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Well, here is another in my [occasional series on containers](http://www.jezblog.com/index.php?showimage=1316) ........ Containers....... [For shipping and world trade](http://www.jezblog.com/index.php?showimage=1231&PHPSESSID=253e73527f577b8f5f3d5c19047cb3a1&reply_to=47309&PHPSESSID=253e73527f577b8f5f3d5c19047cb3a1)......... but right now Im really thinking of the containers.......... Yeah the actual containers themselves...... and what's in them...... if any of it could keep or would be worth keeping for a very long time........

 

Today I went to the [British Museum to see an amazing exhibition of 'The Book of the Dead'](http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/all_current_exhibitions/book_of_the_dead.aspx) . Really it is looking at the religion of Ancient Egypt. The beliefs and spells to guide the dead of their time into the life everlasting........ Into the 'Field of Reeds'.

 

"The Field of Reeds. The God who is in it is Ra.

 

The very high mountain.

 

The Mound of transfigured spirits.

 

The Mound of Wenet. The god who is in it is the Destroyers of Souls.

 

The river of flaming fire.

 

The Mound of Kheraha. The god who is in it is Hapi."

 

(spell 150 names of the mounds of the Netherworld)

 

The book of the dead took the form of hundreds of spells written to protect and guide the spirit through the tests that they must pass to make it into eternal life and the prospect of riding with the Sun God Ra on his boat each day as he rode across the skies.

 

It's amazing that 3000 year old bits of papyrus survive to this day and are on display to pass on all that was sacred to the ancient Egyptians. Hey that in itself is a pretty amazing testament to the way they preserved their dead and the containers they buried them in ...... as each individuals book of the dead was buried with its deceased owner........ Often they almost clutched it ........ Mummified in it in their sarcophagus.

 

I don't know if any of our religious texts will stand a reading in 3000 years time......... or need to be stuck on to embalmed corpses......... and I wonder what of our civilization of now will still survive to be marveled at in a distant future.

 

I don't know what could, should or would survive. But Im not sure any of the stuff in these containers is it................

 

I'm not sure where you would put anything you wanted to keep....... something you wanted to be presented to the world in 3000 years from now........ maybe on the internet..........??????

 

Although Harv must be working on a pretty amazing series of catacombs under his house........ As today he tells me he unearthed an unopened box of........ :

 

"This is a FULL BOX of SEALED Agfa Record Rapid (50 sheets), a paper considered to be one of the best ever made.

Agfa stopped production of this paper in the 90's, it has acquired cult status as being 'state of the art' exhibition paper.

The box is factory sealed, unopened, undamaged and was safely stored in cool dark conditions. (see pictures)

This is a very rare opportunity, I doubt you'll see an unopened box again as they are simply not available anywhere.

Much of my portfolio is printed on this paper, if I still had a darkroom I'd keep it but I switched to digital years ago."

 

The like of such a valuable and rare find ........ can only be dug from ancient protected places........ Protected from the desert sun and away from grave robbers and sand vipers............ Yes it can only be found in ancient hidden rare places.......... er.......... or otherwise you can bid for it on ebay ........ hehehehehehehe.......... :

 

[http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AGFA-RECORD-RAPID-NEW-Sealed-/170571000624?pt=UK_Photography_DarkroomSupplies_SM&hash=item27b6d2eb30](http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AGFA-RECORD-RAPID-NEW-Sealed-/170571000624?pt=UK_Photography_DarkroomSupplies_SM&hash=item27b6d2eb30)

 

Cheers Jez XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

www.jezblog.com

We have a Team of practiced, proficient and knowledgeable PHP developers/PHP Programmers in our offshore PHP development /PHP Programming hub in India. Our PHP Development Team Outsource the PHP development Service from past 10 years and they have outsoure LAMP Technology, WAMP Technology, Magento Based Service, Drupal Projects

Visit my blog for advice on how on how to take photographs of your children or submit a photo for inclusion in "Ken's Tips On Your Pics": www.kensharp.com/blog/category/kens-tips-on-your-pics-2/

 

© Ken Sharp. Please do not use or download without permission. If you have any queries please contact me: www.kensharp.com

subzero.secondlife-home.com/index.php?option=com_content&...

 

Second Life holiday parties was an incredible mix of trance, dnb, electronica, dark psy, goa, minimal, proggy, acid, experimental, industrial, noize, tribal, jazz, live music, country, blues, reggae, salsa, classical, opera, and Christmas music. I heard it all and then some.

 

I love music of all kinds. If it's good, it's worth listening to, so don't start with the nose-up-in-the-air over your favorite genre. Believe me... good music will always find an audience. An audience of sophisticated listeners will stop to listen to any good sound... even if it isn't part of your normal repertoire.

 

What is amazing is that dj's and musicians around the world know this, and they borrow from all genres to create their own personal sounds.

 

Here in Second Life, we get the results from around the world. World music mixes with the trendy sounds of the day, and we get the sounds that we love so much.

 

I want to thank all the dj's, musicians, club owners and event makers in SL. You guys made a holiday scene like no other. APPLAUSE & BRAVO ::::

 

Special thanks to you <3:

 

Dance Island

Organica

Divaz

Musik Hauz

DeRailed

Piranha

BassLine Island

Electro Smog

alt7

MMAC

GiveMeSpace

Underground Artists

Home

Club Neptune

Sphynx Jazz Club

Kromatic

8Wall's Place

United Beats

Odessa

ArtHole

Steam Punk Airship

Electro Violence

Ibiza the Island

Rancho Brasil

The Laundry

Phatland

Asagao Treasures

Seat

DC-10

Casablanca Hotel

R.A.R.E.

Club Enigma

Jade's Jazz Island

Instyle Fashion Agency

Grafton Mall

S&S Gallery

2nd Zone

 

... and kisses to ::

Xavier

Aosh

Ronnie

Stig

Mackenzie

Lou

Leo

Professor

Grease

Hallow

Jas

Nos

Thomm

Finny

Renanyoy

Daemon

Donna

Deirdre

IPR365

Pan

Arora

8Wall

Space

Qee

Shad

Healer

Queen

Digi

Stefan

Jen

Max

Xavier

Zod

Tina

Melt

WET

Sully

Sylvain

Alb

Web

 

Without you guys, the party scene would be dull indeed!

<3 <3 <3

2009... here we goooooo!

2000 Peugeot 206 XS 3-door.

 

1587cc.

In present ownership since March 2003.

Last MoT test expired in June 2022 (SORN).

"Lisa von Lübeck" (German link) leaving Trave river at the windjammer parade of the festival "100 Jahre Passat" (100 Years Passat) in Lübeck-Travemünde, Hanseatic City of Lübeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.

