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Hey everybody
I consider myself a castle builder, but I have never build a castle in the real sense of the word, so I thought it was about time I build one.
As I’m working on a big display to my LUGs expositions (comunidade 0937) and having access to a lot more parts I could go a little wild. :)
This MOC stands on a footprint of 4x3 (48x48) baseplates and is more than 3 feet high. I had a clear idea of what I wanted to do since the beginning, but of course some modifications and adjustments were made along the build, such as the positioning of the various towers on the main walls or the shape of the half-timbered sections.
A few facts and thoughts that I would like to share:
-Its viewable from the 4 sides and completely modular so it can easily be transported.
-Despite having access to more parts, I still had some limitations. So, for instance, I had to use more LBG 1x2 plates and 1x2 masonry dark tan bricks on the walls that I wanted but nevertheless I think it turned out Ok all the same.
-The colors used on the landscape terrain are not the ones that I would like to use, but again, due to its size, I had to use more common ones.
-I build this at home and took me about 250 hours in 50 or so days to build this MOC.
-I have no idea how many parts it’s made off! If someone as a rough idea, please let me now. But I can tell you that just on the landscape alone and on the castle interiors I used around 10000 2x4 bricks of various colors and on the walls I used at least 4000 round 1x1 bricks.
-The landscape was not my priority as it will sure suffer some changes and adding’s when integrated on the full display so I spend just 5 days on it and is not yet as I want him to look.
-Also, the trees are somewhat simple as I need them to be brickbuild (for easier transportation and also due to time restrictions) but I kind like them that way.
-Naturally, I’m a BIG noob in taking good pics and these are total crap (overexposed, poor lighting, poor focus). Taking reasonable ones was a huge #$#/&%$ pain and it looks so much better in person :)
Hope you all like it. It sure was an immense fun to build these one :)
I will try to upload more pics in a few days before I get this huge thing in card boxes :)
Oh and inspiration to the hundreds of castle photos that I found on the internet. :)
An Artistic Motif
"Consider a humble artist assuredly creating great masterpieces. Thinking them mere happenstance when, in actuality such a supple intelligence portrays an artful sensitivity skilfully executed to spark a moment of discernment.
Her nature, being modesty, wanting nothing but to share her passion for the wondrous, yet often hidden and unsung treasures.
Permitting only humilities garments to frame her magnanimity, she is content with somewhat anonymity.
Silently tearful eyes trench a happy sadness beguiles to us marvels deeply considered, seemingly unnoticed beauty, things often overlooked or taken for granted.
Henceforth such wonders are born to us in magnificent grandeur, thusly we are enriched by intended circumstance.
Artistic virtuosity humbly rendered to awaken from seemingly perpetual slumber the wretched of the Earth.
Such depth of spirit duly submerged in the love of humanity, the universe and life's mysteriousness.
Knows not be bound".
B.O.K
Consider this the unofficial use of sausage #16.
It's a beautiful day outside to violently dismember that pesky neighbor of yours. Unfortunately, this serial killer didn't choose the best location to shred his victim.
Created for the 2010 MocOlympics over on Mocpages. Check it out to see more wood-chippin' action.
I consider my Grandad to have sent me this, as the day before i photographed it i had just said to my mum "oh how i wish i could photograph a wild british snake"... and the next day i find this little guy on my patio (which used to be my grandads' house) I gently placed him into one of our small acer trees. It's such a rarity and i am so pleased :)
This is a juvenile british grass snake (Natrix natrix)
Me and my Grandad were as close as anyone could ever get, he would always help me with my art, he was an amazing artist, i hope that he is proud of my photography..
Please view large on black, hit the L key!
Consider for a moment how important is the humble teddy.
"you will conceive and you will bear a son" and The Chieftain angel said, “ Heaven's tidings of great joy we bear"
Sorry about my unbearable theology and be happy today!
They do not labor or spin...yet not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. Luke 12:27
I always think of this verse when I see beautiful lilies,,,,,I received a bouquet of these beauties from my niece when she came to visit us last week.
Have a wonderful day and thanks for your visits,,
Considerring how long the 2716 was sitting, the Kentucky Steam group polished it up. With little help from a Class One Railroad mind you. You might notice the black is the same color as the running gear on diesels. Or maybe you won't. Either way, we got them the paint to spruce it up. July 27, 2019. Midway, KY
© Eric T. Hendrickson 2019 All Rights Reserved
Las Gachas considerada también como Jacuzzi natural ubicada en Guadalupe Santander, (Caminata de 2 horas aproximadamente).
