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Reposted by Desert Toad

Laura 4 NAFO @lmnash123.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin was lying. bsky.app/profile/dani...

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

#Photography Arizona Sunset versus Sunrise the following morning... Tough choice

Sunset near Lake Pleasant with a little foreground macrophotography...

The morning Sun rises upon a saguaro cactus. They are very important to the indigenous people in the area, they are majestic watchers of the land.

To the Tohono O'Odham tribe (pronounced "sah-wah-roh"), saguaros (Ha:sañ) are considered sacred relatives, kin with human heritage, integral to their culture, providing food (fruit for wine/jams), building materials (ribs for homes/fences/tools), and symbolizing resilience and a spiritual connection, marked by a traditional summer fruit harvest that begins their new year and involves rain ceremonies.

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

Another Spacex launch from Vandenberg Base, 550 miles away...

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

If you use mail on balloting, I'm begging you to get it in early as possible. The USPS has done away with postmarking mail the day they receive it. It's now when it gets to the processing center, which could be any point in the future, not necessarily before the day of the election. Same for taxes.

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

As of 12/24/25, USPS changed policy on when they postmark mail. Mail dropped off is no longer guaranteed a same-day postmark. Tax returns & other time-sensitive items are now stamped when they reach a regional processing center, which may be days later. Plan deadlines accordingly to avoid penalties.

nstp.org

USPS Announces Changes to the Postmark Date System

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has adopted a final rule (FR Doc.

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

Hey FYI, new USPS rules put in place to fuck your right to vote using a mail in ballot, as well as screwing you on your taxes, if not your monthly billing... Please repost... nstp.org/article/usps...

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

#photography #Kinsale #Ireland #Panorama Pic taken from high ground in Kinsale, 360⁰ view. Kinsale served as the busiest Harbor in Ireland in the 16th, and much of the 17th century. Being built in the 13th century, it's easy to see why parking is not easy in town. Description in ALT

A beautiful 360⁰ pic of Kinsale, Ireland, at Noon, you can see 2 forts, Charles Fort and James Fort, as well as
Archdeacon Duggan Bridge, built in the mid 1970s. In addition you can see the marina, and much of the town, albeit at a distance.

From Wikipedia:
Charles Fort (Irish: Dún Chathail) is a trace italienne fortification, a bastion fort with one section of the outer wall built in star fashion. It is located at the southern end of the village of Summer Cove, on Kinsale harbour, County Cork, Ireland. First completed in 1682, Charles Fort was sometimes historically referred to as the "new fort", to contrast with James' Fort (the "old fort") which had been built on the other side of Kinsale harbour before 1607.

From WordPress:
James Fort was contstructed shortly after the British defeated the Ulster forces of O’Donnell and O’Neill when they tried to combine with the Spanish at the Battle of Kinsale in 1602.

Kinsale was the death knell for the Irish forces and resulted in the Flight of the Earls. The port at Kinsale became a British Stronghold.

Naval base: Kinsale served as an important naval base for centuries, and an underwater chain could be strung between the two forts to scuttle enemy ships during wartime.

RMS Lusitania: The harbor is also notable as the closest land to where the RMS Lusitania was sunk in 1915.

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

#photography #Maui Walking in the clouds... Haupa'akea Peak Haleakalā National Park

An 80 mile slightly anxiety inducing drive brought us to the crater of the Haupa'akea Peak, at Noon. The clouds roll over the lip of the cauldron, at 10,000 feet above sea level, and make it hard to judge whether you are looking at the sky or the ocean. The mist over the lower elevations sometimes made it hard to tell how high up the mountain we were.

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 09/10/2025

#photography #ArizonaSunset Another gorgeous sunset here, these pics taken from Talking Stick Resort golf course...

Beautiful hues dominate the sky near sunset. Pic 1

Beautiful hues dominate the sky near sunset. Pic 2

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Reposted by Desert Toad

Carbon Brief @carbonbrief.org · 04/08/2025

Revealed: How colonial rule radically shifts historical responsibility for climate change | @drsimevans.carbonbrief.org @vernerviisas.bsky.social #CBarchive Read here ➡️ bit.ly/3TecPJx

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

#Photography SpaceX Launch tonight... 500+ miles away. Description in ALT

10x zoom of the vapor cone from the SpaceX rocket launch.

Shortly after this pic, the angle slightly changed, and the rocket disappeared, leaving the twilight phenomenon behind.

2x zoom of the vapor cone from the SpaceX rocket launch with the vapor trailer of the twilight phenomenon behind.