 

Lisa von Lübeck is the reproduction of a 15th century medieval merchant vessel, called "Kraweel" (caravel) - a successor of the smaller Hanseatic cog ("Hansekogge"). Unlike the cogs that were constructed with the method of clinker building, the caravels were carvel built.

The double-headed eagle on the sail is the coat of arms of Lübeck.

 

The first cogs were used in the 10th century and were influenced by the Norse Knarr, which was the main trade vessel in northern Europe at the time.

The cogs of the 13th and 14th centuries could carry up to 200 tons of bulk cargo. They had an aftercastle to defend against pirates and other enemies.

 

The "birthday child" Passat (Link in German!) is a four-masted steel barque and one of the Flying P-Liners of the shipping company F. Laeisz of Hamburg, Germany, launched in 1911 by Blohm & Voss shipyard. Today it is a museum ship, a venue and a landmark of Lübeck-Travemünde.

 

May 2011

Click here to view larger size photo with more details

 

If you have ever hear or read that term "the photographic magic hour" and "the golden light" and always wondered what it really meant, then this photo illustrates it very well.

 

One hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset, is the time of the day where the near horizontal rays of the sun must cross the longest distance across our atmosphere and as a result the colors light up with a strong orange cast depending on the atmospheric conditions. Usually some clouds and dust will reinforce this natural phenomenon.

 

For photographers it is a pure gift from mother nature: it is like having a giant candlelight that produces the same warm colors as interior lights on day film. This lighting condition produces an incredible mood to the scene. Some photographers say that lighting and the quality of light is what turns a good photo into a great one.

 

Here this lighting was perfect to describe the mood of this festive family having a great time picnicking at the lake. The temperature was perfect and the golden light of the sunset was adding some warmth to their happy expressions.

 

Nikon D700 and Leica Telyt-R 350mm f/4.8. Taken on Monopod at ISO 1600, f/8 and 1/400s.

Ray Flash

 

Picked up a secondhand ring light via Craigslist yesterday. I have mixed views for first impressions. I tried a few self portraits but I wasn't really impressed with any of the shots. I did not find the light to be flattering at all. Yes I know I don't have perfect skin but it really seemed to highlight all my facial imperfections. Also noticed that my auto-focus was acting a little erratic. My camera seemed to want to focus on everything but my face. I suspect it's due to how the ray-flash is positioned when mounted. It covers the LED light from my SB-800 that measures the distance between the flash from its subject. Could this be a design flaw? I'll have to try again with manual focus to see if I get better results.

 

I feel like I got better results with macro shots. Setting up was a cinch. Just mount it onto speedlight and fire-away. For once I didn't have to worry about lightstands, reflectors, wireless triggers etc etc. The light is evenly distributed to the subjects without appearing too harsh or too soft. The images above were not post-processed to give you an idea of the results you can achieve with the ray flash.

 

I got this unit for several reasons. For one a photographer can never have enough light modifiers and secondly to use it at events and/or shoot people with it. I don't know if that will be the case at this point. I still need to play with it more before I decide if this is something I want to carry in my camera bag.

View On Black

   

Ballet Contemporáneo del Teatro San Martín

Tres coreógrafos, Tres miradas

 

A partir de septiembre, la compañía municipal presenta obras de Diana Theocharidis, Carlos Casella y Mauricio Wainrot en el Teatro Presidente Alvear, en Buenos Aires.

  

“Syracusa” la obra propuesta por Casella, también forma parte de esta trilogía de estrenos. El coreógrafo, actor y cantante comenzó su camino artístico como voz líder del grupo Modelo Blanco a fines de los ‘80 y, paralelamente, como bailarín y coreógrafo junto a Ana Frenkel. Fue integrante y uno de los fundadores, en 1990, del grupo de danza-teatro El Descueve, una de las agrupaciones independientes con mayor trascendencia surgida en las últimas décadas en el país.

  

El programa

 

Ballet Contemporáneo del Teatro San Martín

Director artístico: Mauricio Wainrot

Directora asociada: Andrea Chinetti

 

"Intemperie"

Coreografía: Diana Theocharidis

Música: Pablo Ortiz

Escenografía y vestuario: Luciana Gutman

Iluminación: Eli Sirlin

 

"Syracusa"

 

Coreografía: Carlos Casella

Música: Diego Vainer

Escenografía: Mariana Tirantte

Vestuario: Pablo Ramírez y Carlos Casella

Iluminación: Eli Sirlin

 

"Chopin, número 1"

 

Coreografía: Mauricio Wainrot

Música: Concierto Nº1 para piano y orquesta de Frédéric Chopin

Vestuario: Mini Zuccheri

Iluminación: Eli Sirlin

  

Las funciones

 

Viernes y sábados a las 21 horas, los domingos a las 17 horas y los miércoles a las 14 horas.

 

La última función será el domingo 26 de septiembre.

Teatro Presidente Alvear, Avenida Corrientes 1659, Buenos Aires.

 

Escrito por Maritza Gueler para Danza Hoy

   

No usar esta imagen en páginas web, blogs u otros soportes sin mi autorización, © Todos los derechos reservados.

Don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved

“Y estos derechos... a respetarlos, ¿eh? ¡No vaya a pasar como con los diez mandamientos!” (Mafalda)

 

Hilo de la Fotohistoria en Pullip .es: LIVING ROOM (2 of 7): Toilet /

LA SALA DE ESTAR (2 de 7): El Baño

 

(Read in order, this is: SHOT/FOTO 13 of 106) PAG: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106.

 

FOTOSTORY: In English / En Español

Soichiro: (Thanks God I found the toilet soon because if not... ^_^u)

/

Soichiro: (Menos mal que he encontrado el baño pronto que si no... ^_^u)

 

LINKS:

- Las FOTOHISTORIAS de Sheryl en el Foro de Pullips: Pullip .es

- Sheryl Photostories at Flickr

DON'T DO IT

 

Yesterday's rant posted today(I knocked out.)

 

Last night there was an accident down the block from home.

this is what it looked like.

The guy driving was DUI, according to the people that helped him and his daughters get out of the car.

 

If you know me, you know how much against drunk driving I am.

I don't care if it's only one beer/drink/ whatever.

PLEASE DO NOT DRIVE UNDER THE INFLUENCE

You put your life AND others Lives in danger.

 

Have a designated driver, it's really not that hard.

your life is definitely worth it.

 

I guess this rant comes at a good time, with Thanksgiving this weekend.

PLEASE be safe everyone.