Cuenta con un promedio de 200 cráteres, cada uno de diferentes profundidades para disfrutar de sus colores rojizos de las rocas.
I consider myself extremely lucky to have shot several plows extras on the P&W while the railroad had use of the VRS' GMRC Russell plow X106. We put it to good use on many occasions and on all lines of the P&W. What began on February 15, 2015 in Worcester, MA in white out wind driven conditions, ended with a blue dome. The "Firedrill" situation began when the phone rang at 8am from dispatcher Steve Banasik, "Get your ass out there, they called a plow extra last minute, and they should be out of here within a half-hour"...OH CRAP...Thankfully a frozen switch saved me, as I arrived at Hope Ave in Worcester as the gates came down! The extra plowed from Worcester, MA south to Plainfield, CT then west on the branch to Willimantic, CT. Nick Palazini joined up with me mid chase in Putnam for probably one of the best chases' with the plow. Here P&W GE's 3903-4004 pushing the X106, arrives in Willimantic after a long battle on its' 80 mile one way trek.
Remember this photo next time – at Taiji, Japan Hell
I know we just posted an album, but when images like this are captured, the world needs to see them.
Remember this photo next time you hear the excuse from Japan of; "It is a humane act" or "The dolphins don't suffer and we treat them very well"
If you consider going to a "Swim with the dolphin" experience, remember this photo. If you can still hand them your money and participate, then you are no different or better than the hunters depicted in these photos.
Sites for more information :
Sea Shepherd Cove Guardians Page (official)
www.facebook.com/SeaShepherdCoveGuardiansOfficialPage
Cove Guardians
www.seashepherd.org/cove-guardians
Photo: Sea Shepherd
First met Carré back in '08, a year I consider significant as it was when I had begun getting serious about photography, was shooting all the time, was making a concerted effort to reach out to people on & offline for shoots.
Seems like forever ago.
And yet I don't know how different she and I are from when we first met. She's still playing music (these days on the east coast), I'm still taking pictures, we both still bond over the disdain we have for society at large. Our complaints aren't that much different, our joys are pretty much the same.
I went back, before posting this, and looked at those first photos I took of her. People I've known for a long time, it's a gas taking a gander at how they've changed physically as time's gone by.
Some folks I caught at their best, then watched them...move away from that point.
Then there's Carré, who, like me, is blessed with exotic genes that retard the aging process until we're at least in our fifties. Then one day we just Become Old, probably within minutes.
She's leaner, her face is more mature, but more beautiful for it. There's more confidence in her walk. More experience.
We're both making some of the same mistakes as when we met, but, hopefully, less often.
Ah time...
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil
nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory
was not arrayed like one of these. Matthew 6:28,29
El cuerpo no debe ser considerado materia
Ni aún cuando mi dedos te toquen
Ni aún cuando mis ojos consideren que tus ojos están inyectados en una lapida maravillosa.
No pienses en la materia ni en los átomos que caen,
Extiéndete como una lava por las noches,
Si piensas primero en la materia nunca aliviaras tus dolores,
Deberíamos hablar ahora de autopsia y su relación con el infinito
O las autopsias y la relación con lo divino
Podríamos realizar una autopsia a una gota de agua
Y utilizar los labios como inyectores que mezclen la insensibilidad con la pasión.
Podríamos realizar una autopsia al viento y llegaríamos a descubrir enfermedades ocultas en sus órganos fundamentales
1)las hojas;
2)y los pájaros
Y quedarían las nubes como las arterias del infinito
Todo lo carente de autopsia es infinito.
Una autopsia a la noche dejaría como sus únicos órganos a la cama, y la mesa del escritorio y como único sistema neuronal a las hojas desparramadas sobre los senos de una loba humana.
Presiento que la autopsia a tu cuerpo seria un a tentado porque eres como una sustancia que se escapa mas rápido que la expansión del universo, tus senos hacen carreras feroces contra los gametos de los luceros.
Hay cosas que solo se pueden hacer en un día de lluvia, como es el caso de lanzar globos contra los truenos, o pretender que la desnudez es maravillosa bajo un paraguas, hay cosas que solo se pueden hacer frente al mar como es el caso de recuperar la elasticidad de los 5 años y zambullirse en la boca del miedo.
