. . . Exploring the Reality . . .

Chapter: Controlling and Training Higher-Level Men

" Tips for Controlling a High-Quality Man Without Eroding His Ego or Diminishing His Quality."

☑ How do you get him to surrender you?

☑ How to make him chase your game instead of you having to chase his game?

SMV (Social Market Value) encompasses various aspects, and while you may excel in all of them, engaging in strategic maneuvers with higher-level men will make them more likely to surrender to your game.

Remember, just being beautiful isn't enough, your lower intelligence, charisma, and skills won't succeed in making him chase and surrender to your demands.

It's obvious that he's of a higher level, and you attract him because of his superiority. You want to win someone better than you, so you must accept the fact that your lower SMV can't beat him. Therefore, choose one of your SMV aspects to make him surrender - having options of higher-level men in your inventory now is key. Don't rely solely on him.

A superior man may not surrender to you solely based on your attributes—beauty, sex appeal/skills, personality, reputation—but rather because he refuses to lose you to another superior. He tolerates you not because of your qualities (inferior to his) but because he cannot bear the thought of losing you to a man superior to him.

Key 1

He won't surrender you for your qualities. Instead, he'll tolerate your game because he can't tolerate other men, especially if they're superior to him. He'd do anything to avoid the pain of losing. ( It's not about accepting your lower qualities that aren't as good as his.)

Key 2

Narcissistic or arrogant people often struggle with jealousy. They can't stand seeing others succeed, possessing true happiness that comes from being happy with someone who's better than them. They'll do anything to stop that from happening. They might even agree to pursue someone of lower status just to avoid losing her to a better man. (This works in case he doesn't know her yet or hasn't lived with her for so long that he's really bored with her./ But in the cases where he has been with her until a bad impression and hatred has developed, he won't pursue her again, no matter if she pairs with someone better than him.)

This is the strategy of a clever woman determined to win the game. She dates a higher-status guy but doesn't play by his rules fairly like other women of lower status treat him. By staying on top, she pressures him to play along with her games and put in effort, even though he's much better.

Pick an option. Choose from 3-4 options and decide who you're going with:

1st

Top-notch guy (Best)

2nd, 3rd

High quality guys who are a step down but still ahead of you.

4th

High quality guy who is the lowest of the bunch but still higher than you.

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1st - The TOOL

☑ To be used to tame 2 and 3 to be under your control.

☑ Top-notch guy

2nd, 3rd - The TARGET

☑ Your real target, the guy you really want.

☑ High quality guys who are a step down but still ahead of you.

4th - The Troublemaker

☑ The troublemaker is to be used to punish your target when he's being stubborn towards you.

☑ High quality guy who is the lowest of the bunch but still higher than you.

" Your target will get annoyed when you pretend to be more interested in and prioritize the 4th over him. To avoid the negative feelings caused by annoyance, he tends to give you what you want more easily to escape the annoyance he faces. "

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The show you will do

☑ Pretending to pursue 1

☑ Pretend to focus on 1

☑ Spend time with 1

☑ Be busy with 1

☑ 2 and 3 will interest you more than before.

☑ They will be better and more adaptable to your game than before.

☑ They will accelerate themselves to make you like them and increase their commitment to you more than before.

☑ They will allow you to control them more easily and compete to win against 1, to feel victorious and consider themselves successful and superior to 1.

P.S.

" These strategies mostly work with WINNER-type men, but they don't work with most Heroes as most heroes are of the loser type. They are broken and fragile easily under stress and negative impressions, often breaking down and fleeing from all Arenas. They can't endure and lack the resilience needed for competition. Just seeing the competitor in front of him, he dropped his weapon and fled, even though he didn't know whether his opponent had learned to fight or not.

If you encounter a hero, don't pressure him into competing or fighting - just let him go, as these men are easily discouraged. Not only does he refrain from fighting his opponents, but he also won't push through every obstacle that life throws your way while journeying with him. He doesn't even fight for his own happiness and well-being. Simply let him go. There's no need to force it. Find a new winner-type to fill the void."

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Unveiling the Truth: Behind the Curtain of the Show

" Why doesn't she pick 1 when they spend a lot of time together? "

Because 1 is her bonus. She knows well that 1 cannot be controlled and will never choose her. He won't choose her because he has too many choices of women who are much better than her and are still chasing his games as he wishes. So, 1 is her bonus in life, he cannot be the real man she can truly possess and rule.

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. . . Letting go . . .

" The strategy of defying nature and cheating the game involves practicing and controlling until exhaustion sets in. Eventually, you'll come to realize that for all these years, you've been manipulating and controlling nature, twisting it from what it should be. It becomes tiring, and you yearn to stop and rest. You crave some time to relax and allow life to take its natural course without interference.

Even though relinquishing control often leads to unfavorable outcomes, and sometimes even dire ones, there is a certain peace in surrendering to the laws of nature. Stop controlling and cheating, embrace natural living, accept its unfavorable results, and release the beasts you've confined into the wild to live freely without your control. This can bring a sense of fulfillment to you eventually, at least for a while."

ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ

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

Photograph published on 10/21/2021 { link below }

thebl.com/politics/160-republicans-push-biden-to-prioriti...

Also published on 10/30/2021 { link below}

bles.com/ultimas-noticias/eeuu-senador-marco-rubio-vatici...

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.

It's amazing to observe how some leaves have the perfect light on them. The shot is mostly unprocessed, was shot in RAW and the only thing i played around with was the WB.

Dedicated to this really amazing semester in college. Although at times, it seemed like a series of unfortunate events, it has helped me re-prioritize things and hopefully it has brought changes in me for the better..

