.

Don't fall off! Not only will cats sleep in the darndest places, they will sleep in the darndest positions. Gone, but not forgotten.

Former Pennsylvania Railroad position light signals on the MS Buffalo LIne along the Susquehanna River at Dalmatia, Pennsylvania on April 29, 2011.

Semaj3.com

Best position, Explore, 14/03/2015 (#406)

Made Explore!! Highest position: 5 on Wednesday, September 24, 2008

(since we started tracking this statistic on April 19, 2006)

Thanks!!

See where this picture was taken. [?]

View On White

View On Black

EXPLORED! Highest position: 147 on Thursday, July 9, 2009

Still busy, these next two weeks will probably be even worse...

Getting stronger, on Thursday they scheduled me the final job interview (already succesfully passed through two) for a really interesting opportunity.

I will be meeting the General Manager of the company. Sounds good!

The shot

Another sunrise from my April Tuscany trip. Taken some minutes before "Tuscany Sunrise @75mm". Tighter crop, less contrasty.

I'm in love with that place.

The Processing

Photoshop: (SINGLE EXPOSURE)

- Duplicated the background layer, switched to soft light mode and applied a gradient mask (sky only)

- Switched to LAB mode and applied two curves to improve contrast and tones

- Back to RGB, added a vibrance layer to boost up minor tones

- Used color balance tool to improve colors

- Duplicated the background layer, switched to linear add and applied a gradient mask (foreground only)

- Created an Overlay layer to adjust light

- Resized

- Run Noise Ninja to reduce Noise

- Sharpening (Smart Sharpen + more accurate)

- Framing and signature.

Take a look at it, LARGE on Black :

The best is yet to come, on Black

@ You all

Comments, faves and critiques are always welcomed!

I wish you all a splendid sunday and a marvellous week ahead.

I will be checking your streams out tonight.

The remaining photos from my visit to 4 reserves earlier this week.

I use to visit this reserve far more often in the past. I was astonished at how many fritillaries were there - not common at all a few years ago. Most were dark green fritillaries but a few were silver-washed fritillaries. Very few settled at all.

This mating pair were never in a good position for photos but I was delighted to stumble across them.

Positioned where it is, it is much easier to go right through this tree, than to try & scale the steep slippery bank on one side, or negotiate the drop down to the creek on the other.

A couple of fishermen row their boat on the Nile during sunset.

Highest Flickr Explore Position #486 on 16th July 2007

SN/NC: Lilium Sp, Liliaceae Family

Lilies are very popular and hold the position of 5th best-selling flowers in the world. They have large, lanceolate, smooth leaves that are evenly distributed along the floral stem. The terminal flowers can be solitary or in groups, depending on the variety and are very fragrant, their shape can be flat, trumpet, calyx or turban. The colors of the flowers are also quite varied and the most common in cultivation are orange, yellow, white, red and pink, with or without dots.

The genus Lilium comprises more than 100 species distributed around the world, and about 55% of them are found in China and Japan. The most cultivated and used species in hybridizations are L. longiflorum, L. pumilum, L. regale, L. speciosum and L. auratum. Lilies are marketed as a cut flower and more recently in vases, however it can be grown in beds and massifs, as long as the periods and temperatures required by the bulbs are respected.

Os lírios são muito populares e guardam o posto de 5º lugar de flores mais vendidas no mundo. Eles apresentam folhas grandes, lanceoladas e lisas, uniformemente distribuídas ao longo da haste floral. As flores terminais, podem ser solitárias ou em grupos, dependendo da variedade e são muito perfumadas, seu formato pode ser plano, de trombeta, cálice ou turbante. As cores das flores também são bastante variadas e as mais comuns em cultivo são a laranja, a amarela, a branca, a vermelha e a rosa, com ou sem pontilhados.

O gênero Lilium compreende mais de 100 espécies distribuídas pelo mundo, sendo que cerca de 55% delas se encontra na China e no Japão. As espécies mais cultivadas e utilizadas em hibridizações são a L. longiflorum, L. pumilum, L. regale, L. speciosum e L. auratum. Os lírios são comercializados como flor-de-corte e mais recentemente em vasos, no entanto pode ser cultivado em canteiros e maciços, desde que sejam respeitados os períodos e temperaturas que os bulbos necessitam.

I gigli sono molto popolari e occupano la posizione di 5° fiore più venduto al mondo. Hanno foglie grandi, lanceolate e lisce distribuite uniformemente lungo lo stelo floreale. I fiori terminali possono essere solitari oa gruppi, a seconda della varietà e sono molto profumati, la loro forma può essere piatta, a tromba, a calice oa turbante. Anche i colori dei fiori sono abbastanza vari e quelli più diffusi in coltivazione sono l'arancione, il giallo, il bianco, il rosso e il rosa, con o senza puntini.

Il genere Lilium comprende più di 100 specie distribuite in tutto il mondo e circa il 55% di esse si trova in Cina e Giappone. Le specie più coltivate e utilizzate nelle ibridazioni sono L. longiflorum, L. pumilum, L. regale, L. speciosum e L. auratum. Il giglio è commercializzato come fiore reciso e più recentemente in vaso, tuttavia può essere coltivato in aiuole e massicci, purché vengano rispettati i periodi e le temperature richieste dai bulbi.

Les lys sont très populaires et occupent la position de 5e fleur la plus vendue au monde. Ils ont de grandes feuilles lancéolées et lisses uniformément réparties le long de la tige florale. Les fleurs terminales peuvent être solitaires ou groupées selon les variétés et sont très parfumées, leur forme peut être plate, en trompette, en calice ou en turban. Les couleurs des fleurs sont également assez variées et les plus courantes en culture sont l'orange, le jaune, le blanc, le rouge et le rose, avec ou sans points.

Le genre Lilium comprend plus de 100 espèces réparties dans le monde, et environ 55% d'entre elles se trouvent en Chine et au Japon. Les espèces les plus cultivées et utilisées dans les hybridations sont L. longiflorum, L. pumilum, L. regale, L. speciosum et L. auratum. Le lys est commercialisé en fleur coupée et plus récemment en vase, cependant il peut être cultivé en massifs et en massifs, à condition de respecter les périodes et les températures exigées par les bulbes.

Lelies zijn erg populair en staan ​​op de 5e plaats van best verkochte bloemen ter wereld. Ze hebben grote, lancetvormige, gladde bladeren die gelijkmatig over de bloemstengel zijn verdeeld. De eindbloemen kunnen solitair of in groepen zijn, afhankelijk van de variëteit en zijn zeer geurig, hun vorm kan plat, trompet, kelk of tulband zijn. De kleuren van de bloemen zijn ook heel gevarieerd en de meest voorkomende in de teelt zijn oranje, geel, wit, rood en roze, met of zonder stippen.

