It’s not lost on anyone that Iraq is a giant desert wasteland, but every now and then you find things that seem completely out of place… like this rock, for instance.

I took this photo back in September on a trip up to Camp Taji. Remember the ruins I described?

The rock itself was located near a shuttle bus stop next to the lodging facility where I was spending the night. In truth, I actually found it indoors. The sad thing is that the place was so dirty, it looks like the photo was taken outside.

I realize I titled this post as a clever little pun on the title of this blog, “Blogging Iraq.” However, there really isn’t a lot you can say about a rock.

I have been giving lots of thought to what will become of Blogging Iraq once I return home. Is Iraq something that I should continue monitoring from afar in order to continue the blog? Is there someone in Iraq who would be willing to continue blogging after I leave? Should I just let it die a natural death?

Decisions, decisions.

Actually, I have no idea what I want to do. I’m open to suggestions! I’ve posted this handy poll to make it a little easier. Let me know what you think!

Two giant pandas from China are welcomed in Australia with a police escort as they start a 10-year stay…. From BBC News. Full story

This site may contain information about: china market. The blog is also related to: china holidays.

Let's pass the basket around first.

Dear Friends,  Black Friday has come and (almost) gone.  We’ve all decided to give natural items for the holiday this year, haven’t we?  Especially for our virtual friends.  Because most of us only know each other in cyber-realms, we shall have to exchange cyber-gifts.  This avoids the prohibitive cost of mailing. Please sit down at your computer and prepare to open your gift.  I suppose you can have more than one.  You don’t even have to wait for the holidays. Please be considerate of the other cyber-recipients, though. 

I shopped for gifts for all of you today.  Oh my, there are too many of you to name with insulting at least dozens of you.  But I am going to throw out some names at the top of my head.  (All of the names not mentioned are at the bottom of my head, which doesn’t mean I love you less, it just means that for some reason you were waiting patiently at the bottom of the head and didn’t funnel out first.)

So here are gifts for the Susans, Cindy, Gerry, the Amys, Joanne, Dale, Kiah, Christopher, Craig, the many Jessicas, fountainpen, Gigi, Sybil, Emma, Julia, Pamela, Sandy, Christine, Carla, the Dawns, Deborah, Jen, Karen, Melinda, Catherine, Yellow Bells, Christie, Scot, Tim, Mom, Dad, Georgia Mom, Kim, Janet, Laurie, Raven, H. Forward, Mrs. Uhdd, Reggie, Maunderer, Kath, Bree, Nature Loving Super Mama, Iris, Tina, Doris, Margo, Nancy…AND IF I’VE MISSED ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS A PRESENT PLEASE GIVE A HOLLER AND YOU CAN CLAIM YOUR VIRTUAL GIFT TOO!  (oh and all you unknown blog readers…please…take a gift.  I am so thankful for all of you for stopping to read, even though we might never even have “officially” met in this virtual or earthly world.)

A sweet little white feather for all of you who like feathers

Of course this was all Sahlah’s idea.  As I posted yesterday, she got the brilliant idea that we should shop for rocks and feathers and twigs and such on Black Friday for all our blog readers. 

If we meet face-to-face on the street I will give you a real rock.  I swear it.  I will carry around that basket of stones in my car until the Solstice.  However, I’m afraid that there’s only a handful of you within shouting distance.  So the rest of you must be satisfied with virtual gifts.  As we’ve only had virtual acquaintance, I’m sure you won’t be dismayed or disappointed.

A special antler for anyone who will treasure it.

These are some of my prized possessions and gifts from the woods.  But I’m willing to give them away to you in spirit, because I know you will honor them.  You readers, I can tell, share a deep love for the earth, for the blessings of the land, for the abundance which surrounds us everywhere.

This is one of the most precious gifts I could give you. Do you know why?

Rocks, feathers, pieces of woods, antlers, sticks.

As precious as Nintendos, computers (hmmm?), cell phones, iPods?

Stone on stone

In the above virtual stone gift you could have one rock or both.  It’s up to you.  It’s kind of hard to separate them in the virtual world, though.

Your final choice: a twig that really is a magic wand. (shhhhh....)

OK, tomorrow I really do have to hit a few stores for a few small gifts.  I’m not a big shopper.  (Can you tell?  Maybe I could just shop virtually from now on.  Tell the relatives, “Just log in on-line and you can see a picture of my gift for you.”  Hmmm, wonder how far that one would go?)

