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Top 10 reasons to visit the Eden Project
Here's some of what you'll find when you visit:
1.the world's largest rainforest in captivity with steamy jungles and waterfalls
2.cutting-edge architecture and buildings
3.stunning garden displays all year round
4.world-class sculpture and art
5.evening gigs, concerts and an ice rink in the winter
6.educational centre and demonstrations to inspire all ages
7.brilliant local, fairly traded food in the restaurants and cafes
8.a rainforest lookout that takes you above the treetops
9.living example of regeneration and sustainable living
10.free land train pulled by a tractor.
Even if you've visited before, our plants, exhibits and events programme change every season and every year.
Rainforest Biome - Our 50-metre-tall Biome houses the world’s largest rainforest in captivity.
Mediterranean Biome - A colourful, sensory journey through citrus, olives, vines and perfumed herbs.
In our beautifully transformed clay pit in Cornwall, you'll find over 80 exhibits, including unusual plant combinations, unique sculpture and quirky information displays.
The Core is Eden's innovative education centre: it's a fantastic building full of interactive displays where both children and adults can press buttons, wind handles and peer inside things.
Article: 20 Reasons Why Angelina Jolie Is Not Just the ‘Most Beautiful’ but the Most Inspirational Hollywood Actress of All Times
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As I have posted before, the reason why I spent the money on the x100 compact was to have a small portable camera that I can always have with me. Saturday afternoon/evening, my wife and I were invited to a wine-tasting at someone’s home, and although I don’t drink I went along with my camera.
I didn’t find the wine-tasting itself all that inspiring (probably *because* I wasn’t imbibing), but as I wandered around the host’s home I did see a scene that seemed photogenic. They had one entire wall of their kitchen dedicated to what must be someone’s coffee-mug collection. The late afternoon light through a side window made the whole thing very soft and pleasant, so I had to capture it.
I find that although it is often hard to be inspired to take pictures around your own home because everything is so familiar, it is much easier to find interesting subjects in someone else’s home.
This was processed through Lightroom, NIK Define, and PS-CS5
Fujifilm X100; ISO-3200(auto); f5.6; 1/40-sec; -2ev
x100_2011-0194_Mug-Wall-2
Top 10 reasons to visit the Eden Project
Here's some of what you'll find when you visit:
1.the world's largest rainforest in captivity with steamy jungles and waterfalls
2.cutting-edge architecture and buildings
3.stunning garden displays all year round
4.world-class sculpture and art
5.evening gigs, concerts and an ice rink in the winter
6.educational centre and demonstrations to inspire all ages
7.brilliant local, fairly traded food in the restaurants and cafes
8.a rainforest lookout that takes you above the treetops
9.living example of regeneration and sustainable living
10.free land train pulled by a tractor.
Even if you've visited before, our plants, exhibits and events programme change every season and every year.
Rainforest Biome - Our 50-metre-tall Biome houses the world’s largest rainforest in captivity.
Mediterranean Biome - A colourful, sensory journey through citrus, olives, vines and perfumed herbs.
In our beautifully transformed clay pit in Cornwall, you'll find over 80 exhibits, including unusual plant combinations, unique sculpture and quirky information displays.
The Core is Eden's innovative education centre: it's a fantastic building full of interactive displays where both children and adults can press buttons, wind handles and peer inside things.
Top 10 reasons to visit the Eden Project
Here's some of what you'll find when you visit:
1.the world's largest rainforest in captivity with steamy jungles and waterfalls
2.cutting-edge architecture and buildings
3.stunning garden displays all year round
4.world-class sculpture and art
5.evening gigs, concerts and an ice rink in the winter
6.educational centre and demonstrations to inspire all ages
7.brilliant local, fairly traded food in the restaurants and cafes
8.a rainforest lookout that takes you above the treetops
9.living example of regeneration and sustainable living
10.free land train pulled by a tractor.
Even if you've visited before, our plants, exhibits and events programme change every season and every year.
Rainforest Biome - Our 50-metre-tall Biome houses the world’s largest rainforest in captivity.
Mediterranean Biome - A colourful, sensory journey through citrus, olives, vines and perfumed herbs.
In our beautifully transformed clay pit in Cornwall, you'll find over 80 exhibits, including unusual plant combinations, unique sculpture and quirky information displays.
The Core is Eden's innovative education centre: it's a fantastic building full of interactive displays where both children and adults can press buttons, wind handles and peer inside things.
Mural depicting San Francisco scenes and icons, on a wall in San Francisco, California. The dog head is the former mascot/logo of Doggy Diner, and the sign is from a store called 17 Reasons, formerly at the corner of 17th and Mission.
A warm and fuzzy 2021 to everyone out there.
It's been a busy and chaotic 2021 thus far, coupled with some new fun local restrictions.... any I may or may not be playing Switch games. But, fear not, I'm still around with a pile of stuff to get around to looking at.
The 2021 - 22 timeframe brings us the latest in the Transformers mainline release - Kingdom, which is the third party of the "War for Cybertron" series. Based on photos, this line is very much a mash up of G1 and Beast Wars stuff, with an emphasis on the Beast stuff, which is fine as G1 effectively had 2/3 of the lines and while it's not my favourite thing I understand it's time to move on and completely skip all the Japanese G1 stuff that we never saw here.
Bastards.
OK... got that out of my system... Beast Wars is a series that I never really followed because I honestly never had consistent viewing habits. I was probably 10 years old when it premiered and didn't have the patience to follow a weekly show that, for reasons never aired in order. The characters were interesting and I enjoyed the later Transmetal designs.
So while this wasn't my G1, there were a few things that tickled my fancy from the Kingdom line, though I have to say at this time that my involvement in this line is going to be fairly limited. As mentioned on an earlier post, I ended up getting Black Arachnia and Rattrap from Wave 1. Rattrap because I needed something for free shipping, and Black Arachnia because... well.. boobs.
