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Dissociative identity disorder (DID), previously known as multiple personality disorder (MPD), is an extremely rare mental disorder characterized by at least two distinct and relatively enduring identities or dissociated personality states that alternately control a person's behavior, and is accompanied by memory impairment for important information not explained by ordinary forgetfulness. These symptoms are not accounted for by substance abuse, seizures, other medical conditions, nor by imaginative play in children. Diagnosis is often difficult as there is considerable comorbidity with other mental disorders. Malingering should be considered if there is possible financial or forensic gain, as well as factitious disorder if help-seeking behavior is prominent.
DID is one of the most controversial psychiatric disorders with no clear consensus regarding its diagnosis or treatment. Research on treatment effectiveness still focuses mainly on clinical approaches and case studies. Dissociative symptoms range from common lapses in attention, becoming distracted by something else, and daydreaming, to pathological dissociative disorders.[6] No systematic, empirically-supported definition of "dissociation" exists.
Although neither epidemiological surveys nor longitudinal studies have been done, it is thought DID rarely resolves spontaneously. Symptoms are said to vary over time.In general, the prognosis is poor, especially for those with co-morbid disorders. There are few systematic data on the prevalence of DID. The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation states that the prevalence is between 1 and 3% in the general population, and between 1 and 5% in inpatient groups in Europe and North America.[5] DID is diagnosed more frequently in North America than in the rest of the world, and is diagnosed three to nine times more often in females than in males. The prevalence of DID increased greatly in the latter half of the 20th century, along with the number of identities (often referred to as "alters") claimed by patients (increasing from an average of two or three to approximately.DID is also controversial within the legal system[3] where it has been used as a rarely-successful form of the insanity defense.The 1990s showed a parallel increase in the number of court cases involving the diagnosis.
Dissociative disorders including DID have been attributed to disruptions in memory caused by trauma and other forms of stress, but research on this hypothesis has been characterized by poor methodology. So far, scientific studies, usually focusing on memory, have been few and the results have been inconclusive. An alternative hypothesis for the etiology of DID is as a product of techniques employed by some therapists, especially those using hypnosis, and disagreement between the two positions is characterized by intense debate.DID became a popular diagnosis in the 1970s, 80s and 90s but it is unclear if the actual incidence of the disorder increased, if it was more recognized by clinicians, or if sociocultural factors caused an increase in iatrogenic presentations. The unusual number of diagnoses after 1980, clustered around a small number of clinicians and the suggestibility characteristic of those with DID, support the hypothesis that DID is therapist-induced.[15] The unusual clustering of diagnoses has also been explained as due to a lack of awareness and training among clinicians to recognize cases of DID
Signs and symptoms]
According to the fifth Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), DID includes "the presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states" that alternate control of the individual's behavior, accompanied by the inability to recall personal information beyond what is expected through normal forgetfulness. In each individual, the clinical presentation varies and the level of functioning can change from severely impaired to adequate. The symptoms of dissociative amnesia, dissociative fugue and depersonalization disorder are subsumed under the DID diagnosis and are not diagnosed separately. Individuals with DID may experience distress from both the symptoms of DID (intrusive thoughts or emotions) as well as the consequences of the accompanying symptoms (dissociation rendering them unable to remember specific information). The majority of patients with DID report childhood sexual and/or physical abuse, though the accuracy of these reports is controversial. Identities may be unaware of each other and compartmentalize knowledge and memories, resulting in chaotic personal lives.Individuals with DID may be reluctant to discuss symptoms due to associations with abuse, shame and fear. DID patients may also frequently and intensely experience time disturbances.
The number of alters varies widely, with most patients identifying fewer than ten, though as many as 4,500 have been reported. The average number of alters has increased over the past few decades, from two or three to now an average of approximately 16. However it is unclear whether this is due to an actual increase in alters, or simply that the psychiatric community has become more accepting of a high number of alters.The primary identity, which often has the patient's given name, tends to be "passive, dependent, guilty and depressed" with other personalities or "alters" being more active, aggressive or hostile, and often containing more complete memories. Most identities are of ordinary people, though fictional, mythical, celebrity and animal alters have also been reported.
Developmental trauma]
People diagnosed with DID often report that they have experienced severe physical and sexual abuse, especially during early to mid-childhood, (although the accuracy of these reports has been disputed and others report an early loss, serious medical illness or other traumatic event. They also report more historical psychological trauma than those diagnosed with any other mental illness.[not in citation given]Severe sexual, physical, or psychological trauma in childhood has been proposed as an explanation for its development; awareness, memories and emotions of harmful actions or events caused by the trauma are removed from consciousness, and alternate personalities or subpersonalities form with differing memories, emotions and behavior. DID is attributed to extremes of stress or disorders of attachment. What may be expressed as post-traumatic stress disorder in adults may become DID when occurring in children, possibly due to their greater use of imagination as a form of coping. Possibly due to developmental changes and a more coherent sense of self past the age of six, the experience of extreme trauma may result in different, though also complex, dissociative symptoms and identity disturbances. A specific relationship between childhood abuse, disorganized attachment, and lack of social support are thought to be a necessary component of DID. Other suggested explanations include insufficient childhood nurturing combined with the innate ability of children in general to dissociate memories or experiences from consciousness.
Delinking early trauma from the etiology of dissociation has been explicitly rejected by those supporting the early trauma model. However, a 2012 review article supports the hypothesis that current or recent trauma may affect an individual's assessment of the more distant past, changing the experience of the past and resulting in dissociative states. Giesbrecht et al. have suggested there is no actual empirical evidence linking early trauma to dissociation, and instead suggest that problems with neuropsychological functioning, such as increased distractibility in response to certain emotions and contexts, account for dissociative features. A middle position hypothesizes that trauma, in some situations, alters neuronal mechanisms related to memory. Evidence is increasing that dissociative disorders are related both to a trauma history and to "specific neural mechanisms". It has also been suggested that there may be a genuine but more modest link between trauma and DID, with early trauma causing increased fantasy-proneness, which may in turn render individuals more vulnerable to socio-cognitive influences surrounding the development of DID.
dédoublement de personnalité
Il est important de différencier deux termes : le dédoublement de la personnalité et la personnalité multiple.
En effet, la définition donnée est celle de la , qui fait qu'une personne possède deux (voire plus) personnalités complètement différentes, chacune ayant une vie sociale et professionelle distinctes, parfois un nom propre à chacune d'entre elles et étant parfaitement adaptées à leur(s) milieu(x). Ce n'est pas vraiment un trouble, mais une surconstruction personnelle donnant naissance à plusieurs personnalités au lieu d'une seule.
Le dédoublement de personnalité, en revanche, est un trouble de la personnalité provoqué par le subconscient, qui impose occasionnellement à la personnalité "normale" un comportement incohérent, parfois violent, incontrôlé. Il arrive que la personnalité première ne se rende plus compte de ce qu'elle fait (elle est "déconnectée") ce qui donne l'impression d'une autre personnalité, inadaptée socialement , sentimentalement et intellectuelement.
Ce sujet prète à polémique, car certains se contentent du terme troubles dissociatifs de l'identité (Dissociative Identity Disorder) pour englober les deux cas. La différence est de taille : avec cette notion, il n'y aurait pas plusieurs personnalités égales, mais une majeure à laquelle on doit redonner pleine maîtrise de son corps. Comme expliqué plus haut, ce serait dans un cas de dédoublement que l'on peut envisager cette façon de voir les personnalités, et non dans un cas de multiples personnalités. En effet, comment décider qu'une personnalité a plus de droit qu'une autre sur un corps, lorsqu'il n'y en a pas d'originelle ?
Je pense que le sens donné est le sens courant, non ? On peut rajouter des précisions ou mises en garde sur le sens technique du point de vue médical. Lmaltier 18 décembre 2007 à 17:05 (UTC)
En fait, les deux sont liées pour la plupart des gens, c'est pour cela qu'il faut les différencier : on a tendance à croire que les personnes ayant des personnalités multiples sont dangeureuses, peuvent avoir des accès de violence incontrolée dirigés par une personnalité instable. Ce n'est souvent pas le cas (même si c'est possible, comme pour n'importe quelle personnalité dite "normale"). Ce n'est donc pas sur un plan médical qu'il est important de les différencier, mais sur un plan humain : les personnalité multiples sont des personnalités tout ce qu'il y a de plus banales, mais sont persécutées à cause de la mauvaise image que l'on a d'elles, dûe aux dédoublement de personnalités qui, eux, sont des cas de dissociation de personnalités potentiellement dangereux car instables. S Vidal 20 décembre 2007 à 13:20 (UTC)
Peut-être, mais on étudie le mot, pas la maladie (faut voir Wikipédia pour ça). On peut mettre en garde sur les différents sens utilisés, mais c'est tout. Lmaltier 20 décembre 2007 à 17:21 (UTC)
mais justement, le problème est là ! on utilise un même mot pour deux choses différentes... si la définition du mot est faussée, l'étude de ce mot n'a pas lieu d'être, pas sans précisions...
