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This is a cropped version of the previous image, with the chair and sweater of image #0827 canvased and cloned into the bottom, in order to make it a vertical image.
(little-brother-B_0821c)
All three photos posted this morning were taken yesterday, 25 June 2016, when I drove SW of the city to possibly meet friends. No one was sure how bad the weather was going to be, as the forecast was for rain and thunderstorms. It had rained overnight, so everywhere was soaking wet. Normally, on a day like that, I stay home, but I'm really glad I did go, especially as I was able to find a Bobolink again. Or, perhaps I should say it found me. Three times now, when I have been photographing a particular pair of Mountain Bluebirds, I have heard a certain call, turned around, and there was a Bobolink sitting on a fence post across the road. It just kept up this call until I stopped what I was doing, crossed the road, and started taking photos of him, as if to say: "Hey, take my photo, too!"
I didn't think any friends were going to turn up, as I hadn't seen anything that looked like a small convoy of cars. Then suddenly, one single car came around a distant corner and stopped. Three people got out - Andrew, Tony and Howard. Three people who are excellent birders and who didn't let the weather keep them from doing what they love.
I followed them slowly as far as Brown-Lowery Provincial Park, where the day's walk was supposed to take part, stopping to look at various birds along the way, Once there, we parted ways, as I didn't want hours of walking in mud and dripping trees. Instead, I wandered for a few minutes near the parking lot, where I took my next two photos and then I returned to the Bluebirds, where the Bobolink reappeared and repeated his behavior, giving me another chance for photos.
And now I have to dash, as I overslept almost an hour, and I have to pick up a friend and then do a long drive NW of the city, where we will be meeting others for a walk, followed by a BBQ. Ths annual event is always very enjoyable - just hope the forecast rain and thunderstorms stay away! Will have to finish off my tags this evening. Gotta run!
"Perched on a grass stem or displaying in flight over a field, breeding male Bobolinks are striking. No other North American bird has a white back and black underparts (some have described this look as wearing a tuxedo backwards). Added to this are the male’s rich, straw-colored patch on the head and his bubbling, virtuosic song. As summer ends he molts into a buff and brown female-like plumage. Though they’re still fairly common in grasslands, Bobolink numbers are declining." From AllAboutBirds.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bobolink/id
"The Bobolink inhabits Canada's grassland and agricultural areas from the interior of British Columbia to the east coast. Relative to 1970 levels, this species has shown a large decrease across most of its range, with the exception of the Prairie Potholes Bird Conservation Region where populations have changed little. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada assessed the Bobolink as Threatened in 2010 (COSEWIC 2010d). This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada."
This digital photomontage features Sky, an adventurer and content creator who climbs the rugged cliffs of Karoulia on Mount Athos—an area historically inhabited by hermit monks since the 8th century. The caves were sacred spaces of solitude, inhabited by ascetics who traded handcrafted items for meager supplies and relied on collected rainwater for survival.
In this fictional narrative, Sky defies Mount Athos’s gender ban and squeezes herself into one of these remote caves, hoping to document her journey for social media. Inside, she finds the skeletal remains of a monk and ancient pottery. Though unaware of the legal consequences of disturbing such sites, her intent is not theft, but exposure—a digital relic-hunt that toes the line between curiosity and transgression. This piece explores the ethical tension between cultural preservation and the modern urge to document, conquer, and share. Image Sources: cave-4971298-zashern-Pix; Mycenaean_stirrup_vase_Louvre_AO19201; antique-ancient-roman-greek-amphora-pointed-end-ceramic-vase_233149_pic3_size1; terracotta-metmuseum; Vase-BlackBasalt-Wedgwood-BMA; skull_4_by_phoenixrisingstock_ddrodgx; Orestes Magic; SS Light Beams;
This agar art is a picture of a sand shark swimming in the ocean using the microorganism Micrococcus
luteus. My inspiration for creating this art was seeing how M. luteus grew with a yellow pigment on the DNase agar. I also used Blood agar to resemble the setting sun above the surface of the water. The
yellow color of M. Luteus inspired me to make a sand shark as their skin also has a brownish/yellow
color. M. Luteus is also known to have a low virulence for humans which similarly aligns with the
behavioral actions of sand sharks to humans where there are little to no harmful encounters between
them.
Right whale Catalog #1701 and calf engaging in nursing behavior on January 25, 2015 off Cumberland Island, GA. If you look closely, you can see the grayish outline of the calf’s fluke under the water near its mother’s fluke.
Photo Taken: January 25, 2015
Photo Credit (full credit required for use):
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, taken under NOAA research permit #15488.
Home Sweet Home!
(Personal Note: This beautiful racing yacht was sailed from Wilmington, Delaware to Moss Landing, CA and largely left abandoned. Sea Lions are very smart animals and are always "house hunting." They must have recognized that this luxury yacht would make a perfect new home for their entire family. The only thing that would have made it better would be dockside room service with large trays of sardines on a bed of kelp!! Enjoy the images and be glad this is not your boat. They do not take kindly to human interventions.)
Description
California sea lions are known for their intelligence, playfulness, and noisy barking. Their color ranges from chocolate brown in males to a lighter, golden brown in females. Males reach 850 pounds (390 kg) and seven feet (2.1 m) in length. Females grow to 220 pounds (110 kg) and up to six feet (1.8 m) in length. They have a "dog-like" face, and at around five years of age, males develop a bony bump on top of their skull called a sagittal crest. The top of a male's head often gets lighter in color with age. These members of the otariid or walking seal family have external ear flaps and large flippers that they use to "walk" on land. The trained "seals" in zoos and aquariums are usually California sea lions.
