Hey lovelies!

Snap up the "Marely Oversized Tee" now on special at our main store for the "Saturday Sale" event. This relaxed-fit tee combines comfort with casual style, making it a versatile addition to any wardrobe. Its loose silhouette ensures it pairs perfectly with anything from jeans to shorts. Available for a limited time at a fantastic discounted price, don't miss your chance to add this essential piece to your collection!

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The included sizes are LaraX + PetiteX, Legacy + Perky & eBody Reborn

• $100L each for warm and mystic packs (12 colors included in each pack)

• $165L (-50% off) each for neutral, mystic & earth color packs (12 colors included in each pack)

• $575L (-50% off) for deluxe pack (60 colors included)

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I hope you all like it

LM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Stilast/178/188/38

❤️ Harry

out now at kustom9!

6 versatile path shapes to create your own stone pathway! 1 li per shape + assembled example

7 stone colors available for individual purchase OR sold as a FULL SET

FULL SET includes all textures via touch menu + bulk HUD included to change all stones at once

get them here: Kustom9

xo ♥

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recipe on my blog. :)

1- Sony HVL-F42AM

guide number: 42

Versatile bounce angles: 90° up, 90° left, 180° right

340g

2- Sony A850 + VG-C90AM Vertical Grip - Minolta A-mount

Année : 2009

24x36 - Cmos 24.61 mp (6048x4032) - 100/6400 ISO

central F2.8sensor, 10 assist points

850g (+ grip 320g without batteries)

[My A850 album]

Cute Pixie Haircut with Versatile Bangs

sarasotabradentonhairsalon.com/cute-pixie-haircut-with-ve...

ift.tt/2dQ7ItY

CC Most Versatile: Leading Line

At Winco discount supermarket, they don't advertise special sales. Instead, the Wall of Values showcases sale items as it leads into the store.

more on my blog

Canon AE-1 | Canon FD 50mm f/1.8 | Kodak Max Versatility 400 (expired 2006-09)

( scan from print - SOOC - unedited )

© All rights reserved - Please don't use this image without my permission

CC Most Versatile: Great Outdoors 3.Water

..also entitled "I'm warning you - no more photos!"

For the CC January Versatile Challenge - Grey

The building adjacent to Biblioteca Lerdo de Tejada is Museo de la Cancillería. The museum was closed due to COVID so only a peek-a-boo look through the fencing at a Jorge Marin sculpture - Hombre Universal Monumental.

ABOUT MARIN SCULPTURES:

Sculptures of Jorge Marin reflect in bronze the intrinsic strength and force that emanates from its creation and permits the artist to construct dynamic bodies, full of movement, which challenge gravity and rotate in space supported on one point.

Marin artworks represent the struggle between the coldness of bronze and the diverse emotions that his subject’s evoke: the perfect balance of the equilibrists and his winged figures has become his particular seal.

Another notable trait in the sculptures of Jorge Marin work is the mask, an attempt to depersonalize his sculptures and become another medium of expression of a body that contains universal symbols in itself.

Jorge Marin has dabbled in various sculptural dimensions, ranging from miniature to monumental format & has exhibited in Mexico and abroad.

ABOUT THE MUSEUM:

Museo de la Cancillería, (Chancellery Museum), is one of Mexico City´s leading contemporary art museums.

The museum opened in 2011 and it’s officially called the “Museum of the Historical and Artistic Collection of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

A versatile space, the museum hosts individual and collective exhibitions with the intent of promoting the cultural image of the country.

The museum works to encourage the creators of contemporary Mexican art, and to share some of the history of Mexico’s international relations while strengthening cultural ties with other countries.

ABOUT THE BUILDING:

The museum is inside the monastery of the old oratory of San Felipe Neri that was part of the Tejada Library next door.

Built in the latter half of the 17th century, the monastery housed the priests of the order until they moved their headquarters to the La Profesa Church just up the street.

At that point the monastery functioned as an orphanage, stables, cellar, private home and a mechanical workshop. A definitive restoration began in 1970.

The Museo de la Cancillería has historical documents, some artifacts, and a graphic collection to tell the history of diplomatic relations between Mexico and other countries.

Entering service in 1993, the C-17 Globemaster III is the U.S. Air Force's most versatile cargo aircraft to enter the airlift force. The C-17 is capable of rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to small, austere airfields. It can also perform tactical airlift and airdrop missions or transport litters and ambulatory patients during aeromedical evacuations.

A crew of three (pilot, copilot and loadmaster) operates the C-17, which can carry about 170,000 pounds of cargo. The large aft door will accommodate almost all of the U.S. Army's air-transportable vehicles and palletized cargo, including the Army's M-1 Abrams main battle tank. The C-17 can take off and land on runways as short as 3,500 feet and only 90 feet wide. Its four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 engines can reverse their thrust to help slow it down on landings. The thrust reversers direct the engine exhaust upward and forward to prevent dust and debris from being sucked into the engine intakes. These reversible engines also allow the pilot to back the plane or even turn it around on a narrow runway using a three-point star turn method.

The Globemaster III on display is the prototype C-17. Built by the Douglas Aircraft Co., which is now Boeing, it was designated T-1 (S/N 87-0025). T-1 made its first flight on Sept. 15, 1991, when it was delivered to the USAF at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., for testing. After completing the extensive C-17 flight test program, T-1 supported many other flight and propulsion test programs for the USAF, NASA and others. T-1 also appeared in a number of major motion pictures, including "Transformers" (2007), "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" (2009), "Iron Man" (2008) and "Iron Man 2" (2010).

After 20 years of wide-ranging flight tests, T-1 had reached the end of its flying career, and it was retired at Edwards AFB in 2011. T-1 was flown to the museum to begin its new career in April 2012.

Trying the new amazing 24mm Gmaster Sony lens. Extremely versatile and just perfect.

Italian postcard by Rotalfoto, Milano (Rotalcolor), no, 240.

Italian actress Claudia Cardinale (1938) is one of Europe's iconic and most versatile film stars. The combination of her beauty, dark, flashing eyes, explosive sexuality and genuine acting talent virtually guaranteed her stardom. Her most notable films include 8½ (Federico Fellini, 1963), Il Gattopardo/The Leopard (Luchino Visconti, 1963) and Once Upon a Time in the West (Sergio Leone, 1968).

Claude Joséphine Rose Cardinale was born in La Goulette in Tunisia in 1938 (some sources claim 1939). Her mother, Yolande Greco, was born in Tunisia to Italian (Sicilian) emigrants from Trapani, Italy. Her father was an Italian (Sicilian) railway worker, born in Gela, Italy. Her native languages were Tunisian Arabic and French. She received a French education and she had to learn Italian once she pursued her acting career. She had her break in films after she was voted the most beautiful Italian girl in Tunisia in 1957. The contest of the Italian embassy had as a prize a trip to the Venice Film Festival. She made her film debut in the French-Tunisian coproduction Goha (Jacques Baratier, 1958) starring Omar Sharif. After attending the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome for two months, she signed a 7-year contract with the Vides studios. The contract forbade her to cut her hair, to marry or to gain weight. Later that year she had a role in the heist comedy I soliti ignoti/Big Deal On Madonna Street (Mario Monicelli, 1958) with Vittorio Gassman and Renato Salvatori. The film was an international success, and her film career was off and running. At this point, the press, noting her initials, announced that CC was the natural successor to BB (Brigitte Bardot), and began beating the drum on her behalf. Dozens of alluring photographs of Claudia Cardinale were displayed in newspapers and magazines throughout the world. According to IMDb, she has appeared on more than 900 magazine covers in over 25 countries. The contrast between these pictures and those of Marilyn Monroe or Jayne Mansfield is striking. Cardinale never appeared in a nude or fully topless scene. Her pictures promoted an image of a shy family girl who just happened to have a beautiful face and a sexy body. A photograph of Cardinale was featured in the original gate fold artwork to Bob Dylan's album Blonde on Blonde (1966), but because it was used without Cardinale's permission, the photo was removed from the cover art in later pressings.

Claudia Cardinale's early career was largely managed producer Franco Cristaldi. Because of her film contract, she told everyone that her son Patrizio was her baby brother. He was born out of wedlock when she was 17; the father was a mysterious Frenchman. She did not reveal to the child that he was her son until he was 19 years old. In 1966, she married Cristaldi, who adopted Patrizio. In only three years she made a stream of great films. First she made three successful comedies, Un Maledetto imbroglio/The Facts of Murder (Pietro Germi, 1959), Il Bell'Antonio/Bell'Antonio (Mauro Bolognini, 1960) featuring Marcello Mastroianni, and Audace colpo dei soliti ignoti/Fiasco in Milan (Nanni Loy, 1960). Cardinale had a supporting part in the epic drama Rocco e i suoi fratelli/Rocco and His Brothers (Luchino Visconti, 1960) in which she played the sister-in-law of Alain Delon and Renato Salvatori. And then followed leading parts in La Ragazza con la valigia/Girl with a Suitcase (Valerio Zurlini, 1961), La Viaccia/The Lovemakers (Mauro Bolognini, 1961) with Jean-Paul Belmondo, and Senilità/Careless (Mauro Bolognini, 1961). Claudia Cardinale had a deep, sultry voice and spoke Italian with a heavy French accent, so her voice was dubbed in her early films. In Federico Fellini's 8½ (1963), she was finally allowed to dub her own dialogue. In the film, she plays a dream woman - a character named Claudia, who is the object of the fantasies of the director in the film, played by Marcello Mastroianni. With Fellini's surrealistic masterpiece she received her widest exposure to date with this film. That same year, she also appeared in another masterpiece of the Italian cinema, the epic Il Gattopardo/The Leopard (Luchino Visconti, 1963) with Burt Lancaster and Alain Delon. The combined success of these two classic films made her rise to the front ranks of Italian cinema. And it also piqued Hollywood's interest.