Hope all of the rest of you had fun on your Black Friday shopping.  Enjoy your gifts!

Tilcara is a small town in the Humahuamra (or something) valley. Instead of going to the capital of the province of Jujuy I went to hear. Tilcara lays 2500 meters above sea level and is surrounded by a lot of rocks, in all kind of colours. Many, many years ago there was an ocean, the Andes came, the ocean was not filled anymore and the only things that remained were a lot of minerals and they give rocks different colours, such as yellow, red and green. Since pictures say a lot more I will add them later.

Yesterday (November 26th) I went for a hike in the mountains, or a hilly dessert, whatever you prefer to see a waterfall. The waterfall is called the troat of the Devil, but after Iguazu it is hard to get impressed by water.

Today I rented a car (driver included) to get to the Salines Grandes, no matter the quality of your Spanish, I guess you know the meaning. Imagine over 800 square kilometer of just salt, salt, salt and tourists. It is incredibly white up there and it hurts to have a proper view with your eyes because the salt workes a mirror of sunlight, and there was a lot of sun!

The same as with Cafayate the journey is the destination itself, a lot of beautifull things were seen. On the route to the Salinas we had to cross a pass of more than 4000 meters and that is high. You really notice that you are that high when you walk and it is better than alcohol when it comes to the feeling in your head.

Tomorrow I will go to Boliva, another world, another blog post next time! Hopefully including pictures. I do not have my cable with me and internet is expensive, up to €0,50 an hour.

Hasta luegos.

The Little Bird on the Rocky Shore (Part II)
21 September 2009
Tiana Beach (bay side), East Quogue, NY

450

“Isn’t it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?” – Douglas Adams

Day 1 of the engagement/pre-wedding shoot with my cousin and being brought around to these great locations in SD. I can tell i’m quickly falling in love with the place (: that and my 3ft octa.

Shot a whole bunch of shots today and already have some favorites and know which ones work and which ones don’t. Now to really start processing and cranking them out

Tmrw’s another long day ahead but i’m so looking forward to it. Love the weather here too (or maybe i’m just a bit more used to the chill of Buffalo)

So playing around with ND filters is something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time, with a certain type of  “soft n fluffy” water in mind… Well trying to combine tide / weather and location together isn’t as easy as I’d thought, but finally I managed to get something close to the shot I want…. I’ll still continue to look for THE shot I want, but for now this is a start…

Essas garotas francesas misturam som Punk com Moda. Aos mesmo tempo que fazem um som Pós-Punk, se dizem rebeldes, cantam “I’m a Bitch”, elas fazem seus próprios looks e se preocupam bastante com a aparência e a moda. Recentemente participaram do seriado Gossip Girl tocando uma de suas músicas em uma festa de formatura. O NME descreve as moças como “quatro super-extra gostosas garotas francesas com um brilhante som new wave” e que são “too perfect to be true”. Não sei se a banda tem muito futuro, mas provavelmente vão estourar na mídia internacional em breve. Barcelona é o primeiro single da gravadora NYLON Records, confira:

1 – I Could Rob You
2 – Barcelona
3 – Bitch
4 – Camera
5 – From Friends to Lovers
6 – Time to Leave
7 – I Am Down
8 – Another Kiss
9 – Pas Avec Toi
10 – Runnaway
11 – You’re No Good
12 – Coney Island

Download – Plastiscines – About Love [2009]

This Sunday it was time for the Geophysics Fault field trip with the Caltech Seismolab, with as our destination Devil’s Punchbowl at the north side of the San Gabriel Mountains. I have never hiked much in the northern parts, and frankly I was getting a little bored of the San Gabes – usually consisting of chaparral-covered hills and dusty trails. How wrong was I this time… This was by far the most exciting hike I have ever done locally! Not in the least because you actually cross the San Andreas Fault during the hike, which only spans a couple of meters across but has 20 kilometers of offset on it. Think of this hypothetical case: a fence in a meadow crossing the fault would be separated by 20 kilometers. Incredible, right?? Apart from that feat, the trail passes many spectacular vista points, cliffs, and very steep valleys. You can see more photos at Photo Gallery > Locations > Devil’s Punchbowl.