PRECISION:
Il n'y a pas de différence entre ces deux troubles, ils n'en forment en vérité qu'un seul. Le trouble de la personnalité multiple était le nom donné auparavent à cet état, et maintenant il s'appelle Trouble dissociatif de l'identité. Dans les deux cas (puisque ça n'est en fait qu'une maladie) des traumas subits de façon répétitifs ont poussé la personnalité de l'enfant à se dissocier, pour pouvoir supporter les chocs traumatiques, le manque d'attention, etc. Les personnalités apparaissent à différents moments, et peuvent même restées complètement cachées jusqu'assez tard dans la vie d'un individu, avant les premières vraies crises, souvent dues à un stress ou un choc émotionnel important. Elles ont différent degrés de constructions émotionnelles, intellectuelles et sociales, ce qui peut penser à une structure de multiples personnalités toutes égales. Il n'en est en fait rien. même quand on parle de personnalité hote qui doit rester alors que les autres doivent disparaitre, ce n'est pas encore tout à fait juste. Toutes les peronnalités doivent, petit à petit à petit et au long d'une thérapie qui apprendra au patient multiple à se construire et trouver le moyen d'affronter autrement ses traumas passés et à venir, fusionner et ne redevenir qu'une seule et même entité, plus stable, et capable de vivre pleinement sa vie.
dédoublement de la personnalité[modifier]
Ma soeur jumelle souffre de ce trouble depuis l'âge de 16 ans mais ne le reconnait que depuis peu,depuis sa première grosse crise. Elle peut changer de comportement d'une minute à l'autre,laissant place à une femme extravertie et sans limites..alcool,hommes,jeux.. Souvent il lui arrive de se réveiller sans souvenirs de la veille et découvre que son compte en banque a fondu p.ex. Elle devient également plus brusque,plus mauvaise.quand l'alcool s'en mêle elle n'a plus de limites et se bagarre violement(en général avec des hommes)et fini parfois à l'hôpital après avoir brutalisé le personnel infirmier.La plupart du temps perd connaissance. Mais reste persuadée que rien de tout ça ne s'est produit.. Qu'y a-t-il à faire pour atténuer cette maladie?Existe-t-il un moyens de guérison?
Ma plus grande question,pouvons-nous faire confiance aux personnes atteintes de ce trouble?
Il existe un moyen. Il faut emmener la personne a l'hopital, et les medecins vous donnerons un planing a respecter. (ex: ce coucher a une heure exacte et ne pas manger n'importe quoi). mais attention il faut emmener la personne au plus vite a l'hopital car elle peut passer a l'acte.
Diagnostic New Zealand Pipit, Pihoihoi, Anthus novaeseelandidae, 19 cm. / 7.48 in. UNCOMMON ENDEMIC in open habitats from coast to high alpine.
Near Waiokuru off Highway 1, Waikato Region, North Island, New Zealand.
©bryanjsmith.
Diagnostic Wrybill, Ngutuparore, Anarhynchus frontalis, 20 - 21 cm. / 7.8 - 8.3 in. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC found along estuaries of the North Island. Unique bill that bends to the right. While feeding on mudflats as the tide was receding 350 - 400 meters distant.
Puketutu Island, Auckland Region, North Island, New Zealand.
©bryanjsmith.
Diagnostic Yellow-browed Sparrow, Ammodramus auriferons, 13 cm. / 5 in. COMMON and widespread in grassy areas of the eastern lowlands. Even though we only spotted this single.
Valladolid, Loja Province, Ecuador.
©bryanjsmith.
Diagnostic Gray Tit-Flycatcher, Fraseria plumbeus orientalis, Myioparus plumbeus, 14 cm / 5.5 in. Locally COMMON resident in dense woodland and savanna thickets, riparian woodland and forest edge.
Sukuza Camp, Kruger National Park, South Africa.
©bryanjsmith.
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Auf herrlich gewundenen Küsten- und Passstraßen die Lust und das lockere Spiel zwischen Schwerkraft und Fliehkraft zu erleben. Zu erleben wie von Kilometer zu Kilometer die positiven Gefühle intensiver werden - links, rechts, links - Landschaften und Gedanken dahin gleiten... bald schon jene Augenblicke kommen, wo die Enge der Zivilisation der überwältigenden Szenerie der Natur Platz macht und beruhigende Geräusche des Motors und Formen verschmelzen...
:: Бернхард Эггер, Motorrad, rumoto, Россия, Берни Эггерян, ФОТОГРАФ, カメラマン, Мотоциклы и байкеры, 摩托, 車, バイク, classic, Cruiser, emotion, emotions, Faszination, Leidenschaft, Maschine, Moto, motocyclisme, Motorcycle, Motorcycles, Motorrad, Motorräder, Motorbike, دراجةنارية λέταאופנוע, 오토바이, Motocicletă, Мотоцикл, รถจักรยานยนต์, 摩托车, Motorcykel, Mootorratas, Moottoripyörä, Motosiklèt, Motorkerékpár, Motocikls, Motociklas, Motorsykkel, Motocykl, Motocicleta, Motocykel, Motosiklet, passion, satisfaction, R 1200 CL, BMW, Boxer, german, Autriche, Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, Phoenix, Euro, Montana Stiletto, luxury, touring-cruiser, luxury-touring, long-distance, Telelever, Paralever, Monolever, ABS, riding, ride, Pearl Silver Metallic, MoDiTec, diagnostic, drivetrain, top box, Topcase, comfort, bequem, sicher, safety
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Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, August 2002 ...
Some people consider a six-day cruise as the perfect vacation. Other's might agree, as long as the days are marked by blurred fence posts and dotted lines instead of palm trees and ocean waves. For them, BMW introduces the perfect alternative to a deck chair - the R 1200 CL.
Motorcyclists were taken aback when BMW introduced its first cruiser in 1997, but the R 1200 C quickly rose to become that year's best-selling BMW. The original has since spawned several derivatives including the Phoenix, Euro, Montana and Stiletto. This year, BMW's cruiser forms the basis for the most radical departure yet, the R 1200 CL. With its standard integral hard saddlebags, top box and distinctive handlebar-mounted fairing, the CL represents twin-cylinder luxury-touring at its finest, a completely modern luxury touring-cruiser with a touch of classic BMW.
Although based on the R 1200 C, the new CL includes numerous key changes in chassis, drivetrain, equipment and appearance, specifically designed to enhance the R 1200's abilities as a long-distance mount. While it uses the same torquey, 1170cc 61-hp version of BMW's highly successful R259 twin, the CL backs it with a six-speed overdrive transmission. A reworked Telelever increases the bike's rake for more-relaxed high-speed steering, while the fork's wider spacing provides room for the sculpted double-spoke, 16-inch wheel and 150/80 front tire. Similarly, a reinforced Monolever rear suspension controls a matching 15-inch alloy wheel and 170/80 rear tire. As you'd expect, triple disc brakes featuring BMW's latest EVO front brake system and fully integrated ABS bring the bike to a halt at day's end-and set the CL apart from any other luxury cruiser on the market.
Yet despite all the chassis changes, it's the new CL's visual statement that represents the bike's biggest break with its cruiser-mates. With its grip-to-grip sweep, the handlebar-mounted fairing evokes classic touring bikes, while the CL's distinctive quad-headlamps give the bike a decidedly avant-garde look - in addition to providing standard-setting illumination. A pair of frame-mounted lowers extends the fairing's wind coverage and provides space for some of the CL's electrics and the optional stereo. The instrument panel is exceptionally clean, surrounded by a matte gray background that matches the kneepads inset in the fairing extensions. The speedometer and tachometer flank a panel of warning lights, capped by the standard analog clock. Integrated mirror/turnsignal pods extend from the fairing to provide further wind protection. Finally, fully integrated, color-matched saddlebags combine with a standard top box to provide a steamer trunk's luggage capacity.
The CL's riding position blends elements of both tourer and cruiser, beginning with a reassuringly low, 29.3-inch seat height. The seat itself comprises two parts, a rider portion with an integral lower-back rest, and a taller passenger perch that includes a standard backrest built into the top box. Heated seats, first seen on the K 1200 LT, are also available for the CL to complement the standard heated grips. A broad, flat handlebar places those grips a comfortable reach away, and the CL's floorboards allow the rider to shift position easily without compromising control. Standard cruise control helps melt the miles on long highway stints. A convenient heel/toe shifter makes for effortless gearchanges while adding exactly the right classic touch.
The R 1200 CL backs up its cruiser origins with the same superb attention to cosmetics as is shown in the functional details. In addition to the beautifully finished bodywork, the luxury cruiser boasts an assortment of chrome highlights, including valve covers, exhaust system, saddlebag latches and frame panels, with an optional kit to add even more brightwork. Available colors include Pearl Silver Metallic, Capri Blue Metallic and Mojave Brown Metallic, this last with a choice of black or brown saddle (other colors feature black).
The R 1200 CL Engine: Gearing For The Long Haul
BMW's newest tourer begins with a solid foundation-the 61-hp R 1200 C engine. The original, 1170cc cruiser powerplant blends a broad powerband and instantaneous response with a healthy, 72 lb.-ft. of torque. Like its forebear, the new CL provides its peak torque at 3000 rpm-exactly the kind of power delivery for a touring twin. Motronic MA 2.4 engine management ensures that this Boxer blends this accessible power with long-term reliability and minimal emissions, while at the same time eliminating the choke lever for complete push-button simplicity. Of course, the MoDiTec diagnostic feature makes maintaining the CL every bit as simple as the other members of BMW's stable.
While tourers and cruisers place similar demands on their engines, a touring bike typically operates through a wider speed range. Consequently, the R 1200 CL mates this familiar engine to a new, six-speed transmission. The first five gear ratios are similar to the original R 1200's, but the sixth gear provides a significant overdrive, which drops engine speed well under 3000 rpm at 60 mph. This range of gearing means the CL can manage either responsive in-town running or relaxed freeway cruising with equal finesse, and places the luxury cruiser right in the heart of its powerband at touring speeds for simple roll-on passes.
In addition, the new transmission has been thoroughly massaged internally, with re-angled gear teeth that provide additional overlap for quieter running. Shifting is likewise improved via a revised internal shift mechanism that produces smoother, more precise gearchanges. Finally, the new transmission design is lighter (approximately 1 kg.), which helps keep the CL's weight down to a respectable 679 lbs. (wet). The improved design of this transmission will be adopted by other Boxer-twins throughout the coming year.
The CL Chassis: Wheeled Luggage Never Worked This Well
Every bit as unique as the CL's Boxer-twin drivetrain is the bike's chassis, leading off-literally and figuratively-with BMW's standard-setting Telelever front suspension. The CL's setup is identical in concept and function to the R 1200 C's fork, but shares virtually no parts with the previous cruiser's. The tourer's wider, 16-inch front wheel called for wider-set fork tubes, so the top triple clamp, fork bridge, fork tubes and axle have all been revised, and the axle has switched to a full-floating design. The aluminum Telelever itself has been further reworked to provide a slightly more raked appearance, which also creates a more relaxed steering response for improved straight-line stability. The front shock has been re-angled and its spring and damping rates changed to accommodate the new bike's suspension geometry, but is otherwise similar to the original R 1200 C's damper.
