View allAll Photos Tagged Prioritize

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.

Many times when I've been photographing newborns or families, I've also taken photos of their pets, who often test the backdrops I've set up or wait patiently in the background

 

I usually prioritize sharing the portraits of the people, but now it's time to show some of the animals too ツ

 

This is beautiful Nøste, whom I photographed at the beginning of the year when I was taking newborn photos of my newest great-nephew.

 

Nøste is a pomchi - a popular cross between a pomeranian and a chihuahua (just like my own new puppy, only in different colours). She was four years old here.

 

Now I'm going to edit some photos I took of my own pomchi Ailo yesterday, and I'll be sharing them over the weekend.

 

Check out more photos of Nøste via the links below the line!

 

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Feel free to follow my facebook photo page:

www.facebook.com/ranveigmariephotography/

 

Or my Instagram:

www.instagram.com/ranveigmariephotography/

Plan Dog was drawn up by Admiral Harold Stark in 1940 which prioritized the western hemisphere in case of a war against Germany and Japan, defeating Germany would be a top priority. Early plans for invasion of Europe were drawn as a part of plan dog and Russia also pushed for a invasion in Europe to open up a second front. if the plan to invade France in 1943 when through the weapons used would still be early to mid war ranking. The American Light tank is a custom built one, a picture of it will come soon explaining it more in depth. I also didn't have my good camera and I really wanted to post this so please don't count it against the build.

" Prioritize What Makes Your Heart Sing.. 💕🎶 "

 

Life's a breathtaking sprint, not a marathon meant to be bogged down by negativity.

 

Chase the sunrises, embrace the laughter, and prioritize what makes your heart sing. Don't waste energy on unnecessary feelings or hold yourself hostage to please others. You deserve to be relentlessly happy, and choosing yourself isn't selfish, it's the fuel that propels you towards a life of vibrant possibility.

 

So, shed the burdens, focus on the light within, and move forward with the fierce joy you were born to radiate... 💕

 

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- Sponsors -

 

+Aura De La Luna+ Aesthetic Piercing / @ DOLLHOLIC

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Toronto was hopping with activity on the weekend since it was Pride Weekend, a celebration of the LTBQ community. The weekend tops off with a parade down Yonge Street with much music, dancing on flatbed trucks, squirtguns being fired into the crowd, and bead necklaces being tossed to the large crowd lining the parade route. At the conclusion of the parade, many of the celebrants take over Church St., the heart of Toronto's gay community known as "The Village" for partying which runs late into the night. It is a whole lot of fun and the joy is overflowing as the city celebrates in an inclusive burst of party-time. Through the years the city has come to embrace this event with tons of enthusiasm as you can see from the list of this year's participants: www.pridetoronto.com/pride-month/pride-parade/

 

I followed my usual "parade protocol" which is to mingle with the crowd and take a series of "faces in the crowd" portraits and greeting people with the day's greeting: "Happy Pride." I am far less interested in the floats in the actual parade and much more interested in the vitality of the crowds lining the street.

 

Many of the revelers are decorated for the occasion and respond to my request for a portrait with pleasure. It isn't an occasion that lends itself to much conversation because of the noise level and the fact that many people are moving through the crowd. Consequently, I simply record what I see in a series of casual, spontaneous portraits as I move through the excited crowds.

 

I saw this young woman and her friend among the crowd lining Yonge St. and knew she would make a great street portrait with her lovely features and her floral crown - so I asked. She was excited that I had shown the interest and I managed a couple of photos. She looked at the photos on my camera display and her excitement intensified when she saw them. I offered to send her copies and she gave me her email. Meet Wendy.

 

When I got home, I edited my photos and sent hers (as promised). Noting how enthusiastic she had been about my photographs, I took a chance on asking if I could use her photos for my Human Family project. I explained the project and gave her the link and invited her to tell me a bit of her "story" to make our contact qualify for submission to the project. It's a somewhat unconventional approach to a project encounter but her email response makes me so glad I reached out to her in this way. I will allow Wendy to introduce herself to the Human Family Group:

 

"Hi Jeff!

 

Thanks for your email, I am so happy with the photos! Such amazing quality, all my friends are asking what kind of camera you use haha. I checked out your project, very cool start and I’m honoured to be a part of it.

 

I was born in North York, Toronto. I’ve lived here my whole life but moved to Vancouver last year for school. I’m home for the summer and this was my first time ever at a pride parade. I am studying computer science for my undergrad and I hope to maybe one day improve medical technology or work for something like Apple or Microsoft or something equally crazy.

 

My advice to a healthy and happy life is to seriously focus on yourself; not in a selfish way, but in a self conscious way. Figure out who you are by spending time alone…like, a LOT of time. For me, it was a week-long solo trip to California. I’m super spontaneous and love adventure, so it was a fitting choice for me. For others, it could be a day downtown in the city, or a day shopping. It’s only when you’re alone and comfortable with being alone do you truly understand yourself. It’s a lot more complicated than it sounds but once you accomplish that, everything else comes easily; you’ll stop wasting your emotions on things that don’t really matter, you’ll prioritize what is important to you, and you won’t let things stand in your way anymore. You’ll know what you truly like and want for yourself; not what society or your parents want for you. This is probably the most important thing you’ll do for yourself in order to make life’s journey a meaningful one. But then again, I’m only 18. What do I really know?

 

I hope that was a good enough answer to your questions! I really wish you the best with your project. I’ll be keeping up with it :)

 

Wendy"

 

Thanks so much Wendy, for not only allowing me to photograph you, but for taking the time to write such a beautiful description of what you are all about. I wish you every success in school... and in life. With your energy and personal philosophy I'm sure you will succeed!

 

This is my 507th submission to The Human Family Group on Flickr.

 

You can view more street portraits and stories by visiting The Human Family.

 

The roaring brisk wind braced against his body. It’s invisible forces pushed him as he stepped closer to the very edge of the cliff. His feet felt cold in the dirt on the frozen ground, holding him hundreds of feet above the river below. The sounds of cascading water and the strong gusts of wind completed with one another. He looked all around, checking to see if he was alone with the world sprawling out for miles in front of him. He was it’s audience and was there to return the favor to a place that’s changed his life - to play a ballad for the land.

 

It seems like the older we grow, the faster time feels to us. Slowly, we’re getting far too comfortable with hours, weeks, and months perceived as common units of time. You think of an event from not too long ago, to then only realize it’s two and a half years later. The only constant in time is change, it’s not stopping for anyone. It’s far too easy to see the things we take for granted when we think about the past. It’s much more uncommon to realize the true values of the important things in our current lives when they’re something always surrounding us. Just pause, for as however long you need. Prioritize those valuables and get rid of the nonsense.

 

Fjaðrárgljúfur, Iceland. 2015

 

Behind the Scenes - www.zukephotography.com/blog/2015/9/4/behind-the-scenes-p...

 

Facebook - www.facebook.com/zukephoto

False Kiva is one of the best kept secrets in Canyonlands. It's legal to go there, but due to its unadvertised and poorly documented route it is very challenging to locate. Unless you have going with someone who’s been, you may be in for a long walk. Searching on the internet brings you just a handful of claims to the route; all of which proved to be as false as its name. For this reason we decided that a sunset shot would be the way to so we could get there in the light. Fortunately, Brad had been before; unfortunately, it was many years ago. As it turned out it wasn't that he knew the way, as much as he was pretty sure we'd gone wrong after about 20 minutes of wandering off course. We’d planned to shoot sunset, rest up for 3 to 4 hours until the moon set and then shoot the stars. So we purposefully packed heavy with gear for handling the 50 degree temperature drop as well as sleeping.

 

We began our trip down with an understanding that it was about a mile hike down a steep dirt and rock trail. Wrong! We hiked across the top of the bluff for about a mile, following footprints as they were available. In the rock sections which comprised about half or more of the journey we were mostly guessing at the route until we came across another dirt (footprint) area which proved or disproved we were on course. And yes, on more than one occasion we were following incorrect footprints.

 

In this stretch there was an infrequent cairn, but nowhere near enough to follow. We continued in this manner, meandering on and off the trail until we finally came to the steeper section which descends down the canyon wall. Unfortunately, the beginning of our decent down began on the wrong path and once discovered had to hike back up and around a large crevice in the rock to get back on the right path. In essence, we were on the wrong ledge. Eventually we got back on track. The Cairn-less trail to this point became riddled with them once we reached the correct steep descent, for which we were thankful. Back on the trail for the rest of the trip it went well, though proved to be a lot steeper and further than Brad recalled or we anticipated. I was convinced that I brought about double what I could carry out and began prioritizing what I was going to leave behind. It kind of became the running joke, as every 100’ vertical I’d claim the next piece which would be left behind.