On this occasion, I decided to go for details and simple color schemes in my photographs. This photo captures part of an incredible cliff structure consisting of many layers. When we passed it, the top edges were just catching the sunlight, causing a nice glow.

“Layers I”
Devil’s Punchbowl, San Gabriel Mountains, CA
ISO 800, 250 mm, 1/250 s at f/5.6

Most of the San Gabriels (the part that hasn’t burned…) is covered in manzanitas, yuccas, and grass varieties. But these red bushes I hadn’t seen much in the southern part of the mountains, and were brilliantly glowing in the sun.

“Sunbathers”
Devil’s Punchbowl, San Gabriel Mountains, CA
ISO 400, 154 mm, 1/200 s at f/5.6

After descending into the Punchbowl, we climbed out and over a pass. Just before getting to the pass, there was a view into the valley. Many of the trees lining the creek had already shed their leaves and were prepared for winter. The pattern of their bare branches caught my eye. Ideally it should be viewed in larger size, better possible in the Photo Gallery.

“Gossamer of Nature”
Devil’s Punchbowl, San Gabriel Mountains, CA
ISO 200, 116 mm, 1/160 s at f/5.6

Just before reaching the parking lot, we crossed a patch of small cactus plants. These always intrigue me for some reason, maybe because they seem reminiscent of places far more exotic. They were quite vicious looking, so we did well to not come too close….

“Prickly”
Devil’s Punchbowl, San Gabriel Mountains, CA
ISO 800, 90 mm, 1/50 s at  f/4.5

]]> http://theblogreallyaboutnothing.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/whats-the-difference-between-a-rock-and-a-stone/ Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:26:19 +0000 theblogreallyaboutnothing http://theblogreallyaboutnothing.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/whats-the-difference-between-a-rock-and-a-stone/

Also, why are there so many words for the most common of geological formations? Such as pebbles; couldn’t we just call them tiny stones or rocks? Or, perhaps the number of words there are for stones and rocks comes from society’s dissatisfaction with all the names. In that case, could we call all stones & rocks ‘Steven’? Wouldn’t the world be a lot simpler, and possibly funnier, if you could say: ‘Wait a sec, I’ve got a Steven in my shoe.’

They’re used lengthwise. A bladesmith in France (Merci, mon ami!) was kind enough to answer my question on Don Fogg’s Bladesmiths Forum. By the way, I can’t recommend this forum enough if you’re interested in the craft. Wonderful people, all kinds of work from “my first knife” all the way into “I can’t afford that without a second mortgage”.

Next step, go forge some blades to practice on. I wish that weren’t the challenge that it is, but there ya go.

Já postei anteriormente que o álbum podia ser escutado na íntegra pelo Youtube, mas garanto que todo mundo prefere ter o mp3 para escutar em qualquer lugar a hora que quiser. Então aí vai o link pra galera…

01. No One Loves Me & Neither Do I ( 5:10)
02. Mind Eraser, No Chaser ( 4:06)
03. New Fang ( 3:48)
04. Dead End Friends ( 3:15)
05. Elephants ( 6:49)
06. Scumbag Blues ( 4:27)
07. Bandoliers ( 5:42)
08. Reptiles ( 4:15)
09. Interlude With Ludes ( 3:44)
10. Warsaw Or the First Breath You Take After You Give Up ( 7:50)
11. Caligulove ( 4:55)
12. Gunman ( 4:46)
13. Spinning In Daffodils ( 7:28)

Download – Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures [2009]

I was walking along one day and I saw this chipmunk. It’s so cute I had to share it with the world. In case you were wondering what it’s doing, it’s hiding in the cracks in an old stone wall. It’s nest must be in there. It’s all lookin’ at the camera like, “Whatchya doin’?”

So cute!

I’m just in from a fun morning on the beach photographing little Max and going through the image files and I just had to add a little sequence I captured.

Max’s mum, Kate and I were working pretty hard to get some eye contact with Max as he was so keen to taste everything around him; sand, rocks, shells, seaweed, anything! Finally we sat him near a little rock pool/puddle and he was in heaven and loving it.

NOTE: If you are ever coming to a portrait shoot with me – pack a towel and some dry clothes!