 

=]

 

30 Days of Rants & Raves / Rant / #2

View On Black

 

The Kingston Fossil Plant, operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, is located at the confluence of the Clinch and Emery Rivers, tributaries of the Tennessee River, between the towns of Harriman and Kingston in Roane County, Tennessee.

 

The plant put 9 power generating units on line in 1955, with 5 tall and 4 short stacks. In 1976, its original stacks were taken out of service (though left standing) and replaced by a pair of 1,000.0 feet(304.8 m) tall chimneys, one for units 1–5 and one for units 6–9. (See www.flickr.com/photos/23056599@N00/180342544

 

To reduce sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, all nine units use a blend of low-sulfur coal. Two scrubber shave been added to the units, further reducing emissions by up to 95 percent. This project was completed in fiscal year 2010 at a cost of about $475 million.

 

Of course, TVA is still dealing with the December 2008, an impoundment at the plant failed, releasing 1.1 billion gallons (4.2 million m³) of coal fly ash slurry that covered up to 300 acres (1.2 km2) of the surrounding land, damaging homes and flowing into nearby waterways.

 

The title on the Russian site devoted to SPG is – Rafts on the [Catherine] Canal: city of Shlisselburg.

 

A little poking around on the internet reveals that this is unlikely to be the Catherine canal (which runs between the Volkhov and Syas rivers, says Wikipedia), and is more likely the Peter Canal, that is the section built during the time of Peter the Great. That section of the canal had two locks, one of which we can see in the background, along with boats waiting to enter. You can find this locale on Google Earth, in "street view," much changed of course, where the Russian label tells us it is part of the Marinskii waterway, which is true, but only in a general sense. You can see on Google Earth too, that, over the years, the canal has silted up and filled in, and in places has actually been narrowed by builders needed good footings for their constructions. Another page I found said that the stonework we see on the locks and banks dates from the time of the canal's original construction (late 1720s) another that it dates from repairs and renovations done in 1836; the Wikipedia article doesn't note any work done in the 1830s, so my guess is that this stonework – which still endures, and looks to be in pretty good shape – is the same built by battalions of Peter's soldiers in the eighteenth century.

 

Note, in the right background, two huge stacks of logs, as high as the buildings next to them, and just as long, a truly immense stockpile. I wonder whether the logs in the foreground are about to join one of those huge piles (likely) or whether they have been taken from the piles (less likely). My guess would be that they are piled up there until they can be loaded on a transport and taken to a mill that is closer to a larger population centre, but that is speculation on my part.

 

This was a difficult shot to register because the logs moved around on the water as SPG took his three shots. People in the background moved; boats lining up to get into the lock moved; and one of the two fellows in the foreground took a quick look around to see if SPG was finished yet. So I had to do a lot of piece by piece compositing of sections of the shot to get everything to more or less line up. Lots of figures in the middle distance and in the faraway existed only as coloured blobs on one plate or another, so in several cases, I simply erased those partial figures from the shot. A red colour cast at the bottom of the shot proved more problematic, but I have reduced it as much as I can.

 

Update, 2014: I've gone over the shot one more time, trying to reduce the purple tones, to adjust the contrast on the logs, and reduce some of the fringing on the cloud images reflected in the water. I think, for now, this is the best I can do.

 

Update, 2024: Another revision, courtesy of Photoshop's updated tools, particularly using the Camera Raw filter.

Bigger is a MUST!

 

Thank you for your comments!

 

Orchard Road is a road in Singapore that is the retail and entertainment hub of the city-state. It is regularly frequented by the local population as well as being a major tourist attraction. Often the surrounding area is known simply as Orchard.

 

The immediate vicinity of Orchard Road, Orchard Planning Area is one of 55 urban planning areas as specified by the Urban Redevelopment Authority, and is a commercial district. It is part of the Central Region, and Singapore's central business district, the Central Area.

 

During the National Day Rally Speech 2005, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that he would create more landmark buildings to create more fun in the district, partly to keep up with vibrant cities around the region.

 

Orchard Road underwent a $40 million revamp in 2009, with the addition of new street lamps, planter boxes, urban green rooms, street tiling, and flower totem poles.

 

Source: Wikipedia

Best Viewed On White

 

I don't know but for some reason, I'm not feeling like my usual self today. I mean,

while at work I was playing cards with co-workers.. pretty fun.. But after I left, I felt down. I tried listening to some music but couldn't cheer myself up. plus they're the same repeated songs I've been listening to for the past 3 weeks. I don't own an iPod. I play my music from my phone so its pretty hard to be uploading and downloading songs with a busy schedule.

 

I have this mini shoot with one of Juan's friends tomorrow. First one I'm getting paid. I think this feeling is because of that. I don't understand why I'm feeling so gloomy. Usually when i go out on photo shoots, I get all excited. I don't know. I told myself I'll let this pass. Hopefully I'll feel better before tomorrow.

 

So I got home from work. I decided on buying new LED flashlights and a Bulb flashlight for my dad. When I got back, I wanted to test them out. I first thought of a self portrait but since it was still daytime, too bright. I grabbed my Kalimar 50mm and used it as my model instead. I had 4 LED flashlights, two in the front and 2 in the back, left and right. and one Bulb light on my left facing at an angle.. After a couple of shots, I got this one.. I'll post the setup below..

 

I thought of my cam to cheer me up a bit.. and it did =]] but theres always tomorrow...

Best Large

 

About the Pudú

The pudús (Pudu), considered to be the world's smallest deer, are native to South America. There are two species of pudú: the Northern pudú (Pudu mephistophiles) from Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile[1], which stands about 12 to 14 inches (32 to 35 cm) at the shoulder; and the Southern or Chilean Pudú (Pudu puda) from southern Chile and southwestern Argentina[1], which averages between 14 to 16 inches (36 to 41 cm)[2]. Males sprout small (7-10cm) antlers which are shed annually.

 

Both species of pudú subsist on a diet of grass, leaves, and fallen fruit. In the wild, their life expectancy is between eight and ten years. The Southern species is endangered (IUCN status: vulnerable), primarily due to hunting and habitat loss from human agriculture and land development.

 

The pudú has several interesting characteristics that distinguish it from other deer. It is able to climb fallen trees, and it is sometimes forced to do so, both to escape predators and reach food. Because of its small size, it is often forced to balance on its hind legs to reach foliage. When threatened, it barks in alarm.

 

Because it lives in the dense forests of South America, it requires an efficient way to travel throughout the undergrowth. Pudú maintain a complex system of paths and trails that allow them to quickly get from one place to another. Such paths often lead to excellent places to rest, mate or find food.

