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Featuring: Dangerous Gun MODZz
Blade: pastebin.com/QhQ9m5cj
Silencer: pastebin.com/4nZfbzGm
Scope: pastebin.com/nKmMCYwq
Stock: pastebin.com/2GLWqrCX
Grip: pastebin.com/4PNzZ4ZL
Feel free to use it if you are mad enough to do so ;-D...
Product of pure fun.....
The most useful extraterrestrials in Somewhereville are the Compostoids who hail from the planet Sludgelon-8. They exist completely on organic waste and save the city big bucks on those pesky garbage collection fees. They may look scary but their organic diet makes them quite peaceful creatures.
Image imagined in MidJourney AI and finished with Topaz Studio and Lightroom Classic.
The Battle of Durrough: The Black Swan
A story of rebellion against tyranny, from Lands of Roawia Castle Builders Game. Global Challenge 7, Unrestricted Entry.
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Commentary: GC7 was all the reason I needed to build the Black Swan, but what a build it turned into...one of the most challenging and largest of all my builds. The studs-not-on-top half-timber technique alone was a handful, not to mention that gabled roof. It all comes apart in levels too, including the roof.
Please read the story; I know it's long but it's action-packed and my best writing yet, I believe. Cheers!
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The Black Swan Tavern was known for its dark ale brew, catering to sea captains, high prices and outstanding hot food served using fresh ingredients. It benefited from its location next to Angus Square, which hosted an excellent market every weekend, with fresh fish from the Aines River and wares from all over the Provinces. On this day however, reputations would change forever, and what was once a peaceful cobbled square would soon be known by all as The Bloody Market.
Lord Oslet moved his men as silently as possible through the misty morning streets of Durrough, determined to catch his prey, one Baron Munro and his lackey of an archer captain, Tavish. Oslet had ensured everything was ready; he had chosen the best shots in the entire garrison, all armed with deadly crossbows. He carried one himself—except his had a little extra potency to it. His 100 hand-picked troops had soft boots and no armor or shields to cause noise, and they moved carefully in the pre-dawn shadows toward the meeting place, the tavern the traitorous Duke Cartney had referred to as The Black Swan.
Oslet had seen to everything, sending a troop of 50 more men farther east to circle back around and approach Angus Square from the opposite end of the city. He even had his best tactical commander, Captain Bladari, standing by with another 200 men in the Bastion on call in case there was trouble.
There wouldn’t be, of course. The Aines River was flowing swiftly, and no boats were in the immediate vicinity, leaving no avenue of escape for this Caelan Munro. Lord Oslet’s anticipation of ridding himself of a thorn in his side, the leaders of those deadly Scout Snipers, grew with every step, and by the time they reached the Swan he was in high spirits. His men approached cautiously, but all appeared well in the mist as they were well ahead of the reported meeting time between Munro and his disreputable spy-traitor to the Queen.
His vanguard moved silently along the wharf and up to the riverside door of the Swan, trying to open it quietly. It wouldn’t budge, and several of them set about trying to force it while the rest moved past the Swan and peaked around the corner into Angus Square. The mist obscured much, but what they saw made them pause, and then motion for their lord to see.
Oslet came forward and peaked himself. The square was heavily cluttered with barrels, wagons, and stands from the three Factions of Roawia, but no movement. It smelled heavily of fish, but there was nothing strange about that. Oslet looked at his men to see what they meant, and one of them whispered, “Too much here.”
“It’s Market Day, you dolt, what did you exp….” he trailed off, for approaching from the other end of the wharf were two cloaked figures moving cautiously in the shadows. As they drew closer it was clear the two forms had bows strapped over their backs and wore green cloaks.
“Early, are we?” Oslet mumbled, and motioned for his men to spread out in reception, as the two unwary men were headed straight for the Black Swan. Oslet smiled at the sight of his prey, and when the moment was right he called out, “It’s to be the gallows for you, Sir Caelan!”
His two targets froze, but as his mind registered this he heard a calm but firm voice call from only thirty feet to his left, “It’s arrows for you stupid.”
And then all chaos broke out. The fly of arrows filled the air, and all around him his men fell like stalks of wheat before a scythe. Windows opened above him, and he caught sight out of the corner of his eye forms leaning out and raining deadly shots upon his troops from the top floors of the Swan. Oslet felt a pain in his thigh, and instinctively rounded behind one of his men, who immediately caught in the chest an arrow meant for him. He made his way back behind his guards one at a time, and only called for a retreat after he had passed them to ensure he had human shields to absorb the shots meant for him. By the time he rallied what men he had left, well out of arrow range, he had less than half of what he came with to that bloody tavern. Without their armor, they were easy pickings.
“Did you get him?” Sir Caelan looked up at Captain Tavish, perched atop the Angus Fountain to improve his shot advantage.
“Nah, I missed the blighter I think…perhaps grazed him.” Tavish shrugged, “Hard to tell in this mist.”
“Mist?” Munro pretended to object, “You’re slipping.”
Tavish frowned. “He kept duckin’ behind his men, the coward!”
“It’s not manly to complain, you know.” This received Tavish’s most undignified look yet.
Caelan moved forward to see better and to wave congratulations at his 25 men in the Swan. Behind him were 75 more, all having hidden amongst the “clutter” and buildings surrounding Angus Square. The remaining 25 Scout Snipers under his command were farther to the east, serving as rear guard to oppose the encircling Queen’s troops no doubt trying to cut their path of retreat off. They would soon be getting the same brutal treatment Caelan had just given Oslet. Before him lay numerous bodies and wounded crawling away to anywhere they could. Some of his men were sniping those still able to aim their crossbows. They just couldn’t resist one of their primary roles they had been trained for: counter-archer fire.
One hundred yards west, Oslet cursed furiously, mostly for his lost dignity and little for the loss of his men. He had suffered only a flesh wound in his thigh, but had suffered greatly in the eyes of his command. When he learned however that Caelan was neither pursuing nor retreating, he brightened and immediately sent for Bladari and his 200 men, including his best unit, the Silver Spears. They were fully armored, and that alone ensured victory, so long as Caelan stood his ground.
And he did. As Bladari came up and saluted his master, Lord Oslet stated, “I have to admit they surprised us and we lost most of our crossbowmen, but the great fool has decided to stay and fight—pride, no doubt. Now we get them all—how stupid, a major threat in the countryside but now hopelessly outnumbered and outclassed in street fighting. Either way, I must ask the Silver Spears to storm that tavern and square. Kill them all.”
Captain Bladari indeed tried valiantly. His men moved in like a landslide, charging forward into a hail of arrows. The sun had come up, burning the mist off, and now the Spears were charging toward the east with the sun directly in their eyes. Their armor did help tremendously, until close range was reached. Then the Scout Snipers’ accuracy made any opening in their armor fair game.
Much worse waited for them in the square however. The Snipers had stacked the deck, for in the time in between attacks they had slammed open the many barrels they had brought, and out poured fish oil, the stuff of slippery nightmares on cobblestones. Just at the point where the Silver Spears should have made contact with the Snipers, the soldiers slipped perilously instead, and blood now mixed freely with the fish oil.
Up on the fountain, Tavish had a field day. He took particular delight in shooting whoever carried the Silver Spears’ banner, and after four fell in succession as they picked it up to lead forward, the spear-tipped signal remained on the ground for the rest of the fight.