Range/Habitat
California sea lions are found from Vancouver Island, British Columbia to the southern tip of Baja California in Mexico. They breed mainly on offshore islands, ranging from southern California's Channel Islands south to Mexico, although a few pups have been born on Año Nuevo and the Farallon Islands in central California. There is a distinct population of California sea lions at the Galapagos Islands. A third population in the Sea of Japan became extinct, probably during World War II.
Mating/Breeding
Most pups are born in June or July and weigh 13 to 20 pounds (6 to 9 kg). They nurse for at least five to six months and sometimes over a year. Mothers recognize pups on crowded rookeries through smell and vocalizations. Pups also learn to recognize the smell and vocalizations of their mothers. Breeding takes place a few weeks after birth. Males patrol territories and bark almost continuously during the breeding season.
Behavior
California sea lions are very social animals, and groups often rest closely packed together at favored haul-out sites on land or float together on the ocean's surface in "rafts." They are sometimes seen "porpoising," or jumping out of the water, presumably to speed up their swimming. Sea lions have also been seen "surfing" breaking waves. California sea lions are opportunistic eaters, feeding on squid, octopus, herring, rockfish, mackerel, and small sharks. In turn, sea lions are preyed upon by Orcas (killer whales) and great white sharks.
Status
Their population is growing steadily, and California sea lions can be seen in many coastal spots such as the Monterey Coast Guard jetty and PIER 39 in San Francisco. The current population is approximately 238,000.
At The Marine Mammal Center
California sea lions are our most common patients at The Marine Mammal Center. In 2009, we admitted over 1700 animals. Nearly 1400 of these were California sea lions. The most common reasons California sea lions are rescued include: malnutrition, domoic acid toxicosis, leptospirosis, cancer, pneumonia, entanglement in debris or fishing gear, gunshots, and other wounds. In 2009, many of the sea lions that stranded were malnourished yearlings. Animals can become severely underweight from maternal separation, disease, lack of food sources, effects of El Niño and other environmental factors. In 1998, the Center diagnosed the first case of domoic acid toxicosis in marine mammals; a condition caused by harmful algal blooms which causes the animals to have seizures. Although the Center has conducted extensive studies to better understand this disease, hundreds of sea lions are affected annually. (Source: Marine Mammal Center 2015: www.marinemammalcenter.org/)
A Cooter finds some excellent concealment in a fallen tree that recently toppled into Poe Springs, and while he's peeking out onto the surface, I got a chance to slip in for a close up.
Poe Springs
Alachua County, Florida
Santa Fe River
Olympus OM-D E-M5
14-42mm II Lens
PT-EP08 Underwater Housing,
PPO-EP01 Lens Port
& 14-42mm Zoom Gear
Leri Cavour - Ronsecco ( VC ). Piedmont - North Italy.
20 Agust 2011.
Camera Canon EOS 40 D and Tele 300 mm.Tokina.
Esposizione: 0,002 sec (1/500)
Apertura: f/7.1
ISO: 100
Exposure Bias: +2/3
Please, don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.
© All rights reserved.
Dr. John Lumpkin, SVP of Health Care, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; Daniel O'Connell, Neuroventures (http://www.neuroventures.com); and Zack Lynch, Neurotechnology Industry Organization (http://www.neurotechindustry.org)
On 11/11-12, 2009, Pioneer invited a provocative group of academics, researchers, physicians and industry leaders in neurotechnology, neuroscience and behavioral health to step to the ledge of current innovations in these fertile and promising fields – and then step beyond it – begin to anticipate what near-term and distant innovations in these fields could mean for health and health care.
Maria-faceira (Syrigma sibilatrix), fotografada no Setor Policial Sul - SPO, em Brasília, Brasil.
Classe: Aves
Ordem: Ciconiformes
Família: Ardeidae
Nome científico: Syrigma sibilatrix
Nome vulgar: Maria-faceira
Categoria: Vulnerável
Mede 53 cm. Tem face azul-clara, bico róseo. Habita campos secos, arrozais, lugares pouco alagados. Anda a passos largos e bem calculados, como se observasse um perigo ou uma oportunidade. Espécie insentívora. Faz ninhos sobre as árvores, ou arbustos, em ilhas, e põe ovos levemente manchados. Muito diferente das outras espécies de família. Sua voz é um sibilo melodioso repetido sem pressa, que é emitido com o bico largamente aberto e o pescoço esticado.
completamente insetívora, vivendo longe da água, nos cerrados abertos e campos limpos formados após a baixa das águas (foto). Os casais permanecem juntos a maior parte do tempo, mantendo contato em vôo com um chamado especial, um sibilo melodioso e longo. O som produzido é semelhante ao de maria-fumaças de brinquedo. No final da tarde, desloca-se para dormir pousada em árvores altas, geralmente em terreno seco. No início da manhã seguinte retorna ao local de alimentação, onde permanece no solo a maior parte do tempo, caçando os insetos em caminhadas lentas. Sua batida de asas é muito característica, por ser de baixa amplitude e alta velocidade, dando a impressão que voa somente com o deslocamento da ponta extrema da asa.
O nome comum está ligado às cores espetaculares da cabeça. As cores do juvenil são mais esmaecidas, mas, fora isso, é idêntico aos adultos.
Reproduz-se também em casais isolados, sem formar colônias.
Mede 53 cm. Face azul - clara, bico róseo.
Habita campoa secos, arrozais, lugares pouco alagados.
Ocorre do Rio de Janeiro e Minas Gerais à Argentina, Paraguai e Bolívia, também na Venezuela e Colômbia.
Andam a passos largos e bem calculados, como se observassem um perigo ou uma oportunidade.
