Last year started out on an optimistic note, on a nice sunny day, as I recall. I had 30 or 40 people over for Hoppin' John, and we all had a festive time. And then look at what that year became.

 

So this year has started out on a decidedly gloomy note. No visitors allowed. Rain and wind. Too gloomy to go out for a walk. Just right for indulging my depression on the couch all day with 47 episodes of Big Bang Theory. So....maybe that means that the year will become something positive and wonderful and sane.

 

That reasoning sounds plausible enough.

 

The We're Here! gang is exploring Dark Days today.

EXPLORE Jan. 25, 2009, # 349

 

Antique effect from the software Photoscape.

ENG: I'll tell you that I'm happy at times, but also the misery is in my life. I would lose my cordiality and my little reasoning without them.

ES: Te diré que a veces soy feliz, pero también la miseria está en mi vida. Perdería mi cordialidad y mi pequeño razonamiento sin ellos.

"Tell me what's your Flava?" Every time I look at these dolls, that old commercial immediately starts playing in my head. It is by far one of the most memorable doll ads from my childhood (right alongside the Generation Girl, Kitty Fun Barbie, and Kelly Amusement Park ones). Funnily enough, it wasn't the distinctive commercial that prompted me to buy a Flavas doll as a child. It was a simple chance encounter at Toys 'R' Us one evening in 2003 or 2004. Usually Dad took my sister and me out to KB Toys, since it was cheaper and had out of date toys (which we often preferred to new releases...we are shelf warmer girls). Every so often, he'd take us to Toys 'R' Us as a special treat. Of course, I loved these outings too...as long as a store carried my plastic people I was satisfied. I recall to the left of the entrance there was a large section for new arrivals. It was an assortment of goods, ranging from outdoor water guns to Barbies. It was in this area the graffiti styled Flavas boxes caught my eye. Immediately I was intrigued and I just HAD to get my hands on one of these dolls. After some debate, I chose "Sporty" Kiyoni Brown, who I later renamed Ginger. I don't recall my reasoning, since there was a variety of other Kiyoni dolls. Maybe I liked her athletic attire or her crimped hair? All the dolls had extra clothing items and accessories, which was a large part of their appeal. But mainly, I enjoyed their racial diversity, edgy wardrobe, and special face sculpts. When I take inventory of my favorite dolls from childhood, I've noticed a trend....I tend to lean towards the ones with unique head molds, skin tones, or hair styles. Plain blondes were never my favorite thing (not to say I didn't have my fair share of standard Barbies, because heaven knows I did). That's most likely why I was so easily swayed into getting Kiyoni Brown on the spot. Of course, I was quite the impulsive shopper as a kid anyways, so it wouldn't have take much more than my dad gesturing towards the dolls for me to want one.

 

I could tell that the Flavas were some sort of Bratz competition, what with their city styling and diverse representation. I definitely thought the Flavas had more moxie than My Scene dolls, who also competed with Bratz. I recall playing with Kiyoni Brown from time to time, and especially fixating on her petite wardrobe. I dubbed her Ginger, perhaps because I wasn't sure how to pronounce her name. I'm sure the thought crossed my mind more than once to purchase more Flavas to play with. But I had trouble focusing on doll brands when I was young. I was too easily lured in by the nearest temptation. It wouldn't be until I was an adult collector when another Flavas doll would cross the threshold of my home. Kiyoni herself disappeared circa 2010 or 2011. I believe I was still technically on a doll hiatus, but was starting to feel the strong draw to them again. I know that sometime in 2010, I sifted through my rather vast childhood collection and weeded out some decaying clone dolls and a few other random oddities. I feel horrible knowing that Kiyoni probably got thrown out, along with my weird looking American Idol Simone and Movie Star Teresa. But I'm fairly sure that was her fate...I don't think she ever made it to our spring 2011 yard sale. My regret over Kiyoni's demise is part of why I held off on purchasing any more Flavas when I did start collecting again. To have more in the house would have been a painful reminder of what I'd done to the poor thing.

 

It was a summer day in 2018 when Flavas once again became part of my dolly world. I stopped in at the Salvation Army on my way home from AAA to renew my license. In one of the bins by the toy section I found Jammin' in Jamaica Madison and a Flavas Tika doll. I rarely saw Flavas in the wild as an adult collector. The only others I recall encountering had been years before. They were standing upright in a container with my Palm Beach Teresa. That was when we first started dabbling in dolls again, so my sister and I were far pickier. Although I always did second guess my decision to leave the awesome Flavas guy behind. I decided not to make the same mistake again, so we adopted Tika. After that, I specifically kept my eyes pealed for more Flavas. Luck would have it that some would come our way. A regular seller at the flea market had Happy D and "Street" Liam. I didn't get them together, but they appeared a few weekends apart. I know I had encountered Liam before purchasing my first Tika, so I had started searching for him at that flea market booth afterwards. The sellers had so many dollies, that he must have been fully concealed or simply not put out on the table each Sunday. Fortunately, I did have another opportunity to snag him. The ultimate Flavas find, and my most recent to date, occurred a year later in September of 2019. Once again at the local flea market, we struck gold. But this time around, it was the ULTIMATE treasure. One of the vendors had a selection of boxed Flavas. All were guys, and all were just $5 each!!! How could I resist such a bargain? The Flavas dudes were the most interesting thing about the franchise, in my opinion anyways. Typically, male dolls are more basic looking than their female counterparts. They are often treated just as "accessories" rather than stand alone, detailed individuals. Such was not the case with the Flavas guys. Each doll, even those that represent the same character, stand on their own. They also came with spare clothing pieces and accessories, just like the girls. I scored "Sporty" Liam, "Diamonds & Denim" Liam, and "Party" Tre that autumn Sunday. If you take just one look at my three Liam dolls, you can tell that they are all unique. I couldn't be happier and more grateful that I found boxed boy Flavas.

 

My collection hasn't grown in the three years since my last flea market discovery. But that's to be expected, given the age of the dolls and the short time they were available in stores. I still keep a lookout for them when thrifting. I hope that one day I can be reunited with my childhood Kiyoni Brown. I still have pieces to my childhood doll's ensemble, which could come in handy someday. I honestly would buy her again on eBay or Mercari if it came down to that. It's a shame that these dolls didn't sell better, because it would have been awesome to see them evolve for a few more years. I believe if they had come out in modern times, the Flavas line would have done better. I think they were a bit ahead of the curve, what with the special head molds, serious expressions, and realistic attire. I feel they are more compatible with dolls today, who share many of the same attributes. Although I remember getting my first and only childhood Flavas doll, I can't deny that my true passion for these dolls blossomed as an adult. I can better appreciate all their wonderfully unique and diverse features now more, especially since they are so photogenic! It was great fun collaborating with my sister to design this album cover photo for them. The graffiti scrapbook paper backgrounds compliment their original artwork. My L.O.L. Clubhouse makes a perfect backdrop as the outside of a factory or storage units. We used recycled aluminum cans and toilet paper rolls to add more dimension to the scene (as well as nuts, bolts, and washers for extra debris). Even my Barbie Volkswagen that is missing a door came in handy--it looks like an abandoned vehicle hanging out in the empty lot! Throw in some Generation Girl, Flavas, and other assorted accessories and you have a picture that is brought to life by these dolls' personalities!

  

P930YSB was a Mercedes 709D / Plaxton Beaver B29F purchased new in 1997 by Ashton Coaches of Port Glasgow, a member of the Argyll Group. It is seen at Paisley Cross with a Clydeside bus behind. Argyll was probably the biggest challenge to Clydeside 2000 / Arriva as they ran a well organised fleet of very modern buses. Many of the staff were former Clydeside employees, many driven out of the company by British Bus. Eventually Arriva had no choice but to buy the firm out. Owner Alex Kean was "employed" as a "consultant" by Arriva for a period of three years. The reasoning behind this was that monthly payments were spread over the term, so in effect you were paying them out of the extra money you were generating because they were no longer competing against you. It also made it very unlikely that they could start any other business in competition until they received all their money. This bus would become number 297 with Arriva.

So first off I have no ideas for photos. For over a couple of weeks I've pretty much been shooting for this project during the last two hours I have to upload every day. Which also means I'm just trying to vomit out ideas. I really have no good reasoning for this one. I mean meh. But I can give it some meaning now. My current thought is that I'll give you some facts about me since there are so many new people who frequently view my work (I still don't get that part).

 

So lets go!

 

1.That is my new names tag for my new job, and yes that is my name. And welcome to my worlds worst info session.

 

2.Going off the I have no ideas anymore. I actually have one. And that is for my 19 birthday. I've had it planned out for months. I could care less that I'm turning 19. I'm just stoked to use a cake as a prop.

 

3. I feel like I've waste my entire days, which is a shame. And oh well. I'm glad I was able to rest. I didn't go to sleep until 2:30am last night. Thank you shots of expresso, you tasted gross.

 

4. Typically I don't eat a lot. In fact I'm a horrible eater. I tend to get really busy and caught up in my work that I forget to eat. I've had days (this past week actually) where all I've had was 3 crackers. One thing I'm currently working on is fixing this problem.

 

5. I've been using the same editing style with the same texture way toooooooo muuuuuuch this week. It's driving me crazy. I shall also fix this.

 

6. I seriously need it to be past April 13th so I'll be out of school. I'll be freer than when Harry Potter gave Dobby a sock. I hope to create bigger and better things then. I'm feeling a little trapped.

 

7. I was planning to stop at 10 because that seemed like a solid number. But I got nothing else to say.

 

8. the last one is a lie now because I just remembered this. When I was in grade 5 some "cool" kids thought it would be a "cool" thing to give me this super "cool" nick names. I honestly hated it. The nickname they gave me was cunt, and I will forever and always hate that world because I associate it first with a bad nickname. Sorry if I offended anyone. This was just the most relatable fact to this photo because floating name tag yo'

Maria at their summer home with her anniversary gift scarf and Bella her daughter on the beach in Spain, that gave it to her. The reasoning for tags is my family is from Chicago but travels everywhere in the winter/early summer. Maria and her husband now live in Mexico. I'm trying to catch onto the rules and guidelines on Flickr. If I am supposed to add anyone in a tag, PLEASE please make it very clear. Please be nice❤️ I really am doing my best. I am sorry for yesterday, I was Ill. I WILL get to as many pages as I can tonight👍👍👍❤️❤️😃. I promise. Thank you to all the groups that accepted me, Any award's and virtual hugs to my supporters who fav me and vice versa💘💘💘💘You know who you are. Mwah!!! Thank you💘💘💘😉 Darn auto correct! Lol!

