#75/2.8

[joeiannandrea]

Mounds of ice piled up on the Lake Erie shore by the strong winds of the Christmas storm and mixed with beach sand create an alien landscape.

[calochortus]

Bubbling up from the depths by simple.joy Via Flickr: One of my attempts at the "Crazy Tuesday" theme "Abstract". Shot with a "Tomioka-Copal 75 mm F 2.8" (enlarging) lens on a Canon EOS R5.

[yesterdays-xkcd]

Apparently Google assumes you're traveling during the ferry's normal operating hours. We lost two hours circling that damn lake (to say nothing of the Straw Man).

Google Maps [Explained]

Transcript

My road trip with my brother ran into trouble around page three of the Google Maps printout

[Google Maps printout.] ← 70. Slight left at RT-22 - go 6.8 mi → 71. Turn right to stay on RT-22 - go 2.6 mi ← 72. Turn left at Lake Shore Rd - go 312 ft → 73. Turn right at Dock St - go 427 ft [An icon of water] 74. Take the ferry across the lake. - go 2.8 mi

[A car is driving in the dark.] Brother: Okay, now take Dock St toward the ferry. Cueball: We're supposed to take a ferry? It's past midnight, and these woods are creepy. Brother: Google Maps wouldn't steer us wrong.

[Cueball and his brother stand outside the car. The ferry has a sign on it reading CLOSED.]

[Cueball is standing next to his brother, who is holding a Google Maps printout.]

[Cueball motions towards his brother.] Cueball: Let me see those directions.

[Google Maps printout.] [An icon of water] 74. Take the ferry across the lake. - go 2.8 mi ↗ 75. Climb the HILL toward Hangman's Ridge, avoiding any mountain lions. - up 1,172 ft ↷ 76. When you reach an old barn, go around back, knock on the second door, and ask for Charlie. - go 52 ft [An icon of a van] 77. Tell Charlie the Dancing Stones are restless. He will give you his van. - Careful [An icon of a straw man] 78. Take Charlie's van down Old Mine Road. Do not wake the Straw Man. - go π mi ← 79. Turn left on Comstock. When you feel the blood chill in your veins, stop the van and get out. - go 3.2 mi ↓ 80. Stand very still. Exits are north, south, and east, but are blocked by a Spectral Wolf. - go 0 ft [An icon of a menacing face] 81. The Spectral Wolf fears only fire. The Google Maps Team can no longer help you, but if you master the wolf, he will guide you. Godspeed. - go ?? mi

[hungee-boy]

Today is my 24th birthday!

If you have the means and you want to do something for me, I want you to donate to these Palestinian donation campaigns that are the furthest from their goal (10% or lower).

I'm taking these from @el-shab-hussein and @nabulsi 's list of verified campaigns and I HIGHLY urge you to donate and help these families survive and build new lives. Click on each name to access their campaigns.

Mahdy Zourob - €2,412 / €25,000 (9.6%)

Yousef Mounir - £5,292 / £50,000 (10.6%)

Ahmad Turk - £30 / £70,000 (0.0%)

Haifa Hasan - €1,110 / €25,000 (4.4%)

Sanaa and Rana Abu Ghaben - $5,761 / $100,000 CAD (5.8%)

Ahmad Shaban - £10,490 / £150,000 (7.0%)

Hassan Shbeir - $2,590 / $50,000 USD (5.2%)

Mahmoud Nedal - $2,763 / $50,000 USD (5.5%)

Mohammed Mansour - $10,888 / $150,000 USD (7.3%)

Anonymous - $4,189 / $50,000 USD (8.4%)

Sharif Family - $8,949 / $90,000 USD (9.9%)

Mahmoud Mousa - €1,766 / €15,000 (11.8%)

Nedal's Family - €870 / €33,000 (2.6%)

Basel Abu Ghaben - $4,077 / $105,000 CAD (3.9%)

Nasser Shoshaa - €6,464 / €120,000 (5.4%)

Abeer Ibrahim - $5,265 / $70,000 CAD (7.5%)

Mohamed Refiq Abdo - $6,103 / $100,000 CAD (6.1%)

Ahmed Abu Ghali - €2,948 / €50,000 (5.9%)

Ahmed Abu Shammala - €9,898 / €100,000 (9.9%)

Maha Ibrahim - kr 34,177 / kr 1,067,200 NOK (3.2%)

Khalil and Amal/Abdelsalam and Nahla - €3,246 / €80,000 (4.1%)

Yazan Ashraf Abu Safiya - €3,699 / €50,000 (7.4%)

Ihab Al-Masaraei - $2,440 / $35,000 USD (7.0%)

Hussam Hijazi - €7,225 / €75,000 (9.6%)

Khalil Abu Baker - €1,481 / €30,000 (4.9%)

Dima Nabahin - €1,757 / €30,000 (5.9%)

Nahla and Amal - €3,246 / €80,000 (4.1%)

Mahmoud Helles - €1,380 / €50,000 (2.8%)

Samira Ehab/Akkila - €527 / €30,000 (1.8%)

Tawfik Al Tatri - €571 / €25,000 (2.3%)

Mohammed Khatib - $439 / $10,000 USD (4.4%)

Hala Al-Nakhala - kr 19,466 / kr 600,000 SEK (3.2%)

Basel Ayyad - 3,318 / 60,000 CHF (5.5%)

Siraj Abudayeh - $6,108 / $82,000 CAD (7.4%)

Asma El-Derawi - €3,410 / €38,000 (9.0%)

Raghad Qanou - £3,615 / £55,000 (6.6%)

Wattan Abu El Eish - €4,563 / €50,000 (9.1%)

Abdulrahman Al-Abadla - $310 / $31,000 CAD (1.0%)

Hamza Alabassi - €2,085 / €21,000 (9.9%)

Hani Ibrahim - $3,528 / $50,000 USD (7.1%)

Majdy Al Shamaly - $2,937 / $140,000 CAD (2.1%)

Mohamed Jameel - €934 / €35,000 (2.7%)

Safaa Abu Baker - €1,857 / €15,000 (12.4%)

Mohammed Okal - kr 5,030 / kr 90,000 NOK (5.6%)

Sara and Alaa Tahrawi - £578 / £15,000 (3.9%)

Israa Al Azaiza - $2,775 / $48,000 CAD (5.8%)

Al-Moatasem Abu Amsha - €75 / €25,000 (0.3%)

Ghada Banat - €4,467 / €50,000 (8.9%)

Noha Al-Habil - $5,265 / $70,000 CAD (7.5%)

Ayman Sharif - $3,833 / $40,000 USD (9.6%)

Dr. Husam Farhat - $1,706 / $29,500 (5.8%)

Abed Rahman El-Shaer - $430 / $50,000 USD (0.9%)

Updated as of 07/14/2024.

