text:
DIY Solar Panels Simple Build-Your-Own Solar Panel Kits
DIY solar kits with solar cell sample pack, soldering iron, solar cell test leads, digital multi meter, reverse diode, solar cell sample pack, flux
Build Your Own 45W DIY Solar Panel & Cells Kit
Sku: EduSol-Pro-DIY45W
You Pay: $ 95.95
Build Your Own 12W Solar Panel Kit
Sku: EduSol-Pro-DIY12W
You Pay: $ 55.00
Build Your Own Solar Panel
Solar Panel Kits enable you to make your own solar panels for less. Each kit includes all necessary interconnection components including: soldering iron, solder, tabbing, flux, solar cells, and instructions on how to make an inexpensive housing for the solar panel. Recommended by several Universities and personal buyers; never sold online before.
Want to watch the rest of the video series? Click Here
Flexible Solar Panels Flexible, Rollable & Foldable ThinFilm Panels
From small panels (3v) up to full 12v panels, our selection of flexible solar panels is sure to have a flexible solar panel to meet your needs
28W Rollable Solar Panel
Sku: SS-ROLLABLE-28W
You Pay: $ 485.00
21W Rollable Solar Panel
Sku: SS-ROLLABLE-21W
You Pay: $ 375.56
14W Rollable Solar Panel
Sku: SS-ROLLABLE-14W
You Pay: $ 310.95
7W Rollable Solar Panel
Sku: SS-ROLLABLE-7W
You Pay: $ 200.00
SolMaxx Off Grid Solar Panels Poly, Mono & ThinFilm Solar Panels
a variety of shapes, sizes and styles…however, most are small solar panels designed for small off grid and portable solar power
Our SolMaxx off grid solar panels come in a variety of shapes, sizes and styles…however, most are small solar panels designed for small off grid and portable solar power, solar charging and solar lighting applications.
Our off grid solar panels include flexible solar panels, aluminum framed small solar panels and OEM small and mini solar panels.
Regardless of your specific application, if you need a small solar panel, our selection of off grid solar panels is almost certain to have exactly what you need.
SolMaxx 100 Watt 100w W Monocrystalline Photovoltaic PV Solar Panel Module 12V Battery Charging
Sku: SolMaxx-Mono-12V100W
You Pay: $ 325.60
12V 30W Automotive and Marine Solar Panel
Sku: MarineSol-ThinFilm-12V30W
You Pay: $ 72.49
6v Solar Panels For 6v Battery Charging Applications
These panels are ideal for a variety of small solar applications, such as solar lighting, solar water fountains & pumps and more
6V 100mA Flexible Solar Panel
Sku: SolMaxx-Flex-6V100mA
You Pay: $ 25.00
6V 50mA Flexible Solar Panel
Sku: SS-FLEX-6V-50A
You Pay: $ 13.55
Thin Film Solar Panels 6.4w 6-10v 950ma
Sku: SolMaxx-ThinFilm-6V6W
You Pay: $ 24.95
Thin Film Solar Panels 6V 3.2w 450ma
Sku: SolMaxx-ThinFilm-6V3W
You Pay: $ 12.85
12v Solar Panels Flexible, Rollable & Foldable ThinFilm Panels
available in a variety of sizes (up to 80 watts) and are perfect for a wide variety of small & medium off grid applications
SolMaxx 100 Watt 100w W Monocrystalline Photovoltaic PV Solar Panel Module 12V Battery Charging
Sku: SolMaxx-Mono-12V100W
You Pay: $ 325.60
12V 30W Automotive and Marine Solar Panel
Sku: MarineSol-ThinFilm-12V30W
You Pay: $ 72.49
40W Amorphous Solar Panel
Sku: SolMaxx-ThinFilm-48V40W
You Pay: $ 140.00
12v 7w Solar Battery Maintainer
Sku: AutoSol-ThinFilm-12V7W
You Pay: $ 25.95
0-1W Solar Modules Small Crystalline OEM Solar Modules
Create small proto-type developments ranging from solar demo home kits, solar cars, solar planes and many more small solar projects
.5V 250mA OEM Solar Panel
Sku: SolMaxx-OEM-_55V250mA
You Pay: $ 2.95
4V 100mA OEM Solar Panels
Sku: PVOEM-4V100MA
You Pay: $ 3.25
3V 100mA OEM Solar Panel
Sku: SolMaxx-OEM-3V100mA
You Pay: $ 3.50
1-5w Solar Modules Small Crystalline OEM Solar Modules
Our mid-range small solar panels (from 1w up to 5w) are available from 4.5v up to 15v – perfect for keeping your 3v, 6v and 12v charging
9 Volt 300MA Solar Panel
Sku: SolMaxx-OEM-9V300mA
You Pay: $ 9.95
4.5V 220mA OEM Solar Panel
Sku: SolMaxx-OEM-4_5V220mA
You Pay: $ 7.50
8V 375mA OEM Solar Panel
Sku: SolMaxx-OEM-8V375mA
You Pay: $ 21.65
5-15w Solar Panels Small Crystalline Solar Panels
Ideal for a small and medium solar uses…mostly for marine, automotive and portable solar charging and power applications
Goal Zero Nomad 13 Solar Panel
Sku: SS-GZ-Nomad13
You Pay: $ 159.99
12v 7w Solar Battery Maintainer
Sku: AutoSol-ThinFilm-12V7W
You Pay: $ 25.95
Grid Tie Solar Panels High-Efficiency Solar Panels For Grid Tied Systems
These grid tie solar panels are ideal for creating grid tied solar power systems for homes, businesses, government buildings and more
SolMaxx 100 Watt 100w W Monocrystalline Photovoltaic PV Solar Panel Module 12V Battery Charging
Sku: SolMaxx-Mono-12V100W
You Pay: $ 325.60
GridMaxx 250W AC Solar Module
Sku: SS-250W-AC
You Pay: $ 499.00
Wholesale Solar Panels Buy In Bulk & Save On These Great Panels
purchase all of the high-efficiency grid tie solar panels you need for your home, or for several installations, in a convenient package
SolMaxx 100 Watt 100w W Monocrystalline Photovoltaic PV Solar Panel Module 12V Battery Charging
Sku: SolMaxx-Mono-12V100W
You Pay: $ 325.60
90 Watt SolMaxx Portable Solar Panel
Sku: SolMaxx-Mono-12V90W
You Pay: $ 199.95
80 Watt Solar Panel
Sku: SolMaxx-Mono-12V80W
You Pay: $ 230.00
40W Amorphous Solar Panel
Sku: SolMaxx-ThinFilm-48V40W
You Pay: $ 140.00
Solar Panels Information Guide
Build your own residential power kits, educational kits and battery chargers using the power of the sun
Types of Solar Panels