I think it's fair to say that Black Arachnia borrows some elements from the MP version, though naturally much more simplified. Silhouette is very similar and the transformation scheme itself shares some similarities. I guess unlike with vehicles, there's only so many ways you can bundle up bot parts into a presentable animal of sorts... also, why do your own homework when you can reference other peoples?
The figure comes with her harpoon gun that looks close to its MP counterpart, except with no removable missile. Colour scheme is very reminiscent of her TV counterpart, including her perpetual 5 o'clock shadow look. Backpack is generally minimized, which is a nice touch. She's not as pretty as her MP counterpart, but we've come a long way from the 90s when she was a repaint of Tarantulus. Spider mode is also much more convincing.
She does alright from an articulation perspective, which to summarize, is really just missing the waist. The pelvic plate unfortunately gets in the way of the legs, so forward range of motion is rather limited. She even has a slight amount of lateral shoulder movement. Her pincers are moulded such that any standard weapon should fit into it.
Put another way, she's at least two steps up from Legends Arcee.
Paint is highly limited, as is the mainline Transformers way. It's pretty much the any areas which have patterns on it though to be fair they matched the paint and plastic colours nicely, and the actual paint apps themselves are sharp. There is also a tiny tampo of her Predacon insignia.
Build quality itself is again pretty solid, something that has been consistent since the Unified Product thing. As a nice bonus, while the spider legs cannot be posed individually like other figures, this is the first mainline Black Arachnia that can stand up on it's legs.
Rattrap is a Legends class figure, so he's pretty tiny. Still, he's a fan favourite, being the smart ass of the Maximal crew so I didn't mind adding him to the ranks. Based on what I see, it looks like Rattrap will be the basis for Airrazor, which unfortunately means that Airrazor is gonna have the same issues as Rattrap does.
Rattrap comes with his gun and while he turns into a nice looking mouse, it's only aesthetically better than his 90s counter part as functionally he's still effectively a statue in Beast mode. What's really odd is that during the Legends/Generations run, there was a Rattrap with functional beast mode legs.
At least the thing holds together better than Earthrise Arcee.
Bot mode doesn't look bad, and is more properly proportioned than the Legends/Generations attempt. Articulation wise, not only is he missing a waist, but Rattrap has some really, REALLY wonky shoulders that not only look strange, but have some really peculiar limitations on range of motion.
Paint and Build Quality are, as expected, solid. No major issues to report there.
That, friends, was a quick look at these two figures. From what I've seen, fans of the Beast Era should be having a ball with these releases as these clearly were meant to tickle their Nostalgia rather than us G1ers, though personally I'm keeping my eyes open for discounts on the MPs as clearly some short cuts were taken on these figures to keep the accountants happy.
Basilica at Montserrat: The Church at Montserrat Monastery
The Basilica is the name for the church at Montserrat. For most people it is essential to a visit to Montserrat for three main reasons. Firstly, it is, in itself, a Gothic building of architectural significance. Secondly, it is the home of Montserrat's masses and choral concerts. Thirdly, it houses what is arguably Montserrat's most important feature - the statue of the Black Madonna.
History of the Basilica
The Atrium of the Basilica
The Atrium of the Basilica is the open-roofed courtyard area that sits directly in front of the Basilica. Five arches lead you to the main area. Look out for the iron sculpture of St Benedict by the sculptor Enric Monjo. It is situated at the entrance to the part of the monastery where the monks live - an area that you are not allowed to enter (for more details on the monastery and the lives of the monks who live within it, see our Montserrat Monastery page).
The atrium itself is known as the Atrium of Abbot Argerich. In 1952 - 1956 it was decorated by Josep Obiols and Father Benet Martinez. Designs on the right hand walls of the atrium depict the most important shrines and basilicas throughout Christianity. Designs on the left hand walls offer a brief history of Montserrat.
Take a look down and enjoy the marbled black and white floor of the atrium. It takes inspiration from the floor of the Capitolium in Rome that was designed by Michelangelo. The inscriptions at the centre are Latin and refer to baptism.
In front you will be able to take in the facade of the basilica. In 1900 - 1901 a new facade was added to the basilica. It is the work of Francesc de Paula del Villar I Carmona and carved by two brothers - Venanci and Agapit Vallmitjana.
The Basilica
Montserrat's church is a Gothic structure that also uses Renaissance shapes and traditionally Catalan architecture. It was severely damaged during Napolean's war (1808 - 1814). This meant that it had to be reconstructed at the end of the 19th century. The central nave of the church is 58 metres long and 15 metres wide. It is 23 metres to the top of the dome of the church.
Around the edge of the church you will note lots of ornate hanging candles. These are representative of a Catalan style of jewellery-making from after the Spanish Civil War (1811 - 1812). They have all been donated by Catalan towns and associations. Collectively they are there to represent the constant presence of the people of Catalunya at the feet of St. Mary of Montserrat.
On the central pillars of the nave you will see sculptures of prophets: Ezekial, Jeremiah, Isiah and Daniel. They were all carved in wood by Josep Llimona and were put in place in 1896.
The Chapels in the Basilica
All around the edge of the basilica you will see chapels. There is the chapel of St. Scholastica. It contains sculptures by Enric Claraso and Agapit Vallmitjana. The Chapel of the Most Holy One contains a large stained glass window. This window separates the chapel from the nave. The third chapel contains a painting by Josep Cusachs of the exodus to Egypt. The next chapel is the Chapel of the Holy Christ. There is an image of Christ on the cross that was created by Josep Llimona. The Chapel of the Immaculate Conception was opened in 1910. The style of the chapel reflects the architect, Josep M Pericas' admiration of Antoni Gaudi, making it a good example of Catalan architecture.