It would mean the absolute world to me if you donated. My love and heartache go to these people and I want nothing more than for them to survive, heal, and have the means to live comfortably, as all human beings should.

Feel free to reblog with proof of donations and to share this to anyone you can think of. And, of course, be respectful, be kind, and always look out for your fellow man.

❤️🖤🤍💚

[agentchimendez]

Sorry for the delay! It's because y'all didn't just write down a single character's name for the written sections like I so desperately asked!

Introducing the results of the 2023 Bittersweet Candy Poll! This was polled back in November-December of 2023, and here are the results of people's favorites, least favorites, most controversial/mixed opinions, and the one with the least opinions!

Click here for 2022's results and here for 2021's. Click the read more to see the total results for this year's poll beyond the top 10s.

Now color coded so you know if they've ranked higher (green) lower (blue) or were a new addition (orange)! Characters who stayed in the same place are listed as normal.

BELOVED

Lucy - 560

Paulo - 559

Augustus - 486

Rachel - 452

Amaya - 442

Daisy - 435

David - 382

Sue - 355

Mike & James - 345

Matt - 342

Molly - 336

Janet - 330

Paulo's Dad - 306

Abbey - 298

Tess - 282

Lucy's Mom - 269

Jessica - 251

Jasmine - 239

Daisy's Dad - 237

Kevin - 224

Zachary - 218

Charlotte - 214

Chris & Catherine - 206

Jordan - 190

Haley - 189

Lily - 185

Daisy's Mom - 181

McCain - 180

Madison - 168

Stacy & Mr. Noodles - 160

Justin - 156

Mike's Mom - 154

Lucy's Dad - 153

Principal - 152

Felix - 150

Amaya's Dad - 147

Chirpy & Lucas - 141

Sam & Finn - 139

Flower Girl - 132

Yashy & Lani - 121

Mina - 119

Darwin - 114

Sandy - 113

Gym Teacher - 102

Blur - 97

Max - 93

Courtney & Melanie - 92

Katie - 88

Sex-Ed Teacher (SET) & Aaron (Rachel's brother) - 85

Cassidy - 60

Tiff - 47

Dylan - 30

Alejandro - 26

Toby & Sandy's Mom - 12

Craig & Abraham - 11

BELOATHED

Alejandro - 721

Abraham - 599

Sandy's Mom - 307

Sandy - 301

Toby - 256

Craig - 216

Yashy - 181

Mike - 175

Katie - 149

Tiff - 145

Paulo - 101

David - 99

Lily - 97

Melanie - 92

Lucy - 91

Dylan - 74

Sex-Ed Teacher (SET) - 66

Abbey - 64

Madison - 57

Sam - 47

Chirpy - 46

Stacy - 44

Gym Teacher - 43

McCain - 42

Daisy - 40

Blur - 38

James - 34

Zachary - 30

Jasmine - 24

Augustus - 22

Tess & Jessica - 21

Darwin & Justin - 19

Mina - 16

Mr. Noodles & Finn - 14

Jordan - 13

Matt, Chris, Principal & Lucy's Dad - 12

Haley, Cassidy & Daisy's Dad - 11

Lucy's Mom, Courtney & Charlotte - 9

Flower Girl - 8

Lani - 7

Rachel & Paulo's Dad - 6

Sue, Mike's Mom & Lucas - 5

Molly, Aaron (Rachel's brother), Max & Catherine - 4

Amaya, Janet, Felix & Daisy's Mom - 2

Amaya's Dad - 2

Kevin - 1

CONTROVERSIAL

Melanie - 18400 (the numbers canceled each other out at first so this is why her number is significantly larger)

Sex-Ed Teacher (SET) - 695

Yashy - 403

Katie - 289

Lily - 220

Mike - 206

Gym Teacher - 146

Dylan - 136

Blur - 129

Sandy - 120

Madison - 103

Sam - 102

Chirpy - 97

Tiff - 96

Stacy - 76

David - 70

McCain - 61

Abbey - 55

Cassidy - 45

Paulo - 44

Darwin - 40 (most of these numbers are rounded, but this was a true 40.00)

Lucy - 39

Zachary - 32

Mina - 31

Justin - 28

Finn - 22.4

Jasmine - 22.3

James - 21.8

Courtney - 21.6

Daisy - 20

Mr. Noodles - 19

Jessica - 18

Principal - 17.1

Lucy's Dad - 17.02

Tess - 16

Jordan - 15

Flower Girl - 13

Chris - 12.37

Haley - 12.35 (everyone after this point is ranked lower than before im lazy)

Lani - 12.28

Aaron (Rachel's brother) - 9.87

Toby - 9.83

Daisy's Dad - 9.73

Augustus - 9.48

Max - 8.9

Charlotte - 8.7

Sandy's Mom - 8.1

Alejandro - 7.4

Lucas - 7.3

Matt - 7.2

Lucy's Mom - 6.9

Mike's Mom - 6.7

Felix - 4.08

Paulo's Dad - Pure 4

Catherine - 3.9

Abraham - 3.7

Daisy's Mom - 3.3

Sue - 2.8

Amaya's Dad - 2.7

Rachel - 2.6

Molly - 2.4

Janet - 1.8

Amaya - 1.3

Kevin - 0.8

THE PEOPLE DON'T CARE.... (i dont feel like marking these either sorry)

Cassidy - 142

Aaron (Rachel's brother) - 135

Courtney Dylan & Max - 132 (i realize now the ranking i listed was wrong. sowwy)