Het geslacht Lilium omvat meer dan 100 soorten die over de hele wereld zijn verspreid, en ongeveer 55% daarvan komt voor in China en Japan. De meest gekweekte en gebruikte soorten in hybridisaties zijn L. longiflorum, L. pumilum, L. regale, L. speciosum en L. auratum. Lelies worden op de markt gebracht als snijbloem en meer recentelijk in vazen, maar ze kunnen ook in bedden en massieven worden gekweekt, zolang de perioden en temperaturen die de bollen nodig hebben, worden gerespecteerd.

Los lirios son muy populares y ocupan el puesto de quinta flor más vendida en el mundo. Tienen hojas grandes, lanceoladas y lisas distribuidas uniformemente a lo largo del tallo floral. Las flores terminales pueden ser solitarias o en grupos, según la variedad y son muy olorosas, su forma puede ser plana, trompeta, cáliz o turbante. Los colores de las flores también son bastante variados y los más habituales en cultivo son el naranja, el amarillo, el blanco, el rojo y el rosa, con o sin puntos.

El género Lilium comprende más de 100 especies distribuidas por todo el mundo, y alrededor del 55% de ellas se encuentran en China y Japón. Las especies más cultivadas y utilizadas en hibridaciones son L. longiflorum, L. pumilum, L. regale, L. speciosum y L. auratum. Los lirios se comercializan como flor cortada y más recientemente en florero, sin embargo se puede cultivar en parterres y macizos, siempre que se respeten los periodos y temperaturas requeridas por los bulbos.

Lilien sind sehr beliebt und stehen auf Platz 5 der meistverkauften Blumen der Welt. Sie haben große, lanzettliche, glatte Blätter, die gleichmäßig entlang des Blütenstiels verteilt sind. Die Endblüten können je nach Sorte einzeln oder in Gruppen stehen und sind sehr duftend, ihre Form kann flach, trompeten-, kelch- oder turbanförmig sein. Auch die Farben der Blüten sind sehr unterschiedlich und in der Kultur am häufigsten vorkommend sind orange, gelb, weiß, rot und rosa, mit oder ohne Punkte.

Die Gattung Lilium umfasst mehr als 100 weltweit verbreitete Arten, von denen etwa 55 % in China und Japan vorkommen. Die am häufigsten kultivierten und in Hybridisierungen verwendeten Arten sind L. longiflorum, L. pumilum, L. regale, L. speciosum und L. auratum. Lilien werden als Schnittblumen und neuerdings auch in Vasen vermarktet, können aber auch in Beeten und Massiven angebaut werden, solange die für die Blumenzwiebeln erforderlichen Zeiträume und Temperaturen eingehalten werden.

Τα κρίνα είναι πολύ δημοφιλή και κατέχουν τη θέση των 5ων λουλουδιών με τις περισσότερες πωλήσεις στον κόσμο. Έχουν μεγάλα, λογχοειδή, λεία φύλλα ομοιόμορφα κατανεμημένα κατά μήκος του ανθικού στελέχους. Τα τερματικά άνθη μπορεί να είναι μοναχικά ή σε ομάδες, ανάλογα με την ποικιλία και είναι πολύ αρωματικά, το σχήμα τους μπορεί να είναι επίπεδα, τρομπέτα, κάλυκα ή τουρμπάνι. Τα χρώματα των λουλουδιών είναι επίσης αρκετά ποικίλα και τα πιο συνηθισμένα στην καλλιέργεια είναι το πορτοκαλί, το κίτρινο, το λευκό, το κόκκινο και το ροζ, με ή χωρίς βούλες.

Το γένος Lilium περιλαμβάνει περισσότερα από 100 είδη που διανέμονται σε όλο τον κόσμο και περίπου το 55% από αυτά βρίσκονται στην Κίνα και την Ιαπωνία. Τα πιο καλλιεργούμενα και χρησιμοποιούμενα είδη σε υβριδισμούς είναι τα L. longiflorum, L. pumilum, L. regale, L. speciosum και L. auratum. Τα κρίνα κυκλοφορούν στο εμπόριο ως κομμένο άνθος και πιο πρόσφατα σε βάζα, ωστόσο μπορούν να καλλιεργηθούν σε παρτέρια και ορεινούς όγκους, αρκεί να τηρούνται οι περίοδοι και οι θερμοκρασίες που απαιτούν οι βολβοί.

ユリは非常に人気があり、世界で5番目に売れている花の位置を占めています。それらは、花の茎に沿って均等に分布している大きくて、槍状の、滑らかな葉を持っています。末端の花は、品種に応じて、単独またはグループで、非常に香りがよく、フラット、トランペット、カリックス、またはターバンの形をとることができます。花の色も非常に多様で、栽培で最も一般的なのは、ドットの有無にかかわらず、オレンジ、黄色、白、赤、ピンクです。

ユリ属は世界中に分布する100種以上で構成されており、その約55％が中国と日本で見られます。ハイブリダイゼーションで最も栽培され使用されている種は、テッポウユリ、テッポウユリ、テッポウユリ、テッポウユリ、テッポウユリです。ユリは切り花として販売されており、最近では花瓶で販売されていますが、球根に必要な期間と温度が尊重されている限り、ベッドや山塊で栽培することができます。

تحظى الزنابق بشعبية كبيرة وتحتل المرتبة الخامسة بين الزهور الأكثر مبيعًا في العالم. لديهم أوراق كبيرة ، رمحية الشكل ، ناعمة موزعة بالتساوي على طول الساق الزهرية. يمكن أن تكون الأزهار الطرفية منفردة أو في مجموعات ، اعتمادًا على التنوع وتكون عطرة جدًا ، ويمكن أن يكون شكلها مسطحًا أو بوقًا أو كأسًا أو عمامة. تتنوع ألوان الأزهار أيضًا كثيرًا والأكثر شيوعًا في الزراعة هي البرتقالي والأصفر والأبيض والأحمر والوردي ، مع أو بدون نقاط.

يتألف جنس Lilium من أكثر من 100 نوع موزعة حول العالم ، وتوجد حوالي 55٪ منها في الصين واليابان. أكثر الأنواع زراعة واستخدامًا في عمليات التهجين هي L. longiflorum و L. pumilum و L. regale و L. speciosum و L. auratum. يتم تسويق الزنابق على أنها زهرة مقطوفة ومؤخراً في المزهريات ، ومع ذلك يمكن زراعتها في الأسرة والكتل ، طالما يتم احترام الفترات ودرجات الحرارة التي تتطلبها المصابيح.

Highest Explore Position #95 ~ On Friday 20th March 2015.

Hawaiian Gosling (Nene) ~ London Wetland Centre ~ Barnes ~ Hammersmith ~ London ~ England ~ 18th March 2015.

