Lake Elizabeth, Fremont, CA

The beaver has been extinct in the UK since the 16th century, however up and down the land there are now numerous reintroduction projects. Apart from the wish to see the introduction of a large mammal back into our countryside there are now strong arguments that the beaver through its dam creation will help transform many of our smaller rivers. It is expected that by building the dams the flow of water will reduce after heavy rain and therefore gradually release the run off rather than produce the deluge we often see. Of course dam creation creates ponds and floodplains which in turn will have a knock on effect on the environment. There is one such designated release area not too far from me but I have yet to see the star attractions.

This photo was taken on our recent American trip in Oregon close to the coast at Barview which is just north of Tillamook. I should have expected we might have struck lucky as Oregon is known as the "Beaver State".

I had spotted somewhere to photograph a heritage diesel service and whilst I waited the beaver appeared. Alas I only had my standard lens to hand. The diesel passed, I got my shot and returned to the car to grab my long lens. This time Shirley accompanied me and for once was pleased I had stopped for a railway photograph. Thankfully it was quite active and reappeared a couple more times. Clearly it was an industrious individual.

66553 seems to have had an argument with most of its consist as its all loaded towards the rear of the train. Still it was extremely pleasant to have a wander about the river bank again. 4O71 16:28 Wentloog Freightliner to Southampton.

The two jaguars of the Salzburg zoo seemingly didn't have the same opinion!

www.ffw.ch/de/news/medienmitteilung-dokumentarfilm-porkeria/

The documentary “Porkería” challenges the arguments of the meat and dairy industry and its stakeholders with concrete examples of the damage caused by the sector. Environmentalists in the Amazon forest have their say, denouncing massive deforestation to grow soy, corn and wheat. “Western countries are taking their lands away from indigenous populations and cutting down ancient forests to produce feed for the meat and dairy industries,” emphasizes Vera Weber, president of the Franz Weber Foundation.

Nearly 90% of global soy and grain production is used as livestock feed and ultimately to produce animal protein. If this cereal were used directly for human consumption, the benefits would be much greater. “The production of plant proteins is ten times more efficient than the production of animal proteins,” says Vera Weber. A reduction in the consumption of animal-based foods would mean that freed up arable land could be used directly to produce food for humans, without having to go through animals. Large-scale production of animal feed would also be drastically reduced, and the extent of global deforestation would be massively reduced.

Il documentario “Porkería” sfida le argomentazioni dell’industria della carne e dei latticini e dei suoi stakeholder con esempi concreti dei danni causati dal settore. Gli ambientalisti della foresta amazzonica dicono la loro, denunciando la massiccia deforestazione per coltivare soia, mais e grano. "I paesi occidentali stanno sottraendo le loro terre alle popolazioni indigene e abbattendo foreste secolari per produrre mangimi per l'industria della carne e dei latticini", sottolinea Vera Weber, presidente della Fondazione Franz Weber.

Quasi il 90% della produzione globale di soia e cereali viene utilizzata come mangime per il bestiame e, in ultima analisi, per produrre proteine ​​animali. Se questo cereale venisse utilizzato direttamente per l’alimentazione umana, i benefici sarebbero molto maggiori. "La produzione di proteine ​​vegetali è dieci volte più efficiente della produzione di proteine ​​animali", afferma Vera Weber. Una riduzione del consumo di alimenti di origine animale significherebbe che i terreni coltivabili liberati potrebbero essere utilizzati direttamente per produrre cibo per l'uomo, senza dover passare attraverso gli animali. Anche la produzione su larga scala di mangimi per animali verrebbe drasticamente ridotta e l’entità della deforestazione globale verrebbe ridotta in modo massiccio.

Discussion Round

Social isolation already done in Dreamland aka Finland.

There are no secret to avoiding arguments with difficult People, I don't want to argue with anybody because I am crazy.

Finns known to be quiet and shy, not really. There’s no necessity to fill gaps in conversation with chatter. Suits me fine. I can be a chatter box but I can be shy as dingo Australian wild dog.

Self isolation is privilege and not everyone afford it, please do help some poor, lesser, older and weaker people.

Siena è un comune di 54.391 abitanti della Toscana centrale, capoluogo dell'omonima provincia.

La città è universalmente conosciuta per il suo patrimonio artistico e per la sostanziale unità stilistica del suo arredo urbano medievale, nonché per il suo famoso Palio; il centro storico è stato infatti dichiarato dall'UNESCO patrimonio dell'umanità nel 1995.

Siena fu fondata come colonia romana al tempo dell'Imperatore Augusto e prese il nome di Saena Iulia.

All'interno del centro storico senese sono stati ritrovati dei siti di epoca etrusca, che possono far pensare alla fondazione della città da parte degli etruschi.

