Look into his big black eyes.

Have you ever watched a crab on the shore crawling backward in search of the Atlantic Ocean, and missing? That's the way the mind of man operates....

- H L Mencken

9th July, 2009 (4.30 pm IST) - BTW, a colleague of mine just told me about an abandoned kitten outside my office, that had just escaped from the clutches of a dog! That simply means another addition to my family. :)

She's very thin, and has big watery eyes and is limping slightly & is snuggled in my back pack while I'm wrapping up for the day :) Will put some pictures of her tomorrow if she poses for me in the morning after her tummy is full :)

Got to go.... Good night flickr. :)

Damselfly on Black

Here is another damselfly (this had a brown neck) looking this time from the front. Maybe not as "in your face" as yesterday's photo, but I have been wanting to ty and get a full frontal for while, but it isn't easy. I do like the dynamic angles on this though as well.

Anyway, this one was ok, and stayed still for a while.

I tried various tubes, but I can't remember whether this was 3, 2, 1, or none!

The camera was tripod mounted. I am not steady enough most of the time to get sharp shots hand held unless the shutter speed is up high, and even then it is hit and miss.

I have found that some damsels tend to be rather more likely to stay still than dragons, and afford more time and opportunity. This one was not on the grass originally, and I managed to get it to step onto my finger and then I transferred it onto the grass blade! Some damsels are happy to be approached it seems, a bit like some hoverflies will let you get them on your hand.

The previous image was an azure, this one is a female blue-tailed damselfly, Ischnura elegans.

View Large On Black

Puffin on Skomer island, taken just before he jumped down the hole to feed the chicks.

Was not very easy to get a shot with the eels, as they had to get down the burrow as quick as they could before the seagulls robbed them!

YOU MUST SEE IT LARGE on Black

Dear Friends,

I don't really know if I will keep up with Flickr in these next months. Expect 1-2 uploads/month.

Things are pretty busy and it looks like they will become worse from the very next week.

I will be attending a specialization in the next four months, 8 hours/week, so spare time will be at its minimum!!!

I hope to have the chance of shooting as soon as spring starts!

I don't know if I will be able to check your streams out, I hope you don't mind.

This was shot a month ago: I arrived there an hour before sunrise, and luckly those pink clouds had a wonderful timing, making all the landscape look magnificent.

Details

- CANON 5d Mark II, EF 17-40 f/4 L @ 32 mm, f/16, 60 s, ISO 100

- Phottix Nikos Remote Shutter

- Lee 0.6 (2 stops) soft GND + 0.9 (3 stops) ND

- Tripod

The shot

This is an artificial lake, about 50 km from where I live

The Processing

Camera Raw

- White balance tuning.

- -0.2 Exposure

Photoshop

- Switched to LAB to improve tones;

- Added a few Soft Light layers to adjust light;

- Added a Color Balance layer;

- Resized for the Web (1200px);

- Applied an Unsharp Mask to slightly improve contrast;

- Cleaned some dust spots using the healing brush

- Smart Sharpen + More accurate (On luminosity 'blending mode' with the sky masked off);

- Framing and Signature.

Take a look at it, LARGE on Black :

@ You all

Comments, faves and critiques are always welcomed!

View On Black

The other day I was watching this male Mute Swan strut his stuff around two Trumpeter Swans. Every once and awhile he'd swim in circles and puff out his feathers........The two Trumpeter Swans tagged E90 and O38 would let out a few honks then go about their own business. The two Trumpeter Swans seemed completely uninterested in this lone Mute..I never saw his mate. Perhaps he's a lonely bachelor.........?? ;)

"The Mute Swan is reported to mate for life. However, changing of mates does occur infrequently, and swans will remate if their partner dies. If a male loses his mate and pairs with a young female, she joins him on his territory. If he mates with an older female, they go to hers. If a female loses her mate, she remates quickly and usually chooses a younger male."

Enjoy!! :)

View Large On White Olive trees in Crete. Holga + Efke ir820 + Hoya r72. 2-4s exposure. Stand developed in Rodinal 1+100 for 2 hours. Quite a heavy base fog - again. Gonna have to try semi stand for a shorter time next time. Neg shot with my 30D again whilst I'm out of a darkroom.

Best on a black background.

Taken at the Anonymous demo - London 10/02/2008. See here

[ Demoreel | Portfolio | Linkedin | My Book | Flickr | My Blog | Twitter | IMDB | Facebook ]

My heart is filled so full of doubt.

- The Ataris

I decided to finally explore textures. Holymygosh. They are SO much more fun than texture brushes! And you can manipulate them alot more. This feels very Jessi-esque to me.

Layer #1 is from James' Textures for Layers set, I used this one. Layer #2 is here.

I woke up at 5 this evening. Passed out last night at 930. My sleep schedule is driving me crazy.

My necklace from the jewelry party came in! This isn't the super awesome one I was talking about, but mom won't let me have it until my birthday. Which I think is pretty lame because I already know what it is and my birthday isn't until November. :( I asked if I could just use it for my 365 and she said yes. In November. Poop. :(

My whole body aches. My thighs are killing me from jumping in and out of this pose a million times yesterday. My neck is tense, I've got a massive headache and my sinuses have that itchy/allergy/pressured 'you might be getting sick, muahahaha' feeling. :(

www.chicagoarchitecture.info/Building/913/Aqua.php

2009

250 mtrs

Aqua is an 82-story mixed-use residential skyscraper in the Lakeshore East development in downtown Chicago designed in the Modern architectural style. The building's height of 819 ft (250 m), includes six levels of parking below ground. The building's eight-story, 140,000 sq ft (13,000 m2) base is topped by a 82,550 sq ft (7,669 m2) terrace with gardens, gazebos, pools, hot tubs, a walking/running track and fire pit. Each floor will cover approximately 16,000 sq ft (1,500 m2). The Aqua was named the Emporis 2009 skyscraper of the year.

Architect

Aqua is designed by Jeanne Gang, principal and founder of Studio Gang Architects, and it is her first skyscraper project. This is the largest project ever awarded to an American firm headed by a woman. Loewenberg & Associates are the architects of record, led by James Loewenberg.

Design

The Aqua Tower is located on the 200 block of North Columbus Drive, and is surrounded by high-rises. To capture views of nearby landmarks for Aqua's residents, Gang stretched its balconies outward by as much as 12 feet (3.7 meters).

The result is a building composed of irregularly shaped concrete floor slabs which lend the facade an undulating, sculptural quality. Gang cites the striated limestone outcroppings that are a common topographic feature of the Great Lakes region as inspiration for these slabs.

The building will contain 55,000 square feet (5,100 square meters) of retail and office space, in addition to 215 hotel rooms (floors 1-18), 476 rental residential units (floors 19-52), and 263 condominium units & Penthouses (floors 53-80).[14] Aqua will also be the first downtown building to combine condos, apartments and a hotel. Strategic Hotels & Resorts had agreed to acquire the first 15 floors of hotel space upon completion of the building, but terminated its $84 million contract for the space in August 2008, citing significant changes in the economic environment. On May 12, 2010, it was announced that Carlson Hotels Worldwide agreed to spend $125 million to open the first Radisson Blu hotel in the United States on 18 vacant floors of the highrise.

The name 'Aqua' was assigned to the building by Magellan Development Group LLC. It fits the nautical theme of the other buildings in the Lakeshore East development, and is derived from the wave-like forms of the balconies; the tower's proximity to nearby Lake Michigan also influenced the name.

Sustainability was also an important factor in Aqua's design. Gang and her team refined the terrace extensions to maximize solar shading, and other sustainable features will include rainwater collection systems and energy-efficient lighting. The green roof on top of the tower base will be the largest in Chicago. The tower will seek LEED certification.

Please View On Black

Built on a basalt outcrop, the castle was known to the native Britons as Din Guardi and had been the capital of the British Kingdom of Bryneich from the realm's foundation in c.420 until 547, the year of the first written reference to the castle. In that year the citadel was captured by the Anglo-Saxon ruler Ida of Bernicia and became Ida's seat. It was briefly retaken by the Britons from his son Hussa during the war of 590 before being relieved later that same year.

