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The 1930s rail car is from the world's first driverless electric railway. The Post Office Railway, or Mail Rail, was a solution to carrying mail quickly across London avoiding the congested streets. During its life, the railway carried up to four million letters a day along the two foot gauge underground track. The route, with eight stations, served sorting offices between the west adn east ends of London from Paddington to Whitechapel.
Mail Rail ran from 1927 until 2003, when it became uneconomic to operate.
Taken in the National Railway Museum, York
The Interstate 64 Widening Project in York and James City counties and Newport News will increase vehicle capacity, resulting in immediate congestion relief along one of the most heavily traveled and congested highway corridors on the Virginia Peninsula. VDOT) (Photo by Trevor Wrayton,
BEL AIR - A 90 acre wildfire in the Sepulveda Pass threatened Bel-Air canyon estates, congested traffic across the Westside, and had firefighters relentlessly battling flames for three days in record-breaking heat.
On September 14, 2012 at 3:36 PM, a fire broke out along Sepulveda Boulevard near Getty Center Drive, just east of the 405 freeway. First arriving firefighters reported two acres burning in heavy brush. The blaze quickly spread beyond the capability of the initial responders and further assistance was immediately requested.
© Photo by Mike Meadows
Read more at lafd.org/blog
The Paradise Lake Road intersection on SR 522 in Snohomish County, WA is highly congested.
WSDOT is completing an preliminary study of potential concepts to improve safety and manage congestion.
A new interchange, capable of handling more vehicles efficiently will increase traffic flow, decrease congestion, improve travel times and decrease the risk of collisions.
A Technical Advisory Committee, made up of representatives from the County public works, planning, and transportation departments, the city of Monroe, and county business and cycling organizations, is advising WSDOT in studying and selecting a preliminary preferred alternative.
Learn more about the interchange: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR522/Widen/ParadiseLkIC/defaul...
View of the lava flow of 1792 on the eastern flank of Mount Etna, looking approx ESE from the Etna summit road (SP 92, via Cassone) towards the eastern coast of Sicily (Italy) and the Ionian Sea.
ETNA EXCURSION - STOP 3
We are at about 1280 m a.s.l. here. The small grey smudge in the far distance (upper L) is Calabria (see note on photo), the 'toe' of Italy on the Italian mainland just visible above the mist. Our guide stopped here for us to see the views in all directions, and to see the area where the 1792 lava flow started (behind the viewpoint). The craggy structure of the lava flow indicates a'a structure. The sparseness of the vegetation gives an idea of how long it takes for soil to develop on these lava flows. The shrubs in the foreground are one of the main early colonisers on Etna lavas, these being the Mount Etna broom (Genista aetnensis, endemic to Sardinia and Sicily.
The a'a surface pattern of the lava was created as it flowed and cooled, flow of the lava being slow, uneven and congested by the rapid cooling and solidification of its surface crust.
Like many geological terms, 'a'a' is borrowed from a part of the world where a geological feature is typical or where it was first noticed and described in formal scientific accounts. In the case of 'a'a' this was in the volcanic areas of the Hawai'i Islands, so it is a Polynesian word.
The summit of Mount Etna (Monte Etna) is currently around 3,329 m (10,922 ft) high but this varies with its volcanic activity. It is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and is the highest volcano in Europe. It has many frequently active vents and craters. In plate tectonic terms, it lies close to the geological boundary between Europe and Africa. There were two eruptions in the last month before we arrived, one of them only three days before. Mostly, recent eruptions have been relatively small and only local in their immediate effect, but much more widespread and violent eruptions have happened in the longer term in historical and geological time, and they could happen again. The region is also earthquake-prone (like many other parts of Italy).
GEOLOGICAL NOTES
The two classic lava structures in terrestrial eruptions are a'a (craggy, spiny and blocky appearance) and pahoehoe (rope-like and flowing structures), but there are intermediate structures too. Their formation is related to speed of forward movement of the molten lava which is turn relates to other factors like its viscosity, rate of lava supply and steepness of slope over which the lava is flowing. Viscosity depends on factors like composition of the lava, gas bubble content and temperature. Pahoehoe forms when the key factors favour faster movement and a'a lava when movement is slower.
The lava here is basalt, probably sub-alkaline (tholeiite) (I don't have detailed information for this outcrop or lava flow). The composition and volcanic style of Etna's activity are much more similar to classic oceanic basalt regions like Hawai'i, Iceland, La Réunion and Galàpagos, even though Etna's geological setting does not appear oceanic. A possible explanation is that it is located above a slab window (see below). In this case, magma of basaltic composition would originate in the mantle as with oceanic volcanoes, without being affected much by continental crust material.
Etna is actually a volcanic complex of numerous eruptive centres around the summit crater and on the flanks of the volcano. Etna's oldest known activity is about 500,000 years old (mid-Pleistocene). Most of its volcanic edifice is due to ash and other pyroclastic deposits, and lava flows, so it is classed as a stratovolcano. There are also several calderas, i.e. large bowl-shaped structures with steep sides caused by large-scale downward collapse of the ground above the chamber(s) which supplies the volcano's eruptive material.
The volcano is located above fault complexes related to the collision movement of the African plate and European plate such that Africa in the geological sense lies away to the R of this viewpoint and Europe lies in front of us. A northern promontory of the African plate, usually called the Adriatic or Apulian Platform or Plate is being actively subducted beneath the peninsula of Italy and northern Sicily which are structurally part of Europe (in an oversimplified way). Subduction is taking place in a direction from the R (i.e. from the S) under the European crust beneath the Etna , which sits on the overriding European crust, its volcanicity due at least in part to fault systems associated with this tectonic setting, though it is also ascribed to a local mantle hotspot and a window in the subducting slab.
SOURCES
There is a huge literature on Etna, and the notes above come from many sources, but here are some to start:
- Ball, Jessica.Mount Etna - Italy geology.com/volcanoes/etna/
- Behncke, Boris. [A series of blogs about Etna, e.g. bigthink.com/eruptions/etna-week-part-1-brief-anatomy-of-...]
- Bosellini, A., 2005.Storia geologica d'Italia. Gli ultimi 200 milioni di anni. Zanichelli, Bologna.
- Seach, J. Mt Etna Volcano www.volcanolive.com/etna.html
- Sistema Rischio Vulcanico. Mount Etna. The geological history, recent and current activity, and hazards of Mount Etna volcano, Sicily srv1.rm.ingv.it/srv/srv/study-sites/mount-etna
- Wikipedia. Mount Etna en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Etna
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LONDON - PARIS - CATANIA - ROME - LONDON ----- DAY 5
Photo from the fifth day of our crazy long distance rail trip from home (London) to Sicily. We spent the first day travelling from home in London to Paris, by Eurostar train, and were meant to the take an overnight train from Paris to Rome that same evening. But our Eurostar train out of London was badly delayed due to 'a fatality [unexplained - perhaps fortunately] on the train'. So we missed our onward connection to Rome and had an unexpected but happy second day in Paris. We left Paris that evening, on the equivalent Rome service arriving in Rome on our third day where we changed for our onward train, arriving in Catania (Sicily) that same evening. Our fourth day was our first full day in Sicily, and we spent this in the centre of Catania itself. We spent our fifth day on an excursion to Mount Etna run by GeoEtnaExplorer. We chose this tour company because the guides are geologists. Our particular tour went high up on the flanks on the summit, but not to the summit proper.
By the end of the whole holiday trip we had seen things and sites from ancient Greek time to modern, so the trip felt like a mini Grand Tour. Or given the rich mythology of Sicily, Etna and the Straits of Messina (Odysseus, the Cyclops, Scylla & Charybdis, etc.) perhaps our trip was like a modern mini Odyssey of our times. Odysseus took ten years to get home. It took us ten trains - but no monsters.
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Photo
Darkroom Daze © Creative Commons.
If you would like to use or refer to this image, please attribute.
ID: DSC_6659 - Version 2
Cruziohyla calcarifer
Historia Natural
Reproducción
En la Estación Biológica La Selva (Sarapiquí), en las tierras bajas de la Vertiente Caribe al noreste del país, se efectuaron las siguientes observaciones:Entre las 11:30 pm. y 0:30 am. (16 de octubre) se observó una agregación de 5 machos que llamaban. El sitio está situado aproximadamente a 100 m. de la fuente de agua más cercana (un pantano abierto) y al borde de un claro iluminado de 2 a 3 años en un bosque primario prístino. Estos machos estaban posados sobre tallos de 3 a 5 m. de altura y de 1 a 4 cm. de diámetro, formando un círculo con un diámetro de 3 m.. Cada macho se encontraba mirando hacia el centro del círculo, mientras se aferraban al tallo o al costado de una rama, a 2 ó 3 m. sobre el suelo. Los coros se sucedieron aproximadamente cada 10 minutos; un mismo macho los iniciaba invariablemente. La rotación de los llamados pasó al siguiente individuo, casi siempre en el mismo sentido alrededor del círculo. Usualmente se producía una gran pausa antes de que el líder repitiera el canto. Esta rotación del canto se repitió de 4 a 6 veces. La noche siguiente esta congregación ya no estaba presente. Aunque el sitio fué visitado en forma mensual durante los siguientes 10 meses, no se encontró ninguna otra congregación adicional.
Casi un año después (en las noches del 19 y 20 de agosto), se efectuaron las siguientes observaciones en el mismo sitio: 4 individuos se encontraban repartidos a lo largo de una línea de 10 m.. Las ranas reposaban a 3.5 ó 4.5 m. sobre el suelo en hojas de palmas (Welfia georgii y Genonama congesta) y del árbol anonillo (Anaxagorea crassipetala).
El patrón general de coros para las dos noches consistió en lo siguiente: 1)- el período promedio de los coros duró aproximadamente 1 minuto, durante el cual 2 ó 4 machos emitieron entre 27.2 y 28.2 notas cada uno por cada noche, respectivamente, y durante los períodos intermedios entre los coros, usualmente solo un macho canta y emite de 1 a 2 notas, solamente. A diferencia de las observaciones efectuadas durante la noche del 16 de octubre, en estas noches no se observó la existencia de ningún líder. Se observó durante las dos noches que las ranas no se movieron más de 50 cm. de su posición original.
Los machos, al cantar, pueden se escuchados desde un mínimo de 15 m. de la base de su percha. Durante la segunda noche se escuchó una segunda congregación a la distancia. Se estima que los individuos de esta especie se mantienen en la vecindad de los sitios de canto durante el día y que no migran al dosel, como previamente se había sugerido para las ranas tropicales.
Las agregaciones de canto de esta especie en la Estación Biológica La Selva no están asociadas con habitats acuáticos.
Dos puestas de huevos encontradas en La Selva, una se encontró en un claro de bosque sobre troncos que tenían huecos en los cuales se formaban charcas temporales. La segunda, (cerca de 70 huevos) estaba colgando de la hoja de un Philondendron sp., 2 cm. sobre un charco ubicado en un tronco. Este modo de reproducirse consiste en un estado larval acuático con un número relativamente pequeño de huevos pegados a la madera o a la vegetación y ubicados sobre huecos que contienen charcas de agua, no se habiá comunicado antes para las ranas del Nuevo Mundo.
Comportamiento
Son nocturnas y arborícolas.
Habitat y Distribución
Habitat
Viven en bosques tropicales muy húmedos.
Distribución
En las tierras húmedas y bajas del Caribe, entre 15 y 85 m. de elevación (Savage 2002).
Distribución fuera de Costa Rica
Se encuentran en la vertiente Caribe de Costa Rica y Panamá y en las tierras bajas de Colombia y el noroeste de Ecuador.
Distribución de Area de conservación
Amistad CaribeCordillera Volcanica CentralTortuguero
Usos y Manejos
Usos
Los individuos de esta especie son muy apreciados para utilizarse en los terrarios, razón por la cual son extraídos de su hábitat natural para ser vendidos en forma ilegal, principalmente en Europa y E.U.A..
Demografía y Conservación
Estado de amenaza
Es considerada una especie bajo amenaza de extinción y está protegida y regulada por la Ley de Conservación de la Vida Silvestre No. 7317, además de la Ley Orgánica del Ambiente No. 7554 y el decreto No. 26435-MINAE.
Descripción
Descripción científica
La pupila del ojo es vertical en ejemplares preservados o vivos vistos bajo luz fuerte. El párpado inferior no está reticulado. El iris es gris en ejemplares vivos. Los flancos tienen una serie de barras verticales oscuras en un fondo claro. La superficie superior del muslo presenta una serie de barras transversales oscuras. Los dedos tienen abundantes y amplias membranas interdigitales.
Información taxonómica
Reino: Animalia
Filo: Chordata
Clase: Amphibia
Orden: Anura
Familia: Hylidae
Género: Cruziohyla
The SR 522 interchange at Paradise Lake Road in Snohomish County, WA is highly congested.
WSDOT is studying concepts to improve the interchange with the guidance of a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) made up of representatives from local agencies and organizations.
WSDOT and TAC members selected two preliminary alternatives to present to the public for feedback.
The key characteristics of alternate two, which was not selected by WSDOT as the preliminary preferred alternative, called for a new SR 522 bridge over Paradise Lake Road. On- and off-ramps to Paradise Lake Road would have remained in their existing locations. The new overpass would help separate highway through-traffic from traffic on local surface streets. A portion of Paradise Lake Road would be relocated.
Potential issues WSDOT considered included that alternative two has a less direct connections between SR 522 and Paradise Lake Road. It eliminates the connection between 91st Avenue Southeast and 212th Avenue Southeast. It would also require the removal of several fish barriers.
The TAC and community feedback helped WSDOT select alternative one as the preliminary preferred alternative in the fall of 2018. The results, along with traffic analysis and community feedback will be submitted to legislators in late 2018.
TOKYO – When Army Maj. Gen. James F. Pasquarette assumed command of U.S. Army Japan (USARJ) July 8, 2015, he immediately took initiative to personally meet the troops under his command as well as key leaders from his host nation partners.
Pasquarette's tour of his area of responsibility began in earnest when he and members of his staff boarded a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter July 10 from Camp Zama, Japan. Flying hundreds of feet above the congested highways at sometimes at level with Japan's sea of skyscrapers, Pasquarette acquired a bird's eye view of the American and Japanese military installations scattered among the urban jungle.
“We overflew Sagami General Depot, Yokohama North Dock and Hardy Barracks, said Milton Jackson, garrison manager at Camp Zama. “Our new commander now has clearer picture of the facilities, equipment and watercraft managed by the Army, and he can better understand where and how these individual installations interact with one another.”
According to Jackson, the USARJ primary mission comprises the rapid deployment of troops and materiel from one theater to another. As the Army's largest logistical hub in Asia, the command must maintain a streamlined sustainment system capable of moving thousands of tons of supplies and equipment via land and sea.
“Sagami Depot has rolling stock and Yokohama North Dock has watercraft,” said Jackson. “We must overcome the challenges posed by Japan's dense population centers by developing methods that rapidly move and load stock onto our watercraft so that we may better project our presence in the Pacific. Fortunately, our Japanese allies are willing to support us if a major threat or disaster called for a sudden mass movement.”
After a brief stop at Yokota Air Base to meet with Air Force Gen. John L. Dolan, commanding general, U.S. Force Japan, Pasquarette touched down near the heart of Tokyo where members of America's staunchest allies welcomed him with the pomp and circumstance befitting a general.
“On behalf of the JGSDF (Japan Ground Self-Defense Force), welcome to Japan,” said Gen. Kiyofumi Iwata, chief of staff, JGSDF, to Pasquarette after the two commanders sat in a decorative conference room inside Japan's Ministry of Defense. “We look forward to continuing our dialog of bilateral coordination between our two countries as JGSDF pursues its transformation into a dynamic joint defense force.”
The dialog consisted of one-on-one conversations with not only Iwata but also Adm. Katsutoshi Kawano, chief of staff, Japan Self-Defense Force, and Hideshi Tokuchi, vice minister of international affairs, Japan Ministry of Defense. The four men discussed previous achievements, current operations and potential challenges facing their respective commands and presented ideas on how to strengthen interoperability among their forces through combined training exercises and expanded service member exchange programs.
“We currently have several dozen JSDF service members embedded with [U.S. military] units,” said Pasquarette. “I believe extending this program so that our Soldiers can work within the JGSDF will further enhance our partnership.”
Pasquarette also ensured his hosts that the United States Army remains committed to its allies in the Pacific despite looming force reductions and ongoing operations in Europe and the Middle East.
“The Army recently announced that it will cut the number of troops in the active component from 450,000 to about 410,000,” said Pasquarette. “This rebalance of the force has no effect on our strength and readiness in the Pacific. Our alliance is more important than ever. That's why we're keeping our best trained and best equipped Soldiers in Japan and Korea.”
After a two-hour visit that started with with a JSDF band playing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and ended with a warm exchange of plaques and handshakes, Pasquarette and his team boarded a helicopter bound for Camp Zama.
“I have worked extensively throughout the Pacific during my Army career,” said the former armor officer and chief of staff of U.S. Army Pacific. “The JSDF consists of some of the world's most capable and professional men and women in uniform. I look forward to building stronger relationships with them and become a valuable partner in its transformation."
U.S. Army photos by Sgt. John L. Carkeet IV, U.S. Army Japan
Newport is separated into east and west sides by the river Usk. The Usk is difficult to cross with fast flowing currents, created by one of the largest tidal ranges in the world.
Newport's first bridge - the, Town Bridge built by the 1100s. It was located upstream, where the river narrowed and the banks rose. An important crossing point, the Town Bridge was guarded by Newport Castle and used to collect tolls and taxes. During the Industrial Revolution, coal and iron poured through Newport from the valleys to the north. Newport's foundries roared, her docks heaved and the streets bustled with an influx of workers. At the start of the 1800s, Newport's population numbered a little over 1,000. By 1901, this had risen to over 67,000.The west side of Newport had grown crowded and Newport Corporation was looking to develop the east bank. The Town Bridge was widened in 1866 but this was still inadequate for the volume of traffic now using it. The crossing was heavily congested and inconvenient for the southern end of town. A second river crossing downstream was urgently needed.
In 1896, steel firm John Lysaght Ltd began negotiating with Newport Corporation to relocate their steel mills from Wolverhampton to the east side of Newport. There was a degree of urgency, as Lysaght Ltd were also considering a site in Barry. Keen to entice Lysaght Ltd, Newport Corporation sought parliamentary permission to improve transport across the Usk.
Lysaght Ltd chose Newport and bought 70 acres of land. The company opened a sheet rolling works in 1898, which became known as the 'Orb works'. By 1913, the works included 42 hot mills, operated by six steam engines and employed over 3,000 people, who produced over 175, 000 tons of sheet steel per year. Most of which was shipped to Lysaght's Bristol factory, to be made into sheet metal products. Many of the employees from the Wolverhampton works chose to relocate to Newport, rather than find new employment. Many settled along Corporation road, north of the Orb works, in an area which became known as 'Little Staffordshire', with road names such as 'Dudley' and 'Telford' street.
The task of choosing what type of river crossing to build was given to Borough Engineer, Robert Haynes. A ferry already operated downstream. P & A Campbell expressed interest in taking over the operation and expanding it. Haynes was opposed to this, due to the large rise and fall of the Usk and the treacherous currents involved. The crossing was risky and people had died making it.
A conventional bridge like the Town Bridge was ruled out. Such a bridge would have blocked tall sailing ships accessing the Town Dock. A high-level bridge would have required long and steep approach roads to provide enough clearance. This was thought impractical and expensive. Swing bridges and vertical lift bridges, such as Tower Bridge in London, were also dismissed. These bridges required large piers in the river, which would have been an obstacle to ships navigating the narrow channel of the Usk. As early as 1889, Newport Corporation had considered building a subway under the Usk. The cost of a vehicular subway was huge and so any subway would have to be limited to pedestrians only. Faced with these challenges, Haynes was attracted to a novel design patented by French engineer, Ferdinand Arnodin. It was called a 'transporter' bridge.
A transporter bridge is a combination of a bridge and a ferry. An aerial ferry called a 'gondola' is suspended by cables from a moving carriage called a 'traveller', which runs along a high-level beam known as a 'boom'. The boom is held up by two towers and carries a rail track on which the moving traveller is pulled along by cables operated from a motor house. Passengers and cars board the gondola from approach roads under each of the towers.
