaking views. The particularly mild climate, even in winter, makes this a marvelous vacation spot. Along the shore there are many camping sites and hotels to suit any need, and delicious local dishes are served in the characteristic restaurants and bars.

The summer brings in Toscolano Maderno the most opportunity for outdoor adventures. The Garda lake provides the chance for all sorts of water sports. Watersports on Lake Garda are always popular, with the pretty lakeside towns offering sailing, windsurfing, wakeboarding, jet-skiing, kite-surfing, and scuba diving facilities. The scenery and nearby mountains offer beautiful views and opportunities for hiking, mountain biking of wildlife viewing. High above the harbor is the Church of Maclino.

Toscolano Maderno is ontstaan in 1928 door het samenvoegen van de twee dorpen Toscolano en Maderno. Beiden hebben nog steeds hun eigen karakteristieken, waarbij Toscolano een meer industrieel karakter heeft en Maderno meer op het toerisme is gericht. Voor beide dorpen geldt echter dat ze gezellige centra hebben met mooie oude kerken. Toscolano is de oudste van de twee kernen en heeft haar wortels in de Romeinse tijd. Dit is nog te zien aan de overblijfselen van een grote villa, waarin mooie vloermozaïeken te bezichtigen zijn. Maderno heeft zich sinds de tweede helft van de vorige eeuw steeds meer op het toerisme gericht en een grote diversiteit aan overnachtingsmogelijkheden gecreëerd. In de mooie groene en zonnige omgeving en het mooie blauwe water komen de watersporters uitgebreid aan hun trekken. Vissen is een favoriete sport in deze streek. Zowel in het Gardameer als in de rivier de Toscolano kunne behoorlijk grote vissen gevangen worden. In de maand mei wordt er elk jaar een roeiwedstrijd georganiseerd. Vanuit Toscolano Maderno is het heel gemakkelijk om met de auto uitstapjes naar de overkant van het meer te maken. Het hele jaar door vaart de autoveerboot naar Torri del Benaco, één van de meest karakteristieke dorpjes aan het Gardameer en zeker een bezoekje waard.

A full 360 degree star trails / 'Milky Way bow' panorama taken at Granite Bay, Noosa. The clear water and the clear skies have been awesome on the Sunshine Coast lately.

The settings: Star trails - 100x60s, f3.5, ISO1600 (Samyang fisheye). Star heads - 180s, f2.0, ISO1600 (35mm lens, tracked). Foreground ISO400, f8.0, 90s (17mm lens). The foreground was taken earlier that evening at twilight to provide some better lighting. Total number of individual shots is about 600. Finished resolution: 50 megapixels.

A lot of work went into this. About 5 hours on site and about 20 hours just to get convergence with pano stitching software (PT Gui) because I used different lenses during the shoot (and some self inflicted errors that took lots of time to weed out). Definitely the most challenging pano I have ever done.

A few constellations can be made out including Scorpius and Sagittarius around our galactic center. The pointers of the Southern Cross over the hills (Southern Cross behind the hills). Corona Australis (near Scorpius) and the line of stars to the far left is Grus. The Small Magellanic Cloud can also be seen just to the left of the south celestial pole.

Chop nosed 103 provides faint echoes of the ALCo RSD-15 'alligator' model as it treads the freight only backroad through Birkenhead on its way to Outer Harbor with the 'Balco' regional intermodal train on 14 November 2007.

103 was originally delivered to the New South Wales Government Railway as a DL541 model numbered 4537 in 1963. After withdrawal it was sold to niche operator Austrac who provided the modified chopped nose.

By 2007 it was owned by Patrick Stevedores, but ownership later transferred to SA-based ALARC. As of mid-2025 it was stored waiting repair.

30D_4_9147

Though Palo Duro Canyon did provide water and shelter to native Americans for eons and the ranchers that followed, it is still a harsh environment. Much of the vegetation and wildlife is well-adapted to the extremes of the microclimate within the canyon and often has its own variety of self defense, from thorns and needles to bites and venom. Summers can be extremely hot within the canyon (the record high was 120F/49C) and winters quite cold with subzero temperatures. It was 78F/26C the day I visited and it was still February (2-25-2025). It is generally a dry heat (low humidity) but I have been in Amarillo and the surrounding Panhandle region many times when moist Gulf air can bring in sticky air. There've been many heat-related illnesses and even deaths within the canyon for those not prepared.

Erosion in the form of the Prairie Dog Fork of the Red River created the canyon, exposing many geological layers over millions of years. These boulders are also eroding but at a far slower pace than the surroundings (similar to the badlands I frequent in the Dakotas and eastern Montana). Circumstances beyond my control forced my trip to be made a wee bit earlier in the year than what I would have preferred, for I have a feeling Palo Duro Canyon must be beautiful when the fresh spring greens begin. Midday light is NOT when I would recommend shooting, of course (one works with what they have when one must), but if one wants to shoot the golden hours here, keep in mind that the canyon rim is roughly 800 feet above the canyon floor in many places. Palo Duro IS quite wide in many places, though, helping to mitigate such light angles, I'm sure.

Maritime shipping companies provide a major foothold in commercial aviation cargo; from Evergreen's EVA Air operating their own cargo subsidiary to more recent carriers from France's CMA CGM to the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) with Atlas Air operating flights as their partner.

The Danish-based Maersk joined the air cargo sector as early as 1987 when the carrier founded Star Air, initially operating a small fleet of Fokker F27s, expanding in 1993 when UPS chose Star Air as their European partner to operate their dedicated cargo flights operating from their Cologne/Bonn hub. Today, the carrier has expanded with a fleet of Boeing 767-200/300s... And with the carrier now known as Maersk Air Cargo, the carrier will take delivery of 2 Boeing 777Fs in the near future.

Maersk Air Cargo operates 2 major hubs; the first at Cologne/Bonn, operating not only alongside UPS but also on behalf of Maersk themselves. The second of their hub is located at East Midlands Airport, also operating flights on behalf of UPS as well as providing parcel flights on behalf of Royal Mail.

The carrier operates an all Boeing 767 fleet; the Boeing 767-200Fs are amongst the most intriguing operating in the skies, they are amongst the oldest flying in the sky with the eldest now reaching a staggering 40 years old, the youngest being in their 30s. The Boeing 767-200Fs have their origins with Air New Zealand, Britannia Airways, Delta Air Lines and EVA Air.

Currently, Maersk Air Cargo operates 19 Boeing 767s, which includes 12 Boeing 767-200Fs and 7 Boeing 767-300Fs. Maersk Air Cargo are due to receive a further 3 converted Boeing 767-300Fs.