Similarly, the R 1200 CL's Monolever rear suspension differs in detail, rather than concept, from previous BMW cruisers. Increased reinforcing provides additional strength at the shock mount, while a revised final-drive housing provides mounts for the new rear brake. But the primary rear suspension change is a switch to a shock with travel-related damping, similar to that introduced on the R 1150 GS Adventure. This new shock not only provides for a smoother, more controlled ride but also produces an additional 20mm travel compared to the other cruisers, bringing the rear suspension travel to 4.72 inches.
The Telelever and Monolever bolt to a standard R 1200 C front frame that differs only in detail from the original. The rear subframe, however, is completely new, designed to accommodate the extensive luggage system and passenger seating on the R 1200 CL. In addition to the permanently affixed saddlebags, the larger seats, floor boards, top box and new side stand all require new mounting points.
All this new hardware rolls on completely restyled double-spoke wheels (16 x 3.5 front/15 x 4.0 rear) that carry wider, higher-profile (80-series) touring tires for an extremely smooth ride. Bolted to these wheels are larger disc brakes (12.0-inch front, 11.2-inch rear), with the latest edition of BMW's standard-setting EVO brakes. A pair of four-piston calipers stop the front wheel, paired with a two-piston unit-adapted from the K 1200 LT-at the rear. In keeping with the bike's touring orientation, the new CL includes BMW's latest, fully integrated ABS, which actuates both front and rear brakes through either the front hand lever or the rear brake pedal.
The CL Bodywork: Dressed To The Nines
Although all these mechanical changes ensure that the new R 1200 CL works like no other luxury cruiser, it's the bike's styling and bodywork that really set it apart. Beginning with the bike's handlebar-mounted fairing, the CL looks like nothing else on the road, but it's the functional attributes that prove its worth. The broad sweep of the fairing emphasizes its aerodynamic shape, which provides maximum wind protection with a minimum of buffeting. Four headlamps, with their horizontal/vertical orientation, give the CL its unique face and also create the best illumination outside of a baseball stadium (the high-beams are borrowed from the GS).
The M-shaped windshield, with its dipped center section, produces exceptional wind protection yet still allows the rider to look over the clear-plastic shield when rain or road dirt obscure the view. Similarly, clear extensions at the fairing's lower edges improve wind protection even further but still allow an unobstructed view forward for maneuvering in extremely close quarters. The turnsignal pods provide further wind coverage, and at the same time the integral mirrors give a clear view to the rear.
Complementing the fairing, both visually and functionally, the frame-mounted lowers divert the wind blast around the rider to provide further weather protection. Openings vent warm air from the frame-mounted twin oil-coolers and direct the heat away from the rider. As noted earlier, the lowers also house the electronics for the bike's optional alarm system and cruise control. A pair of 12-volt accessory outlets are standard.
Like the K 1200 LT, the new R 1200 CL includes a capacious luggage system as standard, all of it color-matched and designed to accommodate rider and passenger for the long haul. The permanently attached saddlebags include clamshell lids that allow for easy loading and unloading. Chrome bumper strips protect the saddlebags from minor tipover damage. The top box provides additional secure luggage space, or it can be simply unbolted to uncover an attractive aluminum luggage rack. An optional backrest can be bolted on in place of the top box. Of course, saddlebags and top box are lockable and keyed to the ignition switch.
Options & Accessories: More Personal Than A Monogram
Given BMW's traditional emphasis on touring options and the cruiser owner's typical demands for customization, it's only logical to expect a range of accessories and options for the company's first luxury cruiser. The CL fulfills those expectations with a myriad of options and accessories, beginning with heated or velour-like Soft Touch seats and a low windshield. Electronic and communications options such as an AM/FM/CD stereo, cruise control and onboard communication can make time on the road much more pleasant, whether you're out for an afternoon ride or a cross-country trek - because after all, nobody says you have to be back in six days. Other available electronic features include an anti-theft alarm, which also disables the engine.
Accessories designed to personalize the CL even further range from cosmetic to practical, but all adhere to BMW's traditional standards for quality and fit. Chrome accessories include engine-protection and saddlebag - protection hoops. On a practical level, saddlebag and top box liners simplify packing and unpacking. In addition to the backrest, a pair of rear floorboards enhance passenger comfort even more.
BA 33 BA Motorcycle License Plate Austria (c) 2020 Bernard Egger :: rumoto images
Diagnostic Sedge Warbler, Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, 11.5 - 13 cm. / 4.5 - 5 in. Dense vegetation in marshy areas; reeds with bushes and herbage, tall rushes, riverside willows,swampy bushland, ditches and canals with lush herbage. Photographed in June 2008.
Titchwell Reserve, England, United Kingdom.
©bryanjsmith.
This is the only representative of its genus in North America. It is a desert specialist that lives in both the Chihuahuan and Sonoran desert regions. The yellowish head and small magenta shoulder pads are diagnostic, and the males are generally more colorful than the females, but only slightly (sex determination can be iffy). This is an adult bird. Verdins keep returning and disappearing down into the foliage or twig jumble... sometimes with nesting material. They construct neat globular-shaped nests.
IMG_9861; Verdin
Hi,
I'm looking for a diagnostic on this first attempted moonlight exposure.
Exposure ranges I have taken from the guidance published at mkaz.com/2004/07/05/exposures-for-moonlight-photography/
But where did the purple light leaks come from?
--
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I recently added a grove of Ponderosa Pines near my sawmill. I am pleased with the results of each tree, but I label this as a diagnostic photo because it also revealed some flaws that needed to be corrected. The molded tree bases were glued to the painted plaster cloth and Styrofoam SubTerrain, but I failed to completely paint the tree bases. Ooops! I corrected this by painting the bases and covering them with ground foam that looked like ferns and underbrush that often grows around tree trunks.
Woodland Scenics makes several sizes of conifer tree kits that can be bent and trimmed into several tree shapes. The tree trunks are then painted the proper color before applying the adhesive that holds on the ground foam foliage. That also applies to their broad leaf tree kits. In this case, I painted the trunks a rust brown color characteristic of the Ponderosa Pines growing throughout the Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevadas, Cascades, and other western mountain ranges. This grove of pines are 70 to 80 scale feet tall. My highest ones in another grove are about 110 scale feet tall; however the real species have been measured at 268 feet. This particular species of pine are fairly drought resistant and often grow in fairly open groves with brush or grass underneath. They form the Transition Zone between the semi-desert Upper Sonoran Zone of pinyons, junipers, and scrub oaks below and the Canadian Zone of Douglas Firs. Aspens can grow in either zone after it as been disturbed by fire or landslide and provide shade for the pines, firs, and spruce to grow.
In the background you can see the millpond and sawmill.
Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon Portugal
Charles Correa Associates designed this research and diagnostic centre located in Lisbon. It is a state-of-the-art facility guided by some of the best scientist in the world. The site, where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean, is steeped in history. It is the site where Henry the Navigator, Vasco de Gama and other great Portuguese left on their journeys into the unknown—a perfect metaphor for the discoveries of contemporary science today. The 3 units that constitute the project are:
•the largest for the doctors and scientist,
•the second for the theatre, the exhibition hall, the foundation offices, etc,
•the third is an open-air amphitheatre for the city.
They have been arranged to create a 125m long pathway leading diagonally across the site, towards the open seas. This pathway is ramped up at a gentle slope of 1:20, so as you ascend, you see only sky ahead of you. At the end of the ramp are two stone monoliths, straight from the quarry. When you reach the highest point, you begin to see a large body of water, which seemingly connects (i.e. without any visual break) to the ocean beyond. In the centre of this water body, just below the surface of the water, is an oval shaped object—made of stainless steel and slightly convex, so that it reflects the blue sky and passing clouds above.
Beyond its scientific importance, the centre’s design has also caught the attention of architects around the world. The bid to design the site was won by Indian architect Charles Correa, who also designed the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Complex at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The centre features a large interior rainforest connecting clinics and laboratories, chemotherapy suites with gardens, and many areas open for public use, including exhibition halls, an outdoor amphitheatre and landscaped walking areas. It is hoped that the location of the centre in the heart of Lisbon, as well as the openness of the site to the public, will encourage awareness of the centre and the Champalimaud Foundation, as well as the health and medical issues that their work is aiming to address.
Diagnostic Southern Cassowary, Casuarius casuarius, 170 - 175 cm. / 67 - 69 in. Quite a distance away, this adult male, with an immature bird following it, was strolling along a stream. You can not see their legs, but each has only two: ) Tropical rainforest, preferring stream banks and clearings.
Moresby Range National Park, Queensland, Australia.
©bryanjsmith.
Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon Portugal
Charles Correa Associates designed this research and diagnostic centre located in Lisbon. It is a state-of-the-art facility guided by some of the best scientist in the world. The site, where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean, is steeped in history. It is the site where Henry the Navigator, Vasco de Gama and other great Portuguese left on their journeys into the unknown—a perfect metaphor for the discoveries of contemporary science today. The 3 units that constitute the project are:
•the largest for the doctors and scientist,
•the second for the theatre, the exhibition hall, the foundation offices, etc,
•the third is an open-air amphitheatre for the city.
They have been arranged to create a 125m long pathway leading diagonally across the site, towards the open seas. This pathway is ramped up at a gentle slope of 1:20, so as you ascend, you see only sky ahead of you. At the end of the ramp are two stone monoliths, straight from the quarry. When you reach the highest point, you begin to see a large body of water, which seemingly connects (i.e. without any visual break) to the ocean beyond. In the centre of this water body, just below the surface of the water, is an oval shaped object—made of stainless steel and slightly convex, so that it reflects the blue sky and passing clouds above.
Diagnostic Brown Snake-Eagle, Circaetus cinerascens, 73 cm / 29 in. COMMON and widespread in bush and woodland. Distant bird.