Black Madonna at Montserrat: The Image of the Virgin Mary
Whether you are religious or not, visiting the Black Madonna at Montserrat is a spiritual and worthwhile experience. You will join in line with a group of people, many of whom have come as pilgrims to the statue - the atmosphere is electric. Chances are you will have to wait to see the Madonna. However all of this can serve to enhance your visit - make the most of the opportunity to take in your surroundings. The stairway leading to the statue, plus the room and altar in which the statue sits are ornate, golden and pay tribute to the wonder that is the Virgin herself.
The Black Madonna is sometimes referred to by other names, including 'The Virgin of Montserrat' and 'La Moreneta'. The statue sits behind a sheet of glass. However, one of her hands that is holding a sphere (which symbolises the universe) is not behind the glass. It is tradition for you to kiss or touch the Virgin's hand whilst opening out your other hand to Jesus.
The history of the Black Madonna
The whole of Montserrat is built around facilitating the worship of the Black Madonna in the Basilica. The Black Madonna was believed to have been carved in Jerusalem at the beginning of the religion. It is a wooden sculpture. It is one of the most famous Black Madonna statues in the world and in 1844 Pope Leo XIII declared the Virgin of Montserrat the patroness of Catalonia. Black Madonnas can be found all over the world, If you are interested in the history of the concept of the Black Madonna and its various depictions, it is worth a visit to the Montserrat Museum where there is a whole section dedicated to its art and history.
As you enter the doorway to the Basilica that will take you to the Black Madonna statue (see below for where this is), you will pass the chapels that lead to the Virgin. The first chapel is in honour of Saint Peter, the second is in honour of St Ignatius of Loyola, the third is on honour of St Martin and the fourth is in honour of St Joseph Calasantius.
In 1944 it was decided that a new room, known as the 'throne room' would be built with a stairway leading to the statue. The work of sculptors, architects, artists and jewellers was recruited and the project was headed by the architect Francesc Folguera and the painter Josep Obiols to build the room and altar in which the statue is placed.
The new building work was scheduled to be completed on 27 April 1947 - a day to be known as the Enthronement. However, work finally finished in 1954.
As you enter the room where the Virgin sits, it is worth noting the doors - they are made of repousse silver and were created by Josep Obiols, Rafel Solanic and Manuel Capdevila. The Black Madonna herself sits on an incredibly ornate throne which is covered in Venetian mosaics. At either side of the Virgin you will spot nine silver lamps - these represent the eight dioceses of Catalunya and Montserrat. Above the Virgin's head there are Angels that were created by the sculptor Marti Llaurado.
On leaving the altar of the Black Madonna, at the bottom of the stairs, you will be given the opportunity to say a prayer in the chapel of the Image of the Mother of God. This chapel was completed in 1885 under the direction of Francesc de Paula del Villar i Lozano who was helped by a young Antoni Gaudi.
Why is the Madonna Black?
One of the most common questions about the Black Madonna is why she is black. The dark colour of the Virgin's face is the reason why locals have nicknamed her 'La Moreneta' ("the little black lady"). Contrary to popular belief, she is not black due a portrayal of a Black African Madonna. The blackness also does not come from a dark colour in the wood or from earlier coverings in paint. It is known from historical descriptions of the Madonna that she has simply darkened over time.
A collage of screenshots of multitrack automation channels in Reason 4.0. Click "all sizes" for detail, this image is huge.
Top 10 reasons to visit the Eden Project
Here's some of what you'll find when you visit:
1.the world's largest rainforest in captivity with steamy jungles and waterfalls
2.cutting-edge architecture and buildings
3.stunning garden displays all year round
4.world-class sculpture and art
5.evening gigs, concerts and an ice rink in the winter
6.educational centre and demonstrations to inspire all ages
7.brilliant local, fairly traded food in the restaurants and cafes
8.a rainforest lookout that takes you above the treetops
9.living example of regeneration and sustainable living
10.free land train pulled by a tractor.
Even if you've visited before, our plants, exhibits and events programme change every season and every year.
Rainforest Biome - Our 50-metre-tall Biome houses the world’s largest rainforest in captivity.
Mediterranean Biome - A colourful, sensory journey through citrus, olives, vines and perfumed herbs.
In our beautifully transformed clay pit in Cornwall, you'll find over 80 exhibits, including unusual plant combinations, unique sculpture and quirky information displays.
The Core is Eden's innovative education centre: it's a fantastic building full of interactive displays where both children and adults can press buttons, wind handles and peer inside things.
For... reasons, 2020 was the year of Arcee, that lovable female Autobot that most of G1ers are familiar with. There was the recently released MP, the unofficial Nicee, and now, Magic Box Peach Girl.
A dainty little thing, measuring around 4 inches in robot mode, "Peach Girl" is an articulated figure, with a vibe that reminds of what Choro-Q might have been had Takara marketed it towards the more hardcore collector crowd.
The figure was around $40 USD from a store overseas, shipping included. Not too many accessories, just a gun and a dagger/sword.
While Nicee was ironically going for the naughty look, Peach Girl is going for the nice. Cute aesthetic including those much adored Super Deformed proportions. Same experience you'd have if you have a toddler... except one that listens to you and can turn into a car. Peach Girl has the added bonus of actually looking like Arcee - not that it's a huge selling point or anything for me, but I mention it because I remember several Nicee patrons complaining how they couldn't go forward with the purchase because it no longer had the Arcee head.
*sigh*.
Articulation wise, Peach Girl is packing some good stuff. Before I forget, she actually ankle spurs that help her stay standing... completely missed those and as you might have guessed, they were never referenced in the instructions. She's got ankle side tilts, single jointed knees, hips with thigh swivel, mid torso rotate with some ability to tilt up, ball jointed shoulders with "shrugging" capabilities, bicep swiivel, single jointed elbows, wrist rotation, neck tilt and head rotate.