His grandson Æðelfriþ passed it on to his wife Bebba, from which the early name Bebbanburgh was derived. The Vikings destroyed the original fortification in 993.

The Normans built a new castle on the site, which forms the core of the present castle. William II unsuccessfully besieged it in 1095 during a revolt supported by its owner, Robert de Mowbray, Earl of Northumberland. After Robert was captured, his wife continued the defence until coerced to surrender by the king's threat to blind her husband.

Bamburgh then became the property of the reigning English monarch. Henry II probably built the keep. As an important English outpost, the castle was the target of occasional raids from Scotland. In 1464 during the Wars of the Roses, it became the first castle in England to be defeated by artillery, at the end of a nine-month long siege by Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick.

The Forster family of Northumberland provided the Crown with twelve successive governors of the castle for some 400 years until the Crown granted ownership to Sir John Forster. The Forster family retained ownership until Sir William Forster (d. 1700) was posthumously declared bankrupt and his estates, including the castle, were sold to Lord Crew, Bishop of Durham ( husband of his sister Dorothy) under an Act of Parliament to settle the debts.

The castle deteriorated but was restored by various owners during the 18th and 19th centuries. It was finally bought by the Victorian industrialist William Armstrong, who completed the restoration.

During the Second World War, the Royal Navy corvette HMS Bamborough Castle was named after it.

Please View Large On Black

*

© All rights are reserved, please do not use my photos without my permission. Thanks !

Type: LPG Tanker

Flag: Germany

Port of Registry: Hamburg

Owner: Schiffahrtsgesellschaft "PACIFIC" mbH & Co. KG, Hamburg, NBS

Operator: GasChem Services GmbH & Co. KG, Hamburg

Year built: 2009

Built by: Meyer / Neptun Werft GmbH, Rostock, Germany

Length: 155.64m

Beam: 23.77m

Draft: 8.35m

Gross tonnage: 13.879 tons

Net tonnage: 4.399 tons

Deadweight: 18.901 mt

Tank capacity: 16 973 cbm at 98%, 17 320 cbm at 100%

Engine type: Wärtsilä Sulzer 6RT-flex 50

Engine power: 9.720 kW

Speed​​: 17 knots

Callsign: DFRF2

MMSI: 218317000

IMO: 9402574

Engine: D70s + Nikkor DX 18-55mm VR

Location: Chemerong Waterfall,Hulu Terengganu.

Info :

Konservasi Chemerong Berembun Lasir

Lokasi : AT Chemerong, Gng. Berembun, AT Lansir

Tarikh : 7 – 9 Feb 2009 (3 Hari)

Kos : RM150

For others photos activity can be review here - markas.bintang3.net/viewtopic.php?t=2581

Worklog (French) : www.overclocking-pc.fr/forums/showthread.php?58465-Waterc...

______________________

Configuration :

OS: Windows 10 Pro x64

PSU: Corsair AX1200i

MB: ASUS Rampage IV Black Edition

CPU: Hexacore Intel Core i7 4930K

RAM: 4x4 Go de Ram Corsair Dominator Platinum 2666 CAS 10

GPU: 3way-SLI GeForce GTX TITAN

Sound Card : Asus Essence STX II with 7.1 daugther card

SSD : Crucial MX 100 (512 Go)

HDD:

- WD Vélociraptor (1To)

- WD Green (2To)

- WD (1To)

Case : Phanteks Enthoo Primo

______________________

Watercooling Material :

Waterblock :

-CPU / Motherboard - EK Water Blocks - Kit for Southbridge, Mosfets/VRM & CPU - EK-FB KIT ASUS R5E Monoblock - Nickel / Acetal

-GPU-

- XSPC - WaterBlock VGA Razor TITAN / 780 / 780 Ti

- XSPC Backplate.

Thermal Compound :

- Gelid GC Extreme Thermal Compound

- Phobya thermal Pad XT 7W/mk 1mm

- Phobya thermal Pad XT 7W/mk 0.5mm

Pump :

- 2x Laing DDC 3.25 TP 12 Volts

- XSPC - Top Plexi DOUBLE for 2 Pumps Laing DDC V2

- 2x EK Water Blocks - EK-DDC Heatsink Housing - black

Fitting :

- Nanoxia Coolforce Acrylic Fittings 10/12

- Nanoxia Coolforce flex Fittings 10/13

- Some Barrow Fittings

- Koolance QD3 Quick Disconnect No-Spill Coupling 10/13

Tubing :

- Acrylic Tubing 10/12 [OK]

- Transparent Masterkleer flex Tubing 10/13

Reservoir :

- Alphacool - Reservoir HF 38 Cape Cyclone 250 V.2

Liquide :

- KooLance -High Performances 700mL - LIQ-702CL-B

Radiator :

- Alphacool - Radiateur NexXxoS Monsta 360 [Push/Pull]

- Alphacool - Radiateur NexXxoS UT60 Full Cuivre 360 [Push/Pull]

- Watercool MO-RA3 360 PRO black (3x360mm Rad) [Push]

Rhéobus :

- Lamptron CW611

- Hub Phanteks 11 Fan

- 2x PCB Y Phobya 8 Fan

Fan :

- Aerocool Dead Silence black (120mm & 140mm)

- Aerocool Dead Silence white (120mm)

- Phanteks PH-F140SP white LEDs (140mm)

Controleur :

- AquaComputer - temperature sensor 1/4"

- Barrow flowmeter 1/4"

Click here if you wish to download a hi-res version of this photo. If you put a photo somewhere public, please add the credit Photo by Barry Cornelius. Click here for more photos of the 2021 Bearbrook 10K.

Large on black

Depuis le 3 Octobre, plus de 200 familles dorment dans la rue de la Banque pour protester contre l'absence de logements décents. Français ou immigrés en situation régulière, tous travaillent mais vivent dans des conditions déplorables: le plus souvent à l'hôtel, ou dans des appartements minuscules, parfois menacés d'expulsion.

Ce 25 Novembre, une grande fête a été organisée pour célébrer la naissance de 4 bébés parmi les familles de la rue de la Banque depuis le début du campement. Ici, l'un d'entre eux avec sa mère.

Merci de lire les explications en début d'album / Please read the explanations at the beginning of the set

Part of DAL (Recommended as a slideshow)

José Honorato Lozano (1821 - 1885)

Letras y’ Figuras (Views of Manila)

signed (lower right)

Ca. 1850

gouache and watercolor on paper

22” x 33” (56 cm x 84 cm)

Opening bid: PHP 5,000,000

Literature:

Roces, Alfredo. Felix Resurrección Hidalgo & The Generation of 1872.

Eugenio Lopez Foundation, Inc., 1998, p. 66.

Provenance: The Benito J. Legarda, Jr. Collection

This enchanting work in watercolor by Jose Honorato Lozano from the 1840s shows a vanished, magnificent Manila inevitably altered by the 1863 and 1880 earthquakes, Spanish decline, Revolution, American modernization, the World War II holocaust, postwar demolitions, and careless city administrations. The painting is composed of three horizontal panels: the top and bottom panels have three sections each while the middle panel is a panoramic view of the Manila Bay.

The first section of the top panel shows Calle Anloague in Binondo (“Street of the Carpenters,” now Juan Luna street leading to the Divisoria entrepot) where several foreign trading firms are headquartered. We see an all–stone building or house on the left with the flag of the United States of America (in the 1840s), it is likely the head office of an American trading firm. (It can be disputed that this is a view of Calzada de San Sebastian [now R Hidalgo street] with its rows of elegant houses. The said street rose in importance during the 1830s when the rich of the long–established arrabales (districts) of Intramuros, Binondo, and Santa Cruz, in an effort to escape their crowded and smelly communities, started constructing big urban villas with the (then unheard–of) luxury of fruit and vegetable gardens and passable, clean estuaries/waterways at the back which were impossible to build in the older arrabales. However, the view really seems to be that of Calle Anloague, which is a much more important street at the time than Calzada de San Sebastian.)

