Highest Explore Position #183 ~ On April 1st 2009.

Update ~ Now #76 on April 2nd 2009.

Meerkat - Wingham Wildlife Park, Kent, England - Sunday March 29th 2009.

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You know what it's like...10 pints and a Kebab..and you just gotta go...lol..:)

You can visit this lil guys cousin here ~ twitter.com/Aleksandr_Orlov ~ Simplezzz....:))

There's a new TV show that started here in England last Saturday...called "A Walk on the Wild side"...which is basically lots of animals being voiced by comedians...in it, they had some Meerkats like my buddy above...only then there were about 5 in a row and they were all standing like this...with the voice over saying they were all trying to answer natures call...well, it made me laugh anyway..lol....:)))

Then the following day I went to the wildlife park in Kent...and I saw this lil guy doing the same thing...which doesn't happen often..well, when I am there anyway..so the caption wrote itself...lol...:)

Anyhoo...enough of my ramblings...I hope everybody is having a wonderful Tuesday..:)

SOUTH CHINA SEA (Dec. 22, 2020) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) transits through South China Sea while conducting routine underway operations. McCain is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Markus Castaneda)

after twelve years of some stability, if not to say some enforced immobility in North Carolina, i'm free to travel again. in fact, i'm forced to travel, as i am losing my home and must find a new one. due to global warming, which we all know doesn't exist, it's too darn hot in North Carolina. so i'm moving north, where the days often are cooler. some people claim they have snow too. i suppose i can survive snow.

but meanwhile i intend to take a little trip. or two. or three. if you would be willing to host me, put me up for a day or two in a spare bedroom, let me sleep on a couch, or even pitch a tent in your backyard, please let me know, via Flickrmail. or if you would just like to meet for a coffee, should i pass through your burg, that would be great. i am, quite literally, going to be searching for America, and Americans. hope i find you out there somewhere.

Wedel/Holstein -> 12. März/March 2013

IMG_II-6645

Yep it's come to this, grasping to a door frame for some sense of stability in these Covid 19 times. It is however Friday and I'm currently regretting half a bottle of red wine and several g&t's last night.

Diagram: Blog Shin-Han-Gyo

Paper: by Hilli Zenz

Size: 2 Squares (one for lid, one for base); nearly 25 cm²

This beautiful model was taught to me by Uschi in the very last hours at our Prien-meeting.

The Rose Box was for a very long time on my “to – do – list”.

Now finally I made it :))!

And as you can see, I dared to take one of Hillis wonderful painted papers for this beauty!

It was a wonderful experience to fold with this painted acrylic paper. It was fantastic: all folds are very precisely to crease and the box has a wonderful stability!!

Hopefully you also do find the result beautiful.

Thanks to Uschi (Switzerland) for teaching me, and Hilli for her beautiful and fantastic Paper!!

And last but not least thankyou to Shin-Han-Gyo for this beautiful model and sharing the diagram on his blog!

Now re-edited on a better monitor...

My final image for 2015 and, I think, one of my favourites. Not as sharp as I would have liked (yes, I know Andrew*) as the wind was blowing so hard, I had to set up the camera as close to the ground as I could feasibly get it, and then lay across the rear tripod legs to attempt some stability.

When I finally stood up, I got blown over! Did I mention the wind?

Anyhoo, this is looking west along Hadrian's Wall with the famous Sycamore Gap in the mid ground.

Wishing everyone a prosperous and creative New Year.

* :-)

Would you like to buy it?

society6.com/product/stability-and-white-aura_framed-print

All the prints, Daniel Vicario's shop

society6.com/flowlover/prints

Male House Sparrow - Morgan County, Alabama - 2019 - another backyard bird enjoying the stability of the fence.

photo rights reserved by B℮n

Khao Hin Thoen Stone Park is located in Prachuap Khiri Khan province in the narrowest part of Thailand, which is only 15 kilometers wide, close to the border with Myanmar Burma. Khao Hin Theun Stone Park is a hilly area where many large granite stones are stacked naturally. The fact that these large rocks appear to remain balanced despite their size and weight reminds us of the delicate balance and stability in nature. It is a reminder of the forces of nature and the unique geological processes that create such formations. These formations are often the result of centuries of geological processes, including erosion, sedimentation, landslides and other forces. It's amazing how nature can create these complex structures over time. From the top of the hill you can enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the Gulf of Thailand and the surrounding coastline. Just a few kilometers away, at the Singkhon checkpoint, is the border with Myanmar; a route with rich historical significance as it once served as a military trail during the late Ayutthaya period. At the summit there is also a secluded temple built between three large massive granite boulders. Essentially an open cave, this temple is a hidden gem maintained by a lone monk. This venerable monk, now 78 years old, has been living here in solitude for more than 40 years. The temple and living area are built into the large boulders. Surrounded by lush green forests, this open temple cave also offers an opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty and tranquility. Hiking trails are available for those who want to enjoy the natural environment. The peaceful surroundings and natural beauty make it a popular place for meditation and contemplation.

Khao Hin Thoen Stone Park, situated near Hua Hin,. The park is a remarkable natural wonder where numerous colossal boulders are ingeniously stacked, creating an extraordinary and unique attraction. Next to the granite boulders I find a beautiful flower. The Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, also known as the Chinese hibiscus, is a tropical flowering plant known for its beautiful, vibrant flowers. These flowers are not only visually attractive, but also play a crucial ecological role because they are nectar productive. A sugary liquid that serves as a food source for various pollinators, including bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other insects. Nectar is essential to the survival of these pollinators because it gives them the energy they need for flight and sustenance. As these pollinators land on the flowers to collect nectar, they inadvertently transfer pollen from one flower to another, facilitating the plant's reproductive process.

Khao Hin Thoen Stone Park ligt in de provincie Prachuap Khiri Khan in in het smalste stukje van Thailand, dat slechts 15 kilometer breed is, dichtbij de grens met Myanmar (Birma). Khao Hin Theun Stone Park is een heuvelachtig gebied waar veel grote granieten stenen op natuurlijke wijze zijn gestapeld. Het is verbazingwekkend hoe de natuur door de tijd heen deze complexe structuren kan creëren. Vanaf de top van de heuvel kunt u genieten van adembenemende panoramische uitzichten op de Golf van Thailand en de omliggende kustlijn. Slechts enkele kilometers verderop, bij het Singkhon-controlepunt, ligt de grens met Myanmar; een route met een rijke historische betekenis, omdat deze ooit dienst deed als militair pad tijdens de late Ayutthaya-periode. Op de top is ook een afgelegen tempel gebouwd tussen drie grote massieve granieten rotsblokken. Deze tempel, in wezen een open grot, is een verborgen juweeltje dat wordt onderhouden door een eenzame monnik. Deze eerbiedwaardige monnik, nu 78 jaar oud, verblijft hier al meer dan 40 jaar in eenzaamheid. De tempel en het woongedeelte zijn in de grote rotsblokken gebouwd. Deze open tempelgrot is omgeven door weelderige groene bossen en biedt ook de mogelijkheid om te genieten van de natuurlijke schoonheid en rust. Naast de graniet rotsblokken vind ik een mooie bloem. De Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, ook bekend als de Chinese hibiscus, is een tropisch bloeiende plant die bekend staat om zijn prachtige, levendige bloemen. Deze bloemen zijn niet alleen visueel aantrekkelijk, maar spelen ook een cruciale ecologische rol omdat ze nectarproductief zijn. Een suikerachtige vloeistof die dient als voedselbron voor verschillende bestuivers, waaronder bijen, vlinders, kolibries en andere insecten. Nectar is essentieel voor het voortbestaan van deze bestuivers, omdat het hen de energie geeft die ze nodig hebben voor hun vlucht en levensonderhoud. Terwijl deze bestuivers op de bloemen landen om nectar te verzamelen, brengen ze onbedoeld stuifmeel over van de ene bloem naar de andere, waardoor het voortplantingsproces van de plant wordt vergemakkelijkt.

Er zijn wandelpaden beschikbaar voor degenen die willen genieten van de natuurlijke omgeving.