The Snipers inside the Swan however had no such fish oil barrier to help them. Bladari’s men were able to withstand enough shots to approach and break through the windows, and the ones that lived to see the other side made it to the door to move the blockade keeping it closed. In addition, Lord Oslet was carefully taking those Snipers shooting from the windows out with shots from his poisoned quarrel bolts. The ten Snipers who held the bottom floor were overwhelmed as the Queen’s troops poured into the Swan, only happy to avoid the meat grinder in the square. Only two Scouts made it up the stairs before the others blocked it off with tables, but now their attention had to be on survival, and Bladari’s men were able to storm the wharf almost unopposed.
Sir Caelan only had a handful of pikemen to hold the attackers off for the Snipers to have shooting room, and they paid heavily for their bravery. Caelan’s squire, Sholto, was standing off to the side, taking an occasional shot with his short bow when he could, but to him it looked like they would soon be overwhelmed. Then he watched his knight charge forward into the fray in Lenfald armor, fighting two-handed as was his method, and swiftly four more of the attackers fell.
One who caught sight of this action was Captain Bladari, who immediately recognized that he could end this madness if he could down Caelan. He moved carefully forward as to not slip on the oil while relying on his full plate armor to deflect every arrow. The two exchanged quick glances and then went right to work without any words. Bladari’s broadsword made brutal impact with Caelan’s armor, but with such a heavy weapon he couldn’t keep up with his opponent’s longsword with long dagger follow-up. Caelan eventually gave him a deep slash to his right thigh, then his left knee, and Bladari went down fighting. He continued swinging until Caelan slashed his sword hand and that was it. Expecting a death blow, he stared up at the young Baron defiant, but was surprised when Munro charged forward instead, leaving him wounded but alive. What he missed was the arrival of Duke Cartney at the head of his own Durrough men-at-arms, who swept all before them.
Lord Oslet was quite pleased with himself now that he was clearly winning the fight, when a runner arrived and announced that the North Gate of the city had fallen to Sir Haymar Glen, and an armed horde of Lenfel troops was storming down High Street. “Who the deuce is Haymar?!?” he yelled in surprise. “How can this…” and his eyes suddenly set in the distance upon Bladari’s men scrambling in full rout toward him. Right behind them were Lenfels in full charge, and leading them was Duke Cartney himself. All came clear to him; the entire engagement was a trap set by Duke Cartney himself with his lies of an easy ambush on Caelan, and he now knew full well that the entire city was in rebellion against the Queen.
“To the Bastion!” he screamed as loud as possible, holding up his crossbow for all to recognize him, and cries of retreat echoed his command. But he did not turn with the others immediately. Instead he lowered his weapon with poisoned quarrel loaded, and aimed it straight at the approaching Duke Cartney…
…To be continued in the next build, Battle of Durrough: Cobblestone Bridge
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Previous Caelan stories:
on US50
Useful, Missouri, USA
I haven't been able to find anything out about the curious name of this town. If anyone knows anything, I'd be happy to hear about it.
UPDATE: janwalkerimages rocks. See her information on the town and its name origin below.
Margherita
Enough with violence against women (1/4)
In an attempt to present something socially useful, Michele & Miriam have chosen to address the theme "Enough with violence against women", sadly a topical topic.
Gender-based violence often occurs close to us, invisible and more frequent than we suppose. It remains silent and persistent, not casual as when it appears on the news or when it is remembered on special occasions.
Psychological and physical violence, condemnation and liberation are featured in this unpublished photographic series, presented at the group exhibition "Coetus: multiplicity" in San Donà di Piave - Venice Italy in the year 2022.
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Basta con la violenza sulle donne (1 di 4)
Nel tentativo di presentare qualcosa di socialmente utile, Michele & Miriam hanno scelto il tema "Basta con la violenza sulle donne", argomento, purtroppo tristemente, di attualità.
La violenza di genere avviene spesso vicino a noi, invisibile e più frequente di quanto percepiamo. Rimane silenziosa e costante, non episodica come quando compare nei telegiornali o viene ricordata nei giorni ad essa dedicati.
Violenza psicologica e fisica, denuncia e liberazione, compaiono in questa serie fotografica inedita, presentata alla mostra collettiva "Coetus: molteplicità" a San Donà di Piave - Venezia Italia nell'anno 2022.
A lovely beetle (buprestid?) from Chile outside of Santiago. Part of Laurence Packers expedition in which I served as sidekick bee catcher.
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All photographs are public domain, feel free to download and use as you wish.
Photography Information: Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200
Beauty is nature's fact. - Emily Dickinson
You can also follow us on Instagram - account = USGSBIML Want some Useful Links to the Techniques We Use? Well now here you go Citizen:
Best over all technical resource for photo stacking:www.extreme-macro.co.uk/
Free Field Guide to Bee Genera of Maryland: bio2.elmira.edu/fieldbio/beesofmarylandbookversion1.pdf
Basic USGSBIML set up:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-_yvIsucOY
USGSBIML Photoshopping Technique: Note that we now have added using the burn tool at 50% opacity set to shadows to clean up the halos that bleed into the black background from "hot" color sections of the picture.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdmx_8zqvN4
Bees of Maryland Organized by Taxa with information on each Genus
www.flickr.com/photos/usgsbiml/collections
PDF of Basic USGSBIML Photography Set Up:
ftp://ftpext.usgs.gov/pub/er/md/laurel/Droege/How%20to%20Take%20MacroPhotographs%20of%20Insects%20BIML%20Lab2.pdf
Google Hangout Demonstration of Techniques:
plus.google.com/events/c5569losvskrv2nu606ltof8odo
or
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c15neFttoU
Excellent Technical Form on Stacking:
Contact information:
Sam Droege
sdroege@usgs.gov
301 497 5840
Photo tour with Markus, Sebastian and Konstantin.
EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
raw converter - darktable 2.4.1
Dieses Bild entstand unter erschwerten Bedingungen. Nachdem es tagsüber immer mal wieder leicht bis mittel geregnet hatte, setzte pünktlich zur blauen Stunde der Regen wieder ein. Dieses Bild nahm ich unter der "Alten Brücke" am Nordufer des Neckar auf. Selten bin ich auf den Fototouren mit meinen Freunden so nass geworden. Trotz alldem war es ein schöner Tag mit ein paar brauchbaren Bilder.
This picture was made under difficult conditions. After it had rained lightly during the day, the rain started again in time for the blue hour. This picture I took under the "Old Bridge" on the north bank of the Neckar. Rarely have I become so wet on the photo tours with my friends. Still, it was a nice day with some useful pictures.
*Find the Fish* - Butterfly Dance Blue
For more useful information click here
A new Store release Unisex tattoo inspired by the butterflies
Includes 17 separate tattoo Layers that can be mixed & match with more tattoos with unlimited combinations you can wear it.
Includes a Classic head (SLUV) & Lel Evo layers.
All Tattoos are Unisex & include a Lel EvoX layers
This is where Mirai proves to be useful in daily life - charge my phone. The long cable when not in use can also be rolled up and placed in the satchel bag around Mirai's shoulder.