Tsavo East National Park, Coast, Kenya.
©bryanjsmith.
Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon Portugal
Charles Correa Associates designed this research and diagnostic centre located in Lisbon. It is a state-of-the-art facility guided by some of the best scientist in the world. The site, where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean, is steeped in history. It is the site where Henry the Navigator, Vasco de Gama and other great Portuguese left on their journeys into the unknown—a perfect metaphor for the discoveries of contemporary science today. The 3 units that constitute the project are:
•the largest for the doctors and scientist,
•the second for the theatre, the exhibition hall, the foundation offices, etc,
•the third is an open-air amphitheatre for the city.
They have been arranged to create a 125m long pathway leading diagonally across the site, towards the open seas. This pathway is ramped up at a gentle slope of 1:20, so as you ascend, you see only sky ahead of you. At the end of the ramp are two stone monoliths, straight from the quarry. When you reach the highest point, you begin to see a large body of water, which seemingly connects (i.e. without any visual break) to the ocean beyond. In the centre of this water body, just below the surface of the water, is an oval shaped object—made of stainless steel and slightly convex, so that it reflects the blue sky and passing clouds above.
Beyond its scientific importance, the centre’s design has also caught the attention of architects around the world. The bid to design the site was won by Indian architect Charles Correa, who also designed the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Complex at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The centre features a large interior rainforest connecting clinics and laboratories, chemotherapy suites with gardens, and many areas open for public use, including exhibition halls, an outdoor amphitheatre and landscaped walking areas. It is hoped that the location of the centre in the heart of Lisbon, as well as the openness of the site to the public, will encourage awareness of the centre and the Champalimaud Foundation, as well as the health and medical issues that their work is aiming to address.
Diagnostic Mangrove Finch, Camarhynchus heliobates, Pinzón del Magyar, 14 cm. / 5.5 in. CRITICALLY ENDANGERED ENDEMIC and a VERY RARE species. We were fortunate to find two birds in a mangrove lagoon near the beach. Their population stands at 20 - 40 birds due to very limited habitat. Plus, there may be speciation between the two remaining fragments of habitat which increases the risk that one, or both populations may go extinct because of an inadequate gene pool. One of "Darwin's Finches".
West coast of Isla Isabela (Albemarle Island), Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.
©bryanjsmith.
Diagnostic Madagascar Swamp-Warbler, Acrocephalus newtoni, 18 cm. / 7.1 in. ENDEMIC to Madagascar. Variety of habitats near water, here at a wetlands enroute to Tulear.
Near Ifaty, Toliara, Madagascar.
©bryanjsmith.
Diagnostic Grey-cheeked Thrush, Catharus minimus, 18.4 cm / 7.25 in. COMMON in breeding range in spruce woods. Can be difficult to see. Shot through the van window handheld in June 2007. .
Along Old Denali Highway, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, USA.
©bryanjsmith.
Erika returned to her bench with the diagnostic slate tucked under one arm, as if Eidolon’s presence, impossibly expensive and quietly strange, were simply another system awaiting attention.
Vivienne lingered on the hotdog couch. She pretended the coffee was better here than at the Ravenwood so no one would interpret her staying as protectiveness toward something others would have left to be repaired.
“Erika,” Eidolon said.
Erika looked up. “Yes?”
“I would like to initiate an unscheduled change,” Eidolon continued. “I require external confirmation of outcome.”
Erika’s eyebrows rose a fraction, but she simply nodded. “All right. Show me.”
Eidolon passed behind the partition.
There was a soft whisper of fabric.
Eidolon turned with careful efficiency and stepped out from behind the partition of the small fitting alcove.
The dress was metallic olive-gold, liquid in the light. It cut away with deliberate confidence: bare sides, an open front that framed her torso without apology, the halter rising cleanly to her throat before falling into a long, uninterrupted line to the floor.
Eidolon stopped in the center of the workshop and waited, motionless, as if she had entered a new configuration and was awaiting evaluation.
Erika exhaled slowly. Her expression softened.
“That’s… good,” Erika said. “That’s very good.”
Eidolon’s optics brightened a fraction. “Define ‘good.’”
Erika took a step closer. “It suits you.”
Eidolon processed. “Clarify: does it suit aesthetically?”
“Yes.” Erika’s voice stayed calm, but her eyes did not. They lingered, curious, interested, careful. “Aesthetically.”
Eidolon nodded once. “Confirmation received.”
Only then did Vivienne lift her knuckles briefly to her lips as she suppressed a chuckle.
Eidolon turned her head toward Vivienne. “Director. You are producing an unclassified vocalization.”
Vivienne straightened, executive composure snapping back into place. “I’m fine.”
With an amused, deeply fond smile, she added dryly, “Congratulations. You’ve just been assessed.”
Eidolon’s head tilted. “By whom.”
Vivienne’s brows lifted as she nodded toward Erika. “By the only person in this room whose opinion you asked for.”
Eidolon’s internal systems ran a quick check: Request initiated; response delivered by Erika; positive variance detected; Director amused; no threats present.
“Understood,” Eidolon said.
Then, in the calm tone she might use to request a replacement actuator, she asked Erika, “Would you like to see it in motion?”
Erika blinked. “Yes,” she said. “I would.”
Eidolon extended her hands, palms slightly open.
Erika laid her hands lightly on Eidolon’s, accepting as if they were delicate components.
Eidolon’s internal clock stuttered.
Not enough to register as a fault. Just enough to delay the next scheduled task by three milliseconds.
“Proceed?” Eidolon asked.
Erika’s eyes, blue behind the thin frames, registered with slightly higher contrast as they lifted to meet hers. “Proceed,” she said.
And somewhere deep in Eidolon’s architecture, a priority flag reindexed itself.
It was no longer grouped with maintenance or optimization.
It nested beside motion control and proximity thresholds.
It remained unnamed.
Filed as unscheduled.
And therefore far more dangerous than anything planned.
It's almost like they planned this sign to go with the perfectly framed view of Pikes Peak featuring turning aspen below.
9160 008 als "Rail diagnostic train" FMK 008 im degradierten Bahnhof Kolbnitz an der Tauern-Betonbahn.
Diagnostic Plaintive Cuckoo, Cacomantis merulinus querulus, 23 cm / 9.1 in. Resident of forest and wooded country. Rainy evening in the park just prior to us being threatened by a bull elephant. Quickly moving along, loud clapping and shouting saved the evening! Handheld.
Nameri National Park, Assam Province, India.
©bryanjsmith.
20201022221012ZW4N41.927E12.481G2.900E1H3.000E1
[Metrionotus Moczar 1970: 16 (IT: 1) spp]
FLVOR of this genus in IT outside IT-82. Same specimen, sx profile. Cfr. notes¹ over the above image.
Metrionotus is not easily recognized among the other Mesitiinæ but some characters are helpful, such as foveolate body surface, dorsal pronotal area with median pronotal line, amsct without median mesonotal line, posterior propodeal projection present. This genus has some characters shared with Anaylax and Clytrovorus, and probably has some spp erroneously allocated to these gg; hence a revision is necessary both for sp level and genus limit diagnoses. Argaman redescribed Metrionotus in 2003 citing that it closely resembles Anaylax because both gg have black head, anterior ocellus crossing supraocular line and hypopygium wider than long. This emphasizes how difficult it is to understand Metrionotus and consequently its recognition.
NOTES
1. Specific diagnostic characters: foveolate body surface, dorsal pronotal area with median pronotal line, amsct without median mesonotal line, posterior propodeal projection present.
REFERENCES
D.N. Barbosa & al. 2021: Chrysidoidea sting morphology.
E.G.F. Regina 2020: Metrionotus IT FLVOR outside IT-82.
G.O. Lanes & al. 2020: Bethylidæ revisited morphology.
C. Jouault & al. 2020: Bethylidæ evolution.
C.O. Azevedo & al. 2018: Bethylidæ global guide, pp. 198-200.
Diagnostic Fischer's Starling, Lamprotornis fischeri, 19 cm. / 7.5 in. Locally COMMON in dry bush habitat.
Erte Arabico Sokoko State Forest, Tsavo East National Park, Kenya.
©bryanjsmith.
In profile, anterior and posterior straight.
Key id. features BELOW
SPECIES DESCRIPTION part A 2Pu flic.kr/p/BG8mKq
SPECIES DESCRIPTION part B 3Pu flic.kr/p/BRHsiR
OTHER SPECIES ALBUMS
www.flickr.com/photos/56388191@N08/collections/
Key identification features of typical British specimens.
Patella ulyssiponensis
1) Basal half of pallial tentacles has opaque pigment which can be white, off-white, cream or, on large specimens, yellowish or orange. The distal half fades to a translucent tip. Opaque basal half is often distinct from translucent mantle-skirt that they arise from, so it is possible to confuse with P. depressa. It is important to use pallial tentacles in combination with foot-colour/shell-length for identification. Examples at 26Pu flic.kr/p/BGqszN .
2) Foot is NOT pitch-brown/black or dark khaki. It can be whitish when young 30Pu flic.kr/p/BGqk4q becoming yellowish 31Pu flic.kr/p/BGrKw1 and, sometimes, orange with age 21Pu flic.kr/p/AUuNww . Juveniles under 12mm length may show a blackish internal shadow through the thin pale translucent foot 30Pu flic.kr/p/BGqk4q as they lack gonads above the foot that mask the dark viscera of adults.
Similar species
Patella vulgata
Extremely variable species; foot colours and nearly all shell-features have overlaps with P. depressa and P. ulyssiponensis.
1. Pigment-less pallial tentacles are slender, translucent and same colour as mantle-skirt they arise from. 40Pu flic.kr/p/BPJ1vQ .
Cautions:
Pallial tentacles of P. vulgata may look white when arise from colourless mantle-skirt in some lighting, but no pigment 41Pu flic.kr/p/AUxuXs .
Translucency and fineness of pallial tentacles of P. vulgata often make discernment difficult, especially when mantle skirt retracted from shell-rim and pallial tentacles viewed against shell 42Pu flic.kr/p/BGtg3y ; often virtually invisible when out of water as may be retracted as well as highly translucent 43Pu flic.kr/p/AUDqUz .