The Nikon FE2 is a significant upgrade to its predecessor, the Nikon FE. The FE2 came out in 1983, about five years after the release of the FE in 1978. Like the FM2N, the design of the FE2 was highly refined over two generations and various other upgrades. The FE2 is a great travel camera for film. It is relatively small and light, compared with both large fully-automated film SLR cameras and large full-frame FX or even crop sensor DX digital SLR cameras. However, the quality of the images it can produce are the same or better than those of a full-frame digital camera, especially when the film is scanned with a commercial-grade scanner. You can fit the camera with two or three small prime lenses and an electronic flash in a regular size fanny pack. The FE2 has most of the advantages of the FE and then some. The main improvements in the FE2 over the FE, which will be discussed in more detail below, are (1) TTL flash metering capability, (2) maximum shutter speed increased from 1/1000 sec. to 1/4000 sec., (3) 1/3 stop exposure compensation instead of only 1/2 stop, (3) brighter viewfinder than the FE, with improved focusing screens, and (4) flash synch speed and mechanical shutter speed both increased to 1/250 sec. from 1/90 sec. for mechanical shutter speed and 1/125 sec. maximum flash synch speed on the FE.

I became a constant user of the original FE soon after it came out in 1978 as a backup body to my pro-level Nikon F2 Photomic AS. Then, for a long time, I variously used an F3HP, F4 and F90X together with an FM2N for a second body. Of course, after that, digital SLRs started to take off and film became obsolete for most applications. However, for travel, especially in the modern age of restrictions on flight check-in and carry-on baggage, I like to keep my travel camera system as small as possible but still keep maximum image quality. The fully mechanical FM2N itself is almost the perfect travel camera. However, may people like to use flash with film lots of in addition to shooting landscapes and street images, may shooters like to take pictures of my friends and family, sometimes inside a building or at night. So the ability of the FE2 to support TTL flash is a big advantage over the FE or FM2N.

The FE2 was in production from 1983 to 1987, concurrent actually with the experimental and more high-tech FA. Finally, in 1988, both the FE2 and FA were replaced with the new style F801 (N8008), which had the metering system of the FA plus autofocus and built-in auto-wind. There was actually one additional major upgrade to the FM2N/FE3, and that is the FM3A, which was released much later (2001-2006; 1991). The FM3A is the most advanced of the FM/FE Series, with a hybrid mechanical/electronic shutter, an FE2 style metering indicator, and all of the other features of the FE2.

The FE2 was available in silver chrome and black paint. I have the black paint version, and the finish still looks great today, with only a bit of very minor wear and tear. When I compare the black finishes on the FE and FE2, the finish on the FE's black metal plates and dials is significantly more matte than the relatively shiny finish on the FE2. Comparing side by side, the matte finish on the older FE is definitely cooler. I have not looked closely at a chrome FE and FE2, but I have read that the chrome FE's finish is also slightly nicer than the chrome finish on the FE2. Anyway, the black FE2 also looks great. Although my FE2 has been to the shop a few times for regular maintenance, it has thankfully never had any breakdown. Some might argue that the all mechanical FM series is more repairable than an electronic camera like the FE2 over a multi-decade lifespan, and that may be true. But the FE2 is relatively simple compared with later advanced electronic cameras, so I am hopeful that my favorite camera technician will be able to keep my FE2 running for a long time to come.

All FM/FE-style bodies work great today with a wide variety of old and modern Nikon F mount lenses. Some people prefer the FE over the FE2 due to its ability to shoot more images per roll, slightly more convenient battery check, and most importantly, ability to mount pre-Ai lenses with the camera’s retractable meter coupling lever.

Unlike the single large 6 volt battery in the older Nikon EL-2, the FE and FE2 alike take either a 3V lithium battery, two 1.55V silver oxide batteries, or two 1.5V alkalines. This was standard for Nikon bodies of that era. I usually prefer to just go with a single 3V lithium to enjoy the long shelf life, but of course the other two types work fine too. Even though the small batteries control both the light meter and electronic shutter (but obviously not film advance or any autofocus), they still seem to last forever. I really liked the battery check lever on the back left of the FE, which is missing on the FE2. On the FE, you just need to push the lever down with your left thumb, and if the batteries are good, the red diode will light; no need to look through the viewfinder to check the batteries. On the FE2; you have to check battery power by movement of the viewfinder needle instead.

The FM/FE series is built with a copper-aluminum-silicon (copper-silumin) alloy body. I find the size and weight of the FE2 to be perfect, especially with wide-angle through medium telephoto Nikkor manual focus prime lenses. The body size is not too big or too small. Its size is large enough to hold securely, but still smaller than full size professional bodies like the F2AS or F3HP. It is not as small as the (mechanical) Contax S2, Pentax MX, or even the Olympus OM-3, which are considered small compact bodies and sometimes feel a bit too small to get a good grip. The FE2 weighs in at only 550g, without lens, even less than the FE's 590g. Of course, the weight of the batteries is insignificant, compared with the multiple AA batteries or other larger batteries in future electronic bodies. You can actually hang the FE2 with a small lens around your neck or shoulder and almost not notice the weight. The FE2 fits great into a dedicated case, or a spongy snug-fit case, or a small camera bag with a few lenses.

The FE2 body, like all cameras in the FM/FE series, feels a bit light and even insubstantial when held without a lens attached (The FE2 weighs virtually the same as the FM2N, which is only 10g lighter at 540g). However, once a lens is attached in the wide-angle to medium telephoto size range, especially any Nikkor manual focus primes, the lens/camera combination has the perfect balance, size and weight. It has a highly luxurious and precision feel and sound when held in your hands and used, although the sound is perhaps not as pleasing as that of the FM2N. I most often use Ai-S primes from 20/2.8 to 200/4 and the system is wonderful to operate with all of those lenses. However, once you start getting into bigger and heavier lenses such as, for example, the 80-200/2.8, the camera feels a big too light and out of balance. Also, on fatter lenses, you may need to use a rubber tripod spacer ring to keep the lens rings from touching the tripod head.

Operation of the FE2 is really smooth. The shutter speed ring is large and has an easy to turn knurled grip, although it is not quite as tall as that on the FM2N. The shutter speed dial on the FE2 offers noticeably more resistance than the dial on the FE due to the more robust click stops on the FE2. But still, it is easy to grab the shutter speed dial with your thumb and forefinger when the film advance lever is pulled out to turn on the camera. For safety purposes, you need to push the central button on the shutter speed dial to turn it off of "Auto". The film advance lever motion is amazingly smooth, although the lever is single-stroke only, unlike the levers on the F, F2 and F3. But the stroke is not very big, so a quick easy stroke quickly winds to the next frame. ASA/ISO setting is set by a ring that surrounds the rewind lever. The exposure compensation setting is located on the same ring as the ASA/ISO setting, and has a range from -2 to +2 EV in one-third stop increments, an improvement over the half-stop increments on the FE. Shutter speed and ISO markings are clear and easy to read. The ISO range of the FE2 (and also the FE) is 12 - 4000, wide enough to handle virtually all situations, though slightly narrower than the FM2N, which reaches up to 6400. The small multiple-exposure lever is located under the film advance lever, out of the way but easy to turn when you need it. The shutter release button is located at just the right location near the front of the body. It takes a standard mechanical cable release. The shutter release button on the FE2 (and FM2N) is a more modern, wider design compared with the relatively narrower release on the FE. The shutter release button on the older FE seems to have a slightly shorter travel than the FE2 and FM2N, and therefore feels slightly more instantaneous. Anyway, the shutter release on the FE2 works well with just the right amount of resistance to allow you to half press for an exposure reading, with just a short continued push to achieve an immediate shutter release. The electronic shutter on the FE2 has about the same loudness as the mechanical shutter on the FM2N, but the character of the sound is different. My FE2 has a honeycomb titanium shutter. Apparently, on later serial numbers, the FE2's shutter was changed to an even more improved aluminum design. The film counter is just in front of release crank and is easy to read.