The initial letter V is composed of well–dressed, hat–wearing laborers carrying logs. The letter I is formed by a well dressed native woman with a parasol and her companions. The second/middle section of the top panel shows a view of the commercial buildings, warehouses, and big houses lining the Pasig river from Santa Cruz to Binondo to Tondo (right to left). (This brings to mind personalities like the very rich Don Narciso Padilla, who during this exact time owns a fleet of ships, boats, and cascos [big bamboo rafts] which carries goods from the Pasig river all the way up north to the Ilocos and all the way down south to the Visayas, as well as rows of warehouses that stretch from Binondo to Tondo. This shipping and logistics empire is inherited by his daughter Dona Maria Barbara Padilla y Flores [“Dona Baritay”] who subsequently becomes known as La Reina de Rio Pasig because of her immense shipping and warehousing businesses; she becomes the mother of the master painter Don Felix Resurrección Hidalgo y Padilla.)

The letter E is formed by laborers carrying logs and an ambulant Chinese vendor selling lugaw rice porridge and its condiments as well as gupit noodles to his hungry customers. The letters W and S are composed of veiled women and well–dressed men. The third section of the top panel shows a bahay kubo/nipa hut in a rustic setting which is probably the Gagalangin area in Tondo, even then the most populous district of the city. There is a simple couple huddling in a bamboo shed. Tondo in the 1800s, specially the Gagalangin area with its charming front gardens, is a pleasant residential district inhabited by people of modest means but also by some of the richest families in Manila with fortunes from international and domestic trading, warehousing, manufacturing, financing, and even micro-financing. Tondo in the 1800s up to the prewar was a vastly different community compared to what it is today.

The second section is a panoramic view of the Manila Bay with many ships and boats. It is a beautiful, swimmable beach with fine sand, just like all the lovely beaches of Las Islas Filipinas. Tragically, the Americans would fill it with boulders, stones, and sand to make Dewey boulevard (now Roxas boulevard) during the early 1900s. There is a succession of interesting vignettes on the beachfront. From the left going right, we see a young, well–dressed principalia couple of the ruling class on their horses; two men with sparring roosters (cockfighting); a man on a carabao; the letter O formed by a man inside a casco (raft) or a boat; a mother and child just finished bathing in the sea; the letter F formed by a couple pounding rice on a wooden mortar; a female vendor with a small tapayan / earthenware water container on her head, a male vendor balancing a pole hung with 2 baskets, a mature, well–dressed principalia couple, and a female vendor selling rice cakes she is preparing on a papag or bamboo daybed.

The first section of the bottom panel shows a view outside Intramuros looking north to the Pasig river. From the left, we see the Puente de Espana (Bridge of Spain) which has been there since 1630, the Pasig river, the Magellan monument, and the Maestranza wall. The Maestranza is a long portion of the Intramuros walls facing north to the Pasig river with many chambers built in the early 1600s to accommodate soldiers as well as all sorts of goods being traded downstream and upstream. There is a big woven rice thresher in the middle of it all, likely for the processing of rice being grown in the areas around Intramuros.

The letter M is formed by musicians with a harp and guitar with chickens on top. The letter A is composed of a man amidst bamboo.

The second/middle section of the bottom panel shows the Plaza Mayor of Intramuros with the three major buildings flanking it: We see the Manila Cathedral in the middle (south), the Palacio del Gobernador on the right (west), and the Ayuntamiento/Casas Consistoriales on the left (east). It is still about 20 years before the great earthquake of 1863 which will level them all. (It is after that devastation that the Governor–General will transfer the seat of power to the far more modest riverside villa in the nearby San Miguel district that is the Palacio de Malacanan. The transfer of the Governor–General to San Miguel impels the rich --- specially the Spanish peninsular and the Spanish mestizo rich --- to construct grand villas with sprawling lush gardens in the area, setting off the most European incarnations of the Filipino bahay–na–bato. The idea of luxurious urban villas conceived in Calzada de San Sebastian achieves perfection in nearby San Miguel. Calle General Solano and Calle Aviles become the most fashionable addresses of the Filipino rich towards the end of the Spanish regime in 1898.)

The letter N is formed by women with a horse. The letter I is composed of a group of men with top hats and women. The letter L is made up of a bahay kubo, a big woven rice thresher, a man with sacks, and other men.

The third section of the bottom panel shows the Binondo church with a frontage of greenery (unbelievable to contemporary eyes). It looks like an orchard with rows of fruit trees.

The final letter A is formed by an old woman cooking with palayok earthenware pots, and there is a Chinese vendor balancing a pole from which hang a pair of tapayan vessels, probably filled with clean water.

Jose Honorato Lozano was one of several painters in Manila during the first half of the 1800s, along with the pioneering Damian Domingo, Juan Arzeo, and the younger Antonio Malantic and Justiniano Asuncion (“Capitan Ting”). In the tradition of miniaturismo (highly detailed art) popular in those days, Lozano specialized in the quaint art of letras y figuras, in which a full name was exquisitely spelled out with letters formed by vignettes with all kinds of subjects --- people, animals, plants, musical instruments, conveyances, landscape views, etc. These incredibly detailed works charmed the affluent locals who hung them in their reception rooms as well as the expatriate Spaniards and other Europeans who commissioned and brought them home as souvenirs of an exotic Asian sojourn.

This utterly charming Views of Manila from the erudite Benito J. Legarda , Jr. collection was likely commissioned by a British or American client. The work in watercolor was signed por Jose Honorato Lozano in elegant script on the lower right side. It is not known how it made its way to Legarda’s collection; it could have been acquired from a prominent Filipino family but it was most likely purchased from leading rare maps and books dealers in the USA or the UK (many of whom were his longtime friends), as were many of Legarda’s Filipiniana collections. This Jose Honorato Lozano Views of Manila stands on its own as a great Filipino work of art and an important, unassailable pictorial document of Spanish Manila as it was in the 1840s, almost two hundred years ago.

Lot 70 of the Leon Gallery auction in February 2021. Please see leon-gallery.com for more details.

Listen Death and the Maiden Quartet - Franz Schubert

The first news of which has its existence dates back to 978. Around the church of Sant Marti, as documented by the year 1088 began to wake up the first houses in this picturesque town that even today retains all its medieval charm.

Historically, work in the field was the main dedication of its people; particular importance was conreo of grapes, from the eighteenth century shifted more traditional forms of agriculture. This was a particularly arduous task given the characteristics of the mountainous terrain, settled in part by building jars at the foot of vineyards, which were used for the storage of must and grapes. Already into the nineteenth century, the phylloxera conditioned conreo and resulted in a significant decline in population. Another important task, until mid-twentieth century, was the development of charcoal, until such time as the electricity found their disappearance. Since then, its people were devoted to another kind of work in line with the changing times. It set up a textile factory in the early twentieth century, which was in operation until the year 1964. Logically, closing it was important socio-economic consequences on the lives of the people, determining the migration of population towards the industrial cities or to neighboring towns. Since then, the physiognomy of Mura se ha ido transforming into a large number of people with second homes, laying the groundwork for a tradition tourist potential. Precisely for the new work and revenue earned from tourism, was very relevant to the creation of the Natural Park Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac, in 1972. Since then increased the number of tourists and visitors. Nobody is aware that, as in many other municipalities of Catalunya, tourism could ensure the future of the people so that asentare solidly its core population.

In Wordpress In Blogger photo.net/photos/Reinante/ In Onexposure

Large on black

Inside one of Las Vegas' casinos (I think it's the MGM, but not sure).

Part of my US West Coast set.

Ferrari 360 Modena On Black

The Ferrari 360 is a mid-engine midsize two-seater sports car produced from late 1999 until 2005. The 360 replaced the Ferrari F355 and was itself replaced by the fairly similar Ferrari F430. For the 360, Ferrari partnered with Alcoa to produce an entirely new all-aluminum space-frame chassis that was 40% stiffer than the F355, yet 28% lighter despite a 10% increase in overall dimensions. Along with the new frame was a new Pininfarina body styling that broke ranks with the last decade's sharp angles and flip-up headlights, replacing them with a rounded appearance that harkened to the 1960s. The new V8 engine, common to all versions, was only slightly larger and more powerful than the F355's at 3.6 litres and 400 bhp (300 kW) of power, but the lighter frame and added stiffness improved performance; the 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration performance improved from 4.6 to 4.4 seconds, . An engine replacement resulted in the V8 road model that followed, the F430 (internally referred to as the evoluzione or evo) which came out in 2004.