國立台灣文學館 - 推理文學在臺灣特展 / 漂亮的封面 - 讓人想多看一眼

National Museum of Taiwanese Literature - Reasoning literature in Taiwan special exhibition / Beautiful cover - Let one want to see more

Museo Nacional de la literatura taiwanesa - Razonamiento de la literatura en Taiwan exposición especial / Hermosa portada - Deja que uno quiera ver más

国立の台湾の文学館 - 推理の文学は台湾特に展にあります / きれいな表紙 - 讓人は多く1つ見たいです

Nationalmuseum der taiwanesischen Literatur - Begründung Literatur in Taiwan Sonderausstellung / Schöne Abdeckung - Lassen Sie einen mehr sehen wollen

Musée national de la littérature taiwanaise - Raisonnement de la littérature à Taiwan exposition spéciale / Belle couverture - Laissez-vous vouloir voir plus

 

Tainan Taiwan / Tainan Taiwán / 台灣台南

 

管樂小集 2017/10/07 台南孔子廟 Confucian temple Tainan performances 1080P

{ 旅笠道中 Wearing hats travel in road }

 

{View large size on fluidr/觀看大圖}

 

{My Blog / 管樂小集精彩演出-觸動你的心}

{My Blog / Great Music The splendid performance touches your heart}

{My Blog / 管楽小集すばらしい公演-はあなたの心を心を打ちます}

{Mi blog / La gran música el funcionamiento espléndido toca su corazón}

{Mein Blog / Große Musik die herrliche Leistung berührt Ihr Herz}

{Mon blog / La grande musique l'exécution splendide touche votre coeur}

 

Melody 曲:JAPAN / Words 詞:Sheesen / Singing : Sheesen

{ 夢旅人 1990 Dream Traveler 1990 }

 

家住安南鹽溪邊

The family lives in nearby the Annan salt river

 

隔壁就是聽雨軒

The next door listens to the rain porch

 

一旦落日照大員

The sunset Shineing to the Taiwan at once

 

左岸青龍飛九天

The left bank white dragon flying in the sky

Seeing his parents getting slaughtered by the Lord of Darkside, he swore to avenge them by defeating this threat to the galaxy. At first the Jedi council was against this violent reasoning, but since he was strongly supported by the councils leader, Ra-za Gruuhl, and also having a strong connection to the deeper connections inside the force, he got trained and reached after a short amount of time higher levels and a deeper understanding of the force than any of his masters.

 

not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual :-)

― Galileo Galilei

 

tulips, sarah p duke gardens, duke university, durham, north carolina

This is not a new MOC. I mean, just take a look at the dust on it.

 

This ship started out as one of two identical ships. I forget the exact reasoning now, but at some point I decided to make this one all rusty and decrepit. I had planned on using it for my FEZ webcomic, but that has kinda stalled.....

This is not a new MOC. I mean, just take a look at the dust on it.

 

This ship started out as one of two identical ships. I forget the exact reasoning now, but at some point I decided to make this one all rusty and decrepit. I had planned on using it for my FEZ webcomic, but that has kinda stalled.....

DML41336 First Berkshire

T336ALR

on William Street, Slough.

 

Not sure of any reasoning behind this scheme, other than nothing got done with it following TfL work!

'Better late than never' they always say...

 

Peppercorn A1 Pacific 60163 'Tornado' passes Danta Way near Stafford with a light loco + support coach move from the East Lancs Railway to Stewards Lane (5Z63) ready for the railtour at the weekend.

 

The reasoning for the previous phrase is that at this point it was around and hour and a half down after dilly-dallying in Basford Hall yard for two hours.

 

At least it turned up on the day though!

Practicing with make up and trying new outfits while traveling.

I had only two pairs of pantyhose and two pairs of stockings with me. [The stockings were still with me from previous travels, see the 1992-05-17 (Madison, Wisconsin) album.] Unfortunately I ruined the two pairs of pantyhose and so had only the stockings to wear. During my previous experience I did find them comfortable for "everyday activities."

I took them on an "extended outing" in this outfit by going to the post office and a restaurant (where I felt overdressed for this town!) As before I enjoyed the occasional rubbing and Shh-Shh sound, but didn't enjoy the pulling of the individual garters that occurred when using stairs or while driving. (See end note for interesting memory.) By the way, the stocking shade is taupe. I think this shade produces a much better leg look than off black or black.

Ego boost - While leaving the post office, a gentleman who was entering held the door for me. I walked about 20 yards (18.3 m ) to my car and when I turned to get in the car I noticed that he had not yet entered the post office and had probably been watching me (hopefully in admiration).

A relevant and humorously insightful aside - Has this ever happened to you, have you ever done this? The person that gave me directions to the restaurant often referred to places that were no longer there, such as, turn right where the hardware store used to be. Obviously, as an out-of-towner this description meant nothing to me and I had to keep asking for current landmarks.

End Note: In the sixties, when pantyhose were first becoming popular, I remember reading an article on the advantages of pantyhose over stockings and garters. One advantage was safer driving. The reasoning was that the tug of the garter on the stocking caused one to overcompensate when depressing the accelerator leading to greater acceleration, but with pantyhose this did not occur. This article was probably put out by the Pantyhose Promotion Partnership.

Assuming you read the description of 907's photo before this one, then I'll have made you well aware of the issue surrounding NCT's new route 29 and bonkers decision to run 12.2m long Scania Omnidekkas on it. The crux of the issue is that they're too big to easily use the turning circle at the terminus within Jubilee Campus, and every driver had a different method of dealing with the problem.

 

The common answer was to reach the terminus and then keep going, as the Hopper 903 does, get pitched back out onto Wollaton Road and double back at Crown Island. That's what is happening here with 925 here, seen negotiating the exit barrier from Jubilee Campus at the main Wollaton Road gate. Although it's working a 29 back to the city centre, this isn't supposed to be part of the route!

 

Annoyingly, my attempts to photograph 29s at more photogenic parts of Jubilee Campus kept getting thwarted by the buses inconsistently and haphazardly picking their way around the university site, with no guarantee they'd stick to the route in any way. Some of what I witnessed (and missed) were:

 

- Bus follows normal route to terminus, does a multi-point turn at the turning circle and returns the way it came (this is the advertised route).

 

- Bus follows normal route to terminus, keeps going in the same direction, rejoins Wollaton Road and doubles back at Crown Island (as per this photo).

 

- Bus follows normal route, but stays on Triumph Road, ends up on Derby Road and turns back at QMC Island (why... just why?)

 

- Bus cuts out university campus completely, stays on Wollaton Road, doubles back at Crown Island (the final few before I left did this so I guess they eventually gave up with the uni).

 

Basically, the routing was SO unpredictable half the time they didn't even turn up where I was standing, and it makes me wonder why they even tried it with Omnidekkas in the first place. I mean, from the pre-existence of the 31 there surely should have been some idea that midibuses were probably a more suitable size of vehicle to use?!

 

The only reasoning I can come up with is that with the 29's first day being so quiet - nobody was using it to get to the university - NCT just stuck Omnidekkas on it to see if they'd fit (answer - they didn't), and if it all went wrong then it wouldn't really inconvenience anyone. Or was it simply the case that Trent Bridge had run out of midi spares and the Omnidekkas were all they had left for the 29? Whatever the situation, it certainly was bizarre!

 

YT61 FFM

University of Nottingham Jubilee Campus

16.9.24

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Actually, I have these six thread mount and four M-mount Leicas and I've sworn to each and every of them that I will remain faithful to her, forever and ever.

 

But a man can resist anything except temptation. That's a well known fact. So when I happened to see a colour dial Contax IIa on Fleabay that allegedly was in perfect working order, I placed a bid.

 

My conscience made me place a low bid. My reasoning was that I had succumbed to temptation, but as my bid was unlikely to go through, I had, technically at least, remained faithful. Little did I know that my bid would come out on top. The next day I was the surprised owner of yet another rangefinder camera.

 

In 1925, the optical instrument company Ernst Leitz in Wetzlar, Hesse, brought out the Leica, the first truly compact photo camera. It was an instant success, and Leitz quickly followed up with increasingly advanced models, introducing, in quick succession, exchangeable lenses, then a coupled rangefinder, then broader exposure time ranges.

 

Though blazingly expensive, the Leica sold like hot cakes and revolutionized photography.

 

The much larger camera maker Zeiss Ikon, based in Dresden, an amalgamation of four companies decided to snatch a share of the 35 mm camera market from the Leica with a technically superior product, the Contax.

 

The original model came out in 1932 and was even more expensive than the Leica, and arguably, far more advanced technically, but not in terms of durability. It was followed by the Contax II, which had a significantly improved metal shutter and a combined range- and viewfinder, something Leitz would not manage until the M3 in 1958. Then came the Contax III with its uncoupled light meter.

 

The Contax ran rings around the Leica but the Leica with her simpler, more rugged design persistently outsold her competitor 2:1. While the Leica was seen as the camera of choice for (rich) amateurs, the Contax was for the pros. Robert Capa's "death of a loyalist militiaman"? Shot with a Contax. Capa's magnificent eleven? Contax.

 

After the war, the Zeiss Ikon factories in Dresden lay in ruins, and what was left of the tools, parts and construction plans was hauled off to the Soviet Union. All German patents were voided, which greatly benefited the Japanese camera industry.

 

In the USSR, Contax production was soon resumed at the Arsenal factory in Kiev. But that is a different story.

 

However, one Zeiss factory was in Stuttgart, in the American-occupied sector of Germany. Part of Dresden and Jena staff moved there and from then on, there were two Zeiss companies, the West German one in Stuttgart, the East German one in Jena.

 

Zeiss Ikon in Stuttgart quickly set up their rangefinder lines again and also started making SLRs, but that is a different story. Their first rangefinder was the IIa black dial, which was still excruciatingly expensive. That was followed by the IIIa, which had an uncoupled meter.

 

There were numerous changes with respect to the pre-war Contaxes. The new Contaxes had slightly smaller bodies and their rangefinder baseline was reduced, which makes them easier to use because it is harder to inadvertently cover the rangefinder window with one's finder. They also offered flash synchronisation.

 

The colour dials came later, with some more technical changes. A PC terminal and some modifications of the shutter, the merits of which are hotly debated to this day. Production ceased in 1961, and a decade later, following a series of egregious management errors, Zeiss Ikon stopped producing cameras altogether.

