“Peel-up” benches are a signature element of High Line an elevated railway line owned by the City of New York, today the High Line is a 1.45-mile-long linear public park maintained, operated, and programmed by Friends of the High Line, in partnership with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, on Tuesday, September 15, 2015. High Line was opened in 1934 and moved goods to and from Manhattan’s largest industrial district until 1980. The third and final phase officially opened to the public on September 21, 2014. The High Line's green roof system with drip irrigation is designed to allow the planting beds to retain as much water as possible; because many of the plants are drought-tolerant, they need little supplemental watering. When supplemental watering is needed, hand watering is used so as to tailor the amount of water to the needs of individual species and weather conditions, and to conserve water. High Line is independently funded from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (USFS). Urban forestry and green spaces are priority areas for USFS. With 80 percent* of the nation's population in urban areas, there are strong environmental, social, and economic cases to be made for the conservation of green spaces to guide growth and revitalize city centers and older suburbs. Urban forests broadly include urban parks, street trees, landscaped boulevards, public gardens, river and coastal promenades, greenways, river corridors, wetlands, nature preserves, natural areas, shelter belts of trees and working trees at industrial brownfield sites. Urban forests are dynamic ecosystems that provide needed environmental services by cleaning air and water helping to control storm water, and conserving energy. They add form, structure, beauty and breathing room to urban design, reduce noise, separate incompatible uses, provide places to recreate, strengthen social cohesion, leverage community revitalization, and add economic value to our communities. Urban forests, through planned connections of green spaces, form the green infrastructure system on which communities depend. Green infrastructure works at multiple scales from the neighborhood to the metro area up to the regional landscape. This natural life support system sustains clean air and water, biodiversity, habitat, nesting and travel corridors for wildlife, and connects people to nature. Urban forests, through planned connections of green spaces, form the green infrastructure system on which communities depend. Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) is a cooperative program of the US Forest Service that focuses on the stewardship of urban natural resources. UCF provides technical, financial, research and educational services to local government, non-profit organizations community groups, educational institutions, and tribal governments. The program is delivered through its legislative partners, the state forestry agencies in 59 states and US territories. Forest Service cooperative programs are currently being redesigned to make more effective use of federal resources. Programs will be focused on issues and landscapes of national importance and prioritized through state and regional assessments. Over the next five years an increasing percentage of funding will be focused on landscape scale projects. Three national themes provide a framework for this work: conserve working forest landscapes; protect forests from harm; and enhance benefits associated with trees and forests. More information and upcoming webinars on December 9, 2015 | 1:00pm-2:15pm ET; January 13, 2016 | 1:00pm-2:15pm ET; and February 10, 2016 | 1:00pm-2:15pm ET can be seen at *http://www.fs.fed.us/ucf/program.shtml. USDA Photo By Lance Cheung.

I'm terrified of trying to do a 365. With how many unfinished art projects lay around my house, day to day, I'm so nervous about only making it to 45 and punking out, prioritizing "other things."

But here it is: my bare honesty, my fear, my creative mind, and the proof that I can dedicate my mind and heart to something and complete it.

Please don't take offense to any illusion of nudity in this project; it's all artistic and intended to be tasteful. This concept was built off of the fear of exposure this kind of art represents to me.

This will be my heart, on paper. Here it goes.

A couple years back I was hired by Andy and Fred of 'AFA' (pioneers of advanced noise cancellation technology).

These images were harder to produce than might appear. I knew I wanted to prioritize Andy and Fred, but also at the same time give a sense of speed and movement. Had I shot in traditional fashion then the shutter speed needed to produce motion blur of the cars would have been dangerously low to also introduce motion blur of Andy and Fred as well. So in order to successfully achieve this look I needed to shoot the images on a tripod and involve strobe work directed at the guys which assists with 'freezing motion' (as well as helping them 'pop out' of the scene). In addition to this I used ND filters to allow me to shoot at wide apertures to allow me to help separate them from the busy backdrop and keep attention placed firmly on them.

The additional benefits of using a tripod allowed me to take several images and blend speeding cars and smoke into any scene of the two of them that I liked.

Overall I think they turned out pretty good.

I am saddened to hear that since this shoot Fred has passed away (pictured on the right). He seemed like such a lovely man with a genuine gentle soul.

Sainte-Chapelle, the radiant Gothic chapel in the middle of Paris, has been a "bucket list" photo destination of mine for years. It's hidden within the Palais de Justice and underneath the shadow of its more famous, larger cousin: Notre Dame.

Gothic cathedrals are famous for their heavy stone structures and foreboding decorations. The purpose of all that masonry is to provide support for enormous windows. Nowhere is this more evident than Sainte-Chapelle: it seems the entire structure is made of garishly-saturated stained glass.

Now, I find many of the most interesting Sainte-Chapelle photographs were taken when just light enough outside to illuminate the windows, but dark enough to necessitate the interior chandeliers to be lit. Given you are not allowed to bring a tripod into the chapel, that means that most of the work I've seen of the chapel either lacks dynamic range, detail, or is butchered by overly-aggressive post-processing.

Years ago, during my last visit to Paris, I had missed the opportunity to tour the chapel. Knowing I had a few free hours in Paris upcoming, I immediately prioritized bringing a camera to the chapel and I decided to rent a new Sony A7r III for two purposes: to compare it to my standby D800, and to see if the in-body image stabilization (IBIS) that the camera boasts was truly able to offer multiple stops of stabilization.

I received a Sony A7r III (I'm sure I was the first person to use this particular camera) and a Novoflex Nikon G to Sony FE adapter on a Thursday and by Saturday I had shoved it along with a tripod and my D800 and associated lenses into a duffel and was on my way to the airport.

The first visit I made was during the daytime hours on a Sunday, the place was relatively empty and the sunlight was both intense and direct. It shone through the glass and cast shades of purple and blue throughout the chapel. Though the photographs (and more importantly, the experience of visiting) were beautiful - I had a different image in my mind.

Under these well-lit conditions, there was little difference between the Nikon and the Sony - chalk that up to the ability to stop down and still achieve a low ISO with either camera. The Nikon was far more pleasant to use (perhaps a function of familiarity), however, and therefore I ended up taking more images and ended with a better set.

When the skies opened up a day later and stormy weather began to roll over Paris, I had a short window of time available before meetings and I decided to try again. I trudged through the rain to wait in line once more. This time, I was rewarded with near perfect lighting conditions - the thunderstorm had created precisely the atmosphere I was seeking.

Inside the chapel, I worked to capture most angles with both cameras - I wasn't interested in a scientific comparison, but in a real-world test of image quality in the field. This is about comparing the in-the-moment experiences and qualitative impressions of both systems captured while using both heavily under time pressure and in difficult lighting.

Another long flight back and I sat in front of the computer to compare results. A couple of conclusions:

1) On overall image quality, and particularly dynamic range, the Nikon D800, for being many years old, can still hold its own against the latest and greatest offerings.

2) For those of us accustomed to DSLRs - the OVF and ergnomics are superior to the more compact, mirrorless options. This is purely subjective and, as advantages go, short-lived. Photographers who buy into mirrorless will feel the opposite way once their muscle memory is accustomed to their cameras. Kudos to Sony for making something I could rent and learn and use effectively in a weekend - but it's tiny and cramped and all a bit, well... unsubstantial.

3) Nikon owners don't have automatic adapters yet (or at least I didn't) and therefore are still reliant on manual focusing and manual aperture control - if you're thinking of switching you can use your Nikkor lenses, but don't expect to enjoy it.

4) 42MP is a truly marginal improvement over 36MP - if you're a D800 user lusting after more resolution, you're either eyeing the D850 or (more accurately) a 100MP back or future camera to see another step-change the likes of which you experienced moving to the D800

5) The Sony A7r III produces truly amazing images - on par or better with the best DSLRs. This bit is obvious and has been shown over and over again in qualitative and quantitative tests.

6) The Sony's IBIS gave me at least 1-2 stops improvement over the Nikon - producing sharp images at ~1/8 of a second and below. When you consider that IBIS systems in general degrade image quality (the sensor is moving, after all) and that 42 megapixels is a brutal judge of sharpness - that I could reliably shoot below 1/10th of a second and produce sharp images is truly remarkable. The top image is 6 frames shot handheld and stitched - all of them were taken in quick succession and have no issues with blur or hand shake. Amazing.

7) The Sony's dynamic range and therefore the ability to draw out shadows and pull back highlights in post was at least as good as the D800 - an awesome parlor trick for those of us who grew up on film and early digital no matter how old.

8) I have no idea if the A7r III has a focusing advantage or even how it operates with an autofocus lens.

9) It's not that much smaller. If you're trekking through the back-country then the size matters, but the much-touted smaller form factor comes with as many costs as benefits. I have a Leica Q, so maybe that disqualifies me from commenting on size (as I already have a camera that solves for the size/quality maximum) - but if you're a DSLR user, I wouldn't buy this for the size advantage. After all, a good lens (and you'll need one to benefit from that sensor) isn't going to clock in any smaller on the Sony than the Nikon

10) There are a mix of Nikon and Sony images on this page - you can't tell them apart unless you look at the EXIF - and both are years ahead of mobile image quality. As good as it is, the iPhone photo below (shot in RAW and processed with Adobe Lightroom Mobile) is clearly inferior to the "big camera" images. Mobile cameras were, at one point, "catching up" with DSLR image quality, but we've now entered into a time where that gap is opening again.

11) None of these images were possible anywhere near this quality 10 years ago. This is the bit that's exciting - despite diminishing returns - digital tech is still opening up new frontiers in what you can capture. That goes double for the "low quality" iPhone image - if I'd brought film with me, the iPhone would blow it out of the water.

Was the image quality noticeably better under tougher conditions with the Sony? Yes. Would I switch to Sony mirrorless? Not yet. Would I rent again for a situation like this? Yes - I may even leave the DSLR home next time and save a little carry-on room for a warmer jacket.

This technology is real - Nikon and Canon (who may have fallen permanently behind) need to continue to over-deliver on their DSLRs - the D850 probably keeps me in the Nikon fold if I need to replace my 800 in the coming years.

what could possibly be his age now.