The design appeared to the solution engineer Robert Haynes was looking for. The high-level boom would be high enough to clear the tallest sailing ships, and the gondola could be operated to let shipping pass. At capacity, six cars and 120 people could be transported every seven and a half minutes. Cost was also attractive, as the structure was relatively light and within budget. Not everyone was convinced by this cutting edge design. In 1899, Haynes took a delegation of officials to Rouen Transporter Bridge to meet with its architect, Ferdinand Arnodin. The visit was a success, and Haynes and Arnodin were appointed joint engineers.
Parliamentary permission was obtained for the construction of the bridge in 1900 and contractors Alfred Thorne of Westminster were commissioned to build it in 1902.
The latticework steel towers were built on stone piers with steel shoes. To construct the tower bases, airtight chambers were built under each of the stone piers. Men were sent into the chambers through airlocks to excavate the foundations. The pressure in the chambers was maintained at a higher level than outside. At the end of each day, the pressure in the chamber was reduced to allow the pier bases to be gradually lowered. It was the first time such a system was used in Britain. Once the towers were complete and the suspension and anchor cables fixed, work could begin on the boom. The main under-frame on which the traveller would run was lifted in sections from barges in the river. The sides and overhead stiffeners were then added. All the cable work was then tensioned to bring the boom to its correct alignment. The bridge took four years to build at a cost of £98,000 (£10,000,000 today). It was officially opened by Lord Tredegar on 12 September 1906.
The construction of transporter bridges boomed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Built to allow the tallest fully-rigged sailing ships to pass, yet also to transport motor vehicles, the design was one of the last structures of the old days of sail and one of the first of a new age of mechanism. Between 1893 and 1916, 18 bridges were built worldwide. Many of those were designed by French engineer and transporter bridge pioneer, Ferdinand Arnodin. These included: Portugalete, Spain; Bizerta, Tunisia; Rouen, France; Martrou, France; Nantes, France; Marseilles, France and Newport, Wales.
Today, only eight of the original bridges survive. The oldest example, opened in 1893 at Portugalete still operates, as do the bridges at Rochefort in France and Osten and Rendsburg in Germany. A little-known example in La Boca, Buenos Aires exists but does not function. There is a photograph in the first comment below.
In Britain, three transporter bridges from this period remain. A railway transporter bridge in Warrington survives but is in poor condition. A fine example at Middlesbrough still operates across the river Tee. Arnodin's last and largest bridge, the Newport Transporter Bridge is fully operational and open to the public.
No sooner had the Transporter Bridge been built, than developments in Newport started to outpace it. Alexandra Docks progressively extended downstream. In 1914, the South Lock opened, providing shipping direct access to the Bristol Channel. It was no longer necessary to navigate the Usk past the Transporter Bridge. The Town Dock soon became obsolete and was eventually filled-in. During the 1960s, a national network of motorways was emerging. Newport needed a bridge that could handle the volume and speed of the motor age. In 1962, work began on George Street Bridge: Britain's first cable-stay bridge. When it opened in 1964, George Street Bridge vastly reduced the traffic using the Transporter Bridge.
In 1974, the Bridge was Grade II listed, as a structure of special interest. However, time and tide had taken their toll. By 1985, the Bridge was considered no longer safe and was closed for essential repairs. A condition survey carried out in 1991 revealed that the Transporter Bridge was in a critical condition. Repair work began in 1992 with funding from Cadw * and the European Architectural Heritage Fund. Work started with the stairs and access ways. In 1994, phase two involved replacing all of the main anchor and suspension cables and renewing the cable anchorages. Phase three included: structural steelwork repairs, surface protection and major refurbishment of the main boom, gondola and motor-house. The Bridge was opened again in December 1995 and subsequently upgraded to a Grade I structure of exceptional interest.
In 2004, Newport's City Bridge opened. Located half way between the Transporter Bridge and George Street Bridge, this further reduced the Transporter Bridge's traffic by a staggering 80%. In 2012, the Bridge was transferred from the City Council's Highways and Transport Department to its Museums and Heritage Service, to be managed as a heritage attraction.
Today, the Bridge is operated and maintained by small but dedicated team. The Bridge is actively supported by the Friends of the Newport Transporter Bridge who organise events to promote it and help run the Visitor Centre. The Transporter Bridge is a complex structure under constant attack from the elements. A further major restoration project will be required in the future.
Taken from the notices displayed at the site of the bridge.
Robert Cutts, July 2019
*‘Cadw’ is Welsh for ‘keep’ both as a verb meaning ‘retain’ and as a place where valuable items are kept.
Auto rickshaws are a common means of public transportation in many countries in the world. Also known as a three-wheeler, Samosa, tempo, tuk-tuk, trishaw, autorick, bajaj, rick, tricycle, mototaxi, baby taxi or lapa in popular parlance, an auto rickshaw is a usually three-wheeled cabin cycle for private use and as a vehicle for hire. It is a motorized version of the traditional pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw. Auto rickshaws are an essential form of urban transport in many developing countries, and a form of novelty transport in many developed countries. However, in some parts of Europe they remain an essential mode of transportation, notably Italy's.
OVERVIEW
ORIGN
Auto rickshaws of Southeast Asia started from the knockdown production of the Daihatsu Midget which had been introduced in 1957.
Japan had been exporting three-wheelers to Thailand since 1934. Moreover, The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of Japan donated about 20,000 used three-wheelers to Southeast Asia. In Japan, three-wheelers went out of use in the latter half of the 1960s.
DESIGN
An auto rickshaw is generally characterized by a sheet-metal body or open frame resting on three wheels, a canvas roof with drop-down sides, a small cabin in the front of the vehicle for the driver (sometimes called an auto-wallah), and seating space for up to three passengers in the rear. Newer models are generally fitted with a compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel scooter version of a 200 cc four-stroke engine, with handlebar controls instead of a steering wheel.
REGIONAL VARIATIONS
AFRICA
EASTERN AFRICA
There are tuk-tuks in several Kenyan towns. Using them is somewhat cheaper than ordinary taxis. However, tuk-tuks cannot operate in mountainous towns, which are common in Kenya. Fierce competition with Boda-bodas (bicycle taxis) and Matatus (minibuses) hinders popularity of Tuk-tuks, especially within the interior of Kenya. While they may not be widely found in Kenya, they are numerous in the coastal regions, which are less mountainous. For example, in the town of Malindi they offer an economical and convenient mode of transportation.
Tuk-tuks are also common in Ethiopia and are becoming common in Tanzania, particularly in the outer areas of Dar es Salaam. In Tanzania and Ethiopia they are known as "Bajaj" or "Bajajis", after the Bajaj Auto company which manufactures many of them. Since 2009, tuk-tuks have become common in Maputo, Mozambique.
EGYPT
In Egypt, auto rickshaws are called toktok (Egyptian Arabic: توك توك pronounced [ˈtoktok], plural: تكاتك takātek [tæˈkæːtek]); they are widely used as taxis in poorer neighborhoods of the capital, and have become a popular symbol for lower class Egyptians, although they are banned from the streets of wealthier neighborhoods. Deposed president Mohamed Morsi (June 2012-July 2013) in his opening speech addressed the Tuk-Tuk (toktok) drivers as a symbol of the lower class population, but his political rivals and mass media considered it as a mean of emotional deception for the masses by rendering what could be a promise to legalize their status.
MADAGASCAR
In Madagascar, man-pulled rickshaws are a common form of transportation in a number of cities, especially Antsirabe. They are known as "posy" from pousse-pousse, meaning push-push. Cycle rickshaws never took off, yet Posy are threatened by the auto-rickshaws, introduced in numbers since 2009. Provincial capitals like Toamasina, Mahajanga, Toliara, Antsiranana are taking to them rapidly. They are known as "bajaji" and now licenced to operate as taxis. They are not yet allowed an operating licence in the congested, and more pollution prone national capital, Antananarivo.
NIGERIA
There are keke-marwa's in several Nigerian towns and cities. Although not as popular as the ubiquitous "Okada" in Nigeria, keke-marwa's are embraced as an alternative means of transport by the middle and lower class citizens. Keke-marwa is named after Lagos former military Governor, Buba Marwa in the late 1990s.
SOUTH AFRICA
Tuk-tuks, introduced in Durban in the late 1980s enjoyed growing popularity in recent years, particularly in Gauteng.
SUDAN
Rickshaws are a major means of transport in all parts of Sudan, it's locally known as Raksha.
ASIA
BANGLADESH
Auto rickshaws (locally called "baby taxis" and more recently "CNGs" due to their fuel source) are one of the most popular modes of transport in Bangladesh mainly due to their size and speed. They are best suited to narrow, crowded streets, and are thus the principal means of covering longer distances within urban areas.
Earlier, auto rickshaws were colored black with a yellow canvas topping and ran on gasoline without any meter system. However, due to the vast supplies of natural gas in Bangladesh, the government has since encouraged the development of four-stroke compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered engines rather than the older two-stroke engine petrol-running models. Two-stroke engines had been identified as one of the leading sources of air pollution in Dhaka. Thus, since January 2003, traditional auto rickshaws were banned from the capital; only the new CNG-powered models were permitted to operate within the city limits. The newly manufactured CNG auto rickshaws are more fuel-efficient and have a lower center of gravity, making them safer than older models. All CNGs are painted green to signify that the vehicles are eco-friendly and that each one has a meter built in as standard.
Another version of the auto rickshaw can be seen in rural areas of Bangladesh, where they are called "helicopters". "Helicopters" are auto rickshaws modified to have a large body with which it can carry more than six or seven passengers.
At the end of the 1980s, a local company Atlas designed and built a new version of the auto rickshaw, called mishuk, a name derived from a children's mascot of a local deer. Unlike baby taxis, mishuks have spoke wheels and a green body, and have no meter system. Mishuks have more space than baby taxis or CNGs, which makes it more popular with women. They are commonly found in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country due to its four-stroke engine, which is not listed as a significant source of air pollution.
CAMBODIA
In Cambodia, the term tuk-tuk (Khmer: ទុកទុក) is used to refer to a motorcycle with a cabin attached to the rear. Cambodian cities have a much lower volume of automobile traffic than Thai cities, and tuk-tuks are still the most common form of urban transport. At the temple complex of Angkor, for example, tuk-tuks provide a convenient form of transport around the complex for tourists. One can hire a tuk-tuk and driver by the day.[citation needed]
Siem Reap tuk-tuks are generally of the style of motorcycle and trailer. This version does not have rear brakes.
Phnom Penh tuk-tuks are one piece. The one piece tuk-tuk is the front end of a motorcycle consisting of steering, tank and engine/gearbox with a covered tray mounted at the back. The power is transferred by chain to an axle mounted to the modified rear fork which drives the two rear wheels. Suspended upon the rear fork is an open cabin with an in-line seat on each side. This arrangement can carry 6 people at ease, with their luggage in the leg space. It is not unusual to see these vehicles greatly overloaded, especially in outer suburbs and around markets.
Sihanoukville tuk-tuks are generally a motorcycle and articulated trailer without rear brakes on the trailer. A minority of tuk-tuks are three wheeled. The rear wheel of the motorcycle is removed and the front of the bike is melded with a trailer. Power is supplied to the trailer wheels by a driveshaft and differential. Rear wheel brakes add significantly to the safety of this design, especially when going downhill.
Currently, Tuk Tuk in Cambodia is being developed to be more convenient and safer. It is also becoming a popular form of transportation for Phnom Penh residents.
Gaza
Together with the recent boom of recreational facilities in Gaza for the local residents, donkey carts have all but been displaced by tuk-tuks in 2010. Due to the ban by Israel on the import of most motorised vehicles, the tuk-tuks have had to be smuggled in parts through the tunnel network connecting Gaza with Egypt.
CHINA
Various types of auto rickshaw are used around China, where they are called 三轮 (Sān lún - three wheeler) or 嘟嘟车 (Dū dū chē - beep beep car).
In Hainan, the southernmost province, electric models are used in the capital Haikou. These may be heavy, purpose-built vehicles, or simple bicycles attached to a light chassis, with a small electric motor housed underneath.
In rural areas, a sturdy, petrol-powered, plastic-bodied type is common, similar to the Philippine motorized tricycle.
INDIA
OVERVIEW
Most cities offer auto rickshaw service, although hand-pulled rickshaws do exist in some areas, such as Kolkata.
Auto rickshaws are used in cities and towns for short distances; they are less suited to long distances because they are slow and the carriages are open to air pollution. Auto rickshaws (often called "autos") provide cheap and efficient transportation. Modern auto rickshaws run on compressed natural gas (CNG) and are environmentally friendly compared to full-sized cars.
It is also not uncommon in many parts of India (including major cities like Delhi) to see primary school children crammed into an auto-rickshaw, transporting them between home and school.
To augment speedy movement of traffic, Auto rickshaws are not allowed in the southern part of Mumbai.
DESIGN & MANUFACTURE
There are two types of autorickshaws in India. In older versions the engines were situated below the driver's seat, while in newer versions engines are located in the rear. They normally run on petrol, CNG and diesel. The seating capacity of a normal rickshaw is four, including the driver's seat. Six-seater rickshaws exist in different parts of the country, but the model was officially banned in the city of Pune 10 January 2003 by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA).
CNG autos are distinguishable from the earlier petrol-powered autos by a green and yellow livery, as opposed to the earlier black and yellow appearance. Certain local governments are advocating for four-stroke engines instead of the current two-stroke versions.
Auto rickshaw manufacturers in India include Bajaj Auto, Kumar Motors, Kerala Automobiles Limited, Force Motors (previously Bajaj Tempo), Mahindra & Mahindra, Piaggio Ape and TVS Motors.
LEGISLATION
Generally rickshaw fares are controlled by the government.
INDONESIA
In Indonesia, auto rickshaws are popular in Jakarta, Medan, Java, and Sulawesi. In Jakarta, the auto rickshaws are similar to the ones in India but are colored blue and orange. Outside of Jakarta the bentor-style auto rickshaw is more ubiquitous, with the passenger cabin mounted as a sidecar to a motorcycle. Where these sidecar style auto rickshaws do occur in Jakarta they are not referred to as bentor, but rather as bajaj (bajai). They were also popular in East Java until the end of the 20th century and were known as a bemo.
LAOS
Lao tuk-tuks come as tuk-tuks or jumbo tuk-tuks. Jumbos have a larger 3- or 4-cylinder four-stroke engine, and many are powered by Daihatsu engines. Jumbos' larger engine and cabin size allow for greater loads, up to 12 persons, and higher top speeds. Jumbos are (with few exceptions) only found in Vientiane and Luang Prabang.
NEPAL
Auto rickshaws were the popular mode of transport in Nepal during the 1980s and 1990s, till Nepal Government decided to ban the movement of 600 such vehicles in the early 2000. Earliest model of auto rickshaw running in Kathmandu were manufactured by Bajaj Auto. Nepal has been a popular destination for Rickshaw Run. The 2009 Fall Run took place in Goa, India and concluded in Pokhara, Nepal.
PAKISTAN
Auto rickshaws are a popular mode of transport in Pakistani towns and is mainly used for traveling short distances within cities. One of the major brands of auto rickshaws is Vespa (an Italian Company). Lahore is hub of CNG Auto rikshaws manufacturers in Pakistan.The government of Pakistan is taking measures to convert all the gasoline run auto-rickshaws to more effective CNG rickshaw by 2015 in all the major cities of Pakistan by issuing easy loans through commercial banks. Environment Canada is implementing pilot projects in Lahore, Karachi and Quetta with engine technology developed in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada that uses CNG instead of gasoline in the two-stroke engines, in an effort to combat environmental pollution and noise levels.
In many cities in Pakistan, there are also motorcycle rickshaws, usually called chand gari (moon car) or Chingchi (after the Chinese company Jinan Qingqi Motorcycle Co. Ltd who first introduced these to the market).
Rickshaws are forbidden in the capital, Islamabad.
Auto rickshaws have had a history of displaying political statements. In February 2013, that legacy was modified to promote peace. According to Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi, head of the Pakistan Youth Alliance, "We need to take back this romanticized art form and use it for peace sloganeering and conflict resolution."
Manufacturers There are many companies involving in Rickshaw manufacturing in Pakistan, some of them are, AECO Export Company, STAHLCO Motors, Global Sources, Parhiyar Automobiles, Global Ledsys Technologies, Siwa Industries, Prime Punjab Automobiles, Murshid Farm Industries, Sazgar Automobiles, NTN Enterprises, Imperial Engineering Company
PHILLIPINES
Auto rickshaws are an especially popular form of public transportation in the Philippines, where they are referred to as "tricycles" (Filipino: traysikel; Cebuano: traysikol). In the Philippines, the design and configuration of tricycles varies widely from place to place, but tends towards rough standardization within each municipality. The usual design is a passenger or cargo sidecar fitted to a motorcycle, usually on the right of the motorcycle. It is rare to find one with a left sidecar. Tricycles can carry five passengers or more in the sidecar, one or two pillion passengers behind the motorcycle driver, and even a few on the roof of the sidecar. Tricycles are one of the main contributors to air pollution in the Philippines, since majority of them employ two-stroke motorcycles. However, some local governments are working towards phasing out two-stroke-powered tricycles for ones with cleaner four-stroke motorcycles.
SRI LANKA
Auto rickshaws, commonly known as three-wheelers and more recently tuk-tuk, can be found on all roads in Sri Lanka from the curvy roads through the hill country to the congested roads of Colombo transporting locals, foreigners, or freight about. Sri Lankan three-wheelers are of the style of the light Phnom Penh type. Most of the three-wheelers in Sri Lanka are a slightly modified Indian Bajaj model, imported from India though there are few manufactured locally and increasingly imports from other countries in the region and other brands of three-wheelers such as Piaggio. In 2007 January the Sri Lankan government imposed a ban on all 2-stroke three-wheelers, due to environmental concerns and therefore the ones imported to the island now are the ones with four-stroke engines. Most three-wheelers are available as hiring vehicles, with few being used to haul goods and as private company or advertising vehicles. Bajaj enjoys a virtual monopoly in the island, with its agent being David Pieries Motor Co Ltd. A few three-wheelers in Sri Lanka have distance meters, and in the capital city it is becoming more and more common, however the vast majority of charges are negotiated between the passenger and driver.
THAILAND
The auto rickshaw, called tuk-tuk (Thai: ตุ๊กตุ๊ก, pronounced "took-took") or sam-lor (Thai: สามล้อ) meaning three-wheeler in Thailand, is a widely used form of urban transport in Bangkok and other Thai cities. It is particularly popular where traffic congestion is a major problem, such as in Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima. The name is onomatopoeic, mimicking the sound of a small (often two-cycle) engine. An equivalent English term would be "putt-putt."
Bangkok and other cities in Thailand have many tuk-tuks which are a more open variation on the Indian auto-rickshaw. There are no meters, and trip costs are negotiated in advance. Bangkok fares have risen to nearly equal normal taxis due to uninformed foreigners willing to pay the asking price, but leaves passengers more exposed to environmental pollution than taxis. The solid roof is so low that the tuk-tuk is a difficult touring vehicle. Today few locals take one unless they are burdened with packages or travelling in a big group for short distances.
The Thai tuk-tuk is starting to change from the old smoke-spewing vehicle of yesteryear. Many Thai tuk-tuk manufacturers now produce low emission vehicles, and even old ones are having new engines fitted along with LPG conversions. In an early morning of Bangkok, these same passenger vehicles can be seen busily transporting fresh produce around the city. Newer tuk-tuks also have wet weather sides to keep passengers and drivers dry.
The Thai auto-rikshaw manufacturers are, Monika Motors Ltd., TukTuk (Thailand) Co., Ltd., TukTuk Forwerder Co., Ltd. Bangkok and MMW Tuk-Tuks Co.,Ltd. in Hua Hin. Smaller manufacturers are the Chinnaraje Co., Ltd. in Chiang Mai and the Expertise Co., Ltd. in Chonburi which manufactures its models in Komaki, Japan, also.
VIETNAM
Known locally as xe lam, the vernacular pronunciation of the Lambro from the Lambretta line by Innocenti of Italy, these vehicles were very popular in the 1960s and 1970s, especially the urban centers of South Vietnam. Over time the authorities have moved to limit their use.
Xe lam with 1-wheel forward and 2-aft were designed to carry passengers whereas other variants with 2-forward and 1-aft, used mostly to transport goods are known as Xe ba gác máy. The motorized version of cycle rickshaw is the Xích lô máy is of the same design.
