View allAll Photos Tagged Consistent.
Trust the weatherman they said. The weekly forecast was consistently pointing towards a sunny Friday this past week. With Friday off of work, I had plans to head out with my camera since it has been a while. Of course, when I woke up it was nothing but clouds.
I decided to forego my plans and instead made it a day of running errands. Knowing the local already went east earlier in the morning, I had the scanner on while getting ready to head to Rochester. Just before heading out the door the scanner chirped and sure enough it was the local heading back west and they had just hit the 61.4 detector east of town. Luck would be on my side as a heavy snow squall had just hit town. I quickly grabbed my camera and we were out the door as the timing would be close by the time we got to the nearest crossing.
As a burst of heavy snow falls, the local approaches the 8th Avenue crossing on the west side of Kasson, MN. Today's work involved picking up an empty centerbeam of the Seneca spur in Rochester. The crew will pick up the remainder of their train left in Dodge Center and then head for their home terminal in Waseca to end the day.
Visita nuestro Blog de Semana Santa en:
asociacionredobles.blogspot.com
Actos que se van a desarrollar durante la conmemoración del 200º aniversario del
rescate del Cristo de la Cama, consistente en el traslado de la Imagen desde la Iglesia
de Santa Isabel de Portugal (vulgo San Cayetano) a la Basílica del Pilar.
El rescate se produjo el 17 de febrero de 1809 del Convento de San Francisco, lo que
actualmente es la Diputación Provincial. El día 10 los franceses volaron el Convento,
que era defendido por unos cuantos aragoneses y por los voluntarios de Valencia. El
día 17, María Blánquez entro en el convento y vio que todos los pasos que
procesionan en Semana santa, quince en total, estaban destruidos, salvo el Santísimo
Cristo de la Cama, que estaba indemne en su Capilla de la Hermandad. Salió a la
calle, cogió a cuatro hombres, volvió a entrar al convento y todos ellos cogieron al
Cristo de la cama. Lo llevaron primero a la parroquia de la santa Cruz, después a la
de Santiago y finalmente al Palacio Arzobispal, lugar en donde vivía el general
Palafox, que enfermo lo venero y ordeno fuera llevado al interior de la Basílica del
Pilar, siendo colocado en el Altar de los convertido mirando a su Madre, la virgen del
Pilar.
Este hecho es el que conmemoramos.
A las 18´00 horas se oirá en la Ciudad de Zaragoza a los Artilleros de Aragón
anunciando el comienzo de la procesión cívico religiosa.
Con la salida desde San Cayetano de la Bandera de la Hermandad de la Sangre de
Cristo dará comienzo la procesión, encontrándose el resto de participantes ubicados
en la plaza. Seguidamente saldrá la peana, portada a varal, del Cristo de la Cama. Lo
hará con un toque preparado para la ocasión por la Sección de Tambores de la
Hermandad de San Joaquín y Virgen de los Dolores. Una vez que nuestro Cristo de la
Cama este en la plaza sonara el Himno Nacional interpretado al órgano por Ignacio
Navarro Gil.
Finalizado el himno, se descubrirá una placa en cerámica de Muel, promovida por la
Asociación Cultural Redobles. Dicha placa será descubierta por el Ilmo. Sr. D.
Francisco Javier Lambán Montañés, o persona en quien en delegue, acompañado por
el Hermano Mayor de la Hermandad de la Sangre de Cristo. A la vez que se descubre
la placa, don José Antonio Armillas, Comisario del Bicentenario glosara brevemente
la figura de María Blánquez y lo que ella significo.
Finalizado este acto, dará comienzo en sí el desfile.
Por la calle Manifestación, calle Alfonso y calle Coso, nos dirigiremos a la plaza de
España, en donde se realiza el segundo acto del desfile. Este consiste en depositar dos
coronas de laurel. La primera en la placa que recuerda al Convento de San Francisco
y la segunda en el monumento a los Mártires.
La del Convento de San Francisco será portada por mujeres ataviadas con el traje
regional, en recuerdo y homenaje a María Blánquez. Entregada por don Francisco
Javier Lambán Montañés (o persona en quién delegue), le acompañaran el
Comandante Militar de Zaragoza, General Juan Pinto y el Hermano Mayor de la
Sangre de Cristo. La recibirán dos soldados del Batallón Pardos de Aragón.
La segunda corona, la entregara don Juan Alberto Belloch Julve (o persona en quién
delegue), acompañado también por el Comandante Militar y el Hermano Mayor,
siendo recibida por dos soldados del Batallón de Infantería Voluntarios de Aragón.
Durante este acto sonara en la plaza el Carillón de la Diputación Provincial con
marchas alusivas a los Sitios.
Finalizado el acto, continuaremos el desfile en dirección a la Plaza de la Seo por calle
don Jaime, calle Mayor, calle Dormer, calle Cisne y calle Cuellar.
En la plaza de la Seo se realiza el tercer y último acto. Consiste en una breve
alocución del General Pinto, Comandante Militar de Zaragoza y Teruel, en recuerdo
y homenaje del General Palafox. A Su conclusión, el Batallón de Infantería
Voluntarios de Aragón hará una descarga de fusilería.
Ya para finalizar, nos encaminaremos a la plaza del Pilar, finalizando el desfile,
alrededor de las 20´30 horas, con la entrada del Cristo de la Cama en la Basílica, en
donde permanecerá hasta el miércoles 25 de febrero.
Finalizado el desfile y por lo tanto el traslado, la Hermandad de la Sangre de Cristo
realizara una ofrenda a la Virgen del Pilar.
La Hermandad de la Sangre de Cristo, con el fin de dar mayor realce a este
acontecimiento histórico, ha invitado a participar a todos aquellos Ayuntamientos e
Instituciones galardonados con la Medalla del Bicentenario “Defensor de Zaragoza”,
distinción que también ha obtenido la propia Hermandad. Han confirmado su
asistencia una representación de los Ayuntamientos de Alcañiz, Barbastro, Calatayud,
Cariñena, Chelva, Huesca, Jaca, monzón y Valencia. También han confirmado su
participación los Artilleros de Aragón, Batallón Pardos de Aragón, Batallón de
Infantería Ligera Voluntarios de Aragón, la Asociación Cultural Royo del Rabal
(ronda y escenificación de personajes históricos de la época), la Asociación Cultural
Los Sitios (personajes históricos de la época), la Hermandad de San Juan de la Peña,
la Cofradía del Santo Sepulcro, la Hermandad del santo Refugio, la Real Ilustre
Congregación de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Madrid y la Real Maestranza de
Caballería.
La parte musical durante el desfile correrá a cargo de la Banda de Guerra de la
Brigada de Caballería Castillejos II, de la Banda Música de la Academia General
Militar y la Ronda de jotas de la Asociación Cultural el Rabal. Durante el desfile y
con el fin de que los peaneros lleven el ritmo adecuado, les acompaña un piquete de
diez instrumentos, cuyos miembros son de la cofradía de la Institución de la Sagrada
Eucaristía, que lo harán sin los distintivos propios de la Cofradía.
Cabe destacar el estreno de una marcha procesional en las calles de Zaragoza. La
primera y ultima pieza que interprete la Banda de Música será la Marcha al Cristo de
la Cama, cuyo autor es don Abel Moreno y que fue donada a la Hermandad por la
Asociación para el Estudio de la Semana Santa.
Ernesto Millán Lázaro
Hermano Mayor
Hermandad Sangre de Cristo
Joel Parkinson Leads ASP Top Stars in Assault on Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Round 1
BELLS BEACH, Victoria/Australia (Wednesday, April 20, 2011) – Today marks the commencement of the 50th Anniversary of competition surfing at Bells Beach as Round 1 of the 2011 Rip Curl Pro Bells presented by Ford Ranger got underway in clean four-to-six foot (1.5 - 2 metre) surf.
The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, the second stop on the 2011 ASP World Title season, enjoyed consistent surf throughout the day as the world’s best surfers unleashed a barrage of high-performance ripping on the classic canvas of Bells Beach.
Joel Parkinson (AUS), 30, 2009 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Champion put in a sensational performance this afternoon, electing to sit up at Rincon to secure the day’s highest scores.. Parkinson locked in the highest wave score and the highest heat score of the opening day of competition scoring 17.74 (out of a possible 20.00) to advance directly through to Round 3 of competition.
"I fell off twice on the bowl," Parkinson said. "It was really hard to ride. Then CJ (Hobgood) went across to Rincon and got a score, so we followed him over and it worked out for me. It's great to get that opening heat win, especially at Bells. You never know what conditions you're going to get in a heat, so to be able to skip round two and maybe get a day off is a huge advantage."
Kelly Slater (USA), 39, reigning 10-time ASP World Champion and defending event winner, was clinical in his attack in his Round 1 heat. Slater had his fellow competitors Adam Robertson (AUS), 28, and Kai Otton (AUS), 31, on the ropes only minutes into the heat, scoring an impressive 16.00 (out of a possible 20.00) on his opening two rides.
"I don't free surf out at Bells a whole lot," Slater said. "When the waves are good the comp is on and outside of that it's pretty crowded. So I'm still learning with each heat out there still, surfing against a guy like Robbo (Adam Robertson) you've got to watch where he's sitting, how far our and how deep."
Mick Fanning (AUS), 29, currently equal 13th in the hunt for the 2011 ASP World Title, went into today’s competition with renewed vigor after a shock early exit at the last event on the Gold Coast. The past two-time ASP World Champion came out and dominated his Round 1 battle over Tiago Pires (PRT), 31, and Gabriel Medina (BRA), 17.
"I'm stoked to get a good start," Fanning said. "It's been 10 years since I won here as I wildcard, I got close last year but Kelly Slater got me in the final. You want to win every event, but being the 50th Anniversary and so much history at this event, it's like the Wimbeldon of surfing, it's a hard one to win but it's the one everyone wants."
Alejo Muniz (BRA), 21, led today’s rookie charge, continuing his sensational run after the and equal 5th on the Gold Coast, and dispatching of fellow Brazilian Ranoi Monterio (BRA), 28, and Australian Adrian Buchan (AUS), 28 in this morning’s opening round heat.
"It's so good out there!" Muniz said. "This is my first time surfing at Bells and it's the most amazing place. It's got perfect rights, and it's the kind of wave that I love to surf. It's the best place ever, best waves, best weather and I love surfing in wetsuits."
Jeremy Flores (FRA), 22, bounced back after missing the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast with a knee injury, to score a comprehensive win over Taylor Knox (USA), 39, and Cory Lopez (USA), 34.
"I wasn't very confident before the heat," Flores said. "But I got that first wave and did a big turn at the end and got a good score. I think that's what you need to do these days, finish the wave strong. My knee still isn't 100%, but I went for it and it's good to win. Big thanks to everyone at the Gold Coast Suns Football Club for helping with my knee, it's feeling much better now."
Stu Kennedy (AUS), 21, scored a last minute wildcard into the event and caused the upset of the day, eliminating 2010 ASP World Title runner-up Jordy Smith (ZAF), 23, and Dusty Payne (HAW), 22.
"I've been coming here for years," Kennedy said. "I won a Pro Junior here in 2008 and I know where to sit. I don't think Dusty and Jordy know the break as well as I do so that helps. I've been up since 3am because I'm jet-lagged from coming home from Scotland. I woke up with a bunch of energy it's my shaper's birthday so I woke him up at 5am to go surfing. I had to win my heat for him for his birthday."
When men’s competition resumes, up first will be 2010 ASP World Runner-Up Jordy Smith (ZAF), 23, up against Trials Winner Adam Robertson (AUS), 28, in the opening heat of Round 2.
Following the completion of the men’s Round 1 today, the ASP Top 17 hit the water for Round 1 of the Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach presented by Ford Fiesta.
Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 23, reigning four-time ASP Women’s World Champion and defending three-time Rip Curl Women’s Bells Beach winner, returned to her winning ways today, after bowing out early at the last event, the Roxy Pro Gold Coast.
"My first two years on tour I didn't have great results on the Gold Coast," Gilmore said. "I always bounced back at this event and then finished the year well, so hopefully I'll do that again this year. The Gold Coast was a fine showing of what women's surfing is up to now and everyone has to try and keep up. It really pushes me and I think anyone who wins an event from now on will be a very deserving winner because of that fact."
Pauline Ado (FRA), 19, the French rookie caused the upset of the women's event, defeating current ASP World Title front runner Carissa Moore (HAW), 18, in a nail biter of a heat.
"I'm really happy, I had a lot of fun out there," Ado said "I got one of my good waves in the first few seconds so after that I felt confident and knew I could be more selective and wait for the right wave. A heat against Carissa is always a tough one, so I'm really stoked to win."
When women’s competition resumes, up first will be Paige Hareb (NZL) and Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) in the opening heat of Round 2.
Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 7am to assess conditions for a possible 7:30am start.
Highlights from the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by FORD will be webcast available via www.live.ripcurl.com and broadcast live on Fuel TV in Australia and ESPN in Brazil.
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com
RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 13.23, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 11.26, Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 7.37
Heat 2: Adam Melling (AUS) 14.50, Josh Kerr (AUS) 12.30, Taj Burrow (AUS) 11.00
Heat 3: Heitor Alves (BRA) 14.36, Bobby Martinez (USA) 14.14, Owen Wright (AUS) 10.60
Heat 4: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.60, Tiago Pires (PRT) 11.07, Gabriel Medina (BRA) 9.27
Heat 5: Stu Kennedy (AUS) 11.70, Dusty Payne (HAW) 10.50, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 9.00
Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA) 16.00, Kai Otton (AUS) 10.13, Adam Robertson (AUS) 8.53
Heat 7: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.17, Cory Lopez (USA) 5.83, Taylor Knox (USA) 4.67
Heat 8: Michel Bourez (PYF) 12.60, Kieren Perrow (AUS) 10.20, Gabe Kling (USA) 3.50
Heat 9: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 14.60, Damien Hobgood (USA) 11.23, Daniel Ross (AUS) 11.07
Heat 10: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 17.74, C.J. Hobgood (USA) 11.44, Bede Durbidge (AUS) 8.17
Heat 11: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.60, Chris Davidson (AUS) 10.83, Julian Wilson (AUS) 9.83
Heat 12: Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 13.40, Jadson Andre (BRA) 9.43, Brett Simpson (USA) 8.93
RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Adam Robertson (AUS)
Heat 2: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. Gabriel Medina (BRA)
Heat 3: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Bobby Martinez (USA)
Heat 4: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Josh Kerr (AUS)
Heat 5: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
Heat 6: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Cory Lopez (USA)
Heat 7: Brett Simpson (USA) vs. Gabe Kling (USA)
Heat 8: Jadson Andre (BRA) vs. Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 9: Chris Davidson (AUS) vs. Julian Wilson (AUS)
Heat 10: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 11: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 12: Taylor Knox (USA) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)
RIP CURL WOMEN’S PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 12.93, Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 8.70, Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 8.66
Heat 2: Silvana Lima (BRA) 14.94, Laura Enever (AUS) 8.84, Melanie Bartels (HAW) 7.54
Heat 3: Pauline Ado (HAW) 14.60, Carissa Moore (HAW) 14.44, Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 10.63
Heat 4: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 16.30, Courtney Conlogue (USA) 9.00, Bethany Hamilton (HAW) 6.50
Heat 5: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 16.10, Alana Blanchard (HAW) 12.83 Paige Hareb (NZL) 7.47
Heat 6: Coco Ho (HAW) 12.90, Tyler Wright (AUS) 12.00, Pauline Ado (FRA) 6.37
RIP CURL WOMEN’S PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Paige Hareb (NZL) vs. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)
Heat 2: Laura Enever (AUS) vs. Melanie Bartels (HAW)
Heat 3: Carissa Moore (HAW) vs. Nikki Van Dijk (AUS)
Heat 4: Chelsea Hedges (AUS) vs. Bethany Hamilton (HAW)
Heat 5: Tyler Wright (AUS) vs. Alana Blanchard (HAW)
Heat 6: Courtney Conlogue (USA) vs. Rebecca Woods (AUS)
Photo ASP/Scholtz
A team of health physicists (and one apprentice) from our Region I office are #OntheJob in Maryland at the National Institutes of Health briefing NIH staffers on an inspection to determine whether they are being conducted consistent with our regulations and in a manner protective of patients, employees and the public.
Visit the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's website at www.nrc.gov/.
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For additional information, or to comment on this photo contact: OPA Resource.
Pena Excels in Return To Lake County
June 8, 2008 · By Tony Lastoria
With nine games to play in the first half of the season, Indians low Single-A affiliate Lake County holds a tenuous one game lead in the Northern Division of the South Atlantic League (SAL). While the starting pitching at Lake County has been the backbone of the team, the offense has been paced by the consistent performance all year of outfielder Roman Pena.
Pena is in his second stint at Lake County, as he played there last year hitting .240 with 7 HR, 70 RBI and a .698 OPS in 123 games. This year, he was in line for a promotion to advanced Single-A Kinston, but because of a backup in the system in the outfield and also still needing to work on some things at the low-A level, the Indians sent him back to Lake County. By staying at Lake County he can play everyday and gain confidence, which is something that has shown itself the first half of the season.
"Yeah, I like it out here," said Pena in an interview recently at Classic Park. "I like this team, stadium, the manager and the staff and all that. I know I can be on another team, but that is fine. As far as numbers go, I am just going out there playing the game. At least I get to keep playing."
There is no doubt Pena could be in Kinston right now, but had he made the roster there out of spring training he would have been the fourth outfielder on a team that already had highly regarded prospects Nick Weglarz, John Drennen, and Cirilo Cumberbatch in the starting outfield. Instead of making the roster there as a fourth outfielder and playing sparingly, as Jason Denham has in that role there, Pena came back to Lake County to hone his craft and play full time. With the numbers he has put up in the first half at Lake County, he surely will be on the move soon to Kinston, especially since someone like Drennen could be on the move to Double-A Akron by the end of the month. Possibly after the All-Star break which is just over a week away.
So far, the return to Lake County has paid off for Pena as he is having a monster year for the Captains. In 57 games, Pena is hitting .321 with 4 HR, 41 RBI and an .841 OPS. He leads the team in hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, and total bases, and he is 5th in the league in hitting and 8th in RBI. He was also one of six Lake County players named to the SAL All-Star game, which will be played on June 17th in Greensboro, NC.
"He is definitely more confident this year," said Jim Rickon, who is the hitting coach at Lake County. "He is a little bit smarter, which obviously comes with another year in the game and having a little more experience under his belt. I think this year he is a little more balanced and staying on the ball a little bit longer. He is not trying to pull off the ball as much, and that has helped along with the little bit of experience he has gained."
Pena is an exciting left-handed hitter who has line drive power to all fields. He also showcases a very strong arm in the outfield due to his experience as a pitcher in high school where his fastball clocked in as high as 88 MPH. With his power arm and electric bat, he has a lot of potential to be a good right fielder.
Pena was drafted out of Montgomery High School (CA) in the 9th round of the 2005 Draft. Originally from Mexico, Pena attended school in San Diego, CA since 7th grade. As a young kid drafted out of high school, it was a dream come true for Pena.
"It was one of my dreams, because I want to play in the big leagues," said Pena. "When I got drafted I said this is where it all starts and here we go."
Every draftee experiences that rush on draft day, the feeling that "they made it". But, that feeling gets a quick dose of reality once they sign and start playing baseball in the low minors. For many, it is an eye-opener when they get to the minors because of how far away that dream really still is even though they are now a professional baseball player. When you start off in the rookie levels, the major leagues are but a star way off in the distance.
"I didn't think it was going to be this hard," said Pena. "Sometimes it is hard to play this game, but you gotta do your best to make it easy on yourself and have fun."
One of the early issues Pena encountered in his first two seasons in the minors in 2006 and 2007 was developing a good plan at the plate and becoming a more disciplined hitter. In 660 career at bats coming into this season Pena struck out 205 times, which is about once every three at bats. Included in that total is a whopping 138 strikeouts in 455 at bats he had last year at Lake County. So, when it came time to set some goals for this season, Pena put most of his focus on his approach at the plate.
"I want to improve my at bats and two strike approach," said Pena. "Last year I had 138 strikeouts, so I am just trying to improve it this year. I have improved a little bit, and I still get strikeouts because it is just part of the game. I mostly work on it during batting practice, and then in games just go out there and play everyday and have fun."
Pena has an advantage over most of the players on his team, and in the league for that matter, in that this is his second year playing a full season. For many players, learning to adapt from playing 50-60 games a year to 140 games a year is hard to do, and even Pena struggled with it last year when he was exposed to it for the first time. A lot of players have a hard time learning to deal with the ups and downs that a 140-game, five month season brings. It is a grind, and a real test how mentally touch a player may be.
"In your first year you can get frustrated when you are not hitting," said Pena. "Watching the guys this year, they focus so much on the numbers. Sometimes I will tell them not to go into the cage and go crazy because you are going to get a lot of at bats. Last year I had 455 at bats, and I was in the cage all day everyday. Your body gets tired in the second half of the season and you need to learn how to handle that. If you go 0-for-4, there is nothing wrong with your swing and just stay with what you are doing."
This past offseason, Pena played winter ball in Mexico for the second straight offseason. Winter ball can be beneficial to players who are looking to get some at bats or pitch some innings because of missed time during the season because of an injury. But, winter ball can also give a player an edge by allowing them to work on one area of their game and get valuable insight from more experienced teammates on the roster. Last year in Mexico, Pena played about 44 games which was a big increase in playing time over the two full games and about 19 at bats he had the previous year there.
"Yeah, it helps a lot playing winter ball," said Pena. "You get a lot of experience over there as you see a lot of off-speed pitches. The pitchers really work the counts. It is a different world from here. I always hang out with the players who have played there longer and they teach me things like how to watch the pitchers or hitters. I definitely learned a lot down there."
Pena wears a gold necklace that has a pendent in the shape of the number nine hanging from it. The necklace carries special significance to Pena, as the number nine was worn by his grandmother Olypia Zonta when she played softball.
"Yeah, my grandma taught me how to play baseball," said Pena. "She used to wear #9, and I have been wearing #9 since I was like four years old. When I was in the GCL in 2006, I picked the number and I have been getting this number since then. Some of the guys here like #9 too, but when you play one year in one league you get to choose your number first."
Pena will be on the move soon, and since no one currently wears that number up in Kinston he should have no problem retaining it.
Photo courtesy of Carl Kline
January Jones ,
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Return to Forever is a jazz fusion group founded and led by keyboardist Chick Corea. Through its existence, the band has cycled through a number of different members, with the only consistent band mate of Corea's being bassist Stanley Clarke. However in 1972, after having become a disciple of Scientology, Corea decided that he wanted to better ;communicate; with the audience. This essentially translated into his performing a more popularly accessible style of music, since avant-garde jazz enjoyed a relatively small audience.
First group (1972-1973) The first edition of Return to Forever performed primarily Latin-oriented music. Clarke himself became involved in Scientology through Corea, but eventually left the sect in the early 1980s.
Their first album, titled simply Return to Forever, was recorded for ECM Records in 1972 and was initially released only in Europe. Their second album, Light as a Feather (1973), was released by Polydor and included the song, Spain, which also became quite well-known.
Jazz rock era (1973-1976) guitarist Bill Connors, drummer Steve Gadd and percussionist Mingo Lewis were added.. Lenny White (who had played with Corea in Miles Davis's band) then replaced Gadd and Lewis on drums and percussion, and the group's third album, Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy (1973), was then rerecorded.
The nature of the group's music had by now completely changed into jazz-rock, Their music was still relatively melodic, relying on strong themes, but the traditional jazz element was by this time almost entirely absent- replaced by a more direct, rock oriented approach. Over-driven, distorted guitar had also become prominent in the band's new sound, and Clarke had by then switched almost completely to electric bass guitar. A replacement on vocals was not hired, and all the songs were now instrumentals. This change did not lead to a decrease in the band's commercial fortunes however, Return to Forever's jazz rock albums instead found their way onto US pop album charts.
While their second jazz rock album, Where Have I Known You Before, (1974) was similar in style to its immediate predecessor, Corea now played synthesizers in addition to electric keyboards (including piano), and Clarke's playing had evolved considerably- now using flange and fuzz-tone effects, and with his now signature style beginning to emerge. the then 19-year-old guitar prodigy Al Di Meola, who had also played on the album recording sessions joined.
Their following album, No Mystery (1975), was recorded with the same line-up as "Where Have I Known You Before", but the style of music had become more varied. The first side of the record consisted primarily of jazz-funk, while the second side featured Corea's acoustic title track and a long composition with a strong Spanish influence. On this and the following album, each member of the group composed at least one of the tracks. No Mystery went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Group.
The final album by this longest-lasting lineup of the group was Romantic Warrior (1976), which had by this time left Polydor for Columbia Records. This album would go on to become the best selling of all Return to Forever's efforts, eventually reaching gold disc status. Romantic Warrior continued their experiments in the realms of jazz-rock and related musical genres, and was lauded by critics for both the technically demanding style of its compositions as well as for its accomplished musicianship.
After the release of Romantic Warrior and Return To Forever's subsequent tour in support (as well as having in addition signed a multi-million dollar contract with CBS), Corea shocked Clarke by deciding to change the lineup of the group and to not include either White or Di Meola
Final album (1977)
The final incarnation of Return to Forever featured a four piece horn section and Corea's wife Gayle singing vocals, but recorded only one studio album, Musicmagic (1977).After Musicmagic, Chick Corea officially disbanded the group.
Reunion (2008) The classic Return to Forever line-up of Corea, Clarke, White, and Di Meola reunited for a tour of the United States that began in the summer of 2008. 2011 tour From February 2011, the group commences a world tour in Australia. The line-up, billed as Return to Forever IV, is Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, Frank Gambale and Jean-Luc Ponty.
First group (1972-1973) The first edition of Return to Forever performed primarily Latin-oriented music. This initial band consisted of singer (and occasional percussionist) Flora Purim, her husband Airto Moreira on drums and percussion, Corea's longtime musical co-worker Joe Farrell on saxophone and flute, and the young Stanley Clarke on bass. Within this first line-up in particular, Clarke played acoustic double bass in addition to electric bass. Corea's electric piano formed the basis of this group's sound, but Clarke and Farrell were given ample solo space themselves. While Purim's vocals lent some commercial appeal to the music, many of their compositions were also instrumental and somewhat experimental in nature. The music was composed by Corea with the exception of the title track of the second album which was written by Stanley Clarke. Lyrics were often written by Corea's friend Neville Potter, and were quite often scientology themed- though this is not readily apparent to those not involved in Scientology itself. Clarke himself became involved in Scientology through Corea, but eventually left the sect in the early 1980s.
Their first album, titled simply Return to Forever, was recorded for ECM Records in 1972 and was initially released only in Europe. Their second album, Light as a Feather (1973), was released by Polydor and included the song, Spain, which also became quite well-known.
Jazz rock era (1973-1976) guitarist Bill Connors, drummer Steve Gadd and percussionist Mingo Lewis were added. However, Gadd was unwilling to tour with the band and risk his job as an in-demand session drummer. Lenny White (who had played with Corea in Miles Davis's band) replaced Gadd and Lewis on drums and percussion, and the group's third album, Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy (1973), was then rerecorded (the first recording, featuring Gadd on drums, was never released and has since disappeared).
The nature of the group's music had by now completely changed into jazz-rock, Their music was still relatively melodic, relying on strong themes, but the traditional jazz element was by this time almost entirely absent- replaced by a more direct, rock oriented approach. Over-driven, distorted guitar had also become prominent in the band's new sound, and Clarke had by then switched almost completely to electric bass guitar. A replacement on vocals was not hired, and all the songs were now instrumentals. This change did not lead to a decrease in the band's commercial fortunes however, Return to Forever's jazz rock albums instead found their way onto US pop album charts.
While their second jazz rock album, Where Have I Known You Before, (1974) was similar in style to its immediate predecessor, Corea now played synthesizers in addition to electric keyboards (including piano), and Clarke's playing had evolved considerably- now using flange and fuzz-tone effects, and with his now signature style beginning to emerge. After Bill Connors left the band to concentrate on his solo career, the group also hired new guitarists. Although Earl Klugh played guitar for some of the group's live performances, he was soon replaced by the then 19-year-old guitar prodigy Al Di Meola, who had also played on the album recording sessions.
Their following album, No Mystery (1975), was recorded with the same line-up as "Where Have I Known You Before", but the style of music had become more varied. The first side of the record consisted primarily of jazz-funk, while the second side featured Corea's acoustic title track and a long composition with a strong Spanish influence. On this and the following album, each member of the group composed at least one of the tracks. No Mystery went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Group.
The final album by this longest-lasting "classic" lineup of the group was Romantic Warrior (1976), which had by this time left Polydor for Columbia Records. This album would go on to become the best selling of all Return to Forever's efforts, eventually reaching gold disc status. "Romantic Warrior" continued their experiments in the realms of jazz-rock and related musical genres, and was lauded by critics for both the technically demanding style of its compositions as well as for its accomplished musicianship.
After the release of Romantic Warrior and Return To Forever's subsequent tour in support (as well as having in addition signed a multi-million dollar contract with CBS), Corea shocked Clarke by deciding to change the lineup of the group and to not include either White or Di Meola
Final album (1977)
The final incarnation of Return to Forever featured a four piece horn section and Corea's wife Gayle singing vocals, but recorded only one studio album, Musicmagic (1977).After Musicmagic, Chick Corea officially disbanded the group.
Reunion (2008)
The classic Return to Forever line-up of Corea, Clarke, White, and Di Meola reunited for a tour of the United States that began in the summer of 2008. 2011 tour
From February 2011, the group commences a world tour in Australia. The line-up, billed as Return to Forever IV, is Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, Frank Gambale and Jean-Luc Ponty
Cathédrale romane ; commune de Modena, province de Modène, région d'Emilie-Romagne, Italie
Edifice en travaux en juillet 2012.
... La façade présente une silhouette à rampants interrompus, divisée par deux robustes contreforts de section carrée qui à mi-hauteur présentent une section plus petite (pl. 100). Derrière le sommet des contreforts pointent deux élégantes tourelles octogonales percées de galeries à jour sur colonnettes et couronnées de flèches pyramidales. Ces pinacles qui, pour l'œil, prennent la suite des contreforts et impriment un grand élan vertical à la façade, furent renversés par le tremblement de terre de 1501 et après diverses aventures rétablis en 1936. Au sommet de la façade se trouve la statue de marbre d'un archange ailé. A mi-hauteur la façade est traversée par une galerie faite d'arcs et de colonnettes qui introduit un motif de scansion faisant jouer l'ombre et la lumière, typique du roman de la vallée du Pô; mais à la différence de Parme ou de Piacenza, elle se trouve ici surmontée d'un autre motif au rythme plus ample : les arcs sont en effet regroupés trois par trois sous des arcs aveugles de diamètre triple, retombant sur de hautes et fines colonnes qui descendent jusqu'au sol. ... La régularité du rythme se plie sur la façade à un certain compromis. De part et d'autre du panneau médian, les demi-colonnes font place aux contreforts, et entre les deux les arcs aveugles diminuent de largeur par rapport à ceux de l'extérieur pour laisser plus d'espace au baldaquin ou étage supérieur du porche. Cependant lorsqu'on embrasse la façade dans son ensemble, l'œil perçoit un rythme constant qu'il voit ensuite se continuer sur les flancs. La façade laisse entrer la lumière par une grande rose, œuvre des Campione, avec vingt-quatre colonnes radiales et une riche bordure à voussures multiples. ... Trois portails s'ouvrent au bas de la façade. Les deux portails latéraux sont modestes mais élégants ; œuvre des Campione, ils sont encadrés de colonnettes torsadées et d'une voussure au même motif. Le portail médian, datant de Lanfranc, est appelé portail papal et s'ouvre sous un porche à deux étages pourvus de colonnes; les deux de l'étage inférieur sont posées sur de majestueux lions stylophores. Ces lions apparaissent tout d'abord bien différents de ceux qui sont typiques du roman de la vallée du Pô. On pourrait même les prendre pour des œuvres de la Renaissance; en réalité, il s'agit d'œuvres romaines reconnues de façon indubitable par les archéologues. Jadis elles furent enlevées et placées dans un musée, et c'est seulement au siècle où nous sommes [1900] qu'elles ont été remises à leur place. ... Venons-en pour finir aux quatre plaques de Wiligelmo illustrant la Genèse. Leur emplacement actuel est évidemment le résultat d'une intervention postérieure, c'est-à-dire de l'ouverture des portails latéraux, qui a obligé à placer plus haut les deux plaques externes, dans la position de dessus de porte. Leur position originelle a dû être pour toutes les quatre à hauteur d'homme, comme celles du milieu. ... Il s'agit d'une œuvre conçue comme une unité, une seule longue bande de douze épisodes rapprochés sans solution de continuité. La subdivision en quatre plaques de trois épisodes chacune peut être - du point de vue artistique -purement fortuite. L'auteur révèle une irrésistible veine narrative qui ne se préoccupe pas de l'élégance formelle. Les personnages se détachent nettement sur un fond lisse. L'unique concession est représentée par l'arcature qui court sur le bord supérieur et sur la moulure adjacente gravée de feuillage, motif évidemment repris des sarcophages romains. Cependant Wiligelmo ne s'en est pas servi pour harmoniser la composition de ses scènes mais pour en rythmer le déroulement; les arceaux ressemblent aux perforations d'entraînement d'une pellicule photographique. La première des douze scènes est la création d'Adam. A gauche se tient le Père Éternel dans une mandorle avec un livre ouvert; à droite Dieu infuse la vie au corps d'Adam, en lui posant une main sur la tête. Les yeux d'Adam sont encore fermés, son corps est maladroitement dressé sur des genoux vacillants. C'est ensuite la création d'Eve, qui sort du côté d'Adam endormi, allongé en diagonale, tandis que le Seigneur lui tend la main pour l'aider. Dans la troisième scène est représentée la tentation par le serpent, dans la quatrième les reproches du Père Eternel aux deux pécheurs, dans la cinquième leur exclusion du paradis terrestre. La sixième scène, concluant la série, montre Adam et Eve - qui pour la première fois sont entièrement vêtus - penchés pour travailler la terre avec une bêche au pied d'un arbuste. Ici les retombées des arceaux semblent planer de façon menaçante sur les têtes de nos premiers parents, pour souligner la dure contrainte qu'ils subissent. Avec la troisième plaque commence l'histoire de Caïn et d'Abel. Dans la première scène nous voyons les deux frères qui présentent leur offrande au Seigneur, figuré à nouveau dans la mandorle symbolique. Celle-ci surmonte l'autel des sacrifices, porté par un atlante agenouillé. A gauche Abel (qui avait choisi, nous le savons par la Bible, la vie de pasteur) offre au Seigneur un agneau, le premier-né de son troupeau. A droite Caïn, qui avait choisi le travail des champs, présente une gerbe de grain mûr. Nous savons que le Seigneur agréa le premier don, offert avec un cœur pur, mais refusa le second parce que moins sincère. D'où la rancune de Caïn, qui le conduisit au crime de fratricide, comme l'illustre la seconde scène : Caïn avec un bâton frappe Abel sur la tête et celui-ci s'écroule. Dans la troisième scène Caïn se tient devant le Seigneur qui l'interroge sur le sort de son frère. Dans la quatrième est représentée la mort de Caïn. L'épisode ne paraît pas dans la Bible mais dans une légende apocryphe, représentée également sur une mosaïque dans la cathédrale de Monreale : l'aveugle Lamech tire une flèche sans savoir où elle ira frapper, mais le trait guidé par Dieu atteint Caïn en pleine poitrine et le tue. C'est l'une des scènes les plus animées du cycle. Sont rendus avec réalisme l'arc, la corde vibrante, les doigts de Lamech qui viennent tout juste de lâcher la corde et la flèche qui file droit à travers la scène, dont elle constitue le centre d'émotion. Caïn tombe sur les genoux, la tête renversée en arrière, s'agrippant de la main à la branche d'un arbre; Lamech regarde dans le vide, les yeux éteints et le visage impassible. Les deux dernières scènes sont consacrées à l'histoire de Noé. Sur l'une nous voyons l'arche, semblable à une cathédrale - avec deux rangées superposées d'arcades à colonnes -, naviguant sur une étendue d'eau naïvement stylisée. D'une baie sort la tête barbue de Noé, d'une autre sa femme, la tête voilée. Sur l'autre scène Noé descend à terre après le déluge, accompagné de ses fils Cam, Sem et Japhet. Les corps ont une attitude pleine de vie et de mouvement; les visages sont intensément expressifs. La « bande dessinée » tout entière est accompagnée de légendes destinées à aider l'interprétation, mais l'écriture en lettres romaines majuscules est souvent mutilée, difficile à déchiffrer. Certaines se lisent assez bien : dum deambularet dominus in paradisum dans la
quatrième scène, ou ubi est abel frater tuus ? dans la neuvième scène. Les siècles ont gravement endommagé ces bas-reliefs, spécialement dans les deux plaques centrales. ... Sous le faîte de la façade - surmontée comme on l'a vu d'un archange ailé en ronde-bosse, probablement saint Michel, œuvre des Campione - sont encastrées six autres sculptures au-dessus de la rose : au centre, une niche surmontée d'un baldaquin avec le Père Éternel en majesté, autre œuvre des Campione; sur les côtés, quatre hauts-reliefs avec les symboles des évangélistes. Enfin, du côté droit, placé au hasard, un relief figurant la lutte de Samson avec le lion. Les chapiteaux constituent eux aussi un patrimoine sculptural très riche. Les plus dignes de remarque sont les quatre chapiteaux figuratifs des colonnes d'angle aux arêtes de la façade et des deux demi-colonnes intermédiaires; les colonnettes des galeries ont des chapiteaux à feuillage. Les quatre colonnes du porche ont également des chapiteaux à feuillage, d'une composition exubérante. ... Le flanc méridional de la cathédrale borde [la Grande Place] avec toute la dignité d'une véritable façade; c'est le côté par lequel on entre le plus facilement dans la cathédrale pour la messe dominicale, et la porte royale avec son majestueux porche dû aux Campione rivalise de grandeur avec la porte papale. De la place on embrasse d'un seul coup d'œil le flanc, les absides et la tour de la Ghirlandina. L'élévation du flanc, c'est-à-dire de la paroi externe de la nef latérale, est scandée du même motif architectural que la façade : un déploiement d'arcs aveugles (quinze) sur de hautes colonnes, à l'intérieur desquels se déroule une galerie d'arcs groupés par trois. Dans la cinquième arcade s'ouvre la porte des Princes, dans la dixième la porte royale, qui s'élargit au point d'occuper une partie des deux arcades adjacentes. ...