Sierra Romeo Golf is one of 12 B being 767-200Fs operated by Maersk Air Cargo, delivered new to Air New Zealand as ZK-NBC on 8th September 1986, lasting until 31st May 2004 being acquired by GECAS to undergo conversion to a freighter, being leased to Danish-carrier and subsidiary of Maersk, Star Air on 10th March 2005 with the lease now transferring to AerCap since November 2021 and later transferring to Maersk Air Cargo on 8th April 2022. She is powered by 2 General Electric CF6-80A engines.

Boeing 767-219/ER(BDSF) OY-SRG on final approach into Runway 27 at East Midlands (EMA) on ZT6977 from Belfast-International (BFS).

We are one week away from the release of the first science-quality images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, but how does the observatory find, and lock onto its targets? Webb's Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) – developed by the Canadian Space Agency was designed with this particular question in mind. Recently it captured a view of stars and galaxies that provides a tantalizing glimpse at what the telescope's science instruments will reveal in the coming weeks, months, and years.

FGS has always been capable of capturing imagery, but its primary purpose is to enable accurate science measurements and imaging with precision pointing. When it does capture imagery, it is typically not kept: given the limited communications bandwidth between L2 and Earth, Webb only sends data from up to two science instruments at a time. But during the week-long stability test in May, it occurred to the team that they could keep the imagery that was being captured because there was available data transfer bandwidth.

The engineering test image – produced during a thermal stability test in mid-May – has some rough-around-the-edges qualities to it. It was not optimized to be a science observation, rather the data were taken to test how well the telescope could stay locked onto a target, but it does hint at the power of the telescope. It carries a few hallmarks of the views Webb has produced during its postlaunch preparations. Bright stars stand out with their six, long, sharply defined diffraction spikes – an effect due to Webb's six-sided mirror segments. Beyond the stars – galaxies fill nearly the entire background.

The result – using 72 exposures over 32 hours – is among the deepest images of the universe ever taken, according to Webb scientists. When FGS' aperture is open, it is not using color filters like the other science instruments – meaning it is impossible to study the age of the galaxies in this image with the rigor needed for scientific analysis. But: Even when capturing unplanned imagery during a test, FGS is capable of producing stunning views of the cosmos.

“With the Webb telescope achieving better than expected image quality, early in commissioning we intentionally defocused the guiders by a small amount to help ensure they met their performance requirements. When this image was taken, I was thrilled to clearly see all the detailed structure in these faint galaxies. Given what we now know is possible with deep broad-band guider images, perhaps such images, taken in parallel with other observations where feasible, could prove scientifically useful in the future,” said Neil Rowlands, program scientist for Webb’s Fine Guidance Sensor, at Honeywell Aerospace

Read more at blogs.nasa.gov/webb

This image: This Fine Guidance Sensor image was acquired in parallel with NIRCam imaging of the star HD147980 over a period of 8 days at the beginning of May. This image represents a total of 32 hours of exposure time at several overlapping pointings of the Guider 2 channel. The observations were not optimized for detection of faint objects, but nevertheless the image captures extremely faint objects and is, for now, the deepest image of the infrared sky. The unfiltered wavelength response of the guider, from 0.6 to 5 micrometers, helps provide this extreme sensitivity. The image is mono-chromatic and is displayed in false color with white-yellow-orange-red representing the progression from brightest to dimmest. The bright star (at 9.3 magnitude) on the right hand edge is 2MASS 16235798+2826079. There are only a handful of stars in this image – distinguished by their diffraction spikes. The rest of the objects are thousands of faint galaxies, some in the nearby universe, but many, many more in the high redshift universe.

Credit: NASA, CSA, and FGS team

The Stereo Pairs Collection provides us with this fine memorial set against terraces of houses and one large house. It seems familiar somehow but yet I cannot recall where or when I saw it? William John Shaw was respected by the pig buyers it seems but who was he?

Photographers: Frederick Holland Mares, James Simonton

Contributor: John Fortune Lawrence

Collection: Stereo Pairs Photograph Collection

Date: between ca. 1870-1883

NLI Ref: STP_1615

You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie

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Orange is blessed with a number of beautiful parks and gardens. Cook Park is the most famous. Established in 1873 Cook Park takes up an entire city block. Robertson Park and the Orange Botanic Gardens also provide a delightful place to visit and relax while open days are held throughout the year where visitors have the chance to appreciate magnificent showcase gardens which are located throughout the city.

Commentary.

Having lived in a wide variety of places, environments and landscapes I have sometimes found flat land disappointingly uninspiring.

I am glad to say that it is not the case, here.

In John Constable’s brilliant renditions of the Suffolk/Essex landscape trees, churches and buildings become pseudo-hills

and towering, summer, cumulus clouds become the pyramidal mountain peaks.

Still, to this day, the lush-green flood-plain meadows

provide delightful walking country.

Indeed, John, himself, walked this scene

from Flatford Mill, owned by his father,

to a day-school in Dedham, near the church, in the picture.

As with most people, child-hood images lock into our psyche

and much later, such inspiration tumbles from our mind

in some unexpected, subliminal, creative way.

These days, in all seasons, visitors come here in their thousands, to experience Guided Tours, river trips, mill, lock, pond, dry-dock, farmhouse and museum. Even random walks

can create conscious efforts to match present locations with their early 19th. Century version as depicted in Constable’s superb works of art.

I find his genius simply breath-taking and it fires in me a passion for this landscape, that I did not expect!

64034 provides a nice change on the 144 as it works a short journey to Bromsgrove, as pictured at Droitwich. It’s green front was for Slough local route 1 to Britwell, which has since been withdrawn with the trunk 7 extended there. 64032, 64046, 64048 were also branded for the 1, and will most likely rejoin 64034 in due course, as Worcester is due to lose more Streetlites to Leicester

Hadrian's Wall is a stone and turf fortification built by the Roman Empire across the width of Great Britain. It was the second of three such fortifications built across Great Britain, the first being Gask Ridge and the last the Antonine Wall. All three were built to prevent military raids by the Pictish tribes (ancient inhabitants of Scotland) to the north, to improve economic stability and provide peaceful conditions in the Roman province of Britannia to the south, and to physically mark the frontier of the Empire. Hadrian's Wall is the best known of the three because it remains the most physically preserved and evident today.

The wall was the northern border of the Empire in Britain for much of the Roman Empire's rule, and also the most heavily fortified border in the Empire. In addition to its use as a military fortification, it is thought that the gates through the wall would also have served as customs posts to allow trade taxation.

