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+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
Following Hungary's membership of NATO in 1999, there were several proposals to achieve a NATO-compatible fighter force. Considerable attention went into studying second-hand aircraft options as well as modifying the nation's existing MiG-29 fleet. In 2001, Hungary received several offers of new and used aircraft from various nations, including Sweden, Belgium, Israel, Turkey, and the US. Although the Hungarian government initially intended to procure the F-16, in November 2001 it was in the process of negotiating a 10-year lease contract for 12 Gripen aircraft from Sweden, with an option to purchase the aircraft at the end of the lease period.
As part of the procurement arrangements, Saab had offered an offset deal valued at 110 per cent of the cost of the 14 fighters. Initially, Hungary had planned to lease several Batch II Saab 39s; however, the inability to conduct aerial refueling and weapons compatibility limitations had generated Hungarian misgivings. The contract was then renegotiated and eventually signed on 2 February 2003 for a total of 14 Gripens, which had originally been A/B standard and had undergone an extensive upgrade process to the NATO-compatible C/D 'Export Gripen' standard. At the same time, the need for an advanced jet trainer as a replacement for the Hungarian Air Force’s last eight MiG-21UM aircraft became more and more imminent. The Gripen two-seaters alone could not cope with this task and were operationally too expensive to be used as trainers, so that Hungary requested an additional offer for a small number of Sk 90 trainers from Swedish surplus stock.
Developed under the designation FSK900, the Saab Sk 90 was a replacement for the Saab 105 (also known as Saab Sk 60) transitional trainer, light attack and reconnaissance aircraft. The FSK900 was a conservative design, with a configurational resemblance to the Dassault-Dornier Alpha Jet, even though the FSK900 was overall bigger and heavier, and the two machines could be easily told apart at a glance.
The Swedish Air Force accepted Saab’s design, leading to a contract for two nonflying static-test airframes and four flying prototypes. Detail design was complete by the end of 1993 and prototype construction began in the spring of 1994, leading to the initial prototype’s first flight on 29 July 1994. The first production Sk 90 A, how the basic trainer type was officially dubbed, was delivered to the Swedish Air Force in 1996.
A total of 108 production Sk 90s were built until 1999 for Sweden in several versions. The initial Sk 90 A trainer was the most common variant and the basis for the Sk 90 B version, which carried a weather radar as well as more sophisticated avionics that enabled the deployment of a wider range of weapons and other ordnance. However, this version was not adopted by the Swedish air force but exported to Austria as the Sk 90 Ö. Another variant was the S 90 C (for “Spaning” = reconnaissance); a small number was produced with a set of cameras in the nose for the Swedish Air Force, where it replaced the ground attack/reconnaissance Sk 60 Cs.
In service, the Sk 90 was regarded as strong, agile, and pleasant to fly, while being cheap to operate. But despite its qualities and potential, the Sk 90 did not attain much foreign interest, primarily suffering from bad timing and from the focus on domestic demands. The aircraft came effectively 10 years too late to become a serious export success, and in the end the Sk 90 was very similar to the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet (even though it was cheaper to operate), at a time when the German Luftwaffe started to prematurely phase out its attack-capable variant and flooded the global market with cheap secondhand aircraft in excellent condition. Furthermore, the Saab Sk 90 had on the global market with the BAe Hawk another proven competitor with a long and positive operational track record all over the world.
Beyond Hungary, potential Sk 90 buyers were Malaysia as well as Singapore, Myanmar, Finland, and Poland. Austria eventually procured 36 Sk 90 Ö in 2002, replacing its Saab 105 fleet and keeping up its close connection with Saab since the Seventies. A late operator became the independent Republic of Scotland in 2017, with a dozen leased secondhand Saab Sk 90 A trainers which were later purchased.
The Swedish Sk 90 offer for Hungary was a 10-year lease contract similar to the Gripen package, and comprised five refurbished Sk 90 A trainers from the first production batch, which had been stored in Sweden for spares. The Hungarian Sk 90 deal also included an option to purchase the aircraft at the end of their lease period. In parallel, to save maintenance costs for the relatively small fleet of a completely new/different aircraft type, an agreement with neighboring neutral Austria could be arranged to outsource major overhauls to the Austrian Air Force and its newly established Sk 90 Ö service base at Linz – a deal from which both sides benefited. However, to improve flight safety over Austria’s mountainous terrain during these transfer flights, the Hungarian Sk 90 As had a simple navigational radar retrofitted with a small radome in their noses. Otherwise, the machines were basically identical with the original Swedish aircraft.
The aircraft were flown under civil registration from Sweden to Hungary between April and September 2005. To keep the distance to their Austrian service station short, the machines were not allocated to the 59th Air Regiment at Kecskemét Air Base, where the Hungarian Gripen fleet was based, but rather to the 47th Air Regiment at Pápa Air Base in Northwestern Hungary, where the last Hungarian MiG-21UM trainers had been operated. These were fully retired in 2008.
Beyond their primary role as advanced/jet conversion trainers, the Hungarian Sk 90 As were also intended to be used for tactical reconnaissance duties with Orpheus pods with daylight cameras and an infrared line scanner, inherited from the Italian Air Force, as light attack aircraft and ─ armed with gun pods and air-to-air missiles ─ as (anti-tank) helicopter hunters. Reflecting these low-level tasks, the machines received a tactical camouflage in green and tan, similar to the former MiG-21s, instead of the Gripens’ all-grey air superiority scheme.
While the Hungarian Air Force operated its total of 14 Gripen and 5 Sk 90 aircraft under lease, in 2011, the country reportedly intended to purchase these aircraft outright. However, in January 2012, the Hungarian and Swedish governments agreed to extend the lease period for a further ten years. According to Hungarian Defence Minister Csaba Hende, this agreement represented considerable cost savings, so that the running business model was retained. The service agreement with Austria could be extended, too.
One Sk 90 A was lost in a landing accident in May 2016, and two Gripens had to be written off through accidents in the meantime, too. To fill these gaps, Hungary signed a replacement contract in 2018 to come back to its full fleet of 14 Gripen, and the Sk 90 A fleet was expanded to seven aircraft. These new machines were delivered in 2019.
General characteristics:
Crew: two pilots in tandem
Length incl. pitot: 13.0 m (42 ft 8 in)
Wingspan: 9.94 m (32 ft 7 in)
Height: 4.6 m (15 ft 1 in)
Empty weight: 3,790 kg (8,360 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 7,500 kg (16,530 lb)
Powerplant:
2× Williams International FJ44-4M turbofans without reheat, rated at 16.89 kN (3,790 lbst) each
Performance:
Maximum speed: 1,038 km/h (645 mph)
Stall speed: 167 km/h (104 mph, 90 kn)
Range: 1,670 km (900 nm; 1,036 m) with two 450 L (99 imp gal; 120 US gal) drop tanks
Service ceiling: 15,240 m (50,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 51 m/s (10,000 ft/min)
Armament:
No internal gun; five hardpoints for 2,500 kg (5,500 lb) of payload and a variety of ordnance,
including AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles and a conformal, ventral gun pod (not used by the Hungarian
Air Force, instead, UPK-23-250 pods with a fixed twin-barrel GSh-23L cannon and 200-250 rounds
were carried under the fuselage and/or the inner wing hardpoints)
The kit and its assembly:
This additional member of my fictional Sk 90 family came spontaneously when I studied information concerning the MiG-21. I came across the Hungarian trainers and wondered with what they could have been replaced after 2000 – and “my” fictional Sk 90 came to my mind. I also had a suitable decal set in store, so I dug out a(nother) Hasegawa T-4 and created this whiffy Hungarian variant.
The kit is the old/first T-4 mold; Hasegawa did the T-4 twice, and both kits differ considerably from each other in their construction. The first one has a fuselage consisting of two simple halves with separate wings attached to it; the later mold features a separate cockpit section and a single dorsal wing section, so that the wings’ anhedral is ensured upon assembly.
The air intakes are also different: the old mold features ducts which are open at their ends, while the new mold comes with additional inserts for the intakes which end in a concave wall, making them hard to paint. The fin of the old kit consists of two full halves, while the new one has the rudder molded into just one half of the fin for a thinner trailing edge. The same goes for the wings’ upper halves: on the new mold, they comprise the full flaps and ailerons, while the old kit has them split up, resulting in a marginally thicker training edge. However, you can hardly recognize this and it’s IMHO not a flaw.
Personally, I prefer the old kit, because it is much more straightforward and pleasant to build – even though some details like the main landing gear struts are better on the new mold.
The (old) kit itself is relatively simple and fit is quite good, even though some PSR was necessary on almost every seam. The only mods I made are additional emergency handles on the seats (made from thin wire), and I added an Orpheus recce pod under the fuselage with an integral pylon, left over from an Italeri F-104G kit. The OOB underwing pylons were used, together with the original drop tanks.
Painting and markings:
The prime reason for a Hungarian Sk 90 was the paint scheme, and the fact that I have a sweet spot for Hungary in genarl. The livery was adapted from the late Hungarian MiG-21bis, a more or less symmetrical pattern consisting of a yellowish light tan and a bluish dark green, with light blue undersides. It’s actually a very simple paint scheme, and my adaptation is a free interpretation, since the T-4’s layout with shoulder-mounted wings is quite different from the sleek Fishbed with mid-mounted delta wings.
Finding good color matches was not easy, because pictures of reference Hungarian MiG-21s show a wide variety of green and brown shades, even though I assume that this is just weathering. I found some good pictures of a late MiG-21UM trainer with an apparently fresh paint job, and these suggested a hard contrast between the upper tones. With this benchmark I settled for Humbrol 63 (Sand), and Modelmaster 2091 (RLM 82, Dunkelgrün). The undersides were painted with Humbrol 47 (Sea Blue Gloss), since they appeared rather bright and pale in reference pictures.
The cockpit interior was painted in medium grey (Revell 47), the landing gear and the air intakes in white (Revell 301), very conservative. The Orpheus pod was painted in light grey (FS 36375, Humbrol 127) to set it apart from the light blue undersurfaces. The drop tanks were painted in green and blue.