If you are interested in how solar panels work you can think of it as a three step process. First solar light hits the solar panels, and that solar energy from the sun is absorbed by semi-conducting elements that make up the solar cells, silicon for example. Second something called electrical potential difference results as solar light hits the solar cell surface, where electrons in atoms are excited, which means that the electrons go further off from the nucleus of the atom. A current starts to flow through the material to remove this potential difference and this is the electricity that is captured. Third the lineup of solar cells convert the solar energy into a usable quantity of direct current electricity to name a few, Silicon Solar offers wholesale, off grid, grid-tie, OEM, Aluminum framed and solar panels with different wattages.
Solar PV Panels
Solar PV Panels are devices that converts solar energy from the sun into electricity. Solar panels are similar to and bigger than their smaller relatives (solar modules, flexible panels and solar cells), but solar panels are made up of smaller interconnected units called photovoltaic solar modules. Solar panels come in many different types and variations. When moving solar panels are easy to disassemble. Solar panels have many perks, are very convenient to have, and today solar panels are more powerful than ever before.
There are two different types of solar panels:
- Mono-crystalline - Mono-crystalline solar panels which are taken from single slabs of silicon which also gives it a higher purity level than poly-crystalline solar panels. Their color is usually a consistent dark blue color. Their efficiency rate is generally higher than poly-crystalline solar panels.
- Poly-crystalline - Poly-crystalline solar panels can usually be distinguished from mono-crystalline solar panels from their color. Poly-crystalline will have a lighter blue and inconsistent color overall because it is cut from different silicon crystals. Therefore they generally will have a lower purity and efficiency level than mono-crystalline solar panels.
Flexible Solar Panels
Flexible solar panels are easy to carry around as you can roll up the flexible solar panel and you can keep the flexible solar panel in your bag or take the flexible solar panel along with you on the road. Flexible solar panels are excellent for camping and outdoor needs to heat up water or charge electronics. Flexible solar panels are fantastically affordable, low-foot print, green and convenient. Silicon Solar has a variety of flexible solar panels to meet all sorts of application needs
- Thin Film Flexible Solar Panels - Thin Film Flexible Solar Panels are made with a thin film makeup. Where a thin film of semi-conductive material is put over a thin piece of metal or plastic, followed with a transparent weatherproof material to cover it. They generally have lower efficiency levels to absorb light and convert it into energy than mono-crystalline and poly-crystalline solar panels because of their thin build-up.
Solar Modules
Solar modules are for the most part smaller than solar panels. Solar modules are used to power accessories like lamps, chargers and gadgets and small devices. Solar modules are made of smaller solar cells or photovoltaic cells.
Solar modules usually have a sheet of glass on the face that is exposed to the sun to protect the solar module from the elements such as wind, rain, snow and dust. The solar cells in a solar module are usually connected in a series of solar cells. Solar cells that are connected alongside other solar cells will usually produce a greater current but there are also some significant consequences that come with these connections. For example the shadow effect, when one set of solar cells are receiving less solar light, they become weaker than their well-illuminated solar cell counter-parts, which can cause critical power loss and harm the less-illuminated solar cells.
Solar Cells
Solar Cells are the most basic solar units that can be seen as the building blocks of solar panels. Solar cells are a great choice if you are a do-it-yourself kind of person that wants to have your own soldering experience. Silicon Solar offers a plethora of scrap solar cell pieces to provide for soldering needs. You can choose from either mono-crystalline or poly-crystalline solar cells, while their purity percentages can not be guaranteed. We highly recommend that you start experimenting solar cells to familiarize with solar devices before making a bigger investment on a solar product. There are two types of solar cells that Silicon Solar provides:
- Scrap Solar Cells - Solar cells that are broken up into smaller pieces, there whole purpose is to to experiment to get a better feel of using solar products.
- Commercial Solar Cells - After using experimenting with scrap solar cells, use these to build your PV module. Commercial solar cells feature ultra high efficiency, durability and is laser-cut for precision and quality control and performance
How Does a Solar Panel Work?
How does a Solar Panel Work: The Science Of Solar PanelView Full-Size Video
Here is how a solar panel works:
- 1. Photovoltaic refers to the Scientific process by which solar energy is converted into electricity. There are a number of silicon cells within each photovoltaic panel. These react with photons, or units of light, from sun to produce direct current (DC) or electricity.
- DC electricity then travels to an inverter which converts this energy to electricity known as alternating current or AC that can be used in your home or office.
- AC electricity then travels to the distribution network in your home power up your home or office appliances, such as TV, lights, fridges, etc.
Usually a solar panel is a panel combine with small solar cells which wired together and connected to the output cable in the back of a solar panel.