Wikipedia

I was on my way to the store where I bought my Nikon D90 to change the Nikon Camerabag, which was falling apart after only half a year, with a friend of mine when I saw this Ferrari appearing in my rearview mirrors.

I quicky grabbed my Nikon from the backseats and set the settings so I would be able to get some decent shots.

When I was to busy watching the traffic and trying to keep up with the yellow beast, I passed my camera to my friend which managed to get some shots too.

It's been a 'bumper' year for the peonies...

View Large and On Black

I love seeing where they come from, what they look like at their peak!

Those huge heads, so layered, all coming out of this one bud, this bud unfurling and displaying all this beauty... it NEVER ceases to amaze me.

The evolution, the unfurling, the GRAND opening...

The peony is the only genus in the flowering plant family Paeoniaceae. They are native to Asia, Southern Europe and western North America but grow very well here too, Peonies are actually very easy to grow; once established they can tolerate drought and suffer from very few diseases.

Colours range from pure white through baby pinks and palest peaches to clear deep pink and darkest rich maroon. There is also a pale yellow but it is rare.

Peonies are only available between late May and early July, so get them while you can!

They are very thirsty flowers, so make sure you top up the vase or bowl.

The Greeks believed they could cure over 20 ailments and were found in every monastery garden.

Peonies have been cultivated for over 2,000 years, more for their medicinal qualities than for ornament.

An interesting extra bit of info given by www.flickr.com/photos/eytyxhs/ :

Τhe name of Peony is after a Paion (Peon) who was a student of the Gods' Doctor Asklipios. Paion had cured a wound Hercules had caused to Pluto.

Asklipios got very angry with his student and killed him.

Pluto then metamorphosed Paion into a flower.

This flower is supposed to relief many illnesses and fever.

The Japanese protect the earliest peony blooms from the snow by protecting them with individual small thatched shelters. Some geisha's used to wear special peony colours.

The Chinese name for peony is "sho yu" which means "most beautiful" and they idolised this flower.

The common thread is that the flower always denotes luxury and indulgence.

Went for again for a dramatic lighting, to make them 'different' from other flower images, as usual, comp in camera...

My favourite... Lol, thanx for your time and comments, M, (*_*)

Please do not use any of my images on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved

Why not view the set as a slide-show?

Also I often upload more than one image at the same time, I see a tendency to only view the last uploaded...

泰北高中制服

uniform.wingzero.tw/high-school.php?id=286

林襄制服女孩募集

uniform.wingzero.tw/activity/uniform-girl3/girl.php?id=15

模特兒：林襄(瑞希∞Mizuki)

www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002220181451

www.facebook.com/pages/瑞希Mizuki/759905954061062

Please View Large On Black

I now have two books of my work available...

The Feeding of the Birds... The photography of Allan Ellerby Book Preview

Or in a soft cover version..

Click Here

Also available is the more comprehensive...

Altering the State by Allan Ellerby

View On Black

I've promised to some friends to show the roses of my rose garden ... here are some shots without post-production, a rough overview, just to bring you a ride!

Unfortunately I cannot upload their scent

Ho promesso ad alcuni amici che avrei fatto vedere loro alcune rose del mio roseto ....ecco qui alcuni scatti, un veloce e grezzo giretto tra la fioritura di maggio!

Sfortunatamente non son son riuscito a caricare pure il loro profumo ...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDiTuTQAvzo

[Gabriel Fauré - 'Impromptu' for Harp in D flat major (Catrin Finch)]

ROSA MOZART

Famiglia: synstylae

Ibrido: moschata

Ibridatore: Lambert (Germania)

Anno: 1937

Portamento: cespuglio

Altezza: 120 cm

Utilizzo: siepe media

Please go View On White coz then you'll see what i was trying to do!!!

IT'S COLD ! And i hate cold. Die cold. Bad cold. It's so cold that your coffee can cool down in like 5 mins ! Seriously. God bless for the microwave inverter. And god bless for the dude who made water heaters, so that we can have a hot shower in this shitty weather .

Anyways i tried a new thing with my photos. I put my camera inside the microwave. The lights were not so good. So didn't turn out the way i really wanted it to .

My brothers going to NZ tomorrow for his school trip thing. And i will have to pass on my camera to him . Which majorly sucks .

TGIF

RIP - MJ

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It’s my first time with texture and PS, so please, be placable =)

Saturday, 15.11.2009.

It was exceptional day, even if I felt so tired later.

It was day without sleep at night before (because I was afraid that I miss my (really!) morning train), 4 hours at train, than wonderful time with someone really special and than another 4 hours at bus on my way back home.

Some people make us smile, some make us happy, some make us special and some wake up to live and than keep us still alive.

Yep, that’s right: so close no matter how far and now nothing else matters.

Thank you my dear.

trust I seek and I find in you

every day for us something new

open mind for a different view

and nothing else matters

so close no matter how far

couldn't be much more from the heart

forever trusting who we are

no nothing else matters

/Metallica - Nothing else matters/

---VIEW IT IN LARGE | MUCH NICER!---

Camera: Canon EOS 450D

Recorded: 2009.05.17 (yyyy.mm.dd)

Exposure: 1/400s

Aperture: ƒ/2.8

Exposure Program: M

Focal Length: 200mm

ISO Speed: 200

Flash: Off

Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM

Place: Brandenburg, Bernau bei Berlin

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Type: Ocean Liner

Flag: Bermuda

Port of Registry: Hamilton

Owner: Carnival Corporation & plc, Southampton, England

Operator: Cunard Line, Southampton, England

Launched: March 2003

Christening: January 2004 by Queen Elizabeth II

Built by: STX Europe Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Saint Nazaire, France

Cost: about € 870 million

Length: 345.00m

Beam: 41.15m

Draft: 9.75 max.

Gross tonnage: 148.528 tons

Engine type: 4 x Wärtsilä Diesel CR-46C 16V / 16.800 kW and 2 x GE LM2500 gas turbines / 25.060 kW

Propulsion: 4 x 21.5 MW Rolls-Royce/Alstom "Mermaid" electric propulsion pods

Total propulsion power: 86,000 kW

Speed​​: 30 knots max.

Normal cruising speed: 24 - 26 knots

Crew: 1.253

Passengers: 2.620

Callsign: ZCEF6

MMSI: 310627000

IMO: 9241061

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Wish I Was Here!

Some local color from our trip to the Caribbean side of Mexico.

I had seen pictures of this beautiful water, and here I was.

Unfortunately, our excursion did not allow time for me to dip my toes into the clear blue waters of the Gulf.

I could use some of this beach right now!

Tulum

Tulum's greatest attraction is its location. It stands on a bluff facing the rising sun looking out on views of the Caribbean that are nothing less than spectacular. In Maya, Tulum means "Wall", and the city was christened thus because it is a walled city; one of the very few the ancients ever built. Research suggests it was formerly called Zama or "to dawn" in its day, which is appropriate given the location. It seems "Tulum" is the name given the site following a visit by the explorers Stephens and Catherwood in 1841, just before the beginning of the Caste War in 1847, long after the city was abandon and fell to ruins. They ordered trees cleared and Catherwood made illustrations of temples, later to be published in their famous book "Incidents of Travel in Yucatan". Juan José Gálvez is actually credited with Tulum's rediscovery in 1840.

Mayan ruins in Quintana Roo, Mexico

Jardin, Playa Maya

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Please View On Black and/or View On White

See where this picture was taken. [?]

The only species of hummingbird that breeds in eastern North America, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird is found throughout the eastern deciduous and mixed forests. It flies nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico to winter in Central America.

Cool Facts

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird beats its wings 53 times a second.

The extremely short legs of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird prevent it from walking or hopping. The best it can do is shuffle along a perch. Nevertheless, it scratches its head and neck by raising its foot up and over its wing.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird does not show a strong preference for any particular color of feeder. Instead, it prefers specific feeder locations

Description

Size: 7-9 cm (3-4 in)

Wingspan: 8-11 cm (3-4 in)

Weight: 2-6 g (0.07-0.21 ounces)

Tiny bird.