In 1963 Claudia Cardinale played the princess who owned the Pink Panther diamond in The Pink Panther (Blake Edwards, 1963) which was filmed in Italy. It was the first in the series of detective comedies starring Peter Sellers as bumbling French Inspector Jacques Clouseau (the mishap-prone snoop was actually a supporting player in his debut). The film was an enormous success and brought CC to English-speaking audiences. In 1964 she co-starred with John Wayne and Rita Hayworth in her first American production, Circus World (Henry Hathaway, 1964). It was another box-office hit. The following year she appeared with Rock Hudson in Blindfold (Philip Dunne, 1966), an offbeat mixture of espionage and slapstick comedy. The Professionals (Richard Brooks, 1966) is her favourite among her Hollywood films. In this Western, she is a gutsy Mexican woman married against her will to a rich American. The film received Academy Award nominations for Best Direction (Richard Brooks), Best Screenplay (Brooks again), and Best Cinematography (Conrad L. Hall). Cardinale continued dividing her time between Hollywood and Europe for the remainder of the decade. Throughout the 1960s, Claudia Cardinale also appeared in some of the best European films. In France, she appeared in the Swashbuckler Cartouche (Philippe de Broca, 1962) featuring Jean-Paul Belmondo. Back in Italy, she played in I Giorno della civetta/The Day of the Owl (Damiano Damiani, 1968) with Franco Nero, and Nell'anno del Signore/The Conspirators (Luigi Magni, 1969) with Nino Manfredi. Mesmerizing is her performance in Sandra/Vaghe stelle dell'Orsa... (Luchino Visconti, 1965) as a Holocaust survivor with an incestuous relationship with her brother (Jean Sorel). Another highlight in her career is C'era una volta il West/Once Upon a Time in the West (Sergio Leone, 1968), the ultimate Spaghetti Western. Lucia Bozzola writes in her review at AllMovie: "In Sergio Leone's epic Western, shot partly in Monument Valley, a revenge story becomes an epic contemplation of the Western past. (...) As in his 'Dollars' trilogy, Leone transforms the standard Western plot through the visual impact of widescreen landscapes and the figures therein. At its full length, Once Upon a Time in the West is Leone's operatic masterwork, worthy of its legend-making title."

In the following decades, Claudia Cardinale remained mainly active in European cinema. She played a small part for Visconti in Gruppo di famiglia in un interno/Conversation Piece (Luchino Visconti, 1974) starring Burt Lancaster and Silvana Mangano. She worked with other major Italian directors at Goodbye e amen (Damiano Damiani, 1977), the TV mini-series Jesus of Nazareth (Franco Zeffirelli, 1977) as the adulteress, and La Pelle/The Skin (Liliana Cavani, 1981) starring Marcello Mastroianni and based on the bitter novel by Curzio Malaparte concerning the Allied liberation of Naples. An international arthouse hit was Fitzcarraldo (Werner Herzog, 1982), the story of an obsessed impresario (Klaus Kinski) whose foremost desire in life is to bring both Enrico Caruso and an opera house to the deepest jungles of South America. In his diary of the making of Fitzcarraldo, Werner Herzog writes: "Claudia Cardinale is great help because she is such a good sport, a real trouper, and has a special radiance before the camera. In her presence, [Klaus Kinski] usually acts like a gentleman." Other interesting films include the Luigi Pirandello adaptation Enrico IV/Henry IV (Marco Bellocchio, 1984) with Marcello Mastroianni, the epic La révolution française/The French Revolution (Robert Enrico, Richard T. Heffron, 1989), the nostalgic drama Mayrig/Mother (Henri Verneuil, 1991), and the romantic thriller And now... Ladies and Gentlemen (Claude Lelouch, 2002) starring Jeremy Irons. On Television she gave another well-received performance in the TV drama La storia/History (Luigi Comencini, 1986), in which she plays a widow raising a son during World War II.

Claudia Cardinale is a liberal with strong political convictions. She is involved in many humanitarian causes, and pro-women and pro-gay issues, and she has frequently stated her pride in her Tunisian and Arab roots - as evidenced by her appearance as herself in the Tunisian film Un été à La Goulette/A Summer at La Goulette (Férid Boughedir, 1996). She has managed to combine her acting work with a role of goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, and advocate for the work of Luchino Visconti with whom she made four films. She wrote an autobiography, 'Moi Claudia, Toi Claudia' (Me Claudia, You Claudia). In 2005, she also published a French-language book, Mes Etoiles (My Stars), about her personal and professional relationships with many of her directors and co-stars through her nearly 50 years in show-business. In 2002, she won an honorary Golden Bear award of the Berlin Film Festival, and previously in 1993 she was awarded an honorary Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. Cardinale works steadily on and in recent years she has also worked in the theatre. In the cinema, she appeared recently in the French-Tunisian gay drama Le fil/The String (Mehdi Ben Attia, 2009), the Algerian drama Un balcon sur la mer/A View of Love (Nicole Garcia, 2010) in which she played the mother of Jean Dujardin, and the costume drama Effie Gray (Richard Laxton, 2014) with Dakota Fanning. Claudia Cardinale currently lives in Paris. She has made over 135 films in the past 60 years and still does two or three a year.

Sources: Lucia Bozzola (AllMovie), Steve Rose (The Guardian), IMDb, and Wikipedia.

And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.

A slice of Victoria sponge anyone.

(Actually made in the Cosori Air Fryer as an experiment - it was delicious.)

Not only can this serve as an efficient critter-catching-cup, a couple of discount airlines have used a similar setup for their public address system.

Saturday night cruising in Paprihaven, at the King of Cars dealership.* Jingling Julie Prescott is happy to finally see a possible catch for the 2011 Mini Cooper Countryman. It's been on the lot for three years but TR won't drop the price.**

Amazingly, it is the Maidriemz sisters, who are notorious for always looking and never buying. This time, though, Julie is sensing that she may hook them.

Julie: "Giula, Goila, thanks for coming in today! You said you're looking for something that's fun to drive, practical, and stands out from the crowd? I think I have just the perfect car for you: this 2011 MINI Cooper Countryman."

Goila: "I thought the MINIs were two doors. This is so cute."

Julie: "So right, when people think of MINI, they often think of the classic two-door, but this Countryman offers something special. It gives you that iconic MINI go-kart handling and spirited performance that everyone loves, but in a package that's surprisingly versatile.

First off, let's talk about the MINI experience. You get that direct, engaging steering and a turbocharged engine that makes every drive feel exciting, whether you're navigating city streets or cruising on the highway. It's a car that puts a smile on your face every time you get behind the wheel."

Giula: "I can't help smiling, just imagining it."

Julie: "I know how you feel! And here's where the Countryman truly shines: it adds a whole new level of practicality. Unlike the standard Cooper, this is a four-door vehicle with genuine space for four adults.

No more squeezing into the back; your friends and family will appreciate the comfortable rear seating. And the rear cargo area is surprisingly generous, perfect for groceries, luggage for a weekend trip, or even your gear for outdoor adventures. It truly bridges the gap between a nimble compact and a small SUV."

Goila: "Giula, we could bring Myrtle and Pearl with us!"

Giula: *giggling* "Oh, Goila, can you just imagine the look on their faces if we pulled up in this green gem?"

Julie: "You've both nailed it. That captivating aesthetic. This isn't just another boring car. The Countryman has that unmistakable MINI charm – it's quirky, stylish, and full of personality. You'll turn heads wherever you go. It’s perfect for someone who wants to express themselves and not just blend in with traffic."

Giula: "We've been talking and talking about getting a new car for years, Goila. Years. This lovely MINI seems... right."

Goila: "But, Giula, it has racing stripes.

Julie: "Just the touch to let everyone know you're fully engaged in all the excitement of life! And for a 2011 model, you're getting a lot of value. MINIs are known for their quality interiors and robust build. This one has been well-maintained and still delivers that premium feel. You're getting a lot of style and substance without the new car price tag."

Giula: *sighs* "We'll need to think about it."

Julie: "I wouldn't wait a hot minute while this MINI is still available. Let's review: A car that's genuinely fun to drive every day. The practicality of four doors and usable cargo space. A distinctive style that reflects your personality. And excellent value in the used car market..."