View more at www.dannychoo.com/en/post/27352/Smart+Charge+Mirai.html
Quality prints, greeting cards and many useful products can be purchased at >> kaye-menner.pixels.com/featured/hibiscus-art-2-by-kaye-me... OR www.lens2print.co.uk/imageview.asp?imageID=44594
Photograph of a golden yellow hibiscus flower digitally enhanced to create an abstract nature image with lots of colors and texture.
Square image.
THE FINE ART AMERICA LOGO / MY WATERMARK WILL NOT APPEAR ON PURCHASED PRINTS OR PRODUCTS.
We have been to Dubai, it was great trip. Here is some useful information about the place if you are interested to visit the place, i have found a useful site from the net www.dubaicityguide.com/tourism/attractions.asp
i hope this will be useful to you.
Finally thanks for liking the picture
Some useful points for my flickr friends..................
A Negative person always thinks what others can do for him. But A Positive person always thinks what he can do for others ! Everything is PRE-Written - Nothing Can be RE-Written.
SO, Live the Best and L E A V E the rest ! Wanna Know how rich you are ? Don't count your assets .. Just drop a tear and see how many hands come to wipe it !
We often do not express our feelings For fear of losing the one we care for.. But we often loose the one who cares for us By not expressing our feelings for them !
The best things about STONES that come accross your path in Life Is that once you have crossed them, they become MILESTONES in your life !
A drop of water falls in the sea - Loses its identity. A drop of water falls on a Lotus - Shines brilliantly. A drop of water falls in a Shell - Becomes a Pearl.
Drop is the same - Its the company that counts !
In happiness - You'll remember the person who you love the most. In sadness - You'll remember the person who loves you the most !
Even a correct decision is wrong - When its taken too late. Vision without Action is DayDream Action without Vision is a Nightmare !
10 fingers that come together to Clap for our Victory are nothing in comparison to that One finger that wipes someones Tears ! Anger is meaningless - Because, Its always about something that has already passed !
Success is like your own shadow -Try catching it, It always runs away. Just walk your true path, And it obediently follows you !
A duck looks calm and beautiful gliding peacefully on the water. But below she is 'paddling' furiously !
Spend time improving yourself-You won't find time to criticise others !
You can win in LIFE - Just stop COMPARING and EXPECTING ! Your DREAMS require soundless Sleep Your AIMS require sleepless Efforts
C'est la pleine saison de la floraison dans les Vosges.
La plante est protégée et sa cueillette réglementée et suivie. Elle a fait l'objet d'une convention dans le massif des Vosges entre cueilleurs, agriculteurs (éleveurs) et industriels.
La fleur est utilisée principalement dans des produits pharmaceutiques, phytothérapiques (huile de massage particulièrement efficace chez les sportifs) et homéopathiques.
Quelle maman n'a pas son petit tube de pommade à l'Arnica pour les bobos de tous les jours ? :-)
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English : Arnica flower blossoms, growing in the Vosges mountains.
These plants are protected and the harvesting/picking is controlled.
Useful in drugs (especially to cure light injuries like bumps and bruises), massage oils and cosmetics
350/365 #1396
Mike has this among his collection of treasures. He claims it will do all sorts of useful things.
The trails that I hiked in Palo Duro Canyon State Park are among the best-marked I have seen. Signs appear every one-tenth of a mile & provide both the distance to the trailhead as well as the trail's name, I guess in case you have forgotten. (JC= Juniper Trail-Cliffside.) They're easy to see, and each trail sign has its own color; helpful if you've remembered to bring the park's hiking guide along. All kidding aside, this is not a place to wander far from the trail or hike aimlessly.
My beloved & I created this large clock (it is about 5 foot across) so that it can be seen & read when we are in the garden. It plays to the old software engineer in my soul as the 8 & 10 are shown in Binary & Hexadecimal respectively and is rather useful.
#113 Useful for 120 pictures in 2020
I make her wear one of 4 maid uniforms she has, all day, every single day of the week - 7 days a week:
"My Wife decided i had no value in life and no skills, so she made changes to me to be sure i could be worth something to somebody rather than just a total failure at everything. She taught me i am best suited to be a housekeeping maid. She trained me to clean houses and told me i must look the part so people will always know anywhere, my purpose and the only way i am useful to anyone daily".
The weekend Wiz 243 job is hard at work spotting 1x0 at the Kettle Lakes Co-Op in Random Lake, Wis.
Due to a 12:45 departure from N. Milwaukee, this was the first place with any sort of useful light.
A build for Lands of Roawia (LoR) online role-playing game. LoR features motivating contests and character-driven stories.
Read more: merlins-beard.com/conversation/1641?page=2#ixzz3cTvn6HiG
The Spirit of Lenfald found anchorage just before nightfall in a wide cove just south of the mountains that loomed over this newfound land. Abner ordered the men to keep the ship some distance from shore to ensure that they would not run aground in some strange tide or come under attack by whomever (or whatever) might inhabit this place. From what Abner could see in the fading light, the waves appeared to break gently onto a sandy beach, which was dotted with palms and which quickly gave way to lush foliage. He could not make out much beyond that, but the land did seem hospitable and, as far as he could tell, uninhabited.
Captain Abner had decided to remain aboard the Spirit of Lenfald until dawn and then take a party ashore to search for water and food. Toliver had informed him that it would take at least a week for the experienced navigator to study the winds and tides here in order to estimate a heading for the return journey to Lenfald. Charting the seas and this new land would take even longer.
Abner was secretly very pleased at this news; he was eager to be back on solid ground where his knowledge and skills far surpassed those of anyone else on board. This was also the most exciting opportunity he had ever encountered- a chance to explore a place where no Roawian had ever set foot.
Scraff joined Abner at the rail. “I hope you’re itchin’ to get ashore half as much as I am, Cap’n,” said the marine merrily, slapping Abner on the back good-naturedly and undoubtedly leaving a large welt.
Abner grinned. “Aye, and if my good sense didn’t tell me otherwise, I’d have landed as soon as we made anchor here.” He looked down onto the fighting deck, where the men had hauled up the launch from belowdecks and were laughing and talking excitedly. “Have you selected your men for the landing party?” he queried.
“Of course,” replied Scraff, “Only the best. And they’re very eager for the sun to rise.”
Abner nodded. “And I with them. I think we will sleep poorly tonight, Scraff.”
It was indeed a restless night for all aboard the Spirit of Lenfald. The watch was set at half the men on deck in two-hour shifts to spot any possible signs of trouble. Many of those not on guard sat awake and talked quietly or threw dice in the dim glow of the lanterns.
Abner lay sleepless in his cabin, listening to the soft lapping of the water around the ship’s hull and the faint voices of his men out on deck. Thoughts raced incessantly through his head, denying him rest. He thought of the new day and what it might hold, if there were people in this new land and if they would be hostile to these newcomers. He thought of Serena waiting for him in Isil Oro, her beautiful eyes forever turned towards the sea. Would Toliver really be able to find a route home? Or would they forever be stranded here in this place, unable to return to Lenfald? That thought rattled Abner more than anything else. He sat up straight and sunk his face into his hands, sighing deeply. A knock came on his door.
“Come in,” said Abner hoarsely. He realized that he had not drunk any water in almost a day.
The door opened and Scraff stepped into the cabin. “I figured you wouldn’t be sleeping much either,” he said, drawing up a chair across from Abner’s bed.