23250 McKay Avenue

Maple Ridge, BC Canada

 

A Harbour Authority (HA) is a non-profit, locally controlled organization which operates under a head lease with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to operate and maintain a DFO-owned public commercial fishing harbour in the best interests of the commercial fishing fleet.

 

The harbour facility consists entirely of the property and water lots under the ownership of DFO – Small Craft Harbours (SCH).

 

An HA must operate the harbour as a public facility in accordance with the terms of the head lease and must at all times prioritize the needs of the commercial fishing industry above all else.

 

This image is best viewed in Large screen.

 

Thank-you for your visit, and any faves or comments are always sincerely appreciated.

Sonja

I've been sick again. Some days are better, some are harder. But I'm hopeful that I'll be better soon. My photos just might lack the effort until then because I'm prioritizing rest.

 

{Edit: Now that the cat is out of the bag, this was obviously when I was in the peak of my first trimester. lol}

Danielle Smith wants to deny trans kids access to gender-affirming care and LGBTQ kids access to books with LGBTQ relationships, under the guise of "protecting children".

 

Gender-affirming care is health care and it is SO important. It even saves lives. Likewise, LGBTQ kids knowing that LGBTQ people exist and there's nothing wrong with them is also important and life-saving. What does harm children is making them feel broken, bad, worthless, or unloved for being LGBTQ. What does harm children is denying them health care and prioritizing a desire for who you want a child to be instead of who they actually are, so much that you will sacrifice their well-being and happiness to try to force them to be someone they are not!

 

LGBTQ kids should feel accepted, appreciated, supported and loved! 💙️🌈

 

~Pride Parade 2025

My version of the rebel repulsor transporter. The angles at the sides are a bit off compared to the source material, but I prioritized the ability to actually seat figures in a realistic way. The top portion can be switched out for a clean look or some handles to seat upt to four pilots/rebels.

Treehouse Point, Issaquah, WA

 

Hi. I love taking photographs. I haven't taken one in over a month. For Christmas, Scott acquired a Mamiya C33 for me. I haven't used it. My life seems to have missed a turn, and as result, I am backtracking. I hereby promise myself that instead of working through my lunchbreaks this week, I'll seek out Flickr inspiration & post photographs. Because I deserve these treats. I will also prioritize the taking of photographs. Because one really ought to prioritize doing the things one loves to do.

 

Miss y'all.

  

Having an extra day of the week has helped me in prioritizing and to catch up on a little R&R. I've also been spending more of my time planning out my daily meals and cooking them at home. If you've followed me long enough, you may already know that I'd tend to cook using fresh, simple ingredients as a form of catharsis. It is following this principle that brings about a form of salutary gratification while enjoying the challenge of finding recipes and trying them out or by making new ones by discovering new ingredients from mindful sources, rather than going out on the town for breakfast; lunch; or dinner.

 

Here was lunch. I had some fresh ingredients from the local farmers market and I had some buckwheat soba noodles in my pantry. I had added the noodles to a mushroom and ginger broth with a splash of soy sauce. Bean sprouts, mushroom and spinach, were used to garnish my bowl. Also, I had added a soft boiled egg as a finishing touch. I really need to make this again soon.

Mental health can be a 'balancing' skill. November marks Men’s Mental Health Month, a vital time to raise awareness, challenge stigma, and encourage open conversations about the emotional wellbeing of men and boys. Mental health affects everyone, yet societal pressures often discourage men from seeking help or expressing vulnerability. This month, we shine a light on the importance of mental resilience, support networks, and accessible resources—empowering men to prioritize their mental health and reminding us all that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. You can find myths and facts about men’s mental health on the Mental Health UK website. The Movember website also has a range of resources and further information on supporting men.

 

mentalhealth-uk.org/mens-mental-health/

 

uk.movember.com/

  

www.instagram.com/flipthescriptbook/

Note: The location on the map is incorrect. Düsseldorf has not had a zoo since World War II. There is only an aquarium in a completely different location.

 

Cities frequently champion large investments in their zoos, particularly for new and impressive enclosures for highly intelligent animals like great apes. This public funding is typically justified by citing a combination of economic, educational, and conservation-related benefits. Financially, a major new exhibit is viewed as a significant tourist draw, which is expected to boost visitor numbers, generate revenue for the city, and contribute to the local economy through jobs and associated spending. Furthermore, zoos market these modern habitats as vital tools for public education, fostering empathy for wildlife, and serving as critical centers for species conservation, research, and captive breeding programs to prevent extinction.

 

However, many critics argue that this public expenditure on new ape enclosures is fundamentally a poor allocation of resources. The primary ethical concern revolves around the confinement of intelligent, socially complex animals whose natural ranges cover vast distances. Despite the improvements in modern, "naturalistic" exhibits, a zoo environment can never replicate the complexity and scale of a great ape's wild habitat, leading to psychological stress, boredom, and abnormal behaviors (stereotypies) in the animals. The immense cost of these projects, sometimes running into tens of millions of dollars, is seen as being disproportionate to the actual conservation benefit delivered.

 

The financial calculus for public spending is also questionable when examined closely. Zoos often secure public funds by promising a significant conservation impact, yet data suggests that only a small percentage of a zoo's operating budget is actually directed toward in-situ (in the wild) conservation efforts. Instead, the majority of the money is channeled toward maintaining the facility and developing new, costly exhibits - effectively prioritizing the spectacle for visitors over the direct protection of wild populations. This suggests that public funds are largely subsidizing an entertainment and display-focused business model rather than maximizing conservation outcomes.

 

From an animal rights perspective, the entire practice of housing intelligent great apes for public display is viewed as a moral violation. The argument is that these beings, closely related to humans and capable of complex emotional and social lives, possess a right to liberty that is compromised by permanent captivity, regardless of the enclosure's quality. Moreover, the focus on building extravagant new habitats, while well-intended for animal welfare in a confined setting, draws public attention and significant funding away from what many conservationists argue is the most impactful solution: the direct protection and preservation of the great apes' rapidly diminishing natural habitats.

 

In conclusion, while a city's investment in a state-of-the-art ape enclosure is driven by understandable aspirations for economic benefit, public education, and modern animal welfare standards, the practice faces strong ethical and financial opposition. Critics contend that for highly intelligent species, no enclosure is adequate, and that public money would be more ethically and effectively spent on alternative models, such as funding well-regulated sanctuaries for non-releasable apes or directing resources to robust *in-situ* conservation efforts that address the root causes of extinction, rather than perpetually funding captive displays.

The Cities Of The Twin Big Brothers by Daniel Arrhakis (2021)

 

With the music : Metatron Omega - Kosmokrator by

Cryo Chamber

 

youtu.be/H3cwj08ojG8

  

The Thirty - Fourth Ion Prophecy - The Giant Guardian Net Defenses - The Twin Big Brothers

 

"And the time for man-made Cyclops will come to protect the information highways.

And their eyes will see everything and control everything without the light escaping or illuminating the darkness.

And from their giant ears they will hear everything, from innocent secrets to the most hidden sighs of reason.

And the giants will fight armiesless battles and bring empires down from nothing with the swiftness of lightning and the dramatic roar of thunder.

And take care this time David because Goliath will be on the lookout to crush any slights."

 

.......

 

"E o tempo dos ciclopes contruídos pelo homem chegará para proteger as estradas da informação.

E os seus olhos tudo verão e tudo controlarão sem que a luz escape ou ilumine a escuridão.

E dos seus ouvidos gigantes tudo ouvirão, desde segredos inocentes aos suspiros mais recônditos da razão.

E os gigantes travarão batalhas sem exércitos e faram cair impérios do nada com a rapidez do relâmpago e o rugido dramático do trovão.

E que se cuide desta vez David pois Golias estará à espreita para esmagar qualquer desfeita. "

 

__________________________________________________

 

A brief explanation found in the Core Cities registers :

 

From the previous experience of the beginning of social networks and search engines it was known that any and all user activities as well as their personal tastes and friendships on social networks were registered and were often sold by large online platforms. Unfortunately, it soon turned out that the data were not secure and were the object of great greed by companies and government agencies.