At his age, a lot of young men may worry about education, party, getting into good colleges.

some worry about prioritizing their study abroad programs, Greece or Barcelona?

some may worry on how the date would go tonight.

He does not seem to be bind in those worries. He is chilled out listening to his 'thing' through his earbuds. He does not have the luxury to worry about life, the heat, the poverty and shit.

All he knows is the fact that he has to be 'on the move' : to catch his next customer.

press 'L' to look at the story.

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Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2011

A antique stereoview. No info on the back.

Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (/ˈroʊzəvɛlt/ ROH-zə-velt;[b] October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or his initials T. R., was an American politician, statesman, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26th president of the United States from 1901 to 1909. He previously served as the 25th vice president under William McKinley from March to September 1901, and as the 33rd governor of New York from 1899 to 1900. Having assumed the presidency after McKinley's assassination, Roosevelt emerged as a leader of the Republican Party and became a driving force for anti-trust and Progressive policies.

Roosevelt was a sickly child with debilitating asthma but partly overcame his health problems by embracing a strenuous lifestyle. He integrated his exuberant personality, a vast range of interests and achievements into a "cowboy" persona defined by robust masculinity. He was home-schooled and began a lifelong naturalist avocation before attending Harvard. His book The Naval War of 1812 (1882) established his reputation as a learned historian and popular writer. Upon entering politics, he became the leader of the reform faction of Republicans in New York's state legislature. His wife and mother both died in the same night and he was psychologically devastated. He recuperated by buying and operating a cattle ranch in the Dakotas. He served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President William McKinley and in 1898 helped plan the highly successful naval war against Spain. He resigned to help form and lead the Rough Riders, a unit that fought the Spanish army in Cuba to great publicity. Returning a war hero, he was elected governor of New York in 1898. The New York state party leadership disliked his ambitious agenda and convinced McKinley to make Roosevelt his running mate in the 1900 election. Roosevelt campaigned vigorously, and the McKinley–Roosevelt ticket won a landslide victory based on a platform of victory, peace and prosperity.

Roosevelt assumed the presidency at age 42 after McKinley was assassinated in September 1901. He remains the youngest person to become president of the United States. Roosevelt was a leader of the progressive movement and championed his "Square Deal" domestic policies, promising the average citizen fairness, breaking of trusts, regulation of railroads, and pure food and drugs. He prioritized conservation and established national parks, forests, and monuments intended to preserve the nation's natural resources. In foreign policy, he focused on Central America where he began construction of the Panama Canal. He expanded the Navy and sent the Great White Fleet on a world tour to project American naval power. His successful efforts to broker the end of the Russo-Japanese War won him the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize. Roosevelt was elected to a full term in 1904 and continued to promote progressive policies. He groomed his close friend William Howard Taft to succeed him in the 1908 presidential election.

Roosevelt grew frustrated with Taft's brand of conservatism and belatedly tried to win the 1912 Republican nomination for president. He failed, walked out, and founded the Progressive Party. He ran in the 1912 presidential election and the split allowed the Democratic nominee Woodrow Wilson to win the election. Following the defeat, Roosevelt led a two-year expedition to the Amazon basin where he nearly died of tropical disease. During World War I, he criticized Wilson for keeping the country out of the war; his offer to lead volunteers to France was rejected. He considered running for president again in 1920, but his health continued to deteriorate. He died in 1919. He is generally ranked in polls of historians and political scientists as one of the five best presidents.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt

Where the ocean meets the sky...

Thank you Flicker friends for over 15 years of shared images. Photography has meant much to me over the years, and sharing the images and experiences has been a rewarding pastime.

I am at a crossroads as to where to go at this point in time. I am letting go of the craft as I am having difficulties with my abilities to continue. Perhaps one day I will return, but for now it is time to prioritize other aspects of my life.

Thanks for being part of these enjoyable experiences.

Jim Cormier

In June 2020, after experiencing a devastating spring due to COVID, New York State announced that certain businesses could begin partially opening again. New York City’s response included a program called Open Restaurants, which allowed restaurants to use sidewalks and parking spaces for outdoor, socially distant dining. Owners quickly built temporary enclosures in the streets in front of their businesses to try and recover from months of shutdown. Small stretches of Brooklyn in early 2021 display the variety and feel of these enclosures. Hopefully, the Open Restaurants initiative will help these businesses to survive and may even lead to a more permanent reorienting of streets to prioritize people over cars.

infrastructure is the key to colonization. while the cities of mars grow so grows the need to transport between them. The Mars Congressional Republic MCR has prioritized hyper loop long distance systems to connect the majour urban colony's

The RG Menzies Building 2 at the Australian National University (ANU) is a striking example of modernist architecture, designed with an emphasis on functionality and openness. Completed in the early 1970s, the building features brutalist-inspired elements, including exposed concrete surfaces, bold geometric forms, and large windows that allow natural light to permeate the interior. Its design prioritizes flexibility, with spacious, adaptable workspaces and an overall layout that fosters a collaborative academic environment. It was sesigned by architects John FD Scarborough and Partners in association with Collard Clarke and Jackson, 1963.

As long as the Capital planet as a whole is well defended and any outside treats are prioritized… the local sector police forces can rule their “thiefdoms” as they see fit, which is usually by corruption and coercion with criminal gangs and local triads, mafias and rich “mercenaries”

This especially applies to the lower levels, the deeper down towards the planet core you come the less rule-based the justicium and law enforcement get…

As no one really know how many levels down the urban network reaches and frankly where it ends being urban structures and architecture and where ancient sewers, natural cavities or mutant handdigged dens stop being urban, very few actually know how the system works down there…

Since the capital planet governmental system works a bit like an old feudal state, where a system of servitude where an overlord is only in contact with the underlings directly below him and at lower levels this underling is the overlord of lesser thiefdoms and so on…

Internal battle among the legal branches is common, border disputes, illegal economic revenues or sometimes even personal feuds can start a local war, most often between on sector block and another of the same…

But often these escalate by the nature of the informal system in place, i.e. a “feudal lord” calls up on his allies when under attack from an enemy law enforcement, in turn its opponent calls up on his allies and all the sudden a flurry of different armies partake in this Block sector conflict, Police forces and mutant bands supported by triads and mafia fights openly on the street…

Sometimes bands or gangers in their own turn are at a local conflict and end up on the same side, which in its turn can be uneasy and sometimes result in minor street feuds…

When a block fight turns so major that a larger number of blocks are involved, then local production falls and at such times the companies that rule the planet will negotiate a peace… since too much conflict is bad for the economy of the federation as a whole…

Since the board is made up of the largest companies, they are often not objective in the negotiation and sometimes it will result in company wars, this happens quite seldom, since all companies know this is really bad for business, so they have a complicated system where wealth and property decides how many votes they get and if a company war has started, then the Capital High lord businessman is awoken from his self-induced slumber in a cryostate…

Why the companies abide to his law no one knows? Perhaps he has some sort unknown power that can cause the companies much harm, this is only guesses, since all this happens far away from where any common person has ever been close to set his/her/its propulsion mechanism…

Here is a picture that shows the start of the 03335a-55577b Megablock War, where elite Police from Block 03335 and city law mercenaries 55577 fight with an allied Mega-police Robot…

The conflict started because the 55577 Police governor was beaten by the 03335 superintendent in a (at the start) friendly game of poker…

As I was strolling around with my camera, without any specific purpose really, I was attracted by two colourful chairs placed over some snow. There was not any snow anywhere around, so naturally, I become curious.

As it happened, the chairs were part of an exhibition in Gallery Kalleria in Kallio /Berghäll, a suburb of Helsinki.

Through the display window, I saw paintings on the floor, and except for a young man sitting at a dest and a dog underneath, there was no one else inside, so I decided to walk in.

Lucas, the young man, and his one year old dog, Dalí, greeted me welcome. I asked for permission to make pictures and we started talking. We conversed first in Finnish but switched almost immediately into Swedish as soon as we understood that we both were more fluent in the latter language.

Lucas Vogt, 34y/o, is an artist, exhibiting currently with his friend Walter Götsch who wasn't present at the moment.

Their paintings were bright and very colourful. I got the feelings that those two were playful and enjoying to create their cheerful art.

I had to watch my steps in that tiny gallery, as I've mentioned, all the painting were scattered on the floor, but Lucas was friendly and made me feel comfortable, so we had a long conversation.

When I asked him to think about an advice he might want to give to his younger self, he thought for a moment and then said: "I think I would rather ask my younger self to give me an advice."

That was something really new to hear; I can't recall a single similar answer in all my years of interviewing strangers.

"I've lived through many different phases, and there are definitely some that were unnecessarily weighed down by fears. To the 10 year younger me I wouldn't say much. That Lucas had lots of vitality and curious defiance, which my current self could do good to be reminded of."

"What does life mean to you, Lucas?"

"As far as the meaning of life goes I quite like the Kafka quote, "The meaning of life is that it stops". Or, ends, rather. To me the realization that something is transient can be intimidating at first, but ultimately it is what helps me appreciate the rareness and uniqueness about being alive."

"What inspires you in life? What do you love about yourself?"

"The complexity and nuances the world is full of. Perhaps it astonishes more than inspires, but the astonishment is inspiring. I like it when people are active together and collaborate. I love when I manage to facilitate such group ventures and chain reactions."

"What would you say to the world if you could send a message out there?"

"Prioritize playfulness! Fit as much of it into your daily tasks and routines as you can!"

"What do you like to do in your spare time / hobbies?"

"I like running, laughing with friends, and sleeping with my arms and legs completely spread out."

lucasvogt.com/

lucasvogt.com/

This is my 836th submission to The Human Family group.

Visit the group here to see more portraits and stories: The Human Family

Close quarters expert Harper Barron has manifested symptoms of belligerent behavior, perhaps due to an error in her programming or a faulty Hero Core. Reports from her teammates state that her enjoyment of fighting has lead to failures in completing missions, as she prioritizes violence over successfully capturing villains and protecting citizens.