Insentívora, caça também insetos no seco.
Fazem ninhos sobre as árvores, ou arbustos, em ilhas, ovos levemente manchados.
Muito diferente das outras espécies de família. A sua voz é um sibilo melodioso repetido sem pressa "i,i,i"; que é emitido com o bico largamente aberto e o pescoço esticado.
A text, in english, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whistling_Heron
The Whistling Heron, Syrigma sibilatrix, is a medium-sized, often terrestrial heron of South America. There are two subspecies, the southern S. s. sibilatrix and the northern S. s. fostersmithi.
Description:
The Whistling Heron measures 53 to 64 cm in length and weighs 521 to 546 g. The southern subspecies is bigger but has a shorter bill in proportion to the body.[1]
The overall impression of standing birds is gray, with flying birds showing conspicuous white rear parts (lower back, belly, and tail). In both subspecies, adults' upperparts except the lower back are blue-gray.[1][2] The feathers of the sides of head, sides of the neck, breast, and scapular area are basically white but are stained gold to buff, perhaps by the powder down typical of herons or by secretions of the preen gland; the color varies from bird to bird. In the nominate subspecies, the crown and crest (separate plumes up to 4 cm long on the nape) are black and the upper wing coverts are cinnamon-colored; the crown and crest are slate-gray and the upper wing coverts are honey-colored (or "chamois"[2]) in fostersmithi.[1] The bill is pink with blue to violet at the base and the distal third black, the legs are greenish and rather short, and there is a fairly big area of bare bluish skin around the eye.[1][2]
Juveniles have the same overall pattern but are duller than adults, with the crown lighter, the breast light gray, and the throat and sides unstained white.[1][2] Chicks are undescribed.[1]
The bird is named for its most common call, a "loud, flute-like whistled kleeer-er"[2] or "a high, reedy, complaining whistle, often doubled or uttered in a ser[ies], wueeee, wueeee,.…, easily imitated" [3] or "a distinctive, characteristic, far-carrying, melodious whistle" that "can be rendered 'kee, kee, kee.'"[1] It may also give "a slow, drawn-out whistle" when taking off.[1] The alarm call is a harsh quah-h-h.[2]
Unlike other herons, in flight it has fast, duck-like wingbeats and usually does not retract its neck fully.[1]
Range and habitat
The subspecies fostersmithi inhabits the Llanos and the Orinoco basin of Colombia and Venezuela. There are no breeding records "yet" from Colombia.[1][2] The subspecies sibilatrix inhabits eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, western and southern Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, and northeastern Argentina. Recent records suggest that it may be expanding its range northward and eastward in Brazil. It makes seasonal movements at least in northeastern Venezuela, where it does not occur from November to January, but remains all year in other areas, such as Buenos Aires Province, Argentina.[1]
It occurs at altitudes up to 500 m (with a sight record from 2300 m[3]) in seasonally flooded savanna, often in drier grassy situations than other herons, but also in a wide variety of open waterlogged or shallowly submerged terrain. Because it roosts in trees, it particularly likes regions where open areas are mixed with woodlots. It has no objection to human-altered habitats such as pastures and roadsides, and it often perches on fenceposts.[1]
Although patchily distributed, it is common in many areas, with no population considered vulnerable. It benefits from deforestation and some agriculture.[1] As a successful heron of dry tropical country, it has been compared to two species originating in the Old World: the Cattle Egret and the Black-headed Heron.[4]
Behavior
Feeding
This species eats any small dryland and marsh animals it can catch, or even pirate[1] (as from an Aplomado Falcon in one reported incident[4]). It often holds still[1][2][3] but also walks very slowly[4] and may use more active techniques, even running after prey or catching flying insects (notably dragonflies[3]) from a standing position.[1] It may allow humans to approach fairly closely rather than leave a good feeding spot.[1] It typically feeds alone or in pairs, but is sometimes seen in groups up to 100,[2] especially before roosting for the night.[1]
Reproduction
In a courtship display, the birds fly back and forth and glide in circles. A captive pair displayed by raising their plumes.[1]
This species nests alone, unlike most herons, which nest in colonies. It may nest in mature trees such as araucarias or exotic trees.[1]. One nest in Argentina was loosely built of sticks about 4m up in a eucalyptus.[3] The eggs are pale blue and speckled, about 4.7 × 3.6 cm, and the normal clutch is three or four. Incubation lasts about 28 days, and young fledge 42 days after hatching. Egg survival has been measured at 28% and nestling survival at 40%; storms that destroy nests are an important cause of losses. Based on observations of family groups, only two young normally fledge. Unlike most heron species, Whistling Herons care for young after leaving the nest; juveniles beg for food by hissing with their wings drooped.[1]
Taxonomy
Skeletal resemblances to the night herons have led to a debate about whether the Whistling Heron is related to them, but since the 1980s it has been at least provisionally considered a relative of the genus Egretta, with little doubt that it belongs in a genus of its own.[1][5]
Cultural significance
Indigenous peoples formerly used its neck plumes as trade items, though not so heavily as to reduce populations.[1]
References
* BirdLife International (2004). Syrigma sibilatrix. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 02 April 2007. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Kushlan, James A.; Hancock, James. A (2005). Herons. Oxford University Press, pp. 208–214. ISBN 0-19-854981-4. Retrieved on 2007-04-01.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Hilty, Steven L.; Brown, William L. (1986). A Guide to the Birds of Colombia. Princeton University Press, p. 66. ISBN 0-691-08371-1. Retrieved on 2007-04-01.