Una autopsia a un sueño o una autopsia a un beso que se dio 5 horas atrás en un parque, seguramente no se hallaría un cuerpo, ni habría una forma distinguible, habría un escalofrío o algún especie de espectro, solo quedan espectros luego de la muerte del beso.
El cuerpo no debe ser considerado materia por el hecho de ser profanado por una autopsia, permíteme ahora volar o investigar las causas de lo que es considerado infinito y lo que no lo es, tendríamos que interrogar a los muertos y luego a los cetáceos, deberíamos dejar a un lado a todos los seres que tienen boca, y arrodillarnos frente a la luna. Pretendo ser libre, y lo único libre no puede ser considerado materia, la materia se encierra, se enjaula, y yo esta noche soy libre como la gota de agua que se revienta en la ventana.
La tradición considera que los orígenes de este queso son en la localidad de Moliterno, (de ahí el nombre) en Basilicata. Sin embargo, hoy en día la mayor parte de la producción tiene lugar en Cerdeña.
El Pecorino Moliterno al Tartufo es un queso de leche cruda de oveja, entretejido con generosas vetas de trufa negra.
Algo inusual para un queso de sabor añadido, es que en este caso se agrega la trufa después de que ha tenido lugar un envejecimiento, mediante la inyección de una pasta hecha de trufas negras. Este proceso permite que el queso pueda desarrollar su propio carácter, sus propios sabores y su textura friable y granulosa, antes de la adición de la trufa. A continuación, a la trufa se le permite "crecer" y encontrar su camino a través del queso, formando las preciosas vetas.
Durante el período de maduración de cinco meses, las ruedas se frotan con vinagre y aceite de oliva local.
Como resultado del método de "inyección", la pasta interior es muy sorprendente. En lugar de tener trufas salpicadas uniformemente por toda la pasta como el (Sottocenare, por ejemplo), el Pecorino Moliterno al Tartufo tiene, venas amplias y profundas. En consecuencia, el color de la pasta es marfil oscuro intercalado con líneas sólidas negras.
A pesar de las trufas son accesibles solamente en las "venas", el sabor de trufa impregna toda la pasta de este queso increíble.
Consider a tree for a moment. As beautiful as trees are to look at, we don't see what goes on underground - as they grow roots. Trees must develop deep roots in order to grow strong and produce their beauty. But we don't see the roots. We just see and enjoy the beauty. In much the same way, what goes on inside of us is like the roots of a tree.
A Igreja da Candelária, pode ser considerada a mais imponente e grandiosa igreja do Rio de Janeiro, não somente por suas proporções mas também por seu acabamento e grandiosa cúpula. Sua história é também interessante, advinda de uma promessa em meio à uma tempestade. A construção foi iniciada em 1775, século 18, e somente terminada nos últimos anos do século 19.
A história da Igreja da Candelária, pertencente à Irmandade do Santíssimo Sacramento, se iniciou em meio à uma tempestade, quando um casal de espanhóis, António Martins de Palma e sua esposa Leonor de Palma estavam em viagem, no início do século 17, atravessando o Oceano Atlântico. Durante o temporal que os afligia e diante do perigo de naufrágio o casal fez uma promessa de erguer uma capela no local que chegassem a salvo. Felizmente o casal chegou a salvo no Rio de Janeiro, e aqui cumpriram a promessa de erguer com dinheiro próprio uma pequena ermida ermida à Nossa Senhora da Candelária, da qual ambos eram devotos e cuja origem era da Espanha.
Fonte: Rio de Janeiro Aqui.
Copyright © Marcia Rosa – All Rights Reserved.
Reprodução proibida – Todos os direitos reservados.
Contato: marcia_rosa@hotmail.com
Harley Davidson SCA.
Considerada la modalidad de carreras más letal en la historia del automovilismo, es fácil entender por qué.
Las motos no tenían frenos. Podían alcanzar velocidades cercanas a los 160 km/h. Incorporaban un sistema de lubricación de "pérdida total", lo que significa que el aceite perdido por los motores se derramaba no solo sobre las motos y los pilotos, sino que también transformaba las destartaladas pistas en grasientas pesadillas de madera.
Si a eso le sumamos que los pilotos prácticamente no contaban con protección, no es de extrañar que llamaran a estos motódromos "murderdromes".
Era una locura absoluta.
Pistas al aire libre hechas de tablas salpicadas de aceite, solo con un poco de humedad.
El final llegó cuando 12 corredores y espectadores murieron en dos accidentes en pistas separadas en un fin de semana. Lo peor fue cuando dos máquinas colisionaron, matando a los corredores.