Her current location is unknown, but anonymous witnesses have reported seeing her in the Gladiator Arena of planet Bolawoo III.

Further psychological examinations are necessary in order to accurately estimate how dangerous she is. She is equipped with a lightweight body armor and a Quaza-Powered Ram Gauntlet, engaging at a distance is strongly advised.

Great Mask of Intangibility by @galva_nize_

Gauntlet weapon inspired by @ems_mocs ' Tony Stone and Arcane's Atlas Gauntlets

Canadians are often known for several positive characteristics, including:

1.Politeness and Courtesy – They have a reputation for being polite, saying “sorry” often, and treating others with respect.

2.Friendliness – Canadians are generally warm and welcoming to both locals and visitors.

3.Diversity and Inclusivity – Canada is multicultural, and its people embrace diversity in ethnicity, culture, and perspectives.

4.Tolerance and Open-Mindedness – Canadians tend to value human rights, equality, and progressive social policies.

5.Community-Oriented – Many Canadians are involved in their communities and prioritize social well-being.

6.Love for Nature and the Outdoors – With stunning landscapes, Canadians often appreciate and respect nature, engaging in outdoor activities like hiking, camping, and skiing.

7.Sense of Humor – They have a dry, self-deprecating, and sometimes quirky sense of humor.

8.Humble and Modest – Canadians tend to downplay achievements and avoid arrogance.

9.Hardworking and Resourceful – Whether in cities or remote regions, Canadians have a strong work ethic.

10.Peacefulness – They are generally non-confrontational and support diplomacy over aggression.

Thanks ChatGPT (prompt: tell me about Canadians)!

View On Black

Twin arched bridges on Interstate 255 crossing the Mississippi River from Missouri into Illinois. I like the design of the arches, which are located about 12 miles downriver from the Gateway Arch in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Processed in Topaz Adjust. I prioritized the bridge structure during processing, and lightened the scene since it was very overcast that day. I wound up blowing out some of the clouds during processing, but I think that the bridge structure makes up for it.

From a felted chair resembling mushrooms to a rocking chair made from 3-D printed recycled plastic, Conversation Pieces features 45 works of furniture that prioritize meaning and material choice over function and practicality.

MOVEMENT RESEARCH AND PRACTICE - ALANNA KRAAIJEVELD

www.alannamoves.com

Alanna's approach to movement training is informed by her career as a professional contemporary dancer.

She has been active in the milieu for over 15 years.

Her extensive experience includes national and international performance with some of Canada's most respected choreographers.

​

Alanna shares her knowledge of movement as a teacher and trainer across various disciplines including dance, theatre, sports and at-risk youth.

She is a close student of Linda Kapetanea and Jozef Frucek, co-developers of Fighting Monkey (FM).

FM is an evolving movement training practice centered on context driven, collaborative practices that prioritize communication, intuition and whole body coordination to accelerate skill development.

Since 2015, Alanna's workshops, classes, and movement coaching embrace FM's values and approach.

She has taught at institutions and organizations including Circolando (Portugal), Concordia University, EDCMTL and Studio 303 (Montréal), St-Thomas University (Fredericton), T.O. Love-In (Toronto), Company 605 and Modus Operandi (Vancouver).

​

Kraaijeveld holds a Master's degree of Professional Practice (Dance Technique Pedagogy) from Middlesex University in London, England.

The western walls of Vatican City narrow to a dramatic, acutely angled bastion characterized in modern times by the helipad at the parapet. Rounding out the city-state’s infrastructure is the Vatican City Heliport which provides short distance airlifts for the pope and visiting heads of state.

I would never have imagined that designing a landscape of Vatican City would be so heavily influenced by the military engineering of the now obsolete perimeter walls. Devising suitable boundary lines for the edges of the piece was theoretically an act of connecting the dots between the multiple bastions. Practically, on the other hand, this was anything but a cursory endeavor as even slight misalignments of such asymmetrical geometry might have led to vast elevational or spatial discrepancies when the two running lengths of the walls eventually met at this western tip. Having sub-divided the design of the piece over eight separate stages consisting of fifteen sub-sections, I was careful not to take too many liberties, preferring to strictly adhere to the angles and elevation of the walls rather than prioritizing parts usage which may have resulted in more LEGO-compatible angles at the cost of glaring inaccuracies. Eventually though, after more than 500 hours of design over seventy days, my efforts came to a fitting final point as I wrapped things up at this narrow tip of Vatican City in early October of 2020.

© 2010 | Rodel Joselito Manabat | All Rights Reserved

Follow Me [Redbubble/Bubblesite] [Getty Images] [Deviant Art] [i-Folio] [Facebook]

NUVALI transforms the 1,700-hectare property in Laguna into the first sustainably developed eco-community in the Philippines. Prioritizing quality of life, NUVALI will deliver the experience of fresh air, wide open spaces and secure, verdant surroundings that foster activity and interaction across a wide variety of groups and interests. A lake, natural ravines, open fields, parks, trails and pathways become more than just scenic features or recreation areas, they are also alternative systems to sustain the basic needs for power, water, clean air and a healthy lifestyle.

A gazebo and viewing decks with fun and experiential exhibits are found inside the bike and foot trails for bird-watching enthusiasts, families and groups as an outdoor recreational activity. A total of 76 faunal species composed of 62 bird species, 7 mammal species, 7 herpetofaunas and 55 species of flora were recorded through Haribon’s Biological survey of NUVALI conducted last November 19-22 and December 4-6, 2008. Thirteen species or 17% of vertebrate fauna (10 birds, 1 mammal and 2 lizards) are endemic including 2 restricted-range species or island endemics restricted to Luzon faunal region. A total of 36 indigenous with 10 endemic floral species to the Philippines were also recorded.

Gear

Canon 40D + Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC

Exposure

Standard Bracketed 3-EV's , f/8, ISO 100

See my 16-BIT HDR Workflow here

Embarking on a Great Journey

Part 2. Appreciation and admiration of the world

(2018)

The Lesser-walked Route

The journey across the massive Eurasian continent began by first crossing from the Georgian side of the Caucasus mountains into the Russian Federation. For Western travellers, Russia is well-known to be a bureaucratic nightmare requiring difficult-to-get visas and being full of corrupt police hungry for trouble. And as for Western governments and media, there is always a negative undertone whenever Russia is mentioned - especially the British and the American ones. We all know that what we see and hear shapes our perspectives on things we have never experienced ourselves, and information can often be manipulated easily misleading us, shaping our views of the world. I always had a slight fear of going to Russia myself, as I had been to another former Soviet Union country (Kazakhstan) ten years ago and had encountered corrupt police practice and an onslaught of bad attitudes and suspicion from everyone from the border guards to supermarket checkout staff. It was a bit daunting dealing with that, on the frozen steppe, as a twenty one year old kid – let alone now crossing barren swaths of land alone, with no one else around… in a car that could break down, which could cause a customs nightmare, since you have to take the car out of the country with you when you leave. And Russia is not really a country I wanted to mess with. All these what ifs…

Experience remains within people in the form of memories (and often as fear), and so naturally, I was a bit nervous about entering Russia - after all it was the mother of the Soviet Union, and one of those places perceived as being a bit off limits for historical reasons. Despite it being summer in the Northern Hemisphere, I was expecting a harsh cold from the people and a full range of difficulties to ensue. The difference is that this time I showed up correctly; mentally prepared, and armed with a bit of knowledge about what I might come up against. Most importantly, my expectations were in the right areas. Expecting smiles and not getting any leads to a feeling of hostility. Expecting hostility and not getting any makes you pleasantly chuffed. Something like this.

At the Russian border I was put into a small room for investigation and interrogation. Let's word it as 'soft questioning' , because it was not that bad after all, and the only reason for the extra questioning was because it was this ‘Westerner’s’ (I have a NZ passport) "first time to Russia." After an hour of friendly chat, a bit of laughter and the recording of my whole life story into a computer, I was let go - the border gates went up and down the other side of the hill I was allowed to go - straight into the strategic ‘enemy’ of the West. The border police weren't so scary. They were only doing their job by following protocol. The best way to deal with that is to remember that they are secondly police officers, and first and foremost, they are ordinary human beings going about life in general. I enjoyed my ‘interrogation’, and accepted it as my first glimpse into the mood and psychology of Mother Russia and its employees. Besides, having your biography written, and translated, is generally something to be proud of (haha). And with that done, off into the North Caucasus I went on this wet and foggy late August afternoon.

*

The Remarkable North Caucasus – Volatility amidst Beauty

“Red flakes of paint peel off a fence in a field

Of changing thrones and shifting boundary stones that yield

The right to steer but not interfere,

It’s evident

That the weapons they thought were heaven-sent

Were from the neighbor trying to stay relevant.”

This is a poem I found in the Lonely Planet travel guide to the north Caucasus region of Russia – an area with a hostile reputation across the board for being fiery and fierce. The first five regions I passed through were in fact separate republics within Russia. Small in size, close together, and starkly different their people are. A cluster of different religions, languages and cultures, all with a history of warring, and conquering and slaughtering by neighbours and large far away empires. No wonder the people still harbour fire in their souls. The poem sums it up; across history it has been do or die!. You still feel it when you are driving with them…

Vladikavkaz in the Republic of North Ossetia was the first stop has a more Russian feel and is Orthodox Christian. Then came Muslim Ingushetia, just up the road. Pity that most of the more interesting Ingush and Ossetian mountainous areas are still off limits for tourists and require special permits to enter. I heard that the permit takes two months to organize, and that is out of the question when you are aiming at crossing the 4600m+ mountain passes on the Pamir Highway before winter falls. Then there was the former war torn Republic of Chechnya - fiercely independent, extremely traditional, and strictly Muslim, to the point where men do not even wear short pants. No trousers for women either, although shortish dresses seemed to be deemed appropriate (and no requirement for headscarves) – rather unique, I thought, as most Muslim places I had been to were, for women, either cover up or don’t. Chechnya’s mountain lakes and ancient combat towers were intriguing to drive past, whilst not requiring special government permission to enter either, so of course, back up the hills I went. Then, there was mountainous Dagestan, where, according to the British government’s travel safety advisory, is an area that should not be visited under any circumstances for security reasons. I went. Then came Kalmykia several hundred kilometres up the Caspian sea coast; a serene, flat and empty Buddhist republic that still exists on the empty grasslands since the times when the Mongols raided the region. All this, in a small region, in two weeks before I arrived in the Russian city of Astrakhan, 50kms from the Kazakh border. What diversity!

