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Trying to help out our local Green Valley Pecan Company who are up against the wall with their biggest customer (China) refusing to buy any of their production--another unintended consequence of Trump's ill-considered trade war.

 

The salad is another 5-minute wonder formed from arugula, avocado, roasted beets, cherry tomatoes, goat cheese and walnuts with a vinaigrette made from olive oil, honey, sherry vinegar, white miso and whole grain mustard, and with a final sprinkle of Aleppo pepper and coarse sea salt.

**This first paragraph is a consequence of information naming this building as the Mosquito Creek Hall. "Mosquito Creek was applied to a school south of Adelaide. This little government school is six miles from Langhorne's Creek on the main road to Wellington. It was opened in January 1913, has a roll number of under 20, but it has lately distinguished itself in a manner which has brought it prominently before the public. The Gould League for the protection of birds... yearly offers for competition among the schools a fine silver challenge cup for essays written on a tree and bird of any district. This year the winning essays were written by Annie Gardner, a pupil at the school. Mr Gregory Matthews, the renowned ornithologist... presented her with two beautiful books and the silver cup...

It closed in 1946. [Ref: Manning's Place Names of South Australia]

 

Mulgundawa is a locality on the north coast of Lake Alexandrina between Langhorne Creek and Wellington, South Australia.

Mulgundawa Inn was a popular stopping place during the gold rush of the 1850s. A school was built by 1882. The school was used for meetings and social events, many school fund-raising events and church was conducted there.

 

Australian Saltworks operates from the Mulgundawa Saltworks which is Australia’s oldest salt business. Salt harvesting at the company’s site commenced in the 1870s when salt was bagged and shipped from the Mulgundawa jetty by boat to Milang and then to market in Adelaide. Salt refining was well established on the site by the late 1890s.

Today Australian Saltworks operates solar salt fields in South Australia north of Lake Alexandrina near the mouth of the Murray River. The company is privately owned and has a history and reputation of reliable supply of quality solar salt products. [Ref: Australian Saltworks website]

 

September 1

The Mulgundawa jetty will very soon be out of the contractor's hands, but it will be very far from being available for the purpose for which it was intended. No tramway or truck (to say nothing of a crane) for conveying wheat &c, across the jetty to the boat: the metalled causeway to it neither blinded nor rolled: and, to crown all, the sides of the causeway have not the palpable necessary facing of stone to prevent the loose soil of which it is composed being washed away by high tides.

Nothing is more certain than if the sides of the embankment are not pitchpaved (I believe they call it), the way will become disintegrated by the wash of water during some of the gales which are not unfrequent here. In its present state it is anything but creditable to the foresight or resources of the Superintending Engineer or the magnates of the Public Works Department. [Ref: Southern Argus (Port Elliot SA) 4-9-1869]

 

Charles Johnston Knight arrived in South Australia from Scotland on the ‘Arab’ in 1843. He settled at Mulgundawa in 1856. He was one of the south’s earliest settlers. By 1910 he had retired and his sons John and Joseph managed the property.

 

The death is reported of Mr Charles Johnston Knight, of Mulgundawa, near Langhorne's Creek (South Australia).

He was 92 years of age and arrived in early manhood in South Australia. He was a noted breeder of Merino sheep, and in this connection was assisted by his two sons, John S and Joseph B Knight. [Ref: West Australian (Perth WA) Friday 23 July 1915]

 

School Board of Advice Strathalbyn August 11

The Minister to be informed …that the Mulgundawa School, as per map of school district, is not under the control of this board. [Ref: Southern Argus 16-8-1883]

 

May 13 - The Bremer last night at Langhorne's Bridge was over the banks. It has now gone down five or six feet. Eastward towards Mulgundawa the road was submerged for five or six feet, and today, in places, is for considerable distances under water. Mosquito Creek has a great flood, and though now somewhat subsided, is running strongly, in places a quarter of a mile wide, and flocks of ducks and teal are near the road. At Pott’s vast sheets of water are coming close to the house. There have been heavy rains and strong winds for several days about Wellington and the lake. [Ref: South Australian Advertiser 14-5-1884]

 

School Board of Advice - Notice received of Miss Skinner's resignation as provisional teacher at Mulgundawa School.

Board resolved to recommend that Mulgundawa school be included in Strathalbyn District. [Ref: Southern Argus 19-6-1884]

 

Provisional Teacher Harriet Dalton appointed to Mulgundawa. [Ref: Express and Telegraph (Adelaide) 13-12-1888]

 

The Marine Board

It was decided to approve the repairing of Milang jetty with material removed from Mulgundawa jetty. [Ref: Advertiser (Adelaide) 31-8-1894]

 

The late Mr H Daenke

Mr Daenke had been a resident of the Lake District for a long term of years, formerly conducting the Mulgundawa Hotel, and subsequently that at Langhorne's Creek, from which place he moved to Milang.

He had been associated with public matters during the whole of his residence in the south, occupying the position of district Councillor for a long term, and that of Chairman of the Bremer Council for several years, holding that Office at the time of his death. He was a Justice of Peace. [Ref; Southern Argus (Port Elliot) 9-7-1896]

 

A Rival - A new industry—that of salt-refining—is being established at Mulgundawa, (says the Mount Barker paper) where Messrs Templer and Benson are erecting works. The lagoons along the lake shores at this place are said to contain immense quantities of salt of excellent quality, and hopes are entertained of the industry becoming a large and profitable one. [Ref: Pioneer (Yorketown) 11-3-1898]

 

A lantern entertainment given on Saturday evening, June 11th, in the Mulgundawa schoolroom was a source of much pleasure and interest to the inhabitants scattered over this isolated district, there being a very good attendance. [Ref: Southern Argus (Port Elliot) 16-6-1898]

 

Stopped for the season

The Salt Company at Mulgundawa (writes the Langhorne's Creek correspondent to the "Register") have left off scraping for the season. They are of opinion that they have enough salt out to keep them going for a while. About fourteen men were paid off last week. [Ref: Pioneer (Yorketown) 10-3-1899]

 

£1 1s voted towards demonstration and entertainment of school children at Mulgundawa school on coronation day. [Ref: Southern Argus (Port Elliot) 19-6-1902]

 

A successful concert and social were given here on Friday evening last. The programme consisted of tableaux, songs, recitations, and dialogues by the school children.

Supper was provided by the ladies, and afterwards dancing was indulged in. A collection taken in aid of "Minda" amounted to £1 10/. [Ref: Advertiser (Adelaide) 15-11-1902]

 

On Monday morning, says the Southern Argus (Strathalbyn), Mr Charles Besley, who is in charge of the salt works at Mulgundawa, met with a painful accident, his right hand getting caught in the cog wheels of one of the machines. [Ref: Advertiser (Adelaide) 7-8-1903]

 

Provisional Teacher Ethel M Warner appointed Mulgundawa – On probation under regulation 295. [Ref: Adelaide Observer 26-11-1904]

 

Another Railway suggested

Langhorne’s Creek, August 30. A largely attended meeting was held this evening in the Oddfellows' Hall, to consider the question of a branch railway from Murray Bridge to Victor Harbour, passing through the districts of Mulgundawa, Langhorne's Creek, and Belvidere, to some point on the Port Victor line. Mr J Cheriton (Chairman of the Bremer Council) presided over the meeting, which included representatives from Mulgundawa, Angas Plains, Lake Plains, Belvidere, and Strathalbyn. [Ref; Register (Adelaide) 1-9-1909]

 

The permanent railway commission are today to visit the Mulgundawa country, driving from Murray Bridge over the suggested route of railway, and taking evidence. At Mulgundawa they will be met by motors and brought via Langhorne's Creek to Strathalbyn. [Ref: Southern Argus 12-6-1913]

*Unfortunately this railway did not eventuate.

 

Last week George Rednap was working as a labourer on a farm at Mulgundawa for a weekly wage: today he is worth £5,000 and will shortly be on his way to Cornwall. Two years ago he decided to search for a fortune in Australia.

Recently he bought a ticket in a Tattersall's Sweep, and it drew the first horse and £5000. He is supporting his widowed mother and is a quiet, steady fellow. His employer (Mr Schenscher) speaks highly of him. His mother has been asking him to return home for some time, and he states that he will now be able to gratify her wish. [Ref: Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser (SA)17-2-1911]

 

Late Private F Winter

Mr and Mrs Richard Winter, of Langhorne's Creek, have been advised of the death from wounds of their eldest son, Private Frank Winter.

Private Winter, who died on November 18 at the 38th Clearing Station in Belgium, was 26 years of age. He was born at Langhorne's Creek and spent most of his boyhood on Nalpa Station near Wellington. He was educated at the Mulgundawa and Flaxley schools. [Ref: Chronicle (Adelaide) 9-12-1916]

 

Late Sgt A Winter

Sgt A Winter was killed in action in France on April 26, was the second son of Mr and Mrs R Winter, of Langhorne’s Creek. He was born at Nalpa Station, near Wellington, and received his education at the Mulgundawa and Flaxley Schools.

 

He enlisted on March 5, 1915, and left for Egypt, in the following June, with reinforcements of the 10th Battalion. After a brief sojourn in Egypt he was sent to Gallipoli where he contracted measles and enteritis.

He was returned Alexandria. Early in the new year his brother joined him, and both were transferred into the same battalion. After spending a few months in the desert they departed for France, at the end of May, 1916.

Of three sons who enlisted, two have made the supreme sacrifice. [Ref: Register (Adelaide) 13-7-1918]

 

Murray Bridge to Mulgundawa Road

Mr H D Young MP, waited on the Commissioner of Crown Lands (Hon G R Laffer), and introduced a deputation from the District Councils of Murray Bridge and Brinkley asking that the road from Murray Bridge to Mulgundawa be placed on the main roads schedule and that in the meantime a grant, to enable the council to construct the road, be made. It was stated that a large amount of money had been spent on the road, but the councils had come to the end of their resources.