“Nay,” said Abner ruefully. “And I doubted that you were getting much rest yourself. It seems that my mind is unwilling to quiet itself tonight. Sleep eludes me like a clever fox.”
Scraff chuckled. “Yes, much like a wily little fox. I wonder if there is anything much like a fox in this new land.”
Abner raised an eyebrow. “A fair point, my friend. Perhaps there are no creatures here like any we have ever known. And perhaps there are many things here that we have never encountered.”
“It’s the latter that is the greater cause for concern,” Scraff said casually. “Though I daresay whatever we encounter will be more pleasant than all the talk of this ‘royal wedding’ nonsense back home. Who really cares what dress Emmaline is going to wear? I thought declaring our independence would be enough to put a stop to the madness, but it seems to have only increased the gossip in the taverns. And Chartres! Don’t even get me started. We all know he’s a well-intentioned fellow, but who’s going to follow a king whose first act is to put his own ‘true love’ above the welfare of an entire land. I mean, he literally just looked at the young lady once-once! And now he’s in ‘love’ with her?! Um, HELLO! This whole business just has witchcraft written all over it!” Scraff hesitated as Abner burst into laughter. “What’s so funny?!” he demanded.
Abner regained his composure. “Tired of the nonsense?” he chuckled. “Why, you’re going on worse than any old maid!”
Scraff laughed heartily and grinned. “Guess I miss Lenfald a bit after all.”
As the first light of day broke over the eastern horizon, the landing party was already climbing into the launch. Abner took a seat and reached for an oar, but Scraff’s big hand interceded.
“Nay, Cap’n,” he said. “You don’t get to do that kind of thing anymore. Your place is right there,” he pointed towards the prow of the boat, “lead us.”
Scraff’s words weighed heavily on Abner as he moved towards his place at the bow of the boat. He understood perfectly what Scraff had meant. They were no longer going to be at sea, where the experienced navy men could guide Abner’s decisions. Land was solely the ranger’s territory, and the entire party would be dependent upon his skills.
The entire crew of the Spirit of Lenfald turned out to bid farewell to the landing party. The men shouted and waved as the rowers dug their oars deep into the waters and the little boat began its journey towards the shore.
Abner stood at the prow, bearing the colors of Lenfald as they flapped proudly in the wind. On his left stood Toliver, navigational instruments in hand, staring intently at the shoreline. To his right sat Bram, his tool bag slung across his body in case the boat was damaged during landing. Scraff waited near the stern with his marines, whose eyes scanned the shore, searching for any movement or signs of trouble.
It did not take them long to reach the shore. As soon as the launch ran aground, Abner leapt from the prow, his boots landing lightly in the surf. He splashed through the shallow water onto the beach, then raised the standard over his head and planted the colors firmly into the sand.
Scraff came up next to him. “That seemed excessively dramatic,” he quipped. “I should be more careful with my words to you.”
Abner chuckled. “Careful there, Commander, or it’ll be thirty lashings for you!”
Scraff shook his head merrily, glancing briefly around to ensure his marines were in proper position on the beach. “Alright, alright, I relent,” he said. “So what should we call this place?”
Abner shrugged, then pointed at the flag he had just planted on the beach. “ Let this place be known as New Lenfald!”
Scraff couldn’t help himself. “New Lenfald,” he said with a smirk. “How original!”
The rowers moved the launch out of arrowshot from the beach to await the return of the landing party. Abner fanned the men out behind him and began moving inland. The terrain was fairly easy to navigate, as it rose very gradually towards the tall mountains to the west and the foliage was manageable. Grasses and shrubs covered the ground but the trees stood in small clusters and did not impede the group’s passage.
Abner noticed that apart from a few strange-sounding birds calling into the morning air, the land was mostly devoid of sound. A few rustles in the grasses alerted him to the presence of small creatures below, but they stayed mostly hidden from view. Those he saw reminded him vaguely of animals in Lenfald, but they were distinctly different; a brightly colored lizard with an enormous sail on its back, a furry little rodent that took off squeaking through the brush, and some other totally foreign species.
The party continued to move north, keeping the ocean in view, the terrain remaining mostly the same. After several hours of walking Abner suddenly held up his fist. He motioned for everyone to get down, and the men dropped to the ground, hidden completely by the grass.
Scraff made his way slowly towards Abner. “What is it?” he hissed.
Abner put his finger to his lips, closing his eyes and turning his ear northward. He smiled with recognition and opened his eyes. “Do you know what that is?”
Scraff was perplexed. “What?” he asked incredulously.
Abner stood up and addressed the party. “There’s water flowing just north of here,” he said triumphantly. Come on, men, it’s probably fresh!”
The men got to their feet and continued cautiously forward, clutching their weapons tightly. Ahead of them grew a thicker line of trees and low vegetation, stretching towards the ocean to the east and far inland to the west.
“That’s got to be a river,” Abner stated, “And by the sound of it, there’s plenty of water for the crew.”
It was indeed a river, and quite a broad one at that. Its water rushed mightily east until it spilled out across the beach and into the ocean. The river was a beautiful sight to behold as it wound its way through the foliage, forming whitewater as it surged through the rocks.
Abner went down onto the bank and bent down, dipping a hand into the cool water and touching it to his lips. He tasted it carefully, then scooped out more of the refreshing liquid with his hands and drank. At that moment Abner thought it was the sweetest thing he had ever tasted. He turned back to the rest of the party.
“It’s safe, men!” he called. “Come and drink your fill.”
Toliver and Bram eagerly rushed to the water’s edge and were soon joined by half of Scraff’s marines. The others kept watch in the foliage until their comrades had finished drinking.
Abner walked back up the bank to where Scraff stood in the grass.
“We should send some of the men back to the launch so they can fill the ship’s water barrels,” said the ranger. “It’s been too long since the crew had fresh water.”
Scraff agreed. “Yes, we must do this immediately. But you have something else in mind for those of us who do not go?”
Abner looked inland. “I think we have a bit of exploring to do while the day is still young, no?”
“Aye, Cap’n. Let’s get these men on their way so we can continue.”
Bram and half of the marine contingent moved out and retraced their steps south towards the beach where they had landed. Scraff, Toliver, and the remaining marines formed up again behind Abner and they headed west, following the course of the river as it headed inland towards the mountains. They journeyed forward into early afternoon, talking quietly amongst themselves and pointing out various unfamiliar plants and animals as they noticed them.
As they walked the landscape started to change around them. The slope of the ground became steeper, the trees grew larger and closer together, and the undergrowth grew taller and thicker.
“It looks like we might be getting into the fringes of a jungle,” said Abner. “Keep close together and don’t lose sight of the man to the front or the side of you.”
No sooner had these words left Abner’s mouth than the foliage suddenly opened up into a small clearing. The ground was bare except for a strange brown rock and some bones laying about the area.
“Something big died here,” started Scraff, taking a step forward, “Those are some big bones. And what about this rock,” he continued, picking up the brown stone. “It’s a bit lighter than I expected.”
“Scraff!” hissed Abner. “Those bones aren’t all from the same animal. And look! They’ve been scarred by teeth!” He drew his sword quickly.