3. ^ a b c d e Hilty, Steven L. (2003). Birds of Venezuela. Princeton University Press, p. 213–214. ISBN 0-691-09250-8. Retrieved on 2007-04-03.
4. ^ a b c Kushlan, James A.; Hancock, James A.; Pinowski, J.; Pinowska, B. (1982). "Behavior of Whistling and Capped Herons in the Seasonal Savannas of Venezuela and Argentina" (pdf). Condor 84: pp. 255–260. Retrieved on 2007-04-03.
5. ^ Remsen, J. V., Jr.; C. D. Cadena; A. Jaramillo; M. Nores; J. F. Pacheco; M. B. Robbins; T. S. Schulenberg; F. G. Stiles; D. F. Stotz; K. J. Zimmer. A classification of the bird species of South America [Version 2007-04-05]. American Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved on 2007-04-09.
Another text, in english, from www.arthurgrosset.com/sabirds/whistling heron.html
Whistling Heron (Syrigma sibilatrix), photographed at the City's Park (Parque da Cidade), in Brasília, Brazil.
Whistling Heron (Syrigma sibilatrix)
There are two subspecies of Whistling Heron, S. s. sibilatrix found in Bolivia, SE Brazil and NE Argentina and S. s. fostersmithi found in E Colombia and Venezuela which is smaller and paler.
It is quite distinctive with its red bill with black tip, its blue bare skin around the eyes, its golden neck and its blue-grey back.
Whistling Heron, Brazil, Sept 2000 - click for larger image It gets its name from the rather melodious whistle that it makes in contrast to the coarse calls of most herons.
It feeds during the day on grasshoppers, frogs, eels, etc. and is probably less dependant on water for its food than any other heron.
The Brazilians call it "Maria-faceira" or "Mary the coquette".
Thumb Sucking is a behavior found in humans, chimpanzees, and other primates.[1] It usually involves placing the thumb into the mouth and rhythmically repeating sucking contact for a prolonged duration. It can also be accomplished with any piece of skin within reach (such as the big toe) and is considered to be soothing and therapeutic for the person.
At birth, babies will reflexively suck any object placed in its mouth; this is the sucking reflex responsible for breastfeeding. This reflex disappears at about four months of age; thumb sucking is not purely an instinctive behavior and therefore can last much longer. Moreover, ultrasound scans have revealed that thumb sucking can start before birth, as early as 15 weeks from conception; whether this behavior is voluntary or due to random movements of the fetus in the womb is not conclusively known.
Children suck on objects (including pacifiers) to soothe themselves; sucking is one of a baby’s natural reflexes and completely typical for babies and young children.[2] As a child develops the habit, they will usually develop a "favorite" finger to suck on, in much the same way they develop a favorite hand to write with. It is not known if the preference for a hand to suck on affects handedness in any way, or vice versa.
Thumb sucking can start as early as 15 weeks of growth in the uterus or within months of being born. Prior to 12 weeks, the fetus has webbed digits. Most thumb-suckers stop gradually by the time they are five years old. Nevertheless, many older children will retain the habit, some into adulthood. Thumb sucking in adults may be due to stereotypic movement disorder another psychiatric disorder, or simply habit continuation where the adult thumbsucker can avoid the social implications by indulging stealthfully or by ignoring any outside reaction. For many who have continued to adulthood occlusal affects were either minimal or nonexistent.
wikipedia.org
Mubarak Abdullahi (Nigeria/UK) - Aircraft engineer who, at 24, built a homemade helicopter out of old car and bike parts
Milena Boniolo (Brazil) - Chemist and PhD student at Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil, who is developing methods to detect emerging contaminants in the environment
Premesh Chandran (Malaysia) - Co-founder and CEO of Malaysiakini.com, an independent Malaysian news website
Perry Chen (US) - Co-founder and CEO of Kickstarter, a web platform offering people a new way to fund their creative ideas and endeavors
Anita Doron (Ukraine/Canada) - Surrealist filmmaker and documentarian
Ndubuisi Ekekwe (Nigeria/US) - Engineer, inventor, author and founder of the African Institution of Technology, an organization seeking to develop microelectronics in Africa
Saeed Taji Farouky (Palestine/UK) - Documentary filmmaker, photographer and writer focusing on human rights in the Middle East and North Africa
Jessica Green (US) - Professor at the University of Oregon’s Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Biology whose research focuses on microbial diversity
Benjamin Gulak (Canada/US) - Inventor of the Uno, the “green” electric street bike, and founder of BPG Motors
Robert Gupta (US) - Violinist, youngest member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic
Cesar Harada (Japan/France/UK) - Coordinator of the Open_Sailing project, working to develop open-source technologies to intelligently inhabit the oceans
Susie Ibarra (US/Philippines) - Composer, percussionist and co-founder of Song of the Bird King, a production company using music and film to preserve indigenous culture and ecology
Jennifer Indovina (US) - Founder of Tenrehte Technologies, a semiconductor company developing wireless smart-grid applications
Mitchell Joachim (US) - Architect and co-founder of Terreform ONE + Terrefuge, non-profit design groups that promote ecological design in cities
Raffael Lomas (Israel) - Sculptor and teacher of creative workshops for the blind
Kate Nichols (US) - Artist-in-residence at the Alivisatos Lab who synthesizes nanoparticles that exhibit structural color and incorporates them into macroscale art pieces
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (Pakistan/Canada) - Documentary filmmaker and founder of The Citizens Archive of Pakistan, an educational institution and heritage center established to preserve Pakistan's history
Sarah Jane Pell (Australia) - Artist-researcher, diver and founder of Aquabatics Research Team initiative (ARTi)
Manu Prakash (India/US) - Junior Fellow at Harvard Society of Fellows, physicist and inventor pursuing research in the field of physical biology
Kellee Santiago (US) - President and co-founder of thatgamecompany, a video game company working to create video games that communicate different emotional experiences