Click here to see My most interesting images

Purchase some of my images here ~ www.saatchionline.com/art/view/artist/24360/art/1259239 ~ Should you so desire...go on, make me rich..lol...Oh...and if you see any of the images in my stream that you would like and are not there, then let me know and I'll add them to the site for you..:))

You can also buy my WWT cards here (The Otter and the Sunset images) or in the shop at the Wetland Centre in Barnes ~ London ~ www.wwt.org.uk/shop/catalogue.asp?Page=1&CatID=182

Well yesterday I was mostly at the London Wetland Centre again, where I saw these little chaps.:) They now have some Hawaiian Goslings, which they are trying to bring back from the brink of extinction, I have never seen them before, let alone knew they were endangered...:(

Anyhoo...I also managed to capture loads of ducks doing what comes naturally...thus proving Spring has most definitely sprung...images to follow in the coming days.:)

Nene (Hawaiian Goose) ~ From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ~ The nene (Branta sandvicensis), also known as nēnē and Hawaiian goose, is a species of goose endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. The official bird of the state of Hawaiʻi, the nene is exclusively found in the wild on the islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi.

The Hawaiian name nēnē comes from its soft call. The species name sandvicensis refers to the Sandwich Islands, an old name for the Hawaiian Islands.

Evolution ~ ~ It is thought that the nene evolved from the Canada goose (Branta canadensis), which most likely arrived on the Hawaiian islands about 500,000 years ago, shortly after the island of Hawaiʻi was formed. This ancestor is the progenitor of the nene as well as the prehistoric Giant Hawaiʻi goose and nēnē-nui (Branta hylobadistes). The nēnē-nui was larger than the nene, varied from flightless to flighted depending on the individual, and inhabited the island of Maui. Similar fossil geese found on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi may be of the same species. The Giant Hawaiʻi goose was restricted to the island of Hawaiʻi and measured 1.2 m (3.9 ft) in length with a mass of 8.6 kg (19 lb), making it more than four times larger than the nene. It is believed that the herbivorous Giant Hawaiʻi goose occupied the same ecological niche as the goose-like ducks known as moa-nalo, which were not present on the Big Island. Based on mitochondrial DNA found in fossils, all Hawaiian geese, living and dead, are closely related to the giant Canada goose (B. c. maxima) and dusky Canada goose (B. c. occidentalis).

Description ~ The nene is a medium-sized goose at 41 cm (16 in) tall. Although they spend most of their time on the ground, they are capable of flight, with some individuals flying daily between nesting and feeding areas. Some are born without the ability to fly. Females have a mass of 1.525–2.56 kg (3.36–5.64 lb), while males average 1.695–3.05 kg (3.74–6.72 lb), 11% larger than females. Adult males have a black head and hindneck, buff cheeks and heavily furrowed neck. The neck has black and white diagonal stripes. Aside from being smaller, the female nene is similar to the male in colouration. The adult's bill, legs and feet are black. It has soft feathers under its chin. Goslings resemble the male, but are a duller brown and with less demarcation between the colours of the head and neck, and striping and barring effects are much reduced. The bill, legs and feet are the same as for the adult. Its strong toes are padded and have reduced webbing, an adaptation that allows it to swiftly traverse rough terrain such as lava plains.

Habitat and range ~ The nene is an inhabitant of shrubland, grassland, coastal dunes, and lava plains, and related anthropogenic habitats such as pasture and golf courses from sea level to as much as 2,400 m (7,900 ft). Some populations migrated between lowland breeding grounds and montane foraging areas.

The nene could at one time be found on the islands of Hawaiʻi, Maui, Kahoʻolawe, Lānaʻi, Molokaʻi, and Kauaʻi. Today, its range is restricted to Hawaiʻi, Maui, Molokaʻi, and KauaʻI. A pair arrived at the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge on Oʻahu in January 2014; two of their offspring survived and are seen regularly on the nearby golf courses at Turtle Bay Resort.

Breeding ~ The breeding season of the nene, from August to April, is longer than that of any other goose; most eggs are laid between November and January. Unlike most other waterfowl, the nene mates on land. Nests are built by females on a site of their choosing, in which one to five eggs are laid (average is three on Maui and Hawaiʻi, four on Kauaʻi). Females incubate the eggs for 29 to 32 days, while the male acts as a sentry. Goslings are precocial, able to feed on their own; they remain with their parents until the following breeding season.

Diet ~ The nene is a herbivore that will either graze or browse, depending on the availability of vegetation. Food items include the leaves, seeds, fruit, and flowers of grasses and shrubs.

Conservation ~ The nene is the world's rarest goose. It is believed that it was once common, with approximately 25,000 Hawaiian geese living in Hawaiʻi when Captain James Cook arrived in 1778. Hunting and introduced predators, such as small Asian mongooses, pigs, and cats, reduced the population to 30 birds by 1952. The species breeds well in captivity, and has been successfully re-introduced; in 2004, it was estimated that there were 800 birds in the wild, as well as 1000 in wildfowl collections and zoos. However, there is some concern of inbreeding due to the small initial population of birds. The nature reserve WWT Slimbridge, in England, was instrumental in the successful breeding of Hawaiian geese in captivity. Under the direction of the leading conservationist Peter Scott, it was bred back from the brink of extinction during the 1950s for later re-introduction into the wild in Hawaiʻi. There are still Hawaiian geese at Slimbridge today. They can now be found in captivity in every WWT centre. Successful introductions include Haleakala and Piʻiholo ranches on Maui. The nene population stands at 2500 birds.

State bird ~ The nene is the state bird of Hawaii. It is also the rarest state bird.

Highest Explore Position #250 ~ On January 30th 2009.

Baby L'hoest Monkey - Colchester Zoo, Colchester, Essex, England - Monday 26th January 2009.

Click here to see the Larger image

Click here to see My most interesting images

Well, thanks to all those that prayed for a West Ham win yesterday, lol...because we only went and won 2-0...mind you, it should have been 10-0!!!!

We missed numerous chances and a penalty!!!..OH..well, a wins a win I guess...and puts us in joint 7th position in the Premiere league...European football anybody...lol..:O))

Anyhoo, I'm off to Colchester again for another long weekend..:O))

I won't be back until late Staurday night, so I hope to visit all your wonderful streams on Sunday...:O))

The weather men say that we are going to have the coldest February for Thirteen years, and could have snow here on Monday and Tuesday next week....here's hoping..:O))

Anyhoo, If I don't see you before, I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and you also have an awesome Weekend..:O)))

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ~ L'Hoest's Monkey (Cercopithecus lhoesti), or Mountain Monkey, is a guenon found in the upper eastern Congo basin. They mostly live in mountainous forest areas in small, female-dominated groups. They have a dark coat and can be distinguished by a characteristic white beard.

Population ~ L'Hoest's Monkey occurs in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, and western Uganda. It is a forest monkey, which is typical of the moist and high primary forests. It will occupy a range of different kinds of forested areas, including gallery forest, mature lowland rain forests, wooded savanna at mountain slopes, and forest borders. However, it also will live on cultivated lands. In lowland forests it shows a preference toward areas where the forest is regenerating, while in mountain areas it will frequent the mature, tangled, undergrowth below the broken canopy. One study found this population only above 900 m (2950 ft) but another found it as low as 610 m (2000 ft). Another mostly observed it from 1500 to 2500 m (4900-8200 ft). They make their homes in remarkable nests in trees.