One of the biggest advantages of the Nikon film SLR lens mount (the "F mount") is that it is the only SLR camera mount that has stayed virtually the same from the time of the first Nikon F and Nikkormat FS/FT through to the most current small and full frame Nikon digital SLRs. Except for the requirement that relatively newer Nikon film SLRs require Ai or Ai-converted lenses, all manual focus Nikon F mount lenses can be used on autofocus bodies, and most full-frame auto-focus Nikon F mount lenses can be used on all old manual focus bodies. I don't know of any other manufacturer that can make such a claim. Thus, it is convenient to use the FE2 together with a modern Nikon autofocus film or digital SLR because you can often use the same lenses on both bodies.

The FE and FM were the last bodies in that line to directly accept unmodified pre-Ai lenses because they included a retractable meter coupling lever. Of course, with pre-Ai lenses, you still need to use stop-down exposure metering. There are many excellent pre-Ai lenses available on the used market, and to use any such lenses that have not been converted to Ai, the FE and FM cameras would be a better choice than the FE2 or FM2n. Alternatively, you can probably still get an independent camera technician to convert any pre-Ai lens to Ai using scavenged parts, although Nikon itself presumably long ago stopped providing such service.

Loading Nikkor lenses onto any FM/FE Series body is quick and positive. Just line up the black dot on the lens with the dot on the camera body and twist the lens counter-clockwise. Of course, there is no need to line up the claw on Ai Nikkor aperture rings with an exposure meter pin on the body; this old system became obsolete after the Nikkormat FT2/EL-W generation. To remove a lens, just press the lens release button on the left front of the body and twist clockwise.

To load or unload film, twist the back opening lever counter-clockwise and pull the rewind crank upwards to open the camera back. Film loading is traditional style and almost foolproof. Like many Nikon and other cameras of this generation, you need to stick the film leader into a slot on the take-up spool and insure that the sprocket in the spool engages a film perforation. In my experience, this system is slower but more reliable than that on newer Nikon bodies where you simply lay the film leader flat next to an index line. Unlike the FE, the FE2 prevents you from accidentally loading the film with the shutter speed dial set to "A" and ending up with very long shutter activations if you try to wind to the first frame with the lens cap on. I can't count how many times I ran into this problem on my old FE. The FE2 defaults to M250 until the first official frame is reached. The slight downside is that you are unable to squeeze a few extra exposures off the beginning of the role (unless you use 1/250 sec. and Sunny 16 or an external exposure meter!).

The focusing screens of the FM/FE Series were improved and brightened with the release of the FM2/FE2. The original screens on the FE are about 1 stop dimmer than the later second generation. (Note: first and generation screens are interchangeable with exposure compensation). A slight disadvantage of the FM/FE series viewfinders is that, unlike the 100% frame coverage of a pro-level Nikon F series camera, the FE2's frame coverage is only 93%. This is not unusual in a pro-sumer level camera, but you need to be aware that objects that are outside the field of view in the viewfinder will be captured on your film. The viewfinder contains all of the information that you need for convenient camera setting. There is an aperture direct readout (ADR) at the center top of the viewfinder, same as on all FM/FE series cameras. The exposure meter uses a match needle system on the left side of the viewfinder. I actually prefer the three red light emitting diode system of the FM series, which is easier to see in all light conditions. However, the match needle system on the FE2, like the FE, is perfectly fine and is just as easy to see in most normal lighting conditions. The viewfinder of the FE2 is exactly the same as the FE, except that the shutter speed display range has been expanded beyond 1/1000 sec. to 1/4000 sec. Also, the FE2 adds a red LED on the right side of the viewfinder that lights up then exposure compensation is set to other than "0". This fixes a problem on the FE, where you could easily set exposure compensation then forget to turn it off, since there is no indication in the viewfinder that it is still on.

I often use both Manual exposure measurement and Aperture Priority exposure measurement on this camera, depending on the situation. In Manual metering, you simply adjust the shutter speed and aperture until the green and black needles line up. The black needle indicates the recommended shutter speed for the given aperture, and the green needle indicates the set shutter speed. In Auto metering (Aperture priority) you set the shutter speed dial to Auto which causes the green needle to lock on "A" in the viewfinder. The camera automatically selects the appropriate shutter speed, and the black needle indicates that speed in the viewfinder. While the match needle system is nice and clear in bright light, it is almost impossible to see the display to adjust exposure in dark environments. On the other hand, an advantage of the match needle system is that you receive direct visual confirmation of a wider range of exposure divergence, compared with the LED system.

The FE2, like the FE, FM2 and FM2n exposure meters uses a pair of silicon photodiodes (SPDs) for exposure measurement. This was the latest generation of exposure meter technology, after Cadmium Sulfide (CdS) technology in the Nikkormat FT (1965) through the FT3 (1977) and gallium-arsenide-phosphide photodiodes in the FM (1977). Silicon photodiodes provide quick response and stability, and apparently lower manufacturing cost for Nikon, compared with the prior generation. Exposure measurement range of the FE2 is the same as all FM/FE series cameras, i.e., EV 1 to EV 18 at ASA/ISO 100 and with a 50mm f/1.4 lens. This supports an aperture/shutter speed range of 1 sec. at f/1.4 through 1/1000 sec. at f/16. That range is pretty good for most situations, and a step up from the Nikkormat FT - FT3's range of EV 3 - EV 17. The FE2 is exactly on par with the Nikon F3HP. However, it is not as sensitive as the EV -2 to EV +17 range on the F2 Photomic AS, or the EV 0 to EV 21 range of the later Nikon F4.

Exposure lock is one thing that is slightly inconvenient on the FE/FE2. I sometimes find it easier, even on these cameras with aperture priority mode, to just use manual exposure mode and set the exposure directly. I find it quicker and more comfortable than pointing the camera to where you can measure the proper exposure, pushing the exposure lock button an holding the button in while recomposing and shooting. However, exposure lock on the FE2 is certainly usable. On the older FE, while locking exposure locks the shutter speed at the time the lock button is pressed, the black shutter speed needle in the viewfinder continues to move. This situation was fixed in the FE2, where the black shutter speed needle locks in place when the exposure lock is pressed. By the way, I am more apt to use Aperture priority exposure measurement and exposure lock with electronic Contax SLRs, which allow you to turn on the exposure lock by turning a switch after you achieve the proper exposure setting, and it stays on at a fixed EV until you turn it off. In other words, in the Contax world, after locking the exposure, changes in aperture affect the shutter speed and vice versa in order to keep correct exposure. The Nikon exposure lock only locks the shutter speed, so any changes to the aperture after the shutter speed is locked will change the exposure.

The center of the viewfinder display, with the standard K-Type focusing screen, contains a small central horizontal split image, surrounded by a microprism donut, which is further surrounded by a large matte donut and a 12mm diameter circle. But utilizing both the split-image and microprism collar, you can manually focus on almost any subject very quickly. Turn the camera at a slight angle when focusing if necessary to find a straight line. I can't resist pointing out that with well-maintained manual focus Nikkor primes, such as Ai-S lenses, focusing ring operation is buttery smooth, with just the right amount of viscous resistance. With the no-slip knurled focusing rings on the Ai-S lenses, focusing is quick and accurate. The FE2 provides three different interchangeable focusing screen types for various applications. I never needed to use any except the standard K2-Type screen. The B2 type screen removes the split image and microprism focusing aids, while the E2 type is the same as the B2, except with horizontal and vertical etched lines. As indicated previously, FM/FE series focusing screens were improved (from the "K" series to the "K2" series) to provide a brighter viewfinder image starting with the FM2/FE2 generation. Focusing screens on the FM3A were further improved so that their split-image rangefinders don’t go dark with lenses that have maximum aperture of f/5.6 or less.