Also dedicated to Foo Fighters, current favourite by them being Statues, and Nine Inch Nails for In this Twilight.

Press L and F11 to view on Large and Black, it brings out the details

"The Vic," formerly known as "The Victoria," is a striking and modern re-imagination of a waterside office building in MediaCityUK, prioritizing contemporary design and occupant wellbeing. Originally a 23-year-old building, it was redeveloped starting in 2018 with a £9 million investment to create a more relaxed and flexible workspace.

Exterior architecture

Contemporary update: The renovation by architect Bate & Taylor focused on updating the building for modern business needs. The design emphasizes natural light and creates a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces.

Waterside focus: The Vic's architecture is built around its tranquil waterside location on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal. Outdoor terraces, waterside views, and lush green landscaping are integrated into the design to maximize this feature and provide spaces for relaxation.

Industrial context: While thoroughly modernized, the design acknowledges the area's industrial heritage by using construction materials like steel, natural stone, cement, and wood in a contemporary style.

Interior architecture

Modernization and remodel: The extensive refurbishment included a full overhaul of the interior, from the reception and common areas to the office floors.

Focus on wellbeing: The interior design has a specific focus on occupant health, wellbeing, and mindfulness.

Flexible and collaborative spaces: The reconfigured spaces are designed to accommodate a range of work styles, with Wi-Fi enabled co-working areas to foster flexible and creative work.

Enhanced amenities: On-site amenities support a healthy work-life balance and are a core part of the architectural vision. These include a café, bike storage, showers, and dedicated spaces for fitness activities.

It occurred to me a couple years ago that I was probably an outlier among railroad photographers in that I hadn't captured any of the modern day heritage units. I'm not sure if this is a result of where I'm at in life or what I prioritize when I do get out to shoot but I haven't lensed any of the NS H.U.s nor any UP ones nor any CN ones, not even any of the CP Maroon and Grey. I haven't avoided them or tracked them just figured this unfortunate streak would end at some point.

Well today I found my first. CN's EJ&E tribute engine lead on both L517 and L516 today. Thanks to an early run and the recent time change L516 got here with just enough light for me to get a couple shots as they start their work picking up cars at the autoport.

March 16, 2022.

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

Fantastic red colors in these amazing outbreaks on the beginning of the evenig March 10th. A little later in the evening the aurora became more green/white/yellowish. This was not a planned shot, I was looking behind my back, and was shocked when I saw the colors at display.

I just had to turn around my camera, compose quickly, using the barn and the house, and fire away.

Man I am happy I got to experience this!

Shot at Ulsfjord, close to Tromsø, Northern Norway.

BR.

Ole

PS! PLEASE PLEASE no flashy big group icons!! Real comments are always welcome, positive and constructive negative, but PLEASE spare me of those fancy flickr-idol logos!! Comments with huge pictures/logos in it will be removed. Please don't invite me to groups with the purpose of commenting on 3 pictures etc.

AGAIN! I have been deleting lot's of meaningless comments lately with nothing more than a huge logo inviting me into groups for commenting on pictures. I will comment on the pictures that I like, and I will prioritize the work of the excellent photographers that I follow! PLEASE do not invite me into these groups, spare your energy! Those logos are so impersonal I'd rather you don't post anything. Please respect this!!

Ole

Spain : Inaugurated in 1954 by the totalitarian Francoist regime and official trade unions, Perlora was the first of the holiday towns (followed by Tarragona in 1957 and Marbella in 1962) designed for public sector workers during the 1950s and 1960s. It enjoyed great renown until the 1970s.

Families could enjoy a two-week seaside holiday there. The site features four small beaches and extensive green spaces, along with tennis courts, a church, a hotel, a huge dining hall, a medical center, and shops.

When the Francoist regime fell, the unions were dissolved, and the site passed into the hands of the Principality of Asturias. Meanwhile, the last Spanish companies were acquired by large foreign conglomerates that prioritized neither paternalism nor employee well-being. Consequently, the entire complex of 274 houses was permanently abandoned in 2006.

Despite several attempts to find a new purpose for this fascinating architectural complex from the 1950s and 60s, nothing has come to fruition. Some are accused of wanting to preserve a relic of the Franco era; others claim that structural defects necessitate total demolition; while some dream of reclaiming this magnificent location to establish a luxury resort.

From an architectural standpoint—and this is my sole perspective—it would be a shame to lose such a cohesive example of the Modern Movement, a style that has left few traces in history. To be continued...

Anágkis - Karmic Worlds and Cycles of Destiny Versus Animistic Cycles of Existence and Eternal Coexistence by Daniel Arrhakis (2026)

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Anágkis: Karmic Worlds and Cycles of Destiny Versus Animistic Cycles of Existence and Eternal Coexistence

Introduction to the Topic

This is the starting point for exploring a complex, controversial, but fundamental topic for Rovingian Animistic Mysticism. A deeper understanding of this concept helps to comprehend the philosophical and spiritual foundations that underpin this tradition.

The Concept of Anágkis and Its Influence on Cosmic Cycles

Anágkis, originating from the Greek Ananke, represents the personification of necessity, inevitability, and destiny—principles from which not even the gods can escape. In the context of karmic worlds and cycles, Anágkis acts as the driving force that structures the universe, determining the functioning of everything that exists.

Frequently, Ananke is associated with figures such as the Moirai (representatives of Destiny) and Adrasteia (Inevitability). Together, these entities ensure that every action produces a consequence, guaranteeing the balance and continuity of cosmic cycles.

For the soul, "Necessity" constitutes the bond that ties it to the material world. The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth—called the "Cycle of Genesis" or Samsara —is understood as an immutable law of Ananke, valid until the soul achieves purification.

