And the infinite emptiness of the brilliant sky above means that on the rare occasions when an object, such as a plane or a hot-air balloon, does pass through, the bright contrast lends it such a fierce intensity that it confuses the eye.

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Saving the planet is a tough job, even for the rare Sierra Clubber for whom money is no object.

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While the U.S. has had its own winemaking scandals (usually around the honesty of zinfandel blends), the country is more often the object of scammers, usually fly-by-night European exporters selling "rare" wines at low prices.

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