The outer circle in the viewfinder encloses the central area that carries a 60% exposure meter weight, with the area outside the circle comprising the remaining 40%. The most important thing to know about an exposure measurement system is how it weights various areas of the viewfinder image so that you can determine how to use it in each situation. The 60/40 system works fine for most situations. It is vast improvement over the classic full-frame averaging system, which was used on a Pentax Spotmatic models, the earliest Nikkormat FT, and other cameras. For these averaging systems, if you wanted a proper exposure, you could not include a bright light or big sky in any area of the frame. Still, with the 60/40 system, you need to determine where to point the camera when manually setting the exposure. Find an areas that is representative of the subject, but which is not overly influenced by a bright light, a bright sky, a dark background, etc. Also make sure to select an area that approximates 18% gray, such as a dense area of green trees in a landscape image. If you cannot find an area that is equivalent to 18% gray that fills the 12mm circle, for example, inside the Haleakala volcano crater on Maui, HI, or a bright snowscape, then you need to compensate the exposure by appropriately changing the aperture or shutter speed in Manual mode, or by changing the exposure compensation dial in Auto mode.

Two contemporaneous Nikon bodies with the FE/FE2, the F3HP and the FA, had different exposure metering patterns. The F3HP, with its 80/20 heavy centerweight, makes it easier to find an area that is 18% gray, without surrounding high-contrast areas influencing the exposure reading too much. The FA is the first Nikon body to include, in addition to 60/40 centerweight, a multi-segment metering pattern (called AMP or "Automatic Multi-Pattern" in the FA; in later Nikon bodies, this metering pattern is referred to as "Matrix Metering"). The 5-segment pattern on the FA and its first generation software were the first Nikon attempt to correct the weaknesses of the traditional center-weight averaging system. While early multi-pattern systems on cameras such as the FA, F4, F800 and F90/F90x did a pretty good and steadily improving job in most normal situations, in difficult situations, they still didn't work as well as the center weight system with appropriate exposure compensation, as is utilized on the FE2. Of course, you have to know what you are doing in such situations! Newer film cameras, such as the F5 and F6, as well as advanced digital Nikons, with their advanced color matrix systems, finally do a good job even in difficult lighting situations. Modern Nikon bodies generally use a 75/25 weight in their center-weight metering modes.

The FE2 incorporates a vertical-travel, metal focal plane shutter with honeycomb titanium or aluminum curtains. Shutter speed range on the FE2 is an expanded 8 sec. through 1/4000 sec, which is acceptable even today. This is a big improvement over the shutter on the original FE, which maxed out at 1/1000 sec. On the slow end, the longest 8 sec. shutter speed (same as the FE) is a convenience to those of us who were previously used to using a shutter release cable for any exposure longer than a second. One advantage of the FE2's electronic shutter over the FM2n's mechanical shutter is that when in Auto (Aperture Priority) mode, the FE2 can select any intermediate shutter speed. In manual mode, you can only select the standard shutter speeds that are indicated on the shutter speed dial. The FE2 has one mechanical shutter speed, 1/250 sec., which is a separate selection on the shutter speed dial. The single mechanical shutter speed on the earlier FE is 1/90 sec. Users might argue whether it is better to have a backup speed of 1/90 sec. for available light, or 1/250 sec. for bright daylight. In any event, given the FE2's great reliability and long battery life, I have never had a need to use the 1/250 sec. mechanical shutter speed.

There are just a few more features that I want to mention. On the right front side of the body are located a depth-of-field preview lever and a self timer lever. Like many other cameras, you can check actual depth of field at the set aperture by pressing the depth-of-field lever. The image darkens if the lens is not set for maximum aperture, but you can get a good idea of the expected DOF with your lens/aperture combination. Actually, this lever is not really required with manual focus Nikkor lenses, because such lenses include an easy to read DOF index on the lens barrel. Many AF Nikkor lenses also have DOF index marks. The FE2 bodies have a mechanical self-timer with a delay of up to approximately 10 seconds. While these cameras do not have a mirror lock-up switch per se, you can simulate MLU by using the self-timer lever. When the shutter release button is pressed after the self-timer is set, the mirror swings up at the start of the timer count.

Finally, a hot-shoe contact is installed on top of the prism housing for flash photography. As already mentioned, the FE2 supports automatic TTL flash control with a four-contact hot shoe. The older FE only had a two-contact hot shoe for manual and non-TTL auto flash exposure. The FE2's maximum flash synch speed is 1/250 sec. This capability is still basically current today, significantly better than 1/125 sec. on the FE, and an improvement over all prior Nikon bodies except the FM2. On both the FE and FE2, one of the flash contacts communicates the flash charging status to the camera and lights a red diode "ready light" in the viewfinder when the flash is ready to shoot. Of course, the FE2 works with any Nikon flash unit. I use my SB-24 and SB-26 and they work great. If you will be doing a lot of flash photography, the FE2, along with the FA and FM3A, with TTL flash support, are better choices than the FE and prior Nikon bodies.

In addition to the vast selection of Nikkor and third-party lenses that are available for the Nikon F mount, the FE2 also accepts various other useful Nikon accessories. One of the most useful is the MD-12 motor drive (and also the earlier MD-11). This motor drive unit works on all FM/FE series bodies (and even the Nikon FA) and allows rapid fire or remote shooting up to 3.2 frames per second. However, the MD-12 is quite heavy, especially when loaded with the eight required AA batteries. These days, it would obviously be better to use a more modern camera is you want portable and higher-speed motor drive. Other useful optional accessories (which work with all FM and FE series bodies) are the MF-16 data back, the DB-2 Anti-Cold Battery Pack, the DR-3 and DG-2 viewfinder eyepieces, and various eyepiece correction lenses.

Copyright © 2013 - 2016 Timothy A. Rogers. All rights reserved.

(DSC_6194fin2)

Lesson to the Blackboard

... en équilibre ...!!!

... my wild river reflection…!!!

... an impressionnist photo safari concentrated mainly on a daily basis (or almost) on my small piece of planet of 55 000 square feet…!!!

... a Thoreau "waldennienne" approach…!!!

... reflet de ma rivière sauvage…!!!

... un safari photo impressioniste au quotidien concentré essentiellement (ou presque) sur un petit morceau de planète de 55 000 pieds carrés…!!!

... une démarche "waldennienne" à la Thoreau …!!!

Two different views of Love & Stability by Reilly Creative.

Husband and wife duo Reilly Creative’s design has taken inspiration from Southampton’s flag, designed in 2017. It depicts an anchor and a Tudor rose. They have taken these elements and with a nod to the beautiful windows that can be found in Saint Marys Church, have turned them into a stained-glass effect design. We have called it Love, to represent the delicate rose and Stability, for the strength of an anchor.

The lighthouses will then be displayed together for a Farewell event in September 2024 which will be a chance to see all lighthouses gathered in one place, a truly unique sight. The sculptures will then go into auction to raise vital funds for Southampton Children’s Hospital.

The Covered Walkway leads to the Marble Boat, a symbol of stability of the rule of the Qing Dynasty. The Marble boat was first built in 1750, but in 1860, the Allied Anglo-French Force burnt down the Chinese style wooden super-structure on the top part of the boat together with many other buildings in the Summer Palace.

Empress Dowager Ci'xi had the boat restored, adding a French style superstructure and two wheels, one on each side.

The two storied superstructure was made of wood, but painted to look like marble, while the two wheels were made of marble. It is believed that the body of the boat was carved out of one whole block. Each floor has a large mirror.

The Marble Boat at the Summer PalaceThe Marble Boat is 36 metres long, with 4 dragon heads on the body of the boat, whenever it rains, you may see water pouring out from the four dragon mouths. The view is surely impressive!

Also noteworthy is that this boat was actually a place for the Empress Dowager to sit at a table in front of the mirror, dining on delicacies and enjoying the beautiful scenery, hence the name the Boat for Pure Banquets.

The Marble Boat was built for the 50th birthday celebration of Empress Dowager Ci'xi.

Stability Diffusion

SL2AiGen: *(Yes- this is my SL Avatar)

Prompt: Black and White| Noir mystery-ebony subject - composition - style - camera - light - angle - vibe It cannot be a painting. It is cinematic. It can't have bokeh. Make it a 4-dimensional-wimmelbilder of an incredibly amazing moment. Fish-eye-lens but get rid of the vignette or frame around the scene. Extreme-90°-angle-dutch-tilt. Extreme-close-up., silhouette of a woman in a open doorway, busy Harlem nightlife outside

After a few years of stability, the Cardiff Bus fleet is now seeing a number of interesting changes, with the first batch out of a total of 36 electric Yutongs soon due as replacements for the remaining Transbus and Alexander Dennis Darts, and the remining Scania OmniCity artics.