Fifteen years ago there were only two or three settlers in the district and now practically the whole of the land was settled.

The heavy mallee carting traffic had cut up the road badly. Patching had proved useless, and the council wanted immediate help. [Ref; Daily Herald 20-9-1920]

 

Mr W C Humphrey

A well-known personality of the Mulgundawa district in the person of Mr William Charles Humphrey, died at his residence, Murray Bridge, on Monday, in his 82nd year.

He was born at Finniss, and at the age of eight years, went to Mulgundawa with his parents, and subsequently took over the farm, which he worked till about 11 years ago, when he moved into Murray Bridge. He leaves a family of two sons and two daughters all of whom reside at Mulgundawa. [Ref: Southern Argus (Port Elliot) 16-1-1936]

 

Olympus Pen D3, Ultrafine 400, ISO 800

Is it possible to have "too many" mutations? What about "too few"? While mutations are necessary for evolution, they can damage existing adaptations as well. What is a mutation?

A photograph shows approximately 100 different species of beetle arranged in an oval pattern against a black background. The beetles vary in the size of their bodies, the length of their legs, their coloration, and the shape and size of their mandibles.

The diversity of beetle species.

Genetic mutation is the basis of species diversity among beetles, or any other organism.

© 2009 Courtesy of John C. Abbot, Abbott Nature Photography. All rights reserved. View Terms of Use

Mutations are changes in the genetic sequence, and they are a main cause of diversity among organisms. These changes occur at many different levels, and they can have widely differing consequences. In biological systems that are capable of reproduction, we must first focus on whether they are heritable; specifically, some mutations affect only the individual that carries them, while others affect all of the carrier organism's offspring, and further descendants. For mutations to affect an organism's descendants, they must: 1) occur in cells that produce the next generation, and 2) affect the hereditary material. Ultimately, the interplay between inherited mutations and environmental pressures generates diversity among species.

 

Although various types of molecular changes exist, the word "mutation" typically refers to a change that affects the nucleic acids. In cellular organisms, these nucleic acids are the building blocks of DNA, and in viruses they are the building blocks of either DNA or RNA. One way to think of DNA and RNA is that they are substances that carry the long-term memory of the information required for an organism's reproduction. This article focuses on mutations in DNA, although we should keep in mind that RNA is subject to essentially the same mutation forces.

 

If mutations occur in non-germline cells, then these changes can be categorized as somatic mutations. The word somatic comes from the Greek word soma which means "body", and somatic mutations only affect the present organism's body. From an evolutionary perspective, somatic mutations are uninteresting, unless they occur systematically and change some fundamental property of an individual--such as the capacity for survival. For example, cancer is a potent somatic mutation that will affect a single organism's survival. As a different focus, evolutionary theory is mostly interested in DNA changes in the cells that produce the next generation.

 

Are Mutations Random?

The statement that mutations are random is both profoundly true and profoundly untrue at the same time. The true aspect of this statement stems from the fact that, to the best of our knowledge, the consequences of a mutation have no influence whatsoever on the probability that this mutation will or will not occur. In other words, mutations occur randomly with respect to whether their effects are useful. Thus, beneficial DNA changes do not happen more often simply because an organism could benefit from them. Moreover, even if an organism has acquired a beneficial mutation during its lifetime, the corresponding information will not flow back into the DNA in the organism's germline. This is a fundamental insight that Jean-Baptiste Lamarck got wrong and Charles Darwin got right.

 

However, the idea that mutations are random can be regarded as untrue if one considers the fact that not all types of mutations occur with equal probability. Rather, some occur more frequently than others because they are favored by low-level biochemical reactions. These reactions are also the main reason why mutations are an inescapable property of any system that is capable of reproduction in the real world. Mutation rates are usually very low, and biological systems go to extraordinary lengths to keep them as low as possible, mostly because many mutational effects are harmful. Nonetheless, mutation rates never reach zero, even despite both low-level protective mechanisms, like DNA repair or proofreading during DNA replication, and high-level mechanisms, like melanin deposition in skin cells to reduce radiation damage. Beyond a certain point, avoiding mutation simply becomes too costly to cells. Thus, mutation will always be present as a powerful force in evolution.

 

Types of Mutations

So, how do mutations occur? The answer to this question is closely linked to the molecular details of how both DNA and the entire genome are organized. The smallest mutations are point mutations, in which only a single base pair is changed into another base pair. Yet another type of mutation is the nonsynonymous mutation, in which an amino acid sequence is changed. Such mutations lead to either the production of a different protein or the premature termination of a protein.

 

As opposed to nonsynonymous mutations, synonymous mutations do not change an amino acid sequence, although they occur, by definition, only in sequences that code for amino acids. Synonymous mutations exist because many amino acids are encoded by multiple codons. Base pairs can also have diverse regulating properties if they are located in introns, intergenic regions, or even within the coding sequence of genes. For some historic reasons, all of these groups are often subsumed with synonymous mutations under the label "silent" mutations. Depending on their function, such silent mutations can be anything from truly silent to extraordinarily important, the latter implying that working sequences are kept constant by purifying selection. This is the most likely explanation for the existence of ultraconserved noncoding elements that have survived for more than 100 million years without substantial change, as found by comparing the genomes of several vertebrates (Sandelin et al., 2004).

 

Mutations may also take the form of insertions or deletions, which are together known as indels. Indels can have a wide variety of lengths. At the short end of the spectrum, indels of one or two base pairs within coding sequences have the greatest effect, because they will inevitably cause a frameshift (only the addition of one or more three-base-pair codons will keep a protein approximately intact). At the intermediate level, indels can affect parts of a gene or whole groups of genes. At the largest level, whole chromosomes or even whole copies of the genome can be affected by insertions or deletions, although such mutations are usually no longer subsumed under the label indel. At this high level, it is also possible to invert or translocate entire sections of a chromosome, and chromosomes can even fuse or break apart. If a large number of genes are lost as a result of one of these processes, then the consequences are usually very harmful. Of course, different genetic systems react differently to such events.

 

Finally, still other sources of mutations are the many different types of transposable elements, which are small entities of DNA that possess a mechanism that permits them to move around within the genome. Some of these elements copy and paste themselves into new locations, while others use a cut-and-paste method. Such movements can disrupt existing gene functions (by insertion in the middle of another gene), activate dormant gene functions (by perfect excision from a gene that was switched off by an earlier insertion), or occasionally lead to the production of new genes (by pasting material from different genes together).

 

Effects of Mutations

A line graph shows the probability density of mutational effects. A log scale of mutational effects is shown on the x-axis, and probability density is shown on the y-axis. The line follows the shape of a right-skewed bell curve. Probability density increases as mutational effects increase from 10-10 to 10-4, where the curve peaks. As mutational effects increase from 10 4 to 1, probability density decreases. All mutational effects equal to or less than 10-10 are shown as a spike at 10-10 on the x-axis.

View Full-Size ImageFigure 1: The overwhelming majority of mutations have very small effects.

This example of a possible distribution of deleterious mutational effects was obtained from DNA sequence polymorphism data from natural populations of two Drosophila species. The spike at 10-10 includes all smaller effects, whereas effects are not shown if they induce a structural damage that is equivalent to selection coefficients that are 'super-lethal' (see Loewe and Charlesworth 2006 for more details).

© 2008 Nature Education All rights reserved. View Terms of Use

A single mutation can have a large effect, but in many cases, evolutionary change is based on the accumulation of many mutations with small effects. Mutational effects can be beneficial, harmful, or neutral, depending on their context or location. Most non-neutral mutations are deleterious. In general, the more base pairs that are affected by a mutation, the larger the effect of the mutation, and the larger the mutation's probability of being deleterious.

 

To better understand the impact of mutations, researchers have started to estimate distributions of mutational effects (DMEs) that quantify how many mutations occur with what effect on a given property of a biological system. In evolutionary studies, the property of interest is fitness, but in molecular systems biology, other emerging properties might also be of interest. It is extraordinarily difficult to obtain reliable information about DMEs, because the corresponding effects span many orders of magnitude, from lethal to neutral to advantageous; in addition, many confounding factors usually complicate these analyses. To make things even more difficult, many mutations also interact with each other to alter their effects; this phenomenon is referred to as epistasis. However, despite all these uncertainties, recent work has repeatedly indicated that the overwhelming majority of mutations have very small effects (Figure 1; Eyre-Walker & Keightley, 2007). Of course, much more work is needed in order to obtain more detailed information about DMEs, which are a fundamental property that governs the evolution of every biological system.

 

Estimating Rates of Mutation

Many direct and indirect methods have been developed to help estimate rates of different types of mutations in various organisms. The main difficulty in estimating rates of mutation involves the fact that DNA changes are extremely rare events and can only be detected on a background of identical DNA. Because biological systems are usually influenced by many factors, direct estimates of mutation rates are desirable. Direct estimates typically involve use of a known pedigree in which all descendants inherited a well-defined DNA sequence. To measure mutation rates using this method, one first needs to sequence many base pairs within this region of DNA from many individuals in the pedigree, counting all the observed mutations. These observations are then combined with the number of generations that connect these individuals to compute the overall mutation rate (Haag-Liautard et al., 2007). Such direct estimates should not be confused with substitution rates estimated over phylogenetic time spans.

 

Summary

Mutation rates can vary within a genome and between genomes. Much more work is required before researchers can obtain more precise estimates of the frequencies of different mutations. The rise of high-throughput genomic sequencing methods nurtures the hope that we will be able to cultivate a more detailed and precise understanding of mutation rates. Because mutation is one of the fundamental forces of evolution, such work will continue to be of paramount importance.