National markings, the large orange “47” decoration and the small emblems on nose and fin came from a Mistercraft MiG-21UM decal sheet. The tactical code in red, etched with white, was created with single digits from a Hungarian Aero Decals (HAD) sheet for Mi-24s, reflecting the aircraft’s (fictional) serial numbers’ final three digits.
Finally, after some light weathering and post-shading (for a slightly sun-bleached look, esp. on the upper surfaces), the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (Italeri).
Number four in my growing Sk 90 family, and certainly not the last one. A quick and simple project since the model itself was built almost OOB, and the “old” Hasegawa T-4 is really a simple build. However, I am amazed (once more) how much potential a T-4 travesty bears: even in Hungarian colors and markings this whif looks disturbingly convincing. The green/brown/blue paint scheme suits the aircraft well, too, even though it looks a lot like an Alpha Jet now, and there’s even a Su-25ish look to it?!
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This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
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This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
The Divine Spirit is infinite, yet it dwells in forms and inspires likeness, and thus truth enters into forms and signs.” But while landscapes portrayed the vastness and grandeur of Nature, the garden revealed her intimate aspect. All forms of art are the outward and visible expression of Ch’i, the Cosmic Breath or Energy, with which all creation must be in accord, whether it be painting, poetry, music, or the creation of a garden. Indeed, all these arts developed side by side, for the Chinese scholar was expected to be capable of interpreting the same inspiration in all three arts together and the place of both their inspiration and expression was most usually the garden, this term being applied also to the rural retreat of a sage or hermit where in some remote and beautiful scenery a hut had been built and round it trees planted. In a well-designed garden it should be difficult to distinguish between the work of man and Nature. One should “borrow scenery from Nature” and the ideal place was “among trees in the mountains.” Wherever it was, the garden was a place of quiet, meditation, and communion with Nature, whether in wild scenery beside a waterfall, or a trickling stream, or in a bamboo grove, or the courtyard of a city dwelling. The garden is “the natural home of man” and house and garden were situated according to feng-shui (wind and water) influences in harmony with the currents of Ch’i; these were held in balance in both the house and garden, as in Nature, by the yin-yang forces. The yin lunar and yang solar powers were represented by the yin valleys and waters and the yang mountains and sky with all their endless yang and yin qualities such as sunshine and shadow, height and depth, heat and cold. However small the space utilized, the garden was never laid out as a flat expanse from which all could be viewed at once. This removal of any definite boundary made for succession, expansion, rhythm, and a sense of unlimited time and space. The garden, like Nature, is ever-changing, a place of light and shade with a life-breath (Ch’i yün) which is in harmony with the rhythms of the seasons and their contrasts in weather. Irregularity of line also suggests movement and life. “Everything that is ruled and symmetrical is alien to free nature.”[3] Or, as it has been said: “The awareness of change, the interaction symbolized by the yin-yang theory, has caused Chinese gardeners to seek irregular and unexpected features which appeal more to the imagination than to the reasoning faculty of the beholder. There were certain rules and principles for gardening, but these did not lead to any conformity. The basic elements were the same for landscape painting, shan shui or ‘mountain and water’”[4] which might be imposing scenery or simply a pond and rocks. The smallest space could be converted into an effect of depth, infinite extension, and mysterious distance; groves, rockeries, bushes, winding paths, all helped to lure on beyond the immediate scene. As Rowley says of Western and Chinese art: “We restrict space to a single vista as though seen through an open door; they suggest the unlimited space of nature as though they had stepped through that open door.” The entire garden must be considered in association and relationship with all things in Nature. Chang Ch’ao says: “Planting flowers serves to invite butterflies, piling up rocks serves to invite the clouds, planting pine trees serves to invite the wind,… planting banana trees serves to invite the rain, and planting willow trees serves to invite the cicada.” These are all traditional symbolic associations. In the past in China, though man was the mediator between Heaven and Earth, he was not the measure of the universe; his place was simply to maintain the balance and harmony between the yin and the yang. It was Nature which was the Whole, and controlling cosmic power. The garden helped man in his work of maintaining harmony; it also had an ethical significance and influence. According to Ch’ien Lung it had “a refreshing effect upon the mind and regulated the feelings” preventing man from becoming “engrossed in sensual pleasures and losing strength of will.” Its pleasures were simple, natural, and spiritual. A Suchou poet wrote of the garden: “One should enter it in a peaceful and receptive mood; one should use one’s observation to note the plan and pattern of the garden, for the different parts have not been arbitrarily assembled, but carefully weighed against each other like the pairs of inscribed tablets placed in the pavilions,[6] and when one has thoroughly comprehended the tangible forms of objects one should endeavor to attain an inner communication with the soul of the garden and try to understand the mysterious forces governing the landscape and making it cohere.” The garden was for all seasons with their changing moods and colors, flowers and trees, so the pavilion and open gallery were necessary for enjoyment in the heat of summer or the cold of winter and became an integral part of the scenery. Even in winter one sat out in the pavilion to admire the beauties of the snow and to watch the budding of the almond and plum blossom. A portable brazier of glowing charcoal kept one warm and a large brazier was used to melt the snow to make tea. The garden was particularly evocative by moonlight and the new and full moons, times of spiritual power, had their own festivals, especially the festival of the mid-autumn moon. Other festivals were also celebrated in the pavilion or garden; the vernal equinox, observed on the twelfth day of the second month of the Chinese year, was known as the Birthday of the Flowers. Pavilions and galleries obviously had to blend with their surroundings. The Yüan Yeh says: “Buildings should be placed so as to harmonize with the natural formation of the ground.” When pavilions were connected by galleries these followed the rise and fall and curves of the land or winding of the waters which were often crossed by bridges, bringing in all the symbolism of the crossing of the waters, of transition, of communication between one realm or plane and another, as well as of man as mediator, occupying the central position between the great powers. Added beauty and symbolism was introduced in the “moon bridge,” a lovely half-circle which when reflected in the clear water below formed the perfect circle of the full moon. Roofs were curved and painted and the lattice work of the balustrades was lacquered and painted in harmonizing and symbolic colors. Harmony and proportion had to be maintained but symmetry was alien to Nature, thus the garden contained no such thing as clipped lawns or hedges or stiff geometrically designed flower beds, or flowers marshaled in rows or patterns. And “landscaping” had to absorb buildings and, like planted trees, make them look as if they had grown there. “One erects a pavilion where the view opens and plants flowers that smile in the face of the spring breeze.”[7] It was a place for both relaxation and active enjoyment, for solitary meditation and study, or for convivial gatherings for friends to meet and drink tea or wine or take al fresco meals. There they composed poetry and music, painted, practiced calligraphy or discussed philosophy. One amusement was to compose a poem in the time that it took a floating wine cup and saucer to drift from one end to the other on a meandering water-course set in the floor of the pavilion. A poet failing to complete his poem in the time had to catch and empty the cup. These water-courses could also be constructed in symbolic forms such as the swastika, or the cross-form of the Chinese character for the number ten, or in the shape of a lotus or open flower. Sometimes the water tumbled over small waterfalls or rocks. Pavilions were given names such as the Pavilion of the Hanging Rainbow, the Fragrance of the Lotus, the Secret Clouds, the Eight Harmonious Tones, Invitation, or Contemplation, of the Moon, Welcoming Spring, Pleasant Coolness, and so on. In some gardens there were Halls of the Moon; these were constructed in the shape of a hemisphere, the vaulted ceiling painted to represent the nocturnal sky with innumerable small windows of colored glass depicting the moon and stars. The total effect was one of the subdued light of a summer’s night. Sometimes the floor was planted with flowers, but more usually it contained running water, the moon and water being closely allied: “The moon washes its soul in the clear waters,” but although moon and waters are both yin water is symbolically related to the sun since the waters catch and reflect back the sun’s light, the yang. These halls could be large enough for holding banquets or of a smallness suitable for intimate sitting about in conversation or listening to music and poetry. Here, in the garden, where heaven and earth meet, music and poetry become the natural form of the expression of harmony. While the pavilion was built in and for the garden and was open to it, this breaking down of the distinction between in and out of doors applied also to the dwelling house which was not only sited for feng-shui but for fitting as naturally as possible into the scenery and giving access so immediately to the garden that there seemed no dividing line. Doors either did not exist or were left open. (Socially, closed doors were not considered courteous since they implied exclusion, while the open door symbolized the welcome extended by the essentially outgoing Chinese temperament with its spontaneous and natural relationships developed over the ages in the highly socialized life of a large family). Doors were often only a means of enhancing a view into the garden or to the scenery beyond, such as the moon door, a beautifully placed circle framing some special outlook. Not only was every aspect used to its full natural advantage but “if one can take advantage of a neighbor’s view one should not cut off the communication, for such a ‘borrowed prospect’ is very acceptable.” The house opened on to the garden and the garden came into the house; rooms opened on to the courtyards where flowering trees grew and ferns and flowers fringed a central pool, usually with golden carp swimming in it, for the garden was a place for animal and bird life also. Indeed, animals and plants were not considered the only ‘living’ things; everything shares in the cosmic power and mountains and rivers also ‘live.’ Nor was it at all unusual for the house to go out into the garden, for the lover of nature would move a bed out of doors, beside some special tree, shrub, or flower which was coming into bloom, so that no stage of its development and beauty would be lost; or one would sit up all night to enjoy the effect of the moonlight. “The moonlight lies like glittering water over the countryside. The wind sighs in the trees and gently touches the lute and the book that lie on the couch. The dark rippled mirror of the water swallows the half-moon. When day dawns one is awakened by the fresh breeze; it reaches the bed and all the dust of the world is blown out of one’s mind.” The garden was not, however, merely aesthetic but creative and a reminder of, and contact with, the creative forces and the great cycle of the seasons, birth, maturity, decay, death and rebirth. The merging of the native Taoism with imported Buddhism in Ch’an, or Zen, carried on the tradition of the intimate relationship between man and Nature. Ch’an Buddhism and gardens were two facets of Chinese inspiration which were adopted and carried on by the Japanese, but in later decadent times the original symbolism of the garden as a reflection of Paradise was lost and gardens became mere pleasure grounds, except where attached to monasteries in which much of the symbolism was taken over and where the association with meditation remained. In those gardens of effete times artificial extravagances crept in; windows were made in shapes which bore no relationship to symbols, such as teapots, animals, vases, and fans, even if some of these forms had, in fact, a symbolic content. But these aberrations were stigmatized by the Yüan Yeh as “stupid and vulgar” and “intelligent people should be careful in such matters.” (Shades of plastic cranes and gnomes!) The garden was a reflection of the macrocosm and embodied all the yin-yang dualisms projected in manifestation. Mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, were all represented. As Cheng Pan ch’iao said: “The enjoyment of life should come from a view regarding the universe as a garden… so that all beings live according to their nature and great indeed is such happiness.” The importance of water in the Chinese garden was not only due to yin-yang symbolism but to the wide significance of water itself as, next to the Dragon, the greatest Taoist symbol. It is strength in weakness, fluidity, adaptability, coolness of judgment, gentle persuasion, and passionlessness. While mountains and rocks are the bones of the body and the earth its flesh, rivers and streams are the arteries and blood, life-giver and fertilizer. Flowing water and still water symbolized movement and repose and the complementary opposites, and water-worn stones represented the interaction of the soft and the hard. Still water also takes on all the symbolism of the mirror. Water could be made by forming lakes and rivers in the earth excavated for making mountains, though mountains were most frequently represented by rocks, hollow and weather-worn, fretted out by the restless sea or the elements or formed from the strange shapes of petrified trees. These rocks were carefully selected for their color, texture, grain, and shape; some were upright and towering, others, larger at the top than at the base, gave the effect of disappearing into the clouds, others, lying down, took fantastic animal shapes, some gave out a note when struck, others were mute. Sometimes the rocks formed grottoes, but whatever the shape they always appeared as natural to the setting and were as near to the form of wild mountain crags as possible, giving the impression of Nature, untamed and capricious. (In this “naturalness” it must be remarked that the mountains of China in the Yangtze gorges, the far West, and the Southern provinces have been worked by nature herself into fantastic and sometimes grotesque shapes.) “Try to make your mountains resemble real mountains. Follow Nature’s plan” but “do not forget they have to be built by human hands.” Symbolically, the mountain is of course the world axis, but in the Chinese garden it also represented the yang power in Nature with the waters as the yin; the “mountain” is traditionally placed in the middle of a lake or pond, the rock being the stable and eternal, the water the flowing and temporal. This mountain-and-water (shan shui) symbolism also obtains in landscape painting. The rock and the shadow it casts are also yang and yin. Rocks are “silent, unmovable, and detached from life, like refined scholars.” Their ruggedness also suggests the challenging and dangerous element in the mountains and in life. In larger gardens the mountains were sufficiently high for the formation of small valleys and dales, with winging streams opening out into lakes on which boat journeys could be taken and where the water could be spanned by bridges. Sometimes a series of islands or rocks were so connected. Tunnels in the rocks gave the same effect and carried the same symbolism as bridges in passing from one world to another. But “even a little mountain may give rise to many effects… a small stone may evoke many feelings.”[11] Shen Fu says: “In the designing of a rockery or the training of flower trees one should try to show the small in the large and the large in the small and provide for the real in the unreal and the unreal in the real. One reveals and conceals alternately, making it sometimes apparent and sometimes hidden.” Both the yang mountain and the yin tree are axial and so represent stability and balance between the two great powers; they also offer a line of communication for man between the celestial yang forces coming down to earth and the earthly yin forces reaching up to heaven, with man again as central and responsible for the maintenance of balance and harmony in responding equally to the yin and yang powers. Trees were an essential feature of both the domestic and hermitage garden, particularly the latter where they were often the only addition made by man to the natural scenery and their variety was almost as important as the trees themselves. While all trees are beautiful and symbolize the feminine power, some were especially noted for their yin-yang qualities. Though yin as a tree, the pine and cedar express yang masculine dignity and rigidity in contrast to the feminine gracefulness, pliability, and charm of the willow, both these trees were considered necessary to maintain the yin-yang harmony. Flowering trees such as the almond, cherry, plum, and peach were esteemed—one should say loved—for their beauty and their symbolism. The almond, as the first flower of the year, is in many traditions the Awakener, watchfulness. As flowering in winter it is also courage in adversity. The cherry depicts delicacy of feeling and purity of feeling on the yin side and nobility on the yang. The plum, a symbol of winter and beauty signified strength and longevity and the hermit. It is one of the favorite subjects for artists and the plum, pine, and bamboo were called “the three friends of winter.” The almond and plum are both symbolic of new life coming in spring, but the plum should have a gnarled trunk and branches, called sleeping dragons, as the yang to offset the delicate blossoms of the yin; they also represent the old and new together. Just as lovers of the garden would move their beds out under trees, so we read of artists who wandered all night in the moonlight to catch every phase of the beauty of “the dry limbs clad in jade-white blooms.”
The peach holds a special position as the tree of the Taoist genii or Immortals; it is the Tree of Life at the center of Paradise. It is also the Tree of Immortality and one bite of the fruit growing on the tree in Paradise confers immediate immortality. Peach stones were apotropaic and were beautifully and symbolically carved and kept, or worn, as amulets and talismans. The tree is a symbol of spring, youth, marriage, wealth, and longevity.
Preeminent among flowers were the lotus, peony, and chrysanthemum. The peony is the only purely yang flower. Flowers, with their cup shape, naturally depict the yin receptive aspect in nature, but the peony is a royal flower, flaunting the red, fiery, masculine color; it is also nobility, glory, riches. The chrysanthemum, on the other hand, is a flower of quiet retirement, the beloved flower of the cultured scholar, the retired official, who was of course also a scholar, the philosopher, and poet. It was so much cultivated in retirement that it became a symbol of that life and of leisure. It signifies longevity as being that which survives the cold and as autumnal it is harvest and wealth, but it is primarily ease, leisure, joviality, and enjoyment. Yüan Chung-lang said that the retired and the scholar were fortunate in having “the enjoyment of the hills and water, flowers and bamboo” largely to themselves since “luckily they lie outside the scope of the strugglers for fame and power who are so busy with their engrossing pursuits that they have no time for such enjoyment.”
But the lotus, a universal symbol in the East (its symbolism is taken on by the lily and sometimes the rose in the West) is “the flower that was in the Beginning, the glorious lily of the Great Waters… that wherein existence comes to be and passes away.” It is both yin and yang and contains within itself the balance of the two powers; it is solar as blooming in the sun and lunar as rising from the dark of the waters of pre-cosmic chaos. As the combination of air and water it symbolizes spirit and matter; its roots bedded in the darkness of the mud depict indissolubility; its stem, the umbilical cord of life, attaches man to his origins and is also a world axis; rising through the opaque waters of the manifest world, the leaves and flowers reach and unfold in the air and sunlight, typifying potentiality in the bud and spiritual expansion and realization in the flower; its seeds, moving on the waters are creation. The lotus is associated with the wheel both as the solar matrix and the sun-wheel of cycles of existence. Iamblichus calls it perfection, since its leaves, flowers, and fruit form the circle. As lunar-solar, yin-yang, the lotus is also the androgyne, the self-existent. It has an inexhaustible symbolism in Hinduism, Taoism, and Buddhism alike. Again it appears as both solar and lunar associated with sun gods such as Surya and lunar goddesses such as Lakshmi; solar with Amitabha and lunar with Kwan-yin and androgynous in Kwannon. The lotus is the Golden Flower of Taoism, the crystallization and experience of light, the Tao. While on the spiritual level it represents the whole of birth, growth, development, and potentiality, on the mundane level it depicts the scholar-gentleman who comes in contact with mud and dirty water but is uncontaminated by it. Apart from its almost endless symbolism, the lotus is a flower of great beauty and highly evocative; as Osvald Sirén says, a sheet of lotus blossom “emanates a peculiar magic, an atmosphere that intoxicates like fragrant incense and lulls like the rhythms of a rising and falling mantra.” Ancient China understood many things which are only now reaching the West and being hailed as new discoveries. She anticipated by centuries the “discovery” that flowers and plants have feelings. Yüan Chung-lang knew that they have their likes and dislikes and compatibilities among other vegetation and that they respond to care and appreciation in more than a material way. The flowers in a Chinese garden were genuinely loved, but not in any “precious” aestheticism, rather in an intimate relationship between living individuals. He said that “flowers have their moods of happiness and sorrow and their time of sleep.… When they seem drunk, or quiet and tired, and when the day is misty, that is the sorrowful mood of flowers.… When they bask in the sunlight and their delicate bodies are protected from the wind, that is the happy mood of flowers.… When the ancient people knew a flower was about to bud they would move their beds and pillows and sleep under it watching how the flower passed from infancy to maturity and finally dropped off and died.… As for all forms of noisy behavior and common vulgar prattle, they are an insult to the spirits of flowers. One should rather sit dumb like a fool than offend them.”[13] Among things which flowers dislike are: too many guests; ugly women putting flowers in their hair; dogs fighting; writing poems by consulting a rhyming dictionary; books kept in bad condition; spurious paintings; and common monks talking Zen! On the other hand they do like a visiting monk who understands tea! Picked flowers and vases of flowers should never be regarded as normal, only as a temporary expedient employed by those living in cities and unnatural places deprived of the hills and lakes or any garden. For the town-dweller or for one kept indoors of necessity the miniature garden was created; though it was also seen in pavilions it was most usually on the tables of scholars. It, too, symbolized Paradise, the Isles of the Blessed, or the Abode of the Immortals reflected in miniature perfection with the whole range of the yin-yang symbolism. Exceptionally beautiful stones or shells were used and there were miniature grottoes, trees, bamboos, and grasses growing among the mountains, valleys, and waters. The making of these gardens was an art in itself; just as Wang Wei maintained that the artist can bring all Nature into the space of a small painting, so the creator of a garden, large, small, or miniature can concentrate the cosmos within its bounds. Enclosing the whole garden in the city, or where the extent of the garden was limited, was the wall which was used not only as a boundary but as a setting for trees, shrubs, and flowers; it could also provide an aperture which opened up some special view. In the city, where space was restricted, walls were often a garden in themselves, sometimes built with considerable width with a roof-garden effect or with trees and shrubs planted on top and flowers and ferns in the crevices below. Enclosing walls also helped to make the city garden a place where one could find “stillness in turmoil.” Apart from the symbolism of the enclosed garden the walls brought in the yin-yang significance of the interplay of light and shade. Today China joins the industrial nations of the world in “exploiting” Nature. Hideous concrete blocks of flats, offices, and factories insulate man from any contact with the yellow earth and, sadly, Seyyed Hossein Nasr’s words can be applied: “There is nearly total disequilibrium between modern man and nature as attested by nearly every expression of modern civilization which seeks to offer a challenge to nature rather than to cooperate with it.… The harmony between man and nature has been destroyed.”