 

Pudú mate between April and June, and gestation periods range from 200 to 220 days, giving birth to one or occasionally two young.

 

Its predators are typically eagles, owls, cougars, foxes, and small cats.

- Wiki

 

1/2500 | f/4.0 | ISO 250

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Our Customers are drawn to buy this aspect of flexibility and many of them led us to get into new spheres of technology and work.

 

With our expertise in various technologies like C#, .Net, BI, PHP, WordPress, Laravel, MVC there is much more we offer as per your need.

 

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Morning smiles

like the face of a newborn child,

innocent, unknowing.

Winter's end

promises of a long lost friend.

Speaks to me of comfort.

 

But I fear

I have nothing to give.

I have so much to lose here in this lonely place,

Tangled up in our embrace.

There's there's nothing I'd like better than to fall.

But I fear I have nothing to give.

 

Wind in time,

Rapes the flower trembling on the vine,

And nothing yields to shelter it from above.

They say temptation will destroy our love.

The never ending hunger.

 

But I fear

I have nothing to give,

I have so much to lose here in this lonely place,

Tangled up in our embrace.

There's nothing I'd like better than to fall.

 

But I fear I have nothing to give.

I have so much to lose.

I have nothing to give.

We have so much to lose...

 

Sarah McLaughlin, "Fear"

www.btoeducational.it/index.php?bettertourism

 

Social Media Better Tourism [ reload ]

Roma, 8 Febbraio 2K11

Dalle 10.00 [ precise ] alle 12.45 [ circa ]

Dentro la Social Media Week Rome, il Festival della Rete

Palazzo Valentini, via IV Novembre 119/A, a pochi passi da Piazza Venezia

Sala Don Luigi Di Liegro, dentro la sede della Provincia di Roma

 

ToscanaLab di Fondazione Sistema Toscana e BTO Educational, a braccetto tornano, dopo la prima esperienza a Milano a Settembre 2K10, alla Social Media Week, il Festival della Rete per continuare a parlare del rapporto [ pericoloso ] tra Social Media e il mondo del viaggio.

 

Con il contributo di Expedia.it, discuteremo dell'argomento dentro il nostro collaudato format che prevede presentazioni e conversazioni, in un contesto unconventional che abbatte le barriere tra speakers e pubblico.

 

Social Media Better Tourism [ reload ] dentro la Social Media Week Rome, il Festival della Rete è un'ulteriore tappa pubblica del nostro percorso di ricerca che mette al centro le persone e il loro rapporto con il viaggio.

 

Indagheremo ancora una volta su come per le persone un valore [ primario ] come l'esperienza del viaggio, trova oggi in questo web sociale il luogo perfetto per essere condiviso in forma di racconto e come queste tante storie vanno a impattare sulle dinamiche d'incontro tra domanda e offerta turistica.

 

Per parlare di tutto ciò, l'8 Febbraio a Roma abbiamo coinvolto un soggetto che fa ricerca, un'esperienza di governance di un territorio, una giovane start up, un leader di mercato: dopo le loro presentazioni, la conversazione con il pubblico.

View On Black

  

Vivid Sydney - Macquarie Visions

 

The Vivid Festival ran from May 27 to June 21.

 

Highlights inclided a light display on Macquarie Street and the return of the fire waters performance at Darling Harbour, a song summit in Sydney and a creative industries X Media Lab.

 

Last year's festival attracted more than 200,000 people to events at the Rocks and Circular Quay.

 

Macquarie Visions, a free public event celebrating in immersive light displays, the 200th anniversary and story of two visionary leaders, Governor Lachlan Macquarie and his wife Elizabeth.

 

Taking approximately one hour, the walk starts with a dazzling light spectacle at St Mary’s Cathedral and moves onto installations at Hyde Park Barracks Museum, The Mint, Parliament House, The State Library of New South Wales, The Royal Botanic Garden’s Palace Garden Gate and Sydney Conservatorium of Music, with special features including the spectacular Downer Macquarie Arch and the stunning illumination of the Opera House sails fulfilling the amazing Vivid Light experience.

 

www.vividsydney.com.au

www.macquarievisions.com.au/

  

The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, who, in 2003, received the Pritzker Prize, architecture's highest honour.

 

The Sydney Opera House was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 28 June 2007. Currently, it is the most recently constructed World Heritage Site to be designated as such, sharing this distinction with such ancient landmarks as Stonehenge and the Giza Necropolis. It is one of the 20th century's most distinctive buildings and one of the most famous performing arts centres in the world.

 

The Sydney Opera House is situated on Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbour, close to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It sits at the northeastern tip of the Sydney central business district (the CBD), surrounded on three sides by the harbour (Sydney Cove and Farm Cove) and neighboured by the Royal Botanic Gardens.

 

The Opera House was formally completed in 1973, having cost $102 million.

 

www.sydneyoperahouse.com/

 

International PHP Conference 2015 – Spring | Berlin

View On Black

 

Broad Pool lies in a shallow basin on the limestone plateau beneath Cefn Bryn. It is one of the most conspicuous and best-known features of central Gower. The pool is known to have been in existence in 1645. Its origin appears to have been natural, although there is evidence that the pool was modified by scouring (removal of sediment and vegetation) from the late Eighteenth century.

 

The Pool contains a rich assemblage of aquatic plants, including Lesser Marshwort and Alternate Water-milfoil, both rare in South Wales. Fringed Water lily is present and has dominated the aquatic vegetation in the past. This attractive and uncommon plant is only native in a small area of southeast England and was introduced to Broad Pool in around 1952.

 

The Pool is visited by a wide range of waterfowl and wetland birds, including Grey Heron, Little Grebe, with passage migrants such as Ruff and Spotted Redshank. It is locally important breeding site for amphibians and supports a rich aquatic invertebrate fauna, including fourteen species of dragonflies and damselflies.

 

The adjacent area of Bog and moor is dominated by heath plants such as Cross-leaved Heath and Heather with Purple Moor-grass, Rushes, Bog Myrtle and Round-leaved Sundew in the wetter areas. The heathland and area around Broad Pool is also of ornithological importance with nesting Snipe and Lapwing in summer and Hen Harrier, Merlin and Short-eared Owl regularly recorded in winter months.

Much better seen large!