Back iridescent green.

Hovers at flowers.

Male with brilliant iridescent red throat.

Sex Differences

Male with red throat, female with white. Female with white tips to tail feathers. Female larger.

Male

Gorget (throat) brilliant metallic red. Back and head metallic bronze-green. Tail feathers pointed and dark purplish or black. Wing feathers dark slate. Chin, malar region, around eyes, and auriculars black. Small white spot behind eyes. Chest dull brownish white, changing to darker brownish gray on breast and abdomen; sides and flanks darker and overlaid with bronze-green. Tufts on side of rump white. Undertail coverts brownish gray, edged with dull white.

Female

Back, top of head, and two central tail feathers metallic bronze-green. Three outer tail feathers on each side with broad white tips, black central portions, and bronzy green bases. Wing feathers dark. Small white spot behind eye. Auriculars dusky. Throat and underparts dull grayish white or brownish gray. Flanks and undertail coverts tinged with buffy. Tufts on side of rump white.

Immature

Similar to adult female. Male with dusky streaks on throat and a few metallic red feathers.

Similar Species

Male Black-chinned Hummingbird has purple gorget.

Female hummingbirds are difficult to distinguish.

Sound

Rapid squeaky chipping. Humming sound from wings.

Summer Range

Breeds from central Alberta eastward to Nova Scotia, southward from eastern North Dakota to eastern Texas and Florida.

Winter Range

Winters in southern Mexico and Central America south to Costa Rica.

Habitat

Breeds in mixed woodlands and eastern deciduous forest, gardens, and orchards.

Winters in tropical deciduous forest, tropical dry forests, scrubland, citrus groves, and second growth.

Food

Flower nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Comes to hummingbird feeders.

Foraging

Hovers at flowers and sap wells, catches insects in flight and plucks them from leaves, plucks spiders from their webs.

Nest Type

Nest an open cup placed on top of small tree branch. Made of thistle and dandelion down, held together with spider web and covered on outside with lichens. Placed at 6-50 feet height, average of 10-20 feet.

Egg Description

Color: White.

Size: 12.2–14.0 mm x 8.38-9.14 mm.

(0.48-0.55 in X 0.33-0.36 in)

Incubation period: 12-14 days.

Clutch Size

Usually 2 eggs. Range: 1-3.

Condition at Hatching

Helpless, naked, and black.

Chicks fledge in 18-20 days.

Conservation Status

Populations appear stable

aumentar

Ahora en Biodiversidad virtual y hace poco en El País -en pdf- gracias a Elisabet Sans.

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En el fantástico mundo de las gotas de agua, el ciliado Trachelius ovum es Don Garbanzo, de prominente nariz y cabeza redonda. La barba a medio afeitar, junto a su pelo rapado, parecen recubrir el narigudo rostro en el que sus ojos juntos y redondos se abren sin expresión y desencajados.

Desde luego que Don Garbanzo no es un prodigio de belleza si lo comparamos con otros delicados y extraños seres que pueblan este universo, sembrado de sorprendentes joyas. Pero es por eso precisamente, por lo que quizá la belleza aparece o brilla con más luz, gracias a este juego de contrastes. Si no hubiese feos, los guapos no existirían.

Don Garbanzo tiene la boca, como nosotros, debajo de la nariz y no necesita ni piernas ni brazos para caminar. Como una peonza gira y gira atrapando cualquier bocado. No tiene problemas de línea…sólo engorda su cabeza.

La cabeza de Don Garbanzo es el cuerpo de Trachelius, casi siempre esférico, a veces ovoide, como dice su nombre, cuerpo en el que la nariz es una prolongación característica y asimétrica en cuya base se abre la boca, citostoma.

Toda la superficie de Trachelius está recubierta de cortos y numerosos cilios, uniformemente repartidos, que hacen mover a este gran ciliado en giros de satélite, a veces dentro incluso del cascarón transparente de los quistes en los que duerme cuando llega la sequía.

Los dos ojos inexpresivos de Don Garbanzo son los dos núcleos que expresan toda la vida de este ciliado en clave de genes. El interior del cuerpo de Trachelius está cargado de numerosas y grandes vacuolas que se muestran como pompas de jabón.

Trachelius es Don Garbanzo omnívoro. Vive en aguas cargadas de material orgánica y entre sus menús favoritos podemos encontrar desde puré de materia orgánica hasta ensalada de algas, pero Don Garbanzo no desprecia nunca un buen plato de rotífero o incluso de otros ciliados…eso sí, el mantel del agua lo deja siempre limpio.

Trachelius ovum no es muy común, pero aparece en aguas estancadas y eutróficas buceando en giros entre los sedimentos del fondo. La fotografía de hoy procede de las muestras recogidas hace un par de días en una charca situada en las inmediaciones de la población riojana de Ajamil y ha sido fotografiado a 400 aumentos empleando la técnica de contraste de interferencia.

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☁ la nube negra de una justicia pervertida en nuestro país, movida por la envidia y la venganza, permanecerá aquí, hasta que soplen los vientos limpios que todos necesitamos. La Justicia es uno de los cimientos necesarios para la Paz. Desde aquí todo nuestro apoyo al Juez Baltasar Garzón -el buen Juez de Saramago- y a las personas de buena voluntad como él que trabajan por la Justicia.

José Saramago: Ni leyes ni Justicia

Martín Pallín

Firmas de apoyo en Facebook

Radio Nacional Holandesa

[ Demoreel | Portfolio | Linkedin | My Book | Flickr | My Blog | Twitter | IMDB | Facebook ]

A stellar ‘Misterios del Rosario’ oil on wood painting

Estimate: PHP 300,000 - 330,000

Unknown artist, Filipino

19th century

Lightwood, paint, gold leaf, topped with glass

40 x 31 cm (15 1/2 x 12 in)

The ‘Mysteries of the Rosary’ depicts the Blessed Virgin in the center, in full regalia with lustrous gold-leafed details on her crown, aureola, and the brocaded mantle and dress, carrying the child Jesus and standing on clouds encircled by Rosary-bearing angels. Surrounded by linked medallions or tondos representing the 15 mysteries or events of the lives of Jesus and Mary: the joyful mysteries, the sorrowful mysteries, and the glorious mysteries. The lush climbing rose vines emanate from a single bush, valiantly standing on burning ground. Roses have always been associated with the Virgin’s love and purity, and the fire is in reference to her ancient Orthodox title as the ‘Unburnt Bush of the Mother of God.’ Inset are the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Beautifully painted and an accurate reminder for devout contemplation. Oval board mounted on a wooden grid and topped with glass.

Lot 174 of the Salcedo Auctions auction on 26 June 2021. Please see salcedoauctions.com for more details.

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Update: In Lisbon, there are no big problems with the "Occupy Movement" camping in front of Parliament, since the group disassembles the tents and hides them early in the morning. The only pending problem is the payment of a licence for the permanent tent (the tent where the group meets and works, first image below). The group of Lisbon is peaceful and is respecting the neighbourhood and the police. So, the problems that are happening in the US and other European cities are not expected to be happening here.

See the iReport on CNN

The bad weather conditions have made the stay at the camping ground a real challenge for some of them. Yesterday night, it poured in Lisbon. I was at home and thought of these young people and thought "Poor souls!" When I asked them today how bad it was, they answered with a smile: "We didn't hear the rain..." It's so good to be so young and have dreams...!

Really pops when viewed on Black

On a tip off from a friend I saddled up on my own (everyone else was otherwise busy) and drove the hour and a half over the Mountains to Meadow Flat between Lithgow and Bathurst. I know this stretch of the old Great Western Highway well and the rows of poplars are spectacular at any time. But in Autumn they really put on a display. The day was overcast but I waited 2 hours for the light and was rewarded when the late afternoon sun poked out between the clouds and lit up the trees. It was a magical moment but then again... patiently waiting for the right light is essential if you are to catch the subject at it's best.

A little later over near Mutton Falls I was lucky to catch the fading sunlight across the landscape. Well worth the drive I think.

Morella, Castelló (Spain).

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ENGLISH

Ramon Cabrera (Tortosa 27 December 1806 - Wentworth 1877) was a Carlist general of Spain.