Remnants of the vapor cone from the SpaceX rocket launch with the vapor trailer of the twilight phenomenon behind. Waves of the vapor trains form unusual formations

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 16/06/2025

#photography Golden Hour, 'Zona... Description in ALT

As the sun drops behind the cacti covered mountains, the clouds light up from rays of light to add dimension and contrast for another phenomenal sunset near Lake Pleasant

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 15/06/2025

#photography Black Swans dot a lake near a sheep farm an hour outside of Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand, early March. A common sight in the area, apparently. I had no idea. Description in ALT

Hundreds of black swans lazily float on a lake, just outside the entrance to the sheep farm.

Black swans are a common sight in the Christchurch area, as they were introduced to New Zealand from Australia in the 1860s and have established populations in both the North and South Islands. While the Australian black swan (Cygnus atratus) is now widespread, New Zealand also had its own unique, now-extinct species of black swan called the Poūwa (Cygnus sumnerensis).

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

Australian Black Swans:
These are the black swans you'll typically see in and around Christchurch today. They are native to Australia and were introduced to New Zealand in the 1860s.

New Zealand's Extinct Black Swan (Poūwa):
New Zealand once had its own species of black swan, the Poūwa, which was distinct from the Australian species.

Poūwa Characteristics:
The Poūwa was larger and heavier than the Australian black swan, with proportionally shorter wings and longer legs.

Extinction:
The Poūwa is believed to have been hunted to extinction by humans shortly after their arrival in New Zealand.

Current Swan Population:
Today, the Australian black swan is a common sight in New Zealand, including the Christchurch area, with populations found on larger coastal or inland lakes.

Lake Ellesmere:
A prominent location for black swans in the Canterbury region (where Christchurch is located) is Lake Ellesmere (Te Waihora), though a severe storm in 1968 significantly impacted the swan population there.

Hunting:
Black swans are considered game birds in New Zealand and can be hunted during the appropriate seasons.

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

#photography Early morning Island watching at the beginning of March, on the way to Tauranga Description in ALT

A distant island, cloaked by lingering clouds, the sky, ok, to me, amber and almost a greenish blue...

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

#photography Bin Chickens, in the land down under... Description in ALT

4 Australian White Ibis, known as "bin chickens" roam around the park in Sydney Harbor, looking for a snack

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

#photography A beach in Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand, in mid afternoon, early April Description in ALT

Islands dot the beach view from Rotorua in early April on a beauty of a warm day. A sailboarder tries to navigate the waves

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

#photography "Not all who wander are lost..." Description in ALT

A picture of the Sonoran Desert while on a search for a missing man that thankfully turned up after a few days.

While folks searched for him, eventually, he showed back up on his own.

Frustrating as it may have been for those that knew him, or were helping to find him, this WAS absolutely the best case scenario. No question.

Very quickly, it doesn't really matter WHY someone is gone, because if they come back alive, your prayers HAVE been answered.

I have been on other searches...

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

#photography "They're comfortable around humans, but are not pets..." Is a good reminder for fools like me. Highland Bull Bois... Description in ALT

He wanted to be pet. I wanted to pet him... but the last second warning makes you look at those sharp, pointy horns makes you wonder how fast he can swing that big old head around , or close the 3 foot distance he was away.

He looked friendly, but you gotta respect a Highland bull.

Two big boys get curious about the crowd, and want to see who risks walking in the paddock with them.

Only the farmer that they're already familiar with, reminding us that they're not big puppies, that's who.

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

#photography A hidden island, in the morning myst. Description in ALT. Sorry folks, I have been traveling a bit. Lots to show, but don't want to spam y'all.

An island hides in the clouds, at sunrise, in the Tasman Sea, blurring the distinction between the clouds and land.

The lonely island looked uninhabited by anything but birds and maybe some seals, or turtles, but I'm speculating; it did look devoid of humans though, so it was probably doing fine.

In order to find the speck of land on the sea, you had to zoom in on the horizon, in a direction you thought you'd seen it before. It disappeared and reappeared in the myst until the Sun came up and burned off the clouds.

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

#photography A large geyser erupts, in the Maori Village, leaving visitors in awe. Description in ALT

Viewers watch the geyser erupt from a safe distance, on a bridge.

Pōhutu Geyser in New Zealand's Rotorua is the largest active geyser in the Southern Hemisphere. It can erupt up to 20 times a day, shooting steam as high as 30 meters (98 ft) into the air.

Located in the Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley in Rotorua, New Zealand's North Island

Part of the Te Puia attraction

It also has a strong Sulphur smell

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

#photography Baby Wombat folks... Description in ALT

This two foot long baby is less than half the size of an adult... I had no idea they got that big... the adults can be fast and mean, or just protective of their territory.