Durreen Shahnaz (Bangladesh/Singapore/US) - Founder and Chairperson of Impact Investment Exchange Asia (IIX), a social stock exchange for Social Enterprises to raise growth capital
Gavin Sheppard (Canada) - Founder of I.C. Visions and co-founder of The Remix Project, a youth program acting as an arts and cultural incubator in Toronto, Cananda
Hugo Van Vuuren (South Africa/US) - Fellow at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and at The Laboratory at Harvard, co-founder of Lebone – a social enterprise working on off-grid technologies in Africa
Angelo Vermeulen (Belgium) - Biologist, filmmaker, and visual artist creating large-scale collaborative art installations
Daniel Zoughbie (US/UK) - Founder and CEO of the Global Micro-Clinic Project (GMCP), an organization working to prevent and manage diseases in the developing world using low-cost behavioral interventions
The oldest document pertaining to the use of masks in Venice dates back to 2nd May 1268. In the document it is written that it was forbidden for masqueraders to practice the game of the "eggs". From the early 14th century onwards, new laws started to be promulgated, with the aim of stopping the relentless moral decline of the Venetian people of the day. This restrictive carnival legislation started with a decree on 22nd February 1339 prohibiting masqueraders from going around the city at night. A decree that helps us understand just how libertine the Venetians of the day were, is that of the 24th January 1458 which forbade men from entering convents dressed as women to commit "multas inhonestates"! In a similar vein, the decree of 3rd February 1603 is interesting in that it attempted to restore morality in the convents.
Masqueraders were banned from entering the nuns’ parlous – it had been the convention to sit in the parlous and talk to the nuns. Frequently, decrees were promulgated prohibiting masqueraders from carrying arms or any instrument which could cause harm, or other decrees which forbade masqueraders from entering churches. This obligation was extended to the townsfolk who were not allowed to enter churches wearing "indecent attire". 1608 was an important year, the 13th August to be precise, when a decree from the council of 10 was issued declaring that the wearing of the mask throughout the year posed a serious threat to the Republic. To avoid the terrible consequences of this immoral behavior, every citizen, nobleman and foreigner alike, was obliged to only wear a mask during the days of carnival and at official banquets.
The penalties inflicted for breaking this law were heavy – for a man this meant two years in jail, 18 months’ service to the Republic galley-rowing (with ankles fettered) and not only that, a 500 lire fine to the Council of 10. As for women, they were whipped from St Mark’s all the way to Rialto, then held to public ridicule between the two columns in St Mark’s. They were banned from entering the territory of the Venetian Republic for 4 years and had to pay the 500 lire fine to the Council of 10. 50 years after the decree of 1608, the Council of 10 published a proclamation on the 15th January reaffirming the ban on wearing masks and bearing arms.
It was further prohibited to enter holy places wearing a mask and it was expressly forbidden to wear religious clothes with a mask. In the same decree the use of drums was banned before midday, and even dancing of any description was prohibited outside of the carnival period. Seeing that many Venetian nobles used to go gambling wearing a mask to avoid their creditors, in 1703, masks were banned all year round from casinos.
Two different decrees (1699 and 1718) saw the prohibition of wearing a mask during Lent and other religious festivals which took place during carnival. In 1776, an act introduced to protect the by now forgotten "family honor", forbade all women from going to the theatre without a mask and cloak. After the fall of the Republic, the Austrian government forbade the use of masks for both private parties and elite parties (e.g., la Cavalchina della Fenice) . The Italo-American government was more open but now it was the Venetians who were being diffident. Venice was no longer the city of carnival, but just a little imperial province without personal liberty. During the second Austrian government it was once again permitted to wear masks.
The projections at the end of the mandible is typical of falcons kites, and some accipiters. In allows them to slide their beak down the neck of their prey and sever the spinal cord. A quick, clean kill.
The late afternoon sky looks different from this angle.
I was lucky to have a patient bird.
The Athens Lunatic Asylum, now a mixed-use development known as The Ridges, was a Kirkbride Plan mental hospital operated in Athens, Ohio, from 1874 until 1993. During its operation, the hospital provided services to a variety of patients including Civil War veterans, children, and those declared mentally unwell. After a period of disuse the property was redeveloped by the state of Ohio. Today, The Ridges are a part of Ohio University and house the Kennedy Museum of Art as well as an auditorium and many offices, classrooms, and storage facilities.
The former hospital is perhaps best known as a site of the infamous lobotomy procedure, as well as various supposed paranormal sightings. After the hospital's original structure closed, the state of Ohio acquired the property and renamed the complex and its surrounding grounds The Ridges. According to The Guide of Repository Holdings,[2] the term "The Ridges" was derived from a naming contest in 1984 to re-describe the area and its purpose.
History
Design and architectural features
The architect for the original building was Levi T. Scofield of Cleveland. The hospital grounds were designed by Herman Haerlin of Cincinnati. Some of Haerlin's other landscape designs are seen in Cincinnati's Spring Grove Cemetery and the Oval on the campus of Ohio State University in Columbus.
The design of the buildings and grounds were influenced by Dr. Thomas Story Kirkbride, a 19th-century physician who authored an influential treatise on hospital design called On the Construction, Organization and General Arrangements of Hospitals for the Insane. Kirkbride Plan asylums are most recognizably characterized by the staggered "bat-wing" floor plan of their wards, High Victorian Gothic architecture, and their sprawling grounds.