 

You will find that the Contax IIIa is far more common than the model IIa, because they were both shockingly expensive and the well-heeled, who were the only ones who could afford such cameras, would go for the model with the meter. The colour dial IIa is the rarest of the series, which makes it all the more surprising that my modest bid won. Normally, this is the model that the collectors go for. Especially if it is in as good shape as this.

 

I was not interested in the IIIa because a selenium meter will at any rate either not work at all or not work accurately, and it isn't aesthetically pleasing - it breaks the clean line of the top of the camera.

 

The seller did not provide very good pictures, which may explain why he did not obtain as high a sum as by rights, he should have (Honestly, how hard is it to take some sharp and detailed pictures of a camera?).

 

And then, this baby didn't have the highly prized 1:1.5 Sonnar, but "only" the 1:2. Actually, the 1:2 is sharper and better. I am not a collector, but a user. I use cameras to do what they were designed to do: take pictures. So this is the lens I wanted.

 

So far, I have not found any fault with my Contax, other than that the rangefinder needs adjusting, which is hardly surprising with a 60 year old camera.

 

There's a sad knowledge in my heart of where this tendency of content overpolicing is going on a larger scale. This overreach of control and micromanagement that's getting normalized fast on or way to 1984.

 

If I'd posted this pic to a small local URBEX Facebook group, my post would be deleted without any explanation and prior communication on rules regarding location disclosure elsewhere, although I never disclose locations explicitly - not on Facebook, not on Flickr, not anywhere. And have been rude in the past to make clear that I won’t disclose the info, so that the received message is as laconic and clear as possible. So that the potential explorer in contact could go fuck him/herself ASAP and hard.

Today – after being around abandoned places for 30+ years and pondering this for a quite some time, especially in 20/21, I’m thinking a tad differently. Do I care about Fecesbook drama? No, I’m on my way out of there for good and only my business interests hold me to that decrepit shithole, plus I can find another ways to reach local customers, so the ban affects me only in principle (first post sanitization without prior communication) that’s laid bare below.

 

So, my first post in that group was deleted yesterday. Basis? As it turned out when I PM’d the admin of the group for some reasoning: “You have disclosed locations on your Flickr”, which just amazes me. I upload to Flickr using external tool exclusively, and have set a Publish rule to never post GPS locations. So I went through my Flickr titles, and found out whopping 5 unique places named.

This will be the 6th.

 

Some might argue that even this amount of information disclosure is too much, to which I wholeheartedly agree to a degree: only if the place is not in public domain, AND if there’s anything but walls and smashed windows left in there. Yesteryear I’d told you to fuck off. Today I’d do some work before doing so. I’d check your profile for signs of thorough and non-damaging interest, and will disclose the place only if some evidence is found. This is the healthier approach, in my opinion, and here’s why.

If you do some critical thinking on this idea of info non-disclosure between URBEX people, at least a couple of problems present themselves gloriously clearly, and they tend to contradict the assumption that information non-disclosure will somehow magically stop the entropy, and will keep the place up and in good health. 1) Places getting ruined or demolished anyways (entropy); 2) Places getting renovated and made boring to explorers.

I’m highly doubtful that scrappers, vandals, teens and addicts use local URBEX internet groups as their primary source of information. These places attract all these kinds of people. They use brains too, and scrappers can smell abandonment miles away, for their living depends on it, not just a silly drive to trespass and explore the living past. Teens and vandals are usually local pricks that enjoy the feeling of smashed windows and falling walls, and I can’t really blame them, it’s a ton of fun, if you look at it honestly.

 

I’ve been exploring long enough to see non-disclosed places destroyed by scrappers and vandals time and time again. To see how bulldozers level a premium undisclosed Soviet fallout shelter / Communications center – twice at least.

Been here long enough to experience a building getting renovated and opened to the public once again – this very picture is from that place!

And the net result of this is what exactly? What’s the message to take home?

Well, those bulldozed places are leveled, no more living history to experience and less quality pictures, because inevitably some talented photographers missed the place because of the lack of exchange of info between URBEXers. So - fewer enthusiasts got to experience those places and… that’s about it.

 

And this particular piece I’m posting – it’s Spilves lidosta in Latvia, an Airport that’s an example of premium Stalin's neoclassical architecture in an awesome shape. Only some boarded windows and that’s about it. Why it was in such a pristine condition when we visited it in 2010 and managed to get in? Well, because it was a tad harder to access (some activity on runways and around, and a very naked/open place, no hiding to be had) and guarded the whole time: security personnel, cameras and all that sweet Jazz for us to bypass non-destructively. Today this airport is available to the public and the net result is? Well, less explorers got to experience the place and take pics on their own terms, and access now inaccessiblep areas.

 

You tell me if this approach isn’t damaging to URBEX movement as a whole? I see a whole lot of Ego masturbation in this too, and it’s ugly. Because scrappers will find their scrap, vandals will find their stuff to smash, and owners or the city will one day demolish or renovate our URBEX sites, and we will move on, trying to protect this information from ourselves.

  

Thanks for the read! : )

 

Jessops Pan 100S scanned with Plustek 7600i Ai.

 

Best enjoyed with Dark Ambient / URBEX

This year 2016 I am doing another 52 Weeks photo project, the first 52 Weeks project I did was way back in 2012. So, it might be a good time to do it since it had been so long. I consider this the Olympics or World Cup of photography projects --it only happens every 4 years! At least in my case. ;-)

 

For the photo for my first week, I wanted to start with a bang so I was envisioning a star trails photo at the Sydney Observatory. But since the 3rd of January when we came here in this charming city, what was supposed to be a summer month greeted us with intermittent rains and bleak clouds! By Wednesday, the photo project seems a lost cause. There was no sign of the rain letting up. I might need to plan another shoot by the weekend without the star trails photo I had in mind since I needed a really clear night sky! But by Thursday weather conditions started to improve. The sun peeked a little with the afternoon mostly cloudy. Even better was the forecast for Friday! A clear night sky!

 

I could already see it in my mind's eye. The coolest photo ever taken at Sydney Observatory! Haha! Yes, the arrogance of this never-heard trying-hard photography enthusiast!

 

By Friday morning & afternoon, the forecast seems to be accurate since the skies have been generally clear.

 

When I hit home after work, I was feeling lazy to go out to shoot. I was unsure. Was it worth it to go out in the cold summer winds of Sydney and stay the night looking up for stars? Or should I just take a long well-deserved sleep as I haven't slept well since New Year's eve? Indecision has caught up again early in the year. It bit me so hard it slowed down the blood going to the reasoning part of my brain! :p

 

But when darkness fell, I found myself getting up from the couch turning off the TV and preparing for the shoot. I had to hurry up if I wanted to take the next bus since its interval is 30 minutes. When the bus arrived it swooshed passing me by as if the driver didn't see me making a lousy signal that I wanted to get a ride.

 

I decided to just walk, it was just 600 meters away but it was uphill. I didn't want to drag my heavy bag and hefty tripod. But I had no other choice. As I walked, the skies were still quite clear. But when I got to the place, a few clouds started to crept up my frame.

 

I was still trying to compose my shot. Which angle was I going to take it. I wanted to shoot near the dome on the left with the telescope to emphasize it in the structure but the plants in the garden was cramping my shot. I finally settled to shoot at the middle and have a symmetrical composition. But by this time more clouds were showing up! As I looked back at the horizon where the clouds were coming, it seems the clouds would not relent. So, I decided to just forego the star trails shot and just settled with this long exposure photo. =)

 

It was nice that the clouds had a bit of spiraling motion that suggests a galactic cloud or nebula. At least in my imagination. ;-) Even if I didn't got the photo I wanted, what I got seems good enough to start the year.

 

Happy new year! =)

 

P.S. Look at the right side of the frame. Orion's belt is seen clearly. =)

Met and organised supervisor for this last semester. The funny thing was the people I selected I was not given but perhaps this is best. Although my design last year was pretty solid it was lacking back up/reasoning. Things may change as nothing ever stays static. I thought I was just going through the process for protocol to finally get my masters but was told I would have to do something. Not sure how to take this, although I planned to work this semester the assumption i was going to do nothing as I have worked my ass off last year and have come up with a project was a bit insulting. Anyways it is week 0. I plan to document this on film. 1 roll_ 36 exposures_16 weeks to be developed and seen when its all done.

v. *Think

1. Judge or regard; look upon; judge; 

2. Expect, believe, or suppose;  

3. Use or exercise the mind or one''s power of reason;

4. Recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection; 

5. Imagine or visualize;  

6. Focus one''s attention on a certain state;  

7. Have in mind as a purpose;

8. Decide by pondering, reasoning, or reflecting;

9. Ponder; reflect on, or reason about;

10. Dispose the mind in a certain way;

11. Have or formulate in the mind;

 

Gondolier's Thought, Venice, Italy.

 

PixQuote:

The camera can photograph thought. 

-Dirk Bogarde

 

PixNote:

Please note, that what you think, is not necessarily what I think.....I think so!

Upon entering the pier, signs clearly warn tourists not to go barefoot or wear high heels, but young people prefer to discover the reasoning behind those signs for themselves, I guess...

Due to a ban on OmniDekkas being used on the 1 (unsure of the reasoning), you can expect to find other vehicles stepping in to keep the service on the road.

 

Today there were two oddities on there, this and 304, which had unfortunately been taken off after I'd made my way out beyond Gotham to try and get a snap of it in the countryside.... D'oh!! Never mind though, one out of two is better than none.

 

388 unusually waits time at Crusader Island in Clifton with a 1 to Loughborough via Gotham, East Leake and Stanford-on-Soar.

A blast of electricity soared through the sky, webbing out into multiple projectiles. The red and black figure known as Spider-Man noticed, choosing to dive towards the attack. Pulling in his arms and legs, conforming his body into that of a bullet, soared through the gaps of electricity, startling the attacker, Electro.

  

Spider-Man, the costumed hero known by many, but secretly the forgettable Peter Parker, senior in college. Today was Graduation day, Peter's ceremony starting in mere minutes, though an attack from the villainous Sinister Six caused a delay.

  

Doctor Otto Octavius, the brilliant scientist and bioengineer, now known as Doctor Octopus. Corrupted by his need for research and knowledge.

  

Quinten Beck, the former number one special effects artist in Hollywood and praised stuntman. Using the moniker of Mysterio for fame and glory.

  

Adrian Toomes, a once amazing engineer who fell victim to Norman Osborn's greed. Now adorning his winged-suit, Toomes became what Norman berated him as, the Vulture.