text:
Equity-Driven • Data-Centered • Student-Focused
Our communications team is our primary point of contact for members of the media. We can connect you with experts and information on a variety of education issues, pre-K through college. All press inquiries should be directed to firstname.lastname@example.com or call 202.293-1217, x. 354.
To help expedite your request, please include your name and affiliation, story topic and deadline, a telephone number where you may be reached, and any other details pertinent to the request. We know that reporters often face tight deadlines, and we will respond as quickly as possible. To be added to our press list, please send your name, affiliation, beat, and contact information to email@example.com. We look forward to working with you.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Bitten by the Batman (and Spiderman) bug, I did a list - yes, I have not tired of them - of Bollywood superheroes. This was first put up on the IBNLive website (complete with a picture of Drona!) but I thought I should put it up here as well.
So, here it comes - 2100 words of pointless Bollywood gyan. And you do know what to do if you like it, right?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
So, here it comes - 2100 words of pointless Bollywood gyan. And you do know what to do if you like it, right?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Any hero who romances the heroine, plays badminton with her (including an under-the-leg shot), sings a song, fights off goons and mouths bombastic dialogue all within nine minutes of screen time is actually a superhero.(This sequence of events was performed by Jeetendra in Humjoli.)
Which means you could argue that all Bollywood movies of 1960s and 1970s are superhero movies. But here, we are restricting ourselves to people with specific superpowers (or gadgets with superpowers), cool costumes and preferably a secret identity. Thanks to our super-screenwriters, they also had super-cool lines.
In his first lead role, Jackie Shroff was Hero. Almost immediately afterwards, he was Superhero in Shiva Ka Insaaf.
Shiva was a super-combo of super-heroes from many genres. His training regimen was straight out of Shaolin. His costume (mask and cape) was taken from Zorro. His mark-leaving ring was from Phantom. His common-man getup (and profession) was alarmingly similar to Clark Kent's bespectacled, bumbling reporter routine.
Trained by a trio of 'uncles' (secularly called Ram, Rahim and Robert), Jackie Shroff went from being Bhola to Shiva and back again, romancing Poonam Dhillon by day and fighting crime also by day – all in a Herculean effort to catch the people who killed his parents.
Corrupt policeman by day, black-leather-chain-armguard-salt-and-pepper-wig-hair clad dispenser of justice by night. Amitabh's first outing as a bonafide secret identity superhero was Shahenshah, the story idea of which is credited to Jaya Bachchan.
After his honest dad was driven to suicide by the evil machinations of JK (pronounced Jaay Kaay by Amrish Puri), AB grew up to become a police officer who always flirted with bribery from shady characters (explained by his need to know who was, in fact, shady). And once he got to know, he appeared like a messiah in his jazzy leather costume beating up Olympic-sized wrestlers for running vice dens, stopping unlawful eviction of slum-dwellers and patrolling the empty streets of Mumbai's western suburbs at night (Andheri raaton mein, sunsaan rahon par…).
Apart from his super strength, breath that echoed far and wide and godly voice, he had that one superpower by which he impregnated the mothers of all villains in the world. As he claimed, "Rishte mein toh hum tumhare baap hote hain…"
Apart from the wannbe Supermans in Bollywood, there was a 'real' one. Puneet Issar was Superman in the film of the same name – which has been part of many discussions on the worst Indian movie ever.
As Shekhar, Puneet Issar breakdanced to Michael Jackson songs and then quickly changed into his red-brief-on-blue-costume get-up (complete with a lock of hair on the forehead) to fight crime. Dharmendra played the father (Jor El) who was forced the leave his son in the care of foster parents on Earth though he returned in 'spirit' to guide his son when he performed breathtaking feats like rescuing a hijacked plane by plucking it off the sky and lugging it on his shoulders (except the plane was rolling on its wheels and our good ol' Superman was tiptoeing in front with his shoulder touching the side of the plane).
After reading about Superman, those who are despairing about the quality of special effects in Bollywood should take heart from another film that released around the same time. Boney Kapoor bet his house and brother's career to produce Mr India – an invisibility caper, originally written for Amitabh Bachchan.
Arun Verma's father was a scientist who invented a 'faarmooolaaa' that rendered people invisible – except in red light. <Insert red light district joke here> He knew evil monsters (especially those with names like Mogambo) would want to misuse his invention and so he hid the gadget (a blingy bracelet with flashing lights) and got killed by the monsters. Years later, his son recovered the bracelet, put it on and became Mr India.
Mr India took on adulterers, black marketers and smugglers in action settings and horny crime reporters in romantic ones. He eventually took on Mogambo in his den and was doing phenomenally well till somebody switched on all the red lights. Then Arun Verma realized that to take on villains, you didn't need to be Superman but Mango Man.
Another father died. Another villain escaped. Another police officer looked the other way. When the dead man's son prayed to the Bajrangbali for justice, a storm blew across the temple area. A hi-tech bow-and-arrow slid across from the Hanuman idol to the little boy and the idol's garland flew over to the boy's neck. Thus, Toofan was born.
Directed by Ketan Desai, Toofan a superhero with a desi-snazzy costume (black pathan suit with orange cape), explosive lines (Jab jab zulm ki aandhi badhti hai, tab tab usse rokne ke liye toofan aata hai) and a calling card that literally blew you away. Whenever Toofan arrived on the scene, he was accompanied by a real storm. Wow, that beats the Batmobile hollow!
Add to that deadly villains, shady police officers, a bumbling magician (who was Toofan's twin brother), a mother character and you had a full-blown desi superstar/superman.
Ajooba = Zorro + Robin Hood + Braveheart + James Bond.
He wore a mask, shot arrows, robbed the rich to donate to the poor, rebelled against the ruler and was a hit with women. He was, literally, a miracle. When the evil Vazir (Amrish Puri) of his Sultan father tried to kill him, a dolphin carried him to safety (and became his foster mother) and left him with an ironsmith. The burly ironsmith trained the anonymous prince in swordfighting, archery and catching arrows as he grew up to rebel against the Vazir, who kept intoning 'Shaitaan Zindabaad'.
Finally, Ajooba made an appearance with a booming slogan – "Muddai lakh bura chahta hai toh kya hota hain / Wohi hota hai jo manzoor-e-khuda hota hai" – that became his calling card.
Throughout the movie, Amitabh Bachchan toggled between mild-mannered serai-owner Ali and masked crusader Ajooba. The final showdown happened between him and Fauladi Shaitan (a metallic giant, which looked like a cross between Johnny Sokko's Flying Robot and Chewbacca) amidst demons, flying carpets, magic swords and the final revelation that Ajooba Shahzaada hai!
Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd put a motley group of six newly-married couples on a bus to Goa and tracked their love, lust and lives as skeletons tumbled out of the closets.
Abhay Deol and Minissha Lamba formed the two super-compatible Parsi couple, who were together since childhood, wore colour-coordinated clothes, danced synchronously and even managed to finish Sudokus at exactly the same time. And they both had a secret to hide.
Aspi and Zara were – hold your breath – superheroes. They got their superpowers – it was hinted – when they were both caught in an asteroid fall. And that led to both of them vanishing in the dead of the night to fight crime. A cute bit of misunderstanding later, (Gasp! Are you cheating on me?) they went on to become a superer-compatible couple.
Many superheroes have an extra-terrestrial connection. Usually, they are dropped off from a different planet/galaxy/universe. Krrish was from a strange breed whose father was 'blessed' by aliens to attain superpowers and those powers passed on to him.
While his father Rohit was born with slow mental growth and sharpened only after an alien intervention (Koi Mil Gaya), Krishna Mehra was born with superpowers. As a child, he drew fantastic pictures, did Std III maths while in Std I and totally cracked an 'IQ Test' (which was really a GK test, but still…) His paranoid grandmother took him away from the public eye so that he doesn't get killed like his father but it is not easy to hide a hunk like Hrithik. He soon emerged racing (and beating) horses, leaping over mountains and displaying his rippling muscles.
Very soon, Krishna had landed up in Singapore following the love of his life and had ended up becoming Krrish – wearing a masquerade ball mask and his overcoat inside out. He then saved children in a burning circus, fought goons, leapt over cars in downtown Singapore and finally locked horns with a time-travelling evil scientist (who – conveniently – had also 'killed' his father) in his island hideout.
His job thus done, Krrish returned to his idyllic home in the hills but in the name of the oppressed masses, in the name of helpless children, in the name of the tormented box office… he will be back.
Abhishek Bachchan tried his hand at being a superhero in the semi-mythological fantasy, Drona that went on to become one of the biggest box-office disasters of recent times.
He started off as mild-mannered Aditya, blissfully – or rather, painfully thanks to a cruel aunt – unaware that he was one of a long line of warrior princes designated to protect the vessel of amrit that emerged from the Manthan. His super-strength was unlocked by a 'bodyguard' (Priyanka Chopra, who put the body in the bodyguard), who moved around with a chandelier-like weapon. He donned a traditional Indian costume with a flowing kurta, churidar and sword (not to mention a jeweled headband) to take on his adversary, Riz Raizada (Kay Kay in the most inexplicable role of his career), a magician-asura with massive pointy sideburns and hair gelled to shape like a single black antenna on his head.
Despite ticking off all the boxed of superhero ingredients, Drona did not make an impact due to some very ordinary special effects, a slow – almost boring – buildup and super unfit AB Jr, whose cheeks jiggled when he took flying leaps.
From mythology and spiritual strengths, superhero movies moved into the hi-tech gaming zone with Ra.One.
The superhero G.One (Good One) emerged out of a video game that also had the titular villain Ra.One (Random Access One – huh?) in order to protect the game designer's son. A cool blue-tinged suit, unblinking eyes and blinking heart formed the persona of the Good One as he took on his form-shifting adversary in a London car pound, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (in a mindblowing SFX-laden scene) and finally a video game.
SRK went from the mild-mannered geek Shekhar Subramaniam to the cool, robotic G.One in an effort to woo the family audience. Despite a lukewarm critical response, the box office was more responsive to his superhero act that included running on Mumbai local train sides, doing household chores super-efficiently and wooing Kareena Kapoor with Chammak chhallo dance steps.
Honourable Mentions
It's a bird! It's a plane!! It's Govinda!!!
Dariya Dil, a nondescript movie by most standards, had an iconic superhero song in true Bollywood tradition. Govinda dressed up as Superman and Kimi Katkar was Spiderwoman for a song that has become so cult that the video has gone on to garner 8.7 million – yes, 87 lakh – views on YouTube. They zoomed over the Mumbai skyline before landing in a garden and singing a romantic duet (Tu mera Superman, main teri lady/ Ho gaya hai apna pyaar already) that scaled unprecedented heights of WTFness.