Foot colour of P. vulgata varies greatly, sometimes orange resembling P. ulyssiponensis 53PualbumPvhigh.
Shell interior can be white or tinted orange in P. vulgata 53PualbumPvhigh and 44Pu flic.kr/p/BPKJ6G .
Patella depressa
[1 & 2 in combination, not singly, are diagnostic of typical specimens but exclude intermediates.]
1. Pigmented pallial tentacles are opaque chalky-white for more than half of extended-length; may have translucent tip; distinctly whiter than buff mantle-skirt from which they arise 45Pu flic.kr/p/BJLMBx . Even when mantle-skirt retracted, pallial tentacles often clearly visible contrasting with the darker mantle 46Pu flic.kr/p/AUxm6u .
2. Sole of foot pitch-brown 47Pu flic.kr/p/AUDiJH to black 46Pu flic.kr/p/AUxm6u .
3. On shell-interior, whitish projecting points of ribs have short, unglazed, chalky, pure-white central line, but reduced or lacking where projecting points of ribs eroded 48Pu flic.kr/p/BS4e7v . [This feature recently recognised by S. Payne, and applies to all in large sample examined by IFS. Unsure yet if universal on P. depressa and exclusive of P. vulgata and P. ulyssiponensis.]
Caution:
Shell interior can be orange-cream in P. depressa 49Pu flic.kr/p/BixiVz
Patella caerulea Linnaeus, 1758.
Does not occur in Britain. In Iberia and Mediterranean, separation from it of some specimens of P. ulyssiponensis could not be achieved with foot colour and shell morphology by Sanna et al. (2011) who relied on the use of DNA sequencing. They did not mention attempting the use of pallial tentacle colour on live specimens; it may be worth investigation. See Sanna et al. for images of P. caerulea.
Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon Portugal
Charles Correa Associates designed this research and diagnostic centre located in Lisbon. It is a state-of-the-art facility guided by some of the best scientist in the world. The site, where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean, is steeped in history. It is the site where Henry the Navigator, Vasco de Gama and other great Portuguese left on their journeys into the unknown—a perfect metaphor for the discoveries of contemporary science today. The 3 units that constitute the project are:
•the largest for the doctors and scientist,
•the second for the theatre, the exhibition hall, the foundation offices, etc,
•the third is an open-air amphitheatre for the city.
They have been arranged to create a 125m long pathway leading diagonally across the site, towards the open seas. This pathway is ramped up at a gentle slope of 1:20, so as you ascend, you see only sky ahead of you. At the end of the ramp are two stone monoliths, straight from the quarry. When you reach the highest point, you begin to see a large body of water, which seemingly connects (i.e. without any visual break) to the ocean beyond. In the centre of this water body, just below the surface of the water, is an oval shaped object—made of stainless steel and slightly convex, so that it reflects the blue sky and passing clouds above.
Beyond its scientific importance, the centre’s design has also caught the attention of architects around the world. The bid to design the site was won by Indian architect Charles Correa, who also designed the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Complex at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The centre features a large interior rainforest connecting clinics and laboratories, chemotherapy suites with gardens, and many areas open for public use, including exhibition halls, an outdoor amphitheatre and landscaped walking areas. It is hoped that the location of the centre in the heart of Lisbon, as well as the openness of the site to the public, will encourage awareness of the centre and the Champalimaud Foundation, as well as the health and medical issues that their work is aiming to address.
Novartis, a Swiss-based company, is a global leader in the field of healthcare-related biotechnology.
They are also known for their interest in bold architecture.
This striking building, in Emeryville, California, is Novartis' headquarters for vaccines and diagnostic products.
Taken by a camera lofted by a helium balloon.
© All rights reserved
Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon Portugal
Charles Correa Associates designed this research and diagnostic centre located in Lisbon. It is a state-of-the-art facility guided by some of the best scientist in the world. The site, where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean, is steeped in history. It is the site where Henry the Navigator, Vasco de Gama and other great Portuguese left on their journeys into the unknown—a perfect metaphor for the discoveries of contemporary science today. The 3 units that constitute the project are:
•the largest for the doctors and scientist,
•the second for the theatre, the exhibition hall, the foundation offices, etc,
•the third is an open-air amphitheatre for the city.
They have been arranged to create a 125m long pathway leading diagonally across the site, towards the open seas. This pathway is ramped up at a gentle slope of 1:20, so as you ascend, you see only sky ahead of you. At the end of the ramp are two stone monoliths, straight from the quarry. When you reach the highest point, you begin to see a large body of water, which seemingly connects (i.e. without any visual break) to the ocean beyond. In the centre of this water body, just below the surface of the water, is an oval shaped object—made of stainless steel and slightly convex, so that it reflects the blue sky and passing clouds above.
Diagnostic Female Golden-winged Warbler, Vermivora chrysoptyera, 4.75 in. / 12.1 cm. NEAR THREATENED. UNCOMMON and declining population in brushy forest habitat with a few tall trees.
Boardwalk, Magee Marsh, Ottawa County, Ohio, United States.
©bryanjsmith.
Diagnostic Taita Falcon, Falco fasciinucha, 25 - 30 cm / 9.8 - 11.8 in. THREATENED in South Africa. RARE and localized resident closely associated with cliffs and gorges in woodlands. Way, way up there (above the large whitewash spot ~ 2 o'clock)!
Abel Erasmus Pass, Limpopo Province, South Africa.
©Bryan Jsmith.
Diagnostic Golden-crowned Flycatcher, Myiodynastes chrysocephalus, 20.5 cm. / 8 in. Borders of foothill and sub-tropical forest and woodland and adjacent clearings on both slopes.
Numbala Road, Valladolid, Zamora-Chinchipe Province, Ecuador.
©bryanjsmith.
Lambert X-ray tube stand
c. 1897-1905
X-rays were discovered by German physicist Wilhelm Konrad Röntgen (also spelled Roentgen) in 1895 (Nobel Prize in physics in 1901). This earliest x-ray tube was filled with a partial vacuum, cathode, anode, and anticathode.
Later, in 1913, American electrical engineer William Coolidge will invent his own tube, still in use today, with a 2,000℃-hot cathode made of tungsten filament.
The tube stand is an essential piece of equipment in the x-ray process.
It holds the x-ray tube in place and allows the operator to to move it to many different positions. This tube stand has three different ways to to adjust the placement of the tube in order to best reach the area that needs diagnosis or treatment.
The tube stand also holds the x-ray tube within a lead-lined box to offer some protection for the patient against exposure.
Manufactured by Levy X-Ray Equipmeny Company.
International Museum of Surgical Science, Chicago, Il.
Diagnostic Spot-winged Pigeon, Patagonienas maculosa, 32-33 cm.
Putre, Arica and Parinacota Region, Chile.
©bryanjsmith.
Diagnostic Tamarugo Conebill, Conirostrum tamarugense, 11 - 12 cm. / 4.5 - 5 in. VULNERABLE. Very locally COMMON in tamarugo forest ( Prosopis tamarugo is a member of the pea family) inland of Iquigue. Also oasis valleys closer to Arica. Tamarugo has been extensively harvested for firewood.
Azapa Valley, Arica and Parinacota Region, Chile.
©bryanjsmith.
Nigerian lab technicians undergo malaria microscopy mentoring with the U.S. Army Research Unit-Kenya’s Malaria Diagnostics and Control Center of Excellence speciailists recently at a Nigerian Air Force hospital near Lagos, Nigeria.
U.S. Army photo by Rick Scavetta
A team of medical experts from U.S. Army Medical Research Unit-Kenya recently visited Nigeria to offer their expertise in malaria microscopy.
The team from USAMRU-K, also known as the Walter Reed Project, departed the unit’s Malaria Diagnostics and Control Center of Excellence in Kisumu, Kenya – arriving in Lagos in late-September, said Maj. Eric Wagar, director of the center.
“Our team was invited to Nigeria to teach a malaria microscopy course and mentor Nigerian instructors who had previously undergone the course at our center in Kisumu,” Wagar said. “This effort in Nigeria is an example of USAMRU-K’s expanding role in Africa to support efforts that increase capabilities within African partner nations.”
The course is the first step in establishing a new malaria microscopy training center in Nigeria as part of the cooperative efforts between the U.S. Defense Department’s HIV program in Nigeria and the Nigerian Ministry of Defense, Wagar said.
One of five U.S. military research overseas labs, USAMRU-K was first established in 1969 at Kenya’s invitation to study trypanosomiasis, a parasitic disease transmitted by the tsetse fly. In 1973, the unit was permanently set up in Nairobi, working through an agreement with the Kenya Medical Research Institute. USAMRU-K has 10 U.S. Army Soldiers, two Army civilians and over 400 Kenyan contractors – a mix of doctors, nurses, scientists and laboratory technicians who work together to research, test and prevent disease.
Much of the USAMRU-K’s efforts are centered on malaria research, anti-malarial drug testing and studies to support malaria vaccines. Other research helps people facing HIV, diarrheal disease and tuberculosis.
In 2004, USAMRU-K began courses at Kisumu. Since then, the center hosted more than 500 students from 16 African countries in an outreach to improve the technicians’ ability to read blood samples for malaria diagnosis, said Col. David Jones, director of USAMRU-K’s Kisumu station.
In the past, research suffered because lab technicians were unable to correctly read blood slides during studies, Jones said.
“Training is pivotal to improve the quality of lab work,” Jones said.
In July 2009, two laboratory technicians from U.S. Defense Department’s HIV program in Nigeria completed the microscopy course in Kenya. The pair served as primary instructors for the first microscopy course in Nigeria - a two-week effort held at the 445th Nigerian Air Force Hospital, Wagar said. In addition to providing medical care for the Nigerian military, the hospital also provides care to a large number of civilian patients.