  

William Baker, a discharged marine exposed to highly radioactive sand, altering his body at the atomic level. Now broken by his own decisions, the Sandman lives.

  

Sergei Kravinoff, a renowned Big Game Hunter who has made it his life's goal to take down Spider-Man. With his equipment and enhanced strength, he became Kraven the Hunter.

  

Max Dillon, an ex-Oscorp electrical engineer who was given metahuman abilities when a capacitor malfunctioned and exploded. Motivated by his lust for power, Electro was born.

  

Peter's curled back arm shot forward as he reached Dillon, the connecting punch sending him flying towards the ground. Flipping mid-air and launching a line of webbing, the hero pulled himself to a nearby rooftop.

  

"Gotta work on your aim, Zappy," he shouted down to the man, who was recovering from the hit. "Those A.O.E shots aren't doing you any good."

  

"Then allow me," boomed a voice, an echo effect trailing the words.

  

Peter turned his head to a large figure rising from the ground, smoke encapsulating him only revealing a clear crystal dome.

  

Peter quickly leapt off the building, diving headfirst into the large body of mass. Once he breached the figure, his body hit an object inside. Tumbling out of the smoky object were Peter and Mysterio. The two rolled along the street before Peter leapt up onto his feet.

  

"C'mon," quipped Peter, rolling his shoulder, "don't you think I know all the tricks in that fishbowl by now?"

  

Peter moved his hand out, reaching for the magenta cape that the helmeted villain wore. As his hand made contact, volts of electricity ran up his arm, causing him to leap back. Peter looked down to the now fried web shooter on his right wrist, then looked back to Beck.

  

"Electrified cape," announced Beck, taking a bow as he stood. "Pair it with a simple carbon monoxide to dull your senses and it becomes a rather deadly combination."

  

"Yeeep," groaned Peter, still in pain from the defense. "Edna would be proud."

  

Beck chuckled, "I'll actually miss some of the banter we have. Too bad it's your end."

  

As Beck lifted his arm, a small canon raised from his gauntlet. Peter quickly moved his hand forward, using his broken web shooter. The moment the device was activated webs blasted out of the nozzle in a large triangle, Beck being launched backwards with webs covering him head to toe.

  

"Huh, didn't think that would work," mumbled Peter, discarding the broken shooter.

  

The sound of wind rushing behind him caused Peter to turn, barely dodging the dive-bomb attack from Vulture. Peter recovered from the roll, watched as the winged man soared around in the air.

  

"Hey, Adrian?" he called out, not hoping for a response. "Little bit of a warning next time? You could've taken my head off."

  

"That's the idea!" shouted Toomes, diving back in for another strike.

  

Peter once again rolled out of the way, this time recovering quicker and launching a webline onto the man. With a harsh pull, Toomes came crashing down into the concrete of the road.

  

"That's a clay pigeon if I've ever seen one," noted Peter before feeling something on his feet. Looking down, his eyes widened at the sight of sand swirling around him. "Oh shit."

  

A hand made of sand burst from the pile, grabbing onto Peter by the ankles. As it began to drag him, the voice of Sandman rang through the street, "Tough luck, Spider."

  

The hand eventually dragged Peter to a mound of sand, replacing Baker's legs. The hand pulled Peter to be face to face with Baker, the hero hung upside down.

  

"Alright, Marko…" before Peter could finish his sentence, the hand began to fling him around, crashing into buildings and objects on the street.

  

Peter felt pain shoot through his body with each moment of impact. He tried to look around, only having seconds before his body was slammed against something else, hoping to find something to use against the enemy. His eyes lit up upon seeing the red cylindrical object protruding from the sidewalk.

  

"Hey Marko!" he shouted, the man stopping for a moment to hear his words. "Drink up!"

  

Baker tilted his head in confusion, until Peter pulled his extended arm towards him. His eyes widened as his head turned to the right, only for a jetstream of water to blast him away.

  

Peter was dropped to the floor as the wet sand began to crawl back to its originator. He was able to stretch his back, but as he did footsteps were heard behind him.

  

Peter openly sighed, "Queue the jungle music."

  

As he turned, Kraven the Hunter stood, spear in hand and slight smirk on his face. "I'm glad you know of my presence," noted Kravinoff, readying his spear. "It makes you that much more of the ultimate prey."

  

"Your presence?" Peter asked, slowly matching Kravinoff's movements of circling each other. "It's just deductive reasoning, not like Otto is gonna be second to last to show himself."

  

"Doctor Octavius will not get the chance to show himself," announced the man, rushing forward in the blink of an eye. "You'll already be mounted on my wall!"

  

Peter sidestepped from the spear attack, narrowly ducking the follow-up swing. His arm shot forward, Kravinoff backpedaling from the swing. Twirling the spear, the hunter jutted his weapon forward, attempting to stab Peter directly in the stomach. Peter intercepted the spear, slamming his elbow down onto the wood and breaking it in half. Kraven quickly adapted, breaking the metal tip of the spear off, creating two batons. Peter raised his forearms, using them as shields from the various fast strikes coming his way.

  

"So… um…" stumbled Peter, trying to throw off his opponent. "How's the brother?"

  

"Dimitri," Kravinoff started, ducking under Peter's attack, "will be broken out of prison as soon as you are dealt with."

  

Kravinoff then swung both of the batons inwards, striking Peter on each side of his abdomen. With an upwards strike, the batons performed an uppercut-like attack, hitting Peter under his chin. As Peter stumbled back, Kravinoff removed a carving knife from his back. As he took a step forward, Peter stopped his dramatic recovery. Shooting a web to the dropped batons and pulling on them.

  

As Kraven was tripped and hit the ground, Peter shot a large web onto him. "Nice attempt," he noted, much to the dismay of the webbed villain. "Might've worked too if your boss wasn't incompetent."

  

As he spoke, he felt his Spider-Sense return to him at full force. Before he could react, a claw gripped around his back, lifting him into the air. As the claw rotated, Peter could see Doctor Octopus staring him down.

  

"Oh," Peter wheezed, the claw gripping him straining his breathing, "hai, Otto. How've you been?"

  

"An incompetent boss," spoke Octavius, his expression non-altering, "as you would say."

  

Peter nervously chuckled, "Well, you did send them at me one at a time."

  

"You may be agile," noted Octavius, shifting his arms to move him towards Kravinoff, "but your stamina will eventually run out."

  

"Should've discussed that one with your mom, Otto," spoke Peter, hoping to antagonize the man. "She could've told you… I last as long as I need to."

  

Octavius grit his teeth, "Well then, let us see how you do in round six."

  

Peter was dropped from the grasp, gasping for a few seconds. His eyes watched Octavius cut the webbing, freeing Kravinoff as well as Beck. Baker returned, a few still wet clumps of sand, but fully reformed, while Toomes and Dillon levitated in the sky.

  

"Oookaaay," laughed Peter, slightly rubbing the back of his head. "So… anyone up for ones?"

View On Black

So declares the Barnacle Goose, an accidental visitor and rare bird for this part of the world. The debate is still on-going about whether it is an escapee or a wild vagrant who ended up here due to recent inclement weather in the east coast. The December issue of Ontario Birds, a journal of Ontario Field Ornithologists has an article by Mike Burrell where he gave very good reasoning of accepting these kind of vagrants as legitimate wild bird. For now I'll add it to my life list. Canada Goose on the left is there for comparison. Schomberg Sewage Lagoons, Ontario.

the act of thinking reasoning serious consideration any idea opinions design intentions

Three Short Teachings

By Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche:

 

Thoughts and the Mind

 

Like waves, all the activities of this life have rolled endlessly on, one after the other, yet they have left us feeling empty-handed. Myriads of thoughts have run through our mind, each one giving birth to many more, but what they have done is to increase our confusion and dissatisfaction.

 

When we closely examine the ordinary habits that underlie whatever we do and try to discover where they come from, we find that their very source is our failure to investigate them properly. We operate under the deluded assumption that everything has some sort of true, substantial reality. But when we look more carefully, we find that the phenomenal world is like a rainbow—vivid and colourful, but without any tangible existence.

 

When a rainbow appears in the sky we see many beautiful colours—yet a rainbow is not something we can clothe ourselves with, or wear as an ornament. There is nothing we can take hold of; it is simply something that appears to us through the conjunction of various conditions. Thoughts arise in the mind in just the same way. They have no tangible reality or intrinsic existence at all. There is therefore no logical reason why thoughts should have so much power over us, nor any reason why we should be enslaved by them.

 

Mind is what creates both samsara and nirvana. Yet there is nothing much to it—it is just thoughts. Once we recognize that thoughts are empty, the mind will no longer have the power to deceive us. But as long as we take our deluded thoughts as real, they will continue to torment us mercilessly, as they have been doing throughout countless past lives. To gain control over the mind, we need to be aware of what to do and what to avoid, and we also need to be alert and vigilant, constantly examining all our thoughts, words and actions.

 

To cut through the mind’s clinging, it is important to understand that all appearances are void, like the appearance of water in a mirage. Beautiful forms are of no benefit to the mind, nor can ugly forms harm it in any way. Sever the ties of hope and fear, attraction and repulsion, and remain in equanimity in the understanding that all phenomena are nothing more than projections of your own mind.

 

Once you have realized absolute truth, then you will see the whole, infinite display of relative phenomena that appears within it as no more than an illusion or a dream. To realize that appearance and voidness are one is what is called simplicity, or freedom from conceptual limitations.

 

Self and others

 

As you wish to be happy, so you should wish others to be happy too. As you wish to be free from suffering, so you should wish that all beings may also be free from suffering. You should think, “May all living creatures find happiness and the cause of happiness. May they be free from suffering and the cause of suffering. May they always have perfect happiness free from suffering. May they live in equanimity, without attachment or hatred but with love towards all without any discrimination.”

 

To feel overflowing love and almost unbearable compassion for all living creatures is the best way to fulfil the wishes of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Even if for the moment you cannot actually help anyone in an external way, meditate on love and compassion constantly over the months and years until compassion is knit inseparably into the very fabric of your mind.

 

As you try to practise and progress on the path, it is essential to remember that your efforts are for the sake of others. Be humble and remember that all your exertions are child’s play compared to the vast and infinite activity of the Bodhisattvas. Like parents providing for the children they love so much, never think that you have done too much for others—or even enough. Even if you finally manage to establish all living creatures in perfect Buddhahood, simply think that all your wishes have been fulfilled. There must never be so much as a trace of hope for any benefit for oneself in return.