 

References and Recommended Reading

Drake, J. W., et al. Rates of spontaneous mutation. Genetics 148, 1667–1686 (1998)

 

Eyre-Walker, A., & Keightley, P. D. The distribution of fitness effects of new mutations. Nature Reviews Genetics 8, 610–618 (2007) doi:10.1038/nrg2146 (link to article)

 

Haag-Liautard, C., et al. Direct estimation of per nucleotide and genomic deleterious mutation rates in Drosophila. Nature 445, 82–85 (2007) doi:10.1038/nature05388 (link to article)

 

Loewe, L., & Charlesworth, B. Inferring the distribution of mutational effects on fitness in Drosophila. Biology Letters 2, 426–430 (2006)

 

Lynch, M., et al. Perspective: Spontaneous deleterious mutation. Evolution 53, 645–663 (1999)

 

Orr, H. A. The genetic theory of adaptation: A brief history. Nature Review Genetics 6, 119–127 (2005) doi:10.1038/nrg1523 (link to article)

 

Sandelin, A., et al. Arrays of ultraconserved non-coding regions span the loci of key developmental genes in vertebrate genomes. BMC Genomics 5, 99 (2004)

 

www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/genetic-mutation-1127

 

"Consider, for example, the dragon. Basic physics will almost certainly combine with biological constraints to prevent the creation of flying or fire-breathing dragons.

 

But is it possible dragons could ever exist beyond the pages of Celtic mythology or the celluloid of fantasy film?

Academics have suggested in a recent essay the creation of large, winged dragons using cutting-edge genome editing is not beyond the realms of possibility.

Is the seemingly far-fetched idea a flier or, like dragon's breath, just hot air? The BBC asked the authors.

'Not impossible'

The essay in The American Journal of Bioethics said spectacular animals could be brought to life using a targeted gene-editing system known as CRISPR-CAS9.

Co-authors Prof Hank T Greely, director of the Centre for Law and the Biosciences at Stanford Law School, and Prof R Alta Charo, Professor of Bioethics and Law at Wisconsin Law School, said their dragon suggestion was "somewhat tongue-in-cheek" but "not impossible".

"There are the possibilities of spectacles," they wrote. "Animals and plants not created for personal use but to be exhibited.

 

"But a very large reptile that looks at least somewhat like the European or Asian dragon (perhaps with flappable if not flyable wings) could be someone's target of opportunity."

And it may not be as improbable as it seems at first blush.

CRISPR and other similar techniques involve DNA being inserted, replaced, or removed from a genome using artificially engineered nucleases.

 

The method has been adopted by scientists around the world.

CRISPRs (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) are sections of DNA, while CAS-9 (CRISPR-associated protein 9) is an enzyme.

They are found in bacteria, which use them to disable attacks from viruses.

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They have led to the creation of patented "GloFish" that shine under UV light, the eradication of horns from certain cattle species, manipulation of crops and attempts to produce hypo-allergenic cats.

Artist Eduardo Kac even commissioned a French geneticist to create Alba, a genetically modified "glowing" rabbit.

Debate

Debate has raged over whether CRISPR, which occurs as part of a bacterial process, could be safely and ethically used on humans since 2012.

But professors Greely and Charo argue its potential to produce "CRISPR critters" is "likely to be overlooked" by legislators and regulators "because they are unexpected".

The method is "cheaper and easier" than older forms of genetic engineering and can be done "outside the traditional laboratory setting".

Their essay looks at the possible uses of CRISPR for de-extinction of wild species - such as 700,000-year-old horses - for domestic de-extinction - such as tomato species - and for making creatures of "personal whim".

They point out that Harvard geneticist George Church is using CRISPR to edit Asian elephant cell lines to give them some woolly mammoth genes.

Woolly mammothsImage copyrightTHINKSTOCK

Image caption

Geneticist are working on cloning or engineering woolly mammoths

Asked about the likelihood of dragons, the co-authors said: "We imagine it would be low although not impossible with respect to appearance (the fire-breathing and flying aspects are undoubtedly beyond any plausible genetic engineering).

"In the US, the determining factor is usually cost as compared to return-on-investment, where cost can be substantial given the regulatory hurdles.

"Does this mean some determined and well-funded geneticist might do this as an artistic experiment, similar to the work done on the fluorescing rabbit?

"Yes. But the operative word is 'might'."

A potential process could involve modifications to an existing large reptile - for instance, a Komodo dragon.

Problems

The professors said, even if scientists knew how to make them larger, there would likely be problems with the creature's mass increasing faster than its surface area or its bone cross-sections.

The first issue could make the animals overheat; the second might mean the edited reptile's bones would be too weak to hold its weight.

"If and when we actually come to understand in detail what every specific DNA sequence does and how they all fit together, though, all bets are off - things could move more quickly," they added.

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What does a CRISPR expert think?

Thinkstock

Dr Sam Sternberg - formerly of the University of California's Doudna Lab, which pioneered work with CRISPR-CAS9 - said his boundaries were stretched when Minnesota firm Recombinetics announced it had used a gene-editing technology to dehorn certain types of cattle.

However, he is not hopeful genetic engineers could ever cross the Rubicon to create dragons.

"You're talking about, not just one or a few changes, you're talking about massive changes and it gets to the point where, how much can you cut and paste the DNA that causes some of the traits of one species to another?

"I would say it's probably bordering on impossible/never going to happen."

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Even if the difficulties connected with gene editing could be overcome, there remains the tricky task of assisted reproduction with an existing lizard species.

Giving birth to any edited dragon would involve taking stem cells from, say, a Komodo dragon before inserting an altered nucleus into an egg for in vitro fertilization (IVF) in an adult komodo.

GloFish in an aquariumImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES

Image caption

Bright GloFish were genetically modified for fluorescence in aquariums

That would be no mean feat; in December scientists carried out the first successful IVF on dogs after decades of trying.

"If you got access to Komodo dragons and could quickly resolve the regulatory, stem cell, and assisted reproduction problems, you could start tinkering.

"But it would likely take a very long time before you could hope to get something that looked much like a dragon," Prof Greely and Prof Charo said.

So, how far off might all this be?

"A while," they said.

  

www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-35111760

Opera is such beautiful simplicity. The more simple the libretto it seems, the more it allows very complex musicality.

  

HEARTLAND GOTHIC series:

A rural realm — noir, bizarre and sometimes science fiction.

 

Go to series start

 

Sony A7ii

Zeiss Batis 1.8/85

 

Press To Meco - Live @ Boileroom (Guildford)

A sane conception for an outcast pair or so it seemed at creation...

They'd abandon together this mortal world and exist in eternal liberation.

But alas, they'd be severed to both their dismay; torn forever yearning...

Reaching for; wanting, that adulation that now lies in perpetuum-- burning.

United in love, divided by death such tragedy seems limitless...

for never again will our lovers relate, apart from their mournfulness.

  

I have been thinking about this for a while, didn't pull it off exactly how I had hoped to but its a start... its 16 layers of hacked together shots that closely resemble what I was going for...

 

Sometimes we try to stack the deck in our favor and have undesired consequences...

  

Strobist: The picture of the girl has one 400watt umbrella 45* facing her and off camera flash camera left 24mm 1/64 power, the couple has 1 umbrella 400 watt dead center over the camera

Processed with VSCOcam with m5 preset

The main environmental issues associated with the implementation of the 5G network come with the manufacturing of the many component parts of the 5G infrastructure. In addition, the proliferation of new devices that will use the 5G network that is tied to the acceleration of demand from consumers for new 5G-dependent devices will have serious environmental consequences. The 5G network will inevitably cause a large increase in energy usage among consumers, which is already one of the main contributors to climate change. Additionally, the manufacturing and maintenance of the new technologies associated with 5G creates waste and uses important resources that have detrimental consequences for the environment. 5G networks use technology that has harmful effects on birds, which in turn has cascading effects through entire ecosystems. And, while 5G developers are seeking to create a network that has fewer environmental impacts than past networks, there is still room for improvement and the consequences of 5G should be considered before it is widely rolled out. 5G stands for the fifth generation of wireless technology. It is the wave of wireless technology surpassing the 4G network that is used now. Previous generations brought the first cell phones (1G), text messaging (2G), online capabilities (3G), and faster speed (4G). The fifth generation aims to increase the speed of data movement, be more responsive, and allow for greater connectivity of devices simultaneously.[2] This means that 5G will allow for nearly instantaneous downloading of data that, with the current network, would take hours. For example, downloading a movie using 5G would take mere seconds. These new improvements will allow for self-driving cars, massive expansion of Internet of Things (IoT) device use, and acceleration of new technological advancements used in everyday activities by a much wider range of people. While 5G is not fully developed, it is expected to consist of at least five new technologies that allow it to perform much more complicated tasks at faster speeds. The new technologies 5G will use are hardware that works with much higher frequencies (millimeter wavelengths), small cells, massive MIMO (multiple input multiple output), beamforming, and full duplex.[3] Working together, these new technologies will expand the potential of many of the devices used today and devices being developed for the future. Millimeter waves are a higher frequency wavelength than the radio wavelength generally used in wireless transmission today.[4] The use of this portion of the spectrum corresponds to higher frequency and shorter wavelengths, in this case in the millimeter range (vs the lower radio frequencies where the wavelengths can be in the meters to hundreds of kilometers). Higher frequency waves allow for more devices to be connected to the same network at the same time, because there is more space available compared to the radio waves that are used today. The use of this portion of the spectrum has much longer wavelengths than of that anticipated for a portion of the 5G implementation. The waves in use now can measure up to tens of centimeters, while the new 5G waves would be no greater than ten millimeters.[5] The millimeter waves will create more transmission space for the ever-expanding number of people and devices crowding the current networks. The millimeter waves will create more space for devices to be used by consumers, which will increase energy usage, subsequently leading to increased global warming. Millimeter waves are very weak in their ability to connect two devices, which is why 5G needs something called “small cells” to give full, uninterrupted coverage. Small cells are essentially miniature cell towers that would be placed 250 meters apart throughout cities and other areas needing coverage.[6] The small cells are necessary as emissions [or signals] at this higher frequency/shorter wavelength have more difficulty passing through solid objects and are even easily intercepted by rain.[7] The small cells could be placed on anything from trees to street lights to the sides of businesses and homes to maximize connection and limit “dead zones” (areas where connections are lost). The next new piece of technology necessary for 5G is massive MIMO, which stands for multiple input multiple output. The MIMO describes the capacity of 5G’s base stations, because those base stations would be able to handle a much higher amount of data at any one moment of time. Currently, 4G base stations have around eight transmitters and four receivers which direct the flow of data between devices.[9] 5G will exceed this capacity with the use of massive MIMO that can handle 22 times more ports. Figure 1 shows how a massive MIMO tower would be able to direct a higher number of connections at once. However, massive MIMO causes signals to be crossed more easily. Crossed signals cause an interruption in the transmission of data from one device to the next due to a clashing of the wavelengths as they travel to their respective destinations. To overcome the cross signals problem, beamforming is needed. To maximize the efficiency of sending data another new technology called beamforming will be used in 5G. For data to be sent to the correct user, a way of directing the wavelengths without interference is necessary. This is done through a technique called beamforming. Beamforming directs where exactly data are being sent by using a variety of antennas to organize signals based on certain characteristics, such as the magnitude of the signal. By directly sending signals to where they need to go, beamforming decreases the chances that a signal is dropped due to the interference of a physical object.