Il primo documento noto in cui viene citata la comunità senese risale al 70 e porta la firma di Tacito che, nel IV libro delle Historiae, riporta il seguente episodio: il senatore Manlio Patruito riferì a Roma di essere stato malmenato e ridicolizzato con un finto funerale durante la sua visita ufficiale a Saena Iulia, piccola colonia militare della Tuscia. Il Senato romano decise di punire i principali colpevoli e di richiamare severamente i senesi a un maggiore rispetto verso l'autorità.

Dell'alto Medioevo non si hanno documenti che possano illuminare intorno ai casi della vita civile a Siena. C'è qualche notizia relativa alla istituzione del vescovado e della diocesi, specialmente per le questioni sorte fra il Vescovo di Siena e quello di Arezzo, a causa dei confini della zona giurisdizionale di ciascuno: questioni nelle quali intervenne il re longobardo Liutprando, pronunziando sentenza a favore della diocesi aretina. Ma i senesi non furono soddisfatti e pertanto nell'anno 853, quando l'Italia passò dalla dominazione longobarda a quella franca, riuscirono ad ottenere l'annullamento della sentenza emanata dal re Liutprando. Pare, dunque, che al tempo dei Longobardi, Siena fosse governata da un gastaldo, rappresentante del re: Gastaldo che fu poi sostituito da un Conte imperiale dopo l'incoronazione di Carlo Magno. Il primo conte di cui si hanno notizie concrete fu Winigi, figlio di Ranieri, nel 867. Dopo il 900 regnava a Siena l'imperatore Ludovico III, il cui regno non durò così a lungo, dal momento che nel 903 le cronache raccontano di un ritorno dei conti al potere sotto il nuovo governo del re Berengario.

Siena si ritrova nel X secolo al centro di importanti vie commerciali che portavano a Roma e, grazie a ciò divenne un'importante città medievale. Nel XII secolo la città si dota di ordinamenti comunali di tipo consolare, comincia a espandere il proprio territorio e stringe le prime alleanze. Questa situazione di rilevanza sia politica che economica, portano Siena a combattere per i domini settentrionali della Toscana, contro Firenze. Dalla prima metà del XII secolo in poi Siena prospera e diventa un importante centro commerciale, tenendo buoni rapporti con lo Stato della Chiesa; i banchieri senesi erano un punto di riferimento per le autorità di Roma, ai quali si rivolgevano per prestiti o finanziamenti.

Alla fine del XII secolo Siena, sostenendo la causa ghibellina (anche se non mancavano, le famiglie senesi di parte guelfa, in sintonia con Firenze), si ritrovò nuovamente contro Firenze di parte guelfa: celebre è la vittoria sui toscani guelfi nella battaglia di Montaperti, del 1260, celebrata anche da Dante Alighieri. Ma dopo qualche anno i senesi ebbero la peggio nella battaglia di Colle Val d'Elsa, del 1269, che portò in seguito, nel 1287, alla ascesa del Governo

dei Nove, di parte guelfa. Sotto questo nuovo governo, Siena raggiunse il suo massimo splendore, sia economico che culturale.

Dopo la peste del 1348, cominciò la lenta decadenza della Repubblica di Siena, che comunque non precluse la strada all'espansione territoriale senese, che fino al giorno della caduta della Repubblica comprendeva un terzo della toscana. La fine della Repubblica Senese, forse l'unico Stato occidentale ad attuare una democrazia pura a favore del popolo, avvenne il 25 aprile 1555, quando la città, dopo un assedio di oltre un anno, dovette arrendersi stremata dalla fame, all'impero di Carlo V, spalleggiato dai fiorentini, che cedette in feudo il territorio della Repubblica ai Medici, Signori di Firenze, per ripagarli delle spese sostenute durante la guerra. Per l'ennesima volta i cittadini senesi riuscirono a tenere testa ad un imperatore, che solo grazie alle proprie smisurate risorse poté piegare la fiera resistenza di questa piccola Repubblica e dei suoi cittadini.

Dopo la caduta della Repubblica pochi senesi guidati peraltro dall'esule fiorentino Piero Strozzi, non volendo accettare la caduta della Repubblica, si rifugiarono in Montalcino, creando la Repubblica di Siena riparata in Montalcino, mantenendo l'alleanza con la Francia, che continuò ad esercitare il proprio potere sulla parte meridionale del territorio della Repubblica, creando notevoli problemi alle truppe degli odiati fiorentini. Essa visse fino al 31 maggio del 1559 quando fu tradita dagli alleati francesi, che Siena aveva sempre sostenuto, che concludendo la pace di Cateau-Cambrésis con l'imperatore Carlo V, cedettero di fatto la Repubblica ai fiorentini.