The first sign of the fleet changes came earlier this year with the acquisition of a dozen Mercedes Citaros from Bus Vannin (numbered 141-52) to see off a number of the Darts and some of the 10 original shape Alexander Dennis Enviro300s. The withdrawal programme has been hastrened by the arrival of four Alexander Dennis E20D MMCs on hire from Mistral (numbered 271-4) and five Wright Solar-bodied Scania L94UBs and K230UBs (numbered 768-72) from Go South Coast's Swindon depot.

My photograph focuses on the latter and shows Scania K230UB 772 cruising down Westgate Street in the City Centre in October 2021. She is distinctive in carrying an all-over blue livery, whilst others retain blue and green.

New Orleans, 2019

The Bronto-Skylift ALP being demonstrated at the Brigade headquarters, Lambeth SE1. This combination of a hydraulic platform and ladder was so heavy that it was restricted only to certain fire stations with sufficiently strong floor loadings. The picture shows the ALP with its stability telescopic jacks deployed.

1990

The elephants represent power and stability

*Working Towards a Better World

I have been thinking long and hard about why our present day psyche has changed so drastically and have come to the conclusion that we are bringing up our children to focus on the ego, rather than the community. It seems to me that we put too much emphasis on material things and not enough on the spiritual or the whole. Yes, we need to teach our children to succeed and do their best but not at any cost without caring about others. We seem to encourage greed rather than sharing, perhaps we need to concentrate more on cherishing each other, our climate and the environment. When we work as a team we produce more through the sharing of ideas and creativity.

We need to coexist better, be more understanding, less critical, more open, less closed. Together we can achieve a great deal more than alone.

I have chosen the colours black and green because of their meaning found on the Color Pro: Color Meaning website:

www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html

"Green

Green is the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. Green has strong emotional correspondence with safety. Dark green is also commonly associated with money.

Green

"Green has great healing power. It is the most restful color for the human eye; it can improve vision. Green suggests stability and endurance. Sometimes green denotes lack of experience; for example, a 'greenhorn' is a novice. In heraldry, green indicates growth and hope. Green, as opposed to red, means safety; it is the color of free passage in road traffic.

Use green to indicate safety when advertising drugs and medical products. Green is directly related to nature, so you can use it to promote 'green' products. Dull, darker green is commonly associated with money, the financial world, banking, and Wall Street.

Dark green is associated with ambition, greed, and jealousy.

Yellow-green can indicate sickness, cowardice, discord, and jealousy.

Aqua is associated with emotional healing and protection.

Olive green is the traditional color of peace".

Black

"Black is associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery.

Black is a mysterious color associated with fear and the unknown (black holes). It usually has a negative connotation (blacklist, black humor, 'black death'). Black denotes strength and authority; it is considered to be a very formal, elegant, and prestigious color (black tie, black Mercedes). In heraldry, black is the symbol of grief".

Black gives the feeling of perspective and depth, but a black background diminishes readability. A black suit or dress can make you look thinner. When designing for a gallery of art or photography, you can use a black or gray background to make the other colors stand out. Black contrasts well with bright colors. Combined with red or orange – other very powerful colors – black gives a very aggressive color scheme.

Interestingly I have followed a few articles written by the New York Times columnist, David Brooks, who has written recently 3 interesting articles about this subject, On April 7th he wrote an article entitled

"What Candidates Need",

www.nytimes.com/2015/04/07/opinion/david-brooks-what-cand...

then on April 11th he wrote an article entitled

"The Moral Bucket List"

www.nytimes.com/2015/04/12/opinion/sunday/david-brooks-th...

and finally today he wrote an article entitled

"When Cultures Shift"

www.nytimes.com/2015/04/17/opinion/david-brooks-when-cult...

I find that David addresses many of my concerns quite well in these articles so decided to share them with you.

Thank you for your kind visit. Have a wonderful and beautiful day! xo❤️

My second entry to Archbrick Skyscraper Challenge arranged by BriXtar and Archbrick. Crown Tower is a skyscraper located in a park. Grey and blue meet green. A-shaped plates connect the five house bodies and give the building stability.

Would you like to buy it?

society6.com/product/stability264359_framed-print

All the prints, Daniel Vicario's shop

society6.com/flowlover/prints

Thought I was done but I wasn't.

I was walking back to my car at Dublin Corners a few Friday evenings ago. I thought I was done taking photographs, but the sky demanded just one more. I leaned back against the hood of the car for stability.

Yashica-D Twin Lens Reflex

Kodak Tri-X

Epson Perfection V500 Photo scanner

#kodaktrix, #trix, #kodakfilm,

#tlr, #twinlensreflex, #yashicad, #blackandwhite, #shootfilmstaypoor, #ishootfilm,

#brewery, #beer, #dublincorners, #dublincornersfarmbrewery, #sunset, #clouds,

oxymoronsl.wordpress.com/2020/01/20/dynamic-stability/

For a full explanation please see my blog entry at Meanderings, at best

Veliki Draški vrh is not a difficult summit and is for ski touring also a very nice one. But on this ascent we were in doubts if snow stability is safe enough for the summit ascent. In 2085 we still didn't have any standard equipment (shovel, etc.), so my friend was using skis to cut a block of snow to test it. Anyway, we turned around and still had a nice ski tour. (dia scan)

PHILIPPINE SEA (Sept. 11, 2020) A cake is presented on the mess decks of the amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) during an event held in remembrance of the 9/11 attacks 19 years ago. Germantown, part of the America Amphibious Ready Group assigned to Amphibious Squadron 11, along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners, and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Taylor DiMartino)

EAST CHINA SEA (Jan. 16, 2020) An MV-22 Osprey assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 265 (Reinforced) takes off from the flight deck of amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6). America, flagship of the America Expeditionary Strike Group, 31st MEU team, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Vance Hand)

During testing, the stability augmentation system required a lot of fine-tuning. Although the Arrow was not the first aircraft to use such a system, it was one of the first to use a three axes system that other aircraft did not and was consequently problematic. But, this was not the only advanced system developed for the Arrow. Avro’s engineers had created the first non-experimental fly-by-wire control system in an aircraft and a nvaigational computer that used real-time telemetry. The Arrow’s thin wings also nbecessitated the first 4,000 lb/in2 (28 MPa) hydraulic system to supply enough force to the control surfaces using small actuators and piping. The fly-by-wire system used the pilot’s inputs to activate a series of pressure-sensitive transducers in the control stick that sent the signal to an electronic control servo that operated the valves in the hydraulic system to move the various flight controls. This resulted in a lack of control feel so to recreate the mechanical sense, the same electronic control box partly responded to the hydraulic back-pressure fluctuations and triggered actuators in the stick, making it move slightly. Test pilots came to call this “artifical feel” and was an aviation first.

In this image, RL-203 shoots through the skies in southern Ontario. All of the flight tests were conducted at Malton airport. However, on 2 February 1959, a TCA Viscount passenger airplane crash-landed in Toronto, nessistating the test flight be diverted and landing at CFB Trenton. Note the wing fences extending from the dog-tooth to control airflow over the wing. The fences for swept-wing aircraft keep airflow from bleeding to the wingtips and creating a nose-down pitching moment, thus preventing the entire wing from stalling. Soviet aircraft designers employed this technique on several of their aircraft; Western examples are limited.

These are the highest heels i can wear in public, without getting arrested. Giggle!