Darwin - 118

Blur & Lani - 114

Flower Girl - 112

Mina - 109

Gym Teacher - 107

Amaya's Dad - 106

Finn - 103

Sex-Ed Teacher (SET) - 102

Felix - 99

Lucas - 98

Lucy's Dad - 94

Principal - 90

Mike's Mom - 89

Chirpy - 87

Mr. Noodles - 86

McCain - 85

Melanie - 82

Sam & Daisy's Mom - 80

Toby, Craig & Tiff - 79

Justin - 78

Chris - 75

Charlotte - 74

Catherine - 71

Kevin - 68

Stacy - 64

Daisy's Dad - 59

Katie - 58

Yashy & Zachary - 57

Lucy's Mom - 56

Haley - 55

Madison & Jordan - 50

Sandy's Mom - 44

Sandy, Tess, Jessica & Paulo's Dad - 39

Jasmine & Janet - 35

Sue - 34

David - 30

Amaya - 27

Mike - 23

James - 21

Matt, Alejandro & Abraham - 20

Abbey & Molly - 19

Rachel - 18

Augustus - 15

Daisy - 11

Lucy & Paulo - 9

[brickcentral]

Hello there!

We've asked to our spotlighted artist SKABRAM.builds to provide an exclusive picture for @brickcentral along with some insights on how he made it, and here's what she have to say:

"I had this photo in mind for quite some time and now finally took it! This model was finished a couple of months ago, but I never took it with me to shoot it outside. Being asked to create a new photo for Brickcentral felt like the right opportunity to finally go for it! I prepared the photo by picking and preparing a little stand with plateau to place my model in the water. I made this for an earlier photo with a great crested grebe and a chick. I now added a plate with rubber bands so it could resist the force of the kingfisher model tipping it. Beside the stand I also packed some paper towel to remove drops from the model and my camera and lens. For this photo I specifically picked my 28-75 lens, because I knew beforehand I would be very close to my subject.

When I arrived at the location I had in mind I found out that everything was overgrown with reeds. I had to find an other spot without the reeds. Unfortunately no reeds meant less shallow water. My stand was not long enough to reach the bottom. I improvised by extending it with a branch I found. Here the rubber bands came in handy, because that’s how I attached the stand to the branch. Phew…

I placed the stand right below the surface of the water. Time to attach the model!

After a couple of photos I decided to change the placement a little to make better use of the background (more reeds visible). I picked the stand entirely to move it when I messed up big. The kingfisher fell off the clip and dropped in the water. For a second I was in shock, but luckily it was floating. I even had time to take a picture of it floating.

After drying the kingfisher with the paper towel the setup for the final photo looked like this.

I took the photo just above the surface of the water to capture as much of the surroundings as possible. As you can see I was pretty close to the subject and holding my camera below me. Keeping it steady was not easy, so I chose a shutter speed of 1/200. Beside the shutter speed I played with the aperture of the lens. I tried 2.8 and 4.5 and was most satisfied with 4.5. The sharpness in the model was better and the surrounding reeds had more character.

Unedited photo taken with an aperture of 2.8 for reference

I placed the subject into the frame using the rule of thirds with the movement of the subject in mind (moving into the frame).

As you can see in the unedited image I had to get rid of the plate below the water surface in the edit. Here I used a combination of the clone tool and generative fill in photoshop. If the water was more wrinkled the plate would have been a lot less visible. Downside from wrinkles is a less clear reflection. After all I’m pretty happy with the final result and hope you enjoyed this little insight!"

Thanks for all the insights SKABRAM.builds! If you want to read this artist profile, head to our blog at https://brickentral.net/ - @theaphol, Community Outreach Manager

[mapsontheweb]

McDonald's Restaurants by Magnitude of Mountain Backdrop / Rut

by u/Gigitoe

Eating a Big Mac® while gazing at Big Mountains is an experience that millions of Americans can relate to. But little do we ask ourselves, which McDonald's restaurants have the biggest, baddest mountain backdrop?

So I set out to answer this question, using rut, a topographic metric that does particularly well at identifying cities with badass mountain backdrops. (For more info, check out this Mercury News article by John Metcalfe, or my research paper)

Roughly speaking, this is how rut works:

The higher the mountains rise above a restaurant, the more impressive they appear, and the greater the rut.

The more steeply the mountains rise above a restaurant, the more impressive they appear, and the greater the rut.

Here's a tier list that shows the rut of the ruttiest McDonald's restaurant in various cities. The cutoffs are rather arbitrary, so please don't poison me with a Grimace Shake if your city doesn't get the tier you like :)

S tier - rut > 400 m (i'm lovin' it. would visit just for mountain views)

Palm Springs, CA (647 m) | Weed, CA (624 m) | Springville, UT (609 m) | Lone Pine, CA (521 m) | Rancho Cucamonga, CA (503 m) | Kailua Kona, HI (432 m) | Salt Lake City, UT (404 m)

A tier - rut between 200 to 400 m (impressive, but probably wouldn't visit just for mountain views)

Colorado Springs, CO (383 m) | Gatlinburg, TN (273 m) | Tacoma, WA (267 m) | Tucson, AZ (246 m) | Juneau, AK (223 m) | Tucson, AZ (209 m) | Albuquerque, NM (215 m) | Las Vegas, NV (209 m)

B tier - rut between 100 and 200 m (mountains nearby, or distant big mountains, or very distant huge mountains)

Anchorage, AK (192 m) | Seattle, WA (185 m) | Manchester, VT (166 m) | El Paso, TX (160 m) | Los Angeles, CA (153 m) | Portland, OR (144 m) | Denver, CO (126 m) | Boise, ID (106 m)

C tier - rut between 50 and 100 m (big hills nearby, or distant mountains, or very distant big mountains)

Rutland, VT (99 m) | San Diego, CA (84 m) | Asheville, NC (75 m) | Middlesboro, KY (70 m) | Phoenix, AZ (67 m) | Roanoke, VA (46 m)

D tier - rut between 25 and 50 m (hills nearby, or distant big hills, or very distant mountains)

Billings, MT (40 m) | Rapid City, SD (37 m) | Dalton, GA (38 m) | Hot Springs, AR (37 m) | Pittsburgh, PA (33 m) | San Francisco, CA (30 m) | Portsmouth, OH (26 m) | Greenville, SC (26 m) | Huntsville, AL (25 m)

E tier - rut between 10 and 25 m (small hills nearby, or hills in the distance, or very distant big hills)

Syracuse, NY (21 m) | Concord, NH (20 m) | Duluth, MN (20 m) | New Haven, CT (14 m) | Cincinnati, OH (13 m) | Wausau, WI (13 m) | Portland, ME (10 m)

F tier - rut between 0 and 10 m (flatter than a patty)

Nashville, TN (8.5 m) | New York City (4.3 m) | Kansas City (2.8 m) | Miami, FL (1.7 m) | Houston (1.6 m), TX | Chicago, IL (0.6 m)

For more locations, here's a spreadsheet with the rut of every McDonald's on this map.

