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Off link Vatva WDM-3A starts to smoke as it accelerates out of LOGH with YPR-KCG Tri weekly express in tow .
Regular link for this train is KJM ALCo !!
A unique visit to RAF Lakenheath - thanks to all those who made it happen!
Ian Garfield Photography Website
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Unique Loft Apartment Street view with off set mirrors and only 1 window giving the illusion of 4 + windows.
One of the unique features of Shepparton was the establishment of the International Village project conceived in 1974 but not opened until 1982. Apart from spaces for immigrant groups space was also assigned to the Yorta Yorta, Bangerang and some other Aboriginal people. The number of Bangerang from Echuca to Shepparton were estimated at 1,200 people in 1841. With financial assistance from the state government, Shepparton City, the Australian Council etc money was obtained to have an architect designed an octagonal cultural centre. It was sited at the entrance to the International Village which closed in 1996. Now it has become the Bangerang Cultural Centre, the first Aboriginal managed museum in Victoria. The Aboriginal residents of Shepparton were for decades confined to a shanty Aboriginal Mission village on the banks of the Goulburn River between Shepparton and Mooroopna called Cummerangunja. After years of flooding and poor conditions the Yorta Yorta people walked off the village site in 1939 in protest about the conditions and their treatment. 200 people walked to the River Murray and crossed into NSW. Most ended up settling at Echuca or returning to Shepparton. A new village called Rumbalara with improved living conditions was built by the Victorian government in 1958. It is now owned and operated by the local Aboriginal community and it includes a medical centre and welfare services for the 6,000 residents who identify as Aboriginal. In Queens Park there is a bronze statue of Yorta Yorta man William Cooper who founded NAIDOC week and the Australian Aborigines league. There is also an Aboriginal Street Art project in Fryers Street between Maude and Corio Streets. The murals were painted by well-known artist Adnate and they depict the late William Cooper( mentioned above), the late Pastor Sir Douglas Nicholls who was the first and so far only Aboriginal governor of an Australian state- South Australia and local elders Aunty Margaret Tucker, and Nora Charles. Elsewhere in Shepparton at 67 Welsford Street is a mural painted by Adnate of Aunty Briggs and Aunty Morgan.
There is no mistaking this bird when you see it, nothing looks even remotely similar. I love that blue beak.
Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus)
Dallas Southside Water Treatment Plant
My photos can also be found at kapturedbykala.com
ED Unique eyes in milky way_002.
I have no idea if I like or hate them.
I like the color a lot but hate the random shimmer and crystals in them (I tried to hide the crystals under her upper eyelids).
So, I'm still on the quest to find the right eyes for Elyse.
I love her with Dollflower Silver best but the pair that I have is 18mm B which is a bit too small.
But I still can't find 18mm A for her yet = =".
Hope Dollflower will open new pre-order for 18mm soon.
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Elyse - Volks SDgr Lorina
Seen entering Penallta Colliery this unique combination in what was believed one of the first times this paring were put together and at the time it was highly unusual to see a 37/4 working an MGR. 37503+37426 with 35 empty HAA’s worked the MGR to/from Penallta Colliery then the last deep mine working in the Rhymney Valley which closed in 1991 and the area completely redeveloped. 37503 formally 37017 left Crewe works on the 5th March 1986 following a heavy general overall and dual braked and renumbered 37503. 37426 formally 37299 left Crewe works in February 1986 following a heavy general overall and renumbered 37426. A shot I took later in the day was published in several rail mags in August 1986. Taken on the 04.04.1986
narrow sky
rare & unique photo from my mobile phone
(no photo effect or edit)
my cell sometimes produces very special, unique and rare photographs ... it does it on its own ... maybe by some dysfunction of it. Decolorizes the reception in a unique way almost black and white and gives some different colors to the ones it removes. The final picture is unique and rare. With no editing and no effects you can see these photos ... there is a limited photo watermark on my photos and my name because I'm interested in exhibiting the templates.
All rights are reserved. No material appearing in these links may be reproduced without permission.
Όλες οι φωτογραφίες είναι πνευματική ιδιοκτησία μου και έχω τα αποκλειστικά δικαιώματα ( copyright ).
Απαγορεύεται η οποιαδήποτε χρήση των φωτογραφιών μου από τρίτους χωρίς την άδεια μου.
2016/2017/2018
christina minopoulou: © melissalli
Unique liveried 67018 "Keith Heller" departs Severn Tunnel Jct on 6th July 2010 with a Cardiff-Taunton service.
Silver 67029 is leading
I knew WJC owned B145GSC, the last survivor of the 4 double deck coach bodies built by Alexander - 2 Olympians for Eastern and 2 Citybuses for Fife. B145GSC was last used by the Jesus Army and is fitted out with bunks upstairs and a servery area and seating downstairs.
I didn't know WJC owned XSU913, the 'Ebdons Olympian' exhibited at one of the mid-80s Motor Shows in Ebdons colours, but not taken into stock by them. It entered service as South Yorkshire's 4475WE and was, until the arrival of the former Hong Kong Olympians onto Megabus work, probably the only Olympian fitted with a toilet and servery. It was last owned by Roadliner, Poole who extensively refurbished the interior.
ITM1692074
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cousin goes school here think should go try nicer What’s that box as soon as get home I’m going start watching that Netflix Stan Hulu Roko series last This last slice cake promise! ask waiter bring some wine tonight! too need some wine too feel tired just need relax unwind three have three sisters when last time saw them state Check out state that shed roof falling apart never I’m never going drink wine again become Over years we’ve become really close between This just between high Give high five! really like your painting! something have something most She’s most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen another I’ll have another glass wine guys family are like family own get own place out Get out room leave put down that book listen old feel old! while wait here while shop mean didn’t mean sound angry on turn on lights keep keep lights on tonight student I’ve always been diligent student why This why don’t go out anymore kids! same shirt! big have celebrity big crush on Brad Pitt Taylor Swift Drake Kendrick William Bieber group sitting across table noisy huge project outgoing country Japan such beautiful country! help need help Math homework talk private where last night turn only could turn back time plenty person has own big goal fulfill start This great start learn English language hand Don’t let go hand might This might actually work American British French China culture dynamic show vacuum cleaner part This favourite part movie! about story about against am against domestic abuse! place This place wonderful! over She kept saying this over annoying person again play that game again few Just few more errands I’m done! case interesting case are working on now! most That’s most interesting story I’ve ever heard week had rough week company keep company going system What’s wrong with airport system each give each them apple right I’m right this time program This community program teens really helpful hear Did hear that so I’m sleepy question have question during session saw fall asleep work have work this weekend play play soccer next weekend instead government hope government does something about poverty this country run see bear here run your life small have small favour ask number have facebook youtube amazon weather walmart google wordle gmail target home depot google translate yahoo mail yahoo costco fox news starbucks food near me translate instagram Google maps walgreens best buy nba mcdonalds restaurants near me nfl amazon prime cnn traductor weather tomorrow espn lowes chick fil a news food zillow craigslist cvs ebay twitter wells fargo usps tracking bank of america calculator indeed nfl scores google docs etsy netflix taco bell shein astronaut macys kohls youtube tv dollar tree gas station coffee nba scores roblox restaurants autozone pizza hut usps gmail login dominos chipotle Google classroom tiempo hotmail aol mail burger king facebook login google flights sqm club maps subway dow jones sam s club motel breakfast english to spanish gas fedex walmart near me old navy fedex tracking southwest airlines ikea linkedin chase bank airbnb planet fitness spanish to english pizza google drive msn dunkin donuts capital one dollar general number favors ask off turn off television bring pepper spray with move Let’s move on next tourist spot like really like night night young live I’m going live like there’s no tomorrow Mr Morris here point have point believe hold Just hold hand today I’m going see today bring bring pen happen don’t submit your report on time next This next best thing without can’t live without phone go bed always wash face large There’s large amount data online about that topic all That’s all know about Dinosaurs million have million questions about this book must watch this movie together home go home now under hid it under bed water filled tub with water room at end corridor write prescription this mother very lovely woman area This area this house needs fixed national That virus has become national concern money She needs money buy medicine story She shared story media young She young hopeful fact It’s fact: shopping improve your mood month It’s that time month! different Just because she’s different it doesn’t mean she’s bad lot have lot explaining do right Turn right when reach corner study Let’s study English lessons together book borrow your English book eye She has pink eye job love job word Describe yourself one word are angry now I’m sure forget about this later business thriving issue This issue side Whose side are on anyway kind Always kind even strangers four There are four seasons year head Let’s head back it’s freezing out here far We’ve gone too far now we’re lost black She has long black hair long She has long brown hair both They both love chocolate ice cream little have two little boys with now house quiet without yes hope say yes after all this time has finally learned love since Ever since mom died has been cranky angry at world long That was such long time ago provide provide with list your services service have specific dental service treat this around went around block friend You’re good friend important You’re important father father important sit Let’s sit outside together away He’s away right when away power With great power comes great responsibility hour I’ve been checking temperature every hour game Let’s play game often buy from bakery as often as yet He’s yet home line There’s long line at grocery cashier political stay away from political discussions end It’s end era all pets Have ever tried this cake stand stand still minute bad did was bad lose can’t lose however buy this bag however need save up it first member She’s member babysitter’s club pay Let’s pay groceries law There’s law against jay-walking meet meet aunt car Let’s go inside car city This city that never sleeps almost I’m almost done with report include Did remember include summary your report continue continue working tomorrow set Great let set appointment later I’ll finish it later community community very tight knit much There’s much learn English language name What’s your name five give five reasons why need watch that video had puppy named Bark white love white sneakers least She’s least productive among all employees president She was class president back high school learn I’d love learn more about English language real real name change change that things get better team They hired team design their new office minute She’s laughing every minute every day best This best potato salad I’ve ever tasted several have several old clothes need donate idea It was your idea go beach remember kid loved that toy when was kid body She worked out hard achieve toned body information This information need nothing There’s nothing now ago Three years ago visited Japan first time right You’re right go back there lead Just lead way I’ll follow social feel awkward these social gatherings understand how feel big groups or small groups always feel little shy at first back Looking back knew was always introvert watch Let’s watch sun set on horizon together They’re together now follow I’ll follow home around You’ll always have around parent Every parent trying hard doing their best only are only allowed go out today stop stop that face Why your face red anything ask anything create Did create that presentation It was good public This public property already asked resend report speak Could speak little louder others others haven’t arrived yet read read somewhere that this house haunted level level are that game allow allow your kids play outside house add it okay add bit sugar tea office Welcome office spend How much did spend on your last shopping spree door left door open health must take good care your health person are good person art This work art sure Are sure this alone such are such brave little boy war war has finally ended history She history professor party Are going party tonight within support everyone within small community grow everyone grow thrive their careers result result this outreach program amazing open Are open teaching on weekends change Where change diaper morning It’s such beautiful morning! walk Come take walk with reason are reason came home low blood pressure has gotten really low win win this match work together research How your research going girl That girl class guy I’ve seen that guy school before early come work early every day food Let’s buy some food I’m hungry! before talk before go home moment moment she walked room puppy started jump dance again himself cooked this Turkey himself air am loving cold night air here teacher are best teacher ever force Don’t force play with other kids offer offer ride home enough Boys that’s enough playing today both both need change into your sleep clothes now education just get best education across Your dog ran across park although she felt tired she still couldn’t sleep remember think she still remember after ten years foot foot got caught one ropes second This second time she got late this month boy There’s boy class who keeps pulling have ice cream dessert toward took step toward able able send your report today age average marrying age these days off cat ran off with dog policy They have generous return policy everything Everything on sale love love you’re wearing! process Wait give time process everything you’re telling music love music including Around 20 people attended including Bob Beth consider hope consider project proposal appear How did that appear out nowhere actually I’m actually just heading out buy I’m going buy these shoes probably He’s probably still asleep human Give break only human wait it alright wait few minutes serve This blow dryer has served well years market Let’s visit Sunday market die don’t cat die let’s take vet send send package address expect can’t expect much from their poor service home can’t wait go home! sense did sense that something was okay build going build dream house stay stay with few weeks fall careful might fall oh Oh no left phone at home! nation have act as one nation plan What’s your plan this time cut Don’t cut your hair college met college interest Music interest mine death Death such heavy topic course course did take up college someone there someone who go with experience exciting experience! behind I’m scared check what’s behind that door reach can’t reach him won’t answer phone local This local business kill Smoking kill six have six books about Psychology remain These remain on top shelf effect Wow effect that mascara great! use use your phone yeah Yeah did call earlier suggest did suggest that class same English class control Where’s remote control raise It’s challenging discipline kids these days care don’t care about think perhaps Perhaps arrive at compromise little There’s little bird outside window late am running late doctor’s appointment hard That test was hard field He’s over there by soccer field else anyone else coming pass pass by grocery store former She was former housemate sell sell your old couch online major It’s major issue project sometimes Sometimes forget turn off porch lights require They’ll require show your I D along tag along your road trip development This news development really interesting themselves They take care themselves report read report it was great! role She’s going play role Elsa better Your singing has gotten much better! economic Some countries are facing economic crisis effort government must make effort solve this up grades have gone up decide decide where eat rate How would rate hotel’s service strong They have strong customer service here! possible Maybe it’s possible change their bathroom amenities heart heart full drug She got patent drug she has created cure cancer show show how solve this puzzle leader are wonderful leader light Watch face light up when mention name voice Hearing mom’s voice all need right now wife wife away weekend whole have whole house myself police police have questioned about incident mind This relaxation technique really eases mind finally finally move out from old apartment pull baby niece likes pull hair return give tickles return free best things life are free military dad military price This price pay lying report Did report this police less am praying less stress this coming new year according According weather report it’s going rain today decision This big decision