Red strawberry plant...kinda makes you think about Christmas

I have Christmas shopping plans for this weekend.  Maybe not for the Official Shopping Day, Black Friday.  But at least for Saturday.  I’m headed for Marquette (before or after a delightful luncheon with special twins in the Ishpeming/Negaunee area).  But there are a few key Christmas items which must be found.  I will join the throng of shoppers and…shop.

But I decided to first discuss the matter with the Forest on my walk today.  Just to see what the Forest thinks of our Christmas Shopping plans.  And specifically Black Friday.

Me:  Hi Forest!  How are you today?

Forest:  (silence)

Me:  I know you’re not into talking too much in words.  But I have a question for you.  What do you think about all of us humans shopping like crazy this weekend?  What do you think of Christmas?  What do you think of exchanging gifts?  What do you think of all the money we spend?

Teeny tiny little spruce tree (8 inches high?)

Forest:  silence

Me:  You’re not going to say too much are you?  Please?  Just a few words?  Even if the words don’t really explain too much.  Just try. What do you think of Black Friday?

Forest:  Look at my red strawberry leaf.  Look at my little spruce tree.  Look at my goldenrod balls.  What do they tell you?

Me:  Umm, I think…they are telling me…keep it simple.  Don’t make it so complicated.  Don’t shop just to spend money.  Really think about what we’re buying.  Try to buy gifts that express our hearts.  Is that it?

Goldenrod balls

Forest:  give from your heart.  It’s not about the money.  It’s about the small things.  Spending time with family and friends.  Sharing food, drink, beauty, gifts.  Don’t try to buy love or feelings or presence.  Give simply, from your heart, no matter how much money you spend.

Me:  But Forest, maybe we shouldn’t spend ANY money at all.  I know that would screw up the economy and everything, but maybe we should just forgo money and not give at all.  Then we wouldn’t be taking anything from You.  We wouldn’t be cutting down your trees, taking your minerals, using your resources.  Don’t you agree?  We shouldn’t spend at all?

Stick in the mud

Forest:  Don’t be a stick in the mud.  I keep telling you.  It’s not a matter of money.  It’s a matter of your heart.  It’s a matter of looking deeply to see:  What is your real intent?  When you look closely at your real intent, you’ll give simply when simple is required and lavish when lavishly is required.  Don’t just give the way you’ve always given before.  Look into your heart and intentions and then you’ll know what you’re suppose to buy.

Me:  Oh.  OK.  But that’s still hard.  Especially when you’re in the stores and everything looks so good and interesting and entertaining.

Forest:  Don’t just give or buy to satisfy the voice inside you that wants more, more, more. That doesn’t help any of us.

There are a million rocks in the lake. Give stones as gifts.

Me:  So when I go to Marquette this weekend…I am suppose to buy Christmas presents that mean something.  That share the love that I feel for family in friends.  Maybe I should give them some pretty Lake Superior stones for Christmas?  Do you think they would like that?

Forest:  silence

Me:  I wonder what everyone would say if they just got one stone for Christmas.  Hmmmm. Maybe better visit a few stores, just in case…

World Heritage Sites are places of “outstanding universal value”‘ chosen by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. The Dorset and East Devon Coast is one of the most speactacular of England’s World Heritage Sites. Known as The Jurassic Coast, this area comprises more than 90 spectacular miles of truly beautiful coast which stretches from East Devon to Dorset. The rocks along this coast encompass a period of more than 185 million years of the Earth’s history.

World Heritage status was granted because the coast offers a unique insight into a geological “time line” spanning the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods of the Earth’s history. Very different sections of this coast formed over millions of years through massive geological events, later assisted by coastal processes which you see as you walk through this truly beautiful area.

Orcombe Point marks the west edge of the World Heritage Site, and you can start your journey by seeing the Geoneedle, unveiled by the Prince of Wales in 2002 to commemorate granting of World Heritage Status to the Devon and East Dorset coast. The Geoneedle is built from stones taken from the coast in the sequence in which the rocks were deposited along the coast during its development.

The rocks of the Dorset and East Devon Coast record the period known as the Mesozoic era – the Middle Ages of Earth’s history – which is broken down into the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods of geological time. These represent the period from 250 million years ago to 65 million years ago. All along the coast, this amazing geology is clearly exposed and easily accessible.