Lo stemma di Siena è detto "balzana". È uno scudo diviso in due porzioni orizzontali: quella superiore è bianca, quella inferiore nera,con la Lupa che allatta Senio e Ascanio. Secondo la leggenda, starebbe a simboleggiare il fumo nero e bianco scaturito dalla pira augurale che i leggendari fondatori della città, Senio e Ascanio, figli di Remo, avrebbero acceso per ringraziare gli dei dopo la fondazione della città di Siena. Un'altra leggenda riporta che la balzana derivi dai colori dei cavalli, uno bianco ed uno nero, che Senio e Ascanio usarono nella fuga dallo zio Romolo che li voleva uccidere e con i quali giunsero a Siena. Per il loro presunto carattere focoso che, si dice, rasenta la pazzia, anche i senesi sono definiti spesso "balzani".

Siena (em português também conhecida como Sena) é uma cidade e sede de comuna italiana na região da Toscana, província do mesmo nome, com cerca de 52.775 (ISTAT 2003) habitantes. Estende-se por uma área de 118 km2, tendo uma densidade populacional de 447 hab/km2. Faz fronteira com Asciano, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Monteriggioni, Monteroni d'Arbia e Sovicille.

Siena é universalmente conhecida pelo seu património artístico e pela notável unidade estilística do seu centro histórico, classificado pela UNESCO como Património da Humanidade.

Segundo a mitologia romana, Siena foi fundada por Sénio, filho de Remo, e podem-se encontrar numerosas estátuas e obras de arte mostrando, tal como em Roma, os irmãos amamentados pela loba. Foi um povoamento etrusco e depois colónia romana (Saena Julia) refundada pelo imperador Augusto. Era, contudo, uma pequena povoação, longe das rotas principais do Império. No século V, torna-se sede de uma diocese cristã.

As antigas famílias aristocráticas de Siena reclamam origem nos Lombardos e à data da submissão da Lombardia a Carlos Magno (774). A grande influência da cidade como pólo cultural, artístico e político é iniciada no século XII, quando se converte num burgo autogovernado de cariz republicano, substituindo o esquema feudal.

Todavia, o esquema político conduziu sempre a lutas internas entre nobres e externas com a cidade rival de Florença. Data do século XIII a ruptura entre as facções rivais dos Guibelinos de Siena e dos Guelfos de Florença, que seria argumento para a Divina Comédia de Dante.

Em 4 de Setembro de 1260, os Guibelinos apoiaram as forças do rei Manfredo da Sicília e derrotaram os Guelfos em Montaperti, que tinham um exército muito superior em armas e homens. Antes da batalha, toda a cidade fora consagrada à Virgem Maria e confiada à sua protecção. Hoje, essa protecção é recordada e renovada, lembrando os sienenses da ameaça dos aliados da Segunda Guerra Mundial de bombardearam a cidade em 1944, o que felizmente não veio a acontecer.

Siena rivalizou no campo das artes durante o período medieval até o século XIV com as cidades vizinhas. Porém, devastada em 1348 pela Peste Negra, nunca recuperou o seu esplendor, perdendo também a sua rivalidade interurbana com Florença. A Siena actual tem um aspecto muito semelhante ao dos séculos XIII-XIV. Detém uma universidade fundada em 1203, famosa pelas faculdades de Direito e Medicina, e que é uma das mais prestigiadas universidades italianas.

Em 1557 perde a independência e é integrada nas formações políticas e administrativas da Toscana.

Siena também deu vários Papas, sendo eles: Alexandre III, Pio II, Pio III e Alexandre VII.

Os dois grandes santos de Siena são Santa Catarina (1347-1380) e São Bernardino (1380-1444). Catarina Benincasa, filha de um humilde tintureiro, fez-se irmã na Ordem Terceira dominicana (para leigos)e viveu como monja na casa dos pais. É famosa pelo intercâmbio interior com o próprio Cristo, que num êxtase lhe disse: "Eu sou aquele que é e tú és aquela que não é". Apesar da origem modesta, influenciou papas e príncipes com sua sabedoria e seu exemplo, conseguindo inclusive convencer o papa de então, contra a maioria dos cardeais, a regressar a Roma do exílio de Avinhon na França. Quanto ao franciscano São Bernardino, ele é célebre por ter sido o maior expoente, no Catolicismo, da via espiritual de invocação do Nome Divino, que encontra similares em todas as grandes religiões, do Budismo (nembutsu) ao Islã ([[dhikr]]) e ao Hinduísmo (mantra). Os sermões que Bernbardino fez na praça central de Siena provocaram tal fervor religioso e devoção ao nome de Jesus que o conselho municipal decidiu colocar o monograma do nome de Jesus (composto pelas letras IHS, significando "Jesus salvador dos homens")na fachada do prédio do governo. Do mesmo modo, muitos cidadãos o pintaram sobre as fachadas de suas casas, como até hoje se pode ver na cidade.

Siena also widely spelled Sienna in English) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.

The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008.[1] Siena is famous for its cuisine, art, museums, medieval cityscape and the palio.