 

Due to the increasingly frequent massive cyber attacks and to prioritize Cyber Resilience in government and corporate systems, the giant guardians or as many called them The Giant Twin Brothers were created.

 

Giant Phi Generation computers that concentrate all connections to the "Cloud" and verify all access to secondary and primary networks. Working independently but in a biunivocal form , they act as storage media and even if one is closed, the other remains connected and can always resist to any attack.

 

Giant computers from Phi Generation allowed great advances in cyber security but unfortunately as it turned out it was the forerunners of Virtual Wars that would make numerous casualties when used to destroy the enemy's computer systems putting into question vital systems of Government, Energy, Health Care, Food Supply Chains and even Military Defenses.

 

But they also unfortunately became mass surveillance systems that allowed governments to control their citizens and in more totalitarian governments to fight even their opponents.

Specialized internal security forces were created to track down and locate anyone who jeopardized the governing system or prevailing policies. Whoever was caught was subjected to the action of civic training as they called it, which was nothing more than brainwashing with recurrent psychological evaluations.

" Sip, savor, and steer your thoughts towards a better direction. It's your time to refresh and elevate." 🍷✨

 

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5 Signs Your Aura Attracts the Wrong Crowd 🚫

 

Some facets of your personality can attract insincere people who take advantage into your life. Here are five signs to keep in mind.

 

1. You overlooked considering the quality of their hearts.

 

You assess people based on their appearance, actions, words, thoughts, attitude and lifestyles, often overlooking the kindness in their hearts. You tend to seek those who align with your interests and benefits, disregarding their true selves. If you don't take the time to verify the sincerity of their kindness, you could find yourself surrounded by insincere, phony, and unkind people.

 

2. You love animals.

 

You have a deep love for animals and a soft spot for non-human creatures. Your heart genuinely cares for creatures beyond our species, without expecting any specific rewards for your efforts in looking after them.

 

3. You don't choose yourself.

 

You prioritize and pay more attention to everything around you than to yourself. You're worried, and you don't want others to perceive you as selfish.

 

4. Your boundaries are not clear.

 

You don't establish clear boundaries for yourself, enforce them strictly, and you lack the courage to say no.

 

5. You have a fear of hatred.

 

You're afraid of dealing with hatred, and you fear that people will dislike you, so you avoid standing up for yourself.

 

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Continue...

www.flickr.com/photos/161478161@N05/53219771328

A fine example of 20th century American highway design prioritizing convenience for drivers over that of residents of communities "served" by the road.

 

To all my Flickr friends! I've decided to take a break on Flikcr for a while. Want to prioritize things that are more important to me right now.I have met many great people here and seen many wonderful photographs of high class.Hopefully I come back some time.Thanks to anyone who has visited and seen my pictures and thanks to all who have commented and favored them! I wish you all good luck in exploring the world, and take good care of yourselves!

Abellio NRW went bankrupt a couple of weeks ago. The frequent track maintenance on the lines Abellio served as well as railway infrastructure manager DB Netz prioritizing DB Regio and DB Fernverkehr over privatized operators, caused most of the problems. To make sure trains would be running as new operators were selected and prepared to take over, the local government hired a few companies to run a few lines and services. The RE11 was one of those services. On this photo one of the ‘ersatzzug’ trains ran the RE11 towards Düsseldorf past the curves near and around Benhausen.

18th-century south façade of the Château de Kergrist in the municipal area of Ploubezre south of the town of Lannion, Brittany, France

 

Some background information:

 

The Château de Kergrist is located in the municipal area of Ploubezre just about 7 km (4.4 miles) south of the town of Lannion. With its almost 3,700 residents, Ploubezre is a community in the French department of Côtes-d’Armor in the very north of Brittany. It belongs to the arrondissement of Lannion. There are another two ruined castles as well as five manor houses in the municipal area of Ploubezre.

 

The construction of the manor began in the 15th century and continued into the 16th century at the request of the nobleman Jehan de Kergrist and his wife, Gilette le Cozic. At that time, it was a typical manor of Breton Renaissance style, with an octagonal tower flanked by two main wings. A vaulted passage allowed access from the north inner courtyard to the enclosed kitchen garden located to the south. In the 16th century, a second tower was built opposite the first, larger in size and reflecting the family’s prosperity.

 

At the end of the 16th century, Marie de Kergrist, the last representative of the senior branch, married Jonathas de Kergariou, the lord of Keraël, transferring ownership of the manor. On the eastern side, a classical façade was erected, with a double straight staircase leading to the current French garden. The manor thus became a château. To the south, the façade drew inspiration from its eastern neighbor but was designed in a simpler style.

 

In the 18th century, the Barbier family, marquises of Lescoët, inherited the Château de Kergrist through marriage to the Kergariou family. However, they had to abandon it during the French Revolution. In the following years, it was sold as a national asset, divided into three parts and pillaged. In 1867, the brothers Charles and Julien Huon de Penanster recovered the estate, which had been reunified reunified by their grandfather and father on behalf of the Barbier de Lescoët family.

 

They restored the château and its grounds with a 17th-century aesthetic, prioritizing the acquisition of antique furniture, particularly from the 18th century. They also acquired the wood paneling from Beauport Abbey, located near Paimpol, to match the era of the façades' construction. Furthermore, Charles purchased master paintings from Rubens and Giordano as well as 16th-century wooden panels from the reign of Henry II, which he used to craft neo-Renaissance furniture.

 

Passionate about landscape art, Charles and Julien Huon de Penanster redesigned the four hectares of garden completely to echo the different facades of the property. To the north, the flowerbeds align with the sober Renaissance facade. To the east, a French formal garden, inspired by a design by André Le Nôtre, is displayed on a terrace bordered by a granite balustrade, complementing the 17th-century facade. And finally, to the south, an English garden is arranged in front of an 18th-century "Louis XIV-style" facade.

 

In 1926, the Château de Kergrist was listed as a national historic monument. In the 20th century, the then owner, Régis Huon de Penanster, created the Jardin des Roches with a desert-like aesthetic, utilizing the natural effect of granite blocks from a previously buried vein. The estate‘s current owner is still the family Huon de Penanster. Both building and the surrounding gardens are open to the public. A visit is highly recommended.

 

The Château de Kergrist was also the location of some shootings: The filming of the French feature film "Jamais avant le mariage" took place in the gardens, apartments, and mill of the château, whereby the entire Huon de Penanster family joined in the fun of acting during the shoot. In 2012, the TV broadcaster TF1 aired a program filmed at the château called "100 ans de mode" (in English: "100 Years of Fashion"). And in 2015, a remake of the film "Sleeping Beauty" was made in the interiors and gardens of the château.

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! (:

No time for a title!

 

Whoops gonna be late for class. Prioritized taking picture/editing over getting to class on time. XP

The 1962 Avanti is widely considered one of the most daring and beautiful American cars ever produced. It was first introduced to the public on April 25, 1962, at the New York International Auto Show, and it outlived the company that created it.

 

The Avanti was a “Hail Mary” attempt to save a dying company with radical innovation. Legendary designer Raymond Loewy (who designed the Shell logo and the Coca-Cola bottle) and his team were sequestered in a rented house in Palm Springs. They famously sculpted the initial 1/8-scale clay model in just a week.

 

In 1963, a supercharged Avanti driven by Andy Granatelli broke 29 world speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats, reaching speeds of over 170 mph. It was marketed as the "World's Fastest Production Car." It was one of the first American cars to prioritize safety features we take for granted today, including a built-in roll bar, a padded dashboard, and standard front disc brakes (a first for a major U.S. production car).

 

The Avanti has no traditional front grille. It was a "bottom breather," pulling air for the radiator from an intake under the front bumper—a design choice that wouldn't become common for decades. Because Studebaker couldn't afford the expensive steel stamping dies, they opted for a fiberglass body (much like the Corvette), which made the car surprisingly light. Its heart was a highly evolved version of the classic Studebaker V8 engine equipped with a Paxton centrifugal supercharger, producing 289 hp, a beast for its time.

 

Studebaker produced the original Avanti for only about 18 months. Production ended in December 1963 when Studebaker closed its South Bend, Indiana plant. Only 4,647 units were built during its original run. After Studebaker folded in 1966, the rights and tooling were bought by local dealers who formed the Avanti Motor Corporation. They continued to hand-build the car as “Avanti II” (and later just “Avanti”) using various chassis and engines (like the Chevy Corvette V8) for over 40 years.