text:
Can I Do It?
Hundreds of parents who now homeschool their special needs children can testify that you, too, can do it. They will probably also admit to their own initial fears at the prospect of withdrawing their child from a school setting to educate that child at home.
They will tell you that they wanted their child to persevere, so they learned to model that ethic of "plugging away" and "sticking with it"—even on those days when giving up seemed desirable. (Most homeschooling parents, whether the child has special needs or not, will confess that they have felt like "throwing in the towel" at some point during their years of homeschooling.)
You, like them, know your child best and can teach your child at home using real-life experiences in a natural setting to make learning meaningful. You establish a "need to know." That is taking advantage of actual—not artificial—motivation for them to learn. In the process of doing this, you can emphasize your child's strengths while you are working on his relevant needs. What had previously been drudgery, now has the potential to become a joy.
Armed with the truth that your fearful feelings are normal, you can now proceed to some other concerns:
Encouraging Articles


text:
Gallery Talk: Look Again at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta
December 3rd at 7pm
Led by the exhibition's curator, discover Look Again: A Selection of Photographs from the Permanent Collection during this gallery walk-through and discussion with Danielle Avram, the High's Curatorial Assistant in Photography.
Look Again: A Selection of Photographs from the Permanent Collection
August 15, 2009, through January 10, 2010
"Mined from the High's permanent collection, the 48 images in this exhibition investigate the intersection between reality and fiction within a photograph, through images created to subvert the viewer's expectations. Photographers make numerous decisions when constructing a picture, utilizing the camera frame, the darkroom, light, shadows, focus and motion to create an image that conveys complex ideas or emotions—a statement about who we are and how we live.
The unique vision of innovators like Ralph Eugene Meatyard, Diane Arbus and William Eggleston, whose work is included in this installation, opened up new realms of possibilities for photography as a medium of expression. Combining the inherently technical nature of photography with a spirit of experimentation, the artists featured in this exhibition have created pictures that challenge the conventional idea that photographs are straightforward purveyors of truth.
With a wide range of twentieth-century works from artists as varied as Man Ray, Lee Friedlander, Frederick Sommer and Aaron Siskind, this exhibition presents photographs from the permanent collection in a fresh and exciting way. Viewers are invited to unravel the complexities behind each image, and encouraged to take the time to "look again."


text:
This video shows Hubble Space Telescope observations of Arp 116, a pair of galaxies in the constellation Virgo. Arp 116 is composed of a giant elliptical galaxy known as Messier 60 (or M60) and a much smaller spiral galaxy, NGC 4647.
Astronomers have long tried to determine whether these two galaxies are actually interacting. Looking at them from Earth they overlap, but there is no evidence of new star formation, which would be one of the clearest signs that the two galaxies are indeed interacting. However, recent studies of very detailed Hubble images suggest the onset of some tidal interaction between the two.
Publication: September 6, 2012


text:
Go Ape Rivington - 10% Off
Avg. Saving £19.80*
* average saving based on two adults and two children
501 members have claimed this offer
- people are currently joining Kids Pass
- Over a million Kids Pass Members are saving thousands of pounds on 5000+ family offers
- Save up to 40% off at cinemas nationwide, including adult and child tickets seven days a week
- Access to thousands of exclusive family friendly offers
- Enjoy thousands of "Kids Eat Free" offers
- Free App for Android and iOS to make saving even easier
Kamilah from London saved £8.55 - SEA LIFE London Aquarium
Kaysha from London saved £11.03 - Cinema
Nargis from London saved £118.00 - Haven
Georgia from Cambridgeshire saved £4.10 - Hamerton Zoo
Simon from Lincolnshire saved £5.95 - Handmade Burger Co
Sheila from Derbyshire saved £11.00 - Trentham Monkey Forest
Mark from London saved £139.20 - Alton Towers
Joanne from Gwent saved £88.50 - Drayton Manor Park
Lisa from Gloucestershire saved £12.95 - Cinema
Louise from Merseyside saved £12.80 - Blue Planet Aquarium
More About This Offer
Physicality, risk and a sense of adventure are what you get when you take to the treetops at any of go Ape's 28 locations dotted across the UK. Popular for corporate days and school trips the courses are suitable for all ages, offering a chance to get in touch with your animal instincts as you scale trees and dash down zip wires.
Even in rainy weather this is a great outdoor activity with experienced, and friendly staff who will guide you in the safety and the rules of the courses. Inspired by a French activity course the numerous Go Ape courses have been cropping up across the country since 2001, presenting a whole new reason to get outdoors.
Looking to get in touch with your inner gorilla? Then these courses are ideal for you, with zip lines, Tarzan swings and cargo nets to scale up in the trees. Each course presents a variety of different challenges as you strap yourself in.
If you're not a fan of heights then there are plenty of other activities to enjoy, with cycling trails for advanced bikers and families alike. Segways are another perfect way to enjoy the forest areas and open up a whole new world of luxury forest exploration.
Suitable for
Go Ape courses are suitable for adventurers, families, corporate groups and those looking to challenge their fear of heights.
Opening times
Opening times vary from location to location and are based around daylight hours so it's best to check with individual locations. The courses are closed in December and January.
Aberfoyle, Stirlingshire
Alice Holt Forest, Surrey
Bedgebury Forest, Kent
Black Park, Buckinghamshire
Bracknell, Swinley Forest
Buxton, Derbyshire
Cannock Chase, Birches Valley, Staffordshire
Crathes Castle, Aberdeenshire
Crawley, Tilgate Park, Sussex
Dalby Forest, North Yorkshire
Delamere Forest, Cheshire
Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
Glentress Forest, Peebles
Grizedale Forest, Cumbria
Haldon Forest, Devon
Leeds Castle, Kent
Margam Country Park, Port Talbot, Wales
Newcastle, Matfen Hall, Northumberland
Moors Valley, Dorset
Rivington, Lancashire
Sherwood Pines, Nottinghamshire
Southampton, Itchen Valley Country Park, Hampshire
Thetford Forest, East Anglia
Trent Park, London
Wendover Woods, Buckinghamshire
Whinlatter, Cumbria
Woburn Safari Park, Bedfordshire
Wyre Forest, Worcesters
Many of the Go Ape locations are based in forests and wooded areas and are best accessed by car or coach.
Address and Contact Details
- Great house Barn, Rivington Lane, Horwich, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL6 7SB
- Opening Times: Please call for opening times.
- 0333 130 2701


text:
Academic Excellence Since 1930
Our Lady of Victory School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in
admission to its programs, services, or activities, in access to them, in treatment of individuals, or in any aspect of their
operations. The lack of English language skills shall not be a barrier to admission or participation in the district's
activities and programs. Our Lady of Victory School also does not discriminate in its hiring or employment practices.