Siena, like other Tuscan hill towns, was first settled in the time of the Etruscans (c. 900–400 BC) when it was inhabited by a tribe called the Saina. The Etruscans were an advanced people who changed the face of central Italy through their use of irrigation to reclaim previously unfarmable land, and their custom of building their settlements in well-defended hill-forts. A Roman town called Saena Julia was founded at the site in the time of the Emperor Augustus. The first document mentioning it dates from AD 70. Some archaeologists assert that Siena was controlled for a period by a Gaulish tribe called the Saenones.

The Roman origin accounts for the town's emblem: a she-wolf suckling infants Romulus and Remus. According to legend, Siena was founded by Senius, son of Remus, who was in turn the brother of Romulus, after whom Rome was named. Statues and other artwork depicting a she-wolf suckling the young twins Romulus and Remus can be seen all over the city of Siena. Other etymologies derive the name from the Etruscan family name "Saina," the Roman family name of the "Saenii," or the Latin word "senex" ("old") or the derived form "seneo", "to be old".

Siena did not prosper under Roman rule. It was not sited near any major roads and lacked opportunities for trade. Its insular status meant that Christianity did not penetrate until the 4th century AD, and it was not until the Lombards invaded Siena and the surrounding territory that it knew prosperity. After the Lombard occupation, the old Roman roads of Via Aurelia and the Via Cassia passed through areas exposed to Byzantine raids, so the Lombards rerouted much of their trade between the Lombards' northern possessions and Rome along a more secure road through Siena. Siena prospered as a trading post, and the constant streams of pilgrims passing to and from Rome provided a valuable source of income in the centuries to come.

The oldest aristocratic families in Siena date their line to the Lombards' surrender in 774 to Charlemagne. At this point, the city was inundated with a swarm of Frankish overseers who married into the existing Sienese nobility and left a legacy that can be seen in the abbeys they founded throughout Sienese territory. Feudal power waned however, and by the death of Countess Matilda in 1115 the border territory of the Mark of Tuscia which had been under the control of her family, the Canossa, broke up into several autonomous regions.

Siena prospered as a city-state, becoming a major centre of money lending and an important player in the wool trade. It was governed at first directly by its bishop, but episcopal power declined during the 12th century. The bishop was forced to concede a greater say in the running of the city to the nobility in exchange for their help during a territorial dispute with Arezzo, and this started a process which culminated in 1167 when the commune of Siena declared its independence from episcopal control. By 1179, it had a written constitution.

This period was also crucial in shaping the Siena we know today. It was during the early 13th century that the majority of the construction of the Siena Cathedral (Duomo) was completed. It was also during this period that the Piazza del Campo, now regarded as one of the most beautiful civic spaces in Europe, grew in importance as the centre of secular life. New streets were constructed leading to it, and it served as the site of the market and the location of various sporting events (perhaps better thought of as riots, in the fashion of the Florentine football matches that are still practised to this day). A wall was constructed in 1194 at the current site of the Palazzo Pubblico to stop soil erosion, an indication of how important the area was becoming as a civic space.

In the early 12th century a self-governing commune replaced the earlier aristocratic government. The consuls who governed the republic slowly became more inclusive of the poblani, or common people, and the commune increased its territory as the surrounding feudal nobles in their fortified castles submitted to the urban power. Siena's republic, struggling internally between nobles and the popular party, usually worked in political opposition to its great rival, Florence, and was in the 13th century predominantly Ghibelline in opposition to Florence's Guelph position (this conflict formed the backdrop for some of Dante's Commedia).

On 4 September 1260 the Sienese Ghibellines, supported by the forces of King Manfred of Sicily, defeated the Florentine Guelphs in the Battle of Montaperti. Before the battle, the Sienese army of around 20,000 faced a much larger Florentine army of around 33,000. Prior to the battle, the entire city was dedicated to the Virgin Mary (this was done several times in the city's history, most recently in 1944 to guard the city from Allied bombs). The man given command of Siena for the duration of the war, Bonaguida Lucari, walked barefoot and bareheaded, a halter around his neck, to the Duomo. Leading a procession composed of all the city's residents, he was met by all the clergy. Lucari and the bishop embraced, to show the unity of church and state, then Lucari formally gave the city and contrade to the Virgin. Legend has it that a thick white cloud descended on the battlefield, giving the Sienese cover and aiding their attack. The reality was that the Florentine army launched several fruitless attacks against the Sienese army during the day, then when the Sienese army countered with their own offensive, traitors within the Florentine army killed the standard bearer and in the resulting chaos, the Florentine army broke up and fled the battlefield. Almost half the Florentine army (some 15,000 men) were killed as a result. So crushing was the defeat that even today if the two cities meet in any sporting event, the Sienese supporters are likely to exhort their Florentine counterparts to “Remember Montaperti!”.