This melange of relatively unheard of places, an unknown crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East, made me conjure up a new complicated world in my mind, forcing me to contemplate what a life of volatility may be like, and enter a world with more unpredictability than the average person may be used to. And what do you do in a world like this? How do you act under such circumstances? What are you to expect from daily life? In Dagestan, arguably the most 'dangerous' republic is where shopkeepers gave me fruit for free, and a restaurant would not accept me paying for a kebab. Does that mean that the worst can bring out the best in people? Does it mean that very small acts of kindness and generosity become more important? I believe so. I have observed amongst my students the exact opposite: an abundance of money and protection (hence stability) often bringing out the worst in them... A little bit of difficulty and unpredictability does have some positive impacts – my students function very well under such circumstances. Too much of it of course is catastrophic – just dig into some Caucasian history books.

As a whole, these republics all felt remarkably safe, but in Chechnya I sensed an Islamic fanaticism in the air which brought up uneasy thoughts. There were the ‘Allahu Akbar’ signs around the place (which is something you do not want to hear on the streets in certain parts of the world for obvious reasons, especially as a Westerner). There were even anti-terrorism billboards on the sides of the newly built motorways, meaning that Islamic fanaticism is obviously attractive to the occasional wayward Chechen or two. However, what made me feel a bit uneasy were cars speeding up and down the main roads in lines with green Islamic flags hanging out their windows. Allah knows what that was all about – I definitely do not, but this parade felt a bit rough, a bit suspect. Nothing bad happened, but news broadcasts of Islamic terrorists came to mind. The mere word ‘Chechnya’ started to circulate in my head as I drove alongside them, and that is the function of the brain and memory serving their purpose: allowing for a bit of nerves to creep in and say: “This is a situation of possible danger”. Instincts kick in. The brain’s senses are activated to heighten alertness, thus trying to increase your chances of survival.

In reality, ‘survival’ was not a problem. The likelihood of having a car accident with these Islamic fanatics was still far higher than being a victim of terrorism, but previous experience with similar negative behaviour tells you to be afraid and run. For the most part, fear is entirely unnecessary, but your brain does not take the chance. And that is basically how fear and survival instincts work together in tandem to keep you plodding along. It is a bit of a pity sometimes to know that the brain’s survival reflexes prioritizes keeping you around rather than prioritize the reasons for which you actually exist on this earth. A rather large number of people never cease to be routinely cheated by their brains, thus, leading to many less-than-satisfactory lives. These individuals persist to exist all around us, and all of us can name several. I guess, to the brain, it means that if you at least exist, then you still have the capabilities to be of use to the world. It goes to show how primitive we still are, and how a bit of study about human psychology and biology can be of great use to get you past such thoughts and actions, or lack thereof.

While travelling, it is always a highlight to meet new people, talk to the locals and other traveller you meet along the road. Since the North Caucasus region is not such a well-known, or easily accessible, area for foreign travellers, most of the people I had the chance to converse with were Russian backpackers and cyclists. Despite these travellers physically being in the region and not having encountered any dangers themselves, I could see that they have the same psychological reactions while having discussions about the region – they harboured an ever so slight bit of weariness within. Not only has the Russian government instilled military checkpoints everywhere along the main roads of these regions, but the average person tends to be wary at the slight mention of ‘Chechnya’ and ‘Dagestan’ – and fair enough. There are historical and cultural reasons for this. It just goes to show that humans all suffer from the same hard-to-die fears and instincts. You could liken the situation to this: a scenario where people quiver at the thought of snakes despite never having ever encountered a snake in their life. That is my grandma. She is terrified of snakes and there is not even a snake in New Zealand. This is because humans have feared death from snakes from over millennia. Fear lives on, from generation to generation in the deepest chambers of the mind, and history and culture play a bigger part in your life decisions that you would ever imagine. It is worth noting, and reminding yourself of this. Organise your thoughts and emotions clearly, to avoid enslaving yourself to the fear trap.

All in all, it is a fascinating area well worth the effort to get to – scenically beautiful, culturally diverse, historically rich, topped off with hospitable, passionate locals who will eagerly welcome you. I will let the photos do the speaking.

*

Kazakhstan and the Kazakh Steppe – The Beauty of Nothingness

Oh, the boredom, the nothingness. The dry vastness. The parched emptiness. The arid flatness. Dust, sand and earth that migrates in the wind or when stirred by human movement, or that of hoofed animals. The occasional river crisscrosses the dry, yellow grasslands and serves as a drinking point for small herds of camels, horses, sheep or cows. No mountains. No trees. And that is all I encountered for six long days.

It is quite something to experience nothing much. With very little distraction you have more time to be in contact with yourself. The lack of stuff for the eye means more time for meditative thought. It can also be quite fascinating to notice how physically small you are when up against something so massive as the Kazakh Steppe. And how hugely complicated and impressive your thoughts can be when sand and soil is just so plain simple. It is also nice to be reminded how wonderful a tree is, and how useful they can be when the sun is outdoing everything else that inhabits this type of ungenerous environment. In a couple of months, it will be white and all under snow; even more plain, so lap it up while you can!

It is worth the effort to cross such a massive piece of nothingness. Particularly worth it when petrol is so cheap in Kazakhstan. The biggest irritant, more so than dust and potholes, is the police that are everywhere monitoring your speed, ensuring that a) you get to where you are going safely, and b) that you surely do get your six days-worth of clear-minded reflection of life, as you will be driving very slowly. While avoiding the occasional crater in the middle of the road, you will definitely still be more interested in avoiding the high-tech speed radars. The police are well-equipped and they are EVERYWHERE waiting for your slightest mistakes to fatten their pockets. The problem is the lack of distractions means it is also easy to go too far into thought and not realize that you are going a perfectly safe 90km, around a 70km empty bend in the middle of nowhere (like me) and bang! There you go! Police lights go on and he does a U-turn and there is you, pulling over to the side of the road, wondering whether you should feel like a criminal or a victim. And then you start getting psychologically ready to put across your case, while the policeman is walking up behind you. The instant fine costs 20,000 tenge ($54/370元), and shall be paid to the bank during working hours, leaving you to have to hang out in some town till the bank opens. But a little sit in the police car and the policemen’s creative renaming of the police car as a ‘bank’ meant that could get me back on my merry way much quicker. The policemen shook my hand and said “my drugy” (“we are friends” in Russian). And with the apparent $10 friendship fee, off I went, remembering to go the preposterous and monotonous 70km through these types of pointless speed-enforced areas when required.

That aside, the good thing lesson is when you have less, you tend to appreciate everything else more. That was made clear when I finally arrived in Turkestan, an ancient Silk Road city in the south of Kazakhstan with its impressive Persian architecture. This was a real jewel after the grueling crossing of the steppe. Once again, I will let some photos do the speaking.

*

Appreciation and Admiration for the World – A Foundation for Aiming High

Of course, apart from seeing the sights and scenery, some of the other main points of a journey are to experience more about what our world has to offer, to understand the human beings that inhabit it, to observe the lives they all live, to be exposed to the plethora of angles to approach life, and to figure out better ways for you to navigate and adapt to the complexity of the world. Let me be clear: this world has a lot to offer the individual, as much as he or she may need for a lifetime; there is no shortage of anything here. A physical trip (i.e. the itinerary) may often be automatically categorized by the brain as lasting within a time span; limited to a specific period of time or number of days, weeks, months or years. However, the abstract parts of the trip (i.e. getting a sample what the world is all about) lasts a lifetime, with this playing itself out in the mind and soul for well after the trip is over. You can trust that memory will do its job in this area; it will hold dear what you have tasted, despite most likely eventually forgetting names, dates and locations and other specifics of the trip that are not important for your future survival. The brain believes it has no space to waste, obviously.

This deeper glimpse into the surplus of alternative ways of tackling this world (and yourself) resulting through travel resonates in a form of craving in the soul for reachable yet untouchable destinations and experiences. This acts as a type reasoning between you and life itself, becoming a form of motivation to taste more of it and become more connected with it. In the mind, it is spoken something like this: the world is there, not far enough to be impossible to reach, but far enough to require some sort of effort in order to obtain – and that is the magic balance that keeps people ‘on the road’ even though the body may be stationery. This is where you want to aim at being. Excited by where you have been (mentally or physically), content in the moment hanging between past and future, and dreaming of those almost-touchable experiences that lie within your future efforts. There is a reason why travel is a sort of addiction. ‘Having caught the travel bug’ is how it can be referred to in English.

Appreciating and admiring the world, and learning to work all its brilliance and disasters in your favour leads to very attractive destinations – not in the physical sense of on-the-road travel to nice places, but as a psychological tool you have ready to pull out and use to rebuild any parts of life that may be broken. Those types of skills are a true key to happiness and peace. Let the great things you have done, and know you are capable of doing, serve you as an support stick as you advance through life.

Hopefully it will be this that propels me forward along the Silk Road, following in the footsteps of the world’s great explorers, and eventually over that mammoth of a mountain range that still lies ahead. The Great Pamir Highway awaits.

In June 2020, after experiencing a devastating spring due to COVID, New York State announced that certain businesses could begin partially opening again. New York City’s response included a program called Open Restaurants, which allowed restaurants to use sidewalks and parking spaces for outdoor, socially distant dining. Owners quickly built temporary enclosures in the streets in front of their businesses to try and recover from months of shutdown. Small stretches of Brooklyn in early 2021 display the variety and feel of these enclosures. Hopefully, the Open Restaurants initiative will help these businesses to survive and may even lead to a more permanent reorienting of streets to prioritize people over cars.