MEL PANTS FIT
⊡ 75L Weekend sale
☰ Items Included:
⋮ Color Hud
⋮ 10 Colors
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☑ Maitreya ☑ Belleza ☑ Slink
This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
★ Hello Spookies & Culties! It's the time for our monthly inworld Group Gifts! Be sure to be wearing your group VIP tags to be able to get them! VIP Group Costs 300L to Join, so be sure to tell all your friends!
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EVIE SKIRT FIT 2
⊡ Weekend sale
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⋮ 20 Colors
☰ Compatibility with:
☑ Maitreya + Petite ☑ Belleza (Freya) ☑ Slink (Hourglass) ☑ Tonic (All) ☑ Legacy + Perky ☑ Ebody (Curvy) ☑ Altamura
Former US Air Force Boeing KC-97L Stratofreighter 53-0298 preserved at Warner Robins Air Force Museum, Georgia
Developed from the B-29 bomber, the C-97 was the military version of Boeing's B377 Airliner
'Strats' were used in many forms including Transport, Casevac and Weather Recce along with the tanker versions as here with those two underslung GE J47 Turbo-Jets giving extra speed to allow these ageing Piston-powered machines to service their 'Jet Chicks' - usually performing an extended 'dive' to allow the speed ranges to have some compatibility
In the 1950's the USAF ordered 811 of the KC-97 to provide tanker facilities to their B-47 and B-52 bomber fleets - along with the need to service their ever thirsty fighter 'trade'.
The Strats had two completely different fuel systems - one for their own AvGas and then the Jet fuel to offload.
Replaced by the all-jet KC-135, Strats continued on with Air National Guard units until finally being retired. Spain and Israel also used them in the tanker role
IMG_9548
"With hope I built character...with character I built respect....with respect I built pride...with pride I finally built MYSELF...and with all that built I realized....I matter." - SDBWQ
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HIGH RESOLUTION images on sundeepkullu.com WORLD IS MY STUDIO This picture is LOW RESOLUTION for web compatibility **Sorry Guys i have deleted most of my pictures from facebook due to copyright infringement by parties not authorised by me.But i have made a flash website for exibiting my Photostories Do visit sundeepkullu.com
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St. Charles's Church, Vienna
The St. Charles's Church (German: Karlskirche) is a church situated on the south side of Karlsplatz, Vienna. It is located on the edge of the 1st district, 200 metres outside the Ringstraße. It is one of the most outstanding baroque church structures, and boasts a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
Ever since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the Karlskirche has garnered fame due to its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology.
The church is cared for by a religious order and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
Design and construction
Karlskirche column, with spiral as on Trajan's Column
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J. B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, J. B. Fischer united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J. E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
[edit]Iconography
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects St. Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti (pseudoarchitecture) which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The gold piece high above the altar symbolizing Yahweh.
The high altar painting portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maximilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen.
Full view of the Altar
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love.Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the Karlskirche is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
Karlsplatz
Karlsplatz ("Charles' Square") is a town square on the border of the first and fourth districts of Vienna. It is one of the most frequented and best connected transportation hubs in Vienna. The Karlskirche is located here.
Resselpark, adorned with numerous monuments, takes up the most area in the plaza and is on the south side. The Evangelische Schule (Evangelical School) and the Technische Universität Wien (Vienna Technical University) are located here. The plaza is closed in by Karlskirche (which has a water tank and a Henry Moore sculpture in front of it), the main building of the Vienna Museum, and the Winterthur Insurance building. Separated from the plaza to the north are the buildings of the Wiener Musikverein (Vienna Music Society), the Künstlerhaus (art house), and the Handelsakademie (business school). A Video of the plaza and a eventlist are available on the Website of the association karlsplatz.org Verein zur Förderung d. kulturellen Belebung öffentlicher Räume [1].
On the Karlsplatz the exhibition of the United Buddy Bears was shown in 2006 for the first time in Austria. The exhibition was opened by Christiane Hörbiger, Film actress and UNICEF Ambassador, together with Grete Laska, Deputy Mayor of Vienna and Karin Schubert, Mayor of Berlin. According to the City of Vienna, project partners, they were able to count nearly 1 million visitors over the 6 weeks of the exhibition[1].
The first district can be reached either by subway or via Operngasse (a street). The pavilions of the former Karlsplatz Stadtbahn Station remain despite the construction of the U-Bahn system.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karlskirche
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karlsplatz
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I intent to publish in near future the TRAVEL PHOTOBOOKS on
Landscapes in 6 Continents (Title 1- Stupendous Landscapes across 6 Continents) ,
Wonders of World (Title 2 - "Ancient and New 7 Wonders of World from a Himalayan Photographers Eye") ,
28 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India (Title 3 -"All 28 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India") ,
Himalayas in India, Nepal, China, Tibet & Bhutan (Title 4 -"Stupendous Himalayas"),
UNESCO Interesting World Heritage Sites across globe ( Title 5 - "Best of UNESCO World Heritage Sites") ,
Himachal Pradesh (Title 6 - "Unforgettable Himachal Pradesh" Photostories by SunDeep® Bhardwaj sundeepkullu.com)
I do not allow downloading of my images and they are digitally watermarked with Digimarc (DMRC) which makes it easier for me to identify any unauthorised party using the across web or any media. Even if my work is downloaded in full or in part Digimarc is capable of tracing the use of images across web or any other media. Due to previous copyright infringement by parties not authorised in written by me, i have penalised parties using my images without my permisision. I stock my photos on my official website sundeepkullu.com and flickr (the world's best photography website for professionals amateurs and serious photographers as well as photo admirers) in web compatible resolutions only with no permissions to download or use my pictures in any kind of media without prior written permission from me. Thanks for your understanding.
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WORLD IS MY STUDIO "I live with one vision to create things that would outlast me. I discovered photography as a means for me to connect with my innerself"........... SunDeep® Bhardwaj Kullu
Copyright © sundeepkullu.com All rights reserved.
The Stock samples of SDBWP SunDeep Bhardwaj World Photography in flickr Photostream cannot be Copied,Distributed,Published or Used in any form,full or in part,or in any kind of media without prior permission from Sundeep Bhardwaj the owner of these images.Utilization in other websites,intenet media,pages,blogs etc without written consent is PROHIBITED.
The images are also available for licence through GETTY IMAGES or directly by contacting Sundeep Bhardwaj @
For any direct correspondance with me contact me on
www.facebook.com/sundeephimachal (Primary) or
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E-mail me on
sb@sundeepkullu.com (Primary) or
wittysam@gmail.com (Secondary) or
admin@phototube.co (For Photo Tube . Co related) or
enquiries@himachalculturalvillage.com (For Himachal Cultural Village . Com related).
INDIA ROAMING AND HIMACHAL +91 9816499629 (Please drop me a SMS message)
WORLD ROAMING +974 55344547 (I prefer all correspondances on facebook as i am still on my World Tour which i started 5 years before and may be in some other country.Will definately contact back whenever next to internet or reply by SMS)
These are reduced sized pictures.Orignal pictures shot in 5,616 × 3,744 (21.1 megapixels) using Canon EOS 5D Mark II FULL FRAME DSLR CAMERA or 3872 x 2592 (10.2 million effective pixels) using NIKON D60 DSLR or 4,288 × 2,848 (12.3 effective megapixels) USING NIKON D90 DSLR's.
All rights reserved.
copyright 2011 © sundeepkullu.com
Developer - phototube.co
Affiliation - himachalculturalvillage.com
HIGH RESOLUTION images on sundeepkullu.com WORLD IS MY STUDIO This picture is LOW RESOLUTION for web compatibility **Sorry Guys i have deleted most of my pictures from facebook due to copyright infringement by parties not authorised by me.But i have made a flash website for exibiting my Photostories Do visit sundeepkullu.com
And alternatively my pictures can be see in better resolutions on
www.flickr.com/photos/wittysam or
fFULL SCREEN SLIDE SHOW www.flickr.com/photos/wittysam/show
www.flickr.com/photos/wittysam/collections/
***DO NOT COMMENT ON FACEBOOK AS I DO NOT USE IT FOR STOCKING MY PHOTOS.
Link to my Flickr Photostream where you can comment flickr.com/photos/wittysam
Lahaul and Spiti district
The district of Lahaul-Spiti in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh consists of the two formerly separate districts of Lahaul and Spiti. The present administrative centre is Keylong in Lahaul. Before the two districts were merged, Kardang was the capital of Lahaul, and Dhankar the capital of Spiti.
Kunzum la or the Kunzum Pass (altitude 4,551 m; 14,931 ft) is the entrance pass to the Spiti Valley from Lahaul. It is 21 km from Chandra Tal.[1] This district is connected to Manali through the Rohtang Pass. To the south, Spiti ends 24 km from Tabo, at the Pare chu gorge where the road enters Kinnaur and joins with National Highway No. 22.[2]
The two valleys are quite different in character. Spiti is more barren and difficult to cross, with an average elevation of the valley floor of 4,270 m (14,009 ft). It is enclosed between lofty ranges, with the Spiti river rushing out of a gorge in the southeast to meet the Sutlej River. It is a typical mountain desert area with an average annual rainfall of only 170 mm (6.7 inches).[3]
Flora and fauna
Lahaul valley in winter
Mountain peak in Lahaul and Spiti district
The harsh conditions of Lahaul permit only scattered tufts of hardy grasses and shrubs to grow, even below 4,000 metres. Glacier lines are usually found at 5,000 metres.