A l'intérieur, la cathédrale de Modène présente une sobre maçonnerie en brique, dépourvue d'ornements; de l'enduit et des anciennes fresques qui la recouvraient il ne reste pas trace. L'emploi alternatif de deux matériaux - pierre ou brique - est rigoureusement respecté. En effet le parement de pierre provenant dans une large mesure du remploi de ruines romaines, revêt intégralement l'extérieur, cas assez rare dans la région du Pô, tandis que l'intérieur est entièrement en brique sauf les colonnes. L'espace est réparti en trois nefs absidées, sans transept apparent. La nef centrale a quatre travées (sans compter le sanctuaire), d'une ampleur double de celle des nefs latérales qui sont donc divisées en huit travées. Les supports sont nettement différenciés : les supports principaux qui reçoivent les arcs-doubleaux et délimitent les travées de la nef centrale; et les supports intermédiaires qui concourent à soutenir les arcs longitudinaux et subdivisent l'espace des nefs latérales. Les supports principaux consistent en quatre paires de piliers composés qui se dressent vigoureux sur toute la hauteur du mur, non interrompus par des chapiteaux intermédiaires et terminés au point de départ de l'arc par de simples chapiteaux cubiques et un tailloir en pierre. Les demi-colonnes internes sont dépourvues de chapiteaux et se raccordent aux arcs longitudinaux par un simple chanfrein. Les supports intermédiaires se composent de quatre paires de colonnes en marbre au fût lisse, avec de beaux chapiteaux à feuillage de type corinthien et un large tailloir très débordant. Ces chapiteaux ont été longtemps considérés comme des œuvres romaines remployées telles quelles, mais les études les plus récentes les estiment resculptées par l'atelier de Wiligelmo. La couverture de la nef, originellement à charpente apparente, mais transformée par les Campione, est constituée de voûtes d'arêtes à nervures de profil semi-circulaire, comprises entre deux arcs brisés faisant fonction d'arcs diaphragmes transversaux. Ces arcs diaphragmes, en robuste maçonnerie, sont ceux qui se manifestent aussi à l'extérieur - on l'a vu - par les crêtes s'élevant au-dessus des versants du toit et improprement appelés contreforts. A l'intérieur, nous les voyons traverser les nefs latérales, tandis qu'au sommet de la nef nous les repérons grâce au net écart entre le profil brisé des arcs et celui en plein cintre des voûtes. En élévation, la nef présente trois étages : l'étage inférieur, scandé par les supports et les huit grandes arcades en retrait par rapport à la surface du mur; l'étage intermédiaire des tribunes, allégé par huit fenêtres triples à l'intérieur d'arcs aveugles en retrait par rapport à la surface du mur et reprenant le rythme des grandes arcades; et au-dessus des fenêtres triples, la partie haute du mur (celle qu'en anglais on désigne par un seul mot précis : « clearstory »), sur laquelle les voûtes découpent des arcs d'un diamètre double de ceux d'en dessous et où s'ouvrent les fenêtres simples, huit de chaque côté. Dans les nefs latérales, les huit travées, à peu près carrées, sont couvertes chacune d'une voûte dont le départ se situe à la hauteur du bas des fenêtres triples, et sont séparées de deux en deux par des arcs diaphragmes transversaux. A l'endroit des supports principaux nous trouvons donc dans les nefs latérales un nombre égal d'arcs transversaux (de même forme et à peu près de même diamètre que les arcs longitudinaux) au-dessus desquels la maçonnerie continue - allégée par une fenêtre double - jusqu'à la voûte. Le point de départ de ces fenêtres doubles coïncide avec celui des fenêtres triples, mais c'est un niveau purement géométrique auquel ne correspond aucun sol. Nous avons ainsi une tribune « à l'air libre », un espace autonome en forme de galerie auquel, à part le pavement, il ne manque rien : on y trouve les communications continues sur toute la longueur (les fenêtres doubles) et les ouvertures donnant sur la nef (les fenêtres triples). Un simple plancher compléterait cet espace en faisant de lui une véritable tribune, et l'on est tenté de supposer qu'un tel plancher a existé dans le passé. Mais l'hypothèse n'est appuyée d'aucun document. On sait que des planches étaient disposées sur le pavement en hiver pour l'isoler thermique-
ment, et qu'on les enlevait en été; et l'on nous révèle que les femmes se trouvaient dans les nefs latérales, séparées des hommes; mais d'un plancher à l'étage supérieur, on ne nous dit rien. La cinquième travée, au-delà des quatre déjà vues, est occupée par le sanctuaire et par la crypte. Étant donné la faible dénivellation entre le sol de la crypte et celui de la nef, le sanctuaire se trouve notablement surélevé. Même les voûtes qui couvrent le sanctuaire sont plus hautes que celles des nefs; les deux voûtes latérales sont deux fois plus longues que celles des nefs secondaires. Nous avons donc au sanctuaire un espace organisé différemment, autonome par rapport aux nefs, et cet espace se trouve constituer un transept, quoique atypique ou « non apparent ». Cette disposition, on l'a déjà vu, est plus sensible de l'extérieur, où l'on observe que les versants du toit du transept sont placés transversalement par rapport à ceux des nefs. L'accès au sanctuaire se fait par des escaliers latéraux communiquant avec les bas-côtés, tandis que de la nef on accède à l'escalier de la crypte. En haut des marches se dresse - soutenu par six colonnes sur des lions stylophores - le grandiose avant-corps du sanctuaire dû aux Campione qui, avec l'ambon, occupe toute la largeur de la nef et en constitue le décor. Cet avant-corps est un long balcon aux panneaux sculptés qui du côté gauche (du « côté de l'évangile ») s'infléchit en un demi-cercle constituant l'ambon. Sous ce balcon au bas de quelques marches s'ouvre l'entrée de la crypte : trois arcs sur des colonnes, fermés par une riche clôture en fer et en cuivre de 1678. Au niveau du sanctuaire, nous trouvons derrière le balcon un portique de marbre fait d'une double rangée de colonnettes jumelées surmontées d'architraves, avec de hauts candélabres posés sur ces dernières; le portique fait retour sur les deux côtés, délimitant ainsi une véritable « enceinte sacrée » autour de l'autel majeur. Celui-ci est une œuvre du XIIIe siècle due aux Campione, portée par des colonnes aux riches chapiteaux. La crypte a pour support une forêt de soixante colonnettes aux chapiteaux exécutés par l'atelier de Wiligelmo, dont un grand nombre sont fort intéressants. A la vue de la base de certaines colonnes on peut noter combien le niveau actuel de la crypte est plus haut qu'à l'origine; effectivement, on l'a relevé d'environ 40 cm au cours des réfections de 1591. ...
(extrait de : Emilie romane ; Sergio Stocchi, Ed. Zodiaque, Coll. La nuit des Temps, 1984, pp. 249-290)
Coordonnées GPS : N44.646162 ; E10.92573
ADO16 is the codename for the development of what became the Morris 1100, a small family car built by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and, later, British Leyland. Throughout the 1960s, the ADO16 was consistently the UK's best-selling car.
Although most of the cars were manufactured in England, the model was also built in Spain by Authi, in Italy by Innocenti and at the company's own plant in Belgium. It was the basis for locally adapted similar cars manufactured in Australia and South Africa.
The vehicle was launched as the Morris 1100 on August 15, 1962. The range was expanded to include several rebadged versions, including the twin-carburettor MG 1100, the Vanden Plas Princess (from October 1962), the Austin 1100 (August 1963), and finally the Wolseley 1100 (1965) and Riley Kestrel (1965). The Morris badged 1100/1300 gave up its showroom space to the Morris Marina in 1971, but Austin and Vanden Plas versions remained in production in the UK till June 1974.
The estate version followed in 1966, called Countryman in the Austin version and Traveller in the Morris one, continuing the established naming scheme.
In 1964 the 1100 was Wheels magazine's Car of the Year.
The original Mark I models were distinctive for their use of a Hydrolastic suspension. Marketing material highlighted the spacious cabin when compared to competitor models which in the UK by 1964 included the more conservatively configured Ford Anglia, Vauxhall Viva HA and BMC's own still popular Morris Minor.
At the end of May 1967, BMC announced the fitting of a larger 1275 cc engine to the MG, Riley Kestrel, Vanden Plas and Wolseley variants.[5] The new car combined the 1275 cc engine block already familiar to drivers of newer Mini Cooper and Austin-Healey Sprite models with the 1100 transmission, its gear ratios remaining unchanged for the larger engine, but the final-drive being significantly more highly geared.[5]
The Mark II versions of the Austin and Morris models were announced, with the larger engine making it into these two makes' UK market ranges in October 1967 (as the Austin 1300 and Morris 1100S and 100). An 1100 version of the Mark II continued alongside the larger engined models.
Unusually for cars at this end of the market, domestic market waiting lists of several months accumulated for the 1300 engined cars during the closing months of 1967 and well into 1968. The manufacturers explained that following the devaluation of the British Pound in the Fall / Autumn of 1967 they were working flat out to satisfy export market demand, but impatient British would-be customers could be reassured that export sales of the 1300s were "going very well". MG, Wolseley, Riley and Vanden Plas variants with the 1300 engines were already available on the home market in very limited quantities, and Austin and Morris versions would begin to be "available here in small quantities in March [1968].
On the outside, a slightly wider front grille, extending a little beneath the headlights, and with a fussier detailing, differentiated Austin / Morris Mark IIs from their Mark I predecessors, along with a slightly smoother tail light fitting which also found its way onto the FX4 London taxi of the time. Austin and Morris grilles were now identical. The 1100 had been introduced with synchromesh on the top three ratios: all synchromesh manual gearboxes were introduced with the 1275 cc models at the end of 1967 and found their way into 1098 cc cars a few months later.
At the London Motor Show in October 1969 the manufacturers introduced the Austin / Morris 1300 GT, featuring the same 1275 cc twin carburetter engine as that installed in the MG 1300, but with a black full width grill, a black vinyl roof and a thick black stripe down the side.[8] This was BMC's answer to the Ford Escort GT and its Vauxhall counterpart. Ride height on the Austin / Morris 1300 GT was fractionally lowered through the reduction of the Hydrolastic fluid pressure from 225 to 205 psi.
Visita nuestro Blog de Semana Santa en:
asociacionredobles.blogspot.com
Actos que se van a desarrollar durante la conmemoración del 200º aniversario del
rescate del Cristo de la Cama, consistente en el traslado de la Imagen desde la Iglesia
de Santa Isabel de Portugal (vulgo San Cayetano) a la Basílica del Pilar.
El rescate se produjo el 17 de febrero de 1809 del Convento de San Francisco, lo que
actualmente es la Diputación Provincial. El día 10 los franceses volaron el Convento,
que era defendido por unos cuantos aragoneses y por los voluntarios de Valencia. El
día 17, María Blánquez entro en el convento y vio que todos los pasos que
procesionan en Semana santa, quince en total, estaban destruidos, salvo el Santísimo
Cristo de la Cama, que estaba indemne en su Capilla de la Hermandad. Salió a la
calle, cogió a cuatro hombres, volvió a entrar al convento y todos ellos cogieron al
Cristo de la cama. Lo llevaron primero a la parroquia de la santa Cruz, después a la
de Santiago y finalmente al Palacio Arzobispal, lugar en donde vivía el general
Palafox, que enfermo lo venero y ordeno fuera llevado al interior de la Basílica del
Pilar, siendo colocado en el Altar de los convertido mirando a su Madre, la virgen del
Pilar.
Este hecho es el que conmemoramos.
A las 18´00 horas se oirá en la Ciudad de Zaragoza a los Artilleros de Aragón
anunciando el comienzo de la procesión cívico religiosa.
Con la salida desde San Cayetano de la Bandera de la Hermandad de la Sangre de
Cristo dará comienzo la procesión, encontrándose el resto de participantes ubicados
en la plaza. Seguidamente saldrá la peana, portada a varal, del Cristo de la Cama. Lo
hará con un toque preparado para la ocasión por la Sección de Tambores de la
Hermandad de San Joaquín y Virgen de los Dolores. Una vez que nuestro Cristo de la
Cama este en la plaza sonara el Himno Nacional interpretado al órgano por Ignacio
Navarro Gil.
Finalizado el himno, se descubrirá una placa en cerámica de Muel, promovida por la
Asociación Cultural Redobles. Dicha placa será descubierta por el Ilmo. Sr. D.
Francisco Javier Lambán Montañés, o persona en quien en delegue, acompañado por
el Hermano Mayor de la Hermandad de la Sangre de Cristo. A la vez que se descubre
la placa, don José Antonio Armillas, Comisario del Bicentenario glosara brevemente
la figura de María Blánquez y lo que ella significo.
Finalizado este acto, dará comienzo en sí el desfile.
Por la calle Manifestación, calle Alfonso y calle Coso, nos dirigiremos a la plaza de
España, en donde se realiza el segundo acto del desfile. Este consiste en depositar dos
coronas de laurel. La primera en la placa que recuerda al Convento de San Francisco
y la segunda en el monumento a los Mártires.
La del Convento de San Francisco será portada por mujeres ataviadas con el traje
regional, en recuerdo y homenaje a María Blánquez. Entregada por don Francisco
Javier Lambán Montañés (o persona en quién delegue), le acompañaran el
Comandante Militar de Zaragoza, General Juan Pinto y el Hermano Mayor de la
Sangre de Cristo. La recibirán dos soldados del Batallón Pardos de Aragón.
La segunda corona, la entregara don Juan Alberto Belloch Julve (o persona en quién
delegue), acompañado también por el Comandante Militar y el Hermano Mayor,
siendo recibida por dos soldados del Batallón de Infantería Voluntarios de Aragón.
Durante este acto sonara en la plaza el Carillón de la Diputación Provincial con
marchas alusivas a los Sitios.
Finalizado el acto, continuaremos el desfile en dirección a la Plaza de la Seo por calle
don Jaime, calle Mayor, calle Dormer, calle Cisne y calle Cuellar.
En la plaza de la Seo se realiza el tercer y último acto. Consiste en una breve
alocución del General Pinto, Comandante Militar de Zaragoza y Teruel, en recuerdo
y homenaje del General Palafox. A Su conclusión, el Batallón de Infantería
Voluntarios de Aragón hará una descarga de fusilería.
Ya para finalizar, nos encaminaremos a la plaza del Pilar, finalizando el desfile,
alrededor de las 20´30 horas, con la entrada del Cristo de la Cama en la Basílica, en
donde permanecerá hasta el miércoles 25 de febrero.
Finalizado el desfile y por lo tanto el traslado, la Hermandad de la Sangre de Cristo
realizara una ofrenda a la Virgen del Pilar.
La Hermandad de la Sangre de Cristo, con el fin de dar mayor realce a este
acontecimiento histórico, ha invitado a participar a todos aquellos Ayuntamientos e
Instituciones galardonados con la Medalla del Bicentenario “Defensor de Zaragoza”,
distinción que también ha obtenido la propia Hermandad. Han confirmado su
asistencia una representación de los Ayuntamientos de Alcañiz, Barbastro, Calatayud,
Cariñena, Chelva, Huesca, Jaca, monzón y Valencia. También han confirmado su
participación los Artilleros de Aragón, Batallón Pardos de Aragón, Batallón de
Infantería Ligera Voluntarios de Aragón, la Asociación Cultural Royo del Rabal
(ronda y escenificación de personajes históricos de la época), la Asociación Cultural
Los Sitios (personajes históricos de la época), la Hermandad de San Juan de la Peña,
la Cofradía del Santo Sepulcro, la Hermandad del santo Refugio, la Real Ilustre
Congregación de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Madrid y la Real Maestranza de
Caballería.
La parte musical durante el desfile correrá a cargo de la Banda de Guerra de la
Brigada de Caballería Castillejos II, de la Banda Música de la Academia General
Militar y la Ronda de jotas de la Asociación Cultural el Rabal. Durante el desfile y
con el fin de que los peaneros lleven el ritmo adecuado, les acompaña un piquete de
diez instrumentos, cuyos miembros son de la cofradía de la Institución de la Sagrada
Eucaristía, que lo harán sin los distintivos propios de la Cofradía.
Cabe destacar el estreno de una marcha procesional en las calles de Zaragoza. La
primera y ultima pieza que interprete la Banda de Música será la Marcha al Cristo de
la Cama, cuyo autor es don Abel Moreno y que fue donada a la Hermandad por la
Asociación para el Estudio de la Semana Santa.
Ernesto Millán Lázaro
Hermano Mayor
Hermandad Sangre de Cristo
Return to Forever is a jazz fusion group founded and led by keyboardist Chick Corea. Through its existence, the band has cycled through a number of different members, with the only consistent band mate of Corea's being bassist Stanley Clarke. However in 1972, after having become a disciple of Scientology, Corea decided that he wanted to better ;communicate; with the audience. This essentially translated into his performing a more popularly accessible style of music, since avant-garde jazz enjoyed a relatively small audience.
First group (1972-1973) The first edition of Return to Forever performed primarily Latin-oriented music. Clarke himself became involved in Scientology through Corea, but eventually left the sect in the early 1980s.
Their first album, titled simply Return to Forever, was recorded for ECM Records in 1972 and was initially released only in Europe. Their second album, Light as a Feather (1973), was released by Polydor and included the song, Spain, which also became quite well-known.
Jazz rock era (1973-1976) guitarist Bill Connors, drummer Steve Gadd and percussionist Mingo Lewis were added.. Lenny White (who had played with Corea in Miles Davis's band) then replaced Gadd and Lewis on drums and percussion, and the group's third album, Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy (1973), was then rerecorded.
The nature of the group's music had by now completely changed into jazz-rock, Their music was still relatively melodic, relying on strong themes, but the traditional jazz element was by this time almost entirely absent- replaced by a more direct, rock oriented approach. Over-driven, distorted guitar had also become prominent in the band's new sound, and Clarke had by then switched almost completely to electric bass guitar. A replacement on vocals was not hired, and all the songs were now instrumentals. This change did not lead to a decrease in the band's commercial fortunes however, Return to Forever's jazz rock albums instead found their way onto US pop album charts.
While their second jazz rock album, Where Have I Known You Before, (1974) was similar in style to its immediate predecessor, Corea now played synthesizers in addition to electric keyboards (including piano), and Clarke's playing had evolved considerably- now using flange and fuzz-tone effects, and with his now signature style beginning to emerge. the then 19-year-old guitar prodigy Al Di Meola, who had also played on the album recording sessions joined.
Their following album, No Mystery (1975), was recorded with the same line-up as "Where Have I Known You Before", but the style of music had become more varied. The first side of the record consisted primarily of jazz-funk, while the second side featured Corea's acoustic title track and a long composition with a strong Spanish influence. On this and the following album, each member of the group composed at least one of the tracks. No Mystery went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Group.
The final album by this longest-lasting lineup of the group was Romantic Warrior (1976), which had by this time left Polydor for Columbia Records. This album would go on to become the best selling of all Return to Forever's efforts, eventually reaching gold disc status. Romantic Warrior continued their experiments in the realms of jazz-rock and related musical genres, and was lauded by critics for both the technically demanding style of its compositions as well as for its accomplished musicianship.
After the release of Romantic Warrior and Return To Forever's subsequent tour in support (as well as having in addition signed a multi-million dollar contract with CBS), Corea shocked Clarke by deciding to change the lineup of the group and to not include either White or Di Meola
Final album (1977)
The final incarnation of Return to Forever featured a four piece horn section and Corea's wife Gayle singing vocals, but recorded only one studio album, Musicmagic (1977).After Musicmagic, Chick Corea officially disbanded the group.
Reunion (2008) The classic Return to Forever line-up of Corea, Clarke, White, and Di Meola reunited for a tour of the United States that began in the summer of 2008. 2011 tour From February 2011, the group commences a world tour in Australia. The line-up, billed as Return to Forever IV, is Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, Frank Gambale and Jean-Luc Ponty.
First group (1972-1973) The first edition of Return to Forever performed primarily Latin-oriented music. This initial band consisted of singer (and occasional percussionist) Flora Purim, her husband Airto Moreira on drums and percussion, Corea's longtime musical co-worker Joe Farrell on saxophone and flute, and the young Stanley Clarke on bass. Within this first line-up in particular, Clarke played acoustic double bass in addition to electric bass. Corea's electric piano formed the basis of this group's sound, but Clarke and Farrell were given ample solo space themselves. While Purim's vocals lent some commercial appeal to the music, many of their compositions were also instrumental and somewhat experimental in nature. The music was composed by Corea with the exception of the title track of the second album which was written by Stanley Clarke. Lyrics were often written by Corea's friend Neville Potter, and were quite often scientology themed- though this is not readily apparent to those not involved in Scientology itself. Clarke himself became involved in Scientology through Corea, but eventually left the sect in the early 1980s.
Their first album, titled simply Return to Forever, was recorded for ECM Records in 1972 and was initially released only in Europe. Their second album, Light as a Feather (1973), was released by Polydor and included the song, Spain, which also became quite well-known.
Jazz rock era (1973-1976) guitarist Bill Connors, drummer Steve Gadd and percussionist Mingo Lewis were added. However, Gadd was unwilling to tour with the band and risk his job as an in-demand session drummer. Lenny White (who had played with Corea in Miles Davis's band) replaced Gadd and Lewis on drums and percussion, and the group's third album, Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy (1973), was then rerecorded (the first recording, featuring Gadd on drums, was never released and has since disappeared).
The nature of the group's music had by now completely changed into jazz-rock, Their music was still relatively melodic, relying on strong themes, but the traditional jazz element was by this time almost entirely absent- replaced by a more direct, rock oriented approach. Over-driven, distorted guitar had also become prominent in the band's new sound, and Clarke had by then switched almost completely to electric bass guitar. A replacement on vocals was not hired, and all the songs were now instrumentals. This change did not lead to a decrease in the band's commercial fortunes however, Return to Forever's jazz rock albums instead found their way onto US pop album charts.
While their second jazz rock album, Where Have I Known You Before, (1974) was similar in style to its immediate predecessor, Corea now played synthesizers in addition to electric keyboards (including piano), and Clarke's playing had evolved considerably- now using flange and fuzz-tone effects, and with his now signature style beginning to emerge. After Bill Connors left the band to concentrate on his solo career, the group also hired new guitarists. Although Earl Klugh played guitar for some of the group's live performances, he was soon replaced by the then 19-year-old guitar prodigy Al Di Meola, who had also played on the album recording sessions.
Their following album, No Mystery (1975), was recorded with the same line-up as "Where Have I Known You Before", but the style of music had become more varied. The first side of the record consisted primarily of jazz-funk, while the second side featured Corea's acoustic title track and a long composition with a strong Spanish influence. On this and the following album, each member of the group composed at least one of the tracks. No Mystery went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Group.
The final album by this longest-lasting "classic" lineup of the group was Romantic Warrior (1976), which had by this time left Polydor for Columbia Records. This album would go on to become the best selling of all Return to Forever's efforts, eventually reaching gold disc status. "Romantic Warrior" continued their experiments in the realms of jazz-rock and related musical genres, and was lauded by critics for both the technically demanding style of its compositions as well as for its accomplished musicianship.
After the release of Romantic Warrior and Return To Forever's subsequent tour in support (as well as having in addition signed a multi-million dollar contract with CBS), Corea shocked Clarke by deciding to change the lineup of the group and to not include either White or Di Meola
Final album (1977)
The final incarnation of Return to Forever featured a four piece horn section and Corea's wife Gayle singing vocals, but recorded only one studio album, Musicmagic (1977).After Musicmagic, Chick Corea officially disbanded the group.
Reunion (2008)
The classic Return to Forever line-up of Corea, Clarke, White, and Di Meola reunited for a tour of the United States that began in the summer of 2008. 2011 tour
From February 2011, the group commences a world tour in Australia. The line-up, billed as Return to Forever IV, is Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, Frank Gambale and Jean-Luc Ponty
Who here likes consistency? You know, that warm, familiar feeling every time you go to Taco Bell (going down or out.. up to you)... very consistent? You've been there enough times and you've generally had all their menu items and your opinion is that "it's alright". Then there's that one time out of the blue, you decide to try something vegetarian off the Fresco menu, only to realize it was a horrible, horrible mistake? Well, that's kind of like what happened with this particular entry: Figma Megumin from Kono Sabarashii Sekai ni Shyukufuku wo!.. however you pronounce that.
As with 99% of the magical girl entries on my list, I know nothing about the actual character. Couple of Wiki pages presents a personality that, as expected, fits the way she looks. As taken from a Fandom page:
"Megumin is a straightforward girl, who speaks in an old-style Japanese dialect. She can be very hyper and lively at times and has chuunibyou tendencies like the rest of the Crimson Demon villagers. She is very intelligent, but has very little self-control, especially when it comes to using Explosion magic. She has no problem wasting her spell on empty plains or abandoned castles, as long as she can use Explosion once a day."
There seemed to be quite a bit of excitement when the figure was announced a while back, so as I always do, I found a decent deal on one that had a few issues while out and about, figuring "it's a Figma, it'll be alright" and away I went. The issues being that this was an Amazon Warehouse deal, so it wasn't complete, though the only thing that was missing was the instruction manual. The peg holding her cape in place had snapped off, and her head wasn't in place, of which the latter I figure I could just go home and pop that sucker right back in because, well, wouldn't be the first time a head came off a Figma after being jostled.
Well, jokes on me. After trying with no success, I took to the Internet, and read a crap ton of negative reviews on this figure, ranging from poor QC to horrible design. The head thing? Wasn't the only one; several complaints on Amazon said the same thing, with most not even bothering to try to attach the head. I had to grind the hole to widen it before the neck joint would actually fit, and now it's a bit loose and prone to falling off. I read stories of the staff showing up broken. Seems overall, these Konosuba girls (as they are called) have been plagued with QC issues.. I'm glad I didn't pay MSRP on this figure, let me tell you.
Megumin comes with a typical payload when it comes to Figma. There's the figure, three total face plates (slight smile, attacking, scared), her hat, her cape, alternate hair with eye patch, energy effect for eye, staff, purple orb for staff, spell effect with staff end for attaching said effect, her Familiar Chomosuke, six additional hands plus one dedicated spell casting hand, and the usual Figma stand.
Based on the screen caps I've seen, it appears that overall, Max Factory has captured the overall silhouette of Megumin herself, and her look when equipped with her gear. Of course, she's a lanky Japanese school girl, so not exactly hard for Figma to replicate. Chomosuke is freakin' adorable.. not quite Kirby adorable, but pretty damn close. Sculpting details are up to snuff, with clean fingers, good texture detailing on the outfit, and some minor muscle definition on her bare back. Face plates look spot on.
Articulation is pretty typical for a Figma.. when she doesn't have her cape on. You have full motion ankles, single jointed knees, full motion hips, waist, mid torso movement, full motion shoulders combined with bicep swivel, standard elbows, wrists, and head articulation. Mid torso movement is limited due to the joint being embedded inside her outfit, which is a soft rubber material. I'm not sure if it's like this for all the recent Figma (I'm kind of behind schedule), but Megumin features this hinged joint which allows for a deeper range of motion when it comes to head tilt, while at the same time offering the same ball jointed base base of head joint that permits the standard range of motion there. The cape itself has two points of articulation, allowing for a simulated flow look which is great, but putting the cape on also limits the range of motion when it comes to raise the arms up into an overhead position. Her skirt also limits the movement of the upper legs, which in turn limits the number of stances you can have her in. Because of this, I found it very difficult to balance Megumin on her tiny feet, and as such a stand is pretty much needed for everything.
Paint work is, as expected, solid across the board. Even the yellows appear to be well applied, with no significant overspray or lumpy paint residue. The only ugly paint spot are the silver on her buckle and her necklace, which are relatively ugly, but not "gouge my eyes out" level. Decal work is at its usual level of excellence.
Building quality and design is where things kind of went South. I've already talked about my problems out the box above, but there's more to discuss. First and foremost, that stupid, stupid hat. So, someone, in their infinite wisdom, decided that rather than have the hat attach via a peg or something like that, decided the best way to have the hat sit on her head is the put a really thin piece of plastic on the inside of the hat, and have that clip between the two hair pieces.. sounds alright in theory until you realize actually getting the thing to fit in their is a nightmare because there really isn't enough clearance to slide the front hair piece in place should you try to get the hat in place first. So instead you end up leaving a slight gap, and cramming the hat on her head, hoping for the best. The eye effect is a separate piece, and it is up to the owner to use their hamburger finger to squeeze this tiny plastic piece, probably the size of a syringe needle, into place so it doesn't fall out of the hair. I found that the joints on the figure, while fine by themselves, aren't really meant to carry the weight of the staff, particularly if it has the energy effect attached on the end of it. The body itself is pretty typical build, so no too many complaints here.
So in the end, we had the potential for an outstanding Figma, one having vibrant colour and personality., only to have a multitude of QC issues and crappy design choices knock it down a few pegs. Without her hat and cape, Megumin is honestly average at best, as she really can't do much other than sligh variations of standing up. I guess if the cape wasn't broken on mine, at least I would keep the cape on constantly as it does add to the character. But that hat.. it's such a hassle to put it on you either never take it off or you just give up. The best parts of this set are the scared face and of course, Chomosuke.
Better luck next time, I suppose.
The Mascotte Kite Festival makes the most of the consistent prevailing winds blowing along The Hague's beach resort Scheveningen. Kite builders and enthusiasts from around the world come together to fly the fruits of their creative labour. The annual event sees the skies over the southern part of Scheveningen beach fill with kites of every shape and colour, flying teddy bears, elephants and fish. Visitors also get to stay up to date with the latest in kite-powered sport, from kite-surfing and kite-yachting to kite-skateboarding and kite-skiing.
---
Scheveningen ziet ze vliegen tijdens het grootste internationale vliegerevenement van Nederland! Tijdens het Mascotte Vliegerfestival Scheveningen zijn voor het Kurhaus en naast De Pier de meest bijzondere vliegers uit alle hoeken van de wereld te bewonderen. Meer dan 200 vliegeraars uit vijf continenten en bijna twintig landen presenteren vliegershows en demonstraties in verschillende thema’s en disciplines: powerkiting, stuntvliegeren (Nederlands Kampioenschap) en megakite-éénlijnsvliegeren. De shows bieden een adembenemend schouwspel met vliegers in fantastische kleuren, talloze maten en met de meest waanzinnige vormen. Naast het demonstratieterrein is altijd plek genoeg om zelf te vliegeren. Beginnende en ervaren vliegeraars, groot of klein, iedereen is welkom om z'n eigen vlieger op te laten. Ook zijn er workshop voor kinderen waar ze zelf vliegertjes of vliegers kunnen maken en versieren. Tijdens het Vliegerfestival Scheveningen kun je bij één van de stands ook een kant-en-klare vlieger kopen.
Who here likes consistency? You know, that warm, familiar feeling every time you go to Taco Bell (going down or out.. up to you)... very consistent? You've been there enough times and you've generally had all their menu items and your opinion is that "it's alright". Then there's that one time out of the blue, you decide to try something vegetarian off the Fresco menu, only to realize it was a horrible, horrible mistake? Well, that's kind of like what happened with this particular entry: Figma Megumin from Kono Sabarashii Sekai ni Shyukufuku wo!.. however you pronounce that.
As with 99% of the magical girl entries on my list, I know nothing about the actual character. Couple of Wiki pages presents a personality that, as expected, fits the way she looks. As taken from a Fandom page:
"Megumin is a straightforward girl, who speaks in an old-style Japanese dialect. She can be very hyper and lively at times and has chuunibyou tendencies like the rest of the Crimson Demon villagers. She is very intelligent, but has very little self-control, especially when it comes to using Explosion magic. She has no problem wasting her spell on empty plains or abandoned castles, as long as she can use Explosion once a day."
There seemed to be quite a bit of excitement when the figure was announced a while back, so as I always do, I found a decent deal on one that had a few issues while out and about, figuring "it's a Figma, it'll be alright" and away I went. The issues being that this was an Amazon Warehouse deal, so it wasn't complete, though the only thing that was missing was the instruction manual. The peg holding her cape in place had snapped off, and her head wasn't in place, of which the latter I figure I could just go home and pop that sucker right back in because, well, wouldn't be the first time a head came off a Figma after being jostled.
Well, jokes on me. After trying with no success, I took to the Internet, and read a crap ton of negative reviews on this figure, ranging from poor QC to horrible design. The head thing? Wasn't the only one; several complaints on Amazon said the same thing, with most not even bothering to try to attach the head. I had to grind the hole to widen it before the neck joint would actually fit, and now it's a bit loose and prone to falling off. I read stories of the staff showing up broken. Seems overall, these Konosuba girls (as they are called) have been plagued with QC issues.. I'm glad I didn't pay MSRP on this figure, let me tell you.
Megumin comes with a typical payload when it comes to Figma. There's the figure, three total face plates (slight smile, attacking, scared), her hat, her cape, alternate hair with eye patch, energy effect for eye, staff, purple orb for staff, spell effect with staff end for attaching said effect, her Familiar Chomosuke, six additional hands plus one dedicated spell casting hand, and the usual Figma stand.
Based on the screen caps I've seen, it appears that overall, Max Factory has captured the overall silhouette of Megumin herself, and her look when equipped with her gear. Of course, she's a lanky Japanese school girl, so not exactly hard for Figma to replicate. Chomosuke is freakin' adorable.. not quite Kirby adorable, but pretty damn close. Sculpting details are up to snuff, with clean fingers, good texture detailing on the outfit, and some minor muscle definition on her bare back. Face plates look spot on.
Articulation is pretty typical for a Figma.. when she doesn't have her cape on. You have full motion ankles, single jointed knees, full motion hips, waist, mid torso movement, full motion shoulders combined with bicep swivel, standard elbows, wrists, and head articulation. Mid torso movement is limited due to the joint being embedded inside her outfit, which is a soft rubber material. I'm not sure if it's like this for all the recent Figma (I'm kind of behind schedule), but Megumin features this hinged joint which allows for a deeper range of motion when it comes to head tilt, while at the same time offering the same ball jointed base base of head joint that permits the standard range of motion there. The cape itself has two points of articulation, allowing for a simulated flow look which is great, but putting the cape on also limits the range of motion when it comes to raise the arms up into an overhead position. Her skirt also limits the movement of the upper legs, which in turn limits the number of stances you can have her in. Because of this, I found it very difficult to balance Megumin on her tiny feet, and as such a stand is pretty much needed for everything.
Paint work is, as expected, solid across the board. Even the yellows appear to be well applied, with no significant overspray or lumpy paint residue. The only ugly paint spot are the silver on her buckle and her necklace, which are relatively ugly, but not "gouge my eyes out" level. Decal work is at its usual level of excellence.
Building quality and design is where things kind of went South. I've already talked about my problems out the box above, but there's more to discuss. First and foremost, that stupid, stupid hat. So, someone, in their infinite wisdom, decided that rather than have the hat attach via a peg or something like that, decided the best way to have the hat sit on her head is the put a really thin piece of plastic on the inside of the hat, and have that clip between the two hair pieces.. sounds alright in theory until you realize actually getting the thing to fit in their is a nightmare because there really isn't enough clearance to slide the front hair piece in place should you try to get the hat in place first. So instead you end up leaving a slight gap, and cramming the hat on her head, hoping for the best. The eye effect is a separate piece, and it is up to the owner to use their hamburger finger to squeeze this tiny plastic piece, probably the size of a syringe needle, into place so it doesn't fall out of the hair. I found that the joints on the figure, while fine by themselves, aren't really meant to carry the weight of the staff, particularly if it has the energy effect attached on the end of it. The body itself is pretty typical build, so no too many complaints here.