explain I’ll explain everything later promise son son cute! hope hope I’ll have son one day even Even they’ve broken up they still remain friends develop That rash could develop into something more serious view This view amazing! relationship They’ve taken their relationship next level carry carry bag town This town extremely quiet road There’s road that leads edge woods drive can’t drive there need walk arm broke arm during practice true It’s true I’m leaving company federal Animal abuse now federal felony! break Don’t break law better better learn how follow rules difference What’s difference between happiness contentment thank forgot thank pie she sent us receive Did receive pie sent value value friendship much international Their brand has gone international! building This building tall! action next action going critical full work load full now model great leader great model how things join wants join soccer team season Christmas favorite season! society Their society holding fund raiser because I’m going home because mom needs tax How much current income tax director director yelled ‘Cut!' early I’m too early appointment position position your hand properly when drawing player That basketball player cute agree agree! cute! especially especially like blue eyes record record minutes this meeting pick Did pick color theme already wear that you’re going wear party paper use special paper your invitations special Some special paper are even scented! space leave some space write down your phone number ground ground shaking form new island was formed after that big earthquake support need your support this project event We’re holding big event tonight official official wedding photos are out! whose Whose umbrella this matter does it matter anyway everyone Everyone thinks stole that file center hate being center attention couple couple on their honeymoon now site This site big! end It’s end era project This project file due tomorrow hit hit burglar with bat base All moms are their child’s home base activity musical activity suggest toddler star son draw star! table saw draw it while was writing on table need need enroll good preschool court There’s basketball court near house produce Fresh farm produce best eat could eat that all day American sister dating American teach love teach English lessons oil Could buy some cooking oil at store half Just half liter situation situation getting out hand easy thought said this was going easy cost cost fuel has increased! industry fuel industry hiking prices figure government figure out how fix this problem face can’t bear face this horrendous traffic again again street Let’s cross street image There’s image stored inside mind itself bike itself pretty awesome phone Plus it has phone holder either either walk or commute work data How simplify this data cover Could cover during emergencies quite I’m quite satisfied with their work picture Picture this: lake cabin lots peace quiet clear That picture clear inside head practice Let’s practice dance number piece That’s piece cake! land Their plane going land soon recent This most recent social media post describe Describe yourself one word product This favorite product their new line cosmetics doctor doctor wall post this up on wall patient patient much pain now worker She’s factory worker news saw that on news test have pass this English test movie Let’s watch movie later certain There’s certain kind magic air now north Santa lives up north love l love Christmas! personal This letter very personal open Why did open read it support support simply simply won’t tolerate bad behavior third This third time you’ve lied technology Write about advantages technology catch Let’s catch up soon please! step Watch your step baby baby adorable computer turn on computer type need type your password attention have your attention draw draw this film That film absolutely mind-blowing Republican Republican candidate tree That tree has been there generations source are source strength red I’ll wear red dress tonight nearly nearly died that accident! organization Their organization doing great things street kids choose Let choose color cause have see cause effect this experiment hair I’ll cut hair short change look look at items bought point point all this century We’re living 21st century Mary evidence evidence clearly shows that guilty window I’ll buy window curtains next week difficult Sometimes life difficult listen have listen your teacher soon launch course soon culture hope they understand culture better billion target have 1 billion dollars account by end year chance there chance that this brother brother always have back energy Now put that energy into walking period They covered period twenty years course Have seen course already summer I’ll go beach summer less Sometimes less more realize just realize that have meeting today hundred have hundred dollars that lend available am available work on your project plant Plant seed likely It was likely deer trail opportunity It was perfect opportunity test theory term I’m sure there’s Latin term it short It was just short stay at hotel letter already passed letter intent condition know condition am choice have no choice place Let’s meet out at meeting place single am single parent rule It’s rule law daughter knows how read now administration take this up with administration south am headed south husband just bought ring birthday Congress It debated at Congress floor She floor manager campaign handled their election campaign material She had nothing material report population population nearest big city was growing well wish well call am going call bank economy economy booming medical -She needs medical assistance hospital I’ll take nearest hospital church saw church last Sunday close -Please close door thousand There are thousand reasons learn English! risk Taking risk rewarding current your current address fire Make sure your smoke alarm works case fire future -The future full hope wrong That wrong answer involve need involve police defense your defense or reason did this anyone Does anyone know answer increase Let’s increase your test score security Some apartment buildings have security bank need go bank withdraw some money myself clean up by myself certainly certainly help clean up west drive West arrive California sport favorite sport soccer board see board seek Seek find per Lobster $20 per pound subject favorite subject English! officer Where find police officer private This private party rest Let’s take 15 minute rest behavior This dog’s behavior excellent deal used car good deal performance Your performance affected by your sleep fight don’t fight with throw German ball! top are top student quickly Let’s finish reading this quickly past past English was as good as it today goal speak English fluently second second goal increase confidence bed go bed around 10pm order would like order book author author this series world-famous fill need fill (up) gas tank represent represent family focus Turn off your phone TV focus on your studies! foreign It’s great having foreign friends drop don’t drop eggs! plan Let’s make plan blood hospital needs people give blood upon Once upon time princess lived castle agency Let’s contract agency help with marketing push door says ‘push ’ ‘pull ' nature love walking nature! colou color blue no ‘No’ one shortest complete sentences recently cleaned bathroom most recently think it’s your turn this time store I’m going store buy some bread reduce reuse recycle are ways help environment sound like sound wind chimes note take notes during lesson fine movie let’s buy popcorn! near Near far wherever are believe that heart goes on movement environmental movement international movement page turn page 62 enter enter building on left share Let share idea than Ice cream has more calories than water common Most people find something common with each other poor had poor harvest this year because it was dry other This pen doesn’t work try other one natural This cleaner natural there aren’t chemicals it race watched car race on TV concern Thank your concern but I’m fine series your favorite TV series significant job earns significant amount money similar These earrings don’t match but they are similar hot Don’t touch stove it’s still hot language Learning new language fun each Put flower each vase usually usually shop at corner store response didn’t expect response come soon dead phone dead let charge it rise sun rise at 7:00 a m animal kind animal that factor Heredity factor your overall health decade I’ve lived this city over decade article Did read that newspaper article shoot wants shoot arrows at target east Drive east three miles save save all cans recycling seven There are seven slices pie left artist Taylor Swift recording artist away wish that mosquito would go away scene painted colorful street scene stock That shop has good stock postcards career Retail sales good career some people despite Despite rain still have picnic central There good shopping central London eight That recipe takes eight cups flour thus haven’t had problems thus far treatment propose treatment plan your injury beyond town just beyond those mountains happy Kittens make happy exactly Use exactly one teaspoon salt that recipe protect coat protect from cold weather approach cat slowly approached bird lie Teach your children lie size size that shirt dog think dog good pet fund have savings fund college serious She serious she never laughs occur Strange things occur that empty house media That issue has been discussed media ready Are ready leave work sign That store needs bigger sign thought I’ll have give it some thought list made list things do individual buy individual or group membership simple appliance comes with simple instructions quality paid little more quality shoes pressure There no pressure finish right now accept accept credit card answer Give your answer by noon tomorrow hard That test was very hard resource library has many online resources identify can’t identify that plant left door on your left as approach meeting We’ll have staff meeting after lunch determine Eye color genetically determined prepare I’ll prepare breakfast tomorrow disease Face masks help prevent disease whatever Choose whatever flavor like best success Failure back door success argue It’s good idea argue with your boss cup Would like cup coffee particularly It’s particularly hot outside just warm amount It take large amount food feed elephant ability has ability explain things well staff There are five people on staff here recognize recognize person this photo indicate reply indicated that she understood character trust people good character growth company has seen strong growth this quarter loss farmer suffered heavy losses after storm degree Set oven 300 degrees wonder wonder Bulls win game attack army attack at dawn herself She bought herself new coat region internet services are your region television don’t watch much television box packed dishes strong box TV There good movie on TV tonight training company pay your training pretty That pretty dress trade stock market traded lower today deal got good deal at store election Who think win election everybody likes ice cream physical Keep physical distance six feet lay baby crib general impression restaurant was good feeling have good feeling about this standard standard fee $10 00 bill electrician send bill message have text message on your phone fail fail see funny about that outside cat goes outside sometimes arrive When your plane arrive analysis I’ll give analysis when I’ve seen everything benefit There are many health benefits quinoa name What’s your name sex know sex your baby yet forward Move car forward few feet lawyer legal helped write present everyone present meeting begin section stadium are sitting environmental science economy politics political politician issues are news glass much heavier than plastic answer Could answer question skill best skill woodworking sister lives close PM movie starts at 7:30 PM professor Dr Smith professor operation mining operation employs thousands people financial keep accounts at financial institution crime police fight crime stage caterpillar larval stage butterfly ok Would it ok eat out tonight compare should compare cars before buy one authority City authorities make local laws miss you when see again design need design new logo sort Let’s sort these beads according color one only have one cat act I’ll act on your information today ten baby counted ten toes knowledge have knowledge fix that gun Gun ownership controversial topic station There train station close house blue favorite color blue state After accident was state shock strategy new corporate strategy written here little prefer little cars clearly instructions clearly written discuss We’ll discuss that at meeting indeed Your mother does indeed have hearing loss force It takes lot force open that door truth tell truth song That’s beautiful song example need example that grammar point democratic Does Australia have democratic government check check work sure it’s correct environment live healthy environment leg boy broke leg dark Turn on light it’s dark here public Masks must worn public places various That rug comes various shades gray rather Would rather have hamburger than hot dog laugh That movie always makes laugh guess don’t know just guess executive company’s executives are paid well set Set glass on table study needs study test prove employee proved worth hang hang your coat on hook entire ate entire meal 10 minutes rock There are decorative rocks garden design windows don’t open by design enough Have had enough coffee forget Don’t forget stop at store since She hasn’t eaten since yesterday claim made insurance claim car accident note Leave note you’re going late remove Remove cookies from oven manager manager look at your application help Could help move this table close Close door sound dog did make sound enjoy enjoy soda network Band name internet network legal legal documents need signed religious She very religious she attends church weekly cold feet are cold form fill out this application form final divorce was final last month main main problem lack money science studies health science at university green grass green memory has good memory card They sent card birthday above Look on shelf above sink seat That’s comfortable seat cell Your body made millions cells establish They established their business 1942 nice That’s very nice car trial They are employing on trial basis expert Matt IT expert that Did see that movie spring Spring most beautiful season firm ‘no was very firm she won’t change mind Democrat Democrats control Senate radio listen radio car visit visited museum today management That store has good management care She cares mother at home avoid should avoid poison ivy imagine imagine pigs could fly tonight Would like go out tonight huge That truck huge! ball threw ball dog no said ‘no ’ don’t ask again close Close window finish Did finish your homework yourself gave yourself haircut talk talks lot theory theory that’s good plan impact drought had big impact on crops respond hasn’t responded text yet statement police chief gave statement media maintain Exercise helps maintain healthy weight charge need charge phone popular That’s popular restaurant traditional They serve traditional Italian food there onto Jump onto boat we’ll go fishing reveal Washing off dirt revealed boy’s skinned knee direction direction city from here weapon No weapons are allowed government buildings employee That store only has three employees cultural There cultural significance those old ruins contain carton contains dozen egges peace World leaders gathered peace talks head head hurts control Keep control car base glass has heavy base it won’t fall over pain have chest pain apply Maria applied job play children play at park measure Measure twice cut once wide doorway was very wide shake Don’t shake soda fly fly France next year interview job interview went well manage Did manage find keys chair table has six matching chairs fish don’t enjoy eating fish particular That particular style looks good on camera use camera on phone structure building’s structure solid politics Mitch very active politics perform singer perform tonight bit It rained little bit last night weight Keep track your pet’s weight suddenly storm came up suddenly discover You’ll discover treasures at that thrift store candidate There are ten candidates position top flag flies on top that building production Factory production has improved over summer treat Give yourself treat job well done trip are taking trip Florida January evening I’m staying home this evening affect bank account affect how much buy inside cat stays inside conference There expert presenters at conference unit foot unit measure best Those are best glasses buy style dress out style adult Adults pay full price but children are free worry Don’t worry about tomorrow range doctor offered range options mention mention your story rather Rather than focusing on bad things let’s grateful good things far don’t move far from family deep That poem about life deep front face front edge stand close edge cliff individual These potato chips are individual serving size package specific Could more specific writer are good writer trouble Stay out trouble necessary It necessary sleep throughout Throughout life have always enjoyed reading challenge challenge better fear have fears shoulder have shoulder all work on your own institution Have attended institution higher learning middle am middle child with one older brother one younger sister sea sail seven seas dream have dream bar bar place where alcohol served beautiful are beautiful property own property like house instead Instead eating cake have fruit improve am always looking ways improve stuff When moved realized have lot stuff! claim claim fast reader but actually am average
At a crossroads – Needing to make an important decision
When you are at a crossroads, you are at a point in your life where you need to make a decision. The implication is that the decision you make will have big, life-altering consequences.