Animals such as yaks and dzos roam across the wild Lingti plains. However, over-hunting and a decrease in food supplies has led to a large decrease in the population of the Tibetan antelope, argali, kiangs, musk deer, and snow leopards in these regions, reducing them to the status of endangered species. However, in the Lahaul valley, one can see ibex, brown bears, foxes and snow leopards during winter.
[edit]People
Mother and child in near Gandhola Monastery. 2004
The language, culture, and populations of Lahaul and Spiti are closely related. Generally the Lahaulis are of Tibetan and Indo-Aryan descent, while the Spiti Bhotia are more similar to the Tibetans, owing to their proximity to Tibet. Fairer skin and hazel-colored eyes are commonly seen among the Lahaulis.
The languages of both the Lahauli and Spiti Bhutia belong to the Tibetan family. They are very similar to the Ladakhi and Tibetans culturally, as they had been placed under the rule of the Guge and Ladakh kingdoms at occasional intervals.
Among the Lahaulis, the family acts as the basic unit of kinship. The extended family system is common, evolved from the polyandric system of the past. The family is headed by a senior male member, known as the Yunda, while his wife, known as the Yundamo, attains authority by being the oldest member in the generation. The clan system, also known as Rhus, plays another major role in the Lahauli society.
The Spiti Bhutia community has an inheritance system that is otherwise unique to the Tibetans. Upon the death of both parents, only the eldest son will inherit the family property, while the eldest daughter inherits the mother's jewellery, and the younger siblings inherit nothing. Men usually fall back on the social security system of the Trans-Himalayan Gompas.
[edit]Lifestyle
The lifestyles of the Lahauli and Spiti Bhotia are similar, owing to their proximity. Polyandry was widely practiced by the Lahaulis in the past, although this practice has been dying out. The Spiti Bhutia do not generally practice polyandry any more, although it is accepted in a few isolated regions.
Divorces are accomplished by a simple ceremony performed in the presence of village elders. Divorce can be sought by either partner. The husband has to pay compensation to his ex-wife if she does not remarry. However, this is uncommon among the Lahaulis.
Agriculture is the main source of livelihood. Potato farming is common. Occupations include animal husbandry, working in government programs, government services, and other businesses and crafts that include weaving. Houses are constructed in the Tibetan architectural style, as the land in Lahul and Spiti is mountainous and quite prone to earthquakes.
[edit]Religion
Kunzum Pass between Lahul & Spiti
Ki-Gompa Spiti
Most of the Lahaulis follow a combination of Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism of the Drukpa Kagyu order, while the Spiti Bhotia follow Tibetan Buddhism of the Gelugpa order. Within Lahoul/swangla, the Baralacha-La region had the strongest Buddhist influence, owing to its close proximity to Spiti. Lahoul/swangla has temples such as Triloknath , where pilgrims worship a certain god in different manifestations, notably in the form of Shiva and Avalokiteshvara where Udaipur is a puritan temple. This bas-relief, of marble, depicts the Buddhist deity Avalokiteshvara (the embodiment of the Buddha's compassion) in a stylized seated position; Hindu devotees take it to be Shiva Nataraj, Shiva dancing. This image appears to be of sixteenth century Chamba craftsmanship. It was created to replace the original black stone image of the deity, which became damaged by art looters. This original image is kept beneath the plinth of the shrine. It appears to be of 12th century Kashmiri provenance . Much of the art thieves are active in this remote belt because of neglected gompas and temples.
Before the spread of Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism, the people were adherents of the religion 'Lung Pe Chhoi', an animistic religion that had some affinities with the Bön religion of Tibet. While the religion flourished, animal and human sacrifices were regularly offered up to the 'Iha', a term that refers to evil spirits residing in the natural world, notably in the old pencil-cedar trees, rocks and caves. Vestiges of the Lung Pe Chhoi religion can be seen in the behaviour of the Lamas, who are believed to possess certain supernatural powers.
The Losar festival (also known as Halda in Lahauli) is celebrated between the months of January and February. The date of celebration is decided by the Lamas. It has the same significance as the Diwali festival of Hinduism, but is celebrated in a Tibetan fashion.
At the start of the festival, two or three persons from every household will come holding burning incense. The burning sticks are then piled into a bonfire. The people will then pray to Shiskar Apa, the goddess of wealth (other name Vasudhara) in the Buddhist religion.
In the Pattan belt of the valley in Lahoul most population follows Hinduism,but counts for 14 percent of the total and they are called swanglas. The fagli festival is celebrated between February and March all over the valley. This festival is a new year festival and closely precedes beginning of tibetian and Chinese calendar. Notable is the Pattan people are the late settlers in the valley around 1500 A.D. and have broad highlights and have distinct language on the likes the central Asians,chamba, pangi, pashtoons and uyghurs. This belt is known for the convergence for chandra and bhaga rivers to form Chenab.
[edit]Tourism
Ki Gompa
The natural scenery and Buddhist monasteries, such as Ki, Dhankar, Shashur, Guru Ghantal and Tayul Gompas, are the main tourist attractions of the region.
One of the most interesting places is the Tabo Monastery, located 45 km from Kaza, Himachal Pradesh, the capital of the Spiti region. This monastery rose to prominence when it celebrated its thousandth year of existence in 1996. It houses a collection of Buddhist scriptures, Buddhist statues and Thangkas. The ancient gompa is finished with mud plaster, and contains several scriptures and documents. Lama Dzangpo heads the gompa here. There is a modern guest house with a dining hall and all facilities are available.
Another famous gompa, Kardang Monastery, is located at an elevation of 3,500 metres across the river, about 8 km from Keylong. Kardang is well connected by the road via the Tandi bridge which is about 14 km from Keylong. Built in the 12th century, this monastery houses a large library of Buddhist literature including the main Kangyur and Tangyur scriptures.
The treacherous weather in Lahaul and Spiti permits visitors to tour only between the months of June to October, when the roads and villages are free of snow and the high passes (Rothang La and Kunzum La) are open. It is possible to access Spiti from Kinnaur (along the Sutlej) all through the year, although the road is sometimes temporarily closed by landslides or avalanches.
Buddhist Monasteries in Spiti: Spiti is one of the important centers of Buddhism in Himachal Pradesh. It is popularly known as the 'land of lamas'. The valley is dotted by numerous Buddhist Monasteries or Gompas that are famous throughout the world and are a favorite of Dalai Lama.
Kye Monastery: Kye Monastery in Spiti is the main research center of the Buddhists in India. Near about 300 lamas are receiving their religious training from here. It is oldest and biggest monastery in Spiti. It houses the rare painting and beautiful scriptures of Buddha and other gods and goddess. You may also find rare 'Thangka' paintings and ancient musical instruments 'trumpets, cymbals, and drums in the monastery.
Tabo Monastery: Perched at an amazing altitude of 3050 meters, Tabo Monastery in the valley of Spiti is often referred to as the 'Ajanta of the Himalayas'. The 10th century Tabo Monastery was founded by the great scholar, Richen Zangpo, and has been declared as the World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The monastery houses more than 6 lamas and contains the rare collection of scriptures, pieces of art, wall paintings -Tankhas and Stucco.
Flora and fauna of Spiti Valley: The valley is blessed with the good population of snow leopards, ibex, Himalayan Brown Bear, Musk Deer, Himalayan Blue Sheep etc. which serves as the boon for the wildlife lovers. There are two important protected areas in the region that are a home to snow leopard and its prey including the Pin Valley National Park and Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary. Surprisingly, due to ardent religious beliefs, people of Spiti do not hunt these wild animals.
Apart from the exotic wildlife, the Valley of Spiti is also known for its amazing wealth of flora and the profusion of wild flowers. Some of the mot common species found here include Causinia thomsonii, Seseli trilobum, Crepis flexuosa, Caragana brevifolia and Krascheninikovia ceratoides. Then there are more than 62 species of medicinal plants found here.
Adventure activities:
To- do-Trials: For trekkers, the Spiti Valley is a paradise, offering challenging treks to explore the new heights of the Himalayas. The treks takes you to the most remote areas including the rugged villages and old Gompas followed by the exotic wildlife trails. Some of the popular trekking routes in the area includes Kaza-Langza-Hikim-Comic-Kaza, Kaza-Ki-Kibber-Gete-Kaza, Kaza-Losar-Kunzum La and Kaza-Tabo-Sumdo-Nako. Please note that you carry all the necessary things before out for the trekking tour to Spiti. Tents, sleeping bags, cooking equipment, heavy woollens and sunglasses are a must.
Skiing: Skiing is the popular adventure sports in Spiti and is popular in India from the past few years. The amazing snow clad mountains with the added advantage of inspiring heights are enough to allure the adventure spirits of the avid skier, providing all the thrill and fun attracted to the sport. People from all around the globe come to experience this enthralling adventure activity.
Yak Safari: The most exciting of all adventure activities in Spiti is the Yak safari. You can hire the Yak to see the flora and fauna of trans-Himalayan desert. It is, in fact, the lifetime opportunity that you won't find anywhere else so easily. Apart from this, horse safaris are also conducted in this area.
Sources en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lahaul_and_Spiti_district
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sundeepkullu.com is my official website and if you LIKE to COMMENT go to sundeepkullu.com and click on photos you like to COMMENT by clicking thumbnails under different pages or alternatively by visiting flickr.com/photos/wittysam. You may need to sign-in to flickr.com with your Yahoo account to comment on my flickr Photostream where i stock my World Tour Pictures shot in 50+ Countries 200+ Destinations across 6 Continents.
To protect my work i load pictures only on flickr and they are in web compatible resolutions only.Orignal pictures shot in 5,616 × 3,744 (21.1 megapixels) using Canon EOS 5D Mark II FULL FRAME DSLR CAMERA or 3872 x 2592 (10.2 million effective pixels) using NIKON D60 DSLR or 4,288 × 2,848 (12.3 effective megapixels) USING NIKON D90 DSLR's.