One way that 5G will follow through on its promise of faster data transmission is through sending and receiving data simultaneously. The method that allows for simultaneous input and output of data is called full duplexing. While full duplex capabilities allow for faster transmission of data, there is an issue of signal interference, because of echoes. Full duplexing will cut transmission times in half, because it allows for a response to occur as soon as an input is delivered, eliminating the turnaround time that is seen in transmission today. Because these technologies are new and untested, it is hard to say how they will impact our environment. This raises another issue: there are impacts that can be anticipated and predicted, but there are also unanticipated impacts because much of the new technologies are untested. Nevertheless, it is possible to anticipate some of detrimental environmental consequences of the new technologies and the 5G network, because we know these technologies will increase exposure to harmful radiation, increase mining of rare minerals, increase waste, and increase energy usage. The main 5G environmental concerns have to do with two of the five new components: the millimeter waves and the small cells. The whole aim of the new 5G network is to allow for more devices to be used by the consumer at faster rates than ever before, because of this goal there will certainly be an increase in energy usage globally. Energy usage is one of the main contributors to climate change today and an increase in energy usage would cause climate change to increase drastically as well. 5G will operate on a higher frequency portion of the spectrum to open new space for more devices. The smaller size of the millimeter waves compared to radio frequency waves allows for more data to be shared more quickly and creates a wide bandwidth that can support much larger tasks.[15] While the idea of more space for devices to be used is great for consumers, this will lead to a spike in energy usage for two reasons – the technology itself is energy demanding and will increase demand for more electronic devices. The ability for more devices to be used on the same network creates more incentive for consumers to buy electronics and use them more often. This will have a harmful impact on the environment through increased energy use. Climate change has several underlying contributors; however, energy usage is gaining attention in its severity with regards to perpetuating climate change. Before 5G has even been released, about 2% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to the ICT industry.[16] While 2% may not seem like a very large portion, it translates to around 860 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions.[17] Greenhouse gas emissions are the main contributors to natural disasters, such as flooding and drought, which are increasing severity and occurrence every year. Currently, roughly 85% of the energy used in the United States can be attributed to fossil fuel consumption.[18] The dwindling availability of fossil fuels and the environmental burden of releasing these fossil fuels into our atmosphere signal an immediate need to shift to other energy sources. Without a shift to other forms of energy production and the addition of technology allowed by the implementation of 5G, the strain on our environment will rise and the damage may never be repaired. With an increase in energy usage through technology and the implementation of 5G, it can be expected that the climate change issues faced today will only increase. The overall contribution of carbon dioxide emissions from the ICT industry has a huge impact on climate change and will continue to have even larger impacts without proper actions. In a European Union report, researchers estimated that in order to keep the increase in global temperature below 2° Celsius a decrease in carbon emissions of around 15-30% is necessary by 2020. Engineers claim that the small cells used to provide the 5G connection will be energy efficient and powered in a sustainable way; however the maintenance and production of these cells is more of an issue. Supporters of the 5G network advocate that the small cells will use solar or wind energy to stay sustainable and green.[20] These devices, labeled “fuel-cell energy servers” will work as clean energy-based generators for the small cells.[21] While implementing base stations that use sustainable energy to function would be a step in the right direction in environmental conservation, it is not the solution to the main issue caused by 5G, which is the impact that the massive amount of new devices in the hands of consumers will have on the amount of energy required to power these devices. The wasteful nature of manufacturing and maintenance of both individual devices and the devices used to deliver 5G connection could become a major contributor of climate change. The promise of 5G technology is to expand the number of devices functioning might be the most troubling aspect of the new technology. Cell phones, computers, and other everyday devices are manufactured in a way that puts stress on the environment. A report by the EPA estimated that in 2010, 25% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions comes from electricity and heat production making it the largest single source of emissions.[22] The main gas emitted by this sector is carbon dioxide, due to the burning of natural gas, such as coal, to fuel electricity sources.[23] Carbon dioxide is one of the most common greenhouse gases seen in our atmosphere, it traps heat in earth’s atmosphere trying to escape into space, which causes the atmosphere to warm generating climate change. Increased consumption of devices is taking a toll on the environment. As consumers gain access to more technologies the cycle of consumption only expands. As new devices are developed, the older devices are thrown out even if they are still functional. Often, big companies will purposefully change their products in ways that make certain partner devices (such as chargers or earphones) unusable–creating demand for new products. Economic incentives mean that companies will continue these practices in spite of the environmental impacts. One of the main issues with the 5G network and the resulting increase in consumption of technological devices is that the production required for these devices is not sustainable. In the case of making new devices, whether they be new smart-phones or the small cells needed for 5G, the use of nonrenewable metals is required. It is extremely difficult to use metals for manufacturing sustainably, because metals are not a renewable resource. Metals used in the manufacturing of the smart devices frequently used today often cannot be recycled in the same way many household items can be recycled. Because these technologies cannot be recycled, they create tons of waste when they are created and tons of waste when they are thrown away. There are around six billion mobile devices in use today, with this number expected to increase drastically as the global population increases and new devices enter the market. One estimate of the life-time carbon emissions of a single device–not including related accessories and network connection–is that a device produces a total of 45kg of carbon dioxide at a medium level of usage over three years. This amount of emission is comparable to that of driving the average European car for 300km. But, the most environmentally taxing stage of a mobile device life cycle is during the production stage, where around 68% of total carbon emissions is produced, equating to 30kg of carbon dioxide. To put this into perspective, an iPhone X weighs approximately 0.174kg, so in order to produce the actual device, 172 iPhone X’s worth of carbon dioxide is also created. These emissions vary from person to person and between different devices, but it’s possible to estimate the impact one device has on the environment. 5G grants the capacity for more devices to be used, significantly increase the existing carbon footprint of smart devices today. Energy usage for the ever-growing number of devices on the market and in homes is another environmental threat that would be greatly increased by the new capabilities brought by the 5G network. Often, energy forecasts overlook the amount of energy that will be consumed by new technologies, which leads to a skewed understanding of the actual amount of energy expected to be used.[30] One example of this is with IoT devices.[31] IoT is one of the main aspects of 5G people in the technology field are most excited about. 5G will allow for a larger expansion of IoT into the everyday household.[32] While some IoT devices promise lower energy usage abilities, the 50 billion new IoT devices expected to be produced and used by consumers will surpass the energy used by today’s electronics.

