Its the mountain that was just three blocks behind the Regente. Then it's definitely bracing to keep the mountain from crumbling/sliding down into the city. There were multiple slides and erosion problems in that area when I was there. The favelas were very unstable and because the cariocans are literally squatters with no land responsibility...I'm conjecturing that there was nothing the government could do but fortify the area to protect the city itself from serious damage. I never visited Brazilia...but one of the major reasons the state spent billions to build it was they hoped they could convince the cariocans to move inland and away from the mountain sides. Of course...their reasoning was seriously flawed. The natives will never leave their beaches...and the favelas have continued to grow in size and population. With the Olympics coming...my curiosity continues to grow...wondering if this event will be the impetus to finally put an end to most of the favelas. Rio is certainly doing their utmost to rid them of their inhabitants and raze them. They've never been as "romantic" as some movie makers have attempted to make them and they really do need to go. When I was there, the cariocan work ethic was rather lop sided. The women are the ones who work and support their families. For the most part...the men/husbands and male children contribute nothing. Now they're heavily involved in the drug market....because, I'm sure, it represents easy money...and lots of it. Remember the song The Girl From Ipanema ? :-) Every time I hear that I mentally return to that little bar on the side street in Ipanema where it was written.

Sunrise at the Cholla gardens in Joshua Tree National Park. Photographers go out there at sun rise because the chollas glow. Jodi-

Where I live, there is/was a Big Grove that covered more than 20 square miles. There are a few small groups of trees left in town and there is Brownfield Woods not too far from my house. That spot now has less than 100 acres of woods. It is a research area for the University of Illinois. However, prairies were the norm. There is a non-profit that is attempting to reconstruct those prairies, but it takes at least 10 years to eliminate the introduced plants and their seeds.

My husband & I went to Mt. Laurel Alabama for lunch on Wed. Was my first time there, it is a very beautiful town. I was even impressed with their storm drains, You can barely make it out but they were made in the USA. This is me looking like a tourist!!The down town area.