In accordance with the Kirkbride Plan, the main building was to include a central administration building with a wing for men on one side and a wing for women on the other, each with their own separate dining halls. There was room to house 572 patients in the main building, almost double Kirkbride's recommendation. The main building itself was 853 feet long and 60 feet in width.
Construction
The land where the hospital was built originally belonged to the Arthur Coates and Eliakim H. Moore farms. Ground was broken on November 5, 1868. The first iteration of the asylum consisted of only 141 acres (57 ha) and over the years, grew to occupy over 1,000 acres (400 ha) of land and 78 buildings.
Operating years (1874-1993)
Athens Lunatic Asylum began operation on January 9, 1874. Within two years of its opening, the hospital was renamed The Athens Hospital for the Insane. Later, the hospital would be called the Athens Asylum for the Insane, the Athens State Hospital, the Southeastern Ohio Mental Health Center, the Athens Mental Health Center, the Athens Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center, the Athens Mental Health and Developmental Center, and then (again) the Athens Mental Health Center.
The original hospital was in operation from 1874 to 1993. Although not a wholly self-sustaining facility, many Kirkbride Plan asylums functioned as cloistered communities, and for decades the hospital had livestock, farm fields and gardens, an orchard, greenhouses, a dairy, a physical plant to generate steam heat, and even a carriage shop. A large percentage of the work it took to maintain the facility was originally carried out by patients. Labor, especially skilled labor, was seen by the Kirkbride Plan as a form of therapy and was economically advantageous for the state.
The asylum expanded to include specialized and ancillary buildings such as the Dairy Barn (now an arts center), Beacon School, Athens Receiving Hospital, Center Hospital and the Tubercular Ward ("Cottage B"). Also built onto the main building were a laundry room and a boiler house. Seven cottages, including Cottage B, were constructed to house even more patients. While they had a smaller capacity than the main wards, they allowed for constructive grouping of patients in dormitory-like rooms.
By the 1950s the hospital was the town's largest employer, with 1,800 patients on a 1,019-acre, 78-building campus. At its peak the Athens Lunatic Asylum served Adams, Athens, Gallia, Highland, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Morgan, Perry, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Vinton and Washington counties.
Decline and closure
The mental healthcare industry in the United States underwent a sea change in the 1950s. Research began to show that the mentally ill did not pose an inherent danger to their communities. The public became increasingly aware of procedures like electroshock therapy and the lobotomy, which would come to be seen as cruel, unnecessary, and inhumane. The availability of psychoactive drugs for the treatment of mental illnesses, as well as the increasing prevalence of psychological therapy, allowed for most patients to be treated without the need for internment in a prison-like institution. The asylum, among many others, declined throughout the latter half of the 20th century and eventually closed in 1993. However, the state hospital continued to function in Athens, with some patients and staff relocating to a newly constructed facility which, at the time of the transition in 1993, was called the Southeast Psychiatric Hospital. The psychiatric hospital in Athens - visible from the asylum - is now named Appalachian Behavioral Healthcare.
Modern history and present day
1990s
By the early 1990s, many of the original buildings had fallen into disrepair, following a similar pattern of decline and neglect among Kirkbride Plan asylums. As the mental healthcare industry transitioned away from large, centralized institutions, the will to support sprawling hospital complexes diminished. Large asylums were slowly phased out, with most operations shifting to small outpatient centers scattered throughout the community. Because the asylums were typically located on a hill outside of the nearest municipal center, their degradation was able to occur out of sight and out of mind. Under private ownership, abandoned Kirkbrides often languished unmaintained and unsecured, slowly being reclaimed by nature, as with Hudson River State Hospital in New York. Since abandoned structures represent a serious insurance liability, there is incentive for the property owner to secure them, and abandoned property owned by colleges and universities may be especially easy targets for urban exploration, squatting, or vandalism by members of the student body or the general public.
In 1993 the Athens Lunatic Asylum's property was deeded over to Ohio University in a land swap with the state's Department of Mental Health. Under the ownership of Ohio University, the property was kept in relatively good shape and was maintained for reuse.
2000s and 2010s
With urban exploration and modern ruins occupying a growing niche of public consciousness through entertainment and media, Kirkbride Plan asylums have enjoyed renewed public attention in the 2000s and 2010s. Two historically significant Kirkbrides, Danvers State Hospital in Massachusetts and the aforementioned Hudson River State Hospital in New York, fell into dangerous disrepair in the 1990s and 2000s and eventually underwent partial demolition to make way for new development.
At Athens, the ownership of a stable funding authority (Ohio University) has ensured restoration of much of the original grounds, as envisioned by the original planners, in a mixed-use university development called The Ridges.
Most buildings have been renovated and turned into classrooms and office buildings. The administration building is now the home of Kennedy Museum of Art , showcasing paintings and artwork of all different types of artists. The Dairy Barn Southeastern Ohio Cultural Arts Center, a nonprofit arts organization, is located in the old hospital's remodeled dairy barn; it is privately owned and operated. The Dairy Barn operates a calendar for sculpting and exhibits. The George V. Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs is also located at The Ridges, in a set of three separate buildings across the area.
The old tubercular ward, "Cottage B", which sat on a hill separated from the other buildings, was demolished by Ohio University in 2013 due to the large number of college students exploring the dangerous structure. Cottage B was designed to early 1900s fireproofing standards and incorporated copious asbestos lining inside the walls, making it difficult to remediate.
Members of the Athens, Ohio, chapter of NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, have worked to restore the three graveyards located on the grounds of The Ridges. School organizations provide tours of the facility around Halloween time each year. The preserve is also regularly used by the school's Army ROTC battalion.