Folks, should you be chased by one of these in the wild ( a totally real possibility, I know), the trick to remember is "Serpentine", zig-zag to escape, as they apparently can't do that well.

Serpentine!

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

#photography Sunset along the coast of Tasmania... What is truth? Which do you like better, Pic 1 or 2? Which is easier on the eyes? It gets to the question of what is art... even the RAW picture didn't appear to be what I saw with my lyin' eyes... Description in ALT

A RAW photo of the coast of Tasmania at sunset.

The exact same raw photo edited by altering the light balance, brightness, exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, saturation, tint, temperature, sharpness, and definition values modified to get the edited photo, of the coast of Tasmania at sunset.

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 23/02/2025

#photography Sydney Harbour sail off as the cruise ship sets course for Melbourne . Description in ALT.

As the crew releases the ropes from the dock, the ship moves away about 50 feet away, and the tug awaits the tow rope tossed from the ship, and uses it to pull the cruise ship backwards, to reposition it forward, and allow it it to move forward for the sail off, heading to Melbourne. The Crown Towers building directly behind, the as the Sun shimmers off of it. The tower highlights the many skyscrapers in the immediate vicinity The Sydney Harbour Bridge visible off on the left, where brave souls pay to climb the top of it, in special coveralls, tethered to the bridge by cable. It's a beautiful sunny day instead of the forecast clouds and rain.

A tug uses the tow rope tossed from the ship to pull the cruise ship backwards, to reposition it forward, and allow it it to move forward for the sail off, heading to Melbourne. The tug is no longer visible in the picture, as it pulls to the left after to turn the boat clockwise to spin the ship around. The Crown Towers building directly behind, the as the Sun shimmers off of it. The sunlight now hits individual windows, reflecting the light to look like massive spotlights. The tower highlights the many skyscrapers in the immediate vicinity The Sydney Harbour Bridge visible off on the left, where brave souls pay to climb the top of it, in special coveralls, tethered to the bridge by cable. It's a beautiful sunny day instead of the forecast clouds and rain.

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

#photography Sunrise at Uluru. This was the view behind us yesterday, while we were staring at the stunning double rainbow over "the rock" Magical place. Even the tour guide seemed flabbergasted... He seeming genuine stating that it was one of the prettier sunrises he had seen Description in ALT

Reddish orange hues color the clouds over the desert scenery, as the sun still sits below the horizon, and the air is still not hot. No structures to see, and the spot is closer to the international Space Station than another town, or (thankfully), and McDonald's or KFC.

If you wander far from here, on your own, and you are NOT a capable person from one of the local Indigenous Tribe,
My opinion is...

You gonna die out there.

Surprisingly, although the temp was 102⁰ (and very low humidity), it was basically Phoenix temps, plus brutal merciless flies. Fortunately, for us, the heat had killed many of them off, so they weren't nearly as bad as they could have been. See any Aussie reality show based in the outback, for an idea of how bad they can be...

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

#photography #BlueskyArtShow Uluru, sunrise, this morning. A rare double rainbow greets travelers to this indigenous people's sacred location, where the lighting changes the view every few minutes, if not seconds. Also called Ayer's Rock GPS location: 25°20'39"S 131°02'12"E Description in ALT

A double rainbow over Uluru, as the sun rises, and light filters over the red sandstone rock, rust red due to the the iron elements in the soil

A full double rainbow over Uluru, as the sun rises, and light filters over the red sandstone rock, rust red due to the the iron elements in the soil

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

#Photography "I'm stepping through the door And I'm floating in a most peculiar way And the stars look very different today" Description in ALT

Sails in the Desert, 2/1 63Yulara Dr, Yulara NT 0872,Australia.

Picture taken from hotel balcony, long exposure (12 minutes) Expert RAW

Galaxy S24 Ultra

3.50 МВ 13000х4000
12MP
ISO 1600 3mm
-1.7ev I F1.7

25' 1/2 s.

Obviously, the pic would have better definition if that big ol' moon wasn't lighting things up...

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

#photography A White Lipped Green Tree Frog, grooving on the Daintree River, At a spot that the river enters from the ocean. GPS location: 16°06'03"S 145°27'54"E Description in ALT

A White-Lipped Green Frog perches on a branch, stuck on a rope, next to the small dock the even smaller river cruise boat ties up to. It's kind of hard to see, as they camouflage pretty well...