Upon the USAMRU-K team’s arrival, Nigerian Air Force Group Capt. Edward Abayomi Akinwale, who heads the hospital’s laboratory, offered Wagar and five Kenyan staff a tour of the Nigerian labs.
“The lab was recently renovated,” Wagar said. “This beautiful new facility has over two dozen microscopes and equipment necessary for preparing malaria blood films, plus computers and projectors - everything needed to teach a course in malaria microscopy.”
During the course, Nigerian and U.S. military officials with interest in improving medical research standards observed the class. Wagar also met with Air Commodore Harold Oyechi, the Nigerian medical officer in charge of the hospital, and Brigadier General (Dr.) T. O. Umar, the head of the Nigerian Emergency Plan Implementation Committee, which coordinates bilateral U.S.-Nigerian military efforts to fight HIV and AIDS.
The USAMRU-K team plans to return to Nigeria in March to mentor a second microscopy class and officially commission the new Nigerian malaria microscopy training center, Wagar said. The center has also offered courses in Ghana and is planning for coursework in Tanzania.
“Our goal is to increase Nigerian capabilities to support HIV care and treatment and medical research by mentoring Nigerian staff who, in turn, teach lab technicians among their own ranks,” Wagar said. “It’s a step forward that we were glad to assist in.”
To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil
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Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Paramount, 1979).
putlocker.bz/watch-star-trek-the-motion-picture-online-fr... Full Feature
Starring William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei, Majel Barrett, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, Persis Khambatta, Stephen Collins, Grace Lee Whitney, Mark Lenard. Directed by Robert Wise.
In Klingon space, three Klingon battle cruisers encounter a huge cloud-like anomaly. On the bridge of one of the ships, the captain (Mark Lenard) orders his crew to fire torpedoes at it, but they have no effect. The ships take evasive action.
Meanwhile, in Federation space, a monitoring station, Epsilon 9, picks up a distress signal from one of the Klingon ships. As the three ships are attempting to escape the cloud, energy beams shoot out and engulf each ship one by one, and they vanish. On Epsilon 9, the crew tracks the course of the cloud and discovers that it is headed for Earth.
On Vulcan, Spock (Leonard Nimoy) has been undergoing the kohlinahr ritual, in which he has been learning how to purge all of his emotions, and is nearly finished with his training. A female Vulcan Master (Edna Glover), surrounded by two men, is about to give him an ornate necklace as a symbol of pure logic, when Spock holds out his hand to stop her. Confused, she mind-melds with him and senses a consciousness calling to him from space that is affecting his human side. She drops the necklace. "You have not yet achieved kohlinahr. You must look elsewhere for your answer," she says as they leave Spock. "You will not find it here."
In San Francisco, Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) arrives at Starfleet Headquarters in a shuttlecraft. He sees Commander Sonak (Jon Rashad Kamal), a Vulcan science officer who is joining the Enterprise crew and recommended for the position by Kirk himself. Kirk is bothered as to why Sonak is not on board yet. Sonak explains that Captain Willard Decker (Stephen Collins), the new captain of the Enterprise, wanted him to complete his science briefing at Headquarters before they left on their mission. The Enterprise has been undergoing a complete "refitting" for the past 18 months and is now under final preparations to leave, which would take at least 20 hours, but Kirk informs him that they only have 12. He tells Sonak to report to him on the Enterprise in one hour; he has a short meeting with Admiral Nogura and is intent on being on the ship.
Kirk transports to an office complex orbiting Earth and meets Montgomery Scott (James Doohan), the Enterprise's chief engineer. Scotty expresses his concern about the tight departure time. The cloud is less than three days away from Earth, and the Enterprise has been ordered to intercept it because they are the only ship in range. Scotty says that the refit can't be finished in 12 hours, and tries to convince him that the ship needs more work done as well as a shakedown cruise. Kirk insists that they are leaving, ready or not. They board a travel pod and begin the journey over to the drydock in orbit that houses the Enterprise.
Scotty tells Kirk that the crew hasn't had enough transition time with all the new equipment and that the engines haven't even been tested at warp power, not to mention that they have an untried captain. Kirk tells Scotty that two and a half years as Chief of Starfleet Operations may have made him a little stale, but that he wouldn't exactly consider himself untried. Kirk then tells a surprised Scotty that Starfleet gave him back his command of the Enterprise. Scotty doubts it, saying that he doesn't think it was that easy with Admiral Nogura, who gave Kirk his orders. They arrive at the Enterprise, and Scotty indulges Kirk with a brief tour of the new exterior of the ship.
Upon docking with the ship, Scotty is summoned to Engineering. Kirk goes up to the bridge, and is informed by Lt. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) that Starfleet has just transferred command from Captain Decker over to him. Kirk finds Decker in engineering, whom is visibly upset when Kirk breaks the news that he is assuming command, but recognizes it is because Kirk has more experience. Decker will remain on the ship as 2nd officer. As Decker storms off, an alarm sounds. Someone is trying to beam over to the ship, but the transporter is malfunctioning. Kirk and Scotty race to the transporter room. Transporter operator Janice Rand (Grace Lee Whitney) is frantically trying to tell Starfleet to abort the transport, but it is too late. Commander Sonak and an unknown female officer are beaming in, but their bodies aren't re-forming properly in the beam. The female officer screams, and then their bodies disappear. Starfleet signals to them that they have died. Kirk tells Starfleet to express his sympathies to their families.
In the corridor, Kirk sees Decker and tells him they will have to replace Commander Sonak and wants another Vulcan. Decker tells him that no one is available that is familiar with the ship's new design. Kirk tells Decker he will have to double his duties as science officer as well.
In the recreation room, as Kirk briefs the assembled crew on the mission, they receive a transmission from Epsilon 9. Commander Branch (David Gautreaux) tells them they have analyzed the mysterious cloud. It generates an immense amount of energy and measures 2 A.U.s (300 million km) in diameter. There is also a vessel of some kind in the center. They've tried to communicate with it and have performed scans, but the cloud reflects them back. It seems to think of the scans as hostile and attacks them. Like the Klingon ships earlier, Epsilon 9 disappears.
Later on the bridge, Uhura informs Kirk that the transporter is working now. Lt. Ilia, (Persis Khambatta), a bald being from the planet Delta IV, arrives. Decker is happy to see her, as they developed a romantic relationship when he was assigned to her planet several years earlier. Ilia is curious about Decker's reduction in rank and Kirk interrupts and tells her about Decker being the executive and science officer. Decker tells her, with slight sarcasm, that Kirk has the utmost confidence in him. Ilia tells Kirk that her oath of celibacy is on record and asks permission to assume her duties. Uhura tells Kirk that one of the last few crew members to arrive is refusing to beam up. Kirk goes to the transporter room to ensure that "he" beams up.
Kirk tells Starfleet to beam the officer aboard. Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley) materializes on the platform. McCoy is angry that his Starfleet commission was reactivated and that it was Kirk's idea for him to be brought along on the mission. His attitude changes, however, when Kirk says he desperately needs him. McCoy leaves to check out the new sickbay.
The crew finishes its repairs and the Enterprise leaves drydock and into the solar system. Dr. McCoy comes up to the bridge and complains that the new sickbay is nothing but a computer center. Kirk is anxious to intercept the cloud intruder, and orders Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) to go to warp speed. Suddenly, the ship enters a wormhole, which was created by an engine imbalance, and is about to collide with an asteroid that has been pulled inside. Kirk orders the phasers to be fired on it, but Decker tells Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) to fire photon torpedoes instead. The asteroid and the wormhole are destroyed. Annoyed, Kirk wants to meet with Decker in his quarters. Dr. McCoy decides to go along.
Kirk demands an explanation from Decker. Decker pointed out that the redesigned Enterprise channeled the phasers through the main engines and because they were imbalanced, the phasers were cut off. Kirk acknowledged that he had saved the ship; however, he accuses Decker of competing with him. Decker tells Kirk that, because of his unfamiliarity with the ship's new design, the mission is in jeopardy. Decker tells Kirk that he will gladly help Kirk understand the new design. Kirk then dismisses him from the room. In the corridor, Decker runs into Ilia. Ilia asked if the confrontation was difficult, and he tells her that it was about as difficult as seeing her again, and apologizes. She asked if he was sorry for leaving Delta IV, or for not saying goodbye. He said that if he had seen her again, would she be able to say goodbye? She says "no," and walked around him and entered her quarters nearby.
Back in Kirk's quarters, McCoy accuses Kirk of being the one who was competing, and the fact that it was Kirk who used the emergency to pressure Starfleet into letting him get command of the Enterprise. McCoy thinks that Kirk is obsessed with keeping his command. On Kirk's console viewscreen, Uhura informs Kirk that a shuttlecraft is approaching and that the occupant wishes to dock. Chekov also pipes in and replies that it appears to be a courier vessel. Kirk tells Chekov to handle the situation.
The shuttle approaches the Enterprise from behind, and the top portion of it detaches and docks at an airlock behind the bridge. Chekov is waiting by the airlock doors and is surprised to see Spock come aboard. Moments later, Spock arrives on the bridge, and everyone is shocked and pleased to see him, yet Spock ignores them. He moves over to the science station and tells Kirk that he is aware of the crisis and knows about the ship's engine design difficulties. He offers to step in as the science officer. McCoy and Dr. Christine Chapel (Majel Barret Roddenberry) come to the bridge to greet Spock, but Spock just stares alarmingly at their emotional outburst. Spock leaves to discuss fuel equations with Scotty in engineering.
With Spock's assistance, the engines are now rebalanced for full warp capacity. The ship successfully goes to warp to intercept the cloud. In the officers lounge, Spock meets with Kirk and McCoy. They discuss Spock's kohlinahr training on Vulcan, and how Spock broke off from his training to join them. Spock describes how he sensed the consciousness of the intruder, from a source more powerful that he has ever encountered, with perfect, logical thought patterns. He believes that it holds the answers he seeks. Uhura tells Kirk over the intercom that they have visual contact with the intruder.