Groups i administer on facebook and flickr (1000 plus members allready in few months )
ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY & WORLD THROUGH THE EYES OF SERIOUS PHOTOGRAPHERS on facebook
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=111942842150274
HIMACHAL Kullu Manali, Sundernagar Mandi, Dharamsala,Shimla,Lahaul Spiti12
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=234474081858
ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY & WORLD THROUGH SERIOUS PHOTOGRAPHERS EYES
www.flickr.com/groups/prodigious/
I intent to publish in near future the TRAVEL PHOTOBOOKS on
Landscapes in 6 Continents (Title 1- Stupendous Landscapes across 6 Continents) ,
Wonders of World (Title 2 - "Ancient and New 7 Wonders of World from a Himalayan Photographers Eye") ,
28 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India (Title 3 -"All 28 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India") ,
Himalayas in India, Nepal, China, Tibet & Bhutan (Title 4 -"Stupendous Himalayas"),
UNESCO Interesting World Heritage Sites across globe ( Title 5 - "Best of UNESCO World Heritage Sites") ,
Himachal Pradesh (Title 6 - "Unforgettable Himachal Pradesh" Photostories by SunDeep® Bhardwaj sundeepkullu.com)
I do not allow downloading of my images and they are digitally watermarked with Digimarc (DMRC) which makes it easier for me to identify any unauthorised party using the across web or any media. Even if my work is downloaded in full or in part Digimarc is capable of tracing the use of images across web or any other media. Due to previous copyright infringement by parties not authorised in written by me, i have penalised parties using my images without my permisision. I stock my photos on my official website sundeepkullu.com and flickr (the world's best photography website for professionals amateurs and serious photographers as well as photo admirers) in web compatible resolutions only with no permissions to download or use my pictures in any kind of media without prior written permission from me. Thanks for your understanding.
Thanks for your LIKES and COMMENTS and VISITING
WORLD IS MY STUDIO "I live with one vision to create things that would outlast me. I discovered photography as a means for me to connect with my innerself"........... SunDeep® Bhardwaj Kullu
SDBWP™
The new M2 flamethrower prototype from Brickarms is beautiful for such a brutal weapon. Will's design is brilliant and simple, while still having a lot of playability. The amount of grippable areas and compatibility with different elements is amazing.
Overall, something I've been waiting for for a long time, and it doesn't disappoint in the slightest!
Hi Culties, time for even more sales for your Sunday Leisure!!
★ For 35L Sunday Sale ★ Demination & Lucina ★
★ Demination Rigged For ★ Maitreya-X ★ Legacy F ★ Reborn ★ Kupra ★ Lara ★
★ Lucina Rigged For ★ Maitreya-X ★ Legacy F ★ Reborn ★ Kupra ★ Lara ★ GenX ★
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS! ★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★ NO SKATING AO!
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cult%20Coven/129/75/33
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
Hi Culties & Spookies, time for even more sales for Happy Weekend Market Place Sale!!
★ For Happy Weekend MP Sale★ Akira
★ marketplace.secondlife.com/p/CULT-Akira-Boots-Fatpack/265...
★ For Saturday Sale MP Sale★ Amani
★ marketplace.secondlife.com/p/CULT-Amani-Fatpack/26460731
★ Akira Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ Kupra ★ Legacy Female ★ MaitreyaX ★ MaitreyaOG ★ GenX Curvy
★ Amani Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ Kupra ★ Legacy Female ★ MaitreyaX ★ MaitreyaOG ★ GenX ★
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cult%20Coven/129/75/33
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
Rebirth RoX Heads ~ Markus
The new REBIRTH RoX head series include features never seen before in other heads.
In addition to common features like HD layers, RoX heads innovate with features like :
- Brand new FX layers to play with amazing effects or create your owns with the devkit inworld.
- Moods that include original and customizable sound FX with your own sounds (devkit available in the store).
- Animations synchronized with the smile FX for an even more realistic effects.
- Revolutionary "2kBOM" skins with realistic FULL 2048 px rendering and easy to design with an evoX compatibility (devkit available in the store and on rebirth-sl.com/).
- Themed heads with cross-compatibility content for all other RoX heads to create an original collection and mix styles.
- 2 neck versions of the head to fit most bodies, male or female. RoX head are easy to shape and very versatile, so you can build a female or male avatar with each head.
- RoX packs contain an unprecedented quantity of items to spend hours in customization.
Store: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/REBIRTH%20Forever/47/79/21
Mp: marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/229597
Web: rebirth-sl.com/
*** For this photo, I used: [avarosa] Liam Skin
A-Style : Pool Party
3 poses - all props included
@The Sales Room EVent
Event: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/MoonLand/182/35/22
Website: www.thesalesroomsl.com/
A-Style Store: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Lilac/57/227/1996
::CLUMSY:: MIAMI PALMS
Tintable version & colour presets hud included
@MiixEvent
Land: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Vardor/111/158/1509
website: hypeeventssl.wixsite.com/hypeeventssl
Store: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Colcord/26/207/109
Mp: Marketplace: marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/193497
:::FurtaCor:::Doug Shorts
Legacy / Gianni / Jake / Aesthetic / Kario
Exclusive colors
@MiixEvent
Land: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Vardor/111/158/1509
This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
At the beginning of the SPAA system design, the turret was required to have good compatibility to fit in any mainstream tank. As you can see this turret can be placed on a variety of different chassis.
This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
Hi Spookies & Culties, Here is your "must have these Cult Item's" Weekend Shopping List!!
★ Item ★ The Blair Heels will amazing with your fave smexy outfit!
★ Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ Legacy F ★ Maitreya ★ Kupra ★ GEN-X ★
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Champ/189/200/17
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
Hi Culties & Spookies, Time to kick off your weekend shopping just right!
★ Item ★ The Winter Heels have cute lights and charms that will set off any winter outfit.
★ Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ Legacy Female ★ Maitreya ★ Kupra ★
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Champ/189/200/17
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
Hi Spookies & Culties, Here is your "must have these Cult Items" Weekend Shopping List!!
★ For Happy Weekend Sale ★ Bergamot ★ Liquorice ★
★ Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ MaitreyaX ★ Legacy F ★ MaitreyaOG ★ Kupra ★
★ Featuring Color Hud w/ 10 light colors & 10 dark colors & 3 metal colors!
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★ Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility ★
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cult%20Coven/129/75/337
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
Hi Culties & Spookies, time for even more sales for your Sunday Leisure!!
★ Item ★ The Athena boots are hot sleek and smexy and would be great for any outfit!
★ Rigged For ★ Legacy F ★ Reborn ★ Kupra ★ Gen-X ★ Lara ★ MaitreyaX ★
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Champ/189/200/17
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
Hi Spookies & Culties, Here is your "must have these Cult Items" Weekend Shopping List!!
★ Item ★ The Cyra foot chains are simple and delicate and would be a lovely addition to any outfit!
★ Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ Maitreya-X ★ GEN-X ★ Legacy ★ Lara ★
★ Featuring Color Hud w/ 10 light colors & 10 dark colors & 3 metal colors!
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★ Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility ★
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Champ/189/200/17
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
A good thing continues
Some six months ago, I posted almost 100 images and a few thoughts I felt were missing from the many existing RX1 reviews. The outpouring of support and interest in that article was very gratifying. When I published, I had used the camera for six full months, enough time to come to a view of its strengths and weaknesses and to produce a small portfolio of good images, but not enough time to see the full picture (pun intended). In the following six months, I have used the camera at least as frequently as in the first six and have produced another small set of good images. It should be noted that my usage of the RX1 in the last six (and especially in the last 3) months has involved less travel and more time with the family and around the house; I will share relatively few of these images but will spend some time sharing my impressions of its functionality for family snapshots as I am sure there is some interest. And let it be said here: one of the primary motivations to purchase the camera was to take more photos with the family, and after one full year I can confidently say: money well spent.
The A7/r game-changer?
In the past six months, Sony have announced and released two full-frame, interchangeable lens cameras that clearly take design cues from the RX1: the A7 and the A7r. These cameras are innovative and highly capable and, as such, are in the midst of taking the photography world by storm. I think they are compelling enough cameras that I wonder whether Sony is wasting its energy continuing to develop further A-mount cameras. Sony deserve credit for a bold strategy—many companies would have been content to allow the success of the the RX1 (and RX1R) generate further sales before pushing further into the white space left unexplored by camera makers with less ambition.This is not the place to detail the relative advantages and disadvantages of the RX1 versus the A7/r except to make the following point. I currently use a Nikon D800 and an RX1: were I to sell both and purchase the A7r + 35mm f/2.8 I would in many ways lose nothing by way of imaging capability or lens compatibility but would pocket the surplus $1250-1750. Indeed this loyal Nikon owner thought long and hard about doing so, which speaks to the strategic importance of these cameras for a company trying to make inroads into a highly concentrated market.Ultimately, I opted to hang onto the two cameras I have (although this decision is one that I revisit time and time again) and continue to use them as I have for the past year. Let me give you a quick flavor of why.
The RX1 is smaller and more discrete
This is a small a point, but my gut reaction to the A7/r was: much smaller than the D800, not as small as the RX1. The EVF atop the A7/r and the larger profile of interchangeable mount lenses means that I would not be able to slip the A7/r into a pocket the way I can the RX1. Further, by virtue of using the EVF and its loud mechanical shutter, the A7/r just isn’t as stealthy as the RX1. Finally, f/2 beats the pants off of f/2.8 at the same or smaller size.At this point, some of you may be saying, “Future Sony releases will allow you to get a body without an EVF and get an f/2 lens that has a slimmer profile, etc, etc.” And that’s just the point: to oversimplify things, the reason I am keeping my RX1 is that Sony currently offers something close to an A7 body without a built-in EVF and with a slimmer profile 35mm f/2.