He was born at Tortosa, province of Tarragona, Spain. As his family had in their gift two chaplaincies, young Cabrera was sent to the seminary of Tortosa, where he made himself conspicuous as an unruly pupil, ever mixed up in disturbances and careless in his studies. After he had taken minor orders, the bishop refused to ordain him as a priest, telling him that the Church was not his vocation, and that everything in him showed that he ought to be a soldier. Cabrera followed this advice and took part in Carlist conspiracies on the death of Ferdinand VII. The authorities exiled him and he absconded to Morella to join the forces of the pretender Don Carlos.

In March 1875 Cabrera sprang upon Don Carlos a manifesto in which he called upon the adherents of the pretender to follow his own example and submit to the restored monarchy of Alphonso XII, the son of Queen Isabella, who recognized the rank of captain-general and the title of count of Morella conferred on Cabrera by the first pretender. Only a very few insignificant Carlists followed Cabrera's example, and Don Carlos issued a proclamation declaring him a traitor and depriving him of all his honours and titles.

Cabrera, who was ever afterwards regarded with contempt and execration by the Carlists, died in London on the 24th May 1877. He did not receive much attention from the majority of his fellow-countrymen, who commonly said that his disloyalty to his old cause had proved more harmful to him than beneficial to the new state of things. A pension which had been granted to his widow was renounced by her in 1899 in aid of the Spanish treasury after the loss of the colonies.

More info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ram%c3%b3n_Cabrera

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CASTELLANO

Ramón Cabrera y Griñó (Tortosa, 27 de diciembre de 1806 – Wentworth, 1877), fue un militar y político español. Conocido como "El Tigre del Maestrazgo", fue un destacado líder carlista.

Hijo de un marino mercante de buena posición social, siguió la carrera eclesiástica por voluntad paterna, comenzando tempranamente sus estudios religiosos. En 1825 la herencia familiar le permitió disfrutar de un beneficio eclesiástico en el seminario de Tortosa. Durante estos años su relación con el obispo de Tortosa, Víctor Damián Sáez, ex ministro de Fernando VII, de férreas convicciones absolutistas, influiría en la formación de Ramón Cabrera. Llegó a recibir las órdenes menores, pero ante su falta de vocación religiosa, abandonó el hábito para sumarse al levantamiento carlista de 1833, en favor del pretendiente Carlos María Isidro.

En dicho año, se encontró entre los voluntarios realistas que se negaron a desarmarse al proclamarse el decreto del 25 de noviembre de 1833. Huyendo de un anunciado destierro en Barcelona, se incorporó a las tropas carlistas que habían tomado Morella. A los pocos días de su incorporación su formación le permitió ocupar cargo de secretario de los mandos carlistas, convirtiéndose en el hombre de confianza de Marcoval, el cabecilla más importante de cuantos permanecían en las partidas del Maestrazgo.

En enero de 1838 defendió Morella frente al general Oraá y la convirtió en la capital del territorio bajo su control. En recompensa a sus servicios, el pretendiente le nombró conde de Morella. No aceptó el convenio de Oñate de 1839, firmado entre los generales Baldomero Espartero y Rafael Maroto, que llevó a la disolución del ejército carlista del Norte, por considerarlo una traición. Por tanto, Cabrera quedó como único general de la causa del pretendiente, prolongando la lucha en el Maestrazgo hasta mayo de 1840, fecha en la que Espartero logró tomar la ciudad en la que se había fortificado. l 6 de julio, tras una huida que le llevó a atravesar Cataluña, Cabrera y 20 de sus batallones que le habían seguido, cruza la frontera francesa. El gobierno francés, aliado del español, le mantuvo confinado en el castillo de Ham, hasta que se le concedió la libertad en 1846, instalándose en Lyon.

Más info: es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ram%c3%b3n_Cabrera

aumentar

Ahora en Biodiversidad virtual y hace poco en El País -en pdf- gracias a Elisabet Sans.

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Como en una reunión de amigas, tres diatomeas han coincidido navegando y parecen conversar imaginariamente de los problemas reales de su mundo acuático, que también es el nuestro. Tranquilas y suspendidas cerca de la superficie parecen tomar el sol de vacaciones.

Las tres son de vida independiente, viajeras incansables en navíos de cristal que se han cruzado y detenido en este instante, quizá para saludarse o porque han encontrado ese lugar en el que su vida es más fácil. Cuando esto ocurre, si son sólo tres, no habrá competencia, será su descendencia multiplicada la que impondrá su ley y sólo dejará espacio para una en una lucha incruenta por el espacio y por la luz ¿de quien será el futuro de la vida en el agua de los marjales en los que ahora conviven sin competencia?

La más pequeña de las tres, Nitzschia palea es tan diminuta como resistente, puede vivir en aguas bastante contaminadas y en ellas ya no necesita de la fotosíntesis, alimentándose directamente, como los hongos y muchas bacterias de la materia orgánica disuelta. Nitzschia palea es una diatomea común que adorna su estuche de cristal con finísimas estrías casi invisibles bajo las que brillan en verde los cloroplastos y dos pequeñas perlas, dos diminutas gotas de grasa que la ayudan a flotar.

La de tamaño intermedio remata su casco de ampolla en proa y popa con dos pequeñas burbujas de cuarzo, se trata de Stauroneis anceps, que lleva marcada una cruz en el centro de su cuerpo, justo en el lugar en el que los surcos de su cubierta de cristal se borran para trazarla. Es Stauroneis una diatomea relativamente frecuente en cualquier tipo de hábitat, a la que le gustan las orillas, pero que no resiste aguas tan contaminadas como la pequeña Nitzschia .

Por fin, la tercera es la mayor, alga muy especial, Plagiotropis de frente amplia y extendida en alas y de perfil curvado como la luna, dos botones dorados son sus cloroplastos y su estuche de nave ancha está labrado en surcos diáfanos y amplios que la recorren de extremo a extremo. Diatomea escasa y quizá nueva, Plagiotropis se ha especializado en vivir en este tipo de ambientes de los marjales en los que las aguas dulces se mezclan con las saladas.

De Plagiotropis será el futuro y en una competencia pacífica impuesta por el saber estar mejor en estos ambientes y desplazará al resto de especies de diatomeas, que seguirán conviviendo con ella pero de forma discreta…no nos adelantemos, ese es el futuro, de momento las tres diatomeas se saludan sin saber qué ocurrirá dentro de un tiempo.

Nitzschia palea , Stauroneis anceps y Plagiotropis proceden de las aguas salitrosas de los marjales de Peñíscola, formaciones lagunares con una interesantísima fauna de vertebrados y todo un universos de organismos microscópicos por descubrir. La fotografía se ha tomado a 400 aumentos empleando la técnica de contraste de interferencia.

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☁ la nube negra de una justicia pervertida en nuestro país, movida por la envidia y la venganza, permanecerá aquí, hasta que soplen los vientos limpios que todos necesitamos. La Justicia es uno de los cimientos necesarios para la Paz. Desde aquí todo nuestro apoyo al Juez Baltasar Garzón -el buen Juez de Saramago- y a las personas de buena voluntad como él que trabajan por la Justicia.

José Saramago: Ni leyes ni Justicia

Martín Pallín

Firmas de apoyo en Facebook

Radio Nacional Holandesa

View On Black

- She was very much half-dressed

And big indiscreet trees

Threw out their leaves against the pane

Cunningly, and close, quite close.

Sitting half naked in my big chair,

She clasped her hands.

Her small and so delicate feet

Trembled with pleasure on the floor.

- The colour of wax, I watched

A little wild ray of light

Flutter on her smiling lips

And on her breast, - an insect on the rose-bush.

- I kissed her delicate ankles.

She laughed softly and suddenly

A string of clear trills,

A lovely laugh of crystal.

The small feet fled beneath

Her petticoat: "Stop it, do!"

- The first act of daring permitted,

Her laugh pretended to punish me!

- Softly I kissed her eyes,

Trembling beneath my lips, poor things:

- She threw back her fragile head

"Oh! come now that's going too far!...

Listen, Sir, I have something to say to you..."