EUROPE
FRANCE
A number of Tuk-tuks ( 250 in 2013 according to the Paris Prefecture)are used as an alternative tourist transport system in Paris, some off them being pedal operated with the help of an electric engine. They are not yet fully licenced to operate and await customers on the streets. 'Velos taxis' were common during the Occupation years in Paris due to fuel restrictions.
ITALY
Auto rickshaws have been commonly used in Italy since the late 1940s, providing a low-cost means of transportation in the post-World-War-II years when the country was short of economic resources. The Piaggio Ape, designed by Vespa creator Corradino D'Ascanio and first manufactured in 1948 by the Italian company Piaggio, though primarily designed for carrying freight has also been widely used as an auto rickshaw. It is still extremely popular throughout the country, being particularly useful in the narrow streets found in the center of many little towns in central and southern Italy. Though it no longer has a key role in transportation, Piaggio Ape is still used as a minitaxi in some areas such as the islands of Ischia and Stromboli (on Stromboli no cars are allowed). It has recently been re-launched as a trendy-ecological means of transportation, or, relying on the role the Ape played in the history of Italian design, as a promotional tool. Since 2006 the Ape has been produced under licence in India.
NETHERLANDS
Since 2007, tuk-tuks have been active in the Netherlands, starting with Amsterdam. They now operate in Amersfoort, Amsterdam, The Hague, Zandvoort, Bergen op Zoom, the popular beach resort Renesse and Rotterdam. The tuk-tuks in the Netherlands are imported from India and Thailand. They are fitted with CNG engines and have passed the EURO-4 rules.
UNITED KINGDOM
The first Tuk Tuks to enter service in the United Kingdom were supplied and built by MMW Imports in 1999, under the brand name MMW Tuk Tuks. The very first Private Hire licence was issued to an MMW Tuk Tuk for tours of Bath in the year 2000, MMW also gained full Hackney license in Weston-super-Mare. MMW also now export Tuk Tuks from Thailand to the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, New Zealand and Australia. All the MMW range are built in their own factory in Thailand and are custom made for each customer's needs; hence no two tuk tuks are the same, and they come fully customized as per required spec.
Tukshop of Southampton started the commercial importing of Tuk Tuks into the UK in 2003, which resulted in many people being inspired to set up taxi-type operations in a number of cities including Blackpool, Brighton and Leeds. Tukshop failed to gain a taxi operator license for London after a number of media appearances in 2004. The company, founded by mrsteve, are specialists in experiential marketing using the iconic three-wheelers for street marketing campaigns. Clients of Tukshop include many household names, such as T Mobile, Harrods, Universal Pictures, O2, BBC, Freeview, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Tiger Beer & Grolsch lager. Tukshop have imported and put over one hundred tuk tuks on the roads of the UK and Europe between starting the business and Oct 2010. The company currently stocks models from Piaggio & Bajaj, including the commercial versions such as the TM Van.
A Bajaj tuk tuk is currently operated by Bangwallop of Salcombe, South Devon. Taking just two passengers at a time, the tuk tuk has an operator's licence issued by VOSA and trips can be booked in advance.[citation needed]
Auto rickshaws were introduced to the city of Brighton and Hove on 10 July 2006 by entrepreneur Dominic Ponniah's company Tuctuc Ltd, who had the idea after seeing the vehicles used in India and Sri Lanka. They were CNG-powered, using a four-speed (plus reverse) 175 cc engine. Under the terms of their license, the Bajas ran on a fixed single route, and stopped only at designated stops. They are of the same design as traditional auto rickshaws in other countries.
An investigation was launched into Tuctuc Ltd's operation of the service after complaints were raised, primarily by the city's taxi drivers, that routes, stopping points and timetables were not being adhered to. In November 2006, the company was fined £16,500 – the maximum penalty possible – by the South East Traffic Commissioner. After amendments were made to the timetable to reduce delays and improve reliability, the Commissioner allowed the company to keep its operating license. However, the company announced in January 2008 that it was ceasing operations, citing "archaic legislation" as the reason.
In the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, there is a new street food restaurant called Tuk Tuk Indian Street Food, that has its own branded Tuk Tuks, which are used for marketing around the town and picking up customers on special occasions.
CENTRAL AMERICA
EL SALVADOR
The mototaxi or moto is the El Salvadoran version of the auto rickshaw. These are most commonly made from the front end and engine of a motorcycle attached to a two-wheeled passenger area in back. Commercially produced models, such as the Indian Bajaj brand, are also employed.
GUATEMALA
In Guatemala the commercial vehicles are referred to as tuk-tuks. Tuk-tuks operate, both as taxis and private vehicles, in Guatemala City, Guatemala, around the island town of Flores, Peten, in the mountain city of Antigua Guatemala, and in many small towns in the mountains. In 2005 the tuk-tuks prevalent in the Lago de Atitlán towns of Panajachel and Santiago Atitlán all appeared to be from India (Bajaj Auto).
HONDURAS
Three-wheeled all-in-one tuk-tuks are used in the place of traditional taxis in most rural towns and villages.
NICARAGUA
As of 2011 there were an estimated 5,000 mototaxis, popularly known as "caponeras".
CARIBBEAN
Three-wheeled Coco taxis in Havana, Cuba
CUBA
Three-wheeled Coco taxis, named for their resemblance to a coconut, are used in Havana, Cuba.
SOUTH AMERICA
ECUADOR
The mototaxi is the Ecuatorian version of the auto rickshaw. These are most commonly made from the front end and engine of a motorcycle attached to a two-wheeled passenger area in back.
PERU
It is a common sight in the rural areas, towns and cities of Peru to see auto rickshaws, locally known as "mototaxis," "motokars", "taxi cholo", or "cholotaxi" lining up to pick up passengers as their fares are generally lower than car taxis. They are also in the capital, Lima, but they are usually restricted to the peripheral districts. The "jungle" cities and towns in eastern Peru are famous for their prevalence of auto rickshaws. This vehicle, usually running on regular unleaded gasoline, is the main non-private transport vehicle, and is known as "motocarro", "mototaxi" or "tuk-tuk" (for foreigners).
Many of the jungle areas of eastern Peru can be extremely noisy as a result of poorly maintained auto rickshaws and other 2 or 3-wheel vehicles, especially in high traffic or hilly areas. Auto-rickshaw brands such as the Indian-made Bajaj, which use GLP [a form of liquified petroleum gas which some car taxis also use] are much quieter.
NORTH AMERICA
UNITED STATES
Tuk Tuks were introduced to the United States through Tuk Tuk North America of Swainsboro, Georgia. As early as 2006, Mr. Roy Jordan, the owner of Tuk Tuk North America, began working with both the U.S. federal government and manufacturers in Thailand to configure a tuk tuk that was cost effective but adaptable to meet or exceed U.S. Department of Transportation regulations. He was able to contract a manufacturer who could make imported tuk tuks that could meet all necessary federal regulations in the U.S. Original products were imported from Thailand and were gas propelled. Due to the changing regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency, the introduction of imported gas-propelled tuk tuks was short-lived. Due to such changes, in 2009 Tuk Tuk North America decided to go dormant in its importing of gas propelled tuk tuks into the U.S.
However, with the growing emphasis on sustainable “green” energy and the recognition of the continuing rising oil prices, in 2011 the project's short dormancy was rejuvenated being redirected towards introduction of a complete line of all-electric tuk tuks. The line included eight models of "street legal" tuk tuks including passenger, utility, and delivery vehicles. These were offered under the manufacturer’s new name, Electro Technologies LLC, and marketed and sold exclusively through Tuk Tuk Transport LLC of Lenoir City, Tennessee, under the leadership of C. Phillip Tallant.
Prior to 2013, the greatest obstacle to commercial transportation usage of the electric tuk tuks created by Electro Technologies was addressed in mid 2013 by providing a means by which ET Tuk Tuks could be in service 24/7. With this advancement grew the opportunity for formation of Tuk Tuk of America, a company by which partnering affiliates across the U.S. could begin their own local niche urban mobility transportation company with guaranteed protected territories.
FUEL EFFICIENCY & POLLUTION
In July 1998, the Supreme Court of India ordered the Delhi government to implement CNG or LPG (Autogas) fuel for all autos and for the entire bus fleet in and around the city.[citation needed] Delhi's air quality has improved with the switch to CNG. Initially, auto rickshaw drivers in Delhi had to wait in long queues for CNG refueling, but the situation has improved with the increase of CNG stations. Certain local governments are pushing for four-stroke engines instead of the current two-stroke versions. Typical mileage for an Indian-made auto rickshaw is around 35 kilometers per liter of petrol (about 2.9 L per 100 km, or 82 miles per gallon [United States (wet measure), 100 miles per gallon Imperial (United Kingdom, Canada)]. Pakistan has passed a similar law prohibiting auto rickshaws in certain areas. CNG auto rickshaws have started to appear in huge numbers in many Pakistani cities.
In January 2007 the Sri Lankan government also banned two-stroke trishaws to reduce air pollution. In the Philippines there are projects to convert carburated two-stroke engines to direct-injected via Envirofit technology. Research has shown LPG or CNG gas direct-injection to be retrofit-able to existing engines in similar fashion to the Envirofit system. In Vigan City majority of tricycles-for-hire as of 2008 are powered by motorcycles with four-stroke engines, as tricycles with two-stroke motorcycles are prevented from receiving operating permits. Direct injection is standard equipment on new machines in India.
In March 2009 an international consortium coordinated by the International Centre for Hydrogen Energy Technologies initiated a two-year public-private partnership of local and international stakeholders aiming at operating a fleet of 15 hydrogen-fueled three-wheeled vehicles in New Delhi's Pragati Maidan complex. As of January 2011, the project was upon completion.
In the meantime, in October, 2011, the Department of Transportation for the U.S. approved the complete 2012 series of American made, all-electric tuk tuks by Electro Technologies. Chassis were still being shipped in from Thailand, but now with the inclusion of all electrical components as manufactured only in the U.S. with assembly completed in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The American made electric tuk tuks were unique in that they were charged through common 110v outlets providing a range of 60 to 100(+) miles per charge (depending upon model and conditions) with a recharge time between 4 to 6 hours. The Electro Technologies Tuk Tuks topped out at 40 miles per hour which perfectly addresses the needs of their design; niche urban mobile transportation.
The greatest obstacle to daily usage in niche urban mobile commercial transportation was addressed in 2013 by Electro Technologies when they introduced their quick-release battery pack allowing for restoration of 100% power availability in just a few short minutes. This commercial upgrade allowed niche urban transportation businesses to operate 24/7 with no interruption to business.
TRAFFIC ISSUES
Auto rickshaws have a top-speed of around 50 km/h (about 31 mph) and a cruising speed of around 35 km/h (22 mph), much slower than the automobiles they share the road with. Traffic authorities in big cities try to implement mechanisms to reduce the resulting traffic slowing, but none have proven effective.
The MMW Tuk Tuk has a top speed of around 70 mph and with the introduction of the new turbo will have much improved acceleration, to allow for increased speed these Tuk Tuks have anti-roll bars and are fitted with disc brakes.
The triangular form of the vehicle makes maneuvering easy, with the single front wheel negotiating the available gap, and the rear two wheels forcing a larger space. Care must be taken even at low speeds, however, because of the stability problems of three-wheeler vehicles with a single front wheel. Such a "delta"-configuration three-wheeler can easily roll if the driver turns while braking.
In the Philippines, 2-stroke motor tricycle such as Yamaha RS-100T can give a top speed of 55 km/h (one passenger in the sidecar), or 30–40 km/h (full passengers in the sidecar).
More powerful four-stroke motor tricycles such as Honda TMX & Yamaha STX & Bajaj CT-100 can give a top speed up to 70–85 km/h (special trip/one passenger) or 40–50 km/h (full passengers).
RACING
Due to their relatively low top-speed, auto rickshaws have never lent themselves to conventional road or street racing. However, their modest speed, simple construction and impressive fuel economy has endeared them to the international amateur adventuring community, most notably with the Rickshaw Run and also the Indian Autorickshaw Challenge, and even off-road racing with the Apecar competitions in Italy. A Tuk Tuk built by Art In Motion, LLC competed in the 2008 Fireball Run II – Back to the Track
PORTRAYAL IN MEDIA
Auto rickshaws are often portrayed in Indian films (Auto Shankar, Basha, Aye Auto, Oram Po, Hero Hiralal) as well as some Hollywood and foreign productions such as the James Bond film Octopussy, the Canada-India film Amal and the Indonesian movie Pembalasan Rambu. Auto rickshaws are also prominent in the fuel-poor London of 2027 A.D. depicted in Children of Men. A memorable tuk-tuk chase features in the Thai film Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, climaxing with many of them driving off the edge of an unfinished elevated expressway. The video games Just Cause 2, Stuntman, Far Cry 4 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2: Vietnam feature Tuk-Tuks as drivable vehicles. James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) rides in a tuk-tuk in a Visa Card commercial.
WIKIPEDIA
The SR 522 interchange at Paradise Lake Road in Snohomish County, WA is highly congested.
WSDOT is studying concepts to improve the interchange with the guidance of a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) made up of representatives from local agencies and organizations.
Before selecting two alternatives to present to the community for feedback, TAC members looked at five alternatives and suggested several more. These alternatives were then analyzed based on criteria including cost, safety, congestion and business access.
The TAC will help WSDOT select a preliminary preferred alternative in the fall of 2018. The results, along with traffic analysis and community feedback will be submitted to legislators in late 2018.
The City Centre of Kuala Lumpur is an icon to (post)modernity, of course. Who hasn't seen countless and variegated images of the Petronas Towers? Behind those towers there's a marvellous park which was planted with many native trees of Malaysia. It's a veritable 'lung' of this traffic congested city. There are great green lawns, pools and fountains, and shrubs and flowering plants. Especially interesting for yours truly are the verges; those places lawn mowers can't get at, often on the edge of parking lots or in between the huge roots of majestic trees, or between pavement tiles, or near constructon sites. That's where weeds grow!
This is Chrysopogon aciculatus, Awn Grass, Love Grass, Mackie's Pest for Australians, Goldbeard and many other names. A really marvellous little plant - regardless of its being a pest to farmers in some parts of the world. This little flower stalk measures about 1 cm, and that makes its other anatomical structures around 1 mm each. Ah! The wonders of nature (and of cameras!).
The Swedish pharmacist, botanist and entomologist Anders Jahan Retzius (1742-1821) was the first to describes this grass - which hails from Southeast Asia - as Andropogon aciculatus (1789). He bases his description on Georg Eberhard Rumphius's Gramen aciculatum. Rumphius had seeen it most likely somewhere in what's today northern Indonesia, perhaps the Moluccan Islands where he lived and worked.
But the first scientific description of this grass under the name by which it is today known (Chrysogonon aciculatus) was by Carl Bernhard von Trinius (1778-1844). Trinius was the founder of the Botanical Museum at St Petersburg, and close to the Imperial Family. In fact, he was the teacher of two Czars: Alexander I and Nicholas 1. In 1828 he describes Chrysogonon under the general heading of Rhaphis trivialis, not able (yet) to prove its precise place in taxonomy. Anyone looking at Trinius's work will be happy to discover that he's made a drawing of our Grass as well. And he notes down that it's been done after a specimen he got from 'Owahu'. Indeed, you think right. That's O'ahu, one of the Hawai'ian Islands (Waikiki and all that!).
How did Trinius get that specimen? No doubt from his friend and 'pen-pal' Louis Charles Adélaïde de Chamissot (= Adelbert von Chamisso) (1781-1836). Chamisso had been one of the two botanists of the second Russian exploration expedition 'round the world under the command of Otto von Kotzebue (1787-1846). Between 1816 and 1817 their ships had spent some time in Hawai'i and in particular at O'ahu. There were diplomatic exchanges with the royal family of Hawai'i, much ado about trade and trading posts and -exchanges; but also enough time for the naturalists to expand their collections of specimens. An herbarium was put together and it has survived until the present.
So in contemplating this minute grass, much history and exploration come together!
Metro Board member Zev Yaroslavsky addresses attendees, with board member Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker in background.
Photo by Steve Hymon for Metro harvested from The Source:
www.flickr.com/photos/metrolibraryarchive/15211281773/
Leaders of the L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) today joined federal, state and local elected officials in the Mid-Wilshire District of Los Angeles to break ground on the long awaited Metro Purple Line Extension Project, the largest, most ambitious public works project in the Western United States.
In July, Metro’s Board of Directors approved a contract with Skanska, Traylor and Shea (STS), a Joint Venture, to construct the Purple Line Extension Project. Construction of the subway extension will connect West Los Angeles to the region’s growing rail network, making it possible to travel between Downtown Los Angeles and Westwood in 25 minutes. The first subway segment will extend the Purple Line 3.9 miles from the existing Wilshile/Western Purple Line terminus near Koreatown into Beverly Hills. Three new underground stations are planned at Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/La Cienega, providing fast, frequent, high-capacity transit service farther west along busy Wilshire Boulevard.
“The Purple Line will ease traffic along the congested Wilshire corridor and will make traveling from the westside to downtown faster and greener.” said Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles and Metro Board Chair. “When it comes to infrastructure, L.A. is on the move. We are right now investing 36 billion dollars in our transportation infrastructure to ease congestion and create thousands of jobs. All together, this is the largest public works project in the nation. In the car capital of the world, we are looking to reduce traffic and cut air pollution by giving people car-free options to get to work and play.”
The Purple Line Extension is a critically important rail project that is partially funded by the 2008 Measure R sales tax that was overwhelmingly approved by two-thirds of L.A. County voters. The first segment of the subway is expected to be completed in 2023 with a project budget of $2.821 billion. In addition to this local funding, Metro received a $1.25 billion Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) from the Federal Transit Administration to help pay for the first segment. The U.S. Department of Transportation also granted Metro a low-interest loan of $856 million from a Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) to complete the funding package for the project’s first phase. Combined, these nearly $2 billion in project commitments represent the biggest federal transportation investment for a single construction segment in the history of Los Angeles County.
The remaining $821 million in project funding for the first segment includes Measure R, City of Los Angeles local funding, and other existing local and federal funds.
“Today we launch the construction of the first subway segment along the Wilshire corridor to West Los Angeles,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor and Metro Board Member Zev Yaroslavsky. “No transit corridor in our region is in greater need of mass rapid transit. The area to be served is one of the most dense employment centers in the county and is plagued by some of the worst traffic congestion in the country. This groundbreaking is long overdue and will be well received by people who work and live in the Westside.”
“Breaking ground on the Purple Line extension is an important step toward completing this key transit option for Angelenos, which will help relieve congestion and boost the local economy,” said U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein. “I applaud the efforts of everyone who helped us reach this point, but we have work left to do. The federal government is committed to providing $1.25 billion of the $2.8 billion cost for phase one, but future phases will require an estimated $3.5 billion. I will continue to strongly support federal funding to complete this important transit project.”
The project is planned to be built in three sections. Section 2, which will include Wilshire/Rodeo and Century City stations, is scheduled for completion in 2026. Section 3, which will include Westwood/UCLA and Westwood/VA Hospital stations, is planned to open in 2035. When all three project sectionss are complete, the Purple Line will extend westward from Wilshire/Western for nearly nine miles with a total of seven new stations.
Metro is currently seeking additional federal funding that could accelerate subway construction for Section 2 in the form of a $1.1 billion grant from the federal New Starts program, and a $307 million low-interest loan from the federal TIFIA program.
“Los Angeles has made enormous strides to expand transportation options and accelerate construction of projects that will create jobs, improve mobility, and spur economic growth,” said U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer. “The Purple Line Extension is another major accomplishment. I am proud that the TIFIA Program from MAP-21 provided key financing of $856 million that enabled this project to move forward.”
“The Purple Line extension puts Angelenos to work building a 21st century transit system for our city,” said U.S. Congressman Xavier Becerra. “Connecting the Westside to the greater Los Angeles area by subway will create over 25,000 jobs, increase ridership and result in a boon for our local economy. This project is the right investment that will keep Los Angeles on the move.”
The full nine-mile project is projected to generate about 62,000 daily weekday boardings at the seven new stations. Today, there are 39,000 daily boardings on the Purple Line between Union Station and Wilshire/Western. By 2040, 150,000 daily boardings are expected on the Purple Line between Union Station and Westwood/VA Hospital.