Goila: "But that price... oh, my."

Julie: "You're right it's shockingly low. Don't regret this fantastic auto being the one that got away. You know if you walk away, you're going to have an absolutely sleepless night wondering if someone else got it. Save yourselves that drama, and dive in right now. I want to help you ladies dream bigger!"

The sisters look at each other and, once they both smile, Juile knows she's done it. She finally sold the Countryman at TR's price! She'll rub this in Falconetti's face.

🚌🚦🚗⛽🚐🚍🚎🚔🚑🚨🚒🚓🚔🚕🚧🚖🚜🚘🚲

═════════════════════════════════════

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

Matchbox

2011 MINI Cooper Countryman

2018, Thailand

* First seen in BP 2022 Day 169!

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/52155324187/

** Again, same pic as above, and there it sits.

Lothian 935 seen escaping from its old regular service 34 white 'ghostly' haunt and placed on training duties from Longstone garage.

Several of these Volvo B9's have been bedecked in brilliant white and over recent months have appeared on routes such as the 33, 34, 35 and 44 - I've managed to catch this and its compatriots on these routes.

Here its seen in fine form belieing its vintage status but showing its versatility on training work at Gyle centre in west Edinburgh - always a favourite area for 'versatile' bus spotters!

Versatile little short-wheelbase locomotives. 01001 and 01002 were retained to service the Holyhead Breakwater, being the only locomotives light enough for the track.

Seen at Holyhead Breakwater May1978.

Oxford Publishing Co Postcard in collection

Tavares Pavilion on the Lake is a one-of-kind wedding venue located in Tavares, Florida. Serenely floating over beautiful Lake Dora, this tropical-inspired waterfront oasis is furnished with natural fibers, lovingly restored antiques and original artwork. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide spectacular views, and a winding, hand-crafted staircase provides a picture-perfect backdrop to weddings and events. Built-in wireless technology, from automatic tinting windows to specialty sound and video systems, puts Tavares Pavilion on the Lake in a distinctive class all of its own.

Facilities and Capacity

An 8,000-square-foot two-story event center, Tavares Pavilion on the Lake is designed to accommodate corporate meetings, special events and weddings. This venue provides plenty of versatile indoor and outdoor event space, including two ballrooms, two meeting rooms, a 150-foot brick paved pier lined with gas lamps and beautifully landscaped gardens. Tavares Pavilion offers unique architectural details, such as a built-in wood bar, professional art, ornate woodwork and chandeliers. The Pier and Lush Gardens is a brick paved pier leading from luxuriant landscaped gardens to glass entry doors lined with gas lamps. The space is perfect for an outdoor cocktail hour, ceremony and/or reception. The Ballrooms offer elegant expresso Chiavari chairs, aircraft aluminum tables and handcrafted artistry. The venue offers both a bride and a groom's room. These spaces are private rooms with ornate furniture, mirrored dressing tables, an outdoor deck with private lake views and optional billiard tables.

Services Offered

Tavares Pavilion on the Lake offers venue rental for weddings and other social events. Rentals can be arranged by room or as a full building rental. Wedding services available include the following:

Bridal suite

Event rentals

Wireless internet

Cleanup

Tables

Chairs

Cuisine

The Tavares Pavilion on the Lake offers a choice of five different preferred caterers that can accommodate a variety of tastes at several different price points. These vendors have been vetted through a rigorous review process, ensuring you will receive top-notch service for your special event.

Other Services

In addition to wedding ceremonies and receptions, this venue can accommodate all of your wedding events, such as engagement parties, bridal showers and rehearsal dinners. The space is also ideal for hosting corporate meetings, holiday parties, birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions.

Location

Tavares Pavilion on the Lake is located in Wooton Park in downtown Tavares, Florida. Packages are available to incorporate seaplane transportation into your event. This venue is convenient to major attractions in Orlando, and a small hotel is located adjacent to the property.

Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:

www.weddingwire.com/biz/tavares-pavilion-on-the-lake-tava...

www.tavarespavilion.com/

www.tavarespavilion.com/180/History

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

This is a part of the series of the diving fishermen gathering mussels off the coast of Kerala.

The divers use this versatile wooden canoe called Catamaran for this activity. These are planks of curved wood which are lashed together and rowed with a 4 feet flat splint of bamboo.

The fishing catamarans remain out all night long in the deep seas . Here the catamaran is in the open sea but about 6-10 feet away from a huge rock face at the bottom of which the mussels are tethered. A most dangerous place to be as the sea water seethes and hurls itself in a periodic rhythm of fury. It is a fine art that these fishermen follow to time their dives with the rhythm of the breaking waves so that they do not get wiped out.

All shots taken on my recent trip to Kovalam, Kerala. Perched on the precarious rock face at about 0700-0830 AM

Dates

Taken on March 6, 2008 at 8.04AM IST (edit)

Posted to Flickr March 10, 2008 at 9.41PM IST (edit)

Replaced on Flickr March 10, 2008 at 1.08AM IST

Exif data

Camera Nikon D70

Exposure 0.004 sec (1/250)

Aperture f/7.1

Focal Length 130 mm

Exposure Bias 0 EV

Flash No Flash

DSC_1776 le cu exp sharpfill sat up crop

Special thanks to Instagram user m1ndxbend3r for the inspiration. The Mechanized Mobile Combat System Mk. III, abbreviated MeMoCS, is a state-of-the-art multi-role military platform designed to operate in any modern battlefield and conditions, from open spaces to urban combat. It's an anthropomorphic mecha with 6 limbs, 4 upper and 2 lower. The most modern and advanced techniques and engineering discoveries in the military field were used to create the MeMoCS platform: an armor in composite materials and new ultra-resistant alloys was made to protect against a wide range of threats (mines, RPGs, IEDs, heavy calibers, and some types of cannon shells). Also has active contermeasures. New and more powerful miniaturized servomotors and servomechanisms have been used to guarantee unprecedented smoothness of movement. Power is guaranteed by a hydrogen fuel cell battery, with an autonomy of 72 hours of average consumption, which extends up to a week in stand-by mode. The cockpit can accommodate a single pilot who maneuvers the MeMoCS safely, as it is protected by a very resistant capsule, and equipped with NBC protection. The MeMoCS Mk. III is equipped with numerous sensors: high definition optical viewer, high sensitivity thermal viewer, laser warning system, radar, jammer, and is equipped with an advanced radio, satellite and GPS communication system, plus a modern situational awareness system that, together with its powerful computer, makes it a fearsome weapon, versatile and adaptable. Given its multirole nature, it can be equipped with a wide range of weapons: rifles, CROW systems, missile pods (both ATGM and surface-to-air), sidearms and shields.

Lottie Cabinet & Decor is our newest release for EQUAL10! This versatile collection features open-air cabinets and eyecatching accessories, with loads of color options to help you add pops of color (or more sedated looks) wherever you choose. Have a look at the complete details below, then stop by the event to grab your faves♡

◢◤Elm. Lottie Cabinet◢◤

⇢ Available in Light or Dark Pack options.

⇢ Each pack includes 3 cabinet sizes.

➥Elm. Lottie Cabinet//Long - 1Li

➥Elm. Lottie Cabinet//Tall - 1Li

➥Elm. Lottie Cabinet//Short - 1Li

◢◤Elm. Lottie Candles//Ceramic Arch◢◤

⇢ Texture Menu: 10 Candle + 10 Candle Holder options.

➥Elm. Lottie Candles//Ceramic Arch #1 - 2Li

➥Elm. Lottie Candles//Ceramic Arch #2 - 2Li

➥Elm. Lottie Candles//Ceramic Arch #3 - 2Li

➥Elm. Lottie Candles//Ceramic Arch #4 - 2Li

➥Elm. Lottie Candles//Ceramic Arch #5 - 2Li

◢◤Elm. Lottie Candles//Glass Glow◢◤

⇢ Texture Menu: 12 Candle Holder options.

➥Elm. Lottie Candles//Glass Glow #1 - 2Li

➥Elm. Lottie Candles//Glass Glow #2 - 2Li

➥Elm. Lottie Candles//Glass Glow #3 - 2Li

◢◤Elm. Lottie Candles//Metal Muse◢◤

⇢ Texture Menu: 10 Candle Color options.

➥Elm. Lottie Candles//Metal Muse #1 - 2Li

➥Elm. Lottie Candles//Metal Muse #2 - 2Li

➥Elm. Lottie Candles//Metal Muse #3 - 2Li

➥Elm. Lottie Candles//Metal Muse #4 - 2Li

◢◤Elm. Lottie Decor//Book Display◢◤

⇢ Texture Menu: 10 Book End colors

➥Elm. Lottie Decor//Book Display #1 - 1Li

➥Elm. Lottie Decor//Book Display #2 - 1Li

◢◤Elm. Lottie Decor//Color Block Tile Frame◢◤

⇢ Texture Menu: 10 Frame Colors

⇢ add your own images!