text:
ACParadise Network: American Cosplay Paradise American Cosplay Experience American Cosplay Snapshots
Cosplayer Ambrosia > Costume of Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun (Wreck-It Ralph)
- Most Recent Photo
- 04-01-2014
- Series
- Wreck-It Ralph
- Character
- Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun
- Special Variation:
- Wedding Dress
- Year Completed:
- 2013
- Construction Difficulty:
- Normal
- Costume worn at:
- Katsucon 2013
About this Costume
- Construction Details:
Since Jane Lynch has already won the Calhoun Cosplay Contest by wearing the armor on Ellen, I kind of figured I'd just throw some white fabric through my machine and see what happened. Oh look, a wedding dress! Now let's cover it in feathers and paint a Nerf gun black. Perfect.
- Personal Thoughts:
- I had friends asking me when I was making Calhoun before the movie was even out in theaters. You guys know me too well.
Wig Details
- Wig Brand
- Arda Wigs
- Wig Name
- Blue Steele
- Original Color:
- Platinum Blonde
- Wig Quality Rating
- 5 / 5.00
Add a Comment


text:
Rose Family Stable's Maura's Purse cleared the field by 6 lengths as the post-time favorite in her second career start at 4 ½-furlongs at Calder on May 11 in a maiden special weight race. On April 26, she finished second by a length to Live Oak Plantation's Her Royalship in their career debuts at Calder in a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight race. Maura's Purse worked 4 furlongs on June 15 in her most recent work for the J J's Dream, clocking a time of :48.20, which was the second-fastest time of 80 horses who worked at that distance. Her Royalship most recently worked from the gate on June 16 for the J J's Dream, going 3 furlongs in :36.40.
Gilbert G. Campbell's Scandalous Act scored her first time out at Calder in a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight race as the post-time favorite on May 18, and was hand-ridden to win 6 ½-lengths ahead of the field. Running in the J J's Dream as well is Scandalous Act's stablemate In Luv With Willie, who is also owned by Gilbert G. Campbell. She finished second in her career debut in a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight race at Calder on May 30.
Jacks or Better Farm, Inc.'s Proverbs Thirtyone finished second to Scandalous Act, while Christian D. Maingot & Jose Pinchin's Liberty Fuze finished third. Proverbs Thirtyone returned to gain her maiden victory at Calder by ¾-lengths in a 5-furlong maiden special weight race on June 2. Fellow J J's Dream competitor Follow My Luck finished third in that race for Matos Racing. Liberty Fuze broke her maiden by 1 ¼-lengths in her next start in a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight race on June 9 at Calder.
Amaty Racing Stables Inc.'s One More Wild Ride steps up in class for the J J's Dream. She was claimed from Monarch Stables, Inc. by Amaty Racing Stables, Inc. for $32,000 at Calder on May 31. That day at 4 ½-furlongs, One More Wild Ride scored her maiden win by 4 ½-lengths.
As for the Frank Gomez Memorial, Gelfenstein Farm's Brothersofthetime comes into the stake after having blown past runners in his first career race at Calder on May 17, scoring by 5 ¼-lengths. He raced with the pacesetter and overtook her coming into the stretch.
Rontos Racing Stable Corp.'s Breitling Flyer also won first time out at Calder. On June 1, Breitling Flyer prevailed in a 5-furlong maiden special weight race by 1 ¾-lengths despite having to make his bid from the outside when he was caught tight at the turn on the inside. Roger L. Block's Purchango, who is also entered in the Frank Gomez Memorial, finished second to Breitling Flyer in that race, while Gilbert G. Campbell's Right On Course finished fourth.
Trilogy Stable and Laurie Plesa's Yes I'm Lucky shipped in to Calder for the J J's Dream after breaking his maiden by a head in his career debut upon battling in the stretch to come up with the victory by a head in a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight race on June 2 at Monmouth Park.
Monarch Stables, Inc.'s Vinny's Wildcat steps up in class for the Frank Gomez Memorial. He won his first career race in a 4 ½-furlong maiden claiming race at Calder on May 31, pulling ahead to win by 3 ¾-lengths.
Kathleen Amaya & Raffaele Centofanti's Copa Del Rey, All American Horses' Casiguapo, Jacks or Better Farm, Inc.'s D N A Approved, Gilbert G. Campbell's Union Cash, and Jacks or Better Farm, Inc.'s Best Plan Yet are also entered in the Frank Gomez Memorial. They will be making their career racing debuts.
The J J's Dream Stakes and the Frank Gomez Memorial Stakes are listed as the ninth and tenth races on the 11-race card with the approximate post time for the J J's Dream at 4:26 p.m and the Frank Gomez Memorial at 4:53 p.m. Post time for the first race at Calder is 12:50 p.m.


text:
Growth for Valencia DO
Wed 3 May 2006
Wines sales from Valencia Denominacion de Origen increased by 6% in 2005 with a notable rise in the foreign market (particularly Germany, the UK and France) where sales increased by 10% reaching over (over 30 million bottles). More than half of the wines sold were red, around 10 million were white and the rest were rosé, liqueurs and sparkling wines.
In global figures DO Valencia sold nearly 47 million bottles.
Source: Wines from Spain ICEX