Una máquina, sin tripulación, chocó contra un poste, partiéndolo en dos y sus pedazos volaron hacia las gradas, matando a los espectadores.
La otra máquina se elevó y se desplazó por la barandilla que separaba a los espectadores de la pista, decapitando a tres chicos que se asomaban para ver la carrera, y continuó hacia las gradas, matando a más. El fin de los "asesinatos".
Fuente del texto: www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10159267164227901&id=...
Considéré comme le plus beau temple du Nord de la Thailande.
L'escalier d'accès avec 2 longs nagas (serpents) sur les côtés.
I know that many of you consider Red Kites as commonplace but they are still quite scarce where I live in the Pennines, with the nearest breeding birds about 20 miles away near Leeds. During my lockdown cycling exercise sessions I have chanced upon a Red Kite on three occasions on the edge of the Peak District moors over a period of six weeks. I managed photographs on each occasion and all appear to be of the same bird with the same feather nicks, yet I never saw it between these sightings despite daily visits. I'm always reluctant to post Kite photographs as I know some of you take hundreds of photographs of them, and to a really high standard, and mine are just opportunistic encounters. But I thought it was worth posting as it was photographed in the Holmfirth area where they are not common. I photographed this one on the edge of the moors where a silage meadow was being cut. it was attracting attention from several gulls, corvids and a Buzzard, plus this Red Kite. I managed just a handful of close shots before it drifted away.
I can still remember the days when Red Kites were rare, and you had to travel to secret sites in Central Wales hoping for a sighting. Red Kites were once a common bird throughout Britain. As an indication of how commonplace they were, Shakespeare referred to them on no fewer than 15 occasions. But its fortunes changed during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries when they were heavily persecuted. A reward was put on "hooked beaks" because they might interfere with aristocrats' hunting pleasure. And because Red Kite was so tame and slow flying, it was the easiest hooked beak to claim a reward for. By the 1870s it had been extirpated from England and followed suit in Scotland in 1898. It clung on in isolated valleys in central Wales with a population low during the 1930s when only 14 broods were recorded during the entire decade. A reintroduction began in 1989, first into England, then Scotland. This has been a conservation success story as there are now more than 4400 pairs in Britain, including well over a hundred pairs in Yorkshire.
These are my brother's ducks. He was gone one weekend, and I was at his house trying to get the ducks out of this pen and into the house. The one little guy seemed upset that I was attempting to wrangle him and his siblings.
La fortezza di Salisburgo, il tedesco Festung Hohensalzburg, è una fortezza medievale che domina la città di Salisburgo dall'alto del Festungsberg. Con più di 7.000 metri quadrati di superficie edificata (più di 14.000 metri quadrati se si considerano anche i bastioni) è una delle più grandi fortezze d'Europa, che si è conservata pressoché intatta. È visitata ogni anno da circa 950.000 persone, circostanza che la rende il secondo monumento più visitato dell'Austria all'infuori di Vienna, dopo la basilica di Mariazell
Nel 1077 l'arcivescovo di Salisburgo Gebhard fece iniziare la costruzione di una torre - che ancora oggi costituisce il nucleo del cosiddetto "piano superiore" - di una chiesa e di una struttura destinata ad abitazione, nonché di una cinta di mura. Poiché però Gebhard fu costretto all'esilio nel corso della lotta per le investiture, la costruzione venne portata a termine dall'antiarcivescovo di nomina imperiale, Berthold von Moosburg e quindi dall'arcivescovo Konrad von Abensberg.
Fra il XII e il XIII secolo la fortezza, con l'erezione della cinta delle mura più esterne, assunse l'aspetto attuale.
Nel 1462 l'arcivescovo Burkhard von Weißpriach fece rafforzare la cinta muraria con quattro torri: la torre della campana (Glockenturm), la torre dei trombettieri (Trompeterturm), la torre dell'erba (Krautturm) e la torre del fabbro o dei detenuti (Schmiedturm o Arrestantenturm). Inoltre, la strada di accesso orientale fu protetta con un muro e nella parte meridionale della fortezza venne eretto un bastione.
Il successore di von Weißpriach, l'arcivescovo Bernhard von Rohr, fece ristrutturare le vecchie mura aumentandone l'altezza e realizzare il cosiddetto passaggio del serpente (Schlangengang), che serviva per difendere il transito a est verso il Nonntal e verso l'abbazia di Nonnberg.
