Saint Nazaire from the Loire River.

France

Primate DNA is only five percent different from ours. Like us, they feel jealousy, envy, love, shame, grief, depression... They are very social beings, they are sensitive and each one has a different personality, according to the experts, as happens in humans. They develop tools for specific purposes, which involves reasoning, anticipating the future and acting with the tool. They adopt orphans, which demonstrates social bonds, empathy and altruism. They have self-awareness, cooperative problem-solving and learning by example and experience, so they have symbolic capacity and a culture of their own, which they pass on from one generation to the next. Chimpanzees even surpass humans in certain memory tasks. An ape at the age of two is able to do small sums and use tools, while a two year old does not even know how to do sums or reason the why of the tool. They give pets to their children and they even learn words in sign language, being able to establish a conversation with their caregiver. They are able to teach their offspring sign language so that they can communicate with their caregivers. And so on. And they share a very important trait with humans, a trait not found in any other animal... laughter.

This image is dedicated to Bobby. Bobby was a chimpanzee used for decades as a laboratory animal at the Coulston Foundation in Alamogordo, New Mexico. He was born in captivity and at a very young age participated in biomedical experiments. By the age of 19, he had been anaesthetised more than 250 times and biopsied as many times. His life was spent in solitude inside a tiny metal cage. His body was bruised and scarred. In a deeply depressed state, he was incessantly self-harming, a clear sign that he intended to end his life. In 2002 he was transferred to Save the Chimps, a chimpanzee sanctuary in Louisiana, USA. Dedicated to Jeannie. Jeannie was in the service of science for nine years. At the age of six, she began her career in the pharmaceutical laboratories of Merck, Sharpe and Dohme. Shortly afterwards she was donated to the Buckshire Corporation and ended up at LEMSIP, Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates in New York at the age of 22. During that time she participated in several invasive experimental protocols including repeated vaginal douching, multiple cervical, liver and lymph node biopsies. She was infected with HIV and hepatitis C, and participated in rhinovirus vaccination protocols. She was anaesthetised more than 200 times. She died at the age of 31 at the Fauna Foundation, Canada's only primate sanctuary. Dedicated to Newt. Newt was born in 1979 at LEMSIP. At the age of four months he was sold to the Southwest National Primate Research Center in San Antonio, Texas. Newt was HIV-positive and was widely exposed to hepatitis B virus. Before he was four years old, he began intermittently self-harming. In 2003 he had his canines removed. Newt's clinical reports indicated that he had bites and lacerations on his hands, fingers, thighs, arms, legs, wrists and scrotum. A psychiatric report determined that Newt was in a profound state of insanity and derangement. He was attempting to commit suicide and end his life. This image is dedicated to all primates who have suffered psychological and physical torture, deprivation of liberty, abominable experiments and death in scientific laboratories, pharmaceutical, automobile, cosmetic, aeronautical, aerospace multinationals... and dedicated especially to Bobby, Jeannie and Newt.

The chimpanzee Mama, hours before she died and the reunion with her caretaker.

Silvio Rodríguez - Al final de este viaje / Al final de este viaje (1978)

We are the prehistory that will have the future. We are the remote annals of man. These years are the past of the sky. These years are a certain agility with which the sun draws you into the future. They are the truth or the end, they are god. We are left, those who can smile in the midst of death, in full light.

Supergrass - Tales of Endurance, Pt. 4, 5 & 6 / Road to Rouen (2005)

Making sense of what I've heard and what is on my mind.

.....

PS: When I look into the eyes of an ape, all I see in them is sadness and eyes that ask me, why, why? And I can only lower my gaze to the ground, while I shed some tears and feel a deep shame... shame of being human... a "Homo stupidus".

Aphex Twin - Stone In Focus / Selected Ambient Works II (1994)

Sony A7R Carl Zeiss 24-70mm f2.8

Texture from Topaz Texture Effects.

Thirst Menswear

Circuit Hoodie - Available at @ EQUAL 10 (Aug. 10th to Sept. 05th).

Circuit Shorts - Available at @ Man Cave (Aug. 17th to Sept. 11th).

Both availables in mesh or sheer styles.