The limits on the Roman town, were the earliest known walls to the city. During the 10th and 11th centuries, the town grew to the east and later to the north, in what is now the Camollia district. Walls were built to totally surround the city, and a second set was finished by the end of the 13th century. Much of these walls still exist today.[2]

Siena's university, founded in 1240 and famed for its faculties of law and medicine, is still among the most important Italian universities. Siena rivalled Florence in the arts throughout the 13th and 14th centuries: the important late medieval painter Duccio di Buoninsegna (1253–1319) was a Sienese, but worked across the peninsula, and the mural of "Good Government" by Ambrogio Lorenzetti in the Palazzo Pubblico, or town hall, is a magnificent example of late-Medieval/early Renaissance art as well as a representation of the utopia of urban society as conceived during that period. Siena was devastated by the Black Death of 1348, and also suffered from ill-fated financial enterprises. In 1355, with the arrival of Charles IV of Luxembourg in the city, the population rose and suppressed the government of the Nove (Nine), establishing that Dodici (Twelve) nobles assisted by a council with a popular majority. This was also short-lived, being replaced by the Quindici (Fifteen) reformers in 1385, the Dieci (Ten, 1386–1387), Undici (Eleven, 1388–1398) and Twelve Priors (1398–1399) who, in the end, gave the city's seigniory to Gian Galeazzo Visconti of Milan in order to defend it from the Florentine expansionism.

In 1404 the Visconti were expelled and a government of Ten Priors established, in alliance with Florence against King Ladislas of Naples. With the election of the Sienese Pius II as Pope, the Piccolomini and other noble families were allowed to return to the government, but after his death the control returned into popular hands. In 1472 the Republic founded the Monte dei Paschi, a bank that is still active today and is the oldest surviving bank in the world. The noble factions returned in the city under Pandolfo Petrucci in 1487, with the support of Florence and of Alfonso of Calabria; Petrucci exerted an effective rule on the city until his death in 1512, favouring arts and sciences, and defending it from Cesare Borgia. Pandolfo was succeeded by his son Borghese, who was ousted by his cousin Raffaello, helped by the Medici Pope Leo X. The last Petrucci was Fabio, exiled in 1523 by the Sienese people. Internal strife resumed, with the popular faction ousting the Noveschi party supported by Clement VII: the latter sent an army, but was defeated at Camollia in 1526. Emperor Charles V took advantage of the chaotic situation to put a Spanish garrison in Siena. The citizens expelled it in 1552, allying with France: this was unacceptable for Charles, who sent his general Gian Giacomo Medici to lay siege to it with a Florentine-Imperial army.

The Sienese government entrusted its defence to Piero Strozzi. When the latter was defeated at the Battle of Marciano (August 1554), any hope of relief was lost. After 18 months of resistance, it surrendered to Spain on 17 April 1555, marking the end of the Republic of Siena. The new Spanish King Philip, owing huge sums to the Medici, ceded it (apart a series of coastal fortress annexed to the State of Presidi) to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, to which it belonged until the unification of Italy in the 19th century. A Republican government of 700 Sienese families in Montalcino resisted until 1559.

The picturesque city remains an important cultural centre, especially for humanist disciplines

There's sort of a trope going around atheist and agnostic circles of a Christian perplexed: 'since they don't believe in a higher power, what's keeping a non-believer from going on various horrific crime sprees?" It's a wonderfully stupid and terrifying argument to make.

But being raised in a Southern Baptist Church, that wasn't really the question because it allowed the atheist to exist.

I was raised with the belief that there is no such thing as an atheist. That anyone claiming to be an atheist is just mad at god.

It's a simple and short-sighted, small world way of thinking. It assumes that every atheist was once a Christian (because everyone in their world is, at least, culturally Christian). It also assume that every professed atheist had some big falling out with the Church and/or god.

Now, to be fair, the church is responsible for oodles of physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, and mental abuse. And I'm sure many of those victims are understandably also mad at a god who would allow such abuses to happen.

So, apart from blaming the victim, this idea that atheists are "just mad at god," also discounts the reason why they might be mad at god. It also ignores the obvious fact that you can't be mad at something you don't believe in. If they're mad, they're more likely to be mad at the church and its leaders and followers.

For the people I was raised around, even admitting a disbelief in god is impossible. Like many things they believe, it shows their lack of empathy, their inability to even conceive that someone could hold a different belief than they do.

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'Exceptionist'

Camera: Mamiya RB67

Film: Kentmere 400 at 1600

Process: HC-110B; 12min

Tennessee

July 2024

Há uns tipos chatos na Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, na Baixa lisboeta, que assediam os turistas pedestres que por ali passam tentando convencê-los a ir comer no restaurante em que trabalham. Esta moça em Báli faz o mesmo trabalho, mas com muito mais charme do que os portugas lá de Lisboa, e avaliando os argumentos dela temo que isto seja concorrência desleal contra os restaurantes das proximidades…

Elephant Seals ,Pacific Coast ,California

She seemed to be having an argument of some sort with another woman.

Business women have an animated conversation.