➥Elm. Lottie Decor//Color Block Tile Frame #1 - 1Li

➥Elm. Lottie Decor//Color Block Tile Frame #2 - 1Li

◢◤Elm. Lottie Decor//Wooden Frame◢◤

⇢ Texture Menu: 7 Photo Border options

⇢ add your own images!

➥Elm. Lottie Decor//Wooden Frame #1 - 1Li

➥Elm. Lottie Decor//Wooden Frame #2 - 1Li

◢◤Elm. Lottie Decor//Matchsticks◢◤

➥Elm. Lottie Decor//Wave Line Matchsticks - 1Li

⇢ Texture Menu: 10 Matchstick + 10 Matchstick Holder

➥Elm. Lottie Decor//Stone Speckle Matchsticks - 1Li

⇢ Texture Menu: 10 Matchstick + 2 Matchstick Holder

► Join our Flickr Group

Nauru island has been destroyed – do you know Nauru? one of the smallest island in the world. And once the richest and wealthiest countries in the world. maybe you are wondering where the country is located, is close to the country australia.

Nauru lay on the land area of ​​8000 hectares in the western Pacific ocean. The extent of only about one tenth of the oil palm plantation Astra, Eka Cipta Wijaya, Prabowo, Cargill, DL Sitorus, and tycoons Crude Palm Oil (CPO) in Sumatra there. Only about a quarter of its 50 spacious logged forests conglomerates concessionaires in Borneo there. Precisely, the area of ​​the Republic of Nauru is almost equivalent to the Lake Toba.

21km square berarea country for 30 years been listed as one of the richest countries in the world. Income per capita in 1981 reached 17,000 dollars, compared with Indonesia, which is only 530 dollars per capita in the same year. With such a high income and a population of only 13 thousand inhabitants (still more spectators Indonesian league opponents Saudi Arabia the other day, which reached 90,000) Nauru transformed into a very rich country. They build tall buildings. Buy cars and luxury commercial aircraft. There are no poor people in there, let alone bum. State subsidizes the lives of all citizens. More than 80% of the workforce was appointed as civil servants. These employees are not tied to office hours. They may come and go as they pleased. The unemployed also subsidized by the state. In short, was so rich Nauru, without any of the working population can live in luxury. People are not taxed. Education and free health care, subsidized food, who want to study abroad were given scholarships. Even so spoiled, so reluctant to Nauru population of mobile workers. His government was forced to import labor from Australia, China, Kiribati and Tuvalu.

What makes Nauru be all that rich? not because of bird droppings. More than 70% of the land consists of sediment Nauru Guano bird droppings that had accumulated over hundreds and even thousands of years ago. This is because once Nauru is a place for large colonies of birds Guano. This bird droppings into phosphate, which serves as fertilizer for crops.

Phosphate was found in 1899 and began to be explored in 1907. At that Nauru is still a part of the country Australia. Once granted independence on January 31, 1968, phosphate mining areas controlled by men. Estimated that the number of high-quality phosphate across Nauru 41 million tons. This huge amount. Compare with Indonesia, which consists of thousands of islands, the total number of phospatnya estimated at only 2.5 million tonnes. Because it is only natural that the country would fall into the list of the world’s smallest country touted as the country’s phosphate, and targeted by many countries.

After the massive phosphate exploration for decades, Nauru is now reaping the consequences. According to Greenpeace’s investigation, 90% of Nauru was severely damaged and need to be rehabilitated. That means that only about 2 square km area Nauru only habitable. Greenpeace also found spreading poison of its mining activities in three places. Toxic substances that the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), asbestos, Polyvinyl chloride plastic (PVC) and metal.

Tremendous damage this requires a very long rehabilitation period and cost prohibitive. Nauru should import fertilizer, humus, and other essential nutrients to rebuild the ecosystem. It costs about 200 million dollars, and the process took 30 years. The most crucial thing to do is reclaiming back the area of ​​agriculture, clean water sources, livestock and plantasi trees. If this step is not performed, then the entire population of Nauru have to migrate to other areas. When kept in Nauru they will suffer from various diseases due to mining, hunger and lack of water. Migration area selection is empty islands in the Pacific Islands region.

Nauru government intends reclaiming back its territory. For the year 1989, they filed a lawsuit against Australia in the International Court. Nauru demanded Australia to pay compensation for the environmental damage done mining company. The company itself is actually a consortium of three countries, namely Australia, England and New Zealand. Australia circumvent these demands and accused Nauru as a party that should be responsible. Because the country gained independence from Australia in 1968. And since then, phosphate mining Nauru managed native son, no longer by the consortium companies.

In 1992, the International Court of Justice in favor of Nauru. According to them Australia and two other countries (the United Kingdom and New Zealand) must take responsibility for environmental damage Nauru, as they participate explore this mine before.

In 1993 the three countries were required to pay compensation. Australia have to pay compensation of 107 million Australian dollars, while the United Kingdom and New Zealand, respectively 12 million dollars.

So how? Are you curious about this country? if you want to visit to see it? it’s up to you. I hope what happened to Nauru could be a lesson to us all that exploit something excessively without any action about the future it will be bad. so do not get used to always live with a tasty and versatile plush yes, learn to appreciate life and learn to start thinking about the future.

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The caption reads "Ricky Renee: A versatile and outstandingly versatile impersonator of International Stature"

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November 4, 2023 is the date in which the city and county of Monterey celebrated the return of the Western Flyer, a boat famous for taking John Steinbeck and his biologist friend down to Mexico for a memorable trip that was later the subject of the book, "Sea Of Cortez" written by Steinbeck and Ed "Doc" Ricketts. I was lucky to be able to be present at the celebration. The boat was docked near the end of Old Fisherman's Wharf, and hundreds of people stopped by to take a look. The people pictured lined up an hour before the tours began in order not to miss this unique opportunity to see it inside and out.

See various articles about the boat on the Western Flyer Foundation's website.

www.westernflyer.org/category/news-media-coverage/

In Africa, where resources are much more scarce, recycling is a way of life and no scrap of material goes to waste. These are flattened strips of aluminum taken from the necks of discarded liquor bottles. Strung together they form this textile-like sculpture that recalls the woven and pieced designs of "kente", a traditional type of African Asante or Ewe royal cloth

Born in Ghana, El Anatsui currently lives in Nigeria. His work reflects his awareness of both the international contemporary art market and what he terms "classical" African art. Emerging as an artist during the vibrant West African post-independence art movements of the 1960s and 1970s, El Anatsui has gone on to receive international acclaim for his constantly evolving and highly experimental sculpture.

Photographed on display at the De Young Fine Arts Museum in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California

Versatile Eyeshadow Collection, is a set available for Lelutka EvoX, sold in the BOM version - FATPACK for 69L

ᴛʀʏ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴍᴏ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ᴘᴜʀᴄʜᴀsᴇ

taxi: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/VELOUR/70/206/2010

Belgian postcard, no. 950. Photo: Warner Bros.

American actress Eleanor Parker (1922-2013) appeared in some 80 films and television series. She was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Actress, for Caged (1950), Detective Story (1951) and Interrupted Melody (1955). Her role in Caged also won her the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival. One of her most memorable roles was that of the Baroness in The Sound of Music (1965). Her biographer Doug McClelland called her ‘Woman of a Thousand Faces’, because of her versatility.

Eleanor Jean Parker was born in 1922, in Cedarville, Ohio. She was the daughter of Lola (Isett) and Lester Day Parker. Her family moved to East Cleveland, Ohio, where she attended public schools and graduated from Shaw High School. She appeared in a number of school plays. When she was 15 she started to attend the Rice Summer Theatre on Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. After graduation, she moved to California and began appearing at the Pasadena Playhouse. There she was spotted by a Warners Bros talent scout, Irving Kumin. The studio signed her to a long-term contract in June 1941. She was cast that year in They Died with Their Boots On (Raoul Walsh, 1941), but her scenes were cut. Her actual film debut was as Nurse Ryan in the short Soldiers in White (B. Reeves Eason, 1942). She was given some decent roles in B films, Busses Roar (D. Ross Lederman, 1942) and The Mysterious Doctor (Benjamin Stoloff, 1943) opposites John Loder. She also had a small role in one of Warner Brothers' biggest productions for the 1943 season, the pro-Soviet Mission to Moscow (Michael Curtiz, 1943) as Emlen Davies, daughter of the U.S. ambassador to the U.S.S.R (Walter Huston). On the set, she met her first husband, Navy Lieutenant. Fred L. Losse, but the marriage turned out to be a brief wartime affair. Parker had impressed Warners enough to offer her a strong role in a prestige production, Between Two Worlds (Edward A. Blatt, 1944), playing the suicidal wife of Paul Henreid's character. She played support roles for Crime by Night (William Clemens, 1944) and The Last Ride (D. Ross Lederman, 1944). Then she got the starring role opposite Dennis Morgan in The Very Thought of You (Delmer Daves, 1944). She was considered enough of a ‘name’ to be given a cameo in Hollywood Canteen (Delmer Daves, 1944). Warners gave her the choice role of Mildred Rogers in a new version of Somerset Maugham's Of Human Bondage (Edmund Goulding, 1946), but previews were not favourable and the film sat on the shelf for two years before being released. She had her big break when she was cast opposite John Garfield in Pride of the Marines (Delmer Daves, 1945). However, two films with Errol Flynn that followed, the romantic comedy Never Say Goodbye (James V. Kern, 1946) and the drama Escape Me Never (Peter Godfrey, 1947), were box office disappointments. Parker was suspended twice by Warners for refusing parts in films – in Stallion Road (James V. Kern, 1947), where she was replaced by Alexis Smith and Love and Learn (Frederick De Cordova, 1947). She made the comedy Voice of the Turtle (Irving Rapper, 1947) with Ronald Reagan, and the mystery The Woman in White (Peter Godfrey, 1948). She refused to appear in Somewhere in the City (Vincent Sherman, 1950) so Warners suspended her again; Virginia Mayo played the role. Parker then had two years off, during which time she married and had a baby. She turned down a role in The Hasty Heart (Vincent Sherman, 1949) which she wanted to do, but it would have meant going to England and she did not want to leave her baby alone during its first year.