On May 8, 2019, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, "Let me be clear: I will be the ‘grim reaper’ in the Senate when it comes to socialist schemes that would destroy jobs, private health insurance, and the free enterprise system."

McConnell calls anything that includes government help for its citizens "socialism." That includes Social Security and Medicare. Politicians like McConnell often paint variegated issues in stark black and white or good versus evil terms. Oversimplification is often the fuel that sparks hyper-partisanship and tribalism. It's to McConnell's and the GOP's benefit to work this way to counter an electorate now skewing younger, more diverse, and more progressive. He wants the 2020 election to be a referendum between "socialism" and "capitalism," a government-run economy or a corporate-run economy. That, he suggests, is our only choice.

No one in Congress is calling for socialist society. Instead, many believe government programs which help people in need and reduce income inequality is to the country's benefit. There are reasons for a mixed economy with government oversight. Many, including CEOs of large companies, are not calling for an end to capitalism, but a shift.

Billionaire capitalist Ray Dalio has called this disparity between rich and poor an existential threat to our country. According to Dalio, most Americans see the United States as one with great opportunities for economic mobility and opportunity. In reality, we are one of the least economically mobile countries in the developed world. Dalio states, "The most intolerable situation is how our system fails to take good care of so many of our children. Low incomes, poorly funded schools, and weak family support for children lead to poor academic achievement, which leads to low productivity and low incomes of people who become economic burdens on the society." The poor are locked in place for generations.

Profits are prioritized while often ignoring this strategy's effects on American workers. Dalio says, "The problem is that capitalists typically don’t know how to divide the pie well and socialists typically don’t know how to grow it well." But, instead of corporate and government leaders working together, they fight. Through McConnell's leadership, he and the Republican Party have grown to represent the interests of corporations, the status quo. The Democrats represent the interests of the people. Instead, they should be working together to adjust capitalism so we invest in our workers (and, thereby reduce income disparity), while growing our capital. JPMorgan Chase chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon has said, "Capitalism enables competition, innovation and choice. This is not to say that capitalism does not have flaws, that it isn’t leaving people behind and that it shouldn’t be improved."

There are many grim reapers in our society today. But, Mitch McConnell is the grimmest. His resistance to a mixed economy, where companies and the government work together, and his position that the fight is between socialism verses capitalism, pitting corporate interests against social value is anachronistic (better suited for the Cold War era). Rather than work with the House to pass legislation of critical importance, he has focused on filling positions in Donald Trump's White House and packing the judiciary with as many conservative judges as possible, while he banks on a GOP Senate win in 2020. He's not interested in fixing the system that keeps people poor (ironic since he represents Kentucky, which has the fourth highest poverty rate in the country). Instead, he is obstructing any change in governing that better reflects the needs of Americans.

Mitch McConnell is an anathema to the Republic for which he stands.

[Pictured behind McConnell are other American grim reapers. From left to right: Donald Trump, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and Alex Jones.]

See all the posters from the Chamomile Tea Party! Digital high res downloads are free here (click the down arrow on the lower right side of the image). Other options are available. And join our Facebook group.

Follow the history of the last eight years of our country's political intransigence through a six-part exhibit of these posters on Google Arts & Culture.

Well... finally, after all the delays and design challenges, it is done. Here is my B-18A Bolo LEGO MOC, a medium bomber used by the U.S. Army Air Corps primarily in the Pacific during the interwar and early World War II periods. It was a notoriously funkily-proportioned aircraft, with its round-bellied fuselage, its backwards-tapered wings and its odd bombardier canopy shaping at the front; but, all in all, it was a sturdy, rugged bomber (though nothing to write home about as for success in World War II XD). Lots of these were destroyed on the ground during the raids of Pearl harbor, but I really wanted to challenge myself in attempting to construct a plane that isn't all about the glamour and good looks so many beautiful aircraft of its era retained. Having incorporated working landing gear and included string for the wings, I am proud of its functionalities. However, I sadly could not include a working bomb bay due to the construction of its simulated rounded "doors" flush with the fuselage. Nothing opens on the underside, but that was due to the fact of me wanting to prioritize structure and look to the Bolo. Unfortunately, the sacrifice ended up being without a functioning bomb bay... but, overall, the result (for now) is adequate for my liking. But, let me know YOUR thoughts in the comments! Faves are also appreciated, and, as always, have an awesome day! (:

Close quarters expert Harper Barron has manifested symptoms of belligerent behavior, perhaps due to an error in her programming or a faulty Hero Core. Reports from her teammates state that her enjoyment of fighting has lead to failures in completing missions, as she prioritizes violence over successfully capturing villains and protecting citizens.

Her current location is unknown, but anonymous witnesses have reported seeing her in the Gladiator Arena of planet Bolawoo III.

Further psychological examinations are necessary in order to accurately estimate how dangerous she is. She is equipped with a lightweight body armor and a Quaza-Powered Ram Gauntlet, engaging at a distance is strongly advised.

Great Mask of Intangibility by @galva_nize_

Gauntlet weapon inspired by @ems_mocs ' Tony Stone and Arcane's Atlas Gauntlets

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

Some background:

The CAC Sabre, sometimes known as the Avon Sabre or CA-27, was an Australian variant of the North American Aviation F-86F Sabre fighter aircraft. In 1951, Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation obtained a license agreement to build the F-86F Sabre. In a major departure from the North American blueprint, it was decided that the CA-27 would be powered by a license-built version of the Rolls-Royce Avon R.A.7, rather than the General Electric J47. In theory, the Avon was capable of more than double the maximum thrust and double the thrust-to-weight ratio of the US engine. This necessitated a re-design of the fuselage, as the Avon was shorter, wider and lighter than the J47.

The CAC 27 Mk 41s’ last carrier operations took place in 1981 in the course of Melbourne’s involvements in two major exercises, Sea Hawk and Kangaroo 81, the ship’s final missions at sea. After Melbourne was decommissioned in 1984, the Fleet Air Arm ceased fixed-wing combat aircraft operation. This was the operational end of the Sabre Mk 41, which had reached the end of their airframe lifetime, and the Sea Sabre fleet had, during its career, severely suffered from accidents and losses: upon retirement, only eight of the original twenty-two aircraft still existed in flightworthy condition, so that the aircraft were all scrapped. The younger RAN A-4Gs were eventually sold to New Zealand, where they were kept in service until 2002.

General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 37 ft 6 in (11.43 m)

Wingspan: 37 ft 1 in (11.3 m)

Height: 14 ft 5 in (4.39 m)

Wing area: 302.3 sq ft (28.1 m²)

Empty weight: 12,000 lb (5,443 kg)

Loaded weight: 16,000 lb (7,256 kg)

Max. takeoff weight: 21,210 lb (9,621 kg)

Powerplant:

1× Rolls-Royce Avon 208A turbojet engine with 8,200 lbf (36.44 kN)

Performance:

Maximum speed: 700 mph (1,100 km/h) (605 knots)

Range: 1,153 mi, (1,000 NM, 1,850 km)

Service ceiling: 52,000 ft (15,850 m)

Rate of climb: 12,000 ft/min at sea level (61 m/s)

Armament:

2× 30 mm ADEN cannons with 150 rounds per gun

5,300 lb (2,400 kg) of payload on six external hardpoints;

Bombs were usually mounted on outer two pylons as the mid pair were wet-plumbed pylons for

2× 200 gallons drop tanks, while the inner pair was usually occupied by a pair of AIM-9 Sidewinder

AAMs

A wide variety of bombs could be carried with maximum standard loadout being 2x 1,000 lb bombs

or 2x Matra pods with unguided SURA missiles plus 2 drop tanks for ground attacks, or 2x AIM-9 plus

two drop tanks as day fighter

The kit and its assembly:

This project was initially inspired by a set of decals from an ESCI A-4G which I had bought in a lot – I wondered if I could use it for a submission to the “In the navy” group build at whatifmodelers.com in early 2020. I considered an FJ-3M in Australian colors on this basis and had stashed away a Sword kit of that aircraft for this purpose. However, I had already built an FJ variant for the GB (a kitbashed mix of an F-86D and an FJ-4B in USMC colors), and was reluctant to add another Fury.

This spontaneously changed after (thanks to Corona virus quarantine…) I cleaned up one of my kit hoards and found a conversion set for a 1:72 CAC 27 from JAYS Model Kits which I had bought eons ago without a concrete plan. That was the eventual trigger to spin the RAN Fury idea further – why not a navalized version of the Avon Sabre for HMAS Melbourne?

The result is either another kitbash or a highly modified FJ-3M from Sword. The JAYS Model Kits set comes with a THICK sprue that carries two fuselage halves and an air intake, and it also offers a vacu canopy as a thin fallback option because the set is actually intended to be used together with a Hobby Craft F-86F.

While the parts, molded in a somewhat waxy and brittle styrene, look crude on the massive sprue, the fuselage halves come with very fine recessed engravings. And once you have cleaned the parts (NOTHING for people faint at heart, a mini drill with a saw blade is highly recommended), their fit is surprisingly good. The air intake was so exact that no putty was needed to blend it with the rest of the fuselage.

The rest came from the Sword kit and integrating the parts into the CAC 27 fuselage went more smoothly than expected. For instance, the FJ-3M comes with a nice cockpit tub that also holds a full air intake duct. Thanks to the slightly wider fuselage of the CAC 27, it could be mounted into the new fuselage halves without problems and the intake duct almost perfectly matches the intake frame from the conversion set. The tailpipe could be easily integrated without any mods, too. The fins had to be glued directly to the fuselage – but this is the way how the Sword kit is actually constructed! Even the FJ-3M’s wings match the different fuselage perfectly. The only modifications I had to make is a slight enlargement of the ventral wing opening at the front and at the read in order to take the deeper wing element from the Sword kit, but that was an easy task. Once in place, the parts blend almost perfectly into each other, just minor PSR was necessary to hide the seams!

Other mods include an extended front wheel well for the longer leg from the FJ-3M and a scratched arrester hook installation, made from wire, which is on purpose different from the Y-shaped hook of the Furies.