Not a bad package for such a little figure, though as always, the extra articulations is brought to you by the transformation. Pretty much all you'd want in a typical figure is here, with the exception of a waist... oh, and I guess forward tilting ankles too.
Paint wise, there isn't really a whole lot to write about. It's mostly coloured plastic, though at least it's nice coloured plastic. Paint apps are alright. They're clean and evenly applied, with some minute masking errors. Nothing that would immediately be drawn to your eye. The colours chosen are generally bright and lively, which matches the tone of this figure nicely.
Build quality is always a key factor when discussing tranforming toys and, well, it's generally hit with some misses. You're generally alright in robot mod. There's no issues with limb lengths, joint strength, material choices. QC on assembly gaps is not bad, and finishes are at least on par with the newer Hasbro stuff. The gun's handle is a tad too big and doesn't want to fit into either fist whereas the knife/sword fit in perfectly.
Much like the Hasbro stuff, however, any inherent issues with build come out in vehicle mode. First, a quick blurb about the transformation - it's super fun. You can probably tell from the photos, but this is an Arcee-esque vehicle mode as opposed to the more overtly Arcee that Nicee gunned for. That's because half of her transformation involves you stuffing Peach Girl into her head cavity.
So as I was saying transformation is pretty neat, unfolding parts of her head then having the car shell appear around her, and is relatively simple. Tabbing parts together isn't as flawless as I'd like, though accomplishable. Also, positioning of the wheels is finicky, as if they're not just right they won't spin. It IS really neat, however, that Peach Girl's earmuffs become wheels. There's spots for the weapons in vehicle mode as well.
Overall, not bad. Not perfect, but it holds and plays just as well as your typical mainline release. It's a third party figure that I don't need to worry too much about its fragility, and it's an Arcee to boot.
A neat toy with loads of personality.
So, the main reason I wanted to go shopping at the Traditional Market area, well other than just seeing this remarkable place, was to get a pair of jogging shoes. For cheap! I had a little trouble finding a size that fit me. I would point to the tag on the tongue of the shoe, than to me, and say "sambek" meaning 300. The guy looked at me and said WOOOOW (just like that). It made me laugh, he was quite impressed with my shoe size. So needless to say, my shoe hunting came up unsuccessful.
fron No Reason
My next photo exhibition is No Reason "File 01 : samples of corpse 001-012 "
Duration: Nov 6, -12, 2009
Place : Shinjuku Ganka Garou, tokyo, japan
==Project Description==
No reason
Probably, there is no reason we die or live.
In Japan, over 30,000 people die every year, and indiscriminate mass murder take place again. I don’t’ know when we got lost sences for the reality of life and death. Only in the medias, it glitters now, why?
This project is the experiment and the records of them by ourselves to recover of the lost sences.
Sunday, 06 August 2017: Tokyo - Shibuya & Harajuku
Rosa and I are (literally) chilling out back at the hotel after a whole day out on the hottest day so far. We headed out en masse at 9am to Shibuya's 'Scramble' Crossing (渋谷区). It has 1 million people per hour crossing on weekend afternoons - but not nearly so many at 10am on Sunday :) There were lots of people there, but a fair proportion were tourists! All good for photos mind you.
Next stop on the Loop Line was Harajuku (原宿) where we made a slow procession down the main shopping alley/street and back up again. Very Camden Market if you've been there, in terms of types of shop, clientele and density of people. Some crazy things on sale (which is one of the reasons to go there) - giant ice cream shaped 'sticks' of candy floss in all the colours of the rainbow, umbrellas with samurai sword handles (I was quite tempted), cosplay costumes.... and a Claire's Accessories!
Lunch at the Kawaii Monster Cafe was actually a really good experience of a classic crazy 'it could only exist in Japan' concept. I'd describe it as lunch with Willy Wonka and the Oompa Loompas - multi coloured larger than life fibreglass/plastic scenery including a birthday cake merry go round centrepiece, twirling cupcakes and umbrellas, giant plastic rabbits and sheep, candy cane archways - with dining tables and booths in between. Periodically the kawaii (cute) dancers would come out and get everyone around the merry go round cake clapping along and then doing a simple hand jive, and then came around the tables to have photos taken, with the multi coloured monster (very Monsters, Inc) in tow. You might have had to be there! We've lots of photos but I'm not sure they will do it justice. I could easily have been really tacky and done on the cheap, but it wasn't.
After lunch we went with dad and daughter San Franciscans, Granted and Skylee, to an Owl Cafe, where you get a drink and then half an hour petting 8 different owls. As I've said to Rosa, definitely something I would NEVER have done if I'd come to Japan on a different trip.
Then a stroll into the welcome shade of the Meiji Shrine (明治神宮) gardens and onto the shrine itself. It's undergoing renovations so you can't go inside the main hall. Definitely too hot for further strolling around Yoyogi Park (代々木公園). So back here for a shower and a cup of tea.
We're heading out again in a short while to go to the Observation Deck in Sunshine City (サンシャイン60) just down the road from the hotel for a night time view over Tokyo. Then dinner - Charlea flagged a couple of places that do veggie options for me when we were out last night, so Rosa and I plan to pick one of those.
Tomorrow is supposed to start with a tour of Tsukiji Fish Market, but they had a fire there earlier in the week and Charlea wasn't sure if we'd be able to go. She's not mentioned it since, so fingers crossed. I might spend a lot of time avoiding looking at the dead fish, but it's A Tokyo Must!
Read more on Sparkly Trainers: InsideJapan Tours: HYPERJAPAN J-Pop & Go!
DSC08151
For... reasons, 2020 was the year of Arcee, that lovable female Autobot that most of G1ers are familiar with. There was the recently released MP, the unofficial Nicee, and now, Magic Box Peach Girl.