 

[Source: Google Gemini]

 

Handarbeit aus Reutlingen

cornelia-pikal.de/

 

Bring Farbe in Dein Herz ❤

:

October-5- 2021

This World Teachers' Day we are celebrating the strength and resilience of the global educator community.

 

In a year that's taught us all so much, you've taught back.

 

ps

 

Yesterday evening, now a selfmade

young man,

told all in the petrol station waiting behind me:

"This Mister Effinger was my favorite teacher!"

 

We played Rugby together.

Higher Education Teacher

His father and me are licenced soccer trainers and Teachers on College School.

 

Jouth Training for Olympic Games at schools.

 

-

i felt blessed.

Now i am 64.

 

♥

■

 

en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldteachersday

●

"On World Teachers’ Day, we are not only celebrating every teacher. We are calling on countries to invest in them and prioritize them in global education recovery efforts so that every learner has access to a qualified and supported teacher. Let’s stand with our teachers!"

●

  

Fast 800.000 Lehrerinnen und Lehrer unterrichten an den Schulen in Deutschland.

 

Eine große Zahl von Menschen, die einen Beruf mit besonderer Verantwortung für die Erziehung und Ausbildung unserer Kinder ausüben.

 

Die Arbeit der Lehrerinnen und Lehrer zu würdigen und ihnen zu danken – dies steht im Mittelpunkt des Weltlehrertags, der regelmäßig am 5. Oktober rund um den Globus gefeiert wird.

Die Initiative zur weltweiten Würdigung des Lehrerberufes ging auf einen Beschluss von UNESCO, Internationaler Arbeitsorganisation (ILO) und Bildungsinternationale (EI) zurück.

 

Seit 1994 wird der Weltlehrertag jährlich am 5. Oktober begangen - im Gedenken an die "Charta zum Status der Lehrerinnen und Lehrer", die 1964 von der UNESCO und der ILO angenommen wurde. Seit damals heißt das Ziel: qualifizierte Lehrerinnen und Lehrer für eine qualifizierte Bildung

After pulling two empties from inside and setting them out on the main, Y150 tucks one loaded covered plastics hopper back inside Roth Global Plastics just as the afternoon sun breaks through the clouds.

 

Oh man. Where do I begin with this one? This customer made me give my all, so sit tight for this journey from discovery to trial and error and finally execution. In late 2024 while keeping tabs on a multitude of rail cars for customers, I came across three Syracuse bound plastics hoppers on an M560 one day. I asked a friend to check the waybills for each car out of curiosity. One of the cars was bound for Roth in Syracuse. Having previously explored the area customer spurs on Google Maps, I had just as soon chalked up the spur into Roth as dead. What a relief to find out it was just the opposite case for them. I got ahold of their car inventory list at the time and began tracing the cars regularly to see how long each car lasted in plant. On average, it was about a month to six weeks, which is par for the course with plastics hoppers, at least in most cases. I wanted to prioritize getting out to shoot this place, but a lot of factors kept me at bay. The crew who usually switches here almost always has a three pack of geeps/slug set, which isn't exactly ideal for the spacial limitations of this shot. Said power set also gets wyed a lot during the week due to how they work certain customers, so while the leader might be favorable one day, by the time Roth needs a switch the other leader might not be so photogenic. First world problems I suppose, the further I travel for these shots, the less of a luxury I'll be afforded in that regard. During the warmer months last year, although Syracuse was originally intended to be my summer project, I ended up focusing on L355 out of Ashtabula instead, two hours west of Buffalo instead of two hours east such as Syracuse is. And so Roth took a backseat for a bit, along with the rest of 'Cuse, awaiting my attention at a later date.

 

Some housekeeping things before continuing: although the symbol in the title is a yard job, Roth is normally switched by L024, an 0400 local out of DeWitt Yard on weekdays, who serves a handful of customers and handles transfer cars for/from FGLK and NYSW. Roth is also a Tuesday only switch, which you'd think would make things easier. Ahhh how wrong I was to think so! Paired with Roth on Tuesdays is usually Metalico who gets served on Thursdays as well. Both customers are located off of "Track 8," the north siding in relation to mains 1 and 2. The south siding is "Track 7." The switchbacks for Metalico and Roth face opposite directions, requiring the crew to pull west into Metalico's and east into Roth's, thus the crew will often wye their train at CP 291 coming off of Track 8 after Metalico, then return back to it to switch Roth. This is a typical way to the two. However it seems whenever I get involved, things take an atypical turn.

 

The stars aligned for me timing wise to attempt Roth for the first time at the end of October in 2025. My band was playing a show in Syracuse the day before Halloween that week, which was two days after my first go at Roth. As you can tell, the month is not late October in this photo. Outside of the fabled October Storm of 2006 which battered Buffalo and the entitrey of WNY in general, snow doesn't tend to stick in October. But I digress, two very early morning trips to Syracuse in the last week of October had me feeling very hopeful I could come away with some brand new customer shots. The morning started with Metalico and I was able to pretty easily check that one off my list, despite the sun being against me. The conductor was moving painfully slow that morning, but the crew had an inbound hopper with them, so my sights were set. The fact that their power set was only a pair of GP40s instead of a trio was even better news, an unexpected and welcome surprise. Unbeknownst to me, the crew made a plan to head out to Belle Isle to go pick up NYSW interchange cars. It seems they took a trip around the wye, then shoved two miles out to the siding at CP 293. Upon coming back to Track 8, they'd have a train of 80+ cars, but at least they'd be stopping at Roth. Or so I thought. Four hours of sitting in the employee lot for Roth, waiting and listening for the next developments. With the conductor working so slowly, a parade of westbounds made its way into the picture. Among those trains was I009, who ended up going into emergency in the middle of CP 293, preventing L024 from doubling up their cuts on the siding as they needed the signal for headroom. 90 minutes passed by while the CSX NF desk dispatcher rerouted all other traffic around the wounded intermodal. 90 minutes is what it took for the car department to find an errant handbrake on a three pack of wells 40-something cars into their train, thus remedying the issue. By the time L024 was doubled up and ready to depart back east, they had been on duty for 10 hours. Consulting the yard master over the road channel, they were told to skip Roth with CSX cracking down on overtime. Nothing new there. I spent the rest of that day looking for anything else to shoot. Fittingly the afternoon yard job who works Berry Global near FGLK's Solvay Yard ended up switching it about ten minutes after I departed for home that evening, having a prior late night commitment which called me away. Attempt one failed! Without diving into too many other details, Thursday that week also had its own set of woes, but those are two separate customers and therefore two other chances to tell their own stories hehe.

 

Early on in 2025 there was one specific car bound for Roth which somehow kept leaving the yard and coming back for two weeks straight. I'm not sure what the reason was behind it, but what I do know is it ended up being spotted on a Wednesday, an off day for the customer. A similar thing happened that last of October, where an empty was waiting to be picked up, and L024 made a stop on their way back to the yard the following day to pick it up. They did not however spot the load, which was not built into their train for the day. Instead that car was placed the following Tuesday, a day I would have made another trip out save for the fact I caught a nasty cold which put me out of service leading into that Tuesday morning. Another month passed by before I was able to try again. The first half of December had no inbound cars and one car released. It would have to do. I headed out once again to try for Roth. I intercepted the crew finishing up at the Metcalico switch, locking up and ready to continue down to the wye. However the leader suddenly suffered a PTC failure, and so they sat for another half hour, maybe 40 minutes attempting to troubleshoot. Eventually they were fed up with waiting and got the okay from NF to proceed at restricted speed out to 291 to turn their train of two engines and two loaded gondolas. It was off to Roth again for me, this time hanging back for a bit to make sure I had the crew in sight before I descended upon the parking lot. While completing their wye move, their PTC cut back in, allowing them to get back up to track speed, which for them was probably only 30 mph on the siding anyhow, but 30 beats 10! The high headlight of a GP40-2 manifested into view, and I raced over to a parking space, gathering my things and stepping out of the car ready for my first shots of them coming down the hill grade which comprises the switchback. The conductor fumbled with the switch for a solid five minutes, sweeping and picking at it. I got back in my car to conserve warmth, watching from afar as the conductor climbed back aboard the engine. What I thought would be my day quickly devolved into all for not. L024 toned up dispatch and informed them that they could not in fact get the switch for Roth to throw, citing there was far too much snow and ice packed into the switch for it to move. NF told them to sit tight and he'd see if he could get a maintainer out there to help. Another two hours passed as I looked on in frustration. Noon rounded the corner, the crew gave two toots of the horn to signal they were on the move, and back to the yard they went, finishing their day with a whopping one of two customers completed. I guess I should have seen that coming with the recent snowfall. Road train also use Track 8 quite a lot when departing towards or entering from the west, hence why so much snow was stuck into the mainline switch. That's a lot of weight constantly pressing the snow down. I figured that MOW would find its way out at some point that day and clear the switch for another off-day Wednesday service. But TouchTrace continued to deliver good news for the rest of the week, as L024 never returned for Roth that week.