During peak periods, trains are expected to run every four minutes. During off-peak periods, they are expected to run every 10 minutes. It will also create tens of thousands of jobs and generate increased economic activity for the region.
Over 300,000 people travel into the Westside every day for work from throughout the region. More than 100,000 people leave the area for outside destinations. These numbers will increase over time. The Purple Line is expected to provide a much needed transit alternative for traveling to and from West Los Angeles, one of the county’s most densely populated, job-rich areas. The area is also home to major world-class destinations.
“I’m delighted that construction on the Purple line extension is beginning,” said U.S. Congressman Henry Waxman. “This rail link will fundamentally change how the people of L.A. get around and provide a direct route to some of the great sites in the Westside. After section one is finished, you’ll be able to hop on the subway downtown and visit the La Brea Tar Pits, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Petersen Automotive Museum and Restaurant Row.”
The subway extension is expected to reduce reliance on automobiles, help reduce roadway congestion, reduce travel times and reduce greenhouse gases.
“The Purple Line Extension will continue to make Los Angeles a great place to work, live and play,” said U.S. Congresswoman Karen Bass. “This extension is an example of what can happen when federal, state and local leaders all work together—bringing billions of dollars into the Los Angeles economy and creating thousands of jobs over the next decade, while building on a vital rail line that will benefit Angelenos for generations.”
“The subway extension project is important not just for the Westside, but for the entire region,” said Pam O’Connor, Santa Monica Mayor and Metro Board member. “Whether you’re traveling to or from West L.A. making the trip will be easier by utilizing the Metro system that connects Angelenos through virtually every part of the county.”
The Purple Line extension also will offer improved connectivity to the entire Metro Bus and Rail network, as well as municipal bus lines and other regional transportation services. It is just one of several projects designed to improve transit options and mobility in the area. Other planned improvements include the Wilshire Bus Rapid Transit Project and Expo Phase II line to Santa Monica.
“This project’s groundbreaking is the culmination of many years of consensus-building on the Metro Board,” said Ara Najarian, Glendale City Council member and Metro Board member. “Our Board unanimously supported the design and construction of the Purple Line Extension, and we are very glad to see construction begin as we make Los Angeles County a world-class destination with rich transit amenities.”
Introducing a 64 metre long newly built Campbell River suspension bridge, a bridge that floats 60 metres above the clear fast running salmon congested waters of the Campbell River Canyon. And what a treat it is.
The view of Elk Falls is dizzying from this perspective as you are perched 60 metres above the swift flowing waters cascading over huge boulders and sweeping past obstacles far below your feet. This sturdy but swaying edifice represents a feet of monumental proportions, a gift that the community of Campbell River and its thousands of visitors every year will enjoy for many a year to come
gocampbellriver.com/elk-falls-provincial-park-suspension-...
Photo by Steve Hymon for Metro harvested from The Source:
www.flickr.com/photos/metrolibraryarchive/15211281773/
Leaders of the L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) today joined federal, state and local elected officials in the Mid-Wilshire District of Los Angeles to break ground on the long awaited Metro Purple Line Extension Project, the largest, most ambitious public works project in the Western United States.
In July, Metro’s Board of Directors approved a contract with Skanska, Traylor and Shea (STS), a Joint Venture, to construct the Purple Line Extension Project. Construction of the subway extension will connect West Los Angeles to the region’s growing rail network, making it possible to travel between Downtown Los Angeles and Westwood in 25 minutes. The first subway segment will extend the Purple Line 3.9 miles from the existing Wilshile/Western Purple Line terminus near Koreatown into Beverly Hills. Three new underground stations are planned at Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/La Cienega, providing fast, frequent, high-capacity transit service farther west along busy Wilshire Boulevard.
“The Purple Line will ease traffic along the congested Wilshire corridor and will make traveling from the westside to downtown faster and greener.” said Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles and Metro Board Chair. “When it comes to infrastructure, L.A. is on the move. We are right now investing 36 billion dollars in our transportation infrastructure to ease congestion and create thousands of jobs. All together, this is the largest public works project in the nation. In the car capital of the world, we are looking to reduce traffic and cut air pollution by giving people car-free options to get to work and play.”
The Purple Line Extension is a critically important rail project that is partially funded by the 2008 Measure R sales tax that was overwhelmingly approved by two-thirds of L.A. County voters. The first segment of the subway is expected to be completed in 2023 with a project budget of $2.821 billion. In addition to this local funding, Metro received a $1.25 billion Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) from the Federal Transit Administration to help pay for the first segment. The U.S. Department of Transportation also granted Metro a low-interest loan of $856 million from a Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) to complete the funding package for the project’s first phase. Combined, these nearly $2 billion in project commitments represent the biggest federal transportation investment for a single construction segment in the history of Los Angeles County.
The remaining $821 million in project funding for the first segment includes Measure R, City of Los Angeles local funding, and other existing local and federal funds.
“Today we launch the construction of the first subway segment along the Wilshire corridor to West Los Angeles,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor and Metro Board Member Zev Yaroslavsky. “No transit corridor in our region is in greater need of mass rapid transit. The area to be served is one of the most dense employment centers in the county and is plagued by some of the worst traffic congestion in the country. This groundbreaking is long overdue and will be well received by people who work and live in the Westside.”
“Breaking ground on the Purple Line extension is an important step toward completing this key transit option for Angelenos, which will help relieve congestion and boost the local economy,” said U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein. “I applaud the efforts of everyone who helped us reach this point, but we have work left to do. The federal government is committed to providing $1.25 billion of the $2.8 billion cost for phase one, but future phases will require an estimated $3.5 billion. I will continue to strongly support federal funding to complete this important transit project.”
The project is planned to be built in three sections. Section 2, which will include Wilshire/Rodeo and Century City stations, is scheduled for completion in 2026. Section 3, which will include Westwood/UCLA and Westwood/VA Hospital stations, is planned to open in 2035. When all three project sectionss are complete, the Purple Line will extend westward from Wilshire/Western for nearly nine miles with a total of seven new stations.
Metro is currently seeking additional federal funding that could accelerate subway construction for Section 2 in the form of a $1.1 billion grant from the federal New Starts program, and a $307 million low-interest loan from the federal TIFIA program.
“Los Angeles has made enormous strides to expand transportation options and accelerate construction of projects that will create jobs, improve mobility, and spur economic growth,” said U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer. “The Purple Line Extension is another major accomplishment. I am proud that the TIFIA Program from MAP-21 provided key financing of $856 million that enabled this project to move forward.”
“The Purple Line extension puts Angelenos to work building a 21st century transit system for our city,” said U.S. Congressman Xavier Becerra. “Connecting the Westside to the greater Los Angeles area by subway will create over 25,000 jobs, increase ridership and result in a boon for our local economy. This project is the right investment that will keep Los Angeles on the move.”
The full nine-mile project is projected to generate about 62,000 daily weekday boardings at the seven new stations. Today, there are 39,000 daily boardings on the Purple Line between Union Station and Wilshire/Western. By 2040, 150,000 daily boardings are expected on the Purple Line between Union Station and Westwood/VA Hospital.
During peak periods, trains are expected to run every four minutes. During off-peak periods, they are expected to run every 10 minutes. It will also create tens of thousands of jobs and generate increased economic activity for the region.
Over 300,000 people travel into the Westside every day for work from throughout the region. More than 100,000 people leave the area for outside destinations. These numbers will increase over time. The Purple Line is expected to provide a much needed transit alternative for traveling to and from West Los Angeles, one of the county’s most densely populated, job-rich areas. The area is also home to major world-class destinations.
“I’m delighted that construction on the Purple line extension is beginning,” said U.S. Congressman Henry Waxman. “This rail link will fundamentally change how the people of L.A. get around and provide a direct route to some of the great sites in the Westside. After section one is finished, you’ll be able to hop on the subway downtown and visit the La Brea Tar Pits, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Petersen Automotive Museum and Restaurant Row.”
The subway extension is expected to reduce reliance on automobiles, help reduce roadway congestion, reduce travel times and reduce greenhouse gases.
“The Purple Line Extension will continue to make Los Angeles a great place to work, live and play,” said U.S. Congresswoman Karen Bass. “This extension is an example of what can happen when federal, state and local leaders all work together—bringing billions of dollars into the Los Angeles economy and creating thousands of jobs over the next decade, while building on a vital rail line that will benefit Angelenos for generations.”
“The subway extension project is important not just for the Westside, but for the entire region,” said Pam O’Connor, Santa Monica Mayor and Metro Board member. “Whether you’re traveling to or from West L.A. making the trip will be easier by utilizing the Metro system that connects Angelenos through virtually every part of the county.”
The Purple Line extension also will offer improved connectivity to the entire Metro Bus and Rail network, as well as municipal bus lines and other regional transportation services. It is just one of several projects designed to improve transit options and mobility in the area. Other planned improvements include the Wilshire Bus Rapid Transit Project and Expo Phase II line to Santa Monica.
“This project’s groundbreaking is the culmination of many years of consensus-building on the Metro Board,” said Ara Najarian, Glendale City Council member and Metro Board member. “Our Board unanimously supported the design and construction of the Purple Line Extension, and we are very glad to see construction begin as we make Los Angeles County a world-class destination with rich transit amenities.”
Hemorrhoids - Dilated, thick walled, congested submucosal vessels - Contributed by Dr. Elliot Weisenberg, MD. www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/anushemorrhoids.html
The Postcard
A postally unused postcard bearing no publisher's name.
The Sale and Removal of London Bridge
By 1896 the bridge was the busiest point in London, and one of its most congested, with 8,000 pedestrians and 900 vehicles crossing every hour. To designs by engineer Edward Cruttwell, it was widened in 1904 by 13 feet (4.0 m), using granite corbels.
However subsequent surveys showed that the bridge was sinking an inch (about 2.5 cm) every eight years, and by 1924 the east side had sunk some three to four inches (about 9 cm) lower than the west side. It was concluded that the bridge would have to be removed and replaced.
Council member Ivan Luckin put forward the idea of selling the bridge, and recalled:
"They all thought I was completely
crazy when I suggested we should
sell London Bridge when it needed
replacing."
Subsequently, in 1968, Council placed the bridge on the market and began to look for potential buyers. On the 18th. April 1968, Rennie's bridge was purchased by the Missourian entrepreneur Robert P. McCulloch of McCulloch Oil for $2,460,000.
The claim that McCulloch believed mistakenly that he was buying the more impressive Tower Bridge was denied by Ivan Luckin in a newspaper interview.
Before the bridge was taken apart, each granite facing block was marked for later reassembly. The blocks were taken to Merrivale Quarry at Princetown in Devon, where 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) were sliced off the inner faces of many, in order to facilitate their fixing.
Stones left behind were sold in an online auction when the quarry was abandoned and flooded in 2003. 10,000 tons of granite blocks were shipped via the Panama Canal to California, then trucked from Long Beach to Arizona.
They were used to face a new, purpose-built hollow core steel-reinforced concrete structure, ensuring that the bridge would support the weight of modern traffic. The bridge was reconstructed at Lake Havasu City, Arizona, and was re-dedicated on the 10th. October 1971 in a ceremony attended by London's Lord Mayor and celebrities.
The bridge carries the McCulloch Boulevard and spans the Bridgewater Channel, an artificial, navigable waterway that leads from the Uptown area of Lake Havasu City.
Terror Attacks on London Bridge and Nearby
There have been four terror attacks on or near London Bridge dating back to 1884. They are as follows:
(1) The 1884 London Bridge Terror Attack
On Saturday 13th. December 1884, two American-Irish Republicans carried out a dynamite attack on London Bridge as part of the Fenian dynamite campaign.
The bomb went off prematurely while the men were in a boat attaching it to a bridge pier at 5.45 pm during the evening rush hour. There was little damage to the bridge, and no casualties other than the bombers.
However, there was considerable collateral damage, and hundreds of windows were shattered on both banks of the Thames. The men's boat was so completely destroyed that the police initially thought the bombers had fled.
On the 25th. December 1884 the mutilated remains of one of the bombers were found. The body of the other man was never recovered, but the police were later able to identify the dead men as two Americans, William Mackey Lomasney, and John Fleming.
The men were identified after a landlord reported to police that dynamite had been found in the rented premises of two American gentlemen who had disappeared after the 13th. December, enabling police to piece together who was responsible for the attack.
The men had already been under surveillance by the police in both America and Great Britain.
(2) The 1992 London Bridge Bombing
On Friday the 28th. February 1992, the Provisional IRA exploded a bomb inside London Bridge station during the morning rush hour, causing extensive damage and wounding 29 people. It was one of many bombings carried out by one of the IRA's London active service units. It occurred just over a year after a bomb at Victoria station.
-- The 1992 Bombing
At around 8:20 am, someone rang Ulster Television's London office warning that a bomb was going to explode in a London station, without saying which one.
About ten minutes later, the bomb detonated, which made debris fly almost 50 feet (15 m) away from the blast area. Twenty nine people were hurt in the explosion, most of them from flying glass and other bits of debris; four were seriously hurt, but nobody was killed.
The victims were treated at Guy's Hospital.
-- Aftermath of the 1992 Explosion
The head of Scotland Yard's anti terrorist squad, George Churchill-Coleman, said that the 2 lb (910 g) bomb of high explosives was "clearly designed to kill."
Investigations suggested that the bomb had been placed in the men's restrooms. Churchill-Coleman added that the IRA's warning was "deliberately vague," and was given too late to act upon.
Prime Minister John Major said that the bombing would not change British policy in Northern Ireland:
"It was pointless. It was cowardly. It was
directed against innocent people and it
will make absolutely no difference to
our policy -- no difference at all."
Fearing additional IRA attacks on public transport, the security services warned commuters "more than ever" to stay on guard at all times. The next day, another bomb went off in London, by the Crown Prosecution Service office, injuring two more people and bringing the total injured to 31 in the space of just over 24 hours.
This was one of dozens of bombs that detonated in London that year, the biggest of which was the Baltic Exchange bombing, killing three people and causing almost £1 billion worth of damage.
The IRA maintained this pressure, bombing mainland Britain and especially the City of London as much as possible until the ceasefire of 1994.
(3) The 2017 London Bridge Attack
On the 3rd. June 2017, a terrorist vehicle-ramming and stabbing took place in London when a van was deliberately driven into pedestrians on London Bridge, and then crashed on Borough High Street, just south of the River Thames.
The van's three occupants then ran to the nearby Borough Market area and began stabbing people in and around restaurants and pubs. They were shot dead by Metropolitan and City of London Police authorised firearms officers, and were found to be wearing fake explosive vests.
Eight people were killed and 48 were injured, including members of the public and four unarmed police officers who attempted to stop the assailants. British authorities described the perpetrators as radical Islamic terrorists.
The Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attack.
-- Background to the 2017 Attack
In March 2017, five people had been killed in a combined vehicle and knife attack at Westminster. In late May, a suicide bomber killed 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena.
After the Manchester bombing, the UK's terror threat level was raised to "critical", its highest level, until the 27th. May 2017, when it was lowered to severe.
-- The 2017 Attack
The attack was carried out using a white Renault Master hired earlier on the same evening in Harold Hill, by Khuram Butt. He had intended to hire a 7.5 tonne lorry, but was refused due to his failure to provide payment details.
The attackers were armed with 12-inch (30 cm) kitchen knives with ceramic blades, which they tied to their wrists with leather straps. They also prepared fake explosive belts by wrapping water bottles in grey tape.
At 21:58 on the 3rd. June 2017, the van travelled south across London Bridge, and returned six minutes later, crossing over the bridge northbound, making a U-turn at the northern end and then driving southbound across the bridge.
It mounted the pavement three times and hit multiple pedestrians, killing two. Witnesses said the van was travelling at high speed. 999 emergency calls were first recorded at 22:07. The van was later found to contain 13 wine bottles containing flammable liquid with rags stuffed in them, along with blow torches.
The van crashed on Borough High Street after crossing the central reservation. The van's tyres were destroyed by the central reservation, and the three attackers, armed with knives, abandoned the vehicle.
Then they ran down the steps to Green Dragon Court, where they killed five people outside and near the Boro Bistro pub. The attackers then went back up the steps to Borough High Street and attacked three bystanders.
Police tried to fight the attackers, but were stabbed, and Ignacio Echeverría helped them by striking the terrorist Redouane and possibly Zaghba with his skateboard. Echeverría was later killed outside Lobos Meat and Tapas.
Members of the public threw bottles and chairs at the attackers. Witnesses reported that the attackers were shouting:
"This is for Allah".
People in and around a number of other restaurants and bars along Stoney Street were also attacked. During the attack, an unknown man was spared by Rachid Redouane, but despite many efforts the man was never found.
A Romanian baker hit one of the attackers over the head with a crate before giving shelter to 20 people inside a bakery inside Borough Market.
One man fought the three attackers with his fists in the Black and Blue steakhouse, shouting:
"F*** you, I'm Millwall."
His actions gave members of the public who were in the restaurant the opportunity to run away. He was stabbed eight times in the hands, chest and head. He underwent surgery at St Thomas' Hospital, and was taken off the critical list on the 4th. June.
A British Transport Police officer armed with a baton also took on the attackers, receiving multiple stab wounds and temporarily losing sight in his right eye as a consequence.
Off-duty Metropolitan police constables Liam Jones and Stewart Henderson rendered first aid to seriously injured members of the public before protecting over 150 people inside the Thameside Inn and evacuating them by Metropolitan marine support unit and RNLI boats to the north shore of the Thames.
The three attackers were then shot dead by armed officers from the City of London and Metropolitan police Specialist Firearms Command eight minutes after the initial emergency call was made.
CCTV footage showed the three attackers in Borough Market running at the armed officers; the attackers were shot dead 20 seconds later. A total of 46 rounds were fired by three City of London and five Metropolitan Police officers.
-- Aftermath of the 2017 Attack
The Metropolitan Police issued 'Run, Hide, Tell' notices via social media during the attack, and asked the public to remain calm and vigilant.
All buildings within the vicinity of London Bridge were evacuated, and London Bridge, Borough and Bank Underground stations were closed at the request of the police.
The mainline railway stations at London Bridge, Waterloo East, Charing Cross and Cannon Street were also closed. The Home Secretary approved the deployment of a military counter terrorist unit from the Special Air Service (SAS).
The helicopters carrying the SAS landed on London Bridge to support the Metropolitan Police because of concerns that there might be more attackers at large.
The Metropolitan Police Marine Policing Unit dispatched boats on the River Thames, with assistance from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), to contribute to the evacuation of the area and look for any casualties who might have fallen from the bridge.
A stabbing incident took place in Vauxhall at 23:45, causing Vauxhall station to be briefly closed; this was later confirmed to be unrelated to the attack.
At 01:45 on the 4th. June, controlled explosions took place of the attackers' bomb vests, which were found to be fake.
An emergency COBR meeting was held on the morning of the 4th. June. London Bridge mainline railway and underground stations remained closed throughout the 4th. June. A cordon was established around the scene of the attack. London Bridge station reopened at 05:00 on Monday the 5th. June.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said that there was a surge of hate crimes and islamophobic incidents following the attack.
New security measures were implemented on eight central London bridges following the attack, to reduce the likelihood of further vehicle attacks, with concrete barriers being installed. The barriers have been criticised for causing severe congestion in cycle lanes during peak hours.
Borough Market reopened on the 14th. June.
-- Casualties of the 2017 Attack
Eight civilians died in the attack: one Spaniard, one Briton, two Australians, one Canadian and three French citizens were killed by the attackers, and the three attackers themselves were killed by armed police.
Two of the civilian fatalities were caused in the initial vehicle-ramming attack, while the remaining six were stabbed to death. One body was recovered from the Thames near Limehouse several days after the attack.
48 people were injured in the attack, including one New Zealander, two Australians, two Germans and four French citizens.
Of the 48 people admitted to hospital, 21 were initially reported to be in a critical condition.
Four police officers were among those injured in the attack. A British Transport Police officer was stabbed, and suffered serious injuries to his head, face and neck. An off-duty Metropolitan Police officer was seriously injured when he was stabbed.
Two other Metropolitan Police officers received head and arm injuries. As a result of police gunfire, a bystander received an accidental gunshot wound, which was not critical.
-- The 2017 Attackers
On the 4th. June the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, said that:
"We are confident about the fact that
they were radical Islamic terrorists, the
way they were inspired, and we need
to find out more about where this
radicalisation came from."
Amaq News Agency, an online outlet associated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), said the attackers were ISIS fighters.