text:
Funniest/Most Insightful Comments Of The Week At Techdirt
from the back-to-our-regularly-scheduled-commenting deptFirst week of the year, and it started off with quite a bang. Leading the way on the "most insightful" side was DH's Love Child responding to a comment from one of our usual "critics" who tried to claim that tech companies are nothing but "parasites" because they "are reliant on infringement to make money" and that they should "create their own worthwhile content." DH's LC pointed out that the "companies" in the content industry don't actually create much content themselves:
Name me one COMPANY that creates content. They have people who create content and then the company publishes or distributes it.Indeed. Take a look at the tech companies and the legacy entertainment industry companies today, and tell me which ones are actually responsible for enabling the creation of more content? That's easy: tech wins by a long shot.
Content is created by people using tools that companies make. Just because the content wasn't distributed by your beloved RIAA/MPAA, etc, doesn't make it any less worthwhile.
Coming in second was Hephaestus responding to one of the typical claims of how, without copyright, there would be no culture:
Dear Big ContentThe third place comment, by Anonymoose Custard, was so good that I'm making it my first editor's choice comment of the week. It was in response to a comment from Brian from the band "Enter the Haggis." ETH actually is a pretty innovative band that has been more than willing to test out new business models and has been quite successful doing so. However, Brian challenged my suggestion that the public domain is the necessary end result of copyright, or that copyright is a contract between the public and content creators. He also suggested that we should be much more concerned about patents than copyright (we're actually pretty damn concerned about both!). A number of people responded to Brian, but Anonymoose Custard's got the most insightful votes, and for a good reason:
I recently heard that you said "that there would be no culture if there was no copyright monopoly." I guess the library of Alexandria is a myth, there are no Greek tragedies, the Bible doesn't exist, the Koran is a fairy tale, that fairy tales are recent fakes, philosophy from the times of Thales and Aristotle is one of my delusions, and we do not have extant literature from Sophocles and Euripides.
Thanks for clearing that up for me.
The problem is that Copyright came with a promise similar to the promise that Patents have: That once the creator has profited from the work, the work enters the collective cultural domain. The reasoning is that then the Public will always have access to the works.I also responded to Brian, and noted that I think he got the basic equation backwards. In his comment he suggests that copyright is the natural state of things, and the public domain "strips creators" of their rights. That's not the case at all. The natural state is no copyright, where anyone can do anything. Copyright was, quite explicitly, a deal with creators that the public would not make use of that natural right for a limited time to (in theory) give creators an exclusive right to benefit. Either way, I should note that a few commenters weren't that nice to Brian and I find that unfortunate. While we certainly have some "trolls" in the crowd who make crazy statements just to piss people off, Brian appeared to be asking a sincere question, signed his name to it -- and has a clear track record of being quite willing to experiment with directly connecting with fans and trying out exciting new business models. So just a heads up to our regulars: not everyone who you disagree with is a troll.
As it is, though, these works remain under Copyright, and it is still technically illegal to create archival copies for cultural preservation, and it's also therefore illegal for the Public to gain access to those archival copies for their enjoyment.
Right now, there is a collection of recordings of Jazz music from the '30s by some of the masters of early Jazz - from Armstrong to Basie - that no one is allowed to listen to because they're under Copyright, even though it's not clear that anyone actually holds the Copyright to these recordings. So they will remain in an archive in Harlem until the Copyrights expire, probably sometime around 2025 at the earliest, if not longer. It's a travesty that no one will be able to listen to it.
Worse, there are huge storerooms at the movie studios in Hollywood that hold collections of some of the most influential and (culturally) important movies of the Silent Era and the early "Soundies" that are simply decaying in their tins. The film is a material that is extremely fragile and doesn't survive even in controlled conditions, and so the reels are covered in a brow-gray gunk that used to be film. None of those movies will ever be seen again because the Copyright owners have no interest in recovering what's left (they don't see a market) and no one who has the funding is able to recover them all because they can't get the Copyright releases - if they can get it at all. In many cases, the studio that "owns" them can't even prove they have the Copyright.
And so our Culture is being destroyed or lost because no one is allowed to make valuable archival copies, and no one is allowed to view them because the proper royalty payments can't or won't be made.
Even if it can be proven that the works are true orphan works, no one will touch them because someone will make a Copyright claim that needs to be verified, even if the claim is invalid.
Worse yet, derivative works that build on this culture (like tributes and documentaries and the like) can't use this material, even if they can get their hands on it.
It is as if Copyright is making it illegal to record and share any of our History that occurred between 15 years ago (which is roughly when most Copyright owners seem to abandon their works) and 95 to 170 years ago (which is when the current Copyright extensions expire).
For the second editor's choice comment, we've got Ima Fish bringing back an old comment that he actually used a few years ago on a different site, but it sure seemed relevant again:
There was recently a post on Techdirt about how even those who fight for stricter copyright laws end up accidentally infringing copyrights themselves.Moving on to funny... in our Techdirt 2011: The Numbers post from this week, we noted a growing "rivalry" between Dark Helmet and Marcus Carab over who was deemed the site's funniest commenter -- and both took their best shots this week. And, amazingly... they took the top two spots in the funny category this week in a race that was incredibly close... but where DH won by a hair. It was his comment in response to the story of ICE deporting a missing teen to Colombia (she was American) because she gave them a fake name (and ICE didn't bother to do any actual investigative work -- such as making sure she was who she said she was). DH combined this with the other ICE story we've been following and noted:
The reason it's so incredibly easy to infringe copyright law has to do with how out of control copyright laws have become.
As copyright was originally enacted, it was next to impossible to accidentally infringe. In the good old days in order to infringe on a copyright you had to physically publish a song or a book without permission by printing it onto paper via a printing press. There was no other way to copy or infringe on a song or a book and there was no such thing as a performance right protected by copyright.
Nowadays we infringe copyrights numerous times throughout the day without even thinking about it. Watching an unauthorized SNL clip on YouTube. Playing the radio in the background at work where customers can hear. Loaning a copy of your Finding Nemo DVD to play at your kids' daycare. Downloading clip art to use in a personal scrapbook. Scanning your own wedding photos. Forwarding a funny photograph to a friend. Loaning a co-worker some software. Etc., etc., etc�
Copyright laws are so utterly pervasive in our lives that we simply cannot reasonably function without at least some innocent infringement. I personally think it'd be easier to avoid jaywalking and speeding than it would be to avoid infringing.
The fake name she gave police was Dajaz and ICE just went nutbars trying to keep her out of the States, amirite?Meanwhile, Marcus' second place comment was actually a direct response to DH on that "Numbers" post, where DH issued a sort of challenge to Marcus, in which he tossed out this insult: "pronounced More-Kiss Car-Rob, descriptive for the smooch-stealing auto-theif that he is," which left Marcus no choice but to respond:
DH has never forgiven me for kissing his car and hotwiring his girlfriend...Oh, the competition is on...
For editor's choice, we've got Rich Kulawiec (check his background if you don't know who he is) responding to Rep. Lamar Smith's ridiculous claim that those opposed to SOPA are not serious and don't understand the bill. Kulawiec went sarcastic:
But...but...but of course he's right... since none of us have any idea how the Internet works, whereas Lamar Smith is internationally renowned for his technical prowess and keen understanding of the Internet's architecture.Make sure you click the link in that comment.
Finally, we've got PopeHilarius responding to the story of how service provider Bandcamp was helping artists turn people looking for infringing materials into buyers. Responding to a sentence in the post about how Bandcamp "can effectively compete with filesharing and other free distribution platforms" by giving fans a way to "directly support the artist," PH detected the real issue:
See there's your problem right there. If fans can directly support the artist, it takes money away from hardworking gatekeepers like media conglomerates. Directly supporting an artist is the same as stealing.Indeed. Please, who will think of the gatekeepers?
On that note, get ready for another fun week -- and remember, if you're at CES this week come and say hello.


text:
Use the chart below to compare our different packages. Specialty receivers may be added on to any package.
The EcoLite System consists of the following:
Now you'll never have to worry about running out of costly batteries. EcoLite's environmentally friendly built-in rechargeable power pack lasts up to 25 years. It's incredibly small and lightweight, weighing just under an ounce. EcoLite's small size makes it the ideal choice for small dogs, yet is effective for even the biggest of breeds.
For a full list of features, Read More.
Our digital transmitter is the hub of the system, working in concert with the computerized Pet Stop Smart Receiver collar and the boundary wire. Here are the features designed into the OT 300 Transmitter: Features GentleSteps™ training, ready GentleSteps is a low-stress, proven method that slowly advances the correction level to an optimum setting because […]For a full list of features, Read More.
The included Charging Cradle fully charges an EcoLite receiver within 3 hours. An internal LED will let you know when charging is complete. Available in standard or diagnostic versions. Diagnostic Cradle checks the receiver for functionality and will alert you if your EcoLite is in need of service.For a full list of features, Read More.