The argument molecules stayed in his head for awhile until the built to a bursting pressure and he had to let them out, had to make a call, and had to raise his voice. Even though he was in public, he couldn't care any longer because of the insane pressure against his skull all over his brain. He thought he might have an aneurysm if he didn't release them.

And so, the Argument Molecules were born into fruition and entered the man's exterior like ink blots on the world. They left his mouth, his ears, his eyes, his nose. They dwelt in the wet places and the dry ones too. They lingered around and played with bacteria. They changed the mood of the people around the man for the rest of the day.

Lonely mothers shrilly silenced their cherished child that night and wondered, "But why oh why am I so very angry?"

The Molecules had taken over, you see, and there wasn't anything anyone could do about it any longer.

**All photos are copyrighted. Please don't use without permission**

The New York Times Ethicist recently published a "ruling" on the ethics of AI generative art. He was responding to a person who wanted to use an Etsy image but was concerned the seller was profiting off the work of artists used to train generative AI. The Ethicist pointed out that artists have always stood on the shoulders of other artists, an argument that resonates with me. The image you see here is not simply the result of prompting an image in Midjourney because I made quite a few changes to it in Kira, using the Stable Diffusion plugin and using my digital painting skills and tools (like rearranging the chickens, recreating the woman in the distance, giving the man a hat etc.). But my influence on the image goes deeper. I used Midjourney's personalize parameter to generate images that reflect my aesthetic, color choices, brush work, level of detail and so on. The training was simple. I was given four thousand sets of widely diverse images and told to choose one of them. In other words, this is my unconscious "style." Unconscious because I did not deliberately tell Midjourney everything I prefer when I am painting. And in the act of grabbing from the gush of images this personalization parameter produced, I chose this image. Probably because I have re-discovered NC Wyeth who is famous for his illustrations of the old childhood novel "Treasure Island." He influences how I use illustration to tell stories. And Edward Hopper influences the mood of my work. And Norman Rockwell. Did Rockwell absorb NC Wyeth? I think so. Caravaggio gives my work its lighting. And perhaps NC Wyeth's son Andrew suffused my work. He taught me how to pay attention to the world immediately around me. And perhaps to some degree hundreds of more artists famous and obscure seen in museums, art workshops, videos and Internet images. In fact I have produced over 800 images of the Ravensway world using this amazing productive power of AI. A world that has storytelling power.

España - Almería - Vélez Blanco - Castillo

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HKA4sX7fgU

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ENGLISH

Castillo de Vélez-Blanco is located in the municipality of Vélez-Blanco, province of Almería, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. It was built by Governor of Murcia, Pedro Fajardo, 1st Marquis of los Vélez, following his appointment as Marqués. He set the headquarters of his new dominion by undertaking the construction of the local castle on the remains of an ancient and important Islamic citadel. It is situated on a hill overlooking the town. An important aspect of this castle is its huge tower, Torre del Homenaje, which is over 65 feet (20 m) high, an emblematic element of the castle and a symbol of the power over the dominion. The stone structure, had wooden stairs, which could be removed in case of danger isolating the upper level as a last defense. There is a vast number of decorative elements topping its battlements. The building has been restored in stages during the second half of the 20th century, including the floors of the towers. In 1931, it was listed as a Bien de Interés Cultural monument.

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ESPAÑOL

El castillo de Vélez-Blanco está situado en el municipio español de Vélez-Blanco, en la provincia de Almería, Andalucía y es un ejemplo emblemático de la arquitectura del Renacimiento Español, conjugando el aspecto militar con el palaciego.

Fue mandado construir por el Adelantado de Murcia, Pedro Fajardo y Chacón, tras su nombramiento como Marqués de los Vélez concedido por los Reyes Católicos.

Cuando Pedro Fajardo se instaló en Vélez-Blanco, fijó allí la sede de su nuevo señorío y emprendió la construcción de su castillo-palacio sobre los restos de una antigua e importante alcazaba islámica que se levantaba en el cerro que domina la villa. En esos momentos existía una prohibición real de construir nuevas fortalezas para evitar la acumulación masiva de poder por parte de la nobleza, que podría debilitar a la monarquía. Para eludir esta prohibición, Don Pedro Fajardo argumentó que solo estaba rehabilitando la antigua alcazaba musulmana que allí existía.

En 1506 se comenzaron las obras del nuevo castillo sobre los restos de la antigua fortaleza, que fue destruida casi en su totalidad, conservando solo algunos lienzos de muralla y el aljibe que se encuentra bajo el patio. Las obras, en las que se invirtieron 80.000 ducados, finalizaron en 1515.

Se baraja, como autor de la obra, el arquitecto italiano Francisco Florentino, con la colaboración de Martín Milanés y la supervisión de Francisco Salazar, alcaide del castillo entre 1503 y 1511. En la construcción participaron maestros canteros y carpinteros vascos.