3/52 weeks

stability

I have been going through all million of the shots i took in July of anything and everything...debated about a few different ones for week 3. It is still very tough sometimes to get in front of the camera...with a 20 sec timer you can start giggling about things that make you laugh.

it has been a tough month for me, probably more emotional than most...but I don't hold onto it for long. I could go a year, maybe 2 without shedding a tear. Even to me it sounds cold as i type it...but so not true at all. I have a real hard time crying and a real hard time letting people see me cry or know about it...maybe that is why i have laughed harder this month than most. One of my biggest things is I believe to a degree in attracting what energy you give, i believe that if I stay with a sad thought....more will follow. I have to dump it out one way or another, and it is usually through art. Photography is such gratifying art when it comes to this. I would be painting for 1000 years the pictures I would need to paint for the thoughts that dance in my mind.

ohhh you are so going to get this thrown at you again...but Picasso is my main man for quotes

and

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life"

Count the stars. Stability seems to be my biggest challenge using only a gorilla pod for these stitched night shots. Just can’t bring myself to carry the weight of a more sturdy tripod on an overnight hike. I tried carrying one a couple years ago and learned the hard way. I was pleased this time to at least have a calm enough surface for some reflection.

Quoted from: www.cbsnews.com/news/ai-stable-diffusion-stability-ai-law...

"Stability AI, the first open-source image generator, trained its systems on images from across the internet. An independent analysis of the origin of those images shows at least 15,000 came from gettyimages.com; 9,800 from vanityfair.com; 35,000 from deviantart.net; and 25,000 from pastemagazine.com."

None of the artists whose images were used, gave permission for them to be used in this way.

"Hairy Woodpecker at Sax-Zim" by Patti Deters. A Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) clings to the textured bark of a pine tree in the boreal forest of Sax-Zim Bog in northern Minnesota, USA. The bird's striking black-and-white plumage, accented by a vivid red patch on its head, creates a striking contrast against the earthy tones of the tree. Its sharp beak is perfectly adapted for pecking into the wood in search of insects, while its sturdy claws and stiff tail feathers provide stability as it navigates the rough surface. Often confused with the downy woodpecker, Picidae is larger overall, has a longer and thicker beak, and the white outer tail feathers are completely white, rather than spotted. Thank you for viewing this vertical image, it is also available with a painterly background at the link below. If you like outdoor nature photography, please enjoy more birds, animals, and other wildlife images at patti-deters.pixels.com.

Painterly Texture Background: patti-deters.pixels.com/featured/hairy-woodpecker-at-sax-...

SN/NC: Calotropis Gigantea, Syn. Calotropis Procera, Apocynaceae Family

Calotropis gigantea, the crown flower, is a species of Calotropis native to Cambodia , Indonesia , Malaysia , the Philippines , Thailand , Sri Lanka , India , China , Pakistan , Nepal , and tropical Africa. It is also called Apple of Sodom or Dead Sea Apple.

It is a large shrub growing to 4 m (13 ft) tall. It has clusters of waxy flowers that are either white or lavender in colour. Each flower consists of five pointed petals and a small "crown" rising from the center which holds the stamens . The aestivation found in calotropis is valvate i.e. sepals or petals in a whorl just touch one another at the margin, without overlapping. The plant has oval, light green leaves and milky stem . The latex of Calotropis gigantea contains cardiac glycosides , fatty acids , and calcium oxalate . The flowers are long lasting, and in Thailand they are used in floral arrangements. The extract of flowers and leaves has shown hypoglycemic effect in preclinical studies. They were favored by the Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani , who considered them a symbol of royalty and wore them strung into leis . In Cambodia , they are used in funerals to decorate the urn or sarcophagus and the interior of the house holding the funeral. The fruit is a follicle and when dry, seed dispersal is by wind . In Indonesia its flowers are called widuri. According to Shivpuran (Hindu religion) the madar flower/crown flower is very much liked by Lord Shiva; therefore the crown flower and its garland are offered to Lord Shiva for peace, prosperity and stability in society. The Crown flower is also one of the major parts of the nine astrological trees (Navagrah tree).

Calotropis gigantea, a flor da coroa (do inglês Crown Flower, pelo seu formato), é uma espécie de Calotropis nativa do Camboja, Indonésia, Malásia, Filipinas, Tailândia, Sri Lanka, Índia, China, Paquistão, Nepal e África tropical. É também chamado Maçã de Sodoma ou Maçã do Mar Morto. É um grande arbusto com até 4 m de altura. Possui cachos de flores de cera brancas ou de lavanda. Cada flor consiste em cinco pétalas pontiagudas e uma pequena "coroa" erguendo-se do centro que contém os estames. A aestivação encontrada em calotropis é valvate, isto é, sépalas ou pétalas em uma espiral apenas se tocam na margem, sem se sobrepor. A planta tem ovais, folhas verdes claras e caule leitoso. O látex de Calotropis gigantea contém glicosídeos cardíacos, ácidos graxos e oxalato de cálcio. As flores são duradouras e, na Tailândia, são usadas em arranjos florais. O extrato de flores e folhas mostrou efeito hipoglicêmico em estudos pré-clínicos. Eles foram favorecidos pela rainha havaiana Liliuokalani, que os considerava um símbolo da realeza e os usava amarrados em leis. No Camboja, eles são usados ​​em funerais para decorar a urna ou sarcófago e o interior da casa que realiza o funeral. A fruta é um folículo e, quando seca, a dispersão das sementes ocorre pelo vento. Na Indonésia, suas flores são chamadas widuri. De acordo com Shivpuran (religião hindu), a madar flor / coroa é muito apreciada pelo Senhor Shiva; portanto, a flor da coroa e sua guirlanda são oferecidas ao Senhor Shiva por paz, prosperidade e estabilidade na sociedade. A flor da coroa também é uma das partes principais das nove árvores astrológicas (árvore Navagrah). No Brasil é conhecida como flor- de-seda, leiteira, algodão-de-seda, queimadeira ou ciúme.

Calotropis gigantea, de kroonbloem, is een soort van Calotropis afkomstig uit Cambodja, Indonesië, Maleisië, de Filippijnen, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, China, Pakistan, Nepal en tropisch Afrika. Het wordt ook wel Apple of Sodom of Dead Sea Apple genoemd.Het is een grote struik die tot 4 m hoog wordt. Het heeft trossen wasachtige bloemen die wit of lavendel van kleur zijn. Elke bloem bestaat uit vijf puntige bloembladen en een kleine "kroon" die uit het midden oprijst en de meeldraden vasthoudt. De estivatie gevonden in calotropis is valvate d.w.z. kelkblaadjes of bloembladen in een krans raken elkaar gewoon aan de rand, zonder elkaar te overlappen. De plant heeft ovale, lichtgroene bladeren en melkachtige stengel. De latex van Calotropis gigantea bevat hartglycosiden, vetzuren en calciumoxalaat. De bloemen gaan lang mee en worden in Thailand gebruikt in bloemstukken. Het extract van bloemen en bladeren heeft in preklinische studies een hypoglycemisch effect laten zien. Ze werden begunstigd door de Hawaiiaanse koningin Liliuokalani, die hen als een symbool van royalty beschouwde en ze in leis droeg. In Cambodja worden ze gebruikt bij begrafenissen om de urn of sarcofaag en het interieur van het huis met de begrafenis te versieren. De vrucht is een follikel en wanneer het droog is, vindt de verspreiding van het zaad plaats door de wind. In Indonesië worden de bloemen widuri genoemd. Volgens Shivpuran (hindoeïstische religie) is de madarbloem/kroonbloem erg geliefd bij Lord Shiva; daarom worden de kroonbloem en zijn slinger aangeboden aan Lord Shiva voor vrede, welvaart en stabiliteit in de samenleving. De kroonbloem is ook een van de belangrijkste delen van de negen astrologische bomen (Navagrah-boom).

