View allAll Photos Tagged unplug
With all the technology today it fells that we are connected 24/7. Sometimes I wish I could just unplug and relax.
Macro Monday project – 02/14/11
"Metaphors”
Found myself wanting to shoot today, ready to shoot today, but no model to work with. There WAS a model, but wires got crossed, it didn't happen. So here's me with my dick in my hands, all dressed up but nowhere to go, frustrated.
Then Laura showed up.
Had to unplug every electronic in the house to patch together enough cords to get my 650w light to reach outside. But reach it did, and shoot we did.
And awesome it was. Turned my whole day around.
Kevin gave me the prompt "Disconnect" because I didn't have any ideas for today's photo. I feel like we can all resonate with it. Also... annoyingly, I just learned that our outlet is crooked.
Next Photowalk #7 soon
Wann: 13. Jänner 2008 um 09:00 GMT +1
Wo: Parkplatz Interspar Rosentalerstraße, A-9020 Klagenfurt, AUSTRIA (Karte)
Thema: Tscheppaschlucht
After-Walk-Party: vor Ort
Upcoming: http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/394787
wevent: http://wevent.org/events/33390-Photowalk-7-Tscheppaschlucht
Tags: upcoming:event=394787, photowalk.at:13012008
Details unter www.photowalk.at
I could tell you that this site is reached after a long strenuous trek up steep escarpments and difficult terrain and crossing fast flowing water. I could tell you that you have to tousle with the Adar Llwch Gwin a ferocious Griffin-like bird, or Yr Afanc, a large demonic lake beast, which takes the form of a grotesque dwarf ( sounds like Gimli to me) but all that wouldn't be strictly true, in fact, surprisingly, it's entirely untrue!
I am sure some of you will recognise this as Cwm Idwal which is to be found in the Glyderau range of mountains in northern Snowdonia. This is glaciation at its best, comprising volcanic and sedimentary rock, the lake, Llyn Idwal, is at the base, (as lakes usually are), and surrounded by high crags, screes and moraines. It is so easily accessed by anyone who can put one foot in front of the other! There's even a cafe at the end, happy days!
Given its elevation and north-facing aspect, Cwm Idwal is the most southerly place in Britain where Arctic plants such as moss campion and some alpine saxifrages can be found. It is also a home of the Snowdon lily, a plant which can only be found in the UK on Snowdon and its surroundings. Oh, the exclusivity of the Welsh.
From a photography point of view, this place can get busy but most non photographers will tend to stick to the path, whereas we're more likely to be by the water pirouetting on wet rocks and falling over (that bit's for you Paul).
Shortly after taking this photo, my brain decided to unplug itself and the synapses took a nap and I managed to leave my rucksack complete with phone, wallet and keys (obviously not camera gear) having a little rest by the stream! It was only when I reached the car park and went to unclip the rucksack that I realised it wasn't there. I quickly searched my vocabulary for all the expletives I could find, I was pleasantly surprised, I knew far more than I would have bargained for! So not only did I manage to do this lovely walk once, I also got to repeat it in reverse, this time running! As for the rucksack, it was just where I left it, resting, taking in the beautiful views of Cwm Idwal.
I know I have attached this music to a previous image but you really can't get enough of a good thing. In my opinion, one of the best pieces of music ever written ( apart from The Killing Moon by Echo and the Bunnymen...well it is Easter after all.)
I recently read a story about the new thing is to do the old thing - i.e. unplug and interact in person. Who'd have thunk it? ;) It's been such gloomy weather here that I am ready to unplug and go outside!! I hope the weatherman is right because it's SUPPOSED to finally be nice tomorrow. Hope you are having a fabulous evening!
I was actually kind of surprised to find this decorated tree in late April. They usually unplug these lights by the end of the winter season, but I'm happy if they don't. All the more possibilities for me to take nice photos.
Anyone else feeling the underlying anxiety that comes with the rushing of time, noticing how quickly summer has ended, and now how even faster Autumn is fluttering away? At least here in the Canadian Rockies, fall seems to always be the shortest season, and year after year I feel a slight panic at the realization that I just can’t simply do everything I want to do while the colours are at their prime and before the first snows set in. 😅 I did manage to squeeze in one camping trip for a few days last week, which felt amazing to completely unplug and just be out there witnessing the changes with no distraction - it was my reminder to let go of the need to control my time, as well as the seasons, and surrender to their whims while trying to appreciate each moment.