La construcción se inició con una primera fase de estructura gótica, que pronto se cambió a otra de estilo renacentista, símbolo de los nuevos tiempos y de una nobleza más culta que rompe con la vieja tradición medieval y muestra el espíritu de los tiempos modernos. Así, frente al gótico oficial seguido por la monarquía y por la Iglesia, este castillo-palacio representa un claro ejemplo del avance del humanismo emprendido por la nobleza, que en Andalucía se corresponde con otro gran ejemplo de avance arquitectónico como es el vecino Castillo de la Calahorra de la provincia de Granada.

En el siglo XVIII, aunque el castillo todavía mantenía gran parte de su riqueza decorativa y representaba un símbolo de poder territorial, comenzaron a permitirse el empleo de materiales del castillo en otras edificaciones. Un ejemplo es la construcción de la iglesia en Vélez Rubio, en la que se reutilizaron los cañones de bronce para campanas, y las antiguas cubiertas de plomo de los tejados del castillo.

Esta destrucción se agudizó en el siglo XIX con la Guerra de la Independencia Española debido a la invasión francesa y la guerra de la independencia. A partir de ese momento fue sometido a toda clase de saqueos y expolios, alterando su distribución interior y utilizándose como vivienda por indigentes.

A comienzos del siglo XX se despertó el interés por el castillo dentro y fuera de nuestras fronteras, especialmente por coleccionistas. Ante este interés y el estado de abandono general, a partir de 1904 iniciaron sus propietarios el vaciado de sus elementos de valor, siendo vendido por el XVI marqués de los Vélez, Joaquín Álvarez de Toledo y Caro, su patio renacentista en ese mismo año al anticuario francés J. Goldberg, quien pasó primero a Marsella elementos que pertenecían al patio, arcos, columnas, marcos de puertas y ventanas esculpidas en mármol, junto con otros objetos como el artesonado de uno de los salones y dos puertas y luego a París, donde fueron vendidos al banquero alemán George Blumenthal en 1920. Este banquero trasladó el material a Nueva York donde pasó a formar parte de su residencia, sita en la esquina de Park Avenue con la Calle 70.​ Era un momento en el que en Estados Unidos estaba en auge la moda de la arquitectura renacentista.

En 1945 y tras la muerte de este propietario es cedido al Museo Metropolitano de Nueva York, donde más tarde quedó montado tal como puede verse en la actualidad. La disposición en Nueva York no coincide exactamente con la original, ya que para adaptarlo al espacio del museo hubo que realizar algunas modificaciones.

En junio de 1931 el castillo es declarado Monumento Nacional, pero a pesar de eso, el iniciado proceso de abandono y destrucción prosiguió junto con el arraigado lamento popular por la pérdida del patio.

Las primeras intervenciones de mantenimiento y restauración fueron llevadas a cabo por Francisco Prieto Moreno y su hijo Joaquín Prieto Moreno entre la década de los 60 y los 80. Se hicieron desescombros, se construyó la rampa de acceso y algunos forjados ya que en esos momentos el edificio no tenía ningún tipo de cubierta. Estos últimos más adelante serán derribados porque según los nuevos técnicos estaban mal ubicados.

En 1982 los arquitectos Juan Antonio Molina Serrano y Juan Antonio Sánchez Morales toman la dirección de las obras rompiendo con las líneas de restauración seguidas hasta el momento. En una primera fase se intervendrá sobre la Torre del Homenaje y anexos, y en una segunda sobre el patio de honor. Esta última a su vez se desarrollará en dos fases.

Las obras de restauración del patio de honor y anexos se iniciaron en 1994 y se concluyeron en 1998. Tienen como finalidad facilitar el uso del castillo para fines turísticos y actividades culturales. Se recuperaron los volúmenes originales del patio y de las habitaciones vinculadas a él. También se repusieron los forjados desaparecidos que conforman el patio, con una estructura vertical de pilares metálicos de tubo de acero con el fin de servir de eje de anclaje de las piezas que se ejecutaron en la futura decoración.

En 2005, la Junta de Andalucía adquirió por tres millones de euros el castillo al marqués de Valverde, Salvador Ferrandis Álvarez de Toledo, cuya familia había mantenido la propiedad desde el siglo XVI.

Located in the Capitol building, the law library provides Iowa lawmakers, government employees, the Iowa legal community and the general public with a highly specialized legal collection of treatises and both state and federal statutory, regulatory and case law. The collection also contains the abstracts and arguments of the Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, legal periodicals, and materials produced by the Iowa legislature.