Treatment and quality of care
The first patient of the Asylum was a 14-year-old girl with epilepsy, thought to be possessed by a demon. Epilepsy was considered a major cause of "insanity" and reason for admission to the hospital in the early years. The first annual report lists thirty-one men and nineteen women as having their insanity caused by epilepsy. General "ill health" accounted for the admission of thirty-nine men and forty-four women in the first three years of the hospital's operation.
Ailments such as menopause, alcohol addiction, and tuberculosis were cause for enrollment in the hospital. For the female patients hospitalized during these first three years of the asylum's operation, the three leading causes of insanity are recorded as "puerperal condition" (51 women), "change of life" (32 women), and "menstrual derangements" (29 women). Women with postpartum depression or "hysteria" were labeled insane and sent to recover in the institution. Women were often institutionalized for unnecessary or outright fallacious reasons.
The second-most common cause of insanity, as recorded in the first annual report, was "intemperance and dissipation". In the hospital's first three years of operation, according to the annual report of 1876, eighty-one men and one woman were diagnosed as having their insanity caused by masturbation. Fifty-six men and one woman were diagnosed as having their insanity caused by "intemperance and dissipation" during this same period of time.
Records from the asylum document some of the now-discredited theories of the causes of mental illness, as well as the practice of harmful treatments, such as lobotomy. The Ohio University archives collection information regarding employees' background training, which ranged from full training and qualification to a complete lack thereof. Most disturbing is the documentation of hydrotherapy, electroshock, lobotomy, and early psychotropic drugs, many of which have been discredited today as extremely inhumane ways of treating a patient.
Cemeteries
Myths and mystery surround a well-known site in southern Ohio, The Athens Lunatic Asylum. The mystery is fueled, perhaps, because the public cannot access a majority of the information about patients who were treated and lived at the asylum. With special permission and filling out paperwork that is required by the state of Ohio, some of the information can be accessed, however, those interested in finding out about the patients that walked through the doors of the Asylum can satisfy their curiosity by looking to the cemeteries.
"There are 1,930 people buried at the three cemeteries located at the Ridges. Of those, 700 women and 959 men lay under the headstones marked only with a number." There were some patients who had died that were reunited with their families and buried in cemeteries around their homes. By 1943, the State of Ohio began putting names, births, and deaths, on the markers of the patients who died. (Friends of Asylum, McCabe)It is unknown as to why the state switched from using only numbers to using names in order to verify who the deceased were, but this practice remained constant through the remainder of time that patients were buried up at the asylum. Although the newer stones had names, births, and deaths, the older stones that remained had not been replaced until recently.
By the 1980s the state no longer took care of the cemeteries which made it easy for outsiders to vandalize them. Natural occurrences also caused damage. The stones marking where patients were buried were in desperate need of repair. They were left to the elements and "hundreds of stones were left uprooted and broken." Beginning in 2000, the Athens, Ohio, chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) started the reclamation for the cemeteries, taking on the work that was once the responsibility of the Ohio Department of Mental Health." NAMI, Athens worked to help restore the cemeteries at the Asylum to its original state. The organization got "involved with other groups and organizations in a major effort to restore, beautify and demystify the three mental health grave yards located on the grounds of the old psychiatric hospital complex on The Ridges." "Since nearly the time of the opening of the cemeteries the State of Ohio has allowed families to erect private markers at the graves of their loved ones, There are very few graves marked in such a way, most likely because descendants are unaware of the opportunity."
Since the take over, more information has been found out about the patients that are buried in the three cemeteries. A large portion of the information that has been recovered is about the veterans that had spent the remaining days of their lives at the Asylum. Many of these veterans did not receive honors and only 19 have had any recognition. There are 80 veterans that are buried at the Ridges. Of these veterans two fought in the Mexican War, sixty-eight fought in the Civil War, one was a member in the Confederate Army and another two veterans served with the United States Colored infantry. There are three veterans who served in the Spanish–American War, and seven fought in World War I. Some of the other veterans that are buried here were active duty in the late 19th century and the early 20th century.
NAMI has also done other things to honor those who have served our country as well as the other patients who are buried in the cemeteries at the Ridges. Besides helping replace grave stones and keeping the grounds in proper condition, in 2005, the Ridges Cemeteries Committee has been organizing Memorial Day Ceremonies for the many veterans buried at the asylum. "Prior to 2005, the veterans had never received such honors. Indeed, neither they nor the others in those cemeteries had received more than a very austere burial - no personalized service whatsoever." NAMI started the Memorial Day Ceremonies to help restore dignity to the patients on the Ridges and to help recognize the sacrifice of the veterans, many who had probably suffered through post traumatic stress disorder as well as other post war symptoms.
"To find these "lost" veterans, they were found "through a special search within a broader research project to find background information on the over 1,900 patients buried in the Asylum's three cemeteries. With the Help of the Athens County Veterans Service Office and a special appropriation from the Athens county Commissioners flag stands and flags have been placed at the graves of all the veterans in the three cemeteries. [attribution needed]
In culture
Kirkbride Plan asylums occupy a unique niche in the culture. As more than 70 were built across the nation (with 25 surviving as of 2019) they are a uniquely accessible and idyllic representation of the allures of urban exploration. Kirkbride Plan asylums have appeared in films and television, been the subjects of notable photographers, and inspired fictional locations such as Arkham Asylum in Batman and Parsons State Insane Asylum in Fallout 4.
Jamal has been diagnosed on the spectrum and struggles with behavioral problems like many other children -on the spectrum or not. We have been able to help potty training, help anger challenges and bring overall joy.
For more: youtu.be/RZinTLzGZmA
For student's of animal / bear behavior... look at the bear's expression and see in you can identify the behavior.