Bad apple – Bad person
You can use this idiom to describe someone who is not nice and maybe even criminal.
Barking up the wrong tree – Pursuing the wrong course
When you “bark up the wrong tree” you are pursuing the wrong solution to your problems.
Be closefisted – Stingy
If you are being “closefisted”, you don’t want to spend a lot of money.
Be cold-hearted – Uncaring
If you decide to be “cold-hearted”, you are making a deliberate decision not to care about someone or something.
Be on solid ground – Confident
When you are “on solid ground”, you are confident in your position or feel that you are safe.
Beat around the bush – Avoid saying
When you do this, you are taking a long time to say what you really need to say. You may be doing this because the “truth” is embarrassing or your unsure about how the listener will take it.
Behind you – Supportive
When you are “behind” someone, you are saying that they have your support.
Between a rock and a hard place – Facing difficulties
When you have to choose between two options, neither of which are ideal or “good”.
Blow off steam – Try to relax
When you are stressed or upset about something, sometimes you need to do something to keep you from thinking about it.
Born with a silver spoon in their mouth – Born wealthy
This idiomatic expression is used to describe someone who was born into a wealthy family.
Break the bank – Spend a lot
When you “break the bank”, you spend a lot of money on something. If something will “break the bank”, then it’s expensive.
Bright spark – Smart
A “bright spark” is someone who is smart and valuable to an organization.
Build a case – Argue your point
When you “build a case” for something, you are preparing to argue a point or convince someone that your opinion is the right one.
Build castles in the sky – Daydream
When you fantasize about something you hope to have or achieve.
Burn your bridges – End a relationship
When you “burn your bridges” you end a relationship permanently.
Butter up – Flatter
When you “butter” someone up, you are telling them nice things about themselves.
Bought a lemon – Bad bargain
If something you bought is a “lemon” it is a bad product. In a sense, you wasted your money on it.
Break the ice – Start a conversation
When you start a conversation strangers with the end goal of making new friends.
Calm before the storm – Peaceful
When you use this to describe your state of being or mind, you’re talking about a quiet period before anticipated trouble comes your way.
Chasing rainbows – Pursuing dreams
When you try to follow your dreams. The implication here, however, is that you might be better off forgetting your dreams.
Clear as mud – Hard to understand
When you are confused about something or a situation.
Cool as a cucumber – Calm
This idiomatic expression is meant to describe someone who is calm and relaxed.
Couch potato – Lazy
A couch potato is a lazy person. Specifically, someone who sprawls on their couch watching TV almost all day.
Cross that bridge when we get to it – Think about it later
When you say this, you are telling someone that you will think about something later. The implication is that it’s a problem or a decision that can be put off for now.
Chew it over – Think had about something
This idiom implies that you need to make an important decision and can’t afford to be hasty about it.
Come to light – Be revealed
When something “comes to light” something that was originally concealed from you is revealed.
Cut back on – Reduce
When you use this idiom, you are reducing something.
Cut to the chase – Speak concisely
When you tell someone to “cut to the chase”, you are expressing impatience. This is usually used when someone feels someone else is taking to long to deliver important news.
Crystal clear – Easy to understand
When you say that something is “crystal clear”, you are saying that it is understood.
Dead-end job – No more opportunities
When you are stuck in a “dead-end job”, you are in a career situation where there is no more room for advancement.
Dig deep – Strive
When you “dig deep” you put a lot of effort into a task.
Digging into – Looking closer
When you “dig into” something, you are looking for more information.
Don’t run before you can walk – Don’t assume something is easy
This is a descriptive idiom, it’s meant to make you think about how a baby needs to learn how to walk before they can run. It’s supposed to caution you about assuming you can just do something without learning the basics.
Down to earth – Practical
This describes someone who is known for being sensible and practical.
Eat like a bird – Small appetite
This is used to describe someone who doesn’t eat a lot.
Eat like a horse – Eat a lot
If you eat like a horse, you are eating a lot. You can “eat like a bird” most of the time but “eat like a horse” at a specific time because you are either very hungry or you really like the food.
Eat your words – Admit you were wrong
When you “eat your words” you are admitting that something you said earlier turned out to be wrong.
Every cloud has a silver lining – Things will get better
When you say this, you are telling yourself or someone else that you will get through your troubles.
Face the music – Face the consequences
When you “face the music”, you are owning up to a mistake and trying to make amends.
Find your feet – Adapt
When you are “finding your feet” you are learning how to adapt to a new situation, like a new job.
Follow in their footsteps – Imitate
This idiom is often used between children and their parents, but it can also refer to a mentor or someone you admire. If you “follow in someone’s footsteps”, you do the same thing that they did.
Food for thought – Something to think about
If you are given “food for thought” you have been given something to think about.
A frosty reception – To be unwelcome
If you received a “frosty reception”, you are not welcome.
Fly off the handle – Rages
You can use this idiom to describe someone who is visibly angry over a situation. Often this means that someone is shouting and maybe gesturing violently and even causing damage to property. It also implies that the angry reaction is disproportionate to the situation.
Get on with your life – Continue on after a setback
This is something you can say and should do after going through some problems.
Give them a run for their money – Compete
If you are competing with someone, you are giving them a “run for their money.”
Go Dutch – Split the bill
You can use this idiomatic expression when dining out with friends.
Go with the flow – Relax and get along
When you “go with the flow” you keep calm and just go along with whatever is happening around you.
Got off scot-free – Escaped
When you “get off scot-free”, you managed to escape any consequences for your actions.
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Hard to swallow – Unbelievable
If someone told you something that you just can’t believe, they told you something that is “hard to swallow”.
Have your whole life in front of you – Young
Someone who has their whole life in front of them is young and full of promise.
Hold out an olive branch – Apologize
When you do this, you try to make amends or peace with someone you’ve hurt or angered.
In hot water – In trouble
This idiomatic expression can be used to say that you are in a less than ideal situation.
Inching forward - Making slow progress
When you say this, you’re saying things are proceeding slowly.
Keep on the straight and narrow – Keep out of trouble
When you say this, you are implying that you are going to live in a morally correct way.
Keep your chin up – Stay positive
Even if you’re going through a hard time, you should keep thinking positive.
Kicked the bucket – Died
This is an irreverent phrase to say that someone has died. Be careful how you use it.
Let the cat out of the bag – Spoiled the secret
You “let the cat out of the bag” when you accidentally let someone in on a secret that they weren’t meant to know.
Look up to – Respect
When you “look up to” someone you are acknowledging that you respect them and value their opinion.
Loaded – Rich
When you call someone “loaded” you are saying that they are rich.
Lost at sea – Confused
If a situation is making you feel confused or lost, this is the idiom to use.
Making ends meet – Careful budgeting
If you. don’t have much money, you need to “make ends meet”. This means you carefully budget what you do have to meet your needs.
Make a mountain out of a molehill –Exaggerate
This idiom is used to say that someone is being over-dramatic with their complaints or concerns.
Make waves – Change things
When you “make waves”, you change a situation dramatically. This can also mean that you caused trouble.
Nip in the bud – Stop
When you do this, you take action to keep a situation from getting worse.
No sweat – Easy
When you say “no sweat” you are saying that a task was easy
Not your cup of tea – Not something you like
If you say that something is “not your cup of tea” you are saying it’s not something you particularly like or enjoy.
Once in a blue moon – Rare
This implies something that either won’t happen or rarely happens.
Out in the open – Public knowledge
When something is “out in the open”, it is a matter of public knowledge.
Over the moon – Very happy
You can use this to describe the feeling of getting something you’ve been looking forward to for a long time.
On cloud nine – Very happy
Similar to being over the moon.
Packed like sardines – Crowded
If people are “packed like sardines” in a venue, they are standing very close together in a small space.
Piece of cake –Easy
If you say something is a “piece of cake” you are saying that it is easy.
Pitch in - Contribute
When you “pitch-in”, you work with a group of people to reach a common goal.
Point of view – An opinion
Your “point of view” is what you think about someone or a situation.
Pony up – Pay
If you are paying back a debt, you are “ponying up” the money.
Pour oil on troubled waters – Calm things down
This basically means that you played peacemaker and kept an argument from developing into a physical fight.
Put your head in the sand – Deny something unpleasant
When you have your “head in the sand”, you are deliberately ignoring a bad situation.
Rags to riches – Became rich
Someone who went from “rags to riches” was born poor or underprivileged, but is now in a better social position.
Rain or shine – No matter what
This idiomatic expression is used to express the idea that nothing will stop you.
Reap the rewards – Received the benefits
When you “reap the rewards”, you are getting the benefits of your good work.
Rings a bell – Sounds familiar
When you think that you’ve heard a piece of information before but are not so sure.
Rule of thumb – General practice
A “rule of thumb” is an unwritten rule that is followed by the majority.
Separate the wheat from the chaff – Decide what is valuable
This picturesque idiom refers to how, when you harvest wheat, you need to separate it from the stalks and leaves. So, it means that you pick out or choose what is valuable to keep.
Shell out money – Pay
When you “shell out money”, you pay for an item.
Sitting on the fence – Neutral
When you “sit on the fence” you are avoiding making a decision. Often, this is a decision between two people with different opinions.
Smart cookie – Smart person
You can use this idiom to describe someone intelligent.
Spice things up – Make things interesting
When you “spice things up” you do something to break out of your normal routine.
Spill the beans – Tell
When you do this, you tell someone something they didn’t know. It may or not have been a secret previously.
Sticky fingers – Thief
If you accuse someone of having “sticky fingers” you are basically calling them a thief.
Take a side – Choose who to support
When you “take a side” in an argument, you are agreeing with one of those arguing.
Throw light on – Explain something
When you “throw light on” a situation, you help make sure that it is understood.
To move at a snail’s pace – Move slowly
This is another idiomatic phrase that’s meant to paint a picture. A snail moves slowly, so to move at its pace means things are going slowly.
Tread carefully – Be cautious
This implies that a situation is fraught and it might be easy to offend those involved.
Under the table – Secretive
When you do something “under the table”, you are trying to do something so that only a small amount of people are aware of it. It’s commonly used to describe something that is possibly unscrupulous. For example, bribes are given “under the table”.
Undermine your position – Act unconvincingly
When you behave in a way that makes you and your opinion seem untrustworthy.
Up in the air – Uncertain
When you say something is “up in the air”, you are saying that you are not sure that an event is happening.
Weather the storm – Survive
When you “weather the storm”, you endure a bad situation.
When it rains, it pours – Trouble comes
This refers to the fact that sometimes, many bad things happen to people at one time.
So there you have it, 10 idiomatic expressions and their meanings. These idioms are used by native English language speakers to add some color to their daily speech.
Google is an American multinational technology company focusing on search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, artificial intelligence,[9] and consumer electronics. It has been referred to as "the most powerful company in the world"[10] and one of the world's most valuable brands due to its market dominance, data collection, and technological advantages in the area of artificial intelligence.[11][12][13] Its parent company Alphabet is considered one of the Big Five American information technology companies, alongside Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft.
Google was founded on September 4, 1998, by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were PhD students at Stanford University in California. Together they own about 14% of its publicly listed shares and control 56% of the stockholder voting power through super-voting stock. The company went public via an initial public offering (IPO) in 2004. In 2015, Google was reorganized as a wholly owned subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. Google is Alphabet's largest subsidiary and is a holding company for Alphabet's Internet properties and interests. Sundar Pichai was appointed CEO of Google on October 24, 2015, replacing Larry Page, who became the CEO of Alphabet. On December 3, 2019, Pichai also became the CEO of Alphabet.[14]
The company has since rapidly grown to offer a multitude of products and services beyond Google Search, many of which hold dominant market positions. These products address a wide range of use cases, including email (Gmail), navigation (Waze & Maps), cloud computing (Cloud), web browsing (Chrome), video sharing (YouTube), productivity (Workspace), operating systems (Android), cloud storage (Drive), language translation (Translate), photo storage (Photos), video calling (Meet), smart home (Nest), smartphones (Pixel), wearable technology (Pixel Watch & Fitbit), music streaming (YouTube Music), video on demand (YouTube TV), artificial intelligence (Google Assistant), machine learning APIs (TensorFlow), AI chips (TPU), and more. Discontinued Google products include gaming (Stadia), Glass,[citation needed] Google+, Reader, Play Music, Nexus, Hangouts, and Inbox by Gmail.[15][16]
Google's other ventures outside of Internet services and consumer electronics include quantum computing (Sycamore), self-driving cars (Waymo, formerly the Google Self-Driving Car Project), smart cities (Sidewalk Labs), and transformer models (Google Brain).[17]
Google and YouTube are the two most visited websites worldwide followed by Facebook and Twitter. Google is also the largest search engine, mapping and navigation application, email provider, office suite, video sharing platform, photo and cloud storage provider, mobile operating system, web browser, ML framework, and AI virtual assistant provider in the world as measured by market share. On the list of most valuable brands, Google is ranked second by Forbes[18] and fourth by Interbrand.[19] It has received significant criticism involving issues such as privacy concerns, tax avoidance, censorship, search neutrality, antitrust and abuse of its monopoly position.
In March 1999, the company moved its offices to Palo Alto, California,[52] which is home to several prominent Silicon Valley technology start-ups.[53] The next year, Google began selling advertisements associated with search keywords against Page and Brin's initial opposition toward an advertising-funded search engine.[54][22] To maintain an uncluttered page design, advertisements were solely text-based.[55] In June 2000, it was announced that Google would become the default search engine provider for Yahoo!, one of the most popular websites at the time, replacing Inktomi.