For the canopy I relied on the vacu piece that came with the JAYS set. Fitting it was not easy, though, it took some PSR to blend the windscreen into the rest of the fuselage. Not perfect, but O.K. for such a solution from a conversion set.

The underwing pylons were taken from the Sword kit, including the early Sidewinders. I just replaced the drop tanks – the OOB tanks are very wide, and even though they might be authentic for the FJ-3, I was skeptical if they fit at all under the wings with the landing gear extended? In order to avoid trouble and for a more modern look, I replaced them outright with more slender tanks, which were to mimic A-4 tanks (USN FJ-4s frequently carried Skyhawk tanks). They actually come from a Revell F-16 kit, with modified fins. The refueling probe comes from the Sword kit.

A last word about the Sword kit: much light, but also much shadow. While I appreciate the fine surface engravings, the recognizably cambered wings, a detailed cockpit with a two-piece resin seat and a pretty landing gear as well as the long air intake, I wonder why the creators totally failed to provide ANY detail of the arrester hook (there is literally nothing, as if this was a land-based Sabre variant!?) or went for doubtful solutions like a front landing gear that consists of five(!) single, tiny parts? Sadism? The resin seat was also broken (despite being packed in a seperate bag), and it did not fit into the cockpit tub at all. Meh!

Painting and markings:

From the start I planned to give the model the late RAN A-4Gs’ unique air superiority paint scheme, which was AFAIK introduced in the late Seventies: a two-tone wraparound scheme consisting of “Light Admiralty Grey” (BS381C 697) and “Aircraft Grey” (BS 381C 693). Quite simple, but finding suitable paints was not an easy task, and I based my choice on pictures of the real aircraft (esp. from "buzz" number 880 at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, you find pics of it with very good light condition) rather than rely on (pretty doubtful if not contradictive) recommendations in various painting instructions from models or decal sets.

I wanted to keep things simple and settled upon Dark Gull Grey (FS 36231) and Light Blue (FS 35414), both enamel colors from Modelmaster, since both are rather dull interpretations of these tones. Esp. the Light Blue comes quite close to Light Admiralty Grey, even though it should be lighter for more contrast to the darker grey tone. But it has that subtle greenish touch of the original BS tone, and I did not want to mix the colors.

The pattern was adapted from the late A-4Gs’ scheme, and the colors were dulled down even more through a light black ink wash. Some post-shading with lighter tones emphasized the contrast between the two colors again. And while it is not an exact representation of the unique RAN air superiority scheme, I think that the overall impression is there.

The cockpit interior was painted in very dark grey, while the landing gear, its wells and the inside of the air intake became white. A red rim was painted around the front opening, and the landing gear covers received a red outline, too. The white drop tanks are a detail I took from real world RAN A-4Gs - in the early days of the air superiority scheme, the tanks were frequently still finished in the old USN style livery, hence the white body but fins and tail section already in the updated colors.

The decals became a fight, though. As mentioned above, the came from an ESCI kit – and, as expected, the were brittle. All decals with a clear carrier film disintegrated while soaking in water, only those with a fully printed carrier film were more or less usable. One roundel broke and had to be repaired, and the checkered fin flash was a very delicate affair that broke several times, even though I tried to save and repair it with paint. But you can unfortunately see the damage.

Most stencils and some replacements (e. g. the “Navy” tag) come from the Sword FJ-3. While these decals are crisply printed, their carrier film is utterly thin, so thin that applying esp. the larger decals turned out to be hazardous and complicated. Another point that did not really convince me about the Sword kit.

Finally, the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (Italeri) and some soot stains were added around the exhaust and the gun ports with graphite.

In the end, this build looks, despite the troubles and the rather exotic ingredients like a relatively simple Sabre with Australian markings, just with a different Navy livery. You neither immediately recognize the FJ-3 behind it, nor the Avon Sabre’s bigger fuselage, unless you take a close and probably educated look. Very subtle, though.

The RAN air superiority scheme from the late Skyhawks suits the Sabre/Fury-thing well – I like the fact that it is a modern fighter scheme, but, thanks to the tones and the colorful other markings, not as dull and boring like many others, e. g. the contemporary USN "Ghost" scheme. Made me wonder about an early RAAF F-18 in this livery - should look very pretty, too?

“Okay, I have the sheriff here to check on a wanted elf. So, you all line up!”

“Ma’am, none of these match the description according to this flyer. They can all go back to work.”

“Okay. All you Dwarfs...you’re working the coal mine. Santa is going to need that for some children’s stockings.”

“Don’t you even think about throwing that snowball at her!”

“You, Maurice. You and Jill Ellyn will be on mail duty.”

“What will we have to do?”

“You get to process all the letters children sent and prioritize them.”

“Don’t worry, Jill Ellyn. I did that last year. It’s easy.”

In June 2020, after experiencing a devastating spring due to COVID, New York State announced that certain businesses could begin partially opening again. New York City’s response included a program called Open Restaurants, which allowed restaurants to use sidewalks and parking spaces for outdoor, socially distant dining. Owners quickly built temporary enclosures in the streets in front of their businesses to try and recover from months of shutdown. Small stretches of Brooklyn in early 2021 display the variety and feel of these enclosures. Hopefully, the Open Restaurants initiative will help these businesses to survive and may even lead to a more permanent reorienting of streets to prioritize people over cars.

015

FORTUNE Brainstorm Health 2023

Wednesday, April 26th, 2023

Los Angeles, CA, USA

7:30-8:45 AM

CONCURRENT BREAKFASTS SESSIONS

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS TO CANCER CARE IN UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS

Hosted by City of Hope

Cancer is the second-leading cause of death for both men and women across the U.S., but it doesn’t affect everyone equally. Many cancer patients face insurmountable barriers to the leading-edge treatments, support, and technologies most likely to save their lives. Geography, common industry interventions—such as narrow networks—and social determinants of health all play a role in obstructing access to specialized care and life-saving experts. Hear from champions of health equity on how they are democratizing cancer care by creating new systems that prioritize patient survival, quality of life, and a return to normalcy by providing vulnerable populations with better access to education, screening, and treatment.

Helmy Eltoukhy, Co-founder and Co-CEO, Guardant

Dr. Folasade May, Co-Leader, Stand Up To Cancer Colorectal Cancer Health Equity Dream Team, University of California, Los Angeles

Anand Parikh, Co-founder and CEO, Faeth Therapeutics

Robert Stone, Chief Executive Officer, City of Hope

Carla Tardif, Chief Executive Officer, Family Reach

Moderator: Clifton Leaf, FORTUNE

Photograph by Stuart Isett/Fortune

Visitors can take their time to enjoy an elevated view of New Youk City from High Line an elevated railway line owned by the City of New York, today a 1.45-mile-long linear public park maintained, operated, and programmed by Friends of the High Line, in partnership with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, on Tuesday, September 15, 2015. High Line was opened in 1934 and moved goods to and from Manhattan’s largest industrial district until 1980. The third and final phase officially opened to the public on September 21, 2014. The High Line's green roof system with drip irrigation is designed to allow the planting beds to retain as much water as possible; because many of the plants are drought-tolerant, they need little supplemental watering. When supplemental watering is needed, hand watering is used so as to tailor the amount of water to the needs of individual species and weather conditions, and to conserve water. High Line is independently funded from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (USFS). Urban forestry and green spaces are priority areas for USFS. With 80 percent* of the nation's population in urban areas, there are strong environmental, social, and economic cases to be made for the conservation of green spaces to guide growth and revitalize city centers and older suburbs. Urban forests broadly include urban parks, street trees, landscaped boulevards, public gardens, river and coastal promenades, greenways, river corridors, wetlands, nature preserves, natural areas, shelter belts of trees and working trees at industrial brownfield sites. Urban forests are dynamic ecosystems that provide needed environmental services by cleaning air and water helping to control storm water, and conserving energy. They add form, structure, beauty and breathing room to urban design, reduce noise, separate incompatible uses, provide places to recreate, strengthen social cohesion, leverage community revitalization, and add economic value to our communities. Urban forests, through planned connections of green spaces, form the green infrastructure system on which communities depend. Green infrastructure works at multiple scales from the neighborhood to the metro area up to the regional landscape. This natural life support system sustains clean air and water, biodiversity, habitat, nesting and travel corridors for wildlife, and connects people to nature. Urban forests, through planned connections of green spaces, form the green infrastructure system on which communities depend. Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) is a cooperative program of the US Forest Service that focuses on the stewardship of urban natural resources. UCF provides technical, financial, research and educational services to local government, non-profit organizations community groups, educational institutions, and tribal governments. The program is delivered through its legislative partners, the state forestry agencies in 59 states and US territories. Forest Service cooperative programs are currently being redesigned to make more effective use of federal resources. Programs will be focused on issues and landscapes of national importance and prioritized through state and regional assessments. Over the next five years an increasing percentage of funding will be focused on landscape scale projects. Three national themes provide a framework for this work: conserve working forest landscapes; protect forests from harm; and enhance benefits associated with trees and forests. More information and upcoming webinars on December 9, 2015 | 1:00pm-2:15pm ET; January 13, 2016 | 1:00pm-2:15pm ET; and February 10, 2016 | 1:00pm-2:15pm ET can be seen at *http://www.fs.fed.us/ucf/program.shtml. USDA Photo By Lance Cheung.

Taken for my book project, This Is Us, Together.

I remember how impressed I was with the way Sangeeta and Rox were able to talk about their relationship, how open they were about the way they prioritized communication, openness about feelings and emotional needs.

It was myself, the two of them, and our mutual friend Blaise...I remember Blaise and I constantly looking at each other during the interview, astounded at how much better these two were at relationships than either of us.

Learned a lot, that day.

Trying out Liz's techniques from the Prioritizing Line Tea Break sketches in lesson 3. I think I like the watercolor pencil plus watercolor paint technique the best. I feel so comfortable sketching with the pencils and there are so many options for softening the edges. #edgesteacup

In June 2020, after experiencing a devastating spring due to COVID, New York State announced that certain businesses could begin partially opening again. New York City’s response included a program called Open Restaurants, which allowed restaurants to use sidewalks and parking spaces for outdoor, socially distant dining. Owners quickly built temporary enclosures in the streets in front of their businesses to try and recover from months of shutdown. Small stretches of Brooklyn in early 2021 display the variety and feel of these enclosures. Hopefully, the Open Restaurants initiative will help these businesses to survive and may even lead to a more permanent reorienting of streets to prioritize people over cars.