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

Note: a rut of X doesn't mean the surrounding mountains rise a height of X above the restaurant. Instead, a rut of X means that a restaurant's mountain backdrop is as impressive as a restaurant at the base of a vertical cliff of height X. The less steeply the surrounding mountains rise above the restaurant, the lower the rut.

Also note: rut only considers rise above surroundings (relative height differences and angle of elevation). it does not consider absolute elevation, nor the "aesthetics" of a mountain, nor visibility (or lack thereof) due to weather or smog.

Attributions: Gavin Rehkemper (locations), FABDEM (elevation model), Google Earth Engine (calculations), ESRI (basemap), Kai Xu (rut metric and map)

If you like rut, you'll probably like its older brother jut even more. Jut measures how impressive, spectacular, or badass a mountain is—considering both its height above surroundings and steepness. If you want to find the most impressive mountains near you or worldwide, you may find the link above to be useful.

Let us know if you have any questions or comments—I'm happy to address them!

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

Still Tone Deaf: Oprah Winfrey shocked over Maui fire donation backlash

Oprah Winfrey is breaking her silence and responding to her critics. 

Earlier this month, the former talk show host and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson faced backlash after asking fans to donate money to help those affected by the Maui wildfires — despite having a combined net worth of more than $2.8 billion.

During an interview on “CBS Mornings,” Oprah, 69, opened up about the matter while speaking with best friend Gayle King. “I was so excited about it, and then I got up the next morning, and I saw all of this vitriol, and I was, like, ‘Whoa, what happened here?’” she said on Tuesday. “It made me sad that we are at this state in our country.”

Winfrey revealed that she was inspired by Dolly Parton, who organized a support fund to aid victims of wildfires in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in 2017. 

Winfrey and Johnson, 51, collectively kicked in $10 million to launch the People’s Fund of Maui, but then jointly asked their fans on Instagram and TikTok to donate the rest.

Fans complained they were already living “paycheck-to-paycheck,” and that the uber-rich celebrities should dole out more of their own money toward relief efforts.

“I would but I’m broke…you two got this though!” Carolina Moreno wrote in the comment section on TikTok under the August 31 video.

“Billionaire asking for money from the poor, what a joke,” another outraged fan commented on Winfrey’s follow-up video on Instagram.

Fans slammed Oprah’s videos asking for donations.

“You have billions. You could donate $100 million and still be as wealthy as before donating. YOU give the money,” Maribel Rubio criticized Winfrey. 

“This should be a private message between you and your billionaire mates,” another critic wrote. “It’s so outrageous that you are pleading for money.”

Another wrote: “How is the richest woman in the world asking for money? Make it make sense.”

Fans were not impressed by Oprah and The Rock asking them for donations.

Oprah defended herself and said that her donation fund with Dwayne Johnson is “a really strong idea.”CBS

After acknowledging that she was blindsided by the “vitriol,” Winfrey said she’s still standing behind the idea for the fund. 

“We’re going to create something and I still think it’s a really strong idea,” she said. 

Winfrey and Johnson are just the latest celebs to face backlash for their response to the fires in Hawaii.

Last month, Stevie Nicks, 75, was slammed as “self-centered” and “tone deaf” for her Instagram post about how the tragedy affected her niece’s vacation. 

[pandemic-info]

New research examines the risk of developing Long Covid - News and events, University of York

25 April 2024

A new study carried out by researchers at the University of York suggests that on average 9% of people who catch COVID-19 may be at risk of developing Long Covid.

However, the study, which reviewed 17 studies from around the world involving more than 40,000 Long COVID patients, found that the level of risk reported in the different studies varied greatly, with a range of 3% to 75%.

...

With Long COVID a key factor in the record 2.8 million people off work in the UK due to long-term sickness, the researchers are calling for yearly COVID-19 vaccinations to be rolled out and should include all working-age people.

...

Lead author, Professor Christina van der Feltz—Cornelis, Chair of Psychiatry and Epidemiology at the Department of Health Sciences and at the University of York and Hull Medical School (HYMS), said: “I was struck by the figures that emerged from our study because they make it clear just how many people around the world are being affected by this debilitating condition.”

“The discovery of a significant reduction in the risk of brain fog after Covid vaccination is particularly important in this context and provides support for continuation and extension of vaccination programmes, particularly to working-age people.

“There is a societal tendency in the UK to think Covid is over, but Long Covid is having a profound and lasting effect on individuals and society as a whole, with many people leaving the workplace due to the condition. This is placing a heavy burden on the economy.”