Calotropis gigantea, la flor de la corona, es una especie de Calotropis nativa de Camboya, Indonesia, Malasia, Filipinas, Tailandia, Sri Lanka, India, China, Pakistán, Nepal y África tropical. También se llama Manzana de Sodoma o Manzana del Mar Muerto. Es un arbusto grande que crece hasta 4 m (13 pies) de altura. Tiene racimos de flores cerosas que son de color blanco o lavanda. Cada flor consta de cinco pétalos puntiagudos y una pequeña "corona" que se eleva desde el centro que sostiene los estambres. La estimulación que se encuentra en el calotropis es valvata, es decir, sépalos o pétalos en una espiral, solo se tocan en el margen, sin superponerse. La planta tiene hojas ovales de color verde claro y tallo lechoso. El látex de Calotropis gigantea contiene glucósidos cardíacos, ácidos grasos y oxalato de calcio. Las flores son duraderas y en Tailandia se usan en arreglos florales. El extracto de flores y hojas ha mostrado efecto hipoglucémico en estudios preclínicos. Fueron favorecidos por la reina hawaiana Liliuokalani, que los consideraba un símbolo de la realeza y los llevaba colgados en leis. En Camboya, se usan en funerales para decorar la urna o el sarcófago y el interior de la casa donde se celebra el funeral. El fruto es un folículo y cuando está seco, la dispersión de las semillas es por el viento. En Indonesia sus flores se llaman widuri. Según Shivpuran (religión hindú), la flor de madar / flor de la corona es muy apreciada por Lord Shiva; por lo tanto, la flor de la corona y su guirnalda se ofrecen al Señor Shiva por la paz, la prosperidad y la estabilidad en la sociedad. La flor de la corona es también una de las partes principales de los nueve árboles astrológicos (árbol de Navagrah).

Calotropis gigantea, die Kronblume, ist eine Calotropis-Art, die in Kambodscha, Indonesien, Malaysia, den Philippinen, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indien, China, Pakistan, Nepal und dem tropischen Afrika heimisch ist. Er wird auch Apfel von Sodom oder Apfel vom Toten Meer genannt.

Es ist ein großer Strauch, der bis zu 4 m (13 ft) hoch wird. Es hat Büschel wachsartiger Blüten, die entweder weiß oder lavendelfarben sind. Jede Blüte besteht aus fünf spitzen Blütenblättern und einer kleinen „Krone“, die aus der Mitte herausragt und die Staubgefäße trägt. Die bei Calotropis vorkommende Aestivation ist valviert, d. h. Kelchblätter oder Blütenblätter in einem Wirtel berühren sich am Rand einfach, ohne sich zu überlappen. Die Pflanze hat ovale, hellgrüne Blätter und einen milchigen Stiel. Der Latex von Calotropis gigantea enthält Herzglykoside, Fettsäuren und Calciumoxalat. Die Blüten sind langlebig und werden in Thailand für Blumenarrangements verwendet. Der Extrakt aus Blüten und Blättern hat in präklinischen Studien eine hypoglykämische Wirkung gezeigt. Sie wurden von der hawaiianischen Königin Liliuokalani bevorzugt, die sie als Symbol des Königtums betrachtete und sie zu Ketten trug. In Kambodscha werden sie bei Beerdigungen verwendet, um die Urne oder den Sarkophag und das Innere des Hauses, in dem die Beerdigung stattfindet, zu schmücken. Die Frucht ist ein Follikel und im trockenen Zustand erfolgt die Samenausbreitung durch den Wind. In Indonesien werden seine Blüten Widuri genannt. Laut Shivpuran (hinduistische Religion) ist die Madar-Blume/Kronenblume bei Lord Shiva sehr beliebt; Deshalb werden die Kronenblume und ihre Girlande Lord Shiva für Frieden, Wohlstand und Stabilität in der Gesellschaft geopfert. Die Kronenblume ist auch einer der Hauptbestandteile der neun astrologischen Bäume (Navagrah-Baum).

Calotropis gigantea, la fleur de la couronne, est une espèce de Calotropis originaire du Cambodge, d'Indonésie, de Malaisie, des Philippines, de Thaïlande, du Sri Lanka, d'Inde, de Chine, du Pakistan, du Népal et d'Afrique tropicale. On l'appelle aussi pomme de Sodome ou pomme de la mer Morte.

C'est un grand arbuste atteignant 4 m (13 pi) de haut. Il a des grappes de fleurs cireuses de couleur blanche ou lavande. Chaque fleur se compose de cinq pétales pointus et d'une petite "couronne" partant du centre qui contient les étamines. L'estivation trouvée dans calotropis est valvaire, c'est-à-dire que les sépales ou les pétales dans un verticille se touchent juste à la marge, sans se chevaucher. La plante a des feuilles ovales vert clair et une tige laiteuse. Le latex de Calotropis gigantea contient des glycosides cardiaques, des acides gras et de l'oxalate de calcium. Les fleurs durent longtemps et en Thaïlande, elles sont utilisées dans les compositions florales. L'extrait de fleurs et de feuilles a montré un effet hypoglycémiant dans des études précliniques. Ils ont été favorisés par la reine hawaïenne Liliuokalani , qui les considérait comme un symbole de la royauté et les portait enfilées dans leis . Au Cambodge, elles sont utilisées lors des funérailles pour décorer l'urne ou le sarcophage et l'intérieur de la maison qui accueille les funérailles. Le fruit est un follicule et lorsqu'il est sec, la dispersion des graines se fait par le vent. En Indonésie, ses fleurs sont appelées widuri. Selon Shivpuran (religion hindoue), la fleur de madar/fleur de la couronne est très appréciée par Lord Shiva ; par conséquent, la fleur de la couronne et sa guirlande sont offertes au Seigneur Shiva pour la paix, la prospérité et la stabilité dans la société. La fleur de la couronne est également l'une des principales parties des neuf arbres astrologiques (arbre Navagrah).

Calotropis gigantea, il fiore della corona, è una specie di Calotropis originaria della Cambogia, dell'Indonesia, della Malesia, delle Filippine, della Tailandia, dello Sri Lanka, dell'India, della Cina, del Pakistan, del Nepal e dell'Africa tropicale. Viene chiamata anche Mela di Sodoma o Mela del Mar Morto.

È un grande arbusto che cresce fino a 4 m (13 piedi) di altezza. Ha grappoli di fiori cerosi di colore bianco o lavanda. Ogni fiore è composto da cinque petali appuntiti e da una piccola "corona" che si eleva dal centro che sorregge gli stami. L'estivazione che si trova in calotropis è valvata, cioè i sepali o petali in una spirale si toccano appena al margine, senza sovrapporsi. La pianta ha foglie ovali, di colore verde chiaro e fusto lattiginoso. Il lattice di Calotropis gigantea contiene glicosidi cardiaci, acidi grassi e ossalato di calcio. I fiori sono di lunga durata e in Thailandia sono usati nelle composizioni floreali. L'estratto di fiori e foglie ha mostrato effetti ipoglicemizzanti in studi preclinici. Erano prediletti dalla regina hawaiana Liliuokalani, che li considerava un simbolo di regalità e li indossava legati in leis. In Cambogia vengono utilizzati nei funerali per decorare l'urna o il sarcofago e l'interno della casa che ospita il funerale. Il frutto è un follicolo e quando è secco, la dispersione dei semi avviene per vento. In Indonesia i suoi fiori sono chiamati widuri. Secondo Shivpuran (religione indù) il fiore madar / fiore della corona è molto apprezzato da Lord Shiva; quindi il fiore della corona e la sua ghirlanda sono offerti a Lord Shiva per la pace, la prosperità e la stabilità nella società. Il fiore della corona è anche una delle parti principali dei nove alberi astrologici (albero di Navagrah).

Calotropis gigantea ، زهرة التاج ، هي نوع من Calotropis موطنه كمبوديا وإندونيسيا وماليزيا والفلبين وتايلاند وسريلانكا والهند والصين وباكستان ونيبال وأفريقيا الاستوائية. ويسمى أيضًا تفاح سدوم أو تفاح البحر الميت.