The D800 has important functional advantages
On the other side of the spectrum, the AF speed of the A7/r just isn’t going to match the D800, especially when the former is equipped with a Nikon lens and F-mount adapter. EVFs cannot yet match the experience of looking through the prism and the lens (I expect they will match soon, but aren’t there yet). What’s more, I have made such an investment in Nikon glass that I can’t yet justify purchasing an adapter for a Sony mount or selling them all for Sony’s offerings (many of which aren’t to market yet).Now, all of these are minor points and I think all of them disappear with an A8r, but they add up to something major: I have two cameras very well suited to two different types of shooting, and I ask myself if I gain or lose by getting something in between—something that wasn’t quite a pocket shooter and something that was quite a DSLR? You can imagine, however, that if I were coming to the market without a D800 and an RX1, that my decision would be far different: dollar for dollar, the A7/r would be a no-brainer.During the moments when I consider selling to grab an A7r, I keep coming back to a thought I had a month or so before the RX1 was announced. At that time I was considering something like the NEX cameras with a ZM 21mm f/2.8 and I said in my head, “I wish someone would make a carry-around camera with a full frame sensor and a fixed 35mm f/2.8 or f/2.” Now you understand how attractive the RX1 is to me and what a ridiculously high bar exists for another camera system to reach.
Okay, so what is different from the last review?
For one, I had an issue with the camera’s AF motor failing to engage and giving me an E61:00 error. I had to send it out to Sony for repairs (via extended warranty and service plan). I detailed my experience with Sony Service here [insert link] and I write to you as a very satisfied customer. That is to say, I have 3 years left on a 4 year + accidental damage warranty and I feel confident enough in that coverage to say that I will have this beauty in working order for at least another 3 years.For two, I’ve spent significantly less time thinking of this camera as a DSLR replacement and have instead started to develop a very different way of shooting with it. The activation barrier to taking a shot with my D800 is quite high. Beyond having to bring a large camera wherever you go and have it in hand, a proper camera takes two hands and full attention to produce an image. I shoot slowly and methodically and often from a tripod with the D800. In contrast, I can pull the RX1 out, pop off the lens cap, line up and take a shot with one hand (often with a toddler in the other). This fosters a totally different type of photography.
My “be-there” camera
The have-everywhere camera that gives DSLR type controls to one-handed shooting lets me pursue images that happen very quickly or images that might not normally meet the standards of “drag-the-DSLR-out-of-the-bag.” Many of those images you’ll see on this post. A full year of shooting and I can say this with great confidence: the RX1 is a terrific mash-up of point-and-shoot and DSLR not just in image quality and features, but primarily in the product it helps me create. To take this thinking a bit further: I find myself even processing images from the RX1 differently than I would from my DSLR. So much so that I have strongly considered starting a tumblr and posting JPEGs directly from the RX1 via my phone or an iPad rather than running the bulk of them through Lightroom, onto Flickr and then on the blog (really this is just a matter of time, stay tuned, and those readers who have experience with tumblr, cloud image storage and editing, etc, etc, please contact me, I want to pick your brain).Put simply, I capture more spontaneous and beautiful “moments” than I might have otherwise. Photography is very much an exercise in “f/8 and be there,” and the RX1 is my go-to “be there” camera.
The family camera
I mentioned earlier that I justified the purchase of the RX1 partly as a camera to be used to document the family moments into which a DSLR doesn’t neatly fit. Over the past year I’ve collected thousands and thousands of family images with the RX1. The cold hard truth is that many of those photos could be better if I’d taken a full DSLR kit with me to the park or the beach or the grocery store each time. The RX1 is a difficult camera to use on a toddler (or any moving subject for that matter); autofocus isn’t as fast as a professional DSLR, it’s difficult to perfectly compose via an LCD (especially in bright sunlight), but despite these shortcomings, it’s been an incredibly useful family camera. There are simply so many beautiful moments where I had the RX1 over my shoulder, ready to go that whatever difficulties exist relative to a DSLR, those pale in comparison to the power of it’s convenience. The best camera is the one in your hand.
Where to go from here.
So what is the value of these RX1 going forward, especially in a world of the A7/r and it’s yet-to-be-born siblings without an EVF and a pancake lens? Frankly, at its current price (which is quite fair when you consider the value of the the body and the lens) I see precious little room for an independent offering versus a mirrorless, interchangeable lens system with the same image quality in a package just as small. That doesn’t mean Sony won’t make an RX2 or an RX1 Mark II (have a look at it’s other product lines to see how many SKUs are maintained despite low demand). Instead, I see the RX1 as a bridge that needed to exist for engineers, managers, and the market to make it to the A7/r and it’s descendants.A Facebook friend recently paid me a great compliment; he said something like, “Justin, via your blog, you’ve sold a ton of RX1 cameras.” Indeed, despite my efforts not to be a salesman, I think he’s right: I have and would continue to recommend this camera.The true value of the RX1 going forward is for those of us who have the thing on our shoulders; and yes, if you have an investment in and a love for a DSLR system, there’s still tremendous value in getting one, slinging it over your shoulder, and heading out into the wide, bright world; A7/r or no, this is just an unbelievably capable camera.
"Right then" the Doctor said, pulling a lever. "That's the Tardis stabilised. I need to change" He said, brushing dust off his jacket.
Jackie walked around the console to stop him but he was too quick. He was gone, through a sliding door. "What do we do now?" Frank asked.
The door opened again and the Doctor leant in. "Just a few rules before I leave you. Rule 1: Do not, under any circumstances, wander off. The Tardis is like a maze and I don't want to lose either of you" Jackie and Frank exchanged glances. "Is he serious" Jackie mouthed.
"Rule 2" the Doctor continued. "Do. Not. Touch. That means the console, the doors, the monitor, and" he paused for dramatic effect "My jelly babies." He waggled his finger before heading back off to God knows where.
'S'been a while since I've done that' The Doctor thought smiling. Now, on to the matter at hand: Where was the wardrobe? He'd had to do some cleaning and purging of Tardis rooms because, in his words, 'It took too long to get to places'. He strode through the seemingly endless corridors, doubling back on himself a few times. "Ha ha!" he exclaimed as he turned a corner, right into the wardrobe.
------------------------------------------------
"That's better" he muttered, straightening his tie. "A beard huh?" he said, stroking his newly discovered beard "Haven't had one of those since..." He trailed off, memories flooding his head. War. Endless war. Images of Daleks, Timelords, all dying. Endless death. A voice entered his mind. "You did the best you could" reassured a strangely familiar voice. Of course! His previous self, the eighth self, still clinging on. It'd be gone soon. That old personality of his. Thankfully. He simply couldn't bear to have to live with that sense of regret. Not again.
He shook his head, shaking himself out of it. 'Don't linger on your past' he thought. That was the strongest part of his psyche. The part most ingrained into his head. Don't think of what you could have or should have done. The past is the past. Despite his grievances with the Timelords, there was one of their rules he never, ever, broke. Under any circumstances. No matter how dire.
He took a step back, inspecting his new outfit in the mirror. Very dapper. He smiled, before heading back to the console room.
Hi Spookies & Culties, Here is your "must have these Cult Items" Weekend Shopping List!!
★ Item ★ The Channary shoes are cute and adorable with lots of kawaii details!
★ Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ Maitreya-X ★ Kupra ★ GEN-X ★ Legacy ★ Lara ★
★ Featuring Color Hud w/ 10 light colors & 10 dark colors & 3 metal colors!
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★ Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility ★
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cult%20Coven/129/75/337
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
EMV is a technical standard for smart payment cards and for payment terminals and automated teller machines that can accept them. EMV cards are smart cards (also called chip cards or IC cards) that store their data on integrated circuits in addition to magnetic stripes (for backward compatibility). These include cards that must be physically inserted (or "dipped") into a reader and contactless cards that can be read over a short distance using radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology. Payment cards that comply with the EMV standard are often called Chip and PIN or Chip and Signature cards, depending on the authentication methods employed by the card issuer.
More on www.hellobricks.com/2016/08/lego-doctor-strange-big-bang-...
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Follow me on:
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A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey with Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (HX) 21 empties a tank of water before landing on the flight deck of the Aviation Logistics Support Ship (T-AVB3) S.S. Wright, Nov. 9, 2017. HX-21 assisted the Wright in acquiring their Aviation Facilities Certification to prove shipboard compatibility with MV-22 Ospreys. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Cody J. Ohira)www.dvids.hub.net
From a photoshoot i made with several character to show off the bodyslide compatibility of my Skyrim body mod. With something called converted outfits, you are able to build the outfits to shape after a body preset, and this is how it looks on our body!
www.loverslab.com/files/file/2146-animeshoujo-body-cbbeuunp/
Inside the pack:
Maitreya Body app
Omega System app
Signature Body app
available in three shades
Check the compatibility of your body.
---------------------------------
The omega system is compatible with all bodies, as long as you have in your inventory the omega system compatible with your body type.
-----------------------------------------
CHECK COMPATIBILITY
marketplace.secondlife.com/p/PRESCOTT-TATTOO-DRAGON/14692357
Hi Culties & Spookies, Time to kick off your weekend shopping just right!
★ For 99L Weekend Sale ★ Tapiacoo ★ ★ For Alpha Weekend Sale ★ Gypsophila ★
★ Tapiacoo Rigged For ★ Legacy F ★ MaitreyaX ★ Reborn ★ Kupra ★ MaitreyaOG ★
★ Gypsophila Rigged For ★ Legacy M/F ★ Jake ★ Gianni ★ Kario Flex ★ MaitreyaX ★ Reborn ★ Kupra ★ MaitreyaOG ★
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cult%20Coven/129/75/33
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
All the videos of the trip...... I will post them here instead of YouTube....
See below why there is no sound when syreamed from WD MyCloud
VTS_02_2 Mutawinji to White cliffs
home.mycloud.com/action/share/4672c428-a61d-42f0-b196-608...
VTS_02_1 Broken Hill camp to Mutawinji NP
home.mycloud.com/action/share/7c4a5ab8-bc37-436d-9f30-31c...
VTS_01_1 Mt Eccles camp to Lava Lakes
home.mycloud.com/action/share/0fd269fc-ec64-4f9d-a4f1-b4d...
VTS_01_3 OCEAN RD TO ANTS & Sink Hole
home.mycloud.com/action/share/b31abb8b-283b-4453-a41f-6ee...