Thirst Mainstore

For more details check my blog MR. MORNINGSTAR

Series Vines I

The Lighthouse formation in Palo Duro Canyon State Park looks like a good image for the word endurance. This formation has withstood the elements for numerous centuries and towers above the canyon.

Done for Sliders Sunday

Please view in the lightbox, press L

Male Bison (Bison bison) endures the heavy snow in West Yellowstone. Supremely adapted to deal with these conditions, Bison have survived here for thousands of years. They are the largest terrestrial animals in North America.

Ape: My mind is like a spring in a clock that won't unwind. Can't see, can't think... can't feel. I'm up and down... tell me, where will it end?. On this carousel... tell me, when will it end? I hear thunder and I can feel the wind. I can see angry faces in the eyes of men. I hear talking of people... the whole world has gone insane and all there is left... is the falling rain...

.....

No living being should live caged behind bars... none...

.....

Road to Rouen - Supergrass (2005)

St. Petersburg

Sad Girl

Roxy

Coffee in the PotI

Road to Rouen

Kick in the Teeth

Low C

Fin

Tales of Endurance, Pts. 4, 5 & 6

.....

Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens (HKZBG), China. November 2024.

.....

Postscript from the ape:

We are the prehistory that will have the future. We are the remote annals of man. These years are the past of the sky. These years are a certain agility with which the sun draws you into the future. They are the truth or the end... they are god. We are left... those who can smile in the midst of death... in full light.

Jungles of the Republic of Congo... falling rain...

Ape

In Peterhead harbour

Image created with the use of ChatGPT 5.2.

a hand held shot taken in a hurry as the colours in the sky were just coming out nicely, minutes before the sky was dull & grey, panic stations, no time for composing or bracketing shots. It is what it is !

Rock formations in Monument Valley AZ, on ancestral Navajo land. Geotag is only approximate, and maybe this is even in Utah.

The rocks are fine-grained sediments capped by conglomerates, deposited in the Triassic Era, about 240 million years ago. The pillars were carved by much younger rivers, maybe 10 million years ago or less. The patterns in the “desert varnish” are likely still evolving during infrequent rains, and the clouds are made fresh at every moment.

Happy Mono Monday!

High Noon CDT, 2 Oct 2023

MASTERS FESTIVAL

Brands Hatch 2023.

A group of wild Oak (maybe white or blue) trees, still alive withstanding harsh climate, on hike to Serrano glacier in Patagonia. Chile.

American Bulldogs are a well-balanced athletic dog that demonstrate great strength, endurance, agility, and a friendly attitude. Historically, they were bred to be a utility dog used for working the farm. The American Bulldog is a descendant of the English Bulldog. It is believed that the bulldog was in America as early as the 17th century.

One storm passed, another one coming. This barn still stands though with little purpose now. For most of us, a successful life consists of learning how to endure the storms.

Stirling Castle, Scotland

Surviving the Winter Season in Yellowstone is a day by day struggle.

"Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes.”

Buddha

=========

I went to the beach today to watch the sunset but the clouds was blocking the view >__<...It's been a while since I went to the beach to just relax. I took a couple of shots here and there but I like this one for some reason. It has the tilt shift (Did I spell that right?) feeling but sadly my attempt to capture the paddlers with the sunset along didn't happened.

Anyways, I hope someday I could paddle with these guys. It's fun and it's a good work out but you need a lot of stamina.

BTW...feel free to download this photo =)...

The original coupe-bodied Cobras were developed by Shelby American in order to compete in endurance racing for sports cars. This one is an excellent replica owned by a regular participant at the Cars & Coffee event held at Rock Point Church in Queen Creek, Arizona.

Photo has been converted from color to monochrome.

In August 1914, Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Shackleton) started an incredible expedition to the Antarctic.

This voyage is also known as the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Trans-Antarctic_Expedition).

Endurance was the name of the ship in which Sir Ernest Shackleton sailed for the Antarctic. On board were 28 men and 69 dogs.

Shackleton planned to cross the Antarctic on foot. But shortly before its arrival in the Antarctic the Endurance became locked in ice and was finally crushed.

Thus the legendary survival of Shackleton and his crew began.