 

It's now the week before Christmas, and my desperation for this shot was showing. The empty car inside Roth was now nearly two weeks late as far as pulling it goes, and they had released a second car on the Monday before I went back for a THIRD try. If CSX didn't get to them today, there were surely going to be some angry phone calls coming out of Roth inquiring as to why these empty cars were still in their building. And so once again, I was up at 0500 or so and off to Syracuse to find out if today would be the day. The third trip turned out to be the most convoluted of them all. I expected to arrive and find L024 already switching Metalico, since they usually head for them after 7:00 a.m. for whatever reason. Why it takes the crew three hours from the time they go on duty to get out of the yard, I haven't the faintest idea. DeWitt must simply be a mess on its own level. I did not find anyone switching there. So I decided L024 must not have left the yard yet. Around 8:00 they toned up, stating they wanted to head for CP 293 and shove up the hill into NYSW at Solvay. In tow behind them were 100+ cars, split between NYSW and FGLK. For power, two AC44s with the trailing unit in YN2. One hell of a curveball they threw me. Ideas were abounding in my mind as to how this day would shake down. Best case scenario, they finish their drops in a timely manner, head back to the yard and get on a pair of geeps to go tackle the industries. Worst case, they don't do any industry work at all. It took over an hour to get shoving up into NYSW. While the conductor was on the rear, he was remarking about the gate into the other Solvay-based CSX customer Chemtrade, which had a busted gate and fence line that morning. Apparently the afternoon yard job ran through it all the night before, likely resulting in their night ending abruptly as it seemed the work L024 was carrying out that morning was leftover from the night before. Just my luck. In the meantime with L024 tying their cars down for NYSW, I was bored and taking drives around FGLK's yard in Solvay, trying to locate their yard job SH-1 in case they had work at the giant WestRock plant branching off the yard. L024 told the SH-1 it'd probably be around 11:00 when they'd be ready to come in and drop cars. SH-1 decided to leave the yard westbound and go work the other smaller WestRock plant in Camillus. I gave chase and followed them once I figured out where they were going, since L024 was giving me nothing to work with. It was a nice bonus to occupy that part of the morning and of course will get its own story when that shot is posted. Upon both of our returns to Solvay, L024 was just coming into the yard there, instructed to wait for SH-1 to handle the inbound cars. I decided my time would be better spent closer to DeWitt since nothing of substance was happening in Solvay. In addition, L024 still had another whopping hundred plus cars to pick up on the Belle Isle siding. My mother had texted me a couple things to stop at Walmart and look for if I came across one, since our local store was out of stock. A Walmart exists directly across from DeWitt Yard, so in I went to seek out these items. I walked out with five boxes of Betty Crocker cake mix for butter pecan flavored cake. (It's delicious by the way.) Back in my car and straight across the street to go sit and monitor the yard for anything significant.

 

If you've made it this far in the wall of text, congratulations, we're almost there! One other strange and unlikely thought had crossed my mind earlier in the morning while wallowing away in my cold car, agonizing over how many different ways I could be screwed out of this shot. So far the list included stalled train in emergency, frozen switch, and now work which didn't belong to L024 but needed to be done. But this other thought I had, I couldn't help but feel like it might have some credence. I imagined maybe DeWitt's yardmaster would be smart enough to send another job out to switch the customers in place of L024. Perhaps one of the yard sorting crews from the morning, but only if a lack of work permitted. Following my short Walmart excursion, I began hearing faint numbers being called out on the road channel in switching maneuvers, i.e. car counts and three-step protection. At first, I thought the radio was just picking up L024. But I heard two different numbers, one for the YN2 AC44 out at Belle Isle, and another which sounded like one of the GP40s which L024 would have been using had it not been for the prior evening's debacle. I panicked. If I was missing this mystery crew switching our Roth because I decided to go to Walmart (which has happened in the past quite a few times, although not specifically with Walmart involved but rather any side quest), I'd never forgive myself. I raced out to Roth and found nothing but a covered hopper sitting outside. The spurs were still covered in snow, so nothing had been down here yet thankfully. I contacted a couple of my CSX friends quickly to try to get some intel on what was going on. Zero results at first while I continued to hear switching nearby. I decided to head for Metalico after sitting for a few minutes pondering. One of my contacts came back with the news that a Y150 had been called at 10:30 that morning, seemingly an extra job. There was still no scan on the geeps, but as it turns out the closest AEI scanner west of DeWitt is five miles out at 291. GPS location finally pinged for one of the geeps right as I pulled up to the Metalico switch, finding this extra crew shoving out onto Track 8 to lock up, with one loaded gondola in tow this time. At last I had my answer, and loud and clear I heard the crew tell NF dispatch they wanted to head out to 291, spin, and come back into Track 8. Barring any more unforeseen obstacles, this was the crew to get the job done. There was quite a bit of waiting still to do, with a few trains to sneak by while Y150 was on the wye. While waiting to come east at 291, L024 was about ready to head back to DeWitt as well after a grueling morning of nothing going right for them. Fittingly their engineer was giving advice on how to work Roth to the extra crew, talking about when to leave the air on coming down the hill, and leaving any cars they had with them up on the main rather than pulling in with them. Even the one gondola they had would be once car too many, as the three cars and two engines Y150 would be pulling with just about brought them to the end of the switchback. Not much in the way of headroom. The overcast clouds which had been ever-present all day continued to loom overhead, but they were beginning to break up ever so slightly. The hopper sitting outside the building, about where the the middle of the two geeps are in this photo, turned out to be another load, and was in the third of three car spots for Roth. When the last time they unloaded a car outside the plant was, I couldn't tell you, but the spot was there for a reason. Just as the crew shoved all three cars up the hill to the main, the sun really started peeking through the dense layers of clouds. Faint at first, but the light beams on the plant building were growing stronger. I thought for sure more clouds would overtake it, as I chanted aloud hoping for the crew to get back down to me quickly to take advantage of the newfound light. Thank goodness I had boots on because I did a lot od climbing and trudging through snow on this outing. In order to obtain this view, I had to make my way up the hillside which makes up the grade separation between the mainline and the switchback. The conductor was meticulous in his efforts, taking his time to make sure the car was secure inside, allowing me time to nab multiple angles from the hill. I try not to get in the mindset of settling for one angle in particular, but in a time crunch I usually have one default picked out. However my default angle turned out not to be the angle I wanted at all, and thus the side profile view was born. I consider this just enough light for my liking. It's not the full sunlight I had on two previous attempts, but hey, how could I complain at this point after all I'd been through to get this far?

 

In the final moments of shooting here, I had noticed a car waiting idly by off to the left while the crew finished their work and cut away. As the light power made its way back towards the switch out of the plant, the vehicle pulled up to me. A man was asking a question of me out the window of his car. I know how this one ends most of the time, but this wasn't one of those times. While he was a plant worker as I suspected, he wasn't there to scold me, but rather praise me for having been there. In addition to working for Roth, he was also a railfan! I was told I was only the second person he'd ever seen back there shooting this job in all his years working there, and how he tries to get outside on break any time CSX has a switch to perform. He regaled a couple stories of riding around on the Fulton Branch nearby, switching out other area customers and even gave a little history lesson on some former trackage related to the plant. At one time the switchback led to a GM plant! That of course shouldn't surprise me, the industrial plant complex is huge back there. I got his contact information and said keep in touch, he even knew of some Buffalo area railfan YouTube channels, so I told him I'd be happy to be his guide the next time he wants to venture out my way. Was it all worth the wait? I suppose so. I couldn't have telegraphed the way that day panned out in a million years. The multiple letdowns leading up to things finally working out were a supreme test of my patience. When you shoot industries to the fervent obsessive level that I do, patience will be tested quite often and quite drastically in some instances. In the end, I put this on myself. I can't help but think if I'd tackled this place in the warmer months of the year I may not have ran into all the issues I did, but then again, only the switch being frozen would have been solved with that mentality. The other stuff could happen rain or shine, hot or cold. So yeah, that's the story of Roth Global Plastics for ya. The highs and lows, the cheers and woes. Makes for a cool story I guess. I dunno, every year has one or two white whale industries for me. As of yet, 2026 has yet to reveal which one that will be just yet, but there are certainly a few candidates in my book. Stay tuned for whatever wacky adventures I get myself into next.