The small cells required for the 5G network to properly function causes another issue of waste with the new network. Because of the weak nature of the millimeter waves used in the 5G technology, small cells will need to be placed around 250 meters apart to insure continuous connection. The main issue with these small cells is that the manufacturing and maintenance of these cells will create a lot of waste. The manufacturing of technology takes a large toll on the environment, due to the consumption of non-renewable resources to produce devices, and technology ending up in landfills. Implementing these small cells into large cities where they must be placed at such a high density will have a drastic impact on technology waste. Technology is constantly changing and improving, which is one of the huge reasons it has such high economic value. But, when a technological advancement in small cells happens, the current small cells would have to be replaced. The short lifespan of devices created today makes waste predictable and inevitable. In New York City, where there would have to be at least 3,135,200 small cells, the waste created in just one city when a new advancement in small cells is implemented would have overwhelming consequences on the environment. 5G is just one of many examples of how important it is to look at the consequences of new advancements before their implementation. While it is exciting to see new technology that promises to improve everyday life, the consequences of additional waste and energy usage must be considered to preserve a sustainable environment in the future. There is some evidence that the new devices and technologies associated with 5G will be harmful to delicate ecosystems. The main component of the 5G network that will affect the earth’s ecosystems is the millimeter waves. The millimeter waves that are being used in developing the 5G network have never been used at such scale before. This makes it especially difficult to know how they will impact the environment and certain ecosystems. However, studies have found that there are some harms caused by these new technologies. The millimeter waves, specifically, have been linked to many disturbances in the ecosystems of birds. In a study by the Centre for Environment and Vocational Studies of Punjab University, researchers observed that after exposure to radiation from a cell tower for just 5-30 minutes, the eggs of sparrows were disfigured.[34] The disfiguration of birds exposed for such a short amount of time to these frequencies is significant considering that the new 5G network will have a much higher density of base stations (small cells) throughout areas needing connection. The potential dangers of having so many small cells all over areas where birds live could cause whole populations of birds to have mutations that threaten their population’s survival. Additionally, a study done in Spain showed breeding, nesting, and roosting was negatively affected by microwave radiation emitted by a cell tower. Again, the issue of the increase in the amount of connection conductors in the form of small cells to provide connection with the 5G network is seen to be harmful to species that live around humans. Additionally, Warnke found that cellular devices had a detrimental impact on bees.[36] In this study, beehives exposed for just ten minutes to 900MHz waves fell victim to colony collapse disorder.Colony collapse disorder is when many of the bees living in the hive abandon the hive leaving the queen, the eggs, and a few worker bees. The worker bees exposed to this radiation also had worsened navigational skills, causing them to stop returning to their original hive after about ten days. Bees are an incredibly important part of the earth’s ecosystem. Around one-third of the food produced today is dependent on bees for pollination, making bees are a vital part of the agricultural system. Bees not only provide pollination for the plant-based food we eat, but they are also important to maintaining the food livestock eats. Without bees, a vast majority of the food eaten today would be lost or at the very least highly limited. Climate change has already caused a large decline in the world’s bee population. The impact that the cell towers have on birds and bees is important to understand, because all ecosystems of the earth are interconnected. If one component of an ecosystem is disrupted the whole system will be affected. The disturbances of birds with the cell towers of today would only increase, because with 5G a larger number of small cell radio-tower-like devices would be necessary to ensure high quality connection for users. Having a larger number of high concentrations of these millimeter waves in the form of small cells would cause a wider exposure to bees and birds, and possibly other species that are equally important to our environment.As innovation continues, it is important that big mobile companies around the world consider the impact 5G will have on the environment before pushing to have it widely implemented. The companies pushing for the expansion of 5G may stand to make short term economic gains. While the new network will undoubtedly benefit consumers greatly, looking at 5G’s long-term environmental impacts is also very important so that the risks are clearly understood and articulated. The technology needed to power the new 5G network will inevitably change how mobile devices are used as well as their capabilities. This technological advancement will also change the way technology and the environment interact. The change from using radio waves to using millimeter waves and the new use of small cells in 5G will allow more devices to be used and manufactured, more energy to be used, and have detrimental consequences for important ecosystems. While it is unrealistic to call for 5G to not become the new network norm, companies, governments, and consumers should be proactive and understand the impact that this new technology will have on the environment. 5G developers should carry out Environmental Impact Assessments that fully estimate the impact that the new technology will have on the environment before rushing to widely implement it. Environmental Impact Assessments are intended to assess the impact new technologies have on the environment, while also maximizing potential benefits to the environment. This process mitigates, prevents, and identifies environmental harm, which is imperative to ensuring that the environment is sustainable and sound in the future. Additionally, the method of Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) of devices would also be extremely beneficial for understanding the impact that 5G will inevitably have on the environment. An LCA can be used to assess the impact that devices have on carbon emissions throughout their life span, from the manufacturing of the device to the energy required to power the device and ultimately the waste created when the device is discarded into a landfill or other disposal system. By having full awareness of the impact new technology will have on the environment ways to combat the negative impacts can be developed and implemented effectively.

 

jsis.washington.edu/news/what-will-5g-mean-for-the-enviro...

  

photoshopped beefcake

What I usually do in SL all day long

 

♪♫ Song ♫♪: PROFF feat Cory Friesenhan - Consequence Of You (Hexlogic Remix)

 

Animations: Abranimations - Ballet Set 2

Head: LeLutka - Fleur

Body: Maitreya Lara Petite

Skin: Pepe Skins - Miu

Hair: Truth - Elixir

Necklaces: SynCo - Crystal Pendants - Top, ~Moon Rabbit~ - MoonChoker~rigged

Dress: Cheezu - Sora Dress

Undergarment: Blueberry - Noelia Shorts

Tights: Izzie's High-Waisted Tights (system layer)

Shoes: S&P - Ballet Pointes

Skybox: BUENO - Before Dusk Skybox Dark 2

The Royal Courts of Justice was opened by Queen Victoria in 1882 and became the permanent home of the Supreme Court. The history of the administration of justice in England and Wales spans many centuries. By the mid-19th century‚ a number of separate courts had come into existence at different times and to meet different needs. Many anomalies and archaisms had arisen and it was recognised that this state of affairs was unacceptable‚ and‚ in consequence‚ the Judicature Acts of 1873-75 reconstituted all the higher courts. The Judicature Acts abolished the former courts and established in their place a Supreme Court of Judicature‚ the name of which was changed in 1981 to the Supreme Court of England and Wales.

 

The Supreme Court consists of two courts: the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal. The High Court consists of three Divisions dealing mainly with civil disputes: the Chancery Division (which took over the work of the old High Court of Chancery)‚ the Queen’s Bench Division (which incorporated the jurisdiction of the three former common law courts: the Court of King’s Bench‚ the Court of Common Pleas and the Court of Exchequer) and the Probate‚ Divorce and Admiralty Division which took over the former Court of Admiralty‚ Court of Probate and Court for Divorce. This last division has itself been replaced by the Family Division which was created in 1970.

 

When Queen Victoria opened the Royal Courts of Justice on 4th December 1882 she was drawing a line under a long and difficult effort to achieve a home for the Supreme Court for England and Wales.

 

Before 1875‚ courts had been housed in Westminster Hall‚ Lincoln’s Inn and various other buildings around London and pressure had been mounting for a grand new building and in 1866 Parliament announced a competition for the design.

 

The eleven architects competing for the contract for the Law Courts each submitted alternative designs with the view of the possible placing of the building on the Thames Embankment. The present site was chosen only after much debate.

 

In 1868 it was finally decided that George Edmund Street‚ R.A. was to be appointed the sole architect for the Royal Courts of Justice and it was he who designed the whole building from foundation to varied carvings and spires.? Building was started in 1873 by Messrs. Bull & Sons of Southampton.

 

There was a serious strike of masons at an early stage which threatened to extend to other trades and caused a temporary stoppage of the works. In consequence‚ foreign workmen were brought in - mostly Europeans. This aroused bitter hostility on the part of the men on strike and the newcomers had to be specially protected by the police and were housed and fed in the building.? However‚ these disputes were eventually settled and the building took eight years to complete and was officially opened by Queen Victoria on the 4th of December‚ 1882. Sadly‚ Street died before the building was opened.

 

Parliament paid ?1‚453‚000 for the 7.5 acre site. It was reported that 4‚175 people lived in 450 houses. In two houses in Robin Hood Court 52 people had their abode‚ in Lower Serle’s Place 189 people slept in 9 houses. The site also housed the Kit Kat Club.

 

The building was paid for by cash accumulated in court from the estates of the intestate to the sum of ?700‚000. Oak work and fittings in the courts cost a further ?70‚000 and with decoration and furnishing the total cost for the building came to under a million pounds.

 

The dimensions of the building (in round figures) are: 470 feet (approx.143 metres) from East to West; 460 feet (approx.140 metres) from north to south; 245 (approx 74 metres) feet from the Strand level to the tip of the fleche.

 

Entering through the main gates in the Strand one passes under two elaborately carved porches fitted with iron gates. The carving over the outer porch consists of heads of the most eminent Judges and Lawyers. Over the highest point of the upper arch is a figure of Jesus Christ; to the left and right at a lower level are figures of Solomon and Alfred; that of Moses is at the northern front of the building. Also at the northern front‚ over the Judges entrance are a stone cat and dog representing fighting litigants in court.

 

The walls and ceilings (of the older‚ original Courts) are panelled in oak which in many cases is elaborately carved. In Court 4‚ the Lord Chief Justice’s court‚ there is an elaborately carved wooden royal Coat of Arms.? Each court has an interior unique to itself; they were each designed by different architects.

 

There are‚ in addition to the Waiting Rooms‚ several Arbitration and Consultation Chambers together with Robing Rooms for the members of the Bar.

  

A personal consequence of BREXIT?

Haus Lange in Krefeld is an address of pilgrimage for architectural studies and those people interested in Ludwig Mies von der Rohe’s style setting early work. Splendid and ageless architecture and garden environment.

Most recently this building became a new home for BREXIT refugee family that felt no longer welcome in England. Has it really become ‘a home’? If you watch the series of photos I took you might feel shocked as I was when I first lingered thru the stylish rooms. The car was still packed. The door was open… I entered as invited, saw valuable furniture, most goods still in boxes, piles of books. The pantechnicon obviously just left. Also very obvious: The landlady, mother and wife also left and will stay absent: ‘You will never see me again’ written on the mirror. That wasn’t a good sign. I felt sorry.

Then to my utmost horror I found the host floating dead in the pool… A husband, a father: dead! And nobody seems to care!

Even more desperate the boy hiding in the dining room – his distressed body language seems to ask: Can this my home? Where is my mother? Who is my mother? Where are my roots?

You may form your own opinion on this photo story – but being uprooted is the worst prerequisite for a new and positive start. Reasons are manifold. But if it comes to politics as a cause: Think before you vote, choose well whom you elect. It might affect your families’ life, too.

 

The artists Michael Elgreen and Ingar Dragset make us think with their fictive story and installation of an unhappy start in Haus Lange, Krefeld.

I as a photographer tried to transfer this mood and the atmosphre into 17 picture series ‘Die Zugezogenen’.

 

Krefeld, February 2017

Thomas Kopf

 

An Unexpected Consequence

 

Something woke me up around 3:30 am that Saturday morning, not sure what. But something since my head was throbbing, I assumed that was the culprit.