- I transferred the rest to her breast

In a kiss which made her laugh

With a kind laugh that was willing...

- She was very much half-dressed

And big indiscreet trees threw

Out their leaves against the pane

Cunningly, and close, quite close.

- As translated by Oliver Bernard: Arthur Rimbaud, Collected Poems (1962)

Had to double up because I'm expecting a busy weekend.

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Others doing the Deadlies all week include:

Tyla Here and here. And here. This one as well.

Tony - Here, here and here. Here, too.

raggle - Here and here.

Charlotte - Here and here. Also, here.

liltbraty2009 - Here and here.

TheAmazingShrinkingMan - Here and here. Here, too.

View on White

A crop of an earlier upload for use in my upcoming magazine, World View Two.

See all 36 images in the magazine's set as a slideshow:

www.flickr.com/photos/p0ps/sets/72157626154871427/show/

Found on the east side of Norfolk just south of Rivington. I really like Judith Supine's work, admire his demo video.

This shot was an experiment in using my camcorder-calico method for making hi-res photos by pano-stitching together hundreds of lo-res video stills. Why don't I just buy a 10+ megapixel SLR? It would be too easy.

I shot this in motion video holding the camcorder about 18" from the wall, starting at the upper left corner, slowly panning to the right across the top, lowering it about half a row, panning left across, then a little lower, back across, etc. until I was crouched down at the bottom and people on the sidewalk were wondering what kind of perversion I was up to.

Then, back home, I imported the footage into iMovie, converting to an 8 frame per second image sequence of tiffs. By selecting every other image file by hand, I divided the resulting 1200+ stills into 2 folders of about 600 each, then divided each of those into 2 folders of about 300 each.

I loaded the first folder into Calico, the pano-stitcher made for Mac. After about an hour of aligning, Calico formed an incomprehensible pano that looked like a blurred horizontal strip.

I ran Photoshop actions on the 300 stills in the second folder to mildly increase the saturation, the contrast and sharpness. This took about an hour. Then I loaded them into Calico and after an hour of aligning it formed a pano which had a little more height than the first one, but was still not comprehensible, didn't contain all the imagery, so I moved on.

The third folder, I ran Photoshop actions on those 300 stills with harsh increase of saturation, contrast, sharpness and the watercolor filter. Calico understood that one and after another hour of aligning, the preview display showed a decent, complete pano, so I pushed the "make" button and two hours later had a 167 MB tiff showing the complete door that the art is painted on.

The shape distortion is slight and desirable.

I opened it in Photoshop, made a few duplicate layers and worked each one with image adjustments and filters, adjusting the opacity of each layer until I thought I had the clearest, best representative image, then combined the layers, making the 2048 pixel wide jpeg which I uploaded here.

The original is about twice this size and perhaps somebody may print from it someday.

As you can see from this method, I was able to spend about 6 hours making this image, 6 hours of being in my apartment with Ruth, listening to music, talking. If I just snapped a hi-res image with a big SLR and turned it into a jpeg for Flickr, I'd have been done in 10 minutes, missing all that fun.

Also, I don't need to do straight document of street art, Elisha Cook Jr., Jake Dobkins, otherthings and a few others are covering that beat very well.

dark | large dark | light | large light

in a story in the Mahabharata, Dushasana tries to strip Draupadi, the queen, of her sari, and she, seeing her husband who has gambled her away, unwilling or unable to help her, appeals to Krisha (or Dharma), and her sari is miraculously made infinite, and Dushasana is unable to strip her and backs off in exhaustion.

make silly faces!

Like this!

So. Here we go again. I am SO determined to complete this project. I think this is my fourth try at it?

I had this really awesome shot lined up. I went out. I shot some selfies. I came home and edited for 3 hours. And it looked horrible. Mostly because I haven't had my glasses since January and my eyesight has gotten worse since them. I cannot see ANYTHING. Everything is blurry. So I can't aim my autofocus right and I can't manually focus properly. Hell, this shot is probably either blurry or over sharpened because since I can't see, I tend to overcompensate with the sharpening. Anyway. I scratched my first idea and pulled out my lamp to do head shots. And I kept getting these really out of focus shots! And now I can't tell if there's something wrong with my autofocus or if it's just my eyesight. I got really frustrated and almost gave up and then out of nowhere I started taking goofy silly faced pictures. And they came out! And you know what? It put me in a better mood. So when you feel upset or angry or frustrated, look in a mirror and make silly faces. I promise it will make you feel better!

Also - are there any other November starters?

Passeig de Gràcia - Barcelona (Spain).

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At nightfall... I must to play with curves to reveal the shapes.

Al anochecer... debo jugar con las curvas para revelar las formas.

ENGLISH

The Casa Lleó-Morera is a building designed by noted modernisme architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, located at Passeig de Gràcia 35 in the Eixample district of Barcelona. The building is located on the corner with Carrer del Consell de Cent, and is one of the three important buildings of the Illa de la Discòrdia. The building was originally constructed in 1864, and was renovated beginning in 1902.

Unlike many buildings constructed at the time, it was not named for its owner; rather it is named from the lions (lleó) and mulberry trees (morera) motifs in the decorations. Domènech i Montaner worked with sculptor Eusebi Arnau, Antoni Serra i Fiter for the ceramics, Lluís Brú and Mario Maragliano for the mosaics and Gaspar Homar for decoration and furniture to make the complete work.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Lle%c3%b3_Morera

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CASTELLANO

La Casa Lleó Morera, es un proyecto del año 1902, del arquitecto Lluís Domènech i Montaner, sobre una reforma de la antigua casa Rocamora del año 1864, situada en el Paseo de Gracia, nº 35 de Barcelona. Consiguió en 1906 el primer premio de Arquitectura otorgado por el Ayuntamiento.

Una magnífica obra modernista que según Lluís Permanyer, la califica de un Palau de la Música Catalana a escala reducida.

En su decoración, como era habitual en la época modernista, participaron numerosos artesanos, Mario Maragaliano y Lluís Bru en mosaicos, Antoni Serra i Fiter en cerámica, Antoni Rigalt i Blanch en vitrales y Gaspar Homar y Josep Pey en mobiliario interior.

La fachada y la planta baja estaban decoradas con grandes y variados ornamentos modernistas, siendo unas esculturas de Eusebi Arnau, las más llamativas, representaban dos parejas de figuras femeninas sosteniendo unas vasijas, enmarcando la entrada con doble juego de columnas pareadas de mármol rosa, en la base de la tribuna del primer piso aparecían un grupo de cabezas femeninas. Todo esto se destruyó cuando se realizaron unas obras para adecuación de la planta baja como tienda. Las esculturas fueron destrozadas y las cabezas las recuperó el gerente de la tienda que más tarde las vendió a Salvador Dalí que las emplazó en el muro del patio de su Teatro-Museo de Figueras.

El arquitecto Oscar Tusquets, a mediados de los años ochenta del siglo XX, se encargó de la restauración del resto del edificio, restituyendo los pináculos y el templete de la cornisa de la parte superior del edificio, que había sufrido graves destrozos por el fuego de ametralladoras durante la guerra civil española de 1936. En 1992 se llevó a cabo una nueva restauración con la recuperación de elementos arquitectónicos de la fachada.

Por ser de propiedad privada, dicha casa no puede visitarse interiormente.

Fuente: es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Lle%c3%b3_Morera

Vilanova de Sau, Girona (Spain).

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Panorama from 3 photos.

ENGLISH

The reservoir of Sau, in municipal district of Vilanova de Sau, at the foot of massif of Guilleries, pertaining to river basin of river Ter, forms part of system of three marshes (next to those of Susqueda and Pasteral) that unites the regions of Osona and La Selva, and that serves to provide with potable water the cities of Barcelona and Girona.

The dam is of the type gravity, with a height of 84 m. and a length of coronation of 260 m., and its maximum capacity is 169 hm3. In its maximum level it has a length of 17 km. and 3 km. of width, allowing for that reason the practice of nautical sports.

The reservoir, constructed between 1949 and 1962, covered the town of Sant Romà de Sau, the rest of which, specially of the bell tower of the romnesque church of 11th century, they are visible when the level of the dammed water is low and at times of drought prolonged the town is in the open and even it is possible to visit.