Signed J. J. Bulten in lower right corner. I was unable to locate information about the artist.

 

This is one of a pair of oil portraits that complement the nautical theme of a newly reopened and redcorated restaurant in the seaside community of Long Beach, Washington.

 

I like the ships lying offshore in the distance over the seaman's shoulder.

 

At least three other marine paintings graced the walls. I'd say whoever selected those prioritized genre and availability over quality.

 

On the other hand, I wish I had found this portrait and its companion piece before the current owner did.

"How do you protect your camera?!" When I hear this, I assume you haven't taken any photos at Burning Man.

 

The safety of your gear and the amount/quality of photos are inversely proportional. I know which is more important to me, and prioritize accordingly. You can get a new camera, but not those photos again.

  

Photo by Martin Smith, friend and Blight crew member.

 

See my post-burn report at www.theblight.net/?p=87

 

PS: this is my personal gear, not paid for nor provided by any organization (other than The Blight, and that's me.)

If all the mothers look like this we have a world over populate

humor got to love the craziness...

 

On a more series thought

MOTHERS DAY has a special meaning to me

few years ago I heard GOD CALL MY NAME most think this is crazy its ok most of you are sleeping ..... today my child thank me for teaching her to be kind and to be kind to others

that's has more more values to me then any thing materialistic from this world I am so proud of you

God gave me the most amazing gift you ..For my 💕 daughter 💕

 

your Supermom as you call me hehheh .

 

IT REALLY PAYS OFF YOU PRIORITIZE YOUR ALL IN YOUR CHILDREN AFTER GOD .

 

a song for you 💕

 

Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfmkgQRmmeE&t=3s

Fort Funston - San Francisco, California

 

Fort Funston, San Francisco... What can I really say about this area? Well... If you have a dog, it's a great beach to take them to, but only if they get along with other dogs. There are many trails that run along the cliff sides, but I headed straight to the south end where rows of old pier pylons can be located. I've driven past this area countless times, but never stopped. I meant to, just never did. That is until I started exploring the area via this site. I have seen a few images from around the area, but again, I never really took the time to look into it.

 

Being a bit unmotivated the past few days, I figured that this place may help put my direction back into order. I guess my brain has been on overload these days. I have so many ideas... So many places I want to photograph, its just a matter of prioritizing my goals.

 

As I headed out for the afternoon, I knew the sky would give up something nice, but I also knew that it wouldn't give up much color, so black & white was my goal for the afternoon.

 

Composed for a square crop, I ended up liking the full frame, but I will stick with my original vision for now.

 

View my stream on black here

 

Exposure: 180

Aperture: f/16.0

Focal Length: 60 mm

ISO Speed: 50

Lens: EF 24-70 f/2.8L

B+W ND110 (10 stop solid)

Lee .6 & .9 hard edge GNDs

33428 Harbour Ave.

Mission, BC Canada

 

A Harbour Authority (HA) is a non-profit, locally controlled organization which operates under a head lease with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to operate and maintain a DFO-owned public commercial fishing harbour in the best interests of the commercial fishing fleet.

 

The harbour facility consists entirely of the property and water lots under the ownership of DFO – Small Craft Harbours (SCH).

 

An HA must operate the harbour as a public facility in accordance with the terms of the head lease and must at all times prioritize the needs of the commercial fishing industry above all else

 

Image best viewed in large screen.

 

Thank-you for your visit, and any comments or faves are always very much appreciated! ~Sonja.

 

Taken during a long weekend in Valley Forge in 2010, - newly re-edited using today's Lightroom, Photoshop and DxO Photolab.

 

We were lucky to meet mikonT - one of my Flickr friends - in Audubon, Pennsylvania.

 

Valley Forge played a major role during the American Revolution.

 

Driven by the need to escape the brutal cold of December 1777, the Continental Army arrived at Valley Forge and immediately prioritized shelter for its 12,000 soldiers and camp followers.

 

Out of necessity, they turned to the trees.

 

The math is staggering: A virtual city of huts, each structure taking 80 trees, arose in a matter of weeks. In addition, the accessible forestry was also used for defence structures, fires and other supplies.

 

Amazingly, however, not every tree at Valley Forge was felled during Washington’s stay.

 

One of the most impressive survivors, the Pawling Sycamore, still stands.

 

The tree is 25,5 meter tall and with a spread of 43 meters.

It is about 285 years old.

How our lives have changed one year on! It was one year since Victoria detected it's first Coronavirus case. Today on Australia Day the Worldometer ticked over to 100 million cases.

To everyone who has lost a loved one, my sympathies.

We live in a world interconnected in so many ways. This year has taught us in Australia to live a bit more carefully but we have been very lucky to live on an island with governmental systems that have prioritised health.

As the WHO preliminary report on the Coronavirus Pandemic decided- healthy people leads to more likelihood of a healthy economy. "Prioritizing health or prioritizing the economy has proved to be a false dichotomy. A preliminary observation by the Panel is that economic outcomes have been better in economies where strict public health control measures have been implemented effectively." and "There has been a wholesale failure to take seriously the existential risk posed by pandemic threat to humanity and its place in the future of the planet." Read more:

Second Report 19 Jan 2021 .

23250 McKay Avenue

Maple Ridge, BC Canada

 

A Harbour Authority (HA) is a non-profit, locally controlled organization which operates under a head lease with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to operate and maintain a DFO-owned public commercial fishing harbour in the best interests of the commercial fishing fleet.

 

The harbour facility consists entirely of the property and water lots under the ownership of DFO – Small Craft Harbours (SCH).

 

An HA must operate the harbour as a public facility in accordance with the terms of the head lease and must at all times prioritize the needs of the commercial fishing industry above all else

 

Image best viewed in large screen.

 

Thank-you for your visit, and any comments or faves are always very much appreciated! ~Sonja.

Follow Me: Website • Facebook • Google+ • Twitter • Youtube

 

What's it like to go to the ends of the Earth? It's unlike any other place in the world, and it's special. Very, truly, special. If you asked most people, they probably would have no real interest in visiting Antarctica even. They have no idea what they're missing out on. But if you've been looking through my photos of the White Continent, you will know, there is oh so much to be seen!

 

Sometimes I reflect and realize, just how lucky I've been to travel to the places I've gone. Sure, I've made some sacrifices along the way to prioritize my travels as such (do I want a couch or another vacation?), but then I continue to buy into the notion that happiness is derived more from memorable experiences than it is possessions. There is so much to remember about the beauty of Antarctica. It is an experience I dearly want to have again, but no matter what, I will remember it for the rest of my life.

 

The famed British explorer, Captain James Cook was the first to sail a ship across the Antarctic Circle on January 17th, 1773. This is absolutely mind boggling to me that such a voyage could have even been made over 200 years ago. In comparison I traveled in the relative comfort and safety of the ice-strengthened hull aboard the Akademik Ioffe, which was built in 1989.

 

So, what is it like to cross the Antarctic circle? Like age, it's just another number. While technically not a fixed line, it's roughly at a latitude of 66°33′46" south of the Equator. Crossing that line is still a milestone few will ever have, but more importantly, the landscape is just so different.

 

As a whole, the landscape of the continent is quite different to begin with. Waking up, early in the morning to be surrounded by sea ice and gigantic icebergs bigger than homes. It's to awake in a world where film and photos do it no justice. The sense of awe to nature's whims doesn't cease. An ever-changing landscape that continues to reveal herself to you as you travel. It is the wonder and mystery of a continent that exhausts all superlatives about it. May dreams never die, and travels never end.

 

Blogged: www.aisleseatplease.com/blog/2016/5/24/white-dreamscape

The downtown Minneapolis skyline is visible, with Nicollet Mall running through the heart of the city. Nicollet Mall, a pedestrian mall, was established in 1967 and has undergone several redesigns to prioritize pedestrian traffic and public spaces. It serves as a central artery for commerce, culture, and transit in Minneapolis.