Eleanor Parker returned in Chain Lightning (Stuart Heisler, 1950) with Humphrey Bogart. Parker heard about a women-in-prison film Warners were making, Caged (John Cromwell, 1950), and actively lobbied for the role. She got it, won the 1950 Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival and was nominated for an Academy Award. She also had a good role in the melodrama Three Secrets (Robert Wise, 1950). In February 1950, Parker left Warner Bros. after having been under contract there for eight years. Parker had understood that she would star in a film called Safe Harbor, but Warner Bros. apparently had no intention of making it. Because of this misunderstanding, her agents negotiated her release. Parker's career outside of Warners started badly with Valentino (Lewis Allen, 1951) playing a fictionalised wife of Rudolph Valentino for producer Edward Small. She tried a comedy at 20th Century Fox with Fred MacMurray, A Millionaire for Christy (George Marshall, 1951). In 1951, Parker signed a contract with Paramount for one film a year, with an option for outside films. This arrangement began brilliantly with Detective Story (William Wyler, 1951) playing Mary McLeod, the woman who doesn't understand the position of her unstable detective husband (Kirk Douglas). Parker was nominated for the Oscar in 1951 for her performance. Parker followed Detective Story with her portrayal of an actress in love with a swashbuckling nobleman (Stewart Granger) in Scaramouche (George Sidney, 1952), a role originally intended for Ava Gardner. Wikipedia: “Parker later claimed that Granger was the only person she didn't get along with during her entire career. However, they had good chemistry and the film was a massive hit. “MGM cast her into Above and Beyond (Melvin Frank, Norman Panama, 1952), a biopic of Lt. Col. Paul W. Tibbets, Jr. (Robert Taylor), the pilot of the aircraft that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. It was a solid hit. While Parker was making a third film for MGM, Escape from Fort Bravo (John Sturges, 1953), she signed a five-year contract with the studio. She was named as star of a Sidney Sheldon script, My Most Intimate Friend and of One More Time, from a script by Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin directed by George Cukor, but neither film was made. Back at Paramount, Parker starred with Charlton Heston as a 1900s mail-order bride in The Naked Jungle (Byron Haskin, 1954), produced by George Pal. Parker returned to MGM where she was reunited with Robert Taylor in an Egyptian adventure film, Valley of the Kings (Robert Pirosh, 1954), and a Western, Many Rivers to Cross (Roy Rowland, 1955). MGM gave her one of her best roles as opera singer Marjorie Lawrence struck down by polio in Interrupted Melody (Curtis Bernhardt, 1955). This was a big hit and earned Parker a third Oscar nomination; she later said it was her favourite film. Also in 1955, Parker appeared in the film adaptation of the National Book Award-winner The Man with the Golden Arm (Otto Preminger, 1955), released through United Artists. She played Zosh, the supposedly wheelchair-bound wife of heroin-addicted, would-be jazz drummer Frankie Machine (Frank Sinatra). It was a major commercial and critical success. In 1956, she co-starred with Clark Gable in the Western comedy The King and Four Queens (Raoul Walsh, 1956), also for United Artists. It was then back at MGM for two dramas: Lizzie (Hugo Haas, 1957), in the title role, as a woman with a split personality; and The Seventh Sin (Ronald Neame, 1957), a remake of The Painted Veil in the role originated by Greta Garbo and, once again, intended for Ava Gardner. Both films flopped at the box office and, as a result, Parker's plans to produce her own film, L'Eternelle, about French resistance fighters, did not materialise.

Eleanor Parker supported Frank Sinatra in a popular comedy, A Hole in the Head (Frank Capra, 1959). She returned to MGM for Home from the Hill (Vincente Minnelli, 1960), co-starring with Robert Mitchum, then took over Lana Turner's role of Constance Rossi in Return to Peyton Place (José Ferrer, 1961), the sequel to the hit 1957 film. That was made by 20th Century Fox who also produced Madison Avenue (H. Bruce Humberstone, 1961) with Parker. In 1960, she made her TV debut, and in the following years, she worked increasingly in television, with the occasional film role such as Panic Button (George Sherman, Giuliano Carnimeo, 1964) with Maurice Chevalier and Jayne Mansfield. Parker's best-known screen role is Baroness Elsa Schraeder in the Oscar-winning musical The Sound of Music (Robert Wise, 1965). The Baroness was famously and poignantly unsuccessful in keeping the affections of Captain Georg von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) after he falls in love with Maria (Julie Andrews). In 1966, Parker played an alcoholic widow in the crime drama Warning Shot (Buzz Kulik, 1967), a talent scout who discovers a Hollywood star in The Oscar (Russell Rouse, 1966), and a rich alcoholic in An American Dream (Robert Gist, 1966). However, her film career seemed to go downhill. A Playboy Magazine reviewer derided the cast of The Oscar as "has-beens and never-will-be". From the late 1960s, she focused on television. In 1963, Parker appeared in the medical TV drama about psychiatry The Eleventh Hour in the episode Why Am I Grown So Cold?, for which she was nominated for an Emmy Award. She also appeared in episodes of Breaking Point (1964). And The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1968). In 1969–1970, Parker starred in the television series Bracken's World, for which she was nominated for a 1970 Golden Globe Award. Parker also appeared on stage in the role of Margo Channing in Applause, the Broadway musical version of the film All About Eve. In 1976, she played Maxine in a revival of The Night of the Iguana. Her last film role was in a Farrah Fawcett bomb, Sunburn (Richard C. Sarafian, 1979). Subsequently, she appeared very infrequently on TV, most recently in Dead on the Money (Mark Cullingham, 1991). Eleanor Parker was married four times. Her first husband was Fred Losee (1943-1944). Her second marriage to Bert E. Friedlob (1946-1953) produced three children Susan Eleanor Friedlob (1948), Sharon Anne Friedlob (1950), and Richard Parker Friedlob (1952). Her third marriage was to American portrait painter Paul Clemens, (1954-1965) and the couple had one child, actor Paul Clemens (1958). Her fourth marriage with Raymond N. Hirsch (1966-2001) ended when Hirsch died of oesophagal cancer. She was the grandmother of actor/director Chasen Parker. Eleanor Parker died in 2013 at a medical facility in Palm Springs, California of complications of pneumonia. She was 91. Parker was raised a Protestant and later converted to Judaism, telling the New York Daily News columnist Kay Gardella in August 1969, "I think we're all Jews at heart ... I wanted to convert for a long time."

Sources: Jon C. Hopwood (IMDb), Wikipedia and IMDb.

And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.

Lancahsire's only population of wild Red Deer is found at Leighton Moss and in the Silverdale area. They are thought to have crossed over from Cumbria where they occur in forests, moors and on the mountains. At Leighton Moss they are found in reedbeds, showing their versatile nature.

The Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) is one of the largest deer species. The Red Deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor and parts of western and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being the only species of deer to inhabit Africa. Red Deer have been introduced to other areas including Australia, New Zealand and Argentina. In many parts of the world the meat (venison) from Red Deer is used as a food source.

Red Deer are ruminants, characterized by an even number of toes, and a four-chambered stomach. Recent DNA evidence indicates that the Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) and the East Asian and North American Elk (Wapiti) (Cervus canadensis) represent two distinct species. They also hint at an additional primordial subgroup of Central Asian Red Deer.[2] The ancestor of all Red Deer probably originated in Central Asia and probably resembled Sika Deer.[3]

Although at one time Red Deer were rare in some areas, they were never close to extinction. Reintroduction and conservation efforts, especially in the United Kingdom, have resulted in an increase of Red Deer populations, while other areas, such as North Africa, have continued to show a population decline.