 

Pollination is an important step in the reproduction of seed plants: the transfer of pollen grains (male gametes) to the plant carpel, the structure that contains the ovule (female gamete). The receptive part of the carpel is called a stigma in the flowers of angiosperms and a micropyle in gymnosperms. The study of pollination brings together many disciplines, such as botany, horticulture, entomology, and ecology. Pollination is important in horticulture because most plant fruits will not develop if the ovules are not fertilized. The pollination process as interaction between flower and vector was first addressed in the 18th century by Christian Konrad Sprengel.

in wikipedia, Pollination

 

Yesterday I was a bit sad. Several news on friends too early departed made me think about life in general, my life in particular. So, honoring my friends, in the name of life, I decided to look around. This one I got in Sta Cruz, a very special place where I have written in the past, where I plan to return to go on writing. And photographing. And go on with life. There, somewhere, everywhere. Life is one. One life. Your life. My life. Cheers!

 

ps: thanks to Raul on the advise about the 105mm lens, it's superb!

 

Best viewed Large on Black

 

I photographed these Hooded Mergansers at the Black Point Wildlife Drive section of Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge located immediately north of the NASA Space complex on Florida's Atlantic Coast. I hope that during my next visit to Merritt Island I can capture a better image with which to replace this one.

The Hooded Merganser is a species of small duck. It is the only living species in the genus. The genus name derives from the Greek language: lophos meaning 'crest', and dutes meaning diver. The bird is striking in appearance; both sexes have crests which they can raise or lower, and the breeding plumage of the male is handsomely patterned and colored. The Hooded Merganser has a sawbill but is not classified as a typical merganser. Hooded Mergansers are the second smallest species of merganser, with only the smew of Europe and Asia being smaller, and it also is the only merganser whose native habitat is restricted to North America. A species of fossil duck from the Late Pleistocene of Vero Beach, Florida, was described as Querquedula Floridana (a genus now included in Anas), but upon reexamination turned out to be a species closely related to the Hooded Merganser; it is now named Lophodytes Floridanus, but the exact relationship between this bird and the modern species is unknown.

Info above was extracted from Wikipedia.

 

Hooded Mergansers Swimming at Merritt Island, Florida

 

View On Black------------------------------------------ Clika aquí para ver Mejor

 

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El milano real (Milvus milvus) es una especie de ave accipitriforme de la familia Accipitridae. Es similar en aspecto al milano negro, del que se distingue por su cabeza de color gris plateado y su silueta. Los ejemplares que anidan en el norte de Europa se desplazan al sur para invernar; algunos de ellos atraviesan el estrecho de Gibraltar hasta llegar al norte de África. Su distribución llega hasta Canarias y las islas de Cabo Verde. La población de las Islas Baleares se encuentra desde hace poco clasificada como en peligro de extinción debido al uso de venenos. Características El milano real tiene una longitud de 60 a 65 centímetros, una envergadura de alas de casi dos metros (190 centímetros) y un peso que oscila, desde los 900 gramos a los 1.200 gramos de peso. Su cola tiene una forma muy ahorquillada. Se diferencia fácilmente del milano negro, que es totalmente oscuro y tiene la cola menos ahorquillada. Alimentación Caza aves y pequeños mamíferos, como liebres o ratas, también se alimenta de pájaros e invertebrados; incluso puede devorar carroña. Anidación Suele anidar en los árboles, donde confecciona un nido a base de ramas y hojas. La puesta consiste en un número que oscila, desde un solo huevo, hasta tres; tardarán en eclosionar unos treinta y cinco días aproximadamente. El macho suele reemplazar a la hembra en la incubación por pequeños periodos de tiempo, mientras ésta se alimenta.

Ordination of Priests at Manchester Cathedral. Picture by Paul Heyes, Saturday June 21, 2014.

   

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Fort Toulouse - Wetumpka, AL

 

Jean Louis dit Colon FONTENEAU was born 18 Dec 1686 in Poitiers, France and was baptized in Saint Jean de Montierneuf Church of the same town. By 1720, Jean Louis was a Sergeant serving in French military and on the ship named the “Drommadaire” heading for the new world for an assignment in the colonies. He arrived through the portat Mobile bay which was the French military headquarters and seat of government for the Louisiana Territory and was assigned to Fort Condenear Mobile. During his stay in Fort Conde, he met and married a young widow named Marie Louise Henrique (Henry) and they married on 8 Feb 1725/26 in Mobile. Sometime after his marriage to Marie, Jean Louis was assigned to Fort Toulouse, which in the present day is located in Elmore County, Wetumpka, Alabama at the junction of two rivers, the Coosa and Tallapoosa.

 

Jean and Marie had twelve children, 8 sons and 4 daughters, and they were all born at Fort Toulouse. Their sons joined the marines and married daughters of other marines and their daughters married sons of marines and they lived near the Fort. Family names for the spouses were Doucet, Brignac, LaGrange, Lobell and Berthelot. Jean Louis died in October 1755 at the age of 68 and was buried in the Fort cemetery but the location of his remains is unknown.

 

Sometime after the signing of the treaty which ended the French and Indian War, Jean Louis’ living sons, daughters, and Widow Marie Louise moved from the Fort and settled in the vicinity of present day Opelousas, St Landry, Louisiana. All present day Fonteneau’s (Fontenot) in this country are direct descendants of these early settlers.

Best Viewed Large On Black

 

I was stood by these penguins trying to get this shot for ages as a couple of these penguins would swim around the pool underwater and every now and again would fly through the air before diving underwater again. The only trouble was they moved so fast it was hard to know where they were going to surface. I must have taken about 100 shots to get this one.

  

Named after the cold-water Humboldt Current which was itself named after Freidrich Humboldt, the German scientist who discovered it. Compared to other penguins the adults are medium sized, with large heads, black faces, black backs, tails and feet. The front of their necks is white, with a white border extending from the necks around the face up to their reddish brown eyes. Their black bills have a white band near the tip and the lower mandible is pink, the fleshy colour extending to the eyes. A black band runs down the body beneath the flippers. Females are smaller than males, while young birds don’t have the bold double stripe of adults and are more greyish than black, with a white front.

They breed all year but main seasons are March-April and September-October. They commonly rear two broods in a season. Birds lay eggs in burrows or small crevices, with two eggs usually laid over two to four days and incubation taking 40 to 42 days, chicks hatching two days apart. Both adults share nesting and daily feeding duties. Chicks rarely leave their nest until they have enough plumage to maintain their own body temperature, and after about 12 weeks they have to fend for themselves. They reach maturity at two years.

 

Most Humboldt penguin pairs remain faithful to each other for years, rarely choosing new partners unless one of them dies, and they often return to the same site to breed year after year.

Hilo de la Fotohistoria en Pullip .es: VALENTINE'S DAY (1 of 3): Lenn at Home! /

EL DÍA DE SAN VALENTÍN (1 de 3): Lenn en casa!

 

(Read in order, this is: SHOT/FOTO 33 of 40) PAG: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40.