Rovingian Council - Reading Ancient Sources by Daniel Arrhakis (2025)

 

Reading and the Importance of Consulting Ancient Sources in Mystical Development

 

Consulting a variety of sources is fundamental to mystical research, but also because it expands and deepens our knowledge, perspectives, and methods for understanding the spiritual world and the universe.

 

By combining diverse sources—such as religious texts, sacred diagrams and geometries, personal experiences, scientific findings, and sociological studies of communal practices—researchers can form a more complete and nuanced picture of the spiritual realm than they could from any single source.

 

Nowadays, the internet and Artificial Intelligence end up summarizing and making available part of the knowledge about the mystical world.

Search algorithms and AI models often prioritize the most popular, widely available, or easily digestible information. This can mean that common or "surface-level" knowledge becomes dominant, while niche, esoteric, or culturally specific wisdom might be less visible.

Many writings, texts and books were never digitized, others remained hidden or prohibited over the centuries and their memory was lost in time.

 

Hence the importance of consulting other sources in libraries, or in the repositories of former convents or monasteries.

  

_______________________________________________________________

 

A Leitura e a Importância da Consulta de Fontes Antigas no Desenvolvimento Místico

 

Consultar uma variedade de fontes é fundamental para a investigação mística, não só porque expande e aprofunda o nosso conhecimento, como abre perspetivas e métodos para compreender o mundo espiritual e o universo.

 

Ao combinar diversas fontes — como textos religiosos, diagramas e geometrias sagradas, experiências pessoais, descobertas científicas e estudos sociológicos de práticas comunitárias — os investigadores podem formar uma imagem mais completa e matizada do reino espiritual do que seria possível com uma única fonte.

 

Atualmente, a internet e a Inteligência Artificial acabam por resumir e disponibilizar parte do conhecimento sobre o mundo místico.

 

Os algoritmos de pesquisa e os modelos de IA priorizam frequentemente as informações mais populares, amplamente disponíveis ou facilmente assimiláveis. Isto pode significar que o conhecimento comum ou "superficial" se torna dominante, enquanto a sabedoria de nicho, esotérica ou culturalmente específica pode ser menos visível.

 

Muitos escritos, textos e livros nunca foram digitalizados, outros permaneceram ocultos ou proibidos ao longo dos séculos e a sua memória perdeu-se no tempo.

 

Daí a importância de consultar outras fontes nas bibliotecas, ou nos arquivos dos antigos conventos ou mosteiros.

   

A fine example of 20th century American highway design prioritizing convenience for drivers over that of residents of communities "served" by the road.

In this season of renewal, bask in the beauty of your own beliefs. Let your attitude bloom alongside nature's splendor this spring... 🌸💖

 

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Chapter : Rejection

 

She shrugged unapologetically...

 

" Rise above the clamor of both low and high levels, where low levels toss issues demanding attention they never earned. Our worth transcends their noise. Meanwhile, high levels bask in assumed magnetism, dictating how women should conform. We defy such limitations, radiating our own brilliance against them both unapologetically! "

 

_________ Scarlett Saphira

 

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A: Who the heck do you think you are?

 

S: (Raises an eyebrow, a slight smile playing on her lips) Clearly, someone who hasn't been captivated by your attempts. (Simply) A woman wholly unfazed by the desperate efforts or perhaps an admiration seeker? (And, frankly,) you're no exception, regardless of the beautiful throngs who foolishly chase after you or your inflated sense of self-importance.. 💕"

 

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" Not every woman aspires to safety or a perfect family, some prioritize experiences and fetishes. It's frustrating how many men appear impatient and lack resilience in the face of rejection. This contrast reminds her of her loyal subs - even after being denied 100-300 times, they remain happy and unwavering. They don't easily succumb to feelings of disappointment, crumbling, or fragility. They handle rejections much more gracefully and maturely than men on the other side.

 

In her profile, the declaration "☑ Keeping vanilla off" isn't merely a statement about avoiding vanilla men, but also about steering clear of vanilla's Thoughts and Values. She's too extraordinary, too fiercely authentic to entertain the lukewarm opinions and pedestrian ideals of the masses. So, if you can't match her intensity, if you can't rise above the ordinary, then don't waste her time with your tepid presence. She's a force to be reckoned with, and she's unapologetically blazing her own trail through a world that's far too dull for her vibrant spirit... 😉💕"

 

ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ

 

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Sacro Drip Necklace

► Unrigged mesh unisex necklace → Resizer script → Notecard with instructions

► HUD for color changing: → Metals 1: 4 colors → Metals 2: 4 colors → Metals 3: 4 colors → Gems 1: 6 colors → Gems 2: 6 colors → Gems 3: 6 colors

World Water Day 2023

The theme of World Water Day 2023 is accelerating change. This theme aims to urge governments, civil society, and individuals to accelerate progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6. To ensure safe drinking, bathing, and using proper sanitation facilities for everyone, we need more action, ambition, and innovation.

 

The main goal is to fulfill the commitments of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and ensure that Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) are seen as core elements in all sectors. Additionally, the theme explores how to coordinate action across multiple sectors, strengthen the collaboration among stakeholders, and maximize impact.

 

In 2023, World Water Day will provide an opportunity for people, corporations, and governments to take responsibility for achieving WASH objectives on time. Governments should prioritize investment in infrastructure such as pipes, sewers, wells, pumps, water tanks, and basic maintenance systems.

 

The UN 2023 Water Conference will be held in New York from 22 to 24 March 2023. By discussing what needs to change, we should create a collective action plan to help us reach our goals faster than ever. Now is the time for each of us to take responsibility for our actions. As a result, we will be able to accelerate the necessary changes needed to improve hygiene standards worldwide. By doing this, every person in the world can access clean drinking water.

 

Klipvoor Dam

Borakalalo

Near Brits

South Africa

From the underground steel cage fight matches at Silent Sam's, Max prepares for combat!

 

Magister Maxwell "Max" Tennyson, or Grandpa Max as his grandchildren call him, is the paternal grandfather of Ben and Gwen. He is a slightly overweight man in his late 50's to early 60's, with a keen sense for adventure and a strange taste in exotic food. During the original series, Max takes the kids on a summer road trip across the United States. Max travels in a motor home nicknamed the Rust Bucket, which he has modified with advanced technology.

 

Max was a semi-retired legendary Magister rank Plumber and is the mentor of Ben, Gwen, Kevin, and the Plumbers' Helpers. Max is widely considered the greatest Plumber in the Milky Way. As of Omniverse, Max quit retirement and joined the Plumbers again, and is currently Magister of Earth.

 

Personality

 

An easy-going, kind, and normally jovial man, Max Tennyson often comes across as pleasantly absent-minded at times, but is actually quite perceptive. For instance, he knew early on in Ben's adventures who was most likely pursuing him, as he was aware of Vilgax's history having fought the alien tyrant many times before.

 

Max is a very brave man, having dedicated his life to preserve peace on Earth between humans and extraterrestrial life. His bravery has resulted in him being injured, having his DNA spliced, nearly killed in several dozen ways, and more. His prioritization of others' safety above his own even when bereft of a weapon shows his selfless nature at its finest.

 

Ever the consummate strategist, Max is very intelligent, being able to select the correct weapon to battle Zs'Skayr based on minimal information given to him by Ben, choosing a light-based weapon to bring down the rogue Ectonurite.

 

Though well-meaning, Max is not without a stern side, having struggled to guide Ben during the first few months of his grandson's possession of the Omnitrix. When pushed, Max can be strict, harsh, but not unreasonably so, not being afraid to call people out on their selfishness and mistakes when necessary.

 

Max has a weird appetite, which comes from his travels both on the Earth and beyond.

 

Powers and Abilities

 

Although Max doesn't have any super powers, he is very skilled in combat and can take on anyone who does have them as he is quite athletic for someone of his age. As a retired Plumber, he has access to a variety of various Plumber tools and weaponry, which he uses skillfully. Aside from that, his experience from his Plumber days made him knowledgeable on various species of aliens. He is also able to strategize well and is skilled in inventing new machines. He is telepathically connected to his lover, Verdona.

 

Before joining the Plumbers, Max was a United States Air Force pilot, with dreams of joining NASA and going to the moon. He was an expert at flying an F-104 Starfighter and was able to shoot down an alien spacecraft.