L'arcivescovo Johann Beckenschlager trasformò il "piano superiore" in un edificio di quattro piani, destinato ad abitazione. Inoltre vennero realizzati il primo arsenale e un granaio. Su quest'ultimo si trova ancor oggi lo stemma di Beckenschlager ed è il più antico stemma che si è conservato nella fortezza di Hohensalzburg.
Fra il 1495 e il 1519 l'arcivescovo Leonhard von Keutschach ampliò ulteriormente la fortezza allo scopo di dare un segno tangibile della sua potenza. Fece ingrandire il secondo e il terzo piano del "piano superiore" e fece costruire un magazzino, che prese il posto dell'antica cappella. Nel corso della sua reggenza, la fortezza assunse l'aspetto di un raffinato palazzo tardogotico, come dimostrano i sontuosi appartamenti principeschi.
Allo scopo di migliorare l'approvvigionamento di acqua in caso di assedio, l'arcivescovo fece poi costruire una nuova cisterna e rinforzò alcune torri esistenti.
empre per volere di Leonhard von Keutschach furono realizzati il cosiddetto Reißzug, una funicolare per il trasporto di merci[2], un panificio e varie porte, come la porta del cavallo (Rosspforte) e la porta della catapulta (Schleuderpforte). Infine, la torre dell'erba venne dotata di un enorme organo meccanico, che venne battezzato con il nome di "toro di Salisburgo". Il denaro per l'intensa attività edilizia veniva in gran parte dalle miniere di sale di Dürrnberg, nonché da quelle dei monti Tauri.
Sotto la reggenza dell'arcivescovo Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg si verificarono una serie di rivolte contadine, che a Salisburgo raggiunsero il loro apice fra il 5 luglio e il 31 agosto 1525, quando i rivoltosi assediarono l'arcivescovo rinchiuso nella fortezza di Hohensalzburg. Questo conflitto costituì il maggiore pericolo corso dalla fortezza durante la sua storia quasi millenaria: essa comunque rimase inespugnata.
L'arcivescovo Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau diede uno scarso contributo all'ulteriore ampliamento della fortezza, giacché egli si dedicò quasi esclusivamente ad una serie di interventi edilizi nella città di Salisburgo. Tuttavia il suo destino fu molto legato alla fortezza: nel 1611, infatti, egli venne imprigionato dai Bavaresi in una cella di Hohensalzburg, dove rimase fino alla morte.
Veduta del cortile interno con il "piano superiore".
All'epoca della guerra dei trent'anni l'arcivescovo Paris von Lodron rinforzò la città di Salisburgo con nuove ed estese fortificazioni, coinvolgendo anche la fortezza di Hohensalzburg nel suo progetto difensivo. Nel corso della sua reggenza vennero così costruiti nuovi poderosi bastioni (il cosiddetto Hasengrabenbastei) e vennero ampliati alcuni dei bastioni esistenti. In particolare, Paris von Lodron fece realizzare una serie di elementi difensivi come protezione contro l'artiglieria, che stava diventando sempre più potente, e fece rinforzare tutte le mura difensive che collegavano la fortezza con la città di Salisburgo e con il Mönchsberg.
Per volere dell'arcivescovo Maximilian Gandolph von Künburg, nel 1681 fu eretto sul lato nord il cosiddetto bastione del fuoco (Feuerbastei), alto 30 metri e con mura spesse parecchi metri.
Secondo un inventario del 1790, l'armeria della fortezza conteneva allora più di 100 armature da cavaliere complete, più di 1.100 corazze, lance e alabarde. Inoltre c'erano 415 mortai, 460 cannoni di ferro e 130 cannoni di bronzo. Tuttavia la maggior parte di questi oggetti erano già allora dei pezzi da museo.
Durante le guerre napoleoniche la città di Salisburgo non oppose alcuna resistenza alle truppe francesi guidate dal generale Jean Victor Marie Moreau. La fortezza di Hohensalzburg fu consegnata agli invasori senza combattere. Perciò essa non venne abbattuta per ordine dei Francesi, come accadde con la fortezza di Graz.
A causa del successivo abbandono e di un incendio verificatosi nel 1849, nel 1851 dovette essere eseguito un corposo restauro, che coinvolse in primo luogo gli interni. Negli anni seguenti la fortezza fu utilizzata come deposito e come caserma. Nel 1861 l'imperatore Francesco Giuseppe I d'Austria decretò ufficialmente la fine dell'utilizzo di Hohensalzburg come fortezza, anche se essa continuò ad essere usata come caserma.