Ananke (Necessity) is not only a cosmic force, but the cog that keeps the wheel of Samsara (Wheel of Births) turning as long as there is attachment to material desires.

Purification (catharsis) then emerges as the only way to break this determinism and allow the return to the intelligible or divine plane.

Animistic Perspective: Destiny and Existence

Within animism, the concepts of destiny and samsara are not interpreted in the same way as in Abrahamic or Eastern religions, such as Buddhism or Hinduism. Animism prioritizes the interconnectedness of all things and recognizes the presence of spirit in everything that exists.

1. Destiny: Harmony and Lineage

In animism, destiny is rarely conceived as a rigid plan drawn up by a creative entity. Instead, destiny is:

Balance with Nature: Each individual's destiny is tied to their ability to maintain harmony with the spirits of nature and the community. Success or failure are manifestations of the degree of this relationship.

Role of Ancestors: In many animistic traditions, a person's journey is influenced by their ancestors. Honoring these ancestors is essential for a favorable destiny.

Spiritual Agency: There is no absolute determinism; humans can negotiate or change events through rituals, offerings, and communication with the spiritual world.

2. The Cycle of Existence (instead of Samsara)

Although the term Samsara—the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth driven by karma—belongs to Indian thought, animism possesses similar cyclical notions:

Continuity of the Soul: Death is not seen as an end, but as a transition. The soul can become a protective ancestor of the family or, in some cultures, reincarnate in a descendant of the same lineage.

Natural Cycles: Human life integrates the natural cycles of the Earth, such as the seasons, plant growth, and the phases of the moon. "Rebirth" is observed in the constant renewal of nature.

Absence of a Final "Exit": Unlike Buddhism—whose goal is liberation from Samsara (Nirvana)—animism focuses on the perpetuation of life and the maintenance of contact between the visible and invisible worlds.

Comparison Between the Eastern and Animistic Views of Cycles

While Eastern Samsara aims to overcome cyclical suffering, culminating in final liberation (Moksha or Nirvana), animism values active and respectful participation in the eternal and evolutionary cycle of life and spirit. In the animistic universe, everything possesses agency, the right to exist, and free will.

Thus, while one tradition seeks the silence of ultimate liberation, the other seeks the harmony of eternal coexistence.

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Anágkis: Mundos Kármicos e Ciclos de Destino Versus Ciclos Animistas de Existência e de Convivência Eterna

Introdução ao Tema

Este é o ponto de partida para explorar um tema complexo, controverso, mas fundamental para a Mística Animista Rovingiana. O aprofundamento deste conceito ajuda a compreender as bases filosóficas e espirituais que sustentam essa tradição.

O Conceito de Anágkis e Sua Influência nos Ciclos Cósmicos

Anágkis, oriunda do grego Ananke, representa a personificação da necessidade, inevitabilidade e destino — princípios aos quais nem mesmo os deuses podem escapar. No contexto dos mundos e ciclos cármicos, Anágkis atua como a força propulsora que estrutura o universo, determinando o funcionamento de tudo que existe.

Frequentemente, Ananke é associada a figuras como as Moiras (representantes do Destino) e Adrasteia (a Inevitabilidade). Juntas, essas entidades garantem que cada ação produza uma consequência, assegurando o equilíbrio e a continuidade dos ciclos cósmicos.

Para a alma, a “Necessidade” constitui o laço que a prende ao mundo material. O ciclo de nascimento, morte e renascimento — chamado de “Ciclo de Gênese” ou "Samsara" — é entendido como uma lei imutável de Ananke, válida até que a alma atinja a purificação.

A Ananke (Necessidade) não é apenas uma força cósmica, mas a engrenagem que mantém a roda do Samsara (Roda Dos Nascimentos) girando enquanto houver apego aos desejos materiais.

A purificação (catarse) surge então como o único caminho para quebrar esse determinismo e permitir o retorno ao plano inteligível ou divino.

Perspectiva Animista: Destino e Existência

No âmbito do animismo, os conceitos de destino e samsara não são interpretados da mesma forma que nas religiões abraâmicas ou orientais, como o Budismo ou Hinduísmo. O animismo privilegia a interconexão de todas as coisas e reconhece a presença do espírito em tudo que existe.

1. O Destino: Harmonia e Linhagem

No animismo, o destino raramente é concebido como um plano rígido traçado por uma entidade criadora. Em vez disso, o destino é:

Equilíbrio com a Natureza: O destino de cada indivíduo está atrelado à sua capacidade de manter harmonia com os espíritos da natureza e da comunidade. O êxito ou fracasso são manifestações do grau dessa relação.

Papel dos Antepassados: Em muitas tradições animistas, o percurso de uma pessoa é influenciado pelos seus antepassados. Honrar esses ancestrais é essencial para que o destino seja favorável.

Agência Espiritual: Não existe determinismo absoluto; os humanos podem negociar ou alterar acontecimentos através de rituais, oferendas e comunicação com o mundo espiritual.

2. O Ciclo da Existência (em vez de Samsara)

Ainda que o termo Samsara — ciclo de nascimento, morte e renascimento movido pelo carma — pertença ao pensamento indiano, o animismo possui noções cíclicas similares:

Continuidade da Alma: A morte não é encarada como um fim, mas como uma transição. A alma pode converter-se em um antepassado protetor da família ou, em algumas culturas, reencarnar em um descendente da mesma linhagem.

Ciclos Naturais: A vida humana integra os ciclos naturais da Terra, como as estações, o crescimento das plantas e as fases da lua. O “renascimento” é observado na constante renovação da natureza.