 

The essence of the Bodhisattva practice is to go beyond self-clinging and dedicate yourself to serving others. The Bodhisattva’s activity hinges on the mind, not on how your actions might appear externally. True generosity is the absence of clinging, ultimate discipline is the absence of desire, and authentic patience is the absence of hatred. Bodhisattvas are able to give away their kingdom, their body, their dearest possessions, because they have completely overcome any inner impoverishment and are unconditionally ready to fulfil the needs of others.

 

Practice

 

The teachings we need most are those that will actually strengthen and inspire our practice. It is all very well to receive teachings as high as the sky, but the sky is not that easy to grasp. Start with practices which you can truly assimilate—developing determination to be free of ordinary concerns, nurturing love and compassion—and as you gain stability in your practice you will eventually be able to master all the higher teachings.

 

The only way to achieve liberation from samsara and attain the omniscience of enlightenment is to rely on an authentic spiritual teacher. An authentic spiritual teacher is like the sail that enables a boat to cross the ocean swiftly.

 

The sun and moon are reflected in clear, still water instantly. Similarly, the blessings of the Three Jewels are always present for those who have complete confidence in them. The sun’s rays fall everywhere uniformly, but only where they are focused through a magnifying glass can they set dry grass on fire. When the all-pervading rays of the Buddhas’ compassion are focused through the magnifying glass of your faith and devotion, the flame of blessings blazes up in your being.

 

Obstacles can arise from good as well as bad circumstances, but they should never deter or overpower you. Be like the earth, which supports all living creatures indiscriminately, without distinguishing good from bad. The earth is simply there. Your practice should be strengthened by the difficult situations you encounter, just as a bonfire in a strong wind is not blown out, but blazes even brighter.

 

When someone harms you, see him as a kind teacher who is showing you the path to liberation and merits your respect. Pray that you may be able to help him as much as you can, and whatever happens, never hope for an opportunity for vengeance. It is particularly admirable to bear patiently the harm and scorn of people who have less education, strength or skill than you.

 

Look right into it, and you will see that the person who is harmed, the person who does the harm, and the harm itself are all totally devoid of any inherent reality. Who, then, is going to get angry at mere delusions? Faced with these empty appearances, is there anything to be lost or gained? Is there anything to be liked or disliked? It is all like an empty sky. Recognize that!

 

Once you control the anger within, you will discover that there is not a single adversary left outside. But as long as you pay heed to your hatred and attempt to overcome your external opponents, even if you succeed, more will inevitably rise up in their place. Even if you managed to overpower everyone in the whole world, your anger would only grow stronger; to follow it will never make it subside. The only really intolerable enemy is hatred itself. To defeat the enemy of hatred it is necessary to meditate one-pointedly on patience and love until they truly take root in your being. Then there can be no outer adversaries.

 

Ask yourself how many of the billions of inhabitants of this planet have any idea of how rare it is to have been born as a human being. How many of those who understand the rarity of human birth ever think of using that chance to practise the Dharma? How many of those who think of starting to practise actually do so? How many of those who start continue to practise? How many of those who continue attain ultimate realization? Indeed, those who attain ultimate realization, compared to those who do not, are as few as the stars you can see at daybreak compared to the myriad stars you can see in the clear night sky.

 

As long as you, like most people, fail to recognize the true value of human existence you will just fritter your life away in futile activity and distraction. When life comes all too soon to its inevitable end, you will not have achieved anything worthwhile at all. But once you really see the unique opportunity that human life can bring, you will definitely direct all your energy into reaping its true worth by putting the Dharma into practice.

 

If you make use of your human birth in the right way, you can achieve enlightenment in this very lifetime. All the great Siddhas of the past were born as ordinary people. But by entering the Dharma, following a realized teacher and devoting their whole lives to practising the instructions they received, they were able to manifest the enlightened activities of great Bodhisattvas.

 

Translated by the Padmakara Translation Group

From Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Editions Padmakara

 

Photo by Chris Wilkinson, SeaTac Airport, Seattle, Washington, USA 1976

The Teangarí's heart grew ever more burdened. The handmaiden's death brought him no closure, and his prized daughter quickly became a torn shade of her former self. Twisted by emotions she had never felt, Talamh's magics began to draw upon hatred and rage – manifesting upon the land with growing calamity.

The kingdom was beset by plague and famine all at once, that which gave now taking away. Desperate, the Queen called upon the Teangarí. She knew what needed to be done, and begged her old friend to see her reasoning. Given no choice, he agreed – Talamh was to be banished.

 

Art by Ruslan Skifonich,

www.artstation.com/artwork/5DP0E

So today we had a thing called S...U...N. That meant Brian took 223 photos in 4 hours. Why I posted this first II'll never know. What it really means is that there is many more to come!

Enjoy!!!

 

Maybe there is some reasoning here?

  

After only seeing it on the weekend...

 

After 6L17 was terminated at Whitemoor yesterday for no obvious reasoning, it then proceeded to run as 6Z17 to Harlow Mill today.

 

With the work completed, GB Railfreight Class 66 diesel locomotive 66722 'Sir Edward Watkin' passes by Elsenham working 6M14 10:17 Harlow Mill Ai Gbrf to Bardon Hill Gbrf 31/07/19

Active Assignment Weekly: May 17-24 – Wordsworth

 

I recently read a book in which author described how the words of William Wordsworth were replicated over 100 years later in the form of a photograph. For this assignment I would like you to do the same. Review some of the famous quotes Wordsworth (England’s Poet Laureate from1843 to 1850) and use that quote as the inspiration for a photograph. Please be sure to include the quote in your WIT section.

 

WIT: Another critter shot from our recent family trip to the city. I could watch this big guy all day. The expressions and movements are way to human-like. I have no problem believing that one of my great ancestors looked like this (maybe not as handsome though). Some cropping, a bit of sharpening, and a levels adjustment layer.

 

"Huge and mighty forms that do not live like living men, moved slowly through the mind by day and were trouble to my dreams."

 

"A reasoning, self-sufficing thing, An intellectual all-in-all."

 

View On Black

bagsværd kirke - bagsvaerd church, copenhagen, denmark 1967-1976.

architect: jørn utzon, 1918-2008.

 

in so many churches there is this battle royale taking place between a giant sunburst of an organ and the space it inhabits. not so at bagsværd. utzon fits the organ into neat little wooden boxes, makes furniture of it, and a clear hierarchy is established. it is even charming and in a difficult and demanding modern building acts like something of an invitation to the layman.

 

observations like this abound in utzon's architecture. the reasoning may be easy to follow, but as an architect I find his ability to work out solutions entirely within the logic of the problem he has set for himself humbling.

 

as has been noticed elsewhere, utzon's original plan for the furnishing had members of the congregation facing each other across the aisle and thus facing the organ wall and its opposing interior elevation, both of which offer a perfect delineation of the great concrete shell vault. what a loss, it seems, to have conventional pews instead.

 

as for any longer text on bagsværd, I have decided against it for now. not that I don't have anything to say, I find the architect misrepresented by much of the writing out there, the strangeness of it all appears lost on his Danish commentators to whom art can be rationalized to the point of banality, while the international reception is typified by convoluted essays establishing how every part of his buildings fit into semperian categories. they don't, of course, unless you are really writing about semper and then the whole world fits, not just utzon.

 

I would much rather meet with those of you who are interested and discuss the church and its architect on site. I wonder if we could have as fruitful and thought-provoking discussions as we sometimes have here on flickr. imagine spending the morning in lewerentz' church in klippan and the afternoon in bagsværd watching the space darken and turn slightly blue as the sun sets. two buildings on identical programs, contemporary and separated only by a short drive, yet as different as day and night - and as intimately connected. what a day.

 

for now, I hope you all have a wonderful summer - and thank you for your responsiveness and patience during my somewhat long introduction of hans christian hansen's work. I have even stranger scandinavian modernists on the HDD, but they will have to wait.

 

more utzon here

more words, yada, yada, yada.

I decided to take a trip to London on one of my days off work, as I hadn't been for a year or so. It was a rather successful trip, with a surprising amount of plates from all over the world, including the usual cars from the Middle East, as well as a stuff from eastern Asia too. This trip also included 3 different Russian cars, of which two I could successfully capture (I missed a BMW i8 on Russian plates unfortunately).

 

The two Russians I could spot, however, had 'non-standard' plates, such as this Toyota Camry XV50. The plates on this car were normal in style, with the omission of the embossed 'RUS' identifier, and the flag of Russia, which is usually seen on Russian plates. The reasoning behind using these plates in the UK probably have something to do with the 'Salisbury' poisoning incidents, hence why Russians doing business in the UK probably would prefer to do things more 'anonymously', which is reflected on their choice of using re-made plates.

 

The Camry XV50 was never offered in Europe, only being sold in developing markets, Asia and the US. Of course, the latest XV70 is now on sale across Europe, particularly in the UK, where it replaces the Avensis model, though in the UK it's only offered with a 2.5 Hybrid engine.

 

Knightsbridge, London, United Kingdom

Last but not least for this evening… I was walking down the aisle at my local Kroger this past weekend, when this unexpected display grabbed my attention! I had heard that the TRU intellectual property owners had signed a deal with a “prominent midwest retailer” to feature these “Geoffrey’s Toy Box” displays in their stores this holiday season, but I wasn’t expecting that retailer to be Kroger. (Not least because I don’t really consider Kroger to be a midwestern retailer, but hey.) The full list of Kroger stores featuring these displays can be found at this link; in the Delta Division, it appears that it can be found in the stores in Hernando (pictured), Southaven (Goodman/Getwell), and Jackson (I-55) in Mississippi; Collierville (New Byhalia), Jackson (University), Bartlett (Stage), Cordova (Trinity Commons), Germantown (Farmington), and Lakeland in Tennessee; and a handful of stores in Arkansas as well, none of which are in the Memphis metropolitan area however (mostly the Little Rock area, it appears).

 

--------------------

 

Now… while we’re on the topic of “finding new homes” (as my photo title notes)… am I supposed to talk about the impending flickr changes? I feel like surely, if you use the site, you’ve heard about them by now (and if you’re a nonmember, you can read about them at this link). I guess some of you are probably interested to hear about my future plans, so I might as well discuss the whole thing. Personally, I am planning on staying here on flickr.

 

But many of you aren’t.

 

Thinking about this the past several days, I’ve been trying to figure out what I feel is the worst part of this deal. There are certainly few, if any, upsides to it; much of the effects are negative. Ultimately, I’m having trouble focusing on just one part that is worse than the rest, so I might as well just bring up each element in turn.