This meeting will be convened by ITU and involves regulators, policy‐makers, and representatives from industry and civil society to gain insight into how current consumer trends in terms of behavior and demand of services and applications are forecasted to develop, and how this will affect the required bandwidth capacities.
The session serves to allow top-executive industry representatives to present their global outlooks and to allow stakeholders to share their experiences and perspectives on how to jointly best address the issues and challenges raised by these outlooks. The session is driven by stakeholders’ contributions on the topic at hand.
Day 2
14 May 2013
ITU/ Claudio Montesano Casillas
As I was watching the hummingbirds in my garden, I saw this very large wasp fly into a patch of phlox and take a beetle. After subduing her prey, the wasp flew to an exposed branch where she enjoyed her dinner... Andover, NJ
Currently considered a subspecies of White Wagtail, Motacilla alba. A vagrant at Pismo Creek Mouth, Pismo Beach, CA.
During rutting season, bison (in their attempt to woo a lady) throw themselves down into the dirt. I was lucky enough to photograph such an event during a bison demo at Wolf Park.
I have heard of this behavior in Shrikes where they impale their prey on something before they eat it. I finally saw it. In the picture below you can see he has hung his grasshopper on the fence spike. I figured he would come back shortly to get it. I waited for about 15min and then he showed up to collect his prize. You can click on it to make it bigger.
Thanks for stopping by!
When I first came across this Harrier this morning she was laying flat wings spread out on the water. I immediately thought she was hurt as she just layed on the water and looked from side to side. After watching her for several minutes she got up, but it looked as though her feet were tangled in the grass. As I continued to watch her it became clear that she had a coot and she was trying to drag it out of the water. She was finally able to drag the coot up onto a spot of dry land after considerable effort. I have been going to the refuge and photographing these birds for a couple of years now , but I have never seen a Harrier take a duck. The coot easily outweighs the harrier which would explain the trouble she had getting it out of the water. I am not sure if she made the kill or came across it after an eagle had done all the hard work but it looked to me after seeing the scene unfold that maybe she was holding the coot under the water to drown it. Anyway after all her effort she left without eating the coot that she worked so hard to catch.
Even the Amsterdam pavement seems to allow people to escape from daily life...
Zelfs op de Amsterdamse trottoirs zijn er mensen die aan het dagelijks leven willen ontsnappen.
Amsterdam, Admiraal de Ruyterweg, 30 april 2009 / April 30, 2009
© 2009 Amsterdam RAIL | All Rights Reserved
I didn't visit Macy's, but at Sak's Fifth Avenue I did have a laugh. One of my fellow photographers was certainly intent on capturing the, uh, provocative window displays!
This one was begging for some attention!
INFORMATION ON CALIFORNIA SEA LIONS:
A sea lion is one of many marine mammals of the family Otariidae. Sea lions are characterized by the presence of external ear pinnae or flaps, long front flippers, and the ability to walk on four flippers on land. They are generally found in shallow waters of coastal areas of both northern and southern hemispheres, with abundant food sources.
Sea lions of many species have seen a severe and rapid decrease in numbers in recent years. Many factors including overfishing of prey species, shooting by fishermen and pollution have probably contributed to the decline. The population of Steller sea lions in Alaska has declined as much as 80% since the 1970s. In contrast, California sea lions are abundant and the population continues to expand at a rate of approximately 5.0% annually, as it has since the mid-1970s.
Sea lions are often a popular attraction at zoos and aquariums, performing behaviors such as throwing and catching balls on their noses and clapping.
Source: Wikipedia
Jamal has been diagnosed on the spectrum and struggles with behavioral problems like many other children -on the spectrum or not. We have been able to help potty training, help anger challenges and bring overall joy.
For more: youtu.be/RZinTLzGZmA
Robins are well-loved birds, often associated with the arrival of spring. Here are some fascinating facts about these charming birds:
- **Appearance**: The European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) is easily recognizable by its bright orange-red breast and face, with grey-brown upper parts and a white belly. North American Robins (Turdus migratorius) have a similar orange-red breast but are larger, with darker heads and backs.
- **Size**: European Robins are about 12.5-14 cm (5-5.5 inches) in length and weigh around 16-22 grams (0.6-0.8 ounces). North American Robins are larger, measuring about 23-28 cm (9-11 inches) in length and weighing 77-85 grams (2.7-3 ounces).
- **Habitat**: Robins are versatile birds found in woodlands, gardens, parks, and hedgerows. They are common across Europe, North America, and parts of North Africa.
- **Diet**: Their diet consists mainly of insects, worms, and berries. Robins are often seen foraging on the ground, especially after rain when worms are more accessible.
- **Behavior**: Robins are known for their territorial nature. Males and females both defend their territories vigorously, especially during the breeding season. They sing to establish their territory and communicate with other robins.
- **Breeding**: Robins typically nest in sheltered locations such as dense shrubs, tree cavities, or even in unusual places like flowerpots or old boots. The female lays 4-6 eggs, which she incubates for about two weeks. Both parents feed the chicks, which fledge after approximately two weeks.
- **Migration**: While many European Robins are resident birds, some populations migrate to southern Europe and North Africa for the winter. North American Robins are known for their migratory behavior, traveling to warmer regions during the colder months.
- **Longevity**: The average lifespan of a robin is around 2-3 years, although some can live longer in favorable conditions or captivity.
- **Communication**: Robins have a melodious song, which is one of the earliest to be heard at dawn and one of the last at dusk. Their song is used to attract mates and defend territories. They also have a variety of calls for communication, including alarm calls to warn of predators.