Behavior ~ C. lhoesti lives in fairly small groups dominated by females and have only a single male. The females are usually related, while the male stays only a couple of weeks or at most a couple of years. The adult male will make very loud and distinct calls. They are active during the day, mostly during early morning and late afternoon. They sleep in trees in a sitting position, usually either holding branches or each other. When they are alarmed or see they are being observed they will flee and take shelter in trees, and after become very still. They are mostly terrestrial.

Breeding ~ L'Hoest's Monkey breeds seasonally, with the timing depending on the area. After about a five month gestation period, a single young will be born. The mother gives birth typically at night and where ever she happens to be at the time. Birth usually occurs at the end of the dry season, which allows lactation when rainfall is highest. She will eat the placenta and lick the baby clean while it hangs onto to her belly. The other females in the group will show much interest in the newborn and will try to hold it. After a few months nursing becomes less frequent, but will continue for about two years when there is another birth. When male offspring reach sexual maturity they will leave the group.In captivity they have been known to live for more than 30 years.

Diet ~ In the wild C. lhoesti is primarily an herbivore, which will mostly eat fruit, mushrooms, herbs, roots, and leaves. However, it will also occasionally eat eggs, lizards, and small birds.

Physical characteristics ~ C. lhoesti has a short, dark brown coat, with a chestnut color across the back and a dark belly. Its cheeks are light gray with a pale moustache. It has a characteristic and prominent white bib, In body length it is 12.5 to 27 inches, with a 19 to 39 inch tail.[9] The male weighs about 6 kg, while the smaller female weighs 3.5 kg. Its tail is long and hook-shaped at the end. They are born fully-coated and with their eyes open.

1927

Stunning illustration as well, so clean and simple, with lovely hand drawn type.

Highest position: 400 on Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Nankeen Kestrel

(You can actually see three gun positions in this shot)

I come to like this place. It's a great place most of the year and you always find new angles or different light to shoot.

Thanks for stopping by.

All comments are appreciated.

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Photographed from mid-town Toronto (Canada) at 17.46 EST

(Moon altitude: 13.8° | Sun 9.2° below the horizon)

* Temperature 5° C.

November is a difficult month to photograph the waxing crescent Moon in the northern hemisphere, because the ecliptic (the apparent path of the Sun, the Moon and the planets across the sky) makes a shallow angle with the horizon at sunset, so the Moon is very low in the sky as twilight deepens.

For this photo I had to set up across the street in a neighbour's driveway and position the tripod and camera in exactly the right spot to get some foreground trees while avoiding power lines, houses and street lights.

Above and to the left of the Moon is the 6.5-magnitude star SAO 160909. Below the Moon and a little to its right is the 6.9-magnitude star SAO 160868. Both stars are in the constellation Sagittarius

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Technical information:

Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD lens on Nikon D810 camera body; mounted on Manfrotto 057CF tripod with Kirk Enterprises ball head.

600 mm focal length

ISO 640; 0.625 sec. exposure at f/11

(with LENR - long exposure noise reduction)

Processed in Photoshop CS6 (brightness, contrast)

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Apply now for the position of Senior Account Executive t.co/n1b1mhpbGU (via Twitter twitter.com/AleantLLC/status/812055286689255425)

Highest position: 200 on Sunday, February 17, 2008

Topkapi Palace Museum-Treasure of Army

I am not sure that it was used by someone or it was a gift for King.it shows up in treasure of army.it is unique and very valuable.

This piece was also a progression of a character. I used this model in order to practice hand drawing skills in different positions.

(H)

#92 Highest Position In Explore

Model : [ ҒåĦōθōЙ ]

Taken In : Brighton

Wow =D .. Now That's What I'd Call A CRAZY Friend =P .. Just Like Me ! ..

You Know, When We Were In Brighton .. I Never Missed A Day Of School ..

Exept When Fahood Came To Brighton And Stayed In Our House ..

He Stayed For 2 Days .. And They Were The BEST I Had In Brighton ! ..

The 2nd Day, We Were Just Back From The Train Station

And We Found Out That There Weren't Any more Trains To London ..

Fahood Stayed With Me 4 Another Night .. And Boy Was It GREAT ! ..

He Was Tired =P And I Was Too ..

From The Moment We Arrived @ 11 PM, I Asked Him If He Wants To Play Cards With Me ..

He Told Me That He Wanted To Sleep .. And I Said It's Ok ..

And From That Moment Till 5 AM, We Were Talking In BED !! ..

=D We Had A BLAST ! I Don't Think That I've EVER Given Away Many Of my Secrets In Such Short Time !

And The Same Goes For Him ! ..

Then @ 5 AM, We Went Out And Walked In Brighton Shooting Photos =D ..

And That Was One Of Them ^^ ..

=) He's A Wonderful Guy & I'm Proud That I Know Him ^^ God Knows He's Like A Brother To Me Now ! ..

And A Crazy One Too ! And That - At Least For Me - ROCKS !! ..

=D Of Course He's Still In London ^^" ..

And I'll Be Waiting 4 Him To Come Back =D And We'll Have Another Blast Here, Hopefully ^^" ..

=D Anyway .. So I Hope He Likes The Shot, And You Do Too ^^" ..

Thanks For Being A Great Model Fahood =D And A Friend ^_^ ..

,

,

Cheers..

View On Black

View LARGE On Black

I was fortunate to get off work early a few days ago so I high-tailed it down to the Central Meadow. This was one of the scenes from off the trail at Chambers Bay Golf Course. Loved the tug at twilight, but loved finding a seagull in the finished product more! :-)

This is a hand-held, 3 exposure, -2/0/+2, HDR tonemapped with Photomatix and further processed with PhotoShop Elements 3 and Microsoft Picture it! 10 Premium. I liked the dream-like quality of the final results. :-)

Added to EXPLORE for Aug. 29th 2008. Highest position: #324

巴基斯坦－Gilgit-Baltistan地区－喀喇昆仑中央国家公园－Biafo Hispar Snow Lake徒步－翻越Hispar垭口

Trekker and porter crossing dangerous crevasses on snow covered Hispar Pass, during Biafo Hispar Snow Lake trek, in Central Karakoram National Park, Gilgit-Baltistan region, northern Pakistan.

Hispar Pass (or Hispar La) (el. 5,128 m./16,824 ft.) is a high-altitude, non-technical mountain pass in the Karakoram Range in Pakistan. At the pass, the Biafo Glacier (63 km. long) and Hispar Glacier (49 km long) meet to form the world's longest glacial traverse outside of the polar regions, 100 kilometers in length..

© All rights reserved. You may not use this photo in website, blog or any other media without my explicit permission.