So in the end, we had the potential for an outstanding Figma, one having vibrant colour and personality., only to have a multitude of QC issues and crappy design choices knock it down a few pegs. Without her hat and cape, Megumin is honestly average at best, as she really can't do much other than sligh variations of standing up. I guess if the cape wasn't broken on mine, at least I would keep the cape on constantly as it does add to the character. But that hat.. it's such a hassle to put it on you either never take it off or you just give up. The best parts of this set are the scared face and of course, Chomosuke.
Better luck next time, I suppose.
Nicollette Sheridan
The New Chanel Boutique Opening and Charity Event,hosted by SIMPLY CONSISTENT INC.
www.simplyconsistent.com/management
"-Chanel Boutique."
"-Kathleen Checki."
"-Checki."
"-Simply Consistent."
"-Simply Consistent Management."
"-Simply Consistent Charity Event."
"-Kathleen Checki Charity Event."
"-Kathleen Check."
"-Nicollette Sheridan."
Everything was meticulously thought through and consistent, including the jet black and steel notice boards. All slowly fading away.
A tribute to the Werdmuller Center on Main Road, Claremont, designed by Roelof Uytenbogaardt and completed in 1974. Uytenbogaardt was an award-winning architect and professor of urban and regional planning based at the University of Cape Town in the 1970s. Another incredible building he designed is the Sports Complex that stands at the entrance of UCT, completed in 1981. My dad worked at this center in the 1980's and I spent a lot of time exploring the building as a child. The center (owned by Old Mutual) is due to be demolished as the land that it occupies (erf 54472, in the middle of Claremont) is worth more than its current letting value. DHK Architects have been appointed to the project. Many deem the center as a national heritage site and have planned proposals to save the building. The site is still accessible and we managed to shoot some pics after negotiations with security guards. The abandoned upper levels have been fenced off and can only be accessed with permission from Old Mutual. We found the building squalid and neglected, although people still use the ramps and passages to access the Main Road, as was originally intended. Some popular long-term residents at the center are Paul Bothner Music, the Cafda Bookshop and Radio CCFM.
More information can be found here and here. A PDF file of the proposed re-development.
Stair detail
The University of Aarhus, which dates from 1931, is a unique and coherent university campus with consistent architecture, homogenous use of yellow brickwork and adaptation to the landscape. The university has won renown and praise as an integrated complex which unites the best aspects of functionalism with solid Danish traditions in form and materials.
The competition for the university was won by the architects Kay Fisker, C. F. Møller og Povl Stegmann in 1931. Stegman left the partnership in 1937, Fisker in 1942 and C. F. Møller Architects has been in charge of the continued architectural development and building design of the university until today.
The University of Aarhus, with its extensive park in central Aarhus, includes teaching rooms, offices, libraries, workshops and student accommodation. The university has a distinct homogeneous building style and utilises the natural contours of the landscape. The campus has emerged around a distinct moraine gorge and the buildings for the departments and faculties are placed on the slopes, from the main buildings alongside the ring road to the center of the city at Nørreport. All throughout the campus, the buildings are variations of the same clear-cut prismatic volume with pitched roofs, oriented orthogonally to form individual architectural clusters sharing the same vocabulary. The way the buildings emerge from the landscape makes them seem to grow from it, rather than being superimposed on the site.
The original scheme for the campus park was made by the famous Danish landscape architect C. Th. Sørensen. Until the death of C. Th. Sørensens in 1979 the development of the park areas were conducted in a close cooperation between C. Th. Sørensen, C. F. Møller and the local park authorities. Since 1979 C. F. Møller Architects - in cooperation with the staff at the university - has continued the intentions of the original scheme for the park, and today the park is a beautiful, green area and an immense contribution to both the university and the city in general.
In 2001, C. F. Møller Architects prepared a new masterplan for the long and short term development of the university. Although the university has been extended continuously for more than 75 years, the original masterplan and design principles have been maintained, and have proven a simple yet versatile tool to create a timeless and coherent architectural expression adaptable to changing programs. Today, the university is officially recognized as a Danish national architectural treasure and is internationally renowned as an excellent example of early modern university campus planning.
Who here likes consistency? You know, that warm, familiar feeling every time you go to Taco Bell (going down or out.. up to you)... very consistent? You've been there enough times and you've generally had all their menu items and your opinion is that "it's alright". Then there's that one time out of the blue, you decide to try something vegetarian off the Fresco menu, only to realize it was a horrible, horrible mistake? Well, that's kind of like what happened with this particular entry: Figma Megumin from Kono Sabarashii Sekai ni Shyukufuku wo!.. however you pronounce that.
As with 99% of the magical girl entries on my list, I know nothing about the actual character. Couple of Wiki pages presents a personality that, as expected, fits the way she looks. As taken from a Fandom page:
"Megumin is a straightforward girl, who speaks in an old-style Japanese dialect. She can be very hyper and lively at times and has chuunibyou tendencies like the rest of the Crimson Demon villagers. She is very intelligent, but has very little self-control, especially when it comes to using Explosion magic. She has no problem wasting her spell on empty plains or abandoned castles, as long as she can use Explosion once a day."
There seemed to be quite a bit of excitement when the figure was announced a while back, so as I always do, I found a decent deal on one that had a few issues while out and about, figuring "it's a Figma, it'll be alright" and away I went. The issues being that this was an Amazon Warehouse deal, so it wasn't complete, though the only thing that was missing was the instruction manual. The peg holding her cape in place had snapped off, and her head wasn't in place, of which the latter I figure I could just go home and pop that sucker right back in because, well, wouldn't be the first time a head came off a Figma after being jostled.
Well, jokes on me. After trying with no success, I took to the Internet, and read a crap ton of negative reviews on this figure, ranging from poor QC to horrible design. The head thing? Wasn't the only one; several complaints on Amazon said the same thing, with most not even bothering to try to attach the head. I had to grind the hole to widen it before the neck joint would actually fit, and now it's a bit loose and prone to falling off. I read stories of the staff showing up broken. Seems overall, these Konosuba girls (as they are called) have been plagued with QC issues.. I'm glad I didn't pay MSRP on this figure, let me tell you.
Megumin comes with a typical payload when it comes to Figma. There's the figure, three total face plates (slight smile, attacking, scared), her hat, her cape, alternate hair with eye patch, energy effect for eye, staff, purple orb for staff, spell effect with staff end for attaching said effect, her Familiar Chomosuke, six additional hands plus one dedicated spell casting hand, and the usual Figma stand.
Based on the screen caps I've seen, it appears that overall, Max Factory has captured the overall silhouette of Megumin herself, and her look when equipped with her gear. Of course, she's a lanky Japanese school girl, so not exactly hard for Figma to replicate. Chomosuke is freakin' adorable.. not quite Kirby adorable, but pretty damn close. Sculpting details are up to snuff, with clean fingers, good texture detailing on the outfit, and some minor muscle definition on her bare back. Face plates look spot on.
Articulation is pretty typical for a Figma.. when she doesn't have her cape on. You have full motion ankles, single jointed knees, full motion hips, waist, mid torso movement, full motion shoulders combined with bicep swivel, standard elbows, wrists, and head articulation. Mid torso movement is limited due to the joint being embedded inside her outfit, which is a soft rubber material. I'm not sure if it's like this for all the recent Figma (I'm kind of behind schedule), but Megumin features this hinged joint which allows for a deeper range of motion when it comes to head tilt, while at the same time offering the same ball jointed base base of head joint that permits the standard range of motion there. The cape itself has two points of articulation, allowing for a simulated flow look which is great, but putting the cape on also limits the range of motion when it comes to raise the arms up into an overhead position. Her skirt also limits the movement of the upper legs, which in turn limits the number of stances you can have her in. Because of this, I found it very difficult to balance Megumin on her tiny feet, and as such a stand is pretty much needed for everything.
Paint work is, as expected, solid across the board. Even the yellows appear to be well applied, with no significant overspray or lumpy paint residue. The only ugly paint spot are the silver on her buckle and her necklace, which are relatively ugly, but not "gouge my eyes out" level. Decal work is at its usual level of excellence.
Building quality and design is where things kind of went South. I've already talked about my problems out the box above, but there's more to discuss. First and foremost, that stupid, stupid hat. So, someone, in their infinite wisdom, decided that rather than have the hat attach via a peg or something like that, decided the best way to have the hat sit on her head is the put a really thin piece of plastic on the inside of the hat, and have that clip between the two hair pieces.. sounds alright in theory until you realize actually getting the thing to fit in their is a nightmare because there really isn't enough clearance to slide the front hair piece in place should you try to get the hat in place first. So instead you end up leaving a slight gap, and cramming the hat on her head, hoping for the best. The eye effect is a separate piece, and it is up to the owner to use their hamburger finger to squeeze this tiny plastic piece, probably the size of a syringe needle, into place so it doesn't fall out of the hair. I found that the joints on the figure, while fine by themselves, aren't really meant to carry the weight of the staff, particularly if it has the energy effect attached on the end of it. The body itself is pretty typical build, so no too many complaints here.
So in the end, we had the potential for an outstanding Figma, one having vibrant colour and personality., only to have a multitude of QC issues and crappy design choices knock it down a few pegs. Without her hat and cape, Megumin is honestly average at best, as she really can't do much other than sligh variations of standing up. I guess if the cape wasn't broken on mine, at least I would keep the cape on constantly as it does add to the character. But that hat.. it's such a hassle to put it on you either never take it off or you just give up. The best parts of this set are the scared face and of course, Chomosuke.
Better luck next time, I suppose.
twitter.com/notifications les Osiedle de Pologne [Tout savoir tt connaitre ici les textes] La POLOGNE durement bombardé pdt la guerre .. Elle a été un pays marqué par la reconstruction.. Via ses cités modernes dites de préfabriqués des annees 60 et 70 la bas ont les appellent Osiedle (domaine, lotissement) Osiedle est un terme utilisé en Pologne pour désigner une subdivision désignée d'une ville ou d'un village, ou d'un dzielnica, avec son propre conseil et exécutif. Comme le dzielnica et le sołectwo, un osiedle est une unité auxiliaire d'une gmina www.twitter.com/Memoire2cite En République tchèque, l’antique ville de Most est détruite pour des raisons économiques pour être reconstruite à 2km grâce au panneau de béton. Au travers d’archives et de témoignages des habitants, son histoire dailymotion.com/video/x413amo visible ici des la 23e minute , c est de la folie...Panelák est un terme familier en tchèque et en slovaque pour un immeuble construit en béton préfabriqué précontraint, comme ceux qui existent dans l’ex-Tchécoslovaquie et ailleurs dans le monde.La POLOGNE durement bombardé pdt la guerre .. Elle a été un pays marqué par la reconstruction.. Via ses cités modernes dites de préfabriqués des annees 60 et 70 la bas ont les appellent Osiedle (domaine, lotissement) Cette unité urbanistique réalisée grâce à des technologies modernes, l’îlot urbanistique (blokurbanisztyczny), est au fondement de la formation des quartiers (dzielnica) qui, tous ensemble,
composent finalement la ville « Bien conçu et selon les résultats des analyses passées, le logement, adapté aux besoins et aux possibilités économiques de ses habitants et du pays tout entier, est la cellule fondamentale, la mesure
de l’organisme urbain contemporain. Construite selon une programmation économique réaliste, cette cellule devrait bénéficier des moyens techniques les plus avancés dans les domaines de la construction, de la santé, des communications, de l’esthétique architecturale et des jardins. Et elle devrait se dresser de toute sa masse, en conformité avec les besoins de la population des villes,
comme matière fondamentale et aboutie de la forme urbanistique et architecturale. D’une ou de plusieurs de ces cellules urbanistiques, c’est-à-dire des logements, naît un immeuble ; de quelquesuns à quelques dizaines d’immeubles, un îlot urbanistique, d’un groupe d’îlots émerge un quartier. Et
de quelques quartiers d’habitation ou plus, en association avec des quartiers d’ateliers de travail naît la totalité organique urbaine, c’est-à-dire la ville. » Ainsi, à la veille de la deuxième guerre mondiale, on trouve en Pologne des structures politiques, associatives, professionnelles impliquées dans la promotion d’un habitat social
réalisé selon de nouvelles technologies, et permettant de loger quelques milliers d’habitants autour de services de base. Censé apporter des solutions à une situation du logement catastrophique, héritée du XIXème siècle et de la première guerre mondiale, ce nouveau type d’habitat est construit et géré sous forme coopérative (Coudroy de Lille 2004). Ces groupements de logements sont au départ nommés kolonia. La littérature urbanistique
théorique des années 1930, représentée par les auteurs majeurs que sont Barbara Brukalska et Tadeusz Tołwiński construit deux systèmes lexicaux différents pour nommer l’unité spatiale supérieure à la kolonia, celle qui rassemble quelques milliers de logements : osiedle pour la
première, blok pour le second. C’est finalement osiedle qui s’imposera sur le long terme. Mais dans cette période de l’entre-deux-guerres, le terme osiedle avait une autre signification dans la langue courante, de portée plus générale.
I.2.Osiedle : un terme issu du vocabulaire courant
Le Dictionnaire de la langue polonaise (1927) le définit comme « tout groupement d’habitations humaines constituant une unité, séparée des autres10». Le texte indique qu’un
osiedle peut être temporaire ou permanent, compter de une à des centaines de milliers d’habitations, et que les activités dominantes des habitants permettent de distinguer deux
types : rural ou urbain11. Selon le Dictionnaire étymolotique de la langue polonaise (2005), le mot apparaît à partir du XVème siècle, dans plusieurs langues slaves sous des formes
voisines, dérivées d’une même racine osedle (qui donne par exemple en vieux tchèque ošedlé). Il désignait alors l’établissement fixe, le foyer, le patrimoine.
La définition de 1927, contemporaine de Barbara Brukalska et Tadeusz Tołwiński correspond à un « établissement humain », et est très proche du Siedlung allemand Ce dictionnaire ne comporte d’ailleurs pas d’entrée « ville » (miasto). Cette notion est introduite dans le corps de la définition d’osiedle. allemand cependant, le mot Siedlung prend le sens dans le sens dans les années 1920 de cité d’habitat moderne (Topalov et al. 2010 : 1109). Les urbanistes polonais qui formalisent les unités d’habitations d’un type nouveau dans l’entre-deux-guerres ont étendu le sens traditionnel du terme osiedle en lui donnant un sens proche du Siedlung. De fait, la langue polonaise a souvent emprunté à l’allemand pour nommer les formes et les fonctions urbaines, et cette influence germanique fut renouvelée et renforcée au début du XXème siècle, grâce au rayonnement de l’école viennoise dans l’architecture d’Europe centrale, puis par le prestige du mouvement Bauhaus (Blau and Platzer 2000). Après la première guerre mondiale, les urbanistes et architectes polonais entretenaient par ailleurs d’intenses contacts
avec l’Autriche, l’Allemagne, où certains furent formés (c’est le cas de Szymon Syrkus), et où ils exposaient leurs travaux.
L’utilisation du mot osiedle pour désigner une modalité de la conception des espaces résidentiels contribue donc à enrichir la signification de ce mot, pour un usage à la fois savant
et technique. L’osiedle est une forme urbaine, un idéal social, mais aussi, pourrait-on dire, un
point de ralliement pour le mouvement moderne en Europe centrale. En effet, ce terme acquis une importance considérable dans les pratiques et surtout les représentations
urbanistiques de la Pologne d’après-guerre : tout d’abord comme contre-modèle, car il fut pendant un certain temps après 1945 mis au ban, puis au contraire, comme objet de nostalgie. II. La marginalisation de l’osiedle dans la pratique et le lexique urbanistiques L’ouvrage de Barbara Brukalska qui en 1948 exposait les motivations et les attendus
d’un urbanisme social autour de la notion cardinale d’osiedle fut retiré de la vente dès sa parution. En effet, 1948-49 marque un tournant politique et idéologique majeur en Europe de l’est, celui de l’alignement sur le stalinisme, avec comme conséquence dans le domaine de la
création en général, et de l’architecture en particulier, l’imposition du réalisme socialiste (Kopp 1985; Włodarczyk 1991; Aman 1992 [1987]). Comme cela avait été fait dans les années 1930 en Union Soviétique, les expressions
de l’ « avant-garde » sont rejetées et l’architecture moderne est accusée de propager une idéologie réactionnaire de «désurbanisation » (Kopp 1985). Ainsi, alors qu’on avait restauré et poursuivi les constructions d’osiedle dans les années 1945 à 1948, le revirement est ensuite
brutal. De 1949 à 1956, les canons du réalisme socialiste inspirent des réalisations monumentales, de style néo-classique, s’appuyant sur un souci de symétrie et de grandeur ; l’usage des matériaux traditionnels, les valeurs de densité, de verticalité, sont réhabilités dans les formes urbaines. La construction et la gestion des logements urbains est recentralisée, étatisée, au détriment de la nébuleuse coopératiste, jugée trop élitiste : les programmes
ambitieux de cette nouvelle période sont destinés à rendre le centre-ville à la classe ouvrière. La construction du Palais de la Culture à Varsovie est la manifestation la plus célèbre et la
plus spectaculaire du réalisme socialiste ; il faut y ajouter des quartiers d’habitation (Marszałkowska Dzielnica Mieszkaniowa, Praga II à Varsovie), voire des villes nouvelles
(Nowe Tychy dans la conurbation silésienne, Nowa Huta aux portes de Cracovie, au début des années 1950). La condamnation de l’urbanisme fonctionnaliste suit de peu, sous les slogans de «cosmopolitisme bourgeois», ou de «formalisme sans âme» comme le dénonçait A cela rien d’étonnant : l’espace correspondant au territoire polonais actuel fut urbanisé assez largement grâce au mouvement d’Ostsiedlung, de colonisation vers l’est. Celui-ci poussa vers l’est des colons allemands qui, à l’invitation de la Couronne polonaise, et de seigneurs laïques ou religieux fondèrent de nombreuses villes selon des modèles juridiques et architecturaux germaniques en Silésie, en Poméranie, essentiellement aux XII° et XIII°s. Les mots polonais de handel (en allemand Handel, commerce), rynek (Ring, l’anneau, le boulevard circulaire) meldunek (Meldung enregistrement), gmina (Gemeinde, commune) témoignent de cette imprégnation germanique.
Pozostałości burŜuazyjnego kosmpolityzmu, bezduszny formalizm (Bierut, 1951 : 329). le président de la République ayant opéré ce virage, Bolesław Bierut (1892-1956). Tout en
occupant cette fonction politique, il signa en effet un album intitulé le Plan de six ans de reconstruction de Varsovie (Bierut 1951), qui présente grâce à des planches de dessins et de
cartes commentées les traits de la capitale polonaise idéale, reconstruite selon les principes du réalisme socialiste. Dans cet ouvrage fondamental, dont le programme fut partiellement
réalisé et compose une partie majeure du centre-ville de Varsovie, Bierut entretient l’ambiguïté sur le vocabulaire des formes résidentielles : d’un côté, le mot osiedle est très
souvent employé, notamment dans les légendes des figures et des photographies. Mais dans la plupart des cas, les formes ainsi désignées ne correspondent nullement à celles de l’osiedle social des années 1930. Ainsi l’osiedle Koło, commencé avant la guerre, est présenté dans sa
silhouette de 1955, c’est-à-dire sous la forme d’immeubles délimitant clairement les îlots, annonçant un retour à une composition urbaine plus classique et monumentale, dans laquelle la rue structure de nouveau la ville. A cela s’ajoute l’idée de construction en masse, pour la classe ouvrière, ce que ne prévoyaient ni la kolonia ni l’osiedle, conçus commes des unités de peuplement de taille réduite. Ainsi, le concept d’osiedle, théorisé par Barbara Brukalska en 1948, semble être trop élitiste et « formaliste » aux yeux de cette nouvelle doctrine. Dès lors, l’îlot (blok) est souvent convoqué dans la littérature du réalisme socialiste pour remplacer le mot osiedle. Dans la langue urbanistique polonaise, le terme de blok désigne après la guerre comme à l’époque de
Tołwiński un îlot, c’est-à-dire « un ensemble compact de maisons (ou d’immeubles) entre quatre rues » (1960)14. Cette substitution est explicitée et entérinée par la Grande
Encyclopédie Universelle de 1963 (c’est-à-dire la première rédigée sous le régime de la République Populaire) : « En 1950-55 le terme de cité résidentielle [osiedle] a été remplacé
par la notion de « îlot [blok] résidentiel » (1963)15. Cette préférence sémantique recouvre la réalité de l’évolution urbaine. Parallèlement, la réforme administrative menée en 1954 instaura un niveau territorial appelé lui aussi osiedle, correspondant à une unité intermédiaire entre la ville et le village ; c’est une concentration de peuplement liée à la présence d’activités (la pêche, le tourisme, selon les exemples de l’Encyclopédie de 1963) ne conduisant pas
nécessairement à la constitution d’une véritable ville16. Le glissement du terme osiedle de l’urbanisme vers un usage administratif n’est pas anodin, et peut être interprété comme un signe de marginalisation de l’urbanisme moderne dans la période la plus « dure » de la République Populaire de Pologne. .Le réalisme socialiste à Varsovie : la Place de la Constitution (arch. : Józef Sigalin, 1950-53). Cliché Coudroy 2009. Cependant, on observe avec le recul que si le réalisme socialiste a duré assez longtemps pour marquer de manière spectaculaire les paysages urbains de Cracovie (Nowa
Huta), de Nowe Tychy, et surtout de Varsovie, il n’est pas parvenu à imprégner avec la même force la langue, qui a conservé pendant cette période le terme d’osiedle à côté de celui de blok. Avec la déstalinisation entamée en 1956, le glas du réalisme socialiste est sonné, et les urbanistes qui concevaient des osiedle sur le modèle coopératif fonctionnaliste reprennent certains chantiers, jusque vers la fin des années 1950. Zespół [...] domów zwarty między czteroma ulicami (Słownik Języka Polskiego, 1960, article blok). 15 W 1950-55 koncepcję osiedla mieszkaniowego zastąpiono pojęciem „bloku mieszkaniowego” (Wielka
Encyklopedia Powszechna, 1963, article osiedle).
16 « Osiedle : unité de la division territoriale du pays incluse dans le district. Il constitue une forme intermédiaire
de peuplement entre la ville et le village » (Osiedle : jednostka podziału terytorialnego kraju, wchodząca z skład
powiatu (…). Stanowią one pośrednią formą osadnictwa między miastem a wsią (Wielka Encyklopedia
Powszechna, PWN, 1963). L’Encyclopédie Universelle (1975, 1976), donne les exemples d’osiedle ouvriers, de
pêche, ou de villégiature (O. robotnicze, rybackie, uzdrowiskowe) Il en existait seulement 54, avant que cet
échelon ne disparaisse de la structure territoriale en 1972.
III. Les conséquences de la construction de masse sur la terminologie : appauvrissement de la langue savante et invention vernaculaire La généralisation d’une construction de masse tendue vers des objectifs quantitatifs, mais indifférente à la qualité du bâti, au nom ce qu’on appela la « politique de l’économie » marque, à partir des années 1960 une « seconde mort » de l’osiedle, non plus comme notion, mais comme forme urbaine. En effet, la décennie 1960 et plus encore la suivante voient se généraliser des ensembles de plus en plus gigantesques et de plus en plus indigents qualitativement. Le préfabriqué se généralise, et avec lui l’uniformisation paysagère ; la taille des unités résidentielles augmente considérablement (de 5000 logements en moyenne selon le
« modèle type » d’origine, on passe à 20 000 et plus), les équipements, même minimes, font défaut ; ces lacunes vident l’osiedle de toute identification possible avec l’unité de voisinage. Toute une littérature – critique - en rend compte à partir de la fin des années 1970, notamment en sociologie urbaine, en utilisant comme références à la fois les auteurs des années 1930, « inventeurs » de la notion, et quelques cités jugées exemplaires à l’aune de ce modèle (Wallis
1978; Siemiński 1979 ; Kaltenberg-Kwiatkowska, Kryczka et al. 1983). Le sociologue Bohdan Jałowiecki, dans un article sur les « pathologies urbaines » de la fin des années 1970
expliquait la raison d’être de ce qu’on nomma en Pologne la « sociologie de l’osiedle »c’est-à-dire les études empiriques mesurant les effets sociaux de la massification de l’habitat.
Il se livrait au passage à une analyse critique du vocabulaire :
« On parle en l’occurence d’osiedle résidentiel (osiedle mieszkaniowe) alors qu’en réalité on est face à des ensembles urbanistiques (zespoły urbanistyczne) de plusieurs milliers de logements qui n’ont rien à voir avec la conception d’osiedle résidentiel, dont la forme spatiale et architecturale,
ainsi que le contenu social avaient été précisément définis par les milieux de gauche des urbanistes polonais dans l’entre-deux-guerres » (Jałowiecki 1984) Cet extrait résume le désenchantement qu’a procuré progressivement le décalage entre les valeurs humanistes de la notion d’osiedle, et une production résidentielle de plus en plus bureaucratique et normative à partir de la fin des années 1960 (Coudroy de Lille L. 2004). Est-ce pour en rendre compte ? Toujours est-il que dans les années 1980, quelques auteurs – notamment le francophone Bohdan Jałowiecki - proposent le terme de wielki zespół mieszkaniowy, traduction littérale de l’expression française « grand ensemble d’habitation »
(Jałowiecki & Kaltenberg-Kwiatkowska 1988; Misiak 1988). Le sociologue Władysław Misiak le définit comme
« une aire urbaine conçue de manière complexe sur un espace délimité, dans laquelle les fonctions résidentielles l’emportent sur les autres, et où la construction en blocs est le plus souvent réalisée grâce à des technologies industrielles
». Cet emprunt au français a connu son heure de gloire dans les années 1980 avec quelques variantes (qui consistent à qualifier de « grands » ou non ces ensembles
d’habitations) dans la langue spécialisée, mais ne s’est pas enraciné. Ainsi, wielki zespół mieszkaniowy devient zespół mieszkaniowy, que nous traduisons dans les titres des
références citées par « ensemble d’habitations ».
De manière paradoxale, le creusement de l’écart entre la notion d’osiedle et la réalité morphologique et fonctionnelle des réalisations résidentielles est allé de pair avec la
généralisation du mot lui-même, en dehors de la langue savante. Il a investi la langue technique et administrative des coopératives de logement, qui étaient tout à la fois les
promoteurs, les maîtres d’œuvre et les gestionnaires de ces grands ensembles. Revenues en grâce dans les années soixante, elles ont vite été propulsées comme acteur de premier plan dans la question du logement urbain en Pologne (Coudroy de Lille L. 2004). Dans la mesure où elles sont en contact permanent avec la population, de la phase d’attente d’un logement à son occupation effective, les choix sémantiques des coopératives ont immanquablement
investi la langue courante. D’une part, la toponymie des quartiers d’habitat collectif à partir des années 1960 utilise presque systématiquement le mot d’osiedle, suivi d’un qualificatif ou le plus souvent d’un toponyme antérieur (ex : Osiedle « des jeunes », Osiedle Ostrobramska,
Osiedle Stegny, etc…). D’autre part, ces ensembles coopératifs étaient administrés sur le
terrain par le conseil d’osiedle (rada osiedla), le comité d’osiedle (komitet osiedlowy),etc…La répétition de cette terminologie dans les textes réglementaires diffusés aux habitants, sur les panneaux d’affichage dans les halls d’immeubles, a contribué à diffuser l’usage du mot dans
la langue courante où il a fini par désigner le quartier d’habitation de manière générale,l’espace du quotidien. Ainsi, la trajectoire selon laquelle le mot osiedle est passé du
vocabulaire des urbanistes vers le registre courant, a emprunté le vecteur de la langue administrative, celle des coopératives. Mais le langage commun ne s’est pas contenté d’intérioriser ce terme diffusé à l’origine par des urbanistes : il a aussi inventé des mots imagés pour décrire l’habitat dans lequel vivait plus de la moitié des citadins. Difficiles par nature à dater, probablement apparus dans les années 1970-80, ces termes - qu’on rencontre à l’oral dans les conversations, dans la presse, avec ou sans guillemets - sont parfois bâtis avec le même suffixe en isko qui en polonais est assez rare, mais apparaît dans plusieurs mots relevant de l’écologie. Ce suffixe
évoque l’étendue, le lieu où se rencontre une matière ou bien où se concentrent des êtres vivants en quantité (ce qui transparaît dans le mot même de concentration, skupisko) : on peut citer środowisko (environnement), torfowisko (tourbière), trzęsawisko (marécage), mrowisko (fourmilière), tokowisko (aire d’accouplement des oiseaux). On peut supposer que c’est selon cette analogie qu’ont été forgés les termes de mrowiskowiec ou mrogowisko (barbarismes issus du mot « fourmilière »), ainsi que blokowisko qui serait alors traduisible mot à mot par « étendue de blocs », le mot blok ayant aussi le sens géométrique de volume compact, comme en français. Ce néologisme, qui décrit bien la spatialité du grand ensemble, est l’un des mots inventés par la langue populaire, qui a créé aussi, selon des variantes locales : deska (la
planche, pour une barre très longue), superjednostka (super-unité), megasypialna (mégachambre à coucher), etc...Seul blokowisko et son corollaire blok se sont imposés, et ont
franchi les limites de la langue familière pour investir la langue savante et entrer dans les dictionnaires Ces deux termes apparaissent en 1995 dans deux dictionnaires différents. Blok n’est pas un néologisme, mais son sens a dévié. Son premier sens est, dans la langue courante, « une grande masse de pierre régulière »23 sens qui avait sans doute inspiré les fondateurs du mouvement d’art moderne Le mot blokowisko désigne également en géologie un type de roche détritique, un conglomérat non consolidé ; mais on peut douter que la langue populaire se soit inspirée d’un terme réservé à un domaine aussi étroit. Cette signification est absente des dictionnaires courants. On peut noter que parallèlement, le mot blokowisko a été largement approprié par ce qu’on appelle parfois la« culture urbaine » : un groupe de hip-hop, des forums de discussion sur le web l’ont adopté comme nom de ralliement. DuŜa, foremna bryła kamienia selon le Dictionnaire de la Langue Polonaise de l’Académie des Sciences,sjp.pwn.plk, consulté le 29 sept 2010.
Blok dans l’entre-deux-guerres. On a vu plus haut que pour les urbanistes, dès l’entre-deux-guerres, il désignait aussi un îlot. A cela s’ajoutent des significations supplémentaires à partir des années 1960, liées à l’évolution des techniques de construction : il prend le sens d’élément préfabriqué. Enfin quelques décennies plus tard, le terme désigne les immeubles ainsi construits, comme dans le Dictionnaire de la langue polonaise (1995) : « un grand bâtiment
d’habitation, de plusieurs étages, faits de segments qui se répètent ». On rencontre ces deux significations dans la littérature sociologique et urbanistique des les années 1980 :
« construction en blok » « blok résidentiels »27 (Grzybowski 1984; KaltenbergKwiatkowska 1985; Siemiński & Zalewska 1989). Le dictionnaire de 1995 possède une entrée pour blokowisko : « cité composée de grands blok d’habitation : blokowisko gris, écrasant. Quartier de blokowisko29
». La Grande Encyclopédie de 2001 introduit le mot blok en lui restituant son registre vernaculaire d’origine. « Blok : familier : grand bâtiment de plusieurs étages fait de plusieurs cages d’escaliers » (2001). A peu près à la même époque, le Dictionnaire du polonais contemporain renforce la dimension dépréciative de la notion : «[se dit] avec découragement à propos d’une cité d’habitation à l’architecture faiblement différenciée, faite de blok d’habitations identiques : monotonie du blokowisko ; blokowisko inhumains30 » (2000). Cette connotation négative, on le voit repose sur la misère technique et paysagère de ces quartiers et non sur une
quelconque stigmatisation à caractère « social ». En effet, en Pologne comme dans les autres pays socialistes, l’habitat collectif de masse abritait la majorité de la population urbaine, de manière assez indifférenciée : il ne s’agit d’un habitat ni aisé, ni « social »31 (Dufaux & Fourcaut 2004 : 90-95).
Fig. 3 : Un paysage de blokowisko : Retkinia, ŁódŜ (cliché Coudroy 2007) L’encyclopédie en ligne Wikipédia, très développée en langue polonaise32, résume
parfaitement ce balancement entre langues spécialisée et populaire. En effet, l’entrée blokowisko (registre familier) redirige l’internaute vers l’article intitulé « grand ensemble
d’habitations » (registre savant) : « Bloc de mur : grand élément de construction préfabriqué destiné à une élévation verticale, utilisé comme matériau de construction » (Blok ścienny : DuŜy prefabrykowany element budowlany przeznaczony doustawiania pionowego stosowany jako materiał konstrukcyjny, (Wielka Encyklopedia Powszechna, PWN, 1963 (article Blok scienny). DuŜy, wielkopiętrowy budynek mieszkalny o powtarzalnych segmentach (Słownik języka polskiego PWN, 1995
(article Blok). Zabudowa blokowa Bloki mieszkaniowe
Il est difficile de traduire blok dans cette définition. Au moment où elle est rédigée, on peut opter pour« bloc », mais c’est incongru en français ; ou bien par « immeuble », mais défini come précédemment, doncsous-entendu « de facture préfabriquée, comprenant un nombre élevé d’étages ». Or un tel mot n’existe pas en français. D’autre part, il existe un autre mot plus neutre pour immeuble en polonais qui n’est pas utilisé dans cette définition du dictionnaire. Osiedle składające się z wielkich bloków mieszkalnych : szare, przytłające blokowisko. Dzielnica blokowisk.
Słownik języka polskiego PWN, 1995 (article Blokowisko). Cette définition est toujours présente depuis les
années 2000 dans les éditions en ligne de ce dictionnaire : usjp.pwn.pl). Blokowisko : z zniechęcenia o osiedlu mieszkaniowym słabo zróŜnicowanym architektonicznie, składającymsię z podobnych do siebie bloków mieszkalnych. Monotonia blokowiska. Nieludzkie blokowiska. Derrière l’universalité morphologique du grand ensemble d’habitation en Europe de l’est se cachent en outre
des statuts de propriété eux aussi contrastés. A côté du cas polonais où dominent les coopératives comme on l’a
vu, on trouve des cas où les logements de ces grands immeubles sont majoritairement étatiques (ex : Hongrie,
URSS), ou au contraire privés (ex : Bulgarie, Roumanie).
32 Le polonais est la quatrième langue productrice d’articles de l’encyclopédie en ligne, au coude-à-coude avec
l’italien (730 600 articles en septembre 2010), après l’anglais (plus de 3 millions), l’allemand (1 100 000), le
français (1 million) selon les sources de Wikipedia de septembre 2010. « Grand ensemble d’habitation [wielki zespół mieszkaniowy], (abr. wzm, grand ensemble
d’habitations, du français grand ensemble, familièrement blokowisko) – forme urbaine dans
laquelle, sur un espace restreint, se trouve une concentration de blok d’habitation sans autres bâtiments résidentiels, et dont le nombre d’habitants va de quelques milliers à quelques dizaines de milliers » Osiedle est un terme utilisé en Pologne pour désigner une subdivision désignée d'une ville ou d'un village, ou d'un dzielnica, avec son propre conseil et exécutif. Comme le dzielnica et le sołectwo, un osiedle est une unité auxiliaire d'une gmina www.twitter.com/Memoire2cite En République tchèque, l’antique ville de Most est détruite pour des raisons économiques pour être reconstruite à 2km grâce au panneau de béton. Au travers d’archives et de témoignages des habitants, son histoire dailymotion.com/video/x413amo visible ici des la 23e minute , c est de la folie...Panelák est un terme familier en tchèque et en slovaque pour un immeuble construit en béton préfabriqué précontraint, comme ceux qui existent dans l’ex-Tchécoslovaquie et ailleurs dans le monde. La presse utilise depuis les années 1990 couramment blokowisko dans les articles
consacrés aux quartiers d’habitat collectif construits pendant le socialisme.
Dans la même période, le mot a été approprié par les scientifiques dans plusieurs
publications, dont les titres au départ explicitent le mot, puis s’en passent. Ainsi dans les
années 1990 on peut lire Pourquoi nous devons nous préparer à la rénovation des cités
résidentielles appelées blokowisko (Siemiński & Zalewska 1989 ; collectif 1994), ou
L’humanisation des ensembles d’habitations – les blokowisko. Puis en 2000, l’ouvrage
d’Iwona Borowik est titré tout simplement Les blokowisko : un habitat urbain dans le regard
sociologique (Borowik 2003). Cet auteur introduit ce terme en le définissant dans
l’introduction comme le produit de la « construction en masse d’habitat collectif, s’exprimant
sous la forme moderne des grands ensembles d’habitation appelés familièrement
blokowisko34 » (p. 5). Le terme est désormais banalisé dans la langue des sociologues, et plus
largement des sciences sociales, même s’il n’a pas remplacé osiedle. La nuance entre les deux
semble faire de blokowisko un terme franchement associé à la construction de masse des
années 1960-70 : « On évite [aujourd’hui] le compartimentage rigide typique des
appartements des blokowisko de la période socialiste35 » (Michałowski 2004).