Ausência de uma “Saída” Final: Diferentemente do Budismo — cujo objetivo é a libertação do Samsara (Nirvana) —, o animismo foca na perpetuação da vida e na manutenção do contato entre o mundo visível e o invisível.

Comparação Entre a Visão Oriental e Animista dos Ciclos

Enquanto o Samsara oriental tem como meta a superação do sofrimento cíclico, culminando na libertação final (Moksha ou Nirvana), o animismo valoriza a participação ativa e respeitosa no ciclo eterno e evolutivo de vida e espírito. No universo animista, tudo possui agência, direito à existência e livre-arbítrio.

Assim, enquanto uma tradição busca o silêncio da libertação final, a outra busca a harmonia da convivência eterna.

33428 Harbour Ave.

Mission, BC Canada

These vessels are sitting in frozen ice on the Fraser River.

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.

We took an all-day photography tour with Oahu Photography Tour. It was a lot of fun. I recommend it highly.

www.oahuphotographytours.com/

Our second stop was at Waimea Valley Botanical Garden.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waimea_Valley

Waimea Valley is an area of historic cultural significance on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. The valley, being an important place in Hawaiian religion, includes several historical structures including stone terraces and walls constructed during the time of the Hawaiian monarchy. The nutrient-rich volcanic soil combined with a rainy environment provided the resourceful Hawaiians of the area the opportunity to create one of the most prosperous farming communities in all of Polynesia. The area had complex fish ponds, domesticated animal pens, various large farming beds, and was famous for the cultivation of pink taro root stock, a coveted item to the Ali`i (the Hawaiian elite).[1][2] Much of the garden floor was once cultivated for taro, sweet potato, and bananas, with new crops and orchards introduced by Europeans after their arrival.

Formerly known as the Waimea Valley Audubon Center and the Waimea Arboretum and Botanical Garden, the Waimea Valley is a historical nature park including botanical gardens. It is located at 59-864 Kamehameha Highway, Haleiwa, Oahu, Hawaii and is open daily except for Christmas and New Year's Day; an admission fee is charged.

www.waimeavalley.net/admission

Google AI

"This image shows a CCN-51 (Colección Castro Naranjal 51) cacao pod growing on a Theobroma cacao tree.

CCN-51 is a high-yielding, disease-resistant variety of cacao developed in Ecuador in the 1960s.

It is widely cultivated and known for its productivity, often yielding two to three times the typical harvest of traditional varieties.

The CCN-51 variety is a hybrid cross involving Iquitos, LAN 21 Criollo, and Amelonado genetic groups.

It is commonly used in the commodity chocolate industry due to its robust nature. "

www.thechocolatejournalist.com/blog/good-bad-ugly-cacao-c...

The characteristics of CCN-51 appeal to those that prioritize productivity. This is in fact a high yield kind of cacao that can grow in full sun and is resistant to fungal diseases. It produces four times more than fine flavor varieties. A real cacao machine!But it's not gold all that shines. CCN-51 is also known for its mediocre, if not awful flavor that chocolate expert Ed Seguine defines as “acidic dirt”. In a more polite way, top craft chocolate reviewer C-Spot emphasizes the lack of a "flavorful rainbow" in any new and improved varieties of CCN-51.

Presented as the solution to a potential cocoa shortage, this kind of cacao is dreaded by fine palates. But what is dreaded by fine palates is often a matter of survival for farmers. The high-productivity of CCN-51 can be a blessing for cocoa farmers that are dealing with wages below the poverty line.

We can now understand why CCN-51 unleashes a wide range of emotions among chocolate professionals. Opinions are different and vary based on expertise and specific positions in the supply chain.Here are the biggest topics of such tangled debate.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobroma_cacao

Theobroma cacao (cacao tree or cocoa tree) is a small (6–12 m (20–39 ft) tall) evergreen tree in the Malvaceae family.[1][3] Its seeds—cocoa beans—are used to make chocolate liquor, cocoa solids, cocoa butter and chocolate.[4] Although the tree is native to the tropics of the Americas, the largest producer of cocoa beans in 2022 was Ivory Coast.

Hawaii 2025

Oahu 2025

Another shot from March 10th. Incredible long and vivid rays, never experienced it like this. Truly an amazing experience.

More info to follow.

Canon 5D Mark II + Nikon 14-24 2.8G

Hope you like it.

BR.

Ole

PS! PLEASE PLEASE no flashy big group icons!! Real comments are always welcome, positive and constructive negative, but PLEASE spare me of those fancy flickr-idol logos!! Comments with huge pictures/logos in it will be removed. Please don't invite me to groups with the purpose of commenting on 3 pictures etc.

AGAIN! I have been deleting lot's of meaningless comments lately with nothing more than a huge logo inviting me into groups for commenting on pictures. I will comment on the pictures that I like, and I will prioritize the work of the excellent photographers that I follow! PLEASE do not invite me into these groups, spare your energy! Those logos are so impersonal I'd rather you don't post anything. Please respect this!!

For more pictures, follow me on facebook:

arctic light photo - on facebook

Ole

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! (:

Yeah sadly this collab is being put on hold or just cancelled. Brick Rebellion and I decided it would be best to work on other things and kinda cancel this. There are still a lot of things we both need to prioritize and yeah, thats how the cookie crumbles :P when you see this photo the moc will be gone.

As I woke up… there are dark clouds … there are strong sun rays…. I’m thinking that the weather might be uncertain.. I for myself can relate to this.. haha! I have lots of things to do over the weekend and I’m not that sure which to prioritize… oh well time management can solve it sometimes…. Haha! Have a nice day to all!