This made EXPLORE August 30, 2008 in position #413. Highest position #215

Thanks for the vote of confidence Sally

View a video of the storm here: bit.ly/1m9aJFY

This visible image of the winter storm over the U.S. south and East Coast was taken by NOAA's GOES-13 satellite on Feb. 12 at 1855 UTC/1:55 p.m. EST. Snow covered ground can be seen over the Great Lakes region and Ohio Valley.

On February 12 at 10 a.m. EST, NOAA's National Weather Service or NWS continued to issue watches and warnings from Texas to New England. Specifically, NWS cited Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories were in effect from eastern Texas eastward across the interior section of southeastern U.S. states and across much of the eastern seaboard including the Appalachians. Winter storm watches are in effect for portions of northern New England as well as along the western slopes of northern and central Appalachians. For updates on local forecasts, watches and warnings, visit NOAA's www.weather.gov webpage.

NOAA's Weather Prediction Center or WPC noted the storm is expected to bring "freezing rain spreading into the Carolinas, significant snow accumulations are expected in the interior Mid-Atlantic states tonight into Thursday and ice storm warnings and freezing rain advisories are in effect across much of central Georgia.

GOES satellites provide the kind of continuous monitoring necessary for intensive data analysis. Geostationary describes an orbit in which a satellite is always in the same position with respect to the rotating Earth. This allows GOES to hover continuously over one position on Earth's surface, appearing stationary. As a result, GOES provide a constant vigil for the atmospheric "triggers" for severe weather conditions such as tornadoes, flash floods, hail storms and hurricanes.

For updated information about the storm system, visit NOAA's WPC website;

www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/

For more information about GOES satellites, visit:

www.goes.noaa.gov/ or goes.gsfc.nasa.gov/

Rob Gutro

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Credit: NOAA/NASA GOES Project

NASA image use policy.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.

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Socialising our two moor bred Exmoor foals, Speedwell and Pippin, is a time consuming but very worthwhile experience!! That's why I'm so out of touch here at the moment, but they're definitely absolutely worth every minute :o)

This was Speedwell calmly accepting me gently touching her rump on Saturday,

as you can see she was in a position where she could have very easily have moved away - she had watched Pippin getting himself all worked up before he allowed this and she thought she'd show him how to do it ;o)

some more of them below... and you can read all about them in this blog!

www.exmoorponyclub.co.uk/index.php?/blog/11-moorland-exmo...

Mobility at the National Memorial Arboretum 3 of 3.

A constant stream of people attending the Remembrance Day service.

Now that we have the Sentinel-1B safely in the ‘high bay’ at Europe’s Spaceport near Kourou in French Guiana, or Centre Spatial Guyanais, CGS, as it’s known locally, the campaign to prepare the satellite for liftoff on 22 April has started in earnest.

On Friday, one of the first jobs was to position the satellite on the tilting table in preparation for testing. We also unpacked and set up the electrical ground support equipment in the ‘checkout room’.

Credit: ESA

Read more here.

Only listed as a Historic Landmark in 1993, the Saint Gunthiern chapel hides at the deep end of a private property, near River Blavet and the hamlet of Locoyarn, not too far from the town of Hennebont in the département of Morbihan. No one knows it’s there, and I would like to thank Messrs. Jean-Pierre Henry and Emmanuel Jaffré for letting me access and photograph it.

The chapel first appears as modest; built in small to medium apparel, essentially with local pebbles, squared off as one could with little knowledge and imperfect tools, at the hands of people more used to sickle and scythe, working under the loose supervision of a simple mason. Only the corner stones and those framing the doors and the rare windows have been cut, the rest were simply put together with lots of mortar. Nevertheless, the construction is robust, even massive. It was built to last, and last it did for almost a thousand years, as the oldest parts are from the early 1000s, possibly even a little before Year 1000. Archaisms abound, as the photos will show.

The chapel is dedicated to the Welsh saint Gunthiern, come to live a hermit’s life on the island of Groix, off the coast of Morbihan. It is very interesting, as it features, in an extremely faithful manner (given the alterations of subsequent centuries), a Roman basilica floor plan with three naves, of a surprising size for a domus Dei so isolated nowadays. The choice of such a floor plan denotes an architectural culture and a historical background beyond that of the simple mason I mentioned above; therefore, we should not hesitate to add a qualified architect to the team, at least for the drawing of the plans.

Inside, if it seems possible to date the choir and the side walls to Year 1000 or so, it appears obvious that the walls above the high arches that separate the main nave from the aisles, have been remodeled later during the Romanesque Age: their apparel is of much better quality, allowing for the opening, maybe around 1120–50, of the high windows that did not exist earlier. Was this remodeling caused by structural deformations? It is possible, because although this church was, without a doubt, never vaulted, the triumphal arch has also been subjected to marked skewing, as the photos will also show. Generally, the reason behind such a phenomenon, when not the weight of the vault, would be unstable terrain.

The Saint Gunthiern chapel is sparsely decorated. One of the photos, featuring the eastern end of the southern aisle, gives a good idea of what this church looked like originally: simple and functional... with, however, unusual traces of sophistication, such as the engaged small column that stands right nearby, in sharp contrast with the rustic apsidiole and the widely splayed little window, so typical of what has been called “the First Romanesque Art”.

Likewise, the nave is devoid of any sculpted decor, but one can find, on one of the pillars, a naive and touching Crucifixion which transports us back through the night of times to the very early days of Christianity, including the positioning of the arms of Christ which are set in the traditional attitude of the very old “orants”, or praying figures...

Besides that naïve depiction, which attests to the purest faith, unmitigated by any æstheticism, the nave is bare, as one would expect —and here, I purposefully discard the two Romanesque capitals added later to support the triumphal arch. Except that... and in the same vein as the remark I made above about the slim engaged column next to the southern apsidiole, the easternmost row of the nave is punctuated by two surprising and very unusual square columns, cut in a beveled manner, with bases decorated with motifs more Pagan than anything else, and crowned by sculpted capitals featuring strange monsters or frieze-like geometric motifs...

Next to the other six pillars of the nave, those two demonstrate a level of originality and sophistication difficult to explain, as mysterious in their inspiration as they are in the technical expertise they required, which appears nowhere else in the monument, very far from that...

Showcased by the deep woods that surround it, this little chapel is a humble abode of God and a place of quiet meditation and prayer, but it also retains riddles to which we will never in this world know the answer...

The length of the nave, looking to the east. Light was very scarce inside, hence the necessity for a 30-second exposure. Traces of humidity are everywhere, although the monument is well ventilated (and not so well protected against entrance and colonization by bats!), but it stands in a hollow and wooded place, near a river...

Classic view of Knaresborough, in North Yorkshire, looking down from the castle towards the River Nidd.

A Northern rail service, recently arrived from Leeds, is on the 1851 built viaduct whilst shunting before making a return journey.