The Hill’s Kim Dixon, Cynthia Zagieboylo, President and CEO, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Patrick Geraghty, CEO, GuideWell and Florida Blue, Liz Fowler, Vice President, Global Health Policy, Johnson & Johnson, and Pamela Sutton-Wallace, Chief Executive Officer, University of Virginia Medical Center participate in a panel discussion during a policy briefing entitled “Prioritizing Patients: A Discussion on Outcomes-Based Care” sponsored by The Value Collaborative, PhRMA, and The Hill at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, June 13, 2017.

In June 2020, after experiencing a devastating spring due to COVID, New York State announced that certain businesses could begin partially opening again. New York City’s response included a program called Open Restaurants, which allowed restaurants to use sidewalks and parking spaces for outdoor, socially distant dining. Owners quickly built temporary enclosures in the streets in front of their businesses to try and recover from months of shutdown. Small stretches of Brooklyn in early 2021 display the variety and feel of these enclosures. Hopefully, the Open Restaurants initiative will help these businesses to survive and may even lead to a more permanent reorienting of streets to prioritize people over cars.

Canadians are often known for several positive characteristics, including:

1.Politeness and Courtesy – They have a reputation for being polite, saying “sorry” often, and treating others with respect.

2.Friendliness – Canadians are generally warm and welcoming to both locals and visitors.

3.Diversity and Inclusivity – Canada is multicultural, and its people embrace diversity in ethnicity, culture, and perspectives.

4.Tolerance and Open-Mindedness – Canadians tend to value human rights, equality, and progressive social policies.

5.Community-Oriented – Many Canadians are involved in their communities and prioritize social well-being.

6.Love for Nature and the Outdoors – With stunning landscapes, Canadians often appreciate and respect nature, engaging in outdoor activities like hiking, camping, and skiing.

7.Sense of Humor – They have a dry, self-deprecating, and sometimes quirky sense of humor.

8.Humble and Modest – Canadians tend to downplay achievements and avoid arrogance.

9.Hardworking and Resourceful – Whether in cities or remote regions, Canadians have a strong work ethic.

10.Peacefulness – They are generally non-confrontational and support diplomacy over aggression.

Thanks ChatGPT (prompt: tell me about Canadians)!

Well not quite, but less than minutes for sure. The sun was dropping quietly quite quickly as we contemplated what angle might produce the desired effect, i.e., the sweetness of glint. It was not to be. She beat us, and our actor was late in arriving. An empty, dime-a-dozen grainer. Hung up at Ritzville, not yet lined further as heaven’s all-seeing eye was leaving our composition and closing in on the horizon as swiftly as we re-composed hoping we could still capitalize on what the scene had left to offer. Tossing a few teeth-chattering expletives into the brisk wind our intel reveals the earthworm is at Essig (Vinegar in German, no doubt an archaic family name) and then at West Tokio some four miles away, still! With no possibility of glint-action, we re-position and stage traverse BNSF's high-density Spokane-Pasco main where trains jump from one siding to the next between long segments of double track to make way for prioritized traffic. Alas, in the not-too-far distance a headlight – just like the many thousands I’ve seen and waited for in my half-century – appears. Bending a rising, long-sweeping curve just beyond the defunct corrugated elevator, the stretch of rolling steel bombs down a slight decline as we record its progress: packing up even before the head-end thunders by at track-speed though this iron road conveyor belt is already signaled into the next hole for one of numerous meets on its trek towards Spokane. And, while it wasn’t what we had envisioned, the capture produced the handsome result nonetheless: I think! (© 29Oct17)

Raging Grannies International

raginggrannies.org/

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Enough is Enough!"

Anti-UCP Rally

Edmonton, AB

From the event organizers:

"We're here to unite concerned citizens of Alberta in a movement against the current government, the United Conservative Party (UCP), because Enough is Enough.

We believe the UCP has let us down across various fronts, failing to prioritize the needs of everyday Albertans. Whether it's healthcare, electricity pricing, forest management, climate change, education, housing, the cost of living, renewables, or any other issue affecting our province, we share a common frustration: our government isn't working for us.

It's time for change. It's time for a government that truly represents the interests of all Albertans, present, and future. Join us as we mobilize and demand accountability. This is democracy in action.

Enough is Enough! Together, let's make our voices heard and build a better future for Alberta."

When I first made two shots of my 2017 New Years Day meal, it was originally just a photo about my traditional Texas meal of black eyed peas and sweet potatoes, and maybe it would include some wisdom for the upcoming year. However, upon looking at both photo attempts, it was impossible to hide my anxiety. I fear for my life and everything I hold dear. The 2016 election results that were announced in the wee hours of 11/9 were far more shocking than the events of 9/11 in the once hopeful and futuristic year of 2001.

In the short term, Human Rights are most at risk. While Trump doesn't seem to have animosity toward LGBT people, many of his supporters do, and he will empower them to set back our social progress and civil liberties. The Republican crooks that run the Texas state government already said they plan to pass "bathroom bills" that would make it almost impossible for trans-women like me to work and go out in public. If they can deny transgender people the right to pee in the appropriate restroom, they can bring back UNLEADED “Whites Only” water fountains and restrict Black people to use the “Colored” water fountain (which may turn out to be LEADED as in Flint, MI). If and when LGBT Civil Rights are halted or rolled back by "bathroom bills" and other means, you can bet racial segregation will be re-imposed. ALL attacks on Civil Rights must be opposed as a unified effort by all progressive parties. We must all stick together because nobody is truly free unless we are all free.

Already, police officers can stop, harass, search, and MURDER People of Color and get away with it: who's next on their approved hit list? Perhaps they will add senior, white, 6'3" tall, transsexual women who happen to be environmentalists and transit/train advocates. Anyone who sees me up close and listens to what I have to say will guess what I am and what I stand for, but presently I am in less danger of being spotted (and possibly gunned down) as an Enemy of the Fascist Corporate State when I am walking a block away than my Black sisters and brothers simply going about their business.. Of course the Surveillance State empowered by laws passed after 9/11 might be snooping on my emails, listening to my phone conversations, scrutinizing my purchases, and tracking my car or transit movements – if they feel like it and take the time. On one hand Trump supports “stop and frisk” police tactics, opposes Net Neutrality, harasses the free press, yet he doesn’t trust our intelligence agencies on international affairs. One thing is certain, unless we are all blown up as a result of one of Trump's temper tantrums, white men as the majority demographic class in the US will shrink into a minority within a few decades and lose their undeserved power. That is why the rednecks are scarred.

In the mid-term, I fear a possible war caused by the misunderstandings of someone who doesn't know a damn thing about such matters but always insists on getting his way, promoting his name, and cheating his customers, workers, and wives. Unlike the CHICKENHAWK Trump who beats the war drum but was too cowardly to serve in the military, I served in US Army during 1971-99 and participated in border patrols, nuclear alerts, anti-terrorist sweeps, and certain armed interventions that managed to stay out of public view. Overall, the world is far less dangerous than it was in the Cold War because nuclear and conventional arms levels among the major powers have been cut by more than half, and those forces are usually not deployed along hostile borders nor kept on the same kind of hair trigger alert as in the old days. Other than raw nationalism and personality clashes, there are no major ideological differences between the major powers. International terrorism (mostly by poorly-equipped, non-national groups) is the major source of armed conflict, but that is nothing new and did not start in September 2001. The biggest risk of war is due to miscalculation by an erratic, egotistical President who does not regularly attend intelligence briefings and may very well be in financial debt to Russian banksters.

Even more likely is worsening economic inequality in the US and environmental disasters caused by a Climate Change denier President and his top advisers. In the long term, complete environmental collapse due to Climate Change is almost certain unless we stop playing around and start making major changes. In response to Global Warming and other environmental problems, we need a massive World War II sized industrial effort to change our energy use from dependence on fossil fuels to renewable sources like solar and wind; our transportation to prioritize walking, biking, urban mass transit, and both intercity passenger and freight rail service powered by electricity rather than continued dependence on cars and trucks; sub-urban sprawl superseded by walkable, human-scaled, multi-use urban communities; and industrial factory farming replaced by organic farming. As a desirable secondary benefit, this will create lots of jobs, but the primary benefit is the creation of infrastructure to support cleaner and more sustainable energy use, transportation, and both urban and rural land use.

Politics As Usual has all but destroyed our democracy, and Business As Usual will destroy any environment capable of supporting human civilization. The situation is not hopeless, but we can no longer delay in taking major remedial action. In my lifetime, Presidents Carter and Clinton largely wasted time needed to remediate the wasteful and destructive environmental effects of human civilization, Presidents Reagan and both Bushes actively impeded progress, and President Obama was largely thwarted in his efforts due to racists in Congress and many state legislatures that could not bear to see a Black President succeed in doing anything productive. Sea levels are rising along the Texas Gulf Coast, our western aquifers are drying up, our mountain glaciers are melting away and reducing their water output downstream, and our seasonal weather has gotten more extreme. Will the incoming President Trump do anything to remedy the situation other than have “golden showers” with Russian prostitutes? Or will Amerika's new Fuhrer serve to legitimize the Rape Culture and environmental rape and to perpetuate White Male Privilege above all others?

I'm bad news for a young photographer wants to hang out, it's all "when I was young" this and "if I'd started at your age" that.

Probably why teaching workshops suits me so well. I love talking about...pontificating about photography. Dunno what started it, I wasn't always this way, someone gets me started, I'll go on forever.

Happened while shooting Lisa, happened the week before when a co-worker asked me about my project.

I'm working on talking less. Arguing less. Giving other people more space in a conversation, trying to figure out when to prioritize, see if it's really Necessary to be arguing about something.