I’ve hardly taken any photos at all this season (although I have been channeling my creative energy into a video journal instead, so keep an eye out on YouTube this week!) - but last weekend I realized it was now or never if I was going to capture a self portrait before fall finishes, so with the extra push of inspiration from some visiting friends, we played in this lake and froze our butts off for 4 hours in 0 degrees with high winds, finishing just as the first snowstorm of the season set in and blanketed everything on our return drive home.
Tigers were hunted by the royalty of India and other wealthy people of the world for centuries. A tiger rug was a prized possession and a tiger's tooth was quite a prize too.
Now India is trying to protect their magnificent cat, but they are still on the endangered species list. If I had to choose my favorite cat of the world, it would be the tiger. I love their markings and their eyes.
I am continuing this series of endangered or threatened wildlife species by adding another picture of each one of the previous animals. This image corresponds with # 8. That way you can go back and read information on the animal if you missed it before. They are all in the album titled "Endangered"
There are 9 animals in the series. Count them again, the number is huge and of course there are many more species I don't have pictures of. Many of the animals are ones that we all love and when they are gone they will be greatly missed.
****And I will miss all of you, as I will leave very shortly for a trip to Africa to "hunt" wildlife with my camera in Botswana and relax on the beaches of the Seychelles. I will be gone until the middle of April and as always I wiil unplug from machines and soak in all of the pleasures of travel. I want to experience Africa and the beaches of the Indian Ocean without distractions. I will continue this series when I return and respond to comments and inquiries then.****
A reminder that all of my images are copyrighted and are not for your use in any way unless you contact me.
Running nearly ten minutes early on its revised schedule (about twenty minutes later than normal), 90028 heads south at Old Linslade (north of Leighton Buzzard), working 1M16 20.45 Inverness - Euston "Up Highlander" Caledonian Sleeper service.
The later schedule allowed the sun to clear the thin cloud, although it went back in before all three southbound Freightliners and was in and out after that until lunchtime.
This wasn't quite the shot I wanted... I've done the sleeper here many times, although not since I got a pole in August 2020. So I wanted something slightly different, and planned to stand a bit wider (slightly scuppered by other people already in position - but easy to work around) and use the pole to remove the fence from the shot. Unfortunately, while moving into position for the LSL 90 heading north, walking past long grass and nettles which were wet from recent rain, I think I got a little bit of damp in one of the HDMI cable connections (which connect camera to monitor, so I can see through the lens when the camera is several metres above my head). I managed to get it to work at the critical time for the 90, but with the sleeper just around the corner I couldn't get an image on my monitor. So the only option was to unplug the cable and view the image on the back of the camera, without the pole being extended. I didn't even have time to remove the camera from the top of the pole so I could hold it in my hand! As a result, there was some foreground vegetation and an out-of-focus fence in the bottom right of the picture; the latter has been removed by cropping to "widescreen" format (as well as slightly on both sides).
Visit Brian Carter's Non-Transport Pics to see my photos of landscapes, buildings, bridges, sunsets, rainbows and more.
Three iconic railroad entities in the West meet up in the Apache's yard. The crew had an easy day set up with only 3 inbound cars and 13 to go back with them. However the BNSF X-FTXHOL from Friona, TX showed up to drop off 109 empties for cleaning about 5 minutes before they did.
After some quick conversation, a plan was put together to unplug the yard. The APA stuck their 3 inbound cars into the depot track, then ran down 3 track to pickup their 12 tank and feed cars. The BNSF filled track 2 with hoppers until the DP's were in the clear, seen here, then set the rest of the headend over onto track 3. The APA had to do a quick shuffle to get the tanks together and the feed cars together, and used track 1 to do that. A perfect spot of the ATSF hopper on track 1 allowed this shot when they came back over to 3 with some tanks. After the tanks were secured on 3, they grabbed the 5 hoppers off of 1 and pulled forward onto the connection to hang the EOT and do the air test. With track 1 open, the single BNSF motor came back down to pick up the 2 DPU's and prepare for a light engine move onto Winslow. The APA left the tanks as the car they had planned to use as a buffer was now on the wrong side of the power in the depot track and they were unable to run around it.
I'm remembering the tranquility I experienced during our train ride out west to Glacier National Park. The rhythmic rocking of the sleeper car was the only sound as I documented this sunset through the window.