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Pole position

Shot on Fuji Natura 1600 at EI 800

Color negative film in 35mm format

Overexposed one stop

Pole positionShot on Fuji Natura 1600 at EI 800.Color negative film in 35mm format.Overexposed one stop.

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Read on at: emulsive.org/photography/35mm-format/pole-position-shot-o...

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Filed under: #35mmformat, #Photography,

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House in the south of Oban.

They all look the same, dress the same way, use the same facial expressions and body language but each will tell you he's "doing his own thing" Interactions, mirroring consists of the parent imitating the infant's expressions while vocalizing the emotion implied by the expression. This imitation helps the infant to associate the emotion with their expression, as well as feel validated in their own emotions as the parent shows approval through imitation. Studies have demonstrated that mirroring is an important part of child and infant development. According to Kohut's theories of self-psychology, individuals need a sense of validation and belonging in order to establish their concepts of self. When parents mirror their infants, the action may help the child develop a greater sense of self-awareness and self-control, as they can see their emotions within their parent's faces. Additionally, infants may learn and experience new emotions, facial expressions, and gestures by mirroring expressions that their parents utilize. The process of mirroring may help infants establish connections of expressions to emotions and thus promote social communication later in life. Infants also learn to feel secure and valid in their own emotions through mirroring, as the parent's imitation of their emotions may help the child recognize their own thoughts and feelings more readily.When we meet others for the first time, we need to assess quickly whether they are positive or negative towards us, just as most other animals do for survival reasons. We do this by scanning the other person's body to see if they will move or gesture the same way we do in what is known as 'mirroring'. We mirror each other's body language as a way of bonding, being accepted and creating rapport, but we are usually oblivious to the fact that we are doing it. In ancient times, mirroring was also a social device which helped our ancestors fit in successfully with larger groups; it is also a left-over from a primitive method of learning which involved imitation.Additionally, individuals are likely to mirror the person of higher status or power within the situation. Mirroring individuals of higher power may create an illusion of higher status, or create rapport with the individual in power, thus allowing the person to gain favor with the individual in power. This mechanism may be helpful for individuals in situations where they are in a position of bargaining with an individual who possesses more power, as the rapport that mirroring creates may help to persuade the higher status individual to help the person of lower status. These situations include job interviews, other work situations such as requesting promotions, parent-child interactions, and asking professors for favors. Each of these situations involve one party who is in a more powerless position for bargaining, and another party who has the ability to fulfill the person of lower status's needs, but may not necessarily wish to. Thus, mirroring can be a useful tool for individuals of lower status in order to persuade the other party to relinquish goods or privileges for the lower status party.Mirroring generally takes place subconsciously as individuals react with the situation. Mirroring is common in conversation, as the listeners will typically smile or frown along with the speaker, as well as imitate body posture or attitude about the topic. Individuals may be more willing to empathize with and accept people whom they believe hold similar interests and beliefs, and thus mirroring the person with whom one is speaking may establish connections between the individuals involved.

One of the most noticeable forms of mirroring is yawning - one person starts and it sets everyone off. Dr. Robert Provine found that yawning is so contagious you don't even need to see another person yawn - the sight of a wide-open mouth is enough to do it. It was once thought that the purpose of yawning was to oxygenate the body but we now know that it's a form of mirroring that serves to create rapport with others and to avoid aggression - just as it also does for this pictured boat and yawning building.

Wearing the same outfit as another woman is a mirroring no-no. But if two men show up at a party wearing the same outfit, they could become lifelong friends.

Non-verbally, mirroring says 'Look at me; I'm the same as you. I feel the same way and share the same attitudes.' This is why people at a rock concert will all jump to their feet and applaud simultaneously or give a 'Mexican Wave' together. The synchronicity of the crowd promotes a secure feeling in the participants. Similarly, people in an angry mob will mirror aggressive attitudes and this explains why many usually calm people can lose their cool in this situation.

The urge to mirror is also the basis on which a queue works. In a queue, people willingly co-operate with people they have never met and will never see again, obeying an unwritten set of behavioral rules while waiting for a bus, at an art gallery, in a bank or side by side in war. Professor Joseph Heinrich from the University of Michigan found that the urges to mirror others are hardwired into the brain because co-operation leads to more food, better health and economic growth for communities. It also offers an explanation as to why societies that are highly disciplined in mirroring, such as the British, Germans and ancient Romans successfully dominated the world for many years. Mirroring the other person's body language and appearance shows a united front and doesn't let either get one-up on the other

Mirroring makes others feel 'at ease'. It's such a powerful rapport-building tool that slow-motion video research reveals that it even extends to simultaneous blinking, nostril-flaring, eyebrow-raising and even pupil dilation, which is remarkable as these micro-gestures cannot be consciously imitated.

Creating the Right Vibes

Studies into synchronous body language behavior show that people who feel similar emotions, or are on the same wavelength and are likely to be experiencing a rapport, will also begin to match each other's body language and expressions. Being 'in sync' to bond with another person begins early in the womb when our body functions and heartbeat match the rhythm of our mother, so mirroring is a state to which we are naturally inclined.

When a couple are in the early stages of courtship it's common to see them behave with synchronous movements, almost as if they are dancing. For example, when a woman takes a mouthful of food the man wipes the corner of his mouth; or he begins a sentence and she finishes it for him. When she gets PMT, he develops a strong desire for chocolate; and when she feels bloated, he farts.

When a person says 'the vibes are right' or that they 'feel right' around another person, they are unknowingly referring to mirroring and synchronous behavior. For example, at a restaurant, one person can be reluctant to eat or drink alone for fear of being out of sync with the others. When it comes to ordering the meal, each may check with the others before ordering. 'What are you having?' they ask as they try to mirror their meals. This is one of the reasons why playing background music during a date is so effective - the music gets a couple to beat and tap in time together. Mirroring on a Cellular Level

American heart surgeon, Dr Memhet Oz, reported some remarkable findings from heart recipients. He found that, as with most other body organs, the heart appears to retain cellular memories, and this allows some patients to experience some of the emotions experienced by the heart donor. Even more remarkably, he found some recipients also assume the same gestures and posture of the donor even though they have never seen the donor. His conclusion was that it appears that the heart cells instruct the recipient's brains to take on the donor's body language. Conversely, people suffering from disorders such as autism have no ability to mirror or match the behavior of others, which makes it difficult for two-way communication with others. The same goes for drunk people whose gestures are out of sync with their words, making it impossible for any mirroring to occur.

Because of the phenomenon of cause and effect, if you intentionally assume certain body language positions you will begin to experience the emotions associated with those gestures. For example, if you feel confident, you may unconsciously assume the Steeple gesture to reflect your confidence, but if you intentionally Steeple you will not only begin to feel more confident, others will perceive that you're confident. This, then, becomes a powerful way to create a rapport with others by intentionally matching their body language and posture.