A dainty little thing, measuring around 4 inches in robot mode, "Peach Girl" is an articulated figure, with a vibe that reminds of what Choro-Q might have been had Takara marketed it towards the more hardcore collector crowd.
The figure was around $40 USD from a store overseas, shipping included. Not too many accessories, just a gun and a dagger/sword.
While Nicee was ironically going for the naughty look, Peach Girl is going for the nice. Cute aesthetic including those much adored Super Deformed proportions. Same experience you'd have if you have a toddler... except one that listens to you and can turn into a car. Peach Girl has the added bonus of actually looking like Arcee - not that it's a huge selling point or anything for me, but I mention it because I remember several Nicee patrons complaining how they couldn't go forward with the purchase because it no longer had the Arcee head.
*sigh*.
Articulation wise, Peach Girl is packing some good stuff. Before I forget, she actually ankle spurs that help her stay standing... completely missed those and as you might have guessed, they were never referenced in the instructions. She's got ankle side tilts, single jointed knees, hips with thigh swivel, mid torso rotate with some ability to tilt up, ball jointed shoulders with "shrugging" capabilities, bicep swiivel, single jointed elbows, wrist rotation, neck tilt and head rotate.
Not a bad package for such a little figure, though as always, the extra articulations is brought to you by the transformation. Pretty much all you'd want in a typical figure is here, with the exception of a waist... oh, and I guess forward tilting ankles too.
Paint wise, there isn't really a whole lot to write about. It's mostly coloured plastic, though at least it's nice coloured plastic. Paint apps are alright. They're clean and evenly applied, with some minute masking errors. Nothing that would immediately be drawn to your eye. The colours chosen are generally bright and lively, which matches the tone of this figure nicely.
Build quality is always a key factor when discussing tranforming toys and, well, it's generally hit with some misses. You're generally alright in robot mod. There's no issues with limb lengths, joint strength, material choices. QC on assembly gaps is not bad, and finishes are at least on par with the newer Hasbro stuff. The gun's handle is a tad too big and doesn't want to fit into either fist whereas the knife/sword fit in perfectly.
Much like the Hasbro stuff, however, any inherent issues with build come out in vehicle mode. First, a quick blurb about the transformation - it's super fun. You can probably tell from the photos, but this is an Arcee-esque vehicle mode as opposed to the more overtly Arcee that Nicee gunned for. That's because half of her transformation involves you stuffing Peach Girl into her head cavity.
So as I was saying transformation is pretty neat, unfolding parts of her head then having the car shell appear around her, and is relatively simple. Tabbing parts together isn't as flawless as I'd like, though accomplishable. Also, positioning of the wheels is finicky, as if they're not just right they won't spin. It IS really neat, however, that Peach Girl's earmuffs become wheels. There's spots for the weapons in vehicle mode as well.
Overall, not bad. Not perfect, but it holds and plays just as well as your typical mainline release. It's a third party figure that I don't need to worry too much about its fragility, and it's an Arcee to boot.
A neat toy with loads of personality.
Caption:
Khalil, 36, Karimaâs husband in a beekeeping uniform.
Diversified livelihoods such as beekeeping can help improve the income of rural communities. Apart from producing honey to sell to market, beekeeping helps promote conservation of the natural environment, which many poor communities depend on for food and energy
UNDPâs Climate Change Adaptation Project (CCAP) is committed to helping vulnerable rural families increase their incomes.
As part of the livelihood component, the project provided four beehives, beekeeping tools and jars for honey, including a 12-day training that gave beneficiaries the necessary skills to maintain their beekeeping business.
© UNDP Afghanistan / S. Omer Sadaat / 2018
Text story:
_________
For Karima, one of the happiest moments of her life was when she earned her first thousand Afghani (US$ 15), when she sold a kilo of honey made from her own bee-keeping business. It may seem like a small amount, but for Karima, it was life changing!
Karima is a housewife and a mother of four. Her husband could barely feed the family from the work he could get, so Karimaâs contribution to the household income was significant.
She has seen a lot in her life. She still remembers the agony and frustration when they had no money and their son was sick. As tears well in her eyes, she relates, âWe were not able to buy him medicine. We couldnât do anything but cry and wait for him to either die or recover by himself.â
Her husband, Khalil, who was very fond of honey, tried his hand at beekeeping before, but because he didnât know how to maintain his beehives, his bees all died.
But, Karima and Khalil did not give up. They decided to seek help from the Directorate of Agriculture in Herat city.
UNDPâs Climate Change Adaptation Project (CCAP) is committed to helping vulnerable rural families increase their incomes.
As part of the livelihood component, the project provided four beehives, beekeeping tools and jars for honey, and, crucially, a 12-day training that gave beneficiaries the necessary skills to maintain their beekeeping business. Karima, who lives in in Qala Safid village in Herat province, was one of the recipients.
âWe learned many things about the bee keeping,â says Karima, âlike feeding times, honey extraction and reproduction of honey bees - things I never knew before.â She adds, âI once used lemon to bring back unconscious bees back to normal.â
Now, equipped with the knowledge and materials, Karima and Khalil expanded their apiary from just four to ten beehives, and they plan to increase the number to 13 in the next year. With the business growing, they are now making 80 to 90 thousand Afghanis each year by selling their honey.
âMy bees are our breadwinners now!â Karima says, looking at her queen bee proudly. âI feel like the queen is representing me and looking after the honey factory!â
Beekeeping requires less inputs for production compared to other agricultural activities and livelihoods. It requires less land, water and labor to generate high levels of income.
With low initial support, beekeepers can get an immediate high income. Thatâs why beekeeping has the potential to transform thousands of lives here in Herat province.