Description

The Red Deer is the fourth largest deer species behind moose, elk (wapiti) and sambar deer. It is a ruminant, eating its food in two stages and having an even number of toes on each hoof, like camels, goats and cattle. European Red Deer have a relatively long tail compared to their Asian and North American relatives. There are subtle differences in appearance between the various subspecies of Red Deer primarily in size and antlers, with the smallest being the Corsican Red Deer found on the islands of Corsica and Sardinia and the largest being the Caspian red deer[citation needed] (or maral) of Asia Minor and the Caucasus Region to the west of the Caspian Sea. The deer of Central and Western Europe vary greatly in size with some of the largest deer found in the Carpathian Mountains in Central Europe.[3] West European Red Deer historically, grew to large size given ample food supply (including peoples' crops), and descendants of introduced populations living in New Zealand and Argentina have grown quite large in size and antlers. Large Red Deer stags, like the Caspian Red Deer or those of the Carpathian Mountains may rival the Wapiti in size. Female Red Deer are much smaller than their male counterparts.

Generally, the male (stag or hart) Red Deer is typically 175 to 230 cm (69 to 91 in) long and weighs 160 to 240 kg (350 to 530 lb); the female is 160 to 210 cm (63 to 83 in) long and weighs 120 to 170 kg (260 to 370 lb).[citation needed] The tail adds another 12 to 19 cm (4.7 to 7.5 in) and shoulder height is about 105 to 120 cm (41 to 47 in). Size varies in different subspecies with the largest, the huge but small-antlered deer of the Carpathian Mountains (C. e. elaphus), weighing up to 500 kg (1,100 lb). At the other end of the scale, the Corsican Red Deer (C. e. corsicanus) weighs about 80 to 100 kg (180 to 220 lb), although Red Deer in poor habitats can weigh as little as 53 to 112 kg (120 to 250 lb).[4] European Red Deer tend to be reddish-brown in their summer coats. The males of many subspecies also grow a short neck mane ("mane" of hair around their necks) during the autumn. The male deer of the British Isles and Norway tend to have the thickest and most noticeable neck manes. Male Caspian Red Deer (Cervus elaphus maral) and Spanish Red Deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) do not carry neck manes. Male deer of all subspecies, however, tend to have stronger and thicker neck muscles than female deer, which may give them an appearance of having neck manes. Red Deer hinds (females) do not have neck manes. The European Red Deer is adapted to a woodland environment.[5]

Only the stags have antlers which start growing in the spring and are shed each year, usually at the end of winter. Antlers are made of bone which can grow at a rate of 2.5 cm (1.0 in) a day. A soft covering known as velvet helps to protect newly forming antlers in the spring. European red deer antlers are distinctive in being rather straight and rugose, with the fourth and fifth tines forming a "crown" or "cup" in larger males. Any tines in excess of the fourth and fifth tine will grow radially from the "cup". "Cups" are generally absent in the antlers of smaller red deer such as Corsican Red Deer. West European Red Deer antlers feature bez (second) tines that are either absent or smaller than the brow tine. However, bez tines occur frequently in Norwegian Red Deer. Antlers of Caspian Red Deer carry large bez (second) tines and form less-developed "cups" than West European red deer, their antlers are thus more like the "throw back" top tines of the wapiti (Cervus canadensis sp.)and these are known as maraloid characteristics. A stag can (exceptionally) have antlers with no tines, and is then known as a switch. Similarly, a stag that doesn't grow antlers is a hummel. The antlers are testosterone-driven and as the stag's testosterone levels drop in the autumn, the velvet is shed and the antlers stop growing.[6] Red Deer produce no testosterone in their bodies while they are growing antler.[clarification needed] With the approach of autumn, the antler begin to calcify and the stags testosterone production builds for the approaching rut (mating season).

During the autumn, all Red Deer subspecies grow a thicker coat of hair which helps to insulate them during the winter. Autumn is also when some of the stags grow their neck manes.[3] It is in the autumn/winter coat that most subspecies are most distinct. The Caspian Red Deer's winter coat is greyer and has a larger and more distinguished light rump-patch (like Elk and some Central Asian Red Deer) compared to the West European Red Deer which has more of a greyish-brown coat with a darker yellowish rump patch in the winter. By the time summer begins, the heavy winter coat has been shed; the animals are known to rub against trees and other objects to help remove hair from their bodies. Red Deer have different colouration based on the seasons and types of habitats, with grey or lighter colouration prevalent in the winter and a more reddish and darker coat in the summer.[7] Most European Red Deer wear a reddish-brown summer coat, and some individuals may have a few spots on the backs of their summer coats.

Distribution

Cervus genus ancestors of Red Deer first appear in fossil records 12 million years ago during the Miocene in Eurasia.[8] An extinct genus known as the Irish Elk (Megaloceros), not related to the red deer but to the fallow deer, is the largest member of the deer family known from the fossil record.[9]

The European Red Deer is one of the largest game animals found in Southwestern Asia (Asia Minor and Caucasus regions), North Africa and Europe. The Red Deer is the largest non-domesticated mammal still existing in some European countries such as the United Kingdom and Ireland.[8] The Barbary stag (which resembles the West European Red Deer) is the only member of the deer family that is represented in Africa, with population centred in the northwestern region of the continent in the Atlas Mountains.[10] As of the mid 1990s, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria were the only African countries known to have Red Deer.[11]

In the UK there are indigenous populations in Scotland, the Lake District and the South West of England (principally on Exmoor). Not all of these are of entirely pure bloodlines as some of these populations have been supplemented with deliberate releases of deer from parks like Warnham or Woburn Abbey in an attempt to increase antler sizes and body weights. Edinburgh University found that in Scotland there has been extensive hybridisation with the closely related Sika Deer.[12] There are several other populations that have originated either with carted deer kept for stag hunts being left out at the end of the hunt, escapes from deer farms or deliberate releases. Carted deer were kept by stag hunts with no wild red deer in the locality and were normally recaptured after the hunt and used again; although the hunts are called "stag hunts" the Norwich Staghounds only hunted hinds (female red deer) and in 1950 at least eight hinds (some of which may have been pregnant) were known to be at large near Kimberley and West Harling[13] and formed the basis of a new population based in Thetford Forest in Norfolk. There are now further substantial red deer herds that originated from escapes or deliberate releases in the New Forest, the Peak District, Suffolk, Brecon Beacons and West Yorkshire as well as many other smaller populations scattered throughout England, and they are all generally increasing in numbers and range. A recent census of deer populations in 2007 coordinated by the British Deer Society records red deer as having expanded range their range in England and Wales since 2000, with expansion most notable in the Midlands and East Anglia. ref [1]

In New Zealand, and to a lesser degree in Australia, the red deer were introduced by acclimatisation societies along with other deer and game species. The first red deer to reach New Zealand were a pair sent by Lord Petre in 1851 from his herd at Thorndon Park, Essex to the South Island but the hind was shot before they had a chance to breed. Lord Petre sent another stag and two hinds in 1861 and these were liberated near Nelson from where they quickly spread. The first deer to reach the North Island were a gift to Sir Frederick Weld from Windsor Great Park and were released near Wellington and these were followed by further releases up to 1914.[14] Between 1851 and 1926 there were 220 separate liberations of red deer involving over 800 deer.[15] In 1927 the State Forest Service introduced a bounty for red deer shot on their land and in 1931 Government control operations were commenced and between 1931 and March 1975 1,124,297 deer were killed on official operations.

In New Zealand introduced Red Deer have adapted much better and are widely hunted on both islands, many of the 220 introductions used deer originating from Scotland (Invermark) or one of the major deer parks in England, principally Warnham, Woburn Abbey or Windsor Great Park. There is some hybridisation with the closely related Wapiti or American Elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) introduced in Fiordland in 1921. New Zealand red deer produce very large antlers and are regarded as amongst the best in the world by hunters. Along with the other introduced deer species they are however officially regarded as a noxious pest and are still heavily culled using professional hunters working with helicopters, or even poisoned.

The first red deer to reach Australia were probably the six that Prince Albert sent in 1860 from Windsor Great Park to Thomas Chirnside who was starting a herd at Werribee Park, south west of Melbourne in Victora. Further introductions were made in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. Today the red deer range in Australia ranges from Queensland down through New South Wales into Victoria and across to South Australia, with the numbers increasing. The Queensland, Victorian and most New South Wales strains can still be traced to the early releases, but South Australia's population along with all others is now largely recent farmed escapees. This is having adverse affects on the integrity of wild herds as now more and more larger herds are being grown due to the superior genetics that have been attained by select breeding.

Red Deer populations in Africa and southern Europe are generally declining. In Argentina, where the Red Deer has had a potential adverse impact on native animal species, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has labelled the animal as one of the world's 100 worst invaders.

Migration

Red Deer in Europe generally spend their winters in lower altitudes and more wooded terrain. During the summer, they migrate to higher elevations where food supplies are greater for the calving season.

Taxonomy

Until recently biologists considered that Red Deer and Wapiti (or Elk) are the same species forming, a continuous distribution throughout temperate Eurasia and North America. This belief was based largely on the fully fertile hybrids that can be produced under captive conditions.

However, recent DNA studies conducted on hundreds of samples from Red Deer and Elk subspecies concluded that there are no more than 9 distinct subspecies of Red Deer and Wapiti and that they fall into two separate species: the Red Deer from Europe, western Asia and North Africa, and the Wapiti or Elk from Northern and Eastern Asia and North America. Surprisingly, from DNA evidence the Elk appear more closely related to Sika Deer and to Thorold's deer than to Red Deer.