Scraff dropped the rock he was holding and it hit the ground with a hollow thump. He reached for his sword and a terrifying bellow roared out of the foliage before them. Heavy footfalls pounded towards the clearing from the far side and the men could hear plants and small trees being trampled by whatever approached.
“What in all Roawia…” said Toliver fearfully.
“I have no idea,” replied Abner. “But whatever it is, it’s huge and it’s angry!”
Another deafening bellow pierced the air, much closer this time, and the foliage just ahead of them began to shake.
“Brace yourselves!” yelled Scraff, his sword pointed menacingly at the bushes in front of him.
The beast burst through the curtain of leaves and into the clearing, kicking up a small cloud of dust as it skidded to a halt in front of the men. Two large horns protruded from its beaked head, which protruded from the largest shell any of them had ever seen. It let out another tremendous bellow, turning its head towards each member of the party in sequence, as if demonstrating its superiority.
“What is that thing?!” yelled Scraff, keeping his blade pointed at the massive beast.
“I have no idea, but I think I know how to get rid of it!” replied Abner. “Everybody fall back slowly!”
Scraff look at Abner quizzically but motioned for his men to withdraw from the clearing. The beast stamped its foot but did not move towards them any more. When they were at what the thing considered a safe distance, it moved forward and nudged the rock that Scraff had picked up with its beak. A tiny head poked out of the rock, craning its neck around towards the beast. The rock suddenly sprung to its feet and scurried under the horned beast’s legs.
“It’s a little one…” said Toliver with wonder. “No wonder that thing came running- that’s the mother!”
The two beasts grunted to each other and moved back out of the clearing the way the larger had come. Abner sheathed his sword and breathed a sigh of relief.
Scraff spoke up. “So we just met a giant turtle with horns. Nothing serious,” he said, sheathing his own weapon.
“Tortoise,” Abner corrected. “Definitely a tortoise. And judging by those bones, it doesn’t exactly eat a diet of plants.”
Scraff shook his head. “Excellent. A giant carnivorous horned turtle. And you wonder why I like staying at sea.”
“Tortoise,” replied Abner. “Let’s call it the bull tortoise, since it charged at you like that.”
“I’m touched. You named an animal kind of sort of after me,” said Scraff.
“Don’t start thinking you’re special,” jabbed Abner. “Now I think this is our cue to head back to the launch. We’ll sleep aboard the Spirit of Lenfald tonight and come ashore again at daybreak with a larger party and enough supplies for a multi-day excursion.” He started off towards the sea. “And no more picking up rocks, Scraff!”
Yeah, these are all of my BrickArms prototypes. Most were gifts, others were prizes, and a few were traded "gift for gift."
But now that I have your attention, I'd like to say that I'm "back" again, for now. I've been swamped down with schoolwork after coming off of 15 days of being sick with Bronchitis. Gosh those were some horrible days.
Now that I have less work, and more free time, I'll be a bit more active.
Thanks guys!
-Chef
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Warren Buffett to retire later this year, ending run for an investing titan
Buffett, 94, built Berkshire Hathaway into one of the world’s most formidable economic enterprises.
Today at 4:54 p.m. MST
Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett in Omaha in May 2024. (Scott Morgan/Reuters)
By Todd C. Frankel and Maegan Vazquez
Warren Buffett, still full of folksy wisdom and with that ever-present red can of Coca-Cola close at hand, said Saturday that he plans to step down later this year from his role leading Berkshire Hathaway, ending a run as an investment manager and CEO that was so stunningly successful for so long that it earned him the nickname “the Oracle of Omaha.”
Buffett, 94, built Berkshire Hathaway from a struggling maker of suit linings in the 1960s into one of the world’s most formidable economic enterprises with a $1 trillion market cap — the first U.S. non-tech company to reach that milestone.
Along the way, Buffett earned a reputation for making shrewd, long-term investments in a wide range of mostly U.S. companies while extolling the virtues of patient and emotionless decision-making. Berkshire has held huge stakes in consumer icons such as Domino’s Pizza, Coca-Cola and Kraft Heinz to go with holdings in insurers, railways and oil companies. He and his partners mostly eschewed investing fads and cast skeptical eyes on corporate claims that sounded too good to be true.
Berkshire’s success transformed the company’s annual shareholders meetings, narrated by Buffett’s wide-ranging commentary, into popular events known as “Woodstock for capitalists,” attracting tens of thousands of investors to Omaha. His annual letters to shareholders were mined for nuggets of investing wisdom.
Near the end of Berkshire’s 60th annual meeting Saturday, Buffett revealed that he will recommend to the company’s board that longtime executive Greg Abel take over as CEO at the end of 2025.
Buffett has previously signaled that his successor would be Abel, who already oversees Berkshire’s Wall Street investments and has spent more than two decades at the company. The announcement’s timing was something of a surprise. Other than Buffett’s children, most of Berkshire’s board of directors — including Abel — did not know of his intention to retire this year, he said.
Buffett — the fifth-richest person in the world, according to Forbes Magazine — said he plans to keep his large stake in the company and to remain an informal presence there. “I would still hang around and conceivably be useful in a few cases, but the final word would be what Greg said,” Buffett said.
Buffett’s departure comes two years after the death of Buffett’s longtime business partner and Berkshire vice chair Charlie Munger in 2023 at age 99.
Berkshire director Ron Olson told CNBC that he hoped Buffett could continue to play an advisory role reminiscent of Munger’s relationship with the company.
“I am very anxious to see Warren become the Charlie Munger for Greg Abel,” Olson said.
Berkshire Hathaway’s portfolio for decades included a stake in The Washington Post Co., then controlled by the Graham family. He stepped down from The Post board in 2011. The newspaper was sold to billionaire Jeff Bezos, the founder and then-chief executive of Amazon, in 2013.
In a social media post Saturday, former Post executive Don Graham recalled how Buffett met his mother, Katharine Graham, when she was Post publisher and CEO in the early 1970s.
“She came back and said ‘Don, this is the smartest guy I ever met,’” Don Graham wrote. “For the next 28 years, his advice in large and small company matters helped her be a very successful CEO. He came as close as anyone could to overcoming her boundless doubt in her own business ability.”
Buffett’s success was notable for how much it differed from how others accumulated their vast fortunes and how little the money seemed to change him.
He has famously lived in the same five-bedroom home in Omaha that he bought in 1958 for $31,500. With the country’s wealth engines centered on the coasts — Silicon Valley to the West, Wall Street in the East — Buffett has stayed in the heartland of Nebraska. He has said he eats a simple breakfast from McDonald’s most mornings before work. He has said he drinks several cans of Coke a day.
Buffett admitted to some indulgences. He eventually embraced private jet travel, with Berkshire Hathaway buying the NetJets corporate aircraft company.
But he didn’t buy his first computer until 1994, at the urging of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, a close friend. Buffett held off investing in tech stocks for even longer, though he has since dived in — at the end of 2024, Apple stock made up more than 20 percent of Berkshire’s holdings, according to corporate filings. Buffett has jokingly said he wouldn’t mind owning all of Apple’s stock.
As a disciple of investing guru Benjamin Graham, Buffett was a proponent of value investing — finding companies that had been overlooked by other investors. He was distrustful of “adjusted earnings” and financial engineering aimed at making the numbers look better than they should.