Bit of a challenge. It's...there's room for growth. But it pays off when I see something I wouldn't have ordinarily, hear something I probably would've talked over, when I notice I'm calm instead of all fired up over some bit of nothing.

Figured I've been working for awhile now at being a better photographer, I should probably put some work in being a better human.

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Tap tap tap; the sound of my keyboard keys clicking away. Fixing this, coding that, Facebook, Google, Flickr, Twitter. The standard barrage of Internet candy that bombards my tender sponge of a brain on a daily basis. My brain nearly at capacity from the constant influx of data. I swear uninteresting and unimportant information must go in and be directly escorted out the backdoor. Or perhaps its like a busy ER, if you're not of serious nature of gravely injured, you wait. I can only imagine, things like "nurishment or urination being made to wait in an endless line while things like 'new comments, emails and of course "new nude pictures of megan fox" get right in with no wait. My head is defiantly one interesting yet unorganized, Un prioritized place.

Day 194 was near the top of my list this hot and humid yet totally typical Thursday night. I had dreamt of an interesting idea and upon being jolted awake by a phone call I nearly forgot it. I, of course take a few deep breaths and practice my "i'm not sleeping" voice before finally picking up. Hello, this is Michael. "hello, this is so and so from po-i-didn't-hear-that magazine" "i'm sorry what magazine?" The second time I understood that he said Poder Magazine and we got right into talking. Seems a few more of my pictures will be printed in a magazine and they were calling to get a high res file. I crawled out of bed and sat at my desk only to not see my computer. "damn, my computer is missing" "did I catch you at a bad time?" shit, he knows I'm half asleep. "no I just forgot where I last used my computer, ah there it is"

We shot the shit while I found the files, he loved my work and talked about his work. I got him the files and made sure the credit line read right. From this point I was most defiantly up, now to start my day.

The rest of it was pretty standard and really of no comedic use so i'll just hit the fast forward button a bit.

Ok, its now 8pm and my nephew Rylan is sitting on the couch. I look at him and that 40 watt half burnt out lightbulb starts to flicker in my head. Thats it, I'll use him! I run grab my camera and my speed light and quickly setup to grab a shot of him on the couch. He immediately grabs a pillow and covers his face. Great, this may be more work than I thought. Moments later that peice of shit light bulb flicked on fully and after being momentarily blinded with creative light, I run and get Shawn's "this stupid thing wont work" computer. He had recently, in a fit of rage, put a screw driver through the whole thing after the mother board fried. I told him it was stupid to ruin it, but he wasn't listening.

I figured since the thing was fried and stabbed, why not use it and depict nearly every young parents nightmare. I've got no kids and still fear this. Before I start, I make sure Mr. 3 year old understands the difference between a broken computer and a good computer. With his infinite 3 year wisdom, he looks up, shakes his head and says yes. (being skeptical of a toddlers comprehension of broke and not broke, i will not be leaving my laptop out!) So... I set him up on the floor and we both start popping keys off. I stick the screw driver through the front after having second thoughts about putting it in his hands. Instead I hand him a glass of water and say "ok, now when I say, I want you to pour this all over the computer" I could tell he was confused. He looked at me with inquisitive eyes almost like he was trying to figure out wether or not this was some sick test that uncle Mikey was giving him. I told him it was ok, positioned the glass in his hand at the right height and quickly backed up and gave him the go ahead.

He was timid at first so I walked back over and reassured him again that it was ok because it was a broken computer. Again, I back up and gave him the ok. This time he poured the whole thing and I captured a single shot. I checked the preview… "perfect" Rylan had nailed it!

A quick clean up and I was off to edit.

Post Production:

I started playing with the Vanishing point tool in Photoshop during the Day 190 edit. I had yet to figure it out so today I decided to try again. I laid a grid out on the floor and dropped the granite look alike texture in. It laid it out with the perspective of the floor and worked perfect! I then masked out every other tile to give a checkerboard look. This worked great, So good that I also used it for my signature. I will try to master the vanishing point tool in the near future. It's a great way to duplicate perspective and help achieve a more accurate 3d look in composites.

I feel I need to add a conclusion of some sorts but don't know what to say. Perhaps I'll just say something like this. The day started out good, and we each learn new things, for when the turkey is dry, the guests are unhappy. Happy holidays and don't forget to always wear clean underwear. - Michael

Lighting:

AB800 Beauty Dish 3:00 1/4 power

Nikon SB-25 with lumaquest softbox III, 24 mm zoom, 1/8 power

Triggered via Cyber Syncs

Stephen J. Ubl, President and CEO, PhRMA speaks to Marilyn Serafini, Health Care Policy Consultant during a policy briefing entitled “Prioritizing Patients: A Discussion on Outcomes-Based Care” sponsored by The Value Collaborative, PhRMA, and The Hill at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, June 13, 2017.

My "Best lenses" for the Leica M11 deliberately prioritized high optical performance lenses capable of tackling the high quality 60 MP sensor. So by definition, they did not include any lens that were more oriented to style or rendering.

The optically best 50mm lenses for the M system are the Cosina Voigtlander 50mm F2 APO Lanthar and the Leica 50mm F2 APO Summicron-M. But the Leica 50mm F1.4 Summilux-M is a classic that is a "must own", if you can afford both an f/2 and an f/1.4 lens.

Until the M11, the 50 Lux was my most used M lens. It now ranks # 6 on my list based purely on optical performance for the M11, but in terms of frequency of use, this lens will continue to be either # 1 or # 2 for me. Because most of the time, I am not taking photos to make 4 feet x 6 feet prints.

The important thing about this lens is, at the plane of focus, in the central 50-60% of the frame, it is very sharp, and it will show well even on a 60 MP sensor. I have used this lens for years with my Sony A7R II, III and IV cameras, as well as the Leica M10 Monochrom, and it has always delivered superb results. So this lens will deliver stunning sharpness, but also creamy bokeh and "the Leica Look".

The alternatives are the Leica 50mm f/0.95 Noctilux-M, the Voigtlander 50mm f/1.2 Nokton, and a new Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton that was announced a couple of months ago, and has not started shipping yet. There are also other "super fast" lenses from Mitakon Zhongyi, 7 Artisans, etc.

If you enjoy the images you get from these lenses mentioned above, that's fine, but my recommendation is, save yourself a lot of money and buy a used Leica M9 or M240 for a fraction of what an M11 costs. But if you are planning to buy an M11, then don't waste a millisecond with these other lenses.

There is only one fast 50mm lens that matters for the M11, and that is the Leica 50/1.4 Summilux-M.

I forgot to mention that for the 2nd half of the year for Biscuits' weekly photo I'll be using 1 lens a month.

July was the 100mm f/2.8 macro.

This is the last week, and I prioritized getting a close-up especially of his "flowery" configuration of spots around his left eye, he added the extra "look" to complete the image :-)

Close quarters expert Harper Barron has manifested symptoms of belligerent behavior, perhaps due to an error in her programming or a faulty Hero Core. Reports from her teammates state that her enjoyment of fighting has lead to failures in completing missions, as she prioritizes violence over successfully capturing villains and protecting citizens.

Her current location is unknown, but anonymous witnesses have reported seeing her in the Gladiator Arena of planet Bolawoo III.

Further psychological examinations are necessary in order to accurately estimate how dangerous she is. She is equipped with a lightweight body armor and a Quaza-Powered Ram Gauntlet, engaging at a distance is strongly advised.

Great Mask of Intangibility by @galva_nize_

Gauntlet weapon inspired by @ems_mocs ' Tony Stone and Arcane's Atlas Gauntlets

by geekcreative ift.tt/1ZYu7Wa

Lake Thoreau

Spectrum is the sixth sculpture by the South Lakes STEAM Team, made up of five wooden interlocking rectangular prisms of different sizes and colors. After two years of creating sculptures with strong conceptual origins that featured minimalist color palettes, STEAM decided to change direction and create a sculpture that prioritized an exploration of aesthetic elements over a representation of a tangible theme.

SYLMAR - On June 14-16, 2021 the Los Angeles Fire Department organized a multi-agency brush fire exercise near Veterans Memorial Park in Sylmar.

Participants included Fire Departments from the cities of Burbank, Glendale, Los Angeles, Pasadena, the County of Los Angeles and Angeles National Forest, as these agencies frequently respond together along and near their jurisdictional borders in what are known as Mutual Threat Zones (MTZs).

Training sessions took place on three separate days to assure each platoon (duty shift) of firefighters had an opportunity to participate in operational training that prioritized interoperability of communications and tactics on a large multi-agency incident..

© Photo by Rick McClure

LAFD Event: 061421-MTZ Brush Training

Connect with us: LAFD.ORG | News | Facebook | Instagram | Reddit | Twitter: @LAFD @LAFDtalk

PEARL HARBOR (Dec. 23, 2020) Electronics Technician (Nuclear) 2nd Class Matthew Dines, from Janesville, Wisconsin, assigned to the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Jefferson City (SSN 759), receives the COVID-19 vaccine at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Dec. 23, 2020. Naval Health Clinic was one of the facilities selected to receive the vaccine in a phased and coordinated strategy, prioritizing the vaccine for eligible personnel to protect their health, families and communities. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jaimar Carson Bondurant)

In the first half of 2023 I made many F1 machines with Lego, some of them are already posted to Flickr, but this is one of the remaining.

Mclaren MP4/8, driven by Ayrton Senna in 1993 won 5 races, including victory in the Monaco and his home, Brazil.

The technique used for this is basically same as MP4/4 I 've already introduced.

I prioritized its size than giving small details.

In June 2020, after experiencing a devastating spring due to COVID, New York State announced that certain businesses could begin partially opening again. New York City’s response included a program called Open Restaurants, which allowed restaurants to use sidewalks and parking spaces for outdoor, socially distant dining. Owners quickly built temporary enclosures in the streets in front of their businesses to try and recover from months of shutdown. Small stretches of Brooklyn in early 2021 display the variety and feel of these enclosures. Hopefully, the Open Restaurants initiative will help these businesses to survive and may even lead to a more permanent reorienting of streets to prioritize people over cars.