MarcoCastagnaro's PhotoBlog

Workin' Days

2008-07-20T14:12:30Z

I've been busy the last couple of weeks, I've been workin' even on weekends. Fortunately a friend of mine gave me a Lumix TZ5 as a gift, therefore I could take few shots, otherwise I couldn't (cannot go to work with my usual camera). I took these shots on friday morning when I finished to work, I got back to Ostia at 06.40 the sun just rise up. So I went to the beach and stayed there for half an hour... Apologize to all people comment my pix and didn't replay....too busy....(;

Rome

2008-07-18T14:01:51Z

Angels of Passion

2008-07-16T02:24:29Z

Dear Wyatt, Young Photogapher I hope everything is ok. Two nights ago I was looking at the gift you gave me when you left, and yesterday just for a lucky coincidence, I was driving in Rome when I realised that I was just in front of Castel Sant'Angelo. The Sunset wasn't really nice, the city is really smoggy because of the high temperature, but the light wasn't that bad. So I parked my car by the river (obviously where it is not allowed to) got my camera and took some pix. Basically in 1668 Pope Clemente IX asked to Lorenzo Bernini who is one of the most famous sculptor (and not only) ever, to project and design ten "Angels of Passion". They were created by ten different Lorenzo Bernini's students, and they have been located on the ancient way that led to the Vatican. The Pope wanted Christians to stop under every Angel and think about Jesus life and what he went through. All the Angels are in a higher position than normal people; this point of view, thought Bernini, would have put the Angels in the Sky, where Jesus went after his Resurrection. By the way...I'll be in Wien all August, it'd be nice to see you... (Matteo says hello to you). See you later aligator! CUIUS PRINCIPATUS SUPER HUMERUM EIUS - Ercole Ferrata

LOST

2008-07-15T02:42:39Z

Tevere River

2008-07-06T20:29:27Z

Amazon Threats: Market forces, population pressure and infrastructure advances are continuing to pry open the Amazon rainforest. As pressures on the region grow in intensity, it is becoming increasingly clear that the price to be paid is not only loss of biodiversity and habitat – but also a decreasing quality of life for people. Forests While data from the government of Brazil shows that deforestation rates for the Brazilian Amazon from August 2006 to July 2007 had fallen for the third consecutive year, deforestation still proceeded at an alarming speed. During the government's survey period more than 2.7 million acres disappeared - equaling about four football fields of rainforest per minute. There are also data that shows deforestation rates have increased since the end of that reporting period. A recent WWF report shows that 55 percent of the Amazon's forests could be gone by 2030, releasing billion of tons of carbon into the atmosphere, with major contributions to global warming. Agriculture Commercial agriculture is a major threat to the region's biodiversity, as soybean farming and cattle ranching are among the most acute causes of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. Unsustainable subsistence farming is also a threat. At one time, many migrants were encouraged to settle in the Amazon region. But instead of adapting their farming methods, they simply continued to use the techniques they learned back home. Unfortunately these techniques were suited to other soils and climates and inadequate for the Amazon region. Because land productivity in the Amazon usually falls sharply after three years, migrants are then forced to move - only continuing the cycle of destruction. Infrastructure development and international finance Major road projects provide conduits for poorly planned development and increased deforestation in newly opened areas of the Amazon. Other forms of destruction that have brought serious consequences to the region include floods caused by the construction of river dams for hydro-electrical power as well as mining that contributes to soil erosion and water contamination with toxic chemicals, such as mercury. Oil and gas exploration and the construction of pipelines also pose potentially serious threats to the region. Climate Change Climate change and deforestation could convert the majority of the Amazon rainforest into savanna, with massive impacts on the world’s biodiversity and climate. Climate-modelling studies are projecting a warmer and drier environment for the region, which will likely lead to a substantial decrease in precipitation over much of the Amazon. Such changes would result in significant shifts in ecosystem types – from tropical forest to dry savanna – and loss of species in many parts of the Amazon. Wildlife trade The remote borders between Amazon countries are ideal places for traffickers to export wild animals. Birds in the Amazon are prime targets, and some are sold live while others are killed to supply feathers, skins and other body parts. Reptiles are highly valued for their skins and live reptiles are also popular pets. In the past ten years, the world demand for reptiles by pet shops, educational and scientific institutions as well as for food, has dramatically increased. Of all mammal species from the Americas that are traded, 95 percent are found in Brazil – one of the major suppliers of primates along with the Guianas and Peru. http://www.worldwildlife.org

Is Jesus fishing?

2008-07-06T00:45:28Z

Abdul Kabir – not his real name – is 12 years old. He left his village in Uruzgan and went in Kandahar to work in a relative’s shop. But when he got there, the man did not want to employ him and shut the door in his face. Abdul went to the labour market and two men promised him a work as a bricklayer for one dollar a day. Instead of bringing him to the yard, they brought him in an abandoned building and abused him. Recovered from the trauma, Abdul decided to come back to his village. A taxi driver offered him a lift and, once in the car, he abused him too. He reached his house at last and tried to earn his living from the opium harvest in the field of a friend of his family. But there, among the poppies, another worker tried to abuse him. The boy reacted and wounded the man with the sickle used for harvesting the opium. The twelve-years-old boy has been turned in to the police and locked up in a detention centre. His abuser is free. - peacereporter.net

Not for Vegetarian

2008-07-03T23:18:14Z

Beef (rare!!!) and Lamb

Life's lessons

2008-07-02T22:42:50Z

My mum with my nephew

Pickin' up a flower

2008-07-01T21:27:22Z

Don't hide behind the mask

2008-06-30T20:10:39Z