Verso il 1900 fu realizzata la funicolare per il trasporto di persone, che dapprincipio era azionata con energia idraulica. Nel XX secolo l'edificio funse anche da prigione, durante la prima guerra mondiale per i prigionieri di guerra italiani e più tardi per gli attivisti nazisti, prima dell'annessione dell'Austria alla Germania.
Fra il 1951 e il 1981 venne eseguita una revisione statica dell'intero complesso. Oggi la fortezza, di proprietà (fiduciaria) dello Stato austriaco, è il simbolo della città di Salisburgo e viene usata essenzialmente per scopi turistici.
Many consider fall the most beautiful time to be in the Canadian Rockies, partly because in that season larches turn to gold. The larch is Canada's only deciduous conifer, shedding its soft needles in the fall. The sight of a mountain slope blazing with bright golden larches set against dark green evergreens is truly wondrous.
Larch Valley-----Banff National Park
Consider the freedom that beauty gives at no cost,
Our Daily Challenge:
THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE is the topic for Wed Jan 27 2021
* The usual community of cormorants can be seen here roosting on their utility cable above the lake... they no a good thing when they see it (sunset) and they don't have to pay for lodging either!
Consider Becoming a Patron: www.patreon.com/jeffthomas
11.45 inches x 17.66 inches
Digital Composite Photography
The bright setting, the expression of critique, and the high contrast value tie this photo into my concentration. This self-portrait catches the eye due to its deep and interesting scenery as well as the abstract addition of the flying umbrellas. Also, the rule of thirds coupled with the figure ground relationship allow for this photo to really work well. In addition, I added a high clarity effect to allow the photo to naturally blend into others of my concentration.
Editing-wise, I adjusted the whites, blacks, exposure, contrast, levels, clarity, and vibrance. I also layered together around five different photos of the umbrellas flying around the setting.
El naranja es considerado un color cálido, junto con el rojo, el amarillo y todas las coloraciones que tienden a estos.
El naranja es el color de la diversión, de la sociabilidad y de todo lo alegre.
El naranja es el color con más aromas y sabores. Muchos de los alimentos que comemos son de este color: albaricoques, melocotones, mangos, zanahorias, maíz, muchas especias (curry, azafrán), langostinos, salmón, salchichas…etc. Incluso los alimentos rebozados o asados, que cuando están en su punto decimos que están dorados, son de color naranja.
En la ropa el naranja es un color que, a diferencia del marrón o el gris, no se puede llevar de una forma natural. No es un color que, como el negro o el blanco, se pueda usar sin riesgo en cualquier momento y ocasión. Quien viste de naranja quiere llamar la atención, por eso este color es el de lo frívolo y lo original.
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Photo of a Pangolin figurine. Figurine is 7"w by 3"h
Flickr Friday theme: "scales"
Pangolins are very unique, being the only mammal with scales to protect their outer body.. Their scales are made of keratin, the same substance found in our finger and toe nails.
Pangolins are shy animals whose life is centered on feeding on various species of termites and ants. In the wild, they play an important role in keeping huge termite colonies in check.
Pangolins are in high demand in southern China and Vietnam because their scales are believed to have medicinal properties in traditional Chinese and Vietnamese medicine. Their meat is also considered a delicacy. 100,000 are estimated to be trafficked a year to China and Vietnam, amounting to over ONE MILLION over the past decade. This makes Pangolins the most illegally trafficked animal in the world!
Conservation efforts are exacerbated by rapid deforestation of their native habitat. Having Pangolins in top notch zoos for breeding has proved difficult. They are extremely susceptible to pneumonia and other commonly transmitted diseases that most animals in zoos respond well to medical intervention. Preventive vaccines and other medicines for diseases that can be treated symptomatically are not successful in Pangolins.
DOES ALL OF THIS MEAN PANGOLINS ARE ON A ONE WAY ROAD TO EXTINCTION? NO! Efforts to "follow the money" made from exploitation of Pangolins may yield better results than trying to "follow the Pangolins" captured for trade. If the money dries up, so does the major incentive to traffick in Pangolins.
What can we/you do? Look into Conservation groups and see what they are doing and how we/you may help. Oddly enough, the news that Pangolins are THE MOST illegally trafficked animal in the world, is being met with increasing desire to be part of the solution to save them.