On the 5th. June, two of the attackers were identified as Khuram Shazad Butt and Rachid Redouane. The third of the three attackers, Youssef Zaghba, was identified the following day.
(a) Khuram Shazad Butt
Butt (born 20th. April 1990) was a Pakistan-born British citizen whose family came from Jhelum. He grew up in Great Britain, living in Plaistow.
He had a wife and two children. Neighbours told the BBC that Butt had been reported to police for attempting to radicalise children; he had also expressed disgust at the way women dressed.
He was known to police as a "heavyweight" member of the banned extremist group al-Muhajiroun. A BBC interviewee said he had a verbal confrontation with Butt in 2013 on the day after another Al-Muhajiroun follower had murdered Fusilier Lee Rigby.
Butt was part of an al-Muhajiroun campaign in 2015 to intimidate Muslims who planned to vote in the UK general elections of that year, on the basis that it was forbidden in Islam.
He was known for holding extreme views, having been barred from two local mosques. He appeared on a 2016 Channel 4 Television documentary, The Jihadis Next Door, which showed him arguing with police over the unfurling of an ISIL black flag in Regent's Park.
According to a friend, he had been radicalised by the YouTube videos of the American Muslim hate preacher Ahmad Musa Jibril. Butt was known to have taken drugs before he became radicalised.
After radicalisation, Butt started to stop his neighbours on the street and ask them whether they had been to the mosque.
Butt had worked for a man accused of training Mohammad Sidique Khan, the leader of the July 2005 London bombing. The police and MI5 knew of Butt, and he was investigated in 2015. The investigation was later "moved into the lower echelons", and his file was classed as low priority.
Butt sometimes manned the desk of the Ummah Fitness Centre gym, where he prayed regularly. CCTV footage was released of Butt, Redouane and Zaghba meeting outside the gym days before the attack. A senior figure at a local mosque had reported the gym to police.
The New York Times said that Butt and his brother were part of the UK government's Prevent programme, which aims to stop people from becoming terrorists, and which reports suspected radicals to police programmes.
At the time of the attack he was on police bail following an allegation of fraud, though the police had intended to take no further action due to a lack of evidence. He had previously been cautioned by police for fraud in 2008 and common assault in 2010.
(b) Rachid Redouane
Redouane (born 31 July 1986) was a failed asylum seeker in the UK, whose application was denied in 2009, and not previously known to police. He had claimed to be either Moroccan or Libyan.
Redouane worked as a pastry chef, and in 2012 he married an Irish woman in a ceremony in Ireland. He beat and bullied his wife.
He used to drink alcohol. He lived variously in Rathmines, a suburb of Dublin, also in Morocco and the UK. According to his wife, Redouane was most likely radicalised in Morocco. Later the couple stayed in the UK on an EU residency card where they had a daughter in 2015.
The couple separated in 2016 and she divorced him after he tried to force his extremist beliefs on her.
At the time of the attack, he was living in Dagenham, East London.
(c) Youssef Zaghba
Zaghba (born 1995 in Fez, Morocco) was at the time of the attack living in east London where he worked in a fast-food outlet. He also worked for an Islamic television channel in London.
Zaghba was born to a Moroccan Muslim father and an Italian Catholic Christian mother who had converted to Islam when she married. Zaghba had dual Moroccan and Italian nationality.
When his parents divorced, he went to Italy with his mother. In 2016, Zaghba was stopped at Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport by Italian officers who found ISIS-related materials on his mobile phone; he was stopped from continuing his journey to Istanbul.
Italian authorities said Zaghba was monitored continuously while in Italy and that the UK was informed about him. Giuseppe Amato, an Italian prosecutor, said:
"We did our best. We could just monitor
and surveil Zaghba and send a note to
the British authorities, that's all we could
do and we did it.
Since he moved to London, he came back
to Italy once in a while for a total of 10 days.
And during those 10 days we never let him
out of our sight."
According to The New York Times, the Italian branch of Al-Muhajiroun had introduced Butt to Zaghba.
-- Investigation of the 2017 Attack
On the morning of the 4th. June, police made 12 arrests following raids in flats in the Barking area of east London, where one of the attackers lived; controlled explosions were carried out during the raids.
Those held included five males aged between 27 and 55, arrested at one address in Barking, and six females aged between 19 and 60, arrested at a separate Barking address. One of the arrested males was subsequently released without charge.
Four properties in all were searched, including two in Newham in addition to the two in Barking. Further raids and arrests were made at properties in Newham and Barking early on the morning of the 5th. June.
On the 6th. June, a man was arrested in Barking, and another in Ilford the following day. By the 16th. June, all those arrested had been released without charge.
-- The Inquest Into the 2017 Attack
On the 7th. May 2019, an inquest into the deaths of the victims opened at the Old Bailey in London. Judge Mark Lucraft QC, Chief Coroner of England and Wales, presided, and people related to the dead gave accounts of what happened and who they had lost.
The inquest concluded on the 16th. July 2019 that all three attackers had been lawfully killed.
(4) The 2019 London Bridge Stabbing
On the 29th. November 2019, five people were stabbed, two fatally, in Central London. The attacker, Briton Usman Khan, had been released from prison in 2018 on licence after serving a sentence for terrorist offences.
Khan was attending an offender rehabilitation conference in Fishmongers' Hall when he threatened to detonate what turned out to be a fake suicide vest.
He started to attack people with two knives taped to his wrists, killing two of the conference participants by stabbing them in the chest.
Several people fought back, some attacking Khan with a fire extinguisher, a pike and a narwhal tusk as he fled the building and emerged on to London Bridge, where he was partially disarmed by a plain-clothes police officer.
He was restrained by members of the public until additional police officers arrived, pulled away those restraining him, and shot him.
-- Background to the 2019 Attack
A conference on offender rehabilitation was held on the 29th. November 2019 in Fishmongers' Hall, at the northern end of London Bridge, to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Learning Together. This is a programme run by the Cambridge Institute of Criminology to help offenders reintegrate into society following their release from prison.
Learning Together was set up in 2014 by University of Cambridge academics Ruth Armstrong and Amy Ludlow from the Faculty of Law and Institute of Criminology:
"To bring together people in criminal justice
and higher education institutions to study
alongside each other in inclusive and
transformative learning communities."
The programme served to enable students and prisoners to work together.
Former prisoner Usman Khan had been invited to the conference as a previous participant in the programme, and although banned from entering London under the terms of his release, he was granted a one-day exemption to attend.
-- The 2019 Attack
At 13:58 on the 29th. November, the police were called to Fishmongers' Hall after Khan, wearing a fake suicide vest, threatened to blow up the hall. The police reported that there had been no prior intelligence of the attack.
Holding two kitchen knives taped to his wrists, Khan began stabbing people inside the building. Several fought back, including a South African-born Londoner, Darryn Frost, who grabbed a 1.5-metre-long (4.9 ft) narwhal tusk from the wall to use as a weapon, former prisoner John Crilly, and Steven Gallant, a convicted murderer attending the conference on day release from prison.
Khan fled and began stabbing pedestrians outside on the north side of the bridge.
Several people were injured before members of the public, including a tour guide and a plain-clothes British Transport Police officer, later seen walking away with a knife, restrained and disarmed Khan on the bridge.
One of the people who stepped in to fight the attacker drove him back by spraying a fire extinguisher.
Armed officers of the City of London Police arrived at 14:03 and surrounded the attacker, who at the time was being restrained by a Ministry of Justice communications worker attending the rehabilitation meeting.
The officers pulled this person away to provide a clear shot, before one fired twice. Around 10 minutes after this, Khan started to get up; he was then shot 9 further times by 6 firearms officers. Khan had not been secured after the initial shooting due to the suicide vest. Khan died at the scene.
A Transport for London bus which had stopped adjacent to the site of the shooting was found to have damage to both its front and rear windows, possibly caused, according to the Metropolitan Police, by a ricocheting bullet.
-- The Victims of the 2019 Attack
Three of the victims were associated with Cambridge University's Learning Together prison-rehabilitation programme; two died and one was injured.
The two who died from their stab wounds were Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones.
Merritt was a 25-year-old law and criminology graduate from Cottenham, Cambridgeshire who had studied at the Universities of Manchester and Cambridge. He worked as a University of Cambridge administration officer, and was a course coordinator for Learning Together.
Jones was a 23 year old former Anglia Ruskin University and University of Cambridge student from Stratford-upon-Avon.
Funeral services for Merritt and Jones were conducted on the 20th. December 2019.
Two other women were seriously injured, while a chef who was working at the event was stabbed but had less serious injuries.
-- The Terrorist Usman Khan
Usman Khan was a 28-year-old British national from Stoke-on-Trent, of Pakistani descent. Khan appears to have left school with no qualifications after spending part of his late teens in Pakistan.
He was known to police, and had links to Islamist extremist groups. In December 2018 he had been automatically released from prison on licence, where he was serving a 16-year sentence for terrorism offences, and was wearing an electronic tag.
Khan had been part of a plot, inspired by Al-Qaeda, to establish a terrorist camp on his family's land in Kashmir and bomb the London Stock Exchange. The plot was disrupted by MI5 and the police, as part of MI5's Operation Guava (police Operation Norbury), and Khan was given an indeterminate sentence.
Of the nine men involved, Khan was the youngest at 19 and according to Mr Justice Wilkie, Khan and two others were “more serious jihadis” than the others.
In 2013, Khan's sentence was revised after an appeal, and he was ordered to serve at least 8 years of his new 16-year sentence, with a 5-year extended licence allowing recall to prison.
According to the anti-extremism group Hope not Hate, Khan was a supporter of Al-Muhajiroun, an extremist group with which scores of terrorists were involved. He was a student and personal friend of Anjem Choudary, an Islamist and terrorism supporter.
Post-mortem examination showed evidence of occasional use of cocaine by Khan.
-- Aftermath of the 2019 Attack
The news of the attack was broken live as it happened on the BBC by one of its reporters, John McManus, who witnessed members of the public fighting Khan as he crossed the bridge, and heard two shots being fired by police officers.
McManus said that he was certain that more than two shots were fired during the incident.
The police, ambulance, and fire services attended the scene, and a major incident was declared. A large police cordon was set up in the area and residents were told to stay away. Police closed both Monument Underground station and London Bridge station after the attack.
The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, returned to Downing Street following the incident, after campaigning in his constituency for the forthcoming general election. Johnson commended the "immense bravery" of the emergency services and members of the public, and claimed that anyone involved in the attack would be hunted down.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, thanked the emergency services and members of the public who helped to restrain the attacker, saying they had shown "breathtaking heroism".
The Conservative Party, Labour Party and Liberal Democrats temporarily suspended campaigning in London for the general election. A parliamentary election hustings event scheduled to be held at Great St. Mary's Church in Cambridge on the 30th. November was cancelled and replaced by a memorial vigil for the victims of the attack.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick made a statement following the attack. She said that there would be an increased police presence on the streets, and that cordons in the London Bridge area would remain in place. An appeal was made for the public to submit any film or picture evidence or information that could assist the investigation.
In Pakistan, publication of Khan's Pakistani origins by the leading newspaper Dawn were deemed unpatriotic and defamatory, and led to demonstrations demanding that the publisher and the editor be hanged.
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. Its news agency, Amaq, claimed Usman Khan was one of its fighters. A janaza prayer for Khan was held at a mosque in Birmingham, and he was buried in his family's ancestral village in Pakistan, following objections to his burial in the UK by local Muslims in his native Stoke.
In 2021, following an inquest, Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation Jonathan Hall QC called for those involved in the planning or preparation of terrorist attacks to be given automatic life sentences. Hall stated:
"It is hard to underestimate how serious
Usman Khan’s original offence was."
-- Investigations Into the 2019 Attack
London Bridge was closed until the early hours of the following Monday for forensic investigation of the scene. A property in Stafford and one in Stoke-on-Trent were searched by police.
An inquest into the deaths of Merritt and Jones was opened on the 4th. December 2019 at the Central Criminal Court in London, and was subsequently adjourned.
A pre-inquest review hearing took place at the Old Bailey on the 16th. October 2020, before the Chief Coroner of England and Wales, Mark Lucraft QC.
The inquest re-opened on the 12th. April 2021, presided over by Lucraft. On the 28th. May 2021 the jury concluded that the victims had been unlawfully killed.
They further concluded that insufficient monitoring of Khan, unreasonable belief in his rehabilitation, a lack of information sharing between agencies, and inadequate security planning at the event were all contributing factors in their deaths.
Khan's inquest, also overseen by Lucraft, found in June 2021 that Khan was lawfully killed by the police.
-- Royal Prerogative of Mercy for Steven Gallant
Steven Gallant was granted the Royal prerogative of mercy by the Lord Chancellor on behalf of the Queen in October 2020, in order to bring his parole hearing forward by ten months to June 2021.
The Ministry of Justice stated that:
"This is in recognition of his exceptionally
brave actions at Fishmongers’ Hall, which
helped save people's lives despite the
tremendous risk to his own".
Though the parole board still has to decide on whether to release him, it was reported that it would be unlikely for his case to be denied after the Queen's intervention. The families of both Merritt and of Gallant's 2005 murder victim approved the action due to his heroic deeds and efforts to turn his life around since the murder.
Clicked attaching a 1$ Fisheye external mobile clip lens. 1$ worth it 😂😂 with a 13 MP camera. Image is cropped because there was circular dark vintage around
in the heart of manila where streets are narrow and terribly congested, the most efficient means of transporting goods and products is just through sheer manpower
Jake had a "so so" night. "Better" than the one previous.
He still had some rapid panting breathing/panting necessitating a ventolin puff at 2130 and 0500.
This AM he ate some Fancy Feast and wet KD food. He is drinking well.
(hasn't urinated today, but still early)
He still sounds congested, but difficult to assess as every time I put my stethoscope to his chest he purrs. ;-)
His chest sounds looser which the vet said last night is a good sign??? I guess his chest is not as tight with the wheezes.
The vet will call me sometime today to discuss if we repeat the chest xray today or tomorrow.
It will be a big stress for him to be caged again and brought back to the hospital.
That's why we have had the vet making house calls.
Thank you ALL for the kind words, support, love and suggestions given to me re Jake.
I am so grateful for all your input!!!
I can't possibly respond individually, but please know that I read each and every comment you have sent!!!
HWW!
Still have not heard from the vet today. Sometimes he calls after his office hours around 2100hrs.
So far jake is having a faily good day. He is eating slightly more.
But still short of breath at times with mouth breathing.
We booked a chest xray for tomorrow at 1040 am.
(He, to my knowledge not peed since yesterday despite the lasix. This has me concerned as he already had renal insufficiency.)
He is lying right next to me on my pillow now. :-)
EVERY TIME I TALK OR TOUCH HIM HE PURRS> HE WAS NOT DOING THIS MONDAY.
Thursday update 0900
Jake had the BEST night since he fell sick Friday!!!!!!
He "bugged" me almost all night wanting to eat. (licking my nose and gentle touching of my face with his paws)
His breathing is still rapid, but did NOT require extra ventolin during the night.
He ate well @ breakfast, and took his meds in a luv's treat.
He has an appointment today at 1040 for another chest xray, and needs medication renewal.
Hi Vet is NOT in tomorrow or the weekend, so we will have to do it today.
I pray the stress doesn't set him back.
Thursday update @ 1245
Jake had his chest xray. He STILL has effusions (fluid) in his lungs.
This means Jake HAS TO REMAIN on the lasix, theophyllin, Fortacor, and prednisone pills as well as his 2 puffers.
His progress will dictate when we stop the oral pills.
Because of this, he will need frequent xrays to see "if/when" the pills can be stopped, so he can only be on the puffers.
Jake also had some blood work, as the lasix is hard on his kidneys and he already has mild renal insufficiency.
The xray WAS better than the one on Monday, but still not optimal.
Jake is urinating, eating and drinking ok.
The vet will call later with the blood results....
Will update later.
Thank you all.
Friday 0930
Jake had another good night. Breathing rate has lessened slightly. No more open mouth breathing. :-)
He is eating, washing purring...
STILL awaiting Vets call re lab tests.
I am working overnights for the next 4 nights. I hope he'll be ok.
Will post another update when I hear from the vet with a new Jake pic.
So far, so good. This is the best he's been in a week!
UPDATE 2000 Friday.
Vet called but NO blood results yet. Problem with machine. Had to send to another lab.
While on phone with vet Jake had a coughing fit. Vet heard the coughs. Said to give Jake ventolin. Jake will have another xray Tuesday to see if some of the oral meds can be stopped.
Other that this, Jake had a good day.
Breathing rate is a bit slower. He is eating better and interacting. Meowing and purring like his old self! ;-)
Off to work soon.
Will post a new pic tomorrow and an update before going to sleep for the day.
Have a good weekend and thanks for all the love and support!
The other engine in use and here waiting till the wagon filled with sacks of cement. To bad this kind of transportation belongs to the past, even in Thailand, goods feel right on rail, roads are congested enough.
Congested area, the flower may be succulent! Germany Bavaria wilderness Berchtesgaden area Hitler's eagle nest surroundings. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------All my photographs are © Copyrighted and All Rights Reserved.
My mother's dog Penny had to be put to sleep today. She had congestive heart failure, an enlarged kidney and a tumor in her abdomen. She quit eating, telling us it was her time to go.
Penny was a very vocal dog, demanding walks and treats. She was unafraid to go up to any dog, no matter how much bigger. She was a rescue dog.
Once when I was walking her, a clap of thunder scared her and she got our of her harness and started running. I can't believe a dog with such short legs could run so fast. She knew her way home.
She will be very missed.
TVF&R SQT34 taking a call in Tualatin, having to get through on the always-congested Tualatin-Sherwood Rd
The SR 522 interchange at Paradise Lake Road in Snohomish County, WA is highly congested.
WSDOT is studying concepts to improve the interchange with the guidance of a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) made up of representatives from local agencies and organizations.
On Oct. 2, 2108, WSDOT held an open house in Maltby to present two concepts to the community.
The open house attracted approximately 250 people, along with many elected leaders.
The TAC will help WSDOT select a preliminary preferred alternative in the fall of 2018. The results, along with traffic analysis and community feedback will be submitted to legislators in late 2018.
Electrical cables. Machine-part shops. The Hauz Qazi police station compound. And the tender and infinitely graceful Mubarak Begum mosque. It makes for a daydream view, with no connection to its uncivilized surroundings.
Situated in a congested bazaar of Old Delhi, the mosque’s feet don’t touch the ground. The green entrance door is tucked between two shops selling nuts, bolts, cables, and welding rod electrodes. A flight of steep stairs leads to a courtyard, the sudden openness of which comes as a pleasant surprise.
The courtyard has an ablution tank and two large pots planted with vines. The centre-piece is the mosque, in red sandstone. Renovated early this year, it is painted in a shade of brick dust. Its three entrance arches correspond to its three domes; they increase in size towards the centre. Cats prowl the parapet.
Built in 1823, the mosque was named after one of the 13 wives of Sir David Ochterlony, Delhi’s first British resident, who was known for his passion for nautch girls, hukkas (hubble-bubble) and Indian costumes [because of these habits he was also called "LOONY AKHTER"]. Mubarak Begum, a Brahmin dancing girl from Pune, was a convert to Islam. Besides being the favourite wife (some say she was just a mistress) of Sir Ochterlony, she was a principal player in Delhi’s cultural life. Dilli ki Aakhiri Shama, Delhi’s last great mushaira, or poetry soiree, was hosted in her haveli just before the Mughal Empire dissolved in 1857. Forty poets were present that night, including the great Mirza Ghalib.
It is not clear if the mosque was commissioned by Mubarak Begum or was built in her honour. It’s crudely nicknamed Randi ki Masjid; randi is Urdu slang for prostitute.
The dark prayer chamber inside the mosque can accommodate about 10 men. Its homely smallness emphasizes the theatricality of the domes. The floor is of marble, the walls are painted pale yellow and the Mecca-facing mihrab (recess) is in glossy green.
Influenza
What Is Influenza?
Influenza, or the flu, is a viral infection. There are many types of influenza viruses. Common symptoms may include fever, chills, sore throat, body aches, headache, and fatigue. Some forms of the flu virus infect the gastro-intestinal tract causing nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. A flu infection may worsen any chronic illness such as emphysema, asthma, or bronchitis. It has also been known to cause complications in people with coronary heart disease and congestive heart failure. Those who smoke are at an increased risk of mortality from influenza.