At the moment of the photos the reservoir is approximately at 10% of its capacity, its historical minimum, mainly because the long run drought that has been undergoing this part of Catalunya for years. The proliferation of nonnative fish introduced by practisers of sport fishing, the low water level and the high insolation of the zone cause a high level of plancton and microscopic seaweed that contaminates the water, reason why in autumn of the 2005 began a draining of this dam in the one of Susqueda to improve the quality of the drinking water, and the collection of fish before they die by lack of oxygen and gets worse still more the quality of the water. Rains of October 2005 temporarily interrupted the draining, that has become to reactivate at beginning of 2008.

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CASTELLANO

El embalse de Sau, en el término municipal de Vilanova de Sau, al pie del macizo de las Guilleries, perteneciente a la cuenca del río Ter, forma parte de un sistema de tres pantanos (junto a los de Susqueda y Pasteral) que une las comarcas de Osona y de la Selva, y que sirven para proveer de agua potable las ciudades de Barcelona y Girona.

La presa es del tipo de gravedad, con una altura de 84 m. y una longitud de coronación de 260 m., y su capacidad máxima es de 169 hm3. En su nivel máximo tiene una longitud de 17 km. y 3 km. de anchura, permitiendo por ello la práctica de deportes náuticos.

El pantano, construido entre 1949 y 1962, cubrió el pueblo de Sant Romà de Sau, los restos del cual, especialmente del campanario de la iglesia románica del siglo XI, son visibles cuando el nivel del agua embalsada es bajo e incluso en épocas de sequia prolongada el pueblo queda al descubierto y es posible visitarlo.

En el momento de las fotos el embalse está aproximadamente al 10% de su capacidad, su mínimo histórico, debido principalmente a la larga sequía que sufre esta parte de Catalunya desde hace años. La proliferación de peces no autóctonos introducidos por practicantes de pesca deportiva, el bajo nivel de agua y la alta insolación de la zona provocan un alto nivel de plancton y algas microscópicas que contaminan el agua, por lo que en otoño del 2005 se inició un vaciado de este embalse en el de Susqueda para mejorar la calidad del agua potable, y la recogida de peces antes de que mueran por falta de oxígeno y empeore aún más la calidad del agua. Las lluvias de octubre del 2005 interrumpieron temporalmente el vaciado, que se ha vuelto a reactivar a primeros del 2008.

« bigr »

China. I'm sure you can spot the number of ways this would fall foul by most Western laws. I like the way the Chinese just get on with things, with far less 'nannying'.

This was a crazy junction, tons of bikes and scooters buzzing around with no regard for the traffic lights. Amazing how there were no accidents. Organised confusion. <3

Love the way every square inch of the scooter has been used. Check out the bag storage.

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In other news, I'm recovering from a serious spine injury. Slowly.

www.cornwallinfocus.co.uk/mining/levant.php

Levant Mine is located 2 miles north of St.Just and is bounded to the east by Geevor Mine, to the west by Wheal Unity and to the south by Spearn Moor and Spearn Consols mines. Levant appears as a mine in its own right on maps dating from 1748 on and consists of an amalgamation of several smaller and more ancient concerns. Their names such as Boscregan and Unity live on as shaft names. What we would consider today as modern Levant was formed in about 1820 by a group of investors - known in the trade as 'mining adventurers', who agreed to raise the sum of £400 by purchasing 80 shares at £5 each.

Two of the main investors in the company were Lewis Charles Daubuz and Mr John Batten. Their leadership along with some excellent prospecting helped the company to locate a large copper deposit at a depth of 20 fathoms (120 feet) below the surface. The adventurers rapidly got a handsome return on their investment and further exploratory work was carried out. From 1835 Levant began raising tin and was soon to become an important tin producer too. In the period 1820 to 1930 Levant produced over 130,000 tons of copper ore of high (10%) grade and 24,000 tons of black tin. In 1912 5,278 ounces of silver and 4 ounces of gold were also sold.

Levant swallowed up the nearby mine of Spearne Consols - now known as Higher Bal. Shafts were opened up at Angwin's shaft, Tresize's shaft, Goldsworthy's shaft and Batten's shaft. The underground workings of Levant extended out under the sea but in general due to the bedrock being the impervious greenstone there were very few problems with flooding.

A 'man engine' was installed on Daubuz's shaft in 1856 reached by a tunnel from the Miner's Dry. The shaft subsequently became known as engine Shaft one of only a dozen or so installed in Cornish mines. The journey time from surface to work place was radically reduced from over an hour to less than half an hour in most cases. The workers arriving fresher and more ready for work into the bargain. Along with all the new shafts and the installation of the man engine all the usual associated surface buildings sprang up around the site - stamps, both Cornish stamps and Californian stamps types; a calciner for roasting the ore and a mill area containing rag frames and buddles.

Levant is quite unusual amongst Cornish mines in one respect as it did use pit ponies for a short time from 1893 to tram the ore on the main 278 fathom (below adit) tramming level some 1600 feet underground. Levant is also remembered for the Levant Mine Disaster in October 1919. The second worst loss of life underground in a Cornish mine. 31 men were lost when the man engine snapped and fell down through the shaft.

Barra

Salvador

Bahia

Brasil

bighugelabs.com/dna.php

" A palmeira-imperial (Roystonea oleracea (Palmae) ou Oreodoxa oleracea), também chamada palmeira-real[2], é uma palmeira originária das Antilhas[3]. Pertence ao género botânico Roystonea da família Arecaceae. Foi aclimatada pelos franceses no jardim botânico La Gabrielle, instalado na Guiana Francesa e depois transferida para o Jardin de Pamplemousse, nas Ilhas Maurício[3].

No Brasil, o primeiro exemplar de Roystonea oleracea, a Palma Mater, foi plantada no Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro pelo príncipe regente dom João VI, em 1809 [4] [5]. Fora presenteada a dom João VI por um dos sobreviventes de uma fragata, o oficial da Armada Real Luís Vieira e Silva. Por um erro histórico, dizia-se que tinha sido trazida do Jardim Gabrielle, de onde vieram muitas plantas, principalmente durante as Guerras Napoleônicas. Porém o Jardim Gabrielle era nas Guianas e as primeiras plantas que chegaram ao Brasil, na verdade, vieram das Ilhas Maurício, do Jardim La Pamplemousse, obtidas clandestinamente por Luiz de Abreu Vieira e Silva, que as ofereceu a dom João VI. Quando foi plantada por dom João VI, a primeira Roystonea oleracea (Palmae) brasileira passou a ser conhecida como palmeira-imperial [6]. A Palma Mater floresceu pela primeira vez em 1829. Deste exemplar plantado em 1809, descendem todas as palmeiras-imperiais do Brasil, daí sua denominação de Palma Mater. A Palma Mater foi destruída por um raio em 1972.

Tinha, naquela época, 38,70 metros de altura. O tronco foi preservado e encontra-se em exposição no Museu Botânico. Em seu lugar, foi plantado outro exemplar, simbolicamente chamado de Palma Filia, oriunda de uma semente da palmeira original. Segundo Roseli Maria Martins d’ Elboux, mestre em história e fundamentos da arquitetura e do urbanismo, o plantio das palmeiras-imperiais se tornou comum no Rio de Janeiro em meados do século XIX, diante da "necessidade do fortalecimento simbólico do Segundo Império". Pode ser procedente a história segundo a qual as sementes da palmeira-imperial foram distribuídas aos súditos como sinal de proximidade ou lealdade ao poder central e tenham, assim, se tornado o "símbolo do Império". "Desse modo, depois de alguns anos, a espécie vincula-se definitivamente à imagem do poder monárquico, à ideia de nobreza, distinção e classe."

Woof Woof

So yesterday was road trip day to New South Wales (Australia) for the “Brunswick Heads Bikes and Kites Festival”, then headed off to Byron to feed a few birds with the hippies in the park, followed by Burleigh Heads over the border back in QLD.

This is my best shot of the day, of the big dog that was on the beach (dogs were allowed at this beach). Matt and Kane managed to get massively tangled in the big

OctoPUSS they loved it so much, extremely funny!!