 

I slowly, silently arose, not wishing to disturb the others who had gathered in our suite's living room for a “sleepover after an evening of heavy partying. But by the looks, everyone was still passed out.

 

I wasn’t surprised, judging from the amount of drinks we all had consumed.

 

What happy drunks we had all been.

 

I carefully tiptoed amongst them through the room, deciding to get aspirin from my bathroom.

 

The girls and I had all fallen asleep in the living room instead of retiring to our respective bedrooms that connected to the master suite

 

I was surprised to see my bedroom door was closed.

 

Was someone else inside?

 

I looked around the room, not noticing anyone missing.

 

Shrugging it off, I went inside, closing the door behind me.

 

I saw my reflection in the wall-sized mirror at the end of the room, next to the surprisingly open outside balcony door.

 

“Looking good.” I complimented myself.

 

I was wearing my slinking long pure silk nightgown, coloured a deep chocolate brown. Along with my shiny matching robe. The robe was open and I could see my peaking out chest, my smallish mounds bulging, sexily outlined by my nightgown.

 

I ran my fingers down the front, touching them, feeling a rather pleasant sensation that I was still not awake enough to fully enjoy.

 

There is nothing like the feel of a bit of nice silk lying against one’s naked figure.

 

I took a step back, admiring my figure, clad tightly in shiny silk, with jewels sparkling that were reflected in the hotel suite's mammoth mirror.

 

For, from my evening out, I was still wearing my long diamond earrings(£18,000) and three diamond rings(£12,000,£5,000, £3,000) because I love to sleep with my diamonds on, and they had looked so pretty with my black satin evening gown, along with the rest of my diamonds, that I had worn out for the evening before.

 

They had looked even more delicious worn with my spaghetti strap chocolate silk slinky nightgown as I played with them,and myself, a wee bit more.

 

I guess I kept wearing them because I wanted the feeling to continue on, as it was.

 

We had all been dressed up to the nines, attire, and jewellery, Friday evening, including the three of us girls who were staying in the two connected rooms.

 

Though last night those rooms, like mine, had been empty since all of us were asleep in the living room, sort of an adult storytelling sleepover.

 

Though I will admit deep down a smouldering yearning was felt to have it being a role-playing sleepover.

 

Now as I looked myself over in the mirror I started to have a prickly sensation that I was after all, not alone in the room.

 

I literally jumped because that feeling was immediately confirmed as an unfamiliar male voice commanded:

“Freeze sister, not a peep out of you now!”

 

I froze… not knowing what the hell was going on.

 

Except I was correct in using the word ‘Hell’

 

^^^^

A thin, muscular male comes out of one of the room’s shadowy corners, facing me.

 

I could tell his intentions by the black tight-fitting spandex suit, gloves, and ski mask he was wearing.

 

He nodded his head to me….

“I don’t wish to hurt you, lady, I’m only after the “ice” I was told you were wearing out tonight. Now don’t scream. I will use force and some of your friends may be hurt. You don’t want that to happen, do you? Nod if you’re going to be a good lass.”

 

I nodded yes, feeling my earrings swing against my face.

 

“That’s the girl. Undo your pretty robe, drop it to the floor. Good. Now move it over unto the bed.”

 

I did so and he picked up my robe laying it out onto the end of the bed. Then he picked up my robe's satin sash.

 

“Now ladybird , hold out your hands.”

 

I obeyed. He looked down at my fingers. I could see my rings glistening and saw he was watching also.

 

He pleasurably sighed, then got to business.

 

“Spread out your fingers!”

 

I did and he slowly located, then worked off my three pretty rings. Reaching over, he plopped each onto my chocolate-coloured silk robe.

 

“Now sister, clasp your hands in front of you…”

 

I obeyed and he firmly tied my wrists together with the robe’s silk sash.

 

“Now lay back on the bed”

 

I did so and he lifted my bound wrists and using one of my long black satin gloves tied them to a bedpost. Then he took the other glove gagging my mouth with it.

 

I could see my reflection in the vanity mirror. Almost surreal, like I was watching someone else.

 

He turned on his torch, catching my long diamond earrings in the beam.

 

“Blinding those, lovely to look at, but I’m running out of time aren’t I? Leave them for later, eh luv!”

 

Moving easily like a muscular black panther, he rose and strolled over to the vanity dresser. He opened the pair of jewelry cases belonging to me and my sister-in-law Cadie.

 

The beam caught up with the reflection of the jewellery both contained. I could see them sparkling.

  

He turns, shined the light in my face…

 

I was told you birds were wearing “ice” but there’s much more here. Let’s say I save time by taking it all for sorting later..”

 

It wasn’t a question.

 

With a sigh, I watched as he emptied onto my silk robe, the glimmering contents of first one, then the other of our jewel cases.

 

The pile dazzled with explosive, expensive sparkling.

 

Discarding both emptied cases, he turned his light back on the dresser. There were more of our expensive personal items laid out there. Cadie’s, my husband’s, and mine.

 

Several times he reached in sweeping some of them into his palm. Dumping them onto the chocolate-coloured silk robe

 

My husband’s possessions. Rolex money clip, billfold, silver gunmetal cigarette case, and matching lighter.

 

Cade’s silver comb and mirror, silver makeup compact, and her satin evening clutch.

 

Along with my gold makeup compact kit, gold Lamé clutch purse, gold cigarette case, and gold lighter.

 

He next shined the light carefully around the room.

 

Stopping on the open closet.

 

He went over and rummaged through it.

 

He whistled, and from my close he pulled out my rust-coloured mink jacket, throwing it onto the bed.

 

Then he turned back, fingering through my good skirts, blouses, party dresses, gowns, satins, and silks all of them.

 

He pulled my back satin opera outfit, a long satin skirt with the rhinestone belt and matching rhinestone embellished jacket, that I usually wore with one of my silky long-sleeved high-neck tops.

 

Lovely this he said shingling his light so it sparkled.

 

Then he tossed it on my bed, covering the fur.

 

He happily “dived” back in, and I heard him exclaiming…

 

“This is more like it, good thing I didn’t take a pass on the closet.”

 

He was pulling out the black satin gown with rhinestone trimmings I had worn out this past evening. His light caught my beautiful broach (£38,000), which I had left attached.

 

it came into sparkling life under the torch beam.

 

He whistled as he walked over, eyeing it up.

 

The thief then shined his torch beam in my face

You weren’t going to try and hold this out now were you love? I’ll pretend you were going to point it out.”

He laid it out on the bed, then approached me…

“With that said, lady. Are you holding anything else out!”

 

I shook my head, no, my eyes pleading since my mouth was gagged into silence.

 

Grinning, his torch beam was shined into one ear then the other

“Not quite telling the truth, Lovely sparkler’s them.”

 

He reached up, I was limp, with no fight in me.

 

The thief then laid the torch on the bed…

 

With his teeth the wanker pulled off his thin black gloves, he looked positively evil wearing that ski mask. His eyes are large and I swear, beguilingly, studying me.

 

His mouth opened wide as he reached over with long touching fingers, to begin working off each of my earrings, tossing them onto the valuably shimmering piled out on my beautiful satiny silky robe.

 

Again he stared into my eyes, his own masked lined menacing one’s mere millimeters away.

 

“Not saying I don’t trust you telling your not hiding anything valuable, but, well luv, I’ll be having myself a look anyway. You’ll understand…”

 

I cringed, arching my back as his fingers grasped my arms.

 

He then reached down and squeezed around my bulging chest ,noticing they were hard and perking, pointing up through the sheer fabric of my silky nightgown like a pair of plump fleshy mounds with hard tips.

 

Then I felt his fingers smoothly running over along my silk-clad figure, until he reached my wet pussy and discovers why my “mounds” were so firm under his touch.

 

For yes, I will have to confess having been sinfully aroused throughout the whole wickedly hot experience.

 

You see it started when he was pulling off my rings.

 

No, actually I told a lie…

 

It was when he first grasped me:

The abruptness, the shock, and the surprise, quickly turned to aroused waves of tingling sexually tinged excitement at being held captive, by a thief after my jewels.

 

As he worked at stealing our valuables, a tingling, cringing feeling of helplessness and horror watching a masked man doing that, with the look of pleasure he had in his eyes.

 

Then as he pulled off my rings, well I realized I was growing even more acutely aroused in a quite “horney” role play’esque situation.

 

Arousal that began its stimulating flame, arising from the explosive emerging “kindling” that is one’s own erotica being played out for real when least expected.

 

He could see my struggle against my bonds, and he knew, the Git just instinctively knew why….

 

Then the prat just touched the hairs around my privates

 

Stroking gently, reaching deep enough inside my pussy hairs, just enough to keep me aroused, but not allowing me to come into orgasm.

 

My eyes were opened wide staring at his masked form hovering over me.

 

Then he plunged his fingers deeply inside.

 

My whole figure arched up, fingers tingling.

 

Then the stinking prat, he pulled back. The wanker knew and stopped, just as my figure was trying to come in a full-body arching, explosive orgasm.

 

It was bad enough The bloody thief was stealing my jewels, but adding in robbing me clean of a chance at feeling that titular flame of orgasmic stimulation as I had closed my eyes starting to wince with excitement, that was just bloody rude.

 

^^^^^^

 

Then he was done, all back to business, as he nimbly rose, then picking up his gloves said the chilling words as he put them back on….

 

“Do the other rich dame’s bedrooms have things this nice, as I was told. No answer eh? Well, we will see for me self now won’t I!”

 

He picked back up his torch, letting the beam play down the long chocolate-silken night gown I was wearing over my naked figure.

 

He nodded his head in disbelieving approval.

 

Turning it off, he pocketed the torch, then reaching down he rolled up my satin robe with our valuables in it.