A significant portion of the wall still exists, particularly the mid-section, and for much of its length the wall can be followed on foot. It is the most popular tourist attraction in Northern England, where it is often known simply as the Roman Wall. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. English Heritage, a government organization in charge of managing the historic environment of England, describes it as "the most important monument built by the Romans in Britain".[1]

Sections of Hadrian's Wall remain near Greenhead and along the route, though other large sections have been dismantled over the years to use the stones for various nearby construction projects.

Sections of Hadrian's Wall remain near Greenhead and along the route, though other large sections have been dismantled over the years to use the stones for various nearby construction projects.

The Roman name of the Wall

No stone inscription survives to confirm what the Wall was called in antiquity, and no historical source gives it a name. However, the discovery of a small enamelled bronze Roman cup in Staffordshire in 2003 has provided a clue. The cup is inscribed with a series of names of Roman forts (see also the botrom of this page) along the western sector of the Wall, together with a personal name and a phrase:

MAIS COGGABATA VXELODVNVM CAMBOGLANNA RIGORE VALI AELI DRACONIS

Here we have Bowness (MAIS, followed by what must be the correct name for Drumburgh-by-Sands (COGGABATA) until now known only as CONGAVATA from the late Roman document, the Notitia Dignitatum. Next comes Stanwix (VXELODVNVM), then Castlesteads (CAMBOGLANNA), before we get to the most tantalizing part.

RIGORE seems to be the ablative form of the Latin word rigor. This can mean several things, but one of its less well-known meanings is ‘straight line’, ‘course’ or ‘direction’. This was used by Roman surveyors and appears on a number of inscriptions to indicate a line between places. So the meaning could be ‘from the course’, or better in English 'according to the course'.

The Staffordshire Moorlands cup, which provides the ancient name of Hadrian's Wall.

The Staffordshire Moorlands cup, which provides the ancient name of Hadrian's Wall.

There is no such word as vali, but in antiquity Hadrian’s Wall was known as the Vallum, the Latin word for a frontier which is today incorrectly applied to the ditch and mounds dug by the Roman army just south of the Wall. The genitive form of Vallum is Valli, so one of the most likely meanings is VAL[L]I, ‘of the frontier’. Omitting one of a pair of double consonants is common on Roman inscriptions, and transcribing an inscription from a written note is the easiest way to miss out letters. Another similar bronze vessel, known as the Rudge Cup (found in Wiltshire in the 18th century) has VN missing from the name VXELODVNVM, for example, although the letters appear on the Staffordshire cup. The Rudge Cup only bears fort names.

The name AELI is also in the genitive. This was Hadrian's nomen, his main family name and we know that the Roman bridge at Newcastle-upon-Tyne was called Pons Aelius.

Finally we have the name DRACONIS, which can be translated as ‘[by the hand – or property] of Aelius Draco’. It was normal for Roman manufacturers to give their names in the genitive (‘of’), and ‘by the hand’ would be understood. The form is common, for example, on samian pottery.

The translation, therefore, could be:

‘Mais, Coggabata, Uxelodunum, Camboglanna, according to the line of the Aelian frontier. [By the hand or The property] of Draco’.

This would mean the Romans knew Hadrian's Wall as Vallum Aeli, 'the Aelian frontier'.

Dimensions

Hadrian's Wall was 80 Roman miles (73.5 English miles or 117 kilometres) long, its width and height dependent on the construction materials which were available nearby: east of River Irthing the wall was made from squared stone and measured 3 m (9.7 ft) wide and 5 to 6 metres (16–20 ft) tall; west of the river the wall was made from turf and measured 6 metres (20 ft) wide and 3.5 metres (11.5 ft) high. This does not include the wall's ditches, berms, and forts. The central section measured 8 Roman feet wide (7.8 ft or 2.4 m) on a 10 foot base.

Route

Map showing the location of Hadrian's Wall.

Map showing the location of Hadrian's Wall.

Hadrian's Wall extended west Segedunum at Wallsend on the River Tyne to the shore of the Solway Firth. The A69 and B6318 roads follow the course of the wall as it starts in Newcastle upon Tyne to Carlisle, then on round the northern coast of Cumbria. The Wall is entirely in England and south of the border with Scotland by 15 kilometres (9 mi) in the west and 110 kilometres (68 mi) in the east.

Hadrian

Hadrian's Wall was built following a visit by Roman emperor Hadrian (AD 76–138) in AD 122. Hadrian was experiencing military difficulties in Britain, and from the peoples of various conquered lands across the Empire, including Egypt, Judea, Libya, Mauretania, and many of the peoples conquered by his predecessor Trajan, so he was keen to impose order. However the construction of such an impressive wall was probably also a symbol of Roman power, both in occupied Britain and in Rome. Frontiers in the early empire were based more on natural features or fortified zones with a heavy military presence. Military roads or limes often marked the border, with forts and signal towers spread along them and it was not until the reign of Domitian that the first solid frontier was constructed, in Germania Superior, using a simple fence. Hadrian expanded on this idea, redesigning the German border by ordering a continuous timber palisade supported by forts behind it. Although such defences would not have held back any concerted invasion effort, they did physically mark the edge of Roman territory and went some way to providing a degree of control over who crossed the border and where.

Hadrian reduced Roman military presence in the territory of the Brigantes and concentrated on building a more solid linear fortification to the north of them. This was intended to replace the Stanegate road which is generally thought to have served as the limes (the boundary of the Roman Empire) until then.

Construction

Construction probably started in 122 AD and was largely completed within eight years, with soldiers from all three of the occupying Roman legions participating in the work. The route chosen largely paralleled the nearby Stanegate road from Luguvalium (Carlisle) to Coria (Corbridge), which was already defended by a system of forts, including Vindolanda. The Wall in part follows the outcrop of a harder, more resistant igneous dolerite rock escarpment, known as the Great Whin Sill.

The initial plan called for a ditch and wall with 80 small, gated milecastle fortlets every Roman mile holding a few dozen troops each, and pairs of evenly spaced intermediate turrets used for observation and signalling. The wall was initially designed to a width of 3 metres (10 ft) (the so-called "Broad Wall"). The height is estimated to have been around 5 or 6 metres (16–20 ft). Local limestone was used in the construction, except for the section to the west of Irthing where turf was used instead as there were no useful outcrops nearby. The turf wall was 6 metres wide (20 ft) and around 3.5 metres (11.5 ft) high. Milecastles in this area were also built from timber and earth rather than stone but turrets were always stone. The Broad Wall was initially built with a clay-bonded rubble core and mortared dressed rubble facing stones, but this seems to have made it vulnerable to collapse and repair with a mortared core was sometimes necessary.