 

FOTOSTORY: In English / En Español

Shin: What? Now try with the red character and proof you can also play this level ¬¬

Frost: The red one? Who? Knuckles? Why is it named Dorian?

Shin: It's because it was the only player I could beat racing and I changed his name... It's something about me, forget it... XD

/

Shin: Que dices? Prueba con el rojo a ver quien es el paquete. ¬¬

Frost: Rojo? Quien? El Knuckles? Y por qué pone Dorian?

Shin: Porque es el único personaje al que podía ganar en las carreras y le cambié el nombre... historias mías... XD

 

LINKS:

- Sheryl Photostories at Flickr

- Las FOTOHISTORIAS de Sheryl en el Foro de Pullips: Pullip .es

- Hilo de las Fotohistorias de Shin y Yashiro en el Foro de Pullips: Pullip .es

Explore # 133

 

I am new into people/ street photography, therefore I'd be very pleased if you could give me some tips or improvement suggestions.

 

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[Technical Notes]: Some color adjustments in Lightroom (with the aid of some presets I downloaded here, LucisArt, Digital Cross FIlter (Alien Skin Exposure 2), adding texture+border.

 

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Info:

Exposure:

Aperture:

ISO - Speed:

Focal Length: 30mm

Lens: SIGMA 30mm F1.4 DC HSM

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View large on black

 

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Spettacolare canyon sul fiume Orta, nei pressi della frazione di San Tommaso, nel comune di Caramanico Terme.

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This photo was taken at sunset in Lincoln City, Oregon, USA. This is a beautiful beach on the Central Oregon Coast.

 

View Larger On Black

 

About this photo: We stayed in a beach apartment for 1 week in Lincoln City. When we arrived around dinner time at this place it was cloudy. After dinner we decided to go for a walk on the beach and at the end of the evening we were treated to a beautiful sunset as it started to clear up. What a gorgeous evening that was!

 

As the sun was setting I noticed this man on the beach with his dog. I thought the silhouettes of them looked so nice against the orange coloured sky. I added some saturation and contrast in the post processing. After that I ran the photo through Neat Image to get rid of the access noise. I hope you like this photo too!

 

~Camera Settings:

*Camera Model: Sony Alpha DSLR A200

*Focal Length: 26mm

*F-Number: F/5.6

*Exposure Time: 1/60 sec.

*ISO Speed: ISO-100

*Exposure Program: Aperture Priority (A)

*Exposure Compensation (E/V): 0 step

 

Thank you for looking and stopping by!

Ann :)

 

Some information on Lincoln City and the beach: Lincoln City is nestled between seven miles of sandy beaches and a 680 acre scenic lake on the central Oregon Coast. And while it's a charming resort town, it's also a paradise of beauty, history and adventure.

 

The mighty Pacific Ocean greets the beach along seven gorgeous miles in Lincoln City. The beauty and activities along the seashore change with the seasons, adding spice and variety. There are excellent locations for wave, whale, sunset and storm watching, and the beach is a treasure trove for collecting driftwood, agates, shells and floats. Large rocks emerging from the sea create perfect pockets for tide pooling during low tides, and beach hiking, surfing, windsurfing and fishing challenge adventure seekers. Fifteen public beach accesses welcome those who wish to indulge!

 

The Oregon Coast is the coast of the U.S. state of Oregon along the Pacific Ocean, constituting the western border of the state. Stretching 583km/362mi from the city of Astoria to the California border, the Oregon Coast is unique in that the entire coast is public land. Oregon law prohibits private ownership of coastline property.

 

The Oregon Coast is often divided into three regions

•The North Coast—from the Washington border at Astoria to Lincoln City.

•The Central Coast—from Lincoln City to Reedsport.

•The South Coast—from Reedsport to the California border, just south of Brookings.

 

There are no large cities on the coast, mainly due to the lack of deep harbors with access to the inland agricultural areas. The largest metropolitan area consists of the bordering cities of Coos Bay and North Bend on the South Coast. This area has a population of approximately 25,000 people. There is only one continuous highway along the coastline, the U.S. Route 101. The relative isolation of the coast from nearby large population centers has given the coast a reputation for being somewhat rustic, being a mixture of old logging towns, fishing villages, seasonal resorts, and artists' colonies. Tourism, fishing and logging are the major industries on the coast. The coastal region's popularity, combined with the fact that there are only a few two-lane roads from the more populated areas in the Willamette Valley contributes to traffic to the north and central coasts being named the worst tourist traffic in the United States. (Info from Wikipedia)

Espai Sucre

Carrer de la Princesa, 53

08003 Barcelona, Spain

Phone:+34 932 68 16 30

 

To read more about this meal, please CLICK HERE

 

The Wandering Eater | Twitter

 

© 2013 Tina Wong; The Wandering Eater. All Rights Reserved. Images may not be reproduced, copied, or used in any way without written permission.