In 2003, after outgrowing two other locations, the company leased an office complex from Silicon Graphics, at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway in Mountain View, California.[59] The complex became known as the Googleplex, a play on the word googolplex, the number one followed by a googol zeroes. Three years later, Google bought the property from SGI for $319 million.[60] By that time, the name "Google" had found its way into everyday language, causing the verb "google" to be added to the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary and the Oxford English Dictionary, denoted as: "to use the Google search engine to obtain information on the Internet".[61][62] The first use of the verb on television appeared in an October 2002 episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.[63]
Additionally, in 2001 Google's investors felt the need to have a strong internal management, and they agreed to hire Eric Schmidt as the chairman and CEO of Google.[49] Eric was proposed by John Doerr from Kleiner Perkins. He had been trying to find a CEO that Sergey and Larry would accept for several months, but they rejected several candidates because they wanted to retain control over the company. Michael Moritz from Sequoia Capital at one point even menaced requesting Google to immediately pay back Sequoia's $12.5m investment if they did not fulfill their promise to hire a chief executive office, which had been made verbally during investment negotiations. Eric wasn't initially enthusiastic about joining Google either, as the company's full potential hadn't yet been widely recognized at the time, and as he was occupied with his responsibilities at Novell where he was CEO. As part of him joining, Eric agreed to buy $1 million of Google preferred stocks as a way to show his commitment and to provide funds Google needed.
Google generates most of its revenues from advertising. This includes sales of apps, purchases made in-app, digital content products on Google and YouTube, Android and licensing and service fees, including fees received for Google Cloud offerings. Forty-six percent of this profit was from clicks (cost per clicks), amounting to US$109,652 million in 2017. This includes three principal methods, namely AdMob, AdSense (such as AdSense for Content, AdSense for Search, etc.) and DoubleClick AdExchange.
In addition to its own algorithms for understanding search requests, Google uses technology its acquisition of DoubleClick, to project user interest and target advertising to the search context and the user history.
In 2007, Google launched "AdSense for Mobile", taking advantage of the emerging mobile advertising market.
Google Analytics allows website owners to track where and how people use their website, for example by examining click rates for all the links on a page. Google advertisements can be placed on third-party websites in a two-part program. Google Ads allows advertisers to display their advertisements in the Google content network, through a cost-per-click scheme.[138] The sister service, Google AdSense, allows website owners to display these advertisements on their website and earn money every time ads are clicked.[139] One of the criticisms of this program is the possibility of click fraud, which occurs when a person or automated script clicks on advertisements without being interested in the product, causing the advertiser to pay money to Google unduly. Industry reports in 2006 claimed that approximately 14 to 20 percent of clicks were fraudulent or invalid.[140] Google Search Console (rebranded from Google Webmaster Tools in May 2015) allows webmasters to check the sitemap, crawl rate, and for security issues of their websites, as well as optimize their website's visibility.
Consumer services
Web-based services
Google offers Gmail for email, Google Calendar for time-management and scheduling, Google Maps for mapping, navigation and satellite imagery, Google Drive for cloud storage of files, Google Docs, Sheets and Slides for productivity, Google Photos for photo storage and sharing, Google Keep for note-taking, Google Translate for language translation, YouTube for video viewing and sharing, Google My Business for managing public business information, and Duo for social interaction. In March 2019, Google unveiled a cloud gaming service named Stadia. A job search product has also existed since before 2017, Google for Jobs is an enhanced search feature that aggregates listings from job boards and career sites.
Some Google services are not web-based. Google Earth, launched in 2005, allowed users to see high-definition satellite pictures from all over the world for free through a client software downloaded to their computers.
Software
Google develops the Android mobile operating system, as well as its smartwatch, television, car, and Internet of things-enabled smart devices variations.
It also develops the Google Chrome web browser, and Chrome OS, an operating system based on Chrome.
Hardware
In January 2010, Google released Nexus One, the first Android phone under its own brand. It spawned a number of phones and tablets under the "Nexus" branding until its eventual discontinuation in 2016, replaced by a new brand called Pixel.
In 2011, the Chromebook was introduced, which runs on Chrome OS.
In July 2013, Google introduced the Chromecast dongle, which allows users to stream content from their smartphones to televisions.
In June 2014, Google announced Google Cardboard, a simple cardboard viewer that lets user place their smartphone in a special front compartment to view virtual reality (VR) media.
Other hardware products include:
•Nest, a series of voice assistant smart speakers that can answer voice queries, play music, find information from apps (calendar, weather etc.), and control third-party smart home appliances (users can tell it to turn on the lights, for example). The Google Nest line includes the original Google Home (later succeeded by the Nest Audio), the Google Home Mini (later succeeded by the Nest Mini, the Google Home Max, the Google Home Hub (later rebranded as the Nest Hub), and the Nest Hub Max.
•Nest Wifi (originally Google Wifi), a connected set of Wi-Fi routers to simplify and extend coverage of home Wi-Fi.
Enterprise services
Google Workspace (formerly G Suite until October 2020) is a monthly subscription offering for organizations and businesses to get access to a collection of Google's services, including Gmail, Google Drive and Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google Slides, with additional administrative tools, unique domain names, and 24/7 support.
On September 24, 2012, Google launched Google for Entrepreneurs, a largely not-for-profit business incubator providing startups with co-working spaces known as Campuses, with assistance to startup founders that may include workshops, conferences, and mentorships. Presently, there are seven Campus locations: Berlin, London, Madrid, Seoul, São Paulo, Tel Aviv, and Warsaw.
On March 15, 2016, Google announced the introduction of Google Analytics 360 Suite, "a set of integrated data and marketing analytics products, designed specifically for the needs of enterprise-class marketers" which can be integrated with BigQuery on the Google Cloud Platform. Among other things, the suite is designed to help "enterprise class marketers" "see the complete customer journey", generate "useful insights", and "deliver engaging experiences to the right people". Jack Marshall of The Wall Street Journal wrote that the suite competes with existing marketing cloud offerings by companies including Adobe, Oracle, Salesforce, and IBM.
Internet services
In February 2010, Google announced the Google Fiber project, with experimental plans to build an ultra-high-speed broadband network for 50,000 to 500,000 customers in one or more American cities.[178][179] Following Google's corporate restructure to make Alphabet Inc. its parent company, Google Fiber was moved to Alphabet's Access division.[180][181]
In April 2015, Google announced Project Fi, a mobile virtual network operator, that combines Wi-Fi and cellular networks from different telecommunication providers in an effort to enable seamless connectivity and fast Internet signal.
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes, its name comes from the face book directories often given to American university students. Membership was initially limited to Harvard students, gradually expanding to other North American universities and, since 2006, anyone over 13 years old. As of July 2022, Facebook claimed 2.93 billion monthly active users,[6] and ranked third worldwide among the most visited websites as of July 2022.[7] It was the most downloaded mobile app of the 2010s.[8]
Facebook can be accessed from devices with Internet connectivity, such as personal computers, tablets and smartphones. After registering, users can create a profile revealing information about themselves. They can post text, photos and multimedia which are shared with any other users who have agreed to be their "friend" or, with different privacy settings, publicly. Users can also communicate directly with each other with Facebook Messenger, join common-interest groups, and receive notifications on the activities of their Facebook friends and the pages they follow.
The subject of numerous controversies, Facebook has often been criticized over issues such as user privacy (as with the Cambridge Analytica data scandal), political manipulation (as with the 2016 U.S. elections) and mass surveillance.[9] Posts originating from the Facebook page of Breitbart News, a media organization previously affiliated with Cambridge Analytica,[10] are currently among the most widely shared political content on Facebook.[11][12][13][14][15] Facebook has also been subject to criticism over psychological effects such as addiction and low self-esteem, and various controversies over content such as fake news, conspiracy theories, copyright infringement, and hate speech.
Zuckerberg built a website called "Facemash" in 2003 while attending Harvard University. The site was comparable to Hot or Not and used "photos compiled from the online face books of nine Houses, placing two next to each other at a time and asking users to choose the "hotter" person". Facemash attracted 450 visitors and 22,000 photo-views in its first four hours. The site was sent to several campus group listservs, but was shut down a few days later by Harvard administration. Zuckerberg faced expulsion and was charged with breaching security, violating copyrights and violating individual privacy. Ultimately, the charges were dropped. Zuckerberg expanded on this project that semester by creating a social study tool. He uploaded art images, each accompanied by a comments section, to a website he shared with his classmates.
A "face book" is a student directory featuring photos and personal information. In 2003, Harvard had only a paper version[ along with private online directories. Zuckerberg told The Harvard Crimson, "Everyone's been talking a lot about a universal face book within Harvard. ... I think it's kind of silly that it would take the University a couple of years to get around to it. I can do it better than they can, and I can do it in a week."[29] In January 2004, Zuckerberg coded a new website, known as "TheFacebook", inspired by a Crimson editorial about Facemash, stating, "It is clear that the technology needed to create a centralized Website is readily available ... the benefits are many." Zuckerberg met with Harvard student Eduardo Saverin, and each of them agreed to invest $1,000 ($1,435 in 2021 dollars[30]) in the site.[31] On February 4, 2004, Zuckerberg launched "TheFacebook", originally located at thefacebook.com.
Six days after the site launched, Harvard seniors Cameron Winklevoss, Tyler Winklevoss, and Divya Narendra accused Zuckerberg of intentionally misleading them into believing that he would help them build a social network called HarvardConnection.com. They claimed that he was instead using their ideas to build a competing product. The three complained to the Crimson and the newspaper began an investigation. They later sued Zuckerberg, settling in 2008 for 1.2 million shares (worth $300 million ($354 million in 2021 dollars[30]) at Facebook's IPO).
Membership was initially restricted to students of Harvard College. Within a month, more than half the undergraduates had registered.[36] Dustin Moskovitz, Andrew McCollum, and Chris Hughes joined Zuckerberg to help manage the growth of the website.[37] In March 2004, Facebook expanded to Columbia, Stanford and Yale.[38] It then became available to all Ivy League colleges, Boston University, NYU, MIT, and successively most universities in the United States and Canada.
In mid-2004, Napster co-founder and entrepreneur Sean Parker—an informal advisor to Zuckerberg—became company president.[41] In June 2004, the company moved to Palo Alto, California.[42] It received its first investment later that month from PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel. In 2005, the company dropped "the" from its name after purchasing the domain name Facebook.com for US$200,000 ($277,492 in 2021 dollars). The domain had belonged to AboutFace Corporation.
In May 2005, Accel Partners invested $12.7 million ($17.6 million in 2021 dollars) in Facebook, and Jim Breyer added $1 million ($1.39 million in 2021 dollars) of his own money. A high-school version of the site launched in September 2005. Eligibility expanded to include employees of several companies, including Apple Inc. and Microsoft.
Facebook was sued by the Federal Trade Commission as well as a coalition of several states for illegal monopolization and antitrust. The FTC and states sought the courts to force Facebook to sell its subsidiaries WhatsApp and Instagram.[183][184] The suits were dismissed by a federal judge on June 28, 2021, who stated that there was not enough evidence brought in the suit to determine Facebook to be a monopoly at this point, though allowed the FTC to amend its case to include additional evidence. In its amended filings in August 2021, the FTC asserted that Facebook had been a monopoly in the area of personal social networks since 2011, distinguishing Facebook's activities from social media services like TikTok that broadcast content without necessarily l
At a crossroads – Needing to make an important decision
When you are at a crossroads, you are at a point in your life where you need to make a decision. The implication is that the decision you make will have big, life-altering consequences.
Bad apple – Bad person
You can use this idiom to describe someone who is not nice and maybe even criminal.
Barking up the wrong tree – Pursuing the wrong course
When you “bark up the wrong tree” you are pursuing the wrong solution to your problems.
Be closefisted – Stingy
If you are being “closefisted”, you don’t want to spend a lot of money.
Be cold-hearted – Uncaring
If you decide to be “cold-hearted”, you are making a deliberate decision not to care about someone or something.
Be on solid ground – Confident
When you are “on solid ground”, you are confident in your position
Unique flora: The cemetery is a lush, green oasis with many trees, which is unusual for Iceland. It has served as an informal arboretum, as new tree species were often planted there first.
Artistic gravestones: Visitors can see a wide variety of gravestones and monuments, from simple markers to intricate sculptures, reflecting the cultural heritage of those interred.
Yoga is a unique fitness regimen that can provide your whole body with strengthening, toning, and endurance. In addition to giving your body a good workout, it also encourages brain stimulation, meditation, and relaxation. Yoga poses are a fantastic way to end your day, or begin it. Each pose is different and allows for specific flexibility motions and toning.
Yoga poses are becoming more popular and are being incorporated into other daily fitness routines and even bootcamps! When learning Yoga you should always start with the basic beginner poses that include downward facing dog, cobra, child's pose, and more. The basic foundation poses can lead you to a better understanding of yoga, and teach you how to advance towards the harder more difficult poses.
Yoga poses vary from seated, standing, arm balances, forward bends, back bends, restorative, and plenty of others. These yoga poses will have unique names and are typically performed to soothing music. Yoga is special, because it has the uncanny ability to wake your body up and calm it down at the same time. Many people who practice yoga report feeling revived and free the entire day. Yoga positions and poses are also called asanas, which means "a posture or manner of sitting". It refers directly to yoga poses and the practice of yoga.