Roman fort at Corstopitum.

Roman fort at Corstopitum.

The milecastles were of three different designs, depending on which Roman legion built them — the Second, Sixth, and Twentieth Legions, whose inscriptions tell us were all involved in the construction. Similarly there are three different turret designs along the route. All were about 493 metres (539 yd) apart and measured 4.27 metres square (46.0 sq ft) internally.

Construction was divided into lengths of about 5 miles (8 km). One group of each legion would create the foundations and build the milecastles and turrets and then other cohorts would follow, building the wall itself.

Early in its construction, just after reaching the North Tyne (construction worked from east to west), the width of the wall was narrowed to 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) or even less (sometimes 1.8m) (the "Narrow Wall"). However, Broad Wall foundations had already been laid as far as the river Irthing, where the Turf Wall began, and many turrets and milecastles were optimistically provided with stub 'wing walls' in preparation for joining to the Broad Wall; a handy reference for archaeologists trying to piece together the construction chronology.

Within a few years it was decided to add a total of 14 to 17 (sources disagree) full-sized forts along the length of the wall, including Vercovicium (Housesteads) and Banna (Birdoswald), each holding between 500 and 1,000 auxiliary troops (no legions were posted to the wall). The eastern end of the wall was extended further east from Pons Aelius (Newcastle) to Segedunum (Wallsend) on the Tyne estuary. Some of the larger forts along the wall, such as Cilurnum (Chesters) and Vercovicium (Housesteads), were built on top of the footings of milecastles or turrets, showing the change of plan. An inscription mentioning early governor Aulus Platorius Nepos indicates that the change of plans took place early on. Also some time still during Hadrian's reign (i.e., before AD 138) the wall west of the Irthing was rebuilt in sandstone to basically the same dimensions as the limestone section to the east.

Vallum at Hadrian's Wall near milecastle 42

Vallum at Hadrian's Wall near milecastle 42

After the forts had been added (or possibly at the same time), the so-called Vallum was built on the southern side. It consisted of a large, flat-bottomed ditch 6 metres (20 ft) wide at the top and 3 metres (10 ft) deep bounded by a berm on each side 10 metres (33 ft) wide. Beyond the berms were earth banks 6 metres (20 ft) wide and 2 metres (6.5 ft) high. Causeways crossed the ditch at regular intervals. Initially the berm appears to have been the main route for transportation along the wall. The Vallum probably delineated a military zone rather than intending to be a major fortification, though the British tribes to the south were also sometimes a military problem.

The Wall was thus part of a defensive system which, from north to south included:

* a glacis and a deep ditch

* a berm with rows of pits holding entanglements

* the curtain wall itself

* a later military road (the "Military Way")

* a north mound, a ditch and a south mound to prevent or slow down any raids from a rebelling southern tribe.

Roman-period names

The remains of milecastle 39, near Steel Rigg

The remains of milecastle 39, near Steel Rigg

The Roman-period names of some of the Hadrian's Wall forts are known, from the Notitia Dignitatum and other evidence:

* Segedunum (Wallsend)

* Pons Aelius (Newcastle on Tyne)

* Condercum (Benwell Hill)

* Vindobala (Halton Chesters)[2]

* Hunnum (Rudchester)[2]

* Cilurnum (Chesters aka Walwick Chesters)[2]

* Procolita (Carrowburgh)

* Vercovicium (Housesteads)

* Aesica (Great Chesters)[2]

* Magnis (Carvoran)

* Banna (Birdoswald)

* Camboglanna (Castlesteads)

* Uxelodunum (Stanwix. Also known as Petriana)

* Aballava (Burgh-by-Sands)

* Coggabata (Drumburgh)

* Mais (Bowness)

Outpost forts beyond the Wall include:

* Habitancum (Risingham)

* Bremenium (Rochester)[2]

* Ad Fines (Chew Green) [1]

Supply forts behind the wall include:

* Alauna (Maryport)

* Arbeia (South Shields)

* Coria (Corbridge)

* Vindolanda (Little Chesters)[2]

* Vindomora (Ebchester)[2]

Garrison

The wall was garrisoned by auxiliary (i.e., non-legionary) units of the army (non-citizens). Their numbers fluctuated throughout the occupation, but may have been around 9,000 strong in general, including infantry and cavalry. The new forts could hold garrisons of 500 men while cavalry units of 1,000 troops were stationed at either end. The total number of soldiers manning the early wall was probably greater than 10,000.

They suffered serious attacks in 180, and especially between 196 and 197 when the garrison had been seriously weakened, following which major reconstruction had to be carried out under Septimius Severus. The region near the wall remained peaceful for most of the rest of the 3rd century. It is thought that many in the garrison may have married and integrated into the local community.

Part of Hadrian's wall near Housesteads.

Part of Hadrian's wall near Housesteads.

After Hadrian

In the years after Hadrian's death in 138, the new emperor, Antoninus Pius essentially abandoned the wall, though leaving it occupied in a support role, and began building a new wall in Scotland proper, about 160 kilometres (100 mi) north, the Antonine Wall. This turf wall ran 40 Roman miles (about 37.8 mi or 61 km) and had significantly more forts than Hadrian's Wall. Antonine was unable to conquer the northern tribes and so when Marcus Aurelius became emperor, he abandoned the Antonine Wall and occupied Hadrian's Wall once again in 164. It remained occupied by Roman troops until their withdrawal from Britain.

In the late 4th century, barbarian invasions, economic decline, and military coups loosened the Empire's hold on Britain. By 410, the Roman administration and its legions were gone, and Britain was left to look to its own defences and government. The garrisons, by now probably made up mostly of local Britons who had nowhere else to go, probably lingered on in some form for generations. Archaeology is beginning to reveal that some parts of the Wall remained occupied well into the 5th century. Enough also survived in the 8th century for spolia from it to find its way into the construction of Jarrow Priory, and for Bede to see and describe the Wall thus in Historia Ecclesiastica 1.5, although he misidentified it as being built by Septimius Severus:

“ after many great and dangerous battles, he thought fit to divide that part of the island, which he had recovered from the other unconquered nations, not with a wall, as some imagine, but with a rampart. For a wall is made of stones, but a rampart, with which camps are fortified to repel the assaults of enemies, is made of sods, cut out of the earth, and raised above the ground all round like a wall, having in front of it the ditch whence the sods were taken, and strong stakes of wood fixed upon its top. ”

But in time the wall was abandoned and fell into ruin. Over the centuries and even into the 20th century a large proportion of the stone was reused in other local buildings.