Le terme osiedle s’utilise encore largement dans la langue spécialisée, mais recouvre à
la fois le modèle historique des années 1930 et ses avatars déformés plus tardifs :
« On peut réduire l’image du milieu d’habitation de la grande majorité des villes polonaises au
modèle de l’osiedle qui, depuis son apparition dans les années 1930, n’a pas beaucoup changé »36
(Chmielewski & Mirecka 2001).
Le manuel d’urbanisme de Jan Maciej Chmielewski (2000), dans son glossaire, ignore blok,
kolonia, blokowisko et wielki zespół mieszkaniowy, pour ne conserver que le mot osiedle
assorti du qualificatif « résidentiel ». Il y est défini comme
« une unité résidentielle structurelle comprenant un regroupement de bâtiments d’habitation ainsi
que des services connexes et des espaces verts, créant une totalité du point de vue territorial et de la
composition spatiale Wielki zespół mieszkaniowy (w skrócie wzm, wielki zespół mieszkaniowy halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00582437/document
LES GRANDS ENSEMBLES @ Bien qu’ils échappent à une définition unique, les grands ensembles sont ty-piquement des ensembles de logement collectif, souvent en nombre impor-tant (plusieurs centaines à plusieurs milliers de logements), construits entre le milieu des années 1950 et le milieu des années 1970, marqués par un urba-nisme de barres et de tours inspiré des préceptes de l’architecture moderne.
Ces grands ensembles, dont plusieurs centaines ont été construits en France, ont permis un large accès au confort moderne (eau courante chaude et froide, chauffage central, équipements sanitaires, ascenseur…) pour les ouvriers des banlieues ouvrières, les habitants des habitats insalubres, les rapatriés d’Algérie et la main-d’oeuvre des grandes industries.
Ils se retrouvent fréquemment en crise sociale profonde à partir des années 1980, et sont, en France, l’une des raisons de la mise en place de ce qu’on appelle la politique de la Ville. Définition
Il n’y a pas de consensus pour définir un grand ensemble.
On peut toutefois en distinguer deux :
• Selon le service de l’Inventaire du ministère de la Culture français, un grand ensemble est un «aménagement urbain comportant plusieurs bâtiments isolés pouvant être sous la forme de barres et de tours, construit sur un plan masse constituant une unité de conception. Il peut être à l’usage d’activité et d’habitation et, dans ce cas, comporter plusieurs centaines ou milliers de logements. Son foncier ne fait pas nécessairement l’objet d’un remembrement, il n’est pas divisé par lots ce qui le différencie du lotissement concerté».
• Selon le «géopolitologue» Yves Lacoste, un grand ensemble est une «masse de logements organisée en un ensemble. Cette organisation n’est pas seulement la conséquence d’un plan masse; elle repose sur la présence d’équipement collectifs (écoles, commerces, centre social, etc.) […]. Le grand ensemble apparaît donc comme une unité d’habitat relativement autonome formée de bâtiments collectifs, édifiée en un assez bref laps de temps, en fonction d’un plan global qui comprend plus de 1000 logements».
Le géographe Hervé Vieillard-Baron apporte des précisions : c’est, selon lui, un aménagement en rupture avec le tissu urbain existant, sous la forme de barres et de tours, conçu de manière globale et introduisant des équipements règlementaires, comportant un financement de l’État et/ou des établissements publics. Toujours selon lui, un grand ensemble comporte un minimum de 500 logements (limite fixée pour les Zone à urbaniser en priorité (ZUP) en 1959). Enfin, un grand ensemble n’est pas nécessairement situé en périphérie d’une ag-glomération.
Comme on le voit ci-dessus, la détermination d’un seuil de logements peut être débattue. Les formes du grand ensemble sont assez récurrentes, inspirées (ou légitimées) par des préceptes de l’architecture moderne et en particulier des CIAM : ils se veulent une application de la Charte d’Athènes4. Pour autant, on ne peut pas dire qu’il s’agisse d’une application directe des principes de Le Corbusier. Ils sont aussi le fruit d’une industriali-sation progressive du secteur du bâtiment et, notamment en France, des procédés de préfabrication en béton.
Histoire
La Cité de la Muette à Drancy, construite par Eugène Beaudouin, Marcel Lods et Jean Prouvé entre 1931 et 1934 pour l’Office public HBM de la Seine, est traditionnellement considérée comme le premier grand en-semble en France. Elle est même à l’origine du terme de «grand ensemble» puisque c’est ainsi que la désigne pour la première fois Marcel Rotival dans un article de l’époque6. Cette cité, initialement conçue comme une cité-jardin, se transforme en cours d’étude en un projet totalement inédit en France, avec ses 5 tours de 15 étages et son habitat totalement collectif. Cependant, cette initiative reste sans lendemain du moins dans l’immédiat.
Après la Seconde Guerre mondiale, le temps est à la reconstruction et la priorité n’est pas donnée à l’habitat. Le premier plan quinquennal de Jean Monnet (1947-1952) a avant tout pour objectif la reconstruction des infrastructures de transport et le recouvrement des moyens de production. Par ailleurs, le secteur du bâtiment en France est alors incapable de construire des logements en grande quantité et rapidement : ce sont encore de petites entreprises artisanales aux méthodes de constructions traditionnelles.
Les besoins sont pourtant considérables : sur 14,5 millions de logements, la moitié n’a pas l’eau courante, les 3/4 n’ont pas de WC, 90 % pas de salle de bain. On dénombre 350 000 taudis, 3 millions de logements surpeu-plés et un déficit constaté de 3 millions d’habitations. Le blocage des loyers depuis 19147, très partiellement atténué par la Loi de 1948, ne favorise pas les investissements privés.
L’État tente de changer la situation en impulsant à l’industrialisation des entreprises du bâtiment : en 1950, Eugène Claudius-Petit, ministre de la reconstruction, lance le concours de la Cité Rotterdam à Strasbourg. Ce programme doit comporter 800 logements, mais le concours, ouvert à un architecte associé à une entreprise de BTP, prend en compte des critères de coût et de rapidité d’exécution. Le projet est gagné par Eugène Beau-douin qui réalise un des premiers grands ensembles d’après guerre en 1953. En 1953 toujours, Pierre Courant, Ministre de la Reconstruction et du Logement, fait voter une loi qui met en place une série d’interventions (appelée «Plan Courant») facilitant la construction de logements tant du point de vue foncier que du point de vue du financement (primes à la construction, prêts à taux réduit, etc.) : la priorité est donnée clairement par le ministère aux logements collectifs et à la solution des grands ensembles.
La même année, la création de la contribution obligatoire des entreprises à l’effort de construction (1 % de la masse des salaires pour les entreprises de plus de 10 salariés) introduit des ressources supplémentaires pour la réalisation de logements sociaux : c’est le fameux «1 % patronal». Ces fonds sont réunis par l’Office Central Interprofessionnel du Logement (OCIL), à l’origine de la construction d’un certain nombre de grands ensembles.
Mais le véritable choc psychologique intervient en 1954 : le terrible hiver et l’action de l’Abbé Pierre engage le gouvernement à lancer une politique de logement volontariste. Un programme de «Logements économiques de première nécessité» (LEPN) est lancé en juillet 1955 : il s’agit de petites cités d’urgence sous la forme de pavillons en bandes. En réalité, ces réalisations précaires s’avèrent catastrophiques et se transforment en tau-dis insalubres dès l’année suivante. La priorité est donnée alors résolument à l’habitat collectif de grande taille et à la préfabrication en béton, comme seule solution au manque de logements en France.
Une multitude de procédures administratives
Grands ensembles du quartier Villejean à Rennes par l’architecte Louis Arretche.
Il n’existe pas une procédure type de construction d’un grand ensemble pendant cette période. En effet, de très nombreuses procédures techniques ou financières sont utilisées. Elles servent souvent d’ailleurs à désigner les bâtiments ou quartiers construits à l’époque : Secteur industrialisé, LOPOFA (LOgements POpulaires FAmiliaux), Logecos (LOGements ÉCOnomiques et familiaux), LEN (Logements économiques normalisés), l’opération Million, l’opération «Économie de main d’oeuvre». L’unique objectif de toutes ces procédures est de construire vite et en très grande quantité. Le cadre de la Zone à urbaniser en priorité intervient en 1959, avec des constructions qui ne commencent réellement qu’en 1961-1962.
Les contextes de constructions
Le quartier de La Rouvière (9ème arrondissement) à Marseille construit par Xavier Arsène-Henry.
On peut distinguer 3 contextes de construction de ces grands ensembles à la fin des années 1950 et début des années 1960 :
• de nouveaux quartiers périphériques de villes anciennes ayant pour objectif de reloger des populations ins-tallées dans des logements insalubres en centre-ville ou pour accueillir des populations venues des campagnes environnantes (cas les plus fréquents).
• des villes nouvelles liées à l’implantation d’industries nouvelles ou à la politique d’aménagement du ter-ritoire : c’est le cas de Mourenx (avec le Gaz de Lacq), Bagnols-sur-Cèze ou Pierrelatte (liées à l’industrie nucléaire). On voit aussi des cas hybrides avec la première situation, avec des implantations proches de villes satellites de Paris, dans le but de contrebalancer l’influence de cette dernière : c’est le cas de la politique des «3M» dans le département de Seine-et-Marne avec la construction de grands ensembles liés à des zones in-dustrielles à Meaux, Melun, Montereau-Fault-Yonne.
• des opérations de rénovation de quartiers anciens : le quartier de la Porte de Bâle à Mulhouse, l’îlot Bièvre dans le 13e arrondissement de Paris, le centre-ville ancien de Chelles.
Il est à noter qu’un grand ensemble n’est pas forcément un ensemble de logements sociaux : il peut s’agir aussi de logements de standing, comme le quartier de la Rouvière à Marseille.
Les modes de constructions
Le Haut du Lièvre (3000 logements, construits à partir de 1954), deux des plus longues barres de France, construite par Bernard Zehrfuss sur une crête surplombant Nancy.
Tout est mis en oeuvre pour qu’un maximum d’économies soient réalisées sur le chantier :
• la préfabrication : de nombreux procédés de préfabrications sont mis en oeuvre sur les chantiers permettant un gain de temps et d’argent. Expérimentés au cours des chantiers de la Reconstruction après la Seconde Guerre mondiale, ces procédés permettent la construction en série de panneaux de bétons, d’escaliers, d’huisseries mais aussi d’éléments de salles de bains à l’intérieur même du logements. Ces procédés ont pour nom : Camus (expérimenté au Havre et exporté jusqu’en URSS), Estiot (au Haut-du-Lièvre à Nancy) ou Tracoba (à la Pierre Collinet à Meaux). Les formes simples (barres, tours) sont privilégiées le long du chemin de grue (grue posée sur des rails) avec des usines à béton installées à proximité du chantier, toujours dans une recherche de gain de temps.
• une économie de main d’oeuvre : la préfabrication permet de faire appel à une main d’oeuvre peu qualifiée, souvent d’origine immigrée. De grands groupes de BTP bénéficient de contrats pour des chantiers de construc-tion gigantesques, favorisés par l’État.
• les maîtres d’ouvrages sont eux aussi très concentrés et favorise les grandes opérations. La Caisse des dépôts et consignations est ainsi l’un des financeurs incontournables de ce mouvement de construction avec notam-ment sa filiale, la SCIC (Société Civile immobilière de la Caisse des dépôts et consignations), créée en 1954. Elle fait appel à des architectes majeurs des années 1950 et 1960, tels que Jean Dubuisson, Marcel Lods, Jacques Henri Labourdette, Bernard Zehrfuss, Raymond Lopez, Charles-Gustave Stoskopf et elle est à l’ori-gine de nombreux grands ensembles situés en région parisienne, tels que Sarcelles (le plus grand programme en France avec 10 000 logements), Créteil, Massy-Antony.
Les désignations de ces grands ensembles sont à cette époque très diverses : unité de voisinage, unité d’habitation, ville nouvelle (sans aucun rapport avec les villes nouvelles de Paul Delouvrier), villes satellites, ou encore cités nouvelles, etc.Pendant 20 ans, on estime à 300 000 le nombre de logements construits ainsi par an, alors qu’au début des années 1950, on ne produisait que 10 000 logements chaque année. 6 millions de logements sont ainsi construits au total. 90 % de ces constructions sont aidées par l’État.
En 1965, le programme des villes nouvelles est lancé, se voulant en rupture avec l’urbanisme des grands ensembles. En 1969, les zones à urbaniser en priorité sont abandonnées au profit des zones d’aménagement concerté, créées deux ans auparavant. Enfin, le 21 mars 1973, une circulaire ministérielle signée par Olivier Guichard, ministre de l’Équipement, du Logement et des Transports, «visant à prévenir la réalisation des formes d’urbanisation dites « grands ensembles » et à lutter contre la ségrégation sociale par l’habitat», interdit toute construction d’ensembles de logements de plus de 500 unités. La construction des grands ensembles est définitivement abandonnée. La loi Barre de 1977 fait passer la priorité de l’aide gouvernementale de la construction collective à l’aide aux ménages : c’est le retour du pavillonnaire et du logement.
Les guerres jouent un rôle majeur dans l'histoire architecturale d'un pays. Alors que les commémorations orchestrées par la mission Centenaire 1914-1918 battent leur plein, il paraît intéressant de revenir sur ce que la Grande Guerre a représenté pour les architectes, au-delà des destructions et du traumatisme. Ce premier épisode de « mobilisation totale » - suivant les termes utilisés par Ernst Jünger en 1930 -, a notamment entraîné une industrialisation accéléré des processus de production, qui a marqué les esprits. Certains architectes comme Félix Dumail et Marcel Lods se sont alors engagés dans la définition d'un cadre urbanistique nouveau pour le logement social : au sein de l'Office public d'habitations à bon marché du département de la Seine, ils ont largement contribué à l'invention du « grand ensemble ».
La reconstruction de l'après Première Guerre mondiale a souvent été présentée comme une occasion manquée. Cette antienne a même servi de repoussoir après la Seconde. C'est pourtant un bilan à tempérer, puisqu'au sortir de l'une et l'autre, on est parvenu à reconstruire un nombre de logements comparable en valeur relative, dans à peu près le même laps de temps. Plus généralement, les vicissitudes des chantiers de l'entre-deux-guerres tiennent au contexte économique et politique, au problème du moratoire des loyers, aux effets de la crise de 1929, etc., plutôt qu'à une défaillance des savoir-faire des entreprises et des architectes. Dans cette période ouverte cohabitent, au contraire, des procédés constructifs aussi nombreux qu'efficaces. L'élaboration des programmes modernes - logement social, équipements sportifs, sociaux et éducatifs, grande distribution, etc. - est l'objet d'un éventail de recherches d'une grande pluralité. On aura rarement inventé autant de types architecturaux. Ainsi, pour paraphraser ce que Jean-Louis Cohen écrit de la Seconde Guerre (1), on peut suggérer que la Première ne représente pas seulement quatre années de « page blanche », ni même une répétition de la suivante, mais bien, elle aussi, un temps de condensation « technologique, typologique et esthétique ». Si la Seconde Guerre coïncide avec la « victoire » et la « suprématie » de la modernité architecturale, la Premièren'est pas en reste, qui pose les conditions de diffusion du fordisme, de la préfabrication des bâtiments et dessine les contours urbanistiques de la construction de masse.
Certes, le XIXe siècle, avec le Paris d'Haussmann et les expositions universelles, avait largement plus que défricher les champs de la rapidité, de l'étendue et de la quantité, mais, spécifiquement, l'entre-deux-guerres est marqué par le perfectionnement de la répétition (2). Un des effets de la Grande Guerre réside dans l'accélération de la mise en place d'un cadre de production pour le logement collectif et dans la définition progressive du « grand ensemble ». Ce concept, apparu en juin 1935 sous la plume de Maurice Rotival dans L'Architecture d'aujourd'hui, ressortit à la tentative « d'un urbanisme contemporain : un urbanisme des habitations » (3). Son héraut est l'Office public d'habitations à bon marché du département de la Seine (OPHBMS) d'Henri Sellier, futur ministre de la Santé publique du Front populaire. Imaginé en 1913, organisé pendant la guerre, l'OPHBMS sera, avant 1939, le maître d'ouvrage de plus de 17 000 logements répartis en une vingtaine d'opérations banlieusardes.
Dans une perspective de généalogie du logement de masse français, il y a grand intérêt à suivre les parcours des architectes de l'OPHBMS pendant la Grande Guerre. Parmi la vingtaine de protagonistes concernés, seuls deux étaient trop âgés pour participer au conflit : Raphaël Loiseau (1856-1925), architecte-conseil, et Alexandre Maistrasse (1860-1951), qui s'applique dès avant l'armistice au projet de la « cité-jardins » de Suresnes, dont Sellier sera maire de 1919 à 1940. Il y livrera près de 2 500 logements. Bien que plus jeune, Maurice Payret-Dortail (1874-1929) n'est pas mobilisé et participe à la mise en place de l'Office durant la guerre, avant de travailler jusqu'à son décès prématuré à une autre grande cité-jardins, celle du Plessis-Robinson. Nés entre 1868 et 1900, les autres architectes correspondent exactement aux classes d'âge appelées au front.
Les figures de Marcel Lods et de Felix Dumail
Deux d'entre eux (4) ont laissé des archives significatives sur ces années : Félix Dumail (1883-1955), un des plus fidèles compagnons de Sellier, et Marcel Lods (1891-1978), brillant cadet entré dans un second temps à l'OPHBMS avec son associé Eugène Beaudouin (1898-1983). Dumail est diplômé de l'Atelier Bernier en 1908 et lorsqu'il est mobilisé, il figure déjà parmi les pionniers du logement social. Lods, quant à lui, est admis dans le même atelier en 1911, mais, conscrit l'année suivante, il ne quitte l'uniforme qu'une fois la guerre terminée. Il obtient son diplôme en 1923, tout en collaborant dès 1921 sur d'importantes opérations HBM avec Albert Beaudouin, architecte de la Société des logements économiques pour familles nombreuses depuis 1907. Celui-ci lui cédera son agence en 1929, ainsi qu'à son neveu Eugène.
Vers des logements sociaux en grande série
Il faut rappeler qu'à l'approche de la guerre, ce que l'on nomme le logement ouvrier se situe à un tournant : fin 1912, la loi Bonnevay a affirmé son caractère public. Elle autorise alors les collectivités locales à constituer des offices d'habitations à bon marché, domaine jusque-là réservé des sociétés anonymes et des fondations philanthropiques. Peu avant, la Ville de Paris a obtenu la possibilité de produire elle-même des logements sociaux. Si les résultats du concours qu'elle lance en 1912 sont suspendus, du fait de ses terrains petits et irrégulier ayant inspiré des propositions peu généralisables, quelques architectes se sont d'ores et déjà essayés à décliner des plans en immeubles libres et cours ouvertes. C'est le cas de Payret-Dortail, lauréat sur le site de l'avenue Émile-Zola, et du jeune groupement Dumail, Jean Hébrard et Antonin Trévelas. Au concours de 1913, ce trio peut développer ses principes à l'échelle plus favorable de vastes terrains. Il se retrouve lauréat de 600 logements rue Marcadet, avec un projet désigné dix ans plus tard comme un des plus avancés des « standards d'avant-guerre » (5). Ce deuxième concours, qui porte l'ambition d'entamer un processus de construction en grande série sur la base de plans-modèles, suscite l'engouement, puisque près de 700 châssis ont été adressés et que, comme l'affirme L'Architecture : « On sent qu'il y a maintenant une génération d'architectes s'intéressant à la question des habitations à bon marché, et qui l'ont comprise. » (6) Sellier ne s'y trompe pas, qui forme, entre 1916 et 1921, la première équipe d'architectes-directeurs de l'OPHBMS en puisant parmi les lauréats des concours parisiens : Albenque et Gonnot ; Arfvidson, Bassompierre et de Rutté ; Hébrard et Dumail, Maistrasse, Payret-Dortail, Pelletier, Teisseire.
L'entrée en guerre, dans un premier temps, coupe net l'élan de cette génération, avant de la décimer. Ainsi, Trévelas aura son nom gravé sur le monument aux morts de la cour du mûrier, au cœur de l'École des beaux-arts. Mobilisé dans l'infanterie, Dumail décrit dans ses courriers et dans son journal, le manque d'organisation, la faim, la fatigue, les douleurs corporelles, l'ampleur des destructions et les atrocités : blessures par obus, barricades élevées avec des couches de cadavres, etc. Si l'épisode napoléonien avait déjà provoqué des tueries de masse, celles-ci se singularisent. Leur mécanisation et l'annihilation du territoire représenteront une source inextinguible de réflexions pour les architectes, faisant écho à une sensibilité récente : les théories premières de Prosper Mérimée ou Viollet-le-Duc - suite au « vandalisme » de la révolution et aux effets de l'industrialisation - venaient justement d'accoucher le 31 décembre 1913 de l'actuelle loi sur les monuments historiques. Après guerre, les architectes se passionneront du sort des monuments endommagés - la cathédrale de Reims notamment - et du statut des ruines, quasi sacralisées par un Auguste Perret. Simultanément les avant-gardes mettront en avant l'idée de la table rase. Le spectacle des manœuvres de nuit sous le feu des projecteurs procure ainsi à Dumail un sentiment ambigu de fascination-répulsion, évoquant la sidération exprimée par un Apollinaire.
Dumail manifeste des capacités d'observation hors du commun, qui lui vaudront la légion d'honneur. Sous les bombardements, il exécute des plans et des panoramas des positions ennemies, permettant de mieux diriger les tirs. Nommé sous-lieutenant en octobre 1915, il entame des démarches pour être affecté à l'aviation. À l'appui de sa demande, il mentionne sa passion pour les sports mécaniques, sa pratique assidue de la moto et souligne son succès en 1912 au concours Chenavard consacré à une école d'aviation militaire. C'est pourtant un projet dans lequel l'aéroport représentait surtout un emblème. À l'instar, du reste, de l'aéroport de la cité-jardins du Grand Paris imaginée par l'OHBMS en 1919 en marge des projets du Plessis-Robinson et de la Butte-Rouge (Châtenay-Malabry), ou encore, à partir de 1922, de celui qu'associe Le Corbusier à une autoroute sur la rive droite de Paris, dans son fameux Plan Voisin soutenu par le fabricant automobile et aéronautique éponyme. Bien que Dumail juge plus aisé de piloter un avion qu'une auto et malgré le soutien de ses officiers, ses démarches n'aboutissent pas. Pas plus que ses tentatives d'entrer au Génie puis au service technique de Peugeot ou encore, en 1917, ses propositions d'adaptation d'une mitrailleuse Hotchkiss auprès du sous-secrétariat d'État des inventions. Comme beaucoup d'appelés, Dumail attendra sa démobilisation quasiment jusqu'au traité de Versailles, en 1919. Durant ces années incertaines, alors que ne se concrétisent ni le chantier de la rue Marcadet ni sa nomination définitive par l'OPHBMS - il y est inscrit avec Hébrard sur la liste d'architectes depuis 1917 -, il voyage dans les régions dévastées. Dumail et Hébrard sont agréés pour la reconstruction des Ardennes en 1921, au moment où les études de la rue Marcadet reprennent et celles de la cité-jardins de Gennevilliers deviennent opérationnelles.
Cette concentration de commandes explique que leur activité de reconstruction se limite au seul village d'Attigny (Ardennes), d'autant que leurs aspirations vont bientôt dépasser l'horizon hexagonal. En effet, lorsque Dumail retrouve Hébrard, celui-ci enseigne l'architecture dans le cadre de l'American Expeditionary Forces University, prolongeant son expérience à l'université Cornell-Ithaca entre 1906 et 1911. Leurs deux frères, eux aussi architectes, sont à l'étranger : GabrielDumail, fait prisonnier en 1915, est parti pour la Chine ; quant à ErnestHébrard, Grand Prix de Rome 1904, il a aussi été fait prisonnier avant de se voir confier, en 1918, la reconstruction de Salonique, puis de devenir architecte en chef d'Indochine. Pionnier de l'urbanisme - néologisme de 1910 -, il est membre fondateur de la Société française des architectes urbanistes en 1911, et l'une des premières figures de l'architecture internationale, voire « mondialisée ». Il avait entraîné, peu avant la guerre, son frère et les Dumail dans l'aventure de l'International World Centre : un essai de capitale pour les États-Unis du monde, précurseur de la Société des Nations, dans lequel La Construction moderne voyait en janvier 1914 « une école mondiale de la paix »... arrivée trop tard ! De cette tentation de l'ailleurs, Dumail tire quelques réalisations en Indochine entre 1924 et 1928. Jean Hébrard, lui, s'expatrie en 1925 pour devenir un des théoriciens du City Planning dans les universités de Pennsylvanie puis du Michigan.
Des chantiers d'expérience
Dumail consacrera dès lors l'essentiel de sa carrière à l'OPHBMS, en tant qu'architecte-directeur des cités-jardins de Gennevilliers, du Pré-Saint-Gervais, de Dugny, de l'achèvement de Suresnes, et d'un ensemble HBM pour militaires à Saint-Mandé, immédiatement reconnus pour la qualité de leurs logements et de leur greffe urbaine. Comme pour la cité de la rue Marcadet, il y conçoit « des bâtiments isolés, absolument entourés d'air et de lumière » (7). Ces « chantiers d'expériences », suivant une expression des années 1920 qui deviendra emblématique à la Libération, sont souvent mis en œuvre par des entreprises ayant fourbi leurs premières armes avec les troupes américaines pour des constructions de baraquements préfabriqués. Ils permettront à Dumail de figurer parmi les rares architectes français à avoir édifié plus de 2 000 logements avant la Seconde Guerre, dans lesquels il étrennera les chemins de grue et les principes de coffrage des Trente Glorieuses.On ne peut que faire le lien entre ses aspirations pendant la guerre, sa culture technique, son goût pour la mécanique, et ceux d'autres acteurs de la modernité architecturale. Quelques années avant lui, en 1904, son associé Hébrard brille lui aussi au concours Chenavard, avec pour sujet un Palais de l'automobile. En 1908, le Salon de l'automobile accueille à Paris ses premiers exposants aéronautiques et c'est justement un architecte de la même génération, AndréGranet (1881-1974), futur gendre d'Eiffel, qui contribue l'année suivante à lancer au Grand Palais la première exposition internationale de la locomotion aérienne, ancêtre du salon du Bourget. Plus précisément, le passage de l'observation militaire à l'aviation renvoie à WalterGropius (1883-1969). Comme Dumail ou encore André Lurçat, mais dans le camp d'en face, le fondateur du Bauhaus dessine d'abord ses repérages de ligne de front à pied, avant d'être affecté à l'aviation et d'y connaître une révélation, déterminante pour sa carrière (😎. Cette passion de la photographie aérienne sera partagée par son alter ego français dans l'expérimentation de la préfabrication, Marcel Lods, en pleine résonance avec une attention voulue « scientifique » au territoire et à sa documentation - une des constantes des équipes de l'OPHBMS. Si Lods s'engage comme aviateur en 1939, il est vingt-cinq ans plus tôt affecté comme instructeur d'artillerie. Et il ne lui échappe pas qu'avec presque 900 millions d'obus tirés, son arme représente l'instrument par excellence de l'industrialisation de la guerre. Puis, il suit l'arrivée des troupes américaines et de leurs engins et se passionne pour le développement spectaculaire des industries automobile et aéronautique aux États-Unis. Pays où était née, dès 1908, la fameuse Ford T, premier véhicule de série. Du début des années 1920 jusqu'à la fin de sa carrière, aux côtés de grands ingénieurs, Lods tente d'exporter ce modèle à celui du bâtiment et de ses composants. Ce seront notamment les chantiers de la Cité du Champ des Oiseaux, à Bagneux (1927-1933), et de La Muette, à Drancy (1931-1934). Puis, après guerre, les Grandes Terres de Marly-le-Roi (1952-1960) et surtout la Grand'Mare de Rouen (1960-1977). C'est aussi une myriade de petites réalisations prototypiques, à commencer par l'aéroclub de Buc abordé au moment où Lods obtient son brevet de pilote, en 1932.
Ses chantiers qui se veulent de pur montage, rêvés en gants blanc, ne sont pas dénués d'utopie. Ils participent au sentiment qui sourd au début du XXe siècle, selon lequel l'homme s'apprête à faire quasi corps avec la machine. Charlie Chaplin a génialement montré dans Les Temps modernes en 1936 la part tragique de cette nouvelle condition. Elle apparaît comme un des effets les plus paradoxaux de la guerre, dans laquelle toute une génération a été confrontée aux corps mutilés en masse, soumis aux éléments et à la putréfaction en plein champ, mais aussi possiblement transcendés par la mécanisation et la science. Alfred Jarry en avait eu l'intuition dès 1902 avec Le Surmâle : roman moderne dans lequel il dressait le récit de la course - en forme d'hécatombe - d'un train à vapeur et de cyclistes dopés à la « perpetual-motion food ». Le Corbusier est l'architecte qui, au contact des Planistes et du théoricien eugéniste Alexis Carrel, captera le mieux ce nouveau rapport au corps, avec ses recherches sur l'immeuble-villa puis sur l'« unité d'habitation de grandeur conforme », instruments d'une « fabrique de l'homme nouveau » liant sport, biologie et habitation. Intégré à la fondation Carrel entre 1943 à 1945 (9), Dumail n'échappera pas à ce programme « d'hygiène sociale et de prophylaxie » énoncé par Sellier lui-même au moins dès 1921.Ces proches de Sellier que sont Dumail et Lods ont vu leurs réalisations de l'OPHBMS données en 1935 comme modèles du programme du grand ensemble du futur, dans cette période accidentée où s'élaborait une culture politique de gestion de la croissance des périphéries urbaines. À la Libération, ils affirment ensemble le logement comme la grande « affaire » du XXe siècle dans un livret du comité Henri-Sellier (10). En 1951, ils s'engagent presque simultanément dans les chantiers respectifs des deux SHAPE Villages : Dumail à Saint-Germain-en-Laye, aux côtés de Jean Dubuisson, et Lods à Fontainebleau. Les logements qu'ils bâtissent, chacun à sa façon mais tous deux en un temps record, pour les sous-officiers et officiers du quartier général des forces alliées en Europe, constituent un des moments fondateurs de la politique de construction à venir : les grands ensembles français ne sont décidément pas tombés du ciel avec la croissance et le baby-boom. * Architecte, Hubert Lempereur a consacré de nombreux articles à la généalogie et à l'histoire matérielle et culturelle des premiers grands ensembles français et à la construction de masse. À paraître, Félix Dumail, architecte de la « cité-jardins », aux éditions du patrimoine et La Samaritaine, Paris, aux éditions Picard, ouvrage codirigé avec Jean-François Cabestan. 1. J.-L. Cohen, Architecture en uniforme. Projeter et construire pour la Seconde Guerre mondiale, Hazan/Centre Canadien d'Architecture, 2011. 2. Voir P. Chemetov et B. Marrey, Architectures. Paris 1848-1914, Dunod, 1980. 3. M. Rotival, « Urbanisme des H.B.M. - Formes de la cité », L'Architecture d'aujourd'hui, n° 6, juin 1935. 4. Leurs archives sont conservées au centre d'archives d'architecture du XXe siècle. La famille Dumail conserve de son côté ses correspondances de guerre. 5. J. Posener, « Historique des H.B.M. - Naissance du problème, premières solutions », L'Architecture d'aujourd'hui, n° 6, juin 1935. 6. G. Ernest, « Concours pour la construction par la Ville de Paris d'immeubles collectifs à bon marché », L'Architecture, 28 fév. 1914. 7. A. Gaillardin, « Les derniers concours de la Ville de Paris pour la construction d'habitations à bon marché », La Construction moderne, 28 juin 1914. 8. J. Gubler, « L'aérostation, prélude à l'aviation ? Notes sur la découverte architecturale du paysage aérien », Matières, 1998. 9. H. Lempereur, « La fondation Carrel (1941-1945), Le Corbusier et Félix Dumail : portraits d'architectes en bio-sociologues », fabricA, 2009. 10. F. Dumail, P. Grünebaum-Ballin, R. Hummel, M. Lods, P. Pelletier et P. Sirvin, L'affaire du logement social, préface de Léon Blum, Éditions de la Liberté, 1947. TEXTE DU MONITEUR @ les #Constructions #Modernes #BANLIEUE @ l' #Urbanisme & l es #Chantiers d'#ApresGuerre ici #Mémoire2ville le #Logement Collectif* dans tous ses états..#Histoire & #Mémoire de l'#Habitat / Département territoire terroir region ville souvenirs du temps passé d une époque revolue #Archives ANRU / #Rétro #Banlieue / Renouvellement #Urbain / #Urbanisme / #HLM #postwar #postcard #cartepostale twitter.com/Memoire2cite Villes et rénovation urbaine..Tout savoir tout connaitre sur le sujet ici via le PDF de l'UNION SOCIALE POUR L HABITAT (l'USH)... des textes à savoir, à apprendre, des techniques de demolition jusqu a la securisation..& bien plus encore.. union-habitat.org/.../files/articles/documents/...
www.dailymotion.com/video/xk6xui Quatre murs et un toit 1953 - Le Corbusier, l'architecte du bonheur 1957 conceptions architecturales le modulor, l'architecture de la ville radieuse, Chandigarh, Marseille, Nantes www.dailymotion.com/video/xw8prl Un documentaire consacré aux conceptions architecturales et urbanistiques de Le Corbusier.Exposées
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El sol de mitjanit és un fenomen que es produeix a certes parts del planeta (entre els cercles polars i el pol corresponent), consistent en què el Sol no es pon en tota la nit, durant uns dies o mesos al voltant del solstici d'estiu.
L'explicació està en la inclinació de la Terra. La Terra, com un més dels altres planetes, es mou tot seguint una òrbita el·líptica al voltant del Sol, el qual està en un dels seus focus (moviment de translació). El pla de l'òrbita s'anomena eclíptica, i si l'estenem vers l'infinit cap l'esfera celest, talla les constel·lacions anomenades zodiacals, que són sobre les que veuríem projectat el Sol durant l'any si aquest no ens enlluernes. Al no ser l'òrbita una circumferència, hi haurà un moment en què la distància al Sol serà màxima (afeli) i un altre en què serà mínima (periheli).
L'afeli coincideix amb l'estiu a l'hemisferi nord (hivern en el sud) de la Terra i el periheli amb l'estiu a l'hemisferi sud (hivern en el nord). L'afeli i el periheli no són, però, els responsables de les estacions de l'any.
L'eix de rotació de la Terra no és perpendicular al pla de translació (eclíptica), estant inclinat uns 23°. Aquest fet, normal en tots els planetes del sistema solar, dóna lloc a unes estacions climàtiques ben diferenciades, al Sol de mitjanit, les nits polars d'alguns mesos i a que l'estel polar ens marqui el nord.
Si ens imaginem en el Pol Nord i suposem que el nostre planeta no està inclinat 23° podem comprendre que veuríem, sempre, el Sol just a l'horitzó. No tindríem ni dies ni nits, però sempre crepuscle. La inclinació de 23° de l'eix de rotació comporta que, el Sol pugui assolir en el pol una alçada màxima de 23° quan la inclinació aboca l'hemisferi nord vers el nostre estel i que durant una temporada desapareguin les nits.
Simètricament també es dóna el cas contrari. I a més a més, quan en un dels pols passa una cosa, en l'altre pol passa el contrari. Però apart dels pols, tot això també afecta a la resta del planeta establint diferents pautes d'insolació de la superfície, diferents alçades màximes del Sol, diferents durades del dia durant l'any, en el que s'inclouen les anomenades nits blanques a Escòcia o a Rússia, per exemple, i que el Sol només surti i es posi exactament per l'est i l'oest els dies de l'equinocci.
En països com Noruega o Islàndia i en les latituds superiors al Cercle Polar Àrtic, el Sol no es pon durant els dies anteriors i posteriors al solstici d'estiu.
To the surprise of probably nobody that knows my habits, I preordered what is probably the last Scarlett Johansson Black Widow Figuarts release - of course, I'm speaking of the one for her movie, which we would have seen by now under normal circumstances.
Interestingly enough though, despite being seen in at least two costumes, there was only one Widow figure solicited, and the entire movie only generated two figures - Widow and Taskmaster, which I didn't bother to get.
A bit about the box art first.. bottom right hand corner of the front shows Natasha with her hair down, but wearing the black costume. So for those keeping score, that's now potentially four different hair styles I've seen within the scope of one movie, which will make things interesting if Hot Toys decides to actually make anything for this movie.
If you bought the Endgame release of Natasha, you're basically already familiar with the payload - there's the figure in her all new suit and one of several hair new hair styles, no additional faces this time, two baton handles for her backpack, two batons, one sickle, two empty holsters, two pistols, two filled holsters, Widow's Bite effects mounted on two fists, and pretty much the same extra hands (except her left hand no longer has the Quantum Watch).
If the face looks familiar, it's because she's had that face since Infinity War, and somehow I think maybe Tamashii Nations intended it to be a two faced package, but the same MSRP as before, might have nixed that idea.