BTW I went through this online program recently and noticed a lot of photographers seem to be having success with it.
I haven't made any money with it but maybe it would help you out the good stuffs at around the hour mark, see The Photography Jobs
2351 N Verity Pkwy, Middletown, OH
This rather unique McDonald's was built in 1988, according to Butler County property records.
This unique 1913-14 Matchless V-twin Brooklands/TT Works Racer, AC 9524, is preserved at the National Motorcycle Museum.
Matchless had enjoyed considerable success using JAP engines with numerous Isle of Man TT wins and podium places between 1907 and 1909 ridden by Charlie and Harry Collier, sons of the company founder Henry Collier.
Despite this success, in 1913 the family switched to engines supplied by the Swiss Motosacoche (meaning engine-in-a bag) factory whose proprietary engines were distributed under the MAG name. These 496cc semi-hemispherical units were advanced and solidly built, but were strictly works specials that were never offered for general sale.
In the 1913 TT two of the new Matchless/MAG V-twin works racers entered by the Collier brothers suffered broken valve gear and a puncture respectively. However, the next month, Harry Collier rode to four wins at the famous Brooklands circuit with a fastest lap of 65.22mph. For 1914 the team was strengthened by the inclusion of Bert Colver who enjoyed considerable success both at home and at various European events.
Originally fitted with an Armstrong 3-speed hub, this was found to be the machines "weak link" as stripped pinions and slippage from gear when applying power were common faults.
The machine was later fitted with the more robust Royal Enfield 3-speed unit. Indeed, there is actually very little "Matchless" making up the machine apart from forks, tank and handle bars. The frame is actually a Royal Enfield design of the kind supplied to Motosoacoche during that period.
Only around half a dozen of these works racers were ever made in the period before WW1 and this is the only surviving example. Restored between 2015-2018 by the National Motorcycle Museum’s chief restorer, Colin Wall, who declared it "the most difficult restoration I have ever attempted”.
I've always loved Noir and her eyes were amazing and unique but you know me, I had to make them unique in my own way. I hope I have somewhat stayed true to Noir's spirt.
Welcome Home Savayne!
Commentary.
What can be said about Clovelly?
Unique, special, memorable, charming, fantastic.
No description quite suffices,
no image captures all its qualities and ambience.
The path from above winds through broadleaf woods,
clinging on to the cliffs.
Suddenly, rooftops and chimney stacks break the green swathe, like card-board cut-outs in a pop-up book.
Cottages appear, as in a fairy-story in this surreal cleft,
a mini-gorge, a chyne-like cranny.
A cobbled, twisted path wends its way down, in broad steps.
It passes a plethora of old, quaint, gabled, tumbledown cottages festooned with window-boxes, flower-pots and small, neat beds of cultivated, wrought-ironed gardens.
Guesthouse, small hotel accommodation, ice-cream and gift shops proliferate to appease the throngs of summer tourists that brave the steep walk.
Such photogenic qualities belies the hard struggle to survive
that fishermens’ families endured in former centuries.
As with St.Ives in Cornwall, Clovelly now enjoys a world-class
credential in its magical position in relation to the sea,
a place so wonderful, may it never be spoiled.
A unique aircraft, arriving for static display at Zeltweg, the CEAD P01.
CEA Design GmbH is an Austrian company which specializes in the development and conversion of aircraft.
The P01 is a turboprop training aircraft made largely of carbon fiber composites. It is a completely new design and was developed, manufactured and tested entirely by CEAD. In addition to a new type of 750hp turbine, the aircraft features state-of-the-art glass cockpit and integrated modular design.
Has anyone seen the Amityville movie? This is "not" the house, but it made me think of it anyway? This is an older image, and you can't quite tell from my shot, but this was a huge house. It also resembled a barn shape that caught my eye? But I can say that every board and bush, tree, everything you see included in this image is now gone to the bare ground. So what you see is all that's left.
Hope you enjoy this unique old home and it's abandoned character, thanks for stopping in!! Always appreciated :)
Here's an example of two unique versions of motive power, both still looking good and running fine during the Streamliners at Spencer event.
Nine images of a wooden figure set in an art gallery theme...Each image was set up and taken individually using a different technique each time and a variety of props. Then I added them to a virtual frame, composed the gallery, included picture string and a nail and named each one!
Air Force One lands at the Metropolitan Columbia Airport. This is my first time catching AF 1 anywhere, let alone in Columbia.
This is a unique little family garden in a lovely location. The story goes it was created by Arthur Measures (1909 - 1999) over a period of sixty years. We were actually privileged to meet his daughter who was collecting donations the day we visited. I thought it was really special this was still in the family and she was enthusiastic to tell us all about her Father and his love for the garden.
The Sun blasted out five coronal mass ejections (CMEs) over about two days (Feb. 26-28, 2013) and each one had quite a different shape and structure, seen here in a video bit.ly/Za8Aso. The most interesting one (seen above) blew out to the right with a bright, elongated center, likely part of a solar filament, that maintained its curly-Q shape as it expanded out of view. The images were taken by SOHO LASCO C2 coronagraph. The Sun is represented by the white circle and the red disk blocks out the Sun and part of the corona.
Credit: NASA/Goddard/SOHO
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.
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One of the more unique and historic landmarks on Broadway in downtown Los Angeles is Clifton's Cafeteria which was opened in 1935.
Owned and operated by Clifford Clinton and his wife Nelda and later on their children This locations interior was made to look like a northern California Mountain resort called Brookdale (which he named this location) where Clifford spent his summers as a youth, the Family also owned another cafeteria on Olive St. called the Pacific Seas and that restaurant was decked out like one giant tiki bar and both places had waterfalls inside....... The Pacific Seas closed in 1960 but the Brookdale restaurant has remained.
The last few decades has seen a drop off in customers but this summer the restaurant was sold to Andrew Meieran who owns The Edison bar and nightclub one of the truly amazing bars in downtown LA........... Meieran plans to make some cool changes to the old cafeteria with a new Tiki bar lounge upstairs and the cafeteria being open 24 hours a day, his goal is to restore this LA landmark back to it's 1930's heyday continuing the revitalization of the Los Angeles Broadway theater district blogdowntown.com/2010/09/5684-cliftons-to-stay-open-24-ho...
Arches National Park is a national park in eastern Utah, United States. The park is adjacent to the Colorado River, 4 miles (6 km) north of Moab, Utah. More than 2,000 natural sandstone arches are located in the park, including the well-known Delicate Arch, as well as a variety of unique geological resources and formations. The park contains the highest density of natural arches in the world.
The park consists of 310.31 square kilometres (76,680 acres; 119.81 sq mi; 31,031 ha) of high desert located on the Colorado Plateau. The highest elevation in the park is 5,653 feet (1,723 m) at Elephant Butte, and the lowest elevation is 4,085 feet (1,245 m) at the visitor center. The park receives an average of less than 10 inches (250 mm) of rain annually.
Administered by the National Park Service, the area was originally named a national monument on April 12, 1929, and was re designated as a national park on November 12, 1971. The park received more than 1.6 million visitors in 2018.
As stated in the foundation document in U.S. National Park Service website:
The purpose of Arches National Park is to protect extraordinary examples of geologic features including arches, natural bridges, windows, spires, and balanced rocks, as well as other features of geologic, historic, and scientific interest, and to provide opportunities to experience these resources and their associated values in their majestic natural settings.
The national park lies above an underground evaporite layer or salt bed, which is the main cause of the formation of the arches, spires, balanced rocks, sandstone fins, and eroded monoliths in the area. This salt bed is thousands of feet thick in places and was deposited in the Paradox Basin of the Colorado Plateau some 300 million years ago (Mya) when a sea flowed into the region and eventually evaporated. Over millions of years, the salt bed was covered with debris eroded from the Uncompahgre Uplift to the northeast. During the Early Jurassic (about 200 Mya), desert conditions prevailed in the region and the vast Navajo Sandstone was deposited. An additional sequence of stream laid and windblown sediments, the Entrada Sandstone (about 140 Mya), was deposited on top of the Navajo. Over 5,000 feet (1,500 m) of younger sediments were deposited and have been mostly eroded. Remnants of the cover exist in the area including exposures of the Cretaceous Mancos Shale. The arches of the area are developed mostly within the Entrada formation.
The weight of this cover caused the salt bed below it to liquefy and thrust up layers of rock into salt domes. The evaporites of the area formed more unusual "salt anticlines" or linear regions of uplift. Faulting occurred and whole sections of rock subsided into the areas between the domes. In some places, they turned almost on edge. The result of one such 2,500-foot (760 m) displacement, the Moab Fault, is seen from the visitor center.
As this subsurface movement of salt shaped the landscape, erosion removed the younger rock layers from the surface. Except for isolated remnants, the major formations visible in the park today are the salmon-colored Entrada Sandstone, in which most of the arches form, and the buff-colored Navajo Sandstone. These are visible in layer-cake fashion throughout most of the park. Over time, water seeped into the surface cracks, joints, and folds of these layers. Ice formed in the fissures, expanding and putting pressure on surrounding rock, breaking off bits and pieces. Winds later cleaned out the loose particles. A series of free-standing fins remained. Wind and water attacked these fins until, in some, the cementing material gave way and chunks of rock tumbled out. Many damaged fins collapsed. Others, with the right degree of hardness and balance, survived despite their missing sections. These became the famous arches.
Although the park's terrain may appear rugged and durable, it is extremely fragile. More than 1 million visitors each year threaten the fragile high-desert ecosystem. The problem lies within the soil's crust, which is composed of cyanobacteria, algae, fungi, and lichens that grow in the dusty parts of the park. Factors that make Arches National Park sensitive to visitor damage include being a semiarid region, the scarce, unpredictable rainfall, lack of deep freezing, and lack of plant litter, which results in soils that have both a low resistance to and slow recovery from, compressional forces such as foot traffic. Methods of indicating effects on the soil are cytophobic soil crust index, measuring of water infiltration, and t-tests that are used to compare the values from the undisturbed and disturbed areas.
Geological processes that occurred over 300 million years ago caused a salt bed to be deposited, which today lies beneath the landscape of Arches National Park.[ Over time, the salt bed was covered with sediments that eventually compressed into rock layers that have since been named Entrada Standstone. Rock layers surrounding the edge of the salt bed continued to erode and shift into vertical sandstone walls called fins. Sand collected between vertical walls of the fins, then slightly acidic rain combined with carbon dioxide in the air allowed for the chemical formation of carbonic acid within the trapped sand. Over time, the carbonic acid dissolved the calcium carbonate that held the sandstone together. Many of the rock formations have weaker layers of rock on bottom that are holding stronger layers on top. The weaker layers would dissolve first, creating openings in the rock. Gravity caused pieces of the stronger rock layer to fall piece by piece into an arch shape. Arches form within rock fins at points of intense fracturing localization, or weak points in the rock's formation, caused by horizontal and vertical discontinuities. Lastly, water, wind, and time continued this erosion process and ultimately created the arches of Arches National Park. All of the arches in the park are made of Entrada Sandstone, however, there are slight differences in how each arch was developed. This allows the Entrada Sandstone to be categories into 3 groups including Slick rock members, Dewey rock members, and Moab members. Vertical arches can be developed from Slick rock members, a combination of Slick rock members and Moab members, or Slick rock members resting above Dewey rock members. Horizontal arches (also called potholes) are formed when a vertical pothole formation meets a horizontal cave, causing a union into a long arch structure. The erosion process within Arches National Park will continue as time continues to pass. Continued erosion combined with vertical and horizontal stress will eventually cause arches to collapse, but still, new arches will continue to form for thousands of years.
Humans have occupied the region since the last ice age 10,000 years ago. Fremont people and Ancestral Puebloans lived in the area until about 700 years ago. Spanish missionaries encountered Ute and Paiute tribes in the area when they first came through in 1775, but the first European-Americans to attempt settlement in the area were the Mormon Elk Mountain Mission in 1855, who soon abandoned the area. Ranchers, farmers, and prospectors later settled Moab in the neighboring Riverine Valley in the late 1870s. Word of the beauty of the surrounding rock formations spread beyond the settlement as a possible tourist destination.
The Arches area was first brought to the attention of the National Park Service by Frank A. Wadleigh, passenger traffic manager of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. Wadleigh, accompanied by railroad photographer George L. Beam, visited the area in September 1923 at the invitation of Alexander Ringhoffer, a Hungarian-born prospector living in Salt Valley. Ringhoffer had written to the railroad to interest them in the tourist potential of a scenic area he had discovered the previous year with his two sons and a son-in-law, which he called the Devils Garden (known today as the Klondike Bluffs). Wadleigh was impressed by what Ringhoffer showed him, and suggested to Park Service director Stephen T. Mather that the area be made a national monument.
The following year, additional support for the monument idea came from Laurence Gould, a University of Michigan graduate student (and future polar explorer) studying the geology of the nearby La Sal Mountains, who was shown the scenic area by local physician Dr. J. W. "Doc" Williams.