He became a millionaire in 1962, based on the value of his corporate stake. By 1985, Forbes estimated Buffett’s net worth at $1 billion.
As Berkshire’s track record for picking winners grew, its investment decisions increasingly were viewed as signs of faith. More investors usually followed. Corporate fortunes were buoyed. That was especially important during the 2008 financial crisis, when stock markets tanked and the economy teetered. Berkshire made a very public show of investing $5 billion into Goldman Sachs to prop up the struggling investment firm. The funding and show of confidence was credited with helping avert the worst damage.
Buffett also has not shied away from sharing his opinion, to the delight of the followers of his investment advice. He has spoken out against private equity deals, leveraged buyouts and how most hedge funds operate.
“When trillions of dollars are managed by people charging high fees, it will usually be the managers who reap outsized profits, not the clients,” he wrote in Berkshire’s shareholder in 2016.
His 2017 letter called out the use of debt to finance deals, writing it is “insane to risk what you have and need in order to obtain what you don’t need.”
He also has called for changes to the U.S. tax system so that wealthy people pay more. During the Obama administration, the White House got his endorsement for what they called the “Buffett rule,” which asserted that richer households should not pay a smaller share of their income in taxes than middle-class families. Buffett pointed out that he pays a lower tax rate than his secretary because most of his money comes from investments rather than a salary.
During Saturday’s meeting, Buffett criticized tariffs and defended global trade, arguing that the United States stands to prosper by continuing to trade with international partners freely.
Buffett had previously refrained from publicly weighing in on President Donald Trump’s efforts to levy sweeping tariffs on American adversaries and allies alike. Buffett did not directly reference Trump, but he told the Omaha audience that “trade should not be a weapon.”
“Trade can be an act of war,” Buffett said. “And I think it’s led to bad things, just the attitudes it’s brought out in the United States.”
A trade war threatens to isolate the United States from the rest of the world, Buffett said.
“It’s a big mistake, in my view, when you have 7½ billion people that don’t like you very well, and you have 300 million that are crowing in some way about how well they’ve done,” he said. “I don’t think it’s right and I don’t think it’s wise.”
Todd C. Frankel is an enterprise reporter on The Washington Post's Financial desk. He joined The Washington Post in 2014. Frankel is a one-time Pulitzer Prize winner.
Maegan Vazquez is a politics breaking news reporter. She joined The Washington Post in 2023.
My Unrestricted entry into GC7.
Battle of Durrough, Forcing the North Gate
——————————————————————
A story of rebellion to tyranny, from Lands Of Roawia.
——————————————————————————————————————————
In the predawn light, Haymar could see a thick mist floating over Durrough, obscuring his view of much of the city. Mirranda, crouched next to him, noticed it too.
“That’s going to make it harder to see, once we’re inside the city.” She whispered in his ear. He nodded. Unless the sun burned it off, the mist would quickly become a major problem.
He looked around, at the men and women all around him, concealed within the tree line.
They had been there for several hours, having moved into position in the dead of night. They were close to the North Gate of Durrough, which was their goal. When they opened at dawn, they would charge forward and flood through the gates, and into the city, coinciding with Sir Caelan’s ambush at the Black Swan.
His force was 65 strong. Not a large force, for the task we must accomplish. Haymar thought to himself. As he crouched there, concealed by a large bush, his thoughts wandered, back to early this morning.
“The sun is coming up!” Aria hissed, interrupting his thoughts. He looked up. Sure enough, the sun was peeking over the horizon. His mind sped up.
“Gather round’.” He said quietly to the people around him. They did, huddling in a uneven circle. “Right,” Haymar said, “When the gates open, Ana, Travdon, Barry, and Aria, are going to lead the charge through the gates.” They all nodded. “Mirranda, Lina, Aderyn, Ronald, two of Barry’s soldiers, and I will secure the wall. Wallace, Bern, and Rita, go down the right-hand side street, and take out any Queen’s Soldiers you find. Laven, you, Ald, Loyld, Carina, and Roy will reinforce them. Is that clear?” Everyone nodded that it was. “Excellent.” He looked at the sea of solemn faces all around him. “This is it,” he said, “You all know the risks. If any of you wishes to back out, now is your last chance.” They all shook their head no. Haymar felt a overwhelming sense of gratitude. Everyone here knew that, in all likelihood, many of them would die today, and yet none of them were backing down.
“Sir!” A Scout Sniper who been watching the road ran up. “The gates, they’re opening!”
“Thank you.” Haymar said, and stood. “Today, we are going to take back what is rightfully Lenfald’s! Today, we are going to strike back against the evil of the Queen!” Today, we fight for family, for home, and for freedom! For great Lenfald!”
“Charge!” Ana yelled, and led the way onto the road. With a roar, the army charged after her.
There were already a few peasants on the road, but they quickly scattered, as the horde of Lenfel soldiers charged towards the gate. The Queen’s Soldiers on the ramparts shouted in shock, and warning to their fellows below, until they were cut short by black-shafted arrows.
The Queen’s Soldiers below heard, and started to close the gates, but not fast enough. With a triumphant shout, the Lenfel soldiers slammed into the gates, throwing them wide, and charged through. The Queen’s Soldiers never stood a chance. The tide of Lenfels literally slammed into them and crushed them underfoot. The Queen’s Soldiers fought back, taking down several Lenfels, but were unable to stop, or even slow the tide.
Haymar, with Mirranda at his side, charged through the gates behind the vanguard of their force.
Veering left, he found the ladder to the battlements, and charged up it, Mirranda, Lina, and Aderyn at his heels. The rest of his squad followed. Reaching the top, he launched himself at the first soldier he saw. Taking him down with a single swipe, Haymar quickly cleared the way as the rest of his force came up. Quickly spreading out, they prepared to defend the wall.
“Aderyn, do you have the flag?” Haymar called to him.
“Right here lad.” The other replied, displaying the Lenfald flag he’d been carrying.
“Excellent,” Haymar said, “Let’s run it up.” They turned to a flagpole, flying the Queen’s flag, and tore the flag down. Setting it to the string, they quickly hauled aloft the Lenfald flag. Aderyn turned and waved to Lina and Ronald to take up their positions at the rear edge of the wall. They did, and began picking off Queen’s Soldiers in the street below.
Barry’s two soldiers took up a position just past the flagpole, and were immediately attacked by Queen’s Soldiers; they repelled the attack, and braced for another. Haymar and Mirranda took up positions opposite Barry’s soldiers, and waited for an attack.
There was a crash in the street below. Haymar looked down, and saw a cart had been overturned, and the remaining Queen’s Soldiers were rallying behind it. His troops, with Ana leading, were stalling as they clashed with the enemy.
“Haymar, look out!” Mirranda’s voice cried, from behind him. He spun, and saw the Queen’s soldier bearing down, almost on top of him. With a single slash, the soldier toppled off the blood-slicked battlements, into the dark horde of men fighting below.
“Thanks!” He said, breathlessly, to her. She smiled at him, the relief written on her face.
“I was almost too late. Next time, you need to be more carf-.” She stopped in mid-sentence, her eyes widening in horror. He read what was reflected there, and spun, his shield coming up, just in time to block the stroke of a huge, double-bladed pole-axe wielded by a massive outlaw. Haymar staggered, under the strength of the blow. The soldier hauled back the massive weapon, preparing to deal another blow. Haymar lunged forward, and jabbed at the other’s face. The outlaw dodged and swung the pole-axe down.