VTS_01_2 Warrambool-Gibson steps drive Apostles information centre
home.mycloud.com/action/share/bfe909a1-3bee-48e7-93e1-210...
VTS_01_1 Hay plain Shearing to HECLA
home.mycloud.com/action/share/4c85dfdf-eb47-4165-9b01-d3a...
VTS_01_2 HECLA Marina Eyre Pen Donnington Storm Bay
home.mycloud.com/action/share/eac5fd63-e6ee-448b-988f-a0e...
VTS_01_3 Ocean Rd to Port Phillip Bay Ferry
home.mycloud.com/action/share/f785970d-1c5a-4b08-89dd-e29...
VTS_03_1 Mail box Ocean Rd to Dot & Bet
home.mycloud.com/action/share/f5e0b567-3299-4027-9ab4-f6e...
END
There are several reasons why you might not be getting sound from MP4 videos played from your WD My Cloud on Windows 11. Here's a breakdown of common issues and troubleshooting steps:
1. Audio Codec Compatibility:
Unsupported Codec: MP4 is a container format, meaning it can hold video and audio encoded with various codecs. Your Windows 11 media player might not have the necessary codec to decode the audio stream within the MP4 file. This is a very common issue.
HEVC (H.265) Codec: Many modern MP4 videos use HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Coding) for better compression. Windows 11 often requires a separate HEVC Video Extension, which is typically a paid app from the Microsoft Store, to play these videos with native apps like Films & TV. While there might be workarounds for a free OEM version, it's not always reliable.
Solutions:
Install VLC Media Player: VLC is a highly recommended free and open-source media player that comes with a vast array of built-in codecs, making it excellent for playing almost any video file without needing additional codec packs.
Install HEVC Video Extensions: If you prefer to use Windows' native media players, you might need to purchase and install the "HEVC Video Extensions" from the Microsoft Store.
K-Lite Codec Pack: This is another popular option that provides a comprehensive set of codecs for playing various media formats.
2. Windows 11 Sound Settings:
Muted or Low Volume: Double-check your system's volume settings, including the master volume, application-specific volume for your media player, and any physical volume controls on your speakers or headphones.
Incorrect Output Device: Ensure that the correct audio output device (e.g., your speakers, headphones, or external DAC) is selected as the default playback device in Windows 11 sound settings.
Audio Enhancements: Sometimes, audio enhancements can cause issues. Try disabling them in your sound device's properties.
Sound Troubleshooter: Windows 11 has a built-in audio troubleshooter that can often identify and fix common sound problems.
Solutions:
Click the Speakers icon on the taskbar and verify the volume and selected output device.
Go to Start > Settings > System > Sound. Check your output device and consider turning off "Audio enhancements" under "Advanced settings."
Run the Playing Audio troubleshooter from Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
3. WD My Cloud Specific Issues:
Plex Media Server: If you're using Plex Media Server on your WD My Cloud, ensure it's configured correctly and that the media files are properly recognized and transcoded if necessary. Sometimes, Plex might have issues with certain audio codecs, or the server itself might be experiencing problems.
Firmware Updates: Ensure your WD My Cloud device has the latest firmware installed, as updates can sometimes improve compatibility and resolve known issues.
Network Connectivity/SMB Issues: While less likely to affect only sound, network access problems (especially with SMB settings in Windows 11) could indirectly cause playback issues.
Solutions:
Check the WD My Cloud dashboard for firmware updates.
If using Plex, check its settings and logs for any errors related to audio or transcoding.
4. General Troubleshooting:
Update Audio Drivers: Outdated or corrupted audio drivers on your Windows 11 PC can cause sound problems. Check for updates through Device Manager or your computer manufacturer's website.
Restart Your PC and WD My Cloud: A simple restart of both your computer and the WD My Cloud can often resolve temporary glitches.
Try a Different Video Player: As mentioned, VLC is a great option. Trying another player can help determine if the issue is with your current player or the file/system itself.
Test with Local Files: Try playing an MP4 video with sound from your local hard drive (not the WD My Cloud) to determine if the issue is specific to the WD My Cloud connection or a broader Windows 11 sound problem.
For more detailed troubleshooting on Windows 11 sound issues, you can check out this video: How to Fix No Sound Problem in Windows 11. This video provides a comprehensive guide to resolving various audio problems within the Windows 11 operating system.
How to Fix No Sound Problem in Windows 11 [2025 Guide] - YouTube
MDTechVideos · 214K views
but do I need VLC running or do I download the the MP4 file? there is no audio when running the file on the My Cloud site
You've hit on a crucial point! When you're trying to play an MP4 file from your WD My Cloud and you're getting no audio when running the file on the My Cloud site itself, that changes the troubleshooting focus significantly.
Here's why:
"Running the file on the My Cloud site" usually means you're using the WD My Cloud's built-in web interface or its web-based player. This player has its own set of capabilities and limitations regarding audio and video codecs. It's not using your computer's installed VLC player or Windows' native media players directly.
Therefore, the answer to your question is:
You do NOT need VLC running, nor do you necessarily need to download the MP4 file, IF your primary goal is to get the sound working when playing directly from the My Cloud website.
Why the sound might be missing on the My Cloud website:
Browser Codec Limitations: Your web browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, etc.) might not have the necessary audio codec to play the specific audio stream in that MP4 file. Browsers rely on their own built-in media decoders, which might be more limited than a dedicated media player like VLC.
My Cloud Web Player Limitations: The WD My Cloud's built-in web player is designed for convenience but might not support all audio/video codecs. If the audio codec in your MP4 file is uncommon or very new (like some advanced Dolby formats, or specific high-efficiency codecs), the My Cloud's web player might not be able to decode it.
Transcoding Failure (if applicable): Some NAS devices (including My Cloud if it has a streaming/transcoding feature enabled for its web interface) might attempt to "transcode" (convert) the video/audio on the fly for better browser compatibility. If this transcoding fails for the audio track, you'll get video but no sound.
What to do when there's no audio playing from the My Cloud website:
Since the issue is occurring within the My Cloud's web interface, here are your best approaches:
Download the MP4 file and play it locally:
This is the most reliable way to confirm the file itself is fine.
Go to the My Cloud web interface, navigate to the MP4 file, and look for an option to "Download" it to your Windows 11 computer.
Once downloaded, play it using VLC Media Player on your PC. If VLC plays it with sound, then you know the file's audio is intact, and the issue lies with the My Cloud's web player or your browser.
Access the My Cloud via Network Drive (SMB):
This bypasses the My Cloud's web interface and allows you to play the file directly using your Windows 11 PC's media players (like VLC, or even Films & TV if you have the right codecs installed).
How to do it:
Open File Explorer on your Windows 11 PC.
In the left-hand pane, click "Network" (or "This PC" and then "Network location" if mapped).
You should see your WD My Cloud listed under "Network."
Double-click it to browse its shared folders.
Navigate to your MP4 file.
Right-click the MP4 file, choose "Open with," and select VLC Media Player.
This method leverages your local PC's powerful media players and codecs, not the limited web player.
Check My Cloud Settings (Less Common for Audio):
Log into your My Cloud dashboard. Look for any settings related to media streaming, web access, or transcoding. While less common to have an "audio mute" setting, it's worth a quick check for anything obvious. Ensure the My Cloud's firmware is up to date.
In summary:
If you're only getting no audio when playing via the My Cloud's web interface, the problem is likely with the web player's codec support.
Your best immediate solution is to either download the file and play it with VLC, or access the file directly via your network drive (SMB share) and play it with VLC. This leverages VLC's superior codec support on your local machine.
Hi Culties & Spookies, time for even more sales for your Sunday Leisure!!
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★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
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SHIRT FLAVIO FATPACK HUD 12 COLOR
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Elfenlied/84/62/2001
COMPATIBILITY WITH BODIES
GIANNI
LEGACY
BELLEZA
SLINK
Her Couture
Saturday Sale
⊡ 75L Weekend sale
☰ Items Included:Color Hud
⋮ 30 Colors
☰ Compatibility with:
☑ Maitreya ☑ Belleza (All) ☑ Slink (All) ☑ Standard Sizes
LM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Secret%20Sands/211/211/3025
This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
MILANI presents to you the “ Maya Collection ” Now at The Milani Inworld store @milani.onlinee
GIVE AWAY TIME Like, Share , and Comment your avatar name for a chance to win the “ Maya Collection ” release.
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fashion%20Boulevard/49/34/...
Compatibility : Legacy / Kupra / Slink / Maitreya / Belleza / Peach
Gender : Female
- 15 + Dresses
- 2 Different Styled Designs
- 10 + Colors
Store release with many more to come in the near future. In “Milani” you’re always going to drip with the drop. This cannot be found anywhere except exclusively through Us.
Hi Culties & Spookies, Time to kick off your weekend shopping just right!
★ Item ★ The Rylee sandals are a unique gladiator sandal with stud detailing that would look amazing with any outfit!
★ Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ Legacy Female ★ Maitreya-X ★ GEN-X ★ Lara ★
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cult%20Coven/129/75/33
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
Hi Culties & Spookies, time for even more sales for your Sunday Leisure!!
★ For 35L Sunday Sale ★ Niyah & Ghoul ★
★ Niyah Rigged For ★ Maitreya ★ Freya ★ Legacy F ★ Kupra ★ Reborn ★
★ Ghoul Rigged For ★ Legacy F/M ★ Reborn ★ Kupra ★ Maitreya ★ Jake ★ Gianni ★
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS! ★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★ NO SKATING AO!
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cult%20Coven/129/75/33
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
Finnish Army Soldiers taking part in Exercise Arctic Sheild: The aim of the exercise was to develop the performance of the ground in arctic conditions, to test the skills of a trained group and to increase compatibility with Swedish soldiers December 2018
Photo: Maavoimat - Armén - The Finnish Army
Hi Culties & Spookies, More Weekly Sales for your shopping pleasure!
★ Item ★ The Cecily heels are fancied up and ready to go! and The Astra heels are cute and elegant looking to spice up your next outfit!
★ Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ Legacy Female ★ Kupra ★ Lara ★ MaitreyaX ★ Gen-X ★
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cult%20Coven/129/75/33
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★