[wpowiekszeniu]

Olga,

Bronica ETRS, 75/2.8, kentmere 100 i diafine

[imasallstars]

sSR【Switch Days】Sakuya Shirase

availability: 　[MAY'24] COLLABO FES 　until 2024/05/21 11:59

SPECIALTIES

TFD IDEA: Dance GRAD Token: Visual L.P Specialty: Dance

LIVE SKILLS

[Vocal Appeal III] 　DANCE 2 Appeal [Switch Days] ※Uncap4 　DANCE 2.8 Appeal/INFLUENCE 10% DOWN (3T)

PASSIVE SKILLS

[DANCE 4% UP] 　Sakuya Shirase in Team/10% Chance/Max 1 proc [DANCE 4% UP] 　≥75% MENTAL/20% Chance/Max 1 proc [DANCE 12% UP] ※Uncap1   　DANCE Position/30% Chance/Max 1 proc [DANCE 8% UP] ※support Event 　Sakuya Shirase in Team /30% Chance/Max 2 procs [DANCE 40% UP] ※Uncap2 　≤74% MENTAL/30% Chance/Max 1 proc

FIGHT SKILL

[MEMORY GAUGE UP] 　Increase MEMORY GAUGE when used as Support in MATCH LIVE

SUPPORT SKILL (at level 70)

[Live Skill] 　 DANCE 2 Appeal [Idol’s Bond] Max Lv.4 　 +20 Bond At Start of Produce [Dance Mastery Da] Max Lv.5 　 +5 Da When together in Dance Lesson [Promise Recovery] Max Lv.2 　10% Chance to Not Decrease Tension on Broken Promise [Rest Boost] Max Lv.2 　6% Chance to Increase Tension +10 on Rest [Trouble Guard] Max Lv.3 　 9% Chance to Decrease Chance of Trouble by 10%

UNCAPS

[DANCE +50] ※Uncap3

[mysticalblizzardcolor]

Vedic Temples 'वैदिक मंदिर' ॐ

#The_Speed_of_light Mentioned in Rigveda:- The speed of light is not directly from the Samhita. It is given by Maha Rishi Sayana in commenting 1.50.4 verse of RigVeda. The devata of the verse is Surya. The verse is: ll तरणिविश्वदर्शवो ज्योतिष्कृदसि सूर्य । विश्वमा भासि रोचनम् ।। Means Hey sun ( Suryadev), You are the extremist and most beautiful and the Giver of light and the illuminator of the world. As it talks about maker of light. Commentary of Sayana in this verse is as: ll तथा च स्मर्यत योजनानां सहस्रम् द्वे द्वे शते द्वे च योजने । एकेन निमिषार्धेन क्रममाण नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ It means, It is remembered, [O Sun] bow to you, you who traverse 2,202 yojanas in half a nimesha. Here it is talking about speed of Sun. But as it is in the commentary of verse containing maker of light, it is taken as speed of light.Here by calculation from Purana we know. Twinklings of the eye is called Nimisha 1 Nimisha = 16/75 seconds. For eg. 2.8 of #VishnuPurana says:  Fifteen twinklings of the eye (Nimeshas) make a Káshthá; thirty Káshthás, a Kalá; thirty Kalás, a Muhúrtta (forty-eight minutes); and thirty Muhúrttas, a day and night: the portions of the day are longer or shorter, as has been explained; but the Sandhyá is always the same in increase or decrease, being only one Muhúrtta. From the period that a line may be drawn across the sun (or that half his orb is visible) to the expiration of three Muhúrttas (two hours and twenty-four minutes), that interval is called Prátar (morning), forming a fifth portion of the day. The summary is: 15 nimesha = 1 kastha 30 kastha =1 kala 30 kala = 1 muhurta 30 muhurta = 1 day-and-night We know Day-Night is 24 hours So, we get 24 hours = 30 x 30.3 x 30 x 15 nimish in other words 409050 nimish We know 1 hour = 60 x 60 = 3600 seconds. So 24 hours = 24 x 3600 seconds  = 409050 Nimishas. 409050 nimesh = 86,400 approx seconds 1/2 nimesh = 0.1065 approx seconds

[blazing-dynamo]

I spent the night making a Listening Guide for the 8th Doctor for my partner, and figured I would share. I made it as a checklist in iOS. The numbers/abbreviations are connected to my Plex Audiobook server so might not line up with the names/numbering of the official releases.

8th Doctor Order

Charley Era

Main Range

- [ ] 16 - Storm Warning

- [ ] 17 - Sword of Orion

- [ ] 18 - Stones of Venice

- [ ] 19 - Minuet in hell

- [ ] 28 - invaders from mars

- [ ] 29 - Chimes of Midnight (Christmas Special!)

- [ ] 30 - Seasons of Fear

- [ ] 31 - Embrace the Darkness

- [ ] 32 - The Time of the Daleks

- [ ] 33 - Neverland

- [ ] 50 - Zagreus (Season Finale!)

- [ ] 52 - Scherzo (best one bring tissue)

- [ ] 53 - Creed of the Kromon (new companion!)

- [ ] 54 - The Natural History of Fear

- [ ] 55 - The Twilight Kingdom

- [ ] 61 - Faith Stealer

- [ ] 62 - The Last

- [ ] 63 - Caerdroia

- [ ] 64 - The Next Life (Season Finale!)

- [ ] 72 - Terror Firma

- [ ] 75 - Scaredy Cat

- [ ] 77 - Other Lives

- [ ] 80 - Time Works

- [ ] 83 - Something Inside

- [ ] 88 - Memory Lane

- [ ] 101 - Absolution

- [ ] 103 - The Girl that Never Was (Season Finale. End of Era.)

Charley Era Bonus content:

Charley is a fan favorite so she has a whole bunch of side content compared to the other eras.

Eighth Doctor Adventures

- [ ] CPFA1.01 The Mummy Speaks

- [ ] CPFA1.02 Eclipse

- [ ] CPFA1.03 The Slaying of the Writhing Mass

- [ ] CPFA1.04 Heart of Orion

- [ ] 8DA1.00 Living Legend

These are Charley stories made after the end of Charley’s era. Charlotte Pollard the Further Adventuress is brand new. Living Legend was like a year after she left (don’t fact check me)

Main Range

- [ ] 111 - The Doomwood Curse

- [ ] 114 - Brotherhood of the Daleks

- [ ] 116 - The Raincloud Man

- [ ] 124 - Patient Zero

- [ ] 125 - Paper Cuts

- [ ] 126 - Blue Forgotten Planet

This resolves the charley cliffhanger. She travels with the Sixth Doctor for some timey wimey further pissing off of the web of time. If you still don’t have enough Charley she has her own series that follows after her adventures with Sixie.

Main Range

- [ ] 123 - The Company of Friends

- [ ] 153 - The Silver Turk

- [ ] 154 - The Witch from the Well

- [ ] 155 - Army of Death

Eighth doctor in the main range without Charley. 123 is with his comic/book companions. The others are the Mary Shelly companion stories! Fun fact he mentions these travels as just happening in Storm Warning so they are a direct prequel.