Mirroring Differences Between Men and Women

Geoffrey Beattie, at the University of Manchester, found that a woman is instinctively four times more likely to mirror another woman than a man is to mirror another man. He also found that women mirror men's body language too, but men are reluctant to mirror a woman's gestures or posture - unless he is in courtship mode.

When a woman says she can 'see' that someone doesn't agree with the group opinion she is actually 'seeing' the disagreement. She's picked up that someone's body language is out of sync with group opinion and they are showing their disagreement by not mirroring the group's body language. How women can 'see' disagreement, anger, lying or feeling hurt has always been a source of amazement to most men. It's because most men's brains are simply not well equipped to read the fine detail of others' body language and don't consciously notice mirroring discrepancies.

Men and women's brains are programmed differently to express emotions through facial expressions and body language. Typically, a woman can use an average of six main facial expressions in a ten-second listening period to reflect and then feed back the speaker's emotions. Her face will mirror the emotions being expressed by the speaker. To someone watching, it can look as if the events being discussed are happening to both women.

A woman reads the meaning of what is being said through the speaker's voice tone and his emotional condition through his body language. This is exactly what a man needs to do to capture a woman's attention and to keep her interested and listening. Most men are daunted by the prospect of using facial feedback while listening, but it pays big dividends for the man who becomes good at it.

Some men say 'She'll think I'm effeminate!', but research with these techniques shows that when a man mirrors a woman's facial expressions as she talks she will describe him as caring, intelligent, interesting and attractive.

Men, on the other hand, can make fewer than a third of the facial expressions a woman can make. Men usually hold expressionless faces, especially in public, because of the evolutionary need to withhold emotion to stave off possible attack from strangers and to appear to be in control of their emotions. This is why most men look as if they are statues when they listen.

The emotionless mask that men wear while listening allows them to feel in control of the situation, but does not mean men don't experience emotions. Brain scans reveal that men can feel emotion as strongly as women, but avoid showing it publicly.

What to Do About It if You're Female

The key to mirroring a man's behavior is in understanding that he doesn't use his face to signal his attitudes - he uses his body. Most women find it difficult to mirror an expressionless man but with males this is not required. If you're a woman, it means that you need to reduce your facial expressions so that you don't come across as overwhelming or intimidating. Most importantly, don't mirror what you think he might be feeling. That can be disastrous if you've got it wrong and you may be described as 'dizzy' or 'scatterbrained'. Women in business who listen with a more serious face are described by men as more intelligent, astute and sensible.

When Men and Women Start to Look Alike

When two people live together for a long time and have a good working relationship, they often begin to look alike. This is because they are constantly mirroring each other's facial expressions, which, over time, builds muscle definition in the same areas of the face. Even couples who don't look facially similar can appear similar in a photograph because they use the same smile.

n 2000, psychologist Dr John Gottman of the University of Washington, Seattle, and his colleagues, discovered that marriages are more likely to fail when one partner not only does not mirror the other's expressions of happiness, but instead shows expressions of contempt. Instead, this opposite behavior affects the smiling partner, even when they are not consciously aware of what is happening.

Do We Resemble Our Pets?

You can also see mirroring occur in the pets some people choose. Without realizing it, we unconsciously tend to favor pets that physically resemble us, or that appear to reflect our attitudes. To demonstrate the point, here are a couple of examples: too far and presume that our model of body language and social interpretation applies to a dog's body language.

Be careful however not to extrapolate the metaphor too far and presume that our model of body language and social interpretation applies to a dog's body language.

Monkey See, Monkey Do

The next time you attend a social function or go to a place where people meet and interact, notice the number of people who have taken the identical gestures and posture of the person with whom they're talking. Mirroring is the way one person tells another that he is in agreement with his ideas and attitudes. One is non-verbally saying to the other, 'As you can see, I think the same as you.' The person with the highest status often makes the first moves and the others copy, usually in pecking order.

In the image above it is apparent by virtue of the facial expressions and other body language that there is a good rapport between the US President's wife Michelle Obama, of informally superior status, and a university president. If Michelle changes her body posture, one might expect there is a reasonably good chance the gentleman will unconsciously emulate her posture, indirectly demonstrating they are of the same mind. Mirroring happens among friends or between people of the same status and it is common to see married couples walk, stand, sit and move in identical ways. Albert Scheflen found that people who are strangers studiously avoid holding mirror positions.

Matching Voices

Intonation, voice inflection, speed of speaking and even accents also synchronize during the mirroring process to further establish mutual attitudes and build rapport. This is known as 'pacing' and it can almost seem as if the two people are singing in tune. You will often see a speaker beating time with his hands while the listener matches the rhythm with head nods. As a relationship grows over time, the mirroring of the main body language positions becomes less as each person begins to anticipate the other's attitudes, and vocal pacing with the other person becomes a main medium for maintaining rapport.

Never speak at a faster rate than the other person. Studies reveal that others describe feeling 'pressured' when someone speaks more quickly than they do. A person's speed of speech shows the rate at which their brain can consciously analyze information. Speak at the same rate or slightly slower than the other person and mirror their inflection and intonation. Pacing is critical when attempting to make appointments by telephone because voice is your only communication medium.

Intentionally Creating Rapport

The significance of mirroring is one of the most important body language lessons you can learn because it's a clear way in which others tell us that they agree with us or like us. It is also a way for us to tell others that we like them, by simply mirroring their body language.

If a boss wants to develop a rapport and create a relaxed atmosphere with a nervous employee, he could copy the employee's posture to achieve this end. Similarly, an up-and-coming employee may be seen copying his boss's gestures in an attempt to show agreement when the boss is giving his opinion. Using this knowledge, it is possible to influence others by mirroring their positive gestures and posture. This has the effect of putting the other person in a receptive and relaxed frame of mind, because he can 'see' that you understand his point of view. Before you mirror someone's body language, however, you must take into consideration your relationship with that person. Let's say, for example, a corporate employee has asked for a pay rise and is called into his manager's office. The employee enters the office, the manager asks him to sit down and assumes the Catapult with a Figure-Four showing the employee a superior, dominant attitude. But what would happen if the subordinate then instinctively copied the manager's dominant body language while discussing the potential salary increase? A boss might perceive a subordinate's mirroring behavior as being pushy or impertinent

Even if the employee's manner of speaking and phrasing was typical of a subordinate, the manager could feel affronted by the employee's body language, placing the employee's pay increase request in doubt and perhaps posing a threat to his future promotability. Mirroring is also effective for intimidating or disarming people who deem themselves 'superior' and try to take control of situations. Accountants, lawyers and managers are notorious for using superiority body language clusters around people they consider inferior. By mirroring, you can disconcert them and force a change of position. But never do it to the boss. Through mirrored multi-tasking, these business associates are taking their minds off what can seem an awkward encroachment on their personal zones.

Who Mirrors Whom?