Length166 studs (131 cm)

Width 50 studs (39 cm)

Height 103 studs (81 cm)

Built with LDCad 1.6 alpha 4

Rendered with POV-Ray

ثلاثه عدو وانزلوا قالوا اثنين

واحد صفر وانهدت الخيل طوفان

خيل الدول تنعد فوق الثمانين

على عدد خيل الدول عد فرسان

صار المدى كله صهيل وعناوين

مهره فلانيه وذا الفارس فلان

من كيلوات الدرب اميه وستين

سباق يعذر طوله الصلب لي لان

كلن على خيله هقاويه هنتين

واحنا لنا هقوه ولخيولنا شان

الفوز ثم الفوز من دون تخمين

ياخيلنا يا مرجفات المياديين

العاديات السابقه وقتها زان

يا خيلنا مادري علينا تغارين

واحنا عليج انغير كالدم فرسان

صبـــر جميل يوم تمشيــن

ولي من مشيتي يصبح الصبر نيران

فينا وفيج من الحماسه تشبين

جمر الرجال اللي على العز تيجان

This was in Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan Challenge 2 - 120km and the last race in this season.

click here for larg view

St Martin, Bangladesh

You know that moment when you figure sunrise color was a bust then a magical hole appears in the clouds. Just enough for the sun to pop through and radiate through the layers. Color was brief, but so happy I found it. Mission accomplished. Botnay Bay, South Carolina

For the techies:

Nikon D800, Tokina AT-X 16-28mm f.2.8

5 Photos bracketed f/11 ISO 100

Processed in Aurora HDR, Lightroom, Photoshop, OnOne2017

#1 Rebellion Racing Rebellion R-13: Andre Lotterer, Neel Jani, Bruno Senna - World Endurance Championship - Silverstone - Sunday

Tutorial: Free eBook Guide to shooting motorsport at Silverstone

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Edit: Yes, replaced the original picture. Now you can see the chicken boy!

In the realm of the evil Queen Tara a baby has been born... a baby who is heir to the throne and destined to one day bring vengeance on her for her tyranny... destined, that is, if he can survive the hunt!

When I first saw the Where's Waldo category for Brickscalibur I was stumped, but somewhere along the line I said to myself, I want to hide a baby. Around the same time I had the idea that it would be someone escaping from a ruler and have the V shaped background--and the two concepts merged perfectly.

Whew! This was a fun build, but a slow going one. I built for 15+ hours almost without a break yesterday, and then did the same today! It was like building 20 super detailed vignettes. Yes, I should have started earlier.

I tried to load up with a lot of different scenes and included 4 minifigures from 3 other Brickscalibur entries! Unfortunately two of them didn't make this picture, but see if you can spot the peasant from the Guarded Inn and the little boy from Courage!

I know this picture could be better in natural light, so I'll be doing that sometime next week (and trying to get a wider angle), and also taking some detail shots as there is so much stuff going on here!

Did it! See close-ups on Insta.

(Second place Where's Waldo Brickscalibur 2022-23)

Flickr | YouTube | GenevaD.com | Rebrickable | Pinterest | Instagram

Just a snapshot of Peter's model, as Thea is learning all about Shackleton et al at school this term.

In his search for food, a large bull bison takes a moment to rest from his effort to plow through an expansive field of snow in the Hayden Valley of Yellowstone National Park.

digital art

www.fluidr.com/photos/h_duncan

Have a great start into the new week.

Hope you had a wonderful 1st Advent yesterday.

Texture from Jill's (borealnz) & Paul Grand's site:

Flypaper Textures

These trees seem to survive anything! Fire, lightening strikes, soil erosion, wind, rain, snow, drought...you name it. I loved its indomitable spirit and wanted to capture it as a moment in time. NEVER GIVE UP....zoom in for all the textures, details, and colours.

Taken at Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah...one amazing place!

What a surprise: Flickr's explore algorithym liked this shot as well :-) Explore Highest position: 116 on Wednesday, September 27, 2017

The Harbour wall and storm waves at Mullion cove. One fo the bigger waves I saw although the biggest got me down my turned back even though I was more than 20 feet up the cliff! Really invigorating conditions. Shot at around 50mm on the contax zeiss so lacking in exif info.

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

Because their words had forked no lightning they

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

in zeebrugge