The cloud scans the ship, but Kirk orders no return scans. Spock determines that the scans are coming from the center of the cloud. Uhura tries sending "linguacode" messages, but there is no response. Decker suggests raising the shields for protection, but Kirk determines that that might be considered hostile to the cloud. Spock analyzes the clouds composition, and discovers it has a 12-power energy field, the equivalent of power generated by thousands of starships.
Sitting at the science station, Spock awakens from a brief trance. He reveals to Kirk that the alien was communicating with him. The alien is puzzled; it contacted the Enterprise--why has the Enterprise not replied? A red alert sounds, and an energy beam from within the cloud touches the ship, and begins to overload the ship's systems. Bolts of lightning surround the warp core and nearly injure some engineering officers, and Chekov is also hurt--his hand is burned while sitting at the weapons station on the bridge. The energy beam then disappears. A medical team is summoned to the bridge, and Ilia is able to use her telepathic powers to soothe Chekov's pain.
Spock confirms to Kirk that the alien has been attempting to communicate. It communicates at a frequency of more than one million megahertz, and at such a high rate of speed, the message only lasts a millisecond. Spock programs to computer to send linguacode messages at that frequency. Another energy beam is sent out, but Spock transmits a message just in time, and the beam disappears. The ship continues on course through the cloud. They pass through many expansive and colorful cloud layers and upon clearing these, a giant vessel is revealed. It is roughly cylindrical in shape, with large spikes jutting out from the surface at equidistant angles between each other, forming a hexagon-like shape.
Kirk tells Uhura to transmit an image of the alien to Starfleet, but she explains that any transmission sent out of the cloud is being reflected back to them. Kirk orders Sulu to fly above and along the top of the vessel. The Enterprise is so small compared to the size of the alien vessel that it appears only as a little white dot next to it. The ship travels past many oddly-shaped structures, including a sunken area where the energy beams originate.
An alarm sounds, and yet another energy bolt approaches the ship. It appears on the bridge as a column of bright light that emits a very loud noise. The crew struggles to shield their eyes from its brilliant glow. Chekov asks Spock if it is one of the alien's crew, and Spock replies that it is a probe sent from the vessel. The probe slowly moves around the room and stops in front of the science station. Bolts of lightning shoot out from it and surround the console--it is trying to access the ship's computer. Spock manages to smash the controls to prevent further access, and the probe gives him an electric shock that sends him rolling onto the floor. The probe approaches the helm/navigation console and it scans Lt. Ilia. Suddenly, she vanishes, along with the probe.
Ahead of the ship looms another giant section of the vessel. A tractor beam is drawing the Enterprise toward an opening aperture. Decker calls for Chief DiFalco (Marcy Lafferty) to come up to the bridge as Ilia's replacement. The ship travels deep into the next chamber. Decker wonders why they were brought inside--they could have been easily destroyed outside. Spock deduces that the alien is curious about them. Uhura's monitor shows that the aperture is closing; they are trapped. The ship is released from the tractor beam and suddenly, an intruder alert goes off. Someone has come aboard the ship and is in the crew quarters section.
Kirk and Spock arrive inside a crewman's quarters to discover that the intruder is inside the sonic shower. It is revealed to be Ilia, although it isn't really her--there is a small red device attached to her neck. In a mechanized voice, she replies "You are the Kirk unit--you will listen to me." She explains that she has been programmed by an entity called "V'Ger" to observe and record the normal functions of the carbon-based units (humans) "infesting" the Enterprise. Kirk opens the shower door and "Ilia" steps out, wearing a small white garment that just materialized around her. Dr. McCoy and a security officer enter the room, and Kirk tells McCoy to scan her with a tricorder.
Kirk asks her who V'Ger is. She replies "V'Ger is that which programmed me." McCoy tells Kirk that Ilia is a mechanism and Spock confirms she is a probe that assumed Ilia's physical form. Kirk asks where the real Ilia is, and the probe states that "that unit" no longer functions. Kirk also asks why V'Ger is traveling to Earth, and the probe answers that it wishes to find the Creator, join with him, and become one with it. Spock suggests that McCoy perform a complete examination of the probe.
In sickbay, the Ilia probe lays on a diagnostic table, its sensors slowly taking readings. All normal body functions, down to the microscopic level, are exactly duplicated by the probe. Decker arrives and is stunned to see her there. She looks up at him and addresses him as "Decker", rather than "Decker unit," which intrigues Spock. Spock talks with Kirk and Decker in an adjoining room, and Spock locks the door. Spock theorizes that the real Ilia's memories and feelings have been duplicated by the probe as well as her body. Decker is angry that the probe killed Ilia, but Kirk convinces him that their only contact with the vessel is through the probe, and they need to use that advantage to find out more about the alien. Suddenly, the probe bursts through the door, and demands that Kirk assist her with her observations. He tells her that Decker will do it with more efficiency.
Decker and Ilia are seen walking around in the recreation room. He shows her pictures of previous ships that were named Enterprise. Decker has been trying to see if Ilia's memories or emotions can resurface, but to no avail. Kirk and McCoy are observing them covertly on a monitor from his quarters. Decker shows her a game that the crew enjoys playing. She is not interested and states that recreation and enjoyment has no meaning to her programming. At another game, which Ilia enjoyed and nearly always won, they both press one of their hands down onto a table to play it. The table lights up, indicating she won the game, and she gazes into Deckers eyes. This moment of emotion ends suddenly, and she returns to normal. "This device serves no purpose."
"Why does the Enterprise require the presence of carbon units?" she asks. Decker tells her the ship couldn't function without them. She tells him that more information is needed before the crew can be patterned for data storage. Horrified, he asks her what this means. "When my examination is complete, all carbon units will be reduced to data patterns." He tells her that within her are the memory patterns of a certain carbon unit. He convinces her to let him help her revive those patterns so that she can understand their functions better. She allows him to proceed.
Spock slowly enters an airlock room. He sees an officer standing at a console, his back to Spock. Spock quietly approaches him, and gives him the Vulcan nerve pinch to render him unconscious.
Decker, the probe, Dr. McCoy, and Dr. Chapel are in Ilia's quarters. Dr. Chapel gives the probe a decorative headband that Ilia used to wear. Chapel puts it over "Ilia's" head and turns her toward a mirror. Decker asks her if she remembers wearing it on Delta IV. The probe shows another moment of emotion, saying Dr. Chapel's name, and putting her hand on Decker's face, calling him Will. Behind them, McCoy reminds Decker that she is a mechanism. Decker asks "Ilia" to help them make contact with V'Ger. She says that she can't, and Decker asks her who the Creator is. She says V'Ger does not know. The probe becomes emotionless again and removes the headband.
Spock is now outside the ship in a space suit with an attached thruster pack. He begins recording a log entry for Kirk detailing his attempt to contact the alien. He activates a panel on the suit and calculates thruster ignition and acceleration to coincide with the opening of an aperture ahead of him. He hopes to get a better view of the spacecraft interior.
Kirk comes up to the bridge and Uhura tells him that Starfleet signals are growing stronger, indicating they are very close to Earth. Starfleet is monitoring the intruder and notifies Uhura that it is slowing down in its approach. Sulu confirms this and says that lunar beacons show the intruder is entering into orbit. Chekov tells Kirk that Airlock 4 has been opened and a thruster suit is missing. Kirk figures out that Spock has done it, and orders Chekov to get Spock back on the ship. He changes his mind, and instead tells him to determine his position.
Spock touches a button on his thruster panel and his thruster engine ignites. He is propelled forward rapidly, and enters the next chamber of the vessel just before the aperture closes behind him. The thruster engine shuts down, and the momentum carries Spock ahead further. He disconnects the thruster pack from his suit and it falls away from him.
Continuing his log entry, Spock sees an image of what he believes to be V'Gers home planet. He passes through a tunnel filled with crackling plasma energy, possibly a power source for a gigantic imaging system. Next, he sees several more images of planets, moons, stars, and galaxies stored and recorded. Spock theorizes that this may be a visual representation of V'Gers entire journey. "But who or what are we dealing with?" he ponders.
He sees the Epsilon 9 station, and notes to Kirk that he is convinced that all of what he is seeing is V'Ger; and that they are inside a living machine. Then he sees a giant image of Lt. Ilia with the sensor on her neck. Spock decides it must have some special meaning, so he attempts to mind-meld with it. He is quickly overwhelmed by the multitude of images flooding his mind, and is thrown backward.
Kirk is now in a space suit and has exited the ship. The aperture in front of the Enterprise opens, and Spock's unconscious body floats toward him. Later, Dr. Chapel and Dr. McCoy are examining Spock in sickbay. Dr. McCoy performs scans and determines that Spock endured massive neurological trauma from the mind-meld. Spock tells Kirk he should have known and Kirk asks if he was right about V'Ger. Spock calls it a conscious, living entity. Kirk explains that V'Ger considers the Enterprise a living machine and it's why "Ilia" refers to the ship as an entity and the crew as an infestation.
Spock describes V'Ger's homeworld as a planet populated by living machines with unbelievable technology. But with all that logic and knowledge, V'Ger is barren, with no mystery or meaning. He momentarily lapses into sleep but Kirk rouses him awake to ask what Spock should have known. Spock grasps Kirk's hand and tells him "This simple feeling is beyond V'Ger's comprehension. No meaning, no hope. And Jim, no answers. It's asking questions. 'Is this all that I am? Is there nothing more?'"
Uhura chimes in and tells Kirk that they are getting a faint signal from Starfleet. The intruder has been on their monitors for a while and the cloud is rapidly dissipating as it approaches. Sulu also comments that the intruder has slowed to sub-warp speed and is three minutes from Earth orbit. Kirk acknowledges and he, McCoy and Spock go up to the bridge.
Starfleet sends the Enterprise a tactical report on the intruders position. Uhura tells Kirk that V'Ger is transmitting a signal. Decker and "Ilia" come up to the bridge, and she says that V'Ger is signaling the Creator. Spock determines that the transmission is a radio signal. Decker tells Kirk that V'Ger expects an answer, but Kirk doesn't know the question. Then "Ilia" says that the Creator has not responded. An energy bolt is released from V'Ger and positions itself above Earth. Chekov reports that all planetary defense systems have just gone inoperative. Several more bolts are released, and they all split apart to form smaller ones and they assume equidistant positions around the planet.