 

Picking up a black backpack he purred…

 

“The lads that were following you birds around last night, they put me onto this job saying to just to snatch the shiny jewels you and your girlfriends wearing out this evening. But lady you have enough here I could make a bit extra for me self!”

 

He stuffed the chocolate satin robe inside his jogger's pack. Followed by cramming in my black gown with the broach.

 

Then lifting my mink he said

But I better see how much of the good stuff your lady friends have in their rooms first. But I’ll take this item in case I have the storage space.”

 

Extinguishing his torch, He started to walk out, then looked back at me and came to my bedside.

 

“And don’t worry about this”

he said touching my now still prickly, damp crotch.

 

"Your not the first broad I’ve tied up to rob whose felt this way, now we’re you!?”

 

Snickering, he confidently opened the door, slipping without a look back

 

He was now in the living room where the others were all sleeping!

 

^^^^

That night thief thoroughly cleaned us out of all our jewels and various other items of high value we had in our bedrooms.

 

Though it was a very nasty thing to have happened to all of us. I did feel a wee bit guilty.

 

For to tell the truth, since I had been erotically aroused by the entire incident that occurred in my bedroom under the thief’s hands whole robbing me, I didn’t quite feel as sad about it as my equally jewel-relieved girlfriends.

 

Fini

 

With nothing for consequence on NS, we headed east to Talleyrand and then northward to Busch where this CSXT GP39-2 was shot. The GP39-2 are far more common south of Jacksonville on CSXT Subs. Yet a pair have taken up residence in Jax . This one #4303 is the second I've seen with the now standard "Boxcar" scheme.

Truth or Consequences, NM

Dorgrey (the grey wolf) knows how to deal with trespassers...

from ift.tt/1RbWcrd

 

I had to get up really early1 this morning to have blood drawn.2 I needed it for an as-yet-unscheduled appointment with the family doctor for a slut pill3 prescription.4 The phlebotomist today was stellar and hit the vein5 on her first try.6

 

On the way home, I stopped at the Wellness Center and joined.7 I had to pay $158 because my insurance apparently no longer foots the whole bill.9 The person signing me up told me I could pay another $5 and get a little scan-in card for my keychain. I said I’d memorize my 16 digit number.1011

 

I came home, called SSI for my review,12 finished reading Until You by Penelope Douglas, and took a nap.13 Nana called at around 4:00, which was also around the time I woke up. She asked if I’d gone for a walk yet, so14 I decided I should do that before dark.15 Amy had to go for her brief16 walks before I could go on mine.

 

I decided to bump my walk distance up today.17 I walked to the yard where Barks While He Twirls and The Plucky Sidekick live.18 They greeted me at the fence and I stuck my hand down to let them sniff. I didn’t pull my jacket’s sleeve up, which probably got BWHT a bit freaked out, so he bit me.

 

I don’t think he meant to bite me. He didn’t bite hard and the jacket did protect me from it breaking the skin. I wasn’t scared. I was a little surprised, but I realized that I probably was to blame for the bite, so I tried to greet him again. I rolled my sleeve up and calmly went in knuckles first, instead of the back of my hand. And guess what? He didn’t bite me. He and TPS demanded I pet them.19 He didn’t want me to stop petting him,20 but I did so that I could come home & ice my hand.

 

The bruise is worse now than it was when I took that picture, but not too bad. I think it’ll be okay, but it’s probably going to be sore for a while.

 

I couldn’t tell my family about the bite right when I got home because Mom was still talking to Nana. I knew even mentioning it would scare Nana.21 My dad was a little surprised when he heard because it’s such an un-BWHT thing to do.22 Mom is mainly trying to make sure an abrasion on my hand existed BEFORE I got bitten.23 I’m not worried about it.24

 

But I’ve learned that I need to be more careful in the future.25

 

For me. ↩

 

The fat girl special: lipid panel, A1C, & CMP. Yay, obesity! ↩

 

Norethindrone, aka a progesterone only birth control pill. I call them slut pills because anytime legislation comes up, someone has to say something about women spreading their legs. Yay, slut-shaming! ↩

 

I have to go back in for another three month prescription because my family doctor thinks my risk of blood clots is significant enough that I need regular monitoring. Yay, genetics! ↩

 

With a big old, regular needle in my arm, not a butterfly in my arm, wrist, hand, or foot. ↩

 

Yay, skilled medical professional! ↩

 

Yay, exercise! ↩

 

And I will have to continue to pay this amount every month. ↩

 

Yay, insurance!! ↩

 

Yay, debt & poverty! ↩

 

Yay, freaky memory! ↩

 

I confirmed that I’m still an impoverished disabled woman with no car. Yay, my life! ↩

 

Yay, preschool behavior! ↩

 

I felt guilty because I had been napping instead of exercising. ↩

 

#YesAllWomen. ↩

 

One-house ↩

 

My furthest distance since before my surgery. Yay, progress! ↩

 

Max and Mario. ↩

 

I’m easily bossed around by animals. ↩

 

Yay, renewed friendships! ↩

 

And she’d probably want us to call animal control on BWHT. ↩

 

Dad has interacted with BWHT as well. ↩

 

Yay, parents who are still overprotective of their adult daughter! ↩

 

So it better not kill me. ↩

 

Yay, painful life lessons! ↩

 

Related Posts:

 

Bad Blood (Vessels) June 22, 2015

 

Get A Location on That July 4, 2015

 

Not that hard of a stick July 9, 2010

 

Sinewy Badness July 18, 2013

 

Aleve-iate Your Pain (Or Maybe Not) September 1, 2015

 

"In consequence of her extraordinary learning, Saint Catharine is regarded as the patroness of Christian philosophy: and this circumstance, taken in connection with her successful apostolate for souls, is doubtless the main cause of her being considered as a special Protectress of the Order of Preachers, which glories in the name of the Order of Truth and has ever been distinguished alike for its eminent learning and its zeal for souls. The Saint has herself deigned on several occasions to manifest a particular interest in the children of Saint Dominic, as the lives of their Saints testify. To mention but three instances. It was she who, together with Saint Cecilia, accompanied our Blessed Lady when she anointed Blessed Reginald and gave him the habit of the Order, which she is said to have taken from the hands of the Virgin Martyr of Alexandria. The same two Martyr Spouses of Christ were again in attendance on the Mother of God when she showed herself to our Holy Father in the dormitory at Santa Sabina, sprinkling the Brethren with holy water as they slept. Finally, it was Saint Catharine who, in company with the other holy Protectress of the Order, Saint Mary Magdalen, came with the Queen of Heaven to bring the miraculous picture of Saint Dominic to Soriano."

 

This window of St Catherine of Alexandria, whose feast is today, is in the Priory of St Albert the Great in Oakland, CA.

truth or consequences - new mexico

بيني وبين سعادتي بحر عميق والناس حالوا بين قلبي والطريق فلكم أعالجهم وبي سقم الضنا

ولكم أنجيهم وكنت أنا الغريق يا رب إن ضاقت الناس عما فيا من خير

ـ عفوك لا يضيق

_________________________________

 

HONESTLY DEDICATED TO FAKE PEOPLE

_____________________________________________________

© 2011. All rights reserved. All photographs appearing under this profile are the property of Yara Gad, are protected by copyright law, and are not to be reproduced in any way without written permission. Please do not copy, distribute, display or perform your derivative works based upon it. Offenders will face severe legal consequences.

Tuesday 22 November 2016, saw local Greater Manchester Police officers join HMP Manchester Community Team in a visit to St. Edward’s RC Priamry School in Lees, Oldham as part of the ‘Actions Have Consequences’ campaign.

‘Actions Have Consequences’ workshops inform pupils on how their actions can affect them and their local community and the negative outcomes that could occur if they were to stray off the beaten track.

 

Subjects include nuisance 999 calls, bullying, anti-social behaviour, stranger danger, internet safety as well as others. Although the workshops carry a serious message, they are structured to be fun, informative and engaging.

  

The HMP Community Team gave the young people an idea of the harsh reality of prison life and the dangers of knife and gang-related crime.

 

To find out more about Greater Manchester Police please visit our website.

www.gmp.police.uk

 

You should call 101, the new national non-emergency number, to report crime and other concerns that do not require an emergency response.

 

Always call 999 in an emergency, such as when a crime is in progress, violence is being used or threatened or where there is danger to life.

 

You can also call anonymously with information about crime to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

 

First flown with the Airbus test registration F-WWAK in Oct-16. After interior fitout and painting at Airbus Hamburg-Finkenwerder the aircraft was delivered to Etihad Airways as A6-API in Mar-17.

 

As a consequence of the COVID-19 Pandemic the aircraft was withdrawn from service in Mar-20 and stored at Abu Dhabi, UAE.

 

It was ferried to Lourdes, France in Jan-21 for long term storage and it was thought it might not return to service. However, it was ferried back to Abu Dhabi in May-23 for post storage heavy maintenance and returned to service on 27-Jul-23. Current, updated 17-Jul-25.

Dust from building sites and smog from cars covers the Beijing skies. 1,200 new cars are added to the congested roads each day.

 

I could hardly recognize the place - it's only been 18 months since my last visit.

 

Hasselblad 500C/M + 80mm + Ilford HP5

 

@10/01/2008 added border - looks better I think

 

A personal consequence of BREXIT?

Haus Lange in Krefeld is an address of pilgrimage for architectural studies and those people interested in Ludwig Mies von der Rohe’s style setting early work. Splendid and ageless architecture and garden environment.