The next pic zooms in a bit on the critter

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

#photography Fruit bats, y'all. I'm sure that these critters with 30" to 36" wingspan are not for some, but they seem popular in Port Douglas, QLD... Description in ALT

Fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, in Port Douglas, Australia can have wingspans of up to three feet.
Explanation
The best time to see the fruit bats in Port Douglas is at sunset when they leave to forage for the night.
The Spectacled Flying-fox is an endangered species that is commonly seen in the Cairns region and Port Douglas.
The grey-headed flying fox is the largest bat in Australia, with an adult wingspan of up to 3 ft 3 in.
The giant golden-crowned flying fox is possibly the largest bat in the world, with an average wingspan of more than 5 ft.
The Pemba flying fox is part of the megabat genus, which are the world's largest bats.
Other information
Fruit bats are commonly known as flying foxes, and their diet is mainly nectar, pollen, and fruit.

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

#photography Feeling a little salty? Well, this "Salty" would be happy to feel you, too... In her teeth! Description in ALT

"Bruce", the female Saltwater Crocodile, was named Bruce before she started laying eggs... whoops!

She guards her nest, with several eggs in it, on shore, about 15 feet away from the water's edge.

Pic 1

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

#photography The Daintree rainforest. Description in ALT

Lush vegetation, easy to walk through...

Nah, you wouldn't make it an hour.

About 80⁰ and seemingly a million percent humidity, it's HOT!

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

#photography Entering the marina at Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia, after spending the day snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef Description in ALT

Large boats line the entry to the Crystbrook Superyacht Marina, as a couple pilot a dinghy down the center of the Packers Creek waterway.

In the background, the Daintree Rain Forest, the oldest rain forest in the world, at 150 million years young...

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

#video Another horrible morning! This place is intolerable! How can anyone live here... 🤪

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

#photography Lightning over Port Douglas Description in ALT

A bright flash of lightning illuminates a dark beach in Port Douglas... the brightened sky silhouettes a line of palms that surround the beach, the mountains in the background hold part of the thick growth Daintree rain forest, the beckoning water reflects the flash of light, as the night sky in the left is lit up like daylight

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

#photography That's Amoré... A cloud halo that formed two night's ago Description in ALTs

$A cloud ring around the moon is an optical illusion called a moon halo, caused by light from the moon refracting through ice crystals in cirrus clouds. How it happens : Light from the moon enters a hexagonal ice crystal The light is bent, or refracted, as it enters the crystal The light is bent again as it exits the other side of the crystal The light ends up 22 degrees away from where it started This creates a glowing halo around the moon Viewing conditions You can see a moon halo when you view the moon from a certain angle The ice crystals should be between 20,000 and 40,000 feet (6,000 to 12,000 meters) above the observer Related information You can also see a halo around the sun, called a solar halo In folklore, a moon halo is a sign that bad weather is coming$ $A cloud ring around the moon is an optical illusion called a moon halo, caused by light from the moon refracting through ice crystals in cirrus clouds. How it happens : Light from the moon enters a hexagonal ice crystal The light is bent, or refracted, as it enters the crystal The light is bent again as it exits the other side of the crystal The light ends up 22 degrees away from where it started This creates a glowing halo around the moon Viewing conditions You can see a moon halo when you view the moon from a certain angle The ice crystals should be between 20,000 and 40,000 feet (6,000 to 12,000 meters) above the observer Related information You can also see a halo around the sun, called a solar halo$

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

#photography Color, and lack thereof... Images taken using filters; You have to decide whether or not to use filters during the photography, but since you may capture a split second photo that can't be recreated, is it better to take a filtered pic, or not. My take. Description in ALTs

A full color view of a sunset over mountains near Lake Pleasant in Arizona.

A black and white version using a filter of the same view of a sunset over mountains near Lake Pleasant in Arizona. The lack of any color shows a starker image, but it doesn't help this image's value IMO; the color is the draw to this image.

Black and white filters certainly can help, but to me can also be reductive to the image, and the fleeting moment the image was trying to capture.

When using these filters, they can greatly enhance your image, but I try to capture the same image using multiple filters, AND no filter. That way, when viewing the image on a larger screen than whatever your camera/phone has, you can see which filter truly represents the feeling your image is meant to portray.

Also, there are probably a whole bunch of apps, some free or paid, with or without ads, that let you apply filters to images after the fact, so you can still get those from a color image.

But they may/will have a hard time getting the colors right from a filtered image

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Desert Toad @deserted1.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

#photography The march of the displaced. Massive construction means beautiful gentle creatures like donkeys get pushed out of their habitat. Although we're lucky to have these lovely critters roaming within 20 feet of our house, it's easy to recognize they're running out of safe places to live

Donkeys trudge out behind our house,
On their nightly seach for food

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