There's so much noise at this point in my life that I'm planning to intentionally force quietness. How close can I get back to this moment on the train? Particularly in the political sphere, I've never seen so many arguments on my facebook feed. Time to unplug (using News Feed Eradicator and other helpful chrome extensions - LINK) and make room for more introspection.
This is an eight-image panorama.
Here's a little calm in a hectic world.
Believe it or not, this is a lampwork glass bead. I just loved the cool, calming colours. On the left is the tip of another glass bead and underneath that is a piece of sea glass. I think it's the base of a bottle, which ended up on a Scottish beach.
Each summer I go to a cottage in North Frontenac for a couple of weeks, and just unplug. One of the great distractions is the wildlife, birds included. This Song Sparrow was a part of a nesting pair, and from the contents of its bill over the week one could create a taxonomy of the insects of eastern Ontario - it darted in and out of the trees capturing insects of all kinds to take back to the nest. Fortunately one of its launch points back to the nest was at eye height. And, fortunately, it wasn't always raining.
16" x 20" collage on panel - "Signs for Our Time: A Modern Take on the WPA" group show at Naked Art gallery in Birmingham
SOLD
...a tease of a future project :~)
For different reasons I'd been stressed and pretty tired the last couple of months. Stress is like poison, I'm starting the necessary steps in order to reverse and avoid it. I'm thankful to have flown away with my mother for some days, we spent Mother's Day in a very special place which I called "The Water World"...It was the perfect get away, water is my fuel. I was able to relax a little, be away from the daily rush, unplug from my pc, I thought about many things that have happened.
I don't understand why some people think Photographers who are not "famous" should work for free or for a bargain. What the hell is that? Photography is a tough profession, highly competitive, gear is quite expensive, treating photos is time consuming and one's talent has to be worth more than a few bucks! Great photos last forever.. I'm done with this kind of thing.
In the last year there have been some people who took advantage of me in different ways, some I clicked in "partnership" but it turned out being a one way partnership, I worked for many hours on their photos and a few didn't do what they said they would. I'm a "believer", a woman of my word, I expected they would act according to theirs, to my surprise they didn't.
I'll no longer put up with ones who lack with consideration and respect. I'll be more careful not to waste my time with those who pretend an interest to hire me just to get to know what I would do and how.
When time comes I'll try choosing models for my personal projects even more carefully and keep my mouth shut about any other future projects I have in mind.
I've started my career by myself, honestly, ethically. I've never tried to diminish other photographer's work just to make myself look better, never gone after other professionals clients trying to convince them to click with me, these kind of lame attitudes. I'm sorry there are some people like that aiming at my direction.
Sometimes I wonder why there are so many snakes trying to backstab others.
It would be a healthier environment if more people realized it's a big world and there is space for everybody.
It would be great having more genuine nice people around. I'm greateful for the ones I know, including many who visit me here. :~)
Even with these unpleasant things, the difficult times, my grieve in the last year, I'm glad to realize my usual smile is coming back to my face, slowly but it is. This is one of a few photos I got to see it again. :~)
I'm beginnig a new phase, hopefuly free of such people.
if you haven't yet... Fly Away with Me
edit: this photo was composed by me but it wasn't me clicking it!
~
Passei uns dias longe com minha mãe, fomos para um lugar que chamei de "O Mundo das Águas", foi mto bom para desestressar um pouco, relaxar e poder pensar em várias coisas.
Uma delas é que não entendo porque algumas pessoas acham que um Fotógrafo Profissional que não é "famoso" deveria clicar de graça ou por uma barganha Que estória é essa? Fotografia é uma profissão cara, os equipamentos são caros, tratar imagens leva muito tempo e o Talento de alguém tem que valer mais do que alguns trocados! Ninguém contrata um advogado de graça, nem médico, professor, consultor, personal trainer, manicure, cabelereiro, etc! Fotografia é uma profissão séria e que demanda muito do profissional se ele for entregar um trabalho de qualidade! Grandes fotos duram para Sempre! Chega deste tipo de coisa.
e paro minha tradução por aqui, já me desculpando por não continuá-la.
5 ways to relax in 2025
When it comes to your skin, stress plays a huge role in keeping it clear and glowing. Stress affects your collagen production, and your sebum production so to tackle skin-aging or acne appropriately, you’re best to think about reducing stress!