Research shows that when the leader of a group assumes certain gestures and positions, subordinates will copy, usually in pecking order. Leaders also tend to be the first of a group to walk through a doorway and they like to sit on the end of a sofa, table or bench seat rather than in the center. When a group of executives walks into a room, the person with the highest status usually goes first. When executives are seated in the boardroom, the boss usually sits at the head of the table, often furthest from the door. If the boss sits in the Catapult, his subordinates are likely to copy in order of their importance within the group You can see this in a meeting where people 'take sides' with others by mirroring their body language. This lets you see who will vote with you and who will vote against you.

Mirroring is a good strategy to use if you are part of a presentation team. Decide, in advance, that when the team spokesperson makes a gesture or takes a posture when speaking, the entire team will mirror. This not only gives your team the powerful appearance of being cohesive, it can frighten the hell out of competitors who suspect something is up, even though they can't quite figure out what it is. When presenting ideas, products and services to couples, watching who mirrors whom reveals where the ultimate power or final decision-making ability lies. If the woman makes the initial movements, however small, such as crossing her feet, lacing her fingers or using a Critical Evaluation cluster and the man copies, there is little point in asking him for a decision - he doesn't have the authority to make it. When we rub both of our eyes simultaneously, it is as if we are telling our psyches, "I wish I never saw that", or "I can't believe he did that". We are trying to wipe it from our minds. People will also display this body language tell when recalling a past event in the "mind's eye".

Group Mirroring

It happens on fall season Sundays in American football stadiums around the country. Suddenly, 50,000 individuals became a single unit, almost a single mind, focused intently on what was happening on the field - that particular touchdown grab or dive into the end zone. Somehow, virtually simultaneously, each of those 50,000 people tuned into what the other 49,999 were looking at.

Becoming part of a crowd can be exhilarating or terrifying: The same mechanisms that make people fans can just as easily make them fanatics. And throughout human history we have constructed institutions that provide that dangerous, enthralling thrill. The Coliseum-like stadiums that host American football games or soccer games throughout the world are, after all, just modern knockoffs of the massive theater that housed Roman crowds cheering their favorite gladiators 2,000 years ago.

In fact, recent studies suggest that our sensitivity to crowds is built into our perceptual system and operates in a remarkably swift and automatic way. In a 2012 paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, A.C. Gallup, then at Princeton University, and colleagues looked at the crowds that gather in shopping centers and train stations.

In one study, a few ringers simply joined the crowd and stared up at a spot in the sky for 60 seconds. Then the researchers recorded and analyzed the movements of the people around them. The scientists found that within seconds hundreds of people coordinated their attention in a highly systematic way. People consistently stopped to look toward exactly the same spot as the ringers.

The number of ringers ranged from one to 15. People turn out to be very sensitive to how many other people are looking at something, as well as to where they look. Individuals were much more likely to follow the gaze of several people than just a few, so there was a cascade of looking as more people joined in.

In a study in Psychological Science, Timothy Sweeny at the University of Denver and David Whitney at the University of California, Berkeley, looked at the mechanisms that let us follow a crowd in this way. They showed people a set of four faces, each looking in a slightly different direction. Then the researchers asked people to indicate where the whole group was looking (the observers had to swivel the eyes on a face on a computer screen to match the direction of the group).

Because we combine head and eye direction in calculating a gaze, the participants couldn't tell where each face was looking by tracking either the eyes or the head alone; they had to combine the two. The subjects saw the faces for less than a quarter of a second. That's much too short a time to look at each face individually, one by one.

It sounds impossibly hard. If you try the experiment, you can barely be sure of what you saw at all. But in fact, people were amazingly accurate. Somehow, in that split-second, they put all the faces together and worked out the average direction where the whole group was looking.

In other studies, Dr. Whitney has shown that people can swiftly calculate how happy or sad a crowd is in much the same way.

Other social animals have dedicated brain mechanisms for coordinating their action - that's what's behind the graceful rhythms of a flock of birds or a school of fish.

Summary

Mirroring someone's body language makes them feel accepted and creates a bond and is a phenomenon that occurs naturally between friends and people of equal status. Conversely, we make a point of not mirroring those we don't like or strangers, such as those riding with us in a lift or standing in the queue at the cinema.

Mirroring the other person's body language and speech patterns is one of the most powerful ways to build rapport quickly. In a new meeting with someone, mirror his seating position, posture, body angle, gestures, expressions and tone of voice. Before long, they'll start to feel that there's something about you they like - they'll describe you as 'easy to be with'. This is because they see themselves reflected in you. A word of warning, however: don't do it too early in a new encounter as many people have become aware of mirroring strategies. When someone takes a position you have one of three choices - ignore it, do something else or mirror it. Mirroring pays big dividends. But never mirror a person's negative signals.

westsidetoastmasters.com/resources/book_of_body_language/...

Second position is the highest qualifying spot Gole has ever had. His racer is entirely homemade...if you couldn't tell. And with no quality level sponsors, it isn't going to get any prettier. He did secure a good sponsor for his air supply; he figured he would need that one.

Gole's racer is 100% thruster based, no air foils for atmospheric flight. To be honest, not many pilots would be able fly this ship. Most say it is a pile junk. He says it is the fastest pile of junk in the system.

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See my previous post for details on the racing league. And check out GolPlaysWithLego for the inspiration for the build. As with all of my builds, I try to get the digital instructions up on my Brickshelf page (LDraw format). So check it out.

Rolls-Royce 25-30 Wraith James Young 3 Position Drop Head Coupe - 1939

#3662 - 2018 Day 9: There's always one day in January where it hardly gets light at all. You know the fallback position: "There's always a lamp"

Explored!

Highest position # 111 on August 11, 2008.

My early Birthday present :o)))

Can you suggest a name for him? Still haven't decided upon one!

PS. It's not my Birthday today!!

I dedicate this pic to all my wonderful friends for showing their love n support...and for sending their well wishes through mails n comments...Thank you all so much...I truly appreciate your kindness :-)) I'm feeling better a lil better today but still suffering from cold n headache...might not be able to check your pix today...should be back tomorrow...hopefully :o)

SPECIAL THANKS TO :

Diana Nevermind

Secret i

WorldOfArun

PC - My Shots@Photography

Prbhu B

Cashima

Saurabh Roongta

Queenscents

ranjini.

||Ramit||

Vicdv888

Aamir Yunus

Diamondee

princesstorchie

***irene***

sharaff

jlnewland

Anuj Nair

natureloving

TheZionView

*squall(closet1969)*

Rigs Clearwater, Florida

Terri.Flickr.Chic

Heniusia

*/black n blue\*

sanctu

speshalyst

EdmondCV218

Wanderlust Nightfire

NO INVITES NEEDEED FOR THIS ONE ~ Just wanted to share it with you. :-) Have a great day/night everyone!

Oklahoma Brown Tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi) reared up into its defnesive position. They detect vibrations of things that might be close and in this case it was me that bent down to photograph this spider straight on. Image taken in the Comanche National Grassland of Colorado.