---

View On Black

The Nishi Building in Canberra was designed by a large team including Fender Katsalidis Architects, Suppose Design Office (Japan), and March Studio, among others. Its interior is known for using recycled and natural materials, especially in its dramatic timber staircase made from over 2,000 reclaimed wooden beams. The lobby combines hotel, residential, and social spaces with a mix of concrete, timber, and plants. Hotel Hotel (now part of Ovolo Nishi) occupies several floors and features handcrafted furniture, local artworks, and inward- or outward-facing rooms that connect with the natural light and atrium garden.

The building focuses strongly on sustainability and received a 6-Star Green Star rating and an 8-star NatHERS rating. It uses solar power, natural ventilation, and recycled water systems. The interior design prioritizes energy efficiency and local materials. Nishi has won multiple awards, including International Project of the Year (2015) in London and several honors from the Australian Institute of Architects. Its design combines environmental performance with striking, artistic interiors.

This image is one of my favorite images from 2008, not simply because of the eerie result, but the circumstances that resulted in this image were a good reminder to me in keeping my mind open and my expectations from running away from me.

It all starts with a camera, as it so often seems to. In this particular case, the camera in question was the Fuji 6x17 panoramic. I do not usually succumb to kameralust but I admit to having a touch of it whenever I am around one of these beasts. So to scratch that itch, I had rented the camera in high expectation of taking it out to shoot a specific waterfall up around Mt. Adams one fine Fall day in the Pacific Northwest. Unfortunately someone forgot to inform me that it was going to be pouring buckets that day. And I don't mean the little plastic buckets you give your kids when they are playing on the beach, but the big, industrial-strength kind of bucket. In other words, it was raining with an almost biblical severity. It was so wet, I was nervous even carrying the camera in its case for fear the case could not even resist the deluge. I have an aversion to getting $2000 cameras wet, particularly when I don't own them...

So... I did not get to shoot the camera nearly as much as I had anticipated. I basically did not shoot it at all. I made one fumbling exposure, balancing my cable release in one hand, desperately clinging to an umbrella with another. But by the time it came to drive home, I had made only that single exposure, not even half a roll on a camera that only needs four shots to burn an entire roll. But then on the drive back, necessity stepped in. See, I had a choice. I was pretty certain I was not going to shoot anymore that day, yet I still had three images left to toy with to finish the roll off before I returned it the next day. So I figured, I may as well experiment with some panning shots while driving down the wooded back highways of southern Washington. And this shot was the result, something that if the first half of my day had proven to be more successful, I may never have even have attempted. If I had come away with those successful images of the waterfall that I had hoped and planned to capture, that satisfaction may have caused me to drive right by this image of these trees. Oh, it would have still been there I think, but not for me.

Shifting gears only slightly, photography never fails to amaze me thus in that it constantly reminds me just how much there is out there to see. Even in the exact same spot, ten people will see ten different things usually. Or better yet, put one photographer in the same spot ten different times under ten different sets of circumstances (I have driven this stretch of highway dozens and dozens of times, never before making this image) and they will create ten different photographs. This is one of the reasons I photograph. Sometimes I think about the recording of my vision as a way of recording who I am. It is an odd thought to wonder where my negatives may end up in 100 years, who may be looking at them, and what will they think. What are they going to know about me? Or the places I went? The things I saw? Sometimes that is why I photograph at such a breakneck pace. I am not really concerned too much with slowing down now to do much with my images. I know if I poured more time and energy into it, I could probably market a decent number of these. And in some ways I do. But having to slow down to do this stuff means I am out shooting less. I am not only documenting these places and time less, but I am documenting myself less as well. And there is going to be a point at which age (hopefully it is age) or some other factor forces me to slow down. Where I am not going to be able to photograph to this degree any longer. When I no longer find myself driving through the pouring rain down a wooded highway with photographs-to-be the click of an imagination away. That is the point in time I am more concerned about.

I do not think of this in any sort of fatalistic or pessimistic fashion, it is just a realization that time and opportunity are finite, so I care to prioritize how I spend them. It is a unique gift each photographer has, to document not the world, but their world. For each image like this, there is a photographer without whom it would have been impossible for that image to exist. Or so I sometimes think.

Anyway I am rambling now, so I am going to call it a night. Good night (or good morning) all and thank you for looking as well as reading.

And I apologize in advance for those frustrated by the small thumbnail. This image becomes more impressive large but I try to manage who has access to the larger files. I am sure there are plenty of you out there who should be contacts but I have not made you such. If so, just drop a comment here or send me an e-mail.

What was the last difficult decision you had to make? How did you feel? What kept you grounded? We all wrestle with decisions that test our resolve and challenge our emotions. Whether it’s choosing between two paths with unknown outcomes or navigating a dilemma that affects the people we care about, these moments often feel overwhelming. There’s a mix of anxiety, self-doubt, and mental exhaustion as you weigh your options and search for clarity.

But in the midst of the struggle, there’s an opportunity to discover strength and perspective. Taking time to pause, reflect, and prioritize what truly matters can be grounding. Seeking advice from trusted voices, focusing on your values, and accepting that no decision is perfect are crucial steps in finding peace with your choice. While wrestling with difficult decisions can feel like an uphill battle, it’s often these moments that shape character, teach resilience, and pave the way for growth. These challenges are more than just obstacles—they’re the turning points that define us.

Boulevard of Broken Dreams

youtu.be/Soa3gO7tL-c?si=aQrqPszcZhrQbFIY

A "Jhaalmuri" / "Spicy Puffed Rice" seller by profession, he puts 100% dedication towards his customers. He did notice me while I took the photo, but preparing jhaalmuri was prioritized higher than posing for a photograph.

I wonder who the lucky lady is?