Subspecies

Additionally there are some central Asiatic subspecies (Tarim group, including Bactrian deer and Yarkand deer), which are geographically isolated from Wapiti and western Red Deer by the Takla Makan and the Pamir Mountains. They appear to represent a primordial subgroup, genetically more related to the Red Deer than to the Wapiti. It remains unclear which clade the Kashmir stag belongs in,[2] though it, in terms of zoogeography, is most likely to belong in the central Asian group.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources originally listed nine subspecies of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus): three as endangered, one as vulnerable, one as near threatened, and four without enough data to give a category ("Data Deficient"). The species as a whole, however, is listed as least concern.[1] However, this was based on the traditional classification of Red Deer as one species (Cervus elaphus), including the Elk.

Listed below are the subspecies of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), including the primordial subgroup from central Asia.

Subspecies

Additionally there are some central Asiatic subspecies (Tarim group, including Bactrian deer and Yarkand deer), which are geographically isolated from Wapiti and western Red Deer by the Takla Makan and the Pamir Mountains. They appear to represent a primordial subgroup, genetically more related to the Red Deer than to the Wapiti. It remains unclear which clade the Kashmir stag belongs in,[2] though it, in terms of zoogeography, is most likely to belong in the central Asian group.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources originally listed nine subspecies of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus): three as endangered, one as vulnerable, one as near threatened, and four without enough data to give a category ("Data Deficient"). The species as a whole, however, is listed as least concern.[1] However, this was based on the traditional classification of Red Deer as one species (Cervus elaphus), including the Elk.

Listed below are the subspecies of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), including the primordial subgroup from central Asia.

Breeding, gestation and lifespan

Red Deer mating patterns usually involve a dozen or more mating attempts before the first successful one. There may be several more matings before the stag will seek out another mate in his harem. Females in their second autumn can produce one and very rarely two offspring per year. The gestation period is 240 and 262 days and the offspring weigh about 15 kg (33 lb). After two weeks, fawns are able to join the herd and are fully weaned after two months.[20] Female offspring outnumber male offspring more than two to one and all Red Deer fawns are born spotted, as is common with many deer species, and lose their spots by the end of summer. However, as in many species of Old World Deer, some adults do retain a few spots on the backs of their summer coats.[3] The offspring will remain with their mothers for almost one full year, leaving around the time that the next season offspring are produced.[5] The gestation period is the same for all subspecies.

Red Deer live up to over 20 years in captivity and in the wild they average 10 to 13 years,, though some subspecies with less predation pressure average 15 years.

Protection from predators

Male Red Deer retain their antlers for more than half the year and are less gregarious and less likely to group with other males when they have antlers. The antlers provide self-defence as does a strong front-leg kicking action which is performed by both sexes when attacked. Once the antlers are shed, stags tend to form bachelor groups which allow them to cooperatively work together. Herds tend to have one or more members watching for potential danger while the remaining members eat and rest.[5]

After the rut, females form large herds of up to 50 individuals. The newborn calves are kept close to the hinds by a series of vocalizations between the two, and larger nurseries have an ongoing and constant chatter during the daytime hours. When approached by predators, the largest and most robust females may make a stand, using their front legs to kick at their attackers. Guttural grunts and posturing is used with all but the most determined of predators with great effectiveness. Aside from humans and domestic dogs, the Wolf is probably the most dangerous predator that most European Red Deer encounter. Occasionally, the Brown bear will predate on European Red Deer as well.[5] Eurasian Lynx and wild boars sometimes prey on the calves. The leopard in Asia Minor (now extinct) probably preyed on East European Red Deer. Both Barbary Lion and Barbary Leopard probably once preyed on Atlas stags in the Atlas Mountains, although Barbary Lion is now extinct in the wild, and Barbary Leopard either very rare or extinct.

Red Deer in folklore

Red Deer are widely depicted in cave art and are found throughout European caves, with some of the artwork dating from as early as 40,000 years ago, during the Upper Paleolithic. Siberian cave art from the Neolithic of 7,000 years ago has abundant depictions of Red Deer, including what can be described as spiritual artwork, indicating the importance of this mammal to the peoples of that region (Note: these animals were most likely Wapiti (Cervus canadensis) in Siberia, not Red Deer).[21] Red deer are also often depicted on Pictish stones (c.550-850 AD), from the early medieval period in Scotland, usually as prey animals for human or animal predators. In Medieval hunting the red deer was the most prestigious quarry, especially the mature stag, which in England was called a 'hart'.

Red Deer products

Red Deer are held in captivity for a variety of reasons. The meat of the deer, called venison, is not generally harvested for human consumption on a large scale, though speciality restaurants seasonally offer venison which is widely considered to be both flavourful and nutritious. Venison is higher in protein and lower in fat than either beef or chicken.[22] In some countries in central Asia, elk is still hunted as a primary source of meat.

The red deer can produce 10 to 15 kg (22 to 33 lb) of antler velvet annually.[citation needed] On ranches in New Zealand, China, Siberia, and elsewhere[23] this velvet is collected and sold to markets in East Asia, where it is used for holistic medicines, with South Korea being the primary consumer. In Russia, a medication produced from antler velvet is sold under the brand name Pantokrin (Russian: Пантокри́н; Latin: Pantocrinum).[citation needed] The antlers themselves are also believed by East Asians to have medicinal purposes and are often ground up and used in small quantities.

Historically, related deer species such as Central Asian Red Deer, Wapiti, Thorold's Deer, and Sika Deer have been reared on deer farms in Central and Eastern Asia by Han Chinese, Turkic peoples, Tungusic peoples, Mongolians, and Koreans.[citation needed] In modern times, Western countries such as New Zealand and United States have taken to farming European Red Deer for similar purposes.

Deer antlers are also highly sought after worldwide for decorative purposes and have been used for artwork, furniture and other novelty items.

Photoshoot with Brittany

Ophrydium versatile, Colonial Protozoa

A gelatinous green colony of Ophrydium versatile photographed at New Marsh in the North Tract of the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge, Maryland, USA. Special thanks to my friend Richard Orr for pointing this organism out to me and explaining what we were observing.

Ophrydium versatile is a colonial protozoan, meaning it is made up of many single-celled organisms that live and function together as a unified colony rather than as independent individuals. What appears to be a single organism is actually a highly organized structure composed of tens of thousands to several million microscopic single-celled zooids (individual protozoan cells) embedded within a shared gelatinous matrix that they collectively produce.

Each zooid contains symbiotic green algae (Chlorella), which photosynthesize and give the colony its vivid green coloration while supplying nutrients to the host cells. The colony grows as individual zooids reproduce by cell division and remain integrated within the structure, and new colonies can form when free-swimming stages settle and begin building their own matrix.

Functionally, the colony operates as a coordinated system, with each cell feeding by creating tiny water currents using cilia while also benefiting from the internal algae’s energy production. Shape can vary from spherical to irregular depending on environmental conditions, which explains differences in appearance between observations.

This image captures a rarely noticed freshwater micro-ecosystem made visible at a scale large enough to be appreciated with the naked eye.

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Dutch postcard. Sent by mail in 1962.

Italian actress Claudia Cardinale (1938) is one of Europe's iconic and most versatile film stars. The combination of her beauty, dark, flashing eyes, explosive sexuality and genuine acting talent virtually guaranteed her stardom. Her most notable films include 8½ (Federico Fellini, 1963), Il Gattopardo/The Leopard (Luchino Visconti, 1963) and Once Upon a Time in the West (Sergio Leone, 1968).

Claude Joséphine Rose Cardinale was born in La Goulette in Tunisia in 1938 (some sources claim 1939). Her mother, Yolande Greco, was born in Tunisia to Italian (Sicilian) emigrants from Trapani, Italy. Her father was an Italian (Sicilian) railway worker, born in Gela, Italy. Her native languages were Tunisian Arabic and French. She received a French education and she had to learn Italian once she pursued her acting career. She had her break in films after she was voted the most beautiful Italian girl in Tunisia in 1957. The contest of the Italian embassy had as a prize a trip to the Venice Film Festival. She made her film debut in the French-Tunisian coproduction Goha (Jacques Baratier, 1958) starring Omar Sharif. After attending the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome for two months, she signed a 7-year contract with the Vides studios. The contract forbade her to cut her hair, to marry or to gain weight. Later that year she had a role in the heist comedy I soliti ignoti/Big Deal On Madonna Street (Mario Monicelli, 1958) with Vittorio Gassman and Renato Salvatori. The film was an international success, and her film career was off and running. At this point, the press, noting her initials, announced that CC was the natural successor to BB (Brigitte Bardot), and began beating the drum on her behalf. Dozens of alluring photographs of Claudia Cardinale were displayed in newspapers and magazines throughout the world. According to IMDb, she has appeared on more than 900 magazine covers in over 25 countries. The contrast between these pictures and those of Marilyn Monroe or Jayne Mansfield is striking. Cardinale never appeared in a nude or fully topless scene. Her pictures promoted an image of a shy family girl who just happened to have a beautiful face and a sexy body. A photograph of Cardinale was featured in the original gate fold artwork to Bob Dylan's album Blonde on Blonde (1966), but because it was used without Cardinale's permission, the photo was removed from the cover art in later pressings.