 

First: the photo limit. Let me start off by addressing the counterargument here: I actually agree with the site’s new owners that the previously-offered 1TB of free storage was insane, and not economically feasible to continue providing. I get that, and I have no problem with limiting the amount that free users may contribute to the site as a result. Where I take issue is with the fact that the limit is 1,000 photos.

 

Let me be clear: I think 1,000 photos, in and of itself, is not a bad limit. Could it be higher? Sure. But Don MacAskill seems to have done his research, talked to flickr users, and decided that 1,000 is justifiable, so I’m not going to question that. (Let me also be clear on this: Don MacAskill is not my enemy. Some others I’ve seen appear to be adopting that stance, but I don’t blame him. Broadly speaking, my feeling is more of an “I’m not angry, just disappointed” stance. But more on that later.)

 

Another factor I don’t mind – in fact, which I very much like – is stating the limit in terms of number of photos, and not storage capacity. As MacAskill noted, it is much easier for us to understand the meaning of 1,000 photos than it is 50GB. No, my issue with the photo limit arises from the fact that this limit will be applying to everyone. I’m completely okay with limiting new users, who sign up after the changes take effect, to 1,000 photos. But forcing that limit on ALL free users – including those of us who are above that limit, such as myself – is unfair, in my opinion.

 

This bleeds right into my next issue: for those free users who have over 1,000 existing photos on their accounts, the site will soon automatically delete photos from said users’ photostreams until they meet the 1,000 photo limit. The new management team obviously recognizes the importance of photographs, so it seems at odds with that recognition for them to, in the same breath, devise a plan to erase thousands of photos from the site forever. In my simplemindedness, I’ve been concerned about this forced deletion causing lost comments and broken links. The broader-minded internet backlash has brought about additional concerns I hadn’t considered, such as the effect of the deletion on accounts that haven’t been updated in years (that is to say, you can “save” your own photos from deletion by downloading them back to your computer, but who is there to complete that task for an account that is inactive?).

 

An effective compromise, to my mind, would be to “freeze” existing accounts where they are on the date of the change. For example: I have 4,678 photos in my stream as of tonight. So, my account would be “frozen” at 4,678 photos. This is above the 1,000 photo limit, but it involves no deletion of existing photos, the action which I think everyone can agree with is the most heinous thing to come out of these changes.

 

I began considering the counterargument to this, however, and it became obvious that that’s probably not a good idea after all. The reason: an account with the 1,000 photo limit will likely have the ability, once it reaches that limit, to delete one of those 1,000 images and “replace” it with a new image, thereby allowing the account to remain active. An account frozen with 4,678 photos, however, might attempt to “game the system” by deleting one of those 4,678 and replacing it – much in the same way as the 1,000-limited account, except this account could cheat and remain at 4,678. The only way this would be able to work fairly is if the account frozen at 4,678 would not be allowed to post anything new until his or her account were to arrive at or below the 1,000 photo limit imposed on all other free accounts.

 

From that viewpoint, I can see why freezing accounts was not the first option chosen: sure, it would be easy to freeze the accounts, but then those users would effectively be forced to become inactive. At least by deleting images, everyone will be on a level playing field. There are still many different arguments that could be taken in favor of either direction here, but I don’t feel like exploring them further. I believe I made my main point clear: there’s not really a “good” option, either way.

 

Of course, the way to circumvent these issues is to join flickr pro – which is very obviously what the new site owners want us to consider. The issue here lies in the fact that flickr pro is pricey. $50 a year isn’t a low figure. There are many other ways and venues to store your photos. But flickr is more than a photo storage site. It’s a place for interaction regarding photos. So in effect, what flickr is asking us is whether or not that interaction – the additional benefit, above just plain photo storage – is worth paying for.

 

To me, it is. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I’ve made a lot of great friends here, and thoroughly enjoy using this site. This is my hobby, and I don’t want to give it up. I may only have 4,000-something photos posted to the site right now, but you’d be amazed at the amount I have waiting in my archives. I’m not going to let those go to waste. I’m also not interested in uploading them at some different platform. (I’ll get into those reasons a little later on.) flickr is the place for me. I like commenting with y’all, I like viewing and faving y’all’s photos, and – quite frankly – I like the organization aspect of the site. (I tag and geotag my photos. I place my photos into albums. I upload photos in themed “weeks” every Saturday of the year. And, very obviously, I write long descriptions to accompany each image. This is the only site that gives me all of those capabilities, as well as the aforementioned interaction benefits, in one place. If I have to pay for it, so be it. I like it too much to leave.)

 

What I take issue with is the amount we’re being asked to pay. I’ve seen some others suggest a tiered payment platform, with each tier having a higher photo limit until you get to the $50 tier, which features unlimited photos. That seems like it would be a nice compromise. Compared to the logistics and theoretical issues plaguing the photo limit and deletion problems, too, this seems like one that could easily be implemented. And who knows, perhaps the new site leaders are considering this. In my opinion, it would definitely be worth them looking into. Perhaps a cheaper price, coupled with a photo limit higher than 1,000 but less than unlimited/1TB, would entice many of you into staying around rather than jumping ship.

 

While I’m on the topic of the pricing of flickr pro: I did want to point out that the price has not, in fact, doubled. I’ve seen that posted a lot, but was never able to confirm it. I finally found a post commenting on the root of this rumor in the help forum: an old rate of $25 had been grandfathered in until this year, when the rate for all pro users became standard at $50 a year. It’s easy to attribute this to all the other major changes announced last week, but in fact, it took effect several months ago.

 

And speaking of the help forum: there’s a lot of great clarification there, from the flickr and SmugMug teams. You’ve likely heard that only 3% of free accounts have over 1,000 photos, and thus are the ones affected by the deletion program on its way to being implemented. One such clarification makes the important distinction that a majority of that 3% “are largely storing vast quantities of *private* photos, not public ones, [and thus] aren’t contributing to the community but *are* making Flickr more costly to run and harder for us to build great things for you. It’s not fair that loyal Flickr Pro customers are supporting those types of accounts.” This better justifies the reasoning behind the deletion program. Had the original press release made sure to note that a majority of this 3% was using flickr only for its photo storage capabilities, while ignoring its social aspects, I think a lot more users might have been on board with the need to impose the limit. As I noted earlier, there are plenty of places to simply store photos. flickr is a place for doing more than that. So yes, I agree, if there are users out there who are effectively abusing the purpose of the site, I have no problem with asking them to delete their photos or move them elsewhere. (To be clear: this is not saying that I have suddenly reversed course and become okay with deleting everyone else’s photos, be it those who upload only publicly or those who have a mix of public and private photos in their stream. I am only okay with deleting the images of those who are using the site exclusively for private storage and have zero public photos or comments.)

 

Another, more pertinent staff comment reads, “The problem is that everyone agrees Flickr is staggeringly expensive to operate and that someone needs to pay for it, but nobody wants to be the one to pay. Of course, I understand that, but our job is to strike the right balance to make sure the costs are covered by asking those who get the most value out of Flickr to be a paying member. The best way we have to identify who those people are is based on the number of photos stored with us. Is it perfect? No. But after 5 years of hunting for a better way, I’ve never heard one proposed.

 

“So, yes, the 3% of members whose usage patterns look for all intents and purposes the most like those who have opted to buy Pro memberships” – that is, the portion of the 3% not abusing the site for private photo storage purposes, I’m assuming – “but who are currently getting it for free, are the ones who are asked to make a choice. We sincerely hope that you’ll agree that you get a tremendous value for your money and that you’ll join the ranks of the Pros. But it’s 100% your choice and if you choose otherwise, it’s your call.”

 

I can’t confirm yet that I’ll be getting a “tremendous” value for my money, particularly since I imagine I’ll be getting most of the same experience I’ve been getting for free thus far. But I’m willing to give it a shot.

 

I hope I’m correct in saying that those of you who are leaving are not entirely unwilling to give flickr a shot, but rather are simply unable. Well, “unwilling” might not be the best word for that. I understand that $50 is a lot to pay, and even if you can afford it, you may not want to. But I still do firmly believe that flickr is the only place that provides all of the options I mentioned before in one all-encompassing website. I’ve seen many of you mention moving to Blogger or Facebook as free substitutes for flickr. I’ll support whatever route you choose, but here are my personal cons for each of those sites and why I’m not choosing them:

 

Blogger: to see images clearly, you must enlarge them and view them separately from main post; Blogger’s platform, I’ve found, is not very user-friendly, especially if you’ve got a lot of photos to upload; there are no comment alerts to let you know when you’ve received a reply; I personally prefer to use my blog to host more long-form, formal posts, as opposed to informal descriptions here on flickr (yes, I consider this volume “informal” XD ) – theoretically, if I wanted to, I could start another blog, but that still doesn’t solve those other issues. (Pros of Blogger include some semblance of organization [not albums, but tags]; the “reading list” feature so you can track new posts of the blogs you follow; and the lack of a need for your viewers to be a member of the site in order to interact with your content.)

 

Facebook: you must be a member to interact with anyone’s content or receive comment alerts (and I have no desire to become a Facebook member); you also cannot view any comments at all on the mobile version of the site.

 

Instagram: I haven’t seen many of you say you’re considering this as an option, but in my opinion, insofar as your flickr content is based on photos, descriptions, comments, and faves, this seems like the most similar layout. However, for this site you also must be a member in order to interact, and there are also no organization abilities (to my knowledge).

 

I follow 100 people, and over this past week I’ve made a list of 35 of you who upload content the most regularly. Of these 35, only 5 have pro already. 14 of the remaining 30 of you have stated your plans for the future. 13 of those 14 are planning on leaving the site. I’ll let that sink in.

 

If this trend continues – which, unfortunately, it likely will – then there will be a much smaller community here on flickr, once the dust settles. With you all scattering to the four winds, not only will it be impossible to keep up with all of your content in one place as we’ve all been able to do on flickr up to this point, it will also consequently become very difficult to keep up with your content – I barely manage viewing all of your photos as it is currently; I can only imagine how behind I’ll get when I’ve got 30 new blogs to follow! I also hate to think I’ll be losing the ability to easily interact with some of you, for those who choose to go to sites that require memberships. Similarly, I hate to think that some of you might be leaving the community altogether (for example, MJBarnes – who only recently returned after a prolonged absence – has already deleted his page a second time).