Daily Dog Challenge 2732. "May Day"

119 Pictures in 2019 - #47. "Fragile"

You'll notice Toby is conspicuously absent from today's picture. Neither the ceramic pitcher nor the little silk flowers were up to it.

But gentle Henry?

No worries!

Arg! Falling behind on my 119 (plus general Flickr commenting, posting, etc.)

Not but a lot... yet... but I need to refocus on Flickr.

The past month I've been prioritizing Toby's training - a necessary step for the teenage pup so he'll be a good Model and joy to be around both at home and away, but one that cuts into photography time.

I smile to think I began taking picture of my dogs (when I joined Flickr back in 2011) as a simple way to add some interest to training, and now training revolves around creating Models for photography.

100x in 2019 : #35 (Black)

And yes, my desire to get away from Black backgrounds has temporarily been put on hold for the same reason (see above).

That said, I'm running at just under/over 50% black backgrounds for the year so I'm still feeling pretty good about that.

Stop on by Henry and Toby's blog: bzdogs.com - The Secret Life of the Suburban Dog

Renaissance front 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.

The back wall is hinged via the pipes, which I thought was quite neat.

The building is 12 bricks wide and thanks to the walls taking up 3 bricks of space in total, the interior space is only 9 bricks wide. However designing the interior wasn't too challenging despite that. It meant that I could design a lot less and make the most of the few objects in the space which was a lot of fun. I prioritized a cozy feeling above all else.

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.

♦ Instructions available at Rebrickable ♦

"This is where the fun begins!"

My latest ship from the Prequel Trilogy has arrived, and it surely was a lot of fun to make: here's Obi Wan's Eta-2 Actis Interceptor from Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and The Clone Wars.

This small unit consists of 281 pieces (stand included), and has one major feature: true Minifig scale!

There's a handful of beautiful MOCs of this ship out there already, but most of them are based on the huge cockpit piece from the playsets, so they're drastically oversized. So here I am with a, dare I say, more accurately scaled version.

It does come with a drawback, you guessed it: you can't put a fig inside. A bit ironic I know, but I chose to go for a brick-built cockpit in order to get as close to the original design as I could, prioritizing accuracy over playability, as usual.

The wings were pretty challenging given the ridiculously small scale, and my goal was to have them as thin as possible without compromising the SNOT look.

I'm quite happy with the result and I think this makes a nice little display piece. It's also very swooshable despite the intricate wing design.

I'm usually not a fan of stickers, but I thought this one deserved some sweet markings. I used the sticker sheet from the playset - it is included in the parts list. The color scheme can be changed to red with only a few part swaps (see last page in the instructions).

► Instructions for the Eta-2 Actis Interceptor are available at Rebrickable!

Happy New Year to all friends and contacts. And anyone else that might drop in. Christmas 2023 was not the relaxing type of Christmas, so I prioritized life over Flickr. Sorry about that.

I hope to be back now, but it will take some days to reach around to all of you. As a farmer with an old barn it takes 6 hours a day just to feed, clean, milk and all the other things to do twice a day in the barn. And then you have the other things to do, which takes time when we get 3 feet of snow over a few days just around Christmas.

I haven' taken much photos either, so I just grab a few snapshots from the last two weeks and present here. And a few jokes from the web.

And a photo that surely isn't for everyone. It is a joke we had in the "Vintrakveld" show at the Christmasparty in Ungdomslaget. It is a dinner and program party with dance to a local band on the fifth day of Christmas. We were a little over 100 people gathered, and the show is about making fun of things that happened last year here in our community.

One joke we had was that the landscape calendars I make sold so poorly last year, so now I have gone all in to raise the sale. I will make a nude calendar! And to get a shock reaction we also showed a photo to drive home the point. And people did laugh! And not just laugh, when the party was over a local lady had got ten farmers to join to create a nude farmers calendar for real to raise money for a good cause next year!! If this joke can end up in a prosject raising money for mens health is it a good thing in my eyes.

In Norway this photo isn't a big deal, but I have no idea how other nations culture will see it so I add just a link to it. Clicking on the link is on your own risk. Old farmers surely isn't something everyone will see! The link: photos.app.goo.gl/iy9dxXRCfwmv3EFv8

There are as always more photos in the first comment

Melbourne, AUSTRÀLIA 2023

Swanston Street is one of the most significant and busiest thoroughfares in central Melbourne. It's a predominantly pedestrian and tram-only street, making it highly accessible and vibrant. The street is home to some of the city's most prominent cultural and educational institutions, including the State Library of Victoria. It's a central point for accessing Federation Square, St. Paul's Cathedral, and the Melbourne Town Hall. Along Swanston Street, you'll find a mix of shops, cafes, and restaurants, as well as public art. It's a key hub for student life, with several universities having campuses nearby. The street is a constant hive of activity, featuring street performers and events. Its design prioritizes pedestrians and public transport, reflecting Melbourne's urban vision. Swanston Street is the pulsing heart of the city's civic and cultural life

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! (:

A government that prioritizes Gross National Happiness over GDP must surely engender a happier people. These Bhutanese schoolgirls were full of smiles on their way to class.

Guy Anderson (1906-1998 Washington)

Oil on Board 12"x17.5"

Original gilt framing 16.5"x21.5".

Signed lower left and notated "Edmonds, Wash." on the back.

Painting has been glued at edges into framing.

Overall excellent condition.

Guy Anderson’s Harbor Scene, Edmonds, Washington (1930s) depicts a lineup of sailing ships still active on Puget Sound decades after steam had become dominant. Edmonds was a key departure point for the Alaska trade, and many older wooden schooners and barkentines remained in service hauling lumber, salmon, and general cargo northward. The Depression prolonged their use, as they were cheaper to operate and maintain than steamships.