In fiction

Sycamore Gap (the "Robin Hood Tree")

Sycamore Gap (the "Robin Hood Tree")

* Hadrian's Wall was featured extensively in the movie King Arthur (which depicted the story of the people the Arthurian legends were supposedly based on). The one kilometre (0.6 mi) long replica, located in County Kildare, Ireland, was the largest movie set ever built in that country, and took a crew of 300 construction workers four and a half months to build. The fort in the movie where Arthur and his Sarmatian "knights" were garrisoned was based on the Roman fort named Vindolanda, which was built around AD 80 just south of Hadrian's Wall in what is now called Chesterholm, in Northern England. In the movie, the fort is attached to the wall.

* Sycamore Gap, a section of the wall between two crests just west of milecastle 38, is locally known as the "Robin Hood Tree". This location was used in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, as the setting for an interlude during Robin's journey from the White Cliffs (actually shot at the Seven Sisters Hills) to Nottingham via Aysgarth Falls.

Norway / Innlandet - Jotunheimen

Sjoa

The Sjoa is a river in Innlandet county, Norway. The 98-kilometre (61 mi) long river runs through the municipalities of Vågå and Sel and it provides the outlet from lake Gjende at Gjendesheim in the Jotunheimen mountains of Norway's Jotunheim National Park. The river flows eastward through the Sjodalen valley and Heidal valley into the Gudbrandsdalslågen river at the village of Sjoa.

South of the village of Randsverk, the river flows through Ridderspranget which is a ravine named after a Norwegian myth.

Rafting, kayaking and fishing

The river is used for kayaking, rafting and fishing. Thirteen deaths have occurred in the river, from 1989 to 2010. This includes four deaths involving a group of tourists in various inflatable "catarafts", on 24 July 2010 (a national newspaper claimed that at that time the level of the river was 10 centimetres (4 in) above a safe level for rafting).

There are several companies offering rafting, kayaking, riverboarding and other activities in Sjoa and the surrounding area. Some parts of the river are impossible to raft.[citation needed] Some parts are blocked by large rocks which the river flows underneath. These areas are considered "death traps" by the local commercial rafting providers.

(Wikipedia)

Der Fluss Sjoa ist ein wasserreicher Wildfluss im norwegischen Innlandet. Er beginnt seinen Lauf am Ostende des Gjendesees bei Gjendesheim im Nationalpark Jotunheimen und fließt von dort aus in nordöstlicher Richtung. Er durchquert dabei das landschaftlich schöne Hochtal Sjoadalen, bevor er später in den Lågen mündet.

Der Name Sjoa kommt von dem altnorwegischen Wort hjár, das der ..., der glitzert bedeutet.

Die Sjoa durchfließt südlich des Ortes Randsverk eine Klamm, die als Ridderspranget („Rittersprung“) bekannt ist. Der Sage nach konnte der Ritter Sigvat Kvie nach einem Brautraub seinen Verfolgern entkommen, indem er mit seinem Pferd an dieser Stelle über die etwa drei Meter breite Kluft sprang und die nachkommenden Verfolger in die Schlucht stieß.

Der Fluss wurde 1973 durch einen Stortingbeschluss dauerhaft vor der Nutzung der Wasserkraft geschützt.

Sport

Die letzten Kilometer des Flussverlaufs durch das Heidalen stellen ein sehr beliebtes Kajak- und Raftgewässer dar. Die Sjoa hat dabei unterschiedliche Schwierigkeitsgrade, meist III bis IV. Der sogenannte Durchbruch – die Mündung in den Lågen – bildet die schwierigste (befahrbare) Stelle und wird mit IV-V klassifiziert. Die Sjoa gilt als der bekannteste Wildwasserfluss in Norwegen.

(Wikipedia)

Sowrya Consultancy Provides best guidance for USA Educational Consultant in Hyderabad, we provide intensive coaching for GRE, Ielts and PTE with expert faculty. We also providing student visa who are looking for USA student visa under the guidance of experienced counsellors.

Ilford Sprite 35-II - not sure about fantastic but definitely plastic !

It's an entry level plastic camera which is not designed to be repaired. 😂 Serial #210802

From Ilford websites:

Since inception in 1879, ILFORD has been a name associated with photography. Whilst the company has evolved over the years, the drive to provide our customers with world-class products is as strong as it was over 140 years ago.

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The Ilford Sprite 35-II a fun and affordable way to jump into analogue photography!

There are plenty of good reasons why some love the authentic look and feel of film-generated photographs; there’s also the discipline of having only 24 or 36 exposures to work with, and the anticipation of having a roll developed. Then there’s the desire to slow down from the relentless pace of digital technology and instant gratification

Back in the 1960s, few cameras were easier to use and more affordable than the Sprite 35. Forget shutter speeds, aperture, or light meters – just load a roll of film, hit the shutter button, and press the film lever. It was an attractive camera for people who wanted to capture a few snaps without fussing about the right settings.

The Ilford Sprite 35-II continues that heritage and will meet the needs of people experimenting with 35mm film and looking for a camera that’s ‘no frills’ simple. It’s a step up from disposable cameras, and being re-usable, it won’t create extra waste.

The camera has a fixed shutter speed (1/120s) with a 31mm, single element f9 fixed-focus wide-angle lens, perfect for capturing most well-focused daylight scenes, and also features a built-in flash with a 15-second recycle time for night time shooting.

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HIT THE 'L' KEY FOR A BETTER VIEW! Thanks for the favs and comments. Much Appreciated.

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All of my photographs are under copyright ©. None of these photographs may be reproduced and/or used in any way without my permission.

© VanveenJF Photography

This species and the Ground Squirrels provide for my amusement when the birding gets slow at our pond. These rodents know every nook and cranny of the jumbled rock border surrounding the pond, and can navigate through this maze with amazing dexterity and speed. It's their "jungle gym" and safe house! I have to constantly watch and pan them through my viewfinder to quickly capture a still moment like this... they're usually in frantic motion. This guy, however, is pausing to warm up in the morning sunshine... nights up here are cool.

IMG_7200; Colorado Chipmunk

The exterior decorations of the Taj Mahal are among the finest to be found in Mughal architecture.

Passages from the Qur'an are used as decorative elements and selected in order to provide a visual enhancement showing that it was an image of Heavens.