Who Does Influenza Affect?
Influenza primarily affects humans; however, certain types of the flu virus can affect animals (most commonly birds and pigs).
What Causes Influenza Infection?
Anyone with a weakened immune system is more susceptible to an influenza infection. Coming into contact with the flu virus, increases your risk of developing the flu. Contact includes saliva, nasal secretions, feces and blood. Most commonly influenza is spread through coughing and sneezing.
Examination Procedures for the Diagnosis of Influenza
Although there are specific laboratory test for diagnosing influenza, diagnosis is usually based on symptoms.
Common Chiropractic & Other Conservative Treatments
Treatment for influenza is usually geared towards prevention. By keeping the immune system strong and healthy you can prevent yourself from getting the flu in the first place
Conservative Chiropractic treatment can consist of:
· Posture rehabilitation: Due to the stresses of poor posture having an overall ”ill” effect on health, maintaining good posture is key to maintaining good health.
· Joint Manipulations: Studies show that chiropractic manipulations boost the immune system
· Vitamins and Supplements: certain vitamins and supplements, such as Vitamin D, C, and E, are known to boost the immune system and may help prevent the flu. You should always check with your chiropractor before taking any vitamin, supplement, or herbal formula.
· Chinese Medicine: Chinese medicine can help with prevention and also help with symptoms, naturally. You should always check with your chiropractor before taking any vitamin, supplement, or herbal formula.
· Recommendations of: adequate rest, reduced stress levels, and increased fluid intake are all essential to maintain a healthy immune system.
Medical Interventions: Studies Fail to Demonstrate Safety or Effectiveness of Influenza Vaccine in Children and Adults
Because the flu is a virus, there is no medication to cure the flu. Rest and fluids are most often prescribed by medical practioners. There are several over the counter medications that can lessen the symptoms of the flu, but because these medication have their own inherent risks, caution is advised.
The flu vaccine is used to try to prevent one from catching the flu, but because the flu virus is continually mutating and changing, doctors are guessing as to what strain is going to be present. Therefore; the flu vaccination is a “shot in the dark” with no guarantees of prevention or immunity. Due to the inherent risks of vaccinations, caution is advised with any vaccination.
In fact, recently, in an independent analysis of the available flu vaccine studies, the Cochrane Collaboration1, concluded that there is little scientific proof that the influenza vaccine is safe and/or effective for children and adults. Additionally, the National Vaccine Information Center is asking the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to stop recommending annual flu shots for all infants and children until methodologically sound studies are conducted.
The risks of the flu vaccine may in fact outweigh any possible benefits. Dozens of convulsions and other adverse events, including brain injury experienced by children after receiving the flu vaccination, have been reported. Additionally some subjects exposed to the flu vaccine developed Guillain Barre Syndrome.1-5
Even in the Elderly (the most at risk group of people), the benefits of the flu shot is “greatly exaggerated”; according to a 2007 study in the premier medical journal The Lancet.4 The researchers stated that the public policy for the elderly getting flu shots is based on flimsy, even nonexistent, evidence.
A Potentially Bigger Problem: if the above information was not enough, it has been identified that the majority of influenza vaccines distributed in the United States contain Thimerosal and that while highly controversial, this methyl mercury based preservative has been claimed to be linked to autism, Alzheimer’s, and ADD.
Chiropractic Care May Have a Positive Influence on Influenza
Historically, Chiropractic treatment for flu patients has shown clinical benefits dating back to the flu pandemic in the early 19th century. There is limited data from that era regarding publications but severely ill patients with flu symptoms would line up to receive their daily Chiropractic adjustments. In fact, many Chiropractors set up treatment areas in Churches and Orphanages to adjust the ill. Reports from that era suggest that patients receiving Chiropractic care fared better than those whom did not and than those receiving standard medical care of the times.6
By today’s standards, the above reports don’t equate to legitimate data; however, there is emerging evidence that Chiropractic type adjustments can enhance the immune system of a patient and speed recovery of the ill. For example, in Geriatric Patients with pneumonia receiving both conventional medicine and ‘osteopathic manipulation’, it was found that the spinal manipulation group had reduced antibiotic use and decreased length of hospital stay!7,8
If nothing else, take the advice of the National Vaccine Information Center:9
1. If you have the flu, stay home until you are well
2. If you know a person sick with the flu, avoid contact until they are well
3. Wash your hands frequently
4. Drink plenty of fluids, especially water
5. Get adequate rest
6. Eat a wholesome diet rich in vitamins and minerals, especially foods containing vitamin D (such as cod liver oil)
7. Spend a few minutes a day in sunlight to help your body make and store vitamin D.
8. Consider chiropractic adjustments, homeopathic remedies and other natural options for healing and maintaining health.
9. Exercise regularly when you are well.
10. Lower stress through meditation and other healthy lifestyle changes
References
British Medical Journal 2006; Oct. 28.
Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) 2006; Oct. 25.
The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) (www.nvic.org ).
Simonsen L, Taylor R, Viboud C, Miller M, Jackson L. Mortality benefits of influenza vaccination in elderly people: an ongoing controversy. Lancet Infect Dis 2007; 7:658–66 Sept 24, www.michigan.gov/documents/mdch/Simonsen_etal_210415_7.pdf
Geier M, Geier D, Zahalsky A. Influenza vaccination and Guillain Barre syndrome. Clinical Immunology 107 (2003) 116–121.
Rhodes, Walter R. The official history of chiropractic in Texas. 1978;:1-4.
Noll DR. J Am Osteo Assoc 1999:99(3):143-146.
Noll DR. J Am Osteo Assoc 1998;98(7):389
my easel was making things congested in the rest of the room, so I moved it to the "jungle", where its height seems to fit in
(incidentally, this is where I sat my 10 minutes and had the revelation to switch my shelving around)
The SR 522 interchange at Paradise Lake Road in Snohomish County, WA is highly congested.
WSDOT is studying concepts to improve the interchange with the guidance of a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) made up of representatives from local agencies and organizations.
On Oct. 2, 2108, WSDOT held an open house in Maltby to present two concepts to the community. In this photo, a staff member talks with a interested community member about the alternatives.
The open house attracted approximately 250 people, along with many elected leaders.
The TAC will help WSDOT select a preliminary preferred alternative in the fall of 2018. The results, along with traffic analysis and community feedback will be submitted to legislators in late 2018.
Christmas was lovely. But not having family in town is hard.
Olive woke up Christmas morning with a cold. By the next day I had it, too. Luckily, Olive seemed to breeze through it with nary a wake up in the middle of the night and just a yucky, persistent runny nose and a quicker meltdown point.
I, on the other hand, feel like I’ve been cursed with the plague. I toss and turn sleeplessly all night, am wickedly congested, fluctuate between too hot and too cold and have a scratchy, itchy sore throat that wakes me up 20 minutes into a light sleep.
But is it the worst I’ve ever felt? Is it worthy of playing the sick card and asking for a day off my mom duties? The problem is, I have too much perspective. I might feel like crap, but I don’t feel as bad as I did during labor with a faulty epidural. I don’t hurt more than I did while recovering from my c-section. I’m not as tired as I was when I was nursing Olive through the night or suffering through six months of pregnancy induced insomnia.
Being sick and being a stay at home mom is so incredibly challenging. Olive doesn’t care if I’m sick. She expects life to keep revolving around her no matter how I feel. For me, there is no family to drop her off with and no daycare that will keep her while I recover in bed. I’m lucky that Ryan works from home and has a flexible schedule but he can’t take a day off because I have the sniffles. Especially as a contractor who doesn’t get paid for giving his wife a little relief.
And you know what else is hard?
Everybody is busy, yes, but I miss the busy that I used to be. The busy that was compartmentalized in a work day. The busy that paid me money which I could use to justify a treat for myself since, you know, I have been so busy. Busy used to be a too full social calendar. Busy was a crazy work week, hell, work month. But you know what? Busy months ended.
Phew, that was a crazy busy time at work but I finally have a whole weekend to myself.
Phew, I’ve been staying up late working every night for weeks but I finally have a few nights to sit on the couch and watch Tivo and eat crap junk food.
Busy never ends when you have kids. It just keeps piling on. And all of my busy responsibilities now? They keep Olive alive, happy and thriving. Whoops, I forgot about a deadline at work and someone will be mad at me for a few days has turned into whoops, I turned my attention away for a few seconds and Olive got hurt.
It’s keeping the house clean, the laundry cycling through, the dog fed and exercised. It’s completing my work, keeping up with research, taking meetings and traveling. It’s thinking about well-balanced meals, designing activities to keep Olive entertained and researching what she needs to get to the next milestone successfully. It’s planning for holidays and birthdays and special events. It’s buying all of her presents, her clothes and her toys. It’s trying to be a good wife, mother, daughter and friend.
It’s now, at the end of a long holiday month in which I planned, researched and executed every tiny detail of childhood magic for my daughter. It’s now when the house is still a disaster from Christmas morning. It’s now when a huge work project is around the corner and so is Olive’s second birthday. It’s now when I’m sick and overwhelmed and exhausted. It is now when I think wouldn’t it be nice if there was daycare or family to be responsible for Olive for just a day…maybe two.
Next week will be different, maybe even better, but there is no bow to wrap this week up in.
BEL AIR - A 90 acre wildfire in the Sepulveda Pass threatened Bel-Air canyon estates, congested traffic across the Westside, and had firefighters relentlessly battling flames for three days in record-breaking heat.
On September 14, 2012 at 3:36 PM, a fire broke out along Sepulveda Boulevard near Getty Center Drive, just east of the 405 freeway. First arriving firefighters reported two acres burning in heavy brush. The blaze quickly spread beyond the capability of the initial responders and further assistance was immediately requested. (READ MORE)
© Photo by Mike Meadows
TOKYO – When Army Maj. Gen. James F. Pasquarette assumed command of U.S. Army Japan (USARJ) July 8, 2015, he immediately took initiative to personally meet the troops under his command as well as key leaders from his host nation partners.
Pasquarette's tour of his area of responsibility began in earnest when he and members of his staff boarded a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter July 10 from Camp Zama, Japan. Flying hundreds of feet above the congested highways at sometimes at level with Japan's sea of skyscrapers, Pasquarette acquired a bird's eye view of the American and Japanese military installations scattered among the urban jungle.
“We overflew Sagami General Depot, Yokohama North Dock and Hardy Barracks, said Milton Jackson, garrison manager at Camp Zama. “Our new commander now has clearer picture of the facilities, equipment and watercraft managed by the Army, and he can better understand where and how these individual installations interact with one another.”
According to Jackson, the USARJ primary mission comprises the rapid deployment of troops and materiel from one theater to another. As the Army's largest logistical hub in Asia, the command must maintain a streamlined sustainment system capable of moving thousands of tons of supplies and equipment via land and sea.
“Sagami Depot has rolling stock and Yokohama North Dock has watercraft,” said Jackson. “We must overcome the challenges posed by Japan's dense population centers by developing methods that rapidly move and load stock onto our watercraft so that we may better project our presence in the Pacific. Fortunately, our Japanese allies are willing to support us if a major threat or disaster called for a sudden mass movement.”
After a brief stop at Yokota Air Base to meet with Air Force Gen. John L. Dolan, commanding general, U.S. Force Japan, Pasquarette touched down near the heart of Tokyo where members of America's staunchest allies welcomed him with the pomp and circumstance befitting a general.
“On behalf of the JGSDF (Japan Ground Self-Defense Force), welcome to Japan,” said Gen. Kiyofumi Iwata, chief of staff, JGSDF, to Pasquarette after the two commanders sat in a decorative conference room inside Japan's Ministry of Defense. “We look forward to continuing our dialog of bilateral coordination between our two countries as JGSDF pursues its transformation into a dynamic joint defense force.”
The dialog consisted of one-on-one conversations with not only Iwata but also Adm. Katsutoshi Kawano, chief of staff, Japan Self-Defense Force, and Hideshi Tokuchi, vice minister of international affairs, Japan Ministry of Defense. The four men discussed previous achievements, current operations and potential challenges facing their respective commands and presented ideas on how to strengthen interoperability among their forces through combined training exercises and expanded service member exchange programs.
“We currently have several dozen JSDF service members embedded with [U.S. military] units,” said Pasquarette. “I believe extending this program so that our Soldiers can work within the JGSDF will further enhance our partnership.”
Pasquarette also ensured his hosts that the United States Army remains committed to its allies in the Pacific despite looming force reductions and ongoing operations in Europe and the Middle East.
“The Army recently announced that it will cut the number of troops in the active component from 450,000 to about 410,000,” said Pasquarette. “This rebalance of the force has no effect on our strength and readiness in the Pacific. Our alliance is more important than ever. That's why we're keeping our best trained and best equipped Soldiers in Japan and Korea.”
After a two-hour visit that started with with a JSDF band playing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and ended with a warm exchange of plaques and handshakes, Pasquarette and his team boarded a helicopter bound for Camp Zama.
“I have worked extensively throughout the Pacific during my Army career,” said the former armor officer and chief of staff of U.S. Army Pacific. “The JSDF consists of some of the world's most capable and professional men and women in uniform. I look forward to building stronger relationships with them and become a valuable partner in its transformation."
U.S. Army photos by Sgt. John L. Carkeet IV, U.S. Army Japan
Auto rickshaws are a common means of public transportation in many countries in the world. Also known as a three-wheeler, Samosa, tempo, tuk-tuk, trishaw, autorick, bajaj, rick, tricycle, mototaxi, baby taxi or lapa in popular parlance, an auto rickshaw is a usually three-wheeled cabin cycle for private use and as a vehicle for hire. It is a motorized version of the traditional pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw. Auto rickshaws are an essential form of urban transport in many developing countries, and a form of novelty transport in many developed countries. However, in some parts of Europe they remain an essential mode of transportation, notably Italy's.
OVERVIEW
ORIGN
Auto rickshaws of Southeast Asia started from the knockdown production of the Daihatsu Midget which had been introduced in 1957.
Japan had been exporting three-wheelers to Thailand since 1934. Moreover, The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of Japan donated about 20,000 used three-wheelers to Southeast Asia. In Japan, three-wheelers went out of use in the latter half of the 1960s.
DESIGN
An auto rickshaw is generally characterized by a sheet-metal body or open frame resting on three wheels, a canvas roof with drop-down sides, a small cabin in the front of the vehicle for the driver (sometimes called an auto-wallah), and seating space for up to three passengers in the rear. Newer models are generally fitted with a compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel scooter version of a 200 cc four-stroke engine, with handlebar controls instead of a steering wheel.
REGIONAL VARIATIONS
AFRICA
EASTERN AFRICA
There are tuk-tuks in several Kenyan towns. Using them is somewhat cheaper than ordinary taxis. However, tuk-tuks cannot operate in mountainous towns, which are common in Kenya. Fierce competition with Boda-bodas (bicycle taxis) and Matatus (minibuses) hinders popularity of Tuk-tuks, especially within the interior of Kenya. While they may not be widely found in Kenya, they are numerous in the coastal regions, which are less mountainous. For example, in the town of Malindi they offer an economical and convenient mode of transportation.
Tuk-tuks are also common in Ethiopia and are becoming common in Tanzania, particularly in the outer areas of Dar es Salaam. In Tanzania and Ethiopia they are known as "Bajaj" or "Bajajis", after the Bajaj Auto company which manufactures many of them. Since 2009, tuk-tuks have become common in Maputo, Mozambique.
EGYPT
In Egypt, auto rickshaws are called toktok (Egyptian Arabic: توك توك pronounced [ˈtoktok], plural: تكاتك takātek [tæˈkæːtek]); they are widely used as taxis in poorer neighborhoods of the capital, and have become a popular symbol for lower class Egyptians, although they are banned from the streets of wealthier neighborhoods. Deposed president Mohamed Morsi (June 2012-July 2013) in his opening speech addressed the Tuk-Tuk (toktok) drivers as a symbol of the lower class population, but his political rivals and mass media considered it as a mean of emotional deception for the masses by rendering what could be a promise to legalize their status.
MADAGASCAR
In Madagascar, man-pulled rickshaws are a common form of transportation in a number of cities, especially Antsirabe. They are known as "posy" from pousse-pousse, meaning push-push. Cycle rickshaws never took off, yet Posy are threatened by the auto-rickshaws, introduced in numbers since 2009. Provincial capitals like Toamasina, Mahajanga, Toliara, Antsiranana are taking to them rapidly. They are known as "bajaji" and now licenced to operate as taxis. They are not yet allowed an operating licence in the congested, and more pollution prone national capital, Antananarivo.
NIGERIA
There are keke-marwa's in several Nigerian towns and cities. Although not as popular as the ubiquitous "Okada" in Nigeria, keke-marwa's are embraced as an alternative means of transport by the middle and lower class citizens. Keke-marwa is named after Lagos former military Governor, Buba Marwa in the late 1990s.
SOUTH AFRICA
Tuk-tuks, introduced in Durban in the late 1980s enjoyed growing popularity in recent years, particularly in Gauteng.
SUDAN
Rickshaws are a major means of transport in all parts of Sudan, it's locally known as Raksha.
ASIA
BANGLADESH
Auto rickshaws (locally called "baby taxis" and more recently "CNGs" due to their fuel source) are one of the most popular modes of transport in Bangladesh mainly due to their size and speed. They are best suited to narrow, crowded streets, and are thus the principal means of covering longer distances within urban areas.
Earlier, auto rickshaws were colored black with a yellow canvas topping and ran on gasoline without any meter system. However, due to the vast supplies of natural gas in Bangladesh, the government has since encouraged the development of four-stroke compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered engines rather than the older two-stroke engine petrol-running models. Two-stroke engines had been identified as one of the leading sources of air pollution in Dhaka. Thus, since January 2003, traditional auto rickshaws were banned from the capital; only the new CNG-powered models were permitted to operate within the city limits. The newly manufactured CNG auto rickshaws are more fuel-efficient and have a lower center of gravity, making them safer than older models. All CNGs are painted green to signify that the vehicles are eco-friendly and that each one has a meter built in as standard.
Another version of the auto rickshaw can be seen in rural areas of Bangladesh, where they are called "helicopters". "Helicopters" are auto rickshaws modified to have a large body with which it can carry more than six or seven passengers.
At the end of the 1980s, a local company Atlas designed and built a new version of the auto rickshaw, called mishuk, a name derived from a children's mascot of a local deer. Unlike baby taxis, mishuks have spoke wheels and a green body, and have no meter system. Mishuks have more space than baby taxis or CNGs, which makes it more popular with women. They are commonly found in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country due to its four-stroke engine, which is not listed as a significant source of air pollution.
CAMBODIA
In Cambodia, the term tuk-tuk (Khmer: ទុកទុក) is used to refer to a motorcycle with a cabin attached to the rear. Cambodian cities have a much lower volume of automobile traffic than Thai cities, and tuk-tuks are still the most common form of urban transport. At the temple complex of Angkor, for example, tuk-tuks provide a convenient form of transport around the complex for tourists. One can hire a tuk-tuk and driver by the day.[citation needed]
Siem Reap tuk-tuks are generally of the style of motorcycle and trailer. This version does not have rear brakes.
Phnom Penh tuk-tuks are one piece. The one piece tuk-tuk is the front end of a motorcycle consisting of steering, tank and engine/gearbox with a covered tray mounted at the back. The power is transferred by chain to an axle mounted to the modified rear fork which drives the two rear wheels. Suspended upon the rear fork is an open cabin with an in-line seat on each side. This arrangement can carry 6 people at ease, with their luggage in the leg space. It is not unusual to see these vehicles greatly overloaded, especially in outer suburbs and around markets.
Sihanoukville tuk-tuks are generally a motorcycle and articulated trailer without rear brakes on the trailer. A minority of tuk-tuks are three wheeled. The rear wheel of the motorcycle is removed and the front of the bike is melded with a trailer. Power is supplied to the trailer wheels by a driveshaft and differential. Rear wheel brakes add significantly to the safety of this design, especially when going downhill.
Currently, Tuk Tuk in Cambodia is being developed to be more convenient and safer. It is also becoming a popular form of transportation for Phnom Penh residents.
Gaza
Together with the recent boom of recreational facilities in Gaza for the local residents, donkey carts have all but been displaced by tuk-tuks in 2010. Due to the ban by Israel on the import of most motorised vehicles, the tuk-tuks have had to be smuggled in parts through the tunnel network connecting Gaza with Egypt.