A succession of government investigators examined the area, in part due to confusion as to the precise location. In the process, the name Devils Garden was transposed to an area on the opposite side of Salt Valley that includes Landscape Arch, the longest arch in the park. Ringhoffer's original discovery was omitted, while another area nearby, known locally as the Windows, was included. Designation of the area as a national monument was supported by the Park Service in 1926 but was resisted by President Calvin Coolidge's Interior Secretary, Hubert Work. Finally, in April 1929, shortly after his inauguration, President Herbert Hoover signed a presidential proclamation creating the Arches National Monument, consisting of two comparatively small, disconnected sections. The purpose of the reservation under the 1906 Antiquities Act was to protect the arches, spires, balanced rocks, and other sandstone formations for their scientific and educational value. The name Arches was suggested by Frank Pinkely, superintendent of the Park Service's southwestern national monuments, following a visit to the Windows section in 1925.
In late 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a proclamation that enlarged the Arches to protect additional scenic features and permit the development of facilities to promote tourism. A small adjustment was made by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1960 to accommodate a new road alignment.
In early 1969, just before leaving office, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed a proclamation substantially enlarging the Arches. Two years later, President Richard Nixon signed legislation enacted by Congress, which significantly reduced the total area enclosed, but changed its status. Arches National Park was formally dedicated in May 1972.
In 1980, vandals attempted to use an abrasive kitchen cleanser to deface ancient petroglyphs in the park, prompting park officials to recruit physicist John F. Asmus, who specialized in using lasers to restore works of art, to use his technology to repair the damage. Asmus "zapped the panel with intense light pulses and succeeded in removing most of the cleanser".
Climbing Balanced Rock or any named or unnamed arch in Arches National Park with an opening larger than 3 ft (0.9 m) is banned by park regulations. Climbing on other features in the park is allowed but regulated; in addition, slacklining and BASE jumping are banned parkwide.
Climbing on named arches within the park had long been banned by park regulations, but following Dean Potter's successful free climb on Delicate Arch in May 2006, the wording of the regulations was deemed unenforceable by the park attorney. In response, the park revised its regulations later that month, eventually imposing the current ban on arch climbing in 2014.
Approved recreational activities include auto touring, hiking, bicycling, camping at the Devils Garden campground, backpacking, canyoneering, and rock climbing, with permits required for the last three activities. Guided commercial tours and ranger programs are also available.
Astronomy is also popular in the park due to its dark skies, despite the increasing light pollution from towns such as Moab.
Delicate Arch is the subject of the third 2014 quarter of the U.S. Mint's America the Beautiful Quarters program commemorating national parks and historic sites. The Arches quarter had the highest production of the five 2014 national park quarters, with more than 465 million minted.
American writer Edward Abbey was a park ranger at Arches National Monument in 1956 and 1957, where he kept journals that became his book Desert Solitaire. The success of Abbey's book, as well as interest in adventure travel, has drawn many hikers, mountain bikers, and off-pavement driving enthusiasts to the area. Permitted activities within the park include camping, hiking along designated trails, backpacking, canyoneering, rock climbing, bicycling, and driving along existing roads, both paved and unpaved. The Hayduke Trail, an 812 mi (1,307 km) backpacking route named after one of Edward Abbey's characters, begins in the park.
An abundance of wildlife occurs in Arches National Park, including spadefoot toads, antelope squirrels, scrub jays, peregrine falcons, many kinds of sparrows, red foxes, desert bighorn sheep, kangaroo rats, mule deers, cougars, midget faded rattlesnakes, yucca moths, western rattlesnakes, and collared lizards.
A number of plant species are common in the park, including prickly pear cactus, Indian ricegrass, bunch grasses, cheatgrass, moss, liverworts, Utah juniper, Mormon tea, blackbrush, cliffrose, four-winged saltbrush, pinyon pine, evening primrose, sand verbena, yucca, and sacred datura.
Biological soil crust consisting of cyanobacteria, lichen, mosses, green algae, and microfungi is found throughout southeastern Utah. The fibrous growths help keep soil particles together, creating a layer that is more resistant to erosion. The living soil layer readily absorbs and stores water, allowing more complex forms of plant life to grow in places with low precipitation levels.
Among the notable features of the park are the following:
Balanced Rock – a large balancing rock, the size of three school buses
Courthouse Towers – a collection of tall stone columns
Dark Angel – a free-standing 150 ft-tall (46 m) sandstone pillar at the end of the Devils Garden Trail
Delicate Arch – a lone-standing arch that has become a symbol of Utah and the most recognized arch in the park
Devils Garden – many arches and columns scattered along a ridge
Double Arch – two arches that share a common end
Fiery Furnace – an area of maze-like narrow passages and tall rock columns (see biblical reference, Book of Daniel, chapter 3)
Landscape Arch – a very thin and long arch in the Devils Garden with a span of 290 ft (88 m) (the longest arch in the park)
Petrified Dunes – petrified remnants of dunes blown from the ancient lakes that covered the area
The Phallus – a rock spire that resembles a phallus
Wall Arch – located along the popular Devils Garden Trail; collapsed sometime on August 4/5, 2008
The Three Gossips –a mid-sized sandstone tower located in the Courthouse Towers area.
Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It borders Colorado to its east, Wyoming to its northeast, Idaho to its north, Arizona to its south, and Nevada to its west. Utah also touches a corner of New Mexico in the southeast. Of the fifty U.S. states, Utah is the 13th-largest by area; with a population over three million, it is the 30th-most-populous and 11th-least-densely populated. Urban development is mostly concentrated in two areas: the Wasatch Front in the north-central part of the state, which is home to roughly two-thirds of the population and includes the capital city, Salt Lake City; and Washington County in the southwest, with more than 180,000 residents. Most of the western half of Utah lies in the Great Basin.
Utah has been inhabited for thousands of years by various indigenous groups such as the ancient Puebloans, Navajo, and Ute. The Spanish were the first Europeans to arrive in the mid-16th century, though the region's difficult geography and harsh climate made it a peripheral part of New Spain and later Mexico. Even while it was Mexican territory, many of Utah's earliest settlers were American, particularly Mormons fleeing marginalization and persecution from the United States via the Mormon Trail. Following the Mexican–American War in 1848, the region was annexed by the U.S., becoming part of the Utah Territory, which included what is now Colorado and Nevada. Disputes between the dominant Mormon community and the federal government delayed Utah's admission as a state; only after the outlawing of polygamy was it admitted in 1896 as the 45th.
People from Utah are known as Utahns. Slightly over half of all Utahns are Mormons, the vast majority of whom are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), which has its world headquarters in Salt Lake City; Utah is the only state where a majority of the population belongs to a single church. A 2023 paper challenged this perception (claiming only 42% of Utahns are Mormons) however most statistics still show a majority of Utah residents belong to the LDS church; estimates from the LDS church suggests 60.68% of Utah's population belongs to the church whilst some sources put the number as high as 68%. The paper replied that membership count done by the LDS Church is too high for several reasons. The LDS Church greatly influences Utahn culture, politics, and daily life, though since the 1990s the state has become more religiously diverse as well as secular.
Utah has a highly diversified economy, with major sectors including transportation, education, information technology and research, government services, mining, multi-level marketing, and tourism. Utah has been one of the fastest growing states since 2000, with the 2020 U.S. census confirming the fastest population growth in the nation since 2010. St. George was the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States from 2000 to 2005. Utah ranks among the overall best states in metrics such as healthcare, governance, education, and infrastructure. It has the 12th-highest median average income and the least income inequality of any U.S. state. Over time and influenced by climate change, droughts in Utah have been increasing in frequency and severity, putting a further strain on Utah's water security and impacting the state's economy.
The History of Utah is an examination of the human history and social activity within the state of Utah located in the western United States.
Archaeological evidence dates the earliest habitation of humans in Utah to about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. Paleolithic people lived near the Great Basin's swamps and marshes, which had an abundance of fish, birds, and small game animals. Big game, including bison, mammoths and ground sloths, also were attracted to these water sources. Over the centuries, the mega-fauna died, this population was replaced by the Desert Archaic people, who sheltered in caves near the Great Salt Lake. Relying more on gathering than the previous Utah residents, their diet was mainly composed of cattails and other salt tolerant plants such as pickleweed, burro weed and sedge. Red meat appears to have been more of a luxury, although these people used nets and the atlatl to hunt water fowl, ducks, small animals and antelope. Artifacts include nets woven with plant fibers and rabbit skin, woven sandals, gaming sticks, and animal figures made from split-twigs. About 3,500 years ago, lake levels rose and the population of Desert Archaic people appears to have dramatically decreased. The Great Basin may have been almost unoccupied for 1,000 years.
The Fremont culture, named from sites near the Fremont River in Utah, lived in what is now north and western Utah and parts of Nevada, Idaho and Colorado from approximately 600 to 1300 AD. These people lived in areas close to water sources that had been previously occupied by the Desert Archaic people, and may have had some relationship with them. However, their use of new technologies define them as a distinct people. Fremont technologies include:
use of the bow and arrow while hunting,
building pithouse shelters,
growing maize and probably beans and squash,
building above ground granaries of adobe or stone,
creating and decorating low-fired pottery ware,
producing art, including jewelry and rock art such as petroglyphs and pictographs.
The ancient Puebloan culture, also known as the Anasazi, occupied territory adjacent to the Fremont. The ancestral Puebloan culture centered on the present-day Four Corners area of the Southwest United States, including the San Juan River region of Utah. Archaeologists debate when this distinct culture emerged, but cultural development seems to date from about the common era, about 500 years before the Fremont appeared. It is generally accepted that the cultural peak of these people was around the 1200 CE. Ancient Puebloan culture is known for well constructed pithouses and more elaborate adobe and masonry dwellings. They were excellent craftsmen, producing turquoise jewelry and fine pottery. The Puebloan culture was based on agriculture, and the people created and cultivated fields of maize, beans, and squash and domesticated turkeys. They designed and produced elaborate field terracing and irrigation systems. They also built structures, some known as kivas, apparently designed solely for cultural and religious rituals.
These two later cultures were roughly contemporaneous, and appear to have established trading relationships. They also shared enough cultural traits that archaeologists believe the cultures may have common roots in the early American Southwest. However, each remained culturally distinct throughout most of their existence. These two well established cultures appear to have been severely impacted by climatic change and perhaps by the incursion of new people in about 1200 CE. Over the next two centuries, the Fremont and ancient Pueblo people may have moved into the American southwest, finding new homes and farmlands in the river drainages of Arizona, New Mexico and northern Mexico.
In about 1200, Shoshonean speaking peoples entered Utah territory from the west. They may have originated in southern California and moved into the desert environment due to population pressure along the coast. They were an upland people with a hunting and gathering lifestyle utilizing roots and seeds, including the pinyon nut. They were also skillful fishermen, created pottery and raised some crops. When they first arrived in Utah, they lived as small family groups with little tribal organization. Four main Shoshonean peoples inhabited Utah country. The Shoshone in the north and northeast, the Gosiutes in the northwest, the Utes in the central and eastern parts of the region and the Southern Paiutes in the southwest. Initially, there seems to have been very little conflict between these groups.
In the early 16th century, the San Juan River basin in Utah's southeast also saw a new people, the Díne or Navajo, part of a greater group of plains Athabaskan speakers moved into the Southwest from the Great Plains. In addition to the Navajo, this language group contained people that were later known as Apaches, including the Lipan, Jicarilla, and Mescalero Apaches.
Athabaskans were a hunting people who initially followed the bison, and were identified in 16th-century Spanish accounts as "dog nomads". The Athabaskans expanded their range throughout the 17th century, occupying areas the Pueblo peoples had abandoned during prior centuries. The Spanish first specifically mention the "Apachu de Nabajo" (Navaho) in the 1620s, referring to the people in the Chama valley region east of the San Juan River, and north west of Santa Fe. By the 1640s, the term Navaho was applied to these same people. Although the Navajo newcomers established a generally peaceful trading and cultural exchange with the some modern Pueblo peoples to the south, they experienced intermittent warfare with the Shoshonean peoples, particularly the Utes in eastern Utah and western Colorado.
At the time of European expansion, beginning with Spanish explorers traveling from Mexico, five distinct native peoples occupied territory within the Utah area: the Northern Shoshone, the Goshute, the Ute, the Paiute and the Navajo.
The Spanish explorer Francisco Vázquez de Coronado may have crossed into what is now southern Utah in 1540, when he was seeking the legendary Cíbola.
A group led by two Spanish Catholic priests—sometimes called the Domínguez–Escalante expedition—left Santa Fe in 1776, hoping to find a route to the California coast. The expedition traveled as far north as Utah Lake and encountered the native residents. All of what is now Utah was claimed by the Spanish Empire from the 1500s to 1821 as part of New Spain (later as the province Alta California); and subsequently claimed by Mexico from 1821 to 1848. However, Spain and Mexico had little permanent presence in, or control of, the region.
Fur trappers (also known as mountain men) including Jim Bridger, explored some regions of Utah in the early 19th century. The city of Provo was named for one such man, Étienne Provost, who visited the area in 1825. The city of Ogden, Utah is named for a brigade leader of the Hudson's Bay Company, Peter Skene Ogden who trapped in the Weber Valley. In 1846, a year before the arrival of members from the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints, the ill-fated Donner Party crossed through the Salt Lake valley late in the season, deciding not to stay the winter there but to continue forward to California, and beyond.
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as Mormon pioneers, first came to the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. At the time, the U.S. had already captured the Mexican territories of Alta California and New Mexico in the Mexican–American War and planned to keep them, but those territories, including the future state of Utah, officially became United States territory upon the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, February 2, 1848. The treaty was ratified by the United States Senate on March 10, 1848.