Main Range

- [ ] 100 - 100 (technically only in part 4)

- [ ] 275 - End of The Beginning

One offs

- [ ] The Light At The End (50th anniv special)

The Legacy of Time

- [ ] 1 Lies in Ruins

- [ ] 2 The Split Infinitive

- [ ] 3 The Sacrifice of Jo Grant

- [ ] 4 Relative Time

- [ ] 5 The avenues of Possibility

- [ ] 6 Collision Course

This chunk is all big anniversary cross overs that feature charley. Some with 6. Some with 8.

Companion Chronicles

- [ ] 4.12 Solitaire

Short Trips

- [ ] 2.8 Letting Go

- [ ] 5.8 Foreshadowing

- [ ] 6.11 The Man Who Wasn’t There

- [ ] 9.11 Hall of the Ten Thousand

- [ ] 10.8 These Stolen Hours

Classic Doctors, New Monsters

- [ ] 3.4 If I should die before I wake

This last selection is all small short stories that take place during the Charley Era.

Lucie Era

Eighth Doctor Adventures

8DA Season 1

- [ ] 1, 2 Blood of the Daleks

- [ ] 3 Horror of Glam Rock

- [ ] 4 Immortal Beloved

- [ ] 5 Phobos

- [ ] 6 No More Lies

- [ ] 7, 8 Human Resources

8DA Season 2

- [ ] 1 Dead London

- [ ] 2 Max Warp

- [ ] 3 Brave New Town

- [ ] 4 The Skull of Sobek

- [ ] 5 Grand Theft Cosmos

- [ ] 6 The Zygon that Fell to Earth

- [ ] 7 Sisters of the Flame

- [ ] 8 Vengeance of Morbius

8DA Season 3

- [ ] 1 Orbis

- [ ] 2 Hothouse

- [ ] 3 Beast of Orlock

- [ ] 4 Wirrn Dawn

- [ ] 5 Scapegoat

- [ ] 6 The Cannibalists

- [ ] 7 The Eight Truths

- [ ] 8 Worldwide Web

8DA Season 4

- [ ] 1 Death in Blackpool

- [ ] 2 Situation Vacant

- [ ] 3 Nevermore

- [ ] 4 The Book of Kells

- [ ] 5 Deimos

- [ ] 6 The Resurrection of Mars

- [ ] 7 Relative Dimensions

- [ ] 7b An Earthly Child

- [ ] 8 Prisoner of the Sun

- [ ] 9 Lucie Miller

- [ ] 10 To the Death (end of the Era)

Lucie Era Bonus

8DA Season 5

- [ ] 1 The Dalek Trap

- [ ] 2 The Revolution Game

- [ ] 3 The House on the Edge of Chaos

- [ ] 4 Island of the Fendahl

This season is technically not an 8DA release but is called “the further adventures of Lucie miller” and takes place before Human Resources. But I wouldn’t slot it there, and instead just listen as a bonus.

Short Trips

- [ ] 3.8 All the fun of the Fair

- [ ] 6.4 The Curse of the Fugue

- [ ] ST7.7 Flashpoint

- [ ] SST 2014-06 Late Night Shopping

- [ ] SST 2013-03 the Young Lions

- [ ] SST 2015-12 The Caves of Erith

Liv and Helen Era

Yes technically this was the Molly era but she got too famous between dark eyes part 1 and 2 so it’s really Liv’s Era, and Helen joins soon after. This era is a string of box sets so basically just Dark Eyes >Doom Coalition >Ravenous > Stranded, but what follows is a checklist so you can keep track.

Eighth Doctor Adventures

Dark Eyes

- [ ] 1.1 The Great War

- [ ] 1.2 Fugutives

- [ ] 1.3 Tangled Web

- [ ] 1.4 X and the Daleks

- [ ] 2.1 The Traitor

- [ ] 2.2 The White Room

- [ ] 2.3 Time’s Horizon (Hello Liv!)

- [ ] 2.4 Eyes of the Master

- [ ] 3.1 The Death of Hope

- [ ] 3.2 The Reviled

- [ ] 3.3 Masterplan

- [ ] 3.4 Rule of the Eminence

- [ ] 4.1 A Life in the Day

- [ ] 4.2 The Monster of Monmarte

- [ ] 4.3 Master of the Daleks

- [ ] 4.4 Eye of Darkness

Doom Coalition

- [ ] 1.1 The Eleven

- [ ] 1.2 The Red Lady

- [ ] 1.3 The Galileo Trap

- [ ] 1.4 The Satanic Mill

- [ ] 2.1 Beachhead Track

- [ ] 2.2 Scenes from Her Life

- [ ] 2.3 The Gift

- [ ] 2.4 The Sonomancer

- [ ] 3.1 Absent Friends

- [ ] 3.2 The Eighth Piece

- [ ] 3.3 The Doomsday Chronometer

- [ ] 3.4 The Crucible of Souls

- [ ] 4.1 Ship in a Bottle

- [ ] 4.2 Songs of Love

- [ ] 4.3 The Side of the Angels

- [ ] 4.4 Stop the Clock

Ravenous

- [ ] 1.1 Their Finest Hour

- [ ] 1.2 How to make a Killing in Time Travel

- [ ] 1.3 World of Damnation

- [ ] 1.4 Sweet Salvation

- [ ] 2.1 Escape from Kaldor

- [ ] 2.2 Better Watch Out

- [ ] 2.3 Fairytale of Salzburg (Another Christmas Special)

- [ ] 2.4 Seizure

- [ ] 3.1 Deeptime Frontier

- [ ] 3.2 Companion Piece***** See Below

- [ ] 3.3 LEGEND

- [ ] 3.4 The Odds Against

- [ ] 4.1 Whisper

- [ ] 4.2 Planet of Dust

- [ ] 4.3 Day of the Master 1

- [ ] 4.4 Day of the Master 2

I highly recommend skipping to the Bliss Era before Companion Piece. They were released simultaneously and have a crossover in companion piece and it makes it better. But you could always “Spoilers sweetie” and find it out later.