Claudia Cardinale's early career was largely managed producer Franco Cristaldi. Because of her film contract, she told everyone that her son Patrizio was her baby brother. He was born out of wedlock when she was 17; the father was a mysterious Frenchman. She did not reveal to the child that he was her son until he was 19 years old. In 1966, she married Cristaldi, who adopted Patrizio. In only three years she made a stream of great films. First she made three successful comedies, Un Maledetto imbroglio/The Facts of Murder (Pietro Germi, 1959), Il Bell'Antonio/Bell'Antonio (Mauro Bolognini, 1960) featuring Marcello Mastroianni, and Audace colpo dei soliti ignoti/Fiasco in Milan (Nanni Loy, 1960). Cardinale had a supporting part in the epic drama Rocco e i suoi fratelli/Rocco and His Brothers (Luchino Visconti, 1960) in which she played the sister-in-law of Alain Delon and Renato Salvatori. And then followed leading parts in La Ragazza con la valigia/Girl with a Suitcase (Valerio Zurlini, 1961), La Viaccia/The Lovemakers (Mauro Bolognini, 1961) with Jean-Paul Belmondo, and Senilità/Careless (Mauro Bolognini, 1961). Claudia Cardinale had a deep, sultry voice and spoke Italian with a heavy French accent, so her voice was dubbed in her early films. In Federico Fellini's 8½ (1963), she was finally allowed to dub her own dialogue. In the film, she plays a dream woman - a character named Claudia, who is the object of the fantasies of the director in the film, played by Marcello Mastroianni. With Fellini's surrealistic masterpiece she received her widest exposure to date with this film. That same year, she also appeared in another masterpiece of the Italian cinema, the epic Il Gattopardo/The Leopard (Luchino Visconti, 1963) with Burt Lancaster and Alain Delon. The combined success of these two classic films made her rise to the front ranks of Italian cinema. And it also piqued Hollywood's interest.

In 1963 Claudia Cardinale played the princess who owned the Pink Panther diamond in The Pink Panther (Blake Edwards, 1963) which was filmed in Italy. It was the first in the series of detective comedies starring Peter Sellers as bumbling French Inspector Jacques Clouseau (the mishap-prone snoop was actually a supporting player in his debut). The film was an enormous success and brought CC to English-speaking audiences. In 1964 she co-starred with John Wayne and Rita Hayworth in her first American production, Circus World (Henry Hathaway, 1964). It was another box-office hit. The following year she appeared with Rock Hudson in Blindfold (Philip Dunne, 1966), an offbeat mixture of espionage and slapstick comedy. The Professionals (Richard Brooks, 1966) is her favourite among her Hollywood films. In this Western, she is a gutsy Mexican woman married against her will to a rich American. The film received Academy Award nominations for Best Direction (Richard Brooks), Best Screenplay (Brooks again), and Best Cinematography (Conrad L. Hall). Cardinale continued dividing her time between Hollywood and Europe for the remainder of the decade. Throughout the 1960s, Claudia Cardinale also appeared in some of the best European films. In France, she appeared in the Swashbuckler Cartouche (Philippe de Broca, 1962) featuring Jean-Paul Belmondo. Back in Italy, she played in I Giorno della civetta/The Day of the Owl (Damiano Damiani, 1968) with Franco Nero, and Nell'anno del Signore/The Conspirators (Luigi Magni, 1969) with Nino Manfredi. Mesmerizing is her performance in Sandra/Vaghe stelle dell'Orsa... (Luchino Visconti, 1965) as a Holocaust survivor with an incestuous relationship with her brother (Jean Sorel). Another highlight in her career is C'era una volta il West/Once Upon a Time in the West (Sergio Leone, 1968), the ultimate Spaghetti Western. Lucia Bozzola writes in her review at AllMovie: "In Sergio Leone's epic Western, shot partly in Monument Valley, a revenge story becomes an epic contemplation of the Western past. (...) As in his 'Dollars' trilogy, Leone transforms the standard Western plot through the visual impact of widescreen landscapes and the figures therein. At its full length, Once Upon a Time in the West is Leone's operatic masterwork, worthy of its legend-making title."

In the following decades, Claudia Cardinale remained mainly active in European cinema. She played a small part for Visconti in Gruppo di famiglia in un interno/Conversation Piece (Luchino Visconti, 1974) starring Burt Lancaster and Silvana Mangano. She worked with other major Italian directors at Goodbye e amen (Damiano Damiani, 1977), the TV mini-series Jesus of Nazareth (Franco Zeffirelli, 1977) as the adulteress, and La Pelle/The Skin (Liliana Cavani, 1981) starring Marcello Mastroianni and based on the bitter novel by Curzio Malaparte concerning the Allied liberation of Naples. An international arthouse hit was Fitzcarraldo (Werner Herzog, 1982), the story of an obsessed impresario (Klaus Kinski) whose foremost desire in life is to bring both Enrico Caruso and an opera house to the deepest jungles of South America. In his diary of the making of Fitzcarraldo, Werner Herzog writes: "Claudia Cardinale is great help because she is such a good sport, a real trouper, and has a special radiance before the camera. In her presence, [Klaus Kinski] usually acts like a gentleman." Other interesting films include the Luigi Pirandello adaptation Enrico IV/Henry IV (Marco Bellocchio, 1984) with Marcello Mastroianni, the epic La révolution française/The French Revolution (Robert Enrico, Richard T. Heffron, 1989), the nostalgic drama Mayrig/Mother (Henri Verneuil, 1991), and the romantic thriller And now... Ladies and Gentlemen (Claude Lelouch, 2002) starring Jeremy Irons. On Television she gave another well-received performance in the TV drama La storia/History (Luigi Comencini, 1986), in which she plays a widow raising a son during World War II.

Claudia Cardinale is a liberal with strong political convictions. She is involved in many humanitarian causes, and pro-women and pro-gay issues, and she has frequently stated her pride in her Tunisian and Arab roots - as evidenced by her appearance as herself in the Tunisian film Un été à La Goulette/A Summer at La Goulette (Férid Boughedir, 1996). She has managed to combine her acting work with a role of goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, and advocate for the work of Luchino Visconti with whom she made four films. She wrote an autobiography, 'Moi Claudia, Toi Claudia' (Me Claudia, You Claudia). In 2005, she also published a French-language book, Mes Etoiles (My Stars), about her personal and professional relationships with many of her directors and co-stars through her nearly 50 years in show-business. In 2002, she won an honorary Golden Bear award of the Berlin Film Festival, and previously in 1993 she was awarded an honorary Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. Cardinale works steadily on and in recent years she has also worked in the theatre. In the cinema, she appeared recently in the French-Tunisian gay drama Le fil/The String (Mehdi Ben Attia, 2009), the Algerian drama Un balcon sur la mer/A View of Love (Nicole Garcia, 2010) in which she played the mother of Jean Dujardin, and the costume drama Effie Gray (Richard Laxton, 2014) with Dakota Fanning. Claudia Cardinale currently lives in Paris. She has made over 135 films in the past 60 years and still does two or three a year.

Sources: Lucia Bozzola (AllMovie), Steve Rose (The Guardian), IMDb, and Wikipedia.

And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.

Sometimes, I'm a little different.

You've got to love the lovely blue chest, but Pukeko are interesting birds...! There is much that can be written about this bird, but I'll limit my narrative...: In New Zealand, Pūkeko are commonly seen foraging in paddocks and along roadsides (as well as living near waterways, lakes, ponds and marshes).

When disturbed, they prefer to run or hide rather than fly, but once airborne, they are capable fliers and can fly long distances.

And despite not having webbed feet, they are also strong swimmers...

Nature is versatile...!

Further reading can be found at www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/pukeko (and scroll down).

THANKS

Thanks so much for all the very kind and encouraging comments beneath this photo...! Your support is always greatly appreciated...

Chattooga Belle Farm

Oconee County, South Carolina

Accessed via Damscus Church Road

An alternate composition of my sunset & tree farm series of late. It is probably apparent to many of you that I've added a new lens to the arsenal. For nearly three years I shot with one lens: a 12-24mm wide angle. I'm now the proud owner of a 70-200mm telephoto lens that I absolutely love (and has been responsible for most of my recent images). The versatility is really fantastic and the lens has opened upentirely new avenues for me. The only disadvantage now: how to swap lenses on the same camera body when in the outdoors? When in the middle of a stream? Hmm.... ;)

www.markvandyke.smugmug.com

This was created for Septembers most versatile set.

Processed in DXO and NIK Analog Efex Pro

IMG_8953.jpgp

Versatility is my final project after a one year photographic course. All the pictures are made from my old pictures of flowers.

Thank you for viewing, faving or commenting on my images, have a great day! (Affinity Pro for editing)