Surat Al-Fajr (Arabic: سورة الفجر Sūrat ul-Faǧr, The Dawn, Daybreak) is the 89th sura of the Qur'an with 30 ayat, it is used on the door which leads to the gardens.

The sura describes destruction of disbelieving peoples, such as Ancient Egyptians and the people of Iram of the Pillars.

It condems those who love wealth and look with disdain upon the poor and orphans.

Righteous people are promised Paradise - the final verse says:

"'O you peaceful soul, Return to your Lord, well pleased with Him, and He well pleased with you; So, enter you among My chosen bondmen, And come to My Garden."

In 1983, the Taj Mahal (ताज महल) became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage."

This picture was shot during the only hour of sunshine of that day of monsoon and it was the first time that I saw as less tourits at the Taj.

This group of villagers came from Rajasthan in order to visit this place.

A few women saw my camera and asked me to shoot their portrait, later when they felt confident I tried a few things like this image.

I always found those Rajasthani costumes fascinating and inspiring.

Those verses of the Qur'an from the background of the Taj Mahal seems to be appropriate to this picture.

Join the photographer at www.facebook.com/laurent.goldstein.photography

© All photographs are copyrighted and all rights reserved.

Please do not use any photographs without permission (even for private use).

The use of any work without consent of the artist is PROHIBITED and will lead automatically to consequences.

Provides a place of tranquillity for the patients and relatives at the near by Forth Valley Hospital serving Falkirk and Stirling.

© Tam Mains. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce this image on websites or on social media without the owners consent.

History provides the largest nuclear accident in 30 years has passed out of the Chernobyl disaster. The ceremony was held to mourn the victims of the disaster in Ukraine and Russia, was remembered with deep wounds opened disaster once again tears. Chernobyl on April 26, 1986 explosion, spread 30 tons of radioactive material into the area of ​​60 thousand kilometers. 31 people were killed in the explosion, but later due to radioactive clouds extending from France millions of people were exposed to dangerous levels of radiation. He played a major role in the increase of radiation cancer. Nuclear plant to hazardous waste cleanup operation involved 600 thousand people. Who attended the ceremony at the plant in Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko, he was presented the medal to rescue personnel who are alive today. If Poroshenko his speech, "nor did the health department statistics can give a clear figures on how many people we lost. The number of people directly or indirectly injured or who lost their lives can be expressed in a hundred thousand, "he said.

One of the more picturesque bus stations, Penzance provides ideal photos in sunny weather, the layover point away from the stands provide a nice vocal point where buses hold before continuing service.

Throughout 2020, Go Cornwall Bus took on 60 long-wheelbase Alexander Dennis Enviro200MMCs (2401-2460), although a small number of examples are known for transferring across Devon to neighbouring Plymouth Citybus. Early examples are fitted with Allison gearboxes compared to Voith's for later batches.

Operating hourly with the 5, Go Cornwall Bus provides a convenient service from Penzance to the southern villages of Sheffield and Paul. Sheffield also sees regular services by Kernow's Atlantic Coaster.

Alexander Dennis Enviro200MMC 2405 (WA20 DWC) waits on layover at Penzance Bus Station prior to working 5 to Sheffield & Paul.

Provides a meal for a gull

....

View On Black

Fishing provides that connection with the whole living world. It gives you the opportunity of being totally immersed, turning back into yourself in a good way. A form of meditation, some form of communion with levels of yourself that are deeper than the ordinary self.

~Ted Hughes~

Ah, spring provides the most gorgeous backdrops...

"Komainu (狛犬), often called lion-dogs in English, are statue pairs of lion-like creatures either guarding the entrance or the inner shrine of many Japanese Shinto shrines or kept inside the inner shrine itself, where they are not visible to the public. The first type, born during the Edo period, is called sandō komainu (参道狛犬 visiting road Komainu), the second and much older type jinnai komainu (陣内狛犬 shrine inside komainu). They can sometimes be found also at Buddhist temples, nobility residences or even private homes." (Wikipedia)

[AF] LONDON Apartment

Trompe Loeil - Flying Bird Display - Spiral with wires

Abiss Piano White

Dutchie sculpted curtains

KOSH- CHAAN RUG

Abiss Interior - La Scala Black Love Seat

(Surge) Square Column mesh

Trompe Loeil - Canopy Bed Poplar Black Satin {Adult}

MudHoney Fleur Runner

KOSH- IVY AMPHORA

UrbanizeD - Wall Tattoo A1 - Mono II 4

UrbanizeD - Deco "Wall Flower"

Abiss Vanity dresser Black transfer

MudHoney Scroll Lamp

Decorum - Ashe and Dust Chair

collect-H [black] 11prim

collect-C [black] 14prim

HD VINTAGE BATHTUB -Adult ver- L size

HD VINTAGE BATHTUB -Adult ver- L size

The Loft - Leighton Bench

The Loft - Leighton Sink Rod Iron

Trompe Loeil - Wicker Bathroom Basket Black

[AF] RUFFLE Rug

March Point. Padilla Bay/Fidalgo Bay.

"Hosting one of the largest Great Blue Heron colonies in Western North America, this island of forest sits between Padilla and Fidalgo Bays. Vera and Bud Kinney donated this property to Skagit Land Trust in 1994 to protect the nesting herons. With the cooperation of neighboring landowners, each year, Skagit Land Trust conducts a nest count in the heronry. 680 heron nests were counted in 2019 in this relatively small area, which provides easy access to feeding grounds for the herons. Unfortunately, the Trust does not have access to all neighboring property, and therefore some heron nests are uncounted. The overall trend, however, shows increasing number of heron nests in the colony on SLT property and the property to which we have access -- and there are likely to be hundreds more nests on the adjacent property to which we do not have access." March Point Heronry

Update:

Köhler G, Hedges SB (2020)

We provide a replacement name, Anolis callainus sp. nov., for the Hispaniolan anole species formerly referred to as Anolis chlorocyanus Duméril & Bibron, 1837. This is necessary because the syntypes of Anolis chlorocyanus Duméril & Bibron, 1837 are conspecific with the only available syntype of Anolis coelestinus Cope, 1862. Thus, what was formerly known as A. coelestinus now must be referred to as A. chlorocyanus, and the A. chlorocyanus of former usage becomes A. callainus.

Etymology. The name callainus is Latin for pale green or blue-green and is used here as a masculine noun in apposition, referring to this species’ overall coloration in life.