CHINA
Various types of auto rickshaw are used around China, where they are called 三轮 (Sān lún - three wheeler) or 嘟嘟车 (Dū dū chē - beep beep car).
In Hainan, the southernmost province, electric models are used in the capital Haikou. These may be heavy, purpose-built vehicles, or simple bicycles attached to a light chassis, with a small electric motor housed underneath.
In rural areas, a sturdy, petrol-powered, plastic-bodied type is common, similar to the Philippine motorized tricycle.
INDIA
OVERVIEW
Most cities offer auto rickshaw service, although hand-pulled rickshaws do exist in some areas, such as Kolkata.
Auto rickshaws are used in cities and towns for short distances; they are less suited to long distances because they are slow and the carriages are open to air pollution. Auto rickshaws (often called "autos") provide cheap and efficient transportation. Modern auto rickshaws run on compressed natural gas (CNG) and are environmentally friendly compared to full-sized cars.
It is also not uncommon in many parts of India (including major cities like Delhi) to see primary school children crammed into an auto-rickshaw, transporting them between home and school.
To augment speedy movement of traffic, Auto rickshaws are not allowed in the southern part of Mumbai.
DESIGN & MANUFACTURE
There are two types of autorickshaws in India. In older versions the engines were situated below the driver's seat, while in newer versions engines are located in the rear. They normally run on petrol, CNG and diesel. The seating capacity of a normal rickshaw is four, including the driver's seat. Six-seater rickshaws exist in different parts of the country, but the model was officially banned in the city of Pune 10 January 2003 by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA).
CNG autos are distinguishable from the earlier petrol-powered autos by a green and yellow livery, as opposed to the earlier black and yellow appearance. Certain local governments are advocating for four-stroke engines instead of the current two-stroke versions.
Auto rickshaw manufacturers in India include Bajaj Auto, Kumar Motors, Kerala Automobiles Limited, Force Motors (previously Bajaj Tempo), Mahindra & Mahindra, Piaggio Ape and TVS Motors.
LEGISLATION
Generally rickshaw fares are controlled by the government.
INDONESIA
In Indonesia, auto rickshaws are popular in Jakarta, Medan, Java, and Sulawesi. In Jakarta, the auto rickshaws are similar to the ones in India but are colored blue and orange. Outside of Jakarta the bentor-style auto rickshaw is more ubiquitous, with the passenger cabin mounted as a sidecar to a motorcycle. Where these sidecar style auto rickshaws do occur in Jakarta they are not referred to as bentor, but rather as bajaj (bajai). They were also popular in East Java until the end of the 20th century and were known as a bemo.
LAOS
Lao tuk-tuks come as tuk-tuks or jumbo tuk-tuks. Jumbos have a larger 3- or 4-cylinder four-stroke engine, and many are powered by Daihatsu engines. Jumbos' larger engine and cabin size allow for greater loads, up to 12 persons, and higher top speeds. Jumbos are (with few exceptions) only found in Vientiane and Luang Prabang.
NEPAL
Auto rickshaws were the popular mode of transport in Nepal during the 1980s and 1990s, till Nepal Government decided to ban the movement of 600 such vehicles in the early 2000. Earliest model of auto rickshaw running in Kathmandu were manufactured by Bajaj Auto. Nepal has been a popular destination for Rickshaw Run. The 2009 Fall Run took place in Goa, India and concluded in Pokhara, Nepal.
PAKISTAN
Auto rickshaws are a popular mode of transport in Pakistani towns and is mainly used for traveling short distances within cities. One of the major brands of auto rickshaws is Vespa (an Italian Company). Lahore is hub of CNG Auto rikshaws manufacturers in Pakistan.The government of Pakistan is taking measures to convert all the gasoline run auto-rickshaws to more effective CNG rickshaw by 2015 in all the major cities of Pakistan by issuing easy loans through commercial banks. Environment Canada is implementing pilot projects in Lahore, Karachi and Quetta with engine technology developed in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada that uses CNG instead of gasoline in the two-stroke engines, in an effort to combat environmental pollution and noise levels.
In many cities in Pakistan, there are also motorcycle rickshaws, usually called chand gari (moon car) or Chingchi (after the Chinese company Jinan Qingqi Motorcycle Co. Ltd who first introduced these to the market).
Rickshaws are forbidden in the capital, Islamabad.
Auto rickshaws have had a history of displaying political statements. In February 2013, that legacy was modified to promote peace. According to Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi, head of the Pakistan Youth Alliance, "We need to take back this romanticized art form and use it for peace sloganeering and conflict resolution."
Manufacturers There are many companies involving in Rickshaw manufacturing in Pakistan, some of them are, AECO Export Company, STAHLCO Motors, Global Sources, Parhiyar Automobiles, Global Ledsys Technologies, Siwa Industries, Prime Punjab Automobiles, Murshid Farm Industries, Sazgar Automobiles, NTN Enterprises, Imperial Engineering Company
PHILLIPINES
Auto rickshaws are an especially popular form of public transportation in the Philippines, where they are referred to as "tricycles" (Filipino: traysikel; Cebuano: traysikol). In the Philippines, the design and configuration of tricycles varies widely from place to place, but tends towards rough standardization within each municipality. The usual design is a passenger or cargo sidecar fitted to a motorcycle, usually on the right of the motorcycle. It is rare to find one with a left sidecar. Tricycles can carry five passengers or more in the sidecar, one or two pillion passengers behind the motorcycle driver, and even a few on the roof of the sidecar. Tricycles are one of the main contributors to air pollution in the Philippines, since majority of them employ two-stroke motorcycles. However, some local governments are working towards phasing out two-stroke-powered tricycles for ones with cleaner four-stroke motorcycles.
SRI LANKA
Auto rickshaws, commonly known as three-wheelers and more recently tuk-tuk, can be found on all roads in Sri Lanka from the curvy roads through the hill country to the congested roads of Colombo transporting locals, foreigners, or freight about. Sri Lankan three-wheelers are of the style of the light Phnom Penh type. Most of the three-wheelers in Sri Lanka are a slightly modified Indian Bajaj model, imported from India though there are few manufactured locally and increasingly imports from other countries in the region and other brands of three-wheelers such as Piaggio. In 2007 January the Sri Lankan government imposed a ban on all 2-stroke three-wheelers, due to environmental concerns and therefore the ones imported to the island now are the ones with four-stroke engines. Most three-wheelers are available as hiring vehicles, with few being used to haul goods and as private company or advertising vehicles. Bajaj enjoys a virtual monopoly in the island, with its agent being David Pieries Motor Co Ltd. A few three-wheelers in Sri Lanka have distance meters, and in the capital city it is becoming more and more common, however the vast majority of charges are negotiated between the passenger and driver.
THAILAND
The auto rickshaw, called tuk-tuk (Thai: ตุ๊กตุ๊ก, pronounced "took-took") or sam-lor (Thai: สามล้อ) meaning three-wheeler in Thailand, is a widely used form of urban transport in Bangkok and other Thai cities. It is particularly popular where traffic congestion is a major problem, such as in Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima. The name is onomatopoeic, mimicking the sound of a small (often two-cycle) engine. An equivalent English term would be "putt-putt."
Bangkok and other cities in Thailand have many tuk-tuks which are a more open variation on the Indian auto-rickshaw. There are no meters, and trip costs are negotiated in advance. Bangkok fares have risen to nearly equal normal taxis due to uninformed foreigners willing to pay the asking price, but leaves passengers more exposed to environmental pollution than taxis. The solid roof is so low that the tuk-tuk is a difficult touring vehicle. Today few locals take one unless they are burdened with packages or travelling in a big group for short distances.
The Thai tuk-tuk is starting to change from the old smoke-spewing vehicle of yesteryear. Many Thai tuk-tuk manufacturers now produce low emission vehicles, and even old ones are having new engines fitted along with LPG conversions. In an early morning of Bangkok, these same passenger vehicles can be seen busily transporting fresh produce around the city. Newer tuk-tuks also have wet weather sides to keep passengers and drivers dry.
The Thai auto-rikshaw manufacturers are, Monika Motors Ltd., TukTuk (Thailand) Co., Ltd., TukTuk Forwerder Co., Ltd. Bangkok and MMW Tuk-Tuks Co.,Ltd. in Hua Hin. Smaller manufacturers are the Chinnaraje Co., Ltd. in Chiang Mai and the Expertise Co., Ltd. in Chonburi which manufactures its models in Komaki, Japan, also.
VIETNAM
Known locally as xe lam, the vernacular pronunciation of the Lambro from the Lambretta line by Innocenti of Italy, these vehicles were very popular in the 1960s and 1970s, especially the urban centers of South Vietnam. Over time the authorities have moved to limit their use.
Xe lam with 1-wheel forward and 2-aft were designed to carry passengers whereas other variants with 2-forward and 1-aft, used mostly to transport goods are known as Xe ba gác máy. The motorized version of cycle rickshaw is the Xích lô máy is of the same design.
EUROPE
FRANCE
A number of Tuk-tuks ( 250 in 2013 according to the Paris Prefecture)are used as an alternative tourist transport system in Paris, some off them being pedal operated with the help of an electric engine. They are not yet fully licenced to operate and await customers on the streets. 'Velos taxis' were common during the Occupation years in Paris due to fuel restrictions.
ITALY
Auto rickshaws have been commonly used in Italy since the late 1940s, providing a low-cost means of transportation in the post-World-War-II years when the country was short of economic resources. The Piaggio Ape, designed by Vespa creator Corradino D'Ascanio and first manufactured in 1948 by the Italian company Piaggio, though primarily designed for carrying freight has also been widely used as an auto rickshaw. It is still extremely popular throughout the country, being particularly useful in the narrow streets found in the center of many little towns in central and southern Italy. Though it no longer has a key role in transportation, Piaggio Ape is still used as a minitaxi in some areas such as the islands of Ischia and Stromboli (on Stromboli no cars are allowed). It has recently been re-launched as a trendy-ecological means of transportation, or, relying on the role the Ape played in the history of Italian design, as a promotional tool. Since 2006 the Ape has been produced under licence in India.
NETHERLANDS
Since 2007, tuk-tuks have been active in the Netherlands, starting with Amsterdam. They now operate in Amersfoort, Amsterdam, The Hague, Zandvoort, Bergen op Zoom, the popular beach resort Renesse and Rotterdam. The tuk-tuks in the Netherlands are imported from India and Thailand. They are fitted with CNG engines and have passed the EURO-4 rules.
UNITED KINGDOM
The first Tuk Tuks to enter service in the United Kingdom were supplied and built by MMW Imports in 1999, under the brand name MMW Tuk Tuks. The very first Private Hire licence was issued to an MMW Tuk Tuk for tours of Bath in the year 2000, MMW also gained full Hackney license in Weston-super-Mare. MMW also now export Tuk Tuks from Thailand to the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, New Zealand and Australia. All the MMW range are built in their own factory in Thailand and are custom made for each customer's needs; hence no two tuk tuks are the same, and they come fully customized as per required spec.
Tukshop of Southampton started the commercial importing of Tuk Tuks into the UK in 2003, which resulted in many people being inspired to set up taxi-type operations in a number of cities including Blackpool, Brighton and Leeds. Tukshop failed to gain a taxi operator license for London after a number of media appearances in 2004. The company, founded by mrsteve, are specialists in experiential marketing using the iconic three-wheelers for street marketing campaigns. Clients of Tukshop include many household names, such as T Mobile, Harrods, Universal Pictures, O2, BBC, Freeview, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Tiger Beer & Grolsch lager. Tukshop have imported and put over one hundred tuk tuks on the roads of the UK and Europe between starting the business and Oct 2010. The company currently stocks models from Piaggio & Bajaj, including the commercial versions such as the TM Van.
A Bajaj tuk tuk is currently operated by Bangwallop of Salcombe, South Devon. Taking just two passengers at a time, the tuk tuk has an operator's licence issued by VOSA and trips can be booked in advance.[citation needed]
Auto rickshaws were introduced to the city of Brighton and Hove on 10 July 2006 by entrepreneur Dominic Ponniah's company Tuctuc Ltd, who had the idea after seeing the vehicles used in India and Sri Lanka. They were CNG-powered, using a four-speed (plus reverse) 175 cc engine. Under the terms of their license, the Bajas ran on a fixed single route, and stopped only at designated stops. They are of the same design as traditional auto rickshaws in other countries.
An investigation was launched into Tuctuc Ltd's operation of the service after complaints were raised, primarily by the city's taxi drivers, that routes, stopping points and timetables were not being adhered to. In November 2006, the company was fined £16,500 – the maximum penalty possible – by the South East Traffic Commissioner. After amendments were made to the timetable to reduce delays and improve reliability, the Commissioner allowed the company to keep its operating license. However, the company announced in January 2008 that it was ceasing operations, citing "archaic legislation" as the reason.
In the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, there is a new street food restaurant called Tuk Tuk Indian Street Food, that has its own branded Tuk Tuks, which are used for marketing around the town and picking up customers on special occasions.
CENTRAL AMERICA
EL SALVADOR
The mototaxi or moto is the El Salvadoran version of the auto rickshaw. These are most commonly made from the front end and engine of a motorcycle attached to a two-wheeled passenger area in back. Commercially produced models, such as the Indian Bajaj brand, are also employed.
GUATEMALA
In Guatemala the commercial vehicles are referred to as tuk-tuks. Tuk-tuks operate, both as taxis and private vehicles, in Guatemala City, Guatemala, around the island town of Flores, Peten, in the mountain city of Antigua Guatemala, and in many small towns in the mountains. In 2005 the tuk-tuks prevalent in the Lago de Atitlán towns of Panajachel and Santiago Atitlán all appeared to be from India (Bajaj Auto).
HONDURAS
Three-wheeled all-in-one tuk-tuks are used in the place of traditional taxis in most rural towns and villages.
NICARAGUA
As of 2011 there were an estimated 5,000 mototaxis, popularly known as "caponeras".
CARIBBEAN
Three-wheeled Coco taxis in Havana, Cuba
CUBA
Three-wheeled Coco taxis, named for their resemblance to a coconut, are used in Havana, Cuba.
SOUTH AMERICA
ECUADOR
The mototaxi is the Ecuatorian version of the auto rickshaw. These are most commonly made from the front end and engine of a motorcycle attached to a two-wheeled passenger area in back.
PERU
It is a common sight in the rural areas, towns and cities of Peru to see auto rickshaws, locally known as "mototaxis," "motokars", "taxi cholo", or "cholotaxi" lining up to pick up passengers as their fares are generally lower than car taxis. They are also in the capital, Lima, but they are usually restricted to the peripheral districts. The "jungle" cities and towns in eastern Peru are famous for their prevalence of auto rickshaws. This vehicle, usually running on regular unleaded gasoline, is the main non-private transport vehicle, and is known as "motocarro", "mototaxi" or "tuk-tuk" (for foreigners).
Many of the jungle areas of eastern Peru can be extremely noisy as a result of poorly maintained auto rickshaws and other 2 or 3-wheel vehicles, especially in high traffic or hilly areas. Auto-rickshaw brands such as the Indian-made Bajaj, which use GLP [a form of liquified petroleum gas which some car taxis also use] are much quieter.
NORTH AMERICA
UNITED STATES
Tuk Tuks were introduced to the United States through Tuk Tuk North America of Swainsboro, Georgia. As early as 2006, Mr. Roy Jordan, the owner of Tuk Tuk North America, began working with both the U.S. federal government and manufacturers in Thailand to configure a tuk tuk that was cost effective but adaptable to meet or exceed U.S. Department of Transportation regulations. He was able to contract a manufacturer who could make imported tuk tuks that could meet all necessary federal regulations in the U.S. Original products were imported from Thailand and were gas propelled. Due to the changing regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency, the introduction of imported gas-propelled tuk tuks was short-lived. Due to such changes, in 2009 Tuk Tuk North America decided to go dormant in its importing of gas propelled tuk tuks into the U.S.
However, with the growing emphasis on sustainable “green” energy and the recognition of the continuing rising oil prices, in 2011 the project's short dormancy was rejuvenated being redirected towards introduction of a complete line of all-electric tuk tuks. The line included eight models of "street legal" tuk tuks including passenger, utility, and delivery vehicles. These were offered under the manufacturer’s new name, Electro Technologies LLC, and marketed and sold exclusively through Tuk Tuk Transport LLC of Lenoir City, Tennessee, under the leadership of C. Phillip Tallant.
Prior to 2013, the greatest obstacle to commercial transportation usage of the electric tuk tuks created by Electro Technologies was addressed in mid 2013 by providing a means by which ET Tuk Tuks could be in service 24/7. With this advancement grew the opportunity for formation of Tuk Tuk of America, a company by which partnering affiliates across the U.S. could begin their own local niche urban mobility transportation company with guaranteed protected territories.
FUEL EFFICIENCY & POLLUTION
In July 1998, the Supreme Court of India ordered the Delhi government to implement CNG or LPG (Autogas) fuel for all autos and for the entire bus fleet in and around the city.[citation needed] Delhi's air quality has improved with the switch to CNG. Initially, auto rickshaw drivers in Delhi had to wait in long queues for CNG refueling, but the situation has improved with the increase of CNG stations. Certain local governments are pushing for four-stroke engines instead of the current two-stroke versions. Typical mileage for an Indian-made auto rickshaw is around 35 kilometers per liter of petrol (about 2.9 L per 100 km, or 82 miles per gallon [United States (wet measure), 100 miles per gallon Imperial (United Kingdom, Canada)]. Pakistan has passed a similar law prohibiting auto rickshaws in certain areas. CNG auto rickshaws have started to appear in huge numbers in many Pakistani cities.
In January 2007 the Sri Lankan government also banned two-stroke trishaws to reduce air pollution. In the Philippines there are projects to convert carburated two-stroke engines to direct-injected via Envirofit technology. Research has shown LPG or CNG gas direct-injection to be retrofit-able to existing engines in similar fashion to the Envirofit system. In Vigan City majority of tricycles-for-hire as of 2008 are powered by motorcycles with four-stroke engines, as tricycles with two-stroke motorcycles are prevented from receiving operating permits. Direct injection is standard equipment on new machines in India.
In March 2009 an international consortium coordinated by the International Centre for Hydrogen Energy Technologies initiated a two-year public-private partnership of local and international stakeholders aiming at operating a fleet of 15 hydrogen-fueled three-wheeled vehicles in New Delhi's Pragati Maidan complex. As of January 2011, the project was upon completion.
In the meantime, in October, 2011, the Department of Transportation for the U.S. approved the complete 2012 series of American made, all-electric tuk tuks by Electro Technologies. Chassis were still being shipped in from Thailand, but now with the inclusion of all electrical components as manufactured only in the U.S. with assembly completed in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The American made electric tuk tuks were unique in that they were charged through common 110v outlets providing a range of 60 to 100(+) miles per charge (depending upon model and conditions) with a recharge time between 4 to 6 hours. The Electro Technologies Tuk Tuks topped out at 40 miles per hour which perfectly addresses the needs of their design; niche urban mobile transportation.
The greatest obstacle to daily usage in niche urban mobile commercial transportation was addressed in 2013 by Electro Technologies when they introduced their quick-release battery pack allowing for restoration of 100% power availability in just a few short minutes. This commercial upgrade allowed niche urban transportation businesses to operate 24/7 with no interruption to business.
TRAFFIC ISSUES
Auto rickshaws have a top-speed of around 50 km/h (about 31 mph) and a cruising speed of around 35 km/h (22 mph), much slower than the automobiles they share the road with. Traffic authorities in big cities try to implement mechanisms to reduce the resulting traffic slowing, but none have proven effective.
The MMW Tuk Tuk has a top speed of around 70 mph and with the introduction of the new turbo will have much improved acceleration, to allow for increased speed these Tuk Tuks have anti-roll bars and are fitted with disc brakes.
The triangular form of the vehicle makes maneuvering easy, with the single front wheel negotiating the available gap, and the rear two wheels forcing a larger space. Care must be taken even at low speeds, however, because of the stability problems of three-wheeler vehicles with a single front wheel. Such a "delta"-configuration three-wheeler can easily roll if the driver turns while braking.
In the Philippines, 2-stroke motor tricycle such as Yamaha RS-100T can give a top speed of 55 km/h (one passenger in the sidecar), or 30–40 km/h (full passengers in the sidecar).