If you look at the profile view of her head, you'll see the surgical scars there.
Otherwise, you'll notice that the batons and the handles have paint on them this time, which was not present on the Endgame version (not in the movie anyway) but was lacking from the Infinity War version, and naturally the paint is on the sickles.
A bit more before we move on from comparisons to the previous versions.
You'll notice that this version of Nat is shorter than previously. After a bit of staring.. and more staring, I FINALLY arrived at the conclusion she's not shorter, she's just not wearing platform boots anymore.
Finally, I don't know what happened, but the Endgame version ended up looking much more jaundiced compared to both her predecessor and her successor. Thank goodness they fixed that because it certainly wasn't a one time thing, seeing how my backup Endgame Nat has the same complexion.
The new Widow suit appears to be a very stylized version of her comic suit, including finally gold accents, and she gains some neat elbow pads. It'll be interesting to see if they explain how her movie suits evolve into the IW ensemble that displeased many a viewer, as it appears to borrow many elements from her Endgame outfit, despite taking place between Civil War and Infinity War.
I don't know what to make of her hair. I mean, it's hair.. it's red.. so I guess that's a good start. Her massive ponytail is well detailed and painted for something of this scale. It just feels to me that they might have made her head too square at the forehead and the overall shape of her hair, making her head seem a tad undersized. The ponytail is relatively pliable, so you don't have to worry about it snapping off easily.
Articulation is effectively identical to what Endgame got you - toes, ankles, double jointed knees, hips on ball joints with a floating crotch section for improved range of motion, waist, mid torso, shoulders with some collapse and bicep swivel, single jointed elbows with forearm pivot, wrists, neck, and head. Her upper torso (bust to neck) has more restrictions on range of motion compared to Endgame as she no longer has that gap at the bottom of the piece and her abs.
The good news is that she looks slightly better from the side with fuller bust.
Paint work is once again an area with no real concerns (especially since I'm going forward in time for a review for once). The base black that Nat has all over the body is smooth, and there are no concerns I have to raise with regards to the gold, silver, and red accents on her body, though some of the silver paint on her weapons have seen better days (arguably the fault of the less than stellar finish).
Hands are consistent, which is to say they've been.. alright. You can tell they're fingers and that's about it - the Figma guys definitely have a better product from this perspective.
Hair and face I touched up on earlier. Solid stuff, especially with a decent Scar Jo sculpt and that digital painting stuff that has been working well for the past three iterations (AoU, IW, Endgame) and the new healthy complexion.
Finally there's build quality.. which strangely enough feels a slight step back. There's the anal retentive stuff (to my fingers, the box feels flimsier), and then there's the fact this is first Marvel Figuarts I've picked up that actually had a joint pop apart (fortunately it was something you could snap back together) and the left arm actually popped out of the socket (again, easily reassembled)
There are no other issues with QC (the rough finish on the baton handles were probably always there, just no paint to highlight them). The plastic itself definitely feels softer than Endgame (bringing it back more in line with Infinity War) and this is probably due to the lack of extensive fine textures, which were prevalent on the Endgame suit.
Well that about wraps it up for this Widow. It's still pretty good, despite trading aesthetics for articulation, having only one face, and some minor quality quips. She won't be the one travelling with me (my Endgame Nat is already play worn, so not point damaging another figure) but she'll be at home in the horde, keeping order when I'm not around.
Who here likes consistency? You know, that warm, familiar feeling every time you go to Taco Bell (going down or out.. up to you)... very consistent? You've been there enough times and you've generally had all their menu items and your opinion is that "it's alright". Then there's that one time out of the blue, you decide to try something vegetarian off the Fresco menu, only to realize it was a horrible, horrible mistake? Well, that's kind of like what happened with this particular entry: Figma Megumin from Kono Sabarashii Sekai ni Shyukufuku wo!.. however you pronounce that.
As with 99% of the magical girl entries on my list, I know nothing about the actual character. Couple of Wiki pages presents a personality that, as expected, fits the way she looks. As taken from a Fandom page:
"Megumin is a straightforward girl, who speaks in an old-style Japanese dialect. She can be very hyper and lively at times and has chuunibyou tendencies like the rest of the Crimson Demon villagers. She is very intelligent, but has very little self-control, especially when it comes to using Explosion magic. She has no problem wasting her spell on empty plains or abandoned castles, as long as she can use Explosion once a day."
There seemed to be quite a bit of excitement when the figure was announced a while back, so as I always do, I found a decent deal on one that had a few issues while out and about, figuring "it's a Figma, it'll be alright" and away I went. The issues being that this was an Amazon Warehouse deal, so it wasn't complete, though the only thing that was missing was the instruction manual. The peg holding her cape in place had snapped off, and her head wasn't in place, of which the latter I figure I could just go home and pop that sucker right back in because, well, wouldn't be the first time a head came off a Figma after being jostled.
Well, jokes on me. After trying with no success, I took to the Internet, and read a crap ton of negative reviews on this figure, ranging from poor QC to horrible design. The head thing? Wasn't the only one; several complaints on Amazon said the same thing, with most not even bothering to try to attach the head. I had to grind the hole to widen it before the neck joint would actually fit, and now it's a bit loose and prone to falling off. I read stories of the staff showing up broken. Seems overall, these Konosuba girls (as they are called) have been plagued with QC issues.. I'm glad I didn't pay MSRP on this figure, let me tell you.
Megumin comes with a typical payload when it comes to Figma. There's the figure, three total face plates (slight smile, attacking, scared), her hat, her cape, alternate hair with eye patch, energy effect for eye, staff, purple orb for staff, spell effect with staff end for attaching said effect, her Familiar Chomosuke, six additional hands plus one dedicated spell casting hand, and the usual Figma stand.
Based on the screen caps I've seen, it appears that overall, Max Factory has captured the overall silhouette of Megumin herself, and her look when equipped with her gear. Of course, she's a lanky Japanese school girl, so not exactly hard for Figma to replicate. Chomosuke is freakin' adorable.. not quite Kirby adorable, but pretty damn close. Sculpting details are up to snuff, with clean fingers, good texture detailing on the outfit, and some minor muscle definition on her bare back. Face plates look spot on.
Articulation is pretty typical for a Figma.. when she doesn't have her cape on. You have full motion ankles, single jointed knees, full motion hips, waist, mid torso movement, full motion shoulders combined with bicep swivel, standard elbows, wrists, and head articulation. Mid torso movement is limited due to the joint being embedded inside her outfit, which is a soft rubber material. I'm not sure if it's like this for all the recent Figma (I'm kind of behind schedule), but Megumin features this hinged joint which allows for a deeper range of motion when it comes to head tilt, while at the same time offering the same ball jointed base base of head joint that permits the standard range of motion there. The cape itself has two points of articulation, allowing for a simulated flow look which is great, but putting the cape on also limits the range of motion when it comes to raise the arms up into an overhead position. Her skirt also limits the movement of the upper legs, which in turn limits the number of stances you can have her in. Because of this, I found it very difficult to balance Megumin on her tiny feet, and as such a stand is pretty much needed for everything.
Paint work is, as expected, solid across the board. Even the yellows appear to be well applied, with no significant overspray or lumpy paint residue. The only ugly paint spot are the silver on her buckle and her necklace, which are relatively ugly, but not "gouge my eyes out" level. Decal work is at its usual level of excellence.
Building quality and design is where things kind of went South. I've already talked about my problems out the box above, but there's more to discuss. First and foremost, that stupid, stupid hat. So, someone, in their infinite wisdom, decided that rather than have the hat attach via a peg or something like that, decided the best way to have the hat sit on her head is the put a really thin piece of plastic on the inside of the hat, and have that clip between the two hair pieces.. sounds alright in theory until you realize actually getting the thing to fit in their is a nightmare because there really isn't enough clearance to slide the front hair piece in place should you try to get the hat in place first. So instead you end up leaving a slight gap, and cramming the hat on her head, hoping for the best. The eye effect is a separate piece, and it is up to the owner to use their hamburger finger to squeeze this tiny plastic piece, probably the size of a syringe needle, into place so it doesn't fall out of the hair. I found that the joints on the figure, while fine by themselves, aren't really meant to carry the weight of the staff, particularly if it has the energy effect attached on the end of it. The body itself is pretty typical build, so no too many complaints here.
So in the end, we had the potential for an outstanding Figma, one having vibrant colour and personality., only to have a multitude of QC issues and crappy design choices knock it down a few pegs. Without her hat and cape, Megumin is honestly average at best, as she really can't do much other than sligh variations of standing up. I guess if the cape wasn't broken on mine, at least I would keep the cape on constantly as it does add to the character. But that hat.. it's such a hassle to put it on you either never take it off or you just give up. The best parts of this set are the scared face and of course, Chomosuke.
Better luck next time, I suppose.
Mr. Berinie Ecclestone. British Grand Prix, 2005.
All in all, this season has been gratifying since Fernando Alonso has been so incredibly quick and consistent. For his youth, he seems a very mature driver, and he appears to have the balance of his emotions and ego placed in proper perspective. In short, the guy is super talented and very cool. This is the best thing that could happen to Formula 1.
As far as Indianapolis is concerned, I believe there were unseen forces that may be quite pleased to see Formula 1 fall flat on its face here in America. Of course, when viewed from a strictly fan perspective, the entire episode was one giant farcical disappointment.
Several matters come to mind. Michelin, the internationally known and recognized tire company somehow did not do the necessary research and showed up in America without a tire that was capable of performing on the Indy track surface. Granted, Bridgestone had been at the 500, so they naturally would have had more data on the track surface and so were well advised in what compounds they had chosen prior to arriving at the Brickyard. It is astounding however, when you analyze the sequence of events. That first and foremost, a tire company participating in Motor racing at the highest level of international competition with billions of dollars involved throughout the entire enterprise, would be capable of going in blindly without having at least examined what options they might need to have or what kind of obstacles they might be expected to incur. It was not a secret that the race track had been resurfaced in some way or another which resulted in a grittier more abrasive characteristic.
Michelin shows up and discovers that the tires they have are relatively useless and worse yet they are dangerous. Ralf Schumacher goes off in a high speed shunt, and one other driver whose name escapes me now, goes out as well, and all the while Michel in have no clue. Except they do realize and admit that the safety of the drivers precludes them from simply pressing forward and acting as if everything would be alright. For this I give them a certain degree of respect.
So when the windup ensues you have the race itself, and all that it represents in terms of the perennial desire for Formula 1 to someday, somehow establish itself firmly and loyally in the minds and hearts of American racing fans.
And then you have the internecine intrigue between the intricately drawn factions of the International Grand Prix circus. Here we enter into cultural, financial, philosophical, and not the least, personal conflicts and long standing animosities.
From the Bridgestone perspective, why would they have wished to smooth over a gaffe that exposed their world's greatest rival as something of a complete incompetent?
From the FISA point of view, I suppose they felt they would open a Pandora's box of possibilities wherein which rules that are so incredibly complex, must be continuously revised and reformatted to account for so many variables within the sport and the technology that it draws from in large measure. These rules would perhaps then be the constant point of negotiation as other points of departure would come into question.
Finally, Scuderia Ferrari was showing as much compassion as the Italian Expeditionary Tank forces extended to Hailee Sallase and his vastly out numbered, camel bourne , sling shot bearing defense force in Ethiopia. Another less than memorable episode in 20th century Italian history.
FISA was in no way potent enough by way of silent persuasion to effectuate an ultimate compromise. Max Mosley would have been wise, in my opinion, to have made his way to the paddock and the negotiating table, because the entire BRAND of Formula 1 was suffer ring a devastating blow to its credibility, marketability, and general point of popular acceptance.
As it turns out, he remained somewhere in Europe, Paris I suppose, and from that distance felt safe enough while allowing Ecclestone to bear all of the justifiable ire and resentment from those fans who made their weekend around seeing a genuinely competitive International Grand Prix. They deserve, and I believe they eventually will receive, their money for admission refunded.
Furthermore, Mr. Ecclestone is one person who would have, if he were able, in and of his own will, put together a compromise solution so as to have the racing fans enjoy what they had come to see. There is no one that I know, in or out of Formula 1 who is more desirous of establishing a permanent presence and appreciation for Grand Prix racing in the U.S. than Bernie Ecclestone. He has made repeated attempts to educate, if you will, the civic leaders here in Las Vegas about the kind of product that Formula 1 confirms as unique and attended by a very high end marketing segment with disposable income far greater than what is demographically described by the NASCAR and other forms of all American motor racing.
The unfairness in regards to Ecclestone and the vents at the recent American Grand Prix, is that there are limits to what he personally can do without risking the opposite side of the critics corner wherein which he is accused of wielding totalitarian and dictatorial control over every aspect of the entire enterprise.
To my way of thinking, to the extent that in every instance where to a greater or lesser degree, "The Ecclestone as Czar model" is accurate, then the entire Formula 1 world and everyone involved in this endeavor in any way large or small, should be thankful for all of the years of incessant determination and unrelenting focus and vision with which Bernie Ecclestone has dedicated himself towards bringing together the very essence of what is accepted as the world’s premier Motor Racing series.
Most knowledgeable people with even the slightest awareness of Motor racing in general, will acknowledge that Grand Prix Formula 1 exists on a level of technical and physical challenge unlike any other form of entertainment in the world today. The very fact that Ecclestone has traveled from year to year from race to race, from airport to hotel to airplane to helicopter to jet to hotel and back around again is testimony to the superior discipline, motivation, intellect and abounding business genius that mark the achievements of this leader of the world of Grand Prix Motor Sport.
His comment about the women being advised to wear dresses the color of kitchen appliances was simply his "East End" London sense of humor flexing itself as a leit motif to a very stressful situation.
I know from first hand, personal experience that Bernie Ecclestone is a genuine humanitarian and extraordinarily generous to those he loves and cares about. He is unsparingly loyal to those loyal to him, and he is a person who has done innumerable acts of great kindness to help those less fortunate through times of overwhelming adversity.
His financial success should not be held against him, because every pound note Bernie may hold he well deserves because he has worked his butt off and taken many risks, suffered many personal setbacks and disappointments integral to the dangers of Formula 1 and survived it all to stand as the single most influential leader in the world of Motor Sport since the beginning of organized and sanctioned competition.
No one that I can identify comes even close to having been able to accomplish so much from every angle to see that so many people realized so much more as drivers, team owners, promoters, journalists, photographers, and accessory entrepreneurs of every ancillary stripe.
All persons related to this unique form of incredible excitement and test of competitive skill and technical expertise owe an eternal debt of gratitude to Mr. Ecclestone, and those persons who have character and real integrity within the sport itself realize this only too well.
Without him, Grand Prix Motor Racing as we know it today, would not exist. Case Closed
ADO16 is the codename for the development of what became the Morris 1100, a small family car built by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and, later, British Leyland. Throughout the 1960s, the ADO16 was consistently the UK's best-selling car.
Although most of the cars were manufactured in England, the model was also built in Spain by Authi, in Italy by Innocenti and at the company's own plant in Belgium. It was the basis for locally adapted similar cars manufactured in Australia and South Africa.
The vehicle was launched as the Morris 1100 on August 15, 1962. The range was expanded to include several rebadged versions, including the twin-carburettor MG 1100, the Vanden Plas Princess (from October 1962), the Austin 1100 (August 1963), and finally the Wolseley 1100 (1965) and Riley Kestrel (1965). The Morris badged 1100/1300 gave up its showroom space to the Morris Marina in 1971, but Austin and Vanden Plas versions remained in production in the UK till June 1974.
The estate version followed in 1966, called Countryman in the Austin version and Traveller in the Morris one, continuing the established naming scheme.
In 1964 the 1100 was Wheels magazine's Car of the Year.
The original Mark I models were distinctive for their use of a Hydrolastic suspension. Marketing material highlighted the spacious cabin when compared to competitor models which in the UK by 1964 included the more conservatively configured Ford Anglia, Vauxhall Viva HA and BMC's own still popular Morris Minor.
At the end of May 1967, BMC announced the fitting of a larger 1275 cc engine to the MG, Riley Kestrel, Vanden Plas and Wolseley variants.[5] The new car combined the 1275 cc engine block already familiar to drivers of newer Mini Cooper and Austin-Healey Sprite models with the 1100 transmission, its gear ratios remaining unchanged for the larger engine, but the final-drive being significantly more highly geared.[5]
The Mark II versions of the Austin and Morris models were announced, with the larger engine making it into these two makes' UK market ranges in October 1967 (as the Austin 1300 and Morris 1100S and 100). An 1100 version of the Mark II continued alongside the larger engined models.
Unusually for cars at this end of the market, domestic market waiting lists of several months accumulated for the 1300 engined cars during the closing months of 1967 and well into 1968. The manufacturers explained that following the devaluation of the British Pound in the Fall / Autumn of 1967 they were working flat out to satisfy export market demand, but impatient British would-be customers could be reassured that export sales of the 1300s were "going very well". MG, Wolseley, Riley and Vanden Plas variants with the 1300 engines were already available on the home market in very limited quantities, and Austin and Morris versions would begin to be "available here in small quantities in March [1968].
On the outside, a slightly wider front grille, extending a little beneath the headlights, and with a fussier detailing, differentiated Austin / Morris Mark IIs from their Mark I predecessors, along with a slightly smoother tail light fitting which also found its way onto the FX4 London taxi of the time. Austin and Morris grilles were now identical. The 1100 had been introduced with synchromesh on the top three ratios: all synchromesh manual gearboxes were introduced with the 1275 cc models at the end of 1967 and found their way into 1098 cc cars a few months later.
At the London Motor Show in October 1969 the manufacturers introduced the Austin / Morris 1300 GT, featuring the same 1275 cc twin carburetter engine as that installed in the MG 1300, but with a black full width grill, a black vinyl roof and a thick black stripe down the side.[8] This was BMC's answer to the Ford Escort GT and its Vauxhall counterpart. Ride height on the Austin / Morris 1300 GT was fractionally lowered through the reduction of the Hydrolastic fluid pressure from 225 to 205 psi.
Who here likes consistency? You know, that warm, familiar feeling every time you go to Taco Bell (going down or out.. up to you)... very consistent? You've been there enough times and you've generally had all their menu items and your opinion is that "it's alright". Then there's that one time out of the blue, you decide to try something vegetarian off the Fresco menu, only to realize it was a horrible, horrible mistake? Well, that's kind of like what happened with this particular entry: Figma Megumin from Kono Sabarashii Sekai ni Shyukufuku wo!.. however you pronounce that.
As with 99% of the magical girl entries on my list, I know nothing about the actual character. Couple of Wiki pages presents a personality that, as expected, fits the way she looks. As taken from a Fandom page:
"Megumin is a straightforward girl, who speaks in an old-style Japanese dialect. She can be very hyper and lively at times and has chuunibyou tendencies like the rest of the Crimson Demon villagers. She is very intelligent, but has very little self-control, especially when it comes to using Explosion magic. She has no problem wasting her spell on empty plains or abandoned castles, as long as she can use Explosion once a day."
There seemed to be quite a bit of excitement when the figure was announced a while back, so as I always do, I found a decent deal on one that had a few issues while out and about, figuring "it's a Figma, it'll be alright" and away I went. The issues being that this was an Amazon Warehouse deal, so it wasn't complete, though the only thing that was missing was the instruction manual. The peg holding her cape in place had snapped off, and her head wasn't in place, of which the latter I figure I could just go home and pop that sucker right back in because, well, wouldn't be the first time a head came off a Figma after being jostled.
Well, jokes on me. After trying with no success, I took to the Internet, and read a crap ton of negative reviews on this figure, ranging from poor QC to horrible design. The head thing? Wasn't the only one; several complaints on Amazon said the same thing, with most not even bothering to try to attach the head. I had to grind the hole to widen it before the neck joint would actually fit, and now it's a bit loose and prone to falling off. I read stories of the staff showing up broken. Seems overall, these Konosuba girls (as they are called) have been plagued with QC issues.. I'm glad I didn't pay MSRP on this figure, let me tell you.
Megumin comes with a typical payload when it comes to Figma. There's the figure, three total face plates (slight smile, attacking, scared), her hat, her cape, alternate hair with eye patch, energy effect for eye, staff, purple orb for staff, spell effect with staff end for attaching said effect, her Familiar Chomosuke, six additional hands plus one dedicated spell casting hand, and the usual Figma stand.
Based on the screen caps I've seen, it appears that overall, Max Factory has captured the overall silhouette of Megumin herself, and her look when equipped with her gear. Of course, she's a lanky Japanese school girl, so not exactly hard for Figma to replicate. Chomosuke is freakin' adorable.. not quite Kirby adorable, but pretty damn close. Sculpting details are up to snuff, with clean fingers, good texture detailing on the outfit, and some minor muscle definition on her bare back. Face plates look spot on.
Articulation is pretty typical for a Figma.. when she doesn't have her cape on. You have full motion ankles, single jointed knees, full motion hips, waist, mid torso movement, full motion shoulders combined with bicep swivel, standard elbows, wrists, and head articulation. Mid torso movement is limited due to the joint being embedded inside her outfit, which is a soft rubber material. I'm not sure if it's like this for all the recent Figma (I'm kind of behind schedule), but Megumin features this hinged joint which allows for a deeper range of motion when it comes to head tilt, while at the same time offering the same ball jointed base base of head joint that permits the standard range of motion there. The cape itself has two points of articulation, allowing for a simulated flow look which is great, but putting the cape on also limits the range of motion when it comes to raise the arms up into an overhead position. Her skirt also limits the movement of the upper legs, which in turn limits the number of stances you can have her in. Because of this, I found it very difficult to balance Megumin on her tiny feet, and as such a stand is pretty much needed for everything.
Paint work is, as expected, solid across the board. Even the yellows appear to be well applied, with no significant overspray or lumpy paint residue. The only ugly paint spot are the silver on her buckle and her necklace, which are relatively ugly, but not "gouge my eyes out" level. Decal work is at its usual level of excellence.
Building quality and design is where things kind of went South. I've already talked about my problems out the box above, but there's more to discuss. First and foremost, that stupid, stupid hat. So, someone, in their infinite wisdom, decided that rather than have the hat attach via a peg or something like that, decided the best way to have the hat sit on her head is the put a really thin piece of plastic on the inside of the hat, and have that clip between the two hair pieces.. sounds alright in theory until you realize actually getting the thing to fit in their is a nightmare because there really isn't enough clearance to slide the front hair piece in place should you try to get the hat in place first. So instead you end up leaving a slight gap, and cramming the hat on her head, hoping for the best. The eye effect is a separate piece, and it is up to the owner to use their hamburger finger to squeeze this tiny plastic piece, probably the size of a syringe needle, into place so it doesn't fall out of the hair. I found that the joints on the figure, while fine by themselves, aren't really meant to carry the weight of the staff, particularly if it has the energy effect attached on the end of it. The body itself is pretty typical build, so no too many complaints here.
So in the end, we had the potential for an outstanding Figma, one having vibrant colour and personality., only to have a multitude of QC issues and crappy design choices knock it down a few pegs. Without her hat and cape, Megumin is honestly average at best, as she really can't do much other than sligh variations of standing up. I guess if the cape wasn't broken on mine, at least I would keep the cape on constantly as it does add to the character. But that hat.. it's such a hassle to put it on you either never take it off or you just give up. The best parts of this set are the scared face and of course, Chomosuke.
Better luck next time, I suppose.
Who here likes consistency? You know, that warm, familiar feeling every time you go to Taco Bell (going down or out.. up to you)... very consistent? You've been there enough times and you've generally had all their menu items and your opinion is that "it's alright". Then there's that one time out of the blue, you decide to try something vegetarian off the Fresco menu, only to realize it was a horrible, horrible mistake? Well, that's kind of like what happened with this particular entry: Figma Megumin from Kono Sabarashii Sekai ni Shyukufuku wo!.. however you pronounce that.
As with 99% of the magical girl entries on my list, I know nothing about the actual character. Couple of Wiki pages presents a personality that, as expected, fits the way she looks. As taken from a Fandom page:
"Megumin is a straightforward girl, who speaks in an old-style Japanese dialect. She can be very hyper and lively at times and has chuunibyou tendencies like the rest of the Crimson Demon villagers. She is very intelligent, but has very little self-control, especially when it comes to using Explosion magic. She has no problem wasting her spell on empty plains or abandoned castles, as long as she can use Explosion once a day."
There seemed to be quite a bit of excitement when the figure was announced a while back, so as I always do, I found a decent deal on one that had a few issues while out and about, figuring "it's a Figma, it'll be alright" and away I went. The issues being that this was an Amazon Warehouse deal, so it wasn't complete, though the only thing that was missing was the instruction manual. The peg holding her cape in place had snapped off, and her head wasn't in place, of which the latter I figure I could just go home and pop that sucker right back in because, well, wouldn't be the first time a head came off a Figma after being jostled.
Well, jokes on me. After trying with no success, I took to the Internet, and read a crap ton of negative reviews on this figure, ranging from poor QC to horrible design. The head thing? Wasn't the only one; several complaints on Amazon said the same thing, with most not even bothering to try to attach the head. I had to grind the hole to widen it before the neck joint would actually fit, and now it's a bit loose and prone to falling off. I read stories of the staff showing up broken. Seems overall, these Konosuba girls (as they are called) have been plagued with QC issues.. I'm glad I didn't pay MSRP on this figure, let me tell you.
Megumin comes with a typical payload when it comes to Figma. There's the figure, three total face plates (slight smile, attacking, scared), her hat, her cape, alternate hair with eye patch, energy effect for eye, staff, purple orb for staff, spell effect with staff end for attaching said effect, her Familiar Chomosuke, six additional hands plus one dedicated spell casting hand, and the usual Figma stand.
Based on the screen caps I've seen, it appears that overall, Max Factory has captured the overall silhouette of Megumin herself, and her look when equipped with her gear. Of course, she's a lanky Japanese school girl, so not exactly hard for Figma to replicate. Chomosuke is freakin' adorable.. not quite Kirby adorable, but pretty damn close. Sculpting details are up to snuff, with clean fingers, good texture detailing on the outfit, and some minor muscle definition on her bare back. Face plates look spot on.
Articulation is pretty typical for a Figma.. when she doesn't have her cape on. You have full motion ankles, single jointed knees, full motion hips, waist, mid torso movement, full motion shoulders combined with bicep swivel, standard elbows, wrists, and head articulation. Mid torso movement is limited due to the joint being embedded inside her outfit, which is a soft rubber material. I'm not sure if it's like this for all the recent Figma (I'm kind of behind schedule), but Megumin features this hinged joint which allows for a deeper range of motion when it comes to head tilt, while at the same time offering the same ball jointed base base of head joint that permits the standard range of motion there. The cape itself has two points of articulation, allowing for a simulated flow look which is great, but putting the cape on also limits the range of motion when it comes to raise the arms up into an overhead position. Her skirt also limits the movement of the upper legs, which in turn limits the number of stances you can have her in. Because of this, I found it very difficult to balance Megumin on her tiny feet, and as such a stand is pretty much needed for everything.
Paint work is, as expected, solid across the board. Even the yellows appear to be well applied, with no significant overspray or lumpy paint residue. The only ugly paint spot are the silver on her buckle and her necklace, which are relatively ugly, but not "gouge my eyes out" level. Decal work is at its usual level of excellence.
Building quality and design is where things kind of went South. I've already talked about my problems out the box above, but there's more to discuss. First and foremost, that stupid, stupid hat. So, someone, in their infinite wisdom, decided that rather than have the hat attach via a peg or something like that, decided the best way to have the hat sit on her head is the put a really thin piece of plastic on the inside of the hat, and have that clip between the two hair pieces.. sounds alright in theory until you realize actually getting the thing to fit in their is a nightmare because there really isn't enough clearance to slide the front hair piece in place should you try to get the hat in place first. So instead you end up leaving a slight gap, and cramming the hat on her head, hoping for the best. The eye effect is a separate piece, and it is up to the owner to use their hamburger finger to squeeze this tiny plastic piece, probably the size of a syringe needle, into place so it doesn't fall out of the hair. I found that the joints on the figure, while fine by themselves, aren't really meant to carry the weight of the staff, particularly if it has the energy effect attached on the end of it. The body itself is pretty typical build, so no too many complaints here.
So in the end, we had the potential for an outstanding Figma, one having vibrant colour and personality., only to have a multitude of QC issues and crappy design choices knock it down a few pegs. Without her hat and cape, Megumin is honestly average at best, as she really can't do much other than sligh variations of standing up. I guess if the cape wasn't broken on mine, at least I would keep the cape on constantly as it does add to the character. But that hat.. it's such a hassle to put it on you either never take it off or you just give up. The best parts of this set are the scared face and of course, Chomosuke.
Better luck next time, I suppose.
Who here likes consistency? You know, that warm, familiar feeling every time you go to Taco Bell (going down or out.. up to you)... very consistent? You've been there enough times and you've generally had all their menu items and your opinion is that "it's alright". Then there's that one time out of the blue, you decide to try something vegetarian off the Fresco menu, only to realize it was a horrible, horrible mistake? Well, that's kind of like what happened with this particular entry: Figma Megumin from Kono Sabarashii Sekai ni Shyukufuku wo!.. however you pronounce that.
As with 99% of the magical girl entries on my list, I know nothing about the actual character. Couple of Wiki pages presents a personality that, as expected, fits the way she looks. As taken from a Fandom page:
"Megumin is a straightforward girl, who speaks in an old-style Japanese dialect. She can be very hyper and lively at times and has chuunibyou tendencies like the rest of the Crimson Demon villagers. She is very intelligent, but has very little self-control, especially when it comes to using Explosion magic. She has no problem wasting her spell on empty plains or abandoned castles, as long as she can use Explosion once a day."
There seemed to be quite a bit of excitement when the figure was announced a while back, so as I always do, I found a decent deal on one that had a few issues while out and about, figuring "it's a Figma, it'll be alright" and away I went. The issues being that this was an Amazon Warehouse deal, so it wasn't complete, though the only thing that was missing was the instruction manual. The peg holding her cape in place had snapped off, and her head wasn't in place, of which the latter I figure I could just go home and pop that sucker right back in because, well, wouldn't be the first time a head came off a Figma after being jostled.
Well, jokes on me. After trying with no success, I took to the Internet, and read a crap ton of negative reviews on this figure, ranging from poor QC to horrible design. The head thing? Wasn't the only one; several complaints on Amazon said the same thing, with most not even bothering to try to attach the head. I had to grind the hole to widen it before the neck joint would actually fit, and now it's a bit loose and prone to falling off. I read stories of the staff showing up broken. Seems overall, these Konosuba girls (as they are called) have been plagued with QC issues.. I'm glad I didn't pay MSRP on this figure, let me tell you.
Megumin comes with a typical payload when it comes to Figma. There's the figure, three total face plates (slight smile, attacking, scared), her hat, her cape, alternate hair with eye patch, energy effect for eye, staff, purple orb for staff, spell effect with staff end for attaching said effect, her Familiar Chomosuke, six additional hands plus one dedicated spell casting hand, and the usual Figma stand.
Based on the screen caps I've seen, it appears that overall, Max Factory has captured the overall silhouette of Megumin herself, and her look when equipped with her gear. Of course, she's a lanky Japanese school girl, so not exactly hard for Figma to replicate. Chomosuke is freakin' adorable.. not quite Kirby adorable, but pretty damn close. Sculpting details are up to snuff, with clean fingers, good texture detailing on the outfit, and some minor muscle definition on her bare back. Face plates look spot on.
Articulation is pretty typical for a Figma.. when she doesn't have her cape on. You have full motion ankles, single jointed knees, full motion hips, waist, mid torso movement, full motion shoulders combined with bicep swivel, standard elbows, wrists, and head articulation. Mid torso movement is limited due to the joint being embedded inside her outfit, which is a soft rubber material. I'm not sure if it's like this for all the recent Figma (I'm kind of behind schedule), but Megumin features this hinged joint which allows for a deeper range of motion when it comes to head tilt, while at the same time offering the same ball jointed base base of head joint that permits the standard range of motion there. The cape itself has two points of articulation, allowing for a simulated flow look which is great, but putting the cape on also limits the range of motion when it comes to raise the arms up into an overhead position. Her skirt also limits the movement of the upper legs, which in turn limits the number of stances you can have her in. Because of this, I found it very difficult to balance Megumin on her tiny feet, and as such a stand is pretty much needed for everything.
Paint work is, as expected, solid across the board. Even the yellows appear to be well applied, with no significant overspray or lumpy paint residue. The only ugly paint spot are the silver on her buckle and her necklace, which are relatively ugly, but not "gouge my eyes out" level. Decal work is at its usual level of excellence.
Building quality and design is where things kind of went South. I've already talked about my problems out the box above, but there's more to discuss. First and foremost, that stupid, stupid hat. So, someone, in their infinite wisdom, decided that rather than have the hat attach via a peg or something like that, decided the best way to have the hat sit on her head is the put a really thin piece of plastic on the inside of the hat, and have that clip between the two hair pieces.. sounds alright in theory until you realize actually getting the thing to fit in their is a nightmare because there really isn't enough clearance to slide the front hair piece in place should you try to get the hat in place first. So instead you end up leaving a slight gap, and cramming the hat on her head, hoping for the best. The eye effect is a separate piece, and it is up to the owner to use their hamburger finger to squeeze this tiny plastic piece, probably the size of a syringe needle, into place so it doesn't fall out of the hair. I found that the joints on the figure, while fine by themselves, aren't really meant to carry the weight of the staff, particularly if it has the energy effect attached on the end of it. The body itself is pretty typical build, so no too many complaints here.
So in the end, we had the potential for an outstanding Figma, one having vibrant colour and personality., only to have a multitude of QC issues and crappy design choices knock it down a few pegs. Without her hat and cape, Megumin is honestly average at best, as she really can't do much other than sligh variations of standing up. I guess if the cape wasn't broken on mine, at least I would keep the cape on constantly as it does add to the character. But that hat.. it's such a hassle to put it on you either never take it off or you just give up. The best parts of this set are the scared face and of course, Chomosuke.
Better luck next time, I suppose.
Joel Parkinson Leads ASP Top Stars in Assault on Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Round 1
BELLS BEACH, Victoria/Australia (Wednesday, April 20, 2011) – Today marks the commencement of the 50th Anniversary of competition surfing at Bells Beach as Round 1 of the 2011 Rip Curl Pro Bells presented by Ford Ranger got underway in clean four-to-six foot (1.5 - 2 metre) surf.
The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, the second stop on the 2011 ASP World Title season, enjoyed consistent surf throughout the day as the world’s best surfers unleashed a barrage of high-performance ripping on the classic canvas of Bells Beach.
Joel Parkinson (AUS), 30, 2009 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Champion put in a sensational performance this afternoon, electing to sit up at Rincon to secure the day’s highest scores.. Parkinson locked in the highest wave score and the highest heat score of the opening day of competition scoring 17.74 (out of a possible 20.00) to advance directly through to Round 3 of competition.
"I fell off twice on the bowl," Parkinson said. "It was really hard to ride. Then CJ (Hobgood) went across to Rincon and got a score, so we followed him over and it worked out for me. It's great to get that opening heat win, especially at Bells. You never know what conditions you're going to get in a heat, so to be able to skip round two and maybe get a day off is a huge advantage."
Kelly Slater (USA), 39, reigning 10-time ASP World Champion and defending event winner, was clinical in his attack in his Round 1 heat. Slater had his fellow competitors Adam Robertson (AUS), 28, and Kai Otton (AUS), 31, on the ropes only minutes into the heat, scoring an impressive 16.00 (out of a possible 20.00) on his opening two rides.
"I don't free surf out at Bells a whole lot," Slater said. "When the waves are good the comp is on and outside of that it's pretty crowded. So I'm still learning with each heat out there still, surfing against a guy like Robbo (Adam Robertson) you've got to watch where he's sitting, how far our and how deep."
Mick Fanning (AUS), 29, currently equal 13th in the hunt for the 2011 ASP World Title, went into today’s competition with renewed vigor after a shock early exit at the last event on the Gold Coast. The past two-time ASP World Champion came out and dominated his Round 1 battle over Tiago Pires (PRT), 31, and Gabriel Medina (BRA), 17.
"I'm stoked to get a good start," Fanning said. "It's been 10 years since I won here as I wildcard, I got close last year but Kelly Slater got me in the final. You want to win every event, but being the 50th Anniversary and so much history at this event, it's like the Wimbeldon of surfing, it's a hard one to win but it's the one everyone wants."
Alejo Muniz (BRA), 21, led today’s rookie charge, continuing his sensational run after the and equal 5th on the Gold Coast, and dispatching of fellow Brazilian Ranoi Monterio (BRA), 28, and Australian Adrian Buchan (AUS), 28 in this morning’s opening round heat.
"It's so good out there!" Muniz said. "This is my first time surfing at Bells and it's the most amazing place. It's got perfect rights, and it's the kind of wave that I love to surf. It's the best place ever, best waves, best weather and I love surfing in wetsuits."
Jeremy Flores (FRA), 22, bounced back after missing the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast with a knee injury, to score a comprehensive win over Taylor Knox (USA), 39, and Cory Lopez (USA), 34.