Stranded

- [ ] 1.1 Lost Property

- [ ] 1.2 Wild Animals

- [ ] 1.3 Must-See TV

- [ ] 1.4 Divine Intervention

- [ ] 2.1 Dead Time

- [ ] 2.2 Unit Dating

- [ ] 2.3 Baker Street Irregulars

- [ ] 2.4 The Long Way Round

- [ ] 3.1 Patience

- [ ] 3.2 Twisted Folklore

- [ ] 3.3 Snow

- [ ] 3.4 What Just Happened

- [ ] 4.1 Crossed Lines

- [ ] 4.2 Get Andy

- [ ] 4.3 The Keys of Baker Street

- [ ] 4.4 Best Year Ever

Liv and Helen continue into What Lies Inside and Connections, but I don’t have it yet so I don’t know the episode names.

Liv Era Bonus Content

Main Range

- [ ] 149. Robophobia

Liv was actually an almost-companion for the 7th doctor. She told him no, and kicked herself until the 8th Doctor showed back up.

The Robots

Liv’s Spin off. Takes place during Ravenous 2 when the doctor has to leave her for a year. I haven’t listened yet so I don’t know the titles but there are 6 seasons of 3 episodes

Ninth Doctor Adventures

- [ ] 2.3 Hidden Depths

Crossover with the Ninth Doctor Range.

Short Trips

- [ ] 7.1 The World Beyond the Trees

Bliss Era

Aka the Time War! Can technically be listened to whenever because it doesn’t directly reference things but it’s best after Doom Coalition, but Before Ravenous.

Eighth Doctor Adventures

Time War

- [ ] 1.1 The Starship of Theseus

- [ ] 1.2 Echoes of War

- [ ] 1.3 The Conscript

- [ ] 1.4 One Life

- [ ] 2.1 The Lords of Terror

- [ ] 2.2 Planet of the Ogrons

- [ ] 2.3 In the Garden of Death

- [ ] 2.4 Jonah

- [ ] 3.1 State of Bliss

- [ ] 3.2 The Famished Lands

- [ ] 3.3 Fugutive in Time

- [ ] 3.4 The War Valeyard

- [ ] 4.1 Palindrome 1

- [ ] 4.2 Palindrome 2

- [ ] 4.3 Dreadshade

- [ ] 4.4 Restoration of the Daleks

[brickcentral]

🤩 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: jcmimoso Hello everyone! It's time to direct the spotlight toward our community members, and today we will get to know better jcmimoso!

"Hello fellow LEGO photographers, my name is Juan Carlos Mimoso. I'm from Spain and I grew up in the 75-80s. When I was a child I never had access to LEGO, due to economic reasons and poor distribution in my area. On the other hand, I did play with Playmobil and also with Exin Castillos bricks, with which I built spectacular castles.

I am currently a Doctor in Primary Care in a health center, and when in 2020 we suffered the COVID-19 pandemic and forced confinement, I continued working. I changed my work in the clinic for work at home and in the clinic, with no limit on hours and with the uncertainty and feeling of not being able to offer everything my patients needed. That caused me a lot of added stress. I had always liked photography, landscapes, macro, etc... and I relaxed by walking to see the world with photographic eyes. Instead, now I found that I was confined and unable to create new content.

My son had a couple of LEGO minifigures and a small set, and I thought it was cool to take a photo with an interesting background and post it on Instagram. And since then, I have been hooked on toy photography. I have seen that there are many colleagues spread around the world, and communities like Brickcentral, where tricks and ways to take the final photo are freely shared.

I took almost all of the photos with an old second-hand Fujifilm X-E2 mirrorless and the little Fujinon 27/2.8 pancake lens with a +2 or +4 close-up filter attached. I like that combination because it is very small and portable. A couple of years ago I added the Fujifilm X-H1 because, although it is a little bigger, it has a flip-up screen, which makes it much easier for me to make low compositions without having to move the whole equipment to check the focus. This year I bought a 1:2 macro (Fujinon 60/2.4) and so far I like the results, although due to work and family issues I haven't been able to take many photos. I hope that changes in a couple of weeks.

My workspace is typically my desk. I use the PC monitor as a background, or if it's a building without any background at all, and I place everything on heavy, thick medicine books so I can use my tabletop tripod at the right height. For lighting I use LED spotlights (Ulanzi VL49 and Lumecube Air), although I have also sometimes taken photos with matchstick lighting.

My compositions are not very large because as soon as I finish the session I have to put away everything that is on the desk so that I can use it to process the result. I usually take several shots with different lighting, aperture and sometimes even stacking photos to give more depth, although I never usually use the whole stack, but only just enough so that the background does not look too sharp. Later I choose the shot I like the most in Lightroom and complete it with Photoshop for basic retouching such as cloning, filters, etc.

I mainly use LEGO minifigures from various series (Marvel, DC, Ninjago…), although you can also see some Playmobil and Star Wars figures. The main type of photography I do is usually related to medieval, fantasy, sword and sorcery environments, among others.

In my posts you can see that I use extensively the Barbarian (series 11) and Viking (series 20) minifigures. I think it's because they don't usually require much post-processing, but also because they remind me of the 'Conan the Barbarian' comics I used to read when I was a kid. It's my humble way of paying a little homage to great artists who have drawn the Cimmerian since the 70s and who bring back so many memories. I recently acquired the Red-Haired Barbarian minifigure (series 25), which I'm sure will co-star in future photos. In fact, the photo I'm showing you today is the first one I've used it for.

Fortunately, over the years, I saved some Exin pieces, and along with others I've gotten lately, I use them extensively in my creations to mix LEGO with Exin Castles and get a more realistic environment. To this I usually mix all kinds of rocks, sand, grasses and other accessories so that it integrates well with the sword and sorcery atmosphere that I usually pursue in my publications. For inspiration I use old comics, game or movie sequences, and anything I see that fits well with my possibilities and knowledge. I have notebooks full of ideas written down for a better occasion, which doesn't always come. I learn a lot from other fellow toy photographers and I'm always looking for new ways to tell the little stories in my photos.