McCoy notices that the bolts are the same ones that hit the ship earlier, and Spock says that these are hundreds of times more powerful, and from those positions, they can destroy all life on Earth. "Why?" Kirk asks "Ilia." She says that the carbon unit infestation will be removed from the Creator's planet as they are interfering with the Creator's ability to respond and accuses the crew of infesting the Enterprise and interfering in the same manner. Kirk tells "Ilia" that carbon units are a natural function of the Creator's planet and they are living things, not infestations. However "Ilia" says they are not true life forms like the Creator. McCoy realizes V'Ger must think its creator is a machine.
Spock compares V'Ger to a child, and suggests they treat it like one. McCoy retorts that this child is about to wipe out every living thing on Earth. To get "Ilia's" attention, Kirk says that the carbon units know why the Creator hasn't responded. The Ilia probe demands that the Creator "disclose the information." Kirk won't do it until V'Ger withdraws all the orbiting devices. In response to this, V'Ger cuts off the ship's communications with Starfleet. She tells him again to disclose the information. He refuses, and a plasma energy attack shakes the ship. McCoy tells Spock that the child is having a "tantrum."
Kirk tells the probe that if V'Ger destroys the Enterprise, then the information it needs will also be destroyed. Ilia says that it is illogical to withhold the required information, and asks him why he won't disclose it. Kirk explains it is because V'Ger is going to destroy all life on Earth. "Ilia" says that they have oppressed the Creator, and Kirk makes it clear he will not disclose anything. V'Ger needs the information, says "Ilia." Kirk says that V'Ger will have to withdraw all the orbiting devices. "Ilia" says that V'Ger will comply, if the carbon units give the information.
Spock tells Kirk that V'Ger must have a central brain complex. Kirk theorizes that the orbiting devices are controlled from there. Kirk tells "Ilia" that the information cant be disclosed to V'Ger's probe, but only to V'Ger itself. "Ilia" stares at the viewscreen, and, in response, the aperture opens and drags the ship forward with a tractor beam into the next chamber. Chekov tells Kirk that the energy bolts will reach their final positions and activate in 27 minutes. Kirk calls to Scotty on the intercom and tells him to stand by to execute Starfleet Order 2005; the self-destruct command. A female crewmember asks Scotty why Kirk ordered self-destruct, and Scotty tells her that Kirk hopes that when they explode, so will the intruder.
The countdown is now down to 18 minutes. DiFalco reports that they have traveled 17 kilometers inside the vessel. Kirk goes over to Spock's station, and sees that Spock has been crying. "Not for us," Kirk realizes. Spock tells him he is crying for V'Ger, and that he weeps for V'Ger as he would for a brother. As he was when he came aboard the Enterprise, so is V'Ger now--empty, incomplete, and searching. Logic and knowledge are not enough. McCoy realizes Spock has found what he needed, but that V'Ger hasn't. Decker wonders what V'Ger would need to fulfill itself.
Spock comments that each one of us, at some point in our lives asks, "Why am I here?" "What was I meant to be?" V'Ger hopes to touch its Creator and find those answers. DiFalco directs Kirk's attention to the viewscreen. Ahead of them is a structure with a bright light. Sulu reports that forward motion has stopped. Chekov replies that an oxygen/gravity envelope has formed outside of the ship. "Ilia" points to the structure on the screen and identifies it as V'Ger. Uhura has located the source of the radio signal and it is straight ahead. A passageway forms outside the ship as Kirk Spock, McCoy, Decker, and "Ilia" enter a turbolift.
The landing party exits an airlock on the top of the saucer section and walks up the passageway. At the end of the path is a concave structure, and in the center of it is an old NASA probe from three centuries earlier. Kirk tries to rub away the smudges on the nameplate and makes out the letters V G E R. He continues to rub, and discovers that the craft is actually Voyager 6. Kirk recalls the history of the Voyager program--it was designed to collect data and transmit it back to Earth. Decker tells Kirk that Voyager 6 disappeared through a black hole.
Kirk says that it must have emerged on the far side of the galaxy and got caught in the machine planet's gravity. Spock theorizes that the planet's inhabitants found the probe to be one of their own kind--primitive, yet kindred. They discovered the probe's 20th century programming, which was to collect data and return that information to its creator. The machines interpreted that instruction literally, and constructed the entire vessel so that Voyager could fulfill its programming. Kirk continues by saying that on its journey back, it amassed so much knowledge that it gained its own consciousness.
"Ilia" tells Kirk that V'Ger awaits the information. Kirk calls Uhura on his communicator and tells her to find information on the probe in the ship's computer, specifically the NASA code signal, which will allow the probe to transmit its data. Decker realizes that that is what the probe was signaling--it's ready to transmit everything. Kirk then says that there is no one on Earth who recognizes the old-style signal--the Creator does not answer.
Kirk calls out to V'Ger and says that they are the Creator. "Ilia" says that is not logical--carbon units are not true life forms. Kirk says they will prove it by allowing V'Ger to complete its programming. Uhura calls Kirk on his communicator and tells him she has retrieved the code. Kirk tells her to set the Enterprise transmitter to the code frequency and to transmit the signal. Decker reads off the numerical code on his tricorder, and is about to read the final sequence, but Voyager's circuitry burns out, an effort by V'Ger itself to prevent the last part of the code from being transmitted.
"Ilia" says that the Creator must join with V'Ger, and turns toward Decker. McCoy warns Kirk that they only have 10 minutes left. Decker figures out that V'Ger wanted to bring the Creator here and transmit the code in person. Spock tells Kirk that V'Ger's knowledge has reached the limits of the universe and it must evolve. Kirk says that V'Ger needs a human quality in order to evolve. Decker thinks that V'Ger joining with the Creator will accomplish that. He then goes over to the damaged circuitry and fixes the wires so he can manually enter the rest of the code through the ground test computer. Kirk tries to stop him, but "Ilia" tosses him aside. Decker tells Kirk that he wants this as much as Kirk wanted the Enterprise.
Suddenly, a bright light forms around Decker's body. "Ilia" moves over to him, and the light encompasses them both as they merge together. Their bodies disappear, and the light expands and begins to consume the area. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy retreat back to the Enterprise. V'Ger explodes, leaving the Enterprise above Earth, unharmed. On the bridge, Kirk wonders if they just saw the beginning of a new life form, and Spock says yes and that it is possibly the next step in their evolution. McCoy says that its been a while since he "delivered" a baby, and hopes that they got this one off to a good start.
Uhura tells Kirk that Starfleet is requesting the ship's damage and injury reports and vessel status. Kirk reports that there were only two casualties: Lt. Ilia and Captain Decker. He quickly corrects his statement and changes their status to "missing." Vessel status: fully operational. Scotty comes on the bridge and agrees with Kirk that it's time to give the Enterprise a proper shakedown. When Scotty offers to have Spock back on Vulcan in four days, Spock says that's unnecessary, as his task on Vulcan is completed.
Kirk tells Sulu to proceed ahead at warp factor one. When DiFalco asks for a heading, Kirk simply says "Out there, thataway." With that, the Enterprise flies overhead and engages warp drive.
youtu.be/4n2dGwYcp9k?t=8s Star Trek Theme
Diagnostic Mistletoe Tyrannulet, Zimmerius parvus, 9.5 cm. / 3.75 in. COMMON in humid areas where mistletoe is plentiful. Photographed with a Canon 10D with 35-105 mm IS USM in July 2003.
La Selva Biological Research Station, Puerto Viejo, Heredia Province, Costa Rica.
©bryanjsmith.
Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon Portugal
Charles Correa Associates designed this research and diagnostic centre located in Lisbon. It is a state-of-the-art facility guided by some of the best scientist in the world. The site, where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean, is steeped in history. It is the site where Henry the Navigator, Vasco de Gama and other great Portuguese left on their journeys into the unknown—a perfect metaphor for the discoveries of contemporary science today. The 3 units that constitute the project are:
•the largest for the doctors and scientist,
•the second for the theatre, the exhibition hall, the foundation offices, etc,
•the third is an open-air amphitheatre for the city.
They have been arranged to create a 125m long pathway leading diagonally across the site, towards the open seas. This pathway is ramped up at a gentle slope of 1:20, so as you ascend, you see only sky ahead of you. At the end of the ramp are two stone monoliths, straight from the quarry. When you reach the highest point, you begin to see a large body of water, which seemingly connects (i.e. without any visual break) to the ocean beyond. In the centre of this water body, just below the surface of the water, is an oval shaped object—made of stainless steel and slightly convex, so that it reflects the blue sky and passing clouds above.
Beyond its scientific importance, the centre’s design has also caught the attention of architects around the world. The bid to design the site was won by Indian architect Charles Correa, who also designed the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Complex at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The centre features a large interior rainforest connecting clinics and laboratories, chemotherapy suites with gardens, and many areas open for public use, including exhibition halls, an outdoor amphitheatre and landscaped walking areas. It is hoped that the location of the centre in the heart of Lisbon, as well as the openness of the site to the public, will encourage awareness of the centre and the Champalimaud Foundation, as well as the health and medical issues that their work is aiming to address.
Diagnostic White-sided Hillstar, Oreotrochilus leucopleurus, 13 - 14 cm / 5 - 5.5 in. Central and southern Chile in dry, rocky valleys and ravines above tree-line. Just could not get close enough for a better image.
Farellones, Region Metropolitana De Santiago, Chile.
©bryanjsmith.
Like for many female birds this lady pales in comparison to her more gaudy mate. As females birds go, however, she is strikingly marked, and her ID can be readily established with high confidence. Her bill shape is diagnostic for the Grosbeak family, and there are not that many different species of Grosbeaks in North America. Only three can be expected up here. It you can see the greenish tint on the bills of adult birds (like on this lady) you have a lock on the species ID... it's that unique.
IMG_1295; Evening Grosbeak