text:
Donna Karan Resort – For her resort 2014 collection, designer Donna Karan focused on separate pieces that toe the line between business casual and beach outing. Tunics in fluid and bohemian shapes showed off a more relaxed side of the Donna Karan woman. Tailored blazers and jackets added structure to chiffon, asymmetrical hemmed skirts and dresses. Karan's color palette focused on neutral hues such as white, black and tan with the occasional pop of red. Evening wear introduced rich gold and navy hues for a glamorous take on nighttime style. / Photos by Seth Sabal
Donna Karan Resort 2014 Collection
Published on


text:
|The Tricolour in the distance, as seen from St. Stephen's Green, Dublin.
|The Tricolour above the Turk's Head on Parliament Street in Temple Bar, Dublin.
|The Tricolour adorning a grave in Glasnevin...
|...and affixed to a tree.
|The Tricolour above the stone breaker's yard in Kilmainham gaol, site of the executions of the 1916 leaders.
|The Tricolour on the right hand side at the burial ground of the 1916 Leaders, Arbour Hill Cemetery, Dublin.


text:
Illustrations of Dickens by Kyd
Categories: Literature & Poetry
I have finally finished the bulk of the scanning and edition of these Dickens prints, replacing the rather poor samples that had been in the gallery until now. These are very popular, and despite the fairly easy availability of originals, there are few if any high quality samples available online. Until now, with these new files I have remedied that. Images are all in the GALLERY Title: "Character Sketches from Charles Dickens, Pourtrayed by Kyd", or "The Characters of Charles Dickens Pourtrayed in a Series of Original Water Colour Sketches by Kyd" Author: Kyd (based on Charles Dickens) Artist: Kyd (Joseph Clayton Clarke) Publisher: Raphael Tuck & Sons Date Published: c. late 1800's Go to the gallery to see all 24 and get them in various sizes (for now up to about 2250 by 3000 pixels, which is big enough for almost any purpose). Below are a few samples. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="375"] Mr. Micawber from David Copperfield[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="375"] The Little Marchioness The Old Curiosity Shop[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="375"] Mr. Pickwick from The Pickwick Papers[/caption]


text:
Teacher Who Bashed Military While in Class Could Be Asked to Resign
A teacher who is under fire for bashing U.S. military service members in the classroom is expected to attend a city council meeting in Pico Rivera tonight where leaders could seek his resignation.
Gregory Salcido, a teacher and city councilman in Pico Rivera, is expected to make his first public appearance tonight since video of him berating a 17-year-old student wearing a Marine Corps sweatshirt went viral.
The student recorded Salcido referring to service members as the "lowest of our low," and posted it online where it garnered millions of views and thousands of comments.
"They're not like high-level thinkers, they're not academic people, they're not intellectual people;they're the frickin' lowest of our low," Salcido can be heard saying on the recording. "I don't understand why we let the military guys come over here and recruit you at school. We don't let pimps come in the school," Salcido added.
Outrage over the comments followed, with even White House chief of staff John Kelly weighing in, saying the teacher "ought to go to hell."
The Pico Rivera city council is expected to vote on whether or not to ask Salcido to resign during its regular meeting tonight. The city council denounced Salcido's comments in a statement released only a few days after the video went viral.
"We the elected governing body of the City of Pico Rivera unequivocally disagree and condemn the recent comments made by Councilmember Salcido regarding those individuals who have served or are currently serving in our nation's military," the statement read.
"The City Council and residents of Pico Rivera are steadfast in the recognition that the contributions by those who have served or are currently serving our country via military service are respected and we are grateful for their service.
The City of Pico Rivera was founded upon the principles, values and sacrifices of many of our veterans who when called upon by our nation served with great pride and honor. Those men and women who have proudly served in our nation's armed forces have proven time and again that personal sacrifice in the face of injustice and tyranny can literally change the world for the better."
Anyone who wishes to comment during the public hearing tonight will be allowed to do so, however, their time will be limited to three minutes. The fire marshal will also be on hand to prevent overcrowding in the council chamber.


text:
Major Section: PROGRAMMING
(String x) coerces
x to a string. If
x is already a
string, then it is returned unchanged; if
x is a symbol, then its
symbol-name is returned; and if
x is a character, the
corresponding one-character string is returned.
The guard for
string requires its argument to be a string, a
symbol, or a character.
String is a Common Lisp function. See any Common Lisp
documentation for more information.


text:
- Premier League
Evra: We all failed at United this season
Patrice Evra has delivered a damning appraisal of Manchester United's season by branding it a "nightmare" year and admitting that "everyone failed".
United, who have previously never finished outside the top three in the history of the Premier League, are currently seventh and are enduring their worst season for a quarter of a century.
They have suffered seven home league defeats - the most for 40 years - and while their poor results cost David Moyes his job, Evra, 32, insists the players have to share the blame.
He said: "You always feel responsible even when David Moyes was in charge. When I spoke with him, I put the players before everything because we are on the pitch. You never get anything easy.
"When I win I deserve to win, and when I lose I put myself first. I never point at anyone else. If I have to say something to David Moyes, I will say it to him and not in the paper. I am not that kind of man. I never hide behind something because I have so much respect for the club. This year everyone failed."
Evra accepts United have found it tougher than they had anticipated to proceed without former manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who retired last summer after 26 years in charge at Old Trafford.
"Sir Alex Ferguson was the heart of Manchester United," he said. "He is a legend. You cannot replace him so quickly. We knew it would be difficult but not this difficult.
"We can do much better than what we have done - maybe not win the league but at least qualify for the Champions League with the players we have got.
"It's not about the manager. It's a disaster this year. And it's a season to forget. It has been really bad. You have to take the responsibility, every player: the young players, the senior players. Everyone."
United have been criticised for their underachievement and Evra believes they have deserved all that has come their way.
He said: "This year we have been really poor. We deserve all the criticism. We didn't play well enough. We lose some stupid games and that is why we are in this position."
Evra signed for the club from Monaco in 2006 and he could be entering the final few weeks of his career at Old Trafford. The left-back is out of contract in the summer, although he insists he has not yet decided if he will leave United.
He said: "I will decide in two weeks about what I am going to do. I am not lying to anyone. There have been a lot of rumours [about if] I am going or staying. At the moment I have not decided anything. My agent will have a meeting with Manchester and we will see. Everyone knows how much I love this club. It's difficult."