www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=36871&id=1632219712&am... Grandissima partecipazione al Campionato Italiano 2010 di Ascoli Piceno - Castel di Lama AP con immensa soddisfazione della Lega Ciclismo UISP, a suggellare una straripante ed avvincente stagione Cic...locross 2009/2010 grazie soprattutto al lavoro svolto da tutti i componenti la Lega Ciclismo e alla preziosa collaborazione di tutte le Società che hanno dato vita fin dal mese di ottobre ad un Master bellissimo ed avvincente. Record di atleti che hanno dato vita ad una splendida manifestazione ben 137 i partecipanti a contendersi il tricolore provenienti da ben 8 regioni alla partenza del 37° Campionato Italiano di ciclocross UISP. La manifestazione si è svolta presso l'area verde “Eco Services” del patron Giuseppe Trainie con l'impeccabile organizzazione della “Riviera delle Palme” diretta magistralmente dal vulcanico regista Mariano Vesperini. Tracciato di 2 km ricavato all'interno di un parco sportivo dell'azienda di Traini a fiancheggiare il fiume Tronto con tre punti dove scendere a piedi ed una impegnativa salita che saliva verso il traguardo posto di fronte al punto vendita Garden Shop - Ecoservices .... Mostra tutto Percorso molto bello scorrevole, tutto tracciato in tricolore, interamente visibile dal numerosissimo pubblico accorso per l’occasione, percorso tecnico quel che basta per esaltare le capacità dei contendenti e rendere la gara estremamente spettacolare, interamente molto ben segnalato Sponsor della manifestazione ECOSERVICES - GARDEN SHOP - ITALFER LAVORI. SOFER CARPENTERIE- FRIGOSTAR Pesce di Mario Andrenacci - ROMACAR Gruppo FIAT. Alle Premiazioni Il Sindaco di Ascoli Piceno Castelli ,L'Assessore della Provincia di Ascoli Piceno Bruno Gabrielli, Il Consigliere Regionale Natali, L'assessore allo sport del Comune di Ascoli Piceno Brugni,il Presidente del CONI della Provincia di Ascoli Piceno e moltissimi gli sponsor presenti. Due splendide gare in una buona giornata che ha visto laurearsi campioni italiani tre marchigiani, due emiliani, due toscani e un abruzzese. Nella prima gara subito in testa il duo marchigiano Marco Gobbetti e Rosario Pecci, poi al terzo giro la sfortuna di un guasto tecnico appieda Pecci e per il bravo e preparato “grillo senigalliese” e' un gioco da ragazzi imporsi, vittoria facile in 54'39", Pecci a 44", Tittoni a 47" poi Conti Giulio e Malatesta. 13 gli atleti a pieni giri. Nella seconda manche il più' forte e' l'emiliano Davide Montanari che domina la gara e vince facilmente in 58'38"; l'umbro Laloni a 1'39", il toscano Pioli che termina con la bici in spalla a 1'39" poi il livornese Anelli e l'abruzzese Scipioni. Anche in questa seconda prova contenuti tecnici elevati e grande interesse da parte del numeroso pubblico che ha sempre incitato i contendenti. 20 gli atleti a pieni giri. I nuovi Campioni Italiani 2010 sono: Classifiche Donne: 1.Beatrice Mistretta (Cicli Taddei - Toscana); 2.Ines Macchiarola 3.Alice Torcianti. Giovani: 1.Simone Traini (New Pupilli Grottazzolina - Marche); 2.Yuri Torcianti); 3.Francesco Ciccola. A1: 1.Simone Pioli (Buffardello Bike - Toscana); 2.Andrea Animali; 3.Andrea Pierangelini. A2:1.Davide Montanari (Team Max - Emilia Romagna); 2.Alberto Laloni; 3.Corso Anelli. A3: 1.Alessio Olivi (Cicli Cingolani - Marche); 2.Federico Bartolini; 3.Stefano Santini. A4: 1.Marco Gobbetti (Cicli Cingolani - Marche); 2.Rosario Pecci; 3.Giovanni Tittoni. A5: 1.Mauro D’Alessio (Team Ponte - Marche); 2.Franco Corsini; 3.Serafino Bruni. A6: 1.Pio Sorci (Cicli Neri - Emilia Romagna); 2.Biagio Lunairdini; 3.Paolo Soricetti

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"Geraldton Waxflower" My blog: Chilpancingo

 

The Geraldton Waxflower is often used by florists in cut-flower arrangements. Although it is widely available, the plant is native to western Australia where it grows as an evergreen shrub in gardens, and along roadsides. It is considered to be one of Australia’s most famous wildflowers, and this popularity has spurred the development of plants with many different colourations (white, yellow, pink, purple, lilac, and bicolours).

 

The genus name Chamelaucium is probably from the Greek - chamia meaning “dwarf” and leucos meaning “white”. Uncinatum means “hooked”, and refers to the tips of the needle-like leaves.

 

SOOC!! Just resizing, crop and signature!!

 

Thanks for stopping by and commenting!!!

Details.

 

The announcer said Flash photography and led screens were prohibited.

At intermission I remembered that my Cam has stage mode. So I turned off the flash and the led screen.... looked through the viewer ant shot away. I didnt get a lot of great shots because the movement was so fast AND I didnt know what to expect having never seen the Nutcracker. I LOVED IT

 

I think I loved the first act with the party and easy to follow story the best. The rest was just absolutely beautiful fantasy.

View Haley on Black

 

View Haley Map/EXIF

 

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II + 35 mm @ 35 mm - 1/5000 sec at f/1.4, ISO 100

Aperture priority mode @ 0 EV E.C - Pattern metering - no flash

Subject Distance: unknown

 

Read about today's adventures here. More to come...and hopefully proper tagging in the future :).

 

47°32'47.14" N 122°3'40.35" W, 17.2 m

Issaquah Cafe

Issaquah, Washington, USA

 

Taken on 11.12.2010, uploaded on 11.16.2010.

 

©2010 Adam James Steenwyk. Please contact me at ajamess [at] gmail [dot] com if you would like to use this photo. Blog: www.f128.info

On Black

 

As I mentioned in my last post, I certainly still have more photographs to post from both my charity bike ride in Morocco and the DMU Boston meetup, but I've put off posting shots from the BU Photo Club twilight shoot at Lo Presti Park for far too long.

 

This particular shot was one that I had flagged as a keeper the moment I reviewed it on the LCD of my camera when I shot it. I've put off posting it because I couldn't decide whether or not people looking at the photo would like how the old pier posts blend into the blackness of the cityscape (I figured y'all wouldn't.) After several weeks of going back and forth, I was reminded of the fact (again) that this is my photograph and I like- no- love the colors and tones in this and even though I do like it when others say they enjoy my work, it's shouldn't become my primary motive for pursuing photography as I do- and it's not.

 

Also, I love me some purple.

 

Nikon D40

30mm, f/11, 13 sec, ISO200

ND400 9-stop filter

please (:

 

This little cutie right here is Ginger (:

My other cousin's dog.

I was at the baby shower of ANOTHER cousin (yeah, I have many :P lol)

and she was sitting next to me, licking my hand.

So I said "Oh yeah? Think you're all cute? Well pose for me." and she did haha.

 

As you can tell, I loveeee photographing dogs/puppies (:

They just get to me (:

 

I'm feeling much better today despite my loss from yesterday.

So I thought i'd upload a cute little picture (:

I'm still a little "meh", but it'll be okay.

Thank YOU ALL for your comments. They're part of the reason I'm feeling good (:

Today's been great so far. Worked from 1-3 and I went to Target with my dad.

We had quite a conversation. We haven't talked in a while because things at home have been a little shaky lately. But today, I enjoyed our talk. I was talking to him about how I'm applying at Hollister, but how I was afraid they wouldn't hire me because of my fear on register. He began to explain to me that I must not be afraid. That I can do anything, I must just practice, He then began to relate that to my photographs.

And I was surprised when he said "You take very beautiful pictures. I was looking at them on the Internet the other day, and there was a few pictures in particular that made me think. They made me feel things I haven't felt in a while." I was touched. He rarely compliments my photos, let alone, rarely talks with me about my photography.

He then asked my relationship with my boyfriend, we pretty much catched up. which was great because I missed that.