HOW TO HELP PANGOLINS UPDATE:
I researched and found an organization that is involved with saving the Pangolins, as well as other species. It is the WILDLIFE CONSERVATION NETWORK. Their website is Wildnet.org . It has attained a 4 star rating from Charities Navigator, the highest rating that can be given. Charities Navigator rates charities of all kinds. The 4 Star Rating means contributions go directly into actions to help those in need that a particular organization is involved with. Their overhead costs are met in other ways, contributions are used exclusively to help save those in peril. Pangolins are very much one of the species the Wildlife Conservation Network is striving to save! Check them out: Wildnet.org
Consider this image as a capstone to a beautiful, interesting photographic afternoon at the shore of Fanari at Xanthi's prefecture ... An afternoon that actually taught me that there is no such thing as unsuitable photographic conditions for landscape photography ....
If you master your equipment's potential, every moment, every day of the hour, every place, every shooting target can practically give you an interesting image !!! And still have after this effort your equipment intact, to keep on shooting ......
EXIF: NIKON D90 with NIKON Nikkor 18-55 lens, Manual mode, f 8, Focal Length 20 mm, ISO 200, use of ND HOYA X2 filter, exposure compensation forced to -0,67 EV, center weighted metering mode, manually adjusted white balance, HDR photo made by only one RAW shot, manual exposure setting, auto focus mode, shutter speed 1/1600 s, no tripod, flash went off to catch frontline detail ...
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Sixty Degrees. That’s the angle for all of these edges, give or take based on the fact that the snowflake is photographed at an angle. Physics at work, yet many people consider snowflakes as a creation of God. It’s amazing really, that the same object can be described by some as evidence of a Creator, while others use the exact same object to prove that the natural laws of physics make our world what it is.
Very few things can take equal sides like a snowflake. I have a side, but I don’t need to express it to express my fascination with our interpretation of the world around us. The real magic here is that we, as human beings, see this snowflake as beautiful. I don’t think many people would argue against that. That begs the question however: what is beauty?
Beauty doesn’t exist on its own. A massive organized collection of water molecules? It is just a thing, a (mostly) inanimate object when we see it. How do we perceive this as beautiful? It’s not the object that contains this value, it’s our perception of it. One could say it’s all in our heads, and I think they’d be right. Something is only beautiful because we say so, collectively or individually it doesn’t matter. So then, what is beauty?
It’s a deep question, and one that every person might have a different answer to. My answer reflects on the larger world around us. We see geometry as standing out from chaotic nature. We admire patterns. We adore symmetry. The most symmetrical face with chiseled lines might be perceives by many as being beautiful, but so too will a wrinkled old smile with the history of the world written on it. Beauty comes in many forms, based on how deep we look.
When I dive into the details of a snowflake, describing all of its features and how they came to be, I hope I add to the beauty. In the opening words of the documentary series Forces of Nature, narrated by Dr. Brian Cox, he says “the world is beautiful to look at, but it’s even more beautiful to understand”. Understanding the depth of beauty only makes these tiny sky crystals even more beautiful, and these posts are often aimed solely at this.
See the slightly brighter center? There is a hexagonal twin plate on the reverse side of the snowflake. The central “dot” shows that this was from a column that transitioned to plate-type growth, and the forward-facing plate gained dominance to grow branches. It was slow-growing which provides a more geometric profile, with extra complexities in the lower left – look closely and you’ll see signs of another plate running in parallel in certain areas.
But all of the science, all of the logic, have a hard time explaining beauty. Whether or not there was a master plan from God to put this snowflake in front of me or if it was just the natural chaotic physics of the universe, doesn’t really matter when we internalize our appreciation of the results. No matter what you think, this snowflake is beautiful.
That is the beauty of humanity.
P.S. if you want to comment on this image, please do so in a way that does not take sides on religion or science. We ALL have our opinions, let’s just keep this one human, okay?
I’m married with kids and 2 jobs that I consider myself pretty busy dealing with all the responsibilities that comes with the aforementioned position in life. I don’t stress over it, it all works out.
But what is funny is that when I was single, had one job and no kids, no girlfriend, etc… I remember being REAL busy. With WHAT?? I don’t even remember, but I had times where I couldn’t do things because I was overwhelmed with things going on. I remember that I had to wake up by noon else I’d sleep through my 1pm nap. Things like that I guess.
Either way, childhood was fun because you really didn’t have responsibilities. Sure you had to clean your room and take out the trash or you wouldn’t get your $2 allowance. But other than that and your homework…. Uh…
That’s what vacations are for. To go away and be a kid for a few days.