"I wasn't very confident before the heat," Flores said. "But I got that first wave and did a big turn at the end and got a good score. I think that's what you need to do these days, finish the wave strong. My knee still isn't 100%, but I went for it and it's good to win. Big thanks to everyone at the Gold Coast Suns Football Club for helping with my knee, it's feeling much better now."
Stu Kennedy (AUS), 21, scored a last minute wildcard into the event and caused the upset of the day, eliminating 2010 ASP World Title runner-up Jordy Smith (ZAF), 23, and Dusty Payne (HAW), 22.
"I've been coming here for years," Kennedy said. "I won a Pro Junior here in 2008 and I know where to sit. I don't think Dusty and Jordy know the break as well as I do so that helps. I've been up since 3am because I'm jet-lagged from coming home from Scotland. I woke up with a bunch of energy it's my shaper's birthday so I woke him up at 5am to go surfing. I had to win my heat for him for his birthday."
When men’s competition resumes, up first will be 2010 ASP World Runner-Up Jordy Smith (ZAF), 23, up against Trials Winner Adam Robertson (AUS), 28, in the opening heat of Round 2.
Following the completion of the men’s Round 1 today, the ASP Top 17 hit the water for Round 1 of the Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach presented by Ford Fiesta.
Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 23, reigning four-time ASP Women’s World Champion and defending three-time Rip Curl Women’s Bells Beach winner, returned to her winning ways today, after bowing out early at the last event, the Roxy Pro Gold Coast.
"My first two years on tour I didn't have great results on the Gold Coast," Gilmore said. "I always bounced back at this event and then finished the year well, so hopefully I'll do that again this year. The Gold Coast was a fine showing of what women's surfing is up to now and everyone has to try and keep up. It really pushes me and I think anyone who wins an event from now on will be a very deserving winner because of that fact."
Pauline Ado (FRA), 19, the French rookie caused the upset of the women's event, defeating current ASP World Title front runner Carissa Moore (HAW), 18, in a nail biter of a heat.
"I'm really happy, I had a lot of fun out there," Ado said "I got one of my good waves in the first few seconds so after that I felt confident and knew I could be more selective and wait for the right wave. A heat against Carissa is always a tough one, so I'm really stoked to win."
When women’s competition resumes, up first will be Paige Hareb (NZL) and Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) in the opening heat of Round 2.
Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 7am to assess conditions for a possible 7:30am start.
Highlights from the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by FORD will be webcast available via www.live.ripcurl.com and broadcast live on Fuel TV in Australia and ESPN in Brazil.
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com
RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 13.23, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 11.26, Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 7.37
Heat 2: Adam Melling (AUS) 14.50, Josh Kerr (AUS) 12.30, Taj Burrow (AUS) 11.00
Heat 3: Heitor Alves (BRA) 14.36, Bobby Martinez (USA) 14.14, Owen Wright (AUS) 10.60
Heat 4: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.60, Tiago Pires (PRT) 11.07, Gabriel Medina (BRA) 9.27
Heat 5: Stu Kennedy (AUS) 11.70, Dusty Payne (HAW) 10.50, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 9.00
Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA) 16.00, Kai Otton (AUS) 10.13, Adam Robertson (AUS) 8.53
Heat 7: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.17, Cory Lopez (USA) 5.83, Taylor Knox (USA) 4.67
Heat 8: Michel Bourez (PYF) 12.60, Kieren Perrow (AUS) 10.20, Gabe Kling (USA) 3.50
Heat 9: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 14.60, Damien Hobgood (USA) 11.23, Daniel Ross (AUS) 11.07
Heat 10: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 17.74, C.J. Hobgood (USA) 11.44, Bede Durbidge (AUS) 8.17
Heat 11: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.60, Chris Davidson (AUS) 10.83, Julian Wilson (AUS) 9.83
Heat 12: Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 13.40, Jadson Andre (BRA) 9.43, Brett Simpson (USA) 8.93
RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Adam Robertson (AUS)
Heat 2: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. Gabriel Medina (BRA)
Heat 3: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Bobby Martinez (USA)
Heat 4: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Josh Kerr (AUS)
Heat 5: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
Heat 6: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Cory Lopez (USA)
Heat 7: Brett Simpson (USA) vs. Gabe Kling (USA)
Heat 8: Jadson Andre (BRA) vs. Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 9: Chris Davidson (AUS) vs. Julian Wilson (AUS)
Heat 10: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 11: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 12: Taylor Knox (USA) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)
RIP CURL WOMEN’S PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 12.93, Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 8.70, Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 8.66
Heat 2: Silvana Lima (BRA) 14.94, Laura Enever (AUS) 8.84, Melanie Bartels (HAW) 7.54
Heat 3: Pauline Ado (HAW) 14.60, Carissa Moore (HAW) 14.44, Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 10.63
Heat 4: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 16.30, Courtney Conlogue (USA) 9.00, Bethany Hamilton (HAW) 6.50
Heat 5: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 16.10, Alana Blanchard (HAW) 12.83 Paige Hareb (NZL) 7.47
Heat 6: Coco Ho (HAW) 12.90, Tyler Wright (AUS) 12.00, Pauline Ado (FRA) 6.37
RIP CURL WOMEN’S PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Paige Hareb (NZL) vs. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)
Heat 2: Laura Enever (AUS) vs. Melanie Bartels (HAW)
Heat 3: Carissa Moore (HAW) vs. Nikki Van Dijk (AUS)
Heat 4: Chelsea Hedges (AUS) vs. Bethany Hamilton (HAW)
Heat 5: Tyler Wright (AUS) vs. Alana Blanchard (HAW)
Heat 6: Courtney Conlogue (USA) vs. Rebecca Woods (AUS)
Photo ASP/Scholtz
I've eaten here in the past ... and it was good. Tonight? Pretty damn average. The salad was really fresh - so points for that. The prices are consistent with a high end restaurant but for a place that specialises in seafood, I found the meal pretty average. And the coffee? My advice is to skip it. (Perhaps an investment in a pod style coffee machine would provide the customers with drinkable coffee while minimising the time and effort of this task for staff?)
You pay for your meal at the register - which is fine, except for the fact the register is located right in a walkway near the busy food preparation area and near the stairs so the whole time you are paying - you are in the way. This problem could be solved by moving the register to the back counter or by bringing the account to the table.
It was an entertainment book adventure and I did have a fun a night. While I probably won't go there again, the fun in trying somewhere you haven't eaten for years, somewhere different or somewhere new is the adventure of not knowing quite what you are going to get. If you have good company you'll always have a good night - whether the food, prices and service meet your expectations or not.
En Biodiversidad virtual y también en Instagram como @proyectoagua.
Cyphoderia dobla el cuello levemente queriendo hacer una espira, no en señal de sumisión, aunque tampoco es altiva -si un psicólogo la viera diría que es asertiva-. Su burbuja de teselas de cristales diminutos se ha alargado convirtiéndose en retorta o en lámpara de Aladino, y de una manera o de otra destila siempre su magia.
Desde su angosta abertura, humean tímidamente sus manos hilándose, palpando con su finura la inmensidad de una gota que es su universo infinito. Funambulista en sus brazos se suspende en el abismo o desciende hasta los fondos para anclarse en algún grumo
La casa de Cyphoderia no se confunde con otra, su alargada silueta y su cuello algo torcido la hacen así. Bajo su sencilla apariencia, se oculta un delicado palacio que el tiempo tejió en un mosaico con teselas de belleza.
Dos finas envueltas transparentes forman su pared, la más interna, es completamente lisa, de consistencia quitinosa y levemente teñida de color rojizo, grisáceo o verdoso, dependiendo de las sales disueltas que existan en el agua en la que vive. La otra, externa, es orfebrería, prácticamente transparente y por ello casi invisible.
Es un encaje a base de minúsculos discos circulares de sílice dispuestos en hileras paralelas, los discos se superponen ligeramente por sus bordes y esto hace que en apariencia tengan un contorno hexagonal.
Cada uno de estos discos está unido con los de su alrededor mediante seis puntos de soldadura de cristal, lo que convierte a la casa de Cyphoderia desde el punto de vista técnico en una prodigiosa obra de arquitectura, muy resistente a las deformaciones y desde el punto de vista artístico en una indescriptible obra de orfebre.
Las escamas de cristal de Cyphoderia son circulares, pero parecen estar formadas por seis piezas triangulares idénticas, unidas entre sí por sus lados y por un vértice, un tronco de pirámide casi plana de seis caras como un brillante... y entre brillante y brillante, pequeñísimos poros alineados que posiblemente permiten la circulación del agua entre las dos cubiertas.
Aunque el cuerpo de Cyphoderia es ancho y con dificultad podría atravesar el angosto paso que es la puerta de su casa en forma de cuello de botella, nuestra ameba es precavida y se sujeta anclándose con un fino cabo al fondo de su vivienda.
La especie que mostramos aquí pertence al complejo de Cyphoderia ampulla quise el grupo de especies más común dentro del género y es posible que muchas de las formas y variedades que se han reconocido en ella puedan corresponder a diferentes especies, tal y como lo viene descubriendo Enrique Lara y su equipo en el Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid .
Magia que lleva a la magia de este mundo fascinante y diminuto…quizá Aladino nació aquí y su humo viene de las estrellas que tocaron el agua de las turberas de la montaña donde esta preciosa ameba habita tan discretamente, en ella, seguro, el genio de Alaldino buscaría refugio antes de que el tiempo existiera
Las fotografías que mostramos, realizadas en vivo a 400 aumentos empleando la técnicas de contraste de interferencia,contraste de fase campo oscuro y campo oscuro+polalrización, se han tomado en una muestra recogida en las Turberas de Peñayerre en La Rioja el día 28 de Enero de 2025
Probably the best lens a person aiming for clinical image quality for dSLR can get today (although getting the Olympus equivalent would most probably triple-outresolve this in a click). Although, getting with the calibrating USB dock is probably the right course of action. I would have to say, thx to my friends, that I had the opportunity to try this very hyped lens on a Canon 7D, Canon 5D and 6D as well as on my Nikon D750.
The lens performance is top notch: fast focus, unreal top of the class sharpness, excellent build quality. The review would stop there with a high recommendation, shouting OMG and embracing this lens as the saviour of photography, but I am sorry to tell you that for now, I do not like this lens.
It has everything going for it, but the list of downsides for me was way too long to justify a purchase. I was probably a victim of the Sigma lottery. It’s just plagued by lens-body compatibility issues (which probably would have been solved with the USB dock and yes you probably would say that my friends and the many copies of stores I have tried have the wrong copy).
On the 7D, it was irregular in its micro-adjustment sometimes in the positive, sometimes in the negatives, never right. On the 5D, I was lucky for its accuracy. On the 6D, the micro-adjustment nightmare began again. I compare it to a nifty-fifty f1.8 on Canon and that lens was more accurate than the Sigma. On the D750, I adjusted it once and it was consistent from there on (nothing fools the D750 AF… it’s just that good).
The lens also lacked soul. There was something about its clinicality that threw me off. The in-focus zone would be degradingly sharp on my human subjects, the out of focus zone wouldn’t fade in fast enough to balance the sharpness out as it felt like the circles were confused between halfway fading or halfway showing. Then the faded veiled somewhat faded colors are a thing need to get used to. If you have used Nikkor lenses, you know how saturated and nicely contrasty they can get, this lens just isn’t it.
To top that off, the weight of the lens was close to uncomfortable. I believe my work with the 35mm focal length is of the street photography and candid. Having to move nimble with the ART35 was definitely more blocking than flowing. The ART35 needs to be used with two hands like my 24-70. It wasn’t long until I ran out of passion in using it.
Of course all those problems and whining could be solved by time and getting used to it. Time nowadays is a luxury I have less and less. If I purchase a piece of equipment, I’d rather have it working and pleasing me at my current state. After all, photography is an instinctive sport. This last problem was the one that made me drop the idea of getting the lens: exposure consistency or the lack thereof. I mostly shoot AUTO-ISO on Program, Shutter and Aperture priority. I go Manual only when absolutely needed. The lens and the camera wouldn’t agree on the proper exposure. If the subject is in the “vignetted” zone (not in the center), the camera would overexpose and under if the subject was in the center. I suppose I trust my “matrix metering” a lot more than I should, but this is how Nikkor lenses are used and work perfectly.
The Sigma ART35 and me never connected yet. It might take time, a lot of it. I’m not saying it’s bad. For many, it will probably be THE BEST LENS they would have purchased in a long time and perhaps the best 1000$ lens investment in their gear. They’d even have enough time to work around the problems and make it shine. I just have the downside of being optically spoiled by way too many more interesting options and I’m looking for something with a better balance of personality and optical performance in which using the Sigma was like dating a lifeless incredibly pretty yet expensive girl. Wouldn’t mind meeting her again on special specific occasions. We all need one like that ;)
Shuhada' Sadaqat[8][a] (born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor; 8 December 1966 – July 2023), known professionally as Sinéad O'Connor,[9][b] was an Irish singer, songwriter and political activist. Her debut studio album, The Lion and the Cobra, was released in 1987 and charted internationally. Her second studio album, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got (1990), became her biggest success, selling over seven million copies worldwide.[11] Its lead single, "Nothing Compares 2 U", was named the number-one world single in 1990 by the Billboard Music Awards.[12]
O'Connor released ten studio albums. Am I Not Your Girl? (1992) and Universal Mother (1994) were certified gold in the UK,[13] Faith and Courage (2000) was certified gold in Australia,[14] and Throw Down Your Arms (2005) went gold in Ireland.[15] Her work included songs for films, collaborations with many other artists, and appearances at charity fundraising concerts. Her 2021 memoir Rememberings was a bestseller.[16]
In 1999, O'Connor was ordained as a priest by the Irish Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church, an Independent Catholic sect that is not recognised by the Roman Catholic Church.[17] She consistently spoke out on issues related to child abuse (including her 1992 Saturday Night Live protest against the continued cover-up of Catholic Church sexual abuse cases), human rights, racism, organised religion, and women's rights. Throughout her music career, she spoke about her spiritual journey, activism, socio-political views, as well as her trauma and mental health struggles. In 2017, O'Connor changed her name to Magda Davitt. After converting to Islam in 2018 she changed it to Shuhada' Sadaqat,[2][8][18] but continued to record and perform under her birth name.[
O'Connor was born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor[20] in the Cascia House Nursing Home at 13 Pembroke Road, Dublin, on 8 December 1966.[2] She was named Sinéad after Sinéad de Valera, the mother of the doctor presiding over the delivery, Éamon de Valera, Jnr., and Bernadette in honour of Saint Bernadette of Lourdes.[21][22] She was the third of five children;[23] her siblings are novelist Joseph,[24] Eimear,[25] John,[26] and Eoin.[27]
Her parents are John Oliver "Seán" O'Connor, a structural engineer later turned barrister[23] and chairperson of the Divorce Action Group,[28] and Johanna Marie O'Grady (1939–1985), who married in the Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Drimnagh, Dublin, in 1960. She attended Dominican College Sion Hill school in Blackrock, County Dublin.[29]
In 1979, O'Connor left her mother and went to live with her father, who had married Viola Margaret Suiter (née Cook) in Alexandria, Virginia, United States, in 1976.[30] At the age of 15, her shoplifting and truancy led to her being placed for 18 months in a Magdalene asylum called the Grianán Training Centre in Drumcondra run by the Order of Our Lady of Charity.[31] In some ways, she thrived there, especially in the development of her writing and music, but she also chafed under the imposed conformity. Unruly students there were sometimes sent to sleep in the adjoining nursing home, an experience of which she later commented, "I have never—and probably will never—experience such panic and terror and agony over anything."[32] She later for a period attended the Quaker Newtown School, Waterford for 5th and 6th year but did not sit the Leaving Certificate in 1985.[33][34]
On 10 February 1985, when O'Connor was 18, her mother Marie died in a car accident, aged 45, after losing control of her car on an icy road in Ballybrack and crashing into a bus.[35][36]
In June 1993, O'Connor wrote a public letter in The Irish Times which asked people to "stop hurting" her: "If only I can fight off the voices of my parents / and gather a sense of self-esteem / Then I'll be able to REALLY sing ..." The letter repeated accusations of abuse by her parents as a child which O'Connor had made in interviews. Her brother Joseph defended their father to the newspaper but agreed regarding their mother's "extreme and violent abuse, both emotional and physical". O'Connor said that month, "Our family is very messed up. We can't communicate with each other. We are all in agony. I for one am in agony."[37]
Musical career 1980s
One of the volunteers at Grianán was the sister of Paul Byrne, drummer for the band In Tua Nua, who heard O'Connor singing "Evergreen" by Barbra Streisand. She recorded a song with them called "Take My Hand" but they felt that at 15, she was too young to join the band.[38] Through an ad she placed in Hot Press in mid-1984, she met Colm Farrelly. Together they recruited a few other members and formed a band called Ton Ton Macoute.[22] The band moved to Waterford briefly while O'Connor attended Newtown School, but she soon dropped out of school and followed them to Dublin, where their performances received positive reviews. Their sound was inspired by Farrelly's interest in world music, though most observers thought O'Connor's singing and stage presence were the band's strongest features.[22][39]
O'Connor's time as singer for Ton Ton Macoute brought her to the attention of the music industry, and she was eventually signed by Ensign Records. She also acquired an experienced manager, Fachtna Ó Ceallaigh, former head of U2's Mother Records. Soon after she was signed, she embarked on her first major assignment, providing the vocals for the song "Heroine", which she co-wrote with U2's guitarist the Edge for the soundtrack to the film Captive. Ó Ceallaigh, who had been fired by U2 for complaining about them in an interview, was outspoken with his views on music and politics, and O'Connor adopted the same habits; she defended the actions of the Provisional IRA and said U2's music was "bombastic".[2] She later retracted her IRA comments saying they were based on nonsense, and that she was "too young to understand the tense situation in Northern Ireland properly".[40]
Her first album The Lion and the Cobra was "a sensation" when it was released in 1987 on Chrysalis Records,[41] and it reached gold record status, earning a Best Female Rock Vocal Performance Grammy nomination. The single "Mandinka" was a big college radio hit in the United States, and "I Want Your (Hands on Me)" received both college and urban play in a remixed form that featured rapper MC Lyte. In her first U.S. network television appearance, O'Connor sang "Mandinka" on Late Night with David Letterman in 1988.[42] The song "Troy" was also released as a single in the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands, where it reached number 5 on the Dutch Top 40 chart.[43]
O'Connor named Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Bob Marley, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and the Pretenders as the artists who influenced her on her debut album.[44] In 1989 O'Connor joined The The frontman Matt Johnson as a guest vocalist on the band's album Mind Bomb, which spawned the duet "Kingdom of Rain".[45] That same year, she made her first foray into cinema, starring in and writing the music for the Northern Irish film Hush-a-Bye-Baby.[46]
1990s
O'Connor's second album – 1990's I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got – gained considerable attention and mostly positive reviews:[47] it was rated "second best album of the year" by the NME.[48] She was praised for her voice and original songs, while being noted for her appearance: trademark shaved head, often angry expression, and sometimes shapeless or unusual clothing.[47] The album featured Marco Pirroni (of Adam and the Ants fame), Andy Rourke (from The Smiths) and John Reynolds, her first husband;[49] most notably, it contained her international breakthrough hit "Nothing Compares 2 U", a song written by Prince[50][51] and originally recorded and released by a side project of his, the Family.[51] Hank Shocklee, producer for Public Enemy, remixed the album's next single, "The Emperor's New Clothes",[49] for a 12-inch that was coupled with another song from the LP, "I Am Stretched on Your Grave". Pre-dating but included on I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got, was "Jump in the River", which originally appeared on the Married to the Mob soundtrack; the 12-inch version of the single had included a remix featuring performance artist Karen Finley.[52][53]
In July 1990, she joined other guests for former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters' performance of The Wall in Berlin.[54] She contributed a cover of "You Do Something to Me" to the Cole Porter tribute/AIDS fundraising album Red Hot + Blue produced by the Red Hot Organization.[55] Red Hot + Blue was followed by the release of Am I Not Your Girl?, an album made of covers of jazz standards and torch songs she had listened to while growing up; the album received mixed-to-poor reviews, and was a commercial disappointment in light of the success of her previous work.[56] Her take on Elton John's "Sacrifice" was acclaimed as one of the best efforts on the tribute album Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin.[57]
Also in 1990, she was criticised after she stated that she would not perform if the United States national anthem was played before one of her concerts; Frank Sinatra threatened to "kick her in the ass".[58] After receiving four Grammy Award nominations, she withdrew her name from consideration.[2] Although nominated for the Brit Award for International Female Solo Artist, which she won, she did not attend the awards ceremony, but did accept the Irish IRMA in February 1991.[59]
I don't do anything in order to cause trouble. It just so happens that what I do naturally causes trouble. I'm proud to be a troublemaker.
—O'Connor in NME, March 1991[60]
She spent the following months studying bel canto singing with teacher Frank Merriman at the Parnell School of Music. In an interview with The Guardian, published in May 1993, she reported that singing lessons with Merriman were the only therapy she was receiving, describing Merriman as "the most amazing teacher in the universe."[61]
In 1992, she contributed backing vocals on the track "Come Talk To Me", and shared vocals on the single "Blood of Eden" from the studio album Us by Peter Gabriel. Gabriel invited her to join his ongoing Secret World Tour in May 1993, to sing these songs and more in an elaborate stage setting. O'Connor travelled and performed as a guest artist.[62] She was seen at Gabriel's side at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards in September. While in Los Angeles, she took too many sleeping pills, inciting media conjecture about a suicide attempt. She said she "was in a bad way emotionally at the time, but it wasn't a suicide attempt."[63] She left the tour suddenly, causing Gabriel to scramble for a replacement singer.[62] Decades later, she wrote in her memoir Rememberings that she left Gabriel because he treated her casually, and would not make a commitment.[6]
The 1993 soundtrack to the film In the Name of the Father featured O'Connor's "You Made Me the Thief of Your Heart".[49] Her more conventional Universal Mother album (1994) spawned two music videos for the first and second singles, "Fire on Babylon" and "Famine", that were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video.[64][65] She toured with Lollapalooza in 1995, but dropped out when she became pregnant with her second child.[66] In 1997, she released the Gospel Oak EP.[67]
In 1994, she appeared in A Celebration: The Music of Pete Townshend and The Who,[68] also known as Daltrey Sings Townshend. This was a two-night concert at Carnegie Hall produced by Roger Daltrey of the Who in celebration of his 50th birthday.[69] A CD and a VHS video of the concert were issued in 1994, followed by a DVD in 1998.[70][71]
In 1996, O'Connor guested on Broken China, a solo album by Pink Floyd's Richard Wright.[72]
O'Connor made her final feature film appearance in Neil Jordan's The Butcher Boy in 1997, playing the Virgin Mary.[73]
In 1998, she worked again with the Red Hot Organization to co-produce and perform on Red Hot + Rhapsody.[74]
2000s
O'Connor at the "Music in My Head" festival in The Hague, 13 June 2008
Faith and Courage was released in 2000, including the single "No Man's Woman", and featured contributions from Wyclef Jean of the Fugees and Dave Stewart of Eurythmics.[75]
Her 2002 album, Sean-Nós Nua, marked a departure in that O'Connor interpreted or, in her own words, "sexed up" traditional Irish folk songs, including several in the Irish language.[76] In Sean-Nós Nua, she covered a well-known Canadian folk song, "Peggy Gordon".[77]
In 2003, she contributed a track to the Dolly Parton tribute album Just Because I'm a Woman, a cover of Parton's "Dagger Through the Heart". That same year, she also featured on three songs of Massive Attack's album 100th Window before releasing her double album, She Who Dwells in the Secret Place of the Most High Shall Abide Under the Shadow of the Almighty. This compilation contained one disc of demos and previously unreleased tracks and one disc of a live concert recording. Directly after the album's release, O'Connor announced that she was retiring from music.[78] Collaborations, a compilation album of guest appearances, was released in 2005—featuring tracks recorded with Peter Gabriel, Massive Attack, Jah Wobble, Terry Hall, Moby, Bomb the Bass, the Edge, U2, and The The.[79]
Ultimately, after a brief period of inactivity and a bout with fibromyalgia, her retirement proved to be short-lived. O'Connor stated in an interview with Harp magazine that she had only intended to retire from making mainstream pop/rock music, and after dealing with her fibromyalgia she chose to move into other musical styles.[80] The reggae album Throw Down Your Arms appeared in late 2005.[81]
On 8 November 2006, O'Connor performed seven songs from her upcoming album Theology at The Sugar Club in Dublin. Thirty fans were given the opportunity to win pairs of tickets to attend along with music industry critics.[82] The performance was released in 2008 as Live at the Sugar Club deluxe CD/DVD package sold exclusively on her website.[83]
O'Connor released two songs from her album Theology to download for free from her official website: "If You Had a Vineyard" and "Jeremiah (Something Beautiful)". The album, a collection of covered and original Rastafari spiritual songs, was released in June 2007. The first single from the album, the Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber classic "I Don't Know How to Love Him", was released on 30 April 2007.[84] To promote the album, O'Connor toured extensively in Europe and North America. She also appeared on two tracks of the new Ian Brown album The World Is Yours, including the anti-war single "Illegal Attacks".[85]
2010s
In January 2010, O'Connor performed a duet with R&B singer Mary J. Blige produced by former A Tribe Called Quest member Ali Shaheed Muhammad of O'Connor's song "This Is To Mother You" (first recorded by O'Connor on her 1997 Gospel Oak EP). The proceeds of the song's sales were donated to the organisation GEMS (Girls Educational and Mentoring Services).[86] In 2012 the song "Lay Your Head Down", written by Brian Byrne and Glenn Close for the soundtrack of the film Albert Nobbs and performed by O'Connor, was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.[87]
O'Connor performing in 2013
In 2011, O'Connor worked on recording a new album, titled Home, to be released in the beginning of 2012,[88] titled How About I Be Me (and You Be You)?,[89][90] with the first single being "The Wolf is Getting Married". She planned an extensive tour in support of the album but suffered a serious breakdown between December 2011 and March 2012,[91] resulting in the tour and all other musical activities for the rest of 2012 being cancelled. O'Connor resumed touring in 2013 with The Crazy Baldhead Tour. The second single "4th and Vine" was released on 18 February 2013.[92]
In February 2014, it was revealed that O'Connor had been recording a new album of original material, titled The Vishnu Room, consisting of romantic love songs.[93] In early June 2014, the new album was retitled I'm Not Bossy, I'm the Boss, with an 11 August release date. The title derives from the Ban Bossy campaign that took place earlier the same year. The album's first single is entitled "Take Me to Church".[94][95]
In November 2014, O'Connor's management was taken over by Simon Napier-Bell and Björn de Water.[96] On 15 November, O'Connor joined the charity supergroup Band Aid 30 along with other British and Irish pop acts, recording a new version of the track "Do They Know It's Christmas?" at Sarm West Studios in Notting Hill, London, to raise money for the West African Ebola virus epidemic.[97]
In September 2019, O'Connor performed live for the first time in five years, singing "Nothing Compares 2 U" with the Irish Chamber Orchestra on RTÉ's The Late Late Show.[98][99]
2020s
In October 2020, O'Connor released a cover of Mahalia Jackson's Trouble of the World, with proceeds from the single to benefit Black Lives Matter charities.[100]
On 4 June 2021, O'Connor announced her immediate retirement from the music industry. While her final studio album, No Veteran Dies Alone, was due to be released in 2022, O'Connor stated that she would not be touring or promoting it.[101] Announcing the news on Twitter, she said "This is to announce my retirement from touring and from working in the record business. I've gotten older and I'm tired. So it's time for me to hang up my nipple tassels, having truly given my all. NVDA in 2022 will be my last release. And there'll be no more touring or promo."[101][102] On 7 June she retracted her previous statement, describing the original announcement as "a knee-jerk reaction" to an insensitive interview, and announcing that she would go ahead with her already scheduled 2022 tour.[103]
On 1 June 2021, O'Connor's memoir Rememberings was released to positive critical reception. It was listed among the best books of the year on BBC Culture.[104]
On 7 January 2022, O'Connor's son, Shane, died by suicide at the age of 17.[42] She subsequently decided to cancel her 2022 tour and her album No Veteran Dies Alone was postponed indefinitely.[105]
In February 2023, she shared a new version of "The Skye Boat Song", a 19th century Scottish adaptation of a 1782 Gaelic song, which is also the theme for the fantasy drama series Outlander.[106] The following month, she was awarded the inaugural Choice Music Prize Classic Irish Album by Irish broadcaster RTÉ for her 1990 album, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got.[107][108]
Name
In 2017, O'Connor changed her legal name to Magda Davitt, saying in an interview that she wished to be "free of the patriarchal slave names. Free of the parental curses."[113][114] On her conversion to Islam in October 2018, she adopted the name 'Shuhada', and before mid-2019 also changed her surname from Davitt to Sadaqat.[115]
Personal and public image
Her shaved head has been seen as a statement against traditional views of femininity.[116]
Marriages and children
O'Connor had four children and was married and divorced four times. She had her first son, Jake, in 1987 with her first husband, music producer John Reynolds,[117] who co-produced several of her albums, including Universal Mother. Reynolds and O'Connor later married in Westminster register office in March 1989.[118][119] The same year, O'Connor had an abortion after things did not work out with the father. She later wrote the song "My Special Child" about the experience.[120] O'Connor and Reynolds announced their plan to divorce in November 1991 after being separated for some time.[121]
Soon after the birth of her daughter Brigidine Roisin Waters on 10 March 1996, O'Connor and the girl's father, Irish journalist John Waters, began a long custody battle that ended with O'Connor agreeing to let Roisin live in Dublin with Waters.[122][119][117] In August 2001, O'Connor married British journalist Nick Sommerlad in Wales; the marriage ended in July 2002 after 11 months.[123][117] She had her third child, son Shane, in 2004 with musician Donal Lunny.[117][119] In 2006, she had her fourth child, Yeshua Francis Neil Bonadio, whose father is Frank Bonadio.[124][125]
O'Connor was married a third time on 22 July 2010, to longtime friend and collaborator Steve Cooney,[4][126] and in late March 2011, made the decision to separate.[127] Her fourth marriage was to Irish therapist Barry Herridge. They wed on 9 December 2011, in Las Vegas, but their marriage ended after having "lived together for 7 days only".[128] The following week, on 3 January 2012, O'Connor issued a further string of internet comments to the effect that the couple had re-united.[5]
On 18 July 2015, her first grandson was born to her son Jake Reynolds and his girlfriend Lia.[129]
On 7 January 2022, two days after her 17-year-old son Shane was reported missing from Newbridge, County Kildare, he was found dead by suicide. His body was found by Gardaí in the Bray/Shankill part of Dublin.[130][131][132] O'Connor stated that her son, custody of whom she lost in 2013, had been on "suicide watch" at Tallaght Hospital, and had "ended his earthly struggle". O'Connor criticised the Health Service Executive (HSE) with regard to their handling of her son's case.[133][134][135] She initially criticised Ireland's family services agency, Tusla, but retracted this a few days later.[136][137] In January 2022, a week after her son's suicide, she was hospitalised on her own volition following a series of tweets in which she indicated she was going to take her own life.[138]
Relationship with Prince
Speaking about her relationship with Prince in an interview with Norwegian station NRK in November 2014 she said, "I did meet him a couple of times. We didn't get on at all. In fact we had a punch-up." She continued: "He summoned me to his house after 'Nothing Compares'. I made it without him. I'd never met him. He summoned me to his house – and it's foolish to do this to an Irish woman – he said he didn't like me saying bad words in interviews. So I told him to f*** off....He got quite violent. I had to escape out of his house at 5 in the morning. He packed a bigger punch than mine."[139] In her 2021 memoir Rememberings, O'Connor described her meeting with Prince in detail, which ranged from having his butler serve soup repeatedly despite no desire for soup, to hitting her with a hard object placed in a pillowcase after wanting a pillow fight, and stalking her with his car after she left the mansion.[140]
Health
In the early 2000s, O'Connor revealed that she suffered from fibromyalgia. The pain and fatigue she experienced caused her to take a break from music from 2003 to 2005.[141]
On an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show broadcast on 4 October 2007, O'Connor disclosed that she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder four years earlier, and had attempted suicide on her 33rd birthday, 8 December 1999.[142] Then, on Oprah: Where Are They Now? of 9 February 2014, O'Connor said that she had received three "second opinions" and was told by all three that she was not bipolar.
O'Connor was also diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder and borderline personality disorder.[143]
In August 2015, she announced that she was to undergo a hysterectomy after suffering gynaecological problems for over three years.[144] O'Connor later blamed the hospital's refusal to administer hormonal replacement therapy after the operation as the main reason for her mental health issues in the subsequent years, stating "I was flung into surgical menopause. Hormones were everywhere. I became very suicidal. I was a basket case."[145]
Having smoked cannabis for 30 years, O'Connor went to a rehabilitation centre in 2016, to end her "addiction".[146] O'Connor was agoraphobic.[147]
In August 2017, O'Connor posted a 12-minute video on her Facebook page in which she stated that she had felt alone since losing custody of her 13-year-old son, Shane, and that for the prior two years she had wanted to kill herself, with only her doctor and psychiatrist "keeping her alive".[148] The month after her Facebook post, O'Connor appeared on the American television talk show Dr. Phil on the show's 16th season debut episode.[149] According to Dr. Phil, O'Connor wanted to do the interview because she wanted to "destigmatize mental illness", noting the prevalence of mental health issues among musicians.[150] Shane died in January 2022. A week later, following a series of tweets in which she indicated that she was going to kill herself, O'Connor was hospitalised.[151]
Sexuality
In a 2000 interview in Curve, O'Connor said that she was a lesbian.[152] She later retracted the statement, and in 2005 told Entertainment Weekly "I'm three-quarters heterosexual, a quarter gay".[153]
In 2013, O'Connor published an open letter on her own website to American singer and actress Miley Cyrus in which she warned Cyrus of the treatment of women in the music industry and stated that sexuality is a factor in this, which was in response to Cyrus's music video for her song "Wrecking Ball".[154] Cyrus responded by mocking O'Connor and alluding to her mental health problems.[155]
Politics
O'Connor was a vocal supporter of a united Ireland, and called on the left-wing republican Sinn Féin party to be "braver". In December 2014 it was reported O'Connor had joined Sinn Féin.[156] O'Connor called for the "demolition" of the Republic of Ireland and its replacement with a new, united country. She also called for key Sinn Féin politicians like Gerry Adams to step down because "they remind people of violence", referring to the Troubles.[157]
In a 2015 interview with the BBC, O'Connor said she wished that Ireland had remained under British rule (which ended after the Irish War of Independence, except for Northern Ireland), saying "the church took over and it was disastrous".[158] Following the Brexit referendum in 2016, O'Connor wrote on Facebook "Ireland is officially no longer owned by Britain".[159]
Religion
Sinéad O'Connor on After Dark on 21 January 1995
In January 1995, O'Connor made an unexpected appearance on the British late-night television programme After Dark during an episode about sexual abuse and the Catholic Church in Ireland.[160] The discussion included a Dominican friar and another representative of the Catholic Church, along with former taoiseach Garret FitzGerald. Host Helena Kennedy described the event: "Sinéad came on and argued that abuse in families was coded in by the church because it refused to accept the accounts of women and children."[161]
In the late 1990s, Bishop Michael Cox of the Irish Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church (an Independent Catholic group not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church) ordained O'Connor as a priest.[17] The Catholic Church considers the ordination of women to be invalid and asserts that a person attempting the sacrament of ordination upon a woman incurs excommunication.[17] The bishop had contacted her to offer ordination following her appearance on RTÉ's The Late Late Show, during which she told the presenter, Gay Byrne, that had she not been a singer she would have wished to have been a Catholic priest. After her ordination, she indicated that she wished to be called Mother Bernadette Mary.[17]
In a July 2007 interview with Christianity Today, O'Connor stated that she considered herself a Christian and that she believed in core Christian concepts about the Trinity and Jesus Christ. She said, "I think God saves everybody whether they want to be saved or not. So when we die, we're all going home ... I don't think God judges anybody. He loves everybody equally."[162] In an October 2002 interview, she credited her Christian faith in giving her the strength to live through and overcome the effects of her childhood abuse.[112]
On 26 March 2010, O'Connor appeared on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360° to speak out about the Catholic sexual abuse scandal in Ireland.[163] On 28 March 2010, she had an opinion piece published in the Sunday edition of The Washington Post in which she wrote about the scandal and her time in a Magdalene laundry as a teenager.[31] Writing for the Sunday Independent she labelled the Vatican as "a nest of devils" and called for the establishment of an "alternative church", opining that "Christ is being murdered by liars" in the Vatican.[164] Shortly after the election of Pope Francis, she said:[165][166]
Well, you know, I guess I wish everyone the best, and I don't know anything about the man, so I'm not going to rush to judge him on one thing or another, but I would say he has a scientifically impossible task, because all religions, but certainly the Catholic Church, is really a house built on sand, and it's drowning in a sea of conditional love, and therefore it can't survive, and actually the office of Pope itself is an anti-Christian office, the idea that Christ needs a representative is laughable and blasphemous at the same time, therefore it is a house built on sand, and we need to rescue God from religion, all religions, they've become a smokescreen that distracts people from the fact that there is a holy spirit, and when you study the Gospels you see the Christ character came to tell us that we only need to talk directly to God, we never needed Religion ...