وهي شجيرة كبيرة يصل ارتفاعها إلى 4 أمتار (13 قدمًا). تحتوي على مجموعات من الزهور الشمعية ذات اللون الأبيض أو الخزامى. كل زهرة تتكون من خمس بتلات مدببة و "تاج" صغير يرتفع من المركز الذي يحمل الأسدية. إن aestivation الموجود في calotropis هو valvate ، أي أن الكرات أو البتلات في الزهرة تلمس بعضها البعض فقط على الهامش ، دون تداخل. يحتوي النبات على أوراق بيضاوية وخضراء فاتحة وساق حليبي. يحتوي لاتكس Calotropis gigantea على جليكوسيدات القلب والأحماض الدهنية وأكسالات الكالسيوم. الأزهار طويلة الأمد ، وتستخدم في تايلاند في تنسيق الأزهار. أظهر مستخلص الزهور والأوراق تأثير سكر الدم في الدراسات قبل السريرية. كانوا يفضلون من قبل ملكة هاواي Liliuokalani ، التي اعتبرتهم رمزا للملكية وارتدتهم معلقة في leis. في كمبوديا ، يتم استخدامها في الجنازات لتزيين الجرة أو التابوت الحجري وداخل المنزل الذي يقام الجنازة. الثمرة عبارة عن جريب وعندما تجف ، يتم تشتت البذور بواسطة الرياح. في إندونيسيا تسمى أزهارها ويدوري. وفقًا لشيفبوران (الديانة الهندوسية) ، فإن زهرة مدار / زهرة التاج محبوب جدًا من قبل اللورد شيفا ؛ لذلك يتم تقديم زهرة التاج وإكليلها إلى اللورد شيفا من أجل السلام والازدهار والاستقرار في المجتمع. تعتبر زهرة التاج أيضًا أحد الأجزاء الرئيسية للأشجار الفلكية التسعة (شجرة

نافاغراه).

冠花であるカロトロピス・ギガンテアは、カンボジア、インドネシア、マレーシア、フィリピン、タイ、スリランカ、インド、中国、パキスタン、ネパール、熱帯アフリカ原産のカロトロピスの一種です。 ソドムのリンゴ、死海のリンゴとも呼ばれます。

高さ4メートル（13フィート）に成長する大きな低木です。 白またはラベンダー色のワックス状の花が房状に咲きます。 それぞれの花は、5 つの尖った花びらと、雄しべを保持する中心から立ち上がった小さな「王冠」で構成されています。 カロトロピスで見られる熱意は弁状です。つまり、がく片または花弁が輪になって、重なり合うことなく、縁で互いに接触しているだけです。 植物は楕円形の薄緑色の葉と乳白色の茎を持っています。 Calotropis gigantea の乳液には、強心配糖体、脂肪酸、シュウ酸カルシウムが含まれています。 花持ちが良いので、タイではフラワーアレンジメントに使われます。 花と葉の抽出物は前臨床研究で血糖降下効果が示されています。 これらはハワイの女王リリウオカラニに好まれ、女王はそれらを王族の象徴とみなし、レイに結び付けて身に着けていました。 カンボジアでは、葬儀の際、骨壷や石棺、葬儀を行う家の室内を飾るためにそれらが使用されます。 果実は嚢であり、乾燥すると種子が風によって散布されます。 インドネシアではその花はウィドゥリと呼ばれます。 シヴプラン（ヒンズー教）によれば、マダールの花/王冠の花はシヴァ神にとても好まれています。 したがって、冠の花とその花輪は、社会の平和、繁栄、安定のためにシヴァ神に捧げられます。 クラウンフラワーは、9 つの占星術の木 (ナヴァグラの木) の主要部分の 1 つでもあります。

EAST CHINA SEA (Aug. 4, 2020) The amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) executes a reverse engine maneuver during a full power engine run. Germantown, part of America Expeditionary Strike Group, is operating in the 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners, and serves as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Taylor DiMartino)

Must attribute with link to: www.ptpioneer.com

Image of a girl working out Outside doing stability ball Crunches outdoors in a park

My project is coming to an end. A shot of the landscaping works about to mature to stability. The bamboo seems to be thriving at the seafront cliff side.

NIKON F5, Nikkor 50mm F1.2, Fujifilm Reala 100, Wide Open

Jodhpur is a city in the Indian state of Rajasthan and formerly the seat of a princely state of the same name. Jodhpur was the capital of the Kingdom of Marwar, which is now part of Rajasthan. Jodhpur is a popular tourist destination, featuring many palaces, forts and temples, set in the stark landscape of the Thar Desert. It is popularly known as Blue city and Sun city among people of Rajasthan and all over India.

The old city circles the fort and is bounded by a wall with several gates. However, the city has expanded greatly outside the wall over the past several decades.

Jodhpur city was founded in 1459 by Rao Jodha, a Rajput chief of the Rathore clan. Jodha succeeded in conquering the surrounding territory and thus founded a kingdom which came to be known as Marwar. As Jodha hailed from the nearby town of Mandore, that town initially served as the capital of this state; however, Jodhpur soon took over that role, even during the lifetime of Jodha. The city was located on the strategic road linking Delhi to Gujarat. This enabled it to profit from a flourishing trade in opium, copper, silk, sandalwood, dates and other tradeable goods.

After the death of Rao Chandrasen Rathore in 1581, the kingdom was annexed by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Marwar became a Mughal vassal, owing fealty to them while enjoying internal autonomy. Jodhpur and its people benefited from this exposure to the wider world as new styles of art and architecture made their appearance and opportunities opened up for local tradesmen to make their mark across northern India.

Aurangzeb briefly sequestrated the state (c. 1679) after the death of Maharaja Jaswant Singh, but the prior ruler Maharaja Ajit Singh was restored to the throne by Veer Durgadas Rathore after Aurangzeb died in 1707. The Mughal empire declined gradually after 1707, and Marwar descended into strife and invited the intervention of the Marathas, who soon supplanted the Mughals as overlords of the region. This did not make for stability or peace, however: 50 years of war and treaties dissipated the wealth of the state, which sought the help of the British and entered into a subsidiary alliance with them.

There was a major revolt in 1857 by some Rathore nobles of Pali led by Thakur Kushal Singh of Auwa. The rebels were defeated by the British army under colonel Holmes and peace was restored.

During the British Raj, the state of Jodhpur had the largest land area of any in the Rajputana. Jodhpur prospered under the peace and stability that was a hallmark of this era. Its merchants, the Marwaris, flourished and came to occupy a position of dominance in trade across India.

In 1947, when India became independent, the state merged into the union of India and Jodhpur became the second largest city of Rajasthan. At the time of partition, the ruler of Jodhpur, Hanwant Singh, did not want to join India, but finally due to the effective persuasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Home Minister at the time, the state of Jodhpur was included in Indian Republic. Following the State Reorganisation Act, 1956, it was included within the state of Rajasthan.

The handicrafts industry has, in recent years, eclipsed all the other industries in the city. The items manufactured include textiles, metal utensils, bicycles, ink and sporting goods. A flourishing cottage industry exists for the manufacture of such items as glass bangles, cutlery, carpets and marble products.

After handicrafts, tourism is the second largest industry of Jodhpur.

PHILIPPINE SEA (Sept. 14, 2020) As seen from the amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42), the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), left, conducts a replenishment-at-sea with the dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS Washington Chambers (T-AKE 11). Germantown, part of the America Amphibious Ready Group assigned to Amphibious Squadron 11, along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners, and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Taylor DiMartino)

www.color-meanings.com/purple-color-meaning-the-color-pur... Color Meaning – The Color Purple

Purple Color MeaningPurple combines the stability of the blue color and the energy of the red. Through the ages, purple has always been associated with royalty, nobility and prestige. The color purple can symbolize mystery, magic, power and luxury. Purple color meaning is often used to portray rich powerful kings, leaders, magicians and even sorcerers. Purple combined with gold can be flashy and portray wealth and extravagance. Bright purple and pink are good as feminine designs and is popular among teenage girls. Light purple together with the color yellow is commonly used in advertisements for children’s products. It gives the impression of something that is fun and easy to deal with.

The color purple relates to the imagination and spirituality and allows us to get in touch with our deepest thoughts. The difference between violet and purple is that violet is displayed in the visible light spectrum, while purple is simply a mixture of red and blue. Violet vibrations are the highest in the visible spectrum. Although violet is not quite as intense as purple, their essence is the same. Generally speaking, the names are interchangeable and the meaning of the colors are the same. Both colors contain energy and strength from the color red, with spirituality and integrity from the color blue. The colors symbolize the union of body and soul, which creates a balance between our physical and spiritual energies.

So this is where I've been going wrong all this time, when I'm hand holding for shots.

I believe I was drunk when I took this photo. Doesn't it give a sensation of calm and stability?