In today’s fast-paced world, where digital distractions and constant connectivity can leave us feeling stressed and overwhelmed, it’s more important than ever to find time to relax. As we move further into 2025, relaxation doesn’t just mean kicking back on the couch with Netflix. Instead, it’s about finding experiences that allow us to disconnect from the noise, enjoy the present moment, and recharge our minds and bodies.
Here are five relaxing ways to unwind in 2025, from spending time in nature to bonding with loved ones and discovering new activities.
1. Spend Time Outside: Nature is Your Best Therapy
2. Meet Up with Friends or Family: Strengthen Your Social Bonds
3. Take a Digital Detox: Unplug to Recharge
4. Try a New Relaxing Activity: Meditation or Yoga
5. Pamper Yourself: Spa Days and Wellness Treatments
[The Big Move is scheduled for tomorrow. As I explained over the last few days, no more uploads from me until the 25th or 26th of November at the earliest, assuming all goes well, which one should never assume...]
In the little downstairs room I have been using as an office for so many years in this house, and where I sit today like every morning in front of my desk, the bookshelves are now entirely empty, except for the two large JBL speakers (too heavy for me to dare move by myself), the Revox reel-to-reel tape deck and the small Teac components of my hi-fi installation. They have been unplugged and the cables are all coiled. They look like the folded wings of a dark bird, ready to die... or to fly.
On my desk, almost nothing remains: the PC I will shut down and unplug soon after I finish uploading these daily photos to Flickr, the Bose speakers attached to it, the banker’s lamp that will soon go dark and wait to be packed by the movers when they come tomorrow. All the rest I have already packed away.
There is great sadness at leaving one’s world behind, but as it must be done, then I know that I am also very fortunate because there is a whole new world that awaits me, full of joy and promises, and since for me “a world” implies first and foremost a home base, I am happy, in those moments of separations and departures, to share not pictures of melancholy, sorrow and old dust on empty shelves, but the first photos of the place I will call home from now on. Fate (I would not presume to say the Hand of God as I am quite sure I’m not important or worthy enough for Him to personally care!) has granted me a wonderful new chance at living a life of happiness and love and trust, and even though I am not convinced I deserve such a bliss, I fully intend to make the most of it, and to bring into it all I have to offer, however meager that may be.
The silvery ribbon of the Seine River in the background.
Protesters at the Tesla service center just outside of Minneapolis. Signs reading “Unplug Mad King Musk”, “This car runs on fascism”, “Who buys cars from a nazi?”, “Say no to doge”, “Don’t buy swasticars, BAD DOGE!”. Protest is part of a nationwide "TeslaTakedown" protest that seems to have originated on Bluesky.
this is the best shot from the kodak ektar 100 film with Zenit camera, the rest of the frames are not even close to something decent. unless taken early morning, most of the pics are very very dark and have a layer of blueish haze, too thick to look pretty. I knew of course in advance that the pictures are going to be on the darker side, but i quess 3.5 apperture works much worse with ISO 100 in early autumn, than i had ever imagined. would it have been my first film roll, i would never touch film camera again. now i know i should use much higher iso film and i'm thinking about helios lens, i hear it is good for Zenit and not pricey.
on the other note so i will be away from here for one week, i am going to my home country for something like combination of vacations, visiting and work; we will visit family & some friends and i will also have quite a lot of photo sessions :) as much as i know myself, i will be trying to peak ocasionally into your streams time after time but probably not much commenting anyway.
i am a bit tired of the "new" Facebook, probably shouldn't mention it here, but all these new changes left me feeling like i was talking to myself these past weeks, so i had started to think maybe it was not such a good idea to start there at all. maybe this minivacation would be a nice chance to unplug and to think about that more clearly.
sorry for the long post...i have some more pics and even longer post on my blog if you would be interested.
see you later :)
petals encircling
newspapers crumbling
turn the TV off, wait
for the writing in the sky
from glory, by the acorn, for music monday. i know it's a bit slow, but i believe this might just be one of the most beautiful songs in existence. and it reminds me that i have to unplug from technology, from things i have to do, from responsibilities, and actually get outside, live my life, and see the writing in the sky. i hope you all are able to do that this week. xo
No need for X-box with the original inexpensive Y-box. Hours of jollies with no electricity use. Must conserve there so EV's can be charged. May unplug the fridge too. Board games before war games.