I think I’m going to give my soon-to-be 10yo some responsibilities. He’s in charge of paying the bills, replacing the toilet and all exterior yard work. I’m going to work on completing Halo3 on Expert mode by Friday.
(Last call for those interested in going to Death Valley in April to photograph some real amazing wonders, and a piece of California’s Gold
Did you get to see the Wedding Video I put together with the photographs from last week's wedding?
For the Happy Caturday group theme "Poem or book".
When we adopted Jeffrey, he already had his name.
A British friend told us about this famous poem by Christopher Smart (1722-71):
"For I will consider my Cat Jeffrey.
For he is the servant of the Living God, duly and daily serving him.
For at the first glance of the glory of God in the East he worships in his way.
For is this done by wreathing his body seven times round with elegant quickness.
For then he leaps up to catch the musk, which is the blessing of God upon his prayer.
For he rolls upon prank to work it in.
For having done duty and received blessing he begins to consider himself.
For this he performs in ten degrees.
For first he looks upon his forepaws to see if they are clean.
For secondly he kicks up behind to clear away there.
For thirdly he works it upon stretch with the forepaws extended.
For fourthly he sharpens his paws by wood.
For fifthly he washes himself.
For sixthly he rolls upon wash.
For seventhly he fleas himself, that he may not be interrupted upon the beat.
For eighthly he rubs himself against a post.
For ninthly he looks up for his instructions.
For tenthly he goes in quest of food.
For having considered God and himself he will consider his neighbor.
For if he meets another cat he will kiss her in kindness.
For when he takes his prey he plays with it to give it a chance.
For one mouse in seven escapes by his dallying.
For when his day's work is done his business more properly begins.
For he keeps the Lord's watch in the night against the adversary.
For he counteracts the powers of darkness by his electrical skin and glaring eyes.
For he counteracts the Devil, who is death, by brisking about the life.
For in his morning orisons he loves the sun and the sun loves him.
For he is of the tribe of Tiger.
For the Cherub Cat is a term of the Angel Tiger.
For he has the subtlety and hissing of a serpent, which in goodness
he suppresses.
For he will not do destruction if he is well-fed, neither will he spit
without provocation.
For he purrs in thankfulness when God tells him he's a good Cat.
For he is an instrument for the children to learn benevolence upon.
For every house is incomplete without him, and a blessing is lacking in the spirit.
For the Lord commanded Moses concerning the cats at the departure of
the Children of Israel from Egypt.
For every family had one cat at least in the bag.
For the English Cats are the best in Europe.
For he is the cleanest in the use of his forepaws of any quadruped.
For the dexterity of his defense is an instance of the love of God
to him exceedingly.
For he is the quickest to his mark of any creature.
For he is tenacious of his point.
For he is a mixture of gravity and waggery.
For he knows that God is his Saviour.
For there is nothing sweeter than his peace when at rest.
For there is nothing brisker than his life when in motion.
For he is of the Lord's poor, and so indeed is he called by benevolence
perpetually —Poor Jeffrey! poor Jeffrey! the rat has bit thy throat.
For I bless the name of the Lord Jesus that Jeffrey is better.
For the divine spirit comes about his body to sustain it in complete cat.
For his tongue is exceeding pure so that it has in purity what it wants in music.
For he is docile and can learn certain things.
For he can sit up with gravity, which is patience upon approbation.
For he can fetch and carry, which is patience in employment.
For he can jump over a stick, which is patience upon proof positive.
For he can spraggle upon waggle at the word of command.
For he can jump from an eminence into his master's bosom.
For he can catch the cork and toss it again.
For he is hated by the hypocrite and miser.
For the former is afraid of detection.
For the latter refuses the charge.
For he camels his back to bear the first notion of business.
For he is good to think on, if a man would express himself neatly.
For he made a great figure in Egypt for his signal services.
For he killed the Icneumon rat, very pernicious by land.
For his ears are so acute that they sting again.
For from this proceeds the passing quickness of his attention.
For by stroking of him I have found out electricity.
For I perceived God's light about him both wax and fire.
For the electrical fire is the spiritual substance which God sends from heaven
to sustain the bodies both of man and beast.
For God has blessed him in the variety of his movements.
For, though he cannot fly, he is an excellent clamberer.
For his motions upon the face of the earth are more than any other quadruped.
For he can tread to all the measures upon the music.
For he can swim for life.
For he can creep.