Asked whether from her point of view, it is therefore irrelevant who is elected to be pope, O'Connor replied:
Genuinely I don't mean disrespect to Catholic people because I believe in Jesus Christ, I believe in the Holy Spirit, all of those, but I also believe in all of them, I don't think it cares if you call it Fred or Daisy, you know? Religion is a smokescreen, it has everybody talking to the wall. There is a Holy Spirit who can't intervene on our behalf unless we ask it. Religion has us talking to the wall. The Christ character tells us himself: you must only talk directly to the Father; you don't need intermediaries. We all thought we did, and that's ok, we're not bad people, but let's wake up ... God was there before religion; it's there [today] despite religion; it'll be there when religion is gone.[167]
Tatiana Kavelka wrote about O'Connor's later Christian work, describing it as "theologically charged yet unorthodox, oriented toward interfaith dialogue and those on the margins".[168]
In August 2018, via an open letter, she asked Pope Francis to excommunicate her as she had also asked Pope Benedict XVI and Pope John Paul II.[113]
In October 2018, O'Connor converted to Islam, calling it "the natural conclusion of any intelligent theologian's journey".[169] The ceremony was conducted in Ireland by Sunni Islamic theologian Shaykh Umar Al-Qadri. She also changed her name to Shuhada' Davitt. In a message on Twitter, she thanked fellow Muslims for their support and uploaded a video of herself reciting the adhan, the Islamic call to prayer. She also posted photos of herself wearing a hijab.[170]
After her conversion to Islam, O'Connor called those who were not Muslims "disgusting" and criticised Christian and Jewish theologians on Twitter in November 2018. She wrote: "What I'm about to say is something so racist I never thought my soul could ever feel it. But truly I never wanna spend time with white people again (if that's what non-muslims are called). Not for one moment, for any reason. They are disgusting."[171][172] Later that month, O'Connor stated that her remarks were made in an attempt to force Twitter to close down her account.[173] In September 2019, she apologised for the remarks, saying "They were not true at the time and they are not true now. I was triggered as a result of Islamophobia dumped on me. I apologize for hurt caused. That was one of many crazy tweets lord knows."[174]
Death
On 26 July 2023, O'Connor was found dead at her flat in Herne Hill, South London, at the age of 56 Her family issued a statement later the same day, without indicating the cause of her death.[108][177][178] The following day, the Metropolitan Police reported that O'Connor's death was not being treated as suspicious] On 28 July, the Coronor in London said that the date of death was still unknown.
Image of boats under construction on the stocks at W. Ryan & Sons shipyard beside Browns Creek, (also known as Crooked Creek) Taree NSW. Dated 1st January 1943.
The design of the two vessels pictured in the foreground is consistent with the raked bow and counter stern of the 66 ft trawler type, whereas the frames in the background appear to be of the smaller 45 ft tow boat.
It is still uncertain to the exact number of vessels that were completed by W. Ryan & Sons Shipyard, and how many orders were cancelled. (A figure of 16 boats over two years has been documented.)
Location
The portion of land used for the shipyard, was situated in the vicinity between the end of Stevenson Lane and the banks of Browns Creek. (also known as Crooked Creek)
Now known as Muscio Park.
Latitude: -31°53'54.6" S
Longitude: 152°28'4.43" E
Launch
After the vessels were launched, the hulls were then towed out of the creek into the Manning River and upstream to the North Coast Steam Navigation Company wharf.
The engines, machinery and metal work were installed by Mr Hector Haden’s engineer's, whilst Mr .A. Butterworth was in charge of fitting the electrical systems.
A team of carpenters added the superstructure and finished off the craft before they were test run on the river, and handed over for service.
WWII Construction of Vessels in Australia
A program for Australian construction was set up to supply craft for the U.S. Army, Australian Army, & the Royal Navy, through the Australian Shipbuilding Board, who distributed the orders to the various shipyards.
W. Ryan & Sons, of Taree, and E. Wright of Tuncurry were just two of many shipyards contracted to under take the orders for the various classes of vessels.
Boats built by W. Ryan & Sons were fully completed and tested, whereas E. Wright's shipyard at Tuncurry, supplied the hulls only, which were towed to either Sydney or Newcastle .
45 ft Wooden Towboat (US WT Class and Aust. Army AT Class)
Details:
Length: 45 ft
Breadth: 16 ft
Depth: 6 ft 6 in (Below water line)
66 ft Seine Trawler (US TL Class and Royal Navy MFV Class)
Details:
Length: 66 ft
Breadth: 17 ft 6 in
Depth: 6 ft 6 in
References
The Northern Champion, Saturday 20th January 1945
Boat Trials at Taree
On Friday afternoon a 45ft tow boat, built for the US Army at W. Ryan and Son's Brown's Creek shipbuilding yards, was tested on the river at Taree, and within a week or so a second boat will be ready to undergo its tests. Friday's test was carried out under the supervision of Mr. Baxter, representing the Ministry for Munitions, and later the American Army authorities will make a test of the engines.
Mr. Baxter paid a tribute to the splendid workmanship of Ryan's yard, and also made mention of the efficient manner in which Mr. Hector Haden, as contractor for the engineering portion of the work, had carried out his contract.
Mr. Baxter said originally the hulls built at country yards were taken to Sydney to have the engines installed, but at Taree, and other places, the authorities had been able to organise a capable and efficient band of men, with the necessary equipment, to enable the engineering work to be attended to on the spot. These boats, which will be used for inter - island service, are fitted with diesel engines, and are designed for hard wear.
The Northern Champion 7th February 1945
TOWBOAT LEAVES TAREE WAITING FOR HARRINGTON CROSSING.
On Sunday last, one of the completed 45 ft towboats, built at W. Ryan & Sons' yards at Taree, was taken to Harrington by a crew representing the American Army. This boat recently completed her trials on the river, and is now ready to take her place in the operations in the Pacific. At Croki , J. Goodsen and Vic Shoesmith joined the boat as navigators to Harrington. However, owing to the shallow bar, the vessel will have to wait for a favourable opportunity to cross out.
The second towboat has been tested at Taree and is expected that she will go to Harrington, and that the two boats will cross out together.
The engineers and carpenters at the depot at the North Coast wharf are now busily engaged building the superstructure on one of the 66 ft boats, which will also receive its engines and other equipment at Taree.
The Northern Champion 25th February 1945.
The two launches built at Ryan's yard, at Taree, crossed out when tides were suitable. They behaved nicely crossing over the bar, bowing and dipping to the gentle waves of the Pacific. These boats reflect credit on the builders.
End of Construction in Australia
By August 1944 a total of 2,712 craft had been received from Australian construction. Orders for most types of craft had been completed, and only 499 units were still on order.
Of a total of 5,516 units originally ordered, 2,300 had been cancelled.
Decommissioned
The 45 ft tow boat had a wide variety of uses and played an important role during the conflict in the South-West Pacific.
As there were a many number of these type of vessels built that, after the war had ended , the surplus of no longer required craft were put up for tender through the Commonwealth Disposal Commission around 1946.
The robust design and sturdy construction of these little craft, were very well suited to harbour work, and soon found their way into lighterage companies around the coast.
Identified
Two of these vessels that were built by W. Ryan have been identified as the Prolific ( Ex - Terri ) and the Harport (Ex - Harlan )
It is uncertain if these two towboats were built and served under the United States Army ‘WT’ Class or the Australian Army ‘AT’ Class as no vessel identification numbers have been located to date.
Prolific (Ex –Terri)
The Terri was initially purchased by Nicholson Bros Harbour Transport Pty Ltd, Sydney, who changed her name to the Prolific.
Nicholson’s fleet was taken over by Stannard Bros Launch Services Pty Ltd. In 1968, where the Prolific continued on with harbour lighterage work.
In 1976 the Prolific was sold off to a private buyer and converted into a house boat on the Parramatta River.
After 40years of ownership to the one family the Prolific was recently sold in 2016 to undergo a new life.
Harport (Ex-Harlan)
After WWII the Harport was owned and operated in Sydney Harbour by several lighterage companies including:
- Land & Transport Co.Ltd.Sydney.
- Harbour Lighterage & Showboat Pty. Ltd.
- Harbour Lighterage Ltd.
Little is known on the Harport, other than she caught fire in 1954 on Sydney harbour, sustaining considerable damage before taken to Glebe for repairs. Reportedly in existence, at Brisbane in 2003.
Image Source : Australian War Memorial : www.awm.gov.au/collection/069761/
All Images in this photostream are Copyright - Great Lakes Manning River Shipping and/or their individual owners as may be stated above and may not be downloaded, reproduced, or used in any way without prior written approval.
GREAT LAKES MANNING RIVER SHIPPING, NSW - Flickr Group --> Alphabetical Boat Index --> Boat builders Index --> Tags List
Running consistently over hurdles on ground perhaps not quite quick enough for her and today looks an ideal opportunity to show her best form. Does like to front run so possible in this big field she could get hassled about but the ability and conditions are there. Watch My Back ran an eye catching race behind Ballabriggs recently and presumably needed the outing.
BREAKING NEWS My 513th picture to be viewed over 1,000 times (January 2016). First uploaded August 2011.
On June 15, history was made at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s when its 50th kori bustard chick (Ardeotis kori) emerged from its shell. The Zoo has bred kori bustards consistently since 1997, when it became the fourth zoo in the world to hatch them. Many offspring have subsequently bred at other North American zoos.
“While each hatching is special and rewarding, this chick is a little more special than the others,” said Sara Hallager, Zoo biologist and head of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan for kori bustards. The SSP matches animals across the country to ensure genetic diversity in the population. “We've reached an important milestone, and I’m thrilled that the National Zoo continues to play a significant role in ensuring this species’ survival in zoos and in the wild.”
In addition to the propagation, breeding and management that takes place at the National Zoo, the kori bustard team, led by Hallager, is actively involved in in situ assessments of the species. In 2009, Zoo staff conducted a study of the health, nutrition, and feeding ecology of wild kori bustards in Kenya by capturing birds and collecting blood samples. They also trained Kenyan ornithologists in capture-and-sample-collection techniques.
Although the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists kori bustards as a species of least concern, conservationists believe that populations are declining in their native habitat in eastern and southern Africa due to habitat destruction, illegal hunting and their inherent slow reproduction rate. Weighing in at 40 pounds, male kori bustards are the world’s heaviest flying birds.
Bird House staff are hand-rearing the 50th kori chick, just as they did with its predecessors. This increases the likelihood that the chick will breed successfully once it reaches sexual maturity. Hand-rearing has another benefit; several wild birds of prey reside on Zoo grounds, and raising the chicks in human care eliminates the chance of an attack. Although the chick will not be on exhibit until mid-August, Zoo visitors can see its parents at the kori bustard exhibit, located outside of the Bird House.
Credit: Photo by Mehgan Murphy, Smithsonian’s National Zoo.
ADO16 is the codename for the development of what became the Morris 1100, a small family car built by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and, later, British Leyland. Throughout the 1960s, the ADO16 was consistently the UK's best-selling car.
Although most of the cars were manufactured in England, the model was also built in Spain by Authi, in Italy by Innocenti and at the company's own plant in Belgium. It was the basis for locally adapted similar cars manufactured in Australia and South Africa.
The vehicle was launched as the Morris 1100 on August 15, 1962. The range was expanded to include several rebadged versions, including the twin-carburettor MG 1100, the Vanden Plas Princess (from October 1962), the Austin 1100 (August 1963), and finally the Wolseley 1100 (1965) and Riley Kestrel (1965). The Morris badged 1100/1300 gave up its showroom space to the Morris Marina in 1971, but Austin and Vanden Plas versions remained in production in the UK till June 1974.
The estate version followed in 1966, called Countryman in the Austin version and Traveller in the Morris one, continuing the established naming scheme.
In 1964 the 1100 was Wheels magazine's Car of the Year.
The original Mark I models were distinctive for their use of a Hydrolastic suspension. Marketing material highlighted the spacious cabin when compared to competitor models which in the UK by 1964 included the more conservatively configured Ford Anglia, Vauxhall Viva HA and BMC's own still popular Morris Minor.
At the end of May 1967, BMC announced the fitting of a larger 1275 cc engine to the MG, Riley Kestrel, Vanden Plas and Wolseley variants.[5] The new car combined the 1275 cc engine block already familiar to drivers of newer Mini Cooper and Austin-Healey Sprite models with the 1100 transmission, its gear ratios remaining unchanged for the larger engine, but the final-drive being significantly more highly geared.[5]
The Mark II versions of the Austin and Morris models were announced, with the larger engine making it into these two makes' UK market ranges in October 1967 (as the Austin 1300 and Morris 1100S and 100). An 1100 version of the Mark II continued alongside the larger engined models.
Unusually for cars at this end of the market, domestic market waiting lists of several months accumulated for the 1300 engined cars during the closing months of 1967 and well into 1968. The manufacturers explained that following the devaluation of the British Pound in the Fall / Autumn of 1967 they were working flat out to satisfy export market demand, but impatient British would-be customers could be reassured that export sales of the 1300s were "going very well". MG, Wolseley, Riley and Vanden Plas variants with the 1300 engines were already available on the home market in very limited quantities, and Austin and Morris versions would begin to be "available here in small quantities in March [1968].
On the outside, a slightly wider front grille, extending a little beneath the headlights, and with a fussier detailing, differentiated Austin / Morris Mark IIs from their Mark I predecessors, along with a slightly smoother tail light fitting which also found its way onto the FX4 London taxi of the time. Austin and Morris grilles were now identical. The 1100 had been introduced with synchromesh on the top three ratios: all synchromesh manual gearboxes were introduced with the 1275 cc models at the end of 1967 and found their way into 1098 cc cars a few months later.
At the London Motor Show in October 1969 the manufacturers introduced the Austin / Morris 1300 GT, featuring the same 1275 cc twin carburetter engine as that installed in the MG 1300, but with a black full width grill, a black vinyl roof and a thick black stripe down the side.[8] This was BMC's answer to the Ford Escort GT and its Vauxhall counterpart. Ride height on the Austin / Morris 1300 GT was fractionally lowered through the reduction of the Hydrolastic fluid pressure from 225 to 205 psi.
The National Wallace Monument commemorates Sir William Wallace. He was one of the very few who consistently opposed the efforts of King Edward I of England to impose his will, and ultimately his supremacy, over Scotland and the Scots in the years around 1300.
The Wallace, as he is often known, is one of the most powerful, most evocative, and most well recognised figures from Scottish history. It is a fair bet that today his name is better known worldwide than most, if not all, of Scotland's monarchs.
Yet he was never a king; his notable deeds took place over a very short period of time, part of which he actually spent in France; he fought just two major battles and emerged with a score of won one and lost one, and in the end he was betrayed and executed.
There's a contradiction here. Behind it lies the stunningly good press that William Wallace has received over the centuries. Most notably, the bard Blind Harry wrote an epic 1470 poem, The Acts and Deeds of Sir William Wallace, Knight of Elderslie. This introduced the story of Wallace as the heroic figure we now all know, at times without too much regard for the actual historical facts.
But it was not Blind Harry who brought Wallace's story to the attention of a worldwide audience, it was Mel Gibson. His 1995 film Braveheart added another layer of artistic license to the one already applied by Blind Harry. The result has been criticised for its lack of historical accuracy. But critics of what is, without doubt, a superbly entertaining and enormously popular film, miss the point. The point is that the historical accuracy of the film doesn't really matter, just as the historical accuracy of Blind Harry's poem didn't really matter. People believe what they want to believe, and for a nation in search of national heroes, William Wallace fitted the bill perfectly: and still does.
But let's wind the story back to the mid-1800s. Scotland, with more than a little help from Sir Walter Scott, was going through an earlier phase of the rediscovery of its sense of national pride and identity after a period during which for many it had become "North Britain". Blind Harry's William Wallace was a perfect focus for the celebration of this new sense of identity and as a result statues of him and monuments to him began to spring up all over the country, with more than 20 being built in all.
But many wanted a national monument to William Wallace that could be venerated by everyone in Scotland. Funds were raised from the public, and a competition was launched for a design for the monument after an initial proposal was deemed too anti-English (of a Scottish lion in the act of killing a mythical English creature). 106 entries were submitted and the design that was selected was by the Scots Baronial architect J.T. Rochead.
His approach was to marry together two uniquely Scottish features. He took the traditional design of a Scottish tower house castle, complete with an external stair turret, and stretched it vertically. Then he added to the top a stone crown spire, of the sort seen atop the towers of St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh and King's College in Aberdeen.
The question of location had been decided some years earlier. Both Edinburgh and Glasgow wanted to be home to the monument, and Stirling was chosen mainly because it could be seen as neutral territory. Having decided on Stirling, the choice of the rocky outcrop of Abbey Craig was an obvious one for the monument, for three main reasons. Firstly, if you are going to build a monument intended to make a statement, putting it on top of a high outcrop of rock allows it to make the biggest statement possible. Secondly, Abbey Craig could be quarried to provide the stone needed to build the monument.
The third reason for the location was that Abbey Craig overlooks the site of William Wallace's most notable victory over the English, the Battle of Stirling Bridge, which took place on 11 September 1297. This was fought around the original wooden bridge over the River Forth at Stirling, in the shadow of Stirling Castle and just below Abbey Craig. The original bridge lay a short distance upstream from the stone bridge known today as Old Stirling Bridge. The Scots attacked from the Abbey Craig when the English were half deployed across the bridge and won an overwhelming victory. After the battle, Wallace was knighted by an unnamed Earl and became Sir William Wallace "Guardian of the Kingdom of Scotland and leader of its armies." His co-leader, Andrew Murray fared less well, dying some time later from wounds received during the battle. Wallace followed up the victory by leading the Scots into Northumberland and Cumbria, retreating only when the weather became too bad to continue the campaign.
The true historical significance of the Battle of Stirling Bridge is debatable. The English returned to Scotland in early 1298, trying to draw Wallace into open battle. This eventually happened at the Battle of Falkirk, on 22 July 1298. Defeat there was the beginning of the end for Wallace who was eventually executed in London on 23 August 1305. But as we've already said, none of this is really about history: the myth of Wallace has a life of its own that remains hugely influential.
The National Wallace Monument you see today was completed in 1869 after eight years' construction. It stands some 220ft or 67m high, and Abbey Craig adds a further 300ft or 91m, meaning that the top of the monument stands 520ft above the (tidal) River Forth below.
Who here likes consistency? You know, that warm, familiar feeling every time you go to Taco Bell (going down or out.. up to you)... very consistent? You've been there enough times and you've generally had all their menu items and your opinion is that "it's alright". Then there's that one time out of the blue, you decide to try something vegetarian off the Fresco menu, only to realize it was a horrible, horrible mistake? Well, that's kind of like what happened with this particular entry: Figma Megumin from Kono Sabarashii Sekai ni Shyukufuku wo!.. however you pronounce that.
As with 99% of the magical girl entries on my list, I know nothing about the actual character. Couple of Wiki pages presents a personality that, as expected, fits the way she looks. As taken from a Fandom page:
"Megumin is a straightforward girl, who speaks in an old-style Japanese dialect. She can be very hyper and lively at times and has chuunibyou tendencies like the rest of the Crimson Demon villagers. She is very intelligent, but has very little self-control, especially when it comes to using Explosion magic. She has no problem wasting her spell on empty plains or abandoned castles, as long as she can use Explosion once a day."
There seemed to be quite a bit of excitement when the figure was announced a while back, so as I always do, I found a decent deal on one that had a few issues while out and about, figuring "it's a Figma, it'll be alright" and away I went. The issues being that this was an Amazon Warehouse deal, so it wasn't complete, though the only thing that was missing was the instruction manual. The peg holding her cape in place had snapped off, and her head wasn't in place, of which the latter I figure I could just go home and pop that sucker right back in because, well, wouldn't be the first time a head came off a Figma after being jostled.
Well, jokes on me. After trying with no success, I took to the Internet, and read a crap ton of negative reviews on this figure, ranging from poor QC to horrible design. The head thing? Wasn't the only one; several complaints on Amazon said the same thing, with most not even bothering to try to attach the head. I had to grind the hole to widen it before the neck joint would actually fit, and now it's a bit loose and prone to falling off. I read stories of the staff showing up broken. Seems overall, these Konosuba girls (as they are called) have been plagued with QC issues.. I'm glad I didn't pay MSRP on this figure, let me tell you.
Megumin comes with a typical payload when it comes to Figma. There's the figure, three total face plates (slight smile, attacking, scared), her hat, her cape, alternate hair with eye patch, energy effect for eye, staff, purple orb for staff, spell effect with staff end for attaching said effect, her Familiar Chomosuke, six additional hands plus one dedicated spell casting hand, and the usual Figma stand.
Based on the screen caps I've seen, it appears that overall, Max Factory has captured the overall silhouette of Megumin herself, and her look when equipped with her gear. Of course, she's a lanky Japanese school girl, so not exactly hard for Figma to replicate. Chomosuke is freakin' adorable.. not quite Kirby adorable, but pretty damn close. Sculpting details are up to snuff, with clean fingers, good texture detailing on the outfit, and some minor muscle definition on her bare back. Face plates look spot on.
Articulation is pretty typical for a Figma.. when she doesn't have her cape on. You have full motion ankles, single jointed knees, full motion hips, waist, mid torso movement, full motion shoulders combined with bicep swivel, standard elbows, wrists, and head articulation. Mid torso movement is limited due to the joint being embedded inside her outfit, which is a soft rubber material. I'm not sure if it's like this for all the recent Figma (I'm kind of behind schedule), but Megumin features this hinged joint which allows for a deeper range of motion when it comes to head tilt, while at the same time offering the same ball jointed base base of head joint that permits the standard range of motion there. The cape itself has two points of articulation, allowing for a simulated flow look which is great, but putting the cape on also limits the range of motion when it comes to raise the arms up into an overhead position. Her skirt also limits the movement of the upper legs, which in turn limits the number of stances you can have her in. Because of this, I found it very difficult to balance Megumin on her tiny feet, and as such a stand is pretty much needed for everything.
Paint work is, as expected, solid across the board. Even the yellows appear to be well applied, with no significant overspray or lumpy paint residue. The only ugly paint spot are the silver on her buckle and her necklace, which are relatively ugly, but not "gouge my eyes out" level. Decal work is at its usual level of excellence.
Building quality and design is where things kind of went South. I've already talked about my problems out the box above, but there's more to discuss. First and foremost, that stupid, stupid hat. So, someone, in their infinite wisdom, decided that rather than have the hat attach via a peg or something like that, decided the best way to have the hat sit on her head is the put a really thin piece of plastic on the inside of the hat, and have that clip between the two hair pieces.. sounds alright in theory until you realize actually getting the thing to fit in their is a nightmare because there really isn't enough clearance to slide the front hair piece in place should you try to get the hat in place first. So instead you end up leaving a slight gap, and cramming the hat on her head, hoping for the best. The eye effect is a separate piece, and it is up to the owner to use their hamburger finger to squeeze this tiny plastic piece, probably the size of a syringe needle, into place so it doesn't fall out of the hair. I found that the joints on the figure, while fine by themselves, aren't really meant to carry the weight of the staff, particularly if it has the energy effect attached on the end of it. The body itself is pretty typical build, so no too many complaints here.
So in the end, we had the potential for an outstanding Figma, one having vibrant colour and personality., only to have a multitude of QC issues and crappy design choices knock it down a few pegs. Without her hat and cape, Megumin is honestly average at best, as she really can't do much other than sligh variations of standing up. I guess if the cape wasn't broken on mine, at least I would keep the cape on constantly as it does add to the character. But that hat.. it's such a hassle to put it on you either never take it off or you just give up. The best parts of this set are the scared face and of course, Chomosuke.
Better luck next time, I suppose.
The capital of Idaho is consistently one of the fastest growing cities in America. Many good reasons for this as it is an amazing place, with good weather, many outdoor activities, civic pride (go Broncos), friendly people, excellent university, government seat of state power and home to many major companies. A marvelous place to call home, which I did for much of my life.
This photo was taken from dear friends Tony and Bonnie's deck along Crescent Rim overlooking Ann Morrison Park and the city center.
Please View On Black
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It's a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities.
Toronto is a city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, with the original city area lying between the Don and Humber rivers.
For more information on visiting Toronto visit:
For more information on visiting Canada visit:
us-keepexploring.canada.travel/
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About this day of the trip:
Day 2
Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls Canada - Toronto (83 miles)
We will continue our tour Niagara Falls by heading into Canada to take the Hornblower Cruise boat ride and see an informational movie at the IMAX Theater. We will also ascend the Skylon Tower. The tour then departs for Toronto, ON, one of Canada's largest cities. There we will visit the CN Tower and guests will have the option to take a Lake Ontario Cruise. During the winter when the cruise is not running, we will instead visit Casa Loma. We will have dinner in historical Chinatown.
Niagara Falls Canada, Canada
Skylon Tower This observation tower on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls offers a bird's-eye views of one of the world's favorite natural wonders. The tower stands 520 feet from street level and 775 feet from the bottom of the falls.
Rainbow Bridge The Rainbow Bridge across the Niagara River connects Niagara, Ontario to Niagara, New York. It is an international landmark and impressive architectural feat. In addition to private vehicles, pedestrians and bikes can cross the bridge for a small toll.
Niagara Falls IMAX This amazing movie experience, presented on an unbelievable IMAX screen, chronicles more than 12,000 years of history and examines human interaction with the falls from ancient time through the people-- like you-- who come to see them today.
Hornblower Niagara Cruise Get ready to get wet: this world-famous boat ride takes passengers as close to the falls as it is possible to get. Formerly Maid of the Mist, Hornblower now runs Niagara cruise operations on the Canadian side of the Falls.
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch The impressive Skylon Tower, jutting into the air above Niagara Falls, features the Revolving Dining Room, a one-of-a-kind eatery the makes a full revolution every hour. Sitting just below the observation deck, guests can enjoy views and food!
Toronto, ON
Lake Ontario Cruise Lake Ontario Cruises offer gorgeous views of the city of Toronto from the waters of Lake Ontario, one of the famous Great Lakes of North America. See the city of Toronto and the surrounding area in a new way!
Toronto City Hall This unique building complex is one of the most famous in Toronto, and also the home of the city's municipal government. The Toronto City Hall offers self-guided tours which are available in five languages (including English).
University of Toronto Routinely placed in the top 30 institutions of higher learning in the world, the University of Toronto has been educating the masses since 1827. Widely considered the best university in Canada, it is known for its pioneering research.
Casa Loma This century-old Gothic-style house in Toronto was originally the home of financier Sir Henry Mill Pellatt. Today, it serves as a museum that showcases the history of life in Toronto and what life was like in the early 1900s.
CN Tower Toronto's CN Tower is a Canadian icon and one of the most recognizable North American buildings. Made entirely of concrete, this massive monolith was the tallest structure in the world at the time of its completion in 1976.
Ontario Legislative Building The Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the seventh structure to function as the parliamentary building of the province of Ontario. This impressive building is in the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style and was built in 1893.
Chinatown One of the largest Chinatowns in North America is located in downtown Toronto, Ontario. Toronto contains several Chinatowns. This one is the oldest, dating back to the 1870s, and the historical area features many authentic groceries, restaurants, and shops.
Toronto Chinese Dinner Treat yourself to a specialty dinner in one of the largest Chinatowns in the Western Hemisphere! Freshly-cooked meats and vegetables decorate the windows of the esteemed restaurants, from whole cooked ducks to beef ribs and so much more. Enjoy!
Deluxe Hotel: Crowne Plaza or similar
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3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York
Tour Code: 655-68
July 11th, 12th, 13th 2014
Visit:
Watkins Glen State Park New York
Niagara Falls, NY USA
Thundering Water Cultural Show
USA / Canada international border crossing on Rainbow Bridge from New York United States of America to Ontario Canada
Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada
Skylon Tower
Niagara Falls IMAX
Hornblower Niagara Cruise
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch
Toronto which is the largest city in Canada
Lake Ontario Cruise
Toronto City Hall
University of Toronto
CN Tower
Ontario Legislative Building
Chinatown
Toronto Chinese Dinner
Thousand Islands, Ontario Canada
Thousand Islands Cruise
Thousand Islands Cruise Breakfast
Thousand Islands Tax and Duty Free Store in Lansdowne, Ontario Canada
Canada / USA international border crossing Thousand Islands Bridge from Hill Island, Ontario, Canada across the Saint Lawrence River to Wellesley Island, New York, United States of America
For more information on the 3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York visit:
www.taketours.com/new-york-ny/3-day-toronto-niagara-falls...
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Hashtag metadata tag
#Canada #Canadian #Toronto #TorontoCanada #CityofToronto #TorontoCity #CityToronto #Ontario #TorontoOntario #TorontoOntarioCanada #LakeOntario #The416 #HollywoodNorth #TO #T.O. #Tee-Oh #TeeOh #T-dot #Tdot #CNTower #VisitToronto #VisitCanada
Photo
Toronto city, Ontario province, Canada country, North America continent
July 12th 2014
Throughout my life, creation has been at the forefront of my minds eye. With photography I find that I am no different in my desire to either create something in the after life of the photos I take, or to be able to see and capture what the world has created for me. As I have consistently done a Project 365 for the past 3 years, I have become very accustomed to shooting every single day, so it was with most difficulty that I had to choose 12 images to represent my year.
1. "Return of the Native." I see face paint as a fantastical extension of everyday make-up. Like a lot of face paint I do, I don't often start with a direction, I just go and see what happens. In this case, it became something that reminded me of tribal war paints. I spent all this time getting the lines even only to turn my head for a few shots because I needed a break from the lights and as it turns out, of all the shots, this one spoke loudest to me. It seemed so wild and savage, yet there was an elegance about it that resonated through the picture.
2. "Footprints" I cannot recall a single moment that aside from the occasional shot looking down on my shoes, that I have ever actually photographed my feet. I wanted to mimic the classic shot that children's photographers often take of a new born babies feet. In post I made the image very soft, almost dream like, kind of an imagined moment of peace in the womb.
3. "Strings Within" Music is truly a part of the pulse in my veins. I wake up every morning to it and end every night with it. This shot illustrates the constant symbiosis I feel when a song permeates my flesh and finds its way into my consciousness.
4. "Born This Way" This song resonated with me. We're born with this skeletal frame and it is the frame work that holds us up through life and helps us to push through whatever darkness to get to the light. This took me a really long time to meticulously paint all of this on, but when I'd finished, I felt proud, steadfast, defiant even. I don't think some people will ever understand what I create sometimes in my other work, but I find that in those moments of hesitation, I defer back to this image, this feeling, and I know it doesn't matter--I create because that's who I am, and I was born to be who I will always be.
5. "Smile" This is the day in earnest I learned to light paint words. I started small with a letter or two, (keep in mind, you have to write backwards) then figured out the longer the exposure the more time I had to create something. This led to one of the greatest nights of my life where myself and two of my friends went through the city painting anything we could get our hands on. We eventually "found our way" to the rooftop of a building in the downtown area, and then set about creating some epic images. We had so much fun that we didn't even notice the party on the rooftop of the building next to us. One of the guests eventually screamed over wondering what the hell we were doing with our flash lights and candles and glow sticks and then invited us to their party. So this image does literally make me smile to think of where it led.
6. "Eye" Blah day for photography, I was shooting out of a window. The photos were horrible. I then turned the camera on myself. For some reason I decided to use my hand to frame my eye. Happy accident. I found the image captivating and apparently so did Explore and a lot of viewers that found their way to it. As many images as I've seen of eyes, I've never seen one like this.
7. "Trouve" means found in French. A photog friend said there is no weather condition short of one which is life threatening that a photographer should not be able to shoot in. I'd strayed from shooting in the rain for a long time, so I took up the challenge on one of the rainiest storms this season. The streets were already flooding when I arrived on the trails, but I forged on despite stepping in massive puddles and soaking both of my shoes completely. I crossed this bridge with the water already threatening to overtake it and saw this one random lime sitting on the park bench. I had no real time to shoot, so I shot it and scurried across the bridge to higher ground in just enough time because no sooner did I make it back across the over pass, then did the water break the bank and flood the entire area. Such a simple composition, but quite an experience to get it.
8. "Metamorphosis" Being tall, I admire and respect the giraffe because I get it. When I wear even the tiniest of heels, I tower over everyone in my life, so I decided to imagine what it would be like to suddenly start taking on the attributes of this creature. I wanted to show a sort of mid range change, as if it were being documented in some lab, "Day 12, she's lost the normal coloring of the eye and the shape of her head has begun to change."
9. "Early" I have wanted to see the sunrise in this park in town for ages, and I always made it too late. This time I was early and was rewarded richly for my efforts. The light hit the water on the lake and everything lit up with the golden light. All the creatures, many whom I didn't know existed, were stirring. Every where I turned, there was something. This is a reed that was jutting out in the lily pond. The whole morning I had to keep reminding myself to relax and concentrate so as not to miss anything.
10. "Wicked" I loved this whole series. Its kind of alien meets feline. Those claws were fantastic.
11. "Chucks Love" Although these are not actually chucks, I have had a pair of chucks and/or chuck knock offs since I was a kid. I loved the striped pattern on these and have worn them to death. True chuck wearers know that you don't cast these aside when they get a tiny rip, or the rubber starts to peel, you wear them until a toe pops loose. Then and only then can you send them off to pasture.
12: "Rotation." In the trailer for Prometheus, they were running this ad, "Hello David" in which the character rotates. It reminded me of that shocking moment in Total Recall with Arnie where his head comes out of that woman's on Mars and the airlock busts open and everyone goes flying. I wanted mine to be a full rotation and so each piece is cut so that it ends with the next rotation concluding with the neck. I had to shoot this several times to get just the right amount of rotation. I loved the effect of adding the engineering schematics layer. It's very robotic to me.
Joel Parkinson Leads ASP Top Stars in Assault on Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Round 1
BELLS BEACH, Victoria/Australia (Wednesday, April 20, 2011) – Today marks the commencement of the 50th Anniversary of competition surfing at Bells Beach as Round 1 of the 2011 Rip Curl Pro Bells presented by Ford Ranger got underway in clean four-to-six foot (1.5 - 2 metre) surf.
The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, the second stop on the 2011 ASP World Title season, enjoyed consistent surf throughout the day as the world’s best surfers unleashed a barrage of high-performance ripping on the classic canvas of Bells Beach.
Joel Parkinson (AUS), 30, 2009 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Champion put in a sensational performance this afternoon, electing to sit up at Rincon to secure the day’s highest scores.. Parkinson locked in the highest wave score and the highest heat score of the opening day of competition scoring 17.74 (out of a possible 20.00) to advance directly through to Round 3 of competition.
"I fell off twice on the bowl," Parkinson said. "It was really hard to ride. Then CJ (Hobgood) went across to Rincon and got a score, so we followed him over and it worked out for me. It's great to get that opening heat win, especially at Bells. You never know what conditions you're going to get in a heat, so to be able to skip round two and maybe get a day off is a huge advantage."
Kelly Slater (USA), 39, reigning 10-time ASP World Champion and defending event winner, was clinical in his attack in his Round 1 heat. Slater had his fellow competitors Adam Robertson (AUS), 28, and Kai Otton (AUS), 31, on the ropes only minutes into the heat, scoring an impressive 16.00 (out of a possible 20.00) on his opening two rides.
"I don't free surf out at Bells a whole lot," Slater said. "When the waves are good the comp is on and outside of that it's pretty crowded. So I'm still learning with each heat out there still, surfing against a guy like Robbo (Adam Robertson) you've got to watch where he's sitting, how far our and how deep."
Mick Fanning (AUS), 29, currently equal 13th in the hunt for the 2011 ASP World Title, went into today’s competition with renewed vigor after a shock early exit at the last event on the Gold Coast. The past two-time ASP World Champion came out and dominated his Round 1 battle over Tiago Pires (PRT), 31, and Gabriel Medina (BRA), 17.
"I'm stoked to get a good start," Fanning said. "It's been 10 years since I won here as I wildcard, I got close last year but Kelly Slater got me in the final. You want to win every event, but being the 50th Anniversary and so much history at this event, it's like the Wimbeldon of surfing, it's a hard one to win but it's the one everyone wants."
Alejo Muniz (BRA), 21, led today’s rookie charge, continuing his sensational run after the and equal 5th on the Gold Coast, and dispatching of fellow Brazilian Ranoi Monterio (BRA), 28, and Australian Adrian Buchan (AUS), 28 in this morning’s opening round heat.
"It's so good out there!" Muniz said. "This is my first time surfing at Bells and it's the most amazing place. It's got perfect rights, and it's the kind of wave that I love to surf. It's the best place ever, best waves, best weather and I love surfing in wetsuits."
Jeremy Flores (FRA), 22, bounced back after missing the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast with a knee injury, to score a comprehensive win over Taylor Knox (USA), 39, and Cory Lopez (USA), 34.