Upon arrival in the Salt Lake Valley, the Mormon pioneers found no permanent settlement of Indians. Other areas along the Wasatch Range were occupied at the time of settlement by the Northwestern Shoshone and adjacent areas by other bands of Shoshone such as the Gosiute. The Northwestern Shoshone lived in the valleys on the eastern shore of Great Salt Lake and in adjacent mountain valleys. Some years after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley Mormons, who went on to colonize many other areas of what is now Utah, were petitioned by Indians for recompense for land taken. The response of Heber C. Kimball, first counselor to Brigham Young, was that the land belonged to "our Father in Heaven and we expect to plow and plant it." A 1945 Supreme Court decision found that the land had been treated by the United States as public domain; no aboriginal title by the Northwestern Shoshone had been recognized by the United States or extinguished by treaty with the United States.
Upon arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, the Mormons had to make a place to live. They created irrigation systems, laid out farms, built houses, churches, and schools. Access to water was crucially important. Almost immediately, Brigham Young set out to identify and claim additional community sites. While it was difficult to find large areas in the Great Basin where water sources were dependable and growing seasons long enough to raise vitally important subsistence crops, satellite communities began to be formed.
Shortly after the first company arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, the community of Bountiful was settled to the north. In 1848, settlers moved into lands purchased from trapper Miles Goodyear in present-day Ogden. In 1849, Tooele and Provo were founded. Also that year, at the invitation of Ute chief Wakara, settlers moved into the Sanpete Valley in central Utah to establish the community of Manti. Fillmore, Utah, intended to be the capital of the new territory, was established in 1851. In 1855, missionary efforts aimed at western native cultures led to outposts in Fort Lemhi, Idaho, Las Vegas, Nevada and Elk Mountain in east-central Utah.
The experiences of returning members of the Mormon Battalion were also important in establishing new communities. On their journey west, the Mormon soldiers had identified dependable rivers and fertile river valleys in Colorado, Arizona and southern California. In addition, as the men traveled to rejoin their families in the Salt Lake Valley, they moved through southern Nevada and the eastern segments of southern Utah. Jefferson Hunt, a senior Mormon officer of the Battalion, actively searched for settlement sites, minerals, and other resources. His report encouraged 1851 settlement efforts in Iron County, near present-day Cedar City. These southern explorations eventually led to Mormon settlements in St. George, Utah, Las Vegas and San Bernardino, California, as well as communities in southern Arizona.
Prior to establishment of the Oregon and California trails and Mormon settlement, Indians native to the Salt Lake Valley and adjacent areas lived by hunting buffalo and other game, but also gathered grass seed from the bountiful grass of the area as well as roots such as those of the Indian Camas. By the time of settlement, indeed before 1840, the buffalo were gone from the valley, but hunting by settlers and grazing of cattle severely impacted the Indians in the area, and as settlement expanded into nearby river valleys and oases, indigenous tribes experienced increasing difficulty in gathering sufficient food. Brigham Young's counsel was to feed the hungry tribes, and that was done, but it was often not enough. These tensions formed the background to the Bear River massacre committed by California Militia stationed in Salt Lake City during the Civil War. The site of the massacre is just inside Preston, Idaho, but was generally thought to be within Utah at the time.
Statehood was petitioned for in 1849-50 using the name Deseret. The proposed State of Deseret would have been quite large, encompassing all of what is now Utah, and portions of Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, Arizona, Oregon, New Mexico and California. The name of Deseret was favored by the LDS leader Brigham Young as a symbol of industry and was derived from a reference in the Book of Mormon. The petition was rejected by Congress and Utah did not become a state until 1896, following the Utah Constitutional Convention of 1895.
In 1850, the Utah Territory was created with the Compromise of 1850, and Fillmore (named after President Fillmore) was designated the capital. In 1856, Salt Lake City replaced Fillmore as the territorial capital.
The first group of pioneers brought African slaves with them, making Utah the only place in the western United States to have African slavery. Three slaves, Green Flake, Hark Lay, and Oscar Crosby, came west with this first group in 1847. The settlers also began to purchase Indian slaves in the well-established Indian slave trade, as well as enslaving Indian prisoners of war. In 1850, 26 slaves were counted in Salt Lake County. Slavery didn't become officially recognized until 1852, when the Act in Relation to Service and the Act for the relief of Indian Slaves and Prisoners were passed. Slavery was repealed on June 19, 1862, when Congress prohibited slavery in all US territories.
Disputes between the Mormon inhabitants and the federal government intensified after the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' practice of polygamy became known. The polygamous practices of the Mormons, which were made public in 1854, would be one of the major reasons Utah was denied statehood until almost 50 years after the Mormons had entered the area.
After news of their polygamous practices spread, the members of the LDS Church were quickly viewed by some as un-American and rebellious. In 1857, after news of a possible rebellion spread, President James Buchanan sent troops on the Utah expedition to quell the growing unrest and to replace Brigham Young as territorial governor with Alfred Cumming. The expedition was also known as the Utah War.
As fear of invasion grew, Mormon settlers had convinced some Paiute Indians to aid in a Mormon-led attack on 120 immigrants from Arkansas under the guise of Indian aggression. The murder of these settlers became known as the Mountain Meadows massacre. The Mormon leadership had adopted a defensive posture that led to a ban on the selling of grain to outsiders in preparation for an impending war. This chafed pioneers traveling through the region, who were unable to purchase badly needed supplies. A disagreement between some of the Arkansas pioneers and the Mormons in Cedar City led to the secret planning of the massacre by a few Mormon leaders in the area. Some scholars debate the involvement of Brigham Young. Only one man, John D. Lee, was ever convicted of the murders, and he was executed at the massacre site.
Express riders had brought the news 1,000 miles from the Missouri River settlements to Salt Lake City within about two weeks of the army's beginning to march west. Fearing the worst as 2,500 troops (roughly 1/3rd of the army then) led by General Albert Sidney Johnston started west, Brigham Young ordered all residents of Salt Lake City and neighboring communities to prepare their homes for burning and evacuate southward to Utah Valley and southern Utah. Young also sent out a few units of the Nauvoo Legion (numbering roughly 8,000–10,000), to delay the army's advance. The majority he sent into the mountains to prepare defenses or south to prepare for a scorched earth retreat. Although some army wagon supply trains were captured and burned and herds of army horses and cattle run off no serious fighting occurred. Starting late and short on supplies, the United States Army camped during the bitter winter of 1857–58 near a burned out Fort Bridger in Wyoming. Through the negotiations between emissary Thomas L. Kane, Young, Cumming and Johnston, control of Utah territory was peacefully transferred to Cumming, who entered an eerily vacant Salt Lake City in the spring of 1858. By agreement with Young, Johnston established the army at Fort Floyd 40 miles away from Salt Lake City, to the southwest.
Salt Lake City was the last link of the First Transcontinental Telegraph, between Carson City, Nevada and Omaha, Nebraska completed in October 1861. Brigham Young, who had helped expedite construction, was among the first to send a message, along with Abraham Lincoln and other officials. Soon after the telegraph line was completed, the Deseret Telegraph Company built the Deseret line connecting the settlements in the territory with Salt Lake City and, by extension, the rest of the United States.
Because of the American Civil War, federal troops were pulled out of Utah Territory (and their fort auctioned off), leaving the territorial government in federal hands without army backing until General Patrick E. Connor arrived with the 3rd Regiment of California Volunteers in 1862. While in Utah, Connor and his troops soon became discontent with this assignment wanting to head to Virginia where the "real" fighting and glory was occurring. Connor established Fort Douglas just three miles (5 km) east of Salt Lake City and encouraged his bored and often idle soldiers to go out and explore for mineral deposits to bring more non-Mormons into the state. Minerals were discovered in Tooele County, and some miners began to come to the territory. Conner also solved the Shoshone Indian problem in Cache Valley Utah by luring the Shoshone into a midwinter confrontation on January 29, 1863. The armed conflict quickly turned into a rout, discipline among the soldiers broke down, and the Battle of Bear River is today usually referred to by historians as the Bear River Massacre. Between 200 and 400 Shoshone men, women and children were killed, as were 27 soldiers, with over 50 more soldiers wounded or suffering from frostbite.
Beginning in 1865, Utah's Black Hawk War developed into the deadliest conflict in the territory's history. Chief Antonga Black Hawk died in 1870, but fights continued to break out until additional federal troops were sent in to suppress the Ghost Dance of 1872. The war is unique among Indian Wars because it was a three-way conflict, with mounted Timpanogos Utes led by Antonga Black Hawk fighting federal and Utah local militia.
On May 10, 1869, the First transcontinental railroad was completed at Promontory Summit, north of the Great Salt Lake. The railroad brought increasing numbers of people into the state, and several influential businessmen made fortunes in the territory.
Main article: Latter Day Saint polygamy in the late-19th century
During the 1870s and 1880s, federal laws were passed and federal marshals assigned to enforce the laws against polygamy. In the 1890 Manifesto, the LDS Church leadership dropped its approval of polygamy citing divine revelation. When Utah applied for statehood again in 1895, it was accepted. Statehood was officially granted on January 4, 1896.
The Mormon issue made the situation for women the topic of nationwide controversy. In 1870 the Utah Territory, controlled by Mormons, gave women the right to vote. However, in 1887, Congress disenfranchised Utah women with the Edmunds–Tucker Act. In 1867–96, eastern activists promoted women's suffrage in Utah as an experiment, and as a way to eliminate polygamy. They were Presbyterians and other Protestants convinced that Mormonism was a non-Christian cult that grossly mistreated women. The Mormons promoted woman suffrage to counter the negative image of downtrodden Mormon women. With the 1890 Manifesto clearing the way for statehood, in 1895 Utah adopted a constitution restoring the right of women's suffrage. Congress admitted Utah as a state with that constitution in 1896.
Though less numerous than other intermountain states at the time, several lynching murders for alleged misdeeds occurred in Utah territory at the hand of vigilantes. Those documented include the following, with their ethnicity or national origin noted in parentheses if it was provided in the source:
William Torrington in Carson City (then a part of Utah territory), 1859
Thomas Coleman (Black man) in Salt Lake City, 1866
3 unidentified men at Wahsatch, winter of 1868
A Black man in Uintah, 1869
Charles A. Benson in Logan, 1873
Ah Sing (Chinese man) in Corinne, 1874
Thomas Forrest in St. George, 1880
William Harvey (Black man) in Salt Lake City, 1883
John Murphy in Park City, 1883
George Segal (Japanese man) in Ogden, 1884
Joseph Fisher in Eureka, 1886
Robert Marshall (Black man) in Castle Gate, 1925
Other lynchings in Utah territory include multiple instances of mass murder of Native American children, women, and men by White settlers including the Battle Creek massacre (1849), Provo River Massacre (1850), Nephi massacre (1853), and Circleville Massacre (1866).
Beginning in the early 20th century, with the establishment of such national parks as Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park, Utah began to become known for its natural beauty. Southern Utah became a popular filming spot for arid, rugged scenes, and such natural landmarks as Delicate Arch and "the Mittens" of Monument Valley are instantly recognizable to most national residents. During the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, with the construction of the Interstate highway system, accessibility to the southern scenic areas was made easier.
Beginning in 1939, with the establishment of Alta Ski Area, Utah has become world-renowned for its skiing. The dry, powdery snow of the Wasatch Range is considered some of the best skiing in the world. Salt Lake City won the bid for the 2002 Winter Olympics in 1995, and this has served as a great boost to the economy. The ski resorts have increased in popularity, and many of the Olympic venues scattered across the Wasatch Front continue to be used for sporting events. This also spurred the development of the light-rail system in the Salt Lake Valley, known as TRAX, and the re-construction of the freeway system around the city.
During the late 20th century, the state grew quickly. In the 1970s, growth was phenomenal in the suburbs. Sandy was one of the fastest-growing cities in the country at that time, and West Valley City is the state's 2nd most populous city. Today, many areas of Utah are seeing phenomenal growth. Northern Davis, southern and western Salt Lake, Summit, eastern Tooele, Utah, Wasatch, and Washington counties are all growing very quickly. Transportation and urbanization are major issues in politics as development consumes agricultural land and wilderness areas.
In 2012, the State of Utah passed the Utah Transfer of Public Lands Act in an attempt to gain control over a substantial portion of federal land in the state from the federal government, based on language in the Utah Enabling Act of 1894. The State does not intend to use force or assert control by limiting access in an attempt to control the disputed lands, but does intend to use a multi-step process of education, negotiation, legislation, and if necessary, litigation as part of its multi-year effort to gain state or private control over the lands after 2014.
Utah families, like most Americans everywhere, did their utmost to assist in the war effort. Tires, meat, butter, sugar, fats, oils, coffee, shoes, boots, gasoline, canned fruits, vegetables, and soups were rationed on a national basis. The school day was shortened and bus routes were reduced to limit the number of resources used stateside and increase what could be sent to soldiers.
Geneva Steel was built to increase the steel production for America during World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had proposed opening a steel mill in Utah in 1936, but the idea was shelved after a couple of months. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States entered the war and the steel plant was put into progress. In April 1944, Geneva shipped its first order, which consisted of over 600 tons of steel plate. Geneva Steel also brought thousands of job opportunities to Utah. The positions were hard to fill as many of Utah's men were overseas fighting. Women began working, filling 25 percent of the jobs.