Pentax 67
105mm f2.4
Fomapan 100
Griffin Ranch, Fort McCoy, FL
A working ranch with quaint wooden cabins for rent. Well worth a visit if you want to unplug and unwind somewhere off the beaten path.
Soon I am meeting my bestie and we are going to take some time to unplug, destress, and recharge- a pleasant gateway 💃
50 Way GO Green!!!!
HOME
If you can't afford a new home or a large remodeling project, there are still plenty of things you can do to be environmentally friendly and save money.
1. Update your lighting
Make it a policy to buy energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs. You can now get a variety of shapes and perfectly match the color hue and lighting for each room. They look good and use at least two-thirds less power than regular lighting.
2. Buy Energy Star
When you are ready to buy new home appliances, buy smart. Check for the Energy Star rating. These more efficient machines can reduce your utility bill as much as 30-percent. Deb Snoonian, Managing Editor of Plenty Magazine said, "Energy Start is a program sponsored by the EPA and the Department of Energy. Essentially, it's a way for them to recognize the companies and the products that are most energy-efficient. On average, an Energy Start appliance -- whether it's a computer monitor, a refrigerator, a washer or dryer -- is going to be about 30-percent more energy efficient."
3. Wall Warts
Those clunky power adaptors draw energy from the wall all the time. Unplug them individually or attach them to a power strip and turn off the whole switch when not in use. Around 75-percent of all electricity in a home comes from appliances that are turned off, but are still plugged in. Make sure that you only have those appliances plugged in where you're actually using the electricity. You will save on bills and we as a society will save on energy.
4. Dormant Appliances
Practically every appliance uses electricity even when it's switched off. Unless it needs power to retain programming memory, hit the switch. Better yet, make it a family practice. Amy Schachter, an Upper East Side resident, said, "My family reminds each other constantly. That's partly money, partly the fact that we know now that we're creating energy usage that is totally unnecessary."
5. Energy Audit
You can find out how much energy your home uses each year with an energy audit. Many utility providers and state energy departments will audit your home free or at low cost to help you find ways to be more energy efficient.
6. Insulate
Make sure your ducts are properly insulated and install weather-stripping around windows and doors for a better seal. Tax credits on efficiency-increasing heating and cooling equipment make now a great time to upgrade. And remember, insulation pays for itself year round. Cascio Construction President Michael Cascio said, "It translates into the heat or the air conditioning that you're going to use, and certainly you want to retain whatever heating system or whatever cooling system you're using, you want to retain that inside the house."
7. House Plants
Invest in large, live houseplants that will help keep your indoor air fresher.
8. Save Water
Place a water bottle filled with liquid or pennies into your toilet's water tank. This will cause the tank to use less water every time you flush. Plenty Magazine Managing Editor Deb Snoonian estimates it wil save you about a quart to half a gallon per flush.
9. Solar Water Heater
Consider eventually installing a solar hot water heater on your property. It would cost about $8,500 for a family of four. You can apply for federal and state tax credits, which adds up to almost 50-percent. It'll take about six and a half years for the system to break even on its investment, then you're making free hot water.
10. Green Power
Many utility companies offer renewable energy products that can be purchased as a percent of total energy use or in blocks of kilowatts. Buying green energy helps support the development and use of renewable fuel souces.
RECYCLE
There are few things you can't turn into something environmentally friendly while making your pocket a little greener in the process.
11. Make Your Own Cleaning Supplies
Using simple ingredients such as baking soda, soap and vinegar, you can make cheap, easy, and non-toxic cleaning products save money, time, and your indoor air quality. This is especially important if you have kids, pets or if there are elderly people in your home who are sensitive to chemicals in the air so you and your home will be healthier.
12. Safer Paint
Paint can be made with the same volitile organic compounds found in nail polish or gasoline. Major manufacturers and some boutique brands have introduced low VOC paint. It spreads, it covers and leaves the room smelling just fine.
13. Aerosols
Limit your use of aerosol cans. Because they have limited recycling value, the containers will probably wind up in a landfill. Instead of aerosols, look for spray bottles, liquids, powders and roll-ons.
14. Cloth
Paper towels and napkins can be made from recycled paper, though in some cases the recycling costs more than making a brand new product. You won't hear that about cloth napkins, which can be washed and re-used again and again.
15. Laundry Room
By making sure your lint filter is clean and your dryer exhaust free to open and close, you are essentially tuning up the efficiency of your appliance. It will run better and be more cost efficient.