Most recently this building became a new home for BREXIT refugee family that felt no longer welcome in England. Has it really become ‘a home’? If you watch the series of photos I took you might feel shocked as I was when I first lingered thru the stylish rooms. The car was still packed. The door was open… I entered as invited, saw valuable furniture, most goods still in boxes, piles of books. The pantechnicon obviously just left. Also very obvious: The landlady, mother and wife also left and will stay absent: ‘You will never see me again’ written on the mirror. That wasn’t a good sign. I felt sorry.

Then to my utmost horror I found the host floating dead in the pool… A husband, a father: dead! And nobody seems to care!

Even more desperate the boy hiding in the dining room – his distressed body language seems to ask: Can this my home? Where is my mother? Who is my mother? Where are my roots?

You may form your own opinion on this photo story – but being uprooted is the worst prerequisite for a new and positive start. Reasons are manifold. But if it comes to politics as a cause: Think before you vote, choose well whom you elect. It might affect your families’ life, too.

 

The artists Michael Elgreen and Ingar Dragset make us think with their fictive story and installation of an unhappy start in Haus Lange, Krefeld.

I as a photographer tried to transfer this mood and the atmosphre into 17 picture series ‘Die Zugezogenen’.

 

Krefeld, February 2017

Thomas Kopf

 

Say NO to violence against women and girls! SPREAD THIS CAMPAIGN.

 

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" Violence against women stands in direct contradiction to the promise of the United Nations Charter to “promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.” The consequences go beyond the visible and immediate. Death, injury, medical costs and lost employment are but the tip of an iceberg. The impact on women and girls, their families, their communities and their societies in terms of shattered lives and livelihoods is beyond calculation. Far too often, crimes go unpunished, and perpetrators walk free. No country, no culture, no woman, young or old, is immune." (UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on International Women's Day 2009.)

 

"Worst of all, violence against women and girls continues unabated in every continent, country and culture. It takes a devastating toll on women’s lives, on their families and on society as a whole. Most societies prohibit such violence -- yet the reality is that, too often, it is covered up or tacitly condoned." (UN SECRETARY-GENERAL in International Women’s Day 2007 Message.)

 

“Almost every country in the world still has laws that discriminate against women, and promises to remedy this have not been kept.” (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the eve of International Women's Day 2008)

 

According to one United Nations estimate, 113 to 200 million women are “demographically missing” from the world today. That is to say, there should be 113 to 200 million more women walking the earth, who aren’t. By that same estimate, 1.5 to 3 million women and girls lose their lives every year because of gender-based neglect or gender-based violence and Sexual Violence in Conflict.

 

In addition to torture, sexual violence and rape by occupation forces, a great number of women and girls are kept locked up in their homes by a very real fear of abduction and criminal abuse. In war and conflicts, girls and women have been denied their human right, including the right to health, education and employment. “Sexual violence in conflict zones is indeed a security concern. We affirm that sexual violence profoundly affects not only the health and safety of women, but the economic and social stability of their nations” –US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, 19 June 2008 (Read more about UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict www.stoprapenow.org/ ).

 

Millions of young women disappear in their native land every year. Many of them are found later being held against their will in other places and forced into prostitution. According to the UNICEF ( www.unicef.org/gender/index_factsandfigures.html ),Girls between 13 and 18 years of age constitute the largest group in the sex industry. It is estimated that around 500,000 girls below 18 are victims of trafficking each year. The victims of trafficking and female migrants are sometimes unfairly blamed for spreading HIV when the reality is that they are often the victims.

 

According to the UNAIDS around 17.3 million, women (almost half of the total number of HIV-positive) living with HIV ( www.unaids.org ). While HIV is often driven by poverty, it is also associated with inequality, gender-based abuses and economic transition. The relationship between abuses of women's rights and their vulnerability to AIDS is alarming. Violence and discrimination prevents women from freely accessing HIV/AIDS information, from negotiating condom use, and from resisting unprotected sex with an HIV-positive partner, yet most of the governments have failed to take any meaningful steps to prevent and punish such abuse.

 

United Nations agencies estimated that every year 3 million girls are at risk of undergoing the procedure – which involves the partial or total removal of external female genital organs – that some 140 million women, mostly in Asia and Africa, have already endured.

 

We can point a finger at poverty. But poverty alone does not result in these girls and women’s deaths and suffering; the blame also falls on the social system and attitudes of the societies.

 

India alone accounts for more than 50 million of the women who are “missing” due to female foeticide - the sex-selective abortion of girls, dowry death, gender-based neglect and all forms of violence against women.

 

Since the late 1970s when the technology for sex determination first came into being, sex selective abortion has unleashed a saga of horror in India and other Asian countries. Experts are calling it "sanitized barbarism”. Worryingly, the trend is far stronger in urban rather than rural areas, and among literate rather than illiterate women, exploding the myth that growing affluence and spread of basic education alone will result in the erosion of gender bias. The United Nations has expressed serious concern about the situation.

 

The decline in the sex ratio and the millions of Missing Women are indicators of the feudal patriarchal resurgence. Violence against women has gone public – whether it is dowry murders, the practice of female genital mutilation, honour killings, sex selective abortions or death sentences awarded to young lovers from different communities by caste councils, rapes and killings in communal and caste violence, it is only women’s and human rights groups who are protesting – the public and institutional response to these trends is very minimal.

 

Millions of women suffer from discrimination in the world of work. This not only violates a most basic human right, but has wider social and economic consequences. Most of the governments turn a blind eye to illegal practices and enact and enforce discriminatory laws. Corporations and private individuals engage in abusive and sexist practices without fear of legal system.

 

More women are working now than ever before, but they are also more likely than men to get low-productivity, low-paid and vulnerable jobs, with no social protection, basic rights nor voice at work according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) issued for International Women’s Day 2008.

 

More than two-thirds of the women’s populations don’t have access to the financial system. Poor women are not considered credit worthy. “The idea of the business is only maximisation of profit. That is too narrow an interpretation of a human being. There should also be social business in the society, Every human being should have the “right to credit” because if people have money, they can change their lives. It is true for women. They have the ability, but are sitting at home. If we give them finances, their hobbies become business,” said noted economist, Nobel laureate, the Founder and Managing Director of Grameen Bank Bangladesh, Professor Muhammad Yunus.

( www.hindu.com/2009/03/31/stories/2009033155752000.htm )

 

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Unite To End Violence Against Women!

Say No To Sex Selection and Female Foeticide!!

Say No To Female Genital Mutilation!!!

Say No To Dowry and Discrimination Against Women!!!!

Say Yes To Women’s Resistance !!!!!

Educate & Empowered Women for a Happy Future !!!!!!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

www.un.org/womenwatch/

www.un.org/women/endviolence/

www.saynotoviolence.org/

www.unaids.org

www.un.org/millenniumgoals/

 

Photo: Firoz Ahmad Firoz

Doosra Dashak's ( www.doosradashak.org ) Adolescent Girls Literacy Camp, Abu Road, Rajasthan, India

Consequences

 

Lots of rain means burns in spate and, for some, the risk of flooding.

 

P101-9161 Taken at: Buckie Braes, Perth, Scotland.

Donald Trump's victory has prevented Irish rockers, U2, from dropping their latest album.

Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

Hasselblad 500 CM

Fuji Reala 100

www.jimshootsfilm.com

of poking one's nose in where it's not wanted

Gundulic Square is located at the end of Ulica od puča (Ulica = Street; puči = type of well). The square was created as a consequence of the Great Earthquake from 1667 as the houses located on the spot were reduced to rubble. Today the square is home to the statue of Dubrovnik poet Ivan Gundulić, a work of sculptor Rendić from 1893. On the square is also a small Amerling fountain, a donation by benefactor Mr Amerling.

 

Ivan Gundulić was born in Dubrovnik, in 1589. He was educated in his home city. He was elected twice for the Rector of Konavle, he served as the member of the Dubrovnik Great Council and later as a member of the Small Council of Dubrovnik. He held several public posts in the Dubrovnik Republic, and if he had not died in 1638 he would most probably also had been elected for a Rector of the Republic.

 

One of the Reliefs on Gundulic StatueGundulic is the most significant representative of the Baroque period in Dubrovnik. His work embodies central characteristics of Catholic Counter-Reformation: religious fervour, insistence on "vanity of this world" and zeal in opposition to "infidels".

 

The reliefs below the Gundulic statue are symbolic and describe the main motifs in Gundulic works. The particular relief depicted above shows a proud lady sitting on the throne (representing Dubrovnik and liberty) and the two beasts, a dragon biting on the throne represents the Ottoman Empire and the Turkish threat while the winged lion chewing on the carpet below the throne represents the threat to Dubrovnik's liberty from Venice.

 

Gundulić's major works include:

 

the epic poem Osman, in which he describes the Polish victory over Turks from 1621, celebrates liberty, and describes motifs of Christian liberty and the proud Slav feel.

 

a pastoral play Dubravka glorifies liberty and transpires with patriotism

 

and the religious poem Tears of the prodigal son is based on the famous Biblical motif. The poem itself focuses on transience of life.

 

All these works are good examples of Baroque stylistic richness and, frequently, rhetorical excess.

 

Gundulić's role in the final standardisation of Croatian language can not be overemphasized. Ironically, his magnum opus, Osman, was not published in integral edition until 1844, when the Croatian Illyrian movement took his oeuvre as exemplary idiom of what they initially deemed Illyrian literary language, later standardized as Croatian and influencing Serbian.

 

One of the leading Illyrian men of letters, politician, linguist and poet Ivan Mažuranić, successfully completed Gundulić's Osman by composing the last two chapters, which were left unfinished upon the poet's death.

 

Ivan Gundulić died in Dubrovnik in 1638. His grave is located in the Franciscan church. In the library of the Franciscan monastery the oldest known examples of Osman the one from 1652 and the one from 1826 are being kept.

 

www.dubrovnikcity.com/dubrovnik/attractions/gundulic_squa...

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