 

So I guess that’s my main overall issue with these changes: that our growing retail community on flickr is effectively being destroyed. In Matt Smith’s farewell speech on “Doctor Who,”* he said, “We all change, when you think about it. We’re all different people, all through our lives; and that’s okay, that’s good, you’ve got to keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be.” It may be a bit of a stretch, but that’s what I’m imagining with this flickr situation – the site is changing, and, as I discussed earlier, it frankly needed some of these changes in order to remain economically viable. But from the social/interaction aspect, flickr was something, and thanks to the photo cap and (particularly) the paywall, now it’s becoming something else, with the platform we like/want/need ceasing to exist. Really, it’s just a shame.

 

So, to summarize: I’ll still be here. And I’ll miss all of you, as well.

 

Uploads continue Saturday.

 

--------------------

 

* – On an unrelated, but related, note: not only am I losing a bunch of you guys, I’ve also lost “Doctor Who”… my mom and I, who have been watching together since the Matt Smith era, have taken the show off of our TiVo to-do list this season. I like Jodie Whittaker’s new Doctor, but I really don’t care for the writing of the show at all. It seems like Chris Chibnall (the new showrunner) is trying to morph the show into a more dramatic character piece, which I don’t like at all. Similarly, there’s a new composer this season as well, and the music – which sets the mood – is no longer as fun as it used to be. “Rosa,” the last episode we watched, actually made me uncomfortable as we watched it. Don’t get me wrong – the episode was beautifully handled, and the fact that its portrayal of the 1960s in southern America was so realistic makes it a powerful teaching tool (one reviewer whose article I read noted that he wouldn’t be surprised if it began being showed in classrooms soon). But that’s just the thing – I watch “Doctor Who” because it’s science fiction, not reality-based. It’s just not the same anymore. Which, again, is a shame.

 

(c) 2018 Retail Retell

These places are public so these photos are too, but just as I tell where they came from, I'd appreciate if you'd say who :)

 

There were a multitude of liveries across the Fox fleet, but the reasoning behind some of them was not always apparent, 3491 being an example. It was quite reminiscent of the Foxhound coach livery (or one of them !), but it certainly wasn't a coach. I could just classify it as 'unspecified low-cost unit', and probably be near the mark.

 

3491 also joined the Greenway project in 1994, but was initially allocated to Arriva's Surrey operation, returning to Leicestershire in 1998 as SJI 5570, before being sold in 2001.

 

St. Margaret's bus station, Leicester, 7/9/88

  

國立台灣文學館 - 推理文學在臺灣特展 / 相機紀錄真實 - 才有正確的歷史

National Museum of Taiwanese Literature - Reasoning literature in Taiwan special exhibition / The camera records the real - Will be the correct history

Museo Nacional de la literatura taiwanesa - Razonamiento de la literatura en Taiwan exposición especial / La cámara registra el real - Será la historia correcta

国立の台湾の文学館 - 推理の文学は台湾特に展にあります / カメラが記録するのが真実です - 正しい歴史があります

Nationalmuseum der taiwanesischen Literatur - Begründung Literatur in Taiwan Sonderausstellung / Die Kamera zeichnet das Reale auf - Wird die richtige Geschichte sein

Musée national de la littérature taiwanaise - Raisonnement de la littérature à Taiwan exposition spéciale / La caméra enregistre le réel - Sera l'histoire correcte

 

Tainan Taiwan / Tainan Taiwán / 台灣台南

 

管樂小集 2017/10/07 台南孔子廟 Confucian temple Tainan performances 1080P

{ 旅笠道中 Wearing hats travel in road }

 

{View large size on fluidr/觀看大圖}

 

PENTAX SMC TAKUMAR 50mm 1:1.4

 

{My Blog / 管樂小集精彩演出-觸動你的心}

{My Blog / Great Music The splendid performance touches your heart}

{My Blog / 管楽小集すばらしい公演-はあなたの心を心を打ちます}

{Mi blog / La gran música el funcionamiento espléndido toca su corazón}

{Mein Blog / Große Musik die herrliche Leistung berührt Ihr Herz}

{Mon blog / La grande musique l'exécution splendide touche votre coeur}

 

Melody 曲:JAPAN / Words 詞:Sheesen / Singing : Sheesen

{ 夢旅人 1990 Dream Traveler 1990 }

  

家住安南鹽溪邊

The family lives in nearby the Annan salt river

 

隔壁就是聽雨軒

The next door listens to the rain porch

 

一旦落日照大員

The sunset Shineing to the Taiwan at once

 

左岸青龍飛九天

The left bank white dragon flying in the sky

Historically, even before IQ tests were invented, there were attempts to classify people into intelligence categories by observing their behavior in daily life. Those other forms of behavioral observation are still important for validating classifications based primarily on IQ test scores. Both intelligence classification by observation of behavior outside the testing room and classification by IQ testing depend on the definition of "intelligence" used in a particular case and on the reliability and error of estimation in the classification procedure.[citation needed]The English statistician Francis Galton made the first attempt at creating a standardized test for rating a person's intelligence. A pioneer of psychometrics and the application of statistical methods to the study of human diversity and the study of inheritance of human traits, he believed that intelligence was largely a product of heredity (by which he did not mean genes, although he did develop several pre-Mendelian theories of particulate inheritance). He hypothesized that there should exist a correlation between intelligence and other observable traits such as reflexes, muscle grip, and head size.He set up the first mental testing centre in the world in 1882 and he published "Inquiries into Human Faculty and Its Development" in 1883, in which he set out his theories. After gathering data on a variety of physical variables, he was unable to show any such correlation, and he eventually abandoned this research.French psychologist Alfred Binet was one of the key developers of what later became known as the Stanford–Binet test.French psychologist Alfred Binet, together with Victor Henri and Théodore Simon had more success in 1905, when they published the Binet-Simon test, which focused on verbal abilities. It was intended to identify mental retardation in school children,but in specific contradistinction to claims made by psychiatrists that these children were "sick" (not "slow") and should therefore be removed from school and cared for in asylums.The score on the Binet-Simon scale would reveal the child's mental age. For example, a six-year-old child who passed all the tasks usually passed by six-year-olds—but nothing beyond—would have a mental age that matched his chronological age, 6.0. (Fancher, 1985). Binet thought that intelligence was multifaceted, but came under the control of practical judgment.In Binet's view, there were limitations with the scale and he stressed what he saw as the remarkable diversity of intelligence and the subsequent need to study it using qualitative, as opposed to quantitative, measures (White, 2000). American psychologist Henry H. Goddard published a translation of it in 1910. American psychologist Lewis Terman at Stanford University revised the Binet-Simon scale, which resulted in the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales (1916). It became the most popular test in the United States for decades.The many different kinds of IQ tests include a wide variety of item content. Some test items are visual, while many are verbal. Test items vary from being based on abstract-reasoning problems to concentrating on arithmetic, vocabulary, or general knowledge.The British psychologist Charles Spearman in 1904 made the first formal factor analysis of correlations between the tests. He observed that children's school grades across seemingly unrelated school subjects were positively correlated, and reasoned that these correlations reflected the influence of an underlying general mental ability that entered into performance on all kinds of mental tests. He suggested that all mental performance could be conceptualized in terms of a single general ability factor and a large number of narrow task-specific ability factors. Spearman named it g for "general factor" and labeled the specific factors or abilities for specific tasks s. In any collection of test items that make up an IQ test, the score that best measures g is the composite score that has the highest correlations with all the item scores. Typically, the "g-loaded" composite score of an IQ test battery appears to involve a common strength in abstract reasoning across the test's item content. Therefore, Spearman and others have regarded g as closely related to the essence of human intelligence.Spearman's argument proposing a general factor of human intelligence is still accepted in principle by many psychometricians. Today's factor models of intelligence typically represent cognitive abilities as a three-level hierarchy, where there are a large number of narrow factors at the bottom of the hierarchy, a handful of broad, more general factors at the intermediate level, and at the apex a single factor, referred to as the g factor, which represents the variance common to all cognitive tasks. However, this view is not universally accepted; other factor analyses of the data, with different results, are possible. Some psychometricians regard g as a statistical artifact.

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence_quotient

Now online to watch www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn02cDtwKxw

 

Starling City's hero, Green Arrow, must put himself to the task of overcoming multiple obstacles along the way to reach club Verdant before it's too late. Will our hero succeed or will he fall to the clutches of Count Vertigo, Brother Blood, or Deathstroke? Watch to find out the reasoning behind his epic journey!

 

Directed, Animated, and Written by Tristan Kilmer

 

Completed in 3 weeks. 2nd video to run at 59 fps. I'm also expanding further effort into 3D modeling starting with this video.

Available to watch in HD and 3D. Subscribe for new videos!

Like the Facebook page for new updates! www.facebook.com/pages/FinalFeature/475422389206404

Another soaker again today and as I am so tried of going out and getting absolutely drowned I decided to go to the pool for a bit of exercise instead. I guess my reasoning was a deliberate soaking is fine, as opposed to getting caught out in a down pour. There is no explaining some people's thought process.

This is not a new MOC. I mean, just take a look at the dust on it.

 

This ship started out as one of two identical ships. I forget the exact reasoning now, but at some point I decided to make this one all rusty and decrepit. I had planned on using it for my FEZ webcomic, but that has kinda stalled.....

This building on the Lower East Side of Manhattan has sealed doors and bricked-over windows. The structure is preserved, but I fail to see the reasoning for that. Its fire escapes are more decorative than functional, and no one inside will ever witness the tree planted out front billow in the breeze. I often stare at this photo. I don’t know why it captures me so, but I feel I must add it to my stream so I can keep an eye on it, and figure it out.

 

(And to those on LCD monitors forgive this ‘fade-to-white’ processing, lately. I cannot explain it other than to say that it looks right to me only this way. Hopefully you’ll bear with me.)

 

pastebin.com/raw.php?i=g8RkUy8B

A late posting on my project as I am still away. This was taken in Chicago.

 

Olympus OM1n, Zuiko 50mm, Portra 400

 

I have had a run on 35mm with 4 rolls processed and 3 more when I get home. I have also bought a Nikon F5 35mm camera. I just lusted after one, that's my reasoning. I figure I just love shooting film and shooting 35mm will be a good economical way of doing it. Also shot with my 1st roll of Ektar 100, will see how it compares to Portra, Although I have taken my D200 with me, it has not left the bag!

 

Happy shooting guys and gals. x

From the back cover:

 

"One of the few American writers acknowledged as an indisputable genius by the rest of the world, Poe is seen here at his best in both short story and poem. He was the inventor of the modern detective and mystery story which is based on deductive reasoning, the perfect narrative web woven by a master spider, and the influence of this on writers since his day has been incalculable. His other tales, constructed detail upon detail to produce special 'effects' of horror, melancholy, and strangeness, sustain his reputation for great originality. In his poetry he used language to work miracles in rhyme and in rhythm, transforming dreams, tempests, and ghosts into haunting melody."