Lagartija Verde de la Española /Hispaniolan green anole (Anolis callainus) es una especie de anole endémica de la isla de Hispaniola.

los machos tienen un colgajo de garganta azul claro, en lugar de rojo. Las hembras y los juveniles pueden tener rayas verdes más oscuras que recubren los lados de sus cuerpos, pero los machos suelen ser de un color verde brillante puro

Es muy similar a la especie norteamericana, el anole verde (Anolis carolinensis), pero los machos tienen un colgajo de garganta azul claro, en lugar de rojo.

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The Hispaniolan green anole (Anolis callainus ) is a species of anole endemic to the island of Hispaniola

males have a light blue throat flap, instead of red. Females and juveniles may have darker green stripes lining the sides of their bodies, but males are often a pure bright green color.

It is very similar to the North American species, the green anole (Anolis carolinensis), but males have a light blue throat flap, instead of red.

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Lugar de Observacion: Puerto escondido, Duverge.

Republica Dominicana.

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Scientific classification

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Chordata

Class:Reptilia

Order:Squamata

Suborder:Iguania

Family:Dactyloidae

Genus:Anolis

Species:A. callainus

Binomial name

Anolis callainus

On a pretty winter morning, fresh snow coats the right of way as CSXT's Readville based local L010 (formerly B731) approaches on its way to Framingham seen headed west on Main 1 of the Keolis/MBTA Franklin Line passing MP 14 as they approach Norwood Depot with a couple dozen empty boxcars and reefers trailing a nice pair of classic SD40-2s, CSXT 8365 (blt. Apr. 1969 as a straight SD40 as Chesapeake and Ohio 7506) and 8181 (blt. Apr. 1974 as Louisville and Nashville 1278).

After passing through this station they will pause briefly and hold out of Norwood Central for 20 min or so to await a meet with inbound train 746 from Foxboro before continuing toward Walpole where they'll peel away for a run up the freight only Framingham Secondary.

Only a half mile apart, the two stations, Norwood Depot and Norwood Central have served the line continuously since 1849 and 1852. Built as the Norfolk County Railroad and ultimately becoming the New York and New England mainline until that road merged with the New Haven in 1898, in the modern era this was known as the Midland Division and today is the MBTA's Franklin Line. CSXT as the direct corporate successor to the New Haven (by way of Penn Central and Conrail) continues to provide freight service on the route.

Norwood, Massachusetts

Monday January 8, 2024

Provides extra potent fuel for pola-shooting when consumed with Anniebee. (Sadly, I drank this one alone.)

Polaroid SX-70 Sonar with Impossible PX70 V4B test film - L/D wheel 2/3 dark, which was probably a bit too much for indoors ...

This diner opened in 1993 and provides 24/7 service. GB.

After diving in warm Caribbean waters for a week, I hit the SoCal reefs for the startup up of "nudibranch season". During Springtime at California's Channel Islands, the cold, green waters provide nutrients and conditions that trickle down to an explosion of nudibranchs on the reef. Of course no day of diving and shooting nudi's at Anacapa Island would be complete without an image of a Spanish shawl nudibranch. They can grow quite large, but this specimen was only about 3 cm long.

Soviet aviation memories from a collection of some 80 slides of Soviet-built aircraft that I've had scanned from my archives. Hope they will provide some enjoyment and nostalgia from a bygone age.

Interflug Tupolev Tu-134A DM-SCU makes a fine sight arriving at the stand at London Gatwick on the weekly charter that operated at the time 😎 :)

My trusty log book gives the flight number as IF7200. Fortunately for me and my camera, the aircraft taxied to a stand right under the viewing terrace :)

Interflug at Gatwick Back in the early 1980s, I remember well waiting each Saturday afternoon (and often into the evening!) for the Interflug Tu-134A charter flight to arrive. Eventually we worked out there was an old computer terminal (green screen :) down on one of the airline desks that had the registrations appear around an hour before arrival was due - and often traipsed down there to see if the reg was up to save waiting around if not a 'cop'!

Checking the calendar, this was in fact a Wednesday

Interflug I only bagged a handful registered as country prefix DM in the summer of 1980, and when the 1981 season started they had all been re-registered as DDR-

This was a bit of a surprise, as nearly all airlines at the time either had single or double letter prefixes.

DDR of course stood for Deutsche Demokratische Republik )(otherwise known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR)

DM-SCU c/n 09070 - delivered new to Interflug in May 1974 and flew with them until the demise of the airline in 1990 - became DDR-SCU in 7/81, then D-AOBI in 10/90. The aircraft was then sold to Syktyvkar Avia as CCCP-65605 in 12/90, then became EW-65605 with Belair (Belarus) in 9/93, back to Russia as RA-65605 with Chernomorsk Avia in 8/95, then with Krasnoyarsk Airlines by 2002. Transferred to Zapolyarye, then finally flew with SIAT Sibaviatrans - wfu 2005, presume scrapped.

Interflug Tu-134(A)s - the airline operated one of the largest fleets of Tupolev Tu-134s and the larger Tu-134As in Europe, around 30 aircraft between 1968 and German unification in 1990. Here is a list of the fleet:

Tu-134

DM-SCA 1968-1972 - damaged on landing at Dresden 30/5/72 and sold to Aeroflot - since scrapped.

DM-SCB 1968-1986 - wfu and used as a restaurant cafe at Oschersleben, Germany until 2004 - since preserved at Flughafen Magdeburg.

DM-SCD 1969-1975 - w/o on landing at Leipzig - Halle 1/9/75

DM-SCE 1969-1985 - 175 East German Air Force, then Interflug 3/74, DDR-SCE in 4/81, wfu 5/85, presume scrapped

DM-SCF 1969-1986 - 178 East German Air Force, then Interflug 6/74, DDR-SCF in 7/81, wfu 6/86, and used as fire fighting trainer at at Leipzig, scrapped 5/13

DM-SCG 1969-1985 - 179 East German Air Force, then Interflug 2/74, DDR-SCG in 7/81, wfu 8/85, and used as fire fighting trainer at at Erfurt , since scrapped

DM-SCH 1969-1984 - DDR-SCH in 7/81, wfu 1/84, preserved on display Latuftfahrthistorische Sammlung, Finow

DM-SCZ 1969-1986 - 177 East German Air Force, then Interflug 12/75, DDR-SCZ in 7/81, wfu 6/86, preserved since 6/01 at Luftfahrt und Technik Museum, Merseburg

Tu-134A

DM-SCI 1973-1990 - DDR-SCI in 4/81, became D-AOBA 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65611 2/92, then RA-65611 - wfu by 2012, presume scrapped

DM-SCK 1971-1990 - East German Air Force, then Interflug 11/79, DDR-SCK in 7/81 - wfu 9/90, moved by 6/94 to Hermeskeil Museum and preserved