16. Air Dry
For the ultimate in low cost laundry drying, put the clothes on either a drying rack or go outside and use the clothesline.
17. Smart Landscaping
Trees and shrubs provide shade during the summer and can help shield your house from frigid winter winds. Both can help lower your energy bill.
18. Walking the Dog
Instead of plastic bags, scoop your doggie's doo in biodegradable bags.
19. Compost your leftovers
Composting helps reduce the amount of waste you send to the landfill. In the process, you create free, healthy fertilizer for your garden.
20. Collect the Rain
Place a barrel under a gutter downspout and let it fill over time. Plenty Magazine Managing Editor Deb Snoonian said, "Rain water is actually healthier for plants and gardens than tap water which often has chlorine in it to kill bacteria, but bacteria can inhibit plants from growing.
OFFICE
Green at home is one thing; green at the office has its own set of special challenges. Going green is a lifestyle choice, not just a home activity. So what are some steps you can take at work to make things more environmentally friendly?
21. Buy a laptop
Even an oversize laptop runs more efficiently and takes less energy than a desktop.
22. Reduce Paper
The paper trail follows many of us, adding hundreds of pounds of waste. You can reduce it with just a few changes. Save printing: send documents by email and keep files on your computer, not a filing cabinet.
23. Print Double Sides
You can save plenty of paper by programming your printer to use both sides of the paper. In the case of a long report, do you really need 500 one-sided pages?
24. Refill and Reuse Cups
"Many of us get take our coffee in the morning and were using plastic and cardboard cups," said Plenty Magazine Managing Editor Deb Snoonian. "Bring your own mug. You can leave one at work; you can even often times bring a reusable mug as you're commuting in your car. It can be refilled over and over again. Wash it at home it's a nice habit to get into that saves you one cup a day."
25. Pay Your Bills Online
It's not only quicker and easier to pay by computer, it also puts a major dent in the paper waste pile.
26. Recycle Your Appliances
Not just the big ones. Cell phones, PDAs and laptops can all find a new purpose after you're done with them. Many organizations refurbish them for low-income families.
27. Become Battery Smart
Stretch your battery use. A battery too drained to power a flashlight might be perfect to operate your TV remote. Before you pitch it - switch it!
28. Lights Out
Motion sensors, dimmers and timers can be set to turn things on and off when needed.
29. Going Grey
Ask your commercial building manager about using gray water tanks. It's a system that recycles water from your building's toilets, washing machines and dishwashers. Impractical? Don't say that around New Jersey's Aspen Ice Skating Rink where the septic water is collected, treated and put back on the rink. At this point, the systems are a bit too costly for one-family use, but if you're in a commercial building or a planned community, consider making the water work for you.
30. Water
Speaking of water, instead of bottled water around the meeting table, filter your tap for drinking water. Not only is bottled water expensive, but it produces large amounts of wasteful containers.
CAR & GAS
Even if you can't buy the most environmentally friendly car, there are still plenty of things you can do to get from one place to another with minimum energy. Getting to work, school and running errands all add to your energy budget. To go green you don't have to give up transportation, just use it a bit more wisely.
31. Work From Home
Instant messaging and video conferencing now allow you to hold conferences or even take online classes. This means you save time and gas.
32. Use Public Transportation
Trains, buses, boats, car pools and your own feet.
33. Rental Car
When driving is necessary, use an inexpensive hourly rental car.
34. Drive Economically
Even if you can't afford a fancy hybrid, there are plenty of cars that get great mileage. A car that gives you another 10 more miles to the gallon puts $1,000 dollars a year back in your pocket!
35. Drive Smart
Properly inflate your tires, change your air filter and drive 55 mph on the highway.
36. Friendly Fuels
Using bio fuels goes way beyond ethanol. Look for environmentally friendly oil car fluids and, of course, read how to use and dispose of them properly.
37. Car Air Conditioning
It's practically standard on modern cars. Use it wisely. At higher speeds, open windows create drag and lower your mileage. Roll them up and use the air and recirculation. At slower speeds and around town, roll down your windows and catch a cool breeze.
38. One Right Turn Deserves Another
The time spent in your car idling while waiting to turn against oncoming traffic burns fuel and costs millions each year. In metro New York, United Parcel Service (UPS) reduced emissions by 1,000 metric tons with a software map program customized for every driver to minimize lefts.