"

Thank you for accepting our invitation and let the community knows you better!

If you want some insights on the exclusive picture and for a better view of the others, head to our blog at https://brickentral.net/.

- @theaphol, Community Outreach Manager

[zvaigzdelasas]

Mining and materials company Rio Tinto is set to spend around $6.2bn to develop the Simfer mine and associated rail and port infrastructure at Simandou iron ore project in Guinea. Rio Tinto, as part of its Simfer joint venture (JV), owns blocks 3 and 4 of the Simandou project, while Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS) and the government of Guinea own blocks 1 and 2. The Simfer JV, WCS and the Republic of Guinea will build more than 600km of new multi-use rail, along with other port facilities at the iron ore project.[...]

Rio Tinto Guinea executive committee lead and copper chief executive Bold Baatar said: “We are continuing to work closely with the Government of Guinea, Chinalco, Baowu and WCS towards full sanction of this world-class project by all partners.[...]

Simandou is the world’s largest untapped high-grade iron ore deposit, with an estimated total mineral resource of 2.8 billion tonnes, as of 31 December 2022, said Rio Tinto. Simfer JV will build around 70km Simfer spur rail line and a 60mtpa transhipment vessel (TSV) port, while WCS will build around 536km of dual track main rail line, 16km spur rail line and a 60mtpa barge wharf. Upon completion, all the co-developed infrastructure will be transferred to, and owned by the Compagnie du Transguinéen (CTG) joint venture. The CTG JV will be owned by Simfer and WCS with a 42.5% stake each, and the Republic of Guinean will hold a 15% stake.

[The Simfer joint venture comprises Simfer S.A., the holder of Simandou South Blocks 3 & 4, which is owned by the Government of Guinea (15%) and Simfer Jersey Limited (85%). In turn, Simfer Jersey Limited is a joint venture between the Rio Tinto Group (53%) and Chalco Iron Ore Holdings (47%) – a Chinalco-led joint venture of leading Chinese SOEs (Chinalco (75%), Baowu (20%), China Rail Construction Corporation (2.5%) and China Harbour Engineering Company (2.5%).]

6 Dec 23

[abramsbooks]

RECIPE: Coconut Pho Bowls (from Body Harmony by Nicole Berrie)

This might be my favorite thing to make in the winter. Actually, in the summer too. It reminds me of the piping hot bowls Nick and I would get on the beach in Phuket. In fact, eating hot, steamy, soupy bowls can be quite cooling in the hotter months. The creamy, salty broth is so easy to make and, shockingly, you don’t even need that much time. Fifteen minutes for a fragrant multilayered broth? You bet. It’s also hard to mess up if you have the right aromatics. You can add pretty much any vegetables you have on hand and it’ll still be great. What makes this soup, though, are the fresh and bright herbs and the crunchy, spicy fixings. And don’t forget the lime wedge for extra alkalinity.

Makes 4 to 5 bowls

Ingredients

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced

1 large yellow onion, minced

1‑inch (2.5‑cm) knob turmeric, or ½ teaspoon dried

1½- to 2‑inch (4- to 5‑cm) knob ginger, grated

1 teaspoon sea salt

3 scallions, halved

2 cups (115 g) cooked vermicelli

1 (131/2-ounce/398-ml) can full-fat unsweetened coconut milk

1 cup (75 g) napa cabbage, thinly sliced

3 carrots, peeled and shaved

1 red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced

1 cup (96 g) shiitake mushrooms caps, sliced

2 cups (142 g) broccoli florets and stems, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon coconut sugar

Juice and zest of 1 lime

2 tablespoons tamari sauce

1 zucchini, shaved into “noodles” with a serrated vegetable peeler or thinly sliced into long strips

Optional

¼ cup (60 ml) Vegan Fish Sauce

Garnish

½ cup fresh mint leaves

½ cup fresh cilantro leaves

½ cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves

¼ cup roasted peanuts, crushed orroughly chopped

1 lime, quartered

Thinly sliced Bird's Eye Chili, or, redchili flakes, or chili oil

½ cup raw bean sprouts

METHOD

In a 3-quart (2.8-L) stockpot, heat the coconut oil. When it has melted, add the garlic, onion, turmeric, and ginger and sauté on medium low for 2 minutes, until fragrant, being careful not to brown. Add 6 cups (1.4 L) water, the fish sauce, if using, and the scallions. Season with salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes or up to an hour, depending on how much time you have.

While the broth is simmering, in a pot of boiled water, off heat, hydrate the vermicelli, loosening the strands for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Separate the strands with your hands. If you’re not using the noodles right away, you can add 1 tablespoon avocado oil and massage them to prevent clumping.

Once the broth has finished simmering, turn off the heat and add the milk. Combine well. Bring to a low simmer and add the cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, mushrooms, and broccoli. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but still bright and al dente. Add the sugar, lime juice and zest, and tamari and salt to taste.

In 4 or 5 deep soup bowls, nestle ½ cup cooked noodles and ¼ cup zucchini noodles then ladle 1 to 2 cups vegetables and broth over the noodles. Garnish with mint, cilantro, and basil and crushed peanuts. Add a lime wedge, bean sprouts, and the chili flakes or chili oil. Serve immediately.

Founder of the popular lifestyle brand Bonberi, Nicole Berrie presents a guide to food-combining for a healthier, more balanced life

In Body Harmony, Nicole Berrie reveals how she personally transitioned from the partying years of her teens and twenties to the fast-paced world of fashion and media, eventually settling into a thriving and balanced life and career in wellness. Sharing recipes, advice, and thoughtful guidance, this book is an inspirational lifestyle manual and cookbook dedicated to those seeking the ever-elusive answer to how to nourish themselves with clean, plant-based foods while still indulging in the joys and delicacies of life.

In the introductory chapters, Berrie outlines the founding tenets of the Body Harmony lifestyle and discusses topics ranging from plant-based cooking and intuitive eating to the importance of nontoxic beauty rituals and self care. In addition, the book includes more than 50 original vegan recipes for juices, smoothies, salads, and soups, and grounding grain-based dishes, all meant to cleanse and nourish the body and soul while keeping the reader both pretty and full.

For more information, click here.