text:
Some great shots, folks. BTW, Jack, did you know that crab spiders get their colouring from the foods they eat?Mike.
DIET-INDUCED AND MORPHOLOGICAL COLOR CHANGES IN JUVENILE CRAB SPIDERS (ARANEAE, THOMISIDAE)ABSTRACT. The effect of dietary pigments on abdominal color of juvenile spiders was examined inthe laboratory using the flower-dwelling crab spiders Misumenops asperatus (Hentz 1847), Misumenoidesformosipes (Walckenaer 1837), and Misumena vatia (Clerck 1757) (Thomisidae). Because these specieslack hypodermal chromes, ingested prey pigments may show through the epidermis and affect opisthosomalcoloration. Diet-induced color changes were restricted to the opisthosoma, and all three spiderspecies responded similarly to dietary pigments.http://www.americanarachnology.org/JoA_free/JoA_v28_n1/arac_28_01_0056.pdf
Stunning compositions Jack.
I've commented and discussed so much in "user critiques" that it's time for another picture which seems to fit this general theme well. It's a portrait of a moth (undetermined) sitting on the stones around our front door.
Hello Pegelli;My own opinion is that if that moth would have been on top of a flower or a leaf ... or in some other natural setting ... then it would have had more impact than a photo of a moth on your wall.Nothing wrong with the focus/subject, etc.; it's the setting which was kinda drab.JackPS: To add an interesting factoid of my own, in the US there are over 765 species of butterfly ... but nearly 11,000 different species of moths. And yet there are hundreds of different books on butterflies, but only two authoritative guides have ever been written on moths (the first in 1903 and the second in 1985).
Comments (background and other) most welcome. Always trying to learn.
Just hatched and busy drying it's wings for take off.
And another woodchuck uhm I mean moth. A Cabbage Tree Emperor
Hi Jack, Thanks for the feedback and the extra factoïd, always interesting to learn here.
Agree with you on the background, makes it drab for a true nature lover, but I don't mind too much, but I'm probably more attached to my front door vs the average member here
Also with these following shots I've been unlucky with the background as you can see.These were taken on a bicycle ride where photography was not the main objective, so I only had one lens with me, an old Tamron 28-200 superzoom. With a bit of cropping I'm still not unhappy with the results:Comments (background and other) most welcome. Always trying to learn.
It is almost impossible to get a sharp image of a live insect ( OK, you can cheat and photograph a 4 inch butterfly).If you use a small enough aperture to get enough DOF, you get diffraction... but that can mean that, as no part of the image is sharp, then it all looks "acceptably sharp"Sometimes you might be able to get a moth co-planer and use a T/S lens..Using MF gives you more DOF problems, "macro lenses" that focus to infinity are are not ideal for 1:1.The Schneider Apo-Digitar Macro 120 is a great lens (are they going to make a T/S DSLR version?), perhaps it would be possible to set it up where wasps walk into the nest?In a silly moment I wondered if it would be possible to put the Apo-Digitar Macro 120 with a Schneider eShutter on the front of a (lightweight) Sinar F3 on the front of an H4D-60... Use a double e-release with a delay circuit to sync camera and shutter?The Hasselblad macro lens is not officially compatible with the HTS, but I think it works if you use an extension tube with it.
Interesting observations.As far as stunning ultra-close-up detail goes, IMO nothing beats the Canon MPE-65 lens, which ranges from 1:1 all the way to 5:1 (5x lifesize). I don't have this lens yet, but will have it in my bag for the next season. The photos I have seen people post of their ultra-close-ups are simply unmatched by conventional lenses, with or without adapters.Jack
The Schneider Apo-Digitar Marco does 1:3 to 3:1, which is pretty useful on 645... I also have a set of Zeiss Luminars for 1:1 to 40:1, and I intend to get an eShutter for them.If I ever get a D3X, I could try my Micro-Nikkor 200 ¿Anyone use this lens for digital?There is a butterfly farm just up the road,,, so I would be able to get specimens to photograph.
Regarding the farm, I have a butterfly farm up the road from me as well, but they forbid the sale of any photographic images taken therein, so I would check the legalities of the farm in your area before investing a lot of time/effort in creating a body of work from it. Still, these places can provide rich personal enjoyment and a great place to hone your skills at composition and lighting Jack


text:
Two large chemical companies have signed agreements to allow each other access to certain products. FMC Corporation has agreed to give BASF access in the U.S. to proprietary insecticidal chemistry, zeta-cypermethrin. In return, BASF grants FMC access within the U.S. to two active ingredients, pendimethalin and imazethapyr.
BASF plans to sell its new insecticide called Respect that uses zeta-cypermethrin for control of insect pests on corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa. FMC will develop premix products with the two active ingredients for use in soybeans, sunflowers and tobacco.


text:
My Content
Membership has its privileges! Sign up or sign in to gain full access to both All About Jazz and Jazz Near You. Learn more.
While the sun attempted to scorch the fans, it only fueled the vibes at the 2002 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Regardless of the record-high temperatures, this year's Jazz Fest once again delivered an eclectic mix of music ranging from jazz, reggae, gospel and funk to Cajun, zydeco, bluegrass and much, much more.
More than 500,000 people crowded into the Crescent City for the 33rd annual seven day festival that celebrates New Orleans music and culture. Taking place on April 26-28 and May 2-5, the festival also overflowed with an array of mouthwatering local cuisine featuring items like jambalaya, red beans and rice, crawfish tails, and oyster po-boys.
Also, centuries of history packed into a variety of traditional arts and crafts that offer glimpses into other cultures and traditions, not to mention the expanded Native American Village and the Kids Cultural Village complete with a huge mural for youngsters to paint.
And then there's the book tent, with several scheduled book signings from local authors. So there is a lot to experience at Jazz Fest, but it's the music that started this celebration, and this years line-up featured a list of performers long enough to satisfy even the hungriest musical souls.
The second weekend looked promising with names like Karl Denson, Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers and Henry Butler all slated for gigs, Actually, May 2-5 was full of great jazz talent, which makes perfect sense in a city that hails itself as the birthplace of jazz and prides itself on the local talent.
New Orleans definitely has a certain vibe about it, an aura that seems to surround the city during Jazz Fest. Maybe it goes unnoticed at first, but eventually it's there—in the streets, in the venues and clubs, in the faces and movements of tourists and locals making their way down Canal Street, it begins to manifest everywhere.
There are 12 stages at the fairgrounds, so while there's certainly no shortage of music, it might be a good idea to keep some space free for a new musical adventure or two, because a big part of the Jazz Fest experience is about finding new music.
An early highlight of Thursday included just such a performance when New Orleans based Los Sagitarios performed on the Congo Square stage. This Latin Dance band put on a good performance that was fresh and full of energy, which was apparent from the audiences reaction and energy.
Stumbling onto the Lagniappe Stage in the enormous grandstand turned out to be a great find. The stage is enclosed in a courtyard area, which is surrounded on all sides by the grandstand seating, creating a bit of a wind tunnel that provided a much needed breeze, not to mention that the area was mostly shaded with an upper balcony and plenty of seats.
Micaela y Fiesta Flamenca finished a performance driven by the artful dance movements of the female members as they moved across the stage.
The remainder of the day was spent in the WWOZ Jazz Tent awaiting the Charles Mingus 80th Birthday Tribute Orchestra, which turned out to feature the Mingus Big Band and some added instruments. The tribute featured songs including "Blue Sea" and "Tonight at Noon," also the title of Sue Mingus' new book.
Thursday's main highlight actually happened earlier that day when New Orleans own Storyville Stompers Brass Band performed in one of many parades that took place over the course of Jazz Fest.
This was a great opportunity to experience first hand the depth and range of the Brass Bands that have played such an important part in New Orleans history and culture. The band was founded in 1981, and they are led by sousaphonist Woody Penouilh, Jr.
In the tradition of many of the second line marching bands that are deeply rooted in New Orleans culture and history, the Storyville Stompers, who were an important part of the brass-band revival of the '80s, didn't need a stage for their performance. They paraded past the grandstand, pausing in a few different spots before proceeding directly through the fairgrounds, and as spectators joined the tail of the line, dancing and grooving behind them, it was a picture perfect example of the spontaneity and improvisation on which so much of the New Orleans brass-band history is based.
On Friday, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band took a break from their 11 consecutive late night shows with DJ Logic to perform on the Sprint PCS Mobile Phone Stage. The band currently consists of nine players, four of which are founding members. The name Dirty Dozen stems from the Dirty Dozen Social and Pleasure Club, where the band originated in 1977.
Start your music shopping from All About Jazz and you'll support us in the process. Learn how.