Acrylic painting on canvas. 36 x 36 inch. 2015.

"Beta (14-40Hz) – The Waking Consciousness And Reasoning Wave

  

Beta brain waves are associated with normal waking consciousness and a heightened state of alertness, logic and critical reasoning.

  

While Beta brain waves are important for effective functioning throughout the day, they also can translate into stress, anxiety and restlessness.

  

The voice of Beta can be described as being that nagging little inner critic that gets louder the higher you go into range. Therefore, with a majority of adults operate at Beta; it’s little surprise that stress is today’s most common health problem.

Alpha (7.5-14Hz) – The Deep Relaxation Wave

  

Alpha brain waves are present in deep relaxation and usually when the eyes are closed, when you’re slipping into a lovely daydream or during light meditation. It is an optimal time to program the mind for success and it also heightens your imagination, visualization, memory, learning and concentration.

  

It is the gateway to your subconscious mind and lies at the base of your conscious awareness. The voice of Alpha is your intuition, which becomes clearer and more profound the closer you get to 7.5Hz."

No matter what, we must never forget the truth of this situation. This is what Bruce has been preparing us for since the day we joined his crusade. He’s never denied it, nor tried to avoid it. Hell, I still remember the first words he told me when he finally relented and agreed to train, mainly thanks to Alfred twisting his arm.

 

Batman: Fine, but understand this. This is not fun. This is not a hobby. This is a war. War on the streets, war on the system and perhaps most of all. A war against those would use terror.

 

Dick: A war on terror? Terror from where?

 

Batman: From beyond. There’s an order hidden deep within the Middle East, slowly plotting the downfall of human civilisation. No-one knows of them, but they’ve existed for hundreds of years, waiting.

 

Dick: Waiting for what?

 

Batman: The right moment. When society is at its lowest and our faith in one another is all but broken. Only then can they strike.

 

Dick: Why then?

 

Batman: Their warriors are mighty, but few. Disorganisation and distrust is that is needed for their success. That’s why we must be ready.

 

Dick: We? Does that mean?

 

Before I could complete my question, Bruce threw a Batarang at me. Not exactly the most welcoming way to say ‘congrats you’ve got the job’ but the reasoning behind it was clear. When he joined the League of Assassins, Ra’s subjected him to a trial immediately to see if he was worthy enough to join his organisation. Bruce decided to give me a similar treatment only with a batarang instead of a knife. I can’t say that I was particularly pleased with having a batarang thrown at me though.

 

Fortunately, I managed to dodge it. Just.

 

Batman: We start tomorrow.

 

Even then, I could pick up on the reluctance in his voice. Bruce never wanted to train me, in fact were it not for Alfred he probably wouldn’t have. But I like to think that time proved it to be a good decision. He’s taken on two more Robin’s since me so that’s probably as clear a sign as I’m going to get. He’ll never admit taking me on was a good idea to my face. That’s just how he is.

 

I like to think that I’m different to Bruce on that front. I’ve made no secret of how good a choice I believe it was to introduce Bruce to Tim and the past few years appear to have proven me right given how Tim is now the longest serving Robin. Not to mention probably the wisest of us. That probably explains why Bruce gives him more free reign than he did Jason or I. Or he’s simply hesitant to repeat the mistakes of the past.

I’ll give Third Bird the benefit of the doubt and say that Bruce gives him more free reign because he’s the wisest Robin. Though now that I think about it, it’d be a miracle if it wasn’t simply Bruce trying to avoid the mistakes of the past.

 

Probably best to not mention that to him.

 

Dick: So aside from the impending catastrophe, how are things?

 

Tim: Busy, all things considered. We’ve had to contend with Damian for about a month or so, and even though we took him down two weeks ago, he’s gained followers.

 

Dick: Followers? That really should surprise me.

 

Tim: But this is Gotham?

 

Dick: This is Gotham.

 

This really can be used to explain far too much of what happens in this city. I wonder if people say the same about the likes of Metropolis, Central City or Coast City. Who am I kidding, being the homes of a Justice League member in each case, it’s all but inevitable.

 

Tim: Certainly didn’t help that he took my dad in the middle of all this.

 

Dick: Your dad’s back in Gotham?

 

Tim: He was. After the so called ‘Crimson Knight’ abducted him and held him hostage at City Hall, I was able to talk him into moving just outside the city. One less thing to worry about.

 

Dick: Does he know the truth?

 

Tim: My dad? No idea. Or at least, I can’t be sure.

 

Dick: So he does and he doesn’t?

 

Tim: More a, I don’t think he does, but he said something that makes me think otherwise.

 

Dick: You never thought of simply asking him?

 

Tim: I don’t want to saddle him with that knowledge. He was already made a target because of me, the last thing I want is my secret to make him any more of a target.

 

Dick: I know what you mean.

 

Tim: Do you?

 

Dick: I know what’s like to have the weight of the world on your shoulders, and to be afraid of the damage that be caused by that responsibility. But trust me, if you care for him, you should tell him. Not just for him, but for yourself. I can promise you, it feels great once you lift that burden.

 

Tim: Who was it that you trusted with your secret?

 

Dick: Well that’s a tricky one. She wouldn’t really like me saying. But some people know her as Batgirl.

 

Tim: Barbra was the one you entrusted in?

 

Well, technically Alfred was the first person that was trusted with that secret outside of Bruce and myself, but it’s dubious as to whether or not he counts given how he fits into everything.

 

Dick: Yeah. Why do you think Bruce reacted so kindly to me dating her?

 

Tim: Because he doesn’t like anything that takes priority over the mission.

 

That’s far too clear and direct an answer to have not dealt with the same response. Oh, Third Bird, have you got yourself a special little someone?

 

Dick: You’ve had to deal with that as well? Who’s the lucky lady?

 

Tim: I don’t think I should…

 

He attempts to change the topic, evidently wanting to avoid having to talk about his special someone. Unfortunately for him, I’m Dick Grayson and I'm incredibly persistent.

 

Dick: Come on, I promise I won’t tell anyone. Robin’s honour.

 

Tim: Her name is Stephanie Blake.

 

Dick: The Cluemaster’s daughter?

 

Tim: You know her?

 

Dick: I know of her, and especially her father.

 

He’s not been causing trouble has he?

He was a poor substitute for Nygma personally, but who am I to complain? I’ve not had to deal with him since leaving Gotham.

 

Tim: I’d love to be able to say no. But sadly not, his wife created an alias specifically to fight him.

 

Dick: That’s one way to try and get a divorce.

 

Tim: But long story short, both of Steph’s parents fought. She found out I was Robin and ended up taking up her mother’s vigilante identity to fight crime.

 

Dick: Well. This is Gotham. So, where is she? How come she’s not here?

 

Tim: She’s in hospital, undergoing emergency surgery.

 

Yikes. I may have just stepped in it.

 

Dick: What!? Why?

 

Tim: She was injured when the League sent an agent to deal with me. She saved my life, but potentially at the cost of her own.

 

Dick: Stop it. You stop that right now. Her current situation is not your fault.

 

Tim: But she’s only in this state because of me! The agent came after me not her! If I’d just ignored what Bruce said and stayed on patrol, none of this would have happened. Steph would fine and…

 

Dick: You potentially wouldn’t be.

 

Tim: Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Dick: I’m not saying you can’t handle yourself, hell I think you’re probably the best trained out of the three of us. You must be to have lasted longer than either Jason or me. But the fact is, facing one of the League’s agents is like fighting Bruce. There’s no guarantee as to who would come out best in different circumstances. I probably wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for Barbra having my back.

 

Tim: And I wouldn’t be here without Steph. We were just lucky I packed some equipment just in case.

 

Dick: Wait, you were attacked out of costume?

 

Tim: Yeah, the assailant attacked us at the county fair.

 

He fought off one of the League’s agents out of his costume? Now that’s impressive. What the hell have you been teaching this kid Bruce, and why didn’t you teach it to me?

 

Dick: Well then there’s no way you can blame yourself for what happened. You were caught unprepared and unarmoured.

 

Tim: But we wouldn’t have needed armour were it not for me! She’s in the state she is now because of me!

 

Dick: No. Stephanie is in the condition she is now because of the assailant. It was him that gave her the wounds, not you. You saved her.

 

Tim: But I put in that danger in the first place!

 

Dick: No you didn’t! There’s only one person who put her in danger and that was the coward that is Ra’s Al-Ghul. Sending his minions to do his bidding because he doesn’t the courage or strength to do it himself. None of this is your fault. It’s his. Now grow up. You’re better than this.

 

Barbra: Are you of all people, seriously telling someone to grow up?

 

Roy: Isn’t that something a grown up tells people to do?

 

Dick: Shut up, Speedy.

 

It’s times like these that I miss Bruce’s hatred for unnecessary dialogue.

 

Roy: The name’s Arsenal, boy blunder.

 

Dick: Actually boy blunder is his name now. That title left me once I went solo.

 

Tim: Are you sure about, Wing Ding?

 

Dick: STOP CALLING ME THAT NAME!

 

Barbra: Congratulations. You just guaranteed that we’re never going to stop.

 

Dick: I hate you all.

 

Worryingly, I’m not sure if I’m joking right now or not.

Elders just need a little understanding and lots of love from loved ones.

This pic is just a small way to spread awareness on this dreaded and probably lesser

known ailment called "Dementia".

Dementia is a neurological illness in which the patient suffers progressive loss of

memory, judgment, and awareness. It may be accompanied by problems with

speech, social behaviors, toileting, waking up in night and walking.

Many a time they feel and imagine visuals of people in and around their room and

house. They develop their own imaginary characters, develop stories around their characters and keep seeing them during days and nights.

The patient is frequently unaware of changes that family members notice as declines in daily living skills and memory, or alterations in personality and reasoning ability.

Since there are many different kinds of dementia, accurate diagnosis is important.

Some forms of dementia are treatable, while others are not.

Alzheimer's Disease is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly.

The dementia patient requires progressively intensified care and management by the family or other caregivers. As patients lose the ability to remember important events and people, manage finances, navigate and drive, prepare meals, and maintain safety, family members must provide assistance.

Often, patients are unable to comprehend their own inability to function, and may exhibit emotional and behavioral symptoms, which are difficult for loved ones to understand.

Strong support and education of the caregivers enables the patient to remain in the home as long as possible, with enhanced quality of life for everyone in the family.