 

(:

I'm going to church tonight! I'm really excited! I'll talk about that more on another picture hehe. (:

I don't wanna write too much in one description!:O

love you all.

Presidium Gurgaon’s masters of debate and reasoned expression have won the Inter School

 

BEHES Debate championship. They have qualified for national level Finals. Their

 

intellect, reasoning and quick-witted replies gave them a well deserved win.

 

More than 200 students from schools all over Delhi, participated in the championship

 

and Presidians outshined them and won a total of 14 medals-6 Gold, 5 Silver and 3

 

Bronze. They proudly claimed the Championship Gold trophy and the Overall Best Speaker

 

trophy.

 

The winners are:

 

1. Prarthita Nath of Grade XII, won a Gold medal, the Overall Best speaker trophy and

 

her team won the Championship trophy.

2. Nuti Yadav, from Grade XII, won Gold medal and her team won the Championship trophy.

3. Kshirin Rao, from Grade XII, won a Silver medal and her team won the Championship

 

trophy;

4. Naisha Kamboj, from Grade VIII, won Gold medal.

5. Arahant Vishnu Saini, from Grade VII, won a Gold medal.

6. Ayush Rahul Savdekar, from Grade VI, won a Gold medal.

7. Raghav Sharma, from Grade IV, won a Gold medal.

8. Laiba Rahman, from Grade XI, won a Silver medal.

9. Joeell Singh, from Grade IX, won a Silver medal.

10. Bhavika Gupta, from Grade VIII, won a Silver medal.

11. Ria Bhargava, from Grade VII, won a Silver medal.

12. Pari Shukla, from Grade VII, won a Bronze medal.

13. Megha Chauhan, from Grade XII, won a Bronze medal.

14. Aakriti Sidhu, from Grade IX, won a Bronze medal.

15. Prisha Sinha, from Grade VII, won a Bronze medal.

16. Nischal Parwani, from Grade VII, won a Bronze medal.

 

Congratulations to our young debaters and their mentors.

 

#BeWhatYouWantToBe

#Presidium

LARGE, ON WHITE is a better view.

 

This is Kacie, a beautiful and spirited young lady, and an aspiring model. At the time I took this photo of her, she was also a student at our prestigious music school.

 

A few people have the kind of personality that is capable of radiating happiness into everyone around them. Kacie is a perfect exemplar of that trait. Coming from the perspective of a person who is given to brooding, I know that her presence is a potent antidote to a wide range of gloom and despondency.

 

Here is a behind-the-scenes look within the studio in which this photo was taken.

Cunit, Tarragona (Spain).

 

View On Black

 

The photo does not have much detail because it is taken at night and from distant spot. The red eyes are effect of the flash.

 

La foto no tiene mucho detalle porque está tomada de lejos y de noche. Los ojos rojos son efecto del flash.

 

ENGLISH

Acherontia atropos is the most widely-known of the three species of Death's-head Hawkmoth. Found throughout the Middle East and the Mediterranean region, and increasingly as far north as southern Great Britain due to recently mild British winters, this moth is easily distinguishable from others in this region by a vaguely skull-shaped pattern on its back. A. atropos is also very large, with a wingspan of 90-130 mm (three to five inches), being the largest moth in some of the regions in which it is found. The adult has the typical streamlined wings and body of Sphingidae. The upper wings are brown with slight yellow wavy lines; the lower wings are yellow with some wide brown waves. It rests during the day on trees or in the litter, holding the wings like a tent over the body.

 

The moth also has numerous other unusual features. It has the ability to emit a loud squeak if irritated. The sound is produced by expelling air from its proboscis. It often accompanies this sound with flashing its brightly marked abdomen in a further attempt to deter its predators. It is commonly observed raiding beehives for honey at night. Unlike the other species of Acherontia, it only attacks colonies of the well-known Western honey bee, Apis mellifera. It is attacked by guard bees at the entrance, but the thick cuticle and resistance to venom allow it to enter the hive. It is able to move about in hives unmolested because it mimics the scent of the bees.

 

The skull pattern has helped the moth earn a negative reputation, such as associations with the supernatural and evil. Numerous superstitions claim that the moth brings bad luck to the house into which it flies: death or grave misfortune.

 

It has been featured in art (notably in The Hireling Shepherd), Bram Stoker's "Dracula" and in movies, notably in Un chien andalou and the promotional marquee posters for The Silence of the Lambs. In the latter film the moth is used as a calling card by the serial killer "Buffalo Bill", though the movie script refers to Acherontia styx, and the moths that appear in the film are Acherontia atropos. In The Mothman Prophecies this moth is referred to on more than a few occasions. It also appears in the music video to Massive Attack's single, "Butterfly Caught."

 

More info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acherontia_atropos

 

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CASTELLANO

La esfinge de la calavera o esfinge de la muerte (Acherontia atropos) es una especies de mariposa nocturna de la familia Sphingidae. Su nombre común alude al dibujo que tiene en el dorso del tórax y que se asemeja a una calavera humana.

 

La especie, originaria del África tropical, realiza migraciones periódicas al continente europeo. El resto de su extensión abarca desde Región Paleártica comprendiendo desde las islas Shetland y Lofoden hasta la Transcaucasia y norte de Irán llegando a alcanzar las Islas Azores.

 

En climas cálidos produce hasta dos generaciones (mayo-junio y agosto-septiembre); en climas más septentrionales tiene una sola generación. Se puede localizar desde el nivel del mar hasta alrededor de los 1.800 m.

 

De costumbres crepusculares y nocturnas, se alimenta de savia fermentada, miel y ciertas flores (Jasminium). Aunque su oruga es polífaga tiene especial predilección por las solanáceas.

 

Con un tamaño considerable, de 9-12 cm en las hembras, este esfíngido emite un zumbido agudo defensivo al ser atacado por sus predadores o al ser molestada al igual que las otras dos especies de Acherontia, Acherontia styx y Acherontia lachessis que habitan en Indonesia.

 

Archrontia atropos saltó a la fama a raíz del filme "El silencio de los corderos". Su dibujo le ha hecho ganar una reputación negativa, asociándose con fuerzas sobrenaturales malignas, por lo que ha sido presentada en películas como la anteriormente citada y "Un perro andaluz". Numerosas supersticiones afirman que este lepidóptero trae mala suerte a las casas a las que entra.

 

Los nombres de las especies átropos y styx se relacionan con conceptos asociados a la muerte. La primera se refiere a una de las parcas encargadas de cortar el hilo de la vida, en la mitología griega, y la segunda a la laguna Estigia que rodea la región de los muertos, en la misma mitología.

 

Más info: es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acherontia_atropos

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