Painted with a bold, blocky impasto and a palette of muted blues, violets, and russets, the work reflects Anderson’s early Northwest modernism. Rather than aiming for meticulous detail, he captured the structural rhythm of masts and rigging, setting them against a subdued sky. The composition emphasizes vertical thrust, echoing both the maritime forest of spars and the rising ambitions of a young artist.

Guy Anderson (1906–1998) was a central figure of the “Northwest School” alongside Morris Graves, Kenneth Callahan, and Mark Tobey. Born in Edmonds, Anderson studied at the Cornish School in Seattle and developed a style rooted in Pacific Northwest landscapes and spirituality. While his mature work leaned toward mythic and symbolic figuration, his early paintings—like this harbor scene—document the working ports and coastal culture of Puget Sound with an expressive, almost Fauvist brush. Today, he is recognized as one of the leading voices of mid-20th-century Northwest art.

Context in the 1930s Art Debate:

When Anderson painted this scene, American art was divided between regionalist realism—celebrated in the Midwest by artists like Grant Wood and Thomas Hart Benton—and the emerging strains of modernism that prioritized form, color, and emotional resonance. Anderson’s Harbor Scene straddles both impulses: the subject matter is firmly local and documentary, tying him to regionalist concerns, yet the execution is modernist, with its loose brushwork and abstraction of structure. This balance anticipates the distinctive Northwest School, which fused local imagery with universal, often spiritual, concerns.

This text is a collaboration with Chat GPT.

A conservationist zoo that prioritizes the welfare of its animals and provides a really pleasant, relaxing and instructive experience for its visitors.

Kaer Station floated in the upper atmosphere of the gas giant Kaer, an aging Tibanna gas platform that had long seen its prime. Built during the Republic era, it had once been a thriving hub of activity, but by the end of the Clone Wars, it was largely aban- doned, its corridors silent and lifeless. When ARGO Industries took over, the corporation prioritized utility over restoration, investing only in the bare minimum to make the station operational. The platform became a patch- work of old, rusted bulkheads and newly installed conduits, blending its worn history with ARGO’s functional upgrades. Tibanna gas extraction rigs hummed steadily, meeting the company’s needs, while much of the station remained dormant—a labyrinth of empty corridors, inactive terminals, and forgotten vaults.

Under ARGO Industries, Kaer Station operated with a skeleton crew—only a few workers and just enough droids to keep the station running, with automated systems handling most of the operations. Arrivals and departures were rare, shrouded in secrecy, with transports coming and going under the cover of atmospheric storms. Officially, the station supplied Tibanna gas for ARGO's industrial needs, but rumors persisted that it served a secondary purpose. Some whispered about hidden cargo and unregistered ships docking in sealed-off sections of the platform, suggesting that ARGO had used Kaer Station for clandestine operations far from prying eyes.

///

I finally got to Kaer Station, somewhat hidden in the Siskeen system. I love how much nitty gritty lore is hidden in legends. The inspiration comes from the Star Wars: Legacy comics. See more photos and behind the scenes below. Thanks for watching!

Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand, and formerly known as Siam until 1939, is a country located in Mainland Southeast Asia.

Thailand is the only Southeast Asian state never to have been colonised by a Western power, in part because Britain and France agreed in 1896 to make the Chao Phraya valley a buffer state.

A period of wasteful spending by King Vajiravudh followed by the Great Depression brought economic hardships on Thailand, with sharply falling rice prices, a significant reduction in public spending, eroded confidence in the monarchy, and discontent among aristocratic supporters all contributing to the destabilisation of the Chakri dynasty. These conditions spurred on the bloodless Siamese revolution of 1932, in which the Khana Ratsadon movement forced King Prajadhipok to sign the country's first constitution, thereby ending centuries of feudal and absolute monarchy. Power was partially ceded to a democratic government, but it would not last a year before the rise of significant military influence in Thai political affairs.

In 1933, Prime Minister Phraya Mano led a counter-revolutionary rebellion to reinstate an absolute monarchy under Prajadhipok. This was soon followed by a military coup that installed Phraya Phahon – a leader of the 1932 revolution – as Prime Minister. Prajadhipok's conflict with the government eventually led to his abdication, and the new military-led government selected Switzerland-raised Ananda Mahidol to be the new king.

The armed wing of Khana Ratsadon gradually came to dominate Siamese politics. Military strongman Plaek Phibunsongkhram, often known as "Phibun", became premier in 1938 and launched a campaign of political repression that saw the execution of both Monarchists and pro-democracy Liberals. His government adopted Thai nationalist, pro-Westernization, anti-royalist, Irredentist, anti-Chinese and anti-French policies. 

In 1939, Phibun changed the country's name from "Siam" to "Thailand". This coincided with the rise of fascist ideology in Thailand, with the name change reflecting policies that prioritized the needs of ethnic Thais over those of minorities like the Thai Chinese. Phibun was an admirer of Benito Mussolini, and he imposed twelve Thai cultural mandates requiring citizens to obey nationalist norms such as saluting the flag, knowing the national anthem, speaking only Thai, and wearing Western clothing.

In my humble opinion, the greatest knowledge one can posses is to realize that we all have limited time.In my own life, this thought allows me to prioritize the right things in my life.

ODC:Knowledge

The year 1936 brought forth an automotive gem, the Ford Model 68, a vehicle that not only captured the essence of its era but also pushed the boundaries of design and innovation. Born from the storied assembly lines of the Ford Motor Company, this classic car emerged during a time when America was finding its footing after the Great Depression. As a testament to resilience and forward-thinking, the Model 68 showcased Henry Ford's commitment to affordable yet stylish transportation for the masses. One particularly intriguing fact about this model is that it was among the first to offer a glimpse into streamlined design, which would dominate the automotive industry in the years to come.