DM-SCL 1971-1990 - 182 East German Air Force, then Interflug 5/77, DDR-SCL in 5/81 - wfu 3/90, purchased and preserved by HYDRO Gerätebau GmbH at Biberach, Germany

DM-SCM 1973-1977 - damaged on landing at Berlin Schönefeld 22/11/77 - broken up for parts

DM-SCN 1973-1990 - 170 East German Air Force, then Interflug 7/77, DDR-SCN in 4/81, became D-AOBC 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65612 9/91, then RA-65612 - wfu 9/04 at Berlin Schönefeld, used for firefighting practice, broken up 8/10

DM-SCO 1973-1990 - 171 East German Air Force, then Interflug 5/79, DDR-SCO in 4/81, became D-AOBD 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65613 10/91, then RA-65613 - wfu 2006, presume scrapped

DM-SCP 1974-1990 - East German Air Force, then Interflug 10/78, DDR-SCP in 7/81, became D-AOBE 10/90, then sold to Komiinteravia as CCCP-65615 10/91, then RA-65615 - wfu 2008, presume scrapped

DM-SCR 1974-1990 - 176 East German Air Force, then Interflug 5/77, DDR-SCR in 4/81, became D-AOBF 10/90, then sold to Syktyvkar Avia as RA-65616 10/91 - wfu 2008, presume scrapped

DM-SCS 1974-1990 - East German Air Force, then Interflug 5/79, DDR-SCS in 4/81, became D-AOBG 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65614 10/91, then RA-65614 - wfu 2008, presume scrapped

DM-SCT 1974-1990 - DDR-SCT in 5/81, became D-AOBH 10/90, then sold to Komiaviatrans 8/91 as RA-65617 10/91, damaged 24/6/95 landing at Kaduna, Nigeria and broken up

DM-SCU 1974-1990 - DDR-SCU in 7/81, became D-AOBI 10/90, then sold to Syktyvkar Avia as CCCP-65605 12/90, then EW-65605 Belair (Belarus), then RA-65605 - wfu 2005, presume scrapped

DM-SCV 1974-1990 - DDR-SCV in 4/81, became D-AOBJ 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65618 10/91, then RA-65618 - wfu 2005, presume scrapped

DM-SCW 1975-1990 - East German Air Force, DDR-SCW in 10/81, then Interflug 5/82, became D-AOBK 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65619 10/91, then RA-65619, then UN-65619 with Atyrau Airways, Kazakhstan, then UP-T3406 with Kazakhstan Air Force - seen stored in 2018

DM-SCX 1976-1990 - DDR-SCX in 5/81, became D-AOBL 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65621 10/91, then RA-65621 - wfu by 2012 and broken up 2014

DM-SCY 1978-1990 - DDR-SCY in 4/81, became D-AOBM 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65622 10/90, then RA-65622 - wfu by 2012 and broken up 2013

DM-SDC 1974-1990 - 181 East German Air Force, then Interflug 3/82 as DDR-SDC, became D-AOBN 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65620 10/91, then RA-65620 - wfu by 2014 and broken up at Syktyvkar, Russia 11/14

DM-SDE 1975-1990 - 183 East German Air Force, then Interflug 3/85 as DDR-SDE, became D-AOBO 10/90, then sold to Syktyvkar Avia as CCCP-65608 9/91, then RA-65608 - wfu by 2014 and broken up at Syktyvkar, Russia 1/15

DM-SDF 1975-1990 - 185 East German Air Force, then Interflug 7/84 as DDR-SDF, became D-AOBP 10/90, then sold to Syktyvkar Avia as CCCP-65610 9/91, then RA-65610, then UN-65610 with Atyrau Airways, Kazakhstan, then UP-T3406 with Kazakhstan Air Force - seen stored in 2018

DM-SDG 1976-1990 - 186 East German Air Force, then Interflug 2/88 as DDR-SDG, became D-AOBQ 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65609 9/91, then RA-65609, then UN-65610 with UTAir Express, wfu 2014 and broken up

DM-SDH 1976-1990 - DDR-SDH in 6/81, became D-AOBR 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65606 10/90, then RA-65606 - wfu by 2004 and transferred to Tupolev Design Bureau - converted to Tu-134A-3 - still current!

DM-SDI 1976-1990 - DDR-SDI in 4/81, became D-AOBS 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65607 10/90, then RA-65607 - wfu by 2014 and broken up 2016

DM-SDO 1979-1990 118 East German Air Force, DDR-SDO in 8/81, then Interflug 8/81, then sold to Vietnam Airlines as VN-A130 6/90 - wfu 1997 and broken up at Hanoi, Noibai International airport around 2004

Taken with a Soviet made Zenith E camera and 300mm lens. From an original slide, scanned with minimal restoration.

You can see a random selection of my aviation memories here: www.flickriver.com/photos/heathrowjunkie/random/

March Point. Padilla Bay/Fidalgo Bay.

"One of the largest Great Blue Heron colonies in Western North America, this island of forest sits between Padilla and Fidalgo Bays. Vera and Bud Kinney donated this property to Skagit Land Trust in 1994 to protect the nesting herons. With the cooperation of neighboring landowners, each year, Skagit Land Trust conducts a nest count in the heronry. 546 heron nests were counted in 2016 in this relatively small area, which provides easy access to feeding grounds for the herons. Unfortunately, the Trust does not have access to all neighboring property, and therefore some heron nests are uncounted. The overall trend, however, shows increasing number of heron nests in the colony on Skagit Land Trust property and the property to which we have access -- and there are likely to be hundreds more nests on the adjacent property to which we do not have access." March Point Heronry

This property provides oceanfront living at its best. Hollywood has a reputation of quality, refinement and luxury, and the Ocean Palms is no departure from that. However, the property does offer an amazingly direct way to dive into your South Florida lifestyle.

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Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:

www.sunnyislesmiamirealestate.com/Hollywood/Ocean-Palms/

www.emporis.com/buildings/156435/ocean-palms-phase-i-holl...

Delta Airlines provide eye masks, ear plugs and headphones but sleeping on a plane is difficult with the trolly dollies walking up and down the aisles. I use my own headphones but thought these freebies would come in handy for today's 366 shot. The black packet is ear plugs, honest! :)

After travelling for almost 25 hours I walked in the door at just after 10 pm last night. Zia and Minky so pleased to see me. Zia kept checking on me every half an hour during the night with her dog sniffs and kisses. I think I'll sleep better tonight and have sweet dreams:) Knackered!