Equipment=Nikon D5000

Lens Used=Tamron SP AF 10-24mm F/3.5-4.5 Lens

Exposures=5

Location=Des Moines Iowa

Workflow= PhotoMatix 4.2 Adobe PhotoShop Cs6

Adobe Light room 3

Software, Nik Color Efex=tonal Contrast and Glamor Glow

Topaz Adjust= Mild Details

Topaz Details

Living close to the Pennine Moors I get many photo-opportunities with Red Grouse but close flight shots are still not easy. I managed this fleeting opportunity while out on the moors this week. It was an argument over which was Europe’s fastest game bird that led to the production of the Guinness Book of Records. On 10th November 1951, Sir Hugh Beaver (Managing Director of Guinness Breweries) was with a shooting party in County Wexford, Ireland. Some Golden Plovers were shot at, and missed, which prompted a discussion as to whether they were Europe’s fastest game bird. Consulting reference books did not solve the issue, and it occurred to Sir Hugh that there must be numerous other questions debated nightly in the 81,400 pubs in Britain and Ireland, but there was no book with which to settle arguments about records. He discussed the matter with Ross and Norris McWhirter to see if their fact and figure agency could help. The result was the first Guinness Book of Records being published in time for Christmas 1955.

Bizarrely the question that was the reason for the creation of the Guinness Book of Records was not answered until the 36th edition in 1989: "Britain's fastest game bird is the Red Grouse (Lagopus l. scoticus) which, in still air, has recorded burst speeds up to 92.8-100.8 km/h 58-63 mph over very short distances. Air speeds up to 112 km/h 70 mph have been claimed for the Golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria) when flushed, but it is extremely doubtful whether this rapid-flying bird can exceed 80-88 km/h 50-55 mph - even in an emergency".

I had already resolved several times not to take any more forest pictures with the drone - too often it looks spectacular on the display, but afterwards you can't do too much with it. But nature always has counter-arguments: by chance I found this small clearing today, where a few brown-leafy young beeches stood under the otherwise bare trees

Two Brown Bears (Ursus arctos) have an argument at the top of a rock pile. Image taken near Hidden Falls Creek on Baranof Island, Inside Passage, Alaska.

Inlay-printfile for THE BLACKOUT ARGUMENT'S free online ep "Smile Like A Wolf" available for download at www.smilelikeawolf.com

..... take you pick!

Well it's a disagreement isn't it.

Blue Jay arguing with Larry.

20180107 Ron Mayhew IMG_8869a Red White and Blue Argument.jpg

The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.

- Winston Churchill

I can already sense the arguments brewing with this one :P

43002 stands next to 800009 at Paddington, with the former having been at the head end of 1L48 (0929 dep. off Swansea) and the latter having worked 1P40 (0945 dep. off Great Malvern.)

Blog:https://lovenuaries.wixsite.com/lovearies/blog-1/arguments

my daughter by the penguin enclosure, moments before boredom set in and she formed the argument to go see if the tigers had escaped.

Northern Flicker ( Red-shafted Flicker) These two males were having a argument. The one on the right took a poke at the chest of the one on the left and almost fell off of its perch. It is native to most of North America, parts of Central America, Cuba, the Cayman Islands, and is one of the few woodpecker species that migrate. It is the only woodpecker that commonly feeds on the ground. There are over 100 common names for the Northern Flicker. Among them are: Yellowhammer, clape, gaffer woodpecker, harry-wicket, heigh-ho, wake-up, walk-up, wick-up, yarrup, and gawker bird. Many of these names are attempts at imitating some of its calls. Shot through a window covered in rain drops as it was pouring outside. Handheld 1/800sec, f8 iso 3200. IMG_4559

There is only one very small island on this whole lake at Dungeness RSPB . It took several attempts by the Harrier to get the Heron off it as the Heron certainly did not want to leave .

The Harrier then sat on the island for a moment and then flew off leaving the Heron in no doubt as to who is boss

I think that the lioness was saying to the male Atlas, that she has a headache!

It must be breeding season or something. These birds always stay really high up, so not the easiest to catch without the zoom but you will get the idea here.

I am home now but I still have many photos to sort from my time in Emmaville.

Sim: Midian

Models: Peony Benoir, Zanner Igaly

from the CA archives

Southern Elephant Seal (Mirounga leonina) bulls having an argument on a Sea Lion Island beach in the Falkland Islands.

Chocolate, Vanilla, or the photobomb

Continuando con el argumento de la foto anterior, sobre la decadencia de esta línea, hubo una época, hace no tanto tiempo, en la que las 319 volvieron a recorrer las vías del sur de Galicia, más concretamente el tramo entre Vigo y Redondela.

Esto podría catalogarse como algo efímero, como también lo fueron unos trenes especiales de granito que llegaban desde Salamanca (si no recuerdo mal) hasta Vigo y de los que a veces estas locomotoras se hacían cargo.

Las 319 duraron más tiempo que este último tráfico, quizá un año, pero no lo suficiente. Por ello, rescato a modo de recuerdo una de las pocas imágenes que tengo sobre ellas.

En la fotografía vemos a la 319-402 aproximándose a Redondela para invertir su marcha y dirigirse hacia Vigo Guixar con un corte de bobinas procedentes de Arcelor. Las mismas que saldrían un poco más tarde con el bobinero Vigo Guixar - Trasona.