"I wasn't very confident before the heat," Flores said. "But I got that first wave and did a big turn at the end and got a good score. I think that's what you need to do these days, finish the wave strong. My knee still isn't 100%, but I went for it and it's good to win. Big thanks to everyone at the Gold Coast Suns Football Club for helping with my knee, it's feeling much better now."
Stu Kennedy (AUS), 21, scored a last minute wildcard into the event and caused the upset of the day, eliminating 2010 ASP World Title runner-up Jordy Smith (ZAF), 23, and Dusty Payne (HAW), 22.
"I've been coming here for years," Kennedy said. "I won a Pro Junior here in 2008 and I know where to sit. I don't think Dusty and Jordy know the break as well as I do so that helps. I've been up since 3am because I'm jet-lagged from coming home from Scotland. I woke up with a bunch of energy it's my shaper's birthday so I woke him up at 5am to go surfing. I had to win my heat for him for his birthday."
When men’s competition resumes, up first will be 2010 ASP World Runner-Up Jordy Smith (ZAF), 23, up against Trials Winner Adam Robertson (AUS), 28, in the opening heat of Round 2.
Following the completion of the men’s Round 1 today, the ASP Top 17 hit the water for Round 1 of the Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach presented by Ford Fiesta.
Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 23, reigning four-time ASP Women’s World Champion and defending three-time Rip Curl Women’s Bells Beach winner, returned to her winning ways today, after bowing out early at the last event, the Roxy Pro Gold Coast.
"My first two years on tour I didn't have great results on the Gold Coast," Gilmore said. "I always bounced back at this event and then finished the year well, so hopefully I'll do that again this year. The Gold Coast was a fine showing of what women's surfing is up to now and everyone has to try and keep up. It really pushes me and I think anyone who wins an event from now on will be a very deserving winner because of that fact."
Pauline Ado (FRA), 19, the French rookie caused the upset of the women's event, defeating current ASP World Title front runner Carissa Moore (HAW), 18, in a nail biter of a heat.
"I'm really happy, I had a lot of fun out there," Ado said "I got one of my good waves in the first few seconds so after that I felt confident and knew I could be more selective and wait for the right wave. A heat against Carissa is always a tough one, so I'm really stoked to win."
When women’s competition resumes, up first will be Paige Hareb (NZL) and Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) in the opening heat of Round 2.
Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 7am to assess conditions for a possible 7:30am start.
Highlights from the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by FORD will be webcast available via www.live.ripcurl.com and broadcast live on Fuel TV in Australia and ESPN in Brazil.
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com
RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 13.23, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 11.26, Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 7.37
Heat 2: Adam Melling (AUS) 14.50, Josh Kerr (AUS) 12.30, Taj Burrow (AUS) 11.00
Heat 3: Heitor Alves (BRA) 14.36, Bobby Martinez (USA) 14.14, Owen Wright (AUS) 10.60
Heat 4: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.60, Tiago Pires (PRT) 11.07, Gabriel Medina (BRA) 9.27
Heat 5: Stu Kennedy (AUS) 11.70, Dusty Payne (HAW) 10.50, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 9.00
Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA) 16.00, Kai Otton (AUS) 10.13, Adam Robertson (AUS) 8.53
Heat 7: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.17, Cory Lopez (USA) 5.83, Taylor Knox (USA) 4.67
Heat 8: Michel Bourez (PYF) 12.60, Kieren Perrow (AUS) 10.20, Gabe Kling (USA) 3.50
Heat 9: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 14.60, Damien Hobgood (USA) 11.23, Daniel Ross (AUS) 11.07
Heat 10: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 17.74, C.J. Hobgood (USA) 11.44, Bede Durbidge (AUS) 8.17
Heat 11: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.60, Chris Davidson (AUS) 10.83, Julian Wilson (AUS) 9.83
Heat 12: Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 13.40, Jadson Andre (BRA) 9.43, Brett Simpson (USA) 8.93
RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Adam Robertson (AUS)
Heat 2: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. Gabriel Medina (BRA)
Heat 3: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Bobby Martinez (USA)
Heat 4: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Josh Kerr (AUS)
Heat 5: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
Heat 6: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Cory Lopez (USA)
Heat 7: Brett Simpson (USA) vs. Gabe Kling (USA)
Heat 8: Jadson Andre (BRA) vs. Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 9: Chris Davidson (AUS) vs. Julian Wilson (AUS)
Heat 10: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 11: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 12: Taylor Knox (USA) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)
RIP CURL WOMEN’S PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 12.93, Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 8.70, Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 8.66
Heat 2: Silvana Lima (BRA) 14.94, Laura Enever (AUS) 8.84, Melanie Bartels (HAW) 7.54
Heat 3: Pauline Ado (HAW) 14.60, Carissa Moore (HAW) 14.44, Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 10.63
Heat 4: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 16.30, Courtney Conlogue (USA) 9.00, Bethany Hamilton (HAW) 6.50
Heat 5: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 16.10, Alana Blanchard (HAW) 12.83 Paige Hareb (NZL) 7.47
Heat 6: Coco Ho (HAW) 12.90, Tyler Wright (AUS) 12.00, Pauline Ado (FRA) 6.37
RIP CURL WOMEN’S PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Paige Hareb (NZL) vs. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)
Heat 2: Laura Enever (AUS) vs. Melanie Bartels (HAW)
Heat 3: Carissa Moore (HAW) vs. Nikki Van Dijk (AUS)
Heat 4: Chelsea Hedges (AUS) vs. Bethany Hamilton (HAW)
Heat 5: Tyler Wright (AUS) vs. Alana Blanchard (HAW)
Heat 6: Courtney Conlogue (USA) vs. Rebecca Woods (AUS)
Photo ASP/Scholtz
The National Wallace Monument commemorates Sir William Wallace. He was one of the very few who consistently opposed the efforts of King Edward I of England to impose his will, and ultimately his supremacy, over Scotland and the Scots in the years around 1300.
The Wallace, as he is often known, is one of the most powerful, most evocative, and most well recognised figures from Scottish history. It is a fair bet that today his name is better known worldwide than most, if not all, of Scotland's monarchs.
Yet he was never a king; his notable deeds took place over a very short period of time, part of which he actually spent in France; he fought just two major battles and emerged with a score of won one and lost one, and in the end he was betrayed and executed.
There's a contradiction here. Behind it lies the stunningly good press that William Wallace has received over the centuries. Most notably, the bard Blind Harry wrote an epic 1470 poem, The Acts and Deeds of Sir William Wallace, Knight of Elderslie. This introduced the story of Wallace as the heroic figure we now all know, at times without too much regard for the actual historical facts.
But it was not Blind Harry who brought Wallace's story to the attention of a worldwide audience, it was Mel Gibson. His 1995 film Braveheart added another layer of artistic license to the one already applied by Blind Harry. The result has been criticised for its lack of historical accuracy. But critics of what is, without doubt, a superbly entertaining and enormously popular film, miss the point. The point is that the historical accuracy of the film doesn't really matter, just as the historical accuracy of Blind Harry's poem didn't really matter. People believe what they want to believe, and for a nation in search of national heroes, William Wallace fitted the bill perfectly: and still does.
But let's wind the story back to the mid-1800s. Scotland, with more than a little help from Sir Walter Scott, was going through an earlier phase of the rediscovery of its sense of national pride and identity after a period during which for many it had become "North Britain". Blind Harry's William Wallace was a perfect focus for the celebration of this new sense of identity and as a result statues of him and monuments to him began to spring up all over the country, with more than 20 being built in all.
But many wanted a national monument to William Wallace that could be venerated by everyone in Scotland. Funds were raised from the public, and a competition was launched for a design for the monument after an initial proposal was deemed too anti-English (of a Scottish lion in the act of killing a mythical English creature). 106 entries were submitted and the design that was selected was by the Scots Baronial architect J.T. Rochead.
His approach was to marry together two uniquely Scottish features. He took the traditional design of a Scottish tower house castle, complete with an external stair turret, and stretched it vertically. Then he added to the top a stone crown spire, of the sort seen atop the towers of St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh and King's College in Aberdeen.
The question of location had been decided some years earlier. Both Edinburgh and Glasgow wanted to be home to the monument, and Stirling was chosen mainly because it could be seen as neutral territory. Having decided on Stirling, the choice of the rocky outcrop of Abbey Craig was an obvious one for the monument, for three main reasons. Firstly, if you are going to build a monument intended to make a statement, putting it on top of a high outcrop of rock allows it to make the biggest statement possible. Secondly, Abbey Craig could be quarried to provide the stone needed to build the monument.
The third reason for the location was that Abbey Craig overlooks the site of William Wallace's most notable victory over the English, the Battle of Stirling Bridge, which took place on 11 September 1297. This was fought around the original wooden bridge over the River Forth at Stirling, in the shadow of Stirling Castle and just below Abbey Craig. The original bridge lay a short distance upstream from the stone bridge known today as Old Stirling Bridge. The Scots attacked from the Abbey Craig when the English were half deployed across the bridge and won an overwhelming victory. After the battle, Wallace was knighted by an unnamed Earl and became Sir William Wallace "Guardian of the Kingdom of Scotland and leader of its armies." His co-leader, Andrew Murray fared less well, dying some time later from wounds received during the battle. Wallace followed up the victory by leading the Scots into Northumberland and Cumbria, retreating only when the weather became too bad to continue the campaign.
The true historical significance of the Battle of Stirling Bridge is debatable. The English returned to Scotland in early 1298, trying to draw Wallace into open battle. This eventually happened at the Battle of Falkirk, on 22 July 1298. Defeat there was the beginning of the end for Wallace who was eventually executed in London on 23 August 1305. But as we've already said, none of this is really about history: the myth of Wallace has a life of its own that remains hugely influential.
The National Wallace Monument you see today was completed in 1869 after eight years' construction. It stands some 220ft or 67m high, and Abbey Craig adds a further 300ft or 91m, meaning that the top of the monument stands 520ft above the (tidal) River Forth below.
Shuhada' Sadaqat[8][a] (born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor; 8 December 1966 – July 2023), known professionally as Sinéad O'Connor,[9][b] was an Irish singer, songwriter and political activist. Her debut studio album, The Lion and the Cobra, was released in 1987 and charted internationally. Her second studio album, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got (1990), became her biggest success, selling over seven million copies worldwide.[11] Its lead single, "Nothing Compares 2 U", was named the number-one world single in 1990 by the Billboard Music Awards.[12]
O'Connor released ten studio albums. Am I Not Your Girl? (1992) and Universal Mother (1994) were certified gold in the UK,[13] Faith and Courage (2000) was certified gold in Australia,[14] and Throw Down Your Arms (2005) went gold in Ireland.[15] Her work included songs for films, collaborations with many other artists, and appearances at charity fundraising concerts. Her 2021 memoir Rememberings was a bestseller.[16]
In 1999, O'Connor was ordained as a priest by the Irish Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church, an Independent Catholic sect that is not recognised by the Roman Catholic Church.[17] She consistently spoke out on issues related to child abuse (including her 1992 Saturday Night Live protest against the continued cover-up of Catholic Church sexual abuse cases), human rights, racism, organised religion, and women's rights. Throughout her music career, she spoke about her spiritual journey, activism, socio-political views, as well as her trauma and mental health struggles. In 2017, O'Connor changed her name to Magda Davitt. After converting to Islam in 2018 she changed it to Shuhada' Sadaqat,[2][8][18] but continued to record and perform under her birth name.[
O'Connor was born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor[20] in the Cascia House Nursing Home at 13 Pembroke Road, Dublin, on 8 December 1966.[2] She was named Sinéad after Sinéad de Valera, the mother of the doctor presiding over the delivery, Éamon de Valera, Jnr., and Bernadette in honour of Saint Bernadette of Lourdes.[21][22] She was the third of five children;[23] her siblings are novelist Joseph,[24] Eimear,[25] John,[26] and Eoin.[27]
Her parents are John Oliver "Seán" O'Connor, a structural engineer later turned barrister[23] and chairperson of the Divorce Action Group,[28] and Johanna Marie O'Grady (1939–1985), who married in the Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Drimnagh, Dublin, in 1960. She attended Dominican College Sion Hill school in Blackrock, County Dublin.[29]
In 1979, O'Connor left her mother and went to live with her father, who had married Viola Margaret Suiter (née Cook) in Alexandria, Virginia, United States, in 1976.[30] At the age of 15, her shoplifting and truancy led to her being placed for 18 months in a Magdalene asylum called the Grianán Training Centre in Drumcondra run by the Order of Our Lady of Charity.[31] In some ways, she thrived there, especially in the development of her writing and music, but she also chafed under the imposed conformity. Unruly students there were sometimes sent to sleep in the adjoining nursing home, an experience of which she later commented, "I have never—and probably will never—experience such panic and terror and agony over anything."[32] She later for a period attended the Quaker Newtown School, Waterford for 5th and 6th year but did not sit the Leaving Certificate in 1985.[33][34]
On 10 February 1985, when O'Connor was 18, her mother Marie died in a car accident, aged 45, after losing control of her car on an icy road in Ballybrack and crashing into a bus.[35][36]
In June 1993, O'Connor wrote a public letter in The Irish Times which asked people to "stop hurting" her: "If only I can fight off the voices of my parents / and gather a sense of self-esteem / Then I'll be able to REALLY sing ..." The letter repeated accusations of abuse by her parents as a child which O'Connor had made in interviews. Her brother Joseph defended their father to the newspaper but agreed regarding their mother's "extreme and violent abuse, both emotional and physical". O'Connor said that month, "Our family is very messed up. We can't communicate with each other. We are all in agony. I for one am in agony."[37]
Musical career 1980s
One of the volunteers at Grianán was the sister of Paul Byrne, drummer for the band In Tua Nua, who heard O'Connor singing "Evergreen" by Barbra Streisand. She recorded a song with them called "Take My Hand" but they felt that at 15, she was too young to join the band.[38] Through an ad she placed in Hot Press in mid-1984, she met Colm Farrelly. Together they recruited a few other members and formed a band called Ton Ton Macoute.[22] The band moved to Waterford briefly while O'Connor attended Newtown School, but she soon dropped out of school and followed them to Dublin, where their performances received positive reviews. Their sound was inspired by Farrelly's interest in world music, though most observers thought O'Connor's singing and stage presence were the band's strongest features.[22][39]
O'Connor's time as singer for Ton Ton Macoute brought her to the attention of the music industry, and she was eventually signed by Ensign Records. She also acquired an experienced manager, Fachtna Ó Ceallaigh, former head of U2's Mother Records. Soon after she was signed, she embarked on her first major assignment, providing the vocals for the song "Heroine", which she co-wrote with U2's guitarist the Edge for the soundtrack to the film Captive. Ó Ceallaigh, who had been fired by U2 for complaining about them in an interview, was outspoken with his views on music and politics, and O'Connor adopted the same habits; she defended the actions of the Provisional IRA and said U2's music was "bombastic".[2] She later retracted her IRA comments saying they were based on nonsense, and that she was "too young to understand the tense situation in Northern Ireland properly".[40]
Her first album The Lion and the Cobra was "a sensation" when it was released in 1987 on Chrysalis Records,[41] and it reached gold record status, earning a Best Female Rock Vocal Performance Grammy nomination. The single "Mandinka" was a big college radio hit in the United States, and "I Want Your (Hands on Me)" received both college and urban play in a remixed form that featured rapper MC Lyte. In her first U.S. network television appearance, O'Connor sang "Mandinka" on Late Night with David Letterman in 1988.[42] The song "Troy" was also released as a single in the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands, where it reached number 5 on the Dutch Top 40 chart.[43]
O'Connor named Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Bob Marley, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and the Pretenders as the artists who influenced her on her debut album.[44] In 1989 O'Connor joined The The frontman Matt Johnson as a guest vocalist on the band's album Mind Bomb, which spawned the duet "Kingdom of Rain".[45] That same year, she made her first foray into cinema, starring in and writing the music for the Northern Irish film Hush-a-Bye-Baby.[46]
1990s
O'Connor's second album – 1990's I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got – gained considerable attention and mostly positive reviews:[47] it was rated "second best album of the year" by the NME.[48] She was praised for her voice and original songs, while being noted for her appearance: trademark shaved head, often angry expression, and sometimes shapeless or unusual clothing.[47] The album featured Marco Pirroni (of Adam and the Ants fame), Andy Rourke (from The Smiths) and John Reynolds, her first husband;[49] most notably, it contained her international breakthrough hit "Nothing Compares 2 U", a song written by Prince[50][51] and originally recorded and released by a side project of his, the Family.[51] Hank Shocklee, producer for Public Enemy, remixed the album's next single, "The Emperor's New Clothes",[49] for a 12-inch that was coupled with another song from the LP, "I Am Stretched on Your Grave". Pre-dating but included on I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got, was "Jump in the River", which originally appeared on the Married to the Mob soundtrack; the 12-inch version of the single had included a remix featuring performance artist Karen Finley.[52][53]
In July 1990, she joined other guests for former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters' performance of The Wall in Berlin.[54] She contributed a cover of "You Do Something to Me" to the Cole Porter tribute/AIDS fundraising album Red Hot + Blue produced by the Red Hot Organization.[55] Red Hot + Blue was followed by the release of Am I Not Your Girl?, an album made of covers of jazz standards and torch songs she had listened to while growing up; the album received mixed-to-poor reviews, and was a commercial disappointment in light of the success of her previous work.[56] Her take on Elton John's "Sacrifice" was acclaimed as one of the best efforts on the tribute album Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin.[57]
Also in 1990, she was criticised after she stated that she would not perform if the United States national anthem was played before one of her concerts; Frank Sinatra threatened to "kick her in the ass".[58] After receiving four Grammy Award nominations, she withdrew her name from consideration.[2] Although nominated for the Brit Award for International Female Solo Artist, which she won, she did not attend the awards ceremony, but did accept the Irish IRMA in February 1991.[59]
I don't do anything in order to cause trouble. It just so happens that what I do naturally causes trouble. I'm proud to be a troublemaker.
—O'Connor in NME, March 1991[60]
She spent the following months studying bel canto singing with teacher Frank Merriman at the Parnell School of Music. In an interview with The Guardian, published in May 1993, she reported that singing lessons with Merriman were the only therapy she was receiving, describing Merriman as "the most amazing teacher in the universe."[61]
In 1992, she contributed backing vocals on the track "Come Talk To Me", and shared vocals on the single "Blood of Eden" from the studio album Us by Peter Gabriel. Gabriel invited her to join his ongoing Secret World Tour in May 1993, to sing these songs and more in an elaborate stage setting. O'Connor travelled and performed as a guest artist.[62] She was seen at Gabriel's side at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards in September. While in Los Angeles, she took too many sleeping pills, inciting media conjecture about a suicide attempt. She said she "was in a bad way emotionally at the time, but it wasn't a suicide attempt."[63] She left the tour suddenly, causing Gabriel to scramble for a replacement singer.[62] Decades later, she wrote in her memoir Rememberings that she left Gabriel because he treated her casually, and would not make a commitment.[6]
The 1993 soundtrack to the film In the Name of the Father featured O'Connor's "You Made Me the Thief of Your Heart".[49] Her more conventional Universal Mother album (1994) spawned two music videos for the first and second singles, "Fire on Babylon" and "Famine", that were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video.[64][65] She toured with Lollapalooza in 1995, but dropped out when she became pregnant with her second child.[66] In 1997, she released the Gospel Oak EP.[67]
In 1994, she appeared in A Celebration: The Music of Pete Townshend and The Who,[68] also known as Daltrey Sings Townshend. This was a two-night concert at Carnegie Hall produced by Roger Daltrey of the Who in celebration of his 50th birthday.[69] A CD and a VHS video of the concert were issued in 1994, followed by a DVD in 1998.[70][71]
In 1996, O'Connor guested on Broken China, a solo album by Pink Floyd's Richard Wright.[72]
O'Connor made her final feature film appearance in Neil Jordan's The Butcher Boy in 1997, playing the Virgin Mary.[73]
In 1998, she worked again with the Red Hot Organization to co-produce and perform on Red Hot + Rhapsody.[74]
2000s
O'Connor at the "Music in My Head" festival in The Hague, 13 June 2008
Faith and Courage was released in 2000, including the single "No Man's Woman", and featured contributions from Wyclef Jean of the Fugees and Dave Stewart of Eurythmics.[75]
Her 2002 album, Sean-Nós Nua, marked a departure in that O'Connor interpreted or, in her own words, "sexed up" traditional Irish folk songs, including several in the Irish language.[76] In Sean-Nós Nua, she covered a well-known Canadian folk song, "Peggy Gordon".[77]
In 2003, she contributed a track to the Dolly Parton tribute album Just Because I'm a Woman, a cover of Parton's "Dagger Through the Heart". That same year, she also featured on three songs of Massive Attack's album 100th Window before releasing her double album, She Who Dwells in the Secret Place of the Most High Shall Abide Under the Shadow of the Almighty. This compilation contained one disc of demos and previously unreleased tracks and one disc of a live concert recording. Directly after the album's release, O'Connor announced that she was retiring from music.[78] Collaborations, a compilation album of guest appearances, was released in 2005—featuring tracks recorded with Peter Gabriel, Massive Attack, Jah Wobble, Terry Hall, Moby, Bomb the Bass, the Edge, U2, and The The.[79]
Ultimately, after a brief period of inactivity and a bout with fibromyalgia, her retirement proved to be short-lived. O'Connor stated in an interview with Harp magazine that she had only intended to retire from making mainstream pop/rock music, and after dealing with her fibromyalgia she chose to move into other musical styles.[80] The reggae album Throw Down Your Arms appeared in late 2005.[81]
On 8 November 2006, O'Connor performed seven songs from her upcoming album Theology at The Sugar Club in Dublin. Thirty fans were given the opportunity to win pairs of tickets to attend along with music industry critics.[82] The performance was released in 2008 as Live at the Sugar Club deluxe CD/DVD package sold exclusively on her website.[83]
O'Connor released two songs from her album Theology to download for free from her official website: "If You Had a Vineyard" and "Jeremiah (Something Beautiful)". The album, a collection of covered and original Rastafari spiritual songs, was released in June 2007. The first single from the album, the Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber classic "I Don't Know How to Love Him", was released on 30 April 2007.[84] To promote the album, O'Connor toured extensively in Europe and North America. She also appeared on two tracks of the new Ian Brown album The World Is Yours, including the anti-war single "Illegal Attacks".[85]
2010s
In January 2010, O'Connor performed a duet with R&B singer Mary J. Blige produced by former A Tribe Called Quest member Ali Shaheed Muhammad of O'Connor's song "This Is To Mother You" (first recorded by O'Connor on her 1997 Gospel Oak EP). The proceeds of the song's sales were donated to the organisation GEMS (Girls Educational and Mentoring Services).[86] In 2012 the song "Lay Your Head Down", written by Brian Byrne and Glenn Close for the soundtrack of the film Albert Nobbs and performed by O'Connor, was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.[87]
O'Connor performing in 2013
In 2011, O'Connor worked on recording a new album, titled Home, to be released in the beginning of 2012,[88] titled How About I Be Me (and You Be You)?,[89][90] with the first single being "The Wolf is Getting Married". She planned an extensive tour in support of the album but suffered a serious breakdown between December 2011 and March 2012,[91] resulting in the tour and all other musical activities for the rest of 2012 being cancelled. O'Connor resumed touring in 2013 with The Crazy Baldhead Tour. The second single "4th and Vine" was released on 18 February 2013.[92]
In February 2014, it was revealed that O'Connor had been recording a new album of original material, titled The Vishnu Room, consisting of romantic love songs.[93] In early June 2014, the new album was retitled I'm Not Bossy, I'm the Boss, with an 11 August release date. The title derives from the Ban Bossy campaign that took place earlier the same year. The album's first single is entitled "Take Me to Church".[94][95]
In November 2014, O'Connor's management was taken over by Simon Napier-Bell and Björn de Water.[96] On 15 November, O'Connor joined the charity supergroup Band Aid 30 along with other British and Irish pop acts, recording a new version of the track "Do They Know It's Christmas?" at Sarm West Studios in Notting Hill, London, to raise money for the West African Ebola virus epidemic.[97]
In September 2019, O'Connor performed live for the first time in five years, singing "Nothing Compares 2 U" with the Irish Chamber Orchestra on RTÉ's The Late Late Show.[98][99]
2020s
In October 2020, O'Connor released a cover of Mahalia Jackson's Trouble of the World, with proceeds from the single to benefit Black Lives Matter charities.[100]
On 4 June 2021, O'Connor announced her immediate retirement from the music industry. While her final studio album, No Veteran Dies Alone, was due to be released in 2022, O'Connor stated that she would not be touring or promoting it.[101] Announcing the news on Twitter, she said "This is to announce my retirement from touring and from working in the record business. I've gotten older and I'm tired. So it's time for me to hang up my nipple tassels, having truly given my all. NVDA in 2022 will be my last release. And there'll be no more touring or promo."[101][102] On 7 June she retracted her previous statement, describing the original announcement as "a knee-jerk reaction" to an insensitive interview, and announcing that she would go ahead with her already scheduled 2022 tour.[103]
On 1 June 2021, O'Connor's memoir Rememberings was released to positive critical reception. It was listed among the best books of the year on BBC Culture.[104]
On 7 January 2022, O'Connor's son, Shane, died by suicide at the age of 17.[42] She subsequently decided to cancel her 2022 tour and her album No Veteran Dies Alone was postponed indefinitely.[105]
In February 2023, she shared a new version of "The Skye Boat Song", a 19th century Scottish adaptation of a 1782 Gaelic song, which is also the theme for the fantasy drama series Outlander.[106] The following month, she was awarded the inaugural Choice Music Prize Classic Irish Album by Irish broadcaster RTÉ for her 1990 album, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got.[107][108]
Name
In 2017, O'Connor changed her legal name to Magda Davitt, saying in an interview that she wished to be "free of the patriarchal slave names. Free of the parental curses."[113][114] On her conversion to Islam in October 2018, she adopted the name 'Shuhada', and before mid-2019 also changed her surname from Davitt to Sadaqat.[115]
Personal and public image
Her shaved head has been seen as a statement against traditional views of femininity.[116]
Marriages and children
O'Connor had four children and was married and divorced four times. She had her first son, Jake, in 1987 with her first husband, music producer John Reynolds,[117] who co-produced several of her albums, including Universal Mother. Reynolds and O'Connor later married in Westminster register office in March 1989.[118][119] The same year, O'Connor had an abortion after things did not work out with the father. She later wrote the song "My Special Child" about the experience.[120] O'Connor and Reynolds announced their plan to divorce in November 1991 after being separated for some time.[121]
Soon after the birth of her daughter Brigidine Roisin Waters on 10 March 1996, O'Connor and the girl's father, Irish journalist John Waters, began a long custody battle that ended with O'Connor agreeing to let Roisin live in Dublin with Waters.[122][119][117] In August 2001, O'Connor married British journalist Nick Sommerlad in Wales; the marriage ended in July 2002 after 11 months.[123][117] She had her third child, son Shane, in 2004 with musician Donal Lunny.[117][119] In 2006, she had her fourth child, Yeshua Francis Neil Bonadio, whose father is Frank Bonadio.[124][125]
O'Connor was married a third time on 22 July 2010, to longtime friend and collaborator Steve Cooney,[4][126] and in late March 2011, made the decision to separate.[127] Her fourth marriage was to Irish therapist Barry Herridge. They wed on 9 December 2011, in Las Vegas, but their marriage ended after having "lived together for 7 days only".[128] The following week, on 3 January 2012, O'Connor issued a further string of internet comments to the effect that the couple had re-united.[5]
On 18 July 2015, her first grandson was born to her son Jake Reynolds and his girlfriend Lia.[129]
On 7 January 2022, two days after her 17-year-old son Shane was reported missing from Newbridge, County Kildare, he was found dead by suicide. His body was found by Gardaí in the Bray/Shankill part of Dublin.[130][131][132] O'Connor stated that her son, custody of whom she lost in 2013, had been on "suicide watch" at Tallaght Hospital, and had "ended his earthly struggle". O'Connor criticised the Health Service Executive (HSE) with regard to their handling of her son's case.[133][134][135] She initially criticised Ireland's family services agency, Tusla, but retracted this a few days later.[136][137] In January 2022, a week after her son's suicide, she was hospitalised on her own volition following a series of tweets in which she indicated she was going to take her own life.[138]
Relationship with Prince
Speaking about her relationship with Prince in an interview with Norwegian station NRK in November 2014 she said, "I did meet him a couple of times. We didn't get on at all. In fact we had a punch-up." She continued: "He summoned me to his house after 'Nothing Compares'. I made it without him. I'd never met him. He summoned me to his house – and it's foolish to do this to an Irish woman – he said he didn't like me saying bad words in interviews. So I told him to f*** off....He got quite violent. I had to escape out of his house at 5 in the morning. He packed a bigger punch than mine."[139] In her 2021 memoir Rememberings, O'Connor described her meeting with Prince in detail, which ranged from having his butler serve soup repeatedly despite no desire for soup, to hitting her with a hard object placed in a pillowcase after wanting a pillow fight, and stalking her with his car after she left the mansion.[140]
Health
In the early 2000s, O'Connor revealed that she suffered from fibromyalgia. The pain and fatigue she experienced caused her to take a break from music from 2003 to 2005.[141]
On an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show broadcast on 4 October 2007, O'Connor disclosed that she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder four years earlier, and had attempted suicide on her 33rd birthday, 8 December 1999.[142] Then, on Oprah: Where Are They Now? of 9 February 2014, O'Connor said that she had received three "second opinions" and was told by all three that she was not bipolar.
O'Connor was also diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder and borderline personality disorder.[143]
In August 2015, she announced that she was to undergo a hysterectomy after suffering gynaecological problems for over three years.[144] O'Connor later blamed the hospital's refusal to administer hormonal replacement therapy after the operation as the main reason for her mental health issues in the subsequent years, stating "I was flung into surgical menopause. Hormones were everywhere. I became very suicidal. I was a basket case."[145]
Having smoked cannabis for 30 years, O'Connor went to a rehabilitation centre in 2016, to end her "addiction".[146] O'Connor was agoraphobic.[147]
In August 2017, O'Connor posted a 12-minute video on her Facebook page in which she stated that she had felt alone since losing custody of her 13-year-old son, Shane, and that for the prior two years she had wanted to kill herself, with only her doctor and psychiatrist "keeping her alive".[148] The month after her Facebook post, O'Connor appeared on the American television talk show Dr. Phil on the show's 16th season debut episode.[149] According to Dr. Phil, O'Connor wanted to do the interview because she wanted to "destigmatize mental illness", noting the prevalence of mental health issues among musicians.[150] Shane died in January 2022. A week later, following a series of tweets in which she indicated that she was going to kill herself, O'Connor was hospitalised.[151]
Sexuality
In a 2000 interview in Curve, O'Connor said that she was a lesbian.[152] She later retracted the statement, and in 2005 told Entertainment Weekly "I'm three-quarters heterosexual, a quarter gay".[153]
In 2013, O'Connor published an open letter on her own website to American singer and actress Miley Cyrus in which she warned Cyrus of the treatment of women in the music industry and stated that sexuality is a factor in this, which was in response to Cyrus's music video for her song "Wrecking Ball".[154] Cyrus responded by mocking O'Connor and alluding to her mental health problems.[155]
Politics
O'Connor was a vocal supporter of a united Ireland, and called on the left-wing republican Sinn Féin party to be "braver". In December 2014 it was reported O'Connor had joined Sinn Féin.[156] O'Connor called for the "demolition" of the Republic of Ireland and its replacement with a new, united country. She also called for key Sinn Féin politicians like Gerry Adams to step down because "they remind people of violence", referring to the Troubles.[157]
In a 2015 interview with the BBC, O'Connor said she wished that Ireland had remained under British rule (which ended after the Irish War of Independence, except for Northern Ireland), saying "the church took over and it was disastrous".[158] Following the Brexit referendum in 2016, O'Connor wrote on Facebook "Ireland is officially no longer owned by Britain".[159]
Religion
Sinéad O'Connor on After Dark on 21 January 1995
In January 1995, O'Connor made an unexpected appearance on the British late-night television programme After Dark during an episode about sexual abuse and the Catholic Church in Ireland.[160] The discussion included a Dominican friar and another representative of the Catholic Church, along with former taoiseach Garret FitzGerald. Host Helena Kennedy described the event: "Sinéad came on and argued that abuse in families was coded in by the church because it refused to accept the accounts of women and children."[161]
In the late 1990s, Bishop Michael Cox of the Irish Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church (an Independent Catholic group not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church) ordained O'Connor as a priest.[17] The Catholic Church considers the ordination of women to be invalid and asserts that a person attempting the sacrament of ordination upon a woman incurs excommunication.[17] The bishop had contacted her to offer ordination following her appearance on RTÉ's The Late Late Show, during which she told the presenter, Gay Byrne, that had she not been a singer she would have wished to have been a Catholic priest. After her ordination, she indicated that she wished to be called Mother Bernadette Mary.[17]
In a July 2007 interview with Christianity Today, O'Connor stated that she considered herself a Christian and that she believed in core Christian concepts about the Trinity and Jesus Christ. She said, "I think God saves everybody whether they want to be saved or not. So when we die, we're all going home ... I don't think God judges anybody. He loves everybody equally."[162] In an October 2002 interview, she credited her Christian faith in giving her the strength to live through and overcome the effects of her childhood abuse.[112]
On 26 March 2010, O'Connor appeared on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360° to speak out about the Catholic sexual abuse scandal in Ireland.[163] On 28 March 2010, she had an opinion piece published in the Sunday edition of The Washington Post in which she wrote about the scandal and her time in a Magdalene laundry as a teenager.[31] Writing for the Sunday Independent she labelled the Vatican as "a nest of devils" and called for the establishment of an "alternative church", opining that "Christ is being murdered by liars" in the Vatican.[164] Shortly after the election of Pope Francis, she said:[165][166]
Well, you know, I guess I wish everyone the best, and I don't know anything about the man, so I'm not going to rush to judge him on one thing or another, but I would say he has a scientifically impossible task, because all religions, but certainly the Catholic Church, is really a house built on sand, and it's drowning in a sea of conditional love, and therefore it can't survive, and actually the office of Pope itself is an anti-Christian office, the idea that Christ needs a representative is laughable and blasphemous at the same time, therefore it is a house built on sand, and we need to rescue God from religion, all religions, they've become a smokescreen that distracts people from the fact that there is a holy spirit, and when you study the Gospels you see the Christ character came to tell us that we only need to talk directly to God, we never needed Religion ...
Asked whether from her point of view, it is therefore irrelevant who is elected to be pope, O'Connor replied:
Genuinely I don't mean disrespect to Catholic people because I believe in Jesus Christ, I believe in the Holy Spirit, all of those, but I also believe in all of them, I don't think it cares if you call it Fred or Daisy, you know? Religion is a smokescreen, it has everybody talking to the wall. There is a Holy Spirit who can't intervene on our behalf unless we ask it. Religion has us talking to the wall. The Christ character tells us himself: you must only talk directly to the Father; you don't need intermediaries. We all thought we did, and that's ok, we're not bad people, but let's wake up ... God was there before religion; it's there [today] despite religion; it'll be there when religion is gone.[167]
Tatiana Kavelka wrote about O'Connor's later Christian work, describing it as "theologically charged yet unorthodox, oriented toward interfaith dialogue and those on the margins".[168]
In August 2018, via an open letter, she asked Pope Francis to excommunicate her as she had also asked Pope Benedict XVI and Pope John Paul II.[113]
In October 2018, O'Connor converted to Islam, calling it "the natural conclusion of any intelligent theologian's journey".[169] The ceremony was conducted in Ireland by Sunni Islamic theologian Shaykh Umar Al-Qadri. She also changed her name to Shuhada' Davitt. In a message on Twitter, she thanked fellow Muslims for their support and uploaded a video of herself reciting the adhan, the Islamic call to prayer. She also posted photos of herself wearing a hijab.[170]
After her conversion to Islam, O'Connor called those who were not Muslims "disgusting" and criticised Christian and Jewish theologians on Twitter in November 2018. She wrote: "What I'm about to say is something so racist I never thought my soul could ever feel it. But truly I never wanna spend time with white people again (if that's what non-muslims are called). Not for one moment, for any reason. They are disgusting."[171][172] Later that month, O'Connor stated that her remarks were made in an attempt to force Twitter to close down her account.[173] In September 2019, she apologised for the remarks, saying "They were not true at the time and they are not true now. I was triggered as a result of Islamophobia dumped on me. I apologize for hurt caused. That was one of many crazy tweets lord knows."[174]
Death
On 26 July 2023, O'Connor was found dead at her flat in Herne Hill, South London, at the age of 56 Her family issued a statement later the same day, without indicating the cause of her death.[108][177][178] The following day, the Metropolitan Police reported that O'Connor's death was not being treated as suspicious] On 28 July, the Coronor in London said that the date of death was still unknown.
Singapore Zoo ranks consistently (after San Diego Zoo) as one of the best in the world.
The penguins are a delight to watch. As they waddle out single file on opposite feet, I’m reminded of my daughter’s tap dance classes.
For the story, please visit: www.ursulasweeklywanders.com/travel/teeth-claws-and-colou...