More powerful four-stroke motor tricycles such as Honda TMX & Yamaha STX & Bajaj CT-100 can give a top speed up to 70–85 km/h (special trip/one passenger) or 40–50 km/h (full passengers).
RACING
Due to their relatively low top-speed, auto rickshaws have never lent themselves to conventional road or street racing. However, their modest speed, simple construction and impressive fuel economy has endeared them to the international amateur adventuring community, most notably with the Rickshaw Run and also the Indian Autorickshaw Challenge, and even off-road racing with the Apecar competitions in Italy. A Tuk Tuk built by Art In Motion, LLC competed in the 2008 Fireball Run II – Back to the Track
PORTRAYAL IN MEDIA
Auto rickshaws are often portrayed in Indian films (Auto Shankar, Basha, Aye Auto, Oram Po, Hero Hiralal) as well as some Hollywood and foreign productions such as the James Bond film Octopussy, the Canada-India film Amal and the Indonesian movie Pembalasan Rambu. Auto rickshaws are also prominent in the fuel-poor London of 2027 A.D. depicted in Children of Men. A memorable tuk-tuk chase features in the Thai film Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, climaxing with many of them driving off the edge of an unfinished elevated expressway. The video games Just Cause 2, Stuntman, Far Cry 4 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2: Vietnam feature Tuk-Tuks as drivable vehicles. James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) rides in a tuk-tuk in a Visa Card commercial.
WIKIPEDIA
Péage urbain de Londres, institué en 2003. La zone est traversée par un très grand nombre de lignes de bus, en rouge sur la carte
.... Originally opened in the 1970s, the Bay Concourse became cramped and congested with increased commuter passengers. The Bay concourse was closed in 2015 and completely gutted and redesigned. After years of renovations, the area where passengers wait for their GO commuter trains re-opened in 2021 ....
TOKYO – When Army Maj. Gen. James F. Pasquarette assumed command of U.S. Army Japan (USARJ) July 8, 2015, he immediately took initiative to personally meet the troops under his command as well as key leaders from his host nation partners.
Pasquarette's tour of his area of responsibility began in earnest when he and members of his staff boarded a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter July 10 from Camp Zama, Japan. Flying hundreds of feet above the congested highways at sometimes at level with Japan's sea of skyscrapers, Pasquarette acquired a bird's eye view of the American and Japanese military installations scattered among the urban jungle.
“We overflew Sagami General Depot, Yokohama North Dock and Hardy Barracks, said Milton Jackson, garrison manager at Camp Zama. “Our new commander now has clearer picture of the facilities, equipment and watercraft managed by the Army, and he can better understand where and how these individual installations interact with one another.”
According to Jackson, the USARJ primary mission comprises the rapid deployment of troops and materiel from one theater to another. As the Army's largest logistical hub in Asia, the command must maintain a streamlined sustainment system capable of moving thousands of tons of supplies and equipment via land and sea.
“Sagami Depot has rolling stock and Yokohama North Dock has watercraft,” said Jackson. “We must overcome the challenges posed by Japan's dense population centers by developing methods that rapidly move and load stock onto our watercraft so that we may better project our presence in the Pacific. Fortunately, our Japanese allies are willing to support us if a major threat or disaster called for a sudden mass movement.”
After a brief stop at Yokota Air Base to meet with Air Force Gen. John L. Dolan, commanding general, U.S. Force Japan, Pasquarette touched down near the heart of Tokyo where members of America's staunchest allies welcomed him with the pomp and circumstance befitting a general.
“On behalf of the JGSDF (Japan Ground Self-Defense Force), welcome to Japan,” said Gen. Kiyofumi Iwata, chief of staff, JGSDF, to Pasquarette after the two commanders sat in a decorative conference room inside Japan's Ministry of Defense. “We look forward to continuing our dialog of bilateral coordination between our two countries as JGSDF pursues its transformation into a dynamic joint defense force.”
The dialog consisted of one-on-one conversations with not only Iwata but also Adm. Katsutoshi Kawano, chief of staff, Japan Self-Defense Force, and Hideshi Tokuchi, vice minister of international affairs, Japan Ministry of Defense. The four men discussed previous achievements, current operations and potential challenges facing their respective commands and presented ideas on how to strengthen interoperability among their forces through combined training exercises and expanded service member exchange programs.
“We currently have several dozen JSDF service members embedded with [U.S. military] units,” said Pasquarette. “I believe extending this program so that our Soldiers can work within the JGSDF will further enhance our partnership.”
Pasquarette also ensured his hosts that the United States Army remains committed to its allies in the Pacific despite looming force reductions and ongoing operations in Europe and the Middle East.
“The Army recently announced that it will cut the number of troops in the active component from 450,000 to about 410,000,” said Pasquarette. “This rebalance of the force has no effect on our strength and readiness in the Pacific. Our alliance is more important than ever. That's why we're keeping our best trained and best equipped Soldiers in Japan and Korea.”
After a two-hour visit that started with with a JSDF band playing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and ended with a warm exchange of plaques and handshakes, Pasquarette and his team boarded a helicopter bound for Camp Zama.
“I have worked extensively throughout the Pacific during my Army career,” said the former armor officer and chief of staff of U.S. Army Pacific. “The JSDF consists of some of the world's most capable and professional men and women in uniform. I look forward to building stronger relationships with them and become a valuable partner in its transformation."
U.S. Army photos by Sgt. John L. Carkeet IV, U.S. Army Japan
Brandenburg Demolishes 27-Story Building
Story by Ryan Johnson May 8, 2006 Construction Digest
Former hospital building in Chicago is razed for future development
Demolishing a 27-story building presents huge challenges, but when you consider tearing down a structure in downtown Chicago it can create even more difficulties. Brandenburg Industrial Service Co. was hired as a subcontractor by Power/Jacobs, a construction manager, to do just that: remove the 85-plus-year-old Galter Carriage House on the downtown campus of Northwestern Memorial Hospital to make way for future development.
Brandenburg is no stranger to working in the congested downtown area, as the well-known demolition company was responsible for the destruction of the Chicago Sun-Times building in 2005 to make way for the 92-story Trump International Hotel & Tower.
According to Kelly Sullivan, director of media relations at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the Galter Carriage House was built in 1926 as a five-story parking garage situated along E. Chicago Avenue in downtown Chicago. In 1960, additional floors were added to create a 27-story high-rise building that would eventually be used in part by Northwestern Memorial Hospital to house employees and patients. Lower levels of the Galter Carriage House were also used for retail and commercial purposes. Eli's Place For Steak, which had occupied space in the building since 1966, closed in the summer of 2005 in preparation for the demolition. It has been a popular spot for celebrities to visit on their way through the Windy City.
John O'Keefe, marketing manager at Brandenburg, says the $3.5-million project involves the asbestos abatement and demolition of the Galter Carriage House with more than 430,000 square feet of space spread out across 27 floors. Brandenburg crews started their work in September 2005, with an estimated finish date of June 2006.
Street Safety
"One of the keys (in demolition) is protection, especially in a downtown urban area," O'Keefe says. "For the Northwestern Memorial Hospital, in the area that is facing the street, we had the area set up with scaffolding so any debris that accidentally fell outside the building wouldn't hit a pedestrian or traffic. You need to set up all of your protective barrier structures before you begin your demolition."
There is always something you have to protect on these downtown urban projects," O'Keefe explains. "That is what makes them hard. You don't have a lot of room to work and it makes it difficult. It is much different from an industrial site where you typically have a large, open area around the building to work with."
Before any demolition was started on-site, Brandenburg crews were required to remove asbestos that was present in the structure. Crews found the hazardous material in floor tile, insulation surrounding pipes, and in some of the building's doors. O'Keefe says this material was sorted and removed separately from the general garbage and demolition debris.
After the environmental portion of the project was completed, crews made sure the electricity to the building was cut off or isolated, as well as the sewer and water service. Some electrical service was left in the building for lighting to do the demolition work and some water for fire prevention.
"These are isolated because one of the most dangerous things in demolition is cutting into utilities that are live; you want to stay away from that," O'Keefe explains.
Compact Loaders Perform Bulk Of Demolition Work
With little room to work on-site, the equipment needed to carry out a project of this magnitude needs to be compact and versatile. Brandenburg has utilized a small fleet of Bobcat skid-steer loaders and attachments to assist with the demolition of the Galter Carriage House, according to O'Keefe. He says the company typically uses machines like Bobcat loaders, starting at the top of the structure as operators demolish the floors and eventually work their way down.
"On every demolition project, we have had at least one Bobcat loader," O'Keefe says. "The Bobcat loader is probably the most versatile machine we have."
But how do these compact loaders access the top of a 27-story downtown building? There are a couple of ways to transport these machines and attachments. O'Keefe says one way is to simply lift the machines to the top of the building with a crane.
"We lift them up to the top and we drop them off one-by-one," O'Keefe says. In some cases, there might be a freight elevator still working, or construction managers may build a freight elevator on the side of the building to carry the machines to the top."
According to O'Keefe, before the Bobcat loaders are used on any floor, a structural engineer uses a survey to determine if the floor structures are strong enough to hold the 8,400-pound machines. Once deemed workable, the Bobcat loaders travel across these floors and use hydraulic breaker attachments to tear apart the concrete, drywall and studs. All of the Brandenburg Bobcat loaders are configured with the optional high flow auxiliary hydraulics for enhanced attachment performance.
O'Keefe says the hydraulic breaker attachments are more precise than many of the other attachments available for their demolition applications.
"You can go around an area, break out the floor between the columns, and drop it," he explains, when using a Bobcat hydraulic breaker attachment and loader. "We want to open up the floor completely. The only thing remaining would be the columns supporting the structure. The columns are the last portion of the structure removed on each floor so that you can support your machines until you get down to the next floor."
Working from the top, inch by inch, these loaders break down the structure until they are ready to go to the next floor.
"Once the machines are up there, we typically use ramps to drive them from one floor down to the next," O'Keefe says. "We'll wreck the building down until we get to the little area we have left. You're basically going to demolish the building from the top down until you can reach it — down to a few floors — with the rest of your larger equipment, like excavators. Once the building can be reached with excavators, the skid-steer loaders are removed from the structure and utilized on the ground to assist with the clean-up and sorting debris."
All along the way, the Brandenburg S300 loaders, equipped with solid rubber tires, are loading and pushing the demolition debris with bucket attachments to side chutes on the sides of the building or elevator shafts where the material falls to a lower level. Then, skid-steer loaders located at the base of the structure sift through the debris with industrial grapple attachments to sort it, and then help wheel loaders carry some of the garbage to nearby dumpsters where it is taken to a landfill or a recycling center.
Most of the sorting is done by the Bobcat loaders and excavators, but in some situations it requires manual labor.
"Most of our machines are very precise on what they can grab," O'Keefe says. "Our large excavators, with a shear, can pick up a pop can. ... The machines have come a long way with hydraulics and rotation. They can do a lot of the sorting for us."
Brandenburg estimators calculated the demolition debris and garbage produced during this project. Estimates include 3,400 tons of garbage, 8,600 tons of brick, 1,600 tons of steel, and 32,000 tons of concrete will be taken from the concrete reinforced structure. The brick and concrete will be used as fill material or sent elsewhere and utilized by someone else to recycle, for uses such as road-base.
With little room on-site to process the steel, it was set aside, and eventually 1,600 tons were hauled off to a preparation site and cut to a prepared size for melting in steel mills.
Plans have yet to be announced for what will be located on the site. Officials say it will become a parking lot temporarily, but it may eventually be used for hospital expansion.
Located behind the demolition site is a new building — the Prentice Women's Hospital, which is scheduled to open in spring 2007. O'Keefe says Brandenburg was involved with the excavation of the site in preparation for a 937,000-square-foot hospital building. Northwestern Memorial Hospital records indicate the new women's hospital will consist of diagnostic and treatment space, patient care area and medical office spaces.
Watch the video @ youtu.be/9aZRiUTHFiE
BC Collective's "Debtors' Prison" is a mural telling the story of everyday life in Fort Kochi (the Mattanchery neighborhood), India. This art collective depict the city as a modern-day debtors' prisons. From rats, cats and mosquitoes to dirty streets, monotonous professions and unrealized ambitions: Debtors' Prison captures a side of Kochi's city's life, which most tourists never see.
"My name is Shando. I'm working with BC. Actually we are academic painters but we don't like that so we are coming out and painting on the walls. This was our first work, Debtors' Prison. Its all about Fort Cochin stories. He is a fruit seller. People don't have much money to buy fruit, so they buy the dirty fruit. They get that and cut the piece where it is dirty, and he sells that. The second guy is Gallit. He runs a little shop and sells cigarettes things like that. He is actually a very good singer. This guy is basically a housepainter but he can't see the red gradients. If anybody comes to Fort Kochin by boat, they first meet this lady because in front of the boat jetty is this shop. I think she is not happy much. These people are not happy, actually. Here people are living in small, small houses - in a rented house. They are living in a very congested area, that should make them a little unhappy. Rats and cats. Here there are many mosquitoes. That's because of the canal, it is a water source and its fully dirty. Very dirty streets. They're only working on the road, building construction, or small, small shops. So these people are - I think these people are - living in a Debtors' Prison because they have many ambitions about their lives. They have many hopes but their system is like this. Ah - glorious. Their mind is very colorful and the Kochin people are very colorful, actually. Its a smiling monkey. We're living here like that, actually. We are very congested but we are crowded, because we want to exist."
TOKYO – When Army Maj. Gen. James F. Pasquarette assumed command of U.S. Army Japan (USARJ) July 8, 2015, he immediately took initiative to personally meet the troops under his command as well as key leaders from his host nation partners.
Pasquarette's tour of his area of responsibility began in earnest when he and members of his staff boarded a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter July 10 from Camp Zama, Japan. Flying hundreds of feet above the congested highways at sometimes at level with Japan's sea of skyscrapers, Pasquarette acquired a bird's eye view of the American and Japanese military installations scattered among the urban jungle.
“We overflew Sagami General Depot, Yokohama North Dock and Hardy Barracks, said Milton Jackson, garrison manager at Camp Zama. “Our new commander now has clearer picture of the facilities, equipment and watercraft managed by the Army, and he can better understand where and how these individual installations interact with one another.”
According to Jackson, the USARJ primary mission comprises the rapid deployment of troops and materiel from one theater to another. As the Army's largest logistical hub in Asia, the command must maintain a streamlined sustainment system capable of moving thousands of tons of supplies and equipment via land and sea.
“Sagami Depot has rolling stock and Yokohama North Dock has watercraft,” said Jackson. “We must overcome the challenges posed by Japan's dense population centers by developing methods that rapidly move and load stock onto our watercraft so that we may better project our presence in the Pacific. Fortunately, our Japanese allies are willing to support us if a major threat or disaster called for a sudden mass movement.”
After a brief stop at Yokota Air Base to meet with Air Force Gen. John L. Dolan, commanding general, U.S. Force Japan, Pasquarette touched down near the heart of Tokyo where members of America's staunchest allies welcomed him with the pomp and circumstance befitting a general.
“On behalf of the JGSDF (Japan Ground Self-Defense Force), welcome to Japan,” said Gen. Kiyofumi Iwata, chief of staff, JGSDF, to Pasquarette after the two commanders sat in a decorative conference room inside Japan's Ministry of Defense. “We look forward to continuing our dialog of bilateral coordination between our two countries as JGSDF pursues its transformation into a dynamic joint defense force.”
The dialog consisted of one-on-one conversations with not only Iwata but also Adm. Katsutoshi Kawano, chief of staff, Japan Self-Defense Force, and Hideshi Tokuchi, vice minister of international affairs, Japan Ministry of Defense. The four men discussed previous achievements, current operations and potential challenges facing their respective commands and presented ideas on how to strengthen interoperability among their forces through combined training exercises and expanded service member exchange programs.
“We currently have several dozen JSDF service members embedded with [U.S. military] units,” said Pasquarette. “I believe extending this program so that our Soldiers can work within the JGSDF will further enhance our partnership.”
Pasquarette also ensured his hosts that the United States Army remains committed to its allies in the Pacific despite looming force reductions and ongoing operations in Europe and the Middle East.
“The Army recently announced that it will cut the number of troops in the active component from 450,000 to about 410,000,” said Pasquarette. “This rebalance of the force has no effect on our strength and readiness in the Pacific. Our alliance is more important than ever. That's why we're keeping our best trained and best equipped Soldiers in Japan and Korea.”
After a two-hour visit that started with with a JSDF band playing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and ended with a warm exchange of plaques and handshakes, Pasquarette and his team boarded a helicopter bound for Camp Zama.
“I have worked extensively throughout the Pacific during my Army career,” said the former armor officer and chief of staff of U.S. Army Pacific. “The JSDF consists of some of the world's most capable and professional men and women in uniform. I look forward to building stronger relationships with them and become a valuable partner in its transformation."
U.S. Army photos by Sgt. John L. Carkeet IV, U.S. Army Japan
Back in December, my son’s wife, Clara, started to swell up like a balloon. She hadn’t been able to get out of the house for around a year so Mark got a wheel chair that she would fit into and hired the OATS bus that had a wheel chair lift on it to get her to the hospital. They said she had renal failure and congestive heart failure. They sent her to the city and they put her on dialysis. That took well over 100 pounds off of her and they finally got her back up to Trenton close to home here. They got tired of her there so sent her back home here. She had a problem with in an hour of her leaving that they fluffed off and sent her on home. The day before, Mark had got a van with a wheel chair lift so we used that to get her home and in to dialysis on Tuesday, the day after we brought her home. That evening she had another episode like she had had in the hospital just before they released her. She had another episode midday on Wednesday, and again in the evening which finished her off later in the night. Kathy had put a call in to the doctor but she wouldn’t return the call. It was best this way as she went peacefully enough and no way was she going to get better. Kathy and I had to move her around with a lift and even help her roll over in bed as she couldn’t even do that. We even used the lift to get her into the casket that I made the next day. Kathy and Deb dressed her after we got her into the casket. Using 8 ropes we lowered her into the grave with the help of some neighbors and friends. I filled the grave in while those who wanted to went over to Deb and Galen’s for a little to eat. The weather was bright and sunny for the funeral. The coroner said that this was a first for him, a family doing it all themselves, instead of having him do it. It rained all the next day and that night we got 8 inches of wet snow and the temperature went down to 5°F by the following morning. I was glad we had her in the ground.
Here is what my daughter thought of the whole thing with some pictures;
dapperdoxie.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-personal-touch.html
Mark’s and Clara’s best man surprised us all and came and this is what he had to say about the whole thing;
“Folks, I participated in something this past Friday, that was both deeply sad and somber, but yet one of the most beautiful and moving things I have ever seen. A good friend of ours from Missouri, lost his wife early Thursday morning. He notified us that morning and then posted on FB that graveside services would be Friday afternoon at 2:00 PM.
I went online and found the exact location of the cemetery, a small country cemetery in the middle of some fields and pasture not far from Spickard Missouri, which is located in North Central Missouri about 4 hours from here. We left before 9:00 AM as to give ourselves plenty of time, and arrived at the cemetery at around 1:30. It was a small country cemetery, well maintained and quite nice.
The freshly dug grave and the pile of dirt, along with some of the family and friends, were there to greet us. No tent or chairs, just a brisk wind and the January Sun. Shortly after our arrival our friend's father arrived in an older pickup truck, with the coffin containing our friend's deceased wife. The men took three wooden posts that they then placed horizontally across the empty grave, and the homemade wooden coffin was placed upon these posts. 6 ropes were laced through the handles on the coffin, 3 on each side. The coffin lid was in two pieces, and the half that covered the body from the waist up was taken off and you could see the body laying upon a white blanket inside the coffin.
Condolences were then offered up by a couple ministers, along with Scripture readings. The only music was Amazing Grace played on bagpipes via a small CD player or stereo.....which I want played at my burial, it was so moving and brought tears to my eyes....I loved it.
When the service was completed, the blanket was then placed over the deceased's face and arms, and the coffin lid was nailed back on. 6 men each grabbed a rope and the coffin was lifted slightly allowing the posts to be pulled out of the way. The coffin was then gently lowered into the grave into it's final resting place.
I share this story with you in the hopes that somehow it can convey to you the beauty and simplicity of this burial of one of God's saints, in a small rural cemetery, in Missouri. It was one of the most moving and authentic things I have ever witnessed.
As a footnote, the body was not embalmed, but the local mortician/coroner was present as required by State law.”