In Triassic times, which were between 250 and 200 million years ago, the World Heritage Site was an element of the super-continent called Pangaea, a landmass which later divided into the continents of our current world. Dorset and East Devon was somewhere in the desert-like, dry centre of this unimaginable super-continent. The Triassic was a crucial period of the evolution of life on Earth. Those sea-going animals which were able to survive a mass extinction at the end of the previous geological period evolved and developed; for example, the dinosaurs evolved around this time and later became dominant during the Mesozoic Era. By the end of the Triassic, most of the groups of four legged animals which we know today had evolved, including the first true mammals.

Pangaea started to split up during the Jurassic Period between 200 and 140 million years ago. The Atlantic Ocean formed to the west of Britain and the Americas moved away from Europe. The Earth was warm and sea levels were high, with almost no polar ice caps. The Jurassic rocks of East Devon and Dorset record these marine conditions – although the depth of the oceans varied from relatively deep seas to coastal swamps. The geology of this area indicates that sea levels rose and fell in cycles, with the deposition of deep water clays, then sandstones and last of all shallow water limestones. The oceans were relatively shallow in the middle of the Jurassic, which created a series of islands raised slightly above the shallow shoals, rather like the Caribbean of today. The oceans deepened as the Jurassic time period progressed, though they again became shallower at the end of the Jurassic. This change created a tropical-type swamp environment. Though you may find that hard to believe right now!

Jurassic animals included Ammonites, a type of mollusc related to the squid, but with hard spiral shells. These are one of the most common fossils you can find on the Dorset and East Devon Coast; and in fact, Portland and its limestone and chalk is where the giant ammonite is found. As the shallow seas expanded, there was an explosion of life during which many animals evolved rapidly. Dinosaurs were abundant on Earth and the dominant animals in the oceans included ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs and crocodiles.

During the Cretaceous Period, which extended from 140 to 65 million years ago, America continued to drift away from Europe, and the Atlantic became more like it is today in form. The landscape on the World Heritage Site was somewhat like the Gulf of Arabia today, with lagoons. As the rocks under what is now south-west England tilted to the East, the warm waters of the Atlantic expanded, and sea conditions became more hospitable, allowing billions of microscopic algae to bloom in the clear waters. As their exo-skeletons sank to the sea floor, they gradually formed the pure, white chalk we see in the area today.

Right across the World Heritage Site you can see the “Great Unconformity”, a time gap between rocks of different ages. In the mid-Cretaceous the rocks tilted eastwards, and were then gradually eroded by seas and rivers, especially in the west of the area. And so, all the Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous rock history is absent from the geological timeline in this “fault”, and the Cretaceous rocks are deposited on the eroded rock surfaces of the Triassic period. As you walk along the coast, this makes interpretation of the time line more difficult, because the oldest and the youngest rocks on the coast are found near each other in East Devon.

The Cretaceous saw the largest and most fearsome dinosaurs on the Earth, but it was also the period when the first flowering plants evolved. A mass extinction took place at the end of the Cretaceous period which was critical to the form and animal population of the modern world (although this is not explicitly recorded in the World Heritage Site). Certainly it was around this time that the reign of the reptiles – including dinosaurs – as the predominant life on Earth came to an end; dinosaurs, marine reptiles and ammonites were some of the species which became extinct. After their time, the present style of life on Earth evolved, dominated by mammals, flowering plants and grasses. The earliest rocks from the Cretaceous period of the World Heritage coast are the Purbeck Beds, which coincidentally represent one of the most challenging rock sequences along this part of the Devon coast. They have given us many fossils including dinosaur footprints and the microscopic animal teeth. Chalk – calcium carbonate – is the youngest Cretaceous rock in the Heritage area of the Devon and Dorset coast – it is located all through the area, and usually has millions of fossils of animals such as the sea urchin. All in all, the varied geology of this beautiful coast has formed an amazing laboratory for geomorphology – the study of the land and the geological processes that created it. Coastal land is never stable; it changes as the sea and frost mould it, as rain and human activity subtly alters it. But geomorphology is looking at longer time periods than that which represents the hand of man, even though small changes, repeated often enough over long periods of time, can be powerful agents for change as well. In our time, landslides or storms have not only created the shape of the coast but have revealed the fossils in this natural laboratory of geomorphology!

This picture was created with the help of the “Scribbler” free ap on my IPhone.