Design and Innovation: A Blend of Style and Substance

The exterior of the 1936 Ford Model 68 exuded elegance with its teardrop-shaped headlamps and a bold, v-shaped grille that commanded attention. The car's sleek lines and rounded fenders were a departure from the boxy shapes of earlier models, hinting at the aerodynamic future of automobile design. Inside, owners were greeted with an interior that prioritized simplicity and functionality without compromising on quality. Luxurious touches like mohair upholstery and wood-grain accents spoke volumes about the craftsmanship of the era. Technologically, the Model 68 stood out with its flathead V8 engine, a marvel that offered unprecedented power and reliability to everyday drivers. Color options ranged from Washington Blue to Cordoba Tan, with many buyers favoring darker hues that accentuated the car's sophisticated silhouette. Available in various body styles including coupes, sedans, convertibles, and even wood-paneled station wagons known as "Woodies," it was the Deluxe Roadster that often stole hearts with its irresistible blend of performance and panache.

Performance-wise, the 1936 Ford Model 68 was no slouch. Its V8 engine could propel it to top speeds that were impressive for its time, while acceleration from 0-60 mph was achieved in a manner that could best be described as spirited for a pre-war car. On various driving conditions, from bumpy rural roads to newly paved highways, the Model 68 handled with poise and assurance. Drivers often reveled in the throaty rumble of the flathead V8 as they navigated through their journeys, enjoying a tactile connection with their machine that modern vehicles struggle to replicate.

The 1936 Ford Model 68 stands as more than just another vintage vehicle; it is a symbol of innovation during times of adversity and a precursor to modern automotive design philosophies. Its legacy is etched into history books and continues to be celebrated by enthusiasts around the globe who are captivated by its story and enamored by its character.

Last year's for comparison. Other people doing similar things: Owen McCabe.

In general, black is walking, red is bicycling, blue is cars or buses, and green is above-ground rapid transit or freeways. (Color is from speed, not from an actual record of transportation mode.) Not shown: tunnels and subways.

In spite of that ritual caption, there's basically no red on here because I haven't actually been on a bike all year. The other striking thing is how small my San Francisco is now: I go to work and I go to #geobreakfast, and I get lunch, and that's about it.

What have I been doing instead? Trying to turn myself into a better piano player. It's very time-intensive and home-oriented. The other big time-suck that does show up as geography is a bunch of trips to the Berkeley campus to go the library and read everything that's ever been written about colorblindness.

One thing you can see on the map is the change in how I walk to BART. Now it is generally on 42nd Street instead of 41st so I can avoid having to use any of the traffic signals on Broadway, now that AC Transit and the City of Oakland have misguidedly prioritized through vehicle movement in an ineffective attempt at transit efficiency.

The big thing that doesn't show up at all is that I went to Spain to speak at the Technarte conference. I walked a hundred miles in a week and still only saw a tiny fraction of what there was to see. Spain looks like California and shows how good California could be if the United States knew how to build cities. Steph and I also went to New Orleans, which demonstrates how the US can do less damage to the cities that it does have by not doing any traffic engineering for decades.

How big is your world?

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.

Taken at Higashi-Jūjō in July 2002.

At the time, JR East was prioritizing the replacement of trains from the former JNR era with newly built rolling stock.

The E231 series was being manufactured at the company’s own factory and transported to Tokyo.

This photo captures a shipment of Yamanote Line train cars, led by an electric locomotive that had crossed the Jōetsu mountain range and traversed the Kantō Plain.

Although the Yamanote Line’s train yard is located in Ōsaki, these delivery runs would first enter the Tamachi yard. The train cars were then transferred to Ōsaki the following day under their own power—a routine that was repeated with each new delivery.

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.

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.

Ángeles

My marks aren't real but their's were. And the deepest marks are not in sight. Thousands of sanitarian had to face workdays at risk, without secure and enough material. Some of them had lost their lives.

This is something that cannot be forgotten. Never forget to prioritize what is important as health.

Without health, there's no life, and without life, there's nothing.

Mis marcas no son reales pero las de ellos sí que lo han sido. Y las marcas más profundas son las que no se ven.

Miles de sanitarios se han tenido que enfrentar a jornadas de trabajo en riesgo, sin material suficiente y seguro. Algunos incluso han perdido la vida.

Esto es algo que no se debe olvidar. Que no se olvide nunca priorizar lo verdaderamente importante como es la Sanidad.

Sin salud no hay vida y sin vida no hay nada.

It has been months and months that I have not had the time to do a SP, as the business has been growing more and more I have had to prioritize those shoots (which I like better than photographing myself of course) anyways i missed doing this too! I hope you enjoy these, I had fun taking them :)

PS: Also, i cut my hair about 8 inches, you like?

UPDATE: This is how I edit my photos:

Video 1: youtu.be/9jY0BPGaM6A

Video 2: youtu.be/xew7eLrpfVg

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Urgh, I wish I can prioritize this photography thing because I love doing it, I really do, but the thing is there are more important things to do. I am bombarded with lots of “reality” stuffs.

I miss talking to my flickr friends who have the same story as mine. Flickr world can be a paradise to some ~_~

I promise to get back to you as soon as I can, I miss talking to you all!

Anyway, this is Jomer, the guy from my previous upload. I love shooting with him because he lets me explore how this portrait photography thing works- the how-to of bringing out your emotions and posing and everything under the sun modelling- wise. It’s a lot harder than how I used to think.