39. Drive Thru
Avoid the drive thru. Instead of idling in line with your engine running for several minutes, save the gas by parking and going inside for your order.
40. Car Wash
Commercial car washes can be more efficient than home washing. Check to make sure that they clean and recycle the water.
AT THE STORE
In the store, in your home, even while you sleep...There are things you can do to be more energy efficient and better to the environment.
41. B.Y.O.B.
Bring Your Own Bag. Some grocery stores give you cash toward your next purchase for every bag you bring in to use again. It saves them and you money. "In the U.S., we use five hundred billion plastic bags every single year and only three percent of those get recycled," said Deb Snoonian, Managing Editor of Plenty Magazine. "You can also buy permanent bags with designer colors."
42. Packaging
Check the amount of cardboard, plastic and other materials used for the box. Some retailers are replacing plastic containers with corn-based packaging.
43. Buy Big
By purchasing things in larger quantities, you will probably save money and certainly save the cost of packaging and transporting smaller boxes of the same thing.
44. Green Fashions Are Becoming Hot
Look for clothes and accessories like handbags that are environmentally friendly.
45. Pet Products
Even kitty litter can be laced with questionable ingredients. Look for natural alternatives.
46. Antiques
Antiques are sort of the ultimate recyclable, servicing generations of owners. Many can be restored with natural wax products at a very reasonable price.
47. Buy Water Efficient Showerheads and Aerators
Many modern showerheads are built to conserve. Check to see how well yours works. Also, aerators on the faucets will keep water waste to a minimum.
48. Mattresses
Federal regulations will soon require all sleeping mattresses to be fire resistant. If you like the safety but don't care for the flame retardant chemicals, some popular brands are introducing models with a more natural fiber based flame retardant barrier.
49. Energy Offset Certificates
These essentially allow you to invest in an environmentally friendly cause.
50. Smart Recycling
Smart recycling can be environmentally sound and pleasing, too. Companies like IceStone make durable surfaces made from recycled materials, like glass and concrete. Recycling is not limited to bottles. Used doors windows, fixtures can all be bought at a fraction of the new price. Think creatively - a New York man built a veritable castle of recycled materials.
info taken from WNBC.com
LA VITA SUL FIUME
L’Oasi naturalistica Vallevecchia di Brussa si trova lungo la costa veneta, tra le località balneari di Bibione e Caorle.
L’Oasi, meglio conosciuta semplicemente come Brussa, è un ambiente incontaminato in cui riscoprire una natura pura dalla ricca biodiversità e staccare la spina dalla quotidianità.
Se chiedete ai locals Brussa viene raccontata come un luogo quasi segreto, fuori dai tradizionali itinerari di massa, in cui spiagge selvagge, pinete primordiali e suggestive lagune regalano una full immersion rigenerante nella natura.
Note tratte dal sito:
www.etgroup.info/blog/oasi-vallevecchia-di-brussa/
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LIFE ON THE RIVER
The Vallevecchia di Brussa nature reserve is located along the Veneto coast, between the seaside resorts of Bibione and Caorle.
The reserve, better known simply as Brussa, is an uncontaminated environment where you can rediscover pure nature with a rich biodiversity and unplug from everyday life.
If you ask the locals, Brussa is described as an almost secret place, off the beaten track, where wild beaches, primeval pine forests and suggestive lagoons offer a regenerating full immersion in nature.
CANON EOS 6D Mark II con ob. CANON EF 70-300 f./4-5,6 IS USM
used to think I was indecisive, but now I'm not too sure.
Famous last words: Don't unplug it, it will just take a moment to fix.
Famous last words: Don't worry, it's not loaded.
Everything I need to know I got from watching Gilligan's Island.
If it doesn't fit, force it; if it breaks, it needed replacement anyway.
Reality is a figment of your imagination.
Life is just one of those things.
Why should I grow up? This is more fun!
I have crossed and recrossed the line between sanity and madness so many times that I have all but rubbed it out.
Reality is all a point of view. .....................
IT really has been one of those weeks.......................*************SIGH*************
Have a great Friday and weekend everyone.... (at least I remembered the day of the week....)
:~)
A creepy hallway at the supposedly haunted Stave Falls Powerhouse in Mission, BC, Canada www.bchydro.com/news/unplug_this_blog/2014/paranormal-pow...