“AAHH!!” Haymar yelled, in pain, as the axe cut into his arm. His shield stopped the axe from sinking deep into his arm, but was slammed from his grasp, he was knocked off his feet, and the air was expelled from his lungs as he hit the battlement floor.
“NO!” Mirranda screamed. Nocking an arrow, she drew it back, aiming for the outlaw, and released. The outlaw turned, and deflected it off his axe. He swung the axe, and hit her with the flat of the blade, sending her sprawling. The brute turned back to the still-winded Haymar, and raised the axe above his head, preparing to bring it down, on Haymar. As Haymar lay there, he suddenly experienced an overwhelming sense of deja vu. I’ve been in this predicament before, he realized, In my dream. It wasn’t a dream, it was a vision, which means… realizing what was about to happen, Haymar rolled to his left, as the Outlaw brought his axe down. It sparked off the stones, throwing the brute off-balance.
Haymar struggled to his feet, groaning in pain. The Outlaw, seeing the blood running down his arm, grinned evilly. Then, his grin turned into a look of shock, as an armored figure launched himself off the ladder and on top of the Outlaw, slamming him to the ground. With a shock, Haymar saw it was Carndan Hale, come to his rescue.
The Outlaw threw Carndan off, and got to his feet. Carndan sprang to his feet, and the two squared off. The Outlaw swung first, and Carndan nimbly dodged and cut the brute across the leg.
Haymar staggering out of their way, remembered Mirranda, and turned to see her up and moving, watching her brother’s duel, bow in hand, arrow nocked. He slid down against the wall.
The brute swung again, and Carndan ducked, whipping his axe up, and into the Outlaw’s chest. The brute staggered, but swung his own weapon. Carndan didn’t dodge in time, and the blade nicked his arm. Ignoring the wound, Carndan deflected the next blow off his shield, and swung his axe straight for the brute’s throat. It bit deep into the throat, and Carndan yanked the axe out. The Outlaw stood there for second, and then toppled off the battlement. The two soldiers behind the brute were shot by Mirranda.
Inside the circle of Queen’s Soldiers, Captain Cabrak turned to his assassin, Nissa. “They’re going to break through any moment.” He said. She looked around, and nodded.
“We’ve got to escape. One of us has to warn Lord Oslet.” She said. Cabrak nodded.
“I’ll flee through the building behind us, you kill their leaders, then follow me.”
“Agreed.” Nissa said, already turning away from him to search for the rebel leaders.
Cabrak motioned to his bodyguard to follow him, and, yanking the building door open, dashed in side.
Nissa, scanning the chaotic street, spotted a group of figures on the battlement. “There you are.” She muttered. Raising her crossbow, she took aim at the tall armored one that had just killed the Queen’s Soldier, and pulled the trigger.
Upon the wall, Carndan watched the body fall, then turned to Haymar and Mirranda. “Well,” he said, “I was just in the nick of time, wasn’t I?” He said, grinning. Haymar nodded painfully. Mirranda saw his injury, and a look of horror crossed her face.
“Haymar!” She said, rushing over to him. she knelt next to him, and rolled up his sleeve. “Healer! We need a Healer up here!” She called down, then turned back to Haymar, trying to stem the flow of blood with a strip of cloth. All around them the battle continued. At that moment, disaster struck. Carndan, standing watch over them, suddenly staggered, and slumped to the ground. “Carndan!” Mirranda screamed, and rushed to her brother’s side. There was a bolt sticking out of his side. “Carndan,” she sobbed.
“Mirranda,” he started, but she cut him off.
“You’re not going to die.” She insisted, tears streaming down her face.
The Healer rushed up to Haymar, but he pointed to Carndan instead. “He needs you more.”
The Healer knelt beside Carndan, and started to get out his kit, but Carndan stopped him.
“It was poisoned.” He whispered. “I can feel it working through my blood. It’s too late for me.”
“NO!” Mirranda refused to believe it. “It can’t be! I can’t lose you!”
He gripped his sister’s hand.
“It’s my time. If that bolt didn’t hit me now, it would have hit me later. It was just waiting for me. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I enjoyed the time I had with you. You know what happened to me now. Just remember me.” He drew in a shuddering breath, and looked at Haymar. “Take care of her, would you?”
Haymar nodded. “I promise.” He said, fighting back tears of his own. He moved painfully over to where Carndan lay.
“Thank you.” Carndan smiled. He lay back, his eyes closed, and he drew in one last breath. Then he was gone. Mirranda sobbed. Haymar took her in his arms, and held her as she cried.
The Healer drew a blanket over Carndan, and turned to Haymar. “Let’s see that arm of yours.”
Mirranda disentangled herself from Haymar, as the Healer began to treat him, and rose to her feet, a murderous look in her eyes.
“Mirranda, where are you going?” Haymar called after her.
“To get revenge!” She yelled back, and charged down the ladder.
Nissa watched the drama on the wall unfold for a moment, then turned and disappeared into the building. Behind her, the Queen’s Soldiers finally gave way, some surrendering, and the Lenfels charged past, killing any armed Dragons they found.
Wallace was in an alley between the bakery and the apothecary, sniping Queen’s Soldiers, when he spotted a high-ranking Dragon fleeing from the stables across the way.
“Oh no you don’t.” He muttered, and, motioning for Bern and Rita to hold their position, charged after him.
——————————————————————————————————————————
To be continued in End of the Line/Redemption.
Coccinellidae...in my garden.
The majority of coccinellid species are generally considered useful insects, ...
... one of the greatest allies of the farmer and the gardener as many species feed on aphids or scale insects, which are pests in gardens, agricultural fields, orchards, and similar places. They are nature's own 'pest' controllers.
Some populations of ladybugs are decreased due to habitat destruction and chemical pollution (as a result of increased human activity).Luckily, most species of ladybugs are abundant in the wild. softschools.com
Also from Softschools.com is this fascinating info: Middle Ages in Europe were associated with lot of damaged crops due to raid of various pests. People prayed to the Virgin Mary for the salvation. Red bug covered with black dots appeared soon after the prayer and eliminated pests from the fields. Bug was known as "beetle of Our Lady" in the beginning, but it was renamed into "ladybug" later
from Softschools.com. Ladybug Facts.
Vultures provide a great service in the wild, making sure any remains don't lie rotting, which causes diseases.
Fresh oil/ tar oozes up in cracks that formed in the harded tar at the surface of a tar stream in the McKittrick Oil Field on the western side of the San Joaquin Valley in California. This hydrocarbon stream is fed by a natural seep, one of the many that make up an area known as The McKittrick Tar Pits, sits just to the west of the town of McKittrick in Kern County. In some areas, one of the first clues that oil is present in the subsurface is the fact that it sometimes finds its way to the surface through faulting or porous rock. Places where oil, asphalt or tar naturally comes to the surface are called an oil / tar seep or brea. Sands that are saturated with heavy asphalt or tar are called tar sands. The tar pits here lie on the western flank of the Temblor Range where alluvium covers Holocene alluvial gravels, fluvial sandstone, and lacustrine shales. These in turn overlie the kerogen-rich Miocene Monterey Formation. Most of the kerogen represent the preserved bodies of microscopic organism such as diatoms that live in the upper few meters of the ocean. The Monterey has many diatom rich beds called diatomaceous shales. Heat and time changed the soft body parts into liquid hydrocarbon and associated gas. About the same time, movement of the San Andres and associated faults help form the Temblor Range. Faulting and cracking of the rocks formed pathways for the oil to migrate up out of the Monterey, Some of the oil became trapped beneath an impermeable cap of Monterey Formation that slid of the Mountains. Most of the tar seeps occur in place where erosion has removed the Monterey cap (deposited by the landslide) and allowed the porous sandstone beds to be exposed and leak the oil.
