Oxford, a city in central southern England, revolves around its prestigious university, established in the 12th century. The architecture of its 38 colleges in the city’s medieval center led poet Matthew Arnold to nickname it the ‘City of Dreaming Spires’. University College and Magdalen College are off the High Street, which runs from Carfax Tower (with city views) to the Botanic Garden on the River Cherwell.
All posts by She Seeks Serene
Views: Denmark’s $34 Billion Energy Islands
The energy islands and the wind farms with a combined capacity of 5 GW are expected to be commissioned by 2030.
The North Sea energy island will have an initial capacity of 3 GW which could potentially be further scaled up to 10 GW offshore wind. This will be an artificial island.
Wildlife Photography: Amazing Scottish Photos
THE KINGFISHER HAS the poise of an Olympic diver. It catches food by plunging head-first into water, wings outstretched and beak pointed keenly at an unsuspecting minnow or stickleback swimming below. The bird dives in the blink of an eye, snatching its prey and flying away in a blur.
Alan McFadyen recently captured a kingfisher’s riveting dive in a gorgeous photo that shows the bird the moment before it nabs a fish, its body reflected as a mirror image in the water’s surface. The birds, which tend to be small, with large heads and dagger-like beaks, can dive at speeds up to 25 mph, making McFadyen’s photo a difficult shot. “The [kingfisher’s] speed is incredible and fascinating to watch,” he says. “Even at 10 frames per second, sometimes you get nothing in the [photograph]. It’s that fast.”
Morning News: Employers Requiring Covid-19 Shots, Inflation Data & Vermont
A.M. Edition for June 15. WSJ’s Chip Cutter discusses the latest moves by companies to encourage Covid-19 vaccinations for employees.
WSJ’s Quentin Webb on why the global chip shortage may affect May’s U.S. retail sales data. And, Vermont’s milestone amid the pandemic. Marc Stewart hosts.
Views: Zion National Park, Southwestern Utah (4K)
Zion National Park is a southwest Utah nature preserve distinguished by Zion Canyon’s steep red cliffs. Zion Canyon Scenic Drive cuts through its main section, leading to forest trails along the Virgin River. The river flows to the Emerald Pools, which have waterfalls and a hanging garden. Also along the river, partly through deep chasms, is Zion Narrows wading hike.
Political Analysis: Tamara Keith And Lisa Lerer On G-7, Europe And Immigration
NPR’s Tamara Keith and Lisa Lerer of The New York Times join Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest political news, including President Joe Biden’s message in Europe, Vice President Kamala Harris’ diverse and challenging portfolio, how it all affects Republican strategy for the midterm elections and what role former President Donald Trump plays in his party.
Walking Tours: San Marco Quarter In Venice (4K)
In this walking tour, I take you around St Mark’s Square, walking till Rialto, you will see all the best attraction of Venice: The Basilic, the Clock Tower, St Mark’s Square, the Doge Palace, the beautiful restaurants, the nice shop, and of course the amazing Rialto bridge.
At Rialto, we take the “vaporetto” and navigate the “Grand Canal” till Accademia, walking at the top of Accademia bridge. We will visit the “Dorsoduro” sestiere till Basilic of Santa Maria della Salute, where we took a “traghetto”, a traditional venetian gondola used to cross the “Grand Canal”. The Traghetto takes us to Giardini Reali, and finally we will arrive at St Mark’s Square.
San Marco is the tourist heart of Venice, home to iconic sights like St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Sighs. The area is often thronged with people, and the restaurants on and around St. Mark’s Square offer multilingual menus for the international crowd. The surrounding streets are filled with casual snack bars, upscale fashion boutiques and shops selling glass art and gift items.
Reviews: Pros & Cons Of Indoor Smart Gardens
Can smart gardens really grow delicious vegetables inside your apartment? WSJ asked Timothy Hammond, an urban gardener and educator in Houston, to test out Rise Gardens hydroponic smart garden to see how the vegetables compare with his own outdoor garden. Photo: Ben Hallock for The Wall Street Journal
Village View: Clerkenwell In Northern London
‘Clerkenwell was right outside the London city walls, but close enough to it, so was ideal for monasteries. With four or five in the area, people came to serve them, shops opened and you had quite a nice little village.’
A medieval well lies hidden inside a brick office block on Farringdon Lane. It may look a little more than a hole in the ground, but it’s from there that Clerkenwell came to life.
‘The parish clerks from the City of London would come to perform plays and read from the Bible and, because they gathered around this particular well, it became known as the well of the Clerks,’ explains Mark Aston, local-history manager for Islington Council, under which authority Clerkenwell falls. ‘It’s not only water that sprung from it, but Clerkenwell’s name itself.’
News: Top 5 Stories On June 14, 2021 (Reuters)
Five stories to know for June 14, 2021:
1. Following the G7 summit in England, Joe Biden attends a NATO summit in Brussels. The U.S. president will rally Western allies to support a U.S. strategy to contain China’s military rise as well as showing unity in the face of Russian aggression.
2. One of 14 people hurt in a mass shooting in Austin, Texas, died according to media reports. Two men opened fire at each other in a busy entertainment district. Police arrested one suspect and are searching for another.
3. Benjamin Netanyahu’s record run in office ended on Sunday with Israel’s parliament approving, by a razor-thin majority of 60-59, a new administration led by Naftali Bennett, a nationalist whose views mirror Netanyahu’s on many issues. In Tel Aviv, thousands turned out to welcome the result, after four inconclusive elections in two years.
4. The United States is looking into reports of a leak at a Chinese nuclear power plant, after warnings of an “imminent radiological threat” by a French company that helps operate it, CNN reported on Monday.
5. Bitcoin climbed just shy of $40,000 on Monday, after yet another weekend of price swings following tweets from Tesla boss Elon Musk, who fended off criticism over his market influence and said Tesla sold bitcoin but may resume transactions using it.
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