OK, so this is an especially mundane picture, even by my poor standards. However, I discovered that a significant number of kitchen fires have been started by flare-ups from air fryers.
The handbook for mine talks about cleaning the drawer and the basket, but doesn't mention the rest of the appliance at all - and that's possibly where the problem lies.
To de-grease and clean your airfryer, fill a ramekin with white vinegar and water, place in the basket, and run at 200 deg C for 10 minutes. Unplug, and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, and then remove the drawer, invert the appliance, and carefully wipe the inside with a slightly damp cloth. Hey presto, pretty clean, free of built-up fats, and significantly reduced fire risk.
The dark band on the ramekin is some of the gunk that was loosened in the cleaning process. Yuk.
"Now don't pick up the phone just wait until I've run the test,
Unplug all these computer's now, we'll burn them with the rest,
And we'll leave this hard-drive by the tree as policeman's bait"
{Stan Ridgway…"This Town Called Fate"}
You can't stay here I said, you're too period fashioned for this town, are you lost? Many here have applications and iPhones. I think you're old school. Nobody affectionately talks nor visits anymore, they just stare blankly and text message random thoughts. Even in this tiny coffee shop/restaurant, folks just look the other way but there's plenty of nostalgia on the walls, some fine artwork. Life is an endless electronic stream of ones and zeros, acronyms describing the gravy variety you had with your fries.
You belong in another dimension, where nothing remains concealed and everything is make believe and surreal. Sure they keep these truck souvenirs to posture about those golden days, but it's only cracked paint and steel.
But hold one moment, I have an idea for your portrait. Then I must run and send an email from my iPad while I order some fast food. I hope they have a Wi-Fi hot spot available.
*Please view LARGE for best detail
**Model courtesy of DeviantArt
***Textures courtesy of Skeletal Mess and EllenVd
****Thank You for your generous visits and comments!
I'll be offline today -- thunderstorm did a number on our equipment. I'm over at a neighbor's with my laptop now. Gotta take my "real" computer in and see if it's completely fried or just a little fried. And yes, I do have surge protectors, and I did power down (but not unplug) last night. *sigh*
Will catch up with your fences later...meanwhile Happitty Fence Friday to one and all!
Last Friday, Jackie and I tossed the tent and sleeping bags into the car and headed out on a last minute, impromptu road trip. We've contemplated the idea of a Lake Michigan Circle Tour all summer long ... and with summer winding down ... the fact that we didn't get any real beach time ... and needing to get out of this house ... a road trip along the lake shore seemed like the ideal trip! And it certainly was! The weather was PERFECT! Beautiful warm, sunny days ... cool nights ... and no rain! Sleeping under the stars and roasting hotdogs on the fire ... HEAVEN!
We spent the first couple of nights in Baileys Harbor on the Door Peninsula in Wisconsin. We drove over to Whitefish Dunes State Park the first morning and lounged on the beach all day! We brought a cooler with lunch and tasty beverages; read books and soaked up some well needed sun!! It was heavenly to unplug and get back to nature.
I am driving back to Michigan today to meet up with an old High School chum for Labor Day Weekend. What are your plans?
~
Happy Fence Friday!! Happy Labor Day Weekend to my U.S. Friends!!
It's not that Disco J is bothered, upset, frustrated or otherwise concerned about the expanding amount of young people (typically girls) who create photos such as this, usually in their own house, bland background and then texture in various things to "express themselves" or create artwork. What Disco J is upset at is that there is so much to do and see outside that if you spend your whole life being emo and sad and worried about what people think of you and recluse yourselves indoors and on the internet that you won't really see just how beautiful the world really is and I really hate run-on sentences.
So unplug, cheer up and go outside.
With love,
Disco J
Finally, I know. Took me a week to push out a fine art photo rather than just a photograph of me or the cat.
I had my first class today. It was kind of confusing, but that may be just because the teacher will take some getting used to. He was pretty fast in his presentation and he repeated a lot. Plus us Internet Programming so... html.
It wasn't a bad day all in all. However, I did forget to unplug and bring home the brand new 8g memory stick they gave me. Whoops! Hopefully it will be there tomorrow. I have an early class so, it seems like a good chance but we'll see.
AND NOW, I shall go watch the season premiere of Dexter. because I love Dexter. So excited for the new season!!
__________
Today's 365 soundtrack
Artist: Muse
Album: The 2nd Law
Song(s): " Animals "
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