As with its famous cousin, the La Brea Tar Pits, to the south, McKittrick's oil seeps also trapped its fair share of animals. Paleontologic studies of these seeps began in the early 1900's. Both the University of California and the Kern County Museum excavated the site in the 1940s. As of 1968, paleontologists identified over 43 different mammals and 58 different bird species. Bison, saber-toothed cat, dire wolf, camel and elephant, as well as smaller animals have been identified. Some of these species are now extinct. Most of the animal remains date back to the Pliestocene (10000 to 40000 years ago).
The Tulumne Yokut were the first people known to exploit the tar. Spanish explorers noted that they used it as a glue, a waterproofing agent, and related uses. It was so useful they found other tribes willing to trade for it. Early European settlers found similar uses, In the early 1860's the Buena Vista Petroleum Company began digging the tar at the seeps. In some cases Mining techniques were employed. A worker would be lowered down into the mine, then would fill buckets with the asphalt, while someone at the surface would pull it up. It was incredibly dirty and hot, As a result many miners chose to work naked and be washed at the end of the day. The Job had it dangers too, The workers not only had to contend with the tar in the pits, but also the hot weather of the San Joaquin Valley and noxious fumes from the oil, tar and gas. In the end, the mines were not very economical. The first oil well, The Standard Oil #1, was drilled in 1899. The well discovered oil and McKittrick Field was born. It became a major oil producer and is still producing today,
Camera: Zeiss-Ikon Contessa 35
Film: hp5+ 400 asa (expired)
Print: Agfa BH312 Brovira (very expired not useful for normal prints)
Developer: Moersch easy lith 1+50 30 minutes
The world class boanical collections in Waimea Valley owe there existence to Mir. Keith Woolliams, a dedicated botanical horticulturist who was trained at the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew, on the outskirts of London.
Keith led a rich life traveling around the globe studying botanical collections in England, Japan, Papua New Guinea and Bermuda. He brought to Hawaii his expertise and knowledge of uncommon horticultural treasures, and he acquired seeds, plants, and cuttings from remote places and botanical gardens all over the world. In pre-internet days dozens of letters and packages were dispatched and received daily.
His theme of "Conservation Through Cultivation" resulted in a balance of rare and useful native and Polynesian-introduced plants among exotic horticultural specimens.
What was once an ungroomed valley, filled with koa haole and ravaged by feral cattle was transformed into what you see today by Keith and the many dedicated people he inspired. They oversaw the design, landscaping and construction of the pathways, stone walls and stairs that frame the gardens. Keith's high standards for record keeping and signage persist to this day. He left us in 1998 with a library full of his propagation knowledge, cultivation practices and plant lore which survives to ensure that the precious life forms brought to this valley will thrive here long into the future.
Keith was an inspiring advocate for Hawatian plant conservation and he influenced many young people across the state. He connected Waimea with state, federal and international agencies such as the Center for Plant Conservation, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, and the Botanical Gardens Conservation International - partnerships that Waimea Valley continues to uphold today.
Keith was instrumental in bringing in critically endangered plants from Japan's Ogasawara Islands, hibiscus relatives from all over the world, and with international colleagues he tried to assemble wild-source collections of every species of Erythrina in the world. In the periodical, "Notes from Waimea Arboretum and Botanical Garden" published twice a year until 1992 he stated "Waimea is a labeled and documented collection of plants for educational and scientific purposes, a living gene pool for future generations".
It is with great honor and gratitude that we remember Mr. Keith Woolliams and his dedication to Waimea Valley.
Quality prints, greeting cards and many useful products can be purchased at >> kaye-menner.pixels.com/featured/seagull-landing-by-kaye-m... OR www.lens2print.co.uk/imageview.asp?imageID=34040
A seagull in flight preparing to land as he sighted some food. Image captured by my daughter, Nikki Menner and edited by myself.
Captured in the Garigal National Park in Sydney at one of the parklands called Davidson Park at Roseville, which is a pretty harborside park with boating and canoeing access, just a short drive from the Sydney CBD.
[From Wikipedia] The silver gull, Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae, is the most common gull seen in Australia. It has been found throughout the continent, but particularly at or near coastal areas.
THE FINE ART AMERICA LOGO / MY WATERMARK WILL NOT APPEAR ON PURCHASED PRINTS OR PRODUCTS.
She was in High School yet but headed off to college. So we make this corner table together, hoping it would be useful in the years ahead. The three legs come off easily with a wrench. The triangular "table" on top could be used as a footstool underneath. Hard to believe that this table is over 30 years old and that it has lived in college dorms, apartments & rentals, but is now in her very own home, hundreds of miles from where we made it.
Indiana
The Good Carpenter Bee. This is the other species of carpenter bee that occurs in the Eastern U.S. Xylocopa micans. For some reason it thumbs its labrum at dry wood in buildings, decks, and fences (unlike its cousin X. virginica). Because it retires to natural habitats its nesting preferences are little known and yet another place where contributions by sharp-eyed naturalistas can be made.This male was photographed by Anders Croft. Bee collected by Mimi Jenkins in Watermelon fields of South Carolina
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All photographs are public domain, feel free to download and use as you wish.
Photography Information: Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 200mm Pentax-m with Nikon 10X infinity microscope objective lens mounted on front , Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.6, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200
Love for Other Things
It’s easy to love a deer
But try to care about bugs and scrawny trees
Love the puddle of lukewarm water
From last week’s rain.
Leave the mountains alone for now.
Also the clear lakes surrounded by pines.
People are lined up to admire them.
Get close to the things that slide away in the dark.
Be grateful even for the boredom
That sometimes seems to involve the whole world.
Think of the frost
That will crack our bones eventually.
- Tom Hennen
You can also follow us on Instagram account USGSBIML Want some Useful Links to the Techniques We Use? Well now here you go Citizen:
Best over all technical resource for photo stacking
Basic USGSBIML set up:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-_yvIsucOY
USGSBIML Photoshopping Technique: Note that we now have added using the burn tool at 50% opacity set to shadows to clean up the halos that bleed into the black background from "hot" color sections of the picture.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdmx_8zqvN4
PDF of Basic USGSBIML Photography Set Up:
ftp://ftpext.usgs.gov/pub/er/md/laurel/Droege/How%20to%20Take%20MacroPhotographs%20of%20Insects%20BIML%20Lab2.pdf
Google Hangout Demonstration of Techniques:
plus.google.com/events/c5569losvskrv2nu606ltof8odo
or
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c15neFttoU
Excellent Technical Form on Stacking:
Contact information:
Sam Droege
sdroege@usgs.gov
301 497 5840