As a result of Utah's and Geneva Steels contribution during the war, several Liberty Ships were named in honor of Utah including the USS Joseph Smith, USS Brigham Young, USS Provo, and the USS Peter Skene Ogden.
One of the sectors of the beachhead of Normandy Landings was codenamed Utah Beach, and the amphibious landings at the beach were undertaken by United States Army troops.
It is estimated that 1,450 soldiers from Utah were killed in the war.
I like scrapbooking, and have made many photo albums myself, let me show you a very special one.
This is my hand made recipe book, the photograph in the front is me and my son making "rosquillas" and I found a sticker that I put on the picture that says "Ignore our mess, we are making memories" which I thought would be perfect for the album. Everytime we cook together as a family we take a picture, write the recipe down on a piece of cardstock and and put it in the album. When the album is complete we will have a lot of recipies and memories gathered together.
Noraa is looking for a yummy recipe to bake today.
Blythe a Day. April 2025 Day 5
I obviously made an effort to get a second shot of this consist. CSX Q433 approaches Mt. Vernon Street in Ridgefield Park, NJ. The train is led by a pair of units you would no longer see on the River Sub, or anywhere on CSX in 2019 for that matter. The trailing unit is a former CNW SD45 that has since been rebuilt as Tacoma Rail SD40-3 TRMW 3001. I assume the C30-7 was eventually scrapped by CSX. The SD45 is on "home rails" having been built for Penn Central in 1968.
CSX Q433:
CSXT 7090 C30-7 (ex-SCL 7090)
NREX 6564 SD45 (ex-PC/CR 6237, CNW 6564)
==The Dean's Office. Greendale==
Day 12
As Blake's unique teaching style found its footing, the demographic for Greendale's Women's Studies course quickly shifted; as dozens of disgusted women dropped out, a whole slew of men signed up in their place to gawk at his exaggerated diagrams and revel in his misogynistic proverbs; something Chuck vehemently opposed.
"I just- I just don't understand how this was allowed to happen!" he was saying to the Dean, sliding into the plastic chair opposite him.
"Well, I can't stop it now," The Dean shrugged. "His class is the largest on campus. You'd be surprised by how many students want to listen to a 30 year old man ramble about women for an hour."
"But... he's not even a teacher," Chuck stammered.
"Well, these are his credentials," Pelton said, as he slid a piece of paper across the desk.
"This is just a list of women he's slept with. And a surprising amount of men. Huh. I mean he always said but- Good for him," he concluded, and without another word, he left the room.
For a moment, he simply lay against the wall, then he pulled his phone out, and called Drury's number, waiting for his response with bated breath.
"Hi!" the phone replied. "You've reached Drury Walker! Chances are, that, if you've called this number, you're looking for Gar! Or Gaige! Maybe Len? Basically, a lot of people hand out my phone number.... But, if you leave a message, I'll do my best to pass it along! Unless it's spam. Or Dekker. Bye Dekker."
Chuck ended the call and sighed. Six times he'd called Drury, and each time, he'd gone straight to voicemail.
He'd heard nothing from him since he'd overheard him snap at Ten two nights before, and that worried him. And as much as Chuck wanted to believe Drury had a plan, it was getting harder and harder to keep faith in him.
=The Women's Studies Classroom=
Meanwhile, as Blake sat in his classroom, scrolling through his emails, there was a knock at the door. He looked up, waved, and beckoned the three girls, Annie, Britta and Shirley, into the room.
"Ladies!" he cheered, as he leapt to his feet, shaking each of their hands in turn. "You know, I've had a dream just like this. Well, almost. None of you happen to have a cape or a set of wings in your lockers, right? Doesn't matter, doesn't matter... To what do I owe this pleasure?" he said, a seductive smile on his face.
"You need to resign," Annie stated.
"Come off it," Blake scoffed. "No one's getting hurt or nothing."
"Actually, they are," Britta elaborated "You've created a dozen horny, sexist lunatics, and following your so-called wisdom, they're harassing every woman they can get their hands on."
"Please," Blake smirked. "They're great kids, really: look, this one called their paper 'My Faeces on the Disadvantages of Women in the Workplace!' Hah, like damn! That's some kinky, King of Scat malarkey, ammiright?"
Britta paused, as she read the title herself. "That says thesis."
"Oops," Blake blushed, as he sat back down. "Ladies, please," he said condescendingly, his legs outstretched. "Think of it this way; Just as Jesus had his disciples, I too-"
"Oh, no, don't you dare use Jesus to justify your sexist little hustle you've got going on," Shirley interjected, a mad look in her eye. Blake stared back at her dumfounded, then swallowed.
"Yes ma'am," he replied softly. "Can I use Moses?"
"What do you think?" she responded.
...
"I think that's probably a trick question," Blake gulped.
"You'd be right," Chuck's voice advised him, as he posed in the doorway, arms folded.
"Chuck!" Blake smiled cheerily. "You'll tell them, right?"
Chuck raised a bemused eyebrow. "I will do no such thing," he replied. "Ladies," he nodded as the trio made their way past him, each shooting a dirty look back at Blake as they exited.
"That's no fun," Blake responded. "Whatever happened to bros before- That's no fun," he repeated, cautiously changing his trajectory.
"I see you've made yourself at home," Chuck noted, looking at the slew of unsightly posters, including one of Blake's short lived band, adorning the classroom walls.
"Cut me some slack, Chuck," Blake smirked cheekily. "It's my first day."
"Right, and how many days are you planning on staying here, exactly-?"
"As many as it takes! Hell yes!" Blake responded, as he pumped his fist in the air.
"That's not- It doesn't matter..." Chuck sighed. He'd all but given up trying to correct him. "Look, I just think you should reconsider this whole women's studies thing."
"And, I appreciate your concern, really," Blake retorted, his feet up on his desk, "I'm just taking my time, that's all."
"Yeah, and that's time that Carson could be spending burning Gotham to the ground," Chuck said sternly.
...
"You do know how melodramatic that sounds, right?" Blake wondered.
"Yeah, I wasn't too sure about it either," Chuck confessed.
"Listen, you said Killer wanted me on this Kuttler thing, and that's what precisely I'm doing. I'm multitasking! I'm breaking gender norms! Be proud of me."
"Well, Drury also proceeded to have a mental breakdown, so let's not take everything he says to heart, ok, buddy?" Chuck said hesitantly. " I mean, have you even talked to Kuttler yet?"
"I was, um, going to," Blake said unconvincingly, as he started fidgeting with his fingers.
Chuck folded his arms. "Really?"
"Yes. Duh. Obviously!"
...
"I'll go after class," he mumbled.
==The Faculty Lounge==
"Heeeeeeeey buddy!" Blake's boisterous voice called out.
Kuttler looked up from his laptop and groaned, as the Catman strolled into view. "Oh, Jesus Christ."
Blake sat down beside him, pulled a Tupperware container out of his briefcase and waved it in front of Kuttler's face. "Packed lunch!" he declared happily.
"Ah." Kuttler stared at him despondently, and opened his own lunch box beneath the table. Noticing this, Blake grabbed his plastic spoon, and stabbed at Kuttler's ribcage.
"C'mon, then. I showed you mine, you show me yours," he teased playfully.
'It's like high school all over again,' Kuttler thought, as he took in a deep breath, his fingers wrapped tightly around the box's metal lid. "No I-Don't you have friends?"
'Well, no, of course you wouldn't...' he thought to himself.
"Acquaintances? Young people? Youths? There must be someone you'd rather fraternise with," he reasoned.
"Whaaaa-?" Blake replied with appalling insincerity. "Naaaah! 'Sides, thought you and I could hang this afternoon. Get to know each other! Computers, eh?" he added joyfully, tousling his colleague's neatly combed hair.
Kuttler cleared his throat, and placed his lunchbox back on the table, defeated. "That's just... Perfect," he said softly, as he peeled his banana. Enamoured, Blake pointed at the yellow fruit, and burst out laughing.
Kuttler glared back at him, and placed the banana back down, going instead for his sandwich, as though daring Blake to make a mockery out of that.
Changing the subject, Blake let out a deep and clearly fake yawn. "You know," he began, "You and I are not so different."
"We're completely different," Kuttler said dryly.
"Yeah, alright, even I couldn't keep a straight face there, you're absolutely pathetic... But, still, it can't be all bad! Job in computing, that plays to your strengths, doesn't it?"
"Yes, funny how careers work out. It was this or running tech support for PornHub. I should've gone for PornHub..."
=The Women's Studies Classroom=
Day 13
"Sorry, you got bored?" Chuck cried out in utter disbelief, as he circled Blake's desk in despair.
"Well, yeah, he's, like, really boring," Blake said, biting his nails distractedly. "Like, he showed me this thing called a Circus Board, which you'd think would be fun, but it was just a bunch of straight lines and crap. No clowns, no tents, no elephants neither."
Chuck's eye twitched slightly. "I hope you're joking, but I know you aren't."
"He made porn boring, Chuck! Porn! You know that's my favourite!"
"Professor Blake, are we going to start the class soon?" a squeaky voice inquired.
"In a minute, Garrett," Blake replied, flapping his hand down to silence him.
Chuck turned around. Staring back at him, were around thirty students, all taking notes. "Were they always there?" he asked.
"Came in about... five minutes ago?" Blake estimated. "Seemed rude to stop you."
"Fine. Fine!" Chuck grabbed a nearby chair and sat down. "Let's see what all the fuss is about."
~-~
"Jeff, you have to stop Blake."
Jeff stuck his head out from behind his locker, and lowered his notepad. "You know, Annie, part of me will always admire your persistence in tracking me down, and part of me resents you just slightly for it."
"I'm serious, he's turned the class into a hedonistic nightmare," Annie explained.
"Pretty sure that's an oxymoron," Jeff smirked. "Look, I didn't sign up for Blake's class for one simple reason; I don't need his, or anyone else's guidance in order to get women."
"Fine," Annie rolled her eyes. "Maybe I'll ask Chuck."
Jeff's smile faded. "Chuck? He's Chuck to you now?"
~-~
As the lesson continued, Chuck's will to live was sapped, as he sank further and further into his chair.
Blake was mid monologue, gesturing to a whiteboard with manic enthusiasm. "And, so, as you can see; you have cute, then pretty, in the middle, you have "pretty cute." Makes sense. From pretty to hot, you've got yourself someone "pretty hot." From hot, you have then have sexy, but be careful. Though the subjects continue to become sexier, sometimes indefinitely, you still peak here. Always here," he said, gesturing at a graph with a laser pointer.
Mayo looked up from his notepad. "I don't get it. Now, you say indefinitely..."
"Yes," Blake nodded solemnly. "And that's just it, see, they can get hotter and hotter, but ultimately- like all good things you hit a point of diminishing returns on the sexiness. What we're aiming for, is the perfect balance of "cute" and "hot." Those in the industry know it as the Kardashian effect."
Sat in the front row, Troy's eyes widened. "There's an industry? Woah."
"Sorry, the Kardashian effect?" Mayo interjected.
"Sure. Butts are sexy," Blake said, pulling out a Venn diagram.
Troy nodded. "He's right, they are."
"And, it stands to reason bigger butts are even sexier."
"Damn straight," another voice concurred.
"But, how big can a butt get before it's an all consuming mass of plastic and flesh? Ask Kim Kardashian, because my god, she's made of beach balls. Sure, perhaps that's sexy to some, maybe those same people have an inflation fetish, but it's not cute."
Chuck rubbed his eyes to make sure he was seeing the board correctly. Regretfully, he was. "Tom, why is Drury's dead wife up there?" he asked weakly.
"She wasn't dead when I made the system, jeez!" Blake cringed, as he turned back to his class. "That's it for today, boys. Your homework; I want you to take this list of 15 celebrities, and categorise them under the following headings! Pretty Cute! Cute! Pretty! Pretty Hot! Hot! Sexy! And Beach Ball!"
Chuck trailed off as his gaze was drawn to a familiar moustachioed figure packing his bag up in the back row. "Otis?" he stammered, as if to say 'Not you too.'
"I was never here," Flannegan blushed, as Drury's fake moustache slid off his face.
'Sorry, Drury,' Chuck muttered. 'But it's time I make an executive decision.'
The unique formation of Vatnsdalshólar hills in Iceland offers a surreal, otherworldly landscape. These rolling mounds are a geological wonder surrounded by breathtaking views of distant mountains.
IT: Le formazioni uniche delle colline di Vatnsdalshólar in Islanda offrono un paesaggio surreale e ultraterreno. Questi rilievi sono un meraviglioso esempio geologico circondato da viste mozzafiato di montagne lontane.
I spotted this unique window on a residence in Cripple Creek, Colorado. The home owner was tinkering in her garden, looked up, noticed me taking the shot. From the look on her face I think perhaps she thought I was taking a picture of her backside as she was bent over pulling weeds, as she is just to the left of the frame here.
My husband and I spent three nights in Cripple Creek, an old Colorado gold mining town. We stayed at Carr Manor, a hotel that was converted from a high school built in 1897 when the town was at its peak of population and wealth. We stayed in the Governor Carr suite which was luxurious and charming. The hosts were kind and accommodating. While Denver baked in near record high summer temperatures we enjoyed the open windows and the constant cool fresh breezes from the high altitude mountain air.