 

Weaknesses

 

Despite being highly trained, Max is far from the prime athletic specimen he was during his days as a Plumber. He is a senior citizen, and has not managed to keep in shape, though he does still possess an incredible tactical mind to compensate for his less than stellar physical conditioning.

  

Regular Appearances

 

In the Original Series, Max wore a white shirt, covered by a red buttoned-up Hawaiian shirt with a floral design. He had grey hair and blue pants, as well as brown shoes.

 

In Alien Force and Ultimate Alien, Max's appearance did not change except for his blue pants being changed to brown, he had more wrinkles, a slightly darker shirt, and whiter hair. He wore black shoes.

 

In Omniverse, Max's appearance has not changed that much except for his brown pants, which are now white. He has whiter hair, more wrinkles, and his eyes have been changed to little black dashes. His white shirt that he wore under his red button up shirt has changed to black. Also, his shoes are now grey at the top and black at the bottom.

 

Occasional Appearances

 

In the original series, his pajamas were blue and had yellow lightning streaks.

 

While in the hospital in The Alliance, he wore a light blue hospital gown, with a cast around his left leg, bandages around his head and a band-aid on his left cheek.

 

In Dr. Animo and the Mutant Ray, he wore an orange life jacket.

 

As a Lepidopterran hybrid in the same episode, he had a maggot-like body with green skin and six legs. He had four eye stalks with orange eyes and grey hair.

 

In Back with a Vengeance, he wore a yellow raincoat while touring Niagara Falls on a ship.

 

In A Change of Face, he wore a pilgrim outfit.

 

In Merry Christmas, while cursed as Santa Claus, he wore a red and white robe, a red hat and green gloves.

 

In Game Over, while inside Sumo Slammers Smackdown, he wore grey armor which covered his left pectoral and lower body. He had brown hair on top and on the sides of his head, along with a brown beard.

 

In Monster Weather, he wore blue jeans, a brown headband, a brown vest and brown sandals along with his red Hawaiian shirt.

 

In Under Wraps, he briefly wore a blue bath robe.

 

In Under Wraps, The Return and Be Afraid of the Dark, he wore a hazmat suit.

 

As Ultra Grandpa in Perfect Day, he had a stereotypical superhero costume. He wore frameless blue goggles, a cyan shirt and white pants. He also donned a white cape like Ultra Ben.

 

In Divided We Stand, in addition to his red Hawaiian shirt, he wore brown shorts and brown strap sandals.

 

In Don't Drink the Water, Max briefly wore a pair of glasses.

 

After being turned into a 10-year-old in Don't Drink the Water, Max's hair was similar to a crew cut, and rather than fat, he looked skinny and athletic. He initially wore his own clothes, then switched to Ben's clothes.

 

In Big Fat Alien Wedding, during the wedding ceremony, he wore a black tuxedo.

 

In Ben 10 vs. the Negative 10: Part 2, he wore a grey exo-suit with blue markings on its visor.

 

In Alien Force and Ultimate Alien, he sometimes wore a short-sleeved white T-shirt with light brown pants and a green pouch with a sling that hangs on his shoulder.

 

In a flashback in Ben 10 Returns: Part 2, Max wore his regular shirt as well as dark blue shorts, white socks and brown shoes.

 

In Max Out, he wore a light brown long coat and a brown hat with a horizontal black stripe, over his regular outfit.

 

While under the identity of the Wrench, he wore a black T-shirt and light brown pants under a brown robe.

 

In Alien Force and Ultimate Alien, he occasionally wore a Plumber suit.

 

In Alien Swarm, Max wore a blue Hawaiian shirt instead of a red one. He wore a brown jacket over this outfit near the end of the movie. In a video recording, he wore a bluish grey vest over a long-sleeved white shirt, as well as blue pants.

 

As seen in a flashback in Moonstruck, Teen Max had short brown hair. He wore a brown jacket over a red shirt as well as light brown pants. He briefly wore his Air Force uniform.

 

In a flashback in Of Predators and Prey: Part 2, Max's fishing outfit consisted of a brownish grey hat with a horizontal grey line, as well as baggy brownish grey pants held up by black straps.

 

In a flashback in Blukic and Driba Go to Area 51, as a young adult, Max had black hair and was scrawny. He wore the same Hawaiian shirt he wears in the present.

 

In Something Zombozo This Way Comes, as a Zombie Clown, Max had white makeup, red lipstick, a red nose and different hair.

 

⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅∙∘☽༓☾∘∙•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅⋅•⋅⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅

 

A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.

 

Ben 10

Sumo Slammers

Max

2006, Bandai

i prioritized a consistency of texture on the "ball", and detail on the pylons, over making something symmetrical, or properly spherical.

 

A technic axle goes all the way through.

The eastbound California Zephyr races east now on main #2 east of Afton. The train ran main #1 out of Creston to get around 2 coal trains waiting at CP 3811. The dispatcher pretty much shut down the railroad the last hour and a half to allow a route for Amtrak to swing from main to main around traffic. Now that Amtrak has dashed by here at Afton, the BNSF will go back to railroading. When Amtrak's westbound #5 gets into the picture after 8pm tonight the operations will be halted again for awhile. A large ABS section of double track is still left from Creston to near Galesburg. This operating system limits the amount of flexibility the dispatcher has to prioritize trains. The BNSF has put in a few CTC crossovers to allow for better flexibility, but large shutdown windows come to allow hotshots to stay moving.

 

Love the BN coal hopper, probably getting to be less and less of those in service!

Seattle, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 2024

 

The Seattle Public Library – Central Library is the main headquarters of the city's library system and one of Seattle's most important architectural landmarks.

 

Innovative Architecture: The library, opened in 2004, is globally famous for its avant-garde design. It was designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas (OMA) and partner Joshua Prince-Ramus.

 

Unique Design: The 11-story building is characterized by its angular exterior appearance, clad in a steel and glass net, and an interior that prioritizes function and flexibility. The design aimed to fundamentally rethink the role of libraries in the digital age.

 

Internal Organization: The interior is notable for the "Book Spiral," a continuous spiral ramp that houses the entire non-fiction collection, organized in an unbroken sequence.

 

Significance: Beyond its function as a centre of knowledge, the Central Library is a global icon of contemporary architecture and a highly valued civic space by residents.

23250 McKay Avenue

Maple Ridge, BC Canada

 

A Harbour Authority (HA) is a non-profit, locally controlled organization which operates under a head lease with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to operate and maintain a DFO-owned public commercial fishing harbour in the best interests of the commercial fishing fleet.

 

The harbour facility consists entirely of the property and water lots under the ownership of DFO – Small Craft Harbours (SCH).

 

An HA must operate the harbour as a public facility in accordance with the terms of the head lease and must at all times prioritize the needs of the commercial fishing industry above all else

 

Image best viewed in large screen.

 

Thank-you for your visit, and any comments or faves are always very much appreciated! ~Sonja.

Serafima in the studio after her swim lesson.

 

Nikon N90S, Nikkor AF DC 105mm f/2 @ f/4

Ilford FP4 Plus, EI 80

Metol Portrait developer 5:00, 21C, Kodak agitation

 

This was over exposed and would have been better at box speed. This is a replenished tank developer and first roll through, so as it seasons film speed will drop slightly, development times will get longer, and we’ll see what happens with grain and gradation.

 

I’m formulating this developer specifically for portraits and prioritizing gradation over everything else. I’m eager to see how it matures.

23250 McKay Avenue

Maple Ridge, BC Canada

 

A Harbour Authority (HA) is a non-profit, locally controlled organization which operates under a head lease with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to operate and maintain a DFO-owned public commercial fishing harbour in the best interests of the commercial fishing fleet.

 

The harbour facility consists entirely of the property and water lots under the ownership of DFO – Small Craft Harbours (SCH).

 

An HA must operate the harbour as a public facility in accordance with the terms of the head lease and must at all times prioritize the needs of the commercial fishing industry above all else.

 

This image is best viewed in Large screen.

 

Thank-you for your visit, and any faves or comments are always greatly appreciated.

Sonja

Using these paper clips helps me keep documents, prioritized, categorized and organized at a glance.

I have a nice circular clip holder with pie shaped compartments for the various colors.

 

My N1J4 w/ 55mm @ f8 Nikkor Macro F lens from the 70's.

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