âBy the grace of God, we have a reliable income now and can buy what we need, including medicines or treatment,â says Karima.
Beekeeping in rural areas, where the communities have limited resources such as land and water, can help boost incomes for families like Karimaâs. In addition, beekeeping helps boost food security, and assists crop production through pollination. Almonds, apples, blueberries, cantaloupes, cherries, cranberries, cucumbers, sunflowers, watermelon and many other crops all rely on honey bees for pollination. Diversified livelihoods such as bee increasingly improve the income of rural communities consequently people can adapt and manage climate change risks.
So, thanks to her new beekeeping skills, Karima and Khalil truly have a reason to âbeeâ cheerful!
© UNDP Afghanistan / S. Omer Sadaat / 2018
8 REASONS WHY WE ALL LOVE COX
Seniors
Club legend Greg Barras sat nervously in his house at Albury as word quickly spread that his club record of 18 goals was in jeopardy. Lee Cox under the beautiful Autumn sun treated the fans to a marking and goal scoring frenzy. Cox had a near perfect game, equalling the club record, and even found time to give off four more goals to team mates in better positions.
For the first time this season Hepburn was able to score the first goal of the match, usually slow starters, the Burras showed no signs of being lethargic and had eight goals on the board by quarter time. At the main break 20 goals had been amassed with Cox kicking half of them. Cox’s sidekick, Andy McKay unusually flew under the radar, (as was Cox’s dominance) but “ Hollywood” was still close to best on ground honours with his 7 goals , superb high marking and pin point passing to Cox on the lead.
Creswick had a day they would rather forget, but to their credit, they never gave up and had some young players who had very good games. As usually is with an uneven scoreline, most of the play was forward of the centre square, in saying that Hepburn’s backline had to concentrate harder, but when the opportunity arose, Trevor Johnson, Allan Ware and coompany mopped up and created opportunities for their team mates. Daniel Smith’s big frame also posed problems for the opposition. Smith played a very versatile game, using his body to great affect so his fleet footed allies in Baker, Rees, and the James boys could get their hands on the ball.
Brian O’ Halloran, the former star rover of the 1970’s is a proud man. His oldest son Tim is doing well in his first coaching gig at Reserves level. Next in line Dan becoming a seasoned performer, but the youngest of the clan, Liam, has settled in nicely into Shane Robertson’s structure, bobbing up linking play, and showing maturity well above his years.
Next week Hepburn takes on the big improver Gordon at the Laurie Sullivan Reserve which should be a match worth watching.
Final Scores: HEPBURN 36-12-228 defeated CRESWICK 3-4-22
Goals: L. Cox 18, A. McKay 7, D. O’Halloran 3, J. James 3, J. King 2, R. Gundry, T. Johnson, D. James
Best: L. Cox, A. McKay, D. Smith, D. Rees, A. Baker, D. O’ Halloran
UNDER 18’s
For two and a half quarters Hepburn matched Creswick, but were blown away in the end by one of the premiership favorites. The highlight reel was pretty small, but Joe Malone would have featured prominently having a blinder of a game in the middle. His strong work in tight and then classy skills to finish something his younger team mates can learn from.
Tom Conroy battled hard in the ruck, certainly holding his own and Lucas Bossinger put in his best game to date. The small brigade of under 15 players who fill in each week again performed well, with Jackson Carrick and Billy Johns being rewarded kicking goals. Next week is a big game as the boys should aim to have their second win for the season.
Final Scores: HEPBURN 5-3-33 lost to CRESWICK 20-14-134
Goals: J. Malone 2, K. Frost, J. Carrick, B. Johns
Best: J. Malone, J. Liversidge, K. Frost, M. Allison, L. Bossinger, T. Conroy
Painting and markings:
Well, the original reason for this build was the pretty unique paint scheme of Slovenian military aircraft: a rather murky three-tone camouflage, consisting of a deep red brown, forest green and a dull olive green, paired with light grey undersides. This does not sound spectacular, but, like the Austrian two-tone green scheme, it is pretty characteristic.
My build was inspired by a concrete flight simulator skin, but I did not adopt this CG pattern because it looked too “simple” for my personal taste, with only a few bands of different colors that were also extended at right angles from the fuselage onto the wings. Instead, the applied scheme is a personal, more sophisticated guesstimate, based primarily on Slovenian PC-6 transport aircraft and on PC-9 trainers.
My choice for the basic colors fell on Humbrol 170 (Brown Bess), 195 (Satin Dark Green, actually RAL 6020; Chromoxidgrün) and Modelmaster 2015 (Faded Olive Drab), plus Humbrol 129 (FS 36440) for the undersides. The Faded Olive Drab tone turned out to be too light, but I stuck with it since I found the bigger contrast between the upper colors to be quite attractive.
A black anti glare panel was added in front of the cockpit and, instead of the classic bright green, the air intake shock cone became black, too – inspired by the CG benchmark. Other dielectric panels were painted very dark grey, or in the case of the fin, in a slightly different brown tone, matching the surrounding camouflage.
The cockpit interior was painted in an individually mixed greenish-blue tone (great contrast to the murky exterior!), with some dashboards in medium grey.
The landing gear wells were painted in zinc chromate yellow (Humbrol 81), while the legs became light grey (Humbrol 167, Barley Grey) and the wheel discs bright green (Humbrol 2).
The markings come mostly from a very nice Blue Rider Publications sheet for various aircraft in Slovenian and Macedonian service. The booklet that comes with it yields some valuable information about other markings – e.g. the fact, that most Slovenian military aircraft carry city names and their respective crests. While I had to rely on the sheet’s material for this detail, I adopted it for my L21, and my choice fell on the town of Celje, primarily because of its blue and yellow crest.
The main reason for visiting Cambridge was to see King's College Chapel.
I must first than two friends, Simon K and Aidan for posting shots from Cambridge and so firing up my desire to visit.
Things fell into place and I found myself on a train last Sunday, and a place on the first tour of the day Monday morning.
I will add more thoughts as I post shots, but this for a start.
Quite the strongest emotional response I have ever had to a building, I had to choke back tears!
All chairs and seating have been removed, so there is just the building.
"Just."
Just a handful of us early visitors had the entire chapel to ourselves.
I followed up, not on purpose, a Japanese lady who was walking round with an i phone of a selfie stick, recording herself walking round the chapel, rather than the chapel itself. Which I know is her choice.
I saw the wonderful glass in the windows of the side chapel, so decided to photograph those too. Took some time.
No restrictions on photography, just don't "use flash on the Rubens" in the chancel. I was told.
In truth, there's more than enough in the Chapel for a whole day, as I'm sure new details would reveal themselves each time you looked.
I walked out into the college grounds, to walk to the bridge over the river. I mean, really, there was no one else out there, and a couple of punts were drifting past, so I wandered round the large square of grass, half of which had been apparently wild flowers, but now cut to look like a rough lawn.
The chapel has a 16th sundial, and marvellous lead drain downpipes. I snap them all.
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Begun by Henry VI, completed under the direction of Henry VII, the glass scheme installed under the somewhat-disinterested Henry VIII. 'The heart and soul of early 20th Century Anglicanism' according to M R James, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols begun here during the First World War helped invent the modern Christmas. The fan vaulting is spectacular, the proportions (300ft long, 40ft wide, 90ft high) almost shocking in their single-minded Perpendicular triumphalism. The Chapel vies with Ely and Peterborough Cathedrals as the best single medieval building in Cambridgeshire, but the vast scheme of early 16th Century glass is undoubtedly the biggest and best of its kind anywhere in the British Isles.
www.flickr.com/photos/norfolkodyssey/21007385075/in/album...
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King's College Chapel is the chapel of King's College in the University of Cambridge. It is considered one of the finest examples of late Perpendicular Gothic English architecture and features the world's largest fan vault.[3] The Chapel was built in phases by a succession of kings of England from 1446 to 1515, a period which spanned the Wars of the Roses and three subsequent decades. The Chapel's large stained glass windows were completed by 1531, and its early Renaissance rood screen was erected in 1532–36. The Chapel is an active house of worship, and home of the King's College Choir. It is a landmark and a commonly used symbol of the city of Cambridge.
Henry VI planned a university counterpart to Eton College (whose Chapel is very similar, but not on the scale intended by Henry). The King decided the dimensions of the Chapel. Reginald Ely was most likely the architect and worked on the site since 1446.[6] Two years earlier Reginald was charged with sourcing craftsmen for the Chapel's construction.[6] He continued to work on the site until building was interrupted in 1461, having probably designed the elevations.[6] The original plans called for lierne vaulting, and the piers of the choir were built to conform with them.[6] Ultimately, a complex fan vault was constructed instead.[6] Reginald probably designed the window tracery at the extreme east of the church's north side: the east window of the easternmost side chapel, which unlike the Perpendicular style of the others is in curvilinear Gothic style.[6] The priest and later bishop Nicholas Close (or Cloos) was recorded as the "surveyor", having been the curate of St John Zachary, a church demolished to make way for the Chapel.[7][8][9]
The first stone of the Chapel was laid, by Henry himself, on the Feast of St James the Apostle, 25 July 1446, the College having been begun in 1441. By the end of the reign of Richard III (1485), despite the Wars of the Roses, five bays had been completed and a timber roof erected. Henry VII visited in 1506, paying for the work to resume and even leaving money so that the work could continue after his death. In 1515, under Henry VIII, the building was complete but the great windows had yet to be made.
The Chapel features the world's largest fan vault, constructed between 1512 and 1515 by master mason John Wastell. It also features fine medieval stained glass and, above the altar, The Adoration of the Magi by Rubens, painted in 1634 for the Convent of the White Nuns at Louvain in Belgium. The painting was installed in the Chapel in 1968; this involved the lowering of the Sanctuary floor leading up to the High Altar. It had been believed that gradations were created in 1774 by James Essex, when Essex had in fact lowered the floor by 5 1/2 inches,[10] but at the demolition of these steps, it was found that the floor instead rested on Tudor brick arches.
During the removal of these Tudor steps, built at the Founder's specific request that the high altar should be 3 ft above the choir floor, human remains in intact lead coffins with brass plaques were discovered, dating from the 15th to 18th centuries, and were disinterred.[12]
The eventual installation of the Rubens was also not without problems: once seen beneath the east window, a conflict was felt between the picture's swirling colours and those of the stained glass.[13][title missing] The Rubens was also a similar shape to the window, which "dwarfed it and made it look rather like a dependent postage stamp".[14] Plain shutters were proposed, one on each side, to give it a triptych shape (although the picture was never part of a triptych) and lend it independence of form, which is how one sees the Rubens today. The installation was designed by architect Sir Martyn Beckett, who was "philosophical about the furore this inevitably occasioned - which quickly became acceptance of a solution to a difficult problem."[15]
During the Civil War the Chapel was used as a training ground by Oliver Cromwell's troops, but escaped major damage, possibly because Cromwell, having been a Cambridge student, gave orders for it to be spared. Graffiti left by these soldiers is still visible on the north and south walls near the altar.[16] During World War II most of the stained glass was removed and the Chapel again escaped damage.[17]
Almost a year to the day, Cambridge United go back to Wembley in a Blue Square Premier Play-Off. Shame we lost again 2-0 to Torquay United. Still it was a day out!
www.cambridge-united.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10423~4726...
Bristol Renaissance Faire
near Kenosha, Wisconsin
August 3, 2013
COPYRIGHT 2013 by JimFrazier All Rights Reserved. This may NOT be used for ANY reason without written consent from Jim Frazier. 130803cd7000-2600-1000
Top 10 reasons to visit the Eden Project
Here's some of what you'll find when you visit:
1.the world's largest rainforest in captivity with steamy jungles and waterfalls
2.cutting-edge architecture and buildings
3.stunning garden displays all year round
4.world-class sculpture and art
5.evening gigs, concerts and an ice rink in the winter
6.educational centre and demonstrations to inspire all ages
7.brilliant local, fairly traded food in the restaurants and cafes
8.a rainforest lookout that takes you above the treetops
9.living example of regeneration and sustainable living
10.free land train pulled by a tractor.
Even if you've visited before, our plants, exhibits and events programme change every season and every year.
Rainforest Biome - Our 50-metre-tall Biome houses the world’s largest rainforest in captivity.
Mediterranean Biome - A colourful, sensory journey through citrus, olives, vines and perfumed herbs.
In our beautifully transformed clay pit in Cornwall, you'll find over 80 exhibits, including unusual plant combinations, unique sculpture and quirky information displays.
The Core is Eden's innovative education centre: it's a fantastic building full of interactive displays where both children and adults can press buttons, wind handles and peer inside things.
reason for title: it was so hot when we took this walk.
Mexico was nice, seeing family again etc. But I do wish not to return. I was extremely home sick.
Two reasons why I decided on this as my shot of the day... The first is I wanted to practice food photography & lighting (for a potential future commission) and the second is, well, I made them so wanted to show them off!
Buttermilk scones with apricot preserve and clotted cream :)
Was interesting working through different setups and lighting for this but in the end my attempts were curtailed when the wifi unit on my second flash simply packed up completely. Very frustrating! Four more are on order already and I'm working on a story of how I tweaked the plans to make up for the lack of a second light, check comments soon.
Still, I was going for a rustic, afternoon-tea inspired look and - without resorting to Instagram-nonsense filters - think I did pretty well.
** Several scones were devoured in the making of this photograph **
"Sconist" - YN560II right at 1/8th through softbox just out of shot, silver reflector just out of shot left, ambient lighting from standard room lightbulb
(photo: under the Bank Street Bridge, Ottawa, April 4, 2012, 6:13 p.m.)
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From www.realbuzz.com
Top 25 reasons to get running / Top reasons why you should start running today
Running is one of the best forms of exercise, not only for getting fit but for weight control too. A 30-minute run, three to four times a week, trims your waistline, strengthens the cardiovascular system, improves muscle tone and definition and helps foster a positive mental attitude. Running can also be a great social activity. Here's realbuzz.com's top 25 tips on why you should start running today.
1. Running is the quickest way to cardiovascular fitness. You get fitter faster by running regularly.
2. Running is one of the cheapest forms of exercising. You only need a pair of running shoes and shorts and T-shirt to get started.
3. Running is easy to learn. Most people have run at some point in their life, either competitively or at school/college, so there is no steep learning curve involved.
4. Running makes you feel good, not only physically, but mentally as well.
5. Running is excellent for reducing stress levels. There is nothing better than a run to clear your head and concentrate the mind. Many great ideas have been formulated on training runs.
6. Running is one of the most flexible methods of training around. Wherever you are in the world, it is nearly always possible to get out for a run. You can jog, steady run or sprint depending on how you feel that particular day.
7. Running is good for your heart. It not only strengthens the heart but also reduces the actual resting heart rate.
8. Running is accessible to all. As long as you are physically able, you can go for a run virtually anytime and anywhere. There are no race barriers to running.
9. Running helps you to lose weight and tone muscles. The more your train and run, the more weight you will lose. Also by toning up, you are getting rid of the excess fat and converting it to muscle.
10. Running is for people of all ages. Old or young, everyone can benefit from running.
11. It is good for your s** life! By being more physically active you increase your s** drive.
12. When run training, you can get away with eating chocolate and legitimately say it is part of your training program.
13. Running is a great way to recover from a hangover. A run will help clear your head faster than sitting around feeling terrible.
14. Running is a great safety aid. Being able to run away from people puts you in a much better position if you are chased.
15. You can use running to change other people's lives. Run for a charity and raise money to help the needy or less able.
16. Running with friends gives you time to catch up on gossip and get fit at the same time.
17. Running is a time-efficient way to get fit and lose weight so you have more free time after exercising to enjoy yourself.
18. Running is a challenge that can be motivational and bring great personal satisfaction.
19. Running is a great way to see a new place if you have limited time available for sightseeing. Just think how much more of a place you can see when running around it compared to walking.
20. Running improves your concentration as you are forced to concentrate more when running. This in turn improves your concentration when you have to focus in other areas of life.
21. You nearly always work better after a run because you are still on a runner's high and feel ready for anything.
22. Running is a great way to meet people, especially if you join a club or enter a race.
23. There are no monthly subscriptions with running. You just put your running shoes on and go.
24. Endurance built-up through running can be transferred to other sports.
25. If you drink alcohol you can just run a little bit further the next day to work off the extra calories.
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Hardly a reason to comment, as your viewing is pleasure enough
"Words are sometimes superfluous"
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Try This... You May Like It...
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Incidentally: The French press underwent several design modifications over the years. The first coffee press, which may have been made in France, was the modern coffee press in its most rudimentary form: a metal or cheesecloth screen fitted to a rod, and pressed down into a pot of boiling water. The coffee press was patented by Milanese designer Attilio Calimani in 1929. It underwent several design modifications through Faliero Bondanini, who patented his own version in 1958 and began manufacturing it in a French clarinet factory called Martin S.A., where its popularity grew. It was further popularized across Europe by a British company by the name of Household Articles